Larissa shot a tranquilizer at the back of Scarlett's neck.At that moment, Scarlett felt a sudden surge of dizziness and lost consciousness.Larissa signaled Rachel to take care of the remaining men.Rachel dusted her hands and asked, "Boss, what about the goods?"Larissa gave it some thought and said, "Burn them."Amidst the flickering glow of fire, Scarlett woke up with a stinging sensation on the back of her neck.Shocked, she got up hurriedly, only to almost bump her head against the roof of the car.Scarlett belatedly realized that she had somehow returned to the car.In the distance, flames soared into the sky. Fire trucks blared their sirens as they rushed to the scene.Meanwhile, the factory complex was taken down by blazing flames.Scarlett felt her heart pounding hard.The two masked individuals displayed terrifying combat skills and ruthless strikes.Who were they? And why did they help her?Why incinerate the goods?Scarlett couldn't wrap her mind around the
Larissa said plainly, "We're guests. Is this how you host your guests?"Winston waved at them impatiently. "This isn't a place for kids. Leave this instance!""I'd buy if you actually had anything good. But I can't find anything appealing here," said Larissa with a prideful expression. Winston laughed and said, "You're pretty convincing. Fine, then. Come with me, I'll show you the good stuff."There was another room around the corner.A gemstone deposit that weighed about 800 pounds was lightly sliced at its top. It showed the deep, pure green color underneath. This was the best deposit among all the deposits here.Many people were talking about it."The color is such a pure, vibrant green. This will definitely sell well.""Do you think it'd be an Imperial Opal?""Of all these deposits, this is the only one that can yield the Imperial Opal.""No way. It's been years since Ambrollum City last yielded an Imperial Opal.""If you're not bidding for it, I will!"Soon, the aucti
Ella did not expect to meet Larissa here. She looked around nervously.She saw that Charmaine and Henry were not present. Then, she turned back around, disappointed.Larissa sneered, "Stop looking. Your crush isn't here."Ella turned red and refuted, "What are you saying?"Larissa crossed her arms and said, "I didn't specify who your crush is. Why are you so nervous?""I don't have time for your nonsense!" Ella was about to leave when she saw the gemstones laid out in front of Larissa.They were seemingly of low quality. It was obvious that these were scraps.Ella paused for a second. Then, she pointed at Larissa and began to laugh hysterically. "You're so funny, Larissa! Everyone is gambling on gemstones, yet you bought scraps?"Are you here to pick up trash? You're such a joke!"Fiona angrily said, "You're the joke! Do you know how to bet on gemstones? Larissa came for the windfall. But that's none of your business!"Ella dared not cross Fiona. She said in envy, "Ms. Lancas
Many people wanted to clap for Larissa's calm posture.But after hearing what she said, they shook their heads. She was too arrogant!A peacemaker tried to ease the situation, "Mr. Stonehart, she's just a young lady. Don't mind her, it won't look good on you."Somebody tried to tell Larissa, "Young lady, what do you know about gemstones? Hurry and apologize to Mr. Stonehart. He's a merciful man, he will forgive you.""Don't stop her, let her continue," said Winston.He looked at Larissa with an arrogant expression. "You're young, but you're brave! Do you happen to have some know-how?"The crowd signaled Larissa to keep quiet.But Larissa nodded and said, "Yeah, I do.""How shameless of you!" Winston's gaze turned cold. "You dared to lay hands on my niece on my grounds and spout baseless claims."He continued, "Since you're friends with Ms. Lancaster, I can let you go. Give yourself ten slaps, and you can get out of here! Otherwise, even if Mr. Lancaster showed up, I won't show
Ella's face turned red from excitement. She finally had the chance to embarrass Larissa!She glanced at Larissa, hoping to see bewilderment or surprise from that pretty face of hers.But Larissa remained emotionless.Ella scoffed. She thought that Larissa must be pretending to be calm.A pure, vibrant green could be seen through the cracks.The gem cutter shouted excitedly, "Imperial Opal! It really is the Imperial Opal!"The jewelry merchant clenched his fists. He was overwhelmed with joy.Meanwhile, Winston laughed heartily.The crowd exploded in exclamation, "Oh my god! It really was the Imperial Opal!"Some screamed in excitement, "There it is! The Imperial Opal!"More came to witness the occasion. Many years had passed since they last yielded Imperial Opals.If the rest of the gemstone had the same texture, its value would instantly increase.Yet immediately after, the gem cutter shouted abruptly, "Oh, no! There are cracks! He lost the bet."When he heard those words,
"Yes, you lost!" Ella scoffed and declared loudly, "Unless you can present an Imperial Opal, you've lost!"You not only have to let me slap you ten times, but also compensate for Uncle Winston's loss!"Fiona chimed in, "You're too obsessed with that Imperial Opal! We were betting on the price going up, while you thought it would drop."Now that Larissa has successfully opened a gemstone, the price is going up. But you won't admit it and want us to pay? Seriously?"Ella provocatively looked at Larissa and said, "Since this is Uncle Winston's place, I have the final say. What do you say? Dare to bet?"Larissa sighed and reluctantly said, "Maybe we should just forget it."Ella wasn't going to miss out on this great opportunity. She declared loudly, "If these three gemstones can sell for a hundred dollars, I'll kneel before you and call you 'daddy'!"Larissa shook her head and sighed, "Let's not do it. The stakes are too high."Ella's eyes sparkled. "If you didn't have the guts to
