Joe struggled desperately as he saw Haley looking through his call records, panic rising within him. "Haley, give me my phone back! Give it back now!"He couldn't let her find out he had sent Xena to the capital. Who knows what she might do if she found out?Haley's eyes narrowed as she glanced at the phone screen, then at Joe. "What are you so afraid of?""I'm not... I'm not afraid of anything," Joe stammered, his eyes darting around.Haley continued, "When did you meet William? What has he been telling you?""Who is William? I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know him. Stop accusing me! And Haley, if you lay a hand on me again, I won't let you get away with it!"Haley studied his expression. Seeing that he wasn’t lying, she dropped the subject. She twirled the phone in her hand before pocketing it. "Given your recent behavior, I'm confiscating your phone. Maybe this will teach you a lesson."Without waiting for Joe's furious response, she turned and left. Joe was
Shane gently patted Haley's back, soothing her in a low voice. "Don't get upset. It's not worth it over someone like him.""I just find it so infuriating. Who goes around attacking people indiscriminately? Was his life so miserable that he can't stand to see others happy?" Haley fumed, thinking of William's seemingly nonchalant yet underhanded demeanor. Once she got something on him, she would definitely teach him a lesson!Watching Haley’s animated, almost fierce expression, Shane couldn't help but chuckle. "William... I'll find a way to have a proper talk with him."He didn't want things to escalate to open conflict.Haley squinted at him, cupping his face and studying him intently. Shane, his face caught in her hands, asked helplessly, "Why are you looking at me like that?"Haley wrinkled her nose. "I just feel like you treat William differently. Why is that?"Typically, legitimate and illegitimate children were at odds. Moreover, William's attitude toward Shane was one of c
Shane silently sighed, his fingers gently pinching the bridge of his nose. "His mother... died in that kidnapping."Haley was shocked again, her mouth opening but no words coming out. "How... how did that happen?"Shane's eyes lowered, his tone heavy. "I only found out recently. We were too young at the time, and my mom kept it from me."He had never understood why William harbored such hatred toward him. But when he saw the information, everything became clear. Although William's mother had kidnapped them, causing Haley's memory loss, she didn't deserve to die for it.Haley, recovering from her shock, asked in a trembling voice, "Mr. Ford, can you tell me what exactly happened back then?"Sensing her anxiety, Shane gently stroked her back, his deep voice soothing. "Don't worry, it's a family matter. It has nothing to do with you.""I just want to know what happened," Haley insisted."William's mother originally intended to kidnap me," Shane began. "But you were always so attach
"Is that why William hates you so much? Was he there during the kidnapping too?" Haley lowered her head, unable to sort out her emotions.She quickly comforted Shane, worried he might blame himself. "Mr. Ford, you can’t take all the responsibility. This isn’t your fault. It's all on William’s mother."Shane nodded, smiling as he ruffled Haley's hair. "I know. I wanted you to understand that this is between William and me. You owe him nothing. If he dares to come after you, I'll show him my patience has limits."Haley was his soft spot, his Achilles' heel.Haley nodded obediently. "Got it. I’ll remember."After their talk, Haley clung to Shane's neck, not wanting to let go, and he let her hold on. When Layla came in with some fruit, she blushed at the sight of them."Am I interrupting? Should I come back later?"Haley, her face flushed, patted Shane's shoulder, signaling him to let her go. Instead of loosening his grip, he held her tighter, giving Layla a sidelong glance. "Just l
Understanding the implication behind Shane's words, Haley's cheeks instantly flushed pink. She tilted her head up, glaring at him. "Stop saying nonsense.""I'm not," Shane replied, taking her delicate hand and kissing it lightly before quickly heading towards the bedroom.As the door closed, Haley felt a strong arm wrap around her slender waist, pulling her backward. In the next moment, she was enveloped in Shane's embrace, his fresh, woody scent surrounding her, spreading through her senses."Mmm..." Haley couldn't help but let out a soft moan as her body was gently turned to face him. Her back pressed against the door, she wrapped her arms around Shane's neck, responding passionately.Her reaction was like adding fuel to a fire. Shane felt his whole body heat up, his desire intensifying. His eyes deepened, filled with longing as he gazed at her.Haley's breathing became uneven, struggling to keep up. But Shane showed no signs of letting her go. One hand held her soft waist, whil
Although the food she usually ate was nutritious, it was so bland that it had affected her appetite.Shane lowered his head to gently rest his forehead against hers, smiling as he comforted her, "Wifey, you worked hard last night. How about we go out for a bit to relax?""You go ahead. Just don't drink too much and come back early," Haley said as she got up and gave Shane a kiss on the cheek.Shane raised his hand, lightly touching the spot where she had kissed him, a smile forming on his lips.After breakfast, Shane ruffled Haley's hair, gave her a few reminders, and then left. He handled some business at the company and held a meeting before it was time to go.The event he was attending tonight was just a small cocktail party hosted by a relatively well-known bank manager in Jasper City. Typically, a high-profile figure like Shane wouldn’t attend such events, but he had found out that William would be there. Recently, Shane had been trying to reach William, who had been laying
William had a tall, imposing figure with striking, defined features. His white casual suit gave him a gentle and refined appearance, and the smile on his lips added a touch of warmth. He was the complete opposite of Shane's cold demeanor. From about five meters away, Shane locked eyes with him. William clearly noticed him too and flashed an innocent smile. "Shane, long time no see."Shane glanced at him indifferently and quickly looked away. "You went through all this trouble just to make me come to you, didn't you?""That's not it. I just wanted to add a bit of fun to this game," William said, closely watching Shane's face, not wanting to miss any reaction. However, Shane's face remained expressionless, his eyes devoid of any emotion. "You succeeded. Now, tell me, what do you want?"William didn't answer immediately. Instead, he glanced at Director Zaffron, who quickly picked up on the tense atmosphere. "Uh, I have other guests to attend to. You two talk, you two talk..." He hu
Years ago, William's mother had kidnapped him and Haley, holding a knife to their throats and stabbing him multiple times in a fit of rage. This explained his long coma after being rescued, during which he missed out on ten years with Haley. It was a loss that made Shane harbor a deep-seated hatred for that woman.As William listened, his grip on the railing tightened, veins bulging on the back of his hand. "She was my mother, Shane. Do you even know what kind of life I've had these past ten years?"Shane lifted his gaze and spoke deliberately, "I know what you're getting at, but even if I had to choose again, I'd make the same decision."He continued, "I understand your desire for revenge for your mother, but if you so much as think about targeting Haley, I will not let you off. Consider yourself warned."With that, Shane shot him a cold glance before turning and leaving without looking back.Watching Shane's retreating figure, William clenched his fists so tightly that his knu