Marcia looked at Kevin with suspicion, pushing him away. "Why did you lie to us? Let go of me! Didn't I make myself clear yesterday?"Kevin whistled lightly, smiling. "Clear, but useless! I was just out enjoying myself yesterday, but when I heard this morning that Elijah was giving you a hard time, I thought I'd step in to save you."Realizing his intentions, Marcia sighed, "Thank you, but it really wasn't necessary. I was late; he had every right to be upset."Kevin studied her for a moment before saying, "Do you really think he was mad just because you were late?""What else would it be?""It's just some advice, or perhaps a warning," Kevin said with a sigh, his voice softer. "You shouldn't get too close to him. Eli's about to marry Nicole."Marcia gave a small smile. "I'm only his secretary.""If you say so." As the elevator doors opened, Kevin quickly wrapped himself around Marcia again, leaning in close to her ear. "You know, he called me last night, asking where I was."Marcia,
Marcia continued, "You're publicly declaring your intent to abandon this poor child. Do you realize that's a criminal offense?"Some of the women in the crowd, holding their children, couldn't hold back any longer and stepped forward. "Yes, it's despicable! If you call the police, I'll testify for you!" said one."I will too!" another chimed in.More people started to gather, all glaring at Dinah.Flustered, Dinah swallowed hard and snapped, "This is a family matter—why do you care? Call the police if you want!" She pointed at Marcia angrily. "And you! You pushed me! I can report you for assault, too!"Marcia gave her a cold look. "Framing me now? Go ahead, call them!"One bystander shouted, "We didn't see her hit you! You call the cops, lady; we'll testify on her behalf!""Yes, we'll be witnesses; she didn't lay a finger on you!"Dinah's face turned pale with anger, and she glared at Marcia, her whole body trembling.Kate, meanwhile, stood off to the side, clutching her child, too st
Gordon spoke formally, "Miss Roberts claims to have a witness—Ms. Myra, is that correct?""Ma'am, are you aware that providing false testimony carries legal consequences? Did you truly witness, without a doubt, that Miss Roberts never touched Mrs. Wright?"Myra hesitated, frowning. "Well, there was some physical contact, but... but she didn't hit her. she fell on her own!""Are you certain? Could you testify in court, describing every detail exactly as it happened?" Gordon's gaze was intense, and Myra's face turned pale, silenced by the pressure.Alan and Gordon exchanged triumphant glances, each wearing a subtle smirk.Marcia observed, her brows furrowed but still full of disdain.Kevin, now visibly annoyed, retorted, "So you're intimidating a witness into silence? Besides, there's surveillance! It clearly shows Mrs. Wright hitting her daughter-in-law and even her granddaughter. My friend simply intervened to stop her!"Alan's eyes narrowed, a flicker of surprise crossing his face as
Elijah entered with Kevin and a few unfamiliar men, all around forty, exuding an air of nobility. Even Gordon, who had previously been looking down his nose at others, turned pale upon seeing them, suddenly feeling weak in the knees.Marcia, unsure of what was happening, felt a surge of strength after hearing Elijah's words.She struggled to her feet, meeting his gaze as he gave her an approving smile and spoke softly, "Good, Patricia. Today, I have only one thing to say: when you're bullied, fight back."Though his tone was calm and even, it sent a shiver through everyone in the precinct."Release her!" Elijah's gaze was icy, like a messenger from hell.Someone swallowed nervously, hands trembling as they hurried over to free Marcia.Marcia rubbed her arm, took a deep breath, and, to everyone's surprise, gave Elijah a small smile before limping over to Dinah and slapping her hard in the face.Dinah tried to fight back, but a burly man appeared out of nowhere and held her in place.Ke
Marcia found herself in Elijah's arms, stunned. She could hear the steady beat of his heart, feel his warmth radiating through her, and see the fiery anger in his gaze.She swallowed, her voice a bit tight as she stammered, "Sir, no one's following us anymore. You can put me down now."Elijah ignored her, his face dark.He strode toward the station entrance, where Andrew was already holding the car door open.Without a word, Elijah dropped her onto the back seat, gruffly saying, "I'll drive. You find your own way back."He grabbed the keys from Andrew and sped off.Marcia sat rigidly in the back, unsure of what to say. They'd had an argument that very morning, and now she was depending on him to get her out of trouble at the police station. It made her feel helpless. But what baffled her even more was why Elijah had introduced her as his fiancée.She stole a glance at him in the rearview mirror, noting his clenched jaw, tight lips, and eyes like cold steel.He radiated barely containe
"Sir...""Call me by my name."Marcia was overwhelmed by Elijah's predatory gaze, her voice barely a whisper. "This isn't right."Elijah let out a dark chuckle. "Want to switch positions? You prefer being on top?""No, that's not it." Marcia pushed at him, feeling the alarming heat radiating from his body. "Aren't you getting married soon?""And?" Elijah's tone turned cold, a chill creeping into his gaze.Marcia's eyelashes fluttered nervously as his intense gaze closed in on her.The man holding her, with his long frame and refined, almost aloof features, seemed unruffled on the surface, but beneath that calm, his eyes hinted at a dark, inescapable allure.Faced with such a man, Marcia felt her heart sink, a painful tightness building in her chest, and her vision blurred with unbidden tears."Sir, please let me go. I don't want this," she said, her voice thick with emotion. Seeing Elijah's expression darken, she took a shaky breath and continued, "You don't even like me. Please, don'
