Calvin pulled Renee back, and as she felt herself losing consciousness, she clenched her fist tightly. Her nails dug into her palm, the pain jolting her back to reality.She needed to save herself!Renee reached for the door handle to steady herself, her eyes scanning for anything she could use. The crystal ornament on the dashboard caught her attention. However, each time she tried to grab it, she fell short.Gritting her teeth, she resisted Calvin's pull, her fingers inching closer to the crystal ornament. Finally, she managed to snatch it off the non-slip mat and swung it backward with all her might.With a thud, Calvin groaned and loosened his grip on her.Seizing the moment, Renee hit the car door unlock button and stumbled out of the car.The autumn night, illuminated by the bright moon, felt like a blade slicing into her as she struggled to run forward. She had barely taken a few steps when she felt a hand choking her from behind. Resisting, she had her hair grabbed and he
When Renee woke up, a female police officer in uniform was sitting by her bed.The officer smiled gently, instantly putting Renee at ease."You're awake. Would you like some water?" The officer stood up and thoughtfully poured her a glass. "You only have some minor external injuries, nothing serious.""Thank you," Renee said, propping herself up to accept the glass.Even now, she was still trembling from the ordeal.The officer watched her, not immediately questioning her until Renee had calmed down a bit."Calvin is fine too, but you two have conflicting stories, so I need your statement," the officer explained.Renee paused mid-sip. "Conflicting stories? What do you mean?"How could there be any conflict when everything seemed so clear-cut?The officer replied honestly, "Calvin claims he was only aggressive because he had too much to drink. He produced a psychological evaluation from abroad. He also said... you willingly went to dinner and a movie with him, so he thought you were con
Michael was already furious, but his anger escalated when he saw his son's incompetence. He raised his hand, as if he wanted to strike Patrick's head, and shouted, "How did I end up with such a useless son? No brains! No backbone! Letting a woman lead you around! If you had even half of Carl's intelligence, we wouldn't be in this mess!"Patrick's expression darkened further.Renee withdrew her hand from the doorknob, realizing that leaving now would only further embarrass Patrick, who had always been kind to her. She couldn't bear to do that.Just then, a calm, deep voice cut in.A tall, dark figure approached with measured steps, composed and reserved.His handsome face was devoid of expression, and his eyes showed a touch of coldness."Dad, Calvin is fine now. There's no point in berating Patrick," Carl said calmly."I want to do more than just berate him! The Hendersons want an explanation. If this scandal gets out, where will the Grey family hide their faces? It all comes do
The police acted efficiently, wasting no time in presenting the settlement agreement to Renee after she agreed to settle. One of the officers was the female officer who had taken Renee's statement earlier. Kindly, she reminded Renee, "Are you sure you've thought this through?" Renee's hand trembled slightly as she held the pen and with a bitter smile, she said, "I'm sure. Let's just get it over with." She felt she had no choice but to go along with everything, feeling like nothing more than a pawn in someone else's control. Without giving herself a chance to reconsider, Renee quickly signed her name. The officer sighed, took the agreement, and left.Shortly after, Susanne entered the room carrying a basket of fruits. Their eyes met, and Susanne's were rimmed with red from guilt. "Renee..." she began. "I know everything. Is Patrick okay?" Renee asked. Susanne wiped her tears, sighing as she took out the fruits from the basket. "He's fine, just received a scolding. You know ho
At the university gates early in the morning, there weren't many people around.Exhausted, Renee was forcefully pulled into Carl's car despite her struggles. No matter how hard she tried to resist, a strong force continued to pull her back.Looking up, she realized that he seemed to be playing with her, as if her resistance was just a ploy to attract him.Finally, she gave up and let her arms drop.Carl pulled her close, lifted her face, and gently touched her reddened forehead."Looks like you haven't learned your lesson. Why did you leave the hospital?" he asked casually, as if he hadn't been the one pushing her to settle outside the hospital room.Renee stared at him, feeling like she couldn't understand him even after two lifetimes.Seeing her silence, Carl gripped her chin more firmly.She felt like a doll in his hands, manipulated at his will.Feeling humiliated, Renee gritted her teeth and forcefully slapped his hand away.The sound echoed loudly in the car.A tense s
Renee reluctantly followed Carl to Annie's apartment.Upon exiting the elevator, they were met with a shocking scene - bloodstains scattered on the floor and red paint smeared on the door.Before Renee could react, Carl rushed into the apartment. She heard a man's agonized scream and Annie's sobbing."Carl! I'm so scared! I'm afraid..."Annie's cries snapped Renee back to reality, and she quickly entered the apartment.Inside, she saw a man lying on the floor, his face contorted in anger, blood dripping from his mouth, and tightly gripping a knife.Annie, on the other hand, cradled her bleeding arm as she weakly leaned into Carl's embrace, her face filled with sorrow.The man continued to curse Annie, calling her derogatory names and accusing her of promiscuity.Annie pleaded, "No, no, I'm not like that..."The man laughed coldly, "Don't lie! That's what everyone online is saying! Someone told me you're easy to sleep with! Besides, men are coming in and out of your apartment e
