《It's Hard to Control My Naughty Wife!》


 Chapter 1: A LONG NIGHT

    <h4>Chapter 1 - A LONG NIGHT</h4>


    Hailee red at the stocky man, half a century old and almost naked in front of her with a look that would make anyone think twice about approaching her, but not with this bastard old fogey.


    With a grin at the corner of his thick lips, he was staring at Hailee with the gaze of a hunter that was chasing his prey.


    Hailee couldn''t believe something like this would happen to her. Just a week ago she mourned the death of her parents due to a failed robbery attempt in their house, but now she was in a hotel room with a middle-aged man because of Aileen, her step sister.


    As Hailee remembered that very name, she could feel her own blood boiling with rage. How could the sister who grew up with her sell her own sister ?!


    A week ago Hailee might have thought that selling a woman for prostitution was news she would never take seriously and only read casually.


    But a weekter, here she was, with the man who had made the bid, at the auction that had taken ce less than two hours ago, with the highest price to be able to spend the night with her!


    "Shit!" Hailee cursed while gritting her teeth as the man moved closer.


    "Come here, don''t make things difficult for yourself." He walked swiftly, approaching Hailee who is now standing in the corner of the super luxury hotel room that he has rented. "I''ve paid you very dearly."


    Hailee''s eyes were wildly flicking all over the room, trying to find something she could use to defend herself or against this rotten man.


    "You think I want to be bought?!"Hailee shouted, throwing small disys of hotel decorations to keep this man away from her.


    But, of course all that stuff wouldn''t stop him.


    "Don''t you know that your sister has been in this business for a long time?" The man grinned when he saw Hailee''s shocked expression.


    Hailee blinked her eyes in disbelief when she heard this new information. How could her meek and timid sister have such a rotten history? How could she be involved in a dirty industry?


    But then reality hit Hailee so hard that she wanted tough hysterically.


    Of course it is possible. Hailee wouldn''t be here if it weren''t for Aileen.


    "That sly b*tch!" Hailee again cursed her step sister silently. She vowed to repay all of this at the first chance she was given. Aileen will have to face something far more terrible than this! Hailee gritted her teeth furiously while promising to herself.


    However, her anger at Aileen managed to distract her for a moment and gave an opportunity to the man who grabbed Hailee''s wrist and pulled her hard.


    His grip on her hand was so tight, Hailee felt that her arm was about to break before she fell on to the cold floor, face first.


    Hailee groaned in pain, but had not yet recovered from the dizzy feeling because of what happened next, the man was already squatting in front of Hailee and started kissing her long neck.


    Having no time to groan in pain, and disgusted by the man''s touch, Hailee raised her hand and pointed her sharp nails at his face, sticking them so deep that she heard his angry howl within a few seconds.


    The man stopped kissing her and Hailee used this opportunity to crawl away from the man, but one crushing blownded on Hailee''s face, breaking up her mindless ns and making Hailee fall back on to the floor while hitting her head against the corner of the table in the process and dropping the vase on it, this time she didn''t move. She couldn''t move.


    Shards of ss from the broken flower vase were scattered on the floor around the woman, whose face was covered with her own long ck hair which added to her disheveled appearance. The bathrobe she was wearing was slightly parted and revealed the smooth skin of her thighs, unfortunately she didn''t get a chance to move her hands and cover her body from the wild sight of the predator before her.


    "B*tch!" the man cursed, rubbing his face, which was stinging from Hailee''s fingernails attack. There was blood on his arm, not quite much, but of course this wound would raise question marks from his wife at home. "I''ll finish you tonight!" he howled with a snarl as he moved forward to grab Hailee''s limp body.


    However, before his chubby fingers could touch the girl again, there was the sound of the door opening and rushing steps entering the room can be heard.


    "Boss! Are you okay ?!" it was Alex''s voice, the rotten old man''s bodyguard.


    Alex heard amotion followed by a series of screams from his boss, and so, he entered this part of the room, worried that something bad might happen to the old man.


    "LEAVE! LEAVE!" The old fogey shouted angrily as he waved his hand, "DON''T YOU DARE ENTER THIS ROOM AGAIN, EVEN IF YOU HEAR ANYTHING SUSPECTFUL!"


    Seeing the rage on his boss''s face, Alex immediately walked out of the room along with two of his men.


    He vowed not to go in to check on the situation again whatever he heardter, otherwise¡­ the bad mood of his boss will inflict new torture while carrying out his duties.


    After the man had confirmed that the door was closed, he turned his attention back to Hailee, looking at the girl with eyes filled with lust and anger.


    "It will be a long night and you will beg for mercy all night," the man moved closer, rubbing his rough palms on Hailee''s smooth thighs before moving them towards her stomach and then¡­


    But, before his filthy hand could touch Hailee''s ripe chest, the girl suddenly opened her eyes and everything happened so fast, that the man didn''t even have time to blink or realize what had happened.


    When the man could think again properly, he willed his mind to process what just happened to him. That was when the man had realized that; he himself had fallen face down on to the floor and to top it, he was feeling a searing pain in his throat that made it difficult for him to breathe and make a sound.


    A momentter he could feel the warm liquid flowing under his body, touching his face, staining the floor and seeping into his expensive clothes, but the warmer the liquid was, the colder his body got until thest thing he saw was the girl who had been lying stiffly motionless a moment before, was now staring at him coldly. A broken piece of vase was in her hand which is also stained with blood; his blood.


    There was pin-drop silence in the room as the old man before her went motionless, having given up on his attempts to utter words or even exhale.


    Hailee was silent for a long time, frozen, in the same ce as she tried to process the scene in front of her: she had killed someone!


    SHE HAD KILLED SOMEONE!


    Her entire body trembled and her head was spinning at this fact, but only one sentence continued to rumble in her mind; she must run away!

 Chapter 2: A LONG NIGHT (2)

    <h4>Chapter 2 - A LONG NIGHT (2)</h4>


    Hailee averted her gaze from the lifeless body in front of her and casted the broken flower vase piece in her hand away.


    Her fear overcame all the pain from the deep cuts in her hands, her body trembled violently and fell repeatedly as she tried to get up and reach the wall. She wanted to use it as a support to lean over for now, because her legs had long turned jelly.


    Her heartbeat was so fast and it seemed that her heart was trying to escape from her chest with the way it was pounding heavily against her breastbone, which did not help Hailee in this condition either.


    After what seemed like an eternity, the girl regained some energy and the first thing she did was walk into the bathroom. She did it while still staggering and once she sessfully arrived inside, she vomited her guts down the toilet before she repeatedly flushed what hade out.


    Still shaking just like a leaf in the cold wind, Hailee stepped toward the sink and stared at her own reflection in the mirror perched there.


    A young woman with an extremely pale face and matted ck hair framing her thin face, was the visual that greeted her. It seemed that in just a few hours of time, Hailee was feeling like she had aged and became a woman in her forties.


    On the left side of her head, Hailee could notice the reddish scars she received by hitting the edge of the table and the broken flower vase, were turning into purplish bruises. Hailee could clearly see the tiny, bleeding incisions there.


    With trembling hands, Hailee opened the water faucet and washed her face which was covered in sweat and blood, whether it was hers or the blood of the man in the next room. Hailee doesn''t want to think about that now.


    The stream of cold water that washed onto her face calmed the roaring of her heart and made her hands shake less.


    The pain in her left temple also felt much better now that the blood had stopped flowing, or indeed Hailee no longer felt the pain because her brain was spinning to think of a way out so she didn''t have time toin about these wounds.


    It took about half an hour for Hailee to cool off and leave the luxurious bathroom with a new determination.


    She had considered the various options she was left with; first, she could turn herself to the police for her actions, but the idea was soon scratched by Hailee as there was no guarantee she would win the trial.


    This old ruffian man was one of the top brass in T city, he was the district attorney there, with his influence and high position, there was no way Hailee could walk away clean after killing him.


    Moreover, the son of that man was also from the same profession.


    Hailee could imagine she would rot in prison for the rest of her life and of course, the chances of herself not being tormented again after going to jail were close to zero.


    For people like them, hiring someone to torture their targets behind bars is as easy as turning a palm.


    Hailee shuddered and immediately dismissed the idea, which left her with thest option, namely; escape.


    Get as far as possible from the T city, hide in a remote ce that ispletely unknown to many people and stay there until the case dies down.


    Maybe ten or twenty yearster, Hailee will be able to regain her freedom only after they forgot about this case.


    But, it is better whenpared to the first option. With a renewed determination, Hailee stepped out of the bathroom.


    Hailee deliberately didn''t turn her gaze to the blood-stained body on the floor as she walked past it and went to examine the jacket and bag of Rnd Dimatrio, the man she had killed, which were now lying on the floor.


    Rnd had kept all the important documents in his bag as well as some amount of cash in his jacket pocket and wallet.


    Hailee immediately took all of it without leaving a single penny because she knew that she was in such a state where she needed every bill she could find.


    It wasn''t enough though, Hailee exhaled slowly and closed her eyes before she turned around and faced Rnd Dimatrio''s cold body once again.


    Hailee quickly scanned his body when she caught sight of an expensive gold-ted watch, that the old man was wearing. The price of the watch was far more higher than all the cash Hailee could find in the room.


    She felt like a robber when she removed the watch from Rnd''s fleshy arm and also took hold of the two rings from his finger.


    Without realizing it, Hailee''s survival instinct overcame her fear and she was grateful for it. Now is not the time to be spoiled and timid.


    Even though her body was still trembling a little and her heart was racing, Hailee was much better than when she first saw Rnd''s corpse.


    The next thing she got concerned about was; how she could get out of this hotel room without being noticed by the bodyguards of Rnd who were waiting for him behind the door.


    Luckily, before Rnd died in her hands, the man had warned Alex not to disturb him regardless of whatever he would hearter. Therefore Hailee had quite a long time before the bodyguards realized that something was wrong and unnatural with the room.


    There is one idea that Hailee could think of now, which was so tricky, yet it was worth a try. What else can she do? In a crazy state like this, it takes a crazy solution too, right?


    Hailee knows that every luxury hotel room like this must be equipped with a microwave, therefore, she took the perfume bottle she had found earlier and put it in the microwave, previously Hailee had noticed the smoke detector adjacent to the sprinkler and pulled the cable to turn it on.


    This is indeed the craziest experiment she had ever conducted. After setting the microwave to the highest temperature and longest period of time, Hailee immediately hid behind the curtain near the exit.


    Those who wouldter hear the rm from the smoke detector or the sound of an explosion from the microwave, wouldn''t be able to realize that Hailee is not in the room in the middle of all this chaos.


    Hailee hopes that her n will go the way she wanted it to.


    Wearing therge jacket of Rnd''s which bled her to cover half of her thighs because she was wearing nothing underneath and couldn''t find her clothes anywhere, Hailee hid her small body behind the curtain, beside the door.


    It felt like the seconds had turned into hours while Hailee''s heartbeat would increase with each passing second with no sign of subsiding at all.


    When a snapping sound could be heard, Hailee knew what she was waiting for was about to happen, therefore, she got ready by covering her ears with her palms tightly as a loud booming sound followed by a warning rm ring interrupted the silence of the room.

 Chapter 3: A LONG NIGHT (3)

    <h4>Chapter 3: A LONG NIGHT (3)</h4>


    Everything suddenly got out of hand.


    A loud explosive sound, which was able to prate Hailee''s palms that were clenched tightly to protect her sensitive ears was the end result of her impulsive experiment. The tremors after the explosion, rendered Hailee''s legs unable to support her body, as a result she fell to her knees with her body against the wall.


    Luckily the white curtain covering her figure was able to hide Hailee from the three men who rushed into the room.


    The entire room was engulfed with the ever rising plumes of thick smoke. And, with the deafening sound of the fire rm, their focus could be confirmed only on Rnd Dimatrio, their boss.


    They might even forget that there must be one additional person in the room and couldn''t care less if she was injured or even died, when they were greeted with a stiffening sight like what Rnd Dimatrio is experiencing right now.


    "Mr. Rnd !!! " Alex eximed, thrusting into the room followed by the other two.


    Themotion in this room got tangled with the crowd''s nuisance that was starting to form outside. The whole corridor was filled with shocked gasps and enquiries of people asking one another what exactly was going on.


    "Mr. Rnd! " Alex shouted again, calling the name of the old man. "Oh, shit!"


    Hearing Alex''s loud cursing voice, indicated that the bodyguard has found Rnd Dimatrio''s body, and it also meant that it was a sign for Hailee to run away.


    Still in shock at the explosion she had created, Hailee opened her eyes widely. Those beautiful brown eyes were filled with determination as she used the wall behind her to help herself up.


    The first thing she noticed was; the hotel room door was wide open, as if calling her toe closer. Of course, that was what Hailee did.


    Before the hotel clerk or security could see this incident, Hailee immediately ran through the door, broke through the crowd of people who were huddling in the corridor and immediately fled using the emergency stairs, where there were already several people using them to save their own lives, thinking whether the sound of the explosion was a bomb.


    Hailee had heard several people there muttering that particr idea while running down the fire escape stairs.


    Luckily, the room Rnd had rented was located on the third floor, so Hailee didn''t have to go down many steps and could reach the lobby immediately.


    With the clothes she was wearing, of course Hailee got a lot of attention from the eyes who looked at her questioningly and in confusion.


    How could a woman only wear a jacket that is too big to cover her whole body. They could clearly notice; under thatrge jacket, was a smooth body that she should have kept from all the male''s predatory gaze was now naked.


    They didn''t know that what Hailee was facing right now, was far more terrifying than just exposing her wless skin, therefore, even their prating gazes couldn''t bother the cute girl to care any less.


    She kept running until she crossed the hotel lobby and out of the building, hailed a taxi and went straight in with a gasp.


    "Where?" the taxi driver can only gawk at Hailee''s disheveled appearance and pale face.


    "District 18,"Hailee said hastily.


    City T is a city that includes districts 1 to 12 districts, where district 18 is part of City R.


    "District 18?" the taxi driver didn''t immediately start the car, but instead looked at Hailee in disbelief, the problem was mainly the distance between District 4 and District 18; is quite far, in normal time, the journey could easily take up to five hours. And, with Hailee''s appearance like this, the driver was not sure the passenger could afford the required meter.


    On the other hand, Hailee understood the look in the driver''s eyes, then irritably reached into her jacket pocket and threw a lump of money into the front seat. "Keep the change!" Hailee said harshly and loudly.


    After what Hailee had been through all day, it was certain that she wasn''t in the mood to pay attention to what she said or maintain her attitude.


    "Start now or I''ll find another taxi!" Hailee couldn''t bother to admire at her single action which made the bald-headed taxi driver dumbfounded by the amount of money she had thrown. She was in a hurry to leave this dreaded ce.


    In just one nce, he knew that the value of the money exceeded the tariff to be paidter.


    As for where this girl got the money, it was none of his business. There were still his wife and children who were waiting at home, that he has to support, which is the main problem in his life.


    "All right, all right," the driver hurriedly brushed off Hailee''s cold hand and immediately stepped on the elerator.


    Meanwhile, even though Hailee had given therge sum of money she got from Rnd''s purse and jacket, she still had an expensive watch and two rings that she can sell.


    In the meantime, she had to meet her best friend.


    For now, he was the only one Hailee trusted.


    Cars were driving through the night, passing through busy streets and avoiding traffic jams by taking alternative routes.


    "Looks like there was amotion at the hotel earlier, do you know what is wrong?" the driver tried to be friendly and have a chat so that the atmosphere in the car wouldn''t feel so deserted.


    But, after there was no answer from the girl behind him, the driver nced at Hailee through the rearview mirror and found the girl was staring out the window with a dreary gaze, seemingly in a serious thought process.


    Understanding the gesture, the journey for the next five hours continued in silence.


    ***


    After five hours of a smooth journey, Hailee asked the driver to drop her off at an intersection, near a shopping center lined with small shops on either side of the trail.


    The name of this ce was Long Isle, one of the ces Hailee knew very well.


    It was alreadyte at night, but there were still lots of shops open and a few teenagers were roaming here and there, who had gathered to just brag.


    "Miss, are you sure, you want me to drop you here?" the driver asked hesitantly, with the clothes Hailee was wearing now, of course it would lure the bad guys there to pester her.


    That was true.


    Hailee thought for a moment while staring at the clothes she was wearing, or rather just a jacket attached to her body.


    After thinking for a moment, she decided; "The remaining money I give is quite a lot, please buy me a set of clothes with pants, it doesn''t need to be expensive, as long as I can just wear it."


    The driver looked doubtful.


    "Just turn off the car and bring the keys, I''ll be waiting here." Hailee can read what could possibly discourage him.


    After a moment''s consideration, the driver nodded in agreement. "OK." After that, he turned off the engine and stepped outside, leaving Hailee locked inside.


    Meanwhile, Hailee doesn''t really care about it, her mind is busy thinking about something else.

 Chapter 4: A LONG NIGHT (4)

    <h4>Chapter 4: A LONG NIGHT (4)</h4>


    The taxi driver returned with a stic bag which contained the clothes. And, immediately knocked on the car window to attract the attention of the female passenger who seemed to be pondering over something that she didn''t realize that she had been sitting there for a while, staring into nothingness.


    The driver immediately unlocked the car and Hailee rolled down the window and received the bag.


    "These are t-shirts and pants you have asked for," said the driver, then he added, "there is hat also."


    "Thanks," Hailee said vaguely.


    Fortunately, the windshields of the car were opaque enough for someone just passing by to look what was happening inside, but just in case, the driver turned around and leaned right against the window, covering Hailee who was busy with changing her clothes in the car.


    After finishing changing and securing Rnd''s expensive watch and two rings into the pocket of her slightly loose jeans, Hailee tapped on the ss, indicating for the taxi driver to step aside so she could get out.


    The driver stepped aside and stood beside the open door, saw the pale looking girl getting off the passenger seat with a face that looked like a ghost under the headlights, there was a trace of pity, who knew what kind of night this young girl had experienced.


    "Thank you, sir," said Hailee intending to leave, not wanting to linger there any longer. She was afraid that Rnd''s men would notice that she wasn''t there and immediately start a search to catch her.


    Although, it was actually almost impossible for them to move that fast, seeing Rnd''s lifeless condition now, no one could mobilize them for a while.


    "You''re wee," the driver nodded, and said sincerely. "Be careful, though."


    Hailee didn''t answer and just nodded, offering a faint smile she continued to walk in haste toward the busy shopping center.


    She entered the less open streets along the Long Isle Street while lowering her hat, afraid that someone might recognize her there, even though it was only her paranoia.


    After passing several shops and getting questionable nces from some of the youths there, Hailee took the path to the left, toward a dark turn where some of the streetlights had gone out.


    She knew this ce well, because Ian had invited her here several times.


    Ian, his best friend.


    The only person Hailee trusts after Aileen unmasked her hypocrisy and revealed her true nature.


    Her own sister whom Hailee thought of as her real sister had betrayed her trust and it never crossed her mind that she could do this to her. Not even in her wildest dreams.


    The more Hailee walked into the dark alley, the more boisterous voices in the distance became, as if a very busy crowd had gathered there.


    On one hand, Hailee was relieved that she found the right path, but on the other hand, this was the first time Hailee hade to this ce alone without Ian.


    As usual, there will always be security guards who look super fierce as if they were cannibals who would swallow you whole when you talk wrong and people like that are what Hailee has to deal with right now before she could enter the arena.


    "Where are you going?" one of the burly men stopped Hailee in her tracks. The man had a thick neck and was wearing clothes that looked very tight, and clung to his body as if entuating the hideous muscles under the lining.


    Hailee lifted her hat and showed her face, she knew this man, his name was Robert. Ian had previously told about him and it was always Robert, who was on guard whenever Hailee came. However, Hailee was not sure whether Robert could still recognize her, as it had been almost a year since she wasst here.


    "Into the arena," Hailee replied swiftly. There was no trembling in her voice and Hailee was grateful for that.


    Robert raised an eyebrow, staring Hailee up and down with a probing gaze before he nces at his friend beside him.


    Hailee doesn''t know this second man, he seemed like a new person. But, his ck eyes stared back intently as he did a ones over on Hailee''s appearance.


    An oversized ck shirt with jeans rolled up at her ankles, it was clear that the clothes were actuallyrger for Hailee''s petite frame by a size of one or two. Apart from the dull blue baseball cap that Hailee was wearing, the other item she was carrying was a jacket, the same jacket she wore moments ago while escaping the triad.


    If possible, Hailee would also sell this leather jacket to make some extra money.


    "To meet who?" asked the new man. He was a little thinner than Robert, but a few inches taller than him.


    "Ian Schamber," Hailee replied straightforwardly, "or better known as the executioner."


    The executioner is Ian''s stage name at Arena, the name of the ce Hailee wanted to enter now.


    The two of them stared at each other with slightly frowned foreheads. "He didn''t say anything about any visiting guests."


    "I don''t have an appointment with him," Hailee said through clenched teeth. She really didn''t have time for this.


    "Then go away," expelled the other security.


    Feeling that her patience was running out and the annoyance was running high on her head, Hailee took off her baseball cap in a huff, messing up her hair, but at the same time giving her brown eyes a fierce effect, as if she was ready to pounce on the two big men in front of her, even though her small body did not convince herself to do so.


    "Listen, Robert." Hailee turned her fierce gaze toward Robert, she could see there was a spark of surprise in his expression. "I''ve been to this ce several times with Ian Schamber. I can recognize you. "Hailee red at him. "My rtionship with Ian is quite close, so if a serious matter that he should immediately find out about bes obstructed because of you, you know very well what his character is, right?"


    Hailee''s voice was neither high nor loud, but it was enough for the two of them to take it seriously.


    Once again, they looked at each other, as ifmunicating what they should do next.


    For everyone else, they must have drive Hailee away, but it was her connection to Ian that made them hesitant to do so.


    "Tell Ian that Hailee came to see him and if he wants to talk, I''ll be waiting for him here." Since there was no solution and several people hade and gone from inside the mansion that was located at the corner of this alley, while giving Hailee a strange look and a few intimate winks with wild eyes like Rnd''s, Hailee felt ufortable and immediately wanted to meet Ian.


    As soon as possible!


    "Wait here," grumbled the tall man as he entered the house.

 Chapter 5: A LONG NIGHT (5)

    <h4>Chapter 5: A LONG NIGHT (5)</h4>


    It didn''t take long for Hailee to meet Ian, because after Ian heard that Hailee was outside waiting for him, he immediately rushed over to meet the girl.


    Along the way he cursed Hailee, who knew what her mind was actually filled with, she dared toe to this ce alone. Ian had repeatedly warned Hailee not toe visit him here unless she was with him.


    However, there was an even bigger danger out there beyond Ian''s wild imaginations.


    Ian half ran with Demian behind him, the security who informed him that Hailee had came.


    "Hailee," called Ian when he found the little figure with her head lowered and kicking the pebbles under her feet. "I told you many times that ..."


    Ian''s protests were muffled when Hailee''s long hair covered his vision as the girl ran, bumping into his body hard while holding onto his neck before finally breaking out into tears.


    The sound of Hailee''s crying certainly invited several pairs of eyes to turn in their direction as people there started to look at them questioningly.


    "Hailee ... Hailee ... don''t cry like this." Ian stared frantically at the people around him. What was happening right now, to him here, really didn''t match his nickname as the executioner. "Let''s go inside," said Ian in a low voice as he bent over, lifting Hailee''s thighs as he carried her crying-self inside the arena.


    Of course this scene was extremely unnatural around the Arena, especially for people who knew Ian very well.


    The arena was a ce where people came to watch wild fights and shes without rules. Satisfying their desire to watch two people knock each other to their deaths on the boxing ring, while risking their sizable fortune.


    This was where Ian usually made his fortune, he was one of the best fighters under a group named ''Sandgun 45''.


    For those who like this kind of wild fighting life, the name Sandgun 45 is nothing knew to their ears. In addition, the identity of the mysterious owner of the sandgun 45, was a god level secret there and till this day it remained unveiled. People only knew one thing about her, which was only her name ''Shiren''.


    Some people said she was a beautiful woman who liked violence and was a mistress of a wealthy official, but some said that the owner of sandgun 45 was actually a man and the name Shiren was just a front.


    However, to this day, no one knew the whole truth of it. Even Ian, was clueless about this person.


    Ian led Hailee straight into his dressing room, ignoring the confused stares of the people they have passed.


    As soon as Ianid the still sobbing Hailee on the sofa and made her sit, he immediately went over to close the door and locked it behind him. Then he strode toward the crying girl and squatted in front of her whom he thought of as a little sister.


    "Lee, stop crying and tell me what''s wrong?" he rubbed Hailee''s head gently. The expression on his face now would make it hard for others to link him to the nickname The Executioner, the bloodthirsty fighter who would be merciless while beating his opponents until they almost lost theirst breath.


    Hailee wiped her tears, looked at Ian and said one sentence which made Ian frown. "I just killed someone¡­" Hailee''s voice was trembling, only now did she feel the suppressed wave of panic and fear that she had seeded to calm down earlier had came washing over her again.


    "What?" Ian said that one word in disbelief, then bombarded her with questions. "How can you kill someone? Who did you kill? You must be kidding, right? "


    Hailee gritted her teeth and red at Ian through her tear-drenchedshes. "Do I look like I''m kidding right now?"


    "Who did you kill?" Ian turned serious this time, seeing Hailee''s condition now¡­ who would joke while looking like a sobbing mess? Not to mention that Ian''s eyes had caught the bruises on Hailee''s forehead and the dried blood that had clotted at the ends of her hair.


    It seemed like this matter would be much moreplicated than Ian had expected.


    "Rnd Dimatrio, District Attorney in the city of T." Hailee''s voice got lower and lower till thest syble of her sentence. Just by uttering that man''s name, brought all the terrifying moments she had experienced that night back to her mind again.


    "You killed him?!" Ian''s eyes widened at the shocking news and then he shook his head hard, a habit he always followed when he wanted to keep his focus on an issue. "But why? No. The question is; how did youe to know of him? And what in the world did you meet him for? "


    Hailee swallowed hard and Ian caught the gesture. He helped her by getting a bottle of mineral water and gave it to Hailee.


    Hailee was so grateful as she felt the cool liquid run down her throat and made her voice so much better.


    It took a while for Hailee to tell everything to Ian, starting from how her parents died in a robbery case a week ago and how Aileen, her step sister, whom Hailee had always thought of as a perfect figure, had sold her to the old man, the district attorney, Rnd Dimatrio.


    And of course how she managed to escape her worst nightmare by identally killing Rnd.


    "What should I do?" Hailee sniffled again, she took out the watch and the two rings belonging to Rnd and handed them to Ian. "I need money."


    Ian''s forehead frowned. "Don''t worry, I''ll sell it safely." Of course, Ian had his own connections, there are countlessworks in this world, untouched by the ''sun'', he can sell the stuff untraceable.


    "I told you, right? You have to watch out for Aileen, she''s not as good as you think. " Ian again reminded his warning not from long ago, which Hailee had ignoredpletely.


    Hailee''s parents didn''t like Hailee hanging out with thugs like Ian, so they tried to forbid Hailee from seeing Ian again, thinking that their rtionship might continue to be something Mr. and Mrs. Tatum didn''t want.


    Therefore, for the past one month, Hailee and Ian hadpletely lost contact, so Ian had no idea what had happened to this little sister of his during this time.


    "Ian, what do I do now?" Hailee returned to wiping her tears which wouldn''t stop falling, while Ian took out a box of tissues and gave it to Hailee.


    "There is one way you can escape from a situation like this." Ian sat beside Hailee and embraced her, letting her lean on his shoulder. "I''ll help you find a safe ce and create a new identity, meanwhile, you can stay at my house."

 Chapter 6: A LONG NIGHT (6)

    <h4>Chapter 6: A LONG NIGHT (6)</h4>


    That night, Ian had to go up to the Arena and Hailee didn''t want to go to Ian''s house alone, so the only solution was to wait for the man to finish beating up his challengers.


    Hailee did not need to doubt Ian''s ability in this matter, because he would alwayse out as a champion in every battle he had participated.


    It was just that, Hailee couldn''t stop thinking, after witnessing Ian''s explosive battle career, why in the world would people still want to challenge him in the Arena, couldn''t they realize how futile their efforts would seem?


    "Wait here, I''ll be back in an hour," Ian said while changing his clothes, he had no problem being shirtless in front of Hailee while the girl''s mind was too frantic to enjoy the view before her, where Ian was showing off his six pack abs for a moment before he put on the white shirt which he have to wear for the fightter.


    After all, this wasn''t the first time that Ian had changed his clothes in front of Hailee.


    "Don''te out of this changing room and lock the door," Ian warned before walking out of the room, only after he saw that Hailee actually got up from her seat and walked some unsteady steps to close the door, did Ian walked away toward the arena.


    Inside the dressing room was only a single sofa which was only enough for one person. Hailee curled up there and remembered what actually Aileen had told her when she was about to sell her.


    "You think I''ve been liking you all this time? You don''t even have any blood rtion to me, "Aileen said while sneering at Hailee.


    It was the first time for Hailee to see a glint filled with so much malice in the eyes of Aileen, the step sister whom she had always loved. Especially after the sudden departure of their parents, Hailee innocently thought that she only had Aileen in this world.


    In reality she didn''t have anyone, even Aileen was far more terrifying than an enemy.


    "You arepletely useless and very inappropriate to side with Theo," said Aileen.


    As if hearing his name being called out, a tall man dressed like a high-ss elite, approached Aileen and circled her small waist from behind whilending an affectionate kiss on top of her head.


    He was Theodore Gevano, a sessful young businessman in the city of T, aged twenty-nine, who just got engaged to Hailee a month ago while her parents were still alive, after two years of dating.


    Theodore was a man who was chosen by Hailee''s father exclusively. Seeing how skilled this man was at handling business, Mr. Tatum believed that Hailee would be happy with a guaranteed life if she was with Theodore.


    "You think Theo has always loved you? The runny girl who only knows how to mess up, your attitude so far has embarrassed the Gevano family and the Tatum family! " Aileen scolded Hailee while hugging Theo, as if he was a trophy for her.


    However, Aileen''s triumphant smile faded when Hailee actuallyughed when she heard her nonsense babble.


    "Tatum family?" Hailee raised an eyebrow whileughing derisively at Aileen. "Aren''t you overestimating yourself? You''re just an orphanage girl who was lucky enough to be adopted by my parents as bait." Hailee sneered back at Aileen.


    Even in such a state, Hailee still felt a little sorry for what she had said. Those words Hailee heard from the people around her, who for some reason always looked at Aileen with dismissive eyes and would always whisper that Aileen was just a ''bait'' child, because even after Mr. and Mrs. Tatum''s fifth anniversary, they are still not blessed with children.


    Whispers like that always managed to hurt Aileen to the point of crying, usually Hailee would get mad at people who told Aileen that.


    However, Hailee never expected that she would arrive at such a moment like this where she would use the same words to Aileen.


    "Watch your words!" Aileen shouted angrily, she was about to step up and p Hailee, but Theo held her back.


    "Just let it go, stop it, Hailee is still mourning the passage of her parents," Theo said softly to Aileen while rubbing her shoulder. "If Hailee objects you; being a part of the Tatum family, then I wouldn''t mind making you a part of the Gevano family," he saidfortably.


    Hearing this, Aileen nced affectionately at Theo and embraced the man''s waist with tears melting from her deep feminine eyes.


    "Is it true?" asked Aileen in such a sweet voice.


    "Of course." Theo nodded decisively while answering her. "We''re getting married as soon as possible."


    Hailee got really sick watching the stupid couple in front of her, she really wanted to get out of the hotel room where Aileen asked her to meet.


    Hailee didn''t initially understand why Aileen had asked her to meet her in a hotel room, but at that point of time, Hailee certainly didn''t have any prejudice about her step sister.


    "Hailee," called Theo, in his most gentle voice as if he was talking to a five year old child who was difficult to control. "I thought at the start of our rtionship, I could like you, but even after two years have passed, I only think of you as a little sister, I hope you don''t hate Aileen because of this matter."


    Maybe Theo thought those words were very wise, but to Hailee, the words Theo just spat out were just a passing wind.


    Crossing her arms, Hailee stared at the disgusting pair of couple in front of her defiantly. "You think I''ve been liking you all this time? I wouldn''t do such silly things if I really wanted to join the Gevano family. "Hailee narrowed her eyes. "It is true about the saying that good people will meet good people and vice versa." Sarcasm was thick in Hailee''s words.


    "What do you mean?!"Aileen was about to approach Hailee and teach her an unforgettable lesson when Theo held her back once again.


    "No need to respond to her words." Even though that was what Theo said, but the expression on his face turned dark as he red at Hailee. "We''re out of here."


    After saying that, Theo led Aileen out of the hotel room.


    Hailee, who was left in the room alone, was about to leave when Rnd Dmatrio entered the hotel room and revealed what exactly Aileen was nning to have Haileee here.


    Of course Aileen not only wanted to show off Theo who had chosen her, but there was something else behind it.


    A much worse thing.

 Chapter 7: A NEW IDENTITY

    <h4>Chapter 7: A NEW IDENTITY</h4>


    The sound of knocking at the door interrupted both daydreams¡­ or Hailee''s dream of what had happened just hours apart.


    Hailee rubbed her face and her tired eyes, she didn''t realize she had fallen asleep on this sofa.


    "Hailee? Open the door. "


    It was Ian''s voice.


    "Yes, just a moment," said Hailee in a hoarse voice, she looked at the clock which showed that it was already past midnight, it seemed that she had fallen asleep while waiting for Ian.


    With unsteady steps and a dizzy head from sleep deprivation and tension that she had had to endure all this day, Hailee walked to the door and opened it.


    Ian''s body loomed over Hailee with his usual grin. Hailee could see some bruises on his face and cuts on his forehead and lips, but other than that Ian was fine.


    And based on the twinkle in his eye, there was no need to ask for the certain because Hailee was willing to bet her fortune that Ian had won this fight again.


    "Sleeping?" asked Ian, checking his face in the mirror.


    "Yes, along with a nightmare," Hailee grumbled while huddling back on the sofa.


    "How bad?" Ian asked, he ced a brown envelope on Hailee''sp. "Met a ghost?"


    "A ghost would look really cute whenpared to the two people I dreamed of," Hailee said grumpily, but a faint smile appeared on her lips when she sees the amount of money in the envelope Ian had given her earlier. It turned out that the three items of Rnd were quite expensive too ...


    On the other hand, Ian chuckled when he heard Hailee''s answer. "You don''t need to look at that kind of money with a look of amazement, the money left by your parents must be a lot more than that."


    Hearing Ian''s sentence, Hailee''s mood dampened drastically, she put the money back in the envelope and put it in the jacket pocket safely.


    "Inheritance?" Hailee snorted, but sadness was noticeably deep in her eyes. "Even the reading of the ''will'' will only be done one week from now, and even if I receive my inheritance rights, what can I do with in a situation like this?"


    Even though Hailee got the inheritance rights, of course she couldn''t walk around freely to her house and exercise her rights. It was the same asmitting suicide and exposing herself to a much greater danger. After all, Hailee had killed someone ...


    This was one of her regrets. Not because that Hailee couldn''t get a chance to enjoy these assets, but because she was not willing to let all these assets to fall into Aileen hands.


    After all, Hailee would never be willing to give Aileen a dime of her parents'' property, but things were implying something else and Hailee was in a difficult situation where she must fight to save herself first.


    "We have to think about how to get back at Aileen first," Ian said angrily.


    But, Hailee shook her head. "We can think about thatter, what''s on my mind right now is a shower, clean clothes and afortable bed," Hailee said wearily.


    Seeing the pale Hailee, Ian immediately said. "I''ll take a shower first, then we''ll go to my house."


    Hailee nodded and huddled back on the sofa, hugging the money envelope in her jacket pocket.


    ***


    Hailee stayed for two days at Ian''s not very big house. Because there is only one bedroom, Ian told Hailee to use it while he slept on the sofa in front of the television.


    Actually it didn''t matter to Ian, because at night he would be busy in the Arena and only came back at noon and spent his time in the house just sleeping before he had to leave again.


    Sometimes Ian didn''t evene home and stay at his friend''s house just because it was so boring to be home alone.


    But, this time, Ian came home early with Hailee.


    Just as they were about to enter Ian''s living ce, the man firmly told her to cover her face.


    After all, Hailee was a young woman and if she had to stay at Ian''s house, it would give root to unfriendly rumors from the public busybodies.


    It didn''t matter to Ian, because he was a man, but Hailee was different, especially since her family was once well known as a diamond entrepreneur in the city of R.


    Hailee obediently obeyed and covered her face with a hoodie and baseball cap as the two of them walked into Ian''s house.


    During these two days, Hailee did not leave the house at all and spent her time cleaning Ian''s¡­ hmm¡­ quite messy house.


    For food, Ian wouldn''t forget to shop, an activity he''s never done before, and go home and fill the refrigerator, which was almost always empty, with ingredients from which Hailee would whip some magic up, and turn them into the most delicious dish Ian had ever ate.


    At first Ian was very skeptical of Hailee''s cooking skills. The pampered daughter of a diamond entrepreneur, it was almost impossible for Hailee to cook anything more luxurious than an omelette.


    However, reality said otherwise; Hailee was very good in this field.


    Just like the previous day, Ian came home at ten o''clock. By that time, Hailee had finished preparing a simple three course meal consisting of fried shrimp, tofu soup and a bowl of hot noodles.


    Even before Ian couldpletely open the door, he smelled this appetizing cooking aroma.


    "Ah! It would be nice if this delicious food could greet me every day," Ian sighed as he chewed his fried shrimp and served himself another portion of rice.


    Hailee just rolled her eyes when she heard thisment from her best friend, "So, find a girlfriend who can take care of you," said Hailee.


    "A suggestion from someone who doesn''t even have a boyfriend either," replied Ian, grinning as he stood up to get a cold water bottle from the refrigerator.


    Hailee sneered, "You can''tpare with me."


    "Oh, yes! I almost forgot! " Ian eximed while pping his forehead quite hard, he then put the water bottle on the table and reached into something from the jacket pocket, which he had slung on the back of the chair. "This."


    Ian then put a brown envelope in front of Hailee.


    Instinctively, Hailee opened it as soon as she got hold of it and found several documents and one identity.


    These are the documents that Ian promised two days ago and it seemed they werepleted earlier than expected.


    Hailee then read the name on it. "Hailee Wolfe?"


    Ian nodded and grinned, "Why? It''s good, isn''t it?" he said with a chuckle.

 Chapter 8: UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER

    <h4>Chapter 8: UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER</h4>


    Hailee really wanted to hit Ian for his unkind jokes, but in the end she gave up and sighed in frustration. "Okay, okay ... I''m not in a position to choose."


    Ian burst outughing when he heard Hailee''s grumbled mutter. "At least then, you will remember me." Ian rubbed the top of Hailee''s head slowly before he sat back down and continued eating.


    There was a story behind the name ''Wolfe'' and that story was only known to Ian and Hailee, therefore they often make fun using this word.


    "Tomorrow you have to leave early in the morning from here to catch the bus at seven so you can get to city A before your flight out of this country," Ian exined Hailee''s schedule for tomorrow.


    Previously, during the past two days, even though Hailee knew she had to leave this northern state, she hadn''t really thought about leaving till now.


    It wasn''t until she had all the documents she needed and that she would truly leave her homnd, from the city where she had grown up, did Hailee feel a little sentimental.


    Who knew when she would be able to return and more over, she would not be able to visit the graves of her parents during this escape.


    A tear fell down onto her te as she cried silently. However, Ian saw that and immediately put down the spoon and fork in his hands, walked around the table to sit next to Hailee.


    Ian then pulled Hailee''s body into his arms and rubbed her back gently without saying anything, because there were no words that would be able to relieve Hailee''s sadness at this time.


    Let her cry for now, because that alone could help her a little to untie the tight bonds of sadness, anger, hatred and all other unfair feelings that Hailee was feeling right now.


    But, after that, Hailee will rebuild her life and wouldn''t let this get her down.


    She didn''t know when, or whether it would take years or decades, but Hailee was determined that one day she would return and repay what Aileen had done to her. Sh would return to take over all the inheritance of her parents which were hers right in the first ce.


    Hailee was determined to do it all, and therefore, she had to save herself first at this point.


    ***


    This morning, it was so cold when Hailee came out of Ian''s house, wrapping herself in Ian''s jacket while carrying a backpack containing several pieces of clothing and things Hailee would needter. She must not forget any valuable documents.


    Ian actually wanted to buy a new jacket for Hailee, but the girl refused and asked for the money instead. Well, Hailee needs money more than a jacket, after all by wearing Ian''s jacket, Hailee feels a little less lonely.


    In the end, Ian gave Hailee some money which he was going to give herter even if she didn''t ask for it.


    However, Hailee returned half of the money Ian ced in the envelope.


    "You need this for your sister''s medical expenses," Hailee forced Ian to ept his money back. Even though Ian refused at first, but by hearing the name of his younger sister melted down his resolve and he took the money back.


    His younger sister who was sick and being hospitalized required a lot of money.


    But, even being able to help Hailee was something Ian considered a must. Only Hailee was the one whom Ian could think of close to a family, someone whose kindness Ian would never forget in his life.


    Because only Hailee was willing to help him when he was really down, at his lowest point of life while feeling desperate, not knowing what else to do.


    However, Hailee came forward reaching her hand out and helped Ian get up. From then on, Ian vowed not to forget what Hailee did to him and treated her as his sister genuinely.


    Therefore, Ian was quite ttered when Hailee came looking for him when she was in a big trouble, even though this was all Ian could do.


    "Okay, looks like it''s a goodbye then," Hailee turned around and her eyes had already turned red from the tears she was trying to hold back.


    "Don''t you want me to take you to the terminal?" asked Ian, hugging Hailee''s tiny body tightly.


    Ian was willing to take Hailee to the bus terminal or airport, but Hailee insisted she would go alone.


    "No need," Hailee hugged back Ian''s big body. "You will be the first person I will contact once I settled down."


    The road was still deserted as the two friends hugged each other and said their final goodbyes as a taxi waited to take Hailee to her destination.


    "Make sure to call me," Ian gave Hailee a big hug before letting her go and opening the passenger door for her.


    Hailee wiped her tears that were continuously flowing down and waved at Ian from behind the open window.


    "Give my greetings to Ciara," Hailee tried to smile even though the tears wouldn''t stop falling.


    Ian nodded, he rubbed Hailee''s head and ruffled her hair, "Take good care of yourself."


    And after a few words and smiles, the taxi took Hailee away, leaving behind a city where Hailee had held many memories of her life.


    ***


    Hailee arrived at the bus terminal on time and continued the journey from city R to city A by bus which took about four hours.


    Even during the few hours of long journey, Hailee could not close her eyes for even a second, her mind wandered thinking about what she would do in the Southern Country, where she had no rtives or acquaintances.


    However, the point of her escape itself was that she couldn''t be found, so it wouldn''t do any good if she knew someone there.


    Because in the end, Hailee would never be able to meet them.


    She had never felt so lonely as she felt today.


    After four hours of traveling, Hailee finally reached town A and from there, it only took her about ten minutes to take a taxi and after that she would take her first flight to the southern states.


    Who knew how many years she would take to be able toe back here, even Hailee did not know thetest news about Rnd Dimatrio, which she believed, would be in the headlines for thest two days.


    Hailee purposely didn''t watch television or read the news, because that would only make her even more scared.


    However, something far more terrifying appeared before her, before Hailee could cross the street and hail a taxi, she saw the figure of Alex, Rnd Dimatrio''s bodyguard, in the distance.

 Chapter 9: THE VICTIMS FIANCEE

    <h4>Chapter 9: THE VICTIM''S FIANCEE</h4>


    "How did they find me here?" Hailee hissed as her eyes met Alex''s and the man recognized her in an instant.


    They were separated by two cities and it should have been that after Rnd Dimatrio''s death, they wouldn''t have time to look for her anymore, right?


    But, if Hailee thought about this again, of course she would be the first person that the Bodyguards woulde looking for after seeing their boss''s unnatural death. Apparently, she was the prime suspect.


    In her panic, Hailee moved away, trying to cut through the crowd behind her when she saw Alex along with two of his men began running toward her, their gazes implied that; once Hailee was caught, there would be no chance for her to escape their clutches again.


    The young girl then would end up rotting in prison, spending the rest of her life surrounded by four walls.


    Just imagining the worst possible oue made Hailee shudder with horror, therefore, with a confused mind and a pounding heart, Hailee tried to run as fast as her legs could take her, trying to herself away from Rnd Dimatrio''s men.


    "Sh*t!" Hailee condemned her inefficiency. There was only one hour left before the ne would take off, if she couldn''t make it to the airport in time, then she will miss her flight.


    However, on the other hand, with Alex and the two bodyguards around, how could she possibly get to the airport safely? They must have calcted that that was her escape route.


    And if Hailee insisted on staying at the airport, then that would be giving herself up voluntarily.


    "No, no¡­" Hailee shook her head vigorously as she ran into a shop and immediately looked for the back door of the ce.


    Every shop must have an exit door or emergency door and as soon as Hailee saw the sign of the door, she immediately headed there without paying attention to the salesgirl who greeted her kindly.


    Out of the corner of her eye, Hailee could see that Alex was hot on her tail, running as fast as he could to catch up to her.


    Without thinking, Hailee immediately pushed open the door and found herself in a small alley with lots of garbage piles on her left and right, but at the end of the alley, on the left side, she could vaguely see a big road where many vehicles were passing by.


    Hailee couldn''t even dare to halt for a second and catch her breath as she immediately dashed toward the end with all her might and reached the mouth of the alley in less than two minutes.


    What Hailee didn''t expect, however, was that right in the middle of the road, there appeared to be a major ident, it seemed to have happened recently. And, the people were swarming in several groups and formed a circle, quite a distance around the ident zone, evidently too scared to get close.


    And, Hailee just happened to run right into the middle of these swarming crowds. She thought of making use of this God sent opportunity and tried to seep further into the crowd, toward the ident zone.


    Looking over the shoulders of the people in front of her, Hailee struggled forward, but it didn''t take long before her small body got blocked and she couldn''t move any further.


    While trying to walk through the crowd, Hailee got pushed by the people behind her, who were also curious to see more clearly about the ident that had urred just a few minutes ago, until finally Hailee stood in front of the crowd and found a luxury car that had toppled over and was now emitting smoke.


    Most of the people around were women and even if there were men, they were too old to check whether there were any survivors of the terrible ident or not, while the few young men who were there, did not have the guts to approach the car.


    In the distance, approaching ambnce'' sirens could be heard. Not just an ambnce but also a fire engine was following behind, it seemed the person called for help had exined in detail the situation and conditions here.


    However, this only added to the chaos of the atmosphere, making the people huddle back together and leaving no space for Hailee to run away again.


    Hailee kept looking back frantically, checking whether her pursuers had already managed to find her in this sea of ??people or not.


    It seemed that luck was not on Hailee''s side, for she saw, not far from where she was being crushed, that Alex along with his two men had already rushed forward, pushing those around them away.


    "Sh*t!" Hailee cursed again when the three people moved closer, if she kept silent like this, then just in a few minutes, it was certain that Hailee would not have a chance to run away again.


    Just then, the people around Hailee gasped and began pointing their fingers frantically at the overturned car.


    "Someone''s out! Someone ising out! " they eximed almost like a choir of chorus, but in an out of tune.


    Hailee''s focus is momentarily diverted when she saw a man trying to open the door of the wrecked car and crawling out of the toppled over car that nearly killed him.


    God knew what thoughts had crossed her mind right then, but Hailee''s body actually moved forward even before her brain could digest the crazy idea that had suddenly crossed her mind.


    There was no way for Hailee to break through the sea of ??people around her, so she moved forward, half running to the wrecked car and the three young men who had been there to help the victim get out of the car.


    "What happened to you!?"Hailee eximed frantically, she immediately knelt beside the man who had been covered in blood with wounds from shattered ss and bumps when the ident happened. "Take him to a wider ce! Where are the medics!? "


    Hailee''s frightened voice and panicked facial expression, did not arouse the slightest suspicion from those around her.


    "Miss, don''t panic, the ambnce is here," said one of the men, trying to calm Hailee down.


    Of course Hailee had already seen that the medics were carrying the stretcher in a rush and hurrying over to Hailee, while the firefighters swiftly put out the mes that had begun to appear from the wrecked car on the side of the road.


    "Help him! Help him!" Hailee was crying frantically while holding the hand of a stranger who was the victim of an ident she had never even met before.


    It was very easy for Hailee to be as natural as possible with her reaction, because after all, she was indeed in a situation that was far from pleasant.


    "Calm down miss, we will take him to the hospital," one of the medics said as he tried to lift the man''s body onto the stretcher together with his partner, very carefully.


    "Sorry, miss who is the victim?" asked the medic, just to be sure of his guess.


    Based on the reaction Hailee gave, it was likely that this girl knew the victim.


    "I¡­" Hailee stuttered as she wiped her tears. "I''m his fiance." The words just slid off Hailee''s lips.


    The medic nodded and invited Hailee to get into the ambnce along with them.


    Before the ambnce door was closed, Hailee could see that the three people who were chasing after her could only stare at her unable to do anything at the sudden turn of events.

 Chapter 10: TORDOFF

    <h4>Chapter 10: TORDOFF</h4>


    Hailee really didn''t know who the man she had acknowledged as her fianc¨¦, but luckily, one of the medics found the victim''s identity in the pocket of his jacket so that Hailee could find out, at least, his name for now.


    Hailee sat on the bench, near the operating room, holding the bloodied jacket belonging to Ramon Tordoff, the man who was struggling on the operating table for his life.


    The girl nced at her watch and had to ept the harsh reality that she would never get to the airport on time, let alone get the on the ne in time, Hailee herself wasn''t sure whether the three men chasing her would stop looking for her.


    They could easily get information about this hospital, definitely, which meant; Hailee had to get out of there right away.


    After making sure that there were no more nurses who would approach her and ask things that Hailee didn''t know about the man named Ramon Tordoff, the girl immediately got up from her chair and ced Ramon Tordoff''s jacket and wallet on the chair intending to run away, when she heard her name was being call.


    "Miss Wolfe."


    It was the voice of the nurse who had spoken to her earlier.


    Hailee, whether she liked it or not, must stop her steps and turn around to face this nurse named Silvy.


    However, the nurse was not alone, along with her was a woman in her forties, covered in very ssic and vintage clothes.


    From the style of dress and the graceful way of her walking, Hailee could tell that this woman was not just any normal woman.


    "Um, what is it?" Hailee asked, stealing hesitant nces at the woman who was now standing in front of her.


    But, before the nurse could say a word to exin her intention to call Hailee, the woman had already spoken.


    "You are Ramon''s fianc¨¦?" asked the woman with a light investigating voice.


    Hailee swallowed her saliva with much difficulty. On one hand, she had admitted to the medics that she was victim''s fianc¨¦, even the nurse knew her only by that status.


    But, on the other hand, if Hailee agreed with this woman''s question, she didn''t know whether her lie would be exposed sooner thanter? What if this woman denied and said that Ramon was already married and she was not someone Ramon knew? But, who was this woman? Then what was the right answer, should Hailee give?


    ''What other bad luck do I''m still due to face?'' Hailee thought, feeling like the most unfortunate person in the world.


    If possible, Hailee felt like screaming in frustration.


    "You don''t need to be afraid. I won''t be angry, "the woman said again when Hailee didn''t answer her question. "This nurse said, you are Ramon''s fianc¨¦, is that true?"


    Hailee was fidgeting restlessly, she bit her lower lip and studied the woman before her. She was considering the situation and what answers she would give herter.


    "That''s right, I''m his fianc¨¦," Hailee replied, nodding her head slowly to confirm her words.


    Judging from the way this woman asked, if she had to ask to confirm Hailee'' and Ramon''s status, it seemed like she didn''t know Ramon that well.


    Maybe this woman was the man''s business colleague? Hailee frowned slightly.


    The woman then nodded at the nurse who had escorted her, "can you leave the two of us alone?"


    The nurse then replied very politely before she resigned and returned to her busy work schedule.


    "We''d better find a more private ce to talk," said the woman again in the same calm tone, but then, her eyes caught Ramon''s jacket on the chair.


    Seeing the faint crease between the woman''s eyebrows, Hailee hurriedly took the jacket back. "I was going to buy a drink earlier and this jacket is full of blood, so¡­ it doesn''t feel good when other people see it¡­" Hailee tried to reason, giving an excuse she thought which would make some sense.


    However, the woman waved her hand at someone behind Hailee and said, "Just give him the jacket."


    Hailee turned around to find a man in the same style of clothing that Alex was wearing, so Hailee immediately assumed that this man was a bodyguard.


    With a small smile on her lips, Hailee gave the jacket to the man. "Thank you," he said softly.


    There is a faint surprise that Hailee could notice in his eyes, but she didn''t really think about it as she trailed after the woman, who had walked ahead.


    As they exited the hospital lobby to the nearest cafeteria, Hailee could see Alex and the two men who had followed her not far from her.


    "What is wrong?" The woman is sensitive enough to catch Hailee''s fear, her eyes scanned around them, looking for what could make this young girl look so terrified.


    Unfortunately, nothing. She didn''t find anything.


    "Why are you scared like that?" The woman then followed Hailee''s line of sight and found Alex who was standing not far from them.


    ???No, I¡­" Hailee stuttered.


    However, before she could say anything, the woman had ordered her bodyguard toe over to Alex, immediately Hailee could feel her blood draining from her face.


    "No need, they¡­ I¡­" Hailee wanted to run away from there, but her legs weren''t listening to her.


    "Don''t worry, they won''t hurt you." The woman said nonchntly as she continued walking toward the cafeteria.


    Hailee nced fearfully at Alex and the woman''s bodyguard. She didn''t know what they were talking about, but the bodyguard managed to get Alex and his two men into the car and drive away.


    Seeing this Hailee frowned in confusion, how could she repel Rnd Dimatrio''s bodyguard so easily?


    Hailee''s eyes then turned to the back of the woman walking in front of her.


    Who exactly was this woman? Was she a figure who was also quite powerful in this city A?


    Hailee''s brain started to think fast when she realized that she could get into even more trouble dealing with town A''s important people.


    Not only city A''s key people were the elite, but their influence was very broad globally in this country.


    Head full of the worst possible oues she could possibly face,she found that her footsteps did not stop following the woman until they found afortable spot in the corner of the cafeteria.


    "Looks like I haven''t introduced myself yet," the woman''s voice interrupted Hailee''s reverie.


    "Um, will you?" Hailee grimaced, while hoping that things would not get any worser than they were already.


    "I''m Lis Tordoff, mother of Ramon." Lis voice sounded like a bell ringing in Hailee''s ears.


    Tordoff !!?


    Hailee just remembered where she had heard that name previously.

 Chapter 11: BIGSHOT!

    <h4>Chapter 11: BIGSHOT!</h4>


    The Tordoffs were one of the Top elites in town A! How could Hailee be so stupid as to forget this!?


    Instantly Hailee could feel the adrenaline-racing in her veins so fast it made her head spin a little.


    "Are you okay?" Although Lis Tordoff''s voice sounded gentle, her sharp eyes suggested that she was investigating something from the young girl before her. "You look pale."


    "I''m fine¡­" Hailee shook her head, she stared at her intertwined fingers on herp. She didn''t know what to say now.


    How could her fate be so unlucky like this ?!


    Lis Tordoff then sighed softly, hearing this Hailee felt terrified as her mind started to think all kinds of bad things. This woman must have found out her lie.


    Ramon Tordoff was one of the most famous bachelors in town A,pared to his younger brother, Lexus Tordoff, who always changed a new woman every week, Ramon''s love life was almost unheard of at all, even his personal life was rarely exposed.


    "Regarding the rtionship between you and Ramon¡­" Lis started, but Hailee immediately cut her words off.


    "I am sorry!" Hailee immediately lowered her head solemnly, like someone asking for forgiveness, "I didn''t mean to do that and im to be Ramon''s fianc¨¦!"


    Having a problem with Rnd Dimatrio alone had turned Hailee''s life upside down, now on the top of it, if she had to deal and face the wrath of the Tordoffs, there will be no safe ce for Hailee, maybe even to the end of the world.


    Hailee really couldn''t think straight right now.


    However, unexpectedly, Lis rubbed the side of Hailee''s face gently, instead of pping her for her fake admittance to being her son''s fianc¨¦.


    "I agree with the rtionship between you two,"Lis said.


    "Huh?" What?


    Upon hearing this eptance, a surprised Hailee lifted her eyes to look directly at this elegant woman in front of her.


    Hailee was dumbfounded when she saw Lis''s facial expression softening with the tears she was trying to stop from falling.


    Was this woman going to cry? But why? Moved?


    Ugh! What was wrong with this woman?


    "Sorry¡­ I don''t understand¡­" Hailee asked timidly, looking at Lis warily. Could this be a trap? But why would a woman like Lis Tordoff set her up?


    Lis took a deep breath, after what seemed like forever and when she took long enough to calm down, she looked a little rxed. "I know your rtionship with Ramon is not going well because of my opposition, but now I will no longer interfere with your rtionship."


    Eh? What did she mean by saying all these?


    Hailee blinked repeatedly, trying to digest what Lis was trying to say.


    And from what Hailee caught from Lis'' monologue exnation of her regret at having opposed Ramon'' and his ''lover'' rtionship, Hailee can conclude several things;


    First, Ramon already had a secret rtionship with a woman whose name was unknown to Lis. Lis was against this because she already had another candidate she wanted to match her first son with.


    Second, Lis had never been able to get any information about the woman Ramon had been dating for the past two years because Ramon was very secretive about his personal life and not very open, even to his mother and brother.


    Third, it seems that before Ramon''s ident, he had been missing for two days with the intention of marrying his lover and bringing their rtionship to the public.


    Of course all of these incidents were handled carefully by Lis so that they didn''t leak to the mass media, or else they wouldn''t be in this cafeteria and talking casually.


    "I will agree to Ramon''s decision," Lis shook her head. "I will have a wedding party for both of you when Ramon is well. Whatever the decision this time, I will agree. "


    Hha? She must be kidding, right?


    Hailee frowned thinking hard about this sudden turn of events. It appaered that this misunderstanding had really went too far already.


    "Sorry Mrs. Tordoff, but I¡­" Hailee''s words were interrupted when the Bodyguard approached Lis and informed about Ramon''s current condition.


    "The operation had beenpleted smoothly and Mr. Ramon has been transferred to the ward," he said in a deep voice.


    However, what Hailee was thinking about right now was how she could straighten the tangled threads that were getting more and more chaotic. She was really confused where to start.


    In addition, Hailee was curious about what exactly Taylor had said to Alex so that he can drive them away without even putting forth any meaningful effort.


    Didn''t Alex tell Taylor that his boss was with a killer? If that was what Alex said, it was certain that Hailee would have been arrested right now, but if not¡­ why did Alex hide it? Wasn''t he sent to catcher himself?


    Not to mention the problem that when Ramon finally wake up, it was certain that Hailee will really be in a dark puddle from where she wouldn''t be able to save herself again.


    "Well, Taylor you can take care of all that ..."Lis said to the bodyguard named Taylor. And, because Hailee was too busy thinking through her current situation, she missed most of their conversation. Lis turned to her and said, "Come on, Hailee."


    Hailee had a slow reaction to Lis''s invitation, but when she replied, what came out of her lips were stupid words. "To where?"


    Lis raised an eyebrow, but then smiled. "No need to be too embarrassed to be with Mother, we have plenty of time to get to know each other."


    ''Or maybe you shouldn''t have to know me at all. ''Hailee thought, grimacing when she couldn''t refuse Lis''s invitation to leave the cafeteria, even though Hailee was only able to take few sips from her drink and Lis''s was not even touched at all.


    "Hailee, I like your name," Lis said softly. It looked like she was trying hard to make up for what she had done to her son, by behaving and treating Hailee as best she could, but this will be a boomerang for Hailee someday.


    "Thank you," Hailee replied quietly.


    They finally made their way back to the hospital just as the sun was about to set, a dazzling golden light shining across the western horizon, piercing through the leafy strands.


    Meanwhile, Hailee was dragging her steps heavily while wondering what choice she currently had. Of course, escaping the big-shots, Tordoff as well as Dimatrio, was the absolute n Hailee had to follow up.


    After the two of them reached the VVIP room of the hospital, Taylor pushed the door open for the two of them and Lis'' next words made Hailee even more uneasy.


    "You can spend the night here for a while, if you need anything Taylor will be just outside," said Lis.

 Chapter 12: DID YOU FORGET?

    <h4>Chapter 12: DID YOU FORGET?</h4>


    Hailee didn''t know if she should be thankful for this, but what she understood was that it would be difficult for her to escape if therge bodyguard were to guard the exit.


    "There are a few things I have to take care of, I hope you will be fine as I can''t stay to look after Ramon tonight." Lis looked at her son''s face and stroked his head gently before she turned her attention back to Hailee.


    "Ah, that¡­" Hailee looked doubtful, but then she agreed. "Of course," she muttered.


    Grabbing her cell phone, she said to Hailee as she turned around. "Then, I''ll be going now."


    "Mrs. Tordoff." Hailee immediately called Lis, she really felt awkward, to stay alone for the night with apletely stranger.


    "Hm?" Lis turned around and raised her eyebrows, questioning Hailee''s actions. "Yes?" she asked, because the girl did not open her mouth after calling her back.


    Biting her lip, Hailee shuffled restlessly. "This¡­ don''t you want to find out who I am first? And what kind of background I came from?"


    Hailee couldn''t pretend forever, because when Ramon woke up tomorrow and see her, things will getplicated if Lis finds out that she was lying. The fact that Hailee had imed to be Ramon''s fianc¨¦ alone was bad enough, not to mention that she had to lie for any other detail they asked for.


    Lis''s gaze softened as she walked over to Hailee and rubbed her shoulders. "Ramon has his own reasons why he''s been keeping your identity a secret for the past two years , therefore, I won''t be looking into this information unless you tell me."Lis then added. "Do you want to tell me?"


    Seeing Hailee who didn''t answer her question, Lis immediately knew what the answer was. She was not angry though, there was a smile on her lips as she patted Hailee on the shoulder.


    "We will learn to get to know each other slowly. There''s still plenty of time for that. "


    After saying herst sentence, the female elite, exited the room and closed the door, leaving Hailee in silence.


    "Ah, what a mess!" Hailee grumbled, tugging at her own hair in frustration, as she couldn''t do anything.


    She felt very tired and hungry, because in the cafeteria earlier, she had not eaten anything but a ss of drink that she did not got enough time to finish.


    ''Perhaps, tonight then. ''Hailee thought she would spend the night here for a while andter she would find something to fill her empty stomach.


    Hailee lifted her tired legs and approached the bed where Ramon wasying. His head was bandaged and there was a breathing apparatus ced over his nose and mouth, but from the outline and shape of his face alone, Hailee knew that Ramon could be called; a man who could easily melt any woman''s heart.


    "Who is the lucky woman who got to be his girlfriend?" Hailee got curious as she muttered to herself.


    In her vague memory, Hailee remembered one of the news articles which featured Ramon Tordoff as the subject, but Hailee did not follow the topic of discussion and immediately changed the news channel to another channel. She was not a big fan of discussions about the country''s economy.


    But, who would have thought, that yearster, Hailee would actually meet a young banker who had caused a scene in the mass media several years ago because of his scandal.


    Letting out a soft sigh, Hailee moved away and headed for the bed that was specially designated for people apanying patients like herself.


    This bed was soft enough, at least ten times morefortable than the hard bed at Ian''s house. But, Hailee would choose to sleep in her best friend''s room if she she was given the opportunity.


    Right now Hailee is too tired to think, but tomorrow she will escape this situation for sure before Ramon got to realize and exposed her lies in front of Lis.


    With that n, Hailee closed her eyes and immediately fell asleep.


    But, just like her life these past few days, the n this time around didn''t seem like it will work out the way Hailee had hoped.


    ***


    Hailee woke up the next day when she heard a faint moaning from the man on the bed. Unexpectedly, she slept very soundlyst night, maybe because she was too tired, or maybe because she felt safe in this hospital, because right behind the entrance, Hailee knew that bodyguard of Lis was on guard.


    The groaning sound grew more and more and forced Hailee to open her sleepy eyes.


    The room was dimly lit, but seeing how bright it was behind the thick blue curtains, which blocked out the sun, Hailee knew that the night had turned to morning.


    Staggering, Hailee walked over to the sound that was disturbing her sleep and found Ramon who had opened his eyes.


    "Argh!" Hailee gave a low cry and hurriedly closed her mouth before she could scream even louder.


    There, on the bed, Ramon is staring at her with a frown, then his lips curl into the question Hailee had been afraid of all along.


    "Who are you?" Ramon asked hoarsely, looking like he was trying to sit up, but he kept struggling because he didn''t have much energy left to use, and again, Hailee didn''t do anything because she was too shocked to process what she should do next.


    "Who are you?" Ramon gave Hailee an annoyed look as he repeated his question.


    Hailee stuttered, not knowing what answer to give. She couldn''t let Ramon wait too, because even though the man''s face was pale, the look in his eyes was really scary.


    Hailee took a few steps back, even though her brain was still thinking about the best answer she could provide, but her body was moving on its own, looking for a way out of this situation.


    On the other hand, seeing that the girl he didn''t recognize moving away, Ramon grew even more suspicious and immediately pushed the emergency button beside his bed. His body was too weak to catch up with Hailee and his head was too heavy for him to remember that if he had met this girl before.


    Hailee was only able to grab the door handle when the door opened from outside and presented Lis from behind it.


    "Hailee?" Lis looked at her with questioning eyes, noticing that the confusion on the girl''s face was clearly visible. "What is wrong?"


    However, before Hailee could answer that question, Lis had caught the figure of Ramon who had awakened.


    Lis''s maternal instincts made her rush over to her first child, but didn''t forget to drag Hailee along with her too.


    Hailee was really about to cry, her hands started to sweat while her body stiffened like a block of ice.


    "Ramon¡­" Lis carefully hugged Ramon, just after letting go of her grip on Hailee.


    However, this moment of emotion, could not make Ramon take his investigative gaze away from Hailee.


    "Who is she?" Ramon asked again, after Lis let go of him and wiped the tears from her face.


    "You don''t know? How can you forget her, this is your lover, right?" Lis turned the same questioning gaze toward Hailee.

 Chapter 13: A CONFUSING SITUATION

    <h4>Chapter 13: A CONFUSING SITUATION</h4>


    Hailee felt her body stiffen and her fingertips go numb, even her own breath was now racing.


    Forget about Rnd Dimatrio, the Tordoffs were much more powerful than the district attorney''s family and if Hailee got on the bad side of the Tordoffs, who knew what her life would turn out to be.


    "What is this?" Lis stared at Ramon and Hailee in turns, confusion deeply etched into her eyes. "Ramon, how can you not remember your lover who you have been hiding for two years?" Lis stroked her son''s face, but Ramon brushed off her mother''s hand and red at Hailee.


    In his daily life, Ramon rarely interacts with people who he thought would be of no benefit to hispany. Those people were just wasting his time in vain, and were not even worthy to get a single nce from this young bachelor.


    Therefore, when he saw Hailee, who was actually a stranger, standing in his room, Ramon was very defensive.


    "Lover? Two years?" Ramon frowned deeper and Hailee could feel her whole body tremble with fear.


    How could she possibly evade it when things were already like this?


    "Wh¡­ actually¡­" Either this was the right decision or not, but maybe if Hailee was honest, Ramon and Lis would understand her true situation and would forget about this matter.


    After all, Hailee didn''t hurt Ramon and didn''t have any bad intentions toward him, Hailee had also been beside Ramon all night long taking care of him, so actually, Hailee didn''t do any significant harm.


    Even the Doctor''s report was not reliable which indicated that it could take another two or three days for Tordoff''s heir toe to his senses.


    Two, three days was enough time for Hailee to find a gap, see the situation and escape again from Rnd Dimatrio''s men.


    Unfortunately, the reality decided to say otherwise.


    However, before the honest truth could escape Hailee''s lips, the door opened again and revealed a figure, none other than Lexus Tordoff, Ramon''s younger brother.


    His lively eyes fell on his brother and then his mother as a big, mischievous smile spread across his face.


    "Bro!" he immediately took long and hasty strides as soon as he saw that Ramon was conscious, by pushing his mother slightly aside, he hugged him whileughing. "You are awake! Extraordinary! How does it feel to have a car ident ?! "


    Thest question got a hit on his back from his mother, but she looked much more rxed with Lexus there.


    "You have to try it to find out how the actual experience would feel like." Ramon hugged his brother back. This time, he appeared much bearable at responding to Lexus.


    "Hahaha ... no, no." Lexus shook his head and shuddered. "There will be a lot of people crying their hearts out, if I get hurt." He then let go of his brother and winked at Ramon, as if to say; otherwise there would be a lot of people who would regret it if the same thing happened to Ramon.


    With that, Lexus got another hit, this time to his shoulder, which was greeted back with his signatureugh, then, his focus shifted to Hailee who was standing stiffly at the foot of the bed. Looking scared and a little pale.


    "So," Lexus stroked his chin as he watched Hailee. "So this is my sister-inw?" he grinned, and walked over to Hailee in brisk strides.


    Hailee was too shocked to dodge it in time, because in the next second, her body was already engulfed in Lexus''s arms, he hugged her so tight yet warmly.


    "d that I finally got to meet you!" eximed Lexus, from his light voice, Hailee knew that Lexus was sincere when he said that he was happy to meet his future sister-inw, in the end.


    But¡­


    Hailee was not his future sister-inw!


    And that was a big problem Hailee had to straighten out right away.


    "No, no¡­ actually¡­" Hailee stuttered, trying to refute Lexus''s words, but the man didn''t want to listen and instead released her from his bear hug.


    "Let me see this prospective sister-inw!" Lexus grabbed Hailee''s shoulder and stood at arm''s length from her, so that he could have a better view of Hailee.


    "Wait a minute¡­" Hailee had a hard time finding the right words, her heart was beating faster and her tongue felt numb, in a situation like this.


    "Hmm¡­" Lexus muttered appraisingly, from the look in his eyes, it seemed like he didn''t agree with what he was seeing. "Looks like we will be able to go on a shopping spree in the near future if my brother''s condition is still haven''t got any better to take you out shopping."


    "No, this is¡­" but, this time Hailee''s words were interrupted by Ramon''s exmation.


    "Who the hell is she really!?" roared Ramon and this outburst of anger made him hold his head which was throbbing painfully.


    "Bro?" Lexus looked at his brother while frowning. "Can''t you remember your own lover?"


    Ramon kept this woman''s existence a secret not only from his mother, even Lexus did not know the real identity of Ramon''s lover. His brother was extraordinary in terms of maintaining confidentiality and privacy matters.


    "Ramon, what''s wrong? Did you forget Hailee? You''ve been in a rtionship for two years." Lis was puzzled at Ramon''s reaction. It was as if this son did not recognize Hailee at all.


    "I don''t have a lover." Growled Ramon. "If you think the rumors that are developing regarding my rtionship with Alyssa are true, then you are very wrong."


    Even though Ramon didn''t shout, his deep voice indicated that he was really annoyed by the behavior of the people around him.


    "Alyssa?" Lexus and Lis stared at each other while saying the name at the same time.


    "You forgot? Alyssa''s problem has been resolved, "Lexus muttered in confusion.


    Lis then poured a ss of mineral water into a ss and gave it to Ramon, helping him to sit up. "Try drinking this first."


    "What do you mean it''s finished?" Ramon frowned after drinking almost a full ss. "The Ashford family will pay for all the noise they make."


    "Hha?" Lexus blinked his eyes iprehensible, he then looked at Hailee who was just as confused.


    Hailee couldn''t really understand what actually happened to this family, but it didn''t seem like they were all on the same page right now.


    "But, bro ..." Lexus started hesitantly. "The case regarding your scandal involving Alyssa happened four years ago and you''ve cleared up the matter a little¡­ brutally." The second son of Tordoff grimaced as he uttered hisst sentence.


    "Four years ago?" Ramon''s expression was now like that of someone who got to see the world for the first time.


    Just at that moment, a doctor and two nurses came in upon the call that had been made by Ramon earlier.


    "Yes, that was four years ago¡­ the Ashford family is no longer in power in the Central District. You made it happen so, "said Lexus. "Can''t you remember?"


    On the other hand, Ramon red at Lexus. "Stop kidding."

 Chapter 14: KISS ME

    <h4>Chapter 14: KISS ME</h4>


    Hailee turned her gaze around the room; staring at the ceiling of the nursing room, staring at every piece of furniture there, staring at therge window covered in white curtains, staring at the abstract painting that seemed luxurious on disy on one of the walls, staring at the infusion tube that was now running low, which reminded Hailee that she was actually in a hospital now and not a hotel.


    Hailee looked everywhere except at the man in front of her, the man who was fed by her the pieces of apple she had just cut.


    "Why are you avoiding looking at me?" Ramon''s deep voice takes Hailee by surprise, her mind was in the sky, thinking a thousand things at the same time.


    "Hah?" Hailee turned her head to find Ramon''s piercing eyes looking at her skeptically. "No," lied Hailee, lowering her face to avoid looking at this man once again.


    Either this was for better for Hailee''s current situation or not, but reports regarding the diagnosis of the doctor who treated him, said that Ramon was suffering from amnesia. This was still an early diagnosis and more tests were needed to find out more about how severe Ramon''s amnesia was.


    And in Ramon''s case, he had lost his memory for the past four years.


    "Look at me," demanded Ramon in a cold voice, and when Hailee ignored his request and was more interested in staring at the tips of her toes, Ramon reached out and pinched Hailee''s chin between his thumb and index finger. "Are you really my lover?"


    Hailee nodded. She was determined to take advantage of the situation, clinging to her ''idental'' first lie.


    Hailee didn''t have any evil intentions at all, she just needed a ce to take cover.


    This was the fourth day since Ramon had regained consciousness and had no recollection of any events during thest four years of his life.


    And yesterday, Hailee thought about leaving again, moving away from the Tordoffs in hopes that she could carry out her original n; disappear from the country and go into hiding until the murder case against Rnd Dimatrio was over and became a forgotten case.


    But, again, reality wasn''t on Hailee''s side.


    Just as the girl was about to step out of the lobby of the hospital, she saw Alex, who was on guard there, aiming to recapture her right after she stepped out of the hospital.


    If it weren''t for Taylor, it was certain, Hailee wouldn''t be in this room. She must have been behind one of the prison cells, with no chance of seeing the sun again.


    That was when Hailee decided; that being among the Tordoffs would be much safer for her until she could find another way out of the clutches of the Dimatrio men.


    Hailee just hoped that Lis and Taylor wouldn''t get suspicious because Alex was following her all the time.


    "Answer," Ramon squinted at Hailee, unsure of her answer.


    "Yes," Hailee swallowed her saliva with difficulty, trying to suppress the panic rising in her chest at having to lie under Ramon''s probing gaze. "Yes, I am your lover."


    Ramon didn''t say anything for a moment, but his eyes still wouldn''t leave Hailee''s face.


    "Prove that you are my lover," Ramon said in a low voice, but that was enough to make Hailee shudder.


    Hailee again avoided Ramon''s gaze and chose to stare at the ceiling of this nursing room, as if the view of the Crystal chandelier up there was far more attractive than the handsome heir of the Tordoffs before her.


    "What do you want me to do to prove it?" Hailee was grateful that her voice wasn''t as shaky as she thought it would be and sounded much more convincing, at least that was what Hailee thought, but not Ramon.


    Ramon did not immediately answer Hailee''s words, he stared at this girl more deeply, but a momentter he released his grip on Hailee''s chin and adjusted his seat on the bed.


    Hailee released a sigh of relief internally, hoping that Ramon will give up in his quest to prove that Hailee was actually lying.


    It was very easy for Hailee to convince Lis and Lexus that she was Ramon''s fianc¨¦, even though Ramon himself said that he didn''t know Hailee at all.


    Of course Ramon didn''t know his girlfriend, their rtionship was only two years old while Ramon forgot all the events from the past four years in his life, so it was only natural that he couldn''t remember about Hailee.


    With the consideration that one day Ramon would regain his memories, Lis still agreed to Hailee and Ramon''s rtionship, even though previously she was very much against it.


    "Kiss me," Ramon said lightly, tilting his head with a mocking smile.


    "What?" Hailee was startled, her eyes rounded, this time she stared at Ramon openly.


    "Why?" Ramon was smiling, as if he had managed to get the reaction he had expected from Hailee. "If our rtionship has been going on for two years, then surely we have kissed before, right? Or maybe we''ve even done something more than that. "


    This time Ramon teased Hailee by tracing the girl''s jaw, then ying with her long hair, while Hailee couldn''t say anything as if she had turned mute all of a sudden.


    "Why are you surprised?" Ramon tucked Hailee''s hair behind her ear and could see that this girl was trying to stay away from his touch. "I don''t remember anything, so tell me have we ever had any further physical contact?"


    Hailee shook her head quickly. "Of course not," she said quickly and felt her breath getting out of control with panic attacks.


    Ramon nodded, as if he agreed with Hailee''s words. "Looks like I''m gentleman enough not to touch you." There was a sly smile forming on his lips which were still slightly pale. "But, you wouldn''t say that we never kissed, right? Because I won''t believe it."


    Of course! Who would believe that in their two years of rtionship, they never did things like that? After all, Ramon was a normal man.


    But, the thing was; it wasn''t Hailee who had this rtionship with Ramon!


    "So?" Ramon smiled, so cute that it made Hailee forget that this man was testing her.


    "Of course¡­" Hailee stammered, "¡­ we have." She was in a dilemma now, as she could guess what Ramon''s next sentence would be.


    "Kiss me." Ramon leaned forward so that there was only a few inches gap left between them. His warm breath, brushed Hailee''s cheek. "And I''ll find out if you''re really my woman or not," he whispered.


    Hailee was stunned when Ramon moved closer to her.

 Chapter 15: PERFECTIONIST

    <h4>Chapter 15: PERFECTIONIST</h4>


    Ramon approached Hailee and he could see how reluctant the girl looked. Of course Ramon wasn''t stupid, he didn''t need his memory to know that Hailee had lied about their rtionship.


    Never mind being lovers, Hailee couldn''t even act as if they had known each other for two years. This girl couldn''t even lie properly.


    But, the question was; Why?


    Why would Hailee want to lie to Ramon and his family? What was this girl''s goal? At one nce, Hailee didn''t seem like a girl with bad intentions, but still, no one can guess for sure what exactly was hidden in a person''s heart.


    Ramon moved closer and smiled when he saw Hailee closing her eyes tightly.


    If other people saw her expression right now, they would think that Ramon was going to hit her instead of wanting to kiss her.


    Ignoring Hailee who seemed ufortable with their closeness, Ramon grabbed the side of her face and pulled her closer. In fact, Hailee''s small movements could not escape Ramon''s sharp gaze.


    Hailee was about to pull away, but then calmed down and rxed.


    In the next second, Ramonnded a kiss on Hailee''s right cheek and let her go, leaning back against the head of the bed.


    Even though Ramon didn''t know what actually made Hailee lie, he wouldn''t let this girl go that easily. Ramon would eventually find out who Hailee really was along with her background.


    But, not in his current condition. Ramon needed time to rest and recover.


    So, for the time being, he was willing to y around the y Hailee is nning, buying time so this girl didn''t get suspicious and take a thousand steps back immediately.


    "I want to eat seafood," said Ramon lightly.


    On the other hand, Hailee is still stunned while holding her cheek. Ramon just kissed her cheek? It''s not...


    No! No! No!


    Hailee couldn''t possibly hope that they''d actually kiss, right? With this thought, she could feel her face warm up.


    "Hey!" Ramon rebuked Hailee for not being attentive enough to respond back to him.


    "Hah?" Hailee stuttered and turned her head to look at Ramon, his expression was no longer cold and creepy this time. How could this man''s mood change so quickly? Was it not a few seconds ago that he was so adamant about proving that Hailee wasn''t his girlfriend?


    "What?" Hailee asked the man.


    "I said, I want to eat seafood." Ramon repeated his words impatiently.


    Automatically, Hailee got out of the chair quickly, like an inmate just released from prison. "OK!" she said quickly.


    But, Hailee had only taken four steps when she remembered something and turned around to face Ramon with a frown.


    "But, you can''t eat seafood just yet," Hailee said softly.


    "Who says it?" Ramon looked at Hailee defiantly.


    "Doctor," she replied.


    "Is he here?"


    Hailee shook her head.


    "Then I can eat whatever I want."


    Hailee still didn''t move to go buy the food Ramon asked for.


    "If you don''t want to go, I''ll go myself." While saying that, Ramon moved in an attempt to get out of bed, but then Hailee stopped him frantically.


    "Alright, alright, I''ll buy it!" eximed Hailee with a little annoyance.


    "Then what are you waiting for?" Ramon raised an eyebrow andy back down on the bed, staring at Hailee''s back, who was stomping her foot excessively.


    On the other hand, Hailee couldn''t help thinking about Ramon''s wish, this wasn''t the first time he had asked for something that the Doctor had forbidden.


    "Never mind,ter he will be sick himself, let me see his suffering faceter," grumbled Hailee, but Ramon shouted behind her.


    "I heard that!"


    Hearing Ramon''s words, Hailee rushed out of the room and didn''t return for the next four hours, leaving Ramon to wait in annoyance.


    ***


    After two weeks of intensive care and going through several tests, Ramon was finally allowed to go home with a note; he must do a therapy routine, three times a week.


    Even though Ramon didn''t seem to like the idea, he agreed in the end and tomorrow will be the day of his discharge, therefore, Hailee took the initiative to tidy up her personal belongings and passed time until their dinner was delivered.


    "You don''t have to do that, someone will do itter," Ramon said, keeping his eyes fixed on the important documents on hisp.


    Lexus brought them all to Ramon because this brother of his kept asking questions about thepany and would not stop until his wishes were fulfilled.


    Although Lexus had said time and time again that thepany had had a very significant development under Ramon''s cold hands over the past four years, Ramon still didn''t believe it until he could see the evidence for himself.


    Hailee just nced at Ramon and didn''t say anything, but didn''t stop to pack up either.


    After about two weeks with Ramon, there was one thing that Hailee realized about this man, above the many things she didn''t like, namely; Ramon was a control freak.


    He would want to control whatever was around him and wanted everything to go ording to his expectations and desires.


    Maybe in a business environment, having that kind of personality was a plus, but not in everyday life.


    Unfortunately, Ramon didn''t realize that and his vices didn''t stop there.


    Ramon was a clear example of a person who had a perfectionist personality, coupled with his OCPD (obsessivepulsive personality disorder), it only got added to the list of several annoying Ramon traits that Hailee didn''t like.


    Hailee didn''t know anymore how should she describe an extreme perfectionist like Ramon, even Lexus will sometimes shake his head when facing this brother of his.


    Luckily, however, with Lexus'' easy-going nature, this would appear as if they were bothplimenting each other in terms of behavior.


    Besides, this guy was super attractive and pleasing to the eye, it was no wonder he was one of the most sought after bachelors, so even though Ramon is a bit annoying, Hailee could take the positives and ignore the negatives easily, since she really need the protection from the Tordoffs.


    "Can''t you stop pacing in front of me?" said Ramon, irritated. Hailee couldn''t stop moving around and this made him dizzy, because like it or not, Ramon would follow her every move.


    "Can you not get angry for a day?" Hailee replied, not any less annoyed. Whatever Hailee did was always wrong in Ramon''s eyes.


    It seemed that whatever Hailee would have to faceter, will be much more tiring while challenging her patience at the same time.

 Chapter 16: THIS MAN IS CRAZY

    <h4>Chapter 16: THIS MAN IS CRAZY</h4>


    However, before the situation got even moreplicated between the two of them, Lexus saved the day by strolling into the room and broke the ice.


    "Hi!" Lexus raised his hand with a happy smile on his face. He was carrying a folder in his right hand which Hailee assumed were important documents, that needed Ramon to sign or checking....


    However, it turned out that Hailee was wrong, because Lexus gave the folder to Hailee.


    "What is this?" Hailee asked while epting the folder hesitantly.


    "Schedule of your activities for a week," Lexus replied casually as he walked toward Ramon''s bed, who had now returned his focus on to his job.


    "Schedule of activities? what does that mean?" Hailee opened the folder and her eyes widened in disbelief within no time, at what her eyes were presented with. "No way," She hissed softly.


    Inside the now open folder, Hailee could see a schedule of activities for one week until the day she would get engaged to Ramon, which was going to take ce within two weeks from today.


    Seeing Hailee''s surprised reaction, Ramonughed happily. "Of course it''s possible. If everything is handled by my mother, then nothing will be impossible. "


    "But, Ramon is still sick¡­" Hailee reasoned. She looked at Ramon and spoke again in panic. "We can''t possibly have a party while Ramon is still in such an unstable state."


    Hearing this, Ramon lifted his head from the pile of documents and looked at Hailee with the annoyed gaze that he had been giving her every time he saw her do or say something he didn''t like.


    "What do you mean by an unstable condition?" Ramon frowned.


    "Ah, I mean¡­" Hailee became nervous when Ramon stared back at her like that. "This is too fast, right? You just got out of the hospital and had to attend a party¡­ isn''t that not too good? I only thought about your health," Hailee added herst sentence so it wouldn''t sound too obvious that she was against this idea.


    "You don''t have to worry about that." Lexus waved his hand and ate the piece of fruit from the te, ced on the table, beside Ramon''s bed which Hailee had peeled earlier.


    "If my brother can handle thepany even while he is still in bed, then he will also be able to handle a party which will take ce two weeks from now." He continued leisurely.


    Hailee turned pale when she heard this, her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but no words were heard and this didn''t escape Ramon''s attention.


    Ramon knew that all this time Hailee had only lied if they were in a serious rtionship, that is to say, Hailee hadn''t known him for that long.


    However, Ramon wanted to know the reason behind her lie, so he did not press Hailee or act as if he already knew about her little drama.


    After all, in the past two weeks, Hailee had not done anything that could have endangered him and those around him or any other wrong. That being said, this girl actually helped Ramon quite a lot during his recovery.


    Even though they would sometimes disagree, Ramon felt this as something refreshing because the people around him tend to follow his wishes always.


    Hailee winced at that and moved closer to Ramon, a smile etched on her lips sweetly. "Honey..." she called softly.


    Ramon was no longer surprised to see Hailee''s behavior like this, because Hailee had used the same trick several times to trick his mother and Lexus, as if they were really in a serious and harmonious rtionship.


    "Hm?" muttered Ramon, interested in what this girl was going to say next. This time, he put away the document he was reading and paid more attention to Hailee who had been sitting beside him, leaning on him spoiled.


    "How about we put off the engagement until you get better?" Hailee looked at Ramon innocently. "Or at least until you get your memories back."


    Ramon smiled and turned his body so he could face Hailee. "No problem, I don''t really want to do this engagement actually." He shrugged his shoulders as if he didn''t care.


    Hearing this, Hailee widened her eyes with joy and said to Lexus enthusiastically. "Are you listening? We shouldn''t be getting engaged any time soon. I''m really worried about Ramon''s condition. "


    "But, bro ..." Lexus frowned at Ramon.


    Didn''t Ramon already discuss this with their mother and he had insisted on having a party even though Lis had the same concerns as Hailee.


    Their mother asked Ramon to postpone the matter until at least two months after he was discharged from the hospital, but Ramon was adamant and wanted the engagement to take ce immediately.


    Ramon''s reason is quite reasonable, his brother said that it was time for him to introduce Hailee to his business colleagues and not hide his lover anymore, like what he had been doing for the past two years.


    But now¡­


    "Bro, earlier you are full on insisting to have an engagement party as soon as possible." Whatever the asion, Lexus will always be happy when he got to attend a party. "But, why are you changing your mind now? I have already contacted several event organizers for your event. "


    "It''s okay, the event hasn''t happened yet and this is just a discourse, right? So it will be easier to cancel it. "Hailee of course would side with Ramon. It was extremely rare for her and this man to have the same thoughts.


    "Mother will be very upset if she has to cancel the ns that she has drawn up in advance." Lexus massaged the bridge of his nose, he knew very well the nature of Lis.


    When their mother made a to-do list, she must have thought things through carefully, even though the other schedules would have changed to suit Ramon and Hailee''s engagement.


    And now, Ramon easily canceled it.


    "Mother will understand," Hailee said, her eyes sparkling with the feeling that she would get away with it easily, but she was proven wrong once again.


    "I''m not asking you to cancel the engagement party," Ramon said calmly as he ced his arm around Hailee''s waist and kisses the top of her head.


    He could feel the girl''s body tighten at this gesture.


    "Wait, what do you mean?" Lexus sensed that something was amiss with the words Ramon was saying.


    "Change the theme of the party to a wedding." Ramon stared at Hailee''s face and smiled with satisfaction when he saw the expression on her face which suddenly changed. "You''re right, after two years of being in a rtionship, isn''t it about time we took a more serious step?" he asked in a seductive tone and smiled softly while Hailee gasped at what he said.


    This man is crazy!

 Chapter 17: WHAT DID THIS GIRL WANT?

    <h4>Chapter 17: WHAT DID THIS GIRL WANT?</h4>


    "Wedding?!" Lexus widened his eyes in disbelief, he raised his hands indicating Ramon to keep silent for a moment. "What do you mean by marriage? When the people out there didn''t even know that you have a lover!" Lexus'' voice sounded a little hysterical.


    On the other hand, Ramon did not respond to that and let Lexus ramble on while he held Hailee''s body so she wouldn''t go anywhere, as he felt Hailee''s subconscious struggle of moving away from him.


    "Ram, what will people say?" since after all, Ramon had never been heard of in a rtionship with any other woman, the news of this sudden marriage would certainly cause a stir. "What if they think you got her pregnant first? That''s why you''re in a hurry to marry her! "


    "Then what if I impregnate her first?" Ramon asked back in a rxed tone, he even nced at Hailee''s surprised reaction.


    "Pregnant?" Lexus muttered, while keeping his eyes fixed on Hailee''s t stomach. "You ... are pregnant?"


    "Of course not!" eximed Hailee fiercely. "We don''t do things like that!"


    "Okay, okay¡­" Lexus raised his hands, indicating that Hailee should keep her emotions down. "I''m just guessing¡­ don''t me me." Then Lexus pointed at Ramon. "His words led me to think like that."


    After all, they''ve been together for two years, who knows what they have done, right?


    And, it was no longer a taboo for getting pregnant before marriage, as things like these were quitemon in the recent times.


    "Don''t talk carelessly." Hailee said in a low voice. How could she be angry with Ramon when she couldn''t even raise her face to look directly into the eyes of this man beside her.


    "Why? You don''t like it? " Ramon lowered his face, so that he could whisper lovingly into Hailee''s ear, while the girl lowered her head even more as Ramon''s warm breath brushed her nape. "Two years should be enough time for you to get used to me."


    This man really was dangerous!


    Hailee started to doubt the rumors that were circting out there, which said that Ramon was a cold and stiff man. How could a guy like that tease her like this?


    Ramon even did it very naturally.


    It was not only the rumors about Ramon, but also the doctor''s diagnosis that the Tordoff family heir had amnesia, was something that had been a subject of suspicion for Hailee.


    This was purely based on her gut feeling, maybe she was being too sensitive because she felt guilty, for lying about the rtionship between herself and Ramon, Hailee could sense that Ramon was testing it. This man actually didn''tpletely believe that Hailee was his lover.


    And what Hailee guessed was true.


    Ramon was not that stupid to be easily tricked, especially with Hailee''s sad acting skills.


    However, there were some things Ramon wanted to know from this girl and the reason why she was doing what she was doing now, after all, it was quite nice to have Hailee by his side too.


    "Hey, can you two stop making out in front of me?" grumbled Lexus. "I''m still here, don''t think that there are only the two of you in this room."


    Hearing his brother''sint, Ramon red at him and with a t expression he said, "Then why are you still here? If you don''t like what you see, just leave."


    Lexus was stunned to hear Ramon shooing him away. "I feel like you are kicking me out..." whined Lexus.


    "It''s good if you feel that." Ramon nodded toward the door. "There''s the door, you can close it from the outside."


    "Ramon!" Hailee hissed from between her teeth, she grimaced at the thought that they would have to be alone after this discussion.


    "Where are you going?" Ramon grabbed Hailee''s body back as he sped her hands tightly since the girl tried to run away from him again. "Aren''t you happy that we are finally getting married after two years of dating?"


    "Ramon, you''re still sick. "Hailee hissed, still trying to rebel from Ramon''s embrace, but it seemed that, despite this man''s status as a patient, his strength was far beyond Hailee''s.


    Ramon smiled a little at Hailee''s reaction, for some reason he liked her sullen expression and instead of letting go, Ramon put his chin on her shoulder.


    "I''m well enough to keep you from going anywhere," Ramon said. "So, what kind of marriage do you want?"


    "What?" Hailee stuttered. All of this was very far from her expectations. She just wanted to find refuge behind the Tordoffs, but Hailee never thought that things could be this messy. "Why are we talking about marriage? You have to be healthy first. Your health is most... "


    Even the reason that Hailee had just voiced out waspletely inconclusive to his ears.


    "You still think I''m not well enough?" Ramon put his finger under Hailee''s chin and lifted her face, so she could look up directly into his eyes. "Are you thinking of running away from this marriage?"


    "No, no¡­" Hailee answered too quickly as she shook her head vigorously. "Of course, I will not run away." Even now Hailee can hear her inner voice saying that she was lying.


    "So, what made you hesitate to marry me?" Ramony down, but he also brought Hailee to lie down beside him. In his arms, Ramon could clearly feel Hailee''s body stiffen, as if she was afraid to make the slightest movement.


    "Hah?" Hailee frowned in Ramon''s arms, she wanted so badly to push this man away, but was afraid thatter he would be suspicious, but being in this position was not very pleasant too¡­ "Of course not."


    "Or maybe, because you''re not really my lover?" Ramon suddenly released his hug around Hailee and frowned while looking at the girl with an expression that was hard to read.


    "I''m your lover, can''t you remember?" Hailee immediately seized the moment to get out of bed, even though her words continued to indicate lies and insisted that she was Ramon''s lover, Hailee''s bodynguage said otherwise. "We''ve been together for two years."


    While saying that, Hailee walked hastily to the other side of the ward and continued her pending work, packing Ramon''s messy things.


    On the other hand, Ramon stopped teasing Hailee, and continued following every move of the girl who was lying to him with his sharp eyes.


    ''Interesting,'' thought Ramon.


    If Hailee was lying because of money and status, then Ramon could understand, but this girl didn''t seem at all interested in artificial things like that.


    So, what did this girl actually want by lying to him and his family?

 Chapter 18: INFORMATION ABOUT HAILEE

    <h4>Chapter 18: INFORMATION ABOUT HAILEE</h4>


    The next day, Ramon was finally allowed to return home and Hailee didn''t have any other choice but to go with him.


    However, what made Hailee confused was; Until now, neither Lis, Lexus nor Ramon, none of them asked about her background or her family.


    All the way home, Ramon was busy with documents in hand and paid no attention to Hailee who was fidgeting nervously by his side.


    Meanwhile, the girl repeatedly nced at Ramon, she wanted to start a conversation with him, even considered telling him the truth, but it seemed that the man she wanted to talk was too focused on other matters.


    In the car, there were only the two of them and a driver, and since Ramon couldn''t be spoken to, Hailee also became silent without making a sound. She just stared out of the window, at the streets of City A which looked very beautiful with rows of lushful trees.


    The bright sunlight outside, luckily, couldn''t prate the window film of this luxury car so Hailee could stare out the window, without any difort for a long time.


    "Our marriage will be two weeks from now, don''t you want to contact your family?" Ramon asked, but his eyes did not leave the documents in his hand.


    Hearing this, Hailee did not hesitate to seize the opportunity to exin truth to Ramon. "Regarding that ..."


    Hailee immediately turned around and adjusted her position so that she could face Ramon. However, the man interrupted her words even before Hailee could muster up the courage to exin the truth she wanted to say.


    "Sorry if I don''t remember the reason, but if you have problems with your family that caused you not to invite them, I can understand." Ramon then put the documents into his hand on hisp, then looked at Hailee who lowered her head to look down because of Ramon''s sharp eyes and guilt. "Therefore, Mom and Lexus didn''t ask this."


    ''Oh, I see¡­''Hailee thought.


    Hailee''s unspoken question had been answered, about why Lis and Lexus didn''t even care about her family background, even though the wedding will be held two weeks from now.


    "I don''t have any problems with my family," admitted Hailee. "Both of my parents have died," she continued simply.


    Ramon looked a little surprised, but then he said in a calm tone. "Sorry to hear that ..."


    "There is nothing to be sorry about¡­" Hailee shrugged her shoulders in an unconcerned manner. But, still this could not hide the sad look in her beautiful eyes.


    Afterward, their conversation ended just like that, no one spoke again until they got home.


    Hailee couldn''t say this was really a house¡­ the Tordoffs house was like a residentialplex that only he got to fill.


    Actually, as a daughter of the famous diamond businessman in the city of R, Hailee was used to living well with a fairly high social status, but seeing the Tordoff residence, still amazed her.


    When the main gate opened, it took approximately five minutes by car to reach the main house, where Ramon lived.


    Within this area, apart from the main house upied by Ramon, since he was the current head of the Tordoff family after the death of his father, there were two other houses, respectively, where Lis and Lexus live.


    The security at this ce was very tight and Hailee could see several guards passing through the grove that stretched between the main gate and the Tordoffs'' residence.


    And Hailee was not someone who was good at hiding her feelings, especially when she was not on alert, so Ramon could clearly see Hailee''s surprised and amazed expression and this brought a small smile to his calm face seeing this girl''s innocence.


    Wasn''t she just like an open book, who didn''t even know how to lie correctly without any loopholes? How could this girl pretend to be his fianc¨¦ and Ramon immediately found out about the lie the same day Hailee tried to convince him?


    Maybe if it weren''t for the chaos Ramon was causing and the hostility he had shown to her mother, Lis, all this time because she was so against the rtionship between Ramon and her real lover, Lis might have found out Hailee''s background easily and soon found out that this girl was lying. Because after all, Lis was too meticulous to be easily lied to.


    However, after what happened following the ident that happened to Ramon, it seemed like Lis was too scared to even question Hailee. Lis just agreed to their rtionship without trying to find out any truth.


    Lis''s attitude was understandable, as she almost lost her first son to her stubbornness.


    As for Lexus, his younger brother was too scared to even oppose Ramon''s words.


    "I''ll live here too?" Hailee turned her face toward Ramon.


    "Where else will you live?" Ramon nced at the house. From the memory he remembered from four years ago, it seemed like this building hadn''t changed much.


    "But we''re not married yet," Hailee replied. She looked like she wanted to run away, but at the same time she wanted to stay there too.


    This girl''s intentions were really confusing ...


    "We''re getting married in two weeks, so what difference does it make if you live here now orter?" Ramon nced at Hailee and smiled at her.


    When the car stopped, there were two servants who opened the car door for them, so their chat was dyed a little.


    But, as soon as Hailee was about to chase Ramon into the house, she saw that someone was waiting for Ramon in here.


    The man was Danny Aramos, Ramon''s right hand man. Hailee had seen this man visiting the hospital several times while Ramon was being treated there.


    Danny smiled and nodded politely at Hailee when he saw her and Hailee greeted him back with the same gesture.


    "I want to talk for a moment¡­" Hailee said to Ramon, but the man interrupted her.


    "Get some rest, they will show you your room." Ramon nodded at the two servants around them before he continued his sentence. "There is something I want to discuss with Danny first."


    Hearing that, Hailee''s face fell. Wasn''t it Ramon who should be resting? Wasn''t he the one who just got out of the hospital?


    "Come over, miss, over here¡­" a young maid smiled sweetly at Hailee as she stretched out her hand, showing Hailee the way.


    And with a heavy heart, Hailee, like it or not, had to follow suit. However, she felt like she was under surveince as if her every action was being monitored. Or maybe it was just her feeling?


    "So?" Ramon asked Danny when they were alone.


    "I got all the information about the girl," Danny said, handing him an envelope.

 Chapter 19: AFFAIR

    <h4>Chapter 19: AFFAIR</h4>


    Ramon looked at Hailee who had walked up the stairs to the second floor, to where her room was located. Then turned his attention back to Danny.


    "We''ll talk about this in my study," said Ramon as he walked towards his office which was located not far from there.


    Danny followed Ramon, but once again he stared at the second floor, watched as Hailee''s figure disappearing into the corridor. He could not understand why Ramon would still allow this woman to be around him, even after what he suspected was proven true.


    After entering the room, Ramon sat on his chair while Danny sat opposite him.


    Danny was Ramon''s right hand man as well as a ssmate from Lexus''s school, but it could be said that the two of them don''t get along well with each other. However, taking Danny''s performance and loyalty into ount, of course this couldn''t affect anything.


    "Is all this evidence valid?" Ramon started to open the brown envelope which contained all the information about Hailee.


    "Yes, I have already cross checked it," answered Danny.


    The first thing Ramon read about was Hailee''s family background. It states that she was the second daughter of a well-known diamond business couple in the city of R, Giorgio Tatum and Diana Tatum.


    "Both of her parents died about a month ago because of a robbery that urred at her house?" Ramon raised his eyebrows in disbelief.


    There was no way the level of security in the house could be so low.


    A sessful businessman was killed in a robbery attempt at his own home was an almost unheard of case, unless there was some dirty y behind it.


    "It does sound very strange." Danny crossed his arms over his chest as he exined. "I''ve asked someone to find out more about the case, but it looks like the case has been closed as the three culprits have been caught. No further investigation. "


    A grin appeared on the corner of Ramon''s lips when he heard this. Of course the abrupt closing of the case makes this matter even more suspicious. "Investigate further on this matter."


    Danny had expected Ramon to give him this order, so he had prepared it in advance. "Investigations on this are already ongoing, but there is still no concrete evidence of the involvement of a third party. I will update you on this matter. "


    Ramon nodded in agreement and refocused on the information in his hand. "She has an older sister ..."


    "Adopted daughter," answered Danny. "The Tatum couple had no children even after a few years of their marriage, so they adopted Aileen to be their daughter when she was five years old."


    "Orphan," murmured Ramon.


    "Yes." Danny nodded. "A yearter Hailee was born."


    "Hmm." Ramon leaned his back against the back of the chair while studying the information in his hand.


    Even though Ramon didn''t really know the Tatum family, but as someone who was in the same circle, of course Ramon had heard of their names. After all, this family was quite a respected one.


    But, why was Hailee in town A and she seemed to want to escape from her hometown? Does this girl know anything about the deaths of her parents?


    "After the death of their parents, Tatum''spany fell in to Aileen Tatum hands?" Ramon found thispletely absurd as it increased his suspicions further more. "And Hailee has a fianc¨¦ ... Theodore Gevano."


    Ramon knew about the Gevano family quite well. They were business rivals of the Tordoff''s family branchpany located in the city of T. However, Ramon knew no further details about their personal lives.


    "Yes and now Theodore Gevano is in a rtionship with Aileen Tatum, although this has not been published and their rtionship is only known to their immediate family, but some people say that Theodore and Aileen have been in a rtionship even when Theodore Gevano was still in a rtionship with Hailee Tatum. " Danny frowned. "It looks like this family is very messy."


    Ramon said nothing more and spent the next ten minutes studying the information in his hands, before he finally put it all down and started talking again.


    "Then what did they say about Hailee''s disappearance?" Ramon propped his chin on top of his fist that rested on the armrest of his chair. He looked cold and untouchable, a man with a serious expression who had a dominant aura.


    "News says Hailee is continuing her education abroad, as well as calming down after losing her parents, and Aileen along with their father''s younger brother, is running thepany now." Danny exined. "In my opinion, don''t get involved with this family, they sound like they are a lot of trouble to deal with." Danny expressed his disapproval.


    However, Ramon had other ns. "City R¡­" murmured Ramon as he tapped his fingers on the table. "It would be very profitable if we could take advantage of this marriage to take over the Tatum Diamondpany."


    Danny was shocked and wanted to say something, but restrained himself. He should have guessed Ramon''s n. "But, what about Hailee? She''s not your real lover ... "


    After Ramon was reminded of this, his face became colder than before. "You told me that Giana Smith is my real lover?"


    Danny nodded. "That''s what you told me before you got into an ident," he replied.


    "But, Giana Smith is Aidan Smith''s wife? And they have been married for three years?" Even Ramon himself couldn''t digest this news. Himself having an affair with another man''s wife? How could it be?


    But, that''s what Danny told him.


    "Yes, you''ve been in a rtionship with her, for the past two years," Danny said. He himself was surprised to learn this. "I''ve been investigating, but it''s very difficult because you are so secretive about this."


    Of course Ramon would keep this a secret if he actually had an affair with someone else''s wife.


    Ramon narrowed his eyes as he stared at the papers which contained information about Hailee.


    It makes perfect sense that Ramon would also keep this a secret from Lis and Lexus. The two of them will certainly not agree with Giana.


    "Then what happened to the ident I had?" Ramon gritted his teeth. Why is he so careless that he has an affair with Giana? Or was all this just a misunderstanding? And Giana wasn''t the lover Ramon had been hiding all along?


    The only way to know that was to regain his lost memory.


    "I''m still investigating this. Looks like the ident you experienced is not an ordinary ident, "said Danny. "Then what about Hailee? Are you still going to marry her? "


    Ramon raised his head and smiled at Danny, a smile that was much scarier as if Ramon had gone mad. "Of course I will marry her and get the Tatumpany."


    "Then Giana?"


    Ramon shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "I don''t even remember her at all."

 Chapter 20: IT CANT BE

    <h4>Chapter 20: IT CAN''T BE</h4>


    Perhaps out of all this chaos and the amnesia that Ramon was experiencing, one of the good things that happened was that he forgot about the absurd rtionship between himself and Giana. If indeed he did have an affair with the wife of Aidan Smith, then he could dere himself as a mentally retarded person.


    Even now, Ramon couldn''t think how he could possibly have such a rtionship? And what is even more unlikely was their rtionship which had been going on for two years without anyone knowing.


    And again, ording to hisst memory, Ramon didn''t even know Giana four years ago. That implied, they just met in thest few years and are already involved in a rtionship.


    Ramon knew that he was an ambitious person. He would try to get what he wanted, but that didn''t mean snatching other people''s wives was what he would justify. Ramon couldn''t make sense of the logic behind his actions this time.


    "There''s no need to discuss the Giana case again," said Ramon, then his expression became serious again. "How about the new project?"


    Afterward, Ramon spent approximately three hours discussing issues that had nothing to do with Giana or Hailee until sunset and he missed the lunch call.


    ***


    Tok.Tok.Tok.


    Hailee forcefully knocked on Ramon''s door. She didn''t really want to bother Ramon, or rather, she didn''t want to be with Ramon. If possible, Hailee wanted to get as far away from this house, but it seemed that was just her wishful thinking.


    Even today, Hailee still did not take seriously the problem of her and Ramon''s marriage which will take ce in two weeks.


    The n sounded absurd and crazy to her ears.


    However, Hailee couldn''t avoid Ramon, not if she had to receive calls and messages from Liz who kept asking about Ramon''s condition.


    Hailee couldn''t keep saying that Ramon was still working and had missed his lunch. Of course Hailee''s presence there was expected to keep an eye on Ramon. Making sure the man was eating on time and getting enough rest since he had just been discharged from the hospital.


    "Is he a child who should always be reminded?" Hailee grumbled, knocking on Ramon''s door again.


    Because Lis was constantly asking this, of course, Hailee herself had to check on Ramon''s condition, or else the middle-aged woman who still looked beautiful would feel disappointed in her and see Hailee as an inconsiderate lover.


    "I''m not his lover, okay?" muttered Hailee inwardly.


    The girl knocked on the door before her again, this time louder.


    Still no answer.


    Hailee tapped it again, even louder this time.


    There was still no sound.


    Then slowly, Hailee opened the door which was not locked. Ramon should have been in this room alone, because earlier Hailee saw that Danny had left in a hurry while taking a call about an hour ago. Looks like an important problem had urred.


    After Hailee opened the door and peeked inside, she found that the atmosphere in the room was very quiet as Hailee couldn''t even hear any movement from inside.


    "Ramon?" hailee called while pushing the door wider. She weed herself to enter and walked in to the study that looked quite spacious.


    Inside the room, there were rows of bookshelves and several disys that seem expensive. Hailee could guess they were valuable, because she was used to appraise items and check whether they are real or fake. Of course, she got this talent from her parents.


    "Ramon?" called Hailee again. She stepped inside and passed arge ss wall that lined the left side, showing the backyard of the house. However, since night fell and the garden was only lit by the not so bright garden lights, the atmosphere made Hailee dislike it a little.


    Hailee was afraid of ghosts.


    ''I am not a kid, but what can I do? I couldn''t manage my own feelings of fear, right?'' Hailee grumbled to herself.


    When Hailee stepped further into the room, she found Ramon, asleep in his work chair. His eyes were closed shut and his breathing was regr with his chest rising and falling rhythmically, indicating that he was in a deep sleep.


    Hailee approached this man cautiously and called out to him again.


    "Ramon. Wake up."


    Hailee tried to shake Ramon''s body lightly, but the man didn''t even flinch.


    "Get up, you''ll get sick, if you skip dinner too, you know."


    Ramon still didn''t get up.


    "If you get sick, I''ll be the one who''s bothered."


    No response.


    Hailee was annoyed and got tired of waking Ramon up. On one hand, she didn''t want Ramon to wake up, but on the other hand this man also had to consume something before taking the medicines.


    Hailee then sat down on the table, in front of Ramon, after putting away the documents on it.


    It was at this moment that Hailee looked back at Ramon''s sleeping face. This was her habit from the time he was in the hospital.


    No matter how to put it or how to describe it, Ramon was one of the most handsome men Hailee had ever got to meet. He was even more handsome than Theodore Genova.


    Ramon had a sharp jaw and eyshes that were as authentic as a woman, even Hailee envied him, as well as full lips and high cheekbones.


    If their circumstances were different, Hailee would be happy to get to know more about this man in front of her.


    Who wouldn''t love handsome men, right?


    Hailee chuckled to herself remembering the other women out there would be jealous to death knowing that Hailee could look at this man however she pleased.


    And also, had their circumstances been different, Hailee would have happily unted Ramon as her new man in front of Aileen, so that her self-conscious step sister could see that an established man with an above average face wasn''t just Theodore alone.


    But, unfortunately the situation was not on Hailee''s side and now she was in a dilemma regarding the steps she had to take next.


    "If things had been different, it would have been nice to show you off to my friends. Too bad to waste a face this handsome," Hailee muttered without thinking. She didn''t know where his mind took a tour to until she said what was in her heart.


    However, unexpectedly, Ramon opened his eyes and looked directly into Hailee''s eyes. His expression was so serious that Hailee was not sure that Ramon had just woken up from a deep sleep.


    Could it be that he was pretending to be asleep?!


    Hailee''s pupils widened when she realized that, she immediately jumped down from the table, but Ramon grabbed her wrist.

 Chapter 21: WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

    <h4>Chapter 21: WHAT ARE YOU DOING?</h4>


    With one smooth pull, Haileended on Ramon''sp and couldn''t move freely after the man caught her between his strong arms.


    "Show me off to your friends?" Ramon raised his eyebrows questioningly while his lips pursed a smile that people out there could see rarely. "Wasting a face this handsome?" Ramon repeated word for word which Hailee identally said out loud just now.


    "What? Who said that?" Hailee could feel her face turning red and her heart beating fast. She was so close to Ramon now. In fact, she could feel the warmth of his skin spreading to her body through their clothes.


    "So you think I''m handsome?" Ramon asked teasingly.


    Actually Ramon had been awake since Hailee knocked on the door on her first time, he was just wanted to rest all by himself and was reluctant to answer the call, but who would have thought that Hailee would just enter his study.


    Certainly Hailee didn''t understand, but apart from Lexus or Lis, no one dared to enter Ramon''s study without his prior approval. The same was true for Ramon''s room.


    He liked solitude and really didn''t like to be disturbed when he was alone. However, since Hailee didn''t know it beforehand, shended herself in this current scenario.


    "No," Hailee lied with a t face, as if she could trick Ramon that way.


    In the world of business, if Ramon couldn''t tell the difference between people who were lying or not, or people who approached him just to curry favor, then he wouldn''t be where he was today.


    The Tordoffs could not have been the most respected family in city A right now were it not for Ramon''s cold hand in managing thepany after their father died, of course Lis'' interference yed a crucial role as well.


    "You''re not fit to lie, Hailee." Ramon rested his head on Hailee''s shoulder so he could smell her scent and this movement left Hailee frozen in silence.


    "Err¡­ you haven''t had dinner yet," Hailee said in a worried voice. "Let''s have dinner together."


    "I''m not hungry," replied Ramon immediately.


    "But, you just got out of the hospital, so you have to take care of your health," ''or else Lis will continue to harass me with questions if you got sick again,'' Hailee continued thest sentence in her mind.


    The girl could not say thest sentence out loud. However, she still hoped that Ramon would let her go because she felt ufortable in their current position.


    "I want to eat something else," whispered Ramon into Hailee''s ear and he can feel the shock running down the girl''s body in his arms as a sudden gasp left her lips.


    Ramon was surprised, he did not think that he could say those words and act like this, but at the same time Ramon also feltfortable with what he was doing. As if this was something natural to him.


    Ramon liked Hailee''s flustered reaction which he would always find funny and entertaining.


    ''Hha? What does this man mean?'' Hailee screamed internally.


    "What do you want to eat? I''ll make it if I can," said Hailee immediately.


    "Can you cook?" Ramon raised his head and looked at Hailee''s cute nodding face.


    "Yes," she replied confidently.


    Ramon raised his eyebrows and smiled. He couldn''t even remember thest time someone who was willing to cook something for him.


    Of course Lis never did that because they had maids and chefs to take care of this matter and Ramon never even thought about finding someone to cook something for him.


    In the business environment he grew up, it would be rare to find a woman who would jump into the kitchen and risk getting hot oiled or cut by a knife. Even to take something from the refrigerator, they need someone to help them.


    That was the kind of life Ramon had been living.


    Ramon grew up in amunity like this, so when Hailee volunteered to cook something for him and the truth that Hailee''s background was not ordinary, even though what Hailee had to offer sounded trivial, it was enough to make Ramon surprised.


    Even though it wasn''t such a big deal, Ramon really appreciated small things like this. Once again, Ramon''s view of Hailee changed.


    "What can you cook?" Ramon asked with genuine curiosity. He thought Hailee would mention easy dishes like fried rice or frying eggs.


    But, beyond any of his expectations, Hailee actually mentioned all the dishes that were usually avable as main dishes.


    And this made Ramon raise his eyebrows in disbelief. "You can make all of that?"


    "Yes," said Hailee confidently, nodding her head to further confirm her answer. "Just say what you want. As long as there are fresh ingredients in your kitchen, of course I can make them. "


    Although Hailee''s frame appeared petite, she was actually someone who enjoyed eating. It all started from her hobby of tasting all kinds of food she could find, this grew to the point that she ventured into the kitchen and make food she liked to eat.


    At first, Hailee''s parents tried forbid her from doing so, both of them were also worried about their only child, but when they saw Hailee enjoying the activity so much and the happy smile at the results of her cooking, they could no longer say anything.


    Ramon smiled and said what he wanted to eat. Actually he didn''t really want to eat, this guy just wanted to prove that what Hailee was saying wasn''t just words.


    "Okay!" Hailee raised both her thumbs and tried to get off Ramon''sp, but the man still didn''t seem to let her go. "How can I cook for you if you don''t let me go?"


    Ramon looked at Hailee and thought that marrying this girl didn''t seem wrong, maybe it could be said that he had hit the jackpot.


    Hailee was the heir to her familypany in the city of R, which was the main goal for Ramon to marry her, but with Hailee''s background and traits that Ramon had been paying attention to, it seemed that he wasfortable enough to have this girl by his side. Regardless of the mystery that surrounded Hailee and why she lied.


    "Come here," said Ramon softly. He reached out and kissed Hailee on the lips for a few seconds and this made the girl widen her eyes in surprise. "Thank you," said Ramon.


    However, before Hailee could react to Ramon''s brief kiss, or Ramon could say any flirty remark to this blushing girl, there was a sound of the door opening and in an instant the figure of Lexus appeared in the room.


    "I''ve been calling both of you earlier, but why didn''t anyone answer..." Lexus stopped his bbering, when he saw that both of them were in apromising position. His eyes widened as he whisper-shouted, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

 Chapter 22: WEDDING INVITATIONS

    <h4>Chapter 22: WEDDING INVITATIONS</h4>


    In truth, what Lexus witnessed was not what his tainted brain projected.


    What Lexus saw was Hailee sitting on Ramon''sp and her brother who was whispering something into Hailee''s ear, their faces close enough to make Lexus draw another assumption.


    "I don''t see anything. I didn''t see anything, "said Lexus as he closed his eyes with his palms and turned away his body.


    Meanwhile, Hailee, who was surprised to hear Lexus'' voice echoing so loudly, immediately intended to get off Ramon''sp, but this annoying man pushed Hailee''s head so that it would rest on his shoulder and held her body so that she could remain in his arms.


    Unexpectedly, Hailee''s body was so tiny. Ramon didn''t realize it until now because usually Hailee would always wear clothes that tend to be baggy.


    "What are you doing here?" Ramon asked, without letting Hailee go, he then whispered into Hailee''s ear teasingly. "Can you be quiet? You could awaken a dangerous ''something''. "


    Hearing this, Hailee closed her eyes, grimaced but stopped moving.


    Seeing how submissive Hailee was after such one word of teasing, made Ramon smile a little.


    "I came here because neither you nor Hailee picked up the phone at all. Mom is in another city on business and is worried that you won''t take care of your health," Lexus said, as he turned around to face them and parted his fingers while peeking through the gaps, to see if the couple''s position had changed. Apparently not." Can you guys stop making out in front of me?" grumbled Lexus, turning his back once again, so as to avoid seeing the two of them being all chummy.


    "You can go outside so as not to see this," replied Ramon indifferently. "I didn''t ask you toe."


    Annoyed, Lexus stomped his feet and turned his body, his forehead frowned slightly when he saw Hailee position who was still on Ramon''sp.


    "I came here because I was worried about you, who would have thought that both of you were actually enjoying your special time together." Lexus grumbled, folding his arms childishly. "Who knows if you are healthy enough to be alone with her. Can''t you wait for the next two weeks for your wedding? "


    "About that¡­" Hailee wanted to turn the marriage down and say that she needed time to think it through, or say any other reason that she thought might make sense.


    However, Ramon stopped her words by covering her mouth and rested his chin on top of Hailee''s head. "Now orter, she will be mine. So it''s the same. "


    Lexus took a step back when he heard Ramon''s bold statement. "Bro, I didn''t expect you to have this side to you ..." he approached Ramon and looked at his only brother while saying, "You just lost your memory for the past four years, right? You didn''t change your personality, or did you? "


    Hailee who heard that rolled her eyes dramatically. How could someone change personality? Maybe Lexus just never saw the real side of Ramon when he was with women.


    Shaking off the hand that was covering her mouth and pushing Ramon''s body away, Hailee finally managed to free herself from the entanglement of Ramon''s burly arms and jumped down from hisp.


    "I''m going to make dinner for Ramon, have you eaten? If not, I''ll make more, "said Hailee, changing the topic of Lexus'' conversation.


    "Making dinner?!" Lexus stared, startled. "You can cook?"


    Hailee rolled her eyes dramatically. "Of course."


    But, before Lexus could question Hailee any further, Ramon had already cut their conversation short. "No, he''s not going to eat with us."


    "No, no. Of course I want to eat!" said Lexus, who then went straight to Hailee and pulled her hand, as if they were two familiar people. "What can you cook? Fried rice?Omelet? Boiled eggs?"


    While mentioning all types of trivial dishes, Lexus pushed Hailee''s body out of the room and the girl just frowned at Lexus who underestimated her cooking skills.


    On the other hand, Ramon was looking at the two of them with a look full of meaning and only he himself could understand what kind of n was brewing in his brilliant head.


    ***


    Ramon and Lexus watched Hailee cooking from the barstools near the kitchen counter, where they were sitting currently.


    If the two brothers had any doubts about Hailee''s cooking skills, then after seeing how skillful the girl was with a knife and moving so deftly while cleaning fish and chopping some vegetables, Ramon and Lexus could no longer doubt it.


    Even the three maids standing on the other side of the clean kitchen stared at Hailee in amazement.


    ''Is this the future mistress of this house? Where did this girle from? Which family did this girle from?'' those were some of the questions swirling in the minds of the servants, whose presence was something Hailee didn''t need right now, because she could handle everything on her own.


    "Bro, where can you get a girl like this?" Lexus looked at Hailee in amazement. "She is the first woman to cook in this kitchen apart from the servants."


    And what Lexus said was true. All this time, the only women who came to the main house were Ramon''s business partners and it was highly unlikely that they would ever touch the kitchen.


    "I don''t remember anything, remember?" Ramon sipped the tea in his cup while waiting for the dish Hailee was cooking.


    "Ah, that''s right ..." Lexus patted his forehead quite hard. He had forgotten that his brother was actually experiencing amnesia now. What else can he do? He didn''t look like an amnesic person at all, his brain was still very sharp in running the business even after losing five years of his memory. "You hit the jackpot by getting a girl like her."


    Ramon did not respond to Lexus'' words. If his younger brother had known, what kind of jackpot Ramon had found. No, he didn''t. Hailee was the one who came to him without coercion.


    "She is young, beautiful, can cook ... and seems obedient too ..." murmured Lexus. "The type of girl you would rarely meet at times like this, especially in our neighborhood."


    "Hm," murmured Ramon. "The food may not necessarily match to my tastes"


    Lexus looked at his brother while raising his eyebrows, when he did that, the simrities between them were obvious. "You''re right¡­ but, looking at the cooking technique, I''m sure the taste definitely lives up to expectations."


    "Let''s wait and see." Ramon drank his tea again.


    "Oh, yes bro. Are you serious about your wedding ns? Mother almost had a heart attack when I said that," Lexus remembered how Lis scolded him.


    How could Ramon had the privilege to decide on his marriage on whim, but instead he got scolded?! Really, not fair ...


    Ramon didn''t answer the question right away, he stared at Hailee for a moment before nodding. "I want only a few people to be invited."

 Chapter 23: BICKERING AT DINNER TABLE

    <h4>Chapter 23: BICKERING AT DINNER TABLE</h4>


    "What do you mean by just a few people?" Lexus didn''t understand his brother''s wish and started staring at him with a confused face.


    "I want this wedding to be attended only by our important business colleagues and not be made public," replied Ramon.


    Lexus scrunched up his face before finally an understanding dawned on his senses. "You want to keep this marriage a secret!?" he said half screaming which made Hailee turn around, looking at the two brothers with a questioning look.


    "What is wrong?" Hailee turned off the stove and walked over to them.


    "Nothing, just business." Ramon answered casually, but Hailee sat across the bar and stared at the two of them.


    "Why don''t you just finish cooking?" Ramon tried to send her away in a not so obvious manner.


    "No, I''m done." Hailee waved her hand at the few servants who had been standing at the side of the room. "Please bring the dishes over to the table, okay?"


    Three servants immediately walked over and did as Hailee asked. They looked at each other when the delicious aroma of Hailee''s cooking wafted into their noses.


    It seemed, this young girl could really cook.


    "So what are you talking about?" Hailee ced her hands on the bar and leaned over, looking eager to know what Lexus said, because Hailee heard it after all.


    "We didn''t talk about anything," Lexus argued and raised his hands with a frown on his face. "You heard wrong."


    "I heard you saying; "You want to keep this marriage a secret?!" that''s what I heard when you almost shouted." Hailee mimicked Lexus'' voice and this made Ramon smile faintly at how strange the girl''s voice had be.


    "You heard wrong," murmured Lexus unhappily. He looked away trying to look anywhere but at Hailee.


    Hailee snorted in annoyance at Lexus'' childish behavior and turned her attention to Ramon. "So, you want to keep this marriage a secret?"


    Just then, the three servants were ready to serve the main dishes, which Hailee had previously cooked, on the table, between the three of them.


    And the aroma of the cooking that wafted in the air, which was able to distract Lexus again.


    "Then?" Hailee looked at Ramon with curious eyes. "Are you going to keep this marriage a secret?"


    "Why?" Ramon leaned over too and looked at Hailee with deep eyes. "You want this wedding to be celebrated with great fanfare?"


    "No, no! It is not that!" Hailee waved her hand quickly and immediately rejected Ramon''s idea. "On the contrary."


    "Hm?" Ramon raised his eyebrows.


    "How about we just postpone this wedding?" Hailee immediately seized the opportunity to be able to escape this unexpected n. "You''re still sick and there''s no need to rush this marriage, right?"


    "Why shouldn''t we hurry?" Ramon enjoyed Hailee''s worried expression. How her eyes blinked rapidly in her attempt to find an excuse to avoid this marriage. "We''ve been together for two years, haven''t we?"


    "Yes, yes, but¡­ still¡­" Hailee stammered her point and was furious that Ramon was not sensitive enough to understand her meaning. "Two years is not a long time for us to get to know each other, how about next year?" Hailee suggested.


    "So? So you want to get married next year?" Ramon asked.


    "Yes," replied Hailee with certainty.


    Within this one year, many things might happen and Hailee could definitely find a chance to escape from Ramon, or Ramon might have his memories back.


    If that had happened and Hailee were still in this house, surely they wouldn''t me her for taking the opportunity in such a tight spot, would they?


    At least the Tordoffs weren''t going to give too much punishment for her lies.


    ??Besides, two weeks was too fast to prepare for the wedding. We shouldn''t make decisions hastily, let alone on something as important as marriage," Hailee tried to coax, feeling that she had gained the upper hand as she watched Ramon weigh her words.


    On the other hand, Ramon is looking at Hailee with interest. One more thing he should note about Hailee was; this girl didn''t seem like she wanted to be exposed. What was the matter? What was she trying to avoid? Or¡­ who?


    "Okay," replied Ramon as he took the te in front of him and Hailee, kindheartedly, got a piece of fried fish already for him, looking at Ramon with sparkling eyes.


    "So, you agreed to postpone this marriage?" Hailee asked carefully.


    "No," replied Ramon with a smile watching Hailee''s surprised expression out of the corner of his eye. "The wedding will go on as nned."


    The shrimp that Hailee was about to spoon onto Ramon''s te just fell off when she heard this man''s answer. "What?" her forehead creased in disbelief. "I thought you agreed. You said ''okay''."


    "No, I said that because I understand your reasons, but that doesn''t mean I agree." Ramon painstakingly ced the vegetables on Hailee''s te and a few pieces of meat. "We''re still going to get married two weeks from now."


    Hailee couldn''t believe what she heard. Actually, Could this guy really understand what she was trying to say?!


    "If you think we don''t know each other enough, we can do it after we get married." Ramon took the spoon and ced it in Hailee''s hand. "Besides, right now I don''t remember anything. So, I hope you can help me remember the times when we were together. "


    "What time together!?"Hailee grumbled. They had only met for less than a month!


    "You," Ramon looked at his brother next to him. "Make sure this event goes smoothly."


    "All right, all right ..." Lexus nodded, not really listening when he was about to take the second piece of meat. He didn''t expect Hailee''s cooking to be so good. It perfectly glides on his tongue smoothly!


    But, suddenly Hailee hit Lexus on the hand with the spoon Ramon had given her. "Who said you can eat?! I made this just for me and Ramon! " she eximed irritably.


    "Hah?" Lexus rubbed his sore hand and looked at Hailee in disbelief. The girl appeared very angry. But, shouldn''t she be mad at Ramon? Why was Lexus the target?


    Of course Hailee''s annoyance should be aimed at Ramon, but she didn''t dare to be mad at him. Therefore, Hailee targeted a goal that made much more sense.


    "No way, you cooked so much for just the two of you to eat?" grumbled Lexus, he took the spoon again and ignored Hailee''s fierce gaze.


    In the end, Ramon couldn''t eat peacefully because Hailee and Lexus kept bickering, but he didn''t mind at all. Instead, he tend to enjoy this atmosphere.

 Chapter 24: BICKERING IN FRONT OF THE BEDROOM

    <h4>Chapter 24: BICKERING IN FRONT OF THE BEDROOM</h4>


    "Everyone is here?"


    Suddenly Lis''s voice was heard in the middle of their meal and Hailee stood stunned in the middle of her argument with Lexus, with the spoon held high in her hand.


    When Hailee''s eyes caught Lis''s figure, she gasped and immediately lowered her hand, focusing on the food on her te. This actually made Lexusugh.


    "Hey, why are you being as quiet as a rabbit now?" Lexus teased as he took another piece of meat, while Ramon just stared at the girl in front of him who was now eating silently.


    Lis then stepped closer and sat beside Hailee, opposite Ramon. "You are having dinner."


    Lis came to this house because neither Ramon, Hailee or Lexus, whom she told to check on Ramon, picking up her phone calls. So, Lis decided to see what happened to these children.


    "These are all made by Hailee," said Lexus proudly, as if he had cooked all of this, then he went back to eat voraciously.


    "Is it true?" Lis raised her eyebrows in disbelief. She had never met a single girl, at Hailee''s age, who could whip-up something edible in the kitchen. "Is it true that you cooked Hailee?"


    "Yes, of course. Ramon and I saw her cooking with our own eyes," replied Lexus, who then took another piece of meat and stuffed it into his mouth shamelessly.


    Lis looked at Ramon, but her eldest son didn''t even look at her and only focused on the food on his te. In fact, Ramon was very selective when it came to food, especially because he had allergies to certain types of food and not all foods match his overly sensitive tongue.


    Because she didn''t get a response from Ramon, so Liz had to turn her attention to Hailee.


    "So, this is all cooked by you?" asked Lis. She still couldn''t believe Lexus''s words, but why would her son lie?


    "Yes," Hailee replied shyly. Ramon then asked a waiter to ce one more set of cutlery for his mother, while Hailee put a few pieces of shrimp and vegetables on her te. "Give it a try," muttered Hailee.


    Actually, Lis had eaten beforeing here, but since this was the dish made by her prospective daughter-inw, it wouldn''t hurt if she tried.


    And her eyes widened in disbelief as the tender and juicy flesh touched her taste buds. The texture of the meat was very fitting with the sauce that it was so tempting. Lis had eaten something like this before, but of course it was the work of a famous chef, while Hailee¡­


    Lis turned to look at the girl next to her who was smiling waiting for herment.


    "How is it? Delicious, right?" asked Lexus knowingly upon seeing his mother''s surprised expression. The man chuckled as Lis tried to clear her throat in an attempt to return to her calm demeanor.


    "Delicious," Lis replied which made Hailee grin happily. "Where did you learn to cook?"


    "Self-taught," said Hailee, she then poured a drink into Lis'' ss and added other foods, so that this Mrs. Tordoff could taste. "I like to eat, so I got interested in trying too."


    "I too like to eat, but I can''t cook," said Lexus, who was now receiving a disapproving look from Hailee. If only Lis wasn''t there, then the two of them would have argued again. "Supposedly, if you have came to this house from the start when you two decided to be together, I could have got the chance to enjoy your cooking earlier."


    Hailee pursed her lips and it made Lexus tease her again.


    After that, the dinner party became louder than the previous nights that the Tordoffs had, thanks to Hailee and Lexus'' bickering that livened up the atmosphere.


    Meanwhile, Lis saw how rxed Hailee was in the midst of this family and how Lexus received this young girl so quickly.


    On the other hand, Ramon, who usually liked to maintain calm while eating, didn''t seem to be bothered by the endless chatter between Lexus and Hailee.


    Smiling, Lis went back to eating the shrimp pieces from her te. It seemed that her decision to force her will to match Ramon with the women of her choice was a wrong decision.


    This time, Lis only hoped that Hailee could apany Ramon well in the future.


    ***


    "Ramon!" Hailee called out his name in a slightly irritated voice. "Open the door!" this time she mmed her fist against Ramon''s bedroom door even harder.


    Hailee had been standing in front of Ramon''s door for ten minutes, but the man still hadn''t opened the door.


    After dinner, Ramon immediately returned to his room because he felt tired and after Liz and Lexus left, Hailee also intended to return to the room, but she got a call from Liz who reminded her that Ramon had not taken his medicines yet.


    To be honest, Hailee didn''t really care. After all, Ramon was an adult, he should know not to miss the timing for taking his medicines. But, there was no way she could say that out loud.


    So, being a good fianc¨¦ and to do justice for her so called disguise as Ramon''s lover, Hailee lied by saying that she would be preparing the relevant medicines. Lis sounded happy when Hailee said it.


    So, from now on, Hailee had to remind herself to remind Ramon that he should take his medicine regrly.


    However, one of the reasons Hailee actually didn''t dare to care about Ramon''s health was because she didn''t want Ramon to regain his lost memories too soon.


    It sounds evil, but Hailee couldn''t stop thinking about what would happen to her if the lie she originally used to save herself became a boomerang and came back for her.


    "Ramon!" This time Hailee kicked Ramon''s bedroom door in annoyance, making the maid who was standing behind her, carrying a tray filled with Ramon''s medicine and a ss of mineral water, surprised and held her breath seeing Hailee''s behavior change drastically. "Open the door!!"


    Having said that, the door to Ramon''s bedroom violently burst open and revealed the figure of a man wearing only a towel around his waist with wet hair.


    "What!?" shouted Ramon too. He was taking a shower when he heard amotion in front of his room and immediately found out that it was Hailee. Ramon thought Hailee would leave if he let her be, but who would have thought that this girl was determined to break down the door of his room?


    Hailee was surprised when the door to the room suddenly opened, especially when she saw Ramon who was half naked with droplets of water dripping from his hair.


    Ugh! He looks hot!


    No. No. Hailee shook her head to think clearly. "You just finished taking a shower?" Hailee asked stupidly, but if you think about it, why did Ramon have to take a bath in the middle of the night? "I''m here to bring you your medicine. You haven''t taken medicine yet, have you? "


    "Come in," said Ramon.


    Hha?Excuse me?

 Chapter 25: HE IS PERFECT IN EVERY APECTS

    <h4>Chapter 25: HE IS PERFECT IN EVERY APECTS</h4>


    "Come in." Ramon repeated his words again, he seemed to be frowning, not liking the surprised look in Hailee''s eyes that were staring at him dumbfoundedly.


    "Why?" Hailee asked carefully. Without realizing it, she just stepped back to avoid Ramon.


    However, the man deftly grabbed Hailee''s wrist and pulled her into the room. Then, with his free hand, he took the tray of medicine, which was held by a servant.


    The maid looked surprised, but said nothing when the bedroom door was quickly closed.


    "I have something to talk to you about," said Ramon as he pushed the door shut with his body and hands Hailee the tray in his hand, then stepped into the room.


    While walking, he took the towel he had just put on the back of the chair because Hailee was so noisy earlier, and started using it to dry his hair.


    "What? What do you want to talk about? "Hailee nced at the door that was closed, but left unlocked.


    Hailee could not have listened to Ramon and fled from this room, but as soon as the girl turned her head, she had a sight that was hard to resist.


    Ramon''s abs¡­


    Hailee''s breath was caught in her throat, she found it hard to look away and ended up staring intently at Ramon''s abs longer than necessary.


    What a shame! But, what else can she do? She''s also a normal woman and this sight was too bad to pass up.


    "What are you seeing?" Ramon threw the towel again on the back of the chair and folded his arms across his chest. "Sit down, I want to discuss something with you."


    Either Ramon was doing this on purpose or not, but folding his arms like that made his bicep muscles look more prominent.


    Hailee cursed silently.


    It wasn''t as if she had never seen a shirtless man like this, but Theo definitely didn''t have the abs Ramon had. Or as handsome as Ramon. Or as rich as Ramon.


    Ugh! This man was purely and utterly a lethal temptation!


    "Can you put on your clothes first?" Hailee grumbled while cursing this side of herself, that actually didn''t want Ramon to wear any clothes at all. Hailee felt herself turning into a pervert in front of this man.


    "Why? Not ustomed to this?" asked Ramon, but he kindly stepped into the wardrobe.


    Hailee immediately diverted her attention and sat on a chair and put down the tray of medicines that she had been holding. It wouldn''t be funny if Hailee dropped the tray suddenly in some shock. She didn''t want to embarrass herself!


    "Haven''t you seen me like this in our two years of rtionship?" Ramon asked from behind his wardrobe, while Hailee fixed her gaze on the tips of her toes. Didn''t want to be tempted to raise her head. "I think this is my habit. You should have seen me like this several times. "


    Of course Ramon was just fishing for information from Hailee. He knew from the start that this girl was lying about her being his fiance. However, seeing how Hailee behaved and her background, Ramon felt that this girl did not have bad intentions toward him or his family.


    But, of course, Ramon still had to be on the lookout and anticipate the unwanted possibilities.


    If Hailee didn''t intend to harm his family or have any ulterior motives, that meant there was a problem with this girl and she need shelter. This was what Ramon want to learn more about.


    "Ah, of course¡­ but, that doesn''t mean I like seeing you like this," Hailee replied half muttering. She wanted to p her own mouth for her foolish answer which made no sense at all.


    If their rtionship had been going on for two years and this was a Ramon habit, it was certain that Hailee had seen him like this before, and it was certain that she wouldn''t have responded shyly.


    Her acting was really bad! Hailee cursed again. She just hoped Ramon wouldn''t suspect her.


    "Is it true?" Ramon returned wearing a in white t-shirt with long dark blue training pants. "But you don''t seem like someone used to seeing me like this. You even feel awkward around me. "


    "Of course not." Hailee refused immediately. She lifted her eyes and found Ramon looking at her with a meaningful gaze. "You don''t remember anything."


    "Thene here." Ramon waved his hand, calling Hailee to get closer, but Hailee frowned. "Why?"


    "If you have something to say, just say it now, I can hear it from here," said Hailee. She raised her face in an attitude as if this didn''t bother her at all, but what she didn''t know was; Ramon could see her pretense very clearly.


    Actually, the distance between them was not that far, they were only separated by a round table, so it didn''t matter if Hailee sat in her original ce.


    "All right," Ramon relented and this made Hailee feel relieved. The man then leaned back against the back of the sofa and stared at the girl who looked tense in front of him for a moment.


    "What do you want to say?" Hailee asked impatiently. She was annoyed by the probing gaze Ramon was giving her.


    "Since I lost my memory and all the memories when we were together, I want you to tell me everything," Ramon said matter-of-factly.


    "Tell what?" Hailee grew rmed, her eyes on Ramon widened warily. If Ramon asked her to tell about their past in detail, what past did she have to bber about when there is no such thing at all???


    "Of course during our two years rtionship together," Ramon said casually. He rested his chin on top of the fist he had propped on the arm of the sofa. "There must be a lot of things that might happened, right? I want you to tell me everything. Maybe I can remember some events. "


    "That¡­" Hailee touched the back of her neck unconsciously. This was a movement she always did when she felt ufortable. "Maybe we shouldn''t force this ... you just got out of the hospital, we still have plenty of time ... there''s no need to rush."


    Ramon sighed deeply and this only made Hailee feel even more ufortable. It was as if the man in front of her could smell a lie from her.


    However, no matter how hard she tried, Hailee still couldn''t hide her nervousness.


    "Very well," said Ramon. "Let''s start with the basics first."


    Hailee didn''t like this¡­ she should have ran away whenever she got the chance. Now, she had no other way out but to add to her lies.


    "What?" Hailee asked in a low voice. Her eyes looked at Ramon with worry. This man''s words were always unexpected.


    "Tell me about your family."

 Chapter 26: A THOROUGH INVESTIGATIONS

    <h4>Chapter 26: A THOROUGH INVESTIGATIONS</h4>


    Ramon looked at Hailee with a calm expression, but his next words made Hailee a little anxious. "Tell me about your family."


