Renee became even more irritated. She roared at the reporters and influencers, "I already said I'm in a hurry. Are you all deaf? Get out of my way or I'll beat you up!”The reporters and influencers who were blocked outside the venue were all nobodies. They were an unscrupulous bunch who would do anything to get views. When they saw Renee lose her temper, they got even more excited. They kept testing her patience, hoping that she would lose control.Renee was surrounded. She couldn't move a single step. She clenched her fists and was ready to start beating people up.A Maybach slowly pulled up. A handsome man in a suit got out of the car, escorted by security guards.“Why are you guys bullying a weak woman like her? Come at me instead!”The man who spoke was none other than Jovan, the protagonist of today's press conference.“It's Jovan Hunt, the rising star in the business world!”“He's rumored to take over the Hunt Enterprise, which means he's about to replace Stefan Hunt as t
“Rumor has it that the two of them were in love first. It was Stefan who stole Renee away from Jovan. And now, Jovan Hunt has returned to take back his lover.”“In that case, maybe those two were involved in Stefan's death... Tsk tsk, wealthy families are so scary!”Renee could not be bothered by their speculation. She walked straight into the hotel lobby.The hotel decoration was grand and magnificent.There was a podium adorned with the Hunt Enterprise's logo. Various microphones with logos of television stations from around the world were placed on the podium. Reporters sat in chairs below the stage, while senior executives of Hunt Enterprise sat on the stage.Renee was not considered a senior executive of Hunt Enterprise, so she kept a low profile and chose a seat in the last row.The same could not be said for Jovan. As soon as he entered, he was the center of attention. He received a warm welcome from the audience.In addition to reporters, there were also representatives
“I was wondering who the person that has been constantly sniffing for my traces over the years was! That IP was like a virus. I intercepted it time and time again. So it was you... my savior.”Renee's red lips curled into a smile as she looked at her old friend.Who knew that there was still an old friend in the vast Beach City who still cared about her. She was touched.“You call me your savior, but you hid from me for four years, making me worry about you for four years. Is your heart made of stone?”Seeing the woman who had become more charming, more attractive, and more elusive than before, Xavier's emotions were complicated.After all, this was the woman who once made his heart race and the woman he risked his life to save. Even if it was impossible between them, she still held an important spot in his heart.Rather than saying that he and Stefan had searched almost every corner of the world for Renee all these years, it would be more appropriate to call it his personal obse
“A weak woman?”That made Renee laugh. "They should pray that they don't lose all their teeth when they try to eat me alive!”“Nice. Your courage is commendable. I'll give you a round of applause.”Looking at the confident Renee, Xavier almost overflowed with admiration.“To be honest with you, the only person I'm afraid of in the entire Beach City is Stefan Hunt. But now that Stefan is gone, those old fools are destined for defeat now that Stefan is gone.”She knew her words were very arrogant, but it was not without reason.“That means you're hoping that Stef's dead for real. Tsk tsk... Poor Stef. He's so sincere to you, but you want him dead.”“Sincere?”Renee snorted. "How could you utter a blatant lie like that? Stefan's sincere to me? Would you want that kind of sincerity?”“I know you have a lot of resentment in your heart, but Stef has his own difficulties too. There are some misunderstandings between you which have been brewing inside you for four years. Neither of yo
It caused a huge uproar. The cameras flashed non-stop. The major drama that everyone was eagerly anticipating had arrived surprisingly quickly.Renee and Xavier also stopped chatting to focus on the stage.Jovan did not panic. His thin lips curled into a smile as he bowed and gestured an invitation to Alexander. "You're right, Uncle Alexander. Although you only have shares but no real power in Hunt Enterprise now, you still have the highest status outside Grandpa's generation in the Hunts. Since you're here, of course you should take this seat instead.”Alexander had no intention of putting on an act with Jovan. He accused Jovan in front of all the reporters. "Do you think I'm only referring to that seat? You did so many dirty things while the Hunt Enterprise was in chaos. In ancient times, you would be like a thief usurping the throne. It's a crime punishable by execution!”“Your words are too extreme, Uncle Alexander. After Stefan met with an accident, Hunt Enterprise became lead
“That's not it!” Renee denied it coldly. "That's just my moral principle. It has nothing to do with him.”The press conference continued under the supervision of the staff.A representative from Hunt Enterprise's PR Department showcased to the media the company's ongoing projects, financial power, and organizational structure.Finally, the PR representative enthusiastically told the media, "Hunt Enterprise is about to embark on a new journey. Let's welcome Mr. Jovan Hunt, the new CEO jointly selected by the board of directors and the major shareholders of Hunt Enterprise, to give us a speech.”The venue suddenly erupted with enthusiastic applause. The atmosphere was even more enthusiastic than when Stefan held a press conference in the past. It was heartbreaking to watch.Jovan spoke eloquently in front of the media.“Hunt Enterprise is currently facing an unprecedented crisis. For the future of Hunt Enterprise and the entire Beach City, I took on the responsibility of CEO at the
