LOGINThe car fell quiet for a while.Outside the windows came the muffled noise of the city.Miranda leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes to rest, but her mind was already planning the details of the upcoming handover with the military.Felix turned his head and looked at her quiet profile.Her long lashes cast faint shadows beneath her eyes. Her nose was delicate and straight, and her lips were soft and rosy.His throat moved slightly before he could stop himself.In the dim light, Miranda leaned against the seat like a cat with its claws tucked away. She looked so quiet and obedient that it made his heart soften.For a moment, he had the urge to pull her into his arms.But the thought, no matter how strong, stayed locked inside him.He knew Miranda would not allow it.Still, at least their relationship was easing now.She had accepted his cooperation. She was willing to be at peace with him.That was enough.The car came to a smooth stop outside the Gibson estate.Mir
Miranda had just finished exchanging contact information with the young biologist when a low, magnetic male voice sounded beside her.“Dr. Stone, are you done talking? Could I have a word?”Miranda looked up. “Sure.”She nodded politely to the biologist, then followed Felix to the side.“I’m heading back to the Gibson estate in ten minutes,” Felix said. “Want to come with me?”Mia was at the Gibson estate, so of course Miranda needed to go pick her up.She nodded. “All right. We’ll go together.”She hadn’t driven here. With the roads nearby blocked off for the event, getting a cab wouldn’t be easy either. She could only ride with him.A hint of a smile passed through Felix’s eyes.“I’ll have Gavin bring the car to the entrance.”Ten minutes later, Miranda and Felix left the dinner together.It was already eight-thirty.Once they got into the car, Miranda rubbed the space between her brows, looking a little tired.Socializing really wasn’t her strong suit.In truth, she ha
When Xena returned to the main hall, a server suddenly told her that Peter had gone to the lounge to rest and wanted her to join him later.Xena looked toward Felix in the crowd.After adjusting her expression, she picked up a glass of wine and walked toward him.“Felix, long time no see,” Xena said, forcing out a natural smile. Her voice was soft and sweet.Felix was talking with several senior figures in the business world. When he heard her, he only swept her a cold glance from the corner of his eye.He didn’t even give her a proper look.Xena noticed a few familiar faces in the group. From their expressions, she could tell they had once misunderstood her relationship with Felix.A smile curved her lips.“Felix, don’t be so cold. We’ve known each other for years, haven’t we?”The people around them were slightly stunned by Felix’s reaction.They all knew there had once been something between Xena and Felix. But judging from his attitude now, Felix clearly had no interest i
Love that came too late was worthless.Felix deserved to know what it felt like to love someone he could no longer have.That would be his punishment.Xena let out a slow breath.The man she could never have was now being kept at arm’s length by another woman.What could be more satisfying than that?“Miranda Stone, you’d better keep that pride of yours until the very end. Don’t give Felix another chance. Go spend the rest of your life with that precious career of yours,” Xena muttered to herself.All Xena had to do was stand back and watch.She would watch Felix try every possible way to win Miranda back.She would watch Miranda remain completely unmoved.Maybe fate was fair after all.Felix was finally paying for what he had done.He was finally getting a taste of what it felt like to chase after the wife he had lost.Xena couldn’t wait to see him suffer for it.After all, she was the only one who knew Felix had stayed faithful to Miranda all these years.In the most r
Miranda listened to Xena.Clearly, Xena didn’t know the truth.Back then, after Miranda had confessed her feelings, Felix hadn’t given her an answer right away. So Miranda had chosen to give up.The reason they had ended up married wasn’t because Miranda had begged for it.It was because, just as she was ready to walk away, Felix had been the one to bring it up first.“Xena Spencer, don’t judge other people by your own filthy thoughts,” Miranda said coldly. “Since you’ve already latched onto Peter Warren, then behave yourself and live your own life.”Her voice sharpened slightly.“Going around bragging about your glorious past with Felix won’t do you any good.”Miranda picked up her bag and was about to leave, but Xena grabbed her arm, unwilling to let her go.“Miranda, stop pretending you’re so gracious. I don’t believe you really don’t hate him at all. At the pool, when he had to choose between us, he chose me. In the dressing room, he enjoyed my attention. Do you really bel
But Peter wouldn’t give up on digging into the Chamber’s fund.After all, he still hadn’t given up on becoming chairman of the Chamber. In his lifetime, he had to sit in that position at least once and enjoy the power for himself.Besides, he had long been dissatisfied with Felix, this younger man who had dared to stand above him.Losing the election last time had already made Peter lose face. Tonight, Felix had humiliated him in public again.With old grudges and new resentment piled together, how could he possibly let this go?Others might not dare challenge Felix Gibson’s position.But Peter wasn’t afraid.Just then, Xena, who stood beside him, caught sight of Miranda heading toward the restroom.She immediately said to Peter, “Peter, I’m going to the restroom.”When Miranda came out of the stall, Xena was already standing at the sink, washing her hands.Through the mirror, Xena looked at her.“You looked quite impressive tonight, Ms. Stone.”The stall doors were all ope
“Professor, this is Dr. Stone,” Dr. Smith said.The renowned expert studied her for a few seconds, clearly impressed. “You are so young, yet you have already achieved so much. That is truly impressive. Dr. Smith mentioned your research on leukemia to me. You are an outstanding young scientist.”Mi
Early the next morning, Miranda got in touch with Sally. The main summit had wrapped up the day before, and with only the remaining academic exchanges ahead, Sally was preparing to return home.After what had happened the night before, Miranda decided she would personally spend the next few days ac
“You’re already in your twenties, yet you’re still acting so immature,” Mrs. Gibson Sr. said sternly. “Your dad passed away early. It’s only right that Felix looks out for you. What’s wrong with that?” “You all take Miranda’s side anyway!” Sienna cried. “She’s the one you really care about. Not me
Hayden reached out and gave Leo a light pat on the shoulder, asking curiously, “So what were you two just talking about?”“Nothing,” Leo said casually, lifting his gaze toward Felix. “Just chatting.”Felix raised an eyebrow. “Yeah. Just chatting.”Hayden looked back and forth between the two of t







