Blake grabbed his car keys and phoned Tyler. "Where is Mrs. Ford?""She's still at the restaurant with Ms. Salle," Tyler replied.Yasmin was waiting for the fingerprint processing to be completed, so she couldn't leave. She ordered a few dishes and decided to just have dinner with Eunice.Just then, Eunice's phone rang. It was a call from Mortimer, asking when she would be home.Eunice laughed and said, "I'm having dinner with Yaz. I'll be back soon.""Our baby misses you," Mortimer said sweetly. He held their adorable baby on the other end of the video call.Eunice couldn't help but smile. "Has our baby been good today?""The best."The two of them started chatting. Yasmin sat across from Eunice, listening to their conversation with a faint smile playing on her lips.Suddenly, a waiter approached. He placed a glass of juice in front of her and gently tugged at Yasmin's sleeve while Eunice was distracted.Yasmin reached under the tray, and the waiter discreetly handed her a t
Yasmin felt uneasy and squirmed under his touch. "I can undress myself."Blake didn't force her. He simply stood there and watched her intently.Amid the rising steam of the heated bath water, Yasmin felt awkward. She quickly stripped out of her clothes and stepped into the rectangular bathtub.Blake joined her soon after. He pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist. His body was hot to the touch. It made Yasmin jump in surprise. "What are you doing?" she exclaimed."I'm washing you," he murmured seductively near her ear."No," Yasmin protested. She grabbed his hand in alarm. Her eyes misted as she said, "I need to talk to you.""What is it?""My birthday is in three days. I want to go out with Eunice and the others to celebrate.""Just the two of us wouldn't work?" Blake preferred a more intimate celebration.However, Yasmin countered, "You've been so busy lately, you're hardly ever home. If I wait for you, who knows how late it will be before I can blo
The next day eventually arrived. It was Yasmin's birthday today.Blake had to attend a morning meeting at the company. He would only be able to join her birthday party in the evening after wrapping up the project launch."Sorry, I have some company matters to deal with during the day today. I'll come to see you tonight." Blake apologized, feeling guilty."No worries." Yasmin flashed a kind smile. "You can just come over when you're done, it's not like you won't make it.""Mm." Blake looked down at her with deep eyes. "Once today's launch is over, I'll take you on a vacation tomorrow.""Okay," Yasmin replied gently. "Go to work now."He kissed her lips and walked out of the house. Yasmin saw him off until they reached the yard.She watched him as his Rolls-Royce Ghost disappeared from view, then she withdrew his gaze. She steadily walked inside the villa.As guilty as she felt, this was her only way to escape him. She went upstairs and took a nap to refresh herself. In the eve
Tyler replied promptly, "Understood."Blake seethed with anger as he demanded, "Find her and bring her back to me."Tyler said, "Yes, Mr. Ford."After ending the call, Blake dialed the nursing home to confirm Stuart's whereabouts.Over there, they were unaware of what had just happened. A medical staff member, Violet Middleton said, "Mr. Starr is sleeping, Mr. Ford. Nothing out of the ordinary occurred."His voice turned cold as he instructed, "Go to the ward and check.""Alright." Violet went to the Intensive Care Unit to check. She pushed the door open and discovered that Stuart was missing.Violet hesitated. Then, she shakily informed Blake, "Mr. Ford, Mr. Starr is gone."Sure enough, Stuart was no longer there.Blake's face turned deathly cold. "How did you lose him?""I'm sorry, Mr. Ford. I don't know what happened. I'll check the surveillance footage," Violet said in a panic.Upon reviewing the surveillance footage, she discovered that two doctors had arrived that even
One of the bodyguards picked the crystal up and handed it over to Ivan. "Mr. Burke, it seems to be an energy crystal.""An energy crystal?" Ivan accepted it, running his fingers over its contours. "Isn't this the energy crystal Yasmin gave you? Back then, Yasmin gave me one too."The chains restraining Blake rattled just then. His eyes were gleaming with a hint of menace as if he could snatch the energy crystal despite his bound limbs.Ivan noticed his agitation and smiled faintly. He tossed the energy crystal aside. "Destroy this thing for me."At his command, Blake struggled harder. "You, give it back to me."Ivan found amusement in his struggle. He crouched to look down at Blake. He smirked. "The always high and mighty Mr. Ford has now fallen. You don't deserve anything from Yasmin. If not for your interference, Yasmin and I would have been together long ago."Ivan deliberately provoked him."I don't believe you," Blake said."You don't believe me? Do you know whose fault
One of Ivan's men shouted, "Mr. Burke, it's dangerous. We have to retreat!"Regardless of the danger, Ivan was reluctant to leave. He was determined to kill Blake today to avenge Maeve.But he had lost his chance. Blake's men had arrived with a dozen armored vehicles, fully armed and in great numbers.If he hesitated for a moment, one of his bodyguards would go down.Amid the chaos, Malcolm finally reached Blake. He used his gun to break the chains binding Blake.Blake sat on the ground, his face dark and cold. He spoke with a deadly calm, "Kill him.""Yes, Mr. Ford."The two groups clashed violently, and gunfire filled the air. The sounds of bullets whizzing by echoed ceaselessly.In the end, Ivan's men were overwhelmed and began retreating. Some even escaped through the windows—Ivan included."Don't let him get away!" At this moment, Blake's expression was icy and menacing. He ignored the pain in his body—perhaps because the pain in his heart was worse. Then, he grabbed hi
Ivan looked at Yasmin's face and asked Cedar Webster, the doctor, "How is she?""Ms. Starr's fever isn't subsiding. There seems to be inflammation in her body," Cedar replied.Ivan's face turned grimly pale. "Get a better doctor over here," he ordered.Cedar was escorted out by Dwight Barlow, the housekeeper. Then, Wendy entered to say, "Mr. Burke, you're still recovering from your gunshot wound. You should rest. I'll stay here with Ms. Starr."Ivan stared at Yasmin's face at that moment.There was a bullet in his arm, and Blake had been the one to put it there.After being shot, he quickly boarded a plane back to Merania. Stanton City was dominated by Blake's influence and was not suitable for a long stay."How are things at Stanton City?" Ivan asked.Wendy replied, "There's turmoil brewing in Windmere Group. Blake Ford is busy dealing with Mr. Neil, so he has no time to look for Ms. Starr."Perhaps it wasn't just turmoil but a complete loss of hope.That day, he deliberat
Ivan admitted, "I didn't just say nothing. I lied to Blake, telling him you and I were together and truly in love. Only then did he agree to let you go.""Why did you say that, Ivo?" Yasmin asked."If I hadn't said that, do you think he would have let you go?" Ivan smiled after he spoke. His eyes were cold yet tinged with amusement. He was once again adorning his gold-rimmed glasses.Seeing his smile, Yasmin felt awkward for blaming him. After all, he had helped her a lot in recent times.After a moment, she asked, "Ivo, is everything okay at Windmere Group?""No worries, their minor issues have been resolved."Yasmin trusted Ivan completely and didn't question him further.In the following days, she continued recovering at Ivan's villa. Ivan visited her whenever he had time, though he was often busy.Sometimes, Yasmin would hear the sound of a piano being played. She listened quietly, thinking Ivan was quite talented with the instrument.After a week, Yasmin finally regained
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