Luca was startled to realize that Vanessa’s strength was comparable to his own stamina
The 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
Vanessa walked over, carrying the prepared dishes and waved her hand, saying, “It’s good that you’re awake; come and eat!” “Mommy, is there the braised beans I love the most tonight?” Vanessa lifted her onto the child seat and smiled, “Yes, yes, yes, you little eater!” At the dinner table, Mariah appeared somewhat reserved, making the mother and daughter both notice her demeanor. “Sister, my mommy told me to call you auntie, but I think you’re so pretty you shouldn’t be called that,” Isla said sweetly, offering Mariah a piece of braised bean. “Can I call you sister?” Mariah was taken aback and blushed at the sight of the braised bean. “Um, sure.” “Yay! Then what is your name?” “Mariah.” “Hello, Sister Mariah!” “Hello,” Mariah replied, returning the gesture by giving her a piece of braised bean and asking, “What’s your name?” Isla looked at Vanes
The Next Day.*Morning News*“Late last night, a car accident occurred on X Road. According to witnesses, the accident was caused by brake failure, and the injured driver is identified as Vanessa Saxon, the president of Cortex Group. A bystander who provided video footage reported that the driver fell into a coma and is currently undergoing emergency treatment in the hospital...”Luca was shocked. After confirming that the injured party was indeed Vanessa, he postponed the morning meeting just to visit her at the hospital. His assistant looked helplessly at the pile of work left behind and muttered, “If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have acted like this.”At the hospital, Luca inquired and found himself in the corridor outside the emergency room. The area was filled with cries and the chaotic sounds of families and doctors discussing cases, making it uncomfortable for him.At the end of the corridor, he saw a familiar figure and a brigh
At that moment, there was a senior executive and two employees in the office, creating a very awkward atmosphere.Beatriz felt a bit flustered but could only force a smile and say, “Grandpa asked me to tell you not to be late for tonight’s dinner.”“I’ll speak to Grandpa myself,” he replied.Beatriz stood in place, clearly uncomfortable. Luca’s words and expression were already a clear dismissal, yet she continued to smile at him, showing no intention of leaving.“Does Grandpa have any other messages for you to convey?”Beatriz shook her head. “No, just that Grandpa invited me to tonight’s dinner as well. I was wondering if you had a partner—”“I won’t be going home tonight.”“But Grandpa—”‘Slap!’Luca slammed the documents shut in anger and then turned to scold the employees. “It’s just a few pages, and there are four typos! Did you not graduate from elementary school?”The employees and the senior executive kne
Richard rushed back through the emergency exit, looking flustered and gripping his phone tightly, as if he were hiding a secret. Seeing him, the supervisor immediately yelled at him, “Richard! What gives you the right to slack off during work hours? Look at those interns with higher submission rates; they’re all diligently revising their drafts! What are you doing?! Huh? Useless!” Richard had always been the type of top student who excelled in design but struggled with communication. After stammering for a long time, he finally managed to say something useful, “Um... I have a headhunter interested in me.” The supervisor rolled his eyes, full of sarcasm. “A headhunter is looking for you? Then hurry up and leave!” “But... but I still have drafts to finish...” “Then why aren’t you hurrying to finish? What are you dreaming about?!” Feeling a bit wronged, Richard softly retorted, “I’m not dreaming...” &nb
Magnus nodded immediately. "Of course, Daddy is a strong man. If he promises Maxime something, he will make sure to do it.""Daddy is so great! Daddy is the best! I love Daddy the most!" Maxime happily jumped up and down in his arms.Senna's face immediately turned dark. "This little brat has no conscience. You’ve been bought with just a gaming console. If Mommy doesn’t buy you one, you’ll hate Mommy, right? Hmm?"When Maxime saw that his mother’s face darkened, he immediately slipped out of Magnus’s arms, hugged her arm, and coquettishly said, "No, no, Mommy, don't be mad, I love Mommy the most... the most... the most..." He said ‘the most’ many times in one breath.Senna chuckled. "Good thing you still know you love Mommy the most... Otherwise, I wouldn’t want you anymore."Maxime immediately pouted his little lips and said, "No, no, no...""Alright, Maxime, Mommy needs to rest more to recover. You go back to Rosewood Manor with Uncle Edric."As the time was getting late, Magnus call
When Maxime saw the old man lying in bed, his black eyes scanned the room a few times, realizing there was no one else. He then leaned over to the bedside with a cute smile. "You’re my great-grandpa." Magnus hadn’t lied to him. He was practically his mini-me, looking so much like him when he was young. The old man looked at Maxime, his eyes reddening as he almost couldn’t stop himself from crying. "Great-grandpa, why are you lying in bed, not moving?" Maxime reached up to scratch his head and then seemed to realize something. "I know, great-grandpa is sick, just like mom, and has to rest in bed, right?" "Little young master is so thoughtful. That's right, your great-grandpa is sick and can only rest in bed," the butler said, increasingly happy as he looked at the thoughtful child. What a well-behaved little one. "Mom says when you’re sick, you need to rest and drink more water. Great-grandpa, you should drink more water and eat more so you can get better soon." Maxime leaned ove
