While she chatted with Frank, I was on the side hanging up and carefully ironing the clothes I had made for her."Charlotte!"Madam Shaw pretended to be unhappy and pulled me onto the sofa. "These things are for the servants to do. You should just sit down, have some tea, and keep me company. Why do you have to do everything yourself?"I chuckled. "This is part of my job.""You silly." Madam Shaw held my hand and looked at Frank. "You just said you plan to have Charlotte help you fool your parents?"Frank and Madam Shaw had a deep relationship and spoke openly to each other. "Yes."Madam Shaw looked at me with concern. "He's not pressuring you, is he?""Grandma, what do you take me for?" said Frank, half laughing, half exasperated.I smiled and added. "No, I have something to ask of him too."Madam Shaw didn't press further but made a point of dissatisfaction."Lily... may not come back."Madam Shaw held back her tears and, with an elder's demeanor, addressed Frank, "Whether
My heart felt like it had been tugged.As Frank said, it was something he was subconsciously, and I didn't know where it came from.Seeing his sadness, I was inexplicably moved. I lifted onto my toes and reached out to pat his head, but halfway there, I came to my senses and stopped in mid-air. Looking into his brown eyes, I gently reassured, "Frank, she wouldn't blame you."His eyes briefly lit up but then returned to their calm state as he continued, "You're not her, so how would you know what she thinks?""But I have had similar experiences."I lowered my gaze, bitterness in my voice. "I used to live a good life, and then suddenly lost my parents. I had to rely on myself, struggling and working hard to survive."I looked at him again and smiled gently. "If I were her, I wouldn't blame you. She... probably wouldn't either."People who have had a hard life understand empathy better.His waiting all these years was enough.He seemed touched, his usually sharp demeanor softenin
"Foolish child."Madam Shaw smiled and said, "If I didn't know anything about you, why would I have brought you into my house? I also know that your ex-husband is Ryan.""So..."I couldn't help but ask, "When Miss Shaw brought Ryan back last time... did you already know?""I did it on purpose to make things difficult for him!"Madam Shaw cocked her brows. "He couldn't even protect his own wife. He deserved it.""That's right, he does deserve it.""Let me give you some advice. Ryan may be good, but he's too weighed down by his own thoughts. Living with him will be too tiring and difficult for you.""Grandma, we're already divorced," I said with a smile.Madam Shaw inquired further, "Are you really heartbroken over him?""I am."I looked down at my abdomen, feeling a pang of bitterness. "We almost had a child, but he chose to save someone else instead of me, and the child was lost."It was a complete heartbreak.That was when it happened.Later on, I just felt that he shoul
I was momentarily stunned."Trust me."Megan sat cross-legged on the sofa, looking quite certain. "He's currently in a struggle. He likes you, but he's also afraid to like you."I smiled. "Stop guessing around. The person he likes is Lily. I just happen to look somewhat like her...""No, that's not it!"Megan countered firmly, "My brother isn't like that. Over the years, there have been many people who look even more like Lily than you, but he's never paid any attention to them. It's not that I'm speaking ill of him. He's always been someone who only acts when there's a benefit. If it weren't for his feelings, why would he keep helping you time and time again?""What he did was..."I wanted to refute, but halfway through, I couldn't find a reason.For instance, Zack's incident, and when Mrs. Shaw forced me to kneel in the snow... it didn't seem like he was helping just because it was convenient.Afterwards, he never demanded anything from me.As I left, I felt somewhat distra
"Yes, there is."I curved my lips and mustered the courage to say, "If it's the latter, I'm worried that you might have developed feelings for me."He scoffed, "Worried? Are you saying that if I like you, it will make you uneasy?""Pretty much," I said candidly. "You have a good personality, a good family background, and you're loyal. It's hard not to be moved by someone like you, but precisely because of that, it's impossible for us to be together.""Impossible?""Yes, impossible."I took a deep breath, looking at him earnestly. "I'm not a naive girl anymore. It's impossible for me to willingly walk into a dangerous situation knowing it's there. Your loyalty is a flaw in my eyes. Just now, you helped me, so I'll help you deal with your parents. Other than that, let's be rational."That night, after washing up in the guest room arranged by Madam Shaw, I lay in bed but remained wide awake.What did Frank say to me earlier?He said, "Charlotte, don't think you're the only one sc
This was the first time Frank showed such an expression.It was hard to say if it was nervousness, excitement, or anxiety...In any case, it was completely different from his usual rebellious demeanor.At that moment, it felt as if I saw a glimpse of the old Ryan in him.Suddenly, I became even more composed, almost cold-hearted, suppressing all the emotions that almost burst forth, and turned decisively."Yeah, go on."Before Frank could hang up the phone, he stepped forward, wrapped me in his arms with one hand, and no matter how much I struggled, he held me tightly.On the other end of the line, there were a few more words exchanged. He then said calmly, "Be more careful and don't let anyone lead you astray. I'll come over after I finish comforting someone."With that, he ended the call, shoved his phone into his pocket, and squeezed my face with his large hand, deforming it. He looked at me with a hint of grievance. "Why are you running away? Didn't you hear what I just sai