    "My family?" Hailee could feel her heart skip a beat and the intonation of her voice risen involuntarily. "What''s wrong with my family?"


    "You said it yourself, didn''t you, if we could slowly get to know each other again, then this marriage would be more meaningful. Therefore, let''s start with your family first," Ramon said in his voice that sounded a little hoarse.


    This was the part Hailee didn''t like. No. She didn''t even prepared anything beforehand if Ramon ever wanted to know anything about her background.


    Hailee didn''t think about this beforehand. She should have expected this kind of question toe, sooner orter.


    "How about you take your medicine first?" Hailee was now trying to buy as much time as possible. She then took a ss filled with mineral water and handed it to Ramon.


    Seeing this movement, Ramon was still kind enough to take it and drink all the medicine Hailee had prepared for him.


    He knew Hailee needed time to decide; whether she was going to lie or tell the truth, and Ramon had enough time and patience to see what choice this girl would make.


    "So?" Ramon put the empty ss on the table when he had finished drinking all the medicine. Now he was back to his original position. Waiting for an answer from Hailee, he asked again, "Have I met your parents before they passed away?"


    "No," Hailee answered honestly.


    "Why?" asked Ramon in an investigating tone. It was certain that Ramon had never met Hailee''s parents. The city of R, where Hailee''s parents had business, was not Ramon''s favorite city, so he didn''t have many branches there.


    However, of course Ramon''s perspective might change if he see any benefits he could get if he was to control the diamondpany owned by the Tatum family.


    Hailee''s im to her familypany was strong, especially when Hailee was the biological child of the Tatum couple. With the power that Ramon had, it was not impossible if he want to bring back Hailee''s rights to her, which after marriage, of course the diamondpany could be liquidated with his ownpany and it was certain that Ramon want to have full control over thepany.


    "Because you don''t want our rtionship to be known by the public," Hailee replied in an even tone. She tried to give an answer as neutral as possible and not trap herself into much moreplicated situations.


    "And do you know why I don''t want our rtionship to be made public?" Ramon emphasized this problem.


    However, Hailee only shrugged her shoulders. "I don''t know," she replied with an innocent face. "You never told me and you only said that you wanted our rtionship to be kept a secret. I tried to know what your reason in keeping our rtionship a secret, but to no avail."


    "Not once did you ever ask what is the reason I kept this rtionship a secret?" asked Ramon again.


    "Of course I asked, but you know yourself, right? You''re so stubborn. Even now, when you lost your memories from the past five years, you would agree with me that you are very stubborn when you have made up your mind." Hailee shrugged her shoulders indifferently. "So when you don''t want to tell me, then I won''t know anything."


    Hailee ced all the responsibility on Ramon to solve his own questions using the man''s amnesia as a shield.


    Smart.


    Ramon was quite surprised, but also interested when Hailee dodged the answer in such a way. Thest thing Ramon wanted was to have a partner who couldn''t read the situation well.


    Even with Hailee''s answer which meant he didn''t got any useful information, Ramon was quite satisfied with her witty attitude.


    "Then, tell me about your family," Ramon continued his series of questions.


    "Hm,"Hailee muttered. She bit her lip as if she was contemting. "Both of my parents own our family business," she replied without giving any specific details.


    However, Ramon wanted things to be clear. "What kind of business and where?"


    "It''s just a small business and not very famouspared to your family''s business. And this business is located in the city of R." There was nothing wrong with Hailee''s answer, because after all, her family''s business would not beparable to that of the Tordoffs, which had branches in many cities and stretched into neighboring countries.


    "Engaged in?" asked Ramon, although he already knew exactly what kind of business the Tatum family was in.


    "Jewelry," Hailee replied curtly.


    "When are you nning to go home? So I can arrange a schedule to meet your other family and talk about our marriage." Considering that both of Hailee''s parents have died in a bizarre robbery case, the only possibility was to meet her other family members.


    Hailee grimaced when she heard this, she looked ufortable and began to move restlessly in her seat.


    "You don''t have to do that," Hailee replied in a faint voice.


    "Why?" asked Ramon. His eyes could not stop looking at Hailee with a gaze that was difficult to interpret.


    "I don''t have any other family members, they left when the business went bankrupt the moment my parents passed away," Hailee said in one breath.


    Instead of saying that her family''spany was taken over by her half sister and her father''s younger brother, Hailee preferred to dere that thepany was no longer in existence.


    Let alone asking for her right back, she was even in the middle of protecting her life with her lies to the Tordoff family, not to mention the murder case shemitted against Rnd Dimatrio. Until now, Hailee was still afraid to watch the television news and be reminded of what happened to her that night.


    Rnd Dimatrio was a respected person, it was certain that the news of his death will fill every news channel, right?


    "Okay!" Hailee patted her thigh and hurriedly got up. "I think that''s enough for tonight. You''ve passed a lot of time without a break and even went straight to work when we just got home. Now, you must rest. We can continue this conversation another time. "


    Then, without waiting for Ramon''s approval or giving the man a chance to hold her back, Hailee immediately ran for the door and fled Ramon''s room.


    Hailee''s room which was located right next to Ramon''s room, made it easy for her to hide herself after the tense moment with Ramon earlier.


    Hailee still felt her heart beat very fast. She just couldn''t stop thinking, how could she involve herself in such aplicated situation?


    Meanwhile, in his room, Ramon was talking to someone on the phone. His tone was so cold.


    "I want a thorough investigation on Aileen Tatum."

 Chapter 27: NEWS IN THE MORNING

    <h4>Chapter 27: NEWS IN THE MORNING</h4>


    In the days that followed, Ramon stopped bothering Hailee with questions about her past and often stayed at the office more, finishing business proposals and catching up with the memory of the four years he had lost.


    Ramon was too busy to have time for Hailee, but that didn''t mean the girl could casually enjoy the time and n her escape ns.


    On the contrary¡­Hailee was preupied with their wedding ns, which, she didn''t want at all but, had no reason to refuse.


    It''s not that Hailee wasn''t trying to negotiate this with Ramon, but that man had a million reasons to break Hailee''s words.


    Of course, Hailee, who was inexperienced in matters of debating and negotiating, had to ept the defeat with an irritated heart when Ramon was being adamant and unpersuaded in understanding to postpone their marriage.


    "6 months," Hailee offered.


    This morning she entered Ramon''s room by force and surprised the man who was changing clothes.


    So far, no one had ever dared to enter Ramon''s room without his consent, therefore, Ramon was not used to locking the bedroom door. And, of course, Hailee waspletely unaware of the unwritten rule.


    Luckily this time Ramon had put on his white shirt and was choosing the right tie for him to wear. Or¡­ can you say that Hailee was out of luck? Because if she had arrived earlier, maybe the scenery would be even more interesting ...


    "Instead of a week, I can take you to record our marriage now if you keep talking about this," Ramon bluffed in an even voice. His fingers traced the rows of ties in a ss case and selected a gray tie. He had an important meeting in an hour or so. "Put it on."


    "What?" Hailee was shocked when she saw something thrown at her and instinctively caught it before it could hit her face.


    Ramon walked over to Hailee who was sitting on the edge of the bed. "Put it on," he repeated.


    "I can''t," said Haile, looking at the gray tie in her hand a frown was etched on her beautiful eyebrows. In all her life she never had to dress anyone, nor knew how to.


    Then, Ramon''s hand stretched out and pulled Hailee up to her feet. Now that they were facing each other, Hailee just realized how tall Ramon actually was.


    Hailee was not exactly a short girl, she was of normal height like girls her age. However, standing in front of Ramon, Hailee felt she had to grow a few more inches, which was impossible.


    The top of Hailee''s head only reached Ramon''s shoulders and it troubled her when she had to look at the man closely, because Hailee had to tilt her head up.


    "I told you I couldn''t," Hailee protested.


    "Then learn," interrupted Ramon. He grabbed Hailee''s hand that was still holding the tie and draped it around his neck. "Well."


    One more thing Hailee realized from Ramon today, he turned out to be someone who was able to treat women gently. Despite his voice that sounds harsh and cold at times, but when he told Hailee what she had to do to tie the knot, he was so patient and calm.


    "Understood?" asked Ramon. He stared at the girl in front of him in annoyance that Hailee didn''t seem to notice.


    And sure enough, Hailee shook her head shyly. "No," she said in a voice that was almost a whisper.


    "Are you actually listening?" grumbled Ramon as he adjusted his tie and walked toward the nightstand where he kept all his ties and took one, then threw it again at Hailee. "Learn it, I wish you could do it tomorrow."


    "What?" Hailee raised the silver tie in her hand and frowned in displeasure.


    "I''ll go now." Ramon approached Hailee and kissed her head before he walked out of the room.


    This had now becamemon gesture, he had been doing since thest three days when Hailee always bothered him every morning to discuss the same thing again and again. Therefore, Hailee didn''t feel anything strange. She just thought that Ramon used to do it to his real lover so it became a habit for him.


    Hailee chased after Ramon out of the room. She was standing on the threshold while looking down, where Ramon had just descended the stairs. "Wait, you haven''t had breakfast," she said. "You have to take medicine!"


    "You''re making mete, I''ll have breakfastter," Ramon replied, not heeding Hailee''s warning at all.


    "Huh, whatever," grumbled Hailee as she walked back into her room in annoyance. She only hoped that Ramon would really take the medicine, because if Ramon got sick, Lis would immediately ask Hailee.


    It seemed that Lis was a motherly figure who was very overprotective of her children. But, on the other hand, Lis was also seen as a female leader who was worthy of admiration.


    Based on the information Hailee gathered, before Ramon took over thepany when their father left, Lis was the one who shed with the other heads of the Tordoff family in order to secure a leadership position in thepany for Ramon. Before Ramon could be considered mature enough to take up his current position.


    However, Lis''s struggle was not in vain and it was all proven by all the sess that Ramon had sessfully achieved. And all these achievements have seeded in closing out discordant voices that were still in opposition to Ramon.


    "Hold on," muttered Hailee as soon as she got to her room. "Wasn''t I going to talk about marriage matters earlier? Then why do I have to learn how to drap a tie now?" Hailee looked at the silver tie in her hand and felt really stupid.


    This was not the first time Ramon had distracted her and made Hailee stop talking about what she should have said.


    Ugh!


    "Ah never mind! I''ll try again tonight after he gets home from work, "Hailee grumbled.


    Then, after she had finished showering and changed clothes, she went downstairs to make breakfast for herself.


    It''s not that the servants there weren''t providing any food for her, but Hailee preferred to prepare her own food.


    Leaping the steps to the kitchen, Hailee passed the reading room, where the television was on and showing a news channel.


    A name was heard by Hailee from the news broadcast which brought her steps to a halt.


    Hailee stood in front of the reading room door that was half open and listened to what the beautiful news anchor had to say.


    And of the many words she said, there was only one name that made Hailee''s heart beat faster.


    Rnd Dimatrio.

 Chapter 28: COMPLICATED SITUATION

    <h4>Chapter 28: COMPLICATED SITUATION</h4>


    Hailee gasped when she saw the news about Rnd Dimatrio appearing on the television screen, howe? This was the man who led her into aplicated life, plunged Hailee into the bottomless abyss, and count God-knows what left of this ever-ticking time bomb; her ''lie'' to the Tordoffs.


    However, that was not what dumbfounded Hailee thoroughly to the point that she forgot what she was supposed to do, the thing that made the girl with her shoulder-length ck hair startled was; the fact that Rnd Dimatrio was still alive!


    Yes! That immoral fifty years rogue of a filthy man was still alive! And today he was reported to have awakened from aa.


    How could that be!?


    Thousands of questions swirled in Hailee''s head. She saw with her very own eyes the bloody and heavily wounded Rnd Dimatrio, copsing on to the floor and became still lying motionless.


    Not that Hailee believed it because she had taken the old man''s pulse, or checked his breath, but from what Hailee saw, Rnd Dimatrio could not have survived the explosion!


    Or the other possibility might be; what Hailee saw was not quite true, and the District Attorney actually managed to escape the clutches of death?


    The news couldn''t be a lie, could it be?


    The beautiful woman who read out the news couldn''t possibly have received the wrong information, right?


    Hailee''s head was spinning in confusion. Without even noticing herself, Hailee''s body was moving on its own toward the reading room.


    A maid, who was supposed to be cleaning the room, was engrossed in watching the news too, but as soon as she realized that Hailee had came into the room, the young girl immediately panicked and started apologizing.


    "Sorry miss ... I don''t ..."


    But, even before she had time to finish her apologizing words, Hailee was already waving her hand at her, asking her to go out of the room.


    "No, don''t turn it off. Give me that," Hailee immediately said while extending her hand for the television remote control from the maid, as she was about to turn off the news channel. "Go out," said Hailee, eyes still fixed on the news.


    The maid immediately went out of the room, leaving her cleaning tools inside. She woulde back to continue her workter when Hailee was no longer there.


    Meanwhile, in the room, Hailee was struggling to digest every bit of the news. And, in the end, she skipped breakfast and spent her entire morning, going through every news article featuring Rnd Dimatrio until Lis called, saying she will being soon and the two of them would go to an acquaintance''s boutique, where Hailee would choose her wedding dress.


    Her so called visit to a boutique with Lis for her very own wedding gown selection didn''t really interest Hailee, not in the slightest, because this was the first time she heard about Rnd Dimatrio after her escaping.


    And what Hailee got to know by watching scraps of the morning news about five hours and searching for thetest articles using Ramon''sputer in his office, was;


    Rnd Dimatrio was still alive and this very morning, he was finally awakened from hisa. This had been confirmed by hundreds of media outlets and there possibly could be no error.


    However, based on the news circting in the public, it waspletely different from the real incident.


    Because the media outlets had reported that Rnd Dimatrio had been a victim of an attempted murder, plotted against by his business opponents or by people who didn''t like him.


    As a district attorney, of course the two possibilities were very strong, but until the time the news was released, it was still not certain who could be the potential suspect or people involved in the attack.


    Dammit.


    Hailee kept cursing to herself as she changed her clothes because soon Lis woulde to pick her up.


    How could that dirt-smelling man twist the true facts to such an extent?! What''s with the attempted murder!? He himself was eager to die!


    Of course Rnd Dimatrio would not admit his shorings, his name and social status would be tarnished if he was found to have bought a girl to spend the night with, especially when he himself had a family and children.


    Not to mention the good image he loved to maintain in public.


    Hailee clenched her fists so tightly that the hem of her clothes were creased and crinkled.


    Then the next question was; why Alex,dy Rnd''s personal bodyguard, was still chasing her? What is he up to? And who ordered him to? Did Aileen have anything to do with this?


    "Aarrgh!" Hailee let out a frustrated scream unintentionally. "It sucks!"


    Right after her she lost herposure, there was a knock on the door of her room and a female maid walked into the room with a worried expression.


    "Miss, are you okay?" she asked, looking at Hailee with a probing gaze. "Earlier I heard a scream from inside," she said again carefully.


    "Oh, it''s okay¡­" Hailee waved her hand and smiled awkwardly at the young maid. "I''ll be finished in a moment."


    The maid looked back at Hailee anxiously, but when she was sure that Hailee was okay, she smiled back at Hailee and said that Lis hade and was waiting for her downstairs.


    "I''ll be down soon," said Hailee who immediately looked at her reflection in the mirror once again.


    Since Hailee didn''t bring anything with her when she came to this house, Lis had been generous enough to buy her several pieces of clothes that she could use for a while.


    The n was that today, Lis will bring Hailee to shop for other necessities she needs.


    To be honest, Hailee had absolutely no interest in shopping today or tomorrow, or the day after¡­ the only thing she wanted to do was; contact Ian and ask her friend to gather as much information as possible about anything that could help her find out about Rnd Dimatrio and the current situation in town R.


    If Rnd Dimatrio was still alive and this case was said to be the attempted assassination by the district attorney''s business rivals and enemies, then there was no point in Hailee continuing to pretend to be Ramon''s fianc¨¦, right?


    And this marriage would probably be cancelled.


    Hailee had to act quickly and make up her mind about the next step she should take.


    While walking down the stairs and approaching Lis who was waiting for her while sitting gracefully on the sofa, Hailee began to regret losing this opportunity to be the daughter-inw of the Tordoff family.


    If things were different, of course which woman would refuse to stay beside Ramon Tordoff and be his wife?


    Aileen could have had a heart attack out of jealousy if she''d known that Hailee got into this position because of her own actions.


    Too bad, things weren''t as smooth as Hailee wanted them to be.....

 Chapter 29: NO WAY

    <h4>Chapter 29: NO WAY</h4>


    During the trip, Hailee was mostly silent, thinking about the course of action she should take next and what to say as she had to exin her lies in front of the members of the Tordoff family.


    Hailee nced next to her, where Lis was receiving a call regarding an important business and looked very stern, but at the same time elegant in every word she chooses.


    Ugh!


    People who were good at controlling emotions like her were, in fact, much more terrifying than those who scream out of rage.


    Hailee began to wonder what these Tordoffs would do to her if they were to find out the truth behind Hailee''s lie.


    "Alright, prepare everything¡­ hmm, there''s no need for all thatmotion¡­" Lis continued to say to someone on the phone, it seemed like this was the person who will take care of all the preparations for Hailee''s wedding which will take ce in less than two weeks.


    Hailee sighed heavily. Why did Ramon have to rush the marriage? The man should have found a way to recover his lost memory first.


    But, if Ramon managed to get his memory back, then what about Hailee?


    "Ugh!" Hailee snorted in annoyance, because the more she thought about this, the more she felt that her way out of all this was deadlocked. As if whatever decision she would maketer, it would not have much effect on her life and instead made her entangled deeper in this vortex of lies.


    "What''s wrong, Hailee?" Lis immediately ended her phone call when she saw that upset look on Hailee''s face. She already noticed how this girl had been sighing continuously the whole way. "Sorry, mom was a little busy so I ignored you."Lis thought that was the reason why Hailee was wrinkling her face in such a way, although she wasn''t sure that this girl would show such obvious dislike for a trivial matter.


    Hearing Liz''s narrative, Hailee hurriedly raised her hands and waved them frantically. "No, that''s not the problem ma''am ..."


    How could Hailee dare to protest against Lis for ignoring her, even if this woman was willing to ignore her all day long, Hailee wouldn''t utter a single word of protest. Sigh ...


    "Then why do you look like you have a big problem?" Lis observed the faint wrinkle between Hailee''s brows.


    Oops. Was it obvious?


    "It looks very clear here," Lis said as she stretched out her hand and gently rubbed the part between her eyebrows.


    Can this woman read my mind? Hailee started thinking nonsense.


    "Now tell me, what''s bothering you?" asked Lis again.


    Oh, apparently not¡­ Hailee thought more calmly. The past few days had really stressed her a little bit that her mind went on a tour thinking the impossible, especially when she saw this morning''s news about Rnd Dimatrio.


    "It''s okay mother¡­" Hailee replied in a low voice, in the end she still couldn''t afford to be honest with Lis.


    On the other hand, Lis could see that Hailee was covering up something, but she didn''t want to force this girl and make it even more ufortable for her, so she let this matter go and changed the subject.


    "The boutique we will be visitingter belongs to my old friend when I was in college and now he is one of the best fashion designers in this country and even his work has been known in several countries, you must have heard his name," Lis said while looking at Hailee gently. "Margaretha Lamos."


    Lisughed softly when she saw Hailee''s face, who was innocently surprised. She waspletely different from girls her age. Perhaps it was for this reason that Ramon also chose this girl.


    Ah, if only Lis wasn''t stubborn and let Ramon take Hailee home, then introduced the two of them, surely that terrible ident would not have happened.


    However, Lis didn''t want to think about what happened and regret it for a long time again. The most important thing now was; their marriage.


    Because Ramon didn''t want this wedding to be public knowledge, therefore, they couldn''t have a massive party, but that didn''t mean the wedding won''t be a memorable moment for both of them ...


    "The Diva?!"Hailee''s voice caught in her throat and her eyes widened in disbelief.


    There''s no way a bridal fashion designer like Margaretha Lamos will be her wedding dress designer?!


    No way! Right?!


    Hailee looked at Lis, and she immediately got the answer just like that¡­ of course it''s possible.


    It should be noted, that in order to customize a wedding dress from the Diva''s design, not only do people have to have abundant assets and high social status, but they also have to be on the waiting list, which, ording to what Hailee heard, could easily take several months.


    Therefore, Margaretha Lamos got this nickname; the Diva.


    "But, is it possible? Mine and Ramon''s wedding will be held in less than two weeks, but what I heard, the waiting list for the Diva¡­" Hailee trailed off speaking as she winced a little when she said ''mine and Ramon''s wedding'', it sounded so foreign to her ears.


    "Of course she will make an exception just for me." Lis said calmly and chuckled at Hailee''s worried expression. "Nothing to worry about¡­"


    Precisely because of that Hailee became even more worried. The more she received, the harder it would be for Hailee to tell them the truth. Ugh! It''s like a moral burden.


    Afterward, the next half hour journey was filled with small talk until they arrived at the office where Margaretha Lamos was.


    It was an eight-storey building and had a unique vibe, predominantly flourished with white and the scent of lilies that greeted Hailee on her first step in to the lobby.


    Right after entering the building, Lis''s cellphone rang again and she had to pick it up, since not many people knew this number, therefore, whoever called her, it was certain that this was an important matter.


    "Hailee, I''ll pick up the phone first," Lis said to Hailee who nodded understandingly, as Lis had to find a quieter ce because the music was a little louder in the lobby.


    Left alone, Hailee chose to sit on the sofa while waiting for Lis''s arrival. She was looking at fashion magazines when someone spoke rudely above her head.


    "Stand now, I want to sit there," said a female voice that sounded irritated.


    Hailee lifted her head to find a young woman with sunsses covering her tiny face standing tall and tapping her feet impatiently.


    "No," Hailee replied curtly.

 Chapter 30: YOU DONT KNOW WHO I AM?

    <h4>Chapter 30: YOU DON''T KNOW WHO I AM?</h4>


    In front of Hailee was a young woman with skin as white as milk, wearing a short yellow skirt and a matching zer, not only that, from one nce at all the essories she donned, Hailee could tell that this young woman was a daughter of one of the famous businessman elites in this city A.


    But, of course, the way this woman talked and how she looked down on other people, was just beyond annoying.


    "What did you say?" the woman said removing the sunsses studded with diamonds on the frame off her eyes, Hailee could tell that the diamonds were fake, after all, she inherited her exceptional appraising ability from her parents. "You don''t know who I am?"


    The annoying woman clutched her sses and red at Hailee. She was so upset when she heard Hailee''s refusal.


    "You can sit there," Hailee nodded toward the long sofa, not far from the single sofa she was currently sitting on.


    Hailee could understand why this woman wanted to sit in this particr seat, because from here the view was much nicer and also the lighting was much better, while on the other sofa, it was right next to the reception desk and it was a bit annoying with the various conversations the staff are having there.


    After saying her piece, Hailee returned to flipping through the fashion magazines that she had seen earlier. The girl did not expect that this woman would snatch it from her hands and throw it roughly on the round table in front of her.


    cing both her hands on either side of her hips, the young woman red at Hailee with obvious irritation.


    "Who do you think you are!?"she eximed. "You do not know who I am?!" she repeated the annoying question again.


    Instead of getting up from where she was sitting, Hailee leaned backfortably into the sofa and crossed her legs one over the other leisurely.


    At this point, it was no longer a matter of who got to sit on the single sofa, but a matter of who was the most stubborn person of the two of them, and in that case, Hailee didn''t disappoint at all.


    "No," Hailee replied casually. "I have no idea who you are."


    This girl did look cute and cheerful on the outside, but that didn''t mean she couldn''t turn into a snarling and sarcastic b*tch when someone was bothering her or intending to bully her.


    "What?!" The woman''s face turned bright red from holding back anger.


    Meanwhile, some people were already starting to notice the small quarrel that had urred between the two young women. How could they not? This woman''s voice was so loud.


    "I am the second daughter of the Bell family, Ariana Bell!" She hissed her name loud enough to make several people turn their heads at them.


    Of course the Bells were one of the elite families in city A, they were one of the most famous banker families in the city, but their status still couldn''t match that of the Tordoffs.


    Hailee had heard of the Bell family, but didn''t really pay attention to their family members, because she never thought that one day she would meet an annoying fly from that family.


    Afterward, this young woman named Ariana smiled narrowly and lifted her chin arrogantly, hoping that Hailee would show a surprised expression and apologize to her right away.


    However, any of that didn''t happen, because after hearing her name, only one word left Hailee''s lips who didn''t even bother to change her facial expression.


    "Then?" she asked with an innocent face, as if knowing this woman in front of her was a member of the Bell family wasn''t a big deal for her.


    Hailee never thought that in high society, the good name of the family could be used in a variety of circumstances, especially when you wanted to pressure others who had a lower social status than you.


    Hailee had never noticed this before.


    Now she just realized how annoying it was for people who clung to their surnames and acted around without contributing anything.


    "Then?" Ariana eximed loudly as her voice raised several octaves and this made more and more people curious to see what was really going on.


    "Yes, then what?" Hailee asked back. Back in school, she had friends who were simr to Ariana, even though her friends never bullied her or bothered her, because they knew that Hailee was not from any random family, but they would bully her other friends. Just like Ariana was doing to Hailee today.


    "You must not be from city A, what family are you from?" a wicked smile etched on her lips. Ariana felt she had the upper hand because she found someone from the lower ss.


    "Keeping aside my family or where Ie from, does a Bell family member have to get a sofa like this?" Hailee continued with her innocent face. It was of great satisfaction for Hailee to y with Ariana''s emotions.


    People like this were very easy to get emotional to start with and for Hailee, this was enough for her to channel the stress she had been experiencing during the past few days.


    "If that''s the case, why don''t you just bring your own sofa?" Hailee asked, she gave Ariana a sweet smile and of course this made the young woman even more upset.


    Ariana snorted. "You are definitely not from this town." she tossed her ck, curly hair gracefully. "You would never dare talk back to me like this if you knew the Bell family."


    Right after she said that, a woman in her thirties, approached them, from the clothes she was wearing and the badge on her chest, Hailee could tell that this woman was named Elvina Zeline. Manager on floor, in charge at this time.


    "What is this?" Elvina asked as she approached themotion Ariana had created.


    However, the female manager''s eyes immediately caught on to Hailee and Ariana''s appearance, and she quickly decided who to side with.


    She couldn''t be med either, because the clothes Hailee wearing were so much simpler than what Ariana was wearing.


    Hailee wore only a in T-shirt and jeans and sneakers, because she had juste over to the Tordoffs'' house and hadn''t had the chance to buy anything formal.


    "Ms. Zeline, how can you let someone like her into this office?" Ariana pointed to Hailee with her curved fingers and red nails. "I want to sit on that sofa and I want you to make her go away."


    "What kind of person do you mean by ''Someone like this''?" Hailee frowned.


    "Sorry Miss, but you should not prolong this matter any further," Elvina was still trying to be polite.


    "You do not know who I am?" this time it was Hailee who asked the question.

 Chapter 31: OOPS!

    <h4>Chapter 31: OOPS!</h4>


    "You do not know who I am?" this time it was Hailee who asked this million-dor question.


    What irony!


    Elvina became confused when she heard Hailee''s question. Who is she? Elvina thought, looking back at Hailee more closely.


    However, she wasn''t sure she had seen this girl before nor did she remember seeing her in the media or at parties to which Mrs. Lamos asked her to attend.


    Knowing her customers and their backgrounds was one of Elvina''s duties, because she must be able to behave properly in front of these socialites and address them properly and establish a good rtionship with them.


    However, no matter how hard Elvina tried to remember where she had seen this casual girl, she couldn''t remember at all.


    This girl did look cute, but there were none of the things she wore, which showed that she came from a wealthy family.


    "Sorry, but which family are you from?" Elvina asked carefully, she didn''t want to offend important customers because of her ignorance, this matter will only end badly and be moreplicated.


    Hailee really didn''t like questions like this. This incident made Hailee remember how her parents strongly disapproved of Hailee being friends with Ian because the young man did not have a good social status and background.


    But, now that Hailee thought about it, her parents'' dislike was one of Aileen''s persuasions. Her stepsister was really good at manipting other people. Hailee should have realized this sooner ...


    "I came from the city R," Hailee replied casually. She was still sitting on the sofa for which Ariana started a fight with her.


    In truth, Hailee wouldn''t have been so stubborn as to defend her seat if only Ariana had asked her with kind words, but sadly she didn''t have a polite enough vocabry.


    And at this point, Hailee didn''t want to budge at all. As someone who was always pampered by her parents and the people around her, Hailee maintains a tough character when she had made up her mind.


    "Oh, city R?" Ariana said scornfully andughed sarcastically as she raised her eyebrows in contempt.


    Hearing Hailee''s answer, Elvina could also breathe a sigh of relief. City R is indeed a big city, but of course it couldn''t bepared to city A.


    And of course there are not as many sessful business families there as in city A. Therefore, Elvina quickly took a stand.


    "Miss, please move to another seat," Elvina said, this time the tone of her voice sounded more firm and demanding.


    "Since I''m not from city A, then I have to change seats?" Hailee snorted sarcastically, she folded her arms and straightened her back, still not wanting to get up from the sofa. "Is that how it works in this ce?"


    Elvina had a cold face, the expression she usually used when she had to face third-ss customers who demanded to be treated like a VIP.


    "This sofa is only for VIP customers," Elvina replied again, staring at Hailee unfriendly.


    "But, there is no sign that this sofa is only for VIPs. After all, for VIP customers, shouldn''t you have a special room to handle them?" Hailee tried to remember her experience when she went with her mother to a boutique simr to this.


    Although, the designer was still in a distant ss when juxtaposed with Margaretha Lamos, but there, as a VIP customer, her mother will always get special treatment and a separate room with a staff who caters to her wishes.


    On the other hand, Elvina was a little surprised when Hailee pointed out about this. It was true, every VIP customer will be ced in a special room.


    "Why?" Hailee grinned triumphantly as she realized that what she said was true. "Am I wrong?"


    At this point Ariana had run out of patience, she was really annoyed with this girl in front of her. As a core member of the Bell family, Ariana was ustomed to getting everything she wanted easily and was not very tolerant of other people, this was exacerbated by her parents who alwaysply with all her wishes without exception.


    "Get up from that sofa right now!" whisper-shouted Ariana as she widened her eyes ferociously at Hailee.


    And unexpectedly, Hailee actually stood up and moved sideways, away from the sofa.


    What Hailee did, was enough to surprise Elvina, she thought this girl would continue toplicate things, but it turned out she knew when to budge.


    Unfortunately, Elvina''s guess was wrong.


    "If you really want to sit on the sofa I''ve been sitting on, just say so." Hailee smiled so sweetly at Ariana and Elvina. "I''ll give it to you with pleasure."


    Hailee''s words seemed to indicate that she had given the seat voluntarily and Ariana should be grateful for that.


    And, of course this sessfully ticked off the young woman even more, especially when she saw Hailee walking away with leisurely steps, as if she wasughing at her secretly.


    "You! Stay there!" Shouted Ariana again. She walked toward Hailee in long strides. "Where are you going!?"


    Hailee turned around just in time when Ariana was right in front of her.


    "I told you that VIP customers get a special room and I want to go there." Hailee shrugged her shoulders, as if to say; Why, you don''t even know this? "What else do you want? Do you also want to take my room? Have you be obsessed with everything that has to do with me?" Hailee asked with an innocent face.


    "What?" Ariana widened her eyes in disbelief. How could a girl from a suburb like this manage to twist her words to such an extent?! From the way she spoke, what was Ariana doing now, sounded like she was a stalker!?"You really need to be taught a lesson!"


    Ariana Bell, the second daughter of the Bell family, is a very short tempered person. It was very, very easy to ignite her anger. Like really easy!


    Thus, without thinking, she raised her hand, intending to p Hailee.


    Luckily, Hailee had read her intention first, so she could easily move away, but because Ariana didn''t expect that Hailee would quickly dodge her, she lost her bnce easily, especially when she chose to stand on twelve-inch high heels today of all days.


    Ariana willed herself to steady her footing, half screaming in panic.


    But once she seeded after swaying to and forth for few seconds, Hailee pushed her lightly, but it was enough to nearly knock her down.


    "Oops," said Hailee.

 Chapter 32: INAPPRORIATE

    <h4>Chapter 32: INAPPRORIATE</h4>


    Hailee didn''t intend to push Ariana to her fall in apletely unkind position and embarrass her any further, therefore, after she pushed her, Hailee quickly grabbed Ariana''s hand to save her.


    She grabbed Ariana''s wrists and shoulders to help her stand up and bnce her footing on her ridiculous high heels.


    "Are you okay?" Hailee asked in a rxed tone.


    Of course Hailee''s question was full of mockery. How could she ask if Ariana was okay after she tried to push her and then save her, as if Ariana was just an interesting toy to her.


    Ariana was really angry, she really wanted to scratch the face of Hailee who was smiling at her.


    "Mrs. Zeline!" Ariana yelled at Elvina while pointing at Hailee with her red nails. "You see, what she did to me!?"she eximed angrily. "She tried to harm me!"


    However, right at that moment, before Elvina could respond to Ariana''s protests, her face transformed into one of that was full of shock and she hastily walked toward Hailee and Ariana, but the two of them were not her goal. She walked passed them and greeted twodies respectfully.


    "Mrs. Lamos," said Elvina very politely. "Mrs. Tordoff. "


    Not only Margaretha Lamos, but Lis Tordoff was now at her side. Who didn''t know about these two women? The friendship between the two of them was well known throughout the city of A.


    "What''s all thismotion?" Margaretha asked, looking at her manager, then Ariana and Hailee.


    Margaretha Lamos was not much taller than Lis Tordoff, although she wore white boots with a few inches tall heels. The designer wore a silver mini dress that covered half of her thighs and wore an outer that matched the boots she was wearing.


    Her face looked beautiful even though she was no longer young and the aura that surrounded her was hard to ignore.


    Both of these women have a strong dominant aura and this was able to make the whispers of those around them who were busy gossiping since from earlier by watching themotion, be silent and didn''t dared to say another word. They seemed curious about what action Margaretha Lamos would take now.


    After all, seeing Margaretha and Lis in person, at the same ce like this was a rare moment, as they were ustomed to attending parties that were mostly closed to the public or having meetings in special ces that didn''t allow other people to just approach them.


    "Mrs. Lamos, Mrs. Tordoff." Ariana hurriedly introduced herself and her demeanor immediately changed one hundred and eighty degrees from the one she had shown Hailee. "I''m Ariana from the Bell family." Ariana smiled very sweetly at the two women in front of her. "Nice to meet you two. Thest time we met was three months ago, during the inauguration of the branch of the new Diva."


    "I know who you are," Margaretha Lamos replied immediately and this made Ariana look even more radiant.


    "Oh, I''m d you still recognize me, Mrs. Lamos." said Ariana cheerfully, especially when she saw Lis Tordoff smiling at her.


    Ck. Ck. Ck. Is this the so-called two-faced bitchy behavior? Hailee thought to herself. I can''t stop thinking how Ariana wasn''t embarrassed at all when she did it.


    "What''s the problem?" Lis asked impatiently, she looked at Hailee who was now lowering her head, trying to avoid looking directly into her eyes.


    "Mrs. Tordoff, this is actually not a big problem," said Ariana again, her tone sounded so sweet and soft, as if she was a protagonist who had been hurt by the antagonist.


    How disgusting.


    Lis raised an eyebrow, indicating for Ariana to exin further.


    And predictably, Ariana smoothly told the whole thing, adding some of her own points of view that made Hailee look bad to both of them. Not only that, Ariana even asked Elvina''s approval.


    "She almost pushed me to my fall, didn''t she?" asked Ariana, staring at Elvina who nodded, because that''s the way it was, even though Ariana left an important part where she was going to p Hailee.


    "Yes, right," replied Elvina. Retaining customers like Ariana was far more profitable in her opinion, than Hailee who was not known which family was from and not from city A.


    "But, it''s okay ... I''ve forgiven her," said Ariana again, looking at Lis Tordoff with admiration.


    Who didn''t know Lis Tordoff? Moreover, her first son; Ramon Tordoff. The recent rumors Ariana said that; Lis was looking for the right woman to be juxtaposed with his first son.


    And maybe after this meeting ...


    Ariana''s mind was imagining things that were very far away, but she had to look back at reality when Lis opened her mouth and asked.


    "If she pushed you, then why didn''t you fall?" Lis asked, judging Ariana''s appearance as she looked just fine.


    "Ah, that ..." Ariana was just about to find excuses, when Lis actually asked the girl who had fought with her earlier.


    "Hailee, is it true what she said earlier?" Lis asked Hailee.


    Hearing her name being called, Hailee raised her head and looked back at Lis before she finally nodded.


    "I did push her, but I did it because she was going to p me," Hailee said honestly. "I didn''t really push her anyway, because after that, I helped her by holding her body so that she wouldn''t fall."


    Hearing Hailee and Lis getting to know each other, not only made Ariana and Elvina dumbfounded, but also several people who were there started gossiping with each other, questioning what might be the rtionship between Lis and that girl.


    "So, she tried to p you?" Lis asked, this time she turned her eyes sharply towards Ariana who looked embarrassed.


    "No, no ... that''s not it." Ariana tried to dodge it.


    However, Hailee who saw that Lis would side with her, naturally wouldn''t miss this golden opportunity, she stepped closer to Lis and stood right beside her, then on purpose, she called out to Lis with a slightly spoiled tone in her voice, as if she had just been bullied by Ariana and Elvina.


    "Mother, she won''t let me sit on that chair," Hailee pointed at Elvina. "She says; It''s inappropriate for me to sit there because I''m not from city A and I don''t have the proper family background to sit there. "


    Hailee''s voice was very low, like a child who had been med for something she didn''t do.


    Was it only Ariana who could change faces in the blink of an eye? Of course Hailee, who was responsive and adaptable, could do as well. Or even better than her!


    "Inappropriate?" Lis narrowed her eyes.

 Chapter 33: SHOPPING SPREE!

    <h4>Chapter 33: SHOPPING SPREE!</h4>


    "Inappropriate?"Lis closed her eyes.


    On the other hand, Ariana who heard Hailee calling Lis with the title ''mother'', stared at the two of then shell-shocked.


    Mom?!


    What exactly was their rtionship ?!


    Ariana and Elvina were stunned to see the closeness between Hailee and Lis. Not only that, Margaretha also raised her eyebrows questioningly.


    "Lis, is this the girl you told me about?" Margaretha asked her old friend.


    "Yes, she is the one I told you about," Lis replied firmly, but from the look on her face, one could say for sure that she was still upset with what Ariana and Elvina had done to Hailee.


    Luckily, Margaretha quickly caught Lis''s unhappy expression and immediately took action. Anyway, she had known Lis for a long time.


    Not just because they were friends, Margaretha respected Lis as a sessful businesswoman too. She had seen how Lis coped up with life all this time, so from that, taking Lis''s bad side, it would not benefit her at all, in any way.


    "That is a public chair, why are you insulting Mrs. Tordoff''s guest by saying that she does not deserve to sit there?"Margaretha asked, her eyes fixed on her employee.


    "Sorry, that¡­ I do not know that this girl is a rtive of Mrs. Tordoff. "Elvina felt that she had done something wrong. If she knew, of course she would not say such stupid things.


    "And Miss. Bell, why do you have to make a fuss just for a sofa?" Margaretha asked, she stared at Ariana''s face which had now turned red, out of embarrassment and annoyance. The sweet smile she had shown earlier could no longer be seen, while her hands clenched tightly to the side of her body.


    "No," Ariana protested. "I am a VIP guest, don''t I have to get the best?" She tried to defend herself in a situation like this.


    "The best?" Margaretha snorted. The Bell family had nothingpared to the Tordoff family, or half of their VIP customers, so Margaretha didn''t mind that if she should lose her connection with the Bell family.


    However, Margaretha had a better way to deal with this.


    "If you really like the sofa, you can take it home." Margaretha waved at the single sofa and said to Elvina. "Ask someone to send the couch to the Bell family residence, because it looks like their second daughter loves it so much."


    "Okay ma''am," Elvina replied obediently.


    "And, I want to talk to you in my room after I''m done with Lis," continued Margaretha who made Elvina''s heart beat mercilessly, of course their conversationter, would not be a pleasant one for her.


    Having said that, she stared at Lis''s slightly better face, as if she was quite satisfied with what Margaretha was doing.


    "Come on Lis," Margaretha said while turning her body. "And you too Hailee. I will make an amazing dress for you."


    "Next time, if you really want to push her, there is no need to help her in the end," grumbled Lis. "Understand?"


    Hailee was quite shocked to hear that, but then she grinned. "Yes, Mom."


    Not only did Lis not scold her for making a fuss, but she also defended her in such a way by saying that. Of course this made Hailee happy.


    And before she could follow the two very respected women in their respective fields, Hailee approached Ariana and spoke in a low voice, but maintained her volume enough so Ariana could hear clearly.


    "Enjoy your sofa¡­" said Hailee while giggling amused, then left Ariana who gritted her teeth angrily.


    Ariana Bell had never been embarrassed like this in her twenty-five years of life!


    But, then she started wondering, who exactly was this young girl named Hailee? And what was the rtionship between her and the Tordoff family? Then what extraordinary dress would Margaretha make for her?


    ***


    At exactly eleven o''clock in the night, Hailee arrived home after following Lis all day to go and buy this and that, but then again, Margaretha Lamos taking her body measurements personally was the main highlight of the day.


    What an amazing experience!


    But, it actually made Hailee even more panicked about the lies she had said to them. The more Lis did good to her, the more unhappy Hailee became and at the same time she became more and more afraid to tell the truth.


    After a day of going alone with Lis, Hailee also felt a little more understanding toward the woman. Although Lis always looked like an iron-d woman and a good businesswoman, on the other hand, she was a mother figure who loved her children dearly.


    As soon as Hailee entered the house, she found Ramon sitting in the living room facing hisptop. Looks like he was checking a report of what Hailee saw on his screen.


    Whatever it was, Hailee didn''t care at all. She was very tired and thankful that Lis chose not toe in, but immediately returned to her own house which was about a few hundred meters from Ramon''s residence.


    Then, without hesitation Hailee sat down next to Ramon and made the man nce at her questioningly, before turning his gaze back to the report in front of him.


    "You went out with my mother all day," Ramon said, and that was not a question, but a statement. He knew her mother very well, and if Lis wanted to go for a shopping spree, then the only person who could survive her madness was; Lexus.


    They both could deal with confidence as they choose to embark on their y activities. Unfortunately, due to their busy scheduletely, they rarely got a chance do that.


    From that, Ramon can understand how tired Hailee was to follow his mother all day.


    "Your mother¡­" said Hailee, but she could not find the right words to describe it. "Is your mother a fast track athlete? Why can she look so energetic even after going in and out of dozens of stores?" Hailee asked with a nk stare, seeing three men carrying shopping bags, all of which belonged to Hailee.


    Lis seemed to want to fill her wardrobe at once, even Hailee could not remember anything that Lis had bought for her.


    "You need it," Ramon replied lightly, he did not even nce at the shopping bags lined up in front of the door and was being moved to Hailee''s room.


    "I really need it," Hailee muttered, remembering that she had been underestimated by Ariana Bell this morning for what she was wearing.


    "You should soak in a warm bath, because Lexus said, tomorrow he will take you out," said Ramon, his fingers dancing on hisptop.


    "Where?" Hailee frowned suspiciously.


    "Shopping," Ramon replied lightly.


    What?!

 Chapter 34: SNEAKING AROUND

    <h4>Chapter 34: SNEAKING AROUND</h4>


    "What?!" shrieked Hailee in disbelief. "You''re kidding, right? I just finished shopping with your mother!" Hailee raised her head and looked at Ramon who was still busy staring at hisptop screen.


    "No," he replied simply.


    "Ah, my leg hurts ..."ined Hailee, she couldn''t believe that she had to do this tomorrow with Lexus again. "My body is sore."


    This time, hearing Hailee continuousints, Ramon stopped typing on hisptop and nced at the girl next to him.


    Hailee was tilting her head on the pillow while muttering something indistinct. Her long hair was syed around the pillow and on top of the documents Ramon had ced on the sofa.


    "You better go back to your room right away," said Ramon who was annoyed. "Have you learned the thing I asked for this morning?"


    "Studying what?" Hailee hadpletely forgotten what Ramon asked her to do.


    Ramon then touched the area around the neck of the white T-shirt he was wearing while noticing the change in expression on Hailee''s face.


    Her eyes widened and her lips parted slightly when she finally squealed again. "Seriously! You know I''ve been out with your mom all day and you''re still asking if I learned how to drape a tie?"


    "Is something wrong with that?" Ramon raised his eyebrows defiantly, but this time Hailee didn''t back down.


    She sat on her knees on the sofa with both hands on her waist while staring fiercely at Ramon.


    Even Hailee couldn''t understand what had given her the courage to act like this toward Ramon. Maybe it was her tiredness that made her emotionally unstable or Ramon''s question at the wrong time, which ticked off Hailee.


    "Yes, something is definitely wrong," replied Hailee in a stern tone as she stared straight at Ramon.


    Hearing Hailee''s voice rising, the man then put away hisptop and turned his body until he was facing Hailee, then he casually propped his chin while staring at this angry young girl.


    "You are beautiful," said Ramon suddenly.


    Hailee frowned, unsure of what she was hearing. "What?"


    "You''re pretty when you''re angry," exined Ramon.


    Hearing this, Hailee face flushed red instantly. What is this guy?! Why was he saying something like that out of the blue?!"Then I''ll just be angry all the time," she grumbled.


    "Hm," murmured Ramon. "Please, I''m listening," he said with a serious expression on his face, as if waiting for Hailee''s angry reaction.


    But, how could Hailee get angry when Ramon said something like that?! This man was beyond expectations!


    "No, I''m not getting angry!" snapped Hailee who then immediately got off the sofa. "I want to rest!" then the girl half ran toward her room on the second floor.


    Her initial anger was gone and now she felt her face flushed and couldn''t help but smile giddily.


    Ugh!


    The way Ramon looked at her earlier was really sexy! Hailee felt like she would pounce on the man if she didn''t get away from him sooner.


    Meanwhile Ramon stared at the back of the retreating girl with a small smile at the corner of his lips. It was so easy to get the girl to stop grumbling.


    Then Ramon continued his pending work.


    ==============


    It was still very dark, even the sun would not shine in a few hours from now, but Hailee had been awake for a while. She blinked her eyes continuously to get used to the darkness around her.


    And when she felt the atmosphere in this house was very calm and after making sure that Ramon had entered his room, Hailee slowly got out of her bed and sneaked out of the room, closing the door carefully, as quietly as possible. Trying not to be too noisy.


    Ramon''s room which was located not far from hers was tightly closed and Hailee was very sure that the man had entered his room an hour ago and hadn''te out since, so it was certain that he had fallen asleep by now.


    After that, Hailee descended the stairs one by one, toward the reading room where she saw a phone earlier.


    Hailee had to call Ian to confirm something and tell her best friend about her current situation.


    Maybe Ian couldn''t help her much, but at least Hailee would get to let out her grievances and this could help her stay sane amid the troubles she had to face now.


    After reaching the end of the stairs, the dark living room greeted Hailee and this made her shudder.


    Hailee hoped that nothing strange woulde out of it.


    After passing through the living room and turning down several corridors, Hailee started cursing to herself because this house was so big and she only knew that one room with a telephone connection.


    Hailee couldn''t dare to contact Ian yesterday morning, because she knew Ian must have been asleepte at the night and it would be very troublesome if Ian called back to this house.


    After Hailee got to the reading room, she opened the door which made a small squeak.


    Then without wasting any time, the girl immediately went over to the telephone that was lying on the table and began dialing the numbers she had memorized by heart.


    Ian made sure that Hailee memorized his number because she refused to buy a cell phone when she embarked on her journey and now Hailee didn''t even have onemunication device with her.


    It urred to Hailee to ask Ramon about this. Looks like it''s okay¡­ after all the price of a cellphone won''t hurt his finances, right?


    There was a dial tone from the telephone in her grasp and this made Hailee nervous because Ian didn''t pick up his cell phone.


    But, after the second try, a deep, hoarse voice, which Hailee knew very well, greeted her.


    "Hello?" From the background voice behind Ian, Hailee could tell that he was still in the arena.


    "Ian," said Hailee with relief as she exhaled slowly.


    "Hailee?" called Ian, then the noise in the background slowly faded away, it seemed like he was moving to a quieter ce to hear Hailee''s voice better.


    "Ian, do you know that Rnd Dimatrio is still alive?" Hailee asked immediately. "I just saw the news this morning," Hailee reported.


    "Yes, I know that he''s not dead like you thought," Ian spoke hastily. "I found out that he was admitted to the hospital shortly after you left, and because I didn''t know how to contact you, I couldn''t pass on this information."


    Hailee exhaled heavily, realizing her mistake for not calling Ian immediately while she was still in the hospital or not watching the news.


    "Where are you now?" Ian asked worriedly.


    "In town A," Hailee replied honestly.


    "Howe you are still in town A?" Ian then put away his cellphone and stared at the screen, there was a city code and indeed it was the city code belonging to city A.

 Chapter 35: BE CAREFUL

    <h4>Chapter 35: BE CAREFUL</h4>


    Hailee winced when she heard Ian''s question. Yes, she shouldn''t be in City A, if things had been good, then Hailee should be in the Northern State.


    But, unfortunately, not all well-designed ns would end up as expected.


    "So this is it¡­" Hailee started telling him what really happened after she left Ian''s house going along with her n to board the ne Ian had ordered for her to the northern states.


    It was just that, unfortunately Hailee never made it to the airport because Rnd Dimatrio''s people found out where she was and found her while she was still in town A.


    "No way ..." muttered Ian in disbelief. "The only people who know your escape n are me and a few people I trust. They were the people who helped me to create a new identity for you and made bookings for the ne that you will be boarding. "


    Hailee and Ian fell silent after he said this, busy with their own thoughts. If what Ian said was true, then there were only two possibilities;


    First, it was a coincidence, which both of them doubted that this was just a coincidence. It was all too strange to be a coincidence.


    Second, the other possibilities were; the people Ian thought he could trust were not as trustworthy as he thought.


    If that was true, then Ian will find out who leaked this information. That person should learn a little lesson from it!


    Putting the matter aside for Ian to solve, Hailee asked another urgent matter. "But, what concerns me is; who was the one who mobilized Alex and his men? Isn''t Rnd Dimatrio lying unconscious in the hospital?" Hailee was solely confused by this.


    "I''ll find out about it," Ian said immediately. "Who do you suspect?"


    Hailee had thought of the people she suspected, but there was nothing about her suspicion that could make things clear.


    Aileen was indeed the one behind Hailee and Rnd Dimatrio''s meeting, but on what basis could she give Alex orders? The bodyguard would not take orders from anyone but someone who was closely rted to Rnd Dimatrio.


    However, the question was; who? The Dimatrio family? How could they possibly know Hailee''s whereabouts and attribute the cmity that befell Rnd to her.


    It would be impossible for Rnd Dimatrio to tell his family members that he would have an affair with the girl he bought from a bid.


    Prior to that night, Hailee had never even met a member of the Dimatrio family. Because after all, they weren''t from the same town where Hailee grew up.


    "I don''t know," Hailee replied honestly. She felt utterly confused.


    From the other end of the line, Hailee can hear Ian''s muttering. "I understand, I will try to find out the detailed information regarding Rnd Dimatrio."


    "Thank you Ian," said Hailee gratefully. This best friend of hers was the only person she could trust right now, she didn''t even want to think what would happen if Hailee didn''t have Ian.


    Hailee hadn''t decided what course of action she should take next, but knowing more about Rnd''s condition and the situation in town R might help Hailee make up her mind.


    Would she have to run away, or face this seemingly endless problem, not to mention her lie to the Tordoff family.


    "Where are you living in city A currently?" asked Ian immediately.


    Ugh! It was a question that would take about thirty minutes to exin Hailee''s current state.


    This was going to be a long exnation.


    Hailee began telling all the lies she had told the Tordoffs by pretending to be Ramon Tordoff''s fianc¨¦.


    "You''re crazy Lee!" Ian screamed hysterically and Hailee quickly asked him to calm down.


    If only pretending to be Ramon''s fiance made Ian this hysterical, what will be his reaction when he finds out the whole story?


    But, what else could she possibly do? Hailee had to tell Ian so that her best friend could understand the situation and help her to find a way out which seemed very far from Hailee''s reach.


    "Calm down first. Listen to me, "Hailee hissed in a low voice as Ian kept interrupting her words. "I don''t want to lie like this either, you know what the Tordoffs are like..."


    "Then why did you do it?" demanded Ian irritatedly.


    "If I didn''t do it, I wouldn''t be here and would have already been dead somewhere!" Hailee grumbled irritably.


    After saying that, Ian fell silent. Hailee knew, this man must be thinking.


    "Okay, continue," said Ian a few momentster.


    Then Hailee started telling everything to the point where she had to marry Ramon and the wedding ceremony would be in less than two weeks.


    At first, Hailee thought Ian would make a fuss like earlier again, but he didn''t. He listened silently, until Hailee thought that maybe her best friend had fallen asleep.


    "Ian?" called Hailee. "Did you still hear me?"


    "Hm," muttered Ian. "Yes, I heard."


    "So, what do you think?" Hailee asked in a pleading voice. "I do not know what to do."


    Ian fell silent again, but as soon as he spoke, he said things that Hailee had never thought of before. "Lee, don''t you think Ramon Tordoff is a little weird?"


    "What''s strange?" Hailee asked, confused. She didn''t find anything strange about Ramon.


    "Why does he want to rush into a marriage with you?" asked Ian.


    "Since he thinks he and his fianc¨¦ have been in this rtionship for two years, it is very appropriate for this rtionship to be taken to a more serious level," Hailee exined.


    "But, don''t you think it''s a little strange?" Ian continued voicing out his suspicions. Indeed, sometimes a third person would be able to see a problem from a clearer perspective than the people involved in it. "Did he ever ask how you guys met or any other questions that concern your family?"


    Hailee thought for a moment and nodded. "Yes, he did ask."


    "Then what is your answer?" asked Ian again.


    "Of course I avoided answering his questions as much as possible," said Hailee. "But, I said that my parents were already dead and I don''t have any rtives that I have to invite to the wedding."


    "Then he just believed and didn''t ask any more?" With the way his voice sounded, Hailee could imagine that Ian was frowning. "Hailee, I know people like Ramon Tordoff, they wouldn''t just take your word for it without further investigation."

 Chapter 36: RECORDING

    <h4>Chapter 36: RECORDING</h4>


    "Ah, that¡­" Hailee muttered and only after Ian said this did she realize that what her best friend said was true. How could she have been this stupid not to have thought of such a possibility? Hailee wanted to curse herself. "So you think he already knew?" Hailee asked in a low voice, this time worry was palpable in her voice.


    Ian heaved a heavy sigh before he finally answered. "I don''t know for sure Hailee ... but, it appears most likely..."


    Hailee gritted her teeth and grunted in annoyance. "Tell me straight, yes or no, your answer just confuses me more." Hailee hissed irritably.


    "I don''t know, it''s you who were there ..." Ian grumbled. However, a momentter he changed his statement again. "But, I''m eighty-five percent sure that he''s done a background check on you."


    Hailee rested her forehead on the table. Ian''s words only made her even more confused. "Then why do you think he didn''t say anything and instead wanted to marry me?"


    "I don''t know," Ian''s answer didn''t help Hailee at all. "Ah, maybe because of that!"


    "What?" Ian''s eximed voice made Hailee lift her head and listen more closely.


    "I don''t know if this rumor is true or not, but there are those who say that Ramon Tordoff actually doesn''t like women," Ian''s voice became low and low toward the end of his sentence.


    "What do you mean by ''he doesn''t like women''?" Hailee could seemingly guess where this conversation was going, but she just wanted to make sure what she thought was true.


    "You know, so far Ramon Tordoff has never been seen with any woman or in any rtionship with women, as with all the wealth he has and an adequate face, he can get any woman he wants," said Ian with a more excited tone.


    If Ian were right in front of her, Hailee would surely have kicked him in the shin so he could think straighter.


    He made it seem as though this was the stereotype that people like Ramon should have, although it was undeniable that most bachelors like Ramon had women here and there.


    But, that didn''t mean every one is like that, right?


    Ugh! Hailee felt like she was defending Ramon.


    "¡­ Hailee! Are you listening to me?" called Ian because he didn''t hear Hailee''s response after his long sentences.


    "It can''t be Ian," said Hailee in a tired tone.


    "What''s not possible? Maybe he wants to marry you to cover up that he actually has a crush on men," answered Ian, sticking to his own theory.


    "Impossible." Hailee said again, this time more firmly.


    Of course it was impossible for Ramon Tordoff to be interested in men, he had a girlfriend and their rtionship had been going on for two years, it''s just that no one knew about this.


    "How could you possibly know for sure?" asked Ian defiantly.


    "Because he has a real girlfriend and their rtionship has been going on for two years," Hailee said with a loud snort.


    "What?!" screamed Ian and Hailee had to keep the phone away from her ear. "You really are in trouble! What if his real loveres ?! "


    "If shees back¡­" Hailee leaned her back against the back of the chair and massaged her throbbing forehead. "But, oddly enough after almost a month since the ident, no woman hase looking for him." This reality also annoyed Hailee.


    "Do you know who his lover is?"


    "No."


    "What if she suddenlyes?"


    "I don''t know."


    "You have to get out of there immediately."


    "That''s my n."


    After that the two of them sighed heavily and fell silent for a few moments. Busy thinking about the possibilities that might happen.


    "But, if Ramon Tordoff really knows your real identity, then it is certain that he knows you lied by saying that you are his lover, then why is he still insisting on your marriage?"


    Hailee closed her eyes. "I called you for a solution, but why do I feel like you''re showing me more problems that I wasn''t aware of before?"


    Ian chuckled. "Shouldn''t you be grateful?"


    "I don''t know," Hailee replied. "Rather than thank you, I feel like kicking you more."


    This time Ian burst outughing. He knew very well what kind of expression Hailee had on her face when she said that.


    "Anyway, whatever it is, you have to be more careful of him. I feel like he has other ns for you," said Ian.


    "Hm," muttered Hailee in agreement.


    As the two of them fell silent again, Hailee tilted her head towards the reading room window that led to the streetmp in the side garden and pondered, letting her mind wander for a moment.


    "Hailee?" call Ian again.


    "Yes?"


    "If it was true that both of you were going to get married and things weren''t like this and he treated you well, your parents would have been very happy," Ian said with a tone like someone who was contemting.


    "I hope they would be happy, no matter what happens to me now or in the future," Hailee replied while biting her lip. She could feel the sadness that was starting to grip her.


    It''s not that Hailee never thought about them, it was just that with so many things that happened to her in a short time, Hailee was taking advantage of this not to drown in sadness.


    "And besides," added Ian, this time his voice sounded lighter. "I want to see Aileen and Theo''s faces when they find out that you are married to Ramon Tordoff," Ianughed with a sly smile.


    Hearing this, Hailee alsoughed softly.


    "Aileen will definitely bite her nails all over her hands and feet because she will be annoyed to death," Ian said withughter between his sentences.


    ***


    Ramon had just finished an important meeting with several board of directors and just as he was about to return to his office, Danny approached Ramon.


    "Your guess is right," Danny said as he opened the door for Ramon and held him back as he entered the room. "Hailee used the phone in your house to call someone in town R district 18. A young man named Ian Schamber."


    "A man?" Ramon raised his eyebrows. His future wife called a man in the middle of the night?


    Seeing the reaction from Ramon, Danny immediately understood and hurriedly exined. "Looks like their rtionship is not what you think." Danny then turned on hisptop and opened several files on it. "They are close friends."


    "Men and women won''t stop at just being friends," said Ramon in a stiff voice.


    Hearing this, Danny was wise enough not to argue or correct Ramon. He then busied himself looking for the file that he had to show to this boss of his.


    "This was a conversation between the two of themst night," Danny said then pressed the ''start'' button on the screen.


    And immediately, a man''s voice was followed by a relieved Hailee''s voice could be heard clearly.

 Chapter 37: NEW PHONE

    <h4>Chapter 37: NEW PHONE</h4>


    Ramon then nced at the duration of the conversation and it showed that Hailee and this man named Ian had been in a conversation for at least three hours and twenty minutes.


    No wonder, Hailee was still sleeping when Ramon left and didn''t bother him by asking for their marriage to be postponed.


    It turned out that the girl had been talking to a man all night.


    Having feelings for Hailee or not, but having your future wife do this, of course, made Ramon a little upset.


    "Who is this man?" Ramon asked in a cold tone, while listening to the contents of their conversation.


    "Ian Schamber," replied Danny at once, who already had the answer to Ramon''s anticipated question. "He is a fighter in Arena, city R. His nickname is; the executioner. "


    "Arena?" Ramon turned his head and looked at Danny.


    "Yes, it turns out he is one of the fighters from the Sandgun 45 there," said Danny.


    Hearing that answer, Ramon narrowed his eyes. ''How did Hailee get to know people from Sandgun 45? Does Hailee know about this? How well does the girl know the executioner?''


    "Find out more about this man," ordered Ramon.


    Then he spent the next four hours listening to the conversation between Hailee and Ian, without missing a sentence.


    ***


    Hailee woke up when the rays of the sun were so intense and her body felt sweaty from being rolled up in a warm nket.


    But, as soon as Hailee looked up at the clock, her eyes immediately widened in surprise.


    Hurriedly, she sat down clutching her throbbing head and stared incredulously at the hands of the clock indicating that it was veryte in the day.


    How could she possibly wake up at this hour?!


    But, if you think about it, it was possible considering Hailee spent thest morning looking for news about Rnd Dimatrio, then continued with a shopping spree with Lis and she spent the night chatting with Ian.


    Not onlyck of sleep, but Hailee also felt excruciating exhaustion, both physically and psychologically.


    Moreover, coupled with what Ian told herst night. How could that man add to the burdens on her mind while Hailee''s purpose to call him was to find a solution.


    Ugh!


    And only then did Hailee realize that today she too had to go out with Lexus. Last night Ramon had informed her of this.


    "I don''t want to go anywhere ..." grumbled Hailee who then threw her body back onto the bed and tried to close her eyes again.


    After all, Ramon also didn''t tell her when Lexus would being. And, if at this point Lexus still hadn''t arrived, then maybe he won''te, right? Hailee thought, wishing it was true.


    And, then from the corner of her eye, Hailee saw something on the small table beside her bed. A rectangr box in white.


    Hailee was sure the box wasn''t therest night and it wasn''t something Lis bought for her yesterday either.


    Curiously yet reluctantly, a sleepy Hailee stretched out her hand to grab the box and immediately recognized what it was.


    It was a cellphone from a famous brand, thetest released version which was still limitedly sold in the market.


    Hailee was shocked.


    Not because it was the newest phone, but because of the fact that there was a new phone beside her bed that made her heart started beating wildly.


    "This ... It''s just a coincidence, right?" Hailee gasped as she stared horrified at the object in her hand and bit her lip anxiously.


    But, it felt very odd to think it was just a coincidence. Because justst night she called Ian and promised him that she would give him her number when she got a cell phone.


    Then, when she woke up this morning, Hailee found a new cell phone beside her bed. Ugh!


    It wouldn''t be possible for Ramon to find out that Hailee had sneaked out to make a call from the reading roomst night, right?


    Again Ian''s words rang back in Hailee''s ears. He said that Hailee should watch out for Ramon, because that man was difficult to predict.


    And indeed, it was very difficult for Hailee to understand that man.


    After checking the cellphone, Hailee also found a new sim card, it took about thirty minutes for Hailee to programme it so that her cellphone could finally be used, and she did this all with her mind wandering somewhere.


    After finishing that, Hailee immediately took a shower and changed clothes, and thought of waiting for Lexus to arrive while having lunch in the dining room.


    The atmosphere at the dining table was so quiet as it could be said that the only inhabitants of this house were herself and Ramon currently, so if that man left, then it was certain that only Hailee was in the house.


    While the servants would onlye when Hailee needed anything and scarce themselves when not asked for, it seemed like they had been ordered not to be in the same room as the owner of the house.


    Knowing Ramon''s aloof nature, Hailee could understand why he wanted the house to be silent.


    Hailee couldn''t understand how this man had lived like this for so many years.


    "Did Lexuse to this house?" Hailee asked one of the servants as she served a te of lunch for Hailee,pleting it with a fruit juice.


    "Mr. Lexus?" the young maid asked in return with a slightly frowned forehead. "Yes, two hours ago. Mr. Lexus came to get some documents."


    "Then, did he ask for me?" Hailee asked, two hours ago it was certain that she was still fast asleep.


    "No miss," the helper shook her head. "Mr. Lexus seems in a hurry to get a document and afterward, he left in a hurry again," she said.


    "Hha? Strange¡­" Hailee muttered. Didn''t Ramon sayst night that Lexus was going to take her out? It was not that Hailee wanted to go with him, but¡­ "I thought Lexus was here to take me out¡­" Hailee said to herself.


    "Bring you out?" the maid was also confused. "Looks like that is impossible."


    Hailee raised her head and looked at the servant, asking for an exnation. "Why?"


    "Because Mr. Lexus looks like he has a business trip for the next two days," she replied.


    "How do you know?" Hailee became even more confused.


    "Because I heard it from the driver who is going to drive Mr. Lexus to the airport," the helper answered carefully.


    Right after the maidpleted her words, the new cell phone that Hailee had put on her side rang, signaling an iing call with a number she didn''t recognize.


    However, Hailee could guess who the first caller was.


    "Ramon?" called Hailee directly.


    "You''re awake atst," came the deep voice of Ramon Tordoff, who seemed to be mocking her.


    However, Hailee ignored that. "You said Lexus was going to bring me out for shopping."


    "Oh, that. Looks like I forgot to say that he canceled it," he replied lightly.


    Ugh.

 Chapter 38: OPEN THE DOOR

    <h4>Chapter 38: OPEN THE DOOR</h4>


    "What do you mean you forgot to tell me!?"Hailee grumbled in quite a loud voice, but this didn''t necessarily make Ramon apologize.


    "Shouldn''t you be grateful?" asked Ramon.


    "Thank you for what?" Hailee retorted with a frown, she couldn''t hide her annoyance at all, Hailee didn''t even care anymore whether the servants were still around her.


    Luckily, they quickly understood that this conversation was not for their ears, and after preparing all the dishes for Hailee''s lunch, they left the room one by one, giving Hailee the freedom to express her annoyance at Ramon.


    "I woke up in a hurry and dressed up, then now you just said that Lexus canceled today''s ns, if I know this was going to be like this, I would have continued to sleep happily," Hailee grumbled. She was in a bad mood and somehow it felt like after all the stress she tried to suppress, it was her emotions that became unstable now.


    Hailee herself also felt that she had be much more sensitive than usual. This whole lying charade to the Tordoff family waspletely draining her mind.


    "Good then," said Ramon suddenly, cutting off Hailee''s scolding who didn''t seem like she would be stopping any soon. "If you''re ready to go, you cane to my office now."


    Instantly a frown appeared between Hailee''s eyebrows. "What am I going to your office for?" she asked suspiciously.


    First was the cellphone Hailee received afterst night chatting with Ian secretly in the reading room, then now Ramon was asking her toe to his office. Did he intend to expose her lies? Then what will happen to her?


    "There is a meeting with the board of directors this afternoon, you cane here to introduce yourself to them," said Ramon.


    "Introduce myself to them?" Hailee''s heart felt more and more tense hearing this.


    "Yes, we are getting married in less than two weeks, it is good for them to get to know my future wife," Ramon said in a light tone, addressing Hailee with the words of his future wife.


    Unknown to the man, Hailee''s face flushed red when she heard those words. Because the way Ramon said it really sounded sweet to Hailee''s ears.


    However, the blissful feeling didn''tst long, because Hailee soon realized what awaited her if she went to Ramon''s office and was introduced to the important people at Tordoff''spany.


    Instantly, blood drained from Hailee''s face, leaving her face pale. "No, no, I don''t want to," she said immediately.


    This time it was Ramon''s turn to frown. "This is not an request you can refuse," he said in a cold tone.


    So far, it could be said that it was very rare for people to refuse Ramon Tordoff''s request. Therefore, he didn''t take Hailee''s words of rejection quite well.


    "But I don''t want to," Hailee answered firmly.


    If she went to Ramon''s office and meet important people there, it was not impossible for her lies to be exposed and again, Hailee already intended to tell the truth to Ramon.


    Being introduced as Ramon Tordoff''s wife-to-be would in no way help Hailee make up her mind to tell the truth.


    "I''m not asking for your consent," replied Ramon grumpily. He didn''t like to be argued.


    However, Hailee didn''t know about it and after all, she was not a girl who can be managed. This had been proven many times. Her friendship with Ian alone was a form of rejection of her parents'' rules that had been too rigid.


    "Then what are you going to do? Will youe here and drag me to your office?" Hailee asked in a defiant tone.


    Sometimes when they were arguing like this, Hailee would forget her position and ignore the fact that she had lied.


    Ramon was indeed difficult to understand and Hailee didn''t want to put any ''efforts'' to understand him.


    The two people who just got to know each other definitely need to put more efforts to be able tomunicate well without returning to debate.


    "If that''s all I have to do to get you here," said Ramon coldly, he was taking Hailee''s words seriously. "Then I will bring you here."


    "Try it," challenged Hailee, not knowing what awaited her.


    Hearing this, there was no reply from Ramon, but then the call was turned off after a few seconds.


    Hailee frowned at her cellphone and continued eating without thinking about the argument between herself and Ramon.


    After finishing the meal, Hailee took a short walk, trying to memorize the floor n of this house, which was so big and Hailee hadn''t had the chance to go around it yet.


    If she had to wait for Ramon to invite her to take a walk like this, it would be impossible.


    After walking around the house to her heart''s content and leaving messages for Ian, telling her best friend what number he could call, Hailee traced back her steps to her room.


    However, before she could enter her room, from the second floor, Hailee could see the figure of Ramon entering the house with a cold and annoyed expression.


    Instantly, Hailee''s eyes widened when their gazes met, as a whisper flowed out of Hailee''s lips unconsciously.


    "I''m dead¡­" Hailee whispered to herself.


    On the other hand, seeing Hailee''s surprised reaction, Ramon smiled with satisfaction and he wasted no time to ascend the stairs to get to his future wife.


    She didn''t know what got into her, but as soon as Hailee saw Ramon walking toward her, the girl ran into the room hastily and locked the door behind her.


    In the room, Hailee stared at the door with eyes full of anxiety, until the sound of Ramon''s footsteps stopped right in front of the door.


    The man tried to open it, but of course he couldn''t.


    Then after that there was a few knocking sounds followed by Ramon''s voice behind the locked door. "Hailee, open this door right now."


    "No way," said Hailee. "I don''t want toe to your office."


    "Hailee, open the door right now or you will regret it," Ramon said sharply, but this only felt even more challenging to Hailee''s tough character.


    "What? What do you want to do?" Hailee asked. She then moved closer to the door when she heard another''s steps in the corridor and the voice of Ramon telling someone to bring the spare key.


    "I don''t want to go there!" screamed Hailee. She then looked around the room, looking for something that could help her defend her territory.

 Chapter 39: CANT YOU KNOCK THE DOOR?

    <h4>Chapter 39: CAN''T YOU KNOCK THE DOOR?</h4>


    Hailee looked around her room and her eyes fell on a buffet table filled with her undergarments.


    Without thinking much, Hailee immediately moved towards the buffet and pushed it in front of the door to hold it.


    Hailee had to move quickly if she didn''t want Ramon to open the door first. Hailee''s first attempt to push the buffet table was unsessful since it was quite heavy, but after three full attempts, the table finally moved a little.


    Luckily for Hailee, the position of the table was not too far from the door, so she could easily push it and it didn''t take her long to push the rather heavy table against the door.


    From the other side of the door, she can hear the tter of keys being carried by someone who had been ordered by Ramon to bring a spare key.


    But, Hailee didn''t stop there, she then ran to the other side of her room and grabbed the nightmp on her bedside table and used that to prop up the door handle, so that even though the door lock could be opened, Ramon still couldn''t enter because that would block the handle movement.


    Making sure that the door would not budge, Hailee pulled out the single sofa and sat facing the door which had been neatly blocked.


    Hailee sat cross legged on the sofa and rested her chin on her knee, admiring her work, which was brilliant enough to prevent Ramon from dragging her out and attending meetings and meet people she didn''t want to see at all.


    "Hailee! Open the door!" eximed Ramon irritably. "Or I''ll break down this door!"


    Hearing that, Hailee was quite surprised, but she still insisted on not moving a step from where she was sitting.


    Meanwhile, on the other hand, an annoyed Ramon immediately took off the ck coat he was wearing and rolled up his sleeves.


    Seeing this, the servants surrounding him became anxious and began to exchange nces,municating the best solution to stifle the anger of the two hostile people.


    They had absolutely no idea what was the problem with the two seemingly harmonious pair, but for sure, they had never seen Ramon so emotional and angry as he was now.


    Would that girl in there not be afraid to death, if Ramon managed to break down the door? The servants started to worry about Hailee''s safety.


    However, unfortunately, it was not that easy to break down a door at Tordoff''s house, because even after the third try and the door was still standing firmly.


    Ramon started cursing in annoyance, he should have installed a door made of ordinary wood instead of first ss material like this.


    "Hailee, keep your stance and get out now. As long as I''m still being nice!" Ramon banged on Hailee''s door again.


    "I''m going out but I don''t want to attend the meeting you said earlier and meet the people in your office!" replied Hailee, who also shouted from inside the room.


    "What''s your problem with them!?" shouted Ramon angrily.


    "I have no problem, I just don''t want to meet them!" Hailee replied again.


    Hailee didn''t want to meet the important people on the board of directors of the Tordoffpany and introduce herself as Ramon''s future wife, when she was nning to run away before their wedding if Hailee still coudn''t muster up the courage to tell Ramon the truth.


    "Stop acting like a child!" Eximed Ramon, trying to hit the door again with his side, but still to no avail.


    "Stop being so emotional! You are scaring me!" Hailee replied, although there was no indication that Hailee was scared.


    "Open the door!" Ramon shouted back.


    "I don''t want to!" Hailee replied again.


    Then, the atmosphere turned silent, until Hailee thought that Ramon had left and gave up on trying to force her to leave.


    However, then Hailee heard something much scarier and it made her jump off the single sofa she was sitting on and let out a loud scream.


    "Ramon, you are crazy!!!" screamed Hailee loudly. This time she truly felt fear of Ramon''s madness.


    From the roar of the machine that could be heard outside, Hailee could tell that it was a chainsaw.


    Hailee knew this sound by heart because she had heard Ian using it several times when he was working part time in a factory, even when he was injured during a fight and had to rest, unfortunately the man did not listen to the doctor''s advice and kept working.


    Luckily nothing bad happened after that and Ian recovered as usual.


    However, it didn''t matter right now, since the most important thing at the moment, was Ramon''s endless attempts to open Hailee''s bedroom door with an electric saw!


    He really was crazy!


    "Ramon!" Hailee screamed over the hum of the machine. "Okay! Okay! Stop now! I''ll open the door right now!"


    Unfortunately, Hailee''s voice was much smaller than the mower Ramon was using so the man couldn''t hear Hailee''s request and continued what he was doing.


    In the room, Hailee hurriedly looked for her cellphone, she intended to call Lis and ask her future mother-inw for help, but Hailee then realized that she didn''t know her cell phone number at all.


    The only cell phone numbers Hailee knew belonged to Ramon and Ian, and neither of them were in a position to help her in this.


    "Ramon stop!" screamed Hailee back in panic, when she saw that the sharp teeth of the chainsaw had sliced ??open the solid door of her room. "He''s crazy¡­ this guy is really crazy¡­" Hailee muttered to herself.


    Hailee was now standing behind the single sofa, which she had been sitting on earlier, looking helplessly at the poor door which was now almost torn apart.


    Didn''t the rumors out there say that Ramon was a man with a cool head and always did things after much calction and consideration? Then why was he doing all this? Didn''t he think about the costs he would incur in renovating the door?


    Hailee shook her head. With the wealth he had, Ramon might not even budge if he had to tear down the entire building of this house ...


    Time was ticking so slowly for Ramon, when he was so determined to get the girl in the room to stop being childish, but seconds passed by too quickly for Hailee when Ramon finally managed to break down the only barrier between him and Hailee.


    And among the puffs of dust and sawdust, Ramon walked into Hailee''s room.


    "Can''t you just knock on the door?" Hailee asked in a low voice.

 Chapter 40: MEDITATION

    <h4>Chapter 40: MEDITATION</h4>


    "Can''t you just knock on the door?" Hailee asked in a low voice. She looked at Ramon with an innocent gaze and made her face look expressionless, as if she wasn''t in any big trouble.


    Well, at least Hailee was trying to make things look less terrible than it appeared, even though Ramon couldn''t think so.


    Ramon switched off the electric saw in his hand and gave it to a man beside him. Hailee didn''t have time to look at who the man was, nor care who he was. This time, she really was in deep shit.


    Who would have thought that a trivial problem like Hailee refusing Ramon''s wish,nded her in a situation like this instead.


    "What did you say just now?" Ramon asked in a calm voice, but Hailee knew very well, that this man was not as calm as he seemed. It could easily be seen from the glint in his eyes that looked so furious.


    "Mm," Hailee muttered. "I said, why don''t you just knock on the door ..." then she waved her hand towards the door which was out of shape. "You broke my bedroom door."


    Ramon walked over to Hailee and the girl backed off, trying to get away from this man. "I''ve knocked a few times earlier, but you don''t seem to hear it," replied Ramon.


    "Oh," Hailee bit her lip nervously and stopped stepping back when her back hit the cupboard behind her and Ramon caught her in his arms. "Shouldn''t we go?" Hailee asked with an innocent face.


    "So, now you are okay to go with me?" asked Ramon in the same tone.


    "Of course I agree," Hailee replied hastily. She tried to avoid looking at Ramon, but the man was right in front of her face and her racing heart made it difficult for Hailee to think straight.


    Even her own thoughts betrayed her when a mischievous thought shed through her mind. Hailee really wanted to beat herself up for being able to think like that in a situation like this!


    "Shall we go now?" Hailee asked, she nced at Ramon for two seconds, before finally turning her attention elsewhere. "If we postpone it any further, we will bete."


    "Hm," Ramon nodded in agreement and released his confinement on Hailee and walked back two steps to give the girl some room to move.


    "But, I have to change my clothes first, there''s no way I can meet important people in yourpany wearing clothes like this, right?" Hailee asked, trying to buy time.


    But, of course Ramon had studied Hailee pretty well and had started reading the tricks this girl coulde up with.


    "Okay, you can change your clothes," said Ramon indifferently, he then walked to the door, but before that he turned around and looked at Hailee. "Ten minutes," he said. "If you don''t finish in ten minutes, then I''ll take you away in whatever clothes you were wearing at that time."


    It turned out that Ramon didn''t n to go out of Hailee''s room, but was sitting on the single sofa that Hailee had been sitting on to enjoy Ramon''s efforts in opening the door to her room earlier.


    "Ten minutes?" Hailee frowned in displeasure, especially when she saw Ramon sitting in her room instead. "At least get out of my room, so I can get changed."


    "You can change your clothes in the bathroom," replied Ramon who nodded towards another door in the room. "Nine minutes to go," he said.


    Hailee was just wasting her time if she continued to argue with this man, because there was no chance that she would win the dispute.


    Then with heavy steps that she deliberately stomped, she walked towards her closet and took a white dress and walked into the bathroom.


    "There''s no need to lock the door," said Ramon when Hailee walked past him. "Because if you don''t hear me knocking on the door again, then I''ll have toe inside the same way as before," he said casually, who then took his cell phone to check some iing emails while waiting for Hailee to finish.


    ==============


    Hailee was wearing a white dress that reached her knees and was decorated with a matching colored obi, but the embossed embroidery looked pretty with a few colorful small stones around the obi, making Hailee look elegant and sweet.


    These clothes were the clothes that Lis bought for her yesterday and luckily, Lis bought everything in colors that were easy to mix and match, so Hailee didn''t have any trouble finding shoes that match the dress she was wearing, as well as some of the essories that Lis had prepared for her.


    With just one time shopping together, Hailee could feel Lis'' desire to have a daughter and dress her up, because instead of Hailee, Lis was much more excited to look through all the shops and get the items that she thought would be suitable for Hailee, no matter how much money she had to spend. .


    "Get in," Ramon said as Hailee hesitated to step forward and get into the car.


    The girl nced at the man next to her, and even though she was wearing high heels, Ramon was still too tall to keep up.


    "Come in, or should I carry you?" asked Ramon with a serious face. If he wouldn''t even think twice about sawing the door of her room, then carrying Hailee into the car wouldn''t be a big problem for him, would it be?


    Only this time, Hailee''s irritation was greater than her desire to challenge Ramon and make him carry her.


    So she gruntly got into the car and sat there staring straight ahead, while Ramon closed the door slowly and then got into the other side of the car not long after.


    At least this man still knew how to behave like a gentleman.


    Then, all the way back to the office, Ramon was preupied with his gadgets, monitoring andpleting his pending business of having to pick up Hailee and spending a lot of time dragging her out of the room.


    Since Ramon didn''t speak to her, Hailee didn''t say anything too.


    But, after thirty minutes of silence, Hailee started to feel bored. "Can you turn on some music? Or the radio?" Hailee asked politely.


    However, before the middle-aged chauffeur who was escorting them, could do what Hailee had asked, Ramon refused first.


    "No, I don''t like noise," he said without averting his gaze.


    "But I''m bored, it''s too quiet," Hailee grumbled.


    "I need silence to concentrate," replied Ramon.


    However, fifteen minutester, Hailee started singing while humming lightly and tapping her feet.


    "Shut up," warned Ramon. "Do not be noisy."


    "If even this is not allowed, then what? I feel like I''m meditating," Hailee replied in an irritated tone.

 Chapter 41: BEING PATIENCE TO FACE HIM

    <h4>Chapter 41: BEING PATIENCE TO FACE HIM</h4>


    "Can you be silent for a moment?" Ramon asked, looking fiercely at the girl next to him.


    This was Ramon''s first experience with a woman, as far as he could remember because his memory of the incident four years ago was lost, he had absolutely no recollection of his time with Giana or how the rtionship between the two of them had been during those two years.


    One more thing Ramon couldn''t imagine about himself was; how could he get involved in an affair with a married woman like Giana? That whole thing just sounds like bullshit.


    "I''m bored," whimpered Hailee as she closed her eyes and yed with the hem of her white dress. She braided her own long hair, but it gave a messy impression on the sides, so overall, this girl looked quite cute.


    "We''ll be there soon," said Ramon, who then returned to his initial preupations, checking the documents he had to sign. All this work was dyed because he had to pick up the stubborn girl next to him.


    "You''ve been saying the same thing from thest half an hour," Hailee grumbled.


    However, this time, they did arrive at their destination, where Hailee could see a twenty-story building towering right in front of her. Overall, the building was white with stunning minimalistic decor.


    But, she was sure that this was Lis''s choice just from the touch of color choices alone, and because Hailee felt that white didn''t really reflect Ramon''s dark character.


    ''Yes, this handsome guy next to me was more suited to the jet ck color!'' Hailee thought irritably.


    "Here we are," said the driver, who stopped the car right in front of the lobby. From a distance Hailee could see two people rushing forward to the car swiftly to open the doors for them.


    Ramon didn''t even wait for Hailee toe down and immediately walked into his office building, but when he realized that the girl was not actually with him, Ramon slowed down and finally stopped to turn around and found Hailee walking about two steps behind him.


    But, that''s not what made Ramon frown in surprise, but the fact that Hailee used a mask to cover her face was what made Ramon approach the girl.


    "What are you using?" Ramon asked with a frown while holding Hailee''s hand, at least this guy didn''t really ignore her and acted bossy all the time.


    "Don''t you know? It''s a mask," Hailee replied rudely.


    However, this actually caused a stir among the staff who was passing by and greeted Ramon politely, but looked confused when they were about to greet the girl wearing the white mask next to him.


    Who was that girl?


    From her posture they could tell that she was a young girl, but why did she have to cover her face?


    Rumors of Ramon''s arrival with a young girl would quickly spread throughout the building andter, by the time office hours were over, all the employees there would surely find out about this.


    "Of course I know what it is," growled Ramon in a low voice. For some reason Ramon felt his patience was always in for a test whenever he was with Hailee, as if this girl could throw him out of control with just one sarcasticment from her.


    "Then what do you mean?" Hailee asked again in a slightly muffled voice. However, it seemed like Ramon had already seen the intention behind Hailee''s stupid actions, so he chose not to prolong the matter and acted unconcerned.


    It was not that Hailee didn''t understand what Ramon meant, she just liked pissing him off. After all, he pissed her off first, so it was only natural that Hailee wanted to ''get revenge'', no big deal, right?


    A woman smiled sweetly as she pressed the elevator button for them and stared at Ramon, as if waiting for the boss''s "thank you", but Ramon didn''t seem to pay attention to the employee at all, even until the elevator doors opened.


    "Thank you," Hailee said to the female employee as she stepped inside.


    Once inside, Ramon let go of Hailee''s hand and folded his arms across his chest, waiting for the elevator to take them to the eighteenth floor, where Ramon''s office was.


    As soon as they got out of the elevator, Ramon grabbed Hailee''s hand again and pulled her out of the lift.


    Either he did it because he was afraid that Hailee would get lost in a ce that was still unfamiliar to her, or because he thought that Hailee could do something reckless and instead run away from this ce.


    Whatever the reason might be, Hailee didn''t seem to mind at all when Ramon treated her like this.


    Instead, she enjoyed the questionable stares and the stunned expressions on the faces of the employees they passed.


    It seems like it would be a lot of fun to be Ramon Tordoff''s woman. Unfortunately, Hailee''s situation this time was soplicated and she couldn''t really enjoy all these lies any longer.


    Ramon''s office was at the far end of the corridor with shiny ck doors and gold wooden handles. Looking luxurious and ssy.


    And when Hailee entered the office, she could see how amazing Ramon''s office was.


    This room was roughly the size of the family room in Ramon''s house and was well lit framed with arge ss, which disyed the spectacr view of the city A, right behind Ramon''s desk.


    Hailee then took off the mask she was wearing and then sat down on the soft white sofa near the entrance.


    Outside, a tinge of twilight began to appear, revealing a view of the almost setting sun. It looked beautiful when the ball of light slowly disappeared behind the tall buildings of the city.


    "You have a great working environment," Haileemented, gazing at every corner of the room with interest. There were several abstract paintings hanging on the in walls, giving this white-dominated room a hint of color.


    "You want to be here every day?" Ramon asked Hailee, who hadpletely lost in amazement at the sight from her study of the room. He would see the same things every day, so there was nothing special for him here.


    "What for?" Hailee asked as she put her little white bag on the table and leaned her back. "Are you going to hire me as an employee?"


    "I don''t ept nepotism," replied Ramon, who then called someone to ask about the meetingter.


    Hailee growled in annoyance at Ramon''s words, but then she became nonchnt when she replied. "If my patience in dealing with you can be cashed in, then I will be much richer than you now."

 Chapter 42: DAMN IT!

    <h4>Chapter 42: DAMN IT!</h4>


    Ramon only nced at Hailee when she said that and chose to return to take care of the things that he thought were more important.


    Just then, someone knocked on the door and Ramon invited them in. It turned out to be a woman Hailee had seen earlier, she brought two cups of coffee for Hailee and Ramon.


    However, when she saw the coffee cup, Hailee frowned. "But, I don''t drink coffee."


    "Then don''t drink," replied Ramon heartlessly.


    This annoyed Hailee. She looked at the woman who hade with an expression that seemed as if she was forced to smile.


    "Can I have some tea instead?" Hailee asked as she returned the coffee cup she gave her earlier.


    "All right, wait a moment." the woman replied with a sweet smile and brought back the coffee cup that Hailee gave her.


    But, Hailee didn''t know that; as soon as the woman left she was immediately attacked by other fellow employees who were curious about her face.


    "That girl looks like she is about twenty years old, looks very young and beautiful. I think she is the daughter of one of the most respected families in town A," she told the other three female employees who surrounded her.


    "But, what does that have to do with Mr. Tordoff?" asked one of the women, who could not contain her curiosity. "Is she his future wife?"


    Immediately the four of them screamed and closed their mouths so that they weren''t too noisy.


    "I don''t know, I''m not sure," while speaking, she started to make the tea Hailee ordered. "At first I thought so ... but ..."She hung up her sentence and this made the others curious.


    "But?" they asked.


    "But, it looks like Mr. Tordoff did not treat her any special," she answered honestly.


    Ramon Tordoff was rarely seen alone in his office with women, even if there were women in his office, it was certain that they were talking about business and nothing else.


    However, now Ramon Tordoff took a young woman and even took the initiative to hold her hand when they entered the building. This alone had drawn many inquiries from staff who were curious about their rtionship.


    "How is Mr.Tordoff didn''t treat her any special?" one of the women argued, she patted her partner''s back softly. "Didn''t you see that Mr. Tordoff led the woman into his office? What do you mean, he didn''t treat that woman any special?"


    "That''s right, I also saw it earlier," the others also confirmed the argument.


    However, the woman who had entered Ramon''s study did not seem convinced that Ramon was treating the mysterious girl as his lover.


    "Okay, I''ll deliver this first," she said as she put the teacup, which she had made, onto the tray and walked towards Ramon''s study for the second time.


    However, before the woman could open the door, the door was already opened from the inside and Ramon led Hailee out of the room.


    Hailee saw the woman bringing the tea she asked for and said in a low voice. "My tea..."


    However, Ramon didn''t listen to her and just kept walking away from there, without even slowing down his footsteps. Since he was holding her hand, Hailee had to follow his steps reluctantly.


    "Can''t you at least let me drink my drink first?" Hailee protested, she tried to make him lose her grip on her hand, but the man actually pulled her closer and whispered intently into Hailee''s ear.


    This of course generated wild spection among the employees, who were secretly watching them.


    "I can''t wait to introduce you to them," said Ramon. A gush of his warm breath brushed Hailee''s nape and it made her shudder as her heart started beating fast.


    Hailee couldn''t really afford to let her guard down in front of this man!


    It wasn''t without reason that Ramon did this. After he heard the conversation between Hailee and Ian, he understood the outline of the problems Hailee was facing and also about the district attorney for the city of T, Rnd Dimatrio.


    For certain circles, it was not a secret that Rnd Dimatrio did have affairs with many women, although this was not widely known to the public, but it couldn''t escape the wide ears of people like Ramon Tordoff.


    This information helped Ramon to find out more about the reasons why Hailee chose to run away from her hometown, instead of iming her parents'' inheritance when she actually still had a family.


    It seemed that it was not only Aileen who was involved in this, but there were also other people in the Tatum family who have malicious intentions towards this girl.


    Ramon nced at Hailee who was still grumbling beside him. He also found out from the phone conversation that Hailee had intended to run away before the wedding took ce or to tell Ramon the truth, but it seemed that this girl was too scared to face the consequences of her lies.


    Although technically, Ramon had now found out about this. However, he waited. What will Hailee doter.


    Will she be honest? Or would she just run away from him? But, of course Ramon would not let Hailee take the second option. He already had ns with the Tatum''s familypany that he wanted to take over after their marriage.


    "Wait a minute, a moment ..."Hailee said suddenly holding Ramon''s hand that was about to push open the door of the meeting room, she looked at the door anxiously.


    "What else?" asked Ramon impatiently." You will only introduce yourself in front of a few people."


    "Let me take a breath first¡­" Hailee replied, she put her palms on Ramon''s chest to stop the man from moving into the room. "Give me a minute to prepare."


    Ramon found Hailee''s request very unreasonable, but in the end he agreed and let her take a deep breath, exhale it, then took several more breaths.


    If it annoyed each other, it was an unhealthy rtionship, then Ramon and Hailee were actually in that unhealthy rtionship.


    They both seemed to bepeting to exhaust each other''s patience.


    However, oddly enough for Ramon, he didn''t have any objections. It was precisely in the midst of his life that was stagnant and felt boring because it was filled with the same routine every day, that Hailee''s presence was an oasis itself for Ramon.


    "Have you calmed down?" asked Ramon, ncing at the watch hanging sweetly on his left wrist.


    "May I have one more minute?" Hailee bargained. This time she didn''t have time to put on her mask because Ramon had dragged her away in a hurry.


    "You can get as long as you want after this is over," replied Ramon who then immediately opened the door and pushed Hailee in.


    And once Hailee was inside, she immediately realized that Ramon had lied to her.


    That insolent man!

 Chapter 43: YES, WE ARE GETTING MARRIED

    <h4>Chapter 43: YES, WE ARE GETTING MARRIED</h4>


    At first Ramon said that he would only introduce Hailee to important people in hispany, but what Hailee got to face behind this door, waspletely different from what she imagined!


    How could Ramon lie to her like this!?Hailee thought angrily when she found the room full of reporters, pointing their camera lenses at Hailee and Ramon.


    The sh of light from the camera shes was painful to the eye and themotion that followed left Hailee''s ears ringing.


    For a moment, Hailee didn''t even realize where she was and what she was doing. She was too confused to face such a significant change in situation as this. Not only that, Hailee didn''t even know what to say anymore.


    In front of the dozens of cameras pointing at her and dozens of reporters who were starting to speak, Hailee really didn''t know what to do.


    Ramon didn''t say anything about the so called meeting actually included the media! Not only that, although Hailee still disagreed with their marriage which was less than two weeks away, they agreed not to make it public! Not to mention, bringing a lot of reporters like this!


    Ramon really was crazy! Why was he doing all this?! How could he have changed his mind so quickly?


    Hailee, with a confused mind, managed to sit on the chair that had been prepared for her and looked at Ramon with a look that was difficult to exin, was it anger, confusion or terror? Hailee was even confused where to start.


    In front of them, the reporters said a few words and someone on Ramon''s side replied to those words and they allughed, Ramon even smiled faintly, looking happy! He was really good at acting!


    What the reporter said, or what someone on Ramon''s side answered, didn''t get to register very well in Hailee''s head.


    She was still busy trying to digest all of this.


    In the row of chairs where Hailee sat, Ramon took a seat on her left while on Hailee''s right side sat Danny, a confidant of Ramon whom Hailee had met several times.


    Next to Danny was another man and beside Ramon was a man who was talking to the reporters now, but Hailee was not at all interested in the pleasantries he was using to open this press conference.


    Yes! Ramon did the press conference without telling Hailee ahead of time, and she was able to sniff out the news just now, what actually Ramon was going to announce in this event!


    Hailee had seen her parents have this kind of press conference when theirpany went into trouble and got into a case, which they won in the end and they were proven innocent.


    "What is this?" Hailee hissed as she asked Danny sitting next to her. Hailee had never felt this angry before.


    After this announcement, everyone would see her and it was certain, her dear step sister, Aileen, and ex-fianc¨¦e, Theodore, would also see all this.


    But they were nothingpared to what Rnd Dimatrio would do. The old man could have gone to the Tordoffs and expose all the lies Hailee had been up to, or worse; he could ckmail Hailee for attempted murder.


    Although thest thing was a little tricky, because Rnd couldn''t possibly say that he paid Hailee to spend the night with him.


    But, like many truths that have always been concealed, words can be transformed in such a way by people who have more power, such as Rnd Dimatrio.


    "The press conference to announce your marriage," Danny replied, in a whisper too.


    "D*mn! Why in rush?" Hailee growled impatiently. "What I mean is; why did Ramon decided to do this all of a sudden? "


    "That¡­" Danny hesitated a little while answering Hailee''sst question. "You can ask Mr. Tordoff when this press conference ends."


    It was not that Danny didn''t know the reason behind this seemingly sudden press conference, but it waspletely impossible for him to tell Hailee the truth, especially when Ramon didn''t say anything to this girl.


    After Ramon listened to the conversation between Hailee and Ian this afternoon, the boss said nothing for an hour and just stared at hisptop, but the first words that came out of his lips were; to call some well-known media to do this press conference.


    Of course, the news of Ramon Tordoff having a sudden press conference and about to announce his marriage, caused quite a stir.


    There was no need to announce it twice, even when they were told this at thest second with very little time left, they did not protest at all and immediately sent their best cameramen and reporters to cover this news.


    Ramon Tordoff was willing to share his personal life and what was even more surprising; he was going to marry a woman sometime soon? Of course this bombastic news will be in the spotlight for weeks toe.


    "I don''t want to talk to him," Hailee grumbled and threw a fierce look at Ramon who was sitting next to her.


    But, as if he was not the culprit responsible for her displeasure, Ramon turned around and smiled sweetly at the angry girl and held her hand while leaning his head closer to hers and whispered.


    "Don''t put on a sullen face like that, you will get a bad phototer," said Ramon quietly.


    However, of course the media didn''t know what Ramon was saying or what actually happened between the two of them, therefore, seeing Ramon''s gesture that looked so affectionate, made them aim their cameras brutally, capturing that rare moment.


    "You said it would be a secret and that no one from outside needed to know about this marriage." Hailee gritted her teeth in annoyance, but that didn''t push Ramon away from her.


    If only Hailee didn''t think long and just followed her impulsive wish, then she would have pushed Ramon all her way and shouted angrily at him, but then again Hailee didn''t really have such courage.


    "I changed my mind," replied Ramon lightly. "Since marriage would onlye once in a lifetime, I want this to be a great moment for both of us."


    Hailee smiled bitterly at Ramon''s statement and was at a loss for words to reply.


    Just then, the man sitting on Ramon''s left finished speaking his opening words and invited Ramon to speak.


    Ramon then pulled Hailee to her feet as he himself stood up as they were still holding each other and disyed their joined hands on the table for the media crew to see, while saying in a low, deep voice; "Yes, we are getting married."

 Chapter 44: CONFRONTATION

    <h4>Chapter 44: CONFRONTATION</h4>


    Aileen was in her apartment, watching the man beside her who was fast asleep, under the fading light of the almost sunset evening, shining through the window on her left.


    It had been two days since she heard anything about Hailee, not even those of Rnd Dimatrio''s men could get close to the heavily guarded Tordoff''s residence.


    Not to mention the fact that Ramon Tordoff rejected every attempt to speak to her. Not only Ramon, but Lis and Lexus Tordoff were also inessible.


    Thest news Aileen got was that Hailee was with the Tordoffs and was under their watchful eye.


    The questions that bothered Aileen the most were; how could Hailee get to know the Tordoffs? Even their parents could not easily gain ess to their family, let alone live with them.


    And Hailee waspletely out of reach when Ramon was back home and on outpatient care, while Hailee was with them.


    Just knowing the closeness of Hailee and the Tordoffs made Aileen furious.


    Theodore stirred in his sleep and pulled Aileen closer to embrace her, muttering something as soon as he felt Aileen in his arms.


    Aileen smiled and kissed the man''s lips, making Theodore smile and fall back asleep.


    During this time, Theodore did not know anything about what Aileen had done to Hailee, in fact, he too thought the same just as people out there thought that Hailee''s absence was because she was studying abroad, Theodore did not know about the incident inside the hotel.


    And now that his engagement with Hailee had ended, he could directly announce his rtionship with Aileen and freely hold her in public.


    While Theodore was sleeping, Aileen felt her cell phone vibrate and knew that it was a notification of an iing message.


    Cautious, so as not to wake Theodore up again, Aileen reached for her cell phone and opened the message.


    The message was very brief and contained words that seemed to be typed in a hurry.


    [Check the news now.]


    Seeing the name of the sender, Aileen frowned. What was so urgent about that matter that he sent a message like this?


    Then with curiosity, Aileen entered the search box and began to look for what news made this man send her a text message.


    And words could not describe how surprised Aileen was, when she found a long article containing the wedding ns of a young businessman from city A, he was none other than Ramon Tordoff!


    And not only that, the partner the bachelor would marry was Hailee!


    Aileen couldn''t possibly mistake someone for her step sister, because of the three photos released, all of them showed her younger sister''s face very clearly.


    "What is this?!" eximed Aileen in a choked voice. Her exim then woke Theodore who immediately looked at the woman beside him with a sleepy gaze.


    "What is wrong?" he asked hoarsely. However, because Aileen did not seem to hear his question, or more precisely she didn''t even realized that she had awakened Theodore, thus she did not answer him at all. "What are you looking at?"


    Theodore also squinted at the cellphone screen that Aileen was looking at and there he caught sight of the figure of his ex-fianc¨¦ in the photo.


    "Hailee?" he said with a confused face, especially when he saw the figure of another man sitting closely beside her, who was familiar to a businessman like himself. "What did Hailee got to do with Ramon Tordoff?" he asked.


    This time, Aileen came back to her senses and looked at Theodore who had seen what she had been reading and hurriedly turned off the screen of her cellphone.


    But of course it was toote and she had to exin this to Theodore.


    "Didn''t you say that Hailee was abroad to continue her education?" asked Theodore, who felt his sleepiness disappear at once. "Then howe she is going to marry Ramon Tordoff very soon?"


    ==============


    Hailee was so annoyed at what Ramon had done that she didn''t even want to talk to him.


    Hailee didn''t want to talk to Ramon in a state of anger and frantic thoughts, she was afraid that she would make a decision that she would regretter.


    Therefore, throughout the trip, Hailee said nothing to Ramon. She even ignored the calls from Lis and Lexus, because they too were as surprised as she was, by the sudden announcement made by Ramon this afternoon.


    When the car stopped, Hailee immediately got out of the car, left Ramon and ran into the house with a facial expression that was very unpleasant to look at.


    In fact, when Lexus tried to greet her as he was waiting for them, Hailee just shook her head and gave signal for Lexus to ask Ramon himself.


    "What the heck?" asked Lexus with a worried expression. "What about the two of you and what do you mean by the press conference this afternoon? You freaked me out. You didn''t even tell me anything¡­ "


    However, Ramon had raised his hand, gesturing for Lexus to stop talking about this, while Ramon''s attention was on the second floor, where Hailee had entered the room.


    But, strangely¡­ because the door to Hailee''s room that Ramon had broken this afternoon, how could he still hear the sound of the door closing?


    So, it was certain that Hailee entered his room and not her own room, because there were only two rooms on the second floor.


    "This girl¡­" grumbled Ramon, who immediately headed upstairs, leaving Lexus confused.


    "Hey! Can''t I be told what the hell is all this!?" eximed Lexus from downstairs. Feeling frustrated that Lis kept calling to find out about Ramon and Hailee.


    When those two were the people who made trouble, why am I the one in trouble?! Lexus mocked to himself.


    ==============


    "You have to help me get out of this house right away!" Hailee hissed hastily when she managed to reach Ian.


    "Lee, I saw the news this afternoon, what really happened?!" asked Ian in an equally hasty tone. "I thought you said this marriage would be kept a secret if there really was going to be a marriage between you, right?"


    Hailee shook her head vigorously and let out a long sigh. "I don''t know what''s on that guy''s mind ... but, I feel that he already knows my identity ..."Hailee said timidly.


    Then Ian fell silent, not giving any response until he returned to his calm voice. "But, if he already knew your identity, why didn''t he confront you directly?" asked a confused Ian.


    "I don''t know," Hailee replied. "This is just a guess of mine."

 Chapter 45: EXPECTED FROM MY BROTHER

    <h4>Chapter 45: EXPECTED FROM MY BROTHER</h4>


    "Lee, what are you going to do now that everyone knows that you are marrying Ramon Tordoff. I''m not sure Aileen and Rnd Dimatrio will just let you go," asked Ian in a worried tone.


    For a moment Hailee didn''t answer Ian. Her mind was confused. Hailee wanted to beat up the man, unfortunately, she could only do that in her imagination.


    After all, who would dare throw a fist in the face of Ramon Tordoff? Are they looking for quick death?


    Hailee wasn''t tired of her life, ''yet''. She heaved a heavy sigh before saying in a half whisper. "I want to continue my original n. Get out of this country. "


    Ian didn''t answer Hailee right away when he heard it. "Lee, do you realize that right now you are not only dealing with Aileen and Rnd Dimatrio?" asked Ian carefully. "You''ve put yourself in the hands of Ramon Tordoff."


    "I know. I know," Hailee replied in a tired voice.


    "Maybe it would be better if you continue to pretend to be Ramon Tordoff''s lover and marry him?" Ian voiced out his suggestion, which he was not at all sure if it could offer a solution to Hailee''s problem.


    "Seriously, how could it be a solution to this mess," said Hailee while rolling her eyes, she then walked to the bed and sat on the side. "First, he has a real lover about whom I don''t even know a single thing, who that woman is or where she is, until now. If that woman shows up and ims I lied after the wedding, what do you think Ramon Tordoff will do? "


    "Fry you until ck and charred?" Ian answered without thinking.


    "Ha ha. Ha." Hailee let out mockughs which sounded way too sarcastic in her current situation. "So cute Ian."


    "Well, at least I tried," said Ian, scratching his un-itchy head.


    "And again, Aileen and Rnd Dimatrio will definitely not stay silent if they see me with Ramon Tordoff, who knows what they will cook up to take me down." Hailee sighed irritably, she massaged her forehead, exasperated.


    Then the atmosphere returned to silence as the two friends fell silent, deep in their own thoughts.


    At that moment, Hailee heard the sound of the lock being opened and immediately realized that Ramon must have asked for a spare key to open the room.


    Hailee couldn''t possibly hide in her room, considering that this afternoon Ramon had broken the door. That was the reason why she hurriedly came upstairs and locked herself in Ramon''s room to make this urgent call to Ian. And, looks like her time was up, since she could hear someone opening the door now.


    "Ian, Ramon ising, I''ll call youter," said Hailee in a hurry.


    "Lee, you know that Ramon Tordoff''s influence doesn''t know any boundaries, right. I''ll help you as best I can, but I have limits on how far I can go," Ian said before Hailee disconnected the call.


    "I understand. I''ll call you againter after I decide what''s best," said Hailee, who immediately disconnected the line without waiting for an answer from Ian.


    Simultaneously, Ramon''s towering figure walked into his own room and instinctively, Hailee became defensive.


    "I''m here because you broke my door," Hailee said immediately, even before Ramon could say or ask anything.


    However, the man just nced at her and leisurely removed the tie that was still wrapped around his neck and unbuttoned his shirt.


    "I don''t mind that," he replied casually. "If you want to sleep here with me, I''m fine," added Ramon with a knowing smile as he saw Hailee ring at him fiercely.


    "I''m moving downstairs," Hailee said angrily. "And I don''t want to talk to you!" She stomped off in a huff and made unnecessary noise while doing so, hard enough. "And don''t try to talk to me!"


    Hailee was half running toward the bedroom door, she was really pissed off and needed an outlet, but she knew what the risks were when she talked in a fit of anger andter she didn''t want to regret her own impulsive words. At least, Ian always advised her like that because Hailee found it difficult to control her words whenever she was angry.


    "I thought you were going to get angry, I was ready to listen to your babbling," said Ramon as he draped his ck coat over the back of the sofa and sat downfortably.


    Hailee stopped walking and turned around, she was tempted to go up to Ramon and curse him, but then she remembered Ian''s advice and chose to cast a fierce look at Ramon.


    "Come here, let me hear what made you angry..." said Ramon in a friendly voice. This actually made Hailee feel even more emotional.


    Why was this guy so handsome and annoying!? Oops! Peeved!


    "You are still asking what made me angry?!"Hailee asked half screaming as she clenched her fists at her sides, trying to hold back an outburst.


    "There is nothing wrong with announcing our marriage, except¡­" Ramon hung up his words and his expression changed from casual to serious. "Unless you''re hiding something from me that you don''t want others to know about."


    He knew!


    Hailee seemed to be able to hear the sound of an rm ringing in her head, announcing that she was in big trouble.


    Her instincts told her that Ramon had found out her identity and all her lies. However, why didn''t he confront it head-on, but instead just let it go? It didn''t make any sense, right?


    Or was it just her being paranoid?


    "I don''t want to talk to you!" Hailee said again, but this time her voice was a little uncertain as there was a glimpse of fear in her eyes. In that instant, Hailee immediately walked out of Ramon''s room, running away from the man who looked terrible.


    When Hailee had left her room, Ramon made a phone call and just said. "Don''t let that girl get out of the Tordoff''s, watch her."


    Ramon had to anticipate this in advance. Regardless of his ambition to take control of the Tatum''s family business, there was no way he would just let Hailee go after the marriage announcement he had made.


    On the other hand, halfway as Hailee was about to descend the stairs, she met Lexus who was looking at her worriedly.


    "What''s wrong?" Lexus asked, taking Hailee''s hand so she would stop walking and exin what really happened. "You fought with Ramon?"


    "You think?" Hailee asked fiercely, unable to hold back her irritation anymore, but then she realized she shouldn''t be mad at Lexus. This man didn''t know anything. "Sorry," Hailee muttered quietly.


    "No need to apologize," said Lexus as he invited Hailee to sit on the nearest sofa. "My brother is difficult to handle, so I salute you who was able to endure his attitude and maintained a rtionship for two years without anyone knowing."


    Hailee winced at that.


    "Did he held that press conference without your consent?" Lexus asked and looked at Hailee with concern as she nodded. "I knew it¡­"

 Chapter 46: LOVE YOU

    <h4>Chapter 46: LOVE YOU</h4>


    "I''m pissed off, I don''t want to be here, "Hailee grumbled, her voice low and hoarse. As if she would start crying nonstop in the next second.


    This made Lexus quite confused, he frowned. Usually, when dealing with women in this mood, Lexus will invite them on a shopping spree. Quick and easy solution to get their mood back.


    But, does this also apply to Hailee? Because she was a little different from the women Lexus got to meet before.


    Or invite the woman to have a drink and end up in a room in one of the luxury hotels in town A.


    However, the idea was immediately pushed aside by Lexus, considering that Hailee was his future sister-inw. Ramon would hang him up if he ever had those thoughts toward Hailee.


    "Shall we go out for a bit?" said Lexus finally, unable to see Hailee who was devastated by what happened. Maybe the night air could bring her cheerful self back to life. "Is there a ce you want to visit?" asked Lexus.


    Hearing Lexus''s offer, Hailee raised her head and looked at the man with teary eyes.


    "Is it okay if I go out now?" Hailee asked, doubting that Ramon would let her out after this afternoon''s press conference.


    "Of course it''s okay, you''re not a prisoner here," said Lexus in a very confident tone. "Come on!"


    Lexus immediately stood up wanting to take Hailee away.


    Seeing this opportunity, Hailee just didn''t want to miss it. Behind her teary eyes with resentment toward Ramon and fear of knowing her secrets, there was a new determination and a n.


    While holding her cell phone tightly. Hailee took Lexus''s invitation and immediately stood up.


    The two of them walked into the hall and out onto the porch, then into the yard, where Lexus''s white sports car was parked.


    Ugh!


    Hailee really wanted to drive a sports car like this one, unfortunately her parents weren''t rich enough to buy the car just to show off.


    Her father would say; it was a waste, and her mother would never agree because the price of the car would hurt theirpany finances a little. After all, that wasn''t a necessary thing in their eyes.


    Lexus then opened the car door for Hailee and circled the car.


    As soon as Lexus started it, the soft roar of the car made Hailee enthusiastic and forget about her slight annoyance with Ramon. Well, Hailee was one of those girls who would forget everything else easily when it came to something she liked.


    However, her happiness was short lived when a guard at the main gates of the Tordoff residence stopped Lexus.


    "You wereid off in your own house?" Hailee asked with a frowning face. Even at this point, Hailee could already guess who this was.


    Who else if not the act of the master, who always did whatever he wanted without thinking about other people''s feelings?


    "Just a second," said Lexus. He also seemed to have the same thoughts as Hailee. Seeing the girl next to him twisting her face again, Lexus cursed in his heart because he had a very stubborn brother like Ramon and sometimes his actions could not be epted by reason.


    A gatekeeper dressed in a dark blue uniform, approached Lexus as he rolled down the window ss, casting the guard an angry look.


    "What''s wrong?" Lexus blurted out, leaving the guard awry.


    "Mr. Lexus," said the guard in a polite tone and nodded at Hailee, who responded with the same gesture. "Sorry, but Miss Hailee is not allowed to leave the residence."


    "Ramon''s orders?" asked Lexus, but he shouldn''t need to be sure, because even without the guard''s confirmation, he already knew the answer.


    "Yes, Mr. Ramon''s orders," he replied, offering a smile of regret for having to stop Lexus. "Mr. Lexus can leave, but I have to send Miss Hailee back to the house."


    Compared to Ramon, Lexus was much more easy to talk with.


    Hearing the exnation, Lexus clicked his tongue in annoyance, how could his brother treat them like this?


    Well, maybe, they were talking about Ramon Tordoff after all ...


    "Well, let''s just go back," said Hailee in a tone that was so unpleasant to hear, she even turned her face away from Lexus and hugged herself. A defensive gesture.


    "Wait a minute," said Lexus hastily. He then took his cell phone and got out of the car to call someone.


    Either Lexus will get her away or not, but what was certain was when Lexus got out of the car to call someone, Hailee also called Ian.


    "Ian," Hailee called in a low voice, while outside the car, the gatekeeper was looking at her with a probing gaze.


    "Lee?" called Ian, "What''s wrong? Did something happen? "


    "No, no, listen to me first¡­" Hailee interrupted Ian''s words and began to briefly describe what happened before, as well as her suspicions that Ramon actually knew what happened, but was still covering it up for reasons Hailee herself wasn''t sure about.


    "Then what are your ns now? You''re leaving tonight?" asked Ian. "Think carefully Hailee. It will be very risky and you don''t know what your future will be if you make a hasty decision like this. "


    However, Hailee shook her head vigorously. "No, no. I will tell you where you should find me, but before that you have to send me money, I absolutely have no money. "


    Ian chuckled when he heard that. "You are going to marry a sessful businessman and live in a house like a pce, but you are instead asking me for money, who is only a street fighter? You''re like a fish dying of thirst." Ian said teasingly.


    However, Hailee snorted in annoyance. "I''m not in the mood to joke," she said in a firm tone.


    "Okay, okay. Sorry," said Ian, controlling hisughter. "But, the problem is how are you going to withdraw the money if you don''t have your card?" Ian reminded her.


    Hailee hit her forehead hard. "Right." She felt stupid.


    "Okay, then I''m going to town A now, tell me where I can meet youter," said Ian in a light tone. Looks like he had to miss the match tonight.


    Hearing this, Hailee smiled broadly. "Okay, thank you Ian! Love you! "


    After that, she disconnected the phone call.


    However, what the two of them didn''t realize was; there was someone who was eavesdropping on their conversation from inside the house, of course he could hear the conversation, after all, he was the one who bought the cellphone.


    The man''s handsome face turned dark when he heard thest word Hailee spoke.


    "''Love you?''" He repeated angrily.

 Chapter 47: SEE RED

    <h4>Chapter 47: SEE RED</h4>


    Hailee turned off her phone before Lexus got into the car, but not before saying something to the gatekeeper for a while.


    "What now?" Hailee asked, her small face full of concern.


    Hailee didn''t need much consideration in her ns this time, because thinking too much about it wouldn''t do anything good for her now. Sometimes words like; think less, do more, were very necessary and this was what Hailee want to do.


    If Lexus couldn''t take her out, then Hailee would find a way to get out of this residence, tonight. After all, Ian woulde to meet her in town A.


    "Okay, let''s go now," Lexus said with a happy smile.


    Hailee was quite surprised when Lexus managed to get them out of the house fairly easily. "Is it true? Ramon agreed to let you take me out?"


    "More or less," Lexus replied, grimacing.


    Actually what Lexus did was; he called Lis and briefly told what happened. Perhaps, the way Lexus phrased the situation might have been too much. He added that Hailee looked depressed after her fight with Ramon and Lexus would take her out for a while to get some fresh air.


    Of course Lis could understand the turn of events, especially after finding out that Ramon did all that without telling Hailee first. Never mind Hailee, even she was shocked by the news.


    Ramon previously changed his decision from an engagement ceremony to a wedding ceremony. And now, the originally nned private wedding banquet with only close confidants was revealed to the public, just like that.


    Maybe something indeed went wrong with Ramon when the ident happened. Maybe Ramon should go for a follow-up and should be thoroughly diagnosed whether he really was capable of making up his own decisions.


    Why was each of his decisions nowadays were so absurd and so far from his previous character?


    "More or less?" Hailee frowned in confusion at Lexus, but the man just ignored her.


    "You don''t need to know the details," said Lexus as he restarted the engine. "We have to get out of here¡­" before Ramon realized that Hailee and he had left. However, Lexus did not say thest sentence out loud.


    Ramon did have some influence, but Lis, as the head of the family controlling this household from much earlier than Ramon, after the death of their father, was naturally more respected by the servants and guards at the Tordoff residence.


    However, Lexus would have to face trouble, the trouble named his brother''s ''wrath'' when he got hometer.


    Well, he could think about thatter, for now he just wanted to cheer up his future sister-inw and also, Lexus didn''t want to look bad in front of Hailee because he had already promised her to take her out.


    ==============


    Because it waste at night, Lexus decided to take Hailee to a bar to get her rxed, maybe with a few drinks in her system, Hailee won''t look so upset anymore.


    At least that was the only solution Lexus could think of, because that was what he always did with the women he went with.


    "You''re old enough to go to ces like this, right?" asked Lexus, as he parked the car and turned off the engine.


    "Of course," Hailee replied, removing the seat belt and opening the door.


    Granted, Hailee didn''t go to ces like this very often, but Ian did take her to bars a few times and Hailee would always stay close to her friend if she was going to ces like that.


    "Good then," Lexus then got out of his car and stashed the keys in his pocket before walking beside Hailee.


    It was at this time that Hailee saw the name of the ce and remembered something about the Tordoff family, she got this information while looking for more details about Ramon Tordoff.


    "This ce belongs to the Tordoffpany, doesn''t it?" Hailee turned her head to look at Lexus who chuckled and nodded as he put his hand around the girl''s shoulders.


    "Let''s have fun, shall we?" Lexus said, rubbing off his cheerfulness and joy on Hailee, the girlughed and felt more rxed.


    However, she reminded herself to contact Ian, to inform the man where he could pick her up.


    ==============


    "She went out with Lexus?!" Ramon was furious when he received reports saying the gatekeeper at the Tordoff residence let Lexus go because Lis allowed them. "Where are they now?!" Ramon asked the person across the line.


    And faintly he heard the person''s answer saying that he didn''t know.


    Ramon''s face darkened immediately and he disconnected the line and started calling Lexus. This little brother of his really should be taught a lesson!


    However, as if to inme Ramon even further, Lexus turned off his cellphone. He knew very well the nature of his younger brother.


    Lexus must have realized that Ramon was going to be angry, so he tried to avoid problems in this way. Although it was actually very ineffective, after all, at the end of the day, Ramon would found them anyway.


    Angrily, Ramon called someone and when he left the house in a set of casual clothes and jacket, a driver was already waiting for him, opening the car door.


    What Ramon wore this time gave him a different aura and his cold attitude only added to a mysterious impression that would make any woman go crazy.


    However, no sane person would want to be the target of his anger this time.


    He had to get Hailee and of course¡­ thepany, because Ramon had just learned something significant about the Tatumpany and this made him even more ambitious to get full ownership of thepany.


    ==============


    "I''m going to the toilet for a bit!" Hailee shouted at Lexus who was whispering something to the woman beside him.


    Lexus just nodded and returned to chatting with the woman. They wereughing and drinking, andughing again and drinking more.


    Until Lexus didn''t realize that Hailee had been away for a long time and didn''te back from wherever she went.


    Being a little drunk, he just realized this when he saw the figure of his older brother who was walking through the sea of ??people dancing to the deafening music.


    Instantly Lexus''s tipsiness vanished and he sobered up at the sight of his angry brother.


    "Oh, Sh*t!" said Lexus to himself. How could Ramon find them so quickly?!


    Ugh!


    How troublesome to have an older brother like this!


    "Where is she?" asked Ramon in a cold voice. Although his voice was not too loud and could still be defeated by the sound of thumping music, but somehow Lexus could hear Ramon''s voice so clearly, as if he was shouting just beside his ear.


    "Hailee is in the toilet ..." and then Lexus realized that Hailee had not returned. His face twisted under his brother''s intense gaze


    Lexus was very predictable, therefore, from the expression he was currently making, Ramon could easily guess that something went wrong.


    "Since when?" he asked.

 Chapter 48: SEE RED (2)

    <h4>Chapter 48: SEE RED (2)</h4>


    Hailee staggered around holding her head which felt a little heavy, cursing herself for drinking too much because she was nervous. She was not someone who could hold strong drinks.


    Leaning against the wall of the exit, Hailee observed the people around her. Some people looked at her curiously while some ignored her.


    Hailee then took out her cellphone and tried to call Ian back. Thest time she called, the man said that he was still on the way to here.


    However, after ringing his number several times, Hailee assumed that Ian was still on his way, so he couldn''t pick up her calls.


    Therefore, to make herself a little more sober, Hailee walked away from the bar area. At least, if Lexus found out that she hadn''t returned from the toilet and decided to look for her, he couldn''t find her easily.


    While holding her throbbing forehead, Hailee walked away.


    But she didn''t know that her decision to leave created bigger problems for Lexus, who was now fully sober from the influence of alcohol and was standing trembling under his brother''s angry gaze.


    "Bro¡­" Lexus tried to speak, but his next words were swallowed up when he caught Ramon''s fierce gaze staring at him ruthlessly.


    Ramon was sitting in a special room that was only meant for him and Lexus was standing right in front of him with his head bowed and sweat pouring down his back in panic and nervousness that swept over him like a storm.


    "So you took her out of the Tordoff''s and brought her here, even though I told you she was not allowed to leave the house," concluded Ramon.


    "About that¡­" Lexus grimaced, now feeling guilty about the decision he had made. Who would have thought that Hailee would leave, disappearing on him like this? Where the hell was that girl? "You shouldn''t lock her up¡­ that girl looks really depressed after what you did in front of the media¡­"


    However, Lexus''s defending himself for whatever he had done did not make Ramon happy and the man''s voice grew lower.


    "''That girl?''" Ramon narrowed his eyes dangerously at this little brother. "''That girl'' is my future wife," he said with great emphasis.


    "Yes, yes ..." said Lexus timidly. "My sister-inw seems so depressed after you announced your marriage in front of the media. You know that she still feels that your marriage is rushed."


    Ramon said nothing this time. He folded his arms and sat back in his chair, his sharp eyes staring at Lexus with displeasure.


    In his entire life, Ramon had always done everything based on his deemed right and never thought to consider other people''s feelings, at least that was what he remembered, despite the past four years he had forgotten.


    Meanwhile, seeing a silent Ramon, Lexus thought of taking this as advantage and approached his older brother with caution.


    "Bro, maybe she''s just sulking. Try to give her a minute to calm down, I think you are too hard on sister-inw¡­???Lexus tried to calm Ramon so that he would stop frightening the people around him with his terrible face.


    "Lexus," called Ramon.


    "Yes?" replied Lexus as sweetly as possible. "What is wrong?"


    "Stop rubbing my shoulder before I break your hand," said Ramon in a cold and heartless tone.


    Instantly, as if electrocuted, Lexus took back his hand and took a step back, away from Ramon.


    Aahhh¡­ this brother really had no feelings!


    No wonder sister-inw ran away! Who can stand a person like this? Lexus grumbled, only silently though. Because he could only scold Ramon in his heart.


    Now Lexus began to imagine their two years of rtionship, during the time when no one knew where Hailee was, maybe Ramon used this dictatorial way to silence Hailee.


    Sigh, now Lexus really felt sorry for his sister-inw for having to ept Ramon as her husband.


    It might be good if Hailee disappeared for a while. To teach Ramon a little lesson, that girl was his future wife, and not some employee who had to obey anything and everything Ramon wanted.


    "Lexus," called Ramon again.


    "Yes?" asked Lexus quickly, gasping as his wild imagination was cut off.


    "Stop," said Ramon again. He stood and tidied up his clothes, then turned to look at his stammering brother.


    "Stop? Stop what? I didn''t do anything," said Lexus as if he was caught doing something inappropriate.


    "Whatever you are thinking right now, stop it," said Ramon in a stern tone, then he walked out of the room, leaving Lexus to finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Can he read my mind?" Lexus wondered and then shuddered. Even in his own mind, Lexus still couldn''t hide from his brother.


    ==============


    Hailee called Ian again and this time the man picked up.


    "I''ve reached the bar you mentioned,e out," said Ian a little loudly because there were several cars passing behind him.


    "I''ve been out of there," Hailee said in a low voice. "I''m in the park nearby, on the swing."


    Ian was silent for a moment, listening to the way Hailee spoke. "Are you drunk?" guessed it.


    "I guess so, I had a few drinks," Hailee said in a voice that was getting lower and lower, more like a whisper.


    "Hailee! I''ve told you several times that¡­" Ian''s scolding was interrupted when the girl suddenly yelled at him.


    "Come here quickly! You''re too talkative!" eximed Hailee irritably. Her head was hurting badly and thest thing she wanted was someone to scold her.


    "Okay, I''ming over, don''t go anywhere and stay there," Ian warned.


    "Hurry up¡­" said Hailee before disconnecting the line.


    ==============


    Ramon was informed that Hailee was nowhere to be found and had probably left this area.


    And now, the man who had been trying to hold back his emotions all night, was in the control room, where the security staff were trying to find Hailee through the CCTV cameras installed.


    "Ah, this¡­" said one of the staff who pointed a finger toward a screen where Hailee wasst seen.


    On the screen, Hailee was leaning against the wall and trying to make a call.


    "This recording happened about two hours ago," said the staff member notifying Ramon and Lexus.


    "Bro, looks like she''s trying to contact someone, was she trying to contact you earlier?" asked Lexus.


    However, Ramon did not respond, because he knew exactly who Hailee was calling at that time. The man named Ian.


    Ramon looked even scarier now than before, with his eyes glued to the monitor screen showing Hailee staggering out into the parking lot and out of camera range after that.


    Where was the girl going like that?!Thought Ramon angrily.

 Chapter 49: MISTAKEN

    <h4>Chapter 49: MISTAKEN</h4>


    Hailee felt the chilly night wind blowing on her face, as she swung her body on the swing.


    She found this park near the bar and thought of waiting for Ian there. However, it seemed that the man had a hard time finding out where she was.


    Maybe Ian got lost? It shouldn''t take him so long to find Hailee.


    As far as that girl could remember, she hadn''t walked very far¡­ right? She didn''t even remember it correctly¡­ Hailee was too dizzy to think which direction she had taken.


    "Ian ... why haven''t you arrived yet?" Haileeined, she then stopped her swing and hugged herself, feeling cold. She should have taken her jacket before leaving earlier, but because of her mind that was too focused on getting away from the bar, Hailee didn''t even think about doing that. "I''m hungry ..."she groaned.


    Several times Hailee felt her cellphone vibrating, but she just ignored it, because she thought it must be Lexus who was calling her.


    However, this time, with the help of the chilly wind of the night, her tangled mind seemed to have unraveled a little so that Hailee could think a little clearer.


    It''s possible that it was Ian who was calling her.


    With that new thought, Hailee reached for the cell phone in her pocket and blinked her eyes to see clearly who the caller was.


    And sure enough, it was Ian. The man had tried to contact her more than ten times and had only got lucky this time as his recipient finally chose to answer his calls.


    "HAILEE!" Ian shouted impatiently when he heard Hailee''s voice greeting him with a ''Hello''.


    "Don''t scream, my head hurts!" Hailee eximed, holding her cellphone away from her ear and holding it just below her mouth like a walkie-talkie.


    "How can I not scream?!" eximed Ian no less annoyed. "I''ve been wandering around the area for an hour and didn''t find a park at all! Where exactly are you right now?!"


    Hailee frowned. "You really can''t be relied on! Can''t you find a garden this big!?" Hailee looked up at the surroundings of the garden and saw how vast this ce was. There''s no way Ian couldn''t find this ce, right? "Are you drunk?"


    "You''re drunk!" eximed Ian fiercely. He growled in annoyance. "Share your current location. I''ve called you hundreds of times since earlier!"


    "Alright, alright¡­" said Hailee, relenting. Then she disconnected the ongoing phone call.


    With a frowning forehead and blurry eyes, she tried to do what Ian asked, even though it was very difficult, because several times her finger slipped and pressed the wrong button.


    However, after several attempts, Hailee finally managed to send her location to Ian and was only about to put her cellphone back in her pocket when it vibrated again.


    Then, without seeing who the caller was, Hailee immediately put the phone to her ear while saying; "Come here quickly, I''m hungry."


    For a moment, there was no answer from the caller, until a voice which took Hailee by surprise and it was as if her slightly drunk brain had been electrocuted, which then forced herself to regain a little consciousness.


    "Okay, wait there."


    After saying that short sentence, the line was immediately hung up, leaving Hailee who was still dumbfounded in disbelief at what she had just heard.


    Impossible¡­


    But, could it be¡­?


    Timidly, Hailee lowered the cell phone from her ear and checked thest iing call.


    And as if having had a heart attack, Hailee fell to the dirty ground with a tense face.


    The one who called her just now was Ramon!


    Hailee thought the phone call just now was from Ian, therefore, she immediately picked it up without checking the iing number first.


    "Oh¡­" Hailee whimpered at her very unlucky fate this time. What would that man do if he found her? Not to mention Lexus. How will Hailee exin her departureter?


    ==============


    "Okay, wait there," said Ramon after he heard Hailee''s slightly grumbling voice. This girl was so drunk that she couldn''t even think straight. She must have mistaken him for Ian.


    "Bro, where are you going?" Lexus held Ramon''s hand just as he was about to leave after making a phone call.


    They just finished looking at the CCTV showing that Hailee wasn''t in the bar area anymore, but they didn''t know where the girl went either, after all she had been missing since two hours ago.


    "Whom were you calling earlier?" asked Lexus again nosily because Ramon didn''t answer his question and instead walked away. "Was it about Hailee? Did you find her? Where is she? I''lle with you, can you take me along?"


    Lexus didn''t stop his series of questions making Ramon stop walking and stare at him fiercely. "You. Go back home and stay there," Ramon ordered his brother who couldn''t stop talking.


    "But, I want to help find Hailee, should I mobilize more of our people to search for her?" bargained Lexus. He had a tendency to talk more when he was panicked.


    The truth was, there''s not much that could panic the always easy-going Lexus, but he''d be in a state of acute stress when ites to his older brother, Ramon.


    "No need, I''ve found her," replied Ramon who then walked out of the bar when two men opened the door for them.


    Not very far from them, a car was waiting for Ramon.


    "Is it true? How did you find her?" asked Lexus curiously.


    Of course Ramon can find Hailee easily because of the GPS installed on the cellphone that he provided to her. However, Ramon would not tell this to Lexus who couldn''t keep his mouth shut and run it amok at the first chance he was given.


    "Go home," said Ramon as he got into his car and mmed the door shut right in the face of Lexus, not allowing his younger brother toe with him.


    Upset? Of course.


    Want to get angry? Of course


    But Lexus wouldn''t dare.


    Therefore, Lexus could only stand in his ce, looking at the car ferrying Ramon away.


    "If you guys fight againter, I don''t want to get involved!" grumbled Lexus.


    ==============


    Ian looked at the location Hailee had given him and cursed in a low voice.


    "Hailee!" grumbled Ian.


    The man looked in disbelief at the screen of his cellphone which showed the location where the girl was.


    Based on the location of her cellphone, the park Hailee said was about an hour away. How could Hailee get there?


    She must have forgotten that she got on one of the public transportation or taxi and thought the park was only a few minutes away from the bar she was visiting.


    But, momentster, Ian''s cell phone rang. Hailee called him again.


    And before Ian could protest, Hailee''s panicked voice could be heard from across the line, making Ian extra alert.


    "Hurry up! Ramon ising here!"

 Chapter 50: RAMON IS HERE

    <h4>Chapter 50: RAMON IS HERE</h4>


    "Hurry up! Ramon ising here!" Hailee eximed frantically. Her voice sounded more conscious than before. Even so, when she stood up, her head still felt heavy and wobbled a little.


    "Ramon ising there?" came Ian''s confused voice from the other end of the line. "How does he know about your location?" he asked, confused.


    Ian didn''t stop the bike because he was heading to the location where Hailee had told him, so the sound Hailee heard was a little buzzing and noisy.


    Ian had to repeat his words several times before Hailee could really get the point.


    "I don''t know how he found out about this location¡­" answered Hailee who was thinking again. She then told her friend what actually had happened.


    In this small incident, Hailee did not share her location with Ramon, she just wrongly picked up a call which she thought was from Ian.


    So it shouldn''t have given away her whereabouts. There''s no way that man could find her location, right?


    Hailee tilted her head in confusion, and the more she thought about it, the more hazy her head became.


    Then, with a tired sigh, she sat herself down on a park bench and stared at the twinkling city lights in the distance.


    Being in the park felt so lonely as no one else was there but her, but somehow this was the kind of atmosphere Hailee liked.


    "He doesn''t know your location," Ian concluded. "Stay there and don''t wander about again!" ordered Ian in a louder voice, to ovee the roar of the cars and motorbikes that were speeding around him.


    "What if he finds me before you can?" Hailee asked a little stubbornly. She didn''t want to be found by Ramon. Not in this state and the man seemed to have found out her real identity, well, at least that was what Hailee suspected.


    "He won''t know," said Ian again. "You''re quite far from the bar you visited and I just wasted only very small amount of time to search before you shared your location, so there''s no way he, who doesn''t know where you are right now, can suddenly appear there."


    Hailee pouted and breathed her warm breath into the night air. "Okay ..."she said atst. "Hurry up, I''m waiting here."


    "Do not go anywhere." Ian warned the girl again before calling her name all of a sudden, "Hailee?"


    "Hm?" she muttered.


    "Don''t turn off your phone," said Ian. He wanted to make sure that the girl didn''t wander around and stay where she was supposed to be, also to make sure she was okay.


    "Okay," Hailee replied


    After that, there was no sound from the two of them, because they were busy with their own thoughts, but the telephone line was still running.


    Ian could hear Hailee''s voice humming with boredom, as well as her voicementing on the clear night sky or the city lights she saw.


    Ian also listened to Hailee nonsense chatter and also her grumbling about Ramon smashing the door of her room.


    Smashed one of the doors in his own house? Ian thought that was crazy.


    It could be just a drunk Hailee babbling or else, the man was really hard to predict.


    Because not only Hailee''s description of Ramon was totally out of sync with his portrayal in the public media, but also because his character seemedpletely at odds with what other people know.


    And also things would get moreplicated if what Hailee said was true, if Ramon had found out her true identity.


    But, how could that man not confront her head on? What was Ramon Tordoff really nning?


    "Ian!" shrieked Hailee in a muffled voice.


    "What''s wrong?!" asked Ian frantically who heard Hailee''s voice suddenly choked. "What happened there?!"


    Ian had driven his bike at full speed, but it still took him some time to get there.


    "Ramon is here!" this time Hailee''s voice was like a whisper. It seemed that she was hiding.


    "Impossible!" Ian hissed in panic. He saw the distance he had to travel and it indicated that he needed ten more minutes before he could reach his destination.


    "Maybe you are wrong!" Hailee hissed back.


    "Five minutes! I''ll be there in five minutes! " Ian didn''t know how Ramon had found Hailee so quickly, but it didn''t matter anymore.


    Five more minutes.


    Five more minutes and he''ll be there.


    However, it seemed that the five minutes Ian needed would not have any effect on a male figure who had gotten out of his car and could immediately see Hailee crouching down, trying to hide behind a park bench.


    Ramon couldn''t stop thinking, how could Hailee possibly assume that her location to hide would escape his sight?


    This girl is really troublesome!


    Ramon then walked quickly, leaving two of his bodyguards behind, not allowing them toe close, to prevent them from overhearing his conversation with Hailee.


    "What are you doing there?" asked Ramon in his slightly hoarse voice. He stood right in front of Hailee who was crouching down while whispering into the phone in her hand.


    Meanwhile, Hailee lifted her head slowly and found Ramon staring at her with a sharp gaze, as if he was ready to scold her right away.


    However, Ramon didn''t do anything in those likes. Instead, the man told her to stand up and while Hailee was still pensive, thinking what to say, and Ian was so loud asking her what was wrong over the phone, Ramon helped Hailee up.


    And at the same time, Ramon also grabbed Hailee''s cellphone very easily, where in Ian''s voice could still be heard.


    "Ah! Don''t!" Hailee eximed frantically, trying to reim her cellphone, but it only took one hand of Ramon to block all her intentions, while he pressed it to his own ear.


    Ramon listened for a moment to Ian''s still worried questioning words, before he finally answered. "You don''t have to worry about her anymore. Her future husband hase to pick her up, so you can return to the Arena to continue your fight and earn more money to treat your sister. "


    After saying this, Ramon disconnected the telephone line and threw away the cellphone after removing all phone numbers from the contacts first, especially his own number.


    Ramon knew! Ramon found out about Ian! He even found out that Ian was a fighter in the Arena as well as about his sick sister!


    Hailee''s mind went awry, she didn''t even dare to look at Ramon and bowed her head solemnly.


    "Do you have anything to say to me?" asked Ramon with his arms folded across his chest.


    "Hm," Hailee muttered while chewing her lips, before a sentence just slipped off. "Why did you throw it away? That cell phone is expensive you know. "


    "Of course I know, I bought it."

 Chapter 51: BEING LOCKED

    <h4>Chapter 51: BEING LOCKED</h4>


    "Of course I know, I bought it," replied Ramon, a little sarcastic, making Hailee even more ufortable. "There''s nothing else you want to say?" he asked.


    In front of this man, Hailee stood awkwardly, twisting the hem of her shirt with her head bowed. Just like a child being scolded foring homete at night after ying too much.


    "What else should I say?" Hailee asked in a voice so low which couldn''t even be categorized as muttering. "I ... walked outside for some fresh air ..."


    After saying that, Hailee really wanted to hit herself. Who would believe such a stupid excuse? And again, the one she was facing was Ramon Tordoff.


    "You think I''ll believe it?" asked Ramon irritably. Never before had a woman made him rush to approach her like this.


    "I hope you believe ..."Hailee muttered very quietly. It seemed, her hangover hadpletely disappeared because of Ramon''s arrival. It was really very effective. Much more effective than taking any medication. Hailee thought to herself.


    "Get in the car now," said Ramonmandingly.


    "Okay," Hailee agreed quickly and moved forward to retrieve the cellphone which was thrown away by Ramon, but the man held her arm, preventing her from picking it up again. "The cellphone is still good, why should you throw it away?"


    "Because I can," said Ramon in a final tone. He didn''t want to argue with Hailee anymore and it was already veryte, he didn''t want anyone else to capture this moment and mess up his ns. "Let us go home."


    "Ah, my cell phone¡­" Hailee groaned, feeling too bad to lose her cell phone. Not only that, she could see through her cellphone screen which was lit that Ian was calling her.


    Ramon ignored Hailee''sints and opened the car door immediately. "That''s my cell phone, which I gave you myself. So there is no need toin like that," said Ramon.


    He then ordered his driver to return to the Tordoff residence and ignored Hailee''s attempts altogether to get out of the car.


    "I''m hungry¡­ can''t we stop and eat something?" Hailee asked with a pained face.


    "No," said Ramon curtly and then closed his eyes.


    "What a cheapskate," Hailee grumbled so softly that only her lips moved without making any sound whatsoever. She then looked out the window with a look of despair.


    How troublesome to face this person ...


    ==============


    Ian arrived at the location Hailee told him to, but he didn''t find anyone there, after wandering around for a while, he found her cell phone lying on the ground.


    It was certain that Ramon had taken Hailee away, but what worried Ian was; what was that man going to do to her?


