The dinner at the Yorks hadn’t officially started yet.The family was in the living hall downstairs. Only the older members of the family were surrounding Joseph, talking in the glass room above the backyard.Everyone saw the scene in Gabriel’s fragrance blending room, and started talking among themselves.“I heard yesterday, she concocted a fragrance for Gabriel in front of everyone using many types of roses as a base, saying that it results in a stark contrast between control and impulse. There’s definitely something between those two!”“Is that…how artists spice things up in their romance…in the fragrance blending room?” someone remarked with a chuckle.Joseph’s face turned dark with displeasure.He turned back and glanced at his two grandsons, his eyes glinting. Harlow couldn’t contain his gleeful expression, while Leo stood there looking aloof, which came as a surprise to Joseph.“Grandpa, this…is their personal affair. It’s not that appropriate for us to continue looking a
“You… Shut up!” Harlow yelled in frustration, with no way of refuting Melanie.“Why are you getting angry, Mr. Harlow? Did I say anything wrong?” Melanie’s voice turned cold, refusing to spare him.Everyone else understood what was going on and that everything turned out to be Harlow’s ploy.He wanted Melanie and Gabriel to be photographed together in the fragrance blending room, and deliberately created an opportunity to show the Yorks the footage so Melanie’s reputation would be torn to shreds.The Yorks knew that Leo was pursuing Melanie. If Melanie’s reputation was ruined, Leo would in turn become the butt of everyone’s jokes.The Yorks’ heirs were brothers, but everyone knew how insignificant brotherly ties were in the face of inheritance issues.“I’m sorry for ruining the mood. The dinner is about to start. Leo, bring Melanie here.”Joseph kept his gaze down, making it difficult to tell his mood right now. He finally urged Leo to bring Melanie to the dinner banquet after h
“Mr. Harlow, where did you go just now? Why didn’t you let me come with you?” Sylvia immediately clung onto Harlow upon his return.“Scram!” Harlow glared at her before leaving in frustration.Sylvia tried to hide her indignation and composed herself, straightening out her necklace, before approaching a group of ladies and exchanging pleasantries with them.Coincidentally, the ladies were complaining about Melanie. When Sylvia joined them, they asked, “Did Mr. Leo give Melanie Jones the gown and jewelry she’s wearing?”“Yes, he did.”Everyone knew Sylvia was Harlow’s new girlfriend, and would certainly be aware of things going on in the York family. Her words could be trusted.“How shameless! How dare she accept such an extravagant gift!”Some of the ladies were outraged and raged at Melanie behind her back, while deliberately looking at another woman who was the focal point amidst the group of ladies—Kelly Murray, the heiress of the Murrays.She was the only one who remained
Another hand grabbed Harlow’s hand in midair. He struggled against the hold, and the realization that he was overpowered embarrassed him.“President Morgan! Why are you interfering?!” Harlow yelled at Jeffrey, furious.“Show some self-respect!” Jeffrey flung Harlow’s arm, and he winced in pain. Harlow glared at Melanie as he rubbed his arm. “I just don’t understand. Why does Grandpa like you so much, a social climber who’s still entangled with Jeffrey Morgan?”“Why don’t you ask him yourself if you’re so curious?” Melanie said coldly.“Hmph!” Harlow left in a huff, mumbling under his breath, knowing that he had no chance of taking advantage of Melanie.Jeffrey looked at Melanie. When Harlow raised his hand, he saw Melanie subconsciously protecting their baby. That meant that she wanted to keep the baby, despite her saying that she wanted to leave him…That meant he still had a place in her heart…Jeffrey was moved by that thought, and set his mind on being wherever she went
Kelly swallowed past her constricted throat. From the corner of her eye, she could see everyone sniggering at her. It made her feel even more awkward.Melanie Jones has a sharp tongue indeed!But she hadn’t made her move yet. It wasn’t yet clear who between them was the victor!Kelly put down the plate, and sneered as she looked at Melanie from head to toe. “Are you wearing the gown Leo gave you?”Melanie looked back at Kelly and noticed that the disdainful look in her eyes resembled Harlow. Both of them showed no respect and regard for others.“Do you know how much the gown and jewelry you’re wearing costs? Don’t you feel bad accepting them?” Kelly raised her voice, accusing Melanie bitterly right in front of everyone.Melanie was speechless. Although she knew that such banquets were dull and boring, she should have expected even more dull and boring people to come along and broaden her horizons.“The Murrays have invested in this country for years, and have been thriving. You
Kelly’s face darkened with displeasure when she saw how the tables had turned. “Mr. Leo, thank you for the gown and jewelry you gave me. Many guests praised me for them,” Melanie said, raising her voice deliberately.Leo smiled, and waved his hand. “You’re the one who accentuated their beauty. It’s a mesmerizing scene to see stunning jewelry worn by a true beauty!”“Jewelry pieces have collection value. I’ll return this set to you after tonight, Mr. York. Since you bid for and purchased it from an auction, I’m sure you like it very much. You should be the one keeping it,” Melanie said.“Huh? Why would I take back a gift that I’ve given?” Leo said, waving his hands profusely.“Alright, then,” Melanie went on with a smile. “I won’t put you on the spot then, Mr. York. Why don’t we make a promise to cooperate on the two Unraveling Enigmas perfumes? If the results aren’t stellar, I’ll gladly return you this jewelry, okay?”“You have a deal.”Leo’s eyes shone as Melanie reached out h
