She called her "Mom" so naturally, as if they had known each other for years, with no awkwardness at all.But Emerald still felt a slight discomfort in her chest, unable to voice it. She nodded obediently. "Okay."Anastacia, beaming with happiness, patted her cheek. "Oh, you're such a good girl. How is it that my daughter-in-law is so wonderful!"Emerald stared at Anastacia, lost in thought. She realized that her own mother had never offered her praise. No matter what Emerald did, her efforts were met with harsh words. But when someone truly cares for you, even if you do nothing, they will think you're wonderful.At first, Emerald felt a little embarrassed, but those negative emotions quickly faded.In Anastacia's eyes, she saw genuine love and care, as if she were her own child.Anastacia didn't bring along bodyguards or drivers when she went out, but there was a sleek black G-Wagon parked downstairs.Anastacia waved at Emerald. "Hop in, Mom will take you for a ride!"Emerald climbed
The stinging pain radiated through Emerald’s left ear. It felt as if an old wound had been torn open again.Her hearing on that side faded, and a warm liquid began to trickle down. When she raised her hand to touch it, she saw blood smeared on her palm.A sharp female voice suddenly cut through the tense air. “What did you just do to our family?!”Emerald stared at her father’s mouth as it opened and closed, his angry words blurring into nothingness.Her mind drifted to that summer day—when she’d been happily eating an ice cream cone, only to have Eula slap her across the face. The sharp pain had pierced her ear, and her nose had bled, drop by drop, onto the sweltering pavement.The cicadas buzzed freely in the midsummer trees, oblivious to her pain.Now, her father’s furious expression overlapped with Eula’s in her memory, their cruel postures mirroring each other perfectly.Back then, her ear had been perforated, but with swift treatment, her hearing had recovered over time.Today,
When they left the alley, Anastacia bought two candied haws—one for Emerald and one for herself.That’s when Emerald finally understood why Anastacia looked so youthful without makeup. There was an effortless charm about her, something most people didn’t have.After dropping Emerald off at Jiaoyuan, Anastacia leaned against the car door, looking reluctant. "Sweetheart, I have something I need to take care of, so I have to go. Please, take care of yourself."For a moment, Emerald felt what it was like to be truly cared for. She felt a slight pang of reluctance to say goodbye.But she understood that, just like Alaric, Anastacia had her own things to attend to.So she didn’t ask her to stay. "Okay, aunt, have a safe trip."Anastacia looked at her, and after a long sigh, said, "You don’t always have to be so good, you know. Just remember, it doesn’t matter what anyone else says about you and that brat. Especially with the Corrigan family... don’t listen to a word from them, especially wi
On the screen, all Emerald revealed was her chin and red lips. Slowly, the tip of her tongue traced her lips, her voice soft and alluring."Aric, do you want to see more?"Alaric couldn’t quite understand where this girl had picked up such things. His pulse quickened, a rush of excitement coursing through him that felt even more intense than if she were right in front of him.He found himself whispering in a low voice, "I want to..."The last few times he’d seen Emerald, it always seemed like she showed up under strange circumstances. For instance, during the last high-level meeting, she’d made a remark about having "one foot in each boat." And now, these older men were still pretending to be scoundrels, toying with the emotions of younger girls.The rumors about him being in two places in one night had spread wildly, and somehow, even in the bathroom, he overheard the cleaning lady gossiping about it.The gossip was growing wilder, but it didn’t bother him much. If anything, it helpe
The principal’s face turned pale. He hadn’t expected Emerald to respond so decisively."Teacher Greene, we just need an explanation from you. Why are you resigning?" he stammered.Emerald pulled out her resignation letter from her bag, her expression unshaken."I’ve been here a year, and you know exactly who I am. Whether you want to exclude me or ridicule me, I couldn’t care less. But what I do care about is that I don’t need this job, and I don’t want my salary or bonus for this month. Thank you for your concern. This is the end for me. We have a long road ahead, and we will never meet again.""Teacher Greene, don’t leave! We still have things to discuss..." the principal pleaded.Emerald saw through his act—he wasn’t really trying to let her go. He was just looking to leverage her departure for personal gain, using her resignation as a bargaining chip to secure a better position for himself.But Emerald had never taken someone like him seriously.Ariza, who had been so confident mo
“It seems quite difficult to meet you, Teacher Greene,” he remarked, his tone laced with subtle reproach.Emerald responded with a faint smile and a voice that was calm and confident, neither servile nor arrogant.“As a junior, I should have visited earlier. It would’ve saved the old gentleman from spending two hundred thousand unnecessarily.”The old man traced the rim of his teacup with his finger. “To Teacher Greene, two hundred thousand must seem like a fortune, doesn’t it?”Emerald, ever perceptive of people’s emotions and skilled in the art of tea, could have chosen to demonstrate her abilities to win him over. But she didn’t.She knew better. The old man’s prejudice against her wasn’t something that could be overcome with a perfect painting, mastery of tea ceremony, or even submissive behavior.No matter how flawless she appeared, it wouldn’t matter—her lack of a family background comparable to the Corrigans overshadowed everything else.Outside, the rain lashed against the win
