“Good morning, baby,” Emerald greeted warmly.She felt no barriers with James, and her affection for the boy grew stronger.She ruffled his hair.“Hurry back to class; morning exercises are about to start.”“Okay.”As Emerald walked away, James watched her, imagining how amazing it would be if Emerald were his mom. She was beautiful and kind.---Yosef lightly tapped James on the head with a small fist, his cute face scrunching up as he glared at him.“Stop with those crazy ideas, that’s not happening.”The two pretended to get along in front of Emerald. James crossed his arms over his chest, giving Yosef a cold look.“Are you itching for another beating?”Yosef and James were worlds apart—one cool and handsome, the other soft and cute. But they were both equally stubborn.Yosef leaned in closer to James, lowering his voice.“Don’t go running to your dad for backup. If you help Teacher Ru get the land, you win. My dad’s coming back here soon.”James sneered. “So what? You think your d
Emerald wore a loose silk blouse with a tied collar, her hair loosely pulled back. She looked pure and elegant—even with minimal makeup, just a swipe of lipstick and a slight touch-up on her brows, she still looked stunning."Mr. Florida, Mr. Allegre," Emerald greeted coolly.Ethan exhaled smoke, his voice rough. "Emerald, you seem completely unfazed by our breakup."She looked even more captivating than before, and the sight only fueled his anger.Ericson entered a bit awkwardly. "Ms. Greene, just give them all the paintings."He opened the trunk, revealing a number of paintings inside, touching some of them carefully."Honestly, I really like these paintings, and you’ve taken good care of them."Ethan, losing patience, cut in, "There’s still six million left. How are you going to pay it?"He was certain Emerald couldn’t come up with that kind of money. The orphanage incident had only been resolved by luck, thanks to Alaric. Sure, selling her house at a low price made sense with the
Ethan looked away, realizing he had completely overthought the situation. How could there possibly be an issue between Emerald and Alaric?The pain in his dislocated arm grew sharper, weighing down his heart. He knew he was in serious trouble. As the car started moving, he glanced back and saw Emerald bending down to pick up a painting on the ground. Her thin shirt shifted slightly, revealing the curve of her waist, accentuated by her jeans.Out of nowhere, the memory of Emerald wearing a dress in Alaric’s yard came to mind. If she wore one again, she’d undoubtedly look stunning.A wicked smile flickered in Ethan’s eyes.Emerald, you’ve brought this on yourself. If you refuse a toast, you’ll drink the punishment instead.Ethan’s patience had run out.Meanwhile, Emerald sat under a large tree, carefully wiping the frame of her painting. She had spent countless nights perfecting each stroke of her work. A soft smile appeared on her lips as she cleaned it, the dappled sunlight casting a
Alaric stared at Emerald, resting his face on one hand as he lazily followed her every movement with his gaze.It had only been a few days since they last saw each other, but Emerald seemed fresher now, even without makeup. She wore a simple short-sleeved dress, her hair tied up in a bun. With no jewelry, her whole forehead and long neck were exposed, glowing softly in the sunlight. Her skin was flawless and smooth, almost like that of a high school student—soft, innocent, and fresh.As Emerald glanced at her phone screen, her ears turned a bright shade of red, reminding Alaric of a little rabbit's delicate ears—soft and tempting. It had only been a few days, but it felt like ages since they last met.Emerald hesitated before replying to his message. Finally, she typed just one word.[Um.]There was no need for Emerald to look up to feel Alaric's intense gaze. When their eyes met, he didn’t look away. His stare was almost fiery, almost predatory, making Emerald’s heart race. She felt
Lance had nothing to say, his opportunity to show off slipping away.As the tent inflated, Emerald decided to take a short walk. She had felt confined for so long, and today, she finally felt a sense of freedom.Suddenly, out of nowhere, a hand pulled her into the shadows before she could even cry out. Her heart pounded as she looked up at her captor, only to see Alaric."Mr. Corrigan!" she gasped, her voice trembling.Alaric tightened his grip on her waist, his intense gaze piercing into her. His eyes held an emotion that both unsettled and thrilled her, as though he could consume her with just his look."Teacher Greene," Alaric spoke in a low, teasing tone, "have you missed me?"Trapped in his arms, Emerald tried to steady herself. She answered softly, "I-I’ve been… busy.""But I’ve missed you," Alaric's voice grew deeper, more sensual, his eyes never leaving hers. "I’ve missed you so much."Slowly, Alaric lifted her chin, bringing their lips together in a slow, deliberate kiss, ful
Iris is incredibly innocent, completely unaware, and unable to protect herself. This leaves Emerald deeply concerned.Her mind is so full of worry for her friend that there’s hardly any room for anything else.Alaric, noticing Emerald's distracted state, leaned in close and whispered softly in her ear, "We're all adults. What we choose to do is up to us. Besides, your friend seems quite... willing."Emerald's mind screamed, and she quickly covered Alaric's eyes. "Don’t look."He chuckled quietly, and Emerald watched his Adam’s apple move, oddly mesmerized by how attractive he seemed at that moment.With a low voice, Alaric added, "How could I possibly focus on anyone else when I’ve got you right here?"Emerald froze. Was he... confessing? No way, could Alaric really be interested in someone like her?She stared at Alaric, who seemed to be studying every reaction on her face, trying to find her limits.She wasn’t angry. Instead, she was more surprised. Emerald’s flushed face seemed daz
