It was getting late, and Marshall had to take his leave.Wenham asked him to stay a while longer out of courtesy and then called for a driver to take him home. Marshall politely declined, saying a colleague was coming to pick him up.Shortly after, they heard a car engine outside the house. His colleague had arrived.After bidding goodbye, Marshall got into the car.The driver was his new apprentice, a graduate who had just finished his studies half a year ago. He appeared very young but somewhat reserved. After greeting Marshall, he remained silent as he did not know what else to say.Marshall undid the button on his collar, stretched his neck, and looked at his phone.There were numerous missed calls and voicemails, mainly from his mother. Two WhatsApp messages were from Irene, a few work-related messages, and some New Year's greetings from various group chats.He opened the message from Irene. One read: [It's the New Year. Why can't you just enjoy it?]The other one said: [Y
At the Saun residence, after Wenham had a cup of ginger lemon tea to sober up, Darcie helped him upstairs to rest.The maids cleaned up the mess they had made.Trevor came out from the washroom and saw Jaylene holding the photo album from Stella's childhood.Her fingers clenched tightly on the album. However, her facial expression was concealed in the shadows, making it difficult to discern.Nevertheless, her protruding knuckles revealed her current unsettled emotions.Trevor did not say anything as he quietly watched her from afar.After staring at the album for a few seconds, Jaylene slammed it onto the table. Then, she turned around and went upstairs.Once she walked away, Trevor walked over and picked up the album.The leather cover still bore the imprints of Jaylene's forceful grip from earlier. Trevor silently smoothed out those marks and then opened the album.He intended to look at Stella's childhood photos. However, as he flipped through the pages, he noticed somethin
Stella hesitated to speak. Finally, she could not resist herself anymore and asked, "Did you think that we—"She clapped her hands lightly as she spoke, "Clapped last night?"Keegan was taken aback."Did we?""Of course not! Do you think I'm crazy?"Stella was speechless as she thought, 'Why does Keegan always think that he is very capable in bed after getting drunk? What is wrong with him?'Keegan paused, looking somewhat in doubt. His gaze fell on Stella's neck, "Y-Your neck..."'Neck?'Stella went to the mirror and touched her neck, "You mean this? I did some scraping after taking a shower last night."Keegan kept quiet.Stella leaned over while blinking her eyes and teased him in a low voice, "Did you think they came from you?"She brought her neck closer to Keegan as she spoke, "Give me a hickey for comparison. Let's see if they look alike."Keegan's lips trembled. Then, he forcefully pulled the shirt she was sitting on and went to the bathroom with a stern face."Tsk
'Does he have some plan he doesn't want me to be involved in?' Stella thought for a moment and decided to trust Keegan.He did not talk about sleeping in another room anymore. After that, they visited Cordelia at her house and stayed there until nighttime.When they returned home, Stella found that the house had changed. The stairs and bedroom floors were all covered with thick wool carpets.Stella was taken aback as she turned to Keegan. He frowned, "Grandma is being overly worried."Stella did not say anything. She thought, 'How did Grandma know that I almost fell this morning?'Stella pursed her lips, "She's being thoughtful."She stepped on the carpet and said, "It's very soft."Keegan smiled faintly, but it instantly disappeared when Stella turned around. Then, he said, "I'm going to the study.""Okay," Stella said before lowering her head and chuckling softly. 'How childish of him,' she thought to herself.The next day, Trevor flew to Mystonia to investigate the cause of
'It seems like the Saun and Hall families don't value their sons at all,' Stella thought.As she thought about that, she called Leighton. It did not take him very long to answer.Leighton's voice sounded as cold as ever, "Stella, is there something I can help you with?"Stella cleared her throat, "We're going to play Mah-Jongg. Do you want to join us?"Leighton was surprised. He pursed his lips and said, "I'm not very good at it.""Well, that's great—no, I mean, that's okay. I'll teach you."After the "relationship" went public, Leighton rejected all the other jobs besides the annual New Year Gala. So, he was very free at that time and agreed to play.Stella immediately sent the address to Leighton.Very soon, they met each other at Unit 902 of Clouditude International.Indeed, as he had said, Leighton was not good at playing at all. He lost a few hundred dollars in just an hour.The three showed him their Venmo QR codes, saying, "Thank you, Leighton," and waiting for him to
Since Leighton publicly announced his "relationship," his company wanted to end his career for the very same reason.That was how the industry worked; One could choose not to make money, but one could not hinder others from doing so.Vermont, who worked in this field, understood the ins and outs of it very well.Leighton's popularity in the industry was unmatched. Many eyes were eagerly preying on him, hoping for him to collapse so they could take over his place.However, before the media could expose any scandals about him, he announced the "relationship" that could ruin his career, which was why the company got so angry.Leighton just had not expected that they would go to this extent.Felicity read the post and realized that it was posted by an account with very few followers.He was a paparazzi who gained sudden fame by exposing a popular male star for cheating on his wife during her pregnancy, which got everyone talking online.He had exposed many things about many celebri
Nicole grinned, "You're just afraid of losing, skinflint."She looked around after saying that. "Who lost the most money?" she asked.The other three people all unanimously turned to look at Leighton.Nicole turned around and gently kicked Leighton, "Stand up noob. Watch how I win everything back for you."Leighton's eyelid twitched, "You're a noob!"Nicole smirked, "What if I can do it?"Leighton remained unbothered, "It means that you have a gambling addiction."Nicole chuckled lightly, "If I win your money back, you have to kiss me when we go downstairs later."Leighton replied nonchalantly, "Dream on."Nicole stopped teasing him. After chasing Leighton away, she took his spot.Stella was still concerned about how the rumors online would affect Leighton, "Ms. Aspen, how about we handle Leighton's matter first before playing?"As Nicole looked at her tiles, she said, "No rush. Let them go on for a while longer."Stella looked at Vermont, and he gave her a reassuring look.
Stella stood at the side like a prop while they kissed.Some sharp-eyed netizens noticed that the person standing next to the couple was the same girl who touched Leighton's face in the car earlier. They wore the same clothes!They could not figure out how Nicole could stand that.However, after some time, Nicole posted on Facebook, sharing a screenshot of a Venmo payment with the caption: [I won some money from your cousin. She won't be angry at me, right? @LeightonHall]She subtly told the netizens about Stella's identity.The netizens were puzzled. 'Cousin?'Then, Leighton replied under the post: [She will. She tends to hold grudges.]The netizens were shocked!'That was Leighton's cousin?' They could not believe it.So, the hashtag #NicoleMeetingHisFamily quickly trended on hot searches.The entire Facebook was chaotic.[I started supporting you since your debut, yet you're acting like Nicole's pet now.][Leighton didn't even hug her. She was the one who kissed him. Lei
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