It was already late at night when they arrived at the Baldwin residence. The place was an Elizabethan-era courtyard building, and was divided into four courtyards in the south, east, north, and west. Each courtyard was elegantly decorated with pavilions, carved railings, and jade.Renee’s room was in the East courtyard, next to Justin’s.“Brat, you'd better be a good host and help Ren settle in so she'll start envisioning this place as her home,” Sophia ordered Justin solemnly before returning to her room to rest.“Don’t worry, Mum, I'll take good care of my girlfriend,” Justin sighed.“Hmm. Since she’s your girlfriend, the two of you should be staying in the same room. Why get a separate room?”“Mom, I told you that she’s shy. We’re not married yet, so how can we stay in a room together?” With that, Justin gently pushed Sophia out of the room and said, “Go to sleep. We want to spend time together.”When Sophia heard this, her eyes shone with excitement. “Yes, please enjoy your t
Honestly, Justin was an attractive man, but Renee wasn’t familiar with him yet, so his actions weirded her out.She ducked out from under him and pushed him against the wall, twisting his arm behind his back. Justin let out a muffled groan, his charming face smashed against the wall.Renee growled menacingly in his ear, “You'd better behave around me, brat. Don’t try to flirt with me or I’ll tear your limbs off!”“Ah! It hurts. Boss, let me go!” Justin yelped, not expecting her to be this strong. He squealed so loudly that the entire courtyard could hear him.When Sophia heard this, she smiled happily. “Good! Justin didn’t fail me.”Inside the room, Renee only let Justin go after teaching him a lesson.“Phoenix, you’re a girl, but you’re also a hacker and a fighter. Who would dare to marry you if you’re this fierce?” Justin groaned and rubbed his neck, which had almost been snapped by Renee, keeping his distance as he teased her.“Are you still going to talk nonsense?” She held
Renee had not anticipated the wardrobe to be stuffed with branded clothes, shoes, and bags in her size. It looked like they had bought the entire collection of a luxury boutique for her!Again, she felt guilty when she saw how much the Baldwin family cared about her. She decided that after sending Francine away, she would come clean to them and ask for their forgiveness!She cut out a few black and white shirts, and soon enough, she had managed to stitch together an outfit that closely resembled the uniform of the Baldwin family's employees. After she changed into the clothes, she sat in front of the makeup table and put on makeup that made her look older, then tied her hair in a low ponytail.“Not too shabby, Renee!” Renee couldn't help but grin with delight when she realized she resembled the Baldwin family's workers.It was late at night.A few servants had gathered in the Baldwin residence's East garden to exchange gossip.“I heard that the girlfriend Master Justin brought wi
Renee felt her pulse quicken but she kept calm and said, “Really? I don’t see the difference. It’s the same style but different material.”“Same style but different material…” The servant touched Renee’s clothes and scoffed, “This is actual silk. There’s no way such a luxurious material would be used to make a servant’s uniform!”‘What incredible eyesight! It's no surprise that even a servant of the Baldwins is so clever,' Renee thought, thoroughly impressed.However, she didn’t panic. She remained composed and said confidently, “Maybe it’s an upgrade. The Baldwins are a powerful family with high social status, so it’s not surprising that they want their servants to have good clothes. Are you trying to question the Baldwins’ decision?”“No. That’s not what I mean!” The servant immediately explained, “The Baldwins are the most powerful family in the world, and I am loyal to them. I'm simply cautious when it comes to certain things.”“Should we see Madam Sophia to confirm whether sh
The servant left afterward because she saw the honest look on Renee’s face and was certain she wouldn’t do anything daring.Right after she left, Renee ran to the hut.It looked like a shabby hut from the outside, but the material used was very advanced. The walls were made from frosted glass.She could see everything that was happening inside the house. She saw Francine screaming furiously, hitting the door, and stomping her foot angrily. Renee even saw Francine picking her nose.However, Francine couldn’t see the outside world at all—she couldn't see anything besides the white walls around her.“Hahahaha. Madam Francine, now you know what suffering is. Who told you to come here and pick fights? You deserve it!” Renee leaned against the wall and observed Francine, amused at the woman’s actions.Although she had seen Francine in a terrible state before, this seemed to be the worst. However, there was something quite funny about the whole picture.Renee took her time to record Fr
Renee’s words made Francine hesitate, and she sighed. “You’re right. As important as you are, my son is the priority at the end of the day. I can’t cause trouble for him!”“Finally you’re thinking straight!” Renee let out a sigh of relief and pointed at the hole. “Go now.”Francine held Renee’s hand and said seriously, “Let’s go together. I’m not the kind of person that'll put others in danger. I can’t let you stay here!”“I’m fine here. It’s a lot better than being in the Hunts, to be honest. They won’t hurt me, but I can’t say the same if I ran away with you.”Francine's eyes softened in regret when she heard Renee’s words. “The Hunts mistreated you in the past, and for that… I apologize. I wasn't mean to you earlier because I hated you. It's just that I thought you and Stefan wouldn't be happy together since you didn't have feelings for each other, so I wanted you to leave him… I’m not actually an evil person.“I promise I won’t be mean to you anymore. I won’t push you to get p
