He was calling her name.With a snap, Wendy finally managed to free her hair, the knot coming undone with a sharp tug.She sat up, her voice trembling slightly. "What's wrong?"Stanley looked at her, his expression unreadable. "Was that on purpose?"That was when Wendy realized something felt off. In the process of trying to untangle her hair, she ended up sitting on top of him.Her position was now him lying down, and her on top.Wendy's mind went blank, the realization hitting her with a shock. Instinctively, she tightened her legs.Stanley's firm waist was right beneath her, and her smooth, pale legs draped over his sides, exposed and almost blinding in their fairness.The moment she reacted, Stanley's sharp eyes flushed a deep red. His muscles, hidden under the silk of his pajama shirt, tightened and flexed, and he reached up, grabbing her soft waist, his voice hoarse as he said, "Relax."Wendy's face turned crimson, her long, dark hair falling in disarray around her. Her
When Wendy stepped out of the bathroom, Stanley was already gone, likely called away by Jessica's phone call. A bitter smile curved on her lips as she shook her head at the situation.Her phone buzzed, interrupting her thoughts—it was a call from Lilian.Wendy answered quickly. "Wendy, Jessica invited a few friends over today. Why don't you come join us?"Was Lilian really being so kind?Wendy replied with a simple, "Sure, I'll be there soon."Cecelia, hearing the news, rushed over right away. "Wendy, I don't trust Lilian's intentions! Now that George is out of prison, are you sure you want to visit the Crones' residence?"Wendy remained calm, her voice steady. "I just need to confirm something."Still worried, Cecelia insisted on accompanying Wendy to the Crones'.When they arrived, the house was bustling with energy. Jessica's guests had all arrived—Benny and a few other rich heirs from their circle.The moment Benny saw Wendy, his expression soured. "Wendy, what are you doi
George turned to leave."Hold on!" Benny called out, stopping him in his tracks.George paused.Benny glared at Wendy, his voice laced with anger. "Wendy, are you even human? He's your adoptive father, and you won't even acknowledge him?"The other rich heirs, standing behind Benny, joined in, their voices full of disdain. "Wendy, it's bad enough that you come from such a lowly background, but now you're showing your true colors. You're selfish and heartless, and you only care about money!""How could Mr. Hawk marry someone like you? You're nothing but a stain on his life!"Everyone turned their blame on Wendy.Standing next to Benny, Jessica smiled smugly, clearly pleased with the situation.Cecelia opened her mouth to speak, but Wendy grabbed her arm, stopping her.At that moment, Lilian stepped forward, her tone dripping with false sincerity. "Wendy, you're in the wrong here. George is your adoptive father. You should take him home."Lilian and Jessica had clearly expect
George left, and Jessica linked arms with Lilian. "Mom, what do you think Wendy has on George? What kind of leverage does she hold over him?"Lilian smiled, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Jessica, that's not something we need to worry about. All you need to know is that Wendy is no match for you. She'll end up being nothing more than George's plaything."Jessica smirked. In her mind, Wendy—coming from the countryside—was nothing more than a match for someone like George. What right did she have to hold the position of Mrs. Hawk?Jessica praised, "Mom, you're brilliant!"Lilian's eyes shone brightly. "Jessica, your dad hasn't been home for several nights now. Why don't you call him and ask him to come home? He always does what you say."Harry really did treat Jessica like a little princess. When she asked him to do something, he'd never defy her.Jessica nodded. "I'll do it, Mom. I'll call him right now and make sure he comes home."She took out her phone and dialed the
But Stanley remembered when Jessica had just returned to the country. She had her eye on a Chanel handbag, and he had Zayn buy it for her. Zayn delivered the bag to Imperial Garden, where Wendy happened to see it.Wendy's face lit up with joy as she admired the bag, her eyes crinkling in a smile. "This bag is beautiful," she said.She seemed to really like it.Stanley replied, "She likes Chanel bags."Nathan smirked, "Bags, huh? That's easy. Thanks for the tip."At that moment, Benny walked in. "Stanley, Nathan, you guys are here!"Nathan glanced at Benny. "Benny, aren't you supposed to be at the Crones' residence?""Yeah, I did. And I even ran into Wendy and her adoptive father. Stanley, Nathan, you wouldn't believe it—Wendy actually rejected her adoptive father! She didn't even recognize him as her father." Benny recounted everything that had happened at the Crones' residence."Nathan, how could you still have feelings for Wendy? She doesn't deserve you. Now that you know
Glinda didn't get the chance to take the photo because Wendy quickly put it back in the box. "Grandma, this is a photo from when I was a child. It's so ugly. I can't let you see it."Glinda smiled and withdrew her hand. "I don't think you could ever be ugly."Freddy added, "I completely agree."Wendy, hearing the warm reassurance from both Glinda and Freddy, lowered her head and took a sip of the chicken soup.Just then, the maid's voice broke the moment. "Mr. Hawk."Wendy looked up and saw Stanley had returned.Glinda smiled brightly. "Stanley, you're back?"Stanley took off his jacket and handed it to the maid before walking into the living room with long strides.Wendy, still holding her bowl, noticed something strange about the soup. It tasted odd, like some kind of herb had been added. "Grandma, did you put something in the chicken soup? It tastes strange."Glinda's eyes sparkled. "Wendy, you noticed? I had them add some herbs to help with fertility."Fertility?Wendy s
