Adie immediately felt relieved, and warned Stefan, "You have to keep your word and come see my mommy, or... I'll deduct 100 points!""Don't worry, I'll keep my word. We can pinky swear on it." Stefan smiled affectionately at Adie and held his hand out."How childish! Only kids do pinky swears," Adie scoffed, but still walked over and hooked his pinky with Stefan's. He glared at Stefan and said, "It's a deal. Don't break it."Margaret took Adie's hand and they left the room, but Francine quickly caught up to them. She couldn't bear to see Adie leave. "Are you going home so soon? How was your chat with your daddy, Adie? Did he remember who you were?" Francine rarely met Adie, so she always cherished every second she had with him."It wasn't too bad. I gave him one point," Adie said coolly. Honestly, he didn't feel much for his grandmother because he didn't spend much time with her. He was on Renee's side, so naturally, he regarded Stefan and those around Stefan as his enemies. He kne
"Yes, I remember everything." Stefan said indifferently, "To be more specific, I've only remembered the happy memories. The unhappy memories are quite blurry now." It was because he had been deliberately trying to forget about the unhappy times. He and Renee had been through a lot, and all those memories exhausted him, which was why he'd decided to keep only the good memories."What's your plan now?" Francine asked directly. She hadn't planned to ask him initially, but seeing Adie had filled her with joy. She wanted to be with her grandkids every day, so she secretly hoped that Stefan would try to get back with Renee. "I don't have any," Stefan replied bluntly."What do you mean? Don't you want to win Renee back? Do you want your children to call another man 'father'? You might be able to accept that, but I can't!" Francine huffed and looked away in frustration. Her son was just as timid as her husband—he was a coward when it came to love affairs, and even when he tried, he was hes
"It's okay, I won't force you to answer since you've just recovered!" Francine interrupted Stefan quickly. She didn't want him to say no, and besides, everything depended on whether Renee would accept him. She thought about it for a while, then suggested, "If you're worried about your incompatibility, I'll go to The Soul Rocks to ask the expert there to help you. I'll make sure to get rid of all obstacles for you." Elijah gave Francine a thumbs-up. "That's a great idea, Madam Francine." After that, he looked at Stefan. "Please rest well, Mr. Hunt. We'll try and help you settle Ms. Everheart's issue and the company affairs. For now, the most important thing is for you to rest well and get better." The harmonious atmosphere was interrupted by a bodyguard running into the room, looking distraught. "Madam, please come out for a while. We need your help to handle something."Francine glared at the bodyguard and said to Stefan, "Rest well, Stef. I'll go and see what the uproar is about.
Currently, the Hunt family was still the leading family of The Great Eight of Beach City, so the Murphys didn't dare to offend them."You ran out of options?" Francine sneered. "Aren't you just here to show off? Why pretend to be sorry? Just tell me why you're here.""It's about my dear daughter. She had her heart set on your son, and the wedding date was already decided and people were informed, but now… she can't even meet her future husband. What kind of crap is that?" Ethan gritted his teeth to keep his hatred at bay."Well, it's a delicate situation. I'm sure your daughter didn't tell you that she wanted to kill my son's surgeon to prevent the surgery. How else could I guarantee that she wouldn't do anything to my son?" Francine bluntly exposed what Seraphina did. She knew Seraphina had taken good care of Stefan for the last six months, and she couldn't really find fault with her. If nothing had happened, she would have been happy to see Seraphina marry Stefan since they were c
Francine's admiration for Adie grew when she heard what he had done. She felt that Adie had taken after his mother and grandmother, and he was much better than his reserved father. Adie was a promising candidate to run Hunt Enterprise in the future, and he might even be more capable than his father. "Your grandson nearly got my daughter killed, and you're laughing? Are you mocking her?" Ethan blustered, his face red in anger. He had wanted Francine to feel guilty, but it looked like she was more amused than anything about the whole incident.Francine snorted. "Yeah, I'm mocking her. She's an adult, but she was bested by a kid. Isn't it ridiculous?" After that, she took a step toward Ethan and said fiercely, "And for your information, I'm fully aware of my grandson's character—he'd never attack someone unless they provoked him first. The better question is why he pushed your daughter into the pond; I think you'd better ask your daughter about it before putting on a show here." "Fra
Francine smoothed down her hair and raised her head elegantly, showing everyone there why she was still the head of the Four Princesses of Beach City. "I'm fine. I've met a lot of men like him, so I've become immune to them. I knew that the Murphys had ulterior motives. They chose to invest in Hunt Enterprise because of the marriage, but once they realized that it wouldn't happen, they backed out. It's quite normal." Francine turned to Elijah, frowning as she asked, "Did Stefan ever indicate that the company's finances are tight?" For the past two years, Stefan had been expanding Hunt Enterprise and developing new areas through investments, but not many projects had brought him the profit he'd expected. Additionally, with so many competitors popping up, business was tough."Yes, many businesses of Hunt Enterprise have been narrowed down, and many competitors have snatched our deals... Currently, Mr. Hunt is focused on AI, but it's a new area, so funding for research is an issue." El
