They said the bull tires out, not the field. But this field was about done. Serena slept like a log until noon the next day. While Wilson was in the shower, Serena called Lauren. "Laurie.""Damn, you sound wrecked. What happened to you last night?" Lauren asked."You're really asking?" Serena replied flatly."How long did he go at it?" Lauren asked.There was a moment of silence. Then Serena finally muttered two words. "All night.""Holy shit! That man's got the strength of ten bulls. If he's that energetic, maybe he should come plow two acres at my grandma's!" Lauren said. Then, in a more apologetic tone, "Rina, it's all my fault. Wilson's such a brute. He should've been gentler with a woman like you…""I'm fine. Anyway, what about you and Joseph? Have you figured out how to turn him down yet?" Serena asked.Lauren sighed. "I'm planning to quit. There's no way I can keep seeing him every day. It's just too awkward.""Alright. Handle it however you see fit," Serena said.A
After a long pause, Lauren finally asked, "Why did you watch the security footage? Did you think I'd steal something from your place?""I woke up this morning on the living room floor and thought it was weird, so I checked the footage. Is that a crime now?" Joseph asked."So… you saw everything?" Lauren asked softly.Joseph blinked innocently. "Saw what? You mean the part where I kissed you?"She covered her face and waved her hand. "Forget it. I know you were drunk. Let's just pretend that never happened…"However, Joseph had no interest in pretending. "Lauren, I already said it last night, but I'll say it again. "I meant it. I like you. I don't even know when it started, but you're not like the others. I started this company because you encouraged me. I wanted to make it work because I wanted your approval. "This is the first time I've fallen for someone this hard. Can you give me a chance?"Lauren's eyes flickered, her thoughts a mess. She was not ready for them to get int
By the time Lauren felt her lips start to go numb, Joseph finally pulled away.He braced himself with both hands on either side of her, his eyes still dark with unspent desire. "You done yelling now?" he asked, voice low and hoarse."Get lost!" Lauren shoved him hard, then sat up and tugged at her clothes. "Are you part dog or something? My lips are practically torn up!"He got up from the floor. "Didn't look like you were complaining just now."Lauren froze. She hated to admit it, but it hadn't been bad at all. She had even kind of lost herself in it. If he hadn't stopped when he did, she might've really done it with him right there on the couch.However, pride was a hell of a thing. "So what? You didn't enjoy it?""Yeah, I did…" His eyes locked on her like a hungry wolf.They stared at each other in silence. Then, without warning, Joseph lunged again. The two of them tangled together and kissed wildly.Lauren's fingers instinctively slid across his abs.Joseph let out a low
There was still no answer. "What's going on with Lo? Why won't she pick up her phone? Honey, is something wrong?"Before Carmen could say more, Ronald's hand shot out. He seized her phone and smashed it violently against the floor.Carmen shrieked in shock. "Honey, what happened?""It's all because of your perfect daughter!" he roared, slapping her hard across the face.Carmen stumbled backward, clutching her cheek as tears welled in her eyes. "What… What did I do? What are you talking about?""Willow, your precious daughter, teamed up with that bastard Arthur to screw me over! The project he handed to me was a damn scam. It just got shut down by the authorities. Do you even know how much money I've lost?" Ronald snapped."Arthur… scammed you?" Carmen was in disbelief."He said it was a prime piece of land with a great location, perfect for a wellness retreat, full of natural resources… and it turned out to be nothing but a fantasy!" Ronald was practically roaring at this point.
