"What's the matter? Are you in a hurry?" Xavier quipped.Quinn didn't bother to reply to him. Suddenly, lightning struck and thunder roared. The sky too, turned dark, as if a fierce storm was imminent.Quinn got up and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window.A lot of women would be scared of a storm like this, yet she found a certain tranquility in the darkness and the rain.After a glass of red wine, she was feeling slightly buzzed.Quinn had always enjoyed the feeling of being slightly tipsy. Although being drunk was somewhat uncomfortable, the mild intoxication brought her a sense of ease. At that moment, she was the most authentic version of herself.Xavier joined her to gaze up at the stormy sky. He enjoyed these kinds of nights as well, watching the heavy rain cleanse the surroundings. He would wake up the following day, feeling as though everything was fresh and new. It was a rather comfortable feeling.It started raining heavily soon after.Just then, Quinn'
Given his youth and physical prowess, Xavier was able to experiment with positions that would have been beyond the capabilities of most.They made love several times throughout the night. Yet, instead of feeling tired, Xavier felt like he hadn't had enough."What am I supposed to do now, Quinn? I feel like I'm going to die from you sooner or later," Xavier said, unable to control himself in Quinn's presence.At that moment, Quinn was completely spent. She leaned her head on Xavier's arm and briefly glanced at him, saying, "If you're scared of dying, you can always—"Xavier couldn't bear to hear her words anymore and silenced her with an intense and passionate kiss."Please don't say things like that anymore. I'd be happy to die for you," Xavier said with a smile. "It's already getting late. You should get some sleep now."At that moment, Quinn could barely keep her eyes open. They had been going at it for two hours, after all.It was Quinn's birthday the following day, which mea
"You're not Maurice's daughter, Kimberly," Araminta said, finally revealing the truth. If there had been any other way, she would never have staked everything on seeking out Maurice.She had initially planned to use her pregnancy to keep Gregory by her side. Yet, Gregory was unwilling to be bound by such means and even insisted that she terminate the pregnancy.Araminta had therefore decided to go after Maurice after considering the formidable nature of Four Seasons Incorporated at that time."Huh? How is that possible? How could I not be Maurice's daughter?" Kimberly exclaimed, utterly bewildered. She had never even considered this possibility. What on earth was happening at this moment?"You don't have to worry about the details. And please stop asking so many questions. All you have to do is seek out your biological father. As long as you do that, he'll definitely help you," Araminta said. She felt that they would still have a chance in life as long as Kimberly was acknowled
Quinn collapsed onto the couch, feeling utterly exhausted.At that moment, Xavier tried to feed her some seafood risotto.Quinn merely glanced at him, thinking that Xavier had completely disregarded her pleas to go easy on her the previous night."Oh, come on. Please don't be upset. I simply got carried away," Xavier said. It was the same thing every single time. As soon as he got caught up in the moment, he wouldn't be able to restrain himself.Quinn merely sneered and turned her head away.Upon seeing her behave in such a way, Xavier simply thought she was adorable. "I'm really sorry. I promise it won't happen again. I'll do whatever you say next time. Whether you want me to stop, go deeper, or go shallower, your wish is my command."Xavier tried his best to appease her, but Quinn was still furious."Come on, Quinny. You should eat some, or your stomach will start to hurt again," Xavier said worriedly.After eating a few bites, Quinn suddenly received a call from Edgar."Kim
Since Samuel was already at the door, it would seem rude not to invite him in.At that thought, Quinn went downstairs to meet him."Mom, I have a friend over. I'm stepping out for a bit," she said before heading outside."A friend? What friend?" Lorraine asked, clearly intrigued.She glanced over at Xavier as she thought that he should know. But he simply shook his head, indicating he had no idea who was outside.Before long, Quinn returned with Samuel."Mom, this is Samuel Kane, the heir to Kane Group. We work with them."No matter what, he was still a business associate. If he had come all the way here to celebrate her birthday, she couldn't very well send him away.Xavier pressed his tongue against his molars and let out a grunt.This kid still hadn't given up? He had already told him to back off from Quinn."It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Gatrell." Samuel was visibly nervous. Maybe because he cared a lot about this encounter."Hi! Thanks for remembering Quinny's birthd
"Nope," Quinn answered firmly.Nadia continued asking, "What about Xavier?"The two were still in the flirting phase, with no clear definition of their relationship."I don't hate him," Quinn replied honestly."I think what we have now is pretty good. We don't need to label everything. When we're happy, we hang out, and when we're not, we go our separate ways.""You just don't want to take responsibility," Nadia countered."Responsibility for what? It's just a casual thing between us!"Besides, the Patterson family wasn't exactly easy to deal with. Being involved with him would lead to a lot of trouble, and Quinn was never one to invite chaos into her life."Such a player," Nadia said bluntly.Quinn couldn't help but laugh.Seeing her smile made Nadia's heart ache.Had Quinn really given up on love? But she was so young!The two of them stayed in the room for a while before heading back downstairs. After all, they couldn't leave the guests alone in the living room. That wou
