“You’re such an ungrateful man. How paranoid!”Renee walked out of the chamber in a huff, unable to stop herself from cursing out loud.She must be crazy. Why bother being kind to him? She was angering herself for nothing. With this much time, she could have gone home to enjoy a bath, catch up on a show, and eat and drink.Lurch had been waiting outside, and when he saw Renee coming out of the memorial chamber, he hurriedly greeted her. “Ms. Everheart? Why did you exit the place so quickly?”Trying to keep on her good side for helping him out, Lurch made sure to address her differently.“That ungrateful man is accusing and upsetting me. Why should I stay?”“How is that possible?”Lurch continued begging shamelessly, “You know Master Stefan’s nature. He’s stubborn and harsh but doesn’t actually mean it. Please help him. Urge him to eat and treat his wounds, or he might just not get through the night.”“I refuse!” Renee gritted her teeth, her face tense. “He said his life or deat
As the week went by, Renee quickly adapted to her new single life. Although work kept her busy during the day, her nights would be filled with amusement and fun. Indeed, she was thoroughly enjoying her new-found freedom.Just today, she finally signed a new contract with South Group for the next financial period.Jerome readily agreed to Renee’s request to invest 500 million in Azure Group as a research and development fund. However, Azure Group had to guarantee a profit that exceeded 8 billion in the first year, or they would have to hand South Group 30% of their company’s equity as compensation, in accordance with the contract.The terms quickly drew Liam’s ire.“Jerome is one cunning fox. After all that help from him, I thought he would have shown a modicum of sincerity for the sake of his late daughter. Instead, this contract is full of traps. I can see what he’s up to!”Liam looked at Renee in confusion. If he could, he wanted to tear this contract to pieces. “Boss, this is s
“Kind?”Stefan casually flipped through the pile of documents. Then, his mouth curved up into a slight and cold smile. “Did you misinterpret her real character?”“Misinterpret?”Elijah swallowed nervously. “Over the years, Mrs. Hunt has been so nice and loyal to you,” he boldly explained. “She was obedient at home and had always upheld a good public image. She’s a great example of a good wife and lady. As for her sudden change in temperament… I think the responsibility lies on you, Mr. Hunt.”Stefan’s face turned cold. “Me?”“Of course!”Elijah could not help but fight for Renee despite the risk of getting fired. “All these years, you were cold and heartless to Mrs. Hunt. Not to mention, you even cheated on her. If you hadn’t hurt her, why would she have gotten involved with a playboy like Liam? She wouldn’t have established Azure Group with him to fight Hunt Enterprise…“I’ve always known about Mrs. Hunt’s extraordinary strength. After all, she’s a top student who skipped grade
Renee opened the door to find a row of handsome, well-dressed men standing in the room in anticipation of her.The men wore various expressions as soon as they saw Renee enter. Some were charismatic or pure, while some looked melancholic and domineering.“What the… What’s going on?”Renee gulped nervously. It felt like she had entered right into a trap.Leia sounded very excited and a little proud on the phone. “Ren, have you arrived? Look at the gift I prepared. Aren’t they all eye-catching?”Renee was frozen in her tracks and stood at the entrance. “Leia, what the hell are you up to?”“Did you forget what you said while celebrating your divorce at Galaxy Bar? You said that Mr. Iceberg was nothing. You also said that there were plenty of handsome men out there, and you could have whoever you wanted.”“Mwahahaha! Today, we’ve spent a fortune gathering all these handsome men for you. I also helped you to get rid of my brother, so he won’t bother you. You can enjoy them in peace.
