The villas here are cottage-style houses, each with its own small garden. When my mother was alive, she filled the garden with climbing roses. When the flowers bloomed, the roses would cover the walls, creating a beautiful sight in an instant.After getting married, Max was concerned that I might feel melancholic seeing these things and suggested that we move out. So, we decided to buy the spacious 300-square-meter apartment where we currently live.As I stepped out of the car, a luxurious car drove past the corner.With the window partially open, I caught a glimpse of the stern and cold face of the man in the driver's seat within seconds.Strange, why was Luke here?Although I wasn't close to Luke, whenever he visited our house to discuss matters with my dad, my dad would often insist that Luke stay for dinner before heading home. He would say that it was a long journey for him to travel on an empty stomach, implying that he didn't live nearby.So, what was he doing here?As I
โAlmost killed you?โ Steven looked puzzled. "Miss Middleton, what are you saying?""Are you sure this person named Cindy is Max's mistress?"Steven replied calmly, "I can't guarantee it's one hundred percent certain, but I'm ninety-five percent sure."Wendy mentioned that Steven was a well-known private detective in Johnsonville. He was skilled and resourceful, and his team usually handled cases for the wealthy. They were so popular that they had a waiting list. It was common knowledge in the industry that Steven charged high fees, but his professional skills justified the cost. If Steven was ninety percent sure about something, then it was almost a certainty.I couldn't help but sneer, feeling a chill run down my spine.So, she had tried to kill me!Clutching the call records in my hand, I tried to keep my voice calm. "About six months ago, I met Cindy once.""I was six months pregnant at the time, and according to the doctor's instructions, I had to go for prenatal screening a
After making that statement, I called my husband, Max, on the phone and urgently said, "Honey, please help me call the police. I need to go to the hospital right away. My stomach is in a lot of pain, and I'm really worried about the baby..."In that moment, I was sweating profusely from the pain and didn't realize that Max was silent on the other end of the line while I was speaking to the person responsible for the accident.Despite my dislike for her, I got into Cindy's car and allowed her to drive me to the hospital. I couldn't risk the safety of my baby.During the car ride, Cindy asked me, "You're pretty far along, about five or six months pregnant, right? Why didn't your husband take you to the hospital? Does he really love you? What's the purpose of your marriage?"At the time, I was naive and simply thought she was a reckless and rude woman. Looking back, it's clear that she was intentionally trying to provoke me!Upon arriving at the hospital, Max joined us shortly after.
"Miss Middleton, life is not like a novel. Those privileged children from wealthy families, who have witnessed the deception and rivalry in aristocratic circles, are far from innocent. Cindy comes from such a background. In marriages like hers, personal decisions are often overridden. Max may not even come close to reaching the level of the Lansworth family even in a decade. Doesn't Cindy realize that?"Indeed, the daughter of Devon Electronics and a self-made man from humble beginnings were completely different worlds. The beautiful love stories between a wealthy heiress and a poor commoner only exist in novels. In real life, most relationships consider social status and financial gain."While I don't have concrete evidence yet, my intuition tells me that Cindy's target is you, not Max," Steven chuckled. "From my perspective, Cindy wouldn't be so foolish. Whether she fell head over heels for Max or just wanted to have some fun, if she truly wanted him, she could pressure him to divo
I pursed my lips and said, "I'll take your advice and be more careful."Steven stood up and said, "I'll update you as soon as I have news.""Okay."With swift movements, Steven grabbed his toolbox and left my house. Once he was gone, the room fell silent. I looked up at the bookshelves covering the wall and followed them up to the high ceiling where a skylight let in the morning sunlight, casting dust motes dancing in its beams. Suddenly, my life felt very uncertain.At that moment, Wendy called, asking if I had met with Steven and how our conversation went."He seems trustworthy, but maybe a bit imaginative.""What do you mean?" Wendy asked. "What did he speculate?"I told Wendy about Steven's investigation into Cindy's identity and his speculations.After hearing me out, Wendy asked, "Jen, are you absolutely sure you don't know Cindy? Think carefully. Have you ever encountered her in your life? According to Steven's logic, this woman must harbor intense resentment toward you
To avoid any meddling from his overbearing mother, Max decided to purchase a bus ticket for her the following day. He accompanied her to the bus station, bidding her farewell.With the presence of the unpleasant person out of the house, the atmosphere became noticeably more refreshing.Meanwhile, I prepared a cup of warm milk for myself and put on my headphones. I then launched the app that Teacher Wendy had recommended to me, allowing me to discreetly listen in on the device hidden in Max's car.The conversation between Max and his mother during their car ride proved to be quite intriguing. Concerned, Max's mom inquired, "Max, now that I'm leaving, who will keep an eye on that despicable woman? What if she tries something while you're at work?""Don't worry, Mom. I have everything under control. I've installed cameras at home, enabling me to monitor her every move," Max reassured her.He must have shown his mother the live feed from the surveillance cameras on his phone, saying,
