Calista took the watch, and it was well-preserved except for some rust on the metal strap due to its long time in storage; there were hardly any other scratches.Her resentment towards Zachary grew stronger. Even a stranger could preserve her mother's heirloom so well. That scoundrel deserved to die alone.The watch had stopped moving, likely because the battery had run out. Paul noticed Calista staring at the hands and said, "The battery is dead. I can take it to the watch store later, and it will work normally again." "There’s no need," Calista replied as she put the watch away."This is my mother's heirloom, and I want to keep it there, safe. Thank you." Mrs. Baker glanced at Paul, her usually gentle face now shadowed with guilt. "You’re too kind. When your father did what he did back then, the Baker family was also facing financial difficulties. We couldn't help you, and I've felt guilty about it all these years. I've thought that even in death, I would be too ashamed to
Calista raised her head, and in front of her stood a young girl with black hair and fair skin. She had large, round eyes and was dressed in an evening gown that matched her charming style. She looked at Calista with an inquisitive gaze. Calista nodded, "Yes, you can." She was about to continue messaging Lucian when the girl asked, "I saw you come in with Paul earlier. Are you his girlfriend?" "No, I used to be his employee," she gestured to the words 'CrossTime' on the stage, "I'm here for the celebration." "Oh, that's great! I'm Camila Williams." Camila’s face lit up with joy, completely unrestrained. "My dad and Mr. Baker intend to arrange a marriage between us, and I'm quite happy with him. I thought I had been rejected when I saw you come in with him." Camila was good at socializing, and in no time, she had revealed everything, even the details of her first kiss with her first love.She was already envisioning her wedding with Paul, wondering what style it should b
The person had just reached out to take it when he felt a strong and scrutinizing gaze. He looked up and saw Lucian standing not far away. He had a stern expression, staring at the wristwatch on Calista's hand with pursed lips. The atmosphere seemed tense. He quickly withdrew his hand, saying, "Miss Calista, I just remembered that I have something to attend to. I should leave." With that, he slipped away. Calista turned her head in bewilderment. Initially, she intended to blame Lucian for scaring the person away, but she realized that almost everyone there was now looking in their direction.What was initially a secluded corner where nobody would notice had turned into the center of attention, all because of him. So, she stopped saying anything and pretended not to know him before leaving. As she departed, she carefully placed the wristwatch in a velvet box and placed it in her bag. Her cautious actions would make someone who didn't know think she was storing some irreplac
The purpose behind his enthusiasm was to find him a girlfriend. Hugo had lived his years, but it was his first time meeting such a bastard like Lucian. The woman in red discreetly sized Hugo up. She can't determine the man's exact age, but he has a maturity and elegance that comes with age.He has a robust physique, and his age can be easily overlooked due to his compelling charisma. She had heard of the Jacques family from Apthon. If she can get close to Hugo, it would solve the financial problems at home. "Cheers to you, Hugo." A few days ago, her father almost married her off to a man in his sixties. She had no other choice but to try her luck. She heard that Lucian and his ex-wife got married due to a one-night stand. They didn’t have any emotional attachment, and yet he helped her pay off several million in debt.So, she considered him a prime target. But Lucian had no interest in her, and now she was quite satisfied looking at Hugo. Facing the enthusiasm of the wo
The next day, Calista had just completed a highly precise repair procedure and was preparing to get up to pour herself a glass of water when her phone rang. She glanced over and saw an unfamiliar number with a Capeton area code. "Hello." "Claude, it's me ..." Calista recognized Vivian's voice and promptly hung up, adding the number to her blacklist. Two minutes later, another call came in from an unknown number, and she knew it was Vivian without a doubt. Was she insane? When things settled down for a few days, she started causing trouble again. After hanging up the phone, Calista set her phone to reject all incoming calls, but before she could, the phone rang again. It annoyed her to her wits. She answered frustratedly, "Are you sick, Vivian? You're testing my limits early in the morning. I've already said my piece! What else do you … " "Miss Calista?"The person on the other end interrupted her as she screamed profanities. "We're calling from Yarlford Prison. Zayn
The Jacquez family was so extravagant to be able to give away fifty thousand dollars as if it was nothing.Vivian’s words may sound annoying, but they were the truth. The truth was often hard to accept. Since the head of the Jacquez family had said so, there was no harm in getting compensation for enduring Vivian's antics for so long. So she sent a message to Yara, "Want to go shopping together later?" Yara was currently in a deep and heated situation, so she had no interest in going shopping. She replied with a crying emoji."No." After replying, her gaze once again fell on the stack of explicit photos on the table, making her feel hopeless. "Mr. Howard, there's no need to take this so seriously. I was just making things up ... " She couldn’t have explained to Timothy what BL was that day, so she made up something on the spot. "It means your thinking is unorthodox compared to ordinary people." That statement wasn't entirely untrue; it just wasn't very specific. A
