"They'll be up in a jiffy!" Noelle reassured Brandon, keeping an eye on the unfolding scene outside.Whatever Peter had said seemed to have left Jordan with a sour look as he and Layla made their exit. Both of them had peered into the car before leaving, and at the sight of Brandon, their faces told a tale of mixed emotions.Once Layla and Jordan had disappeared, Tania finally spun around and hopped into the car.Peter shot Tania a meaningful look before he got in too.Tania, catching sight of Brandon in his safety seat, looked momentarily surprised. Noelle was the one to break the silence. "Peter's always thinking ahead. I need to get a safety seat for Brandon too. It's just not safe without one!"Peter's lips twitched into a faint smile. "Lareal always says that babies are only safe in their car seats."Tania's gaze dropped, her mind seemingly full of thoughts.The moment they hit the mall, Brandon turned into an explorer, tugging Noelle along as he dashed from store to store,
Tania's face went from calm to stormy in a heartbeat when she heard those words. She glanced at Noelle, trying to figure out if she was messing with her on purpose. "You're such a tease, Noelle. I'm a married woman. There's no way I'd be a solo parent. My hubby might be super busy, but he’s as dedicated to Brandon as me!"Peter's grip on the steering wheel tightened just a notch when Tania brought up her husband, and his eyes clouded over with something dark and unreadable.Tania knew Peter's moods like the back of her hand because they went way back. The chilly vibe rolling off him was a dead giveaway that he was ticked off.She balled her hands into fists, took a deep breath, and insisted, "Trevon adores Brandon, and he adores me, too."However, before the words had even settled in the air, Peter slammed on the brakes. The tires screamed against the road, and Noelle, clutching Brandon, nearly flew forward.Noelle was ghost-white with shock, her eyes darting to Brandon in her arm
Noelle burst into giggles at the message from Charles."What's so funny?" Tania asked, glancing over with Peter. Both of them were curious."Oh, nothing. Just a joke from your brother," Noelle said, quickly hiding her phone and feigning interest in the scenery around them.Tania snorted. "My brother? Funny? That's the real joke!" She could not picture Charles as the comedic type.Tania did not let the issue bother her for too long. They all made it to Phoenix Tree Residence. With Brandon still sleepy, Tania scooped him up and headed upstairs to sleep.Meanwhile, Noelle was ready to whip up something amazing in the kitchen, which left Peter on his own. He lounged in the living room for a bit before heading upstairs too.In the guest room, Tania gently lulled Brandon to sleep, softly singing, "Twinkle, twinkle, little star… Up above the world so high..."Peter stood there, watching Tania as she slipped off her coat, her figure outlined by the snug knitted sweater. She kept singing
Tania's heart skipped a beat as Peter's grip on her chin sent a jolt of heat through her. That intense warmth from his touch was impossible to ignore.Staring into Peter's eyes, Tania was swamped by feelings she could not quite put into words. Three long years had passed, and they had not been kind to her. Nightmares often woke her up, replaying the worst moments over and over. When she needed him most, Peter was nowhere to be found. That kind of hurt builds up, and her bitterness toward him had only grown. The last blow hit too close to home, and she felt trapped.Peter's brow was knotted with concern as he watched Tania sink into deep grief. He could almost touch her sadness. "Tania?" he murmured her name so gently, but Tania recoiled like a startled deer, shoving Peter away. Her gaze was icy as she regained her composure. "Peter, I've told you before that we're done. We can never patch things up!"Tania turned and ran as if the ground were crumbling behind her. Peter stood there,
"Still be what?""I figured he'd be married with kids by now. H-he used to have someone, you know.""Used to?" Noelle was clearly puzzled. "You've got it all wrong. Peter's been waiting for you. He's been searching for you all these years. I don't know what went down between you two, but Peter would never have a crush on someone else!"Noelle was convinced of what she had seen herself. Peter was obviously hung up on Tania, or he would not have waited all those years.However, Tania seemed to dodge the topic, quickly steering the conversation elsewhere. "What about you and my brother? How'd you guys meet? And the Hoffmans... do they know about you?"Noelle hesitated for a moment. "You know, meeting Charles was like something out of a cheesy drama. He's been amazing to me. We kept our marriage under wraps at first, but now the Hoffmans are in the loop. Though, I guess you get it—I'm not exactly on great terms with the Hoffman family!"Tania burst into laughter. "It’s no big deal. Y
Sean was mid-sentence when he heard the purr of a car pulling up outside. His ears never missed a beat. "Charles is back," he announced.Then came a knock at the door. Sean sauntered over and swung it open. "Charles, man, you should know how to—Mr. Fischer?" His eyes popped in shock at the sight of Steven and the fiery woman at his side. " Little Firecracker?"Steven shot Sean a look. "What's the matter? Shocked to see me?"Feeling the sting of Steven's icy stare, Sean stiffened and quickly shook his head. "No way! Shocked? Ha! Come on in, Mr. Fischer. And, uh... Little Firecracker, you too?"Eloise ignored Sean, stepping past him with Steven.Sean smirked innocently and trailed after Eloise. "Come on, Little Firecracker, give me a little smile. We go way back! Aren't you even a little bit happy to see me?""You're so loud!" Eloise shot back, visibly annoyed. "Only a chatterbox like you could still be single!"Sean's mouth hung open, ready to retort, but her jab left him speechl
Eloise's hands balled into fists. "I'm going to check on the kitchen too!"With Eloise out of the room, Peter's lips quirked up. "You think the Naylors will really accept her?"Steven shot Peter a look. "There's nothing I can't handle," he said confidently."But she's innocent," Peter protested as he rose to his feet, giving Steven's shoulder a reassuring pat. "Mr. Fischer, there's more than one way to skin a cat, you know. It doesn't have to be...""My decisions are final!" Steven cut him off, shrugging off Peter's hand. "You should worry about yourself!" He paused before adding, "Didn't you say your third uncle is about to return? Sir Lennon had always preferred him. They only turned to you when he vanished. Peter, you can't sweat the small stuff when you're playing the long game."Peter's eyes dimmed with a touch of sadness. "I know." He had always known. Those were the years he had nearly walked away from it all, but they would not let him. "How's everything at the company?"
