At this hour, the the Hammond Group building was mostly engulfed in darkness, except for the lobby and a couple of departments that were still working overtime, with their lights still on.Several cars gradually pulled up outside the building, and their occupants headed straight to the small conference room on the 12th floor.By the time Britney arrived, everyone was already present. Following closely behind her, Manuel carried two bags and placed them in the center of the conference table."I'll wait for you outside," Manuel said softly. His voice was calm yet carried a magnetic quality unique to him.After speaking, he turned and left the room."I'm so envious of you! We single people are really suffering!" Rylie gazed dreamily in the direction Manuel had left, her eyes filled with admiration."Leader, are you trying to torture us with this public display of affection in the middle of the night?"A group of exhausted employees, barely holding on, suddenly perked up and started teasi
That evening, Stephanie called Conrad to ask if he would be coming home for dinner, but his reply was the same as before—he was out for a business engagement.For the past week, Conrad had been out socializing every day. Given that he was managing two companies simultaneously, such gatherings were unavoidable. Stephanie understood that after the recent incident with her family, it would inevitably affect the Schwartz family's business. Moreover, she wasn’t an unreasonable person. As long as he came home every night and didn’t fool around outside, she was open-minded about it.Of course, aside from Britney, she was confident that no other woman would catch Conrad’s eye, let alone have any illicit dealings with him.Just as she sat down to have dinner with Sierra, a call came from Jamiya at the hospital, asking her to come over immediately.Having barely taken a few bites, Stephanie quickly changed her clothes. Before leaving, she repeatedly instructed Mia to prepare some porridge and h
Night fell.Geovanni had temporarily passed the critical stage and was transferred to a VIP ward in the morning. However, various tubes and monitoring instruments still surrounded his bed, and there was no sign of him waking up yet.The hospital room was quiet, except for the occasional beeping of the medical equipment.During the day, Jamiya had been running back and forth to the security department, and at night, she insisted on staying at the hospital. She said that going home would only remind her of her husband and son, making it impossible to sleep, so she might as well stay here, where watching over her son would at least allow her to doze off a little.Stephanie glanced at Jamiya, thinking about how when she left home earlier, Conrad hadn’t returned yet. She nodded and said, “Then I’ll head back first.”At that moment, the door to the ward was suddenly pushed open from the outside. Cortez walked in, holding a medical report, followed by a resident doctor and a nurse.“Miss Ham
"Where are you going?"Conrad's voice was hoarse.Sierra didn't dare to move an inch. The lingering scent of his post-shower freshness mixed with masculine pheromones sent her heart racing."Um..." Hadn't she made herself clear just now? She was so nervous that she didn't even know how to speak properly."Why do you smell different?" Conrad leaned closer, inhaling deeply, dissatisfaction flickering in his eyes. The familiar scent that had been tempting him was missing, replaced by a fresher, lighter fragrance."Brother-in-law, I'm Sierra, not my cousin." Sierra finally regained some clarity, attempting to remove his hand from hers. She knew he had mistaken her for her cousin.But in the next second, Conrad tilted his head slightly, his face drawing closer to her neck. Indeed, the scent wasn't the same as usual.He wanted to take a clear look at the person before him, but his vision was hazy, as if a veil had been drawn over his eyes…Instead of pulling away, the man behind her pressed
Raiden leisurely gazed at Skyler, his phoenix eyes slightly raised, waiting for their response.The waiter carefully placed the dishes Raiden had previously ordered onto the table, followed by a glass of plain water. With a polite smile, he said, "Mr. Calderon, all of your dishes have been served."Raiden lifted his hand slightly from the table and waved dismissively.Understanding his cue, the waiter took the empty tray, exited the private dining room, and quietly shut the door.Skyler and Tanya exchanged glances before Skyler finally spoke. "Mr. Calderon, could you—"Before she could finish, Raiden cut her off without hesitation. "No."Skyler bit her lip, suppressing the turmoil in her heart. She knew she had no leverage here. If she lost her temper now, not only would Tanya have no chance at securing a role, but even her own role could be replaced at any moment.She understood all too well that this man, when displeased, was capable of anything—no matter how much she had entertaine
“I’ll let them know later. Don’t get too full of yourself—I’m only doing this because I’m in a good mood. And don’t bring just anyone to me in the future.”Wrapped in a white towel around his lower body, Raiden stepped toward the bed, water droplets trickling from his damp hair down his chiseled face, sliding over his firm chest, down his sculpted eight-pack, and disappearing into the towel—exuding an undeniable allure.Raiden had an incredible physique. Though he appeared lean in clothes, underneath, he was all muscle—the type of man who looked slim dressed but well-built undressed. It wasn’t until later that Skyler learned that he and Britney’s husband spent years training together.It was clear now that his remarkable body came from consistent workouts.His words ignited a flicker of hope in Skyler’s heart. Maybe he wasn’t as heartless as she thought—just difficult and a little petty. But she kept those thoughts to herself. If he ever found out, he might just throw her off this pen
