The next day, after giving the children a ride, Caroline received a call from Paige. The latter told her that Alex wanted to meet and discuss the clothing factory.Caroline agreed to meet him downstairs ten minutes later.-Once Caroline reached the company, she had a quick meeting with the sales department. Then, she invited Naomi to join her for coffee.At the cafe, they spotted Paige and Alex waiting for them.When they saw Naomi, they exchanged glances. Alex approached Paige and whispered, "It's okay to be doubtful, but let's not make it obvious. We won't be able to gauge her if she becomes suspicious."Paige gnashed her teeth and put on a smile. "Do I look that dumb?"Alex seemed surprised. "You seem to know yourself well!"Paige was taken aback. She wanted to teach this stern man a lesson.However, when she noticed Caroline and Naomi right before them, she discreetly pinched Alex's thigh under the table and greeted Caroline with a smile, "Caroline, I ordered an Americano
Naomi remained composed, her response a simple, "Hmm."Paige was at a loss for words. Why had Naomi replied so briefly?Paige desired to hear more from Naomi, hoping to uncover any flaws in her reasoning.Naomi concealed her emotions effectively.Alex was also speechless. He had reminded Paige not to dwell on it right now, but she did the opposite. 'How forgetful!' he thought.Caroline joined in and asked Naomi, "Did you manage to reach Kenny?"Naomi's reply was concise, "No."Paige was stunned, blurting out, "What's wrong with Kenny?"Caroline clarified, "He turned off his phone on the day of the accident. I haven't received any updates from him yet."Paige widened her eyes, thinking, 'Could it be Kenny? If not, why would he turn off his phone?'Alex sneered at Paige, sarcastically wondering, 'Does this fool doubt Kenny now?'Caroline pondered, 'I intentionally raised that question. Didn't Paige catch on?'Alex chimed in. "It's always the people closest to us who are the m
Alex was so happy that he felt like laughing when he witnessed Evan's humiliated expression. He wanted to taunt Evan further so he could boldly pursue the woman who belonged to him.Evan tightly gripped the contract, his mood darkening. He pondered whether Caroline would reject his kindness, given the situation where Neil had a clothing factory ready for her in case of an emergency.When had he become anyone's second choice?As this thought crossed his mind, he angrily hurled the contract at Alex, who was struggling to suppress his laughter.-Caroline was about to visit the new factory in the afternoon when Naomi knocked on her door."Ms. Shenton, there are four people downstairs who say they're your relatives," Naomi informed her.Caroline was surprised. "Relatives?"Naomi clarified, "They claim to be Bradley Shenton's family from his hometown."The mention of Bradley's name sent Caroline into a daze. She remembered her mother once mentioning Bradley had a younger sister in
Caroline chuckled with frustration. "Were we close in the past?"Upon hearing her question, Jade erupted, "Oh, my brother! You died so miserably. Your daughter's wealthy now, but she acts like she doesn't know us!"My mother, my brother! Who will bring us justice? We can't survive. It's better to die..."Caroline clenched her fists on her lap, glaring at Jade's dramatic outburst. She couldn't fathom it. Her father had great gambling debts in the past, yet they had never kept in touch. Why were they suddenly here?Caroline was lost in thought when a sudden, sharp crash interrupted her. Looking up, she saw Gigi smashing a rabbit ornament Neil had given her when she first started her company."What a piece of junk! It shattered when it fell," Gigi remarked with disdain.Pursing her lips, Gigi reached for another item on the display cabinet—a vase on the third shelf. She couldn't reach it, so Gregory helped her retrieve it.Caroline couldn't take it any longer. She stood up and leer
Twenty minutes later, Caroline arrived at Bayview Villa with the Shenton family. The Shentons exited the car first, and the bodyguards at the door gazed at them, puzzled.It was Gregory's first encounter with bodyguards. His eyes widened as he approached them, his curiosity piqued. "Are these real security guards? They're standing so still, like statues."A bodyguard, growing annoyed, grabbed Gregory's collar and lifted him. "You've never seen bodyguards before?""Bodyguards? Are they the ones who hurt people?" Jade felt terrified upon hearing that and hurried over to smooth things out for Gregory. "My husband didn't know. Don't scare him."She then scolded Gregory, "Stop being nosy. Let's go inside."The bodyguards displayed their disdain.Caroline sneered and swiftly opened the door. Meanwhile, Jamie, with her long black hair flowing freely, stood by the entrance in a white dress.This sight sent shivers down the Shentons' spines. They wondered, 'Why does she resemble a female
Caroline came downstairs at that moment. When she saw the scene, she was rendered speechless.Tyler and Liora had put in a lot of effort and time to build the Lego castle. The roof hadn't been added yet, but it had somehow been ruined. They would be heartbroken when they got home.Caroline closed her eyes in frustration and leaned against the wall. She tried to calm down amidst the exclamations and discussions downstairs, organizing her thoughts. When she opened her eyes again, they were clear.As she descended the stairs and saw their eager expressions, she said icily, "There are two empty rooms on the third floor. You can choose whichever one you want."Upon hearing that, the Shentons became energized."Let's go check out the rooms upstairs!"After Jade's declaration, she pushed Caroline aside at the base of the stairs and excitedly led her family upstairs.Freya came downstairs and kept glancing upstairs while approaching Caroline. "Ms. Shenton, these people...""Just tolera
