Vince nodded as he recounted the incident. "It happened last night. We were doing late-night business so we closed late. I remember it was around eleven o'clock when three men came in. They ordered grilled lobster and beer. There were two women at the table next to them. When the women were leaving, one of the women accidentally bumped into one of the men. The man demanded an apology. I wasn't present at the time, so I don’t know if she apologized. Anyway, an argument broke out."The men started pushing the women. Worried for their safety and the reputation of my business, I stepped in to intervene. But the three men were aggressive and ignored my apologies. They kept pushing the women, and one woman fell onto an uncleaned table. The other woman pushed the man back. In response, he grabbed her by the hair and dragged her out of the restaurant."I followed them outside and saw the man beating the woman. I tried to pull him away, but he was too strong and knocked me down. I hit my head
It was at this moment that Kendra finally understood the difference between family and outsiders. The people who she usually got along with seemed more interested in watching her family's misfortunes unfold than offering genuine help. Yet, when she called her niece, Iris rushed over without hesitation to help.A helping hand in times of need was always truer than a helping hand in normal times."You're our family's savior," Kendra expressed her heartfelt gratitude.Among their extended family, Iris was the one with the best education and the best marriage. Even though her husband cheated on her and they were now divorced, he was undoubtedly a man of status. The fact that he was willing to marry Iris, a woman with an ordinary background, in the first place spoke to her qualities.That was why Kendra was jealous of Iris. Her own children were very ordinary in comparison.Her husband, Tom, chimed in, "Now you know. Make sure you watch your mouth when you speak from now on."Kendra
Iris responded with a soft acknowledgment as Elise left the living room. Leaning back on the couch, Iris fell into a daze, her thoughts swirling.Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a message from Jason: [When are you coming back?]She stared at the screen for a long time, contemplating her response. Finally, she typed back: [In the afternoon.]He did not reply. Scrolling through their chat, she realized they had built up quite a long conversation history."Lunch is ready," Elise announced about half an hour later when she returned to the living room.Iris got up to wash her hands.Tom had brought home a variety of braised dishes, while Kendra had prepared a few hot dishes. At the dining table, Kendra expressed her concerns and asked Iris many questions about Vince's situation. Iris assured her that he would be fine, which seemed to ease Kendra's worries.After lunch, Iris drove back to work. She parked her car and walked into the building. While she was waiting for the elevator, Ja
Iris could feel Jason's intense gaze on her, making her shift uncomfortably. She forced a smile and asked, "How can I help you?""It's another race," Brad replied. "This time it's a different track.""Is it the one you guys talked about last time, the one that's really dangerous and could be fatal?" Iris asked, concern evident in her voice.Brad shook his head. "No, it's a different one."Suddenly, Brad noticed that Iris' cheeks were flushed. "Iris, what's wrong with you? Your face is as red as a monkey's butt!"Iris did not know what to say.Jason's gaze remained on her face. "Ms. Glover, there's a case we need to handle this afternoon, remember?" he stated matter-of-factly.Iris responded with a simple, "Oh."Brad was speechless. He glared at Jason unhappily and muttered under his breath, "Merciless boss."Jason merely nodded, pretending not to hear the comment.Iris shrugged helplessly. "As you can see, I have work to do.""Just take the rest of the day off," Brad insiste
Iris looked at Brad with a critical eye. "If you're not interested in practicing law, you might want to consider changing your career."She felt that he was wasting his time at the law firm since he wasn't actually doing anything.But Brad shrugged off her comments. He was actually quite content with this arrangement. "Working" at the firm allowed him to appease his family while still enjoying his carefree lifestyle without getting nagged by his old man."I'm heading out, then," he said.He was wearing a black hoodie with the hood up, casual pants, and white sneakers. He twirled his car keys nonchalantly, exuding a carefree attitude.Once in the car, he cranked up the music to the maximum volume, moving to the rhythm as he backed out of the driveway. Once outside, he hit the gas, launching into the open road.The traffic lessened when he reached the city outskirts.With the window down, the breeze tousled his short hair, and he savored the freedom of the open road. Suddenly, s
When they arrived at the hospital, Fiora stepped out of the car. Although Brad disliked Fiora, he still took off his denim jacket and tossed it to her. "Your clothes are torn."Fiora looked down. She had never looked so disheveled before. She caught the jacket and draped it over herself. "Thanks.""Don't mention it. Anyone would lend a hand in that situation, and I didn’t really do much," Brad replied nonchalantly.Fiora assessed him. Although she had always disliked him, he didn’t seem so bad today."Since I'm here, I might as well escort you inside," he said, walking towards the hospital entrance.Fiora hurried to keep pace with him. "Um, can I borrow your phone again?"Brad pulled out his phone and handed it to her.She called Samuel and told him, "I’m at the First General Hospital. Come over; I need to talk to you.""I'll be right there," Samuel responded on the other end."Also, don’t tell my brother," Fiora added firmly. She wanted to handle things on her own; if her bro
