There was a shrewd gleam in Renee's eyes, and it was obvious her mind was racing to make sense of all the information Yulia had given her. "You can’t say that. Both the Hunt and Everheart families were developing in Beach City and both families always helped each other. There weren't any big conflicts of interest. Even if they became distant because of your brother's incident, they never meddled in each other's business. I think that the Hunt family's rapid development was mainly caused by their own efforts." "That's true." Renee's gaze softened. "After all, the Hunt family were the only ones who helped my family when they went bankrupt that year. Besides, Grandpa arranged a marriage between Stefan and I because he believed that the Hunt family were the only ones who could truly take care of me. If they really were my parents' murderers, Grandpa would have never let me marry into the family." Renee did suspect the Hunt family that year, but she quickly eliminated that option beca
"What do you think?" Renee looked at the man eagerly."This is the most delicious coffee I've ever had. It reminds me of… an old friend." Stefan said softly, then closed his eyes and took another sip, savouring the smooth and rich flavour. Even though he was an extremely picky person, this cup of coffee was indeed impeccable. It was so perfect that he was sure he had become addicted to it. "That's for sure. This is my masterpiece." Renee grinned, lifting her chin proudly. She learned how to brew coffee for Stefan's sake. She became more motivated when she saw how much he enjoyed it, and it made her feel that all her efforts were worthwhile. Stefan drank more coffee, and his muddled mind felt clearer. Scenes of a familiar woman flashed in his mind, but he could never see who she was. Whenever he tried, his head started to ache. "Damn it!" Stefan groaned, his eyebrows knit tightly as he rested his head in his hands. He looked pained, and a thin layer of sweat had appeared on hi
Renee gritted her teeth, trying to drown out the pain. Stefan tightened his grip on her hand and growled menacingly, "I can't wait until I can see again. Tell me now—what kind of past did we have? The person I love the most is Seraphina, so what kind of witchcraft are you using to confuse me?" He wanted to know the truth because he couldn't stand the pain of trying to remember. Everytime he tried to recall something, it felt like someone was taking a scalpel to his brain, and the pain was enough to drive anyone mad. "I... Ah!" Renee whimpered in pain, unable to hold it back any longer."What's wrong?" Stefan immediately released her hand."Nothing. It's just that your grip was too strong and it hurt me." Renee inhaled deeply as she adjusted the bandage on her wrist. Blood was oozing out of the wound, staining the bandages red.Renee thought bitterly, 'How pathetic. Just a bit of force and I bleed this much. If an enemy comes after me now, I'll be doomed.' Renee tried to calm
Before anyone could say anything, the trouble Margaret mentioned burst onto the scene.It was none other than Jovan. "My dear cousin, that's not very cool of you..." Jovan was dressed smartly in a suit with his hair slicked back, and he walked towards them gracefully. His lips curved upwards into a smirk, and he said teasingly, "I heard you had a little accident, cousin of mine. The Hunts and the Murphys are doing all they can to look for you, but here you are, clinging to a woman you can't seem to leave. You certainly know how to enjoy life.""Jovan, what are you doing here?" Renee stood in front of Stefan protectively, and glared at Jovan like he was a monster. "Trying to be the knight in shining armour, Renee? I don't think your 'damsel in distress' would appreciate it." Jovan scoffed, staring at Renee and Stefan shrewdly. "Woman, do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused?" However, Renee ignored Jovan and turned to Margaret. "Margaret, get Stefan out of here. I'll
Jovan held his hands out, looking remorseful. "Well, you know the rules of Hunt Enterprise..."Renee frowned and asked quickly, "What rules?""You're close to Stefan, so I'm surprised you don't know this. There's a rule in Hunt Enterprise stating that whoever takes over the company must be physically healthy and have full civil power. If not, a new leader will be selected from the legal heirs.""So, you did all this to prove that he doesn't have full civil power so you can replace him as the legal heir of Hunt Enterprise?" Renee sneered."No need to paint me as a villain, Renee. I'm just worried about my dear cousin's health. As for whether I have to replace him as the head of Hunt Enterprise, it depends on the board of directors. I am just a pawn in their hands." Jovan shrugged casually, his eyes glinting."Yes, clearly you're innocent in all this," Renee scoffed sarcastically, infuriated by Jovan's words.On the contrary, Stefan was very calm. He said expressionlessly, "That is
Renee's aura was so strong that the medical team immediately froze. They didn't dare to approach this woman who looked like a ferocious tigress protecting her cub. "Er..." The members of the medical investigation team glanced at Stefan, then turned to the directors helplessly. "Hmph! What a pathetic woman!" Jovan looked at Renee coldly. She had risked her life for Stefan, and Jovan was so jealous that it almost drove him mad. He flashed her a sinister smile. "You claim that he's your man, but why don't you ask him if he is?" He walked over to Renee and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "You care so much about him, but he doesn't even remember you. Clearly, you're not that important to him. Don't you find yourself pitiful?" Renee was at a loss for words. She pursed her lips, unable to deny it. Jovan knew her weakness, and was cruelly using it against her. 'He's not wrong... Stefan, you jerk! How can you remember everyone but me?' When Jovan saw the pain in Renee's eyes, he st
