Avery had anticipated Edward's move. After all, he was now her shareholder, and it would be uncharacteristic of him to stay silent.Mentally, she had prepared herself for either his humiliation or his dogged romantic pursuit. But to her surprise, he did not reach out to her in weeks. She gradually put the matter in the back of her mind, but all that changed when she received a call from him yesterday.Given the circumstances, she understood that she had to give in and meet him–no matter the pretext. She'd rather face the music than worry about potential trouble in the future.And so she hailed a cab, soon arriving at the bar where Edward had suggested they meet. To her astonishment, she found a gathering of childhood friends in their private lounge, including Marie Anderson, with whom she had a falling out with.Avery and Marie had been close to inseparable in their younger days. When they befriended Edward, the three of them formed a tight-knit group of friends.Later on, Avery
Marie had invited Avery, assuming the latter would turn down the wedding invitation. She implied that Avery was poor by emphasizing that the flight and accommodation were paid for, all while boasting Edward's generosity.Therefore, she was aghast to see Avery happily accept the invitation card. "Wow, Mr. Chase is indeed wealthy and generous. How many guests have you invited? It's incredibly thoughtful of you to turn your wedding into a Melvina getaway for all your guests by covering their travel and lodging expenses."Avery was well aware that Edward's friends were just as affluent as he was, so none of them would flinch at the cost of the destination wedding. Her comment was nothing more than an attempt to embarrass Marie.Now, Avery had made it sound like the newlyweds would shoulder the costs for all their guests. Everyone around them clapped and cheered, praising Edward for being so giving.Among their childhood friends, some were not particularly successful or well-off. They h
The atmosphere in the corridor became eerie and tense as Jason's intimidating presence left Edward frozen in fear. Edward couldn't muster a word and teetered on the edge of a mental breakdown - the searing pain in his wrist ironically grounding him.Edward finally collected himself as he let out a low gasp in response to the intensifying pain in his wrist. He glared at Jason and stammered, "Ja-Jason, y-you …""I don't mind giving you a refresher of what I told you before," Jason warned. Dressed in a black shirt, he looked imposing and scared Edward out of his wits.Meanwhile, Avery smoothed her shirt and said sarcastically, "Mr. Keane, I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding. No one here is 'your woman.'"She lifted her chin with poise and grace, but her eyes were filled with a look of disgust. She added, "By the way, Mr. Chase, I have recorded your defamatory comments just now. I will take legal action against you when necessary.""Avery, you bitch!" As Edward couldn't do an
Jason had been smoking by the entrance to calm his thoughts. Just as he was about to finish his cigarette, he noticed a woman who looked like Avery being carried out from the bar. Without a second thought, he shadowed the group.The men stuffed the abducted woman into the trunk and slammed it shut. Just as they were getting into the car, Jason sprang into action, delivering a powerful punch to one of the abductors.Acting on instinct, he rushed to free the trapped woman, but belatedly noticed the two other men in the vehicle.Seeing their accomplice squirming on the ground after being hit, the two men immediately ignited the car's engine and sped away. Jason desperately clung to the trunk lid, but the drivers made sharp, evasive maneuvers as they gained speed in an attempt to shake him off—ultimately causing him to lose his grip.To make matters worse, a group of accomplices from the bar swarmed Jason when they noticed him chasing the fleeing vehicle. Jason took them on one by on
Cedric was in a state of panic as he rushed to the hospital. His phone had died right after Faye told him the hospital she was at. He had no idea what had happened to her.He rushed to the hospital in his car and unexpectedly ran into Jason on the first floor. Breathless, Cedric asked, "Jason, what brings you here?"Jason was equally surprised to run into Cedric again because of Faye. He asked in return, "And why are you here?""I'm here to see Faye," Cedric answered and was ready to make a quick exit. But before he could leave, Jason grabbed his arm and joked, "Whoa, where are you off to? Are you going to ditch me for your wife?"Cedric's expression soured as he replied, "Let's chat after I check on her."Jason couldn'thelp but laugh. "Come with me."Cedric was taken aback and asked, "Do you know where she is?"Jason lifted his arm slightly and said, "I know where she is. She's the one who bandaged my arm."Cedric appeared astonished. What had transpired in the few days he had
The appearance of Mauve and Cecilia cheered Avery up. Cecilia was a small child, but she was obedient and empathetic. She hugged Avery and blew on her wound to cheer her up, telling her it would not hurt as much if she blew on it. She then grabbed a bowl of soup and offered to feed Avery. Touched, Avery started sobbing. "Mommy, why are you crying?" Cecelia started to cry as well. Her doe-like eyes sparkled in tears endearingly. "It's fine. I'm not in pain." Avery held Cecilia close and closed her eyes. "I just think that I'm a lucky person to have you around, Cece. I will treat you well, okay?""You've always treated me well." Cecilia reached her chubby hands to wipe away Avery's tears. "Don't cry, Mommy. I will be a good girl, so you don't have to worry about me."Avery sobbed harder upon hearing her words. Faye found herself rendered speechless as she observed the scene.It was supposed to be a rather touching scene, but she felt bored, perhaps because she had a cold
Cecilia was clearly stunned. She had just learned to scooter and could not control it very well. It would not be hard for her to stop when she was going at a slow pace, and she had never been in a situation where she needed to stop abruptly. At the moment, she was going too fast and was too scared to stop. She simply remained frozen and held onto the handle of the scooter, frightened. She was merely four and had been spoiled by her grandparents, so she was not great at dealing with the unexpected danger. It was normal for a child her age to freeze under such circumstances. Faye was frustrated that she was too far away from Cecilia. If she darted forward to grab Cecilia, she could protect her from getting hurt, but Faye herself would fall forward as well. Cecilia was too close to the elderly man and was bound to charge into him, which would only cause an even bigger impact.However, Faye could not make it in time.At the very last moment, a towering figure darted out from
Silence loomed over the corridor after Cecilia called out, "Daddy". Jason's mind went blank, and Cecilia's sweet voice struck him, melting away the darkness within him. His heart trembled, and his chest heaved. For a moment, he felt as though he really was Cecilia's father. Indescribable feelings filled his heart, and his limbs felt numb. He opened his mouth to say something but could not find his voice. Meanwhile, Cecilia covered her mouth after realizing that she voiced her thoughts and looked at Jason nervously, worried that she might have offended him. Back when she was younger, she had once accidentally called a man who treated her well "Daddy". The man's expression instantly darkened at the time before telling her not to call him that as it would stop him from finding a partner. As a young child, Cecilia didn't quite know what he meant by a partner, but was so depressed afterward that she learned not to call anyone "Daddy". Still, that man kept a distance from h