★★★★★“Father has been moved to Star Hospital for private care,” Layla announced, her voice deliberately even as she concealed her true emotions. “No one is allowed to visit without our explicit permission.”Jasmine’s eyes flashed with irritation. “Are you suggesting that I’m not included in that restriction?”Layla maintained her composed facade, a smirk tugging at her lips. “Oh, not at all, dear sister. I wouldn’t dream of excluding you. However, before you come here with your pretense of concern, I suggest you consider contributing financially for Father’s care. My mother and I have shouldered the burden of his expenses and arrangements. If you genuinely have any sympathy, it’s time to prove it. Otherwise, save us the pretense of your emotional displays.”Jasmine’s face flushed with a mix of anger and hurt. “So now you question my sincerity? I’ve always cared about Father, even if you think otherwise.”Layla’s gaze was icy, her tone unyielding. “Caring isn’t about words. It’s about
★★★★★ “Paul, why are you bringing this up now? What’s the reason for returning it?” Jasmine’s interest was immediately piqued. Her tired face instantly brightened up. Paul’s voice remained calm but firm. “It’s a matter I believe needs to be settled face-to-face. Let’s arrange a time to meet. When can you make yourself available?” Jasmine paused, recalling the letter her father had mentioned regarding the jewelry he gave to Paul. Her curiosity and concern prompted her to agree. “Alright, I’m heading to the café nearest to my house. I’ll send you the address. Please come quickly.” “Understood,” Paul replied. Jasmine ended the call and quickly sent him the café’s location. The café’s proximity to her home and its public setting eased her mind about safety concerns. Just as she finished, another call came through from Damon. Jasmine hesitated, weighing whether to answer. When he called again, she decided to pick up. “Hello?” she said, attempting to keep her tone neutral. “Where are
★★★★★Jasmine leaned back in her chair, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied Paul. "It doesn’t matter," she said with a hint of impatience, her voice firm. "Since I need something from you, I suppose I have no choice but to wait. But tell me, Paul," she leaned forward, her tone sharp as a knife, "why have you suddenly become so generous, offering it to me now? Or is there some kind of deal you want to strike?"Paul shifted uncomfortably, his hands gripping the armrests of his chair as he tried to find the right words. "I know I've made mistakes—many of them," he began, but Jasmine swiftly cut him off."Ah-ah," she interjected, raising a hand to silence him. "I don't have time to hear a confession. What I want to know is about the jewelry my father gave you. That’s all."Paul felt a pang of disappointment at her brusque tone, but he forced himself to remain calm. "I told you once that your mother’s belongings were in my possession," he reminded her, his voice measured. "And back
★★★★★ "Why wouldn’t she confide in me?" Damon said, his voice smooth but with an underlying edge. "I’m closer to her than you ever were." He paused, leaning in slightly, his eyes narrowing as he continued, "And let me make one thing clear—if you keep pushing her to meet with you, it won’t end well for your company. A few days ago, your father sought me out. I believe he was concerned, afraid that your actions might provoke me to retaliate against your business. Given his age, he’s wise enough to see the potential fallout. Maybe you should take a lesson from him." With that, Damon pulled a chair close to Jasmine, settling into it with an air of unshakable confidence. He turned to her, his tone softening slightly as he asked, "Why are you here, Jasmine? What’s going on?" Jasmine glanced at Paul before responding, her voice steady but with a touch of hesitation. "He told me he would return my mother’s jewelry—the pieces my father entrusted to him." Damon let out a low, mocking chu
★★★★★ "So, you’re lying to me now just to meet your ex-flame?" Damon’s voice was laced with mockery, his gaze fixed on Jasmine as she admired the necklace she had just reclaimed. Jasmine shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips as she carefully placed the jewelry back into her bag. "You wouldn’t have let me come if I’d told you the truth," she replied with a hint of defiance. "Besides, weren’t you right here with me the entire time? I can’t believe you were stalking me." Damon’s expression softened slightly, though his tone remained serious. "I care about your safety, Jasmine. And as your boyfriend, I think I deserve to know what’s going on." Jasmine rolled her eyes playfully. "You’re getting clingy, Damon. And a bit of a stalker, too." Damon’s lips quirked into a smirk as he leaned in closer. "Clingy, huh? I was waiting for you at your house, and you had the nerve to tell me you were in the parking lot. How could I not follow you? I had to make sure you weren’t up to som
