Wendy made her way backstage. She had asked Cyril to clear the area, so she was alone in the room.She sat in front of the vanity, her long, jet-black hair tied up in a low ponytail, exposing her delicate, swan-like neck. She then applied a light touch of makeup, adding a layer of lipstick. She rarely wore makeup—her face, naturally fair and youthful, already had an angelic look. Now, with just a hint of makeup, her beauty became even more striking.Outside, she could hear Cyril's voice. "Good morning, everyone."Wendy stood up and reached out to lift the corner of the stage curtain. The massive lecture hall was packed, with rows upon rows of people filling the whole place. This highly anticipated event was standing room only. The sound of camera shutters clicking echoed through the room. Cyril stood at the podium, speaking into the microphone. "We've gathered here today for..."The crowd cheered in unison, "Dr. Ceylan!"Cyril smiled and nodded. "That's right. It is our grea
Stanley's expression was ice-cold. "Paul's car has free rein in Hovendale. Blocking the roads won't work—we won't make it in time." "What should we do, Mr. Hawk?" Stanley pulled out his phone and dialed Paul's father, Frank. The Hawks and Andrews had a long-standing relationship, and he was acquainted with the old man.The call connected quickly, and Frank's voice came through. "Stanley? What a surprise—why are you calling me?" Stanley's grip on his phone tightened, his voice sharp and commanding. "Your son kidnapped someone under my protection. Think carefully—does he have any private villas in the outskirts?" - In a private villa on the outskirts, Wendy slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was the extravagant design of the room—lavish furnishings and expensive decor. Where was she? She bolted upright in bed. "Wendy, you're awake?" A man's voice rang out. Wendy turned sharply and saw Paul standing nearby. Her dark eyes instantly narrowed. "Paul
Wendy was truly terrified now. Anyone would react with fear when faced with physical assault, and she was no exception. "Let go of me! Get away from me! Ah!" Wendy struggled to escape, but just then, the door to the room was kicked open with a loud bang. Stanley had arrived. He walked in quickly, grabbing Paul by the collar and yanking him off Wendy. Without a second thought, he threw a solid punch right into Paul's face. Paul crashed to the floor, but Stanley wasn't done. He gave Paul a second punch, followed by a third... Paul's face was soon covered in blood. Wendy sat up, calling out his name. "Stanley... Stanley..." Stanley left Paul lying on the ground and rushed to Wendy's side. She was trembling, clearly shaken. Stanley's eyes scanned her, and the sight nearly stopped his heart. There was a red, swollen handprint on her cheek from where Paul had slapped her. Her skirt had been pushed up so high that her pale thighs were exposed, marked with red bruise
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
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
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
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
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
Wendy knew Stanley would never approve of Halsey getting involved with Dwight.Wendy raised an eyebrow, clearly irritated. "Mr. Hawk, you're really overstepping. What does Halsey's business have to do with you?"Stanley shot her a sharp look. "Had enough fun? If you're done, I'll take you home."With that, Stanley grabbed Wendy's slender arm and started pulling her away.Cecelia called out from behind, "Wendy! Mr. Hawk!"-Dwight had gone backstage to change. He didn't come to this place often, but he had to admit—it was incredibly profitable.He had pulled off his torn white tank top and was about to slip into a black hoodie when the door behind him suddenly opened. Dwight's piercing gaze darted to the intruder. "Who's there?"Halsey, having followed him in, was startled to find Dwight standing there topless.Her pale face flushed bright red, and she immediately covered her face with both hands, letting out a small gasp.Dwight quickly pulled the hoodie over his head, grabb
Dwight and Halsey locked eyes.Dwight's face was hidden behind a mask, making it hard to read his expression. But his gaze was as cold as ever, staring at Halsey like she was just another stranger.The host laughed. "Ladies, calm down! Here's what we'll do. Only one person can come up and touch our star dancer. We'll decide by a bidding war. The highest bid wins."Immediately, the rich women around them started shouting out offers. "I'll pay a thousand!""Three thousand!""Five thousand!""Ten thousand!"The price quickly climbed to ten thousand, and Cecelia was stunned. "Ten thousand just to touch him? Is his six-pack made of gold or something? Are these women out of their minds?"At that moment, Halsey raised her hand. "I'll bid twenty thousand!"Halsey had bid twenty thousand.Wendy and Cecelia turned to look at her, surprised. Cecelia subtly tugged at Halsey's sleeve. "Halsey, why are you jumping into this?"Halsey, her almond-shaped eyes still focused on Dwight on st
Wendy, Cecelia, and Halsey stopped in their tracks. Cecelia said, "This restaurant's bar is really famous. I've heard there's a main attraction here who draws in all the rich women. They say when he does his striptease, the tips just keep coming."Halsey nodded. "I've heard that too. Apparently, all the waiters here are shirtless muscular guys with abs. Let's go in and see for ourselves."Wendy had no objections. "Alright, let's go in."The three of them squeezed into the bar, which was already packed. Everyone was gathered around the stage.On the stage, several handsome men were dancing while the music blared. The crowd was chanting, "Take it off, take it off, take it off!" as the men started to strip.The man in the center was the headliner of the bar. He wore a black tank top and black pants, and his face was hidden behind a cold, emotionless mask.Cecelia raised her eyebrows. "Is that him? The main guy? Wow, he's even better than I expected! That body is incredible."Wendy
