This kind of noisy altercation was common in bars, so no one, including Jade, was inclined to intervene.Just as Jade was about to leave, a familiar voice reached her ears. "Are you trying to lay a hand on me?" There was a crisp sound as the girl in the middle smashed a bottle and brandished the broken glass at the thugs.Jade's eyes widened in disbelief. She had never imagined that she would encounter Melanie Newell here. Melanie was her best friend, and they had attended the same high school. Jade remembered the day they had met vividly. A thug had been bullying a classmate, and Jade and Melanie had rushed to her rescue. Though they had both gotten roughed up, the thug hadn't fared any better—he had ended up beaten, too scared to bother their female classmates again.Since then, Jade and Melanie had been inseparable friends. Jade thought she would only see Melanie when school started, so she had never expected to meet her here.In her previous life, Jade had been deceived by
"Crisis averted," the other person said before quickly disappearing from Jade's sight.By the time that person was gone, Melanie still hadn't snapped out of it. She kept staring at the departing figure in infatuation. "Holy crap, that guy was so hot. Who is he?"He was none other than Owen, who had been secretly protecting Jade on Kennedy's orders, always carefully keeping an eye on her.Jade couldn't contain her excitement when she looked at Melanie's chubby face and hugged her tightly. "Melanie, it's so good to see you again."Melanie's infatuated expression froze, her body stiffening like a statue. She pushed Jade away disdainfully. "Hey, did that old hag beat you silly?""Stay still. Let me hug you." Jade's nose was tingling, and her eyes were wet. If anyone in the world still treated her kindly from the bottom of their heart, that was Melanie.Melanie thought Jade had been scared silly and allowed her to hug her. "Okay, okay, don't be afraid. That guy was scared off, wasn't
Jade was happy just to see Melanie, but Melanie insisted they both drink until they got drunk. Jade couldn't persuade her otherwise, so she could only accompany her.After one round of drinks, Jade's head was spinning a bit, but Melanie was knocked out."Melanie, Melanie?" Jade patted Melanie's face and called out, but there was no response. Jade sat down dejectedly, regretting her decision. If she had known that Melanie wouldn't be able to handle her liquor, she wouldn't have let her go wild. Now that Melanie was so drunk, what should she do?In the end, Jade decided to take Melanie to a hotel for the night. However, because Melanie was too drunk to be carried only by Jade herself, Jade had to beg a guy from the bar who was familiar with Melanie for help. Only then did they manage to get Melanie to the hotel, where Jade booked a room and they took Melanie upstairs.After they left, a stylish woman in the hotel lobby smirked knowingly. The youngest Severin heiress was actually chec
Daphne's reputation was notorious, so Giselle didn't believe there could be any favorable dealings with her."Sorry, I'm not interested in your proposal," Giselle said, standing up to leave.However, Daphne stopped her and flashed the photo on her phone in front of her. "Ms. Withrow, you should think about it. Are you really going to pass up on such a good opportunity? Jade is just an adopted daughter, but she used her status as future Mrs. Fitzgerald to enter Centus Hospital. Don't you care about her existence?"These words felt like a knife piercing Giselle's heart. When she remembered the way Jade had embarrassed her, her face burned as though it had been slapped multiple times."What exactly do you want in exchange?" Giselle asked.Seeing her soften, Daphne smiled. "Actually, it's not a big deal. Victor has a batch of medical equipment he wants to sell to Fitzgerald Group. I want you to help facilitate this deal. It’s pretty simple."Giselle couldn't help but ponder it. Victo
After helping Melanie settle in, Jade took a shower and went to sleep. The next morning, when she woke up, Melanie was still sleeping. Jade didn't wake her up, leaving a note on the table instead and ordering breakfast for her before leaving the hotel.At work, the nurses at the nurses' station greeted her warmly, not out of deliberate flattery, but genuine affection for Jade as a person."Jade, you were so awesome yesterday," one of them said. Jade strongly disliked being called Ms. Severin, so they had all switched to calling her by her name at her insistence."Yeah, you should've seen Giselle's face yesterday. It was so satisfying," another nurse chimed in.They had been oppressed by Giselle for a long time, so finally letting out their frustration naturally felt like a breath of fresh air.Seeing them getting carried away, Jade reminded them, "Okay, let's stop now and focus on our work."At the nurses' station, Jade commanded almost as much respect as Nancy. As soon as she sp
Since starting work today, Jade hadn't seen Giselle. Normally, this wasn't like Giselle's character, as she was someone who always sought revenge. Such abnormal behavior didn't seem like the real Giselle.Just as Jade was contemplating this, a doctor wearing a mask told her, "Take the body from Room 402 to the morgue."The doctor left after giving her this instruction.Jade turned around, noticing that Kira and the other nurses were not there. She had to go to Room 402 by herself. The body was already covered with a white sheet, but blood was seeping out, making it look somewhat scary.Jade had encountered corpses before, so she naturally wasn't afraid. Without giving it much thought, she pushed the bed toward the morgue on the third floor of the basement.While she rode the elevator down, there was no one around. As Jade pushed the body forward, though, she caught a glimpse of someone. Despite the person's speed, they couldn't escape her eyes—it was Giselle.Jade knew because sh