    "Hh¡­" Ian sighed heavily and scratched his head.


    From the brief conversation that took ce between himself and Ramon Tordoff, it seemed that the man had learned of Ian''s identity, as well as his circumstances, including the problem of his younger sister being cared for.


    "This guy is really scary," Ian muttered, putting Hailee''s cell phone in his pocket before walking back toward his motorbike.


    At this point, there was nothing Ian could do except hoping for Hailee to be all right. Ramon was well known for having a cold personality, but not a single article said that he was a sadistic figure right?


    He wouldn''t torture Hailee, right?


    ==============


    Maybe Ramon wouldn''t torture Hailee physically, but he did ''torment'' her mentally.


    "What do you mean I have to sleep here?!" roared Hailee when Ramon locked her and himself in his room. To make sure that she wouldn''t run away again.


    The scene where Ramon forced her into the room was embarrassing too.


    This man slung Hailee''s body over his shoulder, as if he were carrying a sack of rice and made Hailee have to see his strong back muscles under the shirt he was wearing.


    Ugh!


    Hailee was just a normal twenty year old girl, okay! So of course what Ramon did¡­ looked especially hot and sexy.


    However, what made Hailee not want to meet the people in this house again was because they saw her being carried.


    Almost all of Ramon''s servants and bodyguards saw the incident.


    Even Lexus was dumbly staring at Hailee and Ramon openly with his jaws wide open.


    "Your room is being repaired, so where do you think you''re going to sleep?" asked Ramon as he took off the shirt he was wearing and made Hailee lose focus for a moment.


    Shaking her head vigorously, Hailee tried to get back in to arguing with this annoying man once again.


    "You don''t have to lock me here! This house has more than two rooms right? There''s no way you don''t have a guest room," said Hailee as she threw herself onto the sofa and folded her arms, indicating that she was upset.


    Even though what actually happened was; she was struggling to shift her focus away from Ramon''s athletic body.


    On the other hand, Ramon was not unaware of this, on contrary he seemed to be enjoying it. Teasing Hailee seemed to be entertainment in itself.


    "You''re going to be the hostess of this house soon, why do you have to sleep in the guest room?" Ramon asked casually and took a towel.


    "Where''s the key to this room!" eximed Hailee. She didn''t want to argue with Ramon anymore, so it would be good if she just walked out.


    Leisurely, Ramon showed her his room key and put it in his pants pocket.


    Seeing this, Hailee''s forehead creased in disbelief. "Don''t tell me you''re going to take a shower with that key." Hailee''s voice was like a high pitched whisper.


    "If you want, you can take it yourself, I won''t lock the bathroom door," replied Ramon casually as he stepped inside.


    And just like what Ramon said, he really didn''t close the door at all.


    "You crazy man!" Hailee was feeling beyond annoyed.


    Of course Hailee wouldn''t go in and get that damn key herself.


    After Ramon finished bathing, it was Hailee''s turn to take a bath and because Ramon didn''t allow her toe out and didn''t give orders for someone to bring her clothes, Hailee took Ramon''s shirt and training pants to sleep.


    The man''s shirt and pants had to be rolled up several times to fit her size.


    "Then where will I sleep?" Hailee asked, staring at the empty space beside Ramon. "There''s no way I can sleep on the bed with you, right?"


    "Why not?" Ramon asked without taking his eyes off of theptop on hisp.


    Actually, Hailee was considering this. Ramon''s mattress was quiterge, so there was no way he would roll over to her side, right?


    However, Ramon''s next words discouraged Hailee greatly.


    "If you don''t want to, you can sleep on the sofa."

 Chapter 52: YOUR LIES

    <h4>Chapter 52: YOUR LIES</h4>


    "If you don''t want to, you can sleep on the sofa." Those are the words Ramon saidst night that really upset Hailee. By messing up the neatly arranged nkets in one of his cabs, Hailee finally decided to sleep on the sofa for real.


    Even Ramonughed at her behavior and said that she was behaving just like a sulking twelve year old girl.


    It sounded funny, but Hailee felt a sarcastic tone from the way he spoke. It seemed that this man was too good at using such words in his daily life.


    It sucks!


    Hailee felt tired and hungry, but Ramon didn''t believe her and let her sleep on an empty stomach.


    Ramon thought this was just a trick of Hailee and ignored her words that said she was starving.


    After all, Ramon had never noticed others needs or taken care of anyone around him before this.


    Not to mention the lingering effects of the alcohol she drank, Hailee really didn''t have the energy anymore to stay awake any longer as soon as her head hit the pillow and her body was wrapped in a nket that she arranged on the sofa.


    However, when Hailee woke up, she was on top of Ramon''s bed to her astonishment, but that man was nowhere to be found in the room.


    Looks like Ramon transferred her to the bed after Hailee fell fast asleep.


    Well, at least he was kind enough and gentlemanly not to actually allow a girl to sleep on the sofa.


    Hailee was stretching herself in the nket and was about to go back to sleep again when a worried face of Ian popped up in her mind.


    Instantly, Hailee''s eyes opened wide and the sleepiness disappeared, but because she was in such a hurry to get out of bed, her head felt dizzy and Hailee felt a pain in her stomach, which reminded her that she hadn''t eaten anything all day yesterday.


    Ignoring the pain she felt, Hailee rushed out of bed. She only hoped that Ramon wasn''t crazy enough to lock her in the room when he left for work.


    Luckily, Ramon wasn''t that crazy and Hailee found that the bedroom door could be easily opened.


    Barefoot, she left room before walking toward the kitchen. Hailee intended to eat some bread for her breakfast while trying to call Ian through the phone that was in Ramon''s study.


    "What does Miss Hailee want to do?" asked one of the maids whose name Hailee remembered as Denise. She was a middle-aged woman with shoulder-length curls and a little chubby body, but a friendly smile would always appear on her lips whenever Hailee met her.


    "No need, I''ll make it myself," Hailee replied, smiling back. "Just some bread."


    Hailee had been in this kitchen several times, so she knew quite well the location of the food she was looking for and the servants there have never bothered about her doing whatever she wanted since they found out that Hailee liked cooking and Ramon let this girl do whatever she wished.


    It didn''t take long for Hailee to make a simple bread filled with chocte toppings and a ss of hot milk, after which she immediately left without eating it first.


    Hailee nned to eat it in Ramon''s study, not wanting to waste a minute contacting Ian.


    She was worried about her friend as they didn''t get to meetst night, after all Ian hade all the way from city R district 18 to this ce, without being able to meet her would be a waste of all his efforts.


    However, there was one more detail that Hailee seemed to have forgotten; precisely that Ramon and Ian had briefly spoken over the cellphone which the man had now discarded.


    Therefore, Hailee forgot a little about the fact that Ramon already knew Ian''s real identity.


    With milk in her left hand and bread in her right, Hailee opened the door with her elbow and entered.


    Hailee then put the te of bread along with the ss of milk on Ramon''s desk and immediately grabbed the phone that was there.


    Luckily, she didn''t need her cell phone to find out Ian''s number, because it was all written in her head.


    Feeling pensive, Hailee turned around the table and sat in the chair Ramon used to sit with the receiver pressed on the side of her face.


    Hailee was listening to the dial tone while grabbing her milk, but before Ian could pick up her call and she could enjoy her drink, Hailee''s eyes caught the figure of Ramon standing beside the bookshelf.


    The man was watching her and didn''t make any sound.


    Hailee reflexively threw the receiver and the ss full of chocte milk she was holding in surprise. The brown liquid soaked Ramon''s desk and soaked several documents on it.


    "ARGH!"


    It wasn''t Hailee''s scream, but Ramon''s. He didn''t expect Hailee to destroy important documents on his desk.


    "What are you doing?!" he asked fiercely, walking briskly toward Hailee, like a soldier on call for duty.


    "I ... It is an ident ..." said Hailee stammering. Who would have thought that Ramon would still be at the house thiste? "You''re the one who surprised me, anyway," she tried to defend herself, even though she knew it was a futile effort.


    Hailee herself also knew that this was her fault to begin with and the documents she had corrupted seemed very important. ....


    "Why are you suddenly here?" asked Hailee with a grimace.


    "Why?" Ramon asked as he crossed his arms, and now there was only a table that became the distance between the two of them. "You don''t like seeing me here?"


    "Shouldn''t you be at the office?" Hailee asked, immediately getting up from her seat before using the chair as a shield, in case Ramon intended to pounce on her for messing up his desk. "Did you skip work?"


    "Skipping work?" Ramon didn''t expect that someone would use him like this. Those were the most ridiculous words he had ever heard. "Don''t you know it''s Sunday? You think I''m a robot that works every day?" eximed Ramon irritably. He was still trying to hold back his emotions but it seemed really hard to face this girl with a cool head.


    "Oh," Hailee just made that shortment. She hadpletely forgotten what day it was.


    "Now tell me, who are you trying to call?" asked Ramon.


    "No one," Hailee replied while shaking her head.


    However, Ramon''s dark eyes stared at Hailee, as if he could see the lies behind her pale face. "Are you trying to call Ian Schamber? Who is he? Your secret boyfriend?" Ramon asked matter-of-factly.


    "What? Of course not, he''s just a friend!" shrieked Hailee. Boyfriend? Oh, please¡­


    "Then sit down, it looks like we have a lot to talk about," said Ramon. "Especially about your lies."

 Chapter 53: YOU DONT HAVE ANY ABNORMALITIES, RIGHT?

    <h4>Chapter 53: YOU DON''T HAVE ANY ABNORMALITIES, RIGHT?</h4>


    Hailee felt that her heart was about to jump out of her chest when she heard what Ramon said. How could he say something like that...


    Sure enough, Hailee''s guess was correct. This man already knew all her lies!


    Then what will she do now? Escape? That is practically impossible.


    However, instinctively, Hailee nced at the door, while thinking of a way to escape this ce. It was her survival instinct. Who knew what Ramon would do after he exposed all her lies?


    It was possible that Ramon Tordoff would be more brutal than Rnd Dimatrio, the perverted district attorney who was still alive.


    Half of her mind was relieved that he was still alive, which meant that Hailee couldn''t be prosecuted for a murder, but the other half felt sorry that she did not confirm that the old man was dead. People with personalities like himself and who hold high power in society would only be a scourge.


    Hailee continued cursing silently and nced at the half-open door. If she ran now, would Ramon be able to catch her?


    It''s just that, before her mind could wander any further, she felt a gentle blow to her head, which shattered all her reverie.


    "What are you thinking?" asked Ramon with a t face and as if he could read what was in Hailee''s mind, he calmly walked toward the door, locked it, took out the key and put it in his trouser pocket. "Are you thinking of running away? Please, go ahead¡­"


    Ramon walked over to the single sofa near the bookshelves on the left side of the room and sat there, before fixing his eyes on Hailee.


    "Do you have a tendency to lock up other people?" Hailee grumbled, this was the second time Ramon had locked the two of them in one room.


    Ignoring Hailee''sints, Ramon nodded to the empty seat opposite him and said in a voice that sounded very patient. "Sit down. You will get tired of standing there, our conversation will be very long."


    Hailee waspletely out of options now. She could neither escape nor avoid Ramon, who now demanded honesty from her.


    "What do you want to talk about?" Hailee asked, still refusing to sit near Ramon. She stood with her back to Ramon''s desk and showed a defensive stance by folding her arms across her chest.


    "Why don''t you just tell me first?" asked Ramon, his eyes fixed on Hailee now, as if to say; There''s no need to string another lie, because I already know it all.


    Getting such a gaze, Hailee shifted restlessly and tried to avoid Ramon''s eyes.


    For a moment, the silence between the two of them felt so torturous for Hailee who could only stare at the tips of her toes with her face down, like a child caught red-handed doing mischievous things.


    "¡­Sorry," Hailee whispered, but her voice was too low for Ramon to hear.


    "I didn''t hear what you said." Ramon tilted his head and leaned back in a rxed manner. It''s only a matter of time until this man got what he wanted, especially when he was holding Hailee''s death card.


    "I''m sorry," said Hailee, this time her voice was much louder and she lifted her head.


    There were various kinds of feelings implied in her beautiful eyes. There was doubt, fear and also anxiety.


    This girl was thinking too many things at the same time.


    "Sit down," said Ramon, once again he nodded his head at the empty sofa opposite him.


    And this time, Haileeplied. She walked slowly over to Ramon and sat down on the sofa that the man had shown her earlier.


    There was no point in dodging, let alone lying again, because Hailee was sure Ramon would find out easily and she didn''t want to make this man even more angry with her.


    Therefore, Hailee decided to do whatever she needed to convince Ramon to show a little generosity and forgive her, without prolonging the matter.


    Even if Ramon was going to throw her out right now, Hailee would happily walk away, but it seemed, from the look on Ramon''s face, this matter wouldn''t end that easily.


    "What did you say earlier?" asked Ramon again, wanting to rify Hailee''s apology.


    Maybe under normal circumstances, Hailee could see the glint in Ramon''s eyes that showed an interest in Hailee''s awry condition, but right now the girl wouldn''t be calcting with a word ''sorry''.


    "I''m sorry, I lied." Hailee would say that sentence a thousand times if it really made Ramon feel better and didn''t make things difficult for her. "But, how do you know? Has your memory returned?" Hailee asked carefully. Her curiosity made her daring enough to ask.


    "No, I haven''t got my memory back yet," replied Ramon. However, that did not resolve Hailee''s curiosity. "You think with your bad acting, you can lie to me? Girlfriend for two years?" Ramon raised his eyebrows. "Your attitude towards me further shows that you didn''t even know me before."


    Hailee bit her tongue when she heard that. What else could she do? How could Hailee be affectionate with someone she just met? It must have been this awkward attitude that made Ramon suspicious.


    "I didn''t mean to lie to you¡­" Hailee lowered her head solemnly as she spoke and tried to exin her condition. "I was really in a difficult position at that time... I didn''t lie to you when I said my parents were gone, I just lost my parents in a robbery attempt..."


    Ramon already knew about it, but he was quite surprised when Hailee didn''t seem to have any suspicions about the bizarre robbery incident.


    "I know," interrupted Ramon when he saw Hailee on the verge of sobbing, as if she was about to start crying. He wasn''t Lexus, who knew what to do with a crying woman or knew how to coax her, so he cut off Hailee''s words before he got too emotional.


    Ramon chose not to be too emotionally attached to anyone.


    "I also know about what happened between you and District Attorney Rnd Dimatrio," said Ramon in a calm tone.


    "You know?" Hailee raised her head and looked at Ramon, her sorrow immediately reced by a shocked expression. "Ramon¡­ I really don''t have anything to do with Rnd Dimatrio, how can I possibly want a man who is the same age as my father and has children and a wife? That is all¡­"


    "¡­Aileen''s deeds," Ramon finished her sentence. "Aileen who set you up so that she can make you toe to the hotel."


    This time Hailee covered her mouth to prevent a loud scream from escaping her lips. "You know all that?!" shrieked Hailee under her breath, her eyes wide in disbelief.


    Hailee was going to tell the truth about what happened to her, but she was a little pessimistic that Ramon would believe her and was afraid that Ramon would thought she was just making excuses and stringing new lies.


    But, if Ramon already knew all that ...


    Suddenly a glimmer of hope appeared in Hailee''s heart, for some reason she felt so happy because this man was so smart and not easy to lie.


    Excited, Hailee stood up from her chair and sat down on the table right in front of Ramon and this time, it was Ramon who looked a little surprised at the change in Hailee''s attitude.


    Howe, this girl looked so frail and pitiful a moment ago, but then looked like a convict who was given a parole the next second?


    "If you already know, then you won''t me me, right? You must understand why I''m spouting all these lies. I also have no ill will towards your family and I constantly rejected our marriage." But then Hailee seemed to have remembered something. "But, if you already know why are you actually announcing our marriage in public?"


    It was just yesterday, there was no way Ramon could gather all this information in just a few hours. He must have known long before the press conference took ce, but why?


    "Because I intend to marry you," Ramon replied straight to the point.


    "What? But¡­ "Hailee looked confused.


    "On conditions," said Ramon again.


    "Conditions?" Hailee was ready to agree to whatever conditions the man gave her.


    Not imprisoned and forgiven for her wrongdoings for lying and, if she heard it correctly, Ramon was willing to marry her, then Hailee had no reason to refuse!


    Wasn''t this a million times better than her previous choices?


    "Yes, I want you to sign the terms I propose," said Ramon as he stood up and took a document in one of his work drawers and handed the document and a pen to Hailee. "Sign this."


    "What is this?" Hailee asked suspiciously looking at the rather thick document Ramon handed her.


    "Just sign it," said Ramon as he sat back down opposite Hailee. The distance between them was so close that their knees touched each other''s.


    "I''ll read it first," Hailee said, but Ramon prevented her from doing so.


    "Sign this first and you can read itter," replied Ramon in a firmer voice.


    "That''s called ckmailing, I can report you for forcing me to sign documents I don''t know," Hailee said, squinting.


    "And I can sue you for fraud," replied Ramon, which left Hailee unable to retort.


    "You''re not going to put me in prison, are you?" Hailee asked worriedly.


    "No," replied Ramon immediately.


    "Are you going to make me a servant?"


    "I already have a lot, no need for you."


    Hailee then inclined her head and said, half whispering. "You don''t have a sex disorder, do you? Like Christian in fifty shades of gray...."


    Ramon almost let out a curse when he heard that.


    What was going on in this girl''s brain to get that thought?!

 Chapter 54: BEING USED

    <h4>Chapter 54: BEING USED</h4>


    "You wish this was such a contract?" asked Ramon, raising an eyebrow. "I can make another contract if you really want to. After all, sex life is important in a marriage." Ramon shrugged his shoulders nonchntly.


    Hearing those bold words, Hailee was sure that her face, ears and neck were turning red. How could he possibly say such things so casually?


    But, wait a minute¡­ if they really were getting married, it couldn''t be avoided right?


    On the other hand, Ramon enjoyed what he saw; Hailee''s face that was flushed like an apple looked attractive to his eyes.


    Until she said some nonsense again!!!


    "How about we make a marriage agreement. Just a marriage contract." Hailee made a suggestion, but her cute smile only made Ramon frown.


    The man then leaned over and pinched Hailee''s chin for this girl to look at him when he asked. "Where did you get an idea like that?"


    "From the books I read," Hailee replied honestly. "In a situation like this, when two people who didn''t like each other are required to get married, then they will make a marriage contract. We will be together for a period of time without making physical contact. "


    "Then stop reading those kinds of books," said Ramon in a cold tone and let go of Hailee''s chin before he leaned back on the back of the sofa again. "And I disagree with the ''no contact'' and divorce sections."


    Hailee bit her lip in exasperation. How could Ramon say such things so calmly? However, what made Hailee even more ufortable was that she had to restrain herself from smiling. It sucked.


    "Sign it," Ramon said impatiently, nodding at the document on Hailee''sp. "After that you will know what the contents of this agreement are."


    "What if this agreement doesn''t benefit me?" Hailee asked. Even so, she firmly believed that at the end of the day, she would end up signing whatever documents Ramon gave her.


    "Hailee, you are not in a position to bid," Ramon said, confirming what Hailee should already know. "And besides, I will not make a pact that will make you lose without giving you any benefit, because in the end, we will get married and you will be my wife."


    In other words, Ramon would not possibly embarrass Hailee or make her look bad, because that would be tarnishing his own image.


    Even though in truth, Ramon couldn''t be said not to make Hailee lose money, because after all, it''s her familypany that Ramon wanted to take over.


    "What if I refuse?" Hailee asked, looking at Ramon with provocative eyes. This girl was really testing the patience of the man in front of her.


    Ramon smiled very sweetly, but also looked dangerous. "Your only options are; marry me or I can throw you in jail on charges of fraud."


    Hearing that, Hailee pursed her lips, pouting. "So there''s no prison, no kinky sex and no divorce?" she made sure.


    "Hm," murmured Ramon. "Listen," said Ramon as he leaned forward invading Hailee''s personal space. "Do you think your parents'' death was just an ordinary robbery attempt? And you being trapped in the hotel with Rnd Dimatrio was an ident?"


    Ramon hoped that his future wife would not be too naive by answering ''yes'' to his questions. At the very least, Hailee should be suspicious of the disaster that befell her family and should not take it lightly.


    "Of course not," muttered Hailee.


    Obviously Hailee felt something was off about all of this, but she didn''t have the power or influence to figure out what was really going on, not to mention that her life these past few weeks was like a roller coaster, so she didn''t know what to prioritize. .


    "Good," said Ramon, nodding in satisfaction that Hailee wasn''t that innocent. "Because I''m investigating about it." Ramon admitted what he was doing.


    Although the investigation that he was currently doing was not meant to help Hailee, but to gain his own benefit, of course it would help Hailee to reveal the truth.


    Putting it that way, it sounded fair to both Ramon and Hailee. This was mutually beneficial to both of them.


    On the other hand, Hailee was quite surprised that Ramon had bothered himself to help her. "Is it true?"


    "Of course," replied Ramon honestly.


    With a heavy sigh, Hailee then relented. "Where do I sign?" she asked, half muttering.


    And then, Hailee spent the next two minutes signing the document on every page that had a stamp. It seemed that whatever the conditions which were included in this letter were very serious.


    Hailee was starting to wonder if she had made the right decision.


    "Now I can read it, right?" Hailee asked when she finished signing thest column.


    "Yes," replied Ramon, but he took the document on Hailee''sp which she had finished signing and walked over to his safe and secured it there, before he took another document and gave it to Hailee again. "This is a copy of the document from earlier. You can ask if anything is not clear to you."


    Ramon handed over a copy of the document and allowed her to read it while he got busy on hisptop again.


    Before Hailee started reading, she was sneering at this man silently; Ramon said that today he was off and he was not a robot who worked all day long, but why was he still working on weekends?


    However, Hailee found herself indifferent to that fact and chose to study the documents in her hand.


    The more she read the document, the more her eyes widened when she saw the points listed there.


    "You will take over my familypany after we get married? And I will just leave it to you because I am your wife?" At least, that was the summary Hailee caught after reading the pages of the documents over and over again.


    "Yes," replied Ramon curtly.


    Hailee muttered something incoherent and Ramon only gave her a quick nce. The girl was reading the next bullet point.


    "Hey, what do you mean by this?" Hailee asked, her brows furrowed as she read something there.


    "What?" asked Ramon.


    "Does it say that I can gain ess to some of the Tordoff family properties? And I have to behave properly as your wife?" Hailee tried to summarize what she read in her own understanding.


    "Of course, as my wife I will not limit your movements, you will get a house in the elite area of ??city A and some properties," Ramon exined.


    "Apany for a house and several properties," Hailee nced at Ramon. "I guess that''s fair enough," she said sarcastically.


    However, Ramon ignored herments and continued his exnation.


    "You are also required to behave like my wife, especially in public ces and public events that we will attend, whether you like it or not," said Ramon.


    Hailee thought about this for a moment. Act like Ramon''s wife? Looked like it''s not a difficult thing to do¡­ especially after the problems between them have cleared up and Hailee didn''t need to lie anymore. She thought that she could y the role of wife quite well.


    "Looks like I can do well," said Hailee, as a cute smile spread across her face. "You will help me find the truth behind the death of my parents?"


    After reading the documents to thest word, Hailee put them down and focused all her attention on Ramon now, she even bravely pushed aside theptop that was on the man''sp so they could talk more seriously and Ramon''s focus wouldn''t be divided.


    "Yes," replied Ramon honestly. It was one of his ns to pave an easy way for himself to take over what should be the right of Hailee, his future wife.


    "And I''m free to do whatever I want?" Hailee asked again. "Even using the Tordoff family name?"


    "Only in that situation where you won''t embarrass the family name," replied Ramon again. After all, Hailee would be a part of this family and Ramon didn''t n to keep her from doing whatever she wanted to do.


    However, Ramon''s feelings grew ufortable as Hailee''s smile grew wider. What was this girl nning now?


    "Then, you don''t mind if I invite my family to our wedding?" Hailee asked. "After all you have announced this marriage to the public, it will be a problem if my family does not know or attend this wedding."


    "You''re free to do it." Ramon nodded.


    "What about my problem with Rnd Dimatrio?" Hailee asked timidly.


    "You didn''t kill him, he won''t talk and I''ll take care of it," replied Ramon and this time Hailee jumped to her feet and sat on the armrest of the sofa Ramon was sitting on. "You don''t seem to mind me taking over your family''spany at all?" he asked suspiciously.


    "Why should I object?" Hailee looked at Ramon in confusion. They sat so close that Ramon could smell the girl''s scent. "I don''t really know how to run apany and I get you as my life partner and all my problems disappear in an instant!" Hailee said cheerfully.


    Meanwhile Ramon narrowed his eyes. The original reason why Ramon didn''t let Hailee see the contents of the document was because he didn''t want Hailee to reject his proposal to take over the familypany, but looking at this girl''s reaction now, it seemed like all of Ramon''s previous concerns were unnecessary.


    "Getting you as a husband is a jackpot!" eximed Hailee.


    The frown on Ramon''s forehead deepened when he heard that. "Jackpot?"


    "And again which woman does not want to marry you." Hailee then red at Ramon. "I''ve signed the agreement, so you can''t take back your words. No divorce! Okay, so when are you going to visit my family? Aileen will pass out when she sees you!" said Hailee with a grin.


    At this point, for some reason, Ramon felt that he was the one being used by this girl.

 Chapter 55: KISS AND MAKE UP

    <h4>Chapter 55: KISS AND MAKE UP</h4>


    Hailee was observing on sidelines, as three people were busy working to install the door to her room that had been broken by Ramon, while calling Ian and telling him what had happened a few hours ago between her and Ramon.


    Telling her friend not to worry and everything would be fine.


    Ramon had bought her another new cell phone of the same type he threw away yesterday in the park.


    Coming to think of it, it was a waste, right? Just because he was annoyed, he threw away the cell phone, which Hailee had only been using for one day and now he had bought her the exact same thing.


    Then every time Ramon got upset, he would throw something away? Hailee wondered. Since they were getting married, it might be good if she started to find out what Ramon likes or dislikes, after all they would spend their whole life together, since Ramon said there would be no divorce between them.


    Except if something happened where they were unable to continue their rtionship; for example an extramarital affair.


    Ramon stated this clearly and Hailee knew ''who'' he meant. However, Ian was her best friend, so she couldn''t just walk away from him without telling him anything.


    "... but, is it okay if you let him take control of your family''spany?" asked Ian in a slightly worried tone. "After all it''s a legacy from your parents, Lee."


    Hailee let out a heavy sigh before she answered. "Even if I get thepany, I won''t be able to manage it. I never intended to take over that business even when my parents were still there¡­ can you imagine what would happenter if I was the one who took the decision there? "


    Silence engulfed the conversation, as Ian fell into contemtion, "... I think it''s better if you just let your future husband manage it," said Ian in the end.


    Hearing her best friend''s answer, Haileeughed out loud, but herughter didn''tst long when she felt someone taking her cellphone from her hand.


    Hailee was just about to protest when she turned to find Ramon standing beside her.


    Since when was he standing there? Why didn''t I realize it?


    Immediately, Hailee swallowed her protest again and put on a cute smile while giving him an innocent look, because she knew that Ramon was going to startining about her phone call with Ian.


    With a cold face, Ramon pressed the cellphone to his ear and a male voice he already recognized could be heard from across the line.


    "Didn''t I tell you that you can''t call this man again?" Ramon said after he turned off the line. "Do I need to throw away your cellphone again?"


    "After throwing it away, are you going to buy me a new cellphone again?" Hailee asked with a grin. "I''ll be happy if you can give me a white one, I like white," she teased.


    However, it seemed that Ramon was not in the mood to respond to Hailee''s joke, because after hearing that, he simply turned around and prepared to leave with the girl''s cellphone.


    "Hey, are you angry?" Hailee asked as she followed Ramon and tried to keep up with his steps. "Ian and I have been friends for a long time, even when I was in a tight situation after being framed by Aileen, he was the only one I could trust and rely on."


    "Only one you can rely on?" Ramon narrowed his eyes at the girl who was half running to keep up with his steps.


    "Yeah, he was the first person I contacted when I didn''t know where to go that night," Hailee told Ramon honestly and it felt good and relieving because she could speak this freely. Lying was excruciating.


    The evening sun peeked into the house through therge ss they passed, as the two of them were about to descend the stairs.


    "Then where did you live then?" asked Ramon in a voice that showed no emotion at all.


    "At his house," Hailee replied immediately, but as soon as those words escaped her lips and Ramon had stopped walking and red at her, Hailee immediately realized what was wrong. "No, no, no. It''s not like what you are imagining!" Hailee waved her hand in panic.


    "You spent the night at the house of a man who lives alone?" asked Ramon in a cold voice. Of course he knew about this information.


    "Nothing happened between me and Ian!" Hailee said hastily. "He''s like a brother to me! Even if he''s naked in front of me, I won''t feel anything! "


    "So had he been naked in front of you?" Ramon asked, walking over and cornering Hailee against the wall.


    "Of course not," Hailee replied immediately.


    "So you want him naked in front of you?" asked Ramon again.


    "Ramon!" Hailee shrieked, now feeling annoyed by this senseless usation. Hailee never saw her rtionship with Ian that way.


    "Listen Hailee," Ramon was now literally squeezing her against the wall so that the girl had to face the man''s chest which was broad due to the difference in height between them, but then Ramon lifted her chin so that their eyes could meet.


    "Yes?" Hailee asked, feeling drunk by this man''s scent.


    Ugh! Why was it so hard to take her eyes off this man?


    "I don''t care what your rtionship with Ian is, or your romantic rtionship with your previous lovers, including your fianc¨¦, Theodor Gevano." Ramon had already found out about this information and, oddly enough, Hailee didn''t feel surprised at all. "But I won''t tolerate it if you have a scandal with any man."


    "If I marry a man like you, why should I nce at other men?" Hailee asked with a confused face, as if she didn''t understand why she should have a reason to be attracted to other men.


    At Hailee''s words, Ramon narrowed his eyes. This girl sure knew the right words to say.


    And now, it''s Hailee''s turn to make inquiries. "Then, how about you?" Hailee wrapped her arms around Ramon''s waist and looked at him bravely. "What kind of wife do you like?"


    Ramon looked at Hailee intensely, but didn''t answer her question. He wanted to see how far this girl would go.


    "An innocent wife?" Hailee tilted her head and looked at him with a cute smile. "The sexy one?" This time Hailee blinked her eyes flirtatiously.


    However, before Hailee could continue with her list, a voice caught her by surprise.


    "Hey! The sun is still shining, what are you doing in the corridor?!" Lexus eximed, ruining the atmosphere. "If you guys have made up and want to do that, your room is only five meters away," Lexus grumbled.


    "What an atmosphere destroyer," Hailee snapped exasperated as she folded her arms across her chest.

 Chapter 56: BRING HELL TO THEM

    <h4>Chapter 56: BRING HELL TO THEM</h4>


    "What are you going to do with that district attorney?" Hailee whispered as they were in the speeding car to take Ramon for his routine check-ups, to follow up on his health progress during these few days after his surgery, namely a post-surgery check-up and also to monitor for amnesia he was experiencing.


    Ramon nced at the girl beside him, after yesterday''s incident where Ramon confronted Hailee to be honest and half-forced her will to sign the documents he had prepared, Hailee seemed morefortable and free to be around him.


    "Nothing," Ramon replied curtly and made Hailee crease her forehead in confusion.


    "Why nothing? You said you would handle it," Hailee was still whispering as she spoke to Ramon, her body so close that he could smell the perfume this girl was wearing.


    Ramon knew he should answer Hailee''s questions, because this girl would pester him until she got the full answer she wanted.


    "He wouldn''t dare to say anything about that night, but if he intends to do something stupid by spreading the news, I will handle it head on." In other words, as long as Rnd Dimatrio didn''t bother him, then Ramon wouldn''t take any action, because this man''s goal was the Tatum family''spany and not the district attorney.


    "Deal with it in person?" Hailee repeated Ramon''s words, a mischievous smile on her lips. "I like hearing it. You look sexy when you say that."


    Just as Ramon turned his gaze toward Hailee, the girl nced at him, which made Ramon roll his eyes dramatically. He simply couldn''t understand what was going around in this girl''s brain or how her thoughts wrap around the issues she pondered about.


    However, the thought that he would spend a long time with her and keep wondering what kind of absurd things Hailee would do or say, seemed quite interesting and Ramon didn''t hate it.


    "Other people who heard you will think you''re crazy about me," said Ramon, ignoring the fact that Hailee was still leaning so close to him even though there was enough space in the car for them not to huddle together like this.


    Hailee clicked her tongue. "That means they were observing well," she replied indifferently.


    However, Hailee immediately moved away when Ramon looked up at her fiercely, the girl chuckled when she saw Ramon''s expression that seemed to say that Hailee had interrupted his work.


    "Why?" asked Ramon suddenly.


    "Why what?" Hailee turned her attention from the fairly congested highway toward the man beside her who nodded at her stomach. "It''s okay, my stomach just hurts a little, a slight cramp," said Hailee as she lowered her hand.


    Hailee rubbed her stomach which was a little hurt without she realizing it herself. Because of what happened yesterday, Hailee skipped breakfast and waste for lunch. That night, Hailee didn''t eat properly, too excited about this unexpected progress.


    Besides, Ramon didn''t want to be disturbed and Hailee was toozy to have dinner alone, while Lexus immediately ran away after catching her and Ramon on the stairs, saying things like; the two of them shouldn''t be doing that in public and something about being single.


    Hailee could onlyugh cheekily while Ramon, as usual, didn''t show any emotion.


    "When are you going to visit your family?" Ramon asked again when he saw that Hailee was not concerned about her difort. For this visit, Ramon had to rearrange his schedule and of course, he really wanted to learn what the Tatum family was like.


    "If our wedding is on Saturday next week, I want to visit them a week before, at least they will be home on the weekend," Hailee said thoughtfully, she had thought about this before. "But, I have to make a phone call in advance to notify them of our arrival."


    Ramon listened to her. "Tell Danny after you''ve confirmed it."


    Hailee nodded, but then she nced at Ramon and drew closer to the man again, it seemed like this girl wasn''t awkward around him now.


    "Hey, I didn''t expect that you would actually do this for me," said Hailee with a frown.


    "Do what?" Ramon nced at Hailee''s face who was staring at him and then removed hisptop from hisp before he focused all his attention on Hailee.


    "Agreeing to visit my family," Hailee replied.


    "Of course I''m not doing this for you, but to get to know them better and make my ns easier." One must know the enemy and the terrain they must face when they enter a battle.


    And Ramon had a hunch that this would be a battle for thepany in the future. They wouldn''t just leave thepany into the hands of a stranger who suddenly came and introduced himself as Hailee''s future husband.


    However, Ramon would not make a fuss because it was all worth it.


    "ns to take over my family''spany?" Hailee said sarcastically.


    "Taking over thepany of my future wife," corrected Ramon.


    "It doesn''t make any difference," said Hailee, curling her lips. "And I told you, didn''t I? I don''t know it before, but your words make me think again about the death of my parents. "


    It never urred to Hailee that the death of her parents had an element of intention and that her extended family was involved in it.


    But, after what happened to her and how Aileen''s attitude changed one hundred and eighty degrees and even more so after Hailee found out that thepany was now managed by Aileen and her father''s younger brother, Hailee started to feel something was wrong.


    "What if what you suspect is true?" Hailee asked in a voice like someone who was muttering and talking to himself. "That the robbery is not an ordinary robbery."


    Ramon shifted his body so he could gaze intently at Hailee. "What would you do if it was true?"


    What will Hailee do?


    Hailee never came to that thought, but if that''s all true ...


    "I will not forgive them," replied Hailee simply who got a snort from Ramon. "What?" Hailee asked, frowning, not understanding the response she was getting from Ramon.


    "You think by not forgiving them, they will care?" asked Ramon in a condescending voice at the answer Hailee chose.


    "Then, how about you?" Hailee asked Ramon. "What would you do if you were in my position?"


    "Show them how terrible revenge is." Ramon shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "I am not a saint and an easily forgiving person."


    Hailee felt the pain in her stomach return when she heard Ramon''s words. She was grateful she wasn''t this man''s enemy.

 Chapter 57: CHECK UP

    <h4>Chapter 57: CHECK UP</h4>


    Actually Hailee didn''t need to apany Ramon to the hospital like this, it''s just that this morning Ramon''s mother, Lis, came and asked her to go out with her.


    Hailee thought that Lis would take her to take care of all matters regarding their marriage, but who would have thought that Lis would actually take Hailee to Ramon''s office and ask her to apany her son to the hospital.


    At first, Ramon refused and intended to ignore his routine check-up schedule, because he felt he was much better, but with Lis''s insistence and because Hailee had already arrived, Ramon couldn''t help but postpone his work andply with his mother''s request.


    From the small debate between the mother and son duo, Hailee could see where Ramon got his stubbornness from.


    And watching how Lis won, felt like watching a chess match. Not very talkative, but there was a strategy in every single word that she spoke.


    Just seeing the two of them like that was tiring enough for Hailee. It was not a surprise, Ramon almost always won in their arguments.


    "I want to ask you something," Hailee said hesitantly, but when she looked at the hospital building that was not far away, it didn''t seem like the right time to discuss this. "Ah no. Next time."


    If there was one thing that could make Ramon feel irritated, it was when someone wanted to say something, but then they canceled it and made him ask around.


    It should be that if Hailee really didn''t intend to ask, she wouldn''t have to say anything at all.


    "What?" asked Ramon with a frown.


    "Later," said Hailee, but from her expression Ramon understood that the thing she didn''t get to ask was bothering this girl.


    Ramon didn''t say anything after Hailee stopped asking, but he put his big hand on Hailee''s thigh and didn''t move it even though Hailee tried to brush it off.


    "What are you doing? I''m notfortable." Hailee frowned because Ramon''s hand touched her intimately, especially when they weren''t alone in the car.


    "That''s how I feel now, ufortable." Ramon made Hailee feel the same way as him.


    On the other hand, after hearing that answer, Hailee didn''t know whether tough or cry. Instead of saying the point, Ramon pointed it out head-on.


    "So, what you wanted to ask?" Ramon said while removing his hand from Hailee''s thigh. It seemed that this girl was not used to this kind of intimate touch, at least Ramon now know one more thing about Hailee, proving the reports that Danny gathered about her were true.


    Hailee was not the type of woman like Aileen, her adopted sister.


    "I''m just curious," Hailee said as their car turned and entered the hospital grounds. "You have a real lover with whom you have been together for two years, what if she suddenly appears?"


    Ramon was reminded of what he got to know from digging about who his real lover was and until now, he still couldn''t figure out why he had an affair with Giana Smith.


    For his point of view now, that didn''t make any sense.


    "She wille, but she will not do anything silly at the wedding," replied Ramon. Giana''s status itself was a major barrier why she couldn''t see Ramon while he was still in the hospital or after.


    "How can you be so sure?" but then Hailee realized something much more important. "You already know who your lover is?" Hailee asked in a sharp whisper, not wanting their driver to hear this conversation. Who knew, from whose mouth this secret conversation could reach Lis''s ears?


    "Of course," replied Ramon curtly. "I won''t tell you, so stop asking this question." He added quickly, knowing what Hailee would ask next.


    "Stingy," Hailee grumbled, leaning back against the soft back of the chair. It turned out that the conversation about this secret lover of his had ended just like that, not even five minutes from the time Hailee started it.


    "You just wait here," said Ramon who then dropped Hailee off at the cafeteria near the hospital. This was the same cafeteria, the one Hailee entered together with Lis the other day when Ramon was still lying unconscious as a result of the ident. "I won''t be long."


    "Okay," Hailee replied, linking her index finger and thumb while spreading out the other three fingers, making an okay gesture with her right hand.


    The two of them actually didn''t really care about each other, at least, not to the point of being lovers.


    Just because the problem between them was cleared and all the lies had been exposed which helped Hailee''s rtionship with Ramon get better, it didn''t mean they were really a lover.


    That being said, they were in a state of conforming to one another. The only thing that held them together was; both of them were mutually beneficial to each other.


    Needless to say, this all sounded reallyplicated.


    "Hailee," called Ramon before the girl closed the door.


    "Yes?" Hearing Ramon call her, Hailee lowered her head. "What''s wrong?"


    "Don''t you try to call that man," warned Ramon.


    "That man?" Hailee was confused for a moment, but then understood who Ramon meant. "Oh, you mean Ian?"


    "Whatever his name is," said Ramon.


    "Why? You are jealous?" Hailee teased with a chuckle when she saw Ramon showing an expression as if Hailee had said the most absurd thing he had ever heard.


    "Just stop calling him." Ramon ignored Hailee''s words.


    "I''ll stop calling him if you dare to admit that you''re jealous!" Hailee said in a cheerful voice and immediately closed the car door before Ramon could say anything and ran toward the cafeteria.


    Hailee only stopped when she was in front of the cashier, in one of the cafes. She turned to find Ramon''s car speeding away toward the hospital entrance.


    "There''s no way he would say something like that," Hailee said quietly to herself with a chuckle.


    ==============


    Three hours have passed and Hailee had finished drinking three different drinks, now her stomach hurt even more because she hadn''t eaten anything.


    Hailee thought Ramon would be finished by lunch time, but he was taking so long.


    Since this was the first routine check-up, Hailee couldn''t predict when Ramon would finish, nor could she contact him. It looked like Ramon turned off his cellphone.


    Initially, Hailee had intended to start lunch without waiting for Ramon, but someone suddenly sat opposite her and Hailee''s heart almost stopped when she saw who the man was.

 Chapter 58: DISSAPEAR AGAIN

    <h4>Chapter 58: DISSAPEAR AGAIN</h4>


    "What are you doing here?" Hailee looked at the man in front of her with a very cold gaze.


    The man sitting opposite her was Alex, Rnd''s bodyguard, the one who had been looking for her and only now had the opportunity to talk to Hailee without Ramon''s interference.


    It was very difficult to find Hailee alone like this, especially when she was so rarely out of the Tordoffs''.


    "Miss Hailee bettere with me, there''s no need for a fuss here," said Alex in a very formal tone.


    Hailee still remembered clearly this man''s voice. How could she not, he was an aplice who was guarding the hotel room where Rnd Dimatrio intended to do the unimaginable to her.


    Luckily Hailee was able to escape.


    "Come with you?" Hailee snorted, she looked around and tried to find out how many people hade with Alex.


    However, as far as Hailee could see, there was nothing suspicious and it seemed that Alex was alone.


    "Yes, Mr. Dimatrio would like to have a brief chat with you," replied Alex which made Haileeugh scornfully.


    "Talk to me? Talk about what? About why I didn''t seed in killing him?" Hailee asked fiercely. Her expression immediately turned cold as she red at Alex.


    Who would have thought that having someone who could be relied on and knew that Ramon would defend her, could make Hailee more confident. It''s true, having influential people behind you was an advantage in itself.


    "Luckily, Mr. Dimatrio is well and has now returned home." Alex''s expression didn''t change at all when he said that. "Mr. Dimatrio wants to clear up the misunderstanding between the two of you."


    "What if I said; I don''t want to," said Hailee.


    For a moment Alex didn''t answer Hailee and the girl assumed this man would continue to argue with her, because after all Alex would not possibly force her to go out with him in a public ce like this and attract the attention of the crowd.


    But, it turned out that her guess was wrong.


    "Okay, maybe another time," said Alex, smiling and resigning.


    Only that.


    That was it?


    Hailee''s forehead creased as she watched Alex step out into the parking lot and disappear between the cars.


    Is it that easy to ask him to leave?


    Hailee felt something was wrong. There was no way Alex could give up and leave without bringing any results ...


    Rnd Dimatrio and Aileen just let it go?


    Feeling unsettled by Alex''s strange attitude, Hailee immediately finished her drink, intending to leave the cafeteria and look for Ramon who was in his therapy.


    She felt safer around him¡­


    ==============


    Ramon tried to contact Hailee, but the girl didn''t pick up the phone calls from him.


    What the hell is she doing?


    Ramon didn''t intend toe to the cafeteria area and ask Hailee to wait at the ce where she was dropped off, it''s just that this girl couldn''t be contacted at all since twenty minutes ago.


    Therefore, Ramon canceled his initial ns and now he was rushing to the cafeteria where Hailee should be.


    It was true that the examination this time was taking too long than it should have and Ramon said nothing to Hailee, leaving her to wait.


    Is this girl angry and now sulking? Why is she so troublesome ...


    This cafeteria was not that big, but the spatial arrangement was so neat and orderly, therefore it was very easy to find someone, especially now that there were not many visitors there.


    Supposedly, if Hailee had been there, Ramon could have seen her already, however, even after the man had scoured the entire cafeteria for the third time, the girl was nowhere to be found.


    Maybe she was in the toilet?


    Taking long strides, Ramon approached the women''s restroom area. However, he couldn''t possibly go inside himself, thus he stood waiting at its door until he asked someone to check if there was anyone inside the toilet who had physical features simr to Hailee.


    And again, this woman Ramon asked for help said the toilet was empty.


    The woman stared intently at Ramon, even after his figure had disappeared. She thought she had seen the man, but couldn''t remember where or when...


    Is he an artist? Its just that she felt such a handsome face must be very suitable to be a public figure.


    "Where''s Hailee?" Danny asked when Ramon arrived alone, even though he said he was going to pick her up.


    "Disappeared," replied Ramon curtly, getting into his car.


    Danny immediately closed the car door and got into the seat next to the driver, he then turned to face his boss.


    "Disappeared?" It hasn''t been three days yet and Hailee had already disappeared twice? Of course Danny heard about Hailee went missing when Lexus took her to the bar.


    However, at that time, Hailee disappeared with the intention of running away for fear that her lie would be exposed, but now they have a deal and Hailee seemed to agree and was even happy with this agreement.


    They would even visit her family in the near future. It was Ramon who had said this when Danny came to the hospital to ask for his signature on some files.


    "Where did she go?" murmured Danny. "Should I contact Ian? Maybe Hailee is with him. "


    There was no answer from Ramon for a while until he said, "We are going to city R."


    Hearing this, Danny turned around again in disbelief at what he had just heard.


    "City R?" His voice was loud with shock. "But, that city is so far from here, five to six hours drive. What''s wrong that we have to go there?"


    "Hailee is in city R," replied Ramon curtly. He stared at the screen of his own cell phone with a frown.


    Just like Danny, Ramon also had the same questions and thoughts. What was Hailee doing in the city R? Did she intend to flee from him again? But for what? Wasn''t their agreement something that satisfied the girl? And there seemed to be absolutely no problem.


    Or¡­ something happened to her?


    Meanwhile, seeing how serious Ramon was at the moment, Danny didn''t ask any more questions and let the driver take them to city R.


    "Get someone to check what happened in the cafeteria during my therapy hours," Ramon ordered all of a sudden.


    His eyes were staring at the location icon which indicated Hailee''s current whereabouts, about half an hour away before he reached the city of R.


    Once again, Ramon tried to contact Hailee, but the girl wouldn''t pick up her phone at all and this turned the man''s expression colder even more.

 Chapter 59: DO YOU LIKE MY EX?

    <h4>Chapter 59: DO YOU LIKE MY EX?</h4>


    Hailee didn''t think that Alex would do this to her at all, how could she? He was so brave enough to pull Hailee into the car when she just got out of the cafeteria to find Ramon.


    Even more unlucky for Hailee was; because at the time of the incident, for some reason the situation around the cafeteria was quiet and there were not many visitors, as a result, no one saw the incident.


    And now, Hailee was sitting in the back seat of a car, nked by two big men with terrible stature, while Alex was sitting in the seat next to the driver, so it could be said that there were a total of four men who took Hailee away from city A.


    "Where are we going?" Hailee asked for the umpteenth time. "Are you going to take me to that old district attorney?" Hailee didn''t even hide the scorn in her voice.


    Because the bag she was carrying was confiscated by Alex, Hailee couldn''t contact anyone, be it Ramon or Ian, to ask for help.


    This time, Hailee really had to think of a way to escape them.


    "Listen," Hailee said in an irritated tone. "You do not know who I am?"


    Still no answer.


    "Me and Ramon Tordoff are getting married soon, do you think someone like Ramon Tordoff will just let you go? This is kidnapping! Ramon will be furious if he finds out about this!" Hailee almost screamed out of frustration, but they didn''t budge. Didn''t heed her threat at all.


    Still no answer from them.


    In the end, Hailee decided to save her energy and think more calmly. If they were going to bring her to Rnd Dimatrio again, then Hailee would have to think about what the old man might do to her while looking for a way to contact Ramon.


    Hailee had tried to snatch her bag back from Alex, but it was a futile effort and in her current position it was impossible to do so.


    "If something happened to me, Ramon wouldn''t just sit there doing nothing." Hailee was still trying to throw her final threat, to which the four men responded coldly.


    They heard the news that Hailee was indeed going to marry Ramon, but knowing this, Rnd did not give up on getting Hailee at all, which meant the district attorney had thought of all the possibilities that would happen, right?


    ==============


    Hailee''s body felt numb and sore when they finally arrived at one of the mansions dominated by pale yellow with two luxury cars parked in the front yard.


    One of the cars, Hailee recognized as Aileen''s car, her ''beloved'' half-sister.


    Just looking at the car and knowing that Aileen was there, made Hailee''s blood boil with rage.


    Aileen was a living example of an ungrateful person. It was Hailee''s parents who adopted her from the orphanage and looked after her like their own child.


    Even Hailee''s parents were kind and never used violence when scolding them both.


    But, how could this be the repayment Aileen was giving her? After her parents died, Aileen took over thepany with the help of her father''s younger brother and sold Hailee to this immoral middle-aged man.


    Really extraordinary, right?


    She was just like an animal that bites the hand that feeds it, Aileen fit into that category ever so effortlessly.


    "Get out," said Alex in a slightly harsh tone. He was still holding Hailee''s bag while opening the door for her.


    They were already in this house, so there was no point in Hailee trying to run outside. It was just an effort that wasn''t going to pay off, moreover, there was something Hailee wanted to ask Aileen directly.


    Unexpectedly, Hailee got out of the car obediently and walked into the house without any coercion from Alex or the other three people.


    This was enough to startle Alex, but also not to let his guard down. This girl was so unpredictable.


    Hailee entered the house with a t face that didn''t show any expression, making it hard to tell what was inside her head.


    Meanwhile, Alex led Hailee through the hallway filled with antique furniture and beautiful chandeliers, into another room, until they reached the backyard, where Hailee could see Aileen sitting and chatting with Rnd Dimatrio.


    Even at this point, Hailee still didn''t show any emotion seeing these two people.


    "Hailee, we finally meet again." Those were the greetings Rnd Dimatrio gave her as soon as Hailee''s figure caught his eye.


    On the other hand, seeing the person awaited had arrived, Aileen turned her body gracefully and stood up to see Hailee, who was being escorted by four men.


    "Hello, Lee¡­" Aileen said, waving her hand at Hailee in a friendly manner, as if they were close friends who haven''t seen each other for a really long time. "Finally I saw you again."


    However, instead of answering Rnd''s or Aileen''s greetings, Hailee walked straight toward them and unexpectedly, she hit Aileen''s face with all her might so that she could very clearly hear the sound of it.


    They were all shocked at what Hailee suddenly did and didn''t have time to avoid this incident.


    Meanwhile, Aileen screamed in pain and fell to the ground holding her excruciatingly sore cheek, screaming and swearing all the harsh words she knew.


    However, wagging her hand casually which felt numb after hitting Aileen, Haileeughed softly while saying sweetly, "Hello Aileen, finally I see you again."


    "YOU B*TCH!" Aileen roared, but the movement of her mouth only made her jaw hurt even more, she felt as if her head split in half when Hailee hit her.


    "If I''m a b*tch, then what do you call yourself?" Hailee asked calmly.


    At that moment, Alex grabbed Hailee and pushed her away from Aileen and Rnd, who came to help Aileen up. The woman was furious for being humiliated by Hailee.


    "Why? You don''t like seeing me? What about Theo? Did you enjoy your time together with my ex-fianc¨¦?" Hailee asked in a mocking tone. However, Alex had her arms locked behind her back, so that she would no longer be able to p Aileen.


    And this opportunity was what Aileen used to repay what Hailee did to her earlier.

 Chapter 60: YOU CAN DO ANYTHING TO HER

    <h4>Chapter 60: YOU CAN DO ANYTHING TO HER</h4>


    A heavy pnded on Hailee''s cheek and sent her head spinning. The intense pain forced Hailee to curl her lips hard to prevent herself from screaming in pain.


    Hailee didn''t want to give Aileen that satisfaction, letting thetter see that she had seeded once again, in hurting her.


    "You think you can p me carelessly?! You are no longer part of the Tatum family! You know that?!" eximed Aileen. "I am the heir of our parents! And don''t you ever say Theo''s name with your mouth!"


    Hailee didn''t give any reaction when Aileen bashed her like that, but once she had finished screaming and was panting to control her emotions, Hailee lifted her head and Aileen saw a look she had never seen on Hailee''s face before.


    It was a gaze full of hatred, very cold and filled with rage, and if Alex loosened his grip on Hailee''s hand, then this girl would pounce on Aileen without a second thought, brutally lunging at her.


    For some reason Aileen didn''t understand, she was starting to feel her heart racing faster.


    What''s all this about? Why did Hailee, who always seemed carefree and easy to sympathize with, have such cruel eyes?


    "The heir of our parents? You?" Hailee didn''t hide the scorn in her voice at all when she said that. "Are you sure that you are part of the Tatum family?" Hailee asked, staring sarcastically at Aileen from head to toe. "Everyone also knows that you are just an adopted child in my family."


    Anger rippled through Aileen''s veins and Hailee''s words whizzed painfully against her ears. Everyone always tried not to say that fact directly in front of her face, but no matter what, no one could prevent them from whispering behind her back.


    And when Hailee said it so inly, Aileen felt an impulsive urge to tell her what had happened! The real truth.


    But, a hand that tapped her back brought Aileen back, out of that thought.


    Don''t be stupid¡­ it''s not time yet¡­ thought Aileen to herself.


    "There''s no need to get too carried away with emotions," said Rnd in his voice that was slightly hoarse and disgusting. "Now that she''s here, I think the problem between us is over."


    Aileen nced at the old district attorney beside her with a very cynical gaze, but then she sighed to regte her emotions and tried to smile, even though it looked stiff and forced.


    "Yes, I suppose so," Aileen said stiffly. "May I know what will you do to her?" she asked curiously. They both knew that Ramon had announced his marriage to Hailee and this worried Aileen about her n to get rid of Hailee.


    "You don''t have to think about it, I''ll take care of Ramon Tordoff." Rnd patted Aileen''s shoulder again and rubbed it, making her slightly ufortable with the old man''s touch.


    "Handling whom?" Hailee asked with a cute smile on her face, although now the side of her cheek that Aileen pped earlier looked much swollen, but that didn''t reduce her attractiveness at all. "Did you mean it when you said you could handle Ramon Tordoff?" Hailee asked.


    She herself didn''t know what she''s saying, it''s just that Hailee knew her worth in Ramon''s eyes right now. That man would lose a big business if he lost Hailee, so there was no way that Ramon would just keep quiet seeing his future wife being treated like this, right?


    "SHUT UP!" Rnd snapped fiercely. "I''m still not done with you! We will calcte every single thing that you didst time to me!" the district attorney could still feel the shards of ss slicing through his skin. He sure was on the verge of death because of this girl!


    Therefore, Rnd would treat her the same. She too had to go through the same experiences that Rnd had to endure.


    "Take her to the room!" cried Rnd angrily.


    Meanwhile, Aileen stared in satisfaction at her step sister who was trying to escape Alex''s grasp in despair.


    Aileen even had time to wave her hand at Hailee, as if saying goodbye.


    Only after Hailee could no longer be seen did Aileen turn her gaze to Rnd Dimatrio. "Then, I''ll be going, have fun," she said in a calm tone, although it was obvious that Aileen was trying to avoid the old man, who was staring at her with interest.


    You immoral old Bastard! Aileen grumbled inwardly as she walked away, leaving Hailee in the hands of Rnd Dimatrio.


    She didn''t know what Rnd would do to her, but Aileen didn''t care, as long as Hailee never appeared in front of her again, that''s enough for Aileen to carry out her next n.


    ==============


    "Who is the person in Hailee''s circle who owns a property in this area?" asked Ramon, pointing at the final location where Hailee was no longer moving. It seemed, whoever brought Hailee, had achieved their final destination.


    Danny took Ramon''s cell phone and checked the address, matching it to the other residences of the Hailee family, but nothing matched.


    The address of that ce was also not a remote ce, to be more precise, it was an elite residence in the city of R.


    "None of the Hailee family members owns property in this area, there are two people who have a vacation house in the city of R, it''s just that it is so far from where Hailee is." Danny notified Ramon after he had searched for some time.


    For a moment Ramon did not give any response. Now he and the point where Hailee stopped, were about an hour and a half apart and anything could happen in that time.


    "Find out what properties Rnd Dimatrio owns." If Ramon''s guess was right, then that bastard was really looking for trouble with him.


    ==============


    Hailee stared around the room where she was locked up. This room seemed to be specially modified for her; no windows, no vases, no disy items that Hailee could use as a weapon¡­


    It seemed that Rnd was a little traumatized by theirst encounter and that was great.


    Hailee didn''t got long time to observe the surroundings and find a useful tool for self-protection, because she soon heard approaching footsteps and not long after, Rnd entered the room.


    "Have you been waiting long?" he asked.


    "I can wait all my life if that''s what it takes not to meet someone like you," Hailee replied fiercely.

 Chapter 61: MY FUTURE HUSBAND COMES TO PICK ME UP

    <h4>Chapter 61: MY FUTURE HUSBAND COMES TO PICK ME UP</h4>


    Hailee couldn''t believe she was caught in a situation like this again. All this was thanks to Aileen, because that stepsister of hers managed to find someone as persistent and vengeful as Rnd Dimatrio.


    "If you dare touch me, Ramon won''t stay silent!" eximed Hailee. She looked around the room and tried to find something she could use as a weapon, unfortunately, she had been searching since she was put in this room and found nothing.


    Meanwhile, hearing Hailee''s words Rnd burst outughing, he seemed to think Hailee''s words were the funniest things he had ever heard in all these days.


    "You think you''re worthy enough of someone like Ramon?" Rnd asked in a mocking tone. He then took out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it with a lighter, which he got from a nearby drawer.


    Hailee cursed because she didn''t go through the drawers. She could have found some scissors, nails, hammer, saw or even a knife there... she thought sarcastically.


    "Why don''t you try calling Ramon to find out how much I mean to him?" Hailee asked with a worried heart. "He will give you double the money you gave Aileen to get me." Actually, Hailee wasn''t sure of this, nor did she know how much money Rnd had spent buying Hailee from Aileen.


    When Aileen''s name shed in her mind, Hailee couldn''t help but grit her teeth and feel her blood boil with anger.


    "You? Valuable for Ramon?" asked Rnd with a snort, then he sniffed the tobo he was holding between his fat fingers deeply. "You think I''d believe you?"


    "You saw it, didn''t you? The sudden press conference that Ramon held a few days ago, which said that we were getting married. You think he doesn''t think of me as someone important to him? If I''m not important, you think he wants to marry me?" Under these circumstances, Hailee really wanted to thank and kiss Ramon for announcing their marriage, even though Hailee was against it.


    Now, she could see how important that announcement was.


    Hold on ...


    If at that time Ramon had found out Hailee''s real identity and instead announced their marriage in public, wouldn''t that mean Ramon already knew about her problem with Rnd Dimatrio and wanted to protect her?


    Or was she thinking too far?


    The thought alone made Hailee feel like a giddy teenager, regardless of her current situation.


    "The press conference was just a show, right?" said Rnd, asking a rhetorical question to the girl before him.


    "You think, someone like Ramon is as easy to trick, just like you who could be fooled around by Aileen?" Hailee asked, feeling satisfied when she saw the tinge of anger that crossed Rnd''s eyes as she said that. "He loves me, of course he will marry me."


    "Don''t be kidding," Rnd blew white smoke into the air. "You didn''t even know each other before the ident, where you lied that you were his fianc¨¦."


    Hailee should have anticipated this, not only had Ramon been investigating into her background, but Rnd had done the same.


    What''s with these influential people? Do they really enjoy finding out personal details about other people? Using their power for trivial things like this?


    Well, maybe this wasn''t as insignificant as Hailee thought ...


    "You think I don''t know Ramon has amnesia? You must have lied to him by saying that you are his lover, right? I don''t know what you said, until he agreed to marry you." Rnd could see surprise crossing Hailee''s face and interpreted it as fear.


    However, what Hailee was thinking right now was not the same as what the district attorney assumed. Hailee''s surprise was that he had guessed it so well. Is he some psychic?


    Of course if Rnd had said this a few days ago before the chat between Hailee and Ramon which took ce in thetter''s study, Hailee would have been very panicked and even terrified, but not now.


    "What do you think he will do if I expose this lie of yours?" Rnd asked. This was what made the district attorney so brave to keep Hailee there and so sure that Ramon would not do anything to him for taking this little con woman.


    "Just say it," said Hailee, folding her arms across her chest. "Just tell him what you think you know. Why don''t we just call him now?"


    Just at that moment, someone knocked on the door, interrupting the chatter of Rnd and Hailee which seemed to have reached a climax.


    "What?!" cried Rnd angrily because his line of thought had been interrupted.


    "Sir, someone named Ramon Tordoff said he wanted to see you," said the man behind the locked door and Hailee recognized his voice as Alex''s.


    "Did you hear that? My future husband came to find me." Hailee tilted her head, looking at Rnd with a triumphant look on her face.


    Hailee didn''t know how Ramon could find her, this was a question Hailee forgot to ask when Ramon also managed to find her after escaping from the bar, in a park miles away.


    But, whatever method Ramon used, there was only one thing Hailee wanted to do now; hug him for being so smart and moving so fast to find her.


    Ah, it seemed like it''s so easy to love this man ...


    "Why are you silent? Meet him. Aren''t you impatient to reveal my secret? After all, you have kidnapped his future beloved wife," Hailee said in an exaggerated tone.


    Right at that moment, Rnd felt that something was wrong¡­ Hailee was so calm for someone who was lying. Had his judgment been wrong all along?


    ==============


    Just as Ramon had expected, the people who had taken Hailee away were Rnd Dimatrio''s men.


    Based on the CCTV around the cafeteria, Ramon knew that Hailee had just been taken away by strangers.


    And the fact that Hailee was in one of Rnd Dimatrio''s residences, only confirmed Ramon''s conjecture.


    From inside the car, he could see how the tall gate protecting Rnd''s house opened and revealed a building which was quite magnificent, although it would not beparable to that of the Tordoffs.


    Of course Rnd would let him in after hearing who it was, the Tordoff surname was not to be taken lightly¡­


    Meanwhile, Ramon could only exhale in annoyance that he had to cancel his meeting because of this problem.

 Chapter 62: HE SLAPPED ME

    <h4>Chapter 62: HE SLAPPED ME</h4>


    Ramon liked to keep everything in his life running in order, but ever since Hailee had intervened in his life, it felt like there was no longer any order in his life that he so used to like.


    But, somehow Ramon still tolerated this and even sacrificed his precious time to find the annoying girl who only know how to bring trouble.


    Ramon reminded himself again that this wasmensurate with the Tatum familypany he would getter.


    Of course it had to be worth it, after all, Ramon wouldn''t do anything that would harm him.


    After Ramon''s car was parked right in front of the house, where Rnd Dimatrio was waiting for him, Danny immediately got out and opened the door for Ramon.


    Even Danny wondered what Ramon would do to Rnd, knowing that the man had taken Hailee away.


    "Mr. Tordoff," weed Rnd with open arms and a happy smile on his lips. "What brought you here?" he asked in a very sweet voice.


    Others would have thought that the district attorney was very surprised and delighted by Ramon Tordoff''s arrival at one of his houses, but Ramon could see what'' Rnd was trying to convey behind the mask of ''delight''. There was concern, pure unconcealed concern.


    Ramon took a very leisurely stride toward Rnd and kindly returned the man''s smile while weing his extended hand, at least he still maintained good manners before him.


    However, Ramon''s next words made Rnd stiffen and instinctively wanted to let go of Ramon''s strong hand. Unfortunately, he couldn''t because Ramon was gripping him too tightly for Rnd to let go while keeping a smile on his face.


    "Where is my wife?" asked Ramon, still holding Rnd''s hand.


    "Wife?" Rnd asked with a slightly fading smile. The pain started to numb his right hand. "I did not know that you were married Mr. Tordoff. "


    Ramon smiled very calmly, but this was just like the phrase; calm before the storm, where it only made Rnd''s heart nervous.


    "My future wife, then," said Ramon, correcting his words. "If only you saw the news, you would know what I mean Mr. Dimatrio. "


    "Oh, yes I saw the news," said Rnd, wincing slightly at his hand because Ramon had finally let go. He could feel the blood flowing again through his fat fingers. "I have to congratte you, but I don''t understand why you were looking for her here."


    Even at this point, Rnd still did not invite Ramon into his house, despite his polite and friendly attitude. But Rnd''s decision to let Ramon stand there certainly gave a different message, as if he had told Ramon not to extend his arrival.


    Ramon nced at the expensive watch that curled around his left wrist, as if he didn''t have time for a swirling conversation like this.


    Therefore, his next words sounded very impatient.


    "I don''t have much time for this unnecessary chat." Ramon raised his head and red at Rnd. "Do you know? I have to cancel an important meeting just toe all the way from city A to this city to pick up my future wife because your people have taken her by force."


    Rnd didn''t know how to react at Ramon''s words that seemed to attack him head on.


    However, before Rnd could utter a word, Ramon had continued his words while showing his cell phone screen where there was a red dot indicating the location of this house.


    "You know Mr. Dimatrio? I am very possessive of what is mine, you think you can touch mine without me knowing?" he asked in a t tone, then slipped the phone back into his pocket.


    Now, Ramon was leaningzily against his car, waiting for what Rnd would say after seeing concrete evidence of Hailee''s whereabouts at his house.


    On the other hand, Rnd condemned this. He didn''t expect Ramon to attach a tracking device to Hailee and find this ce so quickly.


    Then, the girl''s words came back to him, saying that her rtionship with Ramon was real. No way, right? They had just met, at least that was what Rnd knew from the information he had obtained.


    "Mr. Tordoff, you may not know this¡­ but, Hailee seems to have taken advantage of you." He began, trying to find a loophole in this situation in his favor. "That girl took advantage of the fact that you are experiencing amnesia and said that she is your lover, my advice is; try to find out more about Hailee Tatum''s background and you will find out the truth."


    Danny, who had been standing beside Ramon, raised his eyebrows, it turned out that this old man was quite shrewd in using his position to get more information about Hailee and Ramon, he even knew that Ramon had amnesia.


    Danny then nced at Ramon next to him, although the expression on thetter''s face did not betray his true thoughts, the former knew quite well that his boss would not like the fact that his personal information had been leaked into other people''s hands.


    "The truth is that you bought her from Aileen to sleep with her, but it turns out that she managed to escape by injuring you?" asked Ramon, snorting sarcastically when he saw the expression on Rnd''s face change. "The fire incident inside the hotel room you are staying in, which was reported by the media ispletely untrue. You and I both know how easy it is to manipte the mass media," said Ramon calmly.


    "Mr. Tordoff, regarding that matter¡­ " Rnd''s words were interrupted by Ramon''s next words.


    "Didn''t I say that I don''t have much time," Ramon said as he nced at his watch once again. "And I don''t like it when someone touches what''s mine. So, where is my future wife? "


    "Mr. Tordoff, have you not considered the lies she hasmitted pretending to be your lover?" Rnd asked.


    "I like the lie," he replied simply. "Mr. Dimatrio, should I continue what Hailee couldn''t finish just to get her freedom back?" There was a menacing tone in his voice.


    What Hailee couldn''t finish was; finish off Rnd that night.


    Hearing Ramon''s words, with a flushed face, Rnd nodded at Alex, ordering him to bring Hailee outside and silence unfolded between the two camps.


    It didn''t take long for Hailee to appear and her first words literally sent Rnd close to having a heart attack.


    The girl ran toward Ramon and hugged him while whining. "He pped me!" she showed the red marks on her face.

 Chapter 63: IT HURTS SO MUCH!

    <h4>Chapter 63: IT HURTS SO MUCH!</h4>


    As soon as Hailee saw Alex open the door to her bedroom and ask her to get out of the ce where Rnd had been holding her for the past few hours, she knew that Ramon had managed to crush that old sleazy ball.


    And what''s more, Hailee knew that she would be fine after this man''s arrival.


    As she passed Alex, Hailee deliberately stopped and cast a sharp re at him, before she walked toward the front door where Ramon was waiting.


    At first, Hailee thought the two of them might be talking in the living room or other room in this house, but it turned out that Ramon didn''te into the house at all and was actually standing in the front yard, staring boringly at the old attorney.


    However, that didn''t matter to Hailee now, as she was happy enough just to see Ramon there. Looking all rxed and handsome as usual.


    Leaning against the car behind him, Ramon stared at Rnd withzy eyes, as if he didn''t think much of the district attorney.


    Seeing this, Hailee really wanted tough out loud. She didn''t make the wrong choice after all, choosing Ramon Tordoff indeed was a jackpot!


    Her heart seemed to jump out of her chest with pleasure, but what Hailee did next, waspletely different from how she felt.


    When she stepped out of the house, the expression on her happy face and the triumphant smile on her lips, immediately vanished, reced by a face full of sadness and fear, as if Rnd had just tormented her sadistically.


    This insta change in Hailee''s facial expression stunned even Alex, who was walking beside her, he didn''t realize what this girl was up to until she ran toward Ramon with open arms and hugged him tightly.


    "He pped me¡­" Hailee whined, her voice so pathetic as if Rnd had just killed her entire family. "Look¡­" the girl lifted her head and showed the side of her face that was red, from Aileen''s p, not Rnd''s.


    "What?" Rnd was no less surprised, let alone pping, he hadn''t even touched her since Hailee set foot in his house.


    "He pped you?" Ramon squinted his eyes, thezy look from his eyes instantly disappeared, reced by a stern expression as he clenched his jaw in annoyance at seeing the side of Hailee''s face that was so red.


    "What? No!" Rnd rejected it at that instant itself, he felt his blood turn cold under Ramon''s piercing gaze. "I didn''t p her. Hailee, stop lying!" scolded Rnd angrily. "Aileen pped you, not me!"


    But, instead of answering that, Hailee sobbed against Ramon''s chest while the man tapped him on the shoulder with a slightly confused expression.


    Even if it was true that Rnd had pped Hailee, Ramon didn''t think it would make this girl cry this sad, would it?


    However, as if to answer Ramon''s confusion, Hailee then said, "What if the swelling didn''t go away during our marriage? I don''t want to be caught on camera with swollen cheeks."


    Right at that moment, Ramon understood what Hailee wanted.


    This girl ...


    If Ramon and Hailee were alone, the man would have pinched her red cheeks because she had such a strong urge for extracting revenge.


    Unfortunately, under so many pairs of eyes watching them closely, Ramon could only amodate Hailee''s wish.


    "Mr. Dimatrio, I won''t forget this." Ramon squeezed Hailee''s shoulder lightly, asking her quietly to end her acting.


    Hailee raised her head with a frown. Her forehead creased and looked at Ramon as if to say; just like that?


    "Let''s go home," said Ramon in an indisputable voice.


    Hailee pursed her lips and wiped her tears on the shirt Ramon was wearing on purpose, then cast a disapproving look at Rnd.


    Hailee was d that Ramon was here and knowing his nature, he must have done something to repay what Rnd did to her, right? But, why were they going back so soon, when Hailee wanted to see more?


    "We''ll get to city A veryte if we stay here any longer," said Ramon, opening the door for Hailee.


    "Mr. Tordoff, believe me, Aileen pped her," Rnd was still trying to convince Ramon, but the man didn''t even look at him before he got into the car.


    What is this?


    "Mr. Tordoff, that girl is very cunning! You have to check her background and you will find out that you have been lied to!" cried Rnd as the car sped away.


    ==============


    "You can stop crying now," Ramon said, ncing at Hailee, then at the wet stain on his shirt from the girl''s tears. With a deep frown on his forehead, Ramon grabbed the tissue and started cleaning it.


    This girl is really troublesome ...


    "Just like that? You didn''t do anything after he kidnapped me?!" Hailee really stopped crying, but her face turned fierce as she cast an irritated look at Ramon. "He kidnapped me!" Hailee confirmed again.


    "Of course I understand, why do you think I came all the way here?" Ramon replied to Hailee''s words and threw the tissue he had used to clean his shirt at the girl. "You''re not even thankful, what kind of attitude is that?" Ramon scolded.


    Hearing Ramon''s words, Hailee immediately put on a cute face and approached Ramon, wrapping her hand around the man''s arm.


    "Thank you foring and saving me!" Hailee eximed cheerfully and rewarded Ramon with a sweet kiss on the cheek. "But, I would be even happier if you gave him a punch or two."


    "You think I''m a street fighter?" Ramon nced at Hailee in annoyance, even though sheined with her tears staining his shirt, but that man was not at all bothered by their closeness. "Don''t equate me with your friend."


    "Ian is a not a street fighter," Hailee argued, resentful of Ramon looking down on her best friend. Ian was indeed a fighter, but he was not a street fighter like Ramon had assumed.


    However, seeing this man''s jaw tighten and staring at her with a very clear expression of dislike, Hailee knew that she had spoken the wrong word again.


    Therefore, she immediately returned to kissing Ramon''s cheek and rested her head on his shoulder. "Thank you foring looking for me, I don''t know what will happen to me if you don''t find me." Hailee didn''t exaggerate her words this time.


    Seeing the girl beside him acting so cute, Ramon leaned his back against the back of the chair, letting Hailee hug his arms and act spoiled.


    It was then that Ramon saw Hailee''s flushed cheeks and he rubbed them lightly. "Hurt?"


    "It hurts so much," Hailee whimpered again.

 Chapter 64: JUST FOR FIVE MINUTES

    <h4>Chapter 64: JUST FOR FIVE MINUTES</h4>


    "If you keep acting like this, I won''t believe it even when you say the right thing," Ramon chided Hailee for her exaggerated reaction.


    However, the girl then raised her head and brushed off Ramon''s hand. "I was telling the truth, when Aileen pped me, it was like I saw stars and my vision turned dark for a moment."


    "So it was Aileen who pped you and not Rnd?" Ramon caught Hailee''s words quickly.


    Oops!


    Hailee identally spilled this little lie of hers.


    "After all, I was beyond annoyed. He said that you couldn''t possibly like me if it weren''t for my status in the Tatum family and said that I had lied to you by pretending to be your lover," grumbled Hailee.


    Hearing this, Ramon gave no response.


    "He also said that you wouldn''te and bother spending your time on a girl like me," Hailee said.


    "Actually, some of his words are correct," said Ramon.


    And deep in her heart, Hailee agreed. Ramon wouldn''t be here if it weren''t for he needed Hailee to take over her familypany and the fact that Hailee lied to Ramon, then admitted to being his lover, were all indisputable facts.


    But, why did it all sounded different when Rnd said it?


    "Come here," Ramon said as he saw Hailee''s gloomy face. He then put his palm on Hailee''s cheek and pushed her to lean back on his shoulder. "Don''t let your emotions control you, it will be difficult for you to think clearly and n your next steps."


    Hailee listened to Ramon''s voice, which was sofortable in her ears, even though she didn''t really understand what this man meant because her mind couldn''t work with him around, but Hailee was quite happy that Ramon treated her gently.


    "I left my cell phone at the old man''s house!" Hailee said in a surprised tone. She only realized now that they hade far enough.


    "You can get out of the car and get it if you want," Ramon said, offering. "Because I don''t want to go back there again."


    Hailee then rxed again and moved her body, finding afortable position in Ramon''s arms. "No need, I can ask my kind-hearted future husband to buy me a new cell phone."


    Ramon''s touch on her cheeks and his fragrance made Hailee feel so calm and secure. It didn''t take long for her to fall asleep.


    ==============


    Hailee woke up when she felt like she was being carried and the bright light shining on her eyes.


    Sleepy, Hailee tried to open her eyes and look around her.


    "Where is this?" Hailee asked in a hoarse voice.


    "In my office," said Ramon, his voice so close, indicating that he was the one carrying her. "I have something to work on for a while, you can wait inside first."


    There were things Ramon had to do in his office and all of it was dyed because he had to go to town R and find Hailee.


    And since Ramon could not possibly leave Hailee alone in the car, he chose to bring her to his office.


    "Can''t you just do it tomorrow?" Hailee asked in a sleepy voice, she didn''t get off Ramon''s arms because the man didn''t let her go either when they got into the elevator, which took the two of them straight to Ramon''s office on the eighteenth floor.


    "Can''t," said Ramon.


    When the elevator doors opened, the lights in Ramon''s office automatically turned on, only then did Ramon lower Hailee from his arms.


    "There are ice cubes in the refrigerator, you can use them to lessen the swelling on your face," Ramon said as he walked toward his desk. "If you want to sleep, you can use that room."


    Ramon pointed to a door in the corner, which was almost inconspicuous, camouged by the bookshelves lined up on either side of it.


    It was a room where Ramon could rest and had the same facilities as a normal room with a bathroom inside.


    Hailee knew about rooms like this, because her father had them in his office too.


    "Okay," Hailee said, linking her index finger and thumb signaling that she understood, then walked over to the sink and put an ice cube in thepress and pressed it against the side of her sore face.


    After that, Hailee went looking for something to eat, because she really hadn''t eaten all day and it seemed Ramon was too busy right now to notice whether she had eaten or not.


    Or that was simply Ramon''s usual character. He didn''t really care about other people.


    Since today Ramon had been so nice to her, Hailee didn''t want to bother the man and tried to find something to fill her stomach, but she found nothing to eat except a few cans of drinks.


    Not finding anything, Hailee then took an ice cube and ate it and went into the room to sleep while Ramon finished whatever business he had to finish tonight.


    ==============


    Two hours had passed and what Ramon was working on was almost done, but then he thought of Hailee and felt strange not hearing a sound.


    Is the girl sleeping again?


    Curious, Ramon walked into the room and found Hailee who had been sleeping in an ufortable position with thepress that she had left against her cheek.


    Seeing this, Ramon came into the room and corrected the sleeping position of this girl, otherwise she would wake up with a new pain.


    "Are you done?" Hailee muttered half-consciously with her eyes still closed as Ramon lifted her up, not careful enough to keep her asleep.


    "In a moment," Ramon said, who then adjusted the pillow beneath Hailee''s head before pulling the nket over her chin.


    "Take a break first¡­" Hailee muttered, as she pulled Ramon''s hand. Actually, her grip wasn''t strong enough to keep the man there, but in the end Ramon didn''t go anywhere andy down beside her.


    Only five minutes ...


    Ramon said to himself.


    His body only felt so tired when he was in afortable bed, with Hailee who returned to sleep soundly beside him.


    Seeing Hailee''s regr breathing lulled Ramon, and drowsiness attacked him.


    For as long as Ramon could remember, putting aside the memories he had lost over the past four years, he had never been this close to any woman and having Hailee beside him was both strange and interesting for him.


    Especially when this girl brought not only profits to his business, but also a breath of fresh air in his life.

 Chapter 65: YOU ARE SO MEAN!

    <h4>Chapter 65: YOU ARE SO MEAN!</h4>


    Ramon didn''t know how long he was asleep, but the first thing he realized when he woke up was a soft murmuring sound from someone beside him. A woman''s voice.


    When he opened his eyes, Ramon realized that he was not in his room, this was the room inside his office, only then did he remember what had happened before and realized that Hailee was beside him.


    Ramon then turned his attention to the groaning sound beside him and the wrinkles between his brows deepened when he realized that it was Hailee.


    His eyes focused on Hailee''s curled up body, clutching her quilt and the beads of sweat on her forehead.


    "What''s wrong?" Ramon leaned on his elbows and watched Hailee more closely. What happened to this girl?


    "My stomach hurts¡­" Hailee groaned in a low voice, her eyes closed tight and she bit her lower lip to endure the pain that was hitting her hard.


    "Hurt?" Ramon didn''t know why her stomach hurt even though she was still fine before going to sleep.


    However, Ramon didn''t need the answer, because now, he already lifted Hailee''s body and carried her out of the room, out of his office, down through the elevator and over to his car, which was parked not far away.


    With care, Ramon fastened the seat belt for Hailee and lowered her seat so that she could feel morefortable, only then did he walk around the car and sat in front of the wheel.


    The soft roar of the engine running made Hailee open her eyes and catch the side of Ramon''s face with a hardened jaw.


    Hailee wondered, whether he was angry because his sleep was disturbed or because he was worried about her that he looked this tense? Even in these conditions Hailee was still curious about how this man felt about her.


    "It hurts¡­" Haileeined and Ramon''s hand immediately patted her thigh in an attempt to lessen her pain, while driving his car out of the parking lot, although it could be said that his awkward efforts meant nothing, but at least Hailee knew that he was apparently worried about her.


    Once they were on the highway, Ramon pressed the gas pedal harder and the car flew so fast, that for a second Hailee forgot about the pain in her stomach and was afraid that Ramon would hit the car in front of them.


    However, it looked like the roads were quiet enough for Ramon to be at this speed, after all Ramon seemed to have fully control over his car.


    This time, Hailee didn''tin because she didn''t want to disturb Ramon''s concentration.


    Actually, Hailee knew why her stomach was hurting.


    Abdominal pain.


    In the past two days she hadn''t eaten regrly and since yesterday she felt pain in her stomach even though it wasn''t too bad, but then because Rnd ''kidnapped her'' and Ramon didn''t have anything to eat in his study, thus Hailee had no choice but to skip both lunch and dinner.


    Of course this made her condition worse.


    But, apart from that there was nothing to worry about. This wasn''t the first time Hailee had had this stomach pain.


    It''s just that, seeing Ramon looking worried like this was nice enough, it turned out that he had a warm side too and it''s adorable¡­


    ==============


    It didn''t take long for Ramon to drive over to the hospital and Hailee was rushed into the emergency room.


    Ramon had already called their family doctor and he was already there to take care of Hailee.


    While Doctor Bram was checking on her, Ramon was not in the room as he went to buy a drink from the coffee machine there. His head throbbed in pain because he had to wake up in a panic to find Hailee in pain.


    It was only after thirty minutes that Ramon came back and saw that Doctor Bram had finished his examination and a nurse was putting Hailee on an IV.


    Ramon saw that Hailee was still in pain, even though it seemed that the pain was not as intense as before, so Ramon chose to look for Doctor Bram, to find out what was wrong with this girl.


    "There is no need to worry, it''s just that her stomach ache recurred, she can go home in the morning after the infusion runs out." Doctor Bram leaned back against the back of the chair and looked at Ramon. "You sounded panicked on the phone, I thought something''s wrong..."


    Ramon didn''t remember calling Doctor Bram in a panic, but it did seem like he was a little tense because he had never once dealt with anything like this.


    "Good then," Ramon said as he got up from the chair and walked to the door. If Hailee could go home in the morning, then there would be no problem.


    Ramon had nced at the clock on the doctor''s desk which showed that it was two in the morning, it meant that Ramon and Hailee had only gotten less than two hours of sleep before Hailee had this attack.


    "She shouldn''t skip her meal and eat regrly, it seems simple, but it''ll turn fatal if you let it be," Doctor Bram said, then he suggested a few things and a doctor''s boring exnation, but Ramon listened to it anyway.


    "Very well," said Ramon, after he was sure there was nothing more Dr. Bram would say, he opened the door and walked away.


    ==============


    When Ramon reached Hailee''s ward he saw that the girl was already asleep, it seemed the medicine was working well and she was no longer in pain, knowing that, Ramon felt a little relieved.


    He then walked over to the sofa andid there, his head ached and he seemed to see a glimpse of a face when he closed his eyes to sleep. A woman''s face and himself...


    A reflection of himself and the figure of a woman¡­ who is she? Ramon thought he knew her, her face looked familiar, but her name was stuck in his throat.


    So hard to say...


    However, the more Ramon saw that figure, the more convinced he was that he knew this woman.


    He knew her...


    And a name rolled off his lips.


    "Giana..."


    Yes, that''s the name...


    However, when Ramon stretched out his hand to take a closer look at Giana''s figure, a sound made him flinch and open his eyes.


    "Bro, I know you love me, but you don''t have to touch me like this." Lexus''s face was right in front of Ramon and he frowned like a confused person. "You gave me goosebumps just then."


    Only then did Ramon realize that he was touching his younger brother''s face and without thinking, the touch turned into a blow.


    "Bro, you are mean! I am your brother!"

 Chapter 66: MY BODY ACHES ALL OVER!

    <h4>Chapter 66: MY BODY ACHES ALL OVER!</h4>


    "Bro, you are mean! I am your brother!" Lexus roared, as he rubbed his cheek that was aching from Ramon''s punch, who didn''t hold back his strength at all. "Why am I being hit?"


    Lexus looked like a wife who had just been dumped and had fallen on the floor.


    "Don''t be noisy, she''s sleeping," said Ramon coldly as he nodded at Hailee who was still unconscious, so she could rest.


    The doctor had already said that her condition was fine, so Ramon had nothing to worry about.


    Still grumbling with annoyance, Lexus continued to rub his cheeks, but this time he only grumbled softly, cursing and regretting having a brother like Ramon.


    Meanwhile, Ramon nced at therge window on one side of the room and saw that the sun was about to rise, as he took a ss of water and drank it, that dream really made his head hurt and he didn''t know what to think about the fact that he already knew. Giana.


    Previously, Ramon had seen Giana''s photo, but he didn''t feel anything, it''s just that in his dream just now, he felt a familiar feeling and immediately realized that he really knew that woman.


    Shit!


    He thought to himself. How could he have an affair with a married woman?! It seemed that Ramon had to check his sanity from before the ident actually happened.


    "How long do you want to sit on the floor?" Ramon frowned when he saw that Lexus had not changed his sitting position and still looked so pathetic after receiving one crushing blow from Ramon in the early morning.


    After finishing a ss, Ramon sat back down on the sofa, while Lexus sat beside him, trying to be as far away from his brother as possible.


    Who knew Ramon was still half asleep and even hit him again. Seriously! His punch was so painful!


    "Bro, I''ve brought a change of clothes for you and also for Hailee," Lexus said as he nodded his head toward the bag he was carrying, which he ced on the table beside Hailee''s bed earlier. "Mother was very worried and said, if Hailee''s condition is still worrying, you don''t need to go to the office and just focus on her."


    Ramon nced at his frowning brother, it was obvious that he didn''t like this idea. Lexus had never neglected his responsibilities toward thepany, but his easy going nature made him not a reliable decision maker, and moreover he didn''t like this role.


    "How do you and mom know that me and Hailee were here?" asked Ramon, as he remembered that he had not contacted anyone.


    "Doctor Bram, he told momst night," Lexus said.


    Doctor Bram called Lis and told her this, but Lis panicked and asked Lexus to immediately check Hailee and Ramon''s condition over. After all, hearing the word hospital still traumatized their mother after Ramon''s ident.


    But, Lexus just came now because Doctor Bram said he didn''t need to worry, while Lis was out of town.


    It''s just that, this morning Lis nagged at Lexus to immediatelye to the hospital and see for himself the situation of the two couples, so like it or not, before sunrise, with a heavy head and sleepy eyes, Lexus had arrived at this hospital.


    Thanks to Ramon''s heavy punches for making him so awake now.


    "Stay here and take her home after the doctor checks on her," said Ramon. He then got up from his seat and intended to take a shower in the bathroom provided by this VIP room.


    "Really?!" Lexus eximed in surprise, also in delight. If he had to take care of Hailee, that meant he could continue his dream which had been interrupted.


    "Tsk," Ramon clicked his tongue seeing Lexus making another fuss.


    "Really?" this time Lexus asked in a quieter voice.


    "Hm," replied Ramon as he walked away.


    ===============


    Lexus was already snoring softly when Ramon had finished his shower. Luckily, his brother knew him so well that in addition to clean clothes, he also brought toiletries for Ramon.


    Ramon then walked to the cab where the hospital provided an extra nket and took it for Lexus to use.


    When finished, Ramon was about to walk away, but then his gaze fell on Hailee. He took a few moments to go to the bed and saw that this girl was no longer in pain.


    Then he raised his hand and flicked the girl lightly on the forehead while muttering, "Troublesome."


    ==============


    Lexus woke up because he felt something had fallen on his face, at first he ignored the small and soft thing, but over time it was annoying and he could not continue sleeping soundly again.


    "Ugh," Lexusined, as he rubbed his face with a frown,st night in the middle of his sleep, he had to hear Lis nagging, and now when he could finally sleep, this was precisely what happened. What the heck was this?


    Sleepily, Lexus opened his eyes to find Hailee twisting tissue into little balls and throwing them at him.


    "What are you doing?" asked Lexus in a voice that was still a little hoarse.


    "Finally you wake up, I''m getting bored being here," said Hailee, adjusting her sleeping position so that she slept on her right side. Since the needle has been removed, she was now free to move. "What are you doing here? Where''s Ramon? "


    Hailee was already awake since earlier, she had even eaten the breakfast provided by the hospital, even though it''s not as good as what she usually make, but she didn''tin.


    "Ramon went to the office," said Lexus as he got up and immediately the little balls that Hailee had thrown fall. And even more so when he tussled his hair. "Hailee what are you doing?" he grumbled.


    "You don''t wake up and I''m bored. The sound of your snoring made the nurse who came inugh," Hailee said.


    "Is it true?" Lexus became self-conscious instantly. "I snore that loud?" he asked worriedly. If it''s true, how embarrassing!


    "No, I lied," Hailee replied casually. "You slept like a dead person."


    Hearing Hailee''s answer, Lexus narrowed his eyes in annoyance. Hailee and Ramon were really annoying, Lexus was curious, if they were in each other''spany who would be more annoyed with one another.


    "We can go back home when you feel good," Lexus said, stretching his muscles.


    "Okay," Hailee replied, as she got out of bed and was about to go to the bathroom, but before that she heard Lexus grumbling again.


    "How can Ramon sleep on the sofa like this all night? Why doesn''t he just ask for an extra bed, my whole body hurts."

 Chapter 67: SHADY BUSINESS

    <h4>Chapter 67: SHADY BUSINESS</h4>


    Hailee felt much more refreshed after she finished taking a shower and took off her hospital clothes. Because her hair was still wet, she wrapped it in a towel and started looking for something in the drawer near the bed.


    "What are you looking for?" Lexus asked, ncing at Hailee who was crouching down. He himself looked a lot more awake now and was watching the news on television, just to keep the room less quiet.


    "Hairdryer," Hailee said. "Isn''t there a hairdryer here?" she muttered.


    Lexus sighed. "This is a hospital, Hailee, not a hotel," Lexus said and turned his focus back to the television news.


    Hearing that, Hailee pouted and grumbled something that wasn''t clear. She then chose to towel-dry her hair, even though the results weren''t what she expected, but at least her hair wouldn''t be too wet.


    "Before we go home, apany me to eat first, the food in the hospital just doesn''t match my taste," he said.


    "Okay," Hailee replied, she didn''t have a problem with this, moreover she didn''t have any thing to do.


    This was so strange for Hailee, considering that her wedding was less than two weeks away, but she didn''t feel any sort of rush, not in the slightest, because everything had been handled by Lis and a famous event organizer who was more than happy to arrange everything.


    After all, this was a big event and everything had to be perfect. Knowing Liz''s personality, she must be one of those perfectionists.


    Just as Hailee was thinking about her wedding, which was no longer a burden for her now, a news broadcast on television caught her attention .


    "...Rnd Dimatrio, a district attorney from the city of T, is known to have been caught in a corruption scandal of a mega project in the city of R this morning and is currently under police investigation..."


    It was a piece of news that Hailee heard, before her head became a little slow in processing this information.


    Rnd Dimatrio was caught for corruption and misuse of funds for a mega project in the city of R?


    Wasn''t it just yesterday that she met with Rnd Dimatrio and until yesterday there were absolutely no rumors about him, but why did the district attorney suddenly be one of the suspects of the five district officials involved?


    Hailee couldn''t stop thinking.


    However, in the midst of this confusion, she heard a voice that was just as confused as her own mind.


    "Howe?" said Lexus in a dreamy tone.


    "What?" Hailee asked atst, after she came back from her own thoughts.


    "Him," said Lexus, nodding at Rnd Dimatrio. "Maybe this is a bit confusing for those of you who are not used to this kind of world, but the actions of Rnd Dimatrio and several other officials, are an open secret in some business circles."


    In other words, their acts of corruption were not unknown, but they were too adept at hiding evidences and lobbying those who have an important role to y in the smooth running of their illicit transactions.


    "Also, the bank that includes the evidence is the Central Bank. It is one of the banks under the banner of the Tordoff family and Ramon have an important role to y in it," said Lexus, still in a dreamy tone.


    "What do you mean?" Hailee asked, a little confused, her head was spinning and now she stopped trying to dry her hair.


    "Where do you think all the money from the shady business they''re running will go?" Lexus raised his eyebrows questioningly, but then he answered his own question. "Of course it all ends up in the bank."


    Hailee then saw another piece of news that stated that the money was indeed found in an inted ount in the name of a different person, but somehow the police were able to find a connection between that person and Rnd Dimatrio.


    Hailee''s head was too fric to hear the details while she took in the words of Lexus.


    "If the evidence is found at the central bank, it is certain that Ramon has a hand in it, but what''s strange is..." Lexus leaned back and folded his arms, as if he were analyzing the current heated situation. "¡­ I know Ramon very well, he wouldn''t do something like this if Rnd Dimatrio didn''t bother him. He tends not to care as long as he makes a fortune."


    Lexus then looked at Hailee who was staring at him with an expressionless face, but her eyes were fixed considerably on him.


    Then Lexus realized something and tried to correct his previous sentence.


    "It doesn''t mean that Ramon is involved in the mega project case, but he will choose not to bother and not get involved with these kinds of things." Lexus waved his hand at the news featuring the face of Rnd Dimatrio, where he was being closely guarded by the police for questioning, while journalists surrounded him, like ants wanting sugar. "Because it will be time consuming and troublesome."


    Hailee tried to digest all the information.


    Did all this have something to do with her? Was Ramon getting revenge for her? Or was he just angry that his future wife had been kidnapped right under his eyes and it hurt his pride?


    Because after all, if Hailee''s name got tarnished, it will have a bad impact on Ramon too.


    "I wonder, is there any personal problem between Ramon and Rnd Dimatrio? Though they both are not in the same business circle¡­." Lexus murmured, touching his chin, thinking.


    ==============


    "No, we have to go home." Lexus firmly refused Hailee''s request, who begged him to take her to Ramon at the office. They were now in the car driving toward the Tordoff residence.


    It''s not that Lexus didn''t want to take this girl there, but he didn''t want to get into trouble with his brother.


    Hailee just got out of the hospital and Ramon clearly asked him to take care of this girl, which meant Hailee had to rest at home, so if she were to go to the office and see Ramon... Hailee definitely wouldn''t get into trouble, but it would be a different case for Lexus. Ramon would even give him unreasonable tasks if he had set foot in the office now.


    "Why not?" Hailee grumbled, frowning then stared at the street in annoyance.


    They had just finished eating and Hailee wanted to go straight to Ramon to ask about Rnd. Her curiosity this time couldn''t wait any longer!


    "Because you have to go home and rest, otherwise I will be in trouble. I''m not interested in upsetting him," said Lexus in a firm tone. He still remembered the tasks Ramon gave him after he took Hailee out to the bar and she disappeared.

 Chapter 68: ROMANTIC DINNER

    <h4>Chapter 68: ROMANTIC DINNER</h4>


    Because Lexus didn''t agree to take Hailee to Ramon''s office, as originally nned, they returned home, to the Tordoffs.


    After dropping off Hailee, Lexus said in a warning tone before he got back into his car.


    "Go inside and don''t create trouble anymore, you''ve done enough to make my brother look like he''s not himself, okay?" said Lexus casually. "I want to know what really happened between him and Rnd Dimatrio, there''s no way news this hot escaped my ears," he grumbled.


    Yesterday Ramon disappeared without any news and canceled several meetings, fortunately it was only an internal meeting and Lexus was able to handle it well as Danny was not there too at the time.


    Meanwhile, Hailee could only exhale heavily, seeing Lexus'' behavior. The young master of the Tordoff family seemed more interested in knowing the news than the fact that Rnd Dimatrio''s life was in a mess.


    "Wait!" Hailee said as she waved her hand at Lexus and reminded him. "Tell Ramon toe home soon, I''ll cook dinner."


    Hearing the word ''dinner'', Lexus walked back to Hailee and asked with a face full of hope.


    "Dinner?" he asked with a cracked smile. "You are going to cook again?"


    Seeing Lexus'' childish expression, Haileeughed and hisugh followed suit, assuming that Hailee would invite him to eat dinner together.


    But, a secondter Hailee stoppedughing all of a sudden and her expression returned to normal in an instant, saying coldly. "No."


    "What?" Lexus''sughter just disappeared when he heard Hailee''s unexpected refusal.


    "No," Hailee repeated, this time shaking her head to confirm her words, so that Lexus wouldn''t ask any more questions. "You can''te over tonight."


    "Why?" asked Lexus in a defensive tone. He loved the dishes Hailee made and wanted to eat them again.


    "Because I want to prepare a romantic dinner, just for the two of us," Hailee replied with a meaningful smile. "You''ll only be a third wheel if you tag along."


    Hearing this, Lexus immediately covered his ears and walked away grumbling, "I''ve seen enough of you two being all lovey dovey, I don''t need to see anything else."


    Lately, whenever Lexus came to Ramon''s house, he often found Hailee making out with Ramon, whether it was when Ramon was holding her in his study, or most recently when Hailee teased Ramon on the stairs.


    Ugh!


    Lexus no longer wanted to see scenes like that.


    On the other hand, seeing Lexus'' exaggerated reaction made Haileeugh. "Don''t forget to tell Ramon!" she reminded him again when Lexus got into his car before driving it away.


    ==============


    Hailee spent her entire afternoon resting and searching for recipes that she thought would fit for the impromptu dinner she was nning.


    After finding several menus that she thought were easy and in ordance with Ramon''s tastes, she then made sure the raw materials for her cooking were avable in the kitchen.


    And Hailee was really lucky, all the food ingredients were avable.


    Everything is perfect.


    Now, she only needed to wait for an hour or two before she could start cooking dinner for the two of them. Even though Ramon didn''t say when he woulde home, but the man usually would arrive home at seven in the evening, so based on that habit, Hailee assumed that Ramon would alsoe home at the same time today.


    Apparently, the happiness that radiated from Hailee''s face was obvious, because several servants there watched her with a small smile when they found Hailee humming.


    "Miss, can I help you with anything?" asked one of the servants, offering to help.


    They were quite used to seeing Hailee in the kitchen and during that time, this girl always declined their help, but this time it seemed like Hailee was preparing something special and they wanted to get involved.


    Especially when they saw how happy Hailee was. Understandably, their gossipy souls roared to find out what would happen between these two people.


    That said, they were very happy to see Ramon with Hailee. The two of them get along really well and Hailee had a warm and jovial personality.


    "Can you help me set the table?" Hailee asked, this time she epted their help. "I''d like to have dinner on the patio, in the back garden. Could you please help me to set up a table over there?" she asked politely.


    "Of course," replied Martha, a middle-aged woman who seemed to be the butler of Ramon''s house. "Do you want a romantic candle dinner?" she asked, blinking her eyes coquettishly.


    It made Haileeugh cheerfully. She like Martha. "Yes, please."


    If Hailee was indeed going to be married to Ramon and make that man the only one in her life, then it didn''t hurt to make their household a little bit fun, right?


    Maybe this romantic dinner, could make them both fall in love for real.


    ==============


    It was ten o''clock in the evening, but Ramon had note home yet, usually he never came home thiste...


    And now, Hailee''s mood, which had been so perfect two hours ago, was slowly turning cold, as cold as the food she had prepared and the now extinguished candles on the terrace in the back garden.


    "Hhh ..." Hailee sighed again irritably. She then leaned her back against the back of the chair and looked back at the phone on the table. Right now she was in Ramon''s study and intended to call the man to ask if he wasing home.


    Unfortunately, Hailee''s cellphonewas left behind at Rnd''s house yesterday and she didn''t know Ramon''s phone number, or Lexus''s, or Lis''s for that matter, and this irritated and annoyed her.


    Not to mention the fact that not a single servant in this house knew the numbers of any of the three of them. Of course it shouldn''te as a surprise, but it still made Hailee''s mood worse with every second that passed.


    Even the servants outside the study door could sense it.


    They didn''t dare ask what to do with the dining table set, so they just left it like that until Hailee gave an order.


    "So annoying!" Hailee scowled and stared at the phone on the table with an angry gaze, as if it had mistaken her. "I should have memorized his number¡­" Hailee grumbled softly.


    Now allher efforts were in vain...


    "When would hee home? Did Lexus forget to deliver my message?" Hailee grumbled as she stared at the hands of the clock, moving toward the eleven o''clock mark.

 Chapter 69: ROMANTIC DINNER (2)

    <h4>Chapter 69: ROMANTIC DINNER (2)</h4>


    And sure enough, just as Hailee expected, Lexus had forgotten what Hailee ordered him and was so focused on the problems in the office.


    The news of Rnd Dimatrio''s arrest and the fact that it mentioned Central Bank in its report, had little effect on them, although it was not very influential, but it did leave some people with work for extra hours.


    Unfortunately, Danny and Lexus were included in that group of people, while Ramon had to finish his dyed meeting yesterday because he suddenly canceled it to go to town R.


    Everything was sudden and unexpected, but everything was still under Ramon''s control.


    However, Lexus still hadn''t got the news he wanted about Ramon and Rnd Dimatrio.


    Lexus couldn''t just ask Danny, because the two of them didn''t really get along, so here he was; struggling with this seemingly endless work.


    "Ah, I''m hungry!" said Lexus as he handed thest document to Ramon and stretched out his stiff muscles.


    "You can order food," said Ramon indifferently. It was half past ten, but Ramon had absolutely no intention of letting his younger brother go home.


    "About dinner..." Lexus was about to argue when something crossed his mind about dinner and he started to gasp. "Oh, my god!"


    Hearing the panicked voice of his younger brother, Ramon turned his head only to find a dumbfounded Lexus. "What is wrong?" he asked. Instinctively, he then took the document that Lexus had handed over, thinking that his younger brother had done something wrong.


    However, Lexus immediately grabbed Ramon''s hand and put away the document and looked at his brother closely.


    "What?" asked Ramon impatiently. Lexus was starting to act weird again and this was worrying.


    "I forgot to tell you," he said with a frowning expression.


    "What did you forget?" asked Ramon suspiciously. The first thing that came to his mind was; Lexus had messed up again.


    "I forgot to say that Hailee will make dinner and now she''s waiting for you at home to eat together." Lexus grimaced as he nced at the digital clock on Ramon''s desk and the number showed that it was past dinner time.


    The wrinkles on his forehead deepened when Lexus saw the change in the expression on Ramon''s face when he looked in the same direction as Lexus.


    "You forgot?" Ramon asked softly, turning his attention to Lexus.


    Oh, crap! This is not a good sign.


    "Sorry," said Lexus softly.


    ==============


    After hearing what Lexus said, of course Ramon could not immediately leave his office because there were a number of things he had to finish right away.


    But, Ramon finished it as fast as he could and returned home.


    Not because Ramon cared about Hailee, but because thetter was just sick yesterday and the doctor advised him to take care of her diet, and Ramon was also very sure that the girl would not eat before he came home.


    At the very least, that was the excuse Ramon gave himself when he was in the car driving toward the Tordoffs''.


    In less than an hour, Ramon was at his doorstep, while someone was driving his car into the garage.


    "Where is she?" Ramon asked the first servant he saw. It was the first sentence he said as soon as he set foot in the house.


    Of course, the maid knew who Ramon was referring to.


    "Miss Hailee is in the study," replied the maid in a low, polite voice.


    At first, Ramon thought the girl was already in her bedroom, if that was the case, he could breathe a sigh of relief, or maybe still be in the kitchen and decide to eat her food alone, that too was a good choice.


    Upon learning of Hailee''s whereabouts, Ramon immediately stepped toward his study, although he was a little surprised; what Hailee was doing in there?


    With long strides, Ramon reached the front of his study and immediately pushed the door open.


    Before Hailee''s arrival, this room was a ce that was very rarely visited, except for Ramon, especially when he didn''t want to be disturbed.


    The second most private room in this house after his room. But now, it seemed that Hailee was here more often than himself...


    As soon as Ramon opened the door, he found Hailee staring at him from behind the table, her expression not showing any emotion, so it was hard for Ramon to guess what she was thinking.


    For a moment, Ramon didn''t know what to say, so he walked over and stood opposite Hailee with only the table separating the two of them.


    For a moment there was silence and no one wanted to open their mouth first, until finally Hailee exhaled heavily and said in a low voice.


    "I made dinner, but it must be cold by now," she said grumpily.


    "Lexus forgot to tell me that," replied Ramon.


    Hearing his reply, Hailee''s eyes widened and she stood up suddenly, her expressionless face from just a moment ago, turned into one that was full of rage.


    "I knew it!" she said in a loud enough voice, if only Lexus were there, maybe Hailee had thrown something from the table at him. "He must have forgotten to tell you!"


    "Hm," Ramon muttered, confirming Hailee''s statement and then watching the girl grumble. Ramon waited until Hailee threw herself back on the chair and her grumbling stopped. "Have you eaten?" he asked.


    And Hailee shook her head. "I am waiting for you."


    Ramon had expected that answer.


    "But I guess the food isn''t good anymore,"Hailee said softly.


    "Didn''t the doctor tell you that you have to adjust your diet?" asked Ramon, narrowing his eyes in displeasure.


    He didn''t want to see Hailee fall ill again, because he thought it was troublesome if he had to stay at the hospital, not to mention that Ramon was fed up with the ce.


    "Yes, I know¡­" Hailee grumbled. "I also don''t intend not to eat..."


    Seeing Hailee who looked down and awry, Ramon could only sigh. "Come here,"


    "Why?" Hailee immediately raised her head and followed the man''s orders, and in a matter of seconds, she was standing in front of Ramon with questioning eyes. "What is wrong?"


    Ramon then turned Hailee around and pushed her toward the door. "You can reheat the dish, I''m also hungry and haven''t eaten."

 Chapter 70: I CHOOSE THE RIGHT HUSBAND!

    <h4>Chapter 70: I CHOOSE THE RIGHT HUSBAND!</h4>


    Hailee finished heating the chicken casserole that she cooked a few hours ago and served it in two tes of which she pushed one toward Ramon and took one to herself.


    Instead of having a romantic dinner on the patio, near the back garden with candles, they sat on the high chairs of the counter with two tes of casserole and two sses of orange juice.


    Ugh!


    This waspletely far from Hailee''s imagination regarding the romantic dinner she had nned. Lexus really ruined her date night!


    "I hope the taste doesn''t change," said Hailee, sitting on the high stool opposite Ramon. After tasting it and it still tasted good, she nodded at Ramon. "Still delicious."


    Hailee rarely ate warmed food when she was at home or ate the same food that day, so Ramon must have had simr habits.


    After seeing Hailee eat her food without a problem, Ramon tasted the chicken casserole in front of him.


    "Ramon," Hailee called out, spooning her food again. "Regarding Rnd Dimatrio¡­" Hailee''s words hung and she hoped Ramon would finish the sentence, because this man must have known what she wanted to ask, right?


    However, it seemed that Ramon was not at all interested in the topic Hailee brought up and chose to eat his food.


    Ramon had to admit that Hailee''s cooking fit his tongue perfectly, moreover, it was a warm feeling knowing that someone was waiting for him toe home and cook something for him.


    These were little things that Ramon didn''t realize when he wasn''t with Hailee, but when this girl came around, it seemed like Ramon was starting to realize that trivial things like this could bringfort too.


    "About Rnd Dimatrio," Hailee repeated her words again. "Did you do all that? You know, corruption cases are on the news right now. Lexus says Central Bank is under the Tordoff family, which means you, in a sense, took part in the uncovering of the mega project case¡­ "


    The case was so big and it was certain that Ramon knew about it too, but considering that it was only yesterday that Hailee had met Rnd Dimatrio and there were no rumors of this horrendous case, it was hard to believe it was just a coincidence.


    "Yes," replied Ramon curtly.


    Right, right ...


    Hailee was expecting it, it''s just that hearing Ramon say this right away, still stunned her.


    "Did you do that because of what he did to me?" Hailee asked carefully, she didn''t want to let her hopes soar too high, but still if Ramon said ''yes'' it would make her absurdly happy.


    Howe Ramon made such a big fuss because of her? Of course Hailee was ttered.


    On the other hand, Ramon didn''t answer right away, he lifted his head and looked at Hailee with calcting eyes, before he said, "Partly."


    Partly, huh? What''s with this answer? Still, Hailee was happy and she jumped down from her high stool and walked over to Ramon. Hugging the man''s neck so that he had to duck and hold his position so that he did not fall.


    "What are you doing?" Ramon''s forehead creased, he gripped the edge of the counter tightly so he wouldn''t fall on top of Hailee who didn''t seem to care.


    In truth, what Ramon said was his honest answer; half the reason for doing this was because Rnd Dimitrio dared to kidnap Hailee even though he knew that this girl was going to marry him, which meant that the old attorney should have thought it out a hundred times before carrying out his n.


    Ramon thought what he had done at the press conference that time by announcing their marriage was enough of a warning to people like Rnd Dimatrio and Aileen to take stupid actions against Hailee.


    However, the reality proved otherwise. They weren''t smart enough to see the warning in Ramon''s message.


    And, the other reasons were; in this way he could pave the way to get what he wanted more easily, namely; Tatum familypany.


    Ramon had his own way of paving his way to reach his goal.


    "Thank you!" Hailee eximed happily, she then kissed Ramon on the cheek twice and hugged him again.


    Hailee''s cheerful attitude, somehow made Ramon smile along with her.


    "How did it feel?" Ramon asked, hugging Hailee''s petite body with one hand. "It''s a lot more fun than throwing a punch or two, isn''t it?"


    Hearing Ramon''s words, Haileeughed loudly. "It''s so much better!"


    Hailee remembered her words expressing disappointment that Ramon did nothing after taking her away from Rnd Dimatrio''s house yesterday, even though this man was well aware that it was the district attorney''s order.


    But, seeing how Ramon retaliated against Rnd, it felt much better indeed!


    Ramon not only destroyed his reputation but also the man''s career. That being said, the district attorney would not be able to bother Hailee again, nor would he dare approach her.


    "I did not choose the wrong husband!" said Hailee proudly.


    Hearing that, the smile on Ramon''s lips faded slightly.


    Wait, since when did Hailee choose him? Wasn''t it the opposite?


    This girl...


    ==============


    After dinner, Ramon and Hailee chatted briefly about matters that have nothing to do with Rnd Dimatrio or the rest of Hailee''s family.


    They were trying to get to know each other before getting to the more serious stage.


    Although these questions were all dominated by Hailee and tend to be very trivial matters, Ramon still answered them.


    "That''s enough for tonight," said Ramon, cutting off Hailee who wanted to ask if Ramon had a favorite song. "It''ste, I have a meeting out of town tomorrow."


    Hearing that, Hailee gasped. "Why didn''t you say it earlier?" Hailee asked, feeling disappointed. "How many days will you be gone? We''re going to my house this weekend," she reminded.


    Hailee was already nning to visit her family four days from now and was about to tell Ramon and Danny her ns so he could adjust Ramon''s schedule.


    "Only one day," said Ramon. "I''ll be back by tomorrow afternoon."


    "Oh," Hailee muttered, suddenly feeling lonely because she wouldn''t see Ramon for one whole day until tomorrow afternoon again. "You have to buy me another cell phone."


    "Why?" Ramon raised an eyebrow. "So you can call your best friend when I''m not around?" he asked in a light tone.


    Hearing that, Hailee frowned. "Of course so I can call you."

 Chapter 71: QUARELL

    <h4>Chapter 71: QUARELL</h4>


    Hailee woke up early in the morning, but you could say she was actuallyte because when she finally left the room, Ramon was about to leave.


    Hailee''s original intention was to cook breakfast for Ramon, but because she slept verytest night, she couldn''t wake up as early as she wanted.


    Therefore, half running, Hailee approached Ramon who was just about to get into his car.


    "Ramon!" called Hailee and the man turned around, only to find Hailee who was still wearing her pajamas and with her hair in a mess, scattered in all directions on top of her head. Obviously she only had time to wash her face after waking up.


    "What are you doing so early?" Ramon asked with a frown, disliking how Hailee looked now. Not because she looked so ''messy'' when she just woke up, but because besides him there was Danny, the driver and someone else who would be going with him.


    Actually, Ramon quite liked Hailee''s appearance who looked innocent like this ...


    On the other hand, Hailee didn''t expect that someone else would be there either, so with her eyes wide open, she retreated back into the house.


    What Hailee didn''t expect was; Ramon followed her.


    "What?" he asked in a cold tone that Hailee had grown ustomed to.


    "Nothing," Hailee said, shaking her head lightly. "I just wanted to say be careful on the road."


    Ramon raised his eyebrows as he folded his arms across his chest. "You got up so early just to say that?" he asked incredulously.


    "Well¡­" Hailee muttered softly, twisting a lock of stray hair shyly. "I was going to make breakfast for you, but because I slept toote, I woke upte too..."


    "You''re going to make breakfast for me." It''s not a question but a statement, Ramon just wanted to confirm that from Hailee.


    "Yes," Hailee replied immediately.


    "Are you going to make breakfast every day for me?" Ramon asked. He was not expecting forHailee to make him breakfast every day, though, he only wanted to know what this girl''s answer would be.


    But, Hailee agreed. "If that''s what you want, no problem. I like to make breakfast for you."


    Ramonughed softly at that. "What is this? You want something from me? "


    "What?" Hailee blinked in disbelief.


    "I don''t know, anything," said Ramon in a light tone. "I''m used to people expecting reciprocity," he said, looking at Hailee calctively. "So what do you want?"


    Instantly, Hailee understood what Ramon meant by reciprocity, Ramon exined it to her in a nutshell. A business life full of intrigue must have made this man a skeptical figure. Apart from his family, the kindness of others he received must have had its own hidden motives.


    But, oh my! Hailee isn''t someone else and she will be a part of his family too, very soon for that matter.


    "Your life is so boring, huh? So that all you think about is profit and loss?" Hailee asked in a sarcastic tone, now she just became annoyed that her kindness was being questioned. Besides, what''s so hard about making breakfast every morning? She also needs to eat breakfast, alright?


    Seeing the girl in front of him with such an expression did not necessarily make Ramon react. Instead, he looked at Hailee closely.


    "Alright, I just want to say be careful on the road." Hailee pouted, she walked past Ramon while waving her hand nonchntly. "I wouldn''t make you breakfast if you thought I had some motive by doing something good to you."


    "Are you doing me good so that I will let you call your best friend?" Ramon was still reluctant to mention Ian''s name and he emphasized the word ''best friend'', as if he was making fun of it.


    Hailee turned around and looked at Ramon fiercely. Why did this man have to mess with her so early in the morning like this? Hailee just wanted to see him off. That was all. Becausest night it seemed like their rtionship looked good and she wanted to keep it that way.


    However, why was Ramon actually making things worse? Their way of thinking was too different...


    "I''ll keep calling even though you were rude and mean to me," Hailee said and walked toward her room. Leaving Ramon to stand alone there.


    This waspletely out of n.


    Hailee thought she''d at least get a good morning kiss from Ramon, but instead, they got into a fight.


    ==============


    Hailee stared intently at her new cell phone, as if it was a foreign object she didn''t understand how to use.


    An hour ago, Martha came to her room and handed over a package.


    Hailee thought that after their quarrel this morning, Ramon wouldn''t give her the cell phone, but he didn''t. He was quite good at buying her a phone with the same model as the two previous phones.


    Hopefully this time the cell phone could live a long life unlike its predecessors.


    However, what had troubled Hailee all afternoon and evening was; Ramon didn''t contact her at all. No messages, no calls.


    Granted, along with the cell phone, also included Ramon''s personal phone number which only important people and family knew about, but Hailee insisted on not calling the arrogant man first.


    It''s just that, even after nightfall and Hailee had finished dinner, there was no news from Ramon and this made Hailee grumpy.


    ''Should I call him first?'' Hailee thought as she paced in her room.


    She looked back at her cell phone and confirmed that thework was OK. And everything was perfect except that she didn''t get the calls from the person she wanted.


    In the midst of that hesitation, Hailee then decided to meet someone who could definitely enlighten her.


    With this idea she just got, Hailee immediately came out of the room and went looking for Martha who turned out to be in the backyard.


    "Yes, what''s wrong Miss?" she asked.


    "Can someone help me get the car ready? I want to go to Lexus''s house," said Hailee.


    The Tordoffs'' residence was sorge that it was a five-minute drive from one house to the other.


    "Okay, Miss. You can wait in front," said Martha and went to find a driver for Hailee, although a little curious why Hailee wanted to go to Lexus''s house thiste night.


    This was not the time to visit¡­


    Even so, Hailee hoped he knew his annoying brother well enough and found a way for Hailee to call Ramon without feeling awkward.


    Ugh, this sucks!

 Chapter 72: THE LINE WAS CUT OFF

    <h4>Chapter 72: THE LINE WAS CUT OFF</h4>


    "What are you doing here sote at night?" asked Lexus when he found Hailee in his living room.


    Lexus was ready to sleep because today was so tiring without Ramon around and with that Rnd Dimatrio''s case involving Central Bank, he had to go the extra mile.


    "Come here, I want to discuss something with you," Hailee called out, waving her hand and patting the space on the sofa next to her.


    Lexus looked at Hailee suspiciously. "What discussion?" he asked with narrowed eyes, but immediately descended the stairs and approached this future sister-inw of his.


    He wore a white T-shirt and training pants to sleep, just like Ramon.


    "What?" Lexus asked curiously as he slumped himself on the sofa next to Hailee who was staring at him.


    "So this is¡­" Hailee started, she cleared her throat to raise her voice and drive away the nervousness. "I just want to know... I just want to know," she emphasized her words. "Usually Ramon would be still awake at this time or will he be already asleep?"


    Lexus frowned, but then he nced at the clock. It was ten o''clock in the evening, which meant that Ramon must have finished with all his meetings.


    "At this time, he would be usually checking a few things before going to bed," Lexus replied.


    "Has he not called you all day?" Hailee asked again.


    "Of course he called me," Lexus said. Ramon called him twice today to scold him because things didn''t go his way and Lexus sent the wrong data.


    "What did you two talk about?" Hailee leaned over. Ramon called Lexus, but didn''t call her¡­ this fact annoyed Hailee a little.


    "It''s a boring job," Lexus replied, still wondering where this conversation was going.


    "Then¡­ Did he¡­" Hailee looked hesitant to ask, also couldn''t help but to have to do it. Otherwise it would be a waste for her toe here. "Did he ask about me?"


    Hailee was a little bit reluctant to admit that she was upset. Ramon didn''t contact her at all. Did Ramon wish she''d called him first?


    "No," Lexus answered immediately. He remembered very well, apart from scolding him for sending the wrong data, Ramon didn''t mention about Hailee at all.


    "No?"Hailee''s tone turned sharp and this caused suspicion in Lexus.


    "Hold on," Lexus said, raising his hand before Hailee could ask again. "Actually, what do you want to discuss with me?"


    Being stared at by Lexus made Hailee remember Ramon''s probing gaze, although it didn''t have the same scary effect as his older brother, but still Hailee was a little ufortable.


    "Well..." Hailee exhaled heavily. "This afternoon Ramon and I had a little fight. "Hailee pointed out by flicking the tip of her index finger to indicate how small their fight was. "But this afternoon he sent me a new cell phone and his number."


    "Then?" Lexus seemed to have guessed where this conversation was going now.


    "But, until now Ramon hasn''t called me..." said Hailee finally in a resigned voice.


    "Geez, Hailee!" Lexus pped his forehead quite hard. To think that their swirling chatter had only such a simple essence. "You can call him first!"


    "Shh! Lower your voice!" Hailee eximed fiercely, she cast her gaze all over this spacious living room, but fortunately didn''t find anyone eavesdropping.


    "There are only a few servants here," said Lexus without lowering the volume. "I like to be alone." Yes, Lexus only live alone because their mother lives in a different house, although they were still in the same scope.


    "Still," Hailee said grumpily.


    "Now tell me." Lexus adjusted his seat and stared at Hailee carefully. "Why don''t you call my brother first?"


    "I told you earlier, your brother and I had a fight this morning." Then Hailee added. "A little fight."


    "During the two years together, this wasn''t your first fight, was it?" Lexus asked.


    It was impossible in a rtionship that long, the two of them never had a sh. Lexus wouldn''t believe it.


    "Well, we had¡­" Hailee said slowly while ying with the cellphone in her hand. "I just want to know, if I call him now, will he be annoyed?"


    Hearing that, Lexus could only sigh. "If you expect him to call you now, even if all the pr ice melts, he won''t. There are only one person he cares about in this world."


    "Who?" Hailee asked curiously.


    "Me." Lexus pointed to himself with pride. "Wherever he goes, he must call me."


    Hearing Lexus'' answer, Hailee rolled her eyes dramatically. "He called you about work. Does he care about what you do?" Hailee replied sarcastically.


    Lexus took a sharp breath, as if something had stabbed into his chest. "Your words really hurt, girl."


    "Facts hurt, brother," Hailee replied.


    For a moment, the two of them looked at each other sarcastically, before finally Lexus gave up. "Come on, just call him. He must be still awake. "


    "No," Hailee refused. "Who knows he''s sleeping now and gets angry at meter when I call him."


    "Then what do you want?" asked Lexus again, feeling dizzy about his brother''s love affair. As long as Lexus could remember, he had never had to face a trivial problem like this, but again, the rtionships he had been in never got to a serious stage right up to marriage...


    "You call him first," Hailee suggested. "If he''s not sleeping yet, I''ll call him after you."


    "What?" Lexus looked at Hailee in disbelief. "I don''t want to," he rejected.


    "I''ll cook dinner for you." Hailee tried to persuade him.


    "Okay." And Lexus agreed immediately.


    Seeing how easy it was to persuade Lexus, before even Hailee tried a second time, made her stare at this man in disbelief. "You have no stand, so easy to persuade."


    Lexus shrugged his shoulders nonchntly and pulled his cellphone out of his trouser pocket. "I think I can be easily persuaded with good food."


    "Alright¡­" Hailee said resignedly and sat closer to Lexus who was contacting Ramon and when he pressed the loudspeaker sign, a dialer tone could be heard in this living room.


    If contacting his brother could get Lexus to taste Hailee''s cooking again, of course it''s worth it.


    "Yes?" Ramon''s voice could be heard from the other side.


    "Bro, are you sleeping?" asked Lexus.


    "Not yet," replied Ramon curtly.


    "Have you had dinner?"


    It turned quiet.


    Then, after a while there was a long tone, indicating that the telephone connection had been disconnected.


    Hailee and Lexus: "..."

 Chapter 73: LOST FOR WORDS

    <h4>Chapter 73: LOST FOR WORDS</h4>


    A short whileter there was a long tone, indicating that the telephone connection had been disconnected.


    Hailee and Lexus; "..."


    "Why did he cut off the line?" Hailee asked Lexus with an expression of disbelief as she stared at the screen of the cellphone of the man beside her, who was scratching his head that was not itchy.


    "I don''t know," Lexus replied with a grimace. He tilted his head and thought for a moment. "Maybe because of my question."


    If you think about it, it was Lexus'' question that made Ramon hang up the phone.


    In fact, since when did Lexushad to bother about calling his brother at night just to ask if he had eaten or not? Lexus wasn''t usually that concerned! And Ramon was also not a child to be reminded of trivial things like eating.


    "So, find the right question," Hailee grumbled, frowning.


    "Hey! Why am I being scolded?" Lexus replied, staring at Hailee in disbelief. "I don''t even know what the problem is between you two."


    Hailee grew even more silent when she heard Lexus''s words, but also didn''t look up from the cell phone screen in his hand.


    And when Hailee was about to talk, as if Lexus knew what she was going to say, he raised his hand first to stop any words that were about to slide off her lips. "I''m not calling him again," he said in a definite and indisputable tone. "He won''t pick up my phone because he thinks I''m just wasting his time."


    "How can you be so sure?" Hailee asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously, this could be just a trick of Lexus.


    "Of course I know! I''m the little brother he loves the most," Lexus said with a big smile and a proud tone.


    But, Hailee didn''t smile with him. "Does he have another younger brother? He has no choice, you know."


    In other words, if Ramon had to be proud of a younger brother, it would be Lexus. His choices were very limited considering he only had one younger brother.


    "Hey, what does that mean?" Lexus was about to grumble when this time it was Hailee who raised her hand to stop him from speaking.


    "Okay, that means I already know that he''s not sleeping, I better call him now," said Hailee while taking out her own cellphone.


    Quickly, Hailee found Ramon''s phone number and called the man.


    "Why are you still here?" Hailee asked, looking at Lexus with a questioning gaze, seeing him leaning over, as if he wanted to overhear the conversation between Hailee and Ramon.


    "I want to listen too, what my brother is like when a woman calls him at night," Lexus answered, a grin etched on his lips as he nced at Hailee with enthusiasm.


    "No," said Hailee immediately, she pushed her cell phone away so Lexus wouldn''t be able to hear anything.


    "Why?" The smile on Lexus'' face faded as his brows knitted together, he stared at Hailee like a child asking for candy. "I also want to hear, I want to hear."


    "Get away, Lexus, being cute not suit with you." Hailee grumbled and pushed Lexus'' chest away from her.


    Without the two of them knowing it, it turned out that the call had been connected to Ramon and the man was listening to an argument between the two.


    He could only exhale heavily, knowing how well Hailee and Lexus get along with each other, especially their childish side.


    It was only after a while, Hailee realized that her phone was connected.


    "Ha ..." Even before she finished greeting him, Ramon already spoke in a t tone.


    "Give the phone to Lexus," he said without a ''hi'', ''hello'' or ''good night''.


    With a frown, Hailee stared at her cellphone screen. What''s with Ramon? Wasn''t Hailee the one calling him, so why would he talk to Lexus?


    "What is wrong? Why?" asked Lexus from next to her in a low voice, as if Ramon didn''t know he was there yet. "He doesn''t want to talk to you?"


    "He wants to talk to you," Hailee said grumpily, then handed the cell phone to Lexus.


    "Me?" He pointed at himself and saw Hailee nod. Then he carefully took the cell phone from Hailee''s hand and pressed it to his own ear.


    On the other hand, Hailee noticed the expression on Lexus''s face that turned tense when he heard what Ramon said.


    Hailee was curious. She leaned closer so she could hear what they were talking about, but the conversation was brief because after Lexus agreed to whatever Ramon said, he immediately returned the cell phone to Hailee.


    "Here," he said as he thrust the cellphone toward Hailee and got up. "You can use the guest room over there." Pointed Lexus toward one of the doors to their left, which was beautifully carved. "Don''te home at night and if you need anything, just call me or the people who are here."


    Lexus said it out loud enough for Hailee to believe he was doing it so Ramon on the other side could hear him through the cell phone that was still connected.


    "Okay?" Lexus asked. He seemed impatient to escape from his own living room and back into the room, even though just a moment ago he had been adamant on listening to Hailee and Ramon''s chat.


    "Okay," Hailee answered with a smile hanging on her lips andughed softly when she saw Lexus finally leave. "Hey, what did you say to your little brother that he just left like that?" Hailee asked Ramon.


    She then saw Lexus say something to a servant, who then walked toward the guest room that Lexus had pointed out earlier. Looked like Lexus asked her to clean the guest room.


    Actually, it didn''t matter if Hailee had to go back to Ramon''s house, the distance between the two houses was only five minutes, but because Lexus had already prepared a room for her, Hailee decided to go home tomorrow.


    "I have my own way of handling him." Ramon answered in his usual calm voice.


    "Great,I thought he''d stick with me so he could hear our conversation," Hailee said. There was still a lingeringughter in her voice.


    "Then, why did you call me?" This was Ramon''s habit, he wouldn''t settle for light-hearted topics to break the ice, but would go straight to the point like why Hailee called him.


    Instantly, theughter in Hailee''s voice disappeared and she felt nervous. Why the heck is this guy so stiff and straight to the point?


    "I just wanted to say that I got the cell phone you bought me," Hailee then added. "Thank you."


    "That is it? Didn''t that cellphone already with you from this afternoon?" Ramon probed.


    Hailee lost for words in the face of this man instantly.

 Chapter 74: TO SEE YOU FALL ASLEEP

    <h4>Chapter 74: TO SEE YOU FALL ASLEEP</h4>


    "Well¡­" Hailee said softly, shuffling around to give her brain enough time to assemble the right words. "I wish you called me."


    In the end, Hailee couldn''t think of a proper excuse and preferred to be honest. She then closed her eyes while twisting the ends of her hair which she tied on top of her head. Waiting for Ramon''s response to her bold statement.


    However, after waiting for a while, Ramon did not respond. Instead, Hailee heard the sound of something rubbing and clinking.


    "Ramon? What are you doing?" Hailee asked.


    "My dinner has just delivered," said Ramon.


    It seemed that the sounds Hailee heard earlier were the ones when Ramon put his te on the table and a ss of water for him.


    "Oh," Hailee muttered. It was not wrong that Lexus had asked if Ramon had eaten or not, because it was alreadyte like this, and he was just about to start his dinner. "Then just turn off the phone so you can eat."


    "No, speak up," said Ramon. "I''m busy this afternoon so I didn''t call you."


    This was just shocking!


    Hailee raised her eyebrows when she heard Ramon''s exnation. Actually, the girl expected that Ramon would say; he should have called her first. Hailee did not expect Ramon to provide this kind of exnation.


    "Oh, it''s okay¡­" Hailee cringed at her negative and superficial thoughts. Even from a distance, Ramon could embarrass her. "Is it okay for you to speak while you eat?" Hailee asked worriedly. Some people don''t like having a chat while eating, right?


    But, then Hailee heard a notification sound from her cellphone, and when she saw, it turned out that Ramon was asking for the call to be turned into a video call.


    Instantly Hailee tried to groom herself as best she could to not look too disheveled. She nervouslybed her hair and remembered that she was far from ''presentable''.


    For some reason, Hailee didn''t think about wearing tidier clothes when she visited Lexus''s house. She only came in wearing her yellow pajamas with her hair tied over her head.


    It was only after Hailee managed to put back her messy hair ties into ce that she epted the video call.


    This was their first video call and somehow Hailee felt like a teenager who was being called by her boyfriend. Although that wasn''t entirely wrong ...


    "Yes?" Hailee looked at Ramon through her cell phone screen. There it appeared that the man was enjoying his dinner; breadedmb breast. It looked good¡­


    Because eating that type of food required both hands, so Ramon leaned back his cellphone so that he faced Hailee, as if they were on the same table.


    "You wore that to Lexus''s house?" Ramon stopped eating. His forehead creased looking at the pajamas Hailee was wearing.


    "Lexus''s house is close by." Hailee tried to find an excuse. Then from the corner of her eye, she could see the maid who had been asked to clean the guest room, hade out and when their eyes met she smiled and nodded, as if saying that Hailee could use the room.


    "Next time wear a jacket," Ramon said in a t tone and continued his dyed meal.


    "Okay," Hailee said cheerfully, as she walked toward her room.


    She never thought that calling Ramon was actually this easy, if she knew it would be like this, she''d have already called him and wouldn''t bother looking for Lexus.


    However, Hailee was also confused, what was she really afraid of? Why should she be nervous when she called Ramon?


    Hailee''s eyes quickly roamed around the guest room in Lexus''s house and since there was nothing special, because this room was the same as the rooms in Ramon''s house, she immediately walked over to the bed and sank into it.


    "Is your food good?" Hailee asked as she wrapped herself in a nket.


    Ramon looked thoughtful for a moment. "Not as good as your cooking."


    "Really?" Hailee raised her eyebrows in a questioning tone. She didn''t expect Ramon to say that.


    What''s wrong with Ramon? His mood today seemed really good. Was the meeting going really well and was he getting a big provit so he could act this cute? Whatever the reason might be, Hailee liked this version of Ramon.


    "Hm," replied Ramon as he put a piece of meat in his mouth. "Before you called me, who else did you call?" he asked suddenly.


    "No one," Hailee replied immediately, because that was the truth. She hadn''t called anyone before.


    "Hm," Ramon muttered again, looking satisfied. Whether it''s because of the food or because of Hailee''s answer, no one knew for sure.


    Then a thought crossed Hailee''s head. "But, after this I''ll call Ian."


    Hailee didn''t mean to call Ian after this, she just wanted to tease Ramon. Maybe she''d call Ian in the next few days, not now.


    However, seeing how Ramon was ring at her made Hailee want tough, therefore, she covered half of her face under the nket.


    Hailee thought, Ramon will be pissed off and angry again like this morning, but it''s not the case. After staring at Hailee fiercely, Ramon asked a questionpletely far from what Hailee expected.


    Ramon was full of surprises tonight.


    "I''ll be home tomorrow afternoon," Ramon told Hailee. "What do you want me to bring?" he asked after putting down his ss.


    "Oh, there''s no need." Hailee then smiled a little as she said her next few words. "Having you back safe and sound is enough for me."


    And Ramon smiled when he heard that. A smile that really touched his eyes, making his coldness seem to melt a little.


    After the chat during the meal, most of which were Hailee telling stories and asking questions, Ramon moved over to his table and started to open theptop while Hailee was already starting to yawn from being sleepy.


    "You won''t sleep?" Hailee asked when she saw Ramon checking some emails casually.


    "I just ate, how could I sleep." Ramon said without looking at Hailee, but he could tell that the girl had yawned several times.


    It was veryte into the night and Ramon liked these hours, when he could think more clearly without being distracted, and Hailee could be described as ''distraction''.


    However, it seemed that Ramon didn''t mind at all.


    "I''m sleepy and you still want to work, so I''ll just turn it off..." Hailee said in between her yawns.


    "No, just leave the video on," Ramon forbade her.


    "You mean you want to see me sleep?" Hailee asked, her brain slowing down due to sleepiness.


    "Yes," replied Ramon in a calm voice. "I want to see you sleep."


    Wait, he''s not just trying to make sure I don''t call Ian, is he?

 Chapter 75: MRS. SMITH IS WAITING OUTSIDE

    <h4>Chapter 75: MRS. SMITH IS WAITING OUTSIDE</h4>


    Hailee woke up and immediately looked around the room that felt foreign to her.


    Her brows creased, but a momentter she rememberedst night''s incident, how she had a sudden idea that led her to go to Lexus''s house to call Ramon.


    When the name Ramon crossed her mind, Hailee immediately grabbed her cellphone. Last night, because Ramon wanted to continue the video call, Hailee didn''t turn off her cellphone and just fell asleep.


    The cellphone in Hailee''s hand was off now, apparently it ran out of battery, because yesterday she didn''t charge it at all.


    Hailee didn''t know when her cellphone turned off, but for sure, Ramon had seen her fall asleep. Hailee just hoped that she didn''t snore or have a strange sleeping position.


    After finishing washing her face and brushing her teeth, Hailee came out of the room and found a servant, who happened to be passing by, greeting her.


    "Miss Hailee, what would you like for breakfast?" she asked kindly. "Mr. Lexus left for the office an hour ago, he told Miss Hailee to eat something first before going home."


    Hailee smiled at that, but because she wasn''t really hungry, finally Hailee decided to just ask for some toast.


    While walking into the dining room, Hailee thought of charging her cell phone so she could use itter.


    However, before Hailee could follow the young maid any further, she heard Lis''s voice calling out to her.


    "Hailee, I came to Ramon''s house, but they said you were here," Lis said with her voice that sounded calm and dignified as usual. She had just returned from a business trip out of town and wanted to see Hailee right away because the news she had heard was; this girl was hospitalized overnight due to an illness


    However, what Lis saw made her frown a little.


    Meanwhile, when Hailee turned around to look at the figure of Lis, who was wearing a dark blue zer and white high heels, she could also see an unpleasant expression on the middle aged woman''s face, which was still beautiful.


    Instantly, Hailee knew what the problem was¡­


    The pajamas she was wearing now, felt inappropriate for her to wear in another man''s house, even if it was Ramon''s own brother, because it looked vulgar and seemed out of ce.


    Especially when the pajamas she wore were cut with shorts that covered her knees only.


    "Mother¡­ this¡­" For some reason, Hailee felt the urge to exin her current appearance so that Lis wouldn''t misunderstand.


    "Hailee," Lis said, and this tone was the same tone that her mother always used just before she scolded her. "I hope I don''t see you dressed like thising out of Ramon''s house again."


    "Yes, mother." Hailee looked down, obviously she couldn''t argue back because she knew she was at fault this time. "I will never do it again. Last night I didn''t think much and came over here hurriedly, so¡­"


    "I know¡­" Lis could see the guilty expression on the girl''s face in front of her, and for her that was enough, after all, Hailee''s mistake wasn''t something to be exaggerated. "How did it go? Have you made up with Ramon?"


    After all, Lis was happy that Hailee seemed to be getting along with Lexus too, but still, there had to be a limit between them.


    Meanwhile, because Hailee had never felt what it would be like having an older brother, she didn''t really consider it.


    "Yes," Hailee said in a low voice. She pondered, what was Lexus gossiping about her with Lis?


    "Good then," Lis said cheerfully, it seemed like she didn''t mind this anymore and Hailee could breathe a sigh of relief. "Before marriage, there were some undesirable things that happened."


    Hailee smiled and walked toward the dining room with Liz.


    "I hope you can be patient with Ramon and his mood which is sometimes difficult to read," said Lis.


    Well, to face Ramon, it took more than just patience.


    ==============


    "Are you back?" Haileeasked as she twisted the ends of her hair, a habit she always had when she was nervous.


    This time, after finishing breakfast with Lis at Lexus''s house, Lis drove Hailee back to Ramon''s house before she returned to her own house.


    However, because Hailee had nothing to do and the time she spent in front of the television watching the continuation of the case that ensnared Rnd Dimatrio no longer excite her, she decided to call Ramon.


    "Yes," Ramon answered in a voice that sounded like someone muttering. "Two hours ago, but I had to go to the office to take care of something."


    For some reason, Ramon, who exined to Hailee why he didn''te home right away and what he''s doing now, made the girl smile broadly. Feeling happy to know this little detail.


    Hailee then nced at the clock on Ramon''s desk. She preferred to spend her time here when Ramon wasn''t around.


    "Are you going home this afternoon?" Hailee asked carefully, keeping her voice from sounding too hopeful.


    But unfortunately, Ramon caught that easily. "Why?" A smile crossed his lips when he heard Hailee''s question.


    "It''s nothing much," Hailee said, shrugging her shoulders, acting nonchntly, although Ramon definitely couldn''t see the gesture. "I just remember thatst night someone said my cooking was better than the food at the hotel where he was staying, so I thought maybe I could cook something for him..."


    Hailee bit her lip at the end of her sentence, nervously waiting for Ramon''s response, but then she heard the man''s lowugh, which made her smile too.


    "I probably won''t be able toe home for lunch, but I suppose you cane here for lunch with me," Ramon suggested.


    This waspletely beyond Hailee''s expectations. Ramon asked her to have lunch together?


    Hailee then pushed her cellphone away to shout silently. Their rtionship was very smooth when things were like this.


    The imminent marriage looked even more beautiful in Hailee''s eyes now.


    Now the girl was optimistic that the two of them could fall in love with each other and have a happy little marriage and family. After all, spending the rest of your life with someone you don''t like would be a trouble!


    "Hmm, alright¡­" Hailee answered softly, so as not to sound too happy. "I''ll be there in two hours."


