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33. Can You Afford It
Huling Na-update:
2024-12-02 22:58:42
Makkhika M Thank you for reading. And thank you very much for your comments and gems. They are very encouraging to me. I hope you enjoy this chapter. ❤️❤️❤️
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Hate You as much as I Love You 34. The Black Heart
Autumn had no idea how to respond and was uncomfortable with their hateful stare at her. She just looked at Crystal silently, not getting a good vibe from them. "Why did even she bring her kids here?" Emma asked. "To look at the items, obviously. Where would they see such expensive items? As they can't have them, they can at least see them." Catherine commented, and they all burst out laughing. Autumn's face fell as she looked at them innocently, not fully understanding what they were saying. "Oh, come on. Aria was able to give an Autumn Collection bag as compensation. Have you forgotten? Maybe she can bid this one too." Crystal spoke up in protest. However, anyone can see the mockery in her words. "Huh... getting one Autumn Collection bag is easy. But she will never be able to win a bid here. You can dream, little brat." Margaret said. Even prominent families lost bids during the auction. So it was impossible for someone like Ariadne to win a bid. "But she can beg Mr. Wa
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-08Hate You as much as I Love You 35. Brand Owner
"And this beautiful necklace goes to Mr. Blake. This is the highest bid of the evening so far. Not only that, but this is one of the most expensive items ever auctioned at this Gala." Everyone applauded and began guessing the brand. They would have assumed it was from Sparks, but their necklace had already sold out. "Ladies and gentlemen,... the Black Heart from the Autumn Collection. Congratulations to the Autumn Collection on their first bid at this Gala." "Omg, Crystal... it's from the Autumn Collection. No doubt, it's gorgeous. It's the best of them." Catherine exclaimed, excitedly. Crystal smiled from ear to ear as well. A girl delivered the necklace to Blake's table. Xander told her to give the necklace to Crystal. Everyone started murmuring about Xander's romantic gesture. He placed such a high bid for his fiancee. Everyone knew that if Xander set his eyes on something, he would definitely get it. They thought Crystal was lucky to have him. "Thank you, Xander." Cryst
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-11Hate You as much as I Love You 36. What's the Reason
They turned around and saw Tiara standing behind them. They glared at her. "Well, what did you say? We came here for free food... We can't afford anything here... Oh.. So much confidence." she fanned her face dramatically as she approached them slowly. "Alas! Everything went down the drain. Look at your faces. You are all looking like clowns." she laughed sarcastically. "Be as happy as you can right now. The final laugh will be mine....because I have Xander, whom she will never have." Crystal said through gritted teeth. "You have a point. You have Xander. But, who said Aria wants him?" Crystal glared at her. "And as for you having Xander..." Tiara made a face as if she was deep in thought, then she approached Crystal and whispered in her ear. "The question is... for how long? You know?.... secrets never remain hidden forever." She looked at Crystal's pale face with a smirk. She walked past them without waiting for her reply. ... "The meeting is going to take place tomorrow a
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-16Hate You as much as I Love You 37. Unexpected Guests
At the Miller residence, Crystal's room was in chaos. A flower vase was thrown to the ground and broke. "That bitch. I will kill her...What's her name?... oh yes...Tiara. She dared to challenge me. The audacity of that bitch." "Crystal, stop this." Catherine shouted. "How can I stop? It was supposed to be my day. I am Xander Blake's fiancee,... soon to be his wife and the young lady of the Blake family,... he gifted me the most expensive necklace in the auction. I should have been the center of attention. But that bitch... Ariadne ruined it. Have you seen how the guests went to congratulate her? How they praised her as if she's a damn goddess?" After returning from the auction, Crystal was venting her rage on household items. Emma and Catherine tried to calm Crystal down. Aaron, on the other hand, did not say anything and went to sleep, having lost interest in their drama. He had discovered their true faces long ago, and stopped interfering in their matters. Catherine assured E
