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
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