    "Hm," Ramon muttered.


    And when the phone was cut off,Hailee immediately ran to her room to choose an appropriate outfit. She had a date!


    Meanwhile, Danny stood beside Ramon with an expression that indicated there was a problem.


    "What is wrong?"


    "Mrs. Smith is waiting outside."

 Chapter 76: I MISS YOU

    <h4>Chapter 76: I MISS YOU</h4>


    "Mrs. Smith''s waiting outside." Danny told Ramon with an unsettled expression on his face,revealing what was his reason for his behavior.


    However, despite the information he knew about what had happened between him and Giana, this did not affect Ramon at all.


    In fact, if one might say, Ramon wanted to know; would he remember anything by meeting Giana? Something about their rtionship over the past two years?


    "Has Mrs. Smith been here before?" Ramon asked Danny before he decided to let her into his room.


    "No," Danny answered quickly. "Not even once."


    Interesting.


    Ramon couldn''t help but be impressed with himself for being so neat in keeping this secret from the public and his family. Even Danny didn''t know much about the rtionship he had been in over the past two years.


    Two years was not a short period of time and Ramon did not expect that during that time no one would be suspicious of him and Giana, that they were really together.


    "Hm," Ramon muttered, he leaned over and rested his chin on top of his intertwined fingers, thinking for a moment before he finally decided. "Let her in."


    "Ramon, are you really going to let her in?" Danny looked surprised when he heard Ramon''s words. He had been with this man for the past four years, so it could be said that apart from their work rtionship, they were quite close personally. After all, Ramon was his senior when they were still in college.


    Therefore, when no one else was present, Danny tended to call him casually, especially when they were in a conversation like this.


    "Yes, let her in, maybe I can remember something about my strange rtionship with her." Ramon leaned against the back of the chair and waited for Danny to move.


    Given Ramon''s stubbornness, Danny had no choice but toply. Even he himself could not believe that the woman who had been Ramon''s lover for two years was Giana Smith, a married woman.


    "All right," Danny said quietly, but the frown on his forehead did not disappear even when he finally told Giana that she could see Ramon now.


    Ramon nced at the clock on his desk. He had less than two hours to chat with Giana before Hailee got to his office, it seemed that was enough to find out the purpose why the woman came here and learn the truth about his lost memories.


    ===============


    Hailee was sorting out what clothes to wear for her lunch with Ramon, but it looked like she''s having a hard time.


    "Why don''t I have any suitable clothes?" Haileeined, sitting in between the pile of clothes, and Martha, who was in Hailee''s room, could only smile knowingly.


    For some reason, a woman always tended toin of having no clothes even when they have a wardrobe full of clothes that they could alternate among for a whole month.


    "Why don''t you try the yellow one?" Martha tried to help Hailee with her suggestions.


    "Too eye catching," Hailee said, ncing at the yellow dress with an A line cut, which looked cute. It''s just that the color was too bright and Hailee didn''t want to make everyone notice her. She would feel like a walking neon light in that color.


    "How about this red one?" Martha lifted a red crop top with a ck skirt. "And this?"


    Hailee frowned. "I''m going to Ramon''s office, I don''t think he will be happy if I unt my belly among his employees."


    Marthaughed softly at Hailee''sment. "That is true." Her eyes then searched for other clothes.


    Some of the clothes had already been taken out of the wardrobe and some of the clothes were removed by Hailee from the hangers, but she still couldn''t find the right and proper clothes, at least that was what she thought.


    "How about this?" Martha took a navy blue cocktail dress and showed it in front of Hailee.


    "Martha¡­" Haileeined. "That''s an evening dress... and I''m going to have lunch."


    "Oh," Martha muttered, she didn''t really understand this, because she saw that this dress was pretty, so she just showed it to Hailee.


    "Ugh, looks like I have to shop¡­" but, the problem was; Hailee didn''t have money! And, she only remembered this significant point now.


    Because everything she needed was provided by Ramon, so Hailee didn''t remember this important element.


    Not only to buy clothes, but there were other important things that require her to transact...


    Looks like she should discuss this matter with Ramon as well.


    ==============


    Ramon had seen a photo of Giana, or a picture of her when this socialite woman attended an event to apany her husband.


    However, this was the first time Ramon had met her in person. Or it could be said, as far as he could remember.


    "Mr. Tordoff," Giana greeted Ramon politely, she didn''t show that she was close to him because at that time Danny was still in the room. "Sorry, if I asked to meet suddenly."


    "Mrs. Smith," Ramon greeted Giana in the same way and walked around his desk to sit on the sofa, which was in the center of the room.


    Giana still had the same polite expression when she sat down, after Ramon invited her.


    "Can I help you?" Ramon looked at Giana and that''s when he realized that this woman was no stranger to him.


    Ramon knew that he had known this woman, or at least this woman was not someone he knew casually.


    There was something about this woman that made him feel something. However, the feeling wasn''t strong enough to make Ramon remember the details.


    "There is an important issue I have to discuss." Giana was still smiling in the same polite manner, but her eyes were on Danny, indicating that this matter could only be discussed personally.


    Ramon then nodded at Danny and the man reluctantly walked out of the room, leaving the two of them alone. Danny only hoped that Ramon and Giana would solve their problems before Hailee arrived.


    When the sound of the door closing was heard, Giana''s polite expression immediately faded away, she then bravely got up from her sofa and walked toward Ramon.


    Meanwhile, Ramon was staring at her with an unreadable expression. He followed Giana''s movements until the woman plopped down on hisp without speaking.


    "Mrs. Smith. " Ramon''s voice was deep in anger. His eyes grew sharper, when he felt Giana''s hand that was hugging his neck tightly. "What is this?"


    However, Giana paid no heed to those small details when she said, "I miss you."

 Chapter 77: YOU WANT HER FAMILYS COMPANY, RIGHT?

    <h4>Chapter 77: YOU WANT HER FAMILY''S COMPANY, RIGHT?</h4>


    "Mrs. Smith," Ramon said, his tone so cold, as he grabbed Giana''s arm and pushed her away. Even though there was something inside him that said this woman''s touch was familiar, but his rational mind was saying that this was not something he should be entertaining any longer.


    Ignoring that feeling, Ramon released himself from Giana''s embrace and stood up.


    "Ramon?" Giana sat down on the sofa after Ramon pushed her, while wiping the tears streaming down her cheeks, she stared at the man who was now standing in front of her with an unfamiliar gaze. "What is wrong?"


    "Mrs. Smith, I ask you to leave now," Ramon said very politely. However, under these circumstances, one would immediately know how serious the situation would be if the other person spoke in such a tone.


    The more polite they talked, the worse the situation would be.


    "Mrs. Smith?" Giana frowned. She looked at Ramon deeply, but a momentter she shook her head and stood up until they faced each other. "I thought what I heard wasn''t true about you having amnesia¡­" There was a sense of disbelief in the woman''s voice.


    Giana was the daughter of a well-known jewelry businessman in city A, a business that already had branches and was even established overseas. While her mother was a well-known jewelry designer, which made the Dawson couple a prominent family and gained the same status equal to the five main families in town A.


    The five big names of prominent families in city A were; Tordoff, Dawson, Smith, Ferrer and Baxter.


    When other people hear these family names, they would not dare to act carelessly, much less to offend them.


    And now that Giana Dawson had married Aidan Smith, the two families'' business rtionship was unarguably the most dominant and their marriage was a marriage that had high business value, where the shares of the twopanies skyrocketed when Giana changed her name to Smith.


    Therefore, how could Ramon possibly have a rtionship with her, and how could he be so reckless as to have an affair with a woman, whom he only knew by name even four years ago?


    But, he really felt this familiar feeling. It seemed there was a long story behind all this...


    Ramon really had to find out what really happened during the four years of his memory loss.


    "I thought when they said you had amnesia, they were all just rumors." Giana sighed heavily. "I did not think, after seeing you, all of that wille true."


    Ramon was not at all surprised that Giana found out about his amnesia. People like them, have their own way of getting information, and after all, Ramon didn''t cover up or keep this a secret, he just didn''t voice it out.


    Giana then walked closer to Ramon, she let her long brown hair loose behind her back, her makeup was not too shy, but gave a ssy impression, especially with her confident manner.


    In short, Gianawas a woman who was close to perfection. The type of woman who could make a man bend his knees in front of her and fulfill all her demand.


    However, not Ramon, and he knew about it.


    But, then how to exin their two year rtionship again?


    "Ramon, have you really forgotten me? Forget all about us?" asked Giana in a voice that seemed to be a whisper as she walked toward Ramon again.


    ==============


    For some reason, Hailee felt nervous, but at the same time excited when she stood in front of the private elevator that would take her directly to Ramon''s office.


    Finally, after a long time, Hailee''s choice fell on a simple light green blouse and a white pipe trousers. Hailee also wore heels that weren''t too tall, just so she could bnce her height with Ramon.


    While waiting for the elevator toe, Hailee put her cellphone into the white sling bag she was wearing. At first, Hailee had intended to tell Ramon that she was already on her way, but because she thought the man already knew she wasing, there was no need to do that.


    Overall, Hailee looked cute in what she wore, showing a youthful and carefree side of her.


    Hailee stepped into the elevator and within seconds, the elevator doors opened, when she reached Ramon''s office.


    A subtle clink rang out and this caught the attention of the two people in there.


    "Ramon¡­" Hailee''s voice stopped when she saw a woman who was inside Ramon''s office. "Oh, sorry¡­"


    Based on this woman''s appearance, it didn''t seem like she was one of Ramon''s employees. Maybe a business partner? It also seemed like they were in a serious discussion.


    "I''ll be waiting outside¡­" Hailee said, feeling bad for bothering him.


    However, before Hailee could get back into the elevator, Ramon was already walking over to her. "No need, she will leave shortly."


    Hearing the subtle expulsion from Ramon, made Gianaugh softly, not believing what she heard.


    Giana was on her way to make Ramon remember her, recounting their time together, the reason they were together, but this guy just kicked her out? How unbelievable.


    However, Giana remembered something else when she saw Hailee, which was just as important.


    "So this is Hailee Tatum? The woman you will marry next week?" Giana asked as she walked gracefully toward Hailee.


    Geez, it''s like she''s walking on a red carpet. Who is this girl? Hailee thought.


    "Leave," Ramon said in a polite and calm tone as he pushed the button for the elevator door, holding it open.


    This small act of Ramon only made Giana furious. She stood opposite Hailee and red at her.


    "When I saw the news about your marriage, I did a background check on her," Giana said, nodding at Hailee with a flushed face from holding back emotions. Her words toward Ramon did not go smoothly and the man chose to be indifferent, after Giana exined their rtionship. "I don''t know why you wanted to marry her, but you didn''t even know each other before the ident happened."


    On the other hand, Hailee tried to digest, what kind of situation she was in.


    "I made some conclusions and conjectures, but the most damning thing is; You are marrying her because of thepany she is going to inherit, right? As the only biological child of the founder of Tatum Diamonds, you will inherit thepany, and Ramon¡­ "Giana looked at Ramon. "¡­ You want thatpany, right? I know you well enough to be able toe to this conclusion."

 Chapter 78: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO EAT?

    <h4>Chapter 78: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO EAT?</h4>


    Yes, Giana had known Ramon for the past two years and they had a special rtionship during that period of time, coupled with the fact that both of them came from the same business environment, which required them to quickly adapt to one''s character, it was definitely easy for Giana to know Ramon really well.


    Especially when being with her, Ramon would show sides that other people didn''t know.


    "¡­You want thatpany, right? I know you well enough to be able toe to this conclusion."


    Thest sentence Giana said rang in Hailee''s ears and she didn''t know how to respond to this, so she instinctively turned her head to look at Ramon who was standing right behind her.


    However, Ramon didn''t even blink when he answered. "Yes, I''m eyeing herpany," he replied honestly, which left Giana stunned.


    Not only was Giana surprised, even Hailee had her eyes opened wide, looking at this man with an expression of disbelief. How could he possibly tell the secret between them that easily to this woman?


    Wait, wait¡­ what the heck is this?


    Hailee felt like she wanted to get a chair and have a soft drink while watching these two people throw words at each other, or should she make them exin to her? Was Hailee the only one here who didn''t know anything?


    From the way they just stared at each other, Hailee made her feel like taking a step back. She didn''t want to get into any trouble, it''s just that, unfortunately, Ramon''s hand was right on Hailee''s shoulder and this man just hugged her casually, but strong enough to warn her not to go anywhere.


    Okay¡­ so, what''s this?


    At this point, Hailee felt like she was a mistress who was caught by the legal wife of the man. But that was not true. Hailee should have been the protagonist, right? Remembering they''re getting married next week.


    Giana sighed heavily, unable to believe what she was hearing, then turned her attention to Hailee. "You know about this?"


    Hailee, who was still confused by the sudden change in atmosphere, took a little longer to determine what kind of attitude she should take in facing Giana.


    However, considering how easily Ramon admitted it, then she chose to adjust her attitude ording to him too.


    "Yes, I know," Hailee replied finally, she even folded her arms and gave Giana a bolder look. "He wants my familypany." That statement sounded so straightforward, even Ramon nced up at her and smiled faintly because this girl had adapted so quickly.


    "You know?" Giana narrowed her eyes at Hailee. "You know and you just let it be?"


    "We are getting married, what is mine will be his too," Hailee answered with an indifferent shrug.


    Giana was stunned to hear what Hailee said. What kind of answer is that? "Then, what do you get by giving him so much?" Giana snorted. She didn''t expect Ramon to choose a girl like this to marry. This man must be kidding...


    Giana knew him well, Ramon must have had other ideas and would not really marry this girl, even if he lost his memories, the Ramon that Giana knew would not do this.


    "What do I get?" Hailee asked with a brilliant eyes. "Of course, I get him." Hailee rested her head on Ramon''s chest and snuggled closer to him by hugging his waist.


    At this point, it seemed like she had her own guess as to who the woman in front of her was, but of course there were a few questions she wanted to ask, but they would have to wait until they were alone.


    In the midst of all this shock, Ramon finally said, "Leave. I have a lunch appointment with her, so get going."


    Ramon''s voice didn''t sound harsh or smooth, but from the tone of it, other people should know not to argue with him.


    Seeing the situation bing so absurd, Giana felt that she needed time to digest all of this, therefore, with onest re toward Hailee she walked toward the elevator, which then led her straight to the basement, leaving Ramon and Hailee alone.


    However, as soon as the elevator doors closed, Hailee immediately lowered her hand and stared at Ramon fiercely.


    "So, that woman¡­" Hailee raised her hand when she saw Ramon about to say something. "¡­is your real lover?"she asked.


    Ramon stared at Hailee for a moment with a meaningful gaze, before he finally answered with a single ''yes'', which sounded very monotonous.


    "Wow!" Hailee shook her head in disbelief and this reaction made Ramon frown.


    "What?" he asked, as he stepped away from Hailee and took his cellphone from the table.


    "You treat your lover like that?" Hailee asked, looking at the closed elevator doors. "How could you treat her badly? Officially, you guys haven''t broken up yet. Will you not regretter because you fought with her and married me, after your memory returned? "


    Ramon nced at Hailee. "Feel sorry?" he repeated and Hailee nodded. "Maybe," replied Ramon indifferently.


    Hearing Ramon''s reply, made Hailee frown. "Maybe?" her tone rose several octaves as she uttered that one word. "What do you mean by ''Maybe''?!"


    Hailee chased after Ramon who was now walking toward the door, determined to hear this man''s excuse.


    "She looks prettier," replied Ramon with a smile, because he knew that answer would make the young girl beside him furious.


    And sure enough...


    "What?!" Hailee gritted her teeth and stood before Ramon, preventing him from opening the door. "Try saying that one more time what you said earlier?! We''re getting married next month and youpliment another woman in front of me?" Hailee narrowed her eyes dangerously at Ramon.


    This man was very good at pissing her off.


    "You asked and I answered, what''s wrong?" Ramon said, looking at Hailee with innocent eyes, then he easily pulled Hailee''sbody aside and opened the door.


    "Wow¡­ I can''t believe this¡­" Hailee blinked a few times, still motionless in her position in the room, while Ramon held the door open for her. "You were angry when I called Ian, but you yourself invited another woman into your office?"


    "I didn''t invite her, she came herself." Ramon didn''t lie, but this answer earned him a sharp re from the girl before his eyes, who was now ready to pounce on him. Seeing Hailee getting furious, Ramon felt that it was enough to tease her, for now. "So, what do you want to eat?"


    "Vinegar!" Hailee replied curtly.

 Chapter 79: ARE YOU CRAZY?

    <h4>Chapter 79: ARE YOU CRAZY?</h4>


    Hailee lunch was roasted chicken with walnuts, and ate only half of it while she spent her time eating sulkily. She hadn''t said a single word since they left Ramon''s office.


    "When you take me out to lunch, I expect us to go to an expensive restaurant, which is at least two kilometers away from your office, not the cafe inside yourpany building." Hailee frowned.


    She had already picked out nice clothes to eat with Ramon, but this man only took her down eighteen floors and ordered this meal for her.


    "You camete, my lunch hour is almost over." Ramon was casually eating his lunch, it was obvious that he wasn''t really bothered about Hailee''s grumbling since earlier.


    "Lunch time?" Hailee half screamed in exasperation, while Ramon sipped his coffee. "You own thispany and you still have lunch hour?"


    What fool would believe those words?!


    "Then what if I own thispany? Not that I use my position to rx." Ramon nced at Hailee, who was frowning from behind her coffee cup. Somehow feeling happy because it annoyed this girl.


    In truth, Ramon had no intention of teasing her like this, but he found himself doing this again and again, and had his own satisfaction.


    Hailee was an expressive girl and Ramon enjoyed every reaction and expression she showed. But, above all, he liked her annoyed expression the most.


    And, because of his line of work along with the environment around him required him to have a poker face, there wasn''t much emotion he could show, so watching the free nature that Hailee had disyed, was quite refreshing to him.


    "I''m not asking you to take me to some ind for this lunch, Mr. Tordoff," Hailee said sarcastically. "But at least we can eat somewhere other than in yourpany canteen."


    "I pay, so it''s my prerogative to choose the ce." Ramon put down his coffee and called the waitress to order mineral water.


    Hearing that answer, Hailee stared at Ramon fiercely, the corners of her lips pulled into a thin line. Hailee''s habit which she always did when she was holding back from saying something.


    Ramon began to notice Hailee''s little quirks. It felt easy to read her. She was just like an open book.


    But, then Hailee gave up and returned to her sullen expression, she reached out with her palm that looked up.


    Just then a waitress delivered a bottle of mineral water and put the empty ss on the table, then left.


    "What?" Ramon asked suspiciously, pouring the mineral water into a ss.


    "I''masking for money," Hailee said with a t face. "I don''t have a penny. Aren''t you ashamed that your future wife doesn''t have any money to even buy some underwear?"


    Hearing Hailee''s vulgar words in a public ce, made Ramon widen his eyes in warning.


    Ha haha¡­


    Haileeughed silently. It took two to tango! Feel it!


    "I don''t even have a bank ount. All my cards are frozen by Aileen. That woman really is a snake!" Hailee said angrily.


    "Danny will take care of that," said Ramon in a low voice, then took a sip of the mineral water.


    "Then what about my money?" Hailee asked again with an innocent face. "You''re going to take over mypany, it''s not fair if you don''t give me a lot of monthly allowance."


    Okay, at this point, Ramon took his words back. Hailee was not fun at all, this girl was just a headache.


    "Stop talking about money," said Ramon irritably, he then put a ck card on the table and pushed it closer to Hailee.


    "Wow! A VIP card from Central bank?" Hailee eximed happily, but her smile suddenly vanished when she realized one thing.


    Of course, Ramon would have this. He''s one of the biggest shareholders there, so it shouldn''t be unusual anymore.


    "There''s a restaurant I want to visit with you and it''s only thirty minutes from here. "Hailee then slipped the card into the sling bag she was carrying, securing it, before Ramon changed his mind and took it again, although it was certain that it was impossible. "If you''re not busy, I''ll treat you to a meal sometime."


    "A treat?" Ramon raised his eyebrows and smiled knowingly.


    "Hey, I''ll pay for the foodter. It doesn''t matter where the moneyes from." Hailee took a sip of her avocado juice and smiled back at Ramon, which made the manugh softly.


    "I''mgoing back now," Ramon said, but Hailee held his hand. "What?"


    Actually, Hailee wanted to ask about itter when they were home, it was just that she didn''t want to wait and wanted to hear the certainty of the answer she wanted now.


    "What?" Ramon sat back down and looked at Hailee calmly, as if he knew what this girl was struggling with.


    "Was that woman your real lover?" Hailee finally asked. She didn''t want to keep her curiosity any longer.


    On the other hand, Ramon had already guessed Hailee''s question. "Yes," he replied briefly.


    Hearing Ramon''s honesty actually made Hailee speechless, she pulled her hand, which was holding Ramon,looking all gloomy.


    Seeing this, Ramon said nothing more and waited for what Hailee would ask next.


    "Is there anything I have to worry about?" Hailee''s voice sounded low. She looked at Ramon carefully.


    "What do you have to worry about?" Ramon asked with a frown.


    Hailee sighed and leaned her back against the back of the chair. "You have been together for two years, the only thing that keeps you from being together is because you wanted my familypany and that you had announced our marriage..."


    Hailee fiddled with the spoon in her hand, it''s clear that she''s annoyed after meeting Ramon''s real lover.


    And not only that, Hailee agreed with Ramon''s words that said that woman was much prettier than herself. Even though this fact was very annoying.


    "No," Ramon said after seeing Hailee very disturbed after meeting Giana. "That''s not my only reason."


    "Then?" Hailee asked skeptically.


    "Even if Idon''t marry you, I won''t be able to be with her." Ramon decided not to cover this up. "Because she is a married woman."


    It took a full minute for Hailee to digest all of this and Ramon could see the change in the expression on the girl''s face in front of him when she realized what his words actually meant.


    "That means¡­" Hailee''s voice rose in surprise, but seeing Ramon staring at her in warning, her voice turned into a whisper. "You''re dating a woman who''s been married for two years? Are you crazy?"

 Chapter 80: HORROR MOVIE

    <h4>Chapter 80: HORROR MOVIE</h4>


    Are you crazy?


    Hailee''s words, right after they finished lunch had returned to his ears and somehow this irritated Ramon.


    He knew that it did sound crazy, even he himself did think so, but that didn''t mean Hailee could just say it out loud.


    "Mr. Tordoff¡­ " Silvana, Ramon''s secretary, who had been standing beside him, was waiting for two more documents that Ramon had to sign.


    Meanwhile, hearing his name being called out, Ramon red at Silvana, it was obvious that his mood was not very good and this made the poor secretary have to swallow nervously before she told her boss.


    "Mr. Tordoff, you''re scribbling on this document¡­ I think we should reprint the agreement," Silvana said timidly. It was rare for Ramon Tordoff to look so angry as he was now.


    Because Ramon usually wouldn''t be concerned over trivial matters, and tended to have a calm personality, but other people would know not to mess with him.


    Yes, seemingly only Hailee could make Ramon talk more, because somehow that girl always managed to provoke his emotions and sides of himself that were rarely seen by other people, even Ramon only realized that he had that kind of character recently.


    For example, when he teased Hailee or just said something that could upset her. As long as Ramon could remember, he had never interacted with other people like that.


    "I better rece it immediately," Silvana said, as she reached out to take the document from in front of Ramon. The man could see the ink stain spread across the ce where he should have signed it.


    Ramon said nothing and let Silvana take the document and walk out of his room, while he leaned his back against the back of the chair, massaging his throbbing temples.


    That girl really had a bad influence on him.


    That night when Ramon came home, Hailee was busy preparing dinner for the two of them, apanied by Martha.


    Hearing the familiar sound of Ramon''s car, Hailee immediately greeted him with a spoon in her hand.


    This kind of scene was not the first time Ramon had seen it, but every time Hailee did this, Ramon found himself smiling.


    All this time, no one had been waiting for him toe home and no one had ever greeted him. Even when he was a teenager or before he upied this house.


    Because Lis would be busy with her business matters and Lexus would always be out of the house all the time, hanging out with anyone or dating some woman.


    But now, seeing Hailee twirled the spoon in her hand while saying, ''I''ve prepared dinner,e down right away. I''m hungry,'' made Ramon''s feel his days in this house not so gloomy and boring.


    "What are you cooking?" Ramon asked casually before he climbed the stairs to his room on the second floor.


    "Chicken cordon bleu," Hailee replied, walking back into the dining room.


    Ramon nodded. Sounds quite appetizing ...


    ==============


    It didn''t take long for Ramon to clean himself and change into morefortable clothes. When he was done, he went back down and found Hailee who was just about to climb the stairs, it seemed that she couldn''t wait to call out to him.


    "You took so long¡­" Hailee sighed, frowning.


    "You can eat first if you''re really hungry," Ramon said as he walked past Hailee.


    "I don''t want to eat alone," Hailee replied casually and walked beside Ramon. "Oh yeah, your mother called earlier, she said she wants me toe with her to try the wedding dress tomorrow..." she reported, feeling a little ufortable when she said ''wedding dress'', for some reason Hailee felt embarrassed.


    However, when Hailee nced at Ramon beside her, the man didn''t show any expression.


    "Okay," he replied simply, then sat down on a chair to start eating.


    Only that? Hailee thought. "You don''t want to see?" she asked.


    When the two of them had sat down, several servants immediately served drinks and took out the dishes Hailee had made, after which they left the couple alone.


    "What?" asked Ramon with a slightly confused face.


    "Seeing me wearing a wedding dress."


    "I''ll see you wearing it in our wedding."


    That is true.


    But, wait¡­ "Of course it''s different. You can see it before anyone else. "


    "Will seeing it first change anything in our marriageter?" asked Ramon. And again Hailee had to admit that this was also true.


    But¡­


    "Hhh¡­" Hailee sighed heavily yet silently, and didn''t say anything else as they ate.


    But, during that time, Ramon nced at Hailee a few times and saw her expression that looked annoyed.


    Honestly, Ramon didn''t understand why he had to see Hailee in her wedding dress before the wedding when he would eventually see it on the day of their big day.


    And as for Ramon, because some of his clothes were hand made, they already knew the exact size. What''s more, the two suits that he would wearter wouldn''t be asplicated as Hailee''s.


    After dinner, Ramon intended to return to his room and rest immediately, but Hailee chose that moment to talk to him again.


    "Will you be working againter?" Hailee asked as she followed Ramon out of the dining room to their respective rooms on the second floor.


    "No," replied Ramon. "Why?" Hailee didn''t usually ask this.


    Hearing that, Hailee pped her hands hard and her sullen expression immediately turned cheerful.


    This girl''s mood changed very quickly ...


    "Then, how about we watch a movie together?" Hailee walked backward in front of Ramon as they climbed the stairs.


    "No," Ramon immediately refused, his forehead creased when he saw Hailee walking like that. "Do you not know how to walk the right way? You could fall," he grumbled.


    Hailee ignored Ramon''s warning as they had reached the second floor.


    "Come on¡­ apany me¡­" Hailee persuaded while pulling on Ramon''s sleeve.


    "No," said Ramon again.


    However, that man should have known enough that Hailee wouldn''t give up with just a ''no''.


    The girl was standing in front of Ramon''s door, blocking him from entering his own room.


    "You have a television in your room, you can watch it yourself." Ramon protested,


    "I don''t want to watch it myself, I''m afraid."


    Ramon frowned. "What film do you want to see?"


    "Horror."


    "If you''re afraid don''t watch it!" Ramon really wanted to know, what''s inside this girl''s head!

 Chapter 81: OVERSIZE BED AND EMPTY BEDROOM

    <h4>Chapter 81: OVERSIZE BED AND EMPTY BEDROOM</h4>


    "What are you watching, actually?" Ramon couldn''t help asking when he saw Hailee cover herself with a nket every time a violent scene began, and almost seventy percent of the film she chose was filled with such scenes.


    So, what did Hailee actually want to see? Ramon wasn''t even sure if this girl understood the storyline.


    After a long debate in front of Ramon''s door, the man finally gave up and let Hailee watch the horror film she wanted in his room, because it seemed like Ramon needed some time to rx too, he had even forgotten thest time he watched a movie, because from what he could remember, he would always be too busy with a job that seemed like it would never end.


    "Shh! Don''t be so loud, I''m listening," Hailee protested from under the covers, in response to Ramon''s scolding.


    Meanwhile Ramon could only sigh, unable to understand this girl''s behavior.


    A momentter Hailee''s head popped out from under the nket to watch a scene in the film that was less tense and bloody. However, when one of the yers who was being killed was screaming, the girl immediately covered her head again.


    Wrapping all her body up to the head. "What happened, what happened? Who is being killed?" she asked.


    "You can take off the covers and see for yourself what happens, you know!" Ramon eximed irritably. He wasn''t sure if this was the rxing time he''d imagined a moment ago.


    "Don''t want to, don''t want to!" The nket wrapped around Hailee moved, indicating that the girl was shaking her head. "Just tell me what happened."


    Hailee, literally, had forced him to watch scenes of the carnage and tell her what he saw, as if he were a storyteller.


    "How can I watch when I have to talk to you?" Ramon rejected Hailee''s ridiculous idea.


    "Just tell me who died!" Hailee insisted and because there was still a heart wrenching scream from the actor who was dying, Hailee still refused to lift the nket that covered her. "Just say it briefly. My weak heart can''t see scenes like that." Now Hailee was sulking.


    Ramon closed his eyes. What ''weak heart''? Wasn''t this a film of her own choice? Nobody forced her to watch this.


    "You are such a pain," Ramon said angrily.


    Even though that''s what he said, the man who was famous for his cold nature and didn''t really sociaLise with his peers, finally relented andplied with Hailee''s request.


    With a tone of grumbling and scolding here and there, Ramon recounted what he had seen and asionally gave off his spections as to what wasing next, which was mostly true.


    Meanwhile, Hailee would follow Ramon''s words, if the man said the scene was safe for her, then she woulde out of hiding, but when the storyline get tensed again, Hailee would hide again.


    This was what continued until the film was finished.


    "It''s finally over¡­" said Hailee, staring at the end credits that were still running on the screen. "Want to watch another movie again?" Hailee asked, turning to her side only to find Ramon ring at her with a fierce gaze.


    "No," Ramon replied curtly and immediately lifted the nket covering Hailee. "Now get out of my room."


    "Just a moment, I''m still scared," Haileeined. "Give me ten minutes to calm down."


    Ramon looked at the girl beside him. He really wanted to know what was going on Hailee''s mind. If she was that scared of watching horror movies, she shouldn''t have thought of seeing it in the first ce.


    "Get out now or I''ll lock the door and you sleep here with me?" Ramon raised his eyebrows suggestively. "Besides, you said that you''re afraid, right?"


    Hearing that, Hailee frowned. "Pervert," she sneered and then got out of Ramon''s bed and walked out of the room hurriedly.


    Hailee knew Ramon enough to know that he would never say things that he didn''t mean.


    After Ramon heard the sound of the door closing as he watched the end credits run on the screen, for some reason he felt that this room and bed was too big for him to upy alone...


    ==============


    The next morning, because Hailee was going with Lis to the fitting of her wedding dress, she was up very early.


    However, by that time Ramon was about to leave and Hailee only saw him getting into the car. Looks like he has another meeting out of town that she don''t know about¡­ Hailee didn''t feel sofortable to ask about Ramon''s schedule yet.


    And as promised, exactly at eight o''clock, after Hailee finished breakfast, Lis came and they immediately went to Margaretha Lamos private boutique or better known as the Diva.


    On the way, Hailee and Lis didn''t talk much, because she seemed busy and Hailee didn''t want to disturb her.


    "How do you feel?" asked Lis after ending the phone call. "Your wedding will take ce next week. It feels like the preparation is too hasty and I hope you like the concept. "


    So far, Lis had been the most excited of all, about arranging Ramon and Hailee''s wedding party. Almost everything was handled by her. Even if she asked Hailee she would always agree to the extent that made Lis decide everything herself and let Hailee see the end result.


    But, it was better that way, because even Hailee didn''t know what to do and Lis seemed to be having fun arranging everything.


    "They are excellent¡­ thank you very much," Hailee answered politely, but at the same time, her politeness gave off the impression of keeping a distance.


    Seeing this, Lis could only sigh softly and embrace Hailee. "I think you have to get used to calling me ''mother'', because soon you will be my daughter too."


    Hailee smiled when she heard that andplied with Lis''s request. "Mother,"she said.


    "Good, good¡­" Lis smiled in satisfaction because Hailee was being so cute. At least, Hailee was not a troublesome girl and as long as she was Ramon''s choice, then Lis wouldply happily. "Oh, I have something to ask..."


    "Hm?" Hailee turned her head and looked at Lis, whose expression had now turned serious. "What''s wrong, Mom?"


    "I didn''t mean to interfere in this," Lis said, looking hesitant in conveying her thoughts. "I just wanted to ask, don''t you want to invite your family?"


    "Ah, about that¡­" Hailee just remembered that she hadn''t said anything about this to Lis.

 Chapter 82: HAILEE IS RAMONS

    <h4>Chapter 82: HAILEE IS RAMON''S</h4>


    "Ah, about that¡­" Hailee just remembered that she hadn''t said anything about this to Lis. "The n is, this weekend Ramon and I will visit my family."


    "The Tatum family," Lis said. She already knew where Hailee was from and did some background check and found some irregrities there, it''s just that Lis didn''t want to spoil what Hailee and Ramon had nned and was waiting for them to exin this on their own.


    No, Lis expected Hailee to exin this, because it was certain that Ramon would not say anything and if Lis asked the wrong question, this would actually trigger an argument with Ramon like before, therefore, she chose to shut up, while learning more about her future daughter-inw.


    "Ah, yes..." Hailee was a little surprised because Lis knew about her family. But, after a while she realized that given their status, it was impossible to cover this up, it''s just that for some reason Hailee was not in a state of wanting to exin about her family.


    If Lis knew about her family, it meant that she probably heard rumors about her engagement to the first son of the Gevano family, Theodore Gevano, too.


    And what if Lis found other information that Hailee didn''t expect?


    It was all tooplicated to pin down and Hailee didn''t want to start this with lies. Seeing how Ramon revealed Rnd Dimatrio''s secrets in no time, it wouldn''t be surprising if Lis wouldter ask questions that Hailee didn''t expect.


    "Yes, I''m from the Tatum family," Hailee said, staring at Lis with a waiting gaze, waiting for what this woman would ask.


    On the other hand, Lis could see the anxiety in Hailee''s eyes, this young girl seemed reluctant to continue any further talks about her family and it was clear from the look on her face and eyes.


    Lis could have immediately asked about Theodore Gevano and expressed her suspicion, whether it was because of this man Ramon kept his rtionship with Hailee a secret for two years or not, even though it sounded too absurd, why his son had a rtionship with an engaged young woman like Hailee.


    However, seeing Hailee''s reluctance, Lis smiled understandingly.


    "Just tell Tania, the people you will invite before next Monday," said Lis and she could see Hailee sighing in relief.


    "Alright... thanks mother," Hailee replied happily.


    "You didn''t tell Ramon that today is the day you are going for your wedding dress fitting?" Lis asked, changing the topic so that Hailee could rx more around her. Not that Lis would just let this pass, but she didn''t feel like this was the right time for that.


    What''s more, until now Hailee had never done anything wrong. In Lis eyes right now, Hailee was a cute girl who grew up from a good family, and that''s enough.


    "I told Ramon, but he said; what''s there to see? I''ll see it on the wedding day too," Haileeined to Lis and smiled a little when she saw Lis''s annoyed face.


    "That child ..." Lis grumbled. "Really unreliable ..."


    Seeing the annoyed Lis, Hailee then told the other annoying words that Ramon said about why he couldn''te today and Hailee was quite happy that her annoyance was reflected in her future mother inw.


    ==============


    Hailee would be wearing a total of three dresses at the wedding, and they were all designed by Margaretha Lamos, so you could imagine how much money Ramon would have to spend on just three dresses.


    However, it seemed that for the Tordoffs, who even breathed money, it was no big deal.


    Ugh!


    Should Hailee be grateful for the trouble Aileen caused her, which eventually led her to be Ramon Tordoff''s wife? Maybe this was what they called; blessing in disguise.


    Since wedding dresses were alwaysplicated, Hailee would try itst, for now, she was trying on a white evening gown with swarowsky stones sprinkled on her belt.


    "Why isn''t Ramon here yet?" Margaretha approached Lis and sat next to her, looking at Hailee who was trying on her dress.


    Hailee looked beautiful, even without any make up, with her long hair flowing down her back gave off a natural impression.


    Even Margaretha, who rarely praised others, said that Hailee was extraordinary, if only she was not Ramon Tordoff''s future wife, it was certain that she would have asked Hailee to be her model for one of her new arrivals in her fashion show in two months.


    It''s just that, knowing Lis and Ramon''s nature, they would definitely not agree.


    "That kid isplicated..." Lis grumbled, while taking out her cellphone and taking a photo of Hailee who was smiling, saying something to one of Margaretha''s staff.


    After getting the photo that Lis wanted, she sent it to someone, meanwhile, Margaretha who was sitting beside her could clearly see the recipient of the photo.


    "Why are you sending Hailee''s photo to Lexus instead of Ramon?" Margaretha asked, frowning.


    "If I send this photo directly to Ramon, it is certain that he will not respond," said Lis with a wicked smile.


    "So you will ask Lexus to persuade him?" Margaretha raised her eyebrows, she didn''t know that Lis could be so cunning that she used her child like this too.


    "Because Ramon sometimes listens to his talkative little brother more than me, his mother." Lis then called Lexus.


    ==============


    Lexus was in his room, staring at the seemingly endless pile of documents, when he heard the sound of a ringtone, indicating an iing call.


    Seeing who the caller was, Lexus''s face turned grim. "Yes?" said Lexus.


    From the other side, Lis started asking, "Are you in the office?"


    "Yes, immersed in a pile of work." Lexus was deliberately exaggerating his answer, which was reward by a scolding from his mother. "What''s wrong mom?" cut Lexus.


    "I sent you a photo, take a look," said Lis.


    "Photo? Photos of girls?" Lexus'' voice suddenly became defensive. "Geez! I can find a woman for myself, no need to do it this way..."


    And this time it was Lis that cut off Lexus''s words.


    "That''s not for you! That''s Hailee''s photo. Have you received the photo?" Lis asked immediately.


    "Hailee?" Lexus stared at his cellphone screen confusedly, there was an iing message and he found a photo of Hailee wearing a white dress. "You forgot, didn''t you? Hailee is Ramon''s future wife, not mine," Lexus protested.


    And across the line, Lis could only facepalm herself.

 Chapter 83: OH, SH*T!

    <h4>Chapter 83: OH, SH*T!</h4>


    Lexus sighed heavily in front of Ramon''s office door, he remembered Lis''s words again that told him to go to Ramon and make his brother go and see Hailee trying her wedding dress.


    "Hhh... why me? Why don''t you just call Ramon and ask him toe yourself?" grumbled Lexus irritably. Didn''t their mother know about Ramon''s steel-hard nature? Isn''t he so famous for his stubbornness?


    It had been about two full minutes that Lexus was standing there, staring at the door of Ramon''s office, as if by doing that, he couldplete the task Lis had assigned him for.


    "Sir, would you like toe inside?" asked a woman who had a document in her hand.


    Lexus did not answer immediately, he fixed his gaze on the papers in the hands of Silvana, Ramon''s secretary.


    "What are they?" Lexus asked, nodding at the papers.


    "Oh, I want to ask for a signature for a project in district 5," replied Silvana, ncing at the documents she was carrying.


    "Oh, a project in district 5¡­" Lexus muttered, then a thought shed in his head. Looked like he really needed a reason and encouragement to carry out the mission Lis gave him. "Let me ask for Ramon''s signature."


    "Oh, but..." Silvana was a little reluctant.


    "Ramon is in a bad mood," Lexus said, even though he actually didn''t know what kind of mood Ramon was in right now, which he knew, his brother was still fine this morning. He just hoped that was still the case now. "If you really want to face him, no problem." Lexus shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "But, I also happen to be discussing the project in district 5..."


    Hearing that, Silvana seemed to think for a moment, considering Lexus''s offer which seemed very attractive. It''s not like Ramon was going to curse her or anything, but if the boss was in a bad mood, it would be nice to take a step back.


    Ramon rarely showed his true emotions, because most of the time, he would always appear calm and dignified, but if he was indeed in a bad mood, Silvana should ept Lexus'' offer.


    "Sorry sir, can I ask for a favor..." Silvana said shyly as she thrust the document in to thetter''s hands.


    "Okay, now you can go back to your ce," Lexus said sourly. Now that he had a reason to meet his brother, it only took a push to open this door and make Ramon go to Margaretha Lamos''s boutique...


    Well, that did sound easy, if Ramon agreed right away.


    "Thank you." After saying that, Silvana immediately went back to her seat.


    Here we go¡­


    Lexus thought as he pushed the door open.


    "Bro!" he eximed with a cheerful face, walking quietly toward Ramon''s desk and the person in question was staring at hisptop screen with an expressionless face.


    Okay.


    The usual mood, check.


    Facial expression looked good, check. Because that expressionless face was Ramon''s standard expression.


    "Hm?" Ramon muttered, without distracting himself from whatever he was doing now.


    Ramon answered his call, check. Good, eeverything looks normal.


    "I brought you a document regarding a project in district 5 that you must sign," Lexus told Ramon, then ced the document in front of his brother, while he sat himself on the chair opposite him.


    "Okay," Ramon gave a short response and checked the documents he was about to sign. However, noticing that Lexus did not move from where he was sitting, the man lifted his head and looked at his younger brother. "Anything else?"


    "Nothing¡­" Lexus shook his head quickly, but then he pretended to be surprised and reached into the cell phone he had put in his trouser pocket. "Oh, who messaged me?" He then opened the message his mother had sent him earlier.


    Ramon ignored the gesture and turned his attention back to the documents in his hand, but the silence didn''tst long, because shortly afterward, Lexus eximed excitedly.


    "Bro! Look, look at this! Mother just sent me this!" Lexus immediately jumped up from his seat and approached Ramon excitedly, a cheerful smile on his face as he shoved his cellphone under Ramon''s nose. "See! Hailee is trying on evening dresses for your wedding!"


    On Lexus''s cellphone screen, Ramon could see Hailee in a white dress that looked cute and fit her petite frame. Her straight ck hair was let loose and covered part of her face. It seemed that Hailee didn''t even notice that she was being photographed and was talking to a staff member with a small smile on her lips.


    Ramon had to admit that Hailee was not the most beautiful woman he had ever met, Giana looked much more mature than Hailee, the type of woman who was much more suitable when paired to a businessmen like Ramon.


    It''s just that, there was something in Hailee that made other people feel at home. Whether it''s her character that looked carefree and seemed not to be bound by the standard rules of socialites, or the way she expressed herself and carried herself well.


    Whatever it was, Ramon felt much morefortable with the girl by his side. However, Ramon was still wondering, how would he feel about Giana? Would it be the same way he was feeling for Hailee? Or even more? Given that he was willing to risk their status and a big risk in a rtionship with her.


    Then what if once his memory returns? Will the feelings he has for Gianae back too?


    "Are you sure mom just sent this photo?" Ramon nced at Lexus who was standing beside him and saw his little brother nodding firmly.


    "Yes, mom just sent it, I''m just surprised why she sent this photo to me instead of you, she must be annoyed because you didn''te to see Hailee trying her clothes and..." However, Lexus''s long chatter was cut short and the rest of his sentence was swallowed up when he heard what Ramon said afterward.


    "If mom just sent you the photo, why does it show you received the message half an hour ago?" Ramon nodded at Lexus''s cellphone which was still under his eyes.


    Oh, sh * t!


    Lexus cursed and hurriedly pocketed his cellphone back when Ramon turned the chair around and red at him.


    "Mother told you toe here to persuade me toe to Margaretha Lamos''s ce." It wasn''t a question, but a statement and Ramon guessed it very precisely.


    Oh, sh * t again!


    Lexus really couldn''t stop feeling cornered by his brother! Can''t he be fooled for just once?!

 Chapter 84: PLAYING BEHIND HIS BACK

    <h4>Chapter 84: PLAYING BEHIND HIS BACK</h4>


    "I did not think that Central Bank would cooperate with the authorities to weigh up the evidence of Rnd Dimatrio''s involvement with the mega project in the city of R..." Theodore was enjoying his dinner apanied by a ss of wine and an appetizing meal. In front of him sat a beautiful woman in a sexy dress, who was none other than Aileen.


    Even though it was still early, Theodore decided to spend the whole day with Aileen as they went to choose their engagement ring today.


    "Hm," Aileen muttered curtly in response to Theodore''s words, even though her mind was elsewhere.


    What was on her mind right now was how to ensure that she did not have any involvement with Rnd Dimatrio.


    It was true that the case involving the district attorney was far different from her illicit business dealings with the middle-aged man, but still, this worried Aileen. If Rnd Dimatrio opened his mouth or said anything about her, then...


    "Aileen..." called Theodore.


    "Oh yes?" Aileen asked a little faltering, because she was caught daydreaming.


    "Did you hear my words earlier?" asked Theodore, putting the knife in his hand down and focusing his attention on Aileen.


    "Oh, sorry¡­" Aileen smiled regretfully. She looked very gentle that even if someone said to Theodore that the girl he was going to marry had sold her own sister andmitted actions that he himself found unimaginable, he would have a hard time believing them. "What were you saying?"


    Theodore sighed, but then smiled understandably. "I asked, how is Hailee? She''s getting married next week, but why didn''t shee home once and visit her family? Will she just cut ties because she is marrying into the Tordoffs?"


    Theodore still didn''t understand how Hailee ended up with Ramon Tordoff, even though to his knowledge, the two people live in different cities. He was absolutely sure that during Hailee''s rtionship with him, this girl had never met Ramon Tordoff in person.


    "She called home yesterday," Aileen said, as she sipped her drink, trying to hide the annoyance that crept into her heart. "Hailee said that she wasing over on Saturday with Ramon Tordoff."


    Although, Aileen tried to make her words sound casual, if someone listened more carefully, he would feel the bitterness in the way Aileen spoke. Unfortunately, Theodore didn''t realize that...


    What pissed Aileen the most was the fact that Hailee was going to marry Ramon Tordoff! How could that sloppy kid get a bigshot like Ramon Tordoff?! What did she really do after she slipped from Rnd Dimatrio''s grasp and nearly killed that man?!


    Even Hailee''s aim to return home with Ramon Tordoff could only be to provoke Aileen for sure and make her even more furious.


    Moreover, the person Hailee had been in with contact was their father''s older brother. Diego Tatum. A military officer of high rank.


    Although Diego Tatum was the first son, but because the career path he had taken was very different, it could be said that Diego Tatum''s name was rarely mentioned.


    First, because they were afraid of his demeanour and secondly because Diego Tatum seemed to have separated himself from his family.


    However, because the reading of their father''s will was postponed, due to Hailee being unable toe, Diego, who happened to be in the city of R, would go home to take care of his younger brother''s will.


    That was yet another problem that Aileen had to face¡­


    "Oh, yes?" Theodore raised his eyebrows, he then looked like he was in contemtion before muttering. "In that case, its good¡­"


    "Yes¡­ but, I feel like Hailee doesn''t like me¡­ she will definitely bring up the problem regarding my rtionship with you. And again¡­" Aileen looked down, ying the pity card she always used to evoke a sense of wanting to protect from Theodore''s male ego. "I can''t deny that I was the cause of the breakup in your rtionship..."


    Hearing Aileen''s low voice and her expression that looked so sad and guilty, Theodore fell into the same trap with ease once again.


    "Hey, our rtionship was not good from the start." Theodore then sat on the empty chair next to Aileen and sped her hands gently to calm this girl down. "I never loved her as much as I love you."


    Theodore then put his finger under Aileen''s chin and coaxed her into looking at him.


    "But¡­" Aileen''s eyes were cloudy, with tears welling up on her lids.


    "No buts. I choose you Aileen. " Theodore then leaned over to kiss the girl''s tiny nose briefly. "Hailee is about to marry Ramon Tordoff, after all, she definitely won''t make a fuss about this again."


    Aileen then rested her head on Theodore''s shoulder. "But, I still don''t understand how Hailee got to know Ramon Tordoff? Even though I firmly believe that the two of them are never in the same scope."


    Apart from being good at pretending, one of the things Aileen good at was leading other people''s opinions about something very subtly.


    "Or maybe the two of them had been in touch even when Hailee was with you?" Then Aileen shook her head in confusion. "No, I know Hailee, she can''t possibly cheated on you..." she muttered.


    However, with Aileen leaning on Theodore''s shoulder, naturally the man could hear her clearly.


    Hearing Aileen''s words just now made Theodore think about it again.


    Right¡­


    Is it possible that Hailee betrayed him first? And here is Theodore, feeling guilty about being in a rtionship with Aileen.


    If it was true that Hailee had cheated behind his back ...


    What a cunning girl.


    ==============


    Hailee was about to try on her second dress when Lis invited her to lunch first, but when Hailee had changed and was about toe out, she felt a vibration in her pocket.


    While standing in front of the white dress she wore earlier, Hailee picked up a phone call from Ramon.


    "Hello?" said Hailee.


    "Where are you?" asked Ramon, without replying to Hailee''s ''hello''.


    "I told you that today I will try my wedding dress at Margaretha Lamos'' ce," Hailee replied, while tracing the white dress in front of her with a pensive face.


    "In which boutique?" Ramon asked again, asking for details because Margaretha Lamos had many boutiques in town A.


    Although confused, Hailee then gave the address. "Why? You wannae? Come quickly, I''ve only tried one dress, maybe if youe now you can still see me wearing my wedding dress."


    "I have a meeting," Ramon said simply.


    "Sigh! Then why do you ask the address of this ce if you don''t want toe?"

 Chapter 85: UNRELIABLE

    <h4>Chapter 85: UNRELIABLE</h4>


    Lexus, who had just returned to Ramon''s study, tilted his head with a faint frown on his forehead when he saw that his brother was preparing to leave.


    "Where are you going?" asked Lexus.


    "Meeting," Ramon answered as he picked up the cell phone on his desk.


    Hearing that answer, Lexus''s forehead creased even more. "I don''t remember you having a meeting outside at this time? You don''t even have an important meeting today."


    Ramon then red at Lexus and made his younger brother show a defensive stance, as if the man in front of him would pounce on him in the next second. "What?" he asked.


    "Are you my personal assistant?" asked Ramon and Lexus shook his head automatically. "Then you don''t know my schedule."


    ''Okay, okay¡­ If you want to go out, just do so. There''s no need to stare at me fiercely,'' Lexus thought. "Then what about this document?" asked Lexus, pointing to the document lying on the table and was neglected.


    "I''ll look into itter." He then stepped out of his study, leaving Lexus there alone.


    "Later?" Lexus repeated in the empty room. "Didn''t you say earlier that you needed this document immediately?"


    Lexus ruffled his own hair in frustration.


    ==============


    Hailee was enjoying her lunch now, because Lis forced them to have lunch first before she tried on the second dress.


    Actually, this second dress was not anything special, just a normal dress with flowers, which would look cheerful for the garden party Lis was nning.


    Hailee was actually not that enthusiastic about this, she thought this marriage would only have one theme and everything would end quickly, but Lis had different thoughts.


    It seemed that this socialite woman really knew how to throw a party. She seemed to be intending to make the wedding as lively as possible and if possible she would make itst for a full twenty-four hours.


    This could be understood from Lis''s constantining about time constraints and proposal to continue the marriage rituals on the following day too, but Hailee could breathe a sigh of relief when Ramon openly rejected the idea and Lis had to cross the idea off the arrangements list.


    "Hailee, you haven''t told me how you met Ramon for the first time?" Margaretha sipped her green tea while trying to dig up more information about Hailee and Ramon while Lis was off to the toilet. "Surely your meeting is very interesting."


    "Well, you can say that¡­" Hailee responded with a politeugh, not intending to exin and hoped that this fashion designer didn''t show her gossipy side too much.


    However, it seemed that Hailee''s hopes were just in vain, because Margaretha seemed not to want to give up this opportunity. She ignored the subtle refusal gesture Hailee made and tried again.


    You can''t really get away from a woman who is so determined to find interesting topics. Somehow, these types of women can find a thousand and one ways to achieve their goals.


    "Then, who approached whom first?" Margaretha asked again, more enthusiastically this time. "I''ve asked Lis, but she also doesn''t know so many details of your story," sheined.


    Supposedly, even if Lis didn''t know, you shouldn''t be so eager to find out¡­ Hailee grimaced internally.


    "So?" Margaretha''s eyes sparkled, like a hungry lion''s upon finding a cute deer.


    "So¡­" Hailee said slowly, ncing at the hand that was held by Margaretha and seeing how this middle-aged woman leaned forward with enthusiasm.


    "Hm?" Margaretha nodded, giving Hailee unnecessary support, to continue her sentence.


    "We met by ident," said someone.


    This man''s voice almost made Hailee jump from her seat and made Margaretha pull back her hand that was holding Hailee''s.


    However, as soon as she saw the figure of the person who just talked, Margaretha''s enthusiasm became even more overwhelming.


    "Ramon!"


    Hailee and Margaretha called out the man''s name at the same time, but of course with different tones of voice and expressions.


    ==============


    "So how did it go?" asked Lis curiously. She was currently talking to Lexus on the phone, checking up on his second son about her ns to bring Ramon to see Hailee in her wedding dress.


    "Failed," replied Lexus while massaging his forehead, now he was sitting on the sofa, in Ramon''s study while ying games in the middle of his mother''s pursuit.


    "Failed? Why? Ramon has absolutely no interest in seeing Hailee in a wedding dress after seeing that photo?" asked Lis again, her forehead creased. She then stepped out of the toilet and walked slowly to the table where she had left Hailee and Margaretha alone.


    "Ramon said he had a meeting outside and it seemed like he had absolutely no interest in seeing Hailee, his face didn''t even show any change..."


    Lexus continued talking, while Lis continued to walk toward their table with a frown while listening.


    They came to eat at a restaurant near Margaretha''s boutique, afortable ce, but with privacy that was maintained sophisticatedly, as all of Margaretha''s clients could be ascertained from respected families and not just anyone.


    But, then Lis''s eyes widened when she saw that a man had joined Hailee and Margaretha.


    Even though the man had his back to her and his face was not visible from this angle, but of course Lis could immediately recognize the child she had carried for nine months.


    "You said Ramon couldn''te because he had a meeting?!" Lis asked into the phone, her voice a little annoyed, but also enthusiastic when she found her son there.


    Lexus was surprised and pressed the wrong button until the game he was ying disyed the words ''Game Over'' on his cellphone screen.


    "Yes, he said it like that," Lexus said grumpily. "He didn''t even see the document I gave him, even though he had to sign it today."


    "Then who do I see now? Ghost?"


    "Hah?" Lexus frowned in disbelief. "Are you seeing a ghost?"


    "I just saw your brother!" Lis said impatiently.


    "How did he get there?" Lexus blinked in confusion.


    "Your mother also wanted to ask the same, how could he be here when you said he had a meeting outside?" Lis grumbled. "You really can''t be counted on."


    After saying that, Lis then disconnected the call and rushed to the three people at the table with a beaming face.


    Meanwhile, on the other side of city A, Lexus could only stare at his cellphone while whining, "I think I have to do a DNA test, to find out if I really am her own child..." heined.

 Chapter 86: WHY ARE YOU BLUSHING?

    <h4>Chapter 86: WHY ARE YOU BLUSHING?</h4>


    "I didn''t expect your meeting to be so clich¨¦ like that..." Margaretha looked a little disappointed, but seeing Liz walking over, her face was cheerful again. She then shared what Ramon had told her about his first meeting with Hailee.


    Switched onto gossiping style.


    If Lis was famous for her assertiveness in the business world and was able to take over and manage thepany very well after the death of her husband, then Margaretha was known for her magical hands in creating amazing works through her dresses.


    People out there would not have thought that these two high-ss socialite women had this side too, because they were both famous in their respective business and no one would be able to deny this fact.


    "ident?" Lis asked while raising her eyebrows, she looked at Hailee and Ramon alternately. "You have never told this to me before."


    Ramon casually sipped his coffee, while Hailee could only smile.


    "There''s nothing to tell, nothing is special about our first meeting," Ramon said, then looked at Hailee, who then forced out augh.


    "Yes, right..." she said affirmatively.


    Ramon had told Margaretha that Hailee identally bumped him with the car she was driving and it was the start of their meeting, but Ramon refused to tell any further about this.


    Knowing Ramon''s nature, of course Margaretha could understand. However, her eyes shed with obvious curiosity toward Hailee. This woman would definitely find out more.


    "Then, how do you guys started keeping in touch?" asked Lis, who had the same curiosity.


    It''s not entirely wrong about the ident, it''s just that the story was very different from what actually happened.


    "I asked for her number to pay for my treatment," replied Ramon casually.


    Hearing this, Lis almost choked on the green tea she was drinking. Since when would her son ask for treatment fees, especially when he was all fine?


    However, Margaretha picked up on something else and started teasing Ramon and Hailee. "Ah, I know!" She pped her hands happily when she heard that. "Is it love at first sight? You saw Hailee and was looking for an excuse to see her again?"


    Lis, who felt a little disappointed when Ramon said stingy things like asking for treatment fees, immediately had the same thoughts as her best friend.


    "Is it true?" asked Lis.


    On the other hand, Hailee could only grimace inwardly. How could these two middle-aged women change their attitudes to teenagers? Love at first sight? Who would still do that in modern times like this?


    "Yes, you could say that," Ramon answered again with the same tone. This time, it was Hailee who was choking on the food she was chewing. "Are you okay?" asked Ramon while handing a ss of mineral water to Hailee, who was staring at him fiercely, as if to say;


    Love at first sight? Oh, please! Who would believe that bullshit?!


    "Right, right? They must have experienced love at first sight¡­" Margaretha sighed with an adoring gaze at Ramon. As if she had just found a new dream person besides her husband. "Love at first sight actually exists."


    Hailee: "¡­"


    ==============


    "Didn''t you say that you couldn''te?" Hailee asked in an inquiring tone as they headed back to Margaretha''s boutique.


    While the fashion designer was walking in front of them with Liz, Hailee and Ramon following behind, far enough from them that their conversation couldn''t be heard.


    "I decided toe," Ramon answered, ncing at the girl next to him.


    "Why? Because you wanted to see me in that dress before anyone else could?" Hailee asked, taking Ramon''s arm and clinging on to him, like a spoiled girlfriend.


    Ramon was smiling so charmingly, but his words really made Hailee want to scratch his handsome face. "I just wanted to make sure you were wearing something appropriate for the event."


    Hearing that, Hailee stopped clinging to Ramon and red at him. "Something appropriate?" she asked in a hissing voice.


    What does he mean by something appropriate? Isn''t this dress made by Margaretha Lamos? The Diva? How could anything go wrong? Moreover, to the stage of ''inappropriate''. What kind of statement is that?


    "What do you mean inappropriate? How could it be inappropriate?" Hailee then narrowed her eyes. "Could it be that you underestimate the Diva''s works?"


    Ramon didn''t answer, he only nced at the girl next to him, without giving any reaction or change in his facial expression.


    Seeing this, Hailee got upset and decided to teach Ramon a little lesson.


    "Mrs. Lamos," called Hailee. "He was ..."


    But, before Hailee could finish her sentence, Ramon had covered her mouth with his big hand.


    Poor girl¡­


    Meanwhile, Margaretha and Lis, who were walking in front of them, immediately turned their heads and saw the scene, the fashion designer immediately giggled with amusement. "What is wrong?" she asked.


    Meanwhile, Lis could only be amazed to see what had happened. She didn''t think that Ramon could be so childish like this.


    But, then a smile spread across her lips. It reminded her of herself and Ramon''s father when they were young. Indeed, with the right person, you can transform even the coldest and most indifferent people.


    "What do you want to say?" Margaretha asked, stillughing softly at the behavior of the two of them. But, because Ramon still didn''t take his hand off of Hailee''s mouth, the poor girl couldn''t say anything.


    "Nothing, Hailee was just ying around," Ramon said with a smile, a momentter, he bent over and kissed the top of Hailee''s head and made the girl cast a sharp gaze at him.


    Especially when hearing the chokedughter of Margaretha and Lis, who then said, "Let''s just leave the two lovebirds. Young people these days..." Margaretha clicked her tongue as she shook her head and pulled Lis away from Ramon and Hailee.


    Seeing that her efforts to get away from Ramon were only in vain, Hailee stopped struggling because now the two of them had caught the attention of several people, who were staring at her with envious eyes and a knowing smile, as if Hailee wanted this.


    Therefore, Hailee decided to shut up and lick Ramon''s palm, until the man gasped and immediately let go.


    "Hailee!" Ramon eximed, his voice furious.


    However, Hailee didn''t focus on the tone of his voice, but the face of the man. "Why is your face so red?"

 Chapter 87: BEAUTIFUL

    <h4>Chapter 87: BEAUTIFUL</h4>


    However, Hailee didn''t focus on the tone of his voice, but the face of the man. "Why is your face so red?" Seeing Ramon''s reaction, a mischievous smile appeared on Hailee''s face. "Mr. Tordoff, are you shy that I licked your hand?" she asked throughughter.


    Ramon frowned, but no longer covered Hailee''s mouth with his hands, letting herugh out loud. "Shut up," Ramon grumbled.


    "I didn''t know that Mr. Tordoff have such a sensitive palm," Hailee said as she wiped her tears. "You''re so cute."


    "Shut up and walk quickly," Ramon said as he sped up his pace, leaving Hailee, which caused the girl to half run after him.


    But, it seemed that she didn''t mind at all.


    "I should have taken a photo just now, to show it to Lexus," Hailee said, suddenly thinking of the man. She intended to take out her cell phone, but Ramon gave her a menacing re. "...or maybe not."


    ==============


    Since Ramon was already here, so naturally, he would try on his own clothes.


    Like most men, who didn''t have as many styles as women''s clothes, what Ramon intended to wear for his wedding was not something that had a fanciful design, but if other people took a closer look and know the price for that one ''simple'' outfit, then they would shake their heads and be amazed at the lined up digits.


    It only took Ramon less than fifteen minutes to finish fitting his clothes and now, he just sat around waiting for Hailee, who was still unprepped, checking some emails on his cell phone.


    Lis who sat next to him, could only sigh helplessly looking at her son who didn''t even leave work at a time like this.


    "Those emails can wait, why don''t you just focus on here?" asked Lis, reprimanding her first son.


    "Hailee still hasn''t appeared," Ramon replied. In other words; if the bride is still not ready, where else should he focus?


    Hearing that answer, Lis could only lean her back and take a look the fashion magazines avable there.


    Lis decided for Hailee to immediately try on her wedding dress and try on that second dress for the garden partyter, on another day, because she couldn''t wait to see Ramon''s reaction when he saw Hailee in that dress.


    Especially for this, Margaretha handled Hailee herself, so she wasn''t there, sitting with Ramon and Liz.


    Five minutes passed.


    Ten minutes passed.


    And when twenty minutes had passed, Ramon had put down his cell phone and was sitting, with his arms crossed impatiently.


    It wasn''t that he wanted to see Hailee right away, but he just couldn''t help wondering why it would take her nearly an hour just to put on a dress.


    "Ah, there they are," Lis said cheerfully, sighing in relief after seeing Margarethae out of one of the doors.


    Hearing Liz''s words, Ramon automatically turned toward the same direction.


    Lis found Margaretha smiling proudly, as if she had just sessfully held a fashion show. Her index finger and thumb intertwined as she nced at Ramon.


    From behind the maroon curtain, Hailee appeared in her wedding dress and there was only one word that crossed Ramon''s mind at that moment, but even that one word could not represent his judgment when he saw the entirety of Hailee''s figure in the purple dress.


    Beautiful.


    Ramon had never seen anything or someone who really deserved the word, other than the figure before him.


    The beauty that Hailee had was not the type that would make those around her feel inferior, but was a beauty that others could admire.


    Hailee looked gorgeous from the way she smiled shyly at Liz and Margaretha, and how she nced at Ramon secretly, wanting to know how he felt, or his reaction.


    Margaretha''s dress design was an off shoulder type, showing off Hailee''s delicate shoulders and long neck, with an asymmetric ruffle bottom. A mix of ssic and modern themes.


    The dress didn''t look too much but fit on Hailee, as if the dress was one with her.


    As a finishing touch, Margaretha gave matchingce gloves, making Hailee''s look perfect.


    Even Margaretha herself seemed satisfied with her handiwork. "Oh, I want her in my fashion show..." sighed Margaretha when she saw Hailee who looked charming.


    "I don''t think Ramon will allow his wife to be seen by many people," Lis said lightly as she nced at her son who had stood up and was stunned, with his sharp eyes staring at Hailee intensely.


    Hearing this, Margaretha looked at Ramon too and giggled.


    On the other hand, Ramon ignored the two women and took a few slow steps toward his future wife, without looking away at all.


    Hailee who was stared at like that, felt her face heating up, she tried to shift her gaze to either Liz or Margaretha, but as soon as Ramon got closer, it was as if a ma forced her to focus all her attention on this man.


    "So?" Hailee asked shyly when Ramon was standing in front of her. "What do you think? Beautiful?" Her voice sounded unsure, because under Ramon''s gaze, Hailee could feel her heart beating much faster than usual.


    Ramon didn''t say anything, he just stretched out his hand and, as if Hailee could read what was on this man''s mind, she put her hand on Ramon''s palm.


    However, Ramon could still feel the coldness of the hand in his grip, as he lifted Hailee''s hand and made her turn slowly, showing her back to him before turning her around again so that they could look at each other.


    "So?" Hailee asked again, her voice was now like a whisper, for some reason, the atmosphere was heavy.


    Again Ramon didn''t answer, but this time, he lowered his head very slowly, leaning forward so that his face was so close. His warm breath brushed Hailee''s flushed face, making the girl forget her surroundings when she felt the man''s soft lips against hers.


    "Beautiful," Ramon replied against Hailee''s lips, cupping her face with his big hands.


    However, it turned out that Hailee wasn''t the only one blushing, considering that they weren''t alone in this room.


    "Ugh, why is this room so hot?" Margarethained, fanning her face with her hand.

 Chapter 88: COME HERE

    <h4>Chapter 88: COME HERE</h4>


    Hailee didn''t know how long Ramon had kissed her. However, when the man finally ended it, Hailee could still feel the softness on her lips. Her heart was beating so fast that it made her knees go weak.


    Luckily, Ramon hugged her waist.


    Ugh!


    It would be so embarrassing if she actually fell over a kiss.


    Hailee was onlying back to her own senses when she heard Lis clearing her throat and breaking the fantasy bubble that had led to Hailee''s wild thoughts and returning her to reality.


    "Okay, I can see that you like that dress," Margaretha said, smiling meaningfully at Hailee who was looking down, trying not to look anyone in the eye.


    If possible, Hailee wanted to hide behind Ramon''s broad back.


    "I think Mr. Tordoff liked his future bride more," one of Margaretha''s assistants who had witnessed the scene, spoke and smiled meaningfully at Hailee, which turned thetter''s face red.


    "I know I''m beautiful, but you don''t need to kiss me in front of them," Hailee hissed at Ramon in a low voice, so that only the two of them could hear her, of course apanied by a sweet smile on her lips, so that those who saw it would not be suspicious.


    Ramon smiled back at Hailee and said in the same low voice. "I told you no, at least we have to act like this in front of them, so they will continue believing that we have been in a rtionship for two years. Your bad acting can make them suspicious."


    "What?" Hailee was annoyed at his words.


    What ''make them suspicious''? Nobody is suspicious about their rtionship, okay? Not even Lis. The excuses Ramon making werepletely absurd!


    "Smile," Ramon said as he ran his hand through Hailee''s slightly messy hair, making Margaretha''s two assistants feel hesitant to approach, because they both looked so affectionate.


    "I can''t, you''re simply annoying," Hailee grumbled, but in the end she smiled too, even though she said the opposite.


    ==============


    It was still afternoon when they walked out of Margaretha''s boutique, but since Liz still had some business at the office, whether that''s true or not, she asked Ramon to drive Hailee home.


    "No, no. I can just go home alone," Hailee said, feeling bad that she had to trouble Ramon. Especially after ''that kissing'' incident, it would be awkward if they were alone.


    Granted, Hailee had been teasing Ramon a lottely, but it was because this man often chose not to react, which made she felt safe.


    But after what happened, Hailee wasn''t sure she would tease him for the next few days.


    However, before Liz could persuade or Hailee could refuse any further, Ramon had already grabbed the girl''s hand and opened the car door.


    "I''ll take her home after visiting a ce," Ramon said softly to his mother, ignoring Hailee''s questioning gaze and instead cing his hand on Hailee''s head, as a gesture for the girl to get into the car.


    "Oh, alright," Lis said with a smile, pleased to see her cold son taking the initiative to invite Hailee to go somewhere.


    Lis didn''t even ask where they were going, the woman immediately got into her car and drove away.


    And as soon as Ramon got into the car, Hailee burst out with questions.


    "Where are we going?" Hailee asked, feeling a little excited that Ramon was going to take her somewhere.


    "To town T district 3," Ramon told their driver, closing the car door.


    "City T? What are we going there for? Do you have business there?" Hailee asked curiously. "If you do have business, it''s okay for me to go home alone."


    Hailee didn''t want to join the meeting Ramon was attending and listen to some chatter that she didn''t understand.


    "We''re going to the Blue Sea," Ramon replied, he then leaned his head on the back of the seat and massaged his forehead which was a little sore.


    "Blue Sea?" Hailee felt that the name was very familiar. "Blue Sea, you mean one of the Tatum branches?"


    Hailee may not be too interested in thepany''s business, but of course she knew all those Tatum family''s jewelry store branches in several cities.


    "Hmm," Ramon muttered, confirming her guess.


    "No way," Hailee said in disbelief. "What are we going there for. I don''t want to go there." She outrightly rejected the idea.


    "Of course to find a wedding ring," Ramon replied with a frown, his hand still on his temple.


    "But I don''t want to go there¡­" Hailee startedining, she didn''t want to be in town T, let alone have to be at a jewelry store branch of her family''spany. It felt very strange and ufortable. "We can go find other jewelry stores, after all, the city of T is quite far from here."


    Ramon nced at Hailee and could clearly see the girl''s reluctance. "Since I''m going to take over yourpany, it''s only natural for me to see how thatpany is performing," Ramon argued.


    Even though Hailee couldn''t say that Ramon''s reasoning was real, but she also couldn''t say that this man was lying.


    "You''re only thinking about profits," Hailee grumbled.


    "I don''t want to fall into poverty," Ramon replied indifferently.


    Hearing that answer, Hailee had to turn her head quickly and look at the man who had now closed his eyes, in disbelief.


    Who the hell is poor?! Even if he didn''t work anymore, Hailee was sure that with his wealth now, his family could live in luxury up to seven generations!


    However, knowing Ramon''s nature, Hailee could only exhale slowly. This man did tend to speak casually and far from what he really meant.


    Whatever it was, Hailee chose toply with him.


    "What happened to you?" Seeing Ramon continuing to massage his temples, make Hailee worried. Was she so troublesome that it gave this man a headache?


    However, Ramon chose not to answer, therefore Hailee took the initiative to slowly pull his face toward her.


    "What are you doing?" Ramon immediately opened his eyes and felt the girl''s cold hands resting on either side of his face.


    "Come here." Hailee then patted her thigh. "Lie down here. The trip to town T will take a while."


    Ramon looked at Hailee suspiciously.


    "I won''t bite, so take it easy," Hailee was irritated.


    Hesitantly, Ramon rested his head on Hailee''sp and the girl''s fingers began to massage his head, not too strong, but enough to make him feel good.


    "Get some sleep, you will feel better after resting."


    "Hmm."


    And Ramon closed his eyes.

 Chapter 89: GET ON ONE KNEE

    <h4>Chapter 89: GET ON ONE KNEE</h4>


    Actually, Ramon had been feeling this headache since morning, but didn''t really pay attention to it, it was only after a while before he changed his clothes that his head felt as if it had been pounded by a hammer.


    Therefore, Ramon did not refuse Hailee''s offer to lend him herp so that he couldy his throbbing head down, just for a moment.


    At first, Ramon just wanted to rest his head on Hailee''sp, but her hands massaging his temples slowly, made Ramon feel rxed and he could feel his headache lessen a bit.


    Therefore, he did not protest and let the girl touch him.


    But then the feeling offort slowly made Ramon feel tired and sleepy at the same time.


    It didn''t take long until hepletely lost his awareness and fell asleep.


    Meanwhile, Hailee, who realized that Ramon had fallen asleep from the sound of his even breathing, didn''t stop her hands that were massaging his forehead.


    Not because Hailee wanted to make this guy''s headache go away by the time he woke up, hell, Hailee didn''t even know how to massage, but because she just wanted to touch his hair.


    It sounded perverted, but Hailee liked feeling Ramon''s coarse strands, when she ran her fingers through them.


    And halfway there, the massage turned into just a light caressing on Ramon''s hair, making the man sink even deeper into his sleep.


    ==============


    "We''ve arrived," said their driver. The man in his forties named Charlie stared at Hailee through the rearview mirror, waiting for further orders, knowing that Ramon was still asleep.


    "Hm," Hailee muttered, thinking for a moment. She did not have the heart to wake Ramon, because it seemed like he was sleeping very well, and it was certain that he must be tired of dealing with his work at the office, while he had just been discharged from the hospital.


    If Hailee were in Ramon''s position, then she would have taken advantage of the situation to remain absent from work, for at least a month!


    "Just leave the car running, you can go. Let me take the key, I''ll call you when we''re going back," Hailee said.


    And after Charlie agreed, he immediately intended to get out of the car, but he stopped promptly, he was looking at Hailee hesitantly, as if he wanted to say something.


    "What''s wrong?" Hailee asked, when she noticed Charlie''s expression. "Do you have anything to say?"


    Charlie then looked embarrassed, he rubbed his neck with a faint smile. "Nothing, I just wanted to say that, Mr. Ramon has never fallen asleep like that¡­ he seems very tired."


    Hailee smiled back and watched Charlie get out of the car, closing the door very slowly so as not to wake Ramon.


    After they were alone, Hailee leaned her back against the back of the seat and stared out the of car window, where she could only see a yellow luxury car, parked next to it, while Hailee''s hand was stillbing through Ramon''s hair. It felt very natural for her to do this.


    Hailee then raised her hand and looked at the watch that showed it was half past four in the afternoon, it seemed that it was okay to let Ramon sleep for another hour or two, after all the jewelry story at this mall would be open til nine o''clock. There''s still plenty of time ...


    Therefore, Hailee took advantage of this moment to stare at Ramon''s face closely, admiring how this man looked like an angel when he was sleeping.


    His strong and firm jaw and also his sharp nose¡­ imperceptibly, Hailee traced the side of the man''s face slowly with her fingers.


    From his forehead, down to the bottom of his cheeks, then to the side of his face and then his lips, which had kissed her before Lis and Margaretha.


    It''s just embarrassing...


    But, somehow Hailee liked Ramon''s spontaneous attitude like that.


    However, the time that Hailee had to admire Ramon didn''tst long, because a few minutester the man woke up with a start.


    Perhaps, it was from feeling the change in atmosphere that had darkened, or maybe it was because of dangerous feeling from Hailee''s hand that turned sassy at stroking his face.


    "We''re here..." His voice was hoarse and his eyes were unfocused, like someone who was dead tired.


    "If you''re that tired, there''s no need to force yourself." Hailee naturally stretched out her hand and smoothed Ramon''s hair. She wondered herself, was she developing an obsession with this man''s hair?


    For a moment Ramon frowned, but then he let Hailee do whatever she wanted.


    "I''m all right, just a little dizzy," Ramon said.


    "Dizzy?" Hailee stopped her activities for a moment and looked at the man in front of her anxiously. "Should we see a doctor?"


    After all, the ident happened not too long ago and Ramon had forced himself to go back to work, maybe now he''s feeling the side effects? Not to mention the problem with his amnesia. Ramon''s past memories still haven''t returned.


    "No need. It''s not that severe." Just like what Hailee had expected, this man rejected it out rightly. "We have to choose this wedding ring after all."


    But, Ramon also didn''t get out of the car right away, he rubbed his eyes and his face that still looked sleepy yet very adorable.


    "But, why should it be here?" Hailee was still curious. She didn''t fully believe Ramon''s words, who said that he only wanted to see his future business venture.


    "Because I heard they have thetest diamond designs," Ramon replied in a voice that was still a little hoarse, so Hailee offered him a bottle of mineral water, which he took after offering a faint ''thank you''.


    "Okay."Hailee then shrugged indifferently.


    "You don''t seem to likeing here." Ramon nced at the girl next to him.


    "I''m not that close to my extended family, but knowing my father''s younger brother took the business, I feel ufortable..." Hailee admitted, especially when her uncle also took part inpany management, at least that''s what Hailee heardst time.


    The two people now upy the highest positions in the familypany previously led by Hailee''s father.


    "Why?" asked Ramon curiously.


    "My dad doesn''t have a very good rtionship with Uncle George," Hailee said with a sour face.


    Hearing this, Ramon reminded himself to find out more about this George Tatum.


    "Let''s get in," said Ramon and then got out of the car.


    "I''m free to choose our wedding rings?" Hailee leaned over and turned off the car engine.


    Ramon then turned around the side of the car. "Of course," he said, as he opened the car door for Hailee. "That''s better, right?"


    "It''s better if you don''t skip an important stage." Hailee then got out of the car and tidied her slightly wrinkled clothes.


    "What?"


    "You should have proposed to me first. Something like; getting on one knee."

 Chapter 90: AILEEN AND THEODORE

    <h4>Chapter 90: AILEEN AND THEODORE</h4>


    "You should have proposed to me first. Something like; getting on one knee," Haileemented casually, wrapping her hand around Ramon''s arm.


    Hailee looked cute when doing that and they both would look like a couple who have indeed been dating for two years and were getting married, because it was based on love for each other.


    Well, even though the reality is the opposite, but who could have guessed that the two of them could be so affectionate?


    "In your dreams," Ramon said sadistically, but apanied by his handsome smile, which seemed to cushion the affect of his words on Hailee.


    "Ah, I want to get a proposal like that too. With balloons and flowers, with fur elise on the background, then you say; will you marry me?" Hailee started fantasizing and Ramon just listened,pletely uninterested. Get on one knee? Balloons? Song? That was simply not his thing. "How romantic¡­" Hailee sighed. "Don''t you want it?"


    "No," Ramon replied curtly, which made Hailee grumble softly when she heard him. "And if you knew the history of fur elise, then you wouldn''t ask that song as the background for your dream proposal."


    Hailee didn''t really know about the history of music and the likes. "So what?" she cocked her head in confusion.


    Ramon had guessed that Hailee didn''t know this at all. "If you don''t know, find out for yourself, this will be a homework for you."


    Hailee frowned, but she''s going to find out what was the story behind Ludwig Bethoveen''s music, because she thought that it sounded pretty good, but for now, she had to convey the concept of marriage that both of them must agree on.


    "Hey, if we have to spend our whole life together, it would be better if we make this rtionship more fun, right?" Hailee suggested.


    "I like this way," said Ramon.


    They have now entered the biggest mall in T city, lined with well-known tenants on the left and right.


    "Being happy is not enough." Hailee tugged at Ramon''s hand, asking the man''s attention, only after he looked her in the eye, did Hailee continue her words. "We may fall in love with each otherter, then our domestic life will be much more enjoyable. Right?"


    For a moment Ramon didn''t answer Hailee, he just stared into those sparkling eyes silently.


    Until finally Hailee got tired of smiling and decided not to talk about it anymore, but that''s when Ramon opened his mouth.


    "I don''t do love," he said briefly and very clearly.


    "Liar," Hailee snapped. "You were in a rtionship with that woman for two years. If you don''t love her, there''s no way you guys canst that long."


    "I don''t remember," Ramon replied indifferently.


    "Then what if you remember her after we got married?" now Hailee turned serious.


    Ramon stopped walking and faced Hailee, noticing the worry in her eyes, he decided it was best to soften his words to make this girl stop worrying first.


    "I don''t know what happens when my memory returns, but if you can make me love you, why should I remember my old rtionship?" asked Ramon.


    "Love needs cooperation from both parties, if I was the only one who was trying, the results would not be optimal."


    ==============


    Giana looked at her husband who was preparing to go out again, with a look that was difficult to interpret.


    Aidan would spend all day at the office, but when he got home, he would leave again and Giana knew where her husband was going every single day.


    "Can''t you stay at home for one night? People are starting to notice that something is wrong with our rtionship,"Giana growled in frustration.


    She didn''t care if Aidan would go to another woman''s arms, but what Giana was worried about was the views of the people out there who started gossiping about her marriage life. Especially when Giana didn''t get pregnant after three years of their marriage.


    Aidan sighed heavily and turned to face Giana. "I don''t care what they say, so should you."


    Hearing this, Giana rose from the couch beside the balcony of their room and grabbed Aidan by the cor roughly, pulling him down so that the man had to bend his head and their eyes were at the same level.


    "Look Aidan, I don''t care if you want to go into the arms of your little b*tch every night." Giana''s voice was only a hiss full of anger. "But, do it secretly! I don''t care about you or your rtionship with that wh*re! But, I care about my family''s reputation and good name!"


    Aidan clenched his jaw tightly when he heard Giana cursing at his girlfriend, but didn''t say anything because he knew this rtionship was hurting the woman, who was known as his wife to the public.


    "Do it quietly as if I don''t know!" Giana shouted thatst sentence, gritting her teeth to hold back the tears that threatened to spill out.


    Aidan then grabbed the hand that was gripping his shirt cor and let go of Giana''s hand in one hard beat.


    "I have a meeting outside the city and won''t be back for three days," he said coldly as he tidied his clothes and immediately walked out of the door, leaving his wife alone in the luxurious room, proof of their wealth, but also a silent witness to the kind of married life what the two of them were going through.


    ==============


    "Hey, since when were they here?" Hailee stood on tiptoes so she could whisper into Ramon''s ear and the man looked at the girl next to him with a questioning look, not understanding what Hailee meant. "They." Hailee pointed to one of the men following them from a distance.


    Hailee was no stranger to the three faces of men following them because those people were Ramon''s bodyguards, but Hailee didn''t remember them being followed to this mall.


    "They were here from the start," Ramon answered casually, as he stepped into the Blue Sea jewelry store, and was greeted with the kind smile of a woman who opened the door for them.


    "Aren''t you tired of being followed by them all the time?"ined Hailee who nced back at the three men waiting outside this store.


    "Just ignore them," replied Ramon, it was obvious that he was already used to this situation which Hailee found odd and ufortable.


    However, Hailee didn''t need to be told a second time, because now something else caught the girl''s attention, making herpletely forget about the bodyguards out there.


    Inside this jewelry store, she found Aileen and Theodore, who had just stepped out of one of the rooms.

 Chapter 91: ENCOUNTER

    <h4>Chapter 91: ENCOUNTER</h4>


    Aileen and Theodore stepped out of the room reserved for VIP customers and other important people, such as the owner of this jewelry store, none other than Aileen. At least for now.


    At first, Aileen and Theodore didn''t notice Hailee and Ramon''s presence, because they were way too engrossed in their own conversation, but maybe because of Hailee''s shocked gaze that was too sharp, or because of the atmosphere that suddenly changed, they finally noticed the two people, who were now standing in the middle of the store and had be a hot topic in the mass media recently.


    On the other hand, Ramon did not expect to see Aileen and Theodore in a jewelry store, but that didn''t mean he was surprised, afterall the Gevano family business was centered in the city of T.


    It''s just that this man only noticed the two of them when he felt Hailee''s body, which was clinging on to his arm, stiffen as her face turned sour all of a sudden.


    Ramon then followed her gaze and found the two figures that Hailee was staring at ferociously.


    "Why did you stop here?" Ramon asked, patting Hailee''s hand that was clutching on his arm, so that this girl would refocus on something other than Aileen and Theodore.


    As if she had just woken up, Hailee lifted her head and forced a smile to daub her pouty lips.


    But, it seemed like Theodore was oblivious to their situation when he called out to Hailee and stepped toward her followed by Aileen, who had a face as shocked as the man next to her.


    It''s just that, Hailee could see an angry look that was implied in her adopted sister''s eyes and somehow this made her happy.


    "Hailee, what are you doing here?" asked Theodore when they both reached Hailee.


    "Hailee," Aileen called Hailee''s name softly and stepped forward to hug her sister, but Hailee stepped away and moved closer to Ramon.


    A gesture that clearly showed that she didn''t want to be touched by Aileen.


    And as was always the case; Aileen yed her protagonist card well. The look on her face was suddenly hurt as well, as she stepped back and hid herself behind Theodore''s body, making the man even more protective of his woman.


    "Hailee, you don''t even want to greet your sister?" Theodore rebuked Hailee without looking at Ramon in front of him and it was the first mistake he made.


    "What for?" Hailee asked with an expressionless face, she didn''t even want to nce at Aileen whatsoever.


    "Hailee!" Theodore rebuked Hailee for thisment. "You shouldn''t say that to your own sister."


    And Hailee had just realized that Theodore had always been defending Aileen, even before this, when they were still in contact, he always put Aileen first in every dispute that urred between the two of them.


    Hailee felt stupid because she just realized it now.


    "Sister?" Ramon spoke those words with a very cold tone and a gaze that shot icy res at Theodore. "Doesn''t the Tatum couple only have one biological child?"


    Hearing this, finally Theodore shifted his attention to Ramon and stared at the tycoon with an emotionless face. His voice was so t and monotonous when he answered.


    "Aileen is the Tatum family''s first daughter."


    Hearing that answer, Ramon snorted and shed a mocking smile at the man opposite him, but said nothing as he pulled Hailee away from there, as if talking to Theodore had wasted his precious time.


    Of course Theodore was aware of that and this offended him greatly, it was just that he could not possibly rebuke Ramon directly.


    Even in an emotional state, the logic still worked out not to get into trouble with the Tordoffs.


    Therefore, he directed his next words at Hailee.


    "So all this time you''ve been with another men? Even when you are with me?" Theodore''s voice wasn''t too loud, but it was enough for Hailee and Ramon to hear it.


    Theodore still remembered what Aileen told him this afternoon when they ate and he was annoyed that Hailee had betrayed him first.


    "With another man?" Hailee turned around, feeling the anger starting to eat away at her whole body.


    How could Theodore use her like that when he himself had an affair with Aileen behind her back. Even though Hailee didn''t really love this man, still, Theodore''s rtionship with Aileen couldn''t be justified, whatever the reason might have been.


    "You want to deny?" For some reason, realizing this annoyed Theodore to a great extent.


    "What am I trying to deny here?" Hailee asked fiercely. "Where did you get the idea that I have cheated on you when we were together? It must be from Aileen, so why don''t you just ask her?"


    Theodore was about to argue with her for those words, but Hailee had already raised her hand first, indicating for the man to be quiet.


    This action naturally took Ramon by surprise, because he didn''t expect Hailee to be so assertive.


    "And if you want to ask her, also ask her what rtionship did she have with Rnd Dimatrio. Also ask what she has done to me and why I didn''t show up or return to the Tatum family in thest few months." Hailee gritted her teeth as she said all that.


    She did not say everything to expose all the disgusting things Aileen had done to her in front of Theodore at this time out of consideration.


    Knowing how Theodore blindly trusted Aileen was one of the strong reasons why exining what Aileen did to her was such a waste.


    Theodore had to find out and get the evidence himself, only that way, would he know what kind of woman Aileen was.


    Because whatever Hailee said at this time would just be a breeze words that meant nothing to that man, without solid evidence to back up her words.


    Also, their current situation made it impossible for the topic to be raised. Right now, there were already many pairs of eyes looking at them curiously.


    When Aileen heard her name being associated with Rnd Dimatrio, her face immediately changed. She looked nervous and embarrassed.


    "What do you mean Hailee?" Aileen eximed, her voice went a few octaves higher than it should have been. "What kind of rtionship do you mean I have with Rnd Dimatrio?" The name was very sensitive right now, no one wanted to be linked with the district attorney, especially Aileen. They were in the Tatum Jewelry after all.


    "Why are you asking me? Didn''t we just meet a few days ago at Rnd Dimatrio''s house?" Hailee then walked closer to Aileen and Theodore and continued her words in a lower tone. "When you conspired with that old man to kidnap me."


    "Don''t talk carelessly Hailee!" Aileen eximed angrily, but her face turned pale when she found Theodore looking at her questioningly. "How could I do such a cruel thing, it is a cruel nder."


    Aileen tried to calm the rumbling emotions in her chest and bring back Aileen- weak¨C and- innocent side.


    Such a hypocrite¡­


    Now, in the corner of Aileen''s eye, one could see tears that were ready to slide down at her sister''s usation.


    However, Hailee didn''t stop there. "How about the p I gave to you? Do you still want to deny it too?" Hailee then turned her attention to Theodore. "If you''re smart enough, you''ll remember her swollen face from a few days ago."


    Hailee didn''t know what lie Aileen had spouted to Theodore and didn''t expect this man to believe her right away either, but at least she had said what she should have said.


    As to whether Theodore would believe her or not, it was up to him, since Aileen''s influence was so great on him, it would be hopeless for Hailee to exin.


    "p?" Theodore looked at Aileen, he did see Aileen''s face slightly swollen a few days ago, but she did not exin the cause and exined that it was just an allergy.


    "Hailee stop telling lies and also thinking that I did bad things to you. You''re getting married to Ramon Tordoff, why are you still talking badly about me in front of Theodore?" Aileen said in a pitiful voice, her teary eyes fixed on Ramon. "Forgive my sister Mr. Tordoff, our rtionship hasn''t been very goodtely¡­"


    Hailee couldn''t believe how Aileen could twist the facts so smoothly and make herself look like a woman who was upset because her ex-boyfriend had been taken away by her own sister.


    Aileen even acted very well as an older sister who had been ndered by her own sister.


    Truly extraordinary!


    Why had Hailee been unaware of Aileen''s tricks until this moment?


    On the other hand, Ramon, who had been quietly watching what they were doing, finally decided that this chat was not very interesting to him.


    But, one thing he learned; Aileen was not the simple type of woman she looked like and Theodore was way too stupid to realize that.


    "Come here," Ramon said very softly, showing some affection between them, as he pulled Hailee back to his side. It could easily be seen that this girl had been burning with rage at Aileen''s treatment. It seemed that Hailee was still not used to dealing with tricky people like her adopted sister.


    Meanwhile, seeing Ramon unfazed by her words, Aileen stepped forward, she even bravely spoke directly to Ramon, staring at him with puppy- like eyes begging for mercy.


    "Forgive my sister, Mr. Tordoff¡­ this is indeed my fault because I failed to be a big sister for her¡­"Aileen bit her lip and out of the corner of her eye, she could see Hailee looking so upset. This actually excited Aileen to continue acting full of hypocrisy.


    "Aileen, stop apologizing to him. Seeing the situation like this, we are not wrong or anything. It is Hailee who owes me an apology."Theodore gave Hailee a harsh look, for she had made Aileen almost cry.


    However, before Hailee could reply to his words, Ramon had spoken first. "Mr. Gevano, stop talking about the past, at least respect the woman beside you," Ramon interrupted Theodore''s words. "And tell your woman to stop manipting the situation."


    Hearing Ramon''s statement, of course Theodore was a little offended, but he was well trained to hide all of it.


    "Mr. Tordoff, I don''t think you understand the real problem ... "


    And again Ramon interrupted his sentence. "Should I understand this?" Ramon asked Hailee directly, looking at her with an mesmerizing smile. "Didn''t you tell yourself that if you have me, then you don''t want anything else? You will really disappoint me if I have topete with him." Ramon nodded at Theodore.


    =============


    Check my instagram story @Jikan_yo_tomare to know every character''s inner thoughts. ^^

 Chapter 92: MANIPULATED THE SITUATION

    <h4>Chapter 92: MANIPULATED THE SITUATION</h4>


    Hailee was utterly at a loss for words in the face of the hypocritical, double- faced Aileen. A ton of scoldings and insults were struggling inside her head, ready for her to hurl, but at the same time, Hailee knew she couldn''t do that.


    Because that was the kind of reaction Aileen wanted from her. She wanted Hailee to embarrass herself by acting inappropriate.


    Right at that moment, Hailee felt Ramon''s hand pulling her closer and the warmth from the body of the man who had been standing beside her, gave a feeling of security and made her rx a little.


    "Should I understand this?" Ramon looked at Hailee gently. "Didn''t you tell yourself that if you have me, then you don''t want anything else? You will really disappoint me if I have topete with him."


    Hailee found herself smiling when she heard Ramon saying this. Not only Aileen, there was no need to doubt Ramon''s ability when it came to maniptive words and this man could even do it without any effort.


    As ifplicated things like this were something familiar to him.


    Maybe so, because for people like Ramon, this kind of ability was indispensable in a business world full of intrigue.


    "Competition?" Hailee put her arm around Ramon''s waist and smiled very sweetly. "Why do you have topete? I''ve already told you, no? you are the jackpot!" She then stood on tiptoes and kissed Ramon on the cheek.


    But from the corner of her eye, Hailee could see Aileen''s hateful look.


    "I am sorry we didn''t meet earlier." Hailee continued. "If only my parents were still alive and they had seen us now, I can bet that having you as their son- in-w would make them really happy."


    In other words, Hailee''s parents were not that happy when they had Theodore as their son- in-w.


    Of course, the Gevano and Tordoff families were two very different entities. Who would refuse a proposal from the Tordoffs? Even a blind person could see all the benefits and a very bright future when you make it into the circle of five famous families in this Country, one of which was the Tordoffs.


    "Hailee, you can''t say that¡­ not only did you have an affair behind Theodore, when you both were still in rtionship, but you also lied to Mr. Tordoff¡­ I think Mr. Tordoff did not know about your previous engagement to Theodore." Aileen nced at Ramon doubtfully.


    However, the gesture she made waspletely the opposite of how she felt right now.


    Aileen firmly believed which man would hold on to a woman who had double- edged him and flirted between two men, especially a man like Ramon Tordoff. How could he possibly be fooled like that?


    Ramon definitely didn''t know about Hailee and Theodore''s rtionship before this.


    However, Ramon''s subsequent response left Aileen speechless and at a loss for words.


    "Of course I know," Ramon said calmly, but his gentle eyes focused solely on Hailee. "There are no secrets between us, right?"


    Haileeughed at Ramon''s words. "Of course not." Then she cocked her head toward Aileen, ring at her, with a grin on her lips. "Ramon knows everything. All."


    Hailee deliberately emphasized thatst word. Making Aileen understand that Ramon really knew Aileen''s rottenness, as well as a warning to her adoptive sister so that she should stop pretending in front of Ramon, because it would only embarrass her further.


    On the other hand, Aileen was not stupid and could pick up on the implied message of Hailee''s gaze and words, immediately she could feel the anxiety creeping up to her heart.


    Really¡­ Ramon Tordoff knew everything? He just trusted Hailee¡­? No way, right?


    However, the news about Rnd Dimatrio and the involvement of Central Bank in the disclosure of the corruption case in the Mega project really worried Aileen. She herself also realized that Central Bank was under the control of the Tordoff family, which meant....


    "I want to see our wedding ring... why are we still standing here?" Hailee whined, shaking Ramon''s hand indulgently, as if showing off their intimacy.


    Then without saying much else, Hailee took Ramon''s arm and the two of them walked away from Aileen and Theodore, who were still standing, stunned in disbelief at Hailee''s change of attitude.


    Not only that, Hailee even took the time to look back and cast a provocative look at Aileen and said to Theodore.


    "May you two be happy forever." Hailee smiled very sweetly. "You two are verypatible with each other."


    Even though that was what Hailee said, but it sounded different in Theodore and Aileen''s ears, as if Hailee was cursing them both. The words were wrapped in hidden meanings.


    After Hailee and Ramon were quite far from the dumbfounded couple, she whispered into Ramon''s ear in a low voice. "You are so good at turning things around." Hailee also pointed her thumbs at Ramon.


    "You think I can lead apany with emotions and narrow minded like you?" Ramon asked while rubbing Hailee''s head, this gesture certainly made every woman watching them stare at Hailee with envy.


    "Is this move just for show?" Hailee nced at Ramon''s hand which was still perched on her head.


    "Yes," Ramon replied curtly and this time he ruffled Hailee''s hair, making the girl squeal in annoyance. But, of course other people who saw it didn''t find it annoying, because afterward Ramon took Hailee''s hand and they both walked toward the VIP room that had been provided for the important customers.


    On the other hand, Theodore was staring at the scene with an unreadable expression, while next to him, Aileen was watching him with a nervous face.


    "I didn''t expect Hailee to change so drastically after being with Ramon Tordoff." Aileen put her arm around Theodore''s, trying to get the man''s attention. "She has never been like this before."


    Theodore then sighed heavily when he saw that Hailee had walked into the room with Ramon by her side.


    "Is it true that you met Hailee and she pped you?" Theodore asked in a deep voice. After all, it was hard to believe Hailee''s words.


    However, Theodore could also see that Hailee was not lying when she said that she had pped Aileen.


    After all, why did Hailee have to lie about that? Theodore also saw Aileen''s cheeks being swollen slightly a few days ago.


    "I¡­" Aileen thought hard about getting out of this situation without making Theodore suspicious, because if this man had doubted her and dug deeper into her and Rnd Dimatrio''s information, it was not impossible that he would find out something.


    After all, the influence of the Gevano family was quiterge in this town of T.


    "Let''s talk about this in the car," Theodore decided. He didn''t want to stay there any longer and be the center of attention.


    Therefore, holding Aileen''s hand, he led the two of them out of the jewelry store as if nothing had happened, and headed to the lobby before getting into the car waiting for them.


    "Tell me honestly Aileen." Theodore looked at the woman next to him, who was looking down with a face that looked so sad. Seeing this, Theodore felt discouraged and rubbed her head gently.


    "Tell me, is it true that you met Hailee before? And she pped you?" Theodore''s voice softened, his tone was no longer firm, but persuading Aileen to speak.


    And just then, Aileen suddenly hugged him and started sobbing softly. "I am sorry I didn''t tell you the truth."


    Inevitably, Theodore embraced Aileen''s shaking body, trying to calm her down.


    It was Aileen''s nature that made Theodore unable to let go of this woman, because with Aileen, he felt needed and could feel this woman''s fear if she lost him.


    It may sound strange, but as a man, Theodore liked that kind of feeling. This satisfied his male ego as a man.


    "Why didn''t you tell me?" Theodore asked again.


    "Because I don''t want to worry you and our meeting didn''t go well anyway," Aileen told him between sobs.


    "So it''s true that Hailee has pped you?" Theodore didn''t expect that Hailee would do something like that. Didn''t Hailee really love Aileen?


    Aileen nodded, this time she raised her head to look at Theodore with hershes still wet with tears. "But I really don''t have any rtionship with Rnd Dimatrio. I don''t even know why Hailee made such usations. "


    Theodore frowned, but then he shook his head. "I think she''s just getting pissed off and making baseless usations." Then his hand rubbed Aileen''s face gently, wiping away her tears. "I can''t see what it is in your interest to have a rtionship with Rnd Dimatrio."


    "Maybe Hailee thought that with the matter of linking my name and that of the district attorney, she could damage my reputation," Aileen muttered. "You know, Rnd Dimatrio has been in the spotlighttely..."


    Theodore sighed and hugged Aileen. "We don''t need to discuss this, just focus on our engagement."

 Chapter 93: WORTH IT

    <h4>Chapter 93: WORTH IT</h4>


    Hearing Theodore''s words, Aileen could only nod weakly, showing her feminine side that needed protection from this man, something Theodore liked the most and Aileen understood very well.


    As a man, Theodore needed this kind of security; a feeling of being able to protect his woman, a feeling he didn''t get from Hailee because she was too independent and rarely showed a weak attitude like Aileen did whenever they were together.


    Theodore felt in control whenever he was with Aileen and he loved her.


    Because of that, he didn''t really have any deep feelings for Hailee, as he didn''t really like her character who was difficult to control.


    But without Aileen knowing, after meeting Hailee again earlier, Theodore felt something different about her and he couldn''t say what it was... it was just that he was used to see that girl as someone belonged to him and now when Hailee was with another man he felt like something was taken away from him.


    This feeling was the same as when you get used to seeing something as yours, until you didn''t realize the value of that thing, but when that thing disappeared, then you would feel something was missing.


    At least that was the feeling Theodore felt now when he witnessed the intimacy that Hailee and Ramon shared.


    However, Aileen did not let Theodore dwell on the thought for too long, because when she lifted her head and looked at this man deeply, instinctively, Theodore lowered his head and began to bite Aileen''s tiny lips, which she reciprocated with the same intensity.


    It was only after feeling Theodore''s passion from their kiss, could Aileen breathe a sigh of relief, she had to make sure that this man still really believed her and wouldn''t find out more about what Hailee said earlier.


    Aileen still have Theodore wrapped around her fingers.


    ==============


    When night fell and Aileen was alone in her room, she made a phone call to one of the managers in charge of the Blue Sea.


    "I want you to postpone whatever Ramon Tordoff ordered," Aileen said in a cold tone when she found out that Ramon chose the most expensive diamond Tatum Jewelry had for their wedding ring next week.


    How could Aileen just let that happen? There was no way she would let Hailee have things so easily.


    All these years, Hailee had lived a very pleasant life in the Tatum family because she was the only daughter of Giorgio and Diana, while Aileen¡­


    No matter how much attention the Tatum couple paid or how well they treated Aileen, in the end Aileen was not their own child and the world outside only knew about it, without knowing the whole truth.


    The truth that was recently revealed...


    "Dy it?" A man''s voice sounded surprised from the other end of the line. He was the manager responsible for the wedding ring order of Ramon Tordoff and Hailee Tatum. "But, we can''t possibly do that..."


    "Why isn''t it not possible?!" Aileen growled in annoyance, as she interrupted the manager''s sentence.


    This was not the first time for Mr. Gerald, the manager, to face Aileen''s attitude like this. Since he was in charge of the orders of engagement and wedding rings for Aileen and Theodore, this woman slowly started to show her bad side.


    Mr. Gerald didn''t even understand how could Theodore Gevano choose Aileen over Hailee? Who was the rightful heir of Tatum Jewelry, not to mention theirpletely opposite nature like this.


    This woman simply a witch with beautiful face.


    Aileen behaved as if she was the only heir that the Tatum family had, even though that was not the case, and thepany was currently under her and George Tatum''s control.


    "Sorry Ms. Tatum, but I don''t think it can be done¡­" Mr. Gerald kept the feeling of dissatisfaction from being so obvious in his tone of voice when he exined the matter. "Who we are facing is Ramon Tordoff and thispany will not be able to bear the consequences that would ensue if we disappoint a tycoon like himself...


    In addition, the advertisement that we will get because Mr. Tordoff entrusts ourpany as the maker of his wedding rings will increase thepany''s poprity. Coupled with the fact that Ms. Hailee, who is his future bride, I am sure that this is a big advantage that thepany will reap....


    So if we were to screw this up on purpose¡­" However, Mr. Gerald was interrupted when he heard the long tone of his cell phone and when he looked at the screen, it was certain that Aileen had hung up in the middle of his exnation. "This woman!" Mr. Gerald cursed.


    If only he hadn''t thought about continuing his career at Tatum Jewelry, he might have called Aileen back and cursed her for being so unprofessional.


    However, after some deliberation and knowing that it was impossible for him to do this, the manager in his forties could only shake his head and let out a resigned sigh.


    He only hoped that Aileen would not cause a problem, because since Giorgio Tatum left and thepany was under George Tatum, thepany''s management situation was not very good.


    If this continued, it would be bad for them.


    Meanwhile, the woman who had provoked the manager''s annoyance was now closing her eyes, trying to control her wild emotions and anger.


    But, a momentter, you could hear the loud sound of an object hitting the wall and the sound of Aileen''s exasperated screams.


    Not far from her, on the white marble floor of Aileen''s room, was a cell phone that had its screen cracked after the sole upant of the room hurled the unfortunate object at the wall.


    Aileen could not ept the very thought of Hailee getting her hands on that diamond. She wanted it for herself, but Theodore seemed reluctant to give the diamond to Aileen when he learned of its fantastic nominal.


    And Aileen didn''t want to be pushy, because her rtionship with Theodore''s parents was not very good and she didn''t want to leave a worse impression than this.


    Theodore''s parents did not really like Aileen to have a rtionship with their son, especially after finding out that Theodore decided to be with Aileen instead of Hailee.


    That was simply a humiliation for them.


    Therefore, by insisting on her wish to get the diamond, it would only create a worse image of her in front of Theodore''s parents.


    It was just that, after hearing that Ramon would give the diamond to Hailee, Aileen''s anger and jealousy red up again. She couldn''t ept that Hailee was getting what she wanted!


    "Hailee¡­" Aileen said that name with a tone like someone who was cursing.


    ==============


    "Is it okay for you to buy the ring?" Hailee asked Ramon while they were having dinner. "The diamond is Tatum Jewelry''s signature item. I feel that at such a fantastic price it is not worth it for just one ring."


    Hailee knew very well how valuable these diamonds were. The blue diamond stone was the reason why the first jewelry store opened by the Tatumpany was called Blue Sea, because the navy blue diamond shaped like a tear was her mother''s favorite diamond and would never have been traded if they were both still alive.


    Unfortunately, George Tatum thought differently...


    "Worth it?" Ramon raised his eyebrows and looked at the woman in front of him who was worried about money issues in front of a young and sessful businessman like Ramon Tordoff. "Why don''t you think it is not worth it?"


    "It is just a ring," Hailee replied simply, trying to sound casual. Actually, she was very fond of glittery jewelery and had interest in simr items. "Nobody would dare question me even if you gave me a wedding ring made of copper."


    "I will not let my wife wear copper jewelery," Ramon casually replied as he downed his drink.


    Hearing this, Hailee could feel her face turning red. She loved hearing words like that. "It''s just a parable," Hailee grumbled in a low voice.


    "After all, you will use it and thepany will fall into my hands in the end, so you can''t say I''m losing money." Ramon looked at Hailee with a smile on his lips. "It''s like putting money from your left pocket into your right pocket."


    "Ramon!" Hailee growled in annoyance. "Can you not just talk about business benefits all the time? I just fell in love with you after what you said, but a secondter you made me regret it."


    Somehow thisment made Ramonugh. "Aren''t you the one who should make me fall in love with you?" Ramon then stretched out his hand and tucked Hailee''s hair which fell over the side of her face, so that he could see the girl''s annoyed expression more clearly. "But, it seems so easy for you to fall in love with me, I don''t even have to try."


    Hailee pursed her lips. "Don''t be too confident, Mr. Tordoff."


    Ramon was about to say something when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Any call came to this number could be considered as an important call because only a few people knew this number including Hailee.


    "Yes?" Ramon said and after that, he spent the next fifteen minutes talking about business matters.


    On the other hand, Hailee wanted to wait until Ramon was done with his chat, but the man gave a sign asking her to eat first. Ramon didn''t want Hailee to get sick again just because they atete, as it would only be troublesome, besides, the food also wouldn''t taste good when it turned cold.


    And after waiting and Ramon didn''t show any sign of finishing talking, Hailee decided to eat first.


    The food that was served on their table was seafood, such as shellfish, crab and shrimp, which required using both hands to eat it.


    Just when Hailee had just finished peeling the shrimp from the shell and was about to eat it, suddenly Ramon leaned forward, and without asking, devoured the shrimp.


    Hailee was shocked and her heart fluttered as she felt Ramon''s warm tongue brush her finger.


    "Ramon!" Hailee eximed in a muffled voice when she saw the man, with a face without sin, enjoying the shrimp.


    The same thing happened repeatedly, until finally Hailee decided to just feed this man, because she was a good wife, right?


    It''s just that, after Ramon enjoyed all the prawns Hailee gave him, this time the girl had another thought;


    In thest bite, Hailee gave the shrimp skin to Ramon''s mouth andughed out loud when she witnessed the change of expression on Ramon''s face when he realized what Hailee had given him.


    He immediately took a tissue with a frown.

 Chapter 94: AFFAIR

    <h4>Chapter 94: AFFAIR</h4>


    Afterward, Hailee delivered crabmeat and some other food while Ramon was on the phone.


    Luckily, whoever the caller was, he was the one who kept talking, giving reports, while Ramon only responded with ''yes'' and ''hm'' or gave a short exnation in case he did not agree with the decision that was conveyed.


    Therefore, it was fine for Ramon to take the phone while eating, but because of that, Hailee had extra work to do with their dinner.


    After Ramon finally ended his long phone call, he finally returned his focus onto the woman beside him and caught a glimpse of a waiter picking up empty tes from their table.


    It seemed, without realizing it, the two of them had already eaten all of the dishes.


    "Do you still want to eat more?" Ramon asked when he saw Hailee sipping her juice. "If you are done, we can go home now."


    Hailee pursed her lips. "You should thank me that I fed you during your long chat, otherwise, I am sure we will be home veryte because I have to wait for you to eat first."


    Ramonughed at this girl''s grumbling. It seemed it''s easy tough whenever he was with Hailee. Whatever this girl did or said sounded funny in his ears.


    "Thank you," Ramon said, standing up and kissing Hailee on the cheek.


    "Ramon!" Hailee held her cheek that Ramon had kissed earlier, trying to suppress a smile, but it was clear that she didn''t mind the gesture.


    "There''s no need to act mean if you like it." Ramon could easily guess Hailee''s true feelings, even though she had called out her name earlier in a fierce tone.


    This time, Hailee said nothing and just hit the man''s arm and they walked out of the restaurant.


    What they didn''t realize was that their sweet banter was captured by one of the paparazzi cameras that had long been following the most famous coupletely.


    The news about the two of them would be the headlines of a gossip magazine the next day.


    ==============


    "Bro!" Lexus entered Ramon''s study in long strides. "You said that yesterday you had a meeting outside, but it turns out you actually went to meet Hailee at Mrs. Lamos''s boutique."


    Lexus couldn''t ept being lied to and now his childishness wasing out again.


    "The meeting was canceled," Ramon replied briefly.


    "It''s a lie," used Lexus.


    "Should I report everything about my schedule to you?" Ramon asked while looking at his younger brother, who was sitting opposite him.


    And that sentence proved to be quite effective in silencing Lexus because after that he no longer made a big deal about yesterday''s events, but instead, he showed him the news he found on the online media, with a beaming face and an excited voice.


    "See! You should be even more careful if you want to make out with your bride out there,"Lexus said, giggling with amusement as he showed him the photo the papparazi posted on the online news.


    On the t screen of the tablet that Lexus showed to him, Ramon could see a picture of himself kissing Hailee on the cheek and her shocked expression.


    Of course Ramon remembered what happened...


    However, what Ramon could not understand was; it felt strange to see himself taking the initiative to take action, because it seemed, Ramon was not the type to easily disy affection in public like this.


    It wasn''t until Ramon saw the photo that he realized how strangely he had changed after losing his four-year memory.


    Ramon''s forehead furrowed even more when he saw the caption published over the photo in huge letters. The caption looked very cheesy and made him want to sue the online media.


    "I''ve seen you and Hailee make out at home several times, but I didn''t expect you guys to do it in public," Lexus said seductively.


    "It was just a kiss on the cheek," Ramon said nonchntly and tried to shift his focus from the strange man who resembled himself in the photo, ignoring Lexus''sughter that echoed in his office. "If you don''t have another job¡­"


    "I''m going now!" Lexus didn''t need to hear the rest of Ramon''s words as he got up from the chair and immediately ran toward the door and disappeared from the room, leaving his brother alone.


    Ramon sure knew how to get rid of his annoying brother, because if he didn''t, he would spend all his time hearing his brother making jokes about the photo.


    ==============


    Giana mmed the cellphone in her hand when she saw the news that morning.


    Actually, Giana was not a woman who spent her time searching for the hottest gossip, it''s just that, when she saw the name ''Ramon'' in one of the news articles, she unconsciously opened the headline and found several lines of nonsense sentences that were written very exaggeratedly, regarding the closeness of Ramon and his future wife.


    Of course Giana didn''t believe a word from this rubbish news. Where it was stated that the love of Ramon Tordoff finally given to the daughter of a diamond entrepreneur who was recently killed in his own house.


    There was even an assumption that; Hailee, who reportedly continued her studies abroad after the heartbreaking incident that happened to her family, was actually with Ramon.


    Even the spection was dramatized in writing; finally Hailee Tatum was the girl who was able to conquer the cold CEO of the Tordoff family and made him show a warmer side, which had not been known to the public.


    With every word written there, Giana could feel her anger rising.


    "What are these trash words!?" Giana growled and mmed her cellphone down. This was the second cell phone she had destroyed in less than twenty- four hours, and it would be additional work for her assistant to get a new cell phone and take care of sim card recements.


    However, it seemed that Giana didn''t care. She didn''t even bother with the two servants who were standing not far from her, and were now hurriedly leaving the dining room.


    Giana''s lunch was left untouched when she finally decided to end it.


    It didn''t take long for Giana to change into something more formal and go to herpany.


    Arriving at her office, Giana immediately asked Dillon, her best friend and personal assistant to meet her.


    Dillon was the only person who knew about the forbidden rtionship between Giana and Ramon, as well as her messy household.


    "I saw a photo of Ramon and his future wife." Those were the first words Dillon said when he found Giana massaging her temples with her eyes closed.


    Hearing this, Giana opened her eyes, but was toozy to react. Somehow she felt so tired to face all this.


    "That''s what made you look for me here, right?" Dillon asked. "Or because Aidan is back on vacation with his little prostitute, then you get frustrated and came back to work?"


    Giana ignored this question too. For now, she couldn''t even understand what she wanted or hoped for.


    "Get me a new cell phone," Giana said in a low voice, nodding at the two sim cards that were just lying on the table.


    Dillon nced at the two sim cards from two cellphones, which, of course, had been destroyed by Giana. "Your habits still haven''t changed."


    "And also find out more information about Hailee Tatum, "Giana continued her words. She did not respond to her friend''s insinuation. "I want to know how the two of them met, when and where. Everything about that damned girl."


    Dillon then slumped himself down on the chair in front of Giana, arms crossed. "I''ve been looking for information regarding Hailee Tatum because I know you will be like this."


    Yes, Dillon knew Giana very well, so when he found out about Ramon''s amnesia and news of the sudden marriage between the man and Hailee, Dillon also did a background check on her.


    "Then what did you get?" Giana lowered the hand that had been massaging her temples which was throbbing painfully and focused her attention on Dillon.


    "You know Theodore Gevano?" Dillon asked.


    "I''ve heard his name, but don''t know him personally," Giana answered straightforwardly. "What''s with that man?"


    "One month before the tragic death of the Tatum couple, Hailee was Theodore Gevano''s fianc¨¦." Dillon could see that Giana was interested in this information. "But, now Theodore Gevano is in a rtionship with Aileen Tatum, who is none other than Hailee Tatum''s adopted sister."


    And Dillon finally shared all the information he had regarding theplicated rtionship between Hailee, Aileen and Theodore.


    "I can confirm that Ramon and Hailee had never met before the ident happened." Dillon then ended his story.


    "Ramon is eyeing the Tatum familypany. By marrying that woman, he will automatically get easier ess to thepany," Giana said bitterly.


    "How do you know?" This time it was Dillon who frowned in confusion.


    "Ramon himself told me when I met him at hispany," Giana answered with a soft sigh.


    "Then what are you going to do? You can''t possibly continue your affair when he doesn''t even remember about you at all." Dillon stated the undeniable fact.

 Chapter 95: A MORNING KISS

    <h4>Chapter 95: A MORNING KISS</h4>


    "I know..." Giana then muttered with a twisted expression, disliking the fact that was presented in front of her eyes. "There are only two choices for me..."


    "And the two options are?" Dillon asked in anticipation. He firmly believed, the choices that Giana was thinking of right now were something which would not be very pleasant, either for this woman or for Dillon who would help her no matter what.


    "I will confront Ramon once again," Giana answered Dillon''s concern and the man could only sigh in resignation, because he seemed to have guessed this was the answer Giana would give, knowing her nature.


    "He will get married next week," Dillon reminded, even though he was well aware that Giana already knew about this.


    However, Giana ignored that fact. She shook her head, as if the fact that Ramon getting married would disappear from her mind, which of course was only a hopeless wish.


    "Thest time I saw Ramon, he seemed very confused, but didn''tpletely deny my presence, it''s just¡­" Giana''s words hung in the air.


    She understood that her approach at that time was so sudden. Giana did not take into ount the information she had received that Ramon hadpletely lost his memory, and took a somewhat aggressive approach toward him.


    Of course, for a person he was meeting for the first time, from Ramon''s point of view, sitting directly on the man''sp was not a wise move.


    In fact, Giana could also see that Ramon also knew about their affair, it''s just that his first reaction, when she approached without calction likest time, was to reject it.


    "It is just?" Dillon continued Giana''sst words, hoping this woman would exin further.


    Giana should have thought better of that first encounter¡­


    "It''s just that I took a wrong step," Giana finally answered with a heavy sigh. "I''ll try to contact and talk to him again."


    "I don''t agree with that n," Dillon said doubtfully. "I don''t think Ramon will respond to this."


    "Contact the Tordoffs saying that I want to discuss our joint project which has been pending," Giana gave orders.


    "Can''t you use this opportunity to end whatever happened between you two?" Dillon cautiously suggested.


    "Lunch, dinner, whatever. Let him choose the time." Giana again didn''t respond to Dillon.


    "You didn''t hear me at all¡­" Dillon grimaced.


    ==============


    The intimate photo between Ramon Tordoff and Hailee Tatum, who were the hottest couple and have been the talk of the town recently, of course, made the public more curious about their love story.


    And with the emergence of this photo, the public''s love for this couple had only increased. They even started to call Ramon and Hailee the best couple.


    In fact, their poprity even beat the celebrity couples or other hot gossip, which got a lot of milling from the mass media.


    Not to mention the dramatic story written by the publisher of the article, regarding the alleged rtionship between Ramon and Hailee so far.


    Some people who were too enthusiastic have created a page just to discuss about Ramon and Hailee''s rtionship solely


    And in an instant, they both became the public''s favorite couple.


    This euphoria didn''t seem to just stop, there were many positive impacts that have been generated from this news, where Tatum Jewelry''s stock had increased since thest time it experienced a setback after the death of Giorgio Tatum and his wife.


    Tatum Jewelry seemed to be enveloped in endless grief, which had left thepany in disorder even after nearly three months have passed since the incident.


    Therefore, the news about the only daughter of a businessman from Tatum family was about to marry into one of the five prominent families in city A, really boosted thepany''s poprity and had a positive effect on Tordoffs as well.


    This was one of several reasons why Ramon just let the news circte.


    However, it seemed that not everyone had the same feelings and thoughts.


    At the Tatum residence, the house that Aileen upied alone after the death of her two parents and after Hailee''s escape, George Tatum arrived with an unfriendly face.


    Now both of them were in Aileen''s study, which used to be the study of his brother, Giorgio Tatum.


    "How could Hailee be with Ramon Tordoff?!" George eximed angrily. "How could you not know who Hailee has been in contact with?!"


    George couldn''t hold back his emotions.


    He was quite surprised when he heard the ns of their marriage which seemed sudden, but even more surprised when he found out that the rtionship between Ramon and Hailee was said to be very good.


    If she got him, it''s not impossible that Hailee wouldin about what happened to her.


    And to make matters worse, Hailee was still the strongest candidate to be the heir to Tatum Jewelry. With Ramon Tordoff right behind her, it was not impossible that the stupid girl would start targeting thispany as well on her quest for revenge.


    That is bad news! Very bad one at that!


    George had done everything he could to take over thepany and when the opportunity came presentingitself to him, no way in he''ll he would just waste it.


    "I do not know!" Aileen snarled angrily at George too. "So far Hailee has only been close to a street fighter named Ian!"


    "Don''t raise your voice at me!" George yelled at Aileen fiercely and made the woman swallow all her ranting that she was about to hurl at him. "You can''t even handle that kid! If you had followed all our ns right, then this would not have happened! Do you even know what the consequences are?!"


    Of course Aileen understood what Hailee was going to do at the family gathering. Had she been Hailee, there was no way she would have given up the opportunity to take over what she was born with.


    But¡­


    There was a long pause after the final curse George threw at Aileen, before the girl finally broke the silence.


    "Why don''t you tell the truth about me?" Aileen tried to ask carefully, even though she knew what reaction she would receive for daring to bring up the matter.


    "Tell the truth about yourself!?" George scolded Aileen and pounded the table in front of her, giving Aileen a little jolt.


    She bit his lower lip to hold back the tears that were about to flow down. Not because of sadness, but because of the anger she tried to keep in check.


    "If they find out I''m your real child, then no one will say I''m an outsider anymore," Aileen said in a choked voice, she red at George through her eyes glinting with resentment. "I''m sick of people saying that I don''t deserve this position!"


    People have always looked down on Aileen because they thought that she didn''t have Tatum''s blood flowing through her body, but in reality she did have it.


    Aileen was a child born out of wedlock, the result of George Tatum''s affair with a small town girl, whom he met while on a business trip.


    The rtionship continued even after George returned to the city of R.


    George shook his head in a huff, he returned Aileen''s gaze more intensely, intimidating his own biological daughter. "You think they will sympathize with you just because you proved to be a part of the Tatum family?!" George rebuked her.


    "I can get my share of being a legitimate member of the Tatum family!" Aileen replied to George in the same vein.


    Now the two of them stood facing each other and there was only a table between them that separated the two.


    "Do you know, what''s the first thing they''ll do when they find out you''re my daughter?" George rounded the table and was now standing right in front of Aileen, with nothing to stand in his way. "They will look down on you and you can be sure your status in this family will hit a new low than just an outsider!"


    Aileen gritted her teeth.


    "And you will destroy my family!" George spoke hisst sentence with fire.


    "But, I''m also your family! I am your daughter!" Aileen shouted in annoyance.


    Aileen''s voice was so loud that George panicked and pped her, doing the fastest way to silence the mad young woman in front of him.


    "I advised my brother to take you from the orphanage and raise well in this family not for you to fight me now!" George grabbed Aileen''s jaw, forcing his daughter to stare at him.


    Aileen looked down, holding her cheek which was throbbing painfully from the p, it was certain that this would leave a mark.


    "Shut your mouth and never bring up this matter again." George clenched his fists, so he wouldn''t give Aileen a second p. "And keep an eye on Hailee, find out what she''s up to."


    After saying this, George walked away.


    However, before he walked out of the study room, he took the time to say hisst sentence. "If Hailee seeds in taking over thispany, your destruction will be certain. She will not remain silent for what you have done to her. So be careful in speaking and taking steps."


    Aileen turned around and what George saw was an expressionless face.


    "Besides, Hailee and Ramon would definitely pay a visit to Diego, things will only getplicated afterward."Diego is the oldest and most respected child in the Tatum family, and it was certain that he would side with Hailee. "You better get married to the son of the Gevano family. We have to get as much help as we can. Urge him to marry you right away. "


    Aileen then stared at the door to her study which George closed slight harshly, he didn''t even wait for Aileen''s answer or opinion regarding his words just now.


    So it is certain that it is an order.


    Aileen couldn''t stand this anymore. However, she agreed with her father regarding her marriage to Theodore. She had to tie down the man to her quickly and get into Gevano''s family as soon as possible.


    ==============


    "Why are you still dressed like that?" Ramon frowned when he sawHaileeing down to the dining room for breakfast, still wearing her yellow pajamas with her crumpled face and eye bags visible.


    Today they would visit the Tatum family and their n was to leave in two hours, but seeing how Hailee looked now, Ramon felt like he had to make sure that he didn''t miss anything in his schedule.


    "I feel bad¡­" Hailee sulked, pushing aside the te in front of her, thenid her head on the table. She saw Ramon frowning.


    "What''s the problem now? What happened to you?" Ramon stretched out his hand and felt Hailee''s forehead. Not hot. "You are okay?"


    "Maybe a good morning kiss can help." Hailee pursed her lips.

 Chapter 96: SEDUCER

    <h4>Chapter 96: SEDUCER</h4>


    "Maybe a good morning kiss can help." Hailee pursed her lips.


    Ramon narrowed his eyes when he heard this. The days with his future wife''s behavior were getting more and more strange.


    However, this morning''s case, it seemed like Ramon understood why Hailee was not feeling well. After all, they were going to meet her family today and it seemed that after what happened, returning to her family was not an exciting choice for her.


    "Where is my good morning kiss?" Hailee sulked. She tend to get spoiled whenever she was in a bad mood and this had been observed by Ramon for several times already.


    Instead of leaning over to give the girl a good morning kiss, Ramon took a crutong from his bowl and popped the small piece into Hailee''s mouth.


    "Ramon!" Hailee squealed and immediately sat up straight, she hit the arm of the man who had been viciously stuffing the small piece of bread in her mouth after swallowing the crutong slice. "So mean!"


    Ramon didn''t heed Hailee''s screams or blows, he casually took a sip of his coffee and asked. "Do you want to wear pajamas to your family''s house?"


    Hailee snorted. "Of course not." How could she wear these pajamas while Aileen would appear all-outter. She wouldn''t embarrass Ramon, especially in front of her family. But¡­


    "If you don''t want to go there, we can cancel it." Ramon shrugged. "We will marry with or without their consent."


    Hailee nced at Ramon. "But, if you''re going to take over thatpany, you should at least start off right, instead of raising the hostile g at the start. That''s not a strategy."


    "Exactly!" Ramon then ruffled Hailee''s hair and lifted his coffee cup, intending to continue his morning activities in his study. "Hanging out with me makes you smarter."


    "What?!" Hailee was very upset at Ramon''sment and without thinking, she grabbed the hand that had ruffled her hair earlier and took a bite.


    Hailee thought, Ramon would scream in pain, but he didn''t. The man only frowned slightly, but then fell silent. Letting Hailee bite him as if he didn''t feel anything.


    Ramon''s unexpected reaction made Hailee think of biting him harder, but the part of her brain, which was still sane, told her not to mess around.


    So with a sullen face, Hailee finally let go of Ramon''s hand.


    "Are you done?" Ramon asked calmly, taking a quick nce at Hailee''s teeth prints on the surface of his skin. It looked cute, if Ramon could say.


    "Are you numb? Don''t you feel any pain at all?" Hailee grumbled at not getting what she wanted.


    "Get ready," Ramon said, then he walked out of the room, leaving Hailee with her breakfast.


    Hailee grumbled, "I didn''t even get a good morning kiss."


    Hearing her grumbling, Ramon just smiled and continued walking to his study. There were several things he should ask Danny about the developments in the Rnd Dimatrio case.


    Ramon had not yet finished with the district attorney. He would get hold of all the information he could about Aileen Tatum or other secrets.


    ==============


    After breakfast, Hailee spent her morning soaking in a warm bath, trying to calm her tensed nerves and her awkward feelings as she would soon face her extended family.


    Apart from her father, mother and cousin, Hailee was actually not very close to other families as she often spent time at home or ying with her friends.


    Especially to her father''s older brother, Diego Tatum, it could be said; it was very rare for Hailee to meet him during her life of twenty years.


    But, if not Diego Tatum, who else would Hailee meet? Contacting George Tatum was clearly not an option. Because the rtionship between her father and his younger brother could not be said to be good.


    Last night, thinking all these things, Hailee had difficulty sleeping and was only able to close her eyes after midnight.


    "Hhh¡­" Hailee sighed heavily, burying half of her face so that the surface of the water touched her nose. She felt like she wanted to spend the day soaking in thisfortable bath.


    However, her ridiculous wish could not possibly be fulfilled.


    So with a heavy heart, Hailee came out of her fragrant soap bubble bath and stood under the shower to remove all the remaining foam on her body, after which Hailee took a towel and dried herself.


    The next tough task was choosing clothes.


    Hailee didn''t want to appear too ''ordinary'' when meeting her family, but also didn''t want to look too extravagant either.


    So, she had to choose her clothes carefully.


    Or at least that''s what Hailee had in mind. Not to mention there was a possibility that Theodore would also be there, because it seemed that Aileen and Theodore would formalize their rtionship.


    So they might also use this moment to meet this extended family to share their engagement ns.


    Damn, chance seeker! Supposedly, Aileen and Theodore should make their own show!


    Hailee stepped out of the bathroom with a face that still showed that she was in a bad mood, but as soon as she lifted her head and saw who was waiting for her in the room, spontaneously, a scream escaped her lips before she managed to cover her mouth with her hand.


    "Ramon! What are you doing here?!" Hailee retreated toward the bathroom door again and looked fiercely at the man who casually entered her room. Luckily Hailee used a bathrobe, so it wouldn''t show too much skin.


    "Come here and put this on," Ramon sat on the edge of the bed and patted the maroon dress that wasid over Hailee''s bed, carelessly. "Lexus sent this to you, because youined that you didn''t know what to wear to meet your family."


    "Lexus?" Hailee frowned and just remembered that she had indeedined about this matter to Ramon''s brother.


    But, Hailee did not think that Lexus would take it seriously and really find the right dress for her.


    However, for some reason Hailee felt that Lexus hadplied to do this happily, because the man''s shopping appetite was almost on par with Lis.


    The mother and son duo were verypatible on several asions.


    "Hurry up." Ramon folded his arms, impatient with Hailee''s shy actions.


    "I''ll try it, but what are you doing here?" Hailee then decided to take a closer look at the clothes. Maybe Lexus gave her something that was not worth using.


    "Making sure that you don''t stall the time again," Ramon casually replied. "You''ve spent an hour in there."


    Oh, really? Hailee didn''t even notice.


    "This is my family, so why are you excited to meet them?" Hailee muttered.


    But before Ramon could answer the question, Hailee had already raised her hand, indicating for the man to stop.


    "Don''t answer, I know what the answer is," Hailee said. Of course, the answer would not be as far off as his ns to invade the Tatumpany.


    "Then get dressed quickly." Ramon nodded at the maroon dress next to him.


    "Then you have to get out." Hailee folded her arms. Her long hair was still wet and droplets of water fell down the sides of her face, sliding down on the surface of the skin of her delicate neck.


    "Didn''t I say that I''ll make sure you don''t linger and sulk while wasting our time?" Ramon smiled knowingly. "Now, change your clothes."


    "You wish. I will not be naked in front of you." Hailee red at this absurd man. "Do not expect something like that."


    Seeing how annoyed Hailee was, Ramon then stood up and unexpectedly kissed Hailee''s pouty lips.


    "What is this?" Hailee didn''t move backward, she remained in her position and looked at Ramon bravely. Even though it was just a light kiss and it wasn''t their first time kissing, Hailee could still feel a strange butterfly sensation in her stomach.


    "Didn''t you ask for a good morning kiss from me?" Ramon asked with an innocent face, as if he had done nothing wrong. Indeed, apart from being the cause of Hailee''s heart beating erratically, he didn''t really do anything wrong. "So, change your clothes now."


    Meanwhile, Hailee narrowed her eyes. "You want me to change clothes in front of you?" Hailee''s voice suddenly sounded like a whisper.


    "Yes," Ramon answered straightforwardly. The look in his eyes challenged Hailee to do so.


    At first, Ramon was just joking as usual, but his sense of joke was not very good, Lexus repeatedly told this to Ramon and it was proven now; Hailee took the challenge seriously.


    "Just say, you want to see me naked," Hailee said vulgarly, her eyes looking straight into Ramon''s.


    "If you can wear that dress without being naked, then go ahead." Ramon could see the glint in Hailee''s eyes. This girl was thinking about something and Ramon was more than ready to see where this conversation would end. "Isn''t it just a matter of time? Mrs. Tordoff?" Ramon said in a soft whisper, while tucking Hailee''s hair behind her ear.


    Ramon thought that at this point Hailee would back off, but as it turned out his guess waspletely wrong.


    "Okay." Hailee shrugged her shoulders nonchntly and a sweet smile appeared on her lips. "If that''s what you want..."

 Chapter 97: SCHEME

    <h4>Chapter 97: SCHEME</h4>


    Hailee felt that she had gone crazy for taking on Ramon''s challenge. But, what else could she do now? Since she had already started it, it was just better to go along with the flow...


    After all¡­ what Ramon said was indeed true, it was only a matter of time, right?


    Right?


    Hailee felt dizzy because of the reckless action she was going to do in the near future, just because of her impulsive urge that made her didn''t want to budge with Ramon''s challenge.


    "I am waiting here¡­" Ramon said casually, his eyes darkening as he looked at Hailee, who didn''t think twice about pulling off the bathrobe rope around her body.


    However, even though Hailee''s face looked calm, her fingers were trembling a little as the cold breeze from the air conditioner hit her bare skin.


    Hailee was grateful that she was wearing her bra and panty earlier, so you could say she wasn''tpletely naked.


    Let''s just say she was wearing a two piece bikini.


    Yes! Let''s thing that way!


    There was nothing wrong with a woman wearing a two piece bikini, right? And Hailee had worn a bikini several times when she was on a vacation on the beach. So, this shouldn''t be a problem.


    Hailee consoled herself so as not to panic under Ramon''s intense gaze, as if he was going to swallow her in the next second.


    If only Ramon were any closer, maybe he could hear Hailee''s heartbeat rumbling so hard. Hammering, as if trying to break out of her ribs.


    Ramon couldn''t hear it, but he could see Hailee''s blushing face.


    "Happy with what you saw?" Hailee asked. In her heart she felt good that her voice didn''t tremble at all, this boosted Hailee''s confidence to tease Ramon again. "I know I am attractive, but don''t look at me like that, as if it is your first time seeing a woman''s body."


    "Have you ever been like this with your first lover?" Ramon asked, narrowing the distance between the two of them.


    "Who do you mean? Theodore?" Hailee grimaced, remembering she didn''t have much experience with men when it came to romance. Theodore was the only one who had a rtionship with her, because they both had a marriage alliance arranged. The rest, Hailee did hang out with Ian more and they could be anything but a romantic couple. "He never even saw me in a bikini." That was an honest answer.


    "Hmm," Ramon muttered in agreement, then stretched out his hand, and very slowly he pushed aside the bathrobe that was still hanging from Hailee''s shoulder, dropping it so that itid helplessly around her feet.


    Hailee did look thin, but she had beautiful curves and they were all in right ces. Her skin was so smooth and with the added confidence that this girl had and her nature that didn''t want to give in, actually added to her charm.


    Hailee was wearing a pair of matching bra and panty, in light blue color, which she got by shopping with Lisst time, and the color matched her skin very well. Making Hailee look innocent and cute.


    Hailee cleared her throat a little. "If you are done and have satisfied by seeing me, now get out of the way, I will wear my dress, don''t you dare to me me for beingte." Hailee then tried to distance herself from Ramon.


    This guy is dangerous!


    Ramon looked at her so intensely that Hailee felt herself melting like an ice cream in the hot midday sun.


    Evidently, doing a challenge like this,was not very good for her heart.


    However, before Hailee could reach the maroon red dress lying on her bed, Ramon had already taken it.


    "Come here, I will help you put it on." Ramon said in a slightly hoarse voice and at that instant, the atmosphere between them turned heavy.


    Even though Hailee still felt quite okay when Ramon took the bathrobe off of her. However, knowing that Ramon was going to help Hailee wear that dress¡­ why did it sound so intimate?


    Suddenly, Hailee was seething with panic as awkward feelings washed over her body, her face got flushed even more.


    Ugh!


    Even though she didn''t mind when Ramon saw her with only her panty and bra. Her fragile heart couldn''t survive such intimate gestures from this man for now.


    "I can wear it myself," Hailee said in a half- whispered voice, and she had the urge to push Ramon out of her room.


    It was just that, the smallest part of her was excited to know what would happen next.


    Naughty Hailee!


    She reprimanded herself.


    She was soplicated and Hailee just realized it. Her sane part and her instincts simply didn''t go well together.


    "I insist on helping you," said Ramon again with the same heavy tone.


    The dress Ramon holding was a sheath dress, of knee length and was tend to be tight, so that it would entuate the wearer''s curves.


    Hailee was not sure that she would fit into the dress, because she had never worn such a dress.


    But, under the persuasive look in Ramon''s eyes, Hailee couldn''t even refuse, let alone evade. Even if she did, where could she go with just her underwear on?


    Therefore, in order to immediately reduce the tension between the two of them, Hailee immediately escaped herself into the dress, which in an instant hadpletely wrapped her body.


    It turned out that the dress had a zipper on the back and it was certain that Hailee was having a hard time reaching it.


    "I told you, right? That you will need my help?" Ramon, who was still standing behind Hailee, swiftly pulled the zipper on the back of the dress, while Hailee pushed her hair aside, which was still slightly wet.


    However, after sessfully helping Hailee, Ramon didn''t just walk away, instead he wrapped his arms around Hailee''s waist and rested his chin on her shoulder.


    The dress was provided with cut sleeves that resembled spaghetti straps, thus making Hailee''s shoulders and neck rub against Ramon''s face.


    At this point, Hailee felt that she had forgotten how to breathe. The scent of that man''s body invaded her olfactorysenses and it was very intoxicating, making Hailee wanted to close her eyes and enjoy this moment.


    Especially when Ramon kissed Hailee on the shoulder and neck, whispering, "No more bikinis for you."


    Huh?


    Hailee''s brain was very slow to digest Ramon''s words just now. "What does it mean?" Hailee asked, trying hard to maintain her sanity and not expose herself that she was actually enjoying this touch of Ramon.


    "You are prohibited from wearing a bikini in public," Ramon exined. "I don''t want anyone else to see what I saw two minutes ago."


    Surprisingly, Ramon''s possessive words made Hailee chuckle and the atmosphere melted a little.


    It seemed, in the space of less than half an hour, a lot had happened between the two of them.


    "Why? Are you trying to be a possessive husband?" Hailee tilted her head, so she could see Ramon''s face. "Then what should I do with those cute bikinis?" Hailee nodded toward her walk in closet, where the few bikinis that Lis had bought for her were lined up, ready to wear.


    ==============


    Theodore''s expression did not look very good when he heard what Aileen had to tell him.


    "Pregnant?" Theodore frowned. "Are you sure?" he asked.


    Aileen looked down, and again showed her fragile side, then nodded her head slowly.


    "But Aileen, we always do it using safety," Theodore said again. Not because he wanted to avoid responsibility, but this news was so sudden, while they were just about to announce their engagement ceremony, as well as announce their rtionship to the public.


    "I know Theo, but I have never done it with any other man." Aileen''s voice trembled as she wiped away the tears that fell down her cheeks. "As you are aware, although there is very little chance for me to get pregnant if we wear safety, but still there is a possibility."


    Yes, of course Theodore knew that. However, what he couldn''t help thinking was; how ''lucky'' he was to be a part of that likelihood.


    Aileen then lifted her head and looked at Theodore with trembling lips. "What should I do?" she asked in a low voice. "Should we... we... abort the baby?" Aileen looked struggling in delivering her final words.


    On the other hand, Theodore was surprised when he heard that. Even though Aileen''s pregnancy was very, very unexpected, but to abort their baby¡­ Theodore couldn''t bring himself to do that.


    Because after all, it was his flesh and blood too.


    "What should I do?" Aileen was crying again.


    And for the first time, Theodore felt that Aileen''s cry did not make him feel good.


    Theodore felt no pride in himself for protecting Aileen. This time, his male ego was not at all happy.


    However, of course he couldn''t show it in front of Aileen who was shedding tears.


    Therefore, with a frowning face and a heart that felt so heavy, Theodore grabbed Aileen and hugged her tightly. He gently rubbed the girl''s back to calm her down.


    "We will think of a way out of this," Theodore said, for now that was all he could say.


    And, that very answer was what Aileen was waiting for.


    The truth was, Aileen was not really pregnant, she was just out of mind and too desperate to try normal methods or be patient.


