In Qicheng, at the Lexington Crown Hotel.
The union of the Konstantine family and the Gold family had sent shockwaves throughout New York. As the most prominent family in New York, the Konstantine family attracted countless people eager to get close to them. Dominic Gold, dressed in a sharp suit, stood in the banquet hall, basking in the compliments and flattery from the crowd. He chuckled continuously, his aged face lighting up with smiles. “Thank you, thank you all for coming to my daughter's engagement ceremony.” “The ceremony will begin shortly, please take your seats.”In high society, the Gold family held a lowly status. But so what!? His daughter was marrying Maxim Constantine, and those who had never even glanced at him before were now scrambling to curry favor with him. Thinking this, Dominic's smirk grew even more pronounced. ... In the banquet hall, as a soothing piano melody filled the air, all eyes were fixed on the large, closed doors at the far end. The auspicious moment had arrived. With a loud crash, the doors were pushed open forcefully. But stepping out was not Anna Gold and Maxim Constantine Instead, it was... A girl. Dressed in a knee-length white gown, she looked even more radiant, her flawless skin glowing like a celestial being who had wandered into the mortal realm, captivating everyone’s gaze. However, the beautiful eyes of hers held a chilling frost that seemed to pierce through the air. Upon seeing her, Dominic's smile vanished instantly. He stared indisbelief, his eyes wide as he staggered backward. “Y-You… Tatiana!?” At his words, the entire room erupted in shock. The eldest daughter of the Gold family? Wasn't she supposed to have died two years ago? Everyone present knew that Dominic was the son-in-law of the Blackwell family, who had climbed to his current position by leveraging the Blackwell family's reputation and status in New York. After Isabelle Knight passed away from illness, Ralph's career took off, and he no longer regarded the Blackwell familywith any respect. Within a month, he married his mistress, Camile Hale, and his illegitimate daughter, Wendy Hold, quickly became the legitimate heiress of the Price family. But what about the original heiress, Tatiana Gold? She had perished in a kidnapping incident two years ago! Since then, Dominic had officially taken over the Knight family's assets, rebranding the Knight company as the Gold family Group, which led to the current success of the Gold family. To everyone's shock, Tatiana was still alive! As she walked step by step toward Dominic, meeting the astonished gazes of the guests, a cold smile crept onto her lips. "Father, I see you still remember me." After escaping her perilous situation, she initially planned to return to this family to seek revenge on the previous owner. However, the previous Tatiana was frail and lacked any powerful backing, making it difficult to carry out her plans for revenge. So, she quietly spent two years strategizing. Now, upon hearing that the Gold family was set to arrange a marriage with a prominent family, she decided it was time to stir the pot! Everything they had done to the original owner was about to be repaid, and she was ready to make things right! At that moment, Camile's face was as pale as a sheet of paper. Damn it! That little brat, Malcom Hale, what on earth was he doing? Didn't he say that Tatiana had already been fed to the sharks? But soon, she regained her composure. Before Dominic could say a word, Camille rushed onto the stage, eager to take the lead. "Tatiana, it's so good to see you alive! Do you know how much your father has missed you? Why didn't you come back sooner so we could all be together?” Dominic missed her? He probably just wanted her to die sooner! Tatiana later discovered that the day after her kidnapping, Dominic had announced her death, conveniently taking control of the entire Knight Family fortune. If anyone believed that Dominic had nothing to do with her kidnapping, Tatiana certainly didn't! "The reason I didn't come back immediately was to find out the whereabouts of my kidnappers," she replied coldly, her voice as sharp as ice. Searching for the kidnappers? “What do you mean kidnappers? I was told you had an accident”. Dominic said nervously. Having an accident without investigating? What a joke!. Fortunately, when the previous owner was kidnapped, she had been clever enough to seize the opportunity amidst the chaos to rip a chain off the kidnapper's neck and hide it on her person. Now, she pulled out a silver chain, about the thickness of her pinky finger, adorned with six sparkling diamonds. Raising it high for