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-21Hate You as much as I Love You 38. He’s Changed
"Are you attending the festival?" Crystal inquired, jolting Xander out of his thoughts. "I haven't decided yet." "Oh.. but you should attend. There will be many businessmen. The festival benefits every businessman." "Yeah. I will think about it. Attending means I have to stay there throughout the festival. I have the kids, so I am not sure." Ariadne explained her predicament. Though the two kids at home were not the actual concern. She was concerned for Alex. She didn't want to stay away from him. "You have Mary and Tiara to look after them. By the way, where's Mary?" Crystal asked as she hadn't seen Mary since her arrival. Ariadne panicked at the question. "She went to meet some of her relatives." Tiara quickly responded, saving Ariadne. "Oh. Anyway...Ariadne... I have a special request for you." Crystal remarked, drawing everyone's attention to herself. "What's it?" Ariadne asked. "I have been a huge fan of Autumn Collection since the beginning. And now that we all know
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-24Hate You as much as I Love You 39. The Business Festival
"This's your room, Madam." "Okay, thank you." Ariadne said to the room service as she took the key from him. It was the night before the business festival and Ariadne arrived at her room on the third floor. There were three more doors in the hallway. "Who occupies these rooms?" "That room is occupied by Mr. Hopkins." said the boy, pointing to the door at the corner on the opposite side of the corridor. "...this one is empty for now." he added, referring to the room next to her. "And that room?" Ariadne pointed to the room directly across from hers. "It's occupied by Mr. Blake." "What?" "Yes, Ma'am." 'No, no, I need to stay away from Xander and Crystal.' Ariadne thought in her mind. "Can I have another room on the first or second floor?" "I am sorry, Madam, but all of the rooms are full. This year there were a large number of guests. Only these two rooms are available." "Oh... Okay." she sighed. She entered the room, and the boy assisted her in getting her l
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-31Hate You as much as I Love You 40. Corrupted Woman
Everyone looked at Xander, who stood there glaring at Tom as he collapsed on the floor. No one noticed when he rose from his seat and walked around the table to Ariadne's side. Stunned, Ariadne abruptly jumped out of her chair, but she stumbled and fell backwards. Jose arrived instantly and stopped her from falling. She stood up with his help and steadied herself. By then, Xander had grabbed Tom's collar and yanked him to his feet. "She said she's not interested. What part of it did you not understand?" Xander shouted and punched him hard in the face. He was furious beyond control. Ariadne covered her mouth with her hand as she scurried to the corner, her gaze fixed on Xander, her body trembling. Jose stood close to her, on guard. Everyone stood up from their seats, and silence fell as all eyes were on Xander and Tom. "Xander?" Crystal rushed to him. "What are you doing? leave him." she grabbed his hand, which was still holding Tom's collar, and attempted to release it, but
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-06Hate You as much as I Love You 41. Mark Steele
As Jose mentioned, someone delivered Ariadne's dinner to her room shortly after. After returning to her room, she freshened up and changed into comfortable clothes. She was about to eat her dinner when the doorbell rang. She became anxious about who it could be. After what happened at the dinner party, she became purplexed. Nonetheless, she went to open it. Her mood became worse as soon as she saw the person. Without waiting for anything, Crystal entered the room and closed the door. "How dare you cause a scene at the dinner party? You caused Xander a great loss as he made Tom his enemy. All thanks to you." Crystal yelled, pointing a finger at Ariadne. She was enraged at Xander's protective behavior toward Ariadne at the dinner party. She kept her cool in front of everyone and refrained from lashing out at her. Now that she had the chance, she didn't waste a second. "Hold on.. hold on. It wasn't me, but you, who caused Xander's loss." Ariadne pointed. "Now you are blaming me