There was a scar on her arm, as if someone had pressed a cigarette butt against her skin. Fresh traces of blood seeped out, indicating that the wound was still recent.It was shocking.Seeing the scar, Skyler felt a pang of pain in her heart.Lately, after watching films and dramas and trying to understand acting, an unsettling thought crossed Skyler’s mind. Could it be…“Skyler, didn’t you say you liked that role? That it was a challenge for you?” Tanya tugged at Skyler’s sleeve, her eyes filled with a pleading look.Skyler had mentioned before which role she liked, so she instantly knew what Tanya was referring to. She remained silent, waiting for her to continue.Tanya hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Director He said that only that role hasn’t been filled yet. Skyler, you said you liked it. Could we… switch roles?”Director He’s new drama had been generating a lot of buzz lately, especially with people speculating about the casting of the lead and second female roles. The
For some reason, whenever work calmed down, certain people and events would replay vividly in her mind.Her thoughts were filled with Manuel, as if she had been poisoned.In the bathroom, the sound of running water stopped. Britney turned over and closed her eyes. Before long, she heard the door open behind her, followed by a broad chest pressing against her back.It was warm and comforting.The man carefully slipped his arm under her snowy white neck, letting her rest on it like a pillow.She didn’t deny that she liked this embrace, that she enjoyed the feeling of being cared for like this. A faint smile unknowingly deepened on her lips. But after having her long-term relationship with Conrad betrayed, fear crept into her heart—fear of loss.That fear made her want to hold onto this man. Britney reached out with her delicate, jade-like fingers and grasped his large hand tightly.Manuel gently tightened his hold, interlocking their fingers.They lay closely together, his warm breath b
Skyler had fallen asleep, but her mind remained alert. After all, Raiden had left a psychological scar on her today.As soon as Raiden mentioned being hungry, she couldn't help but complain to herself. He hadn't felt hungry earlier, and now, suddenly, he was.But despite the resentment in her heart, she didn’t dare voice it. After all, he was the young master, and she was just a servant..."Should I heat it up for you?" Since this "ancestor" had called for her, it was clear he wouldn’t do it himself. And it was late, so the other family members had likely already gone to sleep.Sure enough, the young master kicked his feet and said, "Should I do it myself?" If he was going to do it himself, why bother calling her? The real reason was that he couldn’t sleep and, seeing her sleep soundly beside him, a psychological urge stirred within him.If he couldn’t sleep, neither should she. It was a kind of unhealthy mentality.He wanted to wake her up
Skyler finally had the chance to observe the entire room. The decor was simple yet refined.A large sky-blue bed, a desk with a desktop LCD computer, and some model decorations—all expensive just at a glance. It matched his unruly personality well. However, it was clear he didn’t come home often; everything here still looked brand new."Where are you sleeping? Why are you asking me?"Since his father let her move in, he must have arranged a place for her."Do you have an extra blanket? I’ll sleep on the floor."The bed was big enough for two people, and she had slept with him before—otherwise, how would she have gotten pregnant? But at this moment, she didn’t dare sleep with him. She hadn’t forgotten the way he had looked downstairs, as if he wanted to devour her alive.She didn’t dare provoke him again, afraid that if she shared a bed with him, she might not even know how she died.She knew t
"Do you think you've found yourself a backer now? Is that why you feel so important?"Raiden’s tone was full of sarcasm.He looked exactly like a little kid afraid of losing his father's love.It’s often said that women mature faster than men, and Skyler was one of those women. She could see exactly what Raiden was upset about, and a smile tugged at her lips."No, Mr.Calderon! My biggest backer is you," Skyler admitted her mistake.Like hell he’d believe that! The innocence she had before was completely gone now.Raiden let out a cold snort and sneered, "Skyler, I didn't expect your appetite to be this big. First, you took my house, and now, in the blink of an eye, you've managed to squeeze a fortune out of my dad. Did your brain suddenly become enlightened? You’re making money at an impressive speed!""Mr.Calderon, I did go back on my word in this matter. I’m sorry! Here’s the key to the house you
Every parent, when talking about their child, always wears the kindest smile. Frankie was no exception. And when he thought about the fact that he would soon become a grandfather, his mood improved even more.Feeling good, he couldn’t help but chat a little more with Skyler.As Frankie flipped through old photos of Raiden’s childhood and talked about his younger days, Skyler truly saw how adorable he had been as a child.Uncle Calderon wasn’t lying—Mr.Calderon had been handsome since he was little.Big eyes, double eyelids, a high nose bridge, rosy lips, pearly white teeth, and fair skin—all combined with that charmingly arrogant expression…Skyler subconsciously placed her hand on her belly, wondering if the baby inside would be just as good-looking. If it were a girl and took after Mr.Calderon, she certainly wouldn’t be unattractive."Master, dinner is ready!" a servant came forward and announced.
