With a smile, Stefan slowly got up, walked behind Renee, and teased, "Or maybe I still have an important place in your heart, so whatever you do—even if it's just opening a small package—you're concerned about how I would feel?”“Stop being so full of yourself. I stopped caring about your feelings a long time ago.”“Then what are you afraid of? Open it in front of me. It doesn't contain anything illegal, right?”Stefan was both mischievous and unrelenting. "If it does, then I have even more reasons to know what's inside. I live with you, so I don't want it to get me into trouble.”“Fine, fine, you win.”Renee could not stand him. She raised a hand and said, "If you really want to know what's inside, then I won't hide it from you. I just hope that you can remain calm after you see it and not fly into a rage.”Although she was not sure how Stefan felt about her, she was certain that he wanted to remarry her.She could already imagine the scene. He was confident that she would rema
That was because the man in the marriage certificate photo was not Mr. Q at all, but Stefan Hunt! Even the name of the husband was Stefan Hunt!“What's the matter? You just got married, so shouldn't you be happy? Why do you look so pale?”Stefan crossed his arms and asked with a smile on his face.It sounded like an inquiry, but it was more of a mockery. He was mocking Renee's naivety and ignorance.“What... What did you do?”The marriage certificate in Renee's hands suddenly felt as hot as lava. She quickly threw it to the floor. She was on the verge of a mental collapse.Stefan calmly bent down to pick it up. His slender fingers carefully wiped the dust off it. He looked at the wedding photo with deep eyes. His smile was gentle and profound.“Look at our photo. What a beautiful couple. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call us a perfect match. We're meant to be together.”“Shut up!”Renee covered her ears and yelled at him, "Do you think this is funny? I can make hundreds of
But he simply moved his fingers slightly and easily pulled her back into the abyss!Stefan's smiley eyes gradually turned cold. They were now filled with dangerous intent.“At a moment like this, he's the one you care about, huh? I underestimated your feelings for him.”“Of course you underestimated our feelings! That's because you're a cold-blooded animal! You don't even have basic human emotions, so how can you understand other people's feelings?!”Renee was filled with intense fury. She wanted to pounce on him like a mad dog, biting and tearing him to pieces.But she was also aware of the fact that, the more she lost control, the more satisfaction he would gain.The only thing that could truly hurt him was the feelings between her and Mr. Q.After all, for a person without emotions, that kind of blow was a "critical hit"!“Even if you used despicable means to achieve your despicable goal, he will still have my heart. As long as our hearts are together, it doesn't matter whet
“I mean it in the literal sense of the word.”A sinister smile broke out on Stefan's face, like the smile of Satan. He said slowly, "To tell you the truth, I castrated him. He can't even be considered a man now, so you should give up your fantasy, forget that he ever existed and stay with me.”“You castrated him?”Renee shook her head in disbelief. "That's impossible. There's no way you can lay a hand on Mr. Q that easily!”Stefan snorted disdainfully, "Four years ago, I could destroy him and make him live like a worm. Four years later, I can castrate him and make him less than a man...”“If I hadn't, how did the important documents you gave him end up in my hands? How did you end up marrying me instead of him?”While saying that, he calmly opened his package.It contained the crucial documents Renee gave Mr. Q and Stefan's copy of the marriage certificate.“Maybe...”Renee looked at the documents with fearful eyes. She swallowed with difficulty as her mind went through countl
She could not believe that the man who treated her so sincerely would become so merciless. The only possibility was that bastard Stefan must have done something despicable to Mr. Q, forcing him to do this!She wanted to see Mr. Q. She must see Mr. Q!“I'm warning you guys, step aside right now. I have important matters to discuss with Mr. Q. I don't want to hurt you.”Renee's eyes became cold. She clenched her fists, ready to go ham.The guard had also undergone strict training. He raised his weapon and said, "I'm sorry, Ms. Everheart, but we're just following orders. If you really try to break through by force, then we can only stop you by force.”“Is that so? Well, here I come.”Renee's left leg kicked the ground to propel her forward. She pulled her right hand back and launched a right hook at the guard.The guard dodged, but Renee dropped him to the ground in mere seconds. After that... more guards rushed forward and surrounded Renee.“Looks like you all want a beating to
