Hades did not take her words seriously."Alanna, you should know that you do not have the right to terminate the agreement. I can close an eye to your action of hiding the pregnancy from me, but don't you dare use the miscarriage as an excuse to run away from me," he drawled unhurriedly, his words devoid of any emotions whatsoever.Alanna scoffed bitterly. It was true that she had no rights. The agreement that they signed had never been fair to her from the get-go. When it came to him, she never had any right to anything at all. She had no right to throw a tantrum, she had no right to act up, and now, she didn't even have the right to bring up the topic of going separate ways!"Are you feeling very wronged now?" Hades asked."No." Alanna scoffed lightly.There was no outburst of emotions from her end, but whoever heard her would surely detect a stifling sense of misery from her tone.That instantly fueled a rage within Hades, and he swiftly turned her over so that Alanna was fa
Late at night, a car pulled out of the hospital and then arrived outside an abandoned factory in the suburbs.When Hades kicked open the door of a workshop, he immediately heard a furious voice from inside."That wretch! She harmed my daughter, and now, wants to harm me too? You corrupted cops, I want her dead! I'll kill her when I get out!"Hades flexed his stiff wrists, picked up a wooden stick from the ground, and weighed it in his hand.Before anyone could react, he swung the stick at the man's leg. The sound of bones shattering echoed through the dilapidated workshop along with a scream.Throwing away the stick, Hades took out a cigarette and lit it."Who gave you the order?"The man was pale from the pain. He looked at Hades with fear in his eyes, yelling, "She was the one who hurt my daughter! I only pushed her a little. What's so wrong with that?"Jack, who was standing nearby, sweated profusely. If things got out of hand, it would be tricky for him to clean up the mess
Hades carried her out of the ward.In the hospital's corridor, onlookers threw them curious glances, making Alanna feel uneasy."I can walk," she said.Hades looked down at her. "Are you sure?""Yes."While Hades glanced at her once more, he showed no intention of putting her down.The elevator doors opened, and just as they were about to enter, Hades paused.Alanna turned to look, seeing Melanie and Terrence in the elevator. Surprisingly, Melanie also had a bandage on her arm.Instantly, Hades frowned. "What happened to you?"Melanie looked away, mumbling, "It's nothing."With a scoff, Terrence spoke up, "Hades, why didn't you answer Melanie's phone call last night? She got injured, and I'm the one who brought her to the hospital."Hades stared at the bandage on Melanie's arm. "How did you get injured?"Melanie's eyes turned red-rimmed. "Are you worried?"Hades let out a chuckle and said curtly, "If you don't want to answer, I won't ask.""Why are you acting like that?"
Standing at the side, Melanie started to tear up. "Terrence, stop it. I did this just to appease Ms. Jacinto's anger. I never thought about making anyone bear the consequences."Terrence furrowed his brow instantly. "You're being too kind."Melanie turned to look at Hades, saying, "As long as Ms. Jacinto stops being angry, anything is fine with me."Hades' gaze was dark, and his face remained extremely grim. His eyes fell on Alanna.Alanna, however, showed no signs of compromise. "Since Ms. Smith is so eager to apologize to me, then go ahead and be my guest."Her words stunned both Melanie and Terrence.The latter bit out, "What do you mean?"Leveling his gaze, Alanna answered matter-of-factly, "Mr. Abbott, you said I refused to forgive Ms. Smith. Now, I'm giving her a chance to apologize. I'll accept it if she does. Also…"She looked toward Melanie and continued, "Didn't you say that as long as I stopped being angry, anything was fine with you? In that case, apologize to me, a
A brief silence later, Alanna chuckled. "It was quite satisfying."Hades paused before warning, "It's over with Melanie now. Don't bring it up again for no reason."His reproachful tone was evident, making Alanna laugh bitterly. "Mr. Florentine, you've been watching the whole time. I wasn't the one who brought it up, and I didn't blame Melanie. Did she have to act so hypocritically?"At this, Hades' expression soured even more. "You didn't blame her openly, but do you not hold it against her deep down?""Am I not even allowed to have feelings now?" Alanna snipped.Hades glanced at her and didn't say anything more.Alanna felt uncomfortable; her whole body felt awkward. In reality, walking was difficult as her legs were weak. However, she didn't want to ask for Hade's help.Frowning, Hades studied her posture and eventually bent down to lift her."I can walk by myself. You can go check on Ms. Smith. After all, she got injured because of me. I can't afford to bear that responsibi
Nonetheless, she seriously couldn't stomach anything."I want to have something light.""Okay, I'll go make something for you."When Margaret took the chicken soup out, Hades' brows furrowed. "She's not eating?""Ms. Jacinto says she wants something light."Hades fell into silence for a moment, then instructed, "Make something lighter for her. Next time, ask her for her preferences before cooking.""Understood," Margaret hurriedly replied and went into the kitchen.Hades took a last look at the closed bedroom door before entering his study.As a lighter alternative to chicken soup, Margaret ended up making a clear vegetable soup for Alanna.Although Alanna still had no appetite, she relented and took a few sips.It was only then she had to admit that Hades was right. She had to take care of her health, and no one would feel sorry for her if she didn't cherish herself.As usual, Hades was rational and clear-headed.A bitter taste lingered in Alanna's mouth at the thought of
