Laura's voice trembled. "You lied. You and Hailey never broke up. You… You're already talking about marriage."Simon paused. "I didn't lie. But my mom likes her, and I can't ignore her feelings."Laura nodded and smiled bitterly. "So… I'm just supposed to please you? I don't even have the right to know that you're about to get married, is that it?"Simon caressed her cheek. "Who said I'm getting married?""But you and Hailey…" Laura couldn't finish her sentence.Simon's gaze lingered on her. "I promise I'll let you go if I really do get married someday."Laura's heart sank and she swallowed her sorrows. She forced a smile. "I'll remember that, and I hope you keep your word."Simon studied her, his breath growing heavier. Suddenly, he swept her off her feet and carried her toward the bedroom.Laura was docile in his arms, her hands awkwardly clutching his collar. Simon felt like he had become addicted to her body. His body felt hot every time he touched her. That was why he coul
Simon couldn't bear to think about the "what-ifs". It would only fuel his hatred and regret over his father's death.Fiona placed the flowers on her husband's tombstone. "Anthony, don't worry. Our son has grown into a remarkable man and has avenged you. He sent that asshole, Harry, to prison and tormented his daughter in every possible way. We won't give them peace, so your spirit can finally rest."Simon's expression darkened at this, and a wave of guilt and conflicting feelings washed over him.He once kept Laura by his side and took every opportunity to torment and humiliate her in the name of avenging his father. And he felt accomplished by doing so. The more Laura and Harry suffered, the stronger his sense of vengeance grew.He used to enjoy making Laura suffer. But slowly, he began to dislike seeing her cry. And couldn't help but be kind and protect her.Simon felt an overwhelming sense of shame as he stood over the tombstone. It served as a warning bell, reminding him that
Simon sent Fiona back home. Before leaving, he reminded her, "Mom, don't tell Hailey about our family's past. Also, I don't want the Brooks family to know why I keep Laura around. It'll only complicate things."Fiona was puzzled. "But wouldn't telling Hailey stop her from misunderstanding you? After all, you're just taking revenge on Laura, but Hailey doesn't see it that way."Simon's expression hardened. "I don't care what she thinks. I've discovered new clues about what happened with Dad. I don't want anyone else interfering.""New clues?" Fiona was intrigued. "Was Harry not the only one behind what happened?"Simon's gaze was unreadable. "Maybe he wasn't the only one."After all, Miguel had started revealing his true colors, and Simon could now follow the trail to uncover more.Simon reassured Fiona, "Mom, you're still recovering. Stay home and rest. Don't worry about these things. The best way you can help is by not causing me any trouble.""Alright, then I… I won't say anyt
Fiona was filled with doubt and unease, and her hatred for Laura grew.After Hailey left, she immediately asked the driver to take her to the studio.Meanwhile, Laura had just returned from a party. Her task today was to interview the entrepreneur hosting the event.When she returned to her office, the guard said, "Ms. Scott, a lady came to see you earlier. She's been waiting in the lounge for about ten minutes.""Alright, thank you." Laura assumed it was Jennifer and entered the lounge with a smile.Unexpectedly, the person waiting was Fiona.Laura closed the door and stood near the entrance, not daring to approach.Looking at the gloomy Fiona, Laura suppressed her nervousness and asked, "Is there something you need?"Fiona scoffed. "Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to see how shameless a woman could be. You're still sticking around my son after taking my money."Laura did feel guilty. After all, she had accepted the money and agreed to Fiona's request. But Simon knew about th
Laura could no longer maintain her composure. Her heart dropped and she couldn't help but tremble even though she knew Simon would never say such things to Fiona. Laura believed Simon wouldn't feel that way.To avoid showing weakness in front of Fiona, she took a deep breath and said, "I have work to do. Please leave."Fiona huffed. "Stop pretending! Do you think I believe you care about this measly job and its salary when you're clinging to Simon? Listen, if you're going to be someone's mistress, you need to act the part. You have to be good to the man and his family. Especially to the Brooks family. It's only because they tolerate you that you're allowed to stay by Simon's side."Fiona was satisfied when she saw Laura's pale face. Her son's method was brilliant! Keeping the daughter of his enemy by his side to humiliate her was far more satisfying than killing her.Fiona could tell from Laura's reaction that she had fallen in love with Simon. After all, she could easily see throu
After trying to open the door without success, Simon had no choice but to knock."Laura, open the door." His voice was calm and cold. "I know you're inside."Laura snapped, "Don't look for me again! You have your own home, don't you? This place isn't your home. A run-down apartment like this can't hold someone as noble as you!"Silence met her. A few minutes later, Laura peered through the peephole and saw Simon was gone.Laura sighed, though she couldn't tell whether it was relief or disappointment she was feeling.With Simon's proud and stubborn personality, there was no way he would tolerate her acting out.Laura muttered to herself, "It's better if he never comes again."With that, she began cooking some soup and went to take a shower. By the time she finished, the soup would be ready to eat.However, when Laura emerged from the bathroom, she was shocked by what she saw.The lock on her door was shaking as if someone was tampering with it, and it was clear that someone was
