The phone on his desk buzzed a few times. Glancing at the screen and noticing Emily immersed in her game, he got up and stepped out of the office to take the call.“Mom, please stop setting me up on blind dates,” Justin said in a low, exasperated voice, his eyes scanning the area around him.“I'm only looking out for you. Emma’s character is questionable. She’s not the right woman for you. Don’t you trust your mother’s judgment?” Heidi’s voice on the other end of the line was tinged with urgency, worried her son might end up tricked into marrying Emma.“I’ve already broken things off with her and made it clear. Don’t bring it up again.”“You’ve broken up?” Heidi’s happiness practically radiated through the phone. “Good! Then you should meet this girl. She’s your Uncle Jimmy York’s daughter. Do you remember her?“Just one dinner, for my sake. I’ve already agreed on your behalf. If you don’t like her, I won’t push it,” she pleaded.“Fine, just this once,” he replied coldly before h
When Emily arrived at the hospital, Helen was already there with the takeout. Emily pushed open the door, holding a bag of spicy Cajun crawfish in one hand.Helen eagerly reached out to grab it. “Is this from Maggie’s Crawfish? My favorite! Baby, I love you—mwah, mwah!”The small table on Richard’s hospital bed was already set with the takeout that had arrived earlier. Richard sat on the hospital bed with one leg bent, still bickering with Helen. “Ugh, it’s just crawfish. Is it really worth all that excitement?” he teased.“You didn’t get any, did you? Too bad!” Helen smirked, shaking her head to taunt him. “Serves you right!”Frustrated by her smugness, Richard turned to Emily for support. “Sis, look at her!”Emily, just finished washing her hands, smiled as she walked over. “Alright, you two, stop arguing. I bought plenty. It’s enough for all three of us.”“Hmph!” Richard, now emboldened, said smugly, “See? Sis brought me some too!”“Not for you!” Helen teased, playfully try
The driver, wearing a mask and radiating an ominous aura, glanced at Emily through the rearview mirror. His tone was cold and unsettling. “Miss Yates, we’re not at the destination yet. My boss admires you and would like to invite you over for some tea.”Before Emily could react, the car suddenly accelerated to its highest speed, causing her to be thrown back against the seat. *Meanwhile, in the villa, Justin paced restlessly. He had been home for a while, but there was still no sign of Emily. Even if she had just finished dinner when they spoke, she should have been back by now. Worry gnawed at him, a mix of anxiety and irritation clawing at his nerves. Standing by the study window, he called her phone again. “The number you’ve dialed is currently unavailable. Please try again later. Sorry…”Justin lowered the phone, his jaw tightening. “She wouldn’t just take this chance to leave, would she?” he thought. His frustration boiled over as he tugged at his tie. The mere t
Emily moved to the window, desperately hoping for an escape route, only to find it bolted shut. Outside, she spotted several men in black stationed around the villa. Her heart sank. “Am I really going to be trapped here and… violated?”The doorknob rattled, and panic set in. She frantically searched for a place to hide, her wide eyes darting around the room. But there was nowhere—no closet, no corner that could shield her.In another room, an obese man sat in the shadows, a cigar perched between his yellowed teeth. He exhaled thick plumes of smoke, his eyes glued to the monitor displaying Emily’s panicked attempts to conceal herself. A low, vile chuckle escaped his throat, dripping with satisfaction.The rattling stopped, and the door creaked open. Emily held her breath, her body rigid with fear. But instead of the kidnapper, two maids stepped inside.Without a word, the women grabbed her by the arms and led her into the bathroom. One began filling the bathtub with water, while t
“Well, well, Miss Yates,” the man sneered, his voice dripping with satisfaction. “It’s been a few days, and you’re still as defiant as ever. Trying to escape, were you? I guess you don’t realize just how hidden this place is.”He had been watching her through the surveillance cameras the entire time she was rummaging around the room.He had grown tired of submissive women. What thrilled him now was taming someone like a wild horse.When Emily saw Jack walk through the door, the anxiety and fear that had gripped her heart turned into dread.“Jack, how dare you kidnap me? Aren’t you afraid Justin will come after you for this?” she shouted.Jack burst into laughter, as if she had just told him the most absurd joke. “Do you think you can fool me? If I didn’t know the two of you are just in a contractual relationship, I might’ve fallen for your tricks again, like last time.”His expression shifted from mocking to menacing as he took slow, deliberate steps toward her. Emily instinctive
The pain was overwhelming—searing lashes from the whip, the burning cigar pressed against her thigh, and now, sharp cramps wracking her lower abdomen. Tears slid down Emily’s face, pooling at the corners of her eyes as despair threatened to swallow her.“Babies,” she thought, her mind flickering to the tiny lives growing inside her. “I once wanted to get rid of you, but not this time. If we survive this together, I swear I’ll keep you. No matter what happens.”Jack’s beady eyes gleamed with twisted satisfaction as he watched her writhe in pain, her screams feeding his sick enjoyment.“Scream louder! Come on, louder!” he taunted, but something about her cries still didn’t satisfy him, not like that night in Justin’s office. Frustration flickered in his expression as he tossed the cigar aside.“Why go through all this pain? Wouldn’t it be easier to just let me have my fun? Then I’d let you go,” he said, smirking as he stripped off his robe.Emily glared at him with pure hatred, re