everyone to see, her gaze was firmly locked on Dominc and Camile as she spoke slowly and deliberately, "This is something Itore off the kidnapper back then! With this, we can definitely find them!" At the sight of the necklace, Camile's face instantly paled several shades. She recognized the necklace immediately. She personally bought the necklace for Malcom in an auction. How did Tatiana get it?. If this got out, not only would Malcom be in trouble, but so would she and the entire Gold family! "Tatiana, give me the chain! I promise I'll help you find the kidnapper!" Camille reached out, trying to snatch the chain from Tatiana's hands. Was she trying to destroy the evidence? "Dream on!" Tatiana raised an eyebrow and took two steps back, causing Camille to lunge forward and nearly crash into the table. "No thanks, I'm planning to hand the necklace over to the police. I'm sure they can bring the kidnappers to justice!" She stared at Camille with a half-smile, a clear threat in her eyes. Hand it over to the police!?Hand it over to the police!? No way! Absolutely not! Camille gritted her teeth. Camille tried snatching the necklace but Tatiana moved back immediately causing her to hit the table. At that moment, Dominic also realized the seriousness of the situation. Without hesitation, he rushed in front of Tatiana and whispered fiercely, "Give me the necklace! Hurry up!” "Dad, if you value this necklace so much, anyone would think it's yours!" Tatiana said, bending slightly and smirking. "You... what are you talking about? I'm just trying to help you!" Dominic was furious, his teeth grinding in frustration. Suddenly, a cold voice echoed from a distance. "Causing a scene at my engagement ceremony? Do you want to get yourself killed?”As his words fell, everyone in the room turned to look at the entrance.There stood Maxim Konstantine, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit that accentuated his perfect physique. His chiseled face featured exquisite features, with a high nose and thin lips, radiating an air of coldness and indifference that seemed to warn others to keep their distance.Beside him was Anna Gold, elegantly dressed in a gown, her sweet smile lighting up the room.She hurried forward, practically skipping, and affectionately linked her arm with Tatiana's. "Sister, I can't believe you're alive! That's wonderful! I've missed you so much!"Anna quickly masked the flash of jealousy in her eyes. Not only had Tatiana returned, but she had also become even more beautiful!But so what? She was about to marry Maxim Konstantine. No matter how much Tatiana had changed, she couldn't take away what was rightfully hers!Tatiana silently pulled her arm away. "Are we really that close?"Anna's face turned red with em
Dominic wanted to say more, but when he met with Maxim's icy gaze, he found himself unable to utter a single word.It was well known that Maxim was a man of his word.Once he made a decision, no one could change it!He had recognized Tatiana right away, but by then, she was already dead. So, he had meticulously groomed Anna to take her place!But who could have predicted that Tatiana would suddenly return, and even be recognized by Maxim?Tatiana raised an eyebrow, surprised to find out that the person Maxim was set to marry was actually her. Under his intense gaze, her cheeks flushed slightly."Maxim, today is our engagement party. You wouldn’t want to abandon me, would you?" Anna asked cautiously, realizing the gravity of the situation.Although it was Anna's first meeting with Maxim today, she had already fallen head over heels for him."Now that the truth is out, let's call off the engagement," he said lightly.With that, Maxim turned to leave, but paused as he walked past them an
Dad, what are you two arguing about?"Tatiana walked in just then, interrupting Dominic before he could finish his sentence.She wore a calm smile, as if none of the unpleasantness from the engagement party just hours ago had ever happened.Seeing her like this only fueled Dominic's anger even more."You still have the nerve to—"His words were cut off abruptly.Tatiana was the bride that Maxim had specifically chosen to marry into the family. As long as she was around, the connection between the Gold family and the Konstantine familywouldn’t be nullified. He would still be the father-in-law of Maxim Konstantine, the most powerful man in the country!Even if Malcom exposed them, the Konstantine family wouldn't just sit back and watch the Gold family fall!So, all what he needed to do was to win over Tatiana, and all the crises would be easily resolved!With this thought in mind, the anger on his face was quickly replaced by a warm smile.He pulled Tatiana close, chuckling softly, "
