"I... I'm sorry." Xavier was stunned, and spoke like a child who had made a mistake. "My employees can handle being rebuked. They won't change if I don't scold them, so I have to do this""Is that really the reason? You're overly violent, so they don't dare to resist." Leia glared at him as she touched her swollen forehead, gritting her teeth in pain. "Did I wrong you? Why am I so unlucky whenever I meet you?""Come here, let me take a look." Xavier pulled her hand away. When he saw a slight scratch on her forehead, he felt very sorry for her. He blew at the wound gently and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "Wait. I have ointment and a plaster here. Let me tend to it." He then led her to the sofa and opened his drawer to get the small medical kit. He was attentive and considerate, being unusually gentle and kind. It was very different from his usual frivolity. "Stop it, I'm not that weak. It'll heal soon..." Leia tried her best to keep her distance because she didn't want to
Cut the crap! Here, I'll fix it." Leia became flustered because of his words, so she grabbed his face with her hands. Recalling what she learned in her university elective lesson about putting back one's joints, she applied a bit of force, and they soon heard a crack. "Move it and see if it's cured," she clapped and said confidently.Xavier moved his chin, and to his surprise, it didn't hurt as badly. Nonetheless, he wanted to bluff Leia. "No, it still hurts. Hmm, my face is going to be ruined now. What do you think you should do to compensate me?" "It still hurts? That can't be." Leia frowned and took a step forward. She then grabbed his face again. "Should I do it again?""No, I'm fine now." Xavier immediately dodged. He might die instead of merely ruining his face if he went through that again. Leia realized he had tricked her, and became furious. "Can you be serious? Is it fun to fool me?" "Yes, it's fun!" Xavier smirked and got close to her. "I think it's fun when we bic
"Calm down..." Xavier tried to console Leia. "I hear you, but I'm afraid this incident isn't as simple as you think. Shirley holds no grudges against Quinton, and they don't even talk, so there's no point in her risking her future to harm him...""Ugh, shut up!" When Leia heard his words, she was so angry that she wanted to leave, but she forced herself to stay since she had a favor to ask of him. So, she gritted her teeth and sneered, "I told you someone told me that she heard the plastic surgeon talking to Shirley on the phone before the surgery. He even asked her to rest assured since he would get the job done. Do you really think she's innocent? This woman isn't as simple as you think, but you always regard her as your untouchable first love. You just don't want to admit it.""You're wrong," Xavier said coldly, "I know better than you that there's more to her than meets the eye. If not, I wouldn't have fallen out with her... I just want you to properly analyze who the culprit is.
He got a professional ATV and bought a lot of supplies to put in the trunk before leaving. They were all Leia's favorite fruits and snacks.Leia was slightly moved when she saw him do all this for her. She leaned against the car and handed him a tissue paper as she said teasingly, "We've broken up, so you don't have to be so considerate. If not, I'll think that you still can't forget about me."She regretted her comment immediately and added, "Don't get me wrong, I'm just joking. I'm not the kind of person who likes getting back together with exes.""Me neither." After he made that light comment, he placed the box of her favorite biscuits in the trunk.Leia scowled, hating the way he affected her.They set off in the car and soon came to the highway around the ocean.Leia called Renee. "Ren, are you okay? How is Quinton doing?""We got a more awesome expert, so there's a very high chance that he'll wake up." "Well, that's good." Leia felt relieved. "I may be away for a few da
It had been raining recently, so the road was bumpy with mud. One could not drive on it, and it was very hard to walk on the road too."Maybe we should go back…" Xavier frowned deeply when he saw the road. He felt that a rich young lady like Leia wouldn't be able to handle this."Go?" To his surprise, Leia rolled the legs of her trousers up and actually looked excited. "What a wonderful experience! I've only seen this in movies. How can I leave?"After that, she took off her shoes and happily walked onto the road. "Are you a woman? You're so tough. Don't you find the mud dirty?" Xavier stood at a clean spot and watched Leia stomp through the mud in disbelief. Although he wasn't a germaphobe, he couldn't bear stepping in the mud with bare feet. "Why are you still standing there? Hurry up, it's just mud. We can wash our feet clean later." Leia had walked a hundred meters when she realized that Xavier was still standing there hesitantly.She didn't realize that he was such a sissy
