The next morning, Layla finally noticed the buzz online. Lost in thought, she didn’t realize her other hand was still holding the kettle, pouring water until a firm hand gripped her wrist. Startled, she looked up to meet William's calm, steady gaze.“What’s got you so distracted?” he asked. Snapping out of it, Layla quickly pulled her hand back and placed the kettle on the counter. “I was just checking my phone…” she said, hesitating for a moment before turning the screen toward him. “I went out with Carter yesterday and didn’t expect someone to take pictures. It seems like it’s causing a lot of trouble for him. Should I talk to him and help clear things up?”Layla wasn’t familiar with entertainment news and had no idea Carter was preparing to debut as a celebrity. If she had known, she would have been more cautious.“No need,” William replied just as his phone buzzed with a call from Carter.As soon as he answered, Carter’s anxious voice came through. “Uncle William, is Layl
Sean hadn’t managed to hear a word from Layla before Xena suddenly dropped to her knees, pleading desperately.“Sis, please, let Sean go,” Xena’s voice was choked with sobs. “You love him, don’t you? How can you bear to let him suffer like this? If Grandpa Perry keeps going, Sean might really get hurt!”Susan quickly joined in, raising her voice. “Layla, do you want my son dead before you’re satisfied?”Layla calmly set down her teacup, her gaze shifting to Xena with an air of indifference. “First of all, whether or not I love him is none of your business. And second, whether or not he’s hurting, you’re in no position to feel sorry for him.“He betrayed me. He deserves this.”Hearing this, Susan raised her voice in protest. “What has Sean ever done to wrong you? You’ve been his only girlfriend, his only fiancée, from the very beginning!“My son is outstanding! He’s already treated you better than most would. What more do you want?”Layla curled her lips into a mocking smile. “Th
That evening, Carter arrived on time to pick up Layla. When they reached their destination, Layla hesitated as she looked at the bright, flashy bar sign. “Are you sure this is the right place? It doesn’t really seem like my scene.” “What’s not to like?” Carter didn’t give her a chance to back out, pulling her out of the car. “My friends are already inside waiting for us!” Left with no choice, Layla followed him inside. The thumping bass of the music hit her like a wave, mingling with the overpowering scent of perfume. They maneuvered through the bustling crowd until they reached a VIP booth. Before Layla could process her surroundings, Carter tugged her into a seat beside him and started introducing her to his friends. The swirling lights made it hard for Layla to focus, and she could barely make out anyone’s face. Forcing a polite smile, she nodded along, trying to keep up. “So, this is the girl you rear-ended? She’s gorgeous! Don’t tell me you did it on purpose j
The atmosphere in the car was stifling. Even the sound of Carter nervously swallowing was painfully audible. Layla glanced back and forth between them, hesitating for a long moment before clearing her throat to break the silence. “Mr. Lucas, this all started because of me—” “Twenty years old and still can’t control himself? That’s his problem,” William interrupted her in a deep, displeased voice. Earlier that night, William had received a call from a bar informing him that Carter had been involved in a fight and taken to the police station. He had rushed out without even changing out of his sleepwear. Thankfully, Layla hadn’t been hurt, but if she had been, William might have broken Carter’s legs himself. “From now on, you’re not allowed to take Miss Xander anywhere. If you want to make a fool of yourself out there, fine, but dragging someone else into your mess is unacceptable,” William said, his tone dropping into something almost menacing. “But, Uncle William—” Carter
At the Perry family estate, Sean instinctively adjusted his shirt collar as he walked through the door, trying to hide the marks left from the previous night. His thoughts lingered on Xena, who was still at the villa. Before leaving, he had promised her he would return early to take her back home. Without wasting time, he got straight to the point. “Grandpa, what did you need? If it’s about Layla again, there’s no point in discussing it. Between her and me…” A teacup came flying toward him. Sean startled and dodged instinctively. The cup shattered on the floor behind him, pieces scattering everywhere. With that kind of force, it would have left him with a bleeding head if it had hit.Frowning, Sean spoke up, “Grandpa, I’m your actual grandson. Layla hasn’t even married into the family yet—she’s still an outsider. Why do you always take her side over mine?” “Shut your mouth!” Mr. Perry Sr. was furious, not sparing Sean a glance despite the visible injuries on his f
“Q” was an extraordinarily powerful international organization that catered exclusively to the upper echelons of society. As long as the money was right, there was no task they couldn’t accomplish. Within its ranks was a world-renowned medical genius, known for their miraculous ability to save lives and heal the seemingly incurable. However, the individual had an eccentric personality and only took on cases based on their mood. If money couldn’t fix it, getting it done became nearly impossible.Thinking about this, Levi sighed. “I’ll keep an eye on it for you, but your priority right now should be convincing Miss Xander to start chemotherapy as soon as possible.” William was silent for a moment before responding, “Understood.” After hanging up, William finally noticed the commotion downstairs. It was Carter, yelling as usual. He stood up, made his way downstairs, and followed the noise to the kitchen, where he saw Carter buzzing around Layla like an excited monkey. L
