The birthday party was held at the Ninth Mansion.Maria and Aveline stepped into the spacious private room, only to find it buzzing with activity. The air was thick with the chatter of Cloudflare City's young elite - scions of powerful families, each face a reminder of influence and wealth. Maria's eyes darted around, acutely aware that in this sea of privilege, she was an unknown.Some recognized Aveline but didn't approach her. They were aware of her identity and also knew about her divorce from Lucas. In their eyes, Aveline was now insignificant.Maria led Aveline to a corner, her eyes gleaming as she looked at the crowd. "Ave, do you know what I see when I look at these people? Flashing dollar signs!"Aveline smiled and said, "Getting them to turn into dollar signs in your pocket won't be so simple."Maria glanced at her. "Why worry? I've got you, don't I? Just show them some of your designs, and they'll be blown away. My studio's phone will be ringing off the hook!"Aveline smile
Just then, a commotion erupted near the entrance.Aveline and Sasha both looked over to see Rina emerging, dressed in a stunning gown. A diamond tiara adorned her head, exuding confidence and beauty, her every gesture radiating the grace of a true heiress. Beside her was Sophia, while following close behind were Aaron and Lucas.Aveline's expression froze.Sasha glanced at her and said, "Rina grew up with Aaron and Lucas, given the close ties between their families. They’ve always looked out for her. As she got older, Rina developed feelings for Aaron and has been chasing him for years. I heard that the Fletcher and Johnson families are planning to arrange a marriage between them."What?Aaron was going to marry Rina?Then what about Selena?Aveline was holding a grape, and upon hearing Sasha’s words, she squeezed it too hard, crushing it instantly.Did Aaron truly have no intention of letting Selena go, nor any plans to call off his engagement?If he were to marry Rina, where did tha
If Lucas reconciled with Aveline, where would that leave Sophia? Sasha’s position in the Winter family would be secure again....Lucas sat down right next to Aveline and asked in a low voice, "What are you looking at?"Aveline responded coolly, "Why are you so interested in everything? Do you live by the ocean or something?"Lucas chuckled softly. "Funny you say that—I actually do have a house by the ocean. When you’ve got some time, I’ll take you there. If you like it, we could spend some time there together."Aveline ignored him. Who wanted to go to the ocean with him? Ridiculous.Undeterred, Lucas continued, "You still haven't answered me. Why were you staring at Aaron?"Aveline glanced at him and said, "I think he's better looking than you."Hearing this, Lucas narrowed his eyes dangerously, clearly not expecting such a response. He reached out and grasped her chin, turning her face toward him as he coldly asked, "When did you go blind?"Aveline pushed his hand away and turned her
The server was visibly thrown off by the unexpected response.Aveline glanced over at Rina, noticing that Sophia was seated beside her. A suspicion began to form in her mind. Without warning, she reached out and took hold of Lucas' hand.Lucas looked at her in surprise, his eyes lighting up for a brief moment. He quickly clasped her hand in return, gripping it a little tighter as if afraid she might pull away.Aveline paused for a second, her brows furrowing slightly, but she didn't pull back. Instead, she continued eating her fruit.The two servers exchanged uncertain looks. They knew they couldn’t afford to offend Rina, but Lucas was even more intimidating. They retreated reluctantly.Rina and Sophia observed the entire interaction. Rina’s expression darkened. "That slut! She’s bold enough to flirt with Lucas in front of everyone. I really underestimated her."Sophia lowered her eyes slightly, adding a hint of sorrow to her voice. "Rina, let it go. Lucas is really into her right now
"Oh?" Aveline raised an eyebrow and gave Rina a half-smile before turning to Lucas. "Do I really have no right to tell you what to do?""You do. Absolutely," Lucas replied with a warm smile, not sparing even a glance at Rina.Rina’s expression grew even darker. "Lucas..."But Lucas waved her off, calmly saying, "Go have fun. Don’t interrupt me while I’m spending time with my wife."Rina’s anger surged, her resentment toward Aveline reaching its peak. This detestable woman dared to cling to Lucas—how could she even think she was worthy of being by his side? She vowed to teach Aveline a lesson as soon as she got the chance.With a cold huff, Rina stood up and left.Finally, some peace.Aveline tried to pull her hand away, but Lucas showed no intention of letting go. She looked at him and said, "I can’t eat properly if you keep holding my hand."In response, Lucas picked up a grape and held it to her lips, murmuring, "No problem, I’ll feed you."Aveline stared at him with a look of disdai
