Yes, that had to be it!-The next day, at Hunts & Co., Zack rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Renee had actually managed to handle Sandra, the most difficult lawyer in the firm, within three days.Not only did Sandra not cancel her contract, she'd also begun accepting cases for the law firm."Boss, you're amazing!" Zack slipped into Renee's office and gave her a thumbs-up.Renee, however, was focused on the document in her hand. She didn't even look up as she said, "Mr. Rosenwell, do you have too much free time on your hands? If you don't have any cases to work on, I can assign some to you.""No, thanks." Zack waved his hands quickly. He walked around Renee with a look of admiration in his eyes. "Boss, everyone saw how you defused the bomb...You're amazing! Who taught you that? Do you have a secret identity? Or do you work for the special forces maybe?"Renee rolled her eyes at Zack. "My grandfather was Maurice Everheart, a famous general back then. I learned how to defuse a bomb w
"Let's do it!" After listening to Sandra's plan, Renee's eyes glowed with excitement. "Ms. Lee, I've got to hand it to you… You actually found a solution for such a tricky case. I knew I needed you to join my firm! With the three of you around, I can do whatever I want. The entire Beach City… No, the entire world is mine!" Renee declared gleefully.Zack laughed. "Boss, you're exaggerating. You might not be able to get the entire Beach City, but I think you can acquire thirty to forty percent of it."Clearly, Renee wasn't satisfied with that amount. She frowned. "Why only thirty or forty percent? What about the rest?""What do you think?" Zack brought Renee crashing back to reality. "Naturally, the remaining sixty to seventy percent belongs to your ex-husband, aka our ex-boss, Stefan Hunt."The Hunt family was one of the Great Eight of Beach City, and the other seven families were also not to be underestimated. The Everheart family wanted to return to its peak position, but the chal
Christopher's question instantly killed the mood.Xavier couldn't resist letting out a sigh. "I admire you two for even wanting to talk about whether you love someone. I've never faced this kind of issue. I don't love women enough to give up my freedom. However, if I lose that damn case, I'll have no freedom to speak of!"After saying that, he downed his glass and clapped his hands. "Alright, enough. We need to stop moping around. Why don't we play something fun?""Like what?" Christopher perked up."Let's play a drinking game. Whoever loses will have to accept whatever punishment we impose. What do you think?""Boring," Stefan said indifferently. Clearly, he wasn't interested. However, something suddenly occurred to him. "How about Fingers?" Stefan asked."Sure. I can handle any drinking game." Xavier shrugged."In that case, let's do that." Stefan suddenly seemed eager to play. Truthfully, he couldn't accept that he had lost to Renee the last time they played. He wanted to
The girl had a pretty face, with big, soulful eyes. She looked like a college student who was new to the scene.Under the three men's watchful gazes, the girl walked to the bar counter and sat down.Xavier patted Stefan on the shoulder. "Stefan, you sure are lucky—that girl's really pretty. Meanwhile, my luck is so bad that I only ever encounter large men or women in their fifties. What are you waiting for? Hurry up and go dance with her."Christopher nodded. "She is. She reminds me a little of Ms. Everheart, actually, but with less bite. Ask her to dance with you… I doubt she'll say no."Stefan pursed his lips and didn't say anything as he stared at the girl in the white dress.She sat at the bar alone, seemingly waiting for someone. Her anxious demeanor suggested it was her first time in a place like this.Her innocence certainly reminded Stefan of Renee… the Renee of the past.Stefan stood up and walked towards the girl.Due to his imposing aura, the girl noticed him from th
Renee also happened to be wearing a white dress. She didn't have much makeup on, and her hair was brushed to one side. Despite appearing innocent, there was something very alluring about her.She smiled in satisfaction. "This place isn't too shabby. I think we should definitely come here more often. Having Ms. Lee on the team has definitely lifted a weight off my shoulders. We should celebrate…"Renee trailed off when she noticed Leia staring at something in the distance."Ren, doesn't that handsome guy on the dance floor look a little like your husband?" Leia tugged on Renee's arm and asked cautiously.Renee looked in the direction Leia was pointing, and to her surprise, it was indeed Stefan.Liam and Leia looked at each other worriedly, wondering how Renee would react.However, Renee laughed it off. "He's not my husband. He's my ex-husband. Get it right, guys.""Boss, if you're uncomfortable with this, we can go elsewhere. Why don't we go to-""Why should we go somewhere else
"What pro? Is it a guy or a girl? Is he handsome? What's your relationship with him?" Leia could smell gossip from a mile away, and her eyes lit up immediately.Renee smiled mysteriously. "It's a guy, and yes, he's very handsome. You know him.""A guy?" Liam wasn't too happy to hear that. "Who is he to you?" He asked, unable to hide the jealousy in his voice.Renee didn't answer him. Instead, she made a call."Yes, just keep walking…" Renee said after a while on the line.At that moment, a tall, handsome man appeared at the bar's entrance. He wore a black mask, and his eyes were dark and calculative.Renee quickly stood up and waved at him. "Over here!"Liam, Leia, and even Christopher and Xavier, all looked in the same direction.The man walked to where Renee was, then removed his mask.Leia was momentarily stunned. "Isn't he… a younger version of Stefan?""What do you mean? He's nothing like that jerk. This guy's name is Julian, and you introduced him to me as a gift. Have
