When Yvonne saw Jessamine, she pointed at her and told the gentleman, "It's this woman! How dare she come!"Jessamine had a bad feeling. Sure enough, this incident was aimed at her.Amy sat in her seat with bloodshot eyes. "Officer, that necklace was my mother's gift to me before she passed. I didn't expect it to go missing in the office."She added, "I believe the employees of Holt Jewelry are not so desperate! Please, help me find it. I'll do whatever it takes!"With that, she started sobbing bitterly, looking pitiful.The police offered a few consoling words as they had already scrutinized the office surveillance. The footage distinctly showed Jessamine as the sole visitor the previous night, captured in the act of opening Amy's drawer and retrieving a jewelry box.The evidence was undeniable."Miss, you're Jessamine, right? Could you kindly come with us for a moment?" A crowd had gathered, forming a tight ring of onlookers. Each gaze was filled with suspicion as they scrut
Jessamine calmly smiled and shifted her gaze to Amy with a hint of mockery. The night she returned the ring to its original place, she intended to expose Amy's true colors in front of Thaddeus. She wanted him to see the kind of person he had fallen for—a schemer willing to use her own sister's life to fuel jealousy and vengeance.Now, Jessamine wondered if Amy's facade of purity and goodness could withstand the revelation. She had been searching for the opportune moment, and ironically, Amy brought it upon herself.Amy felt a chilling stare from Jessamine, and under its weight, she couldn't bring herself to make eye contact."Officer, I took the items. Ms. Quilton had given me permission, though she might not admit it now," Jessamine's words reignited the uproar in the office, which had only just settled after a minute of uneasy silence."How is that possible? Are you suggesting that Ms. Quilton intentionally set you up? Who would use their own mother's keepsake for such a sc
Jessamine seemed very generous as she said, "After you, Ms. Quilton."Amy cleared her throat, looking calm, but in fact, she was very nervous."This ring is a design by Lolly from three years ago, a limited edition with only three pairs ever made. My boyfriend paid a hefty sum for it, and few can afford it in Zenville. You all know my boyfriend. Judge it for yourself," Amy said.Jessamine smirked. Could this be considered evidence?Amy was accustomed to wielding influence within the company. She was buoyed by her relationship with Thaddeus and found support from those eager to flatter her."We absolutely believe in Ms. Quilton. After all, her boyfriend is our CEO. Besides Mr. Holt, who in Zenville could afford a globally limited edition of three pairs of wedding rings?""In terms of financial capability, no one can match Mr. Holt.""Jessamine, just admit it. Stealing a necklace is nothing. Return it, and you can leave this building today. People will forget in a few months. Accu
The officers were confused as they looked at the three of them. It was as if they had just witnessed a real-life drama where the self-proclaimed future wife of the CEO turned out to be fake, while the "thief" turned out to be the wife.However, the officers had no right to ask about the personal lives of these wealthy individuals. They were just here for work.The officer suppressed his curiosity as he asked Amy, "Your mother's keepsake …"Thaddeus cut him off. "What keepsake? Amy, isn't your mother at home?"The police needed no further inquiries. It was, at its core, a domestic dispute between a mistress and the legal wife, a delicate matter, especially considering it involved the CEO of Holt Jewelry. It was best left for them to resolve internally."If you have no further questions, we'll get back to work," one of the police officers said.Thaddeus nodded politely, "Thank you."As the police prepared to leave, they cast a sympathetic glance at Jessamine. "Ms. Patton, take c
"Don't ever do such stupid tricks again. I will not allow anyone to interfere with my personal affairs with her. If anyone tries to harm Mrs. Holt again … Well, you know me."Amy's heart sank at "Mrs. Holt".They had already signed the divorce papers, yet he was still addressing her as Mrs. Holt and defending her. Then, what did he take Amy for?"Ted, are you still going to marry me?" she couldn't help but ask.Thaddeus looked up coldly. "The law here doesn't allow a second marriage."That single sentence crushed all her expectations, trampling them beneath his feet. She had returned with a goal in mind, and before returning, he had eagerly anticipated her arrival.She had believed that enduring the hardships of a long-distance relationship would finally pay off. She had kept her recovering health a secret, hoping it would prompt him to care more for her and hasten the divorce from Jessamine.But now, how could he utter such heartless words?Her tears began to flow like a f
"Don't investigate today's incident further. It will affect her reputation."Aware of the resentment in her heart, he took the initiative to address it. His tone was calm, and for him, it was almost a request.Jessamine tightened her fist. "I have no right to complain either. You won't take my side, so what's the point of saying all this?"Thaddeus gently lifted her chin, bringing her closer until they could feel each other's breath."Jessie, I bought a small island in Dorne for you. How about we name it 'Jess'?"Jessamine laughed briefly, a smile more bitter than tears. In his eyes, the grievances and unfair treatment she endured could be compensated with money."Thaddeus, what will you give me the next time Amy sends someone to kill me? A mansion or a private jet?"To preserve Amy's image in front of everyone, he spared no expense to buy an island, attempting to silence her. Jessamine had always believed that despite his ruthless personality, he was at least fair.Now, it s
