Landon's private jet touched down at Solana City International Airport under the cover of night. Zoe descended the stairs from the aircraft, wrapped in an opulent fur coat, her radiant brown curls cascading around her. She slipped into the waiting car that had come to pick her up.After the incident with the counterfeit necklace, Landon had grounded Zoe, going so far as to confiscate her phone. He had wanted to cut off her communication with her terrible friends, who had a bad influence on her.In protest, Zoe had resorted to starving herself after bouts of crying and frustration. Penelope couldn't bear to see her daughter suffer. So she had persuaded Landon to release Zoe and send the latter back to Yoarkley for a period of self-reflection instead.By the time it was winter, Landon had reluctantly permitted Zoe to return to Cyrris. Boredom had consumed her in Yoarkley, and Landon hadn't visited her once. It had been too much!Zoe couldn't contain her frustration. "Where's Land
Lauren skipped over to the snowman, and Richie playfully kicked the snowball back. She retrieved it and carefully set it back atop the snowman while standing on her tiptoes.Richie joyfully wagged his tail while circling around Lauren, even playfully rolling by her feet."Haha! Richie, are you cold? I'll crochet a sweater for you someday!"Richie barked as though he understood her. He wagged his tail excitedly and then threw himself at her, showering her cheeks with affectionate licks."Hahaha! That tickles, Richie. Stop fooling around!" Lauren laughed and tumbled onto the snowy ground, and they both rolled around in the snow with delight.Landon gazed tenderly at Lauren and the heartwarming scene, which was rare in his life. He had once believed that an ordinary, happy life was beyond his reach. To his surprise, Lauren had brought him the happiness that every ordinary man deserved."Mr. Landon, I never expected Richie to get along so well with Ms. Lauren. He used to nip at alm
Lauren shook her head furiously. Her heart pounded. She stammered, "I-I got it. I will only do it with you. Don't be upset, okay?"Landon had been treating her exceptionally well over the past few days. He had gifted her beautiful clothes she had only seen on Betty before—clothes she had never owned.What's more, the food at the private villa was delicious, even if it wasn't quite on par with Alyssa's cooking.In addition, Landon took care of her in every way, from drying her hair to feeding her and even sharing a bed, all without crossing any boundaries. Since he had been so good to her, she couldn't bear to do anything that might upset him."Good girl."Her eyes shimmered like a starry night, nearly making Landon kiss her. However, a sudden thought made him reassess his behavior. Was he acting like a pickup artist?Still, he really wished that Lauren could stay by his side forever. The idea of her marrying another man, being intimate with him, and having children tore at his
"No matter what, I will never approve of Lauren as my sister-in-law! Only one of us shall stay!" Zoe snapped and angrily opened the car door.She was surprised when Gary didn't budge. She asked, "Aren't you coming with me?""My apologies, Ms. Zoe. I'm … I'm Mr. Landon's employee, after all. It's inappropriate for me to get involved," Gary answered uneasily."Fine. I understand. I won't tell a soul about your help. In return, I need you to keep a close eye on Landon's activities," Zoe reminded him. Her pretty face was in stark contrast to the menacing look in her eyes. "I'll reward you generously if you do a good job."Gary shook his head with a loyal expression and declared, "I will be willing to do anything for you."Zoe left the car, slammed the door shut, and quietly cursed, "Pfft. He's just punching above his weight. I wouldn't have kept him around if he wasn't useful to me. I feel sick just sharing a space with him."Zoe knocked on the door, leading a few bodyguards and he
"Let go! Let go!" Donna screamed in pain, releasing Lauren's hand. At the same time, Zoe took a few steps backward in shock.Donna kicked and hit Richie, but he refused to release her."Don't hit Richie! No!" Lauren fell on top of the Dobermann to protect him.Filled with resentment, Zoe kicked Lauren again amidst the chaos."Zoe Harper!" A stern voice cut through the turmoil, making Zoe freeze. Her leg was suspended mid-air when she was caught red-handed.She stiffly spun around, her heart leaping into her throat. She mumbled, "L-Landon …"Landon stood tall at the entrance, seething with anger. His expression darkened.His chest heaved as his eyes glinted with an impending storm.Lauren, still unaware of Landon's return, hugged Richie tight and shut her eyes. She curled into a ball, quivering pitifully.Donna nearly fainted from the shock of Landon's arrival and momentarily forgot about her pain. No one had expected him to return so abruptly after he had gone out."Zoe, did
Zoe stood there, utterly shocked. Her face darkened, and it was as if a bolt of lightning had struck her. She stumbled over her words, asking, "Landon, what are you saying? Do you no longer see me as your sister?"Landon ignored her questions. Instead, he focused on Lauren, who was now in his arms. He gently massaged her trembling back and reassured her, "There's nothing to be afraid of, Lauren. I'm here now. No one will hurt you."Yet Lauren was no longer as at ease as before. She had put up a guard against him, her rapid breathing reflecting her aversion. She stated, "No. You're Zoe's brother, not mine ..."She weakly pushed against his solid chest with her arms. Each shove felt like a dagger in his heart. She pleaded, "Let me go! I'm going home to Grandpa. I want to go home!""Lauren, be good." Anger colored Landon's eyes as he stubbornly soothed her."Let go of me!" Lauren cried out, but Landon refused to release his grip on her, tightening his embrace instead.Landon's l
"Mr. Landon, calm down," Angelina reminded him, taking a step back. Nonetheless, he stormed out of the room and made his way to the first floor.Sitting on the living room couch, Zoe was overcome with anxiety and covered in sweat. She found herself trapped in the villa under the watchful eyes of four bodyguards."M-Ms. Zoe, Mr. Landon is furious. What should we do?" Donna, who was kneeling on the floor, desperately clung to Zoe's legs."How should I know?"They heard heavy footsteps echoing through the house. As Landon entered the living room with Angelina, an eerie silence enveloped the room."Landon …" Zoe called out to him weakly. Knowing that tantrums wouldn't work on him, she put on a pitiful look instead."You hit and kicked Lauren. I saw everything clearly from the surveillance footage," he stated, suppressing his boiling rage. He couldn't imagine what he would have done if Zoe hadn't been his sister."Landon, I did it because I couldn't contain my anger. We grew up toget
Landon had once spoiled Zoe as her brother, but now she felt nothing except fear for him."You don't have an idea? It's okay as long as I know who he is," Landon taunted. Then, two bodyguards dragged Gary into the house. He had been beaten into a pulp.Zoe gasped and covered her mouth in shock as she watched the trail of blood left behind by Gary as he was dragged inside."Gary, you've served me for a decade, and I've treated you well over the years. You would have been left for dead on the streets if it hadn't been for my help," Landon began.He took a seat on the chair Angelina had pulled out for him. "Is this how you repay my kindness? Posing as my loyal employee while groveling to my sister? You're quite good at this double-agent act.""M-Ms. Zoe, save me …" Gary pleaded desperately, as he had no other option. She quickly averted her gaze from his severely bruised and bloodied face, which made her feel nauseated."Angelina, give him the same old punishment," Landon instruct