"Alright."I obediently walked over, ate a few dumplings, and then smiled at Madam Shaw, feeling inexplicably reluctant. I could only say, "Grandma, I've troubled you these past two days. I'm going back to Jelaston soon. I wish you a happy New Year in advance and all the best.""Why are you leaving so soon? Aren't you going to help Frank...""He..." I gathered my thoughts. "He probably won't need my help anymore."His true love was probably coming back soon."What do you mean? If he doesn't need your help, are you just going to abandon me?"Madam Shaw pretended to be upset. "I was looking forward to having someone kind to spend the New Year with, and now you're leaving? It's the New Year, stay here and celebrate with me!""Grandma..."Seeing her like this, I was touched.But I also knew that staying here any longer would be inappropriate.Madam Shaw held my hand. "Even if you go back, you'll be alone. Just stick to my arrangements...""Grandma!"Suddenly, a domineering voic
Before I could say anything, Madam Shaw was instantly furious!With a face full of anger, she glared at Mrs. Shaw. "Who gave you the right to drive guests away from my courtyard?""Grandma, it's okay!"I remembered Frank saying that Grandma couldn't handle extreme emotions, so I quickly reassured her. "I was planning to leave anyway. Soon... Frank should bring the real Miss Shaw back to see you."In a family reunion scene like this, as an outsider, I shouldn't be here.Madam Shaw wanted to me to stay, but seeing that I was insistent, she didn't say anything more.I quickly gathered my luggage I had packed earlier in the morning, and soon came downstairs with my suitcase. Mrs. Shaw escorted me out of the courtyard and, once we were far enough that Madam Shaw couldn't hear, spoke with a hint of disdain, "Don't come back unless there's something really important. The Shaw family isn't a place where just anyone can use!""Mrs. Shaw." I didn't stop walking or look at her, and said ca
On the other side, Caleb threw his phone aside.The force was considerable, and it landed with a loud thud.If not for its special design, the screen would likely have shattered by now.Max, standing nearby, laughed. Seeing him silently drinking, he asked knowingly, "What's the matter? Has your wife taken a liking to someone else?"If it were anyone else, if their husband left without a word and answered a phone call with such cold indifference, they would surely be angry.Even if they didn't make a fuss, there would at least be some sign of frustration.Max guessed that Caleb wouldn't say anything, so he flipped open a blank document, his tone sarcastic. "Come on, you've traveled all the way from Yelar to Impelia for a business trip. It must be for a deal worth tens of billions, right?"He wrote "10 billion" on the blank sheet of paper, signed his name in the bottom corner, and handed it to Caleb. "Alright, sign here."Caleb gave it a cursory glance, his expression cold.Even
When Whitney went out, she ran into Yvonne and handed her the car keys. "Sorry for the trouble, Yvonne.""It's no trouble. I’ll just give them to Millie later on. Don't worry about it.""Okay."Whitney waved goodbye to Yvonne and got into Georgina's car.Georgina exchanged a few words with Yvonne before driving off.On the road, she asked, "Why didn't you get your driver's license?"Whitney replied, "I did, but I haven't driven on the road yet. I'm afraid I might damage Gilbert's car.""How could that happen?" Georgina laughed. "Gilbert's identity is special. The car has armor on the outside, it's crash-resistant, bulletproof, and resistant to everything.""As long as you avoid pedestrians, you'll be fine."Whitney still didn't dare.Georgina asked, "Didn't Caleb help you practice? He doesn't have much to do anyway."Caleb had indeed offered to help her practice driving.But she didn't dare, afraid of crashing his car, something she could never afford to repair.She liked
His eyes were ice cold. His noble background and the inherent sense of authority he carried made her feel breathless.She stood there for a while, then picked up the plate and walked over.Tentatively, she asked, "Do you... do you want some food?"Caleb looked at her for a few seconds before opening his mouth.Whitney sighed in relief, using a fork to pick up a piece of pasta to feed him.Seeing that he seemed to be eating fine, she slowly continued feeding him.Suddenly, she asked, "Was your alcohol poisoning a lie?"Caleb was still a little stirred up inside, his voice calm as he asked, "Do you want to have an argument?"Whitney didn't dare.She had only suddenly remembered this matter.Earlier, he had pinned her down for a while, yet she hadn't noticed anything wrong.Even if he was physically fine, he had gone to the hospital today, and surely, he shouldn't have had this much energy at night.Although she didn't know why his mother had lied with him, she understood that
Whitney was surprised and said sincerely, "Both of you are really talented."Georgina smiled, "We're from the same orphanage. We're not biological sisters, but we're just like real sisters."At that moment, Taylor came over, and Yvonne introduced her to Whitney.Taylor was also a quiet person. The two smiled at each other and then fell into silence.Georgina said to Taylor, "Get ready. His flight should be tomorrow night."Taylor's face immediately darkened. "Okay."Whitney sensed that something was off, but seeing their expressions, she wisely didn't ask."Let's go," Caleb returned with the food and called out to Whitney.Whitney didn't want to go back. "I want to talk with Georgina for a while."Caleb didn't speak, only looked at her, but his gaze was cold.Reluctantly, Whitney followed him back.Yvonne hooked her arm around Georgina's shoulder, watching Whitney follow Caleb to the room.She smiled slightly. "She looks really cute. Just like when you were Lucifer's secret
Whitney deeply regretted it when Caleb pinned her down in the hot spring pool.She should have just driven the car back slowly. Once they were in the city, she could switch drivers.She could have said she was nervous driving, that she was too tired, and surely she would have been able to avoid all of this.Instead, she had chosen to stay here and do something so embarrassing."This is an outdoor hot spring..."The boldest thing Whitney had ever done was when a man with some power had used his position to take advantage of her.At that time, she had been truly frustrated.She had worked so hard, with blood on her hands, just to survive and live a stable life.Yet, there was always someone trying to make her life difficult.In a fit of anger, she had used a brow-shaping knife to hurt that man.If it weren't for meeting Zachary, she would definitely be worse off than a street rat by now.But Caleb could always break her understanding of things and perform such bold actions."
