Watching the car speed away, Xena stomped her foot in frustration, her face showing a hint of malice. She had initially planned just to ask for some money, but since Yvonne was being uncooperative, she wouldn't hold back anymore.Inside the car, the driver glanced at Yvonne through the rearview mirror, his tone heavy with concern. "Ma'am, that girl is clearly up to no good. She's probably trying to latch onto our family. Please don't be taken in by her.""Don't worry, I won't," Yvonne reassured him with a smile, turning her gaze to the window. Even without Haley's warning, she wouldn't easily trust someone she had just met.She hadn't expected anyone to dare make a move on her directly. Over the years, Yvonne had kept a low profile and rarely interacted with outsiders. However, this didn't mean she was naive. Many people had tried to dig into her background or offered high prices for her whereabouts, all to connect with Charles. She had seen plenty of such people.But Xena was mo
He was really terrified. Terrified that Yvonne might revert to her old self, spread her wings, and fly away from him."Alright, alright, let’s not make a scene anymore. Do I still have a fever?" Charles obediently bent down, letting Yvonne feel his forehead. Satisfied that his temperature was back to normal, Yvonne smiled, "Not bad at all, your fever is completely gone."Holding Yvonne’s hand, Charles said, "I’m strong. No illness can bring me down."Yvonne put away the herbs and leaned into Charles’s embrace. "Honey, I miss Haley. How about we go to Jasper City to see her?"Charles stiffened, "Why do you suddenly want to go to Jasper City?""It’s not sudden. I’ve wanted to go for a while, but you wouldn’t let me. As parents, we can’t live apart from our child forever. Besides, I’ve heard the environment in Jasper City is better than in the capital, with a more pleasant climate, perfect for recovery."Charles pressed his lips together, not responding.Yvonne’s fingers tugged
Yvonne had a wonderful meal, and even the tense lines on Charles's face relaxed. After dinner, Haley pulled her mother outside for a walk to help digest the food. The restaurant was designed like a garden, with pavilions and terraces that were elegantly charming. Outside, the scenery was beautiful with shady trees, winding paths, and a sparkling lake.As they walked, Haley chatted with her mother about recent events.Meanwhile, back in the restaurant, Charles sat on the couch sipping tea, while Shane sat silently nearby, lost in thought. Charles looked up at him, "It's clear that Haley really likes you.""Yes, and I love her very much too," Shane's eyes softened at the mention of Haley, filled with an unmistakable tenderness.Charles continued, "I missed out on Haley's upbringing and have no right to interfere with her relationships now. But let me make one thing clear. If you ever betray her, I won't take it lightly."His words were cold and menacing, his expression stern eno
The men in black suits approached without a word, one of them quickly covering Joe’s mouth with a cloth. He struggled, but a pungent smell invaded his nostrils, making his head spin. Within moments, he lost consciousness.When Joe woke up, his head was pounding. He rubbed his temples, piecing together what had happened. He remembered seeing a group of men in black suits before he lost consciousness. Men in black! They must have been here to kill him!Panicking, Joe bolted upright in bed, opening his mouth to call for a nurse. But to his horror, no sound came out. Confused, he tried again, only to be met with silence. He couldn't speak.Why couldn't he speak?Frantically, Joe pressed the call button. When the nurse arrived, he pointed desperately at his throat, managing only short, strained grunts.The nurse looked puzzled. "Mr. Carter, what kind of trick are you trying to pull this time? If you keep this up, we'll have to notify the prison authorities."Joe shook his head wil
However, those thoughts could only remain in Joe's mind, for the moment they were spoken aloud, they turned into, "Ah... Ahh..."Charles, dressed in a black suit and trench coat, looked tall and imposing. His presence exuded a cold, authoritative aura. His usually composed and gentle demeanor, especially around Yvonne, was replaced by a chilling intensity."Mr. Carter, long time no see."Charles casually pulled up a chair by the hospital bed and sat down, crossing his legs in a relaxed manner that still commanded respect.Joe shrank back, his eyes slowly filling with fear. "Ah...""Wondering why I'm here?" Charles's gaze was piercing and a slight smirk appeared on his lips. "I'm here to settle accounts."Joe's hands, hidden under the blanket, clenched tightly, his whole body tensing up involuntarily.Charles raised a hand and clapped him forcefully on the shoulder, smiling as he spoke. "Don't be nervous. Did you like the welcoming gift I sent you?"Joe's pupils contracted. So i
Charles cast a disinterested glance at her before turning away and leaving without a word. The bodyguards followed suit, slowly releasing Xena's restrained hands. As soon as she was free, Xena scrambled up from the floor and rushed over to ask, "Dad, what did Charles show you?"Before she could finish her sentence, Joe suddenly went mad, lunging at her and choking her neck. The sensation of suffocation gripped her throat, accompanied by sharp pain. Xena's eyes widened in shock as she struggled to pry his hands off, "Dad..."Joe snapped out of it, delivering a fierce slap to Xena’s face, screaming “Ah” as he pointed to the door, commanding her to leave.Xena, bewildered, glanced down and saw the words "DNA Test Report" written on the document. Her breath caught, and cold sweat broke out all over her body."Dad, listen to me. This isn't true. It can't be true. How could I not be your daughter?"But Joe just stared at her, his eyes full of disappointment. She knew all along?No
Three days later, the news of Joe Carter losing his mind in the hospital was exposed by the paparazzi, causing quite a stir. Joe was somewhat well-known in Jasper City, especially after Haley had personally sent him to prison, making headlines. Moreover, Haley had managed to turn JY around in just a few months, restoring it to its former glory from over twenty years ago, making her a prominent figure in the business world.This incident drew a lot of attention, with many people curious to see how Haley would react. However, they were disappointed when she showed no reaction at all, continuing with her life as if Joe had nothing to do with her.In reality, when Haley heard about Joe’s breakdown, she was momentarily surprised. Having lived under the same roof with him for over twenty years, it was impossible not to feel something. But she couldn’t muster any sympathy for him. Joe deserved his fate. Sometimes, madness would be a kinder fate than painful clarity.With a deep sigh,
Haley looked up, her eyes filled with gratitude as she gazed at him. "Honey, you’re the best."Shane lowered his head and kissed her soft lips. "As long as you know that."With his comfort, Haley's mood improved, and she held Shane's hand as they went home together.The next morning, Haley woke up to the sound of commotion outside. She stretched lazily, her round-neck pajamas riding up to reveal a slender, delicate waist. Rubbing her eyes, she slowly climbed out of bed and walked out. "Bob, what's all the noise about?"Outside, Xena had come to Violet Grove early in the morning, wanting to see Haley. The helpers, however, kept her at the door, refusing to let her in or even announce her presence. They were worried about waking the sleeping Haley."It's almost noon, and she's still sleeping? How lazy can Haley be? How can Mr. Ford tolerate such an undisciplined and unruly woman for so long?" Xena thought, her frustration growing. Remembering her own recent struggles without a h
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