"Wait up!" Charles was on the phone with Ronald, instructing him to scope out who had been around Phoenix Tree Residence that night and to upgrade their security system pronto. Once he hung up, he caught sight of the syringe clutched in Peter's hand, and the look in his eyes was nothing short of predatory."Looks like... it's about to go down!"Peter was looking pretty rough, and Steven gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "The guy who just took action is Quill Sect's top hitman, Shane Quill. He's the same dude who went after Charles before..."Charles scrunched his brow in concern. "I'm gonna fetch Sean to figure out what's in this syringe. Brandon..." Peter did not wait for him to finish. He rushed to check on Brandon, but the kid was out like a light, not showing any signs of trouble.Peter peeled back Brandon's blanket and inspected his arm, spotting the telltale puncture mark. A fierce glint flashed in Peter's eyes, and he scooped up Brandon, ready to bolt. However, Stev
Liliana got ready. She was excited as she headed out. She had not seen Tania, who looked tanned from the sun and was full of energy, in a month.Tania waved to Liliana from far away. "Liliana, over here!"I'm going to take you to a cool place today!""Where?"Tania pulled Liliana close and whispered, "We're going to a bar!""A bar?" Liliana was curious. "What for?"Tania giggled. "A friend gave me this.” She showed off a shiny gold card. "He said it's time for me to see more of the world!"Liliana grabbed the shiny gold card, and her eyes widened in shock. "The Majestic Lounge?" She stared at Tania, puzzled. "How did you get this?"Not just anyone could get their hands on a gold card from The Majestic Lounge. Most people would not know anything about the place, but as Charles's sister, Liliana was in the know. The Majestic Lounge was one of Charles's private businesses and a secret to most outside the family. Layla had a gold card and often hung out there with her friends.Lil
Charles was unusually quiet for a moment, his finger pressed to his lips as if deep in thought. "Are you really ready to walk away from the Smith family's huge estate? You know your dad is the only one holding it up right now, and no one even knows where your fourth uncle is!""Why are you so worried about me? Don't forget I have a brother. If the Jones family won't make room for him, he can just join the Smith family!"While everyone else was trying to claim their piece of the pie, Sean was looking for a way out.Charles knew that once Sean made up his mind, he would not budge. "Alright, I'll look into it for you. Once you're sure, I'll help you seal the deal!""You take care of it," Sean said after a pause. "Aren't you going to check out the commotion downstairs?"Charles glanced down, pulling back his gaze. "Her feelings for you...""Let's not go there. I can't handle that," Sean interrupted, thinking about Layla's haughty behavior earlier and her rudeness toward Liliana. His
Liliana's brow creased slightly. She could not figure out why Layla always seemed to pick fights with her, even though she tried to stay out of Layla's way.Layla stared at Liliana with a sharp gaze. Noticing Liliana's hands were empty, she knew there was no gift for her. That was why Layla was giving Liliana a hard time.Everyone was watching Liliana, and Layla was eager to see how she would handle the situation."Is today your birthday?"Liliana felt awkward with all eyes on her. She glanced at Sean and saw he was not going to step in. She took a deep breath and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't know. You never told me, so I thought your birthday was a few days away!""You..." Layla was taken aback by Liliana's response. She scowled. "Didn't you come back just today before leaving again? I thought you were getting me a birthday present!" Layla bit her lip, looking sad. "You and Sean...""It was just a coincidence. Sean said he needed to talk to Charles, and I didn't realize it was for
It was Layla's birthday, and as the darling daughter of the Hoffman family, her birthday party was packed with guests. The cool kids from Jadebrook High School, the elegant daughters of high society, and many others were all in attendance. The crowd was huge despite many people being turned away at the door.The party had started, and the old mansion was buzzing with excitement. However, Maxwell was not too fond of noise, so the celebration was in the garden outside, keeping the inside of the house quiet.The weather was nice, and everyone seemed to be having a good time outside, chatting, drinking, and grilling. It all looked pretty peaceful.Because Layla was somebody very important, lots of people tried to get on her good side. They all wanted to be friends with her so they could also be friends with the Hoffman family. That way, their parents' businesses could get help from the powerful Hoffmans.Layla had always been treated like a princess, so she was pretty spoiled and loved
