Wendy gave a bitter, self-mocking smile.-In the VIP room of the hospital, Jessica's leg had already been treated by the doctor.Stanley pressed his lips together as he looked at the doctor. "Are her injuries severe? Will they affect her ability to dance in the future?"The doctor reassured him, "Mr. Hawk, there's no need to worry. We did an X-ray, and thankfully, they're just soft tissue injuries. There's no damage to the bones or tendons. With proper rest, she'll be able to dance again."Once the doctor left, Stanley felt a soft sensation in his palm. He looked down and saw Jessica's small hand reaching up, slipping into his grasp. She held onto him gently.As he looked down at her, Jessica gave him a faint smile, her pale face showing a touch of vulnerability. "Stanley, I'm fine. Don't worry so much about me."Stanley was so tense, and though she had expected it, a wave of sweetness washed over her heart."Why did you throw yourself down the stairs?" he suddenly asked, his
What? He was sending Wendy to school where? Clavendale University? Was he out of his mind?! Clavendale University was one of the top schools in the country—what right did Wendy have to go there?Jessica's expression shifted as she processed this. "Stanley, Wendy dropped out of school when she was 16. She came from the countryside. The only thing she knows is how to seduce men. How does someone like her even have the right to go to Clavendale University?"Stanley looked at Jessica without saying a word.His gaze was firm and resolute, clearly indicating there was no room for negotiation on this. His decision to send Wendy to Clavendale University was final.Jessica was quick to catch on. The two of them had just started to patch things up, and she wasn't about to start a fight with Stanley now. Besides, someone like Wendy would only make a fool of herself by going to Clavendale University. Eventually, Stanley would grow more and more tired of her. Jessica didn't need to do
Wendy lifted her gaze to Stanley. "No, I'm leaving tonight."She tried to pull her wrist free from his firm grip, but Stanley's grip held fast. His strength was unyielding, making it impossible for her to move. He parted his lips, his voice as calm as ever. "Tomorrow, go to Clavendale University to register."Wendy froze. "Why?""I'm sending you there to study. Everything's been arranged, and you'll be studying medicine there."Wendy was speechless.He was really sending her to Clavendale University to study medicine? Had he even thought about what he was saying? Was he serious?"I'm not going!" Wendy snapped, refusing immediately.Stanley frowned, his brows drawing together in a handsome line. "Wendy, Clavendale University is one of the best in the country. It's not easy to get in. This is a rare opportunity. I know you stopped studying at 16, but now I'm offering you a chance. Aren't you interested in medicine? If you study hard, one day you can shine just like Jessica does
The truth was, Wendy had long since grown used to it. Wandering, drifting through life—she had grown up that way. But it was only now that she realized something: Warmth, not hardship, was what made her heart ache the most. That was what brought her to tears.Glinda reached out and pulled Wendy into a gentle embrace, patting her back as if soothing a child. "Silly girl, why are you being so formal with me?""Grandma, there's something I need to tell you.""Sure, darling. What is it?"Outside the door, Stanley stood quietly, watching. Wendy was leaning on Glinda's shoulder, her delicate lashes fluttering as she cried silently, her tears falling like raindrops. "Grandma, I can't stay here anymore. I'm leaving."Glinda was shocked. "What? Why? Has that boy Stanley been bullying you again? I'll go teach him a lesson right now!"Freddy immediately handed her a feather duster. "Mrs. Glinda, use this!"Glinda took it in hand, shaking her head. "Wendy, don't go. You're not the one w
Wendy was just someone brought in to replace another. A small mistake, really. Stanley admitted there was a brief moment when he was lost in desire, but he didn't love her. The person he cared about was Jessica. The person he wanted around was Jessica.He didn't want to be caught between two women. His relationship with Wendy should be over.-Late at night, Cecelia heard a knock at the door. She quickly threw on a robe and went to open it. "Who's there?"Standing outside was Wendy. Wendy wasn't carrying anything, except for the pale yellow vest that Glinda had given her. With a wry smile, Wendy looked at Cecelia and said, "Cecelia, I have nowhere else to go. Can you take me in?"Cecelia immediately pulled her inside. Noticing how cold Wendy's hands were, Cecelia gently rubbed them. "Wendy, what happened? Why are you out here by yourself so late? It's not safe."Wendy gave a faint smile. "Today, Jessica threw herself down the stairs and told Stanley he couldn't share a room
At the moment, Cyril was standing while Wendy was sitting. By all accounts, Cyril should have had the upper hand. But Wendy sat there with perfect posture, her clear, bright eyes calmly studying Cyril. Her composed and confident presence somehow made Cyril feel dwarfed.Cyril cleared his throat. "Y-yes, I am."Cyril mentally scolded himself. What was he even saying? Aside from his revered mentor, Dr. Ceylan, no one ever dared call him by his full name. And yet, this niece-in-law of his addressed him this way.Cyril wanted to reprimand her. "You little—"But before he could say anything, Wendy gave a small nod and said, "Alright, go ahead and give your lecture."Cyril froze. Who was the professor here, and who was the student? She was giving him orders now?But something in Wendy's gaze seemed to make Cyril's body move on its own. Without another word, he turned around and walked to the front of the classroom. Grabbing the chalk, he started his lesson.Why was he doing as s
