Below the runway were the audience seats, each row priced differently— the closer to the front, the more expensive the tickets. The first row, the VIP section, had ticket prices reaching a million per seat, and tickets were extremely hard to come by. Most of the people seated here were female celebrities and socialites.To everyone's surprise, even the Best Actress of the Baihua Awards, Madeleine Keller, was attending the event. The woman had a graceful figure, and her eyes and brows exuded charm, but there was a coolness to her demeanor that gave the impression of someone who was to be admired from a distance, not approached too closely.Madeleine was very considerate toward her assistant, and had even bought a ticket for her. The assistant quietly said, "Galaxy Studio is using the designs of a new designer this time. I heard that Star didn’t submit their designs, and no one knows if they’ve been pushed out. This designer is named Zoey, and she's the fiancée of Russell, the presiden
The host, Leandro, stepped onto the stage, took a deep breath, and forced a difficult smile."Who would've thought that today's product launch would feature twin designs, created by two designers. Now, let's welcome the two designers to the stage!"Backstage.Leanna patted Zoey on the shoulder. "Good luck! I'm going to find the best angle for a shot. Wait until Ariana, Jayleen, and Nelson give you thirty kneeling bows."Zoey nodded. "Please make sure it's in high definition."Leanna gave an 'OK' gesture.As Zoey stepped out, the other designers crowded around. "Ms. Spence, you must know the inside story, right? Please tell us! We're dying to know!""Yeah, Ms. Spence, stop keeping us in suspense. What's going on?"Leanna pointed to the big screen. "Why rush? It's more fun watching the drama unfold."Everyone: "..."Just as Zoey was about to step onto the runway from the waiting area behind the stage, her phone vibrated.Seeing the familiar number, she answered the call."Ms. Baker, is s
The double doors of the exhibition hall were opened, and two bodyguards escorted a woman in her fifties into the room. Zoey looked at Ariana, who was feigning calmness but with panic clearly visible in her eyes. She smiled and asked, “Nervous?” Ariana immediately retorted, her voice rising sharply, “Impossible! I don’t even know this woman. What does she have to do with me?!” Zoey nodded, “True, you don’t know this woman. After all, she was contacted directly by Mrs. Harmon.” Ariana’s fingers clenched the skirt at her side. “Stop talking nonsense! Don’t pin baseless accusations on my mother! Zoey, we were once like sisters! Why are you lying through your teeth and trying to frame my mother?!” Zoey shrugged. “Lying? Framing? It’s not like you can hide things forever!” The bodyguards brought the woman up to the stage. When the woman looked up, she saw the crowd in the hall. Zoey’s face grew serious. “Tell the truth. If you lie even a little bit, I’ll make sure to have y
The vast exhibition hall was buzzing with excitement. Everyone was eager to see these three entangle themselves further, to face the consequences of their actions. Nelson looked up at Zoey, "Zoey, you're truly vicious. Ariana has fainted, and you still won't let her go?" "Fainted?" Zoey let out a soft laugh, slowly standing up. She took an iron box from her handbag and pulled out a thin, long silver needle. "I'm especially skilled at treating those who faint at critical moments. Roland!" Roland immediately understood and pressed Nelson to the ground, using his knee to hold him down. Zoey crouched beside Ariana. "Ariana, the silver needle can revive you if I prick your head or neck. Which part would you like me to pierce?" Zoey's lips curled into a mischievous smile as she slowly approached Ariana's forehead with the needle. Ariana felt something near her, and her breath started to quicken. She suddenly opened her eyes and screamed, "No!" Zoey smiled and withdrew the nee
The morgue was cold and suffocating, not like the typical chill of winter, but a deep, heart-wrenching cold that made one feel empty inside.At this moment, besides Zoey, Russell, and Troy, there were also forensic experts and a few police officers present.Zoey walked in, her eyes red with grief, and Russell, sitting in a wheelchair, met her. His face was grave as he spoke, “The forensic doctor has examined the body and believes it was a sudden death due to cardiac arrest, though the exact cause needs an autopsy. Since the Harmon family and Ariana are now in police custody, you're the only direct relative left. Although you’ve severed ties with them publicly, this situation is special and we need your decision.”Zoey nodded faintly, holding back her tears. She walked over to the morgue table and slowly removed the white sheet covering her grandfather. His face was pale and lifeless, and his chest did not rise or fall. She trembled as she grasped his cold hand, whispering, “How could t
“Mrs. Harmon, Matteo has been diagnosed with heart failure. Was he driven to death by your anger?” “Mrs. Harmon, everyone heard what you said last night. Do you have anything to explain?” ...Dahlia was interrogated relentlessly until the police confirmed the cause of death was natural, at which point the questioning finally stopped. She thought the whole ordeal was over, only to find herself dragged into a new case involving copyright infringement and the theft of Galaxy Studio’s confidential material.She had barely managed to be bailed out, with a court date set for later, when the reporters swarmed her again with their questions.Already on edge, Dahlia was furious and no longer able to control her temper. In a fit of rage, she lashed out.“You bunch of trash! What makes you think you can talk to me like this! The old man’s death has nothing to do with me! He was already old and useless! He should’ve died earlier, but he had to die last night, what bad luck!”“Shut up!” Jordan
Inside the funeral home’s farewell hall, everyone was dressed in black, their expressions somber, with sighs echoing throughout the room.Zoey and Russell stood near the crystal casket, greeting those who came to offer their condolences.When the Harmon family arrived, they were met with criticism and disapproval, standing awkwardly on the other side of the casket.At that moment, Dahlia glared at Zoey with intense hatred, as though she wanted to devour her.Jordan noticed her anger and nudged her with his elbow, signaling for her to hold back. Dahlia reluctantly restrained herself.Ariana, her eyes filled with tears, walked over to Zoey and began to apologize. But as she cried, she nearly fainted and fell toward Russell.Russell pursed his lips, watching the woman collapse toward him, his shiny shoes barely moving.Before he could react, Zoey swiftly grabbed Ariana by the hair and threw her to the ground, facing the crystal casket.Ariana cried out in pain, landing hard on the floor.
