As a photographer, he had been suffering from a recent creative block and decided to visit the cafe to draw inspiration from the diverse array of people and street scenes.Little did he know, today would bring him a significant reward.The moment he laid eyes on Haley, he felt a surge of inspiration. She was undeniably beautiful, with delicate features and fair skin. Even in a simple and elegant dress, she exuded a unique charm.His fingers itched with excitement, and he could not resist capturing several photos and videos in succession. When he saw Haley getting up to leave, he instinctively wanted to follow her, hoping to get her contact information and inquire about being his model.But to his surprise, Stella also got up and followed suit. Then, as witnessed by everyone, the unexpected occurred.The video was crystal clear. Stella deliberately provoked Haley and whispered something in her ear. She then abruptly let go of her hand and jumped down.As the onlookers processed th
Shane pulled Haley tightly into his arms, his brows furrowed with concern. "Don't worry, this time I won't easily let Stella off the hook."Hearing his assurance, Haley felt a warm current flowing through her heart. The feeling of being trusted and protected was unexpectedly comforting. She had never experienced it before.She willingly wrapped her arms around Shane's neck, leaning against his chest with her bright eyes shining. "Mr. Ford, why are you so good to me?"So good that... she was almost unable to resist his charm.Shane chuckled softly and reached out to gently stroke Haley's hair. "You are my wife. It's my duty to defend and protect you.""But not every husband can do that, Mr. Ford, you really are exceptional."Haley smiled, tilting her face up to lightly kiss Shane's cheek. It was as light and gentle as a dragonfly skimming the water, carrying her unique sweet fragrance.Shane's heart raced, his blood boiling. He tightened his grip on Haley's arms, his dark eyes fi
Caught in Shane's tender, indulgent gaze, Haley felt her heart skip a beat. Shyly averting her face, she playfully fed him the dessert, saying, "Stop talking and enjoy your sweet treat!" Watching as he took a bite, the creamy aroma filled the air, carrying an indescribable sweetness. Though Shane typically did not have a sweet tooth, he could not deny the skill of the dessert chef at this establishment. The delicate pastry was sweet but not overpowering, leaving a lingering taste on the lips. Like the girl before him, as playful as a kitten, she captivated him endlessly. Oblivious to Shane's thoughts, Haley's eyes sparkled as she asked, "How is it? Sweet enough?" Shane's gaze darkened slightly as he swallowed and replied, "Sweet." Proudly lifting her chin, Haley licked her lips, "This is my favorite, and it's the specialty of this place. Isn't it delicious?" Shane nodded gently, his eyes fixated on Haley's soft, tender lips. In a fleeting moment, his suppressed desire s
Although the private room had the air conditioning on, she still felt a bit stuffy. Shane rested his chin on Haley's shoulder, gently shaking his head, "Nope, not hot." The girl in his embrace was delicate and carried a subtle fragrance, captivating him completely. In that moment, all he could think about was how wonderful it would be to hold her like this indefinitely.Haley had no idea what Shane was thinking, but she felt a warm flush creeping up her neck. Why was Mr. Ford suddenly so clingy? It was making it hard for her to resist.After what felt like an eternity, Shane finally managed to suppress the desire within him and slowly released Haley. "Had enough to eat? Let's head home."Haley gently hooked her pinky finger with his, looking at him expectantly. "Can I take a dessert to go?"Shane chuckled helplessly. "Are you not full yet?"Haley smiled and explained, "I am, but I want to bring one home for later."Peering into Haley's bright and sparkling eyes, Shane readily a
Stella left the cafe, feeling utterly defeated under the weight of countless scornful glares. In an effort to make things seem more authentic, she had even gone as far as falling down the stairs, covering herself in bruises. But in the end, instead of driving a wedge between Haley and Shane, she only succeeded in making herself look worse off.Frustrated, Stella stomped her foot, inadvertently aggravating her injuries and wincing in pain. She rushed to the nearby hospital to have her injuries checked. By the time she left the hospital, darkness had descended.Suddenly, her manger called, and before Stella could speak, she was bombarded with angry accusations."Stella, what on earth did you do? Didn't I tell you to reconcile with Mr. Ford? Why did he suddenly reject all our design proposals?"Do you have any idea how long the company has been waiting for this collaboration opportunity? You've ruined everything!"I don't care what you do, but you better go apologize to Mr. Ford im
As she spoke, she felt more and more aggrieved, tears falling like beads off a broken string. Evelyn's chest ignited with anger, scoffing, "I don't know what spell Haley cast on Shane, but joking about the company's cooperation for her sake is simply absurd!" If it were her son, James, in charge of the company, she would never allow such a thing to happen!Stella kept her head low, gently wiping her tears. Her eyes were filled with indifference, only resentment and mockery remaining. When she lifted her head, all those emotions were hidden away, replaced by endless confusion and helplessness."Evelyn, what should I do?" she asked. "Our manager gave me an ultimatum. If I don't fix this in time, I'll be fired!"Evelyn's expression turned equally grave as she contemplated a solution. With Ford Corporation under Shane's control, it was difficult to make a move. If only it were James who had inherited the corporation. Things would be much simpler. Unfortunately, James was too passi
Haley was awakened by a burst of phone ringing, furrowing her brows as she struggled to open her eyes. A warm palm gently patted her back. Then, a man's low, hoarse voice came, carrying a hint of gentle reassurance, "Go back to sleep for a bit."In a daze, Haley felt someone covering her ears, blocking out the annoying noise, and she quickly drifted back to sleep. When she woke up again, it was already bright outside.To Haley's surprise, Shane had not gone to work today. When she went downstairs, she found him sitting on the living room sofa. His laptop was on his lap and he was focused on his work."Mr. Ford, aren't you going to work today?" she asked.Hearing Haley's voice, Shane shifted his gaze away from the laptop screen, smiling lightly as he explained, "Mom called this morning, asking us to go to the Ford residence."Haley looked puzzled, "What happened that she had to call so early in the morning?"Shane glanced at her meaningfully, saying, "According to the butler, Stel
As for the other half, naturally, she wanted Evelyn to plead her case in front of Steven, persuading Shane to agree to cooperate with Starlight Jewelry. Everything was going smoothly, but who would have thought, Mrs. Ford Sr. suddenly appeared out of nowhere! Stella lowered her gaze, a hint of disgust and resentment flashing in her eyes. That darn old hag, why hadn't she kicked the bucket yet? As long as she was around, Evelyn would always be suppressed by her. Stella would not be able to marry Shane smoothly. Lost in her thoughts, a sharp gaze swept over, icy and piercing. Stella instinctively raised her eyes and found Mrs. Ford Sr. staring at her. Those shrewd eyes seemed to see through everything. She shrank her shoulders sharply and quickly lowered her head even more. After another half hour passed, Evelyn became impatient and could not help but whisper a complaint, "What a grand show, making us elders wait for them!" Stella looked anxiously at the door, stood up, and s
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