If something happened to them, he would be hard-pressed to avoid responsibility. While waiting, he realized they hadn’t returned for a long time, so he counted the number of people and noticed someone was missing from the group. He quickly told Bryant to stay behind and guard the area while he rushed to the scene. Unfortunately, he arrived too late; it was clear that a brutal battle had just ended here.
Raiden stopped Manuel, who had clearly lost control, shouting, "Enough! Manuel!"
As Manuel moved, blood splattered onto him, even onto his face...
Manuel stopped his actions, raising his bloodshot eyes to look at Raiden. After a long while, the redness in his eyes slowly faded, as if the violent actions had been completely unconscious.
"Are you guys alright?" Raiden asked as he observed Manuel, covered in blood, while Britney, standing not far away, still held her weapon tightly in her hands.
Manuel’s expression
Her words shattered the last bit of ice that had remained within him.For a fleeting moment, he wanted to tell her the stories buried deep within him.“How’s your wound feeling?” Britneyreached out to touch his arm.He held her hand in his, “It’s nothing serious. Let’s go! If we don’t hurry back, they’ll be waiting too long.”“Mm.” Though still worried about his injury, she knew the journey back wouldn’t be short. With so many elderly people in their group, traveling on foot would take even longer. They needed to move quickly.When Raidensaw the two of them walking hand in hand as if nothing had happened—perhaps even closer than before—he, as a self-proclaimed relationship expert, found himself completely baffled by the mysteries of love.Had Manuelreally settled things with Britneyin such a short time?In his mind, the best way
When she told her family that she was going to find Manuel, they didn’t refuse, but she could hear the worry hidden in their words.“We’re all fine. We’ll be back in Goldmoortonight,” Britneysaid.“As long as you’re safe, that’s all that matters. When you have time, come home. Your father has been so worried these past few days that he hasn’t been able to sleep well,” Dianasaid. Hearing that her daughter was safe, she finally felt relieved. She wanted to see her daughter right away but didn’t want to burden them.“Okay, I’ll call you when we get back. I’m really craving your homemade dishes.” Britneyunderstood her mother’s thoughts. But going home today was unrealistic—Manuelwas still injured, and she was covered in dirt. If her mother saw her like this, she’d probably worry even more.After ending the call with Diana,
His BrieWas Getting Naughtier and Naughtier...She actually dared to call him "old cured meat."“Oh? Am I not?” Britney’s lips curled into a teasing smile.He leaned in, nipping at her ear. "I've got a special batch of cured meat that's been marinating for over thirty years—want to try it?" His grip on her hand left no room for misinterpretation.Returning to Goldmoorat this time, he couldn’t deny he had his own selfish motives—an urgent desire to tangle with her.Britneypulled her hand back and shoved him hard. “Are you thinking with anything other than your hormones?”As expected, Manuelcouldn’t stay serious for more than three seconds in front of her.The traffic on the way back held them up for over an hour. By the time they reached Goldmoor, it was already close to 6:30 PM. They arrived at the villa a little past 7 PM.The golden hues of the suns
Manuel’s voice was not loud, but his enunciation was firm, carrying his unique authoritative presence.Britney's beautiful eyes widened as she glared at him. A few seconds later, she could only compromise.What else could she do?If she resisted any further, it would just be a waste of time. The decisions this man made—especially in situations like this—were completely unchangeable.Taking a bath together not only cleansed their bodies but also left Britneyfeeling a bit ticklish inside.Blame it on Manuel. That guy was just too good at flirting."Brie…"After drying off, Britneywas just about to get dressed when Manuelstepped forward, capturing her soft lips with his. His hands had no intention of stopping, either."Manuel, there are people waiting for us downstairs!"Britneytried to push him away, her voice breaking into breathy protests.Wasn't he the one who said
Under the night sky, the villa halfway up the mountain was brightly lit as if it were daytime.Seeing Mr. and Mrs. Castrocoming downstairs, Parkerimmediately served the sumptuous dinner that had long been prepared in the kitchen. At Manuel's signal, he then returned to the kitchen to fetch another set of tableware and took a seat at the dining table.Originally, the chair that had been moved aside was meant to make space for Liviain the middle so she could maneuver her wheelchair easily. But when she saw Britneysitting closely next to Manuel, she was clearly displeased.Hearing Miss Castro’s coy complaint, Parkerput down his chopsticks and looked toward his master. Only after receiving Manuel’s permission did he dare to move another chair and push Liviainto place."Livia, you should eat more. I feel like we've neglected you these past few days." Britneyspoke with polite warmth, yet as she placed food i
