George sped down the highway in a white van, frequently glancing into the rearview mirror. Wendy lay unconscious in the backseat, her delicate face pale under the dim interior light. His gaze lingered on her figure, tracing every curve with an unsettling intensity. The mere thought of having her at his mercy made his blood boil with excitement. Still, he knew he couldn't act recklessly. He needed to get far away from Hovendale—someplace where no one knew either of them. Once there, she would have no chance to escape. Then, he could do whatever he pleased.The anticipation made him flush with heat. Just as his mind spiraled into darker thoughts, the car in front of him stopped moving, and he slammed on the brakes. "What the hell?" he muttered, squinting through the windshield. Ahead, the cars had come to a complete stop. Drivers were poking their heads out of their windows, trying to make sense of the standstill. "What's going on up there?" someone shouted. "An accident?"
George's grip tightened. With a tearing sound, Wendy's collar was ripped open, exposing her delicate, pale skin to the cold air.A wave of memories hit Wendy, taking her back to years ago, in a similar cave, where she had been pinned beneath George. The foul stench of his body pressed down on her, and helplessness and fear engulfed her like a tidal wave. She felt as though she was suffocating, as though she was about to die. That young version of Wendy had been so close to death.She thought of Big Brother. Why wasn't he here?Suddenly, Wendy felt a weight press down on her again—George had leaned over her. She closed her eyes, bitterly realizing that even after all these years, when she found herself in a similar situation, her first thought was still of Stanley.She had grown up in some ways, but in other ways, she hadn't. She still longed for Stanley to come for her.Deep down, she knew he would never come.Wendy reached for her waist...But before she could do anything, a
Wendy was gently lifted into the back of Stanley's Rolls-Royce Phantom, her delicate frame placed carefully in the passenger seat. Stanley slid into the driver's seat, his large hand gripping the steering wheel with ease. He pressed down on the accelerator, and the luxury car smoothly sped down the road.Wrapped in his coat, Wendy felt the warmth of his body and the crisp, clean scent surrounding her. She could feel his heat seep into her chilled skin, and her small nose flushed a soft pink. A strange, fluttering feeling stirred in her chest. She never imagined he would show up.Years ago, he hadn't come.But now, he had.Wendy turned her head to glance at his chiseled, handsome profile. "Thank you," she said softly.Stanley's long fingers gave the steering wheel a slight tug as he pursed his lips, his voice firm. "Why didn't you tell me?"Wendy hesitated, not sure how to respond."I asked you so many times. Why didn't you say anything?" His tone grew colder. "Do you know wh
Stanley nodded and led Wendy toward the room.Wendy furrowed her brow slightly, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "What did she say comes with extra charges?"Stanley glanced at her, her innocent eyes wide with question, as if she was eager to know. He turned away, offering no response.They entered Room 503. It was clean, but there was only one bed.Wendy couldn't help but feel uneasy. How were they going to manage with just one bed tonight?"Wendy." Stanley called her name from behind.This was the second time he had said her name.Wendy turned to face him. "What's wrong?"She suddenly remembered their unfinished conversation. "You wanted to ask me something in the car earlier. What was it?""Did you—"Before Stanley could continue, his phone pinged, the sound cutting through the moment. It was a message from Jessica, along with a photo. Stanley opened the photo to find one from Jessica's childhood. As he looked at it, he noticed something: Jessica's childhood face
Stanley had already come out of the bathroom. He had heard the entire voice message.Wendy stood frozen, her mind blank. She jumped up in a panic. "Wait, let me explain…"In her frantic state, her phone slipped from her hands and landed on the bed.Cecelia's voice message played right after, "Stanley's in great shape—he must have a six-pack! And I've heard that men with long fingers are amazing in bed. Wendy, go for it and sleep with Stanley tonight!"Wendy, who had been trying to explain, froze. She felt like jumping off the building. Oh, my god! What was this mess? She had started out having a serious conversation with Cecelia, but things took a wild turn, getting more inappropriate by the second. The atmosphere had become unbearably awkward. Wendy glanced at the man by the bathroom door, letting out a dry laugh. "So you heard all that. Just remember that those were Cecelia's words, not mine."She figured it was best to throw her friend under the bus.Stanley, freshly s
