After resting for a moment, Xena felt a sudden cold breeze blow past her. Her body tensed with fear as she slowly turned around. What she saw made her jump in terror.A woman stood behind her, her face obscured by her long and straight hair. Xena screamed in fright.The woman suddenly lifted her hair and started laughing. "Are you here to play with me? Play with me, will you? I love girls with such smooth, tender skin.""Ah!" Xena shut her eyes tight and screamed again, fainting from fear....After handling business matters, Haley and Shane hurriedly flew to the capital. Mr. Fisher Sr.'s condition was unstable, and the hospital had issued its final notice. Without the Fisher family's medical expertise, he would not have survived this long. Now, he was just barely holding on.When Haley arrived at the hospital, she found that Mr. Fisher Sr. had grown even thinner in the past half month. He looked frail, almost skeletal, with no color in his face. Seeing him like this, Haley's e
After visiting Mr. Fisher Sr. at the hospital, Haley and Shane went to Zac’s villa. Zac still had patients in Jasper City and would be arriving by the first flight in the morning, so it was just the two of them at home.Shane, aware that Haley was still grappling with her sadness, gently pulled her into his arms, soothingly stroking her back. "It's okay, wifey. Don’t overthink it."Haley leaned her head against Shane's broad chest, her mood somber. "Shane, why is life so fragile?"Shane tenderly touched her face, his heart aching for her. "It's precisely because it's fragile that it’s so precious."Haley's eyes were downcast, tears welling up and staining her cheeks red, looking incredibly pitiful. Realizing the topic was too heavy, Shane quickly shifted the conversation. "You know, I heard that elders feel a lot of joy when they receive gifts. Why don’t we get a present for Grandpa to cheer him up?"Haley's lashes fluttered, his words resonating with her. She straightened up, her
At the doorway, Rachel covered her eyes with her hands, her lips curling into a shy smile. She silently remarked, "oh dear, why are they kissing in broad daylight? And in the living room, no less! Do they not care about appearances at all?"Haley, annoyed that her rare moment of initiative was interrupted, spoke sharply. "Why are you here? Do you need something?"Rachel, annoyed herself, pouted. "Do you think I want to be here? Uncle said he has an evening appointment and won't be coming, so he sent me to let you know."Actually, Charles was worried about Haley’s mood and thought that since Rachel was the same age and also a girl, she might be able to comfort her.Rachel puffed out her cheeks, glaring at Haley. She certainly did not look sad or upset just a moment ago. She seemed to be enjoying herself! She thought to herself, "Who needs comforting here? Uncle Charles is treating Haley like a child, but he definitely hasn’t seen her make people cry with just a few words at work
Haley led Rachel to the dining room, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the sumptuous dinner spread before them.Rachel was equally astonished. "I thought it would be just a few simple dishes, but... your husband is really amazing!"Haley proudly lifted her chin. "Of course, Shane has many talents."Just then, Shane walked in with a bowl of soup, his lips curving into a slight smile.Rachel couldn't hide her curiosity. "Does... brother-in-law cook often at home? Don't you have a chef?"Haley and Shane exchanged a smile. "He doesn't have that much time," Haley explained. "Besides, I wouldn’t bear to let him cook every day." Shane's eyes were full of amusement as he gently ruffled Haley's hair. "Haley was feeling down today, and she likes to eat when she's not happy."Rachel covered her mouth in excitement, trying not to squeal. She got it now! It was all to cheer up his wife! She was only getting this meal because Haley was in a bad mood!Haley playfully glared at Shane and
Haley, having successfully averted a potential mishap, made a secret victory sign.That evening, Haley handed her design draft to JY's design department, asking them to select the appropriate fabric and thread and send them over as quickly as possible. She wanted to personally complete the suit, ensuring every stitch and detail was of her own making. Although hand-sewing was slow, Haley didn’t feel tired at all. Instead, she enjoyed it immensely. Using her skills to create a piece of clothing for her grandfather brought her great satisfaction.About three days later, the suit was complete. To get Mr. Fisher Sr.'s exact measurements, she asked the Fisher family’s butler without alerting Mr. Fisher Sr., hoping to surprise him with the finished product.When Shane returned from dealing with matters at the Marshall family, he found that Haley had already finished the suit. The design was intricate, blending traditional elements with innovative touches, ensuring Mr. Fisher wouldn’t loo
The man struggled to get up from the ground, but a foot pressed firmly against his chest, pinning him down. No matter how hard he fought, he couldn’t break free. Hearing the commotion, the bodyguards outside rushed in.Seeing the scene in the hospital room, they immediately sensed something was wrong. "Miss, what happened?"Haley threw the syringe aside, her anger flaring. "You dare to ask what happened? Weren’t you supposed to take care of Grandpa? Is this how you do your job?"Ignoring the rest, she repeatedly called out to her grandfather, trying to wake him. But whether he was in a deep sleep or drugged, he didn’t respond. Panic filled her, and she shouted at the bodyguards, "Why are you still standing here? Go get a doctor!"The bodyguards, realizing the severity of the situation, quickly ran out to find a doctor.After examining Mr. Fisher Sr., the doctor looked serious. "It seems his condition has suddenly worsened. Did something happen just now?"Logically, although Mr.
Stanley, the third son of the Fisher family, twitched his eyelids and wiped the lingering tears from his face, looking somewhat comical. "Are you really okay? Why couldn't we wake you up no matter how hard we tried? And Haley was crying so sadly."Haley, leaning against Charles, tensed slightly and slowly lifted her head, meeting her father’s questioning gaze.Charles grabbed her by the collar and made her stand straight. "Explain yourself. What's going on?"Haley blinked innocently and said earnestly, "I didn’t say anything. I was just as confused. Uncle Stanley and Aunt Sasha started crying as soon as they walked in, and then you all came in too.""We thought... well, we saw you so upset and assumed..." Stanley almost choked in frustration, feeling duped.Eason, the second son, quickly regained his composure, scolding coldly, "Haley, this is a serious matter. How could you mess around? It's a good thing Dad is okay, but do you know how inappropriate your actions were?"In their
Yvonne held Charles's hand tightly, looking at him with worried eyes. The others had different thoughts, and no one knew what they were thinking.After what felt like an eternity, the doctor finally emerged from the room with a somber expression. Charles, usually composed, was the first to rush over. He asked in his hoarse voice, "Doctor, how is my father?"Everyone else's hearts were in their throats, eyes fixed on the doctor. Despite being accustomed to such scenes, the sheer presence and authority of these individuals made the doctor break into a cold sweat."Mr. Charles, your father's condition isn't good. We found that a certain drug had been injected into his system. This drug alone isn't problematic, but it interacts negatively with one of the medications Mr. Fisher Sr. is currently taking, which can stress his liver."Charles closed his eyes tightly, struggling to process the news. Eason and Stanley started crying again, their faces etched with sorrow."I should have staye
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