Everyone looked toward the direction the sound came from, including Renee.She saw Stefan's tall figure casually walking into the venue like a deity.Originally, Jovan was the center of attention, but as soon as Stefan appeared, he immediately became the side character, like a piece of glass compared to Stefan's diamond.The place exploded. The atmosphere, which had reached a climax before this, became even more intense. The sounds of shutters and flashes were deafening.“N-No way! Stefan Hunt?! But you're already...”Jovan went pale, like he had just seen a ghost. He slumped down in his chair, devoid of his earlier energy and enthusiasm.Stefan's gaze at Jovan was as cold and sharp as a dagger. He said, "You seem disappointed, Vice-CEO.”The senior executives and shareholders sitting to the sides showed various reactions. Some were happy, while some were not.Those who supported Jovan had their backs pressed against their seats. They sweated profusely and found it hard to brea
Stefan sat there like a king, dazzling and charming the people around him. Clearly, the man was a born leader—nobody could take their eyes off him. Even the reporters from popular media companies who were initially only interested in getting their hands on sensational news were now so captivated by Stefan's charisma that they forgot to take notes.Sitting amidst hundreds of other guests in the audience, Renee's icy gaze was locked on the man on the stage. Her fists were clenched so tightly that her fingernails dug deep into her flesh.So, Stefan had been alive all this time… and had now returned more powerful and arrogant than ever! It was truly a pity that she'd spent all that time grieving and shedding tears for him. It was all for nothing! Renee felt like laughing at how foolish she had been.Xavier crossed his legs, looking as if he knew all along that this would happen."I can't believe Stef actually went through with his outrageous plan!" He exclaimed with a grin. "But I've g
"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
Meanwhile, Liam and Leia became vigilant when they saw that scene."What are they doing?" Liam walked past the guests enjoying the fun and stood between Alexander and the two guards. He faked a smile and said, "We're the guests you invited sincerely. Is this how the Baldwin family treats their guests?""Guests?" Austin got off the stage and strode toward them. Although he was smiling, coldness gleamed in his eyes. "Have you ever seen any guest steal the hostess?""You can't say that, Sir Baldwin..." Liam smiled and added, "How could you be sure that it must be the Hunt family?""Who else could it be?" "This is just your guess. They've always been here. Even if they wanted to do that, they couldn't. So… You should act fair and square, given your noble identity. Shouldn't you find fault with the culprit instead? Isn't that more reasonable?" Liam looked at Austin. Although he was younger and came from a family weaker than the Baldwin family, he was still domineering.Besides, his
Alexander took a deep breath and analyzed logically, "This wasn't Stef's style. If he wanted to snatch her away, he would have done it openly in front of everyone. But this trick was cunning and dishonest!""Yes, you're right, but this is a special case. If he didn't use a trick, his woman would marry someone else. It's normal for him to be restless." Although Francine agreed with Alexander's analysis, she felt that Stefan could do anything if it concerned Renee. Naturally, he would stoop this far. "Regardless, we have to leave," Alexander whispered to Francine, sensing danger. "Austin has always been decisive and cruel. Since Stef humiliated him, I'm sure he wouldn't let Stef off easily. We're in danger too.""Is it that serious?" Francine looked at Austin, who was standing on the stage. He coldly ordered his assistant about something. It seemed like he wasn't that crazy. "I don't care what he'll do. We have to get out of North City right away because this city is controlled b
"What?! She's gone?" Justin's face fell immediately. He grabbed the collar of the person who came to inform them and demanded coldly, "What do you mean?! Why is she gone for no reason?""We… We don't know!" That person looked at Justin while trembling and reported everything. "When we got there, we found no one else in the makeup room except the makeup artist lying on the ground. We didn't see Ms. Everheart, either. We don't know what happened!""Something must have gone wrong with her!" Justin pushed that person away without hesitation and rushed toward the makeup room."Hey, Justin! What are you doing?" Sophia watched Justin disappear in front of everyone. She wanted to pursue him but failed.Everyone below the stage fell into an uproar and discussed among themselves endlessly. "The bride went missing all of a sudden! Did her ex-husband come for her?""It's possible. They were once madly in love with each other. Plus, the Hunt and Baldwin families were in conflict for many yea
On the surface, everyone felt that Justin was passionate and respected the bride well. However, only he knew that he was just terrified. He was afraid that the reality might exceed his anticipation. He was terrified to find that he was betrayed in the end when he had trusted Renee that much and treated her so sincerely."Justin, what's going on with you? How could you talk about that at such a time like this? The most important thing now is to make her come out and have this engagement ceremony. We should do the guests justice. If not, everyone will laugh at us after we've kept our dignity well for so many years!"Sophia couldn't understand his hesitation. They were just going to urge Renee to appear. It had nothing to do with their patience or ability to take good care of Renee.Both Alexander and Francine looked at each other in confusion."Dear, did you do anything?" Alexander asked Francine softly.If Renee suddenly failed to attend the ceremony, it might have been Francin