As Alex was about to ask about Danny's unsettling thoughts, Danny's phone buzzed, interrupting the conversation.Answering the call, he listened intently as urgency emanated from the other end. Danny's demeanor turned more serious and grim with each passing second.After hanging up, Wade voiced his concern, "Dad, what's going on?"Danny sighed. "The maritime license for the Watson family has been revoked."Alex and Wade were visibly taken aback."How is that even possible?""Why would they suddenly strip our family of such a crucial maritime license?"Maritime transportation, typically tightly controlled by authorities, sometimes granted exceptions to long-standing families like the Watsons and the Garrisons.These families were permitted to oversee vital shipping routes, a privilege considered the highest honor. It was a source of pride and a substantial financial asset for their businesses.For the Watsons, whose history in shipping spanned generations, maritime transportati
As if attuned to Nadia's thoughts, Mandy gently caressed her head with affectionate understanding."My sweet child!" Mandy exclaimed.Those three simple words triggered a flood of tears from Nadia.Raised in the care of others, she had never felt the warmth of familial love until now. Overwhelmed by the unfamiliar sensation, tears of gratitude streamed down her face.Feeling embarrassed, Nadia subtly adjusted her position until she nestled completely in Mandy's embrace.In a manner reminiscent of how she comforted Lana, Mandy let Nadia rest her head on her shoulder, offering gentle pats on her back."Hey, there's no need to shed those tears. The more you cry, the less you'll rock that pretty look, you know?" Mandy advised.On the sidelines, Lana couldn't hold back her tears either, empathizing with Nadia's challenging life.For someone unaccustomed to the warmth of family bonds, a slight nudge could easily unveil their deepest emotions. This had been a significant factor in N
"Ma'am, look at this. Is this the necklace you were looking for?" Nadia cheerfully held up the sparkling pendant, approaching the middle-aged woman who had been frantically searching near the restroom entrance.The woman took the necklace from Nadia's hands, her face lighting up with joy upon closer inspection. "Yes, yes! Thank you so much, miss!"Both tears and smiles adorned the woman's face as she clutched the necklace to her chest. "Baby, I'm sorry. Mom almost lost you again."Finding the interaction a bit strange, Nadia started to step away.But the woman caught up with her. "Hey, thank you so much for your help. How about we grab a cup of coffee together?"Nadia smiled politely and declined, "Oh, it was just a small favor. My sister's waiting for me, so I shouldn't bother you."Sensing Nadia's reluctance, the woman adjusted her approach, suggesting, "Why don't you share your contact information with me? I'd be happy to treat you another time."Nadia observed the woman'
Emilia had spent the entire afternoon bustling around the kitchen.She meticulously crafted a plate of lasagna and whipped up Ruth's favorite lobster ravioli, all under the watchful eye of the chef.Anticipating Wade and Ruth's return, Emilia eagerly surveyed the fruits of her labor.Danny, the ever-observant onlooker, added a compliment, "Look at Emilia, really stepping up and becoming so considerate. She's grown a lot."Emilia, experiencing an unusual sense of embarrassment, responded with a warm smile as she presented a bowl for Danny to taste.After Danny took a bite, he swiftly expressed his satisfaction with a thumbs up."This is seriously tasty, Emilia. Your cooking skills are on point! I could see you owning a restaurant someday.""Yeah, Mr. Watson Senior is right. When Ms. Watson sets her mind to something, there's no stopping her," added another voice in admiration."I've met many outstanding people in my years, but Ms. Watson surpasses them all."The onlookers, incl
Fueled by anger on behalf of his beloved, Liam dismantled a third of the Watson family's business within a week. It caused the market value of the Watsons to plummet by several million dollars overnight.In the intricate hierarchy of Dawsbury's Eight Affluent Families, the Watsons, though not surpassing the Garrison family, had held a respectable second position.However, Liam's disruptive actions swiftly relegated them to an alarming sixth place.If Liam persisted in his targeted campaign against the Watsons, there loomed the ominous possibility of further decline. It could potentially lead to their exclusion from the esteemed list of Dawsbury's Eight Affluent Families.Such a dramatic fall from grace threatened to instigate a reshuffling of the power structure among Dawsbury City's elite families, promising a fresh wave of turmoil within the city.While Lana was engrossed in weeding the vegetable garden at her family villa with Romelius, news about the Watson family's dire s
Nadia couldn't bear the weight of Lana's pleading gaze. "Don't look at me like that. I'm not refusing to help you. But right now, no matter who speaks up for Liam, Mom and Dad won't listen."Lana sighed, her worry palpable.Squeezing Lana's hand reassuringly, Nadia continued, "Don't worry. If you want to untie the knot in Mom and Dad's hearts, Liam has to personally step in."They need to see his worth so they can confidently entrust you to him."Lana pondered Nadia's words and nodded in understanding.Even if Nadia and others spoke highly of Liam in the presence of Mandy and Romelius, mere words wouldn't suffice.Without witnessing Liam's efforts, how could her parents be truly convinced?"However," Nadia added, "Liam has been sincerely working to mend things with the Watson family lately. "This move should easily win them over. Make sure you encourage him to keep it up."Lana lamented quietly. If only she could contact Liam.However, Mandy and Romelius had imposed restri
