Five years later.
In the principal's office of a prestigious kindergarten in the city.
"Look at how your child has treated my son! What if he ends up disfigured?!" A heavily made-up woman rolled up her sleeves and lunged at Vanessa but was stopped by the principal beside her.
"Calm down! Calm down! Let's talk this over civilly!"
Vanessa squatted down, looking at the little girl in front of her, and gently asked, "Tell Mommy what happened."
The five-year-old girl, with ponytails and a fair, round face full of grievances, said, "Today, when we were playing a game, Adrian lifted my skirt... and tried to touch my feet. Mommy, you said that girls' feet shouldn't be touched by others..."
Vanessa's eyes turned icy. "Did he touch you?"
The little girl shook her head. "I hit him when he reached out..."
Vanessa gave a thumbs-up to the little girl. "Well done! If you encounter something like this again, do the same as today, understand?"
The woman beside her scoffed and turned to the principal. "Did you hear that? She admitted it! My son’s face was scratched by her daughter, and this matter must be handled seriously! Otherwise, no one leaves today!"
"And how do you explain your child lifting a girl's skirt?"
"That's just kids playing around! What's the big deal? Besides, she was wearing shorts underneath, right? I think she was hoping someone would see!"
The woman finished speaking sarcastically and picked up her child. "It's okay, Adrian. Mommy's here. Today, I will make those two little brats apologize! Let's see who dares to bully you again!"
The child, puffing up with pride, joined in, shouting, “Apologize! Apologize!”
“Indeed, like parent, like child. Your kid was in the wrong first, and instead of correcting him, you, as his mother, cover for him and call them little brats while wanting to hit someone? Ha! Do you really think this is your family’s territory?”
Vanessa turned her gaze to the principal. “My request isn’t much. Just an apology, and we can put this matter behind us.”
“Apology? That’s laughable! My son just lifted a skirt, and now his face is scratched like this. What if he ends up with a scar or an infection? You think I’m going to let him apologize? Dream on!”
Vanessa’s eyes glinted with anger, her face set in a cold smile. “If I remember correctly, your family is currently negotiating with Cortex over that piece of land in the south of the city, right? Seems you have quite the advantage.”
Mrs. Marwood felt a chill creeping up her spine at the look in Vanessa’s eyes. “What do you mean?”
“Nothing much. Just that the bird ready to be caught might fly away,” Vanessa said, pulling out her phone and sending a text message.
Before Mrs. Marwood could grasp Vanessa’s meaning, her phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID, she felt a sense of foreboding.
“Hello, dear?”
“What have you been doing out there today?! Cortex just said they will never cooperate with the Marwoods again!”
Mrs. Marwood's face changed drastically. "Why?"
"They sent me to ask you! Why? I want to know why too! Get back here now!"
Although Mrs. Marwood did not put her phone on speaker, the voice on the other end could still be heard by everyone in the room.
Vanessa hadn’t expected her assistant to be so efficient. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she smiled like a cunning fox. "Well? What do you think?"
Mrs. Marwood stared at her, incredulous. "Who are you?!"
"The priority now is to go home and figure things out, not to ask such foolish questions," Vanessa kindly suggested. As for the apology, she could wait a few more hours.
Mrs. Marwood gritted her teeth in anger, but all she could do was leave with her child.
The principal looked at Vanessa with a hint of curiosity, about to speak when a teacher hurried in and said, "Mr. Mone, there's a parent looking for you."
"Take them to see Mr. Sullivan first."
"The visitor is from the K Group."
The principal cast an apologetic glance at Vanessa.
Vanessa understood and turned to leave, taking the child with her.
Just as she was about to hail a taxi at the corner, a Maybach slowly pulled up nearby.
The car door swung open, revealing long legs stepping out.
Luca, dressed in a well-tailored black suit, appeared with a cold expression, standing tall and exuding an air of aloofness that pushed people away.
Then a child came out, clinging to the man's hand.
Vanessa's body stiffened as her gaze fell on the child. This was his and Beatriz's child? Hatred surged in her heart, but she quickly forced it down, managing to return her expression to normal.
Luca, holding the child, was heading to the kindergarten when he looked up and saw a familiar figure.
That person was also looking at him.
Their eyes locked, and the atmosphere around them instantly froze.
Luca's breath caught, and a wave of emotions surged in his heart, but he quickly returned to his usual demeanor.
"Mommy, this uncle looks a bit scary."
Vanessa averted her gaze and bent down to pick up the little girl. "It's okay, don’t look at him. We're going home."
Treating Luca like air, Vanessa walked past him, but a hand grabbed her.
"Are you not going to give me an explanation?"
A smile that didn't reach her eyes appeared on Vanessa's face as she asked knowingly, "Who are you?"
Luca furrowed his brow, his tone laced with anger. "You didn't die."