Rina kept a close eye on Russell’s movements. When she saw him walk straight over to Aveline and start chatting and laughing with her, her expression immediately darkened."Jennifer, since when did Russ get so close to that woman?" Rina asked, turning to Jennifer beside her.Jennifer glanced at Aveline, then shook her head. "I’m not sure. Who is she?"Having been abroad for some time, Jennifer didn’t know who Aveline was.Rina shot Aveline a venomous glare and muttered, "She’s just a manipulative slut who goes around seducing men."Hearing this, Jennifer’s brow furrowed. "If that’s the case, I’ll have a talk with my brother about keeping his distance from her."Rina nodded eagerly. "Yes, please do. Russ deserves better than some gold digger who’s just using her charms to get close to him."...Meanwhile, Russell approached, noticing the close interaction between Lucas and Aveline. His eyes darkened slightly, but he maintained a smile as he greeted her. "You’re here too."Aveline smiled
"Who is he…?" Aveline’s voice trembled slightly.Russell responded, "Yes, he’s one of the Tudors' bodyguards. He bears a striking resemblance to Bobby. With a hat and mask, it’s nearly impossible to tell whether he’s Bobby or someone else."Aveline's voice quivered, "So, is this bodyguard still at the Tudor residence?""Yes." Russell nodded, sharing all the information he had uncovered.Aveline closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the scales within her tipping toward the possibility that Lucas knew about this all along. If he did know, why hadn’t he said anything? What was he planning?Russell put his phone away and looked at her pale face. "Aveline, you should be careful with him. No one can truly understand Lucas' intentions. If he’s willing to torment Bobby, knowing he’s innocent, what makes you think he won’t do the same to you? What if you end up like Bobby?"Hearing this, Aveline’s heart sank.Yes, she could end up just like Bobby.Even though they were divorced, Lucas still ha
Russell’s expression darkened as he witnessed the scene. He immediately stepped forward, intending to pull Aveline back to safety.Without turning around, Lucas coldly said, "You’d better stay out of our marital affairs. If my grip slips and she falls, you’ll be going down with her."Russell froze, his hand suspended in midair. His gaze bore into Lucas, a whirlwind of emotions passing through him, but in the end, he withdrew his hand.Aveline, terrified of falling, clung tightly to Lucas’ shirt. She glanced down and saw the drop from the ninth floor. A fall from this height would surely be fatal."Lucas, are you insane?" Aveline forced herself to speak, her voice trembling with fear.Lucas watched the fear play out on her face, feeling an unsettling sense of satisfaction as she held onto him like a lifeline. "I’ve been insane for a long time. You know that, don’t you?" Lucas’s lips curled into a faint smile, his voice low and menacing, like a devil whispering in her ear.As he leaned
Lucas responded in a calm, low voice, “You won’t get that chance in this lifetime.”Selena huffed. “You better hope so!”She lifted her chin defiantly and then playfully winked at Aveline. Aveline smiled softly, a hint of exasperation in her eyes. When would these two ever stop bickering?Once they arrived at the mall, Selena dragged Aveline into a whirlwind shopping spree. Whatever caught their eye, they bought—no hesitation, no restraint. It felt exhilarating to indulge so freely!Lucas followed quietly behind them, occasionally making a few phone calls and handling work without missing a beat.After shopping all morning, the group started to feel tired. Selena led Aveline into a restaurant across the street.“I read reviews on this place, and they say the food is amazing. They’ve got some dishes from Cloudflare City too. It’s been a while since you’ve been back—want a taste of home?” Selena asked, grinning while flipping through the menu.Aveline nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been craving it