The sky was overcast, with clouds hanging lower and lower, and the rain showed no signs of letting up. Luxury cars lined up outside the cemetery. Zoey and her group, accompanied by the host Diego, walked towards the cemetery, with the remaining attendees who had come to pay their last respects to Matteo also getting out of their cars. Especially Denzel and Livia, who hurried to catch up. Aubrie frowned. "Braylen, what do you think they're doing here? The relationship has been so tense, and now they show up—doesn't it seem a bit unnecessary? They look rather eager, too." Braylen sensed something was off and pulled Aubrie's hand, quickening his pace to follow. There were no designated wheelchair-accessible paths in the cemetery, and the stairs were numerous. Zoey told Russell to wait at the side near the stairs while she and Leanna went to bury the urn. Russell nodded slightly. "Okay." The others descended the stairs and followed Zoey to a gravestone. Standing next to
Russell couldn't explain it this time, he raised his hand and pressed his forehead.To avoid suspicion, Troy directly transferred to Dalton's hospital when he arrived.When Dalton entered the ward and saw Layne, his heart was deeply shaken.This child looks exactly like Zoey, identical in every way.No wonder Russell recognized this ghostly-looking Zoey at first sight.The little one blinked his big eyes and sucked on a lollipop, "Uncle, you looked so handsome!"Dalton approached and asked Russell, "Is this your son?"Russell nodded and asked, "Are you handsome?"Yasmine was speechless."Looking handsome!" Dalton wanted to say, the male version of Zoey looks really good, even better than Russell, but he remembered Russell's advice not to mention Zoey's name in front of Yasmine. He wanted her to remember on her own, so he held back the rest of his words.He raised his hand and rubbed the little guy's head, "Does it
Yasmine glanced sideways and caught sight of Russell rushing towards her, momentarily stunned.She stood up from her seat and said, "How did you come?"When Russell passed by her, he raised his hand and gave the woman's shoulder a squeeze, "There won't be any problem."She said to the nurse, "I have the same blood type as my child, draw mine."The nurse asked, "Are you the child's father?"Yasmine exclaimed!The nurse looked surprised when she saw Yasmine and asked, "Is he the father of the child?"Yasmine was about to say no when she heard Russell say very confidently, "Yes!"The nurse pointed at Yasmine and asked, "And what about her?"Russell remained calm and composed as he uttered, "My mother-in-law has some opinions about me because I had an argument with her daughter."Yasmine was speechless.Russell raised an eyebrow and said, "Right, Mom? Layne needed a blood transfusion now, saving the child is th
Yasmine was initially startled, and then she began to struggle, but it was in vain.Russell was very skilled at using tricks to immobilize her."What did you want to do?"Russell smiled in his eyes and said, "I just wanted to ask you why you didn't take my pulse before giving me an injection."Yasmine did indeed forget about this matter, "It was my mistake, I apologize.""Do you have something on your mind?"Yasmine pursed her lips and denied, "No!""Are you still reminiscing about last night?" Russell had been thinking about keeping his distance from her after last night, but his body and mind couldn't help but want to get closer.He couldn't keep his distance!"I didn't!" Yasmine's voice involuntarily raised a few decibels.Russell saw that she was getting a little impatient, so he said, "Don't be angry, I let go."He slowly let go, and Yasmine pricked the needle.The needle was just about to stop
The next morning.Yasmine woke up and realized that Layne was not by her side.She heard the laughter of children outside the window, so she got out of bed and went to the window.Russell was watering the roses with Layne.Layne held the water hose with both hands, while Russell bent down and held his little hand to help him control the direction. They watched as the water splashed around, and Layne laughed heartily.Yasmine's lips curled slightly, and this scene was quite heartwarming.But the smile on her face gradually disappeared, none of these belonged to her, what was she expecting and longing for?She wanted to find out as soon as possible if the Huffman family's tragedy was related to Russell.After she finished washing up, she reapplied her previous makeup and went outside the villa to call Layne back.Children are easily dependent on and attached to people, so she wanted to keep Layne away from Russell in order
