Although it was spring in the Sandy Bay, the cold wind at night still felt chilly to the bone.Kisa sat quietly by the river, letting the icy rain fall onto her. Her hair was wet, and her pale and thin face was filled with raindrops and tears. The red and swollen handprint on her face looked terrifying under the rain.She clenched her hands tightly, her eyes full of indifference. 'I don't care if the Case family wants to frame me. All I want is my mother's antique.'Suddenly, she heard the sound of footsteps behind her, and a thick coat was draped over her shoulders. Her heart trembled slightly. She turned around to see who it was, but a hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes.'That's right. Gilbert wholeheartedly thought that I was lying and that I am a vicious monster. He hates me and wants me dead. How could it ever be him?'Howard was startled when he saw the handprint on Kisa's face. "Kisa, y-your face... Who hit you?""It's nothing," Kisa said as she stared blankly at t
'Ha. And I was worried that she would get hurt or something out here. I forgot that the person she loved was that man. No matter what kind of hurt or humiliation she suffered, she would always run into that man's arms to seek comfort.'As Gilbert thought of Kisa's flattery the past two days, the corners of his lips filled with mockery and indifference. 'Every nice thing she does for me is done with the intention of gaining something. I shouldn't feel touched by her actions. I really shouldn't.'Gilbert returned to the Sandy Bay in the middle of the night, reeking from alcohol. He was soaking wet, and his hair was messy. At the sight of this, a servant hurriedly sit him down and said, "Sir, how much did you have to drink? You're all wet from the rain. You'll get sick."The servant then went to bring Gilbert a bowl of soup. However, when Gilbert saw the soup, he violently smashed the bowl to the ground. "I, Gilbert, don't want anything from that woman. Soup? Good for the body? Well, I
Kisa was startled. 'Does he think that I'm Sara or not? After all, he only says such cruel words to me. He would be reluctant to say those words to her.'The man then buried his head in her neck and whispered, "If I kill you, you'll be obedient. You won't run around again, and you won't make me angry anymore, Kisa. Oh, Kisa..."Kisa pursed her lips subconsciously when she heard Gilbert say her name. Her heart felt bitter. 'I knew it. He would only say such words to me.'"You don't have to do it yourself, you know. It won't be long before your wish comes true," she said with a gentle smile.Gilbert did not answer. Kisa did not know if he had fallen asleep, but she could feel his hot and heavy breath on her neck. She tried to move and get out of the man's arms, but his arms were tightly wrapped around her waist. She could not break free no matter how hard she tried."Gilbert," she called out to him in a low, exhausted voice. The man behind her still did not answer. Kisa frowned and
"You..." Sharon's expression changed instantly when she saw Kisa come out of Gilbert's room. Kisa smirked and intentionally pushed the door open so that Sharon could see Gilbert in his towel. The jealousy in Sharon's eyes was unmissable as the expression on her face grew uglier."You will never have what I have," Kisa walked over to Sharon and whispered."Why you!" Sharon was so angry that her face seemed a little distorted.Kisa admired the look on Sharon's face and returned to her room with a smile. However, Sharon followed her as soon as she returned to her room."You b*tch!" she shouted at Kisa's face and raised her hand to slap her.Kisa looked at the servant who was passing by the door and sneered, "Go on then, hit me. Everyone will know that you, Sharon Case, are a vicious woman who pretends to be some sort of pure and innocent little flower.""Kisa Becker!" Sharon choked with anger. Veins were bulging from her forehead, and she looked vastly different than her usual gorge
Kisa let out a nonchalant smile, "He has always hated me to begin with, so does he need a reason to try to frame me?"Sharon leaned toward her and said gleefully, "Because I told him you snatched my man, and as long as he helped me frame you, I could take my man back. So Grandpa agreed to it.""It does seem like Grandpa really loves me. He's already such an old man, yet he still took the fall to frame you. Tsk, what a failure of a person you are, really. Just look at how he treats you. Even I take pity on you."Kisa laughed again, "That's why I said he's your grandfather, not mine. I'm not fussed about his love."She had never cared about the love and affection from the Case family anyway.From the very beginning, only her mother was the closest to her. Only her mother.Unable to elicit any sadness or disappointment from Kisa's eyes, Sharon inevitably felt a little bummed.She snorted as she left, "I'll be waiting for you at his birthday banquet~"Sharon had repeatedly mentione
"Could... you bring me along to the Case family banquet?""Absolutely not!"The man rejected her outright without giving her any room to dream of.Kisa hurriedly explained, "I just want to—""Enough!" Gilbert snapped. "Are you not satisfied with the mess you've created? Today's Mr. Case Sr's birthday. All of the establishment folks and media will be there. If you were to pull the same stunt again, who's going to clean up after you?""Also, I've clearly mentioned that you are just a maid of the Kooper family in the press conference the other day. If you were to go to the Case family's banquet to mingle around, whose face are you trying to drag through the mud here?"Kisa clutched her mobile phone tight, and her eyes got teary. She laughed at herself.'Sure enough, this man will not help me!'"Kisa Becker, you better not go anywhere today. Stay at home and accompany Grandma."After saying that, Gilbert hung up the phone.Kisa quietly looked at the darkened phone screen. She the