Quinn truly wanted to keep a low profile, but her circumstances wouldn't allow it.Gwendolyn and Lisa were both left in a state of shock when they saw the gifts.What kind of friends did she have that sent gifts like diamonds and antiques? These were items that even a lot of wealth couldn't buy.What had Quinn been up to all these years? What kind of people had she gotten to know?"Quinny, I…" Lisa was genuinely worried but didn't know how to voice her concerns.Gwendolyn wore an expression of disbelief.Having seen her fair share of grandeur, she recalled the many people who had sent her gifts during her own birthday celebrations in the Gatrell family's heyday. Those gifts had been precious too, but they paled in comparison to what Quinn had received today.Quinn casually set the gifts aside and hugged Lisa. "Don't worry, Mom. My friends are all great people. They took good care of me while I was at the borderlands, and I've helped them out a lot too.""Okay."Dinner consiste
"Quinny, I know you youngsters love to have fun. You can go out and enjoy yourselves! You don't have to stay here with us," Lisa said. She was genuinely happy today.With a pout, Quinn hugged Lisa. "Mom, are you trying to get rid of me? I don't want to go anywhere. I just want to stay home and be with you."What could possibly be more meaningful than that?"I know you're a dutiful daughter, but you're only 20, Quinny! Go out and have fun! I want you to be your true self and enjoy life."Lisa didn't want Quinn to give up anything because of her."I know you have things to handle at Dudore. Just go! Come back to see me whenever you can. Your grandma and I will be right here waiting for you."Quinn had taken care of everything in Jipsfort. Lately, she had been fielding calls from Dudore, where there seemed to be something needing her attention."All I want is for you to take good care of yourself and stay safe. That's all."Five years had given Quinn many secrets. Since she didn't
Whoever said women lack desire was wrong. Sometimes, a woman's longing could catch the man off guard.Faced with Quinn's boldness, Xavier found it impossible to resist. His desire for her was burning within him.Since being with her, he'd wanted her constantly, and tonight was no exception.Quinn tilted her head, and Xavier landed a peck on her neck, one of her most alluring features.His kiss felt like a gentle spring breeze as he began softly at her lips.That light touch flipped a switch within her. It sent electric tingles racing through her body. It was as if he wielded some mysterious power. As he glided his lips down her neck, each caress sent shivers coursing through her, making her tremble involuntarily.With each kiss moving lower, her heartbeat quickened. She felt as though she were immersed in a sweet dream, and his kisses were the leading melody of this ethereal experience.From her lips to her neck and then to her chest, each kiss ignited a flame deep within her. She cou
"I can't go to the hospital. I messed with the wrong people," Edison murmured. He remembered Quinn's warning. She was connected to Xavier, and he wouldn't dare provoke him."Who did you mess with?" Frank asked, but Edison brushed him off. "How's it going with the research institute?"At the mention of it, Frank hesitated. Was Quinn really that influential? Could Edison's beating be connected to her?"It's... fine. You should rest, Dad. I have to go study," Frank replied. He dared not mention how Quinn had twisted his arm.Meanwhile, Xavier and Quinn escorted Edgar back to the hospital.Edgar clearly didn't want to stay. "Ms. Quinn, I'd really like to go home. I don't like staying in the hospital." His days in the hospital felt like years dragging by—an experience that was anything but pleasant."Did the doctor say you could go home?" Quinn asked."I'm really fine, Ms. Quinn.""Only when the doctor says so." Quinn ignored his complaints."It's suffocating in here. I need to che
Edison's plump body crashed to the floor with a heavy thud.Quinn stepped on his hand, eliciting a pained scream from him.Edison stared up at her, bewildered. This young lady, who looked like an angel, was surprisingly brutal."Do you know what Edgar looked like when I found him?" Quinn's voice was icy.Edgar was like a younger brother to her, and she wouldn't stand for anyone hurting him.Edison fell silent after realizing he had underestimated her."How do you plan to pay for this, Edison?" Quinn picked up a fork from the table.Edison tried to get up, but with her foot on his hand, he couldn't move at all. "What are you doing? Let me tell you—"Before he could finish his sentence, Quinn drove the fork through his palm. His screams echoed in the room.Edison had never imagined they would dare to act so brazenly in Dudore. As he looked at his bleeding hand, his entire body trembled in fear. "W-What do you want?"The two bodyguards looked pale at the sight. They had never en
Since they were going to take revenge, Quinn had already ensured they knew the Faulkner family's whereabouts.The current head of the Faulkner family, Edison Faulkner, was responsible for what happened to Edgar. He was also Frank's father.Edison had a dinner engagement that night at a high-end clubhouse in Dudore.Though once a prestigious family, the Faulkner family had been struggling in recent years, but Edison was unwilling to accept that decline.He was determined to send Frank to the research institute, hoping that would restore the family's status. Tonight's dinner was meant to entertain higher-ups from the institute.As the glasses clinked and laughter filled the air, the door to the private room swung open unexpectedly.Edison frowned. Who was the blind fool who chose to enter at this hour? He already had people guarding the door."Who is it? I specifically said no one is allowed to enter!" Edison snapped.The higher-ups from the institute also wore grim expressions.
