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
Ever since Senna passed away, three years had gone by. With the powerful Voss family as her backing, Astrid had been thriving in the entertainment industry, securing endorsement deals left and right. Her commercial value had skyrocketed, and now, she was the one choosing others, not the other way around.She had believed that she would seize the Best Actress award at the ceremony, adding another glorious achievement to her career. But to her shock, not only did she lose the award, she didn’t even receive a consolation prize."This is infuriating! Zara is just a rookie—how dare she compete with me?" In her office, Astrid smoked impatiently, growing angrier by the second. The more she thought about it, the more irritable she became. Frustration overtook her, and she swept everything off her desk, leaving a chaotic mess on the floor."Astrid!" Her assistant rushed in with a stack of documents, her face pale and tense.
Sitting inside the car, she stared at the rapidly passing scenery outside. Her fist, resting on her lap, tightened once more as her thoughts churned.The driver, trying to make conversation, said, "Miss Skye, Mr. Voss treats you very well. This is his personal car—no other woman has ever ridden in it before."Zara scoffed. "Just now, Assistant Edric was still saying that your young master deeply loves Senna Thorne. Yet the first day he saw me, he knocked me out and dragged me home, and now he’s letting me ride in his exclusive car. So much for his 'deep love.' Nothing but a cheap lie."The driver had no words to counter her and could only continue driving in silence.The rest of the journey passed without a word. When Zara finally got home, she rushed straight to the bathroom and vomited violently over the sink.At that moment, a pale, slender male hand gently patted her back. A soft sigh sounded behind her."Why put yourself thr
Watching Magnus’s face darken, Astrid was secretly delighted. She sobbed even harder, tears streaming down as she pleaded, “Magnus, you’re my brother-in-law, you have to stand up for me…”Zara fanned the flames from the side, smirking. “Look how miserable she looks, crying like that. You really need to stand up for her, or people will say you’re an unkind brother-in-law, just standing by while outsiders bully your sister…”She suddenly stopped mid-sentence.Magnus had stepped in front of her and, without warning, grabbed her hand. His grip was firm and domineering, completely overpowering her struggles. No matter how much she tried to wrench her hand away, she couldn’t break free. She glared at him, her anger surging—if he was really standing up for Astrid, she would tear him apart.“Magnus…” Astrid watched as Magnus held Zara’s hand tightly. Though tears streamed down her face, her heart was filled with twisted delight. She was screaming in
Upon entering the dining room, she was stunned by the lavish spread before her—an extravagant feast fit for royalty. Her lips twitched—rich people’s world was something she would never understand. This was considered a ‘simple meal’?!She casually picked a seat and was just about to sit down when a maid beside her immediately spoke up in alarm, “Miss Skye, you can’t sit there…”“Oh? I can’t?” Zara looked up at Magnus, blinking innocently. “Then where should I sit?”“Step back,” Magnus cast a cold glance at the maid before his lips curved into a gentle smile. “That seat is meant for you. No one else is qualified to sit there.”“What’s so special about this seat?” Zara raised an eyebrow as she sat down.“You’re hungry, so just eat.” Magnus didn’t answer her question. Instead, he picked up the cutlery and handed them to her before using the serving spoon to place a portion of crab roe into her plate.“I can do it myself. Don’t serve me food. I
Seeing the man in the wheelchair, still exuding an undeniable aura of dominance, Zara paused for a moment before smiling. "Mr. Voss, I must say, I'm truly flattered."Magnus maneuvered his wheelchair closer, his deep, piercing black eyes locked onto her face, as radiant as the moon surrounded by stars. "You look very much like my ex-wife. When I see you, it's as if I'm seeing her again. I want you to stay by my side. I can give you anything you desire."Zara's expression darkened slightly as she arched a brow, her tone turning cold. "And what do you take me for? A mere substitute to fill your emptiness?"The bodyguard beside him spoke emotionlessly, issuing a veiled warning. "Miss Skye, you work in this industry—you should know our boss’s influence. He decides who rises and who gets blacklisted with just a snap of his fingers.""Magnus Voss, do you really think you can control everything?" Zara shot him a sharp, defiant glance. "
The moment to reveal the Best Actress award had finally arrived. Before the host could even announce the name, the audience erupted into chants of "Zara," growing louder with each passing second.Astrid gripped the arms of her chair in anticipation. The moment the name was announced, she would stand up immediately—there was no way Zara, a mere newcomer with just one film, could overshadow her.This prestigious award, presented once every three years, was hers to claim. More importantly, it was being handed out by Magnus himself—an unprecedented honor. She was determined to seize it.The host glanced at the name in the envelope, his eyes lighting up before he declared loudly, “The Best Actress award goes to Zara Skye!”The audience erupted into thunderous applause and cheers, chanting Zara’s name over and over.Astrid felt as if she had been slapped across the face. Her cheeks burned as she shook her head in disbelief. “Impossible! How
Astrid nervously watched the doctor, silently praying. Magnus must be okay—if something happened to him, everything she had done would be for nothing.The doctor’s expression was grave as he said, “Mr. Voss’ injuries are severe. We’ve done everything we can; the rest is up to fate.”The old master was struck as if by lightning. His cane fell to the ground with a loud thud. His body trembled violently, and the color drained from his face.“Master!” The butler quickly supported him, his voice anxious. “Young Master will be fine, please don’t worry too much.”The doctor glanced at the old master hesitantly before saying, “There’s… one more thing.”The butler shot him a warning look and quickly intervened. “Whatever it is, it can wait.” Couldn’t he see that the old master had already suffered enough?“Let him speak. I can handle it.” The old master’s voice was firm.The doctor sighed and said apologetically, “Mr. Vo
The road was a chaotic scene as a world-class luxury car sped recklessly, weaving through traffic at a breakneck pace. Other vehicles swerved desperately to avoid a collision, honking frantically in alarm.Magnus's chiseled face was shrouded in grief, his deep-set eyes drowning in sorrow. His heart felt hollow, as if someone had carved it out, leaving behind only emptiness. His slender fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly, while his foot pressed mercilessly against the accelerator, pushing it to the limit.The car was practically flying.Dark clouds gathered, obscuring the sky, and a fierce wind howled through the streets. Pedestrians hurried along, shielding themselves from the incoming storm.A discarded newspaper was suddenly lifted by the wind, slamming against the windshield, momentarily blinding him. A sharp honk blared ahead—a massive truck was making a turn.By the time he reacted, it was too late. His speed was
“What did you just say?” The emotions Magnus had been suppressing finally erupted. He suddenly reached out and grabbed the doctor by the throat, his chiseled yet icy face filled with murderous intent as he roared furiously, “You’re lying! She won’t die! Who allowed this?!”“Ugh…” The doctor, exhausted from hours of surgery, struggled as his throat was constricted. He gasped for air, his eyes rolling back.What a terrifying man! Everyone around was stunned, quickly rushing forward to rescue the doctor.“Mr. Voss, let go!” Edric, who had just arrived, pushed through the crowd and grabbed Magnus’s arm, trying to pry his fingers open.But Magnus, unwilling to accept reality, possessed an inhuman strength. No one could move him an inch. His bloodshot eyes burned with fury, as if they could set the world on fire.“Mr. Voss, stop!” Seeing that the doctor was on the verge of suffocation, Edric spotted a chair in the corner, grabbed it, and slammed it hard