Spencer continued with a hint of nostalgia in his voice, "I couldn't help but laugh at myself. All this time, I had never considered that she simply wasn't drawn to my looks. It was a hard pill to swallow. I started paying more attention to my appearance, insisting on wearing a pristine white shirt, controlling my facial expressions, and even modulating my voice when I spoke to her. Slowly, she began to notice, often getting lost in thought while discussing our studies."He chuckled, "She was terrible at concealing her feelings back then. While others sneaked glances, she would openly stare. Thank goodness for my resilience. Anyone else might have felt unnerved."Spencer's laugh was light, "One day, just before a mock exam, out of the blue, she asked if I had ever been in love. I was taken aback, my cheeks burning. I admitted I hadn't felt that way about anyone before her."She then suggested we date to explore what love felt like. I agreed, and though I kept a cool demeanor, I was
Spencer's tone wavered with emotions as he continued, "When I realized she knew about my plans to study abroad, I was shocked. I hadn't told anyone outside my family. It dawned on me that my father must have met with her, probably to discourage her from pursuing a romantic relationship with me because of our family backgrounds."I was kept at home until my departure, losing all contact with her. Abroad, I found myself isolated, keeping a distant eye on our group chats. She soared during her university years, excelling in the performing arts at Trinity University. Her talent was unmistakable, even mentioned in the campus forums. With makeup on, I couldn't recognize her as the lead in King Lear. She had transformed, leaving her high school self far behind."Rumors reached me about her being paraded by her father at banquets, seeking a marriage alliance for financial gains. I heard her mother had an accident, and her family's company was in trouble. That idiot, using a marriage alliance
Spencer turned toward Stella with a mock glare, "Aren't you tempted to ditch him and run into my arms?"She rolled her eyes in response, "You really should call someone to pick you up. You're completely sloshed. How did I never realize you were such a master of nonsense?"Spencer snorted dismissively, "I'm planting a thorn in your heart on purpose, hoping to stir some guilt. Why should you find happiness before me?"Chuckling, Stella retorted, "You overestimate your influence. I'm heartless, remember? Any thorn you plant would just end up in my stomach."Undeterred, Spencer shot back, "Then I'll make sure it pricks you there!"Stella dismissed his words with a scoff, "Grow up, Spencer."Spencer wobbly called his friends, who were nearby. Soon enough, his friends arrived to escort him home. Before leaving, he pulled Keegan aside, whispering something. His friends then hurriedly led him away.Curious, Stella inquired, "What did he say to you?"Keegan replied cryptically, "Just so
In the car, Aurora, who had abstained from alcohol, took the driver's seat. Keegan settled into the passenger seat while Stella and Aldor occupied the back, flanking a thoroughly drunken Jaylene.Throughout Spencer's ramblings, Stella had tested Jaylene's level of intoxication, finding her slurring her words to the point of incoherence. Stella tapped her fingers against the car window, her face tight with thought. Abruptly, she turned to Keegan, "Did Jaylene ever give you that drug?"Keegan's expression tightened, recognizing Stella's line of thought. He said, "That substance is in a legal gray area here, but it's banned abroad. It's a psychoactive drug, far from harmless."Stella's expression darkened further at the thought of Jaylene using such a dangerous drug on Keegan. She asked, "Where is it now?""I disposed of it," Keegan responded, his voice firm.Unconvinced, Stella turned to Aldor, "Where did you put the drug?"Aldor hesitated before answering, "There are a few pills l
Aurora's thoughts were swirling as she drove, 'Keegan's amnesia was Jaylene's doing, and she even fed him banned drugs. He had been pretending all along.' She glanced at Aldor in the rearview mirror, and her mind raced with questions, 'Had Aldor known about this? Were they underestimating her, or had they simply never taken her seriously?'As Aurora drove a bit too fast, Jaylene frowned uncomfortably. Worried she might vomit in the car, Aldor quickly grabbed a plastic bag for her.In her drunken state, Jaylene leaned toward Aldor, whispering, "Keegan..."Aldor stiffened and corrected her gently, "Ms. Saun, you're mistaken."But she persisted, her voice tinged with emotion, "Keegan, I've liked you since childhood. Do you feel the same?"Caught off guard, Aldor responded awkwardly, "I... suppose?"Jaylene's smile brightened, "I knew it. We've known each other since we were kids. How could you not have feelings for me?"Playing along, Aldor said, "Yes," to keep her calm.Gripping
York expressed his surprise, "There weren't many PhD students specializing in hypnosis in our cohort; I should known them all. But I don't recall any student from Hustuabourg with the surname Stone."Keegan showed York a photo on his phone, "This is the person."York paused, a flicker of recognition in his eyes, "That's Yoel Stanley.""He's Joplonese?" Keegan asked, taken aback.York nodded, "He wasn't in our university or in my cohort, but he often attended our professor's lectures. He was perceptive and a quick learner. The professor favored him. But Yoel's reputation was tarnished. He was once embroiled in a lawsuit for illegally hypnotizing a girl, though the case was dropped due to lack of evidence."He then opened a studio, using skills gleaned from the lectures. He gained some fame but remained ethically questionable, spending much of his earnings in brothels and on alcohol. Academically, he stagnated. His skills waned, leading him to use banned substances on clients. Once
Aldor, feeling like a pawn in a whimsical game, approached Aurora. She immediately grabbed his collar and began scrubbing his face fiercely with a wet wipe. The force reminded Aldor of a vigorous bathhouse scrub, making him wince and quickly pull away."Why are you dodging? Proud of that lipstick mark on your face?" Aurora scolded, irritated."Lipstick mark?" Aldor asked, bewildered.Aurora glared at him, "Jaylene kissed you in the car. Did you enjoy it? Remember, she's not Mr. Saun's daughter. Forget about becoming a wealthy son-in-law!"Aldor, at a loss for words, asked, "So, we're over?""Over what?" Aurora was confused."You told me to give up on my dreams of marrying into wealth," he said seriously.Aurora, momentarily speechless, retorted, "I meant her, not you! And how long have we been dating? Can you even tell if it's serious? Or do you want to end it? If so, you tell Grandma. I won't take the blame!"Seeing her agitated state, he smiled softly, "So, I can still dream
"Keegan?" Darcie's voice was tinged with uncertainty. She thought, 'It's unusual for Keegan to be with Jaylene so late.'"Why do you have Jaylene's phone?" she inquired.Stella, mimicking Keegan's voice, explained, "Jaylene had too much to drink. I brought her to my place to help sober her up. She didn't want to go home in this state, fearing you'd be angry."Darcie frowned, "Keegan, bringing Jaylene to your place is inappropriate. You're engaged to Stella, even if just in name. It looks bad. Send her home now."After a feigned pause, Stella replied, "I planned to, but Jaylene insisted on staying, not wanting to upset you while drunk. Don't worry; Aldor's here too. It won't affect Jaylene's reputation."Darcie was silent for a moment. Just as Stella thought she had been persuaded, Darcie said, "Turn on the video call. I want to see Jaylene."Stella, maintaining her composure, agreed, "Okay."The call ended, and Darcie's video call request soon came through on Jaylene's phone.S
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