"No way!"Little Aiden wanted to provoke Stefan, so he went in for the kill. "Mommy already hates you so much. She doesn't even bother to talk about you. You've done so many horrible things. We'll find out. All we need to do is look into it."Renee was embarrassed. She was a little worried about Stefan's impression of Aiden, so she scolded Aiden softly, "Adie, you can't be so rude."The words she could not say were, 'That's your father!'How could a son lecture his father? It was simply embarrassing."Mommy, how am I rude? I'm just telling the truth. This bad guy has done a lot of horrible things. You've suffered so much because of him!"If you do something bad, you have to suffer the consequences! Everyone hates him because of his actions. It makes sense for us to hate him!""Look at Q. He's the best. He's nice to you and treats us well. He accompanies us every day and cooks us good food. A man like him deserves our favor and respect."It was hard to refute Aiden's clear and l
As the saying goes, never push your enemy into a corner. Moreover, Stefan was like a fearsome and ruthless beast. Renee knew when to stop, and so did Aiden and Abigail. Aiden and Abigail sensed that Stefan had reached the limit of his patience, so they hurriedly took out his clothes and pants and stuffed them into his hands.Aiden held his chin up and stated seriously, "We'll let you off this time. Don't you fall into our hands again. It won't be this easy next time.""Same to you. Next time, I'll show you!" Stefan responded with the same cool look and warned them arrogantly. Then, he grabbed his clothes, turned his high heels, and strode into the bathroom quickly."Hahaha!"Renee could not hold back her laughter anymore. It started from a soft peal but quickly escalated into a massive burst. Her wild and unrestrained laughter almost echoed throughout the building!Stefan had always been stoic and arrogant, maintaining a dignified composure throughout the years they were toget
"Mommy taught us to be a good person. If Bad Daddy has changed, why don't we give him a chance to be a good person?""If we treat him well, he'll treat us well. If we treat him badly, he'll do the same to us. Why don't we be kinder to him and have one more person that treats us well?"Abigail spoke her mind with reason.She had always been Aiden's number-one fan and most loyal supporter.Renee laughed and joked that Abigail would always be undoubtedly supportive of Aiden. She did not expect them to quarrel over Stefan."Uh, hey… You two…"Renee listened as the little ones quarreled. She turned to Aiden and then to Abigail, feeling a little at a loss. It was the first time she had encountered such a scene."Abby, your thoughts are problematic. A bad guy will always be a bad guy. He'll never become a good person. We'll hurt ourselves by being kind to the bad guys!""That's not true. People may make mistakes. If not, why would we need teachers and police officers?"It was Aiden's
Renee gulped nervously. She went forward to ask the doctor softly, "Doctor… W-what happened to him?""He fainted from his allergies. It's nothing too bad," the doctor explained. After that, he lectured Renee with a frown, "By the way, what are you guys doing? As his family, don't you know he has hemophobia? His condition is severe. You have to be careful with his diet. He may get an allergy from indiscriminate eating, and it may even kill him!""Huh? He ate something wrong?""Yeah. He can't take sleeping pills. His prescription drugs for hemophobia can cause adverse reactions. If it's serious, it may kill him!"Renee came to a sudden realization after listening to the doctor's explanation. She remembered Aiden saying that he had given Stefan some sleeping pills. She thought he would nap a little because of the pill but never thought it would have such a big impact."It was my negligence. It's our fault, and it won't happen again.""Well, his condition is quite serious. He can be
There was nothing but silence in the room. The man lying on the bed had his eyes tightly closed, accentuated by his long eyelashes that were as dense as feathers. The gentle light from the orange desk lamp cast a shadow on his tall, defined nose. Renee saw no response from Stefan, so she leaned down and got closer to him. As she observed him carefully, ripples of inexplicable feelings rose in her heart."Dude! Leaving all else aside, you do have such a pretty face! Why did God bless you with such beauty?"Renee was once again mesmerized by Stefan's flawless complexion. Stefan had perfectly defined features and great skin. She wondered if he had been using some high-class skin care products for his flawlessly smooth skin.Renee had been fooled many times before and became much more vigilant. She pushed Stefan and warned again, "I'll say it again. Don't use the same trick again!"Stefan did not move or respond."Are you still pretending? I have plenty of ways to deal with you!" R
Renee interrupted Stefan with a stubborn expression.'Damn! That's so embarrassing!' Renee thought. She wondered when Stefan had actually woken up. He must be laughing at the way she was sleeping so soundly beside him!Renee wanted to lash out at Stefan. However, she remembered the doctor's advice and tried to control her temper."How do you feel? Are you still dizzy?"Stefan looked deep into Renee's eyes and let the emotions flow between them. He asked with a half-smile, "Do you care about me that much?""Don't make a fool of yourself. I'm not concerned about you." Renee tensed her pretty little face and said emphatically, "I'm just afraid about the responsibilities. The kids went overboard this time. I don't want you to blackmail us in case something happens to you."Renee thought she was being very sober and sensible. However, Stefan simply arched his brow with a meaningful look that flashed across his eyes. She could not tell whether it was disappointment or interest."What
