Renee felt warmth bloom in her chest when she saw her son waiting for her. She bent over to hug Aiden, but he took a step back and put his hands on his hips sternly. "Mommy, you didn't come home last night. You misbehaved. Tell me the truth! Where did you go?""Umm, about that…" Renee felt a little awkward and didn't know what to say. She couldn't tell Aiden that she got drunk at a bar and spent money on a man, could she? Aiden would definitely lose all respect for her!"I finished work late, so I spent the night in the office. Sorry for making you worry, Adie." Renee picked up Adie and muttered an excuse, feeling a little guilty. After all, Aiden wasn't exactly gullible. As expected, Aiden took a deep breath before taking a few sniffs. His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Mommy, you're lying. You reek of alcohol! You went drinking last night, didn't you?"When Leia heard this, she immediately came clean about what had happened. "That's right! I asked your mother out for a drink las
Aiden pouted and said firmly, "From now on, I'll do my best to find Mommy a husband. He'll share Mommy's workload, love her, and protect her!"Renee felt her heart warm when she heard this, and she couldn't resist kissing Aiden's cheek. "Adie, you're the best, but work isn't that tough, and I have you to love and protect me. That's more than enough, so you don't have to find someone for me.""It's different!" Aiden clenched his fists, trying to get his point across. "I'm your son, not your husband. What you need now is a husband, and that's why I need to find you one."Renee stared at Aiden, at a loss for words.Leia burst into laughter, and grinned at Renee. "In my opinion, you should just let Adie find you a man. If he does find you a knight in shining armor, he'd also be finding a father for himself. Wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone? I'm sure Adie's judgment is better than yours; whoever he chooses can't possibly be any worse than a certain someone, don't you th
Leia wholeheartedly believed that life should be lived to the fullest, without stress or misery. That was all she wanted for her best friend. At the very least, she didn't want Renee to give up on romance at the young age of thirty all because of a selfish scumbag!"Isaac has another performance in a few days, so why don't we go back then and have a good time? Also, I heard that The Blue Inn hires handsome new performers every few days or so. They always fight for the top spot, so if you get bored of Isaac, we can always find you someone else. You know, I think we should try to view relationships the way men do. We should only care about their appearance, and never get emotionally invested. That way, we'll never get hurt, right?"Renee chuckled, her eyes gleaming with mirth. "Leia, what happened to you? In the past, all you talked about was undying love; you'd even pray for a man who loved you with all his heart. How did you come to this sudden realization?""Well, I guess it was wh
The person on the other end of the line was none other than Jovan, the madman who had been making headlines in the business realm as of late.In the past, Renee used to think that he was an idiot who relied on his status in the Hunt family to live a lavish lifestyle. However, after that incident, her impression of the man changed.Anybody who came from a rich family and managed to carve his own path in the cutthroat field of business couldn't possibly be an idiot. In fact, people like him who pretended to be fools were the hardest to deal with!Renee didn't want to waste her time on him, and ended the call without saying a word.As usual, she browsed financial websites to check the latest financial news.To her surprise, Stefan, who used to be the business circle's favorite subject, was now the person everyone hated. Comments like 'Hunt Enterprise's CEO, Stefan Hunt, is suspected to be dead. What lies ahead for Hunt Enterprise?', 'Mr. Hunt is having a good time out there while Hun
However, Jovan wasn't angry at all. On the contrary, he laughed in amusement. "Let's meet up. I can solve Azure Group's lack of capital."Renee scowled at the sight of the rumors on her computer screen. "Sure. Clearly, we need to talk!"They agreed to meet at an elegant little cafe.Jovan arrived ahead of time. He was dressed casually in a beige sweater and apricot trousers. He seemed relaxed and approachable, unlike his usual mad and sinister self.He smiled pleasantly when he saw Renee. "I ordered a Matcha Frappuccino for you. If I'm not mistaken, that's your favorite drink."Renee was a little surprised that he knew this. She reached for a chair and sat down. There was even a bouquet of sunflowers next to the coffee that seemed to be a gift for her.Jovan… He'd done a lot of research on her, hadn't he? How else would he know her favorite things?"What are you up to? Why do you know all these things about me?" Renee asked, warily staring at the man in front of her.Jovan was