Stanley frowned, "Don't act like a spoiled brat with me. I never made any plans with you. If you claim I did, show me the evidence.""The text you sent me – does that not count as evidence? I'm not blind; I can read. I lost my phone while I was running away, so I don't have the proof with me." She reached out, "Let me see your phone."Stanley was certain he hadn't sent her any messages to meet up, so he pulled out his phone and handed it to Fiora.As she scrolled through their chat history, Fiora's frustration grew. She didn't find the message where he supposedly asked her out."You deleted it!?" Fiora exclaimed, smashing the phone against him in anger. "I won't let this matter rest!"The phone slipped from her hand and fell to the ground, the screen cracking upon impact.Stanley glared at her fiercely. His wrath was so fearsome that Fiora couldn't meet his gaze.Picking up the phone, Stanley shoved it back into his pocket. His eyes were cold and intimidating like the winter win
Samuel was shocked. His expression turned serious. "Understood. I'll look into it immediately."Fiora looked him in the eye, her gaze conveying a warning. "Don't tell my brother."Samuel lowered his gaze. "Understood.""Go. Investigate it and let me know the results as soon as possible," she instructed.Concerned, Samuel said, "But I can't leave you alone. Let me call—""No, I'm fine. If I need help, I'll hire a caregiver myself," Fiora interrupted him."Alright," he replied.He left the ward.Despite Fiora's repeated warning, Samuel called Jason as soon as he left the hospital.Jason was lounging on a couch, dressed in a loose white shirt that revealed his slender neck, defined collarbones, and muscular chest. His sleeves were rolled up, showcasing his sturdy forearms.Iris was next to him, focused intently on applying medicine to the wound on his palm. The injury looked terrifying.How could he grab a blade barehanded?"Weren't you afraid back then?" she asked.Jason t
"They confessed willingly?" Jason inquired, a hint of skepticism in his voice.Samuel nodded. "Yes.""Among the three, who is the leader?" Jason asked.Samuel kicked the man in the middle. "This one. His name is Walder Rain."Walder kept yelling, "Let us go! This is kidnapping... It's a crime!"Samuel couldn't help but feel amused. "Didn't you try to kidnap someone?"Jason smelled something fishy going on. "They willingly confessed that Iris instructed them?""Yes, it was her! Iris Glover told us to do it!" Walder immediately said.Jason pulled out his phone and searched for a random picture of a woman on the internet. He showed Walder the picture and asked, "She's the one who instructed you?"Walder nodded vigorously. "Yes, that's her!"Samuel was now confused."You son of a..." Samuel grabbed Walder's face, realizing he had been played. "So you've been paid to lie, huh?"He was wondering why they would confess so quickly. It turned out they had been instructed to frame Ir
Fiora was taken aback when she heard a woman's voice. How could it be a woman? Did she mishear?"Wh-Who are you?" Fiora demanded.Wendy traced circles on the blanket with her finger, a wicked smile creeping onto her lips. "We met at your engagement party. Oh wait, you only saw me on the big screen."Realization dawned on Fiora. "It's you." Her attitude shifted dramatically. "Aren't you supposed to be in prison?"Wendy smirked. "I made a small mistake; it's not a death sentence. Of course I'd come out eventually." She glanced towards the bathroom, where the water had stopped. She immediately adopted a different demeanor as she climbed out of bed. "Let me pass the phone to Stanley."Fiora was going crazy!"He's in the shower?! What did you two do? You shameless, despicable whore!"At that moment, the bathroom door opened.Wendy quickly put on a frightened and apologetic expression. "Stanley, your phone rang. I thought it was my phone, so I answered it. Your fiancée seems to hav
Wendy's face twisted in rage as she seethed at the audacity of the maid. The realization that she had to pay the money or risk being looked down upon infuriated her even more. Besides, she must make the maid go away for good or the maid might talk bad about her to Stanley."I'll transfer the money to you," Wendy gritted her teeth and reluctantly agreed to pay. Already struggling financially, losing that $900 made her even poorer.The maid took out her phone and displayed her bank account number. After Wendy transferred the funds, she snapped, "Don't come back!""Afraid I'll expose your true colors?" the maid taunted, putting her phone away.Wendy's face reddened with rage."Don't worry, I'm busy," the maid said, and left.Once alone, Wendy couldn't help but laugh in anger. When had she ever suffered that kind of treatment? She couldn't believe she got played by a maid! It's so infuriating!!!The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. But when she saw the drunk Stanle
