Smack!"You did it again! I'm going to tell Dad and ask him to crush this lousy place of yours!" Seraphina wailed as she touched her swollen cheek. She fled, not even realizing that Renee was blind."Mommy, you're so cool. You drove her away so fast. You're a hero!" Hugging Renee's waist, Abby looked up at her mother in admiration. "I want to be a hero like you too when I grow up.""No, be a princess instead. Don't get into trouble," Renee touched Abby's head and said gently.Adie, however, was not satisfied. "That woman is a villain, Mommy. She came here to find fault with us, but you let her go with only a few slaps. Weren't you too easy on her?""Adie, you've already vented your anger on her, so there's no need to overdo it. Although she's not nice, she's not so bad that it's unforgivable. She's just a little stubborn. Plus, she's a victim in this affair too. She's quite pitiful, and she's been punished enough today," Renee patiently tried to persuade Adie. Despite Seraphina's
Stefan's late arrival at Hunt Enterprise upset the shareholders greatly. They were already unhappy with him because the sales report from the secretary had been dissatisfactory, and the atmosphere in the room was tense when he entered."You saw it, didn't you, Mr. Hunt? The profits for this year have plummeted, and our stock price has been decreasing. Undeniably, the company is on the verge of death. As the head of Hunt Enterprise, I wonder what your solution to this is." Shane Webb, one of the seven large shareholders, rarely appeared. He only came during the annual shareholder meeting, and he was always the most crafty and unkind. He never took Stefan seriously because he owned the most shares besides the Hunts."In the world of business, it's inevitable that profits will fluctuate. You never mentioned the dramatic rise in profits after Mr. Hunt took over Hunt Enterprise, and this is just a minor setback. Isn't it normal? The economy for the past two years has been bad, and most co
"Why do you say that, Mr. Hunt? The purpose of this meeting is to identify problems. We've got many competitors, and the internal conflicts in this company are getting serious. Also, many of our talents have resigned. If we don't come up with something, it's only a matter of time before the company crashes and burns." Wesley added fuel to the fire, nearly exposing his idea of dismissing Stefan.Stefan glared at Wesley coldly and sneered, "So, Mr. Jennings, what do you think is a good solution to this?" "Well... I can't bring myself to say it!" When Wesley met Stefan's gaze, timidness got the better of him. He kept his head low and didn't dare to speak. Shane then took over and said boldly, "His idea is simple—he wants you to rest and get better, and we'll appoint someone else as the president of Hunt Enterprise."The conference room instantly became silent.However, Stefan remained calm. He smiled and said, "Mr. Jennings, is that what you meant?" Wesley waved anxiously. "I...
All the shareholders looked at Jovan in shock."What? Isn't Mr. Jovan Hunt blind?""He was demoted from vice president because he looked frail, but he seems very energetic now!""I'm glad he's back. There's hope for Hunt Enterprise after all!"Everyone welcomed Jovan's return and hoped that he could replace Stefan to help Hunt Enterprise out of its predicament. Smiling, Jovan walked over to Stefan. "Stefan, I'm sorry you had to manage Hunt Enterprise alone all this while; it must have been tough on you. But I've recovered now, so I'm here to help you."Stefan stared at Jovan coldly, and when he saw Jovan's eyes, his heart skipped a beat. An unsettling theory emerged in his mind, but he didn't want to think about it. "Work well for Hunt Enterprise then. We're in the same boat, so if you can help revitalize the company, your return is more than welcome." "You're a generous and insightful man, Stefan. Don't worry—I won't let you down. If it's necessary, I might even take up your
"I share the same opinion as Elijah—I think Hunt Enterprise should play safe instead of expanding its projects," Stefan said finally."Mr. Hunt, why have you become so conservative? Do you want this company to be knocked off its pedestal?" Wesley said to Stefan rudely."Calm down, gentlemen. I know why Stefan's become like this..." Jovan explained to the others, "You know that he was down and out for the past six months, and his body has become quite fragile. That's why his character has changed a lot, and he's become conservative. However, what you don't know is that he's had two brain surgeries, which would be a huge blow to anyone... Harry, send Stefan's medical report to all the shareholders.""Okay, Mr. Jovan." Harry nodded and sent Stefan's check-up report to the shareholders.Enraged, Elijah snarled at Jovan, "What are you doing?! Mr. Hunt's medical report is meant for his eyes only! What gives you the right to hand it out?" "Mr. Young, calm down. I agree that medical repo