The noise from the room next door continued, growing louder and more reckless. How could he sleep through that?Stanley raised his hand and sharply knocked twice against the wall with his knuckles, the sound echoing in the room. Immediately, the noise from next door quieted down.Stanley closed his eyes.But he wasn't sleepy. The restless energy of his young, vibrant body was hard to ignore in this environment. Wendy was right there beside him, soft and sweet-smelling. His mind wandered back to that night in the main bedroom at Saville Villa. He had pinned her against the wall, forcibly holding her hand...Suddenly, the noise from next door started up again.Stanley opened his eyes in irritation, sitting up. He threw off the covers and got out of bed.Just as he stood, a small hand reached out and grabbed the sleeve of his shirt.He turned to see Wendy's head poking out from under the covers. She had just been muffled, and her pale, unmade-up face now had a faint flush. Her wi
She kept calling his name. Her sweet voice had already drawn the young man's attention again, and he turned to glance back.It was the kind of sound that made you want to keep looking.Stanley could only glare and head back to his side of the room.Wendy had already crawled back into bed. Stanley glared at her, irritated. "What are you doing, calling out like that? Trying to summon something?"Wendy was speechless. She was only trying to help!"I'm going to take a cold shower," Stanley muttered, heading straight for the bathroom.A few minutes later, he emerged, his body still damp as he climbed back into bed.The two of them lay in silence, the air thick with tension. From the next room, faint sounds of laughter and playful conversation reached them—the man and woman were still at it, their voices low but distinct.Stanley was about to get up and take another cold shower, but just as he moved to throw the covers off, he felt movement next to him. Wendy, who had been lying fa
She kissed him. Stanley's eyes turned crimson as he quickly pushed her away. "Wendy!" Wendy gazed up at him, her face soft and innocent, yet there was a subtle, playful hint in her eyes. "Aren't you going to answer Jessica's call?" Stanley lowered his gaze, then forcefully captured her lips again. The phone kept vibrating—Jessica was still calling. Wendy felt a strange thrill, like she was caught in a forbidden act. Even though she and Stanley were legally married, it almost felt like they were sneaking around behind Jessica's back. Stanley kissed her hard, almost as if punishing her, biting her soft lips, then taking control, ravishing her breath like a storm. This little minx—she loved teasing him. George was right—Wendy loved to seduce men. Even at a young age, she had managed to capture the attention of the worst kinds of people. At that moment, her soft hands found their way to his body, slipping inside his shirt collar. Stanley gasped, immediately relea
Scarface gave Stanley the address and abruptly hung up the phone.Lilian immediately spoke up, "Mr. Hawk, you have to save Jessica1 Her heart isn't strong; she can't handle the stress!"Samuel glanced at Stanley, concern etched on his face. "Wendy's in their hands too. You have to bring her back."Stanley didn't respond, his expression hardening as he turned and walked out without another word.-Inside the warehouse, Scarface looked at Wendy and Jessica with a smug smile. "Tsk, tsk," he murmured. "You can question the character of the rich, but you can't question their taste. Mr. Hawk's ex-wife and girlfriend—you're both beauties. It's enough to make anyone jealous."One of the men in black chuckled, "Boss, we still have time. Why don't you have a little fun with them?"Scarface rolled up his sleeves and moved toward Wendy, grabbing her delicate chin. "Why don't I start with the ex-wife? I'll see what a woman Mr. Hawk's been with is like."With that, Scarface reached for Wend
Stanley pressed the button to answer the call, and a gruff male voice came through. "Hello, Mr. Hawk."Stanley's expression remained unchanged as he gripped the phone. "Who are you?""You don't need to know who I am. All you need to know is that the one you're looking for is in my hands," the voice replied.Lilian, panic in her voice, spoke up, "He's the one who took Jessica! Mr. Hawk, you have to save her!"Stanley's tone was cold as he asked, "Is Jessica with you?""That's right," the voice said. "Now, let me have her say a few words to you."Moments later, Jessica's frantic voice came through the phone. "Stanley, help me! Please, I'm so scared!"Stanley's lips twisted into a sharp, emotionless line. "What do you want?""I want money," the voice responded harshly. "Prepare 100 million, and I want it now."Stanley let out a humorless laugh. "You kidnapped someone, and you're trying to extort 100 million from me? That's enough to put you in prison for the rest of your life."