After inspecting the factory, it was time to pick up the children from school. Caroline bid farewell to Alex and headed to the kindergarten.Once the kids got in the car, Caroline decided to mentally prepare them. "Ty, Lia, I need to tell you something."Liora blinked, curiosity in her eyes. "What is it?"Caroline sighed. "Some relatives from my father's side are staying with us. They didn't behave well and accidentally caused your Lego castle to collapse."Liora gasped. "What? Why would they ruin the castle we worked so hard on?"Tyler's smile faded as he listened."Some people lack manners, but I want you to remember something," Caroline advised. "You must always protect yourselves, no matter what happens. Do you understand?"Tyler inquired, "How long will they be staying?"Caroline replied, "I'm not sure."Tears welled up in Liora's eyes. "Mommy, they bullied you too, didn't they?"Caroline embraced Liora. "I can handle myself. Don't worry about me."Liora clung to her mo
Afterward, Caroline led Tyler and Liora upstairs to wash up. It was necessary, given their contact with dirty things.However, Jade intercepted her, blocking her path. "Wait! What do you mean? What did my child do wrong? Why did your rude child bully her?"Caroline's gaze turned icy, and she replied slowly, "Excuse me?"Taken aback by Caroline's stare, Jade stammered, "I... I'll say it again. I'm not afraid of you. Your child—""It's so noisy..."Suddenly, Jamie's voice echoed from downstairs.Jade trembled with fear, falling silent immediately. She turned, picked up the crying Gigi, covered her mouth, and hurriedly retreated into the washroom.Jamie blinked in confusion, then tilted her head to observe Liora, whose eyes were red.Concerned, Jamie approached her, her face showing irritation at the sight of saliva on Liora's face. "Who bullied you?"Liora bit her lip and replied, "Madam, that woman bullied Tyler, Mommy, and me."Jamie stormed toward the restroom and slammed th
Reese winced in pain. "Alright, ma'am. I guess I can read your mind? Be gentle!"Liora relaxed her grip at last. "Right, when are we going to that place you mentioned previously?""There's no rush. Your body isn't up for constant actions now. What if you get hurt by those harmful spirits again? I've already committed myself to you out of guilt. If it happens again, I won't have anything else to offer."Liora chuckled. "You make it sound like I'm desperate for your compensation.""What's wrong with that? I'm a strong, handsome man, and everyone loves me!" said Reese, displeased.Liora was astounded by his narcissism.She took a deep breath and said, "Reese.""Hmm?"Liora said, "In truth, I'm not the best choice to be your partner because of my profession. Those spirits may bother me from time to time. I'm the complete opposite of Isaac because of my negative physique.""What happens when you have a negative physique?""Spirits will be drawn to bother me and might cause me a lo
Reese and Isaac couldn't perceive the spirit, but they witnessed a dark mist dissipating before them.Isaac asked in astonishment, "What's happening, Lia?"Liora turned and answered, "The female spirit didn't want to move on, so her soul has been dissolved.""Dissolved? Do you mean her soul has been destroyed?" asked Reese. Liora nodded and looked around. "Uncle Kenny, please help me find the six spirits."Kenny took on the task and brought those fearful spirits in just a few minutes. Liora asked, "Do you want to choose the same option as her or come with me to Cross Chapel?""Cross Chapel!""We would have left long ago if we weren't trapped here by her threats!""She wouldn't let us go even in death. Aren't our lives worth anything?"After Fiery Red was gone, these spirits began to complain in anger.Liora was infuriated by their complaints. "How dare you criticize her! She may be responsible for your deaths, but what about you then? Do you think you bear no responsibil
"That's easy for you to say! Those who caused my death may have become spirits, but I still want to stop them from moving on!" Fiery Red barked. Liora frowned. "So, you're implying that those six students caused your death?""Why would I kill them otherwise?"Liora said, "It's time to let them go now that they've faced your revenge. Keeping them trapped is like trapping yourself. Why bother?""Allowing them to move on is letting them off too lightly!" Fiery Red roared. Liora said, "Your obsession is too strong and is keeping you trapped here. You're constantly hurting yourself with painful memories. If you move on properly, it will be a kind of liberation from your past.""Don't preach to me! I'll make it simple for you. It's either you die or my soul gets destroyed!" Fiery Red snapped. She was about to attack Liora just as she finished her sentence. Liora was planning to call out to Isaac when a figure suddenly showed up. Kenny rushed over and blasted away Fiery Red."Y