"Huh?""So, that's why I need to get Jen's inheritance. Then I'll have the confidence to meet Cindy's parents."Ha... using the money my parents left me as a facade to impress the mistress's family? Is that what you're scheming, Max? You shameless jerk! Fat chance!After that, they didn't discuss anything important.Not long after, Steven messaged me a location.It was a place called Asta Residence.A well-known luxury community in Johnsonville, where the average price is a hundred grand. You need either proof of substantial funds or elite status to even be considered for a chance to buy there.Steven sent a photo: Max was helping Annie with her luggage from the basement to the elevator.Steven: They're going to the sixteenth floor. It's one apartment per floor in this community.Me: Got it.Steven: I'll arrange for someone to keep watch, but since you caught Max cheating, he'll probably behave for a while. Miss Jen, don't rush.Me: I'm not rushing. I have plenty of time to
Upon hearing Max's explanation, Cindy's disbelief was evident. She smiled and retorted, "Come on, Max, do you think I'm stupid?""Seriously, Cindy, that night I..."Max began to explain, but Cindy interrupted him abruptly, issuing an ultimatum, "Here's the deal, Max. I'll give you a month. If you can't resolve things with Jen within that time, then it's over between us."Max asked solemnly, "Cindy, don't you love me anymore?"Suddenly, it reminded me of that night when he knelt before me, asking in the same tone, "Honey, don't you love me anymore?"I felt nauseated."I don't blame you. I was just a step too late to meet you. I thought after that night, we wouldn't see each other again. But who knew when we met again, you were already someone else's husband. Maybe we just don't have enough fate, Max."After saying this, Cindy hung up the phone.Max repeated "hello" several times, then cursed in frustration, "Damn it."Indeed, with such a grand opportunity within reach, everythi
We both knew how we felt about each other, but neither of us made the first move to confess.โI gave birth to him in circumstances I couldnโt control,โ Molly said, her hands tightly clutching her cup, fingers unconsciously tracing its edge. โI used to think about fighting back against the people who hurt me, but reality forced me to wake up. I couldnโt afford to lose everything.โShe hesitated, her gaze dropping. โThere are things from back then that I just canโt bring myself to tell him.โWhen I arranged for Luke and Molly to spend some time alone, the two of them mostly sat in silence.โMrs. Walker couldnโt have children for years after her marriage. Luke was just a tool to help her secure her place in the family,โ Molly explained.Mr. Walker was handsome, wealthy, and from a good family. After getting married, women constantly threw themselves at him. According to the information Wendy had dug up, Landon didnโt exactly push them away.In such a situation, Mrs. Walker, Ashleigh
Molly poured four glasses of juice and sat across from Luke.She looked like she wanted to say something but didnโt know where to start.I gave Ian a quick look.Ian took a sip of his juice and said, โMiss, the juice is sweet and sourโitโs so good!โโDrink it up, and Iโll pour you some more,โ Molly offered.Luke interjected, โItโs almost time to rest. Donโt drink too much juice.โโIโm sorry, I donโt have experience taking care of kids,โ Molly said, lowering her head. After a pause, she quietly repeated, โIโm sorry.โShe was probably thinking of Luke as a baby.I clutched my stomach, pretending to wince. โExcuse me, Molly. My stomach hurts; I need to head back to my room.โAs I stood, I grabbed Ianโs wrist.Ian caught on quickly. โJen is a girl. Sheโll get scared going back aloneโI have to go with her.โNot giving Luke a chance to respond, I opened the door and said, โMr. Walker, you stay and chat with Molly. Ian and I will be back in a bit.โIn the hallway, Ian looked thoug
Molly wasnโt the type to make things difficult for others. She didnโt give the hotel manager a hard time.After the staff left, Molly turned to thank Luke and me. โThank you for staying with me and helping me handle this.โLuke glanced at her but didnโt say anything.The silence grew awkward, so I quickly broke it. โYou donโt have to thank us. We didnโt really do much.โโWould you like to come in and sit for a while?โ Molly invited us into her room.Before either of us could respond, Ian, whoโd been holding back his excitement, eagerly chimed in, โYes, yes! Letโs go!โI sighed internally.Molly finally noticed the little one in Lukeโs arms. โAnd whoโs this?โโIโm Ian Lloyd,โ he introduced himself cheerfully.But the moment he got a good look at Mollyโs face, he let out a small โHuh?โ and then turned to look at Luke.Luke frowned slightly, and their eyes metโa silent understanding passing between them. Ian immediately shut his mouth and swallowed whatever heโd been about to sa