It seemed things were about to get even more interesting.Returning to her room, Tatiana retrieved a rope she had prepared earlier. She secured one end around herself and the other to the window, then climbed down the wall, swiftly landing in the villa's back garden. She untied the rope, dashed to the fence, and with a powerful leap, she climbed to the top of it. With a gentle push, she jumped over the fence and out of the Gold family villa. As she turned back to glance at the villa, her eyes met those of the black-clad men who had just arrived in the garden.Tatiana smiled slyly, her lips moving as she said, "Bye-bye, losers." With that, she turned and quickly left.The men in black saw their target escaping and shouted, "Quick, chase her!”Gold family mansion."You... you are Tatiana?"Stefan's finger trembled as he pointed at the girl in front of him, his voice choked with emotion.Tatiana stepped forward quickly, grasping his hand. Her heart swelled with emotion as she replied,
Stefan smiled gently, patting her back as if comforting a lost cat that had finally found its way home. His sharp eyes sparkled with an unreadable light, which ultimately turned into a cold sword aimed at those who had harmed his precious granddaughter.After chatting a bit longer, he returned to his study to arrange the details for the upcoming banquet. Before he left, he instructed the butler to take Tatiana upstairs to rest."Miss, your room hasn't changed at all. It's still right next to the old man's, and he has someone clean it every day, just in case you suddenly come back and need a place to stay," the butler explained softly as he guided her up to the third floor.Tatiana smiled, feeling a jolt of surprise in her heart. She never expected that after all these years, while everyone believed shehad perished at sea, her grandfather still held firm in his belief that she was alive. She felt even more grateful for his love and care.As she pushed open the door to her room, she
Standing on the stage, Tatiana met the curious and scrutinizing gazes of the crowd without flinching. She gently lifted a smile and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you all."The eyes of the crowd never left Tatiana. With her calm demeanor and graceful movements, she resembled a true princess,sparking even more curiosity about her.After all, everyone knew that when Isabelle passed away, the news of the Gold family's eldest daughter’s death spread throughout the circle. Not long after, Dominic married Camille and recognized her daughter, Anna, as the new lady of the family. Now, with the real eldest daughter suddenly back, Stefan's obvious favoritism towards Tatiana raised questions about Anna and Camille's positions.Camille stood below the stage, watching as Tatiana shone brightly, her teeth clenched in frustration. Feeling the weight of the crowd's probing eyes, she tugged at Dominic's sleeve and whispered, "With how much your father is favouring Tatiana now, there's no way he'l
Her willingness to marry Maxim wasn't driven by love; rather, it was because of his status. Marrying him would help conceal her own identity and make her life easier.Stefan gently patted her head, taking her hand and placing it in Maxim's palm. His expression turned serious and authoritative as he looked at Maxim and said, "Right now, the power and prestige of the Gold family can't compare to that of the Konstantine family. By all accounts, this marriage is a stretch for us. But Tatiana is my precious girl. If you marry her and don't treat her well, I will make sure you pay the price, no matter what it takes!"Both Tatiana and Maxim were taken abackby his gesture. As their hands touched, their bodies instinctively stiffened, and the smiles on their faces turned awkward.Maxim quickly regained his composure, gripping Tatiana's hand firmly. He looked back at Stefan with a serious expression, his voice deep and magnetic. “Grandfather, you can rest assured. I will take good care of y
The crowd looked back at the screen, and indeed, the woman who had been hiding her face revealed her true identity: it was Anna.."It really is Anna! Oh my gosh, she was pretending to be a pure, innocent flower, but behind the scenes, she's wilder than anyone else.""Haha, look, there's even a date on it! This was just a week ago, right when she announced her engagement to the Konstantine family. How could Anna dare to sleep with someone else…""Does that mean Maxim has been cheated on?""Shh! Are you trying to get us killed? That's not something we can just say out loud!"In an instant, the crowd buzzed with gossip, mocking Camile and Dominic while cautiously glancing at Maxim's expression.Meanwhile, backstage, Anna had realized she had played the wrong video, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't turn it off.Listening to the unbearable sounds, her face turned bright red with anger. What on earth was happening?!She had clearly stored a video of Tatiana as a child on her U
