'She had just made such a simple request. If I refuse her now, what would she think?' he thought.Just when Xander was hesitating, the flight crew made an announcement that the airplane was taking off and for the passengers to turn off their devices or switch to airplane mode.Abigail immediately replied to Nathan: [I'm about to take off.]After that, she sent another message to the three-person group chat: [Fee, Mel, I'm flying back tonight at 12 o'clock in the night, and I'll probably arrive in Florivera around 6 o'clock in the evening.]The moment she sent the message, Abigail quickly switched her phone to airplane mode. After doing that, she looked up and met Xander in the eyes as he sat there staring unmovingly at her.Abigail touched her face. "Mr. Zane, is there something on my face?"Xander let out a slight cough. "I noticed you were engrossed in chatting. Who are you chatting with?""Nathan."In order to hide his discomfort, Xander asked casually without actually notic
Of course, it was absolutely impossible for her to disclose all these to people unrelated to Xander, so she did not reply to Felix's question.Felix understood her predicament and did not pursue the question, so he changed the topic: [Caterpie, where are you going for the meeting? How about Mel and I wait for you there and pick you up once it's over, so we don't have to wait until tomorrow.]Abigail answered: [It's not on the boss's itinerary today, and he didn't say where we're going. I have no idea how long I'll be busy, so you don't need to wait for me. I'll take a cab back once I'm done.]Felix got angrier as he continued to reply: [The flight from Paridale to Florivera is twelve hours and would wear out even the toughest of folks. He's not even letting you catch a breather after getting off the plane and wants you to continue working. Xander is a real bastard, I tell you.][Enough, Fee. I know what I'm doing.] Abigail did not want to listen to Felix moan about Xander, so she c
Abigail smiled as she said, "You've been busy all your life. When you're free, you should spend time with your family and your grandchildren. It's actually quite nice.""My grandchildren aren't close to me. They don't allow me to carry them when I'm home." Liam then suddenly asked, "When do you guys want to have a child?"Actually, there was nothing wrong with that question. But it could easily mislead people too. Abigail was very worried Xander would overthink. So, she quickly responded, "Liam, my husband and I aren't in a hurry for that."Liam sighed, "Young people nowadays prioritize work and aren't eager for children. Speaking from experience, you'll have a kid sooner or later, why not just have a kid sooner?"Abigail did not want to argue with an elderly person. So, she smiled as she said, "You're right."During their conversation, the car was already traveling on the road that Abigail was familiar with. It was the inevitable route to Xander's house, the Monsoon Villa. She as
Susanna, the executor, had been hoping Xander could bring Abigail, the lady of the house, home as soon as possible.She thought the arrival of Abigail would surely make this icy home warmer and livelier. She also thought it would make Xander no longer lonely.Susanna hoped that with Abigail's company, Xander's heart would be warmed. She hoped this would make Xander forget those bad memories and be able to walk out of the shadow from his early childhood as soon as possible...Since Abigail did not have work to do tonight, she wanted to eat grilled food with Felix and Melody. But she was ashamed to reject Susanna as she was so enthusiastic. So, Abigail said, "Susanna, I eat a lot. I'm afraid the food you cooked isn't enough for me.""I cooked a lot. I'm sure it'll be enough." Susanna enthusiastically pulled Abigail to the kitchen. She said, "Abigail, I'm truly very happy that you're here."Susanna treated Abigail quite well before this. But her over-friendliness today made Abigail c
Abigail honestly did not want to stay at Xander's house at all. Although Xander told her many times to treat his house as her home, she still felt her home was more comfortable than someone else's house. She said, "Susanna, my friends are waiting for me to go back."Xander raised his arm to glance at the time. "Just stay here. Sleep early to get some rest. You're following me to discuss a very important project tomorrow."Since Xander had spoken, Abigail could only stay...After getting washed, she then laid on the bed to text Nathan: [Nathan, I'm back in Florivera.]After she sent the text, she waited for a very long time but still did not receive a reply from him. She suddenly felt unhappy as she thought, 'It seems like I'm always the one who takes the initiative to text him. He rarely took the initiative to text me.'He knew I'm coming back to Florivera today. But he didn't even send me a text to ask me if I'd arrived in Florivera...'Abigail rolled on the bed twice. She wante
This was not the first time Abigail had seen Xander acting like this. He had been like this after Jane visited him on Easter Eve.Abigail thought, 'Did Jane do something to him again?'She rubbed the hand that was almost twisted off by Xander. She turned around and poured a glass of water for him. She then sat down at a distance of about two to three people next to him.Xander remained silent. Abigail did not know what she should say. She just quietly accompanied him. She followed his gaze to look out the huge floor-to-ceiling window together with him.The weather was very good in Florivera today. They could see the crescent moon hanging in the sky from the living room. The light from the moon shined into the house through the window. The moonlight shone on their bodies. It was like a foggy oil painting.Abigail turned her head to look at Xander. She thought, 'This man's face has no bad angle. He looks shockingly handsome from every angle. His high nose bridge, long eyelashes, and
'I'm her legal husband. She doesn't like me and is even afraid of me.'This realization made Xander furious. But he felt more helpless than angry.He thought, 'What can I do to make her have the slightest good feeling for my Xander identity?'Abigail made a crying sound in her heart.The way he was looking at her was terrifying. He seemed like he wanted to devour her. Abigail was so scared that she almost cried. "Mr. Zane, what can I do to make you believe me? If you don't believe me, I can swear upon it. If I have any inappropriate thoughts for you at all, I'll get struck by light..."Before Abigail could finish her oath, Xander coldly interrupted her, "Did I say I don't believe you? Don't make any nonsense oath again."Abigail thought, 'If he believed me, why did he look at me as if he wanted to swallow me? There was a moment just now when he made me think he'd really rip me apart and devour me.'Abigail's fearful gaze toward Xander pierced his heart like needles. It was extre
No one had asked Abigail this question prior to this. So, she did not really think about what made Nathan a good person. She pondered seriously but she still could not come up with his qualities."What's wrong? You can't even say what your husband's qualities are?" Xander lit up a cigarette. But he extinguished it in the ashtray before he even started smoking.At this moment, he was warning himself not to smoke in front of Abigail. He did not want her to have a bad impression of him.Xander's questioning tone made Abigail feel uncomfortable. She answered, "I'm not sure how Nathan behaves outside and how he treats other people. But he gives me a very good feeling that makes me think he probably is a good husband."Xander thought, 'Nathan hadn't done anything for her. When she needed help the most, I even had a lawyer approach her for a divorce. And yet, she still believes in Nathan so much. She so blindly thinks Nathan is good just because Nathan is her lawful husband.' Xander felt
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