After Ethan stormed off after arguing with Francine, he went to the ward next door where Seraphina was. Seraphina was still a bit stunned from her stint in the pond, but she was awake now. She just needed to stay in the hospital for two days of observation. Seraphina stopped pacing when Ethan entered the ward, and quickly ran up to him. "How did it go, Daddy? What did Madam Francine say? Did she allow me to see Stefan?" When Seraphina had been admitted after nearly drowning, she cried and complained to Ethan, hoping that her father would help her win Stefan back."Why do you want her to say yes? I've already fought with them," Ethan said smugly. He had been waiting for this day for a long time, but his hands had been tied because of Seraphina. Now, he could bask in his victory. Seraphina's eyes bulged and she shrieked, "What?! Why would you do that? I asked you to make peace with them but you—"Annoyed, Ethan snapped, "Wake up, Seraphina! They never took us seriously. You took su
"You could tell them that I accidentally fell into the pond, or that I was hospitalized because I missed Stefan too much. You've got to move them! Why did you bring that kid up? Don't you know that they care about him a lot? I've lost my chance now for sure… Madam Francine will never forgive me, and Stefan definitely won't. I'm doomed..." Seraphina's shoulders trembled as she covered her face and cried piteously. Her crying broke Ethan's heart. Patting her shoulders, Ethan comforted her, "There, there. I've got a way for you to be with Stefan. Although it's a little extreme, I think it'll be effective. Would you like to try it?""Really?" Seraphina looked up at Ethan eagerly, her eyes puffy and watery."Of course. I've never lied to you.""Tell me then. I'm going crazy from not seeing Stefan for so long...""Well, we can't reach Stefan since he's so powerful… but doesn't that mean we'll have a chance if he falls off his pedestal?" Ethan smiled deviously, his eyes gleaming.Serap
Mateo swallowed. "Yes, I'm aware of that. The Stuart family has been investing in a lot of entertainment properties in Southeast Aeos in the recent few years. They're controlling more than half of the TV stations. Their power and influence are incomparable.""Looks like you keep up with the current events. Are you involved in the entertainment field too?" Liam asked.He had easily gained the result he wanted with just a few words. He faked a smile and looked at Mateo, who was panicking.Mateo glanced at him and said grumpily, "All that Master ever asks us to do is indecent. If we don't have any people in the media, we're doomed."The Triangle was never governed by the law, but public opinion was a dangerous weapon. If they went over the line and got reported by the media, international law would get involved. Naturally, it would affect their business.The Stuarts did decent business like the Osbornes and might appear easy to control. However, they couldn't be offended casually—a
Because of Liam's declaration, he and Mateo failed to reach a consensus.Mateo's gaze grew colder and more sinister, and he glared fiercely at Liam. "Fine. There's nothing to talk about between us.""No, you're wrong." Liam calmly swayed the wine glass. "You can get down on your knees and say sorry. Maybe I'll let you off by then!""How dare you!" Mateo could no longer take it—he pushed all the cutleries on the table to the floor and pointed angrily at Liam. "You refused my kindness. I won't go easy on you!""Just come at me. I'll wait," Liam shot back provocatively. He knew Mateo well—the man was wicked and cautious, but also cowardly. Under these circumstances, he wouldn't act recklessly. Hence, Liam wasn't afraid to infuriate him. Renee was right. Mateo had done so many things to control Liam. As long as Liam remained calm, Mateo couldn't do anything to Renee and Leia. "You think I won't do that?" Mateo clenched his fists and snarled fiercely, "I'll break one of their fing
Liam casually twirled the wine glass in his hand and asked Mateo coldly, "So, you won't stop until you marry Gem?""Not just that." Mateo tore off a drumstick and bit into it, then cracked a cunning sneer. "Marrying Amber is always in my plans. I'll marry her even if you're not involved. Tonight, I want to talk to you about the few territories in your hands.""The territories in my hands?" Liam frowned. Initially, he was confused—then, he understood it and chuckled. "What territories? I just work for Mr. Jenkins. The territories we took in belong to him. You'd better ask them from him instead of me. That's more straightforward."When Liam and Amber decided to fake their marriage, Benjamin focused on training Liam. In the process, he gave Liam a lot of power and authority.Liam didn't fail Benjamin. He did a great job even with his limited power. In half a year, he took three territories, namely the East River, West River, and South River. The three territories came with an importan
