Dean nodded and turned to leave the office. As he was about to leave, his hand paused on the doorknob, and he turned back to look at Shane. "Mr. Ford, you seem to be in a good mood today?" Shane raised an eyebrow, surprised to be noticed. "Is it that obvious?" Dean nodded earnestly. "Very obvious. It seems like you and Mrs. Ford get along well." Images of Haley blushing beneath him, with her charming and alluring demeanor, flashed through Shane's mind, and he smirked slightly. "It’s alright." Realizing that he was being gossiped about by his subordinate, he quickly wiped the smirk off his face and said sternly, "Aren't you supposed to be working? Do you have nothing better to do?" "No, I'll go right away." Dean chuckled awkwardly, opened the door, and hurried out.Meanwhile, back in his office, the project director was still dazed, unable to snap out of his shock. It wasn't until a colleague called out to him that he finally looked up. "What's wrong?" asked a young woman.
Dean opened the message and found the screen flooded with expressions like "OMG.""Wife? Is it the one I'm thinking of? When did the CEO get married? Sob sob, I'm heartbroken!""Why wasn't there any news about such a big thing like the CEO's marriage? He is hiding it too well."...Many employees in the group were tagging him like crazy, and some even dared to message him privately, asking if the CEO had really gotten married.The entire group chat seemed to explode with excitement. In less than three minutes, everyone in the company knew. It was extremely sensational.Just as the group was frantically discussing, a message suddenly got lost in the flood of incoming messages.Shane: "Yeah, it's true."A very short sentence, unintentionally overlooked by many. When they came to their senses, they realized what they had missed and quickly scrolled up, searching for the chat history.After seeing who sent the message, everyone fell silent, then simultaneously put down their phone
On the other side, while Haley was shopping for clothes with Jenny, her phone rang. She glanced at it and saw that Shane had accepted her friend request. With a smile, she opened the chat box, ready to greet him, only to find the message "Typing..." displayed on the screen continuously. Out of politeness, she decided to wait for Shane to send his message before greeting him, and this wait lasted for several minutes.The repeated appearance of "Typing..." seemed to indicate his hesitation and reluctance. For some reason, Haley suddenly found it amusing. The image of Shane, as she remembered him, being an untouchable, aloof figure came to her mind. She had never seen him in a state of hesitation before. Sending a greeting emoji, a cute and fluffy kitten popping out of a box, she sweetly said, "hello~". Seeing Haley's emoji, Shane couldn't help but chuckle softly, a slight smile appearing on his lips. After a moment's thought, he commented, "Very cute."Haley, upon reading his messa
"God gave you beauty, not intended for you to waste it. With your looks, a simple makeover could enchant a whole crowd," Jenny said.Haley shrugged indifferently, intentionally mimicking the tone of Jenny, and said with a hint of playfulness, "Firstly, my beauty is a gift from my mom, and secondly, I can charm plenty of people even without dressing up."Jenny was infuriated by her pretentious attitude, gritting her teeth and rolling her eyes uncontrollably. She retorted, "Oh, really? Well, word on the street is that you're just a pretty face, unable to even keep your own fiancé in check."Thinking of her ex-fiancé, Haley snorted disdainfully. "I don't care about his affection."Jenny crossed her arms and sneered, "Is that so? I recall someone who used to cling to James like a shadow."Recalling the scenes of her often following James in the past, Haley couldn't help but feel a little bit embarrassed.Ten years ago, she had an accident and woke up forgetting a lot of things. But s
"You're just being stubborn!" Watching her retreat like she was fleeing a battle, Jenny couldn't help but smile wryly, muttering under her breath. It seemed that Shane wasn't up to the task.After all, winning over her little Haley wasn't an easy feat. Everyone thought that Haley had a gentle and obedient personality, making her easy to handle. But no one knew that all her tenderness was reserved only for those she trusted and cared about the most. If it's a stranger trying to get close, she would wrap her heart up tightly.So, she was very curious about when Shane would be able to break through Haley's defenses. She was looking forward to that day. The shop assistant saw Jenny standing in front of the mirror in a daze, thinking she wasn't satisfied with the clothes, so she immediately approached to inquire. "Miss, is there a problem?" Jenny suddenly came back to her senses and smiled, shaking her head at her. "No problem, just find me a shawl to match." "Okay, please wait a mo
"I know she's been good to you, but James is still her own grandson. Plus, if this matter gets out, it won't reflect well on the Ford family's reputation," said Jenny, her expression grave.Her upbringing wasn't as privileged as Haley's, and influenced by her family since childhood, she never believed genuine feelings existed in the face of self-interest.It's true that Mrs. Ford Sr. favored Haley, and it's true she doted on her, but in comparison to the entire Ford family, where did Haley really stand?Haley pondered for a moment, a faint smile playing on her lips. "It's okay. Let's take it one step at a time."In truth, she wasn't entirely confident either, but she absolutely wouldn't continue with this marriage engagement. She could accept that James didn't love her, and she could accept a marriage of mutual respect in the future, but she couldn't tolerate betrayal and deceit. So, she would definitely call off the engagement, no matter the cost.How could Jenny not see the conf
James pondered for a moment, looking at Xena with a puzzled expression. Xena only told him that a few days ago, Haley had angered her father and ran away from home. Now Joe was still in the hospital, reportedly suffering from a sudden heart attack. So, he instinctively assumed it was Haley's fault and didn't bother to inquire further. But now, being questioned back by Haley like this, he suddenly felt a hint of doubt arise in his mind. Meeting James's inquiring gaze, Xena's eyes flickered slightly, hastily explaining, "James, I just didn't want to tarnish Haley's image in your heart. After all, making Dad so angry isn't something to be proud of." Hearing this, James nodded in approval, "You did the right thing, Xena. You're the only one in this world who is so gentle, kind and always considerate of others." Upon hearing James's praise, Xena's cheeks blushed faintly, giving him a shy glare, "James, you're praising me in front of so many people, I'm embarrassed." Without a word
As more and more people gathered around to watch, Xena gritted her teeth inwardly, wishing she could hide her face to avoid being recognized. Coming here for dinner today was truly a mistake. She shouldn't have provoked Haley, that despicable person! It was all her fault. Why did she have to bring up these things? She could clearly sense the strange glances from the onlookers growing increasingly odd. They seemed tinged with disdain and mockery, as if they were regarding her as an unwanted third wheel intruding in someone else's relationship.But what was her fault? In matters of love, the one who wasn't loved was the true third wheel! James loved her, so she was the one who should have married him. Haley was just taking advantage of the favoritism of Mrs. Ford Sr. to seize control of this marriage. James had never found himself surrounded by so many people before, and a tinge of embarrassment flashed across his handsome face. He angrily shouted, "Haley, have you caused enou
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