Daisy’s expression darkened slightly at Jolie’s words, but she held back from lashing out. “That’s all in the past. What’s the point of bringing it up now? You and Selena are sisters, after all. You should reach out to her more. Convince her to come back. She’s still part of the Quin family.”In recent years, both her parents, especially her father, had become fixated on reconnecting with Selena. Despite multiple attempts, Selena had kept her distance, and even after finally making contact, she barely exchanged a few words with them before cutting off all communication again. The more they tried, the further she drifted away.Jolie remained quiet, observing Daisy. She had no right to criticize her mother—after all, it was she who had always been favored growing up. The Quin family had never done anything wrong by her.“I understand. I’ll try,” Jolie finally relented, though the thought of facing Selena’s distant and prickly demeanor again made her uneasy. Perhaps, deep down, her sist
“Got something on your mind, Dad?” Gavin asked, noticing Wilfried’s serious expression as he entered the room. His own demeanor softened a bit.Wilfried didn’t waste time, sitting down heavily on the sofa with a stern look. "What are you planning to do about what happened today?"Gavin froze for a moment, realizing that the whole situation had become an open secret within the family. His response was calm, though. "I don’t have any specific plans."At this, Wilfried’s expression darkened even further. "That won’t do. You’ve taken advantage of someone, so you need to take responsibility. I’ll have someone look into that girl’s background tomorrow, prepare the bride price, and we’ll go make the proposal immediately."Gavin blinked, his typically composed expression faltering slightly. After a brief silence, he replied, "Dad, I’m willing to take responsibility, but what if she doesn’t want to marry me?"Wilfried paused, momentarily caught off guard by this possibility. His gaze swept over
“Hmm, you’re right. I’ll talk to your brother and see what he thinks,” Wilfried said thoughtfully.Aveline nodded and went on her way....In the study, Gernard sat on the sofa, a mischievous grin plastered on his face. “Brother, why didn’t you let me finish? I was about to spill the best part.”Gavin ignored him and pulled out a document, handing it over. “Take a look at this. If everything’s in order, you’ll be leaving the day after tomorrow.”“What’s this?” Gernard blinked, taking the file and flipping it open. His eyes widened as he scanned the pages.He shot up from his seat, staring at Gavin in disbelief. “Wait, you’re serious? You’re actually sending me to South Africa? Do people live there? When did we even expand into that region?”Gavin, seated in his leather chair, remained cold and composed. “Recently.”Gernard’s face twisted in disbelief. After a long pause, he finally blurted out, “No way. I’m not going.”Gavin’s gaze flickered over to him, calm but stern. “You don’t hav
“What gossip?” Aveline's interest was instantly piqued, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Gernard.Gernard leaned in conspiratorially, about to spill the juicy details. “It’s about Brother. You won’t believe what happened today…”“Ahem!”Before he could finish, Gavin appeared, clearing his throat just loud enough to interrupt. He grabbed Gernard’s arm, pulling him away. “Let’s talk about the company,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.Gernard protested, “Brother, wait, I wasn’t finished!”Aveline, her curiosity fully ignited, took a couple of steps forward. “Hey bros, don’t leave me hanging! Finish the story first!”Without slowing down, Gavin replied, “He’s headed to South Africa soon. Work comes first.”“South Africa?” Gernard’s jaw dropped. “Wait, since when am I going to South Africa? I didn’t hear about this! What’s going on?”Aveline stopped in her tracks, equally puzzled. “South Africa? Does the Cooper family even have projects there?”Just then, Wilfried walked
"Got too much free time on your hands?" Gavin’s cold gaze fixed on Gernard.Unbothered, Gernard strolled over and patted his brother's shoulder, grinning. "So, what’s your plan now? I got a little bored and did some digging on the Quin family. Guess what? Turns out they’re Selena’s birth family. She left them ages ago to make it on her own, but the girl you were with? That’s Jolie Quin, the pampered princess of the family."With a knowing smirk, Gernard added, "Brother, I couldn’t help but notice—Jolie and Selena do look a bit alike. Could that be why you…?""Get lost," Gavin cut him off, not in the mood for Gernard’s teasing. He brushed past him, heading downstairs.Of course, that only fueled Gernard’s enthusiasm. "Hey, don’t walk away! I haven’t finished my gossip yet!" he called after him, but the conversation came to an abrupt end as they reached the main floor, where the guests were still gathered for the celebration....Aveline noticed Selena seemed a bit distracted and asked,
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