Carter, who had been about to slap Wendy, was hit in the groin. He let out a pig-like squeal, clutching himself as he rolled on the ground, howling in pain.The scene drew many onlookers. Fearing a disturbance, the nurse on duty rushed over to check the situation.Wendy wasn't satisfied and wanted to add a few more kicks."Wendy...""Since we've already started, we might as well make it count.""..."Wendy had a point.I released her waist and joined her in kicking Carter a few more times.Wendy was fighting Carter for my sake; I couldn't stay uninvolved."You... you two..." Carter caught his breath slightly, glaring at Wendy and me with bloodshot eyes.Wendy shielded me behind her. "I'm the one who hit you! This is just a warning. If you keep harassing us, I'll beat you so badly your own mother won't recognize you!""You... you better not leave!" Carter, helped by the nurse, sat down in a nearby wheelchair.Seeing him shaking in pain, the nurse asked where he was hurt."I
Carter, still seething from Wendy's earlier confrontation, replied irritably, "No.""So you've slept together then."Me: ...Wendy was always so blunt."Mind your own business!" Carter sensed Wendy had an ulterior motive for asking and grew wary."You didn't deny it, proving my guess was right.""Wendy...""You, shut up!" Wendy, having gotten the information she wanted, quickly dropped her smile. "Keep yapping, and I'll slap that big mouth of yours!"Having known Wendy for a long time, I wasn't surprised by how quickly she could switch expressions.Carter, however, was different. He forgot he was still on the phone, his mouth slightly agape in disbelief at Wendy's rapid mood change.Wendy glared at him, looking menacing. "What are you staring at? Want me to gouge out your eyes and use them as marbles?""You...""You're just asking for it!"Wendy slapped the chair, making as if to stand up. Perhaps still shaken from the earlier confrontation, Carter's body involuntarily shu
"I'm not falsely accusing you. The police officer saw you try to hit me first."Wendy innocently covered her face. With her already slender frame and hunched shoulders, she appeared weak and helpless, evoking sympathy.Wendy had always been a skilled actress. As she turned the tables, Carter's still-raised hand clenched into a fist.The veins on his hand and forehead bulged. Like a raging beast, he seemed ready to pounce and tear Wendy apart.When the police and guards weren't looking, Wendy made a grimace at him.In an instant, her expression shifted back to one of distress.Wendy had a knack for infuriating people. Her quick grimace made Carter lose all reason. Even with the police present, he was ready to lash out and assault Wendy to vent his anger.With the police nearby, this would only escalate the situation. They quickly restrained him, warning, "Don't move!""Thank you, I was so scared just now," Wendy said as she removed her hand from her cheek.Her right cheek was n
"Yelling at us won't do any good. We base our investigation on facts," the police officer said firmly.Carter's words caught in his throat, and his face turned red with frustration. "I'll say it again: Wendy struck first!""We've questioned people, and no one can confirm that for you.""Even if no one can confirm it, that doesn't prove I provoked them first!" Carter was furious at being unable to clear his name. "How many times do I have to repeat myself? Wendy's a drama queen. She beat me up before you arrived at the hospital. I didn't fight back while she was hitting me!""Based on your description, we've found several eyewitnesses, but none can confirm that Wendy struck first.""You're the police! If they can't prove it, find a way!" Carter pointed to his own face. "I'm a man. If I had fought back, could she have beaten me up like this? Come on, use your brains!"Taking taxpayers' money without doing any real work!Carter wanted to curse but feared leaving a bad impression on
When Carter learned that Stephen was Wendy's representing attorney, he cursed, "That bastard just won't leave me alone."Crystal had repeatedly warned him not to mess with Stephen.Carter sat in his chair, his face dark and his eyes bloodshot, looking terrifying."Mr. Kingston...""Go tell Wendy I'm willing to settle," Carter said reluctantly.Carter was known for his vicious character and ruthless methods. When someone crossed him, he would do everything in his power to make their life miserable.Wendy had publicly beaten him, causing him to lose face completely. In front of the police, she had twisted the facts with her silver tongue. Carter absolutely refused to swallow this insult.His lawyer was no match for Stephen and couldn't gain any advantage against him.The lawyer was about to advise Carter to settle and pretend nothing had happened, but before he could speak, Carter voluntarily suggested a settlement. The lawyer was overjoyed."I'll contact the other party immedia
