The man stayed quiet until he finished his cigarette. Then Darcie spoke up again, “If you hadn't let such a big threat hang over us, Jaylene and I wouldn't be in this tough spot.”Of course, by "threat," she meant Stella.Bringing this up made the man's face darken subtly.He only found out about the fact that the baby girl hadn't died shortly before Stella was recognized by the Saun family.Back then, the woman had shown him a dead baby, claiming it was Freesia's. It turned out the baby wasn't the Saun family heiress; she had taken a dead infant from elsewhere and falsely claimed it was Freesia's.He hadn't seen his own daughter being born, but he had seen the baby who would soon replace his daughter in life. He had felt deeply guilty at the time, so much so that he didn't dare to look too much, thinking that once death was confirmed, his purpose was achieved. But he never expected that one of the people he bribed would have a soft heart.If Stella hadn't died, the Saun and the
Stella glanced at Aldor. "You don't seem well. Have you been overworking lately? Work has calmed down, so you should take a break. If Aldor gets burned out, you'll be the one dealing with the consequences down the line."Keegan handed her the thermos. "Do I seem like the type of boss who doesn't care about my employees' well-being? If Aldor needs time off, I can grant it anytime."Aldor quickly responded, "That won't be necessary, ma'am. I'm perfectly fine and don't need time off."Normally, Keegan would have approved Aldor's leave request without hesitation, but after what had just occurred, Aldor didn't dare to ask.Keegan didn't react much when he found out about Aldor’s night fishing plans with Aurora during his call with Stella.After they hung up, just a few hundred meters later, Keegan asked, "About your night fishing... How many people are there?"Aldor replied, "There's a night fishing group, about twenty-something people. Depending on everyone's schedule, there could be
Stella quipped.Keegan chuckled, "Worried you'll go soft, huh? Seems I was overthinking."Stella said, "I was indeed feeling a bit soft, but something just happened that made me very uncomfortable."She briefly mentioned Larry kneeling down, "I wasn't that angry before. But when I saw him kneeling outside, my temper flared up instantly. With so many people watching, I felt like he was pressuring me, so I took the opportunity to reassign him."Sighing, she continued, "Actually, on the way here, I felt a bit guilty. I wondered if I was being too harsh. He's currently short of money to get a cochlear implant for his son. His new position will surely pay less than before."Keegan patted her hand. "A cochlear implant is just an assistive device; it's not a matter of life and death. If he wants to get one for his son, there's no rush for it. But going behind your back to take on a side job, I find that hard to justify."Stella blinked, asking softly, "Do you think he's lying?"Keegan
Stella glanced up and saw Trevor sitting in the Bentley next to them, glancing their way.Their car windows were closed, so Trevor couldn't see much, but he recognized Keegan's car. Since they hadn't gotten out of the car for a while, Trevor figured Keegan was up to no good.Hearing Trevor's voice, Keegan let go of Stella's hand, straightened up, and tidied her clothes, sitting upright.Aldor had a vague feeling like he was seeing his own future mistakes.Trevor got out of the car, wearing a khaki casual jacket and black pants, his hairstyle and demeanor reminiscent of Leighton Hall's. With sunglasses hanging from his nose, lips slightly pursed, broad shoulders and long legs, he looked both suave and commanding.Previously, they didn't think he looked much like Leighton, but now, dressed like this, wearing sunglasses, if someone unfamiliar saw him, they'd probably mistake him for Leighton. They were too alike.Stella got out of the car, carrying her bag, and walked toward Trevor,
Stella nodded, "Hi, Maya."Maya retrieved a neatly wrapped gift box from her bag and handed it over, "I wasn't sure what to bring for our first meeting, so I made these sachets myself. Give them a try."Stella was a bit surprised. "Maya, you're into scents too?"Maya smiled, "I got into scents because of Trevor. He used to love playing around with them."Stella was surprised once again.She hadn't seen Trevor indulge in scents much, so she assumed he wasn't interested in them.However, Trevor seemed hesitant to broach the topic further, simply saying, "Let's order first, I'm hungry."Maya hesitated for a moment, lowering her eyes to conceal her disappointment.Stella quickly interjected, "Maya, it's been a while since you've been back, right? How about trying some hometown dishes today?"Maya put on a smile. "Sure, you decide."As the waiter was about to leave after taking their dinner orders, Trevor suddenly piped up, "Add a roast."Maya shot a quick glance at Trevor, who ex
"Haha," Stella chuckled awkwardly, "Trevor, how did you know I didn't bring tissue?"Keegan's eyelid twitched. That was indeed a seamless excuse. His lips moved slightly, unabashedly following his wife's lead, "I didn't bring any either."Trevor tossed Stella’s bag and tissues to them, then shot Keegan a glare before slamming the door shut.Stella was speechless."Is he mad at me?"Keegan looked worried. "I think, instead of worrying about yourself, you should worry about me first. Even if Trevor is mad at you, his target will only be me."Stella breathed a sigh of relief, "That's a relief then."Keegan was speechless.Stella grabbed his hand, speaking earnestly, "Anyway, he's never liked you for a long time, so this one thing won't make a difference."Keegan was even more speechless.Blessed is she while he carries the blame. Truly, she's a good wife to him!Keegan took Stella to the hotel's entertainment area. Ever since her morning sickness had passed, Stella's appetite h
"That photo turned out really nice," Stella said happily as she turned to share it with Keegan.But Keegan wasn't pleased, feeling she made him look silly. He insisted she give him the phone so he could take the photo.Stella's eyelid twitched. "You want to take it? You'll reduce my height from 1.68 meters to 1.38 meters. Mr. Kane, don't you know your own photography skills?"Keegan retorted, "Are my photography skills really that bad?"Stella replied, "Let me put it this way, if you sprinkle some rice on a phone, even chickens can take better photos than you."Feeling somewhat humiliated, Keegan gritted his teeth. "Then let's go out and play. If I take pictures for you, will you stare at them for half the night?"He shouldn't have brought it up. As soon as he did, Stella's suppressed memories suddenly resurfaced."If I don't stare at them, trying to convince myself that your skills are just bad, I'm afraid I'll end up fighting with you directly at the hotel. Look at this face o
Stella was puzzled.Felicity's voice came through Keegan's phone, "Stella! You've become the other woman! And with your cousin at that!"Keegan was confused, and Stella was even more confused. What was this about exes and current partners? And why did the voice sound so familiar?"Did you... did you call the wrong number?" Stella asked quietly.There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by a hesitant voice, "Ste… Stella?"Stella was taken aback. Did she know her?"It's me. May I ask who this is?"The person on the other end didn't respond immediately, but Stella could hear her breathing getting erratic.Keegan took the phone back from Stella and put it on speaker. "Do you need something?"Joe Esper gritted his teeth. "Who just answered the phone?"Keegan said, "My wife.""Impossible!" Joe ground his teeth. "You obsessed fan! Did you find a voice double to mess with me on purpose?"Keegan replied calmly, "I'm not that childish, and no one can replace her."Joe
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