At the hospital, Willow stared at the dozens of missed calls flashing on her phone. Her eyes darkened slightly.Arthur had already told her that Ronald's project had blown up. He was bound to be furious, maybe even come looking for her. So, Arthur bought her a plane ticket. He told her to leave town for a while and let the storm pass. He would take care of everything and call her back when it was safe.Willow agreed without hesitation. A little vacation sounded good anyway.She left the hospital, headed straight to the airport, and flew to the Mardenes. That evening, she checked into a six-star hotel. While enjoying a quiet dinner, she heard a sudden commotion outside the room. When she opened the door and saw who was standing there, her heart stopped. It was Ronald.He let out a cold laugh before lunging forward, his hand tightening around her throat as he forced his way inside.Willow had no idea how she had been taken. Ronald knocked her out the moment he entered.When she
"Don't you think this is ridiculous?" Willow's tone dripped with mockery. "My own parents locked me up, treating me like a hostage just to make a deal. And the one who's trying to save me? He's not even related to me by blood. Do you really think you deserve to be my parents?""If Arthur hadn't tricked your dad, he wouldn't have resorted to this… Lo, your last name is Quade. Don't you care that the company's in trouble?" Carmen asked.She laughed coldly. "If Ronald hadn't been so eager to sell off his own daughter, he wouldn't have fallen for it in the first place. I don't just want to see his company struggle. I want it to go bankrupt!"Watching the reputation and wealth he cared about most crumble right in front of him would be real pain. He deserved every second of it!"You're insane. Forget it. I'm done talking to you." Carmen shook her head like she couldn't be bothered anymore.Willow sat alone in the attic. Not long after, one of the housekeepers brought in a bowl of spaghe
Arthur didn't say a word. He walked up to the table, picked up the pen, and signed his name on the document without hesitation.Ronald took the papers, and the joy on his face was unmistakable. It actually worked! Just like that?Nine percent of Collinsworth Group's shares would make him the biggest shareholder now. Arthur had lost his mind, giving up Collinsworth Group like it was nothing. What a delightful surprise."Let's go, Willow." Arthur reached for Willow's hand and was ready to go. They made it to the door, only to be blocked by two buff bodyguards.Arthur frowned. "What's this?"Ronald gave him a harmless smile. "You can leave. She stays.""Ronald, you promised to let her go once you got the shares!" Arthur rarely raised his voice, but now his anger flared.Ronald snorted. "Let her go? What the hell are you talking about? This is her home. Isn't it normal for her to stay here?"Willow turned around, eyes burning with fury. "You're a liar, Ronald. You're old enough to
Willow was shaking with rage. "Ronald, you're disgusting. Hitting a woman? You're nothing but trash!""Hah!" Ronald's face twisted with fury. However, instead of lashing out, he suddenly calmed. "I see. No matter what, you still care about the woman who carried you for ten months, don't you? But do you think she cares about you?""What do you mean?" Willow frowned."She's been lying to you this whole time!" He jabbed a finger at Carmen. "This woman has been weak her whole life. She lives to serve me. I tell her to do something, and she does it. No questions asked!"Ever wonder how I found you in the Mardenes so quickly and easily? Your bracelet. There's a tracker inside! You idiot! Do you really believe she loved you?"Let me make this clear. No one has ever loved you. Not since the day you were born!" His voice thundered through the massive villa, every word like a hammer pounding into Willow's chest.Her face went pale. All the strength drained out of her.That one sentence wa
Justin was seated at a table in a high-end restaurant in Nocturna as he stared at the phone in his hand. The news about Ronald was displayed on the screen.Surprised that Ronald had been imprisoned, Justin read the article carefully, then closed the page. The Quades' affairs were none of his concern. With his company recently gearing up to bid on a large project, he'd painstakingly drafted the tender proposal and planned to submit it for the bidding."Aren't you going to eat, Mr. Farrow?" Lila asked softly from across the table."I was checking the news," Justin said, pocketing his phone.Lila poked at the steak on her plate. "Mr. Farrow, this is my first time dining at such a fancy restaurant… I never had a chance to come to such places before.""I gave you money, didn't I? You can eat whatever and wherever you want.""You've been incredibly kind to me, Mr. Farrow… I must have saved the universe in my past life to meet you in this one," Lila said.Justin fell into a momentary d
Willow's voice trembled slightly, followed by a bitter smile. "Arthur, what do you think she was trying to do? I'd already given up on our relationship. And now, she dies right in front of me. Do you know what her last words to me were? She said she's sorry."She lowered her head, hands digging into her hair. She looked completely drained, both physically and emotionally. "I don't understand. Did she love me or not? If she did, why was she always siding with Ronald? Why didn't she ever stand up for me? But then, there were so many times I felt like she did love me."Tears slid down her cheeks. "I remember when I was little and had a fever. She stayed up the whole night with me, didn't sleep a second. When I got beaten, she'd secretly put medication on me. When I went overseas, she used to call and ask how I was doing. But after a few minutes, she'd start scolding me, saying I never called Ronald."If she really loved me, why didn't she protect me when he hit me? Why did she want me
