Roy said, "His son once went abroad to avoid trouble and encountered Nina, but there hasn’t been any close contact. We can’t definitively say that Miss Greenwood’s drowning was plotted by them." But Zachary had a gut feeling that things weren’t that simple. He felt guilty toward Nina, but if she intended to harm Jane, he wouldn’t let it slide easily. "You go and investigate further," he ordered. Roy nodded and left to carry out the task. The car arranged by Frank was already waiting. Jane and Charlotte shared one car, while Yasmin, with the child and Jason, took another. Frank didn’t rush to cuddle with his wife, instead, he sat alone in the car, waiting for Zachary for quite a while. So, when Zachary finally got in, Frank made it uncomfortable for him right away. "Two girls, Zachary, how do you plan to choose?" At this point, Zachary had indeed lost to Frank. This guy had liked Charlotte since childhood and still did. The two girls were the same person. In th
Dr. Travis had lived to this age and had seen everything clearly, he felt no embarrassment saying whatever came to mind. Moreover, as a doctor, he had to be straightforward. "You've exhausted yourself too much. You need to take some time to rest and recover. And Mr. Collins, you can’t exhausted yourself either. Give yourself some time to rest too." Everyone was an adult, there was nothing difficult to understand here. While Dr. Travis spoke calmly, Zachary felt embarrassed. Saying such things in public still had a sense of shame attached to it. "Ahem, I’ve noted that," he cleared his throat. "Thank you, Dr. Travis." Dr. Travis stood up, putting away his small cushion. "There are no other issues. Just pay special attention to the allergens identified this time. Drowning has caused some pulmonary edema, so keep your diet light and take care of yourself during this period." Jane and Zachary saw Dr. Travis to his car, followed by Charlotte and Frank. After sending Dr. Tra
They could always be precise.“Let’s eat, Zachary will handle it. There are some things I don’t want you to hear, and you don’t need to take it to heart. It probably isn’t anything good, we shouldn't internalize it.”Charlotte helped Jane with her food while providing comfort.Jane’s situation with Zachary was different from that with Frank.If they were to take the step towards marriage in the future, it would likely be a fierce battle.In the bathroom, Zachary lit a cigarette.On the other end, his mother was venting furiously, but he maintained one attitude.Nina must be sent abroad, Jane was not just a fleeting interest, he was serious about her.His mother was so infuriated that her blood pressure rose, and she had to take medication to continue talking to him.“What, are you willing to give up being the son of the Collins family and sever ties with us for her?”Zachary’s tone was unusually serious. “I will if I have to.”His mother took a deep breath, controlling her a
Charlotte served Jane some food, helplessly saying, “When have I ever lied to you? It was indeed what he said. Are you reassured now?”She scrutinized Jane’s expression and changed the subject. “It looks like you’re serious about this?”Jane cocked her brows. “It’s just beginning, I haven’t thought that far ahead. I just want to have some certainty.”With certainty, she could know when to fall and when to wake up.She smiled. “For now, we should investigate the hotel incident thoroughly and see what’s really going on.”Although the surveillance footage hadn’t yielded results yet, Frank had already guessed quite a bit.With certain methods, they didn’t fear that Michael wouldn’t talk.But the key question was whether Zachary would use any means against Nina.If the two conspired, their testimonies had to be consistent.And this drowning incident was easy to guess.However, Zachary only intended to send Nina abroad and hadn’t mentioned whether to take further action.Frank did
On the sofa, the whole family sat neatly together.He took a bite of the ice cream, spoke succinctly, and got straight to the point. “First thing, I will only marry Jane.”Sir Collins was the first to object, concerned for the family's reputation and for the ice cream.Zachary ignored him. “Second, Nina must go abroad.”Nina, sitting on the single sofa, kept her head lowered, curled up. When Zachary said this, tears fell from her eyes, looking pitiful.“Mrs. Collins, I suggested going abroad to Zachary. Please don’t blame him.”Zachary’s mother, Rebecca Collins, was confused. “You just got back. Why suddenly do you want to go abroad? You refuse to tell us what happened either. Sending you abroad before was for your studies. Now that you’ve graduated, why go abroad alone?”Nina glanced at Zachary before shaking her head. “Mrs. Collins, I know you care about me, but I want to go abroad.”“And I want to take my grandfather’s ashes with me.”Rebecca became even more perplexed. “
Madam Collins loved drinking coffee. If others knew, they would definitely think she was a gentle and easy-going old lady. Unfortunately, she was not. Coffee was just a simple hobby, it didn’t affect her judgment or decision-making on any matter. Sir Collins was the same. All members of the Collins family, including him, prioritized calmness above all else. Before he met Jane, he had indeed followed their wishes, behaving like a proper member of the Collins family. It was precisely because he knew what he wanted that he decided to be with Jane. Otherwise, when Jane distanced herself from him, he could have easily walked away and become a stranger to her. “Why don’t I just sever ties with the Collins family?” Eric slammed the table again. “I think you’ve gone mad. You can say such childish things?” “Have you digested all the teachings from these years along with your meals?” “Severing ties with the Collins family? Have you thought about it? You can’t even protect t
