تسجيل الدخولNight had fallen over Rippleview Court, lights glowing across the grounds.Stroud Group's latest new energy vehicle was about to launch, and Joshua had spent nearly a month working from dawn until late, returning home only to lock himself in his study, seemingly tireless.Tonight, he came home early for once. As he stepped inside, the sound of his son's joyful laughter greeted him."Ha! I won again! I won again!"Joshua froze, his heart skipping a beat.For a fleeting moment, he remembered when the living room had often been filled with Terence's laughter. Every time he entered, Winter would be there, playing with their son—either assembling LEGO sets or helping him operate his robot toys.Back then, Terence was still very young, and the robot toys were slightly advanced for his age. But Terence was sharper than most kids his age, and he handled the robots with ease.Winter's robots were homemade, slightly rough in design, not flashy, but more agile than anything on the market.
Ezekiel's eyes trembled with emotion. His blood ran cold, as if he'd been thrown into an endless, icy sea."By then, Ms. Everhart would be your sister-in-law. You wouldn't have a chance at all!"Ezekiel's voice was hoarse. "Impossible. Even if he wanted to, Leonard would never agree."In that moment, he revealed himself.He had often masked his true feelings toward Winter, speaking indifferently as if he didn't care. But after last night, a night of entangled passion, and the instant George voiced his concerns without hesitation, he felt completely unmoored."Mr. Fulton, nothing is ever absolute!" George blurted out, recalling Winter's subtle reactions toward Reginald earlier that day. Panic flared in his chest. "Ms. Everhart is exceptional. Anyone with eyes could see it—except Joshua, who's blind to her worth."She's talented, stunning, and already a CEO at such a young age. Who wouldn't admire her? If Reginald really set his sights on her and pleaded with Mr. Leonard, well… Mr.
"I swear, nothing happened! Really!" George forced a bitter smile before adding, "Even if… Even if something had happened, Mr. Fulton, look at me. With my background, what respectable young lady would ever want anything to do with me? I'll only end up causing trouble for whoever comes near me."Ezekiel swallowed the whiskey, his throat moving as he did. "You've left the gangs behind. I've cleared your name. You're not the same George who was once trapped in the shadows. Stop selling yourself short."George pressed his lips together. That young lady, Michelle, was adorable, playful, and a little wild last night—but that was all there was to it. He wouldn't develop any romantic feelings. Right from the start, they were from two entirely separate worlds.At that moment, George's phone vibrated. A subordinate sent him surveillance footage.He opened it, eyes widening. "Mr. Fulton, look at this!"Ezekiel took the phone with his right hand, whiskey in his left, gaze lowering.The foota
"Black-framed glasses? White mask?" Winter frowned, unease twisting tighter in her chest. The more she thought about it, the creepier it became.The man Michelle described sounded like a well-dressed psychopathic killer straight out of a crime movie.What unsettled her even more, though, was how he'd only brushed against Michelle—and Michelle had instantly gone unconscious. That move wasn't just vicious; it was precise, silent, and terrifying."Mich, take your shirt off. I need to see."Michelle complied, peeling off her white blouse and revealing her smooth, pale skin and slender arms.Her flawless skin made it impossible to miss—the tiny puncture on her arm stood out like a red warning."Damn! What a monster!" Winter's eyes burned red with fury as she stared at the tiny pinprick.To set her up, they'd even dragged the people around her into the scheme. That was absolutely intolerable."Let's go to the hospital!" Winter gripped Michelle's cold hands, her face pale with rage, h
As she left the hotel, Winter tried calling Michelle again, but there was still no answer.She crossed the street and bought a coffee from a cafe. After finishing it, she hesitated for a long moment before deciding to contact Michelle's family.If Michelle hadn't gone home last night, they needed to report her missing immediately.Winter didn't believe Reginald would target her secretary. Michelle was innocent, almost too trusting. To a man with Reginald's power and influence, she posed no threat at all.But now the clues suggested something else.The person who spiked the drinks and set the trap might not have been Reginald at all.If that was the case, whether Michelle had been targeted as well was unknown.Just then, Winter's phone rang. Her eyes widened in relief as she answered the call immediately."Mich! Where are you?""Winter… I'm in a hotel room. I just woke up…"Michelle's voice was weak, as if all the strength had been drained from her. "Winter… I feel awful. I fe
Winter let out a quiet sigh, her emotions tangled.Last night had been a night of reckless passion. If she was honest with herself, did she really resent him?Beneath that flare of anger, was there not the faintest trace of relief?Relief that, at least, it had been him.…Winter picked out one outfit, leaving the rest in the room. She texted George and told him to come collect them later.She supported her aching waist and slowly made her way forward.It wasn't just her back that hurt. Somewhere more intimate burned as well, a sharp, tearing soreness that spread through her entire body.It felt less like she had spent the night in a hotel room with Ezekiel and more like she had just gone through childbirth again.Winter couldn't help recalling what George had said before, that Ezekiel had "never been with any woman".He had been clumsy and overeager, clearly unaware of how much force he was using, like a young man with no experience at all.But Ezekiel's relationship with A
Winter lifted her eyes toward the voice. Her heart clenched, and her lips trembled slightly."P-Professor Cole."A few steps away, a distinguished man in his 60s, with streaks of gray at his temples, came to a halt, staring at her in disbelief. He blinked hard. "Is it really you?""Yeah," Winter
Terence's eyes shook. He spun around sharply, staring at Winter's back in shock. "Winter!" Alistair's dull eyes immediately brightened. He ran toward her with pure joy, arms raised but then hesitated, lowering them in fear.He had been bullied all day. He almost threw himself into her arms, wanti
Just as Jasmine was reveling in her smugness, the crowd erupted in gasps."Wow! Alistair's mom is incredible!""No kidding! Her problem was so tough, yet she solved it without even needing to think about it! Is her brain AI-powered or what?""Not only is she gorgeous, but she's also smart. Alista
Winter's nose prickled as she pulled out a tissue and gently wiped the dirt from Alistair's backpack.She moved with the quiet care of a mother.Alistair was so young, yet far too mature. His sensibility broke her heart. It also pulled her back to her own childhood—when Victoria died and she lived







