Isabella sat at the table, resting her chin on one hand, smiling as she watched Andrew wash the dishes.When Andrew had almost finished cleaning the kitchen, she approached him, stood on her tiptoes, and gave him a kiss on the cheek as a reward.Andrew smiled helplessly. A kiss from the little girl was all it took to dismiss his efforts. He felt his labor was a bit undervalued."Since the chores are done, how about we go out for a walk?" Isabella said, linking her arm with his and smiling sweetly.Seeing her smile mischievously like a little fox, Andrew knew she had some ulterior motive."Can you even walk?" Andrew's gaze traveled down her body suggestively.Blushing, Isabella playfully hit his chest and grabbed the collar of his shirt with both hands. "Andrew, can we go to the hospital to see James?""Me, go to the hospital to see your ex-boyfriend? Do you think that's appropriate?" Andrew raised an eyebrow, feeling somewhat betrayed."I just want to see him to put my mind at ease. P
Isabella and Andrew returned to the villa after dark.She was extremely tired. After taking a bath and changing into her pajamas, she went straight to bed. He stayed in the study handling work and did not disturb her.The next day, Isabella slept in late and was eventually woken up by Andrew."Don't bother me, let me sleep a bit longer," she murmured lazily, turning over."Come on, if you don't get up, you'll miss the good show," he said with a warm smile, reaching out to lift her out of bed.She lay limply in his arms, unwilling to open her eyes."If you don't wake up, I'll kiss you," he said, gazing at her.She still didn't respond, but her slightly trembling eyelashes gave her away.Andrew's lips met hers. As soon as he kissed her, she laughed and pulled away."Andrew, are you playing 'Sleeping Beauty' so early in the morning?" she giggled, pushing him away and jumping out of bed wrapped in the blanket.He sat by the bed, looking at her with gentle eyes, "Not pretending to sleep an
"Gina, be good." Thomas half-embraced the child, looking at the woman in confusion, and asked again, "How did you get here?""Didn't you send someone to pick us up?" the woman responded, equally puzzled."What's going on here?" Thomas glanced at the silent driver standing at the door.The driver pressed his lips together without speaking, then glanced in Andrew's direction.Thomas followed his gaze and saw Andrew sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed, his eyebrows slightly raised, exuding an air of defiance and provocation.Thomas wasn't a fool and immediately understood that this was Andrew's retaliation. His driver had been bribed by Andrew, or perhaps had been Andrew's plant from the very beginning."I'd like to know what's going on too. Thomas, who are this woman and child, and what are they doing here? Explain yourself!" Stella demanded, standing up from the sofa in a rage.The little girl, terrified, clung tightly to Thomas.Thomas hugged the child, patiently comforting her,
“Stella, don't make it sound so harsh. This is indeed my fault. I acted inappropriately while drunk. Originally, I planned to send her back to her hometown, but she got pregnant suddenly. The doctor said her uterine lining is thin, and if she didn’t have this child, she might never get the chance to be a mother.This situation is my fault, and I couldn’t take away her chance to be a mother, so I let her have the child.After Gina was born, I provided them with living expenses every month but rarely had contact with them.Stella, if it makes you unhappy, I'll arrange for them to be sent far away so they won’t be in your sight…”Stella listened, sneering silently. What a plausible story—too good not to be a script. Drunken mistake, unexpected pregnancy, thin uterine lining—how did all these coincidences happen to them?Thomas’s age at the time would mean his health wasn’t that good, or he wouldn’t have gotten sick. This was treating her like a fool.“Stella, since Thomas has admitted hi
That night, after learning about the incident, Thomas fainted from anger and was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment.Soon after, Andrew and Isabella got the news and immediately went to watch the drama unfold.As evening turned into night, the hospital corridors became quiet and empty. However, outside the emergency room, there was a noisy commotion and chaos.The doctor issued a critical condition notice, and Mr. Jacob, holding the notice, was trembling uncontrollably. Mrs. Hannah, in a fit of rage, slapped Stella across the face."Foolish woman, foolish woman," Mrs. Hannah cursed repeatedly.Stella, stunned by the slap, was still seething with resentment. Thomas was the one who kept a mistress; he was clearly at fault. She had merely gone to teach that bitch a lesson."Mom." Henry and Nora naturally defended their mother."Grandpa, Grandma, Dad is in critical condition. I know you’re upset, and my mom is also feeling terrible. Ultimately, it’s Dad’s fault for cheating. M
"Alright, I'll go to the hospital tomorrow," Isabella replied."There's one more thing," Andrew added, "Caleb's company is facing some problems.""Well." Isabella nodded nonchalantly upon hearing this, as if she had known it all along.In fact, she did know. For once, her information came a few days earlier than Andrew's."You knew it?" Andrew raised an eyebrow, intrigued.Isabella nodded. "I told you before, Caleb is useful for dealing with Victoria. He is the key.""Oh? Seems like you have a plan. Let's hear it," Andrew said, his blue eyes narrowing with interest.Isabella sat cross-legged on the sofa and began, "I remember you telling me that when Thomas was in charge of the Turner family consortium, the Mitchell family profited greatly. Those accounts are still on the Turner family's books. Now that you are in charge, the Mitchell family must know those debts could become a liability. They must be aware of this, yet they haven't filled the gap.What does this imply? It means their
