The Cullinan sped down the road, and it didn't take long before it pulled up outside the police precinct.When Serena had given the police her statement, Wilson offered to give her a lift home. Before leaving, she asked the police officer on duty about her assailants.The officer's brows furrowed. "As this case involves illegal cross-border activities, it'll be hard for us to intervene with Westeros jurisdiction. But we should be able to weed out those operating in the country."Serena pressed, "The one who goes by 'Whistle'—did he ever mention why he kidnapped me in the first place?""His actual name is Thomas Garcia. He might look like your run-of-the-mill hooligan, but he's tight-lipped. We haven't gotten him to crack yet. All he said about you was that you had a pretty face, and he thought you might fetch a good price," the officer informed."Can I see him?" Serena asked."Uh…" The officer glanced at Wilson, then shook his head. "He's not in a state for visitors right now."
A sudden thought crossed Mollie's mind. "You don't think he went to see Serena, do you?"Serena was injured during the kidnapping incident, too, and Wilson had been the knight in shining armor who brought her home. If Justin went to see her and saw them together, he might just implode on the spot!Mollie had to stop Justin. With fresh resolve, she clambered out of bed and hurried toward the door. Jenna eyed her with bewilderment and demanded, "Where are you going?""To look for Justin!" Mollie answered agitatedly. She reached the door and pulled it open, only to see someone standing on the other side.Candice looked awkward and out of place as she stood in the corridor in her white coat. She asked warily, "Hey, Mollie. How are you holding up?"Mollie stared at her icily. "What are you doing here?""I came to see if you're doing alright," Candice replied hesitantly, her palms slick with sweat. Candice thought the sky was about to fall on her when she heard that Thomas and his ac
Candice's knees nearly caved in under her weight when she heard Justin's words, but she willed herself to remain upright. She would not break now, not even when the truth was precariously close to being revealed.She frowned as she turned and said, "I vaguely recall being classmates with Thomas Garcia. I might be mistaken, but he was a troublemaker who couldn't keep up with his studies."I did well in high school and did not usually hang around such questionable company. I could ask my old friends about Thomas if you'd like to look into him, Justin."Justin stared at Candice evenly as if checking for the slightest crack in her expression. She met his gaze, and her eyes widened by a fraction. "Why are you looking at me like that, Justin?"Justin was about to answer when the sound of approaching footsteps cut him off. Wilson was heading in their direction, his long strides eating up the short distance. Upon seeing him, Justin scowled and demanded, "What is he doing here?"Mollie's f
Something like wicked amusement colored Wilson's expression as he said, "Congratulations on the baby, Mr. Farrow."After that, he spun and left the room with Kayden. He had planned on exposing Candice's affair with Thomas but changed his mind when he saw how protective Jenna and Justin had been over Candice's baby.He decided to wait until the Farrows realized Candice was not carrying their heir, and all their effort to protect her had been wasted. That would be more fun.As for Candice, Wilson had no qualms about letting her enjoy this temporary peace. When the time was right, he would make her pay.…Like a deflated balloon, Candice nearly collapsed with relief when Wilson left the room. She sobbed, "He's terrifying!"Jenna did not take her eyes off Candice's baby bump. "Stop wallowing on the ground. Get up and have the baby checked! We need to know if the baby's alright!""Okay." Candice got to her feet and glanced at Justin. Her cheeks flushed as she said, "Thank you for def
Justin called Zane immediately after he left the hospital and had the latter look into Candice's relationship with Thomas. He wasn't so stupid as to believe Wilson had shown up at the hospital for nothing.Wilson must have discovered that there was more to Candice and Thomas than she claimed. Ten to one, she had something to do with the trafficking case.Justin was pulled out of his thoughts when his phone rang. Seeing Jenna's name flashing on the screen, he answered the call. "Mom, if you're calling me so you can speak up for Candice, don't bother."Jenna was as overbearing as usual as she said, "I know you don't like Candice and that there is a good chance she was involved in the abduction, but the child she's carrying will be our utmost priority. Do you understand?""And what if she was part of the abduction?" Justin asked."Then you'll have to wait until after she's delivered the baby before you do anything to her," Jenna said matter-of-factly.A dull ache worked its way to J
Lara pointed out, "From the looks of it, Thomas is quite serious about you. You have nothing to worry about. Focus on the baby, and we'll carry on with our plan.""We may have to reconsider our options," Candice said."What, did you chicken out?" Lara asked."Mom, even if Thomas doesn't rat me out, Justin is already suspicious of me. He's not stupid. Our plan won't be feasible if he looks into this and discovers my involvement."Besides, we still have to worry about Mollie!" Candice gritted her teeth. "Her memory loss is only temporary, and I'll be doomed if she starts recalling the events before the kidnapping!"Lara pressed, "So what do you plan to do next?""We'll need a change of plans… My priority now is to get away from the Farrows," Candice replied. When she hung up on Lara, a plan began to form in her mind.…Justin drove to the club, where the manager led him into a private lounge. Without prompting, the manager had Lila attend to Justin.Lila's eyes lit up when she s
Damian and Justin eased into casual conversation. As the latter's expression softened, he leaned into the couch and asked, "How's the studio coming along?""It's alright. We're making good progress," Damian answered."Hmm… If I remember correctly, you majored in finance while you were abroad, right?" Justin lit a cigarette. "Why did you switch to information technology after that?""I have no interest in finance." Damian lowered his gaze, hiding the dark look that flashed in his eyes. "Nor any talent, for that matter.""Too bad. You're a bright kid. If you'd followed through with finance, you could manage Farrow Corporation with me," Justin pointed out."Nah, you run a tight ship at Farrow Corporation, and that's good enough," Damian said with a courteous smile. "I'm going to use the restroom."He left the lounge, his gaze devoid of warmth. He had only just exited the restroom when he heard voices coming from the adjacent stairwell.Lila was talking to a woman with heavy makeup.
