Ernesto broke down in despair, tears streaming down his cheeks as he clenched his fists tightly, glaring at Chenelle with hatred."I'll fight you to the end!"His expression was one of sheer determination as if he was ready to drag Chenelle down with him.This frightened Chenelle so much that she screamed and backed away several steps.Jade quickly grabbed hold of him and whispered, "Ernesto, don't be rash.""But my mother has been locked up by them for more than 12 hours already! Her health is fragile—she hasn't had anything to eat or drink. I’m afraid she might suddenly get sick."As Ernesto spoke, tears fell from his eyes. His mother was everything to him—they relied on each other for survival, and he feared the worst for her.Jade understood his emotions, but now was not the time for him to act recklessly. If Chenelle accused him of deliberate provocation, he could end up being detained."Wait a little longer," Jade said softly, looking at Ernesto with determined eyes. "Tru
Owen pushed Chenelle's assistant forward with a cold snort. "It's a good thing I arrived quickly. I saw this assistant trying to let someone out through the back door. Otherwise, we'd have no way to explain ourselves."The assistant stepped forward, crying. She glanced at Chenelle's livid face and was about to speak when Chenelle screeched, "Vera! I can't believe you would do such a thing! I've always treated you well, entrusted you with important tasks, and this is how you repay me?""Miss Chenelle, I..." The assistant started to defend herself, but a warning look from Chenelle made her lower her head in fear.With Chenelle's backing from the Fitzgerald Group, crossing her could mean she'd never find work in Centus again."No need to explain. You've mismanaged my gallery and caused me so much trouble. I can't keep you on. You're fired effective immediately," Chenelle declared righteously, pushing all the blame onto Vera and absolving herself completely.Jade was genuinely impress
Startled by the voice, the crowd turned to see Jade standing there. Her expression was cold despite the faint smile on her lips.Chenelle shivered involuntarily, a forced smile plastered on her face while her insides churned with frustration. She had shown her sincerity, yet Jade remained relentless, a fact that infuriated her.Despite her thoughts, she had to maintain the appearance of contrition in front of so many guests."Jade, what more do you want?" she asked, her voice tinged with helplessness and a hint of grievance.Chenelle’s words, filled with resignation and sorrow, painted her as an innocent child caught doing something wrong, her eyes welling up with tears."I know I was wrong and have already apologized and offered compensation. If you still aren’t satisfied, just let me know your demands, and I will certainly meet them."Her statement was artfully crafted to position herself as the victim while casting Jade as an unyielding oppressor. The latter part of her plea w
"Oh, the first artwork, huh?" Jade’s tone stretched out with a hint of mockery. "That’s certainly meaningful. Not just a 1,000 dollars, it’s worth even 10,000 dollars. But..."Her voice sharpened abruptly as she continued. "What about this kind of painting?"Somehow, she produced another painting and thrust it in front of everyone.Everyone craned their necks to see and immediately burst into laughter.The painting in Jade’s hand was a chaotic splash of watercolors, a careless mess of colors resembling a child’s scribble, devoid of any artistic merit."Is this supposed to be a painting? It’s hilarious! Haha!""And she wants 10,000 dollars for this? Does she think we’re all fools?"The crowd's peals of laughter echoed.Chenelle’s face flushed with alternating shades of red and white, wishing she could disappear into the ground.She glared at Jade with seething hatred, her nails digging deeply into her palms. 'Jade, I will make you pay!'Just as everyone was anticipating how Ch
Chenelle glared at Jade with undisguised loathing. The sight of Jade’s stunning face made her want to ruin it beyond recognition.With a derisive sneer, she spat, "Yes, I hate you. I hate how close you are to Caelan. I hate how you win Grandfather’s favor. I despise your every move and word."You’re nothing but a shameless leech clinging to Caelan. Isn’t your goal to marry into the Fitzgerald family and bask in wealth? Keep dreaming! I've seen plenty of women like you."Jade scoffed, her disdain evident. "That's just your perspective. Not everyone thinks like you. Your idea of the ultimate goal for a woman is to marry into a wealthy family and live like royalty. That’s pathetic.""What do you mean?" Chenelle didn’t fully grasp Jade's words, but she sensed the mockery in her tone and it infuriated her.Especially Jade’s eyes, which seemed to ignite a burning rage within Chenelle. "Don’t you dare look at me like that! I’m a hundred times better than you. What gives you the right to
Caelan didn't give Chenelle a chance this time. He grabbed Jade's hand and strode away.The nurse noticed the swelling on Chenelle's hand and gently said, "Miss Powell, please return to your bed. I’ll reinsert the needle for you."Chenelle suddenly lost control, her face twisted in rage. She ripped the needle out of the back of her hand and screamed at the nurse, "Get out, all of you!"The nurse looked at her as if she were a monster, smirked disdainfully, and turned away with the medical tray in hand."What's the big deal? She really thinks she’s something special."The nurse’s words pierced Chenelle’s heart like needles. At that moment, her hatred flared up. She hated Jade, she hated the Fitzgeralds, and she hated everyone."Jade, Caelan, I will make sure you both suffer," she vowed.…Outside the hospital building, Caelan had pulled Jade to a secluded spot. As soon as they stopped, he held her tightly in his arms."I’m sorry." Caelan's voice was full of remorse. His arms ti
Jade's cheeks flushed with heat, a clear sign of her mounting frustration. She knew that if she continued bickering with Caelan, she would be thoroughly defeated."Forget it," she snapped.The bustling crowd around them had already taken note of their exchange.Unwilling to become the center of attention, Jade feigned anger and turned to leave.Caelan chuckled softly, trailing behind her with a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.Not far from Centus Hospital, there was a large supermarket. Caelan had declared he wanted to prepare a grand meal, so they naturally needed to buy ingredients first.They entered the store, chatting and laughing.Caelan pushed the cart while Jade selected the ingredients, tossing anything she fancied into the cart.Apart from occasionally checking the dates, Caelan played the role of a diligent porter, loyally following behind Jade.Their coordination was seamless, and their striking appearances drew attention. The doting look in Caelan's eyes left the
Caelan glanced at the staff following closely behind him, frowning slightly. "It does feel a bit uncomfortable."Despite his wealth, he rarely ventured out with such fanfare. Most of the time, Caelan enjoyed the freedom of an unencumbered life—if only people didn’t follow him so obsessively.The store manager immediately made an OK gesture, pushed the cart forward, and addressed Jade, "Got it. We’ll disappear right away."With a wave of his hand, he led the staff away.Jade forced a smile. "He’s quite perceptive."Caelan exchanged a glance with her and couldn’t help but laugh. He took over the cart, chuckling. "Let’s go on."Without the entourage, Jade felt much more at ease and quickly finished selecting the ingredients.Caelan walked out of the supermarket, carrying two large bags, while Jade, hands free, followed behind. They resembled a newlywed couple, radiating a sweet and tender vibe.…Once home, Caelan carried the groceries inside, donned an apron, and headed straight