"Haha! AIDS?" Jovan burst into laughter. "Which media company did that? How brave. My cousin would be turning in his grave if he knew."Renee rolled her eyes. "You can drop the act. Just own up to it if you did it. I can tell you're the kind of person who'd do something like this."Jovan stared at her for a long time, then asked, "Do you really have such a bad impression of me?"He let out a long sigh, and he seemed a little hurt. "I don't care if you believe me, but I didn't start that rumor. All I did was spread one rumor, which is about fifty percent true."Seeing how mysterious he made it sound, Renee couldn't help but feel curious. "What is it?""Didn't you read about how Stefan's ex-wife and Jovan used to be together? Back then, Stefan came between the two of them and separated them by force. Now that Jovan has made his glorious return, he swears to reclaim the love of his life…" Jovan smiled giddily. "To tell you the truth, I'm the person who spread that rumor."Renee was
"Renee, I don't care if you want money, fame, or even Hunt Enterprise. I can give you all of it… All you need to do is turn around and look at me!" Jovan begged, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. He reached out and pulled Renee to him.The outcome was rather predictable.Renee grabbed him by the shoulders and flung him to the ground forcefully. He landed on the ground heavily, and as he gasped for air, Renee placed one high-heeled foot on his chest.It was like she was looking down at him from miles above."Jovan, you're an idiot. Do you think I fell in love with Stefan for his looks or status?" Renee looked at Jovan in disgust. "I loved him because of his kindness, integrity, and principles, which are things you'll never have. Even if he's dead, you won't ever be able to surpass him!""Haha! Kindness? Integrity? Principles?" Jovan laughed as if he'd just heard the funniest joke in the world. "I can only say that Stefan is a great actor. So many years have passed, and you sti
After Renee left the cafe, she drove aimlessly through the city. Although Jovan was a lunatic, and the things he said could hardly be trusted, she was still affected by what she heard.Renee was also very curious about how Tristan died four years ago. Was it an accident, or was someone behind it? If someone was behind it, who was it, and was Stefan the victim… or the perpetrator?It seemed Renee would have to find a way to hack into the Newrest police department's filing system to get her hands on the files of Tristan's murder! With this thought in mind, Renee turned the car around and soon arrived back at her apartment.Leia had gone out to settle something, so Aiden was the only one at home. Ever since the last beating, Aiden had become much more obedient. Without Renee's permission, he wouldn't dare go to places he wasn't supposed to. After getting bored of watching cartoons, he switched on Renee's computer to play Tetris.When Renee walked in and saw Aiden behaving, she felt re
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
Both Stefan and Justin arrived at Grace Hospital quickly. However, Stefan suddenly stopped before he entered the hospital. He looked at Justin curiously."Let's go! It's urgent. Stop standing here!"Justin hurriedly ran. When he turned around, he found that Stefan had not caught up with him. Confused, he asked Stefan, "Something is puzzling me. Don't you want me to stop seeing her? Why did you let me come with you?" Stefan narrowed his eyes and interrogated Justin suspiciously, "Did you lie to me? Or are you plotting something?" "That's nonsense! Don't take me as you. I'm not full of schemes like you!" Justin sounded disdainful. In comparison to Stefan, Justin was not full of schemes. He also looked down upon Stefan since the latter was always vigilant.Justin answered honestly, "Yeah, I don't want you to meet her ever, but I'm sure she wants to see you if she's in danger. Yes, I hate you—but I want her to be happy." He guessed that Renee must be in a serious state since Jov