Henry's arm was stinging from the slap, and he quickly grabbed Selena's hand to stop his wife's outburst. "Can you please wait and see how things unfold before slapping me? Our son just kissed someone else, and she hasn't made his intentions clear yet. She might give him a big slap in the next moment. Then you'll be crying on your way to the police station to defend your son, who harassed a woman in public." Selena rolled her eyes at him and retorted, "You're such a pessimist. Can't you hope for a good outcome for our son and his girlfriend?" Despite her words, she reigned in her excited hand and instead leaned against the wall, keeping a close watch. Her husband was right. Calista hadn't shown any response. It seemed to be one-sided. Calista didn't expect Lucian to kiss her suddenly. Her mind went blank for a moment, and when she realized it, she quickly took a few steps back, creating distance between them. "Lucian, what are you doing? Who gave you the right to kiss me? Wha
Henry tried to put down his wife's unrealistic ideas. "Wouldn't that be too much?" Anyway, if he encountered such a situation, he wouldn't feel surprised at all. He would only feel embarrassed. He couldn't even go out with peace of mind. Henry had tried his best to save Lucian from the embarrassment. "You don't understand. Young people like to make grand gestures. Calista and Lucian are so good-looking. They are much better than those models and celebrities these days. Even those people can appear on TV every day. Calista should have the same treatment." Henry answered, "As long as it's yours, even a pig would look better than others." Selena proudly quipped, "That's right, Lucian is indeed better than others. Luckily, I raised him well." Henry was speechless for a moment. "I say 'pig,' and you say 'Lucian.' Do you think he's a pig, or do you not understand my metaphor?" "He's not much better compared to a pig. At least pigs have brains. Otherwise, why would Calista
Cade turned, frowning in confusion. Mirabelle had just stumbled into the café, unkempt, disheveled, and utterly unlike her usual self. The grace and poise she once wore like armor were gone. Her hair was tangled, her outfit wrinkled, and one of her heels had snapped clean off.But it was clear—she hadn't come for him. The instant her eyes found his, she froze. Then, almost frantically, she adjusted her clothes and ran trembling fingers through her hair.She walked over, chin lifted, as if her heel wasn't broken, as if she hadn't just staggered in like a ghost of herself."Cade," she said, summoning the haughtiness of an Ackerman heiress. "Are you really willing to throw away everything between our families for Cameron?"She had begged nearly everyone she knew that day—men and women who owed her family countless favors. All of them had turned their backs. She finally understood what it meant to be on a sinking ship, swarmed by rats scurrying for safety.Mirabelle knew she should be
Fabian said, "Mr. Ackerman was taken away by the Office of Inspector General this morning. Madam Cameron and the Bark family are reportedly the ones responsible."The Carter Group hadn't broken any laws, nor had they been financially entangled with the Ackermans for over a decade. Still, the long-standing ties between the two families ran deep. If Victor Ackerman had skeletons in his closet, Cade would have a hard time avoiding the fallout.Cade propped his hand against his cheek. "What about my wife?""Madam Cameron…" Fabian had to steel himself to answer Cade. "Madam Cameron left the country. She applied for a long-term visa."Even with reporters hounding him, that sentence rang loud and clear in Cade's ears.A long silence stretched before he let out a quiet, bitter laugh.He had never realized how much Cameron had orchestrated behind his back. The Ackermans or the media could trip him up for now, but her betrayal cut deeper. Every move had been calculated.And the most absur
Cade crossed the room as Cameron, already seated, leaned her cheek against her hand, skimming the menu. "Want a drink?" she asked casually.His heart skipped a beat.Cameron's appearance radiated deliberate perfection. From her flawlessly styled hair and expertly applied makeup to her impeccable outfit and carefully chosen accessories, every detail was considered. Even her expensive "Allure" perfume hinted at a desire to captivate.A private dining room meant for couples with only spouses in each other's company…Given the setup, sharing a drink seemed like an implicit invitation.Cade pressed his lips into a line, trying to ignore the rising curve of a smile. "Sure," he replied, his tone deceptively even. "We'll start with two bottles of Magnolia's Pulpit," Cameron said.Cade choked on his water, coughing as he asked, "Seriously?"Who would start a date with such a strong distilled spirit? With two bottles, no less.Cameron propped up her chin and raised an eyebrow. "Is that