Tyler did not comment further upon hearing Liora's reply. In the evening, Isaac returned home from school to find Liora already there. He hurried over, brimming with excitement. "You're back, Lia! How are you feeling? Have you recovered from your injuries?"Isaac's smile stretched from ear to ear.Liora glanced at Isaac meaningfully and said, "Please do me a favor tonight, Isaac."Isaac nodded repeatedly. "Sure, are we heading to the campus?"Liora looked at Isaac in astonishment. "Are you not scared anymore?"The smile on Isaac's face faded slowly. "Spirits are scary, but I don't want to see you bullied by them again, Lia. I wanted to destroy those spirits on the same day after seeing you suffer. However, they told me to respect your decision, so I didn't do that."Liora caressed Isaac's head affectionately. "You've grown, Isaac. You know how to look out for me now."Isaac took Liora's hand and held her hand tightly in his own. "Lia, I've always cared about you. Next time you
Reese said, "Yes, you have been in love with her for 15 years and have invested a lot of time for her. However, haven't you noticed that Lia is a very rational person? As soon as she figures things out, she can move on immediately."Chester's breathing became irregular. He took two deep breaths shakily while staring at Reese. "Yes, she is more sensitive and rational than anyone else."Reese said, "I'm going to give you another analogy. If Lia chooses to be with me, what are you going to do?""Nothing. I said before that I'd respect Lia's choice no matter what. Similarly, you don't have to worry about anything else. I won't harbor any resentment because of love," Chester replied. Reese said, "In other words, you'll continue to be friends with Lia even if we end up together, is that right?"Chester frowned. "Lia and I are friends. If we can't be together, our relationship will remain the same as before. You like Lia, but you can't stop me from being friends with her, Reese."Reese
Reese raised his right arm and said, "My entire right arm was covered in blood at the time. I watched the removal of rotten flesh from your back with my own eyes. I couldn't sleep peacefully for days.""That's easy! Just get the doctor to prescribe sleeping pills to you. You will be able to sleep better, right?" Liora said while giggling. Reese crouched down next to the bed, smiling. "Lia, are you mad at me?"Liora was confused. "Mad at you? For what?"Reese scratched his nose. "If I didn't take you there, you wouldn't have gotten injured."Liora took a glance at him, astounded. "This has nothing to do with you taking me there. It's the ignorant spirits. I'll deal with them all once I recover!""You still want to go back there?" Reese exclaimed. "Yes, of course! Hades will be delighted if I can send the seven spirits to him," Liora said. Reese looked at the joyous smile on Liora's face, feeling guilty. "I was hoping that you'd scold me instead of talking to me so casually."
Reese sent away Tyler and the other, surging them to get some rest while he remained seated, his gaze fixed on Liora.She slept peacefully, her chest rising and falling slowly with each breath. Meanwhile, a nurse approached. Reese noticed her and hastily stood up. "Hello, nurse."The nurse asked, "How can I help you?"Reese said, "May I inquire when Liora can be transferred out of the ICU?"The nurse said, "I'm not too sure about that. It depends on the healing of her wounds and vital signs. She has the most extensive wound that I've ever seen on a girl. She might end up with scars…"The nurse opened the door and walked inside upon saying that. Reese was overwhelmed by a sense of guilt as he thought of the debt he owed to Liora. He knew he could never fully repay it in this lifetime.-Three days later, Liora was transferred out of the ICU.After learning about the incident, Caroline and Evan rushed to the hospital. They were heartbroken to see Liora lying prone on the be
Fear and worry flooded Reese's mind, making it impossible for him to sleep. He opened his eyes and looked at the sky through the skylight. Reese could not help Liora in her profession, so he wondered if he could help out in her safety. He thought about it before he grabbed his phone to text Tyler. Reese: [Can you tell me where Ms. Yelena is staying?]Soon, Tyler texted Yelena's hotel and room number. Reese: [Thank you, my friend.]Tyler sneered.Tyler: [I haven't settled the score with you over Lia's predicament.]Reese: [I'll accept any punishment you deem necessary. It was my mistake, and I'll take responsibility for it.]There was no reply from Tyler afterward.Reese did not send another text, so he started the car and drove to the hotel. -Half an hour later, Reese arrived at the door of Yelena's room. He pondered briefly before knocking on the door. Soon, he heard a response. "Coming."Yelena opened the door and was surprised to find Reese. "Are you the lad fro
Liora opened her palm. The outline of the charm was vague, but she could feel its intense energy. She took a deep breath and stood up. After sensing her movement, the spirits glanced at her. Liora turned to look at them and felt the same feeling that stopped her from leaving again!Suppressing the fear, Liora braced herself to walk out of the door.The closer she got to the door, the more intense the gloomy presence became—she felt as if her soul was being crushed. "Don't be scared, Lia!""Try to walk out, Lia! They won't hurt you!""Lia! Axel, Ty, Mr. Gates, and I are waiting for you!"Αfter hearing their voices, Liora shed tears. She gnashed her teeth and continued to stride toward the door, which seemed so close yet remained out of reach. She took a deep breath, raised her hand with the charm, and attempted to walk closer. This time, the spirits all turned to look at her. They rushed forward in unison when they sensed Liora was about to touch the door. Sensing t