Shane retracted the sense of oppression around him and remarked casually, "Ah, I see. Well, make sure to keep an eye on your phone from now on."James sensed there was more to Shane's words, but he couldn't quite grasp what it was. He simply nodded in response."Sure, I will," James replied.Shane continued, "Recently, Haley came to call off the engagement. You weren't around then, but now that you're back, let's address it once and for all."Upon hearing this, Haley turned her head towards Shane, only to find him also looking her way.Shane offered her a comforting smile before nonchalantly shifting his gaze elsewhere.Suddenly, Haley recalled what Shane had mentioned to her earlier.He had said, "Let's head over to the Ford estate and watch an interesting show."Initially puzzled by his words, she now understood the meaning.So, Shane had known long before that James had returned to the Ford estate.Observing their interaction, James felt a pang of frustration.Why did Sha
Even when they met face to face, they never exchanged a single word.Haley once softly complained to him, wondering if Shane had any opinions about her due to his cold demeanor.At that moment, his mind was completely absorbed by thoughts of Xena, so he couldn't care less whether Haley felt wronged or not.So, he casually replied, "How could that be? If my uncle truly dislikes someone, that person's fate will be miserable, and you haven't provoked him."Now, looking back, everything seemed to have had signs.Just when James was lost in his thoughts, Shane suddenly turned to him."James, now that everything is out in the open, we shouldn't forget about manners. Haley is now your senior, so you should address her as 'Aunt Haley'."This statement hit James like a sudden jolt, leaving him stunned.James had never considered the possibility of his former fiancée becoming his senior.He parted his lips, but couldn't find the words to speak.Previously, he addressed Haley by her nam
Haley shrugged and remarked, "You're just catching on to that now? What you did to me before makes this look like child's play. So, what, can't handle it anymore?"James found himself at a loss for words, turning to Mrs. Ford Sr. for help."Grandma, could you lend me the money for now? I'll pay you back once I have it."Ever since Shane froze his card, he couldn't access a single penny. Otherwise, he wouldn't have resorted to writing IOUs.Ironically, he never thought twice about the ten million before.But now, he had to humble himself before Haley for the sake of that ten million.Mrs. Ford Sr. shook her head slowly and responded, "You incurred the debt, you repay it. You're an adult now, you have to own up to your actions."James had been spoiled by Evelyn, not only was he arrogant, but he also squandered the hard-earned money Shane made.If one really did the math, James would never be able to clear his debts in this lifetime.Fortunately, Shane wasn't one to hold grudges.
Shane exchanged a few words with Haley and then promptly left Mrs. Ford Sr.'s bedroom, leaving only Haley and James behind.James fixed his gaze on Haley, his brows furrowed tightly together as he questioned in a deep voice, "Why did you marry my uncle?""I just felt like getting married. Any issue with that?" Haley didn't want to linger alone with James in the same space. It would only bring up memories of him having a passionate affair with Xena in the hotel, making her stomach churn.James's expression turned serious as he spoke, "I recall you had no prior interaction with my uncle. It's your choice whom to marry, but why him?"Haley found his words perplexing. "Whom I choose is my concern. What gives you the right to interfere?"James shook his head slowly, a pained expression crossing his face. Despite Mrs. Ford Sr.'s previous explanations, he still held onto the belief that Haley had seduced his uncle as a form of retaliation against him."Haley, cut it out. My uncle isn't
Outside the door, Shane overheard their conversation, a subtle smirk gracing his lips as a glimmer of satisfaction twinkled in his deep and dark eyes.He pushed the door open and stepped inside.The two inside turned their gaze towards the door upon hearing it open.Haley's eyes lit up. "Mr. Ford, you're back?"Noticing Haley's reliance on him, Shane affectionately ruffled her hair. "Yeah, what were you two talking about?"Not wanting Shane to hear about the unpleasant matters, Haley shook her head."Nothing, Mr. Ford. I wonder if dinner is ready. Let's head down and eat. I'm starving."Shane shot James a meaningful glance. He then murmured a response to Haley, took her hand and left.James stood there alone, his back rigid, and goosebumps running down his spine, taking him a while to regain his composure.The look in Shane's eyes was just too terrifying, as if he could kill him in the next moment, sinister and fierce, sending shivers down one's spine.Downstairs, as soon as
Especially when it came to Haley, he tried to evade whenever feasible. As soon as dinner wrapped up, he came up with an excuse and made a quick exit. Mrs. Ford Sr. shook her head slowly as she watched his hurried departure.After dinner, Haley sat on the sofa chatting with Mrs. Ford Sr. for a while before heading home with Shane. This time, Shane drove himself and didn't bring a driver along, so Haley sat in the passenger seat.Taking the initiative, she asked, "Mr. Ford, did you know that James was coming back when you brought me here?""Yeah, James called me this morning to borrow money, so I figured he must be coming back."Haley nodded, sensing things weren't quite as straightforward. But instead of pressing further, she gazed out the window, watching the scenery pass by, lost in thought.Shane glanced at her and said, "I froze James's card. He's broke now, and I don't know if he can pay back the money."A faint smile appeared on Haley's lips. "Mr. Ford, he's your own nephew.
Stella's gaze remained fixed on Shane, disregarding Haley sitting in the passenger seat.As she observed Shane's strikingly handsome profile, Stella felt her heart race uncontrollably, and a faint blush tinged her cheeks.She had spent the entire afternoon preparing the soup, investing four or five hours in handling the ingredients and simmering it over a low flame.Yet, Shane only cast her a cold glance, his brows furrowing. "I don't need it. You can leave."Stella wasn't taken aback by his response. She had faced rejection on numerous occasions during her previous visits.Initially, it would upset her, but over time, she grew accustomed to it.Nevertheless, she saw herself as the last opportunity to marry Shane.Shane was naturally aloof and showed no interest in women. There hadn't been a woman by his side for many years.She was the only one who could draw near to him through her relationship with her aunt.Every time she mentioned it, she would attract envious and jealous
Even though Haley was James's fiancée or Shane's future niece-in-law, it was still unacceptable!Shane chuckled and directly took Haley's hand, saying, "It's her own home. She can come and go as she please, no need to report to you, right?"Stella stood frozen on the spot, her pupils shrinking in response.What did... going back to her own home mean?Why could not she understand what Shane was saying?Her gaze swept back and forth between Haley and Shane, finally settling on their intertwined fingers, too shocked to speak.Her eyes reddened, tears welled up and streamed down her cheeks like beads off a broken string."Mr. Ford, how could you treat me like this? Are you together with her? Then what about me?"Seeing her looking as if she had suffered a great injury, Haley became even more curious.Could it be that she had actually guessed right? Did something really happen between Shane and Stella?But Shane's expression darkened, his sharp eyes gleaming with hostility.He sa
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