Felix thought for a moment, 'She lost her parents at a young age and had often been criticized for bringing bad luck. She indeed needs to be strong-willed.'Abigail said, "You should go home and rest."Felix was worried about her and was not comfortable with leaving her alone. "I want to keep you company for a while."Abigail responded, "Sure."They both comfortably leaned back on the couch and looked up at the ceiling at the same time.After a moment of silence, Felix slowly said, "Caterpie..."Abigail responded, "Yes?"Felix asked, "The three of us didn't do anything bad these years, right?"Abigail answered, "Of course we didn't."Felix responded, "Why does fate treat the three of us this way then? Melody met a lousy guy, you met a lousy guy, and I've been wanting a girlfriend for a long time, but I'm still single."Abigail chuckled. "Maybe we attract lousy guys.""What about me then? Could it be that I can't find a girlfriend because I'm a lousy guy?" Felix did not mind
Abigail thought, 'The past is still vivid in my mind. But people have changed. Xander has changed, and perhaps I've changed too. We can never go back to the way things were. Even if we meet again, we'll be strangers.'She hoped that they would never meet again. But she wondered if she would really be fine just because they would not meet each other again.Although she was unwilling to admit it, the intense pain she felt in her heart reminded her that she did care. In fact, she cared very much! It was precisely because she cared that she decisively asked for a divorce.She continued to be lost in her thoughts. 'Sometimes, even I admire myself. I'm clearly in so much pain that I feel suffocated. Yet, I can still talk and laugh in front of others.'Maybe this skill is something that Xander gave me. After all, I had worked by his side for such a long time. His ability to remain unfazed even under immense pressure was truly better than everyone else. I've seen so much of that, so I've l
Abigail said, "I've said I don't want his stuff."The delivery man awkwardly chuckled. "These probably aren't for you. If you don't believe me, you can open the boxes and take a look."Abigail indeed did not trust him. She opened one of the boxes and saw that it contained clothes that looked like what Susanna usually wore. She believed that the boxes contained all of Susanna's belongings that she left at Monsoon Villa.Abigail thought, 'These items are delivered here so early in the morning, indicating Xander had the workers pack Susanna's things overnight. It seems like he has no intention of letting Susanna go back.'Not only did he want me gone, but he also wanted Susanna, who had taken care of him, gone. Maybe he doesn't want his new love to move into Monsoon Villa with memories of his ex-wife still there.'Abigail stepped aside and said, "Move everything into the living room."The two delivery men cooperated and quickly moved all the large boxes into the living room.Susann
"Grandma had to be hospitalized?" Abigail worriedly got up from her seat. "Do you know which hospital she's in? I'll go see her right now."Before Susanna could answer, the doorbell rang.Abigail turned her head to look and saw the video doorbell showing an elderly lady with white hair and a middle-aged woman. The visitors were none other than Margaret and her caregiver.Abigail quickly ran to open the door. As soon as the door was opened, Margaret hugged Abigail tightly. "Abigail, I'm sorry! I've wronged you and your grandmother.""Grandma, you didn't do anything wrong. Please don't blame yourself, okay?" Abigail hugged Margaret before stepping back. "I heard you were hospitalized. Why did you come to my apartment?""Abigail..." Before Margaret even finished speaking, her eyes turned red, and shed a few tears.Margaret came from a wealthy family. She had traveled with her family for business from a young age. She was a strong, resilient woman in her younger days. She had experie
Abigail was so touched that her eyes welled up with tears. "Thank you, Grandma!"Margaret patted Abigail's head. "Silly child, didn't we agree before that no matter what happens between you and Xander, it won't affect our relationship?"Abigail responded, "Yes."Margaret looked at Susanna. "Xander is unworthy. He and Abigail have divorced, and so be it. From now on, you just stay here and take good care of Abigail."Susanna replied, "Don't worry. I'll surely take good care of her."Margaret said, "Ahem... Abigail, I'll leave now."Abigail responded, "I'll walk you downstairs."Margaret declined, "It's fine. I have Sansa by my side. I also have my personal doctor and caretaker waiting for me downstairs. I don't need your help. You go and do your work."Abigail replied, "All right, take care. I'll visit you after my grandmother's case verdict is announced."Margaret said, "Sure."After seeing off Margaret, Abigail went back to her room to get ready.She planned to change into
Felix turned his head to look at Abigail who was sitting at the back and said, "What does your ex-husband want? He kicked you out of the house in the middle of the night yesterday, and now he's regretting it?"Abigail did not want to overthink it. "Don't jump to conclusions. Maybe there were no parking spots on the other side. Fee, can you drive forward a little? Let's park over there."Felix had already considered that. So, he stepped on the accelerator and drove out of the parking space. He took a corner and parked in a space near the elevator.Right after they parked, Xander's car followed again. This time, Xander's driver positioned the car directly in front of them, making it impossible for them to move their car.Felix was so furious that he wanted to cuss. But Abigail stopped him. "Forget about them. The court hearing is about to start. Let's go upstairs now."When Abigail opened the car door and got out, Xander exited his car at the same time. Both of them headed toward th
Wherever Abigail went, Xander silently followed without saying a word.After completing the paperwork, Abigail went to the courtroom to observe. Xander followed and sat down next to her.Abigail could not take it anymore. She turned her head to look at him. "Mr. Zane, what exactly are you trying to do?"Xander smiled. His voice was still low, deep, and very pleasant. "You're finally willing to talk to me.""Ha..." Abigail sneered. She turned away and did not want to pay attention to him.'Whatever he wants to do, I'll just let him do it. I won't care about him anymore,' Abigail thought before she heard his mellow voice again. "I've been following Grandma's case. I've come to witness the verdict today."Abigail talked to herself in her thoughts, 'So, he's here for Grandma's case. Regardless of our past, he had genuinely cared for Grandma. Back when she was ill, he spared no effort and expense to find experts to treat her. If not for the accident, Grandma might've recovered.'Abig
Abigail said, "I've always been walking my path alone." Abigail took a step back to distance herself from Xander. "Mr. Zane, I'd like to offer you a piece of sincere advice.""You can go ahead, I'm listening." Xander's voice was pleasing. But it seemed like it was not as deep and powerful as before.When Abigail listened to him, she vaguely felt that he was speaking as if he was out of breath.But when she noticed his complexion looked normal, she did not overthink it. "If you happen to fall for another girl, you should communicate honestly with your current partner. Silent treatment and such are the worst."Xander paused before saying, "I am sorry!"Abigail never expected to hear these three heart-wrenching words from him. She pondered, 'His apology indicates that he knows what he did was wrong. But he still did it. This proves that he no longer cared about my feelings when he acted.'Abigail smiled. "It's all in the past. What's the point of saying sorry?""I know there's no p
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