Halfway through her words, Haley felt a sharp tap on her smooth forehead. She winced, rubbing the spot and looking up at the culprit with a pitiful expression. “That hurt, Mr. Ford. Why’d you do that?”“To teach you a lesson!” Shane huffed, but seeing her genuinely in pain, he could not help but gently rub the spot he had hit. He continued, “You are always my top priority. There’s no such thing as bothering me. Haley, I’d be thrilled if you interrupted me more often. It shows that I matter to you.”Haley froze, never expecting to hear such words from Shane. His voice was steady, but there was a hint of vulnerability and sadness that tugged at her heart. She felt a pang of emotion, her heart aching at his words.“Thank you, Mr. Ford,” Haley whispered. She had never had anyone care for her so deeply, protect her so fiercely. The feeling of being cherished and safeguarded was almost surreal, making her feel like she was floating.Shane chuckled softly, “Want to thank me? The
Hearing Haley's sudden confession, Shane's heart melted. He reached out and ruffled her soft hair, pressing a gentle kiss on top of her head. "I know," he said softly.Getting a confession from his wife made Shane feel that his trip was more than worth it. He did not mind canceling an important meeting just to support her.After a while, Haley finally let go of Shane and lifted her face from his chest. Her almond-shaped eyes were still misty from crying, giving her a delicate, dreamlike appearance. Shane, unable to resist, gently brushed her reddened eyes with his thumb, his lips curling into a smile. "You really are a little crybaby. You cry when you're sad, and you cry when you're happy."Haley sniffled, looking up at him with her big, teary eyes pitifully. "I can't help it..."The overwhelming feelings of gratitude and happiness surged through her like a tidal wave when Shane stood up for her. It was so intense that even Haley found it hard to handle.Shane took her hand in
Shane closed the car door, walked around to the driver's side, and got in. He started the car and headed to the restaurant. About ten minutes later, the car slowly pulled up to a cozy restaurant. Shane parked the car and turned to Haley. "Hungry? I had Dean pre-order our meal, so it’ll be ready when we get in.""Really?" Haley’s eyes lit up as she quickly unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car.Watching her cheerful figure, Shane chuckled and shook his head. She was still a kid at heart, so easily pleased. A meal of shrimp and she had already forgotten all the troubles from earlier. But that was good, he thought. At least he did not have to worry about those people affecting her mood.Shane led Haley to a private room, and as soon as they were seated, the server brought in their food. There was not just spicy garlic shrimp, but also all of Haley’s favorite dishes. There were barbeque ribs, grilled salmon, and red wine-braised beef brisket.Haley’s eyes sparkled at the si
Haley and Shane both looked up toward the source of the voice. They saw William standing just a few steps away, watching them with a relaxed demeanor.Haley frowned slightly. "William? What are you doing here?"William's lips curled into a faint smile, his gaze on Haley filled with deep affection. "Hearing my name from Haley’s lips is different from anyone else."Shane's eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flashing in his gaze. "You think you can call her that?""So what should I call her? Sister-in-law?" William glanced at Haley before focusing on Shane. Their eyes met, and although no words were exchanged, the tension in the air thickened, ready to explode at any moment.Shane spoke in a low voice, "William, delete the video."William raised an eyebrow, maintaining his calm demeanor. "What if I refuse?""Then you know what I'm capable of.""Then let's see," William challenged, a hint of madness in his eyes. "I want to find out if the head of the Ford family is stronger than
"Miss Haley, is your evasive attitude a sign of guilt?""Could it be that you really cheated on Mr. Ford? That would explain why Mr. Ford hit Mr. William!"This statement drew agreement from many. They eagerly aimed their cameras at Haley, taking pictures with disdain in their eyes. Regardless of the truth, they had already labeled her as unfaithful and promiscuous.Seeing this, Shane quickly pulled Haley into his arms, his sharp gaze radiating deadly intent. "I will get to the bottom of the video's truth and provide an explanation. But until then, if I find anyone spreading false rumors, the Ford Corporation won't let it slide."Tall and imposing, Shane exuded a powerful and icy aura. His deep eyes were like blades of ice, sharp and intimidating, making people afraid to look directly at him. The reporters, initially eager to dig up a big story, all took a step back, intimidated by his presence.One disgruntled reporter muttered under his breath, "Why so afraid of us spreading t
As Haley expected, the incident at the restaurant did not spread. Everyone was too afraid of provoking Shane and causing unnecessary trouble for themselves. Haley quietly turned off her phone, gaining a new appreciation for her husband's reputation in Jasper City.Just then, Sue knocked and entered, holding a folder. She placed it on the desk and said, "Miss Haley, this is the draft from the design department for your review."Haley immediately opened the folder. The design competition was just around the corner, and both she and many of JY's designers were participating. This competition was their first big chance to restore their reputation, so Haley took it very seriously.However, as she looked at the submitted drafts, her expression darkened. Sue noticed and felt uneasy. "Miss Haley, is there something wrong?"Haley took a deep breath, slammed the folder shut, and tossed it back to Sue. "See for yourself."Sue quickly opened the folder and was taken aback by what she sa
Haley appeared before everyone. She sat at the head of the conference table, her indifferent gaze sweeping across the room without saying a word. Her silence made everyone in the room nervous. They exchanged glances, not understanding what was going on.Suddenly, Haley slammed the folder in her hand onto the table with a loud "bang." Everyone jumped, their hearts racing. This... this was the draft they had submitted, wasn't it?Facing Haley's stern expression, they all felt a growing sense of unease. Just then, Haley finally spoke, “Can someone explain to me what this is all about?”Their expressions stiffened, and they exchanged uneasy glances before one of them spoke up, “This… this is the draft we submitted. Is there a problem?”Seeing their stubbornness, Haley's eyes grew even colder. “I'll ask one last time. Is this the result of your efforts for the past half month?”The room fell silent. No one dared to speak.Haley let out a cold laugh. “Since that's the case, con
Sue was momentarily taken aback before teasing Haley, “You’re flaunting your love more openly now, aren't you?”Thinking of Shane, Haley’s expression naturally softened into a tender smile. Her confidence stemmed from knowing Shane’s love was unwavering.A fleeting, unnoticeable emotion crossed Sue’s eyes, and her smile turned a bit bitter. “If only my relationship could be like yours.”Haley was slightly taken aback. “Are you having issues with your boyfriend, Sue?”Realizing what she had just revealed, Sue quickly averted her gaze and shook her head. “It’s nothing, just minor disagreements.”Afraid Haley would press further, Sue hurriedly added, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave now.”Without giving Haley a chance to respond, Sue quickly turned and left the office. Haley watched her hasty retreat, her brows furrowing slightly in thought....After work, Haley’s phone rang. It was Shane calling. Seeing his name on the screen, a soft smile curved her lips.In a sw
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