"That's none of your business," Benjamin said coldly."My crisis has been resolved, but I had to make some sacrifices." Albert handed a bottle of water to Benjamin. "What about you? I heard you're about to get engaged.""I haven't decided yet."Benjamin pushed away the bottle of water and left.…On the way back, Victor suddenly asked, "Was the one who spoke up for you Benjamin?"Grace was annoyed at his words. "He wasn't speaking up for me. He invested in the project too!""Well, he's not bad-looking. But since he's not interested in women, he's not suitable for you. It's good that you divorced him." He nodded.Speechless, she thought, "His mouth is really …""Yes, you're right. That's why I divorced him."Back then when she had married Benjamin, Victor had been far away across the ocean, unable to travel back due to his responsibilities.To check Grace's husband's character, he had secretly hacked into Benjamin's computer and thoroughly checked it. Surprisingly, he had fou
Grace opened the door and stepped out of the car"It's been a while since I had a good stretch." She scanned the group of men in front of her. "Are you coming together, or one by one?"The group of burly men with knives were eager to fight her. They looked at their unconscious buddy in the bushes and then inside the car. When they realized that there was just one person, they let down their guard.Just then, the tattooed man with a cigarette approached Grace."You can see it yourself. We've got the numbers. Hand over the thumb ring, and we'll go easy on you."Grace scoffed. "I see. Richard sent you.""Stop talking, bitch. Are you handing it over or not?"Grace swiftly snatched the cigarette from his mouth and extinguished it on his forehead, followed by a side kick that sent him flying.Sternly, she said, "You're the one talking too much. I'll deal with you first.""Damn it, you dare hit me?" The tattooed man got up from the ground and spat out the teeth that had been knocke
Noticing the tense atmosphere, Aaron tried to defuse it by asking Caleb, "Even if Grandpa didn't ask you to come back, will you dare not come?""Of course not. It's Grandpa's birthday. I have to be there." Caleb didn't dare lift his head after being scolded.Suddenly, Grace chuckled, Only Aaron and Harold could control Caleb.By this point, Harold's anger had subsided."Assist Gracie well in the nanorobots project," he instructed Victor."Oh, Grandpa, you don't need to remind Victor. He'll do his best." Smiling, Grace embraced her two brothers.Victor responded nonchalantly, "Of course."Seeing Grace so dedicated to her career, Harold felt at ease."Grandpa needs to rest. We'll talk next time," Aaron said.The family then ended the video call.…In the living room, Richard was leisurely sipping tea while waiting for good news.Habitually, he rubbed his thumb and remembered that his diamond thumb ring was still missing.His mood soured, but the thought of getting it back so
"Am I right?" Grace's mocking voice came through the phone.Yet, Benjamin showed no remorse. "You're not capable of fighting Richard now. I'm doing this for your own good.""Save your hypocrisy and let him come at me!"The call abruptly ended. Benjamin stared at the darkening screen with anger after being rejected.He thought, "This stupid woman! Let's see how you'll handle this!"Just then, his surbordinate reported from the front seat, "Mr. Hawkins, Larry just sent a text. He said there are some issues with the project in Frenda, and he needs you to go there in person."Benjamin closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Okay. Arrange the earliest flight."The business in Frenda was important, which was why he had entrusted Larry with overseeing it.Lately, Benjamin had been busy with his company's affairs and had become much busier without Grace's help.He felt that he should let her go through some trials. When she had nothing left, he could give her a helping hand. That wou
"No way. I must stay strong at a time like this. I can't let the public think I'm afraid."They wanted to make her yield to the rumors, but the word "yield" didn't exist in her dictionary.Grace lifted the covers and headed to the bathroom to freshen up.At Amirate Corporation's office, entertainment news reporters from all news platforms had been waiting.Just then, a red Porsche pulled up in front of them.In the car, Luke reminded Grace, "Ms. Lewis, do you want to wear sunglasses or a hat to shield yourself? These people will take pictures nonstop. It might affect your mood.""No need." Smiling, Grace looked at her reflection in the car mirror. Her beauty had a touch of shrewdness, and she was very pleased."I want them to know that they can't affect me at all."Luke got out of the car first. The security team was already prepared, forming a human wall to create a path and separating the reporters from them.After that, Luke opened the car door and waited for Grace to come
"How about we meet in front of Pamore University?"Suddenly, Grace realized that she shouldn't be going out these days."Where are you? I'll send someone to pick you up."An hour later, there were still reporters at Amirate Corporation. They were waiting for Grace to appear with the hopes of getting more footage.At that moment, a car pulled up, and three innocent youngsters stepped out.Sharp-eyed reporters immediately recognized the girl at the front as this year's SAT top scorer in Pamore, Sophia Maddison.The two boys behind her were no less remarkable—Otto Berry, who had scored first in science, and Robin Cooper, who had received the Writing Award.All three of them had faint surgical scars on their upper lips. They were scars from cleft lip surgeries they had undergone as children.June was the time for SAT results, so apart from celebrity scandals, SAT was a hot topic for netizens.Instantly, cameras and microphones approached Sophia and her two companions."First of a
Smiling, Grace said, "Yep, that's me.""How can they badmouth you? Let me go down and talk to them!" Robin was clearly the most hot-headed among the three."I'll go with you!""Me too!""There's no need. The truth will come out on its own." Amused by their protectiveness, Grace smiled. "I'm fine as long as the people I care about don't see me that way."After that, she asked the children various questions, such as what they needed for their enrolment and so on. She assured them that she had already transferred living expenses to their bank accounts, so they should take good care of themselves.She also reminded them not to reveal her identity as Calico and then arranged for security to send them out through the underground parking.Once the three kids were safely sent away, she received a call from Timothy.He had been on business trips frequently lately, all arranged by Grace. Since he had felt guilty, he had willingly followed her orders.On the phone, he first cursed the
Caleb made an international call. "Wake everyone up to play 'Legends of Triumph' with my sister."After that, he handed a professionally mixed cocktail to Grace. "Wait a few minutes. They'll be online soon."Grace lazily agreed while sitting in her gaming chair with her legs curled up.On the other side of the ocean, Galloria was in the early hours of the morning.John Flynn, the person in charge of the EDF Esports Club, was instantly awakened by the phone call. He hurriedly ran to the doors of his team members' rooms and started frantically gathering them.Three minutes later, the sleepy team members, wrapped in blankets, yawned one after another."John, it's the middle of the night, and we don't have a habit of training at this hour!"Despite the dark circles under his eyes,John forced himself to stay awake."Listen up, everyone! Our boss just called."Hearing that, the team members instantly became alert.This mysterious behind-the-scenes boss was a tycoon who gave them
"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,