Renee thought for a while before she replied, “Your house is very beautiful, so I decided to take a stroll and look around. But during my stroll, I had to pee, so…” To avoid Justin’s suspicion, she had to sacrifice her image.“Oh, I see…” Justin smirked and said, “I should’ve come earlier then.”“You pervert!” Renee felt guilty for lying to him, so she tried to push the blame on him. “If you keep this up, I’ll go home tomorrow and stop this whole act.”“I’m sorry, my bad. I won’t joke around anymore. Why are you dressed like a servant, though? And your makeup looks weird too…” Justin gave her an odd look.“What do you mean by that? This is how I look with a bare face. Do you find me ugly? And I got this shirt from the closet, it looks nice, so I wore it. Are you trying to say that I look like a servant?”“No. I…” Justin was lost for words.“There’s no need to explain. I’m tired, so I want to rest now!” Renee exclaimed and left immediately.Justin watched as she gradually disappe
Renee's instincts told her it was from Stefan since the screen showed that the call was from Beach City. She wanted to ignore it at first, but her phone wouldn't stop ringing.Sophia looked at her fondly and gestured for her to pick it up. Renee did not want to make her suspicious, so she pretended to be calm and answered the call."So, you finally decided to answer the phone!" Stefan's icy voice from the other end of the phone made her shiver. It brought back flashes of her nightmare earlier, but she played dumb and said, "What? An insurance company? I'm sorry, but I don't need insurance. Goodbye!""Renee, don't you dare hang up. You-"Stefan's threat was promptly cut off as she ended the call."Hmm, my phone number must've been leaked. I've been receiving tons of calls from these kinds of companies. It's so annoying!" Renee calmly explained to Sophia while subtly blocking the number.However, another number called soon after, and then another. Every time Renee blocked one num
The Baldwin family was so excited that they couldn't sleep. They waited at the exit of the airport eagerly for a long time."Dad, you can't be this fierce. The past is the past. What's important now is Justin has brought Ms. Ren home. He didn't let us down. And don't scare her off again. Just smile!" Sophia boldly reminded Austin, who looked stiff, for the sake of the bigger picture."Why should I smile? I'm born like this. I hate smiling!" Austin retorted stubbornly. His face grew stiffer and he looked more solemn. "Why can't you take my advice? Ms. Ren came to a strange city all alone. I'm sure she's scared, but you're going to be so fierce to her. If you scare her off, you'll make a scene again. It'll be too late if you regret it by then!" Sophia nagged, insistent on explaining the interests at stake."Okay, stop. Dad's always like that. He's a general. No general loves to smile. When did he ever smile? Stop forcing him. We'll do the smiling." Jack dragged Sophia to the side, f
In the past, Renee recalled hurting Justin once. If she chose to get off the plane, she couldn't regret it. For a moment, she was unsure. She wondered if she was ready to make such a huge decision."It's fine. I told you, it's not too late if you don't get off the plane," Justin whispered. Although he looked hurt, he remained gentle and kind. "You have one minute to reconsider.""No, that's unnecessary." After taking a deep breath, Renee finally made up her mind. "I'll go with you."She had made such a decision after much contemplation. Since she was bold enough to board the plane, then she could get off it."Alright!" Justin's eyes brightened. He walked over and interlocked his fingers with hers. "You don't have to be scared. I'll be with you every step of the way. Let's face everything together."They walked side-by-side as they got off the plane.They took an individual pathway to exit the airport since they rode the exclusive plane of the Baldwin family. The Baldwin family ha
"I'm sorry!" Renee blurted—she realized her selfishness."I admit that I took you as a substitute. I wanted to get out of that suffering relationship, and I didn't care about your feelings. I'm so sorry."At first, she wanted to forget Stefan and start a new relationship. And then, Justin risked his life to save her. On top of that, they were compatible in various aspects. She felt that she could spend the rest of her life with him.However, Renee realized that her actions were purely self-serving. She never considered Justin's feelings or asked about his willingness. She merely took him as a convenient tool. "No, you did nothing wrong," Justin said. "You have your choices. Likewise, I have my choices too."He stared at Renee passionately, his teary eyes filled with pain, and held her hand. "I chose you. I want to stay with you while you're trying to forget about him. I want you to be happy with me.""You…" Renee looked into Justin's eyes. His generosity, firmness, and thoug
