Kayla was busy cleaning mud stains from her pants, regretting her choice of white attire. Muttering complaints to herself, she assumed the approaching footsteps were from the restaurant staff. Only when she finished did she look up and see Marshall standing by the table.Startled, Kayla cleared her throat and said, "You're here. Why didn't you say anything?"Marshall chuckled. "I wanted to hear what you were complaining about."Kayla felt embarrassed at the thought of her criticizing the person who plagiarized her friend's work and Marshall for choosing the restaurant. She was annoyed that she had to walk the stretch of road and dirtied her pants on the way."I was mainly complaining because I dirtied my pants," she explained.Marshall pulled out a chair and glanced at her, amused.Kayla licked her lips and lowered her eyes. "I don't usually act like this," she said softly.A light laughter came from across the table.Kayla was taken aback. She looked up into Marshall's eyes, a
Marshall spoke slowly, "Now, I'm no longer shocked at the cases I hear. The darkness in people has no limit. It's all just human nature. What could be scarier or worse than humans? We often insult people by saying they're vultures, snakes, pigs, or dogs, but if those animals could speak, they would say that being human makes us worse."Kayla was stunned. It was then that the anger she felt for her friend dissipated.Following that, Marshall asked more questions related to the case. Kayla was only inquiring on behalf of someone else, so she wasn't clear about some details. With Marshall's consent, she passed his number to her friend.Finally, she asked, "Mr. Moore, do you think my friend could win this case?""This person has copied the book title, characters, and story structure from the original text and claims it's only a rewrite. This goes beyond conventional plagiarism—it's a clear case of copyright infringement. The next steps depend on your friend's goals. Does she want a sim
Kayla took a breath before looking at Marshall. "Mr. Moore, your question is quite intrusive.""Sorry," He apologized in a warm and clear voice. "But I can't ask you for a favor if you have a boyfriend.Kayla was puzzled, "How so?""I'm afraid my mom might catch on."This did not clear things up for Kayla. "Can you be more explicit?"Marshall sighed. "My family is pressuring me to get married. My mom keeps introducing potential matches to me all the time. I can't avoid it. I thought of finding someone to deal with the issue temporarily. If she sees me with someone, she might ease up on the pressure."Kayla blinked in disbelief. After a while, she said, "You want me to assist you in fending off blind dates?"Marshall looked at her and asked, "Is that okay?"Kayla didn't speak. She knew that Marshall liked Stella. 'Keegan has amnesia now. It's the perfect opportunity to make a move, yet Marshall has done nothing to pursue her.'After some contemplation, Kayla thought of the mess
"Don't you think that calling me by my last name sounds a bit too formal?" Kayla remarked.Marshall thought about it for a moment, appearing somewhat unsure.Kayla smiled and added, "How about you start calling me by my first name?"After a brief hesitation, Marshall nodded and said, "Alright, Kayla."Kayla was feeling butterflies in her stomach when she heard his deep and articulate voice. 'I really need to find a boyfriend soon. Otherwise, I might fall for him with all this banter,' she thought.Following their meal, Marshall insisted on driving Kayla home. Given their agreement, Kayla didn't object. They were currently in Rivera's financial district, home to major corporations that attracted socialites and young elites.As they prepared to leave, Kayla encountered a few familiar faces and exchanged brief greetings.Only when Kayla got into the car did she realize Marshall's strategic choice for their dinner location. Regardless of her response, dining in this area would undou
The teacups Stella had bought looked cute, but the craftsmanship was crude. Keegan wondered if they were even safe to use."I can't carry anything else. If you're gonna buy more, you'll have to carry it yourself," he said as Stella went into another store."Sure. I can do that," Stella replied and pushed the door open.'Isn't she pregnant? How come she complains about back pain after lying down for a while but is fine despite shopping for hours?' Keegan took a deep breath and followed her inside.Upon entering, a salesperson warmly greeted them, "Hello, ma'am. Are you looking to buy some clothes for your husband?"Keegan paused, only now noticing that they had entered a men's clothing store."We're just browsing," said Stella.The salesperson then suggested, "We have a new spring collection. You can have your husband try them on."Stella looked at the clothes and intended to consult Keegan. However, she noticed he had deliberately averted her gaze, seemingly uninterested in eng
"Do I need to remember something to be mad? You didn't call me to try on any of the clothes, yet you called me over for a freebie!" Keegan exclaimed.His reaction rendered Stella speechless."That shirt isn't cheap, you know? It's originally priced at 800 dollars," said Stella."I'm not short of 800 dollars," Keegan declared with a stern face. After that, he added, "Hurry up. I'll wait for you outside." With that, he left the store.'Why is he upset for no reason?' Stella muttered to herself.The salesperson asked if she still wanted to redeem the shirt, and Stella replied, "Yes."As she walked out with her items, she saw Keegan talking on the phone.Before she walked up to him, she heard Keegan say, "I'm free tomorrow night."It was then that Stella's ears perked up. Keegan happened to turn around and promptly moved aside upon seeing her.Stella was in disbelief. 'How dare he walk away to avoid me from hearing his conversation!'With a stern face, she asked, "How much longer
"Oh my, young people these days are so bold and daring. I can't believe they're hugging in such a crowded public area. Wait— That doesn't look like Jaylene," Claire stated."S-Stella?" she uttered as the woman lifted her head.'Didn't Dahlia say that Keegan and Stella have broken up? She told us that he and Jaylene were building a bond. What is going on???'Since returning to Cordelia's residence, Dahlia had gradually become active in her previous social circle. Although she wasn't as warmly received as before due to her previous downfall, the affluent wives in Rivera couldn't completely ignore her. After all, she was still the biological mother of the Kane family heir. The Kanes would not completely abandon her due to her ties to the family.Indeed, shortly after Keegan's incident, Dahlia returned to the Kane family and regained her status.Dahlia had spread the news about Keegan wanting to annul his engagement with Stella. She also told people about how he was getting close to J
Dahlia's expression shifted as she swiftly pulled out her phone to see what Olivia was talking about. Keegan's social media appeared empty.Before Dahlia could grasp the situation, Olivia widened her eyes and said, "That's odd. The post is here on my end. Did Keegan block you from his account?"With that, the group of affluent wives had a different opinion of Dahlia. The reconciliation between mother and son seemed more complex than Dahlia portrayed. The fact that Olivia could view Keegan's posts but not Dahlia raised suspicions.Dahlia was embarrassed. Keegan rarely posted on social media, so she hadn't found it odd that she didn't see his posts. Now, she realized she might have been blocked.The ladies exchanged glances, silently acknowledging a newfound understanding.Clenching her fists, Dahlia remained silent and headed toward the exit. Claire, somewhat slow to comprehend, thought about her husband's instructions and hurriedly followed, "Dahlia, aren't we going for afternoon
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