After resolving the situation with Eason and Uncle John, Charles summoned all the extended family members to the Fisher estate. This time, before seeing Charles, everyone was on edge, worried they might inadvertently anger him and meet the same fate as Eason.Soon, Charles entered the room with Haley, Zac, and Ken, even bringing Gaius along. The previously noisy crowd fell silent immediately, their nerves evident as they watched Charles, unsure of his intentions.Charles took his seat at the head of the table, surveying the room with a commanding presence. "I know it wasn’t easy for everyone to come here, and I hope your stay in the capital has been comfortable. If there’s been any inconvenience, I ask for your understanding."Everyone quickly waved off his concern, nervously agreeing, "No, no, everything’s been great. The accommodations have been excellent, we’ve been so comfortable, we don’t want to leave, haha..."Their laughter quickly died out as they caught sight of Charles
In the evening, after they all had dinner together, Haley and Shane announced that they needed to head back.Charles raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Why the rush? Why not stay a few more days?""We can’t," Haley replied with a smile. "We’ve got a lot of work waiting for us in Jasper City. We can’t just leave it unattended."Charles nodded, a hint of reluctance in his voice. "Alright then, but I’ll go back with you to Jasper City. I’ve got some things I need to take care of there anyway."Haley blinked and teased, "Are you really going to leave Mom alone? Can you bear it? Maybe she should come with us to Jasper City."Without hesitation, Charles shook his head. "No way. I’ll be back tomorrow. I can’t stand the thought of her running around with me everywhere."Haley teased with a smile, "It’s winter in the capital right now. Mom might just prefer staying in Jasper City. What will you do then?"Charles shot her a playful glare. "What else? I’ll be right there with her, of course.
In the car, Haley gazed out the window in the direction where Charles had disappeared, her brows furrowing in concern. "Why do I feel like Dad is hiding something from us?" she murmured.Ever since they boarded the plane, Charles had seemed off. Whenever Haley tried to engage him in conversation, he appeared distracted, his thoughts clearly elsewhere.Shane wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close with a gentle smile. "He's a grown man. You don't need to worry so much. Trust me, he knows what he's doing."But Haley's frown remained. "I don't know… something feels different this time. It’s like there’s something strange going on."Shane glanced down at her, softly brushing a thumb over the crease in her brow. "Alright, stop worrying. We're in Jasper City, on familiar ground. No one can touch him here."Haley sighed, feeling somewhat reassured, and let the thought slip from her mind.Soon, they arrived back at Violet Grove. Shane stepped out of the car first, exten
Haley raised an eyebrow at him, "What are you up to?""Nothing much," Shane replied with a slight smile. He wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her closer. And with the other hand, he gently cupped the back of her head, drawing her into a deep kiss.The sound of their lips meeting filled the room, lingering for a moment before fading away. "Just wanted to show you who’s sweeter," he murmured against her lips."Mmm…" Haley tried to respond, but her words were muffled as Shane’s urgent, passionate kiss left her no room to breathe or escape. She felt herself becoming lightheaded, completely overwhelmed by his intensity.Sensing her struggle, Shane finally released her, resting his forehead against hers. "How is it that after all this time, you still haven’t learned?" he teased.Haley’s cheeks flushed pink as she avoided his intense gaze. His eyes were filled with a heat that made her feel as though she might melt under his stare. She pouted, feigning defiance, "I’m just n
James bitterly smiled. Ever since he left the Ford family and lost his status as a member of the Ford family, whatever pride he had had long been shattered by reality. Only now, after everything, did he truly realize how lucky he had been, living carefree under Shane's protection. But those days were gone for good."Uncle, I have something I need to take care of. I'll be going now," he said quickly before hurrying away, unable to meet Shane's eyes any longer.Shane stared at James's retreating figure, his eyes clouded with thought. He didn’t snap out of it until Haley tugged at his sleeve."Come on, let’s go eat." He took her delicate hand, ready to lead her away.But Haley did not move. "Wait here for a second," she said, giving him a look before turning and heading toward a nearby private room. Shane watched curiously as she confidently pushed the door open and stepped inside."Mr. Watson, right?" she said, her voice calm but firm. "James may no longer be part of the Ford fami
Haley was shocked by her own suspicion, and for a moment, she did not realize how intently she was staring at Charlotte. But Charlotte noticed. Blushing, Charlotte nervously bit her lip and asked, "Is something wrong? Do I have something on my face?"Haley snapped out of it, realizing she had been staring, and quickly apologized. "No, no, nothing like that. I just suddenly thought you’re actually quite pretty."Charlotte’s cheeks flushed even deeper, and she waved her hands in embarrassment. "No, no, I’m nowhere near as pretty as you, Miss Haley. You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen."Compliments like that could make any girl smile, and Haley was not an exception. She smiled, thanked Charlotte, and quickly handed back the menu after placing her order.Once Charlotte left, Haley nudged Shane with her elbow and whispered, "Don’t you think something’s off?"Shane looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"Haley’s lips curled into a mysterious smile. "I’m talking about Zac. Don’t
After what felt like an eternity, Haley's entire body felt light-headed, as though she was being roasted over a fire.She could barely catch her breath when Shane finally released her reluctantly. His deep, dark eyes sparkled with a brilliant light.Leaning against his shoulder, Haley struggled to breathe, her chest rising and falling rapidly as though she had been harshly mistreated. This appearance made her even more captivating than before.Shane's Adam's apple moved slightly as his gaze fell on her full, rosy lips, growing more heated by the second.Sensing his intent, Haley glared at him sharply and covered her lips with the back of her hand, warning him in a low voice, "Don't even think about it."Shane silently regretted it but knew when to stop. With difficulty, he tore his gaze away from her.Seeing that he no longer attempted to touch her, Haley finally breathed a sigh of relief."By the way, has Dad contacted you recently? I haven’t seen him in ages." They had retur
Charles nervously touched his nose. "Let me explain...""Go on, you'd better explain yourself clearly, or don’t blame me for being harsh!" Haley sat down on the sofa, crossing her arms and glaring at him. She was giving off the vibe that if he dared lie, she would not hesitate to deal with him.Charles had no choice but to repeat what he had just said. "I really didn’t mean to lose contact. The mountain area was so remote that there was no signal. I had no choice."Haley snorted. "Stop making excuses. If you really wanted to contact us, you’d find a way, no matter what."Charles wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and helplessly glanced at Shane. These two were definitely a couple! They even thought alike."It’s true. There was no communication equipment at all. They live almost entirely like it’s the old days. I had no way to reach anyone."Haley gave him a stern look. "So, did you find the person you were looking for? You’ve been there so long, and you didn’t even find them?
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