    This was added to George''s insistence to immediately conquer Theodore and enter the circle of the Gevano family.


    The only reason their rtionship was not immediately disclosed to the public was because Theodore''s parents still wanted Hailee as their daughter-inw and were strongly against their only son''s rtionship with Aileen.


    But, with the baby between them, Mr. and Mrs. Gevano would not have the heart to abandon their first grandchild. Allowing their grandchildren to be born from rtionships outside of marriage would be a family disgrace.


    Then there was no other way for Aileen but to urge Theodore in an extreme way. This precarious situation did require an extreme decision too.


    Regarding this pregnancy...


    After their marriage, Aileen would have to pretend that she suffered a miscarriage. It was not a difficult thing and no one would be suspicious.


    "I am sorry..." Aileen muttered, hugging Theodore tighter, because she doubted Theodore''s response.


    Theodore then let out a long and heavy sigh. "There is nothing to be forgiven for," he said softly. "We will find the best solution for this problem."


    Aileen then nodded obediently and not long after Theodore released his embrace.


    "Sorry, because I said this at a bad timing and it surprised you." Aileen let Theodore wipe away her tears while she rested her head on the man''s chest.

 Chapter 98: ALLURED

    <h4>Chapter 98: ALLURED</h4>


    "No, you should have said this from the start," Theodore said softly, trying to keep his tone steady, hiding a faint crease between his brows, which indicated he was unsure of the situation.


    If knowing this alone had made his feelings and thoughts go awry, then what awaited him when he told this news to his parents, would be inconceivable, considering they didn''t even like Aileen.


    Especially his mother.


    His mother already considered Hailee like her own child, because she was so close to Hailee''ste mother, Diana. You could say that they were best friends.


    That was one reason why his engagement to Hailee was sparked. However, who would have thought that in the middle of all of this, Theodore would fall in love with Hailee''s foster sister?


    It waspletely beyond everyone''s expectations ...


    "I''m sorry ..." Aileen said softly as she tightened her embrace on Theodore''s body.


    However, the apology only made Theodore grimace, as he felt ufortable to bring it up again. "Never mind... stop apologizing."


    Just then, Zia, Diego Tatum''s daughter, came to look for them.


    "What are you doing cuddling in my house?" Zia asked in a fierce tone. She crossed her arms and looked at Aileen and Theodore with displeasure.


    Zia disliked Theodore from the beginning of his acquaintance with Hailee and hated him even more when she learned the man''s affair with Aileen, so there was no need to expect sweet treatment from her toward the two lovers.


    She was also not very happy when she learned that Aileen would being with Theodore to the family reunion that was supposed to be for Hailee and Ramon.


    Only because of George uncle''s unwavering insistence that her father softened a little after hearing his exnation.


    After all, there was nothing wrong. What was wrong was the fact that Aileen was disliked and Theodore''s figure was not at all sympathetic after his affair with her.


    "Oh, well¡­ we will immediately go inside," Aileen said hoarsely, she then quickly wiped her tears.


    Zia narrowed her eyes, she actually saw the tears, but didn''t want to bother. Whatever made this woman cry, she deserved it. No matter what it was¡­


    "Don''t do anything weird in my house." After saying that, the figure of Zia, who had short hair and was tall, walked past Aileen and Theodore.


    She felt very unlucky to have run into such a shameless couple.


    "Let''s go inside," Theodore said in a low voice. Wiping the remnants of tears on Aileen''s cheeks with his thumbs. "There is no need to discuss this matter first."


    "Very well," agreed Aileen, nodding. "I''m going to the toilet first." She had to make sure her makeup was still okay.


    There''s no way Aileen would want to meet Hailee with puffy eyes, even if these tears were just part of her acting.


    "I''ll wait in the living room." Theodore nodded and kissed Aileen on the forehead before letting the girl walk away, leaving him alone standing there with his mind crumpled.


    It took a while for Theodore to neutralize his feelings and calm himself after the shocking news that Aileen conveyed.


    It was only after he felt well enough, did Theodore walk back into the house and into the living room with heavy steps, where he saw Diego sitting together with Zia, talking about something.


    While George was on the phone in one of the farthest corners of the room, it seemed like a serious conversation, because when their gazes met, George simply nodded at him and walked away, disappearing behind the door leading to the side garden.


    ==============


    Aileen was in the toilet in one of the guest rooms in this house, after confirming that no one was around, she took out her cellphone while readjusting her make-up again. Making sure there were no traces of fake tears ruining her appearance.


    "He just came inside," George said into the phone, informing Aileen that Theodore had just joined them in the living room.


    "How is he?" Aileen asked while re-applying her red lipstick.


    "Looks just fine to me," George said nonchntly. "Make sure you make the best of your pregnancy to speed up your marriage. The Gevano family will not be able to let their prospective first grandchild go just like that."


    "I''m not pregnant," Aileen corrected, embarrassed that George was taking this lie rather seriously. Subconsciously, she nced at her t stomach and grimaced. Getting pregnant at a time like this wasn''t what Aileen wanted.


    "And only you and I know about it," George said angrily, for Aileen had again spouted this important thing carelessly. He was worried that someone else would overhear this conversation.


    "And you have hired some doctors, just in case Theodore wanted to prove this pregnancy, right?" Aileen quipped, she was openly showing her disgust for her real father.


    "Shut up!" George growled in a muffled voice. He would have pped Aileen again if only she had been in front of him.


    And what made his anger even more intense was Aileen''sugh that he heard afterward.


    How dare sheugh at him?!


    "There''s no need to be afraid like that," Aileen then ran her fingers through her hair, staring at the image of herself smiling with satisfaction because it had provoked George''s anger, as she had to hide her rotten facial expression. "I understand this situation well. Your fall is mine, so you take it easy, daddy... "


    Aileen deliberately said the word ''daddy'' as sweetly as possible and then hung up the phone before George could scold her again.


    After putting her phone back into her white clutch bag, Aileen stared at the reflection of herself smiling, but the smile didn''t even reach her eyes.


    ==============


    Theodore saw Georgeing back with a twisted face.


    "Is there a problem with thepany?" Theodore asked George casually, before leaning close to his side.


    "Yes, more or less like that." George rubbed his face roughly and grumbled again. "Where are those two people?"


    Theodore then nced at his watch. "There''s still half an hour before eleven," he said. "They wille at eleven o''clock."


    "They should havee earlier. They know that the people waiting for them here are older than them, they should respect us." George grumbled, because he still felt resentment at Aileen for hanging up so insolently.


    "Hailee said they''d be here at eleven." Zia, who heard George''s grunt wrinkled her nose. "So, why would they be here so early?"


    George pretended he didn''t hear his niece''s fiercement and chose to drink his coffee and have some small talk with Diego.


    Even though they were brothers, but George was not very close to Diego and tend to be afraid of him. Especially after his decision not to continue the family business and oppose their parents to enter the military world.


    Luckily, at that time Giorgio volunteered to rece his brother, while George was too young to offer the same thing.


    Maybe because of that too, Diego had gentler feelings for his second brother.


    "Sorry for making you wait so long," Aileen said softly to Theodore and immediately sat beside him.


    For a moment, Aileen nced at George who gave her a stern look, but with an innocent face, she joined the small talk with Diego and Zia, acting as if her chats with Theodore or George had never happened.


    After the so called small talk to which Diego responded with; yes, hmm, no, I think so, finally one of the waiters said that a car had entered the yard and would arrive soon.


    "We have to go out to greet her," Zia said, then stood up.


    "Why are we weing that girl?" George disagreed, he crossed his arms with a face full of dislike. However, his forehead creased when he saw Diego standing up and about to follow his daughter out of the room.


    They were indeed the elders, but didn''t that mean they have to set a good example as someone who is older, especially because they are the host.


    "Come on, we should also go to greet Hailee and her future husband," Aileen invited Theodore, who received a disapproving look from George, but she ignored it.


    Until in the end, only George remained in the room with his stubbornness.


    Meanwhile, on the front side, they saw a ck luxury car, which Theodore assessed as thetest release from a well-known brand and had only produced a few.


    The luxury car was parked nicely under the steps leading to the terrace, where they stood, waiting for Hailee and Ramon to arrive.


    A momentter, Ramon got out of one of the doors and circled the car before opening the door and helping Hailee out, holding her hand. Like a gentleman.


    This attitude of Ramon''s received a nod of approval from Diego and a sweet smile from Zia.


    However, what Theodore saw afterward actually took him by utter surprise. Thest time he saw Hailee was when they met in Blue See.


    At that time Hailee did look as sweet and cheerful as ever. However, what Theodore saw this time was very different from the impression he had been getting all along.


    Hailee looked so beautiful and mature...

 Chapter 99: AN-EX

    <h4>Chapter 99: AN-EX</h4>


    Hailee, who just got out of the car and wore a knee- length maroon dress with a watch and a cute chain bracelet on her wrist and a pair of earrings that matched her dress, looked very radiant.


    Especially with a sweet smile on her lips when she smiled at Ramon, who had opened the door for her.


    Hailee slightly lowered her head and blushed as Ramon reached out to help her walk in the seven- centimeter high heels.


    Overall, Hailee, who used to seem like a teenager and always tend to be childish, had now changed. But, not in a bad way.


    That being said, this change was a plus point that made her look so elegant and very harmonious, when she stood side by side with Ramon Tordoff.


    Hailee looked so mature and attractive. Anyone who saw her now would surely agree with Theodore''s first impression.


    For a moment, Theodore felt a sense of displeasure when he saw Hailee''s hand being held by Ramon and this feeling continued to haunt him for the next few days.


    Yet, Theodore was not the only one who had noticed that change in her, because Diego and Zia, even Aileen felt the same way.


    Aileen bit her lower lip when she saw Hailee''s current appearance. As women, it is natural for them topare themselves with other women, especially when your men are involved.


    So was Aileen. She couldn''t help but feel the rustle of jealousy that was bubbling up inside her, as her mood got even worse when she saw Theodore''s eyes that wouldn''t stop ogling Hailee''s figure.


    With great effort, Aileen forced a smile on her lips, holding Theodore''s hand slowly to attract his attention, causing the man beside her to turn to her.


    "What is wrong?" Theodore asked in a low voice, thinking that Aileen had something to say.


    But, Aileen just smiled at him and moved closer. "Nothing, I suddenly wanted to be close to you," Aileen then deliberately rubbed her stomach in a subtle way.


    To others the gesture meant nothing, but not to Theodore, for his forehead creased as his body stiffened at once, knowing what Aileen meant.


    Luckily the awkwardness was saved by Zia''s voice, weing Hailee and Ramon.


    "You are so Beautiful!" Zia eximed in joy at being able to reunite with Hailee, her beloved cousin, after several years of not seeing her.


    "Zia, I didn''t know you were back," Hailee responded with the same enthusiasm.


    The two of them immediately hugged and chuckled, like two teenagers, for a moment forgetting their surroundings, let alone Aileen and Theodore, who were also there.


    Zia had indeed been far from the city of R, as Diego sent his only daughter abroad to continue with her studies right after she graduated from high school. She only came back this week, because she was on vacation and Diego was in town to take care of the reading of the inheritance rights of his younger brother.


    But, more than that Diego wanted to make sure that Hailee was all right.


    "Mr. Tatum." Ramon stretched out his hand and apanied with a smile on his lips, his attitude was so formal, but also not too stiff, it was clear that he was used to dealing with various types of characters with various backgrounds.


    And seeing this, Hailee couldn''t help but feel proud of her man.


    "Mr. Tordoff," Diego said, shaking Ramon''s hand.


    Only then did Theodore step up and shake Ramon''s hand followed by a nod from Aileen as a greeting. "We meet again."


    "Yes," Ramon replied, not bothering to extend the conversation with Theodore.


    "Let''s go in," Diego invited Ramon to enter his house first, while Hailee had already been taken away by Zia into the house.


    Zia, who had lost her mother since she was a child, spent most of her time at Hailee''s house.


    However, Aileen and Zia did not have a close rtionship. Zia had shown her dislike for Aileen from the moment she met her.


    And even though Zia is the same age as Aileen, which made her seven years older than Hailee, so when Diego sent her abroad, Hailee was still a child, but Zia had never been in good terms with Aileen. And after Zia went away far from home, she and Hailee only met asionally.


    Therefore, when Hailee got into trouble with Rnd Dimatrio, both Diego and Zia were not in town R andpletely out of reach for Hailee.


    "Okay, tell me, how did you meet the hottest man in town A?" Zia immediately shot Hailee a question when they went to the kitchen to prepare drinks.


    Even though it was actually unnecessary, as she could easily assign that job to a servant, Zia insisted on taking Hailee away for a moment, because she couldn''t hold back her curiosity any longer.


    This what you called gossip time!


    "Long story." Hailee tried to dodge it. From the moment she set foot in this house, she already had a feeling that Zia would hunt her down with questions.


    It was easy to guess, if one knew Zia well enough.


    "I have all day little sister," Zia said, blinking her eyes flirtatiously and making Haileeugh.


    If she thought about it, Zia looked much more suitable as an older sister than someone whom Hailee thought as her older sister for twenty years of her life, but as it turned out she was the one she should be most careful of.


    "I am the one who doesn''t have much time," Hailee said, then sat down at therge dining table, which was enough to amodate twelve people.


    "Spend yourst night with me, you know¡­" Zia moved her eyebrows up and down suggestively. "Girls night out, pajamas party, something like that..."


    Haileeughed again and gently pushed Zia''s shoulder, who was sitting beside her. "I will ask Ramon."


    "Geez!" Zia grimaced. "Is he that possessive?"


    "No, no¡­" Hailee immediately shook her head, afraid that Zia would misunderstand. "As I am living in his house now, so I at least..."


    Hailee didn''t even get a chance to finish her exnation when Zia let out a muffled squeal and covered her mouth in a dramatic motion. Zia''s trademark gesture.


    "I just remembered that you have been living with the Tordoffs!" Zia eximed. "Why are you living there? And since when?"


    "Ah, that¡­ it hasn''t been long since mom and dad passed away¡­" Hailee said awkwardly. She didn''t want to remember the incident, but just like other gossipers, Zia usually didn''t stop until she got the answer she wanted.


    Even the topic regarding Hailee''s parents couldn''t keep her silent for a long time.


    "I am sorry to hear what happened. But, it really happened too sudden," Zia said softly, rubbing Hailee''s hand as if tofort her.


    Zia and Diego did return to the city of R for the funeral, but due to some things that could not be left unattended, they both had to return immediately afterward.


    And because Diego thought Aileen was there to look after Hailee, he was not too worried, it was just that thest news he got was the wedding of Hailee and Ramon Tordoff which had made headlines in the mass media in recent weeks, which forced him to reconsider the situation.


    "But, that doesn''t exin why you chose to live with Ramon instead of living in your own house with your sister?" Zia snorted Aileen''s name in displeasure.


    "Regarding that¡­" Hailee was just about to speak, when a voice made them both turn in the same direction.


    "Can I help you here?" Aileen asked from the doorway, walking in very gracefully, as if she were a model walking down the red carpet. "You guys are not in the living room, so I came looking over here."


    Aileen didn''t really want to be in the same room with Hailee and Zia, but the atmosphere in the living room was just as bad.


    Especially when she heard that Zia and Hailee were in the kitchen to get drinks for them, of course for politeness reasons, Aileen had to catch up with the two of them to help.


    Although, every one knew that this house was notcking servants for such tasks.


    "You want to help?" Zia tilted her head. "Of course you can help." she then nodded toward the bar stool not far from them, where there were two maids preparing drinks and snacks. "You can help them."


    In other words, Zia regarded Aileen as no different from the servants in this house. When she and Hailee were busy chatting, Zia actually told Aileen to help prepare drinks.


    Hearing this, Haileeughed softly, but herughter grew louder when she saw Aileen''s sweet smile fade.


    Hailee didn''t even bother to pretend, she wanted Aileen to know that she was making fun of the woman, who had been her big sister, openly. Without any scruples.


    "Zia, you are being mean," Hailee said with a sullen face, she then lightly hit Zia''s hand.


    Meanwhile, this cousin thought that Hailee was really reprimanding her, because she still didn''t know about thetest developments in the rtionship between Aileen and Hailee.


    However, Hailee then continued her words. "Soon she will be engaged to Theodore Gevano, how could you order future Mrs. Gevano to prepare a drink?" Hailee then looked at Aileen, who now had a sour face. "Yes, sis?"


    Hearing this, Zia snorted in annoyance. "I still couldn''t understand, she is so shameless to show her face in front of you after what she did with your fianc¨¦."


    "Ex," Hailee corrected. "My ex-fianc¨¦. Soon I will be Mrs. Tordoff, don''t let Ramon hear of that. You know, he is a little jealous." Hailee then winked flirtatiously at Zia.


    Hailee''s attitude like this surprised Zia, but also excited her, because it meant that her cousin didn''t care anymore about her cowardly fianc¨¦ and two- faced adoptive sister.


    "Are you also going to announce your engagement to Theo in this event of my visit?" Hailee turned her attention to Aileen as she crossed her legs and raised her chin arrogantly. "Can''t you just look for another day? To be honest I was a little annoyed, because I was hoping not to see the two of you here."


    "Hailee¡­" Aileen tried to keep her tone calm, but it was very hard to do in the midst of her emotions clogging her throat. "I thought that you have epted my rtionship with Theodore. You know, you can''t force who you fall in love with¡­ "


    "Just a moment." Hailee raised her hand. "You think I still can''t ept your rtionship with Theo?" She snorted. "Mom always says to give unused items to the needy, and that''s what I did."


    ==============


    Follow me on my instagram @jikan_yo_tomare to read the characters inner thought.^^

 Chapter 100: YOU ARE NOTHING

    <h4>Chapter 100: YOU ARE NOTHING</h4>


    "Mom always says to give unused items to the needy, and that''s exactly what I''m doing right now." Hailee was tapping her right leg on the floor leisurely, with her eyes looking straight at Aileen.


    Meanwhile, next to her, Zia''s eyes widened as her mouth rounded, forming the word ''wow'', with an astonished expression, because all this time, all Zia knew was; Hailee loved Aileen so much, she would never say things like what she just said, even Hailee would be very angry if someone brought up that Aileen was an adopted child.


    However, the present Hailee looked different. She didn''t even hesitate to make fun of Aileen.


    Zia thought, this was because Aileen had stolen her fianc¨¦, but what she didn''t know was; what Aileen did to Hailee was not just about snatching a fianc¨¦, it was far more terrifying than that.


    "Hailee!" Aileen rebuked Hailee harshly. Her jaw was clenched tight, indicating that at this time she was really upset and thought? her words were so rude. "I am your sister, you shouldn''t say such a thing. I know you are angry, but those words you said were so painful."


    "Sister?" Hailee widened her eyes in an exaggerated yet dramatic style. "As I recall, I was the only child of Giorgio and Diana Tatum. Right, Zia?"


    Zia''s eyes lit up. "Of course. I didn''t know that Uncle Giorgio had other children besides you," Zia said.


    Seeing how Hailee and Zia were treating her, Aileen had to clench her fists tightly, to prevent herself from saying something that shouldn''t be said. At least not at a time like this, when anger overwhelmed hermon sense and clouded her judgment.


    However, Hailee was not content to stop there. Maybe it was because of the anger she had been harboring, or maybe because she knew that Aileen would now think twice about carrying out her rotten n like before.


    Whatever it was, Hailee felt it was pointless to pretend to be nice to her ''dear'' sister anymore.


    Hailee walked over with her arms crossed over her chest and stopped right in front of Aileen.


    "I won''t forget what you did to me Aileen," Hailee said, this time her tone turned serious and her facial expression was indecipherable. "Either that which I already know, or that I don''t yet know."


    Aileen stared back at Hailee equally fiercely and the atmosphere instantly turned heavy as if the air had be stale.


    At this point, no one even noticed the confusion that was evident on Zia''s face. She still didn''t realize that Hailee and Aileen''s rtionship was this bad.


    "You think¡­" Aileen leaned over so that the movement of her lips couldn''t be seen by Zia and lowered her voice so that only Hailee could hear it. "¡­ By marrying Ramon, he will help you? I know that you two are only undergoing a convenient marriage, so there is no need to be that arrogant, little sister," Aileen said in a mocking tone.


    "Is it true?" Hailee replied, she then raised her eyebrows with a surprised expression, but a smile at the corner of her lips, announced that she was making fun of Aileen for her earlier statement. "What kind of marriage I am going to have is none of your business. But without Tatum Jewelry, you think the Gevano family will wee you with open arms? Or treat you well?"


    Hailee told an undeniable fact. Without the Tatum familypany that provided back up to Aileen,she wouldn''tbe in the ranks of socialites in the city of R, and wouldn''t even counted as a business woman, if not for her position at the Tatum Jewelrypany.


    However, if thepany was taken over from her, then Aileen would have nothing to her name, because everyone knew the reason why she had the Tatum name behind her name.


    And Aileen''s chances of getting thepany, with Hailee now in front of her, could be said to be very small.


    Even without Hailee, officials at Tatum Jewelrypany already doubted Aileen''s performance. It was very difficult for her to get votes from them and take up her current position. Moreover, Aileen was not very good at managing a business. Just like George.


    That''s the reason why a few weeks after the tragic death of Giorgio Tatum and his wife, and Aileen and George sat in their roles as decision makers, thepany continued to lose money and didn''t look any prospective.


    "And as far as I know you have absolutely no right to the Tatum family''s property. You''re just a adopted daughter of my parents Aileen, remember that." Hailee hissed out her final words.


    Hearing that, Aileen was really furious, she clenched her fists, but was also tempted to p Hailee, if only Zia wasn''t there.


    However, Hailee could see Aileen''s intentions easily.


    "Why? You want to p me? Why don''t you just do it? Is there anything I said wrong?" Hailee chuckled as she leaned over to whisper right into Aileen''s ear.


    On the other hand, Zia looked at the two of them with a frown between her brows, she was very confused by the change of attitude between the two of them.


    Apparently, Hailee was really angry because her fianc¨¦ was taken away by Aileen¡­


    "The tea is ready," one of the maids said, carrying a tray filled with tea while the other maid held a snacks tray to apany their small talk while waiting for lunch time.


    There were still five more people from the Tatum family toe, including George''s son and his wife, but they would be arriving in a few hours, due to the long distance.


    Hearing that, Hailee stepped away from Aileen and turned around to smile at Zia.


    "Shall we go back to the living room?" Hailee asked, stretching out her hand,pletely ignoring Aileen who was still standing in front of her with a red face.


    But, before Zia took Hailee''s hand, she felt her cell phone vibrate and seeing the caller''s identity, managed to shock this short hair girl a little.


    "You go ahead, I have to pick up this phone call," Zia smiled nervously at Hailee.


    "Oh, alright¡­" Unfortunately, Hailee didn''t really notice the change in Zia''s expression and instructed the two maids to bring the tea and snacks for all the people in the living room.


    Meanwhile, Zia sneaked out of the house to the back garden to take the call.


    "What are you doing here? Don''t want to go back inside?" Hailee scolded Aileen.


    However, Aileen didn''t respond, she was still standing there with a sour expression as if she wanted to stab Hailee with a sharp look in her eyes.


    "Fine if you still want to be here," Hailee said lightly, shrugging her shoulders. "Oh yes, I almost forgot." she was just about to pass Aileen when she suddenly remembered something. "Ramon said my parents'' deaths were so strange, and he will investigate it, so if anything happens, I hope you can cooperate." Hailee smiled as she patted Aileen on the shoulder. "Okay?"


    But she didn''t wait for Aileen to answer and quickly walked away, leaving her adoptive sister in the rage and the feelings of anxiety and desperation that overwhelmed her.


    Were they suspicious?


    Only that question filled her mind at the moment.


    Meanwhile, at the back of the house, Zia was busy talking on the phone. From the way she stomped her feet on the ground, it was clear that she felt ufortable with whoever she was talking.


    "Aidan¡­ I already told you that I couldn''te¡­" Zia said in a pitiful tone. She was truly sorry that she had to cancel their appointment to meet. "My cousin is here and we have a family meeting soon."


    "Then when can you leave there?" Aidan asked, his tone so cold. He did not think their n would just be canceled. And because Zia was so busy taking care of moving back to the city of R, she forgot to notify him that Hailee woulde.


    The timing was so bad.


    "I don''t know,"Zia said again, her voice so low. "Father is here and I am not sure if we can meet..."


    There was silence on the other end of the line.


    Zia knew Aidan well and she could imagine what kind of expression this man had on his face now.


    "I will be here for two days. I will be waiting for you here." Aidan didn''t wait for an answer from Zia before he hung up the phone call, leaving Zia with a feeling of guilt that grew heavier on her shoulders.


    This is wrong.


    Zia and Aidan''s rtionship was a mistake and she knew it.


    ==============


    Ramon caught sight of the figure of Hailee who had just returned from the kitchen along with the two servants behind her and Aileen who was walking a little away from them.


    After Hailee approached him, Ramon stretched out his hand, which the girl took with a sweet smile, while sitting next to him.


    Oh, Ramon always acted cute whenever they were in front of lots of people. He really kept his word to treat Hailee like a future wife with whom he had been in a rtionship for a long time.


    Actually, Ramon didn''t treat Hailee that badly when they were alone either. However, most of the time they spend together was filled with their petty fights, which Hailee found very funny.


    Meanwhile, this gesture of Ramon''s made Diego smile happily, but in fact it wasn''t the same case with the figure of the man sitting next to Aileen.


    Theodore''s eyes could not leave Hailee and her smile for Ramon.

 Chapter 101: SEDUCTIVE WHISPER

    <h4>Chapter 101: SEDUCTIVE WHISPER</h4>


    Theodore''s eyes could not leave Hailee and her sweet smile for Ramon.


    Somehow this was something that pissed him off. Seeing Hailee looking so happy and having absolutely no memory of their previous rtionship, it was as if Theodore had never been in her life before.


    At least, Theodore hoped that Hailee would look at him angrily or at least not see him as a stranger.


    No, maybe that was not it either...


    It was just, when you get used to thinking that the person would always be there without you trying to keep them by your side, but then that person behaved as if you were no longer important in their life, it would annoy you at once.


    And that feeling was what Theodore felt today when he saw Hailee and Ramon''s togetherness.


    The way Hailee sat beside Ramon and how Ramon treated her with great care and made her blush. The sight upset Theodore very much.


    Especially when he had to face serious problems with Aileen right now, such as Aileen''s unexpected pregnancy.


    "... and you just told uncle about this now?" Diego asked, the hard lines from the harsh military training, were still visible on his face, but the look in his eyes was so warm and soft when he looked at Hailee.


    "It''s not that¡­" Hailee smiled sweetly, feeling bad for Diego. "Uncle is far away and difficult to contact... so..."


    "Hailee has been nagging for a long time that she wanted toe visit her family and share this happy news, but because of Mr. Tatum is still out of town after the funeral, we postponed our ns until you are avable." Ramon grasped Hailee''s hand gently. His humble words added a plus point to Ramon in Diego''s eyes.


    Meanwhile, Hailee next to him could only be grateful because Ramon was very good atposing words. She literally hit the jackpot by having him.


    Rather than Theodore, that man would never treat Hailee like this...


    Once in the past, Hailee was being scolded by her father and Theodore was standing right next to them, even so, that man didn''t say a word, as if he didn''t care what he saw¡­


    Hailee then nced at Theodore, who had been staring at her, and when their eyes met, the girl raised her eyebrows defiantly, as if to say; WHAT?


    Even while receiving such a fierce gaze, Theodore only narrowed his eyes and didn''t look away at all until Hailee ignored him again and leaned her head on Ramon''s shoulder indulgently.


    However, it was not only Theodore who was disturbed by how close Ramon and Hailee seemed to be, but Aileen too, especially when she saw how Theodore did not stop staring at her ''sister''.


    "Giorgio and Diana will be very happy with your marriage..." Diego said softly, but then his eyes fixed firmly on Ramon. "I hope you will not disappoint my nephew."


    Ramon then casually embraced Hailee and answered Diego''s words in a deep and earnest voice. "Certainly."


    Let''s just say, Hailee didn''t hear the rest of the conversation because she felt so high in the seven clouds over how sweet Ramon was to answer Diego with one word; certainly.


    The word sounded very sweet in her ears and made Hailee blush, even during their small talk, Hailee could only smile to herself, while asionally ncing at Ramon who treated her like someone very special.


    Such as; pouring tea to her, oh, Ramon also knew how many tea spoons of sugar Hailee usually take, even though she never said this, Ramon''s ability to observe his surroundings was indeed above average, making the affection he showed did not seem like just a show, but the real one.


    Or, how Ramon asionally yed with Hailee''s hair during his conversation with Diego, because Theodore would prefer to be silent and answer if he was asked, as if his tongue suddenly went numb and lost its ability to speak and this rubbed off on Aileen.


    Hailee didn''t really listen either, when Theodore finally spoke, exining his engagement ns with Aileen to Diego, because at that moment, Ramon was whispering something in her ear.


    "So that is your ex-fianc¨¦?" Ramon whispered, smiling mysteriously, making other people who saw the two of them think that Ramon was whispering romantic words.


    "Shut up," Hailee admonished as she lightly smacked the man''s thigh.


    "I think you feel a lot better now that you can escape a guy like him," Ramon said, still in his deep voice. His warm breath tickled Hailee''s neck, suddenly making her mouth go dry.


    Ugh! Couldn''t he not be like this in front of other people? It''s too intense for Hailee''s weak heart. However, Hailee also had no intention of avoiding this special attention from him.


    "What kind of man do you mean?" Hailee asked in a low voice.


    Hailee and Ramon whispered to each other in the middle of Diego, Aileen and Theodore''s conversation about their engagement ns which would be held one month from now, so it was certain that the two of them were not taking their chat seriously and this showed very clear, making Theodore asionally have to stop talking, annoyed by Hailee and Ramon''s public disy of affection.


    "What kind of man would nce at another woman when his woman was right next to him?" Ramon asked her back.


    So all this time Ramon had been aware of Theodore''s lingering gaze on Hailee. Hailee''s guess regarding Ramon''s extraordinary observational skills was indeed right.


    "Why? Are you jealous?" Hailee teased Ramon, ncing at him with a mischievous smile on her lips.


    "Jealous?" Ramon raised his eyebrows and returned Hailee''s mischievous smile. "Mrs. Tordoff, how many times do I have to save you? I guess even the value of your family''spany is not worth what I have done for you."


    This man is still thinking about gains and losses!


    However, Ramon''s words referring Hailee as Mrs. Tordoff, made Hailee''s heart trembled and? felt warm. It''s a cute title and Hailee loved it.


    "So, what do you want Mr. Tordoff? Apart from thatpany, I don''t own anything anymore¡­" Hailee asked, drawing a circle on Ramon''s thigh with her delicate fingers, ncing at the man next to her with a provocative smile.


    "There is one thing you can do as my wifeter," Ramon said in a mysterious tone, making Hailee frown.


    "What is that?" she asked a little warily, afraid that this guy might ask for something strange, because sometimes, Hailee couldn''t figure out what he was thinking.


    Ramon then tucked a loose strand of Hailee''s hair behind her ear and kissed the sensitive part behind Hailee''s ear quickly. "You can give me cute children."


    "Ramon!" Hailee was shocked to hear what Ramon was saying and out of instinct, hit the man''s thigh with exasperation.


    Ramon didn''t even flinch when Hailee did that and only chuckled at her frustrated face.


    "Ahem," Diego cleared his throat, reminding Hailee and Ramon that they weren''t alone in the room. But, from the look in his eyes, it could be seen that Diego did not mind the interaction between the two. "So, how about the preparations?" He then continued his conversation with Theodore.


    "Oh, that..." Theodore stuttered, finding himself forgetting where theirst conversation was before the interruption and it was Aileen who continued Theodore''s exnation.


    Although Ramon would respond to Theodore''s words every now and then for politeness reasons, others could tell that he was not at all interested in the conversation.


    On the other hand, Hailee could no longer concentrate on her surroundings, because this stupid head of hers kept repeating Ramon''sst words, over and over like a broken record, even though Hailee tried to think of something else.


    ''You can give me cute children''


    Children¡­


    That meant he was expecting more than one¡­ how many children does Ramon want?


    Wait! Wait! Stop thinking about that!


    But, as if refusing her own orders, she imagined what their children would be like and began to search for beautiful names with good meanings. Memorizing every name she had heard.


    Ugh!


    Hailee didn''t even think that Ramon was the type of a family man, even she didn''t know that Ramon liked little kids. How sweet is that right?


    And that was what happened for the rest of the conversation, until George''s wife and son showed up with the other three Tatum elders and they took this chat more seriously after lunch.


    George, who had been silent, finally spoke up when Aileen said that Ramon ordered a pair of wedding rings in Blue Sea as a wedding ring for himself and Hailee.


    "Yes, I got the report." George took a solemn sip of coffee. "But, I guess there is an unpleasant mistake."


    They were now in George''s backyard, as all the family members gathered to continue their chat, including two old men; Derek and Ed Tatum, who are George and Diego''s uncles, as well as Emelyn Dean, Derek and Ed''s younger sister.


    The three of them are the three elders of the Tatum family and live far from the city of R with their respective families.


    This time, they used the asion as a reunion event for them, after a long period of not able to meet each other.


    "Is there a problem?" Ramon asked casually, embracing Hailee, whofortably rested her head on the man''s shoulder, a cookie in her right hand and a cup of tea in her left.


    Hailee didn''t even expect that she would enjoy this family reunion so much.


    "Yes, maybe the management is toote to tell you this, but we are not selling the ring." George put down his coffee cup slowly and got questionable gazes from the various pairs of eyes that had gathered here.


    "Thest information I heard, the price for the diamond was fixed," Ramon said, looking neither surprised nor bothered by the fact George had just shared.


    "What do you mean George?" Emelyn asked with a frown. "I also heard the same news, that the diamonds will be released to the public and Mr. Tordoff here will give it to Hailee, isn''t that perfect?"


    However, George shook his head. "No, because Aileen will use the diamond as their wedding ring."


    Those who were present looked surprised, including Hailee and Aileen.


    Why the hell is this uncle saying that?! Was he trying to humiliate Ramon by saying nonsense? What happened with this sudden change of attitude? Did he have something inside his mind?


    "What?" Aileen was as surprised as they were, she had never imagined that her father would be this generous toward her. He must want something in return for the ring¡­ That was what Aileen thought.


    However, it seemed that only Ramon did not take that matter so seriously. "Hm," he muttered. "Oh, I see¡­"

 Chapter 102: STOP BEING AFFECTIONATE IN FRONT OF ME!

    <h4>Chapter 102: STOP BEING AFFECTIONATE IN FRONT OF ME!</h4>


    Diego red at his younger brother and voiced out his discontent fiercely. "How can you give the ring to Aileen? She is not even a member of the Tatum family."


    Thatment literally stabbed Aileen''s heart. Sheughed sarcastically but only inwardly. They should know who she really is.


    But, too bad, her mouth was shut tight and she couldn''t say anything. Aileen could only force a smile and continue pretending.


    "That''s right Uncle George, that ring shouldn''t be given to me," Aileen said softly and in a persuasive tone. "Even if the ring has to be given to someone, Hailee is the right person for it. She deserves it more than me."


    "Of course," Zia said quickly. "How could such an important ring fall to Aileen? I can''t understand."


    Zia''s sharp words, got a fierce look from Ed, who had always sided with George all this time, because he had not been blessed with a son, so he already thought this youngest nephew of his as his own son.


    "Diego, you should educate Zia well so she doesn''t make any randomments," Ed chided Diego, which made Zia clench her fists, signaling that she was going to get back at Ed''s words.


    However, her father, who was sitting right next to her, put his arm around her shoulder, making a gesture so she wouldn''t have to fight back.


    "I agree with Zia''s words. How could such an important ring fall to Aileen? Of course this is a one- sided decision from George, even Aileen herself doesn''t know anything about this, right?" Diego''s gaze now fell on Aileen.


    Aileen, who was stared at like this, felt embarrassed as she couldn''t help but agree. "Yes, I don''t know about this, but I think Uncle George has been very good with his intentions, although I don''t think I can ept it."


    What an answer that was so humble that it made Hailee have to curb a sneer down.


    "Sorry Aileen, but I agree with Diego," Emelyn said, taking Aileen''s hand and rubbing it gently. She didn''t hate Aileen, but also couldn''t say she was close to her nephew''s adopted daughter. That said, Emelyn and Derek were neutral parties, while Ed had clearly expressed a dislike for Aileen from the first time he saw her twenty- two years ago.


    "I understand," Aileen said understandingly.


    Actually, George just wanted to embarrass Ramon at the family event, but his fatal mistake was; he was too impulsive and did not measure his own abilities against Ramon Tordoff.


    You could say that was an utterly stupid move. Dering an open war on Ramon without a good strategy.


    This was also the reason why George waspletely unable to manage thepany well, because his judgment was not based on careful thinking which eventually led him to be a bad figure as a decision maker.


    While they were having disagreements about the ring and George was still stubborn about not giving it to Ramon, Hailee looked at the man next to her who remained silent, as if enjoying this dispute.


    Isn''t he going to say something? Hailee wondered.


    She nced again at Ramon and just at that moment, Ramon was staring back at her. He then nodded at Hailee, as if to ask; What?


    And Hailee furrowed her brows and nodded at Diego and the others, as if to ask; are you going to let this happen?


    Ramon nodded slightly and leaned his back against the back of the chair, while rubbing Hailee''s shoulder, indicating that Hailee shouldn''t have to worry about this.


    Seeing Ramon who didn''t care much, Hailee also shrugged her shoulders nonchntly. After all, it was Ramon who wanted the ring from the start, but he was also the one who stayed silent when things turned out like now with George''s unreasonable wish, then Hailee could just let it go and not bother either.


    At this point, Hailee felt that their rtionship was going very well. Just imagine, the two of them couldmunicate with only small gestures, isn''t that amazing?


    The dispute over the ringsted for several minutes, until finally Theodore realized that Ramon had not said anything, even though he should have been defending the ring.


    "Why don''t we just ask Mr. Tordoff?" Theodore said interrupting arguments between Diego and George, which had now shifted into other aspects of the Tatum Jewelrypany, and not just about the ring alone anymore.


    Hearing Theodore''s words, Ed, who was speaking, immediately stopped and looked at Ramon, along with several pairs of eyes there.


    "I''m fine," Ramon answered lightly. It was indeed this moment he was waiting for them to finally focus all their attention on him, so he didn''t have to bother arguing. "If the ring isn''t for sale, that''s fine."


    "Then how about your wedding ring?" George asked in an irritated tone. He had been fighting this far, but it didn''t seem like it had any effect on Ramon.


    This young businessman, in fact, did not seem to care and was more engrossed in the woman next to him.


    "Looks like Mr. George was misinformed too," Ramon said slowly, his ck eyes mocking as he stared at George. "I will still marry Hailee with or without the ring. You don''t think that that ring is the most expensive diamond, do you?"


    "That''s not what Uncle George meant, Mr. Tordoff," Aileen took this opportunity to talk to Ramon, just like a small business woman who tried to grasp whenever an opportunity arised.


    However, like before, Ramon didn''t even nce at her at all as his eyes focused solely on George.


    "I bought the ring for Hailee, because I thought it looked good on her, but as it was not for sale, it doesn''t matter anymore." Ramon chuckled, augh that could give you a bad feeling. "Because Tatum Jewelry belongs to Hailee, automatically, the ring will be hers too."


    In other words, Ramon had dered that George, Aileen or anyone with an interest in thepany should think twice, because he would make sure that Hailee would get it.


    This was a hidden warning conveyed in a very subtle way.


    As expected from someone like Ramon...


    Hailee could only nod and be more proud of her future husband, Ramon could easily convey his goals without being very obvious that he was eyeing thepany.


    "Then, how about your wedding ring?" Zia couldn''t help but ask.


    "The Tordoff family, have a hereditary ring that was given to the first child in the family, and I would be very happy if Hailee epted it." Ramon then looked at Hailee gently. "Will you ept it?"


    Do you even have to ask? Of course Hailee''s answer is very clear. "Of course," Hailee said with a big smile, as if she was going to smile forever.


    "Oh, I just remembered!" Derek patted his forehead, as if he had just remembered something. "The Tordoff family has a red diamond ring called red tears. Right?"


    "Yes, exactly." Ramon nodded.


    For people who didn''t really know about diamonds and other precious stones, they wouldn''t be familiar with the name red tears, but for people like Derek, George, Ed and Aileen, of course they have heard of red tears.


    The value of the stone could even be said to have the price of seventeen times the ring they had been fighting about earlier.


    This of course made George have to clench his fists tightly, to keep his anger, which now seemed to overflow.


    He totally forgot about that! How could he possibly forget such an important fact?! In fact, the diamond owned by the Tordoff family was once listed as one of the ten most expensive precious stones in the world.


    On the other hand, Aileen red at Hailee, which she hid with a sweet remark. "Wow, congrats Hailee... you are very lucky, Ramon loves you so much."


    Then Aileen took her drink and drank the rest of her anger along with the detox tea. She couldn''t stop thinking, how could Hailee be this lucky ?!


    While herself; Aileen had to suppress her urge to get a ring, which Ramon thought was worthless.


    "Wow... we have to meet after you get married, I want to see the ring!" Zia eximed with a distinctiveugh.


    Meanwhile Hailee just smiled in response and found Ramon ncing meaningfully at her, which made Haileeugh.


    Just then, an idea crossed her mind...


    But, she wouldn''t say this to Ramon now,Hailee would wait until they were alone.


    After a while, the tension from the previous argument started to ebb, although it could be seen that George was not at all happy with the oue.


    "Hey," Hailee whispered to Ramon and pulled the man''s shirt so that he would lean toward her. "You''re really going to give your family''s heirloom ring as our wedding ring?"


    "Of course," Ramon answered with certainty.


    "How much is the ring worth?" Hailee was curious because they seem surprised when grandpa Derek told them about the Tordoff family ring.


    Ramon then whispered the value of the ring into Hailee''s ear, which made this girl widen her eyes in disbelief.


    "Really?!" Hailee hissed under her breath.


    However, the brief chatter ended when Diego cleared his throat again and chuckled. "You two, stop being affectionate in front of us."

 Chapter 103: CAN WE TALK?

    <h4>Chapter 103: CAN WE TALK?</h4>


    After a long chat about Hailee and Ramon''s wedding preparations and Aileen and Theodore''s engagement one month from now, Diego asked Hailee and Ramon to stay overnight, because city A is quite far away and it would be veryte if they headed home now.


    And also because they haven''t had a family gathering like this for a long time, so at least they would use this opportunity to reminisce about the old days, before Diego returned to his busy life in the military and wouldn''t have free time like this again.


    Hailee didn''t mind at all, but she have to ask Ramon about this.


    "I am fine," Ramon said lightly.


    "Good, then I will ask the maid to prepare a guest room for the two of you." Diego looked delighted when he heard Ramon''s answer, then turned his attention to Aileen and Theodore. "You will also stay overnight, right?" he asked.


    Aileen was just about to refuse, she didn''t want to stay in this house for long, especially when Zia, kept humiliating her with sarcasticments and Theodore didn''t help her at all.


    The man continued to remain silent, without saying anything and chose not to interfere, as if he had not heard that his woman was being subtly humiliated.


    Aileen still thought positively about Theodore''s attitude, because she thought he was not focusing on what was happening around him after hearing the news of Aileen''s sudden pregnancy.


    Aileen also thought that her decision to trick Theodore into marrying her was too hasty, but she couldn''t think of a more rational reason than this.


    Because if Ramon married Hailee and she still didn''t get any back up from the Gevano family, it would be very difficult to fight Hailee when thetter had changed her name to Mrs. Tordoff.


    Therefore, Aileen took this extreme step. This whole thing felt so crazy ...


    "No uncle, sorry, but we ..." Aileen was about to refuse Diego''s offer when Theodore interrupted her words and agreed.


    "Thank you for the offer, we will return to town T tomorrow morning." Theodore smiled, as if he had just said something natural, not caring about the change in Aileen''s expression at all.


    He also did not understand why he forced himself to stay in this house. The words just slipped by without Theodore noticing and when he came to his senses again, Diego had already asked the other maids to prepare two more rooms for them.


    "Zia, where are you going?" Hailee looked at Zia who was wearing her cardigan, she was too neat for someone that was getting ready to sleep.


    "Oh, I have some business for a while, I have an old friend who wants to meet me," Zia said, walking toward her father and kissing him on the cheek.


    "It iste." Diego looked displeased when Zia said she was going out at this hour.


    "I will be back before you know father," Zia said in a persuasive tone. "I haven''t been back to town in a long time and some of my friends miss me."


    "You don''t have a lot of friends," Diego said ording to the facts he knew.


    "Father!" Zia pretended to be angry by hitting Diego on the arm. "That is rude."


    "Well, it was indeed true that you don''t have a lot of friends," Hailee said in a teasing tone and received a sneer from Zia.


    "Don''t follow along," Zia threatened, which made Haileeugh and pretend to hide behind Ramon''s body.


    "Come back before midnight," Diego said in a stern tone. Before midnight, that would be five hours from now.


    "Okay," Zia eximed happily, raising her hand and kissing Diego again, before she waved at Hailee, Ramon and her great- uncle and great aunty.


    Zia deliberately didn''t nce at Aileen or Theodore at all, a clear showing of her dislike for the couple, and hurriedly walked away, before her five hours would run out.


    "Alright then. Hailee, Ramon, can we talk for a moment?" Diego said, just addressing Hailee and Ramon and ignoring Aileen altogether.


    Their conversationter would be about discussing the important things of the Tatum family, because afterward, Aileen saw, Ed, Derek, Emelyn and even George, going into Diego''s study one after another.


    However, since Aileen was not asked toe along, it was absolutely impossible for her to force her way in.


    What are they gonna talk about? What about reading that pending will?


    The reading of the will was indeed postponed because Hailee was not there and even though George and Aileen had tried to lobby the Tatum family''swyer to divulge the contents of the will, however, until now they had not managed to find out what was in it.


    Thewyer was very adamant that the reading should be attended by Hailee, as the only child of Giorgio and Diana.


    Of course this upset Aileen, but what could she do?


    ==============


    "Why did you decide to stay here tonight?" Aileen asked Theodore when they were alone in the man''s room, which was next to Aileen''s and opposite them, was Hailee and Ramon''s room.


    No, they were not provided with one room, Diego was too old- fashioned to allow them to have a room together before the wedding took ce.


    Aileen''s forehead creased, she folded her arms in front of her chest, from the expression on her face, it was clear that she was feeling bad. She really didn''t want to spend time any longer at Diego''s house.


    Seeing Aileen''s attitude, Theodore could only sigh heavily, and knelt in front of the woman while resting his hands on Aileen''s thighs, who was sitting on the edge of the bed.


    "I don''t want you to get tired," he replied. "The trip to town T will be very tiring and now ... in your condition ..." Theodore nced at Aileen''s t stomach with a knowing smile.


    He still couldn''t bring himself to believe that Aileen was really pregnant with his child, but it was also impossible for him to deny what Aileen had said. It would hurt this woman and he would feel like a coward who didn''t want to be held ountable for his actions.


    "I care for you," Theodore said, ending a sentence he could not express freely and kissing Aileen''s hands to make her feel calmer.


    And it was proved sessful. There was a slight smile on Aileen''s face, although her eyes still showed that she was still not convinced.


    The rtionship between the two of them went so smoothly. Aileen oftenplied with Theodore''s wishes and vice versa, it could be said that they never fought, even when Theodore was still Hailee''s fiance.


    Aileen would be so understanding and know her standing, she would not put Theodore in a difficult position, therefore Theodore thought that Aileen was much better than Hailee, regardless of her status.


    "Thank you, Theo ..." Aileen said in a voice that sounded sincere and tapped the space next to her so Theodore could sit there.


    The manplied with Aileen''s wish and sat on the edge of the bed, letting the woman rest her head on his shoulder.


    "I am really scared¡­" Aileen started, her voice so soft and sad. Again she used this card to draw sympathy from Theodore.


    "Why are you afraid?" he asked.


    "I am afraid that you will abandon me and our unborn child," Aileen said in a weak voice. Deliberately using the word ''our child'' to make Theodore feel bad.


    And indeed, that''s what happened. Had Aileen turned around, she would have found Theodore grimacing at the word.


    ''Our child'' sounded very foreign and unpleasant to his ears. He had never thought of having an offspring this quickly, especially in their current situation.


    It is true what people out there say, that age does not indicate a person''s maturity, because Theodore is a very good example of that.


    "Don''t think nonsense." Theodore rebuked Aileen, but he could also sense that the words were just words without meaning. Because he wasn''t sure of this himself.


    "We''re getting married as soon as possible, right?" Aileen asked, she lifted her head to see the expression shown by Theodore. "I don''t want this child to be born out of wedlock, it wouldn''t look good to the people out there if they found out. Moreover, this will damage the family name."


    Aileen''s behavior never bothered Theodore until now, but this time, it was different¡­ this man felt ufortable with her.


    "Theo¡­" Aileen called out his name anxiously, because Theodore didn''t answer her.


    "Of course," Theodore finally said, giving Aileen a soothing smile. "We will have your child examined as soon as possible."


    "Our child," Aileen corrected Theodore and gave a soft kiss on the lips, which both of them knew where it would lead to.


    However, this time Aileen advised Theodore not to use safeguards. What for? Aileen was already pregnant with their child, right? There was nothing else to take care of.


    ==============


    After the talk in Diego''s study with the rest of the Tatum family, about the will reading that would take ce two weeks after Ramon and Hailee''s wedding, meaning after they came home from their honeymoon, Diego asked to speak with Ramon privately.


    Hailee didn''t know what Diego wanted to talk to Ramon about, but she would ask the man when they were done.


    With slow steps, Hailee returned to her room, thinking that she wanted to contact Ian. It had been a long time since she talked to her best friend.


    However, before her thoughts could be out into action, she found Theodoreing out of his room with wet hair, which indicated that he had just finished showering.


    Hailee stared at the man for a few moments. She thought she would feel embarrassed to find the two of them alone in this corridor, but it turned out that Hailee didn''t even feel anything.


    There was no feeling of anger or resentment after what this ex fiance did to her.


    And this was enough to surprise Hailee, considering that she had not a long rtionship with Theodore.


    At first, Hailee wanted to ignore the man and think he was not there, and just slip into her room before calling Ian.


    However, who would have thought that Theodore would call out to her first.


    "Hailee," he called doubtfully.


    Now that Hailee thought about the selection of guest rooms in this house, how could the four guest rooms be in the same corridor?


    "Hailee, can we talk for a moment?" Theodore said again, because Hailee did not respond, and when he saw Hailee would immediately go into the room, without answering his question, he didn''t know what possessed him, but Theodore grabbed the girl''s hand and turned her body until they faced each other. "We need to talk."


    ==============


    Follow me on instagram @jikan_yo_tomare to know the inner thought of the characters. ^^

 Chapter 104: WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!

    <h4>Chapter 104: WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!</h4>


    "Hailee, can we talk?" Theodore repeated his question.


    "Talk?" Hailee raised her eyebrows and her expression turned into one that was mocking. "I think there''s nothing to talk about, Mr. Gevano." Hailee felt proud of her voice which sounded firm and strong. Showing her absolute dislike for any topic that Theodore wanted to discuss.


    Hearing Hailee refer to him as ''Mr. Gevano'', somehow annoyed Theodore a little. He didn''t like to hear such distant addressing from her.


    But, he also didn''t know why he was so desperate that he even prevented Hailee from entering her room only to have a conversation with the girl when he himself didn''t know what to ask.


    Theodore knew that this was very wrong, especially when Aileen was sleeping in the adjacent room, after what the two of them had done before, and now Theodore was behind the same door, holding back his ex- fianc¨¦e to have a private conversation with her.


    But, sometimes desire ovees logic...


    "I think I owe you an apology," Theodore said in a low voice.


    "An apology?" Hailee raised her eyebrows, indicating that she did not believe what Theodore said just now. "Why do you have to apologize?"


    Then, in one motion, Hailee pulled her hand away from Theodore''s grasp. The man was quite surprised, but understood why Hailee did that, after all, he too didn''t want any misunderstandings to arise, and said nothing.


    As long as Hailee just listened to him, that was enough, because he really owed this girl an apology.


    While folding his arms in front of his chest, Theodore then moistened his dry lips, he never felt like this when he had to talk to Hailee before.


    "You know why I am sorry, Hailee," Theodore said with an ufortable facial expression, for being stared at by the girl in front of him.


    "No, I don''t know." Hailee shook her head quickly and imitated Theodore''s gesture of folding her arms in front of her chest, indicating that she was being defensive toward this man.


    "You really want me to say it out loud?" Theodore squinted at Hailee. He didn''t like to admit his mistakes like this, because so far he never felt he had to apologize to anyone. As the sole heir to the Gevano family, he had no obligation to apologize for anything trivial.


    But, if Theodore apologized to Hailee this time, then this girl would not be just something ''trivial'' to him anymore.


    "Well, if you don''t want to say anything, I will go back to my room, because I am too tired for this chat," Hailee said in a tone that sounded tired, as if just facing this man in front of her drained her energy.


    "I am sorry that I have a rtionship with Aileen behind your back," Theodore said in a nervous voice.


    And frankly, Theodore''s sudden confession was enough to surprise Hailee, because as far as she could tell, Theodore Gevano had a very hard time saying sorry. He always thought that he was much better than other people.


    Now Hailee felt stupid because she used to have a rtionship with this man, and even held the status of his fianc¨¦, even though it was only for one month, before it all ended.


    Actually, Hailee didn''t have deep feelings for Theodore either, it was just that, because he was her first lover and they were in a serious rtionship, she felt that she should act as a good lover.


    Only for her to realize that her kindness was only used by Theodore and Aileen, so that the two of them could y couple behind her.


    What a fool she had been...


    "I don''t think you need to apologize to me for that matter," Hailee said nonchntly. "You don''t need to apologize, because I should be the one to thank you."


    "Hailee... I mean it when I say that I regret what I did." Theodore attempted to touch Hailee, but his hand stopped in midair when he saw her look of displeasure. Then awkwardly, Theodore folded his arms again. "That''s wrong, whatever the reason, and I admit it."


    "Then? What do you want from me?" Hailee asked, exhaling heavily, as if bored with this conversation. "All of that has already happened, whatever you say won''t change anything. So what do you want now Theo?"


    What he want?


    Even Theodore still didn''t understand what he wanted from telling Hailee all this.


    What Theodore knew was; his impulsiveness forced him to say how he felt now.


    But, apart from that, he didn''t understand why he had the urge to have a little conversation with Hailee.


    It was as if he missed the meaningless babble that Hailee always said or the ridiculous stories she always told when they were together.


    At that time, Theodore felt that everything Hailee said waspletely meaningless and tended to be annoying, but now¡­ he felt a little bit missing it all¡­


    "I want us to be on good terms like before." Theodore finally decided to give the most diplomatic and also the cheapest answer ever.


    ''On good terms'' after what happened? It is just a hopeless wish.


    Who wanted to be on good terms with your ex who cheated on you with your own sister? And it was the same sister, who had sold Hailee and made her life fall apart.


    Who will do that?


    There might be some women who would agree to maintain good rtionships with exes like Theodore, but Hailee was definitely not one of them.


    "Okay, how about we go back to our rtionship three years ago?" Hailee asked sarcastically, because three years ago, they had not even met each other.


    Theodore had expected Hailee''s reaction to be something like this, but he tried anyway. "Hailee ..."


    "Oh, right!" Hailee raised her hand to stop whatever disgusting words Theodore was trying to say. "You don''t need to feel sorry for me, because if you don''t have an affair with Aileen, I''ll end up with you and I can assure you that it will be a nightmare in my life."


    "Hailee," Theodore admonished her. His male pride seemed to be trampled, but still he was trying to talk to her.


    "Do you know? Your life partner is a reflection of your life, so I wouldn''t be surprised if you ended up with Aileen. You two are verypatible andplement each other." Hailee then hastily added when she saw Theodore about to interrupt her words. This man must have felt very humiliated, but that''s exactly what Hailee wanted. Insulting Theodore until the end. "But can you see how perfect Ramon Tordoff is?"


    Hearing that name, Theodore clenched his fists tightly. Who doesn''t know Ramon Tordoff? No matter how influential the Gevano family was, they wouldn''t be on the same level as Tordoff.


    "My husband- to- be is perfect in all aspects and for sure, he doesn''t nce at other women like you nced at me when Aileen was sitting next to you," Hailee said in a whisper, adding dramatic ir to every sentence she hissed.


    What Hailee said could also be interpreted as; As a person of great taste, Ramon could not possibly nce at Aileen when he had Hailee by his side and Theodore''s judgment was very low on choosing Aileen over Hailee.


    "Hailee!" Theodore eximed, anger evident on his face.


    "Oh, I forgot to say congrattions on your engagement." Hailee smiled very broadly, satisfied that she could make Theodore so upset. "You two really deserve each other. If only you would listen to my words and find out more about Aileen¡­" Hailee shrugged her shoulders indifferently. "I can only advise you on this, the rest is your choice."


    If currently Theodore was still with Aileen even after the warning she gave to this man at the jewelry store the other day, then the only reason was; Theodore paid no heed to Hailee''s warning.


    Hence, it was pointless for her to speak at length.


    "Have a good night." Hailee waved her hand at Theodore, but instead he grabbed Hailee''s hand, preventing her from entering her room again.


    She didn''t know what Theodore wanted now, but Hailee didn''t get enough time to figure it out, because right at that moment, a very familiar voice echoed through the corridor.


    "What are you doing here?" Ramon walked over with a sharp gaze, fixed on Theodore''s hand that was holding Hailee''s.


    Sensing Ramon''s hostile gaze, Theodore immediately let go of Hailee''s hand, which made the girl immediately run toward Ramon and in a slightly nervous voice she asked an obvious question.


    "Have you finished talking to Uncle Diego?"


    Ramon had just finished his chat with Diego and while walking back to the prepared guest room, he heard a piece of Hailee and Theodore''s chatter, but did not expect that the man would bravely hold Hailee''s hand and force her to stay there when the girl was about to go inside her room.


    "Mr. Gevano, what are you doing here? " Ramon asked in a cold tone, while he pulled Hailee closer to him.


    "I''m talking to Hailee¡­" Theodore answered.


    "Is it true?" Ramon snorted at that.

 Chapter 105: STAY AWAY FROM HER

    <h4>Chapter 105: STAY AWAY FROM HER</h4>


    "Is it true?" Ramon snorted at that, with an unfriendly smile etched on his lips, the heir of the Tordoffs looked very dangerous now.


    Hailee never knew that Ramon was this type of jealousy man, but whatever it was, she felt good that he saw this side to her and felt protected. After all, she had never been jealous before.


    Well, if your only ex- boyfriend is Theodore Gevano, the same person, who had an affair with your sister, it was certain that this guy would never have any interest in Hailee.


    No matter what the reason was.


    However, what made Hailee feel confused now was; why was Theodore asking to have a conversation with her? Even to the point of apologizing, as if he really regretted what he had done. Was he jealous or displeased that Hailee had managed to find a much better man than himself?


    "Yes, Mr. Tordoff, no worries," Theodore said. "Hailee couldn''t possibly turn to another man."


    Even though that was what Theodore said, it was clear that he was mocking Ramon by saying that. Not to mention the way he spoke, which indicated that there was a secret between him and Hailee.


    What a jerk!


    If only Ramon hadn''t heard some of their conversation and didn''t know Hailee very well, he would have thought of the worst.


    Unfortunately, Ramon was not that stupid enough to get into the cheap trap Theodore threw at him.


    With a smile, still on his lips, Ramon kissed Hailee on her forehead and after that he red at Theodore. "Of course. If she got me, there was no way she would nce at another man. At least I know that her taste is amazing."


    Hailee, who heard that, almost hung open her mouth with a stupid expression, if only Ramon didn''t push her gently into the room, she would stay like that for a minute or two.


    "Then, we will go in first. Good evening Mr. Gevano," Ramon said very politely and formally. This of course did not reflect the fact that they would soon be brothers- in-w.


    Before entering the room, Hailee still had time to see the anger in Theodore''s eyes which he was trying to cover up.


    "Good evening, Mr. Tordoff." Theodore used the same tone and sentence to reply to Ramon.


    But the Ramon didn''t even nce at him again when he opened the door to Hailee''s room and deliberately mmed the door very hard right in front of Theodore.


    Even Hailee frowned in surprise, feeling sorry for the door which was not in the wrong whatsoever, but had to be mmed so hard by Ramon.


    Outside of the door, Theodore gasped. It was totally unexpected that Ramon would show his displeasure so clearly.


    It was certain that the two of them would not be on good terms.


    However, Theodore did not have any intention of having a good rtionship with Ramon either, so whatever that man did, it was good to show where they stood from the start.


    "You don''t have to m the door so hard, do you?" Hailee looked at Ramon, who walked into her room and started to look at the room with a frown.


    "So what?" Ramon asked in a casual tone, as if he had done nothing wrong.


    "You can wake up the whole house," Hailee admonished him lightly.


    "Nobody has slept yet," he replied.


    And with that answer, Hailee could only sigh heavily. If she continued, there would be no end, so she preferred to save her energy by being silent.


    "This room is small," Ramon grumbled.


    Small?


    Small your head! Hailee red fiercely.


    Hailee really wanted to scold this man in front of her. How could this guest room be called small?!


    This room was even bigger than her room in the Tatum residence.


    However, if onepared it to Ramon''s room at the Tordoff residence, the size and taste of the selection of the furniture in the room was certainly very different.


    "You can find a hotel if you don''t wanna sleep here, after all, this is my room. Your room is next door." Hailee then walked past Ramon and into her room.


    "Stay at a hotel?" Ramon snorted and poured some mineral water into the ss that had been ced on the table. "And let you reminisce with your ex- fianc¨¦?"


    Hailee rolled her eyes dramatically. "Seriously, you wouldn''t think I would run into his arms when an opportunity arose, would you?"


    "Whatever the reason." Ramon leaned back against a short table in the room and stared at Hailee, his serious face indicating that he meant it whatever he was going to say after this. "You have to know one thing Hailee; I can tolerate anything, but not an affair."


    Had Ramon not been this serious, then Hailee would kindly have leveraged himself with Aidan Smith''s wife, Giana.


    How could Ramon say that while he was having an affair himself? Well, even though he didn''t remember now. But, that didn''t mean the affair didn''t exist, right?


    Actually, Ramon had been asking himself the same thing, how could he get involved in such a scandal with Giana? But, without his memories of thest four years, he couldn''t possibly get any answers.


    "Fine," Hailee said, knowing enough to read the situation and not making anyments about Giana. She didn''t know what kind of angry expression Ramon would show, and Hailee had absolutely no interest in finding out. "But, you sure are confident enough to say that I will not nce at other men, once I have you."


    Hailee tried to break the tense atmosphere between them by throwing light jokes.


    "Is not that what you said a few days ago?" Ramon shrugged his shoulder. "I am just repeating what you said."


    Correct.


    Hailee forgot that she ever said that.


    Ugh! This man ...


    "Ehem!" Hailee cleared her throat, embarrassed to have been reminded by Ramon about her embarrassing words. "I am going to sleep, so you can go to your room now."


    However, Ramon didn''t listen and instead began to take off his clothes and get a towel to shower.


    "What are you doing?" Hailee furrowed her brows in disbelief, seeing how Ramon casually walked into the bathroom half naked. "You can bathe in your own room."


    And just like before, Ramon didn''t listen and closed the bathroom door, making Hailee''sin went to deaf ears.


    Meanwhile, Hailee, who was left alone with Ramon''s clothes that he just discarded on the table, could only sigh and hang the clothes in the wardrobe.


    ==============


    Theodore returned to his room to find Aileen still asleep, her body wrapped in a nket and strands of hair covering part of her face.


    Before this, Theodore had always felt happy whenever he found Aileen by his side, especially after what they had done a few hours ago, but he didn''t feel that way now.


    Maybe it was because the timing was not right, or it was because Theodore was feeling anxious and in a bad mood.


    Seeing how happy Hailee was with Ramon and how that man treated her, made Theodore feel like a fool.


    "Hm?" Aileen muttered sleepily as she felt Theodore''s hand hugging her. Then with a sweet smile on her face, Aileen pressed herself against the man''s body and fell back asleep.


    On the other hand, Theodore looked at Aileen''s face and began to think about the things that would happen between him and Aileen.


    The first thing he had to face was of course the anger of his parents if they found out about this.


    His mother still strongly disapproved his rtionship with Aileen, but his father gave a sign that he did not have any problem with Aileen as his daughter- in-w, provided that Aileen would bring benefits to the Gevano family.


    Especially the Tatum Jewelry''s shares.


    Initially, Theodore strongly opposed the idea, he was sure that what he had with Aileen was love and he didn''t want any business interest in it.


    However, after hearing that Aileen was pregnant with their child and seeing Hailee now, for some reason, he was no longer sure of that impulsive answer.


    A child¡­


    He will be a father ...


    Is that what Theodore wanted now?


    ==============


    "Hey, are you really going to sleep here?" Hailee stabbed Ramon''s back with her index finger.


    They were now sleeping on the same bed, because Ramon said he waszy to change rooms.


    "Hm," Ramon muttered.


    "You can''t sleep here. If Uncle Diego finds out, he will be furious." Hailee reminded him. "He is working in the military."


    "You think he is going to shoot me?" Ramon asked, his eyes still closed and his back facing Hailee.


    "Hm?" Hailee thought. "It won''t go that far, though..."


    "Then there''s nothing to worry about," Ramon said in a light tone. Ignoring the irritated grunts of the girl sleeping beside him. "Besides, what are you afraid of? This isn''t the first time we''ve slept together."


    It''s true, but ...


    "Hey, Ramon ... are you sleeping?" Hailee asked again, again stabbing the man in the back for attention.


    "Yes."


    "If so, how could you answer me?"


    "..."


    Annoyed, Ramon then turned around and found Hailee hiding under a nket, so that only her head could be seen.


    Seeing that sight, Ramon''s irritated gaze softened.


    "What do you want?" he asked.


    "I just want to ask¡­" Hailee hesitated as she was about to say this.


    "And the question is?" Ramon raised his eyebrows, waiting for Hailee''s next words.


    "You¡­" Hailee''s voice became low as she remembered what she was about to ask. "What you said earlier..."


    "What I said earlier?" Ramon frowned, not understanding what Hailee was trying to say. "What do you want to say?"


    Hailee was now hiding half of her face under the nket when she started asking her question. "You said you wanted to have children..."


    There was silence after that, until Ramon spoke up.


    "Then?" Ramon still didn''t understand where Hailee wanted to take this conversation.


    "You want to have children with me?" Hailee felt really embarrassed when she said this. "I don''t know why I keep remembering your words."


    "If not with you, then with whom would I have children?" Ramon lightly hit Hailee''s head. "Do you want me to have a child with another woman?"


    Hearing that, Hailee red and removed the nket. "What?! We are not even married yet and you are already thinking about impregnating another woman?"


    Hailee then took a pillow and started hitting Ramon in annoyance.


    However, luckily Ramon had good reflexes and caught the pillow and ambushed Hailee with ease.


    Now, with her back on the bed, Hailee could see Ramon on top of her.


    "Hailee¡­ you brought up a dangerous topic in the middle of the night," Ramon spoke in husky tone.

 Chapter 106: RAMON!!!

    <h4>Chapter 106: RAMON!!!</h4>


    That said, it was not only a dangerous topic, but their current position was extremely dangerous as well¡­


    Ramon deliberately gripped Hailee''s both wrists with only one hand and raised both hands above her head, rendering the girl unable to move.


    Not to mention the position of Ramon who was now hovering above her. Hailee was indeed in dangerous position.


    "Hailee¡­ you brought up a dangerous topic in the middle of the night like this," Ramon said while tracing Hailee''s jaw with his free hand.


    Oh, my God...


    Hailee wasn''t sure if she could breathe properly, realizing where she was now. How could Ramon do this to her?


    She could feel her throat tighten and also her heart, which was beating very fast. Hailee wondered; can Ramon hear it?


    Because she was sure, the sound of her own heartbeat could now be heard very clearly in her own ears.


    Hailee felt her skin turn hot under Ramon''s touch.


    "I¡­" Hailee bit her lip and looked into Ramon''s eyes which looked much darker. There was no smile on the man''s lips.


    Hailee wanted to turn her gaze to another direction, but somehow her eyes couldn''t stop staring at the almost perfect man, who hovered above her.


    Oh, oh my...


    If this goes on any longer, Hailee felt that something would really happen.


    "What ''I''?" Ramon asked, his upper body leaning forward as he whispered very softly into Hailee''s ear.


    His warm breath tickled Hailee''s sensitive neck, making the hairs on her hands re up and her breath feel tighter by the second.


    Prior to this, Hailee had never had a chance to experience such intimacy, much less an intense situation between Ramon and herself currently.


    In fact, the look in his eyes alone seemed to be able to cut off all her defenses and make her feel so vulnerable and naked.


    Hailee again swallowed hard when she felt the man''s lips brush against her corbone and his grip on her hands, loosened up.


    Now, with two free hands, Ramon rubbed his thumb over Hailee''s lips and made the girl let out a very weak and low voice.


    Hailee waspletely embarrassed and shocked when she heard her own moaning voice, but how Ramon touched her so softly made her embarrassment fly out the window.


    "Ramon¡­" Hailee''s breath caught when the man''s warm and big hand touched her neck. Her eyes were closed and she couldn''t even remember what thest chat they had a few minutes ago.


    It was true what Ramon said, that she had brought up a dangerous topic to discuss at night, especially when the two of them were alone and sharing a bed.


    However, what made Hailee feel even more ashamed of herself was the fact that she didn''t regret it at all.


    Ugh!


    The temptation was unbearable!


    ==============


    Hailee woke up earlier than Ramon, even the sun still didn''te up when she stretched and turned her body to find Ramon very close to her.


    Hailee''s face was right under Ramon''s chin and their bodies were pressing together.


    This was the first time for Hailee, to wake up in the arms of a man. Feels weird but also fun.


    In Ramon''s arms, Hailee felt that she was safe and protected, and it was a great feeling.


    Actually she was a little disappointed that nothing happenedst night like Hailee''s dirty mind imagined.


    They just shared a long kiss and then Ramon withdrew after making Hailee even forget her own name.


    It sucks!


    Why did Ramon get her so excited and then just leave her?!


    And now that Hailee thought about it again, she felt herself being naughty and even more embarrassed than before.


    But, she couldn''t help but be curious, she wanted to know more because she had never had such an intimate experience before.


    The urge was there, and Ramon stopping what he could offer, what they could both share, in the end it was only frustrated Hailee.


    Hailee thought, after Ramon pulled himself off, the two of them would be awkward, but no, Ramon justughed softly when he saw Hailee who was panting with still closed eyes.


    Meanwhile, as soon as Hailee found out that Ramon had ended what they were doing, she tried to hide herself under the nket in embarrassment, but Ramon pulled herself into his arms and enveloped the two of them.


    ''Sleep.''


    That was thest word Ramon said, before he closed his eyes and fell asleep not long after, it seemed like Ramon was very tired after this day.


    However, the same didn''t apply to Hailee, as she stayed up most of the night, just to think about what had really happened between the two of them.


    They almost did it, if Ramon hadn''t stopped in time.


    Well, Hailee was sure that she would voluntarily continue if Ramon wanted to...


    What a shame!


    Hailee cursed herself, then worried herself that Ramon would take her easy.


    But¡­ they are getting married next week, right?


    But, still that is wrong, right?


    But¡­


    And those thoughts kept running through her head all night, until she was tired and finally fell asleep before the sun appeared in the horizon.


    Hailee didn''t expect that when she woke up, she would still be in Ramon''s arms and in the same position. Ramon was still hugging her.


    Therefore, she took advantage of this to observe the face of the man in front of her and admire her future husband, recalling the words Ramon had whispered to her and how Ramon had dealt with Theodorest night.


    And all those memories made Hailee smile and go back to sleep again.


    ==============


    Hailee muttered something vague and rubbed her face roughly when she felt something touch her cheek.


    "How long do you want to sleep?"


    Ramon''s voice echoed in the room and made Hailee, reluctantly, open her eyes to find Ramon neatly dressed, ready for breakfast.


    "Get up, you have to have breakfast before we head home," Ramon said impatiently. It had taken him half an hour to wake Hailee up. "The others are waiting at the dining table." Then Ramon pulled the nket covering Hailee.


    "Five more minutes," Hailee grumbled, still half dreaming. She didn''t want to wake up and stay in bed for the rest of the day.


    "No. Now." Ramon''s voice was firm, but it didn''t have much effect on this sleepy girl.


    Hailee felt like she was just drifting off to sleep when Ramon woke her up. She reallycked sleepst night.


    "Uncle Diego came into this room to call you for breakfast, but I said you were still sleeping." Ramon was now sitting beside the bed and watching Hailee''s reaction after he informed her about that.


    At first, Hailee didn''t react, but when she started to understand the meaning of Ramon''s words, her eyes immediately opened wide.


    She gasped and let out a muffled cry.


    "What are you saying?!" Hailee moved away from Ramon, as if he was a deadly virus. Her eyes were filled with disbelief, staring at this man.


    "I said you are still sleeping," Ramon casually replied, but his smile gave Hailee a bad feeling.


    "Uncle Diego knows you are in my room?!" Hailee half eximed.


    "I didn''t tell him, but I met him when he knocked on the door." Ramon still made a sinless expression when he said that.


    "RAMON!" Hailee eximed in panic.


    "What?" Ramon asked, but from the look in her eyes he could tell what was making Hailee so nervous right now and he liked the change in her face from being scared.


    "You let Uncle Diego know that you slept in my room?!" Hailee closed her mouth, unable to believe the first thing she heard from Ramon this morning. "Then what is his reaction? What did he say? Is he going to shoot you?"


    Hailee began to bombard Ramon with questions.


    "Shoot me? I do not think so. If so, you wouldn''t see me now." Learning from his experiencest night, Ramon immediately took the pillows that were near Hailee and put it away so that she could not reach for them.


    "Then what was his reaction?" Hailee bit her lip nervously and twisted the strands of her hair, a habit she always did when she was feeling restless.


    "He was surprised when he saw me open the door."


    "Then?"


    "Then he asked me if I slept in this roomst night."


    Hailee felt her heart stop beating when she heard that. "Then what did you say?"


    "What do you want me to say?"


    "You should have said no."


    Ramon frowned when he heard that. "Why should I lie?"


    Now it''s Hailee''s turn to shake her head and look at this man in disbelief. "You must be kidding, right? You wouldn''t tell Uncle Diego that we actually slept togetherst night, right?"


    "That''s what I said." Ramon said this honestly and he saw Hailee getting more and more upset. Her eyes searched for a nearby pillow that she could reach to hit Ramon again.


    However, unfortunately Ramon was a step ahead, so there were no more pillows for Hailee to throw.


    "Why did you say that?!" Unable to find the pillows around her, Hailee climbed down the bed and walked over to Ramon, as she tried to grab the pillows that Ramon had dropped to the floor.


    "Then what else should I say?" Ramon then swiftly grabbed Hailee''s body and hugged her so she wouldn''t move.


    At first, Hailee fought back but then she realized that her efforts were in vain, so she let Ramon hug her.


    "Then what did Uncle Diego say?" Hailee asked timidly.

 Chapter 107: BETWEEN AIDAN AND ZIA

    <h4>Chapter 107: BETWEEN AIDAN AND ZIA</h4>


    "Then what did Uncle Diego say?" Hailee asked timidly, biting her lip nervously. Either she was panicking over what Ramon was going to say, or at the fact that this man was hugging her and she could feel his broad chest pressing against her back.


    Ugh!


    Why is her mind so dirty even when it was still so early?!


    Hailee scolded herself, but then she turned serious as Ramon started talking.


    "Do you really want to hear the answer?" Ramon asked, resting his chin on top of Hailee''s head. The gesture is casual, but it was enough to send Hailee''s heart racing again.


    And now, she was like a rabbit who was trapped, looking so obedient, docile and not very naughty.


    Hailee lowered her head and looked at Ramon''s arm that was holding her body, then a smile appeared on her lips when she noticed how close they were.


    "Hm," Hailee muttered, nodding her head, but her eyes didn''t leave Ramon''s hand on her stomach.


    "Your uncle didn''t say much, he just reminded me to always be on the ''safe side'' and not forget to use safety." Ramon shrugged his shoulders nonchntly.


    "Hm?" It took a few seconds for Hailee to digest the words, but then she jumped in surprise. "What?! It was a lie, uncle can''t possibly say that!"


    Hailee immediately turned her body and looked at Ramon with wide eyes in disbelief.


    "He said it," Ramon reiterated his words. "Your uncle is not as scary as you think."


    Hailee winced when she heard Ramon''s words. How could Uncle Diego say such a thing?


    Ramon and Diego just met yesterday and it haven''t been a full twenty- four hours, but his uncle trusted this man so much?


    He was indeed remarkable¡­


    Hailee clicked her tongue in admiration. Ramon sure knew how to attract sympathy from others toward him and despite his quiet nature, he was also able to make others believe him even without any significant effort, as if these were gifts he was born with...


    Really making other people jealous.


    "Then what did you say to Uncle Diego?" Hailee became even more curious.


    "What did I say?" Ramon raised his eyebrows, his face very innocent, as if he had not done anything wrong. "Of course I said ''sure''."


    "Ramon!" Hailee hit the guy''s chest, not hard enough, but making Ramonugh softly at her reaction. "How could you agree with Uncle Diego''s words? Why don''t you exin that you insisted on sleeping in my room and we didn''t do anything?"


    "Because he didn''t ask," Ramon said lightly, as if it was an obvious fact and Hailee didn''t have to ask any more.


    What the hell was wrong with this man!


    "Ramon, it''s very embarrassing!" Hailee hit Ramon''s chest again, but this time, the man caught her hand. "How can I face Uncle Diego after this?" she grimaced at the thought how her uncle would look at her.


    "It is your business, not mine," Ramon answered and gave the sweetest smile Hailee had ever seen.


    If only Hailee hadn''t been mad at him like this, she would have felt her heart beat very fast again and her face would have been flushed hot by now.


    However, not this time, when she remembered how embarrassing it was to face Uncle Diegoter, the butterflies, which would flutter in her stomach at the sight of such a beautiful smile died suddenly.


    "Don''t smile like that at me! You should have exined to Uncle Diego the truth!" Hailee then bit Ramon''s hand that was holding hers, quite roughly, indicating how annoyed she was.


    And just like the previous incident, Ramon only frowned, this man''s endurance in enduring pain, was really very high... and when Hailee didn''t release her bite, he pinched Hailee''s nose and made her unable to breathe, so she couldn''t help but let go of Ramon''s arm from the grip of her teeth.


    "If you want to exin, you can exinter after we have breakfast." Ramon then nced at the shape of Hailee''s teeth marks which were clearly imprinted on the skin of his hands, then got up from the bed and threw the pillow that was on the floor at Hailee, who was busy frowning. "Hurry up and get down to breakfast, we have to go home. I have got a lot of things to deal with."


    What kind of advice is that?! How could Hailee exin that to Uncle Diego? How should one start such a conversation?!


    Before the pillow could hit Hailee in the face, she caught it, but then she threw it again at Ramon, who dodged it with ease.


    "Ramon, you are so annoying!" Hailee eximed irritably.


    "I know," Ramon said lightly and walked out of the room, leaving Hailee alone, grumbling.


    ==============


    Hailee came down for breakfast after twenty minutes. She couldn''t decide whether she should have breakfast or not after what Uncle Diego found out.


    At first, Hailee thought that she woulde down when they were going to leave, but that would be very rude, considering there were great aunt Emelyn and great uncles Derek and Ed.


    Besides, if Hailee avoided breakfast, Uncle Diego would be overthinking the situation between Ramon and her.


    So here was Hailee, descending the stairs very carefully, as if she could buy time forever by doing that.


    As soon as Hailee got to the dining room, there was already everyone except Aileen and Theodore, who sheter found out, had left without having breakfast together, because Theodore seemed to have an important meeting in the morning that he had to attend.


    It was a really good idea actually¡­ Hailee and Ramon should have done that too¡­


    But, it was toote¡­ now Hailee must face them all and also Uncle George, who twisted his face in a very annoying expression, as well as his wife who immediately mocked Hailee the moment she saw her.


    "You got up sote," Alena, George''s wife,mented as soon as she saw the figure of Hailee entering the dining room.


    Hailee tried to ignore thement and immediately sat down on the empty chair next to Ramon, throwing a sweet greeting to everyone except Alena.


    If Hailee and Diego''s rtionship is not that close because Diego is often absent and spends a lot of time in his military, then Hailee and George''s rtionship is not good because the girl doesn''t like his whole family.


    Whether it''s Alena, his wife or Arvin, their son who is only two years older than Hailee.


    "How can you get married if you wake up always in the afternoon like this?" Alena didn''t stopmenting, especially when she was tantly ignored.


    As for Arvin, he did not make the slightestment because currently his focus is only on games on his cellphone. He didn''t care about the tension at the dining table at all.


    "You should have gotten up earlier to prepare breakfast for Ramon." George replied. "Show that women from the Tatum family are very good at managing the household."


    Hailee nced irritably at George. Of course she always woke up early and often prepared breakfast for Ramon, she even cooked dinner for the two of them.


    But, they don''t have to know about it.


    And when Hailee wanted to reply to George and Alena''s words, Ramon cupped his hand over Hailee''s, a subtle gesture to stop her from saying anything.


    "Hailee doesn''t have to get up early to do all that," Ramon said quietly, taking a leisurely sip of his coffee. "We have more than enough servants just to make breakfast. She just needs to do what she wants."


    Alena snorted at that. "Of course the servant can do all that, but as a wife it should be Hailee''s job to serve her husband."


    "I would prefer Hailee to ''serve me'' in another aspects," Ramon replied. From the way he spoke, it could be heard that he was hinting at another meaning of the word ''serve'' and that caught the attention of the people at the dinner table.


    After all, they had been in the domestic life for years and of course they knew what Ramon meant.


    Hailee and Diego choked at the same time as soon as Ramon finished saying the double meaning sentence.


    Ramon is a devil!


    "You are okay?" Ramon handed Hailee a tissue and patted her shoulder gently. "Be careful? while drinking," he warned, like a caring husband.


    On the other hand, Hailee could only stare fiercely at Ramon, but did not dare to say anything that could disturb the atmosphere, or give any other impression to these elders of the Tatum family.


    At first nce, Hailee could see great aunt Emelyn ncing at her meaningfully and Hailee felt the urge to exim.


    That was not what it means!


    ==============


    Zia woke up when she heard the sound of her cell phone ringing softly in the still too dark morning.


    Her hand came out of the nket, felt around the edge of the short table beside the bed and found the t object.


    Even without seeing who the caller was, Zia knew who was calling her this early.


    It was her father.


    Zia lied when she said that she would be back before midnight, when in fact, she was staying with a man instead.


    The man she has been dating for almost three years and is now sleeping beside her.


    "Who?" Aidan''s sleepy voice could be heard.


    "Shut up, it''s my father." Zia then slid a virtual button on her cell phone screen to receive her father''s call, while Aidan is wide awake beside her.


    The man then took Zia''s cellphone and pressed the loudspeaker button so he could listen to what Diego would say to his daughter.


    At first, Zia wanted to protest, but with her father''s voice shouting loudly from the telephone line, asking her whereabouts, Zia abandoned her intention and let Aidan hold the cellphone while she rested her head on his broad chest.


    "Dad, don''t worry, I stayed over at a friend''s house, when I wanted go back home, it was veryte and there were no taxis, so I decided to stay at Hana''s house." Zia mentioned the name of a friend she didn''t even have.


    And the dispute continued for the next few minutes, which ended with Zia promising toe home before lunch.


    After confirming that the telephone line was cut off, Zia immediately got out of bed.


    "Where are you going?" Aidan asked, he also immediately got out of bed and put on his boxers which were lying on the floor.


    "Going home, didn''t you hear what my father said earlier?" Zia replied curtly.


    "I will take you," Aidan decided, but then Zia turned and looked him straight in the eye.


    "Aidan, we have to end all of this," Zia said firmly.

 Chapter 108: HAILEES PLAN FOR AILEEN

    <h4>Chapter 108: HAILEE''S PLAN FOR AILEEN</h4>


    "Aidan, we have to end all of this," Zia said firmly, she stretched out her hand to hold back Aidan who was approaching her.


    However, the man did not heed these few words from her and chose to voice out his own.


    "Want to take a bath together?" Aidan asked, smiling as if the call from Diego had never happened at all.


    "Aidan, I am serious," Zia said sternly, she raised her head and immediately regretted it because she could see this man''s happy face and had to bite her lip to be able to defend her decision. "We have to end all of this."


    Aidan then took a deep breath, not knowing what else to do with Zia or how to respond now, so he grabbed her hand that was holding his chest.


    "Zia, you have said that sentence a dozen times already," Aidan stated the facts.


    Zia had intended to end their rtionship a long time ago, even when she heard that Aidan was going to marry Giana, but as days went by, they found that they didn''t want to separate.


    Now here they were, spending the night, sharing warmth with one another regardless of their status out there, which made this rtionship a disgrace.


    In this hotel room, where there were only the two of them, Aidan only wanted himself and Zia, not Aidan as the heir to the elitepany of the Smith family, or himself as Giana''s husband, as the public knew.


    "But, this time I am serious," Zia said, her voice trembling a little, but she was staring straight at this man in front of her. "I can''t stay in a rtionship like this Aidan. This rtionship will end sooner orter."


    "Why do we have to end this rtionship?" Aidan looked at Zia cluelessly.


    "Why do we have to end this rtionship?" Zia repeated Aidan''s words fiercely. "You don''t think I intend to be your mistress forever, do you?" she narrowed her eyes.


    And, a crystal clear answer could be seen in Aidan''s eyes. This is an undeniable fact.


    "I want to have a real rtionship." Zia shook off Aidan''s hand that was holding hers.


    "But, what we have is real. My feelings for you are real," Aidan insisted.


    It was just that Zia didn''t listen to him, she then rephrased her words. "I want to show the guy I am dating to my friends as well as my family, I want to start thinking about the future and build a family too. You are so selfish if you think you are going to keep me forever in this affair. It is not fair to me, or to you and even more so, for Giana." Zia could feel the pain in her heart when she said the name Giana.


    Aidan''s jaw clenched tightly when he heard his wife''s name. "You think Giana will care if I go out with another woman?" Aidan''s voice sounded like a whisper. "You think she doesn''t have any affairs out there?"


    "That is your business," Zia said, gritting her teeth to hold back the tears that almost fell down her cheeks. Just this time, Zia wanted to be strong for herself and get out of this toxic rtionship. "And I don''t want to continue this anymore, this is ourst meeting."


    Zia then pushed Aidan''s body away and intended to hurry into the bathroom, she didn''t want Aidan to see her crying and shaking her decision again.


    It was really hard to leave the person you really love when they loves you too, it was just that sometimes situations wouldn''t allow them to be together.


    Aidan swiftly pulled Zia into his arms and rested his chin on the girl''s shoulder, hugging her from behind. He knew that this rtionship always hurt Zia, but he didn''t want to let her go. "What can I do to make you want to stay with me?" Aidan asked in Zia''s ear, his voice like someone who was in despair.


    Zia was silent, her dark eyes staring at the sturdy arm that hugged her waist. "Divorce Giana and marry me."


    Aidan sighed. He had expected that Zia would put this condition forward and he also knew why he couldn''t do it. It was not that he didn''t love Zia, but there are other serious reasons he should consider if he were to end his marriage to Giana.


    Their two families were too strong and if anything happened to both heir, there would be a big oue that they needed to ovee and that would be the ugliest things that they had to face.


    The consequences were too dire for both family andpany.


    "Give me another condition," Aidan said regretfully. "You know that I can''t do that."


    Zia should have known that Aidan would notply with her request, but still, the pain she felt was not any less.


    Then, with one violent jolt, Zia released herself from Aidan. "Then, I can''t see a future for both of us," she said coldly before she went into the bathroom and stayed there until an hour had passed and the water in her bath had turned cold.


    However, when Zia finally walked out she didn''t feel any better.


    On the balcony, Zia found Aidan on the phone, discussing business matters with someone, and took the moment to quickly leave the room without Aidan knowing.


    ==============


    Ramon''s words while they were having breakfast, in reply to Alena, were still ringing in Hailee''s ears, and she couldn''t help but feel a little awkward and embarrassed.


    But, not in a bad sense.


    Hailee liked how Ramon replied to Alena, but it was the meaning behind his sentence that made this girl have to bite her lip so as not to smile like a fool.


    Only, she didn''t want to show this to Ramon. Perhaps, this was the reason why women were very difficult to be understood.


    Because sometimes they also don''t understand what they want.


    Example; how Hailee was feeling right now. She didn''t even know whether to show her joy or to pretend she did not like Ramon''s initiative.


    Ugh!


    What a pain!


    Hailee just did not want Ramon to think nonsense about her...


    "Your lips will hurt if you bite them too hard," Ramonmented.


    Unknown to Hailee, Ramon had noticed the expression on her face that changed every two seconds on their way back to town A.


    It was not that Ramon was obsessed with staring at his future wife, it was just thatpared to the traffic jam outside, he felt Hailee''s expressive face was much more pleasant.


    Meanwhile, when she heard Ramon''sment, Hailee immediately turned her head and put on a fierce face. "I am still pissed off at you."


    "What else are you upset about?" Ramon asked, as if he didn''t know. "I am helping you, right?"


    "You don''t need to help me, I can reply to Alena''s words," Hailee grumbles.


    "But, my method is more effective," Ramon said proudly.


    "But, you words made an impression¡­" Hailee didn''t continue her words and looked back at the window, frowning.


    "What kind of impression does they make?" Ramon asked, persuading Hailee that she would continue her sentence.


    But, after a while Hailee was still interested in staring out the window, Ramon then shifted in his seat and cupped Hailee''s face in his big palms.


    Ramon''s palms were cold against Hailee''s cheeks, but this girl loved his touch.


    "Listen," Ramon said softly and clearly. "You will be my wife. If someone insults you, then I will feel like my pride is being trampled on and I will not let anyone do anything like that. You also have to know how to take care of yourself."


    Hailee listened carefully. "What if I get into troubleter?"


    "You intend to cause trouble?" Ramon frowned.


    "What if I fight them and you get involved?" Hailee corrected her sentence and exined it to Ramon.


    "How bad do you think I will have to fare?" Ramon frowned.


    And only then did Hailee realize; if Ramon could destroy Rnd Dimatrio''s career, the district attorney, because he bravely kidnapped Hailee, then what kind of impact could possibly trouble Ramon?


    "Very well," Hailee answered softly.


    Ramon nodded in satisfaction as Hailee finally understood. Geez, this girl should know how much influence she would have when she would finally bear the name Tordoff after her name.


    "Besides, I did not say anything wrong," Ramon then leaned back against the back of the seat. "What is wrong with you serving me?"


    "Ramon!" Hailee growled in annoyance that he was bringing up the incident again.


    However, then Hailee got a little naughty idea.


    While pretending to hit Ramon, Hailee approached him and¡­ she pressed her lips against Ramon''s cor, which automatically left a lipstick mark there.


    Ramon didn''t realize it, but people who saw it would immediately know it was a woman''s lipstick smudge and would start thinking nonsense. That''s very human ...


    Hailee smiled in satisfaction. She would call Lexuster to find out what rumor the lipstick stain had stirred.


    Charlie, their driver, drove Ramon to the office first and it was not until after driving Hailee home that he could go back.


    When Hailee finally got home, she immediately remembered her other n. And there is only one person who she thought can help her.


    "Ian!" Hailee eximed happily when she heard her friend''s voice. And after listening to some of Ian''s nagging about contacting him only now, Hailee immediately stated her main intention. "Do you know the journalist for that famous gossip magazine? I have some great news that I want to publish."

 Chapter 109: HAILEES PLAN AND LEXUS REPORT

    <h4>Chapter 109: HAILEE''S PLAN AND LEXUS'' REPORT</h4>


    "Do you know any journalist who is working for a gossip magazine? I have a super juicy headline that I want to publish," Hailee asked Ian when the man was done grumbling because Hailee didn''t call him soon.


    "After all this time you didn''t tell me what happened between you and Ramon, but you called me to ask about a journalist for a gossip magazine?" Ian''s voice still sounded annoyed.


    Not only did Hailee just tell him that she was still alive and would soon marry Ramon Tordoff next week, but also Hailee had just interfered his sleeping time.


    Understandably, when the sun was just rising, it was Ian time to sleep after his work every night.


    Hailee did tell him that she was going to marry Ramon, but she didn''t give the exact date and Ian found out about this from the news on television.


    Therefore, it was quite annoyed the man to know that he was the one who didn''t hear any news about it, though he was close with her.


    "What do you want to do? What news do you want to publish?" Ian asked suspiciously. He knew Hailee well enough to say that this girl had some absurd n in mind.


    If only Hailee wasn''t from the Tatum family and she wasn''t engaged to Theodore at the time, which made her hold back a little, then nothing would be able to curb her ''naughtiness''.


    Even though this girl looks cute and innocent from the outside, but when her ''bad side'' appears, she can even embarrass the devil with her crazy ideas.


    Even now, Ian still found it difficult to follow Hailee''s sometimes unreasonable and shocking way of thinking.


    "Answer my question first," Hailee said as she ate the fruit that had been cut by one of the servants at the Tordoff house.


    "Wait a minute," Ian muttered as he tried to remember of the many acquaintances he knew, whether any of them was a journalist. "I think there is ... but, he is not a journalist for a gossip magazine."


    Hailee frowned and asked, "Then?"


    "Business magazine," Ian told him. "More specifically, his line of work involves diamonds and precious stones. I think your family might know this man."


    Since Hailee''s family is in the same field, Ian thought Hailee must have heard his name.


    "Who?"


    "Ben. Ben Kingston." Ian remembered his name because he had recently met him.


    Hailee tilted her head, she did hear the name, but didn''t really know Ben Kingston personally.


    However, this seemed much better. "Okay, can you connect me with this Ben?"


    "Wait a minute Hailee¡­ what are you going to do? You won''t do anything stupid, right?" Ian felt worried, now he got up from the hospital sofa, the ce where he was waiting for his younger sister. By the time he got in, his younger sister was sleeping, thus he also chose to sleep on the sofa in the room until Hailee woke him up.


    "Trust me, there is nothing stupid about what I am going to do." Hailee reassured Ian, but a wicked smile was etched on her lips.


    "I couldn''t trust you when you say something so assuredly," Ian said, squinting his eyes as if Hailee was in front of him.


    "By the way, how do you know this Ben Kingston?" Hailee tried to distract Ian and change the subject.


    "He is a visitor to the arena, he is a gambler." Ian exined briefly, because Hailee didn''t need to know the details. "And don''t change the subject Hailee, you can''t do this to me."


    Haileeughed at that. Ian, when curious, was very difficult to divert, therefore, she had no other choice but to answer honestly about her ns. "Alright ... alright ... so, this is ..."


    And after that, Hailee spent the next hour talking to Ian.


    After their chat was over, Hailee immediately went up to her room and changed into lounge wear which were much morefortable.


    Meanwhile, her cell phone beeped, indicating an iing message. It must be Ian, sending Ben Kingston''s number to her.


    However, before Hailee could call the reporter, she first had to call someone else.


    In one smooth motion, Haileeid on her stomach on her bed and picked up her cell phone to call Lexus.


    While waiting for the man to pick up the phone, a smile slowly crept on to Hailee''s lips. She couldn''t wait to hear his future brother- in-w''sments.


    "Hello?" Lexus said hello. "You are not calling the wrong number, right? Why did you call me?"


    Haileeughed at Lexus''sments. "Of course not. I miss you, we haven''t seen each other for a few days."


    Lexus rolled his eyes dramatically at that statement. "If you miss me, cook me something."


    "I have news that is much better than food," Hailee said in a mysterious tone and turned around. "It is about Ramon."


    Hearing that, Lexus''s eyes lit up, the gossip side inside him started to tingle and he listened intently to what Hailee had to say. "What? What?"


    "Have you met Ramon this afternoon?" Hailee asked, making sure Lexus didn''t know about the lipstick stain on his brother''s cor.


    "Not yet," Lexus said, shaking his head and growing more curious because this involved his brother. "I am nning to go to his room after I finish a document he asked for. What is wrong?"


    Then Hailee revealed about the lipstick stain and the reason why she did it.


    "He really embarrassed me at breakfast, you know¡­" Hailee muttered, listening to Lexusughing out loud.


    "My brother actually said that?" he asked between hisughter. "I can''t believe he said something like that."


    "So far, what kind of a person is Ramon?" Hailee asked carefully, not wanting to make Lexus suspicious. She really wanted to know what the real Ramon was like, because every time she was with him, Ramon repeatedly shattered her expectations about the image of a sessful young businessman with a cold personality.


    Who would have thought that Ramon had an affair with Giana Smith?


    Therefore, Hailee wanted to know more about Ramon. If Giana had the courage toe to Ramon''s office and confront him, then it was very likely that she would do the same in the future and Hailee didn''t want anyone else to interfere with her domestic life.


    Maybe it is time for Hailee to pay extra attention to this matter.


    "To be sure, Ramon is not the one to utter such words," Lexus said and began to mumble. "I should have been there and heard firsthand how my brother was defending you."


    Hailee couldn''t help but smile. Even though she was a little annoyed and embarrassed earlier, but when she thought about it again, it felt cute when Ramon did that for her.


    "If he is like that to you, then he thinks you are special," Lexus said, which made Hailee''s smile even wider.


    Afterward, they had some small talk, mostly Lexus who asked about what strange behavior his brother had been with Hailee at the Tatum residence.


    Of course, Hailee only said things they could talk about and didn''t bring up overly sensitive issues.


    They gossiped for a few minutes, until Hailee ended the call because she remembered that she still had to call Ben Kingston.


    "Don''t worry, I will report what happened at the officeter," Lexus promised. "This is definitely going to be fun, it has been a while since something nice happened at the office." He giggled in amusement, imagining how Ramon''s expression would look like when he found out what his future wife had done.


    After that, the line went dead and Hailee proceeded to call Ben Kingston.


    ==============


    After hanging up the call, Lexus quickly finished his work and rushed to get to Ramon''s study.


    He just walked in without knocking on the door first and made his brother lift his head from behind theptop in front of him.


    "This is what you asked for," Lexus said cheerfully and then sat across from Ramon leaning forward to catch a glimpse of the lipstick stain Hailee had left.


    Hailee said that she kissed Ramon''s right side of the cor, so it should be still noticeable.


    But, after paying close attention, Lexus frowned, because he didn''t see what he was looking for.


    "What are you doing?" Ramon, who realized that Lexus was staring at him intently, stopped his activities and looked at his younger brother with a frown. "If you are done, you can go."


    "Ah¡­ that¡­" Lexus made excuses to stay there a little longer and continued looking at Ramon, it was just that, his brother asked a question that he didn''t expect and Lexus reflexively answered it.


    "You are here to check the lipstick stain on my cor?" asked Ramon suddenly.


    "Yes," Lexus replied instinctively, but then he raised his hand and shook his head violently. "No, no, for what?" he asked frantically, as he realized that he had exposed his main purpose.


    On the other hand, Ramon squinted at the sight of Lexus''s obvious reaction. "You can tell Hailee to stop ying tricks like this. If she wants to repay me, do well."


    Ramon had noticed the lipstick stain right after Hailee kissed the cor of his shirt, only he didn''t say anything and let the girl think that she could get her revenge like this.


    Therefore, the first thing Ramon did when he got to his office was to rece the white shirt with a new one.


    Ramon always had several sets of clothes in the spare room in his office, to anticipate things like this.


    And the lipstick stained clothes were now hanging nicely in the closet in his private room.


    On the other hand, hearing that, the corner of Lexus'' mouth twitched. This couple is really weird...


    "So, what are you waiting for?" Ramon raised his eyebrows at Lexus. "Are you so free that you need additional work?"


    "You always threaten me like that!" Lexus grumbled, but then he stood up and stepped out of Ramon''s study.


    Lexus then immediately called Hailee as soon as he closed the door behind him and the girl picked up the phone on the third ring.


    "Your mission failed, Ramon knows and now he''s changed his clothes." Lexus reported his findings to Hailee and could hear sighs and grunts from the other side of the line.


    But, before he could say anything else, suddenly the door behind him opened and the figure of Ramon appeared from it.


    "You startled me!" Lexus almost cursed in front of Ramon. It could be so bad if those swear words left his lips.


    But, without saying anything, Ramon just took the cellphonefrom Lexus, as if he knew who he was calling, and coolly said in a deep voice.


    "I will pick you up at seven."

 Chapter 110: TEASING RAMON

    <h4>Chapter 110: TEASING RAMON</h4>


    Hailee was listening to Lexus who was just conveying that her n to prank Ramon didn''t work because the man found out beforehand and had now changed his clothes.


    However, in the middle of her conversation with Lexus, Hailee heard Ramon''s voice telling herself to get ready.


    "I will pick you up at seven." Ramon told Hailee, as if he could know for sure that the person who was currently on the phone with Lexus was his future wife.


    How could he have such strong intuition?


    "Seven o''clock? What is the matter?" Hailee asked after she had ovee her shock at the sudden invitation.


    "I have a dinner to attend, so make sure that you are ready when Ie to pick you up," Ramon said again. Not saying anything about what Hailee had done to him.


    "Oh¡­ alright¡­" Hailee answered slowly, still not understanding why Ramon suddenly asked her to tag along for a dinner.


    However, before Hailee could ask any further questions, came the sounds of a brief conversation between Ramon and Lexus.


    "You want to take Hailee to the event tonight? Didn''t you say, you wouldn''t go?" Lexus asked Ramon curiously.


    "I changed my mind," she heard Ramon reply briefly before finally hearing the sound of the door closing.


    "What is wrong?" Hailee asked from the otherside of the phone. Feeling curious about what program Ramon wanted to attend that he had to change his decision. "What program did Ramon mean?"


    Lexus pressed his cellphone to his ear, but this time he walked into his office, not wanting to be bothered again.


    "It is a charity dinner by the Smith family," Lexus told Hailee.


    "The Smith family?" Hailee frowned. She felt that the family name was familiar. It was not that Smith is one of the five most respected families in town A, but it looked like she knew someone with thest name Smith¡­ or is it just her imagination?


    "Yes." Lexus closed the door behind him and slumped himself on the soft sofa in his office. "They always hold a charity auction once a year. Usually Ramon asks me to attend, but as you heard earlier, he wants to attend the event himself. Even though I have chosen the attire for tonight ... "


    And the grumbling Lexus could no longer be heard by Hailee when she remembered, who she knew with thest name Smith.


    Actually, it was not someone she really knew ... but, this woman would definitely haunt her days in the future.


    Giana Smith.


    She was the woman who had an affair with Ramon before the ident.


    Then, why did Ramon want to attend the auction? Was he nning to meet Giana Smith?


    But, then, why would Ramon ask her to tag along? Wouldn''t it be easier if he had gone to the event himself if he wanted to talk to Giana Smith in private?


    After realizing this, Hailee immediately came out of her room and half ran to Ramon''s study and opened herptop. She had to find out more about this Giana Smith.


    When you are about to enter a battle it is best if you arm yourself with whatever you have and for Hailee, knowing as much as possible about Giana Smith, can help her to deal with the unexpected.


    "Hey! Can you still hear me?" Lexus called Hailee after he didn''t hear any answer from her.


    "Yes, I am still here ... continue, what more do you know about Giana Smith?" Hailee focused her attention on theptop screen in front of her with the cellphone next to theptop.


    "Why do you want to know about Giana Smith?" Lexus frowned. Feeling weird with that question.


    "Because she''s going to be the auctioneer, right?" Hailee found a random reason.


    Although the reason was not very believable, but it seemed like Lexus did not pay attention to that aspect because shortly afterward he started vomiting all the information he knew about the Smith family.


    "So, this is ..." and their conversationsted for a long time with Hailee ended up knowing some things that were not known to the public but only a handful of people were aware of these little secrets.


    ==============


    At first, Hailee thought she would spend the whole day choosing the right dress for her to wear to the auction tonight.


    At the very least, Hailee knew what to wear after talking to Lexus, who told her that she had to wear a dress because Ramon didn''t say anything in their brief phone chat.


    However, when it was gettingte in the afternoon, someone came to deliver a package from one of the boutiques, which was epted by Martha.


    Martha then brought the dress which was still wrapped in stic to Hailee''s room with a beaming smile, as if the dress was for her.


    "This must be from Mr. Tordoff!" Martha eximed happily, her face looking much more enthusiastic than Hailee''s and this made herugh.


    "Stay here," Hailee said as Martha was about to go out of the room.


    Without being told twice, Martha walked back into the room, as if she had been waiting for Hailee to ask her to stay put.


    "This must be a very pretty dress," Martha said, her tone filled with admiration, before she even saw what type of dress Ramon had sent for Hailee.


    Hailee carefully untied the golden rope and slowly opened the stic.


    Inside, was not just a dress, but a blue velvet box as well.


    But, Hailee chose to open the boxter, because right now, her focus was entirely attracted by the cute ck dress in front of her.


    "Wow¡­" Martha sighed in admiration, looking at the dress, her eyes could not leave the dress when Hailee, carefully, lifted it for a better look.


    The dress reached her ankles, but had a high slit on the left. The top of the neck extends to the chest area, covered in matching colored brocade, giving it a dreamy impression.


    The brocade covered upto arms which was only limited to the elbow. The dress was really pretty. Not giving the impression of overly revealing, but still elegant and ssy.


    After admiring the dress, Hailee didn''t need to guess that it was a dress from a well- known boutique she knew, just by looking at the logo on the stic wrap, Hailee could imagine how much money would have to be spent to get the dress in her hand.


    Carefully, Hailee put the dress back down and then switched to opening the box that had been sent together.


    The velvet colored box felt so smooth when Hailee touched it and when she opened the box, Martha moved closer to see what was in it.


    And the butler''s reaction reflected Hailee''sthought perfectly.


    "This is so amazing ..." Martha clicked her tongue. "Miss Hailee, Mr. Tordoff loves you very much. He is totally spoiling you with these things."


    Hailee couldn''t answer that with certainty. Whether Ramon really loved her or not, but she certainly enjoyed hearing Martha''s statement.


    Inside the velvet box, were a pair of earrings and a ne, as well as a ring toplete Hailee''s appearance forter.


    ==============


    Due to a delivery error, Ramon''s clothes, which were supposed to be delivered to the office, were delivered to the house and this resulted in Ramon having to return two hours early to get ready.


    As for Hailee¡­ she had already finished her make- up and hair do, so all she had to do was put on her ck dress.


    Therefore, here was Hailee now, sitting on the sofa in Ramon''s room while waiting for the man toe out of the bathroom.


    "Ramon, why are you suddenly inviting me toe to this auction?" Hailee asked when she saw Ramon stepping out of the bathroom in his bathrobe.


    For a moment, Ramon looked surprised to see Hailee in his room, but then he rxed and continued his activities while answering Hailee''s question.


    "I don''t remember thest time I attended an event like this, but it looks like I should meet a few more colleagues, maybe that way, my memories cane back soon." Ramon answered while drying his hair with a towel in his hand, while the attire he was going to wear was neatly palced on the bed.


    "Meeting colleagues?" Hailee pursed her lips. "Don''t you want to meet Giana?" She immediately asked the thing that was in her heart.


    "No," Ramon answered honestly.


    However, Hailee thought that he was just avoiding the question.


    "Ramon!" Hailee immediately rose from the sofa and approached the man, she sat on the edge of the bed with her arms folded in front of her chest. "We are not married yet and you intend to have an affair?! Wait¡­ " she realized something. "You already have an affair with that woman named Giana Smith." Hailee snorted in disgust.


    "If I intend to do that, I will not take you with me."


    It was the same reason Hailee thought before. "So you are only going to meet your business colleagues?"


    "Yes," Ramon answered curtly and pushed Hailee aside as he picked up his clothes. "And don''t do anything weird."


    "Weird like what?" Hailee asked with a sullen expression.


    "Like kissing my cor," Ramon set an example and these words make Hailee grimace, remembering her failed attempt.


    "Then just don''t wear any clothes, I like you more like this," Hailee said softly, ncing at the man, but in the next second she was already running out of the room, to save her life, in case Ramon had an idea that involved the two of them only.

 Chapter 111: THE AUCTION!

    <h4>Chapter 111: THE AUCTION!</h4>


    At exactly eight o''clock, the car driven by Hailee and Ramon arrived at a well- known hotel in town A. It was a luxurious hotel with decorations from the eighteenth century, giving off an artistic and luxurious feel at the same time.


    As a gentleman, Ramon got out of the car first and opened the car door for Hailee, reaching out a hand to help her and smiled very sweetly, as if he was in love with the girl in the ck dress, when several camera shes were pointed at them.


    Yeah, yeah¡­ he was just putting an act.


    Hailee grimaced, a little annoyed knowing that those smiles and loving gazes weren''t quite as sincere as they seemed, but what could she do aside from keeping up?


    Surprisingly, Ramon Tordoff was quite good to put an act.


    She cracked a smile until her eyes curled like crescent moons, and took Ramon''s hand while narrowing her eyes slightly as the shes from the reporters'' cameras dazzled her.


    "You did not tell me that there would be a lot of reporters at this ce," Hailee whispered to Ramon, pressing herself closer to him, but a smile was still on her lips.


    "You have to start getting used to this then," Ramon said in a low voice while walking slowly, to keep pace with Hailee who was wearing high heels high enough to keep herself from looking too short beside this man.


    Hailee insisted on wearing high heels to entuate her usual height, just to make her look a little towering if she has to face Giana.


    You know, despite Ramon''s reasoning that they were here just for this charity auction and meeting some colleagues that Ramon hadn''t seen for a long time because he mostly would not attend events like this, Hailee felt like she had to look her best when she was attending a same event with your partner''s ex presence too.


    You know, a woman''spetitive spirit will be summoned every time you are on a scoop show with a woman who has been in a rtionship with your boyfriend.


    Even now, they still haven''t really ended their rtionship, have they?


    Therefore, Hailee became very defensive knowing Giana would be attending too.


    And one of the things she learned is; You will feel more confident if you are taller than the other person, giving the impression of dominance.


    And as long as Hailee remembered, (referring to theirst meeting), Giana is quite tall for a normal woman, she is almost like a model and this annoyed Hailee very much.


    It was strange and ridiculous indeed, but Hailee did not even want to lose in terms of height to that woman.


    "The event should have started, right?" Hailee asked again, ncing at the watch that curled up nicely around her wrist.


    Even with the heels that Hailee is wearing now, Ramon still has to bend a little to speak into her ears, oveing the buzz around them.


    Most of the reporters in the city came over to cover this prestigious auction, but when they saw the Ramon and Hailee couple, they suddenly turned into paparazzi for gossip magazines, because after all they were both currently very famous in society and no one expected that Ramon wille, even more so with Hailee.


    This was a news that was very worthy of coverage.


    Therefore, the atmosphere which was busy and controlled beforehand, suddenly became a little rowdy with the questions the reporters raised about Ramon and Hailee''s rtionship. It had absolutely nothing to do with this auction.


    However, with tight security, they could efficiently control the situation as the couple then entered the event hall without experiencing significant disturbances.


    "No problem, they are just starting their introductions now," Ramon said, ncing at his own watch. They weren''t actuallyte, their timing was just right but Hailee always thought you had toe at least ten minutes early for an event.


    "Oh," Hailee muttered and saw two people manning arge golden brown door, opening the door for them with a respectful greeting and a big smile.


    And beyond that door, Hailee could see the overall fantastic decoration of the hall¡­


    By the time they entered, the lighting in the room had been slightly dimmed and there was a young man who immediately recognized Ramon and led him to the seat that had been prepared for him, at the very front of the line.


    Even in such darkness, Hailee could still see some of the decorations of the room and the stage ahead, which looked so amazingly impressive with the red drapes and some real tree decorations, that it resembled a small garden. Maybe that''s the concept ...


    A young woman was talking on the stage with the spotlight shining on her.


    Seeing this, Hailee winced a little, maybe the cost of the entire auction event could reach several digits, which if donated would be very huge of help itself.


    But, of course it was all worth it, if it were not for this kind of extraordinary publicity, how could people like Ramon and some other sessful businessmene to this event? And buy items that will be auctioned off at a price that is certainly extraordinarily expensive.


    "Please¡­" the young man pointed out the two sofas at the very front and after making sure Ramon and Hailee did not need anything else, he left after saying a few ''obligatory sentences''.


    Hailee then pulled out a bottle of mineral water when she satfortably on her sofa. Apparently, the excessive attention she received earlier, made Hailee feel nervous.


    "What will you buy from this auction?" Hailee asked as she tried to open her mineral water bottle, which seemed to take some extra effort.


    "I don''t know, there is nothing significant that I want," Ramon said, stretching out his hand and taking the mineral water bottle from Hailee''s hand before opening it with utmost ease.


    Once opened, he put the bottle back in Hailee''s hands and took out his cell phone, checking the links that showcased the items for sale at tonight''s auction.


    Meanwhile, next to him, Hailee was smiling because of Ramon''s swift gesture and enjoying the mineral water which felt much more soothing.


    "Go through these, see if there is anything you like." Ramon gave his cellphone to Hailee and leaned back against the back of the sofa. Looking rxed and not really paying attention to the course of the event, especially when the young woman on stage was still busy giving lip servicing words that weren''t really appealing to Ramon.


    Hailee then put down her water bottle and took out Ramon''s cell phone, going through the items that were going to be sold tonight, which were almost either art or expensive jewelery.


    "Did you donate anything to be auctioned this time?" Hailee asked, looking at the twenty items on the list.


    "Yes, a painting from the middle ages," Ramon answered softly.


    Since the list of items to be auctioned did not say who owned the item, Hailee was not sure which painting Ramon was referring to, because as far as she could see there were about five paintings on the list, but she didn''t want to ask either.


    "Are you seriously saying that I can choose anything from this list?" Hailee nced at the initial prices which seemed very expensive and could skyrocket up to ten times as much if the bidders shown a lot of interest in an item.


    "Yes," Ramon answered simply.


    "Alright¡­" Hailee nodded her head, before looking through the list of items in the jewelry section and immediately found one that caught her eye.


    It was just that, before Hailee could tell Ramon, the young woman on stage chose this moment to invite Giana onto the stage to start the auction.


    This announcement, of course, caught Hailee''s attention, as she immediately raised her head to see Ramon''s ex walked in gracefully.


    A solemn apuse echoed throughout the room as a figure climbed onto the stage.


    And Giana Smith appeared in her red dress and matching lipstick, which made her look charming and seductive.


    Instinctively, Hailee turned to Ramon, to see if this man noticed Giana who appeared very spectacr in a low- neck dress that showed her upper body andrge chest.


    Hailee is annoyed that she doesn''t have a big chest ...


    Ugh!


    And, of course, Ramon was fixing his attention on the stage, just like everyone else in this room, because that''s not the point, alright? The Auctioneer would be the center of attention tonight, along with the items she would be auctioning.


    However, what annoyed Hailee was the fact that Giananded her gaze on Ramon and stared at him with a soft smile on her lips, for a few seconds, it was too long to be called normal and Hailee really did not like it.


    Stop staring at my man! Hailee wanted to growl.


    And while Giana still kept ncing asionally at Ramon, even though she should have paid attention to the other people there, Hailee chose one such moment to lean over and whisper tenderly into Ramon''s ear, catching the man''s attention.


    "I want this," Hailee then pointed to a tiara that she wanted from the start. "I want to use this on our wedding day."


    Hailee then showed a photo of the tiara on Ramon''s cellphone and the man took it, nced at it before answering back briefly. "Okay."


    "Really, is that okay?" Hailee asked, grimacing a little, but her eyes seemed to be asking Ramon to say if it was all right.


    "Yes," said Ramon. "I told you, you can choose whatever you want."


    Instantly Hailee''s face brightened up and she smiled with a wide, contagious smile, which made Ramon smile along with her as his eyes softened.


    Hailee looked very cute in that dress. Charming and elegant. If one could say, Ramon preferred dress styles that don''t show much of her body, because this actually made a woman look more exclusive.


    "Thank you." Hailee then leaned over to kiss Ramon''s cheek, surprising the man with this gesture, but actually he did not mind at all. "Oops, my lipstick ..."


    Haileeughed with amusement when she saw her lipstick slightly sticking to Ramon''s cheek and immediately wiped it off gently, with her thumb.


    But, out of the corner of her eye, Hailee could see Giana witnessing all the events and her short speech was a little disturbed because she had forgotten the continuation of her sentence.


    Feel it!


    Hailee smiled inwardly in satisfaction.


    Giana shouldn''t have nced at other people, especially men.


    Previously, Hailee had allowed Theodore to be captured by Aileen, but Ramon was an entirely different case. He is the jackpot.


    No way in hell Hailee would let her jackpot go away without a fight!

 Chapter 112: THE AUCTION (2)

    <h4>Chapter 112: THE AUCTION (2)</h4>


    Giana was really surprised when she saw Ramon sitting in the front row in the auction.


    Earlier, when Dillon, her personal assistant and someone who knew her well, told Giana about it, she did not believe it, because Ramon did not usually attend events like this.


    Giana thought, she would find Lexus Tordoff as usual, who would usually fill out invitations and socialize with important people in every event, because Lexus is the social butterfly between the two of them.


    Of course, Giana didn''t care about the additional information that Dillon told her about Hailee, Ramon''s partner whereabouts.


    Giana didn''t care about that girl, as long as she could see Ramon and get time to talk to him, then whoever he brought along didn''t matter to her.


    And suddenly Giana was nervous, because Ramon would watch her from where he was sittingtter. The five well- known families in city A had the honor of sitting in the front row of seats, and that also meant that Giana would have a chance to see Ramon more clearly.


    She is really excited.


    Giana applied her lipstick over and over again and groomed herself in front of the mirror, seeing how she looked, to the point even boring Dillon had to say that she looked amazing.


    ''There will be no man who can resist your charm.''


    That''s what Dillon said before Giana finally stopped asking questions and looked like a teenager about to have her first date.


    And the first thing Giana did was look for the figure of Ramon in the front row. It was not a difficult job, because Ramon''s figure was so eye- catching and the fact that he was sitting in the middle made him face Giana directly, making the woman even more enthusiastic.


    It was just that, catching a glimpse of Hailee was a little annoying and the girl was deliberately leaning herself against Ramon, while showing something.


    Giana tried to ignore it, but every time she wanted to focus on the course of the event, her eyes identally returned to look for Ramon''s figure.


    And everything was turned worse by the fact that Hailee kissed Ramon and the man did not seem to mind the gesture at all.


    Giana''s frustration peaked when Hailee looked at her prophetically.


    This little girl really should be taught a lesson¡­


    ==============


    "Aileen, you should have told me that girl has Ramon Tordoff backing her!" Rnd growled in annoyance and mmed his fist against the table, making a loud thumping sound and alerting the guards around, in case the district attorney would attack the woman in front of him.


    "You think I would know what Ramon Tordoff is going to do?" Aileen returned the middle-aged man''s words fiercely. "Who would have thought that Hailee had connections with Ramon Tordoff?"


    Rnd Dimatrio snorted, he wasn''t satisfied with that answer.


    "I told you about Ramon Tordoff, after all, and you insisted on continuing this." Aileen crossed her arms and stared at the guard walking into the room, indicating that visiting hours were up and she needed to leave immediately.


    But, before the guard could get any closer, Aileen immediately threw up a short question.


    "Are you sure your son can get you out of prison?" Aileen looked doubtful.


    "As long as the trial takes ce within his territory, he can decide that I''m innocent." It was a short answer and exined nothing. Because the trial process would be veryplicated and no one knew how the final result would turn out.


    "It''s good if you have that belief. I just want to remind you of one thing; don''t involve me." Aileen clenched her jaw.


    This was herst meeting with Rnd and she had to make sure that this old geezer of a man wouldn''t open his mouth about their business.


    "If not?" Rnd asked Aileen defiantly, with a sly smile etched on his lips. "I''ve already been crushed like this, what else should I be afraid of?"


    "Yes, your career and your life have been ruined, but your son doesn''t know anything, right?" Aileen grinned. "If you mention my name, or get me in trouble because of this, then I will not hesitate to drag your son into the puddle with me too."


    Rnd narrowed his eyes. He didn''t like it when someone threatened his family. "You are much more petty and cunning than I thought."


    "You have to learn a lot more then." Aileen then got up from her chair.


    This woman had really offended Rnd''s pride by saying that. "You think an adopted child like you can fight a real heir and a Ramon Tordoff for Tatum Jewelry?"


    Hearing the insult, Aileen narrowed her eyes. "At least my chances are bigger than yours, because I am out there and can do a lot."


    After Aileen finished saying that, the guard stood beside Rnd Dimatrio and announced that the time was out.


    Aileen then nodded at Rnd who was still ring at her.


    "Oh, and one more thing¡­" Aileen stopped Rnd as he was about to walk back to his cell. "I will be Mrs. Gevano in a few days. I think you want to congratte me."


    If her n went smoothly and ording to her n, then it was only a matter of time before Aileen Tatum became Aileen Gevano.


    Rndughed sickly, as if it was a funny news. "Congrattions then, I hope you guys get married before that boy from the Gevano family realizes what you really are like." He shrugged and was stillughing as he walked through the door, leaving Aileen alone there in exasperation.


    Aileen clenched her fists tightly and it took her a while to calm down, before she finally walked away.


    When Aileen was in the parking lot and got into the car, she had time to check her cellphone, which had been kept in silent mode, because she didn''t want her chat with Rnd to be interrupted.


    When her cellphone screen turned on, she could see that she had received seven missed calls. Two from Theodore and Five from George.


    Theodore sent a message asking where she was because he was at Tatum''s residence and she was not around.


    But, the thing that is far more important now is George. If he called her more than three times in an hour, that meant there is an important issue that needed to be addressed immediately.


    Half heartedly, Aileen slid the virtual button and listened to the dial tone.


    "Hello?" said Aileen.


    "Where are you?" came an aggressive voice from George. "Don''t tell me that you have actually visited Rnd Dimatrio?! I have forbidden you from doing that!"


    George seemed to have a hunch about Aileen''s intentions and it was no use for Aileen to lie.


    "I have to make sure that Rnd will not say anything about me!" Aileen eximed irritably.


    "YOU ARE SO STUPID!" George roared. "If Ramon finds out about this, then you will be finished! He will trace your involvement deeper with that bastard prosecutor!"


    And that was thest thing Aileen heard before she hung up on her phone and screamed in annoyance.


    She felt like she was walking on ayer of fragile egg shell. Wrong step and it would crack, left her in precarious situation more than she could imagine.


    What George said was true, but Aileen couldn''t calm down until she spoke directly to Rnd and conveyed her subtle threats, because that was all she could do for now.


    Shit!


    Everything got messy because of Hailee!


    She should have taken George''s word and killed her right away!


    ==============


    This was the first auction she had ever attended and if it were not for the tension and annoyance she felt because Giana kept staring at Ramon, then it would be pretty boring.


    The only thing Hailee had been waiting for was the tiara to be auctioned off, but it was numbered seventeen on the list, while Giana was currently promoting vigorously for a famous painting that was at number eleven, and that meant she had to wait a little longer.


    "I am bored," Hailee sighed, then nced at Ramon who was sitting calmly next to her. "Aren''t you bored?"


    "No," Ramon answered curtly and it made Hailee narrow her eyes suspiciously. At first, Ramon wanted to ignore this girl, it was just that, being stared at made him feel quite ufortable. "What?" Finally Ramon turned his head.


    "Aren''t you bored because there is your ex in front of you or because you are not really bored?" Hailee knew she was being childish, but she couldn''t help it.


    The feeling of boredom and jealousy is really not a goodbination.


    "Hailee, if you have ever attended an annual meeting, then you should have known that an event like this doesn''t mean anything." Ramon said,ughing softly when he saw how Hailee wrinkled her nose, disliking anything rted to business.


    "Shall we y a game?" Hailee looked at Ramon expectantly.


    "Where do you think we are?" Ramon flicked Hailee''s forehead lightly.


    "Come on," Hailee sulked. "I am going to say something and all you have to do is follow my words. If you can''t, you have to give me money. "


    Ramon looked hesitant, but Hailee ignored him and started her little game.


    "One," Hailee said and looked at Ramon for him to repeat after her.


    "One," he said half forced.


    "Plus one."


    "Plus one."


    "Equals three."


    "Where did you learn to count like that?" Ramon protested, but then realized his mistake when he saw Haileeughing in satisfaction.


    This girl tricked him easily with her stupid games.

 Chapter 113: KISS ME

    <h4>Chapter 113: KISS ME</h4>


    Ramon nced at Hailee in annoyance as the girl stifled herughter by covering her mouth, but seeing how Hailee''s small shoulders were shaking, he could tell that this girl was really amused by the little mistake Ramon had made.


    Really annoying, right?


    "You don''t seem bored anymore, do you?" Ramonmented, his face still expressionless, but his eyes did not stop staring at Hailee who was now wiping tears from the corner of her eyes.


    "No," Hailee said, shaking her head. "Shall we y again?"


    "No," Ramon immediately rejected her suggestion and shifted his focus back to Giana, but it seemed like a wrong move, because not long after that, Hailee''s smile faded awaypletely as she frowned hard.


    "Okay, I see, you would rather look at your ex than talk to me." Hailee grumbled, folding her arms and stared at Giana with a hostile look for a moment before ncing at Ramon again. "Oh, sorry. You have not broken up, have you? That means she can''t be called an ex." Haileemented fiercely.


    And Ramon couldn''t find the right words to answer back. He couldn''t understand how Hailee, who two seconds agoughed until she burst into tears, as if whatever happened would not affect her good mood, but in the next moment turned into a girl who was menstruating on the first day.


    How could someone change so fast?


    "You should pay attention to the program, we shouldn''t talk." Ramon said in a low voice.


    "Can''t talk?" Hailee red and nced at the couples around them who were busy whispering to each other and having conversations between them. "So, you can''t talk huh?" Hailee asked sarcastically.


    Ramon knew what Hailee meant, he also noticed that some of the other invited guests paid little attention to the items being auctioned, if that wasn''t what they wanted.


    "Okay, maybe you don''t want to be disturbed¡­" Hailee leaned back against the chair and sulked. "Ah, the auctioneer is so pretty¡­ I should be wearing a low- neck outfit like that too¡­ it must look sexy¡­" she muttered softly, but it was loud enough for Ramon to hear.


    Ramon tried to ignore Hailee who was grumbling and refocused on the course of the event, but somehow seeing Hailee in such a bad mood really bothered him.


    Maybe it was because of their sitting position that they were too close to each other, so the negative aura Hailee emitting now made Ramon''s heart feel not good either.


    To get rid of the ufortable feeling, Ramon grabbed the mineral water bottle and drank it.


    A few minutes ago, a waiter came over to offer a drink, but still hadn''t returned with the drink they ordered.


    "Maybe I shouldn''t be wearing clothes like that¡­ my chest is not as big as hers¡­" Hailee continued, still in the same low tone, so that only Ramon could hear her. "But, I think she is too fat. The dress looks tight on her body. "


    Ramon, who was drinking his mineral water, almost choked when he heard that negativement from Hailee.


    How could Giana look fat in that outfit? Everyone would say that the wife of Aidan Smith has a body that is proportionate at the right curves in her body.


    But, of course, it is certain that Ramon will not possibly refute Hailee''sment. He knew better not to make things worse and to annoy this girl even more.


    With a grimace, Ramon wiped the corners of his lips and stopped drinking.


    "The make- up is also very striking. Doesn''t fit the theme of this event." Hailee returned back tomenting, as if she was talking to herself. "And also¡­"


    "Hailee¡­" Finally Ramon couldn''t stand it.


    "Yes?" Hailee turned her head, asking with a sweet smile on her lips, as if no one had heard her negativements earlier. "What is wrong?" she asked innocently.


    "You can stopmenting like that, I can hear everything." Ramon looked at Hailee in disbelief, how could she still be smiling when she said her next sentence.


    "Indeed, I want you to hear it," Hailee said honestly, her eyes rounded, as if Ramon had just made a very obvious statement.


    "Hailee," Ramon said, but discontinued because he didn''t know what to say to her, he waspletely at a loss for words in dealing with this girl.


    Therefore, Ramon stuck out his hands and cupped Hailee''s cheeks, but she protested and red at him half threateningly. "Don''t you dare ruin my make- up, just because I wasmenting on Giana''s make- up, okay."


    Once again, Ramon felt that they were both talking on different frequencies, how could Hailee actually talk about make- up, herself and Giana in the same sentence?


    She really is a rare girl.


    "What do you want?" asked Ramon impatiently. If Hailee wanted to y her stupid game again, Ramon would happily oblige. That was much better than hearing her grumble throughout the event.


    "I want two things," Hailee replied quickly. Her eyes were sparkling.


    "You really know how to take? advantage of the situation," Ramon grumbled softly, but Hailee ignored him and started to raise two fingers.


    "First." She touched her index finger. "I want us to y again."


    Ramon had expected that. "Then the second one?"


    "Second." Hailee touched her middle finger. "I want you to kiss me."


    "What?" Okay, when Ramon thought that Hailee couldn''t possibly be any more absurd than this, this girl proved his theory wrong again.


    "Yes, kiss me," Hailee said cheerfully, like a little girl asking for an allowance. "A kiss is not a big deal. Mmuach!" Hailee pursed her lips and made a very aggressive kissing sound. "Like that."


    "No," Ramon tly rejected her. "No any body here¡­"


    However, Ramon''s sentence was cut short when Hailee moved her head to look around her and find what she was looking for. "There, the couple sitting two rows behind you, are kissing right now. Aw." Hailee gave a low cry.


    Hailee''s face, which was still in Ramon''s hands, was forced to look back at him, making her stop looking around.


    "Why do you suddenly want me to kiss you?" Ramon asked curiously. The request was sudden and unreasonable.


    But, Hailee answered honestly. "Because Giana was looking at you every now and then, and I don''t like it. She must know that you will marry me and your rtionship ended when you decided to marry me." Hailee didn''t give Ramon a chance to cut her words off and started again. "Unless you really still want to have a rtionship with her, then we should have serious discussions regarding this marriage agreement."


    Ramon was not aware of it, he knew that Giana had been staring at him all along, but what he didn''t realize was; the fact that Hailee really took issue to heart.


    Therefore, Ramon leaned over and kissed Hailee on the lips gently. "Satisfied?" he asked.


    With a different woman, maybe Ramon would not haveplied with this ridiculous request, but seeing Hailee frown made him ufortable.


    After kissing Hailee, Ramon lowered his hand, but this time, it was Hailee who gave him a short kiss on the lips.


    "Satisfied," she replied with a big smile, Ramon even saw Hailee ncing provocatively at Giana.


    And when their eyes met, Hailee might have caught Giana staring at them, which made the woman look away and clear her throat to cover her irritation.


    This girl ...


    How could she went so sweet, fierce and then provocative in a matter of seconds?


    At this point, Ramon couldn''t decide whether he had made the right decision by marrying Hailee or not, with her attitude like this, Ramon had the feeling that there would be other problems she would cause.


    However, seeing Hailee''s satisfied face when she managed to annoy Giana, made Ramon smile too.


    "Let''s start the game!" Hailee hugged Ramon''s arm and leaned closer to him. "If you lose, you have to buy me a box of choctes."


    "How about I buy you as much chocte as you want and we don''t have to y this game?" Ramon suggested. If it''s the chocte Hailee wanted then he could give her plenty.


    But, of course Hailee wouldn''t make things easy for Ramon, as if her initial existence was to test the patience of this man over and over again.


    "No, that is not the rule Mr. Tordoff. " Hailee refused, then grinned sweetly. "Okay, let''s start."


    ==============


    "Where have you been? It''s veryte at night," Theodore asked when he saw Aileen just arriving home. He frowned and looked at her probingly.


    However, Theodore''s expression was currently being misinterpreted by Aileen as himself who was worried about her condition, because after all what Theodore knew was that she was pregnant with their child.


    Aileen immediately walked over to Theodore with a smile on her face and hugged him indulgently, whilending a kiss on each cheek.


    "Sorry, I just came back from hanging out with my friends." Aileen lied. "It has been a long time since I saw them."


    "Oh," Theodore gave a short response while kissing Aileen on the cheek and the two of them walked to the second floor, to her bedroom.


    "I also informed them of our engagement ns which will take ce one month from now. I really can''t wait for that moment." Aileen hugged Theodore''s arm with a beaming face.


    Seeing Aileen like this, made Theodore feel very heavy to convey his main purpose ining to Tatum''s residence, he was a little confused where to start.


    However, Aileen who was quite sensitive to Theodore''s mood changes, of course realized this. She then looked up and looked at the man next to her.


    "What is wrong?" Her forehead wrinkled warily at the sight of Theodore''s unpredictable expression. "Is there a problem?"


    "We will talk in the room," he said.


    And Aileen knew that there was something wrong with the conversation they were going to have after this.


    Theodore arrived in the middle of the night just to have a serious talk with her, of course not a very good sign, and when they reached the second floor Theodore immediately went into Aileen''s room and sat on the edge of her Victorian bed.


    "What is wrong?" Aileen asked softly, looking at him worriedly while grasping Theodore''s hand. The man looked doubtful, but Aileen continued to force him to speak. "You know that you can discuss anything with me, right?"


    Theodore was still silent, but he grasped Aileen''s hand tighter in return.


    "Is this about our baby?" Aileen tried to guess and she knew that was the topic Theodore was going to talk about when she saw him looking at her right in the eyes. "Tell me, what is wrong?"


    With a long sigh, Theodore then spoke. "I can not."

 Chapter 114: MY FUTURE WIFE

    <h4>Chapter 114: MY FUTURE WIFE</h4>


    "I can not," said Theodore in a low voice. He frowned while looking at Aileen and then grimaced, as if those words hurt him.


    Well, those words hurt Aileen more, but they hurt differently¡­ This was what Aileen was afraid of, that Theodore didn''t want this baby anymore and was afraid to bear the consequences of his act.


    Aileen knew that Theodore didn''t really like children and was not thinking of having one anytime soon.


    He always argued that he was not ready to be a father and preferred to dy that particr event when they got marriedter.


    Theodore always reasoned that he wanted to spend some time alone with Aileen, but of course all of that was a lie.


    What they have now as in their current rtionship, was not much different from the married couples'' out there.


    Therefore, Theodore''s reasoning couldn''t be justified so easily. However, Aileen didn''t say anything.


    It was just that, this time Aileen seemed to have to be more aggressive about their rtionship, which had always been dominated by Theodore.


    "What do you mean ''you can not''?" Aileen immediately released her hand from Theodore''s grip and stood up. Her face looked hurt as tears began to pool behind her lids. "What do you mean you can not?" Aileen repeated her question.


    "Aileen¡­" Theodore said in a persuasive tone, this time he also stood up and intended to hug this woman who looked so emotional in front of him. "Listen to me¡­"


    "No," Aileen argued. She shook Theodore''s hand off her shoulder and walked away with her arms folded in front of her chest, disying a defensive attitude which made Theodore feel even more guilty, as if he was a very evil and immoral man.


    Although, it could be said that those two words could describe him very well in this situation, with what he had just said, but still, Theodore felt that Aileen was overreacting.


    "Aileen, listen to me first ..." Theodore walked closer to Aileen and managed to make her stop dodging by cornering her near the door of the room.


    "What?" snapped Aileen angrily, with her eyes red as tears starting to flow down her cheeks. At this point, Theodore began to regret his words. But, what can he do? He already said it. "You want me to abort my pregnancy? Our child?"


    Aileen deliberately put emphasis on the word ''our child'' to make Theodore feel even more guilty and when Aileen saw how the man frowned as if the words hurt his ears, Aileen continued.


    "You are not really thinking of persuading me into aborting this child, are you?" Aileen narrowed her eyes and rubbed her face roughly. "Theodore, you know my background ... there is no way you could ask me to do anything much worse than what my parents did by throwing me into an orphanage."


    This time Aileen did cry. She knew that she could attract Theodore''s sympathy in this way.


    Theodore knew very well where Aileen wasing from and looking at this situation from Aileen''s point of view, did make his words sound very cruel.


    He felt even worse by now.


    "Aileen, I know that this sounds really ruthless," Theodore said in a low voice with a wounded expression on his face. He rubbed Aileen''s head and tucked a few stray strands of hair behind her ear. "But you have to know that we can''t go to my parents and say that we are getting married because you are pregnant."


    "Why not?" Aileen asked in a huff. "This is their grandchild and they will ept it."


    However, Theodore shook his head with an apologetic face. "The situation is not that easy, Aileen. You know how they feel toward you and how they constantly oppose this rtionship, right?"


    Alieen bit her lip. She had to find a better way to deal with this. Something far more extreme that could leave Theodore out of choice.


    But what?


    "Aileen, you understand my position, right?" Theodore embraced Aileen and this time she did not refuse. This much calmer reaction from her made the man feel a little relieved. He kissed the top of Aileen''s head. "I love you Aileen and I just don''t want my parents to judge you badly because of this."


    That is an absurd excuse. How can a man say that as an excuse to make his girlfriend abort? His own flesh and blood?


    Of course, Aileen was grateful that she didn''t actually get pregnant. Otherwise, she would have felt very disappointed in Theodore if she was indeed pregnant with their children and with Theodore attitude now, it was a lost in her end.


    Was this the true face of Gevano''s heir whom she had been fighting for? Just to take Hailee''s position as Theodore''s lover and enter the Gevano family, Aileen had already done many unimaginable things.


    But, was a man like this worthy of everything she had done?


    Aileen hugged Theodore back and let him whisper sweet nothings, which made Aileen even more hesitant, questioning her decisions and judgments so far.


    "Everything will be fine¡­ we will get married and after that we will have children¡­ but, not now¡­" Theodore whispered softly into Aileen''s ear and the woman just nodded weakly.


    However, Theodore had absolutely no idea what Aileen was nning at this time.


    He should have listened to Hailee''s advice and found out more about Aileen, and not simply believed the news of her sudden pregnancy.


    ==============


    "You owe me eleven boxes of choctes," Hailee said, giggling in amusement as she saw the expression on Ramon''s face, who was constantly losing in this little game of hers. "I didn''t know that you were so bad at this game."


    Ramon didn''t respond to herment, but looked annoyed that out of the eleven games that they have yed, he couldn''t win any one of them.


    How could he be so bad at such a simple game, where he didn''t even have to think?


    And now, Hailee really enjoyed the auction they attended, just into the fourth game, Hailee had already forgotten about Giana''s presenceand Ramon also seemed too focused on the game which he couldn''t win, so that all his attention was only on Hailee.


    And that was what Hailee wanted.


    The game stopped because the item to be auctioned next was the tiara Hailee wanted.


    "Wow!" Hailee was amazed to see the tiara brought in which was then highlighted in spotlights, making the bright glow of the diamonds that adorned it adding to the mor and luxury.


    Meanwhile, Ramon noticed how Hailee was staring in awe at the tiara. Her face looked so cute when her attention was drawn to something she liked.


    "You really like it?" Ramon asked and Hailee immediately turned her head and nodded.


    "But of course I like you more," Hailee said teasingly. "Because by getting you I can get that tiara too." Then sheughed at Ramon''s frowning expression.


    "Pretty realistic reason," Ramon said atst, then their focus was shifted onto the item being auctioned off right now.


    It''s just that, not only Hailee, but there were three other men who wanted to gift the tiara to their wife or lover.


    They started bidding fiercely and it turned out that the process didn''t go as fast this time, as it took more than twenty minutes for the other two men to give up and withdraw, leaving only Ramon and a man from the Ferrer family to fight over it.


