"What…do you mean?" Amber asked carefully, swallowing.Liam pinched her face and turned it toward him. "If you don't listen to me, I'm going to take advantage of you. I'll make you see how wicked and vulgar this world is." He purposely said that to frighten Amber, as he knew that she always thought the best of him. She saw him as a gentleman without any vulgar thoughts.Hence, he could only use that method to ruin her perception and stop her infatuation with him. Then, she wouldn't seek justice for him or stand against Benjamin."No, you won't do that." Amber tensed up. Although she was very nervous, she met his gaze boldly. Liam was strikingly handsome, with his refined facial features and perfect figure. He was different from others in the fort. His skin was fair, though it was different from pretty boys. He was fair because he came from a wealthy family and led a comfortable life. Amber never understood what she liked about Liam. Later, she learned that it was most probabl
Amber was no longer her usual shy and quiet self. She opened up herself, and made faces at Liam. "Why didn't you listen to me? Do you think I'm just trying to scare you?" For the first time, Liam saw that side of Amber. Suddenly, he became interested in her. He touched her red lips. "But I'm not trying to scare you.""I don't know if you're trying to scare me or not, but I know that you won't harm me. You're the best and most accomplished gentleman I've ever met. I won't be mad at you no matter what you do. I'm sure you want the best for me." Amber said seriously and naively as she reacted to Liam's flirtation, raising her chin. "Fine. You said that, so don't regret it." A sudden urge rose in Liam. He couldn't tell if he wanted to teach her the vulgarity of humanity, or if it was just his basic urges desiring a woman. Unexpectedly, he kissed her.Speechless, Amber could feel Liam's warmth on her lips. It was warm and gentle. She was dumbstruck and stood rooted to the spot, no
"Bitch?" Amber repeated that word, as if she was doubting Mateo and interrogating herself. Then, she shook her head. "No, I don't think so. Liam and I are about to marry, so kissing is the most basic intimacy." "Humph!" Mateo sneered. "No, you're wrong. Getting married isn't the standard for a couple to kiss. It's love. Ask yourself—do you guys love each other? Before, he eagerly carried another woman. Now, he's kissing you. Isn't he a bastard? And yet, you treat yourself unfairly for such a bastard. Don't you think you're a bitch?""I… I…" Amber's eyes were red. She didn't know how to refute Mateo, and found herself very inferior. She wanted to lie to herself, but failed to find an excuse.Liam stood up and shot Mateo a complicated gaze, and said mockingly, "What do you know, then? Do you think you know and understand everything?""Don't I?" Mateo shot back. "Speak your mind. What do you feel about Gem? Don't tell me you love her. Maybe you aren't even willing to see her as your
If Amber hadn't experienced any love from Liam, she might not stubbornly want more. But with just a kiss, she had fallen in love with him. She hoped he could hug her and kiss her more passionately, until his heart was full of her.When all her hope fell through uncontrollably, the difference was akin to an abyss engulfing her whole.Amber asked herself if she cared. Of course, she cared! "You've seen what a bastard he is. Why don't you stop wasting time with him?" Mateo gripped Amber and said angrily, "Come with me. Stop wasting your time with him. If you guys are apart long enough, you'll come to your senses. He won't be able to affect your feelings again."Amber hesitated for a long time, her head low. Then, she nodded. "Okay."Mateo was about to drag Amber away. Liam watched their backs, suddenly uneasy. For an unknown reason, he found her different from all the times he had met her before.She was no longer the woman who cared only for him and had abandoned her true self
Liam, dumbstruck, stood frozen on the spot for a long time. Unexpectedly, he felt lost. He smoothed his clothes and calmed down before going to the guest room Renee stayed.The doctor bandaged Renee's wound and advised her to rest in bed for a few days.Leia was beside Renee, caring for the latter attentively. She felt very sorry for Renee; several times, she turned away to wipe away her tears.Liam opened the door and walked into the guest room. "How are you doing?""There you are, Liam!" Leia turned around, her eyes still red. "You don't know how miserable Ren was! That beast trap came with such long and sharp claws. It clamped her ankle. The doctor said she was lucky. Her tendons would be broken if the beast trap had deviated a bit."We didn't have a smooth journey. First, we got caught and were taken to a scamming factory. They nearly made us take part in a disgusting porno. Then, Ren was captured by that barbarous tribe. Your place is so dangerous, It isn't a place for humans
Leia pondered, and found the name familiar. "Oh, the guy who nearly got into a fight with you just now? He didn't look nice. So Lucas belonged to his gang!"Liam frowned and said solemnly, "Let me handle this. I'll make Mateo hand him over and make it up to you." Here, Benjamin's power and influence were among the top. He had adopted a few sons who were managing different areas and industries respectively. Coincidentally, Mateo was asked to handle the field related to scamming. Lucas being in charge of the factory meant he was working for Mateo. In short, Mateo was the reason why Renee and Leia suffered. Liam adored Renee, while Leia was his younger sister. No doubt he couldn't accept that."Forget it. Lei and I escaped the calamity. This is a lesson for us. You don't have to get justice for us." Renee was worried that she might make Liam and Mateo fall out with each other. It would put Liam in a difficult situation at the fort. She didn't want to worsen the situation."No, I
