When they arrived at Lewis Manor, both Victor and Caleb were not around. Harold said that they had left early in the morning. While everyone knew what Caleb was up to, it was surprising that even the recluse Victor had gone out.Grace chuckled. "Looks like there's a story to uncover."Aaron sat at the head of the table, brewing a pot of tea with skillful hands. "It seems we'll have plenty of opportunities to meet in the future.""Your tea has a unique taste that I really like. I'll have to come over more often for it." Xander nodded.Their conversation was nothing special, yet they both understood the hidden meaning behind the words.At that moment, a servant knocked on the door. "There's a car outside requesting entry. They claim to be Ms. Lewis' friends.""My friends?" Grace didn't think much of it and walked out, saying, "Let them in."She had expected it to be Zoey and the others. But when she stood in the garden, she found herself looking at an unfamiliar license plate on t
After Timothy left, Xander remained standing in place. He wasn't even aware of a person appearing behind him.It was Grace. She spoke softly. "Why didn't you tell me that you helped Timothy?"Xander looked at her somewhat surprised expression in the reflection of the floor-to-ceiling window and said gently, "It's a small matter. I didn't think it was necessary to tell you and make you worry."Grace wasn't a fool. She knew that whoever was close to her would inevitably have some resentment toward Benjamin. Since Timothy was his friend, Xander extending a helping hand to him came as a surprise to her."Thank you, Xander." She knew Xander did it for her.Upon hearing this, he turned around and pulled her into his arms. He sighed subtly. "There's no need to thank me. The bond between us goes beyond such things."Grace placed her hands on his neck, smiling. "You're so good. Should I just marry you already?"Xander chuckled, and his expression showed his affection for her. "That would
Grace's tone was tentative, prompting Aaron to set down his pen. "What's wrong? Don't you have faith in your boyfriend?"Grace shook her head. "I'm worried about him. Jake recently secured the Aether Group project. He just arrived in Pamore and has already struck a deal with the biggest club owner in town. Who knows if his power might be greater than what we saw?"At this question, Aaron hesitated to give a definite answer. "It's hard to say for now. Just remind Xander to be careful."Grace pondered for a moment. After some hesitation, she decided to confess. "Aaron, Jake approached me."Aaron's smile faded. "What did he want from you?""He wants me to get dirt on Bobby Baxter, the president of Aether Group.""What did you say?""I pretended to agree.""Did you tell Xander?"Grace shook her head. "If I tell him, Jake will become suspicious. I don't want to tell him for the time being."Upon hearing this, Aaron immediately understood her intentions. His expression changed. "Yo
Luke had previously searched for Reina's daughter but failed to find her, so he hesitated before saying, "It's beyond my abilities, Ms. Lewis. We might need to seek Mr. Fulton's help."Grace nodded knowingly. "Since Susan has returned, she will spare no effort to destroy any evidence that might exist. Keep a close eye on her and make sure Benjamin doesn't suspect anything."Mentioning him, Luke chuckled. "He's in a precarious situation now.""What do you mean?""Among the illicit dealings uncovered during yesterday's inspection at Nightshade Bar, Hawkins Group's name showed up."Grace's pupils dilated slightly. This was unexpected. In her impression, although Benjamin was reckless, he wouldn't gamble with Hawkins Group. How could he collude with the officials?"The newly-appointed director of the anti-corruption department is a man of methods. He should find the evidence in no time. Benjamin is currently juggling a lot."…Meanwhile, at Hope Hospital, a nurse was tidying up the
Elysium Bank's crisis was resolved on the eighth day of the new year, and Noelle was discharged from the hospital on the same day.After she was discharged, Grace accompanied her to the police station.The officer handling the case was Danzel. Since it involved two major families and even crossed international borders, it required his personal attention."The current evidence is not enough to prove attempted sexual assault, but your usage of excessive force in self-defense is irrefutable evidence, Ms. Noelle. Can you find key evidence to support your claim?"Noelle looked pained, her fingers tightly clenched. "He touched me and tore my clothes. I've told you many times. I just grabbed a beer bottle. I really didn't expect him to be so seriously injured."Her voice trembled. Grace couldn't help but hold her hand in comfort."Chief Bradley, we have provided Joshua's medical report, showing that his injuries are not as severe as claimed. Can't we close the case?""This involves con
The restaurant had been booked in advance. With just one glance, anyone could tell that it was a well-prepared setting, with a view of the flickering skyline by the seaside."You've been busy over the New Year and haven't met me much. There must be something going on since you reached out to me," Grace said with a hint of sarcasm. She looked at Xander as he elegantly cut into his steak.Xander glanced up at her, smiling faintly. "You're right. We've found Reina's daughter.""Where is she?" Grace's interest was piqued."At Reina's mother's hometown. My men have already gone to find her. If everything goes smoothly, we'll bring her back to Pamore in the next couple of days.""That's great! With her back, we can get Reina to talk," Grace exclaimed excitedly, forgetting her previous discontent."You seem very happy," Xander remarked casually as he placed the steak he had cut on her plate."Of course! With her back, the Hawkins family's secrets can be uncovered, and we can give closu