Elijah's voice was calm, yet with how close they were, Marcia found it hard to believe her ears.She murmured, "What did you just say?"Elijah gave a slight frown. "I don't like repeating myself."Before she could react, he slipped under the blanket beside her, his body radiating heat like a furnace. Marcia instantly stiffened.But Elijah just held her from behind, the two of them quickly breaking into a light sweat.Marcia's heart raced wildly, but he didn't move beyond holding her.Instead, he muttered, "Relax. I'm not some wolf in heat; I can control myself."His words didn't reassure her, though, as she was keenly aware of something pressing against her from behind."Sir...""Call me by my name, at least when we're not at work."His warm breath brushed her ear, the proximity making her heart skip.Marcia hesitated, then began, "Why—""Men don't like it when women talk too much in bed," he interrupted."Does Nicole talk too much?" Marcia blurted out. She felt the tension in his bod
Marcia clutched the bedsheet and hurried back to her room, only to realize she'd left her phone and bag at the police station. Quickly, she changed her clothes and, despite the pain in her foot, rushed to the office.But even Kevin wasn't there.The people at Azure looked surprised to see her, except for Booth, who casually shouted, "Patricia, weren't you on leave?"Marcia grabbed his arm and led him to her office, urgently asking, "How did you know I was on leave? Where's the boss?"Booth chuckled, "Come on, I'm in HR. The boss came in this morning saying you were sick. What are you doing here?"Marcia didn't have time for his chatter and shot him a glare. "He was here this morning? Where is he now?""Oh, just half an hour ago. Someone from the headquarters came, and he was called back for something urgent. Are you alright?" Booth finally noticed her mismatched footwear—a high heel on one foot, a slipper on the other. "Did you just wake up?""Are you sure it was someone from headquar
Elijah frowned. "Impossible?" He couldn't understand. "But then... how could you? No, we're going to the hospital right now! The doctors I know are far more reliable than him. I've always found him suspicious. Let's get you checked first, then we can talk about this.""Are you not happy that I can conceive?"Elijah shook his head. "How could I not be happy? But I don't trust him. Let's go to the hospital, okay?"He was overwhelmed with joy, but beneath that joy lay deep concern. If Jeff was lying, how would Marcia handle it? He could live without a child, but he couldn't bear to see Marcia fall into despair again.He never wanted to see her cry. That pain would be far worse than not having a child."Eli, sit down first." Marcia dared not let him take her to the hospital—if they found out she had recently lost a pregnancy, things would be disastrous."The surgery two years ago... Jeff was actually the lead surgeon." Marcia watched Elijah's expression darken as her voice unconsciously d
Marcia leaned against Elijah's chest, yet a slight unease crept into her heart.She still remembered Jeff's instructions—no intimacy for a month. But when she stole a glance at Elijah, his brows were tightly furrowed, his expression serious. For some reason, her heart softened again and again."Eli, what are you thinking about?"Hearing the slight anxiety in Marcia's voice, Elijah held her tightly, resting his head against her neck. His voice was low and gentle. "Nothing. I just think... it's really good that you're here.""Myron is really getting engaged? To... that Nancy?" Marcia traced her fingers over his firm arm, feeling a growing sense of security.She wished she could rely on him like this forever."Mm." Elijah's response was muffled, carrying a hint of an unspoken heaviness.Marcia thought for a moment. "His family has a rule that a man can only marry one woman in his lifetime, right? Does your family have a rule like that?"Elijah chuckled lightly and ran his fingers through
Elijah let out a soft sigh and gently pulled Marcia behind him. "What are you doing?"Marcia bit her lip, feeling a bit foolish for her reaction. Why did she assume Hayden would actually come to blows with Elijah?Elijah, standing tall and unwavering, met Hayden's gaze head-on, his expression calm. "To bring Myron back to Liverpool.""Back to Liverpool? If he's taking that woman with him, then what's the point? He might as well not come back at all! Damn it!" Hayden raised his fist but ultimately slammed it against the table instead."Hayden, sit down." Myron's voice was deep and hoarse. He seemed exhausted, yet his expression remained resolute. "I chose to marry Nancy on my own. It has nothing to do with my mother or Eli. I appreciate your concern, but enough with the arguments."He glanced at Kevin and chuckled. "What are you scheming now? Think I'm lying?"Kevin cleared his throat awkwardly. "Not at all. If you say so, then it must be true." He had initially suspected this was just
