Chris, in a half-asleep state, instinctively pulled her tighter into his embrace. Paige kept her eyes open and listened carefully to the crying, which came in intermittent sobs. Terrified, she clung tightly to Chris, seeking comfort in his embrace. However, the sudden hug woke Chris. He looked at her in his arms, and she seemed scared. Scared? Of what? “What’s wrong?” he asked. His voice startled Paige, making her jump. She looked up immediately and accidentally hit her head on his chin. The collision was loud. Chris grunted painfully. He did not expect the girl to have such a hard skull. Paige looked at him with teary eyes, which baffled him. He was the one whose chin she knocked into, but why was she the one crying? Nevertheless, Chris asked, “Did it hurt?” Paige nodded with her teary eyes. Seeing her exceptionally pitiful look, he gently stroked her head to comfort the girl. Paige blushed at how gentle Chris was to her, which was rare.After a few pats, Chris
Sierra was crying again, and it made her wonder what was bothering her this time. It was quite a revelation. Her older sister, although looking delicate and gentle, was never one to cry so easily before.“Sierra, are you alright?” Paige asked worriedly.Sierra quickly wiped the tears off her face. Choking back a sob, she answered, “I-It’s nothing. Just some sand in my eye.”Paige was skeptical about her reply because she looked devastated. Besides, how could sand get in her eyes in a restaurant?However, so be it. Sierra must have her reasons for not telling her.In fact, Paige had a hunch about why Sierra was crying. Earlier, when she was grabbing breakfast, she had secretly observed Sierra and Chris having a conversation. Chris must have said something hurtful to make Sierra cry. Paige sighed, wondering why Chris always had to upset Sierra. Did men enjoy seeing women cry?Paige ate her breakfast in silence, with Chris sitting beside her, completely unfazed by Sierra’s emoti
Paige could feel someone watching her, and when she looked up, she saw Chris staring at her."You're awake?" she asked.She felt guilty, wondering if she was the one who woke him up."Can’t sleep?" Chris responded.“...Yeah.”Chris asked, “Are you waiting for something?”Paige hesitated before replying, "No... I’m not."Chris remarked, "I think you're waiting for something."Paige pressed her lips together.Chris could believe whatever he wanted. After all, he was in charge."Sleep," Chris said, pulling her close. "I’ve warned her.""Warned her about what?" Paige was confused.Chris clarified, "I’ve warned her not to cry tonight."The ‘her’ in question was unspoken, but Paige knew he referred to Sierra.Paige stared at Chris, astonished by his audacity. Had he really warned Sierra not to cry? That was when it finally dawned on Paige why Sierra had been so upset that morning. Sierra had been crying over Chris, and instead of comforting her, he warned her not to cry. Pa
Paige had initially planned to arrive in the North Cannes early to tour and visit its famous landmarks. However, due to her sister's involvement with Randall and other unforeseen situations, they had mostly stayed in the hotel and had not ventured out. Her cousin's wedding was tomorrow, and after the wedding, she would be returning to Hevensford.Paige sighed. She felt that coming to North Cannes early was a terrible decision.How could she approach Sierra with such a plea? To urge her to stop her fruitless endeavors in pursuing Chris? After all, Chris harbored no affection for Sierra. In fact, each of Sierra's desperate attempts, her pitiable displays of affection, only served to deepen his hatred toward her.Ever since they got married, Paige had noticed Chris' indifference toward Sierra. As long as Sierra did not provoke Chris, he would act as if she did not exist.After much thought, Paige decided it was time to talk to her sister and help her move on. It would be better fo
Sensing that something was wrong with Sierra’s tone, Paige immediately lifted up her head. She was met with the sight of Sierra, brimming with tears and lost in Chris's gaze.Oh, not again… Paige felt her patience thinning to its last thread.With Sierra acting like that, it was not just Chris who found it annoying. Even Paige was at her wits’ end.It was Sierra who had betrayed Chris in the first place. Yet, here she was, playing the heartbroken damsel, acting like it was Chris who had let her down.Paige wondered if she was even aware of how shameless she was acting.Even though they were sisters, Paige was running out of sympathy.Chris, on the other hand, barely spared Sierra a glance. He probably thought she would ruin his appetite. Instead, he shot a knowing look at Paige, as if waiting for something.Sensing his unspoken challenge, Paige realized Chris wanted her to step up, to deal with Sierra head-on. Deep down, Paige knew Chris hoped she would cut through the drama.
