Vermont remained calm and did not feel angry due to the embarrassment of getting rejected.He kept a distance away from Felicity and stopped holding her hands.When the elevator stopped, he turned to Felicity and said, "Let's go."He still sounded very calm.As if... the person who had confessed to her passionately just moments ago was not him.Felicity's tensed heart felt sour.However, Vermont still took her to the hospital for a blood test and check-up.He only felt at ease after making sure that everything was fine with Felicity.When they came out of the hospital, Vermont handed her the bag and said, "I need to go back to the office now. I ordered a cab for you. You can go back on your own."Felicity paused. "A-Aren't you going to get changed?"Vermont chuckled. "That won't be necessary. I'm not exactly a respectable person to others anyway."Felicity was taken aback and could not find the right words to say.After walking Felicity to the cab, Vermont waved her goodbye
The mention of kids struck a chord with Albert. He still had an unborn son that he had been eagerly waiting for half his life.'What if Walter actually goes to the cops and says something that leads to a reevaluation of the case? What will happen to my son if I get taken away? What about my lifelong family legacy?' While thinking about being locked up in jail, Albert was reminded of his youth days in the detention center for some shady dealings. The nightmare of those days sent a shiver down his spine.Albert's face turned pale. He clenched his teeth and asked, "How much does he want?""Five million dollars," Hylda replied in a deep voice."Five million dollars?" Albert raised the tone of his voice. "What kind of illness does he have that requires so much money?"'Why bother getting treatment when it costs five million dollars?' he thought, as his face darkened.Albert was still waiting for the 50 million dollars he had extorted from Keegan. There was no way for him to transfer a
"Did Albert transfer the money?" asked Stella.Xenia shook her head. "I don't think so. He's back, but he clearly looks troubled. It appears he's reluctant to pay up. I overheard him on the phone with Sophia, and it sounded like they were discussing about shares."'Shares?' Stella pondered for a moment. 'Could it be that Albert is exploring the idea of trading shares with Sophia to get the funds?'She hung up the phone and frowned. "Can this recording be used against them?" she muttered.With no response from the person beside her, she turned to find that Keegan was lost in thought. "Hey, I'm talking to you. What's on your mind?" she nudged his arm and said."What did you say?" Keegan snapped back to reality and asked in a low voice."Why are you zoning out so early in the morning?" Stella complained before repeating herself.After hearing her out, Keegan explained, "Recordings from wiretaps like this probably won't hold up as direct evidence. But we can consult Ted about it lat
Ethan was a romantic and attentive partner. He was skilled in bed and was willing to go the extra mile to please her. Aside from his looks, Sophia was quite satisfied with this relationship.When Sophia saw that it was Albert calling, she held down Ethan's hand and said, "Hold on. My dad's on the phone."Ethan released her hand, rolled off the bed, and lit a cigarette. He leaned against the headboard and smoked as he watched her.Sophia picked up her phone and said, "Hey, Dad, what's up? Why are you calling so early in the morning?""Sophia, how are things with the marriage? Any word from the Shaws? "Albert inquired.Sophia was taken aback. 'Why is he suddenly asking about this? He literally said there was no need to rush, and we should take our time.'"Ethan's parents are fine with it. But, since Ethan and I haven't been dating for long, I thought we could give it a bit more time."Ethan exhaled a puff of smoke and closely observed Sophia without saying a word."You should get
Ethan kissed Sophia on the cheek and reassured her, "My parents have some savings, and we can still manage at the company. Getting your affairs sorted out is my top priority. Don't worry, I'm willing to endure a little stress. And, even if the company runs into trouble, you won't just abandon me, will you?"Sophia was deeply moved by Ethan's words. "I'll write up an IOU. Once we secure the shares, we'll split the dividends fifty-fifty."Ethan smiled and accepted her proposal.Soon, he transferred eight million dollars into Sophia's account, and Sophia wasted no time reaching out to Albert to finalize the share transfer agreement.Meanwhile, Keegan's undercover sources reported these developments to him.Stella was rendered speechless upon hearing the details. "So, Walter asked Hylda for two million dollars, yet Hylda asked Albert for five million? And Albert sold eight million worth of shares from a shell corporation to Sophia? What kind of financial game are they playing here?"