Carter stood by the entryway, watching the surveillance monitor, his expression darkening. He turned to Layla and asked, “Sis, it’s Sean, that scumbag ex of yours. Want me to go out and chase him off?” Hearing this, Layla paused briefly, utensils frozen in her hand. She hadn’t expected Sean to show up so quickly. William frowned, his voice low and steady. “I can have security take care of it.” Layla shook her head. “I’m already imposing on you by staying here. Let me handle this myself.” With that, she set her utensils down, stood up, and walked toward the door. Carter started to follow her, but Layla raised a hand to stop him. Seeing her insist on facing Sean alone, Carter reluctantly stayed behind, his eyes fixed on her retreating figure. Outside the wrought-iron gate, Sean dropped to his knees the moment he saw Layla approach. Without hesitation, he began slapping himself across the face. “Layla, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…” Overcome with emotion, Sean kept slap
“Even though Uncle William rarely plays the good guy, isn’t this level of concern a bit over the top?” Carter wondered.…By evening, Layla woke up. The first thing she saw was an unfamiliar face, which startled her. “Who are you?” “Allow me to introduce myself,” the man said with a polite smile. “I’m Levi, William’s friend and his family doctor.” He handed Layla a business card. “I also work at St. North Hospital. If you ever need help, feel free to reach out to me.” Layla didn’t take the card. Instead, she responded softly, “I don’t need it.” “There’s no need to avoid medical care, Miss Xander,” Levi said as he placed the card on the bedside table. “Life is precious—every day counts. You’re still young. Don’t give up so easily.” Layla froze. “How do you know?” “I’ve seen your medical report,” Levi said matter-of-factly. Before Layla could react, Carter burst into the room, scratching his head and looking guilty. “Sis, about the car accident… when you were un
It had been over a month since William left the Lucas estate.During that time, Mr. Lucas Sr. never once mentioned his name. It was as if, by refusing to speak of him, he could pretend that son of his didn’t exist at all.But everyone in the house could tell Mr. Lucas Sr. wasn’t doing well. He seemed irritable every day, constantly nitpicking and losing his temper over the smallest things.The staff couldn’t help but miss the days when William was still living at home. Back then, Mr. Lucas Sr. had always been in good spirits, smiling often and treating them kindly.Of course, Lucien noticed Mr. Lucas Sr.’s bad mood too. No matter how busy he was, he always made time to keep Mr. Lucas Sr. company, playing chess and casually bringing up company matters while he was at it.With William gone, Lucien had been working overtime to win his father over. He figured that as long as he put in enough effort, one day, he might just take William’s place in his father’s heart.Until one afternoo
Nearly a month had passed. Today, Shane heard that Carly was finally attending a class reunion, and he wasted no time getting himself cleaned up and ready to see her.Following the tip from a friend, he quickly found the private room where Carly was.With his usual bright, confident grin, Shane pushed open the door. “Hey, everyone!”For years now, everyone knew Shane had been chasing after Carly. His arrival instantly set off a round of playful teasing.“Well, well, here comes Shane looking for Carly again! Who spilled the beans to you this time?”“Guess that means we’re drinking on Shane’s tab tonight!”Laughter broke out around the room.Shane was completely unfazed. He laughed heartily. “No problem! Tonight, it’s all on me!”“Thanks, Shane!”Amid all the laughter and cheers, Shane made his way straight toward Carly.The moment he sat down beside her, Carly abruptly stood up. Shane quickly grabbed her wrist.Shane tightened his grip, his tone turning a little pleading. “Co
After hearing what Felix said, Mr. Xander’s expression darkened.Ever since Layla had come back alive, their family had never gone out of their way to mess with her. But her very existence kept getting in their way. And now, she was even standing in the way of Xena’s marriage.Seeing Mr. Xander hesitate, Felix quickly pressed his advantage. “Mr. Xander, you are Layla’s father. Maybe... you could talk to her? Maybe she’d give you some face and agree to let me see my grandpa.“If Grandpa gives us his blessing, I promise I’ll marry Xena properly right away. She won’t have to wait any longer.”That kind of promise was hard for Mr. Xander to resist.After a long pause, he finally nodded. “Alright. I’ll see what I can do.”Felix beamed. “Great! I’ll wait for your good news then, Mr. Xander.”Mrs. Xander had been sitting nearby, watching this whole exchange. Once Felix left, she quickly walked over to Mr. Xander’s side. “Are you really planning to go see her?”“Chris and Shane tried l