Jovan's words struck Stefan speechless. Stefan had only learned much later that it was all because of Jovan's eyes and blood that he had survived. Technically, he owed Jovan his life, so he couldn't argue with him about this. "If that's the case, we can experiment with your plan in the next season, Jovan. We'll see the effects after the expansion," Stefan sounded regal and dignified as he spoke and all the shareholders present listened to him attentively and dared not object."You're insightful, Stefan, and it seems like you truly care for the company… but there's something I'm curious about. What's your next step if the profits of the company do skyrocket after the next season?" Jovan faked a smile as he asked Stefan slyly. "What do you want me to do?" Stefan boldly met Jovan's gaze, staring him down. The atmosphere became tense. After a while, Shane said, "Mr. Stefan, we all know you're a generous man. If Mr. Jovan can help the company prosper, I'm sure you'd be willing to giv
Jovan was getting more and more agitated. He had gotten what he wanted, but somehow, it felt like a loss.However, Stefan just ignored Jovan. While packing up his things, he fished his phone out and called Renee. His expression softened the moment the call was answered. "Hello, dear. How are you feeling today? What would you like to eat? I'll cook for you after I get home from work." Renee said something, making Stefan smile very sweetly. Before he hung up, he blew her a kiss, and he looked like a young boy in love.Jovan stared at Stefan in shock, watching his aloof cousin acting like a lovestruck fool. As Stefan was about to leave, Jovan blocked his way. "I heard that you've made up with Renee. Didn't you forget about her? Why are you back with her so quickly? Are you going to hurt her again?"Stefan and Renee had fallen out with each other, but in only one or two months, they had gotten back together and were more lovey-dovey than ever. Jovan found it unacceptable. He had tried
Stefan returned to Everheart Manor right after the minute the meeting was over. He used to be a workaholic who always worked overtime until midnight, but now he was a good family man who didn't want to work overtime for even a minute. Since the president behaved that way, all his staff stopped working overtime too, creating a very good working environment for the company.On his way home, Stefan bought a bouquet and a good steak because he wanted to have a candlelight dinner with Renee that night. Although he was away for only half a day, it felt like half a year to him, and he missed Renee dearly. Coincidentally, Abby and Adie were away for two days because of a school trip, so Renee was alone at home with a female caretaker called Tess Perez, who was responsible for taking care of Renee. "Mr. Hunt, you're home." Tess was only a part-timer, so once Stefan got back, she packed up to leave.Stefan looked around the living room and the manor, but there was no sight of Renee. He turne
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
Liam tensed up when he heard that voice. He quickened his pace and rushed through the corridor, toward the cell where Renee and Leia were locked up. Suddenly, he became flabbergasted and his face stiffened. For a long time, he couldn't regain his wits."Hey… What are you guys doing?"On a table lay barbecue, jerky, beer, and fruit platters. Meanwhile, both Renee and Leia were playing cards. Leia ran after Renee, then pressed her on the chair and said seriously, "Hey, gorgeous. You can't run away! You got the card for kissing me, so you have to let me kiss you. If not, you're trying to disobey the rules of the game!""Help! Help me…!" Renee kept resisting, amused and befuddled. "Get away from me! I'm a desperate woman who likes men! I can't kiss you! If I kiss you, I'm going to have nightmares… Oh, just kill me! Is there anyone who can save me?" Liam wasn't the only one standing at the door. Amber was also with him since she was following him. Watching Renee and Leia's antics,
"Hurry up and explain to her, then!" Amber said hurriedly. "Matt, you're close to her. You know Ms. Everheart and Ms. Osborne would never do that on purpose. Try to persuade her to let this go, and then you can immediately set them free.""I don't have a say in this." Mateo shook his head, pretending to be helpless. "You know how much Luneth dotes on her son. Ms. Everheart pinned him to the ground and beat him up. His head got injured and started bleeding. I heard it's a large cut with a lot of stitches. We can't let it go just like that.""But you can't—" Amber wanted to say more, but Liam interrupted her. He looked at Mateo, his eyes cold and fierce. "I know you set them up. Just be frank. Why did you do that?" "See?" Mateo sighed. He pretended to be aggrieved as he looked at Amber. "The guy you like is sinister. I kindly helped him, but he didn't thank me. He even accused me of setting this up… He always sees the worst in people. He criticized me in front of you and sowed di