Last time, Gabriella had moved her stuff into the single-story house. Right after, she hastily packed some clothes and headed to Lelaug, leaving the rest of her luggage untouched in the room.Now that she decided to settle down here for the long term, Gabriella took the time to organize her belongings thoroughly. After getting her clothes and essentials sorted, the only things left were her father's heirlooms. With New Year behind them and the Easter season approaching, it had been a year since her father passed away.Now out of prison, the truck driver was enjoying a comfortable life with extra money to travel abroad. Meanwhile, her father had been at eternal rest. Thinking of this, Gabriella felt a bitter and uncomfortable pang in her heart.She opened her father's notebook, slowly flipping through each page. The footers had yellowed, and she had traced the familiar handwriting over and over again.While she was flipping through, a picture slipped out from between the pages
Colene's voice echoed from outside the door."Hey Gabby, what do you think – cook up some lunch or grab takeout?"Gabriella, relieved, took a sip of water. She closed her laptop and rose to open the door. "I'm good with either."Colene chuckled."Let's go with takeout then.""Sounds good."Not in the mood to cook, Gabriella joined Colene outside and discussed what to order for lunch. Sitting on the couch, Gabriella went lost in thought.Thinking about the kidnapper's skills, it seemed like the victim had to be someone significant. If Gabriella wanted to dive deeper into it, she knew she couldn't do it alone."What's on your mind? You seem so focused," Colene remarked."Nothing much," Gabriella replied, snapping out of her thoughts and smiling. "Hey Collie, do you know any private detectives in Florin?""Private detectives? Why are you asking about that? Who are you trying to investigate?" Colene asked, her eyes widening. Gabriella explained, "I want to dig into the truck
Henry didn't like Hannah. He just felt guilty and made up for her. After Juliet hurt Gabriella and Albert died, his guilt was gone. He liked Gabriella, but she didn't believe it at all.He wouldn't have filed for divorce if he had liked her for a long time. If he fell in love with her before the divorce, she wondered why he changed his feelings."I didn't stop Hannah's filming nor plan to marry her. Gabby, I like you. I know you don't believe it, but I still have to tell you I like you. I already liked you a long time ago, but I was stupid. I didn't see through my feelings ..."Gabriella found it funny and laughed out loud. "Henry, do you think I would believe you? You said you liked me, but you went on a business trip for a month to meet Hannah and filed for divorce with me. You told me even if I was pregnant, you would ask me to abort the child. You even ignored me when I got insulted as a mistress. You also met with Hannah on our wedding anniversary. When we married, you told A
Gabriella returned to her single-story house and placed the air defense box on the floor.The kitten had arrived in a strange environment. It huddled in the air defense box and dared not to come out. It carefully observed the surrounding environment through the holes in the box wall.She took the cat snack and squeezed it at the door of the air defense box. When Fluffy smelled the snack, its little nose wrinkled, and its tail stood up. Soon, it cautiously poked its head.After it saw the familiar Gabriella, it finally relaxed. It lowered its head and ate the chicken-flavored cat snack in one go.It licked the space where it had finished eating and sniffed. After sniffing for a long time, it couldn't smell anything, then looked at her and called out.She felt her heart soften. She brought the cat bowl over, put more cat snacks into it, and gave it to Fluffy.It ate the snack and licked the bowl clean. It raised its head, observed the new environment, and explored the surroundings
"You're Henry Toussaint's ex-wife."Leonard said jokingly, "If you hadn't said that your entrust was dangerous, I would have thought that Mr. Toussaint had another lover."Gabriella looked indifferent. "In addition to Henry's ex-wife, I have another identity. I'm the daughter of a journalist, Hiram Carrington."He was startled upon hearing that, and his expression became serious.When Hiram died that year, he had just graduated from college and was full of passion. He felt sorry for the death of such a righteous journalist and had been paying attention to his case.At that time, many people speculated that Hiram had offended too many people and got killed. Unexpectedly, the final investigation result was that it was only an ordinary car accident.Many people didn't believe this result, but there was no other way. As time passed, most people gradually forgot Hiram's death.Yet, Gabriella suddenly came to him and mentioned her dead father. He suspected she knew something. That w
Gabriella returned home and looked around the living room. But she couldn't find Fluffy. She lay down and looked under the table. Sure enough, she met a pair of round eyes.She couldn't help but laugh. Seeing her, it got out and called out. She bent down, held it in her arms, and touched it. Then, she sat on the sofa, took out her phone, and called Toussaint Residence's number.A few seconds later, she connected the call. The housekeeper, Tina, greeted her."Hello, Ms. Carrington.""Tina, is Grandma at home?""Yes, I'll give her the phone."Tina glanced at Henry on the sofa and handed the phone to Aster."Hello, Gabby. Are you back from your trip? How was your time overseas? What's the matter?"Aster took the phone and signaled Henry to be quiet."Grandma, it's nothing. I want to see you, but I'm afraid you won't be home. So I'll call you in advance.""I'm at home. Come quickly. I miss you too."Upon hearing that, he smiled bitterly. Although he didn't hear Gabriella's voice
