Christina's heart skipped a beat. In her eyes, there was a flash of hostility towards Jocelyn. However, she managed to hide it in front of Rebecca. Just as Natalie had mentioned at the police station, Christina wouldn't be fond of anyone who had a relationship with Cedric.So, how could she possibly become friends with Isabella? Although it was unclear how she had distanced herself from Natalie's words, one thing had to be acknowledged: Christina was a skilled actress in the Johnson family. To win the favor of someone as discerning as Rebecca, Christina definitely had some tricks up her sleeve.-After Jocelyn left, Christina cautiously asked, "Mom, have you really looked into Joyce?"Rebecca remained silent at the question. "After all, she spent so many years abroad. What exactly is it like out there? Who knows what might have happened in such a distant place?"Over the years, Rebecca would secretly investigate anyone who had spent several years abroad and expressed a
"What do you mean by that?" On the other end of the line, Rebecca sensed something was amiss. However, Cedric didn't want to engage in further conversation with his mother at this point. He hung up the phone and said to the others in the meeting room, "Let's conclude today's meeting here."His mind was buzzing with thoughts, all centered around what Rebecca had said.Natalie had driven a Bugatti Veyron to the Johnson Manor today.He took out his phone and carefully examined the messages but found no bank transactions. So, she hadn't used his bank card for the purchase? While there were no spending limits on his account for her, such a substantial expenditure should have prompted a confirmation call from the bank. Yet, there had been no call, no message!If it wasn't his money, whose car was it? In Verde City, Bianca was Natalie's only close friend. Bianca didn't have the means to lend her such an extravagant car, so whose was it? If it wasn't borrowed, then whose ca
Cedric was already angry, and now he trembled with rage. Domestic abuse? She was making it sound so severe!"Do you truly not understand why I hit you every time?" Didn't she know what was the real reason behind every altercation?It was all because of...!Natalie's sharp gaze met his as she said, "Do you think it really matters why you get violent every time Isabella is brought up?"It was common sense that even regular people understood. He was so impatient!Natalie lowered her head and continued to work on the documents. She appeared fully engrossed, just like Cedric did when he was working.Cedric closed his eyes and sat down in the chair recently occupied by Clark. But Natalie paid him no attention. Cedric watched her as she ignored him, and his brows twitched."Put down the documents first."She didn't need to do this.Seeing her working diligently, Cedric suddenly felt a sense of frustration. After ten years together, she had never held a job. What had driven her
Isabella's sudden transformation startled Christina, But considering the situation with Natalie, Christina's only thought was to ensure she and Cedric divorced. After waiting for so many years, she couldn't wait any longer. She had carefully planned such a significant event. It had to succeed at all costs; failure was not an option!-Natalie returned to Elegance Bay, utterly exhausted after a long day. After taking a shower, she felt considerably better. Bianca had promised to come over, so she had the kitchen prepare plenty of delicious food. Bianca was bringing her pet pig with her. During the months she spent abroad, Natalie missed her pig the most!-Soon, Bianca arrived with the pig in her arms and said, "I always thought your mysterious uncle was quite bold, but now…"Bianca was shocked by how Stephen had pampered Natalie. The car was just the beginning of her disbelief.Seeing Natalie's new accommodations, Bianca thought Stephen was amazing. She once again wis
Natalie and Bianca had dinner together. Bianca commented, "I've never had such delicious food in all these years. Your uncle has quite a discerning taste, huh?" Because he had a discerning palate, the chef prepared only the finest ingredients. Everything was fully certified.Natalie replied, "Yes, he's very particular." That was why, every time she went out with Stephen during the past few months, he'd never seemed to enjoy his meals. It was as if something was always amiss.Bianca sighed, "I envy you. No matter how much you eat, you never gain weight. If I ate with you for a while, I'd probably gain thirty pounds."Bianca had a tall, slender figure, but she had an easy propensity to gain weight. Even a little carelessness would result in extra pounds. In contrast, Natalie had stayed the same as when they first met—the years seemed to be kind to her, leaving no trace of age.Natalie remarked, "But I often lack nutrients, and my hair tends to fall out a lot."Thankfully,
The public opinion in Verde City continued to swirl around. The focus had shifted from Isabella back to Natalie. Photos of Natalie standing outside Isabella's hospital room had flooded the internet, causing public outrage. The photo showed that Natalie had simply stood outside the door without entering, which infuriated many.Early in the morning, Karina picked up Natalie and took her to the company. At the press conference, security personnel and bodyguards maintained order. Even if the reporters wanted to ask questions, they had to wait for Natalie to have some free time.For a full two hours, Natalie presented her career plan. The reporters, who had initially been eager to interview her, ended up listening attentively and intently. The rumors had painted her as the young mistress of a wealthy family who lived a deeply sheltered life. They also said she was a boring housewife, resentful and vindictive due to her husband's neglect!That was why she hated Cedric's mistress s
However, who could have predicted that after a few hours of the press conference, Natalie confidently spoke about her career plans and addressed the issues raised by reporters?Isabella believed she would enjoy watching Natalie's downfall. Instead, Natalie shifted all the blame onto Cedric and Isabella."You just wanted to see her divorce your brother, but now what about me?" Isabella's face turned increasingly unpleasant as she thought about it. She looked at Christina and continued, "Even though it seems like she's pushing all the blame onto your brother with that apology, in actuality... it was me who pushed him to make her apologize!"Without a doubt, the wind would blow in the direction Natalie wanted. Isabella would face more challenges. She didn't expect Natalie to strike back so skillfully. She had underestimated her, thinking she was just a fragile woman. Now, she realized that Natalie was a formidable opponent.Christina was furious, and her face twisted into an ugl
With the successful collaboration with Apex Global, Natalie's studio gained some recognition overnight.Even with Cedric's influence, the workload for the studio was bound to increase. As long as her uncle intervened, she wouldn't have any problems on her end.Karina flipped through her notes and said, "We have a meeting with a client from South City this afternoon."South City? They had clients from another city overnight?"Is it because of my uncle's connections?!"Karina shook her head. "No, it's because all the design drafts from yesterday are now well-known."That made sense.There were very few people who could defeat Cedric. Since he took a substantial hit here, it had earned their little studio some credibility."By the way, Mr. Warren called and said Mr. Frazier would like to have lunch with you."Natalie nodded. "Okay!"It was about time she had lunch with Irwin.Natalie could feel a headache building whenever she thought about Cedric's recent behavior. Until their
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