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…
Xavier strode up to Leia, grabbed her wrist, and said quietly, "What are you doing? There's a limit to making jokes, and don't you know what will happen if you make Stef angry?"Leia's gaze was muddled even as she turned to Xavier, but she only got more upset. "Everyone, see? This man is no angel too, forcing himself on students just like his best friend. In fact, he's worse—the student had ten babies with him. Pigs like him should be given the electric chair!"With that, everyone's attention turned to Xavier in record time."Exactly how much did you drink, woman?! Get a grip!" Xavier could smell the pungent scent of alcohol from Leia's mouth, and had to clasp his hand over her mouth to stop her from saying anything else."Look! Mmph—the scumbag is trying to kill me! Oof!" Leia struggled violently, but Xavier simply scooped her up in his arms. "Come with me. I can't let you run around like this.""Hey, what are you doing?! Let me go! I need to expose him! I—" Leia protested but
Renee did a double take as she wondered what Stefan was talking about. "Who else would I come for?"Stefan stayed silent, and simply stared at her with a meaningful look in her eyes.Renee lost her patience, and glanced at her surroundings before quietly saying, "I've cried and begged—I've prostrated myself as much as I can, so please, haven't you had enough? Let him go, or you'll suffer too if I expose you.""So, you're done with crying and begging… and now you're threatening me?" Stefan folded his legs and smiled meaningfully, twirling his glass of tequila and taking a sip of it. "Don't you know what the price for threatening me is?"Renee rolled her eyes at the man's love of being dramatic—what else could it be other than another round of bickering?"I don't want to cause a scene, and no one wants word of this to get out," she retorted staunchly. "But if you insist, I don't mind knocking your teeth out!"Stefan was surprisingly not upset, and actually teased her, "That actuall
Renee was so tired that she decided to just give up and claim responsibility for everything. "If you say it's true, then it must be true. You don't have to hold out hope for me because I'm obviously blindsiding you so that I can be with Jovan. I only cared for you to silence my conscience, so come at me if you still bear a grudge—don't hurt Jovan. He's just an innocent victim I manipulated!""Come at you?!" Stefan snorted in disdain, slowly rising to his feet and walking up to Renne. "Do you know what's the worst torment for a woman?""I'm sorry, but I'm inexperienced when it comes to being a sicko," Renee replied with an impassive look. She knew that he probably hated her to the bone, and must have thought of hundreds of ways to torment her.But it was fine—was she not fortunate if her sacrifice could be traded for everyone's happiness?"I guess I can tell you…" Stefan said with a vague smile, putting a hand around her waist and pulling her towards him. He leaned down and murmured
"Zzz…"Hearing the rhythmic snoring, Stefan turned around to find that Renee was fast asleep without a care. Furious, he spun the steering wheel and jammed his food on the brakes.As the car came to a screeching halt at the turn on a coastal zone, Renee immediately jolted awake and reached for the car door handle, looking around in panic, "Argh! What happened?! Was there an earthquake?!"She saw that the car had stopped by the beach, enveloped in darkness and silence—danger seemed to lurk everywhere.Meanwhile, Stefan opened the window to let the fresh breeze in, looking up at the starry sky above."Carefree, aren't you?" He scoffed flatly as he lit himself a cigarette, exhaling a puff of smoke. "Someone who knew better would know you're due for punishment, but those who don't would think that you're here to sightsee."Embarrassed, Renee hastily tidied her appearance and cleared her throat. "Sorry I wasn't taking this seriously. Should I be more worried about not meeting your exp
Stefan did not miss Renee's fidgeting, but misunderstood it as her craving a cigarette. Frowning, he lectured her like a father would, "You're a woman, but you smoke?"His judgy tone pissed Renee off, and she straightened herself menacingly as she snapped, "What's wrong with women smoking? Why are men allowed to do it, but not women?""Men are different from women," Stefan said stubbornly."In what way?" Renee demanded sharply. "From my perspective, women can do anything men can, but men can't do everything women can. In that respect, women are nobler than men!""How so?""Women are more empathetic, sentimental, and kinder. Most importantly, they can bear children, and men can't. Think about it—every human being came from a woman, so why are men allowed to smoke but women aren't?"Stefan actually could not come up with a retort against Renee's eloquent logic, and she snorted. "See? Can't argue against that, can you? Give me a reason if you think of one that's reasonable."Seizin
