Renee was stunned. She hadn't expected Stefan to be willing to turn his back on his own family. If she remembered correctly, he had been very protective of Briar before this, despite the obvious fact of her being a two-faced bitch. He treated her like a fragile flower, touching it gingerly in fear of damaging it instead of holding it tight.Had he gotten tired of Briar so quickly?'Tsk. The attention span of a man really is worse than a child's! It was the right decision to divorce him!' Renee thought as she quietly celebrated her correct choice.When the two policemen saw Stefan's stance, they stopped hesitating and slapped the handcuffs on Briar's hands."Let go of me! Don't touch me!" Briar cried emotionally as she begged, "Stefan, I'm innocent! Believe me! Tell them to release me! The baby will be terrified! You can ignore me, but don't ignore the baby!" Stefan furrowed his brows, his cold face not twitching the slightest as he said, "Take her away!" "Don't worry, Mr. Hun
Renee, overjoyed, hurriedly asked, "Well, where is it? Hurry up and bring it to me!" The young maid looked fearful and stammered, "M-madam, your suitcase was… in the basement. It's... well, it's best if you see for yourself!""What? In the basement?" Renee parroted, caught between laughter and tears at the revelation.They had exerted so much effort to search the entire villa, yet they overlooked where it would most likely be. How absurd was that?However, judging from the maid's expression, Renee didn't think things were that simple. Heading downstairs, she went to the basement.Stefan frowned, and he followed the woman silently.The Hunt villa basement was two floors below the ground floor, led by long, winding spiral stairs. Having mainly served as a refuge during the catastrophe of the Great War, the airflow could have been better, and the place was dark. Usually, no one would come down here.When he reached the basement door, he noted it was slightly open. A dark, red li
Perhaps it was because she had been running around all day that Renee was exhausted and nauseous, likely due to her pregnancy. She endured the discomfort in her abdomen and squeezed the quilt with curses written all over it tightly in her hand, and the fury was obvious on her beautiful face.Turning her burning eyes on Stefan, she asked coldly, "How are you going to deal with this? Your little mistress has done something so vicious and disgusting!"Briar had repeatedly challenged her and pushed her to the limits. Before this, Renee had been too lazy to bother about the woman. But this time, she had really crossed the line, and Renee wouldn't stand for it. If she did, there would be a second time. She wouldn't have the energy to deal with it if that happened!Stefan straightened up, the indifference on his face not changing as he asked another question instead of answering her, "What do you want me to do about it?""Hah!" Renee couldn't stop the sneer from escaping her lips. "Judg
Renee called for a cab and waited at the curb of the villa, her body swaying occasionally. At some point, Stefan had followed her out, and his hand wrapped around her thin wrist. There was concern in his eyes as he asked, "You don't look well. What's wrong?""I'm pissed at your little mistress!" Renee replied instantly.She wanted to shake the man's hand off, but she felt too weak and couldn't muster up the strength to do it."Are you okay? Do you need me to send you to the hospital?"Stefan felt uncomfortable leaving Renee alone and was fully prepared to get his car."I don't need your false sympathy!" Renee shot back. Stefan was a hypocrite. She didn't give him a second glance and sneered. "If you're really ashamed, you should advise your lover and get her to apologize to me on her knees, or the consequences will be even direr! Either way, I'll be pursuing this matter to the end. I won't let her off so easily!"The words were imposing, but because she said it weakly, it sound
When Renee saw Margaret, who was like a mother to her, tears of resignation filled her eyes."Margaret, my stomach hurts!"Like a child, she threw herself into the older woman's arms and wept uncontrollably. For four years, from the changes in her family to her grandfather's death and even her divorce from Stefan, not a single tear had been shed, and she remained as sturdy as a mountain.But it was tiring to be strong all the time. She was only a twenty-year-old woman! She didn't want to be strong anymore!Margaret was confused. She rarely saw Renee in such a fragile state, and she couldn't help but feel distressed, and tears also filled her eyes. She gently stroked Renee's back in comfort and said, "Shh, it's okay, Ms. Ren. I'm here. I'm here with you!"Renee soaked in the warmth of Margaret's arms. Having not felt this peaceful in a long while, she seemed relaxed and wasn’t as uncomfortable as before.Margaret was Renee's nanny and had a lot of experience in childbirth and pa
"You want to know about Madam Everheart?" Margaret asked, looking at Renee and sighing. "I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. I don't really know her either, and I've never met her properly.""Really?""Yes," Margaret replied as she took a trip down memory lane and answered honestly. "I grew up and was homeschooled in my family. My family has always served the Schneider family, so when Madam found me and told me to apply to become a nanny to care for your pregnant mother and eventually you, I listened to them unconditionally.""She was very mysterious. She never appeared publicly and always wore a veil when she met me. That's why I said I probably never met her properly..."Even after decades, Margaret could still vividly remember the day she had met Madam Everheart. The woman had been unique. There was no word to describe her, and 'beautiful' was not enough. Even the veil she wore could not cover up her exceptional charm.When I came to the Everheart family, she had already left.