From their conversation, it was clear that the relationship between Carter and Joey was complicated. However, we couldn't glean any more details. If the two of them were to have a falling out, many hidden facts would likely come to light—impossible to keep secret.I had to admit, Wendy's move was brilliant. I gave her a thumbs-up. "Wendy, you're so smart!""That good-for-nothing is harassing you, and Luke didn't react?" Wendy asked."Why are we talking about him again?" I sighed.Luke and I were aware of our feelings for each other, but due to practical reasons, we were both at a standstill.Wendy knew about this, but even so, I didn't want to discuss this budding yet fragile relationship too much."Sweetheart, you're his employee. If a lowlife is targeting you, he should take some measures to ensure his employee's safety as your boss," Wendy pressed."He's busy with work. There's no need to bother him with such a small matter," I deflected."You're truly a considerate employee
Stephen had been Joey's protector for years. Even without romantic feelings between them, defending her had become his instinct.His voice was cold and full of warning. "Miss Smith, you can eat your fill, but you should watch what you say.""Mr. York, you're such a smart guy. How have you been so stubborn about this for so long?" Wendy gazed at the blurry reflection in the window. "Joey is the editor-in-chief of First Media Magazine. She has influence at the magazine and connections in the industry. With social media being what it is today, hasn't she ever thought about using public opinion to expose Crystal's true colors?""There was a popular Netflix show about school bullying recently. What was it called again? Let me look it up." Wendy pulled out her phone and searched. "Ah, 'The Glory.' From the comments, you can see how much people hate bullying. This show got everyone talking.""Joey's a media-savvy person. If she really wanted payback, she would have used this chance to tak
"Come on! Just take us a few hundred meters further," Wendy said, clearly satisfied with Stephen's reaction.She leaned back against the seat, smiling at him. "Mr. York, let's be frank. You don't want to drive us because you're afraid I'll reveal more truths, right?""The car is nearby; it'll be here in a minute. You can wait outside," Stephen insisted, having just finished ordering the ride.Mr. York urged us to get out after calling the car."There's a saying: 'You can't wake someone who's pretending to sleep.' It fits you perfectly," Wendy remarked as she unbuckled her seatbelt, preparing to exit.I followed her lead, opening my door as she got out.We had barely closed the car doors, not even having a chance to say goodbye to Stephen, when he sped off, clearly eager to avoid any further interaction with us.Wendy pursed her lips at his retreating car. "Men, huh!""Stephen knows the truth. He protects Joey because he feels responsible for her," I explained.Stephen was a ma
She took my card - could she be working at the Mary Institute?I tried calling back immediately, but the line stayed busy. After several attempts, I researched the institute online.Over a hundred years old, the institute only hired the top experts in pharmaceutical research.For privacy reasons, they didn't publish staff information online.I found nothing about her.I wanted to tell Luke but feared giving false hope. Better to confirm first.As my racing thoughts calmed, exhaustion hit. I yawned and headed to bed.The next morning, I felt refreshed after a deep sleep.Just after my morning routine, the doorbell chimed. "Room service," came a crisp British accent.Strange - I hadn't ordered anything.Through the peephole, I saw a server with a cart. I opened the door."There must be a mistake."He checked his order slip. "Placed at 6:30."I was barely awake then. About to protest, I spotted a box of Belgian chocolates on the cart.Luke. Of course."My friend must have o
Luke played the video, but the quality was too poor to make out more than a silhouette.Trying to see better, I leaned closer to his phone, unconsciously pressing against him. I felt him stiffen slightly.Looking between the video and photos, I muttered, "Even his own mother couldn't identify him from this footage."Luke chuckled softly. "Don't get discouraged. Everyone has unique mannerisms. If we compare videos of these three suspects with this dashcam footage, we might find something unexpected."Luke always seemed so composed, as if he could easily solve any problem.I nodded, feeling fatigue creeping in. My eyes were getting heavy, and I needed to rest."Have you had dinner?""Ate at the set."Food always tastes better with company. The crew's boxed dinners were simple but satisfying."Haven't eaten yet?" I asked casually."No.""You should go eat then. Don't let me keep you."As I turned to leave, Luke grabbed my wrist. "You won't even spare a moment for me anymore?"
