"Latest Updates on Ripley Group CEO's Love Affairs!""The Financial Tycoon is Going to Be a Father! Congratulations!"Lucy rarely read the news, so when she tapped on the headlines and read the contents, she looked at Tobias in shock. "How could you be the CEO of Ripley Group? Also, why did the news of my pregnancy get exposed online as soon as I got the test?"Tobias sneered. "No matter how out of touch you may be, you could have realized who I am just by browsing the news. But you kept insisting that I'm a gigolo. You're so good at acting that it's a pity that you're not an actress."You know what's going on, but you're still feigning ignorance. Weren't you the one who planned all this?"Lucy lost her cool. She had originally thought things through and decided that she wouldn't mind that Tobias was a jerk. She had just wanted to give birth to the children and make sure that they were born into a decent family.However, Tobias had turned out to be the CEO of Ripley Group. In
Before Lucy realized it, Tobias had approached her. Reaching out, he grabbed her chin and forced her to look him in the eye."Woman, you should know better than to take advantage of the mercy shown to you."Scoffing, Lucy said stubbornly, "You're the mighty Mr. Ripley, but you refuse to apologize for your wrongdoings. If word of this gets out, I wonder who will feel the most ashamed."They were very close to each other, and as they spoke, their warm breaths fanned across each other's skin. It made them feel quite warm and uncomfortable.Lucy's heart began to race without her knowing it.They were just inches away from each other. Lucy suddenly recalled the passionate kiss in the restroom the other day. She couldn't help but gulp.Noticing something off about the deep gaze in Tobias' eyes, she said warily, "What are you doing? Stay away!"Tobias gulped. Then, he kissed her on the lips.Lucy's eyes widened. Why was he suddenly kissing her?Startled, she tried to push him away, b
Lucy figured that since Tobias valued the ties between a married couple, he must be quite a loyal man. So, she thought that she could try to get along with him.Besides, the more she looked at him now, the more she felt that he was smoking hot.Reaching out, Tobias wrapped an arm around Lucy's waist and said, "Let's go.""Where to?" Lucy felt her heart racing as he hugged her. Before she realized it, her face had turned red.Why was he so passionate all of a sudden? Just a while ago, he had been shouting at her in the hospital.Curving his lips into a smile, Tobias said, "Even though it's a contract marriage, you should still get the treatment you deserve. So, of course, we're going to buy wedding rings."The two walked up to the luxury car, where Tobias chivalrously opened the car door for Lucy. Lucy was startled for a few seconds before she bent down and got into the car. It was only then that Tobias himself got into the car.Lucy asked, "Tobias, why are you suddenly such a
The voice was filled with jealousy. Even without turning around, Lucy knew who the voice belonged to. She couldn't even be bothered to spare Lily a glance.Lily continued mocking her, saying, "Mr. Ripley, Lucy probably didn't tell you that she slept with someone with an STD before, right? Well, that makes sense. If you knew, you wouldn't have married her, right?"Still, the truth will be revealed eventually. You should think twice, Mr. Ripley. You'd suffer huge losses if she passed the illness on to you."Lily spoke loudly on purpose so that the people around them could hear her.Lucy hadn't wanted to humor Lily at first, but after noticing that Lily was going too far, Lucy scoffed. With a cold look in her eyes, Lucy slowly approached Lily.Lucy had an oppressive air about her, so much so that goosebumps formed on Lily's skin without her realizing it. Lily subconsciously stepped back."What are you trying to do? I'm telling the truth. You're just a bitch with an STD, and you shou
A staff member came over and drove Lily out. At the same time, Tobias stepped forward and hugged Lucy's slim waist, saying, "Let's go check out the rings."Raising an eyebrow, Lucy asked, "Why aren't you surprised at all? Don't you think that I looked fierce and terrifying just now?"Smiling, Tobias replied, "You were quite cute."Lucy was bewildered and thought that Tobias probably had no idea what "cute" meant.Having been driven out, Lily shouted in frustration, "Mr. Ripley, don't get tricked by that bitch! Lucy doesn't have feelings for you at all. She loves another man, and he's her first love!"When Lucy heard that, her body stiffened. She had tucked away memories of that person in the deep recesses of her mind. He had not been spoken of in a long time.Now that Lily had mentioned the man, Lucy felt like her heart was torn to shreds. There was a piercing pain in her heart, which felt like it was bleeding profusely. Lucy's face instantly turned pale, and she looked very we
Tobias examined the rings earnestly.The women's design was delicate and exquisite, whereas the men's design was classy and sophisticated. The rings looked great together as well, so they were indeed stunning.Tobias asked, "What's the difference between these rings and the other ones?"Lucy said, "The intricate design of these rings symbolizes the eternity of love and the stability of marriage. It conveys a message that the newlyweds will always be together and depend on each other. "In other words, it's like our marriage will be steadfast throughout our lives."Tobias raised an eyebrow ever so slightly. They would be inseparable for life?He valued the ties between a married couple, and for some reason, when he heard her say that, he found himself looking forward to their married life in the future.Unbeknownst to Tobias, back when Lucy had designed those rings, she had also been really anticipating her marriage.Tobias said, "We'll go with these, then. Engrave our names on