Although Alex conceded on Danny's behalf, Liam still didn't want to let them off the hook so easily."You said you knew you were wrong?" Liam smiled sarcastically, his gaze was like those of a hunter staring down his prey. "So, do you know where you went wrong?"Alex remained composed, a faint smile still lingered on his lips. "We should have never offended Ms. Clark or angered Mr. Liam."With that, Alex bowed his head slightly, wearing a smile as warm as the sun. "I wonder if Mr. Liam would be willing to give us a chance. My grandfather and I would take Emilia to Ms. Clark's place to apologize in person."Danny's face turned ashen.He had already humbled himself by going to Liam's place, but now he even wanted Emilia to apologize to Lana in person?Wasn't Alex just dragging himself through the mud?"Alex, stop—"Danny had barely uttered a sentence before Alex cut him off, "Grandpa, didn't we agree that I would be the one handling this matter?"Danny could only sheepishly
Emilia scoffed, "Alex, what an interesting way to put it!"She always had an inexplicable sense of superiority over Alex.That's why she dared to directly express her dissatisfaction with Alex.Alex didn't seem bothered by it. He even asked well-naturedly, "How come I wasn't aware that my words were so interesting?"Emilia suddenly said bluntly, "Can you please stop with all this nonsense? Are you trying to take back the inheritance right by targeting me this time?" Alex was surprised that Emilia dared to speak so frankly in front of Wade, and she even said it so harshly.Upon seeing Alex's incredulous expression, Emilia scoffed, "Don't play dumb. Since you came back, everything you've done has been targeted at me. "And now you actually want me to apologize to Lana? Does she even deserve it?"Alex was speechless. He turned toward Wade, only to find that the other man was also astonished, as if he hadn't expected Emilia's sudden change.At this moment, the cheerful smile on
Would Lana forgive him and spend the rest of her life with him?Liam's heart was filled with a sense of anticipation.Since the reason for the incident had been clarified, everyone let out a sigh of relief at the same time and also went back to rest. Even Leonardo was taken away just to give the two people who had been apart for a long time some space to be alone.After everyone had left, Liam straightened out his clothes and approached Lana, then proceeded to slowly crouch down."Lana!"In the man's deep and sexy voice, there was an unusual tremor and a hint of choked emotion.Liam had no idea what kept him going during these years after losing Lana.Liam didn't dare to do anything too bold. Instead, he gently leaned his handsome face against Lana's hand, repeatedly calling her name.Three years had already passed since Lana left in a fit of anger, setting off a series of events afterward.If she still had any resentment, it would have vanished when she saw Liam's tall figu
Liam's outstretched hand awkwardly hung in the air, and eventually, he could only withdraw it."Speak up if you have something to say, or else, stay quiet. We're not in the mood to listen to you." Hector's attitude toward Liam was still unfavorable, to the extent that he didn't even want to see him.Lana suddenly said, "Something very serious actually happened today."Following that, she placed Leonardo down and showed everyone the wound on his neck.A ring of red marks surrounded Leonardo's delicate neck. In some places, the marks were so swollen that it looked like a tire had been wrapped around his neck. It was a shocking sight to behold.Hector, Violet, Mandy, and Romelius were immediately enraged."What happened to Leo?""What happened to his neck? It could have been fatal if it was any worse.""Who was responsible for watching Leo today? How could they be so negligent and let the child get injured so badly?""This doesn't look like any ordinary wound. It looks like it wa
"Stop looking at me like that. If you want to kill or torture me, go ahead." Cynthia knew what would happen to her after the truth came out, so she gave up struggling. "However, even after my death, I'll haunt you for the rest of your life!"As they listened to her absurd threat, Lana and the Traffic Light Trio burst into laughter."If ghosts were real, then Emilia would be the first to look for you."When her deceased sister was mentioned, Cynthia's smile remained unchanged. "That fool probably never knew it was me who betrayed her until her death."Considering the situation, Cynthia didn't believe she could leave the Garrison Villa tonight."What exactly do you gain by single-handedly destroying the Cooper family?"Lana was still very confused by Cynthia's actions.After all, Emilia and Cynthia were twins and had the same blood coursing through their veins. With all the Coopers gone, Cynthia had nothing to gain from it either!Cynthia sneered at Lana's question. "Lana, yo
