***Jasper observed in silence as the Andrews' car pulled into their residence. How dare they snatch the boss' woman? They had no idea what they were getting themselves into. They would soon learn when the boss arrived.Even though he could easily storm in and deal with every single one of them, the boss had explicitly instructed him to hold back. So, for now, he would obey and refrain from taking action.The Andrew family disembarked from the car, and Mia was roughly pushed out as well. The girl had been crying the entire way to this place, and her tears showed no signs of stopping.Cole Andrew, the family patriarch, turned to face her. Despite finding the girl's continuous sobbing irritating, he tried to maintain a calm and understanding demeanor."Hey, girl. Stop your tears. No one will harm you here," he said, attempting to hide his irritation.Mia sniffled, her cries growing louder. "I just want to go home," she wailed.Cole's irritation intensified, and he exploded in anger. Gri
By this time, the Andrew family had already emerged from inside the house to investigate the commotion. When Cole and the rest of the family laid eyes on the torn-down gate, their mouths gaped open in bewilderment. What had happened? Did a bulldozer crash into it? How could their sturdy gate collapse like this? They were stunned and desperate for answers.Even the servants were taken aback by the sight of the huge iron gate lying on the ground. They remained frozen at their stations, trying to recover from the shock."Who did this?" Cole Andrew seethed with rage."Who the hell—" He was about to unleash his anger when a calm yet commanding voice interrupted him."I did," Shawn declared boldly, his figure towering above everyone present.At that moment, the Andrew family shifted their gaze from the damaged gate to the intruder.Cole instinctively took a step back, studying the man from head to toe. The stranger exuded an air of power, dressed impeccably elegant in a tuxedo… He didn’t
Susan had to do what she had to for her son. There was no way on earth that anyone would come and take Mathew's bride away."Here." She raised the file in her hand mid-air."Here's the contract signed by both families of the Andrew and the Thompson. The marriage contract is already stamped! The first daughter of the Thompson family is now the wife of our son." Susan Andrew summoned all the courage she had left and spoke.A few moments passed by, and no one said a word. If a pin dropped at that moment, the sound of it would be heard miles away.The statue-like figure simply continued staring at the woman before him as if she was an irrelevant nobody, uttering no word at all.Just when Susan Andrew thought he wasn't going to reply and wanted to open her mouth to speak again, Shawn's low but cold voice resounded in the air."Let me see."As soon as he said this, Lucas walked three paces forward and collected the file from Susan. He returned to his boss's side and handed it over to him."
Ignoring the onlookers and Cole Andrew's deafening pleas, Lucas quickly followed the big boss and opened the car door. Shawn settled Mia in the backseat, and then he got in beside her.Lucas shut the car door and turned to face Jasper, who stood by the side, awaiting his next order. "We're heading home," he said.Jasper nodded and entered the car he drove to the Andrew family’s residence. While Lucas heaved a sigh and stepped into the driver's seat. He ignited the car engine and sped off.The drive back to the mansion was, as usual, cold and silent. Mia's tears had dried completely, but she still seemed weak and feeble, with her cheek still blazing red.Shawn took a quick look at her and gritted his teeth, holding back the urge to scold her. He wondered why she hadn't called him. Why did she leave school in the first place? Why did she keep getting herself in trouble? Did she want to be the death of him?He knew yelling wouldn't help the situation, considering her fragile state. So,
Huffing, he returned the phone to her bag. He then headed into the closet, dressed up for bed, and walked out of the room.When Shawn got downstairs, he called for Madam Susan. “Take the girl away from my room and help her with the needful.” Madam Susan bobbed knowingly and then headed up the stairs with two maids.The moment the trio entered the Master’s bedroom, they walked over to the bed and stared down at the sleeping beauty.Madam Susan couldn’t help but wonder how the girl got there. Did the master carry her there? That was the first time a stranger was entering Shawn’s room. And to think he carried her in himself… and even laid the girl on his bed.Madam Susan blinked away her thoughts and hunched low. Patting Mia’s arm, she said, “Madam, please wake up. Let’s get you bathed.”Tired and sleepy as hell, Mia groaned in her sleep. The housekeeper nodded her head at the maids and they immediately helped Mia up, each holding one of her arms, and then led her out of the room.Dro
The following morning.As Mia was extremely tired the previous day, she slept all through the night and didn’t wake up until very late into the morning.The faint ray of sunlight peering into the room made her squint her eyes in disapproval as she stirred awake.Stretching, she yawned. The first thing that crossed her mind as soon as she became wide awake was food. She was hungry. Extremely hungry. She hadn’t eaten much throughout the previous day. She even skipped dinner.Heaving a deep sigh, she removed the duvet from her body and dropped her legs to the ground. As soon as her feet came in contact with the cold floor, lightning struck her and her eyes widened at once. Memories from the middle of the night came flooding through her head as she stared into space, wide-eyed. What was that? Was she dreaming? The scenario of her kissing Shawn kept replaying in her mind. The more that happened, the wider her eyes got. She was in deep shit!Hastily, she turned and gazed at the other sid
