The butler listened and felt even more sympathy for her. He glared at Shane, his tone filled with worry and reproach. "Madam is still young and doesn't know better. Why didn't you stop her? How much did she drink? Just look at her, all flushed..."He kept muttering, his voice laced with concern for Haley. Normally, anyone daring to speak to Shane like this would face his icy demeanor, but now he remained silent.When the butler finally stopped, Shane calmly said, "Haley is asleep. I'll take her upstairs."Realizing what he had just done, the butler felt a wave of anxiety. He quickly stepped aside, making way for Shane. As Shane carried Haley up the stairs, the butler regretted his outburst. Was he out of his mind? What had possessed him to speak to his boss that way? Was Shane considering firing him now?Shane, unaware of the butler's worries, gently laid Haley on the soft bed. He carefully tucked her in before leaving the room.Half an hour later, Shane appeared in the private
"No, no, it's not like that! Mr. Ford, please listen to me!" Xena struggled to crawl towards Shane, her voice frantic and desperate. "It wasn't me, it really wasn't me. Mr. Ford, please believe me! I wasn't even at the competition that day!"Shane sneered, "Do you need me to explain why you weren't at the competition that day?"He stared at Xena intently, his eyes filled with a cold, sharp glint. His gaze was as if he were looking at a person on death row. Xena shivered under his icy, piercing eyes, feeling as though she had been plunged into an ice-cold abyss. Her shoulders hunched, and her voice, which had been full of panic and urgency, grew weaker and less confident.Despite her usual arrogance and willfulness, she knew better than to ignore the gravity of the situation. Shane might have seemed calm on the surface, but his deep eyes held a storm of fury. This Shane, with his understated but overwhelming presence, scared her to the core. It was an instinctual fear, the kind t
This moment would haunt Xena for years to come, forever etched into her nightmares. She could never forget the look in Shane's eyes as he stared at her like she was nothing more than a dead thing.A second later, a pair of hands shoved her from behind, sending her hurtling towards the open window. Her body fell uncontrollably, forming a perfect arc in the air. Xena's scream pierced the silence, her eyes wide with terror. "Ahhh!"The sound of rushing wind filled her ears, and she could vaguely hear the murmurs of passersby below. Just as she thought her life was over, her descent halted abruptly. Hanging upside down, Xena realized there was a rope tied around her waist. She looked up and saw the two bodyguards staring down at her, their faces impassive."Please, pull me up! I'm afraid of heights!" Xena pleaded, her voice shaky.The bodyguards exchanged a glance and smirked. "Afraid of heights? Perfect. Our boss said you need to truly understand fear to learn that some people a
No matter how much she begged, Shane never showed up.After a while, the bodyguard returned to the window and glanced down. When Xena saw him, she immediately became agitated.“Please, get me up. I can't hold on any longer! Please...”The bodyguard looked back towards the room. Shane was calmly sipping his drink, showing no sign of pity.The bodyguard hesitated, "Sir, she is still Mr. James Ford's wife. Isn't this a bit too much?"Shane slowly put down his glass and looked at him. His eyes were dark and deep, like a bottomless vortex, filled with an indescribable danger.The bodyguard felt a chill run down his spine and lowered his head. He had overstepped. As a bodyguard, his job was to follow orders, not question them.Shane casually shifted his gaze away and asked nonchalantly, "I remember Xena has a social media account with quite a few followers, doesn't she?"The bodyguard blinked, recalling that Xena did have such an account. She loved to post about her luxurious lifesty
Inside the private room, the bodyguard stood respectfully before Shane. "Sir, we've followed your instructions and called the police. Xena has been taken away.""Good." Shane's expression remained indifferent, as if he had expected this outcome.The bodyguard hesitated for a moment before asking, "Should I contact the police station and follow up?""No need. Even without our interference, she won't be able to turn things around." Shane stood up from the sofa. His tall and imposing figure was exuding a powerful and icy aura, as if he were a devil from hell. He smiled slightly but his gaze was cold and unfeeling. Even though the bodyguard was used to his boss's ruthless demeanor, he could not help but feel a chill.When Shane returned home, it was already past midnight. Haley was still fast asleep, her fair face buried in the blanket, looking both adorable and soft with a slight blush. Shane sat gently on the bed, leaned down, and planted a soft kiss on her delicate lips. After s
Hearing Shane’s gentle voice coaxing her, Haley's cheeks turned a rosy pink. Shane reached out and lightly pinched her cherry-like cheeks, chuckling softly. "Are you hungry, Haley? Let me take you to eat."Haley, completely captivated by his words, had already forgotten what she initially wanted to ask. She obediently let Shane lead her towards the dining room.On the other end of the call, Jenny had heard everything clearly and was left speechless. Now she understood why Haley had fallen for Shane. Who could resist this? Jenny thought to herself, "A man who is cold and distant to everyone else but treats you with such tenderness. Such an ideal man is almost extinct! No wonder Haley fell for him. Any woman would find it impossible to resist!"Feeling a mix of emotions, Jenny hung up the phone and accepted the reality. Just then, a hand with well-defined knuckles suddenly appeared, offering her a glass of warm water. Jenny was startled and turned to see Henry standing behind he
Since Xena joined the Carter family five years ago, she had been striving to take everything from Haley. Now, she was reaping what she had sown. Everything Xena valued, like her reputation, wealth, and marrying into a prestigious family, would be destroyed one by one.For someone as ambitious as Xena, this was worse than death.Sue seemed very satisfied with this outcome and began talking more. "That Xena is truly evil. She stole your designs and framed you, and now she tampered with the competition. It's despicable!"She paused, a look of disgust flashing in her eyes. "What kind of mother raises such a morally corrupt daughter?"Sue was lost in her own emotions, not noticing the fleeting darkness in Haley's eyes. "Sue, you can go now. Designers from Morning Dew Design Co. are coming to visit today. Please handle the arrangements."Sue snapped back to attention and nodded quickly. "Got it."After Sue left, Haley returned to her office. She sat in her chair, diligently working
He knew he had no right to be here and understood that Xena’s downfall was entirely her own doing. However, she was still his wife, and he could not just abandon her.Seeing his silence, Haley sneered, "I guess I was right. But don’t bother asking me to plead for Xena. It’s never going to happen."Shane had gone through so much to stand up for her. If she turned around and begged for Xena’s sake, everything Shane did would become a joke. Why would she slap Shane in the face for someone who meant nothing to her?After a long pause, James finally lowered his head in shame. "I understand. I’m sorry."Haley, I’m sorry."He realized his mistakes. Recently, he had reflected deeply on his actions. Sometimes, it was hard to see clearly when one was in the middle of it all. But stepping back and viewing things from an outsider's perspective made everything much clearer.All the kindness Haley had shown him, which he had taken for granted, now came rushing back like an overwhelming tide.