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
Caelan couldn't help but laugh when he saw Jade on the brink of losing her mind. His large hand ruffled her hair as he gently said, "Go wash your hands."As he stood up to leave, Jade took a deep breath, feeling as though she had just been granted freedom. If this went on any longer, she feared she might lose control.She dreaded the day she might transform into the big bad wolf and pounce on Caelan.Just imagining the scenario made her blood rush. Hastily, she splashed her face with water and glared at her reflection in the mirror, muttering through gritted teeth, "Wake up, get a grip!"Only after banishing all distracting thoughts from her mind did Jade return to the living room.Caelan was already seated at the dining table, waiting for her. He had changed into more casual attire, and his hair, no longer slicked back, made him look more approachable.The meal was truly lavish: Australian lobster, red wine steak, and delicious foie gras, all prepared by his own hands and arrang
"Wait a moment, I'll go with you," Jade said, her voice firm.She was determined to see what tricks Chenelle was up to this time.Caelan nodded, and they left the house together, hand in hand.Outside, Chenelle stood in the courtyard, her head lowered, looking as though she had done something wrong. Her lowered eyelids hid the hatred in her eyes, which glimmered with venomous malice.She had seen the loving and sweet interaction between Caelan and Jade. Why did Jade deserve Caelan's affection? Why had she been pushed out of the Fitzgerald family? It made her seethe with resentment."Chenelle, what are you doing here?" Caelan asked, one hand in his pocket, the other holding Jade’s tightly. His gaze was cold as he looked at Chenelle.Chenelle's actions had profoundly disappointed him. He had never imagined that jealousy would drive her to hurt Jade so much.Chenelle slowly lifted her head, her eyes red, and looked at Caelan pitifully. "Caelan, I know I was wrong. Can you forgive m
The security guard stepped forward and addressed Chenelle formally, "Miss, please leave."Chenelle’s expression shifted dramatically. She gazed at Caelan, heartbroken, and cried out, "Caelan, you were never like this before. You’re really throwing me out for this woman?"The guards looked uneasily at Caelan. They knew the relationship between Chenelle and Caelan and were worried about angering him if they forcibly removed her.Caelan nodded slightly, signaling his approval of their actions.With his consent, the guards approached Chenelle. "Miss Powell, please leave immediately, or we will have to take action."Furious, Chenelle screamed and cursed at them, "Get away from me, you filthy brutes! Don’t touch me! Ah!"The guards remained helplessly in place. They hadn't touched her at all, so where was this coming from?Chenelle's reaction was entirely over the top.Suddenly, Chenelle shrieked and clutched her hand. "Ah, my hand! It hurts so much..."In her frantic waving to fend
Jade emerged to find Chenelle sitting obediently on the sofa, a sight she found rather unsettling.In the hospital, Chenelle had been a wild and unruly presence, leaving a lasting impression on Jade. Now, with this sudden quiet demeanor, it was as if she had become a completely different person."Let me see your hand," Jade instructed, holding a medical kit as she approached Chenelle.Chenelle extended her injured finger toward Jade and asked, "Sis, do you usually live alone?"Jade glanced at her unexpectedly. While disinfecting the wound, she responded emotionlessly. "I'm sorry, but we're not that familiar with each other. I don't have a sister like you, so please don't call me that. I don't want anyone to misunderstand."Jade efficiently cleaned the wound and applied a bandage, then examined her work before saying, "All done. You can leave now."Chenelle was taken aback by Jade's bluntness and at a loss for words. Before she could come up with a retort, Jade had already issued
Caelan's brows furrowed deeply as he gazed intently at Jade before casting his eyes toward the distant nightscape. He made a firm decision."Samuel, bring Chenelle here to see me."…Fifteen minutes later, Chenelle returned to the villa.Receiving Samuel's call, she had been thrilled, thinking Caelan had changed his mind and specially sent for her to come back. The moment she got out of the car, she joyfully headed into the house, cheerfully calling out, "Caelan, you’re finally willing to talk to me!"Chenelle quickly walked inside, and the door behind her closed shut.She froze upon realizing that Caelan wasn't the only one in the room—Jade was there too.Both wore stern expressions, their eyes coldly fixed on her."Why are you looking at me like that?" Chenelle's voice wavered as she shrank back in fear, taking three steps backward.Caelan’s face was icy, the chill in his demeanor almost freezing the air around him. Chenelle had never seen him look so intimidating.Forcin
Chenelle felt uncertain after hearing Jade’s cryptic words. Her voice faltered. "Jade, what do you mean by that?""You'll understand soon enough."Jade ignored Chenelle's further inquiries, making a call instead. Chenelle strained to hear, but could only catch the name 'Ernesto' vaguely.While waiting, Chenelle’s anxiety grew. She had a bad feeling about today’s outcome but realized she couldn’t leave now. Resigned, she stayed put, waiting apprehensively.…Twenty minutes later, someone walked in from outside.Through the glass, she could make out it was a man.Chenelle snorted dismissively. She had expected Jade to pull out something impressive, but it seemed like a futile effort.She recognized the man immediately as the son of that cleaning lady who had caused trouble at her gallery."Ernesto, you’re here." Jade stood up to greet him, inviting him inside.Ernesto nodded, smiling at Jade, then greeted Caelan.Caelan responded with a slight nod."Jade, what’s the meaning o
Chenelle staggered back a few steps, her face suddenly paling. She had calculated everything meticulously but never expected to be outwitted by an unassuming guy.Facing the angry stares of the crowd, Chenelle opened her mouth weakly but found she couldn’t utter a word. This time, she really had no way to justify herself.Jade ignored Chenelle’s breakdown and pressed on, "Where did you put Melanie’s drafts?"Chenelle’s eyes shifted slightly, and she responded weakly. "I... I threw them away.""What?! You actually threw away Melanie’s drafts?!" Hearing this, Jade could no longer maintain her composure. She grabbed Chenelle by the collar, enraged. "Do you know how many sleepless nights Melanie spent creating them? You casually discarded them, throwing away her lifeblood. Do you understand what those drafts meant to her?!"Terrified by Jade's crazed demeanor, Chenelle struggled desperately, her emotions collapsing as she shouted, "I don’t care what it meant to her! I joined the crew
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