Xavier sat still. The warm breeze swept through his hair, which revealed his handsome face. He didn't unbuckle his seatbelt or get out of the car. Instead, his gaze was fixed on Elijah's face."I can't leave in this situation," Xavier said calmly. "You can take me with you."Elijah's face remained serious as he ignored Xavier's objection and unbuckled his seatbelt. "Don't be stubborn. Lili will be heartbroken if something happens to you."He chose the word "heartbroken" instead of "guilty."Xavier's gaze turned sharp and intense. "Wouldn't you be heartbroken if something happened to Liesel? I'm her brother, and you're her lover."Who was more important—her brother or her lover? No one would have an answer to that.Xavier and Liesel were clearly siblings. Their temperaments were so similar. If it were Liesel in this situation, would she act differently? No. She wouldn't abandon Elijah to go off on her own either."Listen to me, Xavier."Elijah cracked his knuckles and said serio
Augustine closed in. His broad frame loomed, and as he raised his arm, the muscles in his bicep flexed. He pushed back his damp blond hair, exposing his sweaty forehead. His rugged, audacious face came into view. He was hot, but compared to Elijah, he carried a rougher, darker edge."Is it because of Ms. Sharp? I really want to know what kind of face she has that makes you so obsessed with her. Is she more beautiful than Duke Sylvian's daughter?"Augustine's hatred for Elijah stemmed from their past. Augustine had once been madly in love with Finlay Sylvian's daughter, but she only had eyes for Elijah.On top of that, Elijah had completely outshone him in racing. It was no surprise that Augustine's jealousy had turned into bitter resentment.Elijah's expression darkened at his words. With a swift motion, he grabbed Augustine by the collar. His voice was cold and deadly as he warned, "Direct your madness at me. Don't lay a finger on Lili, or I'll haunt you even in death."Augustine
Xavier's white shirt was soaked in blood. The deep wound from the glass shards lodged in his chest, and blood was gushing in steady spurts."Hang in there, Xavier! You can't pass out! I'm taking you to the hospital!" Ethan's voice was frantic as he held Xavier.Elijah had trusted him with Xavier's safety. He couldn't let Xavier fall here.Ethan struggled to hail a cab while holding Xavier steady.Xavier opened his eyes and wiped the blood from his forehead. His voice was no longer calm. "Bandage my wound. Take me to the exam venue." He sounded determined."Are you out of your mind? How can you take the exam in this condition?" Ethan's eyes widened as he argued. He was going to force Xavier to the hospital. "I need to take the exam. Elijah asked you to take me," Xavier said.As soon as Elijah's name slipped out, Ethan gritted his teeth in frustration.He was also injured and weak, yet he couldn't help but be taken aback by the reckless determination emanating from Xavier."Dam
The reporters continued clamoring for answers."Is that student the one you value the most, Principal Davis? I remember your prized pupil is Xavier Scott. Was that him?"Helena's expression grew darker. She maintained her composure and answered firmly, "Apologies. We'll provide answers after the exams are over."The college entrance exam began.Sitting in his seat, Xavier pressed his fingers to his temples. His head spun violently. The nausea surged to the point where he felt like he would vomit. Clamping down on the discomfort, he forced himself to focus and began writing furiously.The invigilator frequently passed by his desk. She initially wanted to ask if he needed medical assistance. But upon glancing at Xavier's rows of accurate answers on his paper, she refrained from interrupting.Still, her gaze often lingered on his bloodstained clothes, which stood out starkly in the exam room.When the first exam concluded, Xavier collapsed onto his desk. He was clearly at his limit
Xavier must be out of his mind to attend the college entrance exam in such a condition."I don't recommend continuing the exam in his current state," Denzel said directly.He had considered every angle. Xavier was a genius from Ashthorne First High School and was predicted to be the top scorer on this exam. He stood at the pinnacle. If he faltered, it would be a fall from grace.No one would care if Xavier had been in an accident or was injured during the exam. They would only care about the results.Just like now, with Liesel.Unless Xavier produced outstanding results after the exam to overshadow the potential failure, he would only face ridicule."I can do it." Xavier's voice was hoarse. His gaze dropped to the IV needle in his hand. His other hand wanted to clench into a fist, but even the slightest movement sent waves of pain from his fractured arm."It's just high school material. I can do it," he repeated.Denzel looked at him. His eyes were soft but stern. "You're not t
"Xavier, feeling any better?" Liesel asked.She maneuvered her wheelchair closer to him. Her eyes swept over the injuries on his forehead, arm, and chest, and the cuts on his face left by shattered glass. He looked battered and pitiful.The words stuck in Xavier's throat. He couldn't meet her gentle gaze as he felt guilty."Liesel... I'm sorry. I couldn't bring him home," he murmured. He tried to sound composed, but his voice betrayed him. It was heavy with emotion."This wasn't your responsibility." Liesel took his IV-connected hand in hers. Her fingers were still cold, yet somehow, Xavier felt a faint warmth radiating from her touch."We're adults, Xavier. Sometimes, we make mistakes. When we do, we must bear the consequences of our actions. It's our fault for dragging you into this. You deserve a peaceful life. I was the one who pulled you into this chaos."Liesel had thought it through clearly.For years, Xavier had suffered in the Scott family. Now, just as he was about to
