Angeline's mind was in turmoil after Sean's refrained nibble. "Sean…" Angeline's voice trembled. She wanted to pull her hand back, but Sean's veiny hand grabbed her thin wrist before he kissed her palm up to her wrist. It felt so hot that Angeline kept retracting her hand. As he grabbed her wrist tightly, Sean said with a hoarse voice, "Turned around. I'm scared I can't control myself…" Sean was scared he couldn't control himself from kissing Angeline and devouring her. Before he could finish, Angeline kissed Sean. Her lips met with Sean's boiling lips. After a brief dabble, Angeline whispered, "I'll call Brayden to have him bring you to the hospital…"Angeline felt a tight clench on her wrist. "Sean!" Angeline stifled a gasp as she was turned and pressed below Sean. "I told you I might lose control…" Angeline pressed her hands against Sean's chest, feeling his heart palpitating hard through his thin pajamas. Her eyelashes fluttered as she saw Sean leaning in closer. A
Unsure if it was because of the fever, Sean couldn't control himself. His kiss was extremely assertive and aggressive. It was unlike before when he would kiss Angeline in different ways until she couldn't resist anymore and went weak before he became more aggressive. This time, his kiss was direct and aggressive. He was sucking all the air from her, almost causing her to suffocate and faint. Angeline had never experienced such an intense kiss since the last time she and Sean had separated. Amidst the chaotic breathing, Angeline raised her head to accept Sean's kiss. She no longer had the strength to handle his advances. She unconsciously sank her nails into her back. Angeline woke up the next day from shortness of breath. Sean, who was lying down and facing her, was slowly pecking on her lips while pinching her chin. Noticing that Angeline was awake, he slipped his tongue into her mouth without hesitation as he wrapped his sturdy arm around her waist and pulled her tightly in
Sean walked to Angeline's side and pulled a chair before sitting down. Before he could say anything, Angeline asked, "Is everything over?" Sean nodded. "It's over. I can return to you and the kids without worries." "How about Melissa?" Angeline ate quietly with lowered eyes. "What's your plan for her?" Sean pulled Angeline's chair toward him, facing him. "Mr. Lane was sent to jail for the crimes he committed, according to the idea of your friend, Thomas. But Melissa needs someone to look after her." "Uh-huh, so?" Angeline asked. "Wayne was arrested in Menko already, and I've invited my aunt, Lori, back to Lonla," Sean said. "She doesn't want to stay in Keman and wishes to return here because she thinks Keman is dangerous."So, I returned this time with Aunt Lori and Melissa. Aunt Lori is staying at the manor my parents left me with at Oceanford. Melissa is there, too." Sean caressed Angeline's hair. "You know I've always treated Melissa like my younger sister. I can't just
"Anyway, I'll find a way, so you don't need to worry."Sean didn't want to put Angeline in a difficult position."I'll persuade Mr. Lawson Senior. What I mean is… I'll divorce Melissa soon. Of course, we'll find an appropriate time to announce it publicly. Then, after things calm down for a while, we can be together again. We can keep a low profile until we get discovered. What do you think?""You handle things with Melissa first. Even if we have to remain in a secret marriage for the rest of our lives, I wouldn't mind. After all, life is for us to live, and everything else is just for others to see."Angeline wasn't just pretending to be magnanimous.When he had his car accident, she had persuaded him to take that opportunity to return as Shane, and she had already prepared herself for this outcome.He squeezed her hand and kissed it. Although he didn't say anything, he felt that the luckiest thing in his life was winning her love."But regarding Tom, I want you to be honest wi
Angeline nodded and then spoke about her situation with Nathaniel."Nathaniel and I were only pretending to be engaged. We each had our own reasons. Hence, it doesn't matter if we never get married. Or… when he finds someone he wants to marry, we can find an appropriate way to announce the cancellation of our engagement."Just as she finished speaking, the doorbell rang.She glanced at Sean and said, "I'll get the door. You go hide in the bedroom."He didn't make things difficult at that moment. He stood just outside the dining room and watched as she checked the surveillance monitor and mouthed the question of who it was.She pointed downstairs and whispered, "It's Nathaniel."After he went into the bedroom, she opened the door. Nathaniel, like he was very familiar with the place, walked in and started changing his shoes.He asked, "What's going on? I heard you were sick and didn't go to work today?""I'm feeling a bit unwell," she answered, instinctively glancing toward the b
"Mr. Millstone's handling Lucy's salary. If he finds out that you're eating at my place and paying her, he'll report it to my grandfather, and I'll be the one getting scolded," said Angeline as she sat down at the dining table too."If you want to eat the dishes made by Lucy, I can ask her to cook for you downstairs.""Sure! Then you can join me for meals downstairs. It's more lively with two people anyway," said Nathaniel with a smile.Then, he added, "By the way, Kieron is likely to announce his engagement to Lara soon.""I've heard rumors about their engagement, but it's been delayed for so long. Why the sudden decision?" she asked, surprised."They both got drunk. When they woke up, they found themselves in bed together, unclothed. Neither of them could explain what happened. Someone saw them and reported it to their families. This incident was likely the reason the engagement was pushed forward," he said with a smile."Kieron was quite frustrated when he called me. He was st