"No. What's his name?" Renee asked, slightly dazed.Although she was speaking to Dino, she couldn't take her eyes off the handsome, aloof man next to him.Throughout the years, she had only experienced this feeling with one other person."Julian's very handsome, isn't he? From a certain angle, he looks a lot like Stefan Hunt, Hunt Enterprise's president. That's why his fans call him Little Stefan Hunt…""Stefan Hunt?" Renee instantly came to her senses when she heard that, and quickly averted her gaze, gritting her teeth.Why did everyone have to bring up that man wherever she went? He was haunting her like a ghost!Dino thought Renee didn't know who Stefan was, so he started explaining earnestly, "Do you know what Stefan looks like? If you don't, I have a picture of him… See? Don't you think he looks a lot like Julian?"Renee wasn't in the mood to look at the picture. The only thing on her mind was how bad her luck was!She'd finally met someone she felt attracted to after get
"Umm…" Renee couldn't get any words out, no matter how hard she tried.The man was a little too close for comfort. His handsome face, which reminded her of Stefan, seemed even more attractive up close. Renee's heart was beating fast, and she began to feel nervous.His eyes looked identical to Stefan's… It was almost as if he could see right through her.The only difference she could see was that Stefan's eyes held a steely dominance, whereas Julian's weary gaze suggested he had been through a lot in life.Renee sighed softly. Humans were indeed creatures of habit.Four years ago, it was love at first sight when she met Stefan. Four years later, she felt her heart skipped a beat for another man who looked just like Stefan.At this point, she couldn't even tell if she was attracted to this handsome man or Stefan."What are you thinking?" The man murmured. He moved even closer to Renee, and she felt his warm breath on her skin. His deep voice was intoxicating and smooth, like wine
Renee hailed a taxi, and she and Julian got in together. Renee then told the driver where they wanted to go, and within twenty minutes, they'd arrived at their destination."We're here. Let's go!" Renee led the man out of the car by his tie.Before them stood dome-shaped houses with bright exteriors. They glowed dimly under the pale moonlight, making them look like little stars. The atmosphere was rather romantic."It's a big place, and it's pretty. What do you think?" Renee turned around and looked at Julian proudly. "This is my secret base, and it's where I come when I feel stressed. Not many know about this place.""Secret base?" Julian looked at the houses and raised his brows in silent appreciation. "Interesting."An attendant greeted them warmly when they entered. "Ms. Everheart, will you be using Room No.3 as usual? We've already prepared everything you need.""Thank you." Renee smiled at the attendant. It looked as if she was a frequent customer here.Room No. 3 was the
Stefan heard a mechanical voice in his ear: "Sorry, the number you have dialed is not in service."‘Not in service?!’Stefan tried to control his rage. Maybe Renee had changed her phone number, and she wasn't trying to avoid him.He clicked on Renee's contact, opened up the messaging application, and sent her a question mark. The message didn't go through. Clearly, he had been blocked."Damn it!" Stefan cursed under his breath, his expression dark.That woman had cut him off completely. She really was merciless!They'd only been divorced for a week, but she'd already pried away Hunt Enterprise's major clients, and was now spending her evenings in nightclubs with different men. Her life seemed to be full of fun and excitement, didn't it?Her ex-husband's reputation was practically ruined!Stefan massaged his temples and gritted his teeth in frustration. After pondering for a moment, he dialed Elijah's number."I want information on all guests who checked into hotels in Beach Ci
Austin was sincerely happy when he saw Renee's relaxed smile.Renee looked a lot like Maurice. Given how he missed and respected Maurice, Austin wouldn't treat Renee unfairly, even if he didn't wish for other things. "I'm sure she likes us."Sophia walked over and held Renee's wrist intimately. They walked forward calmly and steadily. "Renee, let's forget about our past conflict. You know what kind of a person Dad is. Yes, he's fierce, but he's not vengeful. Since you came back to us now, we'll still welcome and love you as we once did. Take my home as your home. Take Dad, Jack, and me as your grandpa-in-law and parents-in-law. Promise me."It had been a long time since Renee experienced such a warm feeling. It was the happiness of a happy family, and it overwhelmed her. Endless warmth filled her, and she nodded firmly. "I'm thankful for your forgiveness and that you're willing to accept me again. I thought it over before I decided to come. I won't break my promise, and I'll
"What do you mean, brat? Do you want to get a beating?" Austin snarled. He immediately put away his smile and glared at Justin, waving his walking stick threateningly. "No… I've lived with you for so many years, but I never saw you smile. Now, you're smiling so brightly. It's frightening!" Justin swallowed and added carefully, "Act normal. It's better if you are serious.""How dare you!" Austin, unable to hold himself back, raised his walking stick and hit Justin's back hard.Justin stood upright, neither yelling in pain nor frowning. His parents stood behind him, seemingly used to it. They didn't stop Austin, either.Renee watched the scene and found it horrifying. "Don't we have to do anything?""It's fine. Grandpa used to do this," Justin said, smiling at Renee. He even smoothed his hair indifferently. After all, physical punishment was normal to the Baldwin family."Hmph, brat! You always ruin my reputation." Austin finally put away his walking stick after he got tired from