Wendy's dormitory was shared by two people. One was her, and the other was Halsey Mallin.Halsey grinned as she looked at Wendy. "You're Wendy, right? I'm Halsey. Looks like we're roommates now."Halsey was a lively, cheerful girl. However, there was a noticeable birthmark on the right side of her face—a large black mark that stood out starkly against her fair skin.Noticing Wendy staring at the mark, Halsey wasn't shy about it. She shrugged casually and said, "This birthmark is natural. The doctors said they can't remove it, so my classmates call me 'Clown Girl' behind my back. No one wants to live with me."She gave a small shrug. "If you don't want to stay with me either, that's fine…"Wendy smiled and shook her head. "Well, how about that? I'm a country bumpkin, so I guess we're a perfect match. Looks like we're destined to be roommates."Wendy extended her hand in friendship.Halsey beamed and took Wendy's hand in hers.The two of them quickly became close. Wendy really li
Tonight, Stanley had been losing steadily, his luck simply not with him. His handsome face had taken on a cold, distant expression.Jessica was focused on her cards, and a bowl of fresh seasonal fruits was beside her. She delicately picked a large, dark purple grape, peeled it, and gently held it to Stanley's lips. Stanley, still distracted by the game, opened his mouth and took the grape from her. His attention was split between the cards and Jessica's affectionate gestures.Jessica leaned into him, a picture of a loving, attentive partner. She even held out her soft palm to catch the pit from the grape Stanley had just chewed.She was like a shy little wife, dutifully caring for Stanley.The two young men at the table chuckled. "Only Mr. Hawk could get Hovendale's number one beauty to pamper him like this.""Seems like you can't have it both ways. No wonder Mr. Hawk has been losing tonight."Jessica smiled, a playful pout on her lips. "Stop making fun of me, you guys."Outsi
The familiar announcement rang out.Benny shot up from the couch, his eyes wide in disbelief. "Damn it!"He swung his Zen staff and lunged forward, but before he could take a step, Wendy spun in the air, landing lightly and bringing her axe down on him. It was over in an instant—he was down. He was dead! He actually died!Benny couldn't believe it. The sudden turn of events caught Stanley's attention, and he looked over at Benny with a raised eyebrow.Benny, not one to admit defeat, huffed, [Wendy, let's go again!]Wendy agreed, and the second round began.Just two seconds later, Stanley heard Benny's voice erupt again, more furious than ever. "Damn it! Damn it, damn it, damn it!""Game over." Benny had lost again.Still unwilling to accept it, Benny growled, [Wendy, another round!]Wendy replied, [Mr. Gondale, you should think about this carefully. If you lose the third round, your rank will drop.]Benny had always been at the top rank as the champion, but after facing o
Wendy's absence only seemed to highlight Trish's success.Trish signed autographs for the group of students, then cheerfully walked over to Wendy. "Wendy, I heard you were kidnapped by Paul. Why do you always get yourself into trouble? You're making our Crone family look bad!" No one from the Crone family seemed to care about her, only blaming her. Wendy wasn't the least bit upset—she was used to it by now. She gave a playful wink, her voice light as she replied, "I don't mind making the Crone family look bad, as long as you're there to make up for it."The comment struck a chord with Trish. She immediately smiled, her lips curling into a proud grin. "You heard about my academic paper, right? It was selected by the Medical Museum, and tomorrow, it's going to be officially displayed in their showcase. Our whole family is celebrating. Tomorrow, Grandma and my parents are coming to the Medical Museum to witness my moment of glory."Even Edith was getting involved—after all, Tri
Wendy pulled out her phone and found Stanley's number, but she hesitated for a long time before dialing.He had truly surprised her. Wasn't Jessica supposed to be his favorite? How could he bring himself to turn her down? Last night, Wendy had left without a word and never thanked him in person. She wondered whether he had seen the note she had left on the nightstand."Wendy, what are you daydreaming about? Hurry up and call Mr. Hawk! He stood up for you this time!" Halsey urged.Wendy pressed the dial button.The phone rang once, then was answered with a calm and unhurried voice.Stanley picked up the phone, but didn't say anything.The silence on the other end stretched on.Wendy's slender fingers tightened around the phone. She didn't know what to say.After a moment, his deep, magnetic voice broke the silence. "If you're not going to speak, then I'll hang up."Typical of him—domineering and direct."Wait!" Wendy quickly spoke up. "Paul's parents came to the school looki
