Finnegan was like a dangerous beast—unapproachable to anyone except Elara."Do you really think you're her real boyfriend? Go ahead and fool others, but don't start fooling yourself," he said coldly.Theodore, who was already fuming, was about to retort when Elara tugged lightly on his sleeve. The fire in his eyes melted into a bright, affectionate smile upon meeting her gaze."I'll listen to you. I'll do whatever you say," he said, his voice wrapping around her like a warm down blanket.Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to swallow his resentment—for her sake.He could fight for her, compete for her, but he could also let go when it mattered."Since my dear brother-in-law is an expert at treating bruises, I'll leave Elara in your capable hands. I have to admit, as a boyfriend, I can't compare to her blood relative," Theodore said, deliberately dragging out certain words.Finnegan's expression darkened.Meanwhile, Theodore lowered his gaze and carefully cradled Elara's del
Elara looked at Finnegan and told him, "It's just a contractual relationship."Yet, it sounded as if she was reminding herself as well.…That night, Elara slept soundly, deeper than she had in a long time. She didn't know if it was because Finnegan had massaged her wrist, improving circulation and reducing the bruising, or if it was the sheer satisfaction of whipping Harvey with a bamboo cane that had left her feeling utterly refreshed.When she opened her eyes again, it was already morning. After getting up, the first thing she did was check the app on her phone.Harvey had been locked up all night, yet not once had he sent a plea for help. It was rather impressive.Or had he already soiled himself?She looked at the once-glamorous CEO, a man who had always carried himself with an air of superiority. The same man who insisted his bath water be exactly 104.5 degrees Fahrenheit and would frown if it was even 0.2 degrees off.A man who never wore the same outfit twice—if his sui
Beau's eyes widened as he looked at Merida again, his gaze now fixated on the thermos in her hands.Merida asked softly, "Do you want me to feed you?"Beau didn't respond, so she took his silence as agreement. She scooped up a spoonful of soup, blew on it gently to cool it down, and brought it to his lips.Beau opened his mouth and swallowed the chicken noodle soup she fed him. This soup was different from the one he had once stolen from the stray cat.It was still warm, carrying the same familiar taste as the soup Elara used to make for him in the past. As he ate, hot tears welled up and streamed down his cheeks.Merida quickly set down the spoon and reached for a tissue to wipe away his tears. "You shouldn't cry while eating. It's bad for your health."Those were the same words their mother had once told him. Beau swallowed hard, but the tears continued to blur his vision."Mm…"He tried to say something, but the words got stuck in his throat.Merida fed him every last drop
Merida looked up and locked eyes with Ethel.Confused, she asked, "What are you staring at?"Ethel reacted as if she had seen an enemy. "What are you doing here?"She had received news that Xavier had once again brought bodyguards to visit Beau at the hospital, and she had rushed over, fearing Xavier might do something to harm him.But the moment she saw Merida standing there, her anger flared.In the past, Ethel had never taken Xavier seriously. Though he was Leonard's adopted son, he was still just that—adopted. The true heir of the Fisher family had always been under Harvey's control.But now, with Beau hospitalized and Xavier beginning to receive heir training for the Fisher family, Ethel hadn't slept soundly for days.And seeing Merida—the granddaughter she believed to be a traitor—only added fuel to her fury. If she could, she would have slapped the child right then and there.Merida stood firm and declared, "Beau hasn't been to school for days. All his classmates know he
"Grandma! Let me down!" yelled Beau.The nurses unanimously got Ethel to stop her actions. "Put him down, Madam Fisher!""You'll increase the burden on his body this way, Madam Fisher!"A few other nurses worked together to grab Beau from her arms. Once the nurses returned him to his sick bed, he felt unwell. Every time he took a breath, his back would hurt. The nurse asked Ethel. "Everything was fine, so why did you ask him to throw it up?""Didn't you hear? He ate something he shouldn't have!"The nurse replied, "I checked the soup before the little girl fed it to him. It's fine. Your grandson finally has the appetite to have some soup, so how could you get him to throw it up without any regard for his injuries?"Ethel went to Beau's side and said in a soft voice, "You were confused by your hunger. The soup that woman made doesn't have any nutritional value. Soup is meant for servants. How is this different from feeding you pig food?""I like Mommy's soup!" roared Beau.