"I'm most afraid of dogs! Where are they?" Xavier hid behind Leia. He was nearly 190cm tall, but he looked like a kid hiding behind his mother's skirts. Leia pursed her lips and tried her best to suppress her laughter, and patted his head as if he was a child. "Don't be scared, I'll protect you. Dogs won't hurt you. Just stay behind me and stop screaming."They supported each other like an old couple and walked through that muddy road until they finally arrived at the set of Happy Days. "Finally, it's over!" Xavier heaved a deep sigh, feeling like he had gone through hell."Stop exaggerating!" Leia looked at him in confusion. "This is a remote village, so there'll be mud and dogs everywhere. Why did you torture yourself and come with me if you were so scared?""What do you think?" Xavier headed to a small stream and washed his feet, smiling faintly. "Do I look like someone who purposely looks for trouble?""Yes, you do!" Leia replied bluntly.Xavier rolled his eyes. "I was wor
Angelo Fairfax, a famous singer, became desperate as he gritted his teeth and complained, "I can't take it anymore! I've never met such a delicate star even though I debuted so many years ago. She joined a variety show in the countryside, but doesn't even want to drink the water at this place. She demanded pure water from an expensive brand, and even asked me to cook using that water. Where can I get so much of that? How preposterous!"Angelo was in charge of cooking in the show, and he was good at it. The others enjoyed his cooking, and his skills helped him gain a lot of fans. However, Shirley had started ordering him around after she joined the show. She claimed that the pasta was undercooked and that there were insects in the food. However, what infuriated him the most was that she demanded he cook with that expensive water, or else she wouldn't eat."I've met self-important people, but she's way too much. I'm no longer famous but I was quite a successful singer in the past. I've
Angelo extended his hand. "Mr. Stuart, you're busy so it's hard to see you. Are you here as a guest, or did you come for a visit? Why didn't the crew inform us?" The shooting had ended because it was night, so they could not tell if Xavier was a guest or merely there for a visit."We're here to see someone. May I know if Shirley is around?" Leia asked directly."Shirley?" Angelo became annoyed when Shirley's name was mentioned. He said indifferently, "She's a princess. Of course, she won't stay here.""What do you mean? Don't tell me she's not here!" Leia almost broke down. It was a long car ride, and she had soldiered through the muddy road and water path before finally arriving on the set. If they told her that Shirley was not there, she'd go mad."No, she's not staying here now. When the cameras are rolling, she'll be here." Angelo smiled bitterly."Where is she now?" Leia hurriedly asked."She's having a rest in town. Although we have bedrooms here, that princess can't stan
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.
"What kind of condition? I'm listening," Renee said curiously."It's very simple. The best way to take revenge on a man is to humiliate his beloved in front of him, especially by making her a slut in front of him. So…"After a pause, Macsen sized Renee up and cracked a wicked smile. "Turn on your social media, go live, and show everyone how you and I fool around. Let them see how you enjoy my lovemaking. Then, I'll consider letting you guys live!""That's outrageous!" Leia snarled, unable to tolerate it any longer. "You're out of your mind! Your woman is humiliated, so you should find fault with the culprit! Why do you want to hurt another innocent woman? If you love live shows, you should go shoot that kind of video yourself and sell it worldwide. It'll satisfy your special tastes!"Her sarcasm angered Macsen, who turned to his subordinate beside him.The subordinate immediately walked forward. Without hesitation, he grabbed Leia to the large ship behind Macsen."It's finally qu
Renee interrupted Leia for fear that the latter's words might drive Macsen up the wall.Macsen's intense reaction proved that he wasn't lying. Stefan had probably done something outrageous to his girlfriend.However, there might be some hidden clues in that incident. Given Renee's understanding of Stefan, he wasn't so ruthless even though he was abominable."No, she's right." Macsen took a deep breath and sneered. "I should make myself clear. If not, you'd never know how wicked someone could be… When I found my girlfriend, she was naked and had all kinds of bruises. She cried and told me that Stefan had assaulted her for several days and nights. In the end, she jumped off a building and died in front of me because of the utter humiliation!""What?!" At that point, Leia expressed her disbelief. "That can't be! There must be some misunderstanding! Stefan's a scumbag, but he's not a skirt-chaser or a deviant. That kind of thing would never have happened. Given his identity and sta
"Oh?" Macsen looked at Renee, interested. "Is there a way to cause him pain? Well then, I'm all ears."Renee looked at herself and Leia, then said, "I can tell you, but you need to let us go first. At least, let my friend go."Macsen grew cold, and snorted, "Hmph! You can't negotiate terms with me. I think killing you both is enough to cause him pain. Men, do it!""No!"Renee found Macsen's emotions to be very unsteady—he would turn hostile at any minute. Hence, she said patiently, "Okay, I won't ask you to let us go since you don't want to. At least tell us what terrible things Stefan has done that made you hate him so much. Maybe I'll pity you once you tell me. Then, I'll help you take revenge on him.""Don't take me as a fool. You, help me take revenge on him?" Macsen glared at Renee. Macsen wasn't so foolish to believe that a woman deeply in love with Stefan would betray him and work with his enemy to target him.Then again, it would cause Stefan greater pain if his beloved
