Hannah knew she was asking for a lot, but she just wanted to ensure Anathea had a place to stay in Syntherra.In fact, with her current salary, she could already afford a nice house in the suburbs of Syntherra, but what she really wanted was a property downtown. It was a prime area with top-tier security and environment.More importantly, she wanted Dominic to provide it. She was looking to use his influence to protect Anathea and Fiona. That was her main goal.Dominic was the only person she knew who could stand toe-to-toe with Gregory in terms of power and influence.So, she softened her tone and rested her slender fingers on his chest. Her voice was soft, like a spring breeze, laced with an alluring charm. "100 million dollars may seem like a lot to most people, but to you, it's just pocket change. Surely, you wouldn't be so stingy, would you, Mr. Lancaster?"Dominic's eyes darkened as he stared at her.Seeing an opening, Hannah leaned in to kiss him.But Dominic quickly held
Back then, Hannah had held Anathea tightly with tears of joy streaming down her face. Anathea had gently patted her back, comforting her.Anathea had never looked down on her humble origins. She'd always treated Hannah as a close friend. When cruel classmates had mocked her for being chubby and tan, the slender Anathea had always been the first to defend her.All these memories, even years later, were impossible to forget.So Hannah would give anything for Anathea.After hearing her sincere words, Dominic loosened his grip on her chin and caressed her face.Hannah had a face that was undeniably distinctive. Her alluring eyes held a captivating gaze, with the slight lift at the corners hinting at endless charm and temptation.Her well-defined nose and sharp facial features made her look both alluring and cool. She was born for the big screen.It was no wonder that Hannah had made it into the entertainment industry with her striking beauty. Every person who tried to tarnish her re
"Anathea! How can you say that?" Hannah flicked Anathea on the forehead. With a righteous tone, she exclaimed, "I'm a good, tax-paying citizen!""But how did you afford to buy this place?" Anathea knew very well that property in downtown Syntherra easily cost tens of millions, if not more.Hannah had been traveling around the country and even abroad for work. She was barely ever home, so it didn't make sense for her to waste money on a penthouse like that."I liked it, so I bought it." Hannah pushed down the diffidence in her eyes.She shrugged and continued casually, "My job pays well. I can spend it now and earn more later. Plus, I just want you and Mrs. Jacobson to have a nice place to stay. That way, I can rest easy."Anathea remained doubtful but took her hand and said earnestly, "Hannah, you've already done so much for me. I don't want you to sacrifice more for me. It hurts me to see you like that."Anathea understood the struggles Hannah faced in the entertainment industry
Anathea wanted to give the nurse a token of appreciation, but the nurse kindly refused. She said that women should support each other without keeping score.At that moment, Anathea's eyes grew misty."Thea! Let's go!" Hannah, who was sitting in the passenger seat, waved at her.Anathea turned around without hesitation and walked briskly toward the car.The moment she stepped outside, the sun had just risen, turning the sky from a deep blue to a soft light blue and gradually warming into a golden orange.The entire world seemed bathed in golden light. The trees, grass, and flowers looked more vibrant and full of life in the glow.Anathea looked up at the sky, feeling as if she, too, were touched by the warmth of the sun. She felt as though the scars on her heart were slowly being healed.The sunrise not only brought light but also hope and new beginnings.Anathea stepped out of the shadows and walked toward the beautiful dawn, toward her new life.…Two days later, Gregory ret
Bella froze for a second, then braced herself and answered honestly, "I-I heard you liked the white wine mussels Mrs. Sinclair used to make, so I thought…"She just wanted to get on his good side, hoping it would help her keep this job.Jenny quickly jumped in, saying, "I-I'm the one who told her."Everyone knew Gregory liked the white wine mussels Anathea made. Even when he dined out with friends, someone would always order that dish for him.But if they paid close attention, they would notice that he never actually touched it.Gregory looked at the two women, who were clearly rattled, and said coldly, "Don't make it again.""Yes, sir," Bella said quickly and rushed to clear the plate of white wine mussels off the table.Gregory's mood was ruined. He picked at the remaining food, took just a couple more bites, then set down his utensils.Just then, a message from Eleanor lit up his phone. He grabbed it, stood up, and left the house without another word.As they watched Gregor
"I asked him to come. It's been a while since we've all had a meal together, and I thought it would be nice to catch up. It's not too much to ask, is it?" Eleanor said, glancing over at Gregory.Gregory's expression stayed neutral. He walked up to her and greeted softly, "Hi, Mom."Eleanor nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips.The harmony they displayed in front of others was in sharp contrast to the tension in the car the other night. It was almost jarring.But neither of them seemed to mind. They wore the masks of a devoted son and a kind mother without missing a beat."Greg, take a look. What do you think of Nat's work?" Eleanor asked.Natalie looked up at him with eyes full of hope. She didn't care what the others said. She only cared about what Gregory thought.Gregory merely glanced over briefly and muttered, "It's fine."The same piece everyone else had raved about got a measly "it's fine" from Gregory. Eleanor's smile froze, and Blake looked just as uncomfortable.