Who else could be called a male enchantress in the business world?The first name that sprang to mind was Jordan Steele, the vice CEO of Shifter Corporation. He was infamous for his stunning looks.Rumors swirled that during Shifter Corporation's early days abroad, Jordan had been relentlessly pursued—not just by women but by droves of men.Coincidentally, over half of those who had courted him had also pursued Liesel.At that moment, Jordan's expression lacked its usual cheer, but he still managed a casual greeting. His striking looks were so breathtaking that even Xavier was momentarily stunned."Why are you here?" Liesel asked."Isn't it obvious?"Jordan dragged a chair over and sat down casually. "Now that Elijah's in trouble, who else can you turn to? You wouldn't consider anyone from Ford Corporation, and you'd only consult Dr. Johanson here if absolutely necessary."You're not exactly close to Elijah's friends, so you won't go to Tobey and Jimmy. That's why I'm here, vol
If Liesel truly was the head of Shifter Corporation, it would change everything.Shifter Corporation had revolutionized domestic commercial capital.It was the first Draskian company to establish a foothold abroad. It broke into the Fortune 500 within a year and dominated the fields of renewable energy and cybersecurity in just three years. Now, it was a global powerhouse that businesses worldwide sought to partner with.The idea that such a company—one that inspired awe at the mere mention of its name—belonged to Liesel was staggering.Denzel sat silently on the couch for a long time.He raised his hand and pinched the bridge of his nose. At this moment, he couldn't say a single word. He even felt that anything he said now would be pointless.How deeply had Liesel once loved Jacob to the point of forgetting who she was?She had set aside all her glory, all her accomplishments, just to get close to him. And in return, she had received only indifference and harm.Denzel's throat
"I remember you saying that you thought of Ophelia as your sister, then you got together with her. Are you trying to commit incest?" Jacob said mockingly. He was cutting straight to the chase.Before Edward could respond, Jacob asked Ophelia, "Since you like CEO and brother-sister literature so much, can you swear on your life that you were imagining Edward and not me?"Of course, he had to throw snide remarks at both of them.His mouth was truly venomous.He didn't even give Edward a chance to explain before sending another blade through his heart. "Didn't you say that you would take care of Ophelia for the rest of your life? "The Ford family sent you abroad to study, but you came back only to commit incest. It seems like you didn't learn much while you were overseas. If anything, the only thing you picked up overseas was loose morals toward love."Edward's smile stiffened. "Jacob, Ophelia and I have already talked about it. We aren't related by blood, and this is between us."
When Ophelia didn't ask further, Edward rubbed her back and asked, "Are you hungry? If you want to grab a bite, shall we head to Heritage Hotel?""I want to check out the food market at Alden University, and I want you to carry me." She paused to think for a moment. "Piggybacking is also fine."It seemed like Veronica's tantrum hadn't reduced her enthusiasm for the food market. Edward was relieved that it hadn't ruined her mood."Is the food there clean? I thought Jacob said no street food." The reason he brought up Jacob's name was because he knew that he would be defenseless against Ophelia's cuteness.Jacob also happened to be the only person that Ophelia was truly afraid of.Still, Ophelia didn't take it seriously. "He's not even here. He won't know if I secretly have some."As soon as she said that, a cold voice sounded from not far away."What is it that I won't know?"The person slowly emerging from the shadows was none other than Jacob.Videos of the incident between O
Edward narrowed his eyes, sensing that something wasn't right.What could make Denzel so cautious?"Will you tell me when we get home?" Edward patted Ophelia's head. The latter leaned into his touch guiltily.Denzel massaged his forehead.Whatever. The sooner they went away, the better. He didn't want to watch them be all lovey-dovey in front of him.After they left, the janitor sanitized the office. Denzel had no more work for the night except for the discussion that he had with Jacob tonight.Just as he thought about Jacob, he called."What does your text mean? What do you mean, 'Sorry for my beloved'?"Denzel was quiet for a moment. "Have you not seen the trends on Twitter in the past two days?"Jacob was even more puzzled after he checked. Besides the news about Ophelia getting bullied by Yvonne, there was nothing else. Wasn't he already handling this matter? Or could there be something else that he didn't know about?"Are you not aware that Edward and Ophelia were trendi