"Alright, alright! Just have your breakfast and go handle your affairs with peace of mind. What could possibly happen to me at home?"Britney rolled her eyes at him.As if her mother-in-law and Miss would do something to her.Natalia was not the kind of person to hold grudges.At this point, she had pretty much figured out Livia’s weak spot...Regardless, Livia returning home today was already a settled matter.Last night, when Manuel was on the phone with Natalia, it felt as if everyone in the Castro family was afraid of him.Manuel’s rough fingertips gently caressed the delicate, fair skin of the woman’s face, his touch lingering with reluctance.Eventually, he tore himself away with great effort.Watching the door close behind him, Britney’s lips curved into a slight smile as she headed to the bathroom to freshen up.Manuel was undoubtedly making rounds at various locations to assist with the earthquake relief efforts. He wouldn’t be in Goldmoor preparing for his speech; otherwise,
"Britney, are you not going to work today?" Natalia's attention shifted as she noticed Britney, who appeared elegant even without makeup. She had been here for a while but hadn't seen Britney come downstairs, assuming she had already left for work."I took a day off. I'll go in tomorrow," Britney replied honestly, knowing that Natalia was just asking casually. She walked over to the dining table and asked, "Mom, Livia, have you had breakfast yet?""That needs to be placed on top! Otherwise, it’ll get squished!"Seeing the servants being careless, Natalia didn’t even get the chance to answer Britney. She quickly went over to correct them. When it came to her daughter's belongings, she was always meticulous. Livia had a good temper, but she was extremely particular about her personal items—even their placement had to be just right. If something wasn't to her liking, she would get upset or even throw a fit."Miss, why didn’t you come ask about breakfast at noon instead?" The moment she s
After sending Liviaaway, Britneyfelt like the entire world had become a better place.With her mood lifted, her appetite naturally improved as well."Mr.Turner, is there any more of this?" Britneypointed at the now-empty plate on the dining table and asked."Madam, please wait a few minutes," Parkerreplied before heading to the kitchen.In reality, every meal was prepared according to the portion sizes of the household members to prevent waste. Fortunately, the breakfast dish Britneyrequested still had available ingredients, and it was easy to make.As Parkerhad said, within a few minutes, the dish was freshly prepared and served to Britney.Looking at the steaming breakfast, Britneycouldn't help but praise him, "Mr.Turner, you’re really amazing! No wonder that young lady from the Castro familycouldn't stop complimenting your cooking."Standing beside her, Parkerlooked slight
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
As she closed the door, countless thoughts raced through Jamiya’s mind.Had her daughter found out the truth?"Mom, is it true or not?" Stephanie stepped into the study, turned around, and fixed her gaze on Jamiya.If she had forced herself not to believe Britney’s words before, now, trying to convince herself they were lies felt utterly weak.Jamiya was her mother, and the subtle hesitation in her movements had already given away the answer. Yet, Stephanie still wanted to hear it confirmed.She was clinging to hope, the desperate kind one seeks when standing on the edge of despair.Jamiya had struggled with this decision countless times before—should she tell her daughter or not? In the end, she chose to keep it from her. She was a woman herself; she understood the devastation of infertility. And this was her own daughter—how could she be so cruel?"My dear, with today’s advanced medical technology, ther
She also longed for a peaceful life, but unfortunately, some people were determined to make her life anything but easy. Therefore, she had to arm herself with thorns to protect herself and her family.Dealing with Stephanie was never her intention.However, since Stephanie had done what she did, if she didn’t fight back, wouldn’t that be too weak?Britney had never been someone to be bullied."Was Sierra's pregnancy also part of your plan?" Stephanie asked. Though phrased as a question, her tone made it sound more like a statement.Britney countered with another question, "Haven't you already guessed?"Sierra was caught between fear of her cousin and the desire for a good life. With such a conflicted mindset, how could she possibly have taken precautions?If she truly wanted to prevent pregnancy, she wouldn't have schemed to steal Stephanie's husband in the first place.Stephanie's face turned as pale as a sheet. Ev
In fact, the entire press conference held by her father was orchestrated by Manuel. This included not only the so-called evidence but also the presence of both men. Firstly, it was to protect her mother from being verbally attacked by reporters. Since her mother rarely faced the media, the situation could easily spiral out of control. However, both her father and Uncle Prestonwere experienced in handling the press and could maintain control, leaving no room for reporters to exploit. Secondly, it played on emotions to win public sympathy...Britneyhad already witnessed Manuel's capabilities before, but no matter how big or small the issue, he always managed to come up with precise and effective solutions, arranging everything flawlessly. She had to admit that his intelligence and ability to handle situations were truly remarkable."What do you want to tell me?" At this moment, Stephaniesuddenly felt a chill run down her spine. Every time Britneyg