At that moment, he truly regretted marrying Tina. Back then, he thought Tina was elegant, virtuous, and gracious. Now? Well, she's just a shrew.He must have been blind to marry such a shrew.Chris, on the other hand, did not find it awkward as he watched openly. As long as he did not make it seem awkward, everyone else could be.Seeing Chris unfazed, Paige felt a little awkward. However, standing behind Chris with her head peeking out did not seem that awkward.Due to Chris and Paige's arrival, the couple stopped arguing. Tina glanced at Niel before abruptly grabbing her phone and storming out."Mom… Mom…” Mia cried, calling for her mother.Tina glanced at Chris and Paige for a brief moment. Then, without saying anything, she headed downstairs.It made Paige wonder if Tina was leaving the house and going back to her parents to complain, seeking their intervention.Tina left, leaving Niel alone without anyone to argue with.Paige quietly tugged on Chris's shirt from behind.
"In the coming days, take a good break at home and be there for Tina. She needs your companionship and care," Zander said.After that, he rose from his seat and left.Niel's expression turned grim as he looked at the teary-eyed Tina. Liam and Janet were equally displeased. For Niel, taking care of Tina at home was akin to being ousted from the company. However, how long would it be for? Days, months, or even years?Even if it were just a few months, by the time Niel returned to the company, everything would have changed drastically. Some people currently supporting him might waver after months of his absence, and returning to the company after several months would mean entering a realm entirely dominated by Chris."Are you happy now? Satisfied?" Niel glared at Tina, trying to suppress the urge to lash out physically. He felt Tina was purposely escalating the conflict to involve their grandfather.In the past, they had arguments, but every time they did, they would resolve it
Chris grinned. "With your attitude, you're bound to get in trouble one day."Paige looked at him blankly. "What trouble am I going to get into?""Do you think watching dramas is fun? Haven't you seen the news? How many people watching dramas for excitement end up getting hurt? Didn't you notice that Niel wanted to throw a punch just now?" Chris said casually.Paige recalled the scene and realized she did not notice that just now.Then, she smiled, linking her arm with Chris's. "I know I have you. With you around, you won’t stand and watch me get beaten up. You can't bear to see that happen."Chris replied calmly, "It's not that I can't bear to see you get beaten up. It's that I can't bear to see my child get beaten up."Paige pouted and looked at Chris with a hint of sorrow. "So, only the child is important, and I'm not?"Chris nodded. "Yes."Paige felt upset and heartbroken.Was she just an emotionless tool for bearing children? Was she nothing without a child?She had read
Still, Tina did not say a word.Her silence infuriated Liam who, as her elder, had gone to such lengths to explain things to her. "Think it through yourself," Liam said coldly.After that, he turned to Niel and said, "Niel, stay with Tina."Niel nodded in reply.Liam and Janet left with Mia, leaving only Niel and Tina in the room.Niel looked at Tina, wishing he could just slap her hard and kick her off the balcony. That foolish woman had ruined his years of hard work.Zander must be genuinely angry with his actions to suspend him from work and teach him a lesson. This incident had tarnished his image in Zander's eyes, and for that, Niel hated Tina so much. He could not believe he had married such a foolish woman. Did she not understand that they were in the same boat? If he could not do well, how could Tina fare any better?Yet, just because of a rumor, everyone in the Jewell family now knew about their family troubles. Tina had no sense of the bigger picture at all.N
He spoke with such rationality and cruelty, leaving her momentarily at a loss for words."So, does it not bother you?" Paige asked.Chris chuckled. "What's there to be bothered about? Grandpa may prefer Niel more, but he also likes me and treats me well.""In that case, what would be considered crossing the line?" Paige inquired.Chris paused before saying, "Maybe… when Niel jeopardizes the interests of the Jewell Group. That's when Grandpa might truly be disappointed in him."Paige asked, "Would Niel really do something that foolish?"Chris laughed. "Who knows?"Paige looked at Chris in astonishment, wondering if he was implying that Niel might do it.There was no way Niel could be that foolish, right? It seemed impossible.Even she, who was not the brightest girl, would not do anything to harm Jewell Group's interests if she were in Niel's position. After all, Jewell Group's future success would mean dividends for Niel, which was money. Harming Jewell Group's interests w
Shelly had been bombarded with all sorts of nasty comments and judgments the past few days. Once a person celebrated by friends, she now faced relentless criticism from both men and women. Some even went so far as to insult her with money, inviting her to fool around with them for a price.Shelly was furious.She knew leaving the Shepards would put her in a tough spot, but she never expected it to be that difficult. It had not been long since she left home, and her former friends were already treating her like that.The future looked bleak.Pierre, who now lived with Shelly, experienced a similar downfall. Those who once praised him were now turning their backs on him, but he took it in stride. He saw it as an opportunity to distinguish between genuine friends and fair-weather companions.Pierre was content.Living with Shelly, like a married couple, felt like a dream come true. "Hey, darling." Pierre approached Shelly, embraced her, and asked with a smile, "What do you feel
Paige could not care less about her mom. Thanks to the messy divorce, her dad and mom had become bitter enemies, so there was no chance she would lend a hand to their mom. In that case, her mom would have no choice but to rely on herself.However, if her mom squandered the money or got swindled, she would have to spend Sierra’s money.Sierra pondered over it and decided to have a chat with Wendy about where the money went after her stint in jail.… Sierra arranged to meet Wendy at a coffee shop. When Wendy arrived, Sierra noticed she had aged in the short span they had not seen each other. Once a well-groomed lady, even with age, Wendy managed to retain her elegance. Yet now, Wendy’s wrinkles had become apparent, fatigue had taken a toll on her, and her eyes were clouded.It looked like her mother was afraid of going to jail. It must have been a tough time for Wendy, and perhaps she had been struggling to eat or sleep."Mom," Sierra called out to Wendy.Wendy nodded fain
Caught off guard, Wendy stared at Sierra. She had not expected Sierra to think that far ahead."I wanted to manage your assets because I trust I wouldn't take a penny from you, but I don't trust anyone else. However, it seems you prefer to trust those so-called intermediaries and financial advisors over your daughter." Sierra expressed her frustration and sadness.Wendy hurriedly explained, "No, Sierra, it's not that. I just…”Sierra looked at Wendy and asked, "Just what?"Wendy opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found herself at a loss for words. In reality, she feared Sierra might have an eye on her wealth because she knew Sierra was not happy with the dowry she provided, finding it inadequate.Sierra had not explicitly mentioned it, but being Sierra's mother, Wendy understood her daughter's thoughts and actions perfectly. To Wendy, it was not about Sierra coveting her wealth; it was because that was all she had left. Having divorced Bob, relying on her family
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