Based on what Keegan knew about Marshall, he wouldn't rush into any decisions in the near future. Even though Willow was his only family, he'd carefully weigh the options and act with caution for her sake.Stella paused for a moment before suggesting, "Maybe it's best for Coco to stay at the Royalpark Villa. Firstly, Grandma is getting old and genuinely doesn't have the energy to look after her. Secondly... from Marshall's point of view, Coco is the reminder of Willow's betrayal. I'm concerned he might take it out on Coco if he loses his temper."Initially, Keegan wanted to assure that Marshall wouldn't do such a thing; he knew him well. But the words got stuck in his throat. If he truly understood him, the kidnapping incident wouldn't have occurred. After a brief silence, he nodded. "I'll go along with your suggestion."In reality, when Vermont hinted to Marshall about Coco's parentage, Keegan had another motive—to leverage the Moore family to investigate the true cause of Jayson
Stella averted her gaze and addressed Baldwin, "Baldwin, I'm here to pick up Coco."Baldwin replied, "Coco is practicing the piano. I'll take you to her."Stella nodded and was about to follow him when Dahlia stopped her, resentfully saying, "Stella, you must be feeling so proud, kicking me out of the Kane family and separating me from my son."Stella paused, calmly looking at her. "I guess. Give it a little more time, and I might even be prouder."A hint of hatred flickered in Dahlia's eyes, but she quickly suppressed it. She clenched her fists and whispered, "I want to talk to you."Stella smiled coldly, "Is there anything left to discuss between us?" She hadn't forgotten why Dahlia ended up there. A woman who had tried to harm her baby wouldn't get a second chance from her.She was puzzled, though. Why would Dahlia suddenly demand a share of her late father-in-law's inheritance?Even though Dahlia had been kicked out of the Kane family and Keegan had cut her off, providing
Stella glanced at her. "Keegan deposits your living expenses into your account every month. He also has evidence of the money you've been withdrawing from the company's account over the years. Do you think you can win this case?"Dahlia sneered, "Even if I can't win, do you think such a scandal won't affect The Vinci Rivera Group's stocks or his election votes?"Stella's smile faded gradually. She couldn't fathom how there could be such a shameless and despicable mother, selfish enough to ruin her own son's life.Darcie Arnold and Hylda White were so malicious, yet they stood by their children. What was Dahlia?Stella looked at her in silence for a moment, then spoke, "What do you need so much money for?"Dahlia impatiently replied, "That's none of your business. Just transfer the money to me. I'll give you three days. If you don't, I'll sue Keegan immediately!"Stella's expression turned serious. "If it weren't for a paternity test, I would seriously doubt if Keegan is your biol
"No way!" Dahlia exclaimed anxiously. "Two weeks is just too long! I'll give you a week at most!"Stella furrowed her brow. "Ten days. I really can't gather it in a week."Dahlia didn't buy it. “Do you think I'm clueless about how much money Keegan has?"Stella's expression turned icy. "You expect me to ask Keegan for the money? Do you think he won't question such a large sum? Or do you want me to personally inform him that his own mother is pressuring me for money?"Dahlia didn't care about Keegan, let alone his feelings.She knew Keegan well enough to understand that if he found out about this, he wouldn't give her a penny. He wouldn't be swayed by her threats in the least.Initially, Dahlia had wanted to find Stella, but Keegan had shielded her too effectively, leaving Dahlia with no opportunity to get close. So, she shifted her focus to her deceased husband's inheritance. Little did she know she would run into Stella herself.After Stella's words, Dahlia calmed down slightly
She recalled the amusing scene from earlier and, now, observing the sluggish fish, couldn't resist kicking a pebble into the water. With a splash, the plump fish jerked in alarm, its tail nearly swatting the nearby small koi.Cordelia's eyelid twitched. How much did this impulsive act resemble her mischievous grandson?Stella realized the effect of her action and quickly withdrew her foot guiltily, mustering a smile as she called out, “Grandma."Coco bounded over, clutching onto Stella's leg and chirping, "Stella, why did you take so long to come? I missed you~"Stella tousled the little girl's soft hair and said gently, "I bought you some little gifts, which took a bit of time."At the mention of gifts, Coco's eyes sparkled. She tugged at Stella's sleeve, eager to leave with her."Go with this big brother first. Great-Grandma and I need to talk for a bit."Coco obediently nodded and was led away by Samuel.Once the child was out of earshot, Cordelia inquired, “What did you two
The Crosby family had been declining ever since Dahlia tied the knot. The Crosby siblings, all looks and no brains, would have disappeared from high society long ago if not for the support of the Kane family in recent years.After Keegan cut ties with Dahlia, who was using Cordelia's name to manipulate and deceive for her brother's business, the already struggling company took a further nosedive.But Blake's wife running off with the money? Stella wasn't buying it.They hadn't even gotten a divorce, so where could she possibly run off to with two children in tow? If she was going to leave, why not do it when Blake had money? Without money, where could she possibly go?And Keegan's aunt wasn't that naive.Blake was a gambler, blowing through half of the Crosby family's fortune despite his good looks and respectable background. None of the well-mannered girls wanted to marry a gambler like him.Blake's wife, Kanrara Kent, was introduced to him by someone from the Crosby family. She
Dahlia quietly slipped money to Blake to get him on her side.Quitting gambling was just like quitting drugs. You might manage to stay clean for a while, but one slip and it was tough to regain control.Blake found himself drawn back to the casino, while Kanrara, juggling the care of two kids, had little energy left to oversee him or the company. Just as things were looking up for the company, it teetered on the edge of collapse. Coincidentally, Keegan had already taken charge at the Vinci Rivera Group, and Dahlia began leveraging the Kane family's name to collaborate with Blake.Kanrara shifted her focus to the kids' education, neglecting company matters. Blake gambled recklessly. Even though Kanrara held the purse strings, the money he squandered was all supplied by Dahlia.Recently, Marshall mentioned their impending divorce, apparently triggered by Blake's affair and asset transfers.Later, Stella discussed this with Keegan. He opined that since Kanrara managed the finances, B
Stella grinned, took a sip from her thermos, and remarked, "This is the last time. Keegan's got big dreams, and I won't let Dahlia mess them up."After passing through Blake's hands, ten million came up two million short. There was only one explanation: this guy was still hitting the tables.Stella's hunch was spot-on; Blake had indeed returned to his old gambling habits.Blake was already a regular at the casino, despite being banned before. But in this world, rules and boundaries hardly mattered. If you had the cash, doors swung wide open.Getting into an underground casino wasn't easy; usually, you needed an introduction from someone in the know and had to go through a few hoops blindfolded. But with Vermont leading the way, Stella, a newcomer, got in without a hitch.Vermont was bold, ambitious, and loved a good gamble. In his younger days, he rubbed shoulders with all kinds of people and was introduced to the world of gambling by his pals.There were no guaranteed winners in
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