Hector's brother, Gabriel Chadwick, stood beside Adeline and asked, "Mr. Ford, what do you mean? Are you saying my brother should show some sincerity?""Break his leg," Blake said coldly.Gabriel shivered and explained, "Mr. Ford, actually, my brother and your wife are victims. The real perpetrator behind this was Mrs. Ford's uncle.""That's between you and Victor. All I know is that my wife was harassed. If she hadn't knocked your brother unconscious, this would be more than just breaking a leg." Blake's voice was commanding and intimidating.The Chadwicks froze and felt a chill creeping up from their feet up to their heads.Indeed, if Yasmin had really been assaulted by Hector, the consequences would've been disastrous.Gabriel guessed Blake's intention and said, "Mr. Ford, you can rest assured that we'll handle Victor ourselves. After all, he put my brother in this situation, so we won't let him off."At this, Blake's lips curled up slightly.Thinking that he'd guessed rig
Blake smiled happily before grabbing the jewelry box and walking to the guest room. However, just as he was about to enter, he heard Yasmin talking on the phone inside. So, he stopped and stood at the door to listen."Were you okay after the birthday banquet that night?" Ivan asked after a pause from Yasmin."I'm fine.""I heard you moved back to Oak Garden. Are you two... getting back together?"There was a moment of silence from Yasmin before she answered, "No, I owe Blake some money. He's having me work here to pay off my debt.""That's good to hear." Ivan seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "Once you're divorced, your dad should be released by then too, so you should..."When Ivan mentioned Stuart, Yasmin's eyes flickered. Then, she said in a low voice, "Don't worry, I won't look back on this marriage."Stuart would be out in half a month—Yasmin couldn't look back.If Blake still wanted to seek her out after Stuart's release, she might still fight for their relationsh
Blake immediately stopped what he was doing and asked, "How's my mom's checkup going?"Joel replied, "Mrs. Ford just got admitted, and the tests are scheduled for tomorrow. But Giselle's been keeping her happy. She's been asking her to come up with names for the baby every day."I see her smiling all the time. In fact, she seems very happy."Upon hearing this, Blake decided he didn't have any more questions for Joel. He was just glad that Annalise was in a good mood. At least then, it would keep her from getting anxious before the tests.Then, Joel continued, "Giselle's great with people and has a way with your mom. But is the child in her belly really yours? If it's not, your mom might not be able to take it once the child's born.""Just let Giselle be." Blake refused to reveal anything.After all, the critical period of Annalise's tests was approaching, and he didn't want to upset her.Joel realized that his questioning wasn't leading him anywhere. So, he furrowed his brow a
"No matter what, my dad's still your relative. Why do you leave no stone unturned to screw up his life?" Brittany yelled."Are you serious? Me? Screwing up his life?" Yasmin was amused. She sneered. "Victor drugged me, and he sent me to another man to clear his gambling debts. He didn't have a shred of guilt when he did that to me. Yet, you have the guts to coerce me into giving him his job back. "Do you have no shame?"Brittany stammered, "M-My dad just wasn't thinking straight for a moment. He did feel guilty about it."Yasmin retorted, "I didn't see any of that guilt from him. And instead, you're here looking for trouble. "This conversation ends here—I'll be calling the journalists over. Let's have the three families square things up, and then we'll find out if Victor is truly innocent."With that, Yasmin was about to contact the journalists.Just then, a question came from the crowd, "So, you're saying this family did some crooked things, and now they've come here lookin
Blake walked toward Yasmin and threw a cold gaze at Brittany.Brittany's face was flushed red in embarrassment and fear.She had always admired Blake, but she was scared when he stared at her like that.She called out softly, "Mr. Ford…"But Blake retracted his cold gaze from Brittany and shifted his attention to Yasmin instead. "Have you called the journalists? I can do that for you if you haven't."Upon hearing this, Brittany's face turned pale from fright, and she looked at Yasmin nervously.But while Brittany was nervous, Yasmin, on the other hand, was surprised. She looked at Blake's charming face and asked, "Why are you here?"Blake replied, "If I hadn't come, I wouldn't have seen you getting bullied by the Starr family." As he said this, Blake turned his icy gaze toward Brittany.Brittany freaked out, and her legs were wobbly. If it weren't for her friends supporting her, she probably would've tripped by now.Just then, Malcolm walked over and asked, "Mrs. Ford, sho
Yasmin blushed a little when she saw the seats. The seats in the theater could recline, and they seemed to be the sort that were rumored to be where couples did naughty things."What are you standing there for? Come over," Blake called out to her.But Yasmin's footsteps were heavy, and she broke out in a sweat as she asked, "Why this place?" "Joel made the booking. He said he didn't have time to come himself, so he got me to ask you out for a movie," Blake replied.After understanding the situation, Yasmin breathed a soft sigh of relief. If Joel had booked this place, then it certainly matched his playful and frivolous personality.But Yasmin still felt uneasy as she lay down on the seat and fidgeted her fingers.The movie then started playing, and the lights in the theater dimmed down.As Yasmin eagerly watched the screen, a hand suddenly reached over and rested on her shoulder.Yasmin was stunned and quickly looked to her shoulder.She found that Blake was intently star
After leaving the theater, Blake then took Yasmin out for dinner.They went to a seafood restaurant because Yasmin was fond of seafood. By the time they arrived, it was already 9 pm.The seafood selection was all live, and the customers were required to hand-pick whatever they wanted themselves.Blake brought Yasmin over to the glass tanks.Fortunately, by then, Yasmin had regained her composure, and she followed behind Blake as they looked at the live selection. Feeling a bit clueless, she asked, "What's good here?""How about lobsters?" Blake suggested.The staff then scooped a lobster out. When Yasmin saw that the lobster was as thick as her arm, she exclaimed, "Wow, this is big! How much for one of these?" Upon hearing this, Blake looked at Yasmin. Seemingly thinking about what had happened earlier that evening, he smiled and shot her a flirty look.Yasmin understood what Blake's smile meant and blushed.Then, the staff answered, "Hi Mrs. Ford, the lobster is pric
After hearing this, Blake's expression darkened.However, Yasmin didn't notice this and asked the waitress, "How much for the wine?""Ten thousand dollars for a bottle." The waitress replied.Yasmin didn't dare to accept such expensive wine as a gift. After all, after divorcing Blake, she didn't have a car or a house and was broke.So, she picked up the bottle of wine and said to the waitress, "Take me to his private room."She wanted to return the wine back to Ivan and unfortunately failed to notice Blake's gloomy expression even after leaving the room.After knocking on the door, Yasmin entered Ivan's private room. She found him chatting with several other men and spotted a cake on the table with his name written on it.Soon after, she realized that it was his birthday.Yasmin was surprised as she asked Ivan, "Mr. Burke, is it your birthday today?""Yes." Ivan smiled. "But what brings you here?""It's this bottle of wine." Yasmin stuttered a little. "Um… You know, my fi
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