"Hmm."Felise nodded heavily. She was probably curious about Florin and kept looking around.After leaving the terminal, she struggled and said, "Uncle Henry, put me down. I'll walk by myself.""Didn't you like being hugged by me before?"She shook her head seriously. "I like it, but the clothes are too thick. It's uncomfortable when you hug me."He put her on the ground and reached out. "I'll hold your bag."She took off her bag to him, held one of his fingers, and walked forward excitedly. When they arrived at the car, he took her in. Seeing someone sitting in the driver's seat, she greeted him warmly."Hello, Mr. Driver.""Hello, Ms. Felise."The driver smiled and turned his head back."Let's go." Henry closed the car door.The driver started the car and joked, "Mr. Toussaint, I think Ms. Felise looks like you. If you hadn't told me, I might have thought she was your daughter!"Henry couldn't help but look at Felise. She was swaying her short legs and looking aroun
"Hello, Lise. Good girl, come sit here."Aster nodded with satisfaction. She took out a children's watch she had prepared and handed it to Felise. "This is my meeting gift for you."Felise wasn't timid at all. She placed her bag on the sofa and sat beside Aster. Then, she picked up her bag and opened it. "Thank you, Great-grandma. I also brought you a gift."She retrieved a small lunch box from her bag. "These are the cookies I made. Try them.""Oh, you can bake cookies? That's great!"Aster opened the lunch box. The cookies were messily arranged. She observed that Felise had made them with molds. They were in the shape of a bunny, a kitten, a circle, some numbers, and so on.She picked one up and tasted it, almost knocking out her dentures."Is it delicious?" Felise looked at her with bright eyes.Her eyes were big and round. They were full of expectations.Aster couldn't bear to disappoint her. "Yes, it's delicious. You're awesome, but I don't like biscuits. You ca
Carmila, dressed in a gorgeous wedding gown, entered with Zain.After exchanging rings, Shawn and Carmila headed toward their parents in the front row.Layla's seat was on the opposite side, and the gorgeous flowers on stage hid her view, so she could only hear what was happening.The newlyweds appeared on stage with the four elders for a group shot.She narrowed her eyes and noticed that Shawn's mother resembled her landlord.Chris also had the same realization and whispered to her, "Layla, do you think that person looks like our landlord?""They do look quite similar."The ceremony was over. The newlyweds left, and the waiters began serving dishes.Carmila was pregnant and didn't need to toast. Only Shawn came forward to drink with the Sanderson elders.After toasting, he placed the wine glass on the tray, followed the elders' instructions, and turned to the next table.When he noticed a familiar figure at the table, he stopped and narrowed his eyes. He looked at Layla, the
Shawn and Carmila's wedding was rescheduled once Henry had been safely released from the detention center.However, Carmila's pregnancy was already showing, so the wedding was kept simple.Firstly, everyone thought she would appear unsightly if she married while being visibly pregnant. The second reason was that they feared the complex wedding would exhaust her and the child in her womb.Carmila was displeased, but she had no say in the matter. Furthermore, insisting on a bigger ceremony would make it appear that she didn't care about the child.The wedding car left Florin around 5:00 am and picked her up at 8:00 am.Shawn was in a suit, and Carmila was in a wedding gown. They stood together and carried out the ceremony amidst their elders' blessings.Then, he helped her into the bridal chamber.Meanwhile, Gabriella, along with Megan and several close relatives, entertained the guests who were seeing off the bride.Everyone left for the hotel around 10:00 a.m.Although the wed
Naturally, Elaine wouldn't tell the truth. "I've told you about Moabia before. They're the ones who took the watch. "I ran into Fay's friend at the mall two days ago. She recognized and mocked me! I was outraged and tried to scare them today. But they smashed my car, pinned me to the ground, and beat me!"Unexpectedly, Sam scowled. "Nothing would happen if you didn't scare them."As soon as he heard about Moabia, he knew that Gabriella's friend, whom Elaine mentioned, was Colene.Although he hadn't returned to Chatan at that time, he had been following Colene's Twitter account and checking it frequently. He knew she had accompanied Gabriella to Moabia.She wouldn't let herself suffer, and she wouldn't mock others without reason. There must be a reason for everything.Furthermore, Elaine's words lacked credibility.Everyone would choose to portray themselves favorably, including her. Just like when she broke a person's leg and said it was just a minor injury. Elaine couldn't b