Listening to his words, Alanna felt as though her heart was being cut by a sharp knife.She didn't want to tell Hades that she might not be able to conceive again. Saying so might make it seem like she was forcing him to take responsibility.But Hades' words were akin to a blade, stabbing deep into her heart. The agony made it difficult to breathe.Alanna sucked in a deep breath and forced a smile at him. "Alright, I will."Hades' brows furrowed even deeper. Even though he was the one who proposed the idea, her response made him extremely unsettled.How could she be thinking of having a baby with someone else?As Hades' deep, intense gaze fell on Alanna, he deliberately said, "But, Ms. Jacinto, don't expect too much. Nowadays, a man letting you have his baby doesn't necessarily mean he loves you. Be wise when choosing someone in the future."Alanna chuckled. "At least he would let me have a baby."Hades' face instantly darkened. After a while, he spoke with a lack of interest,
Eyes fixed on the ceiling, Alanna replied, "I'm fine. I'm just feeling a little lethargic.""That's normal. Do you know how much blood you lost last night?"Alanna didn't know, but she was aware that she had started bleeding in the car."Is Hades taking good care of you?"Alanna hummed, saying, "He is. He even hired a caregiver to look after me.""Oh." Chelsey sounded surprised. "He does have a bit of a conscience."Alanna chuckled. If it were due to contractual obligations, Hades had fulfilled his part. Not only did he not blame her for concealing the truth, but he'd also hired a caregiver for her."Rest at home. I'll come visit when I have time.""Okay."After chatting for a while, Chelsey suddenly mentioned, "By the way, our high school has an upcoming reunion party. You'll finish your postpartum recovery when the time comes. Should we go together?"Upon the reminder, Alanna recalled that there had been discussions about a high school reunion in the WhatsApp group chat rec
He casually picked it up and glanced at it, his eyes filled with displeasure. "Who is this pretty boy?"Alanna looked at the snow outside."Can't you tell? A handsome guy."Hades frowned. "Is he more handsome than me?"Alanna couldn't be bothered to answer him.Hades lowered his eyes and held her waist. "Ms. Jacinto, are you feeling needy?"Alanna furrowed her brows. "Hades, can you be serious?"But Hades shamelessly replied, "If you have any needs, just give me a call. I'll be at your service anytime and anywhere."Alanna glared at him. "Hades, have some dignity."Hades chuckled. "Ms. Jacinto, are you doubting my abilities?"Alanna kicked his leg without hesitation.Hades laughed. "Feeling better now?"Alanna paused before nodding slightly. "Thank you.""Silly girl. Why are you thanking me?" Alanna smiled and got back to her work. She glanced at the man on the other side, who was busy replying to emails on his phone."If you're busy, you don't have to come over here on
Alanna was surprised. She then looked up at the man before her.She had a guarded expression.The man chuckled and handed her another business card. "I'm Mason Lowe and a classmate of Grayson's. I've heard a bit about you from him. I happened to have a business meeting recently that required translation. Would you be interested in taking up the job?"Alanna remained wary."Mr. Lowe, since you're Grayson's classmate, it would be more convenient to talk to him. I have something to attend to today, so I'll take my leave."With that, she pulled Chelsey and headed out. After their figures disappeared, Mason chuckled."She's quite guarded."He muttered to himself before lighting a cigarette. Just then, his phone rang. A woman's voice came from the other end."Didn't I ask you to approach Alanna? Why haven't you made any progress after such a long time?"Mason took a drag of his cigarette."Do you think it's easy to get close to Alanna? She's always surrounded by bodyguards. I o
Chelsey didn't know how to comfort Alanna."Ally, you need to move on."Alanna nodded without saying much. There was nothing else she could do.While the doctor examined Chelsey's wound and prescribed her medication, a commotion arose outside.Michel and the dog's owner had followed them to the clinic."Chelsey!"As soon as Michel entered the clinic, he called out.Chelsey gave him a sidelong glance. "What are you doing here?"Michel chuckled. "I came to check on you after hearing you got bitten."Chelsey scoffed. "What for? I got bitten by a dog, not you."Michel clicked his tongue. "Even if we were to bite each other, you would be the one who bit me."Chelsey aimed a kick at him. But before she could reach him, someone shouted, "Michel!"Chelsey immediately retracted her foot and glared at Michel. "Get out of the way. Stop being an eyesore."Michel chuckled. "Chelsey, are you reluctant to kick me?"Without hesitation, Chelsey aimed another kick at him. This time, she hi