★★★★★"Damon, what is the meaning of this?" Cindy’s voice rang out, echoing through the grand hallway as she stormed into the dining room where Damon and Dante were having breakfast. Her eyes flashed with fury as she approached the table, her hand shaking as she slammed a stack of papers in front of Damon. "How could you do this to me? The moment Grandfather falls ill, you decide to take advantage, doing whatever you please. What have I ever done to deserve this?" Her voice broke, the anger giving way to a deep hurt that she struggled to contain.Damon looked up from his plate, his expression calm, almost indifferent as he sliced through a piece of bacon. "I've noticed some rather unusual transactions from your account, Cindy," he said coolly, barely glancing at the papers she had thrown down. "Large sums of money being transferred to someone I don’t recognize. I’m not interested in asking you where, or why, but as of now, you’re not authorized to make any further transfers. With Gran
★★★★ Cindy’s face crumpled, the weight of Damon’s words striking her like a physical blow. "You can’t just strip me of my identity, Damon. This name, this family—it’s all I have left. How can you be so heartless?" "You should be glad I’m not heartless," Damon replied curtly, his tone cutting through the air like a knife. "Otherwise, your situation would be far worse. The wealth you’ve been given should be enough to keep you comfortable for the rest of your life, but understand this—I don’t want you anywhere near me or my son ever again." Cindy’s breath caught in her throat, disbelief washing over her. "What? No... I can’t leave. I love you and Dante. I won’t go anywhere. I’ve sacrificed too much for this family. This is my life, Damon." "You never loved Great Grandpa," Dante interjected, his young voice shaking with anger as he finally spoke up. He turned to Cindy, his eyes filled with a mix of pain and resentment. "And you could never truly love us. If you ever try to hurt my real
★★★★★"Mom, why can’t I go with you to see Grandfather?" Payne asked, trailing behind her mother, her small hand tugging at her sleeve. "Since he’s not staying in the house anymore, there shouldn’t be a problem with me talking to him, right?"Jasmine paused, turning to face her daughter. Her innocent eyes searched hers, filled with a longing she couldn’t easily dismiss. She knelt down to her level, her voice gentle yet firm as she explained, "Sweetheart, I can’t be sure if Grandfather is in a condition to speak right now. He’s very unwell, and it might be hard for you to see him like that.""But if he can talk, you’ll take me next time? Promise?" Payne’s voice was a mix of hope and insistence, her young heart determined to see his grandfather.Jasmine smiled softly as she said, "Yes, Payne. If Grandfather is well enough, I promise I’ll take you with me next time.""Alright," Payne murmured, her voice tinged with disappointment. She sank into the couch, curling her legs beneath her. "T
★★★★ "Ellie!" Gary tried to approach Harley's mother, but he stopped him, saying, "Don't come close to mom. I didn't lay my hands on you just because of her even though I was on the verge of ripping your neck off your body. So, Again count yourself lucky!" Harley growled at his father. Just then, one of Harley’s men interrupted. "Boss, this woman is fainting!" Harley’s gaze shifted briefly to Amanda before he gave his orders in a cold, merciless tone. "Take her to the hospital. Make sure she doesn’t die, and ensure she gets proper treatment at our camp." Amanda tried to protest, but her words failed her as she collapsed. Without hesitation, Harley’s men carried her away, leaving the scene in tense silence. By that time, Harley's mom mustered up some strength and looked at her husband with pain and tears. Earlier, when Amanda said those things about Gary, she denied them without a second thought, even though somewhere in her heart, a bad feeling was swirling. But, in the end, she wa
★★★★"Are you hurt?" Harley asked, concern lacing his voice."Yeah, my foot," Nadia winced, her grip tightening around his neck. "I think something’s stuck in it."Without hesitation, Harley scooped her up in his arms, cradling her gently as he made his way inside, his jaw set with determination."It's Amanda, and she has more people inside," Nadia cautioned him so that he could have his gun ready."Humph!" Harley hummed only, then took her to a place where there was little light and a small place to sit. He carefully laid her down, turned on the phone's flashlight, and said, "Hold it up on your feet and let me see what it is?"Nadia's face was tired and sweaty, but her eyes were calm seeing Harley in front of her eyes. She got the phone and held it up, only then did they both notice a nail embedded in her left foot.As soon as Harley touched the nail, Nadia cried out, clutching his hair in her palm as her agonizing voice erupted, "Oh, it’s hurt!"Harley looked up at Nadia’s painful f
★★★★★ "I don't know how...." Harley's mother's hands were shaking as she held the gun in her hand. "There's no time for a lesson! Just put the muzzle on my handcuffs and shoot!" Nadia shouted, her impatience growing as Amanda's people could show up at any second. "Alright," Harley's mother muttered, exhaling sharply. She pressed the muzzle against the lock and fired without hesitation. The handcuffs snapped open instantly. Nadia forthwith ran to Amanda and pulled her back by her hair before Amanda could able to run out of the room. "Let me go, bitch!" Amanda protested, trying to scream. But Nadia held her back with her arm around her neck. Suddenly Amanda's men arrived with guns drawn. Seeing them, Amanda screamed, "Don't just stand there and help me!" She gritted her teeth and spat at the people who should have been running to her aid. "Don't come close to her if you want her alive and well?" Nadia yelled, holding Amanda tightly as she tried to strike a deal for them to escape.
