Haley stood on tiptoe and suddenly kissed Shane on the lips. "So, do you want me more, or do you want a daughter more?"Shane didn't hesitate. "Of course, I want you more."Even though he loved the idea of having a daughter, it couldn't compare to his love for Haley. Hearing his answer, Haley smiled with satisfaction. "That's more like it. Good answer."If he had dared to say a daughter was more important than her, she would have gone straight to her father to complain! She had someone to back her up now!Up ahead, Charles hadn't heard any noise from behind for a while and slowed down, turning to look back. When he saw his daughter kissing Shane in public, he couldn't help but frown.He clenched his fist and cleared his throat. "What are you doing? Hurry up and catch up.""Coming!" Haley and Shane exchanged a smile and quickened their pace, hand in hand....Charles originally wanted to take Haley back to Zac's villa, not wanting her to get involved in these matters, but Hale
Seeing Haley's worried look, Rachel felt confused. She wasn't the same as before, always throwing tantrums. Was Haley underestimating her?Rachel huffed, lifting her chin haughtily. "I won't throw a tantrum. Don't underestimate me!"Haley sighed inwardly at her cousin's naive and spoiled demeanor. She wondered if Rachel’s innocence could survive the upcoming revelations.Meanwhile, Charles raised his head and scanned everyone in the room before speaking. "Now that everyone is here, let's get down to business."Eason smiled and asked, "Charles, what's going on? Why are you so serious today?"Charles didn't respond immediately. Instead, he fixed his gaze on Stanley, who was trying to keep a low profile."Stanley, you caused this mess. Don’t you think you owe us all an explanation?"Stanley's shoulders hunched as he hesitated to lift his head. "Charles, I... I don't know what you're talking about. What mess? What explanation?""Heh..." Charles scoffed. Since Stanley showed no remo
Charles looked at Stanley and asked, "Why did you do it?""Why else? Dad always favored you. You can't understand why I'd do this!" Stanley started laughing, a sound laced with madness.From childhood, Charles had always been the favored one, receiving the most attention and affection. Stanley and Eason lacked the talent for managing the company and didn’t have likable personalities, so they were always overshadowed by Charles. When Stanley learned that their father didn’t have much time left but still planned to leave everything to Charles, he decided to take matters into his own hands.People would look out for themselves, even if it meant going against everything. Stanley knew his actions were morally wrong, but he believed the potential reward of a huge inheritance was worth the risk. If he failed, he would lose it all. But if he succeeded, he would gain everything. He hadn't anticipated his plan being thwarted and their father surviving.Charles took a deep breath, his ton
Unfortunately, he never appreciated it and always felt he was being unfairly treated."Ungrateful wretch. You didn't take his life, which was already merciful. From now on, his fate is none of our concern," Mr. Fisher Sr. said.Charles nodded. "Yes, I understand."Yvonne stepped forward, interrupting their conversation with concern. "Dad, let us handle these matters. You should rest."Mr. Fisher Sr. shook his head, smiling. "I'm fine, don't worry. By the way, I tried on the suit Haley made for me. It fits perfectly, and I love it."Yvonne's expression softened at his praise for Haley. "Yes, Haley is an excellent designer. You must look great in it."Mr. Fisher Sr. sighed and said, "I don't know when I'll be able to leave the hospital. Why don't you bring me home? Staying here all the time is too boring.""But your health..." Yvonne looked at Charles, her worry evident.Charles pressed his lips together and gently urged, "You should stay in the hospital for now."Mr. Fisher Sr.
As evening approached, Haley noticed the tiredness on Mr. Fisher Sr.'s face and quickly stood up. "Gentlemen, you must be exhausted after such a long chat. Why don't you stay for dinner?"Mr. Fisher Sr.’s friends waved their hands and declined with smiles. "No, no, we'll come by another time. You take good care of your grandfather."Haley personally saw the guests off. When she returned, she found her grandfather already dozing off. She smiled helplessly and walked over to him. "Grandpa, don't sleep here. Let's get you to bed. Come, I'll help you up."Mr. Fisher Sr. slowly opened his eyes and nodded, letting Haley assist him.After getting him settled in his room, Haley went downstairs to get a glass of water before returning to her room. Shane was sitting on the couch, working on his laptop. When he heard the door, he looked up immediately.Seeing Haley enter, he closed his laptop and set it aside, opening his arms to her. Haley's heart softened, and she smiled as she sat on his
Eason and Emma exchanged glances but remained silent. Since Stanley was taken away by the bodyguards, they had been much quieter and more obedient. Charles was like a beast ready to pounce, especially when it came to matters concerning Mr. Fisher Sr. He would lash out at anyone who posed a threat.Moreover, the contents of the will were nearly set in stone. Despite any lingering resentment, no one dared to question Mr. Fisher Sr.'s decisions. Yet, there was always someone who failed to see the situation clearly."What right does an outsider have to sit here?" a mocking voice sneered, breaking the silence.All eyes turned to Ken, the source of the remark. Charles narrowed his eyes and set down his utensils, his voice low and dangerous, "What did you say? Say it again if you dare."Sensing Charles's impending fury, Rachel quickly tugged on Ken's sleeve, whispering urgently, "Ken, please stop. Don't say anything more."Ken shook her off, his impatience evident. "Can't you have some
Sometimes there was no need for force as people naturally sought benefits and avoided harm. Often, once the pros and cons were weighed, the choice became easy.After this conflict was resolved, the dining table fell silent again. Mr. Fisher Sr. remained stoic, and everyone else fell into their own thoughts. The meal ended in this heavy silence.After dinner, Mr. Fisher Sr. went upstairs to rest with the help of a helper. As soon as he was gone, the anger Haley had been holding back erupted. She marched straight over to Ken.Ken was deep in thought when a shadow fell over him. He looked up slowly, meeting Haley's cold gaze. "What do you want?" he asked."Apologize," Haley demanded curtly.Ken thought he had misheard. "What?""Apologize," Haley repeated. "To me and my father. Didn’t I warn you not to provoke me? I won't let it slide."Ken laughed bitterly. "I’ll apologize to Uncle, but why should I apologize to you?""I might be an outsider, but I'm also their daughter. I underst
Hearing someone behind her, Haley panicked and quickly pushed Shane away. She turned around, and when she saw who it was, her eyes lit up. "Zac!"Zac's stern expression softened as he saw his sister running toward him with delight written all over her face. Ignoring Shane's murderous glare, Zac opened his arms and hugged Haley, reminding her, "Slow down. You're pregnant now. You can't be as reckless as before."Haley playfully nodded. "When did you get back? Have you seen Grandpa yet?"Zac nodded, a shadow passing through his deep eyes. He had heard about the recent events in Jasper City before coming. Not killing Uncle Stanley was already lenient. Grandpa was almost like a father to Zac, and their bond was profound. Knowing that Grandpa didn't have much time left made Zac's heart ache.Haley pursed her lips, unsure how to comfort him, so she gently patted his arm in a gesture of support.Zac felt warmth from her concern. His sister was always so considerate, putting others befo
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