The moment Kisa heard that her heart beat a little faster.'It is the Case family. What a coincidence!'At that time, Lea only knew Kisa as Raine. She had no idea her friend was Kisa Becker, a daughter the Case family had taken in.After not getting a reply from Kisa, Lea suddenly recalled something as she said, "Oh, right. This Case family is Sharon's family. I remember that you had some feud with her, and she seemed to be calling you sis or something. Have you guys known each other since the beginning?""I have some feud with her. I'll tell you next time.""Okay. If that's the case, I think you shouldn't be going, so that she won't make things difficult for you. It's my bad. I only had the high pay in mind and forgot about that.""No, I'll go.""Eh? You're going?""Give me the address. I'll meet up with you there."The Case family was a famous household in Calthon, so the birthday banquet was a big one, and they had hired a lot of temporary staff.Based on what Lea had said
There were many, many people at the banquet venue.Kisa did not walk through the hall, but rather, she went around the side door into the courtyard.Yet, she could still see how packed the hall was through the window.As Mr. Case Sr. was seated at the innermost position of the hall, the first thing the guests would do when they arrived was to greet him and exchange a few pleasantries. Therefore, everyone was gathered inside the hall.Conversely, the courtyard had much fewer people, and that suited Kisa just fine.She quickly carried the tray and placed it on the table.Just as she was about to rush back to the kitchen, a guest called out to her, "Waiter, two glasses of wine, please."Kisa paused for a moment, wondering if she was the one being called. After all, there was not only her who was the staff in the courtyard."What are you standing there for? I'm calling you. Why are the waiters here so slow?"'Alright, he was calling to me.'Kisa gave up. She did not want to cause
In a small town in the South, a gentle breeze caressed the cheeks of passersby, creating a pleasant and serene atmosphere. This town, known for its tourism, was adorned with flowers even in its narrow alleys. The surrounding houses were all quaint inns, exuding a poetic and picturesque charm.Beneath an arching bridge, Kisa set up an easel to display and sell her paintings. She had always loved painting since childhood. Although she had not achieved great success in this field, her vivid and evocative paintings were very popular with tourists. She would sell most of her paintings every day.On weekends, Blake would join her at the stall, but today was Wednesday, and she was alone. After arranging her paintings, she had barely sat down when people began to gather around. Some admired her art, while others immediately offered to buy. Her paintings were reasonably priced, which attracted many customers."Miss, I'd like that painting of the snow-covered rose garden at night.""Alright,
In the backyard, Kohen looked at his older brother's calm expression, a hint of worry in his voice. "Bro, are you alright?""I'm fine," Hayes said, adjusting the blanket on his lap. "Tomorrow, take me to meet those medical geniuses you found.""Oh, sure..." Kohen nodded in agreement, but after a moment, he could not help but ask, "Bro, what did that woman say to you that made you change your mind so suddenly?"Hayes gazed at the stars in the sky, his voice cool and distant. "She told me she's doing well, very happy. Then she pointed out how pitiful and miserable I am right now. She asked me if I don't feel envious, knowing how well she is doing compared to me."Kohen grimaced, realizing that the woman had provoked his brother into action.Hayes lowered his eyes, a faint smile on his face. "That's right. How could I not be envious? So, I want to heal my legs, live a good life, and show her that I can do better than her."Kohen felt a pang of sympathy for his brother. From Hayes's
Mentioning Hayes, Eylul's expression became complex. "Hayes is reclusive and doesn't like to see people. Only a single old servant has been taking care of him all these years. I only met him once, back when I married Kohen."Mia's heart ached, recalling the enigmatic yet deeply emotional man. She could not help but feel a lump in her throat. "How's his health?" Mia asked.Eylul replied, "His health is fine, but his legs have remained the same. Kohen has found top orthopedic experts for him and even sought out Kelvin Hoover from Calthon, but he refuses treatment. For so many years, he hasn't even stepped outside the backyard.""You mean he's been living in the backyard all this time?" Jensen asked gravely.Eylul nodded. "Yes, Kohen wanted him to live in the main house, but he refused. He only likes staying in the backyard. Moreover, the room he stays in used to be..." Eylul glanced at Mia. She had heard that Mia used to live in that room.With a complicated expression, Mia pursed h