“Ugh… cough…” Emily couldn’t breathe as Jack’s hands tightened around her neck. Her bloodied mouth was forced open, and she felt like she was on the brink of death. With a loud bang, the door was violently kicked open from the outside. Justin burst into the room first, and the sight before him made his blood boil with rage. Without a second’s hesitation, he charged toward the bed, veins bulging in his clenched fists. He grabbed Jack’s wrist with such force that it snapped, prying his hands off Emily’s neck and freeing her.Emily gasped for air, coughing violently as she spit the blood from her mouth. “Cough… pfft…” Justin grabbed her arms, pulling them from around Jack’s neck, then swung a punch that landed squarely on Jack’s head. “You dare lay a hand on my woman?” Justin growled. Grabbing Jack like he was nothing more than dead weight, he yanked him off the waterbed and threw him to the floor. Without hesitation, he delivered a furious stomp between Jack’s legs.“Ahhh
Among the videos, there was one of Emily, but it only showed her being beaten and tortured, as Jack hadn’t succeeded in assaulting her. Fortunately, the video hadn’t been uploaded yet, as the police had arrived just in time to prevent it.When Justin saw the footage alongside the police, his expression turned icy, and a dangerous glint appeared in his narrowed eyes, betraying the storm brewing within him. The Griffin family would likely disappear from Lincourt City completely.“Police Chief Leonard, could you help me ensure this footage is permanently deleted?” Justin asked.The police chief nodded and, in Justin’s presence, instructed an officer to permanently erase Emily’s video from their records.A police officer approached Emily to take her statement. Justin immediately tried to refuse, eager to take her to the hospital, but Emily overheard and chose to cooperate. She didn’t want to make another trip to the station or have the police come questioning her later. The female
Justin lifted his glass and offered a toast to the chairman. “A toast—no wine, just a drink—to celebrate your wonderful family.”His words were warm, but there was a faint bitterness in his eyes. He had once been so close to having that kind of happiness—just one step away. If things had been different, he too would have a wife by his side, a home filled with laughter, and children to go home to.The chairman smiled, lifting his own glass as they clinked them together. After that, they shifted back to business, finalizing contract details and discussing future development plans. By the time lunch was wrapping up, the chairman’s phone rang—it was his wife. Since there were no outsiders in the room, he answered directly. “Hey, honey.” “Are you done with the contract talks? And don’t drink at lunch—you have fatty liver. The doctor said you should avoid alcohol as much as possible. If there’s a social event, let your team handle it instead.“If you really can’t a
The cool mist of the medicine sprayed onto Haley’s ankle, making her instinctively pull back. Justin tightened his grip, refusing to let go until he was satisfied that he had applied enough. Only then did he release her foot. “If you’re injured, stop moving around so much.” “Justin Yates, could you please figure out your place here? I don’t need you to apply the medicine, and you definitely shouldn’t be sleeping in my bed!” “Got it. There won’t be a next time.” He casually promised there wouldn’t be a next time, making Haley huff in frustration. Arguing with someone who stayed so calm only made her feel like the unreasonable one. It was like throwing a punch, only to have it land on nothing but air.Annoyed, she shot Justin a sharp glare before hopping off the bed and limping toward the bathroom. Seeing her struggle, Justin instinctively stepped forward to help, but Haley swatted his hand away. She didn’t need his help. Neither of them brought up yesterda
Zac didn’t say anything, but Justin understood exactly what he meant. The call ended. Just as he put his phone away, William approached from across the underground parking garage, carrying a black plastic bag in his hand. “Mr. Yates, what do you want us to do with this hand?” “Get rid of it,” Justin replied, tilting his head back against the seat, his voice cold and emotionless. There was no trace of sentimentality for its former owner. “Understood,” William responded without hesitation. He handed the bag to two bodyguards and instructed them to dispose of it properly. Then, without a hint of blood on him, he got back in the car and drove Justin back to the hospital. Evelyn, Helen, and Zac had already left the hospital, leaving only Haley in the room. Instead of heading straight to her, Justin first stopped by Zac’s private lounge to take a shower. He scrubbed himself thoroughly, changed into fresh clothes, and made sure there was no trace of any lingering sc