Elara posted a clip of her stepping on Harvey. This particular clip, when viewed in isolation, easily made people's minds wander.In the video, she and Harvey each occupied half of the frame. His hands were suspended, but the handcuffs weren't shown. This made others think that he was sitting on the floor voluntarily, allowing Elara to trample on his body.Elara had also deliberately removed the audio, forcing the viewer to focus entirely on the side of Harvey's face and the spot where she had stepped on him. It was easiest for people to imagine intimate sounds in a silent video.His eyes were dazed, and his mouth was open. The kind of noises he would make were up for imagination.Niamh sent over a message she had prepared long in advance. "Elara, I didn't want to appear before you, but Harvey insisted on forcing me into Joss Tech. You know how I am—I'm used to being free and unrestrained. Now that I'm your assistant, you have to take good care of me!"After sending the message,
In a certain room, the glow of the TV illuminated Harvey's face. He would never have imagined that he would be locked in a room in such a humiliating position to watch a news broadcast.The TV showed the time, so he knew he had been locked in here for a day and a night. Because he went without food or water for so long, his physical needs were minimal. However, he had sweated earlier and also soiled his pants. He could feel that his whole body stank.Never in his recollection had he ever worn the same suit until the next day. Even if he was pulling an all-nighter at the company, he would spend at least ten minutes showering and changing into clean clothes.He recalled the year Dawn died, there were a few times when he drank himself into unconsciousness. When he lay on the couch, Elara would remove his tie, change his socks, and wipe his face with a warm towel.She would even carry him to bed. Once he woke up the next morning, he would find himself in clean pajamas, feeling refres
Harvey's shocked gaze slowly went to the bowl of chicken noodle soup on the floor. If he wanted to eat it, he would have to bend down to do so. It wouldn't make him much different than a dog.He was livid. His eyes were bloodshot and filled with anger. "You're doing this on purpose, Elara! Do you hate me that much?"He was like an agitated caged beast that rammed against its cage. The steel lock and chains clanged loudly. However, he suddenly fell silent the next second. He saw Elara smiling at him. That smile was like a night bloom."You had Abel shove Niamh into Joss Tech as my assistant. Since you disgust me that much, why can't I disgust you in return?"Upon hearing this, Harvey let out a cold laugh. She was taking revenge on him, but what right did she have to do so?"You killed Dawn!"The moment these words left his mouth, it was as if he had uttered a curse upon himself. Elara didn't argue with him. She couldn't be bothered to deal with his crazy words.She opened the d
Paisley stood at the center of the stage and bowed, thanking the audience. Meanwhile, the auditorium erupted in thunderous applause. Several parents who knew Rosalie turned to praise her."Ms. Fisher, you've done such a wonderful job raising her.""Paisley's dancing was beautiful. With her on stage, the whole performance became so pleasing to watch."Parents from the same class chimed in as well. "Rosalie made the right call by having Merida step down from the rehearsals. If Merida had performed, it definitely wouldn't have turned out this well.""Exactly. Rosalie really has great foresight."As they spoke, their glances drifted—intentionally or not—toward Elara.In the microcosm of the school community, parents were sorted by social circles. Even if they acknowledged Elara's competence, to them, she still had no real backing.And without that, she might as well have had nothing. In the world of elite parents at one of Capitol's top schools, Elara stood on shaky ground. Those ho
Rosalie let out a disdainful snort. "Does someone like Elara even deserve to step into the Fisher family's circle?"Her voice turned icy and shrill. "She's only dragging me down!"Luxury brands existed precisely to distinguish those who could afford them from those who couldn't. If commoners could easily buy Louis Vuitton or Hermès, how would the wealthy flaunt their status?Ever since Elara married into the Fisher family, Rosalie felt her own standing had been diminished. Now that Elara had been kicked out, Rosalie wouldn't give her another chance to mingle with high society.Harold lowered his voice. "Put in a good word for me with the Fisher family. Help me become Xavier's tutor."Though Beau had resumed his elite homeschooling, Xavier still attended the same classes—and far outperformed him. Harold had a strong premonition that the Fisher family would focus on cultivating Xavier.Though not Leonard's biological son, Xavier was his sole heir since Leonard had no children of hi
Rosalie took her seat beside Harold and immediately noticed him repeatedly glancing in Elara's direction."What are you looking at?" Her voice turned dangerous.Harold instantly trembled, quickly straightening his posture. "Nothing! I wasn't looking at anything!"Rosalie wouldn't let it go. "You kept staring at Elara! Why were you looking at her?"Flames burned in Rosalie's eyes as Harold hurriedly explained, "I just saw Xavier sitting in her lap and got curious! I never expected that child to be so close with her."He then gossiped with Rosalie, "Do you think if Elara dotes on Xavier like this, she might end up becoming Harvey's aunt?"A mischievous smirk spread across Harold's face."Only vulgar minds would come up with such vulgar thoughts!" Rosalie snapped.As a Fisher family member, her first reaction was utter disgust at such disgraceful speculation. How could she ever hold her head high in Capitol's elite circles if this happened?"How could Leonard possibly do such a t
