Giselle didn't even bat an eye. "I'm not interested."It was quite nice to be alone in the world. She didn't need to worry about the consequences of her actions and could do whatever she wanted.Linda was dead wrong if she thought she could threaten Giselle with that. The former was rendered speechless by Giselle not acting the way she'd expected.Giselle looked around the living room, satisfied when she saw the mess she'd created. Then, she pulled out her phone and showed the QR code for her Venmo account. "Pay me the cleaning fees."She would need to hire someone to clean up the mess outside her condominium, and whoever caused it would have to pay for it.Harold's expression turned hideous. "What are you talking about? We might be rich, but we're not idiots!"The way he saw it, Giselle was being nonsensical. She'd gone insane after descending into poverty!Charlotte felt diffident. She'd secretly hired the guy to make the mess outside Giselle's condominium; Harold and Linda di
"Who do you want to pursue, Mr. Fordham?" Giselle met Chester's eyes and looked surprised. She couldn't read him from behind his glasses. Still, she was genuinely curious. Which woman could make someone like Chester pursue her?"Do you really want to know?" he asked in return.For some reason, this made Giselle's heart skip a beat. She hastily averted her gaze and looked down at her glass. "Pretend I didn't ask if you don't want to answer."Chester didn't take things too far. He retracted his gaze and said, "You'll find out soon enough."Then, he switched the subject. They chatted for a while more before he told her to rest.The rain grew heavier. Giselle got into bed after washing up. Now that she was relaxed, she was overwhelmed with exhaustion. She checked her phone to see a few unread messages from Emma."I'm sorry for dragging you into today's mess, Ms. Stone. I've cleared my outstanding bill with you—consider the extra compensation for your distress. Thanks for showing me h
Jonathan scrutinized Chester's face as he spoke. His gaze was sharp and probing.He couldn't reach Giselle, and neither could the Grants. That was why he'd decided to try his luck with Chester. Giselle had left with him yesterday, after all.This had grated on Jonathan's nerves. He couldn't understand it—didn't Giselle know that she needed to maintain boundaries? Even if they were already broken up, wasn't she slapping him in the face by spending time with Chester? She knew he didn't like his uncle.Chester clearly sensed Jonathan's hostility, but it didn't bother him. He leaned back leisurely, his gaze calm as he faced the latter. "Do I need to report to you on who I spend time with and who I'm close to?"Jonathan was no match for him, whether in terms of status or capabilities. The former clenched his fists, the veins in his forehead throbbing as he suppressed his anger. "She's my fiancée, Uncle Chester.""You two have already broken up," Chester said calmly.Jonathan felt like
Jonathan's eyes glinted when he saw the caller ID. Then, he stood up. "If you can reach Giselle, tell her that running away isn't going to resolve anything."Larry was the second son of the Barton family. Now that he'd ended up in the hospital, there was no way the Barton family would let the matter slide so easily. That was why Jonathan was looking for Giselle. He could help her resolve this issue as long as she gave in and backed down.Giselle only came out of the room when she heard Jonathan leave. Chester's expression was still cold. "Did you hear everything?""Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop," she said, looking at him. "If Jonathan asks you about me again, you can just tell him we don't know each other well."He narrowed his eyes, a little displeased to hear that. It was hard to tell how he felt as he said, "I don't like lying, though."Giselle was taken aback by his words. However, Chester had no plans to reveal his true intentions so soon. He wanted to take things slow. H
Emma brought Giselle to the top bar in Seaworth City. She was evidently a regular there.As soon as they entered the private room, they were greeted by dozens of young men with different personalities and styles. It went without saying that they all looked good.Giselle said nothing, but Emma generously told her to pick first. "We're in the same boat, Ms. Stone. There's plenty of fish in the sea, so don't obsess over that one dumb fish. Pick whichever guy you like—everything is on me tonight."With her words, the men started showing what they were capable of. Giselle was at a loss for words. After a while, she held a hand to her forehead and said, "I'm not picking a gigolo, Ms. Jones.""Come on now. They're just here to drink with you and alleviate your boredom," Emma said.Giselle was insistent on her rejection, so Emma gave up. The private room was a lot more spacious after Emma dismissed the men.Giselle started pouring the drinks. She downed hers, which surprised Emma. "I wou
Someone asked about the situation with Larry. Jonathan narrowed his eyes and said, "Whoever's caused the problem will have to deal with the fallout themselves."He wanted to see how long Giselle could hold out when she had no one to rely on in Seaworth City. As long as she was obedient, he didn't mind putting a roof over her head and giving her some help. They'd been together for seven years, after all. He didn't think she could sever their ties so easily.Unless… Jonathan thought about the gown Giselle had worn to Richard's birthday celebration. His annoyance surged. Who the hell had given her the gown?The others in the room shut up when they sensed his irritation.Outside, Giselle leaned against the wall, thinking about the conversation she'd just heard. Once upon a time, she'd considered these people her friends. Now, they were badmouthing her behind her back. It was revolting.She didn't stay there any longer—the conversation had destroyed her good mood. She went to the restr
The man eyed Giselle lecherously. She recognized him—he was Phil Cross, one of Jonathan's good friends. She'd already forgotten about this, but his words reminded her.Phil wanted to get in her pants but had never dared to do anything about it because he feared retribution from Jonathan. The only time he'd expressed his desire was when Jonathan had brought Charlotte with him to a charity dinner.Phil told Giselle that Jonathan wasn't in love with her anymore and advised her to switch to someone else. He also told her he was willing to take her as his lover despite having a fiancée.Giselle had turned him down and fallen out with him."Does Jonathan know about this?" Giselle asked, trying to stay calm. She quickly tried to devise a plan to get away.There were three men in the room. If Emma weren't drunk, they would stand a chance of getting away. However, Emma was fast asleep now. Giselle would have a hard time fending the three men off, especially if she needed to protect Emma.