The crisp sound echoed as the cup shattered on the computer.Riley stood frozen for about two seconds before her instincts kicked in, and she shot a fierce glare at Sophie.Sophie was startled by the intensity of Riley's gaze, but recalling what had just happened, she forced herself to say, "I just did it by accident. Who told you to put the cup right next to it?""An accident? I saw you do it! How can you call that an accident?""Thud—"The sound of the cup being slammed down on the table echoed in the room."What are you going to do? You said it was an accident, so is this really necessary? We can just pay for your computer, okay?"Sophie, who had initially looked down on Riley, now seemed a bit intimidated by her fierce expression."Do you think that will help? Didn’t I just tell you how important this computer is? I told you not to touch it!""Bang—""Ah—”A loud thud echoed through the room as Sophie stared in shock at the large patch of blood suddenly staining her forehead. Jus
“What else could he say? He wants us to handle this case well and to wrap it upquickly. Isn’t that putting me in a tough spot? The suspect has killed three people, and we still don’t even know if it’s a man or a woman.”Mason felt a deep frustration about the situation. In all his years on the job, he had never encountered a case this difficult.“I see,” Delaney said, observing the troubled look on Vance’s face. After a moment of thought, she spoke up, “Vance, I need to tell you something. Please don’t get upset when you hear it.”"What do you mean, what’s going on?"Vance frowned, wondering what could possibly be so important at this moment."It's just that I might have to go back soon. I probably won't be able to continue following this case. But don’t worry, I’ll definitely sign a confidentiality agreement before I leave, and I won’t say anything about this afterward.""Going back?" Vance frowned. He had intended to talk about Delany, but now he found himself at a loss for words
After saying that, Riley took off her gloves and neatly placed them aside before walking over to Tatiana.As the two of them walked further away, the others working in the garden exchanged glances and murmured among themselves."Isn't it just that she knows a bit more about gardening than we do? It's ridiculous that she caught the lady's attention. I knew from the moment Riley arrived that she was trouble, and it seems I was right.""Exactly! She thinks just because she knows a thing or two, she can flirt with the master. Before long, she'll be trying to use her looks to catch the young master's eye.""I see her as nothing but a gold digger. Someone needs to teach her a lesson; otherwise, she won't even know her own worth.""I agree, a little lesson would do her good."After their conversation, the two women exchanged knowing glances, harboring a strong animosity toward the newcomer, Riley.Meanwhile, Riley was unaware of the brewing trouble. She simply followed Tatiana into her room
Julian remained silent, not responding to Tatiana's words. He stiffly accepted the document she handed him and opened it, confirming it was indeed what he had suspected—a divorce agreement.He wondered why he had felt a bit uneasy that morning, thinking it was just due to lack of rest. But now he realized it was because of the impending situation that would unfold that evening.The room fell silent for about a minute. Watching Maxim's expression, Tatiana couldn't tell if he was takingher seriously. After some internal debate, she finally spoke up, "If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. Or if you think something is definitely wrong, let me know so I can have Riley revise it for tomorrow.""Why?"After another half-minute of silence, Taitana finally heard Maxim’s voice directed at her.Another pause followed."Because I think we’re not suited for each other. From the start, our marriage was just a mutual arrangement, right?”As she spoke, Tatiana got off the bed and sto