The world was ever-changing, what more the human heart. It was the easiest thing to change.People who were once madly in love with each other and swore to never be apart would end up parting ways. Renee once thought that her dream was to get rid of evil, but later, she found the greatest achievement to be an ordinary person.Besides, Liam was once a bright and gentle person. He had become a mature man she could no longer see through.Renee admitted that she had become a timid and careful coward. At the same time, she found herself bolder since she dared to admit her cowardice. It was another form of bravery."I understand you." Liam pocketed his hands and lingered around Renee's bed. He felt sorry for her and blamed himself. "Leave it. I'll take care of it."Renee thought about it and nodded. "Okay, you can handle it the way you want." Liam was no longer the same and had undergone vast changes. Hence, Renee could no longer take him as an ignorant younger man. At that time, bo
Leia looked at her brother curiously as she held the ointment. "Stop asking about that. You're so talkative now. If I knew, I wouldn't have let you come or told you about my upcoming marriage. You never stop talking!" Liam pushed Leia away disdainfully, but in truth, he just didn't want to see her worry about him.His current situation was bad. If Benjamin was angered, he might be killed. This would naturally burden Leia and Renee. Hence, all he wanted was to keep the peace and help them escape successfully. Renee sat up straight and looked up at Liam, interested. "Did Amber apply it for you?""No," Liam replied immediately.He wasn't sure what to think and chose to deny it immediately. He felt that there was nothing between him and Amber—they were just strangers. It wasn't the kind of relationship where he would let her apply ointment for him. If he admitted to it, his relationship with her would become ambiguous. He didn't want to see that happen."You're lying!" Renee grinne
After a long pause, Stefan finally admitted honestly, "That wasn't a lie." He turned to look at Renee. He knew what he had to do, and heaved a long sigh."But life isn't just about love.""Why not?" Renee became teary as she stared at him like a child who failed to get what she wanted. "To me, that's already enough. As long as we love each other, we can conquer everything. Without love, it'll be hopeless.""If loving each other is already enough, there wouldn't be the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Didn't they love each other deeply? They loved each other a lot, but they ended up dead!" Stefan shot back.He could not stop himself from getting impulsive. Heartbroken, he turned around to look into Renee's eyes. "Compared to love, I'd rather you lead a steady and happy life. But I'm not the one who can give you that. I'll only bring you pain and death!""Romeo and Juliet?" Renee found that preposterous and bizarre. "What a lousy excuse! Did I kill your parents, or did you kill my p
"How could you…" Stefan looked at Renee in disbelief. For a moment, he was struck dumb. Renee quietly removed the oxygen mask and the needle. She calmly sat up in bed. "I thought you'd never be honest with me.""When did you wake up?" Stefan finally regained his wits. Because of his guilt, he was too scared to look into Renee's eyes. "I had long woken up." Renee was very calm. She looked weak because she had lost too much blood, but at the same time, she still looked firm like a rose blooming in winter. "So, you purposely lured me here, didn't you?"When Stefan learned that she had long woken up, he realized with shock that he might have stepped into the trap she and Jovan set up.Naturally, he was uneasy, given the proud man he was. He could plot against others but could not tolerate others doing the same to him, let alone the fact that it was his beloved woman."Hmph! Did I lure you here?" Renee laughed sarcastically and disappointedly. She looked at Stefan as he tried
"Can I wake her up?" Stefan seemed to be asking them and himself. He shook his head in self-hatred. "I'm afraid I'm the reason why she wants to escape this world. She must hate me to the core and refuse to see me. She might know that I'm here, so she's avoiding me and refuses to wake up."He recalled how much he had harmed her. He was not confident to wake her up, let alone face her."Yes, you're sinful, ut you must be held accountable for it!" Justin could not bother to waste his time talking to Stefan. He pushed Stefan into the ward instead. "You made her so angry, she's in a coma now. So, you have to wake her up. If she doesn't, you can't leave the ward!""Agreed!"Jovan was standing on the other side. He and Justin seemed to have formed a barrier and refused to let Stefan back down.After some contemplation, Stefan decided to face the music. He closed the ward door and quietly went to Renee's bed. It was the first time he was alone with her after a long time."You're tr
