Jade swatted Melanie's wandering hand away and said seriously, "I have important plans tonight. Stop making things up. Who have you ever seen dressed this formally to go out for fun?"She spun around on the spot and smiled at Melanie. "Do I look like a career woman to you?"Melanie propped her chin up with her hand and replied earnestly, "Don't you think this looks more like a silent sexy style?"Their conversation didn't seem to align, so Jade rolled her eyes at Melanie. "Forget it. We're not on the same wavelength. Your mind is full of garbage."Checking the time and seeing it was getting late, Jade grabbed her bag and headed out, but not before telling Melanie, "I'll bring back some good food for you.""Yay, I knew you're the best!" Melanie cheered, blowing a kiss to Jade.Jade smiled and then hailed a cab to The Lochan.…Cooper was already waiting for her in the private room. When she arrived, he quickly informed her, "I'm in Room 209."Finding the room, Jade pushed the d
Just as the sharp knife was about to strike Jade, the door was kicked open. A strong hand timely blocked the assailant's knife.The masked person hadn't expected Jade's reinforcements to arrive so quickly. Without landing a blow, they decided not to linger and quickly fled through the window."Are you okay?" Owen looked Jade up and down, relieved to see she wasn't injured.Jade shook her head and glanced outside, catching sight of the masked man jumping onto a motorcycle and disappearing in an instant."That was too close for comfort," Jade said, still shaken by the experience. Too much comfort had made her lower her guard.The enemy had intentionally stayed hidden for several days, waiting for her to relax her vigilance."Will he come back?" Jade asked with a frown.Owen shook his head. "If he chose to strike at this time, he must have been tracking you for a while. Give me your phone."Jade handed her phone to Owen, who expertly opened the case and carefully examined it for a
Shane committed all sorts of wrongdoing, relying on his family's power and influence. His grandfather was a prominent figure in politics, and his father worked in the government administrative department.Although Shane didn't have a job himself, he still held considerable sway in their circle due to his family background.In Jade's previous life, he was the one who had assaulted Melanie, causing her to miscarry after six months of pregnancy. Eventually, he abandoned her. Unable to bear the blow, Melanie jumped off a building.Melanie's miserable fate once again flashed before Jade's eyes. She clenched her fists, but she still couldn't extinguish the raging anger in her chest."Shane, you're here at last." Cooper greeted Shane warmly, guiding him to his seat. He gestured towards Jade as he introduced her, saying, "Meet my good friend, Jade Severin."Cooper emphasized "Jade Severin", so Shane immediately caught the hint and responded with a meaningful "oh".Jade's name wasn't unfa
Shane felt a twinge of awkwardness. He was accustomed to calling the shots and others fawning over him in his circle. Never before had he encountered rejection like this.Initially, he was just asking casually, but Jade's attitude stirred up his competitiveness. He made up his mind that he must win Melanie over."Forget it if you don't know her." He decided to take a step back for now and put Melanie aside. "I'll take care of your matter. I'll get back to you tomorrow."Shane was very generous not to stoop to Jade's level. His smile remained soft on the surface, but there was a chill in his gaze.Cooper was somewhat puzzled and signaled to Jade with his eyes, asking her not to be so cold. Having Shane around would make things easier for her.Unfortunately, Jade hated Shane to the core. Not only did she refuse his favor outright, but she couldn't help the urge to kill him now that they were sitting together.The reason she didn't leave right away was a favor to Cooper. After all,
Cooper hurriedly introduced Melanie, "This is my good friend, Shane Bancroft. Shane, this is Melanie Newell."Cooper was unaware of the bar fight, thus he did not know about the girl Shane had asked about earlier.Shane politely greeted Melanie, "Hi, Melanie. You look really sweet."Melanie, typically laid-back, had never experienced such praise before. Like any other girl, she dreamed of being treated like a princess. Instantly, she smoothed out her rough edges and smiled at Shane, resembling a docile kitten. "Thank you."Observing Melanie's shy expression, Jade couldn't help but feel a twinge in her heart.Was this fate? In her past life, Melanie and Shane had crossed paths, and now they seemed destined to be intertwined once more.With both Melanie and Shane already seated, Jade found no excuse to ask Shane to leave, so she reluctantly took the passenger seat."Melanie, have you finished your thesis?" Jade tried to make conversation.Melanie's face fell, and she complained,
Jade stared into Melanie's eyes, asking with utmost seriousness, "Do you believe in rebirth?"Melanie blinked, then waved a hand and laughed heartily. "Are you drunk or something? Hahaha!"Jade stayed silent. She knew Melanie would think she was crazy, yet she couldn't ignore the memory of Melanie's previous suffering.Jade held Melanie's hand and asked nervously, "Melanie, can you promise me something?" Seeing Jade's serious expression, Melanie put away her smile and nodded. "Go on.""Could you... not associate with Shane?" Jade asked reluctantly.Melanie's smile froze momentarily as she gazed at Jade with uncertainty, and she struggled to say, "Jade… do you like him?"Jade was speechless."I actually noticed earlier that you've been staring at him." Melanie's expression turned somewhat crestfallen. "If you like him, I can—""What nonsense are you blabbering?" Jade quickly interrupted her, "How did you even come up with the guess that I like him?""Then why don't you want m
"No!" Jade refused outright, trying to brainwash Melanie. "Shane is not a simple person. He's seen all kinds of girls, so don't delude yourself into thinking he likes you."Melanie pouted. "Jade, why do you have such a big issue with him? It's not easy for me to have someone like me for once, and you're just discouraging me."Melanie wasn't bad-looking, with a round face that was quite cute, albeit slightly chubby. Plus, she was easygoing and carefree, so even if someone liked her, he wouldn't dare confess to her. Consequently, she had remained single over the years.Shane had a poised demeanor and smooth eloquence, precisely the image of a perfect man in Melanie's eyes. His appearance ignited her flames of romance and set them ablaze.Jade frowned, concerned that Melanie might fall into Shane's trap if she continued like this.Jade explained, "It's not that I don't want you to date, but he may not be as good as you imagine. Before getting too close, it's wise to observe his chara
"Once my medicine hits the market, who will it pose the greatest threat to?" Jade asked back.Melanie instantly grasped the key point of the issue. "Kerry Pharmaceuticals. No wonder Lloyd has been so quiet lately. He's trying to stir trouble.""He's hitting three birds with one stone—helping Neve, doing the crew a favor, and tarnishing my reputation. He's really cunning," Jade couldn't help but sneer.In her previous life, she had known that Lloyd was quite scheming and never showed mercy to his rivals. She hadn't expected him to use these tactics against her now, though."What should we do? We can't let him continue slandering you like this," Melanie said with concern. The medicine hadn't hit the market yet, and this damaging information about Jade had already surfaced, so it would definitely affect the company.Jade, who was unfazed, grabbed her bag and smiled at Melanie. "Let him be. The medicine will still hit the market. Do you think I'll stop just because of this?"Melanie
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