Charlie talked about his ex-girlfriend every day, and Frank joked about her being his "true love," but he never denied it.“Nina, tell me the truth. If you don’t tell me the truth, I won’t be able to help you,” Rebecca urged.Nina looked at Zachary and then shook her head vigorously at Rebecca. Everyone present could tell there was something deeper going on, but Nina was afraid of Zachary and didn’t dare to speak up. “Don’t look at him. Just tell your Mrs. Collins the truth so that she, along with Grandpa, Grandma, and your godfather, can understand whose fault it really is,” Rebecca insisted. Nina bit her lip, hesitating for a long while before she finally spoke. Zachary didn’t stop her, he also wanted to hear how she would recount that night’s events. “Mrs. Collins, actually, it was my fault…” She stumbled over her words. “One night, Zachary got unhappy because Miss Greenwood brought her boyfriend and drank a bit too much, and he ended up getting himself drunk.” The e
Zachary glanced at his watch, there was still some time left. He asked, “Let me hear it—what do the elders expect me to do? Marry her?” Nina’s eyes lit up with surprise, but she kept her head down, and no one noticed. Sir Collins furrowed his brows. “It’s just about taking responsibility, I’m not saying you should marry her. You still need to marry someone who can support you—someone who can help you if your career faces difficulties in the future.” Nina understood, indeed, she couldn’t hold any expectations for the Collins family. Sir Collins had brought her back merely to allow her to see him off, covering up the guilt of separating them for years and of her near-misfortune abroad. Rebecca’s kindness toward her was based on her behaving well and understanding her place, as if she were just a non-blood relative. There was no hope for anything more with Zachary. At this stage, they were merely considering the interests of the Collins family, regardless of her feelings. Sh
Charlotte patted her head. "First, make a video call to that little girl." Jane quickly found her phone and opened the landlord's WhatsApp. As soon as the call connected, the little girl appeared on screen, her eyes red. Tears were still visible on her face. The landlord was sitting next to her, waiting, not having gone to sleep. Jane apologized, "Sorry to disturb your rest." "Don't say that." The landlord gently patted her daughter's head. "I'm just happy you're alright." Jane smiled at the little girl. "Thanks to Celine, I'm fine." The little girl leaned closer to the screen. "Jane, you're lying. Your lips are swollen." Jane cleared her throat. "I ate something spicy earlier." She quickly added to prevent the little girl from saying anything else, "Alright, go to sleep now. We'll talk more when you get out of school. Jane went through a lot today, and she's tired too." The little girl, very understanding, handed the phone to her mother and went to bed
The captain laughed. "Don't think that just because we're from abroad, we don't understand anything.""Young lady, if you want to buy some time, then I'll play along with you. But if you're hoping for someone to rescue you, I advise you to give up on that thought. This is the border. Domestic ships can't get through here."Well, you don't know Frank.There's no one who can stop him from going where he wants to go.Jane tried her best to suppress her fear. "Sir, I have all kinds of tricks. If I can make you guys happy, can you spare my life?"She reached out, grabbed the captain's belt, and moved closer."As long as you don't kill me, you'll be my savior. I'll be yours from now on and let you have your fun with me. Is that okay?"Although Jane hadn't dressed herself up recently.But her facial features were stunning. Those fox-like eyes with a smile in them were even more alluring.The captain kept swallowing saliva. Apparently, he was attracted.However, they had already rece
They were anxious, not just because of the situation, but because they feared Zachary would go mad and go abroad with Jane. Frank glanced at their expressions and immediately understood that they were aware of Lexi's plan to send Jane abroad. "I suggest that while Zachary is looking for Jane, you should take care of the Sanchez family's matters. Otherwise, when Zachary comes back, there will be hell to pay." Jane ate the meal the waiter brought and then felt drowsy. She fell into a light sleep, and when she opened her eyes again, it was already half past nine. She remembered the things she had told the little girl before leaving and quickly grabbed her phone to call. But just then, the door was suddenly kicked open. Several adult men stormed in and grabbed her, dragging her outside. "What are you doing?" They had originally planned to reach the border, but unexpectedly, a violent storm had forced a slight course change. This delay allowed the effects of th
Lexi said, "The plane will leave traces. By then, Zachary will find you. The ship will change at the border and private sea areas. Once she changes ships, it will be hard to track." Jane remembered when Jack had taken Charlotte away before. She felt a sense of unease. After all, Lexi wasn't someone she could fully trust. "I didn't expect you to be so timid." Lexi noticed Jane's worry. "I thought someone with your background, who dared to pursue someone as different as Zachary, and even date him, would have extraordinary courage." But wasn't Jane regretting it now? Otherwise, why would she be running away? She decided not to care anymore. With a firm heart, she boarded the ship. Lexi smiled in satisfaction, but then a cold glint appeared in her eyes as she spoke to the captain. "When we reach the border, throw her into the sea and feed her to the sharks." No matter where she went, as long as Zachary wanted to find her, it was just a matter of time.
