After returning to school, Haley pulled Jenny into the classroom, found a seat, and started gossiping. Jenny's eyes sparkled. "You said you couldn't figure something out last night. Is it about your Mr. Ford? Tell me!"Recalling the events of last night, Haley's cheeks inexplicably heated up, tinged with a faint blush. She avoided eye contact and changed the subject. "Class is starting soon. Do you have an extra pen? Let me borrow one."Jenny saw through her little trick with just one glance, and she wrapped her arm around Haley's neck, not letting her escape. "Haley, you better confess. Come on, spill it."Haley's fair cheeks puffed up, but she stubbornly retorted, "I have nothing to confess. Let's focus on class!""I don't care. If I don't hear the gossip today, you're not leaving." Haley could not help but laugh and gave up struggling, resting her head on Jenny's shoulder. After a moment of thought, she asked, "You said you wanted to be my love guru before. Does that offer sti
Haley nodded, "Yeah, that's the only way."When she got home in the evening, she would find Shane and ask him directly.Jenny was right. Instead of torturing herself like this, it was better to ask directly.It was better to cut through the confusion rather than allowing worries to linger.With her worries resolved, Haley's mood brightened, and she began to focus on her classes.After two classes, it was already noon.As Haley packed up to leave, she heard Jenny's voice, full of anger, "This is outrageous, these two are simply outrageous!"Haley grabbed her and headed towards the cafeteria, asking, "What happened?"Jenny handed her the phone, scoffing, "Take a look for yourself. They have no shame, flaunting their affection in school. Now everyone is saying you've been abandoned."Haley took the phone and glanced at it, finding the latest post on the school forum.It was a photo of James and Xena appearing hand in hand at Jasper City University.The two of them looked intima
James and Xena's faces changed in an instant. James, flushed with anger, snapped, "Haley, dare to say it again and see what happens!""I don't feel like repeating myself now," Haley crossed her arms and looked up at him, "What? You want to hit me, nephew?"She deliberately emphasized the last word, a hint of a smirk playing on her lips.When James heard the term "nephew," his expression darkened with his gaze turning icy, his fists audibly tightening."Haley, enough! If it weren't for you seducing my uncle, do you think he would have taken a liking to you?""James, have you no shame? Do you realize how much spreading such rumors hurts a girl?"Jenny was itching to slap James twice. As Haley's friend, she knew better than anyone how much Haley had suffered because of James. She had long found him despicable.Haley stopped her just in time, raising her hand to deliver a firm slap to James's face."James, I used to think you were just blind, but now it seems like you have a prob
James and Xena were also stunned. Their eyes widened suddenly, and they could not help but feel a hint of fear in their hearts. Shane stood in front of James, his gaze icy. "James, apologize."James was frightened by Shane's sharp gaze, and he nervously swallowed saliva. "Uncle, I...""Apologize, don't make me say it a third time."James and Shane faced off for quite some time, but eventually, unable to bear it any longer, James lowered his head first. "Aunt-in-law, I'm sorry.""Speak up! Did you forget to eat today or something?"James's face turned red, he raised his voice and repeated, "Aunt-in-law, I'm sorry!"Shane then withdrew his gaze satisfactorily and walked to Haley's side. "Haley, I'm sorry for being late and letting you suffer."Haley snapped out of her daze, looking surprised. "Mr. Ford, how did you end up here?"Shane lightly chuckled, ruffling her hair. "You'll know in the afternoon."Haley was puzzled by his words, but since Shane did not elaborate, she did
Caught in the deep, dark pools of Shane's eyes, Haley's heart fluttered violently. She hastily averted her gaze and tugged at Shane, ready to leave."Mr. Ford, let's go," she said, eager to end the confrontation with James and Xena.Shane's eyes fell on the hand holding his wrist, a faint smile playing on his lips. He gave James and Xena a cold glance, allowing Haley to lead him away.After walking a distance, Haley stopped and curiously asked, "Mr. Ford, why did you come to our school?"Shane, with a smile in his eyes, ruffled Haley's hair. "Guess," he teased.Haley shook her head. "I can't guess, Mr. Ford. Just tell me!"Shane refused to reveal anything, only hinting that she would find out in the afternoon.Unable to pry further, Haley relented.Though she had not spoken a word, Jenny had been observing the interaction between Haley and Shane the whole time. Pondering silently, she could not help but feel that Mr. Ford did not seem like the flirtatious type who fell for anyo
Perhaps it was time to speak up.Shane stood still, watching as Haley gradually walked away. He stared for a long time, his eyes deep and inscrutable, revealing nothing of his thoughts.On the other side, Haley and Jenny entered the classroom and found seats.Everyone was discussing who the speaker for this event might be. In the past, the school always revealed the identity of the speaker in advance. But this time, it seemed particularly mysterious, and no one knew who it could be.When Xena and James entered, they almost immediately spotted Haley and Jenny. The memory of their embarrassing encounter with Haley still fresh, their expressions darkened, especially Xena's.Since the breakup between James and Haley, she had been eager to show off her affection with James at school. It was both a show of pride and a display of dominance. Of course, most importantly, she wanted everyone to know that Haley had been cruelly abandoned. And the man who abandoned Haley was now cherishing
Once the lecture officially began, the classroom fell into near silence. Only the voice of Shane echoed continuously, a truly unprecedented experience for the students.The principal, looking at the students below, who were attentively listening, revealed a gratified expression. If only these students were this focused during regular classes. He knew Shane's charm was considerable, but he had not expected it to be this great!Shane spoke for about an hour, skillfully pacing his delivery and including it with personal stories. The students listened with great interest.As the lecture came to a close, the students in the classroom were still craving more. Shane sat on the platform, although his gaze seemed to sweep over each student, it never strayed from Haley.Noticing her gaze as she rested her chin on her hand, Shane felt a secret delight. His expression softened a touch, and the formidable, chilly air around him lessened a bit.After the speech, the principal took the stage at
The noisy classroom fell into a brief, eerie silence. Then, voices filled with astonishment and shock erupted one after another, creating a wave of commotion.The principal, noticing the situation, sternly rebuked, "Quiet down, all of you! The only reason we managed to invite Mr. Ford here is because of Mrs. Ford's connections, so stop daydreaming."Upon hearing this, Haley suddenly lifted her head. Meanwhile, Shane continued to gaze in her direction, the curve of his lips indicating his contentment. Their eyes met in the air, and Haley could sense that something seemed different.A curious student asked, "Is your wife also at Jasper City University?"Shane lightly parted his lips, responding to the student's inquiry, "Yes, my wife is also studying at Jasper City University."The inquisitive student pressed on, "Is she in our classroom? Who is she exactly?"Shane nodded slightly, "Yes."Why else would he be here? Since Haley brought him breakfast this morning, he had been abse
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