Phil looked at Giselle smugly. "Save your energy, Giselle. Even the most arrogant of people will beg like dogs once they've had that!"She felt horrible. She snarled and shouted, "You're committing a crime, Phil!"He burst into laughter as if he'd heard a joke. It took him a while to stop. "Do you have anything to prove that this is a crime? I haven't done anything to you."The drug he'd fed Giselle couldn't be detected by any professional equipment after eight hours. Even if Giselle were to sue him for sexual assault, he had a video to show that she'd willingly given herself to him. He could even use it against her.Phil started fantasizing about how it would feel like to sleep with her. He couldn't be hasty, though. He wanted to wait until she started begging him like a dog. He wanted to stomp all over her pride and dignity.As time passed, the drug started taking effect. Giselle felt a wave of heat wash over her. She clenched her fists, trying hard to remain lucid. "You're desp
"Hi, do you have any candles?"Under the bright light, the teenager stood tall with a healthy complexion. Even though his features were still youthful and soft, there were already hints of captivating charm.His dark eyes carried a faint uneasiness, and his tightly clenched fingers had turned pale.Giselle retracted her scrutinizing gaze. "The property management is staffed 24/7. You can just call them if there's a power outage."Faced with a male stranger knocking on her door late at night, Giselle remained highly vigilant.Then, she stepped back. She was about to close the door when the boy suddenly fell forward with a loud thud, landing flat on his face.Giselle was shocked. Was her new neighbor trying to scam her?She called for an ambulance and crouched down to turn him over, bending her finger to check if he was breathing. There was a faint, warm flow. He was alive.Giselle let out a sigh of relief and leaned against the doorframe, waiting for the ambulance. After som
"It has nothing to do with Lottie." Jonathan finally said.He downed drink after drink, his dark and oppressive demeanor making it impossible for anyone to provoke him.Oddly enough, he felt that it was a little quieter than when he was alone despite the crowded setting.Larry drank a few glasses with him. Then, out of nowhere, he heard Jonathan ask, "Larry, what would you do if your ex got together with your uncle?"Larry's brain didn't process the question. Ex? Uncle? Together?"Jon, you must be drunk. What kind of nonsense are you saying…""Answer me." The commanding tone swallowed the rest of Larry's words."If my ex got together with my uncle? I would probably laugh my head off."My uncle is a gambler and a womanizer. If she chooses him, isn't that just self-torture? If my ex found someone worse than me, I would joke about it for the rest of my life."…Meanwhile, Emma transferred the one thousand dollars to Giselle's account.Then, she texted Giselle. "Gigi, that was b
Giselle remained expressionless, though she felt the urge to laugh.Then, she typed a reply. "You already said she's your ex. Whoever she's with now has nothing to do with you. So, I suggest you mind your own business."Yesterday, in the Lawson family's wine cellar, she had used Chester to ruthlessly provoke Jonathan. She even boldly declared she'd make him call her Aunt Giselle.For someone as prideful as Jonathan, such humiliation was unbearable. He was so furious he skipped dinner entirely.Later, without consulting Richard or anyone else, he impulsively decided to get engaged to Charlotte. Of course, there was an element of spite involved."She can't be with my uncle!"The thought of meeting her in the future and being forced to call his ex his aunt made Jonathan feel suffocated.The image of Giselle kissing Chester remained vivid in his mind.How bad was it? It made him dream of the two kissing right in front of him at night. And after the kiss, they interlocked their fing
Everyone understood the words, but somehow, when strung together, they didn't make sense anymore."Did he save your life or something?" This was the phrase Giselle had asked repeatedly.She swallowed her frustration at the caller's naive words before saying, "He went out with another woman before breaking up with you. It shows that he clearly didn't respect you or value your feelings. If he truly loved you, he would have respected you and upheld the boundaries of a relationship."The commenters instantly agreed with her. "Madam is absolutely right. Don't be foolish, girl. We don't need useless men.""While you're here moping around, he's already enjoying himself with someone new.""No need to win him back. There are plenty of men out there. DM me, and I'll introduce you to some hot guys!"The woman in the call started crying. "But I really like him…""Liking him alone isn't enough. If you lower yourself to beg for reconciliation, you're just degrading yourself," said Giselle.