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-09
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Hate You as much as I Love You 71. A Boss
The maids finished serving, and everyone started eating. There was an awkward silence. Autumn and Adrian ate their food, lowering their heads, not interested in conversing with anyone. Xander watched them silently while eating his meal. "How are you, Margaret? It has been a long time." Mary asked, breaking the silence. "I'm fine, Mary. I've heard you're now the president of Autumn Collection." Margaret replied, looking at her. "Yes. You have heard it correctly." Everyone looked at them as they talked. "Do you know each other?" Crystal asked, surprised. Xander, too, appeared curious. "We were classmates in school." Mary replied. "Wow. I didn't know that." Crystal replied. "You don't know a lot of things." Mary shot her a sharp look. "Do you remember me?" Margaret asked as she looked at the kids, interrupting the conversation. Her expression suggested that she disliked the fact that she knew Mary and she didn't want the subject to continue. The kids looked at eac
Hate You as much as I Love You 70. Suspicion
"Go on. I'm listening." Tiara said lazily. Crystal shifted in her seat and looked at her nails. "I don't know what your relationship is with Aria. You aren't her friend. How did you become a member of her family? I'm curious." She raised a brow at Tiara. "I think that story is useless to you." Tiara replied in a boring tone. Crystal nodded. "Anyway... I like how you always protect her and her kids." she paused for a moment while Tiara stared at her intently. "I'm sure you're with her for your own benefit... after all she owns the Autumn Collection." "What do you want to say?" Tiara said, irritated. She wanted her to get to the main point. "I'm saying you're a lawyer and you will always see a profit. So why don't you switch to someone who can provide you with more benefits than Aria?" Crystal said, leaning into the desk. "Are you referring to yourself?" Tiara asked. "Of course." Crystal leaned back in her seat again. "I'm the CEO of Miller Group. I'm now engaged to Xander.
Hate You as much as I Love You 69. A Cheap Hotel
Ariadne didn't look at Xander as she entered the car that was waiting at the entrance. She felt ashamed of herself for thinking that ring was cheap. The ring held historical significance. As a jewelry designer, she was able to easily identify the quality of a piece. She was curious if he still had the ring. However, she chose not to talk about it as it was pointless at this time. Thinking about past mistakes would only bring pain. She brushed the subject off her mind. They both sat silently as the car drove away. "Where are we going?" she asked when she saw the car taking a different route. "To the hotel." Xander replied casually, looking outside. "Hotel? Why? Shouldn't we return to your jet?" Ariadne frowned. "We will visit their factory tomorrow. You will complete your first contract." "But.." "When you find a good partner, don't wait to finalize the deal. They will trust you if you demonstrate a willingness to collaborate with them." he said, cutting her off as he looked at h
Hate You as much as I Love You 68. The Stone of Love
"Mr. Hart can you handle things here for a few days?" Ariadne asked, as Mr. Hart entered her office. "I'm going out of town for a few days." she added. "O.. yes... don't worry.. I'll handle everything here." he said, placing a file in front of her. "Thank you." she smiled. "Let me know if you need anything." "Sure." Ariadne signed the documents and handed them back to Mr. Hart. "See you in a few days." she said. Mr. Hart nodded before leaving the office. Ariadne grabbed her belongings and left as well. ..... "How far is it?" Ariadne asked, irritated. "It will take another hour." Xander replied from his seat in the distance, where he was reading some documents. Ariadne signed and gazed out the window. They had been sitting in Xander's private jet for the past five hours. It was a six-hour journey. What irritated her the most was having to sit with him. Even though she sat away from him, she was still uncomfortable. Xander suggested her to take a nap in the jet's private room.