At that point, Leia leaned backward and laughed heartily. Renee listened to the conversation and shook her head helplessly. They were doomed, alright.Their enemy wanted them dead later, but here Leia was, insulting and rebuking him fiercely. He would probably kill them on the spot.Just as Renee had expected, Macsen said nothing more. Instead, he waved and instructed his subordinate, "Do it now. I can't wait any longer.""Okay, boss." Macsen's subordinate nodded respectfully and glanced at the rest of the guards. They approached Renee and Leia with two sandbags and ropes. "W-What are you doing?" Leia swallowed, terrified at the sight of the sandbags and ropes. Masen sneered and said fiercely, "Didn't you say I'm a coward? I'll show you what a coward I am."The guards bound Renee and Leia tightly and secured the heavy sandbags around their ankles.Macsen's subordinate looked at Renee and Leia, now tightly bound, and asked him carefully, "Boss, it's done. Do we just push t
The man was stunned, then laughed heartily. "No wonder you're Stefan's most beloved woman! You're smart.""Huh? He's Macsen? How can you tell?" Leia looked at the man with confusion, her eyes widening. She never took this man as the amazing figure Liam had talked about."In the whole fort, other than Benjamin, the master, no one could offend Liam and snatch the hostages away from Mateo except for you, the one with an army. Plus, I hurt your dearest son. It's not hard to guess your identity," Renee said, her logic sound. "What a logical analysis! You think fast. I admire you for that." Macsen clapped, giving Renee an admiring look. The next moment, he turned cold. "Since that's the case, I won't beat around the bush. I took you here to settle the grudge between us." "It's fine if you want to take revenge on me, but you have to let my friend go." Renee stood in front of Leia, meeting Macsen's gaze boldly. "This incident has nothing to do with her. Don't hurt her.""No." Macsen s
"Divorced?" The man was surprised at first, but soon remained calm. He snorted, "That's not a big deal. We can't judge the love a man holds for a woman through marriage. Many men ignore their wives and are madly in love with their lovers. I'm sure Renee is the woman Stefan loves the most.""I'm telling you, he doesn't love her!" Leia insisted.She sighed. Filled with indignation, she added, "He divorced my friend for his mistress. Based on your words, his mistress should be the one he loves best. If not, he wouldn't divorce my friend and watch her date another man. Do you think a man would behave like that if he loved her?""Is that so?" The man narrowed his eyes, trying to ascertain the authenticity of Leia's words. If Stefan divorced Renee for his mistress, then from the perspective of a man, that meant he did have a change of heart. Renee was no longer the woman he loved the most.Then again, based on the information the man had found, Stefan was madly in love with Renee. He r
The man observed Renee carefully, his gaze complicated and unreadable. He remained silent for quite a long time. Terrified by his stare, Renee wrapped her clothes tighter around herself. "If I've offended you in the past, I'll apologize to you here. Tell me how I've offended you. I think we can figure out a solution. I'm sure I can do it.""A solution?" the man snorted, his lips a sneer. "Do you think the dead can come back to life? If you think that's possible, we can figure out a solution.""Does our grudge involve the dead?" Renee asked.No matter how much she racked her brains, she couldn't for the life of her figure out when she had met this man. She recalled accepting a mission when she was young and reckless, when she needed to kill a drug lord in Southeast Aeos.As an internationally top-ranked assassin, she hated murder the most. That, and she rarely got involved in such missions. If her younger self had willingly accepted that kind of mission, however, then her enemy
Leia swallowed and leaned close to Renee.She was as confused as Renee and wondered why they would get into so much trouble when she just wanted to visit Liam. Yet, everyone in the fort was out to get her and Renee killed. It felt like a dangerous adventure—there wasn't a single moment of respite!"I don't know, either," Renee said, "but I'm guessing it has something to do with the past and the recent events. They've long held a grudge against us."When Renee was trying to earn her living, she offended quite a lot of people since she was young and bold. Their enemies right now loomed over them aggressively, as if harboring intense hatred against them. Perhaps it was a long-held grudge. Renee couldn't imagine anything else."What should we do?" Leia asked softly.Since they were kidnapped and surrounded by armed guards, they were at their enemies' mercy. They had no idea the direction they came from. "I don't know. Let's act accordingly," Renee said, sighing.She had lost all