With that, Jessica turned and walked away.Before she left, she cast a quick glance at Lilian, and the two exchanged a silent, knowing look.Stanley and Samuel stood together, and Samuel glanced at his watch. "Mr. Hawk, Dr. Ceylan will be making her appearance soon."Stanley turned to Samuel. "How do you know Dr. Ceylan?"Samuel didn't answer directly. Instead, he said, "You know her too."Stanley's brow furrowed. Wendy had said the same thing to him before—that he knew Dr. Ceylan. Now, Samuel was saying the same thing. What was going on here?What did Samuel and Wendy mean by this?Could it be that Dr. Ceylan was someone Stanley knew after all? Had Dr. Ceylan always been right under his nose?Just then, the host spoke up. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us tonight. The moment we've all been waiting for is finally here. Let's welcome Dr. Ceylan!"Everyone's attention shifted upstairs, their breaths held in anticipation for Dr. Ceylan's arrival.Stanley looked up.
Seeing that Wendy had arrived, Jessica froze for a moment. "Why is she here?"Stanley's gaze shifted to Wendy, watching her intently.As Wendy approached them, Samuel wrapped his arm around her waist. "There you are."Edith, Jessica, Trish, and Lilian quickly gathered around, all eyes on Wendy, who looked as radiant as ever. Edith spoke up first. "Wendy, what are you doing here? Are you here to see Dr. Ceylan too? The doctor is truly a wonder whom everyone seems to adore. Even someone like you, a mere housewife, knows the doctor's name!"Wendy raised an eyebrow. "That's right. I'm here to see Dr. Ceylan."Trish scoffed. "Wendy, even if you do meet Dr. Ceylan, the doctor won't waste any time talking to someone like you."Wendy turned her gaze toward Trish. "And you think Dr. Ceylan will talk to you?""Of course!" Trish replied proudly. "I'm studying medicine, after all.""Wendy, today is a huge day—the real Dr. Ceylan is here in Hovendale," Lilian interjected. "This isn't the t
Wendy wasn't the least bit angry. "Is that so? Well, we'll see about that!"With that, she turned and walked away.Just then, Stanley's tall figure blocked her path. Wendy glared at him. "And you—we'll see about you, too!"Without another word, Wendy walked off.Stanley stood there, momentarily speechless. "Mr. Hawk, Wendy's completely lost her mind! Did you hear how she was talking to you? Has she gone mad?" Edith roared.Stanley watched Wendy's retreating figure, his lips curving into a slight smile. He suddenly felt that Wendy was...different. But what had changed, he couldn't quite put his finger on.Ever since the divorce, Wendy had been evolving, becoming deeper, more unpredictable.-Soon, evening fell, and the banquet began.Everyone put aside their tensions with Wendy for the night, dressing in their finest for the event.The grand hall was filled with prominent figures, wealthy elites, and powerful individuals, all gathered for a glimpse of Dr. Ceylan.Jessica a
Wendy was saying Stanley had met Dr. Ceylan.Stanley hadn't known this. A deep, probing look crossed his face as he studied Wendy. He couldn't shake the feeling that Wendy was hiding something from him.Right now, Wendy's eyes sparkled, glowing with an almost irresistible brightness. Stanley couldn't help but feel a strange stir in his chest as he gazed at her.Just then, Edith and Lilian emerged from the room, and Edith called out, "Wendy."Wendy turned to look at Edith. "Did you need something?"Edith's gaze was serious. "Did you take your father's ashes back and get everything settled?"At the mention of her father, Wendy let out a cold laugh. "Are you really pretending to care about my dad's ashes?""How can you talk like that? Jerry was my first son. I'm his mother!" Edith retorted, a hint of anger creeping into her voice.Wendy scoffed, her voice laced with bitterness. "My dad's gone. Who are you trying to fool with that? He wasn't even your biological son. You adopted him
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