Axel had a polite and refined air about him as he spoke to Lucy. He could make others feel rather comfortable.However, when he noticed the ring on Lucy's ring finger, his gaze darkened for an instant.Lucy didn't notice Axel's gaze. Instead, she looked at the dog, which was still wagging its tail. "Does it bite?"Axel smiled gently as he patted the dog on the head. "It may be naughty, but it never bites.""Can I touch it?""Of course."Axel's lips curved into a cheery smile. It was only then that Lucy lowered her guard. She crouched down to touch the dog's fur.She was very gentle as she caressed the dog, but she also exuded a somewhat seductive and charming air. Axel gazed at Lucy, slowly becoming entranced.The dog whined as it lay on the ground and wagged its tail. Every time Lucy touched it, it would whine in enjoyment, and it even affectionately rubbed its head against her leg.Axel chuckled, looking at Lucy with a spirited gaze. "It looks like it really likes you."Luc
"Enough!"Faced with Anna's persistence, Tobias said in an extremely cold voice, "Anna, I'm very sure we both know how I ended up sleeping with the wrong person. "You've missed your chance, so there's no point in pestering me about it. Also, I'm warning you—if you dare enter my office without permission again, I'll call the police right away!""Tobias, how could you be so heartless toward me?""Ha! Are you claiming that you weren't heartless when you schemed against me back then? I can't understand why you would push me, someone who's definitely good enough for you, toward another woman and then try to salvage the situation now."Anna was upset. She was no longer a virgin, so she had feared that Tobias would shun her. So, she had gotten an innocent-looking woman to cover things up. Unexpectedly, things had just blown up after the incident.When Tobias had finished speaking, he turned around and left.Reluctant to give up, Anna rushed forward and hugged him. "Tobias, please do
Lucy heard what Tobias said and didn't dare to look at him. She lowered her gaze, allowing tufts of hair in front of her forehead to conceal her emotions. "Why would I feel jealous? I don't love you."Tobias heard the last part of her sentence and felt as if countless insects were gnawing on his heart, making him feel itchy and painful. Both of them fell quiet, and things were a little awkward between them."The doctor's here, Prince Toddy.""Let him in."The doctor entered the bedroom and brought with him medical equipment of his own. He did a series of checkups on Lucy and said, "It's the same diagnosis as before, Prince Toddy. Her internal organs remain untouched, but she was wounded severely on the outside. "We need to apply a specialized ointment on her skin. Otherwise, she will have scars."Tobias said, "What are you waiting for, then? Get us the specialized ointment.""I've given you all of them, Prince Toddy. Use it wisely for now. The only person who possessed these sp
It seemed like Tobias was afraid that Lucy might reject him again. He added, "You haven't gone home for an entire night, Greta. Sully and Eli are extremely worried about you. I didn't want to alarm them, so I lied and said you're staying in the castle as a guest."If you insist on going back and letting them see you in this state, the twins would be worried and scared. Wouldn't you say?"Solomon and Elio were Lucy's weak spots. Initially, she was determined to leave. However, she hesitated when she heard what he said. Lucy lowered her head and looked at herself. Her limbs were injured, and her fingers were slightly bent. She was trembling ceaselessly as well. It looked as if her joints were distorted, giving off the impression that she was a disabled person. On top of that, Lucy's skin was cracked open from all the lashes. She looked absolutely terrifying. If she showed up in front of Solomon and Elio, looking like this, she would definitely traumatize them. With that said, Luc
Staying in the castle for the long term? Elio, who was a curious and mischievous kid, thought about the lavishing and magnificent castle, and his eyes sparkled. He responded to Tobias without any hesitation, "I do!"Meanwhile, Solomon wasn't interested in the castle that much. He wanted to spend some time with Tobias. On the other hand, he wouldn't be able to see Noah anymore if he went to the castle. So, he stuttered and said, "I don't."Elio looked at Solomon in confusion. The latter seemed to see through the former's bewilderment, and he asked, "Do you honestly think we can do whatever we want in the castle, just like the way we lived at the farm? "Moreover, we won't be able to see Noah anymore once we move there."Noah might've been a stepfather, but he took a huge place in the twins' hearts. Tobias was disappointed when he heard what Solomon said. "Do you two care about Noah very much?"Solomon responded, "Of course!" He considered his stepfather to be a good father. Tobia