Compared to Theo's agitation, Gregory remained calm. "So? What's the issue? Isn't this exactly what all of you have been pushing for?"Theo was caught off guard.That was true. Both he and Eleanor had repeatedly urged Gregory to divorce Anathea and marry Natalie. But now that Gregory had agreed to take Natalie to the party, Theo had turned around and asked if he even knew the real purpose.It was a little contradictory."I…" Theo opened his mouth but couldn't find the words. Still, uncertainty lingered in his voice as he asked, "Have you… really moved on?""Yeah." A flicker of something unreadable passed through Gregory's eyes.Noticing no hesitation in Gregory's response, Theo assumed he was finally getting things back on track. After a reassuring pat on his shoulder, Theo took a seat when Eleanor called them to eat.Natalie was thrilled that Gregory had agreed to attend the party with her. It was as good as acknowledging her as his wife.Delighted, she took the initiative to
Gregory liked resilient and tough women, didn't he?As she talked, Natalie casually brought up the "Modern Tranquility" exhibition. "With Ms. Langley's piece anchoring the show, it was a huge success. Looks like it didn't make a difference whether Ms. Jacobson's work was there or not."She said it lightly, but her words were deliberate. The implication was clear—Anathea was replaceable.In reality, once Anathea's work had been taken out, attendance for the exhibition had dropped by nearly half. But Natalie only paid attention to the high-profile guests. Ordinary people didn't count in her eyes.Gregory didn't respond. He remembered agreeing to remove Anathea's piece. He could still recall the look in her eyes back then—stubborn, but faintly pleading. And he'd ignored it.He pressed his lips into a firm line.Natalie tried to continue the conversation, but Gregory leaned back in his seat with his eyes closed. He was clearly no longer interested in talking.Seeing this, Natalie fe
Gregory liked resilient and tough women, didn't he?As she talked, Natalie casually brought up the "Modern Tranquility" exhibition. "With Ms. Langley's piece anchoring the show, it was a huge success. Looks like it didn't make a difference whether Ms. Jacobson's work was there or not."She said it lightly, but her words were deliberate. The implication was clear—Anathea was replaceable.In reality, once Anathea's work had been taken out, attendance for the exhibition had dropped by nearly half. But Natalie only paid attention to the high-profile guests. Ordinary people didn't count in her eyes.Gregory didn't respond. He remembered agreeing to remove Anathea's piece. He could still recall the look in her eyes back then—stubborn, but faintly pleading. And he'd ignored it.He pressed his lips into a firm line.Natalie tried to continue the conversation, but Gregory leaned back in his seat with his eyes closed. He was clearly no longer interested in talking.Seeing this, Natalie fe
Compared to Theo's agitation, Gregory remained calm. "So? What's the issue? Isn't this exactly what all of you have been pushing for?"Theo was caught off guard.That was true. Both he and Eleanor had repeatedly urged Gregory to divorce Anathea and marry Natalie. But now that Gregory had agreed to take Natalie to the party, Theo had turned around and asked if he even knew the real purpose.It was a little contradictory."I…" Theo opened his mouth but couldn't find the words. Still, uncertainty lingered in his voice as he asked, "Have you… really moved on?""Yeah." A flicker of something unreadable passed through Gregory's eyes.Noticing no hesitation in Gregory's response, Theo assumed he was finally getting things back on track. After a reassuring pat on his shoulder, Theo took a seat when Eleanor called them to eat.Natalie was thrilled that Gregory had agreed to attend the party with her. It was as good as acknowledging her as his wife.Delighted, she took the initiative to
"I asked him to come. It's been a while since we've all had a meal together, and I thought it would be nice to catch up. It's not too much to ask, is it?" Eleanor said, glancing over at Gregory.Gregory's expression stayed neutral. He walked up to her and greeted softly, "Hi, Mom."Eleanor nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips.The harmony they displayed in front of others was in sharp contrast to the tension in the car the other night. It was almost jarring.But neither of them seemed to mind. They wore the masks of a devoted son and a kind mother without missing a beat."Greg, take a look. What do you think of Nat's work?" Eleanor asked.Natalie looked up at him with eyes full of hope. She didn't care what the others said. She only cared about what Gregory thought.Gregory merely glanced over briefly and muttered, "It's fine."The same piece everyone else had raved about got a measly "it's fine" from Gregory. Eleanor's smile froze, and Blake looked just as uncomfortable.