"She should take a good look at herself! She doesn't want to marry me?" Raiden shouted.Who did she think she was? And who was he? Since when did a woman have the right to reject him?Since he was old enough to understand things, he had been surrounded by countless women, all vying for his attention. Which woman didn't want to marry him?Raiden sneered internally. This woman was definitely playing hard to get in front of his father, trying to win his favor so that he would pressure him into marrying her.I didn't see this coming.Skyler, so you dare play tricks on me!Skyler shivered slightly under Raiden’s sharp gaze. Was it a crime now to not want to marry him?Frankie stepped forward and kicked his own son. "And you should take a good look at yourself!"That kick wasn’t light. Raiden gasped in pain and quickly pulled his leg back to clutch it.Damn it!He was almost thirty, yet his old man still kicked him with
When Raiden walked in, he actually found that woman in his house!Without a word, he rushed up to her, grabbed her wrist, and started dragging her outside with large strides."Mr.Calderon, what are you doing?" Caught off guard by his strength, Skyler’s wrist throbbed in pain as she frowned and couldn't help but cry out."Don't ask, just come with me!"As soon as Raiden received a call from the person he had arranged to take Skyler to the hospital, he rushed back immediately.He had sent her to get an abortion, and she was already on the operating table—yet somehow, the old trickster in his family had intercepted her! Just thinking about how the plan was almost completed but was suddenly interrupted made him incredibly frustrated.How could he not know what that old fox was scheming?For the past few years, every time he returned home, the old man would pester him about marriage. Eventually, he got so fed up that he outrigh
Frankie was setting up Skyler, but unfortunately, she was too young and inexperienced to realize it. She had never encountered such schemes before, let alone faced an old fox like Frankie.At first, Skyler had no idea who had decided against her abortion. It wasn’t until she had spoken with Frankie for a while that she finally understood—it was the old master himself who wanted to keep his grandchild.She had already promised Raiden that she would terminate the pregnancy, and she had struggled internally for a long time. But in the end, her heart leaned toward keeping the child.“However, I have three conditions.”“Go ahead, go ahead…” Frankie was so delighted that she had agreed that he would have accepted a hundred conditions if necessary.“First, after the child is born, I want to be able to visit them whenever I wish. But you can rest assured—I will only be visiting the child and will have
Raiden’s Father...Hearing Frankie's words, Skyler couldn't help but look up. He wasn’t like what she had imagined. The middle-aged man in front of her was well-maintained, looking energetic and full of vitality. His smile was warm and friendly. There were indeed some resemblances between him and Raiden—he must have been quite a charming man in his younger years.Seeing her subtly relax, Frankie chuckled, “What do you think? Not quite what you imagined, right?”Having her thoughts seen through so easily, Skyler blushed, feeling slightly embarrassed. “It’s a bit different from what I expected,” she admitted.“Sit down and talk. I’m not used to looking up at people while speaking.” Frankie deliberately said this, knowing that otherwise, she wouldn’t sit down.Just as he had anticipated, Skyler realized that standing while talking to someone like this was somewhat impolite. Beside
Skyler looked at the cold, sterile operating table, her steps heavy as she walked over and lay down with the nurse’s help. Staring at her still-flat stomach, she silently whispered to the tiny life inside her, "Baby, I'm sorry."He had been so well-behaved. She had heard that during the first three months of pregnancy, morning sickness was common, sometimes severe enough to make one feel like the world was spinning. Yet, she hadn’t experienced any of that—she felt just like a normal person. She knew her baby must be a very obedient child.Unfortunately, she had no ability to keep him. If she forced his birth, he would only suffer alongside her.So, I’m sorry. It’s because I’m not brave enough…She had never intended to keep this child, but that didn’t mean she had no feelings for him. He was, after all, her own flesh and blood."Miss Oneal, we’re going to administer the anesthesia now. Try to r