“Mom, how did you manage to see Layla today? Didn’t Mr. Lucas order that we weren’t allowed inside?” Xena asked curiously.“I ran into William’s mother at the gate. She was the one who brought me in,” Mrs. Xander replied.Thinking of Scarlett’s demeanor, Mrs. Xander frowned. “That woman from the Lucas family is certainly a tough one.”In the social circle of wealthy wives, Scarlett was notorious.The youngest in her generation of the Dixon family, she had been spoiled from birth, growing up willful and arrogant.Years ago, she had fallen head over heels for Mr. Lucas Sr.—a man more than twenty years her senior. Ignoring her family’s objections, she pursued him with fiery passion and ultimately married into the Lucas family. Her story became something of a society legend.Despite the large age gap, Mr. Lucas Sr. adored his young wife. And once she gave birth to their brilliant son, who later became the head of the Lucas family, Scarlett’s status soared even higher.With her husba
When Sean awoke from the general anesthesia, it was already evening. Xena was by his bedside. The moment his eyes opened, she quickly stood up. “Sean, how are you feeling? Does your stomach still hurt?” A voice suddenly called out. “Sean!” Susan rushed over, her face filled with concern. “How did you end up in the hospital like this?” she cried, her heart aching at the sight of him. Sean furrowed his brows and tried to speak, but his throat felt like it was being slashed with razors. Xena stepped in to explain, “Aunt Susan, Sean just had an endoscopy. He probably can’t speak much right now…” But Susan cut her off, her voice sharp and cold. “Why are you here!” she snapped, her expression darkening. “This is all your fault! Get out!” Xena’s face fell in shock. “Aunt Susan, I rushed over as soon as I heard Sean was in the hospital. How can you say this is because of me?” “It is because of you!” Susan spat, her eyes burning with fury as she pointed st
Sean’s hands trembled slightly as he gripped Susan’s. Layla still cared about him. She had gone to Susan on purpose to push her into targeting Xena. It was a petty trick. She was jealous. There was no way she could simply stop loving him overnight. “Mom…” Sean’s voice was filled with desperate hope as he looked at Susan. “She’s being so cruel to me. Is it because she knows she’s sick and doesn’t want to drag me down?“She’s pushing me away… so I’ll give up on her. That way, she can leave without regrets. Is that it?” His voice cracked, and his chest felt like it was being ripped apart. Layla loved him so much that she would leave him in the most painful way possible. “Mom… I’m such a bastard.” His eyes reddened, and suddenly—SMACK! He slapped himself across the face, the sound sharp and harsh. Susan gasped and rushed to grab his hand. “Sean! Stop this! This… this is all just your guess, isn’t it?” But Sean’s voice was firm, his eyes burning wi
“What are your plans for this weekend?” William asked. Layla paused for a second before replying, “I don’t really have anything in mind.” For years, her life had revolved around just one person—Sean.Her days had long since grown dull, but she never minded it. She was happy in her own quiet way and never felt anything was wrong. It wasn’t until she let go of Sean that she realized how much of herself she had lost. After circling around him for so long, she hadn’t just drifted from friends. She had almost lost herself, her own voice, and her sense of direction.Suddenly, she remembered something she had seen online a few days ago—a bucket list with a hundred little things to do. Most of them didn’t stick with her, but one did: watching the sunrise. “Camping on the mountain to watch the sunrise would be nice,” she said casually. But William took her words seriously. He nodded without hesitation. “Sure. Let’s go this weekend.” “Huh?” Layla was caught off guard. “You’re
“Exactly!” Layla flashed a bright smile. “Just the two of us might get boring, don’t you think? With Carter along, it'll be much livelier.”William was rendered speechless and a vein twitched subtly on his temple. He had imagined countless versions of their sunrise trip—quiet, peaceful, just the two of them. Never, not once, did he picture Carter crashing the scene. For the first time, William found Carter genuinely annoying. Bathed in the golden sunlight, Carter felt a sudden chill prickle up his spine. Goosebumps rose on his arms, and an unexplained sense of dread crawled up his back. He swallowed nervously, his Adam’s apple bobbing. He didn’t dare meet William’s eyes. Instead, he forced an awkward smile at Layla. “Uh… Layla, how about I sit this one out?” Layla frowned, puzzled. “Why?” “I just, uh… something came up—” But before he could finish, he caught sight of William’s icy glare. The unspoken warning hit him like a slap, and he instantly clammed up, his
In the end, Layla couldn’t even reach the halfway point. She had to ride up the mountain in the small trail shuttle that William had arranged in advance, the cool breeze brushing against her face as they climbed higher.There was a hint of regret, but she knew she had to accept reality. Her body simply could not handle the strain anymore. Just a few extra steps had her swaying on her feet, barely holding herself up. When they reached the campsite, two large tents stood proudly on the open platform. The mouthwatering aroma of noodles wafted through the air from where Mike was cooking over a portable stove. The fatigue and disappointment that had weighed on Layla vanished instantly. She lit up with curiosity, taking a quick tour of the spacious tents before returning to Mike’s side with wide-eyed amazement. “You set all this up by yourself?”“Yeah,” Mike replied, stirring the pot. “That’s incredible!” Layla’s praise was genuine. The tents weren’t small. They were practic
