Abigail did not know what came over her. Just as she heard that grandfather chose to take his life because he did not want to cause more issues for Grandma, it was like her heart was bleeding. It was so painful that tears flowed uncontrollably from her eyes."Abigail..." Xander gently wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes with his fingers. "If something's wrong, just tell me, okay?""I'm upset..." Abigail stared at him with watery eyes. "I just think grandfather shouldn't have done that."Xander comforted her. "It's all in the past. You don't need to be hung up on it.""It's not in the past. Because many people face the same problem. We should bring them up then proceed to overcome them." Abigail was not someone who liked to split hairs on issues. Still, she was taking this incident particularly seriously."Did grandfather truly believe this decision would be good for Grandma? Didn't he realize he'd be leaving grandma alone and that Grandma might've been better off dead then
"Losing grandfather and Grandma was like losing their skeletal structure for the Zane Corporation. Soon, they were under the control of someone else. At the same time, Nova was merely a pawn everyone used to control the company," Xander said. "That man's incompetence allowed the people who were eyeing Zane Corporation to take the opportunity to make a move. They corroborated and made the company teeter on the edge."Seeing that he was powerless to change anything on his own, Nova married the daughter of the Elder family, Jane. He borrowed the influence of the Elder family to help him take back control of the Zane Corporation."After the Zane and Elder family formed an alliance through marriage, it definitely brought him a lot of support toward his career, and he slowly gained control of some actual power in the company."I was born during such a sensitive period. Hence, Grandma announced to the public that I was called Xander Zane to guarantee my safety while I was actually using th
"Why did you think of using the identity of Nathan Hart to invest in this project?" Abigail asked. In fact, she wanted to ask him how he had such a good eye for such things.Sunset Cliff Hotel debuted with its magnificent looks, lavish hardware, facilities, and top-tier service. It had already continuously topped the charts for luxurious hotels worldwide in all aspects. Not long before, Abigail even saw an online voting event for the hotel the people wanted to visit most. Sunset Cliff Hotel was still placed at the top of that chart.Many people wanted to come to Sunset Cliff Hotel for a vacation, but the people who could actually get in were much fewer. There were so many people around the world, while the Sunset Cliff Hotel only had a total of ten rooms. They can only serve a maximum of twenty people every day.Sunset Cliff Hotel had a rule. They would not accommodate single guests and only host couples or married spouses. At first, some people would look for loopholes. One man and
Not long after, a glass hotel that allowed people to have a 360-degree view to watch the magnificent view appeared at that spot. "You're so dope!" That answer sounded awesome to Abigail's ears. Even if it was just investing in this project, it would earn him a lot of money. On her end, she felt annoyingly inferior compared to him.Xander was confused and asked, "I'm dope?"Abigail replied, "Not dope as in drugs, but dope as in cool person.""What's dope?" Xander was not even twenty-nine years old yet, but he was already living like he was seventy or eighty. His work and lifestyle did not give him much free time, and most of his rare free time was spent reading books. He almost never surfed the internet, so naturally he did not know about such internet slang.Abigail explained to him, "What you're doing now is called "being dope". You unintentionally revealed that you were the boss of this establishment and even talked about the idea you came up with like it was nothing."Xander
Abigail was speechless, 'Does this man really know what peeking means? Since he knows it's peeking, why'd he have to expose it and embarrass me on purpose?'Abigail turned away angrily, refusing to pay him any more attention.Xander continued driving the sightseeing car as if nothing happened. He even acted as a tour guide, "The road we're currently on is called the 'Blissful Union Avenue', and the flowers on both sides of the road are called Phalaenopsis. Mason Harper, the manager of Sunset Cliff Hotel we just met, named both the road and the flower."The scenic road was well-constructed, and the Phalaenopsis on both sides bloomed beautifully. It was indeed very picturesque. However, Abigail was still angry, so she casually responded nonchalantly without looking away from the flowers and plants outside, "Oh."Xander thought she liked these views, so he continued vividly explaining, "At first, I didn't understand why he'd planted these flowers. He told me that Phalaenopsis symboliz
What Abigail had not expected was that Xander would actually take her to a hotel for their first date. Then again, they were legally married, and it was common for a husband and wife to have intimate moments, after all. Abigail understood that very well that it was an inevitable part of their relationship. She had even joked with Melody that she was eager to engage in sexual activities with him.However, now that the actual moment was approaching, she still felt nervous, "Mr. Zane... H-How about we go and watch the sunset now?"Xander thought of correcting her upon hearing her habitually calling him "Mr. Zane" again. However, the words stuck in his throat.''It's not easy to change a habit so quickly, especially one that she's developed over a year. I'll give her some time to adjust gradually.'"Our room has the best view of the sunset," He took the remote control and opened the curtains.Looking straight ahead, they were greeted by the boundless sea and an orange sunset on the ho
After taking the photo, Xander handed the phone back to Abigail. Just as the phone returned to Abigail's hands, Melody sent a message in their group chat. [Is this the Sunset Cliff Hotel?][Yes.][Mr. Zane's quite impressive. He took you to such a romantic place on your first date and got a hotel room. It seems there'll be no way for you to escape his clutches tonight. No other advice from me, I just hope you two have a happy and enjoyable night~]Abigail was at a loss for words, 'Am I out of my mind? Why did I take photos and share them in the group chat at a time like this?'Melody continued, [By the way, remember to be careful and use protection. You'll regret it if you get pregnant before being able to fully explore the pleasures of intimacy, heh.]Abigail was even more speechless. She was already a bit nervous, and her anxiety continued to rise with Melody's words. It overwhelmed her brain, making it impossible for her to think straight.Xander asked, "What'd your grandma
"That's great. You'd better get to it quickly. Nathan, it's all up to you. Abigail's a shy girl, so you need to take the initiative," Cassandra advised him, and ended the video call.Abigail felt numb all over. Xander noticed her nervousness and assured her, "It's okay. If you don't want to have children, we won't. It's our life and our choice. Their opinions don't matter."Xander's voice was as deep and comforting as usual, putting her at ease. Abigail looked up and met his smiling eyes behind the silver-rimmed glasses, saying, "I-I do want to have children, just not so early. I want to wait a few more years.""Yeah, we'll do as you wish," Xander said as he reached out and gently held the back of her head. He pushed her head toward him ever so slightly.Abigail closed her eyes subconsciously. She felt his breath getting closer and closer about a fraction of a second away from kissing her. She was so nervous that her eyelids twitched uncontrollably. Her heartbeat raced, thumping in
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