"Demon?" Quinton sneered maliciously. "We're childhood sweethearts, and we grew up together. Is that how you see me?""I know that I've wronged you, but I was punished too. What else do you want from me?" Joanne looked at Quinton with a pale and teary face. Quinton had recovered his looks, and the scar on his face was gone. He looked more handsome and mature than before, but Joanne knew how scheming he really was. Any woman who got close to him would get addicted to him. Joanne had once been deeply in love with him, but now, all she felt was terror. She just wanted to run away. "Let me go, please. Let me live. I knew I shouldn't have met your sister. I trusted her, but she betrayed me. Your sister is just as scheming and cunning as you!" Joanne's fear turned into anger as she thought about it."Shut up!" Quinton's eyes flashed, and he strangled her. "You can criticize me, but not my sister. I'll break your neck if you keep it up!""Go ahead! I can't wait to leave this miserable worl
Gina and a few parents rushed over, and they were shocked to see Quinton strangling Joanne."What's… going on? Is he trying to kill her?""Is this what they meant when they said she has a troubled life? Her enemy even came to the school! They really should fire her.!""Hurry up and get the principal. We have to fire her today. We can't let her come near our kids!" The parents were shocked at first, but in the end, they decided she was something they had to eliminate.However, when Quinton heard their wicked words, his gaze turned cold and menacing. He let go of Joanne and faced the parents threateningly. "What did you say about her? Say it again, I dare you!""Who… are you?" One father boldly demanded."It doesn't matter. What I want to know is what you said about her." Quinton's tone wasn't loud, but it was threatening enough to scare the parents."She's the class teacher of our kids, but she doesn't have good academic qualifications or experience in teaching. Also, she's proba
"How brave!" Quinton let go of the man and sized Gina up. "If that's the case, why don't you come and take his place? I'll punish you instead for bullying Joanne.""Mister, what… what are you trying to do? Let's talk it out!" Gina retreated a few steps, looking at him in horror. He was handsome and dangerous… She was afraid of him, but also wanted to know more about him. "I'm Ms. Garcia's colleague and friend. I don't see her as my enemy," Gina said quickly, seeing how Quinton was defending Joanne.Quinton, however, could tell she was lying because she didn't sound sincere at all. He figured she was the reason why these people were attacking Joanne, and his lip curled in disgust. "Friend?" Quinton turned to Joanne. "Tell me… Is she really your friend?"Joanne smoothed her messy hair and glared at him coldly. "It's none of your business. Get out and stop making a scene; you're disrupting classes."Quinton turned back and spread his hands, a wicked grin on his face. "See? She didn't
Joanne knew Quinton was an utter maniac. He was reckless and impulsive, and he would go to extremes if he wanted to. She didn't like Gina, but she didn't want to see Quinton ruin her face. She took a deep breath and said to Quinton, "This is between you and me, so don't get others involved. Let her go!"Quinton turned around, satisfied that she finally gave in. "So, you guys are friends…" Quinton didn't believe it, but he just wanted to make use of this opportunity. "I won't let go of your friend with just that.""What do you want?" Joanne hissed through gritted teeth, glaring at him furiously."Come with me," Quinton ordered coldly."Why should I?" Joanne wanted nothing to do with him. She would break down if she was around him, so there was no way she would go anywhere with him. "If you don't, your friend's face will be ruined," Quinton reminded, pressing the blade into Gina's skin a little more.Terrified, Gina trembled and begged Joanne, "Please help me, Ms. Garcia. I'll lis
"Enough!" Joanne's eyes filled with tears as she said to Quinton reluctantly, "Let her go. I'll go with you.""You're being stupid again," Quinton scoffed. "This woman harmed you. If you were smart, you'd let me ruin her face so she would never bully you again... but you want to save her. You're even willingly putting yourself in danger for her. After all these years, how can you still be so stupid?" His expression was complicated as he spoke, and it was hard to tell if he was disappointed in her or just teasing.Joanne's hatred for Quinton burned in her, and she couldn't fathom how someone so cruel existed. "Cut the crap! Didn't you want to take revenge on me? Hurry up and do it! Also, I don't care about what you do to her; she's a stranger to me.""Yeah, she's right!" Gina's voice was shaky as she blurted out, "I was only hired this year, so I didn't have much to do with Joanne. We're not even close. If you ruin my face, it won't affect her at all…" After a brief pause, Quinton
"Yeah, I guess I overestimated myself. I don't know you well." Joanne gazed at the man she both loved and hated. "If I knew you well, I would have left you ages ago. I wouldn't have had to suffer, and that pitiful child wouldn't have had to die. I also could have been a mother, but it's impossible now…" "That child should have never been born. If you gave birth to the baby, it would have been torture for you. I saved you from that, so why do you hate me this much?" Quinton's gaze was icy, and there was no regret in his tone. If he did have any regrets, it would be that he didn't get rid of the child in a way where Joanna wouldn't have found out about it."Yeah, you're right. You're never wrong. Even now, you feel that you're just doing the best for me." Joanne closed her eyes, tears flowing down her cheeks. She no longer wanted to talk about it because there was no right or wrong. She felt that abortion was murder, and now, she could never have children. It was a punishment for bein