"Surprised?" Vanessa leaned closer to his ear and whispered softly, "Too bad you didn't get what you wished for."
After saying that, she ignored Luca and turned to leave.
Luca was stunned for a second, watching Vanessa's figure disappear around the corner. He quickly chased after her.
He was only a second too late; by the time he caught up, she was already gone.
A surge of anger rose within him, and he turned to grab the child standing by the car and lifted him inside. He took out his phone and called his assistant.
"Find out who took Vanessa away five years ago."
***
In the taxi, Vanessa smirked as she watched Luca leave, a fierce determination flickering in her eyes.The pain she had endured five years ago would be returned to them a hundredfold!Suddenly, the little girl tugged at her shirt and called out worriedly, “Mommy, what is going on?”Vanessa quickly suppressed her emotions and turned to face her, a gentle smile on her lips. “Oh, nothing. What do you want to eat today, Isla?”“I want spaghetti, with shrimp and meatballs!”Vanessa chuckled and pinched the little girl’s tummy. “You little glutton, you already have so much meat on you!”The little girl puffed up her cheeks, turned her head away, and pretended to be angry. "Mommy is bad!""Hahaha! Okay, okay, Isla has no meat on her tummy!" Vanessa continued to tease her."Oh no, Mommy, stop laughing!" The little girl complained, grabbing her hair in frustration."I won’t laugh anymore; let’s go home and eat."That night, after putting the child to sleep, Vanessa got up to tidy up.The livin
Beatriz observed Luca’s expression, unable to discern his emotions, and immediately continued her probing. "Forget that for now. I'm here today to discuss whether we should change Ezra's school. I’m worried about him being in the same kindergarten as Vanessa's child." With a loud ‘bang,’ Luca slammed the folder shut, a flash of anger flickering in his eyes. "Get out." Meeting his gaze, a chill spread through Beatriz's heart. She remained still and continued, "Vanessa and Daxton are not good people. How can their child be any better? I heard that she even got into fights with other kids in kindergarten, and I..." "Have you said enough?" "This is the truth! Five years ago, she betrayed you and slept with Daxton, colluding to deceive you. These..." Luca's dangerous gaze wrapped around Beatriz like a snake, his thin lips parting slightly. "Get lost." Realizing that Luca was genuinely angry, Beatriz smartly chose to leave, secretly breathing a sigh of relief. Although she had angered
Catching the hint of sarcasm in Vanessa’s tone, Beatriz's eyes flickered with anger."Well, I’m quite looking forward to seeing what President Saxon can come up with that’s better than Ness’s proposal."Her tone seemed calm, but internally, Beatriz was burning with rage."Next, please."Vanessa prepared her materials, stood up, and walked to the front."Let me introduce myself, I'm Vanessa Saxon from Cortex Group." She pulled up her PowerPoint presentation and continued, "Everyone, please take a look. This is the design draft we created after our company conducted a field investigation..."Before she could finish, she was interrupted: "I thought President Saxon's design draft would be something fresh. There's nothing innovative at all; it’s overly complicated. If we proceed with your proposal, it will be costly without any appealing features. Isn’t that just a facade?"Vanessa smiled slightly, "But compared to other companies, we place greater emphasis on the building's value retentio
Luca was startled to realize that Vanessa’s strength was comparable to his own staminaThe car was parked not far away, but the people behind were closing in. In the heat of the moment, Luca gave Vanessa a push. “Go start the car.” “Got it!” Vanessa sprinted towards the car like the wind, fishing the keys out of her pocket as she ran. Meanwhile, Luca spun around, raised his right fist, and swung his arm. The first attacker groaned in pain, stumbling back a step. Following his gaze, Luca saw another man charging from the side, brandishing a club. Unfazed, he took a calm step back, slammed a punch into the man’s gut, then kicked him hard in the groin. In less than a minute, two out of seven were down. “Oh wow, not bad at all, huh?” The remaining attackers, undeterred, swarmed Luca in unison. Even though two fists couldn’t match the power of many ha
At 1 a.m., the two of them crossed paths at the stairwell. Mariah casually waved the slip of paper in her hand, glancing around her surroundings. “So, you knew my place was bugged?” Vanessa gave a slight nod. “You went through all this trouble. What do you want to say?” “There might be issues in the stock market,” Vanessa replied calmly. Mariah remained silent, her sharp eyes studying her closely. “Evidence?” Vanessa spread her hands. “None. I only pieced it together on my way back today. Your company announced two major projects at the press conference, but neither of them succeeded in development. Doesn’t that sound like a stock manipulation scheme? If you check the data, you’ll see VH’s stock has been surging and is likely to keep climbing.” Mariah stood still, her gaze locked on her, as though trying to decipher her true intentions. “This information,” she said coolly,