Hate You as much as I Love You 67. Dinner Together
Xander was in a good mood after Alex addressed him as 'Daddy'. He put on a mask and followed them inside the restaurant. As they passed through, Autumn kept looking back at him. When Xander raised his brow at her, she looked away. They entered a private cabin. Xander looked around. It wasn't as cozy as the five-star restaurants, but it was still nice. Everyone took their seats. Tiara sat between the two kids, with Mary next to Adrian and Jose beside Autumn. Xander sat next to Jose. Autumn tugged on Jose's hand, causing him to look at her. "Why is he wearing a mask?" she asked. It was loud enough for everyone to hear. Jose looked back at his boss before smiling at her. "So that no one can recognize him." he replied. "Why? Are the police looking for him?" Tiara burst out laughing while Jose pressed his lips together to hold it in. Xander stiffened, embarrassed. His daughter thought he was a criminal. He removed his mask, without saying anything. "No. Your dad is the most fam
Hate You as much as I Love You 66. Responsibility
"You fool! What do you think you're doing?" William yelled from the other end as soon as Xander answered the call. He sighed and rubbed his brows with his fingertips. His head was throbbing. "Do you want your kids to grow up as orphans?" He frowned at his words. "You took them away from their mother and kept them in that mansion while you're still at your penthouse. What's the meaning of this? They have grown up without a father. You have now also separated them from their mother. If you can't stay with them, then why did you take them?" William continued to scold him, without giving him a chance to speak. "Grandpa I.." "This's the last time I've helped you." he cut him off. Xander paused upon hearing this. "You asked her to bring them back." he said. It was a statement rather than a question. "Yes." "Thank you." "But if you make another mistake... I'll never ask her to reconsider anything. Don't disappoint me." "It's only a few days, Grandpa. I'm still proces
Hate You as much as I Love You 65. A Chance
"How dare you slap her?" Emma got up in a rage. Ariadne raised her hand, telling her to remain silent. Cathy put her hand over her mouth, shocked. She couldnt believe her eyes that Ariadne slapped Crystal in front of everyone. Crystal's nostrils flared up with rage and she covered her cheek with her hand. However, she composed her expression and changed it to one of submission. Her eyes welled up, as well. Xander sat, silently. "Who gave you the right to slap my daughter?" Ariadne yelled. Crystal looked at Xander helplessly. Xander's gaze was fixed on Ariadne. "Why are you not saying anything, Mr Blake? She slapped your fiancee." Emma looked at Xander. He was silently watching the drama, saying nothing. "Didn't you two come here on your own? Crystal even slapped Autumn to discipline her as an aunt. So, why should I interfere? Ariadne is her mother and has every right to be angry about it. Now, deal with it." Xander said, irritated. He didn't like that they disobeyed his
Hate You as much as I Love You 64. A Slap
Later that evening, Xander called Cathy to check on the kids. "How are the kids doing?" he asked as soon as Cathy answered the call. Cathy moved to a corner and looked around. "The kids are quiet a nuisance, Mr. Blake." she replied, clenching her jaw. Xander frowned. "Did they cause any trouble? Are they trying to leave the mansion again?" "No, Sir." "Then what happened?" "Um.. I made them some healthy food, but they refused to eat. They became angry as I didn't let them eat junk foods... And Autumn broke a vase. When I scolded her, she began to cry. Adrian even got into a fight with me." she said in a tired tone. Xander sighed with relief as he heard this. He was afraid the children would demand to see their mother again. "Oh... They don't know you, so they will not obey you. Let Mary handle them. You don't have to do anything. Just make sure she and the children have everything they need." he instructed. "Okay, Sir... don't worry. I'll follow Mary's instr
Hate You as much as I Love You 63. The Real Boss
"Oh.. Crystal. You're so selfless and kind-hearted. I'm proud of you." Emma said. Margaret still looked dissatisfied, but she said nothing. The three women made a mental note to deal with Ariadne and the kids in their own way. Aaron remained silent. "How is the third kid? What exactly happened to him?" Crystal asked, concerned. Xander sighed as he thought about Alex. He felt sorry for him. "His legs were disabled since birth, so he couldn't walk." he said. Margaret and Emma exchanged glances while Crystal wore a sad expression. "I'm sorry. It's very unfortunate." she said with a sad tone. "Yeah... but he has undergone surgery and will be able to walk after the treatment." Xander added with a smile. "Oh.. wow... that's a great news." Crystal said excitedly. "I will visit him." she added. Xander fell silent. "Can we talk in private?" he asked. "Yeah... sure" Crystal nodded and stood up. She took him to the first-floor balcony. "What's it? Is there any proble