Simon finally understood the situation. He sighed, walked over to Laura, and gently wiped the tears off her face. His voice softened as he asked, "Did my mother come to see you?"But he knew the answer even without Laura answering. Fiona must have said something hurtful to upset Laura. After all, no one knew better than Simon how strong-willed and prideful Laura was.However, he also knew his mother. At the very least, she hadn't mentioned anything about the past. "I'm sorry if my mother said anything that hurt you, I apologize on her behalf." Simon pulled her into his arms, stroking her hair gently to soothe her anger and frustration.Laura's voice was low and tinged with disappointment, "Even though her words were harsh, I know everything she said was true."Simon hummed. "What exactly did she say to you?"Laura lifted her tear-streaked face and said softly, "You said you'd let me go if you got married. But you've gone back to your hometown with Hailey, and you ignored me for
After listening to Simon's explanation, Laura looked at him with a serious expression, surprise, and curiosity flickering in her eyes.She was surprised because the Simon she knew wouldn't have been so patient, nor would he explain himself. With the nature of their relationship, he didn't have to explain anything to her.Yet the more he behaved this way, the more Laura's heart swelled, making her deceive herself and sink into this tangled web.She buried herself into his chest and hugged his waist tightly, her head resting against his heart.Her voice was barely above a whisper. "You didn't reply to my messages these past few days. I didn't know what I did wrong. You should at least tell me if you're getting married. I won't cling to you. But I don't like not knowing where you are."Guilt struck Simon. He gently held Laura and murmured, "You didn't do anything wrong. My absence the past few days… was my fault."The truth was, he still hadn't figured out what to do with Laura. Eve
Almost immediately, Laura pulled out her camera and snapped a photo of the couple on the field. She figured she could ask Britney to write a small feature about it to fill some space in the paper.The young man knelt on one knee, holding out a ring as he asked, "Will you marry me?"On the other hand, the woman was overwhelmed. Tears streamed down her face, and she couldn't even manage a coherent response.Around them, the crowd erupted with cheers. "Say yes! Say yes!" they chanted.Laura stood silently, her eyes glistening as tears clung to her lashes. She envied the woman. There was nothing more beautiful than being proposed to by someone you loved and knowing you were cherished. Unfortunately, that kind of happiness would never be hers.Her choice to be with Simon came with a cost—she had to keep their relationship hidden. She had willingly let go of any hope of a public future with him, of sharing their happiness openly. One day, perhaps soon, Simon would stage a grand pr
Simon hummed softly before explaining, "The police retrieved the surveillance footage, but it wasn't enough to prove anything. Now that he's taken photos of us, we have solid evidence. This confirms he's been stalking and secretly photographing us."Only then did Laura understand why he had asked her out. The excitement that had been bubbling within her vanished instantly at that realization.She pulled her hand away from his, her voice tinged with disappointment as she said, "So, this is why you wanted to watch the fireworks. Well, now that we've got the evidence, can we go home?"But to her surprise, Simon took her hand again, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Who says we can't gather evidence and enjoy the fireworks at the same time?"Laura froze momentarily. He had a point.In the end, they went to Botanical Garden as planned. The fireworks show was just beginning when they arrived. On top of that, Simon had made arrangements beforehand. So, the garden's director personall
Laura blinked innocently and answered, "I was talking about myself."Simon fixed his gaze on her, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Should I call Alex over right now? You can ask him directly if he's willing to accept you."Laura hadn't expected to shoot herself in the foot again, and her face turned red from his teasing. Flustered, she shoved him away. "Oh, come on! I was joking!"I was asking on behalf of Britney. You know, my colleague. If Alex is single, why not let them give it a shot? Britney's great. She's cheerful and kind. They seem like a good match."Simon finally let out a scoff. "You've got a knack for worrying about everyone, don't you?"She pushed him toward his desk and replied, "Alright, that's enough. You should get back to work. I'll tell Britney and have Alex give her a ride back. It's a perfect opportunity for them to spend some time together."With that, Simon sat back down in front of his computer and got back to work.At the same time, Laura texted Britney, a
"No problem, Laura," Alex replied before shifting his gaze to Britney.Then, he shyly said, "Let me show you around our firm. That way, if you guys ever work with us again, you'll have a better sense of how we operate."Britney, ever cheerful and outgoing, flashed a bright smile. "Sounds great! Let's go!"A satisfied smile tugged at Laura's lips as she watched them chat. With that, she entered Simon's office.Work was something both Simon and Laura took seriously. Moreover, the Brooks Group workplace fatality case weighed heavily on her heart.She couldn't shake her frustration and confusion about why Simon had taken the case, but she had a job to do. Setting her personal feelings aside, she switched into professional mode and began asking her questions.This time, Simon didn't make things difficult for her. He answered each question thoroughly and without hesitation. Toward the end of the interview, Laura asked a pointed question that hadn't been part of her original script.
