As Jennifer prepared to speak up, Maxwell quickly ushered her out of the place. Once they were gone, an eerie silence settled over the reception area. Laura avoided Simon's gaze. With her head hung low, she apologized, "I'm sorry for causing you trouble." Simon slowly rose to his feet, his gaze piercing and intense as he scrutinized her revealing dress. Annoyance flashed in his eyes, then he tossed his coat to her. "We'll talk about this when we get home," he said coldly. Without another word, Simon walked away. Laura hurriedly wrapped his coat around herself before following him. The coat held a trace of his warmth and fragrance, providing her with a comforting shield against the cold.During the drive home, Laura could see that Simon was visibly upset. Fearing she might face severe repercussions later, she quickly owned up to her mistake. "I'm sorry. I-I just wanted to go out dancing. I didn't expect to run into Michel. I—""Shut up!" Simon cut her off with a frosty voice
However, Simon tightened his grip deliberately, almost as if he were punishing Laura. The idea of her wearing such revealing clothes and going to a club, where other men would undoubtedly gawk at her, infuriated him. Although Laura was merely a plaything to him, she was his and his alone. He couldn't stand the thought of anyone else eyeing her.Suddenly, Laura cried out in pain. "Simon, stop. Please, stop now!" she pleaded.Only then did Simon realize something was wrong. His breath was ragged, but his eyes were filled with worry as he asked, "What's wrong?""It hurts so much. Please… Let me off the hook tonight," Laura begged while clutching her abdomen.Seeing that her face had gone pale, Simon swiftly picked her up and gently laid her down on the bed. But as soon as he lifted her dress, his eyes burned with anger. The sight of the extensive bruising on Laura's stomach made it clear why she was in so much pain. "Who did this?" he demanded coldly.With red-rimmed eyes and h
Maxwell had finally decided to move on, but a part of him still yearned to say something. He wanted to offer words of advice, hoping Jennifer would have a fulfilling life in the days ahead.Jennifer had always believed that all she felt for Maxwell was bitterness and resentment. But the moment those words left his lips, her heart was gripped by a painful twist. In that instant, she knew she couldn't bring herself to get back at him. No matter how much she had suffered, she didn't have it in her to hurt him.Jennifer had considered revealing the truth to Maxwell on his wedding day, aiming to make him regret what he had done. But now, she was ready to let it go. The truth was, she couldn't deny that he had once loved her. "Can you let me out of the car?" Jennifer choked out, barely holding back her sobs. At last, Maxwell loosened his grip and unlocked the door. She immediately got out of the car and walked away.Once home, Jennifer kicked off her heels and sank to the floor, as
Unable to endure the humiliation any longer, Laura fled to the bedroom. She quickly changed her clothes and stormed out, ignoring Simon and Fiona.Fiona glared at her retreating figure and snapped, "I knew it. Women like her have no class!""Mom, that's enough. Don't let something so petty ruin your mood," said Simon.He poured Fiona a glass of water and smoothly steered the conversation. "Anyway, what brings you here so early?"Fiona shot him a disapproving look and replied, "You've got some nerve asking me that. Hailey had a fever yesterday, and you couldn't even be bothered to check on her? She called you, and you didn't even show up!"Don't forget, she's your fiancée and an heiress, not some random fling. How could you treat her like this? She must be heartbroken!"Simon knew Hailey wasn't one to just let things go. Sure enough, she had even gone as far as complaining to his mother.Still, given how much Fiona had sacrificed for him over the years, he usually went along with
Out of nowhere, Rachel's smile appeared. She narrowed her eyes as if she could see right through Jennifer. "Now you understand why you lost to me back then, don't you? "It's because you have a weak spot. You're still in love with Maxwell. It's not just Jasper you're worried about; you're actually terrified of hurting Maxwell, right?"Jennifer's hand quivered, and her eyes flickered with a hint of unease. When Rachel saw that, she felt her suspicions were confirmed. "If you reveal the truth, it will ruin me, but Maxwell will also face a devastating blow," she sneered. "I'll make sure he learns about the two children you secretly had. That would throw everything into chaos. Besides, given his nature, he'd likely fight tooth and nail for custody."Jennifer's gaze hardened as she replied, "Fighting for custody is one thing, but if the child I've raised for years turns out to be someone else's, that's a whole different story."Rachel's expression changed drastically, her heart poun
Nathan's expression grew serious as he pressed, "So, what's your plan?"Frustrated, Jennifer ran her fingers through her hair and said, "What do you think I should do? Honestly, I have no idea. I've always wanted to get back at Rachel and Maxwell. I thought seeing them suffer would make me feel better. But now that I have the chance, I…""You couldn't bring yourself to do it," Nathan uttered, picking up where she left off. "But there's no need to agonize over it. Just do what feels right to you. Being compassionate isn't a flaw. You're not like Rachel. Your kindness and integrity are the very reasons I admire you."Jennifer gave a wry smile and remarked, "I didn't expect you to be so understanding of my decision, considering Maxwell is your romantic rival."Nathan embraced her, his voice warm and reassuring. "Rival or not, it doesn't matter. The main difference between us and them is that we have our boundaries. We never set out to harm others."So, Jennifer, if you've decided t
"Do I need to personally escort you into the car?" Simon asked, his tone as condescending as ever.Initially, Laura had thought that he was there to apologize, but it was clear now she had been mistaken. Of course, Simon would never apologize. She glared at him and let out an exasperated huff. "Mr. Moore, are you here just to relieve your stress again?"Simon paused for a moment before letting out a chuckle. Even though her face was flushed with anger, her scowl only seemed to enhance her charm.Laura was seething, feeling a strong urge to slap him. Why did he always remain so composed, no matter how furious she became? It was as if her emotions had no impact on him. Even now, he still managed to laugh.What was she to him, anyway? He never seemed to care if she was miserable; all that mattered to him was whether she could satisfy his needs.As Laura stood her ground, Simon took her hand and guided her into the car. In an unusually tender gesture, he buckled her seatbelt. His
Simon had always despised the chaotic and noisy atmosphere of areas around the university."If you're hungry, I'll take you somewhere else to eat. This place isn't very clean. Let's go," he said, pulling Laura's hand. "In the future, avoid places like this."Still fuming, Laura yanked her hand away and shot back, "Mr. Morre, my family's bankrupt, and we've been struggling for five years. Being able to afford grilled meat is already a luxury for us!"If you think this place is beneath you, you can always go to a high-end restaurant. There's no need to make me feel like I'm lowering your standards!"For some reason, Simon found her outburst amusing, as long as she didn't insist on leaving him.At that moment, the barbecue stand owner brought over the grilled meat and a bottle of beer. Laura took a piece of meat and started eating with gusto. She then poured herself a glass of beer and enjoyed it, seemingly indifferent to Simon's disapproving gaze. Yet, despite her carefree demeano