"Uh…" After some contemplation, Elijah nodded. "I know what to do, Mr. Hunt. It looks like you can see far beyond the current situation. Just leave this to me.""Of course, the most important thing is to have fun."Stefan remained calm; he didn't feel like he had stepped over the line. He merely wanted Justin to learn about the cruelty of the world since Justin was always being protected so well. Whenever he did something wrong, he had to pay a price for it.Besides, Stefan merely did it for his aunt, who had taken the gunshot for nothing. When they reached a consensus, Justin came to meet Stefan. "Hey…" After a pause, he said with dissatisfaction and helplessness, "Would you like to go with me?"Stefan raised his brows in confusion."I mean, do you want to visit Phoenix with me?" Justin sighed. He looked naive, like a college student, as he confessed, "I found Jovan. I don't know why he's so good at countersurveillance. After exiting the emergency room, he transferred her to
"So, what do you want to do?" Stefan asked emotionlessly. He kept watching Nora, who was lying unconscious in the ward."At the very least, we have to teach the Baldwin family a lesson and make the public aware of your family's power as the head of The Great Eight of Beach City. It's not just about venting anger, but more about which side the various great families will take. It concerns the future of your family, too. We can't take it lightly!"Elijah could not hide his indignation. As Stefan's assistant, he was no longer merely an ordinary employee. He was loyal to Stefan and the Hunt family. He couldn't bear to see Stefan suffer any injustice or watch the Hunt family get humiliated. If Stefan hadn't stopped him, he would have gathered all the manpower to fight the Baldwins. Although he had fought Cadmus and Tiger, he had yet to defeat them. He tried to figure out a way to make a counterattack, his face shadowed in gloom.Stefan turned and calmly looked at Elijah. "How shoul
When Justin was willing to send them on an errand again, Cadmus was eager to express his loyalty."No, you don't have to risk your lives for me. That's bloody and horrible. All you need to do is find someone for me." After a pause, Justin added, "Jovan Hunt, Stefan's younger cousin." Cadmus clenched his fists and said fiercely, "It's another Hunt! Old Master Baldwin is right. The Hunt family is full of bad people. If we knew, we shouldn't have dismantled the bombs in Hunt Enterprise. The Hunt family has strengthened their security system now. It's hard to set up bombs there if we want to." Justin felt a headache when he heard Cadmus babbling. He rubbed his temples, and said tiredly, "Stop. We don't have to blow up Hunt Enterprise. I just want to find him. Do you get me? Find him. That's enough!"He stressed his intention of locating Jovan as if he were giving a simple and clear order to robots. Most of the time, Cadmus and Tiger were like AI. Real robots were probably more obedie
"Uh…" The nurse felt like she was put in a difficult position. She hesitated and could not speak for a long time.Justin found something wrong and demanded coldly, "Is it that hard to answer this question?""It's related to the patient's privacy. I can't tell you about it casually."Helpless, the nurse tried to excuse herself by using the same excuse she had used on Stefan a while back."Privacy?" Justin sneered. "I even barged into the surgery room. Stop using that excuse on me. If I can't get the answer I want, I'll make this hospital the headlights of the news soon.""I don't know. Please stop forcing me." The nurse found her work too difficult. She always ran into tycoons whom she couldn't afford to offend. She had no way to do things right."It looks like there's something wrong here."Justin began to feel that the nurse must have been warned by someone to remain secretive. His eyes flashed fiercely, and he glanced at Cadmus and Tiger.They walked over just as fiercely, an
People stayed away from Justin. The door of the emergency room was still closed, and it was unknown if there was anyone in it. Someone secretly informed the front desk, no longer able to take such a scene. Shortly after, an attending doctor rushed there."What are you doing, sir? We can talk things out. Stop affecting other patients here!"The nurse on duty was frightened by Justin, but she had to brace herself to stop him."What am I doing?" Justin cracked a crazy and twisted smile. He looked at the attending nurse coldly. "Of course, I'm going to knock this door down!""No, you can't do that!" the nurse said nervously. "The doctor is still trying to save the patient in there. You'll disturb them!" "The lamp is turned off. I'm sure the rescue is over. Stop lying to me!" Justin was fine with being shameless. He urged again, "If you don't open the door for me, I'll use a rougher way to do it! We'll see about that."He had yet to say what he would do before Cadmus and Tiger st