An hour later, in a villa on the outskirts of Jasper City.Shane sat with his legs crossed, lazily leaning back on a soft, comfortable soft. He was looking down, lost in thought. Just a few steps away, a woman was bound with ropes, kneeling on the cold, hard floor. She struggled, her eyes filled with undisguised terror and panic."Shane... Mr. Ford, why are you doing this to me? Let me go!" Stella pleaded.At her words, Shane slowly lifted his gaze, his cold eyes brimming with murderous intent. "You don't know why you're here? Think again."His voice was low and raspy, carrying a chill that sent shivers down her spine.Stella's shoulders trembled violently. She bit her lip, too afraid to make another sound.Shane signaled to Dean, who nodded and took out his phone, playing a video. In the video, a middle-aged man, beaten and bruised, confessed on his knees. He revealed that Stella had paid him to tamper with Haley's car, causing the accident.When the video ended, Shane stoo
Stella did not even get a chance to speak before being shoved into a car. The villa was spacious, with a large yard that included a shaded path on the right and an artificial lake. Dean roughly tossed her into the driver’s seat, started the engine, and closed the door.The car slowly moved forward, heading toward the lake. After about three minutes, it crashed through the barrier and plunged into the water. As the car sank deeper, water began seeping inside.Stella struggled frantically, tears streaming down her face as she screamed and begged for mercy. But no one came to save her. The water continued to fill the car, gradually submerging her body.At that moment, she realized what it meant to be caught in her own trap. When she decided to sabotage Haley’s car, her only thoughts were of seeing Haley hurt or even dead. But now, experiencing the same fate herself, she understood the despair of being trapped in a sinking car with no way out.She was wrong.She truly understood h
Stella struggled to open her eyes, watching Shane's blurry figure grow smaller until it disappeared entirely. Tears streamed down her face, eyes filled with despair and pain. She regretted everything.She was wrong!She swore she would never dare to oppose Haley again.But it was too late now.Shane left, and Dean, annoyed by her cries, gagged her. Soon, the police confirmed the authenticity of the evidence and took Stella into custody. Although no lives were lost directly, her attempt to orchestrate Haley’s accident was enough to keep her imprisoned for a few years.Two days later, Haley found out about the incident. Reading the news about Stella on her phone, she frowned slightly. "Why does Stella want me dead so badly?"She could not understand why Stella harbored such intense hatred. Dean thought for a moment before replying, "Maybe because our boss sent her to the countryside last time, and she held a grudge."Shane's expression darkened as he said coldly, "People like
She scratched her head and smiled. "This is a gift from above for both of us. Even though I'm not fully prepared to be a mom, I'll do everything I can to protect it!"Looking at her slightly flushed face, Shane could not resist cupping her cheeks and kissing her soft lips. Haley was startled by the sudden kiss and quickly tried to push him away."What are you doing? This is a hospital!" she protested, worried about being seen by passersby.Shane chuckled softly, his raspy voice carrying a hint of joy. "Don't worry, no one will come in without my permission." Then he lightly pecked her lips again, a smile spreading across his face.Haley playfully glared at him, her cheeks burning as she pulled the blanket over herself, leaving only her bright, mischievous eyes visible. Shane laughed quietly, ruffling her hair. "Alright, I won't tease you anymore. Get some rest. I'll go get something to eat.""Okay!" Haley nodded obediently.Shane tore his eyes away from her and got out of bed
"Hello, ma'am!" the chefs greeted Haley in unison, their voices so loud and clear that they could be heard in the hallway outside the hospital room.Haley rubbed her forehead in exasperation and gave Shane a questioning look. "What is all this about?""You said you couldn’t eat, so I had chefs from a five-star restaurant prepare some meals for you," Shane replied, his tone completely serious. Before giving the chefs instructions, he had consulted with the doctor to ensure the meals were suitable for a pregnant woman. The food they prepared was perfectly healthy.Haley looked at Shane's earnest expression and could not help but laugh. "Aren’t you worried this will make the headlines tomorrow?"Although Shane was not a public figure, plenty of paparazzi followed him. His high-profile move of bringing chefs to the hospital would surely be noticed.Shane was nonchalant. "If I don't want it to be public, no one will dare to expose it."The public relations team at the Ford Corporati
"Shh, don’t say that. Our Haley will be just fine."Haley playfully blinked and nodded. "I know."Seeing her so obedient and sweet, Shane's heart melted. He reached out to gently stroke her delicate cheek and then made a small concession. "You can walk around the room, but don’t overdo it. Rest as soon as you feel tired, okay?""Alright!" Haley's eyes lit up, and she agreed immediately.So, Haley walked around the room while Shane followed closely behind, his hands hovering near her in case she stumbled. His protective manner was almost over the top.When Henry and Zac walked in, they saw this endearing scene."Tsk tsk, Shane, you've really become so gentle and caring. A few months ago, I wouldn't have believed you had this side," Henry teased.Shane, unfazed, responded, "You’re just jealous that I have a wife, and you don’t!"Single Henry and Zac were rendered speechless.Ouch!Zac cleared his throat and approached Haley, his usually cold and sharp eyes now showing a hint of
The three of them were stunned, not expecting Haley to suddenly wake up. Shane was the first to recover, walking over to her and wrapping his arm around her shoulder as if nothing had happened. "Why are you awake, Haley? You should go back and rest."Haley pushed his hand away and looked at him suspiciously. "Are you hiding something from me? Be honest."Shane parted his lips to deny it, but Haley continued, "I noticed something was off earlier. If you don't tell me, then don't bother coming into this room again."Her words clearly panicked Shane. He grabbed her hand, holding it tightly in his palm. His usual calm and composed demeanor now showed traces of anxiety and worry. "Haley, please, don’t ask right now. I'll tell you everything once you're fully recovered, okay?"Haley shook her head firmly. "I'm almost recovered. Keeping this from me only makes me worry more. I can't eat or sleep properly."The vein on Shane’s forehead twitched as he quickly relented. "Alright, I’ll tel
The two exchanged worried, anxious glances, filled with regret. They wished they could slap themselves for their careless words that led to this situation.After what felt like an eternity, Haley finally came back to herself. She lifted her head from Shane's embrace and looked at Zac. "When did you find out?""Two or three months ago," Zac replied honestly. At that time, he was not completely certain, so he discreetly took her water cup and collected a few strands of her hair for a DNA test. He used the most professional medical team to ensure the accuracy of the results.As it turned out, his suspicion was correct. Haley and he were related by blood. However, they were only half-siblings, sharing the same father. His mother had died many years ago, and his father was practically absent. Zac had always longed for a soft, kind little sister like Haley. He wondered if having her around during his painful times would have made a difference.Haley bit her lip and lowered her gaze, lo