Five hours later, we arrived in Sharonville.Before the trip, Luke had everything arranged. After landing, we took a car to the hotel heโd booked in advance.In the hotel lobby, we ran into Molly. She was walking with two middle-aged men in sharp suits, smiling as she chatted with them.When her eyes met Lukeโs, her smile froze for a moment, then slowly softened as she stared at him without blinking.Luke didnโt acknowledge her. He walked right past, brushing by her shoulder as though she wasnโt there. From the corner of my eye, I saw her eyes redden.The two men exchanged glances but didnโt say anything. That night, however, they sent two young, handsome men to Mollyโs room.Our room was on the same floor as Mollyโs. After dinner out, we returned to the hotel and saw her standing at her door with the two young men.Their faces were powdered with heavy makeup, and they looked eager to please, practically glued to her.My thoughts immediately took a less innocent turn.Luke co
Amy messaging me at this hour was probably another complaint about other agencies trying to poach her, or how stressed she was about it all.The underlying message? She wanted me to contact Mr. Lloyd to secure better resources for herโa thinly veiled threat, essentially.Since several popular artists left One Entertainment, the companyโs resources had started to dwindle.Mr. Lloydโs return wasnโt just because of his love for acting. He also wanted to support the companyโs artists, giving them more opportunities to shine.Amy had already begun to stand out. If she simply focused on honing her craft and stayed patient, sheโd get her share of the spotlight.When Mr. Lloyd founded the company, his goal was to grow it into a powerhouse that protected its artists. Now, he had adopted a more laid-back approach: if an artist wanted to leave, they just needed to pay the penalty fee.Amyโs tactics wouldnโt change anything.I went back to reading my book.My phone buzzed again, and I ass
Mr. Lloyd's words carried a hint of reassurance for me.โJen, Uncle asked me to create a travel itinerary!โLuke had been telling Ian lots of stories about Sharonville, and Ian had also looked up a ton of information online. He now knew every street in the city and how many shops were on each one.Carefully folding his sweaters, Ian placed them neatly into his suitcase, which was decorated with a cheerful Doraemon sticker.โIโm really looking forward to your travel guide, Ian!โโIโve already finished most of it!โ Ian was a serious little worker who never did things half-heartedly. If he said it was nearly done, he was probably putting on the finishing touches.I praised him warmly.โJen, since the three of us are traveling together, we need to consider everyoneโs preferences and suggestions.โโSo, you want to get my input to finalize it?โโExactly.โโWell, wherever you want to go is where I want to go. This trip, Iโll leave the planning to you.โLuke had work to handle in Shar
For the past few days, Luke has been picking me up and dropping me off at work.Reporters often linger outside One Entertainment, and it took a lot of effort for rumors about me and Luke to die down. I didnโt want them to resurface.Luke understood my concerns, so he always parked his car a block away from the company. Once he sent me a message, Iโd grab Ian and head over.That evening, Luke prepared another full table of dishes for dinner.Ever since things thawed between us, I hadnโt said much during meals, but the atmosphere was much more relaxed than before.โSheโs already in Sharonville,โ Luke said.โHasnโt she been out of the country for years? Will she be safe there alone?โHe was talking about Molly.The Walker family has been a prominent family in Sharonville for generations, with deep-rooted connections and influence. Mrs. Walker is a respected figure, and many people in Sharonville owe her favors. It wouldnโt be surprising if someone decided to teach Molly a lesson on
I watched the behind-the-scenes footage, and Mr. Lloyd looked great. After stepping out of the spotlight for a few years, his demeanor has become even more composed and sophisticated, perfectly matching the calm and collected surgeon he portrays in the show.โHeโs as brilliant as ever,โ Beatrice said, her eyes filled with admiration. โAs long as the co-stars hold their ground, this show is bound to be a hit.โโHe has an exceptional eye for picking scripts,โ she added, her gaze glued to the screen.I didnโt interrupt her. Instead, I got up and went to the kitchen to check on Ianโs progress.For someone so young, Ian took everything seriously. Standing on a small stool to make up for his height, he carefully worked on brewing coffee, his movements precise and methodical.โWaiter Number One, Ian Lloyd, at your service. Your oat latte will be ready soon,โ he announced cheekily.I laughed at his playful tone and played along. โWaiter Number Two will now deliver orange juice to Mr. Ian
While Beatrice chatted with Ian, I brought the gifts to the living room."You're too kind, Ms. Middleton.""Ian bought these with his pocket money."I winked at Ian.He caught on quickly, nodding.Beatrice warmly invited me to sit.Fresh fruit and two plates of nuts were on the coffee table.She placed a fruit bowl before me. "Yesterday's blueberries are freshโcrisp and sweet."The large blueberries were covered in bloom. I took one and made space for Beatrice."What would you like? Coffee or juice?""Fresh orange juice for me, and Jen likes oat milk latte," Ian said, playing with a doll, squishing its face into different shapes.Suddenly remembering our earlier conversation, he dropped the doll and ran to the kitchen. "I've learned lots from Jen. I can make juice and coffee!"Beatrice praised him: "How impressive!"She started toward the kitchen, concerned.I held her arm. "Ian's a quick learner. He does everything properly. We can trust him.""He gets along so well wit