Caelan frowned, a strong sense of unease filling his heart. Since Jade's return, he sensed a cooling of her feelings toward him. She no longer clung to or relied on him as she once did. He believed her distant behavior stemmed from anger over his failure to protect Leah, but several signs suggested a deliberate effort to distance herself from him.This realization left Caelan deeply anxious. Jade seemed like a kite with a broken string, drifting farther and farther from him. She no longer shared updates, daily occurrences, or her joys and sorrows with him, not even exchanging simple greetings."Sir, should I go find Ms. Severin and ask her what's going on?" Samuel volunteered, eager to get an answer from Jade. He couldn't bear to see Caelan tortured like this. He was obviously not eating well and had lost weight over these days.Caelan was torn inside. If Samuel went to ask Jade rashly, it would definitely make Jade angrier, which would be counterproductive."No need. It's my fault
Chloe's demeanor, a mix of threat and plea, ignited Anna's fury. Were it not for Jade being in Chloe's grasp, Anna would have promptly tossed this foolish woman into the sea to appease the sharks. But for the sake of revenge, she suppressed her indignation, if only temporarily."Fine, I'll allow you to see her once. But if you attempt any deception, you'll never lay eyes on your daughter again," Anna declared, her tone steely. She pulled up a surveillance feed for Chloe's viewing. On the screen materialized a beautiful girl, visibly distressed, her hands and feet bound with iron chains, pacing restlessly in a room.At the sight of the girl, Chloe broke into tears, her hand flying to cover her mouth. This girl was none other than the real Anna, Chloe's beloved daughter."Nana, my daughter," she cried, tears streaming down her face. Seeing her daughter, whom she had raised as the apple of her eye, suffering like this, broke her heart.Anna sneered, shutting off the surveillance feed.
Just then, Jade, who had been hanging her head, suddenly looked up and stood up abruptly. Her hands, supposed to be bound behind her, swiftly grabbed Anna's wrist as she delivered a sweeping kick, knocking Anna to the floor.Anna was caught off guard, not expecting Jade, securely bound, to awaken and break free from the ropes to attack her.In the scuffle, the knife cut Anna’s arm, and she bled. Instead of tending to her wound, however, she stared ahead with a mix of fear and surprise.This wasn't Jade at all. It was a man disguised as her."Who are you? Where's that bitch Jade?" Anna felt a strong sense of unease. Why did she see Jade only for it to turn out to be someone else? Had they found out her secret, or had Chloe betrayed her?Anna tried to crawl up to grab the knife on the floor, but it was kicked away before she could reach it, leaving her empty-handed. Suddenly, she felt a weight on her back as the man's foot pressed down on her. She couldn’t take the weight with her s
Because of Jacob, Jade lost the only family she had in this world. Why wouldn't she be heartbroken? She had been suppressing the pain in her heart for days, just to find Leah’s murderer. Now that the murderer was found, all the pent-up emotions exploded like a volcano.Jade had never lost her rationality like she did now. Her resentful gaze made everyone around her feel afraid.Jacob, feeling like all was lost, spilled everything. "I have no humanity because you forced me to. I'm the legitimate Severin heir, but that old hag only acknowledged you. She even said I was a disgrace to the Severins, stripping me of my inheritance rights and kicking me out of the family. So I wanted her dead. If she didn't die, how could I inherit the Severins' fortune?""You bastard!" Jade's anger flared up, and she landed a punch squarely on Jacob's nose, causing blood to gush out and his face to bruise. "No matter what, she's still your grandma. How could you do such a thing?!"Jacob scoffed indiffere
Jacob felt incredibly smug. Seeing Jade break down like this must mean she was thoroughly heartbroken. As long as she suffered, he felt satisfied."Hahaha, you better let go of me quickly. I'm not Jacob Severin anymore, and you have no right to treat me like this," Jacob confidently asserted.He believed he had cleaned up his act perfectly, leaving no trace behind. Otherwise, Jade wouldn't have gone through all this trouble to deceive him there.Unfortunately, his plan backfired. Jade not only had evidence against him, but she also had proof."Jacob, did you really think you could commit all those crimes without leaving any traces?" Chloe sneered, producing a file and waving it in front of Jacob.Jacob's eyes widened in disbelief because the file contained all the information about his gender reassignment surgery and the documents he used to change his identity after the operation. Everything was in Chloe's hands. Jacob couldn't believe it. What Chloe held was his lifeline. If t
"Let's go home, okay?" Caelan pleaded.As he reached out to touch Jade's hair, he stopped just a centimeter away.He was panicked by the thought of Jade's potential reaction. He feared she might push him away once more, just as she had done a few days earlier. Her gaze, desperate and indifferent, felt like knives piercing into him, drawing blood.Jade remained unresponsive, resembling a statue. Even with Caelan standing before her, she remained as calm as stagnant water.Caelan was frantic. Jade shouldn't be like this. Although she wasn't as lively as other girls, her eyes always sparkled with vitality, never yielding to fate. Now, her eyes were hollow and lifeless, making her seem no different from a corpse."I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." Caelan's lips formed a repetitive chant as he frantically pulled Jade into his embrace, confessing his sins as if seeking redemption. "It's all my fault, entirely my fault. I failed to protect you. Please, you can hit me, curse me, just do
Caelan spoke decisively and firmly. He focused his deep gaze on Jade as he said the words buried deep in his heart. "I won’t ever let go of someone I’m determined to be with in this lifetime. Jade, listen to me carefully, I do not agree to breaking up. Your request is invalid."Expecting Jade to retort, Caelan was surprised when she merely glanced at him with a faint smile before turning away and leaving.Watching her lonely figure fade into the distance, Caelan felt like a hole was dug in his chest, and an indescribable feeling spread through his heart.This couldn't be real. Jade wouldn't leave so heartlessly."Jade, Jade!" Caelan shouted with all his might in Jade's direction, "I love you! I won't give up on you!"The surrounding silence was only broken by the sound of the wind and rain, with no response from Jade.…In the following days, Caelan thought Jade would change her mind, but to his surprise, Jade stayed true to her word. She refused to meet him and refused to commu
After all, Jade had even abandoned her beloved Caelan.Jade sat on a bench on the campus, holding a book. Her gaze was vacant as she stared ahead, seemingly oblivious to Tiffany's words."Jade?" Tiffany called out to her again.Jade blinked her beautiful eyes, acknowledging her, and softly replied after a moment, "I'm serious. It's not a rash decision, but one made after careful consideration.""Why?" Tiffany was anxious. "You and Caelan are the perfect match recognized by the whole of Centus. We're all used to seeing you together. But now you're telling me you want to break up with him? I don't think I can accept it, especially since you love him so much."Jade looked at Tiffany, her gaze unwavering. "There's nothing unacceptable. Given enough time, one will get used to it."After speaking, Jade patted Tiffany's shoulder and smiled. "It's time for class. Let's go back."She walked toward the classroom stiffly, but with each step, her heart felt like it was bleeding, and her leg
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