When Haley looked up, she met his gaze and a smile lit up her eyes. "Mr. Ford, you're back? Why did you finish work so early today?""Mmm." Shane approached her, the corner of his lips barely lifting. "The company wasn't busy today, so I came back early.""Mr. Ford, are you thirsty? Let me pour you a glass of water." Haley stood up from the sofa, preparing to head towards the kitchen.But just as she took a couple of steps, her wrist was grabbed by his broad and warm palm. "No need, I'm not thirsty."Haley felt her wrist being warmed by his touch and quickly withdrew her hand, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks. With his palm left empty, Shane regretfully retracted his hand, looking puzzled as he glanced at the messy coffee table."What are you all doing?" The butler immediately explained, "Mr. Ford, I've printed out all the information you asked me to investigate. It's all here."Shane nodded and flipped open the file for a quick glance. The chill in his eyes was nearly
Perhaps because Haley was too nervous, she suddenly found the closed car cabin a bit stuffy. She glanced at Shane and quietly rolled down the window. The gentle breeze outside seeped in through the gap, brushing against her face, making it much easier for her to breathe. Finally, the tightness in her chest eased slightly, but her hands remained clenched in tension.Shane, who had been immersed in his work, heard the window being lowered and raised his head to look at her. "Feeling uncomfortable?"Haley shook her head slowly, without speaking. Despite her earlier insistence on going to the family estate to call off the engagement, she inexplicably began to feel nervous as they approached the moment. It wasn't about clinging to the marriage, but rather fearing disappointment from Mrs. Ford Sr.Sensing her uneasy emotions, Shane immediately closed his laptop and turned to face her. "Haley, are you nervous?""I...," Haley hesitated."You don't need to hide anything from me. Your emo
Despite being 22 years old, Haley was still seen as a child by Shane. She was supposed to grow up under the love and care of her parents, but circumstances forced her to bear much more than her peers. Those who cared for her left one by one, leaving her to bury her grievances deep inside, with no outlet to express them, forcing her to mature before her time.Every time Shane witnessed Haley's pretense of maturity, he felt as though his heart was being shattered. He wanted to embrace her and provide her with the best of everything, ensuring she lived the rest of her life free from worries, in peace and happiness.Shane's words left Haley speechless, her gaze fixed on him in disbelief. It was the first time anyone had ever told her she could be willful.Previously, everyone had always urged her to be sensible, obedient, and listen more. In order to conform to others' expectations of a good child, she gradually began to suppress her true nature, becoming someone entirely different from
The butler of the estate stepped out and upon seeing Haley, a warm smile of affection appeared on his face."Miss Haley, are you here to see Mrs. Ford Sr.? She was mentioning you earlier today," he said."Mr. Moore, it's been a while. I've missed Mrs. Ford Sr. a lot," Haley replied.Mr. Moore had been the butler of the Ford family for a long time. It was said that he even fought alongside Mr. Ford Sr. in the war.Later, when the situation in the country stabilized, Mr. Ford Sr. ventured into business. Due to Mr. Moore's leg injury from the battlefield, he wasn't suitable for extensive movement, so he stayed on as the butler for the Ford family.Bob was Mr. Moore's son.These were revelations Haley had only recently uncovered, disclosed to her by Shane. He had recounted how Bob, in his youth, fell into a dangerous lifestyle involving gambling and drugs due to the influence of a bad crowd, narrowly escaping death at the gambling table.It was Shane who, accompanied by his bodyguar
Evelyn couldn't hide her embarrassment as she was publicly humiliated, a fleeting look of discomfort crossing her face. Yet, she couldn't argue back. In the Ford family, the ultimate authority lay with Mrs. Ford Sr. and Shane, leaving her powerless.Evelyn clenched her teeth in frustration and sternly threatened Haley, "Haley, you and James are engaged. Don't you care about protecting his reputation? So, do the sensible thing and delete that recording."Even if James had indeed been involved with Xena, what could be done about it? Nowadays, it was common for influential men to have extramarital affairs. Besides, her son was exceptional and the heir to the Ford Corporation. What harm was there in him having a fling? Haley was blowing things out of proportion. With such narrow-mindedness, how could she ever be a good wife to James?Haley couldn't help but chuckle at Evelyn's words. "And what if I don't comply? You were the one who pushed for this engagement in the first place. If you'
Haley responded calmly, "Ending the engagement works for me."Evelyn's heart soared with hope, her eyes gleaming. But in the next moment, Haley continued, "Your son owes me, and we need to resolve that. Besides the benefits you've received, consider the suffering and damage I've endured from him over the years. You owe me compensation for the mental and emotional toll, as well as for the lost years of youth."Haley remained composed and articulate, even in the presence of Evelyn, her elder."What mental and emotional toll? What did my son do? It's clear that you couldn't control your man, you lack capability, and now you want to demand money from us? You must be dreaming!"Evelyn was on the brink of losing it. It was the first time she had encountered such shamelessness from Haley. It was bad enough that Haley controlled the engagement, but now she was making outrageous demands."Not willing to comply? Then I'll have to get Mrs. Ford Sr. involved to discuss it." Haley's response s
He sighed helplessly in his heart; it seemed that Haley still didn't trust him enough. It was partly his fault. Knowing that Haley was someone with extreme insecurity, he hadn't firmly assured her that no matter what happened, he would always stand by her side. He reached out his hand towards Haley, "Give me the phone."Haley hesitated, reluctant, but when she met Shane's gaze, she paused for a moment and handed it over. She recalled Shane's assurance before he arrived, promising to assist her in ending the engagement.Moreover, as husband and wife now, they were in this together. Perhaps she could attempt to place her trust in him this once.Yes, just this once. If Shane dared to betray her trust, she vowed never to trust him again in the future. Haley silently reaffirmed to herself.Shane observed her rapidly changing expression but remained silent, patiently awaiting her response.Before long, Haley reached out and handed him the phone. Shane's lips formed a slight smile, a
Assisted by the butler, Mrs. Ford Sr. descended the stairs step by step, casting a glance downstairs. "What's going on? All this noise and commotion, I could hear it even from upstairs."Haley stood up from the sofa and greeted politely, "Mrs. Ford Sr.!"Upon seeing her, Mrs. Ford Sr.'s face immediately lit up with an affectionate smile. She reached out her hand towards Haley, gazing at her tenderly. "Haley, you finally came to visit me. It's been so long since you last came, I thought you had forgotten about this old granny."Mrs. Ford Sr. had seen Haley grow up and cherished this gentle and compliant girl. In her younger years, she had always wished for a daughter.Unfortunately, after years of hoping, she still ended up with a son. What was even more frustrating was that Shane, this rebellious boy, wasn't close to her at all. He always wore a cold expression, never showing any warmth towards her!Humph, not obedient at all!Haley flashed a sweet and gentle smile, explaining so