Carl glanced up casually, but his gaze was intense and possessive.Renee looked stunning in a crimson cocktail dress with a brown leather belt. Her porcelain skin and elegant figure caught everyone's attention. She wore a delicate platinum chain around her slender neck, its subtle sparkle seeming to emanate from her skin, captivating everyone.Mrs. Simmons, Yvette Williams, noticed Carl's gaze and set down her teacup with unnecessary force, causing a clink that drew everyone's attention. Adjusting her branded silk shawl, Yvette turned to Susanne with a polished smile, her narrow eyes betraying a hint of mockery."Susanne, you've gone to such trouble. Your formal welcome is quite impressive. I hope we didn't disturb your rest last night?" Yvette's mention of the previous night caused Susanne to tremble slightly, but Renee squeezed her hand to offer support.Renee met Yvette's malicious gaze with a beaming smile. "Mrs. Simmons and Annie are dressed so formally, so naturally we at th
Yvette's hesitation piqued everyone's curiosity, and all eyes turned to Patrick and Susanne.Susanne's face turned pale, making her lipstick seem unnaturally bright.Patrick gripped her hand, his usually kind face showing discomfort.He wanted to say something, but he had been too drunk yesterday to remember anything. All he knew was what Susanne had told him.Without proof, no one would believe them.At that moment, Renee caught his eye, giving him a subtle signal.Patrick nodded imperceptibly, "It's nothing.""That's good. I'd feel terrible otherwise," Yvette said, patting her chest dramatically.Hearing this, Michael. frowned, "What happened?"Yvette put on a troubled expression. "I heard Patrick had a potential business partner he wanted to impress, so I arranged a dinner for them. Who knew Patrick and Susanne would drink so much? I had to apologetically send the client away.""Then I heard they fell into the dumpster area behind the restaurant. I hear it's full of flies
Renee's stomach churned with nausea, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't vomit.With a fierce glare, she shouted, "How dare you two spout such nonsense! You like leftovers so much? Let me feed you some!"She moved swiftly, grabbing a cup of water meant for soaking dentures and splashed it straight into Yvette's mouth, who screamed in horror.The screams only grew louder.One of the relatives jumped up, stammering, "Hey, hey, don't swallow my dentures!"Renee shot him a sharp look, making him think in fear, "Well, you've already splashed them, so you can't splash me anymore."Michael was stunned by the chaos. After a moment of shock, he shouted angrily, "Renee, stop this right now!"Standing on the dining table, Renee looked down at the old man, her voice trembling with fury as she yelled even louder, "Why do you always scold Uncle Patrick without even asking for an explanation? All these years, you've criticized him in front of everyone, saying he's not good enough! D
Annie clenched her teeth, refusing to speak.The knife blade pressed against Yvette's skin, drawing blood.Yvette screamed, "Annie! Save me! She's gone mad!"Annie bit her lip, crying as she tried to change the subject, "Renee, don't do this. I know the truth is hard to accept, but my mother is innocent."Her face flushed red as she cried dramatically, yet she wouldn't admit her mother's wrongdoing.Her hypocrisy was evident.The guests, who had known Annie for over three years and witnessed her masterful performance, were unsure who to believe.At this moment, Michael spoke up loudly."Renee, have you lost your mind? Let go of Mrs. Simmons. Do you think you can fool everyone with some fake recordings?"These words didn't hurt Renee's heart, but Patrick's.Hearing his father believe others over his own son's suffering turned Patrick's face liver-colored with anger."Dad! This is all true!""Shut up! Have you no shame? Renee, get out of here!" Mr. Grey Sr. ignored Patrick co
Hah, clear their name?"Ms. Simmons, what do you plan to tell the police? That I was provoked into a frenzy and almost killed Mrs. Simmons? Then how was I provoked? And by whom?"Hearing this, everyone cautiously glanced at Michael.Wasn't it Michael who had publicly scolded Patrick and Susanne for the Simmons women's sake, triggering Renee's outburst?Annie froze.She finally realized that Renee had been plotting since that phone call.Her family's submissive behavior earlier was just waiting for Michael to speak up!What was the point of calling the police now?To accuse Michael?"Enough!" Michael commanded sternly. "You two have had too much to drink. Go home and rest after causing such a scene.""Mr. Grey..."Annie looked at the old man in disbelief.Michael summoned the butler and returned the box containing the katana."This doesn't suit me. Take it back. Someone see our guests out."Annie and Yvette were reluctant, still hoping to salvage the situation.Michael's
"I only care about results," Carl's tone was as if he were speaking to an employee. "Do I need to teach you how to handle the aftermath?"Annie's joyful expression had not completely faded, but fear began to rise in her eyes. She nodded mechanically and said, "I... I understand. I will apologize and make amends.""Mm."Carl grunted in response and walked away.Annie's legs buckled, and she started to fall backward, but Yvette caught her."Annie, you cannot falter now. Carl has not called off the engagement. There is still a chance.""He may not have called off. but he is caring less and less about me.""So what? As long as he agrees to marry you, that is enough. Then you can rightfully deal with the women around him. When that time comes, Renee will be finished!"Yvette clutched her bleeding neck, gritting her teeth in anger.Annie snorted coldly and said, "Renee. We will see about that."Just then, a maid passed by and caught them snickering.The two of them could only slin
Renee was startled, her eyes wide with surprise as she looked at Patrick. "Uncle, why did you do that?"Patrick smiled kindly. "Dad has always held grudges against you. If he knew this incident was because of you, he would only be angrier.""Uncle, I'm sorry," Renee said, feeling guilty."It's alright, don't worry about it," Patrick reassured her, patting her head.Susanne beckoned, "Honey, I'm still hungry. Let's go to the kitchen and see if there's anything to eat.""Alright, let's go," Patrick agreed.The couple walked out of the room hand in hand.Feeling a bit stifled, Renee decided to take a walk in the garden.As she strolled through the garden, she spotted a dark figure up ahead.It was Carl.He stood by the pond, smoking, his long fingers elegant in the flickering firelight.Sunlight danced on the water's surface, casting a soft glow on his handsome face.A gentle breeze ruffled his hair, revealing eyes as deep as ink.Renee's hand tightened into a fist, feeling t
Renee couldn't believe that Carl would act so boldly toward her right in front of Travis, especially in the Grey estate. Ignoring his words, she continued struggling to free herself from his grasp. As she looked up, she found herself staring into Carl's deep, inky eyes, filled with danger and a hint of aggression. It wasn’t until he was right in front of her, disregarding Travis's presence entirely, that she realized just how close he had gotten.Feeling a surge of panic, Renee raised her hand to push him away and quickly nodded in agreement, signaling that she would go with him.Carl stopped, reached out, and removed a leaf from her hair. His voice was as cold and indifferent as ever. "There was something in your hair."Renee realized she had been tricked. She scrunched up her nose but knew there was nothing she could do. Turning to Travis, she said, "Travis, I have something to take care of, so I need to go."Travis smiled gently. "Go ahead, but take care of yourself.""Thank yo
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