"Patricia, I thought you two would head straight to the second floor!" Hayden teased with a mischievous grin, taking a sip of his orange juice.Marcia ignored him, her eyes immediately landing on Myron, who sat beside Kevin with a face as dark as ink. At the head of the dining table sat a frail, pale-skinned elderly woman who was scrutinizing her with an assessing gaze.Marcia couldn't help but feel nervous."Auntie, this is Patricia. What do you think? Beautiful, right?" Elijah draped an arm over Marcia's shoulder, grinning proudly.Gloria took a sip of water before smiling lightly. "Hmm, she is beautiful. No wonder you've been so restless, eager to come home!""That's not true! I'm also happy to spend more time with you!" Elijah chuckled, then gently nudged Marcia forward. "Cia, come say hello to Auntie."His eyes were filled with warmth, a look that was second nature to him in front of Myron and the others. But for Gloria, it was the first time witnessing this side of him, and she
Marcia and Elijah walked hand in hand toward the villa. Since it was located in the suburbs, the fresh air was a rare luxury.A cool breeze brushed against Marcia's face, making her instinctively shrink her neck."Are you cold?" Elijah asked, his voice tinged with concern as he pulled her into his embrace. "I was worried you'd feel uncomfortable if we stayed in the car for too long. Looks like I miscalculated again!"Marcia shook her head and snuggled against his chest with a soft laugh. "Not at all. The air is refreshing, and the scenery is beautiful. But how did you know I was feeling restless in the car? Do you have some kind of mind-reading power? That would be incredible!"Elijah chuckled, gently ruffling her hair. "Your nose is all red. You look just like a little bunny. Makes me want to eat you up!"As he spoke, he playfully rubbed her cheeks. When Marcia looked up at him with a smile, he couldn't resist leaning down to kiss her cool lips."Aren't they waiting for us inside? Le
Seeing the two of them like this, Marcia couldn't shake the strange feeling growing inside her. She pulled out her phone to check for any messages from Elijah. The last thing on their chat was a simple "Good night" from both of them. A faint smile curved her lips.She casually snapped a photo of the highway scenery outside the car window and sent it to Elijah.Since it was still early, she hadn't expected an immediate response. But to her surprise, he seemed to have been awake all night—his reply came almost instantly."Already on the road? Are you tired? You should get some rest in the car!"Marcia bit her lip lightly and typed back curiously, "Did you not sleep? I'm not tired. I've been resting at home these past few days.""Hmm, I heard about that. Why are you so lazy and always sleeping?" Elijah chuckled, then added, "Even though I feel bad for you, my love, I'm so happy that I'll see you soon."Seeing him call her lazy, Marcia instinctively glanced at Kevin, who was driving. It h
Ever since that terrible experience, Marcia had developed a subtle aversion to "Calderstones."Elijah had been away for five days now. They spoke on the phone daily—sometimes just exchanging a few words, other times lingering as if they couldn't bear to hang up.The distance seemed to intensify their feelings, making them feel like a couple deeply in love.A call in the early morning. The phone was warm in her hand. Though sadness still lingered in her heart, Marcia felt as if Elijah was slowly healing her, piece by piece.Since her surgery, she had become more sensitive—more reliant on Elijah. She wanted him to return, yet at the same time, she hoped he wouldn't come back too soon. She longed for his embrace but also feared the warmth he brought.Torn between these emotions, her longing for him only grew stronger.Sometimes, as she lay in her empty bed, she couldn't help but imagine what it would be like if he were beside her&md
"He's just a wolf in sheep's clothing," Hayden remarked leisurely, pouring himself a cup of hot water. Watching the steam rise, he smiled faintly and casually asked, "Patricia, did you already know Myron was fine? Otherwise, how could you be in the mood to come out for a meal?"Marcia was momentarily stunned. After a brief silence, she chuckled. "I contacted Eli. Besides, there wasn't much to eat at home. Everyone's had a tough day—it's only right that we treat ourselves to a meal. Why? Do you think there's something wrong with that?"Hayden smirked. "Not at all. Just a funny coincidence." He blew on his cup, took a small sip, and added, "Anyone who didn't know better would think you hadn't been home at all."Shirley shot him a glare. "Hayden, your mindset is all wrong!""Oh?" Hayden raised an eyebrow and turned to look at her.Shirley shook her head dramatically and said with an air of seriousness, "Have you been spending too much time with Demon? You've picked up the nasty habit of
"Did she ask you anything? Or did she want you to do something?" Marcia sat up straight, her tone cold and sharp.Jeff snapped out of his thoughts and replied calmly, "She was curious if you were pregnant. Oh, that reminds me, was she the one at Calderstones that time...?"Before he could finish, he paused, realization dawning on his face. "No wonder!"Marcia stared at him intently. "What did you tell her? Did you take her money? What about Alan? Was he there too?"Jeff shot her a glare. "I'm a doctor. What do you take me for? She's pregnant, and Alan? Oh, you mean that man? No, I didn't see him."Pregnant? A sharp pain struck Marcia's heart. Kate was pregnant again, while she… she had lost her child.Fate was truly laughable. The heavens remained as unfair as ever.Perhaps sensing her hatred too clearly, Jeff coughed lightly and continued, "Alright, stop glaring at me. I'm on your side."Marcia eyed him suspiciously but said nothing.Jeff sighed. "I refused to be her private doctor,