On the second floor, Natalie instantly stopped in her tracks upon hearing those words!She couldn't stop the tremble that wrecked through her, and her eyes turned exceedingly cold.This was the first time she had ever been like this. It was hard to imagine that such a small person could exude such a menacing presence."We..."Bang!Cedric's words were cut off abruptly as Natalie suddenly moved. She forcefully freed herself from his grip and slammed him against the wall. The sound of the impact demonstrated the swiftness of her action.Before Cedric could react, Natalie turned around, her eyes flashing with coldness. "Natalie!"It was as if she hadn't heard the man's voice at all. She quickly walked back the way she came from, her small frame descending the stairs with determination.Natalie had always felt a sense of oppression when they stood together, as Rebecca was taller than her.But now, despite her small face and petite body, her eyes emanated an intimidating glint.
Upstairs, Natalie listened to Cedric's yelling at Rebecca. She couldn’t help but feel sad about how ironic the situation was!When they had looked down on her, even refusing to allow her to have Cedric's child, she hadn't uttered a word of complaint in Cedric's presence.Looking back now, she realized how foolishly she had thought that she simply needed to do better, and eventually, the Johnson family would accept her. Since the deaths of her parents and grandmother, she had never experienced the warmth of a family. That's why she had been single-mindedly working to maintain Cedric's family.Her entire focus had been on gaining their acceptance. But in the end, she had been wrong.She closed her eyes, but the sorrow on her face was impossible to conceal.When Cedric came upstairs, he saw Natalie lying on the chaise longue in the room. He approached her and crouched down in front of her, taking her hand. "Nat."Natalie subconsciously tried to withdraw her hand.But the man ti
The butler looked nervously at Natalie. These past few days, the trending topics were all about criticizing Natalie, and the entire Johnson family was under intense scrutiny. Consequently, they were all being extremely cautious here.However, they hadn't expected these online trolls to be so audacious as to send something like this to their doorstep. Clearly, someone had leaked Natalie's private information online."Ma'am, what should we do now?" Both the butler and the young maid were worried as Natalie remained silent.Natalie set down the small bowl she was holding and picked up a napkin, elegantly wiping away the stains at the corner of her mouth. Her movements were perfectly synchronized with her graceful figure, exuding an elegant, flawless beauty.Unexpectedly, she could remain so calm even at a time like this. Her demeanor remained indifferent, but the air around her felt icy cold."Call the police.""The police?""What else?"Natalie's gaze was sharp, devoid of
Rain poured down steadily, causing the water level of the small creek next to the villa to rise.In the piano room, Natalie was playing the instrument, her music harmonizing with the creek’s gentle flow. With her satin-like long hair, the sight of her sitting behind the piano was captivating.Standing outside the door, Cedric couldn't help but exclaim at the sight.The piano abruptly fell silent.Natalie noticed him and gently asked, "When did you come back?""Ten minutes ago," the man replied as he stepped inside. He hadn't changed his shoes, and had been wearing the same clothes for a few days. It was evident that he had been with Isabella over the past few days. At this moment, his deep and piercing eyes appeared somewhat weary as he stood next to Natalie."Did you see what was sent to me in the lobby downstairs?" Natalie asked calmly, without a hint of emotion in her eyes."Why didn't you let someone deal with it?" Cedric questioned.Natalie didn't directly answer Cedric'
Just as Cedric was about to explode, a knock at the door interrupted him. It was the butler, who announced, "Sir, Mr. Lewis is here.""Have him wait in the study," Cedric instructed.Natalie's face turned even colder upon hearing that Stefan had arrived.Stefan Lewis was Cedric's best friend. He owned a private detective agency, and there was nothing he couldn't uncover if one was willing to pay. Many wealthy women had sought him out to find evidence of their husbands' infidelity.And Natalie... knew all too well what Stefan had brought for Cedric today. It was the evidence that would push her husband’s feelings for her to the brink."If you ever dare to mention divorce again, I won't let you off,” said Cedric, each word dripping with venom, before he turned and left.Watching his retreating figure, Natalie eventually closed her eyes.But as Cedric was about to step out the door, she couldn't help but call out, "Wait.""What else do you want to say?""How much trust do you h
The edge of the papers brushed against Natalie's cheek, cutting her skin and leaving a fine scratch on her fair face. She closed her eyes, enduring the pain.Seeing that, Cedric tensed up and instinctively moved forward. But in the next moment, his gaze turned icy. He stopped in his tracks, staring at her with a look of disappointment."You've truly disappointed me," he said.Opening her eyes and studying the disappointment in her husband’s eyes, Natalie's lips curled into a smile. Her silent smile pierced Cedric's heart."Why?" he asked.Little did he know that Natalie was equally disappointed in him when he asked this question.She turned and looked out the window, listening to the sound of the rain hitting the leaves, as well as the sound of the running creek. She used to love everything here, and had always thought this would be her home till the end of her days.But she had been wrong. Not too long ago, he had just professed his belief in her. But within half an hour, he
