Even though Daisy had aged, the overall shape of her eyes and other key features likely remained the same as in her youth."Especially those eyes," Jodie said. "They look so gentle when she looks at people, but also very powerful." That was Jodie's deepest impression of Abigail's mother. She used to wonder how there could be such a captivating woman in the world, who seemed so soft and delicate, never raising her voice, as if she could be toppled by a light breeze, yet she radiated strength as if nothing could bother her. Jodie continued, "I don't know what your mom has experienced, or what happened between you two, and I'm not in a position to take sides. But I have to say, your mom is genuinely a good person. Maybe she had her reasons for leaving you and your dad back then. You should listen to her side of the story with an open mind."Abigail nodded appreciatively. "Thanks, Jodie. I will."Jodie smiled warmly. "With your dad and grandma gone, we thought you were on your own. But
Before Abigail could even answer, Raymond was already thrusting the car keys into her hand. "The medicine is in the box in the back seat. Sorry to ask, but can you grab it for me?""Sure," Abigail replied, then turned to Melody. "Mel, keep an eye on him. I'll be right back with the medicine.""Okay, be quick." Melody's gaze shifted to Raymond, her displeasure evident. She could not help but think how irresponsible he was, knowing full well he could not handle alcohol yet continuing to drink. If something were to happen, it would mean endless trouble for their family.Abigail raced downstairs, out of the building, and toward the car to grab the medicine. As she flung open the rear door and climbed in, she was startled to find a man, dressed sharply in a suit and tie, already occupying the back seat. A wave of panic washed over her as she realized she might have walked into a trap. Before she could react, the doors locked automatically, and the car accelerated abruptly. Desperately, s
Abigail asked, "Who's your boss?"The man replied, "You'll know when you get inside."Abigail looked around, trying to memorize the garden's appearance in case she got a chance to call for help and describe her location. However, the man beside her quickly made it clear that it was pointless."Don't bother, Ms. Renee. There's a device that stops phones from working in this area outside the house. Your phone still won't have any signal, and you won't be able to make any emergency calls."Abigail did not say anything, thinking how terrifying it was that these people seemed to know everything she was thinking.The man spoke again, "My boss has been waiting for a while, so please hurry up."Abigail walked alone into the area outside the house. After passing through an archway, the scenery inside suddenly brightened. The buildings were so beautiful that it seemed like a place from a fairytale, completely different from the outside world. Abigail passed through the first door, and a yo
Abigail was a no-nonsense person who hated nothing more than a hypocrite. She was not in the mood for any of his nonsense. "Coffee is for friends," she said. "I don't like you, you don't like me. So, no point wasting coffee, right? Just spit it out. What do you want?"Nova said, "Who says I don't like you? Why would I bother inviting you for coffee if I didn't?"Abigail snapped, "Can we cut the act? It's exhausting." She could not stand the fake smile plastered on his face.Ignoring Abigail's outburst, Nova gestured for his staff to bring the coffee. "You standing there makes me look like a bad host. Sit down, will you? Even if you don't want the coffee."Indeed, standing was tiring, and Abigail was not one to punish herself. She walked a few steps and sat down opposite Nova. Nova did not have anyone pour her coffee; he picked up a cup himself and slowly took two sips."Do you know how to play poker, Ms. Renee?"Abigail did, but she did not want to play with him. "No."Nova said
Nova was not surprised by Abigail's response. He offered a wry smile. "People say you're naive, but I didn't believe them. I thought someone who became the executive assistant at Zane Corporation must have some intelligence, at least the ability to tell right from wrong. But today, it seems you really don't. Your grandmother died under mysterious circumstances, and you didn't investigate properly; you just took Xander's word that she was killed by a driver. Have you ever considered Xander might be responsible for your grandmother's death?"Abigail stared at Nova, her expression icy and unaffected by his words. "Don't put all the blame on Xander. I know him better than you."Nova asked, "Do you truly know him? Could it be that the Xander you see is only what he wants you to see, and you've never actually seen his real side?" He did not wait for Abigail to respond before continuing, "A decade ago, he kicked his mother out and put his father in jail. Do you know the actual reason behind
Nova looked at Xander right away. "So, to get you to see me, I really had to invite your wife first."Abigail realized that Nova's target had always been Xander, and she was just a tool for Nova to meet Xander. Xander's gaze swept over Nova. He quickly moved to Abigail's side, holding and examining her."Did he do anything to you?"Abigail shook her head. "Why are you here?"Xander touched her head. "I'll tell you why later. For now, go outside. Paxton is waiting for you.""I want to stay with you."In Abigail's eyes, Nova was heartless because he never treated Xander as family. To him, Xander was expendable. So, hurting Xander would be the cruelest thing for Nova to do. Abigail did not want Xander to face this situation alone. She wanted to be with him and hoped Xander would let her.Xander smiled. "Listen, this is between me and this jerk. I can handle it, so don't worry.""But I—" Abigail began.Xander cut her off, "I don't want you mixed up in this."Xander was so direct
