Renee looked around and did not notice any extra chairs, so she said to the waiter beside her, "Mister, can you get me a chair?""Umm, about that..." He looked like he was in a difficult situation. "What's wrong? I'm a guest, but I don't have a chair. So, I asked you to get a chair for me. Is it that hard?" Renee glared at him.The waiter wiped away the sweat on his forehead and said carefully, "I'm sorry, Madam, but it's a table for two. If we give you another chair, it'll affect the atmosphere in the restaurant as well as the dining experience." "Are you kidding me?" Renee was speechless. What kind of restaurant was this?"Of course he's being serious." Seraphina sat across from Stefan and said sarcastically, "It's a table for two, so obviously they don't have extra chairs. If I was in your shoes, I'd be sensible enough to go to another restaurant instead of making things difficult for the waiter."Renee was already annoyed, and now, Seraphina had pushed her patience past its
Seraphina watched Stefan and Renee bicker with each other like an old couple, and clenched her fists."Stefan, it seems a little unnecessary for me to stand here since you're having such a nice chat with Miss Everheart. Why don't I leave you both to your meal? I'll go back to the hotel," Seraphina said airily, and turned to leave.However, Renee caught her wrist and smiled as she said seriously, "It’s not unnecessary at all—you being here is actually very important. You can cut our steaks, pour wine for us, and even serve us dishes.""Don't test me, Renee! You're the one who should be doing these things!" Seraphina hissed and jerked her hand away."Who said that I should do those things?" Renee raised an eyebrow nonchalantly."Stefan!" Seraphina snapped."Who is Stefan? Why should I obey him?" Renee asked innocently."You!" Seraphina's face turned as red as a tomato, and looked like she was about to explode.When Stefan realised that the two were coming close to killing each ot
"Why tomorrow morning?" Renee asked anxiously, wondering if he would decide not to tell her."I can tell you tomorrow morning or not tell you at all." Stefan put his hands in his pockets and said indifferently, "Don't forget—I'm not obligated to help resolve your brother's relationship with Joanne.""You…" For a moment, Renee was speechless. 'He's so unpredictable… He can go back on his word in a second!' Unfortunately, Renee had no choice but to accept it."Fine, I can wait until tomorrow. I'm tired anyway, so at least I can get some rest." Renee returned to the hotel and fell asleep as soon as she got into bed. A lot of things had happened lately, and her mind was exhausted after worrying about everything. Meanwhile, things weren't as simple on Stefan and Seraphina's side.Although they were in the same suite, one of them was sitting in the living room reading the newspaper while the other was wearing sexy red pyjamas and lying in bed.Seraphina sprayed some perfume on her bod
"I miss you and I put you in my heart. As for Renee... I just feel that she's very amusing. I just see her as something to relieve my boredom," Stefan explained calmly, trying to convince himself as well.He couldn't understand his feelings for Renee. She seemed to be his enemy, and he had no recollection of her, but for some reason, he wanted to be near her. He found everything about her fascinating, as if his body was subconsciously choosing her. It was so much more intense than what he felt for Seraphina.He knew that he loved Seraphina and was grateful for her support; he could pamper Seraphina and even die for her but… he did not enjoy being with her."Really? Is it only because you find her amusing? You don't feel anything for her?" Seraphina did not believe him. She wasn't blind—she could see how he fawned over Renee."Do you want me to feel something for her?" Stefan stared at Seraphina and asked coldly."Of course not! I want to be the only woman you care about.""You
Stefan tried to respond to Seraphina, but something inside him made him stop. "Forget it. I'm a bit tired today." He pulled away and took a deep breath. "You're tired too, so you'd better rest.""Stefan, you're pushing me away again. What's wrong with you? We've known each other for years and are about to get married soon… Surely it won't be this way forever?" Seraphina's eyes turned watery in defeat. Any woman would feel bad if a man refused her. Even though some women acted tough, they still were naturally softhearted."I'm sorry, I'm the one at fault here. I'm just not ready yet." Clasping his hands, he bowed his head miserably. Sometimes he wondered if he had a male-specific illness… Why else would he never feel attracted to Seraphina despite loving her so deeply? In fact, he wasn't attracted to other women either.The only exception was Renee… He lost all control around her like some hormonal teenager, and always longed to be near her.'No, it has to be a coincidence.' He shoo
Finally, Stefan decided to go out for a walk for some fresh air and relaxation.The hotel he chose had a nice environment and was designed in a typical Southeast Aeos style. The garden was filled with tropical plants like palm trees and cactus, and looked like a primaeval forest.Stefan was wandering in the garden when he saw a familiar figure—it was none other than Renee."Ren…" He was about to call her name, but soon realised that she was sleepwalking. He then secretly followed her from a distance to observe her condition.She stood before a large cactus and squatted down, then whispered to the cactus, "Little porcupine, don't be scared. I like you very much and I won't hurt you. Can I take a needle from you? Why do you have so many of them? Let me take all of them out for you, okay? One, two, three…" While talking, she plucked out the cactus needles.Stefan fought back laughter at her serious expression. 'This woman is hilarious! How could she mistake the cactus for a porcupine
