Wendy didn't respond.One of the maids sneered, "Wendy, don't think you're suddenly one of the Crone family's heiresses. Let me tell you, there are only two heiresses in the Crone family: Trish and Jessica."Another maid chimed in, mocking her, "Exactly! Ms. Trish is Dr. Ceylan's assistant, and Ms. Jessica is soon to be Mrs. Hawk. What are you? Just a nobody! Now hurry up and take the chicken soup to Mrs. Lilian!"The two maids looked down on Wendy, but she didn't say a word. She simply took the bowl of chicken soup and walked toward the room.As she entered the main hall, Stanley, who was speaking with a few businessmen, spotted her. His brow furrowed slightly. Wasn't Wendy supposed to be one of the Crone family's daughters? Why was she working like a maid? Was this how she was treated by her own family?Stanley's thoughts turned cold. She hit and kicked him before, but now, in front of everyone, she couldn't say a word. She was only brave when it came to bullying him.-Wend
But Wendy missed. The person quickly spun around, grabbing her slender wrist with a firm grip. A cold, annoyed voice followed. "Wendy, what are you doing?"The silver needle dropped to the floor with a soft clink. Wendy froze for a second, realizing it was Stanley.Stanley had arrived."Wh-what are you doing here?" she stammered.Stanley released her wrist and scanned the room, his dark, penetrating eyes sweeping over the space before landing on Hank. "Who's he?"Stanley had seen Hank sneaking around downstairs, tailing Wendy, and decided to follow him up.Wendy opened her mouth to respond, but just then, footsteps echoed from outside. Her surprise for Lilian had arrived.Quickly, she pulled Stanley behind the curtains with her. "What are you…"Stanley was about to speak, but Wendy quickly pressed her hand over his mouth as the door flung open and someone walked in. "Don't say a word," she whispered urgently.-In the banquet hall, Jessica, Harry, Lilian, and Edith were
The woman beneath Hank struggled fiercely, screaming, "Let go of me! Somebody, help!" Lilian was overjoyed. This was exactly the scene she had imagined. She immediately shouted, "Wendy, so you really are having an affair with a man here! I'm so disappointed in you!" The people behind her gasped, whispering, "Is this really Wendy, the one from the countryside? How shameless!" Archer and Natalie, eager for a spectacle, couldn't help but sneer at Wendy. They looked at her as if she were nothing more than an insect. "Mom, Wendy's nothing but a stain on the Crone family. We need to get rid of her!" Archer spat, his voice dripping with disdain.Edith shared the same sentiment.Just then, the woman under Hank struggled, revealing her face. She cried, "Mom, Dad, it's me! Please, help me! Somebody, help!" Archer and Natalie froze. When they saw her face, their hearts sank. It wasn't Wendy—it was their daughter, Trish!"Oh my god! Trish!" Natalie gasped, rushing forward to grab Ha
Jessica stepped forward, trying to explain. "It's not like that—""Get away!" Natalie shoved Jessica aside.Jessica stumbled and crashed into the wall, a red mark forming on her forehead.Lilian rushed to grab Natalie by the arm. "How dare you hit Jessica!"Without hesitation, Natalie grabbed a fistful of Lilian's hair and scratched at Lilian's face with her sharp nails. "Lilian, who do you think you are?! You're just a woman who married your brother-in-law!"The room went silent for a moment. As the Crone family's wealth and power grew, Lilian's sordid past had been buried. But now, Natalie had exposed it in front of everyone.The whispers began almost immediately. "Lilian married her brother-in-law?""You didn't know? Her first husband was the older brother. When he died, she married his younger brother.""She slept with the man and his brother... That's scandalous!"Lilian, furious, lunged at Natalie, grabbing her by the hair. "Shut your mouth before I tear it off!"The tw
"Wendy." Stanley's voice was calm but edged with something deeper. "Mr. Hawk, you've been drugged!"Stanley pressed his lips into a cold, tight line. He had already sensed the change in his body.The two of them had been hiding behind the curtains, her soft body pressed against his and her delicate hand covering his mouth. He felt like fire was running through his veins; his thoughts scattered, and his body betrayed him.He'd fallen into the trap.Stanley reached out and gripped Wendy's slender arm, pulling her along with him as they left the scene.Outside, chaos reigned. The crowd was thick, everyone watching the fight between the second and third branches of the family, completely oblivious to their departure.Stanley guided Wendy away from the Crone family villa and into his own Rolls-Royce business luxury car.Zayn, ever respectful, asked, "Mr. Hawk, where to?""Saville Villa," Stanley replied, his voice flat.-Wendy was led into the Saville Villa—it was her first time
Wendy wanted to ease the awkwardness.Stanley lowered his striking gaze and looked at her, his lips curving into a teasing smile. "Help me?"He was drugged, and now she was offering to help him.Wendy froze, her small face turning crimson. She quickly waved her hands, flustered. "It's not what you think! I can help you in another way!""Oh?" Stanley raised an eyebrow, watching her flail in a hurry to explain herself. His tone lightened, amused. "And what other way would that be?" Wendy couldn't speak.Was he doing this on purpose? Teasing her on purpose?The mature man seemed to enjoy the playful torment.Now, standing right in front of her, Stanley's long legs were encased in tailored slacks, his lean waist adorned by an expensive black belt.Wendy dared not look below his waist. She couldn't look there. But her face was almost level with it, so her eyes wandered nervously, unable to focus on one spot.Then, she felt her face cupped in his large hand. His lips curved in a