Three hours ago, inside the study of Summitview Manor, Raymond exploded in the largest fit of anger since the New Year had begun.He had made dozens of calls to Jake, all of which had gone unanswered. He threw his phone to the ground in frustration."Damn it!"Xander, who had been standing by, bent down to pick up the pieces of the shattered phone. "Jake is a smart guy. He would never stoop to colluding with corrupt officials. Maybe we should investigate further."Yet, Raymond's fury didn't abate. "Those people are all cunning. They still have some respect for me, so as soon as they caught wind of it, they had someone tell me about it. "I've received dozens of emails, all urging me to protect Jake. There's no smoke without fire!"Xander placed the broken pieces of the phone on the table. "Perhaps that woman was spreading false rumors.""Do you think she could have spread rumors without any leverage?" Raymond shot back.Xander remained silent. Suddenly, Raymond turned to him. "
Xander pinched Grace's cheek. "Am I smelly?""It's fine. I like the smell of alcohol and smoke on you. It's different from others'. It's not disgusting." Grace spoke innocently, squeezing his waist to prove her point.Xander's eyes darkened.…The next day, when Grace woke up, she found herself alone in bed. Rubbing her waist, she got up and noticed a note that had been left on the bedside table."There's breakfast on the table. Make sure you finish it. I'm leaving to deal with some matters. See you in the afternoon."Grace smiled. In her mind, she could hear Xander's gentle and calm voice saying those words.But there was nothing gentle about him in bed. Instead, he had a primal urge. He enjoyed gripping her neck lightly and demanding that she say she loved him until he was satisfied.It was an odd contrast.…"I attended a dinner yesterday and pulled out all the stops. I finally managed to find out when Celia is debuting," Ashley reported to Grace as soon as the latter arri
"Well, it's just that since Mrs. Jarvis introduced me to Ms. Lewis last time, I haven't had the chance to say thanks."The elevator doors opened then, and Dexter left after saying this.…After two hours of emergency treatment, Diana clung to a thread of life. Grace walked out, exhausted, and saw the angry figure of Dexter.Coincidentally, Dexter saw her as well. He turned and called out to her, "Ms. Lewis."Dexter, known for being stern and upright, suddenly smiled, which surprised Grace. "Mr. Hamilton.""You don't need to address me like that outside of work. Just call me by my name."As he had a higher seniority than her, Grace didn't dare be casual. "Are you here visiting a patient?"The weather was nice today. Standing in the sunlight, Grace's complexion was shining, seemingly hovering between youthfulness and freshness. She seemed even more beautiful than the flowers.Dexter suddenly recalled something Orson had said, and his expression darkened momentarily."I must ask
"Mr. Fulton, this.."The guard looked hesitantly at Benjamin lying on the ground and frowned."Isn't this a hospital? He won't die."As Xander said this, he coincidentally met the gaze of a nearby doctor. The doctor flinched and instinctively took a step back."Xander—" Benjamin's call suddenly came from behind as Xander took a step forward."Even if you deal with me, can you handle Alexander?"Benjamin's voice was filled with resentment and self-mockery. He lay flat on his back on the ground, staring at the ceiling. "My elder brother seems to avoid fighting, but if he does, you're no match for him."Xander paused momentarily, then continued to walk away without looking back or responding.Hazel followed closely. "Benjamin doesn't seem to be joking. Could there be a backup plan?""Someone needs to take over to completely deal with the Hawkins family. Let's see if the eldest son of the Hawkins family is willing to step up."As Xander entered the elevator, he coincidentally met
At the entrance, the police saw what was happening and moved to intervene but were stopped. A signal to hold back was given. "Don't worry. Mr. Fulton won't cause any fatalities.""Especially since you dared to make a move against Grace." Xander gave a cold laugh. "She spent a few days in prison, so I'll make sure you repay that a thousand times over.""Xander—"Grace brought this on herself. She even dared to investigate the Hawkins family, to dig into the past of the previous Mrs. Hawkins, to investigate Alexander!" Benjamin endured the pain he felt and was on the verge of a breakdown. "By the way, do you know who Alexander is? And the person he loves the most."Xander's face turned ashen, and he applied more force, causing Benjamin to scream in agony."If you were in my position, you would do the same." Benjamin struggled to speak. "Besides, don't you want Alexander to disappear? Don't you want Grace to be yours and only yours?"Xander remained silent, looking around disdainful