Riley was right; Maxim was indeed a wonderful person. It was impressive how someone in such a high position could remain humble and not get carried away. It was no wonder so many people admired him.Maxim was also handsome, with looks that were undeniably top-notch. It was impossible for her not to feel something for him. He had always been so good to her—staying by her side when she was sick, keeping her company when she couldn’t sleep, even cutting fruit for her. To be honest, over the years, only a handful of people had treated her this well. How could she not be moved?But she was also well aware of how unsuitable she was for Maxim. She wasn't a model citizen, always skirting the edges of society, and who knew when she might just disappear? Maxim, on the other hand, was different. He had a solid reputation, and even if his family life wasn't perfect, at least he lived in the light, while she did not.Feeling a bit down, Tatiana carefully set aside the divorce agreement. It wa
Tatiana asked, genuinely curious about how Marcus managed to raise Tara to be this way."I don't know. My dad never tells me what he actually does for a living."As memories of her past life surfaced, Tara's mood darkened. "When I was really young, my dad told me that my mom passed away for some reason. Since my dad worked long hours, I hardly ever got to see him, so I was basically raised by the housekeeper.""Later, I heard from my dad that the housekeeper could no longer take care of me due to some accident, so I came back to the country to continue my studies."After saying this, Tara looked at Tatiana and asked, "Why do you want to know about this, teacher?""Oh, I'm just a bit curious, that's all," Tatiana replied with a gentle smile.It seemed that Tatiana was right; Marcus didn’t want his child involved in his work. But why had he suddenly sent Tara back to her home country? With them being in different countries, it was hard to believe that Marcus would casually send a child
With that, the agent decided to pull out his phone to call Tatiana. He added, "Maybe Tatiana knows what to do about this. She wrote the lyrics and choreographed the dance, so she musthave some insight into what’s going on.”At first, Jayden didn’t quite grasp the situation, but once he did, he quickly stepped forward to snatch the phone from his agent's hands."What are you doing? We need to tell Tatiana about this right away so she can help us resolve it. If we wait until it blows up, it won't be good for your reputation. You absolutely can't afford any trouble right now."Recently, the higher-ups at the company had decided to push Jayden toward acareer in the film industry, making this a crucial time for him. They had clearly stated that he needed to stay out of trouble during this period, so when this incident occurred, his agent panicked and wanted to call Tatiana to sort it out."Let’s not tell Tatiana about this just yet," Jayden said, feeling an odd reluctance to involve Tati
After staying up late watching TV last night, Taitana successfully overslept again. Fortunately, her classes didn’t start until the afternoon, so it wasn’t a big deal.When Tatiana went downstairs for breakfast, she noticed that Maxim was missing and casually asked where he had gone.“Miss, he had to go to work. I saw him leave the garden quite early. He’s probably in a hurry to get to work to take better care of you these days,” Riley replied.After a moment's thought, Riley continued, “The last time we went looking for you, I could see the concern in his eyes. He seemed really upset when he couldn’t find you.”Tatiana remained silent as Riley spoke. She recalled the kiss they shared last night and couldn’t ignore Riley’s words. She had to face the truth—Maxim might actually have feelings for her. But how could she ever be with him?No matter how it looked, Maxim seemed like someone who lived in the sunlight, while she was different. She hadn’t been that person for a long time.
Watching Tatiana concentrate so hard on what to do, Maxim shook his head with a smile. This side of her was so charming. If she could stay like this, it would be wonderful, but he knew that this version of Tatiana might only last for today."What's the rush? It's still early!"After saying that, Tatiana continued to ponder. Then, a memory from her childhood came to mind. She remembered seeing other kids sitting on the couch with their parents, watching TV together. She had always envied that, but for various reasons, she never got to enjoy that simple pleasure with her own family.With that thought, Tatiana turned to Maxim, smiled, and said, "I don't really want to play anything. How about we just go to the living room and watch a movie?""Going to the movies?" Maxim asked, surprised. "So, you’ve been standing here thinking for so long just to ask me to go watch a movie with you?""Is that a problem? I just like watching movies," Tatiana replied. In truth, she rarely watched f