Giselle, Chester, and Hector were on the second floor of the restaurant.Following Hector's gaze downward, they spotted a woman who looked strikingly similar to Charlotte. She was being forcefully kissed by a man against the wall near the first-floor restroom.Giselle glanced at the scene briefly before withdrawing her gaze. "It is Charlotte."Giselle could recognize the woman who had disgusted her for years, even if she turned to ashes.Hector grew intrigued and clicked his tongue before adding teasingly, "Could the guy kissing her be Jonathan?"Judging by the build, the man seemed a bit too thin. He was also a little short compared to Jonathan. So, if it wasn't Jonathan, who could it be?Anyone within their circle could tell that Charlotte and Jonathan weren't merely ordinary friends. Would she really go out of his way to hurt his fiancée's feelings if he didn't have any feelings for the so-called friend?The trio didn't linger on the sight and followed the waiter into their p
Giselle stepped aside, causing Brady to miss. She raised an eyebrow lightly and looked at him icily. "Why wouldn't I dare?"Brady was so enraged that he lost all sense of reason. Any restraint he had about not hitting women was thrown out the window as he charged at Giselle.Just then, Lily let out a piercing scream. "Brady!"Brady thought he could overpower Giselle with brute force, but he had underestimated her strength.Giselle quickly grabbed his arm and threw him over her shoulder, slamming him hard onto the floor. This stunned everyone in the hospital room.Giselle calmly planted a foot on Brady's back and called the police."What do you want? Money? I have plenty! Name your price, and I'll pay if you delete the video!"Brady was in utter despair, feeling that his career was about to collapse. At this point, he didn't care if Giselle wanted money or men. He would find a way to fulfill her wishes!"Do I look like someone who needs money?" Giselle pressed harder with her fo
"Lily!"The man angrily kicked open the hospital room door, his loud voice echoing in the corridor.Giselle's expression turned cold as she took out her phone and started recording."Lily! Delete all that stuff online right now! Do you have any idea how much damage it's causing me? If you've lost your mind, go to a mental hospital! Don't drag me down with you!"Brady suddenly appeared after being busy with work for a long time.Lily's heart tightened, and she instinctively stepped in front of Yvonne to shield her.Brady removed his hat and mask, revealing the face that Lily had been infatuated with for over 20 years. Time had only added maturity to his features.But his handsome face was now contorted with rage, and the icy glint in his eyes carried a hint of malice.Lily felt her heart sink in an instant."Brady! Don't argue with me here! Yves needs to rest.""Rest? What kind of trick are you two playing this time? Let me tell you, your tactics won't work on me!" Brady let o
From getting to know Brady to falling in love, it seemed to be just Lily's one-sided infatuation.She was eleven years older than Brady. Back then, she was a highly sought-after screenwriter in the industry, while Brady was just a newbie starting out.She was attracted to his looks, and Brady went along with her desires. Their secret relationship had initially been based on a sugar mommy and sugar baby dynamic. But it evolved into what appeared to be a normal romance after Brady gained fame.From that point on, their roles reversed.Brady became so busy that he was barely around, sometimes not meeting her for half a year. This made Lily become insecure. She lost herself and became increasingly obsessive.But her tears had already dried up. Now, she was numb, like a lifeless puppet.At the moment, Giselle said, "Expose everything Brady has done."Lily never thought that her relationship of more than 20 years would end so bitterly. It felt like a thousand needles piercing her soft
Chester's black coat was draped over his arm. He was wearing a white shirt.With broad shoulders and a narrow waist, his unbuttoned collar added a casual and slightly languid air.Before Jean could say anything, Chester stopped right in front of Giselle.His eyes lowered, and his long lashes cast faint shadows on his cheeks. Then, he said in a crisp, cold tone, "Ms. Stone, let's go. I'll take you home."Jean was slightly surprised. She hadn't told him, but Chester had already volunteered to take Giselle? Since when was her younger brother so enthusiastic about helping others?Jean didn't have time to dwell on it and simply reminded them, "Be careful on the way. Gigi, text me when you're home."Giselle obediently agreed and forced herself to follow Chester out. The cool breeze outside blew away the heat from her flushed face, clearing her thoughts considerably.A black luxury car was parked in the courtyard. Chester opened the car door for her. When Giselle bent down to get in, h