Xavier eyed his surroundings warily, refusing to let anyone touch him as he walked between bodyguards. The backstage area bustled with people and large props. Some children wore exaggerated stage makeup and brightly colored costumes.Like a kitten caught in traffic, Xavier trembled with fear at the unfamiliar environment."Xavier!" Merida's loud, cheerful voice cut through the noise.Spotting Merida and Elara in the crowd, Xavier's dark eyes immediately lit up. He broke into a run toward them.Merida dashed forward too, leaping to meet Xavier. She scooped him up effortlessly, lifting him high into the air.Xavier soared upward, his face breaking into a smile at Merida's beaming expression.After spinning him around once, Merida carefully set him down—knowing more spins would make him dizzy."Xavier! I'm so happy you're here! Did you come to watch my performance?"Xavier nodded earnestly.His fingers reached out to touch the fringes on Merida's vibrant pink costume, his admirin
Rosalie's lips curled into a mocking smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Of course, you'd get selected no matter what you perform. I mean, having a school board chairman for a father does wonders."Nearby parents exchanged knowing glances.Elara asked calmly, "Ms. Fisher, did Harvey say something to you?""Not at all," Rosalie replied."Then are you just spreading rumors?" Elara continued. "My daughter's performance earned the arts department's approval. What does that have to do with the Fisher family?"Rosalie lifted her chin, her gaze turning condescending. Since Elara's divorce from Harvey, Rosalie had looked at her like royalty observing an ant beneath her feet."The arts teachers only approved it because Harvey's on the board."Elara simply smiled. Rosalie was clearly trying to pick a fight, but Elara wasn't interested in proving herself. She had no intention of arguing over whether her daughter's opportunity to perform was the result of favoritism from Harvey.Instead, sh
Niamh's mouth opened, her voice trembling as she muttered, "Why… Why would Harvey say that?"By pushing all the blame onto her, wasn't Harvey essentially sentencing her to death? It was no wonder Abel wanted to kill her! Niamh shivered violently, feeling as if her heart might split apart.Abel pointed at her face and growled, "After I break your legs, I'll drag you to the Fisher family to beg Harvey's forgiveness!""Dad! No! Harvey's lying! What he's saying isn't true!"She knew with certainty that Abel would truly break her legs. Disaster was coming for her!Benjamin interjected coldly, "What you should consider is why Harvey would say this. Regardless of the truth, when Harvey shifts all the blame to you, it means you've become worthless to him!"To him, you're just a scapegoat now!"Tears welled in Niamh's eyes. Had Harvey forgotten Dawn's dying words? How could he do this to her?"Dad, I've been framed!" Niamh murmured despairingly.Abel refused to listen. "I don't care if
The hospital room door suddenly swung open from the outside. Benjamin entered to find Abel pressing a pillow over Niamh's face.Without hesitation, he charged forward, shoving Abel away with his body. Abel stumbled backward onto the nightstand, still clutching the pillow in both hands."What the hell are you doing?" Abel roared at Benjamin as he looked at him, as if the younger man had interrupted him trying to discipline Nimah.Benjamin saw Niamh's eyes rolling back. Her face had turned blue, mouth gaping but unable to draw breath. He immediately administered chest compressions, reviving Niamh just in time.Abel threw the pillow at Benjamin. "How dare you push me?""You nearly killed her!" Benjamin snapped back.Spittle flew from Abel's mouth. "She's disgraced me personally and ruined our family's standing in Capitol society!"Benjamin retreated a step with a cold laugh. "Then go ahead and kill her!"Saving lives was instinctual, but now he regretted intervening. Had he stayed
"Wah!" Beau burst into loud sobs, his cries weak but desperate."I want Mommy! Daddy! I only want my mommy!"Harvey's handsome face froze over with icy detachment. Without another word to Beau, he turned and left the children's room.When the door closed behind him, Beau's wailing became muffled.…Harvey returned to his bedroom, but even in the quiet emptiness, he still couldn't catch his breath. A cold sensation crept up from his feet.Striding to the walk-in closet, he yanked open every drawer. He pulled out ties, watches, cufflinks, and pins, scattering them across the floor.Did Elara give him this one? Did she buy him that? Frustration crept in as he realized he couldn't remember.The gifts from business associates stood out clearly in his memory, but he couldn't distinguish which items came from Elara versus his stylist. With growing dismay, Harvey realized he'd never properly looked at any present from Elara—not even once.Now he couldn't recall which accessories were
Beau was laying on the bed. His large, pitch-black pupils occupied most of his eye sockets, leaving only tiny whites that emitted a faint blue glow in the dim room.Harvey opened his mouth, only to feel as if someone had stuffed a wad of paper down his throat. His voice caught abruptly. Yet Beau's gaze was still brimming with longing and expectation.The boy tightened his grip on Harvey's sleeve."She already divorced me..." Harvey said slowly.How could he possibly reconcile with Elara? He would never return to what he'd left behind. After all, when they signed the divorce papers, he declared Elara would be the one begging him!When they obtained the divorce certificate, the thought of turning back never crossed his mind! Even if Elara had pleaded with him, it would still be impossible!Yet for Beau's sake, Harvey decided to make his greatest concession."If your mother comes begging for reconciliation, I'll consider it." As he spoke these words, Harvey clenched his fist—the st