LOGINStefan froze. He never expected Renee to agree so easily.He smiled bitterly. "Ren, do you really hate me this much?""It's not hate."Renee turned away so he wouldn't see her tears."It's what the Hunt family owes us. Someone has to pay it back. If it's not Francine, then it's you."Stefan was silent for a long time before finally speaking. "I understand, but I have one request.""Say it.""Give me three days." Stefan's voice was soft. It almost sounded like pleading. "After three days, you can report me to the police."Renee turned around and looked at him coldly. "Are you trying to buy time?""No." Stefan shook his head. His eyes filled with tenderness. "I just want to spend these last three days with you and the kids before I go in. No grudges. No hatred. J-Just spend it the way we used to."Renee's heart clenched.There was a time when she had wished for exactly this, for their family of four to return to the way it was. She had once swallowed her pride and begged him
"Yes, I hope you'll think this through carefully." Stefan's voice trembled with emotion. "My mom did something wrong, and she deserves to be punished, but she's still my mother. As her son, I can't just stand by and do nothing…""So?" Renee cut him off. "Did you come here to declare war on me? To warn me, threaten me, and force me to let your mother go as if nothing ever happened?""Yes." Stefan shook his head. "I'm not asking you to forgive her. I…"He took a deep breath and finally said why he came."A debt owed by a father must be paid by the son. The same goes for a mother's sins. I'm here because I want to atone for her. Whatever anger you have, take it out on me. I won't complain."Renee froze before sneering. "What exactly are you trying to say? Can you just be clear?""Simply put, if you insist on going to the police, I'll take the blame for her."Stefan's voice was firm. "Back then, I also used some questionable methods during my fight with your brother. I'll tell
"Where are you going at this hour?" Asher asked worriedly.Stefan didn't answer. He turned around and walked toward the door.Late at night, at Everheart Manor, the huge living room was lit only by a dim lamp. Renee sat on the sofa and hugged her knees as tears silently fell.Quinton sat beside her and gently patted her back. "Renee, stop crying.""Quinton, am I a cruel person?" Renee choked out. "I know that if I call the police, Stefan will suffer. The children will be affected too.""You are cruel, but you're not being cruel to them. You're being cruel to yourself."Quinton took a deep breath and looked at her with heartache. "You give everything to your family. You can't bear seeing me suffer. You can't bear seeing the children suffer, and you can't bear putting Stefan in a difficult position. That's why you're hurting so much.""I really feel useless." Renee covered her face. "Things between our families have reached this point. I clearly know it was Francine who did al
Alexander opened his eyes and looked at Francine. His eyes showed mixed emotions."Maybe you're right. In the past, I too thought my feelings for you were nothing but responsibility and obligation. I thought I needed to play the role of a husband who loved his wife and the role of a great father. But today, when I realized I might lose you, I finally understood that you had already become an inseparable part of my life!"Francine froze. Her tears kept falling. "Alexander.""I won't let you face this alone." Alexander walked over and hugged her. "For all the mistakes we made, we'll pay for them together. No matter what the outcome is, I'll stay by your side."Francine broke down crying in his arms."I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I only truly realized now that I was wrong. I was really wrong. My jealousy and narrow-mindedness hurt you, Stefan, and the two children even more."Her words were not an attempt to gain sympathy. She truly realized from the bottom of her heart how horribly wrong
"Take it this far?"Renee looked at Quinton in disbelief. It was as if she had just heard something absurd. "Quinton, what are you thinking? She did something so horrible to you! I haven't even used violence against her. I've already shown enough mercy. How can that be called taking it too far?""But…"Quinton looked at Stefan. Thinking about how deeply Renee had once loved this man, how much she had sacrificed for him, and how they had now been forced into becoming enemies, his heart hurt."But the past is already the past. I don't want the pain from years ago to affect your life now and make you suffer even more. I only want you to be happy."Quinton treasured his current life, especially after reuniting with Renee. Having a nephew and a niece, and getting along well with Joanna, he had slowly let go of the pain he carried. In fact, he had almost forgotten the suffering of the past.But if Renee really sent Francine to prison, then she and Stefan would truly be over. The chil
Francine looked up. The moment she met Stefan's eyes, she completely broke down. "Stefan, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…""I'm not the one you should be apologizing to!" Stefan's voice trembled as he pointed at Renee and Quinton. "You owe them an apology. Compared to everything they've been through, your apology means nothing!""I… I…"Francine stood frozen in place. The woman who had once been so proud and untouchable now looked like a child abandoned by the entire world. She was fragile and helpless.Alexander watched Francine silently. He had never seen her look so vulnerable before, and his heart was filled with mixed emotions.He took a deep breath and walked up to Quinton before bowing deeply to him. "Child, I'm sorry. I failed to keep my wife at bay. Because of that, you suffered so much…""Your apology means nothing," Renee spoke coldly. "My brother and I don't want an apology. We want justice."Alexander froze. The Renee standing before him felt like a completely different pe
Stefan felt like he had fallen into an abyss. He felt like he was about to die, and his expression was strained. He wanted to crawl out of the abyss, but it was too dark, and he could not find anything to hold onto. Delirious, he muttered, "Hold me!" Suddenly, a small, warm hand reached out and held
“Who dares to make such a bold suggestion?” Austin slammed his fist on the table and scowled at the waiter. “Fine, ask them to come in. It’s been a while since a person this bold appeared in the Baldwins’ territory!”Renee glanced at the door and was instantly curious about this mysterious person. Af
Stefan's grip on Renee's neck tightened as his emotions overwhelmed him. At that moment, he seemed to have lost control of himself. He just wanted an outlet to release his guilt and anger, so his mind wasn't thinking straight. Renee was in too much pain to say anything. She stared at him calmly, but
The computer screen glowed with a white light in the dark room.Stefan replayed the surveillance footage from Redwood Mansion over and over again. He wanted to see if the tragedy happened because of Renee's arrogance, as Briar claimed.Stefan tapped the forward and backward buttons again and again. He







