With those words, Xavier scooped Leia up in his arms, brimming with a boyfriend's energy.They headed to the bedroom—the night was still young, and there was still much to be done.-The next day, Leia woke up feeling reinvigorated in heart and spirit, finding it a little unreal to see the handsome face asleep beside her.In reality, they did not do anything at all—Xavier's heart bled for her after she was bullied thoroughly in prison, and he tended to her wounds, then held her in his arms as they slept.She was the one who was getting restless with her dainty hands, caressing him all over as if challenging his resolve.Still, he did not give in to her flirting at all and held her in his arms with his eyes closed. "Calm down," he said with some detachment. "There's no need to jump into action—we have years ahead of us." And now, she stared at him as he lay sound asleep, complaining inwardly about how he was usually a Casanova that bedded every woman he met, but he turned out to
Xavier stood stiffly in place as she told her coolly, "You should have known better. What's the point of saying all that now?!""I made a mistake, Xavier. Can't you forgive me? I've already made it clear to the old man that I would be with you… even if he's going to cancel me!"The woman grabbed his waist like her life depended on it and cried a river—she was none other than Shirley White, the star actress whom Xavier brought to stardom and the one who occupied a part of his heart—and the reason he had a chip on his shoulder! Their story was one you would find in romance novels—the rich showbiz tycoon falling in love at first sight with the young actress with modest roots. He then broke the bank to push her towards stardom, even keeping himself chaste for her, as if Casanova himself decided to reform…In fact, anyone searching for Xavier's name online would always yield results for Shirley as well. Countless netizens fawned over them, wrote fanfiction, and shipped them to kingdom
Shirley remained composed and confident as she argued, and that left Leia shaken.She knew that Xavier was infamous for being a flirt, marred with scandals involving numerous ladies. Still, they were willing to throw themselves at him. Only Shirley was different—because Xavier was the one enslaving himself to her.And that alone was why Leia paled in comparison."If my hunch is right, you must be the thick-skinned type who chased Xavier around for a long time before he finally got interested, right?"Shirley studied Leia from head to toe, shaking her head with disdain. "If you've been around Xavier long enough, you'd know that you're not his type at all. He just happened to need someone to help him through this painful time—or, if I had to put it plainly, beggars can't be choosers. Anything is fine, and even if it wasn't you, it would be someone else."And now that I'm back, you're pointless as a replacement.""Enough!" Xavier snapped, unable to restrain himself any longer. "H
Leia's tone was firm because she didn't want either of them to have any regrets. She left the apartment and took the elevator downstairs, and wasn't surprised to find that Xavier didn't come after her. Leia's lip curled in disgust, and she wiped her tears away furiously. "Ugh, all men are pigs! There's no end to their greed!"At that moment, she felt as if she had been sinking into an abyss she couldn't pull herself out of.Come to think of it, she was probably cursed to only have one-sided loves—first with William Jones, now with Xavier Stuart. All she ever amounted to was the 'rebound'... fated to return to the sidelines once the actual love interest returned.It was tragic. Was this fate? If it was, maybe she should just do away with love for the rest of her life! Leia soon returned to Carmine Pawnshop, cutting a miserable figure. However, when she stepped through the front door, there was a loud 'pop' overhead as confetti rained down on her."Welcome back, Ms. Osborne!" C
Leia's heart ached for Renee as she listened to her complaints. "I get it, Ren, I really do… As for me, I'm Seraphina to Xavier. He just wants me as his rebound, and uses me like a tool to make him feel better about his unrequited love. His ex just needed to shed a tear… and I lost."Leia looked contemplative, then suggested, "Why don't you cry to Stefan? Maybe he'll remember you then."Renee was a little tipsy after all the liquor, and actually thought Leia's suggestion made sense. "Hey, you're right. I'm his real love interest, so why should I suffer?! I should just go to him and start crying… I wouldn't know unless I try, right? Make yourself at home, Lei. I have something to deal with right now."Stefan had clearly abducted Jovan to get back at her! Spurred on by that thought and liquid courage, and having come up with a plan to demand Jovan's release, she chugged her drink and got up, ready to leave.Leia was drawing a blank, and quickly chased after her. "Where are you going,
Stefan and Xavier were lounging at the VIP booth seats on the second floor of Bar of Fame, watching as people flailed around on the dance floor.They were drinking tequila from Massimo—the texture was smooth, and it was highly intoxicating. Specifically, Xavier was doing the drinking, while Stefan was just offering company. He knew that his alcohol tolerance was average, so he basically avoided it.On the other hand, Xavier was chugging glass after glass relentlessly, as if he was in mourning. "Stef, I'm telling you… You really shouldn't fall in love. It's sweet at first, but after that, it's just pain and bitterness. I'm done!" Xavier declared emotionally as he twirled the blue liquor in his glass, staring at the myriad colors overhead."Who did you fall in love with this time?" Stefan asked casually, looking noble and aloof as he leaned against the red cushioned seat, one leg crossed over the other. He was used to having his friends ask him out to drink their sorrows away every
