"What guest? How can you call yourself a guest when you don't even bring a gift when you visit? Hurry up and leave," Cassie said bluntly as she dragged Kendra out.Dennis assisted in pushing Kendra out of the house.This wasn't the first time such an incident had occurred. During a past Thanksgiving, her negative comments had dampened the festive spirit, leading the family to kick her out.The next day, she acted as if nothing had happened.Kendra couldn't stand seeing other people too happy so she always had to make some snide remarks.After the door closed, Cassie told her daughter and Jason, "Okay, now we can eat!"Jason could see that this was a special "quirk" of their family."Don't worry about it. That's just the way she is. It's not the first time she's kicked out," Dennis assured him.Jason smiled. He turned to Iris, who forced an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry you have to witness that," she said."No worries; these things are the flavors of life," he replied. He actu
Jason didn't seem to think there was anything wrong. He ate the stew one spoon after another under Iris' gaze until he finished the whole bowl."Your father's stew is indeed delicious," he savored, then commented, "But it's a bit sweet."Even though it was a serious evaluation, Iris couldn't help but feel a hint of ambiguity in his words.She did not even dare to make eye contact with him.She stared at the remaining stew in her bowl, unsure whether to eat it or not.Right then, Cassie brought over the fruits."Fruits taste great after a meal," she placed the fruit platter on the table.In the past, although Cassie's cooking was decent, her presentation was messy. Maybe it was because she had started selling sushi and had higher aesthetic standards now, but the sliced fruits this time were arranged very nicely.Dennis also brought over a small bowl of strawberries and placed it in front of Iris, "These strawberries are so sweet."Iris looked up and said, "Thank you, Dad."Den
Was he getting addicted to acting?He shouldn't be a lawyer. He should be an actor. He would definitely win a lot of awards.Most young actors nowadays rely on their looks more than their talents anyway. Jason's combination of talent and good looks would surely make him a star.Cassie replied, "I'm very satisfied, but if you don't treat Iris well, I still won't approve." Her expression shifted from cheerful to serious. "Iris is our only child. She has always been smart and well-behaved, never causing any trouble for us. She's a good girl...""Mom," Iris interjected, feeling like her mother was hard-selling her.Jason replied with a smile, "I know she's a good girl.""Then make sure you treat her well," Cassie said."I will," Jason replied.When they departed, Cassie and Dennis walked with them to the car to see them off.Watching the car drive away, Dennis turned to his wife and said, "We may have been a little too enthusiastic earlier; we should have held back a bit more.""
Wendy gripped the door handle tightly, watching Stanley in his engagement attire alongside the woman who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.She thought Stanley would save her after she was arrested.She thought Stanley would marry her after he divorced Iris.Yet all her meticulous planning and efforts had only resulted in him marrying someone else.She glared at Fiora, feeling a surge of hatred. It seemed to her that Fiora had stolen the fruits of her labor. If it weren't for her schemes, Iris and Stanley wouldn't have divorced, and this woman wouldn't be engaged to Stanley. She felt utterly robbed.During her six-month imprisonment, she had been on her best behavior. She had even risked her life to work with the police force to expose the leader of a drug trafficking ring, aiding in the capture of the whole gang.She had no past record of drug abuse or trafficking; she had never even tested positive for drugs. She had also shown genuine remorse and had even aided the police.
Henry bluntly remarked, "You look like you're attending a funeral."Lester nudged him. "Come on, don't say something like that on his engagement day."Stanley did not seem to mind at all. He appeared indifferent.Lester and Henry exchanged glances."Stanley, it's not too late to change your mind…" Henry began."Tch!" Stanley scoffed. "She openly acted intimate with other men in front of me. Why can't I get engaged?"Lester scratched his head. He's throwing a tantrum? They had already divorced. She had every right to move on.As the time for the ceremony approached, Renee arrived to summon Stanley to the front hall. The engagement setup was dreamy and romantic, featuring flowers transported by cold chain delivery to ensure their freshness. The lavish arrangements included high-end red and white wines, with every table at the banquet reportedly costing millions. Renee had spared no expense to ensure a grand event for Fiora. She had even gifted Fiora with some jewelry from her pr
It was a monumental scandal.Tugging at her mother's sleeve, Fiora's eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Mom, lots of people are watching. Let's finish the engagement first."Fiora's mother, Jessica, felt a storm brewing within her. Was her daughter under some kind of spell? Fiora's too naive, too trusting of people. Must she get hurt before she would learn her lesson?Jessica blamed herself for spoiling Fiora."What's so good about that guy?" she pointed an accusatory finger at Stanley.Seizing the moment, Renee slapped Stanley hard. "Who did you offend? Why would someone set you up like this at your own engagement party? I've never seen that woman before; the video must be fake or AI-generated. That's definitely not you."Renee was quick to perform damage control. She assured Jessica, "Jessica, there's no need to worry. If Stanley does anything to hurt Fiora, I won't spare him. You know how much I like Fiora; the engagement gifts I gave her are our family's most valuable jewelry
