Cecily opened the door before Aldus could even react to what just happened.A familiar face came into view as the door opened."Austin!" Tears flowed down her cheeks as Cecily threw herself into Austin's arms. "You scared me! You really, really scared me!"Austin smiled and replied, "I'm sorry… It really is my fault."Cecily bit down on her lips while crying and shaking her head.Both Aldus and Wolf breathed a sigh of relief at the same time when they saw Austin.Austin seemed extremely run-down with his ragged clothes stained with blood and mud. He had open wounds on his head and arms.But he still made it back alive.Aldus snapped back to his senses and said, "Please come inside, sir."Cecily would not let go of Austin at all. It was as if she was worried that he would disappear from her sight once more.She only realized how much she loved and missed Austin after experiencing a separation that involved the potential loss of Austin's life.Austin smiled helplessly as he he
"Hmph," A weak-sounding snort rang out in the darkness.Austin slowly opened his eyes, only to find that he was completely swallowed by darkness.So dark, in fact, that he could not even see his own fingers.All the while there was severe pain coming from all across his head and body.Austin wondered where he was as he tried to move his limbs, only to find that he was currently placed in an extremely cramped space that limited his movements.He also realized that he was lying down while curled up."Am I inside a box?" A possibility popped up in Austin's mind.While his movements were limited, he could still move his hands and feet a little.He slowly reached out his hand to touch his head.Austin remembered that he suffered a serious injury on his head before he fell unconscious.He knew that he would have already bled out to death if he never received any medical attention.Austin came to a halt as his hands reached his head.He realized that he had in fact received treatm
The bolt from the blue of a message caused Austin's body to tense up.Overwhelming anger surged up within his body as immense murderous intent emanated from the wooden box.Austin started to struggle once more like a beast trying to escape its entrapment.He had to make it out of here no matter what.Austin did not know what the man meant by his life had already been taken over as if nothing had happened, but it sent a chill down his spine as unparalleled fear gripped his heart.Austin punched and kicked at the wooden box from within as his life depended on it.He realized that having his life be taken over meant that a stranger bearing his resemblance would be swooping in to continue where he left off… Which included being by Dahlia and Cecily's side.He realized that it would mean that he would completely disappear from the face of the Earth.Austin's blood started to boil over as he thought of Dahlia and Cecily.He would never allow something so absurd as a substitute to ta
Wolf furrowed his brow. "Last night was a close call. Even though we know it's the Redmonts now, and we managed to have the Campbells on alert, we can't be lax. Since the Redmonts have planned everything, they won't just stop here.""Austin, how about we go back?"Cecily listened to Aldus and Wolf's opinions and suggested, "We can always choose another location for the wedding photoshoot. Although the wedding date is tight, we can still make time."Austin suddenly found it amusing.His gaze turned sharp."Once bitten, twice shy. If that's really the case, I wouldn't dare to fight for myself after having a rough childhood. "His sentence left Cecily and the others stunned.Austin continued, "My wedding with Cecily is approaching. I don't want to worry about the Redmonts' affairs for now. After the wedding, I will settle accounts with them.""If the Redmonts dare to make another move after last night's failure, I don't mind immediately involving my father to bring them down like
Cecily's expression froze for a moment when she heard the word "dance".In that instant, a flicker of surprise flashed across her eyes. Her gaze turned deep.Austin didn't notice it.He was already busy coordinating with the photography team and setting up the cameras.Dazed, Cecily stood rooted to the spot.At this moment, that feeling grew even stronger."Are you ready?"Austin's gentle voice sounded in her ears.Cecily snapped out of her daze. Her lips trembled slightly, and she finally nodded.The music began to play, and the lights shimmered, creating an enchanting atmosphere.As the light focused on Cecily and Austin, they instantly captured the attention of everyone around them.Then, they began dancing.The photography team wasted no time in capturing every moment.They ensured that the lighting, angles, and details were all perfect."Is this a wedding photoshoot?""It's so beautiful. I bet the wedding photos taken with such a view and a dance will look stunning.
A tingling numbness surged through him, making Austin feel lightheaded.His head still throbbed with pain, but at least the bleeding seemed to have stopped.Fortunately, the wound wasn't too severe when it tore open just now. Otherwise, he might have bled to death.He sighed heavily.Suddenly, a piercing cold wind seeped in through the cracks in the wooden boxIt sent shivers down Austin's spine and made his hair stand on end."Why is it so cold?"Austin furrowed his brow, his heart racing.It was eerily quiet outside.But he could hear the howling of the sea breeze and the roaring of the waves.As the ship moved further toward the center of the water, each crest and trough became increasingly pronounced.Where on earth were they headed?Were the Redmonts planning to spare him but exile him so they could make him a scapegoat?After regaining consciousness from the incident last night, Austin finally calmed down.Aldus had once said, "The more dire the situation, the more
So, that was why the Pearsons agreed to become the scapegoat.Austin was raging.The realization hit him like lightning.Dorothy not only wanted to kill him, but she was orchestrating the downfall of the entire Campbell family!That guy from the Pearsons would substitute him and deceive Austin's father. Then, with the help of Dorothy and Austin's father, he would easily defeat all the other heirs and seize control of the Campbells. The moment that guy took the helm as the family head, the Campbells would for sure fall into Dorothy's hands.That guy was nothing but a puppet that Dorothy was using.Moreover, Dorothy must have made enough promises to the Pearsons. Hence, that was why the Pearsons sacrificed themselves!Once that guy became the head of the Campbells, even if he remained a puppet, he would gain far more than what the Pearsons could give him."Is that old lady trying to usurp that guy's power?"Austin gritted his teeth. He said through gritted teeth, "I won't let you have y
After three hectic days, everyone was finally able to relax at the banquet in the evening.Cecily agreed to the plan. She thought it was right to express their gratitude to all the staff.During the banquet, she and Austin walked around the venue and expressed their thanks with raised glasses.While Austin indulged in alcohol, she stuck to drinks. With each glass of wine, Austin's spirits soared. Soon, his cheeks flushed red, and he began to feel tipsy.The same went for the photography team members.The only people who remained sober were Cecily as well as Aldus and Wolf, who were responsible for the couple's safety. As the people left the banquet, Cecily asked Aldus and Wolf to help the drunk Austin back to his room.She then returned to her own room alone.She recalled the thrilling and joyful moments of the past few days during the photoshoot.Along with the impending wedding date on the 15th of next month, Cecily found herself too excited to sleep. Knock, knock!Sud