《Giving in to Her Rebellious Streak》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 ¡°Mrs. Ford, Mr. Ford¡¯s back.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Yasmin Starr was busy with her drafts. When she heard that her husband was back, her eyes lit up. She drew the curtains before her to see a Rolls-Royce Cullinan driving along the path leading to the vi. She saw a man in the car. His handsome face was visible from where she stood; his actions and carriage exuded a regal air. It really was him! Yasmin¡¯s heart started racing. Her face burned at the thought of the things they did whenever he came home. Every kiss they shared was searing and passionate. It made her shy yet nervous. Just then, the door to her room swung open. ke Ford walked in. Yasmin smiled at him. ¡°Mr. B!¡± ¡°Come here.¡± He loosened his tie. She walked over to him shyly. In the next second, he pulled her into his arms and gave her a hard kiss. She moaned before sinking into the kiss. Then, he carried her to the bed and had his way with her. ke looked like the celibate and gentle type, but he was no gentleman when it came to s*x. He wouldn¡¯t let Yasmin off the hook without making her cry. Yasmin shut her eyes as she savored the experience. This time, ke was wilder than he¡¯d ever been. He was only satiated when she begged him to stop with tears streaming down her face. He lifted the sheets and strode into the bathroom. Shortly after, there was the sound of running water. Yasmin remained in bed, lying there without an ounce of strength in her body. She and ke had been secretly married for two years now. At first, it hadn¡¯t been a marriage of love. Her father had forced ke to wed her. So, in the beginning, he didn¡¯t like her much. But she adored him. She¡¯d done everything she could to chase after him and treat him well. Finally, he¡¯d returned her feelings. Yasmin¡¯s heart pounded as she recalled how wild and enthusiastic he¡¯d been tonight. She couldn¡¯t help feeling sweet. Would their marriage get better from now on? Once she bore him a child, they¡¯d be a happy family of three. Suddenly, the bathroom door swung open. ke walked out with a towel wrapped around his waist. He had an amazing body, but his expression seemed somewhat menacing. He hadn¡¯t even wiped the beads of water dripping from his hair as he asked brusquely, ¡°Are you pregnant?¡± ke held up a pregnancy test. It had been ced on the toilet bowl, where he¡¯d taken it. Yasmin sat up. She was a little scared of not being able to read him. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet. I bought it this morning.¡± ¡°Why did you buy it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling nauseoustely, and I haven¡¯t had much of an appetite. You told me to do a test if I had any symptoms.¡± Yasmin¡¯s big eyes were filled with innocence. ke said, ¡°Go do the test now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait until you¡¯re done showering.¡± He was obviously not done yet. ¡°Do it. Now.¡± His expression was frosty. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Yasmin didn¡¯t dare dy further. It just so happened that she needed to pee, so she did the test at the same time. A few minutester, she walked out of the bathroom. ke was sitting on the couch. He looked up when he heard here out. His eyes were like dark whirlpools as he looked at her. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s only one line, Mr. B.¡± Yasmin was rather disappointed. She wasn¡¯t pregnant. It was impossible to tell whether ke¡¯s eyes were filled with disappointment or relief. He said calmly, ¡°Get me something to wear.¡± ¡°Are you still going out sote at night?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± His voice was as cold as ever. Yasmin didn¡¯t say anything else. She went to the walk-in wardrobe. She was actually very disappointed about not being pregnant. Deep down, she wanted to bear a child. The Ford family wanted her to have a child, as did ke. But no matter what treatments and supplements she¡¯d taken over the past two years, she¡¯d still failed to conceive. Besides, she was reluctant to let ke go. Over the two years of their marriage, her love for ke had only grown deeper. He was always too busy for her, though. Sometimes, he would be away from home for up to half a month. Now that they¡¯d finally been reunited, he was leaving again. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Yasmin felt a little bitter. She grabbed some dark clothes from the wardrobe and returned to the room. There, she heard ke talking to someone on the phone. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. Have Alicia keep an eye on you. I¡¯ll be right there.¡± His voice was a brand of tenderness that Yasmin had never heard before. She stopped short. Suddenly, the sweetness she¡¯d felt earlier dissipated. She asked tentatively, ¡°Who was that, Mr. B?¡± He nced at her, his tall stature domineering. He said coldly, ¡°No one.¡± ¡°Was it a woman?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± He grabbed the clothes from her and put them on. Usually, he would have her put them on for him. Would every man start to be repelled by their wives once they fell in love with someone else? Yasmin¡¯s stomach started convulsing. It looked like she had a stomach problem. She felt horrible. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ke got dressed and turned to leave. Yasmin was on high alert¡ªa woman¡¯s sixth sense was powerful. She ran to the door and said, ¡°I¡¯m feeling a little sick, Mr. B. Could you stay the night?¡± ke turned to look at her. He was unbelievably handsome, but there was something about him that just made him seem heartless. ¡°Have Mary call the family doctor if you¡¯re not feeling well. Also, I won¡¯t be back for some time.¡± With that, he headed downstairs. His figure went further and further away under the warm lights. Yasmin suddenly felt dazed. Why did it feel like she¡¯d never truly held a spot in his heart? A wave of nausea washed over her. She ran to the bathroom and vomited her dinner. This was followed by a sharp pain in her stomach. She was as pale as a sheet as she struggled to crawl to the bed. She¡¯d justid down when another bolt of pain shot through her. Yasmin ran to the bathroom again. This time, there was only bile. She wasn¡¯t pregnant¡ªshe had food poisoning! She grabbed her phone weakly to call Mary Gould, their housekeeper. ¡°My stomach hurts, Mary. Take me to the hospital.¡± Mary ran upstairs. When she saw Yasmin sprawled on the carpet, drenched in sweat, she hurriedly called the driver. They took Yasmin to the hospital. When they arrived, Mary helped her inside the clinic. The doctor gave her a painkiller before instructing her to do an ultrasound. They needed to determine whether it was acute cholecystitis or gastritis. Yasmin¡¯s stomach stopped hurting once the painkiller was administered. It lifted her spirits somewhat. Mary helped her to the ultrasound room. But there, they met someone unexpected¡ªke. ¡°Mrs. Ford, look! It¡¯s Mr. Ford!¡± Mary looked happy. Yasmin looked in the direction she pointed. She saw ke standing not too far away. A wave of delight washed over her. She was about to call out to him when she saw another woman. The woman came out of the room with a hand supporting her back. She held a report. ¡°The doctor said the baby¡¯s fine, ke.¡± His cold face immediately became tender. ¡°That¡¯s good to know. Remember to watch what you eat in the future. Now that you¡¯re pregnant, you have to be careful about the food you consume.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll watch out from now on.¡± The woman smiled gently. Yasmin was rooted to the spot with astonishment. Her gaze went from delight to disbelief. She stared at them. The woman wore a light-colored, demure dress, and she was beautiful. Her long hair was glossy, and her eyes were bright. She exuded a cool yet bewitching air. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Yasmin suddenly recalled something a friend of ke¡¯s had once said. He¡¯d told her, ¡°There¡¯s a woman who lives in ke¡¯s heart. They met in Merania, and he¡¯s pined after her for years. You and her look pretty simr, actually.¡± At the time, Yasmin had been indignant. She felt that the woman was no match for her since she was already a thing of the past. Now, her dream had been shattered. As she watched how tender ke was toward the woman, she felt like a sharp de had been driven right into her heart. It hurt so much that all her organs felt like they were cramping. ke shielded the woman from the crowd as they turned to leave. Suddenly, he caught sight of Yasmin standing not too far away. Mary was with her. He frowned. The woman asked gently, ¡°Do you know her, ke?¡± ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s my wife, Yasmin Starr,¡± he said inly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you head to the car first, Giselle? I¡¯ll be right behind you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Giselle O¡¯Shea nodded obediently. Before she left, she turned to look at Yasmin. Their gazes met in mid-air. Giselle appraised her and smiled faintly. Yasmin¡¯s heart constricted as bitterness seeped through it. ke walked over to her. He was tall enough to block out the light above her head. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Mary was about to answer when Yasmin asked, ¡°Who is she?¡± Why was ke at the hospital with her for a prenatal check? Was she pregnant with his child? She stopped her thoughts there, not daring to think any further. ¡°Don¡¯t ask about things that have nothing to do with you.¡± ke avoided her question. Yasmin¡¯s eyes turned red. ¡°Can¡¯t I even ask a question when you¡¯ve had an affair?¡± ¡°An affair? Do you even have the right to say that?¡± ke¡¯s gaze was menacing. ¡°Have you forgotten how we got married? Also, I made it clear to you when we married that I would never love you.¡± The blood drained from Yasmin¡¯s face. She clenched her fists tightly, barely able to calm down. ¡°So I¡¯m nothing but a f**k buddy to you?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± Yasmin smiled self-deprecatingly. ¡°I see. You were mad at my dad for tricking you, so you thought you wouldn¡¯t waste the opportunity and just f**k me, huh?¡± ¡°Stop talking.¡± ke¡¯s gaze wasser-sharp. So, she couldn¡¯t even talk now? Yasmin¡¯s heart sank to the depths of hell. She refused to listen and continued, ¡°Now that the woman you love is back, what are you going to do to me?¡± He pursed his lips. His silence disappointed her. Yasmin¡¯s stomach started hurting again; even the painkiller wasn¡¯t doing anything to stop it. As the pain intensified, she finally passed out. ¡­ It was already daytime when Yasmin woke up. She opened her eyes with a frown to see ke leaving the room. She had an IV drip. ¡°Mr. B!¡± she called. She almost fell out of the bed. Mary caught her. ¡°Be careful, Mrs. Ford.¡± ¡°Where has Mr. B gone?¡± ¡°That woman called him, so he went to see her.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Yasmin jolted. ¡°Don¡¯t let this upset you too much, Mrs. Ford. Your health should be your priority,¡± Mary said, looking sad. ¡°After doing the ultrasound, you were diagnosed with acute gastritis arising from food poisoning. You¡¯ve already gone through three IV drips, so you¡¯re really weak now.¡± Yasmin couldn¡¯t suppress the bitterness in her heart. She had acute gastritis, but ke had abandoned her after one phone call from the woman called Giselle. It looked like she was no match for Giselle at all. ¡°Have something to eat, Mrs. Ford.¡± Mary brought her a bowl of oatmeal. Yasmin shook her head. ¡°Set it aside for now, Mary. I don¡¯t want to eat anything yet.¡± Just then, her phone, which had been ced on the bedside table, rang. She answered it wanly. ¡°Hello?¡± Chapter 4 Chapter 4 ¡°Yaz, did you know about your precious Mr. B cheating on you?¡± The phone call was from Yasmin¡¯s best friend, Eunice Salle. ¡°I saw it all over the news first thing in the morning! He¡¯s gotten together with a pianist named Giselle O¡¯Shea, and it looks like she¡¯s even pregnant. ¡°The paparazzi caught them at the hospital together. Hurry and go check it out!¡± Yasmin¡¯s heart constricted. She checked the news. There were tweets everywhere on Twitter talking about the photos of ke apanying Giselle to the hospitalst night. ke was the CEO of Windmere Group and had countless assets under his name. He was the most eligible bachelor in the city. This was why his private life had always been under intense scrutiny. From N?velDrama.Org. Now that he¡¯d gotten caught apanying a woman to the hospital, it immediately became a trending topic. Theizens had even managed to dig out Giselle¡¯s personal information. She was a renowned pianist in Merania. She and ke were childhood sweethearts. They had a strong bond. After growing up, she¡¯d gone abroad to study while ke had waited for her for ten years. Now that Giselle was back, they could finally be together. Everyone on the Inte was going crazy over their rtionship. They were allmenting the glory of their love. In just one morning, Giselle¡¯s Twitter ount had gained three million followers. The one thing Yasmin noticed was that Giselle had been in Merania. It matched up with what ke¡¯s friend had told her before. So, she was ke¡¯s true love. Yasmin smiled mockingly. ¡°Did you see it, Yaz? I can¡¯t believe this nonsense is all over the Inte. I can¡¯t take it¡ªI have to go teach these people a lesson!¡± Eunice gritted her teeth. Yasmin stopped her. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything. I already know about it.¡± ¡°Wait, you do?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Eunice¡¯s voice shot up an octave. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you? Aren¡¯t you going to do anything about him getting involved with another woman? Shouldn¡¯t you be teaching that bitch a lesson?¡± Yasmin sighed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see what those people are saying? She¡¯s Mr. B¡¯s true love. He¡¯s waited for her for a decade.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less whether she¡¯s his true love or a hooker he hired. She¡¯s in the wrong for getting involved with him despite knowing he¡¯s married!¡± ¡°Forget it.¡± Yasmin sounded tired. ¡°My marriage to Mr. B has always been a one-sided thing. I¡¯m tired now.¡± Besides, her manners and upbringing wouldn¡¯t permit her to get physical with Giselle. In fact, if she were to cause a fuss, the whole city would know what a terrible marriage she had. She and ke had indeed been married, so she didn¡¯t want things to turn ugly. After a moment of silence, Eunice said, ¡°What are you going to do, then? Are you going to keep this up or get a divorce?¡± ¡°A divorce is all I want now.¡± Yasmin looked at the needle on the back of her hand. She was sick, yet he was apanying Giselle. Her heart was now dead. ¡°Since he doesn¡¯t care about me, I won¡¯t force things anymore.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll always support you, Yaz. You¡¯re so pretty. There are plenty of men who¡¯d love to be with you. You don¡¯t have to be so hung up on a scumbag!¡± ¡°Thanks forforting me.¡± She was grateful to have Eunice by her side when she was at her worst. After hanging up, Yasmin rested for a while. When she was finally done with her IV drip, she felt better. Her stomach didn¡¯t hurt anymore, but she was still rather weak. Mary and the driver took her home. She fell asleep again. ke returned that night. As he took his coat off, he asked Mary, ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°Upstairs. She¡¯s sleeping.¡± Mary added, ¡°Mrs. Ford was quite sad to see that you weren¡¯t around when she woke up this morning, Mr. Ford.¡± ke fell silent. After a pause, he went upstairs. He easily pushed the room door open. Yasmin was curled up on the bay window like a cat. Her long hair fell from the seat to the floor. It made her seem that much more skinny and petite. Why was she sleeping there when she was sick? Chapter 5 Chapter 5 ke frowned and approached Yasmin. Her eyes were shut. There was a sort of childlike quality to her face as she slept, but it didn¡¯t take away from her beauty. Her naturally pink and moist lips were puckered slightly. They were as tempting as water to a parched man in the desert. ke¡¯s anger dissipated at this sight. He bent down to lift her into his arms. At the warmth, Yasmin subconsciously buried her head against his neck. She wanted more of it. ke looked down at her. His gaze was too deep for others to tell what he was thinking. Then, he ced her on the bed. He was about to leave when he heard her mumble, ¡°You¡¯re a jerk, Mr. B ¡­¡± ke paused. He rested a hand on her face and caressed it. She was deeply asleep but subconsciously sucked on his finger. His breathing hitched. ¡°Yasmin?¡± Was she awake? She didn¡¯t respond. Instead, she turned on her side and held his hand to her cheek. She looked wholly dependent on him. ke lowered his head and kissed her. Yasmin felt like her tongue was numb from being kissed. As she woke up blearily, the first thing she saw was a handsome face that had been zoomed in. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Before she could say anything, ke kissed her again. He slipped a hand underneath her dress. His gaze was fiery enough to set her aze. Yasmin¡¯s expression turned icy. She bit his tongue hard. ¡°F**k off!¡± With that, a bolt of pain shot through ke. He released her. She rolled away from him, wrapping the sheets around herself as she red at him. ¡°What the hell?¡± He gave her an icy look. ¡°That¡¯s my line. Did youe here to see me after your date with your mistress? Don¡¯t you find yourself dirty?¡± Yasmin looked furious. ke¡¯s gaze turned frosty. ¡°She¡¯s not a mistress. Don¡¯t spout nonsense.¡± ¡°How is she not a mistress when she¡¯s already pregnant with your child?¡± ke didn¡¯t answer her. Instead, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare hurt her.¡± Yasmin sneered. ¡°How could I possibly hurt her? Do I look like a monster to you? Or do you think I¡¯m powerful enough to go against you?¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t bother her.¡± Yasmin trembled. She didn¡¯t expect him to be so protective of her. She fell silent, looking frosty. ¡°How¡¯s your stomach?¡± ke sat by the bed and broke the silence. ¡°What does it have to do with you?¡± Yasmin was mad at the mention of this. She¡¯d beennguishing in the hospital room while he¡¯d been with another woman. No wife on this earth would be able to ept something like that. She was so mad that tears filled her eyes and blurred her vision. She said bluntly, ¡°Let¡¯s get divorced, ke.¡± ¡°What did you call me?¡± ke shot her an icy look. She¡¯d always addressed him as ¡°Mr. B¡±. ke was eight years older than Yasmin and exuded a natural dominance. In the past, she would be scared of him if he were to so much as nce at her, let alone give her such an icy look. But now, Yasmin didn¡¯t care anymore. She met his gaze head-on. ¡°I called you by your name. From now on, I will only ever call you that. Also, I said, let¡¯s get divorced.¡± The thought of a divorce had been reverberating in her mind since she¡¯d woken up that morning to see him leave the hospital room. If he couldn¡¯t even be bothered to be by her side when she was hospitalized, what was the point of keeping him? He would only exasperate her. ¡°What did you say?¡± ke thought he¡¯d heard her wrong. He narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°Say that again if you dare.¡± ¡°I regret everything now, ke. I don¡¯t want to be with you anymore,¡± Yasmin enunciated, her voice steady and clear. ¡°Let¡¯s get divorced.¡± She¡¯d be much better off kicking a heartless man like him to the curb as soon as possible. He was the one who said he¡¯d never love her, anyway. ke sneered. His gaze was harsh. ¡°What¡¯s this trick you¡¯re trying to pull this time?¡± He even thought she was just ying the fool by demanding a divorce. It showed that when a man didn¡¯t love a woman, he would think she was just ying games, even if she were to throw herself off a building. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Yasmin was dead at heart, and her eyes were dull. ¡°I¡¯m not throwing a tantrum, ke. I¡¯m being serious. I¡¯ve been stuck in a loveless marriage for two years, and I¡¯ve had enough.¡± Over more than 700 days, she¡¯d gone from hopeful to despondent. She was tired of living like this. ¡°Have you forgotten that your father was the one who sent you to my bed?¡± ke¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°He went to such lengths to force me to marry you, yet you¡¯re now demanding a divorce. Do you even hear yourself? ¡°Go ahead and throw whatever tantrum you want, but don¡¯t take things too far. Men hate it when women are too fussy, you know.¡± Indeed, Yasmin¡¯s father, Stuart Starr, had sent her to ke¡¯s bed. At the time, something had gone wrong with Stuart¡¯spany. He foresaw himself ending up behind bars and had been afraid of his enemies going after Yasmin. So, he¡¯d orchestrated for Yasmin to end up in bed with ke. Then, he¡¯d informed the paparazzi and the Ford family about this, forcing ke to marry Yasmin. Stuart had some of Windmere Group¡¯s trade secrets. He¡¯d threatened to release them if ke didn¡¯t protect Yasmin. And that was how Stuart had tricked ke into marrying Yasmin. ke had harbored a grudge against him and Yasmin for it. On their wedding night, he¡¯d warned Yasmin, ¡°Your father gave you to me, so you have to atone for his sins. Obey every word I say. Don¡¯t ever go against me.¡± That year, Yasmin was 20 years old and a sophomore in college. She¡¯d been terrified, and she¡¯d nodded with red eyes. ¡°I understand, Mr. B.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡± ke snarled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll be careful from now on.¡± Yasmin¡¯s eyes were filled with sorrow as she recalled their past. She didn¡¯t hate Stuart. She knew he¡¯d forced ke to marry her because he wanted to protect her. It had been two years since then. Stuart was still in prison but would be released in a few years once he¡¯d served his full sentence. ¡°I know you¡¯re still harboring a grudge against me and my father for forcing you into this marriage. Now, I¡¯m setting you free,¡± she said. She despised him for cheating on her but was still grateful that he¡¯d kept her safe for two years. ke looked at her icily. Then, he sneered. ¡°That stupid studio of yours isn¡¯t making a single cent. Can you really feed yourself if we get divorced?¡± Yasmin and Eunice had set up their own studio. It was still early days and had yet to bring in profits. ¡°No entrepreneur makes money when they first started. It takes time. I know I¡¯m not earning anything yet, but I¡¯ll work hard. I¡¯ve graduated and grown up, ke. I don¡¯t need your protection anymore,¡± Yasmin said. ke knitted his brows tightly. ¡°So that¡¯s what it is. You want a divorce because you don¡¯t need me for anything anymore. Do you really think reality¡¯s that sweet, Yasmin? Your family forced me to marry you when they needed me. Now that you don¡¯t need me anymore, you¡¯re demanding a divorce.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll admit that my father made a mistake, but haven¡¯t I been atoning for his sins for the past two years? I¡¯ve obeyed you at every turn. I¡¯ve never gone against you. Besides, don¡¯t you want to be free? Your mistress is already pregnant. Don¡¯t you want to give her and your child what they deserve?¡± ¡°My matters have nothing to do with you,¡± ke said coldly. Yasmin fell silent. Indeed, he¡¯d never allowed her to ask about his matters. She turned to leave the room. An ugly look crept onto ke¡¯s face as he dragged her back and pinned her to the bed. He circled her with his arms and looked down at her sharply. Yasmin was caught off guard. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°You¡¯re always talking about how much you love me, right? Look at how you have to announce it every day.¡± There was a hint of anger in his face. ¡°Are you really willing to watch me ride into the sunset with another woman? Doesn¡¯t it upset you?¡± Yasmin lowered her eyes. She said softly, ¡°Not anymore.¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. It did upset her, but she didn¡¯t want to love him anymore. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Chapter 7 ¡°Regretting it already? Is your love that cheap? Has it faded into nothingness after just two years?¡± ke mocked. He stared at Yasmin. He had her pinned to the bed. Her pale face was devoid of emotion. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m regretting it. won¡¯t love you anymore.¡± She wasn¡¯t worthy of him, so she was giving up. ke¡¯s expression darkened. He growled, ¡°Fine, then. Since you don¡¯t love me anymore, that¡¯s all the more reason for me not to let you off the h o ok. I want you to stay by my side for the rest of your life to atone for your sins. That¡¯ll be the perfect way to torment the day you die.¡±. you until Yasmin was stunned. ¡°Are we really unforgivable just because my father tricked you?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s the one thing I hate the most, so you have to stay by my side for the rest of your life. You don¡¯t have a choice in this.¡± With that, ke stormed out and mmed the door behind him. Yasmin sat up, looking deste. She hadn¡¯t expected ke to insist that she dedicate her life to him as a form of reparation for Stuart¡¯s trickery. The following morning, Yasmin slowly stirred awake as the sunlight streamed in through the window. It was a bright, sunny day, which was at odds with her mood. Her stomach was hurting a little again. She had to eat something before taking her medication. She went downstairs for breakfast. Mary had made her something suitable for her constitution. ¡°Eat as much as you can, Mrs. Ford.¡± 1 16 ¡°Okay.¡± Yasmin started eating. She had a cute appearance. Mary couldn¡¯t help pitying her. She rubbed Yasmin on the head. Suddenly,ughter rang out. Yasmin turned to see ke and Giselle walking into the house. She paused halfway through her meal as her expression darkened. He refused to get a divorce, yet he still wanted to bring his mistress home. He was such a jerk! ¡°Mary, set another ce at the table.¡± ke walked into the dining room, looking like a perfect gentleman in his ck suit. 1/2 7 Mary was only a housekeeper, so she didn¡¯t dare to defy him. She did as told. ke and Giselle sat down. The former acted like Yasmin was nonexistent and scooped some food onto thetter¡¯s te. ¡°Have some of this. It¡¯s good for you and the baby.¡± Giselle was pleasantly surprised by this. She nced at Yasmin and said shyly, ¡°Your wife¡¯s around.¡± ¡°She won¡¯t mind.¡± ke looked unruffled. Yasmin¡¯s heart constricted. Indeed, she shouldn¡¯t be bothered by these things. She was only here to atone for her sins. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about this, Mrs. Ford. ke and I have known each other for years. He¡¯s always been this way. He¡¯s just habitually caring for me since I¡¯m pregnant,¡± Giselle said demurely. She was the very picture of a well-mannereddy. Yasmin said inly, ¡°Don¡¯t call me Mrs. Ford.¡± She hated that address now. She didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with ke. ¡°Why?¡± Giselle gave ke a confused look. ¡°Do you two have a bad rtionship?¡± ke pursed his lips without saying anything. Giselle turned to Yasmin again, asking gently, ¡°Is it because you two don¡¯t see each other often?¡± ¡°No.¡± Yasmin¡¯s expression was icy. ¡°This is nothing but a political marriage. There aren¡¯t any feelings involved.¡± She red at ke. He returned it with an ice-cold gaze. Giselle could tell things were genuinely bad between them. This put her at ease. She said gently, ¡°Could you pass me the sd bowl, Yasmin? ke doesn¡¯t like taking his vegetables, so I want to get him some to make him eat healthy.¡± 1 Yasmin said, ¡°Isn¡¯t there a turntable? Just turn it to get whatever you want. ¡°Oh, right.¡± Giselle looked like she¡¯d just noticed it. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve been abroad for so long that I¡¯m not used to how things are back here.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t there turntables abroad?¡± Giselle paused. Then, she continued, ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I¡¯ve always eaten alone. I¡¯ve never had any need for tables like this. It was quite lonely, really.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Yasmin felt that Giselle was only saying these things to ke, so she didn¡¯t respond. Sure enough, ke saidfortingly, ¡°It¡¯s been hard on you over the years.¡± ¡°It was nothing.¡± Giselle smiled and turned the turntable, bringing the sd bowl to a stop before her. She put some of it on ke¡¯s te. ¡°You can¡¯t keep s kip p ing your greens like this, ke. There¡¯s a vinaigrette on it. I¡¯m sure it tastes great. Here, try some.¡¯ ke nced at Yasmin. She was eating her breakfast calmly. She didn¡¯t seem to be bothered by their interactions. ¡°Okay.¡± ke ate some sd. A trace of mockery flitted past Yasmin¡¯s eyes. She distinctly remembered him being germaphobic. In the past, to make him eat his greens, she would get up early to make him vegetable rolls. She would say with a bright smile, ¡°Have some vegetable rolls before you leave, Mr. B. ¡°I got up early to make these for you, you know! There are vegetables inside, but there¡¯s also salmon. It tastes really good. You have to have at least one.¡± But ke would always give her a scornful look and say, ¡°I never eat food that someone else has touched.¡± Today, however, he¡¯d eaten the sd Giselle had gotten him. Yasmin guessed that perhaps his germaphobia was only targeted at her. Her expression became wooden at this thought. On the other end of the table, ke ate his breakfast at a leisurely pace. He looked charming. Giselle watched him with her head propped up on one hand. She smiled and asked, ¡°How does it taste?¡± ¡°Not too bad.¡± ke nodded. She was happy to hear that. ¡°I knew you¡¯d like it. Back in our school days, you wouldn¡¯t touch anything green during lunch. Even then, I could tell you didn¡¯t like vegetables.¡± ke smiled faintly. ¡°You have a pretty good memory.¡± ¡°Of course! I remember everything regardless of how much time has passed, including how proud and charismatic you were whenever you epted whatever prize you¡¯d won. Every girl in schoolThis is from N?velDrama.Org. admired you. Several girls in our ss alone had crushes on you. Everyone loved talking about you.¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS ke¡¯s smile widened. ¡°That¡¯s a little bit of an exaggeration if I¡¯ve ever heard one.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not! You have no idea how many people had crushes on you! That¡¯s why my mom said I have good taste.¡± She was insinuating that she had a good taste for falling for him. Yasmin sneered to herself. And ke had insisted Giselle wasn¡¯t his mistress. She was already confessing her feelings for him! Meanwhile, ke sipped his coffee while ncing at Yasmin. He didn¡¯t say anything. When Giselle didn¡¯t receive a response, she turned to look at Yasmin, who was eating quietly. She said awkwardly, ¡°Sorry about this, Yasmin. ke and I have known each other for so many years that we can¡¯t help reminiscing whenever we see each other.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Yasmin smiled perfunctorily. What did it have to do with her? However, Giselle didn¡¯t seem to want to let her off the h o ok. She kept recounting her and ke¡¯s past. It was all the same, really. They¡¯d grown up together and had a strong foundation. She was this close to grouching about ke¡¯s grandfather, Arthur Ford, for tearing them apart. So, Arthur was the one who hadn¡¯t wanted them together. Yasmin wasn¡¯t interested. She gave ke a look, hoping he would stop Giselle from continuing. He didn¡¯t seem to notice this, though. He ate leisurely, looking like he was even enjoying the situation. Was he savoring Giselle¡¯s admiration for him? Yasmin snorted to herself. What a shameless ba sta rd! Even if he wanted to enjoy this, couldn¡¯t he do it somewhere else? She wasn¡¯t interested in watching them act all lovey- dovey. They made her stomach turn! Suddenly, Giselle asked, ¡°You like ke, don¡¯t you, Yasmin?¡± Chapter 9 Chapter 9 The question took Yasmin aback. She looked at Giselle. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You like ke, right? I heard about it from some other people.¡± Giselle nced at ke, seemingly observing his reaction. He ate calmly while Yasmin smiled self¨Cdeprecatingly. Yasmin said, ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°No?¡± Giselle didn¡¯t really believe her. Over the past few days, she¡¯d heard many things about their rtionship. She¡¯d heard about how Yasmin had pursued ke like mad in the past. She would go everywhere he went. ke¡¯s friends had mockingly called her ke¡¯s littlepdog. It bothered Giselle. ¡°I was young back then and didn¡¯t know any better. I was just messing around.¡± Yasmin smiled faintly. It was as if she¡¯d been under a spell at the time. She wasn¡¯t satisfied with just being married to ke on paper. She would deliberately wander around before calling ke and telling him she was lost. She would ask him to take her home. Sometimes, ke woulde in person. Sometimes, he wouldn¡¯t. But if he didn¡¯te, he would send his assistant to pick her up. At the time, Yasmin had been hopeful. At least he was responding to her. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Giselle smiled at Yasmin¡¯s answer. She turned to ke. ¡°Yasmin was only joking with you in the past. You didn¡¯t take her seriously, did you?¡± ke snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not that dumb.¡± Yasmin was stunned. Then again, ke had always thought she¡¯d been lying to him. After Stuart had gone to jail, her uncle had taken over thepany. He would always make her suck up to ke, but it turned out to have the opposite effect. It only made ke think she¡¯d seduced him for the sake of money. That was why he never believed anything she said. Yasmin felt a little dejected. She put her utensils down and said, ¡°I¡¯m done. You guys go ahead.¡± She went upstairs to take her medication. Giselle followed her and watched her gently. ¡°Did you need something, Ms. O¡¯Shea?¡± Yasmin kept a hand on the doorknob while looking +15 B?NUS at her. From N?velDrama.Org. Giselle asked, ¡°Is this the room for you and ke?¡± Yasmin frowned before regaining herposure and looking at Giselle¡¯s belly. ¡°Is ke really the father of your child, Ms. O¡¯Shea?¡± A trace of diffidence shed across Giselle¡¯s face before she nodded. ¡°Yes, he is.¡± Yasmin¡¯s eyes dimmed. Now that the dust had settled, there was no point in her troubling herself over the matter. ¡°I hope you two will have a happy life together. You make a great pair.¡± ¡°You and ke-¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing between us. We¡¯re probably getting divorced soon,¡± Yasmin interjected. Even if ke refused to go through with it, she would insist. It wasn¡¯t up to ke to decide. Giselle¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. You don¡¯t have to mind me. I¡¯m just an unimportant character in this debacle.¡± After all, ke had already told her he would never fall in love with her. Her heart was a grave now. Yasmin entered the bedroom and shut the door. She took her medication and then downloaded a divorce agreement off the Inte. She wanted to print it out. After getting her identification and the necessary documents, she headed downstairs. Giselle was already gone, but ke was still around. He stood before the window as he answered a call. His tall stature gave him a rather domineering, regal air. Yasmin pretended not to see him as she headed to the entrance. ¡°Stop right there!¡± ke growled. Yasmin turned to look at him in confusion. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be having acute gastritis? Why are you still going out?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to work.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to go anywhere.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t boss me around,¡± Yasmin snapped. ¡°From today onward, I¡¯m not going to obey you anymore. I¡¯m moving out. I won¡¯t live here anymore.¡± Chapter 10 Chapter 10 at her. Giselle asked, ¡°Is this the room for you and ke?¡± Yasmin frowned before regaining herposure and looking at Giselle¡¯s belly. ¡°Is ke really the father of your child, Ms. O¡¯Shea?¡± A trace of diffidence shed across Giselle¡¯s face before she nodded. ¡°Yes, he is.¡± Yasmin¡¯s eyes dimmed. Now that the dust had settled, there was no point in her troubling herself over the matter. ¡°I hope you two will have a happy life together. You make a great pair.¡± ¡°You and ke-¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing between us. We¡¯re probably getting divorced soon,¡± Yasmin interjected. Even if ke refused to go through with it, she would insist. It wasn¡¯t up to ke to decide. Giselle¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. You don¡¯t have to mind me. I¡¯m just an unimportant character in this debacle.¡± After all, ke had already told her he would never fall in love with her. Her heart was a grave now. Yasmin entered the bedroom and shut the door. She took her medication and then downloaded a divorce agreement off the Inte. She wanted to print it out. After getting her identification and the necessary documents, she headed downstairs. Giselle was already gone, but ke was still around. He stood before the window as he answered a call. His tall stature gave him a rather domineering, regal air. Yasmin pretended not to see him as she headed to the entrance. ¡°Stop right there!¡± ke growled. Yasmin turned to look at him in confusion. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be having acute gastritis? Why are you still going out?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to work.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to go anywhere.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t boss me around,¡± Yasmin snapped. ¡°From today onward, I¡¯m not going to obey you anymore. I¡¯m moving out. I won¡¯t live here anymore.¡± +15 BONUS In truth, Yasmin had always been a bit of a rebel. She¡¯d only acted obediently because of her love for ke. Now, however, she wanted to be herself. ke sneered. ¡°You¡¯ll have to find a ce to stay before you do that. I¡¯d like to see if anyone would dare rent you anything without my permission.¡± Yasmin faltered. ¡°Are you going to restrict my freedom?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not in the right condition to be going anywhere now. Stay at home.¡± ke¡¯s expression softened. ¡°Wait until next week, at least. Shut that stu pid studio of yours down and report to Windmere Group¡¯s secretariat. You¡¯ll be my personal secretary.¡± It was Yasmin¡¯s turn to sneer. ¡°You know very well I¡¯m a design student, yet you want me to be a secretary?¡± He knew she¡¯d always dreamed of being a designer. Yes, it was her fault for setting up the studio without discussing it with him beforehand. But it was only because she could never reach him. Eunice had told her that they only had to fork out two million dors each for the studio. She¡¯d figured that the money didn¡¯t matter to ke-she could easily spend more than a million dors just buying jewelry. That was why she¡¯d gone ahead with it. However, ke had been very upset upon learning about it. He hadn¡¯t said anything about it, though. Yasmin thought the chapter had been closed, yet here he was now, telling her to shut it down. ke said grimly, ¡°You¡¯re not suited to be a designer. You should give up while you¡¯re ahead. ¡°1 Yasmin¡¯s pupils constricted. She let out a derisiveugh. ¡°Do you think your saying that will make it true? Have you ever seen any of my designs? Have you paid attention to my studies and daily life?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to,¡± he said brusquely. His words got nastier and nastier. ¡°You¡¯re not cut out for it. If you want to get a job,e and work as my secretary. Don¡¯t even think about doing anything else.¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. Yasminughed again. Her heart felt like it was freezing over. ¡°So, in your eyes, I don¡¯t even deserve to have a dream? Is being a secretary all I¡¯m worthy of?¡± +15 BONUS She¡¯d spent years ving away as a design major. She¡¯d drafted designs day and night. Everyone had said she was talented. ke was the only one who disagreed. Now, he was even trying to erase her four years of hard work with a few words. Yasmin had nothing more to say to him, nor did she want to. She turned to leave the vi. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ke asked from where he stood behind her. His gaze darkened. Yasmin ignored him. ke¡¯s assistant, Malcolm Shaw, ran after her. He said, ¡°Where are you headed, Mrs. Ford? I¡¯ll take you there.¡± ¡°Save it!¡± Yasmin knew ke must¡¯ve ordered him to do this. She stopped in the courtyard and shouted, ¡°I don¡¯t need his false kindness!¡± She made to get in a Porsche, but Malcolm stopped her. ¡°Mrs. Ford, Mr. Ford said you¡¯re not allowed to drive.¡± ¡°We¡¯re in a f ucking neighborhood of vis, and we¡¯re surrounded by winding mountain roads. How the hell am I going to get out of here if I can¡¯t drive?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you to where you wanna goChapter 10 .¡± Malcolm was insistent. Yasmin was p issed, so she nodded just to spite ke. ¡°Fine, then. You can drop me off.¡± After getting into the car, she called Eunice. ¡°Where are you? I¡¯m out of the house. I¡¯ll go look for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m at the studio. Come on over,¡± Eunice said. ¡°Okay.¡± Before that, Yasmin had Malcolm pull over at a nearby shop with a printer. She got down, printed two copies of the divorce agreement, indicated the reason, and pped one on Malcolm¡¯s chest. ¡°Take this to ke.¡± ¡°I have to stay with you, Mrs. Ford.¡± ¡°Just stop. I¡¯m already at the studio. What could go wrong? Go back to work.¡± Yasmin chased Malcolm away. Malcolm watched her enter the studio before getting into the car and returning to Windmere Group. He delivered the divorce agreement to the president¡¯s office. ke was seated at his desk and attending to some documents. When he saw Malcolm, he asked, ¡°Where¡¯d she go?¡± Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Chapter 11 ¡°Mrs. Ford went to her studio,¡± Malcolm said, ke pursed his lips. ¡°Was everything okay with her stomach?¡± ¡°She looked fine to me.¡± ke hummed softly in acknowledgment before looking back down at his work. He didn¡¯t say anything else. Malcolm suddenly recalled what Yasmin had asked him to do and handed the divorce agreement to ke. ¡°Mr. Ford, Mrs. Ford asked me to pass this to you.¡± ke didn¡¯t look up. ¡°Read it aloud.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Malcolm flipped the document open. He faltered when he saw the words ¡°divorce agreement¡± on it. He didn¡¯t dare to read it. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you reading it?¡± ke asked. Malcolm had no choice but to do as told. ¡°Mrs. Ford wants to get a divorce, sir, the reason being¡­ some impairments with your sexual function. Mrs. Ford ims that you¡¯re unable to satisfy her basic needs¡­¡± ke¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a divorce agreement that Mrs. Ford wants you to sign.¡± Malcolm didn¡¯t even dare to breathe loudly. Had he just learned a terrifying secret about ke? He didn¡¯t dare read the agreement any further and ced it before ke. ke grabbed it and read with an icy look on his face. In the agreement, Yasmin had indicated that she only wanted the vi at Newphoria Bay. It used to belong to Stuart. ¡°She knows just where to draw the line, huh?¡± He snorted. She knew the reason for her marriage to him and didn¡¯t dare to mention anything about wanting money. Still, the reason for the divorce was enough to pi ss him off. ke called Yasmin. ¡°What the hell is this that you had Malcolm pass to me?¡± Yasmin and Eunice were looking at furniture. The former had dragged thetter out of the studio as soon as she¡¯d arrived. Yasmin wanted to move back to the vi at Newphoria Bay. It had been emptied two years ago. She had to get some furniture before she could move in. 173 +15 BONUS Her expression turned icy when she received ke¡¯s call. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious that it¡¯s a divorce agreement?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about the reason for the divorce. ¡®Impairments with my sexual function,¡¯ huh? When have I ever left you dissatisfied?¡± Yasmin could imagine how h o r rendous the look on his face was. No man liked taking a blow to their ego. She smiled. ¡°You only return home once or twice a month, sometimes even less. I¡¯m not wrong to say you haven¡¯t satisfied my basic needs!¡± ¡°Oh, I understand now. I didn¡¯t know you were thirsty enough to want me to f uck you seven times a night, Ms. Starr.¡± Yasmin blushed a little. Still, she said with bravado, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. You¡¯re too frigid to satisfy me. That¡¯s why I want a divorce.¡± ke scoffed. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re satiated tonight, then. I guarantee you won¡¯t even be able to get out of bed tomorrow.¡± What the hell? Was that what she wanted? She wanted a divorce! Yasmin said coldly, ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. I¡¯m not stepping foot in that vi from n¨®w on. Sign the divorce agreement as soon as possible so we can just get this over with! I don¡¯t want things to turn nasty.¡± ke¡¯s expression became icier when he heard her say she wasn¡¯t returning home. ¡°Have I agreed to a divorce?¡± ¡°We¡¯re getting one because I say so! Do you think your threats mean anything to me? I have dirt on you, too! You cheated on me with Giselle! If you disagree with a divorce, I¡¯ll expose you two online and make sure everyone knows it. ¡°When that happens, I¡¯d like to see who turns out worse. You¡¯re the president of a public- listed company. Getting embroiled in an adultery scandal is going to destroy your reputation. 11 ¡°You¡¯ve grown a pair now, haven¡¯t you? How dare you threaten me!¡± ke said coldly. 1 ¡°Yes, I have!¡± Yasmin held her head high. She couldn¡¯t keep allowing him to oppress her, could she? She¡¯d be worthless if that were the case! Deep down, however, she didn¡¯t want things to reach that stage. ke had helped her a lot, so she wanted to give him some leeway. ¡°Look, just sign the divorce agreement so we can end this sham of a marriage. +15 B?NUS ¡°You and Giselle can live happily ever after once we¡¯re over. Now that she¡¯s pregnant, you should stop treating her like this. Be loyal to her. Don¡¯t make her sad.¡± ke sneered. ¡°Are you feeling bad for her or speaking up for yourself, Yasmin?¡± Today¡¯s Bonus OfferThis is from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Chapter 12 ¡°Whatever it is, I¡¯ve had enough of you, you ba st ard!¡± Yasmin hung up. ke was positively furious as he looked at the dark screen of his phone. After a moment, he received several messages in session. They were all records of purchases-Yasmin had bought all sorts of furniture, and more messages wereing in. ke thought about the contents of the divorce agreement, and his expression turned steely. He said to Malcolm, ¡°Find out whether she went to Newphoria Bay today.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Malcolm got right on it. A momentter, he returned. ¡°Mrs. Ford did indeed drop by the vi at Newphoria Bay, sir. She also hired a few cleaners to clean the ce up.¡± It looked like she was really intending to move in there. ke¡¯s fingers tightened around the divorce agreement, crumpling it. Two years ago, Stuart¡¯s company had gotten into a tight spot. He¡¯d had to sell everything he owned, including the vi at Newphoria Bay. Yasmin had begged ke to buy the vi. He never expected it to turn into the refuge she¡¯d escape to after demanding a divorce. ke snorted. ¡°Call the bank. Freeze her card.¡± Meanwhile, Yasmin and Eunice had picked out all the furniture Yasmin needed at the mall. Eunice said, ¡°Yaz, we should get some extra. Buy anything that catches your eye! I heard that ke spent more than 100 million dors on a vi for that sl utty mistress of his. If she¡¯s worth spending that much on, why aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re his wife, after all. Spend as much of his money as possible before the divorce!¡± Yasmin felt that this made sense. She decided not to collect her clothes, which were still at the vi. She could just buy brand-new ones. The rest of her afternoon was spent picking out various outfits, bags, and shoes. ¡°Good afternoon, Mrs. Ford. That¡¯ll be 3 million dors.¡± The sales clerk smiled at her. Yasmin handed her her ck card. To her surprise, the transaction didn¡¯t go through. The cashier said, ¡°Mrs. Ford, there seems to have been a restriction ced on this card. We can¡¯t swipe it.¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°That can¡¯t be.¡± Yasmin found this odd. The ck card was ke¡¯s supplementary card. Nothing had ever gone wrong with it. Eunice asked, ¡°Could ke be behind this, Yaz?¡± It was possible. She¡¯d already spent more than ten million dors on furniture. ke was probably aware of her shopping spree. Yasmin called the bank to ask about this. On the other end of the line, the bank teller said, ¡°Mr. Ford is the one who ordered us to freeze the card, Mrs. Ford. It can only be unfrozen if he calls us in person.¡± Yasmin¡¯s heart sank. That jerk really was behind this! Eunice said angrily, ¡°The ba sta rd¡¯s crossed the line! He was so generous toward his mistress, yet he can¡¯t bear to spend a dime on you!¡± Yasmin said, ¡°He¡¯s never thought highly of me.¡± ¡°What should we do now?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just forget about the clothes and head back to Newphoria Bay. I¡¯ll call Mary and have her courier my clothes to me.¡± Whatever it was, there was no way she would return to the vi. ¡°Alright. We have already got your new furniture, anyway. Your new life is going to start right away!¡± Eunice was happy for her. Yasmin couldn¡¯t help looking forward to being reborn after the divorce. She would live at Newphoria Bay and enjoy life with her friends from today onward. She and ke wouldn¡¯t need to see each other anymore. Eunice drove Yasmin to the vi at Newphoria Bay. When they arrived, it was already nighttime. Yasmin got out of the car. ¡°Thanks for apanying me today, Eunice. You should get going.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Eunice had a date with her boyfriend that night, so she left. Yasmin turned to head to the vi. As she approached, she saw a Rolls-Royce Cullinan parked byFrom N?velDrama.Org. the entrance. ke sat inside the car; his tall stature blended into the night. When he heard her footsteps, he looked up. He stared at her with a domineering gaze. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Chapter 13 What was ke doing here? Yasmin was surprised to see him. But in the next second, her surprise turned to fury. The entrance to the vi had been cordoned off, and two bodyguards were standing guard. Yasmin asked coldly, ¡°Why have you cordoned off my house? Get out of my way.¡± Malcolm said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Ford, but Mr. Ford¡¯s the one who ordered this. This vi is under Mr. Ford¡¯s name, and he¡¯s given the order that no one is to move in here. Otherwise, they¡¯ll be charged with tres passing.¡± This meant that whoever was charged would face some jail time. Yasmin was so angry that she could murder someone. She turned to re at ke. He said, ¡°Come here.¡± She took a deep breath. Her intention was to have a proper talk with him, so she walked over to the car and got in. As soon as she was in the car, he dragged her to him, making hernd on hisp and fall right into his arms. Yasmin wore a dress today, so all she had on underneath was her underwear. The sensation of his toned thighs under hers made her straighten up in surprise. She wanted to mber off him. ¡°What the hell are you doing, ke?¡± ke didn¡¯t let her leave. He gripped her waist tightly and pushed her down onto hisp. He was making her feel his obvious arousal. Her mind went nk for a second. Then, she snarled, ¡°ke Ford!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who said there¡¯s something wrong with me and that I haven¡¯t been satisfying you, right? Put me to the test tonight, Ms. Starr. Let¡¯s see whether there¡¯s really an issue with me.¡± ke scoffed and gripped her jaw, making her face him. Yasmin couldn¡¯t move. She felt humiliated. ¡°Let me go. We¡¯re getting divorced soon, so you have no right to treat me like this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just addressing yourints about me. Since you have something toin about, it must mean that you¡¯re not satisfied with it. And so, I have to satisfy you. From now on, I¡¯ll f uck you seven times a night. How about that?¡± ke pressed her down and moved 1/3 rhythmically upward. Yasmin¡¯s eyes widened, and her face turned crimson. She reached out to stop him. ¡°Let me go, ke. We can talk about this.¡± ¡°Are you still gonna im there¡¯s something wrong with me?¡± he murmured dangerously while pressing his lips to her ear. Dam n it, he was getting seriously aroused. He was a monster! Yasmin felt aggrieved but didn¡¯t dare to run her mouth. She gritted her teeth. ¡°I won¡¯t say anything anymore. Let me go so we can have a civilized conversation.¡± ¡°Not so obnoxious anymore, huh?¡± ke chuckled. He watched her for a moment before letting her go. He instantly returned to his usual elegant self, even straightening his shirt before saying, ¡°Let¡¯s talk, then.¡± Now that Yasmin was free from his clutches, she immediately opened the door. It would be more convenient for her to make her escape. ke snorted. ¡°Do you think you could get away if I really wanted to catch you?¡± ¡°I just wanted a breath of fresh air.¡± She took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Then, she turned to him and said, ¡°Why did you have the vi here cordoned off, ke?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my vi. I can do whatever I want to it.¡± 1 Yasmin cursed under her breath, clenching her fists. ¡°But in the past, you said it was a gift for me.¡± He looked at her, suddenly recalling the night this had happened. They¡¯d been married for about half a year at the time. Yasmin had barged into his study while dressed in a skimpy nightgown. She wanted him to buy the vi at Newphoria Bay. She¡¯d asked in a pleading tone, ¡°Mr. B, could you buy the vi that my family used to own?¡± ke had watched her icily. Yasmin had acted like she didn¡¯t see this, though. She¡¯d walked over to him and sat on hisp. That night, he¡¯d lost control of himself upon seeing how red her eyes had been. From then on, he¡¯d had be entranced by the allure her body emanated. ke¡¯s eyes darkened at the thought of all the tantalizing and steamy things they¡¯d done. ¡°I was giving it to my wife. Are you her?¡± Yasmin¡¯s heart twisted. This meant that if they were to divorce, she wouldn¡¯t be getting theC0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Yasmin didn¡¯t expect ke to be so shameless. She forced herself to continue, ¡°Look, we are married for two years. Now that we¡¯re about to divorce, you won¡¯t even give me a house?¡± She¡¯d served him for two years, hadn¡¯t she? Wasn¡¯t she getting anything out of this marriage? ¡°Did I agree to a divorce?¡± ke repeated. ¡°I already told you that I¡¯m definitely going through with it,¡± Yasmin said. She was being- serious. How could she stand her husband already having a bas ard? ¡°Still throwing a tantrum, I see.¡± ke looked at her coldly. Then, he sneered. ¡°Fine, then. If you¡¯re so insistent on getting a divorce, there¡¯s no point in me keeping the Newphoria Bay vi.¡± Yasmin paled. ¡°What do you mean by that? Are you going to sell my vi?¡± ¡°Is it yours or mine? Who paid 120 million dors for it? Since you want a divorce, I might as well just sell the vi. I don¡¯t want it to bother me whenever I think of it.¡± Yasmin suddenly felt exhausted. At her silence, ke thought she¡¯d backed down. His home.¡± expression softened a little. ¡°Close the door. Let¡¯s go She didn¡¯t budge. After a long moment, sheughed softly and got out of the car. ¡°Yasmin.¡± ¡°Sell it.¡± She didn¡¯t turn to look at him. Since she couldn¡¯t keep the vi, it would be better to just forget about it. She didn¡¯t want to part with Stuart¡¯s vi. However, she also wouldn¡¯t let ke threaten her. ke¡¯s expression became icy. ¡°Don¡¯t regret this, Yasmin.¡± Yasmin stopped. She turned to look at him. Her voice sounded bleak in the night breeze as she uttered, ¡°Never.¡± With that, she turned and left without another look back. ke¡¯s pupils constricted. He felt like something was spiraling out of his control. It was a night inte autumn. The weather was getting colder. Yasmin walked along the road alone, her solitary figure casting a lengthening shadow under the moonlit night. 1/2 +15 BONUS She called Eunice, but thetter was still out catching a movie with her boyfriend. They had a good rtionship and would marry soon. Yasmin didn¡¯t want to keep disturbing her, so she told her everything was fine. She also told her to have fun with her boyfriend. Yasmin continued wandering alone. She had plenty to say but nobody to talk to. Suddenly, she missed Stuart. But she didn¡¯t want to visit him while down in the dumps. She would only see him when she was in a better mood. As she walked along, she suddenly came across an ad about someone willing to pay for a surrogate. She figured that she couldn¡¯t be the only one sad. Why should she let ke live happily ever after? She pulled her phone out and called the number beneath the ad. ¡°Hello, I¡¯d like to advertise for a surrogate as well.¡± ¡°Sure. What¡¯s your number?¡± the other party asked. Yasmin¡¯s eyes shed as she gave them ke¡¯s number. She gritted out, ¡°Publish the ad for three days, and remember to indicate the phone number I¡¯ve just given you.¡± Meanwhile, ke had just arrived home. Malcolm parked the car and woke him up. Ford, we¡¯re at Oak Garden.¡± ¡°Mr. ke opened his tired eyes. Therge vi was dark and empty. The household staff didn¡¯t stay in the vi. Instead, they lived in the staff¡¯s quarters beside it. ke made to get out of the car. Just then, Malcolm said, ¡°Sir, the ne you won in the auction at Meraniast month, Star Forevermore, has been delivered.¡± ¡°Send it over tomorrow.¡± With that, he melted into the darkness. ke pushed the vi¡¯s door open. It was dark inside. In the past, Yasmin would always leave a light on for him. She would run downstairs and jump into his arms with a bright smile. ¡± You¡¯re back, Mr. B.¡± Tonight, the staircase was dark. The vi was silent. Yasmin was noisy and irritating at times, but the house felt deserted without her around. Suddenly, ke found that he wasn¡¯t used to it.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Chapter 15 As ke headed upstairs, his phone rang. ¡°Hello?¡± The person on the other end of the line asked, ¡°Hi, are you the one who wants to spend two million dors for a surrogate?¡± ke¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°What surrogate?¡± ¡°You posted an ad, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I did no such thing.¡± He hung up. He was already in a bad mood to be with, yet he had to listen to such rubbish. It irritated him to no end. In the next second, his phone rang again. It was yet another person asking about his surrogacy ad. ke was intelligent enough to realize what was happening. He had someone look into the matter. Sure enough, Yasmin was behind this. She¡¯d put up an ad to get at him. ke wasn¡¯t angered by this, though. He found it hard to believe that Yasmin genuinely wanted to leave him when she kept pulling little tricks like this. He smirked and called her, wanting to put on a stern act while questioning her. To his irritation, he found that he¡¯d been blocked. His smirk immediately turned into a scowl. The dam ned woman had blocked him! That night, Yasmin slept at the studio. After taking her medication, she flopped onto the couch and had a good night¡¯s sleep. When she woke up the next morning, her stomach felt perfectly fine. To add to her delight, she¡¯d even received an invitation from NAS Group. They wanted to discuss a potential coboration with her. ¡°Really? Your president¡¯s interested in my designs?¡± Yasmin was delighted. NAS Group was an internationally renowned luxury brand. Sometime before this, they¡¯d been searching for new brands to work with them, and Eunice had sent in an application. They thought they were out of hope, but things had turned out surprisingly well! There was another problem now, though. Yasmin¡¯s drafts were all at Oak Garden. She hadn¡¯t brought them with her. This is from N?velDrama.Org. 1/3 +15 BONUS After a few seconds of hesitation, she decided to head home to collect them. Those were her things. She had every right to take them back. She hailed a cab and returned to the vi at Oak Garden. It was 10:00 am when she arrived. ke would¡¯ve gone to work ages ago, so she wasn¡¯t worried about running into him. ¡°Mrs. Ford!¡± Mary greeted her as soon as she stepped inside. It scared Yasmin. She gestured for Mary to keep her voice down. ¡°Don¡¯t tell him I came back today, Mary.¡± Then, she tiptoed upstairs. Mary watched her in confusion. Why was Yasmin acting like a thief in her own home? Anyway, ke was at home. He was swimming in the pool on the top floor. Yasmin ran to the bedroom. Sure enough, it was empty. She sighed in relief, then quickly dug out her drafts. After that, she went to the wardrobe to pick out something suitable to wear out. Since she was going to discuss a coboration with NAS Group, she had to dress the part. ke returned to the bedroom for a shower after finishing his swim. He heard some rustling from the wardrobe. He walked over to it and silently pushed the door open. Yasmin was inside, changing into something. She¡¯d removed her dress, and her hair cascaded over her shoulders. Her slender body was in full view. Her body was covered in slightly faded marks. He¡¯d left them there the night before. What was she doing back? ke lowered his eyes as he pondered this. Had she changed her mind about the divorce? His glumness seemed to lift at this thought. He put on a grim expression as he walked toward the wardrobe. ¡°What are you doing back here?¡± Yasmin was in the middle of putting a dress on. She jumped in surprise at his voice. In her shock, she couldn¡¯t get the dress to go on properly. Her head was stuck in the dress, and she started letting out mu ffled shouts. ke frowned. He walked over to her and held her in his arms before pulling the dress down over her head. ¡°Your stup idity¡¯s gonna get you killed one day.¡± Yasmin was rendered speechless. Now that the dress was on and she could see again, she realized she was in his embrace. 0 She looked up at his emotionless face, still surprised. ¡°Why are you at home?¡± Today¡¯s Bonus Offer Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Chapter 16 ¡°This is my home. I can be here whenever I want,¡± ke said sarcastically. Yasmin red at him. She shoved him away at the thought of the current state of their rtionship. ke sta ggered backward from the force. He looked at her and asked coldly, ¡°What was that for?¡± ¡°We¡¯re getting divorced soon,¡± she said in a low voice. ke sneered. ¡°I seriously doubt that. You were all about moving out yesterday, yet you¡¯re back here today. Is that how someone who wants a divorce acts?¡± Yasmin couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with him over this. The more she said, the more he¡¯d want to quarrel with her. She zipped up her dress and walked out. ¡°Yasmin Starr!¡± ke¡¯s eyes shed as he strode after her and grabbed her arm. ¡°Aren¡¯t you just throwing a fuss to catch my attention? What do you want? Does your uncle want money from me, or is he interested in another project? Yasmin looked up at him. Her uncle constantly sucked up to him to the best of his abilities, so to ke, everyone in the Starr family was no different from leeches. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want anything from you. I just want a divorce. To prevent further misunderstandings, I¡¯ll say this once more-I¡¯ve decided to get a divorce, and I mean it. I might return tonight, but only because I need to collect all my stuff. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll stay out of the house when the timees. From now on, we should avoid seeing each other,¡± Yasmin said c oolly. ke looked like he could murder someone. Yasmin curtsied for him and said, ¡°Thanks for taking care of me for the past two years, ke. Bye.¡± She took her drafts and left the room without another look at him. ke watched her leave. Where was she going with those drafts and dressed so nicely? As he pondered this, Malcolm walked into the room after knocking on the door. ¡°We should head to NAS Group now, Mr. Ford. Today¡¯s the day they¡¯re soliciting new designs.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ke changed into a suit before leaving the house. +15 BONUS Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Yasmin hailed a cab to NAS Group after leaving the vi. She was almostte and told herself to hurry up as she ran toward the building after getting out of the cab. As she tottered forward in her heels, a sudden gust of wind bl drafts out of her hands. Theynded by the building¡¯s entrance. the Yasmin looked anxious as she bent down to pick them up. Suddenly, a Bentley pulled up before her. Then, a pair of feet in leather shoes stepped out of the car and onto her drafts. She stared at the shoes for a while. Before she could do anything, the man bent down to pick the drafts up before handing them to her. His tone was gentle as he asked, ¡°Are these yours? Yasmin looked up. The man looked to be about 27 or 28. He had a pair of gold-rimmed sses on, and his suit was neatly pressed. He gave off a sort of charisma that only mature men had. It stunned Yasmin for a while. Then, she epted the drafts from him. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Keep a good grip on them. The wind¡¯s pretty strong here.¡± With that, the man strode into NAS Group¡¯s building. ¡°Mr. Burke.¡± As soon as he entered the building, a female secretary strode forward to greet him. Ivan Burke nodded as he walked into the president¡¯s elevator. ¡°I heard that Yasmin Starr of Erinnyes is here today?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The secretary nodded. Ivan¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°Take her to my office when she arrives. I want to meet her in person.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The secretary didn¡¯t dare to probe further. She backed away when they reached the top floor. Then, Yasmin received word that the president of NAS Group wanted to see her in person. The secretary came to receive her. She said respectfully, ¡°Ms. Starr, Mr. Burke has a deep admiration for your work and wants to meet you in person. Please,e with me.¡± Yasmin was dumbfounded. Was she that great? Could a few of her drafts really win the attention of NAS Group¡¯s president and reach the depths of his soul? Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Yasmin entered the president¡¯s office in a state of confusion. The secretary said, ¡°Please wait here for a moment, Ms. Starr. Mr. Burke will be with you in a short while.¡± Yasmin said, ¡°Okay.¡± Ten minutester, someone opened the office door. A tall figure walked in. Yasmin smelled a faint minty scent and turned around to see a tall, handsome man behind her. It was Ivan, the man who¡¯d helped pick up her drafts earlier. ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± She was surprised. Ivan smiled. ¡°What a small world.¡± Yasmin immediately realized who he was. She asked politely, ¡°Are you Mr. Burke?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Ivan walked over to the couch and sat down, looking like he wanted to have a proper talk with her. ¡°Please have a seat, Ms. Starr.¡± Yasmin returned to her senses. She sat down and handed him her drafts. Ivan took some time to go through them. Then, he praised, ¡°You¡¯re very talented, Ms. Starr.¡± He smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware that ourpany is looking into setting up a line that focuses on affordable luxury.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was what she was here for. ¡°I think your designs suit our new line perfectly. Would you be interested in working with us, Ms. Starr?¡± Yasmin was pleasantly surprised. She was more than interested, of course. With NAS Group¡¯s investment, her designs could reach ces she never would¡¯ve imagined. She¡¯d be a yer in the internationalndscape. She couldn¡¯t help thinking that it had happened too easily, though. The fact that her dream coulde true in such a short time made her feel like she was dreaming. This is from N?velDrama.Org. At her hesitance, Ivan asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you have faith in your capabilities, Ms. Starr?¡± ¡°I just think it¡¯s very surreal,¡± Yasmin said truthfully. Ivan smiled faintly. ¡°You don¡¯t have anything to worry about. You¡¯re more than good enough for the job. If you don¡¯t have any issues, we can start negotiating the terms of the coboration.¡± Yasmin said cautiously, ¡°I¡¯m gonna need to discuss this with my business partner, Mr. Burke. She didn¡¯t dare to agree immediately. There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world. He couldn¡¯t possibly be thinking of making her sleep her way to the top, could he? Ivan seemed to have read her mind. He smiled and said, ¡°Rest assured, Ms. Starr, that we¡¯re a properpany. We don¡¯t pull underhanded tricks.¡± Yasmin smiled awkwardly. To dispel her doubts, Ivan continued, ¡°How about I show you around the company?¡± 1 ¡°Okay.¡± It was a good idea. She could take the opportunity to understand NAS Group. And so, Ivan and his secretary brought Yasmin around thepany. They even invited her to watch one of thepany¡¯s internal fashion shows. ¡°We¡¯re actually preparing for an uing fashion show, so you came at the right time, Ms. Starr. You can check it out to get a feel of what ourpany¡¯s like.¡± Ivan took her to the 45th floor. People were bustling around when they arrived, getting ready for the show. Giselle stood on the catwalk. She wore a white evening gown as she chatted with the staff. Yasmin was a little confused. What was she doing here? ¡°That¡¯s Giselle O¡¯Shea, a renowned pianist in Merania. She¡¯s here as a special guest. She¡¯s the opening performance for the fashion show.¡± Ivan cleared her confusion. Yasmin nodded. ¡°I see.¡± ¦° Giselle had already seen her and smiled while greeting her. ¡°What are you doing here, Yasmin?¡± ¡°I came to discuss a coboration with NAS Group,¡± Yasmin said politely. sac Giselle nodded. Her gazended on Ivan. It was filled with something unfathomable. ¡°Did youe here with Ivan?¡± Ivan? The fact that Giselle could address him with such familiarity meant that they probably knew each other. + Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Yasmin asked, ¡°Do you and Mr. Burke know each other?¡± ¡°Of course. We used to be ssmates back in Merania.¡± Giselle smiled at Ivan. ¡°Long time no see, Ivan. How have you been doing?¡± ¡°Pretty well.¡± Ivan¡¯s smile was faint. It was hard to discern his thoughts from his eyes, which were hidden behind his sses. ¡°You guys continue chatting. I need to answer a call. He walked to one side and answered his phone. Giselle said with a smile, ¡°Your career¡¯s advancing pretty well. You can work with NAS Group now!¡± Yasmin smiled politely. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Mr. Burke.¡± She didn¡¯t actually want to spend any time alone with Giselle. Thetter asked so many questions that it got on Yasmin¡¯s nerves. ¡°Thanks to him? I think he likes you, you know. I¡¯ll let you in on a secret-Ivan¡¯s single. If you like him, you¡¯d better get him while he¡¯s still on the market. You have an advantage, after all. Plenty of women are interested in him.¡± This baffled Yasmin. Why was Giselle suddenly ying matchmaker? She smiled awkwardly. ¡°Mr. Burke and I are just talking business.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean he can¡¯t be your husband! When youe across someone as outstanding as him, you have to win him over as soon as possible and make sure he stays with you.¡± There was a smile in Giselle¡¯s eyes. Then, she asked, ¡°Oh, right. When are you and ke getting divorced? Have the papers been. prepared? Is everything ready?¡± Yasmin was frustrated by this. ¡°He refuses to get divorced.¡± Giselle¡¯s smile stiffened. ¡°Why? I thought you two were in a loveless marriage. If there aren¡¯t any feelings involved, why remain in it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She was genuinely confused. ke absolutely detested her, so why wasn¡¯t he willing to go through with the divorce? Did he want to restrict her freedom for the rest of her life just to get revenge on her? ¡°Well, when will the divorce be finalized?¡± Giselle looked at her, seemingly upset. 1/2 +15 BONUS Yasmin said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you talk to him about it? You¡¯re pregnant with his child, after all. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll agree once you bring it up.¡± Giselle sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to pressure him.¡± Yasmin was bbergasted. If she didn¡¯t have the nerve to mention anything despite being pregnant with ke¡¯s child, then what use would it be if Yasmin, whom ke hated, talked to him about it? Giselle held Yasmin¡¯s hand and said earnestly, ¡°Yasmin, try your best to get divorced, okay? I can wait, but my baby can¡¯t.¡± Yasmin nced at her belly co olly. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± ¡®, Giselle called out, ¡°ke!¡± Yasmin jolted and turned around. ke stood behind her with Malcolm by his side. He was at NAS Group as an investor. Who knew how long he¡¯d been listening to their conversation? ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you¡¯reing here?¡± Giselle walked to him, speaking gently.. ke nced at her before turning to look at Yasmin. She stood on the catwalk in a light- colored dress. The design was simple, but it entuated her fair skin and made her look alluring. There was even a vague hint of redness on her neck. It was a bite mark he¡¯d left on her neck the night before. It was already fading. ke¡¯s gazended on the mark for a few seconds. He didn¡¯t say anything, merely standing there like a regal king. Giselle followed his gaze and saw the mark as well, but she pretended not to see anything. She clenched her fists slightly and smiled. ¡°ke, Yasmin and I were just talking about you. She said you¡¯re the one refusing to get the divorce and that she¡¯s waiting for you to sign the papers.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Yasmin could feel her eyelids twitching. G Yasmin could feel her eyelids twitching. Giselle¡¯s words gave her a bit chy vibe. She looked elegant and ssy on the surface, but her words were carefully picked to sow discord. She wasn¡¯t as simple as she seemed. Sure enough, ke¡¯s expression darkened at Giselle¡¯s words. He looked at Yasmin coldly as if wanting to shoot her with his gaze. Yasmin didn¡¯t dare to meet his eyes. ¡°Why are you guys still standing around here? The show¡¯s about to start. Let¡¯s all take our seats.¡± Ivan was back. Yasmin sighed in relief. She moved to stand behind Ivan, using him to block ke¡¯s gaze. ¡°ke, Yasmin came here with Mr. Burke.¡± Giselle just had to mention it. ke frowned. Why was Yasmin getting involved with NAS Group? With her abilities, there was no way she could meet NAS Group¡¯s standards. She didn¡¯t even have a proper r¨¦sum¨¦. Giselle seemed to be able to read his mind. She said in a small voice, ¡°Yasmin¡¯s fresh out of college, so she¡¯s probably not qualified to work with NAS Group. Ivan must like her to give her special consideration. I think I saw a little something in the way he looked at her earlier.¡± ke¡¯s expression was downright murderous now. He watched Yasmin. Thetter had just sat down when she met ke¡¯s gaze. It was icy. Yasmin still didn¡¯t dare to meet his gaze. She pretended not to see it and lowered her gaze. ¡°Do you know him?¡± Ivan, who sat beside her, asked. After a moment of silence, she shook her head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°He¡¯s the president of Windmere Group, ke Ford. Rumor has it that he doesn¡¯t have the best temper. offend him.¡± You should steer clear of him so you don ¡°Alright,¡± Yasmin said. ke had already gone to his seat, which was right in the middle of the room. The presidents of otherpanies tried to curry favor with him as they handed him their business cards in hopes thatC0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. they could somehow build a rtionship with him. ke sat there, looking cool and distant. The other presidents were disappointed by this and returned to their seat to watch the fashion show. But even if he didn¡¯t speak, there was no overlooking his presence. 1/2 AUTHE +15 BONUS Yasinin could vaguely sense his gaze on her, which distracted her from everything else until the melodic strands of a no song rang out. Giselle sat before a piano as tendrils of smoke surrounded her. She looked like a goddess who¡¯d descended from the heavens in her white gown. Everyone around them wasplimenting her. ¡°Wow, she¡¯s gorgeous.¡± ¡°Everyone seems to beplimenting Giselle,¡± Ivan suddenly said as he turned to nce at Yasmin. ¡°Yeah.¡± She nodded. She didn¡¯t dare to say anything against Giselle since everyone seemed to adore her. Instead, she joined them and said a few nice things. ¡°Can you sense Mr. Ford looking in this direction now and then?¡± Yasmin nodded. It was hard not to sense it when ke¡¯s gaze was so sharp. ¡°Yeah, I think so. ¡°I should probably acknowledge it.¡± Ivan gave ke a friendly smile. ke nodded co olly in return. Yasmin focused on the fashion show as she told herself not to let ke get to her. She also reminded herself not to look in his direction. Ivan smiled and said, ¡°Either Mr. Ford hates me, or he likes you.¡± Yasmin¡¯s eyelids twitched. ke liked her? How was that possible? He¡¯d personally admitted that he would never fall for her. Besides, he¡¯d gotten Giselle pregnant. How would that exin him ¡°liking¡± her? She smiled bitterly at the thought of Giselle¡¯s baby. ¡°That can¡¯t be. He¡¯s probably just in a bad mood. Or worse, he has a resting bi tch face. Whatever it is, he can¡¯t possibly like me.¡± ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Ivan looked at her. His gaze was inexplicably amused. Yasmin nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± Ivan couldn¡¯t helpughing. ¡°You¡¯re different from all the other women I know. Every one of them would die to have the president of apany interested in them, yet you¡¯re the opposite.¡± ¡°I know my ce.¡± She¡¯d wasted more than 700 days and nights trying to win ke¡¯s heart. Now that she¡¯d failed, she knew better than to continue holding out hope. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 As ke and Yasmin chatted, a model walked past them on the catwalk. Suddenly, the bag she held flew in Yasmin¡¯s direction. ¡°Watch out!¡± Ivan cried as he pulled Yasmin out of the way. The bag missed her. Yasmin was taken aback as she stared at the model. Thetter put on an apologetic look and walked past them. Despite that, Yasmin still recognized her. She was Roxy Ford, ke¡¯s cousin and the apple of her father¡¯s eye. Before this, Yasmin had heard about Roxy running off to be a model for the sake of the man she liked. Was that man Ivan? It was much too coincidental. Yasmin¡¯s lips twitched as she asked Ivan, ¡°Does Roxy like you? Ivan was surprised. ¡°How do you know her name?¡± Yasmin was lost for words. She¡¯d actually guessed correctly! It was no wonder Roxy had flung her bag at her. She was jealous! Roxy had always been obnoxious because of her upbringing. She didn¡¯t have the best temper. ¡°I¡¯ve seen her a few times,¡± Yasmin said. At the same time, she couldn¡¯t help ncing at ke. He wasn¡¯t looking at her, which made her sigh in relief. At least she could finally focus on the fashion show. One hourter, the fashion show ended. Yasmin walked out of the hall and said to Ivan, Thanks for having me over, Mr. Burke. I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± ¡°The pleasure was mine. I hope to hear good news from you soon, Ms. Starr.¡± This took Yasmin aback. Why did it seem like Ivan seemed raring to go? She would even go so far as to say that he seemed afraid of her turning him down. ¡°I¡¯ll discuss this with my business partner as soon as I get back.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ivan nodded and left with his secretary in tow. Before leaving the building, Yasmin dropped by the restroom to use the toilet. She was worried there wouldn¡¯t be any public toilets on her way back. She washed her hands when she was done. When she walked out of the restroom, she ran into ke. He stood under a light, which entuated the broadness of his shoulders. His gaze was deep and unfathomable, adding to his mystery and charm. He asked, ¡°Why is Ivan Burke looking to work with you?¡± Yasmin said coolly, ¡°NAS Group is nning tounch a line that focuses on affordable luxury, and they want some new blood. They¡¯ve issued invitations to designers all over the country, and I¡¯m one of them. Mr. Burke liked my designs.¡± From N?velDrama.Org. ke sneered. ¡°Do you think an organization of this size would hand a new project to a designer who¡¯s still wet behind the ears? And that the president would even let you watch an internal fashion show?¡± Yasmin felt like he was just looking down on her. She retorted, ¡°Why do you always look down on me?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t think it makes sense.¡± ke gave her a cool look. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s just something about my designs that Mr. Burke likes.¡± ¡°It sounds more like a trap if you ask me.¡± ke¡¯s tone was mocking. ¡°You¡¯re fresh out of college with zero experience. No matter how you think about it, there¡¯s no way something like this could happen to you.¡± ¡°What do you think it¡¯s about, then?¡± Yasmin asked. In truth, she also found that the coboration had happened too easily. NAS Group was a hugepany, yet Ivan hadn¡¯t given her any conditions or restrictions. She wanted to have ke¡¯s opinion. ¡°It¡¯s a casting couch,¡± ke said inly. ¡°Hunters will only want to catch their prey.¡± Cup attractive bait if they He looked at Yasmin. There was no denying that she was gorgeous. That was why Stuart had forced ke to marry Yasmin in the first ce. He¡¯d been afraid of his precious daughter ending up as a ything for the rich. Even if she were unwilling, there would always be a rich lecher out there who could force her into submission. ke continued, ¡°I¡¯m refusing to get a divorce for your good, Yasmin. With the way you are, you¡¯ll end up as an old lecher¡¯s ything once we¡¯re divorced.¡± Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Yasmin was the daughter of a wealthy man who¡¯d fallen from grace. She had a gorgeous face but no way to protect herself. Someone like her was the ultimate prey for the old lechers of the upper echelons of society. Besides, Stuart had offended many people in the past. Countless men wanted to have their way with Yasmin as a way of getting revenge. Yasmin said coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t need you to tell me what to do.¡± The mere thought of him impregnating Giselle disgusted her. She didn¡¯t want to say another word to him, so she turned to leave. As soon as she turned a corner, someone sshed coffee all over her. ¡°How dare you try to seduce Ivan, you bitch! Who the fuck do you think you are?¡± It was Roxy. She had a bunch of models behind her. They all red at Yasmin. Yasmin was about to say something when Roxy grabbed her by the hair. She screeched, You¡¯re just a slutty bitch who tricked my cousin into marrying you, Yasmin. Now that Giselle¡¯s back and ke doesn¡¯t want you anymore, are you trying to get into Ivan¡¯s pants instead? ¡°Good riddance! Your family¡¯s already gone bankrupt, yet you¡¯re still acting like you¡¯re the queen of the world. How dare you try to steal my man!¡± Because Stuart tricked ke, the Ford family looked down on Yasmin. Arthur was the only one who treated her rtively nicely. Everyone else would only mock and insult her. Yasmin couldn¡¯t help feeling woeful. This marriage of hers had always had her in a tight spot. Perhaps nothing good was destined toe out of it from the beginning. After all, the Ford family was prestigious. She wasn¡¯t worthy of them, nor could she afford to offend them. Roxy shrieked, ¡°What are you guys still standing there for? Get her!¡± As soon as the words were out of her mouth, the other models swarmed Yasmin. She was shoved against the wall of the corridor, banging her head against it so hard that she saw stars. ¡°Roxy, you¡¯ve got the wrong idea.¡± She tried to exin, but no one wanted to listen. They pulled on her hair and started beating her up. Roxy gave her a p. Yasmin was mad now. She immediately returned the p. She could exin all the misunderstandings in the world, but she wouldn¡¯t take a p for no reason! +15 BONUS Roxy was in disbelief at being pped. She cupped her face and red daggers at Yasmin. ¡± How dare youy a hand on me?¡± Yasmin countered, ¡°You started it!¡± Roxy flew into a rage. ¡°How dare you p me, you f ucking b itch! I¡¯m going to teach you a- ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± A man¡¯s voice rang out in the distance. He sounded mad. ke approached them from the other end of the corridor. His handsome face was frosty, making everyone subconsciously shudder at the sight of it. Roxy was immediately subdued when she saw him. She said weakly, ¡°ke¡­¡± The other models were also shaking in their boots. They looked at ke in fear and respect as they said in unison, ¡°Mr. Ford!¡± This was ke Ford they were talking about. Everyone in Stanton City knew that he was the devil incarnate. No one dared to get on the wrong side of him. ¡°What are you doing, Roxy?¡± ke¡¯s cold gazended on Roxy¡¯s hand. She was still holding Yasmin¡¯s hair. Roxy jumped and immediately released Yasmin. Yasmin immediately gave her another p. It wasn¡¯t that she was no match for Roxy-she¡¯d just been caught off guard after so many people had swarmed her at once. They¡¯d managed tond a few blows on her. Now, she was returning the favor to Roxy. It was an eye for an eye. Roxy¡¯s eyes zed with resentment and hatred at being pped again. She instinctively raised a hand to hit Yasmin, but ke stopped her with another roar. ¡°Stop it!¡± His tone was frosty. Roxy didn¡¯t dare move. Yasmin stood up straight. There were coffee stains all over her dress, and her face was swollen with a clear handprint on it. This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Who was the one who sshed the coffee?¡± ke swept a domineering gaze over everyone. present while they trembled. Some of the models were so terrified that they were already apologizing to Yasmin. ¡°We¡¯re sorry for offending you earlier¡­¡± Roxy was the only one who refused to apologize. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Chapter 22 ¡°Roxy¡­¡± ke said menacingly. Roxy¡¯s heart raced with fear, but she refused to back down. Her eyes were red as sheined, ¡°She hit me first, ke.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying she was the first to attack a group of people?¡± ke asked coldly. This took Yasmin aback. She didn¡¯t expect him to speak up for her. It was a surprise. ¡°N-No¡­¡± Roxy was pale. She lied, ¡°It¡¯s because she stole my man!¡± ¡°And who would that be?¡± ¡°Ivan Burke.¡± He wasn¡¯t around, anyway, so Roxy went wild with her lies. She¡¯d had a crush on Ivan for the longest time and already thought of him as hers. ke¡¯s gaze was mocking. He said bluntly, ¡°Would he be interested in someone like you?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re obnoxious and arrogant. There¡¯s nothing good about you.¡± Roxy was stunned into silence. She had nothing to say in retort. Yasmin smirked at this. At least ke knew his cousin well enough-indeed, she was idiot without any redeeming qualities. There was nothing about her that would make someone fall for her. §Ñ§á ¡°You¡¯re being so mean, ke!¡± Roxy started crying when she couldn¡¯t think of anything to say. Her eyes were red as she wailed. Just then, Giselle came over. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Her tone was gentle and cajoling. When she saw Roxy crying, she handed thetter some tissues. ¡°Why are you crying, Roxy?¡± Roxy looked like she¡¯d seen her savior. As she sobbed, she said, ¡°Giselle, you have to help me.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°This sl ut tried totch onto Ivan!¡± Roxy pointed at Yasmin. At that, Giselle said sternly, ¡°You¡¯re in the wrong here, Roxy. No matter what, you shouldn¡¯t +15 BONUS have resorted to violence. Apologize to Yasmin.¡± Roxy refused. ¡°Are you speaking up for this bi tch as well, Giselle? If not for her father tricking ke, how could he have married her?¡± Giselle was silent for a moment. Then, she said understandingly, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that right now. Apologize to Yasmin, or I won¡¯t be able to help you if ke really gets mad.¡± ¡°She pped me twice!¡± ¡°Just apologize,¡± Giselle coaxed. Only then did Roxy reluctantly turn to Yasmin and snarl, ¡°Sorry!¡± Yasmin hadn¡¯t expected her to apologize properly, anyway. She turned to leave. ke said, ¡°Are those all the manners you have?¡± Yasmin thought he was talking to her and stiffened. She turned back around. ke¡¯s gaze was on Roxy. His eyes were devoid of emotion. ¡°If that¡¯s how your father taught you to apologize to someone, I don¡¯t mind giving you a personal lesson on manners.¡± Roxy trembled. All the backbone in the world meant nothing at this moment. She bowed her head and said to Yasmin, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Yasmin. I know I was wrong. Please, forgive me.¡± Yasmin didn¡¯t expect ke to make Roxy give in with a simple sentence. She was surprised, but there was also some other emotion mixed in with it. She knew one thing, though-she couldn¡¯t allow herself to be moved anymore. ¡°Since Roxy has already apologized, let¡¯s leave this matter at that, ke. I¡¯ll take Yasmin to the hospital to check on her face so that we¡¯re sure there won¡¯t be any scars. What do you think?¡± Giselle walked over to ke, looking like the elegantdy of a household. Roxy looked at her gratefully. In her eyes, Giselle was the perfect example of a wife and matriarch. Yasmin sneered to herself. She could see it now. Giselle was good at putting on an act and even better at mind games than Yasmin had expected. ke was about to say something when Yasmin interjected, ¡°I don¡¯t need to go to a hospital. Just give me some money to pay for the medical bill.¡±From N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Yasmin was running low on cash right now. It was all she needed to settle the problem. Everyone was taken aback as they turned to stare at her. She smiled. ¡°What? Don¡¯t tell me the daughter of an affluent family isn¡¯t even willing topensate me for my medical bill.¡± Roxy couldn¡¯t stand being provoked. She held her head high and said, ¡°Who said anything about not wanting to pay you? Name your price.¡± ¡°50 thousand dors.¡± Yasmin was afraid she would go back on her word and quickly shed her QR code. Roxy pulled out her phone and scanned it. ¡°There, I¡¯ve transferred it to you. Check your bnce. Don¡¯t go around saying I haven¡¯t paid you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s in.¡± Yasmin was in a much better mood when she saw the additional 50 thousand dors in her ount. Earning such a huge sum in exchange for two ps was pretty worth it. 1 The atmosphere turned odd. ke watched as Yasmin took the money, his expression frosty as could be. She didn¡¯t linger, turning to leave after getting the money. ke¡¯s expression darkened further as he followed her and overtook her. He strode ahead, looking like he was in a bad mood. Yasmin found this odd. Had she stepped on his tail? She touched her face. The earlier ps made her cheeks sting. They hurt a little. She saw ke¡¯s car parked outside when she exited NAS Group¡¯s building. Why hadn¡¯t he left yet? Yasmin didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be waiting for her, though. She walked down the steps, wanting to hail a cab. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, looking like that?¡± ke strode over to her, looking moody. He grabbed her hand and stuffed her into the car. Yasmin looked down at her dress. It was covered in coffee stains. She looked disheveled. She thought it was better to return to Oak Garden with him. She needed to pack her things, anyway. They didn¡¯t speak on the way back. Yasmin leaned against the door and watched the scenery outside the window pass them in a blur. +15 BONUS Suddenly, ke said, ¡°Stop the car. Yasmin didn¡¯t know what he was up to. She turned to see him unbuckle his seatbelt before getting out of the car. In the night, his figure seemed taller and more domineering than usual. She couldn¡¯t help thinking about the day they¡¯d met each other. Yasmin had been 20 at the time. She¡¯d seen ke walking down a flight of spiral stairs. He wore a tailor-made suit, and his handsome face had been illuminated by the lights of the chandelier above him. That day, Yasmin had learned what love at first sight felt like. Later, she¡¯d drawn portraits of him and secretly stashed them in her room. many One day, Stuart had found the portraits. He asked, ¡°Do you like ke Ford?¡± Yasmin¡¯s face had turned red. ¡°It¡¯s just a little crush.¡± Stuart watched her for a while before asking again, ¡°Would you want him as your husband, Yaz?¡± Yasmin had said shyly, ¡°What are you talking about, Dad? I¡¯m only 20!¡± ¡°Oh, you silly thing. I want to make all your wishese true.¡± At the time, Yasmin hadn¡¯t understood Stuart¡¯s underlying meaning. Sometime after this conversation, it had been ke¡¯s birthday. Stuart had brought her with him to ke¡¯s birthday celebration and coaxed her to have a few drinks. The liquor had made her head spin. She hadn¡¯t known heads from tails. When she woke up, she and ke had been lying in a bed together, naked as the day they¡¯d been born. Then, Stuart burst into the room with a bunch of papa raz zi. The elders of the Ford family had shown upter. Arthur was a traditional man. When he¡¯d seen the state Yasmin and ke had been in, he forced them to marry. That day, ke had looked positively murderous. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Yasmin was pulled out of her reverie. Her gazended outside the car. She saw ke walk out of the pharmacy. His expression was as cold as the day he¡¯d been forced to marry her two years ago. A wave of bitterness washed over her. Perhaps it was from that moment that ke had despised the Starr family. He hated them for tricking him and forcing him to marry a woman he didn¡¯t love. +15 B?NUS ke crossed the road and got into the car. When he saw Yasmin¡¯s expression, he raised an eyebrow. ¡°What? Are you enchanted by my face? Am I that handsome?¡± Yasmin returned to her senses. She was about to lower her head when ke gripped her jaw and turned her head to scrutinize the handprints on her cheeks. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Chapter 24 After scrutinizing Yasmin for a while, ke said, ¡°You got what you deserved.¡± This set Yasmin alight. ¡°I got attacked for nothing, and you think I deserved it?¡± ¡°You deserved it because you didn¡¯t even think about retaliating despite them ganging up on you.¡± Yasmin was taken aback. ¡°I did fight back. There were just too many of them. Besides, they¡¯re all socialites and daughters of affluent families. I¡¯m a nobody. How could I go against them?¡± ¡°Just go all out. I¡¯d like to see whether any of them would dare toe after you.¡± This stunned Yasmin into silence. What did ke mean by that? Would he protect her? She couldn¡¯t understand what he meant, so she looked at him. ke¡¯s face was devoid of emotion. He tilted her head up and applied some ointment on her face. The cooling sensation of it soothed the sting from the ps. Yasmin was finding him harder and harder to read. He kept saying that he despised her and the Starr family, but he actually treated her pretty well. In truth, he¡¯d been quite gentle with her for some time after they¡¯d married. Around half a year after they¡¯d married, Yasmin was no longer satisfied with them just being a married couple on paper. To change that, she¡¯d taken to hiding by the staircase and waiting for him. As soon as he appeared, she would pop her head out and say sweetly, ¡°Mr. B! Then, ke would say coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t call me that.¡± Yasmin would beam at him. ¡°Got it, Mr. B!¡± She always promised to change but never followed through. She would cling to him and call him Mr. B all the time. As time passed, ke would stop bothering to correct her. When he¡¯d seen that she didn¡¯t have many clothes, he¡¯d even given her his supplementary card so she could get whatever she wanted. Yasmin had been delighted. ¡°Thank you, Mr. B!¡± Her face had been red, and her eyes had been wide with delight as she looked at him with a +15 BONUS mixture of shyness and boldness. ke had reprimanded her in a low voice, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that.¡± Despite the countless asions that ke had told her off, Yasmin had never given up. She would always cling to him. Later, she¡¯d even seduced him and dressed skimpily on purpose. ke had been a tough cookie, though. No matter what Yasmin did to seduce him, he would. remainposed. But everything changed the night she¡¯d begged him to buy the vi at Newphoria Bay. That had been ke¡¯s first time epting her. From then on, he¡¯d treated her pretty well. Amidst Yasmin¡¯s reverie, someone¡¯s camera shed in her face. ¡°Did you see that? That¡¯s ke Ford, the president of Windmere Group!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a woman in his car!¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t look like Giselle O¡¯Shea. Hurry up and get a photo of them. This is a big scoop!¡± Yasmin was shocked when she heard these words. She subconsciously said, ¡°Mr. B!¡± ke grunted in acknowledgment, then pulled her into his arms and crouched below the seat. ¡°Drive faster, Malcolm.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The car sped up. Yasmin was still afraid and didn¡¯t dare to look up from ke¡¯s arms. ¡°Have we shaken them off?¡± ¡°No, they¡¯re still following us. Don¡¯t move.¡± ke pressed her head to his chest. Yasmin kept her head bowed. She couldn¡¯t help feeling uneasy, though. ke was close enough to her that she could feel his warm breath fan over her neck. His arm was also tightly wrapped around her waist. The weirdest thing about all this was that his body was heating up. Yasmin subconsciously tensed. She twitched a little. ¡°Are we in the clear yet?¡± ¡°No.¡± ke¡¯s voice was deep and ho ar se. As the car sped forward, he would asionally bump into her as the car passed over some potholes. It made Yasmin¡¯s face turn crimson. ¡°Are the pap ara zzi gone yet?¡± Sweat started to bead on Yasmin¡¯s dainty nose. She felt flustered. 2 They were in such an amorous position now.From N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Yasmin felt ill at ease and wanted to get out of this amorous situation. But with the pap araz zi chasing them, she didn¡¯t dare to move. She was afraid that they would catch something and blow things out of proportion, affecting thepany¡¯s share price. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared.¡± ke seemed to sense her trembling and wrapped his hand around hers. Yasmin was taken aback when he inteced his fingers with hers and pulled her even tighter against him. She was even more flustered when she sensed his arousal. ¡°Mr. B¡­¡± ke said in a low voice, ¡°Stop talking.¡± Her voice was so gentle and tender. He couldn¡¯t take it. ¡°But¡­¡± She felt so uneasy. Their bodies were pressed flush against each other, and she could feel him pressing his arousal against her through the material of their clothes. Her face burned. The car would asionally jolt as it went over potholes and speed bumps, worsening the scenario. It was as if it were spi cing things up for them. Yasmin was so flustered that she hitched her breath and gripped ke¡¯s shirt as her face burned. She was so nervous. He didn¡¯t even move as he held her from behind, his breathing somewhat heavy. Suddenly, the car jolted violently. Their bodies were pressed together even more, and they both stiffened. Yasmin couldn¡¯t help letting out a moan. ¡°Shut up!¡± ke mped a hand over her mouth and pressed his lips to her ear. He s aid h o ars ely, ¡°Malcolm¡¯s in the driver¡¯s seat. Don¡¯t make a sound.¡± Yasmin was rendered speechless. She didn¡¯t dare to make any sounds but also felt unsettled. She turned to nce at him and saw that he wasn¡¯t faring much better. The veins in his forehead were bulging. He looked like he was trying his best to stay in control. Yasmin didn¡¯t dare to look at him anymore. She lowered her eyes and asked, ¡°Are we home yet?¡± ¡°No.¡± ke watched her. Her eyshes fluttered-they were a sign of her uneasiness and fear. He couldn¡¯t help leaning down and kissing her. ¡°I told you not to make a sound.¡± Yasmin¡¯s throat constricted as his searing kiss took over her senses. It was almost fierce. There was a hint of impatience as their tongues danced together. +15 BONUS Yasmin was dumbfounded. Why was he kissing her? She was running out of oxygen. He held her hands tightly as he deepened the kiss. ke was a good kisser. Yasmin felt the strength leave her body as he continued kissing her. Her breathing was all over the ce. In her dazed state, she nced at him to see that his gaze was fiery as he kissed her. It was as if he wanted to swallow her whole. Yasmin¡¯s heart jolted. Then, she noticed something-the car was already parked in the courtyard of the Oak Garden vi. Malcolm was nowhere in sight. They were already home. She broke the kiss and said while panting, ¡°We¡¯re home, ke.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ke¡¯s gaze was still fiery as he held her head and sucked on the fading hic key on her neck. He left a fresh one there. Yasmin¡¯s chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°You need a good¡­¡± She didn¡¯t hear the rest of the sentence but knew what he meant. Her face turned crimson again. ¡°No, I don¡¯t!¡± ¡°As if.¡± ke pulled her onto hisp and easily snaked a hand underneath her dress. He fondled her domineeringly. ¡°Help me out.¡± Yasmin gasped. ¡°No. Get away from me!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who got it up.¡± ke was displeased. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t!¡± ¡°What are you even talking about? You kept grinding against me on the way here,¡± he said h oar sely. He nibbled on her earlobe. ¡°Hurry up and help me.¡± ¡°No!¡± Yasmin refused to do anything. Tears filled her eyes as she held her head up stubbornly. If not for ke¡¯s phone ringing just then, he probably would¡¯ve had his way with her in the car. He nced at the phone, looking irritated when he saw the called ID. He still answered it, though. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°ke, my belly suddenly hurts. I don¡¯t know why. Can youe and check on me?¡± ke shut his eyes at that. He breathed deeply, seemingly trying to calm himself down. ¡± Have the driver take you to the hospital. I¡¯ll be right there.¡± +15 BONUS With that, he let Yasmin go. Suddenly free, Yasmin realized that the call was from Giselle. She looked at ke. He didn¡¯t say anything. He straightened his clothes and said, ¡°Go upstairs and get changed.¡± There were coffee stains all over her dress. Yasmin stiffened. She couldn¡¯t believe that ke could still control himself at such a time. just because Giselle had called.From N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Yasmin smiled bitterly. She got off ke¡¯sp and out of the car. A voice inside her told her to turn around to ask ke not to go. She tried and failed to suppress it. Finally, she turned around. ¡°Mr. B-¡± She stopped abruptly. ke had already driven into the night. Yasmin¡¯s expression turned. sorrowful. A tear rolled down her face and onto the grass. More tears followed. She stood amidst the chilly breeze as tears streamed down her face. If ke could leave her. behind with a single phone call from Giselle, why was she still holding out hope? After all, he¡¯d loved Giselle for a whole decade. In this moment, Yasmin truly gave up. She wiped her tears and ran upstairs. Then, she packed her stuff and left. ke drove to the hospital. When he arrived, he saw Giselle sitting on the bed and rubbing her belly. She looked fragile. When she saw him, she smiled. Her eyes were filled with love as she said, ¡°You¡¯re here, ke.¡± He nced at her co olly. ¡°Does your belly still hurt?¡± He sat before her, as cold and distant as he¡¯d always been. Giselle couldn¡¯t help feeling that he was out of her reach. She said softly, ¡°No.¡± ¡°What did the doctor say?¡± ¡°He said that the baby might¡¯ve been anxious because I had coffee in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Remember not to have coffee anymore,¡± ke said. ¡°Okay.¡± Giselle lowered her head, looking obedient. She thought ke would caress her. head, but he didn¡¯t. He got up after a short while. ¡°You get some rest. I¡¯m going to talk to the doctor.¡± ke went to the dean¡¯s office. When he stepped inside, he saw a man in a doctor¡¯s coat sitting on the couchzily. His feet were propped up on the coffee table. The man raised an eyebrow and smiled at ke¡¯s sudden appearance. ¡°My, what a special guest!¡± +15 BONUS He was ke¡¯s friend, Joel Sawyer. Joel got up to pour a cup of coffee. ke ke sat down and sipped his coffee before asking, ¡°How¡¯s the baby?¡± ¡°Everything¡¯s fine. There¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°Good.¡± ke¡¯s eyes were devoid of emotion. He lit a cigarette and took a drag, blowing out. the smoke through his nose. ¡°How long more until she¡¯s due?¡± ¡°She¡¯s only in her first trimester. It¡¯s going to take at least half a year.¡± ke didn¡¯t say anything else. The smoke masked his emotions. Joel asked, ¡°Why are you treating her so well, really? Is the baby really yours? That can¡¯t be. You didn¡¯t leave the country three months ago. If we¡¯re following that timeline, the baby can¡¯t be yours.¡± ke didn¡¯t answer the question. Instead, he said inly, ¡°Keep an eye on her. You have to make sure the baby is born safely.¡± ¡°What are you getting out of this?¡± Joel was even more confused now. ¡°The baby isn¡¯t even yours, yet you¡¯re allowing her to spread rumors about you and her. She¡¯s benefiting from your reputation. Aren¡¯t you afraid of upsetting your wife?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what she does. I just want the baby to be born safely.¡± ke only cared about the oue. Joel was finding it harder and harder to read him. He shook his head. ¡°Whatever. Don¡¯t regret it when your wife dumps you.¡± ke didn¡¯t say anything. His eyes were dark. He left after smoking half a cigarette. Outside, he made a phone call. ¡°Send some supplements to Giselle.¡± Giselle received the supplements half an hourter. She was pleasantly surprised as she asked Malcolm, ¡°Where¡¯s ke?¡± ¡°Mr. Ford¡¯s already gone back to thepany,¡± Malcolm answered. The smile in Giselle¡¯s eyes faded. She asked softly, ¡°Is he always this busy?¡± ¡°Yes. Mr. Ford has to manage Windmere Group, so he¡¯s kept busy every day. You¡¯ll have to This is from N?velDrama.Org. forgive him for not having time for you, Ms. O¡¯Shea.¡± Giselle forced a smile as she said tenderly, ¡°Of course I will.¡¯ Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Chapter 27 When ke returned to Oak Garden, it was already nighttime. Mary walked out and said, Mr. Ford, Mr. Arthur¡¯s secretary called to ask you and Mrs. Ford to drop by on Saturday night. ¡°Alright,¡± ke said. ¡°Has Yasmin had dinner?¡± Mary looked confused. ¡°Mrs. Ford hasn¡¯t returned since leaving the house in the evening. ke was taken aback. He hurried upstairs and saw that her desk was empty. A portion of her clothes had been taken away. ke¡¯s expression turned icy. His handsome features looked especially menacing. Yasmin had dinner with Eunice at the studio. Eunice bought some beer. As they drank, they talked about the coboration with NAS Group. Eunice was surprised. ¡°Are you serious? NAS Group is at the top of the luxury brands industry. Do they really want to work with us?¡± ¡°I just can¡¯t help thinking that everything¡¯s going too smoothly.¡± Yasmin didn¡¯t know why she felt this way, but she wasn¡¯t really ready to take the risk. Eunice felt the same. ¡°Maybe we should look out for other options.¡± ¡°Okay, then.¡± Yasmin nodded. It was always better to be safe than sorry. Eunice scrolled on her phone. Suddenly, she shouted, ¡°F uck! That scu mbag ke Ford¡¯s on the trending news again. This time, it¡¯s even worse than before. He was caught having sex in the car!¡± Sex in the car? Yasmin snat ched the phone from her. The article only had a few blurry photos-they were of her and ke. She looked baffled. ¡°What the hell is wrong with these people? What¡¯s with all this rubbish?¡± ¡°How do you know it¡¯s rubbish?¡± Eunice asked. Yasmin revealed, saying, ¡°Because I¡¯m the woman in the car!¡± Eunice gaped at her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Yaz? Why are you involved with that scu m bag 1/3 +15 BONUS again?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like what you think.¡± Yasmin exined, ¡°I happened to be in the car, and the pap ara zzi came after us like crazy. We ran from them the whole way.¡± Eunice was speechless after hearing the whole thing. ¡°Wow, these pap ara zzi are pros at making things up.¡± They could turn a few blurry photos into an exciting story about having sex in the car. ¡°Right?¡± That was why ke had shielded her from the cameras at the time. He was afraid of exposing her in the public eye and disrupting her private life. The Inte was abuzz about the ¡°sex in the car¡± incident. Netizensmented about how wealthy men would never be loyal and how ke¡¯s loving image was now destroyed. Giselle¡¯s Twitter was also swarmed byments. Some people made fun of her, while some felt indignant on her behalf. Just then, she released a statement announcing she was the woman in the car. She exined that she and ke had left together after having a meal. She also asked her fans not to grasp at thin air. This announcement immediately shot to the top of the list of trending topics. The tides. turned, and everyone was giving them their blessings. Theizensmented, ¡°Oh, my G od. You two are a match made in heaven! I knew the rumors were false! Mr. Ford has waited for Giselle for ten years. How could he move on with someone new so soon? I can¡¯t wait for their official announcement!¡± An official announcement? Eunice exploded in a rage when she saw Giselle¡¯s announcement. She chu gg ed her beer and said to Yasmin, ¡°Go d, that Giselle¡¯s disgusting. She announced that she was the woman in the car, and everyone on the Inte actually believed her! They¡¯re giving her and ke their blessings!¡± ¡°They¡¯re just having some fun.¡± Yasmin didn¡¯t want toment on the matter. She took a swig of her beer, feeling rather annoyed. 1 Eunice was hot-tempered and unwilling to let the matter slide. She went online to wage war against theizens. Yasmin tried to stop her. ¡°Eunice, stop arguing with them.¡± ¡°I just can¡¯t stand that mistress¡¯ obnoxious attitude!¡± Eunice had had a little too much to 213. +15 B?NUS drink. Her eyes had a tinge of drunkenness to them. She keptmenting online that Giselle was a homewrecker and that ke was married. She added that ke¡¯s wife¡¯s surname was Starr. Theizens didn¡¯t believe her. They came after her, hurling insults and curses her way. Yasmin wanted to stop Eunice, but she¡¯d already copsed in a haze of drunkenness. She flopped onto the table and fell asleep. Yasmin looked exasperated. She called Eunice¡¯s boyfriend, Colin Gray, and had hime to the studio to take Eunice home.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Chapter 28 After that, Yasmin sat on the couch and drank her beer silently. Just then, her phone rang. She answered it. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Yasmin, it¡¯s me.¡± Giselle¡¯s voice rang out on the other end of the line. She said demurely, ¡°I have something to ask you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Well, I just wanted to know what brand of condoms ke normally uses. Yasmin was taken aback. ¡°What?¡± 1 ¡°You¡¯ve been by his side, haven¡¯t you? Do you know the brand and size he uses? He¡¯s staying over tonight, so I figured I had to get some ready. But I don¡¯t know what he normally uses, so I wanted to check with you¡­¡± This was a phone call to mark her territory. Yasmin couldn¡¯t bring herself to say anything. Bitterness overwhelmed her as she took another swig of beer. ¡°Yasmin?¡± Giselle was still talking. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Has my question hurt you? But you said you and ke don¡¯t have feelings for each other, right?¡± Yasmin didn¡¯t answer. She hung up and cut Giselle¡¯s chattering off. She downed her beer and opened another one. Tears streamed down her face and dripped onto her dress. As she continued drinking, she became drunk. The bitterness in her heart washed over her. She didn¡¯t want to let ke ride off into the sunset happily. So, she unblocked his number and called him to berate him. It didn¡¯t take long for him to answer. ¡°Yasmin?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got erectile dysfunction, ke Ford! You¡¯re the biggest b ast ard in the world!¡± Yasmin shouted. ke frowned. ¡°Have you been drinking?¡± 1 ¡°You¡¯re getting it on with your mistress tonight, aren¡¯t you? I hope you¡¯ll cu m in one second¡­¡± ke¡¯s expression turned ugly. ¡°Where are you?¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What does that have to do with you? Cheating men like you should be castrated chemically! ¡°Yasmin¡¯s face was red from the alcohol. She couldn¡¯t stop cursing ke. +15 BONUS ke looked nonplussed. He¡¯d been reading in his study. ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± Yasmin didn¡¯t answer. ke was irritated. ¡°Yasmin?¡± After a short while, a man¡¯s voice rang out on the other end of the line. ¡°Hey, Mr. Ford. It¡¯s Colin Gray. I came to pick Eunice up. She and Yasmin have been knocked out. Should I drop Yasmin off at your home?¡± ke asked, ¡°Where have they been drinking?¡± ¡°At the studio.¡± That wasn¡¯t so bad. ke¡¯s expression softened. ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble you to send her back to my vi at Oak Garden.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no trouble.¡± Colin hung up. Half an hourter, he arrived at Oak Garden. ke stood tall in the courtyard. When he saw Colin¡¯s car, he walked over to it and nced. at the back seat. Yasmin and Eunice were out of it as they leaned against each other. ¡°Thanks for this,¡± ke said to Colin. He opened the car door and lifted Yasmin out. She seemed extra petite in his arms and was as light as a feather. ke carried her upstairs and threw her onto the bed. She stirred blearily and was about to turn on her side when ke held her down. He lifted her skirt and smacked her on the butt. Who gave you the permission to have so much to drink?¡± He¡¯d never allowed her to have alcohol. And she was dead drunk, too! Had she been outside. and run into some shady man, wouldn¡¯t she have been taken advantage of? He spa nked her a few more times to teach her a lesson. Yasmin frowned from the pain. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°You need to be taught a lesson.¡± ke¡¯s expression was dark. He made to smack her again, but she grabbed his hand and turned to face him. She was drunk, but her eyes were still bright despite her haziness. She said blearily, ¡°Mr. B?¡± ke jolted. It had been so long since he¡¯d heard her call him that. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Chapter 29 +15 BONUS Yasmin was drunk, so she felt like she was dreaming. She wrapped her arms around ke¡¯s neck. ¡°You¡¯re back, Mr. B.¡± ¡®Sucking up to me won¡¯t work.¡± ke thought she was trying to butter him up. His expression was cold as he reached up to pry her hands away. ¡°Mr. B, don¡¯t get together with anyone else.¡± She leaned against him and held his face, bringing their faces close together. ¡°I¡¯m better than them, aren¡¯t I?¡± She looked into his eyes. The corners of her eyes were red from her drunkenness. She caressed his face. ¡°I¡¯m obedient, aren¡¯t I? Isn¡¯t that good enough?¡± ke¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s been demanding a divorce, remember?¡± She pouted. ¡°I feel horrible.¡± ke couldn¡¯t bring himself to push her away now. He held her in his arms and asked her, ¡± Where do you feel horrible?¡± ¡°My heart.¡± Yasmin put a hand over her chest. She mumbled, ¡°I told myself that my family¡¯s in the wrong because Dad tricked you, so I can¡¯t me you for how you¡¯ve treated me. You¡¯re innocent. You never wanted to marry me, and I should never have forced you into it. But now, I hate you, Mr. B. I hate you¡­¡± Tears slowly formed in her eyes. ke stared right into them. She continued, ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have married you two years ago. If I could go back in time and do this all over, I would¡¯ve rather gone with someone else¡­¡± ¡°Someone else? Who? Ivan Burke?¡± ke gripped her jaw. ¡°Ivan Burke?¡± Yasmin looked at him innocently, her judgment still clouded by her drunkenness. She seemed to be thinking about who Ivan was. When it came to her, she giggled. ¡°He¡¯s a pretty good candidate. It¡¯s too bad I didn¡¯t meet him earlier¡­¡± ke¡¯s expression turned ugly. He tightened his grip on her jaw until it hurt. ¡°Ouch.¡± Yasmin frowned. Looking at him, she seemed to recall what Giselle had said earlier. Her gaze turned cold as hatred burned in her eyes. ¡°Go to hell, ke!¡± She pounced on him and bit him on the neck, leaving a clear bite mark behind. +15 BONUS ke stiffened and tried to push her away. ¡°Let go, Yasmin!¡± She refused. Instead, she bit harder, only pushing him away when she tasted blood. Then, she wiped the blood off her lips and sneered. ¡°Ha! Hell is where you belong, you jerk who can¡¯t get it up!¡± ke looked positively furious at this point. Yasmin slid off the bed and headed toward the door. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± ke strode after her and grabbed her. ¡°This isn¡¯t my home. I don¡¯t want to stay here!¡± Yasmin¡¯s expression was haughty and fierce. It was somewhat seductive. ke rarely saw her so unbridled. Oddly enough, he found that he didn¡¯t hate it. ¡°This is your home. You¡¯ve had too much to drink, soe back inside.¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t!¡± She grabbed the doorknob as her eyes shed with rage. ¡°This house belongs to a scu mbag, not me. I¡¯m leaving. I¡¯m heading back to Newphoria Bay!¡± ¡°Newphoria Bay¡¯s not your home anymore.¡± ke snorted. Yasmin was taken aback. ¡°It¡¯s not?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s my dad?¡± ¡°He¡¯s in jail.¡± ¡°My dad¡¯s in jail?¡± Yasmin eyes filled with tears. ¡°I don¡¯t have any family anymore?¡± He looked her in the eye. ¡°You married me.¡± ¡°I married you?¡± she murmured. Then, she crouched down and wrapped her arms around herself as she started to cry. ¡°But you don¡¯t treat me well at all ke watched her, then crouched down as well. ¡°I wasn¡¯t exactly willing to marry you.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She seemed to think of something. She looked up at him. ¡°Then why did you sleep with me? You shouldn¡¯t have slept with me if you didn¡¯t love me.¡± From N?velDrama.Org. +15 BONUS Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Chapter 30 ke was taken aback. He said, ¡°You¡¯re the one who begged me.¡± ¡°I did?¡± Yasmin lowered her head. ¡°I was lonely. I wanted someone to love me after Dad went to jail¡­ ke¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°I will never love you.¡± ¡°Yeah. I chose the wrong guy.¡± Her voice was as soft as a whisper. She slowly got up to head downstairs. ke grabbed her by the hand. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°To see my dad.¡±! ¡°He¡¯s in jail. Come back.¡± He tightened his grip on her hand, not allowing her to leave. Yasmin said, ¡°He might be in jail, but he must miss me. He¡¯s the only person left in this world who would miss me.¡± ke jolted. He tugged her into his arms. As Yasmin collided against his chest, he said, ¡°You can¡¯t visit your dad in jail at night. Go visit him tomorrow.¡± ¡°I still shouldn¡¯t be here. This isn¡¯t my home, she said. ¡°You don¡¯t have anywhere else to go.¡± ¡°I still want to leave.¡± Yasmin was insistent. ke ran out of patience. He lifted her into his arms, kicked the bedroom door shut, and threw her onto the bed. She sat up, wanting to scramble off the bed. ke¡¯s expression darkened. He pinned her down andy atop her. The weight of his body. on top of hers seemed to confuse her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Sleeping!¡± ke held her iling arms down by her sides. ¡°Close your eyes.¡± When she didn¡¯t do as he said, he got angry. He lifted her dress and pressed himself to her.¡± Fine, then. If you¡¯re not going to obey me, I¡¯ll f uck you until you do.¡± His arousal burned against her. Something seemed to ur to Yasmin, and she seemed to be a little afraid of it. She said, ¡°You can¡¯t!¡± She didn¡¯t want that. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. +15 BONUS ke¡¯s gaze was dark. ¡°Close your eyes and go to sleep, then.¡± Yasmin immediately did as told. He looked down at her delicate face. Soon, her breathing evened out. She was asleep. ke didn¡¯t feel toofortable. He looked down at his arousal before getting up and heading to the bathroom. The sky was just starting to turn light when Yasmin, still asleep, turned and touched ke¡¯s body. His eyes flew open. He¡¯d always been a light sleeper, and she was touching him in all the right ces. It woke him up immediately. He stared at her. She was deeply asleep. Her lips were even puckered. They looked so soft and inviting. ke¡¯s throat constricted. ¡°Yasmin?¡± She didn¡¯t respond. Instead, she threw her long leg over his waist. It was slender, and ther skin was silky smooth. It was ba skin was silky smooth. It was basically an invitation for him to do what he wanted. ke had been suppressing his desire for the past few days. He could no longer keep it at bay. He held Yasmin¡¯s jaw and gave her a searing kiss. Their teeth knocked against each other. Yasmin was immediately jolted awake. When she saw ke¡¯s zoomed-up face, she jumped in fright. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± She remembered she and Eunice had been having dinner at the studio togetherst night. Why was she waking up at home? ke¡¯s eyes were aze with passion as he watched her. He snarled, ¡°You¡¯ve been seducing me all night, Yasmin. You¡¯re asking to be f ucked.¡± He wrapped her legs around his waist. Yasmin was stunned. In the next second, he kissed her again and reached down to take her dress off. Yasmin¡¯s face was red from the kiss. She stammered, ¡°W-Wait! It¡¯s not what you think! I didn¡¯t mean it!¡± Chapter 31 Chapter 31 ¡°Either way, you¡¯ve aroused ime. This time, you have to put the fire out.¡± ke couldn¡¯t care less what Yasmin had to say. He stered himself to her. Yasmin shuddered. She wanted to push him away, but he caught her hands and held them behind her. She was facedown against the pillow as he held her from behind. ke¡¯s kisses trailed down her back; his breathing was hot and heavy. A light sheen of sweat broke out on Yasmin¡¯s nose. ¡°You can¡¯t do this. You already have Giselle! Let me go!¡± She wanted to push him away, but she couldn¡¯t see him and didn¡¯t know where to aim. When she identally pressed against his groin, she stiffened in shock as her face burned crimson. ¡°ke!¡± ¡°Settle down.¡± ke smacked her on the butt. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Yasmin stiffened again. ¡°Let go of me!¡± ¡°You have to put out this fire today. Otherwise, you won¡¯t take a step out of this room.¡± ke¡¯s voice was so deep that it made her heart stutter. Yasminy there, feeling miserable. He¡¯d just slept with Gisellest night, yet here he was, trying to have his way with her the very next day. Why did life have to be so hard on her? Why did she have to marry ke and be a tool for him to vent his frustrations? As she thought about this, she started to cry. At that moment, someone pushed the door open. ¡°ke-¡± It was Giselle. She was stunned when she saw what was happening in the room. She pped a hand over her mouth and bolted. 1 Yasmin was equally stunned. A bout of strength surged in her as she shoved ke away. off! What are you s doing with me when your woman¡¯s here?¡± ke didn¡¯t say anything. His eyes gleamed as he watched her. He seemed to be observing her. She said coldly, ¡°Go after her. I don¡¯t want you to me me if something happens to her baby.¡± At the thought of the baby, ke didn¡¯t linger. He got up from her and went after Giselle, leaving Yasmin alone in the room. She smiled self¨Cdeprecatingly. She was about to get out of bed when the bracelet she wore. broke. Yasmin picked it up and checked it. It was a gift from ke. She¡¯d pestered him to buy it for her for their anniversaryst year. She¡¯d said coquettishly, ¡°Mr. B, we¡¯ve already been married for a year, but you haven¡¯t given me anything. Why don¡¯t you buy me an essory?¡± Yasmin had dragged him into a jewelry store. Later, he¡¯d bought her the bracelet. Now, it was broken. It seemed to be a prediction of their marriage. They would soon sever ties and part ways. Yasmin didn¡¯t obsess over it. She changed her clothes and headed to the prison to visit Stuart. He wore an inmate¡¯s uniform and had a smile on his handsome face. Despite being behind bars, he was still the gentleman he¡¯d always been. Yasmin looked at him tearily. ¡°How have you been, Dad?¡± ¡°Pretty great.¡± Stuart¡¯s smile widened. He coughed lightly but covered his mouth with hist fist, trying not to let Yasmin hear him. She still did, though. Her gaze turned worried. ¡°Dad, are you sick?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve just been coughing a littletely; it¡¯s nothing. Don¡¯t worry, okay? Did youe to see me because you wanted to tell me something, Yaz?¡± ¡°I want to divorce ke, Dad.¡± Yasmin hade to inform Stuart of this. Stuart fell silent. Then, he asked, ¡°Has he mistreated you?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ The woman he loves is back,¡± Yasmin said frankly. ¡°It¡¯s been two years, Dad. He still hasn¡¯t fallen for me. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s likely to happen in the future.¡± She¡¯d already given up on the prospect. Stuart asked, ¡°Has he abused you, Yaz?¡± ¡°No.¡± Yasmin shook her head. ¡°He hasn¡¯tid a finger on me, nor has he been verbally abusive.¡± Stuart nodded. After a short silence, he asked, ¡°Could you not go ahead with the divorce?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Yasmin couldn¡¯t understand this. She didn¡¯t want to stay in a loveless marriage any longer. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Stuart sighed. ¡°ke¡¯s the only man in Stanton City who can protect you. I¡¯ve made my fair share of enemies. They¡¯re only letting you off the hook because of ke. I¡¯m worried that you¡¯ll be in danger if you guys get divorced. Now that I¡¯m stuck here, I can¡¯t protect you. Yasmin looked distressed. Stuart continued, ¡°I know you¡¯re upset, Yaz, but ke can protect you. If he doesn¡¯t ask for a divorce, you should stay in this marriage. ¡°The people out there won¡¯t dare toy a hand on you as long as you¡¯re Mrs. Ford. You can get divorced once I¡¯m out of here. Then, I¡¯ll be able to protect you again.¡± Yasmin was unwilling to do as he said, but she didn¡¯t want him to worry while still in prison. Stuart said, ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, Yaz. You¡¯re probably depressed from being stuck in a loveless marriage, but life isn¡¯t just about being happy. ¡°Compared to happiness, being alive is more important. Now that I¡¯m behind bars, I can¡¯t protect you out there. My only hope is that you stay alive. It¡¯s fine if he doesn¡¯t love you doesn¡¯te home¨Cthink of it as you two already being divorced. and ¡°Lower your expectations for him. Let him live his life while you live yours. Treat him like he¡¯s a stranger. We can talk about the future once I¡¯m out of here, okay?¡± Yasmin was the only family Stuart had left, and she was gorgeous. He genuinely worried about her future. She could understand what he meant. He was afraid she would be taken advantage of. He feared she would fall under someone¡¯s control and be nothing more than a ything. With ke, the worst¨Ccase scenario was that he didn¡¯t love her. But if she were to get divorced, who knew how many other men woulde knocking on her door? Yasmin knew where Stuart wasing from. After speaking to him, she no longer entertained the thought of getting a divorce. Sometimes, life just wasn¡¯t hers to control. She would just pretend like she was already divorced. She could take this chance to prematurely get used to being single. Yasmin dried her tears as she walked out of the prison. Then, she heard someone honk at her. She looked up to see a Rolls¨CRoyce Cullinan parked across the road. Had kee to her after coaxing Giselle? A wave of sorrow washed over her. She turned and walked away. Even if they couldn¡¯t get 377 divorced, she didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with him anymore. It was as Stuart had said she would treat ke like he was a stranger. ke¡¯s expression turned icy when he saw Yasmin walk away without a word. He got out of the car and caught up with her in a few strides. ¡°Yasmin!¡± She ignored him. He¡¯d specially made the trip there. He didn¡¯t even know why. Maybe it was because she¡¯d cried so heartbreakinglyst night when talking about wanting to see Stuart. The whole day today, he¡¯d been distracted. He¡¯d subconsciously told Malcolm to take him to the prison. IN ¡°Why are you crying?¡± ke grabbed Yasmin¡¯s hand and made her turn around when he noticed her tears. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business,¡± she said dully. ke¡¯s expression darkened further. ¡°Grandpa called mest night and told us to drop by Ford Residence tonight.¡± In truth, he could¡¯ve just called her to inform her of this. But for some reason, he¡¯d felt C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. obligated toe all the way. Yasmin said coolly, ¡°You can bring Giselle with you.¡± ke¡¯s mother didn¡¯t like her. She didn¡¯t want to push her buttons. When Yasmin and ke got married, Arthur had been the only one who¡¯d been rtively happy. The rest of the Ford family had scorned her. This was especially true in the case of ke¡¯s mother. She felt that her son had been tricked. He could¡¯ve married the daughter of a prominent family, but Stuart had tricked him into marrying the daughter of a bankrupt man. She¡¯d been upset about their marriage since. That was why Yasmin would never step foot in Ford Residence even if she and ke didn¡¯t divorce. She would hand the opportunity to anyone who wanted it. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have much to do with you, but it has everything to do with your best friend.¡± ke looked at her pointedly. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Yasmin¡¯s best friend? Eunice? C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Yasmin¡¯s head shot up. ¡°What have you done to Eunice?¡± ke said, ¡°Last night, she spread rumors about my personal life online and insulted Giselle. Giselle dropped by this morning to tell me that she wanted to hold Eunice responsible for her words.¡± Yasmin took a deep breath to calm herself down. ¡°You guys are going after Eunice for something as menial as a headline?¡± ¡°Well, why didn¡¯t she consider the consequences of her actions before running her mouth?¡± ¡°She was just standing up for me. Besides, she only got into a few arguments with some fans. She didn¡¯t hurt anyone.¡± ¡°Do you really want her to get awyer¡¯s letter?¡± ke looked down at Yasmin. He didn¡¯t seem to want to say anything else to her. He turned to leave. Yasmin was taken aback for a split second. Then, she ran after him. ¡°What are you guys trying to pull?¡± ¡°Get in the car.¡± ke got in without shutting the door. She was afraid he would really go after Eunice, so she didn¡¯t dare to defy him. She got into the car and tried to reason with him. ¡°Can we just sweep this matter under the rug?¡± ¡°It depends on how well you perform.¡± ke¡¯s voice was calm. Yasmin clenched her fists. After a moment of silence, she asked softly, ¡°Will you guys let Eunice off the hook if I follow you home tonight and perform well?¡± ¡°We may have to spend a night there.¡± Yasmin caught his drift. She nodded. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll follow your lead and make sure you¡¯re satisfied.¡± ¡°Tie my tie.¡± ke raised his head. It was only then that Yasmin realized his tie was crooked. He couldn¡¯t even tie a tie without her around. He looked like an elite, outstanding man but was actually an idiot when it came to the practical side of life. Yasmin mocked him in her heart and reluctantly reached out to undo the tie. Then, she noticed a clear bite mark beneath his cor. She asked, ¡°Did you sleep with Giselle this morning?¡± ke frowned. Then, the realization dawned on him. He chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten already?¡± ¡°What?¡± He loosened his cor and pointed at the bite mark on his neck. ¡°A certain someone left this on my neckst night after getting drunk.¡± Yasmin stared at the bite mark as a scene shed in her mind. So, she¡¯d been the one to leave that? Suddenly, she felt a little embarrassed. ¡°Weren¡¯t you with Gisellest night?¡± He gave her an odd look. ¡°I was at home the whole time.¡± This took Yasmin aback. So Giselle had been lying? Was the call she madest night and the misleading words she spoke carefully constructed to make Yasmin misunderstand? In that instant, Yasmin was sure of one thing¨CGiselle was an intelligent, scheming bitch. She looked up at ke and met his gaze. He asked, ¡°What? Are you that riveted by the sight of your bite mark?¡± Her face turned red. ¡°Sorry.¡± She straightened his cor and tied his tie. They fell into silence when she was done. Yasmin didn¡¯t have anything to say, so she shut her eyes to get some rest. No matter what happened, she would only think of him as a stranger. Suddenly, the car stopped. She opened her eyes. ¡°Get out of the car.¡± With that, ke got out, leaving her with the sight of his debonair back. Yasmin looked outside. They¡¯d pulled up outside a shopping mall. She followed ke out of the car and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to head to Ford Residence? Why are we here?¡± ¡°Look at how dowdy you are. I don¡¯t want people to make fun of me when we get to Ford Residence.¡± Yasmin clenched her fists at her words. She wanted nothing more than to punch a hole in hist head. Why did someone with his looks and caliber have to have a mouth like that? When they entered the mall, ke strode into a female clothing store and picked a pink chiffon dress from the rack. Whenever he bought anything for Yasmin, he would subconsciously pick something pink. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Yasmin frowned. ¡°I¡¯m all grown up now. I don¡¯t like pink anymore.¡± ¡°You¡¯re only 22. You¡¯re not even fully developed yet,¡± ke said. Yasmin thought he was referring to her private parts. Her face turned red. ¡°Why¡¯s your face red?¡± He noticed this. When he realized her mind had gone elsewhere, his gaze darkened. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Yasmin¡¯s expression turned icy. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Well, I know where your mind¡¯s gone. Look at how red your face is.¡± keughed and looked down at her. ¡°Are you upset because I didn¡¯t satisfy you this morning?¡± Yasmin couldn¡¯t help being reminded of what had happened that morning. If not for Giselle suddenly showing up, she probably would¡¯ve fallen prey to his advances. Her face burned as she pushed him away. ¡°No!¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone has needs. You don¡¯t need to hide anything.¡± ke didn¡¯t get mad. He handed her the pink dress. ¡°Go try it on.¡± Yasmin looked stiff, but she didn¡¯t want to argue with him. She took the dress and went to try it on. A few minutester, she stepped out of the filting room. ke sat elegantly on the couch. The first thing he saw was a pair of long, slender legs with feet that wore diamond¨Cencrusted heels. As his gaze trailed upward, he saw a perfect figure encased in the pink dress. Yasmin¡¯s hair was glossy, and her skin glowed. She looked absolutely breathtaking. ke watched her for a few more seconds before retracting his gaze and turning to the sales. clerk. ¡°We¡¯ll take it.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The sales clerk was stunned by Yasmin¡¯s beauty. She eximed, ¡°You¡¯re beautiful, madam! You look like a goddess in this dress.¡± L Yasmin thought she was exaggerating. She turned to look at the floor¨Clength mirror behind her. The woman in the mirror was thin but had a great figure. She had curves in all the right ces. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say she had a wless figure. Indeed, the dress looked good on her. Yasmin would always be in a good mood when she saw pretty things. She couldn¡¯t help smiling at her reflection. Then, she met ke¡¯s gaze in the mirror. His eyes were on her empty wrist. ¡°Where¡¯s the bracelet you always have on?¡± It seemed to be a casual question. Yasmin answered, ¡°I threw it away.¡± He frowned. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Cause I didn¡¯t like it,¡± Yasmin retorted. In truth, she¡¯d kept it. The bracelet was a piece of jewelry worth several thousand dors. She could sell it for money! For some reason, this upset ke. His expression was icy as they left the shopping mall. Malcolm was waiting for them outside. When he saw Yasmin, heplimented her, wanting to ease the tension. ¡°Whoa! You look gorgeous in this dress, Mrs. Ford!¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Thanks!¡± Yasmin smiled. On the other hand, ke gave him a cool nce. This scared Malcolm. He opened the door for them, not daring to make another sound. Yasmin didn¡¯t get into the backseat, though. She opened the front passenger door and got in. ¡°My stomach¡¯s not feeling too well. I¡¯ll ride shotgun.¡± She didn¡¯t want to be in the same space as ke. It put her on edge. ke faltered and asked, ¡°Is your stomach still acting up?¡± che looked at him in surprise. He continued, ¡°Haven¡¯t you been taking your medicationtely?¡± ¡°I have.¡± She didn¡¯t expect him to still remember this? ¡°I¡¯ve been taking it every day.¡± In truth, she¡¯d already recovered. She was perfectly fine. ke didn¡¯t say anything else. Malcolm started the car and said, ¡°If you¡¯re having stomach problems, Mrs. Ford, you can try adding spinach and cabbage to your diet. One is good for people with stomach issues, while the other¡¯s high in fiber. It will help to repair your stomach lining.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Yasmin took note of it and smiled at him. ¡°I quite like eating spinach.¡± Chapter 35 Chapter 35 hapter 35 ¡°Cabbage is pretty tasty, too. It¡¯s crunchy and sweet. Remember to try some when you have the time, Mrs. Ford. Also, you have to maintain a healthy lifestyle. ¡°Stick to a proper schedule. Don¡¯t burn the midnight oil all the time.¡± Malcolm knew Yasmin was a design student who constantly stayed upte to get her drafts done. This was why he was reminding her. Yasmin was surprised by his thoughtfulness. She smiled and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so considerate and detail¨Coriented when you look like a tough guy. I bet your girlfriend¡¯s really happy to be with you.¡± ¡°You jest, Mrs. Ford. I¡¯m still single.¡± ¡°What? How can that be? You¡¯re pretty handsome, and you¡¯re almost six feet tall. Besides, you must be well paid for being a president¡¯s special assistant. How can you not have a girlfriend?¡± Malcolm wanted to tell her that he never got a break as ke¡¯s assistant. He had to be on standby 24/7. It would be a miracle if he could squeeze out time for a girlfriend. But before he could get the words out, ke red at him. ¡°Malcolm!¡± Malcolm turned to look at him. ¡°Yes, sir! Do you need anything?¡± ke didn¡¯t look too pleased as his gaze traveled between Malcolm and Yasmin. ¡°Shut up. I want to rest. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Malcolm didn¡¯t dare to say anything else. ke shut his eyes. Yasmin thought he was being anal and couldn¡¯t help muttering, ¡°It must be exhausting to work for you¨Cyour staff isn¡¯t even allowed to chat a bit while on duty! You¡¯re a monster!¡± ke¡¯s eyes flew open. He red at her. ¡°It¡¯s your own fault for talking about useless stuff.¡± ¡°How is that useless?¡± ¡°You kept trying to pry into Malcolm¡¯s personal life when chatting with him. Don¡¯t you think you were being rude?¡± ke snorted. Yasmin¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°I was just chatting like a normal person!¡± Malcolm wanted to tell them to stop arguing. He wasn¡¯t offended. But he didn¡¯t have the C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. much oral pople ask how mish others get paid ant whether they have significant others in a regr You evenplimentest him for beng passare and decat orented on¡¯t that something only scheming women would say Oh, so he knew what scheming women usually said? Yasmin snored. ¡°No one is better at being scheming than your woman.¡± Het impression of Giselle had gone down the drain after seeing what thetter was capable ¡°What, are you jealous?¡± ke looked at her. Yasmin scoffed. ¡°Hal You¡¯re thinking too highly of yourself. How narcissistic of you.¡± ke¡¯s expression darkened. He didn¡¯t say anything else. The atmosphere grew tense again. Malcolm sighed to himself. He¡¯d started a conversation in hopes of easing the tension between ke and Yasmin. Who would¡¯ve known that things would only get worse? He drove along woefully. Half an hourter, the Rolls¨CRoyce Cullinan glided into Ford Residence. Yasmin opened the door to get out, but ke grabbed her. She was caught off guard and crashed against his hard chest. Her nose hurt from the impact. She rubbed it. She looked displeased as she snapped, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Just wait.¡± ke grabbed a box from the backseat and opened it to reveal a gorgeous pink diamond ne. As a jewelry designer, Yasmin only needed to nce at it to know it wasn¡¯t cheap. ¡°Why are you giving me this? ¡°As the wife of Windmere Group¡¯s president, you have to be dressed for the asion, especially since this is a family gathering. Otherwise, the others will think I¡¯m mistreating you.¡± ke scoffed. Yasmin was rendered speechless. So, that was how it was. He was doing all this for the sake of his ego as apany¡¯s president. She took a deep breath and waited for him to put the ne on for her. ke took the ne from the box. The light brush of his fingers against her neck made it feel like soft electric bolts were shooting through her. She felt unsettled and curled her fingers. ¡°Are you done?¡± Chapter 36 Chapter 36 ¡°Hold on.¡± ke wasn¡¯t done yet. His fingers kept brushing against Yasmin¡¯s skin, making her heart flutter. She couldn¡¯t help urging, ¡°Hurry up.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± kemanded. How was he going to get the ne on when she wouldn¡¯t stop moving? Yasmin had no choice but to remain still. ke was irritated by the ne and turned her around to face him so he could put it on. When she looked up, she was greeted by the sight of his handsome face. In his straight suit, he looked like a king who was ready tomand his forces. He exuded nobility eyes. 1 grace. Yasmin didn¡¯t dare to meet his gaze, so she lowered her ke noticed her nerves and nced at her a few more times. She sat in his arms with a blush on her cheeks. She looked like a beautiful porcin doll. His gaze was dark as he said, Remember to follow my lead when we¡¯re in there.¡± Yasmin¡¯s eyes were moist as she looked up at him. ¡°You¡¯ll let Eunice off the hook if I do well, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Yasmin smiled. They were shoulder¨Cto¨Cshoulder as they entered the vi. The first thing that greeted them was a teacup that had been flung in their direction. Itnded on the floor by ke¡¯s feet and shattered into pieces. ¡°I refuse to have a bastard like you in the Ford family, ke! I was against that O¡¯Shea woman marrying you in the past, yet you¡¯re still getting mixed up with her. I want you to get rid of her right now!¡± Arthur roared. Yasmin¡¯sshes fluttered in fear. She looked up to see two people in the living room. One was Arthur, and the other was ke¡¯s mother, Annalise Keating. Arthur had thrown the earlier teacup at ke. He had one hand on a walking cane as he red at ke, looking furious. He was in his 80s but was still sprightly. When he saw how scared Yasmin was, he gave her a look and said, ¡°Step aside, Yasmin. This isn¡¯t directed at you.¡± ¡°Grandpa,¡± she greeted obediently. ¡°Step aside. I¡¯ll teach this scumbag a lesson on your behalf!¡± Yasmin tried to suppress herughter. It was amusing that Arthur had referred to ke as a scumbag. At the same time, she was scared by Annalise ring at her from her seat beside Arthur. She lowered her head and stepped aside. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ke didn¡¯t seem to be bothered by this. He walked over to Arthur leisurely and sat beside him. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything, Grandpa. Has someone been filling your head with nonsense again?¡± His uncle¡¯s family loved tattling on him. Arthur was in good health, but his blood pressure was high. ke was worried it would shoot up if he were to continue raging, so he tried to appease Arthur. Arthur snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not blind. I can read the news for myself. I saw your scandal at the top of the trending topics on Twitter!