"How fierce, Joanne. Do you really hate me that much?" Quinton shook his hand, wanting to grab Joanne again."Yes! I won't stop even if I die!" Joanne spat, and with a determined gleam in her eyes, smashed her head on the wall behind him.Quinton's eyes widened as Joanne's body slid down the wall limply, blood gushing from her head. "Joanne!" Quinton rushed forward and carried Joanne. She was light and soft in his arms, and his heart clenched. "Joanne, do you think you can leave me by doing this? You're too naive! Even if you die, your soul will still have to stay in my arms!" He roared as he carried her into the car. Initially, he wanted to rush her to the closest hospital, but after a brief hesitation, he reversed the car and called Renee. "Call Owen and ask him to wait in Everheart Manor now. Be quick!""What's the matter, Quinton? You—" Quinton hung up before Renee could finish, and speedily drove towards Everheart Manor. They had set up a clinic in Everheart Manor when Renee
"What happened? Why did you call me?" Owen had been at a place he had wanted to fish at for a long time, but just as he sat down to fish, Renee had called him. "I don't care! You'll have to compensate me if this isn't a life-and-death situation. You all owe me a deep-sea grouper!""Sure, you got it. Just stop talking and save her!" Renee urged Owen as they rushed toward the clinic.Quinton hugged Joanne tightly in the clinic, refusing to let go of her. He looked heartbroken. "Hold on, Joanne. You've got to survive. Do you think this will be over if you're dead? If you're dead, I won't let you rest in peace. I'll find a way to bring your soul back. You can never leave me… Never!"Owen walked in with Renee, and he got goosebumps when he heard Quinton say that. "Umm… Is your brother always this dramatic?" Owen felt like he was in an asylum. "He's usually quite reserved and indifferent, but he's suddenly talking so much. It's strange."Renee's eyes grew wide in alarm and she hurriedly
Austin was telling the truth."Of course, children will always stay with their mothers. Home is wherever their mother is. You'd better ask about Ren's opinion instead of making a scene here."Austin glanced at the gilded ancient clock above the hall, his eyes sharp."The engagement ceremony of my grandson and Ren is about to start in ten minutes. You can ask her opinion when she's here.""Really?"Francine was delightedly surprised. For the first time, she felt that Austin was not as horrible as legend had it. He was reasonable. She tried to reconfirm with him. "So, you're saying that I can ask Ren to come home with me when she's out, and you'll let her go if she says yes?" "No, you're wrong." Austin shook his head. "She came here willingly. Of course, it's not as if you need to ask me to let her go.""It's fine. That's not important as long as you remember what you said." Francine was confident and eager. She then said smugly to Austin and the others, "Wait and see! I have w
When things became awful, an old but awe-inspiring voice came from behind them."What are you doing?" Undeniably, it was the powerful Austin who also enjoyed the highest status in North City.Instantly, the onlookers retreated and held their breaths.They knew how horrifyingly powerful Austin was because he owned military power. It would be very normal if he asked his army to shoot them to death if they fell out with him.Francine and the others, who were engaged in a fight, stopped too."Old Master Baldwin, nice to meet you."Francine nodded at Austin but didn't let go of Sophia. The scene was tense, but her actions looked amusing. "Dad, hurry up and catch these two! They're being unreasonable!"Sophia's pinned hair was messy because Francine kept scratching at it. If she wasn't mentally strong enough, she might have cried. She had imagined endless ways how the Hunt family would make a scene—except for the most primitive way. Francine made a scene like a three-year-old ki
Francine went berserk again and gripped Sophia's neck. "I'm going to count to three! Get my grandkids here! I'm going to take them home! If not, I'll break your neck!" she yelled. She couldn't stop Renee from marrying someone else, but she couldn't tolerate her two grandchildren relying on others' charity like Renee.It wasn't only about her dignity, but more about the children's growth and mental health. She couldn't be careless."You're out of your mind! Drive them out of here!"Sophia was a decent woman who couldn't allow herself to go berserk. Although she had a glib tongue, she found herself unable to handle a figure like Francine. Francine was never too harsh and would only make a scene. But now, she was out of control and was screaming nonstop. "Talk it out with them. Don't use violence. We're parents. It's humiliating to be violent," Alexander interrupted.Alexander tried to make Francine calm down and behave herself. Even so, he didn't act accordingly and pushed Ja
Francine's obvious provocation made others draw in a cold breath, let alone Justin's parents.No wonder she was one of the Four Princesses of Beach City. She was much too impulsive. Justin's parents looked very hideous. However, Sophia wasn't so soft. After taking a few deep breaths, she faced Francine with the same fake smile. "Don't worry. I'll take Adie and Abby back home. Since Ren is marrying Justin, my family will treat the kids as ours. We'll be their grandparents. In a few years, my son and Ren will have more kids to be their siblings. Then, we'll be one family!""What? Do you want to take the kids back home?" Fury instantly gripped Francine. She ignored all decency and demanded fiercely, "What do you want to do to my grandkids? They're still young! How could you target them?" "You must be mistaken. Ren is going to be a part of my family, so naturally, her kids are going to come with her. I'm sure there isn't anything wrong with that." Sophia snorted. "You're their bi
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