Laura stepped back, her gaze avoidant as she looked at Jade. "Are you crazy? Get out of my way, I'm leaving."She took two steps forward, but Melanie pushed her back. "Laura Jourdain, you think you can just run away after committing a crime? It's not that easy."Laura almost fell to the ground from the push and became flustered. "What are you doing? Are you planning to hit me?""Do you know that what you did broke Tiffany's leg and almost endangered the whole class? That's over 30 lives, Laura! Doesn't your conscience ache? Could you sleep peacefully if something really happened?" Jade pressed, advancing step by step, while Laura retreated until her back hit a rock."I-I didn't! I really didn't!" At this point, Laura was still trying to argue.Seeing Laura's reluctance to admit her fault, Jade signaled to Melanie.Melanie took out her phone and dialed a number. An elderly person's voice came from the other end. "Hello, who is this?""Hello, I'm from the car rental company. Laura
Jade's words plunged Laura into deep thought. When Neve told her it was Jade who had framed her, Laura had been irrational and believed her.Upon reflection now, it was full of loopholes. Jade's dorm was far from hers, so how could Jade sneakily slip the exam papers under her bed?"If it wasn't you, then who could it be?" Laura asked uncertainly.Melanie couldn't stand it anymore and said, "It's such a simple question. Do you even need to think? It's obviously the person closest to you.""No, it can't be!" Laura denied hastily. "Neve wouldn't frame me. She's always been so good to me, helping me with everything. When everyone else looked down on me, she was the only one who genuinely cared about me."Jade felt a pang of pity for Laura and analyzed it for her. "How exactly was she good to you? By making you fetch water and buy food for her? By occasionally buying you snacks to butter you up to win you over?"Think about it. Every time she pretended to be weak, it was to make you t
Aware of Neve's temper, Rania silently set off to purchase what she desired."Excuse me, is Neve around?" Just as Rania turned to leave, she collided with an androgynously dressed girl.After scrutinizing the newcomer for a moment, Rania cautiously asked, "May I ask who you are?""I'm Neve's good friend. I need to see her about something." Laura tried to appear calm and confident. She knew that the more nervous she seemed, the more suspicious Rania would become.As expected, Rania believed her. "Ms. Severin is taking a break. I'll take you to see her."Neve was sitting on a chair resting when Rania returned. Immediately, her expression darkened. "Where's the water I asked for?""Neve, long time no see."Laura's sudden appearance caught Neve off guard.Neve looked at Laura fixedly, forcing a strained smile. "What brings you here?"Neve's indifference hurt Laura deeply, but she held back for the sake of confirming her suspicions. "What's wrong? Are you unhappy to see me?""Why
You've got issues." Neve no longer had the patience to deal with Laura, so she instructed Rania, "What are you waiting for? Get her out of here."Rania was utterly stunned. She hadn't expected Neve to be someone like that.Regaining her senses, she told Laura, "Please leave. Ms. Severin needs to work."Laura nodded and calmly left the studio.Watching her departure, Neve seethed with anger. She was already struggling with the shoot, and she now felt threatened by Laura."She thinks she can waltz into the entertainment industry just because she wants to? Hah, absurd."Neve thought that Laura lacked both looks and background. To her, Laura's aspiration to enter the entertainment industry was simply unreachable.Despite that, she felt a trace of fear upon recalling Laura's gaze. It resembled someone else's too much.'Who could it be?'Neve pondered for a while, then suddenly widened her eyes.She realized Laura's gaze was too similar to Jade's—equally cold, devoid of any emotion
Jade and Melanie had stumbled upon a red maxi dress during their recent shopping spree. Melanie had insisted Jade buy it, claiming it was made for her. To placate Melanie, Jade purchased it, but then stashed it away in her closet, never to be worn again.Now that Melanie insisted Jade wear it, the latter refused adamantly, "No way, it's too flashy. I can't pull it off."Melanie narrowed her eyes as she snatched Jade's purse, threatening, "If you don't change, I won't give this back to you."Inside the bag were Jade's phone and keys, and Melanie intentionally used them as leverage against her.Downstairs, Caelan was still waiting. Jade didn't want to risk angering him by making him lose his patience from waiting."Alright, alright, I'll change," Jade conceded, reluctantly heading back to her room to put on the dress.When she emerged again, Melanie exclaimed, "Wow! I told you it would look great! You have fair skin and a good figure, and this dress really complements your vibe."
"That's her, alright. I never expected she'd look so stunning when she put in the effort.""She's shining brighter than any celebrity. Goodness, she's gorgeous!"Jade heard praises from the students, adding to her stress. If she had known, she wouldn't have listened to Melanie.Just then, Caelan suddenly stopped in his tracks.Confused, Jade looked at him, only to see him take off his suit jacket and drape it over her shoulders."Be careful not to catch a cold," he said.His jaw clenched, eyebrows slightly furrowed, and his gaze on Jade held a complexity that spoke volumes. It seemed as though a thousand words were at the tip of his tongue, ready to spill forth.Puzzled, Jade glanced at the sky. It was sunny, with no breeze stirring the air. As she began to remove her jacket, she caught a fleeting coldness in Caelan's gaze, and understanding dawned upon her suddenly.'Could he be... jealous?'Samuel was sweating profusely. He was really afraid Jade might return the jacket, but
"With Grandpa around, she won't dare cause trouble," Caelan explained, noticing Jade's doubts.Despite what he said, Jade still felt uneasy.In her previous life, Bella had caused Jade a lot of trouble. Whenever Caelan showed interest in Jade, Bella would block his advances in every way possible. Bella had devised numerous schemes to make Caelan lose interest in Jade.Jade worried this dinner might escalate into another power struggle. She sat in her seat, feeling somewhat weary and devoid of the previous excitement.Noticing Jade's lack of enthusiasm, Caelan felt a pang of concern. He took out his phone and sent a message to Bella.Caelan: [Grandpa isn't feeling well. Try not to upset him.]Bella: [What nonsense are you talking about? I'm coming to check on Grandpa. Why would I cause trouble?]Caelan: [That'd be the best.]…Half an hour later, the car stopped in front of Kennedy's place.As Caelan got out of the car, Jade followed closely behind.Albert approached them res
Selene mocked Jade directly even in front of Kennedy. Her disdain for Jade was evident in both her words and demeanor.Seeing her becoming more unreasonable, Kennedy cleared his throat. "Selene, Jade is engaged to Caelan. She will be Mrs. Fitzgerald sooner or later. There's nothing wrong with her calling you Aunt Selene."Selene forced a smile, but her eyes didn't reflect the warmth. "Dad, I was just making a few remarks. Why are you lecturing me in front of a guest?"Kennedy gave her a stern look and snorted but didn't say anything more, saving her pride.In the past, Jade would have felt utterly embarrassed. A rebirth later, though, she had seen through many things.Even if Selene embarrassed or scolded her to her face, she wouldn't take it to heart because she knew that Caelan was the most important person to her."Let's all sit," Kennedy declared.Jade and Caelan sat together on the sofa.Jade smiled, unaffected by Selene's attitude. "Grandpa, it's been a while since we las
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