Renee's facial expression was cold and emotionless. "I don't care if he's dead or alive. Did he care if I was happy or not during the most difficult period of my life? Did he ever care if I was alive?""Well…" Xavier felt a little guilty. He silently looked down.Stefan had indeed gone too far back then. He cheated on Renee and forced her to get a divorce. His heart was practically stone-cold. Why did he have to get so close with a bitch like Briar?Even if Renee loved him from the bottom of her heart, her feelings would eventually fade.If he asked her to give Stefan another chance now, it would only be adding salt to the wound!"I'll tell you again, and please take this seriously—my relationship with Stefan has ended, and we will never get back together. Please tell your friends, Stefan included, to stop joking around like that anymore. If this happens again, I'll cut ties with all of you," Renee said sternly to make sure Xavier got her point.Xavier nodded. "Alright. I know wh
The only difference was that Renee's aura of superiority originated from her herself."Your Stefan?" Renee asked with a playful look in her eyes.Seraphina rolled her eyes. "Obviously, he's ours. Did you know that I grew up with Stef? We also share the same birthday in the same month of the same year. I was born an hour ahead of him. That's why he's like my little brother…""So?" Renee replied calmly. She wasn't sure what Seraphina was trying to say."So, I'm warning you to stay away from him. You two are already divorced. I won't tolerate you pulling any tricks on him!" Seraphina uttered fiercely."I see… What a considerate sister you are!" Renee replied with a half-hearted smile while she looked Seraphina up and down.Seraphina had a tomboy-like appearance, and her outfit was also casual. Although she didn't seem like the kind to harbor any ill intentions, her words seemed to be filled with undertones of sarcasm.Only a woman could recognize such undertones.Things were getti
The worst part was Stefan's reaction.He didn't even acknowledge Renee when he walked past her. It was as if she wasn't even there.Things felt so awkward that Xavier nearly wanted to dig a hole and hide in it."Renee, don't get mad. You know how proud Stef is. He's probably upset because you disrespected him earlier. That's why…" Xavier trailed off."It doesn't matter." Renee shrugged. She looked at Stefan and Seraphine while they walked away. "Didn't I tell you that I no longer want to have anything to do with him? Why would I get mad?""Are you really not upset at all?" Xavier cocked his head. He stared at Renee's face and teased her playfully. "Why does your facial expression seem so different?""..." Renee remained silent.To be honest, Xavier wasn't making things up.She really did get upset for a moment, but it wasn't because of Stefan. Instead, it was Seraphina's doing.This woman was so pretentious. She might seem like a tomboy-like girl who got along with Stefan as a
"..." Renee didn't say anything. She didn't agree, but she made no denial either."Hahaha! Alright. You don't have to answer me. I know what you're thinking. Just listen to me and do as I say." Xavier was determined to be the nice guy and go all the way. He decided he would try one last time to help this proud couple out.If it still didn't work this time, he'd stop caring!Back in the barbecue area, Stefan and Seraphina were roasting skewers.As a result of them sharing the same birthday, they also had a similar outlook on life, and the two had always been close. One could even go as far as to say they were best friends.However, Stefan merely thought of Seraphina as a friend. Seraphina, on the other hand, started developing romantic feelings for him when puberty hit.Just as Seraphina was about to confess her feelings for Stefan, he and Renee suddenly had a flash marriage. Their wedding took the entire Beach City by surprise.Feeling bitter about her feelings that were not rec
Xavier felt a little awkward. He felt the need to do some explaining.Renee, on the other hand, nodded proudly. "Of course. Xavier and I shared significant life experiences together and a similar outlook on life. We also have the same hobbies. Of course, we get along well!""..." Stefan's gaze turned cold. He pursed his lips and remained silent.Seraphina hopped onto her feet and pointed at Renee. "Ms. Everheart, even if I end up offending you, there are things I have to say. We're both women. We may be heartless, but there are still limits to what we should do. Don't you think you're being a bitch? You bring shame to all women!""Oh, why say so?" Renee nearly laughed.Seraphina was really good at this game. Renee hadn't even exposed her for being pretentious, and she already took the first move to defame Renee.Just as she thought… Seraphina was as tough a woman as she was smart!"You and Xavier were being too intimate just now. I don't care what your relationship with him is.
Seeing how the situation was getting intense, Xavier tried to make peace yet again."Alright, alright. I hereby announce that Renee and I are merely friends. There is nothing else going on between us. As for Stef and Seraphina, they're definitely like siblings and nothing else. Shirley and I aren't exactly together yet. Therefore, everyone's still single. We're free to be romantically involved with anyone we like!"It's rare for us to get together like this. Let's just enjoy each other's company and not cause a scene. That's something only elementary school kids would do. If everyone's on board, let's bump fists and call it a day. Alright?" Xavier extended his fist after that.Seraphina was the first to respond by bumping her fist against his.If she still held a grudge against Renee now, she'd seem too calculative.That was why she decided to change her tactic."Ms. Everheart, since it's a misunderstanding, I'll apologize to you. I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions…"I'm actua
"Oww!!! It hurts!" A piece of hot charcoal landed on Seraphina's foot and she yelped in pain.The men, who were chatting out in the open, heard the noise, and they all came running. Everyone surrounded Seraphina."What happened? Why did the grill suddenly topple over? Were you two roasting skewers or yourself?" Xavier was confused by the chaotic scene."Stop your sarcasm already. Can't you see that I burned my foot? Hurry up and help me out! What if it leaves a scar?" Seraphina grabbed her foot and clenched her jaws. She was nearly crying.Moses risked taking a beating and continued to mock her. "It's rare to see Seraphina in such a weak state. The charcoal has really done justice for us!"Seraphina swung her fist in his direction. "Moses, how could you say that? Just wait. I'm going to beat you up!"Everyone quickly stopped her. They were all worried about her burned foot, and everyone was focused on her.Christopher silently observed for a moment. "Seraphina, your wound looks
Renee looked up expectantly, but a look of disappointment and surprise soon filled her eyes."Christopher?"Christopher had his back to the sun. He looked like Prince Charming from the novel. "This is quite effective. Hurry up and use it. You don't want any scars to form!""How did you know I…" Renee had an awkward expression on her face.She was trying hard to hide the amount of pain she was in earlier. It wasn't because she was mentally strong, and it also wasn't because her skin was too thick to feel any pain.Instead, she just didn't want to appear too insignificant next to Seraphina while everyone surrounded her."I noticed your facial expression wasn't natural earlier. I figured that you were probably burned too, but I'm sure you have your reasons for not wanting it to be known," Christopher said gently, like how an older brother would. He made Renee feel very safe.Renee sighed and laughed bitterly. Without realizing it, she was opening up to him."You were all so worrie
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
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