David nodded after listening. Aria was his niece, and he had no reason to disregard her. With a warm smile, he asked, "Aria, what are your plans for the future?" David, being the Deputy Mayor, could easily arrange for his niece to find a leisurely job. However, Aria responded, "Uncle, I majored in performing arts in college. I want to enter the entertainment industry." Aria's statement surprised him. She seated herself beside David, holding his arm with a hint of coquetry. "Uncle, you must help me." "When Aria was at school, she played some roles. Her teachers praised her talents, saying she was a rising star. She loves performing, and as her uncle, you must support her," Mrs. Ada chimed in. David slightly furrowed his brow. With two daughters already in the entertainment business and now his niece aspiring for the same, this was becoming quite a pot of stew. "So, Aria wants to become a star. That's not a problem. I'll ask Robert to arrange for a competent agent to guide you,"
Having nearly finished their drinks, Andrew took out his wallet, extracted some bills, and settled the tab. Exiting the bar, it was already dark outside. As they had both been drinking, they couldn't drive, so Andrew called for a ride. The car stopped steadily in front of the apartment building, and the two of them stepped out. Isabella, having had a bit too much to drink, felt a bit dizzy. She clung to Andrew's arm, allowing him to guide her to the elevator. They stopped in front of the elevator, only to see a yellow maintenance sign on the floor. The elevator was under maintenance, so they had to take the stairs. Midway through climbing, she started to pant, whereas Andrew, beside her, showed no signs of fatigue, walking effortlessly. "Tired? Should I carry you?" his deep, gentle voice murmured. She readily agreed, jumping onto his back. With her on his back, he proceeded steadily up the stairs. The first ten or so floors had motion sensor lights, but the last two floors' l
Victoria just smiled shyly and remained silent. However, Emily couldn't help but curse in her mind: "What an idiot." She didn't want to continue eating with such a fool. She lazily put down her chopsticks and said, "I'm full." After that, she got up and left. Following suit, Victoria also set down her chopsticks. "Grandma, Dad, I'm done eating. I'll go to my room first. Take your time." In comparison to Emily, Victoria always maintained the manners and composure of a refined young lady. Both sisters entered their rooms successively. Emily sat on the soft princess bed and couldn't help mocking, "A rustic person from the countryside. She thinks she can make it big in the entertainment industry just because she's somewhat attractive. It's laughable." "Keep your voice down. If Grandma hears that, it'll cause trouble again," Victoria warned. "That old hag, nearly at death's door, still throws her weight around in our family. I want to see how many more years she can hold on," Emily g
Isabella sat on the sidelines watching the excitement, not saying a word, and yet managed to gain two sets of clothes for free.However, accompanying Aria to select a gown was no easy task. Aria had average taste and was incredibly picky, refusing to listen to advice, which gave Isabella a headache just thinking about it.Aria attached great importance to the charity auction, dismissing high-end fashion in malls and opting directly for a custom-made gown.Emily was particularly enthusiastic today, busy helping Aria choose her gown. Isabella was left idle on the side.She casually strolled around the clothing display area. The custom-made clothes were stunning, but of course, the prices were equally so. Even a pair of pants could sell for thousands, while the gowns were mostly around forty to fifty thousand.It seemed David was going to bleed financially this time."Isabella, what do you think of this long dress? Emily says it suits me." Aria called her over while she was daydreaming.
Isabella quietly made her way downstairs, skirting around the pillars. As she reached the door, she unexpectedly saw James leaning against a wall, a lit cigarette held between his fingers, his head slightly bowed as he smoked. Seemingly hearing the sound of high heels on the floor, he subconsciously lifted his head, his gaze briefly meeting Isabella's. Her gaze was calm and clear, with a touch of surprise in her golden eyes. James raised a somewhat helpless smile. He just wanted to see her, that's why he waited here. Originally, it was just to try his luck, never expecting to truly encounter her. At least, greeting her was the right thing to do. "Isabella, what a coincidence," James stubbed out the cigarette, stepping toward her. "Yeah, I came to pick up a dress. I didn't expect to find you here," Isabella replied with a smile. Her tone while speaking to him was calm, as if he were just an acquaintance to her. "I came to get a dress for tomorrow's company celebration. Would you
As soon as the three entered the venue, they attracted numerous stares. The reason was simple: Aria's outfit in red and white was simply too eye-catching. Although the charity auction had turned into a sort of matchmaking event, it was still under the guise of charity. Aria's flashy attire for a charitable event seemed oblivious to worldly hardships. What she didn't know was that Mrs. Hannah from the Turner family was a werewolf of the shadow clan, particularly averse to animal skins. Unaware of the attention she drew, Aria flaunted her dress's vivid colors in front of everyone's gaze. Isabella could only accompany her by her side. As they arrived, several familiar girls approached. As per the protocol, these young girls had to greet the attending elders before they could freely mingle. Mrs. Hannah held the highest seniority and status among them. Whether known or unknown, everyone had to pay her respects. Mrs. Hannah maintained an aloof demeanor towards everyone. However, her
Aria bit her lip, feeling both distressed and helpless. The price remained at 200,000, and faint whispers were heard around. "Can't even afford 200,000, such a poor look." "Poverty isn't her fault, but parading it around is just annoying." ... Aria's face turned pale, her emotions becoming increasingly agitated. Watching her, Isabella sighed in resignation. "Words come from others; don't mind them." Initially, when she was mocked for being raped by a stranger, the comments were far more hurtful than these. If she had taken it to heart, she'd have been devastated. However, Aria's pride was too strong, lacking Isabella's good mindset, and with Emily adding fuel to the fire. "Words can be dreadful. Losing face at the auction means never being able to hold your head up high in these circles again. Forget about marrying into prestigious families." "Enough!" Isabella interrupted, slightly annoyed. Truly, she was just enjoying the show, adding fuel to the fire instead of trying to
Mrs. Ada's expression turned cold. They say a mother and son share a bond, but evidently, her son's thoughts were on a different wavelength."David, what about the 600,000?" She straightforwardly brought up the issue."The trouble was caused by Aria, so naturally, she should foot the bill. There's nothing to discuss," Emily chimed in.Mrs. Ada wanted to shut her up. Fuming, she said, "Elders speak; there's no place for your interference."Emily snorted but remained silent."Emily, have some manners," Charlotte reprimanded her daughter, then turned to Mrs. Ada and said, "Emily doesn't have the right to speak, but what she said is not wrong. Aria caused the trouble, and we can't expect others to pay for it."Charlotte spoke reasonably, and even David didn't refute her.Feeling resentful and knowing she was in the wrong, Mrs. Ada resorted to being unreasonable, "I don't have the money.""Grandma, are you feeling guilty? Aria bought a gold and jade bracelet and a check for 100,000," Emily
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