"Mr. Fletcher, here's your water," Selena said, handing him the cup without looking at him.Aaron took the cup, sipping it slowly. "Do you really want to murder me right now?" Selena forced a smile. "Mr. Fletcher, you're joking. Committing murder is against the law."Aaron chuckled lightly. "So, if it weren't illegal, you'd murder me?"Selena smiled at him, and Aaron couldn't help but feel a shiver run down his spine.He stood up and started walking toward the woods. After a couple of steps, he noticed Selena still standing there and asked, "What are you waiting for?"Selena asked incredulously, "Do you need me to follow you to pee?"The veins on Aaron's forehead bulged. "Follow me!"Selena's expression changed as she looked at him like he was a pervert, even taking a step back. "I refuse."Aaron laughed at her reaction. "I'm not going to the bathroom."Selena eyed him suspiciously. "Then why are you heading into the woods?"Aaron fell silent.Why did everything she said have an under
Aaron froze. He too had heard the sound of something cutting through the air. When he turned around, he saw Selena diving towards him, taking the bullet meant for him.It was utterly shocking!He caught her, watching in disbelief as blood flowed from her shoulder and her face grew pale. "Why?" he asked, confused.Selena was in so much pain that she couldn't speak. Hearing his voice through the haze, she wanted to slap him hard. Why was he asking such a dumb question? Couldn’t he just get her to the hospital already? Did he plan to let her die and bury her right here? This damn man!"Mr. Fletcher, are you alright?" The discreetly positioned bodyguards emerged from their hiding, having captured the shooter, and approached him.Aaron snapped out of his daze, his face darkening. "What were you doing just now?"The bodyguard bowed his head. "Sorry, Mr. Fletcher, it happened suddenly, and we were caught off guard."Aaron couldn't describe what he felt. He picked up Selena and ran qui
Was it because she liked him that she couldn't bear to see him hurt, so she took the bullet for him? Could she really have a masochistic tendency?He had always been bullying her. And yet, she still liked him?Aaron couldn't help but touch his own face, feeling a surge of confidence. With his dashing appearance, liking him made sense, after all.He put away his phone, his gaze settling on the unconscious Selena, and sighed helplessly.What a pity. He knew he couldn't reciprocate her feelings.When Selena groggily woke up, her left shoulder felt foreign to her. The pain was excruciating and unbearable.Where was the anesthesia? Did that damn man not even give her any painkillers? Was he that cruel?She sucked in a sharp breath, tears welling up from the pain.Seeing her awake, Aaron said, "Don't move around too much. Your wound will hurt a lot."Selena lay there on her stomach, feeling utterly miserable. Her face was pale, and she weakly asked, "Mr. Fletcher, can I ask what exactly you
"By the way, don't tell Aveline about this," Selena murmured, worried that Aveline might get anxious."Alright," Aaron replied absentmindedly. He was still wondering what request Selena might ask for. If she were to ask him to wed her, he wouldn’t know what to do.It was a tricky situation. Why did he have to complicate things further by agreeing to fulfill yet another request?Aaron sighed, thinking he really shot himself in the foot this time....Back at the hotel, Aveline felt a sudden, inexplicable unease. She stood there in a daze for a moment, but the feeling quickly passed, leaving her puzzled.Just then, her phone rang. Seeing it was Lucas, she hesitated. Why was he calling her? Instinctively, she wanted to ignore it, but since they weren't divorced yet, she answered the call. What if he was calling about the divorce?"Hello?" Aveline said.Lucas' voice came through. "Where are you? I'll send someone to pick you up. Grandma wants to see you."Aveline felt a pang of disapp
As soon as the words left her mouth, the atmosphere in the car turned icy, a chilling pressure enveloping Aveline. Her eyelashes fluttered subtly, reflecting her inner turmoil.Lucas remained silent but he drove faster. Aveline clutched her seatbelt, her brow furrowing. "Lucas, slow down."It was rush hour. Driving this fast was dangerous, and she certainly didn't want to die."Shut up!" Lucas snapped. He didn't want to hear her voice at all, and her words only made him want to strangle her.Aveline flinched at his outburst, casting him a bewildered glance. "Why are you so angry?"Lucas' face grew even darker, and the car sped up even more.Aveline didn't dare speak again, afraid that his frustration might cause him to crash the car, putting their lives at risk.Finally, after a nerve-wracking drive, Lucas stopped the car in front of the Tudor family estate. The gatekeeper opened the gate, and Lucas drove in.Aveline closed her eyes briefly, then said, "Lucas, as a man, I hope you'll
Aveline's smile froze.Lucas said, "Grandma, you don't even care about me. Once there's a great-grandchild, you'll like me even less. Maybe it's better if we don't have one.""Stop that nonsense! Are you jealous of your own child? What kind of father are you? A great-grandchild is a must, and I want to play with my great-grandchild!" Barbara waved her hand dismissively, clearly not interested in what Lucas had to say.Lucas could only smile wryly.Aveline said, "Grandma, the weather is nice today. How about we take a stroll in the garden?""Yes, yes! I love walking with you," Barbara agreed eagerly.Aveline began to push the wheelchair out of the villa.Lucas didn't follow them. Instead, he went upstairs and entered the study.Yvonne happened to come out and, upon seeing him, smiled. "Lucas, you're back. Your father was just talking about you. Go on in.""Okay," Lucas responded coolly.Inside the study, the atmosphere was heavy.Frederick sat in a leather chair, wearing glasses and rea