Yet now, Paige was having a bit of an attitude around Chris, a side of her that Randall had never seen before; and Chris, who usually appeared cold, was actually trying to comfort her.No, his coldness was not just an act. He genuinely did not care. When his former fiancée unexpectedly fainted in front of him, he did not flinch nor show any concern. Was that not the very definition of cold-heartedness? Any normal person would definitely have expressed concern if a stranger were to faint in front of them, let alone a former fiancée with whom he had a history with.However, that very man was very gentle toward Paige. Although Chris' face remained stoic and his words might not sound particularly comforting, As a man himself, Randall could sense Chris’ underlying warmth beneath his cold facade.Randall felt a pang of envy.As a fellow man, he had to acknowledge Chris' appeal. He understood why countless women found him irresistible, and when he did make an effort, how could someone l
She just could not grasp today's beauty standards.While it was true that being overweight is not attractive or conducive to good health, being too thin had a similar effect.Sierra softly murmured, "I’m not dieting to lose weight... I just can’t eat. I have not had much of an appetite lately."After saying that, she glanced faintly at Chris.Paige was at a loss for words.Could Sierra not eat because of Chris? Was she lovesick?Chris did not even bother to look at Sierra.Ugh… What bullshit.He thought Sierra was acting like a lunatic right now.She used to be somewhat normal. No... Perhaps she was not normal before, either.After all, how could a normal woman do something like betray her fiancé? Furthermore, she betrayed an outstanding, handsome, and godlike man like himself.Before, he did not quite understand. Now, he finally did.It turned out that Sierra was mentally ill.All of Sierra's emotions were completely ignored.The atmosphere became awkward and silen
Sierra had to make the move. If he acted and left any traces or evidence, his life was ruined.He desired both Paige and a successful life. A career and a beautiful partner were equally important to him. Therefore, he could not afford to leave any vulnerabilities that could be exploited by Chris.He had to wait for Sierra to take action, which was surely soon.It seemed he would not have to wait much longer.…Paige and Chris walked out of the hospital. Just outside was a street with various affordable restaurants. So, they chose a random restaurant, ordered a few dishes, and started eating.Although Paige was hungry, her appetite was lacking. Her sister's situation weighed heavily on her heart, making it difficult for her to eat despite her hunger.Chris noticed her eating very little and raised an eyebrow, asking, "Are you done?"Paige nodded and replied, "Yes, I’m full.""Ha," Chris chuckled with an ambiguous tone. He looked at her in a peculiar way, making her wonder w
The receptionist did not reply. Gloria: [You're in trouble. I can't save you now.]The receptionist: [No, I haven't eaten it yet.]Gloria: [Good thing you haven't. I'm coming down.]As soon as the receptionist received Gloria's message, Gloria stepped out of the elevator.Upon reaching the front desk and noticing the bag of strawberry laces opened on the desk, Gloria glared at the receptionist. "You said you hadn't eaten it!"The receptionist looked a little guilty. "I just opened it and haven't had a chance to take one yet."Gloria sneered. "Haven't had a chance? You sound like you regret it."“I don't.""You can't afford this cup of bubble tea. If you did take one, watch out… You might lose your job."The receptionist paused in surprise. "Is it expensive?"Gloria nodded. "It is."“Good thing I didn't take one," the receptionist mumbled. Gloria rolled her eyes. If they were not on the same team, she would not even bother saving her."Why is this bag of strawberry laces
Chris chuckled. "Really?"Paige's face turned slightly red. She felt embarrassed saying that, and it felt like Chris did not believe her. However, she bit the bullet and nodded. "Yeah, really."Chris smiled and said, "Well then, when you miss me next time, don't just think about it because thinking won't do you any good. When you miss me or care about me, just send me a message or call to check in. After all, I can’t read minds. Also, if you want to hug me, just hug me. Don't hold Hunter in your arms and say you want to hug me. That's just hypocritical."Paige faltered. Hug him when she wanted to hug him? Thanks, but she did not want to hug him. She could easily pick up Hunter, but could she lift Chris so easily? She was not that strong, to begin with."Remember. From now on, when you think of me, send me a message. Ask me if I've eaten, what I've eaten, if I'm tired from work, what I'm doing, or tell me what you're thinking about. Don't keep it all to yourself," Chris said wit
What did he take her for?Besides, what could a woman do with photos? She was not one of those perverted men who did some creepy stuff with women’s photos."Nothing worth admiring?" Chris raised an eyebrow.Paige nodded. "Yeah, they’re nothing worth admiring."Indeed, there was nothing worth admiring about the photos."Ha!” Chris snickered.Paige remained silent and thought, ‘Here comes the snickering again.’"You don’t mean what you say," Chris remarked.Paige frowned. "What did I say that implies otherwise? You're a strange one. You're right here in front of me. Why would I need to admire the photos?"Chris grinned. "So you don't want to admire the photos, but you want to admire me, a living person."Paige blushed slightly, feeling embarrassed. She did not mean that, but what she just said seemed to imply exactly that."How would you want to admire me?" Chris teased.Admire was such an intriguing word.Paige blushed harder. "How else can I admire you? Just by looking,