Meanwhile, in the long term, Dash would be a concern. Dash had a lot of nasty tricks up his sleeve. While he might not dare to piss Liesel off now, he most likely wouldn't let Ford Corporation off the hook.Of course, Edward knew all of this.It was because he knew this that he spent such a long time abroad, hiding from Ophelia. Still, he hadn't been able to control his feelings for her. He couldn't bring himself to let go of her.He didn't have any greater aspirations in this lifetime. He only wished that he could help Ophelia reach the stars. Then, he'd stay by her side and protect her. Anything else was outside his consideration."I know the consequences." Edward gazed down at Ophelia with a gentle smile."If Ophelia didn't like me or have feelings for me, I would be willing to just stay by her side and never cross that line. However, I'm fortunate that the person I love also loves me back. "Thus, no matter what the future brings, I can handle it."I think about how brightly
Denzel sent Jacob a text that said, "Sorry about your beloved."Jacob, who was already headed to the hospital to have a discussion with Denzel, was taken aback when he read the message.What did that mean?Before Denzel could explain, the door opened. Inside, Edward was hugging Ophelia.Denzel had a strange look in his eyes. He looked like he wanted to say something but was holding back. However, Edward didn't overthink it. He merely thanked Denzel and prepared to leave the hospital with Ophelia.Upon hearing that, Denzel's smile froze. "You're welcome."For some reason, it sounded like he was seething. It even sounded a little like "fuck off".Nevertheless, Edward didn't think too much of it. However, he overheard Denzel instructing the janitor to sanitize the entire office, especially the bed and the couch.Edward was speechless. So that was why Denzel had been so hostile earlier.Despite his typically calm and refined demeanor, Edward was furious and embarrassed. "I didn't
Edward had the foresight to turn Ophelia's face toward him so that Denzel's smile was no longer directed at her.Denzel was speechless.All of Denzel's elderly patients wanted to make him their son-in-law, while the young women would secretly fall for his good looks and dream of marrying him. And that wasn't all. There had even been young men who had been so charmed by his smile that they kept asking if he was also into guys.Therefore, Edward didn't want his future fiance to even look at Denzel for a second too long. In his eyes, Denzel was a seductive devil, which was why he had the nickname "Denzel Medusa".Thus, Edward said shamelessly, "If you're done with the wound dressing, then you may leave. I want to discuss some things with Ophelia and also get some rest."Denzel wished he could cut ties with Edward and have the hospital blacklist him.He massaged the spot between his eyebrows. "This is my office."Without any hesitation, Edward asked, "Aren't you single?"In this
"It's my fault. I'll definitely pay attention next time." Edward felt very guilty and sorry."So you want me to get hurt again?" Ophelia tugged on the silver chain around Edward's neck. Her eyes twinkled.She had bought this necklace for him when she was younger. She remembered that it had come with an oval locket, inside which she had inserted a photo of her getting hugged by him on her own accord.She couldn't really remember what the photo looked like anymore, but she had a rough idea. She had picked the photo that she thought she looked the best in.At the time, she had still been really young, but she had been inspired by a television show. She thought that by giving a family member or a lover a gift, they would always think of her whenever they looked at it.Kids were always naive like that. She thought that since he would think of her when he saw her gift anyway, she might as well put a picture of herself inside.Thus, the young Ophelia had picked out a silver necklace and
As if she could sense something, Ophelia looked up. Her indifferent gaze suddenly lit up, and her eyes curved as she smiled.Edward's throat tightened. At this moment, he didn't know whether to feel frustration or heartache.He had been a little late, and Ophelia had ended up getting bullied by a crazy old woman.Edward walked to her side and squeezed her hand gently. Ophelia had no intention of wasting her breath on Veronica. She was waiting for Edward to come and handle her.She pointed at Veronica and said straightforwardly, "She's bullying me."Without a second thought, she continued, "She accused me of bullying her daughter, Yvonne, which is why she came to stir up trouble."Edward frowned. The Ford family didn't have much of a partnership with the Zima family, and Edward had spent a few years studying abroad. The older generation never got to see him much, so Veronica naturally didn't recognize Edward as Matthew's adopted son.Thus, she just assumed that he was another For
"I'm not interested in getting revenge on a celebrity I used to be a fan of. If your daughter received any retribution, it's only because even God couldn't let it continue."If you have so much free time, it would benefit you more to come to church with me instead."Ophelia was about to walk off when Veronica leaped forward. She held onto Ophelia's leg again and refused to allow her to leave. "No, you can't walk away! Yvonne said that she doesn't have a future in the industry anymore after making you angry."You have to forgive her! Aren't you a fan? You can't just stop supporting her. You have to keep liking her. As the daughter of the Ford family, you can give her more opportunities, and she will definitely be able to rise again!" Veronica roared maniacally.Ophelia let out an exasperated chuckle. All of a sudden, she felt like the entire Zima family was full of lunatics.Unable to hold back anymore, she said angrily, "Yvonne has committed a crime. Do you think I'm moronic enoug