"That means you don't love her, right?" Fiora asked."I don't," Stanley answered without hesitation.Fiora smiled, satisfied.Meanwhile, Wendy's expression turned sour, her once pure and pretty face clouded with gloom. It took every ounce of composure she had to not lunge at Stanley.Wendy knew she would only be able to gain something if she remained in the dark. If she showed herself to Fiora, it wouldn't end well for her.She knew what her strengths and weaknesses were. She knew how to make use of her advantages.The engagement party was not perfect because of Wendy's disruption, but at least it managed to conclude without further incident.Fiora changed out of her gown. Afterward, she joined Stanley, Lester, and Henry for a night out.They had a crazy night, taking Fiora's mind off the earlier turmoil....At work, Iris noticed a new email in her inbox. She thought it was a work email, but when she opened it, she found that the sender was Wendy.Wendy didn't say much. She
Before Iris could respond, Wendy continued, as if she understood Iris, "From what I know, you love him very much. There's no way you would let him go that easily. You're just putting on a brave face in front of me. There's no need to do that."Iris raised her eyebrows but chose not to clarify."Are you really willing to let that woman take away your marriage and the man who belongs to you?""She has never taken anything from me," Iris replied coolly. "They only got together after my divorce. If anyone has 'taken' anything from me, it's you, the person who ruined my marriage. You went to prison for a man and will have to live as an ex-convict from now on. If you have any children in the future, it'll affect them too. Don't you think that's really stupid?" Now that Iris had found out Wendy's intention, she had no more reason to stay. She grabbed her bag and stood up to leave. "Stop contacting me or sending letters to my parents, or I'll sue you."With that, she strode out of the co
Donahue was speechless.What an explosive temper!Would this kind of situation become a daily occurrence?Turning to Jason in shock, he asked, "Why did you kick me? When did you become so violent? Also, that was just a strategy. Strategy, understand? I need to pretend to be Fiora's ally to get along with her. You need to be the bad guy so that we have something to talk about and bond over. You've seen her foul temper; I need to pull some tricks to placate her, or I'll have chaos every day."Jason shot him a cold glare. "Don't bullshit her."Donahue rubbed his backside while saying, "Do you want me to take you to the airport?""No need," Jason answered. He looked at Fiora's door and said, "She's innocent, so don't tell her something like that. She'll actually believe you."Donahue nodded. "Alright, alright. I'll tell my driver to take you to the airport."Jason agreed with a slight nod. When he got into the car, he suddenly remembered his phone was still in the study. "Samuel,
Jason stared at Fiora for several seconds before saying calmly, "You could have had a perfect life, but because you insist on marrying a divorced man, you made a mess of your life. Look at yourself. Isn't that bad enough?"Fiora wanted to say something but couldn't refute him. If she hadn't fallen for Stanley, her life would indeed be perfect."I've told you before, I can arrange for you to study anything at any college of your choice, but you refuse. You waste your days with that bunch of trash. Do you have any future?"As the youngest in a wealthy family, Fiora had been pampered her whole life and had never faced harsh words from Jason. She had enjoyed a life of freedom, doing as she pleased, which had only made her more spoiled."There's nothing I'm interested in learning. I'm done with school, I don't want to go back," she insisted. She simply wanted to live a carefree life.She didn't need to earn money; her family had endless wealth. There was nothing wrong with enjoying l
Samuel blocked her way. "Mr. Just is in a meeting with Mr. Goldberg.""What are they talking about? Why can't I hear it?" Fiora glared at him. "They've been in there for over an hour. Are they talking or having sex? Step aside and let me in!" she insisted.Samuel sighed, "Miss Fiora, I'm just following orders."Fiora bit her lip in frustration. "He wouldn't let me go out for a walk and have people following me around all the time. Am I being confined?"Samuel remained silent. He didn't know if she was being confined. He was just following orders.Inside the room, Donahue teased Jason, "I'm so curious. What kind of woman would cause you to confine your own sister?""I'm not confining her. I just want you to keep an eye on her," Jason retorted."You want me to watch her 24/7. Does she have any freedom left? Why are you doing this, anyway?" Donahue asked, curiosity piqued.He knew Jason had a girlfriend now, but he had never seen her. He only knew about her existence because Samue