★★★★★Meanwhile, Harley returned home and learned from the servant that his father had been awake for a while but had ordered no visitors until he permitted it. Ignoring the warning, Harley marched straight to his father’s room. Rather than knock, he pounded on the door.His father’s irritated voice boomed from within. "I warned you—I don’t want any interference! If you all want to keep your jobs, stay out of my business!"At that moment, Harley responded by firing on the door lock and then kicking it open. Gary ran to the corner in fear, his back hitting the wall. When Gary saw that it was Harley who had shot at the door, he blurted out, "What's going on in your head? You could have called me!" "Where are they?" Harley yelled with murderous eyes."Who are you talking about?" Gary replied, trying to sound calm, but miserably failed under his son's intense gaze. Harley clenched his teeth and rushed to his father, who tried to escape, but Harley grabbed him by his throat and howled, "
★★★★★ Jasmine was exhausted, thirsty and going through the ripping pain in her shoulder, but she made sure she reached out for her husband, who was looking for her crazily. "Hello... it's me!" Jasmine said in a tired voice and crawled away from the dead man. Since it was almost dark, she took refuge behind a tree and decided to stay there until Damon came. "Where are you?" Damon's harsh voice broke out, full of impatience and tension. "Come and get me. I am tired and I...I killed a man who wanted to kill me," Jasmine said, "Also a group of people took Nadia with them. She is in danger too. Bring men," Jasmine said, closing her eyes. "Hang in there!" Damon said. There was a sense of reassurance in his voice that calmed Jasmine and she replied, "Okay!" And she touched her shoulder where she felt pain. Meanwhile, Harley reached the mansion where Amanda's father was busy in the swimming pool with some young lady. As soon as they entered, they all started screaming in fear becau
★★★★★"I don’t know anything!" Harley’s mother stammered, her voice trembling as she scrambled towards Nadia, who sat handcuffed in the corner. "In my sleep, I felt someone’s hand on my face, and I jolted awake. I tried to fight, and Harley’s father did the same, but they injured him before dragging me out of the villa. It was dark outside.""I think it’s the same people who brought you here. They pretended to be the police and tricked me," Nadia said calmly as she looked at Harley's worried mother."How is his father?"Nadia felt bad hearing Harley's mother's worried voice."When I left the villa, a doctor monitored him and the doctor said he is fine and has no injuries," Nadia said."You are not lying to me, are you?" Harley's mother asked again just to believe Nadia was not saying the positive just to keep her calm."Why would I lie to you to keep you satisfied when both of our lives are at stake? I was thinking about your son. I'm afraid he won't deal with this situation patiently
★★★★Nadia didn't go to her house. Instead, she went to Jasmine's house. All the way she kept wondering if Amanda was really that stupid. Knowing Harley's nature, how could she dare to attack his mother, and why did she think that kidnapping Harley's mother would make it easier for her to get back into his life?When she was about to enter Jasmine's house, a police car blocked her way, which shocked Nadia, and she quickly got out of the car in confusion and asked, "What happened, Sir?!" At the same time, Jasmine saw Nadia and the police from the balcony, where she was walking with a coffee mug in her hand. So, she decided to go and see what the matter was."Are you Nadia Hazelwood?" a policeman asked.Nadia replied, a little nervously, "Yes, sir, I am Nadia Hazelwood. Is something wrong?""We found illegal substances in your house. You have to come with us to the police station," the cop said, showing off the handcuff to Nadia who could no longer stop herself from panicking as she mut
★★★★ As the morning dawned Nadia found herself pinned down by a strong arm around her waist and unable to breathe. But what scared her the most was the thought that Harley was naked. She moved quickly and looked under the sheets, but he wasn't naked; he was wearing his boxers, and she sighed with relief. Then she tried to push his hand out of her to get up, but he grumbled, "Let me hold you a little longer." "I have a lot of work to do; hugging won't buy me time," Nadia grumbled. "You work in my office, and as your boss, I am ordering you to remain on the bed with me; if you're so free, you can show me your care by kissing me," Harley said. "Stop your nonsense, Harley. Your mother will come anytime and I will feel ashamed," Nadia put her hand on his face and tried to push him away, but she couldn't. Though his sleeping face looked innocent and peaceful, which urged her to stare at him for a long time, she refused to do that since she was embarrassed to show her affection. Suddenl
★★★★★"Uh..huh! What did you hear him talking about?" Harley replied calmly."He was talking to someone in the garden who I couldn't see so I was standing near the wall and listening to their conversation, then I heard your father say that if that person can't achieve what he has been given to do then he should kill himself or your father will kill him," Nadia said with shock and fear in her eyes as she thought that Harley’s father was going to harm someone."Hmmmm... Dad is consumed by the greed to get the power. That is why he abruptly came here with Mom," Harley said, making his way to the bed, his hand unbuttoning his shirt, while he added, "Let him do what he wants. I'm glad you found something entertaining in this house!""How come you are so relaxed even after knowing all this? What if he is plotting something dangerous against you because I felt he has no sympathy for you or no care that you are his son," Nadia said impatiently putting both her hands on her waist as she did no