Russell's eyes were deep and dangerous as he stared at the man. "Who sent you?"The gaze was filled with a strong sense of danger, making the man's scalp tingle. He had no doubt that if he didn't tell the truth, Russell would kill him in the cruelest way possible.He confessed, "Derrick! Maddox is your Maddox, Derrick."Derrick?Russell had never heard this name before, but the surname Maddox was somewhat intriguing.He looked at the other four people and said, "Is that right?"The other four people also nodded repeatedly in agreement.Russell stood up and turned around to look at the two people still talking on the sofa, "I'm leaving, Derrick."Troy furrowed his brows, "This name sounds familiar to me. I think I've heard it somewhere before."Braeden rubbed his chin, "I feel like I've heard this name somewhere before."Russell took off his white gloves and said, "The rest is up to you guys, I'm going back first."
Russell glanced at him and said, "What's the excitement? Have you been single for too long that you become perverted at the sight of a woman?"Troy chuckled and quickly pursed his lips, lowering his head.Dalton's mind seemed to be working particularly fast. He cleared his throat and said, "Have you improved a bit and started returning to your sarcastic state?"Russell put his arm around the man's shoulder and led him up the steps, heading towards the entrance of the hospital.Yasmine glanced at Troy and asked, "Who is he?"Troy respectfully replied, "He was Mr. Russell's good friend Dalton, and this hospital was opened by him."Yasmine nodded, "So this is the standard for every male protagonist in a romance novel, a doctor friend?"Troy was speechless.Yasmine shrugged her shoulders and quickly followed.As he watched the woman enter the door, Troy burst into laughter, but as he laughed, tears welled up in his eyes.
Yasmine looked over suddenly, and the man stared ahead, gripping the steering wheel with both hands.His hands were slender, and his knuckles were distinct, just like a perfect piece of artwork.His profile was too outstanding, with contours that seemed to be outlined with charcoal, sharp and distinct.The protruding Adam's apple showcased the man's sexual tension, faintly exuding a wild scent.The dim yellow light of the streetlamp shone on his face, casting alternating shadows and highlights on his features, creating a sense of mystery.Russell glanced at her, "Did you really think so?"His voice sounded like it had been rubbed with sandpaper, with a low and magnetic tone, which was very pleasant to listen to.Yasmine stared at him, "Russell, weren't you loyal to your wife? Then why are you flirting with me?"Russell knew that he had upset her, so he stopped teasing her. "My wife wants me to live a good life."Yasmine
Yasmine didn't expect Layne to say such words. She trembled her eyelashes and held the little one's hand back."Layne, marriage between a man and a woman must be built on a foundation of love and affection. It is a sad thing for someone to become a substitute for the person who holds love in their heart, as no one can replace them."Layne nodded, "I understood."He hugged Yasmine and looked at her with blinking eyes. "Mom, actually I think you are also pitiful, not knowing who Layne's dad is. So Layne thinks it's better for you not to look for dad and just stay with uncle."He sighed, "I don't want to think anymore, my brain capacity is not enough, the adult world is really too complicated. Mom, why don't you give me a bath instead! Layne is going to sleep!""Okay."Yasmine took him into the bathroom and gave him a bath.After coming out, the little one climbed onto the dressing table and sat on the chair, swinging his little legs.
"Go back to Serene Manor?" Yasmine furrowed her brow. Derrick is now more dangerous than Russell, so going to Serene Manor is indeed a good idea, but it doesn't feel right.She cleared her throat and said, "Those people were chasing after you, what did Layne and I do?"Russell naturally guessed her thoughts, "Can't you cure me?"Yasmine lightly chuckled, "I saw you were quite normal now, maybe you didn't need any treatment after all.""That was because you were there." Russell and Yasmine's gazes collided in the rearview mirror.Yasmine averted her gaze and said, "I felt like your illness had improved for a month or two, so Layne and I would leave by then."Russell fell silent for a moment and then said, "Okay."Layne's eyes rolled around. One or two months, huh! Uncle better hurry up and become a father!Yasmine said, "Both Layne's and my belongings are at Rivulet Villa, we need to go and get them."Russell saw through