Stanley stepped aside, allowing Iris to pass. Iris walked past him without looking at him.He stared at her back as she walked away. The familiar neighborhood reminded him of the sweet memories they once shared there. They loved each other back then.How had he lost her and ruined his own life?"Iris, I'm sorry," he murmured softly.He walked over to a flower pond and sat down by the pond, staring blankly ahead with an unfocused gaze.He had parked his car illegally, and when the traffic police called him, he ignored the call. He watched his car getting towed away without a care.He felt drained, as if life had been sucked out of him, leaving him indifferent to everything around him. He felt like a walking corpse. He had lost the woman he loved and was trapped in a marriage he despised.At the thought of Wendy, his hands clenched tight. He must find a way to end their marriage.…When Iris reached home, she immediately called the police station for updates. She was informe
Once, her eyes held only love for him; now, they reflected deep disdain. And it was all his fault. He was the one who drove her away.He slowly released her hand, and Iris walked away firmly.Stanley stood frozen. He slowly lowered his gaze, masking the regret in his eyes. Yes, he regretted it, but it was already too late. She wouldn't take him back anymore.He smiled self-deprecatingly."Stanley..." Lester, wanting to comfort him, was met with Stanley's dismissive wave.No words could console his broken heart."Let's go," Stanley said, but he couldn't stop himself from looking back.Iris had already disappeared through the door.Lester sighed. "Stanley, why did you suddenly marry Wendy? You never told us the reason.""I don't want to talk about her," Stanley said, his voice filled with resentment.He had only married Wendy because Renee forced him to. Renee used to dislike Wendy, but for some reason, she suddenly changed her mind.Renee wouldn't tell him why, but Stanle
With a frown, Yvonne came over holding the hem of the wedding dress and kicked Henry on the calf. "Didn't I tell you to sever ties with them if you want to marry me?!"Henry quickly stood up to calm her. "I'm on it, I'm on it. But just like a breakup, cutting ties takes time. Give me some time, alright?""You better be doing it," Yvonne crossed her arms, scrutinizing him."I swear, if I lie to you, I'm a dog," Henry said, raising his palm.Iris stood up. "Stop arguing. I'm leaving." She indeed wanted to avoid running into Stanley.Yvonne nodded. "Go ahead."Feeling embarrassed, Henry added, "I'm sorry, Iris. I'll buy you dinner to make up for this.""No, it's okay, it's no big deal," Iris said, unbothered. After all, Henry was kind enough to notify her in advance."Take your time choosing," Iris told Yvonne before picking up her bag and heading downstairs.The spiral staircase required her to hold onto the railing.Unfortunately, while she was descending the stairs, Lester an
When she opened the door, she found Brad still outside. His dull eyes lit up the moment he saw her."Iris, I know you wouldn't be so cruel to me. You're not gonna let me freeze in the cold wind, right? I know you still care about me..."Iris cut him short, "You misunderstood. I came out to pick up a delivery." She then closed the door behind her and headed to the community gate.Brad felt the sting of her rejection again.When she was almost at the gate, a voice called out from behind her, "Excuse me, please wait."Iris turned back."Why are you so ruthless to Master Brad?" an elderly servant from the Vassell family confronted her. The servant watched Brad grow up and had never seen Brad being treated like this. "You should thank your lucky star that he likes you. Don't you think you're being ungrateful hurting him like this?"Raising her eyebrows, Iris retorted, "Why don't you marry him instead?"The servant blushed. "You...""What?" Iris couldn't believe a servant would ta
Iris replied, "It's my house, I can change the passcode whenever I want. I don't need your permission."Brad had no retort."Why are you here instead of recovering in the hospital?" Iris asked. "Is your leg not hurting anymore?"Brad felt aggrieved. "I came to see you because you didn't go to see me, and yet you're yelling at me."Feigning a cold attitude, Iris said, "Do I have to visit you everyday? I'm just your superior. I've already shown the necessary courtesy by visiting you the other day. You shouldn't expect more than that."Brad stared at her in disbelief, his pupils shaking. He couldn't believe how coldly Iris was treating him. It pained him."Iris..." His eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Why are you being so mean to me?"Turning away to avoid his hurt expression, Iris said, "Go back to the hospital. I have a court appearance tomorrow, so I need a good night's rest."As she opened the door to enter her house, Brad called out, "Iris, I came out of the hospital just t
Iris shook her head, "I took a cab.""Oh, then you can drink. But I know you can't handle alcohol, so don't drink too much," Vince said, pouring her half a glass of wine. Iris clinked glasses with him. "Enjoy the meal. I hope you like the food," Vince said.Iris laughed, "Congratulations again on your first child.""By the way, I have something to ask you. Rachel wants to go abroad; apparently her friend has a company there and offered her a high-paying job. But I'm worried she might get scammed. You're a lawyer with broad experience, do you think it's safe?" Vince asked, pulling up a chair next to her.Iris had indeed dealt with similar cases before. "Which country is Rachel's friend's company based in?" she inquired."Canadia.""My advice for her is not to go. Although it's not as dangerous as Northern Burrma, many victims are actually transferred there from other countries. Once they reach Northern Burrma, it's hard to come back. You must have seen the news about that plac