All of Albert's ill-gotten money had essentially been obtained through Rainee's misery. It was only fitting for this money to be returned to its original source.Keegan lent his full support to Stella when she robbed the rich to help the poor. He cleaned up the aftermath efficiently and went the extra mile by planting a miniature listening device inside Walter's wallet.The nifty gadget was a new creation from their lab, and it was developed in collaboration with some top-notch associates. The product had yet to hit the market, so it was a perfect opportunity to put its capabilities to the test.Walter was rushed to the hospital. It was unknown whether the shock of losing his cash affected his condition, but his health took a nosedive. The doctors urged him to make a decision. Surgery could potentially extend his life by a few more years, while any further delay would allow the cancer to spread beyond control.Naturally, Walter wanted to live, but he could not afford the treatment
Walter looked up before Hylda could finish her sentence, and her expression shifted. "Why are you here? Didn't I give you the money already?"Walter had lost a lot of weight in just two days. His hair was streaked gray, and his cheekbones were protruding. It was as if he had aged ten years within that short span of time.Upon hearing Hylda mention the money, Walter's eyes darkened. "There are some things I need to discuss with you, Mrs. Jewell, " He said in a deep voice.However, Hylda wanted nothing more to do with him and replied coldly, "I've given you what you asked for. There's nothing left for us to talk about. From now on, you deal with your illness, and I'll carry on with my life."She was about to close the door when Walter used his foot to block the door. The look on his face was even more sinister than before. "Let me in!"Hylda remained unyielding. "If you don't leave, I'll have the property management remove you!" She reached for her phone and was ready to make the ca
'Five million dollars?' Walter's expression twisted in anger. He raised his hand and slapped Hylda across the face, sending her sprawling to the ground. The force of the blow left her with a swollen bump on her forehead.Her vision became blurry. The next thing she knew, Walter was yanking her up off the floor by her hair. "You bastard! Is there a shred of truth in anything you say? You even deceived Albert. How am I supposed to believe you?"Hylda cried out in agony. She gripped Walter's hand and begged, "Walter, Walter! I swear I had nothing to do with it. We can go to the bank and check the withdrawal records. I had no idea your money was stolen. I— Ah—"Before she could complete her sentence, Walter slapped her once more. "You despicable bitch. You've manipulated everyone, and now you expect me to believe you?"Hylda clutched her throbbing face and sobbed, "No. I—"Walter had no patience for her protests. He tossed her phone back to her and, with a cold expression, he ordered,
Keegan moved from initial resistance to reluctantly listening, and eventually to questioning."Why do these novels portray men as so stupid and brainless, yelling at the female lead as if they have intermittent explosive disorder?""Is the male lead sick? Forcing the female lead to donate a kidney, is he out of his mind?""How many years would they get for calling the police in their world?""Why is he so dumb? The supporting actress claims the female lead pushed her into the water and he believes it? Is checking surveillance footage illegal?""Stella, are you making fun of me?""I can't learn this. It all feels so neurotic. What does the female lead see in him?"Stella retorted, "Who cares if it's neurotic? Just mimic that stupidity, that's how these innocent women like men who protect them like that."Keegan was very reluctant, but his brain was more compliant than his body. Without needing to study deliberately, everything he heard stuck in his mind.So when Keegan mentione
Keegan's expression darkened with anger. "You're being completely unreasonable!"Stella crossed her arms, wearing an expression that seemed challenging. "You let her take it. Let's see if I dare."Jaylene hadn't actually wanted those junk items in the first place; she was deliberately trying to stir up discord between them. Now that her goal was achieved, she put on a sympathetic look."Keegan, I don't want it anymore. Don't be angry. Your health is more important. Didn't the doctor say to keep your emotions stable?"Turning her head, she reproached Stella. "Stella, are you here to help Keegan recover his memory or just to provoke him?""Shut up, you brat! Do you even have a say here?"Acting under the guise of a drama, playing the role of someone lacking in manners, was incredibly satisfying.She’d wanted to curse this brat for a long time!Jaylene's lips twitched, but she held back, tearfully saying, "Stella, if you don't like me, I'll leave. There's no need to humiliate me l
Jaylene understood the situation perfectly. Even though she didn't particularly like these cold, mechanical devices, she put on a pretense of surprise, saying, "Really, Keegan?"Keegan nodded. "Choose one you like.""Keegan!" Before Stella could finish her sentence, she couldn't hold back her sharp voice, "With your pile of junk that I can't even touch normally, she takes a look and now you want to give it to her? What's the meaning of this?!"Keegan frowned, apparently not comprehending her current anger at all. "Jaylene gave me a gift, and I'm giving her one in return. What's the problem?""What problem?" Stella's eyes started to redden. "I can't touch them, so why should she be able to? Have you forgotten, or do you have inappropriate feelings for her?"Keegan's expression darkened. "This makes no sense!"Jaylene secretly delighted in this, hypocritically trying to calm things down, "Forget it, Keegan. Since Stella minds so much, I don't want it anymore. You've strained your r