¡± ¡°That¡¯s just some nonsense those paparazzi cooked up. If you¡¯re referring to yesterday¡¯s article, then I¡¯ll have you know that Yasmin was the one in the car with me.¡± ke nced at Yasmin. She hurriedly nodded and chimed in, ¡°He¡¯s telling the truth, Grandpa. I was the one in the car yesterday.¡± This took Arthur aback. He looked at them doubtfully. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Cross my heart and hope to die.¡± Yasmin looked earnest. Arthur looked astonished. He coughed awkwardly and said, ¡°You two are already married. You could¡¯ve talked things out at home. Why did you have to get it on in the car¡­¡± a you¡¯ve Yasmin knew Arthur had misunderstood. Her face burned as she got it wrong, Grandpa! Those paparazzi kept taking photos of us. ke was afraid I wouldn¡¯t have any privacy if they caught my face, so he made me hide. We weren¡¯t¡­¡± They hadn¡¯t been doing what Arthur thought they¡¯d been doing. Yasmin felt especially pressured with Annalise ring at her. She exined the situation while blushing furiously the whole time. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 ¡°Then why did that O¡¯Shea woman go around saying that she was the one in the car?¡± Arthur asked. War ke answered, ¡°She just trying to hype things up. We have a new projectunching soon. The company needs some publicity.¡± Arthur¡¯s rage dissipated by half at his words. He asked, ¡°You¡¯ve settled on a new project so soon?¡± ¡°When have I ever disappointed you?¡± ke smiled. This was why Arthur liked him. He was level¨Cheaded and capable. It was the reason Arthur had handed him the reins for Windmere Group. Now that they were done talking about work, Arthur moved on to urging them to start a family. ¡°You¡¯re not getting any younger, ke. Stop going abroad on business trips. Delegate the things to your subordinates. You should focus on your family and have a child with Yasmin soon. I want a great¨Cgrandchild.¡± Now that he was getting on in years, Arthur¡¯s biggest wish was to have a great¨Cgrandchild. ke nced at Yasmin with his smile intact. He said, ¡°Okay.¡± Yasmin lowered her eyes and smiled bitterly. ke did already have a child, but she wasn¡¯t the one carrying it¨CGiselle was. She wondered whether Arthur would relent and allow Giselle to marry ke if he found out about it. Yasmin stood there for a while. When she saw Annalise head into the kitchen, she followed her to offer her help. In the kitchen, Annalise instructed the maids to make sure everything was cooked to perfection. Annalise was 58 this year. She¡¯d lost her husband when she was younger and had gotten cancer in theter part of her life. She had to take targeted drugs every month now to keep the condition under control. She didn¡¯t have long to live. Just like Arthur, her biggest wish was to see ke start a family. And so, when Yasmin. stepped into the kitchen, the first thing Annalise did was ask, ¡°Do you have any good news for me, Yasmin?¡± Annalise had been urging them to have kids sincest year. If Yasmin were to have a child, it would please Arthur, and Annalise would stop being against her and ke. She wasn¡¯t satisfied with Yasmin, to begin with. She thought Yasmin wasn¡¯t worthy of ke. Two years ago, if not for Stuart luring ke into a trap, he wouldn¡¯t have married Yasmin. She was nothing but a pretty face. To make matters worse, Yasmin had yet to get pregnant despite being married to ke for two years. This upset Annalise even more. ¡°Not yet.¡± Yasmin shook her head and lowered her gaze. Annalise felt like she had something lodged in her throat. ¡°Neil¡¯s son is 28 this year. He just got marriedst year. I heard she¡¯s already pregnant now. If their child is the first boy of the Ford family¡¯s next generation, Arthur may just give them some shares if he¡¯s happy. You¡¯ll put ke in a tough spot.¡± Yasmin listened to her quietly. She didn¡¯t respond. Whenever they came here, Annalise would say these things to her. She knew Annalise and Arthur wanted ke to have a child, but what could she do when things weren¡¯t going her way? ¡°ke¡¯s already 30 this year,¡± Annalise continued. After continuing in this vein for a while longer, a maid came in to say that ke¡¯s uncle, Neil Ford, and his family had arrived. Annalise paused, then said to Yasmin, ¡°You¡¯re such a disappointment!¡± With that, she turned and left the kitchen. Yasmin remained rooted to the spot. She sighed softly. She had to stop beating herself up over these things. They wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with her in the future anyway. Yasmin was only here for Eunice¡¯s sake. Once this matter had been dealt with, she would never step foot in Ford Residence again. She picked up the pot of broth and brought it to the dining hall. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Annalise was receiving Neil and his wife¨Cthey were Roxy¡¯s parents. Roxy was also present. She was dressed in branded items from head to toe. She looked at Yasmin with a bright smile. Yasmin couldn¡¯t be bothered to say anything to her. She searched the ce for ke, but he wasn¡¯t around. He was probably having a game of chess with Arthur. Whenever they came here, ke and Arthur would discuss thepany¡¯s confidential matters over chess. ¡°Go upstairs and call Arthur and ke to the meal,¡± Annalise said to one of the maids. Then, she turned to Yasmin and said, ¡°Help set the table.¡± Chapter 38 Chapter 38 ¡°Okay.¡± Yasmin went to do as told. Everyone circled the dining table. Neil and his family watched as Yasmin set the table. They could tell that Annalise didn¡¯t like her. It was why she would tell Yasmin to do things that the maids were supposed to do. It led to the rest of the family disrespecting her. Ynda Lowe, Neil¡¯s wife, smiled and said, ¡°Yasmin¡¯s so obedient, Anna. She does everything you tell her to do.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Annalise smiled faintly. ¡°That¡¯s about her only strength. She¡¯s obedient and sensible.¡± ¡°Oh, that reminds me. Has there been any news of a pregnancy on Yasmin¡¯s end yet? She and ke have already been married for two years, right?¡± Ynda asked on purpose. She was delighted that her daughter¨Cinw had recently gotten pregnant. Her words struck Annalise¡¯s sore spot. Still, she smiled and said, ¡°Oh, I couldn¡¯t and wouldn¡¯t stick my nose into these youngsters¡® business. Besides, ke is so busy all the time. ¡°He¡¯s always flying here and there for work, unlike Zachary. Your Zachary doesn¡¯t need to go to work, does he? It¡¯s no wonder he has time to start a family.¡± Her simple counterattack made Ynda¡¯s expression darken. She knew Annalise was insinuating that her son, Zachary Ford, was useless. Meanwhile, Yasmin quietly served everyone¡¯s broth. Ynd and Annalise would always be at each other¡¯s throats when they were together. Two years ago, ke had thoroughly defeated Neil to gain control of Windmere Group. From then on, every family gathering consisted of Neil and his family saying things that dripped with acid. Yasmin was already used to it. Ynda looked upset at being snubbed. She nudged Roxy. Thetter immediately caught her drift and said to Yasmin with a smile, ¡°Get me a spoon, Yasmin.¡± These were things that the maids were for, but the Ford family loved ordering Yasmin. around instead. All they wanted to do was humiliate her. Yasmin was used to it. She was about to turn to get the spoon when ke helped Arthur into the dining hall. He said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to do anything. Let her get it herself.¡± Roxy was taken aback. Then, she said, ¡°I was just asking Yasmin for a small favor, ke. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± ¡°Let me ask you for a small favor, too, then. Grandpa and I were having a game of chess in the garden. It¡¯s still out there. Go and clean it up.¡± ke looked at her. His gaze was icy and terrifying. It made a chill run down Roxy¡¯s spine. Still, she refused to budge. She muttered, ¡°I¡¯m having my meal, ke!¡± ¡°You can continue with it after you¡¯re done cleaning and tidying up.¡± ke nced at Malcolm, who walked over to Roxy and tugged her to her feet. Roxy was stunned. ¡°Malcolm?¡± He said, ¡°Mr. Ford is only asking you for a small favor, Ms. Roxy.¡± The others at the table didn¡¯t dare to make a sound. Roxy nced at Ynda. Thetter shook her head, indicating that she shouldn¡¯t offend ke. Roxy had no choice but to head to the garden. She snapped, ¡°Fine, then. I¡¯ll do it!¡± Malcolm took her away. Yasmin was surprised by this. ke had helped her again. It seemed like he was standing up for her whenever others tried to bully her. Maybe he just didn¡¯t want Neil and his family to have the upper hand. ke helped Arthur into his seat. Then, he walked over to Yasmin and held her hand as they took their seats. He said, ¡°You can ignore everyone who tries to order you around in the future. You¡¯re my wife and thedy of the Ford family. Feel free to kick out anyone who dares to disrespect you.¡± As words woNG! at Ynda. She looked awkward as she scooped some food onto Yasmin¡¯s te. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad at Roxy, Yasmin. She wasn¡¯t ordering you around. She was just calling out to you out of habit. It shows how much she likes and relies on you.¡± ¡°Is that so? We¡¯ll remember to ¡®like and rely¡® on you in the future, Aunt Ynda,¡± ke said with a smile. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 +15 B?NUS Ynda was taken aback but soon regained herposure and smiled. ¡°Sure! I¡¯d be delighted to have you rely on me.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, could I trouble you to make us some tea and cut us some fruits after the meal?¡± ke didn¡¯t even look up as he went along with her. Ynda could feel her blood pressure rising. She wanted to force a smile, but it refused toe. She also wanted to fly into a rage, but that would be inappropriate. Ultimately, she sat there stiffly, looking awkward. Yasmin listened to them quietly, secretly feeling vindicated. She wanted tough. Ynda had been sarcastic to her for the longest time. It felt amazing to see her being targeted this time. It was too bad she couldn¡¯tugh. She could only lower her head and suppress herughter. ¡°Is it that funny?¡± ke put some vegetables on Yasmin¡¯s te. ¡°No.¡± Yasmin got a grip and looked up to see spinach on her te. Spinach? She nked out for a second before looking at ke. Thetter ate slowly without saying anything. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. She figured it was just a coincidence and didn¡¯t think much of it. She ate the spinach. When she was done, ke scooped some cabbage onto her te. Now, Yasmin was sure that he¡¯d taken Malcolm¡¯s earlier words to heart. Throughout the meal, he kept piling her te with spinach and cabbage. Toward the end, Yasmin was already frowning. ¡°That¡¯s enough. I¡¯ve had plenty already.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have the cooks make you more spinach dishes tomorrow,¡± ke said. The mere mention of that almost made Yasmin retch. She pretended to look like she wanted to hurl as she said, ¡°No, thanks.¡± One meal was enough to make her stomach roil. ke¡¯s expression darkened when he saw the look on her face. He scoffed and said, ¡°You¡¯re just unworthy of enjoying someone else¡¯s kindness.¡± Yasmin looked nonplussed. When she turned to look at him, he¡¯d already gotten up and left the dining table. The others had also left after finishing their meals. She looked down at the spinach and cabbage on her te, feeling a little dazed. So, had he really force¨Cfed her these two vegetables because he was worried about her stomach? Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Yasmin was shocked by this. She lowered her head and greeted, ¡°Grandpa.¡± ¡°What did you say to Roxy? Why did she nch at your words?¡± Arthur asked. She hadn¡¯t expected him to overhear every word of their conversation downstairs. She said, ¡°Nothing much. We just had a small argument.¡± She thought he wanted to tell her off for daring to teach his precious granddaughter a lesson. To her surprise, Arthur nodded approvingly. ¡°You did the right thing, Yasmin.¡± Yasmin was stunned. She looked up at him. Arthur smiled and said, ¡°Roxy¡¯s parents have spoiled her rotten, so she¡¯s always been obnoxious and precocious. It¡¯s good for her to have someone like you to take her down a notch or two. This way, she won¡¯t dare to step a toe out of line anymore.¡± Yasmin¡¯s heart settled back in her chest at his words. She hadn¡¯t expected Arthur to be so understanding. It had been two years since she¡¯d married ke. Though Arthur had always been nice to her, he¡¯d never spoken to her privately like this. This was actually their first proper conversation. ¡°As thedy of the Ford family, Yasmin, you shouldn¡¯t be so soft toward others. Retaliate when you need to. You can¡¯t be too down¨Cto¨Cearth,¡± Arthur continued. Yasmin¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°Are you telling me to retaliate against your family, Grandpa?¡± ¡°We¡¯re all family here. It¡¯s fine as long as you don¡¯t take anyone¡¯s life.¡± Arthur stroked his beard. ¡°You need to understand one thing¨Cwhen trying to survive in an affluent family, being weak will onlyC0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. make you fall prey to those stronger than you. ¡°If you want to be more powerful, you have no choice but to make yourself more forceful and dominant. If you¡¯re too dependent on someone, you¡¯ll be left high and dry if the person you rely on disappears one day. You¡¯re 22 this year, Yasmin. It¡¯s time for you to understand these things.¡± Arthur hadn¡¯t spoken to Yasmin about this in the past because he felt she was still young. But now that Giselle was bold enough to read rumors everywhere and even make headlines because of ke, Arthur thought it was high time for Yasmin to be stronger. Yasmin looked at him dazedly. ¡°Why are you telling me these things, Grandpa?¡± ¡°Because in my heart, you¡¯re a much better fit for the position of ke¡¯s wife.¡± It was also why Arthur had agreed to let Yasmin marry ke two years ago. Everyone said she was in it ¡®Are you fantasizing about ke?¡± Roxy was back. She lost her appetite when she saw the leftovers on the table. So, she stood by the table and spoke to Yasmin sarcastically. Now that everyone was gone, Yasmin rolled her eyes in response. ¡°Stop trying to cause trouble where it¡¯s not needed, Roxy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just trying to talk some sense into you. If you knew what was good for you, you¡¯d leave ke alone. Now that Giselle¡¯s pregnant, I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t take long for her to move into Ford Residence. When the timees, she¡¯ll be the actualdy of the household. And you will have to get the hell out of here.¡± Yasmin didn¡¯t respond. Roxy thought she was scared and continued, ¡°I¡¯m giving you some advice, Yasmin. Don¡¯t get on my bad side. Otherwise, I¡¯ll settle the score with you¨Cold and new¨Cwhen you¡¯ve been kicked to the curb. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m the daughter of the Ford family. It would do you good to be more obedient when around me. Otherwise¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Yasmin looked up at her. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll make you pay the price for your disrespect!¡± Roxy said haughtily. ¡°I Yasmin smiled and walked over to her, stopping when she was beside Roxy. She whispered, Do you know what I saw on your table when I went to your roomst month to get a coat for you?¡± Roxy seemed to think of something. She jolted and asked diffidently, ¡°What was it?¡± 46 ¡± ¡°I saw a medical chit for an abortion, and your name was indicated for the patient¡¯s name. Yasmin hadn¡¯t wanted to say anything about it when she saw the medical chitst month. It was too bad Roxy insisted on provoking her time and time again. She had no choice but to step up to the fight. The blood drained from Roxy¡¯s face at her words. She red daggers at Yasmin, wanting nothing more than to rip her throat out. ¡°I won¡¯t let you off the hook if you have the nerve to tell anyone about that.¡± Yasmin said coolly, ¡°As long as you stop trying to provoke me, there will only be peace and harmony between us.¡± Roxy was so mad that she stomped her foot. Yasmin ignored her and headed upstairs. When she got there, she saw Arthur holding onto his walking cane while standing in the middle of the stairs and looking at her meaningfully. for the money, but he could tell she was na?ve and guileless. Someone with her personality could be groomed into someone who was smart and gentle. She was much better than other women who grew up with schemes and trickery. Yasmin didn¡¯t expect Arthur to have such a good impression of her. She was surprised. Arthur continued, ¡°Annalise¡¯s personality has be a little twisted since falling sick. You don¡¯t have to take her words to heart. Just let her rant, then let it go.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Yasmin nodded. Indeed, Annalise had gotten obsessed with having a grandchild since falling sick. She would asionally have people send herbs to her, saying that they would increase her chances of getting pregnant. ¡°Mr. Ford Senior, it¡¯s time for you to take your medication.¡± A maid came upstairs with Arthur¡¯s medication. Arthur waved at Yasmin. ¡°You can go back to your room, Yasmin. I have to take my medication now.¡± h ¡°Okay.¡± Yasmin saw him off. After that, she returned to her and ke¡¯s bedroom. When they were newlyweds, they¡¯d stayed at Ford Residence for a month. When she was at the door, she heard ke talking to Annalise. ¡°From now on, stop ordering her around and telling her to do the things that the maids should be doing.¡± At his words, Annalise took in his poker face. ¡°Be honest with me, ke. What are your genuine thoughts on Yasmin? If you do have feelings for her, get her pregnant and make my wishe true. But if you¡¯re truly scornful of her, give her some money and get divorced. ¡°I know you were upset with Stuart Starr for forcing you into marrying Yasmin two years ago. After all, he threatened you with thepany¡¯s trade secrets. I wasn¡¯t happy about it, either. If not for Arthur liking her, I wouldn¡¯t even have spent a second in herpany.¡± Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Yasmin¡¯s footsteps stopped. She heard ke say, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about this.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to worry? This is your marriage. You¡¯re already 30 years old, ke. With how my health is nowadays, who knows how many more years I can live? My only wish is to see you have children. When your position in thepany is stable, and I¡¯m gone from this world, you¡¯d still have a child to keep youpany. ke didn¡¯t respond to Annalise¡¯s words. He turned and walked into the room. Annalise¡¯s chest felt heavy. She turned around and spotted Yasmin. Her expression immediately turned glum. ¡°How long have you been standing there?¡± ¡°I just came up,¡± Yasmin replied. ¡°ke is so distant and never initiates anything. You should make the first move. Both of you are married now, so there¡¯s no reason not to be more open with one another. y coy with him. Men love it when women do that.¡± Annalise urged Yasmin to seduce ke. Annalise felt like if she tried enough and they used those herbs she prepared, Yasmin was bound to get pregnant soon. Yasmin exined, ¡°ke goes outstation for such long periods every month. There¡¯s barely a chance for me to make the first move.¡± ¡°Well, isn¡¯t he home now?¡± Annalise shot her a look. ¡°I told him not to go to his client meetings as muchtely. You two better spend all your time together.¡± Annalise then went to brew more herbs. Yasmin wanted to vomit at the thought of those herbal brews. But in retrospect, she no longer wanted ke¡¯s children. So it didn¡¯t matter whether Annalise brewed them since Yasmin wouldn¡¯t be drinking it. Yasmin entered the bedroom. The sound of water in the bathroom told her that ke was showering. Yasmin had nothing to do, so she sat on the bed and switched on the television. She didn¡¯t expect to see a broadcast of Ivan being interviewed. Ivan was sitting on a couch wearing a dark suit. His voice was rich and sensual. Ivan appeared on television so often and behaved with such elegance. He wouldn¡¯t be a scammer, right? Yasmin suddenly wanted to work together with him again. She wanted to seed too much. She wanted to tell everyone that she had the capability to live out her own life. She wanted to prove that she wasn¡¯t some trophy wife who depended on ke Ford. While Yasmin was deep in thought, ke walked out of the bathroom draped in a towel. He shut off the TV. Yasmin looked over and saw ke¡¯s toned, muscr body. Her breath caught in her throat. She quickly looked away. ¡°Why did you switch the TV off? I was watching something.¡± ke eyed her, his expression glum. ¡°Were you watching the TV, or were you watching Ivan? ¡°It just so happened he was on the news.¡± Yasmin didn¡¯t dare look at his body as it was too much for her eyes. She turned to look at the trees outside the window. But ke saw this as Yasmin feeling guilty. He sat and turned her face toward him, using a hand on her chin. ¡°Do you find him attractive?¡± ¡°What does that have to do with you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget you only got hit yesterday because of him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s only because of Roxy¡¯s little tantrum. What does it have to do with Ivan?¡± From N?velDrama.Org. ke¡¯s grip on Yasmin¡¯s chin tightened. He said solemnly, ¡°You¡¯re so protective of him. Trying to cheat on me, hm?¡± Yasmin winced from the pain. She remarked snarkily, ¡°Funny. You can keep a mistress of your own, yet the moment I get to know someone, it means I¡¯m cheating. Can you not have such high double standards, ke Ford?¡± Got to know someone? ke rxed upon hearing this. ¡°I¡¯m just reminding you not to behave in such an undignified manner. You¡¯re not fit to be with Ivan.¡± Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Yasmin asked, ¡°How am I not fit for him?¡± ke turned around. His expression was cold. ¡°Your family is bankrupt, and you¡¯re penniless. Who would you be a good fit for?¡± Yasmin¡¯s pride was wounded. But she couldn¡¯t deny that ke¡¯s words were true. She wasn¡¯t fit to be with ke or Ivan. She had never desired to, either. All she wanted was to live a proper life and pursue her dreams. ¡°Cat got your tongue?¡± ke asked again when Yasmin grew silent. Yasmin pursed her lips. ¡°There¡¯s nothing for me to say. You¡¯re all respectable people in high society. I¡¯m just a lowlymoner who doesn¡¯t deserve any of you.¡± She then got up to take a walk in the courtyard. When she opened the door, Annalise was standing outside. ¡°Here¡¯s the herbal brew, Yasmin. Drink up while it¡¯s hot.¡± Yasmin wanted to vomit at the sight of the herbal brew. But with Annalise¡¯s eyes on her, she had no choice but to take the bowl of dark brew back into the room. ¡°I¡¯ll watch you drink it, Yasmin,¡± Annalise said by the doorway. Yasmin stiffened briefly. Knowing she wouldn¡¯t be able to escape, she raised the bowl to her lips. ke¡¯s brows furrowed. He went over to take the bowl and poured it into the trash can. Annalise was stunned. ¡°What are you doing, ke? I spent so long preparing that.¡± ke put on a shirt and said faintly, ¡°The herbs haven¡¯t taken effect even after so long. There must be something wrong with it. It¡¯s better not to continue drinking it. It might even harm Yasmin¡¯s body before she could even get pregnant.¡± Annalise thought this reasonable. Yasmin had drunk the herbal brew for three months, but there were still no results. Annalise hummed quietly. ¡°Maybe the herb blend isn¡¯t right. I¡¯ll go ask the doctor tomorrow. ¡°Why don¡¯t you get some rest first?¡± ke suggested. He then called one of the servants to The servant helped Annalise back to her room. Only then did she stop talking about the herbs. Yasmin sat dully at the head of the bed, thinking about how Annalise always urged her to get pregnant every time she visited. Yasmin resolved not to visit here anymore. ke finished dressing up while Yasmin remained silent. He wore suits every single day. Today, he had on a long suit jacket. It made his tall figure look especially attractive. ¡®Are you going out?¡± Yasmin asked. Was he dressed so handsomely because he was meeting with Giselle? ¡°Are youing with?¡± ke asked. ¡°Where to?¡± Yasmin wasn¡¯t going to go along if he was seeing Giselle. ¡°Joel asked me out for drinks. I¡¯m going to go have a few with them.¡± Yasmin blinked for a moment. Oh, so ke wasn¡¯t going on a date. She stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll join you.¡± Yasmin feared the Ford Residence. She didn¡¯t want to stay here a minute longer lest Annalise comes looking for her again. ke held Yasmin¡¯s hand and walked out the door. Yasmin was confused. When both of them entered the elevator, she looked at ke. Why was he holding her hand? ke sensed her gaze and asked, ¡°What are you staring at me for?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Yasmin looked away. Maybe it was just an instinctive gesture. ke got a phone call from work on the car. He conversed in a foreignnguage over the call. Yasmin sat beside him, listening to his low voice. She cast him asional looks. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ke was a fine man, unlike many of those young and rich heirs. He was serious about his career and didn¡¯t fool around with women. Yet he didn¡¯t love Yasmin. The two reached the Nightshade Club in half an hour. ke¡¯s friends were all gathered in a private room. They were surprised to see ke had brought Yasmin along. ¡°Who¡¯s the chick? Is she ke¡¯s new girlfriend? She¡¯s pretty,¡± someone said, oblivious to the situation. ke had married Yasmin in secret. Not many people had seen her before. Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Joel kicked him. ¡°What bullshit are you talking about? This is ke¡¯s wife, Yasmin Starr.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I should¡¯ve known better,¡± the man quickly apologized to Yasmin. Yasmin smiled. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± There were five other people in the room, all of them handsome. Yasmin turned to Joel and said, ¡°Hi there, Dr. Sawyer.¡± Joel handled Yasmin¡¯s annual health checkup, so they knew one another already. ¡°Yasmin, ke,¡± Joel greeted. He shooed away the two people sitting in the middle of the room and let Yasmin and ke sit down. They had a pretty lively conversation afterward and got to know one another better. When the waiter brought in drinks, Yasmin reached out for a ss as she was feeling thirsty. But ke took the ss away. He said to the waiter, ¡°Get me a ss of orange juice.¡± ¡°I want a cold drink.¡± Yasmin wanted to have some alcohol. ¡°Did you forget how you behaved yesterday after getting drunk?¡± ke stared at her coldly. Yasmin blushed somewhat upon recalling what happened yesterday. Joel clicked his tongue. ¡°You¡¯ve changed, ke. You know to care about women now.¡± ¡°She can¡¯t drink a lot.¡± ke shot Yasmin a look. Yasmin had a really low alcohol tolerance. Yasmin was left speechless. She quietly ate some peanuts. All of a sudden, she felt someone look at her. Yasmin turned and saw Erik Hayes, one of ke¡¯s friends. Erik had seen Yasmine two years ago during the wedding dinner. He was ke¡¯s best man at the time. He had never shown Yasmin so much as a smile ever since. Yasmin wondered if they had some sort of ancestral feud. Why was Erik so hostile to her? ¡°Why did you bring her here?¡± Erik asked. Sure enough, nothing good coulde from him speaking about Yasmin. ke eyed him. ¡°What? I can¡¯t bring i ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that, ke.¡± Erik looked awkward for a moment. He just wanted to ask why ke didn¡¯t bring Giselle over instead. Joel saw through Erik¡¯s intentions and hurriedly smoothed things over. ¡°ke can bring whoever he wants. It¡¯s his right, after all. Come on, drink up.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ke drank his beer along with everyone else in the room. They then talked about business matters. Yasmin was bored. She didn¡¯t want the juice the waiter had brought in. She sneakily reached out to grab a ss of beer. ke was in the midst of drinking from his own ss when he stopped Yasmin¡¯s hand, tucking it in his palm. Yasmin turned to find him looking at her. His gaze was pressuring. ¡°Did I say you could drink alcohol?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need you to tell me what to do.¡± What right did ke have to control what she did? She didn¡¯t want to drink the juice regardless. ¡°I said, no drinking.¡± ke had a stern expression on his face. ¡°I also said I¡¯d never listen to your instructions again.¡± Yasmin persisted in getting the ss of beer. ke dragged her into his arms and warned, ¡°Keep on misbehaving and see how I teach you a lessonter tonight.¡± His ¡°lesson¡± was no normal lesson. Yasmin blushed. ke then said hoarsely in her ear, ¡°I didn¡¯t have my fill of youst night. If you drink now, you¡¯ll have to take it allter.¡± Yasmin was left speechless. ¡°Hey, ke! You can¡¯t treat women like that. Let Yasmin go.¡± Joel got up to separate Yasmin and ke, thinking ke was reprimanding her. ke let go of Yasmin and said nonchntly, ¡°Disobedient women need disciplining.¡± Yasmin¡¯s face might as well be bleeding from her pores. No one else understood what ke¡¯s ¡°disciplining¡± meant save for her. She didn¡¯t dare speak nor look at ke anymore when she thought about all the things he did to her in bed. She then quietly sipped her orange juice. Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Joel thought ke must¡¯ve scolded Yasmin. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t appear so frightened. He clicked his tongue and said to ke, ¡°Women are made to be taken care of, ke, not disciplining. You excel in so many areas, be it looks or capability. Yet you¡¯re too tough when it comes to women. Yasmin is your wife, not your subordinate. How could you be so harsh with her?¡± ¡°She only responds to harsh treatment.¡± ke eyed Yasmin when he said this. There was a different glint in his eyes. Yasmin nearly choked on her drink. What were ke and Joel talking about? They weren¡¯t even on the same track. Joel was astonished. He hadn¡¯t expected ke to be so cruel to Yasmin. He shot Yasmin a sympathetic look and said, ¡°You poor thing, Yasmin.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Yasmin grumbled quietly, ¡°Poor thing indeed. Anyone who has to put up with ke¡¯s temperament is doomed to suffer.¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Joel agreed. Worried Yasmin would be bored, he invited her to y cards. ¡°Let¡¯s y some ckjack, Yasmin.¡± Yasmin didn¡¯t want to spend another second longer with ke, so she agreed. ¡°Alright.¡± She went over to another table with Joel. Several people were in the midst of ying a game when they arrived. Card games weremon in men¡¯s gatherings. Joel shooed away two yers and sat down at the table with Yasmin. Erik was present, too. He wordlessly took on the role of dealer and began shuffling the deck. ¡°Do you know how to y ckjack, Yasmin?¡± Joel asked Yasmin. Yasmin nodded. ¡°I would y with my father and family during New Year¡¯s.¡± Everyone at the table grew silent upon hearing Yasmin mention her father. They all knew Stuart was the one who forced ke to marry Yasmin. They felt upset for ke, especially Joel and Erik, who¡¯d been by ke¡¯s side since they were children. But Joel then saw how ke wasn¡¯t actually suffering. ke often brought Yasmin for her checkups where Joel witnessed the love marks left on her body. Sometimes, ke even requested ointments for her intimate areas. Joel then understood that ke wasn¡¯t as miserable as everyone thought he was. He lived at pretty enjoyable life with Yasmin and even overexerted her sometimes. So, Joel no longer targeted Yasmin. After all, the one suffering was actually Yasmin. Joel chuckled and said, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s y!¡± He tried his best to liven up the atmosphere. Everyone began looking at their hand. Yasmin didn¡¯t know they were betting money. She saw that her hand wasn¡¯t strong and ced it back on the table. ¡°I¡¯m out.¡± ¡°You bust,¡± Erik said immediately. ¡°¡­that was fast.¡± Yasmin was shocked. She looked at his cards. Joel said, ¡°Did you do that on purpose? Why didn¡¯t you call it thest round?¡± Erik said lightly, ¡°I hadn¡¯t gotten a full hand thest round.¡± Yasmin said nothing. A minute into the second round, Erik called out Yasmin¡¯s hand again. ¡°Bust.¡± Joel said exasperatedly, ¡°Won¡¯t you be gentler with Yasmin, Erik? This is her first time meeting us. You might scare her off hanging out with us next time.¡± Erik replied, ¡°If we¡¯re ying ckjack, we should do it properly. There¡¯s no point in purposely losing.¡± There was nothing particr about his words. But Yasmin still recognized a hidden detail. She asked Joel, ¡°Is this a betting game?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°How much per round?¡± ¡°Not too much.¡± Yasmin was about to heave a sigh of relief when Joel said, ¡°10,000 dors per round.¡± Yasmin was stunned. Erik smiled faintly and said, ¡°You¡¯ve already lost 300,000 dors, Yasmin.¡± Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Yasmin froze in ce. All her savingsbined only amounted to 10,000 dors. How could she pay now? Erik saw how ugly her expression was and chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t even have a couple hundred thousand dors saved up, Yasmin?¡± ¡°This won¡¯t do,¡± Joel responded. ¡°A couple hundred thousand dors is nothing with ke around. He¡¯ll surely cover for Yasmin.¡± Yasmin¡¯s face had crumpled. ke had cut her bank card off. Where could she find the money to pay back everyone at the table? Right when she was moping about this, Joel called out, ¡°ke, why don¡¯t youe to y Yasmin¡¯s hand? She keeps on losing.¡± ke was looking at his phone on the couch. He shot Yasmin a look when Joel said this. Yasmin¡¯s brows knitted tightly together as she thought about her financial debt. ke¡¯s own brows knitted slightly. He got up and went to the card table. ¡°Scooch over.¡± Yasmin looked up at him. ke met her eyes. ¡°Move. Do you hear me?¡± Yasmin glumly shuffled over. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ke sat down beside her. Then, he said, ¡°Shuffle the cards.¡± Yasmin returned to her senses immediately. She tugged at his clothes when no one was looking, whispering, ¡°You¡¯re still ying? I already lost 300,000 dors!¡± ke got another card from Erik, adding it to his hand. He then pried Yasmin¡¯s hand away from his shirt. ¡°Are you listening to me?¡± Yasmin growled when ke ignored her. She reached over to tug at his clothes again, but this time, she identally touched a certain somewhere when ke dodged her hand. ke¡¯s breathing hitched. He shot her an icy look. ¡°Keep your hands to yourself in public.¡± Yasmin flushed red. She didn¡¯t do it on purpose! Everyone at the table grew more serious now that ke had joined them. They were all looking at the cards, no longer paying attention to Yasmin and ke. Yasmin quietly sighed in relief. She leaned into ke¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°Be careful. This is a very expensive round.¡± As if deliberately opposing her, ke added another card to his hand. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Yasmin snapped unhappily. ke grinned. ¡°You won¡¯t lose with me around.¡± Yasmin was about to call him a proud snob when Erik added a card to his hand. ke then called, ¡°Dealer¡¯s bust.¡± ke then put his cards out for all to see. Joel leaned over to look. ¡°Five¨Ccard Charlie? Damn! Looks like it¡¯s not that Yasmin¡¯s hand sucks, it¡¯s just that you¡¯re not good at ckjack.¡± Yasmin wasn¡¯t good at it. She didn¡¯t even know how much a five¨Ccard Charlie could win. She turned her curious eyes to Joel and asked, ¡°How much did this set win?¡± ¡°300,000 dors. You¡¯ve won back your due, Yasmin.¡± Yasmin was stunned. She nced at Erik to find his expression somewhat sour. This made her feel gleeful. She looked back at ke. He was already starting the second round with a calm expression on his face. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you knew how to y ckjack,¡± Yasmin murmured gently in his ear. ¡°I don¡¯t y much.¡± ke¡¯s tone was t. ¡°I just have a good memory. I learned the basics after ying with my mother during New Year¡¯s.¡± Yasmin marveled at his talent. Sure enough, Yasmin¡¯s financial nightmare ended once ke joined their game. Now, it was Erik who stopped getting ckjacks. ke won several rounds, none of which Yasmin knew how to calcte. She turned to Joel and asked, ¡°How much have I won now, Dr. Sawyer?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already won a little over a million dors, Yasmin.¡± Yasmin¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You¡¯ve basically won against everyone now that ke is here to help you, Yasmin. ke has a good memory and can remain calm all the time. None of us usually y with him,¡± Joel said. So that was how it was. GET IT NOW Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Yasmin nced at ke. His side profile was really attractive. She suddenly felt that being supported like this wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing at all. Despite feeling that way, Yasmin was aware that she couldn¡¯t allow herself to sink too C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. deeply. Giselle was pregnant, so Yasmin needed to keep herself in line. ¡°What are you daydreaming about?¡± ke said gently. Yasmin returned to her senses and looked at him in a daze. ¡°Huh? What?¡± ¡°My phone is on the couch. Get it for me,¡± ke said. ¡°Okay.¡± Yasmin obediently went over to pick up the phone. She then saw a bunch of missed calls from Giselle. The light in her eyes dimmed instantly. Just then, the door opened. Giselle walked in with a purse. Yasmin just so happened to pass by the door and bumped into her. Giselle smiled lightly as if she¡¯d forgotten about the awkward situation from this morning. She nodded at Yasmin. ¡°You¡¯re here too, Yasmin?¡± Bitterness welled in Yasmin¡¯s heart. Giselle held her hand and said delicately, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Yasmin. I behaved out of line this morning. In retrospect, you did nothing wrong. You¡¯re still married to each other. I¡¯m pregnant, so ke can¡¯t do anything with me. You¡¯ll have to bear with it and help him out for the time being, I¡¯m afraid.¡± Yasmin looked at Giselle peculiarly. Giselle smiled. ¡°You think I¡¯m too forgiving, don¡¯t you? It¡¯s pretty normal, honestly. Someone as capable as ke has a lot of female admirers. If I were to be jealous of every single one of them, I¡¯d get high blood pressure. So, I¡¯ve learned to let go. As long as ke¡¯s just fooling around, I don¡¯t mind. All that matters is that he loves me.¡± Yasmin felt incredulous. But maybe this was the kind of women men liked the most. Giselle was able to be considerate and kind while ignoring what ke was doing out on the side. Yasmin couldn¡¯t. That was why she would keep her heart in check and not fall in love with someone she shouldn¡¯t be loving. She responded, ¡°Ms. O¡¯Shea is so forgiving.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. I don¡¯t mind if you want to stay with ke for the first three months of my pregnancy. Men will be men. They need their release.¡± Giselle was hinting that Yasmin was nothing more than a tool for ke¡¯s release. Yasmin was left speechless. She didn¡¯t even know how to retaliate against Giselle¡¯s words. Giselle was always cheerful and smiling. It was as if she had no temper at all. Yasmin¡¯s attempts at striking back at her were like hitting air¨Cmeaningless. She suddenly felt exhausted. ¡°Is this ke¡¯s phone, Yasmin? I¡¯ll help you give it to him.¡± Giselle saw the ck phone in Yasmin¡¯s hand and took it away. She then walked toward ke. ¡°Your phone, ke,¡± Yasmin said coquettishly, handing it to him. ke frowned when he saw her. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Erik told me toe over. He said you guys were hanging out. You weren¡¯t answering my calls earlier. Turns out you guys were secretly ying behind my back¡± Giselle sat down beside ke, where Yasmin had sat earlier. The men all knew Giselle, so they quickly struck up a conversation with her. The atmosphere changed after her arrival. The chatter in the room grew much more rxed, given she was a familiar face. Yasmin felt upset. She went up to ke without looking into his eyes and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to go back first, ke.¡± She wasn¡¯t in the mood to stick around anymore. Yasmin then walked out the door. ke¡¯s brows furrowed. He immediately went after Yasmin. ¡°ke!¡± Giselle called out from behind him. Chapter 47 Chapter 47 ke ignored her and ran out the door. He found Yasmin by the club entrance. She was sitting on the roadside, staring dazedly at the flowers by the curb. ke walked over. Yasmin looked up just in time for him to grab her wrist. He then wordlessly led her away. Yasmin was surprised. ¡°What are you doing, ke?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going home.¡± ke shoved Yasmin into the Cullinan and drove it back to Ford Residence. Yasmin stayed silent the entire trip. They didn¡¯t talk even after reaching home. Yasmin went to get her clothes, then entered the bathroom to shower. When she exited the bathroom, ke was on the call with someone. Yasmin thought that it was probably a call from Giselle. ke said over the call, ¡°I won¡¯t be joining you.¡± Yasmin¡¯s heart clenched. She pretended she didn¡¯t hear it and dove under the bed covers to sleep. All of this had nothing to do with her anymore. Yasmin just had to treat ke like a stranger and not mind everyg else. The lights were soon switched off. ke ended the call and came over to the bed. Yasmin felt the bed sink slightly. ke then undressed himself andy beside her. His breath smelled like fresh pine needles. Yasmin curled ufortably at the edge of the bed, her back facing ke. ¡°Joel called earlier and said you won 2.1 million dors,¡± ke said all of a sudden, his gaze trained on her back So, Joel was the caller just now. Yasmin hummed in assent. +15 DONUS ke took his phone in hand. ¡°He¡¯s transferred the money to me. I¡¯ll transfer it to your ount.¡± ¡°Will it all be given to me?¡± Even though they were won in Yasmin¡¯s name, it was still ke it all. who orchestrated the wins. So, she was still embarrassed to ept ¡°Yes.¡± ke leaned in, chin tucked against her back. It felt like he was trying to appease her. ¡°Which ount do you want me to send it to?¡± Yasmin could pick up his scent stronger now. Her back stiffened. She instinctively shrank away from him. ¡°Alliance Union Bank. You can just transfer 100,000 dors to me. ke didn¡¯t understand why. ¡°I used two million dors to open up that studio with Eunice without your permission before. Now there¡¯s enough to repay you, so you can just transfer the 100,000 dors to me, ¡°Yasmin exined. ke¡¯s gaze turned cold briefly. It felt like Yasmin was setting clear boundaries with him. He said solemnly, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t permit you to open that studio. It¡¯s just too tiring. If you want a career in design, you can join Windmere Group¡¯s design department.¡± Yasmin shook her head and said softly, ¡°No need. That department handles architecture. What would I be able to do there? Thank you for your consideration before, ke, but you don¡¯t need to do that for me anymore.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. She didn¡¯t want people to say she was depending on ke anymore. She continued, ¡°Ivan wishes to work together with me. I saw him on the news and think he¡¯s a pretty stable guy. He doesn¡¯t seem like a con man.¡± Yasmin had decided just then to work together with Ivan Burke. But when ke heard Ivan¡¯s name, his expression grew cold. He grabbed Yasmin and stared at her icily, saying, ¡°I told you nothing in lifees for free. His terms are so appealing for a reason. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if he liked me?¡± Yasmin suddenly turned around to face ke with a smile on her face. ¡°Maybe I could try dating him one day if I feel like getting into a rtionship.¡± ke¡¯s expression grew colder. ¡°Would you dare? I dare you to try and cheat on me. ¡°Haven¡¯t you cheated on me already?¡± Yasmin¡¯s smile never faded. She looked at ke¡¯s frosty expression and said, ¡°You¡¯re ming me when you already knocked Giselle up.¡± GET IT NOW + Chapter 48 Chapter 48 ke didn¡¯t respond to Yasmin¡¯s words. He only said, ¡°Just keep yourself in check, Mrs. Ford. No one will pressure you.¡± Yasmin smiled. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to be Mrs. Ford.¡± ke¡¯s brows furrowed. The two gazed at one another for some time in the dark. ke¡¯s gaze was intense. For some reason, Yasmin felt like ke was actually considerate of her. So she asked, ¡°Can I ask you a question, Mr. B?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°If you had a chance to, would you end things with Giselle?¡± This was Yasmin¡¯s final plea. ke was silent for some time before he said, ¡°No.¡± Yasmin smiled, mocking herself. ¡°Then things won¡¯t change. You don¡¯t need to question how I want to live my life from now on.¡± She might not be able to divorce him, but she couldn¡¯t love him anymore. Maybe ke was reluctant to let Yasmin go. That didn¡¯t stem from love but from habit. ke had gotten used to his pretty, obedient little ything in bed. Who wouldn¡¯t be reluctant to let that go? ¡°I told you, I don¡¯t agree to the divorce.¡± ke gazed sternly at Yasmin. Yasmin pried his hand away, her eyes dull. ¡°I know. Do you want to torment me? Then keep at it. Just please let me go whenever you finally get bored of doing it.¡± She then turned around to sleep. ke saw how Yasmin was curled up, seemingly helpless. He wanted to hold her in his arms. But his phone then rang. It was from Giselle. ke answered the call. It was Erik who spoke from the other end of the call, ¡°Giselle identally fell at the club earlier, ke¡­¡± ke¡¯s expression had grown cold even before Erik finished speaking. ¡°Is the baby alright?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know for sure yet. Joel¡¯s already sent her to the hospital. Hurry up ande over! ke eyed Yasmin briefly, his expression serious. In the end, he still abandoned Yasmin, put on his coat, and left. Yasminy on the bed alone. She had heard how anxious ke was earlier. ke was so worried about Giselle and his baby. ke Yasmin sighed,ing to terms with the fact that she couldn¡¯t overestimate herself anymore. The next morning, Yasmin turned around to find the spot beside her cool to the touch. ke hadn¡¯t returned the entire night. Yasmin was upset for a couple of seconds before she let go of the feeling. She wasn¡¯t upset. She had won 2 million dorsst night and paid back what she owed to ke. From now on, Yasmin wasn¡¯t indebted to him anymore. She could freely do what she wanted and be herself. Yasmin went downstairs. Arthur had gone fishing, so there was no one else in the living room. Yasmin packed her things, preparing to leave. She bumped into Annalise right at the front door. Annalise had her own ce to live in, so she never usually stayed in Ford Residence. Annalise was on a call in the doorway. Her eyes brightened as if she heard some wonderful news. ¡°Really?¡± The caller spoke some more on the other end of the line. Annalise then smiled and said,¡± Thank you so much. I¡¯ll visit you soon.¡± Yasmin was about to turn back after seeing Annalise when thetter noticed her. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Yasmin,¡± Annalise called. Yasmin turned around to greet her with a smile. ¡°Anna.¡± ¡°Are you going back to Oak Garden?¡± Annalise asked her. ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s ke?¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯te back since going outst night,¡± Yasmin answered truthfully. Annalise said nothing about that. ¡°Get in my car. I¡¯ll have my driver send you back.¡± Yasmin climbed into Annalise¡¯s car, with Annalise in the seat beside her. Yasmin didn¡¯t dare look at her phone, so she sat silently with her mother¨Cinw in the car, feeling ufortable. ¡°I heard that woman ke fools around with is pregnant, Yasmin,¡± Annalise said all of a sudden. Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Yasmin¡¯s heart lurched. ¡°How did you find out, Anna?¡± ¡°She called me earlier today to tell me.¡± Annalise¡¯s joy was clear for all to see. Yasmin finally knew why she was so happy. So Annalise knew about Giselle¡¯s pregnancy now. Yasmin nodded, her emotions not fluctuating much. ¡°Okay.¡± She couldn¡¯t rebut anything. Giselle really was pregnant. ¡°Is it ke¡¯s child?¡± Annalise asked. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Giselle, Anna?¡± Yasmin wasn¡¯t sure. Giselle said it was ke¡¯s baby, but ke never confirmed it. ¡°It¡¯s probably ke¡¯s,¡± Annalise said. ¡°Giselle said so to me earlier today.¡± One could tell Annalise really wanted ke to have a baby based on her sentence alone. Yasmin looked out the window glumly. She knew she shouldn¡¯t be bothered about this. The entire Ford family had their prejudices against her ever since Stuart messed with ke two years ago, especially Annalise, who had to raise ke alone after her husband passed away. ke became head of the family business after years of effort, yet he ended up marrying a woman from a bankrupt family who couldn¡¯t even get pregnant. This was something Yasmin was helpless to change. She had asked Joel why before, and he said it was because her body needed really good care before she¡¯d be able to get pregnant. But with ke¡¯s frequent outstation work, Yasmin was never able to get pregnant, even after two years. ¡°Yasmin,¡± Annalise said suddenly. Yasmin turned to face her, knowing she wouldn¡¯t call her name without reason. ¡°Yes, Anna?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be honest. You are a sweet young woman, but¡­¡± The moment Annalise said ¡°but¡°, Yasmin knew what Annalise was going to say next wouldn¡¯t be anything light.¡± Annalise continued, ¡°You can¡¯t bear children.¡± Sure enough, Annalise¡¯s words had an implied meaning. ¡°It¡¯s not that I have anything against you, but I¡¯ve just given you so many chances throughout these two years. Yet your body just won¡¯t bear kids. My health is worse nowadays, and I likely won¡¯t be able to live for long. All I want is to have a grandchild or two. Do you understand how I feel, Yasmin?¡± Yasmin stayed silent, knowing Annalise had more to say. ¡°You can just get to the point, Anna.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s my suggestion, Yasmin. Since ke isn¡¯t fond of you and Giselle is now pregnant, why don¡¯t you divorce ke? That way, Giselle can officially marry him.¡± Yasmin was stunned. Annalise was siding with Giselle because of the baby. She wanted to separate Yasmin and ke. But it wasn¡¯t that Yasmin didn¡¯t want to divorce ke. ke desired revenge against her, and Stuart wouldn¡¯t agree to the divorce either. Yasmin¡¯s gaze dulled at the thought of her father. Annalise then mentioned Stuart. ¡°It would pain me to see you alone without support, Yasmin. Why don¡¯t I help get your father out of prison in exchange for you helping me fulfill my one wish?¡± Yasmin was stunned. ¡°Really? Would you really help get my Dad out, Anna?¡± Stuart still had several years left in his sentence. If Annalise could get him out early, Yasmin could divorce ke. Stuart could protect her then. The two of them could live together in peace. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Annalise said, ¡°If you let ke¡¯s child be legitimate in our family, I¡¯ll definitely help you get your father out of prison. That way, your family can reunite. I¡¯ll also give you some money so your father can enjoy his life ahead.¡± Annalise was giving it her all to have a grandchild now. GET Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Yasmin asked, ¡°What about our families¡® feud?¡± She meant when Stuart threatened ke. Annalise said, ¡°As long as this seeds, the Ford family will stop holding a grudge against the Starr family. Our families will maintain friendly rtions.¡± Yasmin was d to hear this. If she divorced ke, her father could walk free from prison, and the Ford family would no longer hate the Starr family. Yasmin smiled after not having done so in several days. Her mood felt lighter. ¡°I¡¯m willing to go through with this divorce as long as you can get my father out, Anna. I¡¯ll get divorced right away and never bother ke ever again.¡± Yasmin was telling the truth. If her father was saved, then the noose around her neck would loosen. From that point on, she¡¯d be a free woman. Annalise smiled warmly when Yasmin agreed to do this. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s do this then.¡± ¡°But I have a question.¡± Yasmin suddenly recalled something. Annalise¡¯s brows wrinkled when she thought Yasmin was going back on her word. Yasmin said, ¡°ke hates my family because of what happened in the past, Anna. I actually did suggest divorcing him a couple of days ago, but ke wants to keep me trapped for the rest of my life so he can get revenge on my family.¡± Annalise was taken aback. She didn¡¯t expect her son to be so extreme. From N?velDrama.Org. ke was willing to forgo his own child to get his revenge on the Starr family. Annalise thought about it for a moment before asking, ¡°Let me ask you something, Yasmin. Are you really willing to divorce ke?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Yasmin really did want to. She wouldn¡¯t force things with a man who didn¡¯t love her anymore. Though it would be difficult to let her feelings go, she would do her best to do so. Regardless of the pain and sadness Yasmin would feel, she would do all she could to close her heart off from ke. She would make sure she no longer felt anything toward him. Annalise nodded upon hearing Yasmin¡¯s promise. ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to make you two divorce.¡± ¡°What way?¡± Yasmin was pleased with this n, but she was also cautious. She needed to know just what n Annalise had in mind. She wasn¡¯t going tomit a crime if that was what Annalise wanted to suggest. Annalise said, ¡°ke will definitely let you go if you get into a rtionship with another man. He has strong OCD and won¡¯t ept a woman who¡¯s slept with another man.¡± Yasmin was surprised. Annalise wanted her to cheat on ke? ¡°I don¡¯t mean for you to find just any man, Yasmin. Though you¡¯ve married into our family without bearing children for two years, Grandpa is still really fond of you. I¡¯ll find you a proper suitor on the ount of Grandpa¡¯s affection for you. That way, when you¡¯re divorcing ke, you can speak to Grandpa about it, and things will unfold naturally.¡± Yasmin was still hesitant. Annalise swore, ¡°I won¡¯t find just anyone for you, Yasmin. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll pick out a fine man for you. Try and see how things go when you two meet one another. If things work out, you two can start dating. No pressure.¡± Yasmin couldn¡¯t help but admit that Annalise was good at manipting people. Her resolve was wavering. If her marriage with ke failed, her father could be granted parole, and she could be free again. Even an idiot knew what the right decision was. Yasmin nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll do as you say, Anna.¡± She would do anything for her father. Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Annalise was happy to see Yasmin do the sensible thing. After dropping her off at the Oak Garden, she¡¯d even given her two bottles of loose¨Cleaf tea. ¡°Yasmin, you get sick easily. Take these herbal teas. They¡¯re good for you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Annalise.¡± Yasmin epted the gifts with a smile. Annalise continued, ¡°I also hope no one else finds out about our agreement.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Yasmin agreed. Annalise drove off. Yasmin stood in the yard with the gift in her hand. The storm cloud above her heart slowly dissipated. So long as ke asked for a divorce, her father would be able toe back. She inwardly encouraged herself to make this a reality! ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. When she walked into the vi, Mary asked her, ¡°Mrs. Ford, you¡¯re home. Have you had breakfast?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± Yasmin grinned cheerfully. She was in such a good mood that she got her appetite back. Mary served her a nutritious breakfast. Just as Yasmin was slowly enjoying her food, she heard a housekeeper call out, ¡°Sir, you¡¯re home!¡± ¡°Is Mrs. Ford home yet?¡± ke asked. ¡°She is. She¡¯s having breakfast in the dining hall.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± ke said. Then, he walked to the dining hall. a Earlier that morning, he had gone to his family home to pick Yasmin up. However, the housekeeper said that she had already left. Thus, he drove back to Oak Garden. When Yasmin spotted ke, she observed the clothes he was wearing. It was the same suit as yesterday. He must have kept Gisellepany at the hospital the entire nightst night. Nheless, she wasn¡¯t upset. Now, she just hoped that Giselle would recover and marry into the Ford family. Then, her father would be able toe back. Thinking of this, Yasmin broke into a smile. ¡°Good morning,¡± she greeted him. From this moment on, she was going to get the two of them together. ke had been peering closely at her. When he heard what she said, he was caught off- guard for a second. Morning.¡± He sat down and asked her casually, ¡°Howe you didn¡¯t have breakfast at the family home? When I went over, the housekeeper said that you¡¯d alreadye here.¡± Yasmin paused briefly. ¡°You went to pick me up this morning?¡± ¡°Yes. I thought you didn¡¯t drive there.¡± ke picked up his mug and took a sip of his coffee. Yasmin replied, ¡°I bumped into Annalise this morning. She drove me here.¡± Hearing Annalise¡¯s name, ke gave her a nce. He seemed to be observing her emotions. ¡°Did she say anything to you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Clearly, she was in a good mood. ¡°If my mother said anything, just pretend you never heard it. Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Annalise was sickly, so most of the time, they let her get away with anything. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m used to it.¡± Yasmin ate a raspberry before asking another question. ¡°Is Giselle alright?¡± Why was she asking about Giselle? ke watched her eat her oatmeal. Her expression seemed normal and even cute. She didn¡¯t look angry at all. He gave her a long look before answering, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. She tripped yesterday and twisted her ankle, but it¡¯s not serious. She just feeds to stay in the hospital for observation for two days.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Yasmin nodded. ¡°Is the baby alright?¡± She was concerned about the child. ke frowned. Seeing the worry on her face, ke felt a little upset. He said indifferently,¡± 23 Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Relieved, Yasmin continued eating. ke wasn¡¯t sure if she meant what she said. From time to time, he would give her a nce. After she was done eating, Yasmin said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to work now. Previously, you said you would give me the two Porsches at home as my graduation present. Is that still on the table?¡± Chapter 52 Chapter 52 The Oak Garden was located in the mountains. Without a car, it was very inconvenient to go anywhere. ke gazed at Yasmin. She looked kind, cute, and fresh¨Cfaced as she stood before him, just like during those days they had spent together. He contemted it. Deciding that she was most likely tired of asking him for a divorce and was being sincere, he said, ¡°That car was always yours.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Yasmin nodded with a smile. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be leaving now. Oh, right. When you see Giselle, remember to get her some flowers. Girls love flowers. It would make her happy.¡± With that, she left the dining hall. ke¡¯s spoon froze in mid¨Cair. He looked up at her, but she was already gone. She seemed genuinely happy, and it didn¡¯t seem like she was being cynical at all. Yet, it made him feel ufortable. He felt something niggling at his heart, and it wasn¡¯t a pleasant feeling. Yasmin went to her studio and spent the entire day drawing. Eunice came upstairs with her phone in her hand. Frowning, she said, ¡°Yaz, look! Those lowlife lovebirds are in the news again!¡± Yasmin nced at it. It was a photo of ke taking Giselle to the hospital. She chuckled. ¡°Who cares?¡± Right now, she badly wished that they were together. Then, she would be free. ¡°You don¡¯t care about them at all now?¡± Eunice looked at her. Yasmin continued drawing. ¡°No. I¡¯ll just quietly wait for the divorce,¡± she said indifferently. ¡°He agreed?¡± ¡°Not yet, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll agree after some time.¡± Yasmin thought of something and continued, ¡°Eunice, I may have to stay at the Oak Garden for some time. Could you have the luggage I kept at your ce delivered back to me tonight?¡± If she didn¡¯t go home, ke would keep causing issues. She might as well continue living there and treat it as a free ce to stay. She¡¯d save money on rent! ¡°You still want to live with him? Yaz, are you alright?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not treating him as my husband right now. Just as my father suggested, I¡¯ll treat him like a stranger. Once I settle things, I should be able to get a divorce.¡± ¡°Are you nning something major?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± Yasmin quirked her lip. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ve gotten over this marriage. I¡¯m not going to be blinded by love anymore.¡± Eunice felt more at ease seeing Yasmin like this. ¡°Once you get your freedom back, I¡¯ll take you out to celebrate. However, you¡¯re going to get divorced while I¡¯m stepping into the grave called marriage. I don¡¯t even know if marriage is a good thing or not.¡± ¡°Do you love Colin?¡± Yasmin asked her. ¡°Yeah!¡± Eunice¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°He treats me really well. ¡°That¡¯s good. Some people do have blissful marriages, although they are in the minority. You have to rely on yourself to keep it going.¡± Yasmin was married for two years. She knew a little bit about being married. Eunice nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ms. Salle, Mr. Gray sent you these flowers.¡± Her assistant handed a huge bouquet of roses to her. She peeked at the card below and broke into a smile. She told Yasmin, ¡°Colin is asking me out to dinner at a fine dining restaurant, followed by a movie. I¡¯ll get going now.¡± ¡°Have fun.¡± Yasmin gripped her pencil and watched Eunice go downstairs. This was how a real date should progress¨Cit should start with flowers, then a dinner date, and finally a movie. It waspletely opposite from hers. She never enjoyed these moments with ke and got married too quickly. In the end, they couldn¡¯t stand looking at each other. Her phone buzzed on the table. She picked it up and saw that it was a text from Annalise. ¡°Yasmin, 7:00 pm tonight, Room 206 at the Maple Tower, with Mr. Burke.¡± Chapter 53 Chapter 53 When Yasmin saw the text, she was stunned. She didn¡¯t expect Annalise to move so quickly. It had just been a day, and she had already arranged a blind date candidate for her. She had even sent the man¡¯s number over. Yasmin added him to her contacts. It was good. The earlier she settled this, the sooner she would be free. She replied to Annalise with ¡°Okay.¡± Then, she turned around and picked a new dress that she had designed in her studio. She did some light makeup before going on her blind date. Just as she picked up her purse, her phone rang. She took it out and saw that it was ke calling. ¡°Hello?¡± she answered as she walked down the stairs. ¡°Do you need me for something, Mr. Ford?¡± She was going to start calling him Mr. Ford now. ke frowned on the other end of the line. ¡°Why are you calling me Mr. Ford?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s a good form of address.¡± With that, she fell silent, waiting for him to say something. ¡°Do you have time tonight?¡± he asked. From N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner tonight.¡± ke ced a purse on the table. This purse was the one that Yasmin had wanted before. There were limited quantities globally, and each cost several million dors. Since Yasmin had been feeling down, he thought that gifting her a purse would satisfy her. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Yasmin said, declining his invitation. Although she was curious why he was suddenly inviting her to dinner, she didn¡¯t want to spend time with him alone anymore. ¡°I have something on tonight.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± As far as ke knew, Yasmin¡¯s social life was dull. If she was not at the studio, she was at home. Further, she only had one friend, which was Eunice. +15 DONUS ¡°I just have something on,¡± Yasmin said. She spoke vaguely without saying what it was and then hung up. ke frowned. Yasmin got her car keys and drove to the Maple Tower. Just as she was about to reach the restaurant, someone began tailgating her. As she was driving, she heard a loud bang from behind. The collision sent her lurching forward, and her arm mmed against the steering wheel. It hurt so badly that tears sprang to her eyes. She looked behind her. Two burly men got down from the car that hit her. They were clearly drunk and rushed to Yasmin¡¯s door to cause trouble.. Frightened, Yasmin locked the car doors. ¡°Get down!¡± The two men had drunk too much. They hammered on her door like madmen. Yasmin¡¯s face was as white as a sheet. There were people who acted like this even in broad daylight? She took out her phone to call the police. At that moment, her phone rang. She answered the call, and the caller¡¯s melodious voice reached her ears. ¡°Ms. Starr, I¡¯m already at the Maple Tower. Are you on the way?¡± His voice sounded like music to her ears. Before she could say anything, the two burly men yelled, ¡°Bitch, get down! Don¡¯t think that I¡¯m scared of you just because you have some money. Who knows what dirty things you did to get that money?¡± When Mr. Burke heard those harsh words, he asked quietly, ¡°Ms. Starr, are you you in trouble?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Burke. I was being tailgated. These two seemed to have had too much to drink. They can¡¯t think straight, and they keep shouting at me. I¡¯m going to call the police first. I might not be able to make it tonight.¡± ¡°Ms. Starr, where are you now?¡± Mr. Burke asked. Yasmin surveyed her surroundings while the two men were still screaming at her. She spotted Maple Tower not too far ahead and said, ¡°I¡¯m just around the corner from the restaurant, near the convenience store.¡± ¡°Wait there and keep the doors locked. Don¡¯t get down no matter what.¡± Chapter 54 Chapter 54 ¡°Alright.¡± Yasmin was still quite calm. With the two men outside cursing at her, she would be a fool to open the door. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Seeing that she refused to open the door, one of the men went insane. He hooked his hands under the car and tried to lift it. Yasmin¡¯s face drained of color. ¡°What are you doing?¡± These drunkards seemed to have lost their minds after drinking so much. The car lifted into the air, and Yasmin¡¯s heart clenched. At that critical moment, someone rushed over and pulled the burly man off, then punched him. Upon turning around, the burly man found himself surrounded by numerous bodyguards, and a beatingsting half an hour followed. When the carnded back on the ground, Yasmin¡¯s heart went into overdrive from fear. She clutched her chest. At that moment, she saw an elegant man walking over. A pair of frameless sses were perched on his high nose. He had a quiet air to him. Ivan? Before she could finish processing everything, Ivan was already standing in front of her. He bent over and smiled at her through the window. ¡°Hello, Ms. Starr.¡± Yasmin was confused. ¡°Mr. Burke, what are you doing here?¡± Lifting his phone, Ivan pointed to the log of the earlier phone conversation. What he meant was, ¡°I¡¯m indeed Mr. Burke.¡± The same Mr. Burke that she was going on a blind date with. Yasmin was stunned. She knew Annalise would introduce a decent guy to her, but she never imagined that it was Ivan Burke, the president of the NAS Group. She was in a daze. Why would a man like Ivan need to go on blind dates? Did he know that she was ke¡¯s wife? ¡°Ms. Starr, are you alright?¡± Ivan¡¯s secretary, Summer Faye, came over and asked. Yasmin remembered that Summer had once greeted her at the NAS Group. Now that she had mostly calmed down, she nodded. ¡°Mr. Burke, you¡¯re the person that Annalise¨Cno, Mrs. Ford¨Cset me up on a blind date with?¡± She opened the door and got down. ¡°Yes.¡± Ivan gave her a faint smile. ¡°Did Mrs. Ford not tell you my full name?¡± ¡°No.¡± Yasmin shook her head. Perhaps Annalise had wanted to surprise her. ¡°Did you injure your arm?¡± Ivan noticed how she couldn¡¯t really raise her arm, so he reached out to support her. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. Earlier, when I got rear¨Cended, my arm hit the steering wheel,¡± Yasmin admitted. Ivan frowned and said to Summer, ¡°Take those two drunkards down to the police station. and give a statement. Make sure to work out the investigations and settlements. I¡¯ll take Ms. Starr to the hospital first.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Summer said. ¡°Thanks.¡± Yasmin was still in a daze from the ident just now. Ivan helped her into his Bentley and then drove her to the hospital.. When they arrived, he helped her inside. He then asked her to sit down and rest while he went to register. Yasmin cradled her injured hand. While she sat there, she took two more nces at him. She had always thought that Ivan would be a lofty man. She never thought that he would be so caring in every possible way, even knowing to help her register at the hospital. She couldn¡¯t help but feel endeared to him. If she married a man like this, she would most likely live happily, right? Ivan returned several minutester. He even bought her some strawberry milk. ¡°You haven¡¯t had dinner, have you? Have some milk to fill your stomach first. Once w get your arm looked at, I¡¯ll take you out to eat.¡± Yasmin was surprised. ¡°Thank you. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ivan walked her to the consultation room. The entire time, he carefully guarded her as they walked because he was afraid that someone would bump into her arm. Although she was incredibly grateful, Yasmin also felt a little ufortable and moved away slightly. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Ivan noticed it. He gave her a gentle smile and said, ¡°Sorry, I was too close, wasn¡¯t I?¡± Yasmin replied, ¡°No worries. You don¡¯t have to apologize.¡± She believed that it wasn¡¯t intentional. Ivan helped her sit down in the consultation room. When the doctor asked her questions, she answered them meekly and obediently. She was a woman who left a great first impression upon first sight. She was pretty, but not threatening. Ivan observed her from the side. Once the doctor was finished with the report, he went over and helped her up. ¡°Ms. Starr, I¡¯ll walk you to the X¨Cray room. ¡°Thanks,¡± Yasmin said. Ivan grabbed her bag and casually looped it around his arm. Yasmin was slightly taken aback but said nothing. She went to the X¨Cray room with him. There was a queue for the X¨Cray machine. Ivan sat down next to her. He pierced the box of strawberry milk with a straw and held it to her lips. ¡°Have some milk.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Yasmin took the milk and sipped at it quietly. Her long hair cascaded over her shoulder, revealing her beautiful side profile. Once she was done, she turned her head to ask Ivan, ¡°Mr. Burke, are you really my blind date?¡± She was afraid that she¡¯d gotten the wrong person. Ivan smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right, I am. However, at the start, Mrs. Ford actually wanted to introduce one of the executives at mypany to you. But when he heard that you were in an unhappy marriage, he was reluctant.¡± It was normal for executives who earned millions of dors annually to not want to marry a divorcee. From N?velDrama.Org. It was simply a fact of life, so Yasmin nodded in understanding. ¡°So why did you ept?¡± ¡°I grew up abroad. There, this notion is unheard of. Besides, I think women who have the courage to get divorced are braver. Thus, I wanted to meet you, Ms. Starr.¡± ¡°How did Mrs. Ford introduce me to you?¡± Yasmine was worried that Annalise had oversold her. ¡°Mrs. Ford exined that you are her niece. Two years ago, something happened in your father¡¯s company, so he went to jail. Before he went in, he entrusted your care to a man. ¡°However, that man doesn¡¯t like you, so you spent two years in a loveless marriage. She truly felt bad for you, so she wanted to find you a partner that you could rely on.