Eloise looked at Renee suspiciously, not believing that someone could be that foolish. "Are you really willing to give up your eyes for him and help cover for us?""Willing or not, I owe it to Jovan." Renee sighed and added, "I don't have to let them know if you don't trust me, but you'll just have to figure out how to deal with them when this becomes a bigger mess." Renee wasn't bluffing Eloise—she genuinely wanted to resolve this. She'd always felt guilty because of Jovan's sacrifices, and when night fell, that uneasiness would play on her mind. She always wondered if he was living in despair or had fallen into his enemies' hands… or if he was dead. Thinking of all those possibilities hurt her and gave her restless nights. She no longer wanted that kind of life; she wanted to repay Jovan."How are you going to tell them that you're safe?" Eloise asked carefully. "I'll post on Facebook..." Smiling, Renee explained, "People in danger wouldn't think of posting something on social me
"Okay, I'll post your status later. Log in to your account first." Eloise fished out her phone and let Renee log into her social account.After taking Eloise's phone, Renee logged in to her social account and gave her full cooperation. She could've easily called for help, but didn't feel like doing so.Eventually, Eloise grew to believe Renee, much to her surprise. "I didn't imagine that you would really give up your eyes. No wonder my master loves you so much… A woman like you really is worthy of the sacrifices he's made.""Is that a compliment?" Looking at Eloise, Renee smiled. "I'm not a good person—I just hate the idea of owing someone." "Maybe he wants that... but I won't let him be a fool any longer." Heaving a long sigh, Eloise continued, "It doesn't matter who owes who, he's the only one suffering here. If this surgery is successful, I hope he'll be more ruthless and force you to be with him. That was how he used to do things."Eloise had been trained by Jovan's parents s
Sadness engulfed Eloise at the sight of Jovan, and tears silently rolled down her cheeks. "You've changed so much because of that woman, Mr. Hunt. You weren't this pessimistic in the past...""No, I didn't change because of her. This is how I am, and I just became more like myself after I met her." Jovan's blank gaze seemed to soften at the mention of Renee. "You're wrong!" Eloise argued frustratedly, "You once said that love was the most meaningless thing in the world, that it would only tie you down and weaken you! You had actually defeated Stefan back then, and if you had just been more ruthless, you would have been heading Hunt Enterprise, but… you became a fool for that woman, and gave up your blood and eyes to Stefan. He's out and about now, but we have to cower in a corner and lick our wounds. Even something simple like looking at the moon is unobtainable, and it just makes me so mad!" Jovan slowly clenched his fists, unable to deny it. Eloise was right—in the past, he was
"Maybe fate feels that you've suffered enough," Eloise said vaguely."Can you tell me more about the donor? Is it a man or a woman? Is the donor a Hunt too?" Although Jovan was elated, he was still cautious. Nothing in life was free, after all."Well... that..." Eloise trailed off, not expecting Jovan to be concerned with who the donor was. She thought about it for a while, then casually lied, "It's a poor female student. When she saw our advertisement, she submitted her check-up report, and we found her suitable." If Jovan learned that the donor was Renee, the very person he risked his life to protect, there was no way he'd agree to the surgery. "Oh, a poor female student..." Jovan didn't doubt it—there were many people who were forced to give up their bodies or organs just to survive. "Pay her well if she really agrees to do it. In fact, I'm willing to be responsible for her and her family for the rest of their lives," Jovan declared righteously. Although he wasn't generous by na
Jovan immediately picked up on Eloise's hesitation and asked, "What's wrong? Is it inconvenient?" "No, it's just that… Is it really necessary that you meet her?" Eloise initially wanted to come up with an excuse to reject his request, but he would surely get suspicious if she kept saying no. "Of course," Jovan said earnestly. "She's going to bear the suffering I've been going through for the rest of her life if she gives her eyes to me. She'll practically be giving me a new life, so of course I have to meet my benefactor." "Okay, I'll arrange a meeting for the both of you then..." Eloise felt it was best that she let Jovan meet Renee for a while before the surgery to erase any suspicions. "I'll ask her to come to the manor at ten o'clock tomorrow morning so the both of you can talk.""You've done well, Elly." It was the first time Jovan praised Eloise openly. He turned his face towards the sky and took in a deep breath, feeling like freedom was already in his grasp. "I'll be abl
Pity engulfed Eloise when she saw how despondent Renee was. "Listen, I don't want to do this either but the problem is there aren't any suitable eyes for Mr. Hunt except yours. It's our only option." "Don't worry about it. I told you that it's what I owe to Jovan, and I'm willing to return the favor.""Fine, you both will meet tomorrow morning then," Eloise said and breathed out a weary sigh. Renee had a restless night, her mind plagued with worries, and on the other side of Beach City, the same thing was happening to Stefan.Xavier had told Stefan that he couldn't get through to Renee's phone, so Stefan had tried calling Renee too. When he couldn't reach her either, uneasiness filled him. However, he soon saw her Facebook status—a photo of her holding sunflowers and smiling tenderly with the caption 'You're the only one I love'.Stefan knew that was what sunflowers meant, but he couldn't help but feel like it was Renee confessing her love for him on the Internet. Why had she p
