William winced, sharply inhaling as his eyes widened in disbelief. "You actually dared to hit me?"Haley shook her hand as if brushing off dirt, feigning disdain. "I hit you, so what? Did you want me to schedule an appointment first to hit you?"She had figured out that with someone like William, polite conversation was useless. Though it was a bit violent, she had to admit that slapping him felt incredibly satisfying.William sneered and signaled to his guards. "Since you don’t know what’s good for you, I won’t bother with pleasantries. Take her away."The guards swarmed them, separating Haley and Dean. Dean fought back fiercely, kicking several guards to the ground, leaving them writhing in pain. But Haley was quickly restrained and dragged upstairs.Dean tried to follow, but the guards overwhelmed him. Despite his strength, the relentless attack wore him down. In a moment of distraction, someone from behind seized Dean, twisting his arm and pinning him to the floor. William
Just as William was about to speak, Shane suddenly kicked him, sending him sprawling to the ground with a heavy thud. William clutched his chest, coughing violently, his eyes narrowing in fury. "Shane, do you even care about saving Haley anymore?"Shane sneered, stepping forward to press William down with his foot, his dark eyes filled with disdain. "Of course I care, but that doesn't mean I won't beat you to a pulp."With that, Shane bent down, grabbed William by the collar, and landed another punch. Blood surged up from William's chest, and he spat out a mouthful of it.Seeing that Shane had no intention of stopping, Haley hurried down the stairs and softly called out, "Shane, that's enough. If you keep going, he'll be in serious trouble."Shane scoffed, completely indifferent to William's well-being. "This scum is just wasting air by staying alive. Might as well put him out of his misery."William's eyelids fluttered as memories of a twisted, angry face and harsh words floode
Shane chuckled softly and scooped Haley up into his arms, striding toward the car. Caught off guard by the sudden lift, Haley let out a small gasp, her arms instinctively wrapping around Shane’s neck. She shot him a playful glare. "Put me down! I can walk just fine."Instead of letting go, Shane only held her tighter. "Don’t move. If I drop you, don’t blame me."Haley gave up her struggle and nestled her face against his shoulder.Once inside the car, Haley’s eyes softened with concern as she noticed the bruises on Shane’s face. "What happened? Did you two fight again?"Shane reached up to touch his face, the injuries not severe but noticeable. He raised an eyebrow at her and grinned. "Yeah, but I won," he said with a hint of pride.Haley could not help but laugh, shaking her head as she rummaged through the first-aid kit for some ointment and cotton swabs. "You’re too old for this. Fighting like some kid. What were you thinking?"Shane let out a chuckle, his tone carrying a hi
Shane paused mid-step, a teasing glint in his eyes as he looked at Haley. "It's just a bath. What were you thinking?"Haley froze for a moment, then quickly buried her face in Shane's chest, too embarrassed to say another word. "Oh no... How embarrassing!" Haley thought to herself. Shane’s smile widened as he gently reassured her, "Don’t be shy. If Mrs. Ford is interested, I’m more than happy to oblige."Haley quickly covered Shane's mouth, her wide eyes glaring at him. "Stop it! No more!""Alright, alright, I’ll stop," Shane chuckled, "Let’s just get you a nice hot bath so you can relax. Tomorrow, I’m taking you somewhere special."Haley blinked, her curiosity piqued. "Where are we going?"Shane’s expression turned playful, a mysterious smile tugging at his lips. "You’ll find out tomorrow."His secrecy only made Haley more curious. But no matter how much she pressed, Shane remained tight-lipped, leaving her to quietly anticipate what was to come.Later, after their bath, as
Because of what had just happened, Haley's lips were still slightly swollen when they left, making it unnecessary to apply lipstick. Once they were in the car, she touched her tingling lips and shot Shane a glare."Look at what you’ve done! How am I supposed to face people now?"Shane sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck and tried to soothe her. "Don't worry, it’s not noticeable. Besides, you look beautiful even without anything on."Haley huffed, then asked, "So, where are we going now?"Shane kept it a secret, smiling slyly. "You’ll see when we get there."After about ten minutes, the car pulled up in front of a boutique design studio. Shane opened the door and smiled. "We’re here. Let’s go in."Haley hesitated, glancing at the sign. "A design studio? Why are we here?""There's a surprise waiting for you," Shane said, taking her hand and leading her inside.The shop was quiet, filled with brand-new evening gowns, all uniquely designed and eye-catching. What caught Haley’s a
Throughout the day, Haley did not have to think about anything as Shane led her from one place to another. They visited the world’s largest amusement park and even went to a famous love bridge, where they attached a love lock. As she gazed at the lock they had just secured, Haley could not help but remark, "I never thought I’d be able to visit so many places in just one day."Shane hugged her from behind and whispered in her ear, "Did you enjoy it?""I loved it," Haley replied, her eyes sparkling with bright, dazzling light."As long as you’re happy, all the effort I put in was worth it," Shane said, planting a gentle kiss on her lips. Though brief, the kiss was filled with tenderness and affection.That evening, Shane arranged a grand candlelit dinner at the most famous underwater restaurant in Salterra. The environment was pristine and the décor was understated yet luxurious. A pianist played softly nearby, creating the perfect ambiance.On their walk back, hand in hand unde
The helper sneered, suddenly gaining some confidence. "Go ahead, do it! I'd love to see who gets kicked out first—you or me." The rumors online were spreading like wildfire. Everyone in the capital, even across the country, knew by now that Yvonne had a love child, tarnishing Charles's name. The helper could not believe for a second that he would willingly raise another man’s child! At that moment, the sound of footsteps echoed from the stairs, followed by a cold, stern voice. "Oh? Do you really think you have that much authority in this house? I must've missed the memo." The familiar voice made the helper’s heart skip a beat. She turned to see Charles standing there, having no idea how much he had overheard. Her confidence quickly evaporated, and she nearly collapsed in fear. "Sir, let me explain—it’s not what it looks like…" Charles’s cold laugh cut her off as he approached, looking down at her with an intense gaze. "Not what it looks like? Then what is it, exa
With his head bowed, Charles said nothing, his expression heavy with unspoken tension. Shane stood quietly by his side, gently squeezing Haley’s hand, trying to offer her some comfort through the warmth of his touch. Noticing this small gesture, Haley glanced at him and smiled softly, shaking her head as if to say she was okay.In truth, Haley had never placed much importance on her identity and had long since come to terms with the fact that she might never be publicly acknowledged by her biological parents. But seeing the hesitation in Charles’ eyes stirred an unexpected ache in her chest. Was she truly just an afterthought?Thinking about it, Haley could not help but feel a mix of amusement and exasperation.Just then, Charles suddenly stood up, walked over to Haley, and said, "Haley, I'm sorry you've had to go through this. I'll take care of it."He already owed Haley too much and could not allow things to continue like this. She was still so young, with her whole life ah