Since the incident in the morgue, Giselle had been quiet for a few days, so Jade also got several peaceful days to herself.The hospital was busy every day, as the cycle of life and death was never-ending. Jade saw it all, and it worried her deeply. There was something urgent that she had to do.A pandemic would be sweeping the entire nation three months later, spreading rapidly and becoming highly contagious and extremely difficult to cure. Many people would die at the time, and countless others would be left with lingering side-effects.Jade believed that it was necessary for her to use the advantage of her rebirth to do something for humanity. Developing an effective vaccine would be the only way to prevent and treat the virus.Once this idea popped into Jade's mind, she couldn't ignore it. However, developing a vaccine required a large amount of manpower and funding. How could she raise the funds?Jade had thought about asking Leah before, but the Severins were too caught up i
Jade's sharp gaze swept across the banquet hall as she coldly surveyed everything as if it were a battlefield in a war against Giselle. She suddenly spotted a familiar figure.Melanie, who was dressed as a waitress, was weaving through the crowd."Melanie, what are you doing here?" Jade walked over briskly and grabbed Melanie's arm.When Melanie turned around and saw Jade, she asked in surprise, "Jade, what are you doing here?"Jade nodded and pulled Melanie to a secluded corner before asking, "What's going on?""I don't know either. Our boss asked us to come. Someone ordered a lot of drinks at the bar and hired us as waitresses. We’ll get paid 150 dollars for a day," Melanie said without much thought.Jade's heart skipped a beat when she heard this."Just keep an eye out," Jade warned Melanie. She didn't want her good friend to get involved. Melanie nodded in confusion. "Jade, why are you so nervous?""I can't explain it quickly, but just be careful," Jade instructed her bef
Chenelle's words made Jade clench her fists in anger. For someone so heartless, she really wanted to wake her up with a good beating.Taking a step forward, Jade grabbed Chenelle by the collar.Chenelle screamed, thinking Jade was about to hit her, and retreated in fear. "What are you doing? Do you want to hit me again?!"'So, she can also feel fear.'Jade sneered coldly, rolling up her sleeves to show the scars on her arm. "While you complain about the world's injustices, open your eyes wide and see that not everyone is as fortunate as you."I was also adopted, but compared to you, our lives are worlds apart. While you resent not getting enough attention, others are struggling to find their next meal. When you let jealousy drive you to harm others, some people are just praying to survive."Chenelle, you truly don't appreciate the blessings you have."Jade's fair arm was covered in scars of various sizes—burns, cuts, and a long stitched wound that looked like a centipede. Althou
Chenelle forcefully shook off Jade's hand, her eyes filled with venom as she spat, "You bitch! Stop pretending to be so righteous. I despise people like you the most. Do you think the Fitzgeralds adopted me out of kindness? No, it's because they felt guilty."Her face twisted with intense hatred, her gaze sweeping across everyone in the hall with a sharp, accusatory edge.When her eyes landed on Kennedy, her resentment peaked. "Ever since I stepped into the Fitzgerald household, you've treated me with hostility, never once showing me a kind face."My efforts to make you happy were like a dog desperately seeking attention. When you were in a good mood, you were somewhat kind to me, but when you weren't, you completely ignored me. "Do you think bringing me into the Fitzgeralds would make me grateful? No, it won't. I hate you. I hate every single one of you! You took away my only family and snuffed out the last bit of warmth I had."If it weren't for my father trying to protect Cael
After changing her clothes, Jade applied light makeup while standing in front of the mirror. As she gazed at her rosy reflection, fragments of the previous night's events flickered in her mind. Her cheeks flushed, and she covered her face with her hands, fanning herself nervously. 'What to do, what to do? How should I face Caelan later?'After much hesitation, Jade decided to face him. After all, they had already crossed all boundaries. Avoiding him now would be unnecessarily dramatic. Moreover, they would be living together in the future. It wasn't practical to keep avoiding him.With this thought, Jade felt significantly more at ease. As she approached the door, she heard Caelan's voice from the living room. "Hold her there. I'm coming right over." Puzzled, Jade opened the door and looked at Caelan.He ended his call and said, "We've found the person who drugged you. I'm heading over now.""Who is it?" Jade asked angrily.Caelan gave her a deep, serious look before replying,