Margaret looked at Renee's belly and nodded in understanding. "You're right. The most important thing right now is to nurture your baby and have a safe birth."The older woman didn't ask who the father of Renee's baby was, and the latter didn't say a word about it either. The two women had an unspoken understanding of the situation.Renee was completely assured that Margaret would keep her mouth shut. As long as Renee didn't permit it, her nanny would take this secret to her grave.Renee put off all activities in the next few days and stayed in bed, nursing her baby under Margarent's meticulous care. It was clear that Margaret had come from a great line of doctors, as Renee's previous minor illnesses were cured with just a few doses of medicine. She no longer felt fatigued, and her appetite improved. She could now stomach several meals a day without feeling nauseous.Today, Margaret went out early to do some grocery shopping, and Renee slept in bed. The sun bathed her skin with
"I was planning to settle the score with you when I felt better, but I never thought you would serve yourselves up on a silver platter..."Renee wore a calm expression as she walked down the stairs, her knuckles cracking as she clenched and unclenched her fists.She had discovered earlier that the person who tried to bury Margaret alive four years ago was Jeremy's close friend, Charles, and for that, she decided that the man would pay with his life...And that man was standing right before her right now.Charles turned to Renee, and disdain flashed on their faces. Charles mockingly said, "Haha! What a bold statement! Here I was, wondering who it was... Turns out it's the remaining Everheart maggot! Our boss has wanted to get rid you for a long time, but he let you off because of the Hunts! You're just a despicable housewife who has been demoted, and no one will protect you! I might as well take your useless life to my boss for a reward!Renee sneered. "If you want something from
Leia couldn't understand it. Both Renee and Stefan once loved each other passionately. They had soldiered through a lot of difficulties. But when everything became better, they stopped seeing each other. Such separation brought a fatal blow to her views on love. Suddenly, she found herself too timid to give up her heart. After all, it was nothing. People could break up with each other easily."No wonder Xavier refused to come. If he was here, I would have hated him because of Stefan. I'd beat the crap out of him!" Leia was furious, but she couldn't find someone to vent her anger on.The Stuart family was invited to the party too, but Xavier refused to come. He claimed that he would have betrayed Stefan if he had come to the party.However, Stefan was the greatest betrayal of his romance since he remained silent and indifferent. While Leia was still angry, everyone in the hall suddenly fell silent. They stretched their heads to look at the entrance of the hall."The Hunt famil
"I… I don't know what you're talking about," Liam muttered guiltily, avoiding Leia's scrutinizing gaze. "You must know what I'm talking about!" Leia refused to let Liam go and went straight to the point. "Look! Because of such a bind, you probably fell in love with Amber, who isn't related to you. Why can't Ren fall in love with Justin after spending a long time with him?""So, what's your point?" Liam didn't refute Leia. He was curious about what she was trying to say. Leia reasonably explained her opinion, "I'm trying to tell you that things might not be as bad as you imagine. Even if you take Ren away and stop this ceremony, things might not be better either."She was too timid to tell Liam that she regarded Renee and Justin's marriage in a favorable light because she found them similar. Similar people could at least lead a stable life though it might not be very passionate and exciting.After leading a wandering life for such a long time, Renee needed steady happiness. It
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