Carter’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Uncle William, are you… are you planning to come clean to Grandpa?” “He’s going to find out sooner or later,” William replied calmly, rising to his feet. “I’m tired.” “Wait, wait—” Carter sounded exasperated. “Uncle William, you can’t just drop a bomb like that and walk off! At least explain it to me first!” But William was already walking away. Carter rubbed his temples with a long, defeated sigh. “Great… The Lucas family’s about to be turned upside down.” *That night, everyone turned in early. Carter, exhausted from the climb, barely lasted a minute before sleep started pulling him under. Between yawns, he muttered to William, “Uncle William, wake me up in the morning, okay? I want to see the sunrise too.” He didn’t even wait for a reply before he drifted off into a deep sleep. Lying on his air mattress, William picked up his phone and sent a message to Layla. “I forgot to ask—do you want me to wake you up for the sunr
A sudden flutter of wings broke the silence as a flock of birds took off from the trees. Layla flinched, startled by the noise. When she looked back at William, the tenderness in his eyes had vanished, replaced by a calm, unreadable gaze. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Nothing…” Layla turned her face away, her eyes returning to the morning sun on the horizon. A small frown tugged at her brows. “It must be the sunlight,” she told herself. “That’s the only reason I thought I saw something in his eyes.”William followed her gaze, his fingers curling into a subtle fist. So close... Just a moment ago, the urge to pull her into his arms had been almost impossible to resist. *“You can’t be serious, Uncle William! How could you not wake me up? I climbed that mountain for the sunrise!” Carter’s voice was loud and full of frustration. “I did call you,” William replied evenly. “No, you definitely didn’t! There’s no way I would’ve slept through it!” “Are you question
After hearing about Layla’s accident, Mr. Perry Sr. had called Sean to the family estate to get the full story. At the time, Sean had insisted that he had to earn Layla’s forgiveness. But it was far too late for that. Xena’s pregnancy had completely shattered Mr. Perry Sr.’s faith in him. There was no way he would allow Sean to disturb Layla ever again. So, right then and there, Mr. Perry Sr. had locked Sean in the house, forcing him to stay put. Over the past few days, Sean had gone on and on about how sorry he was, repeating his regrets so many times that Mr. Perry Sr. was sick of hearing them. Thinking about it now, Mr. Perry Sr. felt a headache coming on. “That foolish boy only learned to cherish what he lost after it was already gone. What’s the use of that?” Worried that Layla might overthink things, he quickly added, “I’m not telling you this to ask for forgiveness on his behalf. Frankly, I don’t even have the face to do that anymore.” Layla simply smiled
“Although the suspect still hasn’t been caught, the police managed to track down a group of young people who were camping on the mountain that night. One of them is absolutely certain they saw someone at the scene.“After examining the area, the police found footprints and were able to estimate the driver’s height and weight. They’ve put together a fairly complete profile, but unfortunately, there’s no match in the national database.“There’s a high chance he’s an undocumented immigrant, which makes tracking him down extremely difficult.” As William spoke, a peeled orange segment appeared in front of him. He paused, glancing up. Layla smiled. “Mr. Lucas, you must be thirsty.” William took the orange without much thought and asked casually, “You’re really not worried?” “What’s the point of worrying? Even the police can’t find him—what, am I supposed to think I can?” Leaning back against the headboard, Layla continued, “I’m just curious. How did Xena even find that drive
After a week, the nationwide search warrant for the driver had turned up nothing, and Xena was finally released back to the Xander family. To ward off bad energy, Mrs. Xander had burned sage at the entrance, insisting that Xena walk through the smoke before coming inside.“My dear Xena, you’ve suffered so much.” Tears welled in Mrs. Xander’s eyes as she reached out to touch her daughter’s face. “You’ve lost weight these past few days.” “I’m fine.” Xena smiled and shook her head. But Shane wasn’t as forgiving. “She put you through hell in that police station, and you’re still saying you’re fine? Even after everything, you’re still defending that cold-blooded woman?” “Shane, don’t talk about my sister like that.” Xena placed a hand over her stomach, lowering her gaze with guilt. “It’s true that getting pregnant with Sean’s child was an unforgivable mistake. If this makes my sister feel better, then I have no complaints.” “You—” Shane was furious. “This isn’t somethi