Just as he began to breathe in her familiar scent, Emerald suddenly pulled back from his embrace.Before Alaric could react, she reached for his zipper, her hands fumbling to pull it down, clearly intent on stripping off his wet clothes right then and there.“Miss Greene, we are in public,” came a loud cough from behind them.It was Mr. Corrigan, watching the two of them with a disapproving glare.Emerald froze, realizing the situation. What was she thinking, doing something so reckless in broad daylight?Her mind raced back to the explosion she’d heard in the video earlier. She was terrified that Alaric would return with injuries again, just like last time.Emerald couldn’t wait to check if Alaric was injured.But she’d forgotten where they were. Mr. Corrigan was still watching them with an intense gaze. Did he think she was being reckless, or worse, plotting something against his grandson?Her face burned with embarrassment.How humiliating! Just earlier, she’d said such harsh words
What was she even talking about? His beloved grandson, the pride of the Corrigan, reduced to being a trophy husband?This girl! Despite her delicate, beautiful face, every word that came out of her mouth only made him more exasperated. After all this time, she hadn’t mentioned his grandson’s family name, status, or wealth—not even the highly coveted title of Mrs. Corrigan. No, none of that mattered to her. She was fixated on his looks.And if that wasn’t enough, she even called the responsibilities of being Mrs. Corrigan troublesome!Where did this woman even come from? For the first time, Mr. Corrigan felt genuinely stumped.He fumed for a while, his mind reeling, before eventually calming himself. A low cough escaped him as he finally spoke, a hint of resignation in his tone.“Well, it’s... good that you think that way. In the future, when he gets married, I expect him to be the one supporting you. As long as you behave yourself and don’t stir up trouble, I can turn a blind eye to t
Emerald, however, immediately defended him, her voice firm as she explained, "It’s not Aric’s fault. I was just accidently hurt. Brother Griffin, don’t say that. He feels guilty enough already."But Griffin wasn’t deterred. His words were sharp, almost disappointed: "Little fox, look at you. Have you forgotten what I taught you? Don’t always think you’re the one at fault. Think about whether it’s someone else’s fault instead."His words seemed to further highlight the deep history between them, reminding everyone of their closeness in the past.Emerald, a little flustered, mumbled, "Aric is not someone else."Alaric, with a clear sense of triumph, gently took the cotton swab from Griffin’s hands. "See? I’m not someone else."There was a brief, awkward silence as Griffin had no words to counter that claim.Seeing that Griffin was still upset, Emerald tried to ease the tension with a soft smile, "Brother Griffin, let Aric do it. He’s used to doing these kinds of things.""Alright," Grif
When Emerald was a child, she spent a lot of time at her teacher’s house. She had always been very well-behaved, so Griffin often took her with him when he went out into the wild.He used to take Emerald up to the hillside behind the house. He’d climb trees to collect bird eggs, while Emerald would stand beneath, keeping watch.When Emerald found out he was planning to roast the eggs, she began to cry, "I love the little birds so much—how can I eat them?"Despite her protests, Griffin bit into one of the eggs, and as she sobbed, she reluctantly admitted, "The eggs are so delicious... I want to eat two."After a long day of play, when it was time to head home, he would either hold her hand or carry her down the mountain.Teacher Susie would look at the two little clay monkeys and, instead of getting angry, would speak gently, "Your sister is a girl. You need to protect her from now on.""I will, I’ll always protect my sister."The childhood promise still echoed in Emerald’s mind, but s
Emerald walked into the living room, carrying the flowers, and replaced the old ones in the vase. Griffin handed her a pair of scissors, encouraging her to trim the branches.His hands were beautifully delicate, flawless like works of art. His pale skin contrasted with the prominent wrist bones, and each slender knuckle, though delicate, held an underlying strength that made them seem far from fragile.Emerald couldn't help but glance at his hands again.She had seen short videos featuring close-up shots of hands before, but none of them compared to the ones in front of her now.Her gaze lingered a little too long, drawn to the beauty of his hands, just as she often admired her own body. She felt a wave of attraction she couldn’t quite shake—especially noticing the elegance of his hands and imagining the strength beneath them."What are you looking at?" the man asked playfully, picking up a lily of the valley. The white petals and green stems cradled in his palm seemed like a perfect