Due to jet lag, I was already exhausted though it wasn't dark yet.Ian was drooping too, suddenly slumping against me.Worried he'd fall, I quickly steadied him.He glanced at me before contentedly closing his eyes again.He was completely worn out.Mr. Lloyd, who had been chatting with the director, noticed this and quickly wrapped up his conversation to join us.Still half-awake, Ian instinctively held onto my arm when his father reached for him."It's your Dad."At my words, Ian let go.Mr. Lloyd picked him up and strode toward the car, while I gathered Ian's things and followed.On the way back, I offered to drive.Mr. Lloyd was quiet. I turned on the car's music system, and soft music filled the space.Having debuted overseas as a trainee, Mr. Lloyd's fingers unconsciously tapped along to the rhythm on his leg.At a red light, I caught this movement in the rearview mirror.Mr. Lloyd had been an all rounder superstar - consistently among the top three highest-earning
Since Penelope was mid-flight and unreachable, I sent her a message and forwarded Sara's letter."Are you okay, Jen? You seem worried," Ian asked."Just blown away by your amazing performance. I'm still thinking about it."Ian was a natural - his acting could really move people."I might be cocky,” Ian grinned.He looked proud, and I ruffled his hair. "No chance of that."For a four-year-old, he'd shown remarkable composure during the preschool incident.Even after being cleared, he hadn't played the victim. That kind of emotional strength showed real character.A few compliments wouldn't change that.Ian's smile lit up his whole face, showing perfect baby teeth."When do you start filming your scenes?"The director was clearly impressed - Ian's role was locked in."Not sure yet."Ian looked up at his father."Soon," Mr. Lloyd said, clearly proud of Ian's performance. "I'll stay on set with Ian these next few days. Jen, feel free to explore the city. I'll call if we need
Just when they thought they'd found hope, the bad guys caught up with them.During their escape, his best friend fell off a cliff. When Bobby was finally rescued and led them back, they found his friend's body, mangled beyond recognition. He was devastated."I'll start now!"In an instant, Ian transformed. He walked heavily toward a chair, his expression gradually filling with pain.Kneeling beside the chair, he reached out as if to touch "him" but couldn't bring himself to do it. Tears silently rolled down his face.The director checked the script and signaled his assistant to remove the chair, simulating the scene where the friend's body would be placed in a body bag.At this, Ian broke into heart-wrenching sobs.His emotional outburst impressed everyone watching on set.Mr. Lloyd looked proud, and the director, as if discovering a treasure, praised Ian after his performance: "Your acting reminds me of your father in his prime.""If I'm as good as Dad was at my age, imagine
I'd dug my own grave, hadn't I?I swallowed my food, took a sip of water, and kept my head down while eating.Luke pushed the mild seafood soup toward me. "This is less spicy."Stubborn as I was, I ignored him.Luke called the server over, trying to order milder versions of the fish and pork."Don't bother, I love extra spicy food."Even though I needed water after every bite, I was determined to finish what I'd ordered.Seeing my stubbornness, Luke apologized to the server and let her go."Jen...""Don't talk while eating."By now, my soul had practically left my body from the spice. I wasn't in the mood for conversation.My throat felt like it was on fire as I gulped down more water.Luke quietly refilled my empty glass. He'd barely touched his seafood soup, his elegant movements making me feel even more ungraceful.I was suffering from my own spite!I wanted to throw down my chopsticks and leave.No, stay calm!I tried to maintain my composure, fighting the urge to d
Just as I finished speaking, my stomach let out an embarrassing growl."There's an excellent Chinese place around the corner," Luke said."You've been here before?""No.""..." Then how did he know about a good restaurant?Did he research every place this thoroughly?He'd make a perfect travel companion.I later learned he'd researched local restaurants knowing my passion for food.I'd only had water since waking up. The film crew would have finished lunch by now, with no leftovers available. I needed to find something on the way.Being in a bad mood lately, I hadn't researched any local restaurants before coming here.Craving authentic Chinese food, I decided to take Luke's suggestion.It was an upscale Chinese restaurant specializing in spicy cuisine. As soon as we sat down, a cheerful server brought out place settings and started listing their specialties."Our portions are generous. For a couple, I'd recommend one appetizer and a soup to start.""We're not a couple," I
Luke came to search for his birth mother himself?As I looked at him, he noticed me too.I greeted him and was about to get a taxi to the set."If you have time, can you show me where you saw her yesterday?""I... okay."Mr. Lloyd and Ian would be fine - finding Luke's mother was more urgent.After weighing the pros and cons, I agreed.Luke hadn't brought an assistant. I waited outside while he took his luggage to his hotel room, then we walked to where I'd seen his mother yesterday.It wasn't far from the hotel, so we went on foot.Without thinking, I kept about three feet between us.Luke: "Do I look like some kind of monster?"With his model-like features that made you want to break rules just looking at him, how could he possibly look like a monster?I shook my head."Then why are you keeping such a distance?""..." So that's what he meant...Though I'd decided to stay just friends, my heart - already full of him - still skipped beats when we were together.He was t
"If you can't find her, Luke can! Now that he has a general area, he can track her down quickly.""I'll let him know."Mrs. Walker was also searching for her, planning to use her to manipulate Luke. We needed to contact her before Mrs. Walker did.After hanging up with Wendy, I looked at Luke’s number on my phone. Several times I almost called him, but kept backing out.After hesitating, I tried calling Emily, but hung up just before it connected.Although Emily had been open with me, I couldn't be sure if she was genuinely helping Luke.To be safe, I called Luke instead. He answered on the first ring.Luke stayed silent."Mr. Walker, this is Jen.""I wasn't planning to cut you out of my life completely. I kept your number."Me: ...There he went again with his sharp tongue. I almost hung up, but remembering how much he'd helped me, and that I could finally do something for him, I told him about possibly seeing his birth mother near the hotel.After a moment of silence, Luk