Wendy watched the scene unfold before her. The woman in Stanley's arms was gazing up at him with deep affection, while he lowered his gaze in return. It was clear he was enjoying the attention he was getting.Wendy quickly averted her eyes. "Alright, enough of that. Mr. Hawk and I aren't together. Since Jessica hasn't said anything about this, I have nothing to say either. Let's go."With that, Wendy turned and left with Cecelia and Halsey.Wendy entered the restroom, while Cecelia and Halsey waited outside. "Stanley doesn't deserve Wendy," Cecelia said. Halsey suddenly had an idea. "Wait, I've got it."Halsey pulled out her phone, found a picture of Wendy, and posted it to her social media with the caption, [Single lady urgently seeking a boyfriend.]After hitting send, Halsey winked mischievously. "Mr. Hawk has a beautiful woman in his arms, so let's find Wendy a boyfriend online. When he sees this, his reaction will be priceless."Cecelia immediately gave Halsey a thumbs up
Wendy, Halsey, and Cecelia raised their glasses.At that moment, the door to the restaurant swung open, and a group of people entered. Leading the pack was a tall, handsome figure—Stanley.Stanley had come to the restaurant, but not for a casual meal. He was here for business, accompanied by several senior executives.The restaurant manager greeted him warmly. "Mr. Hawk, the private room is ready. Please follow me."Stanley followed the manager toward the private room, but as he did, his eyes scanned the crowd and immediately locked onto Wendy, who looked as graceful as ever. Wendy, along with Cecelia and Halsey, had come out to eat. They were deep in conversation, laughing and toasting, clearly in high spirits.The executives behind Stanley noticed where he was looking. "Mr. Hawk, do you know those three ladies? They look so young, like schoolgirls."The executives were intrigued by Stanley's attention to the women, since he was rumored not to be interested in them.His face r
Cecelia's questions caught Wendy off guard. Honestly, she hadn't fully decided what to do about the baby yet.She placed her small hand gently on her flat stomach, feeling the weight of the decision. The thought of aborting the baby was unbearable. This wasn't just Stanley's child—it was hers too. If Stanley didn't want the baby, did that mean she shouldn't want it either?Cecelia broke the silence. "Wendy, if you want to keep the baby, then go ahead. With our financial situation, we're not exactly struggling. A lot of women are opting to be single mothers now. And honestly, if Mr. Hawk doesn't want the child, that's even better. We can just kick him out of the picture and raise the baby ourselves. I'll be the godmother!"Halsey nodded in agreement. Even though Stanley was her cousin, Wendy had made it clear that she didn't want him to know about the pregnancy. Halsey respected that and fully supported whatever decision Wendy made. Wendy always took the time to think things thr
Stanley looked at Jessica. "You already know about the heart match?"Jessica didn't hesitate to admit it. "Yeah! Wendy's heart is a perfect match for mine. Why didn't you tell me?"Stanley countered, "If I told you, then what?"Jessica answered as if it were obvious. "Then you should figure out a way for Wendy to save me."Stanley fell silent.Jessica's voice grew more urgent. "Don't you want to save me? Are you really going to hesitate between me and Wendy? Are you in love with her? Is that why you're hesitating?"Stanley looked at Jessica, his expression firm. "You can't take Wendy's heart."Jessica's face turned pale.He actually said that she couldn't take Wendy's heart."So, what do I do now? Are you going to give up on me? Have you forgotten your promise to me? First, you've been hot and cold with me, and now you won't even try to save my life?"Stanley's voice was low, almost resigned. "I've already sent people out to search for alternatives. You can't take her heart, b
Wendy called Stanley out, saying she needed to talk to him privately.Jessica immediately made a fuss, grabbing onto Stanley's muscular arm. "If you have something to say, just say it here!"She wasn't letting Stanley go.Wendy looked between the two of them. Now that she was pregnant, why should she bear this burden alone? She couldn't let Stanley and Jessica continue their little moment. No, she had to tell Stanley what was going on.Wendy said firmly, "Jessica, this is none of your business. I can only talk to him about it. Mr. Hawk, I'll be waiting for you outside."With that, Wendy walked out.Jessica pulled at Stanley's arm. "Stanley, you're not going anywhere."Stanley pulled his arm away gently. "I'll just be a minute."He turned and walked out."Stanley!" Jessica shouted after him, her voice filled with frustration.-Stanley stepped into the hallway, where Wendy was waiting for him.He walked toward her. "You wanted to talk?"Wendy looked at him, her expression se
Wendy sat on the couch for a long time, lost in thought. Finally, she stood up and headed for the hospital. She needed to think about the situation with the baby, but for now, she had to meet Jessica.Half an hour later, Wendy arrived at Jessica's VIP ward and saw her lying on the bed.Jessica smiled, her lips curving up. "Hey, Wendy. You got here pretty fast."Wendy glanced at Jessica's pale face. "Your heart is getting worse. If you faint again next time, it could be life-threatening. So, I figured I should visit. Who knows? It might be the last time."Jessica was silent, feeling the sting of Wendy's words.She finally realized why her heart condition had worsened—Wendy had to be the one causing it.Jessica took a deep breath to steady her emotions. "You don't have to worry about that. Stanley already found a heart that matches mine. He'll save me."Wendy raised an eyebrow. "So what if he found it? Does the person even agree to save you? Without his or her consent, it'd be