Abigail and Paxton were driving back to Johann's mansion. As they entered Valtara, Paxton said with urgency, "We've got a car behind us that doesn't look friendly."She checked the rearview mirror and saw an unfamiliar car. She had seen some of Johann's cars earlier that day, and this was not one of them. "Could that be one of Ron's people?"Paxton pressed the gas, looking worried. "Ron has been a mess since Emma died. He's convinced you're to blame and he's furious. Even knowing how strong the Blau family is, he might still go after you. Valtara is basically his territory. With just the two of us, it's going to be hard to stand up to him. Can you call Johann for backup? I'll do everything I can to protect us until help arrives.""I'm calling Johann now," Abigail said. She did not want him to worry, but if he had backup nearby, it was smart to ask for help.Hearing the situation, Johann became both frustrated and concerned. "I set up a lot of protection for you. Where are they now?
A crash at high speed would be awful. Abigail felt fear but told herself, 'Be brave.'Johann sounded worried on the phone. "Abigail! Make it louder, I want to talk to Ron.""I got this, Grandpa," Abigail said, hanging up. Spotting Ron stepping out of the car nearby and with no sign of Johann's backup, she knew she was their best chance. "Paxton, stay put. I'll talk to him."Paxton shook his head. "It's too risky with Ron. He's unpredictable."Abigail smiled calmly. "Being in this car doesn't make us bulletproof."Paxton countered, "His group is small. I can take them on. And if it gets dicey, I'll fend them off until Johann's help arrives."Abigail reassured, "Ron has no beef with you. You'll be safe in the car. I'll handle the talking."Paxton's expression hardened. "I don't like this."Abigail said, "Remember when Xander paired us up? He said you'd back my decisions. I need you to trust me now and stay put."Ignoring Abigail's words, Paxton reached for the car door. But befo
Ron yanked Abigail's hair, but she held back her cry. "What are you up to, Ron?"Ron smirked. "You're close to Xander. Shouldn't you know his moves better than anyone?"Suddenly, Paxton appeared outside the car, gun aimed right at Ron. "Release her, Ron," he commanded, "or you're done for."Ron laughed. "You think you can handle me by yourself?"When he gave the signal, several men from the other cars stepped forward, guns aimed at Abigail. With over ten of them, even a single mistake could be fatal for her. Flashing a menacing smile, Ron challenged, "Go ahead, shoot! But if you do, they'll fire at her in an instant."Feeling trapped and outnumbered, Paxton's anger surged. He ached to take a shot at Ron, but Abigail's safety was paramount. Xander had trusted him with her safety, and he was determined not to let him down.Despite Ron's harsh grip on her hair, Abigail remained calm. She instructed Paxton, "Get back in the car and stay there until I say otherwise." When Paxton staye
The words "a helpless woman" made Ron suddenly release his grip. That was because Emma had once said the same words to him.He still remembered it was Emma's birthday. He had initially wanted to celebrate it with her, but her words had angered him. He then lost control of his emotions and hurt her.At that time, Emma looked at her injuries with a smile, but that expression made him sadder than if she had cried. She said, "Ron, what else can you do besides bully a helpless woman?"Even though many years had passed, hearing those words again vividly brought back the scene from that day. What he found most unforgettable was the mournful smile on Emma's face.After Abigail was freed, she hurriedly took two steps back to create some distance between her and Ron. She said, "Xander has gone to Pleasia."Ron asked, "He went to Pleasia? When?"Abigail answered, "Last night."Ron responded, "From which airport did he depart?"Abigail replied, "Florivera International Airport."Ron immed
Abigail jumped and took her phone back. "Dr. Watson, don't listen to Ron's nonsense. And don't wake Xander up. Just have him call me back when he wakes up. I have something to attend to, I'll hang up now."After that, Abigail quickly ended the call and locked her phone. She said, "Xander is sick. Didn't you hear?"Ron responded, "He didn't just get sick now. There's no need to make a fuss about it."Abigail remained silent.Ron continued saying, "Since we can't reach him now and make him hand over the person I want, you'll have to accompany me on a trip."As soon as he finished talking, loud sounds from the sky approached from far to near. Several helicopters were hovering in the sky.Meanwhile, most vehicles under the overpass had already been cleared. Vehicles that remained were cars imprinted with blue shield emblems, which were a distinctive symbol of the Blau family.From one of the helicopters, someone used a megaphone to shout, "Ron Hagrid, listen carefully. Release Abiga
Johann asked, "Is there something going on between Xander and Ron's wife?"Abigail responded, "Grandpa, what are you talking about? Xander is a good man. He's loyal to me. How is it possible that there's something going on between them?"Johann smiled as he rubbed Abigail's head. "I didn't mean Xander and Ron's wife are having any romantic involvement."Abigail softly said, "You shouldn't say things that'll make people misunderstand."Johann responded, "All right, I won't say it anymore. But as people always say, men always lie. How can you be so confident that Xander is loyal to you? Why do you believe that he won't fool around with other women when you aren't around him?"Abigail answered, "It's a feeling. And I believe in his character and his integrity."Johann said, "Okay. Trust is indeed very important for a long-lasting marriage. I hope you two stay sweet forever."Abigail replied, "I appreciate your kind words. We'll surely be together for a long time."Johann said, "We
Only Marlin stared at Johann with wide eyes and said, "Uncle Johann is so fierce. I'm scared."Johann showed no mercy even to Marlin. "You'll receive the same punishment as your brothers. Don't think you can do whatever you want just because you're a small kid and won't be held responsible."Marlin blinked. Glistening tears instantly rolled down from the corners of his eyes, one after another. He looked extremely aggrieved. "Abigail, save me!"Marlin was cute. His voice was tender which made him very likable. Abigail could not bear to see him look so upset. "Grandpa, Mar is still so young, just—"Johann interrupted, "Being young isn't an excuse to avoid punishment. No matter the age, there'll be consequences for mistakes made."Abigail remained silent. She thought, 'What Grandpa said seems to make sense. When you make mistakes as a child, your family may not care. But when you grow up, there'll be people to hold you accountable.'Marlin cried, "Uncle Johann, you don't love me any
Abigail responded: [Look at the way you replied to me. It seems like we're so distant. You seemed like you weren't chatting with your wife but just an ordinary friend.]Upon seeing this message, Keith, who was pretending to be Xander, was so frightened that his hand trembled and almost dropped the phone.He immediately handed the phone to Kane. "I've said that Abigail is sharp and can easily spot inconsistencies. You guys didn't believe me. How should I respond to her now?"Kane said, "She didn't say you weren't Xander. Why are you panicking?"Keith responded, "You reply to her message then.""Sure." Kane grabbed the phone and quickly typed a message: [It's not that I don't want to chat with you. It's just that I'm busy with something. You go rest now. I'll contact you when I'm done. Goodnight!]After sending the message, Kane just tossed the phone aside. "It's been solved."Keith asked, "How did you solve it?"Kane answered, "I just said 'Goodnight' to her!"Keith was speechl
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