"Yes, that's how much I love him. So please set us free, Mr. Hunt!" Renee clearly felt Stefan's rage, but she felt no fear, and instead repeatedly challenged the limit of his patience."In that case, get ready for a world of pain!" Stefan snapped, his eyes ablaze with rage even as he snatched her cigarette and snuffed it out violently."What are you doing?!" Renee exclaimed, shifting backwards and putting her hand on the door handle, ready to flee at a moment's notice."Weren't you acting all noble and ready to give up everything for him? Having second thoughts now, are we?""No, I just… wanted to prepare mentally.""Don't worry, I won't kill you," Stefan said, his gaze dangerously possessive as he held her dainty chin with his long fingers. "I'm only interested in your body.""You're sick!" Renee's face flushed, and she turned to open the door to escape the awkward, suffocating space inside the car.She didn't expect Stefan to lock the door before she could."If you're not hav
Both of them knew very well that this was wrong, but neither of them wanted to stop.Perhaps it was that so-called muscle memory at work, and their brains could no longer control their bodies…"W-Wait!" When Stefan's hand caressed her body all the way up to her collar and easily undid her blouse's buttons, Renee jolted to her senses and pushed the man away."You dare resist me?!" Stefan's eyes flashed dangerously as he glared indignantly at the woman. "Don't forget that you're the one who got in my car, and you knew what you were in for the moment you did. You're not naive enough to think that I'm just taking you to the beach for a stroll, are you?!""I get it. You want to sleep with me!" Renee sneered even as she straightened her hair and tried to calm herself. "I'm just surprised—weren't you known for your loyalty, Mr. Hunt? You're marrying Ms. Murphy soon, but you still can't keep it in your pants… Isn't that a little hypocritical?""Everyone has a dark side, and you might be w
Renee said seriously, "I would like a plate of pasta with more vegetables and is not spicy. I'm afraid this is my last meal."Jovan was rendered speechless. Although Renee was being sarcastic, he still went to the kitchen to make her a delicious plate of pasta. He added some vegetables and a nice fried egg for a balanced diet. "It's done." Jovan had sent off all the servants of the mansion, leaving Renee with him. Hence, he was the one who cooked the pasta and served it to her. "Wow, you're fast." Renee wanted to get a chance to run away since she had sent him away to cook for her, but she couldn't come up with any trick.In the end, she got hungry when she saw the pasta. It was mouth-watering. She was starving!Jovan was good at cooking pasta, even though he didn't seem reliable. The pasta he made tasted like home-cooked food."Give it a try." Jovan didn't say much. He meticulously blew on the pasta and handed her a fork and spoon. Renee accepted it, eager to start eatin
Jovan watched Renee fall into a deep thought. His gaze deepened, filled with renewed ferocity.Jovan turned his wrist and said slowly, "Okay, stop overthinking. I can tell you the truth if you want to know it." Renee abruptly looked up. Her eyes were teary as she begged him, "What's the truth?" "Listen to me and stay with me." Jovan frowned. After a short contemplation, he grinned and continued, "Stay with me for ten days or half a month. Then, I'll tell you.""That's not possible!"Renee immediately refused him, growing cold. "I have to leave right away. I can't watch the two families get into a fight."If she didn't return to North City immediately to explain things, the Baldwin and Hunt families would get into a big fight. Regardless of her circumstances, she didn't want them to fight. They were good people, and she refused to see them hurt. "Just let them fight. It's just a fight among bad people. Your family can grab this chance to get back to the top. Don't you want tha
Jovan felt that he wasn't as passionate and loving as Stefan."Stop beating around the bush. Why is he trying to hold himself back? You made a scumbag sound like he'd suffered a lot!" Renee snarled.She gnashed her teeth. If her foot was not chained, she would have long beaten Jovan up for being evasive and mysterious."I think he was forced to give up his beloved woman because of his identity. He has suffered a lot." Jovan frowned, his tone laced with sympathy."What about his identity? I've already known about that. Our grandfathers decided on our marriage. What are we, Romeo and Juliet?" Renee had wondered if their families were sworn enemies. It might be the reason why Stefan was in a dilemma.However, her grandfather made the Hunts take care of her when her family was doomed. Her grandfather always wanted the best for her. He held her hand and told her that only Stefan could make her happy, and only the Hunt family could protect her. It seemed unreasonable that Stefan was
Jovan was stunned to hear Renee's words. He was so furious, he laughed."Maybe!" He agreed with her and looked at her wickedly. "Since I can't win him over, I want his beloved woman.""You're out of your mind!" Renee was disgusted as goosebumps gripped her. "I'm not his most beloved woman. He loves Briar the most. You got the wrong person. You should kidnap Briar instead. Then, you can get to him."She was acting out of spite, but she meant what she had said.In the past, she was confident that Stefan loved her the most. After so many things had happened, she was no longer as confident. Stefan eventually broke up with her because of Briar. It was enough to prove her position in his heart."Haha! Do you really think so?" Jovan shook his head, his lips a complicated smile. He seemed to be muttering to himself or hinting at something. "Unfortunately, he can't always do a good job. His romance is a mess. His most beloved woman doesn't understand him. How pathetic!""Stop mumbling!