Bella froze for a second, then braced herself and answered honestly, "I-I heard you liked the white wine mussels Mrs. Sinclair used to make, so I thought…"She just wanted to get on his good side, hoping it would help her keep this job.Jenny quickly jumped in, saying, "I-I'm the one who told her."Everyone knew Gregory liked the white wine mussels Anathea made. Even when he dined out with friends, someone would always order that dish for him.But if they paid close attention, they would notice that he never actually touched it.Gregory looked at the two women, who were clearly rattled, and said coldly, "Don't make it again.""Yes, sir," Bella said quickly and rushed to clear the plate of white wine mussels off the table.Gregory's mood was ruined. He picked at the remaining food, took just a couple more bites, then set down his utensils.Just then, a message from Eleanor lit up his phone. He grabbed it, stood up, and left the house without another word.As they watched Gregor
Anathea wanted to give the nurse a token of appreciation, but the nurse kindly refused. She said that women should support each other without keeping score.At that moment, Anathea's eyes grew misty."Thea! Let's go!" Hannah, who was sitting in the passenger seat, waved at her.Anathea turned around without hesitation and walked briskly toward the car.The moment she stepped outside, the sun had just risen, turning the sky from a deep blue to a soft light blue and gradually warming into a golden orange.The entire world seemed bathed in golden light. The trees, grass, and flowers looked more vibrant and full of life in the glow.Anathea looked up at the sky, feeling as if she, too, were touched by the warmth of the sun. She felt as though the scars on her heart were slowly being healed.The sunrise not only brought light but also hope and new beginnings.Anathea stepped out of the shadows and walked toward the beautiful dawn, toward her new life.…Two days later, Gregory ret
"Anathea! How can you say that?" Hannah flicked Anathea on the forehead. With a righteous tone, she exclaimed, "I'm a good, tax-paying citizen!""But how did you afford to buy this place?" Anathea knew very well that property in downtown Syntherra easily cost tens of millions, if not more.Hannah had been traveling around the country and even abroad for work. She was barely ever home, so it didn't make sense for her to waste money on a penthouse like that."I liked it, so I bought it." Hannah pushed down the diffidence in her eyes.She shrugged and continued casually, "My job pays well. I can spend it now and earn more later. Plus, I just want you and Mrs. Jacobson to have a nice place to stay. That way, I can rest easy."Anathea remained doubtful but took her hand and said earnestly, "Hannah, you've already done so much for me. I don't want you to sacrifice more for me. It hurts me to see you like that."Anathea understood the struggles Hannah faced in the entertainment industry
Back then, Hannah had held Anathea tightly with tears of joy streaming down her face. Anathea had gently patted her back, comforting her.Anathea had never looked down on her humble origins. She'd always treated Hannah as a close friend. When cruel classmates had mocked her for being chubby and tan, the slender Anathea had always been the first to defend her.All these memories, even years later, were impossible to forget.So Hannah would give anything for Anathea.After hearing her sincere words, Dominic loosened his grip on her chin and caressed her face.Hannah had a face that was undeniably distinctive. Her alluring eyes held a captivating gaze, with the slight lift at the corners hinting at endless charm and temptation.Her well-defined nose and sharp facial features made her look both alluring and cool. She was born for the big screen.It was no wonder that Hannah had made it into the entertainment industry with her striking beauty. Every person who tried to tarnish her re
Hannah knew she was asking for a lot, but she just wanted to ensure Anathea had a place to stay in Syntherra.In fact, with her current salary, she could already afford a nice house in the suburbs of Syntherra, but what she really wanted was a property downtown. It was a prime area with top-tier security and environment.More importantly, she wanted Dominic to provide it. She was looking to use his influence to protect Anathea and Fiona. That was her main goal.Dominic was the only person she knew who could stand toe-to-toe with Gregory in terms of power and influence.So, she softened her tone and rested her slender fingers on his chest. Her voice was soft, like a spring breeze, laced with an alluring charm. "100 million dollars may seem like a lot to most people, but to you, it's just pocket change. Surely, you wouldn't be so stingy, would you, Mr. Lancaster?"Dominic's eyes darkened as he stared at her.Seeing an opening, Hannah leaned in to kiss him.But Dominic quickly held
"No need," Gregory replied.He couldn't stop thinking about the way Anathea always looked at him like he was her enemy, yet she could turn around and smile so effortlessly at other men. His brows furrowed together in frustration.If she was so unwilling to yield to him, then why should he offer to help her?He wanted her to come and beg him.Gregory lifted his hand. It felt like he could still sense the warmth of Anathea's waist from when he'd last touched her. She had such soft, delicate curves. It had been far too long since he'd felt her like that.What he wanted was for Anathea to let go of her pride and come back to him on her own. Then, he could pull her back into his arms and claim her completely.And more than that, he believed that as long as he didn't give Anathea what she wanted, she wouldn't be able to walk away. Eventually, she'd give up the fight. She'd return to being the gentle, caring wife who ironed his shirts and made his meals.That was what Gregory told hims