Before Hunter was born, Chris was the absolute darling of the family. His grandfather favored him, and his parents loved him dearly.However, Hunter's arrival had changed everything. The elders in the family revolved around Hunter all day long. Zander’s first question upon waking up each morning was about Hunter, followed by Ann cuddling Hunter, calling him her darling, and so on.It seemed like everyone had forgotten about Chris.How could Chris, who had always been so cherished, accept that?Chris's expression stiffened as if his thoughts had been unexpectedly revealed, his eyes flickering momentarily.Paige chuckled and said, "Are you seriously competing with a child for attention? Besides, you've been pampered by the family for so many years. Hunter has only been pampered for a few days."Chris retorted coldly, "I'm not competing with him."Paige did not buy it for a second. She smiled and said, "Sure, you're not competing with him. You're just afraid we'll spoil Hunter."A
Before, Paige could not understand people showing off their babies and wondered why they would go crazy posting their kids on social media. Now, she got it. She found her kid to be the cutest in the world and could not help but snap his photos and post them on her social media platforms to share him with others, hoping for compliments and praise for her little one.However, she also understood that posting too much could annoy people. Hence, she restrained herself to only posting once a day and made sure to fit in a couple of photos!That was her absolute limit!She felt uneasy if she did not post her baby for a day. Then, when she saw her friends' comments praising her little one, she felt happy and proud, like they were getting closer as friends.Indeed, becoming a mom had changed her mindset.Chris, who was watching Paige show off their baby on social media, was even more dissatisfied! They had been married for a long time and had a child together, yet his appearances o
After what felt like ages, Ava lay on the hotel's large bed, staring blankly at the ceiling as the sound of rushing water filled her ears. Niel was in the shower. After releasing his pent-up emotions, he headed straight for the shower. Meanwhile, she lay there, her body aching. She did not want to move a muscle because every movement brought pain.Niel was thrilled with the new experience, but Ava was suffering. She was starting to regret getting involved with Niel. He was going overboard with satisfying his physical needs, and she feared that if things continued like that, Niel might end up causing her harm or maybe even unintentionally ending her life. She had heard of such things happening before, so now, she was caught between a rock and a hard place.On one hand, she did not want to let go of Niel and give up on all the sacrifices and efforts she had put in when she was on the brink of marrying into a wealthy family and becoming a billionaire's wife. On the other han
Pierre fell silent, pondering Shelly's words carefully. Upon reflection, he found Shelly's proposal to be pretty reasonable and entirely feasible. If he were to wait until Shelly entered prison to serve her sentence, he could break up with her afterward. Once his relationship with Shelly ended, his parents would not be as angry. Even if there were some constraints preventing them from openly helping him, they could still assist him discreetly. After all, he was their son, who shared the same blood with them. His parents could not possibly abandon him entirely and let him fend for himself. By lowering himself in front of his parents, he believed they would not neglect him. By then, acquiring the five million dollars would not be too difficult.Shelly watched Pierre, not pressing him to respond. She believed Pierre knew what choice to make. Five million might seem like an astronomical figure, but for the second son of the Alfonsos, it was not much.After much deliberation
She looked at the evil smile on Chris' face, and it all came back to her.Did Chris Intentionally take Hunter to the guest room to hand him over to the nanny so that it would make it easier for him to do what he wanted? What a scumbag! However, since it was something she had personally agreed to, she would not back out.Paige did not resist Chris, and a long time later, she collapsed on the bed. She felt like she should have taken care of Hunter and not fallen for Chris' tricks.Taking care of a child was not as exhausting!She was too tired to even move her fingers.The next day, Paige slept until late morning and then got up to go down for breakfast.When Ann saw Paige, she asked with concern, "Paige, didn't you sleep well last night?"Paige looked really worn out."Didn't Hunter sleep with the nanny last night?" Ann asked curiously.Paige blushed with embarrassment and said, "Last night… I wasn't used to sleeping without Hunter, so I didn't get a good sleep."Ann smile
Even if she offered her sincerity, Chris would not appreciate it, so what else could she offer? "Is money the only thing you have? Do you have nothing else besides money?" Chris said.He thought she was truly clueless. Even after being married for so long and having a child together, did she not know what he wanted?However, Paige was indeed puzzled. Besides money, what else did she have? What else could she have?Chris looked her up and down, speechless. Paige might not have understood what he meant before, but she did now. He meant that although she did not have money, she still had a young body.It seemed all Chris lusted was her body."I’m still recovering," Paige said with a slight blush on her face. She knew Chris had been patient for a long time. They barely had any intimacy during the last trimester of her pregnancy, but there was nothing she could do. She did not want to refuse him, but her body would not allow it.Chris glanced at Paige and said, "We can try other