"Stop the nonsense! Tonight, you personally bring 100 million to me, or your photo will be all over Hovendale tomorrow. I'll be waiting for you tonight!" George barked before ending the call abruptly.Wendy tightened her grip on her phone. Just then, Stanley's voice came from behind her. "Were you talking to George?"She turned around, seeing Stanley had returned to the room.His gaze landed on the box in her hand. His tall figure cast a shadow as he stood before her. "Grandma mentioned that he sent you a photo. What photo is it?"Wendy hesitated. Should she tell him about George? What would his reaction be if she did?She finally said, "This photo is—"Before she could finish, her phone rang again. This time, it was a call from Nathan.Wendy answered, and Nathan's excited voice came through. "Wendy, hurry up and come out. I've got a gift for you!"Wendy furrowed her brow. "Nathan, I can't really talk right now...""I'm right outside the Hawk family mansion. If you don't come
Stanley had seen everything from the balcony earlier. He watched as Nathan gave Wendy the limited-edition Chanel bag, only for her to refuse it.Wendy turned to face him. "Did you tell Nathan that I liked bags?"Stanley raised an eyebrow, his sharp features still carrying that confident air. "Don't you? I remember you liking them."Wendy smirked, her red lips curling into a playful line. "I don't like bags. I like more expensive things, like diamond necklaces. Next time, have Nathan get me one of those."Stanley's expression darkened for a moment, the mood turning tense. The conversation quickly came to an end.He cleared his throat and shifted the topic. "What kind of photo did George send you today?"Wendy had initially planned to tell him about the photo and George, but she changed her mind. She responded calmly, "Just a childhood picture he took of me.""Did George—" Stanley seemed like he was about to ask more, but Wendy cut him off. "Mr. Hawk, are you free? If you have t
Wendy said seriously, "As medical practitioners, we must be meticulous. A tiny mistake can lead to disastrous consequences."At that moment, Cyril stood while Wendy sat. Despite the height difference between them, her slender, graceful back was perfectly straight. Her intelligent, clear eyes were full of earnestness as she gave Cyril a lesson, almost as though she were the teacher and he the student.Cyril, speechless, was taken aback. Was she teaching him? Did she really think she was his teacher? He had only one teacher, and that was Dr. Ceylan!Cyril couldn't believe what was happening. He was about to reprimand Wendy, but before he could say anything, she spoke up again. "Alright, Cyril, you can go now."Cyril was stunned. She was calling him by his first name again.The interaction left him speechless. He simply turned and walked away.-Back in the office, Cyril was fuming. There was no way he could have been wrong!He immediately grabbed the "Classic of Herbal Medic
Stanley's deep voice rang out. "Mr. Suarez, are you saying that the genius freshman is attending the Summit Academic Forum?"What?The phrase "genius freshman" struck Jessica like a lightning bolt, instantly capturing her attention. Was the mysterious and aloof genius freshman about to make an appearance?"She's actually been in Hovendale this whole time," Dave replied. "Unfortunately, you've never met her. She'll be attending the Summit Academic Forum, so you two will finally get to meet. Please make sure to find some time to attend the event."Stanley nodded. "Alright."After they hung up, Jessica was in shock. "Stanley, the genius freshman has been in Hovendale all this time? Who is she?"Hovendale's circle wasn't that large, and she had never heard of this brilliant young woman before.Jessica felt uneasy about the existence of this genius freshman. Stanley, equally unaware, didn't know who she was either. Thinking about the freshman's mysterious, cool demeanor, Stanley
Before Zayn could continue, Stanley interrupted in a low voice, "We're divorced. There's no need to update me on her situation."Zayn paused for a moment, then nodded respectfully. "Understood." He turned and left the room.At that moment, Jessica walked out. She had overheard everything Stanley had said. A smile curled on her lips as she approached him. She knew Stanley's decisive nature. Once he had divorced Wendy, he wanted nothing more to do with her.Now, his heart and mind were entirely focused on Jessica. She was his one true love.Jessica stepped closer and wrapped her arms around Stanley's waist from behind.Stanley didn't need to look to know it was her. His gaze shifted from the window, and he lowered his eyes to the small hands that had latched onto his waist.Jessica's right wrist had mostly healed, but there was still a scar, a reminder of the injury that ruined its beauty.As a dancer, she was someone who valued her appearance deeply.Stanley gently took her ri