A commotion broke out again outside the hospital room. At the same moment, the medical equipment started beeping urgently. Reina's face turned pale with fright as she threw herself onto Diana. "Di Di! Doctor! Someone come quickly!"In a panic, Grace rushed out and pounded on Cael's office door. "Bed 24, Dr. Simpson! Di Di is not doing well!"Cael immediately hurried over with the nurses.Grace was pushed into a corner by the crowd. She leaned against the wall, her face filled with melancholy. This scene did not escape the eyes of someone hidden in a corner, who also felt a sense of wistfulness.She didn't notice the figure cast long shadows in the light, with her being the sole focus in their view.…Meanwhile, in another building, police stood guard at the hospital room door where Benjamin was confined. His face was haggard and unshaven, and he no longer looked like the well-dressed Benjamin Hawkins.Instead, he resembled a prisoner.Before entering, Xander asked, "What's the
"If it were as usual, working for these wealthy families would keep money in my hands. But after Di Di's incident, our whole family got crushed. Her father wanted to give up, but I couldn't, so we divorced.""When I worked at the Hawkins family, both Mr. Hawkins and Mrs. Hawkins treated me well. Mrs. Hawkins knew about Di Di's situation and kept giving me money, but it was never enough. One day, I accidentally stumbled upon Mr. Hawkins having an affair with Susan…"Reina recalled the past with a look of melancholy on her face. "Susan gave me hush money and promised another payment if I did something for her."Grace had a hunch after hearing this. "She wanted you to frame Mrs. Hawkins, who was pregnant at the time.""I didn't want to." Reina shook her head, clearly pained. "But I have a daughter. I couldn't lose Di Di. I needed that money."Even as a mother herself, she could actually harm Felicia Wilson, Alexander's mother."The Hawkins family is wealthy. If you had told Mrs. Haw
Grace thought about it. So that's what happened."So you had someone beat him up?""I forgot to ask. Which hand did he touch you with?" Xander asked seriously.She thought for a moment. "The left hand? I can't remember exactly.""No problem. Both hands were hit," Xander said casually as if discussing the weather. Grace remembered the content of that video. Orson was clearly heavily injured and beaten mercilessly.Luckily, he got what he deserved. Xander had fiercely avenged her.The coat slipped off, revealing her outfit for the day. Xander glanced at it and said, "You're going out."Grace didn't deny it. She thought of today's matter with Celia. "Benjamin was released for medical treatment. I want to see him."Since it had come to this point, a meeting with him was reasonable.Xander leaned back on the couch, not speaking for a moment, his jaw clenched tight. He seemed to be contemplating something, or perhaps he was angry.Grace couldn't be sure, but she was resolute. "I
An hour later, Xander concluded the negotiations, with the partnership successfully sealed and the contract signed that day.He personally escorted the clients to the elevator and then returned to his office. Hazel approached cautiously with a cup of coffee. "Mr. Fulton.""Speak." Xander didn't look up from his documents."Ms. Lewis came by."He looked up at Hazel, his expression shifting. "Where is she?""She wanted to see you directly, but since the contract wasn't finalized, I didn't dare let her in to disturb you, so I…""I asked where she is."His gaze was icy, cutting her off mid-sentence.Hazel immediately lowered her head. "She's in the lounge."He stood up abruptly and headed straight for the lounge, leaving a stern warning, "If you take matters into your own hands again, resign."Hazel was left stunned.Grace hadn't left. Exhausted from the sleepless night, she lay on Futurelink's large couch, lost in thought.When Xander entered, he saw her fragile figure, as if
"What is it?""Ms. Lewis, I just received news that Orson from the municipal bureau is in trouble…"Grace's expression changed. She had just seen him last night. How could something have happened so suddenly? Her first thought was of Xander.Luke sent her a video.It was night time In the video, the street outside a bar was brightly lit, and neon signs flashed from the tall buildings. The place was bustling with people. The videographer had been capturing the night scene when suddenly, the sound of roaring engines was heard—Orson stepped out of a car, dressed formally, and entered a club discreetly. But within minutes, he was kicked out, landing heavily on the ground.Approaching him were five or six masked men in black, clearly part of an organized group of thugs. Orson screamed in fear, "Who are you?"Two men grabbed him, while the others began beating him badly. His screams echoed through the street, and it was clear they were showing no mercy.Blood pooled on the ground.
With nothing better to do, Grace nodded. "Let's watch."Caleb led her out the door.The leading actress of the film they were heading to was a friend of Caleb's in the industry, which allowed him to visit the set under the guise of catching up. As their car parked at the entrance, they saw a throng of reporters pushing their way inside.Celia wore a hat and mask. She was dragging a suitcase, and she looked disheveled and desperate. "You can't fire me! I'm the second female lead! The film is almost finished! You're breaching the contract!""You caused a scandal. That's the real breach of contract. It's a good thing we're not asking you for damage compensation! Get out, get out!"The staff were shoving her out.Reporters swarmed her. "Celia, how do you respond to the video online?""Is it true you have a sugar daddy?""Celia, Celia!""Shut up!" Celia screamed, her hair a mess. "It's fake, all fake! I'm an actress, how could I do such things?""But the video…"Celia lashed out,