Chaos reigned in the estate. Mercenaries lay strewn on the ground, groaning in pain and unable to get up. The courtyard was filled with Interpol officers armed with live ammunition. Both their weapons and equipment were far beyond what these mercenaries could handle.Caelan stood tall in the courtyard, his expression solemn, his gaze icy. He strode past the fallen men, heading straight toward Immanuel.It was clear that Caelan came with hostility, demonstrating his power the moment he stepped inside.Immanuel's chest surged with rage, but he swallowed it, confronted with such a massive force."Mr. Fitzgerald, what are you doing? I've never offended you," Immanuel said through gritted teeth.Caelan continued walking, followed by a large group of bodyguards and Interpol officers. He asked coldly, "I'm here to ask for someone.""Oh, and who might that be?" Immanuel breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. As long as Caelan wasn't here for trouble, it would be manageable."Jade Severin,"
Immanuel stopped in front of a door and turned to tell Caelan, "Ms. Severin is inside."Although separated by a door, Caelan's heart began to beat rapidly. He had spent 40-plus days looking for Jade. How could he not be emotional?"Open the door," Caelan said.A maid gently pushed the door open for him.Caelan stepped inside, while the others tactfully remained outside. The door closed softly behind him, and he deliberately slowed his pace, shuffling to Jade's bedside.Seeing her petite figure lying on the bed, he felt a wave of guilt wash over him. If he had explained things to Jade that night, could it have prevented her from suffering so much? The consequences today were all his fault."I'm sorry I'm late," Caelan said softly as he sat beside Jade's bed, reaching out to touch her cheek but stopping mid-air.Immanuel had already explained the situation on the way there. Jade had just performed surgery and was completely worn out. She needed the rest.Even though Caelan missed
Jade's heart ached as all the pent-up grievances from the past few days surged, and tears rolled down her cheeks.Her crying woke up Caelan. As soon as he looked up and saw Jade's tear-streaked face, he felt a pang in his heart. He immediately pulled her into a tight embrace."I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm late," Caelan murmured repeatedly, the joy of finding Jade again indescribable. He held her tightly, afraid she would disappear again if he let go.Jade struggled, realizing how tightly Caelan held her. She felt a mix of love, hate, and fear. She had been so close to being separated from him forever."Get away from me, just go." Jade pushed Caelan away, torn between wanting to be with him and the thought of the other woman. She could barely stay composed. Tears flowed uncontrollably, her love reflected in her hatred. "Just leave!""Jade, it's not what you think—" Caelan tried to explain, but Jade covered her ears, refusing to listen.Helpless, Caelan had no choice but to pin her dow
Caelan stayed in Jade's room the whole time, and nobody dared to approach during that period. When they finally came out, everyone outside, including Immanuel, was tense."Ms. Severin, you’re awake," Immanuel politely greeted.Jade nodded at him, her face devoid of much emotion. She didn't harbor much goodwill toward Immanuel. Any politeness she showed was purely out of respect for Julian. She owed Julian a favor and didn't know how to repay it."Now that we've found her, we won't disturb you anymore." Caelan held Jade's hand firmly, his expression cold as he addressed Immanuel.As Caelan led Jade away, Immanuel looked conflicted, wanting to speak but hesitant to stop them. His thoughts were focused on Julian, and Jade guessed he probably wanted to ask about his surgery."Don't worry. The surgery was successful. As long as he rests well, he'll recover soon," Jade reassured him.Immanuel looked at Jade gratefully. Everything he wanted to say was condensed into two words: "Thank yo
Although Jade didn't have any major injuries, she looked a bit haggard. The thought of the hardships Jade had endured along the way brought tears to Melanie's eyes. "Let's go home. I'll make you some soup and give you a good boost."Jade chuckled at Melanie's words.Tiffany flicked Melanie's forehead and teased, "You're such a foodie.""What's wrong with being a foodie? Is it not good to be plump and chubby?" Melanie retorted indignantly, giving her chubby waist a shake. "Look at how thin I've become."As Jade laughed, she suddenly remembered something. "Grandma—How is she?"The atmosphere abruptly quieted, and Melanie and Tiffany exchanged uneasy glances. "Um, let's go home first. Let's go home."Their expressions were obviously off, and Jade felt a pang of anxiety. She asked nervously, "Did something happen to Grandma?"Melanie and Tiffany forced a smile and replied as calmly as possible, "Jade, we were just about to tell you. Please don't get too emotional."The more they sa
Caelan didn't expect the incident to affect Jade so much. The fearless Jade, who usually faced challenges head-on, now seemed drained of all her strength, unconscious in his arms. Her face was as pale as a sheet. It was as if a gust of wind could blow her away."Jade, Jade?" Tiffany and Melanie called out several times, but Jade didn't respond. Their anxiety was palpable, their voices cracking with worry.Melanie slapped herself, her cheeks quickly turning red. “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have spilled everything so fast.”Tiffany hurriedly stopped her, saying, "Why are you hitting yourself? Jade would have found out sooner or later. There's no point in hiding it."With a mournful expression and red eyes, Melanie fell silent, feeling extremely upset.Caelan carried Jade to the car, walking briskly.Samuel hurried to keep up, and they quickly took Jade to the hospital.…After a brief examination, the doctor determined that she had fainted from extreme stress. Jade would be f
Jade’s attitude made Caelan very anxious. He wanted to approach her, but she moved further away from him."Jade, please don't push me away. I’ll feel bad if you don't let me accompany you at this moment," Caelan said.Caelan, who was always aloof and proud, had never yielded to others. Now, however, he seemed like a different person, panicking because of a single glance from Jade.Jade shook her head coldly. "No need."With that, she removed the IV from her wrist and got out of bed to leave.Caelan blocked her path, panic-stricken. "What are you doing?"Jade stared at him, pushed away his hands blocking her, and walked out without saying a word.Caelan knew she was emotionally unstable right now, and too much interference would only make her dislike him more, so he could only silently follow her.Tiffany and Melanie were outside the door, so they had heard some of the arguments between Caelan and Jade. They hurried to Jade when they saw her come out.Melanie asked softly, "Jad
Everyone looked at Jade, who suddenly appeared, in fear. They were horrified, and the timid ones collapsed on the floor as their legs went weak.Melvin gasped for breath, sweat pouring down his forehead. His throat made strange gurgling noises as he was unable to catch his breath. He then… fainted.The service staff hurriedly massaged him and patted his back, and he gradually regained consciousness. He glanced around but didn't see Jade, so he thought he was seeing things."Did she come back?" Melvin muttered weakly.The service staff's expressions were strange, and no one said a word."Father, are you referring to me?"The sudden voice plunged Melvin into panic again. Looking up, he saw Jade's pale, lifeless face. He screeched in panic and tried to back away, pointing at Jade and stuttering, "Y-You, are you... a ghost?"Jade stood in front of him, her gaze icy. "Where is Grandma?"Melvin looked at her before glancing at the shadow on the floor and sighing in relief. "You're hu
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