جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 450

Justin rarely watched movies, and even when he wanted to, his private theater at home was always an option. This was his first time sitting shoulder to shoulder with strangers in a public cinema. Haley glanced at him briefly but said nothing. Unbothered by her silence, Justin inserted the straw into the milk tea and handed it to her, along with the popcorn. After their earlier back-and-forth, Haley was indeed thirsty. She took the milk tea, sipped it, and decided there was no point in overthinking it. The movie began—a horror film with a romantic subplot. Justin had carefully researched online beforehand, learning that taking the girl you love to a scary movie might make her cling to you out of fear. The newly released *Phantom Bride* seemed like the perfect choice. The air conditioning in the packed theater was cranked up high. Before long, Haley felt a chill and crossed her arms, holding herself tightly. Justin wasn’t entirely focused on the movie. He kept stealing

Haley swatted his hand away and snatched her phone back. “If you want a happy and fulfilling life, go build it with Emma. We’re not compatible,” she said coldly, turning to leave. Justin quickly stepped in front of her, blocking her path. His tone was urgent as he explained, “It’s not like that with Emma! I only feel gratitude toward her—there’s no love!” “No love, but you still slept with her?” Haley’s gaze dropped to the hand barring her way. Her voice was icy. “Move your hand. You disgust me.” The air between them froze, heavy with tension. Justin’s hand, still raised in front of her, trembled slightly as uncertainty and panic filled his face. After a long silence, his voice came out hoarse and low. “I didn’t mean for it to happen. I drank too much that night, and when I woke up… she was in the hotel bed. It wasn’t intentional, Haley. Please believe me!” Mentioning that day brought a wave of pain that Justin hated to revisit. It had struck his life like a thunde

“I’ve told you before—if you turn over a new leaf, I can help you find a decent job. Stop sinking so low! Do you really think being a mistress to a married man is something to be proud of? Have you ever thought about your family? Do you know how much shame you’ve brought them by being a kept woman?” Peyton stood on his self-righteous pedestal, preaching at her as if he had the moral high ground. “Peyton, didn’t that slap from last time teach you anything?” Helen raised her hand, her voice laced with fury. “You want another one?” Seeing her hand lift, Peyton instinctively flinched, stepping back. He glanced nervously around, noticing the attention their argument was drawing. But instead of shrinking, the audience seemed to embolden him, like an imaginary army of onlookers backing his sense of justice. Pointing a finger at Zac, Peyton sneered, “Don’t think I’m afraid of you just because your family has money. Does being rich give you the right to bully people? Go ahead, hit m

Haley sighed deeply. “Take it all back. I don’t want any of it.”She took a few steps back, turning to head toward the front door of her house. Justin, seeing this, didn’t dare stop her as forcefully as he had earlier that afternoon. Instead, he exchanged a quick glance with William, and the two hurriedly carried all the bags to her doorstep, setting them down before retreating just as quickly. It was almost comical—the way they dashed back to the car, as if being chased. Without so much as a goodbye, the car roared off like a rocket, leaving Haley standing in the night breeze, completely dumbfounded. She stared at the pile of bags in front of her, stunned, unable to react in time to stop them. From the window, Richard caught a glimpse of his sister’s shadow outside. Curious as to why she hadn’t come in yet, he opened the door. “Whoa! What’s all this?”Haley let out a tired sigh. “Just bring it inside.”Once inside, Richard and Alex eagerly began rummaging through the ba

Haley raised an eyebrow and replied coolly, “Do I look like someone who would go back to an ex?” Helen grinned mischievously. “Alright, fine. But… what about other men? You’re in your prime right now. Isn’t it a shame not to date?” Lately, Helen had been basking in the blissful glow of her own romance. Naturally, she wanted her sister to experience the same happiness. But dating hadn’t even crossed Haley’s mind. With two kids and a thriving career, she felt her life was already full. “Forget it. I’m not planning on finding a ‘dad’ for the boys,” she said firmly. Helen rolled her eyes. “Who says dating has to lead to marriage? You could just date for fun!” She had seen plenty of examples like that. Haley shot her a sharp glare, and Helen immediately clammed up. “I’m heading to the exhibit,” Haley said as she finished her coffee and stood up. “Make sure you sort out that pile of stuff in the storage room while I’m gone.” “Got it,” Helen mumbled. Haley paused at