"Alright then…" Nathaniel said and nodded. "I'll head to the office now. Can I come by for dinner later this evening?""I have things to do later. Send me your house password, and I'll have Lucy cook at your place. Do you have ingredients in the fridge?" Angeline asked."The fridge is restocked daily. I use the same service as you do, so just let Lucy know to come over," he replied.After sending the house password to her, he grabbed his suit jacket and said, "If you feel unwell, don't hesitate to call me. I'll take you to the hospital.""Okay!"As soon as the door closed behind Nathaniel, Sean came out of the bedroom."Canceling the engagement without affecting Hooper Group isn't difficult. Announce the cancellation while simultaneously revealing a new collaboration project with Lawson Global. The stock price will dip but will stabilize and rise again," he said with a frown."There's no rush. I was just giving Nathaniel a heads-up to prepare him," she replied, standing up to cl
Seeing Sean was about to speak, Angeline interrupted, "Before you confirm the truth, don't reveal our relationship to Melissa or your aunt. I don't mind, but I'm concerned about the children's safety."It had only been less than a year since Monica's accident. Lara, the eldest daughter of the Scotts, had also withdrawn from the succession battle because of that car crash. She had been having a difficult time since then, being suspected by her whole family.Regardless of the situation, Angeline believed that Melissa had a touch of madness. Since Sean was protecting her and she couldn't be touched, it was best not to let her know."Okay," Sean agreed. "I'll settle Melissa down and then make a trip to Keman. I'll be back soon.""Are you planning to shift the focus of Kingston Empire back to the country?" she asked."Yes," he replied with a smile. "You and the kids won't follow me abroad, so I have to find a way to return."Besides, Sean felt a sense of duty to Robert, who had rais
As soon as the words were out of Angeline's mouth, the sound of lounge slippers padding across the floor rang out. Yasmine ignored the shock on Ned's face and turned to reach for Sean. "Hold me, Daddy!"Sean smiled and lifted her into his arms. Then, he stood beside Angeline and looked at Ned imperiously. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Fletcher. I'm Shane Kingston. Thank you for pushing Angie away in the past—it led to my relationship with her."Ned knew precisely who "Shane" was. Just a few days ago, he'd seen the news about Melissa's press conference explaining her relationship with "Shane".His mind buzzed. He knew Sean and Shane looked similar enough for Dexter's men to have gotten the wrong person. However, he hadn't expected "Shane" to have anything to do with Angeline!"You… Are you the kids' father?" Ned's voice was incredibly shaky."Yes, and again, thank you for that!" Sean smiled. "We've never told anyone about this because I didn't want to endanger Angie and the kids.
Sean didn't give Angeline the chance to finish. "You were right to bring this up to me!"He wrapped his arms around her from behind and continued, "You and the kids will always be my main priority. I know I said I want Melissa to remain safe and happy under my watch, but my feelings for her are purely familial love."She's family to me, and I must care for her. But you and the kids mean more to me than anything else in the world, including her."His honesty made Angeline feel slightly more at ease. She said, "Those are your words, not mine…""I swear on my life that I mean every word." He pressed a kiss to her head. "Can I stay here tonight? I want to sleep with you and the kids. Also, I came from Brayden's place upstairs, so no one will know I'm here.""Granddad made it clear that if anyone finds out about this, he won't allow the kids to see you anymore.""Got it. Don't worry about a thing. Mr. Lawson Senior raised me, and I owe him for that. I won't put him in a tough
Angeline nodded without saying anything. Once Nathaniel was gone, she received a call from Sean."Now that everything has been taken care of, I want to give you a gift," he said, the smile in his tone evident. "Can you have the kids spend Friday night at Grand Court Residences? I want to show all three of you my gift on Saturday."He missed Yasmine and Xavier terribly. Before resolving the issue with Melissa, he hadn't dared to say he wanted to see them. Even if Angeline were okay with it, Robert probably would've objected to his wishes. Now that the dust had settled, he couldn't wait to see them."I don't call the shots regarding the kids now. I'll have to ask Granddad," Angeline said."I'll talk to him about it." Sean was worried Robert would take his anger out on her. "This all started because I insisted on being with you, so I'll handle it. I'll visit Mr. Lawson Senior later today."Angeline didn't know how Sean's conversation with Robert went, but Robert had Asher drop