"Just forget about it?" Luneth fell into a daze when she heard Amber's words. She glanced at Amber darkly before letting out a twisted laugh. Then, she shook her head."No, I can't let it go just like that! Grady was hurt. How can I call myself a mother if I let it go like that? I must make the two people who hurt Grady pay dearly!"Luneth's expression shocked Amber. She subconsciously swallowed and asked, "Well, how will you handle it?" "I told Mateo to lock them up. When Grady's condition stabilizes, I'll make them pay!" Luneth's eyes shone with fury and vengeance, and she gnashed her teeth. "They hurt Grady, so I'll give them a taste of their medicine! I won't break their limbs or cut off their tongues. I'll just cut their foreheads and tear off their scalps! What do you think?""You want to…tear off their scalps?" Terror gripped Amber when she heard Luneth's plan. An awkward laughter escaped her. "Isn't that too ruthless? If they didn't do it on purpose, I don't think you sh
Amber grabbed some tissues beside her and carefully covered the scratch between her brows. She kept calm in hopes that she could make Luneth let down her guard. She knew very well that Liam, Renee, and Leia would be doomed if she didn't stop Luneth from telling Benjamin and Macsen about this incident. Although her face hurt badly from the teacup, it was nothing compared to their safety. "I'm sorry, Gem… I didn't do it on purpose. I was too angry and scared!" Luneth realized how aggressive she had been, and apologized to Amber in sobs. At the same time, she complained piteously, "You know how hard it was for me to get a child. Grady is very dear to Macsen and me. We don't even speak loudly to him or beat him up. But today, someone pressed him to the ground and beat him up. There's such a large hole in his head! The doctors told me that we needed to take good care of his wound. If it gets infected or he gets tetanus, the bacteria or virus might invade his brain and turn him mentall
Luneth was staying in the southeast of the fort. Her house was a uniquely styled traditional cottage. Upon arriving, Amber could hear a woman crying from afar. Many servants, doctors, and women were standing in front of Luneth's room. Amber walked toward Luneth's servant Jayna Bowie, and asked carefully, "Hello, is Aunt Luneth around?" "Ms. Jenkins, come another day. Mrs. Klein is crying sadly now. She's furious. I'm afraid you might be harmed if you go in," Jayna advised kindly.Those standing in a row at the door were trying to comfort Luneth. However, they were quickly rebuked and became too timid to approach her."It's fine." Amber was aware of her aunt's temper. Smiling, she kept moving forward. "I heard Grady got hurt. As his cousin, I need to see him. Plus, Aunt Luneth always treats me nicely. She won't be angry at me.""Ms. Jenkins, you don't know how serious this is. There's a big hole in the boy's head. The doctor said it might affect his intelligence. Mrs. Klein beca
After that, Amber looked at Liam, who kept silent the whole time. She tried to make Liam say something nice. "See, Liam? I told you, Matt's a great guy. He was just joking with us in the orchard to scare us. I'm sure he'll take our sides and protect us. Don't worry.""Is that so?" Liam glanced at Mateo and faked a smile. "Well, I should thank him properly."The air between them grew awkward, but Liam didn't care. He wanted to make Mateo uneasy and force the latter to expose his true self.Amber was simple, but Liam was no fool. Mateo's acting was smooth, but he couldn't trick Liam.Moreover, Mateo was the one who came up with that scheme. He wouldn't let anyone expose it—he wanted to be the one to do it."Okay, aren't we going to get a drink? Let's go. I'll make the chef cook us something nice." Mateo enthusiastically held Liam's shoulders and dragged him forward. At that moment, he turned icy. "If you're a man, stop involving Gem if you want to fight against me. Stop showing of
Liam was no fool. He immediately understood the profound meaning behind Renee's words and stopped saying too much. "Fine, be good. You guys are just taking a rest. I'll handle this well. Wait for my news."He knew very well that the conclusion would be the same regardless if Renee and Leia had offended Luneth's son or the child of an ordinary villager. Mateo simply wanted to use that method to control him. The only way to solve this was to defeat Mateo. However, based on the current situation, Mateo had a lot of followers in the fort. It would be difficult for Liam to defeat him.Luckily, Liam wasn't an easy target either. He had been winning people over these days. That, and he was close with Benjamin's other foster sons. If both parties were to get into a fight, he still had a chance to win.After confirming that Renee and Leia were fine, Liam left the cell. Mateo was waiting outside, grinning triumphantly. He sneered sarcastically, "What do you think? I was telling the trut
"No, I'm not!" Liam raised his hand to swear. "Trust me. They're just best friends. They're not in that kind of messy relationship. Both of them have a guy they're madly in love with.""I see." Amber watched how Renee and Leia fooled around intimately with each other in the cell. They looked like they were about to kiss! She shook her head and said, "What a pity! They look so lovey-dovey, better than many novels I read about where the women love each other.""You're hopeless!" It was rare for Liam to see such a straightforward and cute side of Amber. Amused, he poked her forehead and sighed. "Stop reading those messy novels! It's harmful."Their actions were loud and finally attracted Renee's attention in the cell."Liam!" Renee, pressed to the chair by Leia, couldn't escape. Finally, she grabbed a chance to leap up and walk to the door.Well… It wasn't a door. Rather, they were iron bars preventing them from escaping.The decoration and facilities in the room weren't bad. Be