The crowd gazed at Ella with incredulous looks. Was she a fool to doubt this?In fact, they hoped it was magic so that Larissa could help transform their gemstones in the same way. It was evident to everyone that these were truly precious gems.The gemstone expert excitedly stammered, "May I, um, take a look at the gemstone in your hand?"Larissa nodded and handed it over. The gemstone expert received them with care.After a thorough examination, he looked up with excitement and joy and declared, "These are the best gemstones I've seen in my entire career. They're even more valuable than opals."More gemstone experts displayed their credentials and asked to appraise the stones.Larissa agreed, and they thanked her. Upon thorough examination by several experts, they unanimously concluded that these gemstones were unlike anything they had encountered before.While they couldn't determine an exact value, they were sure it surpassed that of opals.One expert humbly admitted, "I'm s
Fiona was speechless. She asked Larissa in disbelief, "Larissa, did I hear that right? Someone's offering 80 million dollars for your emerald?"It's really 80 million dollars, not eight thousand dollars, right?"She couldn't believe it. What was once a cheap purchase of leftover stones for a hundred thousand dollars had now skyrocketed to 80 million dollars!Those people were even on the verge of fighting over it.Fiona gulped, finally realizing why they said the world of gemstone gambling was a rollercoaster of fortune and despair. In the blink of an eye, one could go from rags to riches or vice versa.Winston was seething at those trying to outbid him.Suppressing his frustration, he said, "Ms. Larissa, I'm willing to offer 85 million dollars. I hope you can consider selling the emerald to me."The person who had bid 80 million dollars was getting anxious and wanted to bid higher. Winston gave his security team a single glance and they quickly brought him away.As no one else
Ambrose faced his back to Larissa.She tried to conceal her grievance and anger, shouting, "Aren't you leaving? Leave then!"He kept his back to her, not daring to turn around.Despite her efforts to suppress her emotions, he detected a touch of grief in her voice.Ambrose was frightened of turning around and seeing her tears.As long as he saw those eyes, he would be unable to resist the temptation to be selfish once again, to stay by her side at all costs.He gradually tightened his gloved hands.No. He couldn't be so selfish. He had become a monster, unworthy of her!He wanted to escape, hide, and not let Larissa see his monster appearance. However, he couldn't move at all. His feet stubbornly stayed in place, as if rooted.She walked up to him. She stared attentively at him for a moment before slowly reaching out to hold his hand.Just as her fingertips were about to touch his hand, Ambrose suddenly returned to his senses.Damn it! What was he doing? How could he let Lar
Max's treatment of external injuries was professional.He gently patted the wolf cub's head and said, "Bye."The wolf cub's eyes were full of gratitude. It looked at the humans deeply before running away without looking back.Larissa and her team continued to search for traces of the werewolf in Northernmost.However, they didn't find any useful clues. Max couldn't help but ask, "Madam, do you think there would be werewolves here?"She replied, "Although Jackie lied about the wolf cub, I believe he saw something real. No matter what, I'll find him, even if we have to turn Northernmost upside down!"On a mountain several miles away, a tall figure stood against the wind. He stood firm amidst the snowy landscape like a sturdy tree.The wolf cub approached him and affectionately rubbed against his trousers. He lowered his head, giving it a faint glance. "Little fool, don't get caught in human traps again."His tone was stern, with a hint of teaching. The wolf cub lowered its head i
There were no cameras in the hotel room, but there were in the corridor.In a fleeting moment, Larissa finally noticed something wrong.She rewinded the video and played it back slowly several times. Finally, she confirmed what she had seen.She slumped into the chair, completely lost.She knew that something must have happened to Ambrose.Although the footage got grainy right away, Larissa still saw it—Ambrose's hand had undergone some sort of transformation.What on earth had happened? She must find him as soon as possible!Everything was fine last night. Ambrose set off fireworks for her and even used drones to write his vow in the sky.He had done so many romantic things for her. Why did he change overnight? What was wrong with his hand?Larissa's mind was in chaos, unable to make sense of anything. After thinking for a moment, she called Max."Max, send a ship to pick me up... No, send me a helicopter. I have to go back right away."After returning, she immediately aske