Alicia looked over and saw Colene drag Elaine by the hair and push her to the ground. Colene even tied her hands with a rope as she struggled.Gabriella straddled Elaine, grabbed her chin, and slapped her twice.It was a rare opportunity to teach Elaine a lesson. She naturally wanted to settle the scores!Alicia was speechless. Sam's plane was about to land. She didn't want to face him with a bruised and swollen face."Ah! Just wait and see! I'll kill you bitches! Let go of me! My uncle will shoot you both! Ah! Fay, you bitch!"Elaine was crying and howling on the ground, her voice shrill. It was the first time in her life that she had suffered such humiliation! She swore to take revenge on them!She would make sure Blake had them jailed and executed!Elaine's cries attracted several passersby.Seeing that the destroyed car was a Maserati, they realized they couldn't intervene. So, they just watched from the side. No one dared to step forward.Someone was filming Gabriella, bu
They were her nemesis!Elaine fixed her gaze on Gabriella and Colene, filled with rage. "I must teach them a lesson!"Alicia, trying to discourage her, said, "Elaine, I don't think it's a good idea. We're in Chatan…""My uncle's here. What are you afraid of?" Elaine replied unconcernedly, "Follow me."Gabriella and Colene stepped into a clothing store while talking. The clothing in the store was stylish. Gabriella chose a one-shoulder dress and entered the changing room.Colene was outside and exclaimed with astonishment, "Damn! So the woman standing with Henry outside the women's restroom door that day was Elaine?"Gabriella frequently videocalled her while in Draken, telling her about her situation there.She then realized that Gabriella had met the self-righteous foolish Elaine, the young lady of the Draken's wealthy family, on the plane again."It's her," Gabriella responded as she changed clothes."She came to Florin?""Do you remember that we met a big shot at the pol
Then she turned slightly to see that Felise was still fast asleep. However, they were so close that they might wake her up.Gabriella didn't want Felise to catch them in the act.Henry didn't answer. He blew hot air onto Gabriella's neck, and goosebumps prickled her skin. He caught her earlobe and sucked it hard.A jolt of electricity seemed to shoot through her, and she shuddered. She curled her toes and shrank back.Suddenly, Gabriella became fully awake, and she tightened around Henry's hand. "What… what are you doing?"Henry's mouth was next to her ear, and his breath was hot on her earlobes. "I'm helping you relax.""No…""When you're relaxed, I'll sleep."Gabriella remained silent. Then, she bit her lip. "No, Henry… don't… uh, Lise is beside me… don't…"A light seemed to flash across her brain, and she stiffened suddenly, and her eyes went out of focus as she stared at the ceiling. Her breathing turned heavy.Henry kissed her cheek and got some wet towels to wipe her do
Felise hadn't seen Gabriella in two months, and she missed her dearly.After school, Felise got in line with the other children to leave the kindergarten. She looked around and heard her seatmate say, "Lise, your parents have come together to get you!"Felise followed the gaze of her seatmate, and she saw a man and a woman standing side by side, their eyes searching through the crowd of kindergarteners. The man wore a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his lean forearms. He wore black pants and a leather belt, which showed off his long legs. He looked like a model.The woman wore a fitting white lace blouse, and there was a white-gold necklace around her creamy neck. Her arms were fair and slender, like snow, and she wore a short khaki-colored miniskirt. Her legs were slim and fair, and her skin was flawless. They were a very good-looking couple, and they attracted the attention of many of the parents. Even the children couldn't help looking over at
It was already noon. Henry told the driver to make a detour to a restaurant. The waiter led them to a private room on the second floor and politely handed them a menu.Henry had come here a few times before. Perhaps it was because he didn't like lamb, but he only just noticed that there were several signature lamb dishes on the menu. Gabriella looked through the menu and ordered a few at random.Henry heard her orders and told the waiter, "Add a braised lamb and lamb rack.""You have great taste, sir. These are our signature dishes." The waiter smiled and noted it down."Will it be too much?""It's okay. We can bring it back if we can't finish it." Henry gave the menu to the waiter. "That's all."While they waited for the food to be served, the two of them chatted casually.Henry told her in detail about all the affiliated companies under Toussaint Holdings and the new products the studios were about to launch. He asked Gabriella which of these she was interested in. As lo
Then Layla heard something that made her lose all hope."Layla, come to my office."She opened her mouth, then deflated and said, "Okay."The intern looked curiously at Shawn's retreating figure and said, "Why does Mr. Shawn want to see you?""I don't know. Whatever it is, I'll find out when I go. I'm leaving." Layla carried an expression of dignified resignation.She guessed that Shawn wanted to see her about the office romance issue. She wasn't dating Robin, but it was worse than dating. Shawn had just stepped into the office when Layla followed him in. Her head was lowered, and she looked uneasy. "Mr. Shawn, what do you want to see me about?" she asked, her voice hoarse. Shawn sat down behind the desk and arranged the documents on it. He asked casually, "Do you remember what I asked you during your interview?""Y-yes… you asked me what I think about office romances." Layla lowered her gaze and answered in a small voice. Her palms were sweating, and her heart was in her t