No one responded.Harry was still outside, seeing off the guests. With a forced smile, he escorted Norman and Hughie to their car. "Mr. Walton, Mr. Fuller, as for our collaboration..." Norman couldn't help but laugh at the state of Harry's face. "Mr. Crone, you might want to see a doctor about that," he suggested, glancing at Harry's injuries. The executives got into their luxury cars and drove off.Harry, his expression dark, stomped back into the living room. He marched up to Lilian, fuming. "Lilian, is this your doing? You've completely ruined my reputation!" Lilian was the most dumbfounded by the whole thing. She still couldn't understand how things had gone so wrong when she had planned everything so carefully.Lilian reached out, grabbing Harry's sleeve. "Honey, let me explain..."Harry yanked away from her and grabbed his coat, his anger flaring. "I don't want to see you again!" And with that, Harry left their home.Lilian stood there, her face and neck marked wit
The bathroom door swung open, releasing a cloud of mist that enveloped Stanley's tall, handsome figure as he stepped out, freshly showered.Stanley was dressed in a sleek, black silk robe. As soon as he emerged, he overheard Nathan's invitation to Wendy for a fun night. Wendy turned her head and saw Stanley standing there. "I'll call you back later, Nathan," she said, disconnecting the call. She turned to Stanley, her voice steady but cool. "I'm leaving."She reached for her bag, but Stanley's deep voice, casual yet commanding, cut through the air. "Where are you going? Off to play with Nathan?"Wendy didn't respond. She simply turned to leave, but Stanley's hand shot out with swift precision, grabbing her delicate wrist.She froze, his touch burning through her skin. His body temperature was unnervingly hot, and his fingertips felt like they could scorch her.The cold shower hadn't cooled him down; if anything, it had only fueled the heat building inside him.Wendy tried to
At that moment, Edith, Lilian, and Trish all arrived, walking into the hospital room with expressions of surprise and excitement.Edith's eyes sparkled. "The real Dr. Ceylan has really arrived in Hovendale?"Stanley nodded. "Yes, Dr. Ceylan will be attending the dinner tonight."Goodness!The Crone family was buzzing with excitement.Trish, looking starstruck, exclaimed, "The real Dr. Ceylan has finally arrived! The doctor is my idol, my goal—the person I want to be. I can't believe I'm finally going to meet Dr. Ceylan!"Edith added, "Dr. Ceylan is so mysterious, always appearing and disappearing. We've been fooled by the fake Dr. Ceylan before, but now, we'll finally see the doctor's true face."Lilian, too, was curious. "Do you think Dr. Ceylan is a man or a woman?"Jessica shook her head. "I don't know either. We'll have the answer tonight."Edith turned to Stanley with a hopeful look. "Mr. Hawk, can we come with you to the dinner tonight? We all want to meet Dr. Ceylan."S
Wendy felt that it was time for her to finally show herself. The Crone family had been responsible for her father's death, and it was time to settle those scores once and for all. And then, there was Stanley. He had always wanted to know who Dr. Ceylan really was. Well, now she was ready to tell him.-At the CEO's office in Hawk Group, Stanley sat behind his desk, reviewing documents. His hand moved swiftly with a pen as he signed his name in the bottom corner of each page with a sharp, decisive stroke.Just then, the door opened, and Zayn entered quietly. "Mr. Hawk, we've received news about Dr. Ceylan."Stanley paused, the pen hovering in midair. His dark eyes shifted up to meet Zayn's. "Go on.""We've just received word from Dr. Ceylan that the doctor will be attending the dinner tonight. The real Dr. Ceylan has arrived in Hovendale and has arranged to meet with you there."Stanley's expression deepened, his gaze growing darker. He had been searching for Dr. Ceylan for wha
"It's getting late. You should go home and get some rest," Wendy said, her voice calm but firm.Stanley glanced at her, with no intention of moving. "You're right. It's late. Goodnight."Wendy froze.Was he staying here tonight?"Mr. Hawk, hasn't Zayn brought the key yet?" Wendy asked, trying to keep her voice steady."He won't bring it until tomorrow. So tonight, I'll be staying here," Stanley replied smoothly."No," Wendy protested, her voice trembling slightly.Stanley turned to her, his gaze sharp. "I'm informing you, not asking for your permission."Wendy opened her mouth to say something else, but before she could, the world around her seemed to darken. Stanley kissed her again, silencing her with a force that left her breathless.-In the hospital room, Jessica had been dialing Stanley's number relentlessly, but there was no answer.She tried Wendy's number next, but still, no one picked up.What were they doing?Thinking back to the images she had seen during the vi
