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
Stella frantically signaled to Evelyn, urging her to stop talking further. However, Evelyn felt that she had finally caught Haley's weakness and naturally wanted to give her a good lesson, completely ignoring Stella's hints.When Evelyn rolled up her sleeve, Stella knew it was all over. Haley had video evidence. She felt immense regret at that moment. If she had known Evelyn was so foolish, more likely to cause trouble than solve it, she would not have come to the Ford residence. Now she was stuck in a difficult situation, with Shane's cold gaze adding to the pressure. Her mind went blank, unable to come up with a solution in such a short time.Haley's lips curled slightly as she stepped forward. "Miss Campbell, your ability to turn the tables is truly eye-opening."Mrs. Ford Sr.'s gaze swept back and forth between them, questioning, "What exactly is going on?"Stella quickly defended, "Mrs. Ford Sr., it was my aunt who got it wrong. The injuries on my body were caused by my own
Haley rubbed her ears and casually glanced at her, "Speak up, I couldn't hear you.""I'm sorry, I was wrong!" Stella closed her eyes and raised her voice.Only then did Haley nod satisfactorily, "Go on, tell me, where did you go wrong?"Tears streamed down Stella's face as she accused loudly, "Haley, enough! I've already apologized on my knees. What more do you want? You're unscathed, I'm the victim here."Haley gave her a cold stare, "You got hurt because you intentionally fell down the stairs. What's that got to do with me?"Stella looked to Shane for help, hoping he would assist her. But to her disappointment, Shane would not even look at her. With no other option, she repeated her apology.Haley nodded in satisfaction and reminded her, "I know you want to marry into the Ford family, but Shane is mine now. As long as I'm here, you won't have a chance, so you better watch yourself."Stella looked at her with cold eyes, then left the Ford residence dejectedly.Watching Stella'
Exiting the Ford residence, Shane instructed the driver to head back to Violet Grove. "I'll drop you off at home first, and then I'll head straight back to the office," he told Haley. Haley did not want him to make an extra trip, so she replied, "I can take a cab back myself. You go straight to the office, don't worry about me." Suddenly, Shane leaned in, wrapping his arms around Haley's delicate waist. A kiss landed unexpectedly, leaving Haley momentarily stunned as she gazed at Shane in confusion. Amused by her bewildered expression, Shane chuckled and affectionately ruffled her fluffy hair. The driver, noticing their affectionate interaction, chimed in, "Madam, can't you see? Mr. Ford just wants to spend more time with you." Haley's heart fluttered slightly, and she glanced at Shane with questioning eyes. "Is that really the case?" Shane pressed his forehead against hers, lightly pecking her rosy lips. "What do you think?" Haley's cheeks instantly flushed crimson. She
A few days ago, he had intended to use the party as an opportunity to drum up some investment, but not a single person was willing to contribute. He knew that Shane must have had a hand in this. So, he had been camping out at the company for several days, hoping to plead with Shane. However, security at the Ford Corporation was tight, and he could not get past the guards. Even if Shane came out, he was always accompanied by a group of bodyguards, leaving him with no chance to get close. So, he had to try his luck at Shane's residence. He never expected to actually run into him there! Haley chuckled in exasperation. "Joe, where do you get the nerve? Asking for help requires some capital. The current state of JY is a mess. Why should Shane invest in it?"Joe shot Haley a fierce glare. "Do you think running a company is that simple? You're clueless because you've never been in charge! JY is your mother's blood, sweat, and tears. Can you bear to watch it go under?" Haley sneered
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