Greg observed Alaric, who stood by the balcony railing, his frame tense and unmoving. His hands gripped the cold metal tightly, veins standing out on the back of his hands as if betraying the storm raging within.It was rare to see him this way—vulnerable, his emotions so close to the surface. Only Emerald had ever managed to pierce the armor he wore so resolutely.In a low, measured voice, Greg tried to break the silence. "Boss, it’s almost dawn. You should rest for a while."Alaric didn’t turn. His gaze remained fixed on the horizon, where the first light of morning began to bleed through the mist. His jaw tightened, and his voice carried a faint tremor beneath its usual calm."Yes," he murmured, almost to himself. "It’s dawn… but that person is gone now."A cold gust swept across the balcony, carrying with it the remnants of his cigarette. The ash dissolved into the wind, leaving only a faint trail of smoke in its wake.Suddenly, from the room behind him, Emerald’s sharp cry shatte
“So don’t compare them. It’s disgusting.”Initially, Emerald dismissed her as being jealous, but he had no idea how much fun the two of them were having behind the scenes. Just imagining it made Emerald feel nauseous; he couldn’t even bear to look at Ariza’s face.Fuming, Ariza snapped back, “And how noble do you think you are? You look down on Ethan, but only because you’ve latched onto someone more powerful.”Alaric tightened his grip on Emerald’s waist, his expression icy. “Are you blind? Can’t you see that Little Moon was the one who ultimately rose to the top?”Ariza was at a loss for words.This is madness—absolute madness! All the men in this world must be insane!Sure, Emerald was beautiful, but this one? He exuded an aura so dangerous, it twisted Ariza’s face with jealousy.“Enough, Ariza,” Emerald said coldly. “If you want to walk out of here today, explain everything you’ve done to me. I will find out the truth, one way or another.”Under Greg’s intense pressure, Ariza fina
He paused before continuing, "I had someone investigate their backgrounds and found out that your former colleague and one of the others grew up in the same neighborhood."Emerald lifted her head to meet his gaze. "Did you arrest Ariza?"Alaric nodded. "Yes. The situation was urgent, and there was no time to waste. When she tried to reach him, no one answered."Emerald wrapped her arms around his thick arm. "You must have been worried at that time, right?""It's all in the past now," Alaric said, his voice soft. "When you’re better, I’ll teach you some self-defense techniques.""Good," Emerald replied, her heart warmed by his promise.Alaric finished cleaning her gently and then carefully carried her to the dining table."You must be hungry," he said. "What do you feel like eating?"Emerald lifted her chin and looked at him with a soft smile. "I want to eat the pine mushroom fried rice you made."She was right—it was his cooking that had left her longing for more."Okay, I'll make it
That night at the hotel, Ethan must have been having an affair with Ariza.Ariza had clearly been stewing in her jealousy. When she saw Ethan meeting with Emerald, she must have felt threatened. That’s when she started plotting to hurt Emerald.But Emerald’s decision to resign ruined Ariza’s chance to confront her directly. Left with no other option, Ariza resorted to this desperate, cruel plan.Her twisted logic? If Ethan saw Emerald disgraced and humiliated, he’d lose whatever obsession he had for her.“Yes, it was all for Ethan,” Alaric confirmed grimly.After finishing with the medicine for Emerald’s feet, he pulled out his phone and showed her some photos.The pictures revealed Ariza and Ethan sneaking around together. They had been spotted entering and leaving the same hotel within minutes of each other, several times.The timestamps on the surveillance footage made it clear—Ethan had been having an affair with Ariza long before Samantha ever cheated on him.A shiver ran down Em
The people who had captured her weren’t dead; they were all still breathing. The knife had carefully avoided vital areas, and though they had bled heavily and lost consciousness, they hadn’t been fatally wounded.Without wasting another second, Emerald ran forward, not sparing another thought for them.On the outskirts of the abandoned factory, she could see the dense forest in the distance. The storm raged on as she sprinted barefoot into the night.The area was desolate, the streetlights long extinguished, leaving nothing but darkness in every direction.A flash of lightning tore through the sky.Thunder cracked loudly in Emerald’s ears, making her entire body tremble with fear.She hated thunderstorms more than anything. Usually, when she was at home, she could escape the fear—by wearing headphones or burying herself under a blanket and distracting herself with movies to ease her anxiety.But now, she was out in the wilderness, cut off from the outside world.Her only lifeline was
As she spoke, she heard the unmistakable sound of heavy footsteps drawing closer, their echoing rhythm unsettling in the vast emptiness of the space around her.Her throat tightened as she swallowed, the reality of her restraints settling in. Her hands were tied behind her back, and her vision was obscured by the blindfold. In this situation, she had nothing but her sense of touch and hearing to guide her through what was coming next.But she couldn’t even rely fully on her hearing, her left ear deafened to the rest of the world. Despite the panic rising within her, she managed to keep her face calm, though her mind raced in confusion.The footsteps stopped, and she felt the man approach her, then squat down in front of her. In an instant, his hand gripped her chin, forcing her head back, exposing her neck to his control.A wave of nausea hit her, but she fought it down, refusing to let him see her weakness.Emerald’s body instinctively tensed at the touch, a rush of disgust flooding