The temperature in the office abruptly rose, and the air became thin. Footsteps approached from outside, and Jessamine's heart raced. She was torn between wanting to leave and feeling rooted to the spot."Thaddeus, someone's coming."Thaddeus lifted his eyes, and his warm lips once again found their place on her neck, continuing their descent."It's Jordan."In the brief pauses between kisses, he managed to utter those words, his voice husky and his eyes filled with desire.Jessamine struggled for a moment, but her hands were easily pinned above her head. The kisses were intense, and the fake marriage they maintained seemed to disappear in those moments.When his eyes met hers, it felt like an emotional connection rooted deep within.With a sense of despair, Jessamine closed her eyes, contemplating how she could escape from this life. Their marriage felt like a union of three people.Her top was removed in disarray. She waited for him to finish, realizing that resistance was
Thaddeus looked up, making Jessamine tremble in fear. "Did you go to the exhibition yesterday?" he asked. Jessamine nodded stiffly. Shane told her that the exhibition had some fine jewelry pieces, so she went there out of curiosity.Thaddeus massaged the bridge of his nose. He couldn't believe Shane was involved again. "Can't you have a normal friend?"Jessamine felt her tense heart relax at his words. He didn't mention anything about her trip to the exhibition. Thaddeus simply argued that he didn't like Jessamine interacting with Shane. It meant he didn't think anything of their friendship, so she was still in the clear.She grinned slyly and said, "We're all pretty normal. You should take a long, hard look at yourself, Mr. Holt."Afterward, she walked out of the door regardless of how he felt about her comment.Jordan glanced at Jessamine, touching his nose awkwardly. He thought that Thaddeus was truly a bastard. In the bathroom, Jessamine bumped into Amy, who was touchi
Thaddeus was dumbfounded. Why hadn't he considered using blood types to eliminate the possibility first?"My dad has type O blood."Jessamine's stroked his Adam's apple softly and deliberately. "My mom has type B blood, and I have type AB blood. Do you think it's possible that we could be long-lost siblings?"Thaddeus thought for some time and couldn't help but burst out in hearty laughter. It was impossible for someone with type B blood and someone with type O blood to have a child with AB type blood. What was he worrying about?At that moment, he couldn't believe how foolish he'd been. Biology was his best subject in school, yet he didn't think about this until Jessamine reminded him. His biology teacher would be furious if they knew."Why didn't you say so earlier, Jessie?" He regretted not talking to her about it sooner and ended up suffering in prolonged silence by himself.After Jessamine got bored touching his Adam's apple, she started playing with his rough chin. "I just
Jessamine lay still for a long time, aware that Thaddeus was also awake, battling insomnia just like her.This visit to Zenville to solve one mystery ended up bringing her an even bigger one.The gathering took place years ago in the restaurant owned by Benji's family. She had even asked Benji about it. The surveillance footage from over 20 years ago wouldn't be around now, and even the staff had changed several times. The restaurant's manager from back then had left the job many years ago.It wasn't easy to uncover the truth from back then unless they found the people who were directly involved. The closer they got to the truth, the more pressure she felt.By investigating this matter now, she was essentially peeling back the layers that had been hiding a much deeper issue. As she confronted the dark side of human nature, the ultimate victim ended up being her beloved mother.If Jessamine didn't look into this matter, she felt like she would be letting Elizabeth down. She wanted
Thaddeus frowned immensely at his request. "Don't be ridiculous!""I'm serious. You could help me rent one too. You know, the kind that charges by the day. I'll fool my dad first. We'll deal with everything else once he gets better," Benji said.Thaddeus cursed inwardly, "Dude, don't drag me into this, especially with my wife watching. It sounds like you're implying I have ways to get or rent women."Thaddeus glanced back at Jessamine and said, "I don't know about this. You should ask someone else. If you're at your wits end, go ask one of the assistants in your company to help you out."Benji seemed to come to a realization. He said, "It's getting late. You all should go back and rest. There are doctors here. I'll stay and keep watch."Jessamine asked, "Can you handle this on your own, Mr. Moore?""Sure, thank you… all of you," Benji replied.After saying a few more words of comfort, Jessamine and Thaddeus went downstairs to the car. Thaddeus' phone started ringing again."Mr.