The standoff lasted for over twenty minutes before Keegan grabbed a book and knocked the beetle off Jaylene's neck. The beetle fluttered twice and suddenly flew up, landing on Jaylene's face.Jaylene screamed, rolled her eyes, and fainted.As she collapsed, the bug flew off again."Jaylene?"Keegan called out to her.He looked up at Stella and said, "You go start the car, I'll carry her to the hospital."As he spoke, he signaled to Stella.She understood and coldly grunted, "So troublesome."Walking over to Jaylene, she squatted down beside her and slapped her face twice.Jaylene immediately opened her eyes and reached out to push her away. "What are you doing!"Stella was prepared and had already moved back before she could be pushed.She shook her tingling hand and innocently said, "Jaylene, you fainted because of the bug. I was just saving you. Don't believe me? Ask Keegan."Jaylene nearly ground her teeth. Did she think she hadn't heard? She was intentionally exposing h
Her fingertips trembled with a mix of horror and excitement. Just as the teapot was about to slip from her grasp, Keegan suddenly said, "Jaylene, don't move."Jaylene froze, instinctively thinking Keegan had regained his memory. She had barely twitched when Keegan loudly stopped her again, "Don't move, absolutely don't move."Jaylene wanted to say something, but then felt an itching sensation on her neck, as if something was crawling slowly. Goosebumps erupted all over her body.By now, Stella had turned around and saw Jaylene standing stiffly with the teapot in hand. Her eyes quickly assessed the situation and then she noticed the beetle crawling on Jaylene's neck.It was an unknown species, not overly tentacled but as long as a little finger, its mouthparts slightly twitching, genuinely alarming in appearance.Stella murmured, "It's so big."Jaylene couldn't see what was on her neck, unsure if it would bite or if it was venomous. She stood frozen in place, her voice trembling,
Seeing him, Stella even lowered her eyes and softly praised, "Mr. Kane, you acted very well."Keegan glared at her, his voice low and intense. "If you keep watching like this, Coco will cut ties with me tomorrow."Stella replied confidently, "No, she won't. After accepting the red envelope, she can tolerate you a little longer."Keegan asked sharply, "Did you teach her to ask for red envelopes like this?""Don't falsely accuse me; I didn't teach her.""You may not have taught her directly, but you set an example. Have you forgotten how you always make me buy things for you?"Stella was speechless. Whenever she wanted Keegan to buy her something, she would often say, "Gifts are only surprises when given voluntarily. If reminded, it shows they don’t like me that much."It had to be said, Coco had learned the essence of it.Stella also felt a bit awkward, thinking that in the future, she needed to avoid such flirtatious conversations between spouses in front of the children. They
Could she figure all this out?Keegan frowned, casting a disappointed look at Coco. "Are you not listening to me now?"Coco raised her gaze defiantly and stated, "Aunt Stella taught me that if I don't want something someone gives me, I can say no. I don't want this hairpin.""Didn't she teach you that even if you don't like something, you should still say thank you?"Coco fell silent for a moment, then reluctantly said to Jaylene, "Thank you, Aunt Jaylene, but I don't want it."Jaylene hesitated with her hand extended, unsure whether to retract it or leave it there, managing a strained smile. "Then what do you like? Next time, I will get you something you do like."Coco asked, "Do you want me to do something for you?"Jaylene was taken aback. "What?"Coco replied seriously, "Aunt Stella says offering help without reason is either deceitful or thieving. Since you don't like me, why else would you give me something? You want me to do something for you, right?"Jaylene forced a s
Leighton's incident did indeed revive their suspicions.Jaylene was gullible, but Darcie might see through this scheme. "Keegan, why didn't you go to work today?" Jaylene chose to ask directly at first.Keegan remained composed. "I've been busy with the press conference lately and haven't had much rest. Now that things have slowed down, I thought I'd take a break and relax."Jaylene spoke gently, "You should rest well. Since you came back, you've been busy, and you've been postponing Dr. Stone's follow-up appointments. Keegan, I'm really worried about your health. Since you're resting these days, I'll arrange for Dr. Stone to give you another check-up. Stella has been living here to assist your recovery for so long. We need the doctor to give a clear assessment of whether there's been any improvement. Otherwise, it's not good for Stella's reputation to stay here so long, unmarried and under one roof."Keegan nodded. "Okay, please arrange it. Thank you."His response was decisive,
Stella had just descended the stairs when she heard that remark, causing her eyelids to twitch as she thought to herself, “Damn it! He really knows how to come up with excuses!”Upon hearing this, Jaylene's eyes briefly flashed with disdain, but she ultimately accepted the shoe covers Keegan handed her. As Keegan led Jaylene into the house, her eyes continued to scrutinize every corner.There were a couple of pillows on the sofa, couple mugs on the table, wedding photos of Keegan and Stella on the walls, and even headbands and hair ties scattered on the table. The house exuded an unmistakable feminine touch.Jaylene's expression darkened, but when Keegan turned to ask if she preferred tea or coffee, she adopted a gentle, harmless demeanor. "Tea would be perfect."Keegan invited her to take a seat and called for Maria to prepare tea. Jaylene spoke softly, "Keegan, I heard from Stella that you brew Dragon Well tea better than anyone else. Is there a special technique?"Stella paused