After Wendy moved out of the Hawk family's estate, she had been staying here.Stanley's eyes landed on Wendy's small bed. The sheets and pillows were neatly arranged, but her white camisole was left carelessly on the bed after her shower. He quickly glanced at it before turning his attention to the young woman behind him.Wendy tried to explain herself. "I hit Paul today because—""Wendy, I sent you to Clavendale University so you could focus on your studies and learn medicine, but what have you been doing here? Sleeping in class and fighting? You might not be as excellent as Jessica, but you shouldn't be causing trouble. The Andrews family is demanding that you be expelled from Clavendale University! I don't have the time to clean up your mess every time!"Stanley's pent-up anger finally erupted. He scolded Wendy without holding back.Wendy stood there, silently taking in his words while watching him seethe with anger. He clearly wasn't interested in hearing her explanation.
"Wendy, can't you just be obedient?"When Stanley said those words with his deep, gravelly voice, something in Wendy's heart softened.Stanley really did want her to be obedient.In the more than three years of their marriage, although she had taken care of him while he was in a coma, he had also given her a very generous material compensation. He sent her to Clavendale University, and all he wanted was for their relationship to end there. But she wasn't being obedient at all. Just last night, when he heard about her being labeled "God of Sleep" in the bar, he was annoyed. Then, today, even during the meeting, he couldn't get any peace because she had gotten into a fight, and they demanded to meet with her guardian.Stanley had never dealt with something this troublesome.Just then, the young woman lying on top of him suddenly spoke up. "You don't like obedient ones anyway."What?Wendy's small hand pushed against his firm chest as she sat up. Her bright eyes met his handsome
Stanley decided to let the matter go.He was grabbing Wendy's right foot, a spot that was especially sensitive for a girl. She tried to pull it back, her voice sharp as she barked, "Let go!"Realizing what he had done, Stanley glanced at her and quickly released his grip.Her soft, pale foot quickly snapped back, hiding beneath the folds of her skirt.Stanley sat up and returned to the matter at hand. "I'll have someone handle this..."Wendy curled up on the bed, shaking her head. "Thank you for your kindness, but that's not necessary."Stanley turned his gaze on her. "Wendy, don't be ungrateful. Do you think I want to deal with your problems?""Then don't," Wendy snapped, her voice firm. "Since the moment you kicked me out of the Hawk family's estate, my problems are no longer your concern!"The tension between them instantly became palpable. Stanley was furious.Wendy raised one delicate eyebrow, her bright eyes gliding over him. "Didn't Jessica satisfy you last night?"Sta
In Justin's office, Paul swaggered in, flanked by his parents. As soon as he saw Wendy and Halsey, freshly cleaned up, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of attraction. Wendy's face, soft and pale, looked as if it had been carved from glass. She had a purity about her that was hard to ignore. He was still very much interested in making Wendy his girlfriend.Sienna had only told him to make trouble for Wendy, not to make her his girlfriend. Paul couldn't understand why, with everything he had—his charm, his wealth—Wendy wouldn't be interested. He had no problem with her humble beginnings; what gave her the right to reject him?When he parked his fancy car under the girls' dorm, he was used to seeing women fawning over him. He didn't understand Wendy's resistance.With a sly grin, Paul sneered, "Wendy, are you scared? You've only been at Clavendale University for two days, and now you're about to be kicked out. Maybe we can still work something out if you apologize to me now."Ursu
Earlier, in the girls' dorm, Wendy had tried to explain herself to Stanley. However, he had launched into a tirade before she could even get a word in. He didn't even listen to her, and by the time he was finished, her eyes had lost their light.Stanley felt a twinge of guilt at the thought.But the feeling quickly faded, replaced by a scoffing laugh. In the end, Wendy had brought this upon herself. She had barely stepped foot into Clavendale University, and already that playboy had set his sights on her.Stanley had seen the way Paul looked at her. As a man, he could tell—it was more than just interest. Paul was genuinely taken with her. If Wendy had just apologized and played it cute, Paul would have likely forgiven her on the spot. There would have been no need for Stanley to step in.The thought made Stanley's mood darken further. This little fox... she had a way of attracting men wherever she went. He didn't send her here to date. He sent her here so she could study.If
Next, Sienna logged into her second backup account, "The Dancer", and pretended to tag her first backup account, "Helen's Rival". She typed, [Yes, exactly! If someone like Wendy, the God of Sleep who sleeps through her classes, becomes the campus belle, it would be a joke. Sienna is still the best!]She then switched back to her main account, "Sienna Hawk", and posted, [Everyone, let's not fight. I think Wendy's pretty great. I'll gladly pass on the title of campus belle to her!]Sienna was juggling three different accounts and playing three different roles to stabilize the situation. She couldn't afford to lose her position as the prettiest girl in Clavendale University.Sure enough, after this little maneuver, Sienna's loyal followers—mostly nerdy boys—started commenting in droves.One commented, [Wendy is beautiful, but the title of campus belle should go to Sienna. She's the most outstanding of them all!]Another chimed in, [Sienna is my goddess. No one can take her place in
"Of course! Didn't you see that Professor Lincoln himself came out to greet her?" Everyone looked at Trish with a mix of admiration and envy. Trish had arrived with Cyril, holding her head high, her chin tilted in a way that made her resemble a proud peacock. The confidence and pride radiating from her made her seem almost untouchable, and her presence was dazzling. As Trish and Cyril stopped, Trish's gaze first landed on Wendy. She looked her over with obvious disdain before shifting her focus to Stanley. "Mr. Hawk, Wendy dropped out of school at 16. I've even heard she sleeps through Professor Lincoln's classes. What exactly makes her deserving of a spot at Clavendale University?" Sienna saw her opportunity and eagerly nodded in agreement. "Exactly!" Stanley's face, always so composed and dignified, betrayed no sign of emotion. He glanced at Wendy before answering, "She will focus on her studies here." Sienna opened her mouth to speak again. She'd heard that Wendy only
Cyril froze, wondering who Wendy was calling "Cyril".Who was this Cyril?Wait, he was Cyril—but she shouldn't call him that!Cyril was about to say something, but Wendy quickly scanned the room before turning and walking away.Halsey laughed quietly, then glanced at Cyril before hurrying after Wendy. "Wendy, wait up for me."Trish and Sienna were both shocked. "Professor Lincoln, did Wendy just call you by your first name? Has she completely lost her mind?!"Trish and Sienna were stunned.Cyril was dumbfounded as well. This was the second time this had happened. He had no idea why Wendy called him by his first name so casually.Did she even know about respect or boundaries? Only his mentor, Dr. Ceylan, had the right to call him by his first name. And she actually said she trusted him to handle things—as if he needed her reassurance!Stanley watched as Wendy disappeared around the corner, his brow furrowed slightly. She truly was fearless, even addressing his uncle by his fi
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