"What a shameless bitch! How dare she seduce Eddy in front of so many people!" Layla cursed inwardly.However, when she thought about how Caroline would soon die on the operating table, Layla gradually calmed herself down.At the head table, Caroline withdrew her gaze and leaned slightly to the back. "Since you don't want to tell me, forget it, then."She could just ask the staff here. Someone would definitely know where Kirk was. Seeing how indifferent she was, Eddy felt triggered. Why couldn't she please him when she could do so for everyone else?Just as Eddy was about to lose his cool, he saw Brie coming over with a glass of red wine. She shot him a smile and then looked toward Caroline. All this time, Brie had been thinking of ways to regain the spotlight after being overshadowed by Caroline earlier at the entrance. She'd inquired about Caroline's present for Jude earlier and found that it was a painting worth one million dollars. She'd immediately thought of how to humi
"Show it to us, then." Brie signaled at the staff member. The staff member didn't move and looked at Jude. Jude waved his hand. "Go ahead. I'd like to see Carrie's gift for me too."Only then did the staff member step away and bring the poster tube over.Upon unfolding it, they found that it was a piece of art done by Zach Zimmer, who wasn't well-known in the industry. If Brie hadn't bid on the painting out of spite, she wouldn't have known about such an artist.Seeing it at this moment, Brie curled her lips into a contemptuous smile. She pointed at the painting disdainfully and said, "Caroline, is this what you've prepared today? Look at its quality. It's not even on par with Mr. Morrison Senior's status. Don't you feel bad when he's done nothing but dote on you?" Hearing what she said, the others also started to whisper about it. "So much for doting on her, but in the end she gifted him a painting that was done by a nobody." "No wonder Mr. Eddy doesn't like her. She may
The butler approached Jude discreetly. "Mr. Morrison Senior, seeing that the antique vase is rare and precious, should we send it home for safekeeping purposes?"It was a sound suggestion, so Jude complied. "Have someone send it back at once."Jude didn't press further. Caroline let out a sigh of relief and looked at the butler gratefully. The butler merely nodded at her before returning to the task at hand.Meanwhile, the others jumped on the occasion to coddle Jude."What a fine addition to your collection, Mr. Morrison Senior.""How thoughtful of Ms. Evans.""I know, right? Mr. Morrison Senior is so lucky to have a future daughter-in-law like her."Jude was overjoyed to hear these compliments. Brie, who'd been eager to make a toast to Jude, was pushed out of the way by the crowd. Her face was twitching because everyone flocked toward Caroline. She admitted that Caroline was more beautiful than her, but how was Caroline wealthier than her too? How dare she?Brie took anot
Caroline held onto Kirk's collar. Her eyes were still misty.Kirk was annoyed by Eddy's interruption. However, he had no choice but to suppress his anger. He got up, tidied his shirt, and went out. Caroline couldn't hear what he said to Eddy, but after a short while, she could hear footsteps leaving.She got the hint right away. Kirk was buying her time so that she could leave. Hastily, she made herself presentable. She opened the door slightly to make sure no one was in the corridor. Then, she made a beeline to the bathroom.Inside the toilet cubicle, Caroline took out her mirror to fix her makeup. From her reflection, she saw a woman with a rosy cheek and hazy eyes, blossoming like a rose. The heat returned to Caroline's cheeks, and she could feel Kirk's tantalizing breath on her ears. Caroline took a deep breath to calm herself. Just as she was about to get out of the cubicle and check on Kirk, she heard her mother's voice."Thank you so much for that idea, Layla. Once Carol
Caroline's furious glare sent chills down Layla's spine. For the very first time, Layla saw so much hatred in someone's eyes. It was so overwhelming that it could kill someone."Caroline, what are you doing?"Caroline laughed and let go of Layla's hair slowly. "You want me to marry Eddy, don't you? All right then. I'll tell everyone about it now. And I'll say that you're my bridesmaid. You'll bear witness to my becoming Eddy's rightful spouse. "All that love, happiness, and blessings will forever be out of your reach. You swore that oath in front of everyone. If you want to marry Eddy, Grandpa would be the first to oppose it."Layla's face turned even paler. Still on the floor, she tried to grab Caroline's heels. "You bitch! You crazy bitch!"Caroline ignored Layla's insult and left. She walked along the corridor until she'd finally reached a quiet spot. Then, that tough facade of hers cracked. She slumped against the glass wall. The glistening surface reflected a defeated woma
