Watching Ruth walk happily away with Nadia, Howard breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't know if he was feeling guilty, but he definitely didn't want to see Nadia again or those starry eyes of hers.Emilia, on the other hand, wasn't ready to give up. Despite Ruth's indifference, she still tried to greet the rest of the Watsons. "Alex! I was waiting for you so we can come together, but I had to go and pick up Howard, so I couldn't—"Before Emilia could finish, Alex, who had never stopped walking, side-eyed her. "Go pester someone else. I don't want to talk to you."After learning the truth, how could Alex possibly stay calm and play pretend with Emilia as if nothing happened? It wasn't possible.Despite being left behind, Emilia remained resolute. Chewing on her lips, she caught up with them."Dad, let's go back together after this. Grandpa said he wants to see Howard, so let's go home together."In Emilia's mind, aside from Hector, Wade was the kindest person to her in the famil
Now knowing this, Lana left immediately.Best to stay away from jackasses and bitches this year!Upon seeing Lana leave, Emilia sat down beside Howard. "So? The talk didn't work out?"Howard's expression was thoughtful. "That's none of your business!"Emilia nodded. "Honestly? I agree. But you were just acting all chummy with me in front of Grandma Violet. Yet here you are, getting all close with some other woman. "I figured I should understand why in case someone else asks. Otherwise, I'd be left embarrassed!"Emilia often behaved strangely around Howard, but he always just let her be. But today was different. Emilia seemed to have found a weakness of his. It made Howard stand up, his expression darkening."Please understand that you and I are equals in a partnership, Ms. Watson. You can try to manipulate other people all you like, but don't think about doing that with me. "If you refuse to cooperate, we can end this partnership right away so I can save myself from feeling
For some reason, Nadia really didn't want Alex to see her in such a state. She didn't dare beg for help. All she did was close her eyes and let Howard have his way with her.After who-knows-how-long, Howard finally stopped.They were covered in sweat. Howard held tightly onto her from behind, leaning to nibble on her ear. "Don't you dare get closer to Alex, or I'll let him know just how much of a slut you really are."Nadia bit hard on her lip, stopping her sobs from escaping her lips.She didn't understand why Howard, gentle and dignified Howard, had become like this. He seemed hysterical and nearly mad.Howard kissed her fiercely once again, getting his fill of her before finally leaving the stall.The moment he left, Nadia collapsed to the ground. She didn't even dare cry out loud, fearful some passerby might stumble upon her twisted relationship with Howard.Howard didn't feel good about himself afterward.He left Auragrove Enclave right after leaving the restroom, not even
Lana was stunned for a moment. She then gazed suspiciously at Liam.Liam's reputation had never been the greatest, but he'd never once said something so violent when he was with Lana.His tone when he said those words was calm and slow. It was as if he were just asking what she wanted for dinner. Yet in that split second, Lana seemed to have a glimpse of the fierce, proud beast underneath Liam's skin. "What is it?" Liam seemed to notice that he'd misspoke. "Did I frighten you?"Lana shook her head. "No, you didn't. But if Howard really did do something to Nadia, I'm going to make him pay."Violet's birthday celebration soon came to an end, with everyone having their own worries and thoughts. Violet then brought her friends back home to spend the night playing cards.Lana went to Nadia, planning to return home with her and ask her more about what happened on the way. But someone found their way to Nadia before Lana did.Alex had suggested he send Nadia back in order to get her
"Alex is here to see you, Howard," Jade said.Howard was lost in thoughts in his study when his mother came to find him."Howard!" Alex yelled, barging into the house before Howard could respond. Jade gasped in shock.Alex used to give off a respectable air to Jade, especially when he treated others. What had gotten into him tonight to make him behave so out of character?Howard seemed to know what Alex was angry about. He snubbed his cigarette and said, "Leave us, Mom."But Jade didn't dare leave them alone. It was obvious the two men had something to settle based on how upset Alex was. "You—" Jade was about to suggest that they calm down when Alex entered Howard's study without a second thought.Alex immediately grabbed Howard by the collar, frightening Jade. "C-can … can we all be civilized here?"Howard was especially passive right now. His tone grew more distant when he said, "Please leave, Mom."Jade was hesitant. "But—""Leave, now!" Howard snapped, gazing intently
After returning home from Violet's birthday celebration, Emilia couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling growing within her.Why did Howard leave without saying anything?Despite their initial exchange of pleasantries, Howard's sudden departure without displaying common courtesy seemed unwarranted."I bet it's because of Nadia," Emilia asserted.Amidst the celebration, Emilia couldn't overlook Nadia's strange behavior. She had also subtly left the venue like Howard, creating an aura of mystery surrounding their departure.Something significant must have transpired between them during that period.To Emilia's dismay, Howard was seemingly oblivious to her role as his girlfriend. He was openly and brazenly interacting with other women.The more Emilia thought about it, the angrier she became. Despite promptly dialing Howard's number, her attempts to reach him remained unanswered.Emilia's limited knowledge about Howard left her feeling helpless and uncertain about how to locate him,
"What are you going to do to me?" Howard questioned.Liam couldn't help but admire Howard. Even amid the challenging situation, Howard exuded remarkable composure, posing bold questions that showcased his poise and courage.Indeed, Howard was someone who possessed untapped potential.Regrettably, he was born at the wrong time. The Rein family's fortunes were already in decline, depriving him of the opportunity to showcase his capabilities.Despite his questionable character, Liam would have considered forming a close friendship with Howard under different circumstances.However, at that moment, Liam had no intention of aligning himself with Howard.Nadia had just emerged from the shadows and embraced a new lease on life. But now, she found herself dragged back into turmoil by Howard's presence.Even if it meant pacifying Lana's anger, Liam was determined to take action against Howard."Now that you're in my hands, you should be well aware of what I'm capable of, don't you think
After the intense ordeal, Liam returned to the Quinn Villa. Romelius and Mandy were engaged in a hushed conversation with Lana, while Nadia was noticeably absent.Noticing Liam's arrival, Mandy and Romelius eagerly beckoned him to join their discussion."Hey, Lee, what's your take on Nadia and Alex as a couple?" Caught off guard, Liam exchanged a subtle glance with Lana, who shook her head discreetly.Even though Liam had an answer in mind, he chose not to respond directly to Romelius and Mandy's question. "Why are we suddenly delving into this?" he asked.Mandy and Romelius shared a knowing look and grinned. "Well, today we noticed that Nadia and Alex seem to have hit it off. His parents left a good impression on us too. Plus, there's something special in the way Alex looks at Nadia."The evidence of Alex's feelings for Nadia was hard to miss. Even the oblivious could see his fondness for her.Taking into account both his family background and appearance, Alex appeared to be
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