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
"Yvonne, please don't do this. You can hit me, yell at me, whatever you want, but please don't leave me, okay?" Charles pleaded as he chased after her, blocking her path.Yvonne stared at him coldly, her voice low but firm, "I don't want to see you right now. No one likes being deceived or kept in the dark, and what bothers me most isn't even the lie itself."A glimmer of hope lit up in Charles' eyes. "Then what is it? Yvonne, just tell me, and I'll change."Yvonne could not help but let out a bitter laugh. "Change? How do you plan to change? Do you think a simple apology can erase everything that happened and all the pain Haley has endured?"Even though she had not regained all her memories, Yvonne could empathize. As a mother, being forced to leave her child and knowing her child had suffered for so many years was something she could not accept. And Charles was the one who caused all of this.Charles opened his mouth to respond but found himself unable to say a word. She was rig
As soon as the video was released, it caused an uproar, sending shockwaves across the internet. The entire online community was in an uproar. Everyone was unable to believe that the couple they had once envied for their seemingly perfect relationship was actually hiding such dark secrets behind closed doors."Oh my God, I used to fantasize about marrying Charles, but now all my illusions are shattered.""I used to think Yvonne was so beautiful, but now I see what a real femme fatale looks like!""Joe is so pitiful! Not only did he end up with a cheating wife, but she also conspired with her lover to have him locked up in a mental hospital!"Haley received the news immediately, her expression growing more serious as she scrolled through the comments section. Almost every comment was an attack on Yvonne. The comments were accusing her of being shameless, heartless, and even willing to abandon her own daughter, Haley, all for the sake of her "adulterous lover." It was as if Yvonne
Haley nodded and dialed Charles’s number. When Charles heard the truth, he did not seem surprised at all. After a brief silence, he said, "Alright, I understand. I’ll handle your uncle, and as for William, leave him to Shane."This was a matter that should have been settled long ago. Charles had always known that it was Eason who had instigated their younger brother to harm their father. But out of respect for his father’s last wishes, he had not taken action. Now, Eason had gone too far. It was clear Charles could no longer tolerate this anymore. Eason needed to be reminded of his place.Back in Jasper City, Shane wasted no time. He immediately called Dean, instructing him to bring William back to the city. Given what was about to happen, Shane decided it was best that Haley did not come along.Driving alone, Shane arrived at a secluded villa on the outskirts of the city and stepped inside. Dean and a few other men were already there, holding William down on the floor. Despite hi
"We were totally played, used like pawns in their game. Those two are absolutely disgusting!""William Ford? Is he related to the Ford family? Could it be?""My mind is spinning with ideas for a novel about a power struggle in a wealthy family. I heard Mr. Ford Sr. was quite the player back in his day.""So, maybe William really is Mr. Ford Sr.'s illegitimate son? That would explain a lot."......This was a shocking revelation for everyone. The focus of attention shifted entirely to the drama of the wealthy family, and the criticisms of Yvonne and Haley started to dwindle.At that moment, Charles suddenly logged into his long-dormant social media account and posted a video. In the video, Charles was as composed as ever, dressed sharply in a suit, exuding a calm, almost stoic presence. Many viewers, captivated by his appearance, could not help but comment on how handsome he looked, some even calling him their “dream husband.”However, what Charles said next stunned everyone.
Yvonne could not help but laugh in exasperation at Charles's self-righteous attitude. She pulled her hand away and said coldly, "Are you really here to apologize? Where's your sincerity?"Charles chuckled softly. "Then tell me, what will it take for you to forgive me? How about I beg on my knees?"Yvonne could not hold back a smile, her anger dissipating with a burst of laughter.Seeing her smile, Charles let out a small sigh of relief. He wrapped Yvonne in his arms, holding her as if he wanted to merge her into his very being. Yvonne struggled for a moment, but when she could not break free, she gave in. She rested her head on Charles's shoulder, falling silent.Haley, watching them embrace, smiled with contentment. But as the hug dragged on, she started to feel a bit like a third wheel.Unable to resist, Haley cleared her throat and said, "Okay, that's enough. Can you two stop being so lovey-dovey in front of your child?"She silently remarked, "They’re really taking advant
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