"What do you mean?" Xavier asked curiously."He's the most handsome member of SK Group, a new idol group. People even call him 'Mini Stefan Hunt'," Christopher said with a grin."Pfft!" Xavier almost spat out his drink.Stefan's nephew was a chief engineer, a gamer, and the most handsome member of an idol group? Julian really was an interesting person!"If he's a member of an idol group, why is he still developing chips?" Xavier asked."How am I supposed to know? Maybe he got sick of researching and wanted a different lifestyle." Christopher observed Julian from afar, admiration in his eyes.He and Xavier could only dream of living this kind of life, where one did whatever they wanted and chose their own lifestyle.Stefan was dancing with the girl in the white dress, but he was distracted. He had noticed Renee and the others as soon as they walked in. In the beginning, he felt a little guilty. He was worried Renee might misunderstand his relationship with the girl, so he intenti
"Dance?" Renee cleared her throat awkwardly, and pretended to be uninterested. "I'm not a fan of dancing."Julian smiled, a knowing look on his face. He stared into Renee's eyes challengingly. "Is that the truth, or are you just scared?""Are you kidding me? Why would I be scared?" Renee scoffed, but she couldn't meet Julian's gaze.Julian's piercing eyes reminded her of Stefan. When he looked at her, it was as if he could see all her secrets.Truthfully, how could she not care that Stefan was dancing with another girl? She was only pretending not to care, but unfortunately, her acting wasn't good enough. As soon as she saw Stefan chatting and laughing with that girl, her walls came down… She got so distracted that she forgot about the game and dragged her team down."If you're not afraid, then dance with me. I'm sure you'll feel much better after we dance," Julian insisted and offered his hand to Renee again.Although he was Stefan's nephew, he was only one and a half years youn
Renee said seriously, "I would like a plate of pasta with more vegetables and is not spicy. I'm afraid this is my last meal."Jovan was rendered speechless. Although Renee was being sarcastic, he still went to the kitchen to make her a delicious plate of pasta. He added some vegetables and a nice fried egg for a balanced diet. "It's done." Jovan had sent off all the servants of the mansion, leaving Renee with him. Hence, he was the one who cooked the pasta and served it to her. "Wow, you're fast." Renee wanted to get a chance to run away since she had sent him away to cook for her, but she couldn't come up with any trick.In the end, she got hungry when she saw the pasta. It was mouth-watering. She was starving!Jovan was good at cooking pasta, even though he didn't seem reliable. The pasta he made tasted like home-cooked food."Give it a try." Jovan didn't say much. He meticulously blew on the pasta and handed her a fork and spoon. Renee accepted it, eager to start eatin
Jovan watched Renee fall into a deep thought. His gaze deepened, filled with renewed ferocity.Jovan turned his wrist and said slowly, "Okay, stop overthinking. I can tell you the truth if you want to know it." Renee abruptly looked up. Her eyes were teary as she begged him, "What's the truth?" "Listen to me and stay with me." Jovan frowned. After a short contemplation, he grinned and continued, "Stay with me for ten days or half a month. Then, I'll tell you.""That's not possible!"Renee immediately refused him, growing cold. "I have to leave right away. I can't watch the two families get into a fight."If she didn't return to North City immediately to explain things, the Baldwin and Hunt families would get into a big fight. Regardless of her circumstances, she didn't want them to fight. They were good people, and she refused to see them hurt. "Just let them fight. It's just a fight among bad people. Your family can grab this chance to get back to the top. Don't you want tha
Jovan felt that he wasn't as passionate and loving as Stefan."Stop beating around the bush. Why is he trying to hold himself back? You made a scumbag sound like he'd suffered a lot!" Renee snarled.She gnashed her teeth. If her foot was not chained, she would have long beaten Jovan up for being evasive and mysterious."I think he was forced to give up his beloved woman because of his identity. He has suffered a lot." Jovan frowned, his tone laced with sympathy."What about his identity? I've already known about that. Our grandfathers decided on our marriage. What are we, Romeo and Juliet?" Renee had wondered if their families were sworn enemies. It might be the reason why Stefan was in a dilemma.However, her grandfather made the Hunts take care of her when her family was doomed. Her grandfather always wanted the best for her. He held her hand and told her that only Stefan could make her happy, and only the Hunt family could protect her. It seemed unreasonable that Stefan was
Jovan was stunned to hear Renee's words. He was so furious, he laughed."Maybe!" He agreed with her and looked at her wickedly. "Since I can't win him over, I want his beloved woman.""You're out of your mind!" Renee was disgusted as goosebumps gripped her. "I'm not his most beloved woman. He loves Briar the most. You got the wrong person. You should kidnap Briar instead. Then, you can get to him."She was acting out of spite, but she meant what she had said.In the past, she was confident that Stefan loved her the most. After so many things had happened, she was no longer as confident. Stefan eventually broke up with her because of Briar. It was enough to prove her position in his heart."Haha! Do you really think so?" Jovan shook his head, his lips a complicated smile. He seemed to be muttering to himself or hinting at something. "Unfortunately, he can't always do a good job. His romance is a mess. His most beloved woman doesn't understand him. How pathetic!""Stop mumbling!