Tobias used the military authority to his advantage and swiftly subdued Killian and all the leaders of his faction. All of them were incarcerated by the royal guards, and the signals were jammed. Not even God himself could help Killian and his ilk now. All they could do was sit on their thumbs in their respective homes. Moreover, Tobias revoked Killian's dukedom and stripped the latter of his military authority over Killian's negligence in Marie's education. After all, she drugged a prince. Now, Killian was nothing but a loser.Killian flew into a rage. "Damn it. King Samson had to show me some respect, but Toddy just disrespected me. How dare he lock me up at my home and make me a laughingstock in front of the entire world?""Marie has been imprisoned in the dungeon for a long time now, Kilian. What if she can't take it?""I'll never let her die!" Killian bellowed. "Did they think I command only the factions in the castle? They have grossly underestimated me."Killian couldn't
Tobias accompanied Lucy and looked after her carefully. News of Marie's arrest quickly made its way to Samson. Once he knew what happened, he was enraged at her actions. Before he had time to comfort Tobias, Marie's father, Killian Lemoine, rushed into the castle in a fit of rage. "King Samson. Prince Toddy actually ordered his men to arrest Marie for the sake of a civilian. Do you have no respect for me as a duke?" Killian ordered angrily, "Release Marie at once. Otherwise, I'll make you regret it."Samson slammed the table. "Are you trying to launch a mutiny, Killian?"Killian responded, "All I want is for my daughter to be safe and sound. If someone so much as touches her hair, I won't mind going up against the throne to the bitter end!""Why, you!" Samson was agitated. "You are feeling heartbroken for what happened to your daughter, but Lucy was also her parent's sweetheart. Why haven't you thought about how poorly you've educated Marie while she did those heinous acts?""I
Lucy cried out, "Get away from me!"The royal guards acted like starving wolves. They pounced at Lucy and tore her clothes to pieces, making her look even more miserable. At the critical moment, a figure flashed past them. A thudding sound could be heard as one of the royal guards was sent flying into the air. Every time Tobias swung his fist, he sent another royal guard flying. He bellowed coldly, "How dare you lay your grubby paws on what belongs to me? Death has come for all of you!""Prince Toddy." The royal guards immediately felt that something was wrong and fell to their knees, their faces drained of color. "Take all of them away!"Lucy was downright miserable. There were filthy liquids and blood all over her body. On top of that, her hands and feet were covered in bloodied welts. Her hair was disheveled, and her face was pale. It felt as if she was one touch away from passing away.Tobias' heart seemingly stopped beating. He was so heartbroken that the veins on his fo
Someone stole Duchess Lemoine's necklace.Tobias felt that this was something fishy, but he couldn't be bothered by it now. His head throbbed as he thought about how he had forced himself on Lucy. He said, "Dante, do you think Greta will hate me?"Dante stuttered, "Ms. Everhart was f-furious when she left and asked you n-not to look for her. Otherwise…"He stopped himself from finishing his sentence.Tobias asked, "Otherwise?"Trembling, Dante said, "Otherwise, s-she would beat you up each time she saw you."Tobias massaged his throbbing temple. "Prepare all the shoes, clothes, and accessories any woman would like. They need to be the best in the world. I'll apologize to her when dawn breaks.""Okay."Tobias stood by the bedside, heavy-hearted.Outside the window, the guards were scouring high and low. When Tobias saw what was happening, his eyes twitched for some unknown reason, as if he had an ominous feeling that something terrible had happened.After finishing breakfast a
At 3:00 am, Lucy felt like her bones were about to shatter.That damned man! How long had he been starving himself? He had come onto her seven times, devouring her completely.Tobias was sound asleep. Lucy lost herself for a second as she stared at his handsome face. At that moment, her heart beat wildly. When she regained her senses, she was so furious that she cursed him out internally.She wanted to help out of kindness but ended up giving herself to him. Lucy didn't want anything to do with him anymore and only wanted to remember this as an unfortunate event.Lucy got up, but her legs were so weak that she collapsed on the floor with a thump. She was even more furious.She turned to look at Tobias, who was fast asleep. She conveniently took her clothes from the bed and left while supporting herself on the wall.The corridor was still empty, but Lucy noticed the guards surrounding the entrance when she arrived on the first floor. Dante was also there. He was dozing off from wa
"Hmm… L-let go."Lucy tried to resist, but Tobias' kiss was like an ever-burning flame. She felt uncontrollably weak in her knees. It was hard for her to breathe, as if her mind was foggy from the lack of oxygen. She even kissed him back fiercely.Her kiss, in return, was like a fuse being lit, igniting the burning passion in Tobias. He aggressively ripped open her clothes, but the intricate design of her gown made it difficult to tear off. Lucy regained her senses and forcefully pushed him away.Tobias was caught off guard. With a loud knock, he collapsed on the floor. He moaned in pain as the back of his head hit the floor hard.His face flushed with an unnatural shade of red. He curled his body up in agony, and his voice sounded gruff. He had the last ounce of rationality in him. "Help me…"Lucy was blushing as well. In shock, she exclaimed, "What's the matter with you?"She walked closer to him and realized something was wrong with Tobias, assuming he had eaten something upse