"Yes, she's here." Eloise pulled Renee to the balcony. She wasn't worried that Renee would try to escape or expose her true identity to Jovan; she would have done that long ago if she really wanted to."Where is she?" Jovan asked Eloise eagerly."She's sitting in front of you. Just take your time and talk to her..." Eloise patiently explained.There were two lounge chairs and a small tea table on the balcony. Both Jovan and Renee sat across from each other, tea and fruits on the table between them."Please leave us alone, Elly," Jovan ordered Eloise, who was standing nearby."Just ignore me, Mr. Hunt. I won't disturb you." Eloise wasn't worried about Renee, but she was scared Jovan might realize something, given how smart he was. Letting them meet was already very risky."It's not about whether you'll disturb me or not, I'm just not used to having a third person around if I'm going to chat with someone.""But...""Are you going to disobey me?" Jovan's tone was calm but menacing
Renee's tone was melancholy."Why do you want to sell your most important organ then? You can earn money through other ways, you know. You don't have to do something like this that will ruin your life." Jovan frowned, looking confused.Renee smiled then said solemnly, "It's because I think poverty is more horrible than having one's soul trapped. The worst that could happen if I lose my sight is that I'd feel bored, but poverty can actually kill people!""How much do you need? I can give you the money, then you don't have to sell your eyes to me," Jovan said suddenly."Huh?" Renee's smile froze on her face, and she was caught off guard by his offer."Are you surprised?" Jovan clasped his hands together and said honestly, "I know how it feels since I'm experiencing it. I know how devastating it is to lose your sight, so I don't want anyone to suffer such agony unless they have no other option." Renee cleared her throat and said awkwardly, "I heard that you're pretty aloof, so why
Liam was impressed while looking at Justin's calm expression. He had always thought that Justin was cunning and full of schemes. He was even worried that Justin might plot against Renee in the future.However, Justin was quite open and generous. He was considering things from Renee's angle. He could be Renee's haven, but if he stepped down, he could willingly grant Renee's wish to be with the one she loved. It seemed that Justin was selfless, and Liam felt that he was worse than Justin. No wonder Renee would choose to spend the rest of her life with Justin. It seemed like he was a reliable man.Justin pocketed his hands and asked casually, "Is there any other problem now?""Not at the moment." Liam frowned in defeat. Since Justin had made such a big compromise, he would seem like a fool if he was too arrogant and refused to give up. A long sigh escaped him as he let go of Renee's hand, but he was still hopeful. He boasted to Justin, "Wait and see! I'll make Stefan appear.""Go
"Let go of her!" Justin turned cold and grabbed Renee's other hand. He said darkly to Liam, "You don't have the right to take her with you!""Hmph! I don't have the right to take her with me? Well, you don't have the right to marry her. I must take her with me today. Worst comes to worst, I'll fight your family!"Though he was too weak to fight the powerful Baldwin family, Liam was never a coward. He would fight the whole world alone for the sake of Renee's happy and stable life."Calm down…"In comparison, Justin was calmer. He was probably more confident since it was his territory and he could affirm Renee would not leave with Liam. He started mocking Liam. "I'm not the kind of person who will force others to do things they refuse to do. If Ren wants to leave, I'll let her go even if my family disowns me. But I know that she won't leave. At the very least, she won't leave with you.""What do you mean?" Liam could tell that Justin was mocking him, and it annoyed him. "Why are
Liam felt that his situation at the fort was almost the same as Renee's current situation. He had thought that the marriage was just for show. If he was unhappy, he could get a divorce. Even then, things were not that easy when he wanted to get out of that mess. If Amber had not protected him, Benjamin would have long gotten him killed. He knew better than anyone else how unfair it was for the other party when one tolerated and went through with the marriage.Amber was naive and was willing to be treated unfairly, but Justin was no fool. He would not be able to take it if it lasted for a long time. It was easy to imagine what Renee would face when Justin stopped taking her side."Let's go! I'm not afraid. You don't have to be afraid, either." Liam made up his mind to support Renee, who was standing behind him.Renee bit her lips and started to waver; not because she did not want to be with Justin, but simply because she was not confident in herself. She was afraid she would neve