"I… don't understand what you mean," Lila uttered.What did Damian mean by this? Shouldn't he have warned her, asking her to stay away from Justin and not show up in front of him again?Damian approached her, grinning softly. "Let's make a deal, Lila."…Justin was alone in the private room for a while until Damian returned."Where's Lila? Tell her to come in," Justin said casually."I don't think she's coming.""What's happened?""Beats me. I ran into her outside and saw her going into the lounge in a corner. She looks upset. I think she's in some kind of trouble."Damian took a sip of water. "Are you going to check on her, Justin?"Justin paused for a second before rising to his feet. "I'll take a look," he said and went out.The lounge wasn't far, and the door was slightly ajar when he arrived. Just when he wanted to enter, he heard Lila speaking.Her voice was hushed, and she sounded like she was crying. "I'm really out of wits. Mom is in the hospital, waiting for the m
Serena opened it and found a beautiful scarf from a luxury brand.Smiling, Gwen said, "Serena, I don't have many friends in Nocturna, and you're one of them. I get along quite well with you, but I'll be moving away soon. I can't really bear to leave you.""You may visit Nocturna in the future. Once your mother recovers, bring her along.""I hope so." Gwen sighed. "I was packing today. I've decided not to bring along the pretty ornaments I've collected, but it would be a pity to throw them away."Serena, would you like to take a look at them and see if any of them would be suitable for you?"Serena agreed, "Sure."After organizing the details for the banquet the next day, Serena left with Gwen. On the way, they chatted happily. When they almost reached, Gwen jumped into a supermarket and bought some groceries."Serena, would you like to have dinner at my place? I'm a good cook."Serena wanted to turn down the invitation, but Gwen grabbed her arm. "Come on, I'll prepare my best d
Natasha pounded Jacob's chest, but it did not stop him. It spurred him on and added a different kind of excitement to what they were about to do.He leaned forward until he trapped her between himself and the bed, then smoothly pinned her arms above her head. Their bodies pressed closely together, Jacob gripped her waist with his free hand as if to mold the soft curves of her body into the hard planes of his.Jacob had developed a taste for Natasha since the first time he'd had her.They were so tangled up in each other's arms that they didn't even notice the bedroom door opening behind them.A loud thud sounded behind them. Jacob paused and turned to see David at the door, the latter's frame hunched over as shock colored his wizened face. A moment later, the shock was replaced by thunderous rage."You ingrate! And you! You whore!" David roared. He was quaking with anger, and it was only by bracing his hand against the wall that he could keep upright as he entered the room.Jacob
David pressed a hand to his chest as he burst into a violent coughing fit. Natasha tried to help him, but he shoved her away. "This won't kill me! Have someone send Marcus to the hospital!""Alright." Natasha turned and left to get help.After sending Marcus to the hospital, Natasha helped David up the stairs. He looked drained and haggard. It was as if years had been shaved off his life within minutes.David went to the study while Natasha returned to the bedroom. Her cheek was swollen and stinging from the slap Marcus had given her. She was about to seek out a housekeeper for some salve when a towering silhouette appeared at the door.Jacob stood at the door with one hand in his pocket, his gaze dark and piercing behind his glasses as he looked at Natasha. "Going somewhere?""I'm going downstairs to… look for Francine," Natasha answered hesitantly.Jacob stared at her evenly for a moment, then entered the room and closed the door behind him. Natasha backed away. "Can you please
David's 60th birthday party ended on an absurd, if not chaotic, note. The directors who came barely ate before getting up and leaving. In the end, only Serena and Wilson remained at the table.Wilson peeled shrimp for Serena, who felt uneasy. "No one's eating anymore…""That shouldn't stop us from enjoying our dinner," Wilson replied casually."Forget it," Serena replied. The atmosphere around her felt too heavy for her to stomach food."Alright, let's forget about dinner." Wilson rose and slowly wiped his fingers with a wet napkin. "Mr. Smith, you seem to have some household affairs to straighten out, so I won't be staying. Goodbye."David looked sullen but said nothing.Wilson exchanged a look with Jacob, then wrapped his arm around Serena's shoulders and left the Smith residence. It didn't take long for the sound of a car driving away to come from the outside.The moment all the guests left, Marcus threw a maniacal fit. "Dad, how could you sign that agreement? What do I get n
