Max would not have done anything that could injure civilians if he genuinely just wanted to take over the Jordan Group. Everything should have been purely legal business competition. Charmine would have been wounded or even died had she had poor reflexes at the construction site. Her instinct told her that Max hated her, that he disliked her from the beginning and came to attack her. Charmine’s gaze was cold like a frozen ice-mirror, glaring as sharply as an X-ray, penetrating through the darkness of one’s deepest intention. Max had gone through many daunting experiences in life, yet her keen gaze still made him feel guilty. Taking a moment to regain his calm, he then replied lowly, “Perhaps Ms. Jordan is overthinking things—I’ve always been this way. You’ve obstructed Waverly’s progress, took my Jordown Group, and ruined my reputation. Such are the reasons why I hate you dearly, so much so I want you dead every second. To be honest with you, I wanted to destroy your face to
Max eyed the controlling drug in front of him with clenched fists. How could he take in such a drug that would restrict him forever? Nonetheless, if he chose against it, a cruel woman like Charmine would do anything! Without a choice, he reached out, slowly picked up the pill, and reluctantly brought the pill to his lips, little by little. Charmine glared at him coldly, waiting for his movement. Just as the pill was a breath away from his lips, Max’s hand suddenly exerted force with vigor. Crack! He punched the pill and crushed it! He gave Charmine a death stare, one with venomous hate. “Perhaps you’ve underestimated me, Charmine. You want me to go to prison for three months? Let’s see if you can get it done!” He was a D’Cruz of Kansas. Why would he not be able to sort out such a small matter? “Don’t you forget, once I get back to Kansas, the side effects would be very trivial. Nobody can threaten me!” Charmine’s red lips curled up. “I’ve already submitted the evi
It was after she walked a considerable distance did Charmine recall something she forgot to say. She took out her phone and texted Max, [Forgot to tell you that I knew you bribed Amelia to steal the documents, but I didn’t expose you then. I was waiting for today!] It would be futile if Charmine exposed them at that moment, considering stealing documents was a small offense. However, what happened today was a criminal offense, and she gained control of them all! When Max saw the text, his face went green with anger. Thunk! His fist banged on the table. Damn Charmine... Damn the cruel Charmine! If she exposed Amelia beforehand, perhaps the accident today would be harder to proceed, yet she took her time for him to fall into her trap. He would give her hell to pay! … At the Bailey mansion, lunchtime. Susan specially arranged for Anthony and Waverly to sit together. Senior Bailey and Grandma Bailey sat on the host seats in front while Susan and Darryl sat on the side.
He agreed to meet Charmine at night. “Grandma—” began Anthony when Grandma Bailey suddenly started coughing. She patted her chest as she struggled to say, “Cough, cough…! Anthony, let’s keep things like this. Cough, cough! If you don’t want Grandma to get ill, listen to Grandma’s arrangement…” Grandma Bailey’s health had not been at its best as of late. As she must not be upset, Anthony had no choice but to obey her. After the meal, he brought Waverly to a secluded pavilion. While it might seem like they both admired the view, the truth was that Anthony was eyeing his surroundings and, upon confirming no one was around, questioned Waverly, “What did you say to Grandma? Why would she make such a decision?” Grandma Bailey still looked alright in the morning, but she kept on pulling Waverly out for a talk. Until the afternoon, Grandma Bailey and Susan started adding onto one another. Waverly met his gaze without guilt. “Grandma merely asked me some questions. She wanted us to
While things as such would usually go unnoticed, Anthony had always been sharp. No doubt, it was arranged by Grandma Bailey. His eyes twinkled as a thought crossed him. He removed his suit and threw it at the hanger by the wall. The black suit hung on the hanger, coincidentally covering the pinhole camera. However, Waverly did not understand, but as she saw Anthony removing his black suit, she glanced around suspiciously and anxiously. “Mr. Bailey, you—” “You may sleep on the floor now,” Anthony said coldly. Waverly was speechless. He stopped her, removed his suit, and still asked her to sleep on the floor? So he was merely removing his suit to watch her sleep on the floor? Although she was confused, she did not question further. She could only carry the blanket off the bed. The room’s wooden floor was clean, free of dust. Right after she covered the floor with the blanket, some noise came from the outside. Anthony looked at the gap below the door and noticed
After Susan left them, Grandma Bailey looked at Waverly again. “Since it’s not convenient, go home. You can’t live in this mansion during your period. Come back in a few days.” Waverly could only nod. “Okay.” … Inside Violet Villa. Chris had closed the curtains and asked Charmine to accompany him. It was ten at night, and Chris lied in bed, eyes wide open. He comforted Charmine, “Don’t worry, Mommy. Even if Daddy stays with that nobody, Daddy won’t betray you. You need to trust Daddy!” Charmine nodded. “I’m not worried about that, I’m worried about you. Why aren’t you asleep yet?” “Oh… I’m worried that Mommy will be all alone and sad if I fall asleep.” Chris blinked at her. “I didn’t expect Daddy and that nobody would be asked to stay back at the mansion. Oh, I’d be so mad if I was him! Mommy, you should punish Daddy when he gets back!” “Look at you…! Just sleep tight—Mommy isn’t sad, really. You still don’t know about me after spending so much time together?” Charmine