    These two people are from the most respected families in town A, so it was certain that the starting figures for the first offering of the tiara, skyrocketed so quickly that they were tens of times over.


    "Ramon¡­" Hailee whispered to Ramon because the figures that were being mentioned now, could be said to be one- fifth of the total cost of their wedding to illustrate, and it was a huge amount of money, which madeHailee feel bad. "Don''t you just want to back off? Just let him have it."


    "You want this tiara?" Ramon asked.


    "Yes, but¡­" Hailee''s words were interrupted.


    "Then shut up." Ramon then grabbed Hailee''s cocktail ss and gave it to her, telling her to just enjoy what''s going on.


    At some point, the man from the Ferrer family had to call his wife first, as it was his wife, who was abroad,that wanted this tiara.


    The man is Coddy Ferrer, a man of about forty years old who has been married to his present wife for twenty years and their household is still very harmonious.


    "Okay, while waiting for Mr. Ferrero to contact his wife," Giana said and made a few peopleugh softly because this scene was funny to them. "We will ask Mr. Tordoff, why? he is so desperate to have this tiara."


    This was off- script, but the person in charge of the show didn''t mind to improvise a little, because after all, Ramon Tordoff rarely appeared on events like this.


    A man then gave the mic to Ramon so he could answer Giana''s question.


    "So, what Mr. Ramon? What made you want this tiara? Are you going to give it to someone?" Giana asked.


    A provocative question that could make the people attending fix their focus on Ramon. They wanted to know the extent of Ramon''s rtionship with his girlfriend, with whom hewas reported to get married next week.


    Because many still thought that his marriage was just a convenient marriage.


    It was amon thing in their circle after all, to get marriage and profit at the same time.


    "Yes, my future wife wants it," he replied simply.

 Chapter 115: PROVOCATION

    <h4>Chapter 115: PROVOCATION</h4>


    "Yes, my future wife wants it," Ramon replied briefly and this answer drew a lot of smiles from the people around them, especially Hailee, who felt that all eyes were staring at her with amazement because she seeded in making a man like Ramon Tordoff kneel before her and make him do everything he could to please her.


    But, that was not the case with Giana.


    Although the sweet smile that appeared on her red lips could still be seen, it did not reach her eyes at all and she was not happy with Ramon''s answer and the response from the audience.


    In this room, there really weren''t any reporters because this was a private event, but it was certain that this moment would remain in the memories of the people attended tonight.


    And with any luck, maybe the reporters could find a way to get news of what Ramon said just now.


    You know, sometimes those journalists have a thousand and one ways to get what they want, as the influence of the mass media is very strong.


    After saying this, Ramon returned the mic that had been given to him, indicating that he no longer wanted to answer any questions.


    On the stage, Giana felt that this task was much tougher than she had expected, as at this point she wanted to go to Ramon and ask him why he could forget about the two of them, but what she was really doing right now was smiling brilliantly to finish that night''s auction.


    ==============


    The auction ended just as the hour needle hit midnight and, of course, Ramon managed to get Hailee the tiara, which she would be wearing at their wedding.


    The amount of money Ramon had to spend was simply exorbitant and the tiara was the most expensive item to be sold at tonight''s auction.


    At first, Hailee felt bad that Ramon had to spend that much money, but after seeing that the man did not even blink when he signed the tiara purchase, Hailee could only reply to Ramon with a sweet smile and a kiss.


    Which received apuse from the guests present. They congratted the lovely couple who were getting married next week.


    Even after the event was over and they were in the adjoining hall enjoying the prepared drinks and food, several people Hailee did not know or whom she only saw on television, came over and congratted her in person.


    They seem to be on friendly terms with Hailee as one of the socialite women in her forties, whom Hailee even forgot her name for, even told Ramon to leave Hailee and join the boys'' chat.


    Ramon smiled politely at the woman.


    "Are you okay with them?" Ramon asked Hailee, tidying up the few strands of her hair that were starting toe out of order.


    Hailee wanted to tell Ramon to stay with her, or better yet, if they could go home now, but what came out of her lips was very different from what she wanted to say. "Yes, it is okay." Hailee smiled slightly at Ramon, to make sure that the expression on her face didn''t show her true feelings.


    How can you refuse when the questioner looks at you expectantly? It is a basic of politeness.


    Hhh ...


    Hailee wanted to go home soon.


    Being at a party you are notfortable plus not knowing anyone there except your future husband, sometimes creates a lot of pressure.


    However, luckily Hailee had been taught enough about social interaction among socialites and attended several parties with her father and mother before this, to understand one main rule in the parties you attend, namely; whatever you feel, keep smiling


    And that''s what Hailee is doing now.


    She smiled at the joke, which wasn''t funny in the slightest, from the woman who had suggested Ramon to leave her side.


    Hailee forced herself to smile until her cheekbones felt stiff, as this chat was not for her at all.


    Because she did not know what to do and could only answer ''yes'', ''no'', ''oh'' and ''great'', as well as telling them that the preparations for her wedding had been going on and what entertainment would be offered at her wedding, or about the background of her family, who are not very well known in town A, luckily they were polite enough not to mention it, most of what Hailee did was keeping silence or drink her cocktail.


    However, thisst activity made Hailee feel an urge to go to the toilet immediately.


    "Sorry, I am going to the toilet for a while," Hailee said politely to the three women, who were way enthusiastic to her liking, and they teased her by saying that she wanted to run away and see Ramon because Hailee missed him.


    Yeah, if Hailee could and was crazy enough to put modesty aside, for her the idea of ??going over to Ramon right now didn''t seem that bad¡­


    "I will be right back." After promising as such, Hailee immediately left there, but she could still hear thoseughing on jokes about her missing Ramon.


    Well, whatever ...


    Hailee quickened her pace, but was careful enough on her high heel shoes, so as not to fall, she didn''t want to embarrass herself in such a way, especially when this was the first formal party Hailee attended together with Ramon.


    ==============


    Giana had been watching Ramon from the very beginning. The man entered the hotel hall with a girl named Hailee by his side.


    She intended to approach Ramon, but didn''t want to be too obvious, it was just that Ramon was constantly beside Hailee and the two of them had never left one another.


    From the interaction between the two of them, Giana could see that Ramon lookedfortable with the girl and this made her jealous as she felt all of this uneptable.


    How could Ramon forget what happened between the two of them just like that? Did he really feel nothing when he was around Giana?


    It was true that at that time Giana was too aggressive and didn''t give Ramon time to think for a moment, but ...


    "... so, what do you think Mrs. Smith?" A man who owned a well- known textile business in town A, suddenly said her name and this surprised Giana a little because she didn''t really follow the conversation with this person in front of her.


    "Ah," Giana smiled to mask her nervousness because she had missed the person''s question and chose to answer diplomatically. "I agree with you," she replied straightforwardly.


    Giana chose to stand in a position where she could observe Ramon and when she saw an opportunity, namely when some socialites approached Hailee and Ramon said goodbye to leave her, Giana did the same and allowed Dillon to make small talk with those people in her ce.


    "Sorry, excuse me for a moment," Giana smiled briefly and immediately walked away even before hearing the answer from her interlocutor.


    The woman in red followed the man who had been in an affair with her for the past two years and lined up her footsteps with Ramon before he reached the small group of middle- aged men who were old money in city A.


    "I want to talk to you," Giana said, she didn''t want to make small talk with Ramon to convey what was on her mind.


    Ramon nced at Giana who was now walking beside him. "I guess there''s nothing to talk about," he said quietly.


    "Ramon, we are in public, I bet you don''t want to get these people''s attention. Or get embroiled in a scandal a week before your wedding." Giana''s cheerful expression did not match the threatening words she spoke to Ramon. "You always wanted your private life to be a secret and that is the reason why we were together for two years without anyone knowing." Giana then nodded politely in return to someone who waved at her.


    Giana didn''t really want to use threats against Ramon, she knew very well that this man didn''t like being threatened or forced to do anything he didn''t want, regardless of the situation.


    However, Giana had no better way, because Ramon had repeatedly refused her phone calls and appointments.


    "Then it remains a secret." Ramon didn''t slow down at all and acted as if he didn''t know Giana.


    "You know that we need to talk seriously about this," said Giana. "I will be waiting for you on the balcony on the left,e over when no one is noticing."


    After saying that, Giana took the opposite direction and walked toward the balcony she mentioned earlier, without waiting for Ramon''s reply.


    ==============


    Hailee finished her business in a toilet stall and just as she was about to leave, she heard the voices of two women gossiping together.


    However, what kept her from opening the door was her hearing them mention her name and Ramon''s.


    "¡­ Hailee Tatum, if I am not mistaken," said a woman with a slightly hoarse voice, like someone who has been smoking for decades. "If I am not mistaken she is the daughter of the owner of a famous diamondpany in the city of R."


    "Oh, I didn''t know that¡­ it seems like her family doesn''t really have much influence in town A," replied the second woman in her voice that was slightly loud.


    Didn''t they think about the possibility that the person they were talking about might be in one of these toilet cubicles? Hailee couldn''t stop thinking about the women, but then she was really engrossed in listening.


    "I can''t stop thinking how can someone like Ramon Tordoff marry a woman with such an unfortunate background as the Tatum family? Meanwhile he can marry any woman from the upper sses," said the first woman.


    "That''s right," agreed the second woman. "After all, Ramon Tordoff can have whoever he wants, but it''s a shame he ended up with that woman. Well, although her face is not too ugly, but you can''t say she is very beautiful like the model that was rumored with him in the past." It was clear that she was envious from the way the woman spoke.


    ''That woman?''


    Hailee hissed inwardly, what kind of women do they mean?


    Then in the next second Hailee opened the door to the toilet cubicle where she was hiding and walked toward the two women and their shocked expressions were really priceless.


    Then, casually, Hailee stood between the two of them and took out a lipstick from her tiny handbag, and while dabbing her lips with it, Hailee looked at the two women who were frozen in ce through the mirror and said.


    "Why did Ramon choose me? Of course because I have something those socialitedies don''t." Hailee then nced at them arrogantly.

 Chapter 116: PROVOCATION (2)

    <h4>Chapter 116: PROVOCATION (2)</h4>


    Giana felt the cold night air against her skin and cursed herself for forgetting to bring a coat to protect herself from the night wind.


    But, who would have guessed that she would suggest this ce to have a conversation with Ramon? Giana didn''t consider this factor at all.


    This was simply out of n, but she needed this short precious moment to have a talk with Ramon, thus the coldness that crept on her skin was worth it.


    And now, she could only rely on the champagne in her hand to warm herself while waiting for him. The warm liquid flew down from her throat and spread on her body.


    It was just that, even after ten minutes had passed, Ramon didn''te, and from where Giana was standing, she could see that Ramon was still busy chatting with several people, without even ncing at her.


    Maybe soon¡­


    Maybe it was because there were a lot of people and Ramon didn''t want to attract too much attention, therefore, it took him a little longer to approach her.


    Giana knew Ramon, and the man is always alert.


    That was why, all Giana could do now was wait, like what she had always been doing for the past two years and also these past two months. Waiting for Ramon to contact her again.


    And during those two years, Ramon had never let her down. The wait would always bear sweet fruit. And that was all Giana could do now.


    The tense and secret meetings with Ramon were always what Giana had been looking forward to, and those never really failed to make her feel much more alive.


    "Ramon?" Giana turned her head when she heard the sound of approaching footsteps, but her happy expression changed immediately when she found that Dillon was the one who had approached her. "What are you doing here?" Giana narrowed her eyes in displeasure.


    "Giana, stop this. He will note to see you here," Dillon said quietly. He called out to Giana informally. Because he was advising her as a friend and not as a personal assistant who had been following her for the past three years.


    Dillon then nodded toward the small crowd of people who were approaching Ramon, because they wanted to be on good terms with the Tordoffs, or to pitch business deals in a subtle way, over small talk.


    Giana then followed Dillon''s gaze and noticed Ramon''s situation which seemed to make it impossible for him to leave the people surrounding him any time soon.


    "I will stay here." Giana was firm on her stand. "You don''t know him Dillon, he wille."


    ''Ramon hasn''te to her yet because he still can''t get away from them. Yes, it must be because of that.''


    Giana gave reasons for herself, as if justifying her current actions while ignoring Dillon''s few words of advice altogether.


    Seeing how stubborn Giana was, Dillon could only sigh heavily and shake his head.


    After that, he gave her the wine ss in his hand while taking the empty champagne ss from Giana''s hand, so that the woman could stay warm.


    "If that''s what you want, then I have no other choice," Dillon said before he stepped off from the balcony, where Giana stayed waiting for Ramon for an unknown amount of time.


    ==============


    Hailee really didn''t want to go back in and continue the small talk with the socialites, especially after the toilet incident.


    Hailee was disgusted with the high- ss circle people as she thought they were too hypocritical. Although it was certain that not everyone were like that, but right now Hailee just wanted to be alone.


    At first, Hailee intended to look for Ramon and, if possible, ask to take her home, or at least stay near him. It didn''t matter if she didn''t say anything or had to listen to boring business chit chat, but at least she would be around the man she knew and it would make Hailee feel better.


    However, when she found Ramon, he was in the middle of a small talk with some of the people surrounding him. Seven or eight men who at one nce, Hailee knew as some important people.


    Therefore, Hailee chose to change her course of trajectory and walked toward the balcony nearby, which seemed deserted.


    Then, without thinking much, Hailee took a step onto it.


    Hailee thought she wouldn''t find anyone here, and considering the night wind is so cold, who wanted to be out here?


    It was just that, her estimation was so wrong as she found Giana.


    Bad luck.


    "Oops," Hailee muttered and instinctively walked backward, away from the balcony.


    Why was Giana in the balcony?!


    It felt like chatting with the socialite women was much more interesting than being alone with this woman.


    Unfortunately, Giana had seen Hailee and she didn''t intend to let her go.


    "Come here," Giana said. "I am willing to share the space. Or are you afraid to face me?"


    It was Giana''sst words that made Hailee stop walking and sigh heavily. She knew she wouldn''t be able to refuse this because she didn''t want Giana to think she was afraid of facing her.


    Of course Hailee wasn''t afraid, she just didn''t like Mrs. Smith, who was dressed this sexy.


    "Looks like, apart from the balcony, you are generous enough to share a lot of things," Hailee replied to Giana''s words with deep sarcasm in hers.


    Of course Giana wasn''t stupid and she could grasp the implied meaning in Hailee''s words quite easily.


    However, she had lived long enough to be able to handle such words of sarcasm, and again, it was not the first satirical line she had heard.


    "Not really, I am pretty picky." Giana looked at Hailee and shook the wine ss in her hand, in which the red liquid swirled with her movements. "And I choose only the best."


    Giana nced at Hailee with a provoking smile, making Hailee narrow her eyes and fold her arms across her chest, showing a defensive attitude.


    "Looks like the two of us are very different." Hailee leaned her body on the iron railing that bordered the balcony as her eyes focused solely on the distant figure of Ramon. "Because I am too greedy to share what''s already mine."


    "Yes, I agree, we have different points of view on this matter," Giana said and continued again after a short pause. "d you finally chose to apany me here, because I was waiting for Ramon and a little bored."


    "Good." Hailee pped her hands. "You can wait for him here as long as you want and I will go over to see if he is more interested in spending time with me alone in our room or not," Hailee said in a cheerful voice, intending to leave.


    "You don''t really like him, do you?" Giana ignored Hailee''s earlier words and immediately asked the question she wanted to hear an answer for. "You and him are only in a mutually beneficial rtionship, aren''t you?"


    Hailee stopped walking and furrowed her brows when she faced Giana again. This woman really couldn''t just let it go.


    "Ramon just wants to expand his business to the city of R, while you just want to make your ex- fianc¨¦ jealous because he prefers your foster sister," Giana said again.


    She learned this information from Dillon and made the most likely assumption between Hailee and Ramon''s rtionship.


    Hearing this, of course Hailee was surprised, but not because Giana knew about her engagement to Theodore, but how stupid the reason sounded.


    And when Giana said it out loud like this, she felt that the possibility itself sounded way too ridiculous.


    "Theodore Gevano, if I''m not mistaken. The name of your ex-fianc¨¦, "Giana said, misinterpreting Hailee''s shocked expression. "You know, I can make Mr. Gevanoe back to you and make you the heir of Tatum Jewelry, as long as you cancel your marriage to Ramon."


    For a moment, silence enveloped the two women and only music was heard from inside the hall and the cold night breeze against their skin.


    However, in the next second, Hailee wasughing quite loudly and almost immediately yet hastily covered her mouth so as not to attract the attention of others.


    What Giana said just now sounded way too funny in her ears. How could this smart woman make such a lousy offer?


    Haileeughed for a while and ignored the sharp gaze directed at her.


    "Mrs. Smith." Hailee liked how Giana wrinkled her nose at the title. She didn''t like it, so Hailee would do it again. "Mrs. Smith, first of all; as an only child, I am the heir to Tatum Jewelry, with or without your help, thepany is mine.


    "And secondly; getting my ex-fianc¨¦ back? Euh," Hailee made a disgusted expression when she said that. "A man who has an affair is better off just enjoying his time with an unknowing woman who bears my family''sst name. They deserve to be with each other."


    Giana squinted her eyes to see if Hailee was lying, but it seemed like she was telling the truth, or maybe she was just too good at acting?


    "Mrs. Smith, you better go back to your husband and stop bothering my future husband, because as I said earlier, I''m too greedy to share." Hailee was about to walk away, but Giana had held her back with a statement.


    "You don''t know what kind of life people like us lead. Your rtionship with Ramon will never work out."


    Hailee nced at Giana and tossed her hair. "Tell me thatter after Ramon and I cradle our first grandchild."

 Chapter 117: MY LOVE

    <h4>Chapter 117: MY LOVE</h4>


    ''After Ramon and I cradled our first grandchild?!'' Did Giana hear correctly? How could that girl say such a shameless thing?!


    Giana felt as if her blood was boiling. She growled in annoyance and mmed her fists against the balcony trellis, hurting her own hands in the process.


    However, the pain was still overwhelmed by the annoyance she felt toward Hailee. How could that girl humiliate her like this?! She even tantly said that her marriage to Ramon wouldst forever!


    Cradled the first grandchild?!


    Giana was furious. She cursed Ramon''s ident that made the man lose his memories. He lost all memories of herself, their memories and also all the promises and ns they had made.


    All of that would end just like that if Ramon married Hailee and didn''t get his memories back.


    Because Giana was sure, when Ramon got his memories back, he would definitelye back to her.


    "Hey, I just wanted to tell you that Ramon left with that woman," Dillon said, he suddenly appeared behind the door that led to the balcony, with his hands crossed and his eyes looking straight at Giana. "How long do you want to wait here?" he asked neglecting the fierce look he was getting from Giana.


    ==============


    After a short chat, which was quite annoying and emotionally draining, with Giana, Hailee decided to meet Ramon to urge him to take her home.


    It was just that, when she walked toward the man, Hailee saw that Ramon was in a serious conversation with the four people around him and her anger subsided immediately.


    Hailee felt bad about disturbing him, so she chose to calm down by going somewhere else. Perhaps, spending an hour or two wandering around the hotel would help her neutralize the anger she was feeling right now.


    It was just that Hailee didn''t have time to carry out her brilliant n when Ramon called out to her.


    "My love."


    My love?


    Hailee frowned. She was sure it was Ramon''s voice, but not sure if the words were directed at her.


    My love?


    Who is he calling? Waiter? Business friend? A woman he knows? It seemed that out of the many possibilities, none of them made sense, so there was no other person whom Ramon could address with the words ''my love'', besides herself.


    Hesitantly, Hailee turned around with a frown in confusion and the frown deepened as Ramon returned to using those confusing words again.


    "My love,e here ..." Ramon nodded at Hailee while looking straight at her, indicating that he was indeed talking to her.


    Wow, this was such a surprised, but hearing the way he called her made Hailee blushed and flustered at the same time.


    Hailee''s eyes widened and she asked a question without makingany sound. Ramon could only read it from the movement of her lips.


    ''Me?'' Hailee moved her lips, forming the word while raising her eyebrows in a gesture of asking, if Ramon had mistaken her for someone else.


    "Yes,e here." This time Ramon''s voice was firmer, he also stretched out his hand for Hailee to reach out, signaling that she was the person he was calling for.


    Hearing that, instinctively, Hailee walked over to Ramon, wondering if maybe Ramon had drunk too much that he called her ''my love''.


    It was a rare asion.


    In fact, Hailee didn''t mind the endearment at all and even liked it because it sounded very romantic and melodious to the ear.


    It''s just that Hailee didn''t want to let her hopes sore up too high, because after all, they were in a public ce and Ramon tends to act a lot cuter when lots of people are watching them.


    "Is this the lucky woman who has won the heart of the great Ramon Tordoff?" Asked a man with gray hair, he smiled very kindly at Hailee and looked like a lovely grandfather.


    However, Hailee wouldn''t be careless in his presence. Regardless of that first impression, she knew that the four people beside Ramon, were not just very simple.


    "I am a lucky man to conquer her heart," Ramon said politely, making Hailee''s heart pound.


    Ugh!


    The words sounded too real in her ears. It almost sounded as if Ramon was saying it from the bottom of his heart.


    "There is nothing that you have to conquer my love, because I have liked you from the very beginning," Hailee replied to Ramon''s words with a sweet smile on her lips and sped his hand tightly, as if they were the happiest young couple in the world.


    Well, two people can y the same game, right? If Ramon really wants to show the ''sweet'' side of their rtionship, Hailee has no objection.


    It''s just ... she seemed to have to keep her heart from fluttering like this when Ramon treated her so sweetly. This was not very good for the continuity of their rtionship.


    This rtionship between them is very unusual, and it would be hard for Hailee if she got carriedaway too much, while Ramon just saw it as a show.


    However, it would be hard to do that if Ramon kept staring at her like she was the most beautiful woman at the party tonight as he wrapped his arms around Hailee''s slender waist so that there was no distance between them.


    "You are too kind," Ramon replied to Hailee''s ''humble'' words andnded a quick kiss on Hailee''s cheek, as a token of appreciation for being so responsive in this small role ying and following Ramon''s y. "Didn''t you say you felt a little dizzy earlier?"


    Eh?


    What is this? A plot twist?


    When did Hailee ever say that she felt dizzy? Unless Ramon could read her mind. She did feel dizzy after meeting Giana and chatting with that woman, but Ramon couldn''t possibly know about that.


    "Oh, yeah ... I guess, I need some fresh air ..." Hailee tried to keep up with Ramon in his unexpected game. She only hoped that her answer didn''t spoil any of the ns that were in this man''s head.


    "I will apany you then," Ramon said to Hailee and without waiting for an approval from the girl beside him, he immediately turned his attention to the four people in front of him and with a polite smile, Ramon resigned to apany Hailee. "I think I have to go."


    The four menughed. They were old and seemed to have had a grandchild or two, making Ramon the youngest of them.


    "Go on, your woman is most important."


    "She must be feeling stressed because your wedding is taking ce next week."


    "Yes, of course she will be stressed, because the one she is marrying is Ramon Tordoff."


    To the third man''sment, Hailee didn''t really understand what he meant, but she still smiled, despite her confusion in responding to them.


    "Then we will excuse ourselves," Ramon said, nodding at them and pulling Hailee away, before anyone could hold them back.


    Hailee did the same and the two of them walked away from the four men.


    "Where are we going?" Hailee asked in a low voice, as if someone around them could hear that.


    Meanwhile, Ramon''s arms were still wrapped around Hailee''s waist, making her feel good.


    "Home,"Ramon replied curtly.


    "Home? But, the party ..." Only then, did Hailee realize something, she then hit Ramon''s stomach lightly and could feel the muscles writhing under her shirt.


    Ugh! Wrong move!


    Hailee ignored her thoughts that were starting to imagine the interesting things under his shirt, and returned to the things she just realized just a moment ago.


    "Don''t tell me you are using me as an excuse for you to run away from those old folks'' talk?" Hailee red, staring at Ramon in disbelief. She could see Ramon wrinkling his nose, displeased with the terms Hailee was using.


    "I didn''t run away, I just ended the conversation with them in a nice way," Ramon said. He was clearly defending himself.


    "But, you used me," Hailee still protested. Until when would this man continue to use her?


    Hearing that, Ramon stopped walking suddenly and almost made Hailee stumble on her high heels, but luckily, Ramon caught her body just in time and stabilized her. After that, Ramon crossed his arms and showed a defiant expression, which looked sexy in Hailee''s eyes.


    "So, you want to stay here?" Ramon asked. "We can go back there and spend the next few hours discussing the project they are going to offer me ..."


    Hearing those words, Hailee winced. Ramon knew very well that Hailee did not like such topics.


    "No, no thanks. Let''s go home soon, my love," Hailee used Ramon''s words to call out to him, then took the man''s arm tenderly. "Let''s go home. I just met Giana and my head is really dizzy."


    Ramon frowned at the mention of Giana''s name.


    "What did you talk to her about?" He asked as they crossed the hall that was still packed with guests.


    "Let''s talk about this in the car," Hailee mumbled.


    After all, this isn''t small talk that they could discuss as they were surrounded by people, right?


    And Ramon agreed as he pulled out his cell phone to call Charles to pick them up in the north lobby, because he didn''t want to attract too much attention by leaving the party early.


    ==============


    After arriving at the car, it seemed like Hailee was still not in a good mood and it seemed, whatever she talked to Giana wasn''t anything fun.


    Well, that was predictable actually ...


    Remembering their first meeting which did not go smoothly and was filled with bursts of irritation between the two camps.


    Therefore, Ramon did not immediately ask Hailee about their chat and waited for herto open up on her own ord.


    It''s just that, even after thirty minutes of their journey, only silence prevailed in the car. Hailee finally couldn''t stand it any longer and threw an annoyed re at Ramon.


    Even though the girl did not speak, her intense gaze certainly disturbed Ramon, even more so because the man was very sensitive to such gazes.


    So, he finally turned his attention to Hailee, who now looked like a little cat ready to scratch anyone who dared upset her even more than this.


    "What?" Ramon asked in a hoarse voice, he seemed to have drunk too much earlier, so now he was starting to feel the effects.


    However, Ramon felt that it seemed like his tolerance for alcohol had greatly diminished, because if he remembered it correctly, he was not like this before.


    Had he not touched alcohol in thest four years until a few sses made him feel tipsy? This was so strange to happen to him...


    "You didn''t ask me what happened between me and Giana?" Hailee asked in an annoyed tone.

 Chapter 118: PLANNING OUR FUTURE TOGETHER OR YOUR FUNERAL

    <h4>Chapter 118: PLANNING OUR FUTURE TOGETHER OR YOUR FUNERAL</h4>


    "You didn''t ask me what happened between me and Giana?" Hailee asked in an annoyed tone. She folded her arms across her chest and still stared at Ramon with sharp eyes.


    "If you want to tell a story, just say so," Ramon answered her, massaging his throbbing head painfully.


    Seeing Ramon who looked ufortable, lessened Hailee''s annoyance a little, her shoulders then rxed a little and her voice was not as stiff as before.


    "I want you to ask," Hailee said in a sulking voice, but her hand tugged at Ramon''s head so that he couldy on herp.


    That man looked in pain and Hailee didn''t know what the reason, maybe it was because of her?


    Since this was not the first time for Ramon to rest his head on Hailee''sp, he did not reject the gesture that the girl showed this time either.


    Slowly, Ramon adjusted his seat and made Hailee''s thigh as a pillow, he also loosened the tie that was wrapped around his neck, making himself morefortable.


    "Didn''t I ask you earlier, when we were still in the party hall?" Ramon reminded Hailee. He closed his eyes when he felt Hailee''s hands gently massaging his throbbing forehead. It felt good.


    "I want you to ask again, so I can know you that really do care about me and want to know what your ex- girlfriend told me," Hailee said in a low voice, not wanting Charles to hear their conversation, even though there was a partition between them and the driver, making their conversation more personal, but still Hailee didn''t want to leave the possibility until this matter could be heard by someone else.


    It would be troublesome if someone overheard it.


    "She couldn''t possibly hurt you," Ramon said, but then he growled in pain as Hailee tugged at a lock of his hair at thement he''d just made. "What was that for?"


    Ramon turned his head and red at Hailee, but even so, he still did not move away from Hailee''sp.


    "How dare you defend her in front of me?" Hailee clenched her jaw, giving an expression that she thought could intimidate the man lying in herp, but the effect was the opposite.


    Ramon justughed and closed his eyes again, as if Hailee''s words were a joke. "What I mean is; I believe that she had suffered more bullying; than actually managed to seed in bullying you."


    Hailee frowned when she heard Ramon''s statement. What the heck? "Is that apliment?" She asked uncertainly, because it neither sounded like apliment nor a ridicule.


    "You can say that." Ramon shrugged his shoulders nonchntly and patted Hailee''s hand lightly, indicating for the girl to start massaging his head again and Haileeplied.


    "Okay ..." Hailee said gravely. Well, if that''s apliment, then that''s okay ... "Now ask me."


    "You are troublesome," Ramon grumbled, but then he felt Hailee''s hands stop, so he groaned in annoyance andplied with this girl''s unreasonable request. For some reason Ramon felt that if he had toply with Hailee''s request, forced or not, he would. "What did the two of you talk about?"


    "Okay, I will tell you if you really want to know!" Hailee eximed excitedly to share all her frustration. "Actually I don''t want toin, it''s just that she pissed me off!"


    Ramon: "..."


    Wasn''t Hailee the one who forced him to ask her? Okay, whatever ...


    And Hailee spent the next thirty minutes telling the story to Ramon about what Giana had told her that annoyed her to this extent. Starting from her offer to help so that Hailee could get her inheritance rights to her familypany ...


    "... does she think I want thepany? Thepany will copse within one month if I am the decision maker of thepany..."


    Also regarding Giana''s offer that she could fix her engagement with Theodore Gevano.


    "... huff! That is the stupidest offer I have ever heard, how can I exchange diamonds for river stones?" Hailee said in with her pitch- high voice, sounded annoyed by that statement.


    "And you mean that I''m the diamond here?" Ramon interrupted Hailee''s ranting, just to confirm it.


    "Of course!" Hailee nodded excitedly. "You are the most beautiful diamond I have ever seen!"


    Okay, that sounds like apliment, but why did Ramon feel like there was something strange about the words?


    The way Haileeplimented someone seemed beyond normal standards ...


    And another ten minutes passed until Hailee really had to let out her frustration about Giana''s attitude earlier.


    And during that time, Ramon listened carefully to her every word, even though Hailee sounded grumpy, but her voice was pleasant enough to hear, and her small hands, which were massaging his temples gently, lessened Ramon''s headache a little.


    "Then what did you say?" Ramon asked at the end of Hailee''s long exnation.


    "I said; say that again after Ramon and I cradled our first grandchild." Hailee repeated what she said proudly and Ramon chuckled at that.


    Ramon really couldn''t understand what was really on Hailee''s mind, because she could easily make himugh with unexpected answers or weird jokes.


    "You really are an optimist." Ramon adjusted his position so that he could look at Hailee''s face and found a blush crepting up her face when she was stared at like that.


    Hailee looked so beautiful with her long flowing hair, she had untied the bun that kept her hair together as soon as they got into the car.


    It seems that Hailee prefers her hair hanging loose and Ramon agreed with that, because she looks very beautiful in such a hairstyle.


    "You have already mentioned having kids with me, so I guess you wouldn''t mind if I took two steps forward." Hailee shrugged her shoulders nonchntly and tried to avoid Ramon''s gaze by staring at the street through the car window to her right.


    "Hm," Ramon muttered, giving no definite response, and this made Hailee refocus on him.


    "What?" Hailee frowned. "You want to take your words back?"


    "Of course not." Ramonughed at how Hailee was frowning. She was adorable if Ramon could tell.


    There was nothing more attractive in Ramon''s eyes when he saw Hailee pursing her lips with a crease between her brows.


    "Listen," Hailee began. "I have said all these things in front of Giana, so don''t try to go back to her or call her behind my back." Hailee threatened.


    Normally, Ramon didn''t take threats well, but this time he didn''t mind at all.


    "I told you, didn''t I? I am a monogamous person. Just being with one woman like you was already overwhelming to me, I guess I won''t have time to be with the other women." Ramon stretched out his hand and tucked a strand of Hailee''s hair behind her ear.


    "Okay, I will take that as apliment," said Hailee. "But, remember your words; once we get married, there will be no divorce, it''s either we n our future together or we n your funeral."


    "I didn''t say thatst sentence," Ramon avoided, but the look in his eyes could tell that Hailee''s words had sounded funny to him.


    "I added thest sentence," Hailee said lightly.


    Ramon then put his hand behind Hailee''s nape and pulled her face toward his, until their lips met.


    "Agreed," said Ramon between their kisses.


    ==============


    Hailee came into her room after she kissed Ramon on the cheek and said good night.


    Or so it could be said that she fled, as she ran away after doing that.


    Her heart was beating very fast knowing what she had just done and her mind began to think about the things Ramon might think of her.


    Does Ramon like it when women make the moves first? Or was it too much?


    No, no. This wasn''t the first time Hailee teased Ramon, but for some reason after their kiss in the car earlier, she felt a lot more affectionate than before.


    Does Ramon like her now? That''s why he kissed her? But, it wasn''t their first kiss either, was it?


    Ugh!


    Why was Hailee overthinking like this? It seemed, rather than her who made Ramon fall in love with her, she was the one who was falling deeper and deeper to his charms.


    What else can she do? There isn''t a sane woman out there who isn''t as enamored with a man as Ramon ...


    Hailee then touched her lips and smiled to herself as she remembered what happened in the car before ...


    ==============


    The next morning, Hailee woke up earlier than Ramon and prepared breakfast for him, because Ramon always woke up very early and she didn''t have a chance to cook anything.


    However, even after the dishes were set on the table, Ramon didn''te down.


    "Ramon still hasn''t left for work, has he?" Hailee asked Martha.


    "Yes, I haven''t seen Mr. Tordoffe down from his room," Martha replied, arranging the food on the tray, which was to be brought to Ramon''s room.


    "Hm," Hailee muttered.


    Is Ramon took a leave today? Usually at this hour he would already halfway to his office. But, why didn''t hee down for breakfast yet?


    Hailee wondered, so after finished tidying up the breakfast that Hailee made on the tray, which contained tuna sandwich, a ss of mineral water and a cup of coffee, Hailee and Martha went up to the second floor to deliver the breakfast.


    "Ramon?" Hailee knocked on his bedroom door, but didn''t get any reply from the inside. What was the matter? He was not usually like this.


    This was strange...

 Chapter 119: THE CUNNING HAILEE

    <h4>Chapter 119: THE CUNNING HAILEE</h4>


    It was unusual for Ramon not to wake up at this hour, because usually he would already be halfway to work by now.


    Moreover, this is not a weekend nor a holiday ...


    Or was Ramon on a day off? Hailee didn''t think so. If this was Lexus they were talking about, it still made sense, but Ramon ...


    It felt like even though there was a storm out there, he would hit it in order to go to thepany.


    Okay, that supposition is too much.


    Hailee knocked on Ramon''s door once again and called out his name, but there was still no answer from inside. "Ramon? If you don''t answer me, I will go inside. I am bringing you breakfast."


    Hailee then turned to look at Martha, who gestured for Hailee to just enter Ramon''s room. Because she also found it strange that Ramon didn''t answer such a long call. Ramon is not a difficult person to wake up either, he is a light sleeper, as far as Martha knew.


    Hailee then pushed the door to Ramon''s bedroom curiously, meanwhile, Martha followed her from behind with a tray that contain breakfast for Ramon.


    "Ramon," Hailee tried to call the man again, even though there was still no answer from within.


    She then walked in and found that Ramon''s bed was still a mess and someone was still sleeping under the thick golden brown nket.


    Hailee then elerated her footsteps and sat by the bed while pulling the nket covering Ramon''s face.


    "Ramon, are you all right?" Hailee asked worriedly and immediately pushed the nket aside and found Ramon''s pale face with sweat over flooding his body. "Oh, my God ..." Hailee gasped and instinctively reached out her hand to touch Ramon''s forehead which felt very hot to the touch.


    "What is wrong?" Martha, who followed Hailee into the room, immediately put the tray she was carrying on the nearest table and walked over to Hailee, whose expression now looked very worried and anxious.


    "Ramon has a fever," Hailee said, looking confused about what to do. But, then her eyes stared at Martha intensely. "Do you have the number of Tordoffs'' private doctor?" She asked in a choked voice, as if she was trying to suppress the panic within her.


    This is no time to panic. However, Hailee had never seen anyone as pale as Ramon, even though he is running a fever now, this man still looked finest night, even though he wasining of having a headache.


    However, it had been a few days since Hailee had been seeing Ramon massaging his temples at every hour of the day he is awake.


    At first, Hailee thought it was due to his piled up work and himself being too stressed from having to catch up with the four years worth memories that he forgot, so Hailee didn''t think it would be this serious.


    "Oh, just a moment, Ithink I have it on my cell phone, I will call him over right away," Martha said hastily and immediately walked out of the room, leaving Hailee and Ramon alone.


    "Ramon?" Hailee tried to call out his name, she put her palm on Ramon''s hot cheek, rubbing it lightly. "Ramon, wake up ..."


    Hailee was trying to wake him up, but Ramon just muttered something in an incoherent voice, as if he didn''t realize what had happened to him whatsoever.


    Hailee then took out her cellphone to call Lis, to inform her that Ramon was sick, but the call was connected to voice mail. Looks like Lis is in an important meeting so she had to turn off her phone.


    Therefore, Hailee only left a message, informing her of Ramon''s condition before quickly calling Lexus to inform him of this.


    However, before Hailee could say ''hello'', Lexus started grumbling to her first.


    "Hailee! What were you doing with my brother all night? He didn''t pick up my phone all this morning! He should be at the airport by now!" Lexus grumbled.


    "I didn''t do anything with your brother!" Hailee eximed under her breath. Well, kissing didn''t fall into the ''do nothing'' category, right? "Ramon is now sick, he has a fever and is unconscious. Martha has called the doctor toe and I have called mother, but was not answered."


    There was silence for a while after Hailee said all that, it seemed like Lexus was digesting the long sentence Hailee had just said.


    "Wait," Lexus muttered. "Is Ramon sick?" He asked to make sure. "But howe? He looked all rightst night!"


    "I don''t know," Hailee said in a weak voice, her hand wiping the sweat beads on Ramon''s forehead with the tissue beside the nightstand. "Should I take him to the hospital?" Hailee asked nervously. "He looks very pale."


    Then, Lexus'' voice took a serious turn and Hailee had never heard the Tordoffs'' second child speak this seriously.


    "Martha must be on the phone with Doctor Bram, just wait there until hees and if you are referred to go to the hospital, I will see you there. Stay with my brother, Hailee," Lexus said in a firmer voice.


    Hailee nodded, yes. "Certainly."


    "Keep me updated, I will go over after I settle this issue here," Lexus told Hailee.


    "Yes," Hailee nodded again.


    And when the phone line got disconnected, Hailee returned her focus to Ramon, who was still unconscious.


    ==============


    In fact, today Hailee had an appointment with Ben Kingston, the business journalist Ian introduced to her.


    Hailee had called him and they scheduled to meet up today, but it seemed that thing have to be canceled due to Ramon''s deteriorating condition.


    Dr. Bram arrived ten minutes ago and he is now in the room checking on Ramon, while Hailee is standing not far from Ramon''s bed, because she doesn''t want to disturb him, watching over them in case she was needed.


    Only after Dr. Bram seemed to have finished carrying out the inspection, did Hailee dare to approach and ask carefully.


    "So, how''s it going?" She asked, standing at the side of the bed. Her eyes did not leave Ramon''s pale face even for a second.


    "We should just take him to the hospital for a thorough examination, because it looks like this is a side effect of the trauma to his head that he experienced when the ident happened," Dr. Bram exined.


    "Is it that bad?" Hailee asked anxiously, then she sat on the edge of the bed and took Ramon''s hot hand in her cold ones.


    "It is just in case, so we can find out more quickly what really happened, after all he''s supposed to have his routine check- up today." Dr. Bram then tidied up his equipment and took out his cellphone. "I will call the ambnce toe," he told Hailee before getting up and walking out of the room.


    Hailee frowned and looked down at the hand that was in her grasp.


    Why did Ramon''s condition suddenly deteriorate? Even thoughst night he was fine ...


    Is it because he was not taking his medicines regrly?


    Actually, Hailee didn''t know whether Ramon was taking the medicines or not, because she didn''t really pay attention to them.


    However, with this incident, Hailee promised to herself that she would make sure that Ramon took all of his medicine properly.


    Seeing Ramon in pain like this, made Hailee feel very ufortable, because she was used to his arrogant nature.


    "Hey." Hailee rubbed the back of Ramon''s hand and bit her lip lightly. Trying to hide her true feelings. "Don''t get sick like this, I''m worried."


    "You think I asked for this?" There was a weak and harsh voice that made Hailee immediately lift her head and she found Ramon, who was frowning.


    "Are you awake? How do you feel?" Hailee sat over to Ramon and grabbed a ss of mineral water beside his bed table.


    "I have been awake since you called Lexus," Ramon said, he was already awake because of Hailee''s frantic calls, but chose to remain silent because his head was throbbing painfully again. "You''re so loud."


    "I''m worried, you know!" Hailee growled and hit Ramon''s arm and held out the ss in his hand so that Ramon could drink it, but it was clear that Ramon needn''t help with such a trivial thing.


    Therefore, Hailee helped Ramon to arrange the pillows on the back of his head instead, so that he wouldn''t choke and held the ss, helping Ramon to drink.


    "Tell Dr. Bram that you don''t need to call an ambnce, I feel much better now," Ramon said as he leaned back and prepared to close his eyes again.


    However, Hailee didn''t make any move toply with his request, therefore, Ramon opened his eyes again and looked at the girl with a frown.


    "You''re going to the hospital," Hailee said sternly, as if there''s no room for argument with her this time.


    "I said no, didn''t I?" Ramon insisted as he folded his arms, but at a time when his face was pale and looking weaker than usual, Hailee could quite easily ovee his sharp and fierce gaze. "I''m not going anywhere."


    "Dr. Bram said you had to do a thorough examination and that''s what you were going to do." Hailee didn''t want to lose either.


    "What can you do if I refuse?" Ramon challenged the girl in front of him, somehow, even in this sick state, they still had energy and a topic to fuss about.


    Hailee then gave Ramon a sly smile, picking up her cell phone. "I''m going to call your mother and Lexus and tell them that Dr. Bram suggested you go to the hospital, but you refused."


    "Do you think that would work? I''ll tell them I''m fine." Ramon grinned back at Hailee and pulled up the covers, getting ready to go to sleep again.


    He just needed rest and being with Hailee only made him feel even more tired.


    But, then he heard Hailee''s voice crying while speaking incoherently and words that were difficult to understand.


    What is this?!


    Ramon immediately opened the nket covering his head and saw that Hailee was crying while calling, but no tears came out of her eyes.


    "Ramon ... sob, sob, didn''t want to go to the hospital, even though Dr. Bram said his condition was very bad... he had to do a thorough examination... yes, yes mom... sob, sob," Hailee sobbed. Without any tears in her eyes.


    On the other hand, Ramon could only stare at the girl in front of him in disbelief. What was she really nning?


    "What? Yes ... I think three or four bodyguards would be enough, Ramon is so weak, he won''t be able to fight back." Hailee seemed to have gotten in touch with Lis and nothing would be more powerful than a mother worrying about her child. "Yes, mom ... I''ll do it."

 Chapter 120: WHAT KIND OF WOMAN THAT HE WOULD MARRY TO

    <h4>Chapter 120: WHAT KIND OF WOMAN THAT HE WOULD MARRY TO</h4>


    Ramon was at a loss for words. Actually, what kind of woman should he make of his wife? Hailee sure is very cunning ...


    "Fine, I will do it ... fine,ter I will tell you how things are going here." Hailee nodded and then cut off the line before turning her attention to Ramon who was staring at her as if Hailee had just grown one more head.


    "You sure are sneaky ..." Ramon hissed irritably.


    However, after her sessful crying acting, Hailee again gave Ramon a sweet smile and threw her phone aside, she then stretched her body casually and cracked her ten fingers, asking in a soft voice.


    "So, you chose to go to the hospital without coercion or should I use force?" Hailee quoted one of the lines used by mob bosses in films when they were about to kidnap their target.


    "Hailee, you are crazy," Ramon grumbled.


    "My love, I am only worried about you." Hailee then winked at him.


    ==============


    Finally, after arguing with Ramon, Hailee managed to get the man to relent before getting into the car driven by Charles, taking them to the hospital, because Ramon refused firmly to be taken by ambnce.


    Even Dr. Bram and Martha could only be spectators and stand at a corner of the room, watching the heated argument between Ramon and Hailee.


    It seemed like, just by arguing with Hailee, Ramon looked a lot better ... Because his face was no longer pale, but was red from holding back his irritation and temper, though it was not sure whether that a good thing or not.


    Maybe because Ramon felt that Hailee''s words had some truth, or also because he was too tired to argue with her, Ramon decided to just toply again and immediately told Martha to tell Charles to get the car ready.


    And the middle ground of their problem was finally resolved with Ramon choosing not to go by ambnce. Just thinking about it made Ramon cringe.


    Arriving at the hospital, Dr. Bram worked very efficiently, because everything that was needed there had been prepared beforehand and a thorough inspection could be carried out immediately.


    The examination itself took approximately four hours toplete and Ramon was referred to spend the night as an in- patient before the results of the examination came out, so that they could determine what action to take against Ramon.


    And now, Hailee is apanying Ramon who is sleeping after eating his lunch. She is currently informing Lis and Lexus about Ramon''s development.


    They both thanked Hailee for apanying Ramon.


    "Isn''t it my duty as Ramon''s future wife to do that?" Hailee grimaced a little when she said this out loud. Words like ''Ramon''s future wife'' still made Hailee feel a little strange and unreal ...


    Maybe it was because she was still not used to it.


    After calling Lis and Lexus, Hailee then called Ben Kingstone to reschedule their meeting appointment, because there was no way Hailee would leave Ramon in this condition.


    Ben Kingstone sounded quite disappointed that Hailee couldn''te, but when he heard that Hailee couldn''te because of a sudden business, he tried to understand and didn''t mind much about the whole rescheduling.


    "Thank you very much," Hailee said before she ended the call. "Argh!"


    However, when she turned her attention away from her cellphone screen, Hailee found Ramon staring at her. He had awakened.


    "Can''t you stop startling me? You have been doing this since morning," Hailee grumbled softly while keeping her cell phone away. "I thought you were sleeping earlier."


    Ramon actually narrowed his eyes when he heard Hailee''s answer. "Can you make calls from somewhere far from me? Your voice is so disturbing, how do you expect that I can stay asleep?" Ramon replied fiercely.


    It seemed that Ramon had spoken to Hailee a lot more than he had spoken to his employees in recent months.


    "Oops! Sorry ..." Hailee muttered, but from the look in her eyes, Ramon could see that this girl was not at all sorry for what she had done and he could only sigh softly.


    "What do you want from Ben Kingstone?" Ramon asked, if he had woken up earlier, it was certain that he had also heard the conversation between Hailee and the reporter.


    "Do you know Ben Kingstone?" Hailee asked, surprised.


    "You mentioned his name several times," Ramon reminded Hailee. She had actually made known the person''s identity very clearly without even realizing it herself.


    "Oh," Hailee shed her white teeth. "He is a business journalist," she began and shifted Ramon''s bed to a sitting position so that the man didn''t have to turn his body.


    "Then?" asked Ramon, seeming to find Hailee''s story a lot more interesting than going back to sleep.


    "So, I have this n ..." Hailee smiled broadly, a sign that seemed out of ce tobine with the look of mischief in her eyes. "You know that yesterday Uncle George said he was going to give the ring to Aileen, right? I want it to be reported in the mass media. So that he can''t take back what he said....


    "You know, if he said that just because he didn''t want the ring to fall into my hands?" Hailee leaned toward Ramon, and the man could smell the soft scent of the shampoo she had used earlier. "But, as you said, management at our familypany, Tatum Jewelry is not doing well, this is sure to generate a wave of disapproval from other shareholders."


    "Especially when George Tatum cannot afford to pay for it." Ramon ended Hailee''s exnation and could see the girl''s face beaming happily.


    "Great minds thinks alike!" Hailee snapped her fingers happily andughed. "Yes, if the media finds out about this, only two choices would be left for them; Uncle George have to buy the diamond ring from thepany with his personal money or deny the news saying it was not true."


    And those two options are not good choices and are very unfavorable for them.


    That is risking both theirpany name and their personal name.


    "You are a troublemaker," Ramon said, but the words sounded like praise to Hailee''s ears.


    Meanwhile, in front of him, Hailee was smiling broadly, shing her teeth. "But you like me, don''t you? Aren''t you going to like my ways too?"


    Hearing that, Ramon raised his eyebrows and smiled back. "You are quick to learn."


    "Of course, I am a fast learner," Hailee said proudly, pointing at her chest and Ramon was lost for words again.


    It felt really interesting to see the world from Hailee''s point of view, because she always managed to see it in a different and much more interesting way.


    Even these small, simple tricks sounded fun and Ramon felt eager, despite it was only a slightest feeling, to wait how it would turn out.


    "Why don''t you tell Mr. Kingstone to meet at a restaurant nearby?" Ramon suggested as he really thought this idea was good enough to shake the management of the Tatum familypany a little, so that it would be easier for him to take over thepanyter.


    Internal conflicts are things that are more dangerous than problems thate from outside parties, especially in the case of a familypany like this.


    It will be very vulnerable to a shift in leadership, moreover, Aileen is not a part of the Tatum family biologically and George Tatum, proved to be not verypetent in handling thepany.


    "No," Hailee answered in a voice that was half muttering. "If I go, you will be here alone."


    "You want me toe too so I won''t feel lonely?" Ramon asked.


    "What? Why would you being?" Hailee frowned, as if something was wrong with the interpretation of these words. "You are sick, how can youe with me to go outside?"


    "Aren''t you the one who doesn''t want to leave me alone?" Ramon asked again, making an innocent face.


    And only then did Hailee realize that he was ying with words. "Stop ying with me Ramon. Don''t use that trick." Hailee red, but it made Ramonugh and ruffle her hair.


    Somehow both of them loved this moment, as if there was only the two of them that understood each other.


    "Go on and take care of your business," Ramon suggested. "The sooner, the better. Our wedding is only a few days away. I don''t want our honeymoon to be disturbedter by this problem."


    Hearing the word ''honeymoon'', Hailee''s cheeks flushed red as she smiled shyly at Ramon.


    "Stop showing expressions like that, you are scaring me." Ramon then closed his eyes again and turned around, his back to Hailee, but there was a small smile on his lips when he heard Hailee start grumbling over hisments earlier.


    ==============


    "I want you to release the news to the mass media. "Giana''s voice sounded very cold and stiff, while her eyes were focused on the beautiful tiara before her.


    It is the same tiara that Ramon won at the auction to be presented to Hailee on their wedding day.


    Dillon who was standing beside Giana could only sigh heavily. He didn''t know how long this woman would behave like this.


    "Giana, are you really going to attack that girl with this news?" Dillon asked in disbelief, staring at the woman in front of him.


    They are currently in the exhibition room and all the valuables in this room, would be delivered to the respective buyers today and the tiara would be thest item on the delivery list.


    Giana wanted Ramon to take the tiara himself.

 Chapter 121: BROTHERS WITH THE SAME WAY OF THINKING

    <h4>Chapter 121: BROTHERS WITH THE SAME WAY OF THINKING</h4>


    However, Giana insisted that she herself would deliver the tiara to Ramon.


    She still couldn''t understand how Ramon could just ignore her and let her wait during the party and just walk away without meeting her, even when Giana had clearly said that she would be waiting on the balcony.


    And as if to make things worse, instead of Ramon, Hailee was the one to appear there.


    Of course their conversation didn''t go well and Giana had to take a bitter pill when she found out that Ramon had just went home, leaving the party altogether.


    That''s too much!


    No...


    The current Ramon had forgot everything about Giana, so what he did on that party night was understandably natural.


    It was just that Giana felt frustrated by this fact along with Ramon''s attitude toward her that changed rather drastically. In addition, his marriage is only a matter of few days, while Giana doesn''t know what to do to stop it from happening even now.


    "Just do it Dillon, and don''t question my decisions over and over." Giana growled. She tightly clutched the ss case in which the tiara was kept, while an impulsive urge to throw it across the room to vent out her long- kept anger was suffocating her whole being.


    She was still not sure, either the anger was aimed at Ramon or at her own husband who continued his affair.


    Giana felt very angry at everything that happened in her life.


    "Giana, you are not in your right mind, think about this again." Dillon gave advice as a friend, not as a personal assistant who would obey all of this woman''s wishes.


    "Dillon, you have no right to make rules for me!" This time Giana snapped at him rather harsh than usual.


    However, Dillon did not flinch with his decision. "I will postpone this for three dayster. Tell me your decision at that time and now I want you to calm yourself down. Don''t make decisions when you are overwhelmed with emotions like this."


    Dillon tried to advise Giana, but the woman cursed him with such harsh words that it made him flinch when he heard her.


    When he could no longer tolerate those words, Dillon chose to walk out of the room, leaving Giana there alone.


    ==============


    "Okay, my love ..." For some reason, Hailee fixed that little endearment as her nickname for Ramon. Either she was mocking Ramon or she just really liked him, but for sure, the word ''my love'' would always slip off her lips effortlessly. "I will be right back."


    Hailee tidied her look in front of the mirror and put on her pink lipstick onest time.


    After she confirmed that her appearance was okay and proper, she quickly walked over to Ramon, who was lying on the bed eating the fruit that Hailee had peeled earlier.


    "Lexus is on his way here, if he asks, just tell him I am getting some clean clothes for you, okay?" Hailee winked at him while linking her index finger and thumb.


    "You only want to meet a reporter to leak some information, but why do you look like you are going out with a man?" Ramon squinted his eyes, seeing how enthusiastic Hailee was to meet this person.


    Hearing Ramon''s statement, Haileeughed andnded a kiss on the cheek of this frowning man.


    "You never asked me out, so you can''tpare." Haileemented. "Ask me out on a date, then you will find out what I would look like while going to one..."


    Hailee nced flirtatiously and immediately ran for the door when she saw Ramon wrinkle his nose in displeasure.


    The girl fled before Ramon could say; I will never ask you out on a date, cause that''s what this guy will say, just like when Hailee asked him to propose to her.


    Slowly, Hailee had started to read Ramon''s gestures...


    ==============


    "Is it true?" Ben Kingstone questioned the veracity of Hailee''s words.


    The two of them finally decided to meet at a restaurant near the hospital where Ramon was being treated, as suggested by the man.


    Her husband was indeed very understanding and smart.


    And since Hailee didn''t have much time to entertain a small talk, she directly got straight to the point.


    "You could publish it without any hesitations, for you got me as your news source," Hailee said calmly, her childishly spoiled attitude when she was with Ramon earlier, was gone.


    Now she was showing professionalism, making everything she said even more credible and trustworthy.


    Indeed, Hailee did note from the Tordoff family or other elite families in town A, but with her family background, of course she had got all the proper lessons in dealing with various kinds of formal situations and in dealing with several people for business matters.


    "May I mention Mr. Tordoff too?" Ben Kingstone asked carefully. The names Ramon Tordoff and Hailee, will certainly attract interest from various circles, especially when ites to the cancetion of their wedding rings.


    Of course this will cause problems for Tatum Jewelry as well as Hailee''s uncle and adoptive sister.


    "You''re going to write about Ramon too?" Hailee furrowed her brows faintly and folded her arms across her chest, while Ben Kingstone exined why using the name Ramon Tordofff in the article would be more interesting and how it could definitely produce the results Hailee wanted; a sshy news. "... by just mentioning his name." Ben Kingstone ended his long speech.


    He could have used Ramon Tordoff''s name in the story right away, without telling Hailee first.


    But, if Ramon Tordoff was offendedter... Ben Kingstone didn''t even want to imagine what the tycoon could do to get him to pull the news down.


    On the other hand, Hailee also had the same thoughts.


    Even though this may sound trivial, but Hailee didn''t want to make a decision for Ramon and just use his name recklessly...


    "Send me the article you are going to publish first, if Ramon has no problem with it, then you can continue." In the end, Hailee decided so, because she didn''t want to take the risk.


    "Very well," Ben Kingstone agreed. "Fair enough, and I will have it delivered by tomorrow morning."


    "Okay."


    And the short conversation between them ended there.


    ==============


    Lexus stared at the apple that was on the table, beside Ramon''s bed, with a wrinkled forehead and pouty lips.


    "Who made that apple in the shape of a rabbit? So childish," Lexus pursed his lips, putting down arge bag of food for Ramon.


    And since the table he was going to put the groceries on had a te filled with the rabbit- shaped apples, he had to pick it up, with the intention of throwing the cute rabbits away.


    However, Ramon stopped him.


    "Where do you thin kyou are taking my apples?" Ramon asked tonelessly, his sharp eyes staring at the te in Lexus'' hand. And even though he was still a little pale with an IV attached to? his hand, Ramon still managed to get Lexus nervous because of his unfriendly tone.


    "You are not serious about eating this, are you?" Lexus nced at the te in his hand. He couldn''t imagine Ramon eating fruits that were cut in such cute shape.


    Besides, what was Hailee even thinking? Until she bothered to cut them like this? Yes,that girl was creative when it came to food, but wouldn''t her efforts be all for naught if her recipient didn''t even want to touch them?


    "Yes, I will eat them," Ramon answered with a t expression, making Lexus'' mouth go gaping wide.


    "You are not serious, are you?" Lexus narrowed his eyes probing at Ramon, he really couldn''t help wondering how this stiff and unfriendly brother could possibly be associated with the apple rabbits in his hands?


    "Put the te where it belongs," Ramon said in a rigid voice, ignoring the expression of disbelief that stered Lexus'' face.


    Okay, this is really annoying ... Lexus feel like he doesn''t know Ramon anymore.


    Was this the effect of his amnesia or because of the influence of Hailee? However, they have already been in a rtionship for two years, so there was no way this brother was just acting weird now.


    So, the odds must be because of the amnesia.


    While worrying about his brother''s unusual change, Lexus started walking toward the table beside Ramon again and returned the te filled with apples to its previous ce, while for the food he was carrying, he found a different table to ce it down.


    "Oh, yeah ... by the way, where is Hailee?" Lexus just realized that Hailee wasn''t around.


    "She is picking up clean clothes," Ramon lied with a t face and Lexus simply believed him.


    "Oh ..."


    Didn''t Ramon just have to ask someone to deliver the clothes? No need for Hailee to personally take it.


    However, Lexus said nothing about this matter ...


    ==============


    After Hailee finished her business with Ben Kingstone, she immediately returned to the hospital and found Ramon who had fallen asleep while Lexus was ying games on his cellphone.


    "Hey, where have you been?" Lexus asked, ncing up briefly from his cellphone, but then he returned to focus on his game.


    "Picking up clean clothes," Hailee put down a small bag containing Ramon''s clean clothes, which Charles had delivered earlier. They had met in the lobby of the hospital when Hailee had just arrived.


    "Ramon had his dinner?" Hailee then threw her body next to Lexus and stretched her aching waist.


    "Of course," Lexus replied without looking up from the game he was ying.


    "He just slept?"


    "About an hour ago?"


    "Moming here?"


    "No, she is on out of town, but will be back by ne at the earliest."


    Lately, Lis is almost always out of town and rarely at home, it seems that she is more interested in taking care of their subsidiary in S city.


    However, no one suspected this.


    "Have you eaten?"


    GAME OVER.


    The two words shed on the screen of the Lexus cellphone, which finally made him lift his head and stare at Hailee in annoyance, while the girl just gave him an innocent, sinless smile, as if to say that it waspletely not her fault.


    "What?" Hailee asked, while suppressing a smile.


    "You are annoying," Lexus said.


    "Your brother said that too, but he liked me in the end, so I will assume that is your way of expressing your liking to other people," Hailee answered him lightly, shrugging her shoulders nonchntly.


    Lexus who heard that, squinted his eyes while grimacing. "Seriously, I don''t understand your way of thinking, really."


    "That''s what Ramon said too." This time Haileeughed out loud, until her body was shaking. These two brothers really have the same way of thinking at certain times.

 Chapter 122: STOP TOUCHING ME!

    <h4>Chapter 122: STOP TOUCHING ME!</h4>


    "Ah, never mind ..." Lexus waved his hand, a little annoyed that Hailee actually responded like that. "Since you are here, I am going home."


    "Already?" Hailee stoppedughing and frowned.


    Her eyes fell on Ramon, then scoured around thisrge VVIP room. If Ramon fell asleep, it meant Hailee wouldn''t have anypanions to mess with, whoops, that is to say to, while the girl is not at all sleepy, even though the clock is already nine o''clock in the evening.


    "Yes, go home ..." Lexus stretched his body and intended to retrieve the documents he had deliberately brought to work on here, so that he could look after Ramon more freely.


    However, before Lexus could reach for the documents, Hailee had put them aside, which made the man stare at her questioningly.


    "What?" He asked suspiciously when he saw the smile on Hailee''s lips.


    "Apany me to watch a movie," Hailee said, showing off her white teeth, while her recipient frowned.


    "What movie?"


    "Horror."


    ==============


    He didn''tknow how long he was asleep, but Ramon woke up when he heard muttering sounds that were quite disturbing, apanied by muffled screams and the sound of stic rubbing together.


    What''s the matter?


    With sleepy eyes, Ramon forced himself to open his eyes and blinked several times to focus on the source of the noise, which had awakened him.


    And the first thing he noticed was the figures of Hailee and Lexus, each wearing an extra nket from the hospital, enveloping themselves, so that only their eyes and the top of their heads could be seen.


    What are they actually doing?


    Ramon shook his head and rubbed his face, to find out what they were really watching to look so ridiculous like that.


    And when Ramon turned his gaze toward the focal point, which the duo were paying attention to, and found that the two of them were actually staring at the tablet, which was mounted on a holder on the table, in front of them, with earphones in their ears.


    It doesn''t take a genius to guess that they were watching a film, and it doesn''t take someone smart enough to know what kind of film they are watching.


    Because Ramon had seen the same reactions and expressions that Hailee was showing right now before.


    And it''s not just Hailee, even Lexus'' face also twistedically.


    Lexus closed his eyes many times and Hailee did the same thing, almost at the same time.


    Right now, the two of them looked like that famous dumber duo and Ramon was embarrassed to admit that they were his own fiancee and younger sibling.


    "Don''t close your eyes!" Hailee hissed softly, hitting Lexus'' arm. "You never know who was killed by the criminal!"


    "Why don''t you just take a look and tell me!?" Lexus protested in a muffled grunt.


    "You coward!" Hailee sneered in a low voice.


    "Are you not?" Replied Lexus, not wanting to lose.


    It seemed like the two of them were trying to speak as quietly as possible so as not to wake Ramon up, but in reality, they were too loud to keep the room quiet and calm.


    "If you are so brave, why don''t you see for yourself? After all, it was you who chose this film!" Lexus protested from under the covers, while Hailee replied.


    "You call yourself a man when you don''t dare to witness a scene like this? Come on!" Hailee tried to pull the nket off Lexus'' face, but the man held it tight instead.


    "You''re a sexist!" Lexus pointed at Hailee who rolled her eyes, but no one saw it because their faces were both hidden behind the nket. "What so wrong for men to have soft feelings?"


    "Ramon is brave, can''t you be like him?"


    "That''s Ramon, not me. His bravery has nothing to do with me. He is the first child, naturally he is braver than me," Lexus grumbled, not epting Hailee''s statement.


    "Nothing to do with the first or second child."


    "Of course there is." Lexus insisted. "There is a reason why the first child was born first, which is to protect the child who was born after him, namely; me. So, it is only natural that my heart is much gentler than him."


    And the man that the two of them were talking about, was actually staring at the behavior of the two of them who were bickering like children from his bed.


    At this point, he realized that he would recover faster without being apanied by Hailee or Lexus.


    Ramon didn''t even do anything, so why did he have to be involved in their conversation?


    And at this moment, Ramon firmly believed that none of the two were paying attention to the storyline of the movie they were watching anymore as the two of them were busy arguing.


    However, after a few minutes had passed and their arguments did not die down, they both started looking like six year old children who were fighting, finally Ramon could not stand it and spoke.


    "Can you both be quiet?" Ramon could see Hailee, who was furious and as if she was going to scratch Lexus in the next second if Ramon didn''t stop them in time.


    Now, the film on Lexus tablet is no longer attractive to them, while the two of them stared at each other in annoyance, no longer hiding under the covers.


    Hearing Ramon''s voice, both of them were shocked, but then Hailee immediately rushed toward Ramon''s bed before climbing it swiftly, and slipped into the man''s arms, whining.


    "Lexus bullied me ..." Hailee pouted and pursed her lips as she looked at Ramon with an expression as if she was having a really bad time.


    On the other hand, when Lexus heard what Hailee said, he really couldn''t help thinking, how could she have changed so drastically?


    A second ago, Hailee seemed to have endless energy to argue with him until morning and there was no sign that she was going to give in at all, but in the next second, she ran toward his brother and acted spoiled, like a lost kitten.


    "No, no," Lexus said quickly. Staring at his brother with wide eyes. "If someone gets bullied here, it''s me, not her."


    Ramon felt a headache seeing the two of them acting up again. There were times when they looked like siblings, but now they both showed their worst version.


    "Go home," Ramon finally said. Because if they continued, there would be no end for this meaningless bickering.


    And Ramon knew that Hailee couldn''t possibly be bullied by Lexus, as Ramon had witnessed half of their fight.


    Lexus grumbled softly, saying ''all right'', then he packed his things quickly.


    Meanwhile Hailee still hid her face in Ramon''s chest, hugging the man''s body tightly, like an octopus, refusing to let go until Lexus left the room.


    Luckily the bed upied by Ramon was big enough for both of them, so Ramon didn''t have to worried about the danger of falling from there which would result in new problems again.


    "Okay, I am going home now, if you need anything, just call me," Lexus said, then he intended to step out of the room.


    It''s just that, before he really went out, an idea shed through his mind when he saw how spoiled Hailee had been acting around Ramon and his irritation immediately returned.


    With quick strides, Lexus approached the bed, under the sharp gaze of Ramon, who was frowning, wondering what his younger brother was going to do.


    And when Lexus was near enough, he reached out his hand to smack Hailee''s head, but luckily Ramon had good reflexes and he moved faster than Lexus to brush his hand away before he could touch Hailee.


    "Go home." This time Ramon''s voice sounded deeper and more resolute, he was staring at Lexus with a hint of gaze; don''t you try to do anything stupid.


    Being stared at like that, of course Lexus snorted in annoyance that his brother defended his future wife more than he did himself.


    Well, that''s how it should be, right?


    Knowing that his efforts were not going to work and Ramon had given him an ultimatum, Lexus gave up his intention, he didn''t want to push his luck and tease the two love birds.


    "Okay, I will go home now," said Lexus.


    And over Ramon''s neck, they can hear Hailee''s muffled voice, saying, "Be careful."


    "Yo!" Lexus raised his hand and walked toward the door, this time he was really gone.


    It was only after Hailee heard the sound of the door closing that she dared to raise her head and pay attention to the surroundings.


    There was no one. Just the two of them.


    Hailee then raised her head and smiled at Ramon. "I was just ying with your brother, we didn''t really fight."


    Of course, who would have thought that they would really fight over a movie.


    "I didn''t say anything," Ramon said in a low voice. He then smoothed Hailee''s hair that covered her face.


    And for some reason, what Ramon was doing now was actually making Hailee embarrassed, she could feel her face heating up and her body started feeling weird too. They are too close ...


    The tips of Ramon''s fingers lightly touching the skin of her face, made Hailee shudder and she couldn''t help but distance herself, before her dirty mind wandered about.


    Yes, Hailee imagined something she shouldn''t have imagined with this handsome patient with a sexy body hugging her.


    But, what else can she do? She''s a normal woman, okay! And who wouldn''t have imagined ''special'' things in a situation like this?

 Chapter 123: MY LIPS HURT!

    <h4>Chapter 123: MY LIPS HURT!</h4>


    Keep aside the fact that they were in the hospital.


    Hailee and Ramon were alone in the room and the dim lights darkened the air which made the man in front of her look like a beautiful, unreal creature.


    Especially with the fact that Ramon was sick, if Hailee wanted to mess around, of course Ramon wouldn''t be able to fight, right?


    Oops!


    Looks like Hailee''s mind haspletely gotten off track!


    Hailee never thought like this when she was with Theodore or should she say: she didn''t even remember that they had romantic moments worth reminiscing?


    But, after a few months being with Ramon, it always left a very beautiful and sweet after taste every instant they spend some alone time together, and ... never failed to make Hailee''s heart beat fast.


    Ramon''s fingers were still ying through Hailee''s long hair and he tightened his embrace as Hailee used what remained of the strength and determination she could muster to get away from this man''s touch.


    Didn''t you know that already? If this guy is dangerous ...


    And what Ramon did by holding her in, only made Hailee feel even more chaotic.


    "Ramon, if you keep touching me like this, I will attack you, so it''s best if let me go now, it''s for our ownmon good." Hailee said seriously, even her expression said so, but this only made Ramonugh.


    "What do you mean you are going to attack me?" Ramon asked, very close to Hailee''s ear, teasing her with his warm breath on her nape, making Hailee shudder. "Attacking me, as in sexually abusing me?"


    "Ramon!" Hailee hit the man''s waist for his vulgar words.


    "Just do it," said Ramon. "I want to see how far you will go."


    Ugh! It seemed like being alone with Ramon wasn''t such a good idea. Lexus shouldn''t have gone to home.


    However, the thought of spending the night keeping Ramonpany, in this room, along with Lexus alone left a bad taste in Hailee''s mouth.


    "You are sick, if I really decide to attack you, you will not be able to fight back," Hailee said with an arrogant face. She lifted her chin defiantly, as if she was being gentle- wo- manly toward this sick man.


    It''s just that, Ramon no longer replied with words, instead he moved very fast and positioned Hailee''s body underneath him, holding Hailee''s hands above her head and trapping her body.


    Of course, Ramon didn''t put all of his weight on Hailee, because that would put a lot of pressure on this girl''s petite body, but even so, Hailee still felt that she was under pressure now.


    Her breath was short and she let out a low screech as Ramon trapped her. Hailee didn''t expect that Ramon would respond like this.


    "Can''t fight back?" Ramon leaned over and started kissing Hailee on the cheek, tracing the line of her jaw with his lips. "Hmm ... I don''t see any resistance here."


    Hailee felt that the air was leaving her lungs rather rapidly, after hearing Ramon''s sensual words.


    She was not being submissive, though. Hailee of course tried to wriggle out of Ramon''s grasp, but all her efforts were fruitless and in vain.


    Or maybe it was her determination that was in a straight line with her desire to know how tonight would end.


    Ramonughed as he looked at Hailee who was blinking innocently. She looked very submissive, in contrast to the girl who challenged him a few minutes ago.


    "So, you are going to attack me?" Ramon teased her.


    "It''s not fair," Hailee muttered, between her raging breaths as Ramon lightly kissed her neck. The sensation made the butterflies in her stomach p their wings in panic and set off an rm in her head to stop.


    However, Hailee ignored all of that.


    Her curiosity got better of her. She wanted to know what kind of scenario this would lead to and to what extent Ramon would tease her, because she knew this man would stop the second she asked him to stop.


    Ramon wasn''t the pushy type and his pride wouldn''t allow him to force his will on Hailee.


    It''s just that, what Hailee was afraid of was; herself who didn''t want this to end.


    It was her first experience, being in a situation like this and it awakened something wild and foreign in Hailee, but she loved it.


    "What''s so unfair?" Ramon asked, his voice like a soft whisper in Hailee''s ear, as he let go of his grip on her wrists and Hailee instead slipped her fingers through Ramon''s coarse hair, as the man traced Hailee''s neck and shoulder des with his lips, letting out a heavy yet warm breath on the surface of her sensitive skin.


    "You are not fair ..." Hailee didn''t know what was unfair, because she just said that casually, without thinking what she meant.


    Hearing Hailee''s weak using tone made Ramon chuckle and his voice sounded very sweet to her ears. Hailee liked it very much.


    "You really don''t know what you''re talking about, Hailee ..." Ramon sighed and then pulled himself away from the girl.


    For a moment, Hailee was shocked and her face showed what she felt, when Ramon backed away from her and fell on the bed next to her.


    Somehow, after what Ramon said and did in their brief intimate session, and now seeing Ramon distance himself from her, made Hailee feel a little insecure.


    Doesn''t Ramon want it?


    Hailee was wondering to herself. Didn''t she look attractive to Ramon to make him want her?


    But, then Ramon grabbed Hailee and hugged her from behind, making her feel a little better.


    "Turn around," said Ramon, he pulled Hailee''s body to face him and saw her disappointed expression.


    This girl ...


    She didn''t hide her desire at all ...


    "What?" Hailee asked, pursing her lips. She did not look Ramon in the eye, but instead looked at her fingers pressed against the man''s chest.


    "Your face shows everything," Ramon said as he rubbed Hailee''s cheek and drew a circle with his thumb.


    "Show what?" Hailee still refused to look at Ramon.


    "That you want it." Ramon said that bluntly and it made Hailee grimace, but then her expression again showed how stubborn she was.


    "Do you not?" Hailee asked in return, biting her lip because this was her first time discussing a topic like this with a man.


    "Of course," Ramon replied softly, stroking Hailee''s long hair. "But, I don''t think doing it in a hospital like this will be a memorable first time for you."


    "How do you know if this is the first time for me? This could be the third, the fifth or even the tenth." Hailee then looked at theughing Ramon and pinched his cheek.


    "Have you done this with Theodore?" Ramon asked and this made Hailee wrinkle her nose. An expression that Ramon recognized as an expression of disgust for that man. "Because you are not the kind of girl who would do it with strangers."


    "You didn''t think about the possibility that I did it with Ian?" Hailee asked on a whim, but it brought trouble for her because after that Ramon let out a low growl and silenced Hailee with his lips.


    The man even bit the girl''s lips in annoyance, until Hailee had to push his head away.


    Does Ramon think her lips are bread? That can he just bite?


    "Don''t ever mention that guy''s name when it''s just the two of us." Ramon warned her.


    Apparently, Ramon knew that Ian''s position was more important to Hailee than Theodore.


    Because Ramon seemed okay with discussing Theodore, but suddenly became annoyed when Ian''s name was mentioned.


    "Understand?" Ramon looked at the frowning Hailee.


    "My lips hurt," Haileeined.


    ==============


    Hailee woke up when she felt Ramon moving restlessly on the hospital bed, he was muttering something indistinct in his sleep and cold sweat started to flood his forehead and this made Hailee''s body which was pressed to him feel the heat rising from Ramon''s body.


    "Ramon?" Hailee rubbed her face before rubbing her sleepy eyes, she looked at the clock that showed it was a little after midnight, while Ramon was still moving in his restless sleep.


    Could it be a nightmare?


    Hailee then turned around and saw Ramon''s pale face while his lips moved to form a name, but Hailee was too panicked to bother about what Ramon was saying.


    Especially when she felt his forehead was unusually hot as Ramon''s breathing turned unnaturally uneven.


    Immediately, Hailee pressed the emergency button on the side of the bed and got out of the bed, trying to wake Ramon up.


    "Ramon, are you okay?" Hailee shook the man''s body, trying to wake him up from whatever his current nightmares are, but it took extra effort from Hailee to bring him back to his senses.


    After several minutes of trying, Ramon finally regained consciousness and opened his eyes, his face looked nervous and he seemed to be unaware that he was in the hospital room.


    His eyes flickered in confusion as he stared at Hailee who was looking at him worriedly.


    Not long after that, two nurses came into the room and started checking on Ramon, followed by Dr. Bram.


    Seeing the three people approaching, Hailee then stepped back, giving them space to check on Ramon''s condition.


    Hailee nced at the clock on the wall which showed three in the morning and nced at the darkness of the night from the hospital room window.


    What happened to Ramon actually? Did the ident have any other effect on him apart from the amnesia he had?


    Hailee felt her heart beat ufortably, thinking of the worst that could happen to Ramon and she didn''t like any one of the possibilities.


    Ramon just had a normal fever, right? Nothing bad will happen to him... right?


    And when Hailee turned her gaze back to Ramon, the man was staring at her.


    Ramon''s gaze was deep and filled with meaning ...


    What happened to him? Hailee was really worried about him.


    ==============


    Afterst night''s incident, Hailee couldn''t sleep at all, while Ramon, who had been given a sedative, was sleeping soundly.


    Hailee immediately called Lexus and sent a message to Lis regarding Ramon''s condition.


    Lexus who heard about it immediately came back to the hospital, while Lis had to wait until the first flight to get there.


    Now, the two of them are back to sitting on the sofa where they sat on the previous night pensively, in a few hours the results of Ramon''s examination would be out and Lis would alsoe.


    "Would you like some coffee?" Lexus asked when sunlight shone into the room. "Your face looks terrible, I almost thought you were a zombie," he said jokingly, even though the humor didn''t reach his eyes.

 Chapter 124: THE PANICKED GIANA

    <h4>Chapter 124: THE PANICKED GIANA</h4>


    "You look terrible," Lexus said with a worried expression. If Hailee continued like this, maybe she will apany Ramon as a patient in this hospital and have a bed ced next to his brother.


    Even if it sounded romantic, who would want to spend time in the hospital when their wedding is only four days away?


    This is really messy. What happened with this couple?


    "I want to stay here," Hailee muttered while hugging her knees, her eyes still fixed on Ramon, who was sleeping and looking pale.


    Hailee couldn''t wrap her head around the reality that in just one night, so much had happened.


    Wasn''t it just a few hours ago that the two of them teased and made out, but in the next few hours Ramon''s condition worsened and the thing that worried Hailee the most was the result of Ramon''s examinationter.


    Hailee didn''t want to imagine the worst, but those thoughts kept haunting her.


    She didn''t want anything bad to happen to Ramon.


    "Don''t be like that, if you too got sick, I will be scolded by Ramon," Lexus said in a tired voice, he then stretched out his hand, but since Hailee did not reach for it, so like it or not, he was the one who had to pull this girl up and made her follow him out of the ward.


    A little fresh air would be of great help to both of them, especially in this situation, and morning air is the best for it.


    Hailee sighed and gave up when Lexus pulled her to her feet, she then took the jacket that was draped beside the sofa and put it on, but before she got out with Lexus, Hailee took the time to walk up to Ramon and kiss his forehead.


    "I will be going out for a bit," Hailee whispered into Ramon''s ear.


    On the other hand, Lexus, who witnessed Hailee''s little action, felt grateful that his brother met a girl like Hailee and not a girl from their circle who only know how to follow etiquette rules even when eating, preening and hanging out with other socialites.


    Ramon does have good eyes when ites to a person''s personality and a girl like Hailee really deserves to be kept.


    So, it''s no wonder that Ramon insisted on hiding their rtionship for two years because Liz was constantly pressuring Ramon to marry the woman of Lis'' choice.


    Lexus couldn''t imagine what kind of girl that would be Lis'' choice since whoever she was now, he was pretty sure that she wouldn''t treat Ramon the way Hailee treated his brother or otherwise.


    Luckily Ramon had a stubborn nature and wouldn''t just give up, until finally their love story could continue in marriage too.


    However, seeing Ramon''s current condition, Lexus did not want to think about the worst that would happen if their wedding day went awry because of Ramon''s declining health condition.


    There was no problem with the losses that they would experience for arranging the wedding, but if the news about Ramon''s declining health was out, this would certainly have a bad effect on thepany as well.


    "Come on." Hailee walked past Lexus after speaking softly to the sleeping Ramon. She wanted to leave immediately so that she could return early and apany Ramon again. She was very worried about him.


    Lexus then followed Hailee and closed the bedroom door behind him. "What do you want to eat? There''s a cafeteria nearby."


    "Anything," Hailee muttered. Of course Hailee knew what the menu is in the cafeteria, because it''s not the first time she has been here, but there''s not a single meal that could rouse her appetite now.


    Seeing Hailee looking all gloomy, Lexus then lined up their steps and patted the girl on the shoulder to encourage her. "Ramon will definitely be fine. He''s just exhausted and needs rest. He really is pushing himself too hard, considering his four years of memory loss and seeing him catching up in a matter of days, that''s incredible," he said in matter of fact.


    Lexus praised his brother, but instead he got a stern look from Hailee.


    "Don''t leave all the work to him alone. You have to help him too," Hailee said fiercely.


    "Hey! Ramon always gives me too much work," Lexus defended himself from Hailee''s usation. "I do all my work well, you know ..."


    "Don''t get him into trouble," Hailee ignored Lexus'' whining.


    "He''s the one who would alwaysnd me in troubles," Lexus said in a defensive tone. "You are being biased Hailee ..." the man beside Hailee frowned, because he kept getting med.


    "He''s sick,"Hailee replied.


    "I''m also sick ... hurt by your unfair usations ..." Lexus said dramatically.


    However, Hailee didn''t heed Lexus'' words anymore and didn''t reply either. She just kept walking toward the cafeteria with long strides.


    Her mind was currently filled with Ramon.


    ==============


    The first thing Giana heard in the morning when she woke up to find that Aidan was in the bathroom was; about Ramon being sick.


    Dillon informed her that Ramon was hospitalized yesterday afternoon and to this day he had not been allowed to go home.


    Apparently, Ramon was waiting for the results of the thorough examination he underwent.


    However, Dillon had absolutely no information regarding how Ramon''s current condition is developing. Getting the news about Ramon was already a difficult feat for him, so there was no way he could find out more about how this man was at this moment when the security at the hospital was so tight and there was nothing he could do but wait.


    When reading the report, Giana''s sleepiness immediately disappeared. She rubbed her face roughly and immediately rushed out of bed and headed for the bathroom, where Aidan was under the shower.


    They had been living this tiring domestic life for three years, so seeing each other''s bodies either wearing no clothes or being in one bathroom at the same time like this, wasn''t awkward for both of them.


    But, that didn''t mean they passed their time like this intimately. No! Giana and Aidan just don''t care for each other, so they are both at the point of indifference to whatever their partner does.


    Like now, Aidan only nced at Giana who took off her clothes and started turning on the shower next to him, while the woman who had been his wife for years didn''t even nce at the man next to her.


    After Aidan finished, he immediately dried his hair and wrapped a towel around his waist before he went out and prepared to go to work.


    However, before he walked into his walk-in closet, something caught Aidan''s attention, namely; Giana''s cellphone which kept ringing on the table, beside their bed.


    There seemed to be an iing call, but since Giana was busy taking a shower, it was certain that she wouldn''t pick up the call.


    Usually, Aidan didn''t care about Giana''s affairs at all, it''s just that, at that time, he had this sudden urge to see who the person was calling his wife in the morning like this.


    There was no way a business matter so urgent that the caller had to call Giana this early. It''s still too early for business matters.


    Aidan''s curiosity got stronger when the caller called Giana''s cellphone again after the first call was not answered.


    With slow steps and droplets of water still trickling down Aidan''s face from his wet hair, the man trudged toward the bedside table and then saw the caller''s id, which was written as Dillon.


    Aidan knew this man as Giana''s best friend during high school and as his wife''s current personal assistant.


    But, what did Dillon want so early in the morning?


    Aidan didn''t know what he was thinking when he reached out and picked up the phone instead.


    Apparently, Aidan''s curiosity was greater than his indifference to Giana in the bathroom earlier.


    He pressed the t phone to his ear and listened to what his wife''s personal assistant needed.


    From the other end of the phone, could be heard the voice of Dillon calling Giana by name alone, without a polite address he should have used like an assistant to his boss.


    "Giana, I have received news about Hailee Tatum and this news will be released soon this afternoon," Dillon reported.


    Hailee Tatum?


    Of course Aidan was no stranger to the name Tatum, especially when Hailee and Ramon''s rtionship was exposed to the media.


    But, long before that, Aidan knew one of the Tatum family members much more intimately.


    However, that was not the most important thing right now, because there was an even more crucial piece of information that Aidan got from listening to this phone call, followed by dozens of questions that began to bother him.


    What is the rtionship between Giana and Hailee, and why does his wife care about Zia''s sister? Did Giana know about his affair with a member of the Tatum family?


    But, that possibility is unlikely. So far, Giana had always beenpletely indifferent toward whomever Aidan spent his days outside the house with.


    Giana doesn''t care who Aidan is having an affair with, because Giana is doing the same thing.


    Of course Aidan knew it, but just like his wife, he didn''t want to know anything about the affair she was going through.


    This is what their domestic life looks like, which they have lived for three years, and it was unclear until when this will continue or who will give up first and end all this madness, once and for all.


    "Hello? Giana?" Dillon called his boss name. "Are you still there?"

 Chapter 125: HAILEES WORRY

    <h4>Chapter 125: HAILEE''S WORRY</h4>


    A call from Dillon interrupted Aidan''s reverie and he nced back at the bathroom door. Looks like Giana will still be busy for the next few minutes.


    "Giana, can you hear me?" Dillon asked again, because Giana had not answered his calls nor had she uttered a word since the moment she picked up the phone.


    "What news will Hailee Tatum release?" Aidan finally decided to open his mouth, to find out more about the extent to which Giana had investigated the Tatum family.


    It''s just that, Aidan''s guess was a mistake, because Giana was not at all interested in knowing about the affair between Aidan and Zia.


    It was the rest of the Tatum family who caught her eye.


    ==============


    Hailee finished breakfast with no passion and rushed back to Ramon''s ward once she had finished half of her meal, forcing Lexus toe with her or he could stay in the cafeteria alone.


    Of course, being in public alone is not a pleasant choice for Lexus and inevitably, he ended up following Hailee back to Ramon''s room.


    Though he was grumbling along the corridor, but at least, the younger Donovan still had a concern for his brother.


    Once they reached the ward, Hailee checked on Ramon''s still asleep condition and after confirming that her future husband was fine and his fever had gone down, she decided to take a shower, leaving Lexus, who was sitting on the sofa, ying his favorite games, to watch over Ramon.


    It was ten o''clock precisely, when Lis came to the hospital and immediately bombarded Hailee and Lexus with various questions regarding Ramon''s condition.


    Even then, Ramon was still asleep.


    Hailee then recounted what happened the day before, when she found Ramon in the morning with a high fever when she wanted to deliver breakfast for him. Then she also said all the details that Dr. Bram told herst night, when Ramon''s condition worsened again.


    Ramon should have been sent back this morning, butst night''s incident required him to rest a little longer in the hospital and this of course wouldn''t make the man happy at all when he came to his sensester.


    Since the ident that caused his amnesia, Ramon particrly didn''t like to be in the hospital.


    On the other hand, Lis listened carefully, the wrinkles between her eyebrows didn''t disappear from the moment Hailee started telling her all that until thest detail.


    The worry was clearly reflected in Lis''s eyes.


    Of course, which mother would not be worried about finding her son in the aftermath of the ident that nearly imed his life?


    No one would be surprised if Dr. Bram said that this was a side effect of the hit Ramon received to his head, which caused him to lose his memory.


    However, how bad are the side effects? Will this affect Ramon''s life?


    That question made them all anxious and impatient as well as afraid while waiting for Dr. Bram to exin it all to them clearly.


    Meanwhile, Lis could only sit on the edge of the bed, staring at her son with a tired face.


    ==============


    "Giana, are you really going to do this?" Dillon stopped the car across the street, right in front of the hospital, where Ramon was being treated. He wasn''t sure whether it was the right decision to bring Giana to this ce or not, but this woman was really stubborn and couldn''t be brought to a discussion with a cold head.


    Dillon knew that once Giana was determined to do something, she would pursue it until she got it done.


    In any way.


    "Take me inside Dillon and stop asking questions that arepletely unimportant," Giana growled irritably when she heard Dillon''s constant nagging.


    Giana didn''t know why Dillon, as her personal assistant,tely had been restricting her freedom in doing things, too often.


    The only reason why Giana hadn''t published news about Hailee''s engagement to Theodore Gevano was because of Dillon, who withheld the news and forced her to rethink what she was going to do.


    Like Giana would just listen to him...


    How could Giana give up such a golden opportunity to cause some trouble to Hailee?


    Dillon was right when he said that Giana would not let Hailee go because she dared to ignore her warning and her offer on the night of the party.


    "Giana, a woman as smart as you should know when you have to stop risking your position like this," Dillon sighed impatiently. "If the media finds out about your visit, they will dig deeper into your rtionship with Ramon."


    That was a bad thing. No. That would be a disaster.


    Dillon now turned his body so that he could face the stubborn woman sitting beside him.


    "What would you do if the public found out about the affair between you and Ramon?" Dillon narrowed his eyes, wanting to know the reaction Giana would give him after he told that fact.


    However, what made the man utterly speechless was the indifference that was still deeply imprinted on Giana''s face as she answered in a rxed tone.


    "Maybe, I should use that method to stop the marriage of the two of them. Maybe, just maybe, afterward Ramon remembers about our past." Giana shrugged her shoulders, her eyes fixed on the road in front of her,pletely paying no attention to the sharp gaze Dillon was giving her.


    Next to her, Dillon gasped when he heard what Giana was saying. He knew that Giana wouldn''t be that stupid to get herself into such trouble, but Dillon also knew that Giana was desperate enough to do stupid things in situations that she concluded were not in her favor.


    Giana tended to take extreme steps in solving problems that seemed difficult for her to go through and Dillon didn''t want to know how far Giana was willing to go in this regard.


    "Giana, you are not serious while saying this, are you?" Dillon really couldn''t understand how he could get involved in Giana''s messy life too deeply.


    Like a personal assistant, Dillon should only do what Giana told him to do.


    However, somehow he couldn''t see this woman sinking any further in her own dangerous game.


    "Stop lecturing me and get me in there right away, or do you want me to get down here and grab a little more attention?" This time Giana threatened, her hands already on the door handle, ready to step outside and expose herself.


    However, Dillon''s next words literally made Giana freeze in her seat and for a moment she forgot what she was going to do.


    And making up thoughts about Ramon''s condition that had been haunting her head since this morning, also flew out of her subconscious.


    "When I called you this morning, Aidan picked up my call and he found out about Hailee Tatum," Dillon finally told Giana.


    Giana was silent for a moment, before she shifted her gaze from the road, to the man beside her and stared at him fiercely.


    "What do you mean?!" Giana''s voice demanded an exnation from Dillon, about the extent to which Aidan came to know about Hailee Tatum, or how much information Dillon had carelessly passed on to her husband.


    "He knows about Hailee''s n to expose the news about her adoptive sister. Aileen Tatum." Dillon stopped talking, as he tried to digest the facial expression that Giana was showing him.


    "So, what did he ask?" Giana''s voice almost sounded like hissing when she asked.


    "Aidan asked why you were interested in knowing what Hailee Tatum was up to," Dillon replied. "Then I said that you wanted to make a business rtionship with the Tatum family, because you two are engaged in the same field."


    Yes, that''s right, because the Dawson family''s business is also in the jewelery sector, where Giana''s mother is a well- known jewelry designer in the city of A.


    "Then what else did he ask? What else did you say to Aidan?" Giana bit her lower lip and clenched her fists tightly, until her knuckles turned white.


    "Nothing, he just ended the phone call after that." Dillon was telling the truth.


    However, anyone who knew Aidan would know that the Smith family''s heir would not just ignore this fact. He had his own ways to find out more about the issue between Giana and Hailee Tatum.


    Meanwhile, Giana could feel her heart beating faster, when she heard this. She lived with Aidan long enough to know that her husband wouldn''t just stop there.


    Aidan will find out more about this and what Giana didn''t like was when Aidan decided to get involved in her business.


    Their domestic life would only get moreplicated than it already was.


    It was bad and it would turn bad if Giana kept doing thing that she wanted to do recklessly.


    "Therefore ..." Dillon said gravely, trying to take this opportunity to get Giana to rethink what she was going to do now. "Think again about what you''re going to do next. You will not only destroy the Smith family, but also the Dawson family''s reputation if the media got a whiff of your visit to this hospital."


    "So what?" Giana asked Dillon bitterly. "Aidan can have an affair with any woman he wants, so why can''t I do the same?" Her beautiful eyes shed angrily at Dillon.


    "You want to know why?" Dillon asked curtly, this time his tone rose several octaves to match Giana''s stubbornness. "Because Aidan could cover up the affair that he had cleanly and you clearly want to make it public!"


    Giana gritted her mrs, but she didn''t retort Dillon''s words, because she knew what her personal assistant said was true.


    And Dillon knew that he was right for sure.


    "You are ruining your own life this way," Dillon ended his sentence, this time on a softer note.


    He could not understand how a brilliant and smart woman like Giana could make stupid decisions that could endanger herself.


    "I do not care!" Snapped Giana angrily. "Now, take me inside or I will get off here myself!"


    Giana looked at Dillon with a defiant gaze.


    "Giana, we were just discussing this and are you really going to do it?" Dillon asked in disbelief.


    "Listen," Giana stressed that single word considerably, forcing her interlocutor to pay close attention to what she was going to say after this. "You are only my personal assistant and don''t have any right to forbid anything I want to do. So, drive this car to the damn hospital so I can meet Ramon!"


    Giana''s words this time really hurt Dillon''s pride, but what he said was true and Dillon couldn''t argue with her anymore.


    Giana also knew that and she would regret itter.


    However, for now, the only thing she wanted to do was meet Ramon. Although she knew Hailee and Lexus would likely be there too.

 Chapter 126: I DONT WANT TO BE...

    <h4>Chapter 126: I DON''T WANT TO BE...</h4>


    "Hey," Ramon scolded the pensive Hailee as she was staring at him with an expression like she wanted to cry and this really bothered him. "Stop looking at me like that."


    Hearing Ramon''s words, Hailee burst into tears and buried her face in the hands of the man, who was still lying on the bed.


    "Doctor Bram said you have to undergo intensive therapy from now on ..." Hailee sobbed, her tears running down Ramon''s hands and this made him frown because he felt his hands getting wet.


    Ramon was quite concerned about the safety of his hand hygiene rather than the fact that he had to undergo intensive therapy and cut back on his activities at thepany.


    However, Ramon couldn''t protest. He didn''t want this girl to dramatize the atmosphere even more, so the only thing he could do now was to caress the top of her head.


    It could be seen from the eye bags and dark circles under her eyes, that Hailee did not get enough sleepst night, because she was worried about himself.


    So it would be a lie if Ramon said that he waspletely untouchable. He was quite happy to know that Hailee really thought about him, and not just as a show to convince people they were on good terms.


    "So, what''s the problem?" Ramon asked softly, after a short spell filled with Hailee''s sobs, whichsted two whole minutes.


    For now, Lexus had returned to thepany and Lis was talking to Doctor Bram about what they should do or the details of the treatmentter.


    An hour ago, Doctor Bram had exined about Ramon''s condition and in a nutshell it could be said that Ramon would be fine if he really followed the doctor''s advice, had adequate rest and routine therapy, which Ramon almost always missed.


    For thetter problem, Hailee promised to pay more attention.


    For the rest, there''s nothing to worry about, or maybe not yet. Because Doctor Bram said that they would still have to wait and see how Ramon''s condition would progress after the therapy or if they needed to change the medicine again.


    However, the thing that was most relieving was; they did not have to make any changes to their ns for the preparation of their wedding in three days.


    As long as Ramon was under full control, which meant he had to spend the next three days in the hospital, even if it really annoyed Ramon, but for the rest of it there was nothing to be reset.


    "The problem is you are sick and I am worried," Hailee said curtly because Ramon didn''t seem to be taking this seriously. She lifted her head and the tears that had welled up in her eyes fell down, streaming down her smooth cheeks and trickling down the back of Ramon''s hand.


    "You are being too much for someone feeling worried about the other person." Ramon sighed softly, he nced at his hands which were wet with Hailee''s tears and frowned slightly.


    It didn''t seem as scary as Ramon thought.


    And even though, right now Hailee is crying with puffy eyes and a flushed nose, this actually made her, strangely, look cute and adorable.


    He didn''t know how long it had been since he had seen anyone crying, someone who really cared for him and cried because they saw him in pain and was not a fake concern. Of course they are two different things.


    And now, in front of him, this girl did just that. Hailee was really crying and it made the cold part in his heart warm up again. At this point, Ramon didn''t even mind if Hailee got his whole body wet with tears, not just the back of his hands.


    "I''m really worried, you know!" Hailee hit Ramon''s hand lightly. "You were so palest night and you were knocked out. I''m scared."


    Ramon fell silent, he used this silence to pay attention to Hailee carefully, who was continuously wiping her tears that seemed like they wouldn''t stop, before he finally asked a question.


    "What are you really afraid of?" Ramon asked again, his eyes still focused on Hailee''s reddened face.


    At first, Ramon didn''t expect to hear a mncholy answer from Hailee, but he didn''t expect it to be like this either.


    Hailee stole a nce at Ramon, before she answered his question. "I don''t want to be a widow at such a young age ..." Hailee said slowly, staring at Ramon timidly.


    The atmosphere returned to silence for a moment after Hailee answered Ramon''s question.


    The man also didn''t say anything and just continued to stare at Hailee, the girl who just a moment ago, was able to make him feel touched with her tears.


    But now, after hearing Hailee''s words, Ramon wasn''t sure how he felt.


    "Hailee."


    "Yes?"


    "How can you think that you''re going to be a widow while I''m still alive?!" Ramon eximed in annoyance, he tugged at Hailee''s adorable cheek and looked at her in displeasure.


    Never before had Ramon lost his control like this and had shown the emotion he felt.


    Previously, Ramon had always been a person full of self- control and was able to face any situation with a cool head, it''s just that none of that remained same after he got to know Hailee.


    Every time he faced this girl, Ramon would be surprised to find a new side in himself. For example like just now.


    How could Ramon ever let out his frustration like he just did now?


    "Ah! It hurts!" Hailee growled irritably at Ramon, trying to brush the man''s hand off of her cheek. She felt like her cheeks would be stretched after this.


    However, Ramon didn''t seem like he wanted to stop until his irritation waspletely vented.


    And when they were busy ''making out'', Lis suddenly walked into the room and witnessed what Ramon was doing to Hailee.


    "Ramon!" Lis rebuked her son, because what she saw now got interpreted in her mind as; Ramon was hurting Hailee and making her cry.


    Hearing a familiar voice calling out to him, Ramon automatically released his pinch on Hailee''s cheek and turned to find his mother walking into the room with a frown on her face.


    Looks like this will turn out to be a misunderstanding.


    And sure enough, Lis stared at Hailee with a frown and when she saw the tears still welling up in the girl''s eyes, her mind immediately led her to the worst idea.


    "I never taught you to hurt women," Lis said harshly before ring at Ramon fiercely.


    Even though a moment ago she was worried about her son''s condition and only felt a little relieved after hearing Doctor Bram''s exnation, that Ramon just needed to rest enough and do what the doctor suggested, but seeing Hailee crying because of Ramon, her anger bypassed her worries.


    How could Ramon make Hailee cry like this? What in the world has his son done to make his future wife''s face swollen and have tears in her eyes?


    "You can''t use your hands to hurt your future wife," Lis rebuked Ramon again, without listening to his exnation first. "You know that Hailee has been up all night to take care of you? How can you make her cry like this?"


    This is truly a misunderstanding ...


    "That''s not it mother ..." Hailee herself was shocked when she heard Liz''s usations against Ramon. She was happy that Lis was defending her, but she got it all wrong.


    Hailee was crying before Ramon even pinched her, and after all, Ramon''s pinching wasn''t as painful as it seemed. There was no way Ramon could use force to tug at her cheek.


    "Let me look at your cheek," Lis said, her tone softening as she caressed Hailee''s cheek and watched her closely.


    "Mother you have misunderstood, we were just messing around." Hailee nced at Ramon who didn''t seem intent on exining anything, even though he''s being used like that by Lis. "Ramon didn''t hurt me, I was teasing him a little ... we didn''t even fight."


    Okay, since Ramon felt this was out of his hands to straighten out this matter and was showing an attitude that it''s not a big deal, then Hailee would be the one to exin it to LIs.


    "Are you telling the truth?" Lis asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. Trying to find the lies in Hailee''s eyes, but couldn''t find anything there.


    "Really. Ramon would never hurt me. He always treated me very well." Her words weren''tpletely wrong, Ramon always treated her well, it''s just that sometimes he could be very annoying and teasing Hailee seemed to be one of his new hobbies.


    But, despite of everything, Hailee had been loving the interactions between the two of them these days.


    "Then why are you crying?" Lis still asked. She removed her fingers on Hailee''s chin when she didn''t see anything odd on her cheeks. Looks like what Hailee said was right and Lis just overreacted.


    Maybe, it was her personal experience and she didn''t want her sons to treat their future wife like their father treated her ...


    "I cried because I was worried about Ramon," Haileeined, lowering her head. "His condition suddenly worsened early this morning even though he was all finest night."


    They even made out ...


    However, Hailee wouldn''t tell Lis about that detail. It will be between her and Ramon alone.


    "She cried because she didn''t want to be a widow." Ramon chimed in in a rxed tone and pushed the button beside his bed to raise the mattress so he could sit up.


    Hearing Ramon''s words, Hailee pped the man''s arm lightly again. "I''m just kidding, kidding."


    Hailee confirmed her sentence and then nced timidly at Lis. Not wanting Lis to misunderstand this too.

 Chapter 127: GIANA CAME TO VISIT

    <h4>Chapter 127: GIANA CAME TO VISIT</h4>


    And Hailee could breathe a sigh of relief after seeing a knowing smile on the middle- aged woman''s lips. Looks like she''s starting to understand how Ramon and Hailee interact with each other and it seemed really cute in her eyes.


    "It''s good if there''s nothing ..." Lis sighed and took a tissue from the table, she then slowly wiped Hailee''s tears. "I just don''t want any trouble between the two of you. There''s always trouble ahead of the wedding and you will be married in three days, so I''m just a little worried."


    "Nothing, really. Ramon is annoying at times, but I am used to that attitude of his," Hailee said, ncing at Ramon and watching the man respond by rolling his eyes, before he grabbed the television remote and turned on the news broadcast.


    Lis then told Hailee and Ramon what Doctor Bram had told her.


    And Ramon''s request that was not granted to be treated at home, because it would be much safer if he was in a hospital withplete facilities.


    Actually this was Lis'' suggestion that forced Doctor Bram to keep her son here, because if it weren''t like this, Ramon would definitely leave this very second and no one would be able to hold him under the pretext; he was not required in thepany.


    After exining all that, Lis then said goodbye to go home and promised toe back again with clean clothes for Ramon and Hailee.


    Hailee could also stay at a nearby hotel if she felt ufortable sleeping in a hospital bed and being in this environment for too long, but Hailee didn''t mind and this made Lis happy.


    Hailee''s attitude added a plus point to the girl in her eyes.


    After saying a few more things, Lis then was about to step out of the room when someone from the opposite direction opened the door before Lis could.


    "Mrs. Smith?" Lis immediately recognized who the woman was. It was not surprising because they were from the same social circle and the figures of the two women are very well known to the public.


    And even though Giana was wearing a dark blue wind breaker and sses that almost covered half of her face, Lis couldn''t have not recognized her at this close.


    On the other hand, Giana also looked a little surprised, but because she had already anticipated this, she quickly regained her confidence and smiled softly at Lis.


    "Good afternoon, Mrs. Tordoff," said Giana in her smooth, graceful voice. Even just by hearing her voice, people could immediately recognize the social strata? the woman belonged to.


    What a wonderful personality. Of course, this could not be obtained easily ...


    Lis, although being confused to see Giana Smith in this hospital, still smiled back at her and weed Giana''s outstretched hand in a friendly manner.


    One of the things you have to be good at in an environment like this is to take care of your attitude and emotions and not show them in front of the other person.


    In other words, showing what you really feel or think and making it easy to read your actions, is a sin.


    This is not a secret ...


    Everyone of their social standing knew all of this.


    It was a pretense that was very frequent in Ramon''s life, therefore, Hailee''s novel attitude toward him and how freely she would always express herself, was something that Ramon admired.


    Hailee wouldn''t spread fake smiles to please others or make snidements that require trained skills to grasp the double meaning behind her words.


    Because Hailee could cry in front of Ramon like what she did a few minutes ago and make himself touched, but she could also upset Ramon in just a few seconds because of her unexpectedments.


    "I did not expect to meet you here Mrs. Smith," Lis smiled very friendly, but did not necessarily make the other person think of herself as an easy person.


    "Oh, I happen to have a close rtive treated here and I heard that Mr. Tordoff is also in the same hospital, so I took a minute toe and visit." Giana smiled back at Lis and lied smoothly. "I hope I don''t interfere."


    "Oh, of course not." Lis knew Giana was lying, and was just using the excuse that her family member was being treated here. Because Lis knew that the Tordoffs and Smiths weren''t that close to the point of visiting each other, especially Giana and Ramon. They both have never been involved in the same project or activity. "I am d Mrs. Smith took the time toe and visit. "


    Another lie that both of them already aware of, but still they continued this drama.


    "May I greet Mr. Tordoff for a minute?" Giana said politely, making her request sound like a business meeting without any particr purpose.


    Hearing that, Lis narrowed her eyes slightly and said in a honey- sweet tone. "Of course, it just so happens that Hailee is in there too, Mrs. Smith can meet Ramon''s future wife as well." Lis deliberately emphasized the words ''future wife'', to emphasize Hailee''s status in their family.


    Giana''s visit this time is very unnatural and made Lis suspect that there was a certain purpose behind her arrival, especially when she even found out that Ramon was staying in this room, because not anyone could randomly find out about such confidential information.


    But what did the young woman, married to a figure like Aidan Smith, want to do with her son?


    "Oh, yes ... we met at the auction a few nights ago," Giana shared the information. She was still standing in the doorway because Lis had yet to move to the side and make way for Giana, despite her kind words to let Giana meet Ramon.


    On the other hand, Hailee could only hear the conversation of the two women faintly from where she sat beside Ramon''s bed, because of the continuous sound from the television that Ramon had turned on earlier.


    From where she was sitting, Hailee could not see Giana''sfigure either, because she was blocked by the wall covering the exit.


    However, because Lis mentioned Mrs. Smith, of course the one and only Mrs. Smith that crossed Hailee''s mind was Giana.


    "Turn the volume down," Hailee hissed at Ramon, almost ordering, it seemed like this man was still not aware that his ex- girlfriend was acting recklessly bying to Ramon''s ward and confronting Lis directly.


    Giana is like a warrior who is not afraid of dying on the battlefield and Hailee wanted to apud this woman for her strong determination.


    It''s just that, because she was eyeing her future husband, so of course, Hailee would throw her away from Ramon''s side.


    "Can''t you see I am watching the news?" Ramon frowned, responding to Hailee''s request.


    "Can''t you see I am eavesdropping?" Hailee snapped angrily, as if the eavesdropping activity Hailee doing now was far more important than adding knowledge by knowing what news was out there.


    "You really are shameless," Ramon grumbled, but let her be when Hailee snatched the television remote from his hand and turned the volume down impatiently.


    "This is very important." Hailee returned to using the same tone as she scolded Ramon for ring at her. "Didn''t you hear? Your ex- girlfriend is at the door? In the middle of chatting with mom?"


    Yes, Ramon did not hear it, but after the sound of the television was turned down and Hailee mentioned it, Ramon could now hear Giana''s voice clearly.


    "What did she want toe here for?" Hailee asked fiercely, staring at Ramon as if it was the man who had invited Giana to visit him.


    "You can ask her directly," Ramon replied nonchntly. It felt like, even when he was in the hospital, he couldn''t have some peaceful rest...


    Hailee didn''t respond to Ramon''s answer because she was busy making her own spections and forced Ramon to listen to the hissses from her lips.


    "Sheis definitely here to see you. She''ll definitely want to talk about the time when you two were together, the good memories that belonged only to the two of you and try to make you remember the good times when you guys cheated on her husband''s back," Hailee said irritably.


    "Hailee," Ramon called out reproachfully.


    "What?" Hailee asked fiercely.


    "Stop saying things I don''t remember at all." Ramon scolded her with a frown. Even now, it was still a mystery why he had been in an affair with Giana.


    For two years! Has he gone mad to the point of doing such absurd things?


    These were things Ramon couldn''t ask Danny to investigate, because the answer was within himself and the only way was to remember them all.


    It was just that, doing that is not as easy as it sounds.


    Hailee didn''t continue to argue with Ramon, but she still looked sullen at the fact that Giana was right at the door.


    "You can throw her out if you don''t like her," Ramon suggested, because he didn''t like seeing Hailee like this. Only he could upset this girl.


    Hailee snorted, but a momentter her eyes sparkled brightly and a smile bloomed on her lips. The tears were still apparent on her cheeks, but Ramon knew that this smile was quite an ominous sign.


    "I have an idea¡­"


    ¡­ And whatever the idea was, Ramon was not sure that he would like it.


    "What do you want to do?" Ramon saw Hailee who dashed to the other side of the bed and pressed the button to recline the the bed to its normal position.


    "Pretend to be asleep," Hailee said enthusiastically. "You are going to pretend to be asleep, so I can throw her out without guilt."


    Even when she wanted to do something bad, Hailee wanted to save her innocence. What an unusual thought ...


    "No, I wouldn''t do that," Ramon immediately dismissed Hailee''s idea. What did she mean by pretending to be asleep just to get rid of Giana? Ramon''s pride felt uneptable for doing this. It was the same as him hiding from problems rather than facing them.


    That was not Ramon''s style of doing things at all.


    However, of course Hailee had her own way of getting this man in front of her to obey.


    "So you want to meet Giana? Actually you want to meet your beautiful ex- lover, right?" The light in Hailee''s eyes immediately faded and her smile disappeared, her head drooped weakly and she was like a child who was being punished.


    So, what other choice did Ramon have but to follow her will?


    Grumbling, Ramon closed his eyes and felt Hailee''s lips touch his for a moment as she said in a voice full ofughter. "I love you."

 Chapter 128: I WILL NEVER FORCE HIM

    <h4>Chapter 128: I WILL NEVER FORCE HIM</h4>


    ''I love you''.


    Hailee said those words lightly as if she didn''t mean it, but actually she didn''t really think that way when she said those words. After all, it was not that hard to her for just saying that word, right?


    It doesn''t have any special meaning, does it?


    Ramon even heard Hailee say the same words to Ian, which meant it was nothing special to her. Just a few casual words.


    It''s just that, Ramon quite liked it and after hearing Hailee say that which was apanied by a kiss on the lips, Ramon could no longer protest and remainedpletely silent like a person who was genuinely fast asleep.


    Heplied to Hailee weird suggestion, even though he didn''t really enjoy to pretend and avoid the problem. That was not his nature after all.


    Looks like Hailee''s idea was not so bad¡­


    After two full minutes, Ramon could hear the footsteps of a woman with her high heels clicking loudly on the floor, entering the room.


    The strong smell of an expensive perfume immediately spread throughout the room and this made Hailee wrinkle her nose in displeasure.


    It was not that she was allergic to the smell, it was just that she was allergic to the person, who was wearing the parfume.


    Hailee still remembered very well what Giana had to offer on that auction night and felt her dislike for this woman grow even more.


    "Mrs. Smith," Hailee stood up from her sitting position on the edge of Ramon''s bed, holding the man''s hand.


    Well, this was only a tiny bit of disy of affection that Hailee wanted to show off to Giana.


    Over Giana''s shoulder, Hailee could see Lis frowning at Ramon, who was pretending to be asleep. Of course she knew that her son couldn''t possibly fall asleep this quickly, so she gave her a look, asking Hailee for confirmation.


    "Ms. Tatum," Giana replied to Hailee''s greeting in the same way, she walked gracefully across the room, as if she was a model, cat walking on the red carpet.


    "I was quite surprised to see you here." Hailee caught Lis'' questioning look and nodded at her briefly, confirming that Ramon was not really sleeping.


    At this point, there seemed to be a deep understanding between Hailee and Lis, and that made Hailee quite happy.


    Especially when Lis raised her thumb at her and nced over. Her future mother in-w seemed in tune with Hailee''s wick nature.


    Hailee almostughed when she saw Lis doing that, but she controlled herself by clearing her throat and focusing her attention on Giana''s words, while Lis walked out of the room, pretty sure that Hailee could handle this overbearing woman without her help.


    "Yes, there is a close rtive of mine who is getting treated in this hospital and I heard Mr. Tordoff was being treated at the same ce." Giana told the same lies again.


    Not creative at all. Thought Hailee. This woman should have learned from Aileen to make a more convincing lie.


    However, when the two of them heard the sound of the door closing, indicating that Lis had left and only the three of them were left in the room, all the hypocrisy and drama they were disying, immediately copsed.


    "So, what do you want?" Hailee asked sarcastically, all the hospitality that she showed a few seconds ago, immediately disappeared and she looked at Giana intently, really not hiding the fact that she did not like the unweed visit of this woman.


    Giana nced at the door, just to make sure that no one else would be listening on their conversation.


    "Is not that obvious?" Giana asked in a low voice, either because she didn''t want to disturb Ramon''s sleep or because she was still careful that Lis was still around, eavesdropping from behind the door, which was one thing that could not have happened.


    "It is not clear to me at all," Hailee replied in a defiant tone, she even looked Giana straight in the eyes. "Can you tell me what you are here for? Because we both know that your excuse is just a lie."


    Giana snorted when she heard Hailee''s quite arrogant answer. "You don''t have to act like this toward me, is not it obvious that your rtionship with Ramon is just a lie?" She took one step closer and Hailee stood in front of her instead. "You just got to know each other when the ident happened."


    "Yes," Hailee admitted, because there was no reason for her to lie. If Ramon could seek such deep information about Hailee''s family, of course Giana could do the same.


    It seemed that these distinguished families always have their own privileges with information that they could easily get their hands on.


    What an annoying fact!


    But, what else could she do? This is how the world works for ''rich'' people like them.


    "Then what do you want? Inviting Ramon to knit back the memories he has forgotten?" Hailee narrowed her eyes, not wanting to be intimidated by Giana at all.


    "He is amnesic," Giana growled irritably. "He didn''t forget me or our memories when we were together, the circumstances forced him to be like that."


    "Oh, then? What will you do if he can''t remember you again?" Hailee asked fiercely. "You want to force him even though you know we will be married in three days?"


    Hearing that question, Giana chuckled and shook her head dramatically. Hailee didn''t like this woman at all.


    "Ramon didn''t mind having an affair with me when I am a married woman, so I wouldn''t mind having an affair with him after he married you," Giana dered with her haughty smile, as if it was not something to be embarrassed about, but something she should be proud of.


    On the other hand, Hailee didn''t even thought of constructing her own response to the words Giana had just spoken, because in the next second, what she realized was the loud sound of her hand pping Giana''s cheek very hard.


    It was so loud that it made the woman squeal loudly and Hailee''s hand burned. Not only her hand, but her chest felt hot from the sudden anger.


    Hailee was shocked and paused for a moment, waiting for guilt to hit her, but apparently that feeling didn''te, which indicated that she was doing the right thing.


    Of course she did the right thing. Teaching Giana a lesson by pping her for saying those nasty words was the right thing.


    "You are so shameless," Hailee hissed sharply. Her eyes shed with anger at the woman who was still shocked in front of her and rubbed her cheek which had starting to turn red.


    Hailee knew that face was the most crucial part for people like Giana, as she would meet a lot of people, but who cares about that at a time like this?


    "You said that, right in front of his future wife." Hailee narrowed her eyes dangerously. "Now I understand the term; money can''t buy manners. Because you just brought the meaning of that sentence to life."


    "You dare to p me?" Giana ignored Hailee''s earlier words, as her focus was solely on the fact that she had just been pped.


    "Of course." After Hailee said that, shended one more p on Giana''s face. "So, what are you going to do with this?"


    Hailee was pretty sure that Giana wouldn''t make a fuss about the fact that she was just pped by Hailee, because it wouldn''t benefit her position at all.


    Giana was not in a position to fight Hailee with her ploy, so she would get back at this insolent girl in the same way.


    Quickly, Giana raised her hand and prepared to p Hailee, only the girl moved faster while brushing Giana''s hand away.


    There are advantages of being friends with a street fighter, alright? Even though Hailee couldn''t fight, at least her reflexes were good enough to save herself from people like Giana.


    Hailee grinned seeing the anger in Giana''s eyes. "Go home Mrs. Smith, because you could never get my husband. "


    Giana gritted her mrs so that Hailee could hear her voice clearly, but this made her feel even more satisfied.


    "You wouldn''t dare say that when Ramon really gets his memories back," Giana spoke her words very slowly and clearly, as if she wanted to make Hailee remember every single word she just spat.


    Considering how Ramon had treated her before, that wasn''t impossible. Giana is very sure, if one day Ramon got his memory back, then it would be the day when Ramon would turn around and leave Hailee to be with her.


    Meanwhile, Giana thought her statement and warning would upset Hailee even a little or make her show the same anger she felt, but that didn''t happen. Because the young girl in front of her responded in the same cold way.


    "If one day Ramonn says he wants toe back to you, then I am not going to hold him back. I''ve never forced my will on someone who doesn''t even want me." Hailee looked at Giana from head to toe and returned to her eyes that were still full of hatred. "You should be like that too. So stop appearing in front of me."


    Giana gave Hailee a fierce look.


    During this time, there had never been anyone who spoke so insolently to Giana like what Hailee was doing now.


    However, on the other hand, Giana couldn''t think of any words to retort back either, as if the entire vocabry she learned had left her head just like that. Making herself a fool who could only take the humiliation.

 Chapter 129: I WANT DIVORCE

    <h4>Chapter 129: I WANT DIVORCE</h4>


    Having finished throwing all the insults, Hailee rewarded Giana with a triumphant smile and nodded toward the door with an extremely arrogant smile on her face. As arrogant and provocative as she could smile at this moment.


    "You can leave now Mrs. Smith and don''t forget to close the door." Hailee''s voice sounded so loud and painful in Giana''s ears that she gritted her mrs to endure the embarrassment she felt from this humiliation.


    Giana gave Hailee a very sharp look and it was true what this girl had guessed, she would not take such an extreme action to make a fuss in this hospital, because after all she still had some dignity to save and her status which strongly opposed such stupid acts.


    So with a final look, Giana turned her attention to Ramon who was still sleeping, or so she thought. She hoped that Ramon would wake up and remember everything and defend her in front of this little girl, so that she would know what Ramon Tordoff''s anger felt like.


    However, unfortunately that was just Giana''s wishful thinking, as Ramon didn''t even open his eyes or make any movements indicating that he was about to wake up.


    "Are you done looking at my future husband?" Hailee asked, still with the same arrogant and provocative tone. "I know he is handsome, but you better keep your dirty mind on your own husband."


    Giana shifted her focus back to Hailee, this time her eyes narrowed sarcastically, and to be honest, this made Hailee cringe a little.


    Hailee wouldn''t be surprised if she could hear what Giana was thinking at the moment and find her n to chop herself up into twelve or twenty- four pieces.


    However, Hailee did not show that. She would not. She had the upper hand, so she was the one who would make Giana go crying out of this ce with exasperation.


    "Stop staring at him." Hailee''s voice this time was firmer and the sweet smile on her lips had faded. "And get out of this room."


    Without a word, almost as soon as Hailee said herst piece, Giana turned on her heels and walked away, at least she had enough dignity not to make a pointless fuss.


    But, before she could reach the exit, she turned back around to face Hailee and looked at her with the sharpest gaze Hailee had ever gotten from an angry woman.


    "I willugh over your cries when the dayes when Ramon would finally regain his memories. Because¡­ " Giana nced back at Ramon and this made Hailee stare at her fiercely. "¡­ He wille running to me. Because what we have is special and you will never understand."


    Satisfied with saying that closing sentence, Giana walked straight to the door and closed it with unnecessary force, leaving Hailee frozen where she was standing.


    It was long enough for her to realize that Ramon was done with the ''pretend sleep'' act, which Hailee had suggested, and now walked over to her and put his arm around her shoulder.


    "Are you okay?" Ramon asked, his eyes staring at Hailee with an expression that could be interpreted as¡­ worry?


    No one knew what the meaning of that deep gaze, except himself.


    She didn''t know.


    Yes, Hailee wasn''t sure if Ramon was worried about her after the small argument between herself and Giana.


    "So¡­" Hailee said softly, shrugging her shoulders for Ramon to lower his arms and this made the man raise his eyebrows questioningly. "You are going to run straight to her as soon as you get your memories back, right?"


    Hailee''s voice was calm, but of course someone as smart as Ramon would understand that this was not a very pleasant thing.


    "Hey, I wouldn''t do that," Ramon said in a scornful tone, his expression slightly offended, as if Hailee had just used him of sexual immorality.


    "You can say that you won''t do that now because you haven''t regained your memories yet," Hailee emphasized the word ''yet'' in her sentence and it certainly underscored the problem in this current topic. "But, you will do it when you get your memories back, right?"


    Hailee narrowed her eyes viciously, as if Ramon had just harassed her in public and this made Ramon feel awry.


    "Is that a trick question?" Ramon narrowed his eyes. If humans were born with a manual, he would be happy to buy a guidebook with a title; How to Deal with Hailee, right now, no matter how expensive it would be, because he really didn''t know how to get out of this girl''s mind- ridden questions. "What do you expect to be my answer?"


    The response was wrong and Ramon immediately knew it when he saw Hailee''s eyes narrowing into a half- moon shape.


    There were times Ramon wanted to spend time with Hailee and see what kind of surprises she was hiding or how she would unexpectedly respond to something, but he was certain that now was not a time like that.


    "You didn''t even say anything earlier," Hailee used, her finger pricking Ramon''s chest.


    "If you wanted, I could have her thrown out of this ce earlier, but you just told me to pretend to be asleep, remember?" Ramon defended himself. He followed what this girl wanted, but how could he still be med?


    Hailee clenched her jaw and scowled. Of course she remembered.


    "Hear me out." Ramon exhaled heavily when he saw Hailee sulking again. "I don''t know what I was thinking to actually put myself in such a position."


    "Having an affair with a married woman," Hailee emphasized Ramon''s ambiguous line and this made the man grimace. Well, Hailee was a little better after seeing his reaction.


    "Thanks for reminding," Ramon grumbled.


    "It is my pleasure." And now, another sudden smile appeared on Hailee''s lips. Just a second ago she looked like a woman who was going to kill him ruthlessly, but the next second she was smiling sweetly because she was d to have made Ramon uneasy.


    Is this girl a psychopath?


    "I don''t know what I was thinking when I had an affair with Giana," Ramon corrected his words ording to Hailee''s wishes.


    "For two years," Hailee added the unsaid information.


    "Thanks for reminding me again, but can I finish my sentence?" Ramon frowned. Hailee could be very difficult to talk to and be very annoying.


    However, Ramon liked the yful smile that etched on her lips, even though she tried not to show it. Hailee looked so sweet.


    After making sure that Hailee would not cut his words again, Ramon sighed and continued his interrupted sentence. "But I will not return to a time like that. I''m not an ass that will fall into the same hole twice. "


    "She said the rtionship between you guys is special," Hailee recalled Giana''sst words before she mmed the door to this room.


    "Okay, maybe this sounds a little absurd." Ramon gripped Hailee''s shoulders gently and made the girl face him.


    "It doesn''t make sense," Hailee said, even though she hadn''t heard what Ramon had to say.


    Ramon ignored thement. "You canugh after hearing me."


    "Can Iugh now?" Hailee asked, tilting her head to observe Ramon''s expression, wondering to what extent this man could put up with her annoying attitude.


    Sometimes it''s weird, how you wanted to test how much you mean by testing a person''s patience, because that was what Hailee always did whenever she was with Ramon.


    However, when she saw Ramon''s serious expression, she sighed and stopped with her childish actions and waited for what this man had to say until he looked so serious, as if he was going to make a confession.


    Ramon sighed a few times to calm the side of himself that was saying not to say this out loud, but there was a part of him that wanted Hailee to know where he was standing and speak his mind.


    "This may sound strange,ing from a guy like me, but what I want is quite simple; I want a family. Have several children and growing old together. That is all." It was short, concise and very clear, in line with Ramon''s personality.


    A family with several children and growing old together. It sounds very sweet and romantic and makes anyone who hears it feel a warm feeling creeping through their hearts.


    It''s just that, indeed, when those words came from Ramon, it sounded strange, considering his odd rtionship with Giana.


    In fact, this added a question to Hailee''s mind.


    How much did Ramon feel for Giana that he could endure a rtionship for two years that had no future?


    Hailee was not sure if Giana and Aidan''s divorce would be very peaceful, there would definitely be a lot of drama apanying them as well as cameras that would follow them.


    How could Ramon handle that? Had Ramon never thought about it?


    For the first time ever, Hailee desperately wanted Ramon''s memory toe back so he could answer the intricacy of these questions.


    "I want half of your fortune if we ever had to divorce and custody of the child," Hailee suddenly proposed this and made Ramon''s, previously solemn expression shrink again.


    "Are you ckmailing me?" Ramon asked. Hailee''s requests could be terrifying.


    "Are you nning to divorce me?" Hailee replied to Ramon''s question with another question.


    And again a trick question.


    Ramon''s cleverness in arguing and winning an argument is not in doubt, but Hailee''s ability to create traps in every question really needed to be watched out for.


    "Of course not," he said with certainty.


    "Then there''s nothing wrong with us renewing the agreement, right?" This time Hailee kissed Ramon on the cheek.


    ==============


    It was veryte, but in here, no one would be free enough to notice whether it was morning or day or night out there, because everything looked the same.


    The thumping music could crack one''s eardrums filled the entire room and Dillon could only helplessly stare at the woman in front of him who had finished a full bottle of liquor and was so drunk that she no longer realized what she was saying.


    Giana kept on babbling with tears streaming down her cheeks and asionally shouting swear words, while Dillon was forced to witness all this and ensure that Giana''s current state would not be published in the mass media.


    Luckily Giana had unlimited ess to the VIP room in this ce, so they could get a little privacy when Gianawas not in a condition that was deserved to be seen like now.


    The woman then danced like crazy and Dillon had to get up to stop her.


    "Dillon¡­" Giana''s voice sounded very husky and sad. She hugged Dillon as the man pulled her over to sit down. "I want a divorce."

 Chapter 130: SCARY NIGHT

    <h4>Chapter 130: SCARY NIGHT</h4>


    "What?" Dillon wasn''t sure what he had just heard was the right thing, for this thumping and ear- painful music was still reverberating in the room from the arena below, where people were dancing like mad, shaking their bodies as if they would die otherwise they would be frozen.


    "I want a divorce!" Giana shouted into Dillon''s ear so loudly that the man had to push Giana''s body away from him, making her fall back on the sofa in the process.


    However, this time Dillon was lucky, because Giana was no longer trying to stand up and cursing, the woman curled up on the sofa, hugged her knees and buried her face in between them.


    Her long, loose hair, partially covered Giana''s expression, but seeing her shoulders shaking uncontrobly, Dillon could tell that she was crying.


    "Giana¡­" Dillon walked over to Giana and shook her shoulder gently, his voice no longer sounded angry.


    The Giana he once knew was not like this. She had always been a girl with a bright and friendly personality, the type of girl who was popr in school, and indeed Giana was the most popr girl in their old school, but everything changed when the time of marriage came.


    The marriage that Giana often dreamed of would end sweetly turned out to be the beginning of her destruction when she found out what Aidan was doing behind her.


    "Giana, let''s go home," Dillon coaxed her. "I will take you home."


    Giana didn''t answer, but when Dillon was about to grab her shoulders so she could sit and straighten her hair, Giana stared at Dillon with eyes filled with tears and a wounded look.


    "I don''t want to go home," she said pleadingly, and Dillon had to sigh again heavily, because he knew what this meant; apanying Giana until she felt better, and it could be said that it was going to be a very long night.


    "Then where will you go?" Dillon asked.


    Giana''s eyes wandered, scouring the entire room before refocusing on the man in front of her; as focused as someone who was drunk could. "I want to go to your apartment," she replied.


    ==============


    Giana woke up with a fuzzy head and an ufortable feeling, she felt her mouth dry out, like she had just swallowed a handful of sand.


    And when Giana tried to swallow hard, her throat seemed to be cutting painfully.


    Following her instincts, Giana tried to get up and open her eyes, but a beam of light peeking from the slightly ajar curtains made her have to cover her face with her arms.


    It took Giana a while to realize that she was not in her bed, not at her house to be precise.


    Her unfocused eyes studied this strange room all over nkly, but she couldn''t remember that any one of the guest rooms in her house had its walls painted light blue and a roomyout like this.


    And the only answer Giana could get was; she was not at her house.


    "Sh*t!" Giana cursed loudly, but because her throat was having a problem, the words sounded very hoarse and indistinct.


    She needed a drink beforeshe go to find out where she really is.


    Without thinking, Giana removed the nket that covered her and intended to get out of bed, but then she found something much more terrible, namely; her naked body.


    No, she was notpletely naked because she was still wearing her ck underwear, but how could the purple midi dress she wore yesterday was just lying on the floor?


    With eyes that were much more focused, now Giana immediately put her dress back on, but just in case someone she didn''t know might walk into this room suddenly, Giana put on her clothes while stillying under the nket and tried to pull the zipper with difficulty as she stood unsteadily.


    In front of the bed, she found a mirror as tall her body and hurriedly examined her reflection on it.


    However, maybe that wasn''t a good idea, because as soon as Giana saw her reflection in the mirror, the wrinkles between her brows deepened and she scrunched her nose in disgust.


    The reflection of her in the mirror was nothing like Giana Dawson''s usual appearance, or now better known as Mrs. Smith''s, the figure in the mirror was as terrifying as a prostitute who had just had a hard night.


    The mascara shaped Giana''s eyes like panda eyes, leaving ck here and there. Her lipstick was gone and left her lips ripe, but utterly pale, and her hair¡­


    Giana didn''t even want to describe what her hair looked like now.


    In her panic, she tugged at her hair so it would look more decent and grabbed a tissue to remove any traces of make- up that made her look even scarier than a ghost.


    After Giana managed to remove her mascara, she then tried to find her handbag that she couldn''t find it anywhere.


    After ten minutes of searching and not finding it, Giana faintly heard moving sounds from behind the door. It looks like someone has woken up and started doing things out there.


    And whoever it is, it must be the person who brought her back to this house.


    Giana wasn''t sure how to behave with this person. Should she thank him for allowing her to stay over and call Dillon to threaten him to shut up? Especially when she found herself half naked when she woke up?


    She did not know what kind of actions she didst night with this strange man. Giana assumed this person was a man.


    Her life seemed utterly chaotic.


    After listening more carefully and being sure that someone had already been awake and was out there, Giana ventured to open the door to her room and tiptoed along the corridor.


    Somehow, she did that just in case she would walk straight to this person, because she was not ready to meet anyone.


    However, when Giana saw a familiar figure in the living room, making coffee with the coffee machine near the window, a sense of relief came over her.


    "This is your apartment?" Asked Giana in a voice as hoarse as a cuckoo.


    Dillon who was making coffee lifted his head and looked surprised when he found Giana was awake too.


    "Morning," Dillon replied, lowering his head back and focusing on his coffee. "And yes, this is my apartment."


    Giana''s previously tensed shoulders rxed and she walked casually to the nearest sofa, holding her head which was still throbbing painfully.


    "Why am I here?" A normal question to ask and Dillon didn''t even look at her when he answered it.


    "Because you asked me to take you to my apartment," Dillon told him. "Coffee?"


    Giana narrowed her eyes and looked at the figure of Dillon who was pouring coffee into his cup.


    "Yes, make one more for me, please," she replied, agreeing.


    Dillon then took another cup and poured coffee into the cup then brought both of them.


    Dillon then sat on the sofa in front of Giana and put the coffee cups on the table between them. He looked like he''d just woken up with puffy eyes and disheveled hair and this was the first time Giana had seen Dillon looking like this because he usually looks so tidy in a shirt and coat.


    "Thanks," said Giana quietly. She didn''t immediately drink her coffee, but instead grabbed a bottle of mineral water there to moisten her throat, which was parched like the desert of Sahara. "So, tell me what happenedst night?"


    Giana tried to sound casual and make this conversation as light as possible with the ssic question of someone who just woke up from a big hangover and didn''t remember anything.


    Because the real question is; what the two of them might have done until Giana woke up half naked.


    "You got really drunk after getting pped by Hailee," Dillon said lightly, he nced at Giana and found that her cheek still looked a little swollen.


    Instinctively, Giana touched her cheek and felt a little pain there. Although she didn''t notice her swollen cheek when she looked in the mirror, because her focus was on her overall appearance, which could be described as terrible¡­


    She looked like aplete mess.


    "You asked to be taken to the bar and got really drunk ..." Dillon shortened his story and told Giana that she was the one who asked to be taken to Dillon''s apartment because she didn''t want to go home and meet Aidan in such a state.


    In this rate, Giana did not remember anything that had happened between them, except for a vague memory of herself asking not to be taken home, while she was drunk.


    Dillon then spent the next ten minutes or so, telling Giana what little detail that happened afterward. About him taking Giana to the room and leave her there after he was sure that she had fallen asleep.


    However, there are no details on the reason why she woke up without clothes.


    "Then why did I wake up without clothes?" Giana asked without preamble and made Dillon choke on his own coffee.


    He then looked at Giana with a look of horror and raised his hands. "I didn''t do anything to you. I didn''t strip you out of your dress, because thest time I saw you, you fell asleep fully clothed."


    Giana narrowed her eyes and looked closely at Dillon, but she could not find any lies in the expression on the man''s face.


    Having known him for a long time, Giana knew that Dillon wasn''t lying.

 Chapter 131: BEFORE MARRIAGE

    <h4>Chapter 131: BEFORE MARRIAGE</h4>


    Well, whatever. It meant that the worst thing Giana could think of didn''t happen and she was ought be grateful for it.


    Her life was already veryplicated and it didn''t need someplicated problems between her and Dillon''s rtionship adding to the mix.


    "It is good if nothing happened," Giana muttered and nced at Dillon, who was still trying to tidy up his ruffled hair with his fingers. "Don''t get me wrong, my life is very messy and I don''t want to deal with any new problems."


    Dillon rolled his eyes dramatically when he heard this. "We will just change the topic," he said, getting a nod of approval from Giana.


    Giana then took her coffee cup and inhaled the strong aroma and it was enough to help her refocus her mind and relieve the throbbing in her head. "What do you want to talk about?"


    "The news that Hailee wanted to tell the public through a journalist has been published," said Dillon, who then handed his cellphone to Giana,so that she could see it for herself.


    Giana, who received it with her free hand, started scrolling to see what news was written there.


    It did not seem like it was too important and Dillon didn''t understand why Hailee wanted to publish it?


    However, Giana seemed to have other ideas, as she read each article carefully while sipping her coffee.


    ==============


    "WHAT IS THIS?!" George shouted angrily as Aileen stepped into his office and closed the door, to make sure no one else would hear the scornful words from this middle- aged man.


    Aileen already knew that this was what she would face when she saw the news this morning.


    Someone has leaked the news that the diamond, which was said to be the wedding ring for Hailee Tatum from Ramon Tordoff earlier, had been chosen as an engagement ring between her and Theodore Gevano early this morning.


    This issue was known only to the Tatum family members, because at that time they were the only ones who heard the minor dispute regarding the diamond ring.


    And of course that ''someone'' was Hailee herself, because her name was on the news. ''A short interview'', it read. Who would believe that it was really an interview and not Hailee herself telling the media?


    Okay, maybe everyone thought like that, but it was not the case with Aileen and George, they knew that Hailee was nning something and whatever, this is just the beginning.


    But now, the news is everywhere and everyone already know this.


    Maybe, for some, this news is not some big information, but the impact is truly extraordinary and could put, not only Aileen but also George and Theodore, in serious trouble.


    They have to face innumerable problems now...


    The trivial news about the diamond ring that Ramon Tordoff didn''t buy for his wedding because George Tatum tantly said that the ring was a gift from him for the engagement of Aileen Tatum and Theodore Gevano, angered all the shareholders in Tatum Jewelry.


    They were so outraged that they held an impromptu meeting to call George Tatum, to confirm the news.


    Of course they were furious, because when the news about the marriage between Hailee and Ramon surfaced along with the information about the ring that would be their wedding ring, thepany''s shares that had been on the verge of copsing since the death of Hailee''s parents, finally showed a change for the better.


    However, it was less than twenty-four hours that the news about the ring that Ramon Tordoff didn''t buy because George Tatum was going to reward it for the engagement between Aileen and Theodore had been out, but the impact was already very pronounced and it could be seen that things would not improve in a day or two.


    Shit!


    Even within a month they were pessimistic, because of the circting spection that the Tordoffs felt insulted by this deed.


    And who would want to be a party that was hatedby that family? Only a fool would hope like that and now¡­ the fool they were referring to was staring at Aileen with eyes ready to kill.


    "Why are you scolding me?!" Aileen eximed. She couldn''t ept being yelled at by George like that, it was clearly not her fault. "You know clearly who leaked those nonsense words of yours! Then why are you taking your frustration out on me!?"


    "Shut up!" George was furious when he eximed angrily and galloped over to Aileen. However, the woman seemed ready for the consequences that were waiting for her.


    "What?!" She challenged. "You want to p me?! p me and we will see how the people outside this room would view it!"


    George was about to lift his hand, but could only stare at her in silence and then drop it by his side.


    Right.


    If anyone saw Aileening out of his office with swollen cheeks, his image would bepletely damaged and now all eyes were on him.


    "I never asked you to say that!" Aileen resumed her words after she believed her threat had worked and made George resign himself to do so. "You yourself are looking for trouble by challenging Ramon Tordoff!"


    It is a reality and now regret about his impulsiveness will never solve the problem that happened. It was toote...


    "And if you think I am going to clean after the mess you created," Aileen hissed and gave George a very sharp look, she even threw a look of disgust which made the middle- aged man squint. "I don''t want to. Thanks to you too, I got into trouble with the Gevano family."


    Of course the Gevano family would get even more outraged and this initially unblessed rtionship would only get worse, knowing that Tatum family''spany was in crisis, again. Because of the rashness of George''s mouth, spewing words carelessly.


    "What''s your problem with the Gevano family?" George asked, probing. If there was one way to avoid all of this, then the answer would be the Gevano family.


    Only when Aileen entered that family, would things improve a little for them.


    "My problem?" Aileen raised her eyebrows in disbelief and snorted. "We can spend a full day and night discussing my problems with the Gevano family, want to hear?" She asked sarcastically.


    ==============


    "Wow! This is amazing!" Hailee jumped on Ramon''s bed and made the man grimace because the girl almost pressed his stomach with her knee, if only he didn''t have good reflexes. "See!"


    Hailee shoved her cell phone under Ramon''s nose and forced the man to look at what she found extraordinary.


    It was the news published by Ben Kingstone, the journalist, regarding the Tatum Jewelry diamond ring.


    Actually, the news had already been released early in this morning, it''s just that because Hailee has been busy devoting her focus to Ramon and his therapy all day, it wasn''t until evening that she checked her cellphone and found out about the news.


    Hailee thenid down on Ramon''s bed, even though she had her own bed in the room and it seemed that Ramon did not mind sharing the bed with his future wife.


    To be honest, he was quite enjoying how Hailee seemed enthusiastic about reading thements under the news and this was her first smile after Giana came to visit.


    Because after that, Hailee looked grumpy and always annoyed whenever Ramon talked to her.


    "Danny has already told me about this news," Ramon said, lying back next to Hailee and staring at her intently.


    "Why didn''t you tell me?" Hailee frowned again and looked at Ramon.


    "I thought you already knew and I forgot too, do you remember? I have a busy therapy schedule." Ramon used the ''sympathy card'' to melt Hailee and in fact it worked.


    Because no matter how angry Hailee is, she will soften up when reminded that Ramon is currently sick. Her concern for Ramon was not just a show.