All the way through to Beats Corporations, the chauffeur who drove the CEO would occasionally catch the CEO smiling to himself, through the rearview mirror. Initially, he had thought he was imagining things, but as it continued to happen, it became evident that he wasn't hallucinating.He couldn't help but wonder what exactly was causing the big boss to act in such a manner. Did something happen? Shaking his head, George shifted his focus away from the CEO and concentrated on his driving.Upon their arrival at Beats Corporations, as the CEO stepped out of the car, he adjusted his tuxedo's button and walked past George, who was holding the car door open, with a lowered head.After taking just three leisurely steps, CEO Shawn halted abruptly and turned to face his chauffeur. "Good work today."With those words, the CEO entered the main building.George was extremely taken aback by the statement. As he watched the CEO's retreating figure, he blinked in confusion.Something seemed off ab
***Mia laid on her bed, staring at the ceiling in boredom when a sneeze unexpectedly erupted from her nose. “Ntin!”Frowning, she pondered who might be talking badly about her.She shrugged her shoulders, slipping down from the bed. She then sauntered over to the window. Less than twenty-four hours had passed, yet she was already weary of staying home. Having to remain there for the entire week ahead felt like a burden.To make matters worse, she wouldn't be able to attend Grandpa Mandez's Saturday birthday party either. What a bummer.Boredom would definitely kill her before the week was over.Peering through the window, Mia noticed the sun starting to set. With a sigh, she gazed at the beautiful garden and spotted Madam Susan exiting with gardening tools in hand. What a gorgeous garden. She resolved to go down there sometime. The flowers' fragrant scents would offer some solace. A smile brightened Mia's face.—————Same Day. R High School.As classes ended, students trooped out of
Jennifer Mandez smiled, observing the girl's downcast expression as she joined her side. She gently took off her gloves and cradled Mia's cheeks in her palms."Be free with me, Mia. I'm your mother as well. I held that title before I resumed being Shawn's mother," she chuckled.She paused briefly before continuing, "I want you to forgive me for hurting you. I apologize sincerely. Now, I know better. You're a rare gem, and I wouldn't want Sunshine to be with anyone but you."Mia's eyes widened, "Does that mean we have your blessing to proceed…?"She nodded, grinning."Thank you, Mom!" The girl squeaked happily, and they embraced in a tight, warm hug.“Now, we have to start preparing for the wedding. The date’s just around the corner.”She nodded and they both returned back inside.Soon, the wedding day arrived. Despite the commonality of extravagant weddings among the wealthy, Shawn and Mia's celebration stood out for its simplicity. Only a select few family and friends were invited, a
Shawn's lips tightened. "I believe you," he paused, "however, it's not you that I was referring to; it's the person behind you."‘Huh?’ Amanda's tears ceased instantly, and she swiftly turned to look behind her, as did everyone else.Anderson.Confusion swept through the room."You sending provoking pictures to Yvonne, making her rush back to the country... I was initially going to let you be. However, things changed after discovering you were the one who instigated the accident three years ago. And then you completely crossed the line by sending me those absurd threat messages," Shawn's icy voice confronted Anderson.Anderson stood, clearly taken aback. He hadn't anticipated Shawn's discovery to be so soon. He usually covered his tracks meticulously…“Why? After all these years working for Grandfather, why engage in such actions?” Shawn's brows furrowed deeply.Anderson chuckled. There was nothing to hide anymore, so why not come out clean? “Exactly. I've toiled for the old geezer fo
Upon arriving home, Shawn tenderly lifted his wife and placed her in their bedroom; she had fallen asleep during the ride. Delicately, he undressed her and tucked her into bed, taking a moment to remove her makeup with beauty wipes.As he disposed of the used wipes, Mia's phone started ringing on the nightstand. Without hesitation, he picked it up and noticed that the caller ID was unknown. He answered the call and brought the phone to his ear."Mia, I apologize. It's all my fault. Please, let's reconcile and go back to how we used to be."Upon hearing those words from the caller, Shawn's brows furrowed in irritation. Without uttering a word, he promptly ended the call. 'Dimwit.' As he placed the phone back on the stand, his thumb inadvertently pressed the photos app and opened it.He perched on the edge of the bed, smiling as he scrolled through the pictures on the girl’s phone. Soon, he stumbled upon an unexpected image—none other than a picture of himself, Shawn Mandez. In it, he
