Jade smirked and teased him, "One who can make you praise them must be exceptional."Caelan glanced at her indulgently and couldn't help but smile when he saw her sparkling eyes and mischievous demeanor."Focus on the game."They stopped chatting and redirected their attention to the court.Jade was stunned as she watched the game.In a mere two minutes, Hunter scored another two points. He appeared transformed, dribbling with confidence akin to an agile leopard evading capture. With powerful strides and a swift motion of his long arm, he dunked the ball into the basket.The crowd erupted into cheers.…In less than 20 minutes since the start, Hunter had scored three times.Meanwhile, Lloyd, the captain of the university basketball team, hadn't even touched the ball. Hunter's capability was practically the skill level of a professional player.Lloyd was close to exploding with anger. He never expected Hunter to be so dominant.With only 30 minutes left until the end, it'd be
Lloyd glared at Jade, his forehead veins bulging. For her to demand that he apologize to Hunter in front of so many people, she was intentionally humiliating him."Jade, do you have to treat me like this?" He gritted his teeth.Jade raised an eyebrow with a cold smirk. "Wasn't it your idea? You said if we won, you'd apologize to Hunter. You, the esteemed CEO of the Zeal Group, won't go back on your word, will you?"Since Jade publicly revealed the bet, he couldn't go back on it even if he wanted to.The spectators stared at them, wondering if Lloyd would apologize to Hunter in front of so many people. There was one thing everyone knew for sure, though. Whether Lloyd apologized or not, he was thoroughly shamed today.Lloyd stood there, his scowl darkening with each passing moment. If there were only a few people present, he could swallow his pride and apologize to Hunter. But with so many people there, wouldn't he become the laughingstock of the entire university if he apologized n
Jade put away her joking face and said seriously, "Lloyd is cunning and deceitful. If we publicly cornered him and didn't give him a way out today, he would surely cling to us like a rabid dog."There's a saying: 'It's better to offend a gentleman than a villain'. We've given him a lesson, so I believe he won't come looking for trouble in the short term.""Oh..." Realization struck Hunter as he considered Jade's words and found them reasonable. "Okay, I'll listen to you."Jade and Hunter exchanged a smile, but her smile froze when her gaze fell on someone in the distance. She had been so engrossed in chatting with Hunter that she had forgotten about Caelan.He was currently standing ahead and looking at her with a displeased expression.Jade ran over, grabbing his hand. "Caelan, we won this battle beautifully, didn't we?"Caelan didn't pull his hand back, instead gripping Jade's hand. "It was impressive. You got Lloyd into a real mess this time.""That's his own doing!" Jade huf
Hunter's words amused Jade. Since he put it that way, refusing would seem too affected, so she decided to accept it.However, she wasn't one to take advantage of others for nothing. She thought for a moment before saying, "How about I deposit the money into the Severin Group and give you dividends at the end of the year? What do you think?""The Severin Group?" Hunter pondered for a moment, his eyes lighting up. "Is it the Severin Group that makes jewelry? Are you the current CEO?"Jade smiled bashfully. "I can't really say it's mine. I'm only temporarily in charge. My focus isn't on running the business."The Severins' affairs were known among insiders, and Hunter was no exception. He instantly understood what Jade meant and nodded with a smile. "Okay, I'll go along with your plan. But I can't take your dividends for nothing. How about I design some jewelry for you as compensation?""You can design too?" Jade widened her eyes, realizing there were many mysteries about Hunter. Wit
The car window rolled down, revealing Lloyd's sinister face. He smirked at Jade and Hunter. "Sorry about that, hope I didn't scare you with the speed."Jade looked at his annoying face and retorted without backing down, "Us being scared is a small matter, but you not being able to control your things is a big deal. Losing money is a small loss, but losing pride is significant, isn't that right, Mr. Zeal?"She was mocking Lloyd's wager. He was arrogant just because he thought he played basketball well, but Hunter bested him.Lloyd instantly scowled. He was too green to be playing verbal games with Jade."I hope you'll always be able to stay so sharp-tongued," Lloyd spat and glared at Jade hatefully before stepping on the gas pedal and zooming off.Hunter watched Lloyd's car disappear and shook his head. "It seems like we won't be able to resolve our grievances with him.""If we can't resolve it, then we'll just have to knock him down until he can't bother us anymore," Jade said li
The crowd turned around to see Lloyd walking toward them. He was well-known throughout the university, so the security guards naturally recognized his car.Seeing Lloyd, they all hesitated. "Mr. Zeal, do you need anything?"Lloyd pointed at Asher with a smile. "Hand him over to me.""Mr. Zeal, this guy is very dangerous. You should be careful," the security guard kindly reminded.Lloyd took Asher and smiled without a care. "It's okay. He won't hurt me."He took Asher back to his car, put him inside, and then quickly left the campus.…Half an hour later, Lloyd returned to his company.Jordan, his assistant, opened the car door, greeting respectfully, "Mr. Zeal, you're back."Lloyd nodded and pointed inside the car. "Take good care of him. He's my guest."Jordan took a look inside, Upon seeing Asher slumped in the back seat, reeking of alcohol, he frowned in disapproval. "It's a drunkard?""A drunkard?" Lloyd smiled nonchalantly. "He's not just any ordinary drunkard, but a ge
It seemed one of them dwelled in paradise while the other survived underground. Asher had always yearned to prove himself, but opportunities eluded him. How could he possibly let this golden chance slip away today, lying right before his eyes?"Really? Are you sure you want to collaborate with me?" Asher's eager eyes couldn't escape Lloyd. He was like a fish out of water, and Lloyd was the water that could save him.Lloyd nodded and handed a card to Asher, saying, "There are 7,000,000 dollars in here. You can use them as you please. Not only that, but I can also give you 1% of the Zeal Group's shares, and there will be dividends at the end of the year. Is that sincere enough?"Asher was too shocked to speak. If he had doubts about Lloyd earlier, he now fully trusted him."Mr. Zeal, you really surprised me. Since you're so sincere, I won't let you down either."Lloyd shook hands with Asher and smiled. "Here's to a great partnership."...The celebration party for the game was sch
The fact that Francis recognized Jade but tactfully avoided mentioning her background showed respect toward her.Jade was touched by this gesture. She felt good about Francis and greeted them with a smile, "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Alridge.""Ah, nice to meet you." Vanessa looked kind with a warm smile as well, appearing well-mannered. Noises came from inside the room again.Feeling embarrassed, Vanessa smiled apologetically at Jade. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience. Excuse us."Jade shook her head. "I should be the one apologizing. I broke my promise and stood Emmy up, so her temper is understandable.""Alright, let's chat later. Let's go see Emmy now." Hunter asked Francis and Vanessa to go downstairs with a smile, "You two should rest. Leave Emmy to me, okay?"Francis and Vanessa felt somewhat reassured. "Emmy has always been close to you since she was young. She should be able to listen to you. Try to advise her.""Got it. Go on, now. The longer you stay here, the more unstable
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