Bianca stiffened when she saw the look in Rex’s eyes. Her skin prickled with goosebumps.She followed his line of sight.There was nothing there.Absolutely nothing.Yet the way the kid was looking—like he'd spotted something dangerous she couldn’t see—was chilling. It felt no different than seeing a ghost.“Don’t go over there,” she blurted, grabbing his arm.Rex said gently, “It’s fine, sis. I just—”“I said don’t go!”Her voice rose sharply, tinged with anger. It wasn’t her usual lazy, sultry charm—at that moment, she sounded more like a frightened little girl, helpless and vulnerable.The constant sense of death hanging over the night had clearly shaken her.Rex noticed how tightly she was gripping him. It was as if there were a man-eating monster around the corner, and the moment he let go, it would devour him.
Candice, hearing their conversation, instinctively glanced at the rearview mirror.Before she could see anything clearly, the car accelerated.The streetlights outside blurred into shadows, and the traffic behind them was quickly left far behind. Even Edward and Bianca’s car, which had been following them, was now a considerable distance away.She didn't notice the silver car that had now gone completely mad, charging forward like a runaway horse.She grabbed Charlie’s arm. "Is someone following us?""Don’t worry about it."Charlie stretched out his hand and covered her eyes, pulling her into his embrace with a calm and steady tone. "Rex will handle it. Close your eyes and sleep for a bit, we'll be home soon.""But Sophia and the others are still behind us!"How could she feel at ease?Candice pulled his hand away and took out her phone to call Sophia, but suddenly, there was a loud crash from behind.
“Thank you for the lovely dinner tonight. Everything was delicious—I had a great time.”She said politely, though her next words were a clear farewell: “It's getting late. I should get going.”The moment she mentioned leaving, Marlene and Nicole both stood up to stop her.“Don’t go, sister-in-law,” Nicole whined, “Come have some fruit with us.”Marlene added with a sly, amused smile, “Jim’s sour grapes—try a few more, they might just be your thing.”Candice smiled without speaking.Internally: Heh, none of you are letting me off the hook, huh!Sophia, watching the overly enthusiastic Clemens Family, was getting nervous herself—Are they going to tie her down and drag her off for a medical exam?!“Candice, sweetie, look how everyone wants you to stay a bit longer. Just come sit for a few more minutes. We can leave together later,&rdquo
Charlie looked up.A flash of sharp light passed through the depths of his eyes, but it disappeared so quickly it was impossible for anyone to catch. It was soon veiled by his usual gentle, misty gaze.“Of course,” he answered firmly.Then, he threw the question back at her, “So what does Candice want to do?”The man in front of her wore a mild expression and spoke gently, but Candice couldn’t help feeling a chill crawl up her spine.They had each just given the other a life-altering question.He answered easily.And she… felt like her heart weighed a ton.Is this the difference between me and a true boss?No—it’s the difference in overall strength. In every way, she wasn’t as poised and effortless as he was.Still, whether or not it was a life-altering decision, he answered.So she had to answer, too. Even if he turned hostile after this, she had to fi
A glint of expectation flickered deep in his eyes.Edward let out a sigh, reached out and ruffled Ollie’s already disheveled hair. “Kid, you’ve been wrecked by puberty. Don’t be so hostile toward your brother—it’s not easy for him either.”“If you’re not going to compete, then drop it,” Ollie said coldly, swatting his hand away and walking toward the lake.Denny, already frowning, now seemed even more troubled.The sun was setting.Candice finally finished negotiating with Charlie. The two each took a step back: one agreed not to speak out, and the other agreed to have a heart-to-heart after dinner.The outdoor table was already set with a lavish dinner. Marlene had just returned and was now ushering everyone to eat.Candice chose a seat with mostly vegetables in front of her.“Sit here! There’s meat you like!” Marlene warmly tried to move her.
Candice was utterly devastated.This wasn’t a test anymore—it was a blatant threat.Sophia and Bianca listened to their cryptic exchange, watching Candice’s gloomy expression.They were completely lost.What kind of strange riddle was this?Slippers? Meat? What even...Nicole came running over with another pair of slippers, drenched in sweat.“Good thing I have long legs. If I had short ones, I’d be dead by now.”Bianca, who wasn’t short but still looked petite next to all these tall people: “…”She glanced at Nicole’s manga-proportioned legs, then looked at her own shapely but shorter legs...Ouch. That stung.Nicole didn’t realize she’d just unintentionally stabbed at Miss Wright’s heart. She simply placed the slippers by Candice’s feet.“Sis-in-law, here you go.”“Thanks.”