"Damn it, it must be because of that perfume!" Stefan held the door and wiped away the sweat on his forehead, trying his best to control his breathing. He stood at the door, wondering whether he should enter the room. If he left, he was worried that she might hurt herself.But if he entered the room, he might hurt her more.Renee eventually bumped into a pillar, and woke up with a start. She looked around, confused, then stared at the cactus needles in her hand. "Where am I? What am I doing?" "Renee, you're… awake?" Stefan swallowed and asked her urgently.Surprised, Renee turned around and looked at Stefan, whose face was twisted in pain. She quickly rushed over and supported him, asking in concern, "Stefan, what's the matter with you? Why is your body so hot and your face so flushed? Are you having a fever?" "Don't touch me!" Stefan pushed her away as sweat rolled down his throat. He was aware of the changes in his body, and it was getting increasingly difficult to control his
The next morning, Renee got up in bed. She pushed aside the blanket and found that she was wearing pyjamas. She looked around the room in confusion, but it was empty. "That's weird… Did something happen last night? Did I sleepwalk again?"Eventually, images flooded her mind, but to her confusion, they were mostly of her and Stefan. The scenes were so passionate that she had no idea if they were real or just her imagination. After all, when she sleepwalked, she could not differentiate between reality and fantasy."Ah, forget it. Even if we did sleep together, it wouldn't be the first time!" She couldn't get an answer even after thinking about it, so she just decided to regard it as a colourful dream.It was rather late, so Renee quickly washed up and went out for breakfast. After that, she shamelessly went to Stefan and Seraphina's room and rang the bell endlessly. 'If Stefan still refuses to tell me about my brother's affairs with Joanne, there's going to be trouble.'However, ther
Stefan remained quiet as he calmly watched Renee. He extended his hand to touch her face but retrieved it before he could.She used to be the woman he was familiar with and the one he had hugged and kissed countless times, but now, he didn't even dare to touch her. "I think she doesn't even want you here. She must hate you so much and is disappointed in you. She'll be even more pressured if you stay here, and it'll push her further from this world. So please, get the hell out of here if you want the best for her!"Justin could not hold himself back from scolding Stefan. If Jovan was telling the truth, Stefan must be aware of the fact that Jovan was holding Renee hostage. Yet, he remained indifferent and feigned ignorance. He didn't even care if Renee was fine. What a cruel bastard! Justin was disappointed in Stefan. He wanted nothing more than to see what was really on Stefan's mind."Take good care of her." Stefan did not want to defend himself. He glanced at Renee, relucta
"What did you do to her?!" Stefan interrogated Jovan coldly, his eyes teary. "She isn't the kind to kill herself! What the hell did you do to her?" "Try to wake her up if you want to know." Jovan was pale. His previous sickness, coupled with his recent blood donation to Renee, made him very weak. Despite that, he refused to stop infuriating others. "Do you think I can't do anything to you? Do you really think that?" Stefan could no longer hold himself back and strangled Jovan. "I'm going to kill you! Repent for the terrible things you've done!"He couldn't imagine the kind of thing that could force the strong and stubborn Renee to resist by using such a desperate means. "You obviously won't go easy on me! I'm sure of that!" Jovan sneered. His pale face turned flushed as he suffocated from Stefan's powerful grip. "But you'd better kill yourself first if you want to avenge her! She ended up like this because of you." "What?" Stefan's face was frosty. He strengthened his grip a
Jovan slowly got up from the ground, looking incredibly weak. He whispered, "She lost too much blood. The doctor claimed she's out of danger, but…she hasn't woken up.""What did you say?" Stefan and Justin were bewildered. They couldn't process his words."So, she was the female college student who tried to kill herself?" Stefan said. He staggered after linking the information he had heard from a nurse with the things that Jovan had said."Stop acting dumb! You're so smart, how could you have missed that?" Jovan glared coldly stared at Stefan, scrutinizing him in disdain. "You were just too scared to face the truth and your woman! You're such a coward! You're an embarrassment to your family!""Agreed!" Justin added; he suddenly found Jovan useful, especially when the latter started insulting Stefan. It felt just right."Although I'm a fallback guy, I'm braver than you. I accept that she doesn't love me, and I'm willing to give it a try with her. And although this guy's a vill