"Stanley, I love you," she whispered, laying her head against Stanley's chest, her fingers greedily caressing his body as she inhaled his scent. In that moment, she felt he belonged solely to her."I'm the only one who's worthy of being your wife, do you understand?" Her eyes glinted with madness. "Your fiancée and your ex-wife – they're not suitable for you. They don't truly love you. Only I love you."She rubbed her face against his chest. "How I wish time would stop right now, and we could just hold each other in peace, without anyone in our way."But as the alcohol churned in his stomach, Stanley felt increasingly nauseous, and her weight on his stomach only made it worse..."Blurgh..." he suddenly turned over and threw up.The floor quickly became a mess.Wendy recoiled, covering her nose. "Why did you drink so much?" The unpleasant odor filled the house, making her gag.Wendy couldn't bring herself to clean the vomit. There was actually a maid here cleaning the place when
"I have a feeling Wendy won't let you go that easily," Lester speculated.Iris, spotting the two, opted to avoid interaction and headed straight for her car. However, Stanley already noticed her. He stopped walking.Lester, who was looking down, continued unaware, "You said she slammed her head into a pillar in front of you? I think she did that on purpose to make you feel bad for her."Stanley, I really think you should keep your distance from someone like her. Remember how she framed Iris? She clearly wanted to take Iris' place. She was cunning enough to trick all of us with her scheme. Compared to her, the girl from the Just family is much lovelier. Despite her temper, she's as gentle as a lamb in front of you. If I had to choose, I'd say the Just girl is the better option."Lester rambled on, but Stanley didn't catch a word."Stanley..." Lester looked up and saw Stanley staring into the distance. He followed Stanley's gaze but all he saw was traffic."Stanley," Lester calle
After a short stunned silence, the man smiled."Interesting."Iris' reply caught him off guard."As expected of a law student. You know the law so well. Even if you're not practicing, you remember the law very clearly," he remarked.Iris cut to the chase, "You're not my type."The man was taken aback again, not expecting such frankness from her."I actually have a pretty good impression of you," he said, maintaining a calm and gentle demeanor, seemingly not offended by her bluntness."Is that so? But I'm afraid I'm not interested in you, and I strongly reject the idea of blind dates. If it weren't for family pressure, I wouldn't be here. I assume you're here to please your family too, so let's not waste time," she replied firmly."It's true that I'm here because of family pressure as well, but after meeting you, I'm glad I agreed to this blind date," he said.Iris was speechless.What the hell did he mean by that?He continued, "Since you're already here, why don't we have a
Jason stared at her intently and answered, "Okay.""See you tomorrow then," Iris said, turning to leave.She walked out of the parking lot towards her apartment building, then took the elevator to her floor. Upon stepping out, she immediately saw Yvonne waiting at her door.Confused, Iris asked, "Weren't you supposed to be at home persuading your parents to make another baby? What are you doing here?"Yvonne sighed dramatically. "Just open the door."Iris complied, opening the door."Are you and Jason dating?" Yvonne got straight to the point.Iris paused, holding the door. "Why do you ask that?"Slumping onto the couch, Yvonne replied, "People in love have a distinct stink."Iris chose silence, not denying it."Help me out," Yvonne continued, "I couldn't convince my parents. They're forcing me to go on a blind date tomorrow, but I have an important client to meet. Help me sabotage this blind date."Iris refused outright, "Deal with it yourself."Yvonne rested her chin on h
"Corn cheese," Iris replied, handing Jason a plate. "Put the peeled corn kernels in here."Jason grunted in agreement.While washing vegetables, the tap water splashed onto Iris.Jason set the corn down, grabbed the apron hanging by the refrigerator, approached her from behind, and gently threaded his hand around her waist to tie it.Iris leaned back slightly in cooperation. "Thank you."Jason paused for a moment, then adjusted the hem of her shirt. "Don't be so polite."Iris couldn't help it; she was used to it.The kitchen was filled with the soothing sound of running water as she washed and cut baby pumpkins and sweet potatoes. She then cleaned the corn kernels and placed them in a steamer with two slices of cheese.She then deftly chopped up the vegetables.Jason stood nearby, observing her movements as she expertly handled the ingredients and the pan. A harmonious connection seemed to exist between her and the food. She prepared four dishes in no time at all: lotus root,
Yvonne rubbed her numb arms vigorously.Iris laughed, "You haven't changed at all; you always get sleepy during law lessons."Yvonne scratched her head, "Right? Maybe I was switched at birth. Everyone in my family has a career in law, and I'm the only odd one out."She was an only child, so it seemed like her family's illustrious history in the legal field was destined to end with her.Professor Sandler, not joining them, instructed Yvonne, "You should head home." His tone implied, "Don't be a third wheel."Yvonne looked at him with a pitiful expression. "Grandpa, are you really not going to help me?""Go talk to your parents yourself," he replied, waving her off.Iris asked, "What's the matter?"Yvonne sighed, "They want me to go on a blind date."Iris fell silent. Yvonne's parents wanted Yvonne to go on blind dates so that she would get married, but Iris knew that if Yvonne were locked up in a marriage and couldn't have fun anymore, she would go crazy.Marriage was unsuitab