Louis snorted. "The facts speak louder than words!""Shut your damn mouth! My dad should never have trusted a bunch of ungrateful old farts like you!" Marcus thundered.The directors' faces darkened at Marcus's scathing remark, but for the sake of their friendship with David, they said nothing.Wilson lightly tapped his fingers against the table. "Mr. Smith, this is the son you're so proud of? He behaves like a rabid dog. You may want to put him on a tighter leash before he gets put down."Marcus turned to him and snapped, "Stay out of our family business!"A deadly look flashed in Wilson's eyes. David smacked the table again and barked, "Pipe down, Marcus! This isn't the place for one of your tantrums!""But Dad—""Scram to the side and stay in line!" David was nervous. The worst that could happen if they pissed off the directors was a heated argument followed by a fallout. But if they crossed Wilson, there was no telling what would happen.David glanced at Wilson. He was secr
With the truth out in the open, David saw no need to carry on with his pretenses. "So, you refuse to step down as CEO, is that it?"Jacob crossed his legs and lit a cigarette. "That's right.""Don't force my hand, Jacob. You'll be thrown out of Smith Group at the board meeting tomorrow!" David warned."You don't need to wait until tomorrow to throw me out. The executive directors are here today, so we may as well let them vote on the matter now. Once they've made their decision, you won't need the other directors to weigh in anymore," Jacob suggested."I'll hold you to that!" David swept his gaze over the directors at the table, signaling them to talk.For a while, there was only silence at the table. Then, Louis Callaghan said, "I… am in favor of Mr. Jacob remaining as the CEO.""What did you say?" David looked aghast.Marcus panicked as well. "Mr. Callaghan, do you have any idea what you just said?"Louis repeated, "I said—I am in favor of Mr. Jacob remaining as the CEO of Sm
Serena remembered now. Marcus was born out of David's second marriage.Marcus wheeled the birthday cake toward David. He stopped beside David and grinned. "Happy birthday, Dad! May you have a long and healthy life ahead of you!""Looks like you've pulled yourself together, Marcus," David praised, smiling. He'd never smiled like that when Jacob was around.David paid no mind to Jacob's darkened expression as he pulled Marcus closer and launched into introductions. "Everyone, this is Marcus. He's been majoring in finance abroad and flew home especially for my birthday today!"A few guests at the table recognized Marcus. "Goodness, it's Marcus! I haven't seen him in years! He sure looks different now.""Yes, he looks a lot like a younger Mr. David."Jacob lifted his gaze. "Dad, why didn't you tell me Marcus was coming home today?"David's smile slipped. "You should have known he was coming home, Jacob. You're the older brother, so don't go blaming me for not keeping you up to date
A loud cough suddenly sounded behind Jacob and the others. David was making his way down the stairs with Natasha's help."Mr. Smith," Wilson greeted.A shadow fell over David's face. "Wilson, I wasn't expecting you to come.""It's your birthday today, Mr. Smith. It's only right that I come over and celebrate with you out of respect, wouldn't you say?" Wilson said congenially. He snaked an arm around Serena's shoulders as he approached David. "Mr. Smith, allow me to introduce my girlfriend, Serena Judd."David made a noise of approval. "She's got a decent face and build, that much I'll say. You got lucky, Wilson.""Oh, my luck with the ladies is nothing compared to yours, Mr. Smith." Wilson grinned.Beside David, Natasha looked a little uneasy. She clutched David's arm and asked, "Would you like to sit, Mr. Smith?""Bring me to the couch so I may catch my breath."Natasha did as she was told and helped David to the couch, whereupon they sat.Jacob and Wilson sauntered to one si
Serena wished she could sew Wilson's mouth shut. He helped her put on her clothes and said, "We're going to the Smith residence tonight. It's Jacob's father's birthday."Serena considered her plans for the day. The patisserie was doing all right recently, and she had nothing urgent to take care of. As such, she agreed to be Wilson's plus-one.…Serena and Wilson arrived downstairs to find that Elsa had already prepared a meal for them. Under Elsa's curious and meaningful gaze, Serena finished her food and headed out with Wilson.They dropped by an upscale women's boutique. Serena was about to leave after picking out a dress when Wilson grabbed her wrist. "You may as well pick out a few more outfits now that we're here. With that killer figure of yours, you'll look good in anything."It was still early, so Serena decided to stay and shop a little while longer. It would have been foolish of her to decline Wilson's generous offer of new clothes. She tried on a dozen outfits, and Wils