¡± Yasmin didn¡¯t expect Annalise to say that about her. Furthermore, it was very much to the point. Yasminughed. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s my life story. My father went to jail, and now I have no one to depend on. As for my career, I opened a studio with my friend. I¡¯m sure you know it. It¡¯s the brand, ¡®Erinnyes.¡± Erinnyes was thebination of hers and Eunice¡¯s names. Ivan nodded. ¡°Yes, I know about that.¡± Yasmin nced at him. Since he knew everything, did he really not mind a single thing about her? She wasn¡¯t an heiress anymore but a broke socialite. How could she be together with the president of a hundred¨Cbillion¨Cdorpany? The X¨Cray showed that Yasmin¡¯s arm was fine, just that it was sprained. All she had to do was put some ice on it when she got back. The two of them left the hospital. Downstairs, they ran into Giselle. Her manager was helping her with her bags as she was being discharged from the hospital. ¡°Ivan? Yasmin?¡± Giselle was shocked to see them. ¡°What are you two doing at the hospital?¡± ¡°Yasmin hit her arm hard, so I brought her here to get it looked at.¡± Ivan had addressed her by her first name with a hint of affection in his voice. Giselle could sense it. She asked Yasmin kindly, ¡°Yasmin, is your arm alright?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Yasmin lifted her swollen wrist. Giselle said in a gentle voice, ¡°Be careful when you walk. It would hurt a lot if younded on it.¡± Yasmin found her so fake. She was always putting on the fa?ade of an understanding older sister. Yasmin didn¡¯t want to talk to her anymore, so she told Ivan, ¡°Mr. Burke, I¡¯m a little tired. I want to go back and get some rest. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 ¡°Alright.¡± Ivan bade Giselle goodbye, then left with Yasmin. Yasmin walked for a bit. Suddenly, she turned her head to see Giselle pointing her phone at them, taking a photo of her and Ivan. Their eyes met. Giselle lowered her phone. Then, she cocked her head and smiled. Yasmin knew that Giselle was going to show the photo of her and Ivan to ke. What a scheming little vixen. Yasmin was confident that Giselle would make things seem more significant than it really was. And she wasn¡¯t wrong. After getting back, Giselle texted ke, ¡°ke, do you know what Yasmin is up to? I saw her and Ivan together at the hospital earlier.¡± Confused, ke replied with a question mark. Giselle sent the photo of Yasmin and Ivan. ¡°I saw Ivan taking Yasmin to the hospital. Ivan was holding her purse, and they looked intimate.¡± ke was in the middle of dinner at home. When he saw the photo, he was shocked. ¡°Sir, the chicken soup is ready. Shall I fetch you a bowl now, or would you like to have it with Mrs. Ford after shees home?¡± Mary asked. After ke got home that night, she had specially made him a nutritious soup. ke looked at it. Suddenly, he felt dispirited. ¡°Wait for her toe home, then have her drink it.¡± After getting in the car, Ivan asked Yasmin, ¡°Are we still getting dinner?¡± Yasmin felt a little uneasy. Hearing his words, she replied, ¡°Maybe next time since my arm is injured. Next time, I¡¯ll treat you to a meal, Mr. Burke.¡± ¡°That sounds great. How does the day after tomorrow sound?¡± Ivan smiled at her. Yasmin nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Along the way home, they drove past a caf¨¦. Ivan suddenly stopped the car and said, ¡® Yasmin, give me a minute.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Yasmin answered. She waited for him quietly in the car while he got down. Her phone buzzed. She took it out to find a text from ke. ¡°Where are you?¡± When Yasmin saw that, her gut feeling told her that he already knew, so she didn¡¯t bother hiding it. ¡°I¡¯m outside.¡± ke replied, ¡°Are you on a date?¡± Yasmin didn¡¯t answer this text. Instead, she wanted to talk to him about it when she got home. At that moment; Ivan returned. He gave her a slice of cake. ¡°Since you didn¡¯t eat anything tonight, I got you some cake. It¡¯s delicious. Have it at home.¡± Yasmin looked at it. It was a strawberry cake in a transparent box. Ivan seemed to really like buying her strawberry¨Cvored things. She took it from his hands. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Burke. We didn¡¯t manage to eat tonight, and I even troubled you to take me to the hospital. I can¡¯t thank you enough.¡± ¡°It was no trouble at all. In any case, you only got into the ident because you were on the way to a blind date with me. I have the responsibility and obligation to take care of you,¡± Ivan said while driving. Yasmin smiled. She lowered the window and let the night breeze mess up her hair. She tucked her hair behind her ear, showing off her beautiful face. Ivan nced at her, and his breath was taken away. Suddenly, her phone rang, disrupting the quiet in the car. It was a phone call from ke. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you text me back?¡± ke was standing in the backyard with a cloudy expression. Yasmin pressed the phone to her ear and said calmly, ¡°I¡¯m outside. I¡¯ll talk to youter.¡± ¡°Come home now.¡± ke¡¯s tone left no room for argument. Yasmin bit her lip. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m on the way.¡± With that, she hung up. When she turned to the side, she found Ivan staring at her. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Yasmin felt a little awkward. ¡°Thanks for sending me home.¡± ¡°It¡¯s what I should do. By the way, I¡¯ve asked someone to send your car for repair. When it¡¯s done, I¡¯ll let you know.¡± ¡°Thanks so much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Ivan smiled. He was so detail¨Coriented. From N?velDrama.Org. Yasmin could only say one thing. ¡°Thank you!¡± Ivan parked his car outside the Oak Garden. He peered at the minimalist vi with dark eyes. ¡°You live here?¡± ¡°Yes. Thanks for sending me home.¡± Yasmin didn¡¯t say anything further. She took the cake and got down. ¡°Yasmin!¡± Ivan suddenly called out. Yasmin turned around, still holding the cake. The moonlight made her soft features dazzle. ¡± What is it?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re really great.¡± Ivan smiled softly. ¡°Both you and your work are great. What do you think about working together with the NAS Group? We could start something revolutionary.¡± Something revolutionary? Yasmin¡¯s heart throbbed. She would be lying if she said it didn¡¯t. After working hard for so many years, she craved sess. However, she still had the rational part of her brain. She needed to understand Ivan better first. She would coborate with him if he truly was a man of integrity. She beamed and said, ¡°With my hand in this state, I might need some time to think about it. ¡°No worries. I¡¯ll wait for your response.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it when we meet again the day after tomorrow.¡± Once her arm was better, she could revisit the topic of a coboration. ¡°Sure,¡± Ivan said before driving off. Yasmin stood on the frontwn and watched him leave. She didn¡¯t notice ke standing on the balcony on the second floor, watching them. The wind blew. ke¡¯s handsome face was hidden in the shadows, wearing a threatening expression. Yasmin walked into the vi with the cake. ke came downstairs. Their eyes met. He was giving off a vibe that felt as oppressive as a mountain on her shoulders. She quietly took a breath and made up her mind to face him honestly. Smiling, she asked, ¡± Mr. Ford, you¡¯re home.¡± Back then, he used to onlye home every two weeks. But these days, he was here all the time. Perhaps it was because his true love was now back in the country, so he didn¡¯t have to go abroad as often anymore. ¡°Where did you go?¡± ke asked in an unreadable tone. Yasmin raised her head and chuckled. ¡°I was on a blind date.¡± ke thought that he had heard her wrong. Frowning, he asked, ¡°Blind date?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± she admitted openly. She changed into her home slippers and walked to the kitchen. I¡¯m starving. Is there anything to eat at home?¡± ¡°Why did you go on a blind date?¡± ke trailed after her. Yasmin put the strawberry cake in the fridge. She didn¡¯t feel like eating something cold sote at night. She walked over to the pot on the stove and found some warm soup inside. It must have been Mary who left it for her. Every time she got home at night, Mary would always leave some soup for her. Yasmin loved soup. She served herself some in a bowl. Then, she sat down at the table and drank it slowly. ke didn¡¯t say much. He sat down across from her and waited for her to finish. Once her tuminy was filled with the warm soup, she smacked her lips in satisfaction. Beaming, she said, ¡°That was delicious.¡± ke pursed his lips. ¡°You still haven¡¯t given me an answer.¡® ¡°I wanted to go on a blind date,¡± Yasmind said. She might as well tell the truth since Giselle had already told him about it. She didn¡¯t have to hide it. ¡°What do you mean, you wanted to go on a blind date? Did I agree to that?¡± ¡°Well, did I agree to the thing between you and Giselle?¡± Yasmin smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t, but you still did it anyway. In that case, we should do our own thing.¡± She was showing him her yful side to make her hate him. Then, they¡¯d get divorced sooner. Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Bale¡¯s rage was now evident on his face. He chuckled coldly and said, ¡°You want to cheat on me, don¡¯t you?¡± You also cheated on me. Furthermore, if I didn¡¯t give you permission, would you things off with Giselle?¡± she said, smiling happily. ke¡¯s eyes froze over. ¡°Not a chance.¡± Yasmin already knew that he wouldn¡¯t end things with Giselle. break ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Thus, she spread her hands. ¡°See? You two got together and made him suffer alone. Do you think that¡¯s fair? Nheless, I got over it. Since you don¡¯t love me, then you can go be with the one you like. ¡°However, I still need an angel to soothe my soul, so don¡¯t stop me. We can find our own happiness, and we don¡¯t have to fight at home anymore. Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡± As he listened to what she said, his gaze darkened. He suddenly grabbed her hand and said darkly, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡± Yasmin jumped in fright. He had grabbed her swollen left hand. She frowned in pain. ¡°You¡¯re hurting me.¡± Only then did ke realize that her wrist was swollen. He asked with furrowed brows, ¡°You were the one who got hurt tonight?¡± He just remembered what Giselle had told him. She had bumped into Yasmin and Ivan at the hospital. ¡°Yes, I was in a car ident.¡± Yasmin gasped in pain. ke quickly let her go. Instead, he took her other hand and walked out of the dining hall. Yasmin said, ¡°I¡¯m not done eating.¡± ¡°Your hand is already in this state, and you still want to eat? You need medicine on it first.¡± ¡°No, I want to eat first. After that, I¡¯ll go upstairs to apply some medicine. I won¡¯t have toe downstairs again,¡± Yasmin insisted. ke¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Wait,¡± he uttered. He went back to the kitchen and refilled her empty bowl. Then, he walked back out with it ke¡¯s rage was now evident on his face. He chuckled coldly and said, ¡°You want to cheat on me, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You also cheated on me. Furthermore, if I didn¡¯t give you permission, would you break things off with Giselle?¡± she said, smiling happily. ke¡¯s eyes froze over. ¡°Not a chance.¡± Yasmin already knew that he wouldn¡¯t end things with Giselle. Thus, she spread her hands. ¡°See? You two got together and made him suffer alone. Do you think that¡¯s fair? Nheless, I got over it. Since you don¡¯t love me, then you can go be with the one you like. ¡°However, I still need an angel to soothe my soul, so don¡¯t stop me. We can find our own happiness, and we don¡¯t have to fight at home anymore. Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡± As he listened to what she said, his gaze darkened. He suddenly grabbed her hand and said darkly, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡± Yasmin jumped in fright. He had grabbed her swollen left hand. She frowned in pain. ¡°You¡¯re hurting me.¡± Only then did ke realize that her wrist was swollen. He asked with furrowed brows, ¡°You were the one who got hurt tonight?¡± He just remembered what Giselle had told him. She had bumped into Yasmin and Ivan at the hospital. cara ¡°Yes. I was in a car ident.¡± Yasmin gasped in pain. ke quickly let her go. Instead, he took her other hand and walked out of the dining hall. Yasmin said, ¡°I¡¯m not done eating.¡± ¡°Your hand is already in this state, and you still want to eat? You need medicine on it first.¡± ¡°No, I want to eat first. After that, I¡¯ll go upstairs to apply some medicine. I won¡¯t have toe downstairs again,¡± Yasmin insisted. ke¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Wait,¡± he uttered. He went back to the kitchen and refilled her empty bowl. Then, he walked back out with it and held her hand again. ¡°Let¡¯s go upstairs.¡± He was bringing the soup upstairs, too. Yasmin couldn¡¯t argue further, so she followed him upstairs. ke put the soup down on the dresser. ¡°Drink it here.¡± With that, he went to find the first aid kit. He then began to apply some ointment to her hand. ¡°How did the ident happen? How did you hurt your hand?¡± ¡°I was rear¨Cended by two drunkards. They were drunk out of their minds and even tried to beat me up.¡± ke looked at her. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me?¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t necessary. In case you were with Giselle, I didn¡¯t want to disturb you. I was going to call the police, but Mr. Burke came in time. His bodyguards helped me take care of them. He¡¯s a pretty nice guy.¡± Yasmin took the chance to praise Ivan. ke¡¯s eyes turned cool. He put down her wrist. ¡°What the hell are you doing? Aren¡¯t you done ying tricks?¡± He thought that this was her new scheme. He always thought that she was trying to get his attention. Perhaps he didn¡¯t trust her anymore because she would frequently call him and lie about being in trouble back then. Yasmin said quietly, ¡°No, ke, I¡¯m not tricking you. I¡¯ve gotten over it and epted reality. So, I want to find someone I like.¡± ¡°Someone you like?¡± He chuckled coldly. ¡°Does that mean hiding the fact that you¡¯re married and going on blind dates?¡± Yasmin lowered her eyes. ¡°I will tell him next time.¡± ke grabbed her chin. Hei He lifted her face and stared at her with dark eyes. Yasmin¡¯s breath stopped. He was leaning so close that their lips were inches away. She could hear his breaths. She subconsciously stepped backward, but the bed was behind her. If she backed away anymore, she would have to sit down. Therefore, she could only meet his gaze directly. He squinted at her with a dangerous expression. ¡°You¡¯re still thinking of a next time?¡± Chapter 59 Chapter 59 ke was pressing very closely to Yasmin, but she couldn¡¯t back away. She replied, ¡°of course. Mr. Burke is a pretty nice person.¡± ¡°What if he finds out that you¡¯re married and doesn¡¯t want you anymore?¡± ke said coldly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll find someone else. There are more fish in the sea. With my looks, I¡¯m sure I can find someone.¡± ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve made up your mind to cheat.¡± Yasminughed. ¡°You refuse to get a divorce, so I have no other choice. If you can have someone else, then so can I. Everyone will be happy then. This is only fair.¡± ke stared at her seriously. He appeared to be still convinced that she was ying tricks. Then, he said darkly, ¡°Fine. I want to see whether he¡¯ll still love you when he finds out the Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. truth.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t get involved, I¡¯m sure our rtionship will progress well.¡± Yasmin smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t have that much free time.¡± ke snorted coldly. Then, he said while smiling, ¡°Ast for your figure¡­¡± Before he finished speaking, he yanked the cor of her dress open. When he saw the pale expanse of skin there, he sucked his teeth. ¡°They are not that big.¡± Startled, Yasmin covered her chest with her hands. ¡°What are you doing? What a thug! ke stuck his hands in and said despicably, ¡°If he knew that I slept with you for two years, would the president of the NAS Group still want a woman like you?¡± With that, he purposely brushed his fingers over her, making her shudder. ¡°ke, stop fooling around!¡± She grabbed his hand. ¡°I¡¯m just telling the truth.¡± ke stared at her. His breath wasing slightly faster now. He carried her onto the bed before pressing down on her. In a hoarse voice, he said, ¡°Just look at your reaction. I barely did anything, and you¡¯re already in this state. If he knew that you were so wanton beneath my fingertips, would he still appreciate you?¡± +15 B¨®NUS Yasmin looked up. Her lips were almost going to touch hers. She shrunk back in fear and rolled to the other side of the bed, staring at him with widened eyes. This man was too dangerous. He¡¯d touched her so easily out of the blue. Yasmin didn¡¯t dare to be in the same room with him any longer. ¡°Thug!¡± she cursed at him. before running out. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ke was extremely unhappy that she was running off like this and chased after her. Frightened, Yasmin ran into a guest room and locked the door. The door mmed shut in ke¡¯s face, almost colliding with his nose. Standing outside the door, he warned her dangerously, ¡°Yasmin, open the door!¡± Yasmin leaned against the door, breathing harshly. She yelled back, ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind anyway! Since you won¡¯t agree to a divorce, then we¡¯ll just do our own thing. I¡¯ll stay here. from now on. Unless there¡¯s something important, don¡¯t disturb me.¡± ke narrowed his eyes. ¡°You really want to do this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. This is what I want. You have your true love, and I have mine. We¡¯ll each take what we want!¡± ke¡¯s face was terrifyingly stormy. After a moment, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t regret this!¡± He still thought that Yasmin was trying to get his attention. She did this all the time.. He didn¡¯t want to fall for her tricks anymore, so he turned around and left. Hearing his footsteps fade away, Yasmin finally calmed down. She had indeed been afraid when she came home tonight. However, she still mustered the courage to say it. She never thought that it would actually work! She had won the first battle! She consoled herself to keep it up. Once ke couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and brought up divorce, her father would be released. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 That night, Yasmin slept like a baby. The next morning, after Yasmin got changed, her phone rang. Walking over to the bedside table, she saw Annalise¡¯s name sh on her phone screen. The blind date was just yesterday, and Annalise was already calling today. It seemed like she was really eager. ¡°Hello, Annalise,¡± Yasmin answered. ¡°You met Ivan yesterday, right? How do you feel about him?¡± Annalise pressed. ¡°Mr. Burke is great.¡± ¡°Do you n to continue getting to know him?¡± Annalise asked again. Yasmin was silent for a moment. ¡°I can give it a try.¡± She thought Ivan was a great person, but he most likely didn¡¯t know her real circumstances. Yasmin nned to tell him the next time she saw him and tell him that ke was her husband. She didn¡¯t like lying. ¡°He¡¯s really an outstanding person you can¡¯t find anywhere. If he likes you, you have to seize the opportunity.¡± In truth, Yasmin had gotten lucky. Initially, Annalise wanted to introduce her to an executive, but the executive didn¡¯t like Yasmin. On the contrary, Ivan did, and he had told Annalise himself that he wanted to get to know Yasmin. Annalise thought that Yasmin was a pretty lucky girl. However, it would be better to have such an exceptional man. It was just a matter of time before Yasmin left her son. Hearing Annalise¡¯s words, Yasmin replied, ¡°Yes, I will grab the chance.¡± To save her father, she could ept anything. After hanging up, Yasmin packed her things and got ready for work. Mary suddenly ran over and said, ¡°Mrs. Ford, Mr. Ford said he can¡¯t find one of his shirts. He asked you to help him.¡± ¡°Which shirt?¡± ¡°Mr. Ford said it¡¯s the one with two stripes on the sleeves.¡± Yasmin remembered it. That shirt was the one she had given to ke as an anniversary gift. ¡°I think it¡¯s hanging in the first closet,¡± Yasmin informed Mary after a moment¡¯s thought. ¡°I can¡¯t find it!¡± Mary said with a frown. ¡°Mrs. Ford, can you go over and help find it? If Mr. Ford gets mad, the entire Oak Garden would suffer!¡± Since Mary had always been really nice to her, Yasmin couldn¡¯t bear to see Mary suffer. Thus, she went to help. When she walked into the bedroom, she found ke sitting on the bed gloomily. There were prominent dark circles beneath his eyes. He looked like he hadn¡¯t slept well the night before. Yasmin didn¡¯t say a word to him and went straight to the closet. When the lights flickered on, she saw an endless sea of clothing. Those on the left were ke¡¯s, while those on the right were hers. Back then, Yasmin loved helping ke find his clothes in the morning. She used to think of it as a blessing. Now, seeing the mountains of clothing irritated her instead. Finding one shirt amongst the thousands of clothes here was like finding a needle in a haystack. How annoying! She walked over. She spotted a purse on the ss table from the corner of her eye. It was a limited¨Cedition purse from Alchemy Couture! Yasmin was stunned. She¡¯d seen a celebrity wear this purse on Twitter before. It cost several million dors! ¡°Where did thise from?¡± She didn¡¯t remember having this bag. She couldn¡¯t stop herself from picking it taking a closer look. up Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. and The design was marvelous. She kept poring over it, unable to put it down. She didn¡¯t even notice that ke had walked 1. in. ke¡¯s expression softened upon seeing her scrutinizing the purse so intently. ¡°Do you like it?¡± Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Yasmin turned back and saw ke leaning against the door. He was even exuding an inexplicable charm. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Life was indeed unfair. Not only did ke have unrivaled authority, but he also possessed a perfect and seductive appearance. ¡°Did you buy this?¡± asked Yasmin. ke¡¯s gaze met hers, and he smiled. ¡°Yes, you can take it if you like it.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Yasmin responded. Then, she ced the purse back in its position. The pink diamond ne he had given her previously was still in the closet. Yasmin would never take things that did not belong to her. When ke saw Yasmin putting the purse back, his expression, which had softened, turned icy again. ¡°You don¡¯t want it?¡± he asked in a low voice. Yasmin replied, ¡°No need. This purse is too expensive. I can¡¯t afford to pay you back if I damage it. ¡°I¡¯ll just take a look at the design and create one myself. You should give it to Giselle. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll like it.¡± After putting down the purse, Yasmin went to find ke¡¯s shirt. On the other hand, his expression turned colder. ¡°She has something better. You don¡¯t need to worry about her,¡± ke added with a straight face. As soon as he finished speaking, he took the purse and walked out. Yasmin paused momentarily, thinking he might send the purse to Giselle. So, without saying another word, she continued to look for ke¡¯s shirt. Half an hourter, she finally found the shirt. However, when Yasmin walked out of the room, ke was already gone. She ced the shirt on the bed and headed downstairs to look for him. ¡°Where is he?¡± Yasmin inquired. Mary answered, ¡°Mr. Ford has already left.¡± Yasmin could not help but feel puzzled. Chapter 62 Chapter 62 ¡°What a strange person. He insisted that I look for his shirt, yet he left after I found it,¡± she comined inwardly. After that, she headed to the kitchen to have breakfast. Suddenly, Yasmin remembered the leftover cake from the day before. Hence, she thought of having it for breakfast. But to her disappointment, her strawberry cake was nowhere to be found in the fridge. That was impossible. Mary would never throw away their things. Baffled, Yasmin approached Mary, asking, ¡°Mary, where¡¯s the cake I kept in the fridge?¡± ¡°Oh, that,¡± Mary responded with a cloth in her hand. ¡°Mr. Ford said you shouldn¡¯t eat it after being left overnight, so he threw it away. I think he tossed it in the living room¡¯s trash bin.¡± Yasmin was rendered speechless upon hearing that. Why did he throw away her cake for no reason? She walked to the living room¡¯s trash bin and found the Alchemy Couture bag in it. ¡°What on earth?¡± Yasmin eximed. How could ke discard a million¨Cdor bag just like that? Yasmin felt a pang of heartache as she carefully picked it up. Underneath the bag, her strawberry cakey crushed and utterly ruined. ¡°How childish of him!¡± Yasmin could not believe ke, a 30¨Cyear¨Cold man, would throw away her cake. His action was truly immature to the extreme! Looking at the white purse, she could not bear to throw it away. Since it was something she picked up, it belonged to her now. With that, Yasmin took the purse, ced her belongings in it, and brought it to the studio. After she arrived at the studio, Eunice eximed, ¡°Isn¡¯t this a million¨Cdor limited edition. purse? Where did you get it? Is it a gift from ke?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not. He didn¡¯t want it and threw it in the trash bin. So, I picked it up, Yasmin answered with a grin. Who wouldn¡¯t want such a beautiful purse? So, of course, Yasmin would use it. ¡°Why did he throw it away?¡± Eunice asked. Yasmin could not understand ke¡¯s thoughts. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe he didn¡¯t like the sight of it.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t like the sight of a purse?¡± Eunice wore a confused expression. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful purse. What did it do to offend him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s just a weirdo,¡± Yasmin remarked, her eyes filled with amusement. Afterughing, she suddenly froze. That was because she saw several figures standing outside the office. ke was dressed in a ck shirt and ck pants. Beside him stood Giselle and Roxy. Yasmin¡¯s cheeks turned red instantly. h his muments age, Yasmin had saidter was a weirdo, infortunately, ULAN Yasmin¡¯sment Giselle, on the other hand, fixed her gaze on the purse on min¡¯s desk it was was going through her mind, but her eyes revealed a hint of colors ¡°ke, you heard that, didn¡¯t you? Yasmin has always thought you¡¯re a weldo.¡± Revermented. Yasmin was somewhat stunned after hearing that. She had said that as a joke In the next second, she looked at her assistant. The assistant who brought ke, Giselle, and Roxy in said, ¡°Ms. Starr, these twodies tats they know you. So, they want to order a customized gown.¡± Erinnyes offered a gown customization service. However, as the brand was not famous enough, very few clients came to look for them. Yasmin stood up and exined, ¡°Sorry, I was just joking with Eunice earlier.¡± After saying that, she nced at ke. Yet, it seemed like he was ignoring her. ke Innket away, his gaze intense. Yasmin noticed his expression and figured he disliked her and couldn¡¯t be bothered with her anymore. That was fine. This was something Yasmin wanted, anyway. ¡°Yasmin, I heard your studio offers gown customization service. I¡¯m hosting a birthday party at the end of the month, so I¡¯d like to order a gown from you. Is two weeks enough time for you?¡± Giselle asked with a smile. Giselle wore a chiffon blouse paired with a tight skirt. Her long, curly hairplemented her look. She appeared graceful and stunning. Yasmin forced a smile before answering, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s enough time.¡± It was a rare asion when a client personally came seeking their services. Thus she san wouldn¡¯t turn Giselle away. ¡°Pleasee with me to the disy area.¡± Yasmin then took them downstairs and headed to the disy area. The other three walked behind her, engaged in a conversation. Giselle told Roxy, ¡°Roxy, it¡¯s not easy for Yasmin to set up this studio. If you have any friends, bring them here to support her business.¡± ¡°But I think there¡¯s nothing special about the clothes here,¡± Roxy replied disdainfully. Giselle responded, ¡°Don¡¯t say that. It¡¯s not easy to start her own business.¡± ¡°They shouldn¡¯t start this if they don¡¯t have the capabilities,¡± Roxy snapped. She continued, ¡°This is clearly just an ordinary studio. I really don¡¯t understand why you want to come here to customize a gown, Giselle. ¡°It¡¯s your birthday, after all. What if something goes wrong with the dress? Won¡¯t you be a laughingstock if you wear it?¡± At that point, Eunice could not hold back anymore. She wanted to give Roxy a good scolding. However, Yasmin grabbed Eunice¡¯s hand, took thetter aside, and said, ¡°Eunice, don¡¯t argue with them.¡± Eunice snorted in response. ¡°Those two are in cahoots. One is ying the good cop, and the other is ying the bad cop. ¡°They¡¯re belittling our studio on purpose. I can¡¯t stand this!¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. On the contrary, Yasmin remained rational. She calmly answered, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t like it, you still have to put up with them. ¡°One is the Ford family¡¯s daughter, while the other is ke¡¯s future wife. We can¡¯t afford to offend either of them. ¡°The supplier has just sent some fabric over. They¡¯re upstairs. You should go check them out. Eunice had a fiery temper. If Yasmin did not send her away, it might result in a confrontation that could lead to a legal dispute. Despite Giselle¡¯s friendly demeanor, she was a fox in sheep¡¯s clothing. After asking Eunice to step away, Yasmin entered the disy area. The assistant attended to three of them, offering each a ss of water. ke sat on the couch. Upon seeing Yasmin enter, he avoided eye contact and ignored her. It 213 was as if she was invisible. ¡°Ms. Giselle, what kind of gown are you looking for?¡± Yasmin inquired while standing: ¡°We have samples on the disy tform for your reference.¡± Behind Yasmin were dozens of evening gowns. Each dress was showcased on the ss tform, creating a stunning sight. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 This section was dedicated to high¨Cend luxury customization gowns. Giselle nced at the dresses before asking, ¡°Did you design all these evening gowns?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± answered Yasmin. Giselle immediatelyplimented, ¡°They¡¯re lovely.¡± Roxy chimed in, ¡°Giselle, I remember you can dance. Why don¡¯t you choose a flowy gown? ¡°That way, it¡¯d be a beautiful scene when you dance with ke at the birthday party.¡± ¡°It does sound beautiful,¡± Giselle replied. Then, she pointed at a white evening gown and asked ke, who was beside her, ¡°ke, what do you think about the white one?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± ke answered gently after ncing at the gown. ¡°I¡¯ll try that, then.¡± Giselle turned to Yasmin, smiling as she requested, ¡°Yasmin, could you please get me that Yasmin stood there with her head down but beamed after hearing those words. ¡°Of course.¡± She then asked her assistant to take the gown down for Giselle to try on. ¡°ke, let me try on this gown first. Wait for me here,¡± Giselle said gently. Right then, ke was looking at his phone, seemingly focused on work. So, he nodded slightly in response. As Giselle approached Yasmin with a smile, the gown was already taken down. Yasmin ced it in the fitting room. Just as she was about to step out, Giselle called out, Yasmin, do you minding in to help me put it on?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Yasmin answered after a pause. With that, the two entered the fitting room. Giselle took off her clothes, revealing her well¨Cshaped figure. Following that, she touched her belly, which was still t, and asked intentionally, ¡°Yasmin, do you think my stomach looks big now?¡± At that moment, Yasmin was dealing with the dress. She nced at Giselle¡¯s belly upon hearing that. It was still t, and no one could tell that thetter was pregnant. ¡°You don¡¯t have a bump yet,¡± Yasmin replied softly. ¡°Yeah, my birthday happens to be this month. If it were next month, I wouldn¡¯t be able to fit into these corseted gowns,¡± Gisellemented, looking extremely happy. ¡°By the way, Yasmin, that purse of yours, did ke really throw it away?¡± In actuality, Giselle wanted that purse. Back then, she was overjoyed when she saw ke had ordered it. She initially thought the purse was for her. Giselle never expected that it would end up in Yasmin¡¯s hands. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Yes, he didn¡¯t want it. I picked the purse up from the trash bin,¡± Yasmin exined, trying to avoid any misunderstandings. All she hoped for now was that ke and Giselle would be well. That way, her father could be released. Giselle nodded in acknowledgment. A hint of a smile yed on her lips but not mirrored in her gaze. ¡°All done.¡± After Yasmin helped Giselle put on the gown, thetter looked down and bumped into. Yasmin¡¯s hand. Yasmin¡¯s injured hand then hit a stool that was nearby, causing her to grimace in pain. ¡°Are you alright, Yasmin? Did I hit you by ident?¡± Giselle asked with guilt. Yasmin shook her head, but her lips were somewhat pale. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a bump. The pain will subside soon,¡± she said to herself. After that, Yasmin held the gown¡¯s hem, apanying Giselle as they walked out of the fitting room. ke looked up and noticed Yasmin carrying the train of the dress like a servant. Meanwhile, Giselle looked like a beautiful princess. Standing under the lights, she grinned 213 and asked, ¡°ke, do you think this gown suits me?¡± ke remained sitting on the couch as he calmly remarked, ¡°It¡¯s not bad.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Giselle smiled gracefully. She then turned to look at herself in the mirror. At that moment, Roxy walked over. Initially, she wanted to find ws in the gown. However, the dress fitted Giselle perfectly, and Roxy could not find any ws. Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Since she could not find any ws in the gown, Roxyplimented, ¡°Giselle, you look good in everything!¡± ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating! But Yasmin is really good at designing. This finished piece looks amazing when worn,¡± Giselle responded with a smile. ¡°But I feel there¡¯s too much fabric around the waist. I want it tighter. Also, the hem of the skirt is too long, and I¡¯m worried I¡¯ll step on it and trip. I want to shorten it.¡± As she spoke, she looked at Yasmin, asking, ¡°Yasmin, you won¡¯t mind my requests, right?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Since Giselle was pregnant, it was normal that she would be worried about falling. So, Yasmin asked her assistant to bring a measuring tape over. Just as her assistant was about to measure the gown, Gisellemented, ¡°Yasmin, I¡¯m afraid your assistant might not measure urately. Why don¡¯t you do it yourself?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Yasmin nodded. Although ugh somewhat uneasy, she felt better after considering the gown¡¯s price. A high¨Cend luxury dress like that would cost several hundred thousand dors. Since Yasmin could earn around one to two hundred thousand dors, she viewed it as a reasonable fee for the trouble. Yasmin squatted down, her swollen hand lifting the tape to measure the skirt for Giselle. ¡± Ms. Giselle, how much shorter do you want it?¡± ¡°Just a bit below the knee,¡± answered Giselle. She felt satisfied as she watched Yasmin squat before her like a servant, measuring the gown. However, Roxy had different ns. When she saw Yasmin¡¯s injured hand, she reckoned thetter could never draw again if an ident happened. A sly smile yed on Roxy¡¯s lips. In the next second, she pretended to trip, aiming to hit Yasmin¡¯s eyes. Nevertheless, Yasmin sensed a shadow above her head. A shiver ran down her spine, and she immediately rolled to the side. She managed to avoid Roxy and was not hurt. But things did not fare well for Roxy. She fell near the hem of Giselle¡¯s skirt, colliding with thetter. Giselle yelped in pain, her hands instinctively clutched her stomach. Her gaze bore a murderous intent as she nced at Roxy. Nevertheless, the fierceness in her eyes vanished within a second. Giselle resumed her gentle demeanor, asking, ¡°Roxy, what are you doing?¡± Roxy¡¯s head throbbed with pain. She touched her head and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Giselle. The floor at Yasmin¡¯s studio is too slippery. Since I¡¯m in heels, I identally slipped.¡± She immediately shifted the me onto Yasmin. ke was on the phone. Once he heard themotion, he walked over with a frown. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°The floor is slippery, so Roxy fell,¡± Giselle exined gently. ke asked, ¡°Did she hit your stomach?¡± ¡°No, Roxy hit my foot. The baby¡¯s fine,¡± Giselle answered while shaking her head. Then, ke looked at Yasmin. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Yasmin responded calmly. She had noticed how anxious he was about the child just moments ago. At that moment, a sense of destion overwhelmed her. ¡°Yasmin, the floor here is too slippery. You don¡¯t even have a carpet. Now that I¡¯ve fallen, how are you going topensate?¡± Roxy chided while rising to her feet. Yasmin furrowed her brows. Just as she was about to respond, ke coldly ordered, ¡°Shut 1. up. Roxy was momentarily stunned upon hearing that. ¡°ke, I¡¯m the victim here.¡± He cast an icy nce at Roxy. ¡°It¡¯s your fault for not watching where you¡¯re going.¡± As soon as those words came out, Roxy dared not argue anymore. From N?velDrama.Org. On the other hand, Yasmin was surprised that ke retorted on her behalf. She looked up to peek at him. He wore a grim expression, showing his displeasure. ¡°Hope we¡¯re not interrupting anything.¡± Right then, Ivan¡¯s voice came from outside the door. Everyone turned to look. With his secretary, Ivan strolled in with a cake in his hands. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 ¡°Mr. Burke, why are you here?¡± Yasmin asked, surprise evident on her face. ¡°I just wanted to take a look at your studio and also check on your hand.¡± As Ivan spoke, his gaze fell on Yasmin¡¯s left hand. ¡°Does it still hurt today?¡± ¡°Not anymore,¡± replied Yasmin. Even though she knocked her hand earlier, the pain had subsided. Ivan took out an ointment and continued, ¡°I brought an imported cream for you. It¡¯s effective for reducing swelling and bruises. Try it.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Yasmin epted the ointment. Roxy was baffled as she watched their interaction. She liked Ivan, but he had always been indifferent to her. Why was he so gentle to Yasmin? Moreover, Ivan was doing it in front of ke. Wasn¡¯t he afraid that ke would tell him off? ¡°Giselle, what¡¯s going on?¡± Roxy asked with confusion. Not only did Yasmin appearposed, but ke and Giselle seemed unfazed, too. The Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. situation seemed unreal to Roxy. Giselle responded gently, ¡°Don¡¯t you know about this? Ivan and Yasmin went on a blind date yesterday. They¡¯re happy with each other.¡± ke looked at her upon hearing that. Giselle exined, ¡°Mrs. Ford Senior told me about it. She said Ivan is happy with Yasmin.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Roxy was perplexed. ¡°Why did they go on a blind date? Isn¡¯t Yasmin married?¡± Giselle replied softly, ¡°ke and Yasmin are in a marriage of convenience. They have no feelings for each other and have long agreed they¡¯d pursue their own happiness. Haven¡¯t you. heard about it?¡± Roxy was stunned after learning about that. She could not believe it. How did things turn out in such a way? She looked at ke, but he remained silent with a sullen expression. Left with no choice, Roxy could only ask Yasmin. ¡°Yasmin, is it true that you and ke are in a marriage of convenience? You don¡¯t have feelings for each other as well?¡± Giselle answered on behalf of Yasmin, ¡°It¡¯s true. Yasmin told me herself a few days ago.¡± On the other hand, ke narrowed his eyes, staring at Yasmin. His expression was shrouded in mystery. His intent gaze weighed heavily on Yasmin. Nevertheless, she still nodded. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true.¡± In an instant, ke¡¯s expression grew colder. Giselle chimed in, ¡°You heard that, didn¡¯t you? There are no romantic feelings between ke and Yasmin. They have always been living separate lives.¡± Roxy seemed affected by the news. She shook her head, ran over to Ivan, and inquired, Ivan, did you really go on a blind date with Yasmin yesterday?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Roxy asked again, ¡°Was it voluntary?¡± ¡°Of course it is,¡± said Ivan. He nced at Yasmin before answering seriously, ¡°Yasmin is great, and I admire her. A wave of jealousy surged within Roxy,pelling her to attack Yasmin. However, Ivan was quick to react. He immediately shielded Yasmin in his arms and pushed Roxy away. His stern gaze bore into Roxy as he questioned, ¡°Roxy Ford, what are you trying to do?¡± Following that, Roxy fell to the ground. ¡°Roxy, are you okay?¡± Giselle eximed. Roxy shouted, ¡°I don¡¯t believe it!¡± She could not ept the truth. Tears immediately streamed down her face. So, she covered her face and rushed out. ¡°Roxy!¡± Giselle called out. She then asked the assistant to follow Roxy. With that, the drama came to an end. Ivan gazed at Yasmin in his arms. With a soft voice, he asked, ¡°You¡¯re fine, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I am,¡± Yasmin replied as she stepped out of his embrace. Then, she instinctively nced at ke. He stood rooted to his spot, exuding an imposing air while looking at them. Yasmin ignored him. She turned to ask Ivan, ¡°Did youe just to give me the ointment?¡± ¡°Not only that, I also want you to make a customized suit,¡± Ivan responded with a smile. Erinnyes offered customization services for both women¡¯s and men¡¯s attire. Yasmin didn¡¯t expect to have two business deals in a day. ¡°Please wait awhile on the couch outside. Let me finish taking Ms. Giselle¡¯s measurements, and I¡¯ll come find you,¡± she told Ivan. ¡°Sure.¡± After saying that, Ivan and his secretary walked out. So, only Yasmin, ke, and Giselle were left in the disy area. + Chapter 66 Chapter 66 ¡°Thank you, Yasmin.¡± Giselle broke the silence. ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Yasmin walked over with a tape measure and remeasured the hem of Giselle¡¯s dress. Giselle said smilingly, ¡°It seems things are going well between you and Ivan.¡± Yasmin stiffened at her words. It must be Annalise who told Giselle about it. In other words, Annalise and Giselle got along well together. Giselle was probably a better daughter¨Cinw in Annalise¡¯s eyes. ¡°Yeah.¡± Yasmin did not say much. She asked, ¡°Ms. Giselle, are you sure you want the hem altered to fall below your knees?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Giselle nced at ke. ke did not say anything as his gaze rested on Yasmin. His expressionless face exuded a heavy sense of oppression. Yasmin stood up and nced at him after sensing his gaze. Their eyes met, and the atmosphere suddenly fell silent. Giselle was standing between them as worry shed in her eyes. She said, ¡°Yasmin, just adjust the hem of the dress and don¡¯t touch the waist. I¡¯m afraid it might get too tight by the end of the month. It would be troublesome if I can¡¯t fit into it.¡± Yasmin snapped back to reality and replied, ¡°Okay.¡± She did not look at ke again. After taking the measurements, she recorded them on the board. Then, she had her assistant help Giselle take off the gown in the fitting room. Only ke and Yasmin were outside. ke asked, ¡°Is your hand okay?¡± Yasmin turned her head and did not answer. ke continued, ¡°When you took the measurements just now, I noticed your hand was swollen. Did Roxy Ford bump into your hand just now?¡± Yasmin did not expect him to notice it. She stood upright and replied, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I dodged it. She didn¡¯t bump into me.¡± dors it was ungoaily St, N generant the bill migreitmessile TI gie in the subo¡¯s ? +15 BONUS selle said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, ke Yasmin and Ivan are getting along well. You shouldn¡¯t keep interrupting them all the time.¡± Bake nced at her with a cold face seille was started and said softly, ¡°After trying on clothes all afternoon, my legs are sore.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back and rest. ke umed and left the studio, Giselle followed him and pretended to be weary. However, he did note over to help her. ++Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 In the studio, Yasmin gave the cake to the staff before taking Ivan to the men¡¯s disy area. There were also various finished products, and Yasmin had designed all of them. Ivan looked at them one by one as his gaze filled with admiration. ¡°Did you design all of them?¡± Yasmin nodded with a smile. ¡°Mm¨Chmm. Mr. Burke, are you looking for attire for Giselle O¡¯Shea¡¯s birthday party?¡± ¡°How did you know that?¡± Ivan was surprised. Yasmin said smilingly, ¡°She mentioned it this afternoon, saying her birthday party will be at the end of this month.¡± Ivan nodded. ¡°Are you upset that she came to you for a customized dress?¡± Yasmin continued smiling. ¡°Not at all. She brought business to me. Why would I be upset? Mr. Burke, what do you think about this attire?¡± She pointed to a dark gray formal wear set in the disy case. ¡°How¡¯s that?¡± Ivan looked at her. She said, ¡°My hand is injured now. I can¡¯t design, but these finished pieces can be slightly modified.¡± Ivan asked, ¡°Why did you choose dark gray for me?¡± Yasmin said, ¡°I think you¡¯re aposed and reserved person. The gray color suits you. Besides, I¡¯m sure ke Ford will wear ck at the party. If you also wear ck, it might not be eye¨C catching.¡± ¡°Are you saying that I¡¯m not as good¨Clooking as him?¡± Ivan stared at her with a faint smile. Yasmin shook her head. ¡°Mr. Burke, that¡¯s not what I meant. Both of you have different temperaments. I believe that gray color suits you better.¡± Ivan nodded. ¡°You seem to know him very well.¡± Yasmin smiled. ¡°Well, we¡¯ve been married for two years. I roughly know about his preferences.¡± She actually remembered everything because she was the one who chose ke¡¯s clothes. Ivan asked, ¡°Do you two really have no feelings for each other?¡± Yasmin nced at him with a smile. ¡°My mother¨Cinw arranged the blind date for me. What do you think?¡± Ivan paused for a moment. ¡°She wants you to divorce ke Ford?¡± Yasmin replied, ¡°Mm¨Chmm, my background doesn¡¯t match him. And you¡¯ve seen Giselle O¡¯Shea, haven¡¯t you? The news reports are true.¡± ¦° Ivan fell silent for a few seconds. ¡°Is ke Ford really the father of Giselle O¡¯Shea¡¯s unborn child?¡± ¡°Mm¨Chmm.¡± Yasmin had to admit it. Ivan was somewhat taken aback. He did not expect the rtionships to be soplicated. His lips parted, but he did not know what to say. Yasmin said, ¡°So now you know about it. If you mind my previous marriage with ke Ford, we can end our rtionship.¡± In fact, she also did not want to keep it from him as she would feel guilty. Knowing he was aware of her past, she felt a bit relieved. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Ivan stared at her quietly for a moment before putting his hand on her head and patting it gently. ¡°It must have been tough, right?¡± Yasmin was stunned and lifted her gaze to look at him. Ivan gazed at her tenderly. ¡°In the past two years, your dad was in prison, and you had to fend for yourself in the Ford family. It must have been tough for you, right?¡± Yasmin said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Grandpa had been very kind to me.¡± Her response implied that the others in the family did not treat her very well. Pity shed in Ivan¡¯s eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± asked Yasmin. Ivan said, ¡°You asked me if I mind your past with ke Ford. Now, I¡¯ve answered you. I don¡¯t mind.¡± Yasmin was dumbfounded, Eventually, Ivan bought the dark gray suit for 800,000 dors. It earned nearly 200,000 dors in profit for the studio. $15 SAFA Yasmin watched him leave as she remained calm. Ivan was very kind. His persona was so perfect that it was too good to be true. Hence, Yasmin felt she needed to keep her guard up around him for the time being Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Eunice went downstairs after counting the fabrics. The staff were enjoying the cake, saying it was a gift from Ivan and praising his handsome looks. Eunice asked, ¡°Mr. Burke?¡± She ran upstairs and asked Yasmin, ¡°Mr. Burke from NAS Group?¡± Yasmin acknowledged with a hum. Eunice asked, ¡°Did hee to see you? And he brought a cake?¡± Yasmin sipped the coffee and said casually, ¡°No, he came to order a custom attire and brought along a box of cake for me.¡± Eunice asked, ¡°Why?¡± Yasmin smiled. ¡°No particr reason. Maybe he¡¯s just a nice person.¡± Eunice sat down and took a bite of the cake. Then, she asked again, ¡°What about the two scumbags? Did they leave?¡± Yasmin said, ¡°Mm¨Chmm. I closed a 680,000¨Cdor deal with Giselle O¡¯Shea.¡± Eunice snorted, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect mistresses these days to be so shameless, parading around in front of the legal wife.¡± From N?velDrama.Org. Yasmin held two receipts between her fingertips. ¡°I don¡¯t care about them as long as I¡¯m making money. I closed two deals today and earned over 300,000 dors.¡± Eunice¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°That¡¯s impressive, Yaz.¡± After getting off at night, Yasmin took a cab home. Her Porsche was still under repair, leaving her with no car. It was already past 9:00 pm when she reached Oak Garden. Mary and the others had gotten off. Yasmin entered the kitchen and only found a pot of rice and mutton soup. She was starving tonight. However, she was not in the mood to cook. Therefore, she separated the mutton and broli from the soup and mashed them into the rice. Then, she added salt, shredded seaweed, vinegar, and egg yolk sauce. After mixing them, she shaped the mixture into rice balls. She made a fragrant and delicious meal in just a few minutes. After making the rice balls, she also filled a bowl with the mutton soup. She took a sip, and the soup was so vorful that she narrowed her eyes in delight. ¡°So delicious!¡± Then, she took a big bite of the rice ball, savoring the fresh meat and the crunchy seaweed. It was scrumptious! ¡°Is it that delicious?¡± ke appeared out of nowhere and stood at the doorway. He was still wearing today¡¯s dark¨Cpatterned ck shirt, looking handsome and cold. Yasmin had bought the shirt. She nced at him and continued to enjoy the riceballs. ¡°When did you get back?¡± ¡°Just now.¡± ke walked in. Gradually, she seemed to lose her anger toward him, bing more polite and reserved. ke frowned. Watching her eating contentedly, he asked, ¡°Is there more?¡± Yasmin nced at her te, which still had around ten rice balls. She shook her head. ¡°Nope. ke paused and furrowed his brows. ¡°You still have a te full, don¡¯t you?¡± She chewed one rice ball slowly. ¡°I remember you don¡¯t eat vegetables. The ones I made all have vegetables. You won¡¯t like it.¡± Now, it was impossible for her to revert to the old behavior of hurriedly preparing a meal whenever he wanted to eat. In the past, she would get up and cook for him whenever ke mentioned a craving, even if it was 4:00 am. She learned various cuisines from Mary for him. But at the end of the day, she was just at scheming woman in his eyes. Since he always had preconceptions about her, she decided to be indifferent to him. ke asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you have any without vegetables?¡± Yasmin shook her head. ¡°No.¡± ke knitted his brows in frustration. He realized she had be indifferent to him and was not bothered about interacting with him. Feeling a bit upset, he red at her. However, she did not notice his gaze and was engrossed. in her meal. As he continued watching, his irritation grew. He decided to sit down. Then, he pulled her te toward him, picked up a rice ball, and ate it before her. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Yasmin looked surprised. ¡°What are you doing? Don¡¯t you have a serious case of germaphobia? I made these rice balls myself. My hands were all over them.¡± Saying this, she intentionally opened her hands to gross him out. Unexpectedly, ke only paused for a short while and then ate the rice ball with an expressionless face. ¡°Not bad.¡± Yasmin waspletely dumbfounded. Seeing her bewildered, ke chuckled and asked casually, ¡°Is your hand getting better now? You can make rice balls?¡± ¡°I just sprained it a bit. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s broken. A day or two of rest, and I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Yasmin lifted her hand, and the swelling had eased considerably. She felt almost back to normal. ke ate another rice ball and took a sip of her mutton soup. Yasmin eximed, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t eat my dinner. There¡¯s some soup left. If you want some, get it yourself. Mary made a big pot.¡± ke said, ¡°Ladle the soup for me.¡± Yasmin refused. ¡°No way.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take this one then.¡± ke directly took her bowl. ¡°Hey!¡± Expressing dissatisfaction, Yasmin frowned and reached out to grab the bowl. However, ke already tilted his head back and finished the entire bowl of soup. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Yasmin fell speechless. ¡°Are you seriously that hungry?¡± Seeing her bristling with anger, ke could not help butugh. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Yasmin muttered as she went to get another bowl anddle some soup. ke suddenly asked, ¡°Is there really something going on between you and Ivan Burke?¡± ¡°Something going on?¡± Yasmin sipped the soup puzzledly. ¡°Are you really into him? Or are you just ying me?¡± He seemed to have the patience to have a heart¨Cto¨Cheart conversation with her for once. Yasmin paused and looked at him. She said seriously, ¡°It¡¯s true. I really want to find someone I like again.¡± Bale¡¯s expression grew colder. ¡°So, you don¡¯t love thest one anymore?¡± ¡°Why would I love someone if the rtionship has no result?¡± Yasmin took another sip of the soup as her tone remained calm. Seemingly, she was indifferent to everything ¡°I knew it. People like you are always so fickle.¡± ke¡¯s expression turned cold. Yasmin was puzzled. ¡°What do you mean ¡®people like you¡®? What kind of person am I?¡± ke did not answer her. He put down his bowl and walked away as his bearing became very gloomy. Yasmin thought he was really unreasonable. He said that he would never love her. Now, she was not in love with him anymore, and he med her for being fickle instead. Yasmin snorted. He should have med himself for being a scumbag and ruining a good marriage by having an affair! Destroying the family by himself, he even had the nerve to me her. Yasmin¡¯s mood went sour again. She bit into a rice ball fiercely and intentionally sent him a message on WhatsApp. ¡°Mr. Ford, be careful with your stomach tonight.¡± ke: ¡°?¡± Yasmin: ¡°I just remembered something. When I returned tonight, I might¡¯ve forgotten to wash my hands before making those rice balls. So¡­ if you feel a stomach ache, it might be food poisoning.¡± ke saw the message upstairs and eximed angrily, ¡°Yasmin Starr!¡± Yasmin heard his roar downstairs and burst intoughter. He deserved it! Actually, her hands were clean. She just wanted to get back at him for always messing with her emotions and then left. At the same time, she wanted him to get a taste of his own medicine! Tonight, Yasmin stayed in the guest room again. After her bath, she sat on the bed in her nightgown. She heard a knock at the door when she was about to lie dowIL She asked cautiously, ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ke¡¯s voice came from the outside of the door. Yasmin got out of the bed and opened the door in her nightgown. ¡°Mr. Ford, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ke stood outside, clutching his stomach. He looked a bit pale. ¡°Those rice balls tonight might be dirty. My stomach hurts. Can you get me some medicine?¡± + Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Yasmin was stunned. ¡°Is it serious?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been to the toilet twice. What do you think?¡± ke gave her a gloomy re. Yasmin could not help but feel the urge tough. Sensing his cold gaze, she dared notugh and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Let me help you back to your room to rest first.¡± Then, she helped him sit on the bed and went to fetch some medicine. nothe After finding the stomach medicine, she poured a cup of warm water and brought it to ke. ¡°Here. It¡¯s stomach medicine. Take it.¡± ke got up, took the water and medicine, and swallowed them. Then, he leaned against the pillow. Yasmin asked, ¡°How do you feel after taking it?¡± ke said, ¡°My stomach still hurts.¡± ¡°It may take a while to kick in.¡± Yasmin sat on the edge of the bed. She was wearing a pink nightgown with her long hair cascading over her shoulders, looking quiet and beautiful. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Then, they fell silent. They were facing each other, but they had nothing to say. Yasmin used to initiate the conversations and chatter away endlessly. But now, she no longer bothered to do so. Even if she talked for a long time, his responses remained minimal. ke¡¯s phone suddenly rang, breaking the silence. He nced at it and said to her, ¡°It¡¯s Grandpa.¡± Yasmin asked, ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°He probably saw the news and wants to ask about it. Do me a favor. Don¡¯t let him know I¡¯m sick.¡± ke did not want his grandfather to worry. Acknowledging his deep respect for his grandfather, Yasmin sat beside him and looked at the phone camera with him. ke answered the video call, and Arthur¡¯s face appeared on the screen. A smile lit up Arthur¡¯s serious face when he saw them sitting together in their pajamas. He asked, Yasmin, ke, haven¡¯t you gone to bed yet?¡± ¡°We¡¯re about to rest,¡± ke replied, wrapping his arm around Yasmin. Yasmin looked a bit ufortable. However, she did not push it away because Arthur was there. She sweetly greeted, ¡°Grandpa!¡± Arthur asked, ¡°Yasmin, has ke been bullying you?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s been good to me.¡± Yasmin¡¯s expression was warm as she spoke. ke could not help but nce at her. ¡°Really? Why do I feel like there¡¯s a distance between you two?¡± Arthur had indeed seen the news about ke and Giselle. Hence, he called to scold ke. Eventually, he saw ke and Yasmin sitting together on a bed. They seemed to get along well. ¡°Would we be lying on the same bed if we were distant?¡± As she spoke, Yasmin rested her head on ke¡¯s shoulder. ke also embraced her. Yasmin felt a tension in her back, but she had to maintain her smile. She looked at Arthur stiffly on the video call. Arthur stared at them for a while before saying, ¡°I¡¯m relieved to see you two like this. ke, don¡¯t go on business trips so often this year. Spend more time with Yasmin and give me a great¨C grandchild.¡± ke replied, ¡°Okay.¡± Arthur shouted again, ¡°Yasmin, did you hear me? Nurture your love with ke and give me a great¨C grandchild.¡± Yasmin did not respond. She suddenly felt a bit down because it was impossible to happen. Arthur looked genuinely sad. ¡°Yasmin, I¡¯m already 80 and won¡¯t be around long. All I wish for before I pass is this. Won¡¯t you help me fulfill myst wish?¡± Yasmin could not bear to upset him and nodded. ¡°Okay, Grandpa.¡± Arthur¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°You¡¯re willing to give me a great¨Cgrandchild?¡± Yasmin nodded again. ¡°I¡¯ve always been willing to.¡± Arthur chided ke, ¡°Did you hear that, ke? Yasmin has always been ready to have a baby with you. It¡¯s you who hasn¡¯t been up to the task!¡± ke nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make an effort in the future.¡± Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Arthur ordered, ¡°Don¡¯t wait for the future. Start putting in effort tonight! From N?velDrama.Org. ke held Yasmin in his arms and said smilingly, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll start working on making a baby tonight.¡± Yasmin felt extremely uneasy in his arms. Hence, she subtly pinched his hand, hoping he would let go. However, he tightened his grip and asked Arthur, ¡°Grandpa, do you prefer a boy or a girl?¡± ¡°I like both. As long as you two bring them into the world, whether a boy or a girl, I¡¯ll be happy.¡± Arthur chuckled in delight as he saw them holding each other. ke whispered into Yasmin¡¯s ear meaningfully, ¡°Did you hear that? Grandpa said he¡¯d be happy with either a boy or a girl.¡± Yasmin blushed scarlet. Arthurughed heartily. ¡°Having two would be perfect.¡± ke smiled, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll have two.¡± Yasmin looked horrified. There was no way she was having two children with him! Yasmin wanted to get out of his arms as soon as the call ended. But he held her tightly and pressed his nose against her. ¡°Did you hear that? We¡¯re having two kids.¡± Yasmin caught her breath and stiffened up rigidly. ¡°We¡¯re just tricking Grandpa!¡± ¡°Even though he¡¯s old, he¡¯s not senile. Have you thought about the consequences of lying to him?¡± ke leaned in, and the soothing cedar scent surrounded her. They were very close to each other. She could even hear his heartbeat. He then said, ¡°Let¡¯s have one.¡± ¡°What?¡± Yasmin thought she misheard him. ke just suggested having a baby with her. ke gazed deeply into her eyes as his sexy Adam¡¯s apple moved slightly. He did not look. like he was joking. ¡°Let¡¯s have a baby.¡± Yasminughed. ke looked at her. ¡°What are youughing at?¡± Yasmin said, ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen, Mr. Ford. I cooperated with you just to keep Grandpa from worrying.¡± ke asked, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no hope left between us anymore.¡± Their rtionship had ended since Giselle¡¯s pregnancy Yasmin pushed him away and nced at his face. His lips had returned to rosiness, suggesting the medicine had kicked in. She said casually, ¡°You should be fine now. I¡¯m going back to sleep.¡± Then, she got up and left. The next day, ke noticed the door was open when he woke up, and Yasmin walked in. ke thought she hade to check on him, so he closed his eyes. However, Yasmin walked past the bed with her phone in hand. She was talking to someone over the phone. ¡°Do I need to bring a down jacket?¡± Ivan¡¯s voice came from the other end. ¡°Yes. We¡¯re going skiing today.¡± Yasmin said, ¡°Alright.¡± Yasmin walked into the dressing room. She promised to treat Ivan to a meal today. Ivan suggested going skiing, and she agreed. She got changed in the dressing room. Afterward, she picked out a set of sportswear, a hat, and a down jacket. She then stuffed them into a small suitcase. She s saw ke standing at the doorway when she was about to leave. He asked, ¡°Are you going skiing?¡± His gaze fell on her. Today, she wore a Chanel jacket and a sheath dress, showcasing her fair and slender legs. She was eye¨Ccatching. Yasmin hummed in acknowledgment as she pinned a glimmering diamond clip on her hair. She looked drop¨Cdead gorgeous. ke¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Is your hand okay now? Can you ski?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It doesn¡¯t hurt at all today.¡± Yasmin raised her hand to show him. It had recovered. ke gave her a side¨Ceye. ¡°So, you¡¯re really dating him?¡± She paused for a moment and then smiled. ¡°Well, I¡¯m only 22. You want me to be a nun?¡± Chapter 72 Chapter 72 After finishing her sentence, Yasmin lifted the suitcase and walked past him, leaving a faint fragrance in the air. ke¡¯s gaze gaze darkened. As he turned around, she had already left the room. She had indeed. changed. In the past, she would always fix her gaze on him. But now, she did not even look at him. ke narrowed his eyes. Yasmin took a taxi to the ski resort. As she got out of the car, she saw Ivan standing at the entrance, waiting for her. He was dressed in a white sportswear. As the breeze brushed by, he looked refreshing and charming. ¡°Mr. Burke!¡± Yasmin smiled as she walked over. Ivan looked at her quietly. When she walked up to him, he presented arge bunch of pink daisies. ¡°I bought it on the way, thinking it would suit you.¡± Yasmin paused for a moment, not expecting she would receive flowers someday. She took them and sniffed. ¡°Why do people always choose pink color for me?¡± People liked to buy her pink stuff. Ivan pondered for a moment. ¡°Subconsciously, I think pink suits you.¡± And that was the reason. They walked in together. Ivan asked, ¡°Have you eaten?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree that I would treat you to a meal today?¡± Yasmin nced sideways at him with a faint smile. Ivan was mesmerized by her smile. He smiled, ¡°That¡¯s right, but it might not happen today. I ran into some friends just now, and I guess we¡¯ll have to join them for the meal.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Yasmin agreed, Sure.¡± Ivan led her into the restaurant, and she saw Erik sitting at a table. He was ke¡¯s childhood friend. She was a bit surprised as she never expected him to be friends with Ivan. Erik looked at the daisies in her hand. He frowned deeply as if he was looking at a skank ¡°Have a seat.¡± Ivan pulled out a chair for Yasmin. She sat down with the flowers in her hands. Instantly, chaos circted the table. Someone asked, ¡°Did Mr. Burke give you the flowers?¡± Yasmin replied meekly, ¡°Mm¨Chmm.¡± So, you¡¯re his girlfriend?¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s not official, she¡¯s special. He¡¯s never brought a date before. You¡¯re the first one. You must be his true love.¡± A bunch of people chattered away, making Yasmin feel a bit ufortable. She looked. somewhat constrained. Ivan said, ¡°You guys are overwhelming her.¡± The group apologized to her, ¡°Oh, sorry about that.¡± After introducing everyone, Ivan poured her a cup of warm water. ¡°Have some water.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± Yasmin sipped the water. Ivan proceeded to help her with the dishes, bustling around the table. His friends looked at bit surprised as they saw it. A girl whispered to Yasmin, ¡°Mr. Burke isn¡¯t usually this attentive. You¡¯re the special one.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Yasmin looked at her. The girl exined, ¡°Despite his refined appearance, he¡¯s actually quite aloof. Usually, he would sit quietly and not talk much. But today, you seem to bring out his thoughtful side.¡± Yasmin stole a nce at Ivan. He was engrossed in conversation with someone else, wearing gold¨C rimmed sses that entuated his prominent nose. Indeed, he was a reserved man. However, for some reason, he was exceptionally considerate toward her. As Yasmin was about to avert her gaze, she locked eyes with Erik. His gaze was gloomy as he slightly lifted his chin, asking her to talk outside. Understanding his gesture, Yasmin made an excuse about going to the restroom and went out. Erik was waiting for her in the corridor outside. As she appeared, he immediately gave her a cold look. ¡°How dare you betray ke?¡± + Chapter 73 Chapter 73 It turned out that Erik, being a friend of ke¡¯s, wanted to confront her for being disloyal. Vasmin smiled, ¡°Isn¡¯t it the same for ke Ford? He cheated on me with Giselle O¡¯Shea.¡± Erik said, ¡°That¡¯s different. They grew up together, and their bond is unique.¡± Yasmin said, ¡°Oh, so his affair is called a ¡®unique bond,¡® and me knowing someone is called ¡® cheating. Is that what you mean?¡± She was annoyed. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a double standard?¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Erik red at her coldly. ¡°Regardless, you can¡¯t cheat on ke. ke and Ivan Burke are my friends. I won¡¯t allow you to y with their feelings.¡± He sounded very impulsive. Yasmin felt it was impossible to reason with him. Hence, she said, ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you tell ke about this?¡± Erik raised an eyebrow. ¡°If I tell ke, he would probably cause a scene with Ivan Burke. They¡¯re both my friends. I¡¯m here to urge you to stop stirring up trouble.¡± Yasmin stroked her forehead in resignation. It was difficult to talk some sense into him. She said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Go ahead and tell him. He¡¯s aware of this.¡± Erik asked, ¡°ke knows about this?¡± Yasmin hummed in acknowledgment. Erik frowned deeply, seeming skeptical about her words. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that he would get back at you for cheating on him? Given his style, you wouldn¡¯t stand a chance of staying in Stanton City.¡± Yasmin sighed, ¡°Go ahead and tell ke. Do it now.¡± With that, she turned and left. Erik wore a grim look and made a call to ke. ¡°ke, Do you know your wife is out there having a date with another man?¡± As ke received the call, his gaze darkened. ¡°Which ski resort are they at?¡± Erik was stunned. ke really knew about it. Yasmin returned to her seat, and the group almost finished their meals. They suggested going skiing. Yasmin headed to the changing room to change into her skiing gear. Suddenly, she received a WhatsApp message from Annalise. Annalise: ¡°Yasmin, deepen your rtionship with Ivan Burke. Try to divorce ke this month. My birthday is next month. I¡¯m nning to have ke and Giselle engaged on that day.¡± Yasmin read the message quietly. She wondered how the rtionship between Annalise and Giselle could develop so rapidly in just a few days. It must be because of the power of a grandchild. Yasmin was a bit absent-minded. As she came out, she saw the girls at the tabl gather together to chatter. ¡°I heard that Mr. Ford ising.¡± ¡°Who are you talking about?¡± just now ¡°The CEO of Windmere Group, ke Ford. This ski resort is one of his investments. You guys must know him, right?¡± Yasmin halted at their words. She was stunned that ke wasing over. Erik really told him about it. What a predicament. But it might be a good opportunity to provoke ke, making him bring up their divorce. As Yasmin entered the ski area, she immediately noticed Erik¡¯s gaze fixed on her. He looked. icy and arrogant. It was as if he was saying, ¡°You¡¯re in deep trouble!¡± Unfazed, she casually made her way to Ivan¡¯s side. Ivan helped her to put on the protective gear. At the same time, they noticed a group of people approaching from a distance. Sensing something, Yasmin turned her head. ke led the way in his sleek ck sportswear as Giselle, Joel, and others apanied him. They were incredibly good¨Clooking as they slowly walked over, looking like a scene straight out of a drama series. Ivan nced at them and asked Yasmin, ¡°Why is Mr. Ford here?¡± Yasmin withdrew her gaze and adjusted her gloves. ¡°Erik Hayes called him over.¡± Ivan¡¯s confusion grew. ¡°How did you know? Do you know Mr. Hayes? ¡°He¡¯s ke Ford¡¯s childhood friend.¡± Yasmin decided to drop it since the situation got more complicated when she exined. She continued, ¡°Never mind, it¡¯s none of our business. Let¡¯s just ski.¡± Ivan said, ¡°Okay¡± ke and his entourage walked over. Erik was dressed in a light blue ski outfit. He jogged over and pointed in Yasmin¡¯s direction. ¡°ke, did you see that? Your wife is out ther dating another man!¡± Chapter 74 Chapter 74 ke looked over. Dressed in a light pink skiing outfit and wearing colorful skiing goggles, Yasmin was practicing skiing under the guidance of Ivan. ke could not see her expression, but a faint smile lit up her face. Apparently, she was having fun. ke withdrew his gaze as he furrowed his brows. Yasmin deliberately did not look at him. She knew he had arrived, drawing the attention of all the girls present. However, she was determined not to let him influence her emotions. Without ncing in his direction, she focused on practicing skiing with Ivan. She was practicing on a snowboard, simr to skateboarding. After fastening the buckles, Ivan held her hand to help her stand up. However, as soon as she rose, she lost her bnce. and was about to fall. ¡°Be careful!¡± Ivan gripped her hand and steadied her. From a distance, someone¡¯s gaze noticeably darkened. Yasmin could sense it, but she urged herself not to care about it. She smiled at Ivan, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s normal to have a few bumps and bruises when you¡¯re new to skiing.