The station chief reviewed the surveillance footage and explained to Simon personally, "His last known location was at the dormitory building of Haven University. He went inside, but unfortunately, there were no cameras in the restrooms."We believed he changed his clothes and shoes before leaving. Our initial assessment is that he's likely a student at the university. But for now, the trail's gone cold. I'd say he's good at avoiding being tracked. At this point, we don't have enough evidence to bring him in."Simon nodded in response. Now, he was nearly certain of the stalker's identity. "Alright, I think I know who it is. Thank you for your hard work."The station chief hurriedly replied, "Oh, Mr. Moore, no need to thank us! We'll be needing your expertise down the line. Helping each other is what we do."…At the studio, Laura sat in her office, texting Simon to check if there were any updates on the stalker.However, all he replied was, "They're still investigating."The cor
"Mr. Moore…" Laura let out a sigh. After a moment's hesitation, she couldn't hold back any longer. "I really feel for the victim in the Brooks Group's workplace fatality case. Does the Brooks family even care about that small amount of money? One million dollars is just pocket change to them, but to another family, it's everything."Simon showed no emotion as he replied, "Mind your own business."Laura pouted but quickly relented. "So, do you have time tomorrow? My boss said we need to follow up on the progress of the Brooks Group case as soon as possible. Can you—"Before she could finish her sentence, Simon suddenly shut his laptop, set it aside, and leaned toward her.He fixed his gaze on the terrified Laura. His handsome face came dangerously close, stopping just inches from hers. Then, he said, "Well, as long as you behave and stop testing my patience."While unbuttoning her pajama top, he added, "Otherwise, with everything I've got going on, why should I take time to help
Simon pressed Laura against the wall and kissed her.Yet, this was what hurt her the most. He had never cared whether she wanted it or not. In fact, there were so many unresolved issues between them. However, Simon seemed utterly indifferent and showed no intention of addressing them. He kissed Laura for a while. Just when she thought he might take things to the next level, he abruptly stopped.Simon's breathing was unsteady, his voice low and hoarse as he said, "Go take a shower. I've got work to do and can't keep messing with you."It was only then Laura realized he had drawn her in. Now that he had stopped, her cheeks still burned, and she couldn't shake the lingering pull of desire he'd stirred.Simon seemed to notice her unease. He then asked with a smirk, "Or would you rather continue?"Laura's heart skipped a beat. She quickly pushed him away and lowered her head. "I'll go shower."As he stared at her retreating figure, the lust in Simon's gaze gradually faded. In the
In the next moment, Simon's lips curled into a smile. "It was Maxwell who called me and asked me to come help you with this. Don't forget, Jennifer isn't just your best friend. She's also Maxwell's wife and the mother of Caleb and Cassidy."Did you even check if Maxwell was okay with you staying at their place? Not everyone is as comfortable with you as Jennifer is."Laura wanted nothing more than to shut him up. However, she couldn't deny that he had a point. Apart from Harry, Jennifer was the only one who had ever treated Laura like family. While Jennifer might never push her away, that didn't mean everyone else would be as kind. That house belonged to Jennifer, but it was Maxwell's too.At that moment, Laura felt completely alone and helpless. …Just like that, she quickly packed a few essentials and followed Simon back to his place in the dead of night.He then pointed to a small wardrobe and lightly instructed, "You can leave your clothes here for now."After opening it,
Laura cried in Simon's arms for what felt like an eternity before finally lifting her head. Her voice carried a hint of grievance as she said, "Why wouldn't you believe me? I told you someone was following me, but you still didn't trust me."Simon gently wiped her tears away. "I'm sorry. That's on me."But Laura shoved him aside, her tone defiant. "Spare me the fake concern. I've reported it to the police, so it doesn't matter whether you show up or not."A flicker of amusement passed through Simon's dark eyes as he studied her. "Really?""Of course!" Laura lifted her chin, as if she weren't afraid of anything. "I'm trained in martial arts and can protect myself. Besides, the police are involved. Even without you, I'm not scared."Simon couldn't help but chuckle. Suddenly, his arm snaked around her waist, pulling her close again. "Who was trembling in fear earlier? The same person who stayed holed up in the bedroom all night because she was too afraid to come out?" he teased in