Cassandra, laughing heartily, chimed in with a twinkle in her eyes, "Alright, alright, we'll leave the toe-sucking stories in the past. Let's discuss when you used to wet the bed as a child."Abigail was mortified, but she let them continue, relishing their joyful chatter. Strangely, neither of them brought up Nathan.Once the raviolis were ready, Abigail cooked up the first batch. Margaret tasted a couple and was genuinely pleased. "Abigail, these are just lovely, the filling is tender and juicy, not dry at all. Could I take a bowl to our neighbor, Mr. Drake?""Sure, Grandma," Abigail agreed quickly. "I'll cook up another batch right now." With that, she prepared another pot of raviolis, then carefully packed them into an insulated container, even adding a small side of marinara sauce. "Grandma, shall I take this over to Mr. Drake?""No need, dear, Mr. Drake is a bit shy with new faces. I'll take it," Margaret decided, cheerily picking up the container and heading out the door.C
"Are you suggesting you're not?" Margaret could not believe he had the nerve to ask such a question. 'Who doesn't know he's a man who would go to any lengths to achieve his goals? In the ten years since he took over Zane Corporation, hasn't he demonstrated that time and time again?'"If Grandma thinks I am, then I guess I must be." Xander unlocked the door, stepped into the room, and promptly locked the door behind him.Margaret was frustrated enough to pound on the door, but upon reflection, she knew her headstrong grandson had his principles and pride, and he would not force himself onto a girl.Xander moved to sit beside Abigail's bed, gently adjusting the covers over her, and then simply watched her in silence. From his viewpoint, the first thing that caught his eye was her long, curling eyelashes, as beautiful as a doll's. Her skin was incredibly smooth and fair, reminiscent of a freshly peeled egg, not a single flaw visible. Xander could not resist and extended his slender fin
The next day, Abigail was up with the lark. As the doctor carried out a routine check-up on Cassandra, she kept vigil at her side without taking a step away. Once the examination was over, she grilled the doctor about every detail, only relaxing slightly when assured her grandmother's condition was stable.Margaret respectfully left the room to the two of them. Alone with Abigail, Cassandra could not help but broach the subject of Nathan. "Abigail, you said over the phone that you want to give things a shot with Nathan. Have you really decided?""Mhm." Abigail nodded. "Don't worry, Grandma, I'm not doing this on a whim. I've given it careful consideration."Cassandra had always trusted Abigail's judgment. "Nathan is a quiet one, not good at sweet talk or coaxing a smile, but for some reason, he just seems like someone you can rely on."Abigail nodded vehemently. "Grandma, I feel the same way. Every time I think about him, I feel... at ease."Cassandra gently ruffled Abigail's hair
This sudden revelation sent a surge of alarm through Abigail, her heart pounding in her throat as though it were ready to leap right out. Almost on instinct, she sprang back, inadvertently slamming her head against the car window behind her, which shot stars across her vision in a symphony of pain. Ignoring the throbbing in her skull, she darted a quick glance at Xander. To her immense relief, he seemed to still be asleep, oblivious to the whole ordeal. Breathing a sigh of relief, she found herself patting her chest in an attempt to steady her pounding heart.'Since Xander has no idea I just fell asleep on his shoulder, I'll act as if nothing happened,' she reasoned silently. 'Yes, as long as I keep my mouth shut, nobody will know I slept on his shoulder.'Just as she was silently consoling herself, Xander's eyes fluttered open. His gaze bore into her from beneath the silver-rimmed glasses, lending an almost eerie intensity to his countenance. The sudden scrutiny startled Abigail int
But, Abigail felt that the act was especially inappropriate. She said, "Mr. Zane, you should let go of me. I can do it myself.""Do you have eyes or a hand on top of your head?" Xander let her go after he had helped her with applying the medical cream. He then unhurriedly put the cream away. He coldly stared at her as he said, "Did you think that I have some kind of intention toward you again?"Abigail did think that. But, when he confidently asked her that, it made her feel as if she was overthinking again. She answered, "I-I didn't."It was obviously a lie. She behaved as if Xander was about to devour her whenever he got close to her. This made him really unhappy. He wanted to punish her ruthlessly. He asked, "No?"Abigail was speechless.'I did, actually!'He pressed me into his embrace. Of course, I'd overthink.'However, Abigail did not dare to admit it because he had already told her that he did not have any intention toward her. If she continued to think like that, it wou
'His wife's name is Abigail Renee too. Same first and last name as mine!Suddenly, all of his unreasonable behaviors could be explained.'Back then, when he was drunk and said my name was bad luck, that was because he was having a conflict with his wife. So, he took out his rage on me.'But now, when he treats me so well, that's just because I have the same name as his wife. I just benefited from having the same name as her. And yet, I still foolishly thought that he was interested in me.'Abigail finally understood why his voice was so sweet whenever he called her name.Xander spoke again. "My wife is brilliant. She deserves to be cherished and spoiled. I've decided that I'll be with her for the rest of my life. I won't be with another woman."Abigail responded, "I know that."Xander asked, "Do you?"He wanted to tell her that he had decided to spend his life with her. But, she knew nothing. She even constantly thought of drawing the line with him.His lawfully registered wif
She thought, 'Our conversation stopped at ten in the morning yesterday. More than thirty hours had passed but Nathan didn't even send me a message. Is he still busy working, or is it because he didn't think of me?'Abigail closed their conversation. She then opened a renovation website to look at other people's renovation styles."Abigail!" When Esther's voice was heard, she was at the entrance.She rushed to Abigail and gave her a hug. She said, "Abigail, it's been a while!"Esther was too friendly. She hugged Abigail as soon as she saw her. Esther always made Abigail feel as though she did not know what to do. Abigail responded, "Ms. Zane, it's great to meet you!"Abigail still did not know that Esther was not this friendly with everyone. Esther felt an inexplicable friendliness toward Abigail. That was why Esther could not help but stay close to Abigail whenever she saw her."Abigail, don't be so formal. You can call me Esther or Essy." Esther then squeezed to sit next to Abig
Finnigan had a chill running down his spine upon hearing that. He responded, "Mr. Zane, you have a wonderful sense of humor."Xander raised his dashing eyebrows slightly. He stared coldly at Finnigan and asked, "Do you think I'm joking?"Finnigan clearly knew that Xander was not kidding. He was fully prepared when he agreed to take this job. He responded, "Mr. Zane, why don't you ask your wife's opinion before we make a decision.""Just be prepared." Xander went to the first floor. He then immediately saw Esther, who he had called to accompany Abigail, curled up on the couch. She was holding her phone and laughing like a fool. He asked, "Esther, how old are you?"Esther raised her head to glance at Xander before she lowered her head to look at her phone again. She responded, "Xander, you don't even know my age? You really don't love me at all. I'll tell you; I'll be twenty-three after Easter."Xander said in his deep voice, "You know you're almost twenty-three. And yet, you still
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