On the evening of the banquet, the Garrison Villa was bustling with distinguished guests.Initially, everyone's attention was on the precious great-grandson of the Garrison and Kane family. With his confident and lively demeanor, the chubby child was absolutely adorable. Everyone was naturally curious about who the child might have chosen as his stepmother.It should be noted that the Garrison and Kane family only had one great-grandson. His future was destined to be extraordinary. As long as one could control the child, it was much more worthwhile than dealing with those individuals from the two affluent families.After all, the elders from the two families were very attentive and doting toward this child. Surprisingly, Liam, who was said to have been away from home for a long time, had returned. During the reception of guests, he unexpectedly had a smile on his face.The ladies who had come tonight, vying for the position of Liam's wife, became even more excited.Liam typi
On the night before the banquet, Romelius and Mandy finally brought Leonardo back.Lana was overjoyed, and she immediately went to the bungalow where they were staying.At that time, Leonardo had just returned home and was playing with toys on the living room floor."Leo, you're back! Did you miss Mommy? Mommy missed you so much!"Lana ran toward Leonardo, talking to him while reaching out to hug him. In a flash, Leonardo suddenly ran toward Romelius while holding a toy car.After that, he kept hiding in his arms, refusing to come out. He would occasionally peek out from the gaps to glance at Lana.His actions clearly showed that he refused to accept Lana.Lana's enthusiasm was dampened, and her outstretched arms awkwardly remained in midair. She looked at Romelius and then at Mandy as if waiting for them to persuade Leonardo. However, these two remained silent and only greeted Lana in a casual manner."Oh, Lana, you've come?" Mandy said while presenting her with a basket o
Due to the fact that the Garrison family was going to hold a banquet to introduce the mother of their beloved great-grandson, Leonardo, the Garrisons once again became the talk of the town in Dawsbury.The last time Dawsbury was so lively was when Hector introduced the Garrison family's heir to everyone.As soon as the news was released, the Garrisons became noticeably busier in the following days. All of them were busy scurrying around and helping Hector deliver the invitations.In addition to people who had business dealings with the Garrison family, the invitations were naturally sent to people who were familiar with Lana in the past. Therefore, as soon as the Traffic Light Trio received the invitation, they didn't even go to work and immediately ran to Liam's office—intending to get an explanation from him.At that time, Liam had just finished a phone call from overseas and was deep in thought when the office door was suddenly kicked open.Lincoln stood at the door, looking
With that, Sawyer ignored the unpleasant expressions on Freya and Hector's faces. He immediately picked up his child and walked away.Hector was furious. He glared at Liam, his eyes burning with anger. It was clear that he thought Liam was the one responsible for Lana's predicament.Liam was once again innocently caught in the crossfire.Freya set aside her current tasks, offered some comforting words to Hector, and then got up and chased after them.She knew Sawyer well enough and was certain that he would never have treated someone like this unless there was a reason.As Freya's family of three left, Lana's face bore a sorrowful expression. "Since I'm not welcome here, I guess I'll just go."With that, Lana got up and walked toward the door.Hector and Violet had been waiting for Lana's return for a long time. Now that she was finally back, how could they possibly let her go?Naturally, the two of them chased after Lana and tried to talk her out of leaving. They eventually ma
Liam sensed a challenging undertone in Lana's stare. After all this time, had they truly become adversaries?Releasing Lana abruptly, Violet gently patted her arm, her eyes filled with profound hurt."You're here, alive and well. Why did you leave us in the shadows? Even if you chose not to contact anyone else, you should've considered reaching out to me. Do you have any idea how much I missed you?"Over the years, Violet had been grappling with a deep sense of loss.Though it remained an unspoken sentiment among them, Violet was aware of the underlying blame directed toward Liam for what was believed to be Lana's demise.Had Liam been more emotionally available, their relationship wouldn't have crumbled. It would've stopped Lana from seeking refuge overseas while carrying their child, an act that set the stage for her heartbreaking destiny.Witnessing Liam's anguish and believing Lana to be lost forever had taken a severe toll on Violet's health, aging her considerably."Gr
Liam guided Leo to Lana's room.As they entered, Lana was already awake, bathed in the serene morning light streaming through the window.Upon hearing their arrival, Lana, while brushing her hair, shifted her gaze toward them—a familiar scene echoing times gone by."Good morning, Liam and Leo!" she greeted them effortlessly.Without hesitation, Leonardo squirmed out of Liam's embrace and darted toward Lana, exclaiming, "Hi, Nana!"Lana paused, momentarily surprised by Leonardo's nickname. "Leo, you should be calling me 'Mommy'!" she gently corrected him.Leonardo hesitated momentarily before redirecting his attention to Liam.Even though Liam hadn't exchanged a single word with Lana, he spoke up when Leo glanced his way, firmly stating, "Feel free to do as you wish. There's no need to seek my approval. Alright?"Leonardo nodded obediently and turned his gaze back to Lana, continuing to address her as "Nana."While Lana appeared somewhat displeased by this unexpected turn of ev