*Morning News*"...Reports have surfaced about a significant financial gap in VH Group. Just recently, the company was promoting a new project. But is VH Group truly thriving as it appears on the surface, or has it already become an empty shell?" "Now, let's connect with our reporter on the scene..." ‘Click.’Vanessa turned off the TV and stretched lazily before heading toward the bathroom to wash up.When breakfast was ready, Isla emerged from her room, rubbing her sleepy eyes. The little girl, wearing a white nightgown, whined softly, "Mommy... I’m hungry."Vanessa walked over, scooped her up, and smiled. “Come eat. Do you want to go somewhere fun afterward?”Since returning to the country, Vanessa had been busy with work and rarely found time to spend with Isla. Now, she wanted to make it up to her whi
“I am looking for you.” Luca glanced at her coldly, then accelerated the car, as if venting his emotions. In the backseat, Isla was frightened and tightly nestled in Vanessa’s arms. “Mr. Kensington, there’s a child in the car. Please drive safely,” she said, furrowing her brows and holding Isla close, her tone carrying a hint of anger. Only then did Luca glance back at Isla and gradually reduce his speed. “Let’s talk.” Seeing how scared Isla was, Vanessa didn’t want to spend another second with him. “We have nothing to discuss.” “Are you sure?” He teased her, adding, “Don’t you want to talk about Mariah or her?” Vanessa tightened her hold on Isla and exclaimed, “Isla is my child; she has nothing to do with you!” “Vanessa, you’re still the same as you were five years ago.” “What do you mean?” Vanessa tensed, her heart racing. Did she inadvertently reveal that Isla was his c
Beatriz was taken aback and quickly pushed her away, retreating as she said, “What are you talking about? I don’t understand!” Vanessa gave a slight cold smile. “Since you don’t understand, I won’t bother explaining further,” she said, preparing to roll up the window and drive away. Halfway through, she suddenly remembered something and added, “By the way, I believe you know that both our companies successfully entered the second round of the bidding. See you then.” With a casual smile and bright eyes, she rolled up the window and drove away. Left behind, Beatriz stomped her feet in anger. “This is what you’ve forced me into, Vanessa!” With hatred in her eyes, she had originally just wanted to keep Vanessa away from Luca, perhaps letting her off the hook, but now it seemed this woman couldn’t be spared! ...HM Group’s President Office.“Is the recent news about VH your doing?” The short, plump man gl
In his office, Magnus had just picked up his coffee when a sharp, searing pain tore through his chest. His hand trembled, and with a loud crash, the cup slipped from his grasp, shattering on the floor. Coffee splattered onto his shoes."Sir are you alright?" Edric, the stern-faced assistant with cold eyes, quickly stepped forward, took out a tissue, crouched beside him, and meticulously wiped the coffee stain off his shoe."I'm fine. Step back." Magnus withdrew his foot, his sharp brows furrowing. Why did his chest suddenly ache? The unease clawed at his heart like a ferocious beast, making him restless. He paused for a moment before ordering, "Prepare the car. We're going to the prison district."Edric's eyes flickered as he hesitated. "Sir the last time you visited Miss Thorne, the Old Master was already displeased.""Enough nonsense. Hurry up!" Magnus’s chiseled face darkened, his tone commanding.Edric cast him a wary glance
Hearing the commotion, a nurse rushed in. When she saw Senna struggling violently, her wrists bloody, she immediately shouted, "Senna, calm down! If you keep this up, you'll have a miscarriage!"Senna froze. Her bloodshot eyes widened as she stared at the nurse. Her voice, hoarse like an old man at death’s door, trembled. "What... did you just say?""You were unconscious when you were admitted. The doctors discovered you’re already four weeks pregnant," the nurse said with sympathy. "Given your current situation, many would choose to terminate the pregnancy."Senna looked down at her still-flat stomach, unable to process the news.Astrid's eyes darkened as she clenched her fists. Then she sneered. "Senna, you really couldn’t stay lonely, huh? It’s been less than three months since you broke up with Magnus, and you’ve already gotten knocked up by another man. How shameless. When Magnus finds out, he’ll be so glad he left
No matter how much Senna denied the charges, she was ultimately convicted and sentenced to three years in prison.She shared a cell with seven other female inmates. The moment she stepped inside, she could feel the hostility thick in the air. As the cell door slammed shut behind her, a woman with a hideous scar on her face led the others toward her, their eyes filled with malice, their lips curling into sinister smirks.Senna gripped the washbasin in her hands tightly, her expression unshaken by fear. She stood tall, her spine straight, exuding defiance.“So, you’re Senna Thorne. Someone paid us to give you a warm welcome.” The scarred woman sneered before turning to the others. “Ladies, we’ve got ourselves a new toy. Don’t hold back—beat her!”Senna had braced herself for this before she even walked in, but she hadn’t expected Magnus’s hatred to run so deep. Sending her to prison wasn’t en