She watched helplessly as she bled, while across the room, Carl pulled Annie behind him protectively.Annie smiled from behind Carl.Seeing this, Renee's face turned pale, and she let out a bitter laugh...Soon, the police burst in."Who called the police?""I did," Carl said coldly, pointing at Renee. "Her. Take her away."The police, seeing Renee's injury, exclaimed, "There's so much blood. We need to bandage this first."Carl didn't even look at her. "I said take her away. She must face the consequences of her actions."With that, Renee was handcuffed.The concerned police officer used his personal bandage to stop the bleeding from her wound.The slight pressure made Renee break out in a cold sweat from the pain.As she was being led away, she paused briefly and said nonchalantly, "I didn't do it."As Carl looked up at her, Annie fainted.He naturally ignored Renee, carefully picking up Annie instead.Renee glanced around, suddenly realizing that Carl's presence was ev
Susanne rushed to the police station and her face turned pale with fear upon seeing Renee's injured hand."What happened? You just left the hospital. How are you in trouble again? You're a designer, your hands are crucial!"Susanne understood this, so how could Carl not? Yet he had kicked the man's knife towards her.If that's how it was, then let the chaos continue.Renee smoothed her hair and said, "I'm fine. Mom, did you find out what I asked you to look into?"Susanne held Renee's hand, tears falling as she worried. It took her a moment to respond."Yes, I did. Look."Susanne took out her phone and showed the contents only to Renee.After seeing it, Renee felt somewhat relieved. "Just as I thought."Susanne pressed her lips together. "Renee, what do we do now? The Calvin incident just ended, and you're in trouble again. With Mr. Grey's temperament, he'll surely banish you.""I'm afraid it won't be as simple as banishment."They exchanged a knowing look.Mr. Grey knew ab
Wedding dress?When Renee heard those two words, she couldn’t help but feel the irony.Counting the time Annie had tried on wedding dresses, this was the second time she was involved. And both times, it was for Carl’s fiancee.It was as if these weddings couldn’t happen without her as a witness.She glanced at Ruby, who was smiling radiantly, her joy pure and simple. Unlike Annie, Ruby wasn’t manipulative; her invitation was sincere.It was precisely because of this that Renee felt like the bad guy.She was about to come up with an excuse to refuse when her phone buzzed.A sudden sense of foreboding hit her.Sure enough, it was a message from Susanne.“Mr. Grey has asked me to help prepare for Carl and Miss Sanders’ engagement party.”The weight of it crushed her.Whether Susanne would offend both the Sanders and Grey families—or remain unharmed—all hinged on Renee’s response.Her hands trembled as she typed out a reply:“Got it.”Ruby seemed to notice something was off a
Ruby didn’t notice anything unusual about Renee’s demeanor. She pulled out her phone and said excitedly, “Look, we took so many photos! I’m thinking of using some of them for the engagement party and wedding. Can you help me pick a few?”Renee glanced at Ruby’s phone. The photos of Ruby and Carl, both smiling brightly, felt like tiny stabs.Ruby, a young woman nurtured by love and privilege, carried an effortless elegance. Her joy seemed pure and contagious. Her smile was magnetic, lighting up every photo.Even Carl, standing beside her, looked more at ease than usual. The two of them looked perfect together—every photo captured their harmony.Renee, on the other hand, felt awkward, unsure where to direct her gaze.“They’re all great. You two should decide,” she said with a forced smile, quickly steering the conversation elsewhere. “By the way, why did you come to see me?”Ruby clapped her hands as if just remembering. “Oh, right! I almost forgot, I got so excited. The tie clip y
Hearing her mention fire, Carl froze.His mind drifted to the dreams he’d had countless times—the little girl who hated him, and the ending that always played out the same. In every dream, the girl ran into the flames, holding the hand of a woman whose face was always blurred. The two of them would smile at each other before disappearing into the fire.Taking advantage of his hesitation, Renee broke free from Carl’s grip, putting a few steps of distance between them.Her voice trembled with a mix of anger and desperation. “Uncle Carl, I can’t win against you. I know that. But I’m still a person. Haven’t you and your father humiliated me enough? Do you really need everyone pointing at me, calling me trash, for you to finally be satisfied?”Without waiting for a reply, she turned and walked away.Carl reached out, but all he caught was the coat draped over her shoulders.Renee stopped briefly, pulling off the coat without looking back. She continued walking until her figure disappe
