Julian tossed the clothes to Jade, who subconsciously caught them and looked at them in horror—pink bunny pajamas......For the next few days, Jade immersed herself in the laboratory, focused on developing the enhanced HIV strain. The virus was now 70% complete, needing only her finishing touches.Ten days later, in the laboratory."Done!" Jade gasped softly, having successfully developed the enhanced HIV strain.Lloyd rushed over, his eyes lighting up. "It's a success! I've finally developed the enhanced HIV strain. This is great!"A cunning glint flashed in Jade's eyes as she calmly replied, "Congratulations.""Congratulations to both of us." Lloyd excitedly moved to hug Jade, but she avoided him. Standing there awkwardly, he looked at Jade with a grim expression. "What, haven't you given up yet? Let me tell you, you'll never return to Centus. You won't be able to."A sense of foreboding washed over Jade as she asked, "What do you mean?""Because you, as a person, have di
Jade knew Lloyd well. If she were too compliant, he would certainly become suspicious. She had to resist just enough to pique his desire to conquer. She turned around, and as expected, heard Lloyd chuckle.He rested a hand on her shoulder, trying to sway her with tender words. "I've said it before—that's all in the past. Can't we forget about it? I can do anything for you if you want."Jade smirked. "Oh really? Would you leave your wife for me?""She can't compare to you. From the beginning to the end, you've been the only one in my heart," Lloyd replied firmly, leaning in to kiss Jade.Jade remained still, counting silently in her mind. She wanted to gauge how much Lloyd meant to Nina. Just as she counted to three, Nina's voice came from outside the door. "Honey, are you here?"Lloyd quickly moved away from Jade, adopting a busy demeanor, and impatiently said, "Didn't I say I'm busy working? Why did you come over?"Nina entered, casting a displeased glance at Jade. "To see if th
"Ah!" Nina screamed and lunged forward to attack Lloyd. Although she knew she wasn't attractive, hearing those hurtful words from the person she loved felt like being stabbed with a sharp knife.All the past joys vanished in an instant. Without love, all that remained was resentment and hatred.Nina threw a tantrum and fought with Lloyd. In the chaos, her nails scratched his face, causing him to gasp sharply from the stinging pain. He wiped his face with his hand, smearing blood on it."Enough!" Lloyd angrily shoved Nina to the floor, then went berserk, kicking over tables and chairs in the room. He warned her sternly, "This is the last time. If you cause trouble again, I won't be so nice."With that, he stormed off without looking back.Nina's hands were cut by the shards on the floor and were bleeding profusely, but Lloyd didn't even spare her a glance as he left. It shattered her heart.The situation had escalated faster than Jade expected. She thought she'd have to wait longe
Julian looked confused. He was about to ask Jade what she meant but saw her get up and walk toward Lloyd.Tonight, Jade wore a floor-length gown that shimmered like starlight, its crisscross design on the back exposing her smooth, fair skin, adding a touch of sensuality to her appearance.Approaching Lloyd, Jade captured his attention entirely—his gaze seemed entranced, unable to break away from her."Aren't you going to ask me to dance?" Jade asked with a smile, her eyes crescent-shaped and radiating a soft, indescribable charm.Lloyd's heart fluttered, feeling as though he were in a dream. The previous Jade had avoided him like the plague, yet there she was, making advances toward him. It all felt surreal. Only when Jade beckoned him again did he nod in agreement."Let's," Lloyd replied, extending his hand.Jade placed hers in his palm, her soft fingertips seemingly tracing his lifeline, causing his breath to hitch.As they glided onto the dance floor, Lloyd held Jade's slende
Julian was puzzled. "What? Why are we going to his room?"Jade didn't have time to explain. She hurriedly led Julian all the way to Lloyd's door, where there were guards stationed outside. Seeing Jade and Julian approach, the guards stopped them. "Without Mr. Zeal's orders, no one is allowed near.""Blind idiots! This is my house. I'll go wherever I want. Step aside," Julian ordered.Although the guards looked hesitant, they didn't budge."Edan!" Julian whistled loudly, and soon the golden-maned lion appeared.Edan's appearance scared the guards pale. Just its massive presence was enough to make them lose their composure."Make them get lost," Julian instructed.Edan roared and pounced toward the guards."Oh my god!" the guards yelled and scrambled away.Jade took out the key and unlocked the door, swiftly entering and turning on the laptop on the desk. Her fingers tapped quickly on the keyboard, and soon a string of code appeared on the screen, scrolling rapidly.Although Ju
Edan seemed to understand that the weapon in Lloyd's hand was dangerous, but it dared not leave without Julian's command. Despite its fear, it remained faithfully in front, buying time for Jade and Julian to escape.Julian drove Jade away in a car, sweating profusely with worry as he watched Edan intercept those people for them in the distance."Edan, move!" Julian yelled at Edan. The latter glanced back at him but didn't obey the command. Instead, it crouched down in a defensive posture."Kill it! Kill this beast!" Lloyd shouted to his men.Jade had deceived him—she deceived him again. He couldn't let her get away.Lloyd's guards raised their weapons, aiming at Edan.Watching this from a distance, Julian burst into tears. "Edan, move now, please!"Although Jade was moved, now wasn't the time for her to be sad."If you can't bear to leave Edan, you can go back and save it. I won't blame you." Julian had helped her so much already, so she couldn't let him lose Edan.Julian wipe
Jade's only regret was not being able to spend the rest of this lifetime with Caelan."Julian, thank you." Jade smiled at him. She gave up struggling, resigned to fate."No!" Julian shouted at Jade. He turned to Immanuel, who was approaching, and yelled, "Immanuel, if you kill Jade, I will not live without her."Immanuel's eyes flashed with ruthlessness upon hearing that. He had assumed Julian was just being childish, so he had indulged in Julian's antics with Jade for a few days. He hadn't expected Julian to be so sincerely invested.He signaled the guards to step back with a wave and asked Julian, "Do you know what you're doing?""Of course, I do. I'm not a child anymore; I can take responsibility for my actions. Immanuel, I don't want to live like this anymore. I want to see the world outside," Julian asserted.Immanuel's brows furrowed tightly, his fists clenched. Julian was his only brother, with over ten years between them, so he had practically raised Julian single-handedl
Jade knew Julian was looking out for her, but she couldn't sacrifice her dignity for a chance at life. In this lifetime, she didn't want anyone else other than Caelan."I refuse!" Jade rejected Immanuel's proposal almost without hesitation.Immanuel's face darkened immediately. He stared at Jade, frail and vulnerable, in front of him. Although she was somewhat clever, she was far from being presentable. She wasn't qualified to be part of the Ortons."It's an exceptional favor for me to offer you the chance to be Julian's woman. Don't push your luck. Understand that not every woman can be by his side," Immanuel said coldly.Jade smiled. "I'm not fortunate enough to have the honor, Mr. Orton."Her disdainful smile made Immanuel gasp. He had commanded both the underworld and the legal sphere for many years, seen many daring people, but someone as composed and unyielding as Jade was a first.Even if he had the intention of letting Jade go, how was he supposed to back down in front of
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