Yasmin looked at the traffic outside her window.Her phone suddenly buzzed with a WhatsApp notification.Victor had sent her a voice note: "Yasmin, did you see the news today? Caleb's in jail. Haha! Justice is served!"Yasmin pressed the microphone button, saying, "I just saw it. Serves him right."His response was almost immediate. "Yes! Yasmin, this morning, your grandmother told me she misses you and is asking you to come back for dinner tonight.""I don't think I have time tonight," Yasmin replied. "Going back to the Starr family's house for dinner?""Maybe." Yasmin sent a final voice note and switched off her phone.Victor had been managing Starr Corporation ever since her father went to prison. Her grandmother had also moved into Victor's house. However, Yasmin was not very close to her grandmother. She only visited on special occasions like New Year's Day. Eventually, the two arrived at Erinnyes.Yasmin said nothing more. She exited the car and walked into the stud
"Alright then." Yasmin retrieved a measuring tape and started taking his measurements.Erik looked at his tall figure and lean legs in the mirror and asked, "I heard you slapped Giselle this morning?"Yasmin raised her eyebrows. "Why? Did you come here for her?""Not at all. I was just wondering how shameless one can be. You and Blake are already separated, yet you returned to Oak Garden yesterday?"Yasmin smiled and said, "We'll be officially divorced in a month. At the moment, I'm still Blake's wife, and I have every right to be at Oak Garden. Mistresses, on the other hand, have no right to come to Oak Garden."She was hinting that Giselle was a mistress.After that incident yesterday, Yasmin and Giselle had become sworn enemies.Erik scoffed. "You're just jealous of Giselle. Do you feel uncomfortable seeing how much Blake cares about her?""What about her should I be jealous about? Jealous that she's a bitch? Or jealous of her top-notch acting skills?"Erik had no retort fo
Yasmin was in a daze. Her mouth had been pried open by Blake, and their lips were locked together. His kisses were rough and passionate.Yasmin was going out of her mind. "Blake Ford! What are you doing? Let go of me!""So loud. Do you want the whole company to know what we're doing here?" Blake teased.Yasmin shuddered and didn't dare to move. When he kissed her again, she pushed at his chest and objected, "Let go of me! Blake Ford, do you hear me? We're at the company, and there are many people outside. Don't do this—""You should be punished," he interrupted."Why should I be punished?""For being a slut."Yasmin was left speechless.Blake's eyes darkened. The next second, he pressed himself against her.Yasmin's expression changed. He wanted to have her here."No!" She had never been so embarrassed and pushed him away. "We have filed for divorce. You can't do this to me.""Are you still going to flirt with other men?" Blake looked at her darkly, still pressing against
A thought suddenly struck Yasmin as she walked toward the stairs. She wrote up an invoice, corrected it, and passed it to Sarah.Sarah subsequently handed Erik the invoice. "Hello, Mr. Hayes, that will be 76 thousand dollars for the suit you ordered."Yasmin had charged him an extra six thousand dollars for being detestable and making her angry.Erik looked up at Yasmin.Yasmin had walked upstairs. Her slender figure was very attractive.Erik chuckled. "This woman can still do business at a time like this. She's stronger than I thought," he mused. "Interesting."Erik swiped his card and told Sarah, "Call me when the suit is ready. I'll need to try it on.""Goodbye, Mr. Hayes," Sarah said with a smile.Erik snorted and walked out.…That night, Yasmin returned to the Starr family house.She had picked up the gifts that Blake had tossed in the trash. She couldn't afford such luxurious gifts and didn't want them to go to waste.Four people greeted her at the door—Emelda and Vi
Yasmin entered the house, catching Mary, who was just about to leave. Mary greeted, "Mrs. Ford, you're back.""Yeah. Are you heading out now?" Staff members of Oak Garden lived in a small building a short distance away. So a quick phone call would summon them to the house if anything happened. "Yes." It was already 8:00 pm. Mary informed Yasmin, "Mr. Ford is upstairs." Just then, she noticed something and called, "Mr. Ford."Yasmin looked up.Blake, who had appeared out of nowhere, was watching her with a stoic expression from the second-floor railing. Didn't she say he was bothering her? Why had he come back?"You go on ahead," the man instructed Mary. "Yes, sir. Mrs. Ford, there's some soup in the pot. Remember to have some later," Mary reminded before leaving.Instead of entering the kitchen, Yasmin headed straight for the stairs."Why did you come back?" Blake asked coldly. "I'm here to pack my things," Yasmin replied.Blake's face was twisted in a scowl, but h
Yasmin froze, stunned.What on earth was Blake trying to do?Had he scolded her and made scornful remarks just so he could kiss her?"Don't kiss me." Yasmin held her breath, refusing to kiss him back.Ignoring her protest, Blake pulled her chin closer and deepened the kiss urgently. Moments later, Yasmin found herself lifted onto the shelf. Blake pressed his lips against hers once more, wounding his arms around her waist tightly. "Blake…" Yasmin muttered, her mind going blank.The man continued drowning himself in her scent as his hand reached behind her to pull down her zipper. "Blake!" she exclaimed.However, Blake didn't let up. Instead, he lifted her skirt and bit her neck. Yasmin's knees went weak, and Blake held her slackened body close.Her clothes were soon in disarray.When she realized Blake was about to take things even further, she quickly cried, "No! Let go of me!"Infuriated by her words, he ripped off her underwear. Yasmin's eyes widened fearfully, and