Unsurprisingly, Renee remained irresponsive. Justin gradually grew depressed. Before, he was confident. Seeing that he was getting no response from her, his confidence waned. Undeniably, he was probably not that important to her. If not, she wouldn't remain indifferent. She would have sensed that he was around. "I got it. You don't need me." Justin smiled helplessly. He felt pathetic too. He took a deep breath and finally stood up to exit the ward."How's it going?" Stefan asked.He kept waiting outside the ward, paying close attention to it in hopes that Renee could wake up. He also felt that Justin could bring Renee wonderful things and hope. She would wake up when she sensed that Justin was calling for her. "Hmph! Isn't it obvious? Of course, he couldn't wake her up!" Jovan casually leaned against the bench in the corridor, not even looking up. He sounded vicious. "He's just a backup guy. Of course she doesn't care about him! She's not in love with him." Justin glared at J
Stefan remained quiet as he calmly watched Renee. He extended his hand to touch her face but retrieved it before he could.She used to be the woman he was familiar with and the one he had hugged and kissed countless times, but now, he didn't even dare to touch her. "I think she doesn't even want you here. She must hate you so much and is disappointed in you. She'll be even more pressured if you stay here, and it'll push her further from this world. So please, get the hell out of here if you want the best for her!"Justin could not hold himself back from scolding Stefan. If Jovan was telling the truth, Stefan must be aware of the fact that Jovan was holding Renee hostage. Yet, he remained indifferent and feigned ignorance. He didn't even care if Renee was fine. What a cruel bastard! Justin was disappointed in Stefan. He wanted nothing more than to see what was really on Stefan's mind."Take good care of her." Stefan did not want to defend himself. He glanced at Renee, relucta
"What did you do to her?!" Stefan interrogated Jovan coldly, his eyes teary. "She isn't the kind to kill herself! What the hell did you do to her?" "Try to wake her up if you want to know." Jovan was pale. His previous sickness, coupled with his recent blood donation to Renee, made him very weak. Despite that, he refused to stop infuriating others. "Do you think I can't do anything to you? Do you really think that?" Stefan could no longer hold himself back and strangled Jovan. "I'm going to kill you! Repent for the terrible things you've done!"He couldn't imagine the kind of thing that could force the strong and stubborn Renee to resist by using such a desperate means. "You obviously won't go easy on me! I'm sure of that!" Jovan sneered. His pale face turned flushed as he suffocated from Stefan's powerful grip. "But you'd better kill yourself first if you want to avenge her! She ended up like this because of you." "What?" Stefan's face was frosty. He strengthened his grip a
Jovan slowly got up from the ground, looking incredibly weak. He whispered, "She lost too much blood. The doctor claimed she's out of danger, but…she hasn't woken up.""What did you say?" Stefan and Justin were bewildered. They couldn't process his words."So, she was the female college student who tried to kill herself?" Stefan said. He staggered after linking the information he had heard from a nurse with the things that Jovan had said."Stop acting dumb! You're so smart, how could you have missed that?" Jovan glared coldly stared at Stefan, scrutinizing him in disdain. "You were just too scared to face the truth and your woman! You're such a coward! You're an embarrassment to your family!""Agreed!" Justin added; he suddenly found Jovan useful, especially when the latter started insulting Stefan. It felt just right."Although I'm a fallback guy, I'm braver than you. I accept that she doesn't love me, and I'm willing to give it a try with her. And although this guy's a vill
Stefan frowned, doubtful. He looked vigilantly at Jovan, who had collapsed on the ground. "What do you mean by this?"Jovan kept coughing and said nothing. His lips grew pale as he sneered.Justin's eyes were cold, and he held back his urge to beat up Jovan. "Hmph! Obviously, this is a scam!"He demanded condescendingly, "How dare you barge into my territory and take away my woman! Don't you fear my family and me at all?"Jovan, filled with disdain, looked at Justin as if he was a fool. "Stop talking. You don't even have the right to join this battle."To Jovan, only Stefan was qualified and powerful enough to be his enemy."How dare you say that!" Justin was infuriated. He got down on one knee and grabbed Jovan. "Your family always says nasty things! You two are the same. If we start fighting, I'll make sure to cut your tongue first!""Did I say something wrong?" Jovan sized Justin up, ridiculing Justin with mock compassion. "Don't you have any self-awareness? You're just a fal
Stefan frowned and asked solemnly, "Aren't you a top hacker? Hack into this hospital's inpatient system. Then, we'll know where she is.""Yes, you're right." Still, Justin wanted to challenge Stefan. He said indifferently, "But you're Jovan's cousin. It's more convenient for you to make a call instead of me hacking into their system."Yes, Justin could hack into their system, but calling Jovan would be quicker. And what they needed the most was time."He and I…" Stefan sneered, flexing his fingers. "The fact we didn't kill each other is considered peaceful. He's not as obedient as you think.""You'll know by calling him."Justin had heard about the complicated internal fights of the Hunt family, but he felt that Stefan was exaggerating."Jovan is a Hunt no matter what. Plus, he's still working at Hunt Enterprise. Just call him," Justin said. "Fine." Stefan found Justin logical. His private grudges with Jovan were not important because finding Renee immediately was the most impo