Liliana tensed up immediately. "Sean... I can walk on my own!" She pulled her hand away from Sean's grasp.Sean paused, a thought seeming to cross his mind, and a slight smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Let's go!" Once they were in the car, Liliana tried to make herself as small as possible. Sean was driving, and she kept her head down, either fiddling with her phone or twiddling her fingers, avoiding conversation.Sean noticed Liliana's preoccupation with her phone and teased, "What's up? Is your phone more interesting than me?"Liliana looked up instinctively and met Sean's gaze. She froze, her eyes locked on his. At that moment, her heart felt like it was about to burst. The sensation was completely overwhelming.She just stared at Sean, unable to move.Sean caught her gaze and felt an odd sensation in his chest. He raised an eyebrow. "What's the matter? Are you amazed? Have you finally figured out I'm more handsome than your phone?""Uh…" Liliana stuttered with a n
Sean nodded, his gaze falling on Liliana.He had not gotten a good look at her clothes from afar. Seeing her now in blue jeans and a white shirt, he realized how simple yet stunning she looked.He could not believe how tall and pretty she had gotten at such a young age.Sean looked away. "Time to get up?""Oh!" Liliana nodded. However, maybe because she had been squatting too long, her legs were all tingly and she lost her balance when she tried to stand, falling backward.Quick as a flash, Sean caught her hand and yanked her toward him, and she ended up crashing right into his arms.The sudden jolt left Liliana dazed. Her head was against Sean's chest, and she could hear his heartbeat while her own heart started to beat wildly.Her face was pressed against him, so Sean could not see how red her cheeks had become.She was frozen, too scared to move. At that moment, she understood something very clearly... She probably liked the guy in front of her. The boy who had saved her the
"Alright. Have fun with your friends, and don't come home too late," Sean said before hanging up. Liliana's heart started to beat faster for some reason, and she could still hear Sean's voice in her ears, as if he were right there with her.She kept staring at Sean, who was still standing there. It looked like a girl had walked up to him.Liliana could not see very clearly, but she could see a girl in a pink dress with long hair standing next to Sean. She did not catch what they were saying, but Sean looked really happy.Suddenly, Liliana felt a soft pain, a sharp twinge in her heart.It was so quick and elusive that she could not figure out what she was feeling."What's wrong?" Tania asked, noticing Liliana seemed upset after her phone call. She kept staring into space. Tania looked around but saw nothing. She waved her hand in front of Liliana's face. "Liliana?"Liliana came back to the present with a forced smile. "Tania, didn't you say you'd take me out for a big birthday din
Tania's face went pale when she heard that. "No way!"Tania was still young and did not really get all that lovey-dovey stuff. She just thought Brian was nicer to her than her other friends. With a puzzled look, Tania scratched her head. "Maybe he just thinks I'm... cute?"Liliana shook her head. "Don’t you know? Him giving you a watch means he likes you.""Really?" Tania jumped. "Liliana, you're not joking, right? I'm just a kid, and I've always seen him as a big brother." Suddenly, the watch felt like a hot potato in Tania's hands, and she quickly snapped it shut. "What should I do now?"Liliana threw up her hands. "I have no idea!"She had never been in this kind of situation before and did not know what to do."So..."Tania did not get to finish because Liliana's phone started ringing. She stopped, pulled out her phone, and looked at the caller ID with a surprised face. With Tania watching, she answered, "Hello?"Sean was on the line, frowning. He asked, "Are you at the Wor
"Brian? You're back?" Tania paused, smiling at Brian. "What brings you home today?"If Tania was not mistaken, was Brian not supposed to be at college in another town?Brian's heart raced as Tania spoke, and his cheeks flushed a light pink. He looked at her and said, "Um... I actually got back a few days ago.""Oh, was it something urgent?" Tania asked, nodding without suspicion.Brian felt his pulse quicken. "Um... I heard today's your birthday?"Tania paused, then cocked her head and smiled at Brian. "Yes. I'm surprised you remembered my birthday!""Happy Birthday!" Brian blurted out. He pulled out a box from behind and handed it to her. "For you."Tania took the box, a little unsure at first, but quickly smiled. "Thanks so much, Brian!"Seeing Tania's sweet smile, Brian's heart skipped a beat, his rhythm all over the place. "No problem!""I've got to go now, Brian." Tania waved, tucked Brian's gift into her bag, and hopped away with a spring in her step.Liliana had arrang