Shane acted quickly, supporting her and gently guiding her back to bed. With his expression filled with concern, he asked. "Are you okay, Haley?" Haley shook her dizzy head, managing a weak smile. "I'm fine."However, Shane's worry only intensified. "No, we must call a doctor to check on you."Seeing Shane reaching for his phone, Haley quickly intervened, blushing. She bit her lip and insisted, "I'm just tired, really. There's no need to call a doctor."Shane paused, carefully observing her complexion. Seeing her looking so unwell, he quickly suggested, "Then lie back down and rest. I'll have the helpers bring some food up."Haley knew she was not fit to go downstairs at the moment and nodded lightly. With Shane's help, she settled back into bed.To make her more comfortable, Shane placed a pillow behind her and sat beside her, his deep black eyes filled with tenderness.Soon, there was a knock on the bedroom door, and a helper entered with a tray of food. Shane had instructed
An hour later, Zac arrived at Violet Grove. The butler, upon seeing him, greeted him with a smile and ushered him inside. "Mr. Zac, you're here? Please come in," he said. Zac remained aloof, nodding curtly in acknowledgment of the butler's greeting. Knowing his reclusive nature, the butler paid no mind to his cold demeanor and led him upstairs. As they walked, he remarked, "I heard a few days ago that Mr. Ford was poisoned and you helped remedy the situation. We're truly grateful to you." "It's my duty," Zac replied with just a few words. The butler continued, "It's one's duty to help, but it's a kindness to offer assistance. Mr. Ford is fortunate to have a friend like you." Zac gave a slight tug at the corner of his lips, attempting to smile, but his expression remained stiff from years of emotional detachment. Under the corridor's lights, he seemed enigmatic. The butler could not shake off a shiver that ran down his spine and hastened his steps. When they reached the
Over half an hour later, after completing his examination, Zac neatly stowed away his tools in the medical kit. His movements were precise and practiced, methodical in every way, and the medical kit was soon arranged meticulously.This routine was nothing new for Shane, who walked over to the bedside and inquired, "How is she?"Zac gave him a cool glance, withholding an immediate response. Shane's heart raced with anxiety, his brows furrowing tightly. "Is there a problem? Did the Carter family mistreat her in the past?"Sensing Shane's escalating concerns, Zac hastened to reassure him, "There's nothing major, she's just exhausted and fell asleep."Hearing this, Shane finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank god! As long as she's okay..."Observing Shane's shifting expressions, Zac could not help but find it amusing. "You don't need to be so tense. Although she's a bit frail, overall, she's quite healthy. However..."He paused for a moment, causing Shane's heart to lurch in ant
Upon hearing Shane's words, Haley's cheeks flushed red. She glared at him coquettishly, which made Shane burst into hearty laughter. After indulging in each other's company on the bed for a while, the butler knocked on the door: "Mr. Ford, dinner is ready. Would you like to come out and eat?"Shane looked at Haley. "Are you hungry? Shall we go eat something?"Haley opened her arms towards him. "Carry me to the bathroom. I need to freshen up."Shane lifted her horizontally, heading towards the bathroom.Haley quickly finished washing up and then asked Shane to take off her shoes so she could walk down herself. Shane looked worried. "Can you walk on your own? Maybe I should carry you down. It's only a few steps.""No, I'm fine now!" Being seen embracing in broad daylight would be so embarrassing! She definitely did not want that!Unable to persuade her, Shane had to put her down on the bed and let her change into slippers. His hands remained loosely around her waist, fearing
Mrs. Ford Sr. frowned, her voice stern as she reprimanded, "Even if they're helpers, they're helpers of the Ford family, not yours to dictate to."Xena suddenly chuckled, her eyes filled with mockery. "If I'm not part of the Ford family, what about Haley? Mrs. Ford Sr., your favoritism couldn't be more obvious, could it?""My friendship with Haley's mother goes way back, and I've watched her grow up. Even if I'm biased, what can you do about it?"Mrs. Ford Sr. had never encountered such audacity before. To marry into the family and disrespect the elders was one thing, but to accuse her of favoritism was another. She lacked even the basic manners!But Xena had no intention of letting it go. She sneered, "Even if you favor Haley, so what? Won’t you still rely on me to carry on the family line in the future? Mrs. Ford Sr., I warn you, stay out of my business in the future. Otherwise, once I take over the Ford family, you'll be the first one I kick out!"For Xena, marrying into the Fo
If Shane had a child, naturally, they would have the capability to inherit. Even if they lacked capability, Mrs. Ford Sr. would not mistreat them. She would give them a portion of shares, ensuring their retirement without any issues.But James, he lacked the acumen for business just the same. A few summers ago, Evelyn asked her to let James intern at the company to gain experience, and she agreed. But what happened? On his first day, he filled in the contract amount incorrectly, causing the company to lose millions. The next day, he printed the meeting materials wrong, almost jeopardizing a partnership. Such incidents were numerous.Since then, she had never mentioned letting James inherit the company again. But she never expected that coming from Xena, it would turn into favoritism! Suddenly, she lost interest in arguing, because some people simply would not listen to these so-called explanations. They would only believe what they wanted to believe.But Xena thought Mrs. Ford S
Xena widened her eyes in disbelief. "James, are you blaming me for being unreasonable?"James furrowed his brows. "That's not what I mean. I just want to get to the bottom of things. Grandma wouldn't just get angry with you for no reason.""So you still doubt me?" Xena turned away, looking aggrieved, and started to sob."So this is what you think of me? I see now. I'll go apologize to those helpers. Even if I'm looked down upon, insulted, or mistreated, it's my own fault!"Seeing her getting emotional, James quickly reached out to her. "What are you saying? Mistreated? Did those helpers mistreat you?"Xena remained silent, quietly wiping away her tears, which only confirmed James's suspicions even more.He was furious, ready to call the butler over, but then remembered that the butler had already left. After a moment of silence, he said to Xena, "Since the helpers are already asleep, let's discuss this tomorrow."Xena stomped her foot in frustration but dared not be openly defia
This was also the aspect of the Ford family that Xena detested the most! Meeting Shane's cold and profound gaze, Xena involuntarily shrank her shoulders. She suddenly recalled Mrs. Ford Sr.'s words from last night. There was nothing wrong with Shane's body. He had no hidden illnesses and was perfectly capable of having children. In other words, her previous plans might fall apart, and Haley could get pregnant and give birth to the Ford family's heir. This realization filled Xena with an unprecedented sense of crisis. Because of this, she had not slept well all night. No, Haley must not get pregnant. She had to figure out a solution!Suppressing the fear in her heart, Xena pretended to be calm and said, "I really don't know anything, Uncle Shane. Please don't accuse me. I know Haley doesn't like me, and she might say bad things about me, but it's okay. I won't hold it against her. After all, she's my sister."Shane sneered, "Quit pointing fingers at Haley. She's never brough
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