Esther quickly grabbed hold of Abigail. Paxton was really scared too. Abigail pulled out a tissue and wiped the blood from her mouth. Then she said slowly, "Don't worry, I'm fine. I just bit my lip when that guy punched me in the face. I didn't want to look bad in front of others, so I didn't make a sound. Now I think I was just being too proud and didn't want to look weak.""Why would you do that? You knew you'd get hit, but you still rushed over to protect me." Esther hugged Abigail tightly, as if to comfort her, or perhaps draw some strength from her.Abigail said, "Silly girl, you're my sister. Would you really think I'd just stand there and not help you if you were in danger?"Esther hugged Abigail's arm tighter. "Thank you, Abigail."Abigail gently patted Esther's head and said, "Grandma, your brother, and I are all your family. We all love you. Do you understand?" She thought about how that nasty person Nova had been so mean to Esther. He even let his men attack her, showing
Abigail felt that if it were not for Paxton respecting Xander so much, he could have been really mad at her. 'What could be the reason that the subject of relationships is off-limits for Paxton? Has he been hurt before?' she wondered. But she did not ask more questions. It was important to avoid topics that could upset people. "Anyway, I'm really thankful to you. And also to Mr. Zane. He must have sent you over as soon as he got my SOS."Paxton replied, "What you don't know is that Mr. Zane assigned me to protect you months ago."Abigail was surprised. "Why?"Paxton continued, "Ron isn't someone easily handled; he's far tougher than Nova. When Mr. Zane helped Emma get away, it made Ron mad. Since Ron likes to get even, and knowing that you're Mr. Zane's wife, Mr. Zane was afraid he might try to hurt you, so he had me protect you. But don't worry, I'll be there if there's danger. I won't bother your everyday life. Mr. Zane won't ask me about your private stuff either."The last thin
Esther did not know what to say to the girls, so she looked back at Abigail for help. "Can you come here for a second, Abigail?" Abigail hurried over, and Esther said, "They're all really scared. It's like they can't hear me talking to them."Abigail looked at the girls, and their faces were definitely not right. They looked confused and blank-eyed. "Essy, don't panic. Let's think of something." As they were talking, the girls one by one closed their eyes and fell backward as if they had fainted. Luckily, they were crouching, or they might have hit their heads. This strange thing had never happened to Abigail before, and she felt lost for a moment but quickly got her bearings. "Essy, call emergency services, and the police right away!"After telling Esther what to do, Abigail bent down to check if the girls were breathing and if their hearts were beating. They were still breathing, so they could be saved. This made her feel better. 'But why did the girls faint like that?' Abigail won
If you did not think clearly, people might trick you and lead you wherever they wanted. Esther was so worried that she almost cried, scared that Abigail might believe that sneaky person's lies and leave her brother.Abigail was strong-minded, and she had already figured out through various details that Xander and Nathan were the same person. She knew Xander's true self and would not doubt him again. She spoke again, her voice firm, "Xander and Nathan are the same person. That's a fact, and you can't keep talking badly about it. Yes, I know lots of women wish they could marry my wonderful husband Xander. But I'm his only wife, and he loves only me."The voice said, "Xander killed your husband Nathan." He did not think that just saying this would make Abigail believe them right away. He was trying to make her start doubting, so that later, those doubts could have a big effect.Upstairs, Paxton looked down at Abigail and then at Xander. "Mr. Zane, that person is still trying to mess wi
Abigail had met police officers before, and they always seemed very professional and made her feel safe. But these two police officers were different, and she felt a fear she could not explain. Something inside her told her something was wrong.One man said, "Ms. Renee, Ms. Zane, please come with us."Although scared, she and Esther went with them to the police station. A police car was parked near the convention center's main exit, not far from where they were. The two men started walking faster and faster, almost pulling Abigail and Esther with them. As they got closer to the car, Abigail's fear grew. Soon, something happened that showed she was right to be afraid.Just a few steps from the car, the two men suddenly grabbed Abigail and Esther, pushed them into the car, and locked the doors. It all happened so quickly that they had no chance to escape. They were trapped in the car. The driver started the car, and it sped down the road.Everything made sense now. Abigail had though
Abigail had been playing the role of a parent all day. When facing enemies, she never showed her fear, though she felt scared many times. She gritted her teeth and stayed strong. She told herself she must not show any fear or retreat. She had to hide her fear to protect Esther, who was depending on her. But when Xander appeared, she felt safe. He was her rock, and she could finally let down her guard and show her true self.Abigail looked up at him, ready to say many things, but before she could open her mouth, he asked with a frown, "What happened to your face? Why is it swollen?"Abigail did not want him to worry, so she tried to make a joke to lighten the mood. "Oh, I just lost a fight, so I bit myself in frustration."But Xander was not amused and called for Paxton, their bodyguard.Paxton hung his head. "I didn't keep Mrs. Zane safe. Please punish me, Mr. Zane."Xander looked really serious, and his eyes were sharp behind his silver glasses. "Punishing you will make it alrigh
"You've got to find a way to break free from your nightmares. Trust yourself to escape, and then those nightmares will never bother you again," Xander said. He had always known what Esther was afraid of. That incident was why he wanted to lock Nova in jail all those years ago. People said Xander was cold and heartless. Esther thought so too, feeling that her brother treated her like any ordinary person. She felt he would not even care if she died.Then one day, Esther got hurt. She woke up in pain during the night. Xander was sitting by her bed, looking worried, and putting medicine on her wound. That was when she knew she was not a child nobody liked. Only her parents did not like her. Her brother and grandmother really loved her. When her grandmother took her in when she was a little girl, Esther was free to talk as much as she wanted without being locked in a dark room, and she could eat all her favorite foods. Xander always cared about her without saying anything. Thinking about a
Abigail was too scared to speak her guess out loud. It was a soul-crushing thought. No one with even a tiny bit of humanity could do such a thing to his or her own daughter. Abigail so wished that Xander would deny it, tell her she was wrong, but instead, he just nodded seriously. Abigail's heart shattered instantly, and she almost heard the sound of it breaking. "So...""That's why I put him in jail," Xander suddenly said, his smile filled with firm resolve. "If he dares to hurt those I care about again, I won't hesitate to send him back.""Whatever you do, I support you, Xander," Abigail said.That was enough. That was all Xander wanted to hear. He continued, "Back then, Essy was just a little child. Not only did Nova bully her but he also locked her with over a dozen snakes in a dark room, leaving Essy in there for two whole days." There were things Xander knew and things he did not. Some of those unknown things, Esther was still too scared to mention.Carefully, Abigail reached
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