Blake hummed in response as he buttoned up his shirt. When he heard the rustling of sheets, he turned and asked, "Did I wake you?"Yasmin shook her head in response, then watched as he got dressed.Blake wore a black shirt with dark-colored stripes. She frequently saw him wearing this shirt after the divorce. It had been a gift from her."Why are you staring at me?" Blake glanced at his clothes, then lifted his head to look at her.Yasmin snapped out of her daze. She silently went to the dressing room and found a tie for Blake. "Wear this one."There was a tie in her fair hands.Blake was slightly surprised. He raised his eyebrows and smiled. "Could you help me put it on? There's a press conference today and my tie needs to look perfect. I've been tying it myself, but it never looks good enough."Yasmin had wanted to refuse, but her heart suddenly tightened when she heard about the press conference. "You're revealing your project with Big M Enterprise today?"He nodded word
Brian shook with excitement. "When the time comes, I'll become the company's new president and take over this project."Hearing his words, Yasmin began to feel anxious. What exactly was Brian trying to do?Calming herself, she asked cautiously, "What's your plan?"Brian chuckled in response. "I can't tell you, of course. Just know that you played a huge role. If you hadn't given me that document, I wouldn't have known where to begin."He burst out in a gleeful laughter. Yasmin, on the other hand, was so worried she might have caused Blake trouble that she couldn't process a single word Brian was saying. "You did a great job, babe. I'll send someone to pick you up tonight. I promise that Blake Ford won't be able to lay a hand on you if you stick close to me." Brian sounded triumphant, seeming confident that he would win. Yasmin pursed her lips in silence, her entire body numb. After ending the call, she frantically dialed Blake's number to explain the situation.She wante
"He doesn't want to expose you to the public. He's worried you might get in trouble," Malcolm answered. "Why don't I take you to the lounge? You can wait for Mr. Ford there."It was then that she remembered Brian's plot. Trailing behind Malcolm, she quickly relayed everything to him. Malcolm said, "Mr. Ford would surely be happy if he knew that you came all this way just to tell him about this."Yasmin was perplexed when Malcolm left without another word. She didn't understand why Malcolm wasn't listening to her either. She could only wait in the lounge, feeling disheartened. There was a television in the room, so she turned it on and played the live broadcast of the press conference. Blake stood in the center of the large screen, smiling faintly but politely toward the camera. The first ten minutes of his speech went smoothly. Suddenly, the content on the screen behind him shifted.Soon, big bold letters appeared. "Windmere Group's New Project is Illegal!"Seeing thi
Everyone quickly realized what was happening. It turned out to be an internal strife!Instantly, sounds of camera shutters filled the air as journalists frantically took pictures.Brian quickly became everyone's target as Blake calmly looked on from above. Brian's face was twisted in a scowl as he heard Blake announce, "From today onward, you will no longer be part of Windmere Group. I hereby declare you permanently expelled from the organization."Brian's face immediately darkened with anger. Behind a certain television screen, Yasmin was on her feet—shocked beyond belief. She didn't know that Blake had already figured out Brian's plot and set up countermeasures to completely get rid of him.She stared at his dazzling face on the screen.To Yasmin, he seemed ever so charming. Soon after, a group of police officers walked in and presented their badges before laying charges against Brian. He was accused of stealing confidential documents. Brian said nothing as he was pu
"Yeah…" Blake responded softly. "Don't come in. You need to go…"Even now, he was still telling her to leave. Yasmin's face was streaked with tears as she asked, "How are you holding up right now? Can you still hold on?""I'm feeling kind of tired," he answered hoarsely. Yasmin couldn't help but picture him lying in a pool of blood. She shook her head to push the image away, unable to bear the thought of him getting hurt. She ordered, "You better hold on, Blake Ford! The police have already gone inside. They're going to rescue you, so hang on!"There was no response from his end. Worried he might have passed out, she cried out in desperation, "Don't you dare close your eyes, Blake! You promised me you'd save my father, and you can't go back on your word! You have to stay alive!"All this time, Yasmin thought she hated him and kept trying to push him away. But at this moment, overwhelming panic filled her entire being. Terrified he might die, she clutched her phone tightly
Yasmin rubbed her arms to warm herself. Never in her life had time felt so agonizingly slow. She blankly stared at the light above the operating room door.All her sluggish mind could think of right now was that she didn't want Blake to die."Mrs. Ford, you should eat something first." Malcolm came over with dinner.Yasmin shook her head, disheartened. "I'm not hungry."She had no appetite.Malcolm urged, "I think you should at least eat a little. I'm sure Mr. Ford will need someone to take care of him after his surgery. If you pass out now…"Yasmin finally showed some response after hearing this. She glanced at the brown paper bag in Malcolm's hands and nodded.Eventually, she forced herself to eat something. She knew that she needed to take care of Blake afterward. She also thought about her unborn baby. Blake's surgery lasted over three hours.Yasmin's head jerked up when the doors of the operation room finally opened. Soon after, Blake was wheeled out with a white s
Yasmin's eyes flew open when she detected the touch on her head. She was met with Blake's pale face. "You're up."Blake hummed in response, keeping his gaze fixed on her face.Feeling self-conscious, she said, "I'll get the doctor.""Hang on." Blake grabbed her hand and said weakly, "It's still early. Let's wait a while before calling the doctor."He wanted to spend some time alone with her.Yasmin slowly sat back down and looked at him. "You were injured by a bomb and lost a lot of blood. Dr. Sawyer has treated all your wounds, but you still need to rest. Are you feeling pain anywhere?"Blake shook his head. He didn't have any internal injuries, so he felt fine other than mild dizziness from the loss of blood. "Is there anything you want to eat? I'll go buy it for you," Yasmin offered.Blake shook his head again and murmured, "Malcolm will get someone to bring me something later, so don't worry about it."After that, Yasmin ran out of things to say.Awkwardly, she sat in si
Yasmin didn't know how long she spent waiting in the hospital office. Her mind was filled with images of her father as worry took over her entire being.After what felt like forever, Joel approached and told her, "Your dad's here."Yasmin sprung to her feet, her hands clammy with nerves.Joel led her to a treatment room and pushed open the door. Inside, Stuart was sitting on the bed as he underwent an examination. The doctor in the room was checking his eyes as Stuart sat upright. Although his eyes were slightly unfocused, he seemed to be in good spirits."Dad!" Yasmin's nose stung as she walked over, tears welling in her eyes. "Yaz…" Stuart held her hand. He was still befuddled and couldn't recall everything that had transpired. Nevertheless, he did remember that Yasmin was his daughter."Are you hurt, Dad?" Yasmin scanned his body for any wounds.Stuart shook his head. "I'm fine, but why did you leave me in there? I didn't like it. There were so many people constantly wat
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