Ambrose's pupils shrank.His right hand had completely transformed into the shape of a wolf claw.The mutation continued to spread up his arm, resulting in a thick layer of wolf fur.Dawn was approaching. A faint light shone on the horizon. The distant sea was tumultuous with no end in sight.Ambrose stood on the balcony, his black hair fluttering in the sea breeze.He cautiously lifted his right hand. At this moment, his hand could no longer be called a hand.From his fingertips to his arm, it had fully transformed into a wolf's paw. Even more terrifyingly, the mutation was still spreading toward his shoulder.His time was running out.Ambrose stared at his right hand intently for a long time. Until the cold air covered his long eyelashes with a layer of frost, he put on his gloves again, hiding the mutated hand.He returned to the bedroom, where Larissa remained asleep. She appeared to be having a beautiful dream, smiling as she slept.Ambrose sat down by the bed, gazing at
Larissa didn't notice Ambrose's abnormality. She thought he was preparing a surprise for her."Then hurry up, Mister!" She tiptoed and kissed his face before running out with a smile.His gentle smile disappeared after she left.Ambrose stared at his mutated right hand, his expression gradually darkening.He didn't want to appear so hideous in front of Larissa. So, he put on a pair of black gloves, intending to hide it from her.Larissa waited outside, kicking the ground with boredom. After a while, Ambrose came out."Mister!" Larissa dashed for him like a lively bird.He hugged her as he had done countless times before. She hooked her arm around his, and they walked out together.When the restaurant doors slowly opened, Larissa noticed the pink rose petals scattered all over the floor.It was so beautiful!It was evident that Ambrose attached great importance to their wedding anniversary tonight.She stared at his strikingly gorgeous profile. He turned and showed her a doti
A week later, Birdie awoke.She burst into tears upon seeing Larissa. "Ms. Larissa, those people beat me so badly! I thought I'd never see you again!"Larissa tenderly hugged Birdie and patted her back to comfort her. "It's fine now. Don't be afraid. I've already avenged you."Vincent stood nearby. He tightly pursed his lips, believing that the punishments meted out to those people were too light.After Birdie had stopped crying, she looked at him and asked, "Vince, why are you still so short?"He felt like he'd been struck by lightning.Birdie was a year older than Vincent. Girls at this age tended to be taller than boys, causing Vincent to be a head shorter than Birdie.He pursed his lips and quietly put away the small cakes he had prepared for her. It took him a lot of effort to snatch it from Victor.Even if he gave it back to Victor, he wouldn't give it to the ungrateful Birdie!Larissa could tell Vincent's thoughts and nearly came out laughing. She barely managed to hold
Larissa observed Fernando, feeling increasingly familiar with his appearance."Hmm... aren't you the guy who owes me a hundred thousand dollars in medical expenses? Have your injuries healed?"It was simple for a person to leave a lasting impression on her. He only needed to owe her money.When Fernando heard the familiar voice, he finally confirmed she was the one who saved him."It's me. I'm really sorry..."He didn't hide anything and confessed all of his wrongdoings. After speaking, he nervously waited.Larissa might criticize him harshly, hit him, or even trample on his dignity as Nayla did. Everything was his fault. He was willing to face the consequences.But...She pondered for a moment and suddenly asked, "You're quite skilled, huh?""Uh..." Fernando didn't expect her to ask such a question out of the blue. He paused for a moment before nodding.Larissa waved. "Join the Hamiltons as a bodyguard then! If you perform well during the three-year testing period, we'll pro
As the Daltons' men surrounded Max, Nayla managed to flee."Damn it!" He gritted his teeth and glanced at Fernando. "Since you didn't join Nayla in harming Ms. Zoey, I'll let you go. You may leave!"However, Fernando didn't do so. He seemed to have made a certain determination and bent toward Max. "Please allow me to stay by Ms. Zoey's side. I'm willing to spend the rest of my life protecting her."Max squinted. "Do you think I'll still believe you?"Fernando remained bent over. It was a posture of persistence rather than reverence. "I won't give up even if you disagree.""Whatever!" Max turned around indifferently and led the Hamiltons' guards away.Fernando soon straightened up. He appeared resolute. Even if Max barred him from entering the Hamilton residence again, he would silently protect Zoey....Nayla stitched up her face at the Dalton residence, her hands trembling violently."Damn it!" She let out a shrill roar and hurled the needle holder violently to the ground.H
Fernando became more certain of the truth when he saw Nayla's panicked expression."Do you want me to believe you? Then show me how you used the silver needles to save me.""I—" Nayla bit her lip tightly. "You hurt me, Fernando. Have you forgotten that I saved your life? You promised to repay me. How could you doubt me?"He returned to his former coldness and stepped closer to her."You're not the one I owe gratitude to. When I was severely injured and unconscious, I couldn't see who had saved me. I'd even forgotten her voice. Fortunately, I've recalled it. Or I'd have no idea how much longer you'd deceive me!"During this period, the humiliations he had endured from Nayla were vivid and echoed in his mind.He had also doubted how a kind woman who would help a stranger could become so cruel.Nayla explained that her parents had abandoned her since birth. Larissa had also caused the death of her grandmother, who had raised her.After returning to her biological family, Larissa r