In the girls' dormitory…"Ouch... It hurts... Halsey, please be gentle..."Wendy had returned to the dorm after leaving Saville Villa, and Halsey was carefully applying an ice pack to her face.Hearing Wendy cry in pain, Halsey cursed under her breath. "Paul is an animal! How could he do this to you? Where is he now? Wait a minute, Wendy—why did you come back alone?"When Halsey opened the door to the dorm, she was shocked to see Wendy walking in with a swollen red handprint across her face. Wendy's arms and legs were also marked with bruises and red imprints—clear signs of abuse.It was late, and Wendy had returned alone, her body covered in injuries. Halsey's heart ached for her.Where was Paul now?Earlier, Jessica had gone to see Stanley, so Paul was probably released by now.Wendy trembled slightly and, without a word, wrapped her arms around Halsey's warm body. "Halsey, my face hurts. I don't want to talk right now.""Okay, okay," Halsey replied quickly, "I'll stop askin
Stanley couldn't focus on the documents anymore. He stood up and walked toward the master bedroom.The room was empty—no sign of Wendy.Seeing the bathroom door was closed, Stanley stood at the threshold, his voice low as he called out, "Wendy, are you almost done?"There was no response.No sound came from inside.Stanley raised his hand, about to knock, but before he could, the bathroom door opened on its own.He paused, then walked in. The large bathtub was empty. Wendy was nowhere to be found.Where did she go?Stanley stepped out, and just then, a maid entered the room. "Mr. Hawk, Mrs. Hawk has already left."She left? Just like that?Stanley glanced at the untouched ice pack. "She didn't use it?""No, Mrs. Hawk said she didn't need it."On the nightstand, there was a note. Stanley extended his long fingers and picked it up. The note was simple.[Thank you.]She left without telling him and just left that little note behind for him.Stanley stood with his hands on h
Jessica clicked her heels in her crystal-clear stilettos and walked into the study.Wendy was left standing alone, frozen in place."I feel sorry for you because no one loves you."Jessica's words echoed in her ears over and over again.Wendy knew Jessica looked down on her. To Jessica, she was just some quiet onlooker, hiding in the shadows, coveting what Jessica had, her mother and Stanley. And Wendy had nothing— no one loved her.Jessica felt sorry for her.Wendy's chest ached as if a thousand needles were piercing her heart. The pain stretched deep inside her, reaching her core. It was so bitterly ironic. Jessica's mother and Stanley—they had all once been hers!Wendy's gaze lingered on the study door ahead. If Jessica spoke to him, would Stanley really release Paul?Jessica had told her to listen outside, but at this moment, Wendy had lost all her courage.She couldn't bear to hear it.Her heart, once warm, now felt like it was slowly freezing over. She realized she shou
Ursula quickly spoke up. "Today, my son kidnapped Wendy. Mr. Hawk rushed over to rescue her, and now he's holding my son hostage. Mr. Hawk refuses to let him go, all because of Wendy." What? Jessica's expression shifted immediately. No wonder Stanley had suddenly left Dr. Ceylan's lecture today. He had gone to rescue Wendy. How many times had this happened now? The last time, Wendy had been kidnapped by George, and it was Stanley who had rushed to save her. Now, Stanley had gone so far as to hold Paul? The Hawk and Andrews families had ties—for Stanley to go so far, did Wendy mean that much?Jessica clenched her fists. Frank watched her closely. "Ms. Crone, everyone knows you're Mr. Hawk's favorite. No amount of words from us can compare to just one request from you. If you speak to Mr. Hawk, I'm sure he'll release my son." At this, Jessica, Harry, and Lilian all smiled knowingly. Jessica's lips curled into a playful smile. "So that's all you wanted me to do
Stanley stood tall by the floor-to-ceiling windows, his long legs and imposing figure casting a shadow in the room. His cold, dark eyes seemed as if they were pools of ink—deep, distant, and dangerous. "Do you think this can be solved with just an apology? You should leave." Ursula's eyes filled with tears, and she begged, her voice trembling, "Stanley, please, I'm begging you! When you were a child, we used to hold you. Paul's our only child, so please let him go. I swear we will discipline him properly from now on." Stanley didn't flinch. His voice was cold as he gave the order. "Zayn, show them out." Zayn immediately gestured toward the door, his voice polite but firm. "Mr. and Mrs. Andrews, please follow me." Frank's face turned red with anger. "Stanley, are you really going to be this heartless? Just because of a girl like Wendy? I've done my research—Wendy's just some country girl with poor grades! Is she worth it? You're willing to tear apart the relationship betwe
Wendy cried uncontrollably, her voice breaking with emotion. "You're always so angry with me... Why does it matter if I put on makeup or wear lipstick? Jessica does it every day, and you never yell at her... If she had been the one taken, you'd be hugging her, calling her 'babe'... You just hate me, don't you? Why do you hate me so much?" Her sobs were raw and desperate, her delicate shoulders trembling with each breath. Her eyes were swollen and red, her nose pink, like a rose about to bloom, and tears fell in sparkling drops, endlessly streaming down her face. Stanley's expression shifted, his face turning pale. He quickly crouched down beside her, his hand reaching out. "Wendy, please, stop crying." She hardly ever cried in front of him. The only time he'd seen her cry before was in her sleep, when she had sobbed out for her mother to stay. This was the second time, and it was because of him. He couldn't bear to see her in tears. Stanley gently wiped a tear from