She kept a blank face, turned around, and left the men's clothing store, heading straight to another trendy store.When Russell came out and didn't see her, he paused, puzzled. "Where did she go?"Selena said in surprise, "Mr. Skyler, I didn't expect you to look so handsome in a suit. It seems that good-looking people can make even a rag look fashionable."Russell replied, "Thank you for the compliment."Selena added, "Ave went to the opposite store."Russell glanced at his suit, his eyes flickering briefly before he went back to change out of it. Then he headed to the trendy store across the way.Aveline had already picked out an outfit. She said to Russell, "Mr. Skyler, this set suits your style perfectly."Russell smiled. "But I thought the suit looked pretty good too."Aveline asked, "Do you like suits?"Russell replied, "I can wear anything."Aveline said, "Try this outfit, then."Russell agreed. "Alright."Selena walked over leisurely and, looking at Aveline, leaned in to say, "Y
"Mr. Skyler, how do you like this outfit?" Aveline asked, stepping back as Russell took a photo.Russell smiled, his handsome face carrying a hint of mischief. "It's great.""Then let's go with this one," Aveline said, pulling out her card to pay.Russell didn't stop her, his eyes lingering on her with a mysterious glint.Just as the payment was processed, Aveline's phone rang. It was a call from her department manager, Glen Lane."Hello? Mr. Lane," she answered.Glen’s voice sounded a bit strange. "Miss Young, are you busy right now? There's a data set that doesn't seem right. Can you come back and check it? It's important for the project."Aveline frowned. "Is it the data I worked on?"Glen replied, "Yes, it is."Aveline was puzzled. She had double-checked all the data before leaving work yesterday. How could there be a mistake?"Alright, I'll come back to take a look," she agreed.Glen added, "Great, thank you. Don't worry, you'll be paid for the overtime."Aveline thanked him and h
Aveline's face immediately darkened.It seemed Selena had been right. She had been forced to come back for overtime because of Lucas.Desmond tried to ignore her icy glare and handed her the file. "Miss Young, the data in this document is incorrect. Please recheck it."Aveline snatched the file, saying coldly, "If there's nothing wrong with this data, I won’t forgive you.”Desmond was speechless.He felt completely at a loss."Miss Young, it was Mr. Tudor's order, not mine," Desmond quickly explained, trying to distance himself from the situation.Aveline looked at him with disdain. "Is there any difference between you and him?"Desmond kept quiet.He returned to the CEO's office, feeling like the sky was falling.It was really tough being an assistant to the CEO!He took out his phone and sent a message to Brian on WhatsApp. “Are you interested in becoming an assistant?”Brian replied, “No, I'm just a bodyguard.”Desmond texted, “Maybe you should consider it.”Brian rejected firmly. “
Barbara's face instantly showed anger, her wrinkled features hardening. "That brat! I've told him before that a wife should be cherished, not bullied. He dares to bully you? I'll call him right now!"She reached for her phone, which she always wore around her neck. It was an old-fashioned button phone with speed dial, and she quickly called Lucas."Grandma." Lucas's warm, magnetic voice came through the phone.Barbara glanced at Aveline, who put a finger to her lips, signaling her not to mention her presence."Where are you, Lucas?"Lucas replied, "I'm at home. Do you miss me, Grandma?"Barbara huffed. "I miss you? Do you miss me? When was the last time you visited me?"Lucas said, "I've been a bit busy lately. I'll come over right now."Barbara responded, "Good, I'll be waiting!"She hung up and smiled at Aveline. "Just wait, I will get revenge for you!"Aveline hugged Barbara. "Grandma, why are you so good to me?"Though they had never met before, but after their first encounter, Bar
Lucas didn't understand why his grandmother suddenly brought up this issue, but he could only endure it silently."I understand, Grandma. I'll treat my wife well."Barbara huffed. "That's more like it."With that, she released Lucas' ear, which was already red from being twisted.Aveline, hiding behind a nearby bush, saw this scene and pressed her lips together. At first, she was pleased. But her mood quickly turned somber.After all, Barbara was Lucas' grandmother. Even if she scolded him, she wouldn't let anything really happen to him. The things she said—Aveline didn't believe them, and she doubted Lucas did either.Forget it.There was no point.Just as Aveline was about to turn and leave, a gentle voice called out, "Madam Barbara."Aveline's body stiffened. She turned and saw Sophia walking in from the entrance.She wore a beige long dress that reached her ankles, but her prosthetic leg was still noticeable. Her hair was draped over her shoulders, her light makeup was elegant, and
"My granddaughter-in-law!"Barbara seemed to remember Aveline, reaching out to her joyfully. "Where did you go? Did you not want to play with me anymore?"Aveline walked over and took her hand. "No, we agreed before. I would hide, and you would teach him a lesson."Barbara was momentarily confused but then nodded. "Yes, yes, Lucas bullied you, so I taught him a lesson."Lucas's dark gaze fixed on Aveline. "Did you come here to complain to Grandma?"Aveline raised an eyebrow. "So, what if I did?"Lucas' expression darkened further.Barbara didn't hesitate to smack him again. "I just told you, and you've already forgotten? Why are you glaring at your wife?"Lucas fell silent.Aveline turned to Barbara. "Grandma, you're so good to me."Barbara laughed cheerfully. "I like you, so of course I'm good to you. Try this, our housekeeper made these new snacks. They're delicious."She picked up a piece and held it to Aveline's lips.Aveline paused for a moment, glancing at Sophia. As expected, So
