Although Apollo already had two daughters, the Corrigan patriarch favored Alaric. Still, if a son was born first, the old master would undoubtedly take notice.Apollo exhaled sharply. "Then focus on raising your child properly and stay out of these matters. And as for you, Ethan, stop causing trouble for your uncle. Whether or not Emerald marries into the Corrigan—it’s up to the two of them to figure out.""I understand, Uncle," Ethan murmured, his eyes lowering.A flicker of regret crossed his face. The humiliation he suffered tonight—he would make sure to repay it tenfold.Meanwhile, Emerald was in an unusually good mood. She had always been indifferent to such things, but tonight, for the first time, she understood just how satisfying it was to put someone in their place."Aric, I never realized how useful your girlfriend's identity could be," she teased.Alaric caught the playful smile on her lips and smirked. "Baby, trust me—being Mrs. Corrigan is even more powerful than being my
Not like me, Emerald mused. She never felt secure enough to sleep without holding onto something—whether it was a pillow, a blanket, or, more recently, him.And somehow, even in sleep, he had adjusted for her.One of his arms was tucked behind her head, holding her close, while his other hand covered hers. Their fingers overlapped perfectly, their wedding rings touching, as if even unconscious, he was anchoring her to him.A warmth spread through her chest.At this moment, with the rippling water around them and the morning sun casting a golden hue over the lotus pond, Emerald felt something profound settle in her heart.So this… this is what it feels like to be loved.Maybe it was because Alaric had been too busy lately, or perhaps it was the novelty of spending the night on a boat with Emerald in his arms, but his sleep was deeper and more restful than usual.The sun had already begun its slow ascent, casting thousands of golden rays across the morning sky. As the light filtered thr
Emerald looked up just in time to see a mother and son approaching. The woman was dressed in an elegant Chanel-style suit, exuding wealth and sophistication. The man beside her was in a well-tailored suit and tie, looking every bit the polished gentleman.Her gaze met his, and in an instant, his eyes lit up."Senior!" he exclaimed excitedly.Emerald’s stomach dropped. Her heart skipped a beat, and for a split second, she wished she could vanish into thin air.Lance?!What kind of twisted luck was this? He practically rolled out the red carpet for coincidence to walk right in!Hadn't Eula said the man she was setting her up with came from an oil empire?Emerald was speechless.Eula, on the other hand, beamed. "Oh? You two already know each other?"Lance’s mother also seemed pleasantly surprised. "So you and Senior went to the same school? What a small world! I didn’t expect you’d be meeting like this—as a couple!"Emerald frantically waved her hands. "It's just dinner!"Emerald had int
Emerald wanted to cry but had no tears. The woman clung to her like an overenthusiastic pendant—poking her cheeks, touching her arms, and even wrapping her arms around Emerald’s small waist.If she hadn’t firmly gripped her own body for dear life, this woman would have reached her thighs by now!Alaric’s so-called blind date was terrifying. She just wanted to go home.“Enough.” Alaric finally scolded in a low voice.Emerald looked at him with deep gratitude. Yes! Finally, some control!Take care of your own blind date, or she’s going to devour me whole!She gave him a pleading look, silently screaming for help.But instead of rescuing her, Alaric turned serious and said, “You’re not allowed to touch my wife. Hands off.”Wife?!Nina clicked her tongue, withdrawing her hand but not without squeezing Emerald’s waist one last time.“So stingy,” she huffed before smirking. “Tsk, tsk. What a soft waist.”Emerald was this close to crying.What kind of blind date is this?!Wait—no. Why were t
Alaric was sharp—too sharp for something like this to be a coincidence. It was entirely possible he had orchestrated the whole thing.“Even if he had his own agenda with you,” Alaric said calmly, “why shouldn’t I turn the tables on him?”So Lance had made the first move today. No wonder Emerald had found it strange that a family as prestigious as the Stevens would set her up on a blind date.Alaric must have caught wind of it in advance, which was why he had hijacked Lance’s setup and turned it into his own game.She sighed, shaking her head. “Aric, I can’t even imagine what you’d do to me if you ever became my enemy.”Alaric’s expression turned serious. “Are you scared?” He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a murmur. “Teacher Greene, I won’t let anyone take advantage of you. As long as I can keep you by my side, I don’t care what it takes.”On the screen, a gruesome scene unfolded—a wife who had been murdered years ago had returned, now lying under the bed, her bloodshot eyes
Emerald was restless, even in his sleep. His brows remained furrowed.Alaric watched her sleeping face with a gentle gaze, then pressed a soft kiss between her brows. "Little Moon, you'll get everything you desire."The Next DayNews of the Valentine's grand music dinner had been circulating for a while. Everyone knew that the internationally renowned chef, Rice, wouldn't just be performing at the event—he was also set to take Samantha as his final apprentice.Because of this, the dinner was an extravagant affair. As the pride of the Valentine, Samantha had sent an invitation to Emerald early on, eager to have her attend.She wanted to use this opportunity to flaunt her success.Samantha had always been the one to win. Taking what belonged to Emerald came easily to her, trapping her in an invisible cage with no escape.She had done it since they were children. But what she never expected was that today, Emerald would finally strike back.Emerald touched her ear. After days of adjustme