While the two kids were still at school, Renee called Mr. Q on the way home."What's the matter?"Mr. Q was surprised by Renee's sudden call. "I have a situation. Where are you now?""Me?" Mr. Q paused briefly before answering, "I'm dealing with something at Carmine Pawnshop.""Is that so? When are you free? Can you come over to my place?" Renee sounded a little anxious. It seemed she had something important to discuss with him.Mr. Q could hear Renee's anxiousness and answered calmly, "Give me a moment. I'll come over now.""Sure. I'll be waiting."Renee started packing the daily necessities for her and the children as soon as she went home. About an hour or so later, Mr. Q arrived as promised."You're finally here."Renee felt an indescribable calmness as soon as she saw him. Mr. Q had not accompanied her and the children for long, but his presence gave them the warmth of home. Before she realized it, she had considered this notorious man as one of her own.Even if a wo
Renee confessed to Mr. Q about her entanglements with Stefan. She felt he had a right to know about it, regardless of their relationship."I guessed as much." Mr. Q was not surprised. He nonchalantly asked with a smile, "So, have you decided?""I won't remarry him, let alone give him custody of the two kids."Renee looked determined and gazed at the man in front of her intently. She took a deep breath and said with courage, "So, I decided to marry you!"Mr. Q remained stoic to her answer. He said indifferently, "Tell me why you chose me. You just want to keep custody of the two kids, right?"Renee fell into a short silence. Then, she shook her head and said solemnly, "I think it's more than that. I'm marrying you for way more than the kids.""Well, that's odd..." Mr. Q smiled with interest and leaned closer to Renee. He reached out to caress her cheek. "Could it be… Are you attracted to me?""I don't know." Renee did not refuse Q's touch. She bit her lips lightly and felt very
While Macsen was talking, his subordinate reached Leia and grabbed her neck with one hand. A light was reflected on the shiny machete; it seemed he was about to slash Leia.Frightened, Leia hunched and screamed in terror. "Ah, no! Save me, Liam! Ren, save me!" "Stop!" Reia yelled at Macsen, anxious. "What do you want to let us go? Tell me, I'll do it!"At first, she was carefree. She was fine even if she got killed and couldn't be bothered to resist. However, she grew restless since her friend was about to be harmed. She would rather take Leia's place. "Stop stalling for time. You've used this trick too many times tonight. Do you think I'll be fooled again?" Macsen sneered. "You're too vicious and nearly bit off my neck. I'm just avenging myself!""Then, you're asking for trouble!" Renee's gaze grew sharp. "Listen. If you harm her, you'll die very miserably right away!""Hahaha! Stop bluffing!" Macsen laughed. "People who can save you now can't even protect themselves. Plus, th
"What?" When Leia heard that, she swallowed and her hair stood on end. Although she didn't know what it meant, using human skin was terrifying. "You guys look confused. I'm sure you don't know what that is…" Macsen was calmer since his neck was bandaged. He said generously to his subordinate, "Come and explain it to them. Prepare them for fear that the lamp might not be bright enough because they're too nervous.""Okay, boss!" Macsen's subordinate nodded. He walked to them and said arrogantly, "Well, we'll use a machete to skin people from head to toe to make lamps. The light from these lamps is blurry and beautiful. It's a top and valuable item.""That's crazy!" After listening to that explanation, a chill ran down Leia's spine. She gnashed her teeth and said to Macsen, "Are you out of your mind? That's a crazy habit! Aren't you worried the victims might come demanding your life in the middle of the night?"The people here were used to a human lamp, so it became common among th
The three of them rolled their eyes in unison and looked speechless."Look, Liam. She's the top love-struck idiot. She'll never learn though she'd suffered much." Leia shook her head and sighed. She felt sorry for Renee's bad luck and disappointing actions.Although Leia was a love-struck fool herself, she was better than Renee. She would quickly retreat if she found anything wrong unless the guy shamelessly pestered her. Also, he had to show his sincerity. Only then would she forgive him. Renee was way worse. She suffered countless times because of one single man, but she didn't even hate him. She even wanted to ask him if they could start over.No one could be as "humble" as her.Renee used to be a bright and awesome figure, and it seemed like there was nothing she could not resolve. Yet, she lost herself several times because of a man. It infuriated Leia. Leia was not alone in feeling that way. Liam shared her sentiments and gnashed his teeth furiously. "Seriously, I wonde