Aveline turned to Barbara. "Grandma, he's bullying me again."Without hesitation, Barbara raised her hand and smacked Lucas, not holding back at all.Lucas fell silent.His face was expressionless, but his gaze was so intense it seemed like he wanted to burn a hole through Aveline.Barbara scolded, "Lucas, it seems you never learn. If you keep bullying your wife, I'll tell her to leave you!"Lucas closed his eyes, suppressing his emotions.Aveline smiled smugly and then turned to Barbara. "Grandma, are you tired? Do you want to rest?"Barbara shook her head. "I'm not tired. I still want to play."But as she said this, she yawned.Seeing this, Aveline immediately said, "Let's go to your room and play. I'll tell you a story.""Okay," Barbara agreed eagerly at the mention of a story.Aveline walked over, nudged Lucas aside, and pushed the wheelchair towards the small building.Lucas stared at her back, his eyes dark and brooding."Lucas." Sophia's voice was soft and muffled as she approac
Aveline turned to Sophia. "Miss Winter, do you really believe this jerk? He can't even protect you and needs to use me as a cover. Don't you find that ridiculous?"Unfortunately, she had overheard the entire conversation.She was speechless after hearing Lucas' shameless words.He really did love Sophia!Loved her enough to drag an innocent person like her into this mess.All her fears, her nightmares in the middle of the night, they were all caused by him!If he didn't want her to have peace, then no one would have peace!After all, she was alone and had nothing to lose, but maybe she could take them down with her!A wave of bitterness grew in Aveline's heart, and she began to resent Lucas.Sophia's gaze turned cold. "Miss Young, if you don't know the whole story, don't speak carelessly. The Tudor family might seem glamorous, but Lucas has had a tough time these past years. I can't help him much, but I hope you won't make things harder for him."Aveline sneered. "Afraid I'll cause tro
"Let… let me go!" Jolie struggled with all her might, but the drugs were quickly sapping her strength, leaving her powerless to break free.The man, too impatient to care, ignored her pleas and began dragging her toward the back exit."Hey! She told you to let her go. Are you deaf?" A sharp voice suddenly cut through the air.The man froze, startled, and looked up to see a girl standing not far away."Who the hell are you? This has nothing to do with you. Get lost!" He snapped, not recognizing Selena, his tone turning nasty.Selena’s expression grew colder as she took in Jolie’s disheveled state. Without hesitation, she stepped forward and slapped the man hard across the face, then yanked Jolie away from him."Letting yourself fall into the hands of this scum? Where’s your fight?" Selena said sharply.Jolie’s blurry consciousness flickered at the sound of her familiar voice. When she realized it was Selena, her tensed body finally relaxed, leaning heavily into her for support."Take me
Jolie watched Selena’s retreating figure and shook her head in frustration. What could she do? Selena’s emotional wounds ran deep, and no matter what Jolie tried, it seemed impossible to bridge the gap between them.Returning to the party, she glanced around at the crowd of men and women mingling with champagne flutes in hand, but her mind wasn’t on the event. She casually picked up a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and sipped it slowly.What she didn’t notice was a man standing across the room, watching her. As she drank, his eyes darkened, and he licked his lips suggestively.After finishing about half the glass, Jolie started feeling strange. Her body was growing weak, her skin hot and feverish, and a strange itchiness spread through her veins.Her brows furrowed in confusion. What was happening? She headed toward the restroom, but as she rounded a corner, her legs gave out, and she had to grab the wall for support to keep from collapsing."Did someone drug me?" she murmu
Maria looked at the two little ones, absolutely delighted, and then turned to Aveline. "I’ve got some happy news to share as well."Selena guessed, "You're pregnant?"Maria nodded. "That’s right."Selena gave her a thumbs-up. "Wow, that was fast! You said it and made it happen."Maria smiled. "I couldn’t fall too far behind. I need to make sure my kid has the best opportunities and chances, right?" With their babies close in age to Ethan and Emma, Maria thought it would be perfect for them to grow up together, maybe even become childhood sweethearts.She looked at Selena and asked, "Weren’t you eager at first too? Why haven’t you made any moves yet?"Selena sighed. "I’m not sure. Honestly, I’m a little scared."Maria reassured her, "Take your time, no rush."Selena got up and left the room, heading outside for some fresh air. Seeing Aveline go through the struggles of pregnancy and the dangers of childbirth genuinely frightened her. On top of that, she worried she wouldn’t be a good m