Senna looked at Magnus, the man who was like a god to her, her eyes reddened with emotion. "Magnus, you...""Those shares were left to you by your grandparents. I know you’re worried," Magnus gently cupped her face with his hands, leaned down and softly kissed her forehead, smiling as he said, "I helped you get them back because I want you to be happy, not to make you cry.""I… I am just so overwhelmed with emotion," Senna chuckled, blinking away the tears. She cared about those shares not for the wealth they represented, but because they were a legacy from her grandparents, a blessing from them."Senna, I want to ask you for one thing," Magnus said, lifting Maxime in his arms and looking at her."You've done so much for me, and yet you're still being so distant?" Senna raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued."This matter requires your consent before I can act. The Voss family owes you so much," Magnus lowered his head to glance at the child who was looking at him with equal curiosit
Mrs. Thorne had swollen, red eyes and a pale face, clearly having cried all night. She stormed in, angrily pointing at Senna and accusing her. “You wretched woman, you should have died three years ago. You shouldn’t have come back. Give me back my Astrid’s life! My poor daughter, she died so miserably!”Tobias and Maxime saw their hostile intent and quickly stood up to block Senna’s window.Maxime pointed at Mrs. Thorne and loudly said in a grown-up manner, “Old witch, I won’t allow you to curse my mom.”“Where did this wild child come from? How dare you call me an old witch? You rude, ill-mannered little bastard,” Mrs. Thorne snapped at Maxime.Senna sat up, gently patting Maxime’s head, her face darkening, and her gaze turning cold. “Maxime is not a wild child. He is my son, and he only needs to be polite to others.”Mrs. Thorne was beyond enraged. “Senna, you wretched woman, you killed my daughter, and now you’re insulting me? I’m your stepmother! How can you treat me like this? Ar
In a spacious, luxurious private hospital room, The Old Master lay on the bed, his face withered, his expression weary, and his eyes hollow. He had always been so proud and arrogant, unable to accept that he was now paralyzed. He refused to eat, and after two days, he could only survive on nutrition injections.“Old Master, I beg you, please eat a bit. If you don’t eat or drink like this, how can your body survive?” The butler, holding a bowl of congee, tried to feed him, but he refused to open his mouth.The butler felt heartbroken. He had served the old master for many years, and their relationship had long exceeded the bounds of master and servant. He thought of him as a brother, a family member. Seeing him like this, he wished he could take the suffering for him.The old man was known for his stubbornness; when he didn’t want to do something, no one could force him. He was once a powerful figure, but now he had fallen to such a state,
“You don’t have it now, but you will soon. Hurry up and get better, don’t forget, the tenth day is our big day,” Magnus said as he held her hand, his face full of anticipation.“Everyone outside thinks you're going to marry Astrid Thorne. What does that have to do with me?” Senna turned her face away and snorted.“Are you jealous?” Magnus couldn’t help but chuckle. “You’re the mother of my two children, yet you’re still so jealous.”Magnus reached out to turn her face back to him, gently brushing her nose with his finger. “I haven’t told you yet, Astrid is dead.”“What? Astrid is dead?” Senna asked in surprise. “How did she die?” She had already guessed that Magnus wouldn’t let her off after hurting her at the mansion, but she didn’t expect him to go as far as killing her.After the shock, she felt a little pity—it w
Magnus reached out and gently wiped the tears from her face, his voice hoarse. “My Grandpa believed you were the one who set the fire that killed Matthias. He wouldn’t pass up any chance to take revenge on you. If I hadn’t done what I did, your life would have been in danger.”“Sis, brother-in-law didn’t mean to deceive you. Please forgive him.” Tobias pleaded anxiously.“You bad daddy! You made Mommy cry! I hate you!” Maxime angrily raised his little arm and shoved him away before hugging Senna tightly, speaking in an old-fashioned tone, “Mommy, don’t cry. Maxime loves you the most.”Looking at his own son standing like a wall between them, Magnus’s temple twitched violently. He barely resisted the urge to throw the little brat out.“Maxime, kids shouldn’t interrupt when adults are talking. Let me talk to your daddy, okay?” Senna stroked his head, her mind overflowing
It was unclear how much time had passed when a beautiful melody drifted into Senna’s ears. This song…“Sis, don’t sleep anymore. Please wake up, okay? I miss you so much. Sis, it’s been so long since you sang me to sleep. Do you still remember this song? You used to sing it to me all the time. Please wake up, sis. I’m so worried about you.”The familiar voice echoed in her ears—it was Tobias’s voice. Could it be… that she had died and met Tobias in heaven?“Sis, wake up! Open your eyes and look at me! It’s me, Tobias. How could you be so cruel and leave me behind?”Tobias’s voice grew increasingly sorrowful, choked with tears. Big, warm drops of his tears landed on Senna’s face.“Tobias…” It really was his voice. Senna’s eyes flew open, and the moment she saw that familiar little face so close to hers, tears gushed uncontrollably dow
But, the butler warning came too late. The sharp blade plunged mercilessly into the old master’s abdomen."You old bastard," Astrid sneered, her voice dripping with venom. "Three years ago, you promised me that if I got rid of Senna, I would marry into the Voss family as the young madam. But you went back on your word—I tolerated it. And now, when Magnus’s people are hunting me down, you want to cut ties with me? Since I’m doomed anyway, I’ll take you down with me. HAHAHA!""Old Master!"Blood spurted out as Astrid pulled out the knife. The butler’s face turned ashen with terror. Without hesitation, he raised his gun.Bang!The gunshot rang out.Astrid’s crazed laughter was abruptly silenced. A bullet pierced her forehead. Her wide, crazed eyes froze in place as her body collapsed to the ground, lifeless, her expression frozen in disbelief."Old Master, are you alright? Someone call for help!