Stellie said, "I'm crystal clear on this, Rian. If she doesn't end up dead before me, I'll haunt this world from beyond the grave."Rian scoffed, "You think just because you want her dead, she'll drop dead?"Stellie was teetering on the edge of madness, completely unaware of her own desperate situation. "I don't care. She has to go. Just buy me a few more hours, and I'll make sure not even her corpse is found by dawn."Rian shook his head. "You were only lucky before because Lucas was out of the country, caught off guard. Now, he's right there, guarding her. If you think you can so much as touch a hair on her head while Lucas is around, you're delusional."He might always wear a smile, but don't let that fool you. He's like a smiling tiger, ready to devour anyone who crosses his path.""I'm on death's doorstep already. What do I have to fear from him?""You're no match for him.""That's why I need your help."Rian cracked a cold smile. "You think having me on your side is enoug
A year later, in a hotel room, a woman lay on a large, messy bed. Clutching the sheets close to shield her body, she looked both panicked and smugly triumphant as she stared at another woman standing before the bed.A man jolted upright, reaching desperately to grab the hand of the woman in front of the bed. She quickly stepped back, evading his grasp."Scarlett, listen to me," the man pleaded urgently. "It wasn't my choice to be with this woman. She schemed and seduced me, and last night, I was drunk. That's why I ended up sleeping with her."You have to believe me; even if I slept with her, you're the only one in my heart. I love you, and only you. It's impossible for me to love her, let alone marry her—"While Stella was deep in the throes of betrayal, and before the actor playing the scoundrel could finish his lines, a figure burst in. He delivered a swift kick to the scoundrel, followed by a verbal and physical assault."You can't even control your own desires, and you dare t
Stella gave a quick apology to the crew. "Sorry for holding up the show, folks."The director waved it off with a casual hand. "No sweat, Stella. Don't mention it." He thought to himself, 'Who'd dare cross Lucas? And Stella, the only one who can send Lucas packing, who'd mess with her?'Stella flashed an awkward smile. "Don't worry. Lucas won't be causing any more trouble on my account."The director reassured her, "It's all good, Stella. Don't sweat the small stuff."Stella then turned to apologize to the lead actor. He verbally accepted her apology, but his performance was off. As the lead actor uttered every word, his eyes darted toward the door, half-expecting Lucas to burst in and knock him off his feet again. That last kick from Lucas had nearly ended his career; another one would definitely do the job.The lead actor's lack of focus caused take after take to flop, dragging Stella's work late into the night.As they wrapped up, Stella's assistant leaned in. "Mr. White has b
Stella did not let Lucas apologize to that actor. Lucky for him, too. If Lucas had really gone to say sorry, that guy would have spent the rest of his life looking over his shoulder.Lucas had gotten pretty good at removing Stella's makeup, having practiced a lot. In no time, he was done. "All set. I'll wash your face and apply some moisturizer. Keep it simple."Lucas, who had never cared for makeup, was now learning everything he could to win back his wife.Stella was disgusted. "You're the big boss of White Corporation, and you're wasting your days tailing me. Aren't you worried your empire will crumble?"Lucas replied, "Chasing you is the only business that matters to me."Stella was at her wits' end with him but chose to ignore him.Then Lucas leaned in, whispering close to her ear. "The biggest threat to White Corporation used to be the Sandow family. But with their internal strife, Steve got nabbed by the cops, and Rian isn't a threat anymore."Even after all this time, St
Lucas said, "You've already got a godson. No rush, we'll take it slow."Stella shot back, "I'm in a hurry for a daughter, so she can marry our godson someday. If we wait too long, she might miss her chance!"Lucas reached out, playfully tapping her nose. "You're something else, you know that? Got a guy as great as me, and still scheming to keep all the best guys under your roof."Stella was not having any of his jokes. "Cut the comedy, Lucas. I'm serious here.""All right then, how about we make a plan to visit the hospital for a checkup when you're free?""Deal," Stella agreed.Lucas felt a wave of relief, confident there was nothing wrong with either of them physically. The real hurdle, he knew, was something else entirely—his interference.But now, it seemed, he did not need to worry anymore. He could sense Stella's heart warming up to him, slowly letting go of her reservations.That night, Stella felt drained, her carefulness at dinner stemming from her fear of gaining weig
"Dream on!" Lucas snapped."What are you waiting for, then?" asked Stella.Lucas, caught off guard for a moment, quickly regained his composure. "You little vixen, I won't let you get away with this."The night was filled with intense passion.The next morning, Stella had an early shoot. Despite having little rest and a mind full of thoughts from the night, she woke up early. She stirred slightly, feeling the arm wrapped around her waist. "Lucas, let go of me, I need to get up."Lucas held her tight, unyielding and silent, lost in a deep sleep.Growing impatient, Stella pinched him hard on the waist. The sharp pain jolted Lucas awake, his eyes slowly opening."What's up, honey?""I need to get up. Let go of me."Lucas lazily reached for his phone to check the time, then pulled her closer into his embrace. "It's just past six, still early. Let's sleep a little more.""I've got an early shoot today." Stella pushed against him with more force, finally breaking free and swinging
As soon as the door swung open, Stella's assistant stood rigidly at the entrance.Upon spotting Stella, the assistant hurried forward with a smile. However, she instinctively stepped back upon noticing Lucas lurking behind Stella."Why are you lingering outside in the cold? You might catch a cold," Stella inquired."I'm not cold. I'm tough and won't freeze," the assistant replied.Stella glanced at Lucas. "I'm off then."Lucas pulled Stella close, planting a kiss on her cheek. "Alright, I'll head straight to the airport and won't come to see you."Stella nodded, leaving with her assistant.In the elevator, the assistant whispered, "I didn't dare with Mr. White around.""What was that?" Stella asked, not catching it."I mean, knowing Mr. White was in your room, I was afraid to interrupt anything important," the assistant explained.Stella gave her assistant a quizzical look. "What's gotten into you?""Am I wrong? Look at the mark on your neck—it wasn't there when we wrapped u
A face flashed in Stella's mind. Just the thought sent a shiver of excitement through her, making her hands tremble slightly. 'Could it really be her? The one who likely perished in the inferno, the one for whom Ron had been hunting relentlessly for two years?'Stella wanted to get closer, to see clearly, but fear held her back. She was afraid of facing a truth she might not be ready for. So, she stood there, her gaze fixed on the slender, familiar silhouette.As Stella gazed intensely, her assistant, Bernadette Leggero, followed her gaze and spotted the same figure. "What's so special about that woman?" Bernadette asked.Bernadette's words snapped Stella back to reality. She quickly averted her gaze, feigning indifference. "Nothing, let's head back," Stella replied.They had only taken a few steps when Stella could not resist glancing back. She could not shake the thought that the silhouette was unmistakably Emma's. "Bernadette, give me my phone," Stella said.Bernadette promptly
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