"You're trying to take revenge on Stefan, aren't you? What did he do? Why do you hate him so much?" Renee demanded.She was particularly clueless.At the very least, she felt that Stefan and Jovan didn't have a grudge even if they couldn't get along. Besides—back then, Stefan survived because of Jovan's blood.In a sense, they should be close to each other. Stefan was able to live on because of Jovan.Yet now, Jovan wanted to ruin the one he had once risked his life to rescue."No, I don't hate him," Jovan answered honestly. "I even admire him, and I'm jealous of him. He's my role model, the pride of my family.""Then, you're envious of him!" Renee went straight to the point. "You can't defeat him, so you tried to make him disappear. When that happens, you'll feel better. No one will block you, and you'll get a chance to shine."Jovan, speechless, slowly stopped smiling. Renee had accurately guessed his innermost thoughts. Since he couldn't defeat Stefan, he would let Stefan b
The thing Renee feared the most was that Jovan's action would infuriate the Baldwins.Quinton, Adie, Abby, and Margaret were still there. If the Baldwin family wanted to do something bad, Renee's family would be in danger. Her happiness was secondary. She just wanted to ensure that her family was safe and sound.It seemed Austin was full of schemes. Though he seemed to have brought her family to live with her, he in truth just wanted hostages to control her…Unfortunately, she couldn't go back in time even though she had seen through his tricks."What's the rush?" Jovan watched Renee with a meaningful smile. "Someone will handle it even if it's a big mess. Your family will be fine. My foolish cousin won't let them be in danger. At most, the two families will fight fiercely."Renee was shocked. She glared at him, and suddenly understood something. "So you did it on purpose! You wanted to watch them fight and get something from it.""That's not my concern. Once, I was more powerf
After all, Jovan was a human being. Such direct physical pain made him shake and groan. Normally, he should get angry and try all means to make her stop biting him.However, he was not an ordinary man. Although he trembled in pain, he maintained his posture and let her bite him as if he wanted to see who would give up first.Renee kept biting him fiercely, as if her teeth would gnaw through his palm. Blood oozed out of the wound. She was full of hatred, wishing to vent her anger. "Just bite me hard as long as you're happy. I'm enjoying myself too!"Jovan looked at her, whose head was lowered as she kept biting his palm fiercely. It was a bloody scene, but his words made everything sound ambiguous. Renee noticed his underlying meaning and was disgusted. She immediately let go of his palm. "Bah! Disgusting! You're sick!"Her lips were still stained with blood. From afar, it looked like a blooming rose from afar. It looked attractive on her. Aroused, Jovan held the back of her
The bed was around seventy inches large. Renee's eyes were closed as she moved anxiously.She thought she was still sleeping in the West Chamber, but the mattress didn't feel the same. Then, she abruptly opened her eyes. She saw a luxurious bedroom in the Paris La Nuit Club style. Above her hung a brilliant chandelier akin to the ones in medieval castles. A fragrant scent permeated the air. "You're finally awake…" A man's bewitching voice came from an inconspicuous corner. "Renee."Jovan was sitting in a luxurious chair, his legs crossed, swaying a glass of red wine. He appeared like a stereotypical vampire as he stared wickedly at Renee. "Are you out of your mind, Jovan? What did you do to me?" Renee yelled.Recalling what had happened, she abruptly sat up. Once she realized her situation, she started snarling at him. "Do you or your family hold a grudge against me? Why did you kidnap me from my engagement party?! Have you thought about the consequences? I'm sure you know h
"I… I don't know! I really don't know!" The makeup artist's face was flushed, her eyes rolling back. She felt like she was about to faint again."Are you still trying to hide the truth?" Justin continued flexing his fingers. He was certain that the makeup artist who suddenly wanted to modify the size of the gown must be aware of the truth.With her eyes rolled back, the makeup artist begged him, "I'll tell you…! Please let me go! I'll tell you everything!" Hearing that, Justin slowly released his grasp.The makeup artist finally got a chance to breathe. She kept taking deep breaths and almost cried because of her terror. "What should I tell you?" She truly knew nothing."What?" Justin's gaze grew fierce."Oh, I remember it now…" She drew in a cold breath and hurriedly said, "A handsome guy came not long after you were gone. I think he's Mr. Hunt. When Ms. Everheart saw him, she was very…"She paused, trying to find her words. "She was very…?" Justin urged her. This was the