“After I found out I was pregnant, I really thought maybe I’d get to have you back,” Xena whispered. “But look at you… you’ve been dragging your feet about the divorce this whole time. Sure, you can wait for the perfect timing, wait for the right excuse to leave her…“But me? I can’t wait. My belly’s getting bigger every day. Sooner or later, people are going to notice. And when that happens, what am I supposed to do?”She sniffled quietly, sounding fragile and heartbroken but her eyes were completely dry, filled with nothing but calculation.Sean sat there, only hearing the tears in her voice, guilt instantly softening his tone. “Xena, I told you… I’m not going to let you down again. I’m just waiting for Kiera to come back.”“And once she’s back, you’ll divorce her?” Xena pressed.“I will. I swear I will,” Sean replied, hesitating just a little. “But divorce takes time. It’s not something I can just snap my fingers and do overnight, you know that.”“Fine then.” Xena let out a
At the Xander estate, Xena stared at her phone, almost able to picture Sean fuming on the other end of the line. The faint curve of her lips betrayed her satisfaction.“Xena, stop staring at your phone. It’s not good for the baby,” Mrs. Xander said, her eyes glued to Xena’s belly like it was the most precious thing in the world. She looked both thrilled and content.Earlier today, it was Felix who had personally driven Xena back to the Xander estate. Even before heading to the nursing home, he had reminded her over and over to take good care of herself. The way he fussed over her was something Mrs. Xander had never seen before.Clearly, that baby meant everything to Felix. And with that child, Xena marrying into the Perry family was practically guaranteed.“Mom, the radiation from a phone is not going to hurt the baby. Don’t overthink it,” Xena replied with a soft chuckle.“Still, you need to take better care of yourself. A healthy baby means a happy relationship with Felic, remem
Sean didn’t even spare Felix a glance. Instead, he shot Kiera an irritated look. “Since you love chatting so much, go right ahead.”With that, Sean turned and walked off, clearly fuming. Watching his retreating back, Kiera only felt an overwhelming emptiness settle over her heart.Felix, however, wasn’t done running his mouth. “What’s the matter, Sean? Leaving already? Not even gonna congratulate me?”He deliberately raised his voice, calling after Sean, “Getting mad won’t change anything. What matters is having kids!”“That’s enough.” Wilfred finally cut in, his tone sharp. Then, turning to Kiera, he softened a little. “You must be tired after the long flight. Go get some rest.”“Okay.” Kiera nodded politely before heading upstairs.But before she even reached the room, she could already hear Susan’s voice behind the closed door.“Did you see him? Felix is practically glowing with pride. If Xena really has that baby, there won’t be a place left for us in this family.”“Mom, ke
At the Perry estate, Felix stormed back from the nursing home, still fuming with anger. Wilfred, who had heard enough of his ranting over the years, was already growing impatient.“Alright, enough already. If you’ve got the guts, go yell at William Lucas instead,” Wilfred said flatly.“Dad, don’t think I won’t!” Felix snapped, still riding his temper. “William’s not even the president of Lucas Corporation anymore! For all we know, the Lucas family might’ve already cut him off. To me, he’s nothing now!“I’m gonna find out exactly where he’s hiding, and I’ll go confront him myself! Who does he think he is, locking up Grandpa like that? Refusing to let us see him? That’s illegal!”Wilfred shot him an unimpressed look. “Did you forget Grandpa left with him willingly? If you go kicking up a fuss and Grandpa ends up defending him, aren’t you just making a fool of yourself?”Felix snorted, completely unconvinced. “This time’s different! I’ve got something big to tell Grandpa. He’s going
These kids had spent their whole lives being overlooked. But now, for the first time, being part of this video shoot made them feel needed. Every single one of them threw themselves into it with everything they had.And Ryan noticed it all.He didn’t say much, but deep down, he had already accepted Layla and William. Maybe even liked them a little. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have bothered coming over and striking up conversation like this.“Got it,” Ryan replied casually. Then he glanced at William and added, “I’m gonna head over. If you get bored, come hang out with us.”With that, he ran off with the other little boy, disappearing into the distance.William watched them go, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his lips.Just then, his phone buzzed in his pocket. The caller ID showed it was Mike.William pressed the phone to his ear. “What is it?”“Mr. Lucas, Felix showed up at the nursing home today. He wants to see Mr. Perry Sr.,” Mike reported. “He says he’s got good news. A
Once Layla’s crew arrived in town, the promo shoot finally started moving forward step by step.Layla was so busy she barely had time to catch her breath, let alone chat with William. Most nights, the moment her head hit the pillow, she was out cold.As for William, he spent his days quietly hanging around the edge of the filming site, keeping his presence as low-key as possible.But even so, that didn’t stop her crew from whispering among themselves.“Hey, do you think Mr. Lucas and Miss Xander are a thing?”“Who knows? But I gotta say, look at Mr. Lucas showing up here every single day. That level of dedication? Tell me that’s not romantic.”“Pfft. That’s such a double standard. If he’s handsome, it’s romantic. If he’s ugly, it’s creepy.”“True, true.”Bits and pieces of gossip drifted into Layla’s ears, but with so much work to juggle and such a tight deadline, she really didn’t have the energy to care.Besides, deep down, she knew perfectly well that she was already gettin