Caleb was exceptionally passionate today, and after they finished, Victoria lay on his chest, panting heavily. Caleb lit a cigarette, his leg still rubbing against her. “Sweetheart, did you miss me?” he asked.Victoria wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing their bodies close again. She nodded and asked, “And you, did you miss me?”“Of course, my performance just now should have shown that,” Caleb replied with a smile, pulling her into his arms again.Victoria struggled briefly but was too exhausted to continue.Caleb didn’t intend to push further; the prelude had been sufficient. He sat up, lit a cigarette, and began to broach the main topic.He didn't mention the Mitchell family’s crisis. Caleb knew Victoria well enough to see through her facade of deep affection. She actually loved the prestige of being associated with one of the Four Great Families."Victoria, it’s good you came back in time. If you hadn’t, I would have been even more worried."“Worried about missing me?” Vict
Victoria was naturally unaware that Isabella was inwardly applauding her at that moment. What a well-crafted strategy of using both hard and soft tactics. If Asher weren't her and Andrew's biological child, she might have really been caught in Victoria's trap."Victoria, your words are so reasonable and well-founded that I am almost convinced by you. However, Andrew is a man who separates personal affairs from business, and I can't guarantee that what I say will necessarily work."Victoria smiled knowingly upon hearing Isabella's agreement. She then stood up and whispered a few words into Isabella's ear.After listening, Isabella felt an inexplicable mix of emotions. Victoria had taught her how to control a man in bed.According to Victoria, men are easiest to manipulate in bed when their adrenaline is high and their IQ inevitably drops. Though some of Victoria's tricks seemed disgraceful, Isabella thought they might come in handy someday.For once, Isabella and Victoria found a rare
Isabella chuckled softly at his words. Then, she got out of bed, tidied her clothes, and opened the door.As soon as the door opened, Asher lunged in, diving straight into his mother's soft embrace."Mommy's precious baby is back," Isabella planted a kiss on Asher's cheek."Amelia took Asher to ride the slide, and then we're coming down!" Asher exclaimed excitedly.Isabella nodded with a smile and asked, "Asher, Do you like to play on the slide?""Yes! I like it." Asher nodded vigorously and said, "I want to eat marshmallows. Mommy, you will buy marshmallows for me, right?"Amelia thought that too many sweets were bad for Asher's teeth, so she rarely let him have candy. Asher was clever; whenever he couldn't get what he wanted from Amelia, he would turn to Isabella and act cute.Isabella smiled and nodded, "Alright, next time Mommy will take Asher to the park to buy marshmallows.""Asher loves Mommy the most!" Asher hugged Isabella's neck and giggled.Isabella carried the child downst
Isabella sat in the passenger seat of Andrew's car, holding a thick stack of documents, still finding it hard to believe.In her impression, Robert had always been deeply secretive, shrewd, and ruthless, having run Moonlit Art Inc. for many years, firmly entrenched in his position.She had constantly been troubled by how to deal with him, yet Robert handed Moonlit Art Inc. back to her and even planned her way forward.She couldn't help but wonder if everything that had just happened was an illusion."Andrew, let me pinch you," Isabella said."Why?" Andrew asked, holding the steering wheel with one hand, puzzled."I want to see if I'm dreaming," Isabella replied."Shouldn't you pinch yourself then?""Are you silly? Pinching myself hurts. Pinching you is the same," Isabella answered seriously.Andrew: "..."He'd be foolish to let her pinch him."Andrew, do you think Robert might be possessed? He just handed the company back to me so easily. Moonlit Art Inc. is worth billions," Isabella
Robert stood at the café entrance, watching as the black Benz disappeared from view. Only then did he step down the stairs and walk towards his car. Holding the electronic key in his hand, he unlocked the car just as his phone vibrated in his jacket pocket.Glancing at the caller ID, he saw Alice's name and habitually frowned.When he answered, Alice's cool voice came through, "Robert, I'm planning to sell the house. While packing today, I found some of your things. Come get them today, or I'll throw them out with the trash."Robert and Alice's marriage had been a heavy loss. Alice would never have agreed to the divorce willingly. Robert had left her all the property and cash in his name before she agreed to the divorce.After hanging up, Robert drove to their former home.The electronic lock had long since been changed by Alice, so he could only knock on the door.Alice answered, her attitude indifferent. Now divorced, they were like strangers."Your things are in the kitchen. Take a