"Mmph!" Renee was sitting beside the window, watching the floating clouds up in the sky when a sudden pain gripped her heart—as if it was clenched tight. "What's wrong?" Justin asked nervously. Sitting across from her, he could feel something wrong with her. "I'm fine." Renee shook her head and tried to soothe her stuffy chest. "My heart suddenly hurt just now. I guess it's because of the sudden weightlessness when the plane took off."Justin sighed in relief. "I've heard that some people might get dizzy or feel their ears ring because of weightlessness, but I've never heard of hearts aching.""It's fine. It's something rare, I guess. I'll feel better after a while." Renee waved his concerns away, taking a deep breath. She picked up the cup in front of her and sipped some water, and felt better. Perhaps the water had cooled her heart. However, Justin felt a little uneasy. He knew her heart wasn't his though their destination was the same."If you can't forget about him, yo
Stefan got involved with Briar. At the same time, something seemed to be wrong with Renee and she insisted on meeting Justin's parents. In short, they were lying to themselves.Xavier found it ridiculous that they would break up and date someone else, when in truth they loved each other passionately and had gone through so much together. They were just cowards who refused to face their problems head-on."Well said! I agree." For the first time, Leia and Xavier shared the same thoughts on the issues related to love. Aside from Stefan and Renee, there were many similar examples. Leia was convinced Liam was doing the same thing. She couldn't understand why they had to hurt themselves like that. It would be better to make peace.Suddenly, Xavier turned around and looked at Leia passionately, and declared with utmost seriousness, "So, we can't do that!" Having his face so close to hers so suddenly, Leia's heartbeat quickened. She pursed her lips and stood up shyly. "You're nuts
Justin walked over and tapped his wristwatch. "It's almost time. Let's go.""Okay." Renee nodded, then said to Leia, "Just go home and take good care of Liam. Tell my brother and kids that I'm fine. I'll be back at Beach City soon.""Uh…" Leia wanted to stop Renee from going to Beach City, but she couldn't find a reason to make Renee refuse. Of course, Renee had to stop the program which never responded."Fine. Take care. Call me immediately if anything happens!" Leia, enlightened, decided to respect Renee's choices. She hugged Renee and sobbed, "I hope you'll pick happiness no matter who you choose to be with!""Of course. I want you to do the same." Renee hugged Leia firmly.Then, she got into the small private plane bound for North City with Justin."She left…" Xavier muttered. He watched the plane take off for North City as he sat in the lobby, feeling complicated. He felt sorry for Stefan, but at the same time, he felt that Stefan had brought it upon himself. Being on
However, Leia didn't believe that Renee would have given up on Stefan. Based on their night chats a while ago, she could tell from Renee's tone that the latter was still confused about Stefan and couldn't part with him.It wasn't long ago, but now, Renee wanted to marry someone else. It was abnormal."Yes, I did…" Renee coldly looked ahead and added, "I did just now.""What?" Leia's eyes went wide, and she didn't stop questioning Renee. "What happened just now? Nothing happened!""Let me be frank with you." Renee decided to be honest with Leia since Leia insisted on getting to the bottom of it. "Justin told me something the night he saved us. Stefan informed him and asked him to come to our rescue.""I know that. And then?"Leia had heard the same story from Justin. She and Liam kept cursing Stefan for being a dirty coward all night long. It was infuriating. Stefan didn't try to save his beloved woman, but made his rival in love do so instead. It seemed he had given up his belo
"What? You're going to meet his parents?" Leia cried in agitation when she heard that. She glared at Justin, then dragged Renee to the side to interrogate the latter."What's wrong with you, Ren? Why are you marrying someone else just after one night?" Leia pausing, finding her words odd, then corrected herself. "Oh, no! Are you going to remarry?""Justin is a good man. His grandpa was my grandpa's old comrade. Plus, his family is nice to me. And we survived this time because of the army Grandpa Baldwin gave me. I can't be ungrateful," Renee said, her tone calm and cold.Although it was ridiculous, Austin did give Renee that army as a wedding gift. She used that gift at a critical time, which meant she had accepted the Baldwin family. Naturally, she had to take her relationship with Justin to another level. "But…" Leia frowned, feeling that Renee was being impulsive. "But you were forced to use that army under that circumstance. It wasn't because you loved Justin that drove
Liam was an unruly rich heir who loved freedom, while Amber was a pure and ignorant young woman. It seemed they were a perfect match."Why did she suddenly give you a wedding gown? Obviously, she wants to marry you. Are you sure you don't want to say anything to her before leaving?" Xavier teased Liam, trying to sound the latter out.Everyone could tell that Amber liked Liam. Besides, it seemed like Liam also fancied Amber. If they parted ways, they might never see each other again. Their romance might end with a failure. What a pity! "There's nothing to say to her." Liam purposely looked aloof. "All I want is to get the hell out of here. I don't even want to waste another second here."Then, he strode into the airport lobby. Renee quickened her pace and walked alongside him. She looked at him, feeling sorry for him. "Are you sure you're going to leave like this?""I should long be gone." Liam kept his coldness, his tone impassive. "If I don't go now, I can't leave forever.""