"Kid, you should just go face your punishment," Quinn said, declining."Come on, miss. Help me out here!" the young man pleaded."I can't help you. You can go now."The young man looked disappointed, but since Quinn had clearly rejected him, he had no choice but to leave."That poor guy," Nadia joked.Xavier, however, didn't share her sentiment. "I think Quinny handled it well. If she gave just anyone her number, she'd be in trouble someday."Besides, it wasn't like their game had anything to do with her. Why should she comply?They sat in the bar for over an hour.Quinn had something to attend to, so she took Nadia home first."Where are you going? Do you need my help?" Nadia asked. Although she wasn't good at fighting, she was willing to lend a hand."Just get some rest. It's nothing major. I'll handle it and be back before you know it," Quinn replied."Are you sure you'll be back tonight?" Nadia glanced at Xavier. She knew he couldn't leave her alone."Go home. Just make
"Nada, this fish is delicious. You should try it," Quinn said, passing the dish over.Nadia took a piece and nodded in approval. "This place really has great flavor. We should come here again."With both of them being people who didn't particularly enjoy cooking, they would probably end up eating out frequently."If you like it, I can have them deliver to your house. I'll get the manager to give you a business card later," Xavier offered.This restaurant didn't just have excellent food. The hygiene and service were top-notch as well."Really? I thought such a high-end restaurant wouldn't do deliveries.""They do," Xavier said. It was just a matter of asking anyway.After dinner, Nadia wanted to unwind a bit. Since arriving in Dudore, she hadn't had the chance to visit a bar, and Dudore was known for its nightlife.Now that she was here, she naturally had to experience it for herself."Quinny, are you heading back to the research institute tonight? If not, let's go to a bar for
Lisa's tone was especially gentle. After nearly three months of treatment, her condition had improved significantly.Gradually, she was becoming the serene Lisa she once was.Once the call ended, Quinn gazed out the window, oblivious to the fact that Xavier was still holding her hand.Xavier was holding her hand with one hand and gripping the steering wheel with the other. It wasn't until they reached the restaurant that he finally let go.He dropped Quinn and Nadia at the restaurant entrance while he went to find parking. The parking area was quite far, so he didn't ask them to come along.As he drove off, Quinn and Nadia waited at the entrance."Quinny, it's great to see Lisa coming back to herself," Nadia said with a smile.Although the past five years had been challenging, it was comforting to see everything getting better.Quinn felt a wave of joy as she reflected on Lisa's remarkable recovery. Given how bad Lisa had been before, it brought her immense happiness to see her
Nadia opened the car door and hopped in.Quinn wanted to join her at the back, but she declined. "Just sit in the front. It's a hassle switching around."Xavier smiled at this. Nadia, indeed, knew how to read the situation.She returned his smile.Xavier was a big shot, after all. Of course, she had to be wise."How's the hiring going? Do you need my help?" Quinn turned to Nadia."Don't worry. I've already hired three people. Since Sully is just starting out, I want to take it slow. I don't want to hire too many at once.""Alright, I'll leave it to you, then." Quinn was just the investor. She wouldn't interfere too much with how Nadia chose to run things."By the way, Quinny, how's everything at the research institute? You need to be cautious around those who hurt Edgar," Nadia said with a hint of worry."I know. Don't worry. There's no need to be concerned about them."Nadia shook her head. "Quinny, this is Dudore. You should be careful." People here would do anything for pr
Kimberly was also present. Noticing Simon's concern for Quinn made her fists clench unconsciously.She had her own plans to go out today. Gregory was going to introduce her to a big shot. He was slowly coming to recognize her potential and would provide her with all his resources."Simon, you know I'm not Maurice's daughter. I'm Gregory's daughter. Gregory Thorpe from the Thorpe family of Dudore. You're aware of that, right?" Kimberly spoke with pride.Simon looked into her eyes. "So what?""My dad is introducing me to a big shot today. Do you want to come? If you agree to get back with me now, I'll overlook everything that happened before.""No, thanks. I really don't need that. You go ahead," Simon replied firmly.In the past, it had always been Shania pushing him. Yet deep down, he wanted to stand on his own. It might seem naive, but he wanted to give it a try.Seeing him try to walk away, Kimberly grabbed his hand. "Simon, don't you want to get your mom out soon?"Why was h