    "Oh, you''re so whiny just because you have a busy therapy schedule that you even became forgetful?" Hailee grumbled and mocked Ramon. "Are you sure you don''t want to postpone our marriage?" She asked. "I''m not sure you''ll be well enough to stand all day weing guests."


    Ramon frowned as he caught the hidden meaning behind Hailee''s words. This girl was looking down on him¡­ saying things in a roundabout way and with a cute smile on her lips.


    What an aesthetic way to make fun of someone.


    "You don''t have to worry about that," said Ramon as he pulled Hailee closer to him so that he could hug her. "Because I can''t wait for you to be my wife."


    "I''m not sure you were serious when you said it." Hailee red at Ramon, trying to get out of Ramon''s hands wrapped around her, but not for long because in the next few minutes she was already hugging him back.


    "Wasn''t it me who proposed this marriage even though you lied to me?" Ramon asked, resting his chin on top of Hailee''s head, inhaling her scent that smelled like oranges.


    "You want to marry me because of apany you can acquire," Hailee snorted again as she said this. It seemed that her annoyance at Giana''sarrival was stillintact. "Don''t make it sound like something romantic."


    Hearing Hailee''s grumbling, Ramon could only chuckle. Hailee can be so adorable¡­


    ==============


    After being under strict supervision and going through therapy that was quite strict and very, very well rested, finally the wedding day arrived.


    To minimize the possibility of spreading other news besides this marriage, the night before the wedding, Ramon was finally allowed to go home, of course with the permission of Doctor Bram, who congratted Ramon on his wedding the next day.


    That night, nothing special happened, except appointing some extra maids who will help Hailee put on her wedding dress the following day and also the anxiety that deprived Hailee of her sleep which eventually made her walk back and forth in her room.


    Until she finally came up with a brilliant idea to annoy Ramon. It''s possible that the man haven''t slept either. Maybe he was just as anxious as she was, waiting for tomorrow, so it didn''t hurt to cheer each other up, right?


    An absurd yet quite strange reason ...


    But, armed with that reason, Hailee came out of her room and walked toward Ramon''s room which was only a few steps across from her room.


    "Ramon," Hailee called out, knocking on the door. "Ramon, are you sleeping?" called Hailee again.


    She waited ''patiently'' for a while and soon she could hear the sound of approaching footsteps and momentster, Ramon opened the door. His body loomed before Hailee.


    "Can Ie in?" Hailee asked, but she wasn''t waiting for an answer as she pushed open the door and slipped inside.

 Chapter 132: NIGHTMARE COMES TRUE

    <h4>Chapter 132: NIGHTMARE COMES TRUE</h4>


    "Can Ie in?" Even though Hailee asked, she didn''t wait until Ramon answered her before she snuck into the man''s room.


    Ramon looked at Hailee who walked into the room and immediately slumped her body on the bed and pulled the nket, as if this was her own room, while Ramon followed her before sitting beside her, saying nothing.


    Hailee then made herselffortable by pulling the nket and covering almost half of her face before staring at Ramon in silence.


    Ramon had a hunch on what this girl was doing, only he was more interested in reading his book again.


    "You should rest," Hailee protested when she saw Ramon reading a book that could make someone faint if got thrown at with it, due to its sheer thickness.


    "I am resting," Ramon answered Hailee without taking his eyes off the book in his hand.


    "Rest means sleep," Hailee argued again. In her heart she asked; Doesn''t Ramon worry about the wedding tomorrow at all? why does he look so calm and as if he is not affected whatsoever.


    It made Hailee frown a little because she felt this is unfair. Could it be that she was the only one who felt this way?


    After all, marriage would be a big moment in her life, when she changes her status from single and bes someone''s wife. One step closer to motherhood too ...


    Ugh!


    When Hailee remembered that particr thing, she couldn''t get rid of the words of Ramon wanting a child from her. They sounded sweet and natural, but it still never failed to leave Hailee''s heart pounding hard...


    "That is your definition of rest?" Even though Ramon opposed what Hailee said, but in the end he closed the book and shifted his focuspletely to Hailee, because the girl didn''t stop staring at him without saying anything, plunging the atmosphere into utter awkwardness. "What do you want?"


    Ramon then pulled up the nket and propped his head on one side, whileying on his side so he could stare at Hailee more intensely.


    There was no way this girl wouldn''t want nothing after volunteering to climb onto the bed and getting under the nket.


    "Aren''t you worried?" Hailee finally asked after being silent for a moment. She was wondering why Ramon could act like this, even though something big was going to happen in their lives tomorrow. "We are getting married tomorrow."


    "I know," Ramon answered lightly and it was rewarded with Hailee''s questioning gaze. She then supported her chin with her hand and moved closer to Ramon. "Is there something wrong?"


    "How can you be that rxed?" Hailee frowned and it made Ramon, instinctively, reach out his hand to rub his thumb on the crease between Hailee''s brows.


    "Why can''t I stay rxed?" Ramon asked her in return.


    "There will be a big event happening tomorrow and it will change both of our lives," Hailee began to exin, although she wasn''t sure if her words could describe exactly how she was really feeling right now.


    "Then if I am worried like you, will that change anything regarding tomorrow?" Ramon asked again and Hailee grumbled.


    Ugh! That is true...


    "Don''t fire me back with more questions." Hailee then shook Ramon''s hand off her forehead and looked at the man more seriously, indicating that she wanted a serious answer as well. "It doesn''t change anything, but at least you should feel something, right?"


    "Feeling anxious about something that is bound to happen and can''t be helped is a waste of time and effort," Ramon replied briefly and clearly. The hallmark of this man. He even considered it and did not want to lose.


    Seriously...


    "Have you ever stopped considering costs and losses of ''things''? It seems like your life is very monotonous," Haileemented.


    Maybe for other people, it would seem as if she was criticising Ramon''s way of life, but for that man, this girl just didn''t really understand the concept of life that he had been living all this time.


    "That is the kind of life I have been living for thest thirty- two years," Ramon said.


    And only after Ramon mentioned it did Hailee realize something. "You are old! Our age is eleven years apart!" She eximed. Not only that, the girl even dramatized it by immediately sitting down and staring at him by widening herrge eyes, making Ramon frown in the process.


    "So?" He asked defensively. "I have no problem marrying a younger girl, as long as you are not a minor."


    Of course Ramon was aware of the age gap between the two of them, it was just that he hadn''t really thought about it all this time, Hailee wasn''t even a teenager who didn''t have an ID card. She is a legal adult.


    However, Hailee''s reaction this time was a bit over the top, or was she doing it on purpose to annoy Ramon. He don''t know, sometimes it is hard to guess how this girl''s brain worked ...


    Hearing Ramon''s statement, Hailee snorted. "Of course you will not protest. You got a young girl, beautiful, talented, good cooking and rich enough to give you a diamondpany, what else are you looking for?" Hailee said confidently.


    Actually, there was nothing wrong with what Hailee was saying, it is just that her way of saying it, sounded a little annoying to Ramon''s ears.


    "And you got the most wanted bachelor in town A, a sessful young entrepreneur who can guarantee your life and fulfill all your desires, just having me can make almost any woman jealous." Ramon raised his finger when Hailee was about to interrupt his words, indicating that he had not finished speaking. "And most importantly, you can boast about me in front of your adopted sister and ex-fianc¨¦e."


    Ramon''s words were straightforward and clear, showing how confident he was in himself. However, the thing was, there was nothing wrong with any of them, as they were all indisputable facts.


    Especially thest sentence.


    Although Aileen tried to hide her true feelings by trying to act casual, Hailee could see the jealousy behind Aileen''s gaze whenever she saw Ramon.


    Her adoptive sister was like a hungry tiger who found fresh meat, even Theodore''s presence at her side could not make her hide those unspeakable intentions of hers.


    It disgusted her as Hailee remembered how she used to treat Aileen and also her parents who treated her like their own child, because of what Aileen did to her was beyondmon sense.


    Aileen was like a pinched dog biting the hand of the very person who helped her.


    "You are annoying," Hailee grumbled. "But the most annoying thing is that what you said is true." She thenid on her back and looked at the man next to her, squinting her eyes with agitation. "Where did you learn to be so shameless?"


    "Where do you think did I learn it?" Ramon asked while looking at Hailee meaningfully.


    "Oh ..." Hailee grimaced. It seemed that she had negatively affected Ramon without even realizing it.


    However, it seemed that not only was Hailee unaware of the effect, Ramon had also just realized it now.


    The arrogant words he had just said, were not things he would say in front of other people.


    How funny it is when someone''s attitude can affect you too and for that matter, it seems that some of Hailee''s shameless traits have tainted Ramon as well.


    "Why? You have a problem with a man whose age is far apart from yours?" Ramon asked, he stretched out his hand instinctively and tucked a strand of Hailee''s hair behind the girl''s ear.


    Ramon watched silently how Hailee really thought about an answer to his question and it took about two full minutes before she was sure of her answer.


    "I am fine." Hailee shrugged her shoulders. "Theodore is younger than you, but his attitude embarrasses even a ten year old."


    "In that case, it is good." Ramon rubbed Hailee''s cheek and felt her skin soft against the tips of his fingers. "Then we have no more problems."


    Hailee shed him her white teeth as she chuckled. "I told you, you are a jackpot. My jackpot"


    After Hailee''sughter died down, a spell of silence fell between them, but it was not something that both of them were ufortable with, on the contrary, there was a strange calmness that enveloped them.


    It was as if they could stare at each other until morning, and not feel awkward at all.


    Is not this an extraordinary progression? How they could stayfortable without any words involved between the two.


    "Not worrying anymore now?" Ramon asked when he saw how Hailee blinked sleepily.


    "I am." Hailee yawned. "But, just a little. You reduce my anxiety greatly."


    "What''s worrying you so much?" Ramon pulled up the nket and covered Hailee''s body, making the girl snuggle like a kitten under the warmth andfort.


    "That you are going to change your mind and leave me on our wedding day tomorrow," Hailee answered honestly, her voice sounding sleepy.


    "What kind of thoughts are these?" Ramon frowned and flicked Hailee''s forehead lightly, making the girl grumble indistinctly. "Overthinker."


    "Not really," Hailee grumbled, pulling the nket up to her nose, but her eyes peeking out from under the thick nket were staring at Ramon. "Could a miracle happen and dramatically your amnesia got healed then you ran to find Giana, leaving me at our wedding alone, facing the guests asking where the groom is? It was the worst nightmaree true," she said all her worriness.


    Indeed, it was too scary to think of¡­

 Chapter 133: YOU LOOK AMAZING

    <h4>Chapter 133: YOU LOOK AMAZING</h4>


    It sounds almost impossible to happen, but one has to think about the worst, right? And even though there aren''t any secrets between Ramon and Hailee regarding theplicated rtionship between them, and again they have been open to each other about their goals, but still no one knows what attitude Ramon will take when he recovers all his past memories


    And Giana is still a scourge in a rtionship that has only been forged for three months.


    Life is full of mysteries, and within three short months, everything had changed so drastically.


    Hailee''s life itself is like a roller coaster from the death of her parents to this day.


    "Stop thinking about stupid things like that," Ramon said softly. "Where did you get an idea like that?"


    "I have no idea." Hailee closed her eyes again and moved closer to Ramon, she only stopped moving when she felt the man''s body close by and Ramon''s strong hands hugging her. She feltfortable as it made her sleepy. "I have seen it happen a lot in the movies and in some of the books I have read."


    This isn''t the first time Hailee has had absurd ideas from something she had read or a movie she had watched ...


    "You have to stop reading and looking for strange stories like that. Nothing in the likes of dramatic happens in the real world." Ramon felt sleepy when the fragrance from the shampoo Hailee used was inhaled by him, rxing his tense nerves a little, but it was enough for him¡­


    "But aren''t things like that inspired by real life?" Hailee denied it.


    "Then stop having weird thoughts," Ramon ended the argument and pushed Hailee''s head against his chest. Using the girl''s body like a warm bolster and closing his eyes, letting the silence envelope them until the darkness of the dreand approached them.


    Perhaps, Ramon was not as calm as he showed or said, because in reality, there was a bit of tension he was trying to brush off, but now that Hailee was in his arms, he felt much better.


    Because after all, Ramon wants this marriage to be forever ...


    And just like that, the two spent the night before their wedding by sleeping together ...


    ==============


    Hailee was busy grooming herself in the mirror. Now she is wearing a white wedding dress designed by the Diva herself. It hugged her body perfectly.


    Even though Hailee didn''t have a big, puffed up chest, like Aileen, this dress made her look very sexy, elegant and ssy at the same time.


    The tiara she is wearing now is the same tiara that Ramon won at the auction, hosted by Giana, not long time ago.


    At first, there was a slight problem with the delivery of this tiara, as it seemed Giana wanted Ramon to pick it up himself, and of course so that the two of them could meet, but Hailee definitely wouldn''t allow something like that to happen.


    She asked Lis to see to it and of course, she asked for the favor vaguely and left a few words that indicated that Giana intended to bother Ramon.


    Lis immediately believed what Hailee was saying because she saw for herself how Giana came to the hospital and realized, which the reason that Aidan Smith''s wife said was just a ruse.


    There were no rtives or acquaintances, or friends that Giana knew, who was hospitalized that day, because Lis knew them in person.


    Therefore, when Hailee said that Giana was making things difficult pertaining to the deliver of the tiara, she immediately asked Danny toply with Giana''s request to meet.


    And what happened next was epic, where Giana thought she would meet Ramon, but in reality, Lis was the one waiting at their meeting ce.


    Hailee really wanted to see how Giana looked at that time and record it to look back onter, in case she was in a bad mood or wanted to make fun of her. It sounds childish and evil, but Hailee loves the idea.


    Unfortunately, not all evil intentions go as nned, because on that day Lis told Hailee not to worry and just wait at the hospital, looking after Ramon.


    Hailee couldn''t possibly argue with that, because she didn''t want to make Lis suspicious.


    And there she lost it ...


    The golden opportunity to make fun of Giana, if one day she dared to mess with Hailee again, is wasted.


    But, it doesn''t matter, because now this tiara is nicely ced on Hailee''s head. Tiara which price can buy a house in the elite area of ??the city of R.


    It''s amazing how money has be meaningless to people like Ramon.


    "You are so beautiful Hailee ..." Lis sighed with satisfaction when she just walked into Hailee''s dressing room to tell her that the ceremony would start in less than thirty minutes, and made sure that her daughter- in-w was ready.


    "Thank you mom," Hailee smiled very sweetly. She will not reject those words today, because she knows she looks amazing on her wedding day. "You too."


    Lis hugged Hailee carefully, so she wouldn''t mess up anything andnded a soft kiss on the girl''s cheek.


    The make- up that Hailee wore for today looked natural, giving off a naturally beautiful impression, but also making her look much more charming like this.


    "Thank you for apanying Ramon all this time ..." Lis didn''t notice when tears rolled down her cheeks. "And for staying by his side."


    Lis Tordoff is not a woman who can cry easily, but this time she showed that no matter how strong her image is out there, she is still a mother, and today is the most special day for her son.


    "I should be thankful for all of this," Hailee said in a low voice and felt tears start to well up in her own eyes.


    After all, this is a touching moment and Hailee knew that if both of her parents were still alive, they must have the same reaction as Lis today.


    "Alright, already ... we don''t want to spoil your make- up," Lis took a tissue and pressed it into her eyes lightly, to wipe away the tears that had started falling from her eyes, then did the same to Hailee. "You are the most beautiful bride I have ever seen."


    "Of course, because Ramon will be the most handsome groom you have ever seen." Hailee nced at Lis to lighten a bit of the sentimentality the two of them were feeling.


    It proved sessful, because Lisughed softly when she heard that. "Of course, he is my son, his taste has proven to be extraordinary to have you as his wife." Lis is very good atposing words. She praised both of them as well as herself in one short sentence.


    "I agree." Hailee nodded.


    "I am going out now, you still have fifteen minutes to prepare. The guests have arrived," Lis told Hailee and saw the girl grimace.


    "How many people came?" Hailee asked, worried. Because she didn''t invite so many, Hailee didn''t really pay attention to the final number of their invited guests, since they were all mostly business partners of the Tordofffamily.


    "Almost filled the Hall," Lis replied with a dramatic expression and made Hailee''s forehead crease even more.


    "I hope Ramon can keep me from fainting when we see so many invited guestster," Hailee muttered softly.


    "Don''t worry, Ramon will take good care of you." Lis patted Hailee on the cheek lightly to bring her back to focus. "Then, I''ll be going now."


    Hailee nodded and looked at Lis as the beautiful and elegant middle-aged woman stepped out of the dressing room, leaving Hailee with two assistants who had been standing not far from her, ready to help if Hailee needed anything.


    In fifteen minutes and she would officially be Ramon Tordoff''s wife.


    Mrs. Tordoff ...


    That doesn''t sound too bad. No. In fact, that sounds absolutely incredible! Hailee liked what she heard and she could imagine how the other called her with that name.


    Now that Hailee recalled it again, she felt her chest rumbling with nervousness. The annoying anxiety came back.


    However, this time it was apanied by an unstoppable enthusiasm. She couldn''t wait to see Ramon in his ck suit.


    "Less than ten minutes left, shall we go out now?" One of the assistants who had apanied Hailee since earlier told her in a low voice and a smile full of admiration at the figure in front of her. The woman in front of her is very beautiful and she would be Mrs. Tordoff in a few minutes.


    All the women out there would be jealous.


    "Okay," Hailee agreed, feeling the bubbles in her chest popping up with impatience and enthusiasm. Is this too much?


    She could feel her lips being stretched, forming a smile as she checked herself onest time.


    However, before they were ready to leave, someone knocked on the door and before Hailee could let anyone else in, Lexus head was already poking out from behind the door.


    "Hi, sister- in-w," said Lexus, grinning widely.


    "Hi, my brother- in-w who is much older than me," Hailee returned Lexus'' grin and the manughed, his eyes narrowing as heughed broadly, simr to Ramon.


    "What''s the matter? Do you want something for me?" Hailee asked.


    "What do you expect in thest ten minutes of your single life?" Lexus asked back.


    "How about food? I am a little hungry."? Hailee made a suggestion, looking at him expectantly.


    Lexus rolled his eyes dramatically when he heard Hailee''s request. "You have eaten two servings of breakfast and you have chocte inside that drawer." Lexus nodded toward the drawer opposite Hailee.


    And what Lexus said was true, Hailee indeed tucked in some choctes to block her anxiety, because it proved to be effective. But, how does Lexus know?


    "So, what do you want?" Hailee pursed her lips.


    It is not a sin to eat a little more on your wedding day, right?


    "Can you leave the two of us alone?" Lexus asked the two women there. "I will bring her out." He added when he saw the two women staring at Hailee, asking for the bride''s permission.


    Hailee nodded and they both left, leaving her alone with Lexus.


    "You look amazing," said Lexus.


    "Thank you, you are also very handsome," Hailee returned thepliment. Lexus looked very handsome in his expensive ck suit.


    "Of course, you don''t have to say things that everyone already knows." Lexus puffed out his chest proudly.


    "I take my words back." And they bothughed.


    Later, Hailee will be apanied by Diego, her uncle and Zia, who will be her bridesmaid. It''s obvious isn''t it, that Hailee couldn''t possibly choose Aileen.

 Chapter 134: WEDDING DAY

    <h4>Chapter 134: WEDDING DAY</h4>


    Her adoptive sister should be grateful that Hailee,? at least invited her to this event. Even extending the invitation to Theodore. And oh, his family too ...


    Meaning,ter Hailee would meet with Mr. and Mrs. Gevano. If everything had gone ording to n and Theodore had not delved into an open affair, then they would both have be Hailee''s in-ws by now.


    And Hailee couldn''t be more grateful than this for Theodore to have an affair with Aileen and thwarted her nightmare, otherwise Hailee wouldn''t have gotten a brother- in-w as cute as Lexus.


    Lexus walked across the room and approached Hailee, he then raised his arm so that Hailee could take it.


    "I am sure after this, you will be the one that the women out there will hunt," Hailee said.


    "Oh, I have always been chased by women, so that''s not news to me," Lexus replied proudly, but a secondter he was grimacing in pain because Hailee was pinching him. "But you should be careful, because Ramon''s changing status doesn''t necessarily make the women out there stop their attempts to climb into Ramon''s bed."


    It was a brutal fact and Lexus had no intention of embellishing his sentence to convey it to Hailee because the gist of his words was so real.


    Those women wouldn''t stop ... Giana wouldn''t stop, just because Ramon married her.


    Well ... that is another harsh reality, which Hailee would have to face. But, as long as Ramon didn''t want them, then there was nothing for Hailee to worry about ...


    For now, that was enough ...


    "Ready?" Lexus asked and Hailee took his arm.


    "Yes," Hailee replied.


    "Okay, let''s see how Ramon reacts when he sees you in this wedding dress, I made sure the people who would film that particr moment to focus their cameras on the changes on my brother''s cold face." Lexus had indeed ordered this many times, so that no moment is missed.


    "He saw me in this wedding dress already," Hailee reminded him.


    "Yes, but without the tiara, make- up and guests filling the hall, it''s different, of course." Lexus stated and Hailee grimaced.


    "Thanks for reminding me the number of guests that hade," Hailee felt her heartbeat quicken again.


    "You are wee." Lexus grinned widely.


    And they both stepped out of the room, toward Ramon who had been waiting for his woman.


    ==============


    Honestly, Hailee didn''t know what to expect from this wedding party. She had indeed been told that the invitees had filled the hall which could amodate at least a thousand people and in truth, that was only half of what Lis had nned to invite.


    However, after several considerations and time constraints, for which Ramon strongly refused if this wedding party were tost three days and three nights, Lis was forced to cut short the guest list she prepared.


    It''s just that, this actually made this wedding party a prestigious event, where socialites will show off their invitation cards and are so proud to get such limited invitations.


    That said, there wasn''t a single person who was insignificant in this wedding party.


    Therefore, it is not surprising that so many journalists flocked to capture the moment, even though most of them could only cover from outside the building, because there was only one news station that was allowed to capture the main event and that was a news station of which the Tordoffs are a shareholder.


    So, one can imagine how this marriage could look from a business standpoint, where the shares of all thepanies that were in contact with the Tordoffs jumped dramatically before stabilizing over the next few days, making their shares the highest after the marriage of Giana Dawson and Aidan Smith.


    Hailee, however, is not at all curious about any of that, because what she has to deal with now is more important than all the rising numbers for the stock, which she doesn''t even understand.


    Previously, Lis had indeed invited Hailee to see the final decoration of this wedding hall, and at that time, Hailee was so amazed by the luxury and elegant touches in each of the adornments that were installed.


    Hailee and Lis agreed to use gold and brown as the theme for the party, which made the hall look like it was furnished with gold strokes and added a grand and prestigious element to the wedding.


    Meanwhile, Ramon, left everything to the two women and would agree no matter what color they would use, because he knew, Lis couldn''t possibly suggest extreme colors or create anything beyond their taste for his wedding with Hailee.


    And Hailee, who appeared in her white dress, made a beautiful contrast with the rich brown and golden colors surrounding her.


    So that when she appeared on the opposite side where Ramon was standing, all eyes immediately focused on her.


    She is very beautiful and charming ...


    Just her presence was able to make the almost low voices around the hall, slowly, disappear on their own, being mesmerized by the bride.


    "Uncle Diego ... don''t let me fall ..." Hailee whispered softly to the man apanying her, while she grasped his arm firmly, almost gripping it tightly with a vice like hold.


    "I won''t," Diego whispered back to his nephew, bracing himself and walking with a steadier stride, escorting Hailee to the man who had been waiting for her.


    Hailee is grateful that her uncle is a military officer, because just by standing by his side, Hailee felt like she could rely on him, to catch her if she makes an embarrassing move or if her legs don''t cooperate and agree to spoil this moment.


    "Your parents would both be very happy if they were to see this," Diego said, turning his head and looking at Hailee with teary eyes. "No, they must be looking at all of this from up there ..."


    "Uncle ... don''t make me cry ..." Hailee bit her lower lip, trying to hold back the tears that were about to spill when Diego talked about her parents.


    If there is a moment when Hailee misses her parents the most, it is; this very moment. Because her father should have been the one standing beside her now, to hand her hand over to Ramon Tordoff.


    Diego smiled fondly at his nephew, then he rubbed the back of Hailee''s hand which was on his arm. "Today is your happy day, if you remember them, then think that they are also happy for you."


    Hailee took a deep breath and nodded slowly, after which she raised her head and found the figure of Ramon standing at the end of the red carpeted path, Hailee had to walk now.


    Hailee did not let herself focus on the invited guests who stood on her left and right and chose to look down a little, staring at her feet, focusing on the way she walked so that her beautiful wedding dress was not stepped on.


    However, as soon as Ramon''s figure was within her line of sight, Hailee seemed bewitched and couldn''t pay attention to anything but the nearly perfect man who was waiting for her.


    Hailee had seen Ramon in his ck suit before the two of them went for fitting their wedding dresses together for thest time, but looking at the man now, waspletely different.


    Dressed in the same outfit, Ramon stood under the soft light shining directly on him, while the surrounding lights became dim. The same beam of light, which apanied Hailee''s journey toward him.


    Making them both the focus of the hundreds of pairs of eyes that were around.


    Hailee felt her heart beat faster when she saw Ramon''s dark eyes, as if just by looking at him, Hailee could forget her nervousness from the attention of the crowd around them and focus her attention solely on himself.


    How could this man have had such an influence on her?


    Or maybe Hailee just got carried away? Whatever it was, Hailee just wanted to enjoy this moment. The moment she hoped would only happen once in her life and that this man would be the one to apany herter until they grew old together.


    Okay, Hailee is getting a bit sentimental because of all the attention she''s receiving and the images of happiness dancing in front of her eyes.


    Oh, if anyone asked her when she fell in love with Ramon Tordoff, then Hailee would say that this is when she fell in love with this man.


    Not only did Ramon save her, but he also provided protection and colors to her day, and taught her so many things so that she could open her eyes and see that the world was not as beautiful as it seemed.


    It''s just that, Hailee knew that she would always have Ramon, a person she could depend on and someone who will protect her when the world outside bes too cruel for her to deal with.


    Isn''t this man so perfect?


    At least Ramon is perfect in Hailee''s eyes for now.


    Without being noticed, her slow steps, apanied by Diego, finally lead Hailee to Ramon.


    The man stretched out his hand and Hailee had to take a deep breath, to calm the roar in her chest, before she took the man''s helping hand, releasing herself from Diego.


    "I leave Hailee to you and I hope you will never disappoint her." Diego''s voice was stern, but full of mixed emotions. He felt as if he were sending his own daughter to a new chapter in her life. Of course, this made the military officer a little emotional.

 Chapter 135: WEDDING DAY (2)

    <h4>Chapter 135: WEDDING DAY (2)</h4>


    "Certainly," Ramon answered with earnestness and took Hailee''s hand to be led closer to him. His ck eyes stared at the beautiful woman in front of him with an intensity that could make Hailee feel like her legs were about to give up. "You are very beautiful."


    "You are beautiful too," Hailee replied without a second thought, and it wasn''t until she heard Diego clear his throat and saw Ramon''s suppressed expression like someone who was holding backughter, did she realize that something was wrong with her answer.


    Oops...


    ***


    Theodore gazed from a distance at how Hailee walked so gracefully, her rosy cheeks flushed as she shyly raised her head and looked at her future husband, who was none other than Ramon Tordoff.


    Themotion around them suddenly subsided when the main lights went out, leaving a dim light and two focus lights that shone on the two people who were about to be husband and wife.


    Hailee walked past him, walking so calmly with a smile on her lips and the girl was staring at no one, but at the man, who was waiting for her.


    "She is very beautiful ..." Theodore heard his mother sigh with regret and felt Aileen''s body, who was leaning closer to his, stiffen, but Theodore was not in the mood to respond to that.


    Theodore thought that ignoring herment would make his mother stop, but it didn''t. Instead, her mother voiced her regrets even more dejectedly in the same low whispering voice that only Theodore and Aileen could hear.


    "If only I had a daughter- in-w like that, how graceful and honorable it would be ... considering her status as the rightful heir of Tatum Jewelry, she is very suitable to enter the Gevano family."


    A momentter Mrs. Gevano added.


    "In fact, she prefers her own sister over her adopted sister to be her bridesmaid... Indeed, whatever happens, the blood is thicker." This was especially clear for Aileen, who was not even chosen as her bridesmaid.


    And of course the meaning of Mrs. Gevano words touched on the status of Hailee, who is the legal daughter of the Tatum couple, to belittle Aileen.


    Not just because Hailee is the only daughter of the Tatum family, but because Hailee''s mother is such a good friend of hers.


    While Aileen, who heard that, could only bite her lip and pretend not to hear anything, but asionally she would nce at Theodore, who did not do anything to indicate that he was going to help her or defend himself.


    This fact is really annoying, considering how Ramon silenced people who tried to belittle and mock Hailee at breakfast together at Diego''s house a few days ago, but Theodore didn''t even blink when Aileen was subtly insulted by his mother.


    Of course, because Theodore''s attention was now not on the woman next to him, but on the woman he thought would never escape his grasp.


    It''s a clich¨¦ feeling, where you don''t appreciate what you have until you lose it and find out that what you lost is far more beautiful than what you hold on to ...


    Theodore stared at the two people as they both got entwined in the sacred bond of marriage ...


    He really had lost the girl ...


    ==============


    Giana was standing next to Aidan, but their focus was on different ces, they didn''t even acknowledge that their partner was right next to them.


    Because Giana continued to stare at Ramon, who smiled warmly at Hailee and the girl who smiled back with a happy expression in her eyes.


    While Aidan focused on the girl standing behind Hailee, Zia Tatum, who was wearing a pale white dress and was smiling emotionally at her cousin.


    Their eyes met for a moment, but Zia chose to pretend not to know him and under so many gazes, there was nothing Aidan could do to get close to her.


    Their separation a few days ago is still profound in Aidan''s memory and he still couldn''t ept that their rtionship had ended just like that.


    In the past, Zia constantly suggested to end their affair, but they still continued to be in touch even after three years of Aidan and Giana''s marriage.


    It''s just that, after theirst breakup, Zia no longer replied to Aidan''s messages or picked up calls from him.


    And thesest two days, Aidan was very sure that Zia had changed her phone number.


    Damn it! Zia had never done this before, so Aidan knew how serious this woman was this time.


    On the other hand, Giana gritted her mrs when their wedding vows were finished and Hailee had officially be Mrs. Tordoff.


    Apuse and congrattions flooded the newly wedded couple, Mr. and Mrs. Tordoff. The two were now staring at each other with warm smiles on their lips.


    Giana looked away when Ramon leaned in to kiss his wife ...


    ***


    Hailee felt that the procession was going so smoothly that she didn''t realize that it was finished.


    Maybe, it was because Ramon was constantly holding her hand and looking at her very gently, which did a great job of making herself feel a little better, or maybe it was because she was feeling too happy that time was running fast.


    Hailee was flustered to point of inserting the ring on Ramon''s middle finger, when the man corrected her in a soft whisper.


    "Mrs. Tordoff, that''s my middle finger, not my ring finger."


    Fortunately, that mistake was only realized by Ramon, because otherwise, the bubble of security that Hailee had created around her by only focusing on Ramon, would disappear instantly, if the guests startedughing at that little mistake.


    "All your fingers look the same ..." Hailee whispered back and this time inserted the ring onto the correct finger, while Ramon justughed softly.


    Theughter sounded so melodious, even more pleasant than the strains of the instruments that apanied the sacred procession.


    However, the calm is disturbed when Hailee heard how the people around her started pping their hands before congratting the newly wedded couple.


    Instinctively, Hailee turned her head and found hundreds of pairs of eyes staring at her very intensely, along with the room lights turning on again.


    Do not panic...


    Do not panic...


    Do not panic...


    Hailee tried to calm herself down by saying this, but of course the little incantation didn''t help her in her quest to calm down at all.


    It''s known, this is the first time Hailee has be the center of attention of all the people who had gathered in one big room like this.


    Meanwhile, seeing how the look in Hailee''s eyes began to turn nervous, Ramon reached out and cupped Hailee''s two cheeks, forcing gently for his wife to look back at him.


    "Just focus on me," said Ramon softly, who then leaned in tond the first kiss on Hailee''s lips, the first kiss of the wedding ceremony.


    At first, it was just a sweet kiss, whichsted less than two seconds, to take Hailee''s attention away from the guests, but the second time Ramon kissed his wife, it was a long kiss, which made Hailee, not only forget the people around them, but also forgot everything, except the man.


    Ramon''s lips pressed against Hailee''s lips demandingly, teasing her with his tongue that brushed the surface of hers.


    Ramon''s breath was warm and who knows at which second, Hailee forgot to breathe and, bravely, embraced the man''s waist.


    It seemed like Hailee didn''t want this moment to end at all...


    However, even though this moment had ended, wouldn''t she be able to get it any time she wanted?


    This is just the start, right?


    ==============


    Hailee was now changing into the third dress, the evening gown which was also thest dress, indicating that the wedding party wasing to an end.


    And Hailee couldn''t wait to get out of her own wedding.


    It''s not that Hailee doesn''t like it. This party is just amazing and all. Lis has actually managed to embody the concept of the wedding she always wanted.


    It''s just that, Hailee was very tired as she had to smile continuously at the hundreds of guests who came to congratte them. Almost all of whom she does not know.


    Her jaw felt very stiff and her throat was dry from so much pleasantries and smiles. Her head started to feel dizzy because she had been standing for too long.


    Hailee believed that her smile in the past hour has looked a little forced.


    "Very well, Mrs. Tordoff, you look very graceful and beautiful." One of the employees of the Diva, who helped Hailee with her dress and fix her slightly worn make- up, looked at Hailee in awe. "If you don''t need anything else, we can go out now."


    "Actually, I would love to have a drink," Hailee said, her throat burning from being too dry. "I want cold mineral water."


    The employee looked around her, but did not find cold mineral water, which Hailee wanted, in the room.


    "Oh, I will find it for you," she said enthusiastically.


    "Thank you very much," Hailee said gratefully and the clerk replied with a simple; It is okay.


    After that, the clerk left, leaving Hailee to sit alone at her dressing table.


    Indeed, not many people were in Hailee''s dressing room, because she didn''t even need help to put on her dress and re- apply her make- up, because the two clerks were enough.


    When one employee went to get a drink for Hailee, another employee was away to take care of something else.


    Therefore, here is Hailee, sitting alone in front of arge mirror while staring at herself dizzily and heard someone knocked on the door.


    A knocking sound startled her and made her turn her head to see who was the person who had entered this room without permission.


    And there he stood; a man that didn''t cross Hailee''s mind at all, who would approach her in the dressing room.


    "What are you doing here?" Hailee frowned, clearly displeased with the fact that this man wasing into the room without permission.


    In front of her, Theodore was looking a little awkwardly at Hailee. He touched his hand and smiled shyly at her.


    Sigh! Why did this creature have to be here? He was thest person Hailee wanted to see.


    Hailee did see Theodore among the crowd that hade. She also saw the silhouettes of his parents and Aileen as well.


    Based on Hailee''s brief observation, it seemed that Aileen was still having a hard time getting in and mingling with the people in the Gaveno family, especially with Theodore''s parents.


    For some reason, this fact made Hailee even happier. She was delighted to hear any news that was troubling Aileen.


    Good for her ungrateful adoptive sister!

 Chapter 136: UNWANTED PERSON

    <h4>Chapter 136: UNWANTED PERSON</h4>


    For some reason, this fact made Hailee even happier. She was delighted to hear any news that was troubling Aileen.


    Hey! Hailee ain''t bad, okay. But, still that doesn''t change Hailee''s happy feeling knowing this.


    "I ..." Theodore stammered when he saw how Hailee folded her arms across her chest defensively and red at him, as if spending a second with him could already make this girl mad.


    Maybe he was right in this case.


    "Who allowed you to be here?" Hailee looked at Theodore with an expression of displeasure. She didn''t even hide her dislike for the man''s appearance in front of her.


    "I ..." Theodore still looked a little nervous when facing Hailee who was now staring at him intensely. It was a little awkward because they were alone in this room, but that didn''t mean he hoped for other people to be around either.


    "If you have nothing more to say, then you can go out," Hailee said in a tone that was cold and in an attitude that indicated that she did not want Theodore to linger in the room any longer. "You shouldn''t be here."


    "Yes, yes ... I know ..." Now, Theodore was shuffling more and more restlessly, feeling ufortable with how Hailee was treating him.


    Actually, even Theodore did not understand why he felt this eagerness to approach Hailee in her dressing room, while he himself did not know what to tell to the Mrs. Tordoff.


    Yes, now Hailee has officially be Mrs. Tordoff and there was nothing Theodore could do to change that.


    "I just wanted to congratte you on your big day," Theodore said quietly and ventured to raise his head and look Hailee straight in the face.


    He didn''t know what got into him, but seeing Hailee who was standing so beautiful in front of him now made Theodore feel a little uneasy, like something was bothering him and he didn''t know what to do to feel better.


    Hearing the almost absurd reason for Theodore''s arrival, made Hailee raise her eyebrows with an attitude of dislike that grew thicker by the minute.


    "Didn''t you say that when we met out there?" Hailee nodded toward the hall, where the wedding party was still going on. "I have even received congrattions from both of your parents."


    Hailee couldn''t forget how Mrs. Gevano always looked at her with a look of hope, wanting Hailee to be side by side with her only son.


    Even though Mrs. Gevano didn''t say it outright, but Hailee could guess it easily, because after all, she had known Theodore''s mother long enough to know what they were thinking.


    "If that is all you have to say, I have heard it now." Hailee was still not being gentle with her ex- fianc¨¦ and this was evident when she realized how lucky she was because Theodore preferred Aileen over her. This was truly unexpected luck. "Now you can get out."


    "Hailee, can I talk to you for just a minute?" Theodore asked, he took a step forward to approach Hailee, but when he saw the frown between the girl''s brows deepened, his steps stopped.


    Hailee didn''t even want him to approach her ...


    Where had that girl who always looked friendly and approachable had gone to? One of the reasons why Theodore was able to be in a secret rtionship with Aileen for quite a long time was because Hailee had always been very easy to trick.


    The thing that Theodore was not at all proud of having done, it could even be said that he felt ashamed for having done such a lowly thing to Hailee.


    Truly not a man''s actions...


    "One minute?" Hailee showed a surprised expression, then she turned her head toward the clock on the wall on her left. "You have already wasted four minutes and you want more now?" Hailee pouted, folding her arms indecisively.


    "Hailee ..." Theodore was still trying to get Hailee to talk, even though the girl''s answer in front of him was a little painful. How much did Hailee dislike talking to him? "I know that being here is a little inappropriate."


    "Right." Hailee readily agreed without waiting for Theodore to exin further. "That''s why, I told you to leave this room earlier."


    However, it seemed those harsh words had no effect on Theodore anymore, because he had stuck to his original purpose, which was to express what was on his mind.


    "I want to apologize for what I have done," Theodore clenched his fists, for it was not his custom to apologize, especially to Hailee.


    He didn''t even think much of this girl back then because Theodore always thought, with Hailee''s nature that is forgiving and tends to never raise her voice, he can do whatever he wants without having to consider Hailee''s feelings.


    Yes, and reality proved how wrong he was for thinking that way.


    "Theo, you already said that while we met at Uncle Diego''s house," Hailee sighed, her forehead creased as she stared at the man in front of her who looked very unattractive.


    Of course other men were not interesting when youpare them to Ramon, and yeah, Theodore Gevano had be a back drop in Hailee''s eyes. Oh, she now has the status of Mrs. Tordoff...


    Who wouldn''t want that status? Every women in this party would willingly give everything that they had to be in Hailee''s position.


    Every time Hailee thought about that, she couldn''t stop smiling to herself and feeling so happy that she seemed to want to shout it in front of Theodore, so this man could walk away from her and bring his guilt and ''sorry'' to another ce, because Hailee simply didn''t need that.


    Theodore, hearing Hailee''s tant refusal, took another step closer and this time, Hailee stepped back to avoid him.


    What''s with Theodore? Why does he look messed up like this? Hailee frowned and continued to stare at the man in front of her with a wary gaze.


    Theodore did tend to be casual, but he never got out of control and did things that would damage his reputation.


    Because if anyone saw Theodore now, they would think that this man had certain intentions for Hailee.


    And having ulterior motives for Ramon Tordoff''s wife is, of course, not a wise move.


    "Hailee, you don''t understand ..." Theodore took another step closer, shortening the distance between them. "Me and Aileen ..." he didn''t finish his sentence.


    He and Aileen were in the middle of a problem and Theodore was unsure of the decision he had taken, which was asking Aileen to have an abortion.


    And since his request that seemed very cold, his rtionship with Aileen is no longer the same as before. It felt strange and Theodore did not notice that his feelings begun to waver, they were no longer the same ...


    "Theodore," Hailee called out his name in a firm tone. "You better get away from me now."


    Just then, someone opened the door hard enough and startled the two of them, to make Theodore stop his steps and turn around to find Lexus standing in the doorway with a confused expression.


    "Mr. Gevano?" Lexus narrowed his eyes at Theodore and then looked at Hailee who was folding her arms with a tense expression and a look of displeasure in her eyes.


    It is easy to see that Theodore Gevano''s presence in this ce was not really weed by his sister- in-w.


    "You shouldn''t be in this room," Lexus said in a stern tone, moving closer to Hailee.


    Within seconds, Lexus'' attitude took a huge turn. The cheerful and approachable nature that always radiated off Lexus, vanished as he stared at Theodore while standing before Hailee, between the two of them.


    Now, with this cold and overprotective attitude, Lexus looked a lot like Ramon when he''s jealous, whenever Hailee mentions Ian''s name.


    Good job Lexus!


    Hailee cheered as her brother- in-w red fiercely at the man in front of her.


    "I already said that, but it looks like Mr. Gevano didn''t even think to heed my words," Hailee added, pursing her lips and giving Theodore an irritated look, standing behind Lexus'' stout back.


    Hearing Hailee''s statement, Lexus raised his eyebrows. "So, you need me to get someone to escort you out or are you going out of this room on your own?"


    Hearing Lexus'' words, made Theodore grit his teeth and clench his fists even tighter.


    However, in the next second, he turned his body and walked away from them, without saying anything. It seemed he had still a little bit dignity to not being thrown out of the party anytime soon.


    And just before Theodore opened the door, someone from the opposite direction had opened it, it was the employee of the Diva who was bringing Hailee a cold drink.


    Her eyes stared at Theodore in confusion, for no man was supposed to be there or enter this changing room.


    However, when she saw Lexus in the room as well, she didn''t say anything because she thought this man must havee with Lexus and not Hailee who was alone with him.


    Because if that happened, then people out there would think all kinds of things.


    And God only knows how these people would embellish a story they didn''t know for sure.


    Especially when Hailee was being a figure in the spotlight right now.


    The girl is tender meat for carnivores who really want to devour her until nothing remains because she have seeded in conquering Ramon Tordoff.


    Who wouldn''t want Hailee to fall from where she is now?


    Of course, Giana would be in the first line to hope something like that.

 Chapter 137: JEALOUSY TYPE

    <h4>Chapter 137: JEALOUSY TYPE</h4>


    "Ms. Tatum, this is the cold water you asked for," said the employee as she walked across the room and handed the ss in her hand to Hailee. She smiled pleasantly and nodded sheepishly at Lexus.


    "She is Mrs. Tordoff now," Lexus corrected the clerk. Yes, Hailee has officially be Mrs. Tordoff less than six hours ago and Lexus wanted everyone to remember it the right away.


    The employeeughed softly as she patted her forehead. "Yes, Mrs. Tordoff, I mean. Sorry I forgot."


    "It''s okay ..." Hailee waved her hand and smiled knowingly at the girl, not wanting to prolong this trivial matter.


    "You don''t need to mention it out loud, I find it strange," Hailee said in a low voice, which only Lexus could hear as she took a sip of her drink.


    "You just have not gotten used to it yet, and neither do these people." Lexus replied in a slightly arrogant manner, it seemed that he was still annoyed that another man had entered his sister- in-w''s dressing room.


    Lexus would make sure that he will have serious talks with the security of this ce. How could a stranger enter Hailee''s room without permission?


    "You can go," Lexus said to the female clerk. "Mrs. Tordoff will be back at the party with me."


    The clerk smiled and withdrew, leaving the room and the two of them.


    Only after the sound of the door closing was heard, did Lexus turn his attention to Hailee who was still sipping her water, seemingly not at all bothered by Lexus''s gaze which was more intense than usual.


    "What?" Hailee asked after finishing her water and putting the ss on the table, she checked the maroon lipstick on her lips and made sure the thirst event didn''t spoil her appearance at all.


    "How could a drunk man enter this room?" Lexus growled with displeasure.


    "Hm?" Hailee tilted her head and looked at Lexus. "Drunk?" She didn''t think Theodore was drunk, maybe a little tipsy, but he didn''t look drunk.


    "I could smell the alcohol on his body, you know." Lexus folded his arms. He smelled the faint smell as he passed Theodore earlier. His olfactory senses could be said to be very sharp to be able to detect the faint smell. "So who is the man who trespassed into my sister- in-w''s changing room?" Lexus showed a sullen expression when he asked that question.


    Haileeughed softly when she heard that. Lexus looked funny with this attitude.


    "Why are youughing? Is he your fan?" Lexus slumped himself down on the sofa and slightly loosened the tie wrapped around his neck.


    "I am not an artist, so how could I have fans?" Hailee shook her head. "He is my future brother- in-w."


    "Oh." Lexus lips rounded. "So he is the future husband of your adoptive sister?" Of course Lexus knew that Aileen was the adopted daughter of the Tatum family, but that was all he knew, because everything else didn''t really catch his eye.


    For example, he did not know that the name of the one who hade to see Hailee was Theodore Gevano, because their family businesses had never crossed paths.


    "Yep, they will get engaged next month," Hailee gave the little information and sat beside Lexus. "Has Ramon returned to the party?"


    "Yes, he was back ten minutes ago and was looking for his wife." Lexus nced at Hailee and got a light blow to the arm. "That''s why I am here to pick you up."


    "All right, then let''s go before Ramon misses me too much." Hailee then rose to her feet.


    "You are too confident," Lexus muttered and then followed Hailee out of the room.


    ==============


    The whole event was amazing, with lovely music and great food and important guests that one could not miss.


    That said, this is the ce to be when one want to build rtionships over sumptuous meals and attend grand parties.


    However, not everyone enjoyed the event.


    Even the bride seemed to be starting to feel ufortable with the attention being poured over her, and Ramon realized this.


    Especially when Hailee started sulking in a low voice that only he could hear and made Ramon, again, unable to stop thinking about what was going through his wife''s head.


    "I smiled too much."


    "My cheeks hurt."


    "Looks like after this event is over I will never smile again."


    "I think I am almost bing a joker."


    "I should have dressed up like a joker so I didn''t have to smile too much."


    Ramon, who was listening, nced at Hailee who was smiling fakely at the people who were waving at her from a distance, even though Ramon was sure that Hailee didn''t know anyone of them.


    Of course, with her new status now, Hailee will be the center of attention wherever she went and there will be lots of people who will be happy to make friends with her.


    "If you dress up like Joker, should I dress up like Robin?" Ramon replied, smiling at the few guests who were watching them.


    "You should dress up like Harley Quinn, not Robin." Hailee criticized Ramon for hisments and made her husband frowned.


    "I think our married life would never be dull and be very interesting," Ramonmented and then pulled Hailee toward the dance floor as the music started to change to a softer tune.


    "Ramon, what are you doing?" Hailee looked at Ramon with shocked eyes, although her lips still had a smile on them. "You know I can''t dance." Hailee hissed out those words, reminding her husband that she was not a very good dancer.


    "Don''t worry, I am excellent." Ramon prided himself andughed when he saw Hailee ring at him.


    When they saw the bride and groom stepping on to the dance floor, the couples immediately made room for the two of them, to watch the ''show''.


    "You think, with your skills, you can make up for my shorings?" Hailee winced as Ramon spun her around and caught her back in his warm embrace. Oh God, save my heart! "I am going to embarrass myself," whispered Hailee when Ramon hugged her again.


    "You think I will allow my wife to embarrass herself?" Ramon asked in a low voice that sounded very sexy.


    Ugh!


    Couldn''t he speak in an ordinary voice? But, wait ... He sounds like that usually, so what else could she do?


    "So you are going to cover me up?" Hailee asked with a crooked smile. "I never thought that you were a gentleman." Of course Ramon is a gentleman, Hailee is just teasing him.


    "You are my wife now, your pride is my pride." Ramon then turned Hailee around once again and the room spun around as Hailee caught the admiring gazes of several people until Ramon''s face was back in her line of sight.


    "Your words touched me," Hailee grimaced, didn''t get use to hear such cute lines especially from Ramon when no one was listening to them.


    But then, their small talk is interrupted a little when they noticed someone standing next to them. A man was holding out his hand to Hailee.


    At first Hailee was confused, she didn''t immediately understand what the man intention. Only after she looked around, did she realize what was happening.


    She have seen a dance party where people swapped partners to dance one after another, and that is exactly what is happening now.


    The man asked Hailee to dance with him and Ramon had to let him because there were other women who were waiting to dance with him as well.


    "Ah, that ..." Hailee stuttered. She can''t dance! So how could she ept someone else''s helping hand?


    "She will stay with me," Ramon said, smiling politely at the man who was still holding out his hand and waiting for Hailee to ept his invitation. Ramon''s hug on Hailee''s waist tightened.


    For a moment, the man was bbergasted but then he smiled and went to greet the woman who was also waiting for Ramon, leaving the bride and groom to dance with their own partners.


    "Shouldn''t you be not refusing him?" Hailee nced at the man who was now dancing with a woman in a bright yellow dress, then turned her attention back to Ramon, who was staring at her with gentle eyes.


    "Why not?" Ramon then twisted Hailee''s body once again and caught her deftly, avoiding a man who was about to ask Hailee''s hand again to dance with her. Ramon shook his head politely, indicating that he would not switch partners. "This is our wedding and our party, why can''t I do what I like?"


    Hailee grinned broadly as she felt a tiny butterfly begin to p its wings inside her stomach, creating a pleasant tingling sensation.


    "How can you do that?" She asked.


    "They can walk away from this party if they don''t like it." Ramon shrugged his shoulders nonchntly. "I do not care."


    This attitude made Haileeugh. She had never been this happy before. Oh, she should thank Aileen, because without her, Hailee wouldn''t have been able to get a chance to enjoy her current position.


    And also Hailee should be thankful that her adopted sister took Theodore out of her life.


    Hailee couldn''t imagine how Aileen''s expression would be when she found out that her proud future husband had sneaked into the room of his ex- fianc¨¦ who had already be another man''s wife.


    Aileen should have seen how Theodore''s expression was when he apologized to Hailee.


    "Why are you smiling like that?" Ramon asked, turning Hailee around twice before catching her into his arms again. "Do you remember anything funny?" He asked.


    "Theo came to me to the dressing room earlier," Hailee whispered to tell Ramon.


    "Theo?" Ramon raised his eyebrows.


    "Theodore, Theodore Gevano." Hailee reminded Ramon. "There''s no way you forgot about him right?"


    Ramon shook his head. "Of course I remember your ex- fianc¨¦." He deliberately emphasized the word; ex- fianc¨¦e in his short sentence. "But, the way you call him Theo sounds very intimate."


    Haileeughed at Ramon''s excuse which sounded almost absurd, but to the other people around who were paying attention to them, the two people really looked very affectionate, especially when Ramon didn''t allow anyone to dance with his wife.


    Then Hailee told him what happened earlier.


    In fact, Ramon already knew all that from Lexus. His beloved younger brother, of course, would not have missed this historic moment by not reporting it to him.


    He even told Ramon to be careful because Hailee looked so stunning tonight and made some men lose their sanity.


    Ramon ignored thest sentence in Lexus'' speech and listened intently to what Hailee had to say, without saying anything.


    "Are you the jealous type Mr. Tordoff?" Hailee asked in a teasing tone.

 Chapter 138: THE CERTAINTY

    <h4>Chapter 138: THE CERTAINTY</h4>


    "Are you the jealous type Mr. Tordoff?" Hailee asked in a teasing tone. Her bright eyes stared at her husband with mischievousness.


    "I am not the jealous type, Mrs. Tordoff." Ramon lowered his head, thus narrowing the gap between their lips. "But territorial. I don''t like it when people touch what is mine."


    And having finished his sweet words, Ramon kissed Hailee on the lips gently, creating a small stir around them and the people who were watchingughed while making whooping sound. Cheering loudly at the new couple.


    "Ramon ... they are watching us," Hailee whispered between kisses. She felt a focus light shone on her and made the people there pay attention to her very intensely.


    Too intense.


    However, Ramon then responded by deepening their kiss and cing his hands behind Hailee''s head, applying pressure for the girl to stop paying meaningless attention to the guests and start focusing on himself.


    "Ignore them ..." said Ramon very low.


    With how Ramon''s lips moved against hers and lulled her into unspeakable feelings, how could Hailee ignore what he had to say?


    Everything became blurred in Hailee''s eyes when Ramon''s nibbling took over all her senses and made her struggle for oxygen.


    Luckily Ramon hugged Hailee''s body, so that the girl didn''t fall, because right at that moment, Hailee felt that her legs had turned into jelly.


    Ugh! Hailee couldn''t imagine if she create such an embarrassing moment.


    And when the kiss, which seemed to have been going on for hours, finally ended, Hailee felt her head lighten and her body did not respond well to her slow thoughts.


    You could say this is the first time Ramon has kissed Hailee in front of this many people and in such a long time...


    There was a feeling that Hailee couldn''t put into words when she found herself leaning her head on Ramon''s chest, still ignoring her surroundings.


    With Hailee''s current position, she could hear Ramon''s heart pounding in her ear. It sounded so reassuring, it convinced her that she was not the only one who had this kind of feeling.


    It would be very unfair, wouldn''t it? If only Hailee felt that nervous feeling alone, while Ramon didn''t feel the same way?


    Luckily, nothing like that happened¡­ Ramon''s heart was beating so fast too, just like hers.


    "I think we have been here long enough," Ramon said softly into Hailee''s ear, stroking her back. He didn''t know since when this happened, but Ramon began to recognize Hailee''s distinctive scent, which he found soothing. "Let''s go."


    The sudden suggestion was quite shocking and made Hailee lift her head from her activity which was listening to Ramon''s heartbeat.


    "What?" Hailee asked in a muffled tone when she heard how Ramon invited her to run away from their own wedding ceremony.


    "Do you still want to be here?" Ramon asked, then looked straight at Hailee, watching the girl shake her head hurriedly.


    "I have been wanting to leave since an hour ago," Hailee told her husband and made himugh loud enough to make those still dancing around them instinctively turn around.


    First Ramon didn''t allow anyone to dance with his wife, then whispered soft words, which somehow made Hailee blush.


    And now, Ramonughed out loud.


    Augh that was rarely seen by anyone, because usually Ramon would just smile back politely that didn''t even reach his eyes.


    Only, this time it was different. He was reallyughing and the sound was akin to a beautiful melody in Hailee''s ears.


    Ramon''sughter now showed the joy radiating from within him.


    "So how do you n to escape this ce, Mr. Tordoff?" Hailee whispered back to Ramon, her cheeks flushed red from the various feelings racing through her body.


    Hailee looked so sweet and beautiful, and Ramon felt that this was the best moment in his life, to be able to have a stubborn and unique woman like her.


    Ramon then smiled mysteriously, the kind of smile that could make one unable to take their eyes off him and make their stomach feel tense, but it was not anything that was rted to the word ufortable, quite the opposite.


    Then, while still dancing with Hailee, he led the two of them to a ce that was less crowded and when they reached the exit that led to the garden, Ramon let go of his hold on Hailee''s waist and took her hand instead.


    Hailee nced at the huge room which was still flooding with guests over her shoulder, then chuckled at Ramon. "Are we eloping?" She asked.


    Ramon didn''t run, but they walked faster than normal people and because Hailee had difficulty walking on this gravel road, Ramon became impatient and chose to carry her instead.


    Hailee was taken by surprise when Ramon took that initiative, but she didn''t hate it at all, if there was anything, she loved it.


    "Is this the new definition of eloping in your head?" Ramon asked Hailee who was in his arms.


    "I am very creative, right?" Haileeughed amusedly as she put her arms around Ramon''s neck and let the man take her wherever he wanted.


    Well, at this moment it looked like Hailee no longer cares where they are going. Because wherever they go, Hailee will happily go there as long as she is with Ramon.


    How wonderful this feeling is, right?


    Very deftly, Ramon walked toward a smaller building beside the main building where there were several people and cars lined up.


    It was just that, this romantic moment was not only enjoyed by the two of them, because along the way, there were several guards who saw them and nodded politely at the two of them.


    Not to mention the fact that there were about five or six bodyguards following them, and yeah, they too witnessed this from start to finish.


    Fortunately, Hailee''s focus was solely on Ramon.


    After arriving at the smaller building, Ramon then put his wife down and walked to meet one of the men in ck, who immediately greeted Ramon with a military- style nod, which reminded Hailee of uncle Diego.


    "We are leaving now," Ramon said briefly and Hailee could see surprise crossing the man''s eyes, but a secondter, his facial expression returned to normal.


    No wonder Ramon could control his expressions so well. The people around him are no different.


    "Wait, where are you going?!" Eximed someone from behind them, a voice familiar to both Hailee and Ramon.


    However, Ramon didn''t bother to turn around and answer the question when he pulled Hailee back toward the waiting luxury ck car.


    "Hold on, hold on," Lexus said with a little panic and ran to block Ramon''s steps and make Hailee bump into the back of her husband who was walking in front of her.


    "Ugh ..." Hailee groaned, rubbing her sore nose.


    "Where are you guys going? The party isn''t over yet," Lexus reminded them both, just in case, they forgot that they were the main highlight in the festivity and excitement of the party.


    "The party will go on without us and I''m sure you and mom can handle it well," Ramon said lightly as he walked past lexus.


    It''s just that Lexus doesn''t let the two of them go that easily, because he''s back in the way of Ramon. This time Lexus stood up, leaning against the door of the car Ramon and Hailee were going to enter.


    "No, that doesn''t mean you can just walk away," Lexus now whined, knowing fully well that Ramon couldn''t be stopped if he wanted something and Lexus didn''t want to be the scapegoat in this matter.


    Lis would really be annoyed if the bride and groom disappeared before the event was over. And Lis''s annoyance will affect him too ...


    Who said the youngest child is the most beloved child?


    "Why not?" Asked Ramon defiantly and made Lexus frown even more.


    Ramon and Lis are really two people who have the same personality and make Lexus suffer psychologically with their attitude like this.


    "At least, can you let me tag along?" He asked in a pleading voice with a look of hope stered all over his face, which received a fierce look from Ramon and a sneer from his wife.


    "Seriously, you want to be a mosquito repellent and die of envy?" Hailee red at her brother- in-w and pushed the boy''s body a little harder than she should have, in retaliation for her still aching nose.


    On the other hand, hearing Hailee''s words, Lexus could only grimace in horror, unable to imagine that he really had to witness the intimate scene of the two of them.


    Just seeing them making out every once in a while makes Lexus want to run away, let alone have to watch longer than that?


    Ugh, it seems like dealing with the cranky Lis is much more fun ...


    Seeing the understanding that Lexus was starting to gain, Hailee smiled, a sadistic smile ...


    "Now that you understand, get away ..." Hailee opened the car door and hopped in. Ramon followed her into the car and closed the door, while Hailee then opened the window. "Bye, my lovely and sweet brother inw." Hailee waved her hand and smiled broadly at Lexus. "I will bring you a gift."


    Lexus pursed his lips. "You mean cute nephews?"


    Lexus does not know when thest time Ramon was with a woman, or you could say he never saw him with one, so if Lexus was in Ramon''s position now, it was certain that he would....


    Hailee''s face immediately flushed red and she quickly closed the windshield, leaving Lexus as the poor soul, he was. To stand there alone, watching them ''elope''.

 Chapter 139: PLEASE

    <h4>Chapter 139: PLEASE</h4>


    "Zia, we need to talk for a moment," Aidan grabbed Zia''s arm as she walked past him, and pulled her toward a quiet corner that the guests weren''t walking very often.


    Seeing Aidan, Zia widened her eyes in protest, but the man''s grip on her arm was so tight it didn''t allow her to break free without causing a fuss.


    And causing a scene in a ce like this, where it would raise questions about the rtionship that existed between her and Aidan, was thest thing she wanted to happen today.


    Therefore, just with a little coercion, Zia followed Aidan to the balcony and let the man corner herself there.


    "I miss you." And without warning, Aidan pressed his lips against Zia''s, kissing her with emotion, until she knew how much he missed her.


    However, Zia didn''t reply with the same passion, instead she struggled to break free from his hold and gave Aidan an angry gaze when the man bit her lip.


    "What else do you want?" Zia asked fiercely, pushing the man away from her with all her might as it was clear that this man did not intend to budge at all.


    "What else I want?" Aidan distanced himself and stared with wounded eyes at the woman in front of him. "Didn''t I tell you that I miss you?"


    Zia stared angrily at Aidan. "Stop acting like this!" Zia looked angrily at him and tried to keep her voice from getting too loud when she scolded Aidan.


    "Zia, you didn''t mean what you said before, did you?" Aidan narrowed his eyes and tried to touch her hand, but Zia swiftly warded off his effort by folding her arms across her chest.


    A defensive gesture that made Aidan pocket his hands in his trousers.


    "Of course I mean it. I want to put an end to all this madness." Zia took her eyes off Aidan because she felt ufortable staring at him.


    "You didn''t mean what you are saying," Aidan said with a frown in displeasure. He didn''t even want to imagine himself having to part with the woman in front of him. The woman he had been in a romantic rtionship for years.


    Aidan knew that he was selfish and this action of his couldn''t be justified. It''s just that letting Zia go was something he didn''t even want to think about at all.


    "How could you think I didn''t mean it?" Zia narrowed her eyes. She didn''t like the confidence that shed in Aidan''s words when he said his conclusion earlier, because Zia felt her resolve weakening once again and wanted to give up on being stubborn. "You think I am here to see you?"


    Aidan sighed heavily. If it were not for this wedding, it was certain that they would not have met.


    "Zia, stop your stubbornness." Aidan shook his head. "We can talk about this."


    It had been several days since Aidan had been feeling irritated that Zia had rejected all of his calls and messages, not to mention the fact that she had even changed her number the other day, cutting off all possibilities for them tomunicate.


    There was nothing Aidan wanted more than to improve their rtionship.


    Is there something wrong? Or was it thest time they met Aidan did something Zia didn''t like that made the girl angry and avoid him?


    But, what is certain now is; Zia was not sulking, she was dead serious now. This problem is much moreplicated than her impulsive decision.


    "Didn''t I tell you that our rtionship was over?" Zia gripped her arms tighter. Even though she said it casually like she didn''t care at all, this kind of choice was also hard for her to live with.


    "I don''t want this to end," Aidan said the line very firmly. Ignoring the sharp gaze Zia gave him.


    "Then, you can go through this rtionship alone, because I don''t want to do anything with you." Zia then avoided Aidan''s gaze and started walking away, but the man gripped her arm tightly again, stopping her in her tracks.


    "Zia, please ..." Aidan looked at her with pleading eyes and made Zia''s heart flutter again with a familiar beat.


    Zia bit her lip as the feeling his lips on them returned while being stared at like that, bringing her resolve into question again.


    D*mn! She really wanted to stop her indecisiveness!


    Should she go through it all again? Even though she knew that what she was doing was a mistake?


    Truth be told, Zia realized that she had wasted her golden years as a woman by being in a rtionship that wouldn''t take her anywhere.


    A rtionship that would only give them bad status and misgivings every time they were together.


    Not to mention questions like; what if they get caught? What if her father finds out? To what extent her father''s anger would go when he found out about this? Then what about him? What about Aidan''s marriage and status too?


    All those questions would keep jumping in her head every time they spend sometime together.


    It is just that, Zia chose to stay stubborn and tried not to pay attention to this, preferring to enjoy her moments with Aidan.


    But, how long will they be like this? No. Until when will Zia be like this?


    One day she will have to get married and have a family of her own, something Aidan can''t give her.


    Yes, Aidan can give everything to Zia. Except for certainty and status in society as a woman who apanies him.


    What an irony in their life and rtionship, right? While most people are jealous of their extravagant life and abundant wealth and high status, they cannot get what they want the most.


    A simple thing like choosing their own life partner regardless of their status or family background as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the marriage, is almost impossible for them.


    Especially for Aidan. That kind of privilege was not someone like him.


    Aidan didn''t even think that he would find someone like Zia, a woman who could finally touch his heart and made him feel really happy.


    Aidan always thought that he would live a boring life, just like his parents. Spend his life in a marriage based solely on business convenience for both parties.


    Therefore, when Zia appeared in his life, Aidan really didn''t want to let this woman go. He would give his all just to keep this woman by his side.


    It''s just that, even himself could see his limitations. Because he can''t give Zia what she deserves.


    A status and certainty.


    Isn''t it ironic?


    "It''s all over Aidan, you can''t expect me to continue in this rtionship right?" Zia grimaced as she looked at Aidan with a look full of sorrow.


    Aidan knew that he was selfish to hope for this. However, he didn''t think he could let Zia go. And he didn''t want to imagine that he had to lose this woman.


    "What should I do to keep you by my side?" Aidan asked, he still didn''t let go of Zia''s wrist. "What should I do so we can get back to how we used to be?" he asked desperately, almost begging her to stay.


    Zia did not answer immediately when Aidan asked the question. The woman looked at him with an expression that was difficult to describe.


    "Divorce Giana and bring our rtionship to the public," Zia said the sentence straightforwardly.


    The line she had wanted to convey to Aidan for years, but she had been unable to express so clearly.


    Zia didn''t care about Aidan''s status as the current head of the Smith family, she only saw him as a man she loved and only wanted him.


    However, in reality it was not that easy and Zia knew what Aidan would choose.


    Even so, Zia couldn''t help hoping that Aidan woulde up with a different answer for once, one she wanted to hear.


    However, when Aidan slowly let go of her hand, Zia could feel the paining back again. The feeling of being cut raw as if thousands of daggers had hit her heart, only she couldn''t show it on her face.


    Zia tried to keep the expression on her face neutral, pretending as if what Aidan was doing now didn''t hurt her, otherwise she was very sure that she would give in to him again and that was thest thing she wanted.


    "You know that''s impossible," Aidan said, releasing his grip on Zia''s hand and staring at her with a look that felt awkwardly wrong.


    Aidan could not possibly divorce Giana. There will be many things that will happen and the consequences will be enormous and tooplex to deal with.


    Just divorcing Giana is almost impossible for him to do, especially by saying that he is divorcing his current wife because of another woman?


    Once the news of his and Giana''s marriage is in trouble and is nearing such a final stage is out, then the news hunters will start digging deeper and things won''t be this calm for a long time.


    "I know that will be your answer," Zia said, trying her best to suppress the disappointed tone in her voice. "Goodbye Aidan."


    "Zia." Aidan held her back when the woman was about to turn around and leave. "Giana already knows about us."


    Zia narrowed her eyes. "She knew about me?"


    Zia has confirmed many times that she doesn''t want her identity to be exposed. Her father would have killed her if he found out that his only daughter had been in an embarrassing rtionship like this for years.


    "No, but she knows that I have another woman." Aidan admitted it honestly.


    "So, what do you want to say?" Zia narrowed her eyes and looked at Aidan who was looking even more agitated.


    "Giana will not mind if we continue this rtionship." Aidan finally came up with an idea.


    "What do you mean?" Zia gritted her teeth, as if she knew what Aidan had in mind and what he wanted to say.


    "If you want a wedding, I can give it to you." Aidan''s eyes became gentler when he mentioned marriage. "I can give you everything and a decent life and a family you want. I will discuss this with Giana and make her agree."


    Aidan just needs to find out Giana''s weaknesses and the secrets she always tries to hide in order to bnce the scale between them, which is not a new, considering that people like them always have dark secrets they are desperately trying to hide.


    Hearing Aidan''s suggestion, Ziaughed grimly. "Give me a decent life?" Zia red at the man. "Do you think that my life before meeting you wasn''t worthy? I don''t really have an equal status like you, but I''m still a Tatum."

 Chapter 140: THE UNSPOKEN WORDS

    <h4>Chapter 140: THE UNSPOKEN WORDS</h4>


    Hailee doesn''t know where Ramon is intending to take her.


    Yes, that man kept their honeymoon destination a secret and didn''t bother to heed every time Hailee probed about where they were going.


    However, on the other hand, Hailee found it very sweet and despite being annoyed that Ramon refused to tell her, she felt that Ramon''s actions now were very romantic.


    Isn''t that strange? But, for some reason Hailee thought it was something rted to the word ''romantic''...


    Therefore, when the car that took the two of them away from their own wedding, passed a small runway with a private ne that had the words Tordoff written on the iron bird''s body, Hailee was bbergasted and quite surprised.


    "We are going out of the country?" Hailee eximed in a muffled voice, when she saw the small tform from the car window, then turned her attention to Ramon who was sittingfortably beside her.


    "What do you think?" Ramon asked with a smile on his lips. It was obvious that he was in a very good mood.


    "So where are we going?"Hailee inquired while staring back at him with sparkling eyes, reflecting Ramon''s mood equally.


    How wonderful...


    At this moment, Hailee felt that nothing could make her happier than this. Maybe even a sudden bad news would not be able to spoil her happiness ...


    She felt like the two of them were inside the bubble, which only consisted of the two of them.


    It is not that Hailee expected something bad to happen... the sentence was just parable.


    "You will love it." Ramon was still keeping it a secret and making his wife frown, although that couldn''t diminish the happy glow in her big, bright eyes.


    "What is wrong with you telling me beforehand?" Hailee started sulking again, using all the charm she could muster up herself to make Ramon reveal this little secret.


    It is just that Ramon was also a charming figure, so her efforts were far from being sessful.


    "What is wrong with waiting a little bit longer?" Ramon asked, ncing at Hailee meaningfully. Making the girlugh.


    Since when did Ramon learn to be this flirtatious? Who was the person who had rubbed off this bad influence on her husband?


    However, despite all that, Hailee really enjoyed the little intimacy and these kinds of interactions between them.


    Hailee felt that the two of them had taken a step further in this somewhat short- gun rtionship and had be much closer than when they had first met.


    "Alright ..." Hailee finally relented andnded a sweet kiss on Ramon''s cheek, making the man pull her closer.


    Ramon looked at her with eyes that Hailee had never seen before and leaned over to kiss the lips of the girl in his arms who has now be his wife.


    The kiss was very slow and very gentle, as if Ramon did not want to rush and wanted to enjoy the moment, so that this sweet time would not end soon. Well, neither does Hailee.


    Hailee started returning the kiss, feeling a little nervous, but soon her body rxed as she began enjoying it.


    This is the perfect day.


    Of course, this is her wedding day ...


    ==============


    "I do not have an equally admirable status as yours, but I am still a Tatum," Zia said the sentence in a firm and undeniable tone.


    Zia is indeed a Tatum, so even though her social status is not as high as the Smith family or her family''s wealth cannot bepared to any of the five famous families of City A, she still has a decent life.


    The Tatum family was able to give her what she wanted and provide the education she needed.


    Zia''s life style was still able to make some people jealous and dream of bing like her. Although if possible, Zia would choose not to live thisplicated life and run away to lead a normal life...


    Coupled with the fact that Zia is the general''s only daughter, making Zia have a unique status, but also very risky.


    Because if the news of Aidan Smith''s affair behind his wife, Giana, with Zia is revealed, then what she would be betting on will be extraordinary.


    In the past, when Zia was much younger, maybe she thought it was fun, hiding things from her father, having secrets.


    But not now.


    Especially, after seeing how happy Hailee and Ramon were in their wedding and seeing what marriage had to offer, Zia also wanted the same thing.


    A small family that loves her and also a man she can be proud of as her own. Not someone she has to hide all the time.


    Now she could see clearly that she had wasted so much time in a meaningless rtionship that would lead her nowhere.


    "Zia, you know, that is not what I mean ..." Aidan''s voice softened, almost pitiful when he confided in. "If you want a marriage, I can give it to you."


    Zia narrowed her eyes even more and red at Aidan, as if she had never seen this man and the figure in front of her was already saying nonsensical things.


    "Can you give me a marriage like this?" Zia waved her hand toward the party that was still going on inside, where couples were busy dancing away happily with music ying.


    Aidan choked.


    Because he knew that he could never give her an open marriage like this. Wouldn''t it only be a secret even if the marriage that Zia wanted happened? Which means that no important people wille to the event.


    "Can not?" Zia gave a mocking smile, even though her heart was hurt again. "If all you think about is a wedding with just the two of us, and no one attending, then it''s not a wedding, it''s a funeral."


    After saying this, Zia turned and left, and this time Aidan couldn''t help it. The man was rooted to the spot with Zia''sst words still ringing in his ears.


    Is it that bad ...?


    The party continued somewhere inside the room, but Aidan couldn''t feel it even a little bit of the happiness, as if the world didn''t care about his life, which seemed to copse after Zia''s departure.


    She didn''t really say that, did she? Their rtionship wouldn''t really end like this, would it?


    Aidan gritted his teeth hard and started wishing that if only he could divorce Giana, maybe the consequences he had to face would not be asplicated as he imagined ...


    Maybe, Aidan could give Zia what she wanted ... a marriage and family she deserves.


    Maybe ...


    "I am sorry about your refusal," someone said suddenly, which surprised Aidan a little.


    Aidan was too immersed in his own world that he didn''t notice his surroundings, especially the man who had appeared from behind him without him knowing when thetter actually got near.


    "Dillon," Aidan said the name in a low hiss. He didn''t really know about this man and only knew him as Giana''s personal assistant and also her old school friend. "I never thought Giana would invite you toe here."


    Aidan and Dillon''s first encounter was when he picked up a call from the private asssistant. Therefore, this is their second interaction, which didn''t leave a good impression and would never be.


    "I think Giana had expected that you were going to leave her at this party, so she asked me toe." Dillon replied sarcastically to Aidan''s words.


    "Giana?" Aidan raised his eyebrows with a fierce expression. "I didn''t know you were so close that you could call her so informally like that."


    "We are friends since high school," Dillon took a sip of the drink in his hand to cover up the nervousness over Aidan''s gaze and his words just now.


    It''s true, Dillon shouldn''t call Giana so casually like that, especially in front of her husband.


    However, his answer couldn''t be med either because that was the truth.


    "Just be more professional in public. Because people know you are just Giana''s personal assistant and don''t care enough to know you as an old friend of my wife."


    Dillon snorted when he heard Aidan refer to Giana as ''my wife'',e on ... he couldn''t possibly think that Giana was really his wife while having a rtionship with another woman behind her.


    The way Aidan brought up this made Dillon feel sorry for Giana, despite all her crazy ideas and addiction to Ramon Tordoff, Giana deserves a better man than Aidan Smith.


    "Mind your behavior," Aidan grumbled and looked at Dillon with a very obvious expression of dislike. "You won''t end well if you keep testing my patience."


    Theirst interaction, when Aidan picked up the phone from Dillon for Giana, did not leave a very good impression and the realization that Giana had shared what happened in their household to this man named Dillon, did not make things better.


    "I will not interfere in your business and I don''t think even Mrs. Smith is interested in asking me to find out who are the women that have be your mistresses, Mr. Smith." Sarcasm was evident in every word Dillon said, as if this man was doing it on purpose. "So you can rest easy. Think of me as being here at the wrong time and ce."


    After saying this, Dillon lifted his ss and drained the clear liquid inside and nodded as a sign that he was about to resign. He didn''t even take Aidan seriously.


    And Aidan could only stand there, dumbfounded, with his eyes staring hard at Dillon''s back as he walked away.

 Chapter 141: DONT HIT ME

    <h4>Chapter 141: DON''T HIT ME</h4>


    But then Dillon''s words came back ringing in his ears loudly; Giana really doesn''t care who he is cheating on with? Then why was she digging information on Hailee Tatum? Wasn''t she looking for information regarding Hailee Tatum because she was Zia''s cousin?


    Or could it be that there was something bigger than what Giana was hiding and Aidan didn''t know at all about it?


    ==============


    Hailee took hold of the hand Ramon was reaching out to her just as she opened the car door. One more little action of this man that made the butterflies in Hailee''s stomach p their wings with joy.


    How wonderful is this feeling, isn''t it?


    How Ramon constantly trying to prove to be the perfect husband for Hailee and not to mention he did it to perfection.


    Currently, Hailee was still wearing her evening gown that flowed over to her ankles along with Ramon''s ck suit draped over her shoulders due to the cold and slightly unfriendly night air.


    In front of Hailee, was a private ne bearing the Tordoff family logo, indicating who owned it.


    Hailee felt that tonight was full of smiles and surprises.


    Earlier, she had to maintain a happy smile at the party, as a part of showing some courtesy to the honorable guests she wasn''t even familiar with. However now, Hailee was smiling from the bottom her heart. She was smiling whole heartedly as she looked at the man who was now leading her in the direction of these private ne.


    Her smile grew even wider when Ramon turned and smiled back at her before carefully helping her up the airstairs, so that Hailee''s legs wouldn''t identally step on her long evening gown.


    Hailee couldn''t help but lean in andnd a kiss on the man''s right cheek, whispering a little louder to ovee the quite noisy sound of the wind around them.


    "Thank you," she said.


    "For?" Ramon asked while helping Hailee lift up the lower part of her dress.


    "For everything," Hailee said bashfully. "I will not forget this night for the rest of my life."


    Ramon returned Hailee''s kiss on the cheek with a brief kiss on the girl''s lips when they reached the door.


    "Then don''t forget this ..." Ramon then grabbed Hailee by the waist and kissed her back, while the bodyguards waiting at the bottom of the stairs had to shift their focus elsewhere with slightly surprised and understanding expressions.


    Throughout their employment period under Ramon Tordoff, never once has this man shown his affection in public, nor has he shown that he has this side.


    However, everything changed after Hailee appeared in his life. The only woman who was said to have managed to captivate Ramon Tordoff''s eyes and was now officially his life partner.


    Therefore, it was quite surprising and also a relief. At least, they now know that even Ramon Tordoff could be nice to the right woman, his wife, someone he loves ...


    At least, that''s what they have in mind.


    On the other hand, after disying their affection in front of the poor bodyguards, Ramon finally grabbed Hailee''s hand and invited her inside, to continue their journey to the ce where the newlyweds would spend their honeymoon for over two months.


    A ce that Ramon still kept secret from Hailee.


    However, wherever it is, Hailee won''tin at all. Even if Ramon intend to take her camping on the mountains, Hailee will still feel happy. Nothing can take this from her ...


    ==============


    "What did I say? Our son actually loves Hailee!" Mrs. Gevano growled irritably at her husband, who could only be silent. She then stared at her only son with an expression that was hard to describe. "He''s just a little distracted by this woman."


    The words sounded utterly curt and cynical, and even more painful, when the mother of Theodore Gevano said them right in front of Aileen, as if she couldn''t hear them, as if she were not there or visible in their eyes.


    Meanwhile, Aileen, who was helping Theodore, who was half drunk, get into the car, could only grit her mrs and clench her fists tightly so that her emotions wouldn''t overflow and put her in even deeper trouble.


    It''s enough Mrs. Gevano hated her so much, if Aileen had to create a fuss here, then her hopes of being with Theodore would dwindle.


    Especially when she saw how this man was doing now.


    This is so embarrassing!


    How could Theodore get drunk at Hailee''s wedding? People would think he was a man who had been left behind by his beloved.


    And what is even more terrible for Aileen is; deep down, she was a little afraid that this might be true.


    Were Theodore''s feelings for her not that deep all this time? What if after this their rtionship got worse?


    The issue of Aileen''s "pregnancy" is still a serious issue that must be discussed and considered carefully because Theodore clearly asked her to abort the pregnancy.


    How could he ask Aileen to kill his own flesh and blood? Even though it was just a lie, but still Theodore''s attitude waspletely unexpected.


    What if Theodore decided to leave her?


    Aileen bit her lips so harder, it felt like she could taste the blood from the wound she had made herself.


    "Theo must have loved Hailee and only realized it now!" Mrs. Gevano didn''t stop with her fierce words, ring at the silent Aileen. "That''s why he''s drunk like this!!"


    "Never mind!" Eximed Mr. Gevano after he finished helping his son get into the car and secured him next to Aileen who was hugging his body so he could stay seated properly. "It was already over. Hailee is married to Ramon Tordoff, you think, you can get her back?!"


    Mr. Gevano looked at his wife, who was twisting her face in displeasure at being reprimanded like that.Thus, she stared at Aileen even more sharply, as if she were given a dagger, then the dagger would have been plunged right in Aileen''s heart.


    "That''s not the point!" Mrs. Gevano raised her voice. "If she hadn''te in between Theo and Hailee''s rtionship, then something like this wouldn''t have happened!"


    Aileen lowered her head further, her hands that were hugging Theodore''s arms tensed, gripping the man more tightly.


    "You better take my word for it." Mrs. Gevano grabbed Aileen''s hand so she could focus on herself.


    "You will never enter into the Gevano family! I will never agree to that!" Mrs. Gevano then pulled Aileen''s hand and made her get out of the car by force and Theodore, who lost his bnce, fell on face first on the car seat. "Get away from my son!" Snapped Mrs. Gevano.


    "Stop it! That''s enough!" Mr. Gevano growled angrily when he saw what his wife was doing. He immediately ran to the other side of the car and tried to stop his wife who was trying to p Aileen.


    Judging from the reaction of Mrs. Gevano, it seemed that she had reached the peak of her anger that she could no longer contain which made herself unable to control her attitude.


    And the only reason why Mr. Gevano stopped his wife was; he didn''t want them to embarrass themselves any more than this.


    Although not many people were around, the few people who saw this scene, started showing their interest in knowing what was going on.


    "I don''t want to stop!" Mrs. Gevano hissed fiercely, but then lowered her voice. It seemed that she was starting to notice that this anger had drawn unnecessary attention from several people. "She must know that her ce is not beside our child!"


    Mrs. Gevano might not have been this angry if Theodore had chosen another girl who was with an equal status to him, not just an adopted child who didn''t have a strong backing.


    Theodore hadpletely been blinded by this woman''s influence, to the point that he was willing to let go of the perfect Hailee just to be with Aileen.


    Mrs. Gevano was irked and she could only sigh every time Hailee smiled at the guests.


    The girl was so beautiful, reminding herself of her mother who was her best friend.


    Therefore, when Mrs. Gevano saw how her son got drunk so badly, she realized that Theodore had done a big mistake and his eyes just opened about what he just lost from his grasp.


    But everything was toote ...


    And all this happened because of the temptation of this young woman who was in front of them.


    When Mrs. Gevano thought about it, she felt more and more annoyed and couldn''t hold back her feelings anymore. And as her vision darkened, she raised her hand up high andnded a heavy blow on Aileen''s cheek causing her to fall on the rough, hard pavement of the road.


    "You ignorant woman!" Mrs. Gevano scolded Aileen very loudly and pointed her manicured fingers toward her face. She didn''t even give Aileen any face when she attempted to p her again. "You are the mistress in your own sister''s rtionship! How can you do that to the family that raised you?!"


    "Stop it!" Mr. Gevano grabbed his wife''s hand, trying to stop her from pping Aileen again. "You''re embarrassing yourself!"


    "Don''t you try to stop me from teaching this woman a lesson! She needs to be taught a lesson!" Mrs. Gevano seemed to lose control when she saw Aileen crying and pretending to be weak.


    Meanwhile, Aileen''s face was flushed red and her eyes were teary, not only because of the p she received or the fact that Mrs. Gevano had humiliated her, but also because Theodore couldn''t help her, as he had fallen asleep in the car.


    "Mother, stop hitting me," Aileen sobbed. She had to think of a way to get out of this problem.


    "Mother?!" Eximed Mrs. Gevano. She was infuriated when she heard how Aileen had addressedher. "Don''t you dare call me mother! You think I''m your mother!?" Her anger was almost unstoppable and this made Aileen cry even more.


    "Don''t hit me! I''m pregnant with your grandson!" Aileen ''admitted'' as she hugged her stomach, trying to protect the fetus that isn''t real.


    It''s just that, when Mr. and Mrs. Gevano heard that, they both froze where they stood, staring wide-eyed at Aileen, unable to believe what they had just heard.


    There was no way this could be happening right?


    Just finding Theodore in a rtionship with Aileen was already a blow for Mrs. Gevano, but now this woman was saying that she was pregnant with Theodore''s child?


    Something seemed fishy here.


    Meanwhile, Aileen who just said the sentence, had to think of a way to contact George, to tell him to be ready, because the Gevano family hade to know this and they had to move on to the next n.

 Chapter 142: HONEYMOON

    <h4>Chapter 142: HONEYMOON</h4>


    Hailee didn''t know where she was. This ce seemed so strange that she felt she had never been in this ce before.


    Hailee couldn''t recognize any familiar faces among the people passing by her either.


    Not to mention the fact that made her even more confused, that she didn''t even remember how she ended up in this ce...


    Where is this?


    Hailee nced left and right, trying to find a familiar figure or any clue that could lead to something familiar.


    However, no matter how hard Hailee tried, she still couldn''t remember anything.


    She was now standing in front of a busy shop, on a side street that was not too crowded with vehicles.


    Everyone who passed her, were all in pairs and only Hailee was standing there looking around. Her eyes were frantic looking for a sign that could tell her where she was.


    And just like before, her efforts werepletely unsessful and Hailee could not help but remain silent, frozen where she stood until the traffic lights beside her turned red and all the vehicles stopped behind the white line, to allow pedestrians to cross the road.


    Above her the sky looked dull with the color of blue and white clouds, though the light from the sun was not really bright, but Hailee felt ufortable.


    Not many pedestrians were waiting to cross the road, but there was one pair that stunned Hailee, because she recognized them.


    Ramon and Giana. The two of them were walking while holding hands, and Ramon smiled affectionately at the woman beside him, who also reciprocated with the same smile.


    Not only that, Giana even tiptoed and whispered something in Ramon''s ear and made the manugh. The kind ofugh that would be hard for one to forget, because it was so charming that Ramon rarely showed it.


    Only, this time Ramon actuallyughed and theugh was aimed at Giana, not Hailee.


    On the other hand, Hailee couldn''t help but stare stunned as Giana walked past her and looked at her sarcastically, smiling provocatively as she leaned her head on Ramon''s shoulder while the two of them walked past Hailee.


    Hailee could only stand shocked there. All words got stuck in her throat suddenly, making Hailee felt choked.


    Especially when she saw how Ramon just walked past her, as if he didn''t know Hailee.


    But, howe? Aren''t they married? Hailee is Mrs. Tordoff and Ramon couldn''t possibly forget their incredible wedding party already, could he?


    Hailee shook her head, trying to get rid of all the questions crammed in her head, it was just that she couldn''t just get rid of it.


    "Ramon?" Hailee called out his name with difficulty. She felt like she was drowning and running out of air, unable to ask for help.


    It''s just that the call didn''t seem loud enough to make the man stop and give Hailee a chance to talk.


    However, it was Giana who turned around and looked at Hailee with a triumphant smile beautifully curled on her red lips.


    Giana''s red lips then moved, forming a voiceless sentence, which Hailee could strangely hear clearly, as if Giana was standing beside her and whispered those words.


    ''You are indeed Mrs. Tordoff and very proud to be married to him, but Ramon''s heart will always be mine.''


    That''s more or less what Giana told Hailee and made her heart beat so fast, as if it was going to explode into a million pieces, until her body trembled.


    Hailee''s body was shaking and she was whimpering in a muffled voice, asking for an end to this.


    It is just that, instead of ending, Hailee actually heard Ramon''s voice calling out her name in a persuasive tone.


    "Hailee, wake up ... we are here ..."


    Ramon''s voice was close and Hailee could feel his body very close, but didn''t Ramon have gone away with Giana and left her alone?


    "Hailee ... how long do you want to sleep?"


    "Hm?" Hailee blinked her eyes groggily and found Ramon''s face so close to hers. "Where is this?"


    Hailee rubbed her face roughly and immediately surveyed her surroundings. She was now in a room with Ramon sitting next to her. An airne cabin.


    "I think I should carry you out of here," said Ramon as he un- did the seat belt he had attached to his wife.


    Hailee was out cold, and Ramon didn''t have the heart to wake her up when the ne was about tond. Thus, he put the seat belt on carefully so that Hailee wouldn''t wake up.


    It was just that, Hailee was fast asleep and she didn''t even wake up after ten minutes of Ramon trying to make her realize that they had arrived at their honeymoon destination.


    "Where are we?" Hailee wiped her face again, while Ramon watched his wife suddenly look a little confused after an hour of sleep.


    Ramon could understand, because despite her enthusiasm, she looked tired after going through their long wedding and facing hundreds of guests invited by Lis, almost all of whom Hailee didn''t know.


    Pretending to smile at people you were meeting for the first time could be absolutely draining, both emotionally and physically.


    "We have arrived, you slept very soundly," said Ramon. He then reached out his hand to tidy up the baby strands that covering Hailee''s forehead and made her look cute.


    "I had a strange dream," Hailee grumbled indistinctly between her yawns.


    "Dream?" Ramon then rose to his feet and stretched out his hand for Hailee, as if this was a natural thing they always did; hand in hand. "What dream was it?"


    "I dreamed that you were having an affair and walking with your mistress in front of me!" Hailee''s voice became a little bit louder because of the sound of the wind being so strong. She clutched the ck jacket that Ramon had given her tighter.


    The bride and groom then got out of the cabin and down the airstairs.


    "Walking in front of you?" Ramon grabbed Hailee''s waist tighter and walked more slowly, to keep up with his wife''s steps. "It was just a dream,"mented Ramon dryly.


    "It was just a dream, but the fact that I dreamed of you having an affair can''t just be ignored," Hailee pouted. It seemed that the bubble of happiness that she had been feeling since their wedding vow, threatened to be burst open this time.


    "Why am I that stupid to bring my affair in front of you?" Ramon then kissed the top of Hailee''s head and the two of them walked toward a red sports car that was waiting for them there. "If I want to cheat, of course I will do it behind your back."


    Hailee red at Ramon''sment and started beating him with all her might.


    "You said yourself that you will take this marriage with utmost seriousness!" Hailee eximed while starting to pinch on Ramon''s body anywhere she could reach, but the man swiftly dodged and started half running toward their car, to avoid Hailee''s attacks whileughing.


    If someone who knew Ramon saw this kind of scene, they would never believe their eyes that Ramon Tordoff could be yful as well.


    "Which fool takes her dream so seriously?" Ramon then received the keys to the red sports car from a man who was dressed neatly and nodded at him respectfully as he got out of the car.


    "No way! Did you just say I am stupid?" Hailee caught Ramon and hit him on the back again, but before Hailee couldnd a second punch on his shoulder, Ramon had already caught her hand and smiled knowingly at the girl.


    "You can hit meter to your heart''s content, but not now and not in this ce," Ramon whispered with a double meaning in his sentence, which sounded very sexy in Hailee''s ears and made the girl''s anger immediately subside. Her face flushed again and this was one of the things Ramon liked when he managed to make her blush.


    "Stop saying sentences with double meanings like that," Hailee hissed at Ramon, while her eyes fixed on the man.


    "What is a word with dual meaning?" Suddenly Ramon pulled Hailee closer and squeezed her into the car, leaving the girl unable to move, biting her red lips in annoyance.


    "Whatever you say," Hailee eximed in a low voice.


    Ugh! Even her own voice betrayed her!


    Hailee was very upset at being embarrassed like this and it was certain that the warm blush on her face had betrayed her and told Ramon what she was thinking.


    "Very well, although I don''t understand what you mean, but we should immediately leave from this ce to a morefortable ce." Ramon gaveher his half smile Hailee likes and opened the car door for himself. "You seem to be getting ufortable in that dress."


    Hailee looked down while assessing her pretty dress. This dress was actually veryfortable to wear, but that doesn''t mean Hailee prefers to wear this dress than pajamas for her sleep.


    And just like what Ramon said, Hailee started to feel like taking off the dress.


    "Yes, this dress is starting to feel ufortable," Hailee muttered softly, agreeing to what Ramon had been saying and making the man lower his head to whisper something into his grumbling wife''s ear. "Let''s go, I want to change clothes."


    "Don''t worry, I will help you take off that dresster," Ramon said as hended a soft kiss on Hailee''s neck and made her tremble, not because of the cold, but from something churning in her stomach and making this dress even more ufortable to wear.

 Chapter 143: HONEYMOON (2)

    <h4>Chapter 143: HONEYMOON (2)</h4>


    "Ramon!" Hailee chided and red at the man who wasughing and opened the car door for her.


    Has he drunk too much? Why does he seem to enjoy teasing Hailee so much? And his words became much¡­ bolder.


    If one looked at it, Ramon really enjoyed their time together this time around and became much more rxed, it''s just that his attitude changed to one hundred and eighty degrees and this made Hailee feel a little overwhelmed in response to this change in his attitude.


    "Hurry up ... I am really tired." This time Ramon grumbled as he nudged Hailee''s body lightly to get her into the car.


    Huh, who made him tease Hailee all the time?


    Grunting, Haillee got into the car and slumped herself down. She felt her sleepiness had long disappeared into thin air. Meanwhile, Ramon turned around the car and got behind the wheel.


    It seemed that thisst trip would only be a journey for the two of them, at least in the car, because behind them, it was certain that there were about two cars with four bodyguards following them discreetly.


    Well, at least Hailee didn''t need to be afraid that in the middle of the road they would suddenly get robbed in the middle of the night.


    Then, it will be a very unpleasant honeymoon if that was the case.


    They were practically in the middle of nowhere.


    "Where is this?" Hailee asked Ramon who started the car. She looked out the windshield, and greeted by the endless darkness that enveloped them and the valleys hugging the small tarmac. "Hey, Mr. Tordoff. Where did you kidnap me to?" Hailee asked again after Ramon turned a corner and drove out of there, onto the main road.


    "Crestgold Ind," Ramon answered curtly. He rubbed his tired face and then smiled at Hailee, as if this was a secret that had just been exposed.


    However, Hailee didn''t understand where the surprise actually lied. "I have never heard the name of this ind."


    "Of course not," Ramon replied, refocusing on the road in front of him, but every now and then he would nce at his wife''s expression.


    "You rented a ce on this ind for our honeymoon?" Hailee guessed, her forehead creased slightly.


    "Close, but not quite right," Ramon replied, the glow in his eyes bing more and more clear.


    "You rented the entire ind?!" Hailee stared in disbelief. Given the wealth Ramon has, it is not impossible. And after observing him for thest few months, Hailee could conclude that Ramon was quite generous in spending his money.


    "It is not quite right to call it renting, though," Ramon said, ncing at Hailee with a meaningful gaze, before he took Hailee''s hand and squeezed it.


    Ugh! This is so romantic! Driving the car with one hand and holding Hailee''s with the other.


    Isn''t it like his bodynguage was saying that Ramon doesn''t want to let Hailee go? Or maybe it was Hailee, who thought too far...


    Whatever it was, Ramon''s seemingly casual actions actually make Hailee''s head spin a little when she thought back.


    "You didn''t rent this ce¡­" Hailee muttered softly, she nced back at their interlocked hands and pondered a little. "Don''t tell me that you own this ind..."


    Hailee only said that casually and wasn''t really serious about saying it, but since Ramon didn''t say anything, she lifted her head and stared at the man beside her wide- eyed as understanding began to dawn upon her.


    "Don''t say it''s true," Hailee whispered with an expression that Ramon found ridiculous. Shouldn''t she have guessed this fairly easily?


    "Then, I won''t say anything." Ramon nced at Hailee and refocused on the road ahead.


    "Ramon, seriously!?" Hailee eximed. "You bought this ind specifically for our honeymoon?!" If it was true then Hailee would be deeply honored.


    But, Ramon then let go of her hand that he was holding and tapped her head lightly. "Don''t think too far," he grumbled. "I bought this ind a very long time back. This is the first ind that I bought under my personal name."


    "Oh¡­" Hailee went ''oh'' and was a little disappointed that Ramon didn''t hold her hand again, but instead took control of the car.


    But then Hailee looked out of the window again and was amazed¡­ she had seen someone buy acres ofnd or even a very grand house, but had never met someone who bought an ind.


    And even though it''s night time, but Hailee could still see how beautiful this ce was and Ramon brought her here¡­


    "Are we going to be the only people living on this ind?" Hailee asked in confusion. She did not see any houses around them, even though the roads they passed were already very good with adequate lighting, it seemed that Ramon wanted to maintain the beauty of this ind by not building too much here.


    "Of course not." Ramonughed in his distinctive style. "This is a tourist spot, it is just that we are in a different part of the ind which is not too crowded. Some touristse here for surfing and vacations."


    "Are you going to surf with me?" Hailee asked enthusiastically, looking back at Ramon with hopeful eyes.


    "Can you surf?" Ramon asked back and saw from the corner of his eye Hailee shaking her head with a grin.


    "Teach me," she said.


    "Sure." Ramon agreed. "We have arrived," he informed her.


    Hailee turned her head very fast and looked straight ahead. In the direction Ramon pointed.


    In front of them, is a white house in a size that is not too big, but looks very beautiful and aesthetic, especially when the house is perched on the edge of a cliff from where they can hear the sound of the waves and two or three seabirds flying low around it.


    "Open the window," Ramon told Hailee and was quite pleased to see how the girl reacted. Her face lit up with joy and she didn''t stop smiling broadly. Hailee''s eyes widened, showing her admiration even though she didn''t say anything.


    Hailee immediately opened her car window and felt the fresh breeze from the sea that carried the distinctive scent of the beach.


    "Are you happy?" Asked Ramon, stopping their car right in front of the white house.


    Hailee didn''t answer Ramon, but she immediately hugged him andnded a kiss on his lips, before finally hugging her husband again.


    "I think the answer is ''yes''," Ramon said with augh. Hailee''s kiss is an absolute answer.


    "Let''s go inside, let''s go inside!" Hailee jumped out of the car and immediately spread out her arms and stretched her stiff body.


    Meanwhile, the two cars behind them also stopped and four people immediately got out of them, keeping their distance from the bride and groom, giving them some privacy.


    Since Hailee was used to having all of them around and was very familiar with the four of them, she didn''t feel bothered much.


    "Come on, let''s go inside! I want to see the house!" Hailee then ran toward the house.


    This house is like the house in the film Il Mare, the Korean version of Lake House, yed by Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, only this one looks more modern.


    Or maybe Ramon actually watched the film? Hailee just couldn''t imagine that Ramon would actually see such a romantic movie.


    Maybeter Hailee would ask him, where did he get the inspiration to build such a house. Butter, after she fed her curiosity about the inside of this house.


    "Wait a minute¡­" Ramon chased after Hailee who had run toward the house and grabbed her wrist before she climbed the steps that led to the main door.


    "What?" Hailee asked. "Ah!"


    But then Ramon picked up Hailee and carried her into the house. "Isn''t this what should be done?"


    Haileeughed while hugging Ramon''s neck. "Are you trying to be romantic?" She asked throughughter.


    "You don''t like it?" Ramon asked, his eyes staring deeply into Hailee''s. "I think this is what newlyweds do when they enter their new home."


    "So this is our home?" Hailee buried her head in the crook of Ramon''s neck, as a red tinge colored her cheeks. She peeked over Ramon''s shoulder and took in the house.


    This house has a blue nuance inside with a high roof, giving a beautiful and spacious sensation with the added number of windows, which unveiled the surrounding scenery.


    In the daytime the view from this house must have been extraordinary, but for now, all they could see was darkness.


    "If you want it." Ramon then brought Hailee into the main bedroom which is located at the far end of the house and put Hailee down when they got to the room.


    Hailee then looked at the room and was amazed when she saw this minimalistic room, in which almost all the materials are made of light brown wood.


    Arge bed sits in the middle of the room in a Victorian style.


    But, it wasn''t the bed or the minimalistic style of this room that made Hailee gasp, because when her bare feet touched what should have been the cold floor, she felt something soft touching them.


    And apart from the very calming scent of the sea, there is another scent that is so sweet that teased her nostrils.


    Fresh roses scent.


    And when Hailee looked down to see what was beneath her feet, she saw white rose petals scattered on the floor of the room, covering its entire surface.


    While on the bed there was a red rose, a flower that had not yet bloomed, symbolizing love that had just sprung to life...


    "You like it?" Ramon hugged Hailee''s body from behind and rested his chin on the girl''s shoulder.


    Hailee was speechless when she saw this surprise and only when she felt Ramon''s body that was standing very close to hers, did she regain consciousness before she nodded.


    "How many flowers died because you wanted to please me like this?" Hailee turned her body so she could stare at this man. The man who had made herself so happy that she wanted to cry.


    "You always have answers that are unexpected." Hailee always surprised him with every answer she had. Who would think about that at a time like this?


    "But, you like me because of that, right?" Hailee then ced her arms around Ramon''s neck and made the man have to look down.


    "Maybe¡­" Ramon then leaned over to kiss Hailee''s lips gently and hugged her carefully. Enjoying every moment they spend together.


    The fact that they are in this ce, alone with rose petals in a romantic room, apanied by the sound of the waves crashing outside, is like a dream.


    But, this is reality and none of them will fall asleep tonight ...

 Chapter 144: HONEYMOON (3)

    <h4>Chapter 144: HONEYMOON (3)</h4>


    Can a person''s heart explode just from the feelings of happiness, fear, confusion, delight, excitement and enthusiasm being mixed together? Because there are so many feelings Hailee is feeling right now and she doesn''t know how to express them.


    Or indeed, all these feelings need no expression? It only takes one action?


    The two of them were no longer children who didn''t know what would happen next. Especially when Ramon kissed Hailee in such a slow and torturous way, while his hands traced her slender body with patience that made Hailee wait warily.


    Ramon was teasing her and Hailee found out about it. However, knowing was not the same as understanding, because even though Hailee knew, she still felt a surge in her chest.


    She didn''t know when, but for sure Hailee started feeling the cold night breeze against her bare skin.


    It seemed like Ramon had managed to remove the jacket Hailee had been wearing, without the girl knowing.


    Of course Hailee did not protest at all over such a trivial matter.


    While still kissing the man in front of her, Hailee''s hands were trying to unbutton Ramon''s clothing one by one, but her trembling fingers made her efforts look very sloppy and sluggish.


    Hailee felt like pulling off all the buttons on Ramon''s white shirt, roughly, but thanks to the side of hermon sense that is still working, who gave a stern warning to herself not to do this, she was able to reign in those urges.


    So not beautiful and elegant!


    That''s what Hailee had in mind. But, really, these buttons frustrated her and she groaned in annoyance.


    The low voice made Ramonugh in their slow kiss and distance himself from the girl who was overwhelmed by her female hormones.


    "I didn''t know you were this aggressive," Ramon said lightly, but there was no scorn in his tone. He just looked a little surprised facing this side of Hailee.


    Hailee licked her wet lips and blinked a few times while looking at Ramon. She then answered honestly. "I wonder what it feels like," she admitted.


    That little confession certainly made Ramonugh. How could Hailee really say that honestly?


    Ramon knew that Hailee''s curiosity knew no bounds, but didn''t expect her to put it that simply.


    "What''s so funny," Hailee pouted, releasing her hug from Ramon''s waist and looking at him with a frown. "What''s wrong if I want to know that with my own husband?"


    "Of course there is nothing wrong with that." Ramon confirmed. "And you can only know it only when you are with me." Ramon said hisst sentence more seriously.


    Hailee bit her lip and looked at Ramon full of anticipation as to what they would do next.


    However, instead of continuing what was dyed, she saw Ramon distance himself from her, taking a step back.


    "What are you doing?" Hailee then took a step forward, wanted to get closer to him.


    "I guess I need a shower first," Ramon said lightly, then walked toward the bathroom which was on the other side of the room, leaving Hailee staring in disbelief.


    "What? Now?" Hailee eximed in muffled voice. Weren''t they in a good mood just now? How could Ramon leave her to take a bath like this?


    "Cleanliness is more important honey," said Ramon, ncing over at Hailee over his shoulder, who was already ring at his back.


    "Stop teasing me!" Hailee shrieked in annoyance and took quick steps to get to Ramon before he closed the bathroom door. "How about we save water by taking a bath together?" Hailee said suggestively.


    "Thrift is not in my dictionary," replied Ramon arrogantly. "Get away, you are scaring me."


    Ramon then put his finger on Hailee''s forehead and pushed her gently so she could move away from the bathroom door.


    "Oh, and one more thing." Ramon stopped right on the other side of the door. "You also need a bath honey. No offense, I like how you smell, it''s just that after you were surrounded by so many people, their scent mixed with yours." Then Ramon''s eyes stared at Hailee. "Especially again, you have to get rid of the smell of the man, who trespassed into your dressing room."


    And having said that, Ramon closed the door, leaving Hailee standing there transfixed, staring at the brown wooden door.


    His forehead creased. There was no way Theodore''s smell could stick to her ...


    Hailee raised her hand and smelled her knuckles, looking for the scent of perfume that Theodore always wears.


    But, there wasn''t any smell.


    Ugh! It sucks!


    But, maybe she really need a shower too. She felt like her body was not feeling well after a long day of attending her own wedding party.


    While waiting for Ramon to finish showering, Hailee sat on the sofa and stared at the star- studded night sky.


    This ce is wonderful. In city A, one shouldn''t ever expect to see stars like this, where tall buildings cover the sky and pollution makes the dim light of the stars invisible.


    This ce was gorgeous and perfect for their honeymoon and Ramon brought her here and prepared these flowers¡­ that was thest thing Hailee could imagine that annoying man doing.


    Oops, he''s not as annoying anymore as when they first met.


    That said, the two of them had a very good rtionship now. Like two lovers who has been in a rtionship for a long time.


    It''s a good start and Hailee hoped her married life will continue like this....


    And maybe, if Ramon someday regained his memories of his past, he wouldn''t care about Giana anymore, because he really loved Hailee so much more than his previous affair with her.


    They are married now and that is a good reason for Ramon to forget about her.


    Hailee then rested her head on the back of the sofa and felt the night breeze from the open balcony door against her face.


    When Hailee closed her eyes, the sound of the waves crashingpletely calmed her down and her previous nightmare was simply forgotten.


    ==============


    "You bitch!" Mrs. Gevano couldn''t control her emotions and intended to p Aileen, but then George stepped forward and stood between the two women, protecting Aileen behind his body.


    "Mrs. Gevano!" George bellowed loudly. "Do you want Aileen to suffer a miscarriage?!"


    Meanwhile Mr. Gevano could only sigh heavily, while staring at his son who was sitting on the hospital chair, in the room where they checked on Aileen.


    Of course after Aileen''s confession that she was pregnant, she immediately called George and asked her father toe.


    George acted fast. He put his wittiness to use. He did note alone, but with Diego, so that the two Gevano elders did not act casually in front of him, because of their respect for the general.


    And this made it easier for George to lead them, to have Aileen checked in a hospital that he knew, for reasons of privacy.


    Of course Mr. and Mrs. Gevano didn''t want the news about Aileen''s pregnancy to hit the media, where there were many journalists covering Hailee and Ramon''s wedding.


    So they readily agreed to George''s suggestion to go to a doctor they knew and guarantee the confidentiality of their arrival.


    Therefore, here they are.


    And a moment ago, a doctor, an acquaintance of George, had just left after confirming the news that Aileen was indeed pregnant. The doctor even congratted them both before leaving the two families.


    Theodore who just woke up from his drunken haze was immediately bombarded with hundreds of questions from his mother, who was half hysterical, asking the truth of the news.


    Of course Theodore could not say that the news was a lie. Because in fact, just like what Aileen said, that woman was pregnant with his child.


    "Impossible! That cheap girl must have slept with another man! It must not be the son of the Gevano family!" Eximed Mrs. Gevano angrily, pointing at Aileen''s face with her long nails.


    "Of course, I didn''t do that!" Aileen shrieked loudly and knelt at the feet of Theodore who was sitting on the chair. "Tell mother that this is our child. Exin to her¡­ " Aileen let out a pitiful sob, crying as she gripped Theodore''s hand tightly.


    Theodore really did not know what to say now. On one hand, his head ached a lot, but on the other hand he was very reluctant to admit it.


    It''s just that, his conscience was still intact, so he chose to do what he was supposed to do as a man.


    "Yes," Theodore said in a low voice, but as he continued his sentence, his voice sounded much firmer. "Aileen is pregnant with my child. The grandson of the Gevano family." He confirmed hisst sentence and helped Aileen to her feet, while the woman clung to him, hugging the man as if she was scared that Mrs. Gevano would harm her and their baby.


    "No way ..." Mrs. Gevano shook her head in disbelief. "That woman must be lying!"


    Mr. Gevano, who saw that his wife was about to experience a mental breakdown again, immediately approached her and hugged her to calm her anger.


    "So, everything is clear." Diego finally spoke up after he had been silent all this while. "Since Theodore has admitted it, it is true that this child is your grandson."


    In truth, Diego didn''t even recognize Aileen as part of his family. It''s just that, because Aileen has the name Tatum behind her name, then he can''t do itpletely, because there is still one thing he has to do.

 Chapter 145: HONEYMOON (4)

    <h4>Chapter 145: HONEYMOON (4)</h4>


    "They have to get married before Aileen''s belly gets bigger and everyone else finds out about this pregnancy," Diego said in a deep, calm voice. He seemedpletely unfazed by the dramatic scene before him.


    Maybe because Aileen is not part of the Tatum family, therefore he doesn''t have the obligation to look after her like he does on Hailee. Even though Aileen has been raised in the Tatum family since she was just five years old, Diego doesn''t feel the closeness orpassion he naturally felt toward Aileen whatsoever.


    "You are going to be responsible by marrying Aileen, right?" Diego turned his attention to Theodore, who was still hugging Aileen''s body. The girl was sobbing relentlessly.


    Theodore, who usually looked neat and dignified, this time looked so disheveled and looked like someone who had just experienced the most difficult time in his life.


    Theodore did not give a direct answer, and remained still, staring at his mother and father, ashamed of what he had done.


    This was the worst scenario Theodore could have imagined when he thought of breaking the news of Aileen''s pregnancy to them, even though he had actually told Aileen to abort the baby.


    But, now that things were like this, there was nothing more he could do but agree with Diego''s words.


    Mr. Gevano was speechless when he found that his son was guilty and had also confessed the baby in Aileen''s womb.


    Marriage was nothing that he could avoid when the situation was already like this and since this was the Tatum family they were facing, threats and bribes of money or wealth would not seed in making them forget this incident.


    D*mn! Why the situation became veryplicated like this?!


    Mr. Gevano did want the Tatum family''spany and had agreed to the rtionship between Theodore and Aileen, but on condition; which of course was rted to him eyeing for Tatum Jewelrypany.


    It was just that, after seeing Hailee and Tordoff''s marriage, and after considering all the possibilities that could ur, it was highly likely that Ramon Tordoff would not miss the opportunity to take control of his wife''spany.


    Even though thepany was currently in decline, in good hands, of course it could still bepetitive. After all, Ramon is a businessman, he just have to see a gap and will not miss that opportunity.


    And now, just as he was thinking about taking his words back, Aileen was pregnant and, like it or not, they both had to get married.


    This is such a big loss!


    "I am going to marry Aileen," said Theodore under Diego''s re. And the words were like a final verdict for Mr. and Mrs. Gevano.


    Meanwhile, Aileen immediately hugged Theodore tightly and buried her face in the man''s chest, sobbing again and whispering, "Thank you, Theo ... thank you." her voice slightly trembling when she said that.


    But what the people there didn''t know was the fact that Aileen was smiling triumphantly in her heart, and so was George. The problem was settled with their marriage.


    On the other hand, Diego felt nothing about this decision. He just thought, since Aileen would be entering Gevano family soon, it meant that he didn''t need to think about the adopted daughter of histe sister- in-w.


    And because Hailee was already happy with Ramon Tordoff, that meant the only person he needed to worry about was her own child; Zia, who until now was not in a rtionship with any man.


    Indeed Diego had forbidden Zia to have a special rtionship with other men and had always been too strict in taking care of his daughter, but that didn''t mean that now Diego felt happy because Zia obeyed his words by not approaching any man, on the contrary, he felt restless.


    His daughter was no longer a teenager and it is time for Zia to catch up with Hailee, and Diego must find the right man for his only daughter.


    Meanwhile, Zia, who was paying attention to this dramatic incident before her, didn''t show any expression at all. She did not show sympathy for Aileen nor did she feel sorry for Theodore, whose expression seemed like a man whose wife had just died.


    Yes, Theodore''s appearance was terrifying for someone of his status and had just attended an important wedding.


    Instead of wedding, he looked like someone, who just attended a funeral.


    The only things on Zia''s mind were; she wanted to immediately contact Hailee about this news, it is just that it was past midnight and Zia didn''t want to disturb her cousin''s first night.


    In fact, Zia was quite curious about where Ramon actually took Hailee because even her cousin didn''t know, let alone the reporters who swarmed like moths around the light bulb.


    Nobody knew where they went ...


    ==============


    Hailee awoke to the sounds of bird''s chirping greeting her ears and the warm sunlight shining on her face through the wind- blown curtains.


    "Hm?"Hailee blinked tiredly and wriggled on top of her bed feeling her head so light that she felt like she was still in dreand.


    The fatigue Hailee felt all over her body reminded her ofst night''s party. A party attended by hundreds of important people. The wedding between herself and Ramon...


    Only after Hailee realized thatst thing, did she remember what had happened after the party.


    Ramon invited her to run away from their own wedding because he felt he had enough of meeting with the guests. Then drove to the airport and boarded the ne with the Tordoff family logo, after that a runway on an ind, a house that stood on the edge of a cliff, white roses scattered about on the floor of the room and...


    Ramon''s seductive smile and voice that said Theodore''s scent lingered on her body.


    "Wait a minute ..." Hailee immediately sat up on her bed and looked around her carefully. She was indeed in the same room with the white roses still on the floor, but when Hailee looked to the side of the bed, where Ramon should have been, it was empty and still warm, indicating that the man had just left her side.


    Taking care not to step on the pretty flower petals, Hailee stomped her feet on the floor.


    Only then did she realize that her clothes had been changed. However, these clothes weren''t her clothes, or rather, it was just a white T-shirt that Ramon usually wore to sleep.


    However, the problem is; Hailee doesn''t remember waking up and changing into Ramon''s clothes. Because thest time the clothes she remembered she was wearing was her evening gown.


    So how could Hailee have changed clothes without noticing it herself?


    Was it possible that Ramon had changed her clothes? Hailee frowned. Really, did he do it? But, if it is not Ramon, then who?


    Hailee did not want to ponder on any further and decided to immediately search for the man.


    And when Hailee stood up, she realized that she was only wearing that white T-shirt without any pants. Indeed, her underwear was still perfectly in ce, indicating that nothing had happenedst night, but Ramon''s white t-shirt covered half of her thighs, which made it look like a short negligee.


    It can be seen from this difference, the bodyparison between Hailee and Ramon.


    But, that was thest thing Hailee cared about, because after she saw herself in the mirror in that shirt, a smile curled on her lips. She looks cute ...


    Well, if she couldpliment herself a little, Hailee didn''t mind wearing one of Ramon''s T-shirts and she could say she feels sexy in that shirt.


    Haileeughed softly and started walking toward the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. She didn''t want her mornings to be unpleasant because of a trivial matter like this.


    After finishing her business in the bathroom, Hailee then stepped out of the room and heard sounds to her right.


    Looking at the position of the room, it looked like they wereing from the kitchen and Hailee became even more convinced when she heard the sounds of cooking utensils clinking.


    And with her bare feet, Hailee stepped into the kitchen, to find Ramon cooking something.


    "Are you making breakfast?" Hailee asked in a slightly hoarse voice, thus she had to clear her throat.


    Ramon was a little surprised and immediately turned to look at Hailee, who had been sitting on one of the bar stools, supporting her chin. A mischievous smile dancing on her lips.


    "Do you want an omelette?" Ramon asked briefly, then returned to focus on his cooking, while Hailee raised her eyebrows in surprise.


    "Can you cook?" She asked incredulously.


    "I''m not as great as you, but I lived alone for some time while I finished my studies." Ramon exined. It''s not often for him to inform others about himself, so in a way, Hailee had made him feel sofortable that Ramon volunteered to tell her about himself.


    In other words, Ramon lived alone when he was studying abroad.


    "Wow, royal breakfast made by Mr. Tordoff. " Hailee teased, but then she folded her arms and stared at Ramon while narrowing her eyes. "Then why am I wearing your clothes?"


    Ramon gave Hailee a quick nce as he flipped the eggs in the frying pan and drained the French fries he was cooking at the same time.


    "You can''t sleep wearing that dress, can you?" He asked lightly.


    "So you don''t feel guilty for stripping my clothes?" Hailee asked again, this time her tone sounded a little irritated.


    "Why should I feel guilty for doing that?" Which meant, Ramon had just admitted that he was the one who undressed Hailee and tucked her into this ''nightgown.''


    "At least you can dress me in a sexy outfit," Hailee grumbled softly which made Ramonugh.


    "What are you going to do in sexy clothes when you fall asleep?" Ramon then ced the omelette on the te he had prepared earlier, and served the French fries that he had drained onto the rim of the te. "Eat."


    After he finished putting the three sausages on top of the omelette, Ramon passed the te to Hailee, who was hugging her knees and staring at himself with dissatisfied eyes.


    "Then why didn''t we consummate our first night? Even after you saw me naked... " Hailee''s words nearly knocked the te in Ramon''s handle off and the breakfast he made was in vain. "Am I not attractive enough in your eyes?"


    "Hailee¡­" Ramon said the name in a tone that was forced to be patient. He ced the te in front of Hailee so that it wouldn''t slip from his hand again, then sat down next to his wife. "You slept like dead log. What should I do with you? I''m not necrophilic." Ramon tried to exin patiently. "I''m not fan of necrophilia."

 Chapter 146: HONEYMOON (5)

    <h4>Chapter 146: HONEYMOON (5)</h4>


    Hailee curled her lips in a pout because she didn''t like how their first night was overlooked by the man himself. She then stabbed the omelette that was presented in front of her with a fork and strangely, it looked funny in Ramon''s eyes.


    "I just found out that you were so disappointed just because we didn''t do anythingst night." Ramon crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the table behind him, facing Hailee, who was still frowning.


    "But,st night was our first night," Hailee argued. She nced at Ramon through her curledshes while pursing her lips.


    "Aren''t there always second night, third and so on?" Ramon said, stretching out his hand and tucking a few strands of Hailee''s hair behind her ear.


    "But, it''s not the same as the first night¡­" Hailee was still pouting which made Ramonugh softly.


    "Hurry up and finish your omelette. There is something I want to show you." Ramon then kissed the top of Hailee''s head gently and ruffled her hair before he walked out of the dining room.


    Where was Ramon going? And what did the man want to show her?


    Curiosity made Hailee rush to finish the omelet, which didn''t taste too bad. Maybe if Ramon honed his cooking talent then he could be a great chef...


    The fact that Ramon made Hailee breakfast lessened her annoyance a little bit. And after she finished her simple meal, Hailee immediately followed Ramon out of the dining room.


    At first, Hailee thought Ramon would be in their room, but when she came into the room, it was empty. Turned out that man wasn''t there.


    "Ramon?" Hailee called him softly. She then walked toward the bathroom, thinking maybe Ramon was there, but as it turned out, the bathroom was also empty.


    Hailee''s forehead then wrinkled in confusion. She kept calling for Ramon until she came out of the room and into the living room.


    However, there was no sign of the man around.


    The house even seemed empty without any upants.


    Then where is Ramon really? There was no way that he would leave Hailee alone in the house...


    After that, Hailee went back through the house to find Ramon on the porch, talking to two of his bodyguards about something.


    When Hailee walked closer, then she heard a little snippet of the chat they were discussing.


    Apparently, Ramon asked them to do something as they were going somewhere and asked about all the preparations that should have been done.


    Hmm¡­ seems suspicious¡­


    "What is wrong?" Hailee asked as she walked over to the three men, to which the two bodyguards nodded their heads respectfully and withdrew after their conversation was over. "Where are we going?" Hailee asked. The eager look in her eyes showing the curiosity she was trying to endure.


    It seemed that even this morning, Ramon was still in a good mood. He looked down and kissed Hailee on the lips briefly, then sped her hand to pull the girl back into the house.


    "You shouldn''te out wearing just my t- shirt like this," Ramon whispered into Hailee''s ear softly, but his stern words showed that he was dead serious about what he was saying. "Next time youe out wearing just this, I will tie you to the bed."


    Actually, Ramon''s shirt that he made Hailee wear was not very revealing and covered half of her thighs, but with Hailee''s face that was looking still sleepy, her eyes so wistful and her hair a little messy, the girl looked very cute, vulnerable and¡­ sexy.


    A sight that Ramon didn''t want anyone else to see but himself. Well, it was kind of weird when this thought came to his mind¡­


    For some reason, after their marriage, which hadsted less than twenty- four hours, Ramon felt more possessive of Hailee than ever before.


    And this was difficult to describe in mere words...


    "Are you really going to tie me to the bed?" Hailee raised her eyebrows and hugged Ramon''s neck, giving him a smile full of meaning. "Can I tie you to the bed if you do the same, Mr. Tordoff?"


    "I can''t possibly leave the house wearing just a t- shirt, Mrs. Tordoff." Ramon kissed Hailee''s jaw teasingly, tracing it with his soft lips until his warm breath tingled against the surface of her skin.


    "Then, can I tie you to the bed if you nce at other women?" Hailee''s voice trembled slightly as she felt Ramon''s body pressing hers against the wall and felt the turmoil burning her, responding to the man''s body which was too close.


    "That will never happen," said Ramon in his sexy voice.


    And then their brief chatter sank as Ramon nibbled Hailee''s lips gently, biting her lips lightly before sweeping his tongue along them. Hailee gasped when Ramon''s cold hands slipped inside her shirt and rubbed her back.


    They slowly climbed down behind Hailee''s body before Ramon easily lifted his wife''s body, still kissing her.


    Hailee who was surprised when her body lifted out of the blue, gasped again and this made it easier for Ramon to stick his tongue in, exploring deeper.


    Hailee didn''t know where Ramon was taking her, maybe she wouldn''t even mind if this man tied her to the bed.


    But, that didn''t seem to be the case, because as soon as Ramon lowered her body, Hailee felt her back touch something soft and fluffy, not a mattress, but a sofa in the living room.


    Ramon did not take her to the room but found the man removing her t- shirt. Hailee nced at the unlocked door of the house, worried that someone or one of Ramon''s bodyguards would enter the house and find them in such an intimate situation.


    "Focus on me," whispered Ramon into Hailee''s ear, biting her ear lobe gently.


    "But¡­ the door¡­" Hailee had a hard time finishing her sentence when she felt a strange and anticipatory feeling tingle through her body as Ramon gently stroked her chest which was still covered in a bra.


    Luckily, Ramon understood what Hailee was going to say, so he didn''t have to be distracted too long by the damn door.


    "Nobody will enter," whispered Ramon, in the same hoarse voice.


    Of course, no one would be so stupid as to barge into the house, especially knowing this was the honeymoon home of a recently married couple. They will not risk their own safety.


    "Hm ..." Hailee then shifted her focus from the door to the man in front of her, her eyes seemed to be covered by a mist of passion and this made Ramon eat her lips again until the girl closed her eyes, enjoying every second of their togetherness, drinking every touch of the man and feeling the warmth they were sharing together.


    Sunlight from the open windows and a fresh breeze that brought in the scent of the beach filled the room, blowing light blue curtains.


    This scene is like a beautiful painting, with two people kissing each other on the sofa.


    Then Ramon started tracing Hailee''s neck again with his lips, down to her corbone, which has been uncovered since the white T-shirt Hailee was wearing had been taken off of her body.


    Ramon left a hickey on the top of Hailee''s left chest as the girl tugged at the strands of his hair with her fingers and instinctively wrapped her legs around Ramon''s waist.


    Ramon slowly lowered Hailee''s bra strap and rubbed her trembling shoulder.


    "We will bete if you continue like this," Ramon muttered against the surface of Hailee''s soft skin.


    After muttering those words, Hailee felt Ramon move away from her body before she saw the man sitting between her thighs. The sight of her husband from where Hailee was lying, looked very sexy, especially when he rubbed Hailee''s lips with his thumb.


    "You will make uste if you continue like this." Ramon repeated the previous sentence.


    Hha? What does it mean? What the hell did she do? Wasn''t Ramon the one who started all this? Even this guy kissed Hailee first, right?


    Or is Hailee''s memory wrong?


    Even Ramon was the one who made Hailee lie down on the sofa.


    However, more than that¡­ why did they have to stop in the middle of making out?! Hailee felt frustrated that Ramon kept doing this to her.


    The way this guy flirts is no longer fun


    And wherever they go, Hailee was sure she wouldn''t like it. She just wanted them to continue whatever they were doing and not leave the sofa until Hailee got what she wanted.


    And, as if he could read what Hailee was thinking, Ramonughed when he saw the faint wrinkle between Hailee''s eyebrows and leaned over to kiss it. Making the wrinkles disappear a bit.


    "We can continueter," said Ramon with a chuckle when he heard his wife''s annoyed grumbling voice.


    "I want to continue now. I don''t want to go anywhere." Hailee pursed her lips and folded her arms across her chest.


    "You are going to love this ce." Ramon coaxed Hailee and got off the sofa, or you could say, got off Hailee''s body. "Get up."


    "Don''t want to," Hailee grumbled again. "Aw! Why did you hit me?" Hailee red at Ramon as the man hit her on the Butt after helping her up.


    "Stop sulking and take a shower." After saying that, Ramon walked to their room, leaving Hailee who wouldn''t stop grumbling, while rubbing her butt that had been hit by Ramon.


    Like it or not, she had to take a shower and go wherever Ramon wanted to take her.

 Chapter 147: HONEYMOON (6)

    <h4>Chapter 147: HONEYMOON (6)</h4>


    Hailee didn''t know what to say when she saw this scene¡­ she really didn''t expect that a scene like this was really real and not something she saw in a painting masterpiece by a professional painter.


    Howe? The sky is so blue and clear, and the sea with rolling waves, brought surfers who were trying to ride it.


    Some made it through the waves, some fell, but everyone seemed to be having a good time there.


    This ind was not open to many people, but it might be because Ramon, who was deliberately not exposing the ind too much as he wanted to maintain the calm that this ind radiates.


    Knowing Ramon, that might happen.


    However, from several faces that were around, Hailee knew that some of them were important people who asionally appeared in the media and this was proven when some of them greeted Ramon by nodding at him. But, seeing Hailee was there and how Ramon responded, their greetings were very formal. Of course, they got this man''s message clearly, which indirectly said not to bother him and his wife.


    And most of them understood the implied message.


    However, there was a man who was quite slow at reading the situation, he came over to Ramon and greeted Hailee as well.


    "Congrattions on your marriage," said the man with a happy smile on his face. He even stretched out his fist and punched Ramon''s shoulder. A fellow male greeting, which Hailee often saw Ian do.


    Hailee knew this man as the son of a top artist who had long since left the cinema industry; Daryl ck, and Jasper ck is his son.


    In fact, Jasper''s career wasn''t so bad either. It''s just that the many scandals that covered him with many women, weighed down all his glorious aplishments.


    And not too long ago, Jasper was involved in a scandal with a married woman, which resulted for this man to be hunted by many journalists, but suddenly he disappeared and could not be found.


    And it turned out that Jasper ck was actually hiding here ...


    "Hello, I guess you know me," Jasper showed off a charming smile as he stretched out his hand to Hailee, which the girl greeted with the same smile.


    But, seeing how Ramon red at her innocent hand which was shaking hands with Jasper''s, Hailee hurriedly withdrew her hand.


    Somehow, Ramon''s sharp gaze always scared her a little, even though this was not the first time Hailee saw Ramon directing such a deadly re at her.


    "So, you are honeymooning here?" Jasper stood in front of the two of them, blocking the way and trying to have a conversation that Ramon didn''t need right now. "The few people who have been to this ind always say that this is a paradise on earth and I agree with that, no wonder that this is a private ind, Mr. Tordoff."


    "Hm," Ramon responded curtly. Didn''t want to get Jasper to get another idea of ??unnecessary questions. "If you don''t mind, you can step aside. You are in my way."


    The sentence was spoken politely, but also had a very harsh meaning and made Hailee widen her eyes a little.


    It was the most forward expulsion Hailee had ever heard of and it was nicely packaged in a formal manner.


    Hm ... quite interesting to learn. Maybe someday Hailee can use it on someone too...


    Jasper immediately moved aside when Ramon finished saying this and threw Hailee a grin, which made her husband grab her hand as they walked away from there.


    When they had been away, Ramon turned to one of his bodyguards and said, "This is thest time he is on this ind."


    It simply meant that Jasper would not be able to get to set a foot on Crestgold again. Ramon owned this ind and troubled artist would never visit this ce again, regardless of the good rtionship between Ramon and Daryl.


    After all, his father had also given up on his son who did not know the rules.


    "Hey, aren''t you being too cruel?" Hailee asked, tugging on Ramon''s sleeve for the man to pay attention to her.


    "Cruel?" Ramon frowned. "This is my private property, why can''t I do what I want?" He asked his wife back.


    And Hailee just shrugged while hugging Ramon''s arm. "You look sexy when you are pissed off."


    "Should I be annoyed all the time then?" Ramon asked, but his tone softened as Hailee hugged him andughed cheerfully.


    The wind from the beach hit their faces as it yed with Hailee''s long hair.


    Currently, Hailee is wearing a in white shirt coupled with jeans and sneakers. A simple and perfectbination for the activities they are going to do now.


    "Where are we going?" Hailee asked, turning her head toward the beach that was getting farther and farther away.


    At first Hailee thought Ramon was going to take her out on the beach, becausest night he said he would teach her surfing, but they passed the beach and climbed up the cliff on the other side of the white house they were staying in.


    Luckily Ramon had told Hailee to wearfortable clothes, so she didn''t have so much trouble walking this far.


    Ramon didn''t answer Hailee''s question and instead smiled knowingly.


    After ten minutes of silence, finally Hailee couldn''t help but ask again. "Hey, where are you actually taking me?"


    They had already climbed too high and since Hailee had not been exercising in a long time, their trip this time was enough to make her breathless, as for Ramon, he looked like he could do this all day long.


    "You really need to exercise and stopzing around," Ramonmented on Hailee''s physical strength when they had to stop again, just so Hailee could rest for a few moments.


    "Where are we really going? Why is it so far?" Hailee sighed heavily and tried to stand up straight. Sweat had already soaked her shirt and made her feel ufortable, especially since the sun was so hot.


    For Hailee, whose daily activities were almost always filled with light activities, this kind of activity really drained her energy.


    Ramon should have told Hailee in advance that they were going to go hiking, so that Hailee could exercise beforehand.


    Well, at least she wouldn''t be this embarrassing...


    "We will be there soon," Ramon said simply, crossing his arms over his chest and looking at Hailee impatiently.


    "You said that a few minutes ago," Hailee grumbled. At this moment, she wanted to retract her thoughts from a few hours ago, which said; there would be nothing to displeasure her with, for the fact that she was currently not at all happy.


    "And a few minutes ago you were only walking for a few metres." Ramon raised his head and nodded toward the ce, where Hailee had stopped a few minutes ago. "I can even still see where you stopped from here."


    Hailee then followed Ramon''s gaze and frowned because what this man said was true.


    It sucks!


    "I am thirsty," Hailee grumbled with a frown.


    Hearing that, Ramon could only sigh and give the drinking water bottle he was holding to Hailee and let the girl finish it.


    "Now can we start walking again?" Ramon asked. "We will not get to the destination if you keep stopping like this."


    Hailee then gave the empty mineral water bottle to Ramon, which Ramon gave to one of his bodyguards again.


    "I am tired, I feel like I can''t walk anymore," Hailee sulked while kicking the pebbles under her feet. "I don''t want to walk."


    "We will not arrive if you refuse to walk,"mented Ramon. He really had to reward himself for being so patient with Hailee.


    Prior to this, if there was something that made Ramon feel unhappy or displeased with his wishes, he would neither have persuaded nor had the patience to deal with it.


    Especially when it came tomunicating with someone, Ramon would simply leave them be.


    But, not with Hailee, even when the girl looked sulky, Ramon was surprised to find that he didn''t feel angry at all.


    If Hailee was someone else, then Ramon would definitely leave her there.


    However, what Ramon did was just the opposite. This man seemed to have turned a hundred and eighty degrees and had extra patience.


    Perhaps, it was also the result of months of training after dealing with the mood swings of Hailee that almost never failed to surprise him.


    "I am dead tired," Hailee sulked again when Ramon was about to pull her up for another hike.


    Seeing that Hailee really seemed like she really didn''t want to take another step, Ramon could only squat down in front of her. "The ce is not far away."


    "Then what are you doing squatting in front of me?" Hailee asked, looking at Ramon''s broad back. Looks like it''s a prettyfortable ce toy her head down, Hailee thought.


    "Actually I wanted to drag you down, but because I was too good I didn''t," Ramon said. "Come on up and we can finish this quickly."


    "Sigh!" Hailee snorted and climbed onto Ramon''s back, draping her arms around the man''s neck. Right? Putting her head on Ramon''s shoulder was so pleasant¡­ even so, Hailee didn''t voice it out loud. "If you really want to carry me, just say so. There''s no need to praise yourself like that!"


    Ramon then stood up effortlessly, with Hailee on his back and under the disbelieving gazes of the four bodyguards following them.


    "If you don''t want to, you can go down and back to the house," Ramon told Hailee. "But for sure, you will miss the amazing momentter."


    "I really don''t want to be carried by you, but because my leg hurts and you are forcing me, I can''t help but obey," Hailee argued again and made Ramonugh.


    "I don''t remember forcing you," Ramon answered lightly.


    At this moment, it could be said that the two of them looked like a good match flirting with each other.


    And the rest of the trip was filled with their small talk until they got to where Ramon wanted them to be.


    At first, Hailee thought she was going to see something extraordinary¡­ maybe hundreds of white roses again and a ce for a romantic pic, considering that this ce was quite supportive for doing that.


    However, Hailee forgot that Ramon would not possibly use the same trick twice and what she saw was much bigger than any of her expectations.


    "Where are we going?" Hailee asked wide- eyed to her husband who was standing next to her smiling and kissing her hair softly in a whisper.


    "What I want to show you can only be seen from up there."

 Chapter 148: HONEYMOON (7)

    <h4>Chapter 148: HONEYMOON (7)</h4>


    Hailee had already heard a slightly disturbing echoing sound when Ramon offered to carry her.


    But, never thought that what she would see would be so different from her wildest imaginations.


    Well, maybe Hailee was justcking in imagination, so when the figure of the source of the sound came into view, she could hardly believe it.


    "Where are we going?" Hailee asked wide- eyed to her husband who was standing next to her smiling and gently kissing her hair in a whisper.


    "What I want to show you can only be seen from up there," said Ramon while nodding toward a helicopter with noisy propellers in front of them.


    Even though Ramon''s voice was so low and amidst the noise of the wind generated by the helicopter, Hailee could still hear it quite well.


    "What?" Hailee gasped, startled and turned around to look at Ramon. At first, she thought that Ramon would just show her this helicopter, and show her the whole ind from up there, but it turned out that there was something much cuter that Ramon wanted to show to his wife.


    "Come here!" Ramon shouted this time, as they approached the helicopter, while the wind became even more harsh and made them unable to hear their own voices.


    Grasping Hailee''s wrist, Ramon walked with long strides toward the person who had been waiting for them there, it seemed that man was the one who had flown the helicopter himself here.


    The two of them talked for a while before Ramon finally helped Hailee into the helicopter and satfortably on the front seat.


    Wait!


    Shouldn''t Hailee be sitting in the back? Why did Ramon ask her to sit here instead? Did Ramon take the pilot''s instructions wrongly?


    Hailee stared in horror at the strange buttons in front of her and didn''t dare to move as Ramon buckled the seat belt for her, still talking to the man.


    A chat Hailee couldn''t follow at all because of the noise from the helicopter propellers.


    After Ramon finished speaking, he then gave an object like a headset to Hailee and walked around so he could sit next to his wife, which meant that Ramon was going to fly this thing.


    No, wait! What?!


    Hailee didn''t even know that Ramon could fly a helicopter, because she rarely even saw Ramon driving a car.


    "Ramon, are you sure you can fly this thing?" Hailee then nced at the previous pilot, who smiled sweetly and waved at Hailee. Is that a farewell? She hoped he didn''t bid her farewell to her life¡­


    Hailee really couldn''t understand why Ramon would insist on flying this thing alone with her. "Don''t you want to invite him?" she asked.


    "Why does he have toe?" Ramon pressed a few buttons after putting on his own headset. Then he nced at Hailee, whose face was contorted with palpable fear in her eyes. "Are you afraid that I will crashnd this helicopter?"


    Hailee heard Ramon''s voice through her headset. She didn''t say anything, but from the way she nced, Ramon knew that this was what his wife was afraid of.


    Seriously¡­


    "It''s okay," Ramon then pressed a few more buttons and grabbed what Hailee believed as the rudder of this helicopter, because after that, Hailee could feel the machine vibrating and start moving. "If something happens, at least we are together, wasn''t that a good thing?" Ramon then nced at Hailee who was widening her eyes angrily.


    "Ramon!" Hailee hit Ramon''s arm. "I am still young! There are many things I want to do!"


    Perhaps, Hailee''s problem was not only because she didn''t believe that Ramon could fly this helicopter, but also because she was a little afraid of heights and this was her first experience.


    The helicopter then took off and the sun light flooded their eyes, the light was soft and not too hot it felt as if it was weing them.


    Luckily, with the sses that Hailee and Ramon were wearing, it made it easier for them to see the scenery out there.


    This is such a perfect day to take a trip like this.


    "You can actually fly this thing," said Hailee after she was sure that the helicopter would not fall under Ramon''s control.


    "Of course." Ramon rolled his eyes dramatically at Hailee''sment. "I am not on a suicide mission."


    Hailee grinned at the man beside her and began to rx as she observed the sea below and how she could see the entire ind from this height. It''s a breathtaking panoramic view and Hailee couldn''t stop feeling being blown away. Forgetting her fear altogether.


    "That''s your house, right?" Hailee pointed to the white house they were staying in.


    "Our home," Ramon corrected Hailee and the girl smiled happily.


    "Thank you for taking me to see this," Hailee said happily. If someone saw her now, they would find that her face was much brighter than the sun outside.


    "This is not exactly what I wanted to show you," Ramon said as he moved the helicopter in another direction and showed what he had prepared for Hailee.


    "Then what?" Hailee asked while still smiling broadly and looking at Ramon enthusiastically. Just for being shown something like this, Hailee already felt that her chest was overflowing with excitement, but Ramon said this wasn''t what he really wanted to show.


    Hailee really couldn''t wait to see what Ramon really wanted to show her and soon realized that the helicopter was flying slowly.


    Meanwhile, seeing Hailee''s enthusiasm and the smile on her bright face, made Ramon feel that what he did was absolutely right.


    It had been a long time since Ramon had felt this enthusiasm and it felt good to feel it again. As if the days after this were going to be much more interesting than just carrying on with a boring routine.


    "This is what I wanted to show you." Ramon nodded toward the clearing below them.


    Hailee then followed Ramon''s line of sight and found something that made her cover her own mouth so that she wouldn''t let out a loud scream because of the shock that enveloped her, when she saw what Ramon had prepared for him.


    "Impossible¡­" Hailee muttered and stared at the writing on the field and took a moment to process all of this.