At first, the twin really did look quite wrinkly and not very cute, but as time passed, they started to fill out and became more and more beautiful. The baby boy had a calm demeanor, rarely crying or fussing. He spent most of his time either eating or sleeping, with large, dark eyes like black grapes, a high nose, a tiny mouth, and chubby, round cheeks full of baby fat.The baby girl, on the other hand, was much more lively and prone to fussing, expressing her displeasure whenever things didn’t go her way. She cried the most between the two.The baby boy was born first, and the girl was the younger sister. Every time, the sister seemed determined to make her brother cry, but she never succeeded. Once fed, she would calm down.“Have you thought of any names for them yet?” Selena asked, looking at Aveline, who was slowly recovering, while playfully toying with the little ones in the stroller.Aveline replied, "We’ve chosen some temporary nicknames, but we haven’t settled on their full n
Aveline said, "Braden is probably not interested."“Huh? Why?” Selena asked, confusion spreading across her face.Aveline explained, “Baron, Braden, and Maria all have a special bond with Lucas. No matter what, they wouldn’t betray him.”She paused for a moment, her thoughts drifting to Brian, the man who had always seen it as his duty to protect Lucas. She wondered how he was faring now.Selena shrugged. “Alright, I suppose. He’s helped me a lot recently, and if it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have handled everything so smoothly.”Aveline replied, “It’s all over now. Taking him with you wouldn’t really serve any purpose.”“True,” Selena agreed, nodding as she let go of the subject.She ended up staying in Larbor City for a month. One night, Aveline suddenly went into labor. The family rushed to action—though there was some initial chaos, they quickly regained control. Drivers got the car ready, calls to the hospital were made, and everything unfolded smoothly.At the hospital, Lucas h
To mitigate the impact of the incident, the Fletcher family arranged a marriage with the Skyler family, setting the wedding date for just one month later, a rather hasty decision. Aaron officially became the head of the Fletcher family, and despite any grievances Nathalie might have had, she didn’t dare voice them, keeping her frustration to herself.Selena, on the other hand, finally had some leisure time. With Aaron busier than ever, she felt bored and decided to visit Aveline in Larbor City.Aveline’s belly had grown quite large, and with just a month left until her due date, her feet had started swelling, looking puffy and rounded like little pillows. Seeing her condition, Selena couldn't help but remark, "Pregnancy looks so tough. I'm starting to get a little scared."Aveline glanced at her. "Are you planning to get pregnant?"As far as she remembered, Selena had never mentioned such plans.Selena nodded, then shared the idea she had previously about arranging a marriage between
Aaron held her hand and led her directly out of the room upstairs.Meanwhile, inside the room, Nathalie had someone forcibly separate the two entangled people. Ernest looked utterly disheveled, still trying to grab onto Lila and continue.Lila, now slightly regaining her senses, realized the situation. She let out a piercing scream, wrapped herself in the blanket, and cried out in distress."How could this happen? Why did it turn out like this? Why am I here? Mom, wasn't that bitch Selena supposed to be in this room? Why is it me? Why me!"The sensation in her body was undeniable, and seeing Ernest in his dazed state, she could already imagine how wild things had been between them. Worse yet, many people had witnessed it!This scene was supposed to fall on Selena!What went wrong?Nathalie hugged her, trying to calm her down, "Don’t get worked up, Lila. You can’t afford to get upset right now. It’s okay, mom’s here with you. I’ll take care of this."But Lila was inconsolable, sobbing u
The servant stood frozen in shock, unable to comprehend what had just unfolded. How... how could this have happened? How did Lila end up in the room instead of Selena?She distinctly remembered helping Selena into that very room and watching as the family doctor applied the patch to her ankle. The patch, once applied for more than a minute, should have released the drug into Selena's system, gradually taking effect. But now everything had gone terribly wrong.Pale and trembling, the servant knew that her role in this failed scheme had been exposed. There would be no good outcome for her. She began to retreat, hoping to slip away unnoticed."Leaving so soon?"A lazy, magnetic voice suddenly spoke from behind her.Startled, she spun around to see Aaron standing in the doorway. His tall, imposing figure blocked the exit, preventing anyone from leaving easily."I... I..." The servant stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence, trapped in her fear.Aaron’s expression remained neutral, b
"Such a big issue has to be cleared up, don’t you think, Aaron? What if someone is deliberately trying to smear your wife’s name?" "Exactly! We’ve all met your wife—she’s beautiful and sharp. There’s no way she’d do anything to betray you.""We need to open the door and clear up any misunderstandings before things get out of hand."The crowd voiced their concerns, their words filled with feigned sympathy, but their eyes gleamed with anticipation.Kendrick arrived just behind Aaron, and upon hearing the whispers, his expression darkened."Who said this?" The servant timidly raised her hand. "I... I did."His voice hardened. "Are you sure of what you saw?"Though visibly frightened, the servant nodded firmly. "I’m sure.""I don’t think she’s lying.”"Maybe it’s true. If it is, then she really couldn’t keep herself in check, especially at Lila’s birthday party. How shameless.""Unbelievable! With a husband like Aaron, she’s still not satisfied? I can’t understand women like that."A few