Realizing that her threats had no effect, Stella shifted her strategy, employing charm. She messaged: [Honey, help me out, and I'll do whatever you ask for the rest of this month.]Keegan, eyeing the calendar, responded: [There's only 13 hours left in the month.]Stella quickly bargained. [Then I'll extend it to next month. You can call the shots next month, your word is law.]Having been promised the moon too many times, Keegan did not buy it. He feigned reluctance, typing: [Nah, I don't have the knack for being in charge. I'd rather not take on that responsibility. I think you're doing a fine job and I'm happy to let you take the reins. The hard work of being Mrs. Kane suits you.]Stella was momentarily speechless, realizing that she had overplayed her hand with promises. To make a compelling offer, Stella decided to play her trump card.She suggested: [Honey, do you remember that queen's costume from the drama? There were more gorgeous outfits. If you like, I could call Daniel,
Xavier nodded as he watched Jaylene and her colleague step out of the elevator.Her colleague, intrigued, remarked, "Jaylene, you seem to know Ms. Hall's assistant quite well?"Jaylene offered a polite smile but chose not to respond.Despite Xavier's lack of flexibility and adaptability in his work, qualities that Jaylene silently disapproved of, their acquaintance was reignited under unexpected circumstances.When Xavier came for his job interview, Jaylene happened to be on her way to see Trevor for something and ran into Xavier, who had just finished his interview. Jaylene had forgotten about him until he took the initiative to greet her, reminding her that they were classmates.For Jaylene, memories from elementary school weren't particularly pleasant, so when Xavier brought it up, she responded with a lukewarm reception.To her surprise, Xavier proved to be competent. Trevor, known for his exacting standards, had gone through numerous assistants without finding one to his lik
Jaylene frowned upon receiving the call about the flowers. She stated, "I didn't order any flowers.""The flowers were ordered by a gentleman with the last four digits 8286 on his phone. He insisted that you collect them. Could you come down, please?" the caller replied.'8286? Isn't that Keegan's number?' Jaylene thought, a hint of surprise in her mind. She quickly stood and said, "Give me a minute. I'll be right down."Downstairs, a delivery guy stood at the reception with a large bouquet of roses. People coming in and out could not help but glance at it, whispering and speculating among themselves. Flowers delivered to the office were common in dramas but rare in reality, sparking curiosity about the recipient.When the elevator doors opened, Jaylene approached gracefully. After confirming her identity, the delivery guy had her sign for the flowers before handing them over.Holding the bouquet and blushing, Jaylene asked, "Excuse me, did the gentleman who ordered these flowers
Keegan scoffed and typed: [Who sent you that holiday greeting on your phone that you stared at for so long during our stay at Great Grandpa's house?]Stella paused, recalling the night she received a holiday greeting from Marshall before bed. She had spent a long time pondering over it, especially thinking about the rabbit charm, causing her to stare at the phone for a while.She texted: [Weren't you asleep then?]Keegan sent: [It doesn't matter whether I was asleep or not. I'm asking you, from now on, can I reply to his messages for you?]Stella was indifferent and replied: [Do as you wish. I have nothing to hide.]Satisfied with her response, Keegan did not mind being used by Stella anymore. He even asked for advice: [So, how should I respond to her?]Stella texted: [No need to reply. From now on, unless I'm with you, don't respond to anything she sends. She'll make her own assumptions.]Keegan was speechless and did not reply.As Stella was typing, Jaylene sat down across fr
Stella, fully immersed in her role, had neglected to eat properly. She sat at her desk snacking on treats Keegan had packed for her while going through documents Aubrey had given her on Caline's different departments.Since rebranding from Enchanted to Caline, the company had been growing steadily. Darcie had orchestrated a big reshuffle among the core team members, and those who remained were probably her closest allies. Stella understood that to infiltrate their circle, she and Trevor had to position their own people within the company."Is this new girl we're bringing in gonna be reliable? She's so young, born in 2002," Stella thought to herself.Her phone buzzed, pulling her out of her thoughts. It was Felicity, asking about Stella's first day at work.Stella grabbed her phone, snapped a quick picture of her office, and sent it to Felicity, saying, "What do you think? Pretty big, huh?"Felicity replied in amazement, "Wow, that's massive! Need any help? Hire me!"Stella chuckl
Stella laughed and replied: [He felt guilty for roping you in, so he offered you a high price.]Felicity replied: [Back then, I thought I was too principled to bow for a good sum. But now, looking back, being locked up for two hours for a hundred thousand seems worth it. You have no idea how hard it is to earn money these days! Short dramas have become a big hit recently, and I've been working on those.]She continued: [We don't use famous actors and film within 3-5 days, using scripts from online crowdsourcing. With quick turnaround and low budgets, usually 20,000 to 30,000, we can make huge profits, even more, if a project goes viral. It's a highly profitable model, so many in our industry are doing it. I've been assigned to oversee these projects, but sorting through the overly dramatic scripts every day is overwhelming.]Since her pregnancy, Stella had not been watching many short videos, so she was quite out of the loop about this trend. She asked Felicity what these short dram
Jaylene, dressed in a white silk blouse with her hair loosely tied back, exuded a refined elegance with her pearl earrings. She appeared with two people who were carrying bags of what seemed to be high-end cosmetics and perfumes, judging from the packaging.With a gentle voice, she addressed the gathered employees, "Sorry to interrupt, everyone. We've all been busy since returning to work, and it's rare for us all to be together like this. Today, with Stella joining us, I thought it'd be a good opportunity to give you all some small gifts."Stella internally mused, 'I bet those "small gifts" are likely an attempt to win over their hearts. Now I know that Julia had brought me here just for Jaylene to showcase this.'The announcement of gifts naturally excited everyone, leading to a round of applause and a lively atmosphere.Stella glanced at the gifts and thought, 'Those are indeed cosmetics and perfumes. They are not extravagantly expensive, but not cheap either. They are certainly
Looking somewhat embarrassed, Stella explained, "It's nothing much. Considering the cold weather, and since it hasn't warmed up much even after the holiday, I thought about preparing some warm clothing items, something everyone could wear to keep out the cold."Hearing the term "warm clothing," most people thought of hats, scarves, gloves, or knee warmers, causing their interest to wane significantly. Those items were typically distributed by the company at the start of winter, making them hardly something to look forward to.Considering Stella's initial comments upon joining, some could not help but see her as a clueless rich heiress, now contending with Jaylene and Darcie for control.Observing the crowd's reaction, Jaylene smirked as she suggested, "Stella, since you've already prepared them, why not distribute them now? If we wait any longer, they might not be of much use this year."Julia added, "Whatever Ms. Hall has chosen, even if it's for warmth, it's bound to be extraordi
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