Upstairs, the agonized screams echoed through the halls, but down in the underground parking garage, Justin heard nothing. He unlocked the car and got in. With William still upstairs handling things, Justin settled into the back seat, pulled out his phone, and dialed Zac. During those few short minutes descending from the upper floors, his mind had been racing. His mother, Heidi. Haley’s car accident. And then, his thoughts drifted further back—five years ago—when Haley had still been Emily. That incident at the hospital. The fight with Emma. A single fall had supposedly caused Emma’s miscarriage. But what about Haley? Back then, she had been pregnant when she was caught in an earthquake. What had she gone through? Haley had always avoided answering his question. What exactly had she gone through, all alone in Ramsdale? Every time Justin tried to think about it, a sharp pain throbbed in his head, as if his own mind were forcing him not to di
Emma knew Justin’s personality well. She could not admit that she had fallen on her own. If she did, Justin would make her pay for it. The miscarriage, her sudden disappearance on an overseas trip—all of it had been built on his guilt. She could not let him know that everything had happened by her own design. And then there was the debt he owed her—the time she had saved his life in Merika State. That was her shield. As long as that debt remained, Justin would always give her leeway. Even if he did not want to, he would still spare her life. She had no idea which woman had actually saved him that day, but she owed that mystery woman a thank-you. Because of her, Emma had been handed the perfect excuse. Justin’s dark eyes were terrifyingly calm, a storm raging beneath their surface. His grip on her chin shifted, his fingers now wrapping around her throat. “Did you have anything to do with my mother’s death? Was it you?!” His furious roar sent a c
Whether Evelyn said it or not, it wouldn’t change Haley’s decision.“You’ve suffered enough. But now that I’m here, no one will ever hurt you again. That includes Emma. And if anyone tries to protect her or stand in our way, it won’t change a thing.” Her last words were aimed directly at Zac—a clear warning. Even if Justin wanted to protect Emma, it wouldn’t matter. If it came down to it, their families could go head-to-head. Helen elbowed Zac and shot him a glare. “If you dare to side with Justin and defend Emma, then you can leave with them!”Zac immediately caught the underlying message from his mother-in-law and wasted no time swearing his loyalty. “I’m on your side. No question about it.” *At the hospital’s underground garage, Justin and William got into one car, while two bodyguards forced Emma into another.“Mmmph! Mmmph!” Even now, Emma refused to stay quiet. The cars drove straight to a property Justin had once bought for her. When they arrived,
“You—” Helen shot up from the bed, her face flushed with anger. She pointed a trembling finger at Emma, who was crying like a helpless victim. She was unbelievable. She could turn black into white with just a few tears and a sob story. Helen was so furious she couldn’t even find the right words to curse her. Instead, she turned to Justin, glaring at him. He wasn’t going to fall for her lies again, was he? Zac noticed his wife losing her composure and quickly tugged at the hem of her dress, signaling her to calm down and sit back down. Then Justin suddenly shifted his focus, his sharp gaze locking onto Emma. “Then who is Nadia Lawson?”Emma’s breath hitched.“Na… Nadia Lawson? I don’t know her!”She shook her head frantically, forcing herself to keep her gaze steady and not dart around.Nadia Lawson?!They had even uncovered that name?She couldn’t admit it.She had to deny everything.Nadia had been one of the people who escaped with her that night.But
Piece by piece, the evidence was laid out. How Emma had funneled money through laundering schemes into offshore accounts. The exact timestamps of each transaction. The amount transferred to the hired gunman. Even the text messages coordinating the hit. Every detail pointed directly to Emma. The evidence was undeniable. Justin had never imagined she was capable of something like this. The fragile, helpless image she had always portrayed was nothing more than a carefully crafted mask. He wasn’t a fool—he wouldn’t have held his position if he were. But that fleeting moment when she had saved his life, and the guilt of losing her overseas, had blinded him. Because of that, he had put her on a pedestal, convinced himself she was good. And that blindness had kept him from seeing just how ruthless she really was. Behind Justin, Zac was in complete shock. The level of calculation and deception Emma had displayed was something even they, as businessmen,
Even Haley looked at Evelyn in confusion. “The person who orchestrated the car accident and tried to kill my daughter has been identified.” Evelyn spoke calmly, watching everyone's reactions closely. “Justin, don’t you want to know who the culprit is?” Justin’s gaze sharpened. Of course, he wanted to know who was behind the attempt on Haley’s life.Emma’s body went rigid. She stopped crying and stopped making excuses. The grip on her handbag tightened, fingers clutching the chain with tension. Her eyelids fluttered slightly as she glanced warily at Evelyn. There was no way she could have found out. She had been meticulous. The money had gone through multiple layers of laundering, never directly moving through any domestic banks. Even RC Corporation’s own financial institutions showed no suspicious transactions. If Justin’s resources hadn’t uncovered anything after all this time, then Evelyn couldn’t have either. With that thought, Emma’s racing heart slowly set