"You're trying to take revenge on Stefan, aren't you? What did he do? Why do you hate him so much?" Renee demanded.She was particularly clueless.At the very least, she felt that Stefan and Jovan didn't have a grudge even if they couldn't get along. Besides—back then, Stefan survived because of Jovan's blood.In a sense, they should be close to each other. Stefan was able to live on because of Jovan.Yet now, Jovan wanted to ruin the one he had once risked his life to rescue."No, I don't hate him," Jovan answered honestly. "I even admire him, and I'm jealous of him. He's my role model, the pride of my family.""Then, you're envious of him!" Renee went straight to the point. "You can't defeat him, so you tried to make him disappear. When that happens, you'll feel better. No one will block you, and you'll get a chance to shine."Jovan, speechless, slowly stopped smiling. Renee had accurately guessed his innermost thoughts. Since he couldn't defeat Stefan, he would let Stefan b
The thing Renee feared the most was that Jovan's action would infuriate the Baldwins.Quinton, Adie, Abby, and Margaret were still there. If the Baldwin family wanted to do something bad, Renee's family would be in danger. Her happiness was secondary. She just wanted to ensure that her family was safe and sound.It seemed Austin was full of schemes. Though he seemed to have brought her family to live with her, he in truth just wanted hostages to control her…Unfortunately, she couldn't go back in time even though she had seen through his tricks."What's the rush?" Jovan watched Renee with a meaningful smile. "Someone will handle it even if it's a big mess. Your family will be fine. My foolish cousin won't let them be in danger. At most, the two families will fight fiercely."Renee was shocked. She glared at him, and suddenly understood something. "So you did it on purpose! You wanted to watch them fight and get something from it.""That's not my concern. Once, I was more powerf
After all, Jovan was a human being. Such direct physical pain made him shake and groan. Normally, he should get angry and try all means to make her stop biting him.However, he was not an ordinary man. Although he trembled in pain, he maintained his posture and let her bite him as if he wanted to see who would give up first.Renee kept biting him fiercely, as if her teeth would gnaw through his palm. Blood oozed out of the wound. She was full of hatred, wishing to vent her anger. "Just bite me hard as long as you're happy. I'm enjoying myself too!"Jovan looked at her, whose head was lowered as she kept biting his palm fiercely. It was a bloody scene, but his words made everything sound ambiguous. Renee noticed his underlying meaning and was disgusted. She immediately let go of his palm. "Bah! Disgusting! You're sick!"Her lips were still stained with blood. From afar, it looked like a blooming rose from afar. It looked attractive on her. Aroused, Jovan held the back of her
The bed was around seventy inches large. Renee's eyes were closed as she moved anxiously.She thought she was still sleeping in the West Chamber, but the mattress didn't feel the same. Then, she abruptly opened her eyes. She saw a luxurious bedroom in the Paris La Nuit Club style. Above her hung a brilliant chandelier akin to the ones in medieval castles. A fragrant scent permeated the air. "You're finally awake…" A man's bewitching voice came from an inconspicuous corner. "Renee."Jovan was sitting in a luxurious chair, his legs crossed, swaying a glass of red wine. He appeared like a stereotypical vampire as he stared wickedly at Renee. "Are you out of your mind, Jovan? What did you do to me?" Renee yelled.Recalling what had happened, she abruptly sat up. Once she realized her situation, she started snarling at him. "Do you or your family hold a grudge against me? Why did you kidnap me from my engagement party?! Have you thought about the consequences? I'm sure you know h
"I… I don't know! I really don't know!" The makeup artist's face was flushed, her eyes rolling back. She felt like she was about to faint again."Are you still trying to hide the truth?" Justin continued flexing his fingers. He was certain that the makeup artist who suddenly wanted to modify the size of the gown must be aware of the truth.With her eyes rolled back, the makeup artist begged him, "I'll tell you…! Please let me go! I'll tell you everything!" Hearing that, Justin slowly released his grasp.The makeup artist finally got a chance to breathe. She kept taking deep breaths and almost cried because of her terror. "What should I tell you?" She truly knew nothing."What?" Justin's gaze grew fierce."Oh, I remember it now…" She drew in a cold breath and hurriedly said, "A handsome guy came not long after you were gone. I think he's Mr. Hunt. When Ms. Everheart saw him, she was very…"She paused, trying to find her words. "She was very…?" Justin urged her. This was the