Renee was someone who would not give up until she found what she was looking for.“I'll do just that. Even if I have to turn this place upside down, I'll find him and make him give me an explanation.”She pushed Chase away with a frosty face and walked straight into the Carmine Pawnshop.A few of the injured guards tried to stop her, but Chase waved them aside.“But Mr. Chase, Mr. Q explicitly forbids Ms. Everheart from entering the Carmine Pawnshop. If you let her in...”“It's okay. If I don't, she’ll never give up.”Chase stared at Renee's thin but stubborn figure and sighed. "Sometimes, it's easier to achieve happiness if you're ignorant, especially for a woman. I wish she'll be kept in the dark forever!”This was not Renee's first time in the Carmine Pawnshop. She could not say that she knew the place like the back of her hand, but she was familiar with the layout and furnishings inside.She searched every corner of the pawnshop, even the restricted area, but could find no
Rosie looked up at the bright moon and said, “Mr. Q is a good person. After I stole the treasure from the Carmine Pawnshop, not only did he spare my life, he even helped me quit my addiction. After that, he hired me as his assistant with a generous salary. I paid off my debt and sent my son back to kindergarten. Our future became bright again, like the moon.”“You're Mr. Q's assistant?”Renee's eyes lit up. As if she had caught onto a life-saving straw, she grabbed Rosie's hand and asked, "Do you know where he is? Can you tell me? I have something very important to ask him!”“Mr. Q has always kept his whereabouts a secret. Although I'm his assistant, I have no right to know where he goes. But...”Rosie was about to say something when Chase walked over and interrupted her words coldly.“Rosie, Mr. Q already told you that starting from this week, you're no longer his assistant. You've been dismissed. What are you doing here?”Chase's eyes were cold, and his voice was threatening, "
”Alright, let's go have a drink. I haven't had a good drink with anyone for a long time!”Renee felt that she got along well with Rosie. They hit it off right away. They came to a bar street on the Water Dock. They picked a cozy little bar, ordered a few bottles of strong beer, and started to drink.The bar had a wonderful ambiance. A man on stage was singing folk songs while playing the guitar. It was refreshing to see a bar with this kind of atmosphere in the Water Dock, an unlawful area.“Rosie, how long have you known Mr. Q for? You seem to have a crush on him.”Renee gulped down half a bottle of beer in one go. The sting she felt in her throat actually cleared her head. It even made her feel a bit excited. She started feeling the urge to gossip.“No woman can resist a man like Mr. Q. However, I have self-awareness. I know I'm already lucky enough to be his assistant.”Rosie had also relaxed a bit. She downed half a bottle of beer with great fervor. She did not hide her admir
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
Jovan's words made the atmosphere quiet and bizarre. "Are you out of your mind, Jovan? It's already very annoying to have someone like you here. Do you have to get another annoying guy?" Leia frowned, crossing her arms. She kept scolding him.Initially, the atmosphere was considered harmonious. It was still considered fine even if there was an annoying person like Jovan. Unexpectedly, he wanted to call another, more terrible person to come here. Things would certainly go wrong. "Ms. Osborne, you're famous for talking harshly, too. You're just like me. I love it." However, Jovan was not mad at all. He grinned while waiting for Stefan to answer the call. Generally, Stefan would not answer Jovan's call. Surprisingly, he picked it up that time."What's the matter?" Jovan purposely put it on speaker mode. Stefan sounded aloof and emotionless.Jovan sounded wicked as he calmly asked Stefan, "Do you want to join a gathering, Stefan?""I'm going to hang up if you don't say anythi
In the past, Jovan had always regarded Stefan as a coward. Stefan couldn't forget about Renee, but he kept pushing Renee to another man. It seemed like Justin was more responsible, considerate, and gentle. Of course, Renee would lead a very happy, steady, and comfortable life with such a man. At the very least, Jovan felt that he could not be that meticulous and considerate. He would only drive Renee mad just to get her attention. "Hmph! Are you trying to humiliate me or yourself?" Justin didn't find that a compliment. Instead, it sounded like smockery. Jovan made it sound like Justin was a nice guy, but would not be picked by Renee. Usually, people like that had to suffer and would not end up well."I'm praising you." Jovan was helpless because of his reputation as the villain. Although he had said a lot of annoying things, he did want to compliment Justin. His love was probably as deep as Justin's, but his and Stefan's ways of loving Renee were much inferior to Justin's.