That was why Stefan urgently needed to find the one who could 'unlock' him, so that he could be normal again!"Your silence only proves me right. See? You agree with me that you don't love Seraphina at all, and you'd be hurting her and yourself if you kept bumbling on and marrying her, y'know?" Xavier naturally saw everything clearly because he was close to Stefan, and Stefan saw Xavier clearly too.Stefan did not love Seraphina, just like Xavier did not love Leia… therefore, as a scumbag with a conscience, he would never allow himself to hurt Leia, or his good friend to hurt Seraphina."I really don't love Seraphina, do I?" Stefan narrowed his eyes, working hard to ponder on the fact before asking a soul-searching question. "But who is the one I love if not her?"After all, he was constantly aware that he loved a certain person with every fiber of his being, and it was a love ingrained to his very bones. Judging from his memories, it had to be Seraphina, who braved hell and high w
Renee stood before Stefan, angrily glaring at him as the atmosphere grew tense. Even Stefan's bodyguards were holding their breaths, ready to jump into action at any moment.However, the standoff lasted little over ten seconds as Renee's eyes suddenly turned watery."If you don't… I-I'll cry!" She stammered, and started bawling. "Boo-hoo…Please, Stefan Hunt… CEO of Hunt Enterprise and the god of Beach City… Please, give him back to me…" She was crying so loudly that the whole bar seemed to quake, causing everyone in the bar to turn towards the VIP area curiously.Stefan was utterly mystified—this woman never seemed to behave like a normal person, and he was completely caught off guard!To make things worse, Renee had become so experienced in crying that her tears and snot were flowing freely while her eyes and nose had turned red. She looked so miserable that she could give professional actresses a run for their money!"No… Please… If you're upset with someone, go mess with them…
Previously, Amber cared very much about Liam. Later, she wanted nothing but to stay away from him.She had happily planned their wedding and imagined how to lead their married lives. Later, she planned her wedding with another man…and wanted to learn sewing from Liam to sew their wedding suits. It was heartbreaking!Hence, Liam chose a noble excuse to try and ruin the wedding between Amber and Mateo. He kept using pessimistic wedding opinions to influence Amber's thoughts as a traditional woman.True, he hadn't influenced Amber's mind solely out of his selfishness. Women would have more freedom if they stayed single. He dissuaded Amber from getting married mainly for the sake of her happiness, but it didn't cover up his despicable thoughts. Hence, he chose to keep quiet."Wow, Liam! I didn't expect you to fall for her. I thought you were forced to be with her!" While enjoying the fun, Leia forgot about her sadness and fear. Her eyes went wide as she teased Liam. "Hey, you kno
Liam found Leia unlucky and disappointing. He simply stopped talking.A brief silence overcame them. It seemed like they had accepted their fate to get killed as they quietly waited for their death.Macsen had returned to the shop to treat his wound. After struggling for a long while, Mateo failed to struggle free. Macsen's subordinate whipped him several times. "Motherfucker! Just wait. I'll make you pay!" Mateo furiously cursed Macsen's subordinate. Macsen's subordinate sneered. "Hmph. You want to make me pay? I think my boss will skin you alive. It's been a long time since I've seen a lamp made of human skin. We're waiting for a good show!"Leia had closed her eyes, but when she heard that, she shuddered and reopened them abruptly. Her voice was shaky as she asked, "Liam, what's that?" "Uh…" Liam found it too cruel and couldn't bring himself to explain it to Leia. He hated his incapabilities. "It's my fault. I got you guys into this mess. Damn it all!""No, we can't blam
Renee was well aware of the situation and was calm in the face of death. "If Macsen wants to kill us, Benjamin will feign ignorance. I think we're doomed here today.""Whatever. I'm not afraid!" Leia didn't take it too seriously, grinning. "You and Liam are the most important people to me. Although we weren't born on the same day, it's great that we can die on the same day. I want us to be siblings in our next lives!""Silly, you're so optimistic. We're going to get killed, not attending a party! Why are you this happy?" Liam's gloominess and tenseness gradually relaxed because of Leia's optimistic and happy tone. "Yeah, it isn't a big deal. I have no regrets since I can die with you guys.""You guys have no regrets, but I'm unlucky!"Mateo kept sighing. "If I knew, I wouldn't have meddled in this or caught you guys. At most, I'd be suppressed by another guy. But now, I'm about to get killed. I regret it! You have big supporters, don't you? Is there any way to contact either of