Inside the room... Anthony took his time in his shower, feeling better after removing the clothes he had worn that day. He went back to bed and, true to Anthony’s fashion, hugged Charmine. As he approached her, Charmine thought of what happened between them last night, and she blushingly pulled away, diverting, “You haven’t told me how you got back.” “I only said that she’s on her period,” Anthony replied. Charmine halted, and she almost laughed out loud. She did not expect Anthony to use such an excuse! She wondered how triggered Waverly was. “You’re not afraid of them catching onto you?” “The worst-case scenario would be to officiate our relationship,” said Anthony, sounding relaxed. To him, this would be the best-case scenario. Charmine was speechless. He actually thought so? He was that impatient to let the world know? It did not matter, Anthony was back and she no longer needed to worry. Charmine then fell asleep in his arms. As she had spent half her d
Anthony had to relent when he noted how determined Charmine was. Charmine and Waverly walked into the guest room and closed the door behind them. Waverly looked at Charmine and elegantly professed, “Thank you, Ms. Jordan.” “Do you really think I’d protect you by sleeping with you?” Charmine suddenly snapped, figure seemingly cold and distant. Waverly frowned, not understanding what she meant. “Are you sure you want to keep up the act? You asking me to sleep with you is just your way of separating me and Anthony so we can’t spend time together!” Charmine scoffed coldly. With the frown still on her face, she countered with displeasure, “You have a prejudice against me. These are all mere coincidences." “So getting hurt, sharing the same villa with Anthony, and having a snake tonight are all coincidences? What season are we in? It’s the end of autumn, why would snakes slither out of nowhere?” Charmine pronounced each of the words clearly as she eyed Waverly sharply. “Wave
There was an unnoticeable glint in Sonia's eyes. She nestled herself further into Harry's arms as she added, "Let’s go to Pares. We'll come back after I give birth to the baby.""Alright."Harry stayed by Sonia's side as he watched over her, cared for her, and talked to her until she finally slept in his care.He stood up tiredly and walked out of the room to sit in the living room.Thuck!Something fell out of his pocket.He narrowed his eyes to the source of sound and spotted a USB.Since when did he have a USB in his pocket?With a small frown on his face, Harry curiously picked it up and noticed the front side of the USB glowing. Something was carved onto its surface, too.[Granger].Was it Dior’s USB? Why was her USB inside his pocket?Harry’s clear fingers held on the USB tightly. He thought for a moment before he took out a laptop, turned it on, and plugged in the USB.A moment later, the screen showed what seemed to be peculiar surveillance footage with a descriptio
Dior was still lost in her storm of thoughts when a shadowy figure zipped past her and ran toward Harry.When she spotted this familiar figure, she reacted quickly and held onto him."Let go of me!" growled Guy. "How dare he slap you and misunderstood you? I have to beat some sense into him!"Harry broke free and chased after Harry.Dior, despite having lost all hope and life in her, mustered the last strand of her will to chase after Guy and reeled him back. "Brother, don't," she muttered, "spare your energy…" Her sorrow clouded her eyes as she mumbled, "He’s the man I love. Even though he hates me, I won’t allow you to hurt him. As for the explanation…"Dior smiled ironically. "Whatever. That slap decimated every beautiful daydream I have about him, anyway."She no longer expected anything from him.He had no trust in her, so what would it matter if she finally got him? He did not even love her, and he did not trust her either.Dior smiled elegantly, but her eyes were fille
Dior looked forward to that new shift.She watched as Harry made his way into the restaurant silently, unable to deter her mind from the daydreams she had of him, of the new chapter of their story they would have.He would apologize to her, trying to redeem himself, and kiss her dearly as he embraced her. Later down the line, they would have a child of their own, too.Harry's long legs walked in strides, his dark gaze trained on Dior.The bright light shone on Dior’s delicately stunning face, and she also wore a red dress.He remembered her wearing this back in Mount Village.He could remember how alluring she looked back then, how they stayed in the same room, how she put down her ego to treat him with so much gentleness.Harry’s cold face mellowed down, but recalling a certain memory, the vague wistfulness in him vanished and he sat in front of her.Dior looked at him fondly, like she always would. "Long time no see."Her eyes burned brightly as if she wanted to drink in his