Lexi was so angry that she wanted to smash something. She got up and walked away, with each step of her high heels hitting the ground, the sound echoing her immense fury. The more difficult it was to conquer, the more determined she became to conquer it! Zachary went directly back to the Collins family home. The Collins family members were somewhat uneasy. When they saw him come back alone, they were both shocked and suspicious. "Did Lexi not come back with you?" asked Rebecca. Zachary did not respond and walked upstairs with long strides. Rebecca, along with Sir Collins and Madam Collins, exchanged gazes, all feeling something was off. It was strange that Zachary had actually returned to the Collins family. "Sean." Rebecca saw someone else entering behind him and immediately asked, "Did you follow him the whole time? Did you notice anything unusual?" Sean bent slightly, his face carrying a polite smile as he respectfully replied, "No abnormalities w
The situation between Zachary and Jane's relationship had not been made public. It was normal for the employees at the company not to know about it. Zachary did not answer when people congratulated him, and Lexi stood silently by his side, not saying anything either. But to those around them, their actions were as good as an admission.Some people even offered their congratulations, but Zachary didn't acknowledge them. He didn't go upstairs. Instead, he turned and left the building. This time, he didn't even get into Lexi's car. The smell inside the car was too overwhelming, making him dizzy.Lexi followed him, and they entered a nearby cafe. He didn't go straight to Jane's place, but Lexi knew that was just a way of hiding his true intentions. However, she wasn't concerned. After all, the Collins family would never approve of him being with Jane. She just needed to give him a bit of time to play along."Mr. Collins, aren't you going to consider my suggestion?" Lexi asked with a sli
The shock from the Collins family was too much for her. She wouldn't take the initiative, nor would she have the courage to continue with him.So what other way did he have?He'd tried both soft and hard tactics, yet this situation was still more complicated than advanced mathematics.The next day.Lexi invited Zachary out.But the Collins family hesitated.Rebecca said, "Why don't you two spend some more time getting to know each other at home first?"Lexi smiled. "Mrs. Collins, I know what you're worried about, but that woman is no longer in Jeswood."Rebecca was aware of this.After all, they had been keeping an eye on Jane's movements. They even knew where she was staying.It was surprising that Lexi had just returned a day ago, yet she had already figured it out.This kind of method and family background was exactly what the Collins family needed.It was also what Zachary needed."I've erased all traces. Even if he wants to find her today, he won't be able to, and it
The landlord nodded understandingly. "You young people do have a lot of new ideas."They chatted casually and soon reached the large square.The stage had already been set up.They had arrived early, but there were already a lot of people gathered.Jane commented, "It's quite formal."The landlord proudly replied, "This isn't just a community event, there are even celebrities."Jane became a little curious and wanted to see what celebrities were here.It turned out to be an R-list boy band, along with a few elderly artists.Well, it was still a big stage.She watched for a while, but soon lost interest. She made an excuse to go to the bathroom.Under the cover of night, she wandered around.She spotted a small shop and bought a bag of cheese-flavored chips to eat.This kind of life, she thought, couldn't last long. She hoped Zachary would hurry up and get married, so he would stop bothering her."Jane..." Jane was lost in thought when the voice startled her, almost caus
"Stop dreaming."Lexi, despite her feelings for Zachary, couldn't suppress her anger anymore."You want to marry that woman? That's nothing but wishful thinking."Zachary's gaze was icy, and every word he spoke, from his thin lips, carried a chilling frost."Her name is Jane."Lexi, at this point in her life, had never met a man who not only showed no interest in her but also repeatedly poked at her vulnerabilities."The more you protect her, the more dangerous she becomes. My offer won't change. You'll come to me eventually."With that, she turned, her heels clicking sharply as she walked toward the door."Excuse me, open the door."Sean opened the door.Lexi held her head high as she walked downstairs.Sean was about to close the door when Zachary threw the food outside.He even "thoughtfully" closed the door after that.When Rebecca saw the untouched food that Sean had brought down, she couldn't help but feel some pity."Not eating yet?"She had just praised Lexi for