"Don't worry," Shane reassured her. "Mom's been through all kinds of storms. Trust me, she won't be shocked."Feeling the warmth in his palm, Haley nodded. "I hope so."Half an hour later, they arrived at the Ford residence. Shane and Haley entered together and explained the events of the past few days to Mrs. Ford Sr.As it turned out, Mrs. Ford Sr. was much calmer than Haley had expected. She held Haley's hand and gently patted her soft hair. "My dear, you've been through so much. If you hadn't come, I wouldn't have known all that's happened to you recently."Then she glared at Shane. "And you! How dare you hide such big things from me!"Shane awkwardly scratched his nose. "Sorry, Mom. I didn't want to worry you.""Enough with the excuses. If anything happened to Haley or my grandchild, you'd be the one to blame!"Seeing that Mrs. Ford Sr. was genuinely angry, Haley quickly interjected, "I'm fine, Mom. Visiting my mom's grave was my decision. Shane didn't know about it."Mrs.
Upon seeing the emerald pendant, Shane's expression changed subtly. Haley, puzzled, asked, "What is this?"Mrs. Ford Sr. explained, "Have you ever heard of the Marshall family from the Aurora Isles?"Haley shook her head, searching her memory but finding nothing related.Mrs. Ford Sr. continued, "The Marshall family is my family. Although people say the Marshall family has fallen, it only went into hiding after offending someone powerful."The Marshall family has been developing in the capital for years. If you encounter trouble, go to this address and find the Marshall family. Just show them this pendant, and they will help you."In terms of power, the Marshall family was not inferior to the Fisher family. She handed the pendant to Shane, squeezing his hand tightly."I hope you won't need to use this. The Marshall family has withdrawn from worldly affairs, but you are their descendants. Shane, you are the next head of the Marshall family, and they will support you."Shane loo
Shane confidently replied, "Mom will definitely be happy with me as her son-in-law. I'm confident about that." The marriage between him and Haley was arranged by Yvonne and her mother. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, he was replaced by James. Therefore, he was certain that Yvonne would approve of him as a son-in-law.Haley lifted her chin proudly and said, "We'll see. If my mom doesn't like you..."Shane grinned confidently. "That's not going to happen!"Even if there was a chance, he would do everything in his power to earn Yvonne's approval. No other outcome was possible.After returning home, Haley and Shane quickly packed their suitcases and headed to the airport. Zac and Henry were already there waiting.Haley waved at them with a smile. "Everyone's here, let's go!"At that moment, two hands simultaneously grabbed her suitcase. Shane and Zac spoke in unison, "I'll carry it..."Their eyes met, and an unspoken challenge sparked between them. Neither was willing
Four hours later, the plane landed at Capital airport. Zac pushed the luggage cart out, and Haley noticed, frowning slightly. "It’s so heavy. Are you sure you can handle all that by yourself? Let me help…""No need, I can handle it," Zac quickly dodged Haley's outstretched hand, forcing a smile. "Leave this to us men. I've already arranged for a car to pick us up. It's waiting outside."Haley looked him over, still worried, but seeing he seemed fine, she finally relaxed. However, she did not notice the smile that spread across Zac's face once she turned away. The usually stoic man softened visibly, basking in his sister's concern. It felt like he might finally be accepted as her brother.Watching from the sidelines, Henry covered his face in exasperation. This grinning fool could not be the same man he knew! Henry quickened his pace, distancing himself from Zac, clearly not wanting any association.The group arrived at a private villa complex. Zac explained, "This is my prope
Haley’s eyes widened in shock. "How could this happen?""It’s a long story." Shane looked at the ceiling, his thoughts drifting. "Zac’s mother came from a poor background, a student from a remote mountainous area who was fortunate to be sponsored by the Fisher family to attend the Capital University."She could have had a bright future, but after seeing the Fisher family’s wealth, her ambitions grew. She took advantage of Charles when he was drunk and had a relationship with him, resulting in Zac."She was clever and hid her pregnancy, not telling anyone. By the time the child was born, it was too late for the Fisher family to do anything. She thought she could marry into the Fisher family through Zac, but she did not understand Charles at all.Charles was not someone who could be manipulated and he hated being threatened. The Fisher family refused to acknowledge the child, so Zac was tossed around like a ball.When she could not get what she wanted, her mind twisted, and she vent
"She’s asleep," Shane whispered, closing the door softly and leading Zac downstairs.Seeing the hesitation in Zac’s expression, Shane spoke first, "I told her about your background."Zac’s hand trembled slightly, almost spilling the water from his cup. He looked at Shane in surprise. "How did she react?"Would she be disgusted by his origins? He lowered his gaze, forcing a bitter smile. Of course she would. After all, his mother was a greedy, malicious woman, and he had inherited her dirty genes.After being friends for so many years, Shane could easily guess what Zac was thinking. He patted Zac's shoulder reassuringly. "Don’t worry, Haley felt really sorry for you. She cried in my arms for a long time before she finally fell asleep.""Really?" Zac's head shot up, a rare gleam of hope shining in his usually emotionless eyes.Shane nodded with a smile. "Of course. When have I ever lied to you?"Zac’s lips curved into a smile he could not suppress, and the tension in his body
Both of them paused and pulled back their utensils."Wifey, you need to eat more. You're not eating for just one now. There's a little one inside you too," Shane said, picking up an empty bowl and filling it with chicken soup before placing it in front of Haley.Zac, not wanting to be outdone, added, "You're too thin. You need to eat more to nourish yourself properly."He couldn't understand how the food at the Ford family had not helped her gain any weight. Now that they were staying in the capital, he was determined to ensure she was well-fed and healthy.Caught between their concerns, Haley nodded in agreement, appreciating their care and not wanting to worry them.Watching from the side, Henry pouted in frustration. "I'm your friend too. Why does no one care about me?"Shane and Zac both shot him disdainful looks. "Are you pregnant or missing a limb? Why would you need extra care?"Henry was left speechless, his face dropping as he silently shoveled food into his mouth.Aft
……After two days in the capital, Zac still had no updates. Haley grew increasingly restless, pacing around her room. Shane and Zac had gone out, leaving her alone in an unfamiliar city. She ended up asking the housekeeper about the Fisher family in the capital.From their conversation, she learned that the internal strife within the Fisher family was even worse than she had imagined. Everyone coveted the position of head of the Fisher family. Zac himself had survived multiple assassination attempts, and it was a miracle he was still alive. Given the circumstances, Haley was unsure whether she should reveal her identity. Although she was a woman, there had been a precedent for women becoming the head of the Fisher family. This revelation would disrupt her peaceful life, but she could not avoid searching for her mother. Her mother, who had promised to love and protect her forever, was someone she could not abandon.Taking a deep breath, Haley decided to visit the hospital. Give
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