But this same rock, when wedged properly, could hold back the others.However, Renee was now trapped too.Their only exit was blocked.Once temporarily safe, Renee didn't relax, turning to glare at the man half-lying on the ground."Why didn't you move? You lied to me! You..."Renee's angry hand stopped mid-strike.She finally noticed Carl's leg crushed by rocks, blood pooling beneath.She lowered her head, too conflicted to speak.Carl expressionlessly lifted her chin, redirecting her gaze."Just a cut. No bone damage."Renee slapped his hand away, eyes blazing. "Why do you always do this? Being nice to me after all that you did! Should I be grateful? I really hate you!"Carl's raised hand hesitated, then dropped. He remained silent.The mine was too dark to read his expression.Renee turned away, moving to examine his leg.He was right - the bone was intact.But the wound looked agonizing, though he hadn't made a sound.Renee pressed her lips together, tearing off her
Carl released her, silently leaning against the rock.Time passed.Adjusting his position, one leg bent for support, he spoke softly: "Renee, what should I do with you?"Before she could respond to his puzzling words, his head dropped.His forehead pressed against her cheek, and she immediately sensed something wrong.His usually strong frame now trembled with cold.Renee felt around in the darkness, checking his wound.The makeshift bandage was soaked with blood.She tore off another sleeve to bind it tighter.But this didn't help - Carl looked worse.His fists clenched, neck veins bulging, face paper-white, damp hair clinging to his temples.Cold sweat rolled down his face, his eyes hazy with an indescribable allure."Uncle Carl?”"..."Carl didn't respond, his whole body tense, fighting something.Watching him, Renee's heart ached.He didn't have to come, but he did.She unbuttoned his shirt, then her own, hesitating before pressing close.Carl stiffened, his clenc
"Well... I don't understand all that. But their evidence is solid - no one's escaping."Susanne muttered, pushing a slice of fruit into Renee's mouth.Renee knew someone must have helped gather that evidence.Only Carl had that kind of power.Chewing the tasteless apple, she asked awkwardly, "Mom, where's Uncle Carl?""He's de- Ah!" Susanne jumped at the knife nearly cutting her. "You trying to kill your mother?""Dead? How could he die? He just hurt his leg!" Renee's voice shook."I meant he's not dying!""Mom, can you speak clearly?" Renee frowned."Why so worried? Coming back, I had to cover your mouth to stop you calling for your uncle...""Mom! I'm hungry. Could you get me something to eat?" Renee interrupted loudly.Susanne clicked her tongue and left to buy food.After sitting a while, Renee got up to find Carl's room.At his door, she hesitated.Just then, Jackson came out.Their eyes met before she could stop him."Miss Lacey!” he announced loudly.Even the nu
Hearing Michael had arrived, Renee immediately pushed Carl away.With his injured leg, Carl swayed before steadying himself, his dark eyes fixed on her."Go back.""Okay."Renee agreed - this situation needed more than her explanation alone.But before she could leave, the door burst open.Michael entered, his eyes blazing at Carl's injury.Spotting Renee, he struck her face with a resounding slap.“The Grey family raised you up, yet this is how you repay us? Disgraceful!"Still weak, Renee slammed into the wall, seeing stars, blood trickling from her lip.Michael raised his hand again, unsatisfied.But Carl caught it mid-air.The sudden movement tore his stitches, blood soaking through the bandage.Michael's eyes turned vicious. "Carl! What are you doing? After what she did to you, I can't even punish her?""Unnecessary."Carl's eyes swept over Renee's swollen cheek, his face darkening terrifyingly, his grip on Michael's hand tightening.Michael winced, staring at Carl
“Nothing, just figured you had something to say to me,” Carl said, casually puffing on his cigarette.Michael’s brows furrowed even deeper as he studied his son. He desperately wanted to figure out what was going through Carl’s mind, but the more he tried, the more it felt like a thick layer of smoke obscured his view. Still, since the conversation had reached this point, there was no need to beat around the bush.“Your uncles, Sam and Simon, botched this mess badly. Find a reason to get them out of custody, and make sure Renee keeps her mouth shut. We can’t let her tarnish Grey family’s reputation.”Carl flicked the ash from his cigarette and let out a cold laugh. “Is it Renee who’s tarnishing the family name, or someone else?”Michael clicked his tongue in annoyance. “What’s that supposed to mean?”Carl didn’t respond. Instead, he pulled out his phone and played a recording of a conversation Renee had saved. The more Michael listened, the darker his expression grew.“They had n
After taking her medication as instructed by the doctor, Renee collapsed onto the bed, her thoughts fuzzy. She vaguely heard Susanne say she was heading back to the hotel. Renee mumbled a response and quickly drifted off to sleep.But something felt off. Even in her haze, she could sense someone watching her from the bedside. Squinting, she cracked an eye open, saw a blurry figure, and instinctively rolled over.Moments later, her eyes snapped wide open, and she bolted upright. Turning her head sharply, she glared at the man by the bed.“Uncle Carl, it’s late. What do you need?” she asked bluntly.“Have you eaten?” Carl’s deep voice carried a hint of restraint.“I—” Renee was about to answer when Jackson, standing behind Carl, raised a bag and started gesturing wildly, eyebrows practically dancing.“Miss Lacey!” Jackson interjected, all smiles. “Brookshire specialties. Mr. Grey hasn’t eaten yet, so he brought some to share with you.”Jackson knew her well enough to anticipate he
Renee stayed silent. To keep Susanne from worrying, she forced herself to say the pain wasn’t bad, iced her face for half an hour, and then went to bed.Carl, seeing through her pretense, glanced toward Jackson at the door. Jackson immediately left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.Renee saw her chance to escape and tried to slide off Carl’s lap, but he turned his wheelchair, trapping her between the table and himself. In an instant, her body pressed against his warm chest, and his breath, hot and steady, brushed against her already burning cheek. His voice, low and slightly hoarse, sounded close to her ear. “Are you full?”Renee nodded quickly. “I am. You should eat.”“I don’t like it.”She blinked, puzzled. Then why did he buy so much food? Her gaze shifted to the table, where she noticed the dishes were the ones she hadn’t been able to try at the food street.Surprised, she turned to look at Carl, only to meet his deep, smoldering gaze. There was no attempt to
Chris took the key card without looking closely and slipped it into his pocket. “Wow, you’re really thorough. Even got me a room ready. I’ll head back then. I just got off the plane, heard about your situation, and left my luggage sitting at the nurse’s station.”“Hmm,” Carl responded with a glance, offering nothing more.Once Chris left, Carl instructed Jackson to send someone to follow him. The room fell silent again.Renee frowned slightly, curious. “Uncle Carl, what’s that key card for?”“A hotel room.” The vague answer made it clear he wasn’t about to elaborate. Renee rolled her eyes and reached for the leftovers on the table to tidy up.“Come here,” Carl said, moving his wheelchair and gesturing to the chair in front of him.Renee sighed, not wanting to argue. She plopped down in the chair. “What now?”Without warning, Carl leaned in. Caught off guard, Renee froze. Just as she tried to shift back, his hand cupped her chin, gently pulling her face toward him. Her hear
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