Levi narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Aunt Scarlett, you had nothing to do with this, right?” “Of course not!” Scarlett denied it immediately. “I may have wanted her to go back to the Xander house, but I’d never go as far as putting her life in danger!” Levi stroked his chin, thinking for a moment. Then, as if casually, he said, “So, you were involved in getting Miss Xander back to the family, but after that, you had no idea what happened?” “That’s… exactly it,” Scarlett responded instinctively. But the second she said it, she realized she had slipped. Too late to take it back now. Levi let out a sigh. “Aunt Scarlett, if William finds out about this, he’s definitely going to be pissed at you.” “I know…” Scarlett lowered her head, feeling wronged. “I just didn’t expect the Xander family to be this outrageous. They couldn’t even keep an eye on her properly!” “You probably thought Miss Xander left the family just because she was throwing a tantrum, didn’t you?” Levi aske
After thinking it over, Layla still couldn’t bring herself to ask.Instead, she nodded again. “No matter what, thank you, Mr. Lucas.”All she could say was thank you—over and over again.For some reason, William felt irritated. He stood up abruptly. “Get some rest.”With that, he turned and left the hospital room.Layla frowned in confusion. Since when did saying thank you make someone angry?Meanwhile, William shut the door behind him and spoke quietly to Mike. “You’re in charge here. From now on, you’ll stay by Miss Xander’s side. If anything happens to her, you know what the consequences will be.”Mike lowered his head. “Understood.”Just a word, but his tone was solemn.From this moment on, Layla’s life was more important than his own.William didn’t say anything else. He glanced up and met Levi’s amused gaze.Walking toward him, William asked, “What is it?”“Nothing. Just curious.” Levi slipped his hands into the pockets of his white coat and grinned as he leaned in. “
“Layla, your brother is right. You need to rest now.” Sean’s voice was gentle, but his gaze subtly flicked toward William, his hostility unmistakable. Layla found it laughable. Even now, Sean still had the energy to be jealous. “Get out.” Sean’s face froze in disbelief. “You’re telling me to leave?” “What else?” Layla snapped impatiently. Sean pointed at William, unwilling to accept it. “What about him?” “Not your business.” Layla’s patience wore thin. Just looking at him made her head hurt. She rubbed her temples, trying to ease the pain. Levi took the hint and spoke up. “Mr. Perry, you should listen to Miss Xander. What she needs most right now is rest.” Sean knew exactly who Levi was—one of William’s closest associates. And since Levi was speaking as a doctor, staying any longer would only make him seem inconsiderate. With no choice, Sean reluctantly backed down. “Fine, I’ll go for now.” He looked at Layla with deep affection, hi
Following Layla’s request, William had the police called in. By the time officers arrived, he had already prepared all the necessary documents—medical reports, evidence, and statements. Levi, Layla’s attending physician, had also shown up early to assist with the investigation. Watching everything unfold so smoothly and efficiently, Layla felt a quiet shock ripple through her. “So, while I was unconscious, William had already planned for this,” she silently remarked. Her gaze shifted toward him, a flicker of gratitude rising in her chest. With the officers' assistance, Layla gave a detailed description of the driver. Moments later, the police produced a sketch. The lifelike face on the white paper startled her. It was exactly him. Xena only stole a brief glance before subtly furrowing her brows. A perfect match. Layla’s memory was annoyingly sharp. Once she nodded in confirmation, the officers carefully put the sketch away. “We’ll do everything
Mrs. Xander rushed forward anxiously. “Xena, are you okay? Did they hurt you?” Xena shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “I was just scared… I don’t even know what I did wrong…” Mr. Xander’s expression darkened as he turned to William.“Mr. Lucas, you’ve already found Layla. Can we take Xena home now?”“Don’t you all want to know what she’s done?”Layla forced herself to sit up, her body still weak.Without a word, William reached out to steady her, his grip firm but natural.Then, he lowered his voice just enough for her to hear.“Say whatever you want—I’ve got your back.”Layla froze for a moment, instinctively glancing at him.A warmth spread through her chest, and her confidence grew.Before she could speak, Xena abruptly cut in, panic flickering across her face.“Layla, you begged me to let you go! And I was the one who told Mr. Lucas where to find you!“What are you trying to say now? Are you blaming me for setting you free? Did I force you to run
At the hospital, Layla slowly opened her eyes, momentarily disoriented by the stark white walls.For a moment, it felt like a dream—like she couldn't tell what was real anymore.“Where… am I?” Her voice was hoarse and scratchy. “You’re awake?” William’s hand instantly gripped hers, his voice urgent. “Do you feel any discomfort?” “I…” Layla instinctively tried to move—only to suck in a sharp breath of pain. “Ahh—” “Don’t move.” William gently pressed her down, his voice soft yet firm. “You have two fractured bones and a stab wound in your abdomen. You need complete rest.” Layla’s brows furrowed slightly as she murmured, “So it wasn’t a dream. Xena really tried to kill me.” William didn’t catch her words. “What?” Before she could answer, a chaotic commotion erupted outside. The door was pushed open, and a group of people forced their way into the room despite the guards’ attempts to stop them. Sean rushed straight to her bedside, his face fu