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
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
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
One of the other girls sneered, "Dwight's dad was a drug dealer, right?"Alina nodded. "Yeah, he's the son of a drug dealer. His mom's blind, and he has a sister in middle school. Their family situation is pretty terrible, but with a drug-dealing father, a blind mother, and a struggling family, it only makes me want to win him over even more. It feels like a challenge. Ha!"Alina and the girls around her all laughed, their voices wobbling with amusement, mocking Dwight's family.Halsey's expression hardened. She turned off the tap and glared at Alina and the others with her striking almond eyes. "Are you done laughing?"Her sudden voice caught Alina and the others off guard.Alina looked over at Halsey, quickly recognizing her. "Well, well, it's the famous Halsey. What does our conversation have to do with you?"Halsey furrowed her brow. "You shouldn't be mocking others. You can't use someone's pain as your joke."Halsey had been to Dwight's house, and despite the difficult ci
[Answer me!] Stanley demanded.Wendy couldn't help but laugh. Who did he think Stanley was? Her boss? Why should she listen to him?She ignored him once again.Samuel, sitting in the driver's seat, chuckled. "Wendy, even though you and Mr. Hawk are divorced, I can't help but feel like there's still something between you two. Is he still interested in you?"Wendy shrugged, uninterested. "I don't know."Samuel smirked. "When I put my arm around you in the store, he looked like he wanted to chop my hand off. I have to say, pretending to be your boyfriend is a dangerous job."Wendy turned her head to look at him. "Well, if you don't want to pretend, I could always ask Daryl or Ernest.""Don't even think about it. I'd walk through fire for you!"The two of them joked and laughed, and before long, they arrived at Clavendale University. Wendy made her way to the girls' dorm, only to find that Halsey wasn't there.Wendy sat down to wait for her.As Wendy had guessed, Halsey had gon
Archer and Natalie were absolutely pleased with Dr. Ceylan as their future son-in-law.However, Trish's expression darkened. She pulled out her phone and dialed Dr. Ceylan's number.The call connected, but instead of Dr. Ceylan's voice, a cold, robotic voice answered. "Sorry, the number you have dialed is not in service."Not in service?Trish's heart fell to her stomach. She quickly dialed again.But once again, the same robotic voice replied, "Sorry, the number you have dialed is not in service."Trish immediately tried to text Dr. Ceylan on WhatsApp. But the text wouldn't send. Instead of two ticks, the status remained a single tick.Dr. Ceylan had blocked her.The number was now disconnected, and WhatsApp showed her as blocked. The man who had been sweet-talking her just yesterday had vanished into thin air, and now she couldn't reach him at all.With a loud thud, Trish's phone slipped from her hand and fell to the carpet. She collapsed onto the floor like a deflated bal
Dr. Ceylan was a woman?Both Edith and Trish froze, their faces turning pale. "Mr. Samuel, what are you talking about? Dr. Ceylan can't be a woman. I'm dating him! He's a man!"Samuel raised an eyebrow. "I not only know Dr. Ceylan, but we're also very close. I'm telling you: She's a woman."Trish was so stunned by this news that she stood frozen in place. "That's impossible! You must be lying to me!"Edith, too, couldn't believe it. "Mr. Samuel, I understand that you're dating Wendy now, but there's no need to joke about something like this."Neither of them seemed convinced, so Samuel shrugged. "Dr. Ceylan is a woman. Forget it if you don't believe me. Wendy, let's go.""Alright."Samuel turned and left with Wendy.Edith and Trish remained standing there, stunned. Edith nervously grabbed Trish's arm. "Why would Mr. Samuel say Dr. Ceylan is a woman? What's going on?"Just then, Jessica emerged from the fitting room, having changed into her clothes. She and Lilian walked over
