During this time, Verde City was abuzz with discussions surrounding the Johnson family.And today, a major event took place. The Johnson family's son was arrested. It was said that he was the mastermind behind the construction incident in the eastern suburbs, which resulted in loss of life. His motive was believed to be revenge against his ex-wife, Natalie. With Natalie's death, he couldn't escape legal consequences!Despite the speculations and anticipated outcomes in the public eye, the moment it happened was still shocking.Elizabeth was hospitalized after this heavy blow, and all company responsibilities fell on Rebecca's shoulders. The entire Verde City and the Johnson family fell into chaos.-Meanwhile, Natalie sat on the bed in Red Wine Estate. A nurse was changing her bandages. Jason didn't come to treat her today. Natalie sweated profusely from the pain, and her forehead creased."Does it hurt?" The nurse asked, looking at Natalie, who had already bitten down
Natalie fell into silence. Clearly, while the outcome was shocking, it was also the best result. So what if Stephen had intervened in this matter? It wasn't a misunderstanding about Christina; she indeed committed those acts. Since it was her doing, it was only fitting for her to bear the consequences.However, for Cedric to also face such a situation...!"Did you also intervene in Cedric's case?" Natalie asked in a tone that revealed no emotion.Stephen shook his head. "No."Natalie looked up at Stephen, once again shocked. Her uncle didn't intervene? Yet, Cedric easily ended up in this situation?! That... didn't quite add up!Seeing Natalie's confusion, Stephen explained, "After returning from Simeria, he instructed everyone not to hinder Dylan and Zane's investigation.""He also came to Simeria?"This information shocked Natalie even more. Clearly, this was the last thing she expected to hear.Why did he come?Since returning to Simeria, she had either been in a s
Time flew by like a swift shuttle. A massive fire had altered the lives of all those involved. Two years later, the world's top-tier commercial speech event in Simeria dazzled everyone...Lucas hurriedly entered Verde City Prison to see Cedric. Two years had transformed the man into someone cold and steady."What's the matter?" Cedric asked with an icy tone upon seeing Lucas.It had been two years.Since the day Rebecca left, Cedric hadn't met anyone else apart from those from the company. In the meantime, Rebecca had tried numerous times to reach out, but Cedric rejected every attempt. He even turned away calls from Simeria.Lucas had visited countless times during this period, but his serious expression now was a first. Cedric thought something might be wrong with the company."It's not about the company," Lucas said as she shook his head.Cedric frowned, "Then what?"Lucas looked at him with complex emotions in his eyes. Obviously, the unexpected news had left everyo
In a towering office building in Simeria, Natalie's petite figure remained unchanged. There was now a sharpness and weariness of life's twists and turns present on her delicate cheeks.She emerged from the elevator in professional attire with a pair of glasses on her face,, and she presented a composed and capable demeanor. Accompanied by several assistants, she walked and gave instructions to Karina, who led the group.Karina took note of everything as they walked.One of the secretaries approached Natalie respectfully, "Ms. Walker, Mr. Frazier is here. He's been waiting for a while and didn't want to disturb you with a phone call."Upon hearing that Irwin was here, Natalie's usually strict work attitude instantly softened, and a smile spread on her lips.Snap! She closed a folder and handed it to Karina, saying, "Go to the meeting room first.""Yes, Ms. Walker." Karina took the folder and left.Natalie strode toward her office, and her assistants returned to their respecti
When Natalie first entered the headquarters, many employees judged her because of her petite figure.Putting aside her capability, her stature alone failed to instill a sense of security in people.However, to everyone's surprise, her petite figure didn't disappoint in the first year. She doubled everyone's bonuses.Since then, no one in the company has secretly discriminated against Natalie's small stature.-When Natalie and Irwin arrived at Lotus Villa, the security respectfully opened the gates when they saw it was Irwin's car. Stephen and Heather were already waiting.Seeing Natalie and Irwin return together, Heather smiled. Although Stephen was smiling, his eyes shimmered with some other unnamed emotion."Uncle, Aunt." Natalie and Irwin greeted.In the past two years, since Irwin reappeared in her life, he directly started addressing Stephen as uncle and Heather as aunt along with Natalie.Stephen nodded, then turned to Irwin. "Irv, come to my study.""Okay." Irwin nodd
Irwin looked at Natalie, then he reached out to ruffle her soft hair affectionately. His movements were incredibly gentle as he said, "It's because Uncle worries about you that you shouldn't let him be so concerned. What do you think?"Natalie was silent.Upon hearing this, her heart sank. Irwin was right. She had been causing Stephen constant worry. But at this moment...She took Irwin's hand and said, "You're right. I'm trying.""Okay." Irwin nodded.Without saying more, they continued with their meal. Seeing no unusual expression on Irwin's face, Natalie secretly breathed a sigh of relief and discreetly looked at Stephen.Her gaze, however, held a sense of doubt.Stephen had always liked Irwin and had great confidence that Irwin could take care of her. He had been trying to match them for the past two years. But in recent times...Upon careful reflection, Natalie found that Winona was not the only one who was acting weirdly in the past two years. Stephen was also the
Stephen's words did alleviate Natalie's tension.Over the past two years, Stephen's approval of her and Irwin had put some pressure on her.As Stephen mentioned, she had been hurt...!Natalie was cautious and even resistant to many things deep within.They all knew those were Natalie's wounds, and the fact that she could suppress them without erupting showed she could handle it and let go.But letting go didn't mean the wounds were healed.She needed time."Thank you, Uncle," Natalie said to Stephen.Stephen nodded, handing her the book he had taken from her. "Were you looking for this book?""Yeah," Natalie replied and took it.In the past two years, she had very little time for reading. Since she returned early today, she wanted to spend some time reading."I won't disturb you any longer, Uncle," she said, waving the book and leaving the room.Stephen's smile dropped when Natalie turned around, and his eyes sharpened instantly.Natalie returned to her room with the book.
That was...!Surprisingly, it was...! After a moment of confusion, Natalie's eyes shimmered with a sharp, icy coldness—two years! It had been a full two years.Wasn't he in Verde City prison?Right, yesterday's commercial event!Natalie hadn't expected him to react so quickly."Ms. Walker." Leon also recognized Cedric in one glance as the latter got out of the car in front of them.Cedric was dressed in a black windbreaker. He had meticulously groomed short hair and sharp contour lines. His eyes were especially piercing as he gazed at them.There were noticeable changes from two years ago.As the man walked towards her, Leon had already opened the car door to try and prevent Cedric from approaching Natalie.However, Kyle followed Cedric, who stood firmly in front of Leon."Ms. Walker, we..." Karina was somewhat startled by Cedric's appearance.For the past two years, they had been living in Simeria. Although Natalie would occasionally fly abroad, their life trajectory
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