Nolan nodded frantically, "I'll tell you everything! A woman named Zoe found me this morning. She gave me a photo of Mrs. Ford and asked me to do whatever it takes to coax her into getting married and then swindle the inheritance under her name."Haley's expression darkened, unable to suppress a cold laugh. So, they had their eyes on that inheritance. They were truly greedy. It was what her mother had toiled for, and while benefiting from her mother's efforts in the past was one thing, now they were scheming even for this inheritance!Shane had been observing Haley's expression all along. Seeing her feeling low, he spoke up to comfort her, "With me here, I won't let anyone bully you."A warm feeling washed over Haley's heart as she smiled at Shane. "Thank you, Mr. Ford, I'm fine."She was just thinking that this matter could not be easily settled like this. With his head bowed low, Nolan felt extremely anxious, fearing that Shane would retaliate against him. When Shane's cold gaz
Jenny scratched her head, carefully searching her memory. But before she could recall, the two men approached.Henry glanced at Jenny, a casual smile playing at his lips. "Hello again!"Caught in the gaze of his affectionate peach blossom eyes, even Jenny, who prided herself on thick skin, could not help but blush. She whispered softly, "Have we met before?"Henry was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter. "You're quite amusing. Last time, you got drunk and vomited all over me, saying you'd wash my clothes clean and return them. Not only did you not return them, but now you're pretending not to recognize me?"Jenny was stunned, suddenly remembering that there might be some truth to his words. That night, she and Haley had gone to a bar to drink. When Haley got drunk and was carried away by Shane, Jenny stayed behind and continued drinking alone. Later, a man approached claiming to be a friend of Shane's, offering to take her home. She was mesmerized by his face and a
"Add me as your contact, I'll be your creditor from now on," he said.Jenny nodded and added him. After their "enmity" was settled, Henry introduced himself, "Haley, my name is Henry Green. Just call me Henry."Zac nodded gently towards Haley, then uttered, "Zac."Henry could not bear it anymore. He wrapped his arm around Zac's neck and chuckled as he introduced him to Haley, "This is Zac. He's a bit aloof and doesn't like socializing. Don't mind him."Zac glared at him. "Take your dirty hands off me."Henry withdrew his hand silently but retorted, "Can't you show me a little respect the first time we meet? Who's dying to touch you anyway!"Haley chuckled lightly, "Hello, nice to meet you both. I'm Haley.""I know, you probably don't know yet, but for ages, Shane has had... Oops!"Henry's words were cut off as Zac nudged him in the stomach with his elbow. Receiving warning glances from Shane and Zac, Henry awkwardly closed his mouth.Haley looked at the three of them in puzzle
Haley looked at Shane puzzledly, wondering if she had said something wrong. Why were Henry and Zac's reactions so strange?Meeting Haley's puzzled gaze, Shane's lips curved slightly, and he reached out to gently rub her head, saying, "Don't mind them. Sometimes they're not quite normal here."As he spoke, he tapped his temple with his fingertip. Haley could not help but chuckle at his playful gesture, her dimples showing sweetly on her face.Henry's heart felt like it had been stabbed viciously as he grumbled, "Shane, you're really prioritizing love over friendship! Right, Zac?"Zac, who was usually silent, surprisingly nodded in agreement, "Yeah, it's indeed a bit unfair."But Shane did not feel the least bit guilty. On the contrary, he spoke confidently, "Between a wife and friends, it's obvious which is more important, isn't it?"Henry and Zac fell silent immediately, feeling like their hearts had been struck by a thousand lightning bolts. But if it was for Haley, they did not
Like an enthusiastic salesperson promoting a product, he could not help but praise Shane from head to toe, inside and out.Haley listened attentively, learning a lot about Shane's past from Henry. By the end, Henry's throat was dry, and he lifted his glass to take a big gulp.Haley chuckled. "You guys get along really well. I thought with Mr. Ford's personality, he wouldn't have many friends."Henry immediately chimed in, "He really doesn't have many friends. With his foul temper, only the two of us can handle him."Although he made belittling comments, his face was filled with smiles.In reality, the three friends had an unbreakable bond. There was another friend, but he tragically passed away, a pain they could not heal from in their lifetimes.Although Shane was aloof, he was incredibly loyal. Both Henry and Zac had once been deeply stuck in trouble, to the extent that they almost lost their lives. It was Shane who reached out to them and pulled them out of the mess. So, the
On the way home, Haley looked at Shane, wanting to say something but hesitating.Shane noticed her gaze and sighed, "What do you want to ask? Go ahead."Haley quickly voiced her doubts, "How did three people with such different personalities come together and become good friends?"Shane paused for a moment, then responded, "To be honest, we didn't really get along before. We couldn't stand each other. We had another buddy, the oldest among us, but he got taken out by a bunch of assassins. To avenge him, the three of us temporarily set aside our differences."Later, through working together, they became more harmonious. From being at odds before, they slowly began to understand and trust each other.Although Shane's tone was casual, his words carried a weight.Haley dared not ask further and remained silent.Shane glanced at her and smiled faintly, "It's all in the past. People always need to look forward, right?"Haley nodded and said, "Yes, Mr. Ford, everything will be fine."