After a while, the Yorks’ butler stood on the second floor and officially announced the start of the dinner dance.He invited the two sons of the York family to the dance floor with their companions for an opening dance.Harlow called Sylvia and took her hand while walking to the dance floor. Leo walked toward Melanie while Isla kept winking at her, implicitly trying to hook the two of them.Melanie placed her hands on Leo’s arm as both of them waltzed to the music on the dance floor.“You must be tired today. Why don’t we go slow?” Leo said thoughtfully.“Sounds good,” Melanie said.They slowed down their pace, and it became easier for her to follow through the steps. “Thank you for the gown, Mr. York,” she said. “It’s beautiful, and I’m here to express my appreciation and gratitude.”She deliberately made her purpose in coming clear so that things wouldn’t be vague between them.Leo smiled graciously. “It’s good that you like it. Please don’t overthink things. My family app
Melanie stood up, and followed the medical staff to the guest room on the first floor. The doctor had to treat Jeffrey’s wound, and outsiders weren’t allowed in.She stood outside anxiously. Very soon, all the bodyguards of Morgan Group were gathered outside, standing behind her and William while waiting for instructions.The butler was waiting outside, while the servants kept him constantly updated on the situation. Melanie could hear them saying that the attacker was a subordinate of Charles Miller, and that he had come to seek revenge on her…But she had no mental capacity to try to figure out what was going on. Her focus and attention were all turned to the door before her that was still tightly shut.Melanie finally heaved a sigh of relief when the doctor came out and informed them that Jeffrey wasn’t severely injured, and that his main artery wasn’t wounded. Jeffrey would be able to recover with some rest and recuperation.“Mrs…” William blurted out, almost making a mistake
Pleasantly surprised, Melanie turned around to see the man she had been looking for. She never stopped saying his name in her head. He stood right behind her.At that moment, she stopped thinking completely.Without even hesitating, she ran toward him and dove into his arms."Ughh."Jeffrey groaned in pain. He did not dare to press against her stomach. Instead, he arched his back to hold her."Where the hell have you been? Do you have any idea how I…" She cried so much that she could not speak."Alright, alright. Good girl. Don't cry. I've come back."Jeffrey kept rubbing the back of her head. "Eagle was too neurotic. I've nearly gone mad from dealing with him. I finally got him to regain some of his sanity today… That's how I had the chance to find you…""How did you know where to find me?" Melanie asked."Today is the day of Nathan's trial. I know you'd definitely be in the courtroom," Jeffrey said confidently.Melanie finally calmed down a little. After letting go of him,
"We're not together…"Kenneth's facial expression changed as soon as he saw Melanie.Melanie noticed there was a hint of guilt in his eyes. This was an unsettling feeling for her. "Then where is he? What happened to you guys?"Noticing that she was shaking, Annie and Carson, who had accompanied her to court, rushed forward to assist her."Eagle had a prior arrangement with Nathan. Once Nathan and Leo's plan at the York family's residence was thwarted, Nathan would press a button. Eagle would then receive a code to detonate a bomb. He'd blow us all up," Kenneth explained."Jeffrey was the one who noticed Eagle wasn't in the right state of mind. That's why he informed me to leave with Mr. Oliver. He… Stayed behind to persuade Eagle…" He added."What happened then?" Melanie's voice was shaking."All I knew after that was that the hotel blew up. I waited for him to contact me but he never did. Mr. Oliver and I have been on the run from Nathan's shadowy pursuits. I only managed to sn
Three days later, the trial was officially in session.Leo's attorney was practically defenseless because the York family's allegations of him poisoning Joseph had been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. Leo was directly sentenced to life in prison.Nathan's attorney, on the other hand, was clever. They tried everything they could to deflect Nathan's allegations.After the presiding judge evaluated the case, he looked up. "Does the plaintiff have any more evidence that the defendant, Nathan, intentionally killed someone?"Hank sat silently at the plaintiff's table.They could only provide evidence of the time when Nathan had tried to murder Hank. However, they had no evidence of Nathan being involved in the explosion on the island this time.Hank looked at Melanie in the audience. She was also frowningThe presiding judge's implication was well understood. Without more evidence, Nathan would not receive a life sentence…"The plaintiff simply does not have sufficient evidence to