Yasmin froze at the sight of Giselle. Blake had spent nearly 200 million dollars to purchase the villa for Giselle, yet he had refused to return her father's house to her.Yasmin felt a stab of pain in her chest as she realized how generous Blake was to his first love.Looking around, she noticed the similarities between villas No. 10 and No. 8, which made her miss her father even more. She slowly made her way to the backyard, where Giselle was enjoying some dessert. Giselle smiled when she noticed her. "This villa is a gift from Blake. Isn't it pretty?""Yeah, it is," Yasmin replied absentmindedly. Giselle then asked, "I heard your family used to live in No. 8. Didn't Blake give you that villa after the divorce?"Yasmin didn't want to answer the question, so she handed the handbag instead. "Ms. O'Shea, this is the bag you ordered. I've only used it once. You can inspect it yourself."If she hadn't scratched it during that one time, Yasmin could have sold the bag for over
Yasmin turned around and replied softly, "No, thanks. Our studio has been busy with a collaboration lately, so I don't think I have the time to go.""Is it the collaboration with NAS Group?" Giselle asked. "Yeah," Yasmin confirmed.Blake's demeanor turned ice cold as he learned that the two had still ended up partnering together.After Yasmin left, only Giselle and Blake remained in the backyard.Giselle was wearing a sexy spaghetti-strap dress. In a calculated move, she leaned forward to hold Blake's hand, revealing her cleavage. She asked softly, "Why don't you sleep over tonight? I'll ask the maids to prepare your things."It was a blatant invitation.This wasn't the first time she was making a move, but he always pretended not to notice.His expression was stoic as usual as he replied, "I'm busy tonight."With that, he stood up and left. …At the villa gate, Yasmin received Ivan's call. "Yasmin, your Porsche has been repaired. Do you want me to bring it over to you?"
Pamela thought that Yasmin's voice sounded strange, but since Yasmin was an important client, she didn't dare offend her.Politely, she replied, "It's okay. Please take your time.""Alright, please leave for now. I'll look for you once I'm finished here," Yasmin said in a strained voice."Okay." Pamela left soon after.Once she was gone, Yasmin awkwardly tapped Blake's shoulder. "Alright, stop it. You almost got us caught just now."Blake was now satisfied. A man who had been sated was no longer as surly. He became shockingly gentle, wrapping his arms around her waist and saying, "Join me for dinner later.""Okay," Yasmin weakly agreed. "Please let me go now."Blake finally released his hold on her. Yasmin's legs felt like jelly, and she nearly stumbled as soon as he let go.He steadied her and looked down at the torn train of the wedding dress. The front, however, still looked fine. He smiled and said, "You still look beautiful in the wedding dress."Yasmin glanced at the mir
Blake didn't respond, choosing instead to stare at Yasmin. She had just removed the tiara, letting her long hair cascade over her left shoulder. This brought attention to her fair skin and made her appear as if she was an otherworldly beauty.No wonder Ivan had been mesmerized earlier. A woman in a wedding dress truly possessed a sacred kind of elegance.Blake's gaze traveled down to her chest. She looked exquisite, but something was missing—the ring. His face darkened as he asked, "Where's the ring?""I took it off when I was trying on the wedding dress. I put it in my bag," Yasmin replied. She turned around to retrieve it for him.Maybe it was the way the wedding dress hugged her slender figure, or the graceful way she bent down to pick up the ring, her hips subtly lifting. Either way, the movement exuded an undeniable allure.Blake suddenly felt an overwhelming urge rise from within him. He walked up behind her and placed his hands on her waist as if possessed.Yasmin froze
Ivan sneered in response. "Oh? Do you want to come over and have a drink at the wedding?""There's no need for a wedding toast, but I'll send you a nice little gift soon. You've had Lizzie abducted, and I haven't settled that score yet." Blake's tone was cold and menacing.Still, Ivan wasn't afraid. He took a couple of steps forward, smirking as he said, "Feel free to try—but you should think it through. You have more loved ones than I do. "Besides your mother and Lizzie, there's also your grandmother. I could blow up your mother's hospital today, kidnap Lizzie tomorrow, and have your grandmother killed the day after."Blake's cold laughter came through the phone. "Is that so? Well then, I guess I need to send you a big gift today."The two men continued their exchange from a distance. Yasmin, who was unable to hear the conversation clearly, was trembling with fear. She was terrified of what they might be discussing.It was at this moment when Wendy hurried in from outside. She