Renee's body was so weak that she couldn't even struggle to free herself. She had used too much of her blood as medicine for Stefan, and now, she couldn't even fight against a worthless piece of trash like Jovan. She felt so useless. After a long silence, Stefan finally spoke up, "Let them evaluate my health, since everyone's so curious about my condition." The medical staff heaved a sigh of relief and approached Stefan to carry out the evaluation. "Mr. Hunt, we will begin now. We'll inspect your brain first. Please bear with us." "No, you can't!" Renee screamed, exhausting herself as she struggled in Jovan's grasp. "Don't let them touch you! You're Stefan Hunt! Didn't you say that you weren't a coward? How can you admit defeat so easily?!" Renee knew that if Hunt Enterprise did have such a rule, Jovan would succeed as soon as the medical report was produced. She didn't understand why Stefan would admit defeat at such a critical moment. However, Stefan ignored Renee's advice
The members of the board of directors produced a document and handed it to Stefan respectfully. "Mr. Hunt, this is the document to give up the right to manage Hunt Enterprise. We need your signature, but we don't know if you can sign it on your own given your current condition." Stefan raised his head slightly, and said calmly, "Give me the pen." "No, you can't sign that!" Renee tried her best to break free of Jovan's grasp, but she was too weak to. "Let go of me! I'll kill you, I swear!" She struggled in Jovan's arms desperately. Out of options, she grabbed his arm and bit it savagely. "Hush, be good. This is Stefan's choice. Even if I let you go, he'll still sign it. You don't have to meddle in this." "Jovan, you're despicable! Do you think you can defeat him using such underhanded methods? I won't let you succeed. You'll always be inferior to him!" Renee bit into Jovan's arm fiercely, trembling all over. The coppery scent of blood filled the air as it seeped into her mouth.
Stefan purposely spoke politely. Awkwardness filled everyone again. The children continued making comments and said a lot of rude things to Stefan."Keep quiet. Didn't you hear me? Are you asking for a beating?" Renee scolded.Renee was gripped with an unspeakable sadness, just like Stefan. She failed to hold herself back from getting mad at the children. "Mommy, we're taking your side. We want to seek revenge for you. Did we do anything wrong? Why are you mad at Abby and me?" Adie felt aggrieved. He would always unconditionally take his mother's side. If Stefan were his family, he would openly welcome Stefan. But since Stefan had abandoned their family and made Renee sad, Adie would only regard Stefan as his enemy. He would fight Stefan fiercely. "Your daddy and I aren't at war. You don't have to pick a side. I just want you kids to be good and not be affected by my relationship with him. Although we're separated, he's still your daddy. No one can replace him. Do you under
When Quinton saw how Renee looked at him, he held himself back and muttered, "You're so dumb. How could you side with him at this moment?""No, I'm not. I just think he's right. There's no right or wrong in a relationship. You can't criticize people just because they don't like me. It'll make us look very petty," Renee said. "Hmph! Do you have to act fine when others bully you? If that's the case, I'm petty," Quinton muttered, but did not expose his thoughts openly. He merely did not want to embarrass Renee, and angrily sipped some wine. Everyone held different thoughts as they ate. In the meantime, Renee and Stefan met each other's gaze several times before quickly looking away. They hid their feelings, but knew what the other felt. Eventually, Margaret returned to the private room with the two children. Both Adie and Abby instantly realized that Stefan was there. Surprise overcame them. Still, they tried their best to suppress their yearning for Stefan's love since he had
Then, Stefan calmly placed the crab leg on the plate in front of Leia. Leia was flabbergasted. She did not dare to move. She wondered what he was doing, and if he wanted to sacrifice her."Why aren't you eating it?" Stefan looked at Leia, sounding composed. Yet, he was full of the dominance that could burn anyone.Leia swallowed and gnashed her teeth, asking Stefan, "How could you peel the crab for me? Isn't it inappropriate?" She was the most cowardly person. Usually, she looked fierce and indignant as if she wanted to punish Stefan severely. But when he came to her and looked at her, she would be very frightened. She would not dare to do anything."Why not? Someone said women shouldn't peel the prawns or crabs themselves. I'm just being a gentleman. It's nothing serious. It's just peeling the crab!" Stefan said. It was rare to see him speak so much. It was incompatible with his contradictory identity. However, it was clear that he was mocking Justin and saying how ridiculo