Jessica regained her confidence. She shot a provocative glance at Wendy before heading into the fitting room to try on the dress.It didn't take long before Jessica came out, and both Lilian and Trish immediately praised her. "Jessica, you look stunning!"Jessica certainly looked beautiful in the lace dress, but there was an odd expression on her face. She felt like the waist was too tight.When she was in the fitting room, she had to suck in her stomach just to get the zipper up.She twirled in front of Stanley, holding the dress. "Stanley, do I look good?"Stanley stared at Jessica, silent.Lilian quickly jumped in, "Of course you look amazing, Jessica! How could you not? You're the lead dancer in ballet. You're leagues above all those housewives!"No sooner had Lilian finished speaking when a loud "rip" echoed through the room—the fabric of Jessica's lace dress had split at the waist.Lilian, stunned, went silent.Jessica let out a sharp scream and immediately reached to
Jessica told Stanley she wanted Wendy's dress.Her damned competitive nature wouldn't let her accept being outshone by Wendy. She had to have that dress. She couldn't let Wendy steal her spotlight!This wasn't the first time, either. Back when they were at the hot springs, Jessica had bought the bikini Wendy wanted.Stanley stared at Wendy.At that moment, Samuel reached for Wendy's soft waist and pulled her closer. With a smirk, he said, "Mr. Hawk, there's a certain order to things—rules, you know? Isn't that how it works?"Stanley's eyes narrowed as they fell on Samuel's hand. When Samuel had his arm around Wendy's shoulders, it had been bad enough, but now, with his hand on her waist, Stanley could feel the icy chill rising in his gaze.Jessica pouted, playing her usual game of charm. "Stanley, now that Mr. Samuel is Wendy's boyfriend, she's acting all high and mighty with him behind her. You're my boyfriend. You wouldn't let me lose to Wendy, would you?"Stanley pressed his
Jessica, Trish, and Lilian all felt like they had been thoroughly humiliated as well.Wendy turned her gaze to Stanley. "Do you believe me now?"Her clear, bright eyes sparkled with a playful glint. When Stanley saw Samuel's arm still around her, his handsome face darkened, the tension practically radiating off him.This little minx!Even Samuel had fallen under her spell. She really had a way of getting what she wanted!"Wendy, we're here to shop. Did you see anything you liked?" Samuel asked, trying to shift the focus.The sales associate immediately stepped forward, presenting a delicate lace dress. "This one would look perfect on you, miss."Wendy nodded. "I'd like to try it on.""Of course. Go ahead."Wendy took the lace dress into the fitting room.Jessica, however, was no longer in a good mood. She tugged on Stanley's arm. "I told you she's bad news! Look at her. She's already gotten herself tangled up with Mr. Samuel. Look at how nice he is to her. I think he's comp
Samuel had arrived.Jessica and the others had already met him yesterday at NovaHealth, but now that they were seeing him again, their expressions shifted dramatically.Samuel walked up to Wendy and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I just stepped out to take a call. What's going on here? It looks like I missed something interesting."Wendy flashed a playful smile. "No, you didn't miss anything. In fact, you're just in time. These people all wanted to meet my boyfriend, and I told them it was you."Wendy shot Samuel a knowing glance.Samuel instantly understood. He wrapped an arm around Wendy's slender shoulder and turned his gaze toward the others. "And these are…?"Wendy introduced them one by one. "This is Edith, Lilian, Jessica, and Trish Crone."Her eyes fell on Stanley's refined, handsome face. As soon as Samuel stepped into the room, Stanley's expression also shifted. Clearly, Stanley hadn't expected her boyfriend to be Samuel."And this person needs no introduction. Thi
Trish immediately straightened her back, her fiery red lips curling into a smirk. "Wendy, don't be jealous. Dr. Ceylan is my boyfriend, and we're getting married soon."Wendy nodded. "So you've multiplied your assets tenfold. When is Dr. Ceylan going to give you all that money? Has he said when it'll be delivered?"Edith paused, caught off guard. "Well…""Looks like he hasn't said anything. I guess he can say whatever he wants about how much money he'll give you. But I'll say it again—he's a fraud. You should watch out."Trish's expression immediately darkened. Her boyfriend Dr. Ceylan was the one thing she took the most pride in, and she wouldn't let anyone tarnish his name."You're just jealous of me! You're jealous I have someone like him as my boyfriend!" she spat.Jessica's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Wendy's not just jealous of you. She's jealous of me too, because I have Stanley."Before Wendy could respond, a deep, magnetic voice interrupted them."What are you all doi