Yasmin stepped into the fitting room and changed into the wedding dress. When she emerged, her long hair was elegantly pinned up, and her red lips were vibrant. It made her look breathtakingly beautiful.Ivan saw her and was momentarily stunned. His gaze was unwavering as he stared wide-eyed. Then, he caught himself and smiled. "Yasmin, you look stunning."She gave a slight smile in response, adding to her allure.Ivan was almost entranced. He picked up a crystal-encrusted tiara from nearby and placed it on her head. She glanced upward, her eyes sparkling as she stood there in the white wedding dress. She looked absolutely mesmerizing, and Ivan couldn't take his eyes off her.Meanwhile, Blake watched from across the street with a growing sense of jealousy. The sight of them together made him smirk cynically. Unable to contain himself, he pulled out his phone and called Yasmin.He didn't want to see them looking so perfect together. It irritated him to no end.When Yasmin's ph
Yasmin's heart ached as she listened, her eyes reddening. "You're doing great, Trist. If Mom were with you right now, I'd definitely give you a big hug."Tristan mumbled, "Mom, stop acting like it's the end of the world. You sound so sentimental. I'm doing just fine here. I've got friends to play with and plenty of household staff members to look after me. "You just take care of yourself in Merania, and do whatever you need to do. Once you're in Rimmervale, we'll see each other again."Yasmin nodded. "Yes, we'll see each other very soon."Just then, the door swung open, and there Ivan stood in the doorway. Yasmin jumped in surprise and instinctively ended the video call."Why are you crying?" Ivan asked, noticing her red eyes.Yasmin wiped her tears and smiled. "It's nothing. I just miss Trist."Ivan understood that being a mother made Yasmin emotional whenever she thought about her child. He then asked, "By the way, how was Trist's winter camp? When is he coming back?"Feelin
Yasmin huffed in exasperation. "I just stole his proposal a few days ago, and now he's starting to get suspicious. If I tell him I don't want to take wedding photos, he'll be on to me for sure. If he gets suspicious, my plan will be completely ruined."Blake remained silent on the other end of the line.Yasmin sighed and continued, "It's really not a big deal. This is the last thing I need to do with him. The wedding is in seven days—it'll all be over by then.""When are the wedding photos being taken?" Blake asked.Yasmin hesitated before answering, "Didn't I already tell you? The day after tomorrow, in the afternoon."Blake only replied with a simple, "It's late. Go to sleep." Then, he ended the call.Yasmin could tell he was not all too pleased, but she really didn't want to stir up more trouble than necessary. There were just seven more days to go—Yasmin wanted to get through the final spurt safely and smoothly.…On the day of the wedding dress fitting, Yasmin was having b
Yasmin had no idea what Ivan would do to her if he learned the truth. She feared that if she angered him, he might lock her up somewhere no one would ever find her."I did that because my grandma suggested it to me," Yasmin explained."Your grandma knows about all of this?" Blake asked."Of course. Do you think someone as sharp as her wouldn't notice that every time you visited, we disappeared for hours? She figured it out a long time ago and asked me what was going on between us.""So, you told her everything about us?""Yes, she knows we've reconciled. I even planted a listening device on Ivan. We're hoping to acquire evidence of his illegal activities." Yasmin nodded as she spoke."Did your grandma suggest that to you too?"Yasmin replied briefly, "Yes."Blake let out a soft laugh. "Your grandma is quite the master of strategies.""She really is," Yasmin agreed with a smile. But seconds later, her expression grew serious. "Blake, there's something I need to tell you.""Wha
Yasmin's face turned pale as she realized the extent of the surveillance at the Burke residence."Can the surveillance footage from the study be deleted?" Yasmin asked at the time.The housekeeper shook her head. "It can't be deleted. The surveillance is linked to Mr. Burke's computer. His computer is password-protected, and only he has access to it."Yasmin's heart sank at the news. She knew that once Blake made his move to sabotage Ivan's project, Ivan would inevitably discover that she was involved.Hence, she had already discussed a plan with Imogen to handle the situation. Although the process had been nerve-wracking, everything had gone smoothly. Ivan seemed to believe her explanation.With the project now in jeopardy, Ivan would likely need additional funding, which meant it was unlikely that he would call off the engagement. Yasmin assured herself that Ivan wouldn't do anything drastic to her—not when he needed money from Sander International.After seeing Ivan off, Yasmi
Ivan gently touched Yasmin's face and said softly, "Forget it. Four years ago, you did wrong by him. It's understandable that he threatened you. But don't worry, I've already forced him back to Stanton City."Soon, I'll deal with everyone who has wronged you. I'll make him miserable and ensure he has no time to harass you."Yasmin stared at him in surprise. "Ivo, what are you going to do to those people?""I won't let a single person who hurt you get away with it. However they treated you, I'll make sure they experience the same," Ivan said, his eyes dark with resolve.Yasmin took a deep breath, unable to find the right words.Ivan seemed to realize that his current expression was too grim. He softened his demeanor and asked with a forced smile, "Let me see what you bought for me."Yasmin quickly snapped back to attention and began showing him the gifts she had purchased. Since she had never bought him anything before, Ivan looked somewhat dazed as he looked at the gifts.He pic