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
Austin's sudden outburst caused silence to fill the air.Cecily covered her mouth with her hand. She almost shouted.Was this really Austin?Since reuniting with Austin and getting to know Aldus, Cecily had seen their relationship as more of friends than a boss and his employee.Austin even treated Aldus like his brother!He had always treated Aldus with respect and was never proud of his identity.Besides, Aldus wasn't just any servant.In the Campbell household, everyone was treated with equality, even butlers like Ezra.Yet, Austin was commanding Aldus now. It was absurd."Mr. Austin, you've had too much to drink."Aldus' voice came from outside."I did not! Get out of my way!"Austin seemed to be slurring. "You … You servant! Open the door for me. I want to sleep with Cecily tonight!"Cecily was dumbfounded."Mr. Austin, Madam Emerson taught you to respect Ms. Graham. Don't you remember?"Aldus' voice suddenly grew stern. "If you insist on causing trouble tonight, I'
In the haze of near-consciousness, Austin held on to this sole belief.He didn't even care about the ice forming between his legs at this moment.Dignity was nothing in the face of survival!Only by shamelessly clinging to life did he have a chance to turn the tide.Even if he died with dignity, he wouldn't abandon his loved ones."Cecily, Mom... I... I will come back. I promise. I will come back ..."Austin murmured with his purple lips. It sounded as if he was sleep-talking.However, he was resolute!Honk!Suddenly, a deep ship horn blared.Like a clap of thunder, it was deafening.The noise jolted Austin back to his senses.His eyelids fluttered, and the frost from his eyelashes scattered around him.Through the cracks, he saw nothing but the vast sea and sky.He wondered if they were nearing land.Had they finally arrived?Soon, footsteps sounded outside. It was urgent and brisk."Hurry up, all of you. Move faster. Don't dawdle like a bunch of children!"A famil
Swoosh…The biting cold wind pierced through Austin's bones.Hunched over, he wrapped his hands tightly around his chest and struggled to move forward.Each breath he exhaled condensed instantly into a white mist in the frigid air.With the bag of food and the jug of water, he temporarily staved off his hunger. He gained some strength to keep fighting for survival.The ice beneath his feet was slippery. One wrong step could send him crashing to the ground.Looking out, he could only see a vast expense of whiteness.Even the sunlight reflecting off the ice was blindingly bright.He couldn't feel a single bit of warmth. Only the relentless chill penetrated deep into his bones.The weather was hot in Harrington. Austin was wearing nothing but a t-shirt and a pair of shorts when he was taken away. He felt no different from being completely naked in this frozen wasteland."I must survive... I must..."Lips pale, he murmured with unwavering determination."Cecily... Mom... Aldus.