Willow rushed forward and caught Carmen just before she collapsed.A nearby officer tackled Ronald to the ground.Carmen fell into her arms, tears streaming down her face. Her hand trembled as she reached up and gently touched Willow's cheek. There was sorrow and guilt in her eyes.Her vision blurred as her consciousness faded, but in that haze, she saw a memory—Willow as a child. Back when she first gave birth to her, Ronald and his mother, Sarah Pattinson, were furious that it was a girl. They didn't even bother to visit.For those first few years, it was just her and Willow getting through one sleepless night after another. It was Willow who filled the emptiness and pain in her heart.She used to hold that tiny child in the dark, press kisses onto her soft little face, and dream that one day her daughter would grow up to be poised and happy, with a good life ahead.However, the moment Ronald came back into their lives, fear returned with him. She feared him and ultimately ga
"What the hell is going on?" Ronald's face twisted with anger. He saw the door of the Cullinan swing open.Out stepped Wilson, his every move calm and deliberate.Ronald's expression darkened instantly. Wilson again? The nerve of that bastard, barging right into his house as if he were already dead.Wilson strolled into the room, barely glancing at the others before a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Uncle Ronald, what's all this?""Wilson, shouldn't I be asking you that? You drove straight into my house. That's trespassing. What the hell do you think you're doing?" Ronald snapped.Wilson's eyes turned cold. "You're about to kill someone, and you're worried about trespassing?"Ronald sneered. "Are you here to save Willow? I never expected someone cold and heartless like you to actually care about her.""Of course. I'm just emotionally detached, not a monster like you," Wilson said.Ronald nearly choked on his fury. When it came to words, he couldn't match Wilson i
Willow was shaking with rage. "Ronald, you're disgusting. Hitting a woman? You're nothing but trash!""Hah!" Ronald's face twisted with fury. However, instead of lashing out, he suddenly calmed. "I see. No matter what, you still care about the woman who carried you for ten months, don't you? But do you think she cares about you?""What do you mean?" Willow frowned."She's been lying to you this whole time!" He jabbed a finger at Carmen. "This woman has been weak her whole life. She lives to serve me. I tell her to do something, and she does it. No questions asked!"Ever wonder how I found you in the Mardenes so quickly and easily? Your bracelet. There's a tracker inside! You idiot! Do you really believe she loved you?"Let me make this clear. No one has ever loved you. Not since the day you were born!" His voice thundered through the massive villa, every word like a hammer pounding into Willow's chest.Her face went pale. All the strength drained out of her.That one sentence wa
Arthur didn't say a word. He walked up to the table, picked up the pen, and signed his name on the document without hesitation.Ronald took the papers, and the joy on his face was unmistakable. It actually worked! Just like that?Nine percent of Collinsworth Group's shares would make him the biggest shareholder now. Arthur had lost his mind, giving up Collinsworth Group like it was nothing. What a delightful surprise."Let's go, Willow." Arthur reached for Willow's hand and was ready to go. They made it to the door, only to be blocked by two buff bodyguards.Arthur frowned. "What's this?"Ronald gave him a harmless smile. "You can leave. She stays.""Ronald, you promised to let her go once you got the shares!" Arthur rarely raised his voice, but now his anger flared.Ronald snorted. "Let her go? What the hell are you talking about? This is her home. Isn't it normal for her to stay here?"Willow turned around, eyes burning with fury. "You're a liar, Ronald. You're old enough to
"Don't you think this is ridiculous?" Willow's tone dripped with mockery. "My own parents locked me up, treating me like a hostage just to make a deal. And the one who's trying to save me? He's not even related to me by blood. Do you really think you deserve to be my parents?""If Arthur hadn't tricked your dad, he wouldn't have resorted to this… Lo, your last name is Quade. Don't you care that the company's in trouble?" Carmen asked.She laughed coldly. "If Ronald hadn't been so eager to sell off his own daughter, he wouldn't have fallen for it in the first place. I don't just want to see his company struggle. I want it to go bankrupt!"Watching the reputation and wealth he cared about most crumble right in front of him would be real pain. He deserved every second of it!"You're insane. Forget it. I'm done talking to you." Carmen shook her head like she couldn't be bothered anymore.Willow sat alone in the attic. Not long after, one of the housekeepers brought in a bowl of spaghe
At the hospital, Willow stared at the dozens of missed calls flashing on her phone. Her eyes darkened slightly.Arthur had already told her that Ronald's project had blown up. He was bound to be furious, maybe even come looking for her. So, Arthur bought her a plane ticket. He told her to leave town for a while and let the storm pass. He would take care of everything and call her back when it was safe.Willow agreed without hesitation. A little vacation sounded good anyway.She left the hospital, headed straight to the airport, and flew to the Mardenes. That evening, she checked into a six-star hotel. While enjoying a quiet dinner, she heard a sudden commotion outside the room. When she opened the door and saw who was standing there, her heart stopped. It was Ronald.He let out a cold laugh before lunging forward, his hand tightening around her throat as he forced his way inside.Willow had no idea how she had been taken. Ronald knocked her out the moment he entered.When she
There was still no answer. "What's going on with Lo? Why won't she pick up her phone? Honey, is something wrong?"Before Carmen could say more, Ronald's hand shot out. He seized her phone and smashed it violently against the floor.Carmen shrieked in shock. "Honey, what happened?""It's all because of your perfect daughter!" he roared, slapping her hard across the face.Carmen stumbled backward, clutching her cheek as tears welled in her eyes. "What… What did I do? What are you talking about?""Willow, your precious daughter, teamed up with that bastard Arthur to screw me over! The project he handed to me was a damn scam. It just got shut down by the authorities. Do you even know how much money I've lost?" Ronald snapped."Arthur… scammed you?" Carmen was in disbelief."He said it was a prime piece of land with a great location, perfect for a wellness retreat, full of natural resources… and it turned out to be nothing but a fantasy!" Ronald was practically roaring at this point.