Carl didn’t respond to her question. Instead, he grabbed her wrist and led her into the car.Outside the window, the scenery blurred as they drove, snow starting to fall again after some time. When the car finally stopped and the door opened, a fresh layer of snow blanketed the ground.As Renee stepped out, a cashmere coat was draped over her shoulders. The faint scent of Carl surrounded her, pulling her back into reality. She found herself standing in front of a villa.The sprawling garden, now blanketed in white, held a dreamlike beauty, hinting at how enchanting it must look when the flowers were in full bloom. Renee could almost picture it clearly.Because this was the house where she had set herself on fire in her previous life.Eight years of marriage had turned this beautiful home into a gilded cage.Staring at the house, her voice was icy as she asked, “What’s the meaning of this?”Carl’s gaze darkened slightly, his tone calm. “I’ll have someone pick up your belongings f
Joey assumed Renee had forgotten and went to the kitchen to retrieve the item. She placed it in front of her—a sleek yet extravagant men’s watch.Renee recognized it instantly. It was Carl’s watch.She knew because she had a matching women’s version.But she clearly remembered tidying up the kitchen the previous night, and the watch hadn’t been there. Unless… the person who had been with her during her fever was Carl.Levi hadn’t explicitly said the soup was his doing; she had simply assumed.As the dreamlike memories replayed in her mind, Renee’s hand trembled, spilling the ginger tea.Joey quickly grabbed some napkins to clean up. “What’s wrong?”Renee turned to the window, then suddenly grabbed the watch and dashed out.Inside the elevator, she watched the descending numbers, silently counting down. Her hand braced against the wall, her emotions a tangled mess. She had told herself over and over to let go, to stop pursuing this path.But she had to know the truth.She had
Joey pointed to Levi’s suit, drawing Renee’s attention to it. She suddenly realized that Levi’s suit was from the same brand as the one Carl had been wearing when he had brought her home, his face covered. Aside from a few subtle differences, they looked almost identical to the average person. Levi and Carl also had similar builds, which explained why Joey had mistaken him. “Joey, it’s not what you think,” Renee quickly tried to explain. But Joey wasn’t listening. She stood protectively in front of Renee, as though shielding her from making a bad decision. “Renee! You promised me you’d never go back to your ex!” “Ex?” Levi repeated thoughtfully, glancing at Renee with a faint smile tugging at his lips. Renee felt a wave of frustration, like she might faint from embarrassment despite being on the mend. Joey, oblivious, continued in a righteous tone, “Sir, what’s the point of showing up now? When Renee needed someone the most, you ignored her. Being sweet after the f
Warm water slid down Renee’s throat, easing the discomfort. She gradually calmed down as a gentle thumb brushed her lips, as if the person in front of her were handling something precious.He leaned closer, his heated breath falling softly on her face.Instinctively, Renee held her breath. Even though her vision was blurry, she could feel how close he was—so close that the slightest movement would bring their lips together.Just then, the medicine’s effect fully kicked in. Renee’s body went limp, and she collapsed onto the couch.The next moment, a tall figure leaned over, pulling her tightly into his arms. His heartbeat thudded steadily in her ears, a sound that was oddly comforting.In her half-conscious state, she felt a soft touch on her forehead.“Sleep,” a low voice murmured, deep and magnetic, lulling her into the darkness.When Renee opened her eyes again, she saw a white ceiling above her. She reached up to touch her forehead—thankfully, the fever had broken.But her b
“What do you mean by that? I’m not so old that I can’t run this family anymore!” Michael’s voice was sharp, his pride bristling. He hated being reminded of his age—it was his greatest fear.Carl’s tone was flat and unaffected. “Your health should come first.”Michael froze in his seat, his face turning pale with anger. But as a man who had managed the vast Grey family empire for years, he quickly regained his composure.He pulled out two documents and placed them in front of Carl, smoothly shifting the topic. “Here’s the list for the New Year’s gala invitations. Take a look.”Carl opened the list. It was almost identical to previous years—except for one addition: Susanne.“She’s your sister-in-law, after all,” Michael said coldly. “No matter what, she’s still part of the Grey family. Now that Linda is gone, it’s time for her to start contributing.”“Is that so?” Carl’s dark eyes locked onto Michael’s.Michael then gestured to the second document, his gaze sharp and calculating.
Carl sat silently through the night.At dawn, Ruby slowly opened her eyes. Seeing him still by her side, she felt both happy and guilty.Weakly, she said, “Carl, I’m sorry for making you stay with me all night.”Carl snapped out of his thoughts and slowly stood up. “I’ll get the doctor.”As he turned to leave, Ruby grabbed his hand.“Carl, I really like you. Can we be together? Of course, you can say no,” she said softly.Carl lowered his gaze to her, his expression unreadable. He gently pulled his hand away. “Let the doctor check on you first.”Watching him walk away, Ruby bit her pale lips, her eyes welling up.The doctor came to examine her and confirmed that she was out of danger. Soon after, she was transferred to a regular hospital room.Carl helped her lie down and said in a low voice, “Your brother will be here soon.”Ruby immediately grabbed his arm, her tone slightly anxious. “Carl, are you leaving?”“I got a message from home. I need to go back,” Carl replied, his