Dior examined the footage the moment she received it.True enough, it showed Sonia and George talking about their little deal. It also showed how Dior was telling the truth while they both ganged up on her.Dior’s frail heart felt as though it was rejuvenated once more, feeling as though blood was once more pumped into her heart. Her dull eyes devoid of hope regained their lost luster once more.Not thinking twice, she dialed Harry's number with this evidence, though he had to be busy, seeing as he did not pick up even after the phone rang for a long while.Just as she was about to hang up, Harry picked up the phone."What do you want?"On the other end of the call was the voice that she had missed for so long. His low, hoarse voice sounded so cold and emotionless.Hearing his voice brought Dior back to the image of his handsome face, and her heart skipped a beat.She tried her best to restrain her fluttering emotions as she tried to speak calmly, "Do you have time? I’d like to
At Mount Village…Inside the elegant bamboo house was Dior, dressed in a beige dress. She sat in the front yard as she took sips of her wine.The sunlight shone past the leaves and illuminated her, yet she exuded an air of loneliness.She swirled the glass and could not help recalling the moments she spent with Harry.In the beginning, she was attracted by his looks; he looked so gentle and elegant.She gave him money, kept him company, and continuously showed up around him in hopes of conquering him.Alas, she ended up in this state.The time she spent with him in Mount Village was the happiest time she had ever had. They had lived inside the bamboo house together, where he took care of her and claimed her to be his woman.They even laid inside the same room.Everything was so beautiful.Cursed was her luck, however, that it was just an illusion. He had been using her from the start, while he chose to stay with the woman who lied to him and even hurt him!No matter how mu
"Although Susan was unhappy, she should've voiced out her displeasure instead of bottling things. Cheating is wrong, regardless. Furthermore, if she wanted a career, she didn't have to stay home and depend on her husband."Grandma Bailey halted.Was that what Charmine truly thought of?Grandma Bailey thought Charmine would find Susan too aggressive unto herself.Charmine glanced at Susan again and apathetically commented, "She doesn't want to make money on her own, but she wants to be rich while complaining about her man not making time for her and taking care of her? If a woman has no ability of her own and also blames others for her miseries, all she's worth is to sit quietly at home and wait for her husband to come home. She also has no right to cheat! This is how the world works."Charmine patted Grandma Bailey’s shoulder and held Anthony’s hand, her words met with everyone's evidently surprised gazes and their silence.Grandma Bailey was shocked. Sure, Charmine sounded rathe
The colossal cruise started to drift away from the pier.Eric stood on the cruise and let the wind blow at him, loneliness and hatred still oozing from his being.He stared at the blue ocean ahead of him as Charmine's words rang in his mind unceasingly.'Will you really feel good after you've killed them?''You saw Susan suffering from a serious wound; would you still kill the one sibling you have left in the world?'"Forgive them and yourself.'Deliberating everything carefully, his lips curled into a bitter smile.It was true, after all, that Charmine understood him the most.Eric poured himself another drink and downed it with loneliness as he allowed the cruise to bring him wherever it would take him.…Susan was still inside the operating room when Charmine and the rest of the Baileys rushed into the hospital.Darryl stood before the room, his expression blank, his figure lonely and helpless.So many things had happened in half a day.He found out about his wife's inf
"No one's stopping you now. Eat!"Anthony clenched his hands tightly and took another glance at Charmine. He was more determined than before, and he was close to eating the pills in the bottle.Charmine, who was held hostage, gradually opened her eyes at that moment. Her gaze drifted toward Eric before she asked, her tone challenging, "Will you really feel good after you've killed them? You saw Susan suffering from a serious wound; would you still kill the one sibling you have left in the world?"Eric halted, and his eyes darkened.Charmine had just woken up, yet what she said…He cast a cold glance at Charmine. "It's my business, and it has nothing to do with you!"They were his family, and he did not want a family like this!Charmine looked squarely at him. "Eric, I don’t care if you used me or plotted against me all these years; I've treated you like a true friend, nothing more nor less. You were the only person who stayed by my side in the past five years, so I hope that you
Anthony's breath hitched when he saw Charmine.He clenched his fists and, without doubting himself, relented "I can agree to your terms, so let her go right away. This has nothing to do with her; you only hate me after all. As long as you let her go, I'll take the pill. Everything will end right away."Susan shook her head. "We'll die after eating the pill. I’m not taking that!"She had just reunited with Eric, and she did not want to die yet. She looked at Eric and begged, "Please let Anthony be, why don't you? He’s your brother, after all, and he doesn’t even know about your existence. If you’re really angry, just kill Charmine, and I'll make it up to you—"Anthony's expression contorted in sheer fury upon hearing Susan's plea, and he glared at her with murderous intent."This was all your fault, so what right do you have to make Charmine take your blame?!""What on earth are you going on about?" snapped Grandma Bailey. "Charmine has been kidnapped because of you, yet you want