That night, Melissa called Sean. "Shane, let's publicly announce our divorce. We can tell everyone that we only got married on paper so the Lane family could offer you its protection."Tell them that Dexter repeatedly tried to harm you so he could take the Kingston family fortune, and tell them how he tried to snatch you from the Lane family so he could secretly deal with you."She paused, then continued, "Now that Dexter's in prison, we can get a divorce, and Lori can adopt me as her daughter. We'll become cousins, and we'll still be a family.""Melissa…"Sean was surprised. He didn't expect her to see the light in such a short time."Since you don't have any feelings for me and won't ever make me your wife, I'll settle to be Lori's daughter. That way, you'll always be my family!" Tears streamed down Melissa's face as she spoke. "I adore Lori and want to be her daughter.""Alright," Sean said."Can you head to Keman with me, then? We can visit Dad together before getting
Melissa stared at Lori, who chuckled gently. "It's alright. There's no need to rush into anything. Take your time to think about it. Get good rest for a few days, then go shopping with me. We can buy some clothes to keep up with the changing seasons."I heard from Brayden and Sean that you're the expert in fashion and dressing up. I've always wanted a daughter who could shop, exercise, travel, café hop, and go on spa days with me."She paused and continued, "I didn't get to do any of this with you because you weren't in the best state before this. Now, though, you're all better. You're back to normal, and you've regained your memories!""I'd love that!" Melissa said without hesitation. She'd only done these things with her mother and Emelia in her dreams, but that was all they were—dreams. She was delighted now that Lori was back and willing to make her dreams come true.Sean sat on the couch and sipped his coffee. He knew Lori was doing everything she could to make his life ea
Melissa nodded. Sean said, "I know you have no company management experience. Mr. Lane might have entrusted Trustworth Group to me, but it's still yours. Before you find someone to take over, my plan for the company is still to move its focus back to Lonla."The global situation isn't the best now, and Lonla is the safest place for expansion. That's why the company's focus has to return to Lonla—""You can hand the company over to Brayden," Melissa interrupted. "The only people in this world I trust are you, Dad, and Brayden. Now that Dad's in prison and you don't want me anymore, Brayden is all I have left.""I'm still your kin, Melissa. I won't kick you to the curb and leave you to die. Nevertheless, Trustworth Group is yours. You can have whoever you want to manage it. Brayden is capable of that." Sean looked at Brayden. "What do you think? Are you willing to take over Trustworth Group?""I'll do it as long as Melissa is okay with it!" Brayden nodded. He turned to look
"That's not it! I've always been willing to care for you, and I'm more than willing to care for you in the future! It's not something that I'm forced to do…" Brayden feared his words would inadvertently hurt Melissa, so he decided not to continue in that vein.He said, "C'mon, you should head downstairs to eat something. You've already slept the day away.""I don't want to eat!" Melissa lay down again and pulled the sheets around herself. She said dully, "I want to sleep for a bit longer. Shut the door on your way out."Seeing that she'd already shut her eyes and started weeping, Brayden said softly, "I'll have the kitchen keep the food warm for you. Remember to call me when you wake up, okay? I'll be right downstairs!""Okay." Brayden left the room after hearing Melissa's muffled reply. He shut the door behind him.Melissa remained upstairs. She didn't head downstairs, even when Sean returned. Sean had already spoken to Angeline on the phone and told her he wouldn't meet
Melissa slept in her room and only woke up at night. She removed her headphones and opened her red, swollen eyes. She stared dazedly at the night sky, only returning to her senses when her headphones fell out of her hands.Brayden, who'd been waiting outside this whole time, heard them fall to the floor and hurried into the room. He saw Melissa sitting cross-legged on the bed. She propped herself on one arm while leaning down to pick up the headphones.He hurried forward and picked them up for her, then remained on one knee by the bed. He looked up at her and said, "You slept for ages, Melissa. Do you want to have anything to eat? I got all your favorites, and there are different cuisines. I also got your favorite fruits and snacks!"He'd already had the maids throw out the food he'd bought at noon. Then, he'd had his subordinate buy a fresh batch.Melissa turned to look at him dazedly. She said hoarsely, "Brayden…""I'm here," he said. "C'mon, should we get something to eat
Melissa knew Sean well. So, it was impossible for her not to know if he was being serious. Sean was indeed threatening her, and he was using his life to do it. That way, she wouldn't dare to harm Angeline for fear of hurting him.She loved Sean so much that she could give up her life for him. She wondered why he was treating her that way. He knew she wouldn't allow even the slightest possibility of her threatening his safety.Just then, Sean received a call from Brayden. He said, "...Yeah, I've already picked Melissa up. We're heading to Southstream Manor now… Yeah, you can head over there. Buy some food on your way—Melissa probably hasn't eaten anything yet. She should be hungry."At his words, Melissa couldn't hold back her tears any longer. She covered her face and started sobbing. She'd spent her whole life dreaming of becoming Sean's wife, but he was now in love with someone else and no longer wanted her.Yet, she couldn't do anything about the situation, or she'd be hurting