Cameron stared at her screen, where Gale had just sent a single word. "Ready." Her lips curled up involuntarily.Cade noticed the smile. He didn't know who she was messaging, but it irritated him for some reason. After a long pause, he exhaled slowly and asked, "What if the Ackermans refuse to settle?"Cameron didn't bother to answer. She knew Violet and Victor would soon be in hot water, so she hadn't considered the aftermath. However, to Cade, her silence only confirmed his assumptions—she was reckless, unprepared, and acting purely on emotion. He clenched his jaw and finally stopped holding his breath. Then, suddenly, he pulled the car over with a sharp twist of the wheel. "Did you think it through before turning yourself in? What if the psych evaluation comes back clean, and the Ackermans insist on pressing charges? What then? You hurt Mirabelle badly. You think you'll have it easy in prison with the way they dote on her?" In contrast to Cade's exasperation, Cameron remaine
With Cade covering Cameron's mouth, there was no chance for her pointed words to offend anyone in the room. His palm was cool to the touch. It was a sensation she disliked. So, she couldn't help but tilt her head.When Cade noticed her movements, he gently stroked her cheek as if he were calming a child who was throwing a tantrum.Victor spent years in a position of authority, giving him an air of unspoken authority. His gaze hardened, and his lips pressed into a firm line as he watched Cade. "Cade, don't jeopardize the long-standing relationship between our families over a woman.""If that's how you see it." Cade glanced at the door. "Aren't you doing the same for a woman?"Victor snorted contemptuously. "How can a cheap girl who was merely adopted be worth anything compared to Mirabelle?""How is my daughter, a Yorksworth, worth any less than yours?" Blaire stood at the doorway as she took in the occupants of the home with her sharp gaze. She had been feeling restless ever sin
Mirabelle frowned. "Excuse me?"As soon as she finished speaking, Cameron walked up to her, grabbed her by her hair, and forcefully bent her over.Cameron held up the guest list Monica had sent her and shoved it in Mirabelle's face. "Call them. Tell them to be there by 3:00 p.m., or else…"She tightened her grip threateningly. "You can kiss this head of hair goodbye."Mirabelle pressed down on her scalp where it had been pulled, her voice distorted with pain when she spoke."Let go, Cameron! Are you out of your mind?""Didn't I tell you not to involve anyone else in our feud?""Can't take it anymore?"Mirabelle endured the pain of turning her head to flash a disdainful sneer at Cameron."This is just the appetizer. If you go against me, you'll eventually crawl out of Capeton with your tail between your legs. I'll call your business partner right now and pin the catastrophic failure of this event on you…"Seeing Mirabelle's condescending expression brought Cameron back to the
The kiss lifted the dark cloud that hung over Cade's mood over the past few days.The next day, as Fabian brought in documents for him to sign, Cade asked, "When is Cameron's show?"Fabian was taken aback for a split second but quickly replied. Fortunately, he was well-prepared and kept track of Cameron's events for the year in advance."Has the invitation been delivered?"Fabian swallowed, almost wanting to laugh to mock Cade. Given Cade's strained relationship with his wife, Cameron would sooner invite a dog than have him around. However, all Fabian could do was revel in Cade's misery in his mind while keeping a businesslike facade."It was probably already delivered. The front desk brought in a stack of mail yesterday. I haven't sorted it out yet."He had already sorted out the mail this morning. Everything had gone straight to the trash."Clear my schedule for the day. Make reservations at a restaurant for a celebratory dinner.""Yes, sir."On the day of the show, Monica
That was obviously an excuse to get Cade out of the picture. Knowing what Mirabelle had done to Cameron in the past, leaving the two of them alone was out of the question. Besides, it wasn't convenient for him to move the car, so he refused without a second thought."Get the attendant—"However, Cameron cut him off before he could finish."Ms. Ackerman is a guest. You should fulfill her requests if she has any."Cade cast her a cold glance. "Shut up." Why should he dance to Mirabelle's tune?Cameron stared at him. "Run along."He gritted his teeth as rage crossed his face. After a brief pause, he sneered and turned to leave. As soon as the door shut behind him, Mirabelle's calm expression slipped. "Did you make me come here just to show off how much you two love each other?""You call that love? I think we have different definitions of what 'love' is then. He's nothing more than…" Cameron's fingers lightly traced the cup's rim as she smirked and said, "A lap dog.""You fu
Cameron crossed her arms over her chest and gave the bouquet in Cade's hands a nonchalant glance."What are you trying to pull, Mr. Carter?""Fabian said it was Women's Day today.""So what?"There was silence all around. The sound of soothing music could be heard through the door. Cade was silent for a while. "We're not getting a divorce, Cameron."It was the same old topic that Cameron had grown too weary of. She turned around and felt for the cigarette box on the table. There was already a layer of cigarette butts in the ashtray next to it. Judging by the color of the lipstick marks, more than half of them were hers.Cade frowned. He clearly disapproved of her smoking but kept himself from stopping her.Smoke curled from between her lips. The flickering embers of the cigarette reflected in her eyes, softening her indifferent gaze. Through the thin haze, Cameron's lips curled into a wide, unrestrained smile. Every time she smiled in this way, it always filled Cade with a