Alaric was just about to tend to his injury when Gio’s teasing voice came from behind, "Seriously, bro? Are you playing that rough? You’re actually bleeding?"Alaric shot him a cold glare, wiping the smirk off Gio's face, who quickly turned serious."You’re injured and still trailing after us. What, you think we’re going to eat your precious Teacher Greene alive? Have you even slept in the past few days?" Gio pressed.Alaric didn’t answer. He was exhausted, no question about it."Get me some hemostatic powder and gauze. Don’t let her see," Alaric ordered, his tone calm and controlled.Gio rolled his eyes. "You know, I always thought you had that whole ‘domineering president’ vibe, but it turns out you’re just a hopeless romantic? After all this time, and you’ve only held her? Man, even a kiss is pushing it for you. Are you even a man?"Alaric ignored the jab, smoothly changing the subject. "Are you serious about Iris? If you are, don’t push her too far."He knew how much Emerald cared
Emerald's face flushed as she coughed, covering her mouth.A hand with strong knuckles extended a tissue, accompanied by a deep voice. “Are you alright?”Emerald took the tissue, turning her back to the group as she coughed for a while before finally recovering.Alaric took the chance to sit beside her.For some reason, when he sat down, it felt like the temperature dropped, as if an invisible air conditioner was blowing cool air around them.There was a stark contrast between the young boys and the mature man sitting among them.Noticing Emerald had stopped coughing, Alaric handed her a glass of warm water and looked at the others. "What’s everyone talking about? You all seem so cheerful,” he said softly.Though his tone was light, it carried an authority that made the atmosphere tense, leaving everyone holding their breath.Gio silently prayed for Lance. *Bro, you’re in dangerous territory now. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.*The scene was turning into a Shura battle.Unaware of the t
His grip on reality slowly returned.Maximo rushed to the accident site. Inside the car, there was an eerie silence. Alaric sat motionless, uncharacteristically quiet.The streetlights flickered past, casting brief flashes of light onto his hands and chest.His face remained in the shadows, his eyes cold and piercing—like death itself had arrived.Then, the silence shattered.The phone rang.Greg answered immediately. "Hello, Officer. Do you have any updates on the salvage operation?"He was driving with the speakerphone on, and his voice came clearly through the car: "The car salvage operation is tough, so it won’t be quick, but our divers found a body in the car."Boom!Alaric's face turned pale, and the veins on the back of his hands tightened. Before he could react, Officer continued, "It's an adult male, around 32-35 years old, about 187 cm tall. The cause of death wasn't drowning, but a chest injury."When he heard it was a male body, Alaric's expression softened."Did she find
Alaric suddenly realized something—if the person had really been taken by Ethan, there was no way Ethan would be sitting here drinking."If it wasn’t you, then who was it?" Alaric let go of Ethan.No matter the motive or evidence, no one should have even known that Emerald was staying here."What happened to Emerald?" Ethan took a sip of wine, sobering up instantly.Alaric had a gut feeling—whether Ethan had done it or not, he was definitely involved in some way.He briefly explained the situation, then asked coldly, "Did you tell anyone where Teacher Greene was?""I didn’t. I was—"Ethan's voice suddenly faltered. "There is one person who might know.""Who?""Ariza.""I was drunk last night. She called me… I think I might have said something, but I don’t remember exactly what."Alaric immediately went looking for Ariza, only to find out that she had left the apartment early in the morning—with her suitcase.The place was completely empty.Alaric had always assumed that Ethan was the
Griffin was a doctor, but at this moment, fear gripped him. Emerald’s condition was critical.He didn’t dare waste a second. Desperation took over as he frantically performed CPR, pressing down on her chest, breathing life back into her.Emerald—the woman who had consumed his thoughts day and night. Now that she was right in front of him, all his usual restraint, all the boundaries he had drawn, meant nothing.Only one thought filled his mind:Live. You have to live.After what felt like an eternity, she suddenly choked, spitting up mouthfuls of water, her body wracked with violent coughs.The man kneeling beside her wasn’t Alaric. It was Griffin.For a brief moment, surprise flickered in her eyes, but exhaustion consumed her. She barely had the strength to speak. Just before losing consciousness, she whispered, “Griffin… please… contact Aric for me…”Then, everything went dark.Griffin gazed at her pale, fragile face, a wave of memories washing over him.He remembered an afternoon, y
