Natalie meticulously explained her experiences during the past few months abroad to Bianca. As she listened, Bianca couldn't help but look at Natalie in disbelief. Although Bianca was an upstanding lawyer and was often busy, she also liked to read a lot of novels during her free time. Listening to Natalie's story, Bianca couldn't help but feel as if she was watching a soap opera unravel in real life!"Your uncle?""Yeah. The man you saw with me in the news was actually my uncle.""Does Cedric know about this?""If he knew, he probably wouldn't have tried to hit him back then.""Why didn't you explain it? Isn't it bad to leave things this way?""It's not ideal. But if this misunderstanding can speed up the divorce process, then it's a good thing. I just didn't expect..."Natalie had never anticipated that even after everything that had happened, Cedric would still refuse to divorce her.Bianca struggled to digest this sudden revelation. It was a truly astonishing turn of
Now, everyone looked at Natalie with a sense of curiosity. In the past, she would prepare a late-night snack and personally deliver it to Cedric whenever he worked late. Consequently, in the eyes of her colleagues, Natalie had always been associated with a gentle and caring image. However, the situation was different now!Inside the office, Cedric was obviously frustrated as he tugged at the tie around his neck and sat across from Natalie. He picked up a glass of water and downed it in one gulp. Setting the glass down with a bit more force than necessary, he said, "Move back to Scarlet Villa. That's your home.""I'm fine living at Bianca's," Natalie responded."Squeezing into a tiny apartment of only seventy square meters with her? Are you genuinely comfortable with that?" Cedric's tone had grown cold.Natalie looked at him, and her eyes revealed no warmth. Yes, Bianca's apartment wasn't spacious. It was only seventy square meters, with two bedrooms and a living room. For s
"You're right," Natalie said with a nod.However, she still felt a bit anxious. She could tell that this was a substantial contract. She hadn't expected to have a good chance at securing it, but she knew that it would demonstrate her skills if she managed to win it. Her mind began to circle back to the issues caused by her previous way of talking.Natalie was awestruck on the top floor when the elevator doors opened. The company was on par with Cedric's, and the successful partnerships she knew Cedric had cultivated made her realize the level of prestige here.And now, she was here..."Relax a little," Karina advised."Okay," Natalie replied, though her tone lacked enthusiasm.When the secretary noticed their arrival, she greeted them politely and said, "Please come this way to the lounge. Mr. Frazier has just finished his meeting and will need a moment before he can meet you.""Alright."Natalie and Karina proceeded to the lounge, where the secretary poured tea for them. Ev
Natalie shook her head and said, "He gave me three days to submit the design before they finish work on the 14th, but I can tell that it's not just us who got this opportunity at Apex.""Definitely not just us; you probably don't know how important the eastern suburbs are for Verde City's GDP. It's impossible for them to rely on us alone."Before coming here, Karina had thoroughly investigated Apex Global and had some idea of what kind of projects they might get. But she never expected it to be the eastern suburbs project."It looks like we'll be busy for the next few days.""Yeah. Let's go check the site first," Natalie said.In any case, they had to see the site first to find some inspiration.-In the car, Natalie's phone rang. It was Rebecca calling. Natalie didn't want to answer and just hung up. Shortly after, the phone rang again.This time, it was a call from the Johnson Manor's landline."Go ahead," Karina said to Natalie and added, "You shouldn't stay on the li
From the numerous past scandals, it was evident that Isabella had feelings for Cedric. Therefore, it wasn't surprising that she would behave so generously in front of Cedric. Though Rebecca didn't like Isabella, the way she was now did bring some relief to Rebecca.However, Rebecca couldn't help but wonder. "Why is this news circulating now?""Because Natalie has been refusing to apologize," Christina said in a low voice.This remark only infuriated Rebecca further. Talking about Natalie was a surefire way to make her wish she could tear Natalie to pieces."She did such a malicious thing! Even if she was asked to give her eyes to Isabella, she would deserve it! Yet she remains unrepentant and refuses to apologize?!" Rebecca's anger grew with every word.Isabella had already spoken in such a forgiving manner, and Natalie still wouldn't apologize. What the hell did she want?Christina sighed, "If she continues like this, Isabella might just hand over the evidence to the polic
Even if they wanted to cancel the contract, it was likely because they were dissatisfied with Natalie's designs.She hadn't even submitted her design yet, so why would they...?The person on the other end interrupted her thoughts, "I'm sorry, Ms. Walker. I didn't recognize that you were the Johnson family's young mistress earlier. It would be too much for me to use your designs.""You're being too kind..." Natalie muttered distractedly.After hearing what the person said, Natalie knew that Cedric probably had something to do with it. Originally, it was to leave her without a job, but who would have thought that it would affect her ongoing collaborations as well?She hung up the phone. Before she could say anything, Karina said, "It's okay, we have no shortage of orders here!"The way Karina said it made it seem like they were financially secure.Natalie also felt a bit relieved.She knew that with Cedric's interference, things wouldn't be so easy for her. That was why it was cr
Cedric tightened his grip on her wrist, and Natalie stopped struggling. She looked at him and said, "Tell me, what significance does that place hold for me?"Cedric narrowed his eyes. In the next moment, he stated firmly, "You know I won't divorce you."The underlying message was clear: Cedric was telling Natalie that since she was aware of this, she should stop trying to make trouble.That was the best choice she could make right now.In the past, Natalie would have complied. But now, things were different.Taking a deep breath, she said, "Then give me a reason to stay by the side of a man who wants me to disappear for the sake of another woman!"Cedric's breath caught in his throat. Isabella was now like a ticking time bomb between them. As soon as she was mentioned, an explosion was guaranteed!The two locked eyes. Cedric looked at the defiant woman, his disappointment growing. He thought about how the public opinion in Verde City was shifting against her. Even those wh
It had to be said that for most of their marriage, Cedric had been a devoted husband except for the last six months. He would return home early if he had no business commitments and never stayed out past eleven. As a result, Natalie's bedtime rarely extended past eleven as well.Working late into the night like this so suddenly was taxing on Natalie. In the office's rest area, she sat in a large chair, covering herself with her coat. Karina sat nearby and said, "You might need to move out of Ms. Sander's place."Natalie nodded, well aware of the situation. Living at Bianca's place had already seriously affected Bianca's life, which was why she had been reluctant to move there three months ago. She just hadn't expected such tactics to resurface.As she was pondering this matter, Cedric called.Cedric didn't wait for Natalie to say anything when she answered. He immediately asked, "You haven't gone back yet?""I never said I was going back.""Do you think Bianca can prote
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