Xander's voice was deep and warm, like a cozy blanket on a chilly night. It made Abigail feel safe and cared for. When he spoke to her like that, she did not know what to say because she was not used to talking about her feelings. "You're really important to me, not just useful," she said.This might have been the first time Abigail was so open about her feelings with Xander. He felt really happy, pulled her into his arms, and gave her a tight hug. "Abigail..." he said."Yes?" she answered."Say my name. I want to hear it," Xander asked."Nathan," Abigail said.Abigail liked to call him Nathan when they were alone because that was the name on their marriage certificate. Before, Xander never thought the name "Nathan" was anything special. But now, when he heard Abigail say it, it sounded like the sweetest thing ever. "Can you say it again, a couple more times?""Nathan, Nathan," Abigail said.Just as everything seemed perfect, a sleepy voice interrupted, "Am I in the wrong room?"
"Your sister always thinks you're being mean to me, Xander. You should think about how you appear in her eyes," said Abigail.Xander replied, "My sister is weird. Don't worry about her."Abigail disagreed, "No, you can't just ignore her. Essy is your sister, and she had a tough time when she was little. You mean the world to her. If you love Essy, show her how much. Let her know she's important to you, too. Don't make my mistake. I regret not telling my grandma I loved her every day, and now I can't."Xander understood Abigail's concerns. He quickly opened the door for Esther. "I care about you and Abigail so much. I'd never hurt her. Don't worry about it."Esther was surprised that her brother was explaining himself to her. "I know you wouldn't hurt Abigail," she said. "I just wanted to let Abigail know that I care about her a lot. If you two argue, I'll always take Abigail's side."Xander ruffled Esther's hair. "That's my girl. Keep taking care of Abigail."Esther said, "I stil
Clara walked away, but feeling worried, she turned back and said, "Esther isn't a good match for you. She's pretty, comes from a better family, and is just more impressive overall. You two aren't a good fit." Clara was being honest, and sometimes honesty could hurt.Felix was upset and responded harshly, "I know what kind of family we have. You don't have to keep reminding me. And did I choose to be born into this family? Did you ask me if I wanted to be born?" As soon as Felix said them, he regretted it. "I didn't mean it like that, Mom."Clara knew her son well. "Son, if you're looking for a girlfriend, I know a few nice girls. I can introduce you to some of them."Felix slumped on the couch, feeling helpless. "I'm not in the mood right now. Let's talk about it later." He was thinking about someone. He knew he had no chance with her, but he still did not want to meet anyone else.Clara kept on talking, "You remember my good friend Lindsey, right? Her daughter is graduating from F
No father liked it when another guy eyed his daughter, especially if that guy was on bad terms with him.Felix was speechless, his heart about to burst with anger.Abigail quickly pulled Xander aside. "Come help me make breakfast. When everyone wakes up, we can eat."In the kitchen, Abigail looked at him unhappily. "What was that about?"Xander asked, "Isn't it obvious?"Abigail replied, "It's obvious, and it's hurtful."Xander said, "He's interested in Essy. Am I supposed to be okay with that?"Abigail countered, "Like Felix, I come from an ordinary background. You think he's out of his league with Essy. So do you secretly think the same about us?"Xander had not thought of that. He simply did not want anyone looking at his sister with romantic interest. "I didn't mean it that way."Abigail said, "But your words can make people think you do." Xander felt like he could not win and did not explain further. Abigail continued, "Fee knows better. He won't bother Essy. I don't want
The warmth of Xander's breath tickled Abigail's ear, and she playfully pulled away. "I'm getting the snacks ready, so quit bugging me," she said.Xander did not let go, hugging her even tighter. "Come on, are you still mad at me?"Abigail shook her head, amused by her clingy and jealous husband. "Fine, help me with the snacks, and we can all eat when everyone's up.""Okay," Xander agreed.Abigail would never have thought the CEO of Zane Corporation could be so possessive, getting upset over anyone close to her. Nor could she imagine how he would be glued to her side all the time.Meanwhile, after thinking about it all night, Jay finally worked up the courage to text Daisy.Jay: [Urgent! I have a new phone and number. Call my other number.]After sending the text, Jay felt nervous. He worried that if someone was spying on them, they might see his message, and he could get a call from those people first. After waiting a bit, his phone started ringing. Jay checked it and saw a numb
"Are you sure her husband is a nobody in Florivera? Have you met him?" Jay asked."I haven't met him," Daisy replied. "But the important people in Florivera aren't married to her, so I think her husband must not be very important. The Guzman family has had some problems lately, and their stock has taken a hit. But they're still a powerful family, so I don't think handling someone unimportant would be a big problem.""You're jumping to conclusions," Jay said. "I've seen the guy, and I can tell you he's not ordinary. He has a certain presence. Plus, he's got a really skilled bodyguard who could take down several of us."Jay was street-smart, good at reading people. If he said Abigail's man was special, he probably was. To get things done, you had to know your enemy."Let's not hurry," Daisy said. "I'll find out more about this guy, and then we'll decide what to do." Daisy hung up the phone, got up from her bed, and went upstairs to Mallory's room.After the last incident, Daisy made
"It's alright, my sweet girl. I love you so much; how could I ever be mad at you?" Daisy hugged Mallory. "Can you tell me who the man is with Xander's assistant?"Mallory shook her head. "I've only met her a few times. We're not close enough for her to introduce me to her family.""I heard her grandma passed away, and she went back to her hometown in North Florivera. Would you like to call her and comfort her?" Daisy handed back the phone she had kept from Mallory. "I know you don't have many friends, so if you want to be friends with her, that's okay. I won't stop you anymore."Holding her phone that had been taken away for a few days, Mallory felt like it was too good to be true. "Can I really call her now?"Daisy gently messed up Mallory's hair. "Sure you can. You haven't seen her in a long time. Why don't you give her a video call and comfort her?""Can I really?" Mallory asked. She remembered that in the past, whenever she talked about Abigail, her mother would get upset. She
Everyone thought Margaret had set up her grandson's marriage with a girl from a wealthy family. No one believed she would have him marry a girl from a small town."What does it matter if you believe it or not?" Mallory retorted. "They're now in North Florivera, and they seem really happy together. Don't ask me to seduce Xander anymore. Don't make me interfere in their relationship—"Smack!Before Mallory could finish, Daisy angrily slapped her. "What nonsense are you spouting? Don't you dare say that again. I've told you countless times; you were born to marry Xander. How could you say such hurtful things?"Mallory looked at her mother, her face not showing any emotion. But when she looked closely, she could see a hint of amusement in her eyes. She expected her mother to apologize soon, just like she had many times before. Whenever her mother got mad, she would slap Mallory and then try to make up for it with a kind gesture."Sorry, Mallory," Daisy said, holding Mallory's face gen
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