Even Ethan, whom she had fought so hard to win, seemed completely disinterested now. His eyes weren’t on her—they were stuck on Emerald.Mrs. Florida naturally noticed the shift in the atmosphere.She had never liked Emerald. In her eyes, after leaving Ethan, Emerald would never find a man of better status—she was supposed to fade into insignificance.Yet now, standing before her was a woman whose circle was far beyond the Florida's reach. It was an embarrassing reality Mrs. Florida was unwilling to accept.Her lips curled into a sneer. “Look at that vixen, always scheming to climb higher, just like her shameless mother. How can she ever compare to our daughter? Samantha is generous, refined, and outstanding.”Mrs. Valentine quickly chimed in, eager to agree. “Of course! But it doesn’t matter. He will be here soon, and Samantha and Rice will naturally be together. That little vixen will never reach that level in her lifetime.”And as if summoned by their words, Rice arrived.The room
"My little Emerald, you can't handle any loss," the man's hoarse voice whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.Emerald had never been with a man before and was unfamiliar with the sensations it brought. She had no idea that once she experienced it, she would crave the fiery passion it ignited. She felt the cold glass door in front of her as the man pushed her against it, his burning body pressing against her from behind.She could sense his towering presence, and when his lips touched her neck, she nearly burned from the heat of his kisses. Emerald turned in pain, climbed up the man's strong chest with her weak arms, and bit down hard on his neck. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she entwined her legs around his waist, feeling intoxicated. She didn't recognize herself anymore."Can you be gentle?" she asked, even though she was curious about the opposite.The man chuckled in her ear, his grip on her waist tightening. "Do you want me to be gentle?" he whispered. "I d
Even Ethan, whom she had fought so hard to win, seemed completely disinterested now. His eyes weren’t on her—they were stuck on Emerald.Mrs. Florida naturally noticed the shift in the atmosphere.She had never liked Emerald. In her eyes, after leaving Ethan, Emerald would never find a man of better status—she was supposed to fade into insignificance.Yet now, standing before her was a woman whose circle was far beyond the Florida's reach. It was an embarrassing reality Mrs. Florida was unwilling to accept.Her lips curled into a sneer. “Look at that vixen, always scheming to climb higher, just like her shameless mother. How can she ever compare to our daughter? Samantha is generous, refined, and outstanding.”Mrs. Valentine quickly chimed in, eager to agree. “Of course! But it doesn’t matter. He will be here soon, and Samantha and Rice will naturally be together. That little vixen will never reach that level in her lifetime.”And as if summoned by their words, Rice arrived.The room
Emerald was restless, even in his sleep. His brows remained furrowed.Alaric watched her sleeping face with a gentle gaze, then pressed a soft kiss between her brows. "Little Moon, you'll get everything you desire."The Next DayNews of the Valentine's grand music dinner had been circulating for a while. Everyone knew that the internationally renowned chef, Rice, wouldn't just be performing at the event—he was also set to take Samantha as his final apprentice.Because of this, the dinner was an extravagant affair. As the pride of the Valentine, Samantha had sent an invitation to Emerald early on, eager to have her attend.She wanted to use this opportunity to flaunt her success.Samantha had always been the one to win. Taking what belonged to Emerald came easily to her, trapping her in an invisible cage with no escape.She had done it since they were children. But what she never expected was that today, Emerald would finally strike back.Emerald touched her ear. After days of adjustme
Alaric was sharp—too sharp for something like this to be a coincidence. It was entirely possible he had orchestrated the whole thing.“Even if he had his own agenda with you,” Alaric said calmly, “why shouldn’t I turn the tables on him?”So Lance had made the first move today. No wonder Emerald had found it strange that a family as prestigious as the Stevens would set her up on a blind date.Alaric must have caught wind of it in advance, which was why he had hijacked Lance’s setup and turned it into his own game.She sighed, shaking her head. “Aric, I can’t even imagine what you’d do to me if you ever became my enemy.”Alaric’s expression turned serious. “Are you scared?” He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a murmur. “Teacher Greene, I won’t let anyone take advantage of you. As long as I can keep you by my side, I don’t care what it takes.”On the screen, a gruesome scene unfolded—a wife who had been murdered years ago had returned, now lying under the bed, her bloodshot eyes