Justin entered the room just in time to hear Alanna's questionHe paused briefly before taking a deep breath and walking up to her."Ms. Jacinto."Alanna turned around and saw Justin coming in with a stack of forms.Her lips twitched. But before she could speak, Justin beat her to it."Ms. Jacinto, what brings you here?" His demeanor was natural, showing no signs of evasion.Alanna pursed her lips and smiled slightly. "I'm here accompanying Chelsey for her shot."With that, she glanced back at the little girl."Is this your daughter?"Justin nodded, his eyes filled with affection as he looked at the girl."Yes, she's my daughter."Alanna's fingers twitched. "May I hold her?"Almost instinctively, the nanny holding the girl took a step back.Alanna's hands froze. She said, "Sorry."Justin's brow furrowed instantly.He glanced at the nanny before explaining softly to Alanna."Aashika was born prematurely and has a very weak immune system. We always disinfect before holdin
After leaving the detention center, Alanna seemed lost in thought.Although Tucker hadn't revealed much, she couldn't shake off her suspicions about Edmund."Do you think it could be Edmund?" Hades remained silent."The key question now is, if it's Edmund, why would he harm your mother?"Alanna lowered her gaze.Hades was right. She wondered why.Since learning that Tara was being targeted, she had thought of countless possibilities. Who could be behind the threats, and why would anyone want to harm such a fragile woman?But she still had no answers.Hades felt a pang of heartache."We'll find out eventually. Don't worry, if it's him, he'll show his true colors sooner or later."Alanna looked out the window and responded in a hum.Hades looked at her and gently caressed her cheek."Ally, don't feel sad. It hurts me."Alanna brushed his hand away. "Stop touching me all the time."Hades' mouth twitched."I've already asked Margaret to make preparations for the New Year.
Alanna glanced at him and brushed off his hand.Hades' eyes twinkled with amusement."Is it okay to spend the New Year's Eve together?"Alanna turned her head and looked at the calendar hanging on the wall.It was already mid-December.The New Year was approaching.Their baby was already three months old.If nothing had gone wrong, their New Year's Eve would have been filled with joy.Alanna withdrew her gaze, lowered her head, and straightened her clothes.Hades saw the glimmer of moisture in her eyes when she lowered her head.His heart ached, and he quickly hurried over to hug her."Everything will be fine."Alanna fought back her tears and nodded before pushing him away.Hades looked at her determined expression with a sense of helplessness."Let's go see Tucker. Maybe we can get some information about your mother."Alanna nodded and followed him out.After the two left, Chelsey rolled her eyes in the room."What a world! I have to see them being all lovey-dovey ri
In Northlight Group at Brunstein City, Edmund listened as his assistant reported everything to him."You mean, Olivia has been investigating Tara recently?"The assistant nodded. "Yes, and she's been very thorough."Edmund's pen snapped in his hand."Besides that, did she find out anything else?""She already found out about Tara's death."Edmund's face turned grim. "Got it."After speaking, he paused briefly. "Prepare something for me, and also, invite Mrs. Campbell to have lunch with me at the company."Olivia arrived at Northlight Group before noon.Before she could enter the office, she heard Edmund making a phone call."Mr. Florentine, I can help stabilize the stock price of Florentine Group with Northlight, but I hope you won't vent your anger on Alanna. Yes, she's important to me. You could say, even more important than Hudson."Olivia's steps abruptly halted. The smile on her face gradually disappeared.It wasn't until Edmund's secretary called out to her that Olivi
Alanna's grip on her phone tightened slightly."Hades, are you... really okay?"Hades chuckled. "I'm just trying to get some sympathy from you. Is it working?"Alanna pursed her lips and remained silent.Hades chuckled. "Go to bed early."After a pause, he added, "Also, try not to take sleeping pills.""Where are you?"Alanna suddenly asked.Hades was stunned.He glanced at the villa in the distance. "I'm taking a walk outside.""Taking a walk in the dead of winter?"Hades chuckled. "Ms. Jacinto, are you showing concern for me?"Alanna scoffed. "Go ahead and enjoy your walk."Hades quickly responded, "I'm outside handling some business. I just finished and suddenly missed you. So I wanted to call you."Alanna pursed her lips."Hades, we're partners now. From now on, don't hide anything from me."Hades' voice softened."Alright, I won't hide anything from you."Alanna didn't say much and hung up the phone directly.She silently looked at the sleeping pills on the beds
Afterward, he sneered, extinguished his cigarette, and drove away.Just as he left the residential area, a car suddenly came speeding towards him.Hades jerked the steering wheel.But the car behind him turned around and came back in his direction.Hades narrowed his eyes and stepped on the gas pedal, rushing forward.However, he didn't intend to shake off the car this time.Instead, he maintained a distance that allowed him to keep sight of the car. It was neither too close nor too far. He ensured that the car couldn't catch up with him and he wouldn't lose sight of it.The scenery outside became increasingly desolate.At some point, they were already on the outskirts.Surprisingly, Hades lit a cigarette at this moment.Then, he sent a location to Yves."Come handle the accident."Hades' car suddenly went uphill before rushing down a steep slope.The person in the car behind widened their eyes.Below the steep slope was a wall!They slammed on the brakes. But the speed