Both Stefan and Justin mocked each other, which made the atmosphere more awkward. Although Liam and Leia were simply watching the fun, they felt awkward, too. It made them restless.Renee was having a hard time, too. She smacked the table and said to Stefan and Justin, "You'd better stop eating. Go out and fight. The food got cold because of your endless fight."When she spoke, she sounded like a class teacher with absolute authority. Although both Stefan and Justin were dissatisfied, they fell silent and did not dare to say more. Everyone started enjoying the great food, but said nothing. It seemed a little gloomy.Renee was about to get a prawn, but Justin had already peeled it nicely for her. He dipped it in some sauce and put it in Renee's bowl. "I know you love prawns the best. I've peeled it for you. Of course, women can't peel the prawns themselves.""Oh, Mr. Baldwin. You're considerate. You're a role model among the men. Anyone who marries you will be very happy!" Le
Justin smiled and described the children's experiences, acting like a stepfather. When he talked about the children, he made it sound like they were his biological children. Stefan didn't look so good. He felt that the glass of wine was getting bitter."Well, I'm sure kids will find everything new and exciting when they go to a new place. But they'll get bored with it when time passes. They'll love their real home better." Stefan had wanted to act relaxed and casual, but he could not stop himself from refuting when he heard Justin's provocative words. "Mm?" Leia sat beside Liam and leaned against his arm, and whispered, "What are they doing? This is weird. Are they going to fight?""It's just a competition between men. They won't get into a fight." Liam kept eating and watching the fun. He merely found it amusing. As expected, Renee was greatly admired. Although she remained silent, she would always be in the limelight. Liam was amused to see people like Stefan or Justin
"How dare you!"Stefan's words instantly made Leia speechless. She had wanted to rebuke him, but he snatched the chance from her and struck her dumb.In short, he was an utter scumbag.After a moment, Leia finally managed to comment, "How shameless!" Justin had kept silent all the while. He looked at Stefan with a scrutinizing and mocking gaze. "Mr. Hunt, I admire your honesty and self-awareness. If that's the case, let's stop being reserved and have fun together!""Yes, let's have fun together. I'm shameless, too!" Liam joined in the effort to mock Stefan. He swayed his glass of wine and faked a smile. "I've known her a long time, so of course I know what shameless things Mr. Hunt has done. I think I'd better grab this chance to tell you all of them since everyone is here today."Standing at the door, Renee was worried that Liam might say more indecent things. She hurriedly stopped him. "Pipe down, Liam!" "Got it." Liam shrugged helplessly but obeyed her.Although he yea
"Do you want to leave?" Stefan saw Renee. He was calm, indifferent, and distant. His behavior stung Renee. Renee could easily recall their lovey-dovey memories. They had both risked their lives for each other and vowed to be together forever. They had two children, too. Yet, they ended up as strangers.Although Renee was heartbroken, she became competitive. She smoothed her hair and said in a similarly cold manner, "I'm going to the washroom." "Okay." Stefan did not have anything to say. He nodded and walked past Renee before heading to the dining table. "Hmph! I didn't expect you to come so boldly," Quinton sneered.At the sight of Stefan, Quinton subconsciously clenched his fists, acting like he was about to fight Stefan. On the surface, he wouldn't act aggressively because he knew Renee would stop him. "It's not easy for the few great families to get together. It's good and meaningful for us. If I refused to come, it would make me seem heartless."Stefan kept his co
Having said that, Renee lowered her head, about to leave. She didn't even have the time to bother about Adie and Abby, and told Quinton to take them home later. Her strange behavior filled Quinton with displeasure. He blocked Renee and said solemnly, "Are you afraid? Do you want to run away? People might think that you're guilty and have cheated on your husband!""No, I'm not!" Renee refuted him loudly, then explained seriously, "I'm busy. I need to handle something right away. Plus, I'm not guilty. I did nothing wrong. There's no reason for me to feel guilty." Quinton went straight to the point. "What are you afraid of since you know you're not guilty? Why do you want to run away? He should be afraid instead!""I told you. I'm not afraid of him. I'm just…" "What?" Quinton crossed his arms and looked at Renee coldly. He wanted to get to the bottom of it.Renee came up with a ridiculous yet normal excuse. "I… I recalled that the dessert shop that I want to head to is about to
Jovan called Stefan to sound the latter out. Anyway, it would be convenient for Stefan to rush over since they were both at the same spot. "I'll be right there," Stefan said. Then, he hung up.For a moment, silence washed over everyone, as if something terrible was about to happen.After taking in the new information, Leia said indignantly, "What's going on? Why does he want to come? Isn't he too shameless? How dare he come?" Although everything wasn't discussed openly, everyone knew why Stefan and Renee broke up all of a sudden, despite how lovey-dovey they were. The reason was that Stefan had cheated on Renee.Even if the adultery was faked, it was still the cause of their breakup. If Stefan were shameful or guilty, he wouldn't have agreed to come. He was going to face Renee there with their friends and family around. Certainly, it was embarrassing. "Hmph! Why not? He impersonated me, seized my business, and snatched away my woman. Plus, he led a steady life, got married