"I have no grudge against you—why the hell did you kidnap me?"Before Emerald could even make sense of the situation, a convoy of off-road vehicles roared to life, speeding after her. The pale-faced woman in the Maybach was seething, her voice sharp with fury."Catch her! I want to kill this bitch with my own hands!"There was no mistaking the hatred in her tone. But Emerald didn't even know this woman. She was certain they had never met. So why was she out for blood? And with all these men surrounding her—armed bodyguards at that—it was clear they weren’t here for a friendly chat.Emerald had never been a saint, and she sure as hell wasn’t about to start now. With no hesitation, she did the only thing that made sense—she floored the gas pedal and charged straight at the crowd.No cameras. No witnesses. No regrets.The woman let out a blood-curdling scream."Ahhh!!!"At the last second, a bodyguard yanked her out of harm’s way. Emerald missed her by mere inches, but there was no time
A woman on the other end replied, "Why aren’t you here yet?""Ten minutes, at most.""And the package?""Still asleep. Don’t worry. I’ll handle it. You can do whatever you want with me later."With that, he ended the call.Emerald frowned. Why a woman?Wasn’t Ethan the one behind this?The voice didn’t sound like Ariza’s either.And that word—"handle"—it carried too much weight. This wasn’t just a simple kidnapping. They weren’t taking her to sit around and play mahjong.Besides, this time, her captors weren’t some low-level thugs from Ariza’s gang. They had sent a Mercedes-Benz worth over a million yuan—far beyond what those small-time criminals could afford. Some said she was targeted simply because she was rich.But aside from Ariza, Emerald couldn’t think of any other woman she might have offended. Whoever was behind this wasn’t playing around. The level of force they used to kidnap her made it clear—this wasn’t going to end well.Her chest tightened. Ten minutes. That was all she
Emerald woke up with a sore back, immediately regretting how far she had pushed herself last night. The man was nowhere to be seen, but the once-messy room had been cleaned up—clearly his doing. She glanced at the time. It was already past midnight.Dialing Alaric’s number, she spoke, her voice hoarse."When did you leave?""Around nine-thirty. Just waking up?" His voice was gentle, the kind that always put her at ease.She smiled. "Yeah… and I’m already missing you."Alaric was just finishing his meal when he heard her soft confession. A small smile played on his lips."How much do you miss me?""Enough to want to merge with you."He chuckled. This girl was unpredictable sometimes. But her honesty? It was endearing."Then maybe you should start thinking about marrying me—becoming Mrs. Corrigan in name and honor."Normally, Emerald would’ve brushed him off without hesitation.But tonight, she paused for a few seconds before saying, "Let me think about it."Alaric froze, expecting her
As soon as she stepped out, the black Audi’s low beams flickered on, casting a soft glow to light her way. Emerald took a few steps before suddenly stopping beneath a streetlamp. With practiced ease, she slipped off her high heels.Ethan knew this habit of hers all too well. She would wear heels everywhere—no exceptions, except at home. He used to tease her about it, saying that even in death, she’d probably insist on being buried with her favorite pair.The car door opened. A tall figure emerged, leaning casually against the hood. Emerald gathered the hem of her dress in one hand, clutching her heels in the other, and ran toward Alaric like an excited little bird.She was smiling—soft, radiant, carefree. Ethan had never seen her like this before. Whenever they met, he was always the one waiting, always the one filled with anticipation.But Emerald?She was always composed, always rational. She had never once run to him like this. Yet now, she was sprinting toward another man, complet
Had it not been for the presence of so many high-society elites, Iris would have whistled on the spot.So. Damn. Cool.She had always felt that Emerald was different from the rest of them.She wasn’t just talented—she was born for the spotlight.If this were a novel, Emerald would be the heroine.Even if her beginnings were humble, she was destined to rise.And people like Iris?They were just NPCs, background characters meant to highlight the brilliance of the protagonist.But strangely, that thought didn’t bring bitterness.Instead, she felt something warm, something oddly paternal—pride.Like an old father watching his daughter finally take flight.She had struggled, she had fought, and now, she stood in the center of the stage.And Iris couldn’t be prouder.Mrs. Florida heard the thunderous applause echoing through the hall.Her grip on her handbag tightened as she turned to Samantha, her voice sharp with urgency."Sam, it's your turn. You have to work harder—don’t lose to that li
Pantaleon finally snapped out of his shock. He had no desire to witness a scene like this. To him, an illegitimate daughter was someone who should remain in the shadows her entire life.Between Emerald and Samantha, there was no question—he would always side with Samantha.With a stern expression, he turned to Emerald and said coldly, "Haven't you caused enough trouble? Why are we making this a family competition? Just leave already!"Emerald looked at the man who was supposed to be her father. His coldness toward her was nothing new. Maybe it was because she had grown up without a mother’s love, but she had always craved warmth—even more than she feared rejection.But that slap… it ended everything. She no longer had any expectations of him.Her voice was icy as she said, "Mr. Valentine, you've made it clear how you feel. You have no right to tell me what to do.""You don’t even have a piano. What’s the point of embarrassing yourself here?"A voice suddenly cut through the tension."