Silence washed over everyone instantly. It seemed they were waiting for Renee's answer.Mateo, who was unrelated, was all ears too. He wanted to listen to a spicy story before he got killed. After all, it was related to Stefan, the mighty president of Hunt Enterprise. Of course, it would be amazing. However, Renee remained silent after a long while."Hey, silly. Of course, Renee wants to meet Adie and Abby the most!" Leia glared at Liam because the latter had asked the obvious. She also helped to get Renee out of the awkwardness. "Of course." Liam didn't let it go, and kept pressing Renee. "Is there anyone else you want to meet other than Adie and Abby?" "Certainly. Both Quinton and Margaret are very important to Ren. I know Ren can't bear to let them go," Leia casually mentioned other people except Stefan. She knew Stefan's name was too special to Renee. If she mentioned Stefan, Renee might break down. Hence, she could never mention Stefan."No, you're wrong!" Mateo finall
Previously, Amber cared very much about Liam. Later, she wanted nothing but to stay away from him.She had happily planned their wedding and imagined how to lead their married lives. Later, she planned her wedding with another man…and wanted to learn sewing from Liam to sew their wedding suits. It was heartbreaking!Hence, Liam chose a noble excuse to try and ruin the wedding between Amber and Mateo. He kept using pessimistic wedding opinions to influence Amber's thoughts as a traditional woman.True, he hadn't influenced Amber's mind solely out of his selfishness. Women would have more freedom if they stayed single. He dissuaded Amber from getting married mainly for the sake of her happiness, but it didn't cover up his despicable thoughts. Hence, he chose to keep quiet."Wow, Liam! I didn't expect you to fall for her. I thought you were forced to be with her!" While enjoying the fun, Leia forgot about her sadness and fear. Her eyes went wide as she teased Liam. "Hey, you kno
Liam found Leia unlucky and disappointing. He simply stopped talking.A brief silence overcame them. It seemed like they had accepted their fate to get killed as they quietly waited for their death.Macsen had returned to the shop to treat his wound. After struggling for a long while, Mateo failed to struggle free. Macsen's subordinate whipped him several times. "Motherfucker! Just wait. I'll make you pay!" Mateo furiously cursed Macsen's subordinate. Macsen's subordinate sneered. "Hmph. You want to make me pay? I think my boss will skin you alive. It's been a long time since I've seen a lamp made of human skin. We're waiting for a good show!"Leia had closed her eyes, but when she heard that, she shuddered and reopened them abruptly. Her voice was shaky as she asked, "Liam, what's that?" "Uh…" Liam found it too cruel and couldn't bring himself to explain it to Leia. He hated his incapabilities. "It's my fault. I got you guys into this mess. Damn it all!""No, we can't blam
Renee was well aware of the situation and was calm in the face of death. "If Macsen wants to kill us, Benjamin will feign ignorance. I think we're doomed here today.""Whatever. I'm not afraid!" Leia didn't take it too seriously, grinning. "You and Liam are the most important people to me. Although we weren't born on the same day, it's great that we can die on the same day. I want us to be siblings in our next lives!""Silly, you're so optimistic. We're going to get killed, not attending a party! Why are you this happy?" Liam's gloominess and tenseness gradually relaxed because of Leia's optimistic and happy tone. "Yeah, it isn't a big deal. I have no regrets since I can die with you guys.""You guys have no regrets, but I'm unlucky!"Mateo kept sighing. "If I knew, I wouldn't have meddled in this or caught you guys. At most, I'd be suppressed by another guy. But now, I'm about to get killed. I regret it! You have big supporters, don't you? Is there any way to contact either of
When the fight reached an intense moment, Macsen's subordinates managed to surround Liam and Mateo. They were disappointing.Macsen's most loyal subordinate aimed a gun at Liam's head and screamed at Renee, who had gone mad. He tried to threaten her. "Let our boss go, or I'll make you pay a price!" Renee regained her wits and turned to look at Liam. Her mouth was bloody. A helpless sigh escaped her. "Why are you this useless? How could they get you?"Helpless, she slowly got up and let Macsen go temporarily. "Motherfucker! Go to hell!"When Macsen regained freedom, he was no longer a gentleman. He slapped Renee twice with one hand and held his neck with the other. Then, he ordered his subordinates, "Tie them up with the woman on that ship!""Okay!" Macsen's subordinates were obedient. They quickly grabbed a thick and heavy rope to tie up Renee, Liam, Leia, and Mateo together, tying the rope around them thrice."Liam, why are you caught too? You're so useless. We even wanted
Everyone looked at each other in dismay before raising their weapons to attack Renee.Liam ordered his subordinates to fight Macsen's men when he noticed the danger. "Don't hurt her, or I'll fight you!"There were more than ten people from both sides. When they started fighting, the whole jetty was filled with the sounds of weapons and bullets. It was a mess.That battle sacrificed a lot of Liam's subordinates. Gradually, he failed to hold on."Mateo, where are your men? Get them into the fight. If anything happens to Boss, you'll suffer too. That crazy Stefan will kill everyone!"While fighting Macsen's subordinates, Liam wanted to involve Mateo in the fight since the latter was merely watching. Besides, he knew what a man like Mateo, who was good at weighing the pros and cons, cared about the most.As expected, Mateo chose to side with Liam when he heard that this mess would affect his relationship with Stefan.After all, Macsen was the most powerful person in the fort. It wou