"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
Jade's curiosity was piqued, and she asked urgently, "So, what was he like as a child, and what happened to make him change so much?"In her previous life, she hadn't cared about Caelan's affairs, so naturally, she was unaware of his past and his family situation. She had assumed he had been a rich kid living a privileged life.What had happened during Caelan's childhood that had made him what he was now?"Can you tell me?" Jade glanced at the sleeping Caelan inside as she asked Samuel in a whisper.Samuel pondered it for a moment before speaking. "Well, Mr. Fitzgerald's parents divorced when he was four years old. Before that, he was just like any other lively and innocent child. But one day, his father brought another woman home along with her child, and Mr. Fitzgerald's life underwent a drastic change."The first ones to suffer during a divorce would always be the children. Jade naturally understood the pain involved, having never received maternal love herself."His stepmothe
Jade sat by Caelan's bedside, gazing at his peaceful sleeping face. She reached out to feel his forehead, wanting to check if he had a fever, only for him to grasp her hand firmly. She gasped.When Caelan recognized her, the hostility in his eyes faded and he quickly let go of her hand. "Sorry. What are you doing here?"Rubbing her sore wrist, Jade replied, "You can't eat grass carp. Why didn't you tell me earlier? You insisted on toughing it out, and it made me worry.""That big-mouth Samuel really can't keep a secret," Caelan guessed immediately.He got out of bed, clutching his stomach. Jade, who saw his weakened state, hurriedly supported him. He didn't want assistance, but his body wouldn't cooperate, so he let Jade help him."How about some water?" Jade asked considerately.Earlier, while Caelan had been asleep, she had prepared a glass of warm water for him. The temperature was just right at the moment.Jade handed the water to Caelan, who didn't refuse and obediently dra
Jade lay with her eyes closed, her eyelashes thick and curled, her nose tall and dainty. She looked adorable and serene in her deep slumber, letting go of all her defenses and sleeping soundly. Even with Caelan standing right in front of her, she didn't stir.Caelan gazed at her for a moment, then gently covered her with a blanket. Jade had taken his chair, so he moved his laptop to the coffee table and began working there.In the room, the only sound was the rhythmic tapping of his fingers on the keyboard. He occasionally glanced in Jade's direction, seeing her deep in sleep, which put his mind at ease and allowed him to focus on his work."Sir." Samuel pushed the door open and entered. Caelan raised a finger to his lips, signaling for Samuel to keep quiet. Then, he went with him to the meeting room."What's the matter?" Caelan asked.Samuel cleared his throat and hesitated for a moment before replying, "The McAuleys have invited you to attend Tiffany McAuley's birthday party."
Other matters were occupying Jade's mind, so she temporarily set aside the issue. Now that Caelan had brought it up, she was reminded. Not being able to find Jacob had always been a concern for her."I've searched everywhere he could possibly be, but there's still no trace of him. I think he must have left the country by now," Jade theorized. Given Owen's capabilities, there was no reason why they shouldn't be able to find him if he was still in the country. The only explanation was that Jacob had fled abroad.Caelan nodded, his eyes shining brightly as he looked at Jade. "Do you want me to help?"The enthusiasm in his gaze almost overwhelmed Jade, who didn't refuse. "Okay, I'd like your help."The last few times Caelan had offered to help, she had refused, only to realize later how disappointed he had been. When a man was willing to extend his hand, it meant he had you in his heart, and rejecting his help would be the most damaging blow to his pride.As expected, Caelan's express
Melanie reluctantly gave Jade her address, then hung up the phone and looked at Shane dejectedly. Her tone was appeasing when she said, "Shane, I'm sorry, but I have to go back."Shane had already heard Melanie's conversation with Jade. He put on a hurt expression and said disapprovingly, "Melanie, I genuinely like you. What do I have to do to make you believe me? Do I have to tear my heart out?"He grabbed Melanie's hand with a devoted expression that broke Melanie's heart."I'm sorry, I can't promise you anything right now. I need some time to think." Melanie felt extremely guilty. This day marked two months since she had met Shane, and he had specifically prepared a candlelit dinner to commemorate the occasion, hoping to spend this beautiful day with her.Shane forced a smile, letting go of Melanie's hand. "It's okay, I can wait. I'll wait until the day you believe me."Melanie's phone rang. Jade was calling, so she ended the call. "I have to go now. I'll contact you when I get
Caelan noticed that she seemed to have a plan and asked, "Do you already have an idea?"Jade gestured for Caelan to come closer, then whispered in his ear. Caelan frowned slightly but nodded in agreement. "This could work.""Okay, then I'll go up first." Jade didn't want to part ways with Caelan. Every moment spent with him made her feel incredibly happy.Caelan nodded. "Alright."Though his expression remained neutral, there was a hint of affection in his eyes. Even the slightest bit of affection made Jade very happy. He was opening up to her, wasn't he?Jade ran back to her dorm room, immediately heading to the balcony to watch Caelan's car below. She had only reluctantly gone back to the room when his car disappeared completely.Melanie looked at her enviously, teasing her. "Wow, people in love are really different. Their smiles can sweeten anyone."Jade knew Melanie was still upset about Shane, so she didn't mind. She shook Melanie's hand, coaxing her. "Alright, stop being a
"Oh, and who might you be?" The woman's arrogant demeanor piqued Jade's curiosity, and she stood with her arms crossed, appearing calm and collected.The woman smirked triumphantly. "You'd be scared if I told you. I'm..."Just then, a deep voice interrupted. "Miss, it's time to go back.""I'm not going back. You guys, arrest this ignorant woman!" The woman seemed to come from a strong background, or she wouldn't have dared to demand someone's arrest in broad daylight.Jade stood still, wanting to see who this woman really was.The bodyguard looked hesitant and whispered in the woman's ear, "If we don't leave now, Sir will be angry."The woman wavered but still refused to let Jade go. "Consider yourself lucky. Don't let me see you again."Upon saying that, she hurried away with her entourage.Once she left, the bystanders began murmuring. "That girl got lucky. She probably doesn't even know who she just provoked.""Let's go, let's go. Better leave this place behind."The onl
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