Maya also knelt by the bed and started crying."Dad, don't speak for now. Please be okay."Benji zoned out. Seeing Carmen and Maya crying, his mind was in a mess. He realized that he couldn't continue to live aimlessly—his family needed him now."A girlfriend, a girlfriend..." he mumbled, not even sure of what he was saying.The doctor hurried to the room upon hearing the call, checked on Jonathan again, and then sent the family away."The patient needs rest and should avoid additional emotional stress. You all can wait outside for now. There's no need for everyone to be here, one would be enough. The room can be stuffy if there's too many people here, too."They then left the room. Benji was holding the X-ray images of Jonathan's brain, but he couldn't make any sense of it. He felt completely lost.Shane quietly slipped away from the crowd after watching from afar. He went to an empty hallway and called his father. "Dad, are you free to analyze some X-ray images? It's for a fri
Benji had always lived a smooth and pleasant life. It hit him hard after hearing what the doctor said, leaving him in a state of shock and bewilderment."Mom, hasn't Dad always been in good health? How did he suddenly..."Carmen's eyes were red and swollen from crying."He mentioned feeling dizzy a few times recently and said he'd go for a check-up but actually never did. Plus, he's been swamped with work lately and hasn't got any time. Today, he suddenly fainted at the office. His assistant called an ambulance right away and brought him to the hospital. By the time I got the call, he was already being examined inside."Benji's face turned pale. With Jonathan down, the burden of supporting his family fell on him. He had been free from responsibility for the past 20 years, and now, suddenly having to shoulder this heavy load, he felt completely lost.His father had been asking him to get familiar with the company's operations a long time ago. However, he was too lazy to bother abou
Benji never had any grand ambitions. From the day he was born, people always told him that he didn't need to worry about anything since most problems in this world could be solved with money, and his family had plenty of it. He just wanted to drift through life."I don't need to surpass him. As long as I can cover my daily expenses and not have to ask him for money, that's enough," Benji replied.As they were talking, Shane had prepared a table full of dishes. He set out four sets of plates and cutleries before calling everyone over to eat. "It's time to eat."The four of them hadn't seen each other in a long time, so they had to have a drink.Jessamine looked at the beautifully prepared dishes on the table and couldn't help but offer a compliment. "Shane, your cooking skills have gotten so good."Shane opened a bottle of red wine and poured some for everyone. "What can I do? There's a glutton at home."Benji was not happy with Shane's comment. What did he mean by saying there wa
"It's great that you came by today, Jessie. I'll pay you back the money. Friends who are willing to lend money these days are rare, so I want to thank you again," Benji said.He hadn't repaid the money he borrowed last time yet. Coincidentally, he received some money today, so he decided to settle the debt in person. With that, he picked up his phone to make the transfer.Jessamine's phone chimed, indicating that a payment had been received. The amount was a bit more than what she had lent out."Mr. Moore, I'm not here to ask you to settle your debt. You can keep it for now. I won't need the money for the time being," Jessamine said."If one borrows and returns promptly, borrowing again won't be difficult. You're much easier to talk to than Thaddeus. Despite knowing him for so many years, borrowing money from him is such a hassle. You saw it last time yourself. That scoundrel's attitude was terrible!" Benji complained.At this point in the conversation, Thaddeus happened to arrive
Thaddeus tightened his grip on Jessamine's slender waist. "What am I going to do with you, Jessie?"He thought to himself that if things really were just that coincidental, he would rather play the fool and pretend to know nothing at all. He just couldn't leave her.Jessamine asked softly, "How about you ask your dad?"Thaddeus paused for a moment and took out his phone to call Corey. He couldn't calm his mind at all.After a few seconds of hearing the dial tone, the call was answered."Dad," Thaddeus said.On the other end of the phone, Corey was about to go to sleep. He had been adjusting his routine lately, aiming to go to bed early and wake up early."What’s up?" Corey asked."Do you remember the gathering over 20 years ago with Mr. Hardy, Jacob Langston, Leon Lincoln, Paxton Loomis, and a few others?"After that, Thaddeus added, "That night, a beautiful woman came over. She drank some alcohol and was drugged."There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the ph
On the other side, Jessamine and Thaddeus got into the car.Jessamine and Beatrice were quite familiar with each other. However, it was Jessamine's first time meeting Sabastian. Surprisingly, she had a pretty good impression of him."Do the Hardy and Holt families have business dealings with each other?"Thaddeus drove as he answered her question, "We don't have much interaction. We would occasionally invest in small projects and conduct some charity work in Zenville together."Mr. Hardy is an upright and trustworthy person. He has a good relationship with Grandpa. Hayden would often come to my house with him when I was young."Jessamine paused for a moment and asked, "Does he have a wife?""Hayden's mother passed away from an amniotic fluid embolism during childbirth. Since then, Mr. Hardy has remained single and never remarried."Jessamine was deeply moved. In this era, who would remain loyal for a lifetime to their deceased wives? Most men like Sabastian, who had both power a