Veronica observed, sipping her cocktail, "Ah, so you two are acquainted." She taunted Martha, "Give this cocktail a try; after all, you seem to enjoy coveting what doesn't belong to you."Martha, a hint of fear in her voice, responded quickly, "Um, I don't know him."Veronica clicked her tongue in irritation, shaking her head at Martha's facade. How could she have been so blind to see the girl’s true color all these while?Everyone eyed the person who had just stepped in with confused expressions on their faces. The boy seemed to be around their age, however, he wasn’t familiar at all. He didn't bear the hallmarks of someone from their high school."Who's he?""No idea.""Recognize him?""Not at all."Veronica smiled, reassuring them, "Relax, everyone. You're about to meet him now."Martha's heart raced, fear escalating within her.Veronica turned to the newcomer, asking, "Tell us who you are and what brings you here."The guy's eyes shifted, locking onto Martha. "I'm Jason, Martha's
"Vicky Lewis!" Gasps echoed through the room as all eyes fixated on the newcomer.Mia was also taken aback to see her. She hadn't crossed paths with Vicky since she was expelled from high school, making tonight's encounter unexpected. Instinctively, an uneasy feeling settled within her.Was she here to bully her?However, Mia wasn't alone in her discomfort. Another individual seemed to be grappling with an even stronger sense of unease in response to Vicky's presence.'Why is she here? How did she manage to appear?' Martha gnawed on her lip, nearly drawing blood.After the girl's family faced bankruptcy and her father was incarcerated, Martha believed it spelled the end for Vicky Lewis.Despite Vicky’s persistent calls and attempts to connect, she remained indifferent, never acknowledging her.Long ago, she'd blocked her contact when her incessant calls became irritating. She wasn't responsible for her father's corruption or having a baby mama. She hadn't urged her to bully Mia to the
Upon entering the venue, a chorus of admiration erupted as Martha made her presence known.“You're as dazzling as ever, Martha.”“Your skin is positively radiant.”“Share your beauty secrets with us.”In a chic caramel knee-length dress beautified with subtle floral patterns, paired with classic silver heels, she exuded elegance. A silver necklace firmly adorned on her neck added a touch of poise, creating a simple yet tasteful look for the one-month school reunion.Martha waved her hand dismissively, cheeks turning a rosy hue as she blushed at the compliments pouring in. “Oh, come on, you guys. Enough about me. You all look fantastic yourselves,” she chuckled, taking her seat."Ah, I know. Max is treating her well.""Trueeee!" The collective cooing echoed.Martha simply giggled. "He'll be joining us shortly also.""Thank goodness that Mia girl didn't succeed back then," remarked one of Martha's ex-classmates, and the rest nodded in agreement.Martha's expression dropped upon hearing
"I'll leave now, and never cross your path again."Shawn stood in silence, observing the girl. Without warning, he marched towards the mini lounge, retrieving a lighter from the center table.Returning to Mia, he set ablaze the documents held in his grasp before one could comprehend what was about to happen.Mia let out an immediate shriek, her eyes widening in sheer horror. "What are you—?""You are mistaken. We're eternally linked—bound forever," Shawn calmly muttered as ashes drifted to the floor.Mia blinked rapidly at him."With that resolved, let's head downstairs for dinner. It’s late," he said, changing from his robe into more casual attire.Mia remained rooted in place, her heart burdened and fatigued. "But I don't belong here... your betro—""That's not your concern, Little One. We're married. Legally married. Are you willing to discard that for a meaningless contract?"She frowned at his words.Shawn's mouth twitched as he took her hand, guiding her downstairs to the dining
Three years prior,As an intern, Charlotte found herself working late into the night on this particular day. Upon completing her tasks at B.Y TV building, she headed out. As she walked down the road, a young man approached her."Miss, Master Davis would like to see you. Please, come with me."Upon hearing this, Charlotte felt a mix of surprise and anticipation.The Davis family had consistently opposed her relationship with Damien, and the reasons remained a mystery to her. Perhaps, they were here to reconcile with her. That was her initial assumption.She promptly followed the man to the car, her heart beating rapidly in her chest as she got in."Uncle, Aunt," she bowed politely.Master Davis and his wife cast disdainful glances at the girl.“The reason we summoned you today is straightforward,” Madam Davis spoke. “Sever ties with our son. We don't want you for him.”Upon hearing the woman's heart-wrenching words, a wave of sadness engulfed Charlotte. "Wh-why? Did I do something wron
Stella and her younger siblings were bewildered to see Madam Mandez. She was meant to be deceased—three years prior, they attended her burial ceremony. How was it possible for her to stand before them now?Their astonishment outweighed any excitement, rendering them unable to leap towards her in joy at the unexpected reunion after several years. Was she a ghost?"Master Davis, Madam Davis," Jennifer greeted with a subtle smile, gesturing for the visitors to take their seats.Madam Davis closed the gap between them, taking Jennifer's hands in hers and patting them comfortingly. "It must have been challenging for you these past few years. Are you alright?"She and her husband had learnt that the woman didn’t die in the accident and had been in a coma all these while, only waking up recently…Jennifer Mandez nodded, "I'm fine, thank you, Natasha. Please, take your seat."Madam Davis nodded and then took her seat beside her husband.“It’s good to see you're doing well. However, we've come