No! How could this be?Jessica couldn't believe it. She immediately erupted in anger, shouting, "Wendy, what are you doing with Stanley? You little tramp! You must have seduced him! Stanley is my boyfriend now! Don't you have any shame?""Wendy, take a good look! It's your boyfriend harassing me!""You little—" Jessica opened her mouth to say more, but the video call was suddenly disconnected.Inside Royale Residences, Wendy was still pinned under Stanley. She had hoped to say a few more things to Jessica, but before she could, Stanley snatched the phone out of her hand and hung up the call.Stanley's eyes were burning with a dangerous desire. "Done with your rant?"Wendy scoffed. "Not even close! I still have so much to say to Jessica, but I'm sure she's already imagined it all by now. Just you wait."Stanley tossed Wendy's phone onto the coffee table. "If you're done, let's get back to what we were doing."He kissed her again.Wendy couldn't even find the words to respond
"I'm calling Jessica!"Wendy figured that if Stanley was going to act so arrogantly with Samuel's call, she might as well call Jessica and let her see exactly what was going on.Sure enough, the man above her froze. Stanley looked down at her, his eyes intense.Wendy smirked. She knew that name would do the trick. "Stanley, get out of my house right now! Otherwise, I'll tell Jessica about how you're sexually harassing me tonight. She might not be able to do much, but trust me, she can make sure you can't do anything either."Stanley's gaze burned with desire as he looked at her, his voice rough. "Wendy, what's wrong with you?"Wendy blinked in confusion. Why was he asking that when she was talking about Jessica?What was wrong with her?Stanley lowered his head and kissed her soft earlobe. "Wendy, you're leaking."Leaking? Wendy suddenly realized what he meant. Since becoming pregnant, her body had changed, and she had been feeling especially full in her chest lately. Last n
Stanley winced in pain. Wendy was still the same, always biting when she got upset.Without warning, Stanley shoved her backward, pushing her deep into the sofa.Wendy's soft body sank into the cushions. Just as she was about to sit up, Stanley's tall, solid form descended on top of her, pinning her down.She placed both hands on his firm chest, furrowing her brow. "Stanley, what are you—mmph!" Before she could finish, her lips were covered by his. Stanley had lowered his head, capturing her lips in a forceful kiss.Wendy's eyes widened in shock. The last time they had shared an intimate moment like this was back in that village, when he had forced himself on her. After that, nothing. Now, his clean, crisp, and domineering presence overwhelmed her once again. He pried her lips open, invading her mouth with his. Wendy's mind went blank."Stanley, let go of me!"Wendy struggled against him, her hands pressing against the black fabric of his suit jacket. Her fingers brushed a d
Stanley scanned the room. "This place must have cost quite a bit to decorate, huh?"Wendy shrugged. "So what?""Did Samuel pay for all of this?""Yeah, he paid for everything. He bought the luxury car, the mansion—everything. I just brought my stuff and moved in."Stanley pressed his lips together in thought. Then, his eyes landed on something on the coffee table."What's this?" Stanley moved toward the table.Wendy looked up, her clear eyes suddenly narrowing in shock. On the coffee table was a pregnancy test.Wendy reached out to grab it, but Stanley was faster. He snatched up the test before she could.He glanced at the test, then at her. "Why did you buy a pregnancy test?"Wendy quickly scanned it. Thankfully, it was a new one, and there were no two red lines—thankfully, it didn't reveal that she was pregnant.Since Stanley didn't want kids and had no plans of being a father, she hadn't planned on telling him.Wendy wasn't sure what his reaction would be. If he knew she w
On the other side, Stanley pulled Wendy out of the bar, his long strides quick and confident. Wendy could barely keep up, stumbling behind him.Wendy frowned. "Stanley, let go of me!"Stanley opened the door of his luxury car and shoved her into the passenger seat before he slid into the driver's seat.The Rolls-Royce Phantom sped down the road, the city's neon lights casting a glow on the sleek car. Wendy raised an eyebrow. "Did you finish dinner already? Was the lady's dance not enough to keep you around?"Stanley's sudden appearance at the bar had caught Wendy off guard, especially since she had just seen him watching a group of beautiful dancers moments ago.His hand, adorned with an expensive watch, rested on the steering wheel. The city's lights reflected off his sharp, handsome face, making him look both refined and striking. "You saw me?" he asked, his voice smooth.Wendy nodded. "Yeah. Your charm seems endless. Everywhere, there's someone falling for you."Stanley's
Dwight grabbed the blanket and pulled it over his handsome face, not saying a word. He wasn't in the mood to talk.The first time he did something bad, and she caught him. His luck was unbelievable.Halsey reached out and pulled the blanket off his face. "Dwight, talk to me. Why are you watching this?"Now, Dwight lay flat on the bed, one long leg hanging off the edge. His posture was relaxed, but there was an untamed, wild energy about him—reckless, carefree.Halsey snatched the blanket off his face, her soft body pressing into him, her weight on top of him.Dwight, feeling resigned, let go of any pretense. "So what if I watched it?""You…" Halsey was left speechless by his shamelessness.Dwight looked at her small, oval face. "You can leave now.""I'm not leaving.""Then what do you want?""I want to watch too!"Dwight narrowed his eyes and reached for the phone, trying to stop her from seeing it.But Halsey had already clicked on the video. She was curious, after all—she