"Let's forget everything that just happened,' Mia said.Jensen looked up at her. In the moonlight, his eyes were deep and complex, profound and unfathomable.Mia tried to muster a smile. "You don't have to feel burdened. In a way, I forced you. And you must have always disliked me. Actually, I didn't come to you for money; I just wanted to see you. Now that I have, I should go. Jensen, from now on... take care."With that, she walked away, fearing that if she lingered any longer, she would not be able to leave. But after only a few steps, she was embraced from behind.Jensen's voice was low and hoarse. "Stay with me."Mia trembled at his words. Jensen continued. "But I still have so many things to do and someone in my heart I can't let go of. I don't know... when I will be able to give you a satisfactory answer. If you don't want to stay with me without any promises or guarantees, you can—""I'm willing," Mia blurted out, "as long as I can be with you, I don't care about anything
Mia's face changed instantly. " You... you know I like Jensen, why would you...""Heh, if you like Jensen, shouldn't you be willing to do anything for him? If you can't even do this, how can you claim to love him?""I won't do it! Doing this would be betraying Jensen. I would risk my life for him, but I can't do this."Adrien stared at her flushed face and gently chuckled, his words loaded with meaning. "Aren't you feeling all hot and bothered yet?"Mia frowned. Her body was indeed getting hotter and more agitated. 'Why would Adrien ask this? Could it be the drink...?'As the thought crossed her mind, her heart sank. Seeing Adrien's cold expression and the man's playful smile, Mia turned and ran. But before she could take more than a few steps, she was dragged back. Weakened by the drink, her desperate struggles were futile. As the man pressed her down, playing with her like a toy, she closed her eyes in despair. She thought she could never face Jensen again. With a bitter laugh,
Adrien Tanner, Jensen's father, stood before Mia with a warm smile. "My son is truly awkward when it comes to matters of the heart. He's even willing to refuse such a beautiful young woman like you."Mia stared at him, her tears suddenly streaming down her face. "I only wanted to see him, even if it was to face rejection. Wouldn't it better to say it clearly to my face?""Yes, it would." Adrien agreed. "But standing here stubbornly won't help, because he left on a business trip a couple of days ago."Mia's heart ached even more, realizing that Jensen had avoided using the front door just to evade her.Adrien continued. "I have a way to make him come to you willingly, but it depends on whether you're willing to cooperate."Mia nodded. "What do I have to do?"Adrien motioned to his bodyguard, who handed him a glass of wine. "Drink this," he said.Mia furrowed her brow, hesitant.Adrien gently patted her shoulder, like a father would."Don't be afraid. I won't harm you. From the
Filled with guilt, Mia stepped forward, but Kohen suddenly pulled out a handgun and aimed it at her."Get out!"Jensen pulled Mia back. He looked at the cold man before him. It was this man who had taken him in years ago. At that time, Kohen was young, a carefree and privileged young man. Now, he seemed to have grown up all at once, his eyes colder and more distant.Jensen said with a troubled expression, "If you ever need me in the future, don't hesitate to find me."Kohen sneered coldly; pain etched in his brow. He mocked himself. "I never should have taken you in back then. In the end, it was I who harmed my own brother."Jensen pursed his lips, not knowing what to say, only feeling an unbearable pain in his heart. It was the first time he felt he owed someone. That sense of indebtedness suffocated him."Get out, and don't let me see you two ever again."On that night, Jensen and Mia left the McCray family. As a result of Hayes's ordeal, the McCray family underwent tremendous
"What on earth happened?"Jensen did not speak. Mia choked out. "The collaboration between the Burton family and the McCray family was a trap. We were ambushed by the Burton family, and Hayes... he was hit by a car trying to save us.""Damn it!" Kohen cursed under his breath, abruptly pulling a knife from a nearby bodyguard and pointing it at them. "What are your lives worth? Why would my brother save you? Why?"Mia bit her lip, tears streaming down her face. 'It's my fault. I wanted to save Jensen, but I should have gone alone. I shouldn't have dragged Hayes into this. He seemed cold-blooded and heartless, and I never thought that he would risk his life for me. Why was he so good to me?'"Kohen..."Suddenly, a weak cry rang out. Hayes had awakened.Kohen hurriedly moved closer, gripping Hayes's hand. "Bro!"Hayes's face was deathly pale. He did not look at Kohen, but instead turned his gaze to Mia. His eyes were calm. He saw Mia's red-rimmed eyes and the tears lingering there,
Hayes was sent flying by the car, his body crashing into a wall before bouncing back.Mia's entire body felt ice-cold as she trembled, yelling, "Hayes!""Kill them all!" A hoarse, aged voice suddenly rang out from the entrance. It was Curtis. He looked at Kendall's lifeless body on the ground, his eyes filled with rage, shouting, "Run them over! I want them to join my grandson in death!""Ah!" Jensen roared, disregarding the guards' swinging knives, and like a madman, charged at Curtis. Curtis's face changed, desperately pulling a nearby guard in front of him as a shield. But it was useless. Jensen, like a crazed beast, attacked anyone in his path. Soon, his knife was held against Curtis's throat.Curtis trembled all over. "Wh-What do you want?"Jensen, covered in blood with splatters on his face, looked like a demon that had emerged from a battleground. He grabbed Curtis and held him hostage in front of him. "Let us go!""Don't even think about it!" Curtis retorted angrily. "You