'And then…' Thinking about it further, Jade couldn’t bear to continue. 'Could it be that I spent the night with Orion?!'"Morning..." The familiar deep voice sent a shiver through Jade, followed by a surge of joy enveloping her entire being. That voice, she would recognize it even in death.It was Caelan. This was Caelan's voice!Jade remained motionless, her body stiff. The swing from immense sorrow to immense joy was too overwhelming—she needed a moment to process it all."Why aren't you saying anything?" Caelan noticed Jade's odd behavior and propped himself up to look at her face, only to find her silently shedding tears.His heart clenched, and his first instinct was to apologize. "I'm sorry, last night I had no choice. Your situation was too dangerous—"Before he could finish, Jade threw herself into his arms.Caelan was at a loss, his body rigid, afraid to move a muscle.Tears dripped onto his chest, scorching his skin and softening his heart."Are you still in pain?" h
Jade felt as if her head was about to explode, her body burning, with her organs seemingly on the verge of combustion."Jade, Jade, wake up." Caelan gently patted Jade's cheek. The moment he touched her skin, he was startled by how scalding hot she felt.Jade's eyes fluttered open in a daze, her vision blurred, unable to discern the face looming close to hers. She grasped the cool hand on her face, pressing it tightly against her skin."So cool… So cool…" Jade murmured unconsciously, her body instinctively leaning closer. She wrapped her arms around the man's neck, rubbing against him desperately. "Help me… I feel so uncomfortable, so hot."Seeing her in such a state, Caelan felt an indescribable pain in his heart. His fists clenched tightly, veins bulging on the back of his hands as he commanded Samuel, "Find out who did this."Samuel nodded. "The doctor is on his way, but we need to lower Miss Severin's temperature immediately."Caelan's eyes darkened momentarily. He bent down,
Orion's face had turned a shade of red that was far from normal, yet he struggled to stay conscious, shaking his head with a bitter smile."I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be outsmarted."Jade's heart tightened in response. She had reserved a VIP suite in the hotel, with only two rooms on the entire floor. To ensure privacy, she had explicitly instructed that no one was to come upstairs. Now, Orion had been drugged, and she…A sudden spell of dizziness caused Jade's legs to give way. She clung to the door frame to avoid collapsing. To her horror, she realized she had been drugged too. 'Damn it! How could I have let my guard down?!'"I'll call for help. Don't move."Overwhelmed by the heat coursing through her body, Jade was on the brink of losing her sanity. In a bid to stay conscious, she dug her nails into her palm. The pain brought a moment of clarity, but it was fleeting. The heat surged back, stronger and more relentless than before. Fear crept up from Jade's feet
Jade arrived at the hotel and easily found the floor, unlocking Room 2020. As soon as she stepped inside, she was taken aback—red roses filled the entire room, and candles burned softly in the corners, creating a romantic and cozy atmosphere.This was the result of Melanie and Tiffany’s hard work all afternoon.As Jade walked on the soft carpet, Jade's heart danced with excitement. Today, she would give herself to Caelan—she was finally going to be his woman. She had been waiting for this day for so long.Her phone buzzed with a text message. Jade opened it and saw it was from Tiffany.Tiffany: [There's a gift for you on the bed. You're welcome.]'A gift? What kind of prank is this girl up to now?'Following Tiffany’s instructions, Jade found the gift on the bed. She opened it and gasped. A few black straps connected to bits of sheer fabric!'Lingerie?' Jade’s face turned crimson, and she quickly shoved the outfit back into the box. If she wore this to see Caelan, she’d rather
Caelan: [Alright, go ahead and get busy.]Jade felt a slight chill in her heart as she read the message from Caelan. Shouldn't he have asked where she was going? Why did he just reply with that?There was something off about Caelan's mood, but she couldn't quite pinpoint what it was.Seeing Jade lost in thought, Melanie waved her hand in front of her friend's eyes. "Hey, snap out of it. Did Caelan say when he's coming?"Jade, feeling a bit down, replied, "I haven't figured out how to tell him yet.""What's there to figure out? My goodness." Melanie grabbed Jade's phone and quickly typed a message to Caelan.Jade: [I'll be waiting for you at 5:00 p.m. in Room 2020 of Serendipitus. We need to talk.]With a flourish, she sent the message and tossed the phone back to Jade.Jade's eyes widened in shock. "Melanie, can we really do this?""Why not? Trust me, right now Caelan is probably as anxious as a cat on a hot tin roof, wondering if you're going to break up with him."Tiffany c
The car sped toward Jade's villa, coming to a stop.Caelan immediately took out his phone and called Jade. Just like before, there was no answer. While staring at the tightly shut door, Caelan's heart clenched. 'Could it be true, as Chenelle said, that Jade has fallen for Orion?'..."Hey, can't you two stop this?" Jade sighed in exasperation.She had been perfectly content at home when Tiffany and Melanie had barged in and dragged her out.To make matters worse, they had taken her phone. Their excuse was to make Caelan worry and see if he would dare to disappear again. Most importantly, they wanted to surprise him."Just relax and stay here. Tiffany and I will handle everything else," Melanie said, pressing Jade into a chair and thrusting a makeup brush into her hand. "You just focus on looking beautiful and don't worry about a thing, okay?"Jade couldn't help but laugh. "Can you two stop being so overbearing? I'm the main character here. Can't you show me some respect?"The