Emmett's voice dripped with anger. "What else do you want? Our daughter is already in this state. Do you want to cause a scene and embarrass her even more?"Melody tearfully said, "I want to sue her and make her pay for Giselle's emotional damage."The more they spoke, the more unreasonable they seemed.Jade felt her kindness was being taken for granted. If she had known Giselle's parents would react like this, she wouldn't have sent Giselle to the hospital.Jade remained calm and composed. "Are you finished? Can I speak now?"Though hurtful, Giselle's parents' words couldn't affect her."Go ahead and speak. What else do you have to say, you murderer?" Melody's gaze on Jade was venomous."I regret that Giselle can't be a mother, but I don't sympathize with her because it's her own fault. If she knew how to respect herself, she wouldn't have ended up like this," Jade said, angering Giselle's parents.Melody wished she could tear Jade's mouth apart. "How can there be such a malic
If Caelan truly meant nothing to her, then what significance did her days spent watching over him mean?"But you succeeded, didn't you?" Caelan's mind was eerily clear yet twisted beyond words. "You knew she was going to drug you. If you truly cared about me, how could you not consider that I was also in danger?"He flung Jade's hand away and spoke with disdain. "From the start, you've been using me for your own gain. You've never been genuine. Jade, you're adept at playing games.""Caelan, I hope you reconsider what you just said and offer me an apology." At this point, Jade was also incensed. "I'm not Giselle. I don't have numerous schemes to employ against you.""Is that so?" Caelan sneered, his gaze piercing. "Can you honestly say you've never enticed me?"Jade was stunned. She suddenly recalled the first time she encountered Caelan. She had been set up by Gemma and ended up in his room in a panic, where he had caught her in less than-appropriate attire."But that was a misun
Jade held her phone, feeling conflicted about Caelan's response. It seemed too indifferent.Was he happy or angry?She guessed for a while but couldn't figure out his thoughts, so she replied with another message.Jade: [Does 'Mm.' mean you're not angry anymore?]Caelan: [I can only say that I got it.]His reply was quick this time.Caelan: [Do you think I'm someone you can brush off with just a few words?]Jade's heart clenched. Gathering her courage, she asked.Jade: [So, what do you want me to do?]Caelan: [Depends on what you do.]That was Caelan's final message. He didn't reply again.Jade pondered for a while and concluded that with Caelan's stubborn personality, he wouldn't apologize first. The fact that he was willing to talk to her was already a relief.Although Caelan didn't respond to her messages anymore, she still replied.Jade: [My feelings for you are genuine, with no ulterior motives or external factors. So please don't misunderstand me anymore.]After sen
Jade glanced at the round-faced girl and smiled. "If I remember correctly, you used to be her big fan, right?"The round-faced girl felt embarrassed. "That was just a misunderstanding back then. Jade, don't mind me."At that moment, laughter came from ahead.Neve walked out of the classroom looking disheveled, followed by a group of people mocking her. She hurried with her head down, appearing pathetic.Jade stood opposite her, her expression cold. She felt no sympathy for Neve's plight. In fact, she found it gratifying. Compared to the suffering Neve had caused her, this was nothing.Neve also noticed her and quickly approached, glaring at her with resentment. "Are you satisfied now? I've lost my family, been expelled from school, and even the entertainment industry won't tolerate me. I have no family, no friends—I'm a complete orphan.""So?" Jade raised an eyebrow, her tone icy. "Isn't this all your own doing? Don't think I'll go easy on you. Even if you died in front of me, I
This was the first time since Tiffany had been discharged from the hospital that she had spoken so much to Jade. Although the two of them hadn't been at odds before, they couldn't exactly be called friends either. Tiffany's willingness to have such a conversation with Jade indicated that she no longer viewed her as just an ordinary acquaintance.Jade's heart warmed at this, and she smiled at her. "Actually, I envy you. At least you know who your parents are, while I..."She smiled wryly and shook her head. "Forget it, let's not talk about it."Seeing her subdued mood, Tiffany said with feigned cheerfulness, "By the way, my birthday is next week, and I'll be hosting a birthday party. I've invited many friends, and I'd like you to come too."Tiffany was highly regarded by the McAuleys, and her birthday parties were always extravagant affairs attended by many people from the upper classes. Inviting Jade showed that she genuinely considered her a friend.Jade didn't want to let her do
The mall bustled with people, and Melanie's loud voice attracted everyone's attention.Jade hurriedly covered Melanie's mouth and whispered, "What are you saying? We're not at that stage yet. He hasn't even called me his girlfriend.""What? So you're chasing after him?" Melanie slapped away Jade's hand indignantly, looking at her with a mix of disappointment and frustration. "You're really hopeless. How could you chase after him like that?""Okay, stop fretting over my business. How's your dress shopping going?" Jade feared Melanie would say something even more inappropriate, so she quickly changed the subject.Melanie twirled around in her dress and smiled. "Look, am I pretty?"She wasn't particularly tall and she was a bit chubby, but the dress she had chosen cleverly concealed her chubbier parts and elongated her figure, suiting her perfectly.Jade gave her a thumbs-up and praised her. "You look great.""Alright, I'll take this one." Melanie decided on the spot, and Jade hand
After arriving at the Fitzgerald Group, Jade took the elevator directly to Caelan's office. She marched confidently there, but when she reached the door, her courage faltered. The memory of Caelan's stern demeanor during their last encounter was still fresh in her mind. Would he kick her out if she barged in uninvited?As Jade hesitated, the door suddenly swung open. Caelan stood before her with a cold expression, startling her so much that she instinctively took a step back. "Um, I… I brought you some food," she stammered, offering him the takeout box with a nervous look. Her heart raced in her chest, and her breathing subconsciously slowed down."Come in." Caelan stepped aside, allowing Jade to enter. She walked in with the takeout box and began laying out the dishes one by one."I wasn't sure what you like to eat, so I bought a variety of food. I hope it suits your taste," Jade confessed sheepishly, realizing she didn't know Caelan's preferences.She remembered that he had enj
"For me?" Caelan looked somewhat surprised, a fleeting spark of warmth flashing in his dark eyes.Jade thrust the gift into his hand with a smile. "Yeah, it's for you."Her face flushed bright red as she spoke. It was her first time giving a gift to Caelan, and it was a tie—a rather suggestive item. She believed Caelan would understand."I have something else to attend to. I'll leave now," Jade said hastily, grabbing her things and hurrying out of the office as though she was fleeing.Once she was gone, Caelan opened the box. Upon seeing the content, a smile softened his expression. He lovingly ran his fingers over the box, examining it as if it held the most precious treasure in the world.Samuel came over with water and some medicine. "You should take your medicine to avoid suffering.""Mm." Caelan obediently took the medicine, but his stomach still churned and beads of sweat dotted his forehead, making him look frail.Seeing his condition, Samuel knew he was having an allergi
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