Prompted by his words, Caroline opened the bag. Instantly, she saw a property deed inside. When she flipped to the first page, she found her name printed boldly on it.Excited, she quickly read further. The deed was for 103 Bishop Street in Hectafleur, the same neighborhood of villas where Caroline's parents lived. This was the very same unit they'd visited the other day."Are you mad?" Caroline shot upright. "You actually bought it? How much did you spend? Where did you get that kind of money?"Kirk grinned. He rubbed circles on the back of Caroline's hand. "Didn't you like the villa?"Caroline got annoyed by his haughtiness. However, she softened her tone. "Yes. But even if I like it, you can't spend money like it's nothing. Every aspect of marrying and living together costs money."Kirk laughed. "And you have a married life with me?"These words sounded great to Kirk. It was completely different from the other day. It had upset him when Caroline had said that they were only
No! There was a voice screaming in Caroline's mind. She would have to announce her marriage to Eddy soon. She couldn't accept such an expensive gift now.But …Caroline ducked her head and looked at the proof of Kirk's sincerity. She looked up again and regarded Kirk's features. Her thoughts were all a mess. Her eyes filled with tears yet again."What is it?" Kirk tilted Caroline's head up. His tone was filled with affection but also a slight irritation. "You're such a crybaby."After saying that, Kirk kissed Caroline lightly on the temple. The feeling of being treasured made Caroline's heart sing. "I'm not …" Caroline pushed Kirk away and stepped backward. She was trying hard not to be seduced by him. "I should head back. If I stay too long, Grandpa will look for me."Kirk watched Caroline leave and stared at the discarded property deed. He frowned.…Caroline was unsettled. Her footsteps were so rushed that she nearly crashed into Eddy as he walked over.Eddy ducked as
Eddy's body shuddered violently with anger. He looked at Caroline as she stumbled away. Suddenly, he felt that the distance between them was getting larger. It felt like they were worlds apart.He felt a strange sense of panic. Instinctively, he wanted to run after her."Eddy …" Layla's voice made him stop. She rushed to push her wheelchair forward from where she'd hidden and listened to them.Eddy turned around. He saw Layla's swollen left cheek. It was then that he remembered he'd wanted to get back at Caroline for it."Sorry, I …"Layla cut him off. It seemed like she was trying to hide something. "Eddy, can I … Can I ask you for a favor?"Eddy was feeling guilty for forgetting about getting justice for Layla. When he heard this, he nodded quickly. "Tell me.""Caroline said she wants to announce your marriage at the birthday banquet. She said it was a surprise for Grandpa."Eddy frowned. "What does she mean by that?"Layla shook her head. There were tears in her eyes. "Most
Soon, Kirk and Caroline met up with Thomas. When he saw the two of them, his eyes turned bloodshot from the rage boiling within him. "You won!" He spat with so much force that it seemed like he had used up all his strength for it. "Things didn't have to come to this," Kirk said calmly as he sat down beside Thomas. Thomas snorted derisively. "Oh really? If you hadn't chosen to marry Caroline at such short notice, do you think Eddy would have died? You two were the cause of the tragedy!" Caroline didn't feel like talking anymore after seeing how foolishly adamant Thomas was. She gave Kirk a look, and he hummed in acknowledgment. When he turned to face Thomas again, his eyes were frosty "I'm here to tell you something," he said.Thomas let out a bark of scornful laughter. "Why? What else do you have to tell me, huh? Are you going to tell me that you have a child now?" "It's not about me and Caroline's child. It's about yours," Kirk stated plainly as he stared at Thomas
"Yes, it's true! Why would I lie to you about something so important?" Betty said. "This is wonderful! Marietta's wish has finally come true." Caroline turned to look at Marietta, who had just stopped by the door. Marietta was so shocked by the results that she was too stunned to speak. All she did was stare at Caroline in silence. Caroline opened her lips to speak, but no words came out of her mouth. She and Marietta stood facing each other, tears streaming down their cheeks. The next second, the two of them rushed toward each other and hugged each other as tightly as they could. The words that were at the tip of their tongues turned into tears at this significant moment. The others felt touched as they witnessed the mother-daughter duo's reunion. After some time, Betty broke the silence. "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and call her 'Mom'!"Caroline had once used that word to address Marietta, but she hadn't known that Marietta was her biological mother back then.