After the divorce, Stanley and Wendy never contacted each other again. This was the first time he had heard any news about her.It turned out she had fallen seriously ill.Jessica immediately grinned, her red lips curling with a mix of pride, pity, and mockery. "I never would have guessed that Wendy was so deeply in love with Stanley."Trish joined in, mocking Wendy as well. "With her background, she'll never find another man like Mr. Hawk. It's honestly a little sad when you think about it."Jessica tilted her head, gazing at Stanley with a playful pout. "Stanley, now that your ex-wife's sick, don't you think you should give her a call and comfort her?"Stanley remained expressionless, his handsome face still as composed as ever. He looked at Jessica. "Sure. I'll call her right now."He made a move to reach for his phone.Jessica's expression instantly changed. "You wouldn't dare!"Stanley smirked. "Then why did you suggest it?"He was just teasing her—he had no intention of
Losing Stanley hurt more than Wendy had ever expected.She couldn't even explain what it was about him that made her feel this way. He was never kind to her at all. And yet, everyone has that one person in their life they love—someone who might not deserve it, but still holds a place in your heart. She loved Stanley. Her fingers tightly gripped the crystal pendant he had given her, the one she knew she would never let go of. But deep down, she understood—she had lost him. She had lost her Big Brother.At that very moment, Stanley sat in his Rolls Royce Phantom, parked by the side of the road. Through the gleaming windshield, he watched Wendy huddled in on herself, crouched on the street, sobbing uncontrollably.A red haze slowly crept into his dark eyes, and his grip on the steering wheel tightened. Something stung his heart, a pain that wasn't sharp but spread in waves, dense and suffocating.Then his phone rang. It was Jessica."Stanley, have you divorced Wendy?" she asked
Wendy asked if Stanley had ever had feelings for her.The question left him momentarily stunned.Of course, he had.He had once caught himself thinking about Wendy in a romantic sense. He felt reluctant to let go of her—he felt drawn to her, wanting to claim her.He had feelings for Wendy, but in the grand scheme of things, that feeling meant nothing compared to how he felt for Jessica.Now, with the divorce looming, he intended to cut all ties, to sever them completely without hesitation.He spoke the words that seemed to crush the air between them: "Wendy, I love Jessica."He said he loved Jessica.The light in Wendy's eyes slowly dimmed, the question she had asked now feeling like a painful mistake. She had set herself up for humiliation—complete and utter humiliation.Still, she wasn't a sore loser."Then let's get a divorce."Stanley paused. "Go get your marriage certificate."Wendy forced a thin smile and reached into her bag. "I already brought it with me."When
Wendy returned to the girls' dorm and was greeted by a video call from Halsey.Halsey's bright, happy face appeared on the screen, her eyes mischievously dancing. "How did it go last night? Did you and Mr. Hawk, you know..."She wiggled her eyebrows, her expression full of playful insinuation.Wendy chuckled, trying to keep the mood light. "Why aren't you back yet?""I didn't want to interrupt you two. The last thing I wanna do is be a third wheel."With that, Halsey continued, "Mr. Hawk handled Luna really well this time. I honestly think he has feelings for you. You guys consummated your marriage and are officially husband and wife now. I hope things go well for you both, and that you can have a happy life together."Wendy wasn't sure how to respond. She popped a candy into her mouth, letting the sweetness spread across her tongue. After a moment, she smiled and said, "I appreciate that, Halsey. Come back soon, alright?""I'll be back tonight.""Okay."Wendy ended the call
Jessica didn't want Wendy here.Wendy turned to look at Stanley.Still holding Jessica's hand, he slowly lifted his gaze to meet hers.Their eyes locked.Before Stanley could speak, Wendy shifted her gaze and briefly glanced at Jessica before offering a small, polite smile. "I'm glad you're okay. I'll leave now."She turned and walked away.But she didn't leave immediately. She stood outside the door, listening to the conversation inside.Jessica's voice was filled with sorrow as she accused Stanley, "Stanley, tell me. Did you sleep with Wendy?"Stanley looked at the door for a moment before his eyes settled back on Jessica's pale face. "Jessica, I'm sorry."He admitted it.Jessica bit her lip. "Stanley, why? You told me you and Wendy were over!"Stanley's expression darkened. Yes, he had told Jessica that he and Wendy were finished, but he couldn't stop himself from seeking out Wendy. "Stanley, you've forgotten my warning. I told you not to touch Wendy, not to sleep with
Stanley glanced at Wendy before nodding. "Alright."-The two of them arrived at the hospital and entered the VIP ward, where they found Jessica.Jessica lay in bed, her face pale. She was still unconscious, her breathing assisted by a ventilator. Though her right wrist was wrapped in thick bandages, blood could be seen seeping through.Lilian rushed toward Stanley as soon as she saw him. "Mr. Hawk, you're here!"But her movement froze when she noticed Wendy standing behind him. Her expression shifted instantly. "Why did you bring her here?"Wendy gazed at her mother—the one who birthed her—with cold, steady eyes.Lilian's voice grew sharper with anger. "How dare you show your face here, Wendy! Last night, Jessica had heart problems and needed Mr. Hawk by her side. You knew that, but you wouldn't let go of him! Look at what happened—Jessica cut her wrist! Are you happy now that you got what you wanted? You're the one who pushed Jessica to kill herself! Get out of here!"In a