Simmons house.Annie paced restlessly in the hall.Suddenly her phone rang - a video call from Nancy.After hesitating, she answered.On screen, Nancy was covered in mud and filth, looking desperate.She drove while pressing her face close to the phone.Her bloodshot eyes appeared huge, making Annie step back in fear."Annie, my parents are sending me abroad. Please beg Mr. Grey to help my family! Please!"So she wanted help.Annie sat straight, lifting her elegant neck, dropping her previous pretense of friendliness."Sorry, Nancy. With your family's situation, I can't help.""What do you mean? I helped you gain favor with Michael, and now you're abandoning me? Besides, I only kidnapped Renee because of you!"Nancy screamed, her broken voice trembling.With the Larsons fallen, Annie feared association and dropped her act.She sneered, "Nancy, don't make things up. When did I tell you to kidnap Renee? Don't spread baseless accusations.""You!" Nancy's eyes widened. "So t
Just then, Susanne picked up her bag."Renee, why don't you say goodbye to Chris? He's taken good care of you these past days.""Sure."Renee put on her coat and headed to the doctor's office."Dr. Percy, I..."Opening the door, she saw a man in a white coat wearing a cartoon cap sitting across from Chris.He turned at the sound, fixing her with a snake-like gaze, complete with a slight smile.Renee's legs froze, her hand stiff on the doorknob.Connor put his hands in his coat pockets, raising an eyebrow. "You know me?"The same words, the same tone.But last time, Connor had been trying to kill her with a pipe.Renee gripped the doorknob tighter, quickly composing herself to look surprised."You two... look so alike! You startled me!"Connor stared at her suspiciously.Chris quickly stood to introduce them: "I forgot to mention - this is my brother. He just started his internship here from medical school. You haven't met him."Just started?No wonder Renee hadn't known
Psychological treatment?Hearing these words, Renee, who had actually awakened, chose to keep pretending to sleep.Had her earlier act of mental illness scared Chris?Wouldn't she know if she'd had psychological treatment?She'd never seen a therapist.She wanted to hear what else Chris would say.In the room, Carl's eyes darkened like storm clouds."She hasn't. If she had, her mother wouldn't have hidden it from my second brother.""That's strange," Chris rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "When she had psychological reactions to Calvin Henderson, then stress-induced blindness, something felt off. I discussed her symptoms with a colleague who concluded she must have had treatment before, which is why she could self-regulate even during stress reactions.""What do you mean?" Carl's expression changed."I mean... Calvin might not be the original trigger for her stress response. He may have accidentally hit some deeper trigger, causing such intense reactions.""Impossible," Carl de
His hand suddenly gripped the back of her head as he claimed her lips aggressively."Ouch... mm!"It hurt!Renee instinctively parted her lips, giving him the opening he wanted.He stared at her, dark eyes burning with desire and a hint of madness.Renee hit him several times, but he barely noticed, letting her vent.Finally, he pressed her into the bed, his tall frame looming over her, his strength leaving her helpless.After a moment, Carl released her, burying his face in her neck. His uneven breath stirred her hair, leaving burning heat against her ear.He said hoarsely, "I'm going on a business trip. Stay away from the Grey house for now."Renee's heart jumped, unsure if this was a warning or concern, but she nodded."Your mother's waiting downstairs. Go."He released her and straightened his clothes.Renee quickly jumped off the bed and ran out without looking back.Jackson peeked into the room."Mr. Grey, why did she run away again?""Mind your own business," Carl
"You..." Annie gritted her teeth.She never imagined being blackmailed by a gutter rat like Wendy.Wendy chuckled, "Miss Simmons, don't try anything. I've got nothing to lose. If I die, I'm taking someone down with me."Annie clenched her fists. She wasn't afraid of trained dogs, but street dogs that might bite without warning were dangerous.She took a deep breath. "I'll transfer the money right away.""Thank you, Miss Simmons."Wendy hung up laughing.Annie stared at her phone, knowing this leech's appetite would only grow.All Renee's fault!Without her, Wendy would never dare treat her this way!Just then, Connor messaged her."Baby, free tonight?"Annie almost said no, but suddenly a plan formed."Yes, but... I need you to do something for me.""What wouldn't I do for you? My life is yours!"...Next morning, Renee took a taxi to the airport.Fifteen minutes later, Mandy and Annie arrived one after another.After some instructions, Mandy led them onto the plane.
As Renee turned to head back to her seat, the man in the next seat “accidentally” brushed her with his leg. Finally, she couldn’t hold back. “Sir, if you’re ‘accidentally’ clumsy one more time, I might just ‘accidentally’ get us turned back mid-flight.”Instead of getting upset, the man chuckled, seemingly amused. “Fiery, huh? Has anyone told you you're even more attractive when you're mad?”“Oh, I’ll show you ‘attractive’...” Renee was ready to plant her heel firmly on his foot when a flight attendant walked up.“Excuse me, Miss Lacey?” the attendant asked.“Yes?” Renee set her heel back down.“Your colleague asked for you. Would you mind coming up front?” the attendant motioned ahead.Assuming it was her friend Mandy calling her, Renee quickly grabbed her bag and followed the attendant. But to her surprise, the attendant led her to the first-class cabin, where Jackson was waving her over. “Miss Lacey, over here!”Renee blinked, suddenly realizing what was happening, and tried
Renee followed Carl's gaze and realized her sweater was caught on his belt. Just a slight movement would tug her sweater up, exposing more than she wanted. Panicking, she tried to unhook it herself, but in the process, her hand brushed against something it shouldn’t have.Before she could react, Carl’s hand gripped her wrist. His jaw tightened, his gaze intense, like a restrained predator. His voice was a low warning: "Don’t move."Renee, noticing the change in his expression, froze, her eyes widening as a hint of sweat broke on her brow. She muttered, "My sweater…”Then came an audible click—the belt buckle had come undone.“Mr. Grey…” Jackson’s voice interrupted as he entered with urgent documents, only to see the scene unfold. He quickly turned away, stammering, “I saw nothing. I’ll come back later.” With that, Jackson hastily retreated.Renee wanted to vanish on the spot, but the more she tried to free herself, the more entangled she became. Her nervous fumbling even managed t
This was just another move in his plan to gain control of the mining operation.So he watched her seek out Nancy Larson, allowed Nancy to torment her, and then sat back like a spectator to reap the benefits.In that moment, Renee felt as if thousands of needles were piercing her heart. Something seemed to block her throat, and a suffocating feeling took hold of her body.After Jackson left, Renee quietly returned to her seat.Just as she sat down, a flight attendant brought food, but she had no appetite."I'm not hungry. Just bring me some alcohol."The flight attendant hesitated, glancing at Carl beside her.Carl looked up at her with cold eyes. "Drinking on an empty stomach?"Renee stared out the window, avoiding his gaze. "It won't kill me."Carl waved the flight attendant away, refusing to let them bring Renee any alcohol.Showing unusual patience, he pointed at the food on the table. "Eat something first. It's almost time for your medicine."Getting water in your lungs
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