Carson sighed. It was time to explain everything to Hank…Although Carson had spent a lot of time in Hank's hospital as Professor Marshall, and he would also tend to their men's wounds, as well as discuss a variety of topics with Hank, they had never acknowledged their relationship…Besides, Carson knew Hank hated him.Hank hated him for being heartless to his grandmother back then. That was why Hank changed his last name to Castillo instead of Yule…"Let's take Melanie back to rest. I'll explain the rest to you myself," Carson said. Hank had already figured out half of it."Grandpa, I'm not going back. I'll wait for the news here," Melanie said firmly.There was no sign of Jeffrey's corpse yet. She would wait until the rescue team confirmed that they could not find any corpse.She wanted a clear answer."Okay. I'll get the trailer ready for you. You can lie down inside. You can't afford to hurt your body anymore than you already have. I checked your pulse earlier. It's not loo
Buzz!Melanie's vision turned black. She began falling backward."Melanie! Melanie!"Carson propped her up and called the doctor over.However, Melanie opened her eyes after a few seconds and tried to stand up. "I'm fine… Grandpa, take me there… I want to go to the scene of the explosion…""You're in no state…""I'm fine. I can hold up," Melanie promised."If you don't let me go and see it with my own eyes, I'll be even more paranoid," she added.Carson knew his granddaughter too well. He sighed and frowned before requesting for a ride. He met up with Hank. The two of them accompanied Melanie to look for Jeffrey.Jeffrey, Kenneth, Mr. Oliver, and Eagle waited at the drop-off point near the York family's residence. Nathan had instructed them to not do anything rash.Mr. Oliver and Eagle were still useful to Nathan.Once Nathan acquired Joseph's signature, he would meet up with them.However, the small hotel they were waiting at was already in ruins. There was smoke everywher
'Chief… Frankie?'Leo turned around in surprise. Nathan did the same. They saw Chief Frankie and several Interpol agents walking out from behind a screen in Joseph's room.Melanie was a part of that group!"Aren't you… dead?" Leo pointed at Melanie in shock."Thanks to you, I'll live a long life." Melanie sneered.Chief Frankie waved his hand. The police behind him charged forward to put handcuffs on Leo and Nathan. Leo narrowed his eyes and quickly pressed a button on the remote in his hand."We'll all die together!" He shouted.However, no matter how hard he pressed, nothing happened in the room."What's going on here… Eagle?" Leo's voice was trembling.His hands were cuffed, and the remote control was confiscated by the police."Leo, you are suspected of poisoning Master York and attempting to murder Melanie and others on the island. We are arresting you for premeditated murder!" Chief Frankie uttered calmly."No… No…" Leo struggled but to no avail. He had no idea what wa
At the same time, Melanie and Carson were on a plane with Professor Turner. They soon arrived at Medonia.Carson contacted Hank ahead of time and asked him to pick them up with his men.After the exhausting journey, Melanie's face was pale. She seemed to be in very poor condition. "I've already contacted the maternity hospital for you. You can go there and wait for your delivery. Leave the rest to me.""No…"Melanie shook her head. "I have to go back."Jeffrey was still in Nathan's hands. She would not be able to wait peacefully if she went to the hospital.Carson knew his granddaughter well enough. "Let her go. Professor Turner and I will be with here. We'll be ready for anything."Carson was still disguised as Maximilian. Hank did not know he was Carson. Hank nodded in agreement.“Mr. Castillo, there's something I need to trouble you with.” Melanie said."I heard from Professor Marshall that you're on good terms with the chief of Medonia's Interpol. Can I trouble him to be a
"Wait a minute! Isn't Jefford actually Jeffrey?" Leo asked while running after Nathan.Nathan ignored him and continued to walk forward.Leo did not give up and followed Nathan closely. "Who exactly is Jeffrey to you?""Are you being unreasonable right now? Why are you still so unsure at this point?" Nathan glanced at Leo contemptuously."I'm dealing with serious business. Don't get in my way with your petty romantic affairs!"After saying that, he glared at Leo and exited the cabin.Leo felt chills in his heart, but he could not make Nathan stay…-Jeffrey was tied up on the deck all this time. His body was freezing, and his lips were turning purple from the cold."Hey, President Morgan, fancy seeing you like this!" Nathan laughed grimly when he saw the miserable state Jeffrey was in."Thanks to you, I've been more miserable than this on many occasions. This is nothing." Jeffrey made it sound like a walk in the park."Hehe." Nathan sneered."I know. You've had strong willp
Lynette seemed stunned. She could not help but stand up with the help of the railing on the speedboat. Her eyes turned red as looked at the island burning in the distance. There was a look of disbelief on her face…If they had not evacuated five minutes ago…By now…She would not have even been able to breathe and think…The explosion sent shockwaves across the ocean's surface. The ride became even more bumpy. With sea water splashing against them, they had all become wet."Are you alright?" Carson protected Melanie. He was worried she would not be able to take it.Her stomach did feel awful, but she braced herself and tried not to tense up. Her emotions would affect her baby.When Lynette heard the voices behind her, she turned around to look at Melanie. Her gaze had become much softer than before. "You're not going to give birth on the boat, are you? I'm a woman, but I don't know how to be a midwife!""I won't give birth now. There are still things left to do," Melanie said.