¡± Ivan led her by the hands as they glided slowly through the snow. Erik watched them coldly. Then, he turned and asked ke, ¡°ke, this woman is openly cheating on you. Does it not bother you?¡± ke¡¯s expression grew darker at the words ¡°cheating on¡°. Sitting beside ke, Giselle softly exined, ¡°Erik, you¡¯ve misunderstood. Yasmin and ke¡¯s rtionship is essentially an arranged marriage. They have no feelings for each other and have gone their separate ways for a while.¡± Erik and Joel were momentarily stunned at her words. ¡°What do you mean they¡¯ve gone their separate ways?¡± Erik was confused. Giselle said, ¡°It means their marriage is in name only. They¡¯re not together and don¡¯t interfere in each other¡¯s romantic affairs. In a way, they¡¯re like strangers.¡± Erik might believe it, but Joel did not fall for it. ke liked to make love with Yasmin in a rough way. It was unlikely for them not to have feelings for each other and to go their separate ways. As he watched Giselle pull Erik aside, Joel looked sideways at ke and asked, ¡°ke, is it true? Have you and Yasmin gone your separate ways? ke did not answer. Meanwhile, Erik asked Giselle, ¡°If they¡¯ve really gone their separate ways, why doesn¡¯t ke just divorce her and be with you?¡± Giselle wore a mournful expression. ¡°You know Yasmin¡¯s dad orchestrated this marriage. They got the goods on ke. He can¡¯t just walk away so easily.¡± Indeed, the entire group was aware that ke was coerced into the marriage. Giselle asked, ¡°Erik, I¡¯ve got a bold request. And I¡¯m wondering if you would do me a favor?¡± From N?velDrama.Org. Erik said, ¡°Go on.¡± Looking at him, Giselle continued, ¡°Actually, I know why Yasmin refused to divorce. She might be hoping to find a wealthy partner before leaving ke.¡± She implied that Yasmin was a gold digger. 1 Erik¡¯s gaze darkened. Giselle looked troubled. ¡°Now Yasmin¡¯s seeing Ivan. If Ivan¡¯s into her, she¡¯s likely to agree to divorce. But¡­¡® Erik looked at her. ¡°But what?¡± Giselle sighed, ¡°I just have a feeling that Yasmin isn¡¯t as innocent as she seems. Ivan¡¯s my friend. I¡¯m afraid that he might get hurt.¡± She stopped short of exining further. The implication was clear¨Cshe wanted Erik to teach Yasmin a lesson. Erik roughly grasped her meaning and nced at Yasmin in the snow. She was having a good time with Ivan. Erik¡¯s eyes flickered, and an idea suddenly came to him. He eximed inwardly, ¡°A gold digger, huh?¡± With that, he decided to pursue Yasmin and then dump her, making her regret it for the rest of her life! Chapter 75 Chapter 75 At the snowfield, Ivan said gently, ¡°Yasmin, when you¡¯re skiing, don¡¯t focus on the ground. Look ahead.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Yasmin nodded and lifted her gaze. She then locked eyes with ke. He sat there, a staff member kneeling to attach the snowboard to his feet. His face bore a cold and grim expression. Their eyes met. He was ring at her. Yasmin was startled, and her heart raced. Then, her speed spiraled out of control. She thought she was about to fall, and her eyes widened in terror. ¡°Help!¡± she could not help but scream. Beside her, Ivan wore a smirk as he scooped her up. She practically pounced on him, pressing against his chest. After the initial bump, he took a step back, managing to maintain his grip on her. They looked at each other in the snow, and the scene resembled a romantic drama. ¡°Oh my goodness! That¡¯s like a scene from a romantic drama.¡± Joel was sitting next to ke, pping his thigh.. He continued, ¡°Now would be the perfect timing for some music. I feel like falling in love by just watching it.¡± ke gave him a cold side¨Ceye. ¡°No one would mistake you for a mute if you don¡¯t speak.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s romantic. Apliment won¡¯t hurt.¡± Joel sensed his displeasure and proceeded to add fuel to the fire. He added, ¡°But it¡¯s genuinely romantic. I¡¯m not lying.¡± ¡°I also think they would make a great couple,¡± Gisellemented as she looked in Yasmin¡¯s direction. Joel said, ¡°Right? They¡¯re indeed a lovely couple, just like the characters from a romantic drama.¡± Giselle hummed in agreement as she sat down. 1 ke remained silent until he noticed Yasmin looking in their direction from a distance. He immediately averted his gaze and turned his head to Giselle. ¡°Do you want to try it? I can teach you.¡± Giselle was surprised that ke volunteered to teach her skiing because he usually ignored her all the time. She looked up and saw Yasmin watching them. Then, she understood that it was because of Yasmin¡¯s gaze. She subtly clenched her fists and smiled gently, ¡°I can¡¯t y. Don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m pregnant. I can¡¯t engage in strenuous exercise.¡± Even though she wore skiing attire, she did not participate. She was there forpany and to take some selfies. 1 Picking up her phone, she was about to ask ke and Joel to look at the camera. However, ke grabbed his ski pole and slid away. Giselle¡¯s frozen smile remained on the phone. Joel chuckled, ¡°ke has always been this way. Taking photos is not his thing. Don¡¯t mind him.¡± With that, he also glided away. Giselle remained alone in the resting area. Peering through the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows, she watched the people outside having a great time in the snow. Joel slid over to Yasmin¡¯s side and greeted her with a smile, ¡°Hi, Yasmin. How¡¯s my best friend¡¯s darling doing?¡± Upon hearing his address, Ivan slightly frowned as he looked coldly at Joel¡¯s charming face. Joel smiled at him, ¡°Hi, Mr. Burke.¡± Ivan asked in disdain, ¡°Did you alle together?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Joel admitted. They all belonged to the upper ss and had business connections. Hence, they knew each other. Joel asked Ivan, ¡°Can I have a word with my best friend¡¯s darling?¡± Ivan nced at Yasmin. Yasmin said, ¡°Dr. Sawyer, I¡¯m not your best friend¡¯s darling anymore.¡± ¡°Oops! Sorry.¡± Joel approached and took Yasmin away. ¡°Come on, Yasmin. Let me teach you, an and we can chat.¡± With that, he dragged Yasmin away. Yasmin was on the snowboard as Joel dragged her effortlessly for a distance. He asked, ¡± Yasmin, what¡¯s going on? How did you and ke go your separate ways?¡± From N?velDrama.Org. Yasmin replied candidly, ¡°He cheated on me, and I did the same thing.¡± Joel¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°Yasmin, navigating marriage can be challenging. But there¡¯s no turning back once you give up.¡± Chapter 76 Chapter 76 ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell ke that?¡± Yasminughed at him and continued, ¡°Now that he already has a child with someone else, what¡¯s the point of telling me these now?¡± ¡°Perhaps the child is not ke¡¯s?¡± Joel hinted. Although he did not think ke was the child¡¯s father, he could not reveal anything if ke chose not to exin. Yasmin was momentarily stunned, but she quickly dismissed the thought and said, ¡°No, it¡¯s impossible. Why would he care so much if the child is not his?¡± Indeed. Joel, too, could not understand this part. ke was particrly attentive to the child in Giselle¡¯s belly, but he refused to exin why. No one could fathom his thoughts. Joel then said, ¡°I still think you should think this through. If you really end up with Ivan, then you and ke will never be like you used to be.¡± Yasmin couldn¡¯t bother with that anymore. From N?velDrama.Org. Looking at the snowboard under her feet, she said, ¡°I just wish we could get a divorce as soon as possible.¡± Taken aback, Joel asked, ¡°Have you guys reached the point of divorce now?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she replied, ncing at him. ¡°Dr. Sawyer, if you really want to help, tell ke to sign the divorce papers.¡± ¡°Is ke disagreeing with the divorce?¡± ¡°Yeah, he said because my dad plotted against him, he wants to torment me for the rest of my life,¡± said Yasmin truthfully. Dumbfounded, Joel turned to nce at ke and found him looking over in their direction. with a cold gaze. Did he look like a person who was out for revenge? Or perhaps he was so deep in affection that he had not realized it? As Joel pondered, Yasmin struggled to surf on the single snowboard beside him. She was slowly getting the hang of it, even though she seemed clumsy in her movements. Suddenly, someone skied past behind her and gave her a push on the back. She lost bnce and slid down the slope. 1.7 From behind, she could hear Joel shouting, ¡°Erik Hayes!¡± Yasmin¡¯s screams echoed through the air. She had just heard Joel shout Erik¡¯s name. He must be the one who pushed her. The whistling wind swept past her ears as she descended, and she was so frightened that her breath almost stopped. In a daze, she remembered the technique Ivan had taught her. She adjusted her breathing and sat down slowly. Whether she would survive the fall or not, it was up to fate to decide. Hearing her cries, ke and Ivan¡¯s expressions changed, and they immediately slid in her direction. Scared, Yasmin hugged herself and stared nkly at the vast expanse of white snow in front of her. It only dawned on her that someone had halted her when she fell into a pair of strong arms. Then, without warning, her snowboard slid down a little more. Her head bumped into ke¡¯s waist, and he groaned. Blushed, she dared not lift her head. ¡°Did you do that on purpose?¡± With a darkened face, ke tried to help her up. With a flushed face and wobbly legs, she tried to stand up, but in her haste, she ended up pulling him down again onto the snowy ground. The two embraced each other firmly. With Yasmin underneath and ke on top, they rolled. down the slope. Yasmin screamed. ke grunted, ¡°Hold onto me.¡± Yasmin said, ¡°Okay!¡± Holding on tightly, she caught the crisp scent of pine trees as they whizzed through the air. Abruptly, their bodies jolted, and they descended into a snow pit in unison. ke¡¯s expression changed. Instinctively, he pushed her away and tumbled into the pit himself. Yasmin, whonded on him, suffered no harm due to the cushioning. She had not expected ke toe to her rescue. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She looked up at him, but hey beneath her, motionless. + Chapter 77 Chapter 77 ¡°ke?¡± Afraid that something had happened to him, Yasmin crawled over and removed his snow goggles. The face she found under the goggles was tense. Staring at her, ke said, ¡°There¡¯s a chance my leg is broken.¡± Having fallen into the pit just now, he heard a snap. The situation appeared to be quite serious. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Yasmin was panicking. She quickly got off him and examined his leg. ¡°Which leg?¡± she asked. ¡°Left leg,¡± ke replied. She reached out and pressed his left leg. ¡°Is it here?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± As if in pain, he furrowed his brows and instructed, ¡°Call for help.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± With no time to waste, she looked up at the edge of the pit. Ivan and the others had already arrived. Everyone stood above, their faces showing concern. ¡°Are you both okay?¡± Ivan asked. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The snow pit was over 3.2 feet deep. If they were injured, it shouldn¡¯t be too serious. Yasmin climbed off ke and looked up, answering, ¡°I¡¯m fine, but ke seems to have injured his leg. He can¡¯t move. We need to call an ambnce.¡± Half an hourter, ke was lifted into an ambnce. Feeling guilty, Yasmin said, ¡°Mr. Burke, ke got injured because of me. I have to go to the hospital to take care of him. I¡¯ll leave first. We¡¯ll talk next time.¡± ¡°Okay, be careful on the road,¡± said Ivan as he saw her off onto the ambnce. When ke, who was lying inside the ambnce, saw it was Yasmin who was going to escort him to the hospital, he said, ¡°I¡¯m seriously injured here, and you still have the heart to flirt with your lover in front of me?¡± Yasmin frowned and answered, ¡°Lover? Flirting? I was just saying goodbye to him.¡± ¡°You broke my leg, and you¡¯re speaking with so much confidence?¡± Speaking of which, Yasmin indeed felt guilty for hurting ke. Lowering her head, she said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that why I¡¯ming to the hospital with you to take care of you?¡± That was more like it. ke closed his eyes, and they headed to the hospital. Joel put on his white coat as soon as he reached the hospital and followed a group of doctors into the operating room. The others waited outside. Giselle asked, ¡°What happened just now? How did you guys fall? Yasmin looked up at Erik, who was standing in the corner. Since there was a hint of sorrow in his eyes, he was probably already aware that he had caused trouble. ¡®It was my fault. I identally bumped into her,¡± said Erik, admitting his mistake voluntarily. ¡°I just wanted to scare her. I didn¡¯t expect her to fall.¡± Yasmin did not quite believe him. She thought he had pushed her down the slope intentionally because he harbored prejudice against her. Upon hearing that Erik took the me, Giselle¡¯s expression softened. ¡°No more next time. Skiing is very dangerous.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Erik replied, looking remorseful, likely feeling as bad as he looked. Yasmin ignored them and waited in one corner, feeling strangely uneasy. It was because of her that ke broke his leg. There was no way she could feel at ease now. Erik suddenly said, ¡°Giselle, you¡¯re pregnant. Go back and rest. I¡¯ll wait here.¡± ¡°How can I leave when ke is still in there?¡± said Giselle, shaking her head.. With her hand supporting her waist, she insisted on waiting outside the operating room. Erik looked guilty. As time passed, Yasmin¡¯s heart remained in suspense. After half an hour, Joel walked out of the operating room. Noticing the movement, Yasmin looked up and saw Giselle walking over to ask, ¡°Joel, how is ke?¡± ¡°ke has a minor fracture in his left leg.¡± 213 Everyone breathed a sigh of relief after learning that it was only a minor fracture. The tense atmosphere gradually dispersed. Yasmin quietly exhaled, finally feeling a bit relieved. + Chapter 78 Chapter 78 ¡°ke will be getting a cast, and there¡¯s no need for hospitalization. After half an hour of observation, he¡¯s free to go home.¡± After lo Joel finished speaking, he scanned the corridor to look for Yasmin. When he saw her, he waved at her. Yasmin pointed to herself and asked, ¡°Are you calling me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Giselle nced at Yasmin as thetter approached. Joel continued, ¡°ke will require bed rest once he¡¯s home. The recovery might take two to three weeks. I¡¯ll make regr visits for follow¨Cup examinations and to change bandages. I trust you to look after him well.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Yasmin agreed. Since she was the reason for ke¡¯s leg fracture, she epted the responsibility to care for him. However, Giselle, who stood beside her, wasn¡¯t thrilled. As ke¡¯s girlfriend, she questioned why Joel entrusted this duty to Yasmin. With Erik by her side, Giselle entered the ward to check on ke. Leaning on the hospital bed, his left leg immobilized in a cast, he showcased his usual striking appearance, marked by thick hair and a sharp nose. Yet, his lowered gaze conveyed a frail and chilly demeanor. As soon as Erik entered, he apologized to ke. ¡°ke, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Why apologize?¡± said ke, looking straight at him. ¡°It was my fault,¡± said Erik, with his head down, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t pushed Yasmin, she wouldn¡¯t down the slope.¡± have gone ke frowned. ¡°It was you who pushed her?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Erik, feeling very guilty. Giselle quickly exined, ¡°Erik didn¡¯t do it on purpose. He was just messing around with Yasmin at the time. He didn¡¯t expect her to fall so easily and cause you harm. Erik knows his mistake already.¡± She spoke gently, exining on Erik¡¯s behalf, but ke merely nced at Erik and sternly. stated, ¡°The person you should apologize to isn¡¯t me. Erik understood right away what he meant. He was telling him to apologize to Yasmin Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. instead. Outside the ward, after everyone had departed, Joel whispered, ¡°Yasmin, when you ke fell, did he also get injured in that area?¡± That area? Like the crotch? and As soon as she heard this, she broke out in a cold sweat and nervously asked, ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit swollen on one side,¡± replied Joel, still whispering. ¡°Did you hit it when you fell?¡± ¡°Oh no,¡± she thought. She was wearing a helmet and snow goggles when she fell, and that impact must have been quite severe. Worried, she asked, ¡°Is everything okay?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure at the moment, but you¡¯ll need to apply some medicine to reduce the swelling and bruising when you get back,¡± Joel borated. ¡°I¡¯ll go get the medicine now. You head over to ke¡¯s ward, and I¡¯ll see you there.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Yasmin responded. At first, she was not so concerned, but after hearing about this, she began worrying again. She prayed that nothing serious would happen. Otherwise, she would be in trouble. ke would use this as an excuse to take revenge on her. She turned to go to the ward. Just as she reached the door, she heard Giselle saying, ¡°ke, your leg is injured, and you need to rest for at least half a month. Why don¡¯t I move to Oak Garden and look after you?¡± ¡°No need,¡± ke calmly refused her. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant. You should be resting.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll look after you, ke. It was my fault that you were hurt. I¡¯ll move to Oak Garden, Erik volunteered. ¡°No need,¡± ke rejected him too. Raising his eyes, he noticed Yasmin entering, and with a subdued tone, There¡¯s someone at home looking after me.¡± His words were intended for her. he Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Yasmin thought the same. She knew she was the cause of ke¡¯s fractured leg, and he would undoubtedly me her for past and present grievances. Anticipating his lingering resentment, she stood silently on the side, refraining from uttering a single word. The other two also noticed Yasmin entering. Giselle then said, ¡°Yasmin, please take good care of ke. Also, let¡¯s exchange our contact numbers. If you need help with ke, feel free to reach out to me via WhatsApp.¡± Yasmin had no choice but to save her number. Now a culprit, she could not evade her responsibility. Not long after, Joel came in with the ointment for ke. Finally, she could go home. As soon as she settled into ke¡¯s car, a sense of relief washed over her. Dealing with Giselle was something she genuinely disliked. Being around her felt stifling, as if every word she uttered was carefully calcted and weighed. Back home, ke was assisted to the master bedroom on the second floor. Yasmin took a pillow and ced it under his injured leg. Turning to him, she asked, ¡°Is there anything else I need to do?¡± ke looked at her and said, ¡°I got injured because of you. You¡¯ll have to stay and attend to my needs.¡± ¡°I know,¡± she answered, lowering her gaze. Her submissive appearance made him feel much better. ¡°Just give me any orders. I¡¯ll do whatever I can to help you,¡± Yasmin added. ¡°I¡¯m hungry now,¡± said ke. Yasmin nodded and went downstairs to ask the housekeeper. ¡°Mary, is dinner ready?¡± ¡°It will be ready soon,¡± said Mary as she ted herst dish. Yasmin said, ¡°Mary, prepare some mild food for the next few weeks. ke¡¯s leg is injured, so he needs a light diet.¡± Mary replied, ¡°Alright.¡± Yasmin fetched a bowl, scooped some soup, and brought it upstairs, along with a few dishes for ke. He was sitting on the bed with a furrowed brow. She walked over and ced the dishes on the bedside table, asking. ¡°Is your leg hurting?¡± ¡°No,¡± he replied, still frowning. Yasmin suddenly remembered what Joel said, so she lowered her head and asked, ¡°Is it hurting there?¡± He followed her gaze down to his waist and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Who told you?¡± he questioned. ¡°Dr. Sawyer told me.¡± ke¡¯s face turned sour. Guessing that ke was embarrassed, Yasmin lowered her voice and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Dr. Sawyer only told me. No one else knows.¡± He said nothing, but his expression turned even darker. She then said softly, ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just swollen. It probably won¡¯t affect anything once it heals. You don¡¯t need to worry too much.¡± After absorbing that information, ke¡¯s face shadowed over. Yasmin then took out a tube of ointment and said, ¡°Dr. Sawyer prescribed this ointment. He said to apply it three times a day¨Cmorning, noon, and night.¡± Finally unable to hold back, ke red at her and questioned, ¡°Are you doing this intentionally? Are you deliberately saying these things to annoy me now that I¡¯m injured and bedridden?¡± ¡°No, of course not. Dr. Sawyer specifically told me this. I just didn¡¯t want you to carry too much burden in your heart, so I was trying tofort you,¡± she exined. ¡°Is that so?¡± he scoffed, not believing her at all. He tossed the ointment onto her and said, ¡°Since you care so much about me, why note and apply the ointment for me?¡± Yasmin was bbergasted. ¡°You want me to apply it for you?¡± she asked in disbelief. ¡°Yes, it was you who caused the injury. If you didn¡¯t hit me with your helmet, I wouldn¡¯t have had to go through this pain now, would I?¡± Embarrassed, she replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. I couldn¡¯t control my speed when I s down like that.¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°That helmet is incredibly heavy,¡± he grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Yasmin apologized, her face red from the embarrassment. Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Yasmin had seen simr scenes in short videos before. She hadughed at them, thinking that they were hrious. The idea that one day such an incident would happen to her never crossed her mind. Being directly involved, she didn¡¯t see any humor in the situation and felt genuinely wretched about being in that position. ¡°Didn¡¯t ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re sorry?¡± asked ke with a straight face. ¡°If you¡¯re truly sorry, then show it with some substantial care, not just empty words.¡± Under his stern gaze, Yasmin felt a bit embarrassed. ¡°I really do want to apologize sincerely,¡± she said. ¡°Then help me apply the ointment.¡± Yasmin was speechless for a while. Then, as if she had figured something out, she carefully asked, ¡°Do you seriously want me to help you apply the ointment?¡± ke snorted and turned his head away. ¡°Okay.¡± ¨C her courage,: extended her hand toward the waistband of his pants. He was donned in today¡¯s suit pants, but a section of the pant leg had been removed to amodate the cast. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked, looking over. She gripped the zipper with her fingers, her face flushing as she uttered, ¡°I¡¯m applying the ointment for you. Endure it for a bit, and let me know if it hurts.¡± With that, she lowered his pants, and ke¡¯s breathing became a bit more pronounced. Yasmin, though terribly embarrassed, maintained a fa?ade ofposure. She felt a responsibility for her actions. The pants were now snagged due to the cast. So, she suggested, ¡°Considering your leg injury, should I use scissors to cut your pants open?¡± He was merely teasing her and didn¡¯t really want her to apply the ointment. Yet, every time he nced down and caught sight of her flushed face, a sense of diminished anger overcame him. ¡°Go ahead and cut it,¡± he said. ¡°Okay.¡± Yasmin retrieved a pair of scissors and motioned toward his pant leg, eliciting a frown from ke. Sheughed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Afraid I¡¯ll cut you?¡± ¡°Be careful with that.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± She positioned the scissors and began cutting along the pant leg, not forgetting to say, ¡°Rx. I won¡¯t cut you.¡± The cold scissors glided over his skin as he had his eyes closed. After cutting away the entire pant leg, his long leg was revealed. A brief nce caused Yasmin to blush anew, impressed by ke¡¯s well¨Cmaintained physique resulting from regr workouts. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Too embarrassed to look?¡± he chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll get a robe for you to put on first,¡± she said with a flushed face. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. She was too afraid to look, so she walked to the end of the bed and picked up the robe. Suddenly, the awkwardness hit her. She now had to help him put on the robe, which was at bit troublesome. After some thought, she sat next to him, lifted him, and draped the robe over him. ¡°Raise your arms,¡± she said, holding him while helping him dress. The aroma of cedar lingered at the tip of her nose. As she looked up, she met his handsome face. With a shy demeanor, she quietly assisted him in putting on the robe. Her neck was exposed to ke¡¯s prating gaze. As he squinted, a deepening intensity shaded his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re always so slow when changing clothes,¡± he said, his warm breath brushing against her neck. Yasmin stiffened and retorted, ¡°I¡¯m just afraid of hurting your leg.¡± ¡°Or perhaps you fear that I might awaken feelings in your heart?¡± She frowned and said, ¡°If you keep talking, I won¡¯t help you apply the ointment. I¡¯ll get Mary to do it.¡± ¡°You heartless woman,¡± he retorted. Yasmin found herself momentarily lost in a daze. The current exchange brought back memories of the past. There were moments when, in the right mood, ke would affectionately address her as ¡°baby¡± in bed. As she thought of those memories, her face flushed even more. Swiftly, she shook her head, determined not to let her thoughts stray. ¡°The robe is on. Lie down, and I¡¯ll apply the ointment for you.¡± She proceeded to assist him in settling onto the Chapter 81 Chapter 81 pillow. Quietly, he reclined with closed eyes. Yasmin removed the cap from the ointment and inspected his wound. She hesitated once more. The injury was situated at the bottom, requiring her to adjust things to properly apply the ointment. Frowning, she contemted whether to go ahead with it or not. Despite having seen ke¡¯s manhood several times, their rtionship was not at its best. They hadn¡¯t shared a bed for quite some time, making the situation a bit awkward for her. ¡°Not done yet?¡± asked ke as he opened his eyes. Yasmin remained silent, her expression revealing a sense of unease. Observing her difort, he nced down at himself, seeminglyprehending her thoughts, and smirked. Seeing his smirk, she gathered her courage, dabbed some ointment on her index finger, and reached dowTL As the ointment made contact with the wound, ke¡¯s breath caught. He then spoke in a husky voice, ¡°Be careful.¡± ¡°Be careful with what?¡± She raised her head to look at him. From N?velDrama.Org. His gaze deepened as he said, ¡°Be careful not to touch where you shouldn¡¯t.¡± Yasmin was at a loss for words. What was that supposed to mean? How could he think she would want to touch anything when she had zero intention of doing that? Feeling a bit discontent, she intentionally applied a bit more pressure on the wound. ke inhaled sharply and said through gritted teeth, ¡°Yasmin Starr!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She looked at him, a mischievous smile ying on her lips. ke gave her a stern look and said, ¡°Even now, you¡¯re trying to seduce me. Are you looking for trouble?¡± Yasmin was speechless yet again. She was trying to hurt him, not seduce him! He squinted and added, ¡°You¡¯ll see what I¡¯ll do to you when I recover.¡± She sighed helplessly and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± He did not believe her. With a hoarse voice, he said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you used to enjoy seducing me every time I was home from work? Did you really think I didn¡¯t see through your little schemes, with you wearing those revealing nightdresses every day?¡± Tongue¨Ctied, she blushed deeply. She indeed did such things in the past. She liked ke, and on top of her mother¨Cinw¡¯s instructions, she wanted to have a baby to stabilize the marriage. Despite her efforts, she failed to secure his affection and consequently evolved into a maniptive woman in his view. It seemed her every calcted seduction from the past had only been met with his silent scorn. ¡°I was foolish then,¡± she blurted out. Believing she could win his love, she hadmitted several foolish acts. However, she vowed not to repeat those mistakes. Yasmin let out a sigh, packed her things, and got ready to leave. Seeing her leaving, ke asked, ¡°Are you leaving already?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going downstairs to eat,¡± she replied and made her way downstairs. Mary brought her some dishes and asked, ¡°Mrs. Ford, how is Mr. Ford?¡± ¡°Nothing serious. Dr. Sawyer said he just needs to rest for half a month,¡± Yasmin answered. Mary was relieved to hear that. After finishing her meal, Yasmin went upstairs to take a shower. While drying her hair, she noticed a call from Eunice. Yasmin then settled by the window and answered the phone. ¡°Hello, Eunice. I want to take a few days off.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°ke broke his leg, and I need to look after him at home.¡± ¡°Why do you need to look after him? You two are divorcing soon, so get his mistress to look after him instead. Aren¡¯t they boasting about their love story online? It¡¯s time for Giselle to show her love and tenderness.¡± ¡°Ugh, don¡¯t mention it,¡± she sighed. ¡°This time, ke got injured because of me. He got hurt saving me.¡± Shen then exined the skiing incident to Eunice, who frowned and said, ¡°Well, you do need to take care of him in that case. But what about the coboration with NAS Group? Are we still considering to work with them?¡± ¡°I think we can proceed.¡± Based on Yasmin¡¯s recent understanding he seemed like a gentleman. of Eunice said, ¡°How¡¯s your hand now? Can you draw?¡± Yasmin raised her hand and looked at it before saying, ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll draw some sketches in the next few days. When it¡¯s time to discuss the coboration, I¡¯ll just present them with the sketches.¡± Chapter 82 Chapter 82 ¡°Alright,¡± Eunice agreed. From N?velDrama.Org. The following day, Yasmin was roused from her sleep by the ringing of her phone. She drowsily grabbed it, and the screen illuminated with ke¡¯s name. Sensing it might be something significant, she answered, her voice soft andnguid, ¡°Hello. ke did not speak for a while. ¡°Hello? Why aren¡¯t you talking? Did you dial the wrong number?¡± She was about to hang up when ke said, ¡°I need to pee. So, it was just an early morning bathroom call. Understanding the task, Yasmin nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡± She sat up, rubbed her eyes, and went to the master bedroom. Upon hearing some movement, ke nced up and spotted her in a light pink nightgown, gracefully approaching him in the morning light, exuding charm and enchantment. His gaze intensified. She bent down and asked, ¡°You need to pee?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you up,¡± she said, lifting the nket. Under the nket, ke wore a loose sleeping robe. His robust chest suddenly caught her eyes. Yasmin hesitated for a moment before turning her head away. Her ears had reddened. He chuckled, got up, and shifted his weight onto her. Yasmin grimaced. ¡°Oh, God! You¡¯re so heavy.¡± ¡°Well, why are you so short?¡± he teased, ring at her. She crinkled her nose and muttered, ¡°I¡¯m not short. I¡¯m five feet six inches tall. I have a standard model figure. It¡¯s just that you¡¯re too tall.¡± ke smiled. This used to be their usual dynamic in the past. She would oftenin about him, but on asion, she would yfully tease and even be flirtatious. She was vibrant and adorable. There were moments when he couldn¡¯t resist the urge to pat her on the head. The two entered the bathroom together. When they reached the toilet, Yasmin felt awkward again, mainly because she yed the role of ke¡¯s crutch and couldn¡¯t just walk away. ke, on the other hand, was quite natural. He reached down and untied his sleeping robe. Yasmin immediately looked up, not daring to say a word. She was waiting for him to finish quickly. Hearing the sound of water, she quietly breathed a sigh of relief. She needed only to endure a little longer. Suddenly, for some unknown reason, she lowered her head to take a look and blushed so intensely that her ears seemed to emit smoke. When she turned her head, she encountered ke¡¯s meaningful gaze. Her heart skipped a beat, and she turned away, unsure of where to direct her gaze. He couldn¡¯t help but curl his lips and tease, ¡°Why? Brave enough to take a peek, but you have no guts to look at me directly?¡± ¡°I did not!¡± she said while fanning herself with one hand. ¡°Are you done? I want to go back to sleep.¡± y 9:00 am,¡± he remarked. ¡°It¡¯s already 9:00 am,¡± She groaned. ¡°It¡¯s already past 9:00 am?¡± ¡°Yes, are you still daydreaming?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± She did not expect time to pass so quickly. Yasmin helped him back to bed and asked, ¡°Are you hungry? Do you want breakfast?¡± ke nodded indifferently. Just as she was about to bring breakfast up, her phone rang. It was a call from Ivan. She answered, ¡°Hello, Mr. Burke.¡± ¡°Please, call me Ivan,¡± said Ivan from the other end. He was sipping his coffee in a cool and distant demeanor. ¡°Okay, resting. Yasmin responded and looked behind her at ke, who had his eyes closed while Then, she thought of her mother¨Cinw¡¯s words. She had asked her to develop a good rtionship with Ivan and divorce ke as soon as possible. 273 So, Yasmin changed her tone, and with a sweet voice, she said, ¡°Ivan, hi!¡± Abruptly, ke opened his eyes, and a frigid gaze emanated, piercing through like daggers. Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Ivan asked, ¡°Yasmin, was everything okay after you went back yesterday? Did you get hurt?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. It was ke who got injured. I¡¯m fine. ¡°Okay.¡± Since ke was the one injured, Ivan did not need to care much. He paused and said, ¡°Regarding the coboration we discussed earlier, have you thought about it?¡± ¡°I think we can proceed,¡± Yasmin replied with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve been drawing at hometely. Once I finish, I¡¯ll contact you, and then we can discuss details.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Ivan did not want to pressure her too much as long as things were progressing. After a few more words, he hung up. Yasmin put away her phone with a faint smile on her face. Just as she was about to go downstairs, ke called out, ¡°Yasmin.¡± She turned around to find his tense face staring back at her. From the bed, he asked, ¡°Are you really going to coborate with Ivan?¡± Yasmin hesitated for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So, you don¡¯t find anything wrong?¡± he asked with a displeased expression, looking extremely unhappy. ¡°What¡¯s the problem? NAS Group is an internationally renowned luxury brand, and I¡¯m running a small studio. What could they gain from deceiving me?¡± ¡°In any case, something¡¯s not right.¡± Frowning slightly, Yasmin thought for a moment before saying softly, ¡°Initially, I felt the same way, but after interacting with Ivan for a few days, I find him to be a very upright. person.¡± Upon hearing her praise another man, ke¡¯s expression became even colder. Ignoring it, she turned to leave. Annoyed, he grabbed her wrist, and in an instant, shended against his strong and sturdy 113 chest. Yasmin gasped in surprise and tried to get up. But he held her down. ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°If you have something to say, just say it. Why must you pull me?¡± She did not want to stay in his embrace. It was too ambiguous. ¡°My leg hurts,¡± he suddenly said. Yasmin was shocked, so she dared not move and obediently stayed in his arms. With widened eyes, she looked at him and asked with concern, ¡°Did I identally bump into your injured leg?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± ke replied with a straight face. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± with ¡°Should I call Dr. Sawyer toe over?¡± ¡°He¡¯lle over in a while.¡± ke persisted in refusing to let her go. Amidst the subtle warmth radiating from his chest, Yasmin blushed ever so slightly. She carefully tried to get up, but her efforts were thwarted as he once again seized her hand. She looked up, locking eyes with his intense gaze. ¡°What are you doing? You¡¯re injured, and I¡¯m pressing on you. Doesn¡¯t it hurt even more?¡± From N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I have something to say,¡± he said, staring earnestly at her. Yasmin could only stay still, nestled in his arms. ¡°Go ahead,¡± she said softly. ¡°Don¡¯t have any contact with Ivan.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I have a feeling that his intentions are impure.¡± ¡°But the opportunity he¡¯s giving me might be the only chance for me to be famous in my lifetime.¡± ke nced at her coldly and asked, ¡°What if it¡¯s a scam?¡± 213 Yasmin remained silent. In a deep voice, he asked further, ¡°What if it¡¯s a scam, and you end up with a huge debt? Would you be able to handle it then?¡± She still did not speak. With eyes on her, he suddenly softened his tone, saying, ¡°Do you have to be a designer? Can¡¯t you just stay at home?¡± Yasmin red at him and said, ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen my work? Do you really think that I¡¯m that worthless?¡± It was ke¡¯s turn to be silent. After a moment, he spoke. ¡°How about we wait for another two years? By then, I¡¯ll help you to be an international designer.¡± Stunned, she mused, ¡°Why? Doesn¡¯t he hate me? Why would he want to help me?¡± Chapter 84 Chapter 84 ke leaned down, and his handsome face loomedrger before her eyes. Yasmin ceased breathing, and her heartbeat became erratic. ¡°Why don¡¯t we wait a few years when you¡¯re more mature? I think that would be a better time.¡± ¡°Am I that childish now?¡± she asked, looking up at him with bright, gleaming eyes. keughed and replied, ¡°Yes, you are. You run away from home at the drop of a hat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because of you¡­¡± She wanted to ask whether he was the father of Giselle¡¯s child, but his hands were already on her waist, lifting her. Startled, Yasmin wrapped her hands around his neck. The next second, their lips met. Heat emanated from their lips, and her heart raced. In a daze, she wondered about the meaning of ke¡¯s words just ording to what he said, he did not want a divorce. But if he did not want a divorce, why involve Giselle? now. ¡°Focus.¡± Sensing her distraction, ke bit her lips. Yasmin frowned and tried to push him away, but his gaze made her stop. There was a glimmer of affection in his eyes. Obviously, he loved her. ¡°Mister¡­ Mr. B,¡± she suddenly called out, and her face turned red. Why did she suddenly call him that? It was as if she were acting cute. ¡°Hmm?¡± ke smiled, enjoying the sight of the woman blushing in his 173 arms. He wanted more. His eyes deepened, and he pulled her closer. ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still injured!¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Yasmin was shocked by how intense his gaze was. It was like he was about to devour her. She tried to escape, but he did not allow it. He held her face and kissed her hard. She leaned against his chest, softened by his kisses. She wanted to push him away, but she had no strength. He forcefully held her hands behind her and forced his kisses on her. ¡°I can¡¯t breathe¡­¡± she whispered weakly. She was like a kitten crying for help. ke tensed, releasing her lips and turning to bite her neck. ¡°Oh, my God!¡± Joel and Erik were standing at the door. Upon their entrance, Yasmin and ke were engaged in a passionate kiss. Yasmin was leaning on ke with her hands behind her back. Yasmin had a beautiful, blushing face that caught Erik off guard, making his heart skip a beat. Upon hearing the noisesing from the door, Yasmin stiffened. ke promptly covered her with his nket. She was sitting on him in a nightgown, and ke did not like others seeing her like this. Her face turnedpletely red, but ke remainedposed. Adjusting his robe, he discreetly patted Yasmin¡¯s behind under the nket, signaling her to exit the room. She promptly leaped off the bed and hurriedly ran away. ¡°What¡¯s going on? You injured your leg only yesterday, and today you¡¯re indulging in sex?¡± Joel walked in with a smile while Erik remained expressionless. ke asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Joel replied, ¡°Erik here feels guilty for causing your leg injury yesterday, so he insisted oning to take care of you.¡± Erik nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Remember to apologize to her,¡± ke instructed. Erik¡¯s face was a little tense when he said, ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°The wound is a bit painful. Help me take a look,¡± said ke to Joel, who clicked his tongue and teased, ¡°Sigh! How can it not be painful? You just got injured yesterday, and I¡¯ve told you to refrain from any intimate activities. Yet, today, your wife is on top of you¡­¡± ke smirked, obviously in a good mood. GET IT NOW Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Yasmin was having breakfast downstairs when Erik suddenly came and sat across from her. He muttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Recalling the incident, she looked at him and said, ¡°You were the one who pushed me down the slope, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. Why else would I apologize to you?¡± Erik¡¯s face darkened a little. Yasmin smiled. ¡°Since you¡¯re not sincere, why bother apologizing?¡± As she spoke, she sensed Erik¡¯s icy demeanor intensifying, his gaze turning even sharper. ¡°Yesterday, I just wanted to scare you. I didn¡¯t really intend to push you down. It was my fault.¡± She stirred her coffee leisurely and replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s ke who got injured.¡± ¡°ke told me to apologize to `you,¡± said Erik unwillingly. If it weren¡¯t for ke¡¯s insistence, he would not havee. Yasmin paused in her actions. So, it was ke who had asked Erik to apologize to her. She took a sip of her coffee, not showing her emotions, but there was a slight fluctuation in her eyes. Erik suddenly said, ¡°But don¡¯t think I consider you inferior just because I apologized to you.¡¯ Sheughed. ¡°I never thought it that way.¡± ¡°It was my fault for causing ke harm, so I¡¯ll be here to look after him in these few days. As for you, restrain yourself. Don¡¯t think that you¡¯re allowed to seduce him just because you¡¯re living together.¡± Erik thought Yasmin was the one seducing ke, contributing to the incident upstairs. Almost spitting out her coffee, she looked at him and asked, ¡°What are you imagining?¡± It was ke who had started it just now. ¡°Hmph! I¡¯ve seen many women like you. You just want to take advantage of ke by seducing him, don¡¯t you? Don¡¯t take me for a fool,¡± ¨¥rik snorted. Yasmin¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°Do you have any evidence?¡± ¡°What evidence do I even need? Haven¡¯t the Starr family been thinking this way for years?¡± said Erik arrogantly. ¡°I heard that your uncle, Victor, has been spreading the word outside, iming that ke is his nephew-inw and using his name to get projects.¡± On this point, Yasmin had no way to refute. After her father went to prison, Victor became the head of thepany. Due to the many difficulties caused by thepany¡¯s heavy debts, he used ke¡¯s name to do business. That was also why Victor desperately wanted Yasmin to please ke. Perhaps because Victor was making money outside using ke¡¯s name, people thought she was a gold digger. Although she hadn¡¯t done anything, she could not deny that fact because it was all true. She remained silent, not uttering a word. Thinking that she was feeling guilty, Erik sneered. ¡°You¡¯d better stay put. If I see you trying to seduce ke again, I won¡¯t let you off.¡± Yasmin did not know what else to say, so she could only sigh. After finishing her meal, she went back upstairs to work on her sketches. Many high-level executives from the group came bringing documents to Oak Garden to discuss matters with ke. Even with a fractured bone, he would not dy work. He was truly a workaholic. Yasmin painted the whole morning. Her phone rang when she was just about to take an afternoon nap. ¡°Where¡¯s my breakfast?¡± ke asked her over the phone. ¡°What breakfast?¡± she replied in a daze. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say this morning that you would bring me food? It¡¯s been several hours,¡± he reminded her. Only then did Yasmin remember. She asked, ¡°Haven¡¯t you eaten anything until now?¡± She checked the time. It was already 3:00 pm. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy until now. Nobody brought me any food,¡± he said calmly. Surprised, she asked, ¡°What happened? Didn¡¯t Mary bring you lunch?¡± Chapter 86 Chapter 86 ke said, ¡°Without my orders, Mary wouldn¡¯t daree upstairs to disturb me.¡± Early that morning, a group of people from thepany came over for a meeting. After Mary brought them coffee, ke ordered her not toe upstairs again. Yasmin was immediately taken aback. ¡°Does that mean you haven¡¯t eaten anything since this morning?¡± ¡°And whose fault do you think this was?¡± Yasmin was instantly embarrassed. She didn¡¯t know he would be waiting for her all this time. She thought that if she didn¡¯te over, he would just summon Mary to deliver the food. ¡°I¡¯ll go get you breakfast¡­ Wait, I mean lunch right now,¡± Yasmin said as she got out of bed and made her way downstairs. Joel and Erik were about to leave. They talked as they walked downstairs. Joel asked, ¡°Have you apologized to Yasmin?¡± Erik coldly responded, ¡°I¡¯ve already apologized to her.¡± ¡°Can you please stop picking on her? I think ke really likes her. You shouldn¡¯t always wear such a resentful expression when facing her.¡± Erik scoffed, ¡°Isn¡¯t she just using her body to seduce ke, and that¡¯s why he¡¯s interested in her? What good qualities does a woman like that have?¡± Joel responded, ¡°You¡¯re too na?ve, Erik. How could a man like ke be seduced so easily?¡±. ¡°Why not? Humans are all creatures of desire, especially men. Sometimes, they just need an outlet to vent when there are no other choices.¡± Erik regarded Yasmin with disdain. Erik was truly a blockhead. Joel was done talking to him. He shook his head and walked down the stairs. Yasmin stood silently behind the two, listening to their conversation. She sighed inwardly. Joel appeared to be quite fond of her. Meanwhile, Erik had a deep-seated prejudice against her. However, prejudice is a deep-seated belief, and it was impossible for her to change his mind with just a few words. Human nature had consistently been like that. Some people would naturally like you, and some would naturally dislike you. Likewise, not all of them would like you, and vice versa. Yasmin wasn¡¯t concerned with others¡¯ prejudices toward walked downstairs. Mary was in the midst of wrapping ra box of Zephyria shrimp next to her. Yasmin walked over and asked, ¡°Mary, are you making shrimp ra ¡°That¡¯s right. Mr. Ford asked me to make them.¡± From N?velDrama.Org. Yasmin was taken aback. ¡°I thought ke didn¡¯t like shrimp?¡± Mary said with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s because you like to eat them! We got some fresh shrimp flown in this morning. Since there were too many of them, Mr. Ford suggested making shrimp ravioli and storing them in the fridge. That way, you can have them whenever youe home 213 Yasmin was momentarily taken aback. Did he recently notice that she always gets home around 8:00 or 9:00 pm, so he told Mary to prepare shrimp ravioli for her? The household staff at Oak Garden would usually clock out at 8:00 pm, and Yasmin didn¡¯t like to eat much at night, so she usually asked Mary to make her some soup at night. That way, she could just drink some soup and have some of the meat in the soup, which would be enough for her. Could it be that ke thought that she would be hungry? Was that why he had Mary prepare some shrimp ravioli for her? After the shrimp ravioli were cooked, Yasmin brought them upstairs. ke was sitting on the bed, waiting for her. ¡°Why did it take so long?¡±, ¡°The ravioli weren¡¯t cooked just now. Now that they¡¯re cooked, I¡¯ve brought them up for you,¡± Yasmin said as she set down the food. ke nced at the tray of food. He said, ¡°Ravioli and raw seafd?¡± There was a big bowl of ravioli and a te of raw shrimp on t ¡°That¡¯s right! You have a leg injury now, so you definitely need t more protein. Shrimp ravioli are the perfect remedy for it, and the shrimp were just flown in this morning, so they¡¯re super fresh!¡± Yasmin said as she helped him up and leaned him against the headboard. ke remained silent. He was hungry, so he picked up the fork and started eating. Yasmin sat beside him, took the te of chilled raw shrimp, slowly peeled one, and ate it. ke nced at her and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you peeling those for me?¡± Chapter 87 Chapter 87 ¡°Of course not! You¡¯re injured, so you shouldn¡¯t eat raw seafood! These are for me.¡± Yasmin chuckled and unted the peeled shrimp before him, saying, ¡± I can eat it, but you can¡¯t. The meat is so sweet and juicy!¡± ke wasn¡¯t able to tolerate her smugness anymore. He grabbed her hand and brought the shrimp to his mouth. Then, he ate it. While doing so, he unintentionally licked her fingertips. It felt like an electric current just passed through her. Yasmin¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she looked at him. ke smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s quite sweet.¡± Yasmin blushed and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you a germaphobe? I peeled these shrimp with my own hands. Aren¡¯t you afraid you¡¯ll get a stomachache again?¡± ¡°If I get a stomachache, I¡¯ll hold you responsible.¡± Yasmin was rendered speechless. ke really was a scound was the one who insisted on eating it, and now he wanted to her if he got a stomachache. As she peeled the shrimp, she grumbled, ¡°You have such a sensitiv stomach, so you better just stick to your ravioli and stop eating anything random. If you have to use the bathroomter, I won¡¯t be able to help you.¡± ke was rendered speechless. ¡°Whose fault is it that my leg turned out this way?¡± Yasmin felt bad. She lowered her head and didn¡¯t dare to cause trouble again. ke scoffed, ¡°I don¡¯t even know if it had been affected or not. If it loses its function, you¡¯re done for.¡± Yasmin didn¡¯t dare to speak anymore. She was really worried about this problem. While eating the shrimp, she pondered for a moment, then looked at him and asked, ¡°Did you¡­ react this morning?¡± ke¡¯s brow suddenly twitched, and he turned his gaze toward her. Seeing that he remained silent, Yasmin felt a lot of pressure, but she still said, ¡°When we were kissing, did you¡­¡± ke stared at her, somehow remembering how sheid on his chest that morning, and her face was all rosy, resembling a vibrant rose. She was as beautiful as a rose. Yasmin was the embodiment of feminine beauty. ke looked at her for a moment and said, ¡°It didn¡¯t get to th in the morning. We had just kissed when those two showed up. Yasmin¡¯s face turned red as she recalled the embarrassing inci from earlier that day. ke suddenly suggested, ¡°Shall we give it another try?¡± Yasmin¡¯s gaze flickered as she looked at him and asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You have to try it out to see if it¡¯s still functioning properly, right?¡± ke gazed at her with his profound eyes. ¡°You¡¯re the one who got me into this situation, so you have to help me.¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Yasmin¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°How can I help?¡± ¡°Same as you did before. Juste closer and give me a kiss. We¡¯ll see if it works.¡± ¡°Can we not?¡± Yasmin said while feeling somewhat embarrassed. Given their current rtionship, how could it be appropriate for them to behave this way? ¡°We¡¯re just giving it a try. Otherwise, how else would we know if it¡¯s still working?¡± Yasmin was somewhat reluctant. ke said, ¡°You¡¯re the one who made me like this, so you have to take responsibility.¡± Yasmin¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment. Both were silent for a moment. ke suddenly reached out and pulled her toward him. ¡°Come over here.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Come sit on myp.¡± Yasmin nced at his injured leg and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you injured?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as you don¡¯t put any pressure on the leg.¡± ke ha her sit on hisp and then studied her flushed face without saying a word. They sat there holding each other for a while. Yasmin felt a little shy and wanted to get this part over with, so she asked him, ¡°What should I do now?¡± ke instructed her, ¡°Come closer and give me a kiss.¡± Yasmin had no choice but to think back to how they used to kiss before. In her memories, it appeared that ke would embrace her, passionately kiss her, and then carry her to the bed. At the thought of this, Yasmin¡¯s body temperature rose a bit. She nced at ke, who was also looking at her. There was a misty, alluring quality in his gaze, ethereal yet captivating. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 When Yasmin saw ke remain motionless for a long time, she mustered up her courage, raised her head, and kissed him on the lips. Their lips finally touched each other. ke shuddered, and his gaze deepened. He instantly gripped her slender waist and deepened the kiss. Yasmin struggled to breathe from the passionate kiss. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She was a little scared from the kiss, but she didn¡¯t dare to push him away. She ced her hands on his chest and grabbed his loungewear. She became increasingly nervous. ke noticed her subtle movement! He cradled the back of her head. with his hand and kissed her even more passionately. Yasmin was overwhelmed. She wasn¡¯t able to endure such a passionate kiss. She raised her hand to push him away, but he just wouldn¡¯t budge. Eventually, ke¡¯s lower half started to show a reaction. Yasmin, who was sitting on hisp, blushed. She whispered to him, ¡® ke, that¡¯s enough¡­¡± Everything was working just fine. Yasmin felt relieved. However, ke refused to let go of her. His eyes burned with desire as he pulled down her hands and pressed his lips to hers again. He greedily nibbled on them. Yasmin¡¯s mind went into chaos. Didn¡¯t he say they were just giving it a try? Why were they still kissing after trying it out? She blushed deeply and pushed him away with all her strength. That¡¯s enough already!¡± After being pushed away, ke didn¡¯t persist any further. He was injured now. Besides, he couldn¡¯t engage in that kind of activity. However, just a slight touch against her lips gave him an irresistible sensation. He took a deep breath and said, ¡°We¡¯ll try again once I¡¯ve recovered.¡± Yasmin¡¯s cheeks were flushed as she eximed, ¡°No way!¡± ke insisted, ¡°You have to take responsibility for it.¡± Yasmin was furious. She quickly jumped off the bed and rushed out. As soon as she opened the door, she saw Annalise and Giselle standing at the entrance. The both of them came together. Giselle said with a smile, ¡°Mrs. Ford Senior heard that ke was injured, so she came to pay him a visit.¡± Yasmin was startled and immediately tidied her hair. ¡°Good afternoon, Anna.¡± Annalise¡¯s expression turned grim, but she remained silent. She asked, ¡°How¡¯s ke doing?¡± Yasmin replied, ¡°He has just finished eating.¡± Annalise scrutinized her for a moment, then said, ¡°You should head downstairs then.¡± Giselle helped Annalise into the room and said with a smile, ¡°ke, Mrs. Ford Senior heard you were injured, so she came to check on you.¡± ¡°Who allowed you to tell her?¡± ke gazed at her with a hint of displeasure. Giselle was so scared that she couldn¡¯t speak. Annalise patted her hand and said softly, ¡°Don¡¯t me Giselle. I was the one who asked her. You¡¯re injured, so how could I note and check on you? How are you feeling? Does your leg hurt?¡± Yasmin stood outside the door, ncing through the slightly ajar door, and saw the three of them engaged in a conversation. They truly looked-like family. Meanwhile, she felt like the odd one out. Yasmin withdrew her gaze. She felt quite depressed, so she went downstairs to go for a stroll. Whenever she was in a bad mood, she liked to go for a stroll. It gave her the chance to think in peace, and her emotions would gradually calm down. After walking for an hour, she stopped and stood in the yard, g at the pear blossom tree. After Annalise and Giselle were done with their visit, they walked through the main entrance and saw Yasmin gazing up at the pear blossoms. Giselle pointed out to Annalise, ¡°That¡¯s Yasmin.¡± Annalise nced at her back, and her expression turned grim. ¡°Wait for me here, Giselle. I¡¯ll go over to have a few words with her.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Giselle said as she nodded obediently. When she saw Annalise walking over to Yasmin, she shed a smug smile. Annalise called out, ¡°Yasmin.¡± Yasmin nced back and saw Annalise while Giselle was standing behind her. She greeted softly, ¡°Anna.¡± Annalise red at her and said, ¡°What were you doing with ke upstairs just now? ke is injured, and you¡¯re still trying to seduce him?¡± Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Yasmin was taken aback. She spoke softly, ¡°We didn¡¯t do anything.¡± Annalise didn¡¯t believe her. She frowned and said, ¡°I¡¯m not saying anything to you because Giselle was there just now. But what if she had caught you red-handed? If the baby in her belly was frightened and something happened to it, could you take responsibility for it?¡± Annalise¡¯s entire attention was on the baby. Yasmin remained silent. Annalise added, ¡°I heard from Giselle that ke got hurt this time because of you?¡± Yasmin felt a sense of unease as she looked at Giselle in the distance. Giselle was carrying a bag and wearing a white dress. She Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. smiled and waved at Yasmin. Yasmin was truly impressed by that superficial woman-no matter when or where she could always maintain a poised and grace appearance. Yasmin hummed in assent. After all, she couldn¡¯t deny the fa ke had indeed got injured because of her. ¡°I don¡¯t want to make a big deal about this, but I want you to know i time to end this. Up until now, you still don¡¯t have any children, while the other person does. ¡°You should just go ahead and get a divorce. Don¡¯t try to fight it anymore through your petty behavior. You¡¯re not going to win.¡± A sense of grief overwhelmed Yasmin. Everyone just assumed that she was schemeful. At that point, she was emotionally drained. Seeing that Yasmin was silent, Annalise continued, ¡°Remember our agreement. You need to get a divorce from ke as soon as possible, or your father will never be released from prison.¡± Yasmin was taken aback. Annalise added, ¡°You have to make a choice. Do you want your marriage or your father?¡± With that, she walked back to Giselle in her high heels, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Giselle.¡± ¡°Yasmin, we¡¯ll be heading off then,¡± Giselle said, waving to her. She helped Annalise into the car, and they drove away as they chatted. Yasmin stood in the yard, and there was no remaining glimmer of light in her eyes. Annalise meant that if Yasmin did not divorce ke, her father would never be released from prison, not even after serving his full sentence. That move was truly ruthless. At that moment, she was truly backed into the corner and forced to follow Annalise¡¯s orders. She smiled wryly, turned around, and saw Erik standing behind a tree, looking at her with a sly smile. Yet another meddlesome person? Yasmin narrowed her eyes and spoke with a hint of annoyance. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I promised that I would take care of ke, so I came back in the evening.¡± Erik walked up to her, his arms folded across his chest, and looked at her with amusement. ¡°Though I didn¡¯t expect to overhear a secret when I got here. So, you had an agreement with Aunt Anna? It seems like even Aunt Anna doesn¡¯t support your rtionship with ke, huh? ?? Yasmin didn¡¯t want to listen to any more of his nonsense. ¡°What do you want? Just say it.¡± Erik looked down at her condescendingly. ¡°I overheard that you¡¯re willing to divorce ke to get your father out of prison.¡± Initially, he thought Yasmin was ying hard to get, but he didn¡¯t anticipate that she intended to divorce ke. Yasmin said indifferently, ¡°Isn¡¯t that perfect? If I divorce him, he can be with Giselle, the woman you like.¡± Erik¡¯s expression chilled as he narrowed his eyes. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°Am I wrong then? Your eyes would light up the moment youy your eyes on her. Isn¡¯t that what it looks like when you have a secret crush on someone?¡± Erik was caught off guard by Yasmin¡¯s words, and he s intently. Yasmin added, ¡°You don¡¯t have to look at me like that. You wa to be together, and I need to divorce him. Isn¡¯t this what everyon wanted? Since that¡¯s the case, you should be urging me to get a divorce as soon as possible. That way, everyone will be happy.¡± er ¡°Are you really this indifferent about it? After all, you¡¯ve done so much to obtain this marriage. Are you willing to let it go so easily?¡± Erik didn¡¯t quite believe her. Yasmin smiled and said, ¡°Compared to my father, nothing else matters. It¡¯s quite simple if you want ke and Giselle to be happy. All you have to do is go and persuade ke to divorce me. That¡¯s all it takes.¡± Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Erik pondered for a moment, then turned and walked away without saying anything. Instead of going upstairs to find ke, he got into his Pagani and drove away. Yasmin was perplexed. What a strange bunch of people. She let out a sigh. Since everyone wasn¡¯t happy with her and ke being together, then they should probably just let it go. She went back upstairs and had just finished taking a shower and was drying her hair when ke¡¯s phone call came in. She answered the phone with an icy tone, ¡°Hello.¡± ke sensed that something was wrong with her. He ask ¡°Why haven¡¯t youe over yet?¡± ¡°Why should I go over?¡± After a moment of hesitation, ke said, ¡°My leg hurts a little.¡± ¡°Hold on.¡± She put down the towel and walked to the master bedroom in her slippers. ke sat on the bed, his lips curling into a smile. ¡°Come over here.¡± Yasmin stopped in front of him and looked at his leg indifferently. ¡± Where does it hurt? Do you need me to call Dr. Sawyer over?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to hurt that much anymore. ke instantly changed the topic. ¡°Did you finish taking a shower?¡± Yasmin hummed in assent. Uncharacteristically, ke took a pillow and set it beside him. ¡°Do you want to sleep here tonight?¡± Yasmin¡¯s brows furrowed as she looked at him. ke noticed that her expression wasn¡¯t right, so he asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Did my mother say something to you when she came over?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then was it because of Giselle?¡± Yasmin nced up at him, her eyes indifferent. ¡°No.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on then?¡± ¡°I just felt that since we had agreed to go our separate ways, we shouldn¡¯t behave so intimately. In the future, we shouldn¡¯t do such things as well. Apart from being married, we¡¯re practically just strangers.¡± ke¡¯s face turned grim. ¡°You really have a thing for Ivan, don¡¯t y Yasmin ignored the question and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already made up my mind. I don¡¯t want to be in this marriage anymore, and I wouldn¡¯t look back on it as well.¡± After saying that, she walked away. ke¡¯s gaze followed her as she walked out of the room, his gaze cold and menacing. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Since that day, Yasmin rarely went to see ke. Joel and Erik woulde every day, and the people from the 264 Yasmin would spend her days drawing sketches in her room unless she was called upon. After a week, ke had recovered considerably, and Yasmin had finished drawing most of her sketches. She could return to the studio to work. She gave Ivan a call and greeted, ¡°Ivan.¡± Yasmin had just called out his name, and Ivan already knew what was happening. ¡°Are you done with the sketches?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve finished some sketches. I¡¯d like to know when you¡¯re avable,¡± Yasmin said as she wanted to discuss the coboration with him. Ivan said, ¡°Is tomorrow alright with you then?¡± ¡°Tomorrow?¡± Yasmin looked at the time and said, ¡°Sure, are you free tomorrow afternoon? If so, we can make a reservation at a restaurant and talk while we eat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s settled then,¡± Ivan said with a smile. Yasmin was about to end the call when she saw ke, supporte a walker, standing at the entrance with Erik supporting him. Both their gazes were fixed on her. ke¡¯s gaze was dark and brooding. Meanwhile, Erik looked a little smug. Yasmin suddenly remembered what Annalise had said. She had said that if she didn¡¯t divorce ke soon, her father might never be released from prison. As she recalled this, she took a deep breath and acted coquettishly to the person on the phone, saying, ¡°Ivo.¡± Yasmin¡¯s voice carried a hint of coquetry, which caused Ivan to raise his brow. He asked gently, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Yasmin coquettishly asked Ivan over the phone, ¡°Can I have dessert tomorrow?¡± Erik scoffed, ¡°I told you so, ke. This woman is so untrustworthy. She¡¯s been flirting with Ivan behind your back.¡± GET IT NOW Chapter 91 Chapter 91 ke''s expression turned icy. "Go get her." His leg was injured, making it difficult for him to walk far. "Alright, ke. Let me help you back into bed. Sit tight. I''ll go get her." Erik helped ke back to the bed. ke sat calmly. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Erik went outside and stood behind Yasmin. "ke wants you inside." Yasmin turned around, and when she saw Erik, her expression turned sour. He suddenly took a step forward, his gaze darting across the scene. He whispered into her ear, "I haven''t told ke about the deal you made with Aunt Anna." Yasmin stared at him coldly. "And?" "In return, I need you to agree to something for me." "Why should I agree to anything?" "If you don''t, I''ll tell ke about your deal with Aunt Anna. I believe ke despises your dad for manipting him back then. When ke finds out about it, he wouldn''t be happy about it and might charge your dad with more crimes. Your dad might spend hisst years behind bars." Yasmin red at him. "Erik, I haven''t done anything wrong to you. There''s no need for you to target me like this. I''ve already agreed to divorce ke. Isn''t that enough for you?" He nced at the side of her face before he sighed. "Don''t worry. What I''m about to do will help you and ke get a divorce. Just agree to it, and I guarantee you''ll be able to split up." Everyone seemed determined to separate them. Yasmin smiled. "Well, if what you''re nning can make him agree to the divorce, I''ll do it." "What are you guys doing here?" ke''s voice sounded abruptly from the doorway. The two turned to look at him. ke couldn''t wait for Yasmin to return, so he pushed himself out of the room. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, indicating the pain in his leg. Yasmin blinked. "Why are you out here?" "I just wanted to see what you two were up to." ke''s eyesnded on them. They were standing close together, and they seemed to be whispering to each other. "Erik and Yasmin? Was their rtionship so close that they would gossip to each other?" he thought. ke''s expression fell as he focused on Yasmin. "You,e here." Yasmin, afraid he might fall, walked over and supported him. "Let me help you back inside." ke''s eyes were fixed on her as if probing her mind. Yasmin said nothing and just helped him back to the bed. ke sat down. Yasmin stood in front of him, waiting for him to speak. "So Ivan isn''t enough, and now you''re getting close to Erik?" ke''s eyes bored into her. The intensity hung heavy in the air. ke thought Yasmin was flirting with Erik just now. Yasminughed. "What are youughing about?" ke stared at her, his eyes devoid of warmth. "We aren''t even divorced yet, and you''re already eagerly cozying up to Eric in my house. Is there still room for me in your eyes?" "Eager? Cozying up?" She looked at him and smirked abruptly. "Maybe. There''s nothing between us anymore, and I urgently need a moneybag. If I can get myself a backup n in case one of them rejects me, why shouldn''t I?" "What?" ke tensed up. He couldn''t believe that Yasmin would say such a thing. Yasmin chuckled. "Things aren''t going to work out between us anymore, so I don''t have to put on this show for you. Yes, I have lots of desires. And since you can''t fulfill them, I''ll look for those who are willing to provide for me." Since ke had always thought of her as a scheming woman, she just went with it. Everything would be fine as long as they got divorced. Chapter 92 Chapter 92 "Erik likes Giselle, so you can''t win him over," ke said with a dark expression. "Ivan won''t marry you either, so stop dreaming." "Who knows? With my looks, maybe I have a chance?" Yasmin tilted her head as she suddenly burst intoughter. "Why are youughing?" "I''mughing at how na?ve you are. How na?ve can the president of the Windmere Group be? "If I work with Ivan, what do I have to lose? At most, he''ll try to take advantage of me. If that happens, I''ll just y the role of an innocent bunny. If it goes smoothly, I''ll be an international designer in no time. "By then, I''d have be a celebrity. At the very least, I could get a lot of attention and money. I have nothing to lose. " "Are you crazy?" ke calmed himself down. He couldn''t understand her at all. "I told you to give it two years. I''ll make sure you be an international designer." "I don''t want to wait two years," Yasmin interrupted. "I want it now. If you can''t do it when someone else can, why should I wait for you? "ke, I''m an adult. I''m not going to listen to your empty promises anymore." ke was stunned. His vision blurred as he felt his chest tighten. He looked at Yasmin. A smile lingered on her lips as she dered, "I''ve already made it clear¡ªfrom now on, I don''t need you to interfere in my life." She stormed out of the room. ke''s chest felt like it had been filled with cotton, making it difficult for him to breathe. Erik walked in and, seeing the tense atmosphere, called out to him, "ke. In one swift motion, ke threw a pillow at him. His eyes were stone cold. "Did you seduce her?" Erik''s heart skipped a beat as he replied, "No, she seduced me." He had heard the argument between ke and Yasmin just now. He hadn''t expected her to say all that. In her effort to get a divorce, she unexpectedly imed that she was the one who seduced him. So Erik decided to help her once more. After all, theirmon goal was to see ke and Yasmin separated. Erik continued, "ke, that woman is really stubborn. During my time at Oak Garden these past few days, she would greet me in the hallway every day and even ask for my phone number." ke stared at him coldly. He didn''t believe Erik. "No way. She wouldn''t do something like that." "ke, I really do have her number. If you don''t believe me, I can prove it." He had, in fact, gotten the number from Giselle. ke frowned. "How do you prove it?" "I''ll set up a meeting with her, and you can see if she actually shows up." Yasmin was in her room organizing her sketches when she got an unexpected call from Erik. "Yasmin,e down to my car." "Why should I?" Yasmin replied in an annoyed tone. "I''ll tell you how to get a divorce if you meet me." Yasmin hesitated. She wanted to put an end to this matter as soon as possible. Once it was settled, she could finally be free. Finally, she decided to go downstairs. Dressed in a chiffon dress, she left the mansion step by step. In the courtyard was a Pagani. From her angle, she could see a man sitting in the car with his legs crossed. He radiated a sense of nobility. "Erik." Yasmin knocked on the car window without looking at it. "I''m here. Spill it." The window rolled down slowly, revealing ke''s handsome, icy face. Even though he was dressed casually, he had amanding presence that sent shivers down her spine. Yasmin''s breath caught. Why was ke here?Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Then she heard ke say, "Coming down in the middle of the night to see Erik? You even changed your clothes. Are you trying to seduce him?" Chapter 93 Chapter 93 After Yasmin''s initial surprise, she regained herposure. So, that was what Erik meant when he offered to help her with the divorce. It would convince ke that she was an unruly woman who seduced his friend behind his back. Then ke wouldn''t want her anymore. The moment had finallye. Yasmin felt a pang in her heart, but she had to go along with it. It was her final test. She smiled and said, "I''m sorry, Mr. Ford, I''m not like you. I need some support after the divorce. As you know, my family''s business is now under Victor''s management. We''re facing challenges, and we need some help. Otherwise, people won''t be willing to do business with us." At these words, ke''s eyes fixed on her with piercing intensity. Yasmin''s heart pounded in her chest. She was scared. Nheless, she continued, "And there''s my dream. If you''re not going to help me achieve it, I''m going to have to find someone who will." "So all those disys of love you showed me after we got married were fake?" he asked. Yasmin nodded while maintaining her smile. "Mr. Ford, we''re both adults. You understand that I needed support, and I had to treat you well for that, right? If I didn''t, how could a fallen socialite like me lead a good life?" "Did Mr. Stuart put you up to all this?" Yasmin shook her head. "It had nothing to do with my dad, Mr. Ford. It''s my hunger for vanity. I wanted to live the high society life." ke stared at her. His expressionless face had a sinister vibe to it. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Yasmin felt both fear and anticipation. Finally, she spoke. "Your true love has returned, and you should be with her. Shees from a good background and can give you the family you want. I''m sure the Ford family will be happy with her. "As for me..." she trailed off. "I can''t win you over anyway, so that''s it. I don''t want to waste any more time on you." With that, she lifted her feet and went upstairs. That was probably herst time with him. She had a heavy heart the whole time. Even when she reached her room, the pent-up frustration was still there. She stood at the floor-to-ceiling window and watched ke hobble out of the car on crutches. Every step seemed to be a challenge. Yasmin furrowed her brow, wondering if she should go down to help him. Just then, Malcolm reached out and helped him into the vi. Yasmin could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Her phone rang. "We''re getting a divorce tomorrow." Yasmin was stunned. A sharp pain shot through her chest, and she instinctively crouched down. She thought of replying but felt she had nothing to say. In the end, she responded with a simple "Okay." Her wish was finally granted. There was no reason for her to be sad. Moving forward, she vowed to be moreposed. When ke received her message in the master bedroom, he smashed his phone. ... It was dawn. The first light of day gradually spread over the horizon. Yasmin sat on the windowsill and looked out. The day had finally arrived. Two years of marriage were about to end. She walked over to the mirror and sat in front of it. The reflection showed a woman who hadn''t slept all night. There were dark circles under her eyes. Yasmin opened her makeup case. It was filled with neatly arranged cosmetics. She pulled out an essential oil, put two drops on her powderpact, and then lightly applied it to her face. While her marriage had started casually, she wanted to take her divorce more seriously. Somehow, it was a significant event in her life, and she didn''t want it to end on a sloppy note. She did her makeup elegantly. She put on a dazzling dress she had designed and styled her long, curly hair so that it fell gracefully over her shoulders. The woman in the mirror glowed with beauty. Yasmin slipped on her shoes and sent a message to Annalise. "Anna, I''m divorcing ke today." After sending the message, she put away her phone and stood at the entrance to ke''s room. Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Pushing open the door, Yasmin noticed ke sitting quietly on the couch. His tall figure was draped in a robe. "What are you here for?" Yasmin was so beautifully dressed that ke thought she was there to reconcile with him. Yasmin''s eyesnded on the cast on his leg. "Didn''t we agree to divorce today?" ke''s expression fell. "Well, you''re certainly excited." Yasmin was silent as she waited patiently. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ke chuckled self-deprecatingly and called out, "Malcolm. "Mr. Ford, looking for me?" Malcolm entered the room. ke turned his head. "Go to the closet and get me some clothes." "Uh, Mr. Ford, isn''t it usually Mrs. Ford who helps you with that?" Malcolm, unaware of what had happened between the two, scratched his head. "Shall I get them for you?" Yasmin thought she would help him onest time, but ke refused. "No need for that. Malcolm, go ahead." Malcolm reluctantly got ke his clothes. They were left alone in the bedroom. ke looked at her, but she remained silent. They were getting divorced, but Yasmin was dressed beautifully. It seemed like she couldn''t wait for it to happen. If that was the case, he''d be happy to grant her wish. He wanted to see what kind of life she would have after the divorce. Not long after, Malcolm returned with a ck suit. "Mr. Ford, will this do?" Yasmin looked at him and realized it was the suit she had bought for him. Sure enough, ke''s face turned sour at the sight of the suit. "No, it''s ugly. Get another one." He wanted Yasmin to hear what he said. She lowered her head and remained silent. Malcolm went to get another suit. It was a navy blue suit. ke frowned. "Malcolm, you''ve been with me for a while. Don''t you know what kind of clothes I like to wear?" "Sorry, Mr. Ford. I''m not into fashion. I don''t pay attention to your clothes..." Malcolm apologized nervously. Yasmin sighed. "Malcolm, let me go with you." "Do I look like I need your help?" ke red daggers at her. "If we keep this up, it''ll get dark soon." She went into the closet. ke stood outside, scowling. She really was in a hurry. Yasmin entered the closet and wanted to take ke''s usual clothes, but her hand somehownded on a dark gray suit. She''d never seen him wear gray before, and this might be herst chance to see it. For some reason, she was filled with anticipation. She took the gray suit. Malcolm stopped her. "Mrs. Ford, it seems that Mr. Ford only likes to wear ck." "Don''t worry," Yasmin replied as she left with the clothes in hand. Hearing footsteps, ke raised his head and looked at the suit Yasmin had in her arms. With a hint of mockery in his eyes, hemented, "Don''t you know I don''t like to wear other colors?" She had been dealing with his fashion sense and lifestyle for two years. She knew ke well. She calmly replied, "We''ve known each other for two years, and I''ve never seen you wear gray. It''s ourst day together. Why not give it a try?" ke had an unreadable expression on his face as he remained silent. "I''ll help you put it on. It''s ourst time. Let''s make it a dignified farewell." ke was silent. "Malcolm, you can go." Yasmin approached and undid his robe. He stood, revealing his perfectly proportioned body. His left leg was still in a cast, but he could walk now. "Is your foot almost healed?" Yasmin asked as she helped him into his shirt. It had been almost ten days since the injury. "It''s getting there," ke replied, peering at her. She didn''t look up as she concentrated on buttoning the shirt. "If you really can''t take care of yourself, just hire a maid to handle your daily needs. You''re the president of a listedpany. You should look presentable every day." Chapter 95 Chapter 95 "That''s none of your business." ke''s tone was gloomy. Yasmin paused, pulled out a tie, and expertly wrapped it around his neck. She skillfully tied a knot. That was right. He had Giselle now. He didn''t need her care anymore. Giselle, with her refined manner, would surely know how to knot a tie. When she was done with the tie, Yasmin took out a tie pin and secured it to his cor. He looked incredibly handsome in the suit. He exuded an aloof presence that kept people at a distance. "All done." Yasmin smiled, ready to leave. ke suddenly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. She looked up and found herself almost nose-to-nose with his deep, chiseled features. They locked eyes. He asked in a deep voice, "Is there anything else you want to say?" His warm breath brushed her tender lips. Yasmin''s expression faltered before she regained herposure. "I hope you find happiness after the divorce." Yasmin swallowed the bitterness in her heart as she forced the words out of her mouth. It was the final stretch. She reminded herself that she shouldn''t look back now. She reached out and pressed her hand against ke''s chest. "Your leg is still injured. Don''t hug me. You might get a second cast." ke''s gaze went cold. He thought she had something to say, so he gave her the chance. Unbeknownst to him, she decided to humiliate herself. ke chuckled. "Yasmin, if life doesn''t treat you well after the divorce, don''te looking for me." Yasmin nodded. "I will live my life well. Don''t worry." ke was at a loss for words. He abruptly let her go, grabbed his walker, and exited the bedroom. Yasmin stood behind him, feeling an inexplicable mncholy. They got into the car. Malcolm asked, "Mr. Ford, where to?" "City Hall," ke said with his eyes closed. Malcolm was surprised. He looked at Yasmin. "Mrs. Ford, are you and Mr. Ford..." "Yes, we''re getting divorced." Yasmin nodded with a smile. Malcolm''s usuallyposed face showed signs of confusion. The idea that ke and Yasmin were getting divorced seemed imusible. After all, it seemed as if ke was... He turned to look at ke. ke sat upright with closed eyes and said nothing. "Malcolm, let''s go. It''s already 10:00 am. If we dy any longer, it will be noon soon." Malcolm reluctantly started the car. During the whole trip, ke was silent. Yasmin couldn''t help but steal nces at him. After all, he was the man she had loved for two years ¡ªthe one she considered her husband and who she had trusted. Now that she had to let go of all that, she felt a little reluctant. "What are you looking at?" ke suddenly opened his eyes and stared at her. Yasmin was startled. She smiled. "I just realized that gray suits you quite well." Mysterious and cold in ck, but calm and introverted in gray. Both suited him. "Is that all?" ke raised an eyebrow, his eyes fixed on her. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. "Yeah." Yasmin nodded. Just then they arrived at the city hall. Yasmin nced outside and whispered, "We''re here." ke shed a nce outside, then turned to stare at her, "If you have anything else to say, I''ll hear you out onest time." Yasmin gripped her bag tightly. She wanted to ask him if Giselle''s child was really his. Would he have left Giselle if they had never divorced? Would he help get Stuart out of prison? But she knew those questions were out of her reach. He hated Stuart, and the whole world was against them being together. Exining further would onlyplicate things again and upset everyone. Instead of this marriage, she had chosen her father. "Let''s go. I have to meet Ivanter this afternoon." ke''s lips curled into a sneer. He opened the door and got out. Yasmin followed as ke pushed his walker toward the entrance to the city hall. Malcolm ran to help him. "Don''t. I can walk on my own." He pushed Malcolm away and instructed, "Wait in the car. You don''t have to follow us." "Got it." Malcolm looked at Yasmin. His face showed some hesitation, but he couldn''t say anything. Yasmin nodded at him before following ke into the city hall. Couples who went to the city hall to get divorced all wore stern expressions. Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Yasmin and ke were silent. They were stunning when standing together, but the atmosphere was awkward. After waiting in line for a while, it was their turn. They walked up and took their seats. The staff handling the divorce proceedings asked, "Are you both here to file for divorce?" "Yes," Yasmin replied, presenting their documents. The staff looked at them and remarked, "You two make such a good-looking couple. Why would you want a divorce?" They were certainly the most attractive couple seeking a divorce in city hall. Moreover, ke''s face was familiar to the staff, as if they had seen him somewhere before. "We''re notpatible," Yasmin answered casually. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Do you have the divorce agreement?" "Yes." Yasmin took out the agreement, signed it, and slid it before ke. "Sign here." ke looked at it. The divorce agreement had been revised, and Yasmin hadn''t asked for anything. She even gave up the mansion in Newphoria Bay. "You don''t want anything?" ke asked. Yasmin answered with a quiet "No". She had no right to ask for anything. At that time, it was Stuart who schemed against ke. She was forced into it. She had no right to demand anything from him. She wanted the vi at Newphoria Bay. She wanted to return to her former home, but since ke refused, she let it go. It would be easier for her to leave without baggage. ke''s eyes shed with annoyance. He asked her onest question, "Are you sure you won''t regret this?" "I won''t." Her answer was the same as before. She even smiled. ke found that smile irritating. His expression darkened as he sneered, "Well, that saves me from arguing with you about divorce settlements. You''re very considerate. I''m relieved." Having said that, he signed his name forcefully. Each stroke was heavy enough to tear the paper. When he finished thest stroke, Yasmin felt a twinge in her heart. The one who loved the most would feel the saddest. She lowered her gaze, skillfully masking the emotion that was brewing in her eyes, and handed the remaining documents to the staff. They quickly processed the forms. "Hello. You''vepleted the divorce proceedings. After 30 days, you can return here to pick up the certificate." "Okay." Yasmin got her things. ke had already gotten up. With his walker in hand, he made his way to the exit. His departing figure radiated an icy demeanor. Yasmin quickly shifted her gaze and gathered her things. She got up with a smile. The divorce registration was done. After 30 days, she could get the divorce certificate. Then, she could finally release Stuart. She left the city hall. ke''s leg was hurt, and it slowed his pace considerably. When he reached the stairs, he stopped. Going up the stairs was manageable, but going down was a challenge with his injured leg. Yasmin''s lips trembled. She took a few quick steps forward, intending to help him. But Giselle was quicker and reached for ke first, grabbing his hand. "ke." "Why are you here?" ke was surprised by her sudden appearance. "She told me that you were getting divorced today, and she was worried about your mood. She asked me toe check on you." ke looked back. Erik was also here. He was standing under the stairs, looking in Yasmin''s direction. Yasmin noticed them, and her movements slowly came to a halt. "ke, you''re hurt. Let me help you," Giselle said, taking hold of ke. Looking back at Yasmin, ke tried to decipher what she was feeling. Yasmin remainedposed, even offering him a brief smile. ke pressed his lips together, his expression distant as he said, "Help me." Giselle, pleasantly surprised, took ke''s arm, and the two of them stood together. They were a striking pair. Yasmin''s mind went nk for a moment. She descended the stairs, each step reinforcing her desire to leave. "Yasmin," Giselle called out suddenly, her eyes fixed on Yasmin. "Yasmin, you came here with ke''s car, right? We''re on our way back. Do you want a ride?" Yasmin looked at Giselle. She noticed a faint smirk on her lips, seemingly pleased with herself. ke was divorced, and Giselle had be his wife. She must be thrilled. "I''m fine," Yasmin looked away as she declined the offer. "I''ll give you a ride." Erik approached her, a set of car keys dangling from his slender fingers. There was a look of triumph in his eyes. Yasmin red at him before shing him a smile. "Sure." She had some unfinished business with him. Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Everyone was stunned when they heard Yasmin''s answer. Giselle looked at ke. He remained expressionless and calm. "Erik, when did you and Yasmin get so close?" Giselle asked Erik. "We''ve gotten closertely." Erik wiped away his surprised look and smiled at Giselle. Yasmin''s unexpected cooperation took him by surprise. The next moment, he walked over to Yasmin and put his arm around her shoulders. "Let''s go then. I''ll take you home." Yasmin gave him a cool look while ke shot them both a re. "Since the marriage is over, work with me a little," Erik whispered in her ear. "ke is watching you, don''t make a scene." Yasmin looked at ke. His eyes were fixed on Erik''s hand. Yasmin reached out and wrapped her hand around Erik''s waist. She nodded at ke. "We''ll be on our way then." "Wait," ke called out. They turned to look at him. ke smiled. He took Giselle''s hand and walked confidently toward them. "Erik, you should be careful with her. You can''t tame her." Yasmin stiffened. ke had already taken Giselle to his Cullinan. Every step they took was elegant. Yasmin watched them leave. Erik sneered, "How about that? They make a perfect couple." "Mr. Hayes, you''d make a great actor," Yasmin scoffed. She ignored him as she picked up her phone to search for Annalise''s WhatsApp. Erik chuckled. "I''m different. My love is pure. I just hope the one I like is happy." That was why he''d been manipted until he had nothing left. Yasmin wanted to say that that wasn''t happiness but stupidity, but she couldn''t be bothered. She let Giselle manipte him to her heart''s content. She wondered how angry he would be when he snapped out of it one day. Yasmin texted Annalise, "Anna, the divorce is final." Erik stood beside her. He saw the message and was pleased. He pulled a checkbook out of his pocket. "Since I used you yesterday, I''llpensate you. Consider this payment for your heartache." He wrote a check for five million, tore it off, and handed it to her. "Here." Yasmin took the check and looked at it. She then raised her hand and pped him. The crisp p echoed across the parking lot. Erik was taken by surprise. A red mark had appeared on his handsome face. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. He was stunned. He red at her. "This p is payback for your ns yesterday. As for this five million, it''s for your medical expenses. Don''t let me see you again. Get lost!" After saying that, she tore the check into pieces and threw it in his face. She turned to leave confidently. Erik snapped. He grabbed her wrist. "Yasmin, how could you p me? Don''t go!" His intense gaze pierced her. She was afraid, but she couldn''t back down. "If you do anything to me, I''ll tell ke about your plot against me. Think about it. You didn''t just conspire against me. You also conspired against ke. When he finds out that his best friend betrayed him, what will he think of you?" Yasmin met his cold gaze directly. "If that happens, I''ll be the victim, and you''ll be the culprit." Erik shivered. Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Erik had made a move that was a double-edged sword. At first, he could use it to threaten her, but after everything had unfolded, Erik had turned into a traitor to ke. If he could use it to intimidate her, she could do the same to him. "All I did was help ke get rid of you, you cunning woman." Erik red at her. Yasmin retorted, "Only you know if you did it for him or yourself. You clearly wanted to help Giselle steal ke away from me, but you hid it under the guise of helping him. Did you ask him if he needed your help? Did he ever agree to any of this?" Erik was speechless. "Aren''t you afraid I''ll tell ke about the agreement with Aunt Anna?" "Go ahead. At worst, the truth wille to light. None of us will have it easy," Yasmin snorted. Noticing his silence, she slowly removed his hand from her shoulder. "You tricked me once, and I returned the favor with a p. That''s fair." With that, she hailed a cab and left the city hall. ... Upon arriving at NAS Group, Yasmin received a call from Annalise. She put the phone to her ear. "Hello, Anna?" "Is everything settled?" Annalise sounded through the phone. Yasmin nodded. "It''s done. We filed for the divorce this morning. We''ll get the divorce certificate in a month." "Good." Annalise was pleased. "As soon as you have the certificate, I''ll get your dad out of jail. Then I''ll give you ten million so that you can be reunited with your family." "Thank you, Anna." Yasmin hung up. She concluded that she had gotten the best result. She took a deep breath and reminded herself that she shouldn''t feel pain or distress. She had saved her dad, so she should be happy about it. Cheering herself up, she turned and saw Ivan standing behind her. She didn''t know how long he had been listening to her. Yasmin gave him an apologetic smile and confessed, "I''m sorry, Mr. Burke. I lied to you before." Ivan raised an eyebrow. "What did you lie to me about?" "The truth is, the blind date with you was part of Anna''s deal with me. She promised to help get my dad out of jail as long as I divorced ke." Ivan was stunned. Yasmin lowered her head. "I''m sorry, Mr. Burke. I didn''t mean to deceive you." "You didn''t have to tell me all that." Ivan looked at her. "No, I wanted to tell you from the beginning." She clutched her bag tightly. She had hidden too many things and wanted to confess. Ivan smiled. "Weren''t we here today to discuss a coboration?" From N?velDrama.Org. "Mr. Burke, you''re not mad at me?" Yasmin hesitated. "Why would I be mad at you?" "I lied to you." "You did it for your dad. You didn''t lie to me for my money or toy with my feelings. Why should I be angry with you?" Yasmin was shocked. After a moment of silence, she let out a smile. "Thank you." The two then discussed their coboration in the president''s office. Ivan looked at the sketches she handed him and crossed his arms. He smiled. "Ms. Starr, your designs are impressive." Their coboration had been decided. Yasmin felt lost and a little overwhelmed. She didn''t know if it was because of the divorce, but her emotions seemed difficult to lift. Ivan wanted to take the Erinnyes'' staff out to dinner to celebrate the coboration. Yasmin said, "Okay, I''ll go back and get ready. See you at Maple Tower tonight." The deal was done, and it was time to celebrate with the staff. Chapter 99 Chapter 99 It was 7:30 pm. Yasmin was the first to arrive at Maple Tower. Eunice followed shortly after, and they met at the entrance. Eunice grabbed Yasmin''s hand as soon as she got out of the car. "You got divorced with ke today?" Yasmin had told Eunice over WhatsApp, and she was genuinely concerned. "We filed for divorce. The divorce certificate will be issued next month." Yasmin pursed her lips. Eunice looked at her. "Yaz, are you okay?" "I''m not sad at all. I''ve said it before. This is what I wanted. I''m finally free now." She smiled, her eyes hiding the sadness underneath. Eunice stared at her for a moment, as if trying to figure out how tofort her. She deliberately raised her voice and said, " That''s great. Here''s to Yaz starting a new chapter!" Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Yasmin replied with a simple "Hmm" and lowered her eyes. No one could see the sadness in them. She told herself not to dwell on it. The situation had resolved itself perfectly. Suddenly, a Rolls-Royce Ghost pulled up in front of them. Eunice looked inside and saw a man sitting with his legs crossed. His pants were ironed straight, and beside him was Giselle. Eunice''s face fell as she turned to Yasmin. "It''s ke and Giselle." Yasmin''s heart sank as Malcolm got out of the car. He circled to the back seat and opened the car door. ke got out of the car wearing a ck striped shirt. He exuded nobility but had an unweing demeanor. He had a stern expression. Yasmin''s heart stopped. The shirt he wore was the one she had bought for him. They had filed for divorce, so why would he wear the anniversary gift she''d bought him? As Yasmin''s thoughts went wild, Giselle got out of the car. She was wearing a long white dress. She held ke''s arm and smiled at Yasmin. "Yasmin, what are you doing here?" "We''re here for dinner, of course!" Eunice answered in her ce. "She just got divorced from a scumbag, so we''re here to celebrate!" Hearing these words, ke was expressionless. He seemed distant. Malcolm noticed Yasmin and addressed her politely, "Mrs. Ford." Giselle''sposed mask wavered, but she still spoke gently to ke. "ke, Mr. Lawson''s already inside. Shall we go in?" They were here for a business meeting. No wonder ke was dressed so formally. It was aplete contrast to his meek appearance that morning. Yasmin looked at his legs. She wondered if he had taken the cast off his ankle. She studied his walking posture. As he walked past her, she couldn''t help but notice that he was walking normally. Perhaps he had recovered quite a bit. Once they were gone, Eunice asked, "What''s wrong? Do you regret it?" Yasmin looked away. "No." "Stop lying. I''ve known you for so long. I can see from your expression that you''re not happy. Yasmin, if you don''t want to let him go, get him back. "We are born to love and hate. Don''t be a coward." Yasmin shook her head. "I won''t do that." If she tried to get him back, Stuart would stay in jail. Her greatest wish now was to wait for Stuart''s release. The two entered room 207. After a while, the studio''s assistants, Sarah Lewis and Amy Adams, arrived. "Ms. Starr, Ms. Stalle, are wete?" they asked in unison. Yasmin checked the time. "No, it''s not even 7:50 pm. yet. Our reservation is for 8:30 pm. We''re early." "Is Mr. Burke here?" The two blushed. Thest time they had met Ivan in the studio, they had been mesmerized by his good looks. Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Yasmin shook her head. "Not yet." They started ordering food. Yasmin texted Ivan on her cell phone. "I let my staff ce their orders first." "Alright, go ahead. I just finished an interview and am on my way." Yasmin put down her phone and told the others, "Mr. Burke said he''s on his way. Let''s start eating." As she finished speaking, the waiter entered with the food. She even brought a bottle of fine foreign liquor. Yasmin looked at it. "I didn''t order this bottle of wine." "It is a gift from ady. She asked me to wish you a happy divorce!" The waiter had delivered the message, unaware of her situation. Yasmin''s expression turned cold. She picked up the bottle and asked, "And who might thisdy be?" "She didn''t tell me her name." "Was she pale and wearing a white dress?" "Yes, that''s her." The waiter nodded. It had to be Giselle. She sent the bottle of wine to irritate her. From N?velDrama.Org. Yasmin stood up. "What room is she in?" The waiter replied, "She''s from room 106." When Yasmin got the room number, she held the bottle of wine and turned to Eunice. "Eunice, wait for Mr. Burke. I''ll return the bottle to her." Yasmin left the private room, went downstairs, and pushed open the door to room 106. Inside were several men. They gave off an air of unpleasantness. "Hey, if it isn''t my niece, Yasmin?" The man speaking was named Caleb Zimmer. He sat in the middle of the group and appeared to be in his 50s. When Yasmin saw him, she turned to leave. He was one of Stuart''s enemies. Caleb had a grudge against Stuart. "Get her!" Caleb ordered. It seemed that he had anticipated her visit. Someone blocked the door. Yasmin''s face faltered. She turned her head and asked, "Caleb, what are you doing?" "Yasmin, I heard you divorced Mr. Ford." Caleb smiled and released the woman in his arms. His look was suggestive. "How did he know?" Yasmin thought. Yasmin was startled and turned to say, "Who told you that?" She couldn''t admit it. If Stuart''s enemies knew that she was divorced, the consequences would be unimaginable. "I have my sources." Caleb stared at the face he had longed to see. He approached her and cupped her face. "Your skin is very soft. Yasmin, I''ve wanted to know more about you ever since I saw you at your birthday party." He grinned. "How about staying here tonight and having a few drinks with me?" "I''d rather not," Yasmin said and tried to leave. Caleb grabbed her. Yasmin felt nauseous. She shook off his hand. "Get away from me!" "Don''t go, Yasmin." Caleb grabbed her hair and forced her to drink from a bottle of wine. Tears welled in Yasmin''s eyes as her mouth filled with alcohol. "Drink up, Yasmin. Don''t let it go to waste..." Caleb held her as he poured more alcohol for her. As she began to get drunk, he ordered the others to leave. Only the two of them remained in the private room. Caleb dragged her onto the couch. He held her in his arms and touched her waist. "A few years can really make a difference. Your skin is so smooth." Caleb looked at her flushed face. He lowered his head, ready to kiss her. Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Yasmin''s eyes shot open abruptly. rmed, she stretched her arm out and grabbed a can opener thaty on the nearby table. Her eyes zing with coldness, she stabbed Caleb''s stomach with the can opener in her hand. Caleb yelled and curled up on his side, cradling his stomach. Once the makeshift weapon had aplished its purpose, she tossed the can opener aside and immediately ran outside. "Don''t run!" Caleb yelled after her. "Get that bitch!" He ordered his bodyguards. A few bodyguards chased after her. Yasmin''s limbs felt like jelly. She had been drugged and felt exhausted. She tried to run back to Eunice''s room. But the guards caught her in the corridor just as she reached the stairs. Caleb walked toward her, huffing and puffing. With a smirk, he pressed her head against the wall. "Great, since you like livestreaming in public so much, let me make it happen." He pressed her against the wall. "How exciting! I haven''t tried doing it in a corridor before!" In a ragged breath, he ordered his bodyguards, "You lot, surround me, and don''t let anyonee near us!" They replied in unison, "Yes, sir!" Yasmin struggled with all her might as she screamed, "Caleb Zimmer! My dad will never forgive you if youy a finger on me!" "Wait until he''s out of prison, then we''ll talk." Caleb smirked. One hand grabbed her hair, and the other caressed her nape. Yasmin scrunched up her eyebrows in pain and used thest of her strength to kick him away. Caleb pressed her legs down and said through gritted teeth, "Still trying to fight? I''m not worthy of my name if I don''t tame you tonight." Yasmin was chilled to the bone when she heard that. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Amid her daze, she saw a few figures appear upstairs. It was ke and Giselle. Giselle was holding ke''s arm, looking all cute and helpless. Yasmin''s heart skipped a beat. Just as she was about to shout for help, Caleb pped a hand over her mouth and ordered, "Don''t shout!" He was afraid of ke and asked the bodyguards to block Yasmin from view. Yasmin eyes shed, and she bit down fiercely on Caleb''s hand. Caleb¡ªfeeling the pain¡ªlet go. Yasmin screamed for help, "BLAKE!" ke turned his head toward her. It was too dark for her to see ke''s face. She only vaguely sensed him ncing in her direction. His demeanour turned grave. His bearing went from calmly dignified to coldly violent in a matter of seconds. He stalked over and saw Yasmin being restrained by Caleb, her clothes disheveled. In that instant, his eyes zed with coldness. His strong hand grabbed Caleb by the hair, yanking him away from Yasmin. Caleb, one head shorter than ke, was lifted off the ground. He was so terrified that his face turned pale. "M-Mr. F-Ford¡­" "How dare you touch my woman?" ke said in a deep voice. The next second, he bashed Caleb''s head against the wall with a loud bang. Blood ran down Caleb''s face. Yasmin was stunned. ke said that she was "his woman"? ke forced Caleb''s bleeding head to look up at Yasmin. "Is this someone you can touch?" Caleb was in so much pain that he became partly disfigured. With blood flowing down his face, he pleaded for mercy, "I''m sorry, Yasmin, I was wrong¡­ " "I can''t hear you." ke pressed Caleb''s face against the wall harder. Caleb''s nose was bleeding. He pleaded in a quivering voice, "Yasmin, I was friends with your father. Please, ask Mr. Ford to have mercy on me and let me go¡­" "If you hadn''t betrayed my father, why would hispany have encountered a crisis?" Yasmin kicked Caleb. She was very weak, so she leaned against the wall. Caleb was responsible for her father''s downfall two years ago. As her father''s supplier, he had secretly mixed a lot of shoddy stock into the raw materials he sold to her father¡ªleading to thepany''s downfall. When thepany fell, her father took all the me. Her father was in prison, and Caleb had gotten away with it. Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Yasmin was filled with deep hatred when she remembered this. She wanted to hit him again, but ke held her back, saying, "Enough. Don''t dirty your hands." He tossed the bloodied Caleb at Malcolm''s feet. "I''ll leave him to you." "Yes, sir," Malcolm replied. Yasmin felt herself being carried up. Stunned for a second, she felt like jelly in his arms. Upon looking back, she saw Malcolm and two bodyguards give Caleb a sound beating. Giselle stood under the shaft of light, her gaze cold. Something suddenly made sense to Yasmin; the waiter who delivered the wine had said that the wine was a gift from ady. Was Giselle the perpetrator behind the night''s events? "Don''t look at that bloody scene. I don''t want you getting nightmares." ke turned her head forward, not allowing her to look back. Yasmin lifted her gaze to look at him in astonishment. It was almost as if it was her first time meeting him. She never expected him to have such a wild and arrogant side. No wonder her father said that only ke could protect her. With such entric behavior, no one in Stanton City would dare to cross him. "ke," Giselle called. Upon seeing ke carrying Yasmin away, Giselle ran to catch up with them. With Yasmin looking so pitiful, Giselle did not want to allow the both of them to be together. From the corridor, ke turned and nced at her. He then ordered Giselle''s manager to send her back home. "Yes, sir." Giselle''s manager dared not disobey. ke carried Yasmin out of Maple Tower and into his car. Just as the car was about to move, Ivan''s Bentley passed by. Ivan did not look in their direction, so he didn''t notice Yasmin next to ke. From N?velDrama.Org. ke pretended not to see him. Feeling that Yasmin''s temperature was unusual, he turned and asked her, "Were you drugged?" Yasmin nodded with a grunt. She leaned against the window. Her face was so red it seemed as if she had applied a whole tube of blusher. "How do you feel now? Hot? Weak all over?" ke asked to assess her situation. Yasmin observed the feeling in her body and said, "Soft." She only felt as soft as jelly. "Maybe the drug hasn''t taken effect yet. I''ll call Joel and ask him to bring some medicine over." ke did as such and told Joel toe to Oak Garden. Yasmin was so ufortable that she couldn''t speak. All she could do was lean against the car window and bear with the difort. ¡­ Giselle had been sulkily escorted into the car by her manager, Annie Martin. "We were so close, and somehow she ran into ke. Caleb, this good-for-nothing fool!" Giselle snarled, punching the bag in her hand. Annie, who was at the wheel, nced at her and stated, "They are already divorced. Why do you still want to provoke her?" "You should have seen ke''s expression just now. He was so focused on her the minute she appeared. I can''t rest assured until someone has defiled her," Giselle said coldly. "You''d better think of how to deal with Caleb. Mr. Ford isn''t stupid. When he realizes something, he will definitely realize that you had something to do with it," Annie replied. Giselle gritted her teeth and started to break out in cold sweat. "I didn''t do anything. All I did was tell Caleb that Yasmin and ke were divorced." Annie breathed a sigh of relief. "Please don''t go provoking her again. We want Mr. Ford for the fame and the benefits. "Mr. Ford''s sole purpose for providing so much money to the O''Shea family is to ensure his child is delivered safely. Don''t you understand? He only wants the child in your womb." Giselle said through clenched teeth, "I''ve loved him for so many years. I''m not willing to give up without a fight." Moreover, her mother kept asking her not to let go of a fine man like ke. She had longed for and waited so many years for this opportunity that she would not easily give up. Chapter 103 Chapter 103 ke and Yasmin arrived at Oak Garden. Yasmin''s damp hair was stered all over her delicate little face. ke parted her long hair and carried her to the second floor. Yasminy on the bed. Despite her situation, she still had the time to joke. "Your leg has recovered?" "Almost," ke replied. "Have you removed your cast?" "I removed it this afternoon," ke replied. Upon seeing her suffering so much difort, he rinsed a towel for her to wipe her sweat. Feeling a sudden wave of heat, Yasmin curled up and quivered. "Joel is almost here. Bear with it for a while longer." ke helped her up and gave her some warm water to drink. Yasmin''s logic flew out of the window. Shey in his arms, drank two sips of water, and didn''t want to let go of him. She felt so hot. When she touched ke''s cool skin, she refused to let go. She leaned against him, nestled in his sturdy arms. "Yasmin?" ke looked down at her. It was rather unlike her to do such a thing. She was flushed a scarlet red, her dazed expression lively and captivating. "I''m so hot." Yasmin leaned on his shoulder, her eyes bright and watery as if shrouded by ayer of mist. She was so beautiful that you couldn''t take your eyes off her. "That bad?" ke asked. Yasmin gave a low grunt. She didn''t know why, but his thin lips looked so sexy. She reached a hand out and touched his lips. ke didn''t pull away. He sized her up, his gaze burning dangerously. She called his name gently, "ke¡­" "Hmm?" He responded. As she looked at him, a wave of heat suddenly rushed over her entire body. She quivered and threw herself at him. ke hugged her, and his burning gaze could burn her to ashes. From N?velDrama.Org. "Strange¡­ I''m the one who was drugged. Why are you so hot too?" Yasmin murmured in a low voice. Then, her red lips lightly pecked his. ke''s breathing was heavy. He wasn''t satisfied with this type of flirting from her. He held her head in hisrge palms and pressed his lips against hers. Yasmin closed her eyes. He was cuddling her, and his gaze was lingering over her dangerously. They didn''t know how they ended up tangled with each other. ke held her close, and Yasmin only felt that his arms were so strong, so hot that she couldn''t stop herself from saying, "I want¡­" ke''s pupils dted as he probed the hem of her skirt¡ªas if lighting a fire on her delicate skin. He also left a hickey on her neck. Yasmin was unable to resist his kisses. She quivered, red-eyed, and said, "Be gentle¡­" He grunted in a husky voice. Yasmin narrowed her eyes. Amid the tussle, she thought she heard someone knocking on the door downstairs. "Is someone at the door?" she asked. Of course, there was. Joel was at the entrance, knocking on the door. ke ignored her, looked into herzy eyes, and said, "No one''s knocking. Focus." "ke! I''ve brought the medicine! Open the door!" Joel was at the door. He was as anxious as if he had ants in his pants. Yasmin, still dazed, heard it clearly. She opened her eyes wide and said, "There is! I think it''s Dr. Sawyer. He''s probably brought the medicine¡­" ke was astonished that she could still think of this at this moment. Yasmin continued, "ke¡­ Go and open the door." She struggled, trying to get off him. ke still held her tightly. "Don''t move." Joel started yelling from outside, "ke! Where are you? Didn''t you ask me toe to Oak Garden? Why is there no one here?" Upon getting no response, he called ke on his cell phone. The phone on the nightstand rang. From outside, Joel could hear the phone ringing inside. He leaned his ear against the door and yelled, "BLAKE! ARE YOU BOTH INSIDE?!" Chapter 104 Chapter 104 ke was a little wild, but he knew they could only do so much tonight. Thus, he stopped what he was doing, reluctantly let go of her, and went downstairs to open the door. ke opened the door to reveal Joel clutching his phone. Joel looked at him strangely and asked, "ke, what''s going on? I''ve been yelling so many times. Why was there no response from either of you?" ke''s face was frigid as he demanded, "Where''s the medicine?" Joel passed him a box of medicine. ke took it. Wanting to assess Yasmin''s condition, Joel pushed at the door, intending to go into the house. With his foot, ke stopped him from entering the house. "What''s the dosage?" Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Take two pills and wash them down with water." Joel looked at ke questioningly. "ke, why are you blocking the door? Let me go and assess Yasmin''s condition." "No need. Get lost." ke took the medicine and mmed the door in Joel''s face. Outside, Joel was cursing at ke, "What the hell? I brought medicine for you, and this is the treatment I get in return? ke! Are you even human?!" ke''s cold voice echoed through the thick door, "Get lost." Joel was rendered speechless. ¡­ ke took the medicine and walked back to the bedroom. The room was hot, and Yasminy on a pillow. She was in a daze and feeling so weak¡ªlike all her energy had been sucked away. Her face was as red as a rose. ke helped her up, saying, "You''ll be fine after you take the medicine." Yasmin leaned against him, wincing as she swallowed the medicine. Her eyes filled with vulnerability. ¡­ "Do you feel better?" ke asked her ten minutester. The medicine had taken effect, and the burning heat in her body was slowly subsiding. Yasmin felt a little more sober. She looked at ke and whispered, "Thank you." "What happened tonight?" ke asked, seeing that she was more clear-headed. But Yasmin was exhausted. Unable to answer his question, she closed her eyes and fell asleep. ke didn''t stay in the room for long. He went to the bathroom to take a shower. After that, he dialed Malcolm''s number, asking, "What did Caleb say?" "He said that he thought you and Mrs. Ford were divorced," Malcolm replied. "Why would he think that?" ke asked. "He said that he ran into Ms. O''Shea in the alley. She told him about it. If not for that, he would never have the guts to touch your woman." ke''s handsome face turned grave. He ended Malcolm''s call and phoned Giselle. Giselle felt a little nervous upon receiving ke''s call. She bit her lip and said gently, "Hi, ke. Is Yasmin okay?" "What did you tell Caleb just now?" ke asked her icily. Giselle knew that she could not hide this matter from him. Thus, she replied, "Just now, Caleb asked about Yasmin. I thought they knew each other, so I told him you and Yasmin were divorced." "Who allowed you to say all these things?" ke asked sharply. Giselle was frightened and broke out in cold sweat. "ke, I''m sorry. I would never have said all these things if I knew it would hurt Yasmin. It''s my fault," she admitted and apologized sincerely. "Next time, don''t interfere with things that have nothing to do with you," ke said, his voice as cold as ice. "I''m sorry," Giselle apologized. ke ended the call. He went back to the bed. Yasmin was sleeping soundly, looking like a young and cute kitten snuggled up under the covers. ke sat next to her. He parted her hair with his finger and silently watched her sleeping figure. A sigh pierced the long night as he whispered, "Now you know the outside world is dangerous, don''t you?" Chapter 105 Chapter 105 The next day, Yasmin woke up feeling sore and limp all over her body. She got down from the bed, took in her surroundings, and recalled everything that had happened last night. She had been drugged by Caleb, then saved by ke. Her mind raced as she recalled what happened after. He had brought her back, and they made out on the bed. Yasmin clutched her face tightly. Wait, how did they end up making outst night? She had been drugged, but ke hadn''t. Why had he made out with her? Furthermore, ke looked terrifying when he beat up Caleb. His gaze was misleading, making Yasmin think that he cared about her. She was confused again. Didn''t ke hate fickle women like her to the bone? Why was he being so nice to her? She didn''t dare to follow this thought, so she stopped herself. "Forget it." She chided herself, "You''re already divorced. You should not be looking back." With that, she collected her things and secretly crept downstairs. "Mrs. Ford," Mary called from the foot of the stairs. Yasmin nearly jumped out of her skin. She clutched her bag and made a shushing gesture at Mary as she asked, "Where''s ke?" "Mr. Ford has gone for his morning run," Mary answered. Yasmin breathed a sigh of relief. "Keep your voice down. I''m leaving now. There''s no need to prepare breakfast for me." She walked out of the yard and ran into Giselle, who had just exited the car. Giselle was carrying a food container. She looked at Yasmin with concern and said, "Yasmin, after everything that happenedst night, are you okay? I''ve made some breakfast and brought it over here for the both of you." She sounded concerned, but she was actually scanning Yasmin''s body for any signs. There was a faint hickey on her neck. Giselle''s gaze turned cold, but her face remained impassive. When Yasmin saw this scheming woman, her gaze turned icy. She walked over, raised her hand, and pped Giselle with a loud smack. Giselle dropped the food container, and colored pastries spilled out. "Yasmin. Why did you p me?" Giselle cupped a hand around her face, looking confused. "I pped you because you tried to hurt me." Yasmin''s gaze was cold. "Yesterday, when I arrived at the room, someone delivered wine to me saying that it was a gift from the youngdy in Room 106 to congratte me on my divorce. "However, when I went to Room 106, Caleb was inside instead." ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Giselle looked at Yasmin innocently. "Yasmin, it wasn''t me. I never sent you any wine. Maybe you''ve misunderstood?" "Such a coincidence, right?" Yasmin scoffed, "I just got a divorce yesterday afternoon, and Caleb knew about it that very night. How fast the news travels, doesn''t it? Also, impersonating a young woman to give me wine?" Giselle was teary-eyed. "Do you associate every young woman with me? I didn''t call for any waiter last night. I never sent you any wine. Ask the waiters in Maple Tower if you don''t believe me." "Still trying to pretend?" Yasmin raised a hand, ready to hit her. Giselle flinched and called out between sobs, "ke! Help me!" When she heard that name, Yasmin shuddered and turned to look behind her. She did not know when ke had appeared at the door in a ck Speedo shirt and his usual lofty demeanor. "Don''t hit her anymore," ke stopped Yasmin. "I called Malcolm yesterday to ask about this. She didn''t instruct any waiter to do anything. Caleb asked someone to send the wine to you." "Then how does Caleb know that I''m divorced?" Yasmin questioned. She did not want people to know about this. If she did not tell others herself, no one would know. This way, her father''s enemies would note after her. "Giselle briefly mentioned it to him," ke said coolly. "Then I didn''t use her unjustly. If not for her big mouth, Caleb would not have been able to trick me into going to Room 106." Yasmin did not think that she was at fault. Giselle was to me for everything from the start. Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Giselle looked at ke with a pitiful expression and said, "ke, please believe me. I never had any ill intentions. It was just a passing remark, and I didn''t know it would escte like this." Yasmin had enough of this. She turned and left. ke called after her, "Not eating breakfast anymore?" "Nope!" The sight of Giselle made her so furious that she had lost her appetite. Yasmin walked out of thepound and tried to call an Uber. Due to it being peak hours, many drivers were unavable, and she didn''t manage to get an Uber. As she waited, ke''s Rolls-Royce Ghost rolled up next to her. "Get in." ke opened the car door, still dressed in his exercise gear. Had hee out in a hurry? What about Giselle? Had ke left her at Oak Garden? Yasmin, thinking of how he had saved herst night, got in his car. "Where''s Giselle? Did you abandon her at Oak Garden?" "She said that her stomach doesn''t feel good, so I asked Mary to look after her." ke nced at Yasmin. "Don''t you know she''s pregnant? Who allowed you to hit her?" Yasmin was stunned. It turns out that ke wanted to interrogate her about her crime. "If anything happens to her baby, would you be able to bear the responsibility?" ke continued. Of course, she wouldn''t be able to bear the responsibility if anything happened to a child of the Ford family. She felt a little helpless and said coolly, "The deed has been done." "Don''t do that again," ke said. Yasmin hung her head low and grunted in agreement. She felt a little sad. He did care about the child. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ke nced at her and asked, "How are you physically? Good?" "I''m fine." Yasmin didn''t want to talk to him, so she looked at her phone. There were a few missed calls. Some were from Eunice, and some were from Ivan. They were probably anxious because she didn''t go homest night. Yasmin sent Ivan a text message to reassure him. "Ivan, I''m fine. Rest assured that nothing happened to me." Then she called Eunice, "Eunice, I''m fine. Don''t worry." "I know. When you didn''te backst night, Mr. Burke went to inquire about you at the hotel. The hotel staff said that Mr. Ford took you away. He didn''t do anything to you, did he?" "I''m fine." In a low voice, Yasmin summarized the happenings ofst night, excluding the part where she and ke made out. ke raised his eyebrows slightly when he heard her describe everything until the part where she had taken the medicine Joel brought, omitting what happened just before his arrival. "No wonder," Eunice said. "No wonder what?" Yasmin asked. "I saw the news this morning that Caleb''spany has been charged with corruption," Eunice said, "Did ke do that? In that case, he''s a pretty decent guy. He not only saved you, but he also punished Caleb. "Now Caleb''spany has been exposed and shut down, and Caleb''s in jail. He''ll be in there for at least eight to ten years." Rendered speechless, Yasmin turned to look at ke. "What''s up?" ke asked coolly, sensing that Yasmin was looking at him. "Were you responsible for Caleb''spany being charged with corruption and for Caleb being behind bars?" "That scum shouldn''t be allowed out in society," ke said calmly. Yasmin was mildly moved by his actions. Two years ago, Caleb had hurt her father. Now that Caleb was behind bars, she felt justice had finally been served. "Thank you," she said to ke. ke didn''t say anything in return, but his lips twitched. The roads were congested due to the rush hour. Even ke''s million-dor luxury car was stuck in an unmoving traffic jam. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Yasmin looked at the traffic outside her window. Her phone suddenly buzzed with a WhatsApp notification. Victor had sent her a voice note: "Yasmin, did you see the news today? Caleb''s in jail. Haha! Justice is served!" Yasmin pressed the microphone button, saying, "I just saw it. Serves him right." His response was almost immediate. "Yes! Yasmin, this morning, your grandmother told me she misses you and is asking you toe back for dinner tonight." "I don''t think I have time tonight," Yasmin replied. "Going back to the Starr family''s house for dinner?" "Maybe." Yasmin sent a final voice note and switched off her phone. Victor had been managing Starr Corporation ever since her father went to prison. Her grandmother had also moved into Victor''s house. However, Yasmin was not very close to her grandmother. She only visited on special asions like New Year''s Day. Eventually, the two arrived at Erinnyes. Yasmin said nothing more. She exited the car and walked into the studio without looking back. ke watched her, and his gaze turned cool. Yasmin was immediately surrounded by two staff members when she entered the office. "Ms. Starr, what happened yesterday? Are you okay?" "I''m fine." Yasmin waved off the questions by saying that she had bumped into a friend, and they had gone out for dinner. "Oh, so that''s what happened!" The two staff members were relieved. Just then, Sarah took out Giselle''s dress. "Ms. Starr, we''re done altering Ms. O''Shea''s dress. Do I courier it to her?" "Yes," Yasmin said before going to the second floor. Eunice was sitting inside the office. "Wow! It was my first time meeting Ivan yesterday. I didn''t expect him to be so handsome," Eunice said dreamily when she saw Yasmine in. Yasmin sat down. "Wouldn''t Colin be mad if he saw you swooning over another guy like this?" "He wouldn''t. He supports me swooning over celebrities." ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Yasminughed. "Ivan isn''t a celebrity." After that, she opened her design folder and checked the design drafts. Upon making sure there were no errors, she then took it outside to ask the assistant to start making the pattern. Once they had made the clothes, they would disy them at theunch of their newest collection. There was a pile of work waiting for her. Yasmin perked herself up and got to work. It would be a busy day ahead for her. Later, she received a call from Emelda Starr, her grandmother. "Yasmin, there is a family gathering tonight," Emelda reminded. "Don''t forget. Oh, and it''s best if you bring ke along." Yasmin''s heart sank slightly when she heard ke''s name. How would she tell them that she and ke were divorced? She''d do it tonight then. She would return and break the news to her family. "Okay, Grandma. I''ll be there," Yasmin replied. ¡­ That evening, Sarah came upstairs and informed Yasmin, "Ms. Starr, a handsome guy is looking for you downstairs. He wants you to make a suit for him." "A handsome guy?" Yasmin looked at Sarah and put down the cloth in her hands. Sarah was blushing as she said, "Yes! He''s so handsome!" Puzzled, Yasmin went downstairs. It was Erik Hayes. Yasmin frowned. "Why are you here?" "Why? Am I not wee to make a suit here?" Erik was sitting cross-legged on the couchnguidly, a picture of indolence. Yasmin shed a polite smile. "Of course not. Erinnyes wees everyone. What type of suit do you want to make, Mr. Hayes?" "Anything that looks good." Yasmin led him to the fitting room and showed him the suits on disy. "Mr. Hayes, have a look and see what style you like." Erik walked around the room once and said, "Nothing seems to catch my eye. Design a new one. I want a suit that looks cool." Yasmin followed his requests and looked for a suit that matched what he wanted. "Something like this?" she asked, showing him a sample design. Erik nced at it briefly. He wanted to find fault with it, but he hadn''t expected Yasmin to pick one that looked really good. He nodded, "I''ll go with this style then." Chapter 108 Chapter 108 "Alright then." Yasmin retrieved a measuring tape and started taking his measurements. Erik looked at his tall figure and lean legs in the mirror and asked, "I heard you pped Giselle this morning?" Yasmin raised her eyebrows. "Why? Did youe here for her?" "Not at all. I was just wondering how shameless one can be. You and ke are already separated, yet you returned to Oak Garden yesterday?" Yasmin smiled and said, "We''ll be officially divorced in a month. At the moment, I''m still ke''s wife, and I have every right to be at Oak Garden. Mistresses, on the other hand, have no right toe to Oak Garden." She was hinting that Giselle was a mistress. After that incident yesterday, Yasmin and Giselle had be sworn enemies. Erik scoffed. "You''re just jealous of Giselle. Do you feel ufortable seeing how much ke cares about her?" "What about her should I be jealous about? Jealous that she''s a bitch? Or jealous of her top-notch acting skills?" Erik had no retort for that. He mused for a while and said, "Anyhow, you''re definitely jealous of her." "Whatever." Yasmin didn''t care at all. She held up the measuring tape and said, "Mr. Hayes, please lift your hands." Erikplied. When Yasmin leaned closer to him to take his measurements, Erik caught a whiff of the faint fragrance in her hair. Her eyshes, long and curly, were like two fans. Erik was a little ufortable. Heughed and said, "Are you trying to flirt with me by leaning so near to me?" "Mr. Hayes, you''re too full of yourself," Yasmin mocked him. Just as she was about to back away, Erik caught hold of her waist. "You can, you know." Erik looked down at her, and his lips curled up in a smile. "Come and chase me if you like me so much. "Who knows? In the heat of the moment, I might give you a chance. How about treating me like how you used to treat ke? Always at his beck and call. How does that sound?" Yasmin scoffed at him. "ke is worthy of me chasing him. A man like you is worth nothing." Erik''s expression changed, and he suddenly held her tightly. Yasmin angrily demanded, "What do you think you''re doing?" Smiling, Erik leaned toward her ear and whispered, "ke is here." Yasmin stiffened. "Hi, ke," Erik greeted. ke walked in, eyeing them. "What are both of you doing together?" Malcolm was behind him, his hands full of gift bags. They looked like they were going to someone''s house. Was he nning to go to the Starr family''s dinner? Yasmin''s heart fluttered at the sight. "We''re good friends now," Erik chirped. "Oh really?" ke shifted his gaze from Erik to Yasmin. "You''ve be good friends with Erik so quickly, haven''t you?" Yasmin looked at the gift bags Malcolm held. She didn''t want ke to go to the dinner because she was nning to break the news of the divorce to the Starr family that night. Thus, she nodded without a word. The more he hated her, the easier it was to cut off from himpletely. "Come with me," ke said darkly. Hesitantly, Yasmin followed him to the reception room. Once she closed the door, ke pulled her to the couch. Yasmin was stunned when ke threw himself on her. They were in the studio! They couldn''t be doing this! ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. She looked up at him. "ke, what do you think you''re doing? We''re at mypany." "You''re interacting with Erik so frequently. Are you really trying to flirt with him?" ke pressed down on her and pinched her jaw. Yasmin''s jaw hurt. She frowned and said, "You''re hurting me. Let go¡ª" ke didn''t let go. Instead, he leaned down and kissed her. Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Yasmin was in a daze. Her mouth had been pried open by ke, and their lips were locked together. His kisses were rough and passionate. Yasmin was going out of her mind. "ke Ford! What are you doing? Let go of me!" "So loud. Do you want the wholepany to know what we''re doing here?" ke teased. Yasmin shuddered and didn''t dare to move. When he kissed her again, she pushed at his chest and objected, "Let go of me! ke Ford, do you hear me? We''re at thepany, and there are many people outside. Don''t do this¡ª" "You should be punished," he interrupted. "Why should I be punished?" "For being a slut." Yasmin was left speechless. ke''s eyes darkened. The next second, he pressed himself against her. Yasmin''s expression changed. He wanted to have her here. "No!" She had never been so embarrassed and pushed him away. "We have filed for divorce. You can''t do this to me." "Are you still going to flirt with other men?" ke looked at her darkly, still pressing against her. "What right do you have to say what I can and can''t do?" Yasmin demanded indignantly.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "I''ll control you if I want to," ke said domineeringly. "After all, hooking up with him is useless. His parents are well-known for looking at one''s family background. "You don''t have any family background or any backing. His family will definitely not allow you to marry into their family." "I never said I wanted to marry him." ke looked at her pointedly. "What do you mean by that? You''re satisfied just being his lover?" Yasmin was tired of this. She sighed and said, "Can you please stoping to look for me?" There was a brief silence. ke sneered, "Why? Are you unhappy that I interrupted you and another guy?" "Yes." Yasmin looked up at him. "How am I going to find a boyfriend next time if you keep doing this? Can''t you just get together with Giselle and stop bothering me?" "You think I''m bothering you?" ke looked at her and said in an indiscernible tone. "Aren''t you?" Yasmin countered. She had been harboring this resentment in her heart for a while. Since he had already chosen Giselle, why did he keeping to look for her? He had nothing to do with her in the future. Silence again. After a while, he wordlessly let go of her and left without a backward nce. Malcolm was waiting outside with the gift bags. When he saw ke walking toward the exit, he ran after him, saying, "Mr. Ford, aren''t you going back with Mrs. Ford for the Starr family''s dinner tonight?" ke''s face was frigid. He turned and looked at the gifts Malcolm was holding, which had be an eyesore to him. He impulsively chucked them all into the trash can, making a loudmotion. Everyone looked at him. He grumpily stomped into the elevator. "Back to my office." After Yasmin tidied herself, she exited the reception room and saw ke stoically standing inside the elevator. She didn''t say anything as the elevator doors slowly slid shut. Yasmin stared at ke''s eyes for a long time. Even after the elevator doors shut, she stood there unmoving for a long time. "ke left?" Erik walked up from behind. Yasmin snorted with her back to him. "Are you satisfied now, Mr. Hayes?" Erik looked at her. "ke came to look for you. Don''t you want to seize this opportunity to get him?" Erik did not know what they had done in the reception room, but judging from ke''s outraged reaction, it probably hadn''t gone well. Yasmin smiled and said, "My father is more important than him." ke didn''t love her that much. What else did ke feel toward her other than a little wistfulness? On the other hand, he cared very much about Giselle and the child in her womb. Why should she want a man like that? She would rather get her father out of prison. After that, she intended to live her life happily¡ªaway from these types of lofty people. Chapter 110 Chapter 110 A thought suddenly struck Yasmin as she walked toward the stairs. She wrote up an invoice, corrected it, and passed it to Sarah. Sarah subsequently handed Erik the invoice. "Hello, Mr. Hayes, that will be 76 thousand dors for the suit you ordered." Yasmin had charged him an extra six thousand dors for being detestable and making her angry. Erik looked up at Yasmin. Yasmin had walked upstairs. Her slender figure was very attractive. Erik chuckled. "This woman can still do business at a time like this. She''s stronger than I thought," he mused. "Interesting." Erik swiped his card and told Sarah, "Call me when the suit is ready. I''ll need to try it on." "Goodbye, Mr. Hayes," Sarah said with a smile. Erik snorted and walked out. ¡­ That night, Yasmin returned to the Starr family house. She had picked up the gifts that ke had tossed in the trash. She couldn''t afford such luxurious gifts and didn''t want them to go to waste. Four people greeted her at the door¡ªEmelda and Victor''s family. They were waiting for her and looked disappointed when they saw that ke wasn''t with her. "Yasmin, didn''t kee with you?" Her cousin Brittany''s anticipation turned into disappointment. "He can''t make it because he''s busy." Yasmin passed the gifts to a household staff. Magnolia nced at the luxurious gifts and smiled approvingly. Brittany sighed and said, "Why didn''t you tell us earlier? I wanted to beg ke to give me a leadership position in Windmere Group." Yasmin said coolly, "It''s no use begging him. He hires by capability rather than personal connections. You''re just interning this year, so there''s no way he''ll give you a leadership position already." Yasmin was very frank. There was no way this would happen. "I think you just don''t want to help me," Brittany said with a pout. "Enough. Let''s not talk about this. Let''s go and eat." Magnolia smiled and led Yasmin by the hand into the dining room. The family sat down at the table. Yasmin slowly ate her dinner, nning to reveal that she and ke had filed for divorce after they had eaten. However, Magnolia said, "Yasmin, I wanted to tell ke something. Since he''s not here, we''ll tell you instead." "Aunt Magnolia, go ahead." "It''s about your father''spany. Weren''t there a lot of debts? One of the creditors is asking for an early repayment of 300 thousand dors. We don''t have the money, so we wanted to ask ke."N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Yasmin stopped eating. "Thepany can''t even afford 300 thousand dors?" "Yes," Magnolia said anxiously. "Thepany is declining, and it still has a lot of debts. I don''t know how much longer it canst. If it can no longer sustain itself, then it will be forced to close for good." Closing thepany meant dering bankruptcy. If that happened, everything her father had worked for would be gone. Yasmin looked at Victor. Victor urged, "Yasmin, thispany is everything your father worked for. Now that you''ve married a rich man, you should help thepany." Yasmin was quiet for a while. She then replied, "Let me think of something." She decided not to tell them she was divorcing ke just yet. She needed to resolve this problem first. In hindsight, she should not have stubbornly rejected Erik''s 500 thousand dor cheque. Now, she needed to think of a way to raise the money. This was her father''spany debt. Even if Starr Corporation went bankrupt, they still needed to repay what they owed. Yasmin pondered for a while after leaving the Starr family house. After making up her mind, she took a cab to Oak Garden. She wanted to pack her things and see what valuables she could sell to raise the money to settle the debt. However, coincidentally, ke was at the house. Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Yasmin entered the house, catching Mary, who was just about to leave. Mary greeted, "Mrs. Ford, you''re back." "Yeah. Are you heading out now?" Staff members of Oak Garden lived in a small building a short distance away. So a quick phone call would summon them to the house if anything happened. "Yes." It was already 8:00 pm. Mary informed Yasmin, "Mr. Ford is upstairs." Just then, she noticed something and called, "Mr. Ford." Yasmin looked up. ke, who had appeared out of nowhere, was watching her with a stoic expression from the second-floor railing. Didn''t she say he was bothering her? Why had hee back? "You go on ahead," the man instructed Mary. "Yes, sir. Mrs. Ford, there''s some soup in the pot. Remember to have someter," Mary reminded before leaving. Instead of entering the kitchen, Yasmin headed straight for the stairs. "Why did youe back?" ke asked coldly. "I''m here to pack my things," Yasmin replied. ke''s face was twisted in a scowl, but he remained silent. Ignoring his cold demeanor, Yasmin walked into her closet. She subsequently pulled out a suitcase and began sorting through her belongings. The jewelry cab in the room was full of gems. They were extremely expensive and could fetch tens of millions of dors if sold. Yasmin knew the jewelry belonged to ke''s rightful wife, not her. And just like the vi at Newphoria Bay, she could only use them¡ªnot take them. Eventually, she ended up not taking anything with her. This made her realize that although she had been married to ke for two years, there was nothing she could call her own. She then walked over to where the handbags were kept, figuring she''d grab the valuable ones to sell. However, as she lifted her head, she spotted ke standing at the door, shooting her a re that sent chills down her spine. "What are you doing?" he asked, stepping forward with a prating stare. Holding two bags in her hands, Yasmin pursed her lips. "I''m here to take some bags with me." "You can''t afford to buy them yourself, so you want to use my things to attract other men?" ke sneered. Yasmin retorted, "You don''t even need them, so what''s the point of keeping them? I''ve already used them before, so don''t tell me you''re going to give them to Giselle." "It''s my choice who to give them to, and you''re not allowed to take any of them." The man walked over and swiped the bags out of her hands. Startled, Yasmin watched him step forward, trapping her between his body and the shelf. "What are you doing?" Yasmin didn''t understand why he was suddenly acting this way. Hadn''t they cleared things up earlier in the afternoon? "Forget the bags; you aren''t even allowed to take any of the clothes," he snapped. "I designed some of the clothes myself, so I should be allowed to take those, right?" "No. They belong to me as long as they''re here." ke''s expression was grim. He was standing too close tofort, his lips nearly touching Yasmin''s. Feeling ufortable, she lifted her arms to put some distance between them. Unexpectedly, he grabbed her hands and pressed them over her head. As a result, Yasmin''s body arched, her lips brushing the man''s Adam''s apple. Immediately, ke stiffened. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Just tell me what you want. I only came back to get my belongings." "Like I said, everything here belongs to me," ke stated emotionlessly. "Don''t even think of using my things to hook up with other men." ke was actingpletely unreasonably. Yasmin had been busying up with ways to earn money. Yet, everything she was doing just made her seem like a slut to him. She tried to break free from his grasp, but he was too strong. With no other way out, she decided topromise. "Fine, I''ll leave without taking anything, alright?" "No." Shooting her a re, ke leaned in slightly, pressing their lips together. Chapter 112 Chapter 112 Yasmin froze, stunned. What on earth was ke trying to do? Had he scolded her and made scornful remarks just so he could kiss her? Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Don''t kiss me." Yasmin held her breath, refusing to kiss him back. Ignoring her protest, ke pulled her chin closer and deepened the kiss urgently. Momentster, Yasmin found herself lifted onto the shelf. ke pressed his lips against hers once more, wounding his arms around her waist tightly. "ke¡­" Yasmin muttered, her mind going nk. The man continued drowning himself in her scent as his hand reached behind her to pull down her zipper. "ke!" she eximed. However, ke didn''t let up. Instead, he lifted her skirt and bit her neck. Yasmin''s knees went weak, and ke held her ckened body close. Her clothes were soon in disarray. When she realized ke was about to take things even further, she quickly cried, "No! Let go of me!" Infuriated by her words, he ripped off her underwear. Yasmin''s eyes widened fearfully, and she snapped, "Let go of me!" Frantically kicking the man, she protested, "I didn''t give you my consent, ke! You''re forcing me ¡ª" In her panic, she identally kicked his injured leg. ke grunted and paled but still didn''t release her. Yasmin, who failed to notice his reaction, nted several more kicks. ke''s face twisted in pain as his left leg went numb. He quickly sat down, his expression grim. Yasmin finally noticed his response. "Did I kick your injured leg?" His leg had just been freed from its cast and hadn''t fully healed yet. ke gave her a cold stare but didn''t say anything. With her suspicions confirmed, Yasmin asked anxiously, "Did I really?" She approached him carefully and asked, "Should I give Dr. Sawyer a call?" ke still didn''t answer her. Worried, Yasmin decided to ring Joel up. "Hi, Dr. Sawyer. ke hurt his leg again. Could you please come over?" Soon, Joel arrived. Yasmin quickly tidied herself. When she spotted Joel, she felt as if she had found her savior. "Please take a look at him, Dr. Sawyer." After examining ke, Joel exined, "Everything seems fine. He might have hit a nerve, but the numbness should go away after a while." Hearing this, Yasmin immediately sighed in relief. Joel went back to his car to grab some medication for ke. Realizing there was nothing left for her to do, Yasmin told ke, "Since Dr. Sawyer is here, I''ll take my leave." Her words seemed to anger the man, who red at her. "Do you hate staying here that much?" "Yeah. This ce isn''t my home anymore," she replied before walking out. ke watched her retreating figure, his interest fizzling away. "If you leave now, don''t evere back." Reaching the door, Yasmin stiffened before leaving with a nod. Soon, she left Oak Garden. ¡­ The winter temperature was dropping, so she wrapped her coat tightly around her body as she walked down the quiet mountain path. By the time she returned to her studio, her feet were covered in blisters. She applied some ointment and silently sat on the sofa for a long time, lost in thought. The next day, Yasmin put her handbag up for sale online for 250 thousand dors. It was the one she had picked up. Since it was something she found, it belonged to her and not ke. By noon, someone bought her bag and asked her to deliver it to No. 10, Newphoria Bay. Yasmin was surprised to learn that the buyer was her neighbor since her family used to live in Lot No. 8. After work, she grabbed the handbag and went over. When she arrived, she was surprised to find herself at Giselle''s vi. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Yasmin froze at the sight of Giselle. ke had spent nearly 200 million dors to purchase the vi for Giselle, yet he had refused to return her father''s house to her. From N?velDrama.Org. Yasmin felt a stab of pain in her chest as she realized how generous ke was to his first love. Looking around, she noticed the simrities between vis No. 10 and No. 8, which made her miss her father even more. She slowly made her way to the backyard, where Giselle was enjoying some dessert. Giselle smiled when she noticed her. "This vi is a gift from ke. Isn''t it pretty?" "Yeah, it is," Yasmin replied absentmindedly. Giselle then asked, "I heard your family used to live in No. 8. Didn''t ke give you that vi after the divorce?" Yasmin didn''t want to answer the question, so she handed the handbag instead. "Ms. O''Shea, this is the bag you ordered. I''ve only used it once. You can inspect it yourself." If she hadn''t scratched it during that one time, Yasmin could have sold the bag for over 300 thousand dors. "Bring it to me." Giselle waved Yasmin closer. Yasmin walked over and lifted the bag. Giselle didn''t take it. Instead, she peered at the bag in the box and let Yasmin continue holding it. "Why are you selling the bag? Are you short on money?" "Yeah, kind of," Yasmin answered, feeling her blisters starting to hurt again. Giselle pretended not to notice Yasmin''s pain and nonchntly suggested, "Why don''t I introduce you to a part-time job? I heard you know how to y the piano. Why don''t youe and perform during my birthday? I''ll pay you 50 thousand a night." "No, thanks. I''m quite busytely." Yasmin declined with a smile. She was mildly surprised to realize that theing Saturday was already Giselle''s birthday. "Is it too little? Then, how about 100 thousand a night? I just want you to y the piano while ke and I share a dance." Giselle was clearly trying to humiliate Yasmin. After all, she was requesting Yasmin to y the piano while thetter''s husband danced with another woman. Feeling irked, Yasmin was about to refuse when she heard Giselle ask, "What brings you here, ke?" Yasmin nced over and saw a pair of long legs. ke was wearing a ck suit as he walked over with a bag of supplements. "I brought you some supplements." Yasmin naturally stood aside. ke, not sparing her a nce, sat down next to Giselle. In a smooth voice, he said, "These are for your health. Remember to take them every day." "I haven''t even finished the ones you broughtst time," Giselleined tenderly. "ke, didn''t you give Yasmin an alimony? She''s resorted to selling handbags now." Hearing this, Yasmin''s chest tightened. ke turned his head, his gazending on the bag Yasmin was holding. Giselle continued, "Yasmin was married to you for two years. Now that you''re divorced, she''s just an orphan again. How is she going to survive without alimony?" ke chuckled coldly in response. "She doesn''t need me." "What do you mean?" "Don''t you know? She''s been growing closer to Erik recently. I don''t have anything to worry about with him around." "I see." Giselle nodded and turned to Yasmin. "Yasmin, the bag is fine. You can leave it here. I''ll buy it." "Okay." Maintaining a smile, Yasmin put the bag down and turned to leave. Suddenly, Giselle recalled something and called, "Oh, what do you say about the gig at my birthday party?" ke nced at Giselle. "What gig?" "Well, Yasmin seems to need money desperately, so I figured I''d invite her to y the piano at my birthday party. I''d pay her 50 thousand dors in return. This way, I can help her at the same time." Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Yasmin turned around and replied softly, "No, thanks. Our studio has been busy with a coboration lately, so I don''t think I have the time to go." "Is it the coboration with NAS Group?" Giselle asked. "Yeah," Yasmin confirmed. ke''s demeanor turned ice cold as he learned that the two had still ended up partnering together. After Yasmin left, only Giselle and ke remained in the backyard. Giselle was wearing a sexy spaghetti-strap dress. In a calcted move, she leaned forward to hold ke''s hand, revealing her cleavage. She asked softly, "Why don''t you sleep over tonight? I''ll ask the maids to prepare your things." It was a tant invitation. This wasn''t the first time she was making a move, but he always pretended not to notice. His expression was stoic as usual as he replied, "I''m busy tonight." With that, he stood up and left. ¡­ At the vi gate, Yasmin received Ivan''s call. "Yasmin, your Porsche has been repaired. Do you want me to bring it over to you?" Yasmin finally remembered that her car had been sent for repairs after being damaged during the ident. Her feet still felt sore, so she replied, "Can you deliver it to No. 8, Newphoria Bay?" She wanted to take a look at her former home. "Sure." "Thank you," Yasmin replied before walking over to No. 8. The gate was locked, and the yard was covered in fallen leaves, making the house look cold and abandoned. Just then, another car drove past No. 8. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Malcolm said, "Sir, it''s Mrs. Ford." ke, who was sitting in the back seat, looked up and spotted Yasmin standing at the vi gate. Despite the cold wind, the gorgeous woman was gracefully observing the plum blossoms in the yard. "Is she short of moneytely?" ke asked softly. "Didn''t she return to the Starr family home yesterday night?" Malcolm hinted. Every time Yasmin returned home, the Starr family woulde up with countless excuses to ask for money or projects, which was why ke never liked them. "Go find out what''s going on," ke ordered. Tentatively, Malcolm asked, "Sir, do you n to help Madam solve this issue?" Before ke could answer, the pink Porsche Yasmin had sent for repairs rolled up the street and pulled up in front of her. The car window rolled down to reveal Ivan''s handsome face. "Here you go, Yasmin." Yasmin was surprised. "Mr. Burke, you didn''t have toe in person." "I''d just gotten off work anyway, so I thought I''d take a drive," Ivan responded with a small smile. Yasmin smiled back. "Is this your former house?" Ivan asked, ncing at the vi. "Mm-hmm." Yasmin nodded before sensing a gaze. She turned her head and met ke''s stern expression. Recalling Giselle''s vi, Yasmin decided to ignore him. She straightened her spine and said to Ivan, "Look, the plum blossoms in my yard are blooming." Ivan peered over. The white plum trees nted in the yard danced beautifully in the cold breeze. Getting out of the car, Ivan walked over and stood next to Yasmin outside the gates to admire the scenery. "Drive," ke ordered coldly. Malcolm immediately stepped on the gas pedal. After a moment, he asked, "Are you going to solve Mrs. Ford''s issues with her family?" "Forget it." ke averted his eyes from Yasmin, scowling. Malcolm was confused. "What do you mean?" "You don''t have to do anything," ke hissed. "Let her suffer. She won''t know how dangerous the world can be if she doesn''t experience it herself." Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Yasmin and Ivan stood at the gate. Suddenly, Ivan asked, "Do you want to go in?" "Huh?" Startled, Yasmin nced at the lock on the gate. "But the gate is locked." "Just climb over it." Ivan removed his suit jacket and began rolling up his sleeves. "I''ll prop you up so you can climb over. "Really?" Yasmin really wanted to go in and steal a peek. Fortunately, she was wearing t shoes today. Although there were still some blisters on her feet, the pain was still bearable. "Come on," Ivan said, crouching down. "Just don''t be afraid." "I won''t be. I used to climb over it all the time." Yasmin grinned. In the past, she would sneak out and climb over the iron gate upon her return, so she knew what to do. Propping one foot on Ivan''s knee, she pushed herself over the iron gate. Ivan swiftly climbed over as well. As the two strolled into the vi, Yasmin began showing Ivan around. "It''s even prettier here during the day." Yasmin slinked between trees and paused when she reached an apricot tree. She pointed at the tree and told Ivan, "I used to stay up on that tree during summers." "Stay up?" Ivan was confused. "Yeah." Yasmin agilely climbed the tree and perched on a branch before ncing at the man. "Just like this." Ivan was surprised. He didn''t expect her to be so lively. "Mr. Burke, would you like to join me? The view up here is even better." Yasmin reached out a hand to invite him. For a moment, Ivan felt enchanted by her. Without thinking, he grabbed her hand and climbed up the tree. The two of them sat perched on a branch as they studied the spectacr view before them. "I miss the past." Yasmin sighed. How she wished she could return to this home and live a carefree life. Ivan watched her swing her legs with a content expression. "Aren''t you happy with ke?" Ivan felt sorry for her when he saw her frown. Yasmin shook her head and smiled. "I''m sure you know he has someone he likes." "Do you like him?" Yasmin hesitated. She stared at the dense leaves over her head but never answered the question. ¡­ By the time she reached the studio, it was already 11:00 pm. After parking her car, Yasmin thanked Ivan. "Thank you for delivering my car, Mr. Burke. Shall I call a designated driver to send you back?" "No, thanks. I''ve already contacted my secretary, so she''s on her way to pick me up now," Ivan said, his dark blue suit giving him a reserved but gentle look.N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Yasmin didn''t feelfortable leaving him by himself, so she stood downstairs with him for a while. Suddenly, her phone rang. Yasmin pulled it out and saw that the call was from Joel. She wondered why he was calling her. Confused, Yasmin stepped away and answered the call. "Yes, Dr. Sawyer?" "Hey, Yasmin. ke had too much to drink, so I need you to pick him up from Nightshade," Joel told her, sounding slightly tipsy. They were currently in a room at the Nightshade Lounge. ke had had too much to drink and was resting on the sofa with his eyes closed. He had called Joel out for a drink because he was in a bad mood. When Yasmin heard this, she pressed her lips together and said, "I don''t have time to go there, Dr. Sawyer." "Tell him that yourself." Joel instantly handed his phone over to ke. "Hello?" ke''s voice rang out. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Yasmin''s breath hitched. "It''s me." "I know." ke closed his eyes. His voice was hoarse from the drinks. "Did you have too much to drink?" ke hummed in response. In the past, she would always pick him up when he drank too much. So, he waited quietly for her response. However, the voice he heard after waiting for a long time didn''t belong to her¨Cit was Ivan''s. "Yasmin." "Yeah?" "Wait here for a moment. I''m going to the pharmacy across the street." "Okay," Yasmin replied. On the other end of the call, ke''s expression turned hard. "You''re with Ivan?" "Mm-hmm." Yasmin nodded. ke''s grip tightened around the phone. It was already past 11:00 pm, so why were they still together? Were they nning to spend the night together? With a scowl, hemanded, "Come here." Not liking his sudden domineering tone, Yasmin frowned before replying, "I''m not your wife anymore, ke. You have no right to order me around. Call a driver if you''re drunk. I don''t have time to pick you up." ke chuckled coldly. Annoyed by his sneer, Yasmin added, "Don''t call me unless it''s something urgent." "Fine, bye." ke ended the call. Yasmin stared at the dark screen, feeling down. "Yasmin." Ivan emerged from the shop across the street and handed her a tube of ointment. "This is for you." Yasmin was puzzled. "What''s this for?" "You seem to be walking strangely tonight. You have blisters on your feet, don''t you?" Ivan''s eyes were filled with concern. Yasmin smiled, surprised. "You noticed?" "Yeah. Did you hurt your feet?" "Walking too much gave me two blisters." Yasmin never liked others'' pity, so she hid the fact that she actually had six blisters. Still, Ivan insisted on giving her the ointment. "I''ve already bought it, so you might as well take it. Remember to apply it when you get home." "Thank you, Mr. Burke." Yasmin epted the tube. Just then, Ivan''s secretary, Summer pulled up in front of them and greeted, "Mr. Burke, Ms. Starr." Bidding Ivan farewell, Yasmin returned to her studio and applied the ointment to her blisters. Afterward, she checked her bnce and saw that the money for the handbag had been credited. She now had a total of 270 thousand dors. This meant that she was still 30 thousand dors short of the 300 thousand dors. Yasmin began searching for her broken bracelet. It was the only piece of jewelry she had left, and it was something ke had bought her after lots of pestering. Yasmin held the bracelet to the light and examined it silently. Then, she rang Eunice up. "Eunice, can you help me sell a piece of jewelry?" Yasmin wanted to sell the bracelet to pay off her father''s debt. Besides, out of sight, out of mind. Eunice asked, "Are you short of money, Yaz?" Eunice was an observant person and noticed immediately. Although her family was wealthy, her mother was just a stepmother who lived with the rest of the family. As such, she didn''t hold much power. Yasmin didn''t want to trouble her friend, so she said, "No. I just want it out of my sight since it''s something ke gave me." When Eunice heard that it was a gift from the scumbag, she immediately agreed. "Okay, I''ll take care of it for you tomorrow!" Yasmin smiled. Eunice was still being very nice to her. ¡­ Soon, it was Saturday. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. At 7:00 pm, the studio''s phone rang. There was no one else working at this time, so Yasmin went downstairs and answered the call. "Hello?" "What''s the matter with you, Yasmin Starr? Why did you guys send Giselle a ruined dress? Did you do this on purpose so she''d embarrass herself at the banquet?" It turned out that Giselle''s birthday banquet was tonight. Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Yasmin answered, "How can that be? I checked it before sending it out, and the dress was fine." "The dress we received is damaged. You bettere to Giselle''s house now to fix it, or she won''t have a dress to wear tonight," Roxy snapped before hanging up. She immediately sent Yasmin a photo of the damaged dress. Yasmin took a look. Parts of thece had been torn, but it was an easy fix. Grabbing her toolbox, Yasmin was about to head out when she remembered she was going to Giselle''s birthday banquet. She better dress up, or she might be unable to get in. Digging around, she found a light-colored dress she had designed and put it on. After applying some makeup, she rushed to No. 10, Newphoria Bay. However, when she arrived, she saw someone guarding the entrance. The guard didn''t allow her to enter without an invitation. Yasmin bit her lip and dialed Roxy''s number, but thetter never picked up. Yasmin''s brows furrowed in agitation. Just then, a low voice came from behind. "Yasmin?" Yasmin turned her head. Ivan, who was dressed in a dark gray suit, gave her a look over, astonished. "What are you doing here?" The suit he was wearing was made by Yasmin''s studio. When Yasmin saw the suit, she felt a sense of aplishment. "Roxy told me toe over. She said the dress Giselle had ordered from my studio was damaged, so I came to see if it could be mended. But I can''t get in because I don''t have an invitation." Ivan smiled. "You might not have one, but I do." "Huh?" "You can attend the banquet as mypanion." Ivan offered Yasmin his hand. "May I have the honor of inviting you to attend the banquet with me, mdy?" Ivan was very considerate, even when he was helping others. From N?velDrama.Org. Yasmin responded with a smile and took his hand. "Of course." Ivan asked Summer to carry Yasmin''s toolbox, and the three of them entered the hall together. Giselle''s party was being held in the back garden. Yasmin and Ivan immediately attracted everyone''s attention when the crowd spotted their interlocked arms. "Holy shit! What''s going on between them?" On the second floor, Joel, who was holding a ss of wine, was stunned. "What do you mean?" Erik turned his head. Joel immediately pointed down. "It''s Ivan Burke and our Yasmin¡ªI mean, Yasmin." ke was sitting on the side, enjoying some wine, with his back resting against the chair. His eyes, which had been closed, opened abruptly when he heard Yasmin''s name. He walked over to the railing and looked down. At the entrance, Ivan was apanied by a gorgeous woman. The woman wore a soft pink gown with pearls gently adorning her neck. Yasmin was a beautiful woman with good looks and a good figure, making her outshine all the other women present. ke fixed his gaze on her. "What''s wrong? Are both of you entranced?" Joel waved a hand in front of the two dumbstruck men. Erik pped his hand away and lied, "Of course not!" "What''s she doing here?" ke asked coldly. Joel smiled. "She''s clearly Ivan''spanion." Hearing this, ke''s scowl deepened. Just then, Erik''s phone rang. Giselle was standing in front of the window on the third floor. She bit her lip as she watched Yasmin steal the limelight downstairs. She said into the phone, "Erik, can youe upstairs and do me a favor?" Chapter 118 Chapter 118 "Sure." Erik agreed without hesitation and turned to leave. Walking past the corridor, he nced at Yasmin, who was downstairs. However, she didn''t notice him. Instead, every man''s eyes were trained on her. Feeling ufortable, he leaned against the railing and deliberately called out loudly. "Yasmin Starr." Yasmin lifted her head and finally noticed the people on the second floor¡ªincluding ke. The man was resting against the railing as he regarded her from above. Her heart skipped a beat, but she didn''t say anything. "You''re here, our darling Yasmin!" Joel leaned over the railing with a ss of wine in his hand, his lips curved into azy grin. "Don''t call me that," Yasmin retorted calmly. "I''m just used to it," Joel pouted. "Why don''t you invite Mr. Burke up for a drink?" Yasmin nced at Ivan. The man replied, "Sure." However, Yasmin didn''t want to go upstairs. She wasn''t here for them tonight, so she whispered to Ivan, "Why don''t you go, Mr. Burke? I need to find Roxy and finish a task." "Then, be careful. Call me if anythinges up," Ivan gently reminded her. "Okay." Yasmin began making her way down the stairs. Everyone was surprised to see her going back downstairs. Erik asked, "Why is she leaving?" "She doesn''t want to be around a certain somebody." Ivan smiled slyly, holding a ss of wine. Erik immediately paled, assuming that Ivan was referring to him. He snorted and walked away. ke''s expression wasn''t much better. Yasmin glided back downstairs, looking as graceful as an angel. "Isn''t that Yasmin Starr from the Starr family?" A group of women watched her and began sneering. "Didn''t her family go bankrupt? How can she afford such a pretty dress?" Yasmin''s dress clearly wasn''t cheap. Yasmin looked down at her gown before turning her attention to the woman who had spoken. "Is it pretty? I designed it myself." While the other woman was taken aback, Yasmin added, "I opened a studio that makes custom gowns. Our dresses aren''t too expensive, so feel free to approach me if you need a dress made." Yasmin took this opportunity to advertise her business. One of the women said, "I have to say, the dress is quite beautiful." Several women epted Yasmin''s business card. However, there was one woman who still seemed disgusted. She humphed, "How did you find money to open a business when your family''s bankrupt? Don''t tell me you have someone sponsoring you?" "That''s right. How did you know?" Yasmin asked with widened eyes. Everyone was astonished. "Really? Who is it?" Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Yasmin initially wanted to reply with an insulting "your dad" remark but changed her mind when she saw ke upstairs out of the corner of her eye. She deliberately said, "ke Ford." "That''s impossible." The group of people didn''t believe her at all. After all, there were rumors of ke being together with Giselle, so how could he be sleeping with Yasmin? Besides, ke was allegedly uninterested in women. Naturally, everyone assumed that Yasmin was lying. Yasmin smiled. Indeed. Because they had gotten married in secret, not many people knew about their marriage. However, they were divorced now. While she was in a trance, a bodyguard walked up to her and said politely, "Ms. Starr, someone would like to see you upstairs." "Who was it?" Yasmin lifted her head and saw ke staring at her, his solemn ck suit making his expression even harsher. What did he want? Yasmin sighed and made her way upstairs under the gaze of the crowd. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 However, they didn''t go to their usual spot. Instead, she was led to a small garden. Yasmin had just sat down when she heard some footsteps. She looked up and saw ke slowly walking toward her, his tall figure casting a shadow over her. "What do you want?" Yasmin studied him. ke stood before her, blocking the light above her head. "Your life sure is exciting, Ms. Starr. Yesterday, it was Erik; today, it''s Mr. Burke. You never fail to surprise me." Yasmin frowned. ke never said anything nice. Raising an eyebrow, she said, "Well, it has nothing to do with you." Yasmin tried to leave, but the man grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. Infuriated, she snapped, "What are you doing, ke? Did you call me over just so you could humiliate me?" Grabbing ahold of her chin, ke peered down at her coldly. "Didn''t you say I was your sponsor earlier? Well, in that case, shouldn''t you be hoping to see me? So, why are you unhappy?" "Who likes to be humiliated?" Yasmin was furious. "I didn''t think too much of it when I said that. What''s the point of making such a big deal out of it?" ke retorted, "You''d better stay away from those men if you don''t like being humiliated." "What right do you have to demand that of me?" "We''re not divorced yet," he growled. "Like I told you, you can just tell everyone that you dumped me." ke sneered, "I won''t do something like that. Anyway, we''re still married, so don''t you dare cheat on me." Yasmin was taken aback. Suddenly, his phone rang. ke took a peek and noticed a message from Giselle that read: "ke, there seems to be something wrong with my dress. Can youe upstairs and help me take a look?" After reading the text, he released Yasmin and left. Yasmin touched her aching chin, unaware that Giselle had been watching her interaction with ke from the third floor the entire time. The re Giselle was shooting Yasmin was piercing enough to kill. When Yasmin made her way back downstairs, Roxy was surrounded by a group of women. Spotting Yasmin, Roxy walked over and apologized, "Were you the one who kept phoning me, Yasmin? I was busy doing my makeup earlier. I''m sorry I missed your calls." Her sudden change in attitude rmed Yasmin. She questioned, "What exactly do you guys want? Does Giselle have a dress to wear or not? If she does, return the white dress to me so I can have it fixed." "She doesn''t. Giselle is still stuck upstairs right now because she doesn''t have anything to wear." ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Roxy gave her a push to encourage her upstairs. "Hurry up, Yasmin. Giselle is in the first room on the left on the third floor. Make sure you go to the right room!" Yasmin calmly removed Roxy''s hand and walked upstairs. The room wasn''t locked, so Yasmin opened the door and went inside. There were sounds of running watering from the bathroom. Thus, she figured Giselle was showering. "Are you done yet?" Yasmin urged. The bathroom door opened, and out came a man wrapped in a white towel. It was Erik. Yasmin was stunned to see him. Erik was suspicious of her as well. "What are you doing here?" Thinking of something, he suddenly narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Don''t tell me you deliberately followed me and decided to seduce me after seeing meing in to shower?" Yasmin sneered and was just about to tell him that he was thinking too highly of himself when Roxy''s voice rang out. "ke, Giselle, are you two ready yet? Everyone''s waiting for you." "We''re almost ready. I''ll be down as soon as I pass Erik some clothes." A group of people headed toward the room. Hearing the noise, Yasmin and Erik began to panic. Erik, identally slipping on a puddle of water, instinctively grabbed onto Yasmin, and the two fell to the floor. Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Just then, the door swung open. "I brought you your clothes, Erik." Roxy said. But then, what followed was a scream. "Erik, Yasmin, what are you two doing?" ke had been standing a distance away, and his body froze when he heard this. He then pushed past several women and saw what was happening in the room¡ªYasmin was on top of Erik, while Erik wore only a towel around himself. After just one look, ke''s re turned venomous. Yasmin was silently panicking and was about to exin when Roxy rushed over and tugged at her dress. "What are you doing here, Yasmin? Didn''t I tell you that Giselle''s room is at the end of the corridor? What are you doing in Erik''s room? And both of you were¡­ were¡­" Roxy pretended to hesitate, as though she found it hard to finish her sentence. Meanwhile, the women in the room were already wearing disdainful expressions. "Look at what the daughter of the Starr family''s like, trying to seduce a man at Giselle''s birthday banquet!" "How shameless!" "Ugh, she even said ke Ford was her sugar daddy just now. What a liar." The surrounding gossip became harsher and harsher. Then, Yasmin''s gaze fell on Giselle. Giselle was wearing a light blue gown despite Roxy having told her that Giselle didn''t have anything to wear. Yasmin''s brows furrowed slightly as understanding dawned on her¡ªtonight''s events had been a trap set just for her. "Are you okay, Erik? Did Yasmine here to seduce you? Don''t worry, just tell us what happened." Roxy ran over to help Erik up. "We know you''re an honest person who wouldn''t do something like this, especially not at Giselle''s birthday banquet." The tips of Erik''s ears had turned pink, and he subconsciously nced at Yasmin. Suddenly, Yasmin smiled. But Roxy immediately shot her a re, saying, "How can you smile after doing something so disgusting?" Yasmin snorted as she stood up and flicked her hair. Then, she stared at Roxy and said, "Roxy, why don''t you tell everyone why I''m in Erik''s room." "How would I know?" Roxy continued feigning ignorance. "Perhaps you''ve always wanted to seduce Erik, so you came here when you finally found the opportunity to." "You sure are a great liar." Yasmin sneered as she nced at ke standing at the door. ke then beckoned Malcolm over with a frown and discreetly said some things to him. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. However, Yasmin ignored him and turned to Roxy, saying, "Roxy Ford, you told me the dress Giselle ordered from my studio was damaged and asked me toe take a look. "You also told me that Giselle''s room was the first room on the left of this floor. So, here I am. "When I arrived, Erik was already showering in the bathroom. I have no idea why he was showering, but you lot arrived right after I came in." Yasmin effortlessly recounted the incident. Roxy put on an innocent look and tearfully cried, "How could you say that? I''m sure I told you that Giselle''s room was at the end of the corridor. "You came into this room because you knew Erik was here, and you wanted to seduce him, right? You''re just ming this on me because we found you out." "She''s right. There''s no way you''d coincidentally stumble in while Erik Hayes was showering." One of thedies expressed their doubt. "I know, right? What''s more, she admitted to having a sugar daddy just now too. What a shameless woman." None of them believed Yasmin and continued pointing their fingers at her. Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Yasmin was utterly disappointed. After all, it was difficult to change other people''s perception of someone once they develop a fixed impression of the other person. Meanwhile, ke stood outside and quietly listened to what Yasmin had to say. Things did seem too coincidental to be true. Suddenly, as ke was about to enter the room, a group of men approached him. "What are you doing here, ke?" Joel called out and walked over to peer into the room. "What''s going on? What''s with the crowd?" Ivan was also among the group of men. He spotted Yasmin standing on one side of the room while the group of women stood on the other side. Immediately, he could sense that Yasmin was being isted. His expression turned dark as he walked over to stand next to Yasmin. "What''s going on?" he asked. Roxy lit up when she saw Ivan and began recounting to him an exaggerated version of what had happened. After listening to her, Ivan turned to Erik and asked, "Is that really what happened?" However, Erik wasn''t too pleased to see Ivan. So, he snapped, "Why do you care?" "I''m just trying to solve this issue." Ivan nced at Yasmin and exined, "Actually, this whole thing doesn''t seem quite possible since Yasmin''s my date. "We''ve been talking to each other recently, so I invited her to be mypanion. There''s no reason for her to want to find a sugar daddy here." Everyone, including Roxy, was surprised to hear this. Roxy''s expression was gloomy and she grabbed Ivan''s arm, saying, "How could you like a woman like her, Ivan? I''m telling you¡ªshe tried to seduce Erik. Everyone here can testify." Then, she added, "When we came in just now, she was already clinging onto Erik. If we hadn''t entered, they would have definitely¡ª" "Roxy Ford!" Unexpectedly, the first person to shut Roxy up was Erik. "Don''t tell me you''re going to stand up for her too!" Roxy shrieked as she red at Yasmin. "What a cunning move, Yasmin. You even managed to get Erik to speak up for you." "I think you''re talking about yourself," Yasmin finally spoke up and calmly looked at Roxy. "I''ll ask you again¡ªRoxy Ford, did you tell me toe to this room or not?" Roxy pretended to look hurt and screamed, "Yasmin Starr, you bitch! You don''t look sorry for what you''ve done at all! How dare you look at me like that! Are you trying to threaten me?" "Don''t be mad, Roxy." One of thedies consoled Roxy before turning to Yasmin and spitting, "How shameless!" However, Yasmin didn''t respond and simply raised her phone instead. "Hurry up, Yasmin. Giselle''s in the first room on the left on the third floor. Make sure you go to the right room!" Roxy''s voice rang out from the phone. Immediately, the room fell silent. Erik looked at Roxy. "Roxy?" The others were shocked as well. "Wow, so this was all just a setup." Joel leaned against ke by the door. ke immediately evaded Joel with a stoic expression. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. He had initially prepared to help Yasmin deal with this, but it seemed like there was no need for that now. His wife had finally grown up. "You recorded me?" Roxy asked incredulously. She never expected Yasmin to record their conversation. Yasmin looked at her coldly. "I''d checked Giselle''s dress before sending it out and it was fine then. There were so many other times you could''ve called me over, but you chose the night of her birthday. "You were also suddenly polite to me, so naturally, I was on guard. Otherwise, I''d have nothing to defend myself with now." Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Yasmin calmly looked at Giselle, who was hiding among the crowd. Seeing Giselle''s pale expression, Yasmin immediately knew that this incident had something to do with her. The fact was, there was no way Giselle would ever wear something Yasmin designed. So, everything had been a setup, even from when Giselle first ordered the dress. However, Giselle was smart enough to make others do the dirty work for her while she hid behind the scenes. That way, if things went wrong, she''d be able to escape unscathed. This was why she could walk away like nothing happened this time, but the same couldn''t be said for Roxy. Roxy''s face kept paling as she sensed the astonished gazes being cast on her. She feltpletely humiliated! Her embarrassment quickly turned to rage, and her first reaction was to p Yasmin. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. However, a pot of cactus suddenly came soaring and hit her in the center of the forehead, causing her to bleed instantly. "Aargh!" Roxy shrieked. She spun around in a daze and saw a slender hand. It was ke. He had casually picked up the cactus on the corridor. When Roxy saw him, she began trembling in fear and soon passed out. Ivan quickly pulled Yasmin into his arms protectively, but his heart couldn''t help skipping a beat when his eyes met ke''s bone-chilling gaze. ke strut toward the pair murderously. "Come with me." Everyone was taken aback. ke Ford and Yasmin Starr? Has Yasmin been telling the truth? Was ke the one supporting her? Holy shit! This was groundbreaking news! Everyone''s eyes shifted between Giselle and Yasmin. By now, Giselle''s face was flushed with rage and envy. However, Ivan pulled Yasmin behind him, intent on protecting her. ke sneered, the iciness in his tone resembling the devil. "Ivan Burke, I won''t stop you if you have a death wish." He immediately called a few of his bodyguards. Soon, several tall men surrounded Yasmin and Ivan. The situation was slowly spinning out of control. Worried that things might turn into a full on brawl, Yasmin tugged at Ivan''s sleeve and shook her head. "Don''t worry. He won''t hurt me." With that, she stepped out of behind Ivan. ke''s face was devoid of warmth as he grabbed her hand and dragged her away. The situation was utterly chaotic! No one expected ke to take Yasmin away in front of Giselle. Wasn''t he worried of making the woman he''d loved for 10 years jealous? Surrounded by the crowd, Giselle''s face drained of color as waves of embarrassment washed over her. An ambnce arrived to take Roxy away. And just like that, Giselle''s birthday banquet was ruined. Giselle didn''t even get the chance to share a dance with ke in front of everyone. Her blood boiled, she flung a wine ss aside, shattering it instantly. Meanwhile, Erik kept studying her while standing with the rest of the crowd. After everyone had left, he walked up to her. Feeling uncertain, he asked softly, "Giselle, why ¡­ why did you frame her?" Giselle''s body froze, and she slowly turned to look at Erik. "I didn''t, Erik." "You''re the one who told me toe upstairs, poured juice on me, and told me to shower in this room." Erik was the only one who knew what had really happened. The audio clip Yasmin yed earlier had made him realize that he was part of the setup as well. Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Meanwhile, Erik was struggling to ept the truth. All this while, he had thought that Giselle was a smart and reasonable woman. He never expected her to do something like this just to destroy Yasmin. If her n had seeded tonight, Yasmin''s reputation in high society would have been ruined. And as a result, his connection to Yasmin would be bound together forever as well. "I didn''t!" Giselle looked anguished as tears filled her eyes. "I didn''t do anything. I don''t know why something like this had to happen and ruin my birthday banquet. "I didn''t even get the chance to y the piano or dance with ke, yet he''s already left with Yasmin." Giselle was hoping that her words would hint at Yasmin having seduced ke. However, Erik quickly noticed something else¡ªke''s rtionship with Yasmin wasn''t what Giselle had told him it was like. Yasmin didn''t seduce ke. On the contrary, ke seemed to care for her more than she did him. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Erik suddenly felt like a fool, and he stepped away from Giselle in dismay. He had believed everything she said because he liked her. But he''d never expected her to use him to drive a wedge between ke and Yasmin. "Erik!" Giselle quickly stepped forward with tears running down her face. But then, she suddenly crouched down, saying, "Ouch, my stomach hurts! "Please don''t leave me, Erik," she sobbed. Erik paused and turned around. But there was no longer any pity in his eyes. The only thing he had left was concern for Giselle''s unborn baby. "Giselle, is ke really your baby''s father?" Giselle suddenly froze, not answering the question. ¡­ Yasmin was silent as the car drove into Newphoria Bay. After the car stopped, ke got out. Then, upon realizing that Yasmin was still inside, his brows furrowed as he asked, "Aren''t you going to get out?" "No. I think I''ll go back to the studio." Yasmin didn''t want to go into the house. So, she told Malcolm, "Malcolm, send me to Erinnyes." There was no way Malcolm would follow Yasmin''s instructions unless ke allowed him to do so. Hence, Malcolm quickly turned to look at ke for an answer. ke''s expression was cold. Then, with a raise of his hand, he swiftly pulled Yasmin out of the car. Startled, Yasmin felt herself being lifted into ke''s embrace. And instantly, the scent of pine enveloped her. Yasmin stared at ke as he held her, dumbstruck. However, ke didn''t pay her much attention as he carried her into the house. Then, upon reaching the second floor, he brought Yasmin into the master bedroom and tossed her onto the bed. "Why did you bring me here?" Yasmin sat up and quickly covered herself with the nket, on guard. "To apply ointment." Yasmin was bewildered. "But I''m not injured." "Didn''t you hurt your feet?" ke nced at her. "How did you know?" Yasmin asked, taken aback. "You were walking quite weirdly tonight. What''s more, it''s unusual for a heels lover to suddenly wear ts." ke then turned around to grab the medical kit. Yasmin was surprised to know that ke had noticed this. After a while, ke returned and sat on the edge of the bed. Then, he began removing Yasmin''s shoes. Yasmin was startled to feel ke''s fingers on her foot and quickly fended him off, saying, "I can do it myself." "No, I''ll do it." ke ignored her protests and removed her shoe to reveal her blisters. He frowned. "What were you thinking? How could you attend the banquet with him when your feet were like this?" "You''ve got it all wrong. I didn''t go to the banquet because of him. I went because of Roxy." "I thought Roxy only tried to frame you after you arrived." "No," Yasmin replied gloomily. "I wouldn''t have gone if it weren''t for the gown." When ke heard this, he lifted his head to look at Yasmin and asked, "So, you didn''t attend the banquet because of Ivan?" Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Yasmin replied, "I said I didn''t. I didn''t have an invitation letter when I arrived. "I just happened to bump into Ivan, and he brought me in with him." ke stayed silent, but his motions were gentler as he applied the ointment to her blisters. But this was something that he himself didn''t even realize. "A man like him doesn''t suit you," ke finally said. "I think he''s quite nice." Yasmin didn''t like hearing ke talk badly about Ivan, so she stood up for him and said, "Take tonight for example¡ªhe stood up for me and questioned Roxy without ever doubting me." "That''s because he wants to sleep with you!" ke''s actions became harsh again. Instantly, Yasmin''s brows furrowed as she hissed in pain. ke then examined her injuries, his expression only returning to normal when he saw that they didn''t seem serious. Then, he calmly said, "Nobody treats someone so well for no reason." "I think you just don''t like him," Yasmin replied. "Isn''t that normal?" ke snorted. "He looks like a gentleman, yet he sticks close to you even though he knows you''re married. Isn''t that disgusting?" Yasmin fell silent. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. She was finally realizing how sharp-tongued ke could be. As she thought of this, ke suddenly grabbed her arm and warned in a low voice, "Stay away from him from now on." "Who are you to tell me what to do?" Yasmin demanded. But ke''s expression was stern as he said, "Go ahead if you want to be his booty call." "He''s not as despicable as you think he is." Yasmin continued defending Ivan. ke then tightened his grip on her, and in a sarcastic tone, he snorted. "Only a fool like you would believe him." "Why do you hate me so much?" Yasmin''s hand was hurting from ke''s grip, and tears began to stream down her face. "You''re always like this. My father might have tricked you, but I''m your wife. "I''ve treated you as best as I could for the past two years and never said anything to hurt you, but you always sting me with your words. "Am I really that terrible?" Yasmin felt so hurt that she could no longer hold back her thoughts. ke had never treated her nicely during the past two years they''d been married. In fact, he seemed to treat her like she was his father''s murderer. "I just think you''re a fool who''s easy for people to trick." ke lowered his voice when Yasmin started to cry. "Even if I''m a fool, it has nothing to do with you, does it? I''m alright with being lied to, okay? Are you happy now?" Yasmin snapped as she angrily jumped off the bed. But as soon as her feet touched the floor, she trembled in pain. Her blisters hurt so badly! ke was startled for a moment before subconsciously picking Yasmin up and putting her back on the bed. Then, Yasmin began to quietly weep. As ke watched her cry, his heart felt a little heavy, and he soon gathered her into his arms. However, Yasmin immediately began struggling, trying to break free from his embrace. Despite this, ke continued to tightly hug Yasmin, not allowing her to escape. With no way out, Yasmin began pounding her fists on ke''s chest. Yet, ke simply maintained his firm hold on her, unmoving. Infuriated, Yasmin wiped her tears on his shirt and bit his chest instead. Her teeth then broke the material of ke''s shirt and left a bloody stain above his heart. However, ke simply responded to her actions by grunting and still refused to let her go. Yasmin was stunned. Was ke an idiot? Why didn''t he push her away when she bit him? Yasmin stared at ke with tear-filled eyes. Then, ke pressed his lips together before solemnly saying, "Even if you''re alright with getting tricked, I''m not." Yasmin was taken aback by ke''s words. Then, ke continued, "You''re mine, and I won''t allow anyone to hurt you." Chapter 125 Chapter 125 "We''re divorced," Yasmin retorted. ke nced at her and said, "Even so, you still belong to me." His words left no room for doubt. Yasmin waspletely confused now. Just what was going on in ke''s mind? Did he care for her after all? While Yasmin was lost in thought, Erik''s voice suddenly rang out, "Hey, ke. Come down for a second. I need to talk to you." Erik had parked his car in the yard and was shouting from the first floor. ke''s expression turned sour as he let go of Yasmin. Then, he simply said, "Get some rest first." Yasmin could feel his mood shift, and worried that something bad might happen, she quickly grabbed his sleeve and said, "What are you going to do?" "You don''t need to know. Just get some sleep." ke then removed Yasmin''s hand and adjusted her nket before leaving. But Yasmin''s eyes were still wet with tears. Anxious, she ignored the stabbing pain in her feet and limped toward the balcony. Meanwhile, ke had already gone to the yard and had just sent a punch in Erik''s direction. Caught off guard by the attack, Erik staggered backward as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. He then spat out the blood from his mouth and shot ke a look of disbelief. "Why did you hit me?" "Don''t ever get close to her again." ke''s tone was cold. Yasmin watched the scene unfold from upstairs. ke rarely hit anyone, but now, he''d hit Erik because of her. Yasmin was shocked. She''d never thought that ke would ever hit his friends. What''s more, Joel had told her before that Erik had admired ke ever since he was a kid and would always follow ke around¡ªErik was practically like a younger brother to them. As Erik wiped the blood from his lips, he looked at ke and said, "Haven''t you already divorced her? Giselle''s pregnant with your child now, so perhaps you should be nice to her instead of two- timing her." Earlier, when Erik had questioned Giselle about the father of her child, she''d told him that it was ke. Hence, not wanting Yasmin and ke to be alone together, Erik decided to rush over. He didn''t know how to describe what he was feeling, but he just didn''t want the two to be alone together. ke then grabbed Erik''s neck and pulled him close. "What goes on between us is none of your business." ke had always been a man of few words. Afraid that ke might actually kill Erik, Yasmin yelled, "ke, let him go!" But ke merely shot her a cold look. Erik, however, was surprised. His neck was still in ke''s tight grip, so he had trouble turning his head to look at Yasmin. Meanwhile, Yasmin was standing barefoot on the balcony as she worriedly watched the two men. Erik had never expected her to stand up for him. "I''m calling the police if you don''t let go, ke." Yasmin quickly pulled out her phone. If she couldn''t stop him, then she''d let the police take care of this. ke sneered. Then, he flinged Erik aside and began making his way back into the house. When Erik could finally talk again, he stood back up to chase after ke. However, ke had already entered the house and mmed the door shut. "Open the door!" Erik pounded on the door. But ke simply ignored his cries as he stalked up to the second floor. Worried that ke might hurt Yasmin, Erik ran back to the yard and shouted, "ke''s going upstairs. Hurry up and lock the door! Don''t let him hurt you." Yasmin''s eyes widened.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. How did things turn out this way? But Yasmin didn''t have time to ponder over this question. Instead, she pushed past her pain and limped over to close the door. However, ke was already at her door by then. Startled, Yasmin hurriedly closed the door. However, the door couldn''t fully close, and with a simple tug, ke swung the door open. As ke inched closer, Yasmin frightfully stepped backward. At that moment, ke''s handsome face bore a chilling resemnce to the devil. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Yasmin was terrified as tears welled up in her eyes. She retreated in faint footsteps as ke approached her, her racing heartbeat pounding in the silent midnight. She was too scared to meet ke''s eyes, so she quickly retreated to the dressing room. However, ke yanked her over to the sofa beside him instead. Fortunately, the sofa was soft, and Yasmin wasn''t hurt from the fall. But she was still a tad bit annoyed. She sat up and scolded, "ke, what are you doing?" However, she was met with ke''s darkened expression. "I stood up for you, yet you sided with him," ke said. Yasmin was afraid of ke''s gaze and had a hunch that he would get violent. So, she scrambled over the sofa to run away. But in the end, ke caught her and pulled her back to his side, directing a dangerous stare at Yasmin. Tears filled Yasmin''s eyes as she shouted, "You''re a madman!" "Madman?" ke grabbed her chin. Then, he fixed his gloomy eyes on Yasmin and said, "I stepped in to deal with Roxy when she attempted to frame you tonight. I even brought you back to tend to your wounds. "Yet, I don''t get to hear any words of gratitude from you. And instead, you''re on Erik''s side. "Are you even aware of what he said to me? Why do you defend him so much?" N?velDrama.Org ? content. ke''s tight grip on Yasmin''s chin made her cry even harder. "I didn''t side with Erik. I was worried that your anger would get the better of you, and you''d beat him to death." ke was surprised to hear this, and the anger fuming in his eyes dissipated a little. "Why did you close the door then?" "If only you could see your own expression when you came up the stairs. Who wouldn''t be terrified?" Yasmin retorted with an aggrieved expression. She had no intention to protect Erik at all. Rather, ke''s kindness had reached her that night, so she was worried that he would beat someone to death. ke shot Yasmin a belligerent look. "Why didn''t you exin yourself?" "Would you have listened to my exnation?" Tears overflowed from Yasmin''s eyes, and her nose had turned red, making her appear as if she had been terribly wronged. ke frowned upon seeing Yasmin''s tears, and his anger faded. He had lost control of his emotions just now, and the self-control he took pride in had snapped when he thought Yasmin sided with Erik. ke withdrew his hand and nced at Yasmin, feeling as though he resembled the devil in her eyes. Suddenly, the phone next to ke started ringing. ke frowned¡ªit was Erik. "ke! Don''ty your hands on her. She''s innocent. "I''ve called the police. Don''t you dare put your hands on her¡­" Erik snarled on the phone. ke took a nce at his phone and sneered. "How could Iy my hands on her?" "Then what did you do to her?" Erik didn''t trust ke and continued questioning. ke furrowed his brow. Erik''s concern for Yasmin deeply annoyed him. So, he sneered. "Isn''t it obvious? I''m going to pamper her on the bed." With that, ke pulled Yasmin''s head closer to himself and kissed her. Yasmin''s soft moan escaped her throat and reached Erik''s year through the phone. Erik shuddered in response. But by then, ke had already thrown away his phone and was holding Yasmin in his embrace. Meanwhile, the phone''s disy showed that the call was still ongoing. ke intentionally did this to show Erik just what kind of rtionship he shared with Yasmin. Then, he locked Yasmin onto hisp while his hands reached underneath her skirt. At this, Yasmin was panic-stricken, and her eyes were wide open. However, ke was holding her hostage, and she was unable to flee as she sat on hisp. ke then forced a passionate kiss on Yasmin, and the intimate noise came through the phone and into Erik''s ear. Erik''s grip on the phone tightened as he angrily shouted, "ke! Stop bullying her." "Why do you think that I''m bullying her? Perhaps she''s consented to this," ke replied nonchntly. Then, he held Yasmin by her waist andmanded her, "Tell him. Did I go against your will?" Yasmin blushed and remained silent. Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Yasmin desperately tried to break free from ke''s grasp. However, traces of anger shed across his eyes, and he pressed Yasmin against the back of the sofa. Then, he lunged at her and closed the gap between them. "ke¡­" Yasmin was stunned, and her breathing quickened. Upon realizing that ke was in the mood, Yasmin became much more terrified. "Are you out of your mind? Erik''s still on the phone¡­" Yasmin felt embarrassed and irritated, but ke''s aggressive advances left her mind in a daze. "Stop it¡­" Her voice carried a hint of a sob. But ke then spoke into her ear with an intense gaze, saying, "Then tell him. Did you consent to this?" "No." Yasmin refused to say it. After all, tantly saying it out loud would embarrass her. However, ke continued with his advances when she didn''tply. Overwhelmed in the sensations, Yasmin bit her lower lip and asked, "What do you want?" "Tell him you''re willingly epting me. Cooperate with me, and I''ll let you go." ke teased Yasmin without being too harsh. Yasmin bit her lower lip. But in the end, she could onlyply as she spoke into the phone, "Erik, we''ve reconciled. Stay out of this and go home." Yasmin felt so embarrassed that she could die, and this was the only way she could hint at it. However, when her soft voice came through the phone, it gave Erik the impression that they were in the middle of an intimate moment, and this thought shocked him tremendously. "Hang up the phone," Yasmin pleaded with a trembling voice. Finally satisfied, ke kissed Yasmin''s blushing cheeks before letting her go. Soon after, he picked up the phone and sat on the side of the bed. Then, he leisurely said to Erik through the phone, "Did you hear that? She enjoys it when I do that." Upon hearing this, Yasmin was speechless, and her face flushed. ke''s blunt words upset her. She felt like she had lost her reputation because of his words! Unable to put up with the situation any longer, Yasmin helplessly stood up and left. However, ke pulled her back to his side again, surprising her in the process. Then, she heard him say, "Stay here for the night." "No!" Yasmin refused. She didn''t want to risk going through his aggressive advances again! ke''s expression then suddenly turned cold. "You have to pay me back for the bag if you refuse my request." Yasmin simply couldn''t believe what she was hearing. She turned her gaze to ke and said, "I found the bag, so it''s mine." Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "But I have the receipt, and it''s an expensive item. You should return it back to me since you found it. Otherwise, I''m going to sue you for it." ke''s words left her speechless. Then, ke gestured at her. "400 thousand dors please." "What?" Yasmin''s eyes were wide with shock. "I thought the bag was bought at 300 thousand dors?" "There''s no way you could buy it at that price without adequate status and prestige. There are hidden costs to it," ke threw Yasmin a nce. Then, he continued, "Otherwise, why do you think Giselle bought the used bag from you? I''m being lenient by asking for 400 thousand dors only. "I would have requested 500 thousand dors if it were anyone else." Yasmin was utterly surprised. "Didn''t you receive the bag as a gift from a friend?" she asked. "Don''t bother with how I get the bag. I''m simply pursuing your responsibility since you sold it," ke replied. Yasmin was stupefied and immediately did a brief calction on her fingers. She''d sold it for 250 thousand dors, and she had topensate him 400 thousand dors. So, in the end, she lost 150 thousand dors. Yasmin''s bnce faltered as she asked, "Can I approach Giselle to buy the bag back?" "Would you sell it if you''d gotten it at such a good deal?" ke retorted. Yasmin found herself at a loss for words. Then, she took a deep breath and said, "I have no money now." "Then you have to stay here to pay back the debt you owe." "How?" Yasmin asked. "Be my maid," ke replied. Yasmin paused for a long while, dumbfounded. "We''re already divorced!" Chapter 128 Chapter 128 ke countered, "You can still be my maid even though we''re divorce though." Yasmin was bbergasted. "ke, are you out of your mind? Why are you forcing your ex-wife to be your maid? What will your new wife think when she finds out?" "What she thinks has nothing to do with you. Focus on your work and pay off your debt." With that, ke got up and left. Yasmin felt an overwhelming urge to beat him up to death. She couldn''t help but slump on the sofa and sigh in frustration. How did she meet such a trash man? She didn''t get any financial support from the divorce, and worse still, the jerk even demanded compensation for the bag. ¡­ In the middle of the night, ke pushed open the door and entered the room to find Yasmin sleeping soundly on the bed. Her leg was exposed outside the nket, and she was even unaware that her skirt slid up to her waist. "You still kick away your nket." ke shook his head and switched on the dim wall light. Then, he opened a tube of ointment and applied it to the blisters on Yasmin''s feet. After that, he quietly stared at her and caressed her delicate cheek. Yasmin was still in a daze due to her sleep. Then, when she opened her eyes, she saw someone applying something on her feet. But unfortunately, she couldn''t discern who the person was. The next day, Mary knocked on the door from outside. "Mrs. Ford, are you awake?" "What is it?" Yasmin opened her drowsy eyes and shouted hoarsely. Soon after, Mary entered the room and said, "Mrs. Ford, Mr. Ford has called for you." "Why is he calling me over?" Yasmin rubbed her eyes. Then, she realized that a piece of gauze was taped to her sole when she got out of the bed. She was dumbfounded and couldn''t recall when the gauze had been stuck on. Immediately after, Yasmin had a suspicion that the man she''d seen when she was half-asleep the night before was, in fact, ke. It seemed like ke had treated her injury and even taped the gauze on to function like a band-aid for her. Yasmin suddenly felt a stir in her heart. Then, she walked over to the master bedroom and pushed open the door. There, she found ke sitting on the sofa. The ck loungewear he wore entuated his tall figure and made him look cold, yet captivating at the same time. Yasmin then subconsciously nced at ke''s left leg that had suffered from a fracture. It made her wonder about his situation now as she thought about what had happenedst night. ke had moved around so easily despite having carried her. So, perhaps his leg was fine now? "What are you staring at?" ke spoke up while Yasmin was still upied by her thoughts. Yasmin quickly recollected her thoughts and approached him, saying, "Nothing. Why did you call me over?" ke then handed over a document. "Take a look," he said. Yasmin nced at the document and realized that it was awyer''s letter with 400 thousand dors at stake! Yasmin had a strong urge to tear the document apart. Why was this jerk treating her debt so urgently? Yasmin frowned and stared at ke. "Like I said, I have no money now!" She only had a certain designated amount in her bank ount for Victor to pay off his debt first. ke shot Yasmin a nce and added nonchntly, "If you can''t pay me now, then read the document." Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Yasmin then redirected her attention to the document again¡ªit stated herpliance to work as a maid to repay the debt. Working as a maid for one month would deduct three thousand dors from the debt. Hence, she was required to serve as a maid until the debt amounting to 400 thousand dors was cleared. Yasmin did a calction, and the result shocked her so much that her eyes were wide open as she said, "The monthly sry is three thousand dors. That means 36 thousand dors a year. I''d have to work as your maid for 11 years to pay off the 400-thousand-dor debt." "Pay me back now if you don''t like how it sounds then." ke didn''t offer any room for negotiation. Yasmin''s demeanor soured at the mention of money. "Do we have any other way?" ke then began sizing her figure up. But Yasmin immediately held her chest and shouted, "Stop! I''m not selling my body!" "Then work obediently as my maid." ke picked up his phone and ordered, "Go fetch me some clothes." Resigned to the situation, Yasmin walked to the dressing room. However, she realized something was amiss when she grabbed his clothes. What was the difference between being his maid now versus her former lifestyle before? If anything, the new circumstances left her feeling more aggrieved. Chapter 129 Chapter 129 But upon looking back, Yasmin realized that she couldn''t do anything about it. After all, paying off the 400 hundred thousand dors would be hard with what the studio was earning. However, once the coboration with the NAS Group began, she could swiftly settle the debt. As Yasmin thought of this, she felt herself grow confident again. Then, she picked up a ck suit and a matching tie before exiting the dressing room. "Here''s your outfit." Yasmin put down the clothes in front of ke and walked away. However, ke then quickly instructed, "Help me put it on." "Does being a maid require me to dress you?" Yasmin vividly remembered how he didn''t allow the maids to get close to him. But ke nonchntly countered, "You''re different. You''re a special maid because I''m going to pay you three thousand dors a month. Of course, you''re expected to do more work." Yasmin had no way to retort to that. So, she approached him with a cold expression and pulled off the loungewear he was wearing. As she did so, ke''s well-defined chest muscles were exposed. His robust figure was also exposed, leaving ke with only his white briefs on. His V-line in particr, was also distinctively attractive. Suddenly, Yasmin identally nced at a spot that made her blush. "Why are you not wearing anything underneath?" she asked. "Who wears clothes under loungewear?" ke looked at her. Yasmin realized that what he''d said was not wrong, and her face turned red. Then, she swallowed and brought his shirt over to put it on for him. Upon noticing that Yasmin''s ears were turning red, ke looked down and teased, "What''s wrong? Are you drooling over my figure? I can''t believe you even swallowed so hard." Yasmin was deeply annoyed as she said indignantly, "You''re the one drooling over me here!" But just then, she identally nced at a certain spot once again. It was simply too conspicuous not to notice. ke then chuckled and said in a deep voice, "Aren''t you aware of how long I''ve abstained down there?" His words made Yasmin even more embarrassed. Then, ke leaned in and said with a smile, "You know it''ll stay like that if I don''t do the deed. Yet, you won''t let me do it with you." These words made Yasmin''s face burn, and her voice grew softer as she said, "Did Giselle reject your night visit?" keughed and remarked, "You''re much better than her." Yasmin was speechless, her urge to beat ke to death ever increasing. Then, she mocked, "Could it be that your skills arecking? Is that why she rejected you?" As soon as Yasmin finished her sentence, ke''s gaze dangerously turned on her, and he yanked her over to face him. "Am Icking? Or have you forgotten how breathless you get every time we do it?" ke pulled Yasmin over so abruptly that she''d bumped into his chest with thud. Shocked, she instinctively rested her hands on his shoulder and said, "You scared me." In fact, she''d almost fallen too. But ke simply remained silent as he fixed a passionate gaze on her. Subconsciously, Yasmin lowered her eyes. But then, she realized that they were hugging very intimately. And what''s worse was that ke didn''t have any clothes on. Yasmin''s heart was racing, and she immediately pushed ke away and mumbled, "Stop spouting nonsense." She then threw the clothes on him and ran away blushing. "Put it on yourself," she said. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. "But I don''t know how to tie a tie," ke shouted. "I''ll tie it for you after youe downstairs," Yasmin said as she ran down to the first floor, her face still red. Then, Mary approached her and said, "Mrs. Ford, breakfast is ready." "Alright," Yasmin replied, fanning herself with her hand as she made her way to the dining room. Mary then served her a light breakfast of oatmeal cooked with almond milk and a slice of whole wheat toast. Yasmin was confused. "Mary, when did we switch to a vegetarian diet?" After all, the household always preferred non-vegetarian options. Mary exined with a smile, "Mrs. Ford, Mr. Ford instructed us to do this earlier in the morning. He mentioned that you have a sensitive stomach. "So, we''ll be switching to a vegetarian diet from now on since it''s gentler on your stomach." Yasmin was surprised. She had never thought of ke as a kind person. Just then, ke came down the stairs wearing a ck suit thatpleted his tall and handsome appearance. He also held a tie in his hand. When he approached Yasmin, he dropped it onto the floor before her. Then, he raised his chin up and said, "Put on the tie for me." Chapter 130 Chapter 130 "Fine." Yasmin put down the cutlery and proceeded to tie ke a perfect Windsor knot that exuded a noble air. "It''s done," she said with a smile and admired her handiwork. Then, as he sat down to have breakfast, ke looked at Yasmin and ordered, "Be home by 8:00 pm sharp from now on." Yasmin was dumbfounded. She looked at him and asked, "Why?" "What do you mean ''why''?" ke frowned. "You''re the maid here. Are you trying to skip work?" Frustrated, Yasmin knew she had to negotiate her way out of this. She said, "Yes, I need to fulfill my work. But you yourself know about my job¡ªI''m a designer, and I often need to work overtime." "Just bring your work home and work overtime here then," ke retorted. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Couldn''t she just draw her drafts anywhere? Yasmin was at a loss of words. She tried toe up with an excuse to reject ke''s demand. But then, she remembered that she owed him 400 hundred thousand dors, and suddenly, her confidence to argue back was gone. In the end, she could only put on a sour expression and ept her fate. After breakfast, ke asked, "Do I need to send you to your studio?" Yasmin recalled that she hadn''t driven her car back home, so she agreed. "Sure, thank you." She then got into ke''s car and sat beside him while Malcolm drove. While they were in the car, ke stared at a document on his iPad. After all, he was always one to work at any time and anywhere. Suddenly, Yasmin''s phone rang¡ªVictor was calling. Apparently, he wanted to know if she''d raised the 300 thousand dors yet. Yasmin held the phone closer to herself and said, "I''m working on it, Victor. I''ll most likely raise it in a few days." ke nced at Yasmin after hearing what she said. Then, seeing that the call had ended, he asked, "Did Victor ask you to raise funds?" Yasmin put away her phone and said, "Yeah, my dad''spany''s creditors are pressing for payment. We need to pay back 300 hundred thousand dors. "It''s not that I don''t want to pay you back the money I owe. But the creditors are rushing me for the payment, so I have to pay them first," Yasmin exined, worried that ke would take her the wrong way and assume that she didn''t want to pay him back. ke frowned and warned her, "I had someone to look into your dad''spany. It''s operating fine now, so they should''ve been able toe up with 300 hundred thousand dors by now." Victor had been desperately asking for project involvement from ke. Yasmin didn''t know about this, so she was unaware of Victor''s character either. ke, however, was fully aware of it. ke then put away his iPad and said, "Be on the watch." Yasmin furrowed her brows and pondered about what ke seemed to be hinting at. Was Victor lying to her? Upon arriving at the studio, Eunice asked, "Yaz, why the long face? Are you bothered by something?" Yasmin was thinking about the matter with Victor. Then, she went up to Eunice and asked, "Eunice, have you listed my bracelet for sale?" She didn''t want to sell it off for the time being. But Eunice replied, "It''s already been sold for 40 thousand dors. The transaction''s been made, and I''ve already transferred the amount to your ount as well." After receiving the 40 thousand dors from Eunice, Yasmin finally had the 300 thousand dors. However, Yasmin heeded ke''s warning and began to be a little more cautious. Hence, she didn''t immediately transfer the money to Victor and decided to wait it out for now. She wanted to find out what Victor was up to first before doing anything. ¡­ In the afternoon, Sarah came up from downstairs and informed Yasmin, "Ms. Starr, Ms. Giselle is waiting for you downstairs. She mentioned a refund." "Refund?" Yasmin asked as she walked down the stairs. Meanwhile, Giselle was on the first floor adorned in a floral dress. As she saw Yasmin walk down the stairs, her gaze on her seemed to sharpen. Yasmin had ruined her birthday partyst night, and Giselle wasn''t going to let her off the hook for it. But on the surface, she put on a calm and serene expression as she said, "Yes, Yasmin. The dress I requested from your studio a while ago turned out to be a defective piece. "I''ve never worn it before, so I brought it back for a refund." Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Yasmin stood before Giselle and examined the dress she''d brought over. Previously, Yasmin didn''t get the chance to physically see the dress. She''d only seen pictures of it and had never gotten a clear view of the damage. But now that she was taking a closer look, she could see that the damage was a cut that was obviously inflicted by a knife. "I''m sorry, Ms. Giselle. The dresses sold in our studio are non-refundable unless there''s an issue with the quality," Yasmin said amiably. "Isn''t this an issue with the quality?" Giselle pointed at the cut on the dress. Yasmin then called her assistant over and asked her to pull up the video showcasing the packaging process of the dress. "Ms. Giselle, please have a look. We always shoot a video of the packaging process before we deliver any of our products. "Besides, I wouldn''t have visited yesterday night if you weren''tining about not having anything to wear. I only decided toe over and fix it for you after considering the value of the dress. "However, I disagree if you''re saying that the dress is defective." After watching the video, Giselle''s expression darkened. "It seemed fine before you packed it. So, why were there problems when I received it?" Yasmin exined, "You might have applied too much force during the unpacking process. Perhaps you even identally cut the dress with a knife while you were unpacking. "After all, you know luxurious dresses are delicate. Even slight contact with a knife could damage them." "But, why would I cut the dress?" Giselle retorted. "Tell me, Ms. Giselle. Did you unpack the dress, or was it your housekeeper that did it? If your housekeeper unpacked it, would she have lied because she was afraid to admit her mistake?" At this, Giselle was at a loss of words. Roxy had unpacked the dress for her. But she''d imed the dress was faulty after unpacking it. Yasmin continued, "Ms. Giselle, if you have any further inquiries, please contact the delivery company. We''ll find out who''s at fault after reviewing their surveince footage." No matter what, Yasmin knew she didn''t send out a faulty dress. Giselle bit her lower lip. Then, having failed to secure a refund, she said softly, "Yasmin, I thought you were an honest person. But I didn''t expect you to be so cunning. "You attended my birthday banquet only to ruin it. And you even stayed at Oak Garden overnight. Did you forget about your blessing to me and ke? You even said that we were meant for each other. "Is this how you''re giving me your blessing?" Despite Giselle''s soft-spoken appearance, every sentence of her''s was a remark to mock Yasmin. Yasmin narrowed her eyes and said, "It seems I was wrong about you too. I used to think you were an honest person as well. "I''d never imagined you to be so scheming to the point of setting me up multiple times." "Yasmin, tell me! What did I do that caused such a huge misunderstanding?" Giselle yed victim again. "You seduced Yasmin''s husband." A stern voice came suddenly from behind. Yasmin looked over and found Arthur and his butler, Thomas Carlton, standing by the door. Arthur had his white hair meticulously groomed, and as he held his cane, he exuded a spirited air. "Grandpa, how did you get here?" Yasmin was surprised. "I heard that that brat attended the birthday banquet of a dubious personst night. So, I came over to see for myself." Arthur indifferently looked toward Giselle. Meanwhile, Giselle was terrified. She stood at the side and cautiously greeted, "Grandpa." "Grandpa?" Arthur grunted. "I certainly don''t have a shameless granddaughter like you." Giselle''s expression froze. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Arthur then walked in with the support of his cane and looked at the dress on the reception desk. Then, he swung his cane and knocked the dress to the floor. This gesture of his was akin to pping Giselle on the face, and Giselle''s expression soured. On the other hand, Yasmin found the experience extremely satisfying. Surely this little sly fox wouldn''t dare to make a move in front of Arthur? Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Yasmin walked over and held Arthur''s hand. Then, Arthur advised her, saying, "Yasmin, you need to stand up for yourself when these disreputable women try to spend your husband''s money. In fact, send a legal notice when the situation calls for it. "You''ve got to get your money back. Half of that money is yours anyway. "Also, let me know if you don''t have awyer. I''ll get you one." At this, Giselle paled, and her eyes turned bloodshot. But Arthur ignored her and continued speaking to Yasmin. "Let''s head into your office and chat. I don''t want just any Tom, Dick, and Harry to affect your mood," he said. "Alright." Yasmin held onto Arthur as they headed to the office. "Grandpa, watch your steps on the stairs." Arthur was already 80 years old, so Yasmin was afraid of him falling. However, Arthur walked into the office with solid strides as Yasmin supported him from the side. Suddenly, Giselle ran up from downstairs and knelt before Arthur with red eyes. "Grandpa, I''m pregnant with ke''s child. Can you please give me a chance in consideration of the unborn child?" she pleaded. Upon hearing about the child, Yasmin froze. Giselle''s shamelessness truly caught her off guard. She never imagined that Giselle would force Arthur''s hands like this. However, Arthur was calm and collected. Unfazed, he looked at Giselle''s belly. Then, after a long pause, he asked, "Is the child in your belly ke''s?" Giselle shuddered a little before responding. "It''s ke''s child." "Really?" Arthur stroked his beard and said in a light tone, "Don''t take me for a fool. Are you expecting me to blindly believe your words? Do you think I''m senile?" Yasmin was surprised at Arthur''s response and nced over at Giselle. Meanwhile, Giselle had lowered her head, and she trembled a little before crying out, "Grandpa, I''m telling the truth. I wouldn''t dare to lie to you¡­" Arthur didn''t show any anger, but rather, he mocked Giselle and said, "Sure. I''ve heard of a prenatal paternity test that looks into the DNA. "Since you im the child to be ke''s, let''s get the prenatal paternity test done then." Giselle''s expression instantly shifted. It appeared as though Arthur had caught onto her, and his scrutinizing gaze was intense as he eyed Giselle. He asked, "Ms. Giselle, do you dare to go through the test with us?" No matter what, Arthur was a prominent figure, and his gaze had always been sharp and authoritative. Giselle found herselfpletely vulnerable under his gaze. But she also wasn''t stupid. As she clenched her fingers to regain herposure, she softly said, "Grandpa, this is your grandchild we''re talking about. The test carries some levels of risks, and I''m only three months into my pregnancy. "How can you bear to let me take the test? What if something goes wrong?" "Keep pretending." Arthur slightly raised a brow. "How long can you avoid the problem? You have to give birth to that child one day. And we will inevitably run a DNA test. "You know your parents'' characters¡ªif the child is truly from the Ford family, wouldn''t they have already done the DNA test and announced it to the world?" Giselle was in a cold sweat now. But she still remained persistent as she said, "Grandpa, I didn''t lie to you. It really is ke''s child." Arthurughed. "Fine, I''ll spare you for now. You''ll be giving birth six months anyway. And when the timees, I will personallye to you for a DNA test. "And if I find out that you lied, I''ll make your life a living hell." Giselle trembled in fear. She would have fallen right then and there if she weren''t already kneeling on the floor. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Leave. Seeing you annoys me. " Arthur grunted. With that, Thomas swiftly sent Giselle out. Arthur then leisurely sat on the sofa and looked over at Yasmin. "What''s wrong? Your grandpa''s here, yet you''ve not served me even a cup of tea." Chapter 133 Chapter 133 "I don''t mean it that way!" Yasmin quickly recollected her thoughts and prepared Arthur some tea. While Arthur''s authoritative presence deeply intimidated her, it also impressed her at the same time. He certainly carried things out in demeanor befitting of a prominent figure. "Grandpa, here''s your tea!" Yasmin then ced a cup of tea in front of Arthur and said. Arthur took the tea and slowly sipped on it. Then, he said, "Did I look cool just now?" Yasmin was at a loss for words. She thought she had misheard him, so she looked at Arthur again and said, "Huh?" "I gave that woman a good scolding for you just now. Didn''t I look cool?" Arthur added in a composed manner. "Yeah, you looked cool!" Yasmin honestly answered. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. "You don''t need to be afraid of her. After all, that child might not necessarily be ke''s," Arthur said. After giving it some thought, Yasmn asked, "If it weren''t true, what gave her the courage to deceive everyone? Wouldn''t she be afraid of her lies being exposed and losing everything in the end?" "You know what she''d do?" Arthur took a lollipop from the table and said, "First, she''ll take you down. And then, she''ll gradually rece you. "And when she really bes pregnant with ke''s child then, who would care whether or not the first child was truly ke''s?" Would Giselle really be so bold? But upon seeing Arthur indulging in the lollipop, Yasmin hastily shouted, "Hey! Grandpa, you have high blood sugar level, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. You shouldn''t be eating lollipops." "I''m only having one." Arthur popped the lollipop into his mouth. "I haven''t had one in such a long time." Yasmin was speechless. She scolded, "You said the same thing when you snuck some bites of the cakest time." Arthur was a foodie¡ªYasmin first discovered this side of him when she''d caught him eating her cake in the middle of the night. Back then, he had also pitifully said, "I haven''t eaten it in a long time." At the time, Yasmin felt sorry for him, so she let him enjoy the food. However, Annalise had given her a rough scolding the next day for it. After that incident, Yasmin learned that Arthur had several health concerns, and it wasn''t that the Ford family wouldn''t let him enjoy those foods¡ªhe simply shouldn''t consume them! "Grandpa, you really shouldn''t eat this." Yasmin told Arthur. But Arthur shot her a re and said, "Come on, I''m only having one. Oh right, let ke know that I''ll be staying at your ce tonight." "What?" Yasmin was shocked. "Grandpa, you''re staying over at our ce?" "What''s wrong? It seems like you''re not very weing of me." Arthur''s gaze turned serious. Yasmin was frightened and hastily said, "No, of course we wee you." She then quickly hid in the toilet and dialed ke''s phone. "Hello, ke? Your grandpa suddenly visited the studio to see me. He said he wants to stay at Oak Garden tonight." "Why did he look for you at Erinnyes all of a sudden?" ke asked. Yasmin shook her head. "I don''t know. He said he visited to check on my work environment." ke paused for a moment. Then, his tone was calm as he said, "Get Mary to fetch ingredients suitable for an elderly to eat." "What? That''s all?" Yasmin eximed. "What? Do you want me to kick him out?" ke retorted. "Of course not." Of course, Yasmin wouldn''t shoo Arthur away. She liked him because he was the only one in the Ford family that treated her kindly. After getting ke''s instructions, Yasmin made a call to Oak Garden and got Mary to get the ingredients. Upon returning to the office, Yasmin saw Arthur sitting in her chair examining her drafts. When he saw her walk in, he nced over and said, "Not bad, Yasmin. The clothes you designed are brilliant." Yasmin was amused and said, "Grandpa, are you sure you can understand them?" "How do I put it? I was a businessman, and I have quite an eye for things. "Now, since your grandpa''s here, why don''t you take my measurements and make me a suit?" Arthur insisted on getting his suit done. Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Yasmin agreed. After all, she was quite fond of Arthur, so she was alright with giving him a set of clothes. Hence, they went to the fitting room for Yasmin to take Arthur''s measurements. Just then, ke arrived with Malcolm. At the reception, Malcolm asked Sarah, "Where''s Ms. Starr?" "Ms. Starr is receiving a customer in the fitting room," Sarah replied. Then, uponying eyes on ke, she couldn''t help but ask Malcolm, "What''s the deal between your boss and my boss? He seems to visit Ms. Starr quite frequently." Yasmin''s marriage wasn''t disclosed to the public, so even her staff didn''t know she was married. "Noment." Malcolm wore a poker face, refusing to reveal anything. ke then went to the fitting room. As he entered, he saw Yasmin taking Arthur''s measurements. The two of them were bathed in a halo of light, and Yasmin in particr, looked stunning. Yasmin then suggested to Arthur, "Grandpa, let me get you some of the more pristine fabric types. "I would suggest going for golden maroon. It''s ssy, and it''s the best fit for your birthday. What do you think?" Arthur nodded. "Don''t worry about the price, Yasmin. Get me the most expensive one." "It''s fine, Grandpa. Take it as a gift." Yasmin smiled. Then, Arthur noticed ke''s presence and said, "Don''t make it a gift. Besides, aren''t you short on money? "Take my card. ke''s the person earning the money anyway. Don''t need to go soft on him." "Grandpa, that doesn''t seem nice. I want to gift you the outfit¡­" Yasmin insisted. "Just swipe the card," ke chimed in all of a sudden. Surprised, Yasmin turned around and saw him standing at the entrance wearing an elegant jacket. "Go ahead and give him the outfit. I''ll pay up." ke pulled up a ck card and sent Malcolm to pay. Yasmin walked out the fitting room in a daze. Then, she held the ck card and mumbled, "Do I really swipe it?" Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Yes." ke nced at her. "It''s not expensive at all." Hisment made Yasmin feel aplicated mix of emotions. He charged her for the bag he gave her, but the cost of tailoring an outfit for Arthur wasn''t expensive for him? She felt that ke was only stingy with her. And the more she thought about it, the more it annoyed her. So, Yasmin decided to charge him 150 thousand dors for the originally 100 thousand dors suit. But in the end, she decided to charge 100 thousand dors before truly swiping the card. In her mind, she didn''t want to collect any additional charges because it was an outfit dedicated to Arthur. Otherwise, that would be ripping him off. After swiping the card, she handed a receipt to ke. "Thank you for your business, Mr. Ford." Yasmin''s cold attitude confused ke. He threw her a nce, and his intuition told him that she was displeased. ¡­ Upon returning to Oak Garden, Yasmin and ke entertained Arthur. Then, after dinner, ke went along with Arthur for a stroll. Meanwhile, Yasmin was upstairs taking a bath. After bathing, she then stayed in her bedroom to work. Just then, ke knocked on the door. Yasmin put down her pen and opened the door, asking, "What''s up?" "Grandpa wants you to head downstairs," ke replied. "What''s the matter?" Then, ke red at her and asked, "What happened in the afternoon?" Yasmin exined, "Giselle went to the studio to ask for a refund, but Grandpa scolded her. Later on, she imed that her unborn child was yours, but Grandpa didn''t believe her. "Grandpa then demanded for a DNA test once the child''s born." Yasmin subconsciously nced at ke when she finished speaking, curious as to what he would say. All this while, ke had never mentioned the child. So, Yasmin didn''t know whether the child was an ident or truly the fruit of their love. Chapter 135 Chapter 135 However, ke immediately went silent once the child was brought up. Then, he simply nced at Yasmin and said, "Let''s go downstairs." "Are you not going to tell me about it?" Yasmin was curious. In fact, she''d pondered about the possibilities of the situation after Arthur had talked about it in the afternoon. Then, ke answered, "It''s my child." Three months ago, he had promised Giselle to publicly announce that it was his child. Upon hearing this, Yasmin was shocked, and her mind went nk. Suddenly, a bitter expression appeared on her face as well. "Do you feel sad?" ke asked. Yasmin chuckled. "Why would I feel sad? We''re already divorced." "Don''t talk about this in front of my grandpa," ke instructed. Yasmin was puzzled. "Why?" she asked. "My mom''s health has been deteriorating recently. So, I''m afraid that this matter might hit him hard too," ke replied. Yasmin nodded in understanding. After walking out of the room, they then headed to Arthur''s room. Meanwhile, in Athur''s room, Thomas was handing a cup of water to Arthur for him to take his medicine with. Yasmin worriedly watched Arthur swallow a handful of pills. Watching him take so many pills was truly heartbreaking. "I''ve asked both of you toe over because I have questions that I need to ask face-to-face¡ª What''s going on with you two?" After chugging down some water to swallow the pills, Arthury his gaze on them. Yasmin felt exposed under Arthur''s gaze, and she froze on the spot. Immediately after, ke took her into his embrace, and the faint scent of cedar entered her nose. ke then smiled and said, "Grandpa, we''re doing fine. Don''t worry." "You''re not putting on an act as a lovey-dovey married couple that''s secretly divorced behind my back, right?" Arthur had a discerning gaze. ke smiled faintly. "How could that be? We''d never divorce." Yasmin''s eyebrow twitched slightly when he said that. But at the next moment, ke let go of her and walked over to Arthur. Then, he pointed at the Othello board. "Grandpa, the next move should be like this." Arthur nced over, and as if he''d reached an epiphany, he said, "That''s true." "Grandpa, let me join you for Othello." ke then sat opposite of Arthur.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Distracted by the Othello board, Arthur stopped scrutinizing them. Yasmin let out a sigh of relief. It seemed only ke could handle Arthur. Yasmin would''ve revealed everything if Arthur questioned her. In the end, Arthur won two rounds of Othello. So, he was in a good mood. "It''s time for bed. Hurry up and give me a great-grandchild." Arthur then shooed them to sleep. With that, ke and Yasmin left Arthur''s room. But as soon as Yasmin walked into the other bedroom, Arthur''s voice came from the hallway. "What''s wrong? Do you two sleep separately?" he poked his head out of his room and asked. Yasmin was caught red-handed, and her face turned red as she looked at ke. But ke calmly stood beside her and answered Arthur''s question, saying, "No way. This is her study. "She tends to work here, and she needs to get something in the room now." "What could that be?" Arthur walked over to them. Yasmin was panic-stricken as she looked at ke with pleading eyes. However, ke remained calm and simply closed the door into the room. Then, he stopped Arthur and said, "Grandpa, Yasmin wanted to get something personal. It''s not appropriate for you to see it." "What would that personal item be?" Arthur looked at Yasmin. But Yasmin didn''t know how to answer his question. After all, she wasn''t intending to get any personal items in the first ce. Then, ke whispered closely into Arthur''s ear, "Something to get her pregnant." Arthur''s eyes were wide open, and Yasmin''s face was flushed red. What ke said had shocked her to her core. Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Upon hearing this, Arthur finally stopped asking questions. Then, he stroked his beard and instructed the butler, "Thomas, stay here tonight and check whether or not they sleep in the same room." Yasmin was speechless. Arthur was really pushing it! She felt a bit helpless, but ke took her hand and promised Arthur, "Don''t worry, Grandpa. We''ll definitely sleep in the same room." However, Arthur still didn''t believe them and insisted for Thomas to keep an eye on them. Then, he calmly smoothed his beard and went back to his room to sleep. Yasmin then pretended to go back to her room to grab something while ke followed her in. Once they were in the room, Yasmin turned around and asked, "What do we do now?" "Let''s just go to the master bedroom to sleep." ke stood there with one hand in his pocket, looking totally calm. Yasmin was shocked. "Sleep in the same room with you? But we''re divorced," she eximed. "100 thousand." "What?" "To sleep for one night, I''ll deduct 100 thousand, okay?" ke looked at her. When he saw her hesitate, he added, "My mom isn''t well. I don''t want Grandpa to worry too." Yasmin felt a knot in her heart. She felt that ke was actually quite a good son. Yasmin didn''t want Arthur to get upset either, so she agreed. "Okay then. Let me grab my phone." Then, they came out of the room together. As they did so, ke suddenly took her hand in his, causing Yasmin to raise an eyebrow. "Thomas is watching. Just act natural," ke said calmly. Yasmin then lowered her eyes with a flushed face as ke led her into the master bedroom. However, as soon as they got inside, they quickly let go of each other. Meanwhile, the atmosphere took an awkward turn. Yasmin uneasily took a seat on the sofa as ke grabbed the pajamas. Noticing her red ears, he couldn''t help but tease, "Why is your face so red? Are you shy?" "No." Yasmin denied it. "It''s just too hot in here." "Should I turn down the heating?" ke then moved to get the remote, but Yasmin stopped him. "No need. Just leave me be and do your thing." Once ke entered the bathroom, Yasmin quickly kicked off her shoes and jumped into bed, cozying up in her favorite spot. She prayed to fall asleep before ke finished showering. At least then, everything would be fine. But contrary to her wishes, the more she tried to sleep, the more elusive her sleep became. When the sound of water in the bathroom finally stopped, Yasmin was still awake. ke then came out of the bathroom in his ck pajamas. When he saw Yasmin wrapped in the nket, he turned off the overhead light, leaving only a dim wallmp on. Meanwhile, Yasmin''s heartbeat thundered loud and clear in the silence. "Are you asleep?" ke sat on the bed and asked softly. But Yasmin simply kept her eyes closed and didn''t respond, pretending to be asleep. Seeing this, ke sighed. He then poured himself a ss of wine and quietly downed it. After finishing his wine, hey down, and the faint scent of cedar filled the air. Yasmin''s back stiffened, and at the next second, ke pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly against his chest. Yasmins''s eyshes fluttered. But luckily, the light was dim, so ke couldn''t see her expression. Otherwise, he''d realize she wasn''t asleep at all.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ke held her so tightly that Yasmin could even hear his heartbeat. But Yasmin was puzzled. Why was ke hugging her? Yasmin usually fell asleep exhausted and rarely knew what ke would do after she fell asleep. Then, ke pressed his lips to her ear and gently kissed it. Yasmin froze. What was ke doing? As ke moved to lift the nket, Yasmin decided she couldn''t pretend any longer. So, she acted as if she had just woken up and mumbled, "What are you doing?" Only then did she realize ke was shirtless. His physique was incredibly sleek and sexy, and his face was handsome and refined. Chapter 137 Chapter 137 "I''m checking the blisters under your foot," ke said. He pinched her foot and looked at the blisters on the sole. Some had already formed scabs. Yasmin''s heart couldn''t calm down for a long while. Then, upon seeing ke lie down, she asked, "Why did you take off your clothes?" "Sleeping without clothes is morefortable," ke replied as he patted her head. "Sleep now." Yasmin was stunned. Why was he suddenly so gentle? Looking up, Yasmin met ke''s deep gaze. However, his eyes looked softer than usual. "Don''t want to sleep? Then should we do something interesting?" he said. Yasmin dared not say a word and quickly closed her eyes as her cheeks flushed red. ke looked at her, his eyes as warm as a river in spring. Then, he leaned in and gently kissed her forehead. Yasmin''s heart was pounding hard. She didn''t know what ke''s actions meant. Did he kiss her like this every time she fell asleep? Or was tonight an exception? She had so many questions, but she was too afraid to ask. Curling her fingers slightly, Yasmin soon drifted off to sleep. ¡­ Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Early in the morning, Yasmin was snuggled up against ke''s back with her arm wrapped around his waist. She was sleeping deeply and was unaware of her actions. When ke opened his eyes and turned around, he saw Yasmin''s cute sleeping face. Yasmin''s sleeping habits weren''t great. She often moved closer to him in the middle of the night and would either hug him or nestle into his embrace. ke gently caressed Yasmin''s cheek with a soft gaze. Then, he heard her mumble something. "What?" ke leaned in closer, trying to hear what she was saying. "Teacher, take me away..." Yasmin frowned, seemingly caught in a nightmare. When ke heard the word "teacher," his handsome face immediately turned cold. He grabbed Yasmin''s chin with his long fingers and looked at her with a dark and menacing gaze. "Don''t..." Yasmin swatted his hand away. "Let me go..." ke''s eyes darkened, as if he was angry. Then, he leaned down and bit Yasmin. He bit her very fiercely, intending to silence her. But to his surprise, Yasmin responded to him by sticking out her tongue and entwining it with his. ke was shocked. He then pressed Yasmin down and started fiercely kissing her. Due to ke''s bite, blood trickled from Yasmin''s lips. At this, Yasmin winced in pain and opened her eyes. When she did so, she saw ke''s handsome face and tried to scream. However, her voice was stifled as ke tightly bit her once more. Yasmin could feel the pain of the bite and hit him, saying, "You bit me so hard." "You deserve it," ke said coldly. Yasmin was angry. "You made my lips bleed, and you dare say I deserve it?" "You were the one who seduced me first." ke red down at her from above. Only then did Yasmin realize that ke was holding her waist. What''s more, he wasn''t wearing his clothes, and their bodies were tightly pressed together. Yasmin''s face turned red in an instant as she started to remember what happened. She had responded to ke''s kiss. So now, she couldn''t even argue with him. Hence, Yasmin froze, not knowing what to do next. Meanwhile, ke looked upset and angry. He then gave Yasmin a stern look before getting out of bed and leaving the room. As he left, he took away some of the warmth on Yasmin''s body, and suddenly, Yasmin felt cold. She pulled the nket over herself. Then, she turned to look at ke but realized that he''d already entered the bathroom and mmed the door shut. What was he mad about? Yasmin was confused. Then, she went downstairs and saw Arthur exercising. When Arthur saw her, he shifted his gaze to her face. Upon seeing her broken lip, he smiled. "Did you hurt your lip?" At this, Yasmin immediately covered her mouth. And upon remembering what just happened, she felt very uneasy and embarrassed. Meanwhile, Arthur continued his exercise and slowly said, "Seeing you two get along so well makes me feel at ease. I''ll head back after breakfast." Chapter 138 Chapter 138 "But Grandpa, won''t you stay a few more days?" Yasmin asked. "Nah, I''m old and picky about my bed. I can''t sleep well here," Arthur said as hepleted his workout with a cool-down exercise. After he was done, Yasmin helped him to the dining room for breakfast. ke came down soon after. He looked gloomy as he sat at the table and greeted, "Grandpa." "Why do you look so angry?" Arthur noticed ke''s frustrated expression and raised an eyebrow. "Did things not go wellst night?" At this, Yasmin almost spit out her porridge. ke nced at her coldly and said, "No." Then, he served some food to Arthur. Then, Arthur asked, "So, why the long face then?" "It''s nothing." ke didn''t want to talk anymore, so he simply ate his breakfast silently. Yasmin couldn''t figure out why ke was upset as well. So, she also quietly ate her food and stayed silent. After breakfast, they stood at the door as they prepared to send Arthur off. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Just then, as Yasmin was turning to get into the Porsche, ke said coldly, "Come up here." "What''s up?" Yasmin looked at him in confusion. "What am I wearing?" ke red at her unhappily. Yasmin looked at ke and noticed that he was still in his pajamas. Then, it clicked in her mind that she''d forgotten to get him his clothes. Realizing her mistake, Yasmin turned back and said, "I forgot about that. I''ll go get them for you now." Yasmin then went upstairs and entered the room. But as soon as she did, she heard the door lock behind her. Startled, Yasmin turned around to see ke''s tall figure approaching her. Then, he kissed her without saying a word. Yasmin mumbled a few protests and struggled to breathe, saying, "ke, what are you doing?" But ke didn''t respond and simply pressed Yasmin against the floor-to-ceiling window, kissing her intensely until she was breathless. Yasmin was starting to truly get scared, so she pushed him away and asked, "What are you trying to do?" But ke continued kissing her desperately, and in the struggle, Yasmin''s dress tore. But regardless of this, ke continued holding her tightly. At this moment, he was like a wild beast. Yasmin''s dress was in disarray, and she was pressed up against the window in distress. "ke, what are you trying to do?" Her voice trembled with fear. "Help me out," ke said, his handsome face darkening. His shower in the morning hadn''t helped at all. He wanted Yasmin, and both his mind and body were beyond control now. Yasmin was frightened when she understood his intention. So, she kept trying to move back, saying, "No, we can''t." "You teased me this morning," ke said as he pulled her back. Then, when Yasmin resisted, he spanked her and said, "Be good." "I said no!" Yasmin refused. But ke didn''t listen at all. His well-defined hands continued caressing her delicate waist, and his handsome face was covered with a dangerously charming vibe. Yasmin was now totally under his control. She felt humiliated and couldn''t help but cry out, "Don''t..." They were already divorced. She didn''t want to be his sexual outlet anymore! But she couldn''t break free from ke and was only able to cry through her clenched teeth. When ke heard her cries, his handsome face grew darker. "Does it hurt that much when I touch you?" "I just don''t want it!" Yasmin''s tears fell even harder, her distress reaching its peak. ke felt on edge from Yasmin''s crying. He felt terrible and was unable to stand her tears any longer. After a moment of silence, he closed his eyes and said, "Okay, stop crying." His voice became deep, and he sounded like he was trying tofort her. "I won''t touch you. Stop crying." But Yasmin''s crying didn''t stop. On the contrary, it only became even more intense. Chapter 139 Chapter 139 ke felt a headacheing on. So, he gently touched Yasmin''s head and tried to exin, saying, "Men are like this. Sometimes we can''t help it." Yasmin stopped crying and looked at him with teary eyes. ke then lowered his head and tried to soothe her. "Besides, we aren''t divorced yet." Yasmin''s face puffed up with anger again. "We''re already registered as divorced. You need to respect me instead of force me." "I understand." ke held Yasmin and kissed her hair. Meanwhile, Yasmin was full of questions. What did ke mean? He said he disliked her, but his actions showed that he wanted to possess her... N?velDrama.Org ? content. Yasmin was baffled and couldn''t understand what was going with ke. ¡­ When Yasmin got to the studio, she asked Eunice, "Eunice, what does it mean if a man is divorced but still wants to hook up with his ex-wife?" Eunice thought for a moment and answered, "Maybe he''s just trying to satisfy his desires?" Yasmin was speechless. "But he has a girlfriend. Why doesn''t he go to her if he needs to satisfy his desires?" Eunice gave her a knowing look. "You''re talking about ke, right?" Yasmin''s cheeks flushed. Eunice continued, "Has he been trying to hook up with you recently?" "No!" Yasmin denied it, but her breathing quickened as she tried to exin things. "Just... kisses, hugs..." Eunice said seriously, "Yaz, don''t be naive. A man can separate his feelings from his physical needs. If he really likes you, he should break up with that bitch. If he doesn''t, don''t let him take advantage of you. "Don''t end up making it easy for him to have his cake and eat it too without consequences after the divorce." Eunice really hit the nail on the head. Yasmin''s eyes dimmed a bit. It was true. If ke really cared about her, he would have ended things with Giselle. And if not, it meant Yasmin wasn''t simply important enough to him. She couldn''t let herself get fooled just because of a few tender moments with ke. Yasmin then patted her face and reminded herself to guard her heart. She couldn''t let ke take it away again. ¡­ That afternoon, Victor called to check if Yasmin had sorted out the money. Yasmin yed it safe and told him, "Victor, I might not be able to handle this." "What''s the problem?" Victor sounded less than pleased. "300 thousand shouldn''t be a big deal for Mr. Ford, right?" "It''s not a big deal for him, but, you see, we''re divorced now." "Why''s that?" "Haven''t you seen the scandals? His first love is back in the country, and they''ve gotten back together. That''s why ke divorced me." When she mentioned this, Yasmin suddenly thought of something odd. When Caleb''spany went bankrupt, Victor had immediately shared the news with her. But he had been silent about ke and Giselle''s widely discussed scandal and had never once reached out tofort her. Victor paused for a moment before continuing, "But aren''t those scandals just rumors? They''re unfounded. How could you believe them?" "It''s not about what I believe. ke told me himself and even had me sign the divorce papers." Victor sounded impatient as he said, "So, Yasmin, did Mr. Ford give you anything in the divorce settlement?" "Nothing. He said the marriage was orchestrated by my dad, and he wouldn''t give me anything. He told me not to get my hopes up." Victor sighed, sounding a little angry. It was as if he thought Yasmin was naive. "How could you be so naive? How could you agree to the divorce after he said he wouldn''t give you anything? "You shoulde to me In situations like this. After all, I''m your family, and I''d definitely help you get awyer to fight for your rights!" Chapter 140 Chapter 140 Yasmin sighed and said, "We''re already divorced." "So, you got nothing out of it?" Victor asked. Yasmin nodded. "Yeah, nothing." "Yasmin, what am I supposed to say to you? How could you take marriage so lightly? You didn''t even discuss it with your elders before divorcing. I''m so frustrated with you. "Never mind, I''ll go talk to Mr. Ford and discuss this matter. If there''s any chance of making amends, you have toe with me to apologize to Mr. Ford. "No matter what, your father went through a lot to arrange this marriage. So, we shouldn''t just give up on it!" N?velDrama.Org owns this text. After saying his piece, Victor hung up. As he did so, Yasmin felt a sudden chill. It was as if she was seeing Victor''s true colors for the first time. She also felt deste and bereft. It seemed that the Starr family was not where she belonged after all. However, Yasmin decided not to dwell on her family matters and focused on her work instead. After a while, she received a call from ke. "Your uncle came looking for me at thepany," he said right away. Yasmin''s heart tightened. So, Victor had really gone to look for ke. Yasmin replied gloomily, "Don''t meet him." "You didn''t give him the money?" "No." Yasmin had already sensed Victor''s intentions over the phone clear as day. She wouldn''t naively give him money anymore. Upon hearing this, ke''s expression softened. "Then I won''t see him." "Okay," Yasmin replied. "You don''t need to bother with him anymore either." Soon, she and ke would have nothing to do with each other anyway. Moreover, she also didn''t want Victor using ke''s name to gain profit, nor did she want to owe ke too much. After hanging up, Yasmin caught her reflection in the mirror. She looked a bit worn out. When she was with ke, it felt like the world was full of flowers¡ªeveryone was nice to her, and it made her think that the world was kind and carefree. But after divorcing ke, she started seeing the ugly side of the world bit by bit. It turned out that the happiness she''d felt before was merely because ke had shielded her from the storms. Without him, Yasmin now had to face the harsh weather head-on as she got drenched to the bone. But maybe it was for the best. After all, she couldn''t rely on ke forever. Living within the boundaries he''d set and getting used to it would only turn her into a clinging vine. She would rather stand on her own two feet. ... Meanwhile at Windmere Group, ke refused to meet Victor and had him sent away. After handling the matter, Malcolm returned to the office and reported, "Mr. Ford, Victor Starr has been sent back." ke nodded. But then, he suddenly asked, "What kind of gifts do girls like?" "What?" Malcolm was stunned. "Mr. Ford, are you asking about Madam?" But ke''s handsome face remained expressionless as he said, "She found out the true nature of Victor Starr today, so she must be feeling upset." Hence, ke wanted to give Yasmin a gift. Malcolm suggested, "Mr. Ford, since Madam is a designer, probably anything fashionable would be to her liking." ke pondered for a moment and asked, "Has the new bracelet arrived?" Last time, Yasmin had thrown away ke''s bracelet, and this had upset him for a while. However, when he was at an auctionter on, ke saw a batch of pink diamonds and wondered¡ª if the bracelet was expensive, would a woman hesitate to throw it away? Malcolm had replied, "Of course, no one would throw away jewelry worth millions." ke then nodded and promptly instructed Malcolm to buy the entire batch of pink diamonds. He wanted to make an unparalleled bracelet. "The jeweler called yesterday. The bracelet has beenpleted," Malcolm said. The bracelet was pink, and even Malcolm, who was quite the rough guy, knew that it was meant for Yasmin. Chapter 141 Chapter 141 ke had a thing for buying pink stuff for Yasmin. In his eyes, Yasmin was like a child. "Alright, get the bracelet. I''ll pick her up after work," ke said before diving back into his tasks. And when it was time to leave, Malcolm already had the jewelry ready. ke examined the bracelet and, pleased with the purchase, he closed the jewelry box in satisfaction. Then, he got up, buttoned up his suit, and left the office. Malcolm then drove ke to Erinnyes. However, Yasmin wasn''t at the studio. Malcolm checked the time and was puzzled. "It''s only 6 pm. Madam shouldn''t have left work yet, right?" Erinnyes had always closed at 6:30 pm. One of the assistants then informed him, saying, "Ms. Starr left after getting a call." Hence, Malcolm ryed this back to ke. Meanwhile, ke''s face was icy cold as he took out his phone and dialed Yasmin''s number. But at that moment, Yasmin was having dinner with Victor at a restaurant. When she answered the phone, she remembered what Eunice had said earlier. So, she responded coolly to ke and said, "What''s up?" "Where did you go?" "What do you want?" Yasmin stepped out into the hallway to talk. ke struggled, not wanting to say he''de to pick her up. So, he just said, "Just asking." "I''m having dinner with my uncle." Yasmin kept it brief, not wanting to say much. "Why?" "The creditor of my dad''spany wants to meet me." Yasmin also wanted to check if the debt was real, so she''de to verify it. At this, ke''s frown deepened. "Why didn''t you tell me?" N?velDrama.Org ? content. "Why should I?" Yasmin countered. ke fell silent. Then, Yasmin said calmly, "Mr. Ford, we''re divorced. You don''t need to worry about me anymore. I''ll handle my own matters. Goodbye." After ending the call, Yasmin returned to the private room. The creditor of her father''spany was already there. He looked around 40 and seemed like a decent man. "Yasmin, this is Mr. Chadwick." Victor introduced her to him. "Hello, Mr. Chadwick." Yasmin stood up and shook hands with Hector Chadwick. Hector nced at Yasmin and nodded, seeming quite pleased with her. "Yasmin, pour Mr. Chadwick a drink." Victor quickly suggested. "Sure." Yasmin didn''t think much of it and toasted Hector with a drink from the table. "This is for you, Mr. Chadwick." Hector smiled and drank up while Yasmin also swallowed her drink in one gulp. Upon seeing Yasmin finish her drink, Victor''s eyes gleamed with excitement. Then, he excused himself to the restroom and left. "Mr. Chadwick, I wanted to meet today to discuss the debt between you and ourpany." Yasmin smiled politely. Hector looked at Yasmin and unbuttoned a button on his sleeve. Then, he reached out to put an arm around her shoulders. Yasmin stiffened and pushed him away. "Mr. Chadwick, what are you doing?" Hector''s expression shifted when Yasmin pushed him away. Then, he said in a displeased tone, "Don''t you know why you''re here? Come here. Kneel and serve me." Hector attempted to force Yasmin''s head down. Taken aback, Yasmin eximed, "Mr. Chadwick, I''m just here to talk about business." "Stop pretending. I don''t like those who y hard to get. Serve me tonight, and your uncle''s debt to me will be cleared." "What debt?" "Your uncle''s gambling debt." Only then did Yasmin realize that the 300 thousand dors wasn''t a business debt, but rather, it was Victor''s gambling debt. Her gaze turned cold as she said, "Mr. Chadwick, this debt is my uncle''s, not mine. You should deal with him." Yasmin stood up to leave, but she suddenly felt weak all over, as if all her strength had drained away. Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Hectorughed. "Feeling weak?" Yasmin¡¯s expression shifted as she said, "Did you drug me?¡± It indeed felt like she had been drugged. "I like it when women are dazed and confused in those moments. It¡¯s more fun," Hector said with a twisted smile. Yasmin¡¯s heart tightened. She tried to run but Hector pulled her into his arms. Then, he sneered and pulled out his belt. Yasmin felt disgusted. She grabbed a wine bottle from the table and smashed it over Hector¡¯s head. Then, Hector passed out without even making a sound. Using thest of her strength, Yasmin called the police. When the officers arrived, Yasmin weakly huddled in a corner while Hectory amidst a pool of wine. He had a big gash on his head that was bleeding profusely. It was 11 pm and Yasmin still hadn''t returned home. ke was waiting for her in the yard, and his face grew darker and darker as time passed. Eventually. he gave Yasmin a call, but the call went unanswered ke frowned and called Malcolm. "Malcolm, find out where Yasmin is."N?velDrama.Org ? content. A few minutester, Malcolm called back and said, "Mr. Ford, Madam is at the police station.¡± ke''s face turned cold. "What happened?" As Malcolm drove ke to the police station, he reported, ¡°Hector Chadwick is now in aa at the hospital, and his family insists on suing Madam. It''s a mess at the police station.¡± Meanwhile, at the police station, Yasmin sat silently with her head bowed. The effects of the drug had finally worn off. Suddenly, Hector¡¯s mother, Adeline. Stone, pointed at Yasmin and yelled, ¡°You! rejust a whore! How dareyou hurtmy son! Officer, arrest tins slut right away!" "Mr. Chadwick is in aa. We''ll investigate once Mr. Chadwick regains consciousness.¡± The officer tried to calm Adeline down However, Adeline was unsatisfied and continued to rant, ¡°You bitch, if anything happens to my son, I''ll have your entire family pay for it!" But Yasmin ignored her. She had already given her statement anyway. As for Hector, they had to wait until he woke up. Until then, Adeline could say whatever she wanted to say. Suddenly, when no one was looking, Adeline suddenly rushed over and hit Yasmin with her bag. Yasmin, still feeling weak, took the hit. She gave Adeline a cold stare and then grabbed her bag, saying, "Your son drugged me and tried to rape me. I was just defending myself.¡± "My son is uncenscious. Of course, you can saywhatever you want. But once my son wakes up, I''ll see how> you argue! I''ll make sure you rot ie jail!¡± Adeline still didn''t want ta fet go andStruggled to break free from two offi¨¦ers who held her back Content belongs to ? ¡°Hit her, and you''re paying a hundred million per p. Try it." A stern suddenly voice came from the door. Yasmin was dazed. She looked over to the entrance and was stunned¡ªit was ke. He was dressed in a ck suit, and his nearly 6.3 feet stature was overwhelmingly imposing How did ke know she was here? Yasmin¡¯s heart couldn''t help but feel stirred. Meanwhile, the entire room fell silent. Even Adeline was intimidated by ke''s presence. Beside ke stood the chiefof police, BrSoklyn Simmons, who LS walked:in and announced, "Mr.Ford obtained surveince footage from the hotel. So, the case is solved. "The drug was prepared by Hector Chadwick. He gave it to a waiter before entering the private room and had asked the waiter to drug her. "We have both witness and physical evidence.¡± Suddenly, the case was solved. Adeline''s eyes widened in shock, and she was unable to speak a single word. Chapter 143 Chapter 143 "Mrs. Ford, you''re the victim here. This situation has nothing to do with you. You can go home after giving your statement." Brooklyn came over to Yasmin with a respectful attitude. Only then did Adelinee to her senses. She recognized ke and asked Brooklyn in shock, "Is that the young entrepreneur often seen on TV, ke Ford?¡± Brooklyn replied, "Yes, that''s him.¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Adeline almost couldn''t stand straight and felt herself be dizzy. "She''s Mrs. Ford?" "Yes." Adeline''s world went dark. And finally. she fainted. Brooklyn then escorted Yasmin to ke''s side. Yasmin¡¯s hair was messy and her face was pale. Then, ke led her out of the police station with a stern expression and scoffed. "Now do you see what your uncle is really like?" Yasmin paused, her eyes suddenly welling up with tears. Meanwhile, ke strode on ahead, not noticing that Yasmin hadn''t followed him. "Mr. Ford, Madam is still behind." Malcolm reminded him. ke then turned around with a stern face and saw Yasmin simply standing there Her eyes were red, and her face was as pale as a corpse. ke went silent for a moment before walking over to hug Yasmin. However, Yasmin pushed him away and took a few steps back. Her voice filled with grievance as she said, ¡°Don¡¯t hug me. Don''t bother with me. Everyone wants to harm me...¡± Her eyes were red and teary as she continued. "I was foolish. I never thought that the world could have such shameless people. To think he''d sell me out for money..." Yasmin then turned to run away, but ke caught her hand and pulled her back into a tight embrace. Despite Yasmin¡¯s struggle, ke simply wouldn''t let go. Instead, he held her tightly and stroked her head tofort her. ¡°What have I ever done to him?¡± Yasmin''s tears streamed down. "I''m his niece¡ªhow could he do that to me?" ke frowned and held Yasmin closer. "That''s why your dad married you off to me.¡± He seldom exined things to Yasmin, but this time, he did. ¡°Your dad knew that once he went to prison, no one else in this world would treat you well. So, he asked me to marry you.¡± Yasmin¡¯s nose had turned red from crying. Feeling weak, she then leaned on ke. ke continued stroking her head andforting her, saying, "There are still people who love you. Your dad loves you." Yasmin paused for a moment and stopped crying when ke mentioned her dad. Yes, her dad loved her. That''s why he married her off to ke. He really didn''t choose the wrong person. for her. After all, when she~ was married to ke, she hadived car¨¦free for two years. Content > -\ ke then carried Yasmin back to the car. Exhausted from crying, she fell asleep on his shoulder. When they arrived at Oak Garden, Joel was already there. ke carried Yasmin from the car while she was still asleep Joel was surprised to see ke carrying Yasmin so gently. It was as if he was holding a fragile treasure. When Joel examined Yasmin''s body, ke sat beside her and held her hands. "Is she okay?" he asked. "She''s fine, just a bit drugged, but physically unharmed.¡± Joel finished his examination and packed up his stuff. Then, they left the room together. Then, Maleolm reported to ke ~ when he-saw him upstairs and said, "Mr. Ford, the situation has bean¡± handied. A legal notice has neen sent to the Chadwick family.¡± ke nodded with a gloomy face. "As for the Starr family... Mr. Ford, how should we proceed?" Malcolm asked. ¡®Cut off all Cooperation with Starr? Corporation unless Victor Starr is. removed from the board of = C> directors, Otherwise, no Oo disdussions," ke said indifferently. "Understood!" Malcolm responded. Chapter 144 Chapter 144 "What happened to Yasmin?¡± Joel asked Malcolm. "What made ke so mad?¡± Malcolm briefly exined what happened earlier to Joel.N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Joel was shocked and cursed, "That bastard! She''s his niece.¡± "Those gambling addicts, when they need money, they''re capable of deing anything.¡± Malcolm also hated such scum. After Joel left, ke returned to the bedroom. Yasmin was already awake, and she rubbed her eyes and sat up, looking dazed. "Are you hungry?" ke leaned by the doorway and asked. Yasmin felt her stomach and answered, "Actually, yes." After all, she hadn''t eaten anything. "Go take a shower. Food will be ready in a few minutes," ke said before heading downstairs. Yasmin was surprised. Did ke know how to cook? She really didn''t know that. She had never seen him cook before either. Yasmin then took a shower and walked out wearing a light pink nightgown Just then, ke came back and opened the door. He was holding a te of macaroni and looked handsome and charming. Yasmin was momentarily stunned by his looks and simply stood there staring at him Noticing her gaze, ke came over and flicked her forehead. "What are you staring at?¡± "You can cook?" Yasmin was surprised. ke casually said, ¡°This is the macaroni that Mary boughtst time.¡± "But you cooked it," Yasmin sat down on the couch and said. Her long hair flowed over her shoulders, and her big eyes looked beautiful. ke nced at her and asked, "Are you surprised?" "Yes. Who taught you?¡± ke paused for a moment before saying, "I spent a few years in Merania. I learned how to cook there.¡± So, that was it. Yasmin nodded. She heard that people who studied abroad usually learned to cook because they weren''t used to the food overseas So, Yasmin didn''t think too much about it and simply started eating. "Yum!" Yasmin squinted her eyes in delight. ke held a cup of water and sat next to her. Then, he raised an eyebrow and asked, "Does it taste good?" "Really good. Macaroni and cheese, What a.perfect match! And the _<* shrimp I is so fresh. Your cooking is great!" Yasmin gave ke athumbs Up. ke smiled and said, ¡°You should try the fruit sd too if you want.¡± Yasmin then noticed a bowl of fruit sd on the tray. She was puzzled. "How did you know I like to eat fruit sd?" ke paused for a moment before casually saying, "I just threw it together.¡± The atmosphere while Yasmin had herte-night snack was quite harmonious. But just ten minutester, the atmosphere turned a bit awkward because ke had gone to take a shower. When he camp.out, he was only wrapped in.atwhite towel that revealed his perfect inverted triangle physiqu¨¦¡ªthe kind that seemed slim when dressed but muscr when undr¨¦ssed and had defined abs that were too sexy to directly look at. Meanwhile, Yasmin ate the fruit sd, not daring to look at ke''s body. keughed. Then. he picked up some ointment and lifted Yasmin''s tender foot. Yasmin was taken aback, and her big eyes were full of confusion. "What are you doing?" ¡®Checking the blisters on the bottom of your foot." ke peeled off thes bandage on Yasmin''s foot¡ª the? blisters had already scabbed over. He asked, "Does it still hurt?" I''ve been wearing sneakerstely, so it doesn''t hurt much.¡± Yasmin tried to pull her foot back, but ke firmly held onto it and wouldn''t let her move. "Even if it''s almost healed, you should apply the ointment for a few more days to prevent an infection." Then, he opened the ointment, and not caring whether or not Yasmin''s foot was dirty, he applied the ointment with a cotton swab. Yasmin looked at his handsome face as her eyshes slightly fluttered. Why was ke... suddenly so gentle? Chapter 145 Chapter 145 The next morning, Yasmin was having breakfast with ke Suddenly, she received a call from her aunt, Magnolia Joyce. Magnolia cried and said, "Yasmin, what''s Mr. Ford trying to do? He stopped all coborations with ourpany and said he won''t give us any projects unless your uncle is removed from the board.¡± Yasmin was puzzled and looked at ke who was sitting across from her and slowly eating his breakfast. "ke. did you stop all projects with my family''spany?" she asked. "Do you still have hopes for that family?¡± ke looked a bit upset. ¡°It''s not that.¡± Yasmin shook her head. "But if my uncle is removed from the board, what will happen to ourpany? Who will manage it?" "I''ll send someone to take over. Don''t worry about it.¡± "What? You''re sending someone to run my family''spany?¡± "When we got married, I invested a hundred million into Starr Corporation. I''m thergest shareholder.¡± Before this, ke didn''t really care about Starr Corporation because he thought it wasn¡¯t important. He simply let Victor get away with things because he was part of Yasmin¡¯s family. But then, ke decided he was done being nice.N?velDrama.Org ? content. But this actually worked out better for him He had never liked dealing with Yasmin''s family much, and by taking over theirpany, he no longer had to deal with them Yasmin was surprised. She hadn''t realized that ke had invested so much money in her family''spany. Was he indirectly saving it? ¡°Thank you.¡± Yasmin suddenly said. ke raised an eyebrow. "For what?" "I didn''t know you did so much.¡± Victor never mentioned it, and ke never brought it up. Hence, Yasmin simply thought that ke was just helping Starr Corporation with some projects. She didn''t expect him to be the one that would save the entire corporation. Now. Yasmin realized that ke marrying her was a loss for him. Not only did he have to ensure her safety, but he also had to save her problematic family business. ke gave her a look and said, "I told you, you''re too naive. You''ll just get tricked.¡± ¡°But you never told me." Yasmin puckered her lips. "You were in school. What was the point?¡± Yasmin lowered her eyes. Right, she was only 20 then Even if she knew about the crisis, what could she have done? "Besides, s¨¦eing the truth about them nowrisn''t toote. So, don''t.be naive anymore. Don''t just go back whenever they call you to," ke comforted Yasmin when heoticed that she was feeling down.Content b¨¦longs ~ "Did my uncle always ask you for projects whenever we went back for meals?¡± "Pretty much.¡± Yasmin didn''t know about all this. She''d thought they were all just simple dinners. She never thought.. No wonder ke disliked the Starr family so much Now. Yasmin understood. "I guess I misunderstood you before." She sighed. "Sorry..." ke nced at herzily and said, "Now that you know how well I treat you, stop fighting me and making up stories about affairs." Content -~ Yasmin¡¯s cheeks turned red, "I did not.¡± "Sure you didn¡¯t.¡± Then, ke looked at her and stood up. "I''m off to work. Go get my clothes." He was wearing his home clothes and had started walking upstairs. Yasmin then put down the utensils and followed him. This time though, Yasmin had a strange feeling when she was helping ke get dressed Every time she looked up, she would meet his''deep eyes, and they would make her heart race uncontrobly. "What are you blushing for?" ke looked down and looked at her. Yasmin bit her lip and shook her head. "Nothing." "Shy?" After knowing her for two years, ke could easily read Yasmin''s emotions. "No." Yasmin denied it. But as she tried to button up his shirt. ke pulled her by the waist and brought her closer to him. Yasmin¡¯s heart trembled as she looked into his eyes Chapter 146 Chapter 146 ¡°Your uncle might try to cause you trouble a few more times. "But you must remember the harm they''ve done to you, and you mustn''t go easy on them.¡± ke advised Yasmin. Yasmin nodded, her face growing even redder. "I understand.¡± "What''s making you blush?" ke leaned in close, his lips almost touching hers and charging the air between them even more. Yasmin felt flustered and didn''t dare to meet ke''s eyes. So, she looked at his lips instead and said, "Nothing, just... let go of me, I need to help you get dressed." "Do you like me?" ke suddenly smiled, as if he could see right through her. Yasmin felt like he''d hit the nail on the head. Her pupils were quivering as she said, "Of course not.¡± "But your face says otherwise." ke''s lips curled up. "Now that you know I''m the one who''s been good to you, are you feeling something?¡± He pulled her even closer. Yasmin felt uneasy and turned her head away. "Stop hugging me. Let go." "You haven''t properly thanked me yet." ke said as he looked at her plump lips. "Didn''t I just say ¡®thank you''?¡± "I want this kind of ''thank you''.¡± With that, ke kissed her, and Yasmin''s breathing halted. This kiss was different from their previous one. Before, Yasmin was reluctant. But this time, she felt moved, and her emotions were in turmoil. She''d already liked ke. And now that she''d been moved by him, her feelings opened like a floodgate, impossible to hold back... When Yasmin got to her studio, she was still trying to process everything as she stared nkly at the pile of drawings on her desk. Eunice waved her hand in front of Yasmin''s face. "Yaz? What are you daydreaming about?¡± Yasmin snapped back to reality and said, "Nothing. what''s up?" Then, she noticed that Eunice was carrying a bag on her back. "I''m heading to Harnyon City for a few days on a business trip. Just wanted to let you know.¡± Eunice said. "Okay." Yasmin replied. "Need me to drop you off at the airport?¡± "No need. Colin is driving me there." Eunice smiled sweetly. Seeing Eunice so happy made Yasmin feel relieved. After Eunice left, Yasmin got busy with her work. In the evening, Magnolia and her daughter, Brittany Starr, came to the studio looking for Yasmin. "Ms. Starr, your rtives are here to see you,¡± Sarah called out to Yasmin So. Yasmin went downstairs to meet them Magnolia kneeled as soon as she saw Yasmin and pleaded, "Yasmin, you can''t do this to your uncle...¡± Yasmin quickly helped Magnolia up and led them to the reception room. There, Magnolia wiped away tears as she spoke, "Yasmin, I beg youd ire) forgiveand forget. You''re still part of the Starr family. If your uncle gets kicked out of Starr Corporation, it''ll noctonger have anything ta.do with us. "Moreover, your uncle is getting old. What could he possibly do if he leaves? Could you bear to see our family suffer?¡± "Yeah, Yasmin, and think about Grandma. She''s in her 80s. If she finds out about this, it might kill her,¡± Brittany added. Yasmin replied with a faint smile, ¡°Victor brought this upon himself.¡± "How can you say that?" Brittany couldn''t stand Yasmin speaking ill of her father. "Do you even respect my dad as your elder?" " Brittany.¡± Magnolia stopped her before tearfully continuing, Victor¡± did make. a mistake. He fooli shly¡± followed Hector onto a gam bling cruise and ended up losing ? huadreds of thousands. Content b¨¦longs ~ Hector threatened to cut off his ingers J ifhe didn''tply. So, hes acted Sut of fear, But don''t worry, Yasmin. I''ve already scolded Kim, and he feels very guilty. Coritent ~N?velDrama.Org ? content. mm "He''s been so remorseful that he hasn''t eaten sincest night.¡± Chapter 147 Chapter 147 "Yeah, Yasmin. Quickly talk to ke and ask him to stop targeting my dad. We''re family. We should love and support each other.¡± Brittany handed her phone to Yasmin to call ke. Yasminughed coldly and took a sip of water. "Brittany, if you care so much about your dad, why didn''t you sacrifice yourself to apany Hectorst night?" Brittany''s face turned cold. "Yasmin! What do you mean? How could I possibly entertain such a disgusting man?" "So, you know he''s disgusting? You won''t help your dad with his gambling debt, but you expect me to help? And you have the nerve to act all righteous "Where''s your shame?" Yasmin shot back. Brittany''s face turned pale, and then red. She yelled, "What''s wrong with you spending a night with that old man? You''ve been married before. You''ve sold yourself ance, so what''s wrong with selling yourself again? I''m different, I''m still a virgin!" Yasminughed out of anger and turned to Magnolia. "I won''t be involved in your family matters anymore. Don''te looking for me again. Victor getting kicked out of the board is what he deserves." Meanwhile, Brittany was angry and enraged. She adamantly stayed in the studio and refused to leave. Magnolia then resorted to moral ckmail, kneeling at the studio''s entrance and causing passersby to judge Yasmin. Even after working hours, the two of them were still kneeling at the door. And when people passed by and asked, they would say that Yasmin was heartless and was treating her uncle''s family ruthlessly. Soon, Yasmin came down with her bag. "Ms. Starr, they''re still Kneeling out there,¡± Sarah said. ¡°Let them kneel all they want," Yasmin replied indifferently. Yasmin walked out the door while Magnolia shouted after her, ¡°Yasmin, I''m begging you, your uncle is old. Don''t be so harsh on him. How will our family live on?" "Taking away someone''s bread and butter is like taking their life. Have you heard that before? "Yasmin, I hope you think it over and give us a satisfactory answer tomorrow," Magnolia said as she cried in front of everyone, causing bystanders to whisper and point at Yasmin But Yasmin maintained a cold expression without looking back. Then, she got into her Porsche and drove off home. At night, Mary made lobster thermidor for Yasmin. Then, Yasmin opened a bottle of beer and video called Eunice to chat with her while eating. "Yaz, I heard from the assistant that your aunt caused a scene at the studio this afternoon? She even knelt at the door?" Eunice asked. ¡°Yeah, such impudence never came my way." Yasmin took a sip of the beer with a scoff. Eunice was¡¯so angry that she felt like exploding. ¡®If I wasn''t out of <* town, td go there and give them a gaod smack." Swnovel a "Who are you talking to?" ke''s voice came from the door. Yasmin looked up and saw ke walking in with his jacket draped over his arm. Clearly, he just came back from work. "Who''s that I hear?" Eunice''s voice piped up from the phone.N?velDrama.Org ? content. "It''s ke. He just got home,¡± Yasmin whispered into the phone. ¡®Howe he''s been so freetely? Didn''t hese toe home only once every two weeks? I remember you telling me how lonely yourfelt,¡± Eurtice said. - Hearing this, Yasmin felt embarrassed. She then turned and nced at ke. He had just sat down and seemed to have heard what Eunice said too. He raised an eyebrow and stared at Yasmin. Then, Yasmin blushed and quickly shushed Eunice over the video call. "Shh! Let''s not talk about that.¡± Chapter 148 Chapter 148 "What''s there that can''t be talked about? I''ve got questions for him too. "What''s the deal between him and that other woman? Are they breaking up or not? If not, then just divorce him. You need your freedom...All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. continued speaking. Immediately, ke grabbed Yasmin''s phone from her hand and looked menacingly at Eunice through the video. "Eunice, if you keep inciting her to get a divorce, you''ll see what I''m capable of.¡± he barked. Faced with ke''s sharp gaze, Eunice didn''t dare to act up anymore. Then, she pouted and mumbled, "What kind of man are you to threaten me? If you''re so capable, deal with Yasmin''s aunt. "They''re the ones morally ckmailing her right now. If you''re really that powerful, handle them!" Hearing this, ke turned to Yasmin, "Your aunt came to you?" "Yeah," Yasmin replied calmly. She then took back her phone and said to Eunice. "Eunice, let''s talkter, I''m hanging up now." After ending the call, Yasmin looked up at ke. "ke, I can handle this myself. You don''t need to get involved." ke furrowed his brow, seemingly a bit upset by her response. Just then, someone came to the house Mary entered the dining room and said, "Mr. Ford, Mrs. Chadwick and her family havee to apologize to Madam.¡± The letter from thewyer had shaken the entire Chadwick family. As soon as Adeline woke up, she rushed to apologize to Yasmin. She was afraid that if she dyed the apology, her son might spend the rest of his life in prison "Let them wait," ke said calmly. "Okay!" Mary then went back to pass on the message. "What''s going on?" Yasmin looked at ke. "Why is Mrs. Chadwick apologizing to me?" ke then took a bite of his food and said, "I sent awyer''s letter to that guy named Hectorst night.¡± "Is he awake now?" "He awoke this afternoon and made a statement¡ªit was confirmed that he drugged you, so the Chadwick family got scared.¡± ke intentionally made the Chadwick family wait while they slowly finished their meal. Yasmin felt relieved when she heard that Hector had woken up She never wanted to cause a death. or serious ¡®injury, If she''d identally killed someone or caused sever¨¦ harm she would feel guilty for ¡®the rest of her life. - After finishing their meal, ke took Yasmin''s hand and went out to meet the Chadwicks Adeline and her family were all smiles when they saw ke and Yasmine out. "Mr. Ford, Mrs. Ford..." However, ke didn''t say a word and simply sat down with Yasmin. His expression was calm, but it made Adeline and her family very nervous. Adeline then handed them some tea and said, "Mr. Ford, Mrs. Ford. please have some tea.¡± Yasmin wasn''t sure if she should drink it and nced at ke. He didn''t touch the tea and said indifferently, "Mrs. Chadwick, you now understand what kind of person yOUTr gon is, right? Not only dicthe drugmy wife, but he''d also dared to hitdser." ~ - Adeline''s forehead was covered in sweat. Suddenly, she pped herself twice. and said; it''s all my fault. I shouldht have let r my disgraceful son offend yOu. Irs. Ford. I''ve failed as a parent, so I''ve pped myself. "I hope you can forgive me and not hold it against someone as ignorant as me..." Adeline knelt down as she spoke, crying pitifully. Yasmin felt exasperated These people always shouted the loudest when they thought they were right, but cried the most pitifully when they were in the wrong "Don''t cry in front of me. I''m not moved by it." ke sat with his legs crossed as he gave Adeline a hard stare. Instantly, Adeline stopped crying. "If you''re truly sorry, show some sincerity,¡± ke said Adeline was stunned. She didn''t get what ke meant. "Eunice Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Hector''s brother, Gabriel Chadwick, stood beside Adeline and asked, "Mr. Ford, what do you mean? Are you saying my brother should show some sincerity?¡± "Break his leg." ke said coldly. Gabriel shivered and exined, "Mr. Ford, actually, my brother and your wife are victims. The real perpetrator behind this was Mrs. Ford''s uncle." "That''s between you and Victor. All I know is that my wife was harassed. If she hadn''t knocked your brother unconscious, this would be more than just breaking a leg.¡± ke''s voice wasmanding and intimidating. The Chadwicks froze and felt a chill creeping up from their feet up to their heads. Indeed, if Yasmin had really been assaulted by Hector, the consequences would''ve been disastrous. Gabriel guessed ke''s intention and said. ¡°Mr. Ford, you can rest assured that we''ll handle Victor ourselves. After all, he put my brother in this situation, so we won''t let him off." At this, ke''s lips curled up slightly. Thinking that he''d guessed right about ke wanting them to deal with Victor, Gabriel then said respectfully, "As for my brother, he''s now in the ICU Could you perhaps be a bit more lenient with him?" ke then shot him an ice-cold re and said, ¡°One leg, non-negotiable.¡± Gabriel was so frightened by ke''s gaze that he broke out in a cold sweat and trembled as he replied, "Yes! I''ll present to you a satisfactory result tomorrow.¡± "See them out." ke then stood up and took Yasmin upstairs as Mary saw the Chadwick family out. Yasmin nced back at them and quietly asked, "Are we really going to break his leg?¡± "If there''s no consequence for doing something wrong, he''ll do it again.¡± ke looked at Yasmin and continued, ¡°Instead of feeling sorry for him, you should think about the women he''s drugged before.¡± ke was absolutely right. In fact, his response surprised Yasmin. She hadn''t expected him to be so upright and principled. Suddenly, she didn''t feel sorry for Hector anymore. He deserved it for drugging and harassing innocent women! Then, Yasmin went upstairs to take a shower. When she came out of the bathroom, she noticed that her phone had been incessantly ringing. It was Ivan calling. Yasmin sat down and answered, "Hello, Mr. Burke." "I heard someone caused trouble at yourpany today.¡± Ivan said Yasmin was puzzled. "Mr. Burke, how did you know?" "Eunice told me,¡± Ivan exined. They were in a group chat because of their mutual business interests. Yasmin checked the group chat and saw that Eunice had indeed shared the news of the day''s events. Yasmin felt a bit awkward as she replied, "It''s not a big deal." "Do you need help with it?" Yasmin shook her head and refused, "No, I''ll handle it myself tomorrow." Initially, shehad her doubts. But after listening to ke, she felt that he wastight¡ªif the wrongdoers~ didn''t-face any consequences; they would just boldly repeat thei? actions. ta¡± - ke had said, ¡°When you''re feeling too soft, remember how heartless they were to you.¡± Exactly. If Victor had shown anypassion, he wouldn''t have sold her to Hector. But since he''d disregarded their family ties first. Yasmin had no reason to be merciful now. "Can you really handle it?¡± Ivan asked. Yasmin smiled and said, "If I can''t, there''s always the police. Their. Ss actions were illegal, and I could have ther arrested.¡± Swnovel oS "Didn''t think you''d have such a goad idea.¡± Ivanplimented her. Yasmin blushed, not knowing what to say next. Just then, ke came out of the shower and was drying his hair. Then, he saw the jewelry box on ms desk¡ªitwas the pink diamond . bracelet he''d nned to give o Yasmin. I to Swnovel i Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Chapter 150 Chapter 150 ke smiled happily before grabbing the jewelry box and walking to the guest room. However, just as he was about to enter, he heard Yasmin talking on the phone inside. So, he stopped and stood at the door to listen. "Were you okay after the birthday banquet that night?" Ivan asked after a pause from Yasmin. "I''m fine." "I heard you moved back to Oak Garden. Are you two... getting back together?¡± There was a moment of silence fram Yasmin before she answered, "No, I owe ke some money. He''s having me work here to pay off my debt." "That''s good to hear." lvan seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "Once you''re divorced, your dad should be released by then too, so you should..." When Ivan mentioned Stuart. Yasmin''s eyes flickered. Then, she said in a low voice, "Don''t worry, I won''t look back on this marriage.¡± Stuart would be out in half a month¡ªYasmin couldn''t look back If ke still wanted to seek her out after Stuart''s release, she might still fight for their rtionship onest time. But that was only if ke didn''t hold a grudge against Stuart. After all, ke really hated the Starr family, and she could sense that it wasn''t just about Victor. There might be a deeper grievance between ke and Stuart. Two years ago, Stuart had finally arranged for her to sleep with ke. But after he talked with ke, Stuart had looked pale and distressed and not at all relieved by the deal he''d just made. He''d looked at Yasmin sadly and said, "I hope you don''t fall too deeply in love with him." Yasmin was sure there was something more between her dad and ke When ke heard what Yasmin said, his eyes turned cold He''d thought she might not want to divorce him anymore. But it seemed like he was mistaken. In the silence of the night, ke sighed softly and left with the gift in hand. The next day at Windmere Group, ke wasn''t in a good mood, and it had stayed that way for the whole day. His cold demeanor made everyone uneasy, and all executives were sitting up straight, barely daring to breathe.. After the meeting. a few executives stopped Malcolm and asked, "Mr. Shaw, what''s up with Mr. Ford? Was he unhappy with our New Year''s ns?¡± "Mr. Ford looked really scary just now!" They murmured among themselves and bombarded Malcolm with questions about what was bothering ke. Malcolm was helpless. He obviously couldn''t say ke was in a bad mood because he had a spat with his wife. So, he coukt only say, "Don''t worry, he''s verysatisfied with everyone''s~ ns, He might just be a bit under the weather today because he didn''t rest well yesterday.¡± Content belongs to ~ After calming everyone down, Malcolm headed to the CEO''s office. Joel hade over today. And at : that moment, he was leaning over the reception desk flirting with the secretary who was blushing ¡é at his sweet talk. "What brings you here today, Dr. Sawyer?" Malcolm asked Joel. "Oh, I''m delivering Mr. Arthur''s health report. What''s wrong with ke today? He seems to be in a bad mood," Joel replied "He had a little tiff with his wife," Malcolm whispered. "Malcolm, do you have nothing better to do?¡± ke''s cold voice came from the office. Startled, Malcolm dared not say anything more. Joel then raised an eyebrow and walked into the office. "How''s my Grandpa''s report?" ke asked. Joel replied; "Nothing serious. His : blood pressure and sugar levels are a bit high, but everything else is norndal. In fact, for his age, his health is.pretty good." - Joel sat across from ke with his hands sped together on the table. Then, he said, ¡°There''s something I need to tell you¡ªyour mom was in the hospital for a check-up recently, right?N?velDrama.Org owns this text. "Giselle has been bustling around her every day, acting like the perfect dutiful daughter-inw." Chapter 151 Chapter 151 ke immediately stopped what he was doing and asked, "How''s my mom''s checkup going?¡± Joel replied, "Mrs. Ford just got admitted, and the tests are scheduled for tomorrow. But Giselle''s been keeping her happy. She¡¯s been asking her to come up with names for the baby every day. "I see her smiling all the time. In fact, she seems very happy.¡± Upon hearing this, ke decided he didn''t have any more questions for Joel. He was just d that Annalise was in a good mood. At least then, it would keep her from getting anxious before the tests. Then, Joel continued, "Giselle¡¯s great with people and has a way with your mom. But is the child in her belly really yours? If it''s not. your mom might not be able to take it once the child''s born." ¡°Just let Giselle be.¡± ke refused to reveal anything. After all, the critical period of Annalise¡¯s tests was approaching, and he didn''t want to upset her. Joel realized that his questioning wasn''t leading him anywhere. So, he furrowed his brow andmented, "You''re so tight-lipped, ke. After so many questions, you still refuse to tell me anything." ke nonchntly nced at him. "You should head back if there''s nothing else. I''m busy.¡± Joel nagged, "Come one, ke. I heard you had an argument with Yasmin "What happened? Spill it to me. I''m a love expert, and I might have the best pointers for you." ke stared at Joel for a couple of seconds. Then, he said in a deep voice, ¡°She''s insisting on the divorce." "Is there a reason for it?¡± Joel questioned. "How would I know? She probably has feelings for that pretty boy, Ivan." ke grunted with a cold expression Joel chuckled. "Clearly, you''re not as skillful in wooing girls as he is. Oh, and you also have a tough attitude in your approach¡ªgirls don''t like that. Nowadays, they''re into gentle and thoughtful guys.¡± Although ke didn''t respond to Joel, he was going through his documents slower than before. Joel knew ke was listening, so he said with a smile, "You need to make it romantic. For example, you could pick her up from work and then bring her to a movie. "Let her see your dedication. Everything will naturally fall into ce once the mood and feeling is right...¡± ke frowned. "Are you sure that''s going to work?" "Why wouldn''t it? It''s always like this when ites to flirting with women. "Have you brought her to a movie before? What about a candlelit dinner?¡± Joel asked. "No," ke honestly answered. After all, Yasmin was the one who pursued him back then, and he hadn''t cared much for her. Joel was speechless. But beforeteaving, he told ke, " bought you these movie tickets sn booked-a restaurant for you. So; ~ don''t forget to pick Yasmin up> tonight and take her out for & rommantic evening.¡± Content. belongs to¡° < ke ignored Joel. But when it was 5:30 pm, ke had Malcolm cancel all his appointments and got off work early. Brittany was at Erinnyes Studio. But this time, she wasn''t with Magnolia and hade with her friends instead. They prepared a sign that read. ¡°The Ungrateful Niece Pushes Her Uncle''s Family To Hell" and sat at the entrance of Erinnyes Studio.N?velDrama.Org ? content. It was a deliberate act done to catch the passersby''s attention and have them gather there. After hearing the news, Yasmin immediately went downstairs. A crowd had gathered in front of the office¡¯s entrance, and everyone was asking what was going on. Once Brittany spotted Yasmin, she shouted, "Yasmin, if you have any conscience left, hurry up and get Mr. Ford to give my dad his job back. "He now has depression and has be suicidal. Your actions could kill him at any moment.¡± Yasminughed. "Are you sure Victor didn¡¯t be suicidal 2> becaug@of his debt? How is he still in themood to gamble if he''s ~ depressed? He''s racking up: thillions of-dors in debt with eachtloss." ¡°You scum!" Brittany''s face paled. "Don¡¯t you nder my dad!" ¡®How aboutthis? I''ll contact the journalists and the Chadwick faraily right now. Let''s have the three ¡é familiese together andy everything out in the open.. "Content ~~ The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!