After the call ended, Hannah dialed another number. "How is it? Did you send your people to the location? If Gabriella gets a hold of Garrick, we'll …"The man on the other end of the phone replied, "They went there already. Also, Garrick's current whereabouts are unknown."Hannah relaxed a little, and a trace of determination flashed across her eyes. She said, "If I had known that Gabriella could dig up a case from ten years ago, I should've …"She should've gotten rid of her as well.The man on the phone was silent.Hannah laughed mockingly. "You probably never thought that this day would come when your family decided to adopt her, right?"Oliver said, "I was the one who gave Grandpa the idea to adopt her."Albert had initially only wanted to fund Gabriella's studies.It was ultimately Oliver who suggested that they welcome Gabriella into the Toussaint family by adopting her.Albert had held Hiram in high regard. So, he was devastated when he learned about his death. H
Gabriella stared at them in shock. Then, a cold smile formed on her lips. It's of no surprise that Hannah could afford to be selective. As it turns out, Henry had been helping her!Gabriella knew it. Henry had loved Hannah for so long. He had only broken up with Hannah at that time because of Albert's death.Gabriella looked mockingly at Henry.Although Henry obviously has feelings for Hannah, he kept denying it. He even claimed that he loved Gabriella and asked her to give him another chance. It was such a joke. Gabriella wondered if Henry found it fun to toy with her feelings.It hadn't even been that long since Albert's death. Yet, Henry softened and got back together with Hannah.Gabriella glanced at Hannah, who was beside Henry. She wore a light pink bodycon dress. She held onto Henry's arm elegantly as she chatted away with a smile.If she didn't know what type of person Hannah was, Gabriella would've fallen for her tricks too.At first, Gabriella thought Hannah hated he
After the police officers dragged Hannah away, Gabriella left the venue as well.Everyone in the hall began gossiping. They shot Henry glances from time to time. Chandler managed to restore order, and the party returned to its original state.Henry excused himself from the people beside him and left the venue too.After Gabriella provided evidence and testified, she exited the interrogation room. It was already 10:00 pm.She walked towards the hall where Colene had been waiting. She said, "Let's go."Colene kept her phone and asked, "There's nothing else?""Nope. The rest would be settled in the courtroom."Colene learned about that afternoon's incident. She said angrily, "Hannah really is disgusting. I'm telling you, don't ever soften. You have to refuse anyone who asks you to negotiate. Let her rot in jail!"Colene was hinting at someone.Gabriella smiled as she said, "I know. I won't be soft-hearted."Even if Hannah told her that she would immediately testify now, sh
Gabriella pursed her lips and clenched her fists tightly when she saw Henry's sad expression.She was only speaking her truth. She wondered why he was so sad. "That's right! Henry, you're making a joke out of your relationship with Hannah through your actions. You also think too little of me. Do you think that I'll be tricked by you? No way! I don't care about what you want from me, but it's better if you stop right now!" Gabriella said coldly.The vein on Henry's forehead pulsed as he stared intently at Gabriella. He said, "What do I want from you? Tell me, what do I want?""I wanted to ask you, but I'm afraid only you'll know." Gabriella raised an eyebrow.Henry laughed bitterly. He licked his teeth and stared intently at Gabriella as he strode toward her. When her eyes met his eyes, Gabriella stepped back deliberately. Her back was against the elevator wall. "What—What are you trying to do?"Henry propped himself against the wall and slightly lowered his head. His w
Shawn had never introduced his girlfriend to his parents. However, Meredith still knew if they were out on dates.Who wouldn't want their son to find a girlfriend within his league?When Meredith first learned about Carmila's identity, she was upset about it. Carmila came from an average family. Her parents were ordinary workers. She had two sisters and a brother. They were all still studying. So, money was crucial. Carmila's grandparents were old and sickly. Her uncle's constitution was even worse as he was currently bedridden at the hospital.In conclusion, the Sandersons were short on money.Carmila was a high school dropout. She worked as a salesperson at a mall's boutique.Shawn was way out of her league.Fortunately, Meredith wasn't that particular about her family background. The thought of her workaholic son finally dating had her quickly accept Carmila's background. Carmila must have some likable qualities. Otherwise, her son wouldn't like her.Meredith was curious ab
Gabriella looked at Oliver's expression. She was unsure if he was being truthful or not.If Oliver was telling the truth, more questions arose about his connection with that woman and why he kept it from his wife, Megan. If it was false, the purpose of his statement remained unclear.Gabriella wanted to enquire more, but suddenly, her phone rang with Denzel's call. Glancing at Oliver, she gestured to him and moved away to answer the phone."Did you get Garrick?" Gabriella asked eagerly.Denzel's voice carried regret on the other end. "Sorry, no. Garrick ended up in someone else's hands."A sinking feeling engulfed Gabriella. "In someone else's hands?" Gabriella evaluated if the mastermind behind all this had sent people to rescue Garrick. If that were the case, catching Garrick again seemed almost impossible. Additionally, Hannah's reluctance to testify added another layer of complexity. A sense of helplessness set in—what could Gabriella do to avenge her father?"Yes, wh
Gabriella widened her eyes in astonishment. She was surprised that Henry actually went and negotiated terms with Hannah.She wondered if all that stuff—resources, the party—was part of the deal laid out by Hannah."Really? You're not messing with me?" Gabriella asked skeptically."It's as real as it gets!" Jacob nodded vigorously. "Hannah said she'd testify after everything tonight, but things didn't go as planned ..."Gabriella snorted, "Henry is so naive. Does he really think agreeing to those conditions means Hannah will testify? No way."Well, Gabriella wasn't less naive herself. They both were ultimately played by Hannah. They fell right into her trap.Jacob chuckled, "Either way, it's a thoughtful gesture from Mr. Henry.""He doesn't want to tell me. So what's your purpose in telling me all this?" Gabriella raised an eyebrow.Jacob rubbed his nose. "Mr. Henry hasn't been in the best mood lately …"Gabriella quickly grasped the situation. She momentarily fell si
This morning, Henry received a message from Julian that Benjamin had run away.Right then, it dawned on him. He finally understood Gabriella's feelings and the reason she had called the police, which then explained her frustration when she spotted him with Hannah.Henry blamed himself. Gabriella had just dug up some dirt on Hannah, and Benjamin disappeared. Such an incident seemed likely to be connected to Hannah. Hannah was reluctant to face the kidnapper after having endured brutal torture during the kidnapping. So Henry had given her time.Benjamin might not have escaped if Henry had pressured Hannah to testify directly. He had been too lenient with Hannah because of the kidnapping case.Henry understood that Hannah didn't like Gabriella and was unwilling to testify. But he never anticipated that she would choose to set the kidnapper who had harmed her free.Hannah's actions made Henry lose any lingering sympathy he had for her. Given the way things had played out, she brou
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