Griffin had weighed the pros and cons and knew Jade wasn't bluffing, so he could only stand on her side."It's him. He's the one who sent Kayden to the mental hospital and told us not to care whether he lived or died, as no one would bother about his life or death," Griffin blurted out.He retrieved a check from his pocket and told the reporters, "This is the 150,000-dollar check he gave me. I haven't cashed it. Take a look. It's from the Zeal Group. You'll see I'm telling the truth."The reporters leaned in, discovering it was indeed a check issued by the Zeal Group. Their eyes widened in shock."Oh my god! This really is a check from the Zeal Group!""So Kerrigan was lying just now. He tortured his own brother and attempted to shift the blame onto him. It's truly inhumane.""Hurry, snap some pictures! This is crucial evidence."The reporters snapped photos frenetically, while Kerrigan stood on stage with an ashen face. His mind repeated one thing over and over—'It's over. It's
Kerrigan was gripped by fear at the sight of the imposing police officers. The involvement of the authorities would uncover even more deep-seated issues. He hadn't anticipated a young girl bringing him down. Once in their custody, he might find it impossible to extricate himself. Despite the dire circumstances, he managed to regain a surprising sense of calm."Officer, can I say a few words to my son?" Kerrigan politely asked.He was now a suspect, not yet a criminal until the investigation was completed, so the police officer nodded. "Please make it quick.""Alright." Kerrigan took out his phone and called Lloyd.Lloyd had been keeping an eye on the press conference, and his absence was at Kerrigan's behest. It was crucial for the Zeal Group's image that only Kerrigan appeared. Any additional presence could have been detrimental.Kerrigan now felt a surge of gratitude toward Lloyd for complying."Lloyd, listen carefully. There's a chance I won't come out unscathed from this. I
'Another woman crazy in love... Hopefully, Kayden won't disappoint her.'A knock on the door interrupted Jade's thoughts. "Come in."Her assistant entered, holding a document. "Lloyd is currently scouring the city for lawyers. It seems he wants to get Kerrigan out.""Looking for a lawyer?" Jade chuckled. "Who would dare take on his case now? It's like digging their own grave."The Zeal family was now a rotten egg—no one would want to associate with them. How could anyone entertain Lloyd now?"So, what do we do next?" the assistant asked.Although Kerrigan had been arrested, there was still a long road ahead. Until Kerrigan's charges were settled, Jade couldn't rest easy.Jade thought for a moment, then replied, "We wait.""Wait?" The assistant looked puzzled. "Ms. Severin, what are we waiting for?"Jade smiled but remained silent, her gaze icy. She was waiting for Lloyd's next move, specifically for him to walk right into her trap. How could there be no one behind the Zeal Gro
Paul had no particular hobbies, his only one being collecting famous calligraphy works and paintings. If Lloyd wanted to seek his help, he would need to appeal to his interests.Jade carefully examined the information on Paul and couldn't help but sigh. She felt like she was facing a difficult problem. She had never met Paul before, so she didn't know what kind of person he was.If he insisted on helping Lloyd out of his relationship with the Zeals, there was a good chance that Kerrigan would be released. It wasn't due to Paul's influence alone. Jade knew that Lloyd would definitely try to find a way through the plaintiffs.Even if Kerrigan faced sentencing, it wouldn't be as harsh as Jade had hoped, provided Lloyd managed to persuade the plaintiffs to withdraw their complaints by offering compensation. In that case, all her efforts would be in vain.Jade furrowed her brows, feeling unsettled.Caelan glanced at her with a chuckle. "What's wrong? Scared?"His eyes held a playful,
As a result, they had gotten into trouble with Caelan."The Fitzgeralds' car?" Lloyd was appalled. He had actually collided with Caelan's car at this critical moment."Yes, the car's from the Fitzgeralds. I didn't notice when I was overtaking," the driver said, turning pale with fear. "Mr. Zeal, we're in trouble."Seeing the driver's fearful expression, Lloyd experienced a surge of anger. Amidst the challenges confronting the Zeals, everyone presumed he feared Caelan—even the driver was looking down on him."What's there to be afraid of? Even if it's the Fitzgeralds' car, so what? If it was his fault, then he should take responsibility. Let's get out and see what's going on," Lloyd said, his words calming the driver down a bit.The driver pushed open the door and went to negotiate with Samuel."What's the matter, bro?" Lloyd's driver knocked on the Hummer's window, trying to get Samuel to come out and talk to him.The window rolled down, revealing Samuel with a sarcastic express
An hour later, they arrived at a private residence on the outskirts.Jade and Caelan got out of the car, while Samuel went around to open the trunk and took out a box. He lifted it effortlessly, so Jade guessed the item inside was probably lightweight."What is it?" Jade thought it must be the gift Caelan had prepared for Paul. Although they weren't there to ask for a favor, they still had to maintain some etiquette. After all, Paul was a person of status.Caelan just smiled without saying a word, motioning for Samuel to follow as he led the way inside.Paul's mansion was huge, with high walls, gray tiles, and traditional decorations. There were pavilions and terraces everywhere, and even a pond in the courtyard where dozens of fish leisurely swam.Jade marveled silently. The retired official was really something… To have such a large mansion on the outskirts was no simple feat."Mr. Fitzgerald, Mr. Spaulding knew you were coming and specially asked me to wait here." Standing at
Samuel stepped forward to open the box, revealing a painting inside."Oh, what's this?" Paul looked delightfully surprised as he took out the painting and carefully opened it, inhaling sharply."The 'Mont Mundi'. Kennedy actually sent this to me?" Paul exclaimed, showing genuine appreciation for the artwork. "He refused other paintings I offered to exchange with this before, but he sent you all the way here with it today. This old man's thoughts are really hard to fathom."Jade was also taken aback, knowing that the painting was worth 40,000,000 dollars. Kennedy really spared no expense for her this time. In any case, this indicated that there would be some drama to anticipate, as Lloyd was also bringing a painting. Jade pondered what his reaction would be upon seeing this scene.Mitchell approached just then and whispered something in Paul's ear.Paul's expression changed slightly, but he didn't show much surprise. Instead, he simply told Mitchell, "Let him come over too, get a
Jade turned to see a young woman approaching. She was chubby, her belly round, and her cheeks jiggled as she walked."Nina, come here. Look who's here," Paul called out, gesturing for Nina to join them.Due to Nina's arrival, Lloyd's expression became somewhat complicated.As Nina approached, instead of sitting next to Paul, she greeted everyone in the pavilion first."Hello, Caelan, Lloyd, and this is…" Nina's gaze on Jade was puzzled. Jade smiled and replied, "Hello, I'm Jade Severin.""Hello, Jade." Nina didn't have the sense of superiority of a politician heiress or the arrogance of a rich heiress.Jade immediately felt a fondness for her.The only one with a different expression was Lloyd. Despite attempting a friendly smile, it seemed fake no matter how one looked at it.Jade also noticed that Nina's gaze toward Lloyd was quite unusual."Come sit here," Paul invited Nina to sit beside him, closer to Lloyd, leaving about a foot of space between them.Nina sat down and
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