Shane and Haley exchanged a glance, their initial reaction being disbelief. Though Haley had not met Stella many times, she did not strike her as someone who would lose her rationality easily.Yet, the urgency in Evelyn's tone did not seem feigned.After hesitating for a moment, Haley suggested, "Mr. Ford, how about we go take a look first? It's best if everything's okay. But if she really did something foolish, I'd feel guilty if we did not check on her."In truth, Haley and Stella did not have much personal history, just a few exchanged words over the years. As for her feelings for Shane, there was nothing wrong with liking him.If Shane was resolute enough, no matter how many women were around, their marriage could not be shaken. A man who could be easily swayed by another woman was not someone she wanted.Shane initially thought, "What does someone else's life or death have to do with me?" But then he worried about leaving a bad impression on Haley, feeling he might come off a
Evelyn opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but faced with Shane's resolute and cold gaze, she could not utter a word. She was filled with anger that had nowhere to vent, so she glared fiercely at Haley.Because of Haley's arrival, all their plans went down the drain.This little bitch was definitely her nemesis!Fortunately, James had broken off the engagement with her now. If she had really married into the family, Evelyn might have ended up dying young.But she quickly averted her gaze and led the two of them towards the stairs.She was really afraid that something unexpected would happen to Stella.After all, their previous plan was not like this.At that time, Stella had told her that as long as she called Shane and told him she was missing, no matter what means she used, she must lure Shane over.Unfortunately, Shane was even more difficult to deal with than she had imagined. Despite her humble pleas, he remained unmoved.Evelyn sighed silently in her heart as she
Since that day, the number of bodyguards at Violet Grove had multiplied several times, and Shane even had the latest security system installed at home. It was a top-of-the-line model with built-in defense mechanisms. If anyone unfamiliar tried to break in, the alarm would go off instantly. After hearing about how close Evangeline and Nicholas had come to being kidnapped, no one thought these precautions were excessive. In fact, they only wished more could be done."This is just despicable! I can’t believe Xena could be so vicious!""We were too soft on her before. Someone like that is just a waste of air."Shane and Haley remained silent, but their thoughts were the same.Shane reassured everyone, "It’s over. Xena will never have another chance to get out."Hearing this, everyone felt a bit more at ease."By the way, where are Mom and Dad? I don't see them," Haley asked, noticing that her parents were not around, though everyone else had gathered.Zac didn’t say anything but q
Just the thought of what could have happened made Haley’s heart ache unbearably.The nannies stammered for a long time but couldn’t describe the person who had approached them. All they could recall was that the person had been thoroughly covered and that it was a woman.Shane immediately called his assistant, instructing him to investigate as soon as possible.It was past 3 a.m., and Haley still sat at the edge of the bed, unable to close her eyes. Her eyes were red from exhaustion and worry.Shane wrapped his arms around her, whispering words of comfort, "Don’t be afraid, it’s all over now. Everything will be okay."Haley sniffled and nodded. "I know, but I’m still so scared. We were just in time. If we’d been any later…"Shane pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I won’t let anything like this happen again. Trust me."At that moment, Shane's assistant, Dean, walked in, dragging someone who was covered head to toe.The person stumbled, falling to their knees in front of Haley and
Late that night, Shane and Haley finally sent off the last guest. Haley leaned heavily against Shane, exhaustion written all over her face. "Ugh, no one told me getting married would be this tiring. I'm never doing this again."Shane chuckled. "Who else do you plan on marrying besides me?"Haley blinked innocently at him. "Who says you can't marry the same person twice? That's what they do in books and dramas."Shane sighed, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and gently tapping her on the forehead. "You need to cut back on those dramas."Haley giggled, rubbing her forehead. "Hey, they’re useful! I’ve learned a lot from them."Shane raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What did you learn?"A mysterious smile curved on Haley's lips. "Not telling you. You'll find out if you ever make me mad."Seeing that she wasn’t going to spill the secret, Shane let it go. He bent down and suddenly hoisted Haley over his shoulder.Caught off guard, Haley yelped in surprise. "Shane, what are you doing?"