Abigail was afraid that he might do something rash, so she quickly ran back and hugged him. "Calm down, Nathan. He only insulted me a little, and I've dealt with it in my own way."Whether it was her words or her warm embrace that did the trick, the fierceness in Xander's eyes vanished instantly, leaving only tenderness. "Why did you come back? Wait outside for me."Abigail said, "Just promise me you won't do anything stupid, okay?"Xander smiled. "Don't worry. I can take him down a million different ways without leaving a trace or getting myself into trouble."Feeling a wave of relief wash over her after hearing his words, Abigail quickly exited the house. As she stepped out through the door, she was completely unaware of the exchange happening behind her. Soon after, she spotted Paxton.Paxton apologized, "I'm really sorry, ma'am. It was my carelessness that allowed Nova's people to take you."Abigail replied, "You can't guard against a traitor. It wasn't your fault.""I was s
Xander stood with his back to her, standing tall. He and Nova seemed to be having a conversation, but Abigail could not make out any of the words. She vaguely felt a chill in the air, as if it were almost freezing. The wait was incredibly tense. Trying to distract herself, Abigail attempted to strike up a conversation with Paxton."Paxton."Paxton responded formally, "Yes, ma'am?"Abigail said, "Can you stay by his side? He won't let me stay with him, but he didn't say you couldn't. Please, stay with him."Paxton reassured her, "Mr. Zane is very powerful; Nova won't be a match for him. You can relax."Abigail was not questioning Xander's abilities; she was scared that Nova would emotionally hurt Xander by bringing up family issues. Even though Xander seemed uncaring, he actually cared a lot about others. Facing the truly uncaring Nova, even if Xander won on the outside, he might still feel hurt inside. But she did not know how to share these feelings with Paxton, so all she could
Emma turned and dashed into the bathroom. She cranked the faucet on and splashed water on her face, aiming to soothe her nerves.Although they were engaged, they were still too young, with countless uncertainties looming over their future. The possibility of actually walking down the aisle was up in the air.Decisions made in a rush of happiness could eventually become sources of regret. And Emma knew all too well that she couldn't afford any regrets.She thought that fortunately, Ron hadn't pushed things further, which gave her time to cool off.After freshening up, Emma stepped out to find Ron on the balcony, a cigarette in hand.She couldn't resist chiding him, "I've told you to cut down on smoking. Why can't you seem to remember?"This time, Ron complied, snuffing out the cigarette. "We should get some sleep. We've got to put our best foot forward when we meet your family tomorrow.""Okay, I'll sleep on the couch. You take the bed," Emma responded.Ron simply replied, "As y
Ron looked at her dawdling pace with disdain. "If you, a lady, can handle it, why can't I, a grown man, stay?"His words sounded noble, but Ron regretted them the moment they arrived at the hotel.Despite now earning a decent income, Emma was still reluctant to spend money.This place was hardly a hotel; it was clearly a budget inn charging only a few dozen bucks a night. The hygiene was questionable at best, and safety seemed like a gamble.Ron turned on his heel, dragging her suitcase behind him. "We're leaving, now.""It's too late, and we can't get a refund for the room.""Are you trying to get us killed?"Emma fell silent, her thoughts a whirlwind of frustration. 'I told him he wouldn't be used to cheap places. He insisted on coming with me, and now he won't even let me stay here alone. Why is he so annoying?'However, considering Ron had rushed over in the middle of the night to help her, Emma decided not to hold it against him.Ron picked the best hotel in the area—the
Rebekah glanced over at Ron; she exchanged a knowing look with him before saying, "I'll have someone tidy up the rooms. Why don't you two stay here tonight and keep me company?"Ron replied simply, "Sure."Emma had purchased a midnight flight back to South Florivera, necessitating a rush to the airport, which made staying over after dinner impossible.Yet, she found herself at a loss for words, struggling to decline Rebekah's kind offer.As she hesitated, Ron stepped in to clear the air. "Mom, I've got something on tonight. After dinner, I'll drive Emma back to her dorm."Rebekah raised an eyebrow. "What's so important?" she wondered aloud, thinking, 'Wasn't he the one insisting Emma stay over? What's he up to now?'Ron kept it mysterious. "Life stuff."Rebekah could not help but chide him lightly, "You, always the joker."Right after dinner, Ron insisted on leaving to take Emma back to her dormitory. But as soon as they were out of the gated community, he asked, "So, you reall