Blushing, Caroline nodded. However, Kirk couldn't lift his head due to his injuries. So, Caroline took the initiative to bend over so that she was closer to him. Their lips touched. Yet before Caroline could get that warm, fuzzy feeling she always had when they kissed, she heard Gwen's voice. "Oh? Did we come at the wrong time?" Gwen grinned.It gave Caroline such a shock that she almost fell to the ground. Cheryl reacted quickly and gave Caroline an arm to hold on to for support. Steadying herself, Caroline stared daggers at Gwen, who giggled and placed the supplements she had brought on a table. Sean and Kirk started discussing what had happened that day, while Caroline led Gwen and Cheryl out of the ward. "Are you two back together?" Gwen asked. There was a sparkle in her eyes, which said enough about how eager she was to gossip. When Caroline nodded, Gwen patted her back gleefully and said, "Great! We all know how much Kirk loves you, even though he kept his ident
As Caroline mentally prepared to face death, there was a sudden, loud commotion. The noise was followed by gusts of wind that were so strong that no one could pry their eyes open to see what was going on. Still, Caroline could make out the silhouette of a helicopter above her. She had no idea what had happened next, though. …When she woke up, she was already lying on a bed in a ward. Beside her were Betty and Marietta, their eyes red and puffy from crying. When they noticed that Caroline was awake, the two of them shot up from their chairs."Carrie? You're finally awake!" Still groggy, Caroline forced herself to hum in response. After getting up, she grabbed Betty's hand and said, "Where's Kirk?" "He's fine," said Betty while wiping the tears off her cheeks. "He's in another ward, but he hasn't woken up yet." "Can I see him?" Caroline asked, tearing up. Betty nodded and asked Sean to push Caroline's wheelchair to the ward next door. Caroline couldn't hold back her
Kirk and Caroline hadn't even caught their breaths yet when they sensed a more intense attack coming their way. It didn't seem like these people were human. They seemed like monsters, bringing destruction wherever they went. Caroline watched the situation outside in concern. "Why hasn't Nightshade come back yet? Did he lie to us?" she asked. Kirk gritted his teeth and replied, "No, he wouldn't. They're all people from the dark web, and they're all honorable. Since he promised to bring the top two assassins, he'll definitely come back."As he spoke, he pushed her into a car. "But before that, you have to leave first," he insisted.Caroline noticed that his words were only directed at her. She grabbed his hand tightly. "What do you mean by that?"What did he mean she had to leave first?He replied, "Finn has sent over all his trump cards. If you don't leave, I have no doubt that he'll come here too. So, you need to leave now!" Caroline grabbed his hand. "We haven't gone to Ci
When she saw his reaction, Caroline couldn't help but smile. "What I mean is, let's head to City Hall to re-register our marriage certificate. The information we used to register our marriage before was all fake. "Can we update it with the real information now?"Kirk brightened up. "No problem."She looked at him and smiled again. However, it disappeared as quickly as it appeared. "Oh, I forgot about Thomas. Do you think he'll send someone to ambush us when we go to City Hall?"Kirk fell silent. He didn't want to change the plans, but he still said, "Then, let's wait for Nightshade to find the assassins—"Before he could finish his sentence, gunshots rang out from downstairs. His face dropped, and he rushed to the window, where he saw two groups of people engaged in a gunfight. One of the groups was Thomas' men."What's going on?" Caroline asked as she got up from bed."Thomas must have found out that Nightshade left, so he took the chance to ambush us."Kirk led her to a
"If you make up with Kirk, I'll help you find them both."Caroline and Kirk were stunned to hear Nightshade's condition. Kirk had never expected Nightshade to say such a thing. Caroline was also in disbelief. She felt somewhat reluctant to agree to it."You don't agree?" Nightshade asked when Caroline remained silent. "Alright then, if you disagree, I won't look for them. Besides, Thomas is already planning to go all out against you. "When the time comes, I can escape. But what about you two?"Caroline looked at Kirk. "Thomas plans to go all out against us? You're not lying to me?"Kirk met her eyes and gulped. "No."She pondered for a moment, then looked at Nightshade again. "Do you really have a way to help us find the two assassins?""Of course.""Okay." Caroline lowered her head. "As long as you can help us find those two assassins, I'll agree to your condition."On the other side of the room, Betty and Marietta exclaimed excitedly when they heard her words. "Carrie, do
When Betty noticed how confused everyone looked, she said, "Oh, dear. Did you all forget?"Back then, when Marietta did the DNA test with that girl from the Hackett family—no, the fake Ms. Hackett—Caroline was the one who went to the restaurant with her."She continued, "Didn't we look through the footage from that day? Then, we called in the people who were at the restaurant that day to do another DNA test."Although they had unfortunately been unable to find Marietta's daughter, Betty still considered it a great effort. "We had thought that we had tested everyone. But there was someone who we didn't test!" Betty's eyes lit up as she looked at Caroline. Marietta immediately understood what she meant. She looked at Caroline with excitement, but she didn't dare to get her hopes up. "Caroline…"Caroline also looked at Marietta excitedly. "I… Aunt Mary… this… Is it possible?"Betty replied, "Why wouldn't it be possible? We tested so many people back then, and you were the only
Sarah was about to tell Caroline, but Dan stopped her."Don't tell her. Let her live in pain without ever knowing who her real parents are. Besides, do you really think she will get us the best lawyer?"Caroline wasn't upset that they hadn't taken the bait. Instead, a small smile appeared on her face. "You still have some sanity left."Upon realizing her trick, Sarah shouted angrily, "You liar!"However, she was taken away before she could shout more. Caroline watched as Sarah and Dan disappeared in the police cars. The feigned strength on her face finally disappeared. She might never find her parents in this life. But she didn't regret it. She tilted her head and glanced at Kirk, Cheryl, and Jack beside her. She had no regrets anymore.Even though she couldn't get her parents back, she was content that she had so many friends."Let's head back." Caroline's voice was weary. She needed a good rest, but there was still a tough battle waiting for her. The news about Caroline n