Aveline felt deeply touched. She wasn't particularly close to Barbara, yet Barbara liked her immensely. Whenever she saw Aveline, she would give her the best of everything.Aveline couldn't help but wonder if this was how parents treated their children. She couldn't relate. Her thoughts drifted to her own child, which she didn't yet have. A tinge of sadness flashed in her eyes. She didn't know when she would ever have a child of her own. Whenever she and Lucas were together, he always used protection, preventing any possibility of a child. She had never thought much about it, but Barbara's words had made her start to care. Lucas didn't want a child but refused to divorce her. Such a contradictory man.At that moment, a servant came over to announce that dinner was ready.Aveline said, "Grandma, let's go back and have dinner.""Yes, yes," Barbara agreed, nodding. Just then, the flower crown fell from her head. Barbara quickly caught it and held it tightly in her hands.Aveline co
Sophia instinctively glanced at Aveline. However, Yvonne acted as if she hadn't noticed her expression and said, "Let's go, time to eat."Throughout the entire situation, Aveline remained silent. She simply observed everything indifferently.How could Yvonne, who managed to become the matriarch of the Tudor family, be someone without a scheming mind and intelligence? What was the meaning behind that scene just now? Was she trying to sow discord between her and Lucas, or make her jealous of Sophia?A trace of mockery flashed within Aveline.At that moment, Lucas descended the stairs. Noticing the expression on her face, his eyes darkened a bit as he approached and asked, "What's wrong?"Aveline glanced at him and said, "Nothing, it's time to eat."As she spoke, she was about to leave, but he grabbed her wrist.She looked at him in confusion.Lucas furrowed his brows and said, "Aveline, you can tell me if anything happens. You can't handle everything alone."Aveline's expression turned
One of Jolie’s long, slender legs was exposed to the cool air, and Gavin’s fingers instinctively tightened, as if they could still feel the smoothness of her thigh under his grip. His gaze darkened, though his expression only grew colder. His sharp, chiseled features gave him a distant, unapproachable aura—a man who seldom smiled and whose demeanor warned others to stay away.He was cold, almost like an ice block."Debt’s owed," he said flatly, tossing out the two words before sitting on the sofa and picking up the phone to make a call.Jolie blinked in surprise, processing what he said. Debt owed?Was that something you could even keep on hold?But thinking about it, he probably didn’t need anything right now. So, if he wanted to leave the debt hanging, so be it.Stretching lazily, Jolie sat up and said, "Have someone bring me a change of clothes."With that, she pulled the blanket aside, slowly rising from the bed despite the discomfort between her legs and headed toward the bathro
As the effects of the drug finally began to fade, Jolie lay exhausted on the bed, her body drenched in sweat. Her skin, especially across her delicate shoulder blades, bore faint marks from their encounter and her breath ragged as it brushed against her own back. Her vision was hazy, and she barely had the strength to speak."I... I’m fine now... you can stop," she murmured, her voice weak and broken from the strain of what had just happened.The madness of moments before still pulsed through her, the aftershocks of it lingering in her body. She never expected that grabbing a random man for help would lead to this, nor did she expect him to have such relentless stamina.Yet, the man behind her didn’t stop. He didn’t respond either. His large hands remained firmly gripped around her slender waist as if he were trying to squeeze the very breath from her."Stop... I told you to stop, didn’t you hear me?" Jolie’s anxiety spiked as he continued. What was wrong with him? They’d agreed he was
Gavin said nothing and simply hung up the phone, his expression darkening by the second.Behind him, Jolie’s soft, pained whimpers filled the air. She was writhing on the bed, her delicate skin flushed a faint pink.Gavin clenched his jaw, tugging at his tie. It had already loosened from when she’d pulled on it earlier, and with a rough yank, it came completely undone. Frustration simmered beneath his calm exterior.Where was Selena? She was supposed to be finding help, but she still hadn’t returned.His frown deepened as he reached for the door, ready to leave."Please… help me…"Her desperate voice, laced with a hint of a sob, echoed from behind him. The softness of it hit him like a lit match to his chest, sparking a heat he wasn’t used to feeling. "Please… I’ll pay you… I won’t take it for free…" Jolie’s voice broke as tears streamed down her face. She was sobbing now, her words dripping with helplessness and shame, as if offering him money would somehow make her request more bear
"Stop moving," Gavin growled in a low voice.But Jolie, completely under the control of the drugs, was acting purely on instinct, seeking out what her body craved most. She didn’t register his words at all. Instead of stopping, she slipped her hand inside his shirt, feeling the hard muscles of his chest."Mm..." Jolie let out a soft sound, whether from the satisfying feel of his muscles or because the touch of his skin intensified the drug’s effects, it wasn’t clear.Gavin's breathing became heavier. He couldn’t stay here any longer—this drugged and irrational woman could do anything at this point, and there was no telling what she’d attempt next.Quickly surveying his surroundings, Gavin spotted a quieter route. Without hesitation, he carried Jolie out through the back door, re-entering the villa through another entrance. He headed upstairs and slipped into the nearest empty room, laying her down on the bed.Just as he moved to leave, Jolie, still hazy and half-conscious, sensed his d
"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