Jade was taken aback. "What do you mean? Weren't you the one who requested that I come to get this document signed?" "Get what document signed?" Samuel also looked puzzled.Jade handed him the document from the university.After reviewing it, Samuel told her, "Just wait here, I'll go ask the finance department."Samuel took the document and went straight to the finance department. He asked, "What's going on? Why hasn't the funding been released yet?"The finance officer looked aggrieved. "Mr. Fitzgerald said that Ms. Severin must come in person for him to sign it. He wants to confirm it before it is stamped."Samuel widened his eyes upon hearing that. Looking around to ensure nobody was listening, he whispered, "Did he really say that?""Yeah, why would I lie?"Leaving the finance office, Samuel took a moment to compose himself. He finally understood the situation. If he couldn't see through such a blatant move from Caelan—asking Jade over to witness him sign the document—his
Caelan hung up with a dark scowl. He quickly dialed another number, and the call was soon answered."Hello." It was Albert.Caelan immediately noticed it wasn't Kennedy and asked, "Where's Grandpa?""He's gone out for some exercise," Albert replied cautiously.'Exercise?' Caelan raised an eyebrow skeptically. Kennedy's favorite pastime was fishing. When had he ever exercised? Kennedy was clearly avoiding him!Caelan sighed and said, "Tell Grandpa to stop meddling in my affairs from now on."With that, he hung up.…Albert was stunned for a moment before turning to Kennedy, who was eavesdropping nearby. "Mr. Caelan hung up.""This brat is too much." Kennedy was no longer cautious like just now, his tone growing assertive. "I'm his grandfather, why can't I be concerned? It's all for his own good. Yet, he dares to speak to me in such a manner. It's infuriating."Kennedy sulked on the sofa, while Albert handed him a cup of tea, trying to calm him down. "Sir, please don't be angry
It didn't take more than five minutes from the moment they met until Jade left. It was quite a coincidence that her car broke down at this particular time.Jade understood the meaning in his gaze and hurriedly explained, "It really broke down. I'm not lying to you."Caelan, however, smiled. "Care to run a couple of laps with me?""What?" Jade was still in a daze.Caelan pointed outside, and Jade followed his gaze. She then noticed the green grassy area where people leisurely rode horses, looking relaxed.Jade felt a bit tempted. After all, this was the most famous club in Centus, a place she had only heard of but never experienced. Plus, horseback riding looked like a lot of fun."Do you want to join?" Caelan extended the invitation again.Jade nodded. "I'm not very good at it. Just don't laugh at me.""It's okay, I can teach you." Without waiting for Jade's response, Caelan had the waiter lead her to the locker room.…When Jade emerged after changing her clothes, she was am
When Damien Gunton laid eyes on Jade, his expression brightened. Amidst the array of stunning women at the equestrian club, Jade's elegance and beauty stood out as rare.For a moment, he hesitated, unsure of how to proceed. "Um, it's not really appropriate for a man to strike a woman."Upon witnessing his lecherous expression, Giselle snapped, "If you don't hit her, we're finished."Panicked, Damien relented, "Okay, okay, I'll do it, alright?"With arms crossed, Giselle looked triumphantly at Jade. "Go ahead, hit her! Beat her until she's bruised and swollen!"Reluctantly, Damien raised his hand.Jade remained composed, her gaze icy and resolute. She made it clear that any attempt to strike her would be met with regret."Stop!" A deep voice sliced through the tension like a sharp sword.Giselle paled at the voice and turned to see Caelan approaching. His sudden appearance surprised and unnerved her.Although Caelan's coldness chilled her to the core, Giselle's affection for hi
"Watch out!" Caelan shouted, breaking into a cold sweat as he warned Jade to avoid the incoming horse.Jade had already seen through Giselle's malicious intentions. She gripped the reins, calmly watching as Giselle charged up from behind.Just as Giselle's horse was about to collide, Jade pulled the reins, changing her horse's direction.Giselle's horse narrowly brushed past hers.Giselle pulled on the reins and smirked at Jade. "Sorry about that, Jade. My horse was too fast just now and almost ran into you. Are you okay?"She had been intentional, yet she pretended to be innocent just to be annoying. She just wanted to see Jade lose her cool.Jade steadied her horse and smiled back at her. "Ms. Withrow, your horsemanship is truly admirable. You wouldn't mind running a few more laps so I can learn, would you?"With that, she flicked her whip at Giselle's horse. The horse winced in pain and bolted forward.Giselle screamed, knowing the horse was spooked. She held onto the reins
Unable to return to the city as the sky grew dark and started raining, Jade had no choice but to spend the night at the club.She and Caelan enjoyed the rain and chatted, their intimacy drawing envy from those around them. Amidst these gazes, however, was a hateful glare directed straight at Jade.Giselle hadn't expected to encounter Jade at the restaurant, let alone find her still together with Caelan. The closer they seemed, the more she detested Jade. The thought of Jade humiliating her at the field made her wish to tear Jade to pieces."Sweetie, what are you thinking about?" Damien asked affectionately.Giselle glanced beside her at Damien with disgust, finding him increasingly unsatisfactory compared to Caelan. Damien was like a fish in a bowl."Let's break up," Giselle impatiently declared.Damien panicked. "What's wrong, baby? Haven't I treated you well? I'd do anything for you."Giselle looked at Damien's fawning face and then glanced at Jade in the distance. Suddenly, h
Caelan's gaze settled on the wine glass, growing cold and piercing. Yet, due to the drug's effects, it lacked its usual sharpness, appearing dazed and feverish instead."Something's wrong with the wine." Caelan realized the severity of the situation and rushed into the bathroom to wash his face with cold water.As the icy water splashed on his face, it took away some of the heat.The potency of the drug caught Caelan off guard. Despite taking just a small sip, its effects were unmistakable. If this continued, he feared losing control.Maintaining a semblance of clarity, he promptly summoned room service. "Get a doctor here immediately."Room service arrived promptly, the attendant entering with a lowered head. Seeing Caelan reclining on the sofa, the attendant smirked triumphantly."Where's the doctor?" Caelan asked, slightly annoyed, as she stood in front of him without moving.The attendant removed her hat, letting her hair fall freely as she approached Caelan, hands reaching
Caelan deduced from Giselle's words that Jade was secretly meeting with another man. He knew Jade's character well—she wasn't that kind of woman.However, Giselle's arrogant demeanor didn't suggest she was lying either."If something happens to her, I won't spare you," Caelan warned before releasing Giselle and stumbling out.As he departed, Giselle's face twisted into a mocking smile.'Aren't you worried about that woman? The more you fret over her, the more I'll destroy her. What I can't have, she won't either,' she thought. 'Jade, don't blame me for being ruthless. You shouldn't have pursued a man you shouldn't be pursuing.'A sense of gratifying revenge surged within Giselle. She straightened her disheveled clothes and exited the room as if nothing had transpired.Seducing Caelan had proven futile, so she had only pretended to seduce him to reveal Jade's true nature. Yet, there lingered a glimmer of hope that if Caelan accepted her, she could achieve two goals at once.…Ca
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