Natalie's head snapped to the side from the blow to her face! There were bloodstains at the corners of her mouth, and she looked disheveled. However, her gaze was sharp, sending shivers down the spine of anyone who looked at her. Those who did so wouldn’t be able to help taking a step back.Although briefly stunned, Rebecca quickly regained her composure and yelled, "How dare you look at me like that?! Look at yourself now! What have you turned the Johnson family into?"Natalie remained silent."You dare to mention divorce again? What qualifications do you have to ask for a divorce? Our family is the one that doesn't want you."Seething with anger, Rebecca’s words were harsh and her eyes were filled with disdain.Christina stepped forward to comfort Rebecca. "Mom, don't get too upset. Getting angry isn't good for your health."The furious Rebecca didn't care about maintaining her composure. She glared at Natalie intensely."How much?"Money? Things were at this point, and n
Natalie assumed that Cedric wouldn't be back for a few days. To her surprise, he returned reeking of alcohol after ten at night.While drying her hair with a towel, she came out of the bathroom and spotted Cedric, who was still wearing the same clothes he had gone out in earlier.Dressed in a bathrobe, a hint of coldness flickered in her eyes, and even her legs were tense. She turned and walked away without sparing him a glance. Evidently, she was heading to another room because even sharing the same space with him right now felt suffocating."Stop!"She had only taken a couple of steps when she heard him call out in a chilling tone from behind her. That presence felt like it could tear her apart.In her previous life, she had been heartbroken when she heard him speak to her in such a tone. But now, Natalie was calm, even in regards to his affair with Isabella.However, she had her pride, especially regarding the matter of divorce.In the past, whenever she caused a scene, she w
Bianca was still pondering how to reject Malcolm. Undoubtedly, even when she sought him out a week ago and proposed they get married, she hadn't truly wanted to marry him. As she contemplated things now, she even anticipated how crazed Malcolm might become when she presented her decision.Her phone buzzed with a call from Malcolm. In the past, Bianca would have ignored it outright, but now... she wasn't one to burn bridges."Hello?""I'll be there in ten minutes. Come down.""It's quite late."Just like before, whenever this man wanted to talk to her, especially about meeting up, she couldn't muster a pleasant expression.The man on the other end of the line simply stated, "I want to see you."Bianca’s heart clenched at those words. She was accustomed to Malcolm's cold, domineering demeanor. Even when he desired a woman, he maintained that haughty attitude. So, hearing such tender words from him was beyond her expectations."Hmph.""Come down, okay? I have a surprise for you."
As Zane reached halfway up the hill, he noticed a familiar car parked outside. Neil, the butler, was waiting outside, and upon seeing Zane return, he approached respectfully."Lord Zane.""Who's here?" Zane frowned, glancing at the brightly lit villa.What was going on? Usually, this place was dim in the evenings, but today, everything was unexpectedly bright."Ms. Stewart has returned," Neil replied.Zane's mind went blank for a moment. He stared stiffly at the butler, his pupils rapidly constricting."Ms. Stewart arrived this afternoon."Yvette!The familiar name flashed through Zane's mind like a gust of wind. How many times had he wanted to hold onto her? But in the end, for various reasons, he had to let her go bit by bit.And now, Yvette was back!Where had she been all this time?Since leaving Simeria, it was like she was a bird that had escaped its cage and soared into the sky, never to return. Zane had asked the Stewart family about her once, but even they didn't kn
"Maybe something happened," said Bianca.Natalie felt her eyelids twitch in response. What kind of terrifying situation was this?"When I say 'something happened,' I don't mean anything bad, but..."But what?In that moment, Bianca's gaze toward Natalie deepened, and she understood what her friend meant."You mean...?" asked Natalie.Bianca nodded silently.Natalie fell quiet as she pondered the situation.What if that was really the case?Natalie couldn't help but admit that if it truly was, it would naturally be a favorable outcome for her."Don't forget, if he can come, he can also leave. He can't change anything here, so it's better for him to return to the world he belongs to," Bianca explained.During this time, Natalie had transformed Simeria into a fortress. But even in such circumstances, Cedric had mysteriously vanished. Up until now, there hadn't been any clues. Even Kyle had been through so much, yet hadn't uttered any useful information.So, it had to be said t