"Liam, what are you doing?" Leia looked at Liam, unable to understand his sudden excitement."I'm going to meet Austin or Justin. I want them to cancel this engagement ceremony." Liam held Renee's wrist and tried to drag her out of the suite.He was certain Renee didn't want to marry Justin, so it was very likely that she would regret it in the future. It would be hard to settle if she regretted it after the engagement party. Liam felt that he had to try his best to put everything under control while he still could. Feeling helpless, Leia complained, "Stop making a scene… This is Ren's marriage. You can't make all this fuss!""You don't know. I'm doing this for her. I want the best for her." Liam knew the consequences of resisting Austin, given the man's position. He was also ready to be punished by them. Even though he would be beaten up vigorously, he would not hesitate as long as he could stop the ceremony and help Renee avoid such risks. "If you want the best for her, just
Leia felt so awkward that she wanted to run away. "Hey, can you stop flattering yourself? You haven't settled your messy romance, so please don't get Ren involved. You shouldn't joke like that!"Similarly, Liam found his joke impudent and admitted to his mistake. "Yeah, I was wrong. Don't take my joke seriously."Both Renee and Leia were amused. It helped relieve their tension. "But have you thought it through? After this ceremony, you'll be a part of the Baldwin family. You can't regret it by then," Liam said; he was worried about Renee. Everyone knew the Baldwin family's style. They had such a grand ceremony today. If anything went wrong, the Everheart family might be ruined for the second time. Although nobody knew who would win the battle, the trouble could be avoided. Liam was clueless as to why Renee wanted to take such a risk."Yes, I have." Renee nodded and added firmly, "I'd thought it through the moment I boarded the plane with Justin to fly here."It was the last c
Renee was done getting ready. As her closest friend, Leia came to North City with Liam immediately.The engagement ceremony was held in a magnificent hall of a top hotel. The guests arrived one by one and chatted among themselves. It was a luxurious and grand scene. "Ren, I'm sorry I'm late!" Leia arrived at the hotel suite where Renee was waiting. She put her hands together to express her apology. "It's Liam's fault! He was out of his mind and insisted on not coming here, but I forced him to and took some time. Please don't be mad at me!""Silly, I won't be mad at you. Plus, this ceremony doesn't carry much meaning. The Baldwin family just needs this as an assurance. It doesn't matter even if you're absent."Renee looked indifferent and was not at all happy and eager like a bride-to-be. The engagement ceremony was held to announce to the world about the relationship between her and Renee. In all honesty, Renee was resistant to it. She did not want her family or friends to at
Margaret decided to be frank since Renee had said so. "I can tell that you don't sincerely love Mr. Baldwin. Your marriage is just a way to avoid reality. Why are you so harsh on yourself if that's the case? Now, you're making such a big fuss about moving here. If you fail to get along with him and have to return to Beach City in the future, many people will gossip about you. They'll say nasty things about you. Why do you have to put yourself in such a condition?""Margaret, you don't understand…" Renee looked at herself in the mirror. She looked very charming, like a bride in ancient paintings. Everyone would be charmed by her—including herself. She knew very well that she was the one taking the lead in her romance with Justin. They could go on forever as long as she didn't end it. She was just afraid she could not hold on and wanted to stop, and the only reason that she wanted to stop was probably because of Stefan. "If I stay in Beach City, I'll come across Stefan. I know t
Time passed by. It was soon the day for the engagement ceremony between Justin and Renee.The Baldwin family held a grand ceremony while adhering to tradition. It was both traditional and romantic.Renee put on a red slim-fit silk gown with intricate black and gold embroidery. Her long hair was delicately pinned up, showing off her fair and slender neck. She looked elegant."How pretty!" Margaret stood in front of the vanity table and looked at Renee, whose face was dolled with exquisite makeup. She looked gratified, as though she were looking at her daughter."If your parents saw how pretty and elegant you were, they would be very happy." Margaret gently placed her hands on Renee's shoulders and commented, "You married Mr. Hunt when I wasn't around. You must have suffered a lot. But things will get better now… I'll stay with you and protect you forever. I'll be your strongest support."Back then, Renee was left alone when her family was ruined. She married Stefan without anyo
Alexander and Francine were already old. It was fine even if others criticized them or took violent revenge on them. But they were worried that the younger generation, especially Adie and Abby, would have a hard time handling it."You're right. I wasn't thinking straight…" Francine became teary and sobbed. "I just wanted to relieve my guilt and failed to consider the kids. We brought this upon ourselves. I'll probably have to suffer this pain for the rest of my life.""Stop thinking about that. It's all over. It's useless to regret or dwell on it." Alexander walked over and hugged her shoulders. He whispered some consoling words, "No one can tell who was right or wrong about that affair. We're already punished. Just act like everything is gone…"Is it? You're just trying to make yourself feel better." Francine leaned against Alexander's shoulders, full of melancholy. "Don't you think the kids are suffering the consequences of our actions? They love and understand each other bu