"Georgina should know him better than I do, since you've known him longer than I have."Georgina nodded. "That's true, which is why I asked you if he's always bullying you. I just know how annoying his personality can be."Millie agreed, "Exactly.""Whitney, I've told you from the moment I met you—if you're being bullied, you have to tell me."But Whitney had never told her anything!She had thought that Caleb loved her so much that he wouldn't do anything to bully Whitney.But today, she realized that wasn't the case."You really have to listen to Georgina."Whitney nodded repeatedly but still said, "He hasn't bullied me, you guys don't need to worry."Some things, even though she admired and liked the Georgina, she couldn't say.If Caleb got angry, she would be the one to suffer. And perhaps it would also affect the Collins family.Since there was nothing wrong between them as a couple, outsiders wouldn't say much.Georgina's earlier remarks were also a subtle probe.It
Millie laughed so hard that her stomach hurt. She pointed at Caleb with a chicken leg. "Look at you now."She hugged Whitney, unable to contain her excitement. "You really stood up for me, Whitney."Whitney slowly processed what had just happened and turned to look at Caleb.Caleb, arms crossed, leaned back in his chair with a displeased expression on his face.Whitney nervously bit her lip. "I'm sorry..."Caleb's displeasure deepened. "Why are you apologizing?"Whitney looked at him sincerely. "I shouldn't have joined in teasing you. You're my husband, I should have spoken up for you."Caleb's anger suddenly dissipated.He patted Whitney on the head. "Alright, you've made progress. I'll forgive you this time, but don't let it happen again."Whitney nodded. "Thank you."The three girls across from them were all taken aback.The one laughing the hardest, Millie, was now staring wide-eyed.She had never seen anyone pursue someone like this.Caleb was unbelievable.Blake, ho
Whitney glanced at the steak and said she wasn't going to eat anymore, she was full.But her gaze remained fixed on Georgina.Caleb was rendered speechless.Georgina noticed this and rested her chin in her hand, looking at Whitney with a smile. "Whit likes me, doesn't she?"Up until now, only Jane and the others had called her Whit.But hearing it from her idol felt completely different.Whitney immediately felt a surge of nervousness. The flush from the hot spring had barely faded, but now it quickly came rushing back.She stammered, unable to speak for a long while.Georgina's smile deepened. "What's so embarrassing? I like Whit too.""That’s enough." Caleb tightened his grip on his knife and fork, afraid he might accidentally fling them."Lucifer's getting old, and he's not satisfying you anymore, is he?"What was she doing, flirting with his wife?Georgina removed her hand from her chin and gave Caleb a big thumbs up."I wouldn't dare to say that word, but you're reall
"If I stopped him from coming in, the things he could do would be worse than what's happening now."Yvonne changed into a green, form-fitting long dress, adjusting her makeup and hair in front of the mirror."Then I wouldn't be able to do business at all."Georgina crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe. "I can tell you never really intended to stop him."Yvonne glanced at her, her eyes soft and seductive.Georgina reached out and pinched her. "If I were him, I'd want to sleep with you too.""Get lost." Yvonne pushed her hand away. "Then have Lucifer handle it for me. Anyway, I don't have the authority to stop Blake. He’s a member of the Hilton family, after all."Georgina straightened up and became serious. "Are you sure?"Yvonne didn't answer, adjusting the straps of her dress as she walked out of the bathroom.Georgina smiled. "I knew you weren't serious."She draped her arm around Yvonne's shoulder as they walked out together. "Let's have a good talk. His paren