When Isabella received Robert's call, she was at the spa with Oliver. The beautician handed Isabella her phone, and she answered the call directly.Hearing Robert's voice surprised Isabella. After hanging up, she removed her face mask and sat up.“Isabella, what’s wrong?” Oliver asked, puzzled.“Robert wants to meet. Not sure what he’s up to this time,” Isabella replied.“He’s Charlotte’s family. He can’t mean any good. Maybe you shouldn’t go,” Oliver said, worried.“Moonlit Art Inc. is still in Robert’s hands.” Isabella sighed, jumped off the bed, and slipped on her high heels. “You go home; I’ll go meet him.”Isabella quickly washed her face, dressed, and drove to the meeting place. Robert had arranged to meet at a café, and for safety, Isabella sent the café's location to Andrew.After sending the message, she tossed her phone back into her bag. Her red Maserati parked steadily outside the café.Isabella stepped out, carrying her bag and walking into the café in her high heels.Wea
"Charlotte, Emily, please have a seat," Robert said calmly.Charlotte, who had been kept waiting for several hours, was seething with anger but had no outlet for it. After all, they were there to ask for help, and when asking for help, one must have the right attitude. She led Emily to the sofa in the reception area and sat down.Robert finished his work and then sat down on the single-seater sofa opposite them, instructing the secretary to bring over some coffee."No need. We’ve had enough coffee to be full," Charlotte replied sarcastically.However, the secretary still brought a cup of coffee and placed it on the coffee table in front of Robert.Robert took a sip of the coffee and spoke in a light tone, "I was thinking of finding time to talk to you, cousin. Since you’re here, there's no need to schedule a time.""Robert, what is it?" Charlotte asked."Not long ago, Alice and I finalized our divorce," Robert said."What?" Charlotte’s eyes widened in surprise. "Something as major as
News of David being taken into police custody was suppressed by Andrew, preventing any public impact. However, high society circles are always well-informed, making it impossible to keep the matter entirely under wraps.Mr. Jacob specifically called Andrew to inquire about the situation, his tone laced with sarcasm. Andrew offered no explanation, but after hanging up, he instructed Ryan to send evidence of Thomas's money laundering and bribery to Mr. Jacob, nearly giving the latter a heart attack.Subsequently, the Clark family also received the news. They was not as easygoing.Mrs. Clark directly ordered the servants to throw out all of Emily's belongings, declaring that Stellan should divorce her.Emily ran back home in tears, immediately throwing herself into Charlotte's arms upon entering."Emily, why are you crying like this? What happened?" Charlotte asked with a sigh.Recently, with Victoria and David both imprisoned, Charlotte had aged significantly."Mom, Stellan wants to div
Meanwhile, inside the CEO's office, Isabella was sitting in the boss's chair behind the large desk, sipping freshly brewed coffee and playing games on Andrew's computer. Andrew's computer was top-notch, and there wasn't a hint of lag while gaming.Isabella was thoroughly enjoying herself, unaware of how much time had passed until the office door opened from the outside and Andrew walked in with a file in hand. Seeing Isabella in his chair softened his otherwise stern expression."You're done with the meeting," Isabella remarked upon seeing him. She closed the game and rested her arm on the desk, propping her chin up to look at him. "Andrew, your computer is great for gaming."Andrew shook his head with a smile, feeling a bit helpless. The information on his computer was valuable enough to buy half of Ithaca town, yet only Isabella dared to use it for gaming."If you like it, I'll have Nathan buy one just like it for you.""Great!" Isabella nodded with a smile, standing up and sidling
“If Andrew would divorce me because the Harris family falls from grace, it would only prove he's not worth trusting. Victoria, do you understand what love is? I love Andrew, and I believe he loves me too.”"Love?" Victoria sneered disdainfully. "Isabella, you're truly ridiculous.""It's not me who's ridiculous, it's you, Victoria. Your whole life has been like a joke." Isabella slowly stood up, her eyes narrowing as she looked down at her."In fact, I've considered many ways to end you, but upon reflection, the best method is to bring you to justice. Victoria, you must live well in prison, reflect on what you've done and the lives you've ruined. I'll make time to visit you."After saying this, Isabella arrogantly turned and walked away, her high heels clicking with each step as she left the hospital room.Behind her, Victoria suddenly erupted into hysterical screams and roars, "I don't want to go to prison! Let me go, let me go!"Hearing the commotion, two guards outside rushed in and
At night, Isabella and Andrew had just finished an intense sex. They lay naked under the covers, chatting. Just as they were kissing passionately, the phone vibrated, interrupting them.Andrew, slightly annoyed, answered the call. Whatever the other person said made him glance at Isabella subconsciously."Andrew, what happened?" Isabella asked after he hung up."Victoria was injured and admitted to the hospital," Andrew replied."Is it easy to get injured in custody?" Isabella asked, puzzled."She was courting death; no one could stop her," Andrew said coldly. "Victoria requested to see Charlotte multiple times but was denied. She must have resorted to self-harm as a last-ditch effort. Once admitted to the hospital, she can see family according to regulations.""Victoria is still hoping David will get her out," Isabella said with a cold laugh. "She wants to see family, right? I'm also her family. Tomorrow, I'll go see her at the hospital."The next day, Isabella got up unusually early