The Baldwin family was so excited that they couldn't sleep. They waited at the exit of the airport eagerly for a long time."Dad, you can't be this fierce. The past is the past. What's important now is Justin has brought Ms. Ren home. He didn't let us down. And don't scare her off again. Just smile!" Sophia boldly reminded Austin, who looked stiff, for the sake of the bigger picture."Why should I smile? I'm born like this. I hate smiling!" Austin retorted stubbornly. His face grew stiffer and he looked more solemn. "Why can't you take my advice? Ms. Ren came to a strange city all alone. I'm sure she's scared, but you're going to be so fierce to her. If you scare her off, you'll make a scene again. It'll be too late if you regret it by then!" Sophia nagged, insistent on explaining the interests at stake."Okay, stop. Dad's always like that. He's a general. No general loves to smile. When did he ever smile? Stop forcing him. We'll do the smiling." Jack dragged Sophia to the side, f
In the past, Renee recalled hurting Justin once. If she chose to get off the plane, she couldn't regret it. For a moment, she was unsure. She wondered if she was ready to make such a huge decision."It's fine. I told you, it's not too late if you don't get off the plane," Justin whispered. Although he looked hurt, he remained gentle and kind. "You have one minute to reconsider.""No, that's unnecessary." After taking a deep breath, Renee finally made up her mind. "I'll go with you."She had made such a decision after much contemplation. Since she was bold enough to board the plane, then she could get off it."Alright!" Justin's eyes brightened. He walked over and interlocked his fingers with hers. "You don't have to be scared. I'll be with you every step of the way. Let's face everything together."They walked side-by-side as they got off the plane.They took an individual pathway to exit the airport since they rode the exclusive plane of the Baldwin family. The Baldwin family ha
"I'm sorry!" Renee blurted—she realized her selfishness."I admit that I took you as a substitute. I wanted to get out of that suffering relationship, and I didn't care about your feelings. I'm so sorry."At first, she wanted to forget Stefan and start a new relationship. And then, Justin risked his life to save her. On top of that, they were compatible in various aspects. She felt that she could spend the rest of her life with him.However, Renee realized that her actions were purely self-serving. She never considered Justin's feelings or asked about his willingness. She merely took him as a convenient tool. "No, you did nothing wrong," Justin said. "You have your choices. Likewise, I have my choices too."He stared at Renee passionately, his teary eyes filled with pain, and held her hand. "I chose you. I want to stay with you while you're trying to forget about him. I want you to be happy with me.""You…" Renee looked into Justin's eyes. His generosity, firmness, and thoug
"Mmph!" Renee was sitting beside the window, watching the floating clouds up in the sky when a sudden pain gripped her heart—as if it was clenched tight. "What's wrong?" Justin asked nervously. Sitting across from her, he could feel something wrong with her. "I'm fine." Renee shook her head and tried to soothe her stuffy chest. "My heart suddenly hurt just now. I guess it's because of the sudden weightlessness when the plane took off."Justin sighed in relief. "I've heard that some people might get dizzy or feel their ears ring because of weightlessness, but I've never heard of hearts aching.""It's fine. It's something rare, I guess. I'll feel better after a while." Renee waved his concerns away, taking a deep breath. She picked up the cup in front of her and sipped some water, and felt better. Perhaps the water had cooled her heart. However, Justin felt a little uneasy. He knew her heart wasn't his though their destination was the same."If you can't forget about him, yo
Stefan got involved with Briar. At the same time, something seemed to be wrong with Renee and she insisted on meeting Justin's parents. In short, they were lying to themselves.Xavier found it ridiculous that they would break up and date someone else, when in truth they loved each other passionately and had gone through so much together. They were just cowards who refused to face their problems head-on."Well said! I agree." For the first time, Leia and Xavier shared the same thoughts on the issues related to love. Aside from Stefan and Renee, there were many similar examples. Leia was convinced Liam was doing the same thing. She couldn't understand why they had to hurt themselves like that. It would be better to make peace.Suddenly, Xavier turned around and looked at Leia passionately, and declared with utmost seriousness, "So, we can't do that!" Having his face so close to hers so suddenly, Leia's heartbeat quickened. She pursed her lips and stood up shyly. "You're nuts
Justin walked over and tapped his wristwatch. "It's almost time. Let's go.""Okay." Renee nodded, then said to Leia, "Just go home and take good care of Liam. Tell my brother and kids that I'm fine. I'll be back at Beach City soon.""Uh…" Leia wanted to stop Renee from going to Beach City, but she couldn't find a reason to make Renee refuse. Of course, Renee had to stop the program which never responded."Fine. Take care. Call me immediately if anything happens!" Leia, enlightened, decided to respect Renee's choices. She hugged Renee and sobbed, "I hope you'll pick happiness no matter who you choose to be with!""Of course. I want you to do the same." Renee hugged Leia firmly.Then, she got into the small private plane bound for North City with Justin."She left…" Xavier muttered. He watched the plane take off for North City as he sat in the lobby, feeling complicated. He felt sorry for Stefan, but at the same time, he felt that Stefan had brought it upon himself. Being on
However, Leia didn't believe that Renee would have given up on Stefan. Based on their night chats a while ago, she could tell from Renee's tone that the latter was still confused about Stefan and couldn't part with him.It wasn't long ago, but now, Renee wanted to marry someone else. It was abnormal."Yes, I did…" Renee coldly looked ahead and added, "I did just now.""What?" Leia's eyes went wide, and she didn't stop questioning Renee. "What happened just now? Nothing happened!""Let me be frank with you." Renee decided to be honest with Leia since Leia insisted on getting to the bottom of it. "Justin told me something the night he saved us. Stefan informed him and asked him to come to our rescue.""I know that. And then?"Leia had heard the same story from Justin. She and Liam kept cursing Stefan for being a dirty coward all night long. It was infuriating. Stefan didn't try to save his beloved woman, but made his rival in love do so instead. It seemed he had given up his belo