Stefan frowned, doubtful. He looked vigilantly at Jovan, who had collapsed on the ground. "What do you mean by this?"Jovan kept coughing and said nothing. His lips grew pale as he sneered.Justin's eyes were cold, and he held back his urge to beat up Jovan. "Hmph! Obviously, this is a scam!"He demanded condescendingly, "How dare you barge into my territory and take away my woman! Don't you fear my family and me at all?"Jovan, filled with disdain, looked at Justin as if he was a fool. "Stop talking. You don't even have the right to join this battle."To Jovan, only Stefan was qualified and powerful enough to be his enemy."How dare you say that!" Justin was infuriated. He got down on one knee and grabbed Jovan. "Your family always says nasty things! You two are the same. If we start fighting, I'll make sure to cut your tongue first!""Did I say something wrong?" Jovan sized Justin up, ridiculing Justin with mock compassion. "Don't you have any self-awareness? You're just a fal
Stefan frowned and asked solemnly, "Aren't you a top hacker? Hack into this hospital's inpatient system. Then, we'll know where she is.""Yes, you're right." Still, Justin wanted to challenge Stefan. He said indifferently, "But you're Jovan's cousin. It's more convenient for you to make a call instead of me hacking into their system."Yes, Justin could hack into their system, but calling Jovan would be quicker. And what they needed the most was time."He and I…" Stefan sneered, flexing his fingers. "The fact we didn't kill each other is considered peaceful. He's not as obedient as you think.""You'll know by calling him."Justin had heard about the complicated internal fights of the Hunt family, but he felt that Stefan was exaggerating."Jovan is a Hunt no matter what. Plus, he's still working at Hunt Enterprise. Just call him," Justin said. "Fine." Stefan found Justin logical. His private grudges with Jovan were not important because finding Renee immediately was the most impo
Both Stefan and Justin arrived at Grace Hospital quickly. However, Stefan suddenly stopped before he entered the hospital. He looked at Justin curiously."Let's go! It's urgent. Stop standing here!"Justin hurriedly ran. When he turned around, he found that Stefan had not caught up with him. Confused, he asked Stefan, "Something is puzzling me. Don't you want me to stop seeing her? Why did you let me come with you?" Stefan narrowed his eyes and interrogated Justin suspiciously, "Did you lie to me? Or are you plotting something?" "That's nonsense! Don't take me as you. I'm not full of schemes like you!" Justin sounded disdainful. In comparison to Stefan, Justin was not full of schemes. He also looked down upon Stefan since the latter was always vigilant.Justin answered honestly, "Yeah, I don't want you to meet her ever, but I'm sure she wants to see you if she's in danger. Yes, I hate you—but I want her to be happy." He guessed that Renee must be in a serious state since Jov
"Uh…" After some contemplation, Elijah nodded. "I know what to do, Mr. Hunt. It looks like you can see far beyond the current situation. Just leave this to me.""Of course, the most important thing is to have fun."Stefan remained calm; he didn't feel like he had stepped over the line. He merely wanted Justin to learn about the cruelty of the world since Justin was always being protected so well. Whenever he did something wrong, he had to pay a price for it.Besides, Stefan merely did it for his aunt, who had taken the gunshot for nothing. When they reached a consensus, Justin came to meet Stefan. "Hey…" After a pause, he said with dissatisfaction and helplessness, "Would you like to go with me?"Stefan raised his brows in confusion."I mean, do you want to visit Phoenix with me?" Justin sighed. He looked naive, like a college student, as he confessed, "I found Jovan. I don't know why he's so good at countersurveillance. After exiting the emergency room, he transferred her to
"So, what do you want to do?" Stefan asked emotionlessly. He kept watching Nora, who was lying unconscious in the ward."At the very least, we have to teach the Baldwin family a lesson and make the public aware of your family's power as the head of The Great Eight of Beach City. It's not just about venting anger, but more about which side the various great families will take. It concerns the future of your family, too. We can't take it lightly!"Elijah could not hide his indignation. As Stefan's assistant, he was no longer merely an ordinary employee. He was loyal to Stefan and the Hunt family. He couldn't bear to see Stefan suffer any injustice or watch the Hunt family get humiliated. If Stefan hadn't stopped him, he would have gathered all the manpower to fight the Baldwins. Although he had fought Cadmus and Tiger, he had yet to defeat them. He tried to figure out a way to make a counterattack, his face shadowed in gloom.Stefan turned and calmly looked at Elijah. "How shoul
When Justin was willing to send them on an errand again, Cadmus was eager to express his loyalty."No, you don't have to risk your lives for me. That's bloody and horrible. All you need to do is find someone for me." After a pause, Justin added, "Jovan Hunt, Stefan's younger cousin." Cadmus clenched his fists and said fiercely, "It's another Hunt! Old Master Baldwin is right. The Hunt family is full of bad people. If we knew, we shouldn't have dismantled the bombs in Hunt Enterprise. The Hunt family has strengthened their security system now. It's hard to set up bombs there if we want to." Justin felt a headache when he heard Cadmus babbling. He rubbed his temples, and said tiredly, "Stop. We don't have to blow up Hunt Enterprise. I just want to find him. Do you get me? Find him. That's enough!"He stressed his intention of locating Jovan as if he were giving a simple and clear order to robots. Most of the time, Cadmus and Tiger were like AI. Real robots were probably more obedie