When Shane returned home, he walked into the living room with a cake in one hand and flowers in the other. The house was unusually quiet, and even the diligent butler, Bob, did not come out to greet him. Feeling a bit puzzled, Shane continued further inside.Soon, he heard cheerful laughter and applause coming from the direction of the kitchen."Madam, you're amazing!""You're a natural. You pick things up so quickly!""Sir will be so happy and surprised when he sees this!"Hearing all the praise, Haley's cheeks flushed slightly as she waved her hand modestly. "It's not that impressive. You guys are great teachers. Thank you for being willing to teach me."The helpers were flattered and quickly waved their hands. At that moment, a cool and curious voice came from outside the group, "What are you all doing?"Haley glanced towards the door and saw Shane had returned from work. She quickly turned off the stove and ran to him, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes sparkling with exci
Her cheeks instantly flushed a deep red, spreading all the way to the back of her ears. Haley shot him a playful glare, glanced around nervously, and whispered, "Mr. Ford, stop saying such things. There are others around.""Don't worry, they didn't hear," Shane replied, also whispering.As soon as he finished speaking, his cold, threatening gaze swept over the onlooking staff. Startled, the helpers quickly found excuses to leave, claiming unfinished work as they hurried away from the kitchen. They had not seen or heard anything! Absolutely nothing!Haley glanced at the retreating helpers and then at Shane, feeling both exasperated and amused. Indeed, when Mr. Ford put on a stern face, few could withstand it.Shane helped carry the two dishes Haley had made to the dining table, then swiftly removed his suit jacket. He rolled up his shirt sleeves, and started cooking some noodles. Haley took his jacket and stood at the doorway, watching him.Shane was tall and exuded a cool, alo
Haley's fingertips lightly brushed over her lips, still lingering with Shane's unique warmth. The sensation was both heated and invasive, lingering long after. Blinking in confusion, she pouted and pleaded, "Mr. Ford, please just tell me, okay?""It's not the right time yet. I'll tell you on your birthday," Shane replied.Haley's face fell immediately. "But that's two months away!"Shane chuckled and playfully poked her puffed-up cheeks. "Don't worry. I'll have a special surprise for you. You can look forward to it."Seeing that she would not get any answers from him, Haley sighed in resignation. "Fine, but it better be a real surprise, or I'll be mad.""Promise," Shane said with a smile, taking her hand and leading her to their room.Haley kicked off her slippers and jumped onto the soft bed, rolling around with delight. There was nothing quite like the comfort of a bed.Shane grabbed a tube of ointment from the first aid kit and sat on the bed. "Come here."Haley eyed the o
"Haley, I want you." Shane whispered in her ear, gently biting her flushed earlobe. His deep, sexy voice sent shivers down her spine, like electric currents spreading through her entire body. Haley felt an intense tingling sensation travel down her spine, making her whole body go weak. Seeing her curl up slightly, Shane chuckled softly and asked again."Is that okay?"Her heart pounded uncontrollably, and her body began to respond to his touch. Fighting her shyness, Haley whispered, "Yes."Despite their countless intimate moments, Haley still could not help but feel bashful. Every time they made love, Shane always looked calm and composed, like he was above worldly desires.Haley bit her lip and wrapped her arms around his neck, initiating a kiss. Her sudden enthusiasm caught Shane off guard. Soon his eyes were filled with desire, and his movements became even more intense. Haley finally understood what it meant to "reap what you sow." When she woke up the next morning, h
Henry's expression changed as he looked at Shane. Unbelievable! Shane, who appeared so strong and fit with eight-pack abs and a model's physique, turned out to be just for show?His thoughts were so transparent that Shane immediately saw through him. Narrowing his eyes, he released a dangerous glint, "Do you want to die?"Feeling the surge of killing intent, Henry shrank back, laughing awkwardly, "No, I don't know anything, I didn't see anything, you two carry on!"Shane turned his attention away, taking Haley's hand and leading her toward the dining room. Haley's eyes kept glancing at the butler's hands, and a suspicion crept into her mind. Could it be that...Shane really needed oysters for...Thinking of the passionate scenes from the previous night, Haley's ears turned red. She hesitated before speaking, "Mr. Ford, maybe you should sleep in the study tonight."Shane's hand, holding the fork, paused as he looked at her in surprise, "Why?"Hadn't he just managed to smooth thin
Henry held back his laughter until his stomach hurt, then quickly pulled out his phone to share the incident with Zac.Henry sent a message to Zac, "I think our Shane is just a closet perv. Old men like him are actually pretty easy to please."However, before Zac could reply, a cold voice sounded from behind him."Old men? Closet perv?"Henry froze, slowly turning around to face his Shane's gloomy face."Se-Shane, when did you get here?"Feeling guilty, he hid his phone behind his back and forced a smile.Shane replied calmly, "When you sent that message."Henry forced a flattering smile, "You must have seen it wrong. I didn't say anything!"That definitely was not him. Absolutely not!Shane glanced at him briefly, then picked up his suit jacket from the back of the sofa and put it on. "Why are you looking for me?"Henry hid his phone behind his back and tried to shift the conversation to business. "A few days ago, I had my eye on a piece of land. I thought it was a sure thi
After Henry left, Shane's expression turned grim. Haley noticed the change and, concerned, took his hand. "Is there a problem?"Shane did not want to worry her. He gently stroked her hair and shook his head. "It's nothing. Let me take you to work."Seeing he did not want to discuss it, Haley did not press further and followed him to the car.On the way, Shane casually brought up William. "I heard William resigned?"Haley, leaning against the passenger seat and feeling drowsy, rubbed her temples with a hint of frustration. "Yes, he left a few days ago. I thought he would be difficult, but he left smoothly."The only headache was the mess he left behind. The design department felt lost, like a ship without a captain. To get things back on track, they needed a designer as talented as William. She had interviewed several candidates yesterday but had not found the right fit.Lost in thought, she was suddenly brought back by the warmth of Shane's hand holding hers tightly. She look
The group shook their heads, remaining silent. Haley sneered and extended her hand toward one of them. "Hand it over."The man, wearing black-rimmed glasses, had been the one who had insulted Haley the most. He took two steps back, feigning innocence. "What are you talking about, Miss Haley?""Do I need to call someone to search you?" Haley's hand raised slightly, her eyes flashing with anger.After a moment's hesitation, the man reluctantly handed over his phone. Haley took it and played the video. In the footage, she was backed against a desk with William looming over her, looking as if he was about to kiss her. The angle made the scene appear incredibly suggestive.Grinding her teeth, Haley asked, "Where did you get this video?"The man kept his head down, mumbling incoherently."Speak!" Haley's voice was firm and commanding.Everyone was taken aback. It was the first time they had seen her so angry. They did not dare to breathe.A timid young woman in the back stepped for
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