LOGINIan raised an eyebrow. “I wasn’t drunk last night. I was completely sober.“Sweetheart, I knew exactly what I was doing. I have been aware of my feelings for you for a long time. I just kept holding them back. But last night, when you hired those male escorts and leaned into that man’s arms, I could
Mia’s expression hardened. “Ian, what kind of thing is that to say? Who I date is none of your business.”“Fine.” Ian gave a short, cold laugh. “None of my business.”His face remained dark as he walked out. From that day on, he never returned to the Quinton estate.Mia did not see him for more than
Mia’s relationship with Ian had changed completely. Somewhere along the way, she had become the one doing the bullying.If she was upset, she would pinch or swat him without hesitation, and Ian would only grin and call her “Little Princess” or “Miss Trouble,” never once fighting back.Later, Mia was
By the time Ian was eighteen and in his senior year, his life was too busy with schoolwork to waste time picking on his stepsister. It had been a long time since he had teased Mia.The high school and middle school buildings were close to each other. That afternoon, he and a few classmates walked to
Lester was often away from home.In the beginning, whenever Mia was bullied by Ian, she would run to her mother, Sharon, in tears. But as a stepmother, Sharon felt she had no authority to discipline Ian. For the sake of keeping the household peaceful, she chose to turn a blind eye and never told Le
The first time Mia met Ian, she was only nine years old.Her mother, Sharon, held her hand and smiled brightly. “Say hello to your new brother.”The little girl tilted her head up at the tall boy in front of her, pressed her lips together, and obediently said, “Hi, brother.”The boy didn’t look the
Charlotte had been following Sean’s advice for the past few days, staying home and working remotely without stepping outside.It didn’t take long for Sean to track down the man behind Ryan.His name was Chester Simpson—a local kingpin in Jersey City with deep ties to both sides of the law. He ran do
Across the street, a sleek black Aston Martin sat parked by the curb.The tinted window on the back seat was partially rolled down, revealing Joseph’s sharp, fox-like eyes, which sparkled with a hint of amusement. A faint smile played at his lips.“Is that Sean Jasper’s woman?” he asked casually.Be
In the hallway outside the hospital’s emergency room, Xena kept wiping at her tears, her eyes red and swollen.“Aunt Xena, what happened to my dad?” Charlotte asked urgently, her face filled with worry.Xena choked back a sob as she spoke. “He said he was just going out to the stairwell for a smoke.
Charlotte’s expression darkened. “He’s not stupid enough to leave a trail back to himself.”Sean turned to look at Desmond, who lay pale and weak in the hospital bed. His tone held a hint of guilt. “Mr. Riley, I’m sorry this happened to you. This mess started because of me.”Desmond’s voice was frai