Jenny and Charlotte stayed behind to keep Haley company. Jenny teased her with a grin, "Can you believe we’re all getting married now? Back in college, we used to imagine what our future partners would be like."Haley shot her a sideways glance and retorted, "Not ‘we,’ just you. Bet you never imagined you’d end up with someone who’s nothing like your ideal type, huh?"Back then, Haley was still engaged to James Ford. Though James was far from a good guy, Haley felt obligated to honor her mother’s dying wish and marry him. She didn’t spend much time fantasizing about love. Jenny, on the other hand, practically lived in her romantic daydreams."Oh, so you’re teasing me now?" Jenny’s face flushed for a moment, then she lunged at Haley, pretending to tickle her.Haley dodged, laughing, and soon the two were playfully tussling. Watching from the sidelines, Charlotte couldn’t help but smile along with them.Soon after, the wedding officially began. The venue was packed with guests,
On the fifth of May, the wedding took place as planned.Shane had started preparing the venue two days in advance, meticulously arranging every detail himself. The expansive wedding grounds were filled with romance, from the long red carpet laid out on the lawn to the balloons adding a whimsical touch.Haley donned her wedding dress and let the stylists work their magic, crafting an exquisite look for her. Just then, Shane entered the room, standing behind her with a warm smile."You look absolutely stunning today, Haley. The most beautiful bride in the world," he said, admiration in his voice.Haley turned her head toward him, her face glowing with happiness. "Weren’t you busy greeting the guests? How did you find time to sneak in here?"Ignoring the people around them, Shane bent down and kissed her lightly on the lips. "I stole a little break to come see you," he whispered playfully.At that moment, a teasing voice interrupted them from behind. "You two really can’t stop showi
After what felt like an eternity, Haley was nearly out of breath when Shane finally let her go reluctantly. However, even though his lips had only pulled away slightly, his hands still firmly gripped her waist."Do you like it?" he asked, his deep eyes filled with affection.Haley blinked innocently. "Like what?""Me," Shane replied with a playful grin, his gaze never leaving her face. "Do you like me?"Her cheeks flushed, and her heart raced as she bit her lip and looked up at him. "Why don’t you guess?"Shane chuckled and pulled her onto his lap. "I’d guess... you do."Caught off guard, Haley let out a small yelp and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, shooting him a playful glare. "You already knew, so why ask?"Her response only made Shane laugh harder. After a bit more playful banter, he held her close as they leaned back on the couch. Then he brought up their wedding. "I talked with Mom and your parents. We all agreed that our wedding will be held in a month.
Haley had always known how much Shane doted on Evangeline, treating her like the apple of his eye. But she hadn’t expected his protectiveness to reach such an extreme level. She couldn’t help but feel both amused and exasperated at the same time.Gently, she grabbed Shane’s hand and comforted him softly, "Alright, alright, don’t be mad. Hugo is only a month old. He didn’t mean any harm. If anything, it just shows how lovable our Evangeline is."Shane sat on the edge of the bed, the tension in his chest easing slightly, but he still couldn’t shake off all his frustration. In his mind, he made a firm decision that he would do everything in his power to protect his little treasure from now on. No one would be allowed to get too close to her again.From that day on, everyone noticed how Shane’s protectiveness over Evangeline had reached a whole new level. He barely let her out of his sight, as if he needed to be by her side 24/7. Anyone who dared approach her was met with a cold, pier
Jenny couldn't help but laugh. "You haven't seen this little guy when he's awake. He's a real handful. If you did, you'd probably take back all those compliments."When Hugo was awake, he was full of energy, and when he cried, his voice could shake the walls. Jenny looked at Nicholas and Evangeline, who were awake but contentedly sucking on their tiny fists, and said, "These two are so much easier. They’re quiet and calm, the more I look at them, the more I like them."Seeing the twins were awake, Haley quickly leaned over, gently poking their soft, chubby cheeks. "Awake already? You only napped for a little while."Nicholas stared up at Haley with his big eyes, silently taking her in. Evangeline, on the other hand, waved her tiny hand and let out a soft "ah," which nearly melted Henry and Jenny's hearts.Henry knelt beside the crib, unable to tear his eyes away from Evangeline. He playfully reached out to her, and when she giggled at him without fear, he adored her even more. "S
Haley took a small sip, smiling as she saw the eager look in Shane's eyes. "Mmm, it’s good.""Really?" Shane smiled as well, taking another spoonful for himself. He tasted it thoughtfully before nodding. "Yeah, it’s good. The seasoning is just right, and it’s refreshing. Even with the herbs, it’s not bitter at all."He quickly brought another spoonful to Haley’s lips, feeding her until the bowl was nearly empty.Seeing Haley’s good appetite, Shane tidied up the dishes and called Dean. "Tell the restaurant that all the chefs’ salaries are doubled this month."Dean was momentarily stunned but quickly recovered. "Got it. I’ll take care of it right away."As he hung up the phone, Dean couldn’t help but think, "When will it be my turn for a bonus?"As if Shane could read his thoughts, a low voice came through the receiver. "Haley’s pregnancy has been tough, and you’ve worked hard these past few months too. Your year-end bonus will be tripled, and you’ll get extra vacation days. Spend