Joe's arrival sounded the alarm for her. This matter needed to be expedited, or else if 'JY' was ruined by Joe, it would be too late for everything."Do you need my help?" Shane asked.Haley gently shook her head. "I prefer to handle this matter personally."Seeing Shane's regretful expression, Haley felt grateful so she kissed his face. She reassured him, "If I encounter something I can't handle, I'll definitely come to you for help first."She did not want to rely too much on Shane, especially when it came to matters regarding her mother. She wanted to handle everything herself.Meeting Haley's clear, bright eyes, Shane felt his heart melt. Without considering anything else, he nodded in agreement.After making the decision, Haley prepared to visit the lawyer responsible for handling her mother's will the next day. The last time she saw Lawyer Cruz was five years ago when her mother passed away.She had a good impression of Lawyer Cruz, remembering him as serious, upright, and
Haley only took a few bites of breakfast before hurriedly leaving. The butler wanted to say a few words. But before he could, the car had already sped away, leaving behind a trail of exhaust fumes. Bob, the butler, sighed helplessly as he watched the car gradually disappear into the distance. "These young people nowadays, they really don't know how to take care of their bodies. They can even make do with breakfast. In another few decades, even getting a meal will be difficult," Bob thought to himself.Meanwhile, inside the car, Haley felt a tickle in her nose and could not help but sneeze. She rubbed her nose and instructed the driver to switch off the air conditioning. The driver quickly complied.The car soon arrived at an ordinary residential complex, and Haley went straight to the sixth floor according to the address provided by Lawyer Cruz. The door was opened by a kind-looking woman with a slightly plump figure.Seeing Haley, the woman paused for a moment, then greeted her
Haley shook her head gently. "I'm worried that my dad and my stepmother might have their eyes on this money, so I want to get it sooner rather than later, just to avoid any potential trouble."Just the thought of Zoe going to such lengths to obtain this inheritance, even resorting to getting engaged to a stranger, sent shivers down her spine. Mr. Cruz, the family lawyer, had also heard about the Carter family's affairs and could not help but express his indignation. "They are simply heartless. They owe everything they have to Yvonne, and instead of treating you well, they're constantly scheming against you."Haley quietly organized the documents and smiled at Mr. Cruz. "Mr. Cruz, it's all in the past. I won't let anyone manipulate me again."After sorting out the documents, she suddenly remembered something and asked, "Mr. Cruz, I remember my mom's will included a 15% stake in JY Group. Why isn't it in the documents?"Mr. Cruz was taken aback. "Wasn't the shares already transferr
After pondering for a moment, the lawyer spoke with a grave tone, "Unless you can find substantial evidence to prove that you were deceived and not acting voluntarily, it might be difficult to retrieve this money."Haley also understood that someone as cautious as Joe would not easily leave behind any evidence that could be used against him. Finding proof would likely be challenging.Seeing Haley's distressed expression, the lawyer could not help but feel a pang of heartache. Yvonne had been kind to him and his wife in the past. They owed their current status to her. He could not stand by and watch her daughter be mistreated like this."So," he continued, "I'll inquire with some friends in the legal circle to see if there's any room to maneuver in this matter."A warm feeling washed over Haley upon hearing this, and she quickly expressed her gratitude.After leaving the lawyer's house, Haley instructed the driver to head straight to the Carter residence. The driver hesitated for a
"Didn't you sign this yourself? I'm your father, it's only natural for you to transfer the shares to me!" Joe exclaimed."How come I don't remember signing this agreement? Back then, you said I was underage and the company needed someone to manage it, so you'd temporarily exercise my shareholder rights!" Haley retorted with a laugh.Joe persisted, "You must have been drunk at the time, so you got confused. It's always been about transferring the shares!"Haley chuckled at his disgusting demeanor. "I was hospitalized at the time, and I never drank a drop before I turned eighteen!"Avoiding Haley's eyes, Joe muttered, "Even if I intentionally made you sign it, so what? JY was originally founded by your mother and me. What's wrong with transferring the shares to me? Haley, have you caused enough trouble?"Mocking him, Haley smirked, "Me causing trouble? I'm just seeking justice for my deceased mother!"After a moment of silence, she continued, "Joe, that document was tampered with b
Before today, Joe had never regarded Haley as his daughter. In his mind, his daughter was someone like Xena, who would lean on him, sweet-talk him, care for him, and always think of him. But Haley carried too much of Yvonne's shadow. She looked too much like Yvonne, especially those eyes and brows, as if she had been carved from the same mold. Every time he saw Haley, he would think of Yvonne's business acumen and her strong and cold demeanor. It was a kind of deep-seated inferiority and fear from the soul. So, he simply did not like Haley. But he forgot, when pushed too far, there would be a backlash. Haley had been suppressed for too long. Any last trace of affection she had for him had been killed by him, which led to the situation today. Joe gritted his teeth and softened his tone, "Haley, your mother is watching us from heaven. She wouldn't want to see us, father and daughter, come to this point. Be obedient, give me the property deed." He regretted deeply at this moment.
But now it seemed he had been too lenient, allowing Joe to become too arrogant and forget his own identity. Reluctant as Joe was, he had no choice but to yield to Shane's threat. He could only grit his teeth and say, "Haley, I went too far just now. I'm sorry!" Haley stepped forward, looking down at Joe. "What did you mean just now? What do you mean I'm your shame?" Joe's eyes flickered, his mouth shut tight, afraid to utter a word. At that moment, Zoe's voice, full of hatred and satisfaction, interjected, "You want to know why? It's because your mother was just a woman ridden by countless men..." "Shut up!" Joe roared, interrupting Zoe. Meeting his furious gaze, Zoe was taken aback and quickly fell silent. Haley's heart sank, and she signaled to her driver behind her, "Since your mouth stinks so much, let's get rid of it." The driver understood her meaning and immediately stepped forward, delivering several hard slaps to Zoe. Zoe widened her eyes in terror, shaking her
As soon as she stepped out of the Carter residence's gate, Haley felt like all her strength had drained away. Her legs went weak, and she almost fell to the ground. Fortunately, Shane was quick to react, promptly catching her waist and pulling her into his arms."Haley, are you okay?" Shane asked with concern, noticing Haley's pale face and the pain and helplessness in her eyes.But in response to Shane's inquiry, she shook her head slowly and said, "I'm fine, Mr. Ford, what are you doing here?"Seeing her trying to appear strong despite her obvious distress, Shane felt even more heartache. Haley was always like this, accustomed to bearing all the grievances herself, no matter how heavy they were.He sighed helplessly and said softly, "The driver messaged me, saying you weren't feeling well emotionally, so I rushed over. Thankfully, I made it in time." His tone carried a palpable sense of relief.When he entered the Carter residence, he saw Joe with bloodshot eyes and he was about
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