When the fight reached an intense moment, Macsen's subordinates managed to surround Liam and Mateo. They were disappointing.Macsen's most loyal subordinate aimed a gun at Liam's head and screamed at Renee, who had gone mad. He tried to threaten her. "Let our boss go, or I'll make you pay a price!" Renee regained her wits and turned to look at Liam. Her mouth was bloody. A helpless sigh escaped her. "Why are you this useless? How could they get you?"Helpless, she slowly got up and let Macsen go temporarily. "Motherfucker! Go to hell!"When Macsen regained freedom, he was no longer a gentleman. He slapped Renee twice with one hand and held his neck with the other. Then, he ordered his subordinates, "Tie them up with the woman on that ship!""Okay!" Macsen's subordinates were obedient. They quickly grabbed a thick and heavy rope to tie up Renee, Liam, Leia, and Mateo together, tying the rope around them thrice."Liam, why are you caught too? You're so useless. We even wanted
Everyone looked at each other in dismay before raising their weapons to attack Renee.Liam ordered his subordinates to fight Macsen's men when he noticed the danger. "Don't hurt her, or I'll fight you!"There were more than ten people from both sides. When they started fighting, the whole jetty was filled with the sounds of weapons and bullets. It was a mess.That battle sacrificed a lot of Liam's subordinates. Gradually, he failed to hold on."Mateo, where are your men? Get them into the fight. If anything happens to Boss, you'll suffer too. That crazy Stefan will kill everyone!"While fighting Macsen's subordinates, Liam wanted to involve Mateo in the fight since the latter was merely watching. Besides, he knew what a man like Mateo, who was good at weighing the pros and cons, cared about the most.As expected, Mateo chose to side with Liam when he heard that this mess would affect his relationship with Stefan.After all, Macsen was the most powerful person in the fort. It wou
"What do you want? I'm warning you! Stay away from me, or I won't go easy on you!"For an unknown reason, a chill ran down Macsen's spine when he saw how fierce Renee looked. He wondered why she was that fierce. She could walk fast even when dragging a sandbag over 110 pounds—she wasn't ordinary.Holding a gun, Macsen flexed his fingers as his knuckles turned white. "I don't care about people's lives! I can kill them if I'm happy, including you!""Is that so?" Renee stubbornly faced the gun and walked forward. She glared at him coldly. "A demon like you should never live. I'll kill you, even if I have to die for it!"She swiftly pounced on and pushed him down despite the heavy sandbag.Everything happened so fast, Macsen was dumbstruck. Renee even managed to knock on his gun. The gun went off, firing a bullet at a nearby stone pillar. It nearly hurt one of Macsen's subordinates. "Oh, you don't care about people's lives, do you? You can just kill them, huh? I'll make you suffer t
Macsen clenched his fists, agitated. For many years, he was mainly responsible for the armed forces of the fort. On the other hand, Benjamin instructed his adopted sons to take care of his business. Previously, Hunt Enterprise promised the Jenkins family many profits under the condition that Renee and Joanne could leave the fort safely. Hence, Benjamin let them go at that critical point despite the humiliation he faced. Afterward, Stefan continued his close cooperation with the Jenkins family. While this happened, the relationship between Macsen and Benjamin grew tenser. Gradually, Macsen kept gathering power to surpass Benjamin one day and take revenge on Stefan.Renee and Leia's sudden arrival at the fort was beyond Macsen's expectations. Although he was getting stronger, he wasn't powerful enough to fight Benjamin and the Hunts. Despite this, he naturally wouldn't give up such a good chance easily. Macsen's revenge was the result of his impulsiveness. He had been reckless,
"Well, you're bold. A pity that…you fell in love with such a cruel man like Stefan!"Macsen took a deep breath and waved melancholicly. Then, he instructed someone to push Renee into the river.Renee neither resisted nor tried to stall for time. She just wanted to get it over with. Having seen through men and human nature, she suddenly became pessimistic.Macsen's subordinate grabbed Renee and dragged her to the river bank. Before he was about to push her into the river, a dazzling light ruined the darkness and oppresiveness of the jetty. "I knew it was you, Macsen!" a furious voice resonated in the air. Liam, holding a floodlight, shone it into Macsen's eyes. "You and I aren't enemies! Why did you target me? Do you know how important these two people are to me?" he growled fiercely. Mateo followed closely behind. At first, he watched everything in silence. Eventually, he said something to sow discord between them. "Macsen, why couldn't you talk it out with us? You secretly
Disgust overcame Renee. She found Macsen pathetic."You claimed that you love your girlfriend, but you married Luneth. You married her and got a kid. Now, you want to be intimate with the woman you've just met. Do men think that love is just a trivial thing?""How could you…" Macsen was stunned. He didn't expect her to say that so directly. Guilty, he retorted, "You don't know anything! Men's love is different from women's love.""What's the difference?" Renee snorted and shot him a disdainful stare. "Yeah, it's different. Women are superior human beings. Once they fall in love with someone, they'll never sleep with another man. But men are different. Men are simply animals. They can love many people and sleep with different women. Maybe men and women shouldn't exist at the same time. Then, there won't be so many heartbroken women.""I disagree!" Macsen rolled up his sleeves, turning competitive because of Renee's words. "You make it sound like only men will have a change of heart.