As Caelan spoke, his eyes filled with profound sadness, and his brow furrowed deeply. "I don't know why my mother left me. I cried and shouted, trailing behind her, hoping she would look at me. But she never turned around, walking away so heartlessly."I cried out, trying to make her stay, but my father held me tightly, dragging me back home. "Later, I secretly found out her address and ran away to find her. I thought she would be happy to see me, but she coldly shut the door in my face and told me never to seek her out again."Upon hearing that, Jade's heart clenched tightly.An 8-year-old child had to muster immense courage to overcome the fear of seeking out his mother.He had been full of hope, longing to see her.But instead, he was met with a cold, unfeeling face.At that moment, Jade hugged Caelan tightly, wanting to use her warmth to soothe his frozen heart."You have me now. You will never be alone again."Caelan hugged Jade back forcefully, his voice hoarse. "Do you
Caelan approached her like a prince charming, step by step.Hand in hand, they laughed joyfully in her dream.Jade was awakened by their laughter. She opened her eyes and realized she had a wonderful dream.The dream was so Elenad that even upon waking, she couldn't distinguish between reality and illusion.The phone rang, and Jade picked it up to see it was a call from Elena.She answered the call, and Elena's voice came through. "Good morning, Miss Severin."Jade glanced at the clock, still groggy, and saw it was only a little past 6:00 a.m. She muttered, "It is early indeed. Miss Bennett, are you calling to make sure I get up early?"Her humor made Elena laugh softly. "I have something to discuss. Are you interested?"Since Elena had brought it up, it would be rude for Jade to refuse, especially after she had helped Melanie."Go ahead, what is it?" Jade said, rubbing her disheveled long hair.Clearing her throat, Elena said, "Here's the thing. Our production team is short
Jade put down the phone and ran her fingers through her tousled hair. Her gaze fell on the empty side of the bed, recalling the scene from the previous night when she and Caelan had lain there, wrapped in each other’s arms.She turned over, got out of bed, and went to freshen up.After getting ready, Jade picked up her phone to call Caelan. Just as she found his number, his call came through.Her eyes lit up, and she quickly answered. "Hello?""Awake?" Caelan's deep voice resonated through the phone. "Come downstairs now. I bought breakfast and will be there soon.""Okay, I'll be right down," Jade replied, feeling pleasantly surprised. Caelan had bought her breakfast. The feeling of being taken care of was wonderful.Jade hurried downstairs, and as she reached the lobby, Caelan walked in.Dressed in casual clothes, he exuded energy and looked exceptionally approachable, like the boy next door. If the journalists saw him, their eyes would surely pop out in surprise."Good mornin
Given Caelan's wealth, investing tens of millions was a trivial matter. Even if he lost, it wouldn't affect him much.After hearing Jade's analysis, Caelan nodded earnestly and praised, "Madam, you're absolutely right. Let's go with that plan."Jade exclaimed, "Oh, it's decided so quickly? Aren't you going to reconsider?"Caelan raised an eyebrow with a smile. "Didn't you already agree?"Jade was both amused and exasperated. She hadn't disagreed from the start—it was Caelan who had been leading her by the nose. How did it become her decision in the end?Since he didn't mind, Jade decided not to dwell on it. Even if the money was wasted, she had the means to repay it.…After breakfast, Caelan drove Jade to the university before heading to the company. Back in her dorm, Jade found Melanie completely absorbed in her design work. "Melanie, how's your designing going?" Jade asked with a smile.Melanie, with a troubled expression, replied, "Everything's fine except for the secon
Jade felt a pang of empathy as she saw how miserable Cooper looked.Whoever had rendered Cooper so helpless must belong to a very strong team."How many matches have you lost?" she asked cautiously.Cooper extended one finger in agony.Jade's eyes widened in surprise. "Just one?"Cooper shook his head, looking at Jade's confused face, and smiled bitterly. "I keep losing.""You must be joking," Jade said incredulously.'No matter how strong the opponent is, it is impossible not to win a single match. Unless…'Jade thought of a possibility and whispered to Cooper, "Could it be that your team has a traitor?"Cooper first shook his head, then looked at Jade in astonishment, but quickly dismissed the idea himself. "No, no way. We have fought our way up together. We're deeply connected to the team. No one would betray me."The more he spoke, the less confident Cooper sounded.Was there really no traitor?Their strategies were always planned the day before. If there wasn't a trait
Chenelle glanced at Jade and asked, "Jade, are you going out?"Jade nodded but didn't mention where she was headed."Could you give me a lift?" Chenelle asked pitifully. "Caelan's documents are urgently needed, and it's hard to get a taxi here."If it were just Chenelle, Jade would have refused outright. But since she had Caelan's documents in her hand, she had no choice but to nod. "Sure, come over.""Thank you so much, Jade." Chenelle ran over happily, opened the car door, and got in. While checking Jade's car, her eyes filled with envy. "Jade, your car is so beautiful. It would be wonderful if I could meet a man as good as Caelan in the future."She subconsciously believed this car was a gift from Caelan to Jade, and her tone carried a hint of smugness. "Caelan really loves you. He buys you everything."Jade started the car, a faint smile playing on her lips. "He does care for me, but I'm not lacking either. We're equally matched. Nowadays, it's all about finding a suitable ma
Chenelle stood still for a few seconds, the hatred on her face fading, replaced by an innocent, sweet expression as she followed along.Jade took the private elevator straight to Caelan's office.Samuel was surprised and delighted to see her. "Miss Severin, what brings you here?" he asked.Jade waved the folder in her hand and smiled. "Just delivering some documents to our big boss.""Documents?" Samuel took the folder, opened it, and glanced through it. "Oh, this can be delivered later. It's not urgent. But why are you bringing it?"Jade was puzzled. She recalled what Chenelle had said, and suddenly, a light bulb went off in her mind.'If it wasn't important, why did Chenelle say Caelan needed it urgently and personally deliver it? Could she have feelings for Caelan and is using this as an excuse to get close to him?'These thoughts made Jade uneasy.Caelan was handsome and wealthy, the man every woman in Centus wanted to marry.Chenelle was an adopted daughter who had grown
Chenelle was stunned by Jade's straightforward rejection, leaving her momentarily speechless. "Ah..."Seeing her surprised expression, Jade felt immensely satisfied. "Samuel, please escort Chenelle home and ensure she gets there safely.""I... I don't want to go home." Chenelle, flustered, looked to Caelan for help. "Caelan, say something! Look at how my sis-in-law is treating me!"Caelan's face darkened, and he looked at Chenelle with icy eyes. "She will soon be your sister-in-law, not your sis-in-law. Remember, respect others, Chenelle. Behave yourself."Chenelle's eyes filled with tears, and she wanted to say more, but Samuel didn't give her the chance. He reached out his hand, saying, "Miss Chenelle, let's go."Jade discreetly gave Samuel a thumbs up and, linking arms with Caelan, walked away briskly.Samuel blocked Chenelle's path, preventing her from following. Despite her anxious cries for Caelan, he did not turn back.As the two figures disappeared from view, Chenelle st
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