Bianca’s calmness and composure, despite her young age, spoke volumes about how her experiences and wisdom had shaped her thoughts.Curtis, initially worried about her, felt somewhat relieved seeing the tranquility and maturity in his daughter’s eyes.He nodded slowly. "Hmm."In the end, he agreed.After all, she was his daughter. Despite not being raised by him since childhood, Curtis could see it clearly. Like her mother, Bianca would stick to her decisions, impervious to outside interference.Seeing Curtis finally eating, Bianca felt a sense of relief. After lunch, she considerately accompanied her father for a stroll before allowing him to rest.When Carol emerged from Curtis' room, she saw Bianca waiting nearby and hurried over respectfully."Miss.""How is he?" Bianca inquired."Sir is still worried about you, miss," Carol replied sincerely.Having been by Curtis' side for many years, Carol naturally understood Bianca's significance in his heart.Bianca sighed. "It wil
As she spoke, Seraphine felt the already dangerous aura around the man grow even darker, sending her heart racing. She tried to speak, but found herself speechless."Hmph, you useless thing!" Zane cursed menacingly.Cold sweat soaked Seraphine's back completely."There must be a way," she choked out, her tone tense.At that moment, Seraphine recalled what Zane had said to her before she came back to Simeria.He had told her that he never kept useless individuals around him. To gain his protection, one had to be useful. And now, Seraphine's only use—her engagement to Malcolm—had been effortlessly annulled."Heh," Zane sneered disdainfully.For Seraphine, this disdain was not only humiliating, but also starkly different from her experiences with Eleanor. In Eleanor's presence, she had never faced such disrespect. But now, it seemed like anyone could trample on her.In the past, even members of the Entes family wouldn't openly show contempt towards her, but now… Those past comfort
Seraphine had always harbored resentment towards Bianca. But Bianca had always been a rather composed individual, rarely resorting to such actions.So, what was she doing now?"You..." Seraphine's initial fury had been turned to speechlessness by Bianca's aggression.When Seraphine glanced at Bianca, she caught a glimpse of malice in the other woman's eyes.Before Seraphine could utter a word, Bianca bluntly asked, "You know, don't you?"Seraphine stayed silent.Know what?"You knew that Lord Malcolm and Lord Zane are half brothers You also knew why Lord Zane sought you out and took your side, right?" Bianca continued.Seraphine's face drained of color in an instant. And every subtle change in her expression was noticed by Bianca, whose eyes were filled with icy mockery.Stepping forward, Bianca gripped Seraphine's delicate chin. Seraphine instinctively tried to evade, but Bianca's hold was firm."You still dare claim this is your home?" Bianca scoffed."This has always been
When would the cycle of revenge end?While Bianca hadn't decided what to do about Eleanor's actions, Zane had already shown his claws.When would it end?If someone kept chasing after a person, what could they do?"Bia…"Curtis wanted to say something to his daughter, but was met with her unwavering gaze. Clearly, she wouldn't back down this time, just like her mother never did when faced with such situations. Both women faced things head-on, without flinching."Don't worry, okay?" Bianca reassured Curtis.There was another reason she was insisting on staying in Simeria—Bianca knew Curtis wouldn't leave with her. So, she wouldn't leave either.-Bianca and Curtis talked for a long time.Curtis still wanted to send her abroad, but her resolute attitude left him powerless. Moreover, from various pieces of information gathered earlier, it was clear that Bianca was a strong-willed child.No matter what problems she faced, she had her own opinions. So, asking her to leave was s
When Bianca returned to the Holly family’s residence, she found Curtis staring gravely at some documents. When he started coughing violently, his face turning as pale as a sheet, Carol hurried over to check on him."Sir, let Ms. Bianca handle these documents. Please don't strain yourself," Carol said, her tone full of concern."I see now," Curtis muttered heavily, as if he had just realized something crucial.Not understanding what he meant, Carol simply urged, "Your health can't handle this strain. Don't tire yourself out. You must trust Ms. Bianca."Curtis fell silent.Trust?He had always trusted Bianca, but now he regretted bringing her back. If he had never found her, would things be different now?"Where did she go?" Curtis asked."Ms. Bianca went out, but she'll be back soon," Carol reassured him, gently taking the documents from his hands.Ever since Bianca told the older woman about Curtis' health problems, Carol had been extra vigilant, making sure he avoided anythin
Bianca stared at the dangerous man, memories of their harmonious past flashing through her mind. Those moments had once seemed so genuine, yet now felt laughably absurd."Haha, how ridiculous!" Bianca scoffed, her laughter bitter."Bianca!" Zane's voice was sharp, cutting through her mirth."Zane, what if I reveal your true intentions to everyone? What will they think then?""Who would believe you?" Zane interrupted coldly, not letting her finish.Bianca's smile froze on her lips. He was right.Who would believe her? Curtis might, and so would Natalie. But was their trust enough?Clearly, it wasn't.But did it matter?"It's not your concern who believes me. I have never needed anyone's belief to stand strong," said Bianca.Many had doubted her before, but none had ever managed to break her spirit. The dangers she faced now might be greater, but for Bianca, they were just another set of challenges.She had overcome every hardship she encountered. This time would be no differe