Senna sat in the detention cell, waiting for her sentencing. She had given up struggling—Magnus was convinced she was the murderer. There was no escape. Now, the only thing she cared about was Tobias. The door swung open, and a uniformed female officer called out, “Senna Thorne, someone’s here to see you.” Who would visit her at a time like this? She stood up hesitantly and followed the officer out. The moment she saw who it was, her heart clenched. Her voice trembled with urgency. “Nurse Zeta, what happened to my brother?” Nurse Zeta was the one taking care of her younger brother at the hospital. The solemn expression on her face made Senna’s anxiety spike. “Miss Thorne, your brother found out about your situation online. He’s devastated, and his condition has become unstable. He’s now experiencing complications. We had finally found a bone marrow donor, but for the past few days, we haven’t been able to reach them. Things aren’t looking good.” Senna f
The torrential rain poured down in sheets, and the raging thunder seemed determined to tear apart the pitch-black night sky.Magnus Voss stood by the window, his dark eyes as cold as if they had been submerged in ice water. His long fingers gripped a glass of blood-red wine, his knuckles turning white—silent evidence of the fury simmering inside him.“Sir, Mrs. Voss has been standing outside for three hours,” Edric, his cautious assistant, reported in a low voice from behind him.Through the storm, he watched her—frail and trembling yet still holding onto her stubborn pride. Without a word, he tilted his head back and drained his glass.With a sharp crash, the glass shattered against the floor. In the heavy silence that followed, the steady sound of his footsteps echoed.Senna tilted her head up, letting the freezing rain drench her pallid face. Her misty eyes blurred, indistinguishable between raindrops and tears.A
Three days later, the police finally announced the final verdict on Beatriz's case: death penalty.Both the public and Vanessa felt no surprise at the outcome. Even though Beatriz had hired the best lawyers, her crimes were beyond redemption, carrying multiple murder charges and various other offenses. There was no hope for her to turn things around.On the day of Beatriz’s sentencing, Vanessa and Luca did not attend the proceedings due to business commitments. Only William and Leonardo went, bringing with them Mariah’s hopes. Although Cassandra wanted to come as well, her schedule had already been set and could not be changed.When William and Leonardo later relayed the news to the others, it felt as though the frustration that had been lodged in their throats for days had finally dissipated.That evening, upon hearing the news, Luca stared at a photograph of Grandpa Kensington for a long time, murmuring softly.To comfort his grandfather's spirit, Luca decided to hold a solemn funera
As Isla warmed Luca’s hands, she looked at Vanessa with a serious expression and said, “Mommy, Daddy has been sitting outside for a long time, and his hands are freezing. Can we let him come in and warm up a bit?”Upon hearing this, Luca was so moved he almost cried. His little girl was truly a sweetheart, always so considerate at critical moments.Vanessa didn’t want to waste time with these two drama queens any longer and quickly stepped aside to let them in.They ended up staying like this for several days.News about Beatriz had spread wildly online; the entire business community was aware of her ruthlessness, marking her as someone without precedent.The police had already uncovered a series of murder cases connected to Beatriz, with the cases of Grandpa Kensington and Mariah being solidly linked to her. As for President Pako's incident, Beatriz was a
Standing at the door was Harvey.As he stepped inside, he saw Luca sitting on the sofa, and his expression instantly changed. “What are you doing here?”Luca frowned, wondering why Harvey had come at this hour. Without any courtesy, Harvey rushed in front of Luca and accused him, “How can you still have the face to show up in front of Vanessa? Have you forgotten how you treated her? You suspected her, hurt her, and neglected her. So, has all that been brushed aside?”“I…” Luca was at a loss for words. He had indeed wronged Vanessa in the past, and no matter how high Harvey stood on his moral pedestal to criticize him, he couldn’t find a way to refute it. “I’m sorry, Vanessa.”The man who had been aggressive just a moment ago now seemed as deflated as a punctured ball.“Let’s just calm down for a moment; you should go home,” Vanessa said, looking at Luca.&nbs
Seeing the evidence in her hands, Vanessa felt a surge of excitement. Then, as if realizing something, she looked at Luca with curiosity. “How did you know there was a hidden room here?”As Luca surveyed the hidden room, he replied, “Yesterday, I had someone crack Beatriz’s file password. There was a video inside that looked very much like your family’s house, including this hidden room. I found it strange, so I brought you here to look for clues. I didn’t expect to actually find something…”“Yeah… who would have thought we had a traitor in the family? My parents must have felt so heartbroken and tormented when they left,” Vanessa sighed.Seeing her reaction, Luca stepped closer, wrapping his arms around her in comfort. “It’s been so long since then; try not to think too much about it. You’ve done great by finding this evidence. It’s like avenging Uncle and Aunt.”“Yeah.” Vanessa murmured against him