Ron chuckled. "I didn't know you were aware that even a cornered rat will fight."Emma shot him a glare. "Are we going or not?"Ron quickly said, "Of course. When Miss Blue commands, how can I dare not obey?"Fearing another of his notorious driving escapades, Emma hastily buckled her seatbelt as she settled into the car.Thankfully, this time Ron kept it smooth, driving steadily.As they neared their destination, Ron finally spoke up, "You know, that Tucker guy is a married man. Don't let his kindness fool you into being the other woman."Emma's gaze on Ron was fiery, seething with anger. "Do you even hear yourself? Is that what you think of me? For the last time: Tucker and I share nothing more than a mentor-mentee relationship. There's nothing else between us.""I'm just looking out for you, worried you might get deceived," Ron said, witnessing Emma's fury for the first time. Yet, he could not help but find her anger not at all intimidating, but rather endearingly foolish.R
The two sisters had a pact: no cell phones at home to keep their secrets from the prying eyes of the Blue family. Thus, Emma could call only at prearranged times, the sole window for Rihanna to catch up.Rihanna's voice bubbled with excitement over the phone, as she chattered away about her life's minutiae.Knowing Rihanna was doing well eased Emma's mind.Just as Emma was about to end the call, she heard Rihanna's voice, soft and wistful. "You're really not coming home for the holidays? If you don't, I'll be all alone."Emma's heart clenched at those words, and she made up her mind in an instant. "I'll come back the day before New Year's Eve."The Blue family had their hands full with festivities that day, too busy to notice Rihanna's absence. Emma figured slipping back unnoticed then would be her best shot.After hanging up, Emma immediately booked a flight from Valtara to South Florivera. With her ticket secured and her last bit of work finished, Emma prepared to leave her off
Emma had no interest in romance, let alone the audacity to dream that Ron might fancy her.This time, she did not pick up the thread of conversation.After dinner, Ron, as usual, drove Emma back to the university.Before parting, Ron said, "Winter break is almost upon us, and the dorms might be off-limits. Are you sure you don't want to stay at my place for a couple of months?"Emma offered a smile in response. "Thanks for the offer. I've spoken with the dorm supervisor and submitted an application in advance. I'll be able to stay over the holiday period."Ron paused before saying, "Well, if you need anything, just let me know. I'll text you my number in a bit; make sure you save it."Emma nodded. "Sure."Without further ado, Ron drove off.Upon returning to her dorm, Emma saw Evelyn and Cassie, busy packing their bags, surrounded by gifts for their parents bought from Valtara.Evelyn asked Emma, "Are you really not going home for the winter break?"Emma replied, "No, I won't
Emma did not have the guts to risk failure because she did not have a safe haven to fall back on.Lucas kicked Ron in the shin. "Come on, if you fancy her, out with it. No Hagrid heir dithers like this."Ron glared at him. "Mind your own business." In his head, Emma was already his. The thought of losing her was unimaginable.Lucas said, "Without my meddling, she'd never be yours."Ron changed the subject. "I called you here for a serious discussion."Lucas replied, "No matter how serious, it can't outweigh the matter of your lifetime happiness."Ron was exasperated. "Lucas!"Lucas relented. "Alright, alright, you talk, I'm all ears."Ron spelled out Emma's music venture with Tucker. After hearing it all, Lucas could not help but see Emma in a new light."Never pegged Emma as such a dark horse," Lucas said.Silently listening to their conversation, Emma was thrilled to have her work recognized.Lucas said, "But, getting back to it, whether a song makes money, and how much, d
Ron barked, "Lucas!"With a chuckle, Lucas responded, "Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing Emma. I'm starving. Let's grab some food and talk business while we eat."Ron snapped, "Get lost!"Lucas could not help but revel in Ron's frustration. "Ron, have you fallen so quickly? Who was it that told me they would never accept an arranged marriage?"Emma was increasingly confused by their banter. "If it's inconvenient for me to be here, I can just take a cab and leave."Ron said, "Call you dumb and you won't admit it!"Emma thought to herself, 'I didn't want to be a third wheel, cramping their style. Was that really so wrong? No good deed goes unpunished, apparently.'Suddenly, Ron grabbed Emma's hand and led her inside. "It's cold out; let's go inside."Emma had to quicken her pace, practically being dragged along.Seeing them together, Lucas laughed heartily from behind. "Ron, oh Ron, never thought I'd see the day.""Don't laugh too soon. Your day is coming," Ron shot back.Th
Emma said, "Okay."Ron asked, "Have you won over your crush?"Lucas responded, "Secret."Ron replied, "Looks like you haven't won her over."Lucas said, "As long as I make a move, there's no girl I can't win over. But I haven't made a move yet because the timing isn't right."Ron asked, "Is it because of the Sandow family?"Lucas answered, "The Sandow family wants to marry their daughter to me, and my family wants me to marry her too. But I've told them long ago that I'm not willing to do that. Nobody can make me marry a girl I don't like."Emma remained silent. 'I didn't expect that Lucas would also have the same problem as me and Ron.'It seems like the wealthier the family, the more they'll arrange marriages based on social status without considering personal preferences.'Lucas seemed to sense Emma's thoughts. "Emma, my situation with the Sandow girl is different from yours and Ron's. Don't lump us together."Ron looked at Emma and suddenly said, "There isn't any other gi