Shane was already awake, leaning on his arm and staring at her with a smile. "Good morning, wifey.""Good morning..." Haley replied, realizing her voice was hoarse. Remembering what had happened last night, her eyes dimmed a bit before she snuggled into Shane's arms. "Thank you for last night.""You're still thanking me?" Shane chuckled, ruffling her hair until it was a mess. Haley pouted in annoyance and swatted his hand away from her head."Hungry? I had the kitchen make you some oat porridge. Want to get up and have some?""Okay." Haley blinked and slowly climbed out of bed. After the commotion of the previous night, several buttons of her nightgown had come undone. Her nightgown slid off her shoulder, revealing her delicate collarbone and smooth, round shoulder. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating her skin and making it look even more fair and radiant.Shane's gaze lingered on her beautiful shoulder for a moment, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly. "Babe,
Hearing Yvonne's name, Shane's expression hardened, his voice growing even colder. "Speak.""Shane, you need to prepare yourself for this," Henry cautioned repeatedly, worried that his friend might explode in anger.Shane remained expressionless. "If you won't talk, I'll hang up."Henry pursed his lips, realizing his concern was unnecessary. Shane's resilience was impressive, and he did not need Henry worrying about him. Clearing his throat, Henry revealed his findings."I discovered that over twenty years ago, Yvonne indeed had close relationships with several men. These men privately called her a homewrecker, claiming she ruined their families. One of these men is someone you know well."Shane's brows furrowed, his gaze icy. He asked, "Is it my brother?""Yes. How did you guess that? I found out that back then, there were rumors about your brother and Yvonne being very close. They often appeared together at various events. No wonder Joe felt he was being cheated on."Henry cou
Steven sighed, rubbing his temples. "Actually, I should be the one apologizing to you. If it weren't for Evelyn and Stella, you wouldn't be in such a difficult position."Shane took a sip of his wine without saying a word.Steven continued, "I've already heard about Stella colluding with the design competition judges. I've sent her back to her hometown. She won't have another chance to target Haley."A flicker of surprise crossed Shane's eyes. He had not expected Steven, usually so submissive, to actually send Stella away. For years, Steven had been known for being under Evelyn's thumb. He thought Steven would just let the matter go.Seeing the shock in Shane's eyes, Steven gave a bitter smile. "Do you think your brother is a failure? I've been controlled by a woman all these years."Shane's gaze shifted slightly as he cautiously asked, "Why have you tolerated Evelyn's behavior all this time? You weren't always like this in the past."Steven had once been a handsome, spirited man
After Shane left, Steven downed the rest of his wine in one gulp. He leaned back on the couch, lost in thought. His vision grew hazy, and he saw a frail figure before him. Unconsciously, he reached out his hand, murmuring, "Yvonne..." But as soon as his hand stretched out, he grasped nothing but air. The figure vanished, leaving his palm empty. Tears welled up in his eyes as his voice choked with emotion. "Yvonne, how could you be so heartless to leave me like this? I still have so much to say to you."At that moment, his phone rang loudly, disrupting his thoughts. Annoyed, Steven hung up. But the phone rang again shortly after. He picked it up, glanced at the caller ID, and answered. His voice was cold, as if he were speaking to an enemy rather than his wife."What do you want?"On the other end, Evelyn's heart skipped a beat, anger surging through her. "Steven, where the hell have you been? It's bad enough you were gone before, but now that you're back, you don't even come
Evelyn had been expecting Steven to relent, but she was stunned when he mentioned divorce. Her eyes widened in disbelief. "What did you say? Divorce?"Her voice was sharp and piercing, almost enough to burst eardrums. Steven held the phone away, frowning in disgust.Evelyn screamed into the phone, "I won’t agree! Steven, you bastard! I've worked so hard for this family all these years. Even if I haven't achieved anything, I've put in the effort. How dare you mention divorce! Aren't you worried that I'll release the video?""If you have the guts, go ahead. But let me warn you, you know what Shane is capable of. If he gets angry, he can strip you of everything."After hanging up, Steven turned off his phone and tossed it aside. He had been suppressed for too long. Years ago, he had not married Evelyn out of love. She had taken advantage of him while he was drunk and climbed into his bed. He had given her a large sum of money to buy birth control, but she had taken the money and not
Feeling as if he had stumbled upon a big secret, Henry was left speechless. When there was silence on the other end of the line for a while, he grew nervous."Shane, are you okay?""Help me investigate Evelyn in detail," Shane instructed. Given how long ago this happened and its connection to Haley's mother, he decided it was best to keep the investigation discreet.Henry, feeling overwhelmed, sighed. Why did Zac have to leave at a time like this? Henry was not good at keeping secrets, and now he had this huge one with no one to share it with. "Alright, Shane, you can count on me," Henry replied, knowing he could not stand by and watch Haley get hurt.After hanging up, Shane rubbed his temples, feeling a wave of exhaustion. Just then, his phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, his expression softened immediately. He answered, his deep voice filled with warmth, "Haley?""Mr. Ford, it's so late. Why aren't you home yet? Did something happen?""No, I'm on my way back now. I'll
Shane's eyes revealed a hint of surprise. "Why would you think that? Don't worry, I'm just tired from work and had a drink with my brother tonight.""Is your brother back from abroad?" Haley asked."Yes, we had some drinks together, so I got back late," Shane explained.Haley nodded, not pressing further. Although she respected Steven, the awkwardness from the broken engagement and the constant targeting from Evelyn and Stella made her reluctant to keep in touch.Shane lay on his side, one arm around Haley's shoulder, pulling her close, while the other arm circled her waist, his fingers playing with her hair. After a while, he looked down at her and cautiously asked, "I've made arrangements for Joe to have a rough time in prison, but since Xena is pregnant, she won't be held for long. How do you plan to handle her?""As long as she stays out of trouble, I won't bother her. But if she causes problems, I won't hold back," Haley replied, snuggling closer to Shane and finding a comf
Had she known, she should have driven this little bastard out of the Carter family, letting her fend for herself. Now, her entire family was ruined because of Haley, and their fate was miserable! She could not understand why a venomous woman like Haley still existed in this world. She put all her strength into that slap, whipping the air with her hand. Haley took two steps back, dodging the attack.The butler and the helpers did not relax for a second. The moment Zoe lashed out, they pinned her arms behind her back, rendering her immobile. "Stay still! The real vicious person here is you. You destroyed another family, abused the original wife's child, and even instigated your daughter to steal an engagement. How dare you call our madam wicked?"Zoe struggled desperately. However, the butler, a trained adult male, held her down firmly. It left her no room to resist. Hearing the butler's words, Zoe burst into a maniacal laugh. "Destroy another family? Do you think Yvonne wa