Emerald wanted to cry but had no tears. The woman clung to her like an overenthusiastic pendant—poking her cheeks, touching her arms, and even wrapping her arms around Emerald’s small waist.If she hadn’t firmly gripped her own body for dear life, this woman would have reached her thighs by now!Alaric’s so-called blind date was terrifying. She just wanted to go home.“Enough.” Alaric finally scolded in a low voice.Emerald looked at him with deep gratitude. Yes! Finally, some control!Take care of your own blind date, or she’s going to devour me whole!She gave him a pleading look, silently screaming for help.But instead of rescuing her, Alaric turned serious and said, “You’re not allowed to touch my wife. Hands off.”Wife?!Nina clicked her tongue, withdrawing her hand but not without squeezing Emerald’s waist one last time.“So stingy,” she huffed before smirking. “Tsk, tsk. What a soft waist.”Emerald was this close to crying.What kind of blind date is this?!Wait—no. Why were t
Emerald looked up just in time to see a mother and son approaching. The woman was dressed in an elegant Chanel-style suit, exuding wealth and sophistication. The man beside her was in a well-tailored suit and tie, looking every bit the polished gentleman.Her gaze met his, and in an instant, his eyes lit up."Senior!" he exclaimed excitedly.Emerald’s stomach dropped. Her heart skipped a beat, and for a split second, she wished she could vanish into thin air.Lance?!What kind of twisted luck was this? He practically rolled out the red carpet for coincidence to walk right in!Hadn't Eula said the man she was setting her up with came from an oil empire?Emerald was speechless.Eula, on the other hand, beamed. "Oh? You two already know each other?"Lance’s mother also seemed pleasantly surprised. "So you and Senior went to the same school? What a small world! I didn’t expect you’d be meeting like this—as a couple!"Emerald frantically waved her hands. "It's just dinner!"Emerald had int
Not like me, Emerald mused. She never felt secure enough to sleep without holding onto something—whether it was a pillow, a blanket, or, more recently, him.And somehow, even in sleep, he had adjusted for her.One of his arms was tucked behind her head, holding her close, while his other hand covered hers. Their fingers overlapped perfectly, their wedding rings touching, as if even unconscious, he was anchoring her to him.A warmth spread through her chest.At this moment, with the rippling water around them and the morning sun casting a golden hue over the lotus pond, Emerald felt something profound settle in her heart.So this… this is what it feels like to be loved.Maybe it was because Alaric had been too busy lately, or perhaps it was the novelty of spending the night on a boat with Emerald in his arms, but his sleep was deeper and more restful than usual.The sun had already begun its slow ascent, casting thousands of golden rays across the morning sky. As the light filtered thr
Although Apollo already had two daughters, the Corrigan patriarch favored Alaric. Still, if a son was born first, the old master would undoubtedly take notice.Apollo exhaled sharply. "Then focus on raising your child properly and stay out of these matters. And as for you, Ethan, stop causing trouble for your uncle. Whether or not Emerald marries into the Corrigan—it’s up to the two of them to figure out.""I understand, Uncle," Ethan murmured, his eyes lowering.A flicker of regret crossed his face. The humiliation he suffered tonight—he would make sure to repay it tenfold.Meanwhile, Emerald was in an unusually good mood. She had always been indifferent to such things, but tonight, for the first time, she understood just how satisfying it was to put someone in their place."Aric, I never realized how useful your girlfriend's identity could be," she teased.Alaric caught the playful smile on her lips and smirked. "Baby, trust me—being Mrs. Corrigan is even more powerful than being my
Emerald’s lips curved into the faintest smirk. "Because you never saw me as your girlfriend. No matter how sweet you acted on the surface, deep down, you always treated me like a plaything. But he never did. He knows how to respect a woman.""That’s impossible." Ethan's expression darkened. "There’s no such man in the world. He’s just better at pretending than I am. Don’t be naive, Emerald."Emerald crossed her arms, her voice steady and deliberate. “You’re the naive one. You have no idea how good Alaric is. Even if it were only for three days, I would still choose to like him. Didn’t you say I could never step foot into the Corrigan? Mark my words—one day, I’ll marry into the Corrigan, and you’ll kneel before me, serve me tea, and call me ‘Auntie.’”Ethan wanted to laugh—it sounded ridiculous.But coming from Emerald, it was terrifying.Because he knew exactly what kind of person she was.She was relentless, a natural at anything she put her mind to.Years ago, someone had insulted h
Apollo, standing beside her, felt a headache coming on. His second marriage was already a calculated move, an attempt to secure a foothold in the powerful Corrigan. But now, before Cornelia could even settle into her new position, she had already offended the future head of the household.And Alaric… was not a man who let things slide.No one spoke.No one dared to.Because everyone knew—when Alaric smiled like that, the storm was only just beginning.But Alaric hadn’t just come to dinner tonight—he had come to make a point.And he made sure the Florida understood that.“That’s impossible,” Alaric said lightly, his fingers still resting against the necklace on Emerald’s collarbone. His tone was casual, but his eyes were anything but.“Teacher Greene has fair skin, a beautiful face, and legs that could make anyone jealous. Even women envy her. Whoever had the nerve to say such nonsense must be blind.”The room tensed. Cornelia turned her gaze to Ethan, her voice laced with artificial s