Jade sensed that there was more to his words, so she didn't press him too hard. "Just tell me what's going on."Speedy swallowed hard before speaking into the phone. "I know who killed Lilith's grandmother.""What?" Jade tightened her grip on the phone and tensed up. "Who was it?""Mac Big told me it was a woman named Neve who hired them to do it. She wanted revenge on Lilith for betraying her."Jade furrowed her eyebrows. She hadn't expected Neve, who had been missing for days, to still be around, let alone secretly seek revenge on Lilith and cause her grandmother to fall to her death.She was going to help Lilith settle this score for sure."Where's Mac Big?" Jade asked urgently."He's long gone. Said he was going to hide out with some relatives," Speedy replied. Then, he added, "Now, do you believe me?""Thank you." Jade hastily thanked him and hung up the phone.Lilith was still giving a statement to the police when Jade hurried in. She told the police officer, "Someone pr
"Didn't catch that? I'm pregnant, and the baby is yours. It happened that night." Neve stepped closer to Lloyd, poking his chest with her finger.Lloyd seemed frozen, his eyes fixed on Neve's mouth as she spoke, his mind blank."What's wrong? Scared stiff?" Neve waved her hand in front of Lloyd, making him snap back to reality, his face growing even darker.Lloyd dropped his high and mighty demeanor, his voice somewhat softer but still firm. "Are you sure it's mine?""What, don't believe me?" Neve was fearless now, and she looked like she wanted to make a scene. "How about I have the baby so you can see if it's yours or not?"Lloyd was always composed, but he couldn't keep his cool in front of Neve this time. He pretended to be calm as he told her, "The police are looking for you everywhere. Why come to me now instead of fleeing?"Seeing he had hit the mark, Neve smiled and extended her hand. "I'm here to get some child support from you, of course. I promise to take the money and
An hour later, Neve cleaned up and changed into fresh clothes. Aside from looking a bit pale, nothing about her seemed out of the ordinary. She went over to Lloyd slowly and smiled. "Is it okay now?""Take the money and leave," Lloyd said, passing the card and passport to her disdainfully, as if she were a contagious disease to be avoided.Neve took the card and passport with a teasing smile. "Lloyd, I might be gone for a while. Aren't you going to see me off?"Lloyd glanced coldly at her, speaking with a conflicted tone. "I would like to, but unfortunately, I don't have the time. Take care."Neve had known Lloyd would say that, so she hadn't been holding out much hope. She waved to him and slowly walked away with her things.Downstairs, she hailed a cab and was just about to get in when a stern voice came from behind her. "Quick, arrest her."Turning around, Neve saw two police officers in plain clothes dart around a corner before they pinned her to the ground.Lloyd walked out
Jade pondered it for two seconds, then nodded. "Alright, I'll go see her."It was time to settle the score between her and Neve, and she was curious to hear what Neve had to say."Thank you, Jade. Thank you on behalf of my grandmother too," Lilith said emotionally. Seeing the perpetrator brought to justice had been her greatest wish.Jade sat expressionlessly at the table in the visiting room. Across her was a disheveled Neve in oversized prison garb. The clothes wrapped around her emaciated figure, making her look like a lifeless twig."You asked to see me just to stare at me like this?"Neve's eyes had not left Jade since Jade had entered the room. Neve looked at her greedily, observing how put together she was in her fresh clothes and delicate makeup.As she looked on, an overwhelming sense of sorrow consumed her. If she hadn't been at odds with Jade from the start, would she have been just as well-dressed now?"Jade, I envy you at times like this," Neve said bitterly with a
Neve hastily stood up as Jade was about to leave, shouting, "Kill him! You must kill him!"Jade reached the door, and Neve wanted to follow, but she was stopped by the prison guards. Through the window, she shouted to Jade, "Lloyd is ruthless! You must be careful. He has developed a dangerous drug. He..."Jade couldn't hear the rest of her words as she walked away. However, Neve had warned her to be cautious of Lloyd and his newly-developed drug.Jade smiled faintly. She needed to be cautious of Lloyd, but not because of his drug. In her previous life, she was the one who had developed all his drugs. Without her help, in this life, what could he accomplish?With a disdainful laugh, Jade left the police station.The sunlight warmed her, but a chill ran down her spine as a gust of autumn wind passed by. She slowly opened her eyes, a person flashing through her mind, instantly dispelling her drowsiness.It was early fall now, and Jade remembered a major event that had happened durin
Although Neve had been kicked out by the Severins, Leah couldn't possibly not care about her. After all, Neve was still a descendant of the Severins, and Leah couldn't let go of that fact.Jade bought some things and headed straight for Leah's mansion. Sure enough, as soon as she arrived, Brianna greeted her with a worried expression, saying, "Madam hasn't eaten all day. Ms. Jade, you've come at just the right time. Please try to persuade her to eat."Jade sighed and took the soup from Brianna before entering Leah's room.Leah was lying in bed with her eyes closed. When she heard the sound, she waved her hand dismissively. "I told you, I'm not eating. Take it away.""It's me, Grandma," Jade said softly, sitting down by the bed with the soup in hand.When Leah opened her eyes and saw Jade, her eyes lit up. "You didn't even give me a heads-up before coming. You purposely come whenever I look unkempt."While Leah complained, her tone was affectionate."How could that be, Grandma? Y
The package felt heavy in Jade's hands, and her emotions were complicated. Delivering these items inevitably meant she would see Neve again. She had thought that her entanglement with Neve had ended in this lifetime.Letting out a deep breath, she picked up the items and headed toward the police station. Before she could even reach her car, she received a phone call from an unknown number.Hesitating for a moment, Jade answered, "Hello?""Is this Ms. Jade Severin?" the caller asked with distant politeness."Yes, that's me. What can I do for you?" "Neve Severin committed suicide," the caller stated calmly.Jade's heart dropped, unable to believe what she had just heard. "What? Neve committed suicide?"Although Jade harbored deep hatred for Neve, hearing about her death still left her stunned. The last time she had seen Neve, she had seemed fine, and there had been no signs of suicidal thoughts. Besides, Neve cherished her life, so how could she suddenly have taken her own life?
"Are you out of your mind?" Jade couldn't help but chuckle in exasperation. "I don't know where you get such a sense of superiority. Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror to see what kind of person you are?"How could he make such an audacious claim she could only belong to him? Good lord."Jade, aren't you only interested in Caelan because he's wealthy?" Lloyd retorted."I like him not because of his money. Even if he were a pauper, I'd still like him," Jade countered.Arguing with Lloyd was pointless. Jade turned to leave, but Lloyd stopped her. "Jade, you will regret this."Jade huffed. "What I regret most is wasting time with you here."As she was about to leave, something suddenly occurred to her. She turned back to Lloyd. "Do you know that Neve committed suicide?""Oh, really?" Lloyd responded indifferently, but Jade caught a fleeting killing intent in his eyes. "I didn't know."His expression indicated he already knew or had anticipated it.The more Jade looked
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