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
She froze for a second, then quickly turned to leave, but just then, the noise from the bathroom stopped.In the now quiet room, Tatiana could almost hear the faint rustling sounds coming from the bathroom. She dared not move a muscle, knowing that any noise would give her away.So, Tatiana waited for Maxim to come out.Maxim was indeed feeling a bit down, which is why he returned to his room after dinner. He had planned to rest for a bit and then take a shower.Maxim had thought that Taitana wouldn't come up at this time; she was probably busy chatting with Jayden on her phone. So, he hadn't closed the door tightly.But the moment he stepped out in his bathrobe and saw Tatiana, his expression changed."What are you doing here?"In response to Maxim's question, Tatiana blinked a few times before deciding to be honest. "I was downstairs earlier when Riley mentioned you were feeling jealous, so she asked me to come up and check on you. I didn’t expect you were in the shower. I’m real
Suddenly coming back to his senses, Jayden turned to Tatiana and sweetly called her sister. Then, looking at Maxim, he added with a bright smile, "Brother-in-law.”"This time, it's all thanks to you both. I'm really grateful, sister and brother-in-law," Jayden said, feeling touched.Tatiana had been about to speak to Jayden, but when she heard him naturally refer to Maxim as his brother-in-law, she was momentarily confused. Who told him that Maxim was her husband?Tatiana couldn't quite wrap her head around it, but it was clear that Maxim appreciated the title. He nodded and said, "Tatiana handled your matters; I just provided a little assistance.""And about your company, you and your manager don’t need to return to the office. We've already sent someone to negotiate your contract termination. It will be resolved soon, and you can come directly to our studio afterward. As for everything else, you don’t need to worry; just focus on practicing your singing and dancing."This was the
It would be best if he were so busy he couldn’t even come home! That would be perfect.With that thought, Tatiana's gaze shifted from her earlier melancholy back to her usual self.Maxim observed the change in Tatiana's expression, noticing how shewent from being upset to suddenly cheerful. It was rare to see such a childlike side of her, and he couldn't help but chuckle softly to himself.Time passed quickly, and even though the elderly man wanted to continue chatting with Maxim and Tatiana, his body was beginning to tire.Noticing that her grandfather was getting exhausted, Tatiana firmly decided it was time for him to sleep. "Alright, Grandpa, we can continue our conversation next time. It's time for bed, and I'm feeling sleepy too."Tatiana knew her grandfather's personality well. She understood that after her first statement, he might resist going to rest, but after her final words, he obediently agreed."You see, Grandpa, you even forgot that they came over after work. So let
After thinking it over, the old man happily agreed in the end.So, after hanging up the phone, Tatiana hurried back to her grandfather."Grandpa!"From a distance at the door, Tatiana spotted her grandfather and walked over to him."My dear Tatiana" he said, embracing her for a moment before they headed inside the house.After having lunch together, her grandfather went for a nap.When he woke up, he asked, "Can you play chess?""I know a little. Do you want to play, Grandpa?"Tatiana was surprised to learn that her grandfather could play chess. After he nodded, she agreed to play a game with him.However—"I lost again."The old man chuckled helplessly and said, "Tatiana, your chess skills are impressive! I had no idea you learned to play. When did you sneak off to practice behind my back?""I just watched a few games out of boredom, that's all. I can win only because of luck and maybe because you’ve been going easy on me.""Alright, let's play another round.”As the two continued th
What started as a joke, Tatiana never expected Maxim to actually agree to it. She was taken aback when he fell silent for a moment and finally replied with a soft "mm."His voice was barely audible, but since Tatiana was so close, she was shocked to hear Maxim's agreement. She worried she might have misheard, so she asked again, "Did you just say yes?""Yeah, if I have time, let's go check it out together."Now convinced she hadn’t misheard, she added, "But if you don’t want to, you really don’t have to. There’s no need to put yourself in an awkward position."Thinking Maxim was only agreeing because of her comment, Tatiana felt the need to clarify. To her surprise, Maxim looked at her, leaned in closer, and said earnestly, "I’m definitely going because of you. I also want to see what your brother looks like."That last statement struck Tatiana as the main point. She couldn't help but laugh, realizing it was for that reason. She looked at Maxim with a teasing glint in her eyes an
"Why are you thanking me? You call me sis, so of course, I’ll help you. Besides, I have some responsibility in this too. I should have kept a better eye on things. I won't let it happen again." After saying this, Tatiana glanced at the time and continued, "I need to tell my manager about this. I have some other matters to attend to, so I'll hang up now. Make sure to rest well.""Okay."As soon as the call ended, Tatiana received another call from Maxim."Maxim?”Tatiana was a bit puzzled. Maxim rarely called her, so she wondered what this was about.Maxim didn’t keep her in suspense for long. His cold voice came through the phone, "I've taken care of what you asked me about yesterday. I do have a studio under my name that you can use, but you still need to agree to what we discussed."Tatiana was surprised by how quickly Maxim acted. She paused for a second before replying, "Alright, I'll send you the studio fees later. As for what you mentioned, I agree. Jayden might be better off
“Why wouldn’t I care? Who brought her back? I told her to go there to learn, not to be a coward! What’s going on? It’s only been a few days since she left! What did she promise me? No doctors! This is what she deserves! How did I end up with a granddaughter like you? You’re bringing shame to our family!”As he spoke, Grandpa Landen was so furious that he almost went to hit Delany, but Kenzie stepped in to stop him.“Dad, what era are we living in? It’s not like it used to be. Besides, Delany is a girl, not a boy. She can’t handle that kind of hardship. I was the one who called her back; I couldn’t bear to see her suffering over there. I just can’t stand it! She’s my child!”As Kenzie said this, she looked at Delany lying on the couch, tears streaming down her face. She had initially disagreed with Delany wanting to become a police officer, but it was Lucien and Grandpa Landen who kept insisting, and only then did she reluctantly agree. She never expected it would turn out like this,
"Ah? Okay." If Maxim hadn't mentioned it, Tatiana would have almost forgotten about it. Remembering it now, she recalled that she had also discussed this with Declanyesterday.Thinking about this, Tatiana took out her phone and sent a message to Declan, asking him to retract the lawyer's letter from yesterday.However, she didn't expect Declan and his team to be so quick; they had already posted about the situation on the company's Weibo account.When Tatiana saw Declan's response, a look of frustration crossed her face. Maxim noticed her expression and asked, "What's wrong?""I felt a bit annoyed when I saw those comments yesterday, so I sent the screenshots to Declan. I didn’t expect him to take action so quickly. Now I won’t need to ask him to handle it, otherwise, Anna would definitely connect me to the company in this mess."After thinking for a moment, Maxim replied, "Tatiana, the company has been a good partner of mine for a long time, and I have a great relationship with the
"Ding ding ding—"The sound jolted Tatiana out of her reverie. She glanced at the caller ID and saw the principal's name. What could the principal possibly want at this time?With that thought in mind, Tatiana picked up the phone. "Principal?"The principal on the other end sounded warm and friendly. "It's me.""Is there something you need to discuss at this late hour, Principal?"Hearing Taitana's question, the principal replied, "Yes, there is. We’re collaborating with a school in the neighboring city to exchange a few students. We’d like to send some of our students over to learn from them and vice versa. I wanted to ask if you have any recommendations."As soon as the principal finished speaking, Tatiana immediately thought of Tara. Given the recent concerns about someone coming to take her away, sending Tara to another place could provide her with some protection for a while.With that in mind, Tatiana continued, "I do have someone in mind, but I’d like to know when this exchan