    Down there, Hailee can see an inscription made of hundreds of white balloons that read; will you marry me?


    Hailee didn''t know what to do, whether she shouldugh or cry at the writing.


    This scene was clearly a proposal scene, where the man said the same thing. But, didn''t they just get married? Why was Ramon asking her to marry him again?


    "Mr. Tordoff, you know that we are already married, don''t you?" Hailee turned her head and looked at Ramon who had activated the autopilot so he could focus on Hailee. "You are asking me to marry you again?"


    "You said you wanted a proposal, so I thought it was a lot better than kneeling on one knee and asking you to marry me." Ramon leaned back and looked at Hailee who looked so beautiful with the warm sunlight surrounding her. "What do you think? You like it? Or do you still want me to kneel on one knee?"


    Hailee then unbuckled the seatbelt that was holding her back and hugged Ramon tightly,nding a kiss on the man''s cheek andughing softly.


    "Of course I like it!" She said into Ramon''s ear and kissed his lips again. "But I still want to see you kneel on one knee and propose to me." Hearing that, Ramon grumbled in their kiss and Hailee bit his lips softly while muttering, "You didn''t give me an engagement ring after all."


    Ramonughed softly at that and tapped Hailee on the shoulder lightly to tell her to backaway a little, so that she could see what was in Ramon''s hand.


    It was an ivory white jewelry box and Hailee didn''t have to guess what was inside.


    Really, life was shocking and confusing, and what Hailee and Ramon are going through was something out of the ordinary.


    They met in conditions that couldn''t be called normal and went through marriage before Ramon finally proposed to her.


    And after this proposal, it felt like Hailee and Ramon would start a genuine rtionship.


    Their rtionship order is the opposite of most people, but Hailee hoped they wouldn''t end up being two strangers after all they have been through¡­


    ==============


    "What is your rtionship with Hailee Tatum?" Aidan narrowed his eyes at Giana.


    His wife was stuffing some clothes into a suitcase. Looks like she was going to go somewhere for a few days. "And where are you going?"


    Giana threw her clothes into the suitcase and folded her arms across her chest, showing how defensive she was feeling? now. "You don''t need to know my business and you don''t need to know where I am going."


    Sincest night they returned from Ramon and Hailee''s wedding, either of them didn''t seem like they were in a good mood and it had absolutely nothing to do with matters involving each other.


    And this morning, Giana decided that she couldn''t just stand by, or else she would go crazy.


    "I am your husband!" Aidan growled loudly. Standing up and walking up to Giana with his jaw clenched together. This anger actually had nothing to do with Giana, but they both knew that they were just taking it out on each other.


    "My husband?" Giana said that with a sneer. "You have never acted like my husband and never will be."

 Chapter 149: HONEYMOON (8)

    <h4>Chapter 149: HONEYMOON (8)</h4>


    "My husband?" Giana said that with a sneer. "You have never acted like my husband and never will be."


    Aidan''s anger peaked when he heard Giana''s words and it was a mixed feeling, because he knew what Giana said was true. He never behaved like a husband to Giana, apart from the status he gave this woman, there was nothing else he did that reflected that he was her husband.


    However, for the time being, Aidan wasn''t in a very good mind and couldn''t think straight. He just wanted all these problems to go away, but Giana made things worse with this annoying attitude of hers.


    "You can''t go!" Aidan eximed angrily, allowing several of the servants to hear them arguing through the open door. "I will not allow you to go!"


    Tonight, they had a dinner appointment with Aidan and Giana''s parents, but if Giana left now, what should Aidan tell themter?


    Giana should have understood that, because so far they havepromised hundreds of times when there were other people around them, they should be more affectionate and chatting with each other.


    Perhaps it could be said, the most interactions they have were when there were other people around them, because once they were alone, only the silence was left to greet them.


    "I don''t need your permission!" Giana eximed defiantly and started trying to close the suitcase, but Aidan kicked the suitcase so that it fell from the top of the bed with all the clothes arranged neatly in it, falling on the floor.


    Before Aidan could yell at Giana to use her husband status to shout and forbid her from leaving, Giana had already sent a heavy p to the side of Aidan''s face.


    So hard that Giana could feel her hand stinging as a loud sound resounded in the room.


    Not only Aidan, even Giana was shocked by what she did, but Giana''s surprise was reced by a scream when Aidan pped her back until she fell hard.


    Giana, who fell on the floor, looked shocked as she touched her cheek and felt a painful sting where Aidan had pped her.


    "How dare you p me!" Giana shouted angrily. Her jaw ached terribly as she eximed. But all of that was nothingpared to the painful realization that told her that Aidan had just pped her.


    During their three years of marriage, no matter how angry Aidan got, he would never raise his hand against Giana.


    Even when Giana first found out about Aidan''s affair with someone and pped and threw things at him, Aidan never hit her back.


    This is the first time he did this.


    And Aidan was the first man toy a hand on her. It felt a lot more painful than the p Giana received from Hailee.


    On the other hand, Aidan also seemed surprised at what he had just done. He had never pped a woman before and had never lost self- control like this.


    Now he was standing still, staring angrily at Giana who was looking back at him equally frustrated, holding her cheek which started to turn red from swelling.


    At this point, it was certain that Giana would not be able to meet their parents for the dinner meetingter without raising suspicion and questions they might not be able to answer.


    An exnation that Aidan couldn''t give.


    "Giana ... I ..." Aidan stammered, he took a step forward to approach his wife, who was now crying out of breath. The woman tried repeatedly to wipe her tears but to no avail. "I am sorry ... I didn''t mean...."


    Aidan was at a loss for words and tried to get close to Giana, but the woman got even more hysterical and screamed at him.


    "GET AWAY FROM ME!" Giana shrieked as she hit Aidan''s hand that was reaching out to her.


    It was then that they both heard the sound of footsteps hurrying up the stairs, causing the two of them to freeze in their respective positions.


    Of course, Giana and Aidan were sane enough to know that this kind of fight should not have happened and was exposed to many people, especially to the servants in this house.


    But, as soon as Dillon''s figure appeared in the door frame, Giana breathed a sigh of relief. She immediately stood up and approached the personal assistant as well as her best friend.


    "What happened?" Dillon walked over to Giana and found her cheek swollen and red. It took no further exnation for him to know what had happened just a few minutes ago.


    Dillon had just arrived at this house when he heard a huge quarrel breaking out between Giana and Aidan, then told all the servants in the house to stay away from the main house, because he knew Giana wouldn''t be happy if this kind of quarrel was overheard by someone else.


    At first, Dillon didn''t want to interfere and chose to wait until Giana came down from the room, because he was here in the first ce to persuade Giana not to go.


    There is no need for a long exnation to know where Giana is going, because there must only be one goal, one person, in Giana''s mind now and that person is none other than Ramon Tordoff, the man who had be someone else''s husband justst night.


    Dillon didn''t know where Giana got the information about Ramon''s whereabouts, but he was very sure that Giana knew where Ramon Tordoff was going for his honeymoon.


    And things wouldn''t get better if Giana approached them there.


    "Get away from my wife!" Aidan growled when he saw Giana in Dillon''s arms, as if she was seeking protection from her personal assistant.


    However, Dillon did not heed Aidan''s warning at all. Instead, he pushed Giana behind his back while he stared at Aidan with defiant eyes.


    "You pped her." It was an usation and from the way Aidan squinted his eyes, Dillon knew that what he said was true.


    This man is such a jerk! Not only was he always having an affair, but he also raised his hand on Giana!


    Dillon didn''t know what got into him, but he stepped forward and threw one crushing blow into Aidan''s face who didn''t expect it.


    Aidan fell to the floor with blood gushing from his nose. The blow made his head go slightly dizzy and out of focus.


    However, when he realized what had just happened, Aidan groaned and lunged at Dillon until they both fell to the floor, scuffling with each other.


    Meanwhile Giana screamed hysterically seeing the events unfolding in front of her eyes.


    ==============


    Hailee was very happy today, the first day of their vacation had been amazing. Even though there were several times Ramon annoyed her because he kept teasing her for staring at the ring on her finger, which was the second ring Ramon gave after their wedding ring, but that didn''t reduce Hailee''s happiness at all.


    Ramon nced at Hailee again, who was humming to the beat of the radio in their car on their way home.


    They just had dinner and danced on the beach. Well, Ramon taught Hailee how to dance without stomping on his feet.


    And the results were not so bad, because Hailee was the kind of person who was quick to learn.


    After Ramon turned off the engine, he walked around the car to open the door for Hailee and helped her out.


    Instead, the girl jumped up and embraced Ramon, wrapping her arms tightly around the man''s neck until Ramon had to lower his head.


    "Thank you! I am so happy today!" Hailee eximed, expressing her gratitude that sounded very sincere.


    Ramon didn''t know thest time he heard someone sincerely thanking him and it made him want to do more for this girl, his wife.


    A warm feeling ran through Ramon''s mind when he heard Hailee thanking him for the efforts he put in. Ramon felt that what he had done, was appreciated and it was a pleasant feeling, especially because Hailee expressed it without any ulterior motives. Or else Ramon would have to worry if this girl had other thoughts.


    This feeling was really pleasant and he found himself getting addicted to it.


    "I like it when you are happy." But, of course he didn''t reveal more, because Ramon himself still didn''t understand what had really happened to him. "Come on inside."


    Hand in hand, Ramon and Hailee entered their house.


    In the distance, could be heard the sound of the waves and the rustle of the breeze which carried the scent of the sea, with the stars shining brightly above their heads.


    It was a perfect night and the two of them were in a very good mood. Not only that, this feeling offort and serenity they found in each other really made the two of them brush of the doubts that the progress of their rtionship would reach this point.


    However, the feeling changed when they stepped into the house, which was dimly lit.


    Suddenly, the air felt heavy and everything around them seemed more romantic than ever.


    Ramon closed the door when Hailee entered the house and for a few moments they just stared at each other under the dim lights which were apanied by the sound of the waves crashing on the far shore.


    No one knew why the sudden feeling of lightness they felt before, turned heavy and made them both stare dumbfounded at each other.


    Hailee was silent, waiting for what Ramon would do, because suddenly her brain froze.


    There were no teasing words, but what they felt seemed much more intense than that.


    And it felt so right when Ramon suddenly leaned over to bring their lips together, reaching behind Hailee''s head before locking her head in position to deepen their kiss.


    Hailee gasped, but epted the invitation by wrapping her arms around Ramon''s neck and pressing their bodies together.


    Hailee could feel Ramon''s hands running over her body and stopping at her behind before squeezing her buttocks, making Hailee gasp and open her mouth, giving Ramon ess to explore further.


    Hailee didn''tin about it at all and let Ramon do what he wanted to do.


    Especially when she felt her body being lifted and Ramon was walking while carrying her, without letting go of their kiss.


    It felt like all of this felt natural to do and Hailee didn''t feel any awkward moment with how Ramon touched her.


    At first, Hailee thought Ramon would put her back on the sofa like what he did this afternoon, but as it turned out, Ramon actually brought Hailee into their room beforeying her down slowly on the bed, whispering into Hailee''s ear.


    "I love you..." Ramon sighed to her ear.

 Chapter 150: HONEYMOON (9)

    <h4>Chapter 150: HONEYMOON (9)</h4>


    "I love you ..." Ramon sighed.


    A single statement that had such an impact on Hailee that she could feel something stirring up in the bottom of her stomach.


    Something she didn''t realize she was feeling when Ramon gently kissed her forehead and made her seem like the most important person in this man''s life.


    Maybe that statement is not wrong and has a point.


    Because at this moment, all that was in Ramon''s mind was Hailee. How her scent prated the depths of his soul and made all the focus he had to be trained on this girl solely.


    Isn''t that something extraordinary? How could a single person''s presence make Ramon''s world more meaningful and colorful?


    It''s not just a boring life that knew no fun. Because after getting to know Hailee and that girl starting to change his perspective of seeing the world, all the fun Ramon had previously felt very artificial.


    This girl was so radiant and full of vibrance, giving a special sensation to Ramon''s dark heart and his dull days.


    Her touch was so intoxicating that Ramon couldn''t help but feel lucky to have her in his life.


    Hailee kissed Ramon a little awkwardly and when Ramon slipped his hand back under the shirt Hailee was wearing, the girl moaned in their kiss and let her husband explore her body.


    A body that already belongs to Ramon, and vice versa.


    Ramon let go of their kiss before he stripped Hailee''s clothes and threw them somewhere and immediately, Hailee could feel the cold sweep of the night breeze from the open window against her exposed skin under Ramon''s dark eyes.


    Ramon was silent for a moment, staring at Hailee with a look that was difficult to describe, enjoying every inch of Hailee''s body and feeling her breath. He liked this.


    Ramon loved being with Hailee.


    On the other hand, being stared at like that, made Hailee unable to make a sound and think clearly. The only things on her mind right now were; she wanted Ramon to be in the same position as herself, feeling the night wind blowing.


    Therefore, Hailee stretched out her hand and with trembling fingers she lifted the shirt that Ramon was wearing in one beat, for which Ramon proved to be very cooperative in helping Hailee to strip off his own clothes.


    It didn''t take long for Hailee to see Ramon''s six pack abs, clearly disyed in front of her eyes.


    Although this was not the first time Hailee saw Ramon without clothes, still Hailee''s heart was beating very fast, as if this was her first time.


    Ramon then tugged Hailee''s hand, making her sits up before his hands traced along the curves of her waist, then up to the hook of the bra she was wearing.


    Like someone who already understood this very well, Ramon simply flicked his hands easily and unsped the hook, making Hailee shudder as the cold night air brushed against her exposed breasts.


    Hailee was vulnerable with her position now, making herself look down and cover her upper body with her hands.


    It felt embarrassing, but it also felt very intimate. A confused feeling for Hailee.


    The girl thought she could handle this well when all this happened, since they had been together so often.


    However, as it turned out, their togetherness had been nothingpared to what they were currently sharing.


    All of this felt almost unreal. How Ramon looked at her and how his hand brushed Hailee''s hands off, which were covering her chest, gently.


    "Don''t cover yourself, I want to see you¡­" he said softly and pulled Hailee''s wrist, so he could see the girl''s body which was not even wrapped in a single thread.


    When wearing clothes, Hailee''s body tended to be thin and slender, but now Ramon could see how beautiful her body was.


    Hailee had beautiful curves in all the right ces, which made herself look so beautiful with her supple skin that seemed to glow from the reflection of the moonlight behind the bedroom window.


    Her blushing and embarrassed face made her beauty seem unreal and Ramon felt something rustle in his chest as Hailee lifted her head and stared at him through her long curvyshes.


    Hailee always looked beautiful, but this time she was really amazing...


    Not only was she able to send vibrations through Ramon with just a heated look from her dark brown eyes, but she was also able to make him forget everything and focus solely on her.


    Isn''t that a very unusual thing for Ramon Tordoff? A man who is known for his great self- control, is now half crazy just seeing his wife naked and staring at him gently.


    Ramon then went back to kissing Hailee, but this time he wasn''t too gentle and pushed her onto the bed, touching Hailee''s body carefully as if she was the most important and precious thing he had ever owned, and afraid of causing damage to her body.


    This was a great and beautiful moment for both of them and it seemed nothing would be able to make the two of them stopped admiring each other.


    However, Ramon''s great- self control didn''tst long, because when Hailee''s hand touched his broad stomach and rubbed it lightly, Ramon could feel hisst defenses copse and he groaned as Hailee wrapped her legs around his waist unconsciously, following her current instincts.


    Ramon''s kiss slowed down as he whispered sweet nothings into Hailee''s ear, "You look so beautiful¡­"


    And that one word was enough to make Hailee feel that she was loved.


    Ramon continued to kissing Hailee on the neck and traced her corbone, making Hailee sigh into the stillness of the night as her breathing turned heavier.


    Hailee''s body trembled when Ramon''s lipsnded on her chest before the kiss went down to her navel and then continued further down¡­


    Hailee didn''t realize how Ramon did it, but now Hailee really wasn''t wearing anything on her body, which was starting to sweat as her chest was moving up and down rapidly while she gasped.


    This was Hailee''s first experience, showing her naked body and being under Ramon''s control.


    Tonight, the man touched every part of Hailee''s body as well as her heart. Making this girl give her all willingly and helplessly under the influence of Ramon''s intoxicating touch.


    How could Ramon have had this much influence on her? This is utterly absurd, but also the most real thing Hailee has ever felt.


    And when Ramon''s warm breath brushed the insides of Hailee''s thighs, the girl felt a tingling feeling and something churning in the lower part of her stomach.


    There was this strange feeling that she wanted to feel more than that.


    "Ramon¡­" Hailee moaned with her eyes closed and a trembling voice.


    Hailee could feel every inch of her body wanting this man. Needed it to fulfill her inner desires and make her feel whole, because right now, Hailee felt as if every inch of herself was going to crumble and shatter, but in a delightful connotation.


    "Hm¡­" Ramon hummed and ran his tongue way up the inside of Hailee''s thigh to the core of her body and fondled her there, with his warm tongue.


    Hailee didn''t know what she was thinking at the moment as she ran her fingers through Ramon''s hair and made the man groan and torture her even more.


    "Ramon¡­" Hailee sighed his name again in the silence of the night which was only broken by the sound of the two of them breathing unsteadily.


    And that was when Hailee felt a feeling she had never felt before. A feeling that numbed her whole body for a moment, but then thousands of feelings swept over her and left Hailee speechless.


    Like a bright spark it numbed all feelings inside Hailee, but also at the same time left a strange and never before sensation as the explosive pleasure flooded her entire system.


    The feelingsted for a few moments which felt like a very long time ...


    And when the feeling of that strange emotion started to subside, Hailee looked at Ramon who was staring deeply at her¡­ giving a sharp look, but also arousing a desire that had not been satisfied for a long time.


    It didn''t take a long time before Ramon started kissing her forehead, nose, eyes, lips, ears¡­


    "Tell me if you want to stop," whispered Ramon softly and his voice was hoarse, filled with choked emotions and passion.


    When Ramon said this, Hailee knew what she was about to face, or what awaited her.


    However, the feeling of anxiety and fear that she felt for a while, disappeared when Ramon returned to caress her cheek and ran his fingers over Hailee''s skin, down to her chest and touched Hailee''s sensitive parts slowly, as if allowing the girl to feel every feeling that Ramon was trying to pour out to her.


    "No. I don''t want you to stop¡­" Hailee said in the same whispering voice, but sounded more certain.


    And that''s when Hailee felt Ramon''s body on top of her, so close and heavy, but it gave her a sense of security andfort that Hailee couldn''t describe.


    Then when Ramon rubbed her thigh and lifted her left leg so that it was wrapped around his waist, Hailee could feel a different sensation than before.


    The feeling was intense and foreign when the core of her body felt Ramon''s, moving slowly and in a frustrating rhythm.


    This night was so amazing and full of reassuring strangeness from every touch, sigh and cradle that felt so real and intoxicating¡­


    The night will not end quickly ...

 Chapter 151: HONEYMOON (10)

    <h4>Chapter 151: HONEYMOON (10)</h4>


    In the morning Hailee woke up upon feeling the heat of the sun on her face, dazzling her eyes.


    She groaned because she felt aches and pains all over her body, like someone who had just climbed hundreds of the highest hills and mountains.


    Well, although Hailee had never done climbing sports before and it couldn''t be said she knew how it felt, but at least, that''s how Hailee felt right now.


    Her body felt sore, especially in the lower part of her body.


    And when Hailee groaned softly, she felt a hand hugging her tightly, pulling her closer.


    Instantly Hailee''s eyes shot open and she found Ramon, still asleep, hugging her very close from behind.


    And immediately, all the memories about what happenedst night shed in her mind and made blood rush to Hailee''s face. She lowered her head and hid under the nket, trying to cover her already red face.


    Ugh!


    Hailee did not expect that it would be like that. On one hand, Hailee felt that what was happeningst night was very embarrassing, but on the other hand, Hailee did not feel sorry about it. Of course not, Hailee really enjoyed what happenedst night. Every single second of it.


    Ramon was incredibly patient with her and made Hailee feel wanted, especially because that was her first time and also because she didn''t expect it to hurt that much.


    When Ramon saw Hailee in pain and difort, he didn''t push herself any further and tried to ease the pain by kissing her and holding back until Hailee really adjusted to himself.


    Their first experiencest night was overwhelming and difficult to describe in words.


    However, what Hailee felt this morning was even more extraordinary. To find herself waking naked and in Ramon''s arms, watching him fall asleep like this, was aforting thing.


    Hailee felt loved.


    Maybe their marriage will go smoothly and there is nothing to be afraid of anymore...


    And maybe someday when Ramon got his memory back, he would still choose Hailee all over again and not bother about the memories he had with Giana at all.


    Hailee hoped that would be the case, but for now, she wanted to enjoy this morning by staring at her husband''s face.


    Ramon''s sleeping face was very cute, he looked innocent and not likest night''s man who made Hailee feel a sensation of millions of foreign feelings that she had never felt before.


    Hailee then ventured to stretch out her hand and lightly touch Ramon''s face, tracing the shape of his firm jaw and running her thumb across his slightly parted lips.


    The same lips, which had traced every inch of her skin.


    And that thought again made Hailee feel shy, she felt the heate back up her face, her neck and all over her body.


    As if her body was trying to trace back every part of it that Ramon had touched, leaving Hailee speechless with herself.


    Not to mention the realization that the two of them were still naked, wearing nothing and close to each other.


    Ramon''s lips under Hailee''s finger were soft and the coarse stubble growing around his lips rubbed against Hailee''s palm and she loved the sensation.


    Ramon seemed to be a man who had to shave every day.


    Hmm¡­ Hailee didn''t seem to mind in helping her husband in that matter. Well, she would love to do it for him.


    Then, after tracing Ramon''s face to her heart''s desire, Hailee felt the urge to taste those lips again. To feel what she had feltst night, again.


    Therefore, very carefully, Hailee pushed her body upward to kiss Ramon''s lips gently, then went back to hiding under the nket to watch the man''s reaction.


    However, after waiting for a long time, it seemed that the actions Hailee had just taken didn''t awaken this man, as his breathing still remained even.


    Seeing Ramon giving no reaction, Hailee ventured back to kiss him and this time the kisssted a little longer than the first time.


    Then she went back to hiding under the nket like before. Waited a bit. And since Ramon still didn''t react, Hailee did it again and this time it''s longer than the second one.


    Hailee even bit Ramon''s lip slowly, tasting the sweetness of those lips.


    At this moment, Hailee felt herself like a pervert, havingmitted such acts while her husband was still fast asleep.


    It can''t be helped, Hailee wasn''t sure if she could do this when Ramon woke up, even at this moment Hailee was still thinking about what reaction she would give when Ramon woke upter.


    Either she should act casual, as ifst night''s events never happened at all, or she should thank Ramon for his patience and making her first experience unforgettable.


    Ugh! That sounds cheesy and horrible!


    Hailee still hadn''t decided on that, but for sure, for now, she was enjoying her naughty actions as she couldn''t help but smile because she hadplete control over her sleeping husband.


    It was just that, when Hailee was about to go for her fifth try, suddenly, Ramon opened hid eyes and looked at her with a deep, sharp look.


    This surprised Hailee, especially when suddenly Ramon put his hand behind Hailee''s head and kissed her wildly.


    This was not the warm, patient and understanding kiss Ramon gave herst night, but a kiss full of passion that let Hailee knew what would happen next.


    No words were spoken between them, as Ramon kissed Hailee a little harshly and positioned himself on top of the girl''s small body, being careful not to overwrite her with his weight and hurt her.


    However, Hailee liked how their bodies were intertwined and when she felt Ramon''s hand again exploring the sensitive areas on her body, a long moan left Hailee''s lips which her husband bit wildly.


    All the sensations Hailee feeling right now were so intoxicating that it was difficult for her to think or decide; should she tell Ramon to postpone it?


    They have only been asleep for a few hours and Hailee could say that her body was still trying to adjust to their activitiesst night.


    However, on the other hand, Hailee also couldn''t help but pay attention to the intense turmoil that had gathered under her stomach and felt a tingle that made her body feel very hot.


    Especially when Ramon started kissing her neck, corbone and chest¡­


    This feeling almost left Hailee out of breath and unable to think clearly, because the next thing she did was; wrapping her long legs around Ramon''s waist and pulled him to kiss him again.


    Feeling Ramon inside her...


    ==============


    Hailee put the bread in her mouth in displeasure, giving an using look to the man before her who was acting unconventional.


    She frowned hard.


    Ramon didn''t feel guilty at all when he was stared at like that, or you could even say that he looked very rxed as if he didn''t notice this seductive creature in front of him was observing his movements with sharp eyes.


    They were now in one of the restaurants by the beach, enjoying a meal, which could no longer be called breakfast, because they were toote for that, while feeling the fresh breeze blowing slowly against their bodies.


    Hailee rubbed her face roughly as the wind yed with her hair and shifted her gaze toward Ramon.


    "My body hurts," Hailee grumbled and only then did she get Ramon''s attention.


    "You want to be at home all day?" Ramon asked then took a sip of his ck coffee. "No problem, we can return home after you finish your breakfast."


    Hailee pursed her lips again. "Didn''t I tell you just once?" Her voice was low, but loud enough for Ramon to hear.


    Seeing his wife sulking, Ramon reached out and touched Hailee''s chin, raising her head for their eyes to meet.


    "Indeed," Ramon admitted.


    "But you did it three times," Hailee counted, emphasizing with her fingers stretched out before Ramon''s eyes.


    "I did do the former," Ramon said, but the smile on his face showed that he was holding back hisughter. "But, wasn''t the two times happened only after you asked for more?"


    Hearing that, Hailee immediately brushed off Ramon''s hand and returned to focus on her food. This time she didn''t grumble anymore.


    Okay¡­ she thought Ramon missed that fact¡­


    ==============


    Giana was wearing sunsses when she got out of her car and immediately walked toward the trunk to get her suitcase.


    However, Dillon had already came out earlier and stopped her. "Are you serious about going there?" His eyes narrowed, staring at Giana in disbelief.


    It''s just that the woman ignored the questions Dillon had been asking along the way, and chose to brush the man''s hand away and took her suitcase from the trunk.


    Dillon could only clench his fists which were wrapped in bandages.


    His fight with Aidan got the two of them involved in a violent scuffle, leaving some injuries on each side.


    If it weren''t for Giana trying to stop them by summoning two guards to separate the two men, maybe one of them would have ended up in the hospital before they both stopped throwing fists at one another.


    Dillon''s lips still ached and not only was his right hand tightly bandaged, but there was also a torn wound on his left eyebrow, where blood stains could be seen from the white bandage.


    "Giana, you are only going toplicate matters by doing this," Dillon said, trying hisstest effort to get this woman stop thinking about going to Crostgold Ind, where Hailee and Ramon were busy having their honeymoon.


    He didn''t know from where Giana got this information, but seeing the boldness of this woman, it seemed that whatever information she got, was from a trusted source.


    "Don''t get in my way," Giana said coldly and took off the sunsses covering her face, which she wore to hide the bruises from Aidan''s p she received a few days ago.


    Things were very bad now, especially when Giana went missing. Soon, both the Watson and the Smith families would find out about the condition of their married life.


    It''s not impossible, because they would keep asking Aidan about Giana''s whereabouts at the family dinner, and things would turn even more suspicious after seeing the scars he got from fighting with Dillon.


    "You want me to live a married life like this?" Giana pointed to the bruise on the side of her face. "He already dared to hit me!" Eximed Giana angrily. That fact naturally upset her.


    Dillon sighed heavily. But before he could say a word, Giana already resumed her speech.


    "You will still work for me. F*ck what Aidan said about him firing you. He doesn''t have that right." Giana emphasized. "And also contact the best divorcewyers."

 Chapter 152: HONEYMOON (11)

    <h4>Chapter 152: HONEYMOON (11)</h4>


    "And also contact the best divorcewyers." Giana emphasized.


    This was the fourth time Dillon had heard Giana say this and it still made him shake his head. "Giana, are you serious about your decision? Don''t make decisions when you are angry, because the results will be very detrimental to you."


    And that''s the same advice Dillon had given Giana over and over again, because he knew this woman tended to act impulsively.


    "Do you know what the consequences will be if the news about your divorce gets to the media?" Dillon asked again. He then followed Giana who was aggressively dragging her suitcase toward the small airport, where they have to board a ne that would take them to Crestgold Ind.


    Indeed, to get to the ind they have to take a ne or ship, because it was situated quite a distance from the mainnd.


    Giana knew this ind, of course because of Ramon who told her. She remembered very clearly the first time Ramon brought her to this ce.


    Ramon said that the ind would be a honeymoon destination if one day they got married...


    If in the end he did get married ...


    Yes, it was true that Ramon was now married. However, not with Giana, but another woman and Ramon''s promise to take Giana to the ind for the second time, just vanished.


    There was a feeling that ran through her heart when Giana found out that Ramon had actually put his words to life and chose to honeymoon at Crestgold.


    It is just that, knowing there was another woman who was enjoying the position that should be hers, Giana couldn''t help but feel the mes of jealousy that burned her heart and mind.


    Her chest felt hot and she couldn''t think straight. The only thing she wanted was; get Ramon back and this woman wouldn''t stop until she got what she wanted.


    And the first step she would take was to divorce Aidan.


    It was true when Dillon said that she was being impusive, but Giana had been tolerant of her household situation with Aidan for a long time.


    Giana had tolerated her marriage to the man for the benefit of both families and held back her feelings toward the betrayal that Aidanmitted during the first year of their marriage, before finally having an affair with Ramon herself.


    Giana thought all of that was enough and she didn''t want to feel a deeper downturn than this.


    Wasting her life on a man like Aidan, who didn''t even appreciate her at all now. Giana felt all this drama was enough.


    She wanted to get her happiness back and the only thing she could think of was to get Ramon back by her side. She didn''t know what their rtionship would be after his marriage to Hailee.


    However, as long as Ramon was by her side, then Giana would be more than happy to live her life again and ept the consequences of her divorce from Aidan, happily.


    And if Ramon regained his memories, as well as all their memories together, then he would definitely divorce Hailee beforeing running for her.


    When that timees, they will finally be together and all the unpleasant events that Giana experiencing now will be paid off.


    ==============


    After an argument between himself and Giana, as well as a fight that broke out with Dillon, Aidan decided to ditch the family gathering that was going to take ce that evening and chose to go to another city on the grounds that he could not postpone his business.


    The sudden reason raised suspicion, but because Giana could not be reached and Aidan chose to leave that very night, their parents were unable to obtain further information about what had happened.


    It was assumed that they didn''t ask the maids at the residence, regarding which Aidan didn''t tell them not to say anything at all. So, he could be sure that they would answer honestly when askedter.


    And he could be sure, what kind of situation would await him when his domestic problems with Giana finallye to light.


    Aidan didn''t want to think about that at all. His mind was in chaos and the only person who could calm him down was Zia.


    Only, the girl didn''t want to pick up a single phone call from him. She still refused to be in contact and this upset Aidan.


    Oh, of course Aidan had obtained Zia''s number using his own methods. It was a little extreme, but Aidan couldn''t think of any other way.


    Now, Aidan was in this bar half drunk, alone, with a cellphone in his hand while he kept pressing the redial button to contact Zia.


    "Shit!" Aidan grumbled as he mmed his cellphone down, but then he immediately checked it again and felt lucky that the innocent cellphone was not damaged which would make Aidan''s situation even more difficult.


    "Is there a problem?" Asked a beautiful woman who had just sat on a bar stool next to Aidan. She then said something to the bartender, which Aidan''s drunken ears couldn''t catch.


    "Get lost," Aidan said in an angry and irritated tone. He didn''t want to be around anyone right now.


    It''s just that, the woman beside him seemed to recognize Aidan, there was a sly glint in her eyes when she saw the drunken figure.


    "Aidan Smith," said the woman in her low, sexy voice.


    Hearing his full name being called, Aidan immediately raised his head and cast a questioning look at the woman wearing a red dress beside him.


    "Who are you? Do I know you?" Aidan asked, his voice sounding indistinct as his head grew heavier.


    "You may not know me, but we met at Hailee and Ramon''s wedding not long ago," the woman tried to remind him, but Aidan shook his head, indicating that he didn''t have any idea who is she.


    How could Aidan be able to remember the hundreds of guests who attended, and if Aidan did not recognize this woman, it was certain that their meeting at the wedding was their first meeting.


    "Is that so? Still, I think I don''t know you," Aidan said gruffly and went back to downing his drink and asking for another drink when his ss was empty.


    Meanwhile, the woman beside Aidan was looking at him with eyes full of interest. Observing this man with a n in her head.


    Meanwhile, Aidan, who waspletely unaware of the problem that was stalking his life from the woman, tried to call Zia again.


    But, just like what happened before, Zia refused to pick up the phone and made Aidan''s irritation run high, which he spilled with another alcohol- filled ss under the meaningful gaze of the woman in red.


    ==============


    Hailee was having fun today, even though this morning her body ached in several ces, but after the massage and spa she got during the day, she felt better.


    In the afternoon, Ramon invited her to surf, on a part of the beach that was not visited by many people because it was an area of privacy for the owner of the ind.


    And at that moment, Ramon again showed extra patience in teaching Hailee how she had to stand on her surfboard evenly.


    However, after dozens of failed attempts, in the end Ramon became annoyed and the two of them had a small fight.


    You know, the kind of romantic quarrels that romantic partners always have. Well, at least that''s what''s on Hailee''s mind, because it seemed that Ramon''s annoyance was real.


    Because after a few more tries and Hailee still couldn''t master the basic skills, Ramon decided for them to just swim.


    Hailee didn''t mind and they spent time there until sunset and it was the most beautiful sight Hailee had ever seen.


    Now, doused in the orange light of the sun that was almost hiding on the horizon line, Ramon kissed Hailee.


    At first, the kiss was just a soft kiss that made themugh, but then, Ramony Hailee down on a nket that they spread out on the white sand of the beach.


    And who knew when, but the kiss continued into something much more intimate, as Ramon untied the bikini straps around his wife''s body.


    Hailee''s fair and white skin looked flushed after the bias of the evening sun hit her and she looked very cute and also fragile. A seductivebination that made Ramon''s eyes darken.


    "Someone will see us," Hailee whispered softly, her hands covering her bare chest, although just now when Ramon took off the strap of her bikini, she didn''t protest at all.


    But, now she realized that they were in the open and it could be that one of their bodyguards could appear anytime and catch the two of them having intercourse.


    Hailee''s eyes looked around her, but found nothing.


    "Nobody wille," Ramon assured Hailee and he could guarantee that.


    Ramon would be the first to worry about this. There was no way he would let anyone else see Hailee''s body, let alone in her current state.


    Only after Hailee heard this, did her body rx again and she smiled meaningfully at her husband who was looking at her with interest.


    "Hmm ... so in an open ce like this?" She asked in a whisper-like voice.


    "Why? You don''t like it?" Ramon then kissed Hailee''s neck up to her corbone.


    "I like it," she whispered, closing her eyes again.


    The wind from blew on their skin and it brought a strange taste that they would remember... This was such a beautiful moment in their life... Both of them.

 Chapter 153: HONEYMOON (12)

    <h4>Chapter 153: HONEYMOON (12)</h4>


    It took about ten minutes to get to Crestgold Ind from the maind by using a small ne that was specifically scheduled to take visitors to the ind.


    Dillon insisted on joining her to keep Giana from doing something that could get out of hand and cause a scene that would create trouble for herself. After all, the problems that Giana now facing were so many.


    There was no need to add new problems.


    Dillon followed Giana from behind and sighed repeatedly every time he looked at the woman.


    They then exited the small airport consisting of a runway and a small lobby, then walked toward the car waiting for them.


    This was the transport service of the hotel where they would stayter, it looked like Giana had really came with full preparation.


    After loading Giana and Dillon''s suitcases in the trunk, they drove to the hotel which was on the coast and was the only inn around.


    Along the way, in the car no one made a sound, neither Dillon nor Giana utter single syble. They were both busy with their own thoughts.


    This time, Dillon no longer tried to advise her. If his previous words didn''t work, then it would be the same now, especially when he saw how Giana was twisting her face and the dark aura around her that seemed to be telling him to stay away from her.


    This time Dillon did not try to indulge her will and preferred to take care of this woman and take action if Giana did things that could harm her or her reputation.


    After traveling for about fifteen minutes, they finally arrived at the hotel and immediately got out of the car.


    This time, Giana acted as if Dillon wasn''t there and chose to walk into the lobby and meet the receptionist to check into her own hotel room, while Dillon followed behind and did the same.


    Too bad, they couldn''t have adjacent rooms. While Giana''s was stationed on the third floor, Dillon got a room on the second floor.


    "Giana, I will see you in the morning," Dillon said while they were in the elevator, but the woman still insisted being silent and chose to ignore this man.


    Therefore, Dillon was forced to assume that Giana heard what he said and treated her silence as approval.


    In the end, Dillon escorted Giana to her room on the third floor and then returned to his own room on the second floor.


    Meanwhile, in the room, Giana immediately took off the jacket she was wearing and threw it on the sofa carelessly. Then immediately headed toward the balcony, a ce where she could see a stretch of sea at night, which looked like a stretch of cknd that extended to the horizon.


    However, that was not what Giana wanted to see, but the white house on the hill that was where Ramon and Hailee were staying in.


    Giana''s ck eyes, stared at the building which looked very small from a distance with a sharp and cold gaze.


    Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the iron railings around her balcony very tightly, showing just how deep the emotion she was currently holding.


    This time, after Giana had taken this bold step, there would be no turning back for her.


    She decided it wasn''t just because she wanted Ramon back, but she was fed up with the disgusting domestic life she had been living for the past three years.


    Not once did Giana feel happy since she found out about Aidan''s affair, which broke out on her the day after their marriage.


    She survived those three hellish years just because she had Ramon, but now that she had lost everything, all she could do now was to reim what should have been hers.


    It doesn''t matter how big the price she has to pay.


    ==============


    Ramon woke up when he heard soundsing from the kitchen. The sounds of metal shing and the sounds of something being fried.


    Ramon could vaguely smell food and this was the best way to wake up in the morning. The sounds were very calming and it felt like he were in afortable home.


    Ramon then stretched out his hand and felt the other side of the bed, which should have been upied by Hailee, had already turned cold, indicating that the girl had been awake for a long time.


    So it was certain that the one cooking in their kitchen now was Hailee and not the helper, who came every day to clean the house.


    With azy smile typical of people who just woke up from a deep sleep, Ramon got out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash his face.


    After he finished drying his face, he stared at his reflection in the mirror and an almost perfect man looked back at him.


    However, that was not the main focus of Ramon, as he was more interested in noticing how a small smile etched on his lips and made him look much more approachable than the self he had been remembering for a long time.


    Especially the look in his eyes, how he looked at himself.


    All this while, whenever Ramon looked at his reflection in the mirror, he always found a man who was rigid and tended to have no feelings.


    Like a living robot that moves ording to what it needs to do. However, this time it was different and the change was big enough for Ramon to feel.


    Maybe all this had changed big thanks to Hailee, how Ramon viewed his own life now after that girl brought a fresh breeze to his boring life.


    Ramon never thought that he would enjoy married life as he felt now, because all this time he had been thinking; he would marry a woman who could provide more profit to hispany.


    Well, marrying Hailee did get Ramon several benefits such as; a high chance to acquire her familypany.


    However, the feel was still different.


    Maybe married life was not as bad as Ramon thought it would be or maybe he was feeling happy now that he''s sharing this marriage with the right person?


    It''s indeed too soon for Ramon to dere that he liked his new life with Hailee, but wasn''t it a good start?


    With a smile on his face, Ramon walked out of the bathroom and out of the room, then into the kitchen, where he found his wife cooking a simple breakfast for the two of them.


    The smell that wafted in the kitchen was really appetizing and made Ramon smile even wider.


    He then noticed that his wife was actually cooking while wearing his own t-shirt, which only covered her smooth thighs and left a lot of area for Ramon to enjoy with his eyes.


    Still half asleep, Ramon walked over to Hailee and hugged her from behind, resting his chin on Hailee''s shoulder and immediately, his wife''s familiar scent filled his olfactory senses. Ramon didn''t know since when he liked this so much...


    "You startled me," Hailee said in a protesting tone, but there was a smile on her lips. "I''m cooking breakfast for us."


    "Hm," muttered Ramon. "I know. It smells good."


    Either Ramon said the fragrance came from the food Hailee was cooking, or the fragrance was Hailee herself. No one knows about it, except for him ...


    "Sit down¡­ it''s almost done," Hailee said. Even though she liked the attitude of Ramon suddenly spoiling her and showing the other side of himself that Hailee had recently seen, cooking while being hugged like this was really troublesome and made it difficult to move.


    "I''m hungry¡­" Ramon muttered into Hailee''s ear and made the girl shudder as Ramon''s warm breath brushed her nape and made her body tremble slightly with a familiar tingle.


    "Y¡­ yes, it''s almost done¡­" Hailee muttered and scolded herself to focus on the half-cooked food in front of her, it''s just that the huge creature that hugged her from behind, really made her efforts go in vain. "You can sit down first, it''s hard for me to move when you''re being like this."


    However, then Hailee felt something behind her, poking her. Hailee knew what it was and instantly her body froze.


    Especially when Ramon whispered in her ear, "I''m hungry, but before eating your food, there''s something else I want to eat ..."


    "Ramon¡­ it''s still too early," Hailee''s voice caught in her throat.


    Isn''t Ramon a man who can control himself? But, why had he turned into such an uncontroble man since yesterday?


    Hailee couldn''t help thinking how Ramon could cover up his seemingly never-ending passion and be so cold to every woman who volunteered to warm his bed.


    "Precisely because it''s too early¡­" And Ramon then stretched out his hand to turn off the stove, before he showed Hailee what he really wanted to eat¡­


    Well, from now and the days after, Ramon probably would have his favorite thing to eat for his breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper...


    ==============


    Aidan awoke when he felt the delicate hands of a woman hugging his naked chest and disturbing his sleep.


    "Zia ... what time is it now?" Aidan asked in his sleepy voice and closed his eyes again.


    It was just that, it was like something was stuck in his heart and he felt that he had forgotten something important. But what?


    In a semi- conscious state, his brain started functioning again, remembering what important things he had forgotten.


    It took Aidan a little longer to remember what had happened, because the alcohol he drank actually affected the performance of his brain.


    And the first thing he remembered was; he pped Giana because his wife insisted on going somewhere without prior notification, even though there was a family dinner they had to attend.


    Then, the fight with Dillon and how they broke up.


    Aidan also remembered walking into the bar and drinking while trying to call Zia, only that the girl didn''t pick up his phone calls at all.


    She ignored him all night and didn''t give him a chance to tell her that he was in need of her that night.


    But, wait a minute ...


    Immediately Aidan''s eyes opened wide, then red at the head that was leaning against his naked chest.


    If Zia didn''t pick up the phonest night and they didn''t see each other, then who is this girl?!


    And thest memory he had was; Aidan stripping off a red dress worn by a woman, whom he met at the bar.


    An annoying woman who kept looking at him with interest. However, Aidan was too drunk to be wary of that woman.


    Oh, shit!


    Angered, Aidan then pushed the woman off of his chest roughly.


    What the hell is happening??!!

 Chapter 154: HONEYMOON (13)

    <h4>Chapter 154: HONEYMOON (13)</h4>


    The strange woman groaned, but Aidan still couldn''t see her face clearly because her long ck hair hid her entire face.


    However, knowing this woman''s identity was thest thing Aidan wanted now. He couldn''t care less who this woman was, as long as she kept her mouth shut and didn''t give him any trouble. Then there was nothing that couldn''t be handled.


    Aidan then removed the nket covering him and immediately got out of bed and that''s when he realized that he wasn''t wearing anything.


    A low growl, full of anger and irritation left his lips, even the pain from the hangover he was feeling could no longer distract him from the fact that he had actually slept with a strange woman.


    From the corner of his eye, Aidan could see his trousers lying on the floor and immediately picked them up, then put them on while at the same time, the naked woman who was still on the bed, got up and rubbed her eyes, pushed her hair aside and looked at Aidan with a faint wrinkle between her two eyebrows.


    "Where are you going?" The woman asked in a hoarse voice.


    Hearing that question, Aidan stopped his activities to look for the clothes he was wearingst night, which he threw God knows where, because Aidan did not remember what happened.


    "Where are you going?!" Aidan repeated the question in a high tone and red ferociously at the woman who was casually getting out of bed, wrapping herself in the nket.


    The woman then walked to the small table and poured a ss of mineral water into a ss.


    She looked so rxed, as if this was apletely insignificant incident to her, or maybe it was.


    "You shouldn''t just leave your sleeping partner after what happened between usst night," the woman said in a muttering tone loud enough for Aidan to hear, then chugged down the mineral water in her hand. "That''s very disrespectful."


    Anger was bubbling up in Aidan''s chest. He felt that he had been trapped by this woman in a drunken state.


    But a momentter, he sighed heavily and tried to calm himself down. In a situation like this, excessive anger and expressing the emotions he felt would only make the situation worse.


    "What do you want? Money?" That was the only reason that crossed Aidan''s mind and what else could a woman like her want in a situation like this? "You know who I am, don''t you?" Aidan narrowed his eyes. "There will be someone contacting you to discuss it."


    After saying this, Aidan then immediately continued searching for his scattered clothes, cursing every time he breathed.


    Meanwhile, on the other hand, the woman was just staring at him with a nk, calcting gaze, as if she was calcting all the possibilities and benefits she could get from this situation.


    "If you think that this problem will be solved with just money, then you are very wrong. It''s not money what I want," the woman sat on the sofa, the nket still wrapped around her naked body.


    Then her curved hands grabbed something from the side of the sofa and threw it at Aidan. It was the t-shirt that the man was looking for, the one he had just thrown awayst night to have fun with this sly woman.


    "What do you want?" Aidan growled, his jaw hardened, making his serene face look terrifying. He squinted at the woman. "Who are you?" He asked.


    Aidan tried to remember who this woman was, or whether he had met her before, but he couldn''t remember a single thing about her.


    "I am Aileen Tatum," the woman replied, staring at Aidan with a sweet, sickening smile, her eyes fixed on the expression on Aidan''s face when she said her name. "Sound familiar?"


    Of course Aidan didn''t recognize who Aileen was, but he certainly recognized Tatum family name and the only person that came to mind when he heard the surname was Zia.


    "Tatum?" Aidan frowned, even the shirt in his hand was forgotten as he walked closer to Aileen and stopped in front of her.


    Aidan''s body loomed in front of Aileen''s face and the domineering aura was thick. However, Aileen did not flinch and instead stood up to face him. Although it was certain that Aileen''s height only reached Aidan''s shoulders, it had a confident effect on her.


    "Yes, sounds familiar?" Aileen tilted her head, taking a closer look at Aidan. "Hailee Tatum is my sister, the girl who recently married Ramon Tordoff. While Zia is my cousin¡­." a smile full of meaning etched on her face. "You definitely know Zia, right?"


    Aileen only got to know about this piece of information justst night, after she heard Aidan''s chattering that revealed several things about Zia Tatum.


    In his drunken state, Aidan even mistook Aileen for Zia. Although Aileen certainly didn''t mind at all, this information really left Aileen surprised and she couldn''t believe that Aidan actually had an affair with Zia.


    Aileen even got irrefutable evidence when she checked Aidan''s cellphone and found several outgoing calls to Zia''s number and several old chats that came from different numbers.


    This situation was really tricky, but if Aileen could take advantage of it, then she could benefit herself.


    And whether the Gevano family epted her or not, with Aidan Smith''s support, who needed the Gevano family, who wouldn''t even ept her?


    Aileen grinned slyly when Aidan asked her what she wanted.


    "My request is not that much of a bother," Aileen began, shrugging her shoulders as if her next words weren''t anything Aidan should worry about at all, but of course they would leave the opposite fact.


    Instinct told Aidan that this woman wasreally a figure to watch out for.


    ==============


    Hailee was really enjoying her honeymoon time and really didn''t want to go home from this ce.


    It''s just that, for one reason or another, they couldn''t possibly extend their honeymoon any more than that had been scheduled.


    During these ten days, Ramon had really treated Hailee very well, showing romantic sides that Hailee thought was impossible for him to have. But as it turned out, all doubts were proven wrong and Hailee felt very spoiled by this man.


    There were even times when Hailee forgot that their marriage was only based on idental introductions about two months ago and also the small quarrels that had urred between them, making Hailee couldn''t believe that this rtionship would go smoothly.


    But in reality, all of that didn''t matter, because Ramon seemed to start loving her, or maybe it''s just Hailee''s intuition? Regardless, Hailee felt Ramon''s genuine care.


    And she was optimistic that their rtionship would continue like this for a long time, especially if a child came in to the picture.


    Yes, Hailee''s face always blushed whenever she thought about it, with the frequency of their activities and the condition of both of them being so good, the possibility of her bearing a child soon was something that could not be overlooked.


    Not to mention the fact that Ramon was also looking forward to it. Hailee still didn''t think that Ramon was a family man type, but that''s what he showed.


    Ramon''s eyes always seem to soften whenever he talked to small children and that''s very cute ording to Hailee.


    Just like now, Ramon was talking patiently, exining something to a boy about ten years old near the beach, while Hailee was sitting on the restaurant terrace staring at the two of them.


    "Ramon will be a great father," a woman in her thirties said in a gentle tone as she watched how Hailee looked at Ramon.


    Elena is the mother of the boy who is currently with Ramon. Just beside them, were her husband, carrying their daughter.


    Elena and her husband were colleagues of Ramon and they were arguably quite close in business matters. This holiday at Crestgold was not their first vacation either.


    While the husbands were ying with the children, here, the wives were looking at their husbands while talking lightly.


    "Yes," Hailee agreed, smiling sweetly at Elena in front of her.


    However, the smile slowly faded and Elena''s next words could no longer reach her ears when Hailee saw a woman walking toward her with ck sses framing her face.


    Even so, Hailee could easily recognize this woman. Wherever she was, it seemed that Hailee had a hate radar that could detect Giana''s presence within a radius of several meters.


    What was that woman doing here?! Hailee grumbled to herself, not at all happy with the presence of this shameless woman.


    Meanwhile, Giana seemed to already know where Hailee was sitting and openly showed that by walking purposefully toward her.


    Elena who was talking, immediately stopped and frowned, she then turned her body to see what Hailee was watching so intensely.


    "Mrs. Smith?" Elena of course recognized Giana, as they were from the same line of work. "Is she on a vacation?" She muttered.


    Oh, of course not. Giana Smith came to wreak havoc!


    Seeing Giana''s figure, Hailee immediately stood up from her seat and, instinctively, showed a very defensive attitude toward Giana.


    Especially when the woman was standing right in front of her, taking off her sunsses and grinning at Hailee with a mocking smile. A very subtle gesture of hostility.


    On the other hand, Elena, who didn''t understand the gravity of the situation at all, tried to greet Giana in a friendly manner and offered to sit down together. It''s just that, Giana immediately rejected the polite offer and turned her attention for a moment from Hailee to Elena.


    "No, thanks," she said politely. "I''m just here to talk to Hailee." Giana didn''t even want to think of Hailee as the wife of Ramon Tordoff.


    Hailee then gave Giana the same smile as she said, "No way, I''m busy, maybe another time."

 Chapter 155: HONEYMOON (14)

    <h4>Chapter 155: HONEYMOON (14)</h4>


    Hailee didn''t know what Giana wanted to talk to her about, but the most important of all was; What is she doing here!?


    Did this woman follow them to this ind?! But, how did she know that they were going to honeymoon here?


    Hailee really didn''t like Giana''s presence, seeing this woman standing proudly in front of her and looking at her with eyes filled with ridicule, made thetter appear super disgusting in Hailee''s eyes.


    How could Giana still act like this after receiving two ps from Hailee when they met in the hospital the other day? Were those two ps still not enough for Giana to correct herself? Realizing that it was impossible for Ramon to return to knitting a romantic story with her, now that Ramon had be Hailee''s husband?


    Maybe, this woman''s face was too thick to take more than two ps. Maybe five or seven ps would bring her back onto the right track...


    Hmm¡­ Hailee was very interested in trying so.


    "Trust me Hailee," Giana said in her formal tone and smug face, like someone in a business discussion. "You wouldn''t like it if I said it here."


    A threatening tone wasced in the way Giana spoke to Hailee and it was also felt by Elena who was standing not too far and did not understand what connection was there between Hailee and Mrs. Smith. They didn''t seem to be in a good rtionship and it was just super clear, without the two of them trying to cover anything up.


    Hailee squinted at Giana, totally displeased with the way she spoke.


    Then without a word, Hailee walked away from her table. But after walking just a few steps, Hailee turned around and spoke to Elena, "When Ramones back, please tell him that I am talking to Mrs. Smith in there." Hailee nodded toward a small cabin, which could only amodate two or four guests.


    Hearing that, Elena could only nod in agreement, even though she didn''t really understand why Hailee sounded so displeased with the idea of ??talking alone with Giana.


    Actually, what was the problem between the two of them? Have they known each other for a long time?


    But, of course, those kinds of questions could only be raised by Elena in her head and would remain unanswered, since it was impossible to ask that.


    On the other hand, Hailee walked first and in front of Giana to the small hut on the left side of the restaurant and sat down on an artistic wooden chair.


    The waves and some surfers trying to conquer it were the sights they could see from there.


    Giana then sat across from Hailee and looked at the girl in front of her with the same gaze she always gave every time they met.


    "Hurry up if you have something to say, I don''t have much time," Hailee said impatiently, then tilted her head, looking at Ramon in the distance who was still chatting with Elena''s husband and ying with their son, not realizing that Hailee was no longer in the restaurant.


    Giana was also staring in the same direction and immediately her tensed face and hateful eyes, softened a little, finding Ramon''s figure there.


    However, the imaginations and delusions in Giana''s mind didn''t have time to develop any further because Hailee had already obscured them.


    "Stop looking at my husband with that look," Hailee said curtly, tapping the table for Giana''s attention. "Aren''t you ashamed for doing it?" Hailee narrowed her eyes as she asked Giana about the embarrassment she should have to feel after her act.


    It''s just, it''s a pity, because Giana had already passed the ''shame'' stage to be able toe here. Now, she was risking everything by being on this ind to confront Ramon.


    "I don''t mind you being with Ramon," Giana finally said after she turned her attention away from Ramon''s figure in the distance.


    "You think I care whether you mind or not?" Hailee folded her arms and snorted when she heard Giana''s ridiculous words.


    Why should Hailee care about Giana''s opinion? She thought she was so important that her objection could affect Hailee and Ramon''s rtionship? This woman was simply absurd...


    For God''s sake, Ramon is her husband!


    Maybe, Giana should visit a psychiatrist to ask about her mental condition instead ofing to interfere with Ramon and Hailee''s honeymoon.


    It''s just that, Giana didn''t seem to respond to the snidements Hailee made, acting like she didn''t hear anything.


    "But, you have to remember that when his memories returns..." Giana started her sentence, but Hailee startedughing hard and made her stop speaking.


    "What? If Ramon''s memoriese back, you think he will run back into your arms?" Hailee suddenly stoppedughing and her voice sounded firmer and cooler. "Didn''t we already discuss this?" Hailee beaded her eyebrows. "Were two ps not enough to make you remember my words at the hospital the other day?"


    Hailee had said quite clearly that she would not stop him if Ramon did insist on going back to Giana when he regained his memories.


    Why keep someone who didn''t want to stay by your side? Not only would it hurt yourself, it would also hurt everyone involved.


    But, that didn''t mean Hailee wouldn''t try to make Ramon loved her genuinely. So, just because Giana kept bothering them, it didn''t mean that this woman could do whatever she wanted.


    And what made Hailee couldn''t help but think was; why did Giana always act like she wasn''t someone who was educated? Everyone knew her status as the daughter of the Watson couple, not to mention after she married Aidan and got the name Smith behind her name.


    However, Giana''s current attitude did not reflect all of that at all.


    "If you''re not afraid, then why don''t you let me spend this one day with Ramon to prove that he doesn''t have any feelings for me," Giana said lightly, as if they were talking about the beautiful weather outside. "Or because you are afraid that I will be able to restore Ramon''s memories?"


    Hailee tilted her head and looked at Giana with a look of appraisal, before she finally made up her mind. "Sure," she replied simply.


    Hearing Hailee''s answer, Giana was a little surprised at how quickly Hailee agreed with her proposal just like that.


    At first she thought it would be a long and contentious procession. Giana had even imagined all the answers and possibilities that Hailee might arise to reject her request.


    She even had all the replies to their arguments.


    It''s just that, she did not expect that Hailee would immediately agree and Giana didn''t need to rack her brains to break all of Hailee''s refusals.


    And just at that moment, a waiter came to deliver two sses of mineral water and two menus which he ced each in front of Hailee and Giana.


    This was the standard of service in this ce.


    And having done his job, the waiter told the two of them to call him by pressing the bell on the table, when they were ready to order.


    Hailee nodded and smiled very politely at the helper, while Giana was still in a state that couldn''t fathom Hailee''s answer.


    However, when the waiter left them and Giana was about to respond to Hailee''s statement just now, the smile on Hailee''s face disappeared and the look in her eyes turned cold and cynical.


    "You really thought that I would answer like that?" Hailee then immediately stood up, her whole demeanor showed the hostility that she had for the woman in front of her. "Don''t ever dream about that. You think you can tease Ramon in such cheap ways?" Hailee then took the ss in front of her and poured the mineral water in the ss on Giana''s face quickly. "Teasing and flirting with Ramon is my duty as his wife, so don''t even think about taking over that task from me."


    Giana, who felt her face and clothes wet, shrieked quite loudly and immediately tried to grab the mineral water ss which was also in front of her, only Hailee moved faster and it was she, who poured the mineral water on the former yet again.


    Now she only hoped that with two ps and two sses of water, she could awaken Giana from her crazy idea which tended to make no sense.


    "WH- WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Giana let out a hysterical scream as she felt her mascara wear off. Her hair was wet and her appearance wasn''t as good as it was a minute ago.


    Seeing that Giana almost lost her temper made Haileeugh and feel happy, she had never felt this satisfied.


    Maybe, next time she could apply this trick on Aileen.


    Meanwhile, Giana had absolutely no idea that Hailee would react like this. Giana always assumed that they could have an argument in the worst case, but never got to anything physical.


    And that was Giana''s first mistake...


    She should have learned from the previous two ps that Hailee tended to take things out in physical form when her words can no longer be heard by the other person.


    "Oops!" Hailee closed her mouth, her sparkling eyes staring at Giana with a cheerful gaze. "Looks like you will have toe backter. I''m not sure you want Ramon to see you in that condition."


    Giana waspletely impatient and was now trying to rush at Hailee. All manners and rules that always made her look like a high- ss woman and exclusive, were just forgotten when her emotions took over control.


    However, before Giana could attack Hailee and grab her hair, the girl''s expression changed in a second and she eximed.


    "Ramon!" She shrieked, calling Ramon.


    Of course this made Giana turn instinctively, thinking that Ramon was approaching the two of them, her panicked eyes staring back and forth looking for that man''s figure.


    However, when Giana saw that Ramon was still in his ce,pletely unaware of what was happening here, she realized that Hailee had lied to her.


    How could this girl still think about trolling her in such a situation!?


    And when Giana turned to Hailee again, she found the sh of a camera blinding her eyesight for a moment, so she had to back away because of the sudden light.


    Hailee just captured the most terrifying appearance of her life on her cellphone camera!


    "Look, I don''t know if this counts as ckmailing," Hailee said softly, looking Giana straight in the eye as she returned to securing her cell phone into her trouser pocket. "But, if you piss me off again, I''ll make sure this photo gets out on social media."


    Hailee then nced at Giana before she finally walked away from there with light steps, leaving the woman with her almost unbearable anger.

 Chapter 156: HONEYMOON (15)

    <h4>Chapter 156: HONEYMOON (15)</h4>


    Giana really didn''t expect for her to be humiliated like this. She was very angry. No one had ever dared to treat the Dawson family''s daughter and the Smith family''s heir''s wife like this.


    Giana''s eyes shed with hatred as she stared at Hailee''s distant back.


    In fact, their conversation went very fast and it only took Hailee five minutes to teach Giana a lesson for presumptuously asking her for Ramon.


    But, didn''t Giana ask for it all? She should have been more careful with her words, not making the same mistakes she had done in the hospital, knowing how Hailee had reacted after what she had said at the time.


    Maybe Giana was very good at managing her family business, but for sure she was not smart enough to learn from her mistakes with Hailee. She looked like someone, who wouldn''t mind if she was being pped twice from the same mistake.


    Giana should have learned that Hailee waspletely a different entity, because she could be terrifying and unpredictable, unlike the other women Giana had met in her formal daily life.


    Hailee looked even more¡­ wild.


    Meanwhile, the girl who Giana thought was very wild was walking back toward the restaurant and did not think about Giana who was soaked after being sshed with mineral water twice.


    Of course, why should Hailee think about her at all?


    Once Hailee returned to her seat, she then smiled at Elena, but did not return to sit with the woman, but went straight to Ramon, who was still unaware of the incident between Hailee and Giana.


    Meanwhile, Elena smiled back at Hailee, feeling a little nervous, because she saw what happened between Hailee and Mrs. Smith.


    This wife of Ramon Tordoff doused Aidan Smith''s wife twice and walked away! What kind of grudge between the two of them?!


    Elena would not have believed that had happened if she had not seen it with her own eyes.


    What in the world happened between the two?


    "I want to go home," Hailee said in a sulking voice. She looked at Ramon with a pleading look, as if she didn''t want to be there any longer. And it was true. Hailee didn''t want them to be in the same ce as that crazy woman at all. Not even a second longer.


    Their encounters at the hospital and at the auction venue were annoying enough, not to mention the fact that Giana had followed them to this ind.


    That woman really had no pride at all!


    "Return?" Ramon stared at the creases between Hailee''s brows and wondered what had made his wife suddenly asked him toe home. "Okay."


    However, Ramon agreed, as it seemed Hailee would argue with him if this request was not fulfilled, yet Hailee shook her head again. "I want to go home." She reconfirmed.


    "Yes, we are going home now." Ramon said quite patiently, while Elena''s husband, still standing some distance away from them and his son, seemed to havepletely overheard their conversation.


    "Not that, but our home. Let''sgo back to town A," Hailee exined what she meant in sufficient detail and made Ramon even more surprised and clueless.


    "Why?" he asked. "I thought you liked it here."


    "I loved it here, until I found out that Giana was on this ind too," Hailee said in a grumpy and irritated tone, folding her arms to indicate that she was really serious and not just sulking as usual.


    "Giana? She is here?" This time it was Ramon who was confused. He looked around, but Hailee stomped her feet instead. "What?" The frown on his forehead deepened when Ramon saw Hailee grunt.


    "You really want to see her?" Hailee red, her emotions still unstable since she humiliated Giana and when Ramon made a gesture like this, Hailee was even more annoyed.


    "You said Giana was here, but I didn''t see her at all," Ramon said, defending himself. Of course, the gesture was not on purpose. It''s just the out of instinct reaction.


    Hailee narrowed her eyes, still looking incredulous at what Ramon was saying, but then she returned to her previous wish. "I want to go home."


    ==============


    That same night, Hailee and Ramon flew back to town A, leaving Crestgold Ind, returning three days ahead of their schedule.


    After Ramon confirmed that Giana was indeed there and Hailee looked irritated by the problem, Ramon did not dy their return.


    If Hailee wasn''t able to enjoy this holiday, so why did they have to stay there any longer?


    At first, Ramon offered to ask Giana to leave the ind, but Hailee refused and stuck with her original request, namely; return to their home at the Tordoffs.


    Therefore, Ramon did not argue with his wife and chose to go along with her wishes, seeing how bad Hailee''s mood was.


    "Am I bothering you?" Hailee asked in a low voice and her eyes were full of apologies.


    Even though a moment ago Hailee looked like a lioness ready to pounce on anyone who would argue with her, now she looked like a kitten who had lost its mother.


    "No," Ramon said simply. Then grabbed his cell phone to check a few things.


    Actually, Ramon didn''t really have a problem with their return, it''s just that Hailee was too sensitive in responding to this.


    His wife now rested her head on Ramon''s shoulder when the ne took off.


    "Do you love me?" Hailee asked in a low voice, trying to get Ramon to focus on herself.


    "Yes," Ramon answered casually.


    "Do you really love me or is it just your answer to my question?" Hailee demanded a genuine answer from Ramon and she didn''t want to settle down before she got what she wanted.


    Hearing such a question, Ramon couldn''t help but put away his cellphone and stared at Hailee, who was frowning, with an intense gaze. He then grabbed the girl''s face and kissed her forehead lightly.


    "I love the woman I married," he replied. A very diplomatic answer.


    Well, that answer was not really what Hailee wanted to hear, but in another way, it was almost the same thing, right?


    Hearing the answer she wanted, Hailee couldn''t help but feel her cheeks heat up as her face flushed red and she smiled very happily.


    Ramon''s statement strengthened Hailee''s determination, not to give Giana the slightest chance to seize what belongs to her.


    Hailee really wouldn''t feel at ease as long as Giana was still ambitious about getting Ramon back.


    But, with Ramon''s words just now, at least Hailee knew that her husband wouldn''t mess with her.


    Hopefully¡­


    ==============


    Dillon really didn''t know how to deal with Giana, who flew in a rage, when she found out that Ramon and Hailee have returned to town A.


    Taking cover behind the high walls of the Tordoff residence.


    If they were there, it meant that Giana''s chance of meeting Ramon would be close to zero or even impossible for her to meet that man.


    And what''s more, Giana didn''t want to return to city A at this time. The situation in the Smith residence was not much different from the hotel room Giana was ruffling now.


    All the utensils and all the ssware that Giana could destroy were scattered, broken into pieces on the floor.


    The shards of ss pierced several parts of her hands and feet, but the woman seemed to feel absolutely nothing as blood flowed from her injured fingers.


    "Stop Giana!" Dillon tried to grab the tablemp that Giana tried to destroy and calm the woman down, although his efforts were in vain and Giana managed to throw the poormp into a wall and shattered it into several pieces.


    "That bitch humiliated me!" Giana screamed hysterically. Trying to push Dillon''s hand away and grab another object she hadn''t managed to destroy, for which she didn''t have enough options. "She must have taken Ramon away from this ce on purpose!" She screamed.


    "Giana," said Dillon with a tired tone, responding to Giana''s almost absurd words. "Hailee is Ramon''s wife, she has the right to do anything and if Ramon doesn''t want to go, then he will still be here, but in fact he respects his wife''s request and returned to town A earlier."


    Dillon tried to make Giana think more logically, an aspect that Giana was very good at but suddenly disappeared when she had to deal with her feelings for Ramon.


    "You still have problems you have to deal with." Dillon added. He knew this was not the right time to add to Giana''s burdens with new problems, but Giana would not take her attention away from Ramon until she had something more urgent she needed to think about. "Your mother called and asked you to return to the Dawson house immediately. There is a serious matter which they want to discuss with you."


    Giana knew what serious problem her mother wanted to talk to her about. She had even guessed the questions they were going to ask her.


    But, at this point, Giana didn''t care anymore. She was fed up with her domestic life which was full of lies with Aidan.


    Therefore, isn''t this the right time to end things?


    In the past, Ramon always asked Giana to leave Aidan, but because of deliberate consideration and fear of making decisions, Giana never really did, as she knew Ramon would always be with her and she liked their situation at that time.


    It''s just that, things were different now and Giana knew that she wouldn''t be able to endure life with Aidan any longer than this. All of this had to end soon...

 Chapter 157: HONEYMOON (16)

    <h4>Chapter 157: HONEYMOON (16)</h4>


    "Calm down Giana¡­" Dillon tried to get this woman to stop her tantrum and start listening to him, but it required an extra effort just to do so.


    And it was only after two full hours of Giana pouring out her emotions, anger, irritation and sadness that she got a little better.


    Now, Giana was sitting beside her bed with broken ss pieces and other shattered objects scattered around her. But she didn''t care.


    And for now, Dillon didn''t care either, as long as Giana stayed calm. That''s what''s important now.


    Dillon then moved closer to Giana, sat next to her, leaning his back against the side of the bed, just like she did.


    "I want a drink," Giana said. Her throat felt like an arid desert, very painful after the desperate screams she had been giving out during the past two hours. Her body also felt very ufortable.


    "Okay," Dillon agreed and grabbed the phone which luckily was saved from Giana''s fit and immediately contacted the hotel clerk to bring drinks to this room.


    However, after Dillon said that they only wanted drinks and some snacks and was about to hang up the phone, Giana grabbed the phone and then mentioned her favorite brand of alcohol, which was apparently avable there.


    Unmitigated, Giana ordered two bottles. Dillon was just about to protest, but then Giana hung up, not giving Dillon a chance to cancel the final order. He could only take a deep breath.


    Trying to calm down and also train his patience.


    "I want a divorce," Giana said in a weak voice, now leaning on Dillon''s shoulder, her body was limp and aching after her crazy tantrum.


    Giana''s hair, which was usually neatly arranged, was now sticking out here and there,ing out of the hair ties that were no longer shaped.


    The lipstick and make- up she wore have lost their original essence, which was to make someone''s appearance more attractive, and ''attractive'' was thest word that could describe Giana at this moment.


    If only someone had known her and saw her now, they would not have recognized the disheveled Giana who was heartbroken.


    She looked so different ...


    Meanwhile, Dillon allowed Giana to lean on him and smoothened the strands of her hair.


    The strokes on Giana''s head were so soft that she couldn''t help but tear up again, remembering how hard her life had beentely with all kinds of problems that hit her endlessly.


    A hush fell over the room. Except for the sound of waves crashing the stones and the soft sobs from Giana, nothing else could be heard.


    Until finally Dillon opened his mouth a few momentster. "Are you ready for all the consequences you will have to face when you announce your separation from Aidan?" He asked. Feeling worried about this friend of his.


    On his shoulder, still crying, Giana nodded weakly.


    She realized what wasing and had prepared herself for the worst, because imagining having to live like this for the rest of her life was not a pleasant choice ...


    At least in this way, Giana would not prolong her suffering any longer.


    Meanwhile, hearing Giana''s answer, Dillon could only sigh heavily. He had asked Giana to consider this hundreds of times, but if Giana''s decision to get a divorce stayed unwavering, then the only thing Dillon could do right now was to support her.


    "I will find the bestwyer for you to solve this problem," said Dillon, in the end he too gave in to Giana''s decision.


    "Thank you," Giana muttered in a low voice and finally a faint smile curled on her lips. "Thank you for being the only person by my side," Giana added.


    She was really lucky to have Dillon by her side in a situation like this and really couldn''t help thinking that if only she had to face all this alone, maybe Giana wouldn''t even be able to endure.


    "I just hope that your decision this time is right and doesn''t bring new yet moreplicated problems in to your life," Dillon said as he patted Giana on the shoulder lightly.


    For a moment the two fell silent again, until someone knocked on the door to inform them that their drinks had arrived...


    ==============


    It seemed that tonight was not only a tough night for Giana, but also for Aidan. He cursed himself so many times for being so careless about sleeping with Aileen Tatum.


    It''s not that he was trying to be a gentleman and felt like he had been having an affair by sleeping with Hailee Tordoff''s foster sister, hell, he had even been cheating on Zia for years. So, Aidan wouldn''t act like a saint now.


    But, what Aileen asked from him was somethingpletely beyond his expectations. How could that woman have such ambition and desire for something that did not belong to her?


    And Aidan had no other way but to help her, because otherwise Aileen would spread the issue between the two of them, apanied by concrete evidence of their rendezvous at the hotel.


    Shit!


    That woman had intended to set him up from the start! And Aidan just slipped into her trap, as if sacrificing himself voluntarily.


    And now the problem had only multiplied after his fight with Giana, which seemed like it would have an end that both of them most feared would happen.


    Everything just got worse.


    Aidan then lit a cigarette and then blew the white smoke into the air, as if he was releasing the burden of his gloomy life.


    The cigarette between his fingers emitted a thin white smoke and gave off a distinctive tobo scent, while his right hand held the cellphone, the screen of which indicated an outgoing call.


    Just a string of numbers without a name. However, Aidan had memorized it by heart.


    After thest ring went off without sess, Aidan put his cell phone on the table and walked to therge floor to ceiling windows that showed the city lights flickering at night. A sight that should be quite calming, but it seemed this man didn''t feel anything like that.


    Nothing could protect him from the feeling that seemed to be poisoning him more and more


    Zia... The name came back to his mind and Aidan didn''t have the power to hold back all the memories that seemed to flood his memory and paralyze his mind.


    Afterward, Aidan spent the night deep in thought...


    ==============


    Giana felt her body feel hot after finishing half of the alcohol bottle she ordered.


    If it weren''t for Dillon, who forbade her and took the bottle in her hand, then it was certain that Giana would have drank up all the liquid.


    Meanwhile, Dillon shook his head, seeing how Giana was now.


    The woman could not even stand up and move to the bed, so that she could rest morefortably.


    Therefore, Dillon took the initiative to carry her.


    It''s just that Dillon had also drank a few sses of alcohol to apany Giana''s pitiful little party, therefore, now he felt a little tipsy.


    However, he was still trying to lift this woman''s body and luckily Giana didn''t weigh too heavy.


    With a little unsteadiness, Dillon finally managed to carry Giana and put her a little harder on the bed. But he stumbled on something, and just like that, Dillon fell slightly on top of Giana''s body and identally his lips brushed over hers.


    For a moment Dillon was stunned by the brief touch, giving off a stinging sensation.


    Three secondster Dillon was like someone cursed frozen and immobile, his eyes glued to Giana''s frowning face and tightly knit brows.


    The woman''s eyes were staring at him through the mist that seemed to obscure her vision.


    Giana looked very beautiful right now. She was so fragile that it made Dillon''s soul tremble a little.


    No.


    Giana always looked beautiful, no matter what condition she was in. It''s just that Dillon was ustomed to seeing herself as a figure of a sessful business woman, while he was just a personal assistant.


    Dillon never saw Giana as aplete woman, not until tonight. Not until recently.


    Dillon knew this was wrong and dangerous, but deep in his heart, he couldn''t deny the tingling feelings that spread from every touch of his skin with Giana''s and how their bodies positioned close together, leaving no room at all.


    The rm inside Dillon''s head started to go off, warning him that it would be a big problem if he gave in to his passionate desires.


    It was unusual for Dillon to be like this, losing his mind and self- control, and he was again ming this on the alcohol in his blood. The damn liquid he had consumed without thinking.


    "Giana, I have to go," Dillon said in a voice that sounded hoarse and heavy. He had to leave immediately before hepletely lost his mind and gave into his primal male desires.


    "Hmm ..." Giana muttered in response.


    However, when Dillon was about to rise from Giana''s body, the woman''s long legs wrapped around him like a snake, which had just gotten its prey.


    "Giana," called Dillon in a deeper voice, now his vision was starting to get blurry, filled with shadows of pleasure filling his head and making his throat feel dry.


    Especially when he felt Giana''s hand cup his face and pull himself closer.


    "Giana, we can''t do this ..." Dillon whispered, but his eyes glistened with strange emotions and raging feelings.


    A little part inside Dillon gave him a stern warning to stop whatever he was thinking right now.


    It''s just that that side was too weak to fight the alcohol content in Dillon''s system and when Giana''s sweet lips touched his, there was only one thing in his head that demanded him to surrender to what Giana had to offer ...


    This was a dangerous thing and Dillon knew that as well. But, wasn''t it like the more dangerous something was, the more you want to taste it? And that''s how Dillon felt right now.


    Oh, shit! This couldn''t be right!


    As Giana tugged his hair gently and groaned in their kisses, Dillon lost all words and logic, even rationality he had managed to grip onto until now was thrown out of the window.


    And Dillon gave Giana what she needed, what she wanted under the influence of the alcohol messing with them.


    Dillon embraced Giana''s body and began to touch every inch of her, touching her frozen heart and feeling her sadness.


    This time he apanied this lonely soul in a different way.


    And it was a night they would remember. The beginning of many simr nights they would spend together. A rtionship without foundation and boundaries.


    This would be the sweetest sin that they tasted¡­

 Chapter 158: THE SWEETEST SIN

    <h4>Chapter 158: THE SWEETEST SIN</h4>


    Hailee arrived at the Tordoffs residence when it was almost night and she no longer had the energy to open her eyes.


    The drowsiness struck her quite strongly, afterpleting this tiring and quite sudden journey to home.


    So, Ramon decided to carry her into their house and then took Hailee straight to their room.


    Prior to their return journey, Ramon had contacted Danny to inform him of their departure ahead of schedule.


    Hence, Ramon''s room had a ''new'' feel to wee this new couple to the Tordoff family. Yes, this new couple would upy Ramon''s bedroom and all the decorations in the room, which at first looked very dull, minimalistic and seemed a little lonely, now have a little color with abination of blue and white gradations.


    And not only that, even Hailee''s clothes have moved into Ramon''s closet now.


    Ramon''s walk- in closet looked crowded with the addition of Hailee''s clothes on the other side. There were also tworge cabs, which appeared to be newly purchased for the two of them. In addition to kept Hailee''s jewelery as well as all kinds of ties, watches and also Ramon''s safe.


    During their honeymoon time was enough time for Lis and Lexus to fulfill their crazy dreams by entering Ramon''s private territory and changing some without his permission.


    It was certain that this was the work of Lis and Lexus. They both were the masterminds of all these crazy ideas.


    But oddly enough, Ramon didn''t mind at all when he saw all of this. He just nced at his room which had changed in looks and vibe and then put Hailee on the bed with ease.


    Seeing that Hailee was still wearing her jacket, which was sure to make her sleep ufortable, Ramon then took it upon himself to take it off for her, leaving Hailee with only a t-shirt and jeans.


    Hailee didn''t even dress up when they went to the small airport on Crestgold Ind, so they could reach city A in the immediate flight. She was in rush, or you could say she was really upset to be in the same ce with Giana.


    Although during the air trip Hailee looked cheerful as usual, despite the short drama of her jealousy toward Giana, but as they continue the road trip, Hailee got sleepy and began to fall asleep in the first five minutes of their car moving through the traffic of city A, toward the Tordoff residence.


    And until now, it seemed that Hailee was still asleep and didn''t remember anything about their return trip.


    After removing the jacket Hailee was wearing, Ramon then covered her and kissed her forehead.


    However, it was at this time that something happened, or maybe it was more correctly; Ramon seemed to feel deja vu from what he was doing.


    Ramon seemed to see a sh of a memory from his past, in those four years he had forgotten.


    But, what was certain was this incident happened not too long ago. Because when he got that sh of memory, the face that appeared in his eyes was Giana.


    Ramon''s subconscious recalled that he had done almost exactly the same things he was doing now to Hailee.


    Giana was sleeping and he kissed her forehead, then covered her body with nket...


    However, after that Ramon couldn''t remember anything else. Only that fragment of memory had returned, while the rest were still shrouded in a mist of mystery.


    Ramon frowned and looked at Hailee''s face, who was fast asleep, which strangely brought calm to his rumbling heart.


    What is that memory?


    Even though that was a question Ramon asked himself, but he knew the answer to that question.


    It was not new information for Ramon to know that he was having an affair with another man''s wife, despite his distrust of this fact, for which he kept questioning himself; why he did that?


    Ramon knew he wouldn''t be crazy enough to do all that, right?


    And what made him so attracted to Giana that he risked his reputation and status for such apletely worthless affair?


    Even Ramon didn''t want to believe that this unreasonable man was him.


    What really happened between him and Giana? And how did it all start? This was still a big question mark for Ramon and the only way to get the answer was to get back his lost memories.


    However, on the other hand, Ramon did not want that memory. He was quitefortable with the way he was now, with the state he was in with Hailee.


    Ramon thought all of this was enough...


    Moreover, the fact that his past with Giana was not a pleasant thing to remember, this made him reluctant.


    However, there was still something that bothered Ramon. An ufortable feeling that he felt when such shes of memory came back to him and he didn''t know how he could do something like that? What was the reason?


    Once again, Ramon stared at Hailee''s sleeping face and pulled the nket over her chin, gave her a brief kiss and then tucked the nket for her neatly.


    After a while, Ramon decided to enjoy the evening breeze while clearing his slightly tangled thoughts on the balcony.


    And without being noticed, Ramon spent the night there, until the morning sun greeted the world again...


    ==============


    Dillon sat on the edge of the bed, staring at Giana''s sleeping face, who seemed to be very sound asleep, as if nothing could wake her up.


    His head was still throbbing painfully, so he massaged his temples slowly as he was trying to remember what happenedst night.


    Not that Dillon forgot about it, of course not. Dillon clearly remembered everything he did with Giana.


    Every inch of her soft skin he touched and how she sighed in his ear when she called out his name.


    Did that mean Giana would remember it? Giana realized that it was Dillon and didn''t mind at all? Or maybe Giana called him out for them to stop all the madness, but Dillon didn''t understand and he misinterpreted her words and reactions.


    Giana''s reactionst night ...


    Dillon was reminded again how responsive Giana was to every touch from him. So, thest thought wasn''t exactly right, right?


    Or...


    Dillon felt like his head was going to explode and the throbbing in his temple was getting crazy, it felt like this pain alone could kill him.


    However, there was something more urgent that he had to think about¡­


    How would Giana react when she woke up? Was it all right if Dillon stayed around until then, or maybe he should pretend that nothing really happenedst night.


    Would Giana remember what happened between them?


    Should Dillon tell her? But, how should he get started?


    ''We just slept together and I know it was a mistake.'' But after that what? Their interactions would be awkward, especially since they were working together and most of Dillon''s time was spent staying with Giana.


    Or should Dillon just pretend he didn''t know anything? If Giana didn''t remember this incident, then Dillon could forget about it and think that this was just a dream...


    But, could he really do that?


    It feltpletely impossible after what the two of them had done and hoped that the rtionship between them would return to normal.


    While Dillon was thinking about all the possibilities, suddenly Giana stretched out in her sleep and this made Dillon froze in his spot. His eyes watched Giana''s body twitching restlessly, before finally her beautiful eyes opened.


    She blinked for a few moments before finally her eyes caught Dillon''s figure there; stunned and at a loss for words...


    Giana then realized that something was wrong, and tried to sit up, but it caused the nket that was covering her to fall onto herp, revealing her uncovered upper body.


    But, luckily her long hair covered her sensitive parts¡­


    Still, Dillon had to keep his eyes on her face and not any other part of Giana''s body.


    For a moment, they remained in that position until Dillon cleared his throat and took a deep breath, trying to be as calm as possible and face the situation with a cool head.


    But, still, everything he thought was inconsistent with the roar in his chest and the words of usation that kept echoing in his head saying that he had taken advantage of an unstable situation and woman ...


    What an animal he had been.


    "Giana ..." Dillon started to speak, but then his words stopped when Giana just stood there, showing her naked self right in front of him.


    Indeed, Dillon had seen Giana''s soft bodyst night, but now things werepletely different. The situation and the atmosphere are also different.


    Now, they were both very aware of each other''s presence and perhaps the most beautiful sin theymittedst night.


    It''s just that, why was Giana not bothered by this at all? She didn''t show any strange reaction.


    "I am going to take a shower," Giana said in her voice that still sounded like someone who had just downed a kilogram of sand, rough and hoarse, as she passed Dillon who was looking down, looking away from Giana''s naked body.


    "Oh ... yes ..." Dillon stammered. He didn''t understand why Giana acted like this was nothing big...


    Or maybe Giana was still not fully aware of what had happened... Maybe her mind was still clouded by the influence of alcohol fromst night.


    Then, did Dillon have to wait there until Giana finished taking a shower? Or should he leave this room now?

 Chapter 159: I AM AFRAID YOU WILL MISS ME

    <h4>Chapter 159: I AM AFRAID YOU WILL MISS ME</h4>


    Giana felt the warm water pouring from the shower over her head, washing her body which felt sticky and ufortable, giving her new energy.


    It''s just that, the more she felt this good feeling and the clearer her mind remembered what had happenedst night, the more ufortable she felt.


    Shit!


    What foolishness have youmitted, Giana?!


    Giana cursed herself, banging her head against the white bathroom wall, but the pain couldn''t prevent Dillon''s shadows. Couldn''t get rid of the figure that pressed against herst night, nor how the man touched her slightly harshly.


    Giana gritted her teeth as not only her mind remembered the incident, but her body as well.


    Giana could imagine how Dillon touched her body with his rough fingers and she couldn''t help but think how much she enjoyed it all...


    Shit!


    Giana rut again to herself, trying to get rid of the heat that was starting to pool under her stomach which made her heart race faster.


    So far, Giana had never looked at Dillon like that. No. Not even once. She never even thought she would have a rtionship like this with her old friend.


    Haven''t they known each other for years? In fact, Dillon was the only person who knew about her household conflicts with Aidan as well as her affair with Ramon Tordoff.


    So, howe they now have aplicated rtionship as well?


    During this time Giana always felt safe when she was with Dillon, even there were times when she didn''t think that Dillon was also a man who could have such needs.


    And Giana remembered very well,st night, that she had seduced Dillon, shamelessly hooked her legs around his waist and kissed him passionately.


    However, it seemed that under the influence of alcohol, even Dillon had to put his senses aside for a moment, and that moment was what began to change the professional rtionship between the two of them.


    So, if it was like this, who was to me?


    Giana really wanted to p herself this time and hit her head so she could forget everything.


    It had been more than thirty minutes that Giana had been in the bathroom, trying to hide from Dillon and also giving the man time to leave her room.


    Since Giana couldn''t face him now...


    No, they would see one another, but certainly not now. Right now, Giana needed time to regte her emotions and think about what attitude she should have when they metter.


    For a moment, Giana groomed herself in front of the mirror, staring at her red eyes and the dark circles under her eyes that stared at her own reflection in front of the ss with emptiness.


    Her lips were slightly swollen and Giana touched them. It felt painful, but she wouldn''tin about this ...


    Rather, if Giana could say... She was quite enjoying it.


    Shit!


    How long had Giana not done this until she was acting like a teenage girl? It was not her first time experiencing a man''s touch to be feeling this awkward either.


    Giana bit her lip hard and made an irritated sound.


    Once again, she released a deep sigh, only then did she step out of the bathroom, hoping that Dillon didn''t stay back, hoping that he had left the room...


    Earlier, Giana was indeed very surprised when she opened her eyes and found both of them naked, not to mention after memories ofst night''s events that flooded her memory. She became cold and chose to pretend this had never happened.


    However, from the look in Dillon''s eyes, Giana knew that they wouldn''t be able to pretend about this any longer.


    Dillon would definitely bring this up and Giana couldn''t say that she didn''t remember anything.


    Damn! Why is this problem soplicated? Didn''t the problem with Aidan alone was enough to darken her days, not to mention the added problem with Ramon and Hailee...


    Giana only made her life worse, stepping into a dead end.


    Hopefully Dillon should have left... because Giana was not sure she still had the energy to face him and discuss this topic...


    However, she received the shock of her life when she saw Dillon still sitting on the bed, but this time he was already fully dressed.


    Giana could feel her face tighten as her voice got caught in her throat when their eyes met. It felt like her whole body had been electrocuted and made her shiver.


    Especially when Dillon started to raise his voice.


    "Giana... looks like we have something to talk about..." His voice sounded firmer and more awkward than usual.


    ==============


    After returning from their long honeymoon early, Hailee spent most of her time at home and today was thest day of Ramon''s long holiday to end.


    Which should have been the day they came back from Crestgold.


    Their sudden return was indeed enough to raise questions and Lexus, as someone who wanted to know everything, pulled Hailee away and spoke with her one- on- one.


    Guessing that his brother did something to make Hailee angry and upset and thus hastened their vacation.


    Well, that''s not wrong ...


    But, it''s not Ramon who annoyed Hailee, it''s Giana who was wearing out Hailee''s patience, which left her emotions bubbling like hot water.


    And after seeing the intimacy that Ramon and Hailee bore very ''lightly'' in front of Lexus, only then did the curious- all- knowing brother believe that there really was nothing wrong in their rtionship so far.


    As for Lis, after she received aplete report on how Hailee and Ramon tortured Lexus''s single self with dog food, she believed that they both just wanted to finish their honeymoon sooner.


    Although this still raised questions in Lis'' mind regarding the real reason they didn''t continue their honeymoon as originally nned, she was restrained enough not to get too far into Ramon and Hailee''s business.


    And right now, Hailee was persuading Ramon to let herself meet Ian, because tomorrow Ramon would return to the office to take care of hispany, while Hailee had no friends and activities to fill her time.


    The only friend Hailee wanted to meet was Ian, but Ramonpletely disagreed about this and insisted that his wife seek other activities.


    Ramon was much more likely to agree that Hailee would continue her education, which Hailee had nned, but was still confused about which major to take.


    "Ramon, you can''t stop me from going like this," whined Hailee. She was sitting beside their bed with a sullen face, displeased with Ramon''s decision for not allowing her to meet Ian. "I didn''t even see Ian at our wedding and I haven''t called him in a while."


    "Why would you meet another man at our wedding?" Ramon asked, taking one of the ties from the drawer and handing the dark blue tie to Hailee, so she could put it on him.


    Hailee had learned how to put on a tie and it wasn''t as difficult as she thought. However, Ramon almost alwaysmented that his tie looked untidy. It''s just that, when Hailee said he could put it on himself and make it look better, Ramon would ignore it and go to work in Hailee''s ''messy'' tie.


    What a hypocrite was he, right?


    "Wait a minute, where are you going?" Hailee furrowed her brows and looked at the tie in her hands. "Aren''t you going to start work tomorrow?"


    Hailee just realized that Ramon looked too neat for someone who was still on his vacation.


    "I have some business outside," Ramon answered and pulled Hailee up to put the tie on.


    "You can go and I can''t? It''s not fair," Hailee grumbled, but she started to tie the tie around Ramon''s neck. Well, Ramon had to bend a little so that Hailee could wrap it around his neck, because of the significant difference in their heights. "It''s not fair, you know." She repeated herins.


    "You can also go out, if you want to," Ramon said, but then he continued quickly when he saw Hailee about to open her mouth to answer. "But, not to meet Ian."


    When she heard thatst sentence, Hailee immediately frowned again and pulled the tie around Ramon''s neck so that it was too tight and made the man re.


    After that, Hailee threw herself back on the bed and stared at Ramon fiercely, leaving Ramon to struggle with the tie around his neck himself.


    "I want to meet my friend," Hailee insisted. "Why are you being so annoying?"


    "I''m not being annoying, I just don''t like you getting too close to street fighters." Ramon finally managed to break free from the tie.


    "Ian is not a street fighter," Hailee argued, but this only made Ramon squint his eyes and Hailee knew she had said the wrong words. "Where are you going today? I don''t want to be alone at home..." Finally Hailee changed the subject by asking about Ramon''s activities today.


    "You can''t be alone, there are about seventy people in this house..." Ramon corrected Hailee''s words in a light tone and got a throw of the pillow from his wife.


    Hearing Ramon''s answer, Hailee rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean."


    "I want to invite you too, but you will be bored with my activities today." Ramon rubbed Hailee''s head gently and then kissed her forehead, realizing that he was being too hard on this little girl.


    "I want toe," Hailee replied impulsively. She knew that Ramon''s activities would be really boring, but she didn''t want to be left alone in this house, after all these days Hailee had gotten used to being close to him.


    Maybe it''s a kind of longing... but, wasn''t this feeling good enough for a pair of new couple like them?


    Just thinking of this made Hailee smile. She liked the intimacy that existed between herself and Ramon, and what''s much more pleasant was that Ramon seemed to feel the same way.


    "I promise I won''t interfere, I will just mind my own business." Hailee raised her hand with a smile. "I''m just worried that in the middle of the meeting you will suddenly miss me. If that happens, you will be unable to concentrate on work, right?" Hailee nced at Ramon mischievously.


    Maybe flirting with Ramon a little could make this guy less rigid around her, because if Ramon wanted to get to know Ian closer, the two of them could be friends, right?


    Hailee thought Ian was quite likable and Ramon was too wary of him.


    "Miss you?" Ramon repeated Hailee''s words and lowered his head, smiling. "Aren''t you the one who don''t want to be separated from me?"


    "Maybe we can''t get away from each other," Hailee replied diplomatically and tugged at Ramon''s cor to kiss him. Increasingly messing up the shape of his tie which was already a mess...

 Chapter 160: SMALL THINGS THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY

    <h4>Chapter 160: SMALL THINGS THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY</h4>


    The sky was so bright when Giana set foot in the airport of city A. She was wearing ck sses and a dark leather jacketbined with a matching shirt and pants.


    From the way she was dressed, others could tell that her mood was as gloomy as the clothes she was wearing, the opposite of the weather today.


    Mrs. Smith walked alone while dragging her suitcase and headed to a ce where she could find a taxi with an expressionless face. There was no smile whatsoever on her lips when airport officials greeted her.


    Yes, Giana was alone, because Dillon hade home early two days ago.


    Actually, there really was nothing urgent to do, requiring the presence of Giana or Dillon, in other words; Dillon could just go home with Giana today.


    However, Dillon chose to go home early and not be with Giana after their awkward chat a few days ago after the incident that night.


    They talked for a long time, which took over three hours. But, if one listened to their entire chat, which was mostly filled with silence, then they would know that they actually talked for less than an hour.


    And the essence of the conversation was; Giana and Dillon agreed to forget about the incident and carry on with their lives as usual, pretending that nothing had happened between them.


    That was the decision that the two of them thought the best.


    It was a wise decision and far more sensible than Dillon having to quit his job and cut ties with Giana out of awkwardness.


    Because Dillon''s departure would have a big impact not only on thepany but also on Giana''s life.


    Well, after all, Giana still needed her best friend amidst her chaotic household problems which were now getting tapered, and that one night''s mistake was not worth losing Dillon''s support at all.


    Though it sounded selfish, but she needed him, professionally and unprofessionally.


    Therefore, they both agreed on this.


    However, it didn''t seem as easy as they thought, because thest two days, when Dillon coordinated with Giana on work, they both felt so awkward, even though it was just a chat on the phone and not meeting in person.


    Really, one fatal mistake was enough to destroy an age old rtionship.


    But, at least they were both adults and could respond to this much sensibly.


    It was just that, there was still something stuck in Giana''s heart and her guilt toward Ramon was even stronger than what she felt toward Aidan.


    Of course, because Giana never thought about Aidan''s feelings while she maintained an affair with Ramon, neither did Aidan, when he got into an affair behind Giana.


    Her marriage was not onlyplicated, but also full of toxic rtionships. More than these, Giana was sure that she would lose her sanity.


    Now, she had to go back to the Smith family, exin her and Aidan''s troubles, and work out her divorce to the man.


    Giana didn''t have any problem even if she didn''t get a single penny from her marriage to Aidan, because she had never run out of money so far. However, what would be a problemter was how the two families would respond in this regard.


    Their reaction could already be imagined by Giana and she knew this feud would not go smoothly.


    There would be a lot of drama and she needed a ton of energy to spend.


    Not to mention if Giana''s status got changed, then she would also face unpleasant usations and assumptions.


    Giana then raised her head and looked at the hot sun from behind her sunsses...


    This is going to be really hard...


    ==============


    Hailee felt her cheekbones hurt because she had to force a smile on her lips for the past two hours.


    Yes, Hailee followed Ramon to attend a meeting with two important people Hailee always saw on television, some sort of county official in the city, but she didn''t remember until the two of them introduced themselves.


    Ugh! Hailee''s knowledge was weak in this matter, as she had never paid more attention to matters of business and government.


    However, in the midst of this super boring chat, Hailee found constion by knowing how great her husband was at negotiating and leading the conversation in the direction he actually wanted.


    Not only that, Hailee could even see how efficient Ramon was at work and his brilliant ideas, which not only cut the budget, but also wasted no time working on something he thought was useless.


    It was just that the admiration onlysted for an hour, because after that, the boredom that attacked Hailee became much annoying and made the girl decide to be in her own world.


    When Ramon and the two people were talking so seriously that they didn''t really notice Hailee, who didn''t say anything more after greeting and giving some short pleasantries, maybe they even forgot that Hailee was there, the girl was busy too.


    She looked for her own busy- ness by looking at the semi- finished building and turning her attention to its surroundings.


    The n was, Ramon would build arge mall in this ce. The biggest mall that couldpete with all malls in city A.


    However, the process would take some time due to weather factors and several other things.


    Therefore, Ramon took the time to visit this ce and specifically invited the two regional officials, because this mall would of course require a lot of workers, which in turn would create new jobs around that ce.


    The building was huge and Hailee could imagine that this ce would literally be a shopping center and be filled with visitors.


    It would be extraordinary, but for Ramon, this would only be an addition to his money- making machine, adding to his already very abundant coffers of wealth.


    Well, if this man could be describe in two words, it would be; money maker.


    Sometimes, Hailee would wonder why Ramon wanted her smallpanypared to his other projects, to the point where Ramon was willing to marry her.


    But, lucky for Hailee because her marriage to Ramon went smoothly, without any significant obstacles. Maybe it was too quick to think that way, because they just got married a few weeks ago...


    And they still have a lot to deal with together, it''s just that they had a great start, right? Remembering Ramon also paying more attention to Hailee like a husband even though no one else was around them.


    For example, like little things like this...


    Hailee was walking too slowly and she fell behind, but Ramon then reached out and grabbed Hailee''s hand so that she wouldn''t stray too far from him, even though he did so while still talking to the two people walking on his left.


    It was this little attentive nature that made Hailee''s heart flutter and her face flushed, forgetting about her boredom a little.


    Ramon did it very natural as if he meant every single action. Maybe¡­ just maybe¡­ though they started this rtionship in strange way, they could be a normal couple like everyone else.


    Or when the wind blew from the unclosed gaps of the half- finished building tangled Hailee''s hair, messing up a little.


    It was at this time that Ramon stretched out his hand and smoothened Hailee''s hair, momentarily ignoring the two people''s exnation.


    You could see, how easily Hailee could fall in love with Ramon, with his simple action like that¡­


    Because every gesture of that man, always gave Hailee its own sensation that made her wonder again; If Ramon''s lost memory had returned, would he still treat Hailee the same?


    Sometimes, when this question crossed Hailee''s heart, she would brush it off, not really wanting to think about it.


    "So, what do you think?" Ramon suddenly asked Hailee, turning his undivided attention to his wife who looked bored while looking around with disinterested eyes.


    "Eh?" Hailee stuttered at a question she didn''t hear at all. What did Ramon mean? She didn''t hear the question at all, so how could she answer it?


    Seeing Hailee who looked confused, Ramon then exined briefly and only drew conclusions on the exnation given by the two regional officials.


    And the bottom line was; the two regional officials agreed more that the ground floor of this mall was made as an art exhibition venue, thereby adding to the aesthetic value of the ce.


    However, it seemed that Ramon''s heart wasn''t with with this suggestion. Therefore, he asked Hailee''s opinion.


    Well, a second opinion was good and needed, but Hailee simply didn''t understand the concept and how marketing worked for things like this.


    Hence, Hailee gave Ramon a doubtful look and answered honestly. "I don''t understand the matter at all." Hailee nced at the two officials who were staring at her with raised eyebrows, as if waiting for what she had to say.


    In fact, the fact that Ramon asked his wife''s opinion was quite shocking for the two of them.


    They didn''t expect a dominant figure like Ramon to appreciate Hailee''s opinion. But, maybe it was like what people always say; that a man could change if he met the right woman.


    And Ramon was a real life example.


    "But¡­" Hailee said hesitantly, in fact she had an opinion, but didn''t know if this would help or not.


    Because after all, Hailee didn''t have much knowledge on these business rted topics, yet as someone who liked to visit several big malls, she had a view of her own.


    "But?" Ramon repeated Hailee''s words, waiting patiently for his wife to continue what she wanted to say.

 Chapter 161: YOU ARE A COWARD

    <h4>Chapter 161: YOU ARE A COWARD</h4>


    "But¡­" Hailee looked hesitant as she had to voice her opinion. She was not someone who could easily say what she thought under this kind of pressure, especially when what she said would take important consideration.


    She was simply nervous and didn''t get use to this kind of attention, especially from the two people. However, after all, the fact that Ramon asked her opinion, made Hailee feel ttered and appreciated.


    "Yes, but?" Ramon encouraged Hailee to speak further, letting her exin what was on her mind and her opinion about this matter.


    "But, I think it would be better if it was used as a children''s y area at the bottom." Hailee bit her lip nervously when she saw that Ramon didn''t show any change in his expression.


    However, it was different with the two officials who stood beside Ramon. Because of their position behind her husband, the facial expressions they made couldn''t be seen by Ramon, but Hailee could see their displeasure clearly.


    One official in a light blue suit with an almost bald head even grimaced, tantly showing his dislike for Hailee''s idea, while the second official shook his head slowly, indicating that hepletely disagreed with what Hailee was proposing.


    Of course they wouldn''t think too highly about her inexperienced opinion.


    Seeing the two negative reactions, Hailee then hurriedly corrected her words. "That''s just my personal opinion... I didn''t mean to interfere in this matter..."


    Hailee raised her hands. Feeling stupid now, she regretted what she said. She shouldn''t have said anything earlier. Well, the truth was; she didn''t want to look bad in front of Ramon.


    However, what made Hailee feel even more worse was that she had just humiliated Ramon with her words.


    Ugh! This feeling was very unpleasant.


    It''s just that, beyond Hailee''s expectation, Ramon was actually interested in listening to his wife''s exnation further about the answer she just gave to them, ignoring the negative reactions given by the two regional officials.


    "Why do you think that a children''s yground is better than an art show to be the highlight?" Ramon asked.


    The central hall which was the main highlight that would be seen when visitors first entered was a very strategic ce and was the first ce that would attract attention.


    And sometimes, it was also the ce that could determine whether the visitors would be willing to stay for a longer period of time or not.


    Because the central hall would give the first impression to the visitors of this mallter. Therefore, they should think about it carefully.


    "So, what made you think the yground would be better?" Ramon asked again when he saw Hailee hesitating in her reply.


    "Because I thought the kids would be more interested ining to a yground." Hailee started, she then briefly exined her thoughts.


    Which, ording to her, city Fcked the means of ying ground for children, where each family would go on vacation to town T or R for a long vacation. However, this was inversely proportional to the poption of children in city F, where nearly sixty percent were children under the age of twelve.


    Children under the age of twelve were of course more and still interested in the rides and means of y.


    Hailee knew this percentage because she had a glimpse of the documents read by Ramon and also a little information about the city F when her father thought of opening a branch of hispany in this city. She would have never thought that small information was so handy right now.


    Therefore, armed with this information and based on the nature of parents who almost always give in to their child''s wishes, Hailee thought so.


    "¡­ If this mall can make those childrene back and want to visit this ce continuously, then automatically their parents wille back here and be potential customers," Hailee analyzed, but then she added. "But, that''s what I thought ..."


    Hearing the exnation from Hailee, one of the regional officials wearing a light blue suit, immediately spoke up.


    "It''s a mature market- oriented mall aesthetic, where older people will enjoy art here." He sounded unhappy with Hailee''s excuses which he thought were totally against his concept. "So I guess what you say doesn''t apply well in this mall. That''s so immature to think that way."


    Hailee frowned, she didn''t want to argue at first, but if the idea wasn''t well received, these people shouldn''t have attacked her like that and the tone of voice this middle aged man used just now was really annoying.


    On the other hand, Ramon still said nothing, his sharp eyes staring at the expression on his wife''s face which was slowly changing. Hailee was annoyed by the way those people opposed her.


    And for Ramon, seeing how Hailee would react was much more interesting than hearing the ideas of the two officials.


    And Hailee didn''t disappoint him, she fought back¡­


    "I think the aesthetic ces in city F are verymon and scattered everywhere..." Hailee then mentioned several cafes or buildings she had visited and offered a simr concept. "¡­ Don''t you see how high the percentage of children under twelve were living in this city?"


    Ramon listened attentively to the logic Hailee exined to them and had his own opinion.


    Meanwhile, the two officials seemed quite stunned by Hailee''s detailed exnation and her argument, which made sense and was eptable.


    "¡­ When this mall can attract children toe to visit again, won''t they also attract their parents toe too? Regarding the aesthetic room you are talking about, it can be ced in another part. Parents will not just stand there watching their children, because when the parents know that their children are safe in the yground, they will also go around to fulfill their desire to do windows shopping. Doesn''t that increase the opportunity for customers toe again and again?"


    Hailee proved that the fruit did not fall far from the tree, that she was a child of the appraiser, whose words and judgment were full of considerations about profit and loss.


    And even though Hailee had absolutely no interest in the business world, that didn''t mean that her ability to observe things would just disappear, because after all it had been in her blood since she was born.


    Ability to analyze and observe details, as well as sharp thinking. Hailee could do that when needed, it''s just that she was toozy to get involved with things like this.


    "But, that''s my opinion." Hailee shrugged her shoulders nonchntly. "I just thought that if I had children, then I would choose a mall that does have facilities that my children will love and I myself can do what I like. So, I don''t have to go to two different ces to please myself and my children."


    This time, the two officials couldn''t answer anything. They were intrigued and at a loss for words to argue with Hailee. Especially when the wife of Ramon Tordoff exined based on the data they had prepared themselves. Why didn''t they think this way? It must be because their focus was in something else.


    Meanwhile, Ramon looked at his wife with a smile on his lips, he then stretched out his hand and gently rubbed Hailee''s cheek while saying, "I know that our kids will love it."


    Hearing Ramon''s words, the two men coughed in surprise, while the corners of Hailee''s lips twitched.


    Huh? Couldn''t he give a normal reaction? Wasn''t that too much to say in public?


    But, Hailee didn''t mind at all ...


    She loved to hear that¡­


    Their kids¡­


    ==============


    "Why do you have to say things like that?" Theodore asked in a furious tone. He was now sitting behind his desk, his arms crossed over his chest with an angry expression that was hard to read.


    It had been nearly two weeks since Theodore had not wanted to see Aileen and was trying to avoid her, and it was very much effective.


    ''Luckily'', today Aileen knew that Theodore had an important meeting scheduled in his own office that he had to attend, so she came to the Gevano family- ownedpany building and waited in his room.


    Aileen even deliberately asked Theodore''s secretary not to announce her arrival on the pretext that she wanted to surprise him.


    And after Aileen''s grueling attempts to meet Theodore, she finally managed to confront the man Aileen had thought was the card for her freedom.


    "What else should I say to your parents?" Aileen threw herself on the chair in front of Theodore and made the same gesture. "I didn''t tell lies."


    They were finally discussing this issue. The problem that had been at the core of their fight and also the reason why Theodore had been avoiding Aileen all this time.


    "We agreed." Theodore touched his right temple which throbbed painfully. He didn''t know that his rtionship with Aileen could get this bad. "Why don''t you understand it?"


    Theodore had to be honest with himself if he didn''t want this child at all. He didn''t want anything to interfere with hisfortable life.


    Not yet. It was not yet time for him to have children, because he was still not ready to be a father.


    "Your mother will kill this child if I haven''t said that!" Aileen raised her voice. The expression on her face hardened at how Theodore behaved with her now. "She pushed me down and put this child in danger."


    Aileen said herst sentence in a harsh tone and in a defensive manner.


    It was then that Theodore raised his head and looked at Aileen with a frown. He wanted to say that; wasn''t that much better? Because in the end they wouldn''t raise the child. And why protect something that was not wanted?


    However, Theodore still held back because the words were too harsh and sharp to say to Aileen now. At the very least, he was still sane enough to not say it. He didn''t know what kind of reaction the woman in front of him would give if Theodore said that.


    Andmotion was thest thing he wanted now.


    "Aileen, try to understand me..." Theodore said in a persuasive tone and made Aileen grit her mrs.


    "What should I understand? That you don''t want this child?" Aileen then stood up and this made Theodore stand up as well, then walked to her side, trying to calm the woman who was being hit by a storm of emotions.


    "This is not the right time," Theodore said pleadingly. He then stretched out his arms to embrace Aileen''s body which was shaking violently.


    However, this time Aileen refused him, trying to free herself from Theodore. "You are a coward," she spat that word with derision, ring at the man fiercely.

 Chapter 162: WHY DO YOU CARE?

    <h4>Chapter 162: WHY DO YOU CARE?</h4>


    ''You are a coward.''


    Aileen''s usation echoed in Theodore''s ears and left the man feeling full blown rage for a moment. His eyes shed eerily as he stared at Aileen who was moving away from his embrace.


    Theodore didn''t even try to pull Aileen back into his arms and stood still in his ce. This time he made no effort to calm Aileen''s uneasiness and irritation at all.


    Meanwhile, Aileen was still unaware of Theodore''s reaction and was still trying to maintain her pretense. Even now, her eyes were filled to the brim as tear drops fell down her cheeks one by one.


    A scene that used to melt Theodore''s heart and usually make him give Aileen everything what she wanted, but it didn''t seem like it was the case now, because right at this moment, what upied Theodore''s thoughts were the uncertain feelings he felt when he saw Aileen in her current state.


    There were some things that have changed between him and Aileen that he was now aware of.


    And it seemed that the realization came toote for Theodore and made the man question his feelings for Aileen again.


    Apparently¡­ no, Theodore knew that he didn''t really love Aileen. He didn''t even like her that much. The feeling that Theodore had for Aileen was a feeling of superiority.


    Theodore loved how Aileen made him feel needed. Unlike Hailee who could do everything alone, to the point of making Theodore feel unwanted and inferior. His ego as a man was always satisfied whenever he was with Aileen.


    Together with Aileen, Theodore felt different.


    It''s just that it felt different now. Theodore didn''t want Aileen being like this, nor did he want Aileen to depend on him.


    This feeling was really very unpleasant and being around Aileen no longer made him happy.


    "Theodore you are relinquishing your responsibilities," Aileen said. Her voice sounded no more than a whispering sound and the expression on her face would make anyone who saw her feel pity. "This is your own flesh and blood..."


    "Aileen¡­ I know¡­ but," Theodore said, shaking his head in self- disdain. He didn''t think that right now he could fix anything in his rtionship with Aileen anymore.


    Never mind marrying this woman, to be with her in one room already made Theodore feel cramped.


    So, how could this rtionship work out so well?


    "But what?" Aileen squinted her eyes as tears rolled down her cheeks, which she brushed off hurriedly, making her cheeks ache from the friction. "You are a coward, Theodore. You don''t even dare toe forward and take this responsibility."


    After saying this, Aileen ran out of the room, leaving Theodore there standing still alone.


    When the door closed violently, as Aileen mmed it and it was certain that this was attracting unnecessary attention from those who saw this scene, Theodore grabbed the phone, which was lying on the table and immediately mmed it on the floor until there was a loud and deafening sound when the object was crushed into pieces.


    Theodore then roared angrily, gripping the edge of the table and tugging his hair from their roots on his head.


    His eyes were wide open, staring at the closed door and he was grinding his mrs so hard that anyone who saw him would be afraid that he would crush his own teeth.


    However, it was at this very moment that Theodore remembered what Hailee had told him about Aileen.


    Hailee had not warned himself about Aileen only once, but she actually reminded him to be careful twice and Theodore was stupid enough to ignore her words altogether.


    But not this time.


    Hailee wouldn''t say nonsensical things. Although, Theodore did not really understand Hailee and the rtionship between them was not very good, Theodore was sure of one thing; Hailee wasn''t lying then.


    She wouldn''t spout some nonsensical things.


    Hailee was not a girl who would tell lies. Therefore, if Hailee had to warn himself about Aileen, it meant that something was up.


    He should take her words into consideration earlier, and now Theodore would find out all of that...


    After releasing the grip of his hands on his hair, Theodore immediately took the other cellphone that was in his pocket and called someone.


    He wanted this matter to be resolved immediately and if the warning that Hailee said was true, then...


    Theodore still hadn''t thought about what reaction he would give if he found out that everything that had happened so far turned out to be what Hailee had said...


    Was that true that Aileen had been hiding something from him?


    ==============


    After what Hailee said earlier, Ramon changed some of the proposals and agreed to ce a huge yroom for children in the central hall, which would be a special attraction for the mall.


    However, it did not mean that Ramon did not consider the aesthetic area as requested by the two regional officials. Ramon only moved the area to the back of the mall which faced a central park and also passed several tenants with simr concepts.


    Moreover, the back of the mall was a suitable area if visitors wanted to experience a slightly different atmosphere and seek serenity.


    Especially with the central park in front, which would add to the beauty of the aesthetic areater.


    It was a perfect arrangement¡­


    Ramon really got the best solution for the disagreements that were raised, even though Hailee''s proposal won the ce, but this in no way made the two regional officials feel that their proposal was ignored.


    And it must be admitted that what Ramon said was true; the aesthetic space would be better if ced next to the central park in the mall.


    "Good job," Ramon said and then leaned over to kiss Hailee on the forehead, after they had escorted the two local officials totheir cars and the meeting for the day was dered over. "You have a talent for making decisions like this."


    "It''s just a coincidence. In the past, my father thought of opening a branch office in this ce." Hailee tried to sound casual.


    "But that doesn''t take away the fact that you have a talent for management." Ramon then put his hand on Hailee''s hip.


    Hearing thepliment and finding Ramon hugging her waist so naturally, Hailee couldn''t help but blush.


    "You really considered my suggestion," she said. "I did not expect that."


    The two of them then walked in the parking lot to their waiting car, followed by the four bodyguards who were Ramon''s personal bodyguards, as well as six other bodyguards.


    "Of course," replied Ramon. "I asked for your opinion, right?"


    "Then, where are we going now?" Hailee was smiling very broadly, happy about how Ramon was treating her now and feeling optimistic about this rtionship.


    With these changes, Ramon seemed to have to fix some arrangements with this mall and had to give the details of this new n to Danny. However, all of this could wait, for now there was something more urgent.


    "You haven''t eaten, what do you want to eat?" Ramon asked as he opened the car door for Hailee and put his hand on her head so she wouldn''t bump into it.


    Hailee thought for a moment and found afortable position for her to sit in, while Ramon turned around the car and sat beside her. "I want to eat grilled fish," she said.


    "Got it," Ramon said and Charles drove them off to one of the best restaurants in town F.


    It seemed that today was the perfect day for Hailee.


    ==============


    "Thewyer you asked will be here in half an hour," Dillon reported to Giana. His eyes then continued staring at the woman in front of him who looked very sluggish andckluster, as if the whole hue of life had left her.


    Making Giana look like a mannequin with a soul rather than a human.


    Dillon felt sorry to see Giana like this, but there was not much he could do and what happened before only made him feel awkward in following his ''work description'' now.


    "You haven''t returned to the Smith house yet," Dillon said the statement spontaneously and gave Giana a more intense gaze, when he saw her wistful eyes stare back at him. "You should go home and rest, not be here."


    Dillon felt ufortable seeing Giana''s current condition. This woman was really very stubborn. Not only had Giana been torturing her own feelings, but now she was starting to torture her body as well. Who knows how long she will be like this ...


    "I''m not going back home." Giana turned her attention to the pile of documents lying on her desk and started going through each important document one by one. "There will be a family gathering tonight and it will be in a restaurant."


    Both Giana and Aidan''s parents thought that this was a dyed dinner, where Giana and Aidan were very busy, because Giana didn''t say anything about her nster.


    "Are you going to discuss thister?" Dillon didn''t seem to need an answer to his question, because he already had a feeling that Giana would say yes.


    "Yes, that''s why I need thiswyer toe with me tonight." Giana then leaned back against the back of the chair and massaged her dizzy head.


    "I don''t think it''d be better to bring in awyer for tonight''s event. Their reaction will be very strong against all of this." Dillon then sat on a chair, opposite Giana. Only arge, messy table stood between them.


    Giana narrowed her eyes and asked sharply, "Why do you care so much about me?"

 Chapter 163: SOMETHING IS WRONG

    <h4>Chapter 163: SOMETHING IS WRONG</h4>


    Giana narrowed her eyes and asked sharply, "Why do you care so much about me?"


    Dillon sighed heavily, he knew that his rtionship with Giana was going to be a little awkward like now, but it seemed that Giana was bing suspicious of him about a lot of things...


    Wasn''t it normal for Dillon to pay attention to Giana? Wasn''t it that recently, even before that night, Dillon had been paying attention to her very often?


    But, why was Giana now questioning his motives?


    Indeed, rtionships that have been damaged and tainted like theirs would make it difficult for things to stay in the way like before.


    "Giana, I am only worried about you. All this time is no different," Dillon tried to sound as normal as possible, so this woman could stop giving him such a suspicious look.


    "Stop worrying about me and start being professional," Giana said sharply and looked at Dillon through her eyes that were red fromck of sleep and rest.


    At that time, Dillon wanted to refute Giana''s statement asking him to be professional, because so far he had shown only that kind of attitude to Giana. But, since their situation had changed, it didn''t seem like things would return to normal as usual.


    Maybe Dillon should readjust with their new situation and condition.


    Therefore, while rising from his chair, Dillon said in a more formal voice. "If there is nothing else you need, I will excuse myself then."


    After finishing saying these words, Dillon immediately walked toward the door and went out of Giana''s office, leaving the woman alone in there.


    Meanwhile, Giana had no idea that Dillon would really leave. Wouldn''t he usually try to make herself understand why he did that? Persuade her to listen to him?


    Dillon would usually argue with her, even though he knew that Giana was very stubborn about agreeing to the opinion he conveyed.


    For a moment, Giana stared at the closed door and felt an ufortable feeling at Dillon''s attitude toward her. Or maybe Giana was too hard on Dillon earlier?


    Or were there words that offended the man? She had no idea¡­


    Giana felt the back of her head throb painfully, asking for more attention for herself so that she could refocus on other things that had nothing to do with Dillon.


    Because such matters were overwhelming and waiting to be resolved.


    Her life wouldn''t be easy from today onwards.


    ==============


    "You ended up buying the ring for my engagement?" Aileen narrowed her eyes at George. Her words were so piercing that you could say that Aileen was mocking this man who was actually her real father.


    Hearing how Aileen mocked him by saying this, George became furious and threw all the documents that were ced on his desk.


    "You are insulting me!?" He eximed with overwhelming anger. His ck eyes stared at Aileen with a ferocious desire to p his own child. But, he could not possibly do that now, because he was under the spotlight and criticism from the shareholders and employees there, for the news that he gave the diamond to Aileen.


    And if Aileen went out of his office with a swollen face now, then the situation would not be in George''s favor anymore, therefore, as much as possible George kept his hands to himself and not flying over Aileen''s face.


    "I did this because of your carelessness!" George yelled at Aileen again, but because this time Aileen knew that George wouldn''t dare touch her, she just gave him a sneer and a provocative look.


    "My carelessness?" Aileen clicked her tongue in annoyance. What else was this nonsensical usation that George had leveled at her? Increasingly, this old man was getting crazier in treating her.


    Luckily for Aileen, however, she had a backup n that George didn''t know about. This was a n to save herself from George''s clutches or from Gevano''s humiliation, if they get too much for her and made Aileen feel like she couldn''t take it anymore.


    After all, Theodore was almost beyond hope.


    Aileen did not know what had happened to that man, because from that day onward, Aileen felt like he was slipping out of her grasp more and more.


    Her tears used to be very effective in making this man bend his knees to her will and grant her all wishes. However, now it seemed that it didn''t really have the desired effect. Aileen could tell from the way Theodore had looked at her thest time they had met.


    Those were not the loving eyes Theodore always gave Aileen, making her feel like the luckiest person in the world.


    However, not at that time.


    At that time, Theodore was like someone who didn''t even want to be in the same room as Aileen, as if that girl could spread a deadly virus around him.


    Well, even though that''s not wrong either...


    It''s just that Aileen would poison Theodore in a different way, after she was sure that she wouldn''t get what she wanted from him.


    After what Aileen had done to be with Theodore and after the many immoral actions she had taken just to be with that man, of course Aileen would not just let Theodore off and let him go out of her life unscathed, in case he mistreated her.


    Theodore had to know the consequences he would have to face if he dared to escape from Aileen.


    "You are saying I asked you to fight Ramon Tordoff by pretending to buy that ring?! I didn''t even know that you would say things like that!" Aileen then rose from her chair and red at George, but a momentter she shook her head and made a dramatic sound. "You are so stupid."


    "What did you say?!" George immediately jumped from his chair and walked toward Aileen with long strides. Anger shed in his eyes.


    "Why?" Aileen challenged George, she lifted her chin boldly and grinned. "You want to p me? Do it and see what happens." She knew that he wouldn''t dare.


    Aileen knew very well that George could not possibly do that in the midst of this precarious situation, but that did not mean Aileen would stop provoking this man.


    Of course not.


    Not only Theodore, but she would also destroy the Tatum family, especially George and Hailee, if they pressed her further to take more extreme measures than this.


    ==============


    Tonight, Giana looked very beautiful in a dark blue shirt and white pants,bined with ck boots.


    However, that beauty faded away as her expression looked tense and her hands trembled slightly.


    Giana had already prepared herself for tonight, but that didn''t mean she didn''t feel nervous and scared. Because after all, this was a big step, which she would take in her life, so of course there was a part of her that was still trying to get her to cancel all her ns.


    Part of herself that didn''t want any confrontation kept telling her to back off¡­


    In the other hand, as usual, Dillon apanied Giana, he sat behind the wheel and asionally nced at the woman beside him, who was clearly in need of support. It''s just that, after their little bickering this afternoon, Dillon felt that Giana didn''t want to hear his words.


    Dillon was hesitant to say anything, even after they had stopped in the parking area of ??the luxury restaurant for five minutes, Giana was still pensively staring at the view out of the car window.


    Even though Dillon knew that there was nothing interesting around them to look at, Giana''s mind was tooplicated to notice.


    It was only after ten minutes had passed that Dillon finally reminded Giana. "We have arrived, yourwyer wille with youter, now he''s still on his way here."


    "Hm." That was the only response Giana gave and the atmosphere returned to silence.


    Dillon then decided to give Giana a few more moments, but after he didn''t see that Giana was going to do anything, he reminded her again.


    "Don''t you want toe down?" asked Dillon. "I think they have already arrived." He then looked at the clock that read fifteen past seven.


    "Hm." Giana gave Dillon the same muttering response when she heard the man again.


    Seeing how nervous Giana was, Dillon finally lowered his ego and tried to talk to this woman. Maybeter he would hear some unpleasant words from Giana again, but for now Dillon just wanted to help her.


    "Hey," Dillon rebuked her gently again, shaking her shoulder lightly to get her attention. "Want to talk about what''s bothering you right now?"


    Slowly, Giana turned her body and Dillon could see that the lookin the woman''s eyes was of a wounded and helpless one. Dillon had never seen a stubborn woman like Giana behaving this frail...


    "You are okay?" Asked Dillon softly, and it was this tenderness that made Giana''s holding grip on her broken heart crack and shatter.


    A single tear fell down her cheek and was followed by a sob that she tried to suppress, Giana''s shoulders trembled to hold back the emotions and feelings she had been trying to keep for years.


    Seeing Giana like that, Dillon forgot about his position and also about his promise to himself that he would treat Giana in a professional manner.


    Dillon forgot that he shouldn''t have gotten this close to Giana and let this sadness of hers bother him too.


    However, that was what happened. Dillon couldn''t help but feel the same pain Giana was feeling right now.


    Giana, who was sobbing with tears, made Dillon feel like protecting her and feel an urge to make her stop being sad.


    The pull was so strong that he reached out his hand and embraced Giana''s trembling body.


    Meanwhile, Giana did not refuse when Dillon hugged her, instead she shed all the uneasiness and sadness she felt now.


    Especially when she heard Dillon ask; Are you okay?


    Giana even forgot thest time anyone asked her how she was. She even forgot thest time anyone being really worried about her and saw her cry so badly like this.


    Usually Giana didn''t like it when she had to show her weak side, especially at times like now. But, Giana didn''t hold back as she cried on Dillon''s shoulder and in the man''s arms.


    It felt so good to have someone you can lean on and not just someone who pretends to be there for you, but who really doesn''t care about you, like her parents.


    On the other hand, Dillon found itplicated. He only realized it now, after he saw Giana''s condition, being in a state of decline like this, could actually affect him quite strongly.


    He shouldn''t have felt these kinds of feelings, right? Something feels wrong ...

 Chapter 164: DIVORCE PLAN

    <h4>Chapter 164: DIVORCE PLAN</h4>


    Dillon rubbed Giana''s back gently and felt the woman''s body tremble as tears rolled down Dillon''s shoulders and left a stain there.


    But, who cares about such a thing at a time like this?


    Because, Dillon''s attention at this time was wholly upied by the figure of a woman who was so fragile and hurting in his arms. And, as if he could feel the pain that Giana was feeling right now, Dillon felt his breathing be shallow. His chest felt ufortable...


    "I hate them all! I hate them all!" Giana was now sobbing and her whining grew louder as the tears didn''t stop flowing, wetting her face and her voice could no longer be heard clearly.


    She vented out all the anger and grievances that had been bottle up inside of her to Dillon now, the feeling was so overwhelming and she didn''t think she could hold it any longer.


    "Everything will be alright." Dillon didn''t know what to do or what to say, because all this time Giana had never shown this side of herself. "You are not alone, I am here..."


    And for the next thirty minutes, Giana spilled out all the uneasiness she had been trying to suppress for years. The burden that had been too heavy for her to carry on her thin shoulders.


    And Dillon really didn''t leave Giana alone during the times she was down.


    He was there like he always did¡­


    ==============


    Aidan felt ufortable when he went back to checking the time on the expensive watch that was wrapped around his left wrist.


    Giana was nearly an hourte.


    What the hell was she doing? Wasn''t she the one who proposed this dinner to make up for the previous dinner? But, why was it that Giana was not present and she wasn''t even picking up a phone call from him?


    What''s the matter?


    But, even though Aidan''s heart was wondering about Giana''s whereabouts or what the woman was nning to do, somehow he felt that he knew what the real reason Giana was holding this dinner for.


    Or maybe because Giana wanted to cancel her intention and now she was in a conflict with herself, that''s why she didn''te yet?


    It didn''t seem like the Giana Aidan knew. Because this tough and stubborn woman rarely looked confused in making decisions. Even though sometimes, the decisions that Giana took seemed impulsive, this woman always had pretty good analytical power to save herself from various situations.


    "Aidan, why don''t you try calling Giana''s cellphone again?" Aidan''s mother asked in a worried tone. "Maybe something happened to her on the way here."


    "I have tried to call her many times, but still there is no answer." Giana''s mother spoke up. "Giana is not usually like this..."


    "I have tried to call her, but she seems to be on the road and can''t pick up my call." Aidan looked back at his cellphone. He had long tried to contact Giana since he first learned about the dinner, but his stubborn wife decided not tomunicate in any way with him.


    Even the news about this dinner was something he got from his secretary and when he was about to ask further questions, Giana could not be contacted until now.


    "Impossible." Mr. Smith put down his ss of drink and from the way he did it, it could be said that he was almost at his limits.


    Mr. Smith never waited for someone for nearly an hour like he did now. If only Giana was not the wife of his son, it was certain that in the tenth minute Giana did note, he would have already left this ce.


    "There''s no way Giana couldn''t pick up her phone. She doesn''t drive her own car." Mr. Smith knew that Giana drove cars very rarely and preferred to use a driver.


    Then, if that''s not the reason, what was the reason Giana camete to make them wait so long and even didn''t pick up her phone call?


    Giana.


    Aidan clenched his jaw, irritated by his wife''s behavior... she shouldn''t make things moreplicated than its already had.


    She should know not to add more problems to the problems they already had between them.


    ==============


    Giana checked her make-up in the rearview mirror and carefully wiped the tears that still lingered on her cheeks, but then she chuckled when she saw that her lipstick stain was still on Dillon''s shoulder.


    "What?" Dillon asked, confused because suddenly Gianaughed softly. It was quite a relief to see how sheughed like that, but what made her look a little happier?


    "That." Giana pointed to the lipstick stain on Dillon''s shirt, near his cor and Dillon followed Giana''s gaze and found the said stain. "If you have a wife, you are definitely in a big trouble."


    Of course, if Dillon had a wife he would be in trouble right now if a stain like this was seen, but the truth was; he has no woman in his life.


    "If I had a wife, I would be in a bigger trouble if she found out what we did," Dillon muttered, quite loudly in the silent car.


    However, after he finished saying that, Dillon realized his mistake. He didn''t mean to bring up that night incident at all, it''s just that the sentence just slipped off his lips.


    "Sorry, I didn''t mean¡­" Dillon''s words were interrupted because Giana decided to talk first.


    "Don''t." Giana shook her head. "We both know that there is no way we can pretend it never happened and I just wanted to apologize for the night."


    Dillon frowned. "What are you apologizing for? I am the one who should apologize. It''s not your fault, you are drunk and I should hold back."


    Gianaughed softly, then looked at Dillon gently, a gaze that could make his heart beat faster. "You are too kind Dillon and it''s not your fault either." Giana shrugged her shoulders indifferently. "Besides, I am hard to resist."


    Giana''sst words made both of themugh, for a moment forgetting the awkwardness and sadness that had happened a few minutes ago.


    "Thank you," said Giana, then the woman leaned over to quickly kiss Dillon on the cheek and left the car without saying anything else, leaving the man confused by what had just happened.


    In fact, even Giana didn''t understand why she kissed Dillon on the cheek. She just felt an impulsive urge to do this and did not regret it after it happened.


    Because now there was something much more important, which she had to deal with... another problem.


    ==============


    Aidan looked back at his cellphone, but this time it wasn''t because he had to call Giana, but he got a message from Aileen Tatum. The b*tch who set him up.


    The dy'' asked him to call her right away.


    Aidan didn''t know for what business this vicious woman asked him to call her, but whatever it was, it would not be a pleasant news for Aidan, knowing how he was being used.


    "I will excuse myself for a moment," Aidan muttered as he stood up from his chair and stepped out of the private room where they were waiting for Giana, before anyone stopped or asked him. Meanwhile, the food on the table had grown cold and no words could break the tense atmosphere in the room.


    After Aidan walked to a quiet hallway and made sure no one was going to hear this conversation, he called Aileen.


    The expression on Aidan''s face was terrifying. He had never received any threats for as long as he was alive, especially from a woman whose origins were not clear.


    "What do you want?" Aidan didn''t even say ''hello'' when Aileen picked up his call. It was clear that he wanted to end the conversation before they even started.


    "Why are you so rude?" Aileen frowned when she heard the way Aidan greeted her. "Didn''t we already agree that you will help me?" she reminded him again shamelessly.


    Aidan looked at therge window and saw Giana who was walking across the parking lot. As it turned out, she finally arrived, even though she was veryte ...


    But, at least she was here now.


    "You set me up and I never said that I would help you," Aidan growled angrily, while his eyes followed Giana''s movements who met a man who had been waiting for her at the front door of the restaurant, as they entered together.


    Looked like Aidan recognized the man. Wasn''t that Giana''s personalwyer? Why did Giana bring awyer here?


    Something inside Aidan rippled. It was as if he knew what other things he was going to face.


    "Look, I didn''t ckmail you. I only offered you a chance of cooperation." Aileen no longer beat around the bush, because she didn''t have time for it.


    Aidan clicked his tongue. "Cooperation?" He used a scornful tone when he said that brief word.


    "I want you to work with Tatum Jewelry," Aileen said. "Mypany is not in a good condition."


    However, at the same time, Aidan saw Gianaing with herwyer and instinctively turned off his phone call with Aileen and went straight to his wife.


    "Where have you been?" Aidan immediately blocked Giana''s path and stood towering over his wife, but then his gaze fell on the middle- aged man beside Giana. "What''s he here for?" Aidan''s forehead creased and his worry was proven by Giana''s answer.


    "To deal with our divorce," Giana replied in a very calm and controlled tone. She had prepared herself for these consequences.

 Chapter 165: READING

    <h4>Chapter 165: READING</h4>


    Aidan froze when he heard Giana''s answer. There is no way this woman would really do that right? They both knew what consequences they would have to face if the word of divorce ever came between them.


    Thinking to this point, Aidan quickly pulled Giana into one of the empty private rooms in the hallway and closed the door right in front of Mr. Lawrence, Giana''swyer.


    "Wait outside," Aidan said in a harsh and firm tone, leaving thewyer with no chance of answering, as the door got mmed shut behind his words.


    Actually, Mr. Lawrence had also warned Giana about the various damages that would ur, both on thepanies of the two families, as well as on themselves.


    However, Giana didn''t want to listen to him and thewyer could do little to convince the woman to do otherwise.


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the door, Aidan was staring at his wife with an emotional gaze. His thoughts were tooplex to be put into a single sentence.


    "What did you say just now?" Aidan asked, his voice cold like a night breeze that could make anyone who heard him shudder involuntarily.


    "You didn''t listen or do you really want me to confirm it again?" Giana asked defiantly. She folded her arms across her chest.


    In response to Giana''s defiant attitude, Aidan narrowed his eyes into a dangerous look. "You are not really going to do this, are you?" He knew what Giana''s answer would be, but still Aidan needed affirmation on this very crucial point.


    "What do you think Mr. Lawrence would be doing here if it were not for that?" Giana responded fiercely to Aidan.


    Aidan stepped forward and gripped Giana''s arm quite firmly and realized that his wife had lost several kilograms of body weight. The arm he was holding felt so thin and fragile.


    Realizing this, Aidan released Gina''s hand and took a deep breath to calm his overflowing emotions.


    "Is there no other way?" Aidan asked in a tired voice. He had gotten himself into quite a lot of hassle and was not ready to deal with new problems in the form of divorce issues. It would be a big issue.


    "I have been suffering being with you a lot, Aidan. You know that too¡­ " Giana looked at the man who had been her husband for three years with regretful eyes. "I can''t continue this pretense anymore."


    Aidan realized that his affair really hurt Giana, but on the other hand, he also couldn''t let Zia go, thus at the same time, his indecisiveness hurts the woman he loves.


    "We have to end this marriage before we both really hate each other," Giana said in a low voice. "While we still remain each other''s good acquaintances and canmunicate well like this, we should just give up all pretense."


    A tear streamed from the corner of Giana''s eye and this made Aidan reach out his hand to embrace the woman.


    "I am sorry," he whispered.


    ==============


    As promised earlier, Hailee and Ramon came back to Tatum''s residence after they finished their honeymoon, to hear the reading of the wills from Hailee''s parents'' wills.


    And this will be done at Uncle Diego''s house again in the presence of George and his family, as well as Aileen and Theodore, who have officially announced their rtionship to the press and were waiting to get married one month from now.


    Hailee didn''t know what happened until Aileen managed to get Theodore to marry her so quickly, because thest news she heard was; next month was their engagement party and not a wedding.


    And not only that, the wedding would be held behind closed doors. It was very contrary to the nature of the Gevano family who always want to show off every important moment in their life.


    Moreover, this was their only son''s wedding party. It went without saying that they would want the whole world to know about this.


    And not just that. How could Aileen convince them to ept her as their daughter- in-w? Meanwhile, Hailee knew that Mrs. Gevano didn''t like her adopted sister.


    However, whatever the reason or what method Aileen had used to melt the Gevano husband and wife, it was none of her business anymore.


    She had now be Mrs. Tordoff and didn''t want to be bothered with trivial matters of these kinds. Aileen could do whatever she wanted.


    "Are you nervous?" Hailee asked Ramon who was sitting next to heras the car they were in entered the front yard of Diego''s house.


    Ramon, who heard the question, lifted his head from theptop on hisp and then looked at Hailee. "If you are nervous, just say so. Why are you asking me?"


    Ramon reached out his hand to tuck a few strands of her hair behind her ear. His wife had always had a slightly unusual way of expressing her feelings.


    "Are you nervous?" This time, it was Ramon who asked Hailee and the girl moved closer, wrapping her arms around Ramon''s waist so he had to put hisptop away.


    "A little," Hailee muttered. "I don''t know what will happenter."


    Ramonughed softly at that. "Whatever happens, you will always have me, right?"


    ==============


    This was Theodore''s second timeing to Diego''s house in two months and things seemed to have changed since thest time he was here.


    So, it could be said that Aileen was now in its seventh week. They just checked her pregnancy a few days ago at the same hospital, rmended by George, for reasons of security and confidentiality.


    Both parties agreed to keep Aileen''s pregnancy a secret, as they didn''t want anyone to find out that the first grandchild of the Gevano family turned out to be the result of a rtionship outside of marriage.


    Their family was very conservative, as they still holds ancient ideology very closely and considers this a disgrace.


    Therefore, Theodore and Aileen''s marriage would be hastened, despite Theodore''s reluctance to marry the woman who had made him dump Hailee.


    Theodore nced at Aileen''s stomach again, which looked the same as before. However, with Aileen''s body that tended to be slim, her baby bump would not be too visible until she was well into the pregnancy, therefore it would not be difficult to hide it.


    It was just that, Theodore was still at a stage where he still couldn''t believe all this. He would marry her, but this was not kind of marriage that he wanted.


    "I will go to the toilet for a bit," Aileen whispered lovingly into Theodore''s ear, to which he nodded back.


    This was arguably a progression, where the past few weeks of their rtionship had been tinged with problems and Theodore seemed topletely ignore Aileen, behaving as if that woman didn''t even exist.


    Therefore, even when Theodore came to the reading of the will, it was only considered as giving Tatum''s some face. Because if Theodore could choose then he would definitely be anywhere but here.


    Especially so since Hailee and her husband wereing. Theodore was very disturbed by this fact.


    Aileen then kissed Theodore lightly on the cheek before she got up from the sofa and walked away.


    Theodore didn''t even pay attention to the chatter between Diego and George after Aileen''s departure, preferring to stare out of the window with a dreamy gaze.


    Actually two days ago, Theodore finally decided to ask someone to investigate Aileen more deeply after much deliberation and the doubts he felt.


    It was because, in the end Theodore chose to listen to Hailee''s advice about Aileen and decided to find out the truth himself.


    However, it was not an easy job and couldn''t be finished in just one night. So Theodore still had to wait much longer for this.


    Meanwhile, Aileen walked away from the living room and down the hallway to the guest room, the same room as thest time she stayed here.


    Yet, when she was passing through the living room, Aileen ran into Zia. At first, Aileen wanted to ignore her cousin who had never treated her friendly, but Zia looking at her cynically provoked Aileen''s annoyance.


    It reminded her of the shocking affair between Zia and Aidan Smith. That fact was still hard for Aileen to believe even when she had seen the evidence with her own eyes.


    "Why are you looking at me like that?" Aileen stopped walking and turned around to goad Zia. Aileen felt that all Zia''s harsh treatment on her was enough.


    Indeed, she had taken Theodore from Hailee which made her even more hated by Zia, but didn''t Zia herself also have an affair with a married man?


    It would be hypocritical for Zia to make a fuss about Aileen and Theodore''s rtionship while she herself was not being much holier than her.


    "Why? You don''t like the way I look at you?" Zia also turned around and red at Aileen. However, there was a sense of shock that she tried to cover up, as it was not usual for Aileen to fight her so tantly like this.


    Isn''t it true that all this time Zia has never been nice to Aileen? In fact, Zia''s attitude became even more resentful when she learned about Aileen and Theodore''s rtionship. However, during all this time, Aileen never protested once and continued to put on a pretentious face whenever the opportunity arose.


    What''s on this woman''s mind right now? Did she think that just because she was pregnant with Theodore Gevano''s child that Zia wouldn''t dare to harm her?


    Or because she thought she was going to be Mrs. Gevano in less than a month away, so Aileen was all puffed up?


    Regardless, Zia didn''t like the way Aileen reprimanded her.


    "Yes, I don''t like it." Aileen walked over to Zia and this time there was no longer a ''good'' expression that she always wore whenever she was in this house or around the Tatum family members.


    Hearing Aileen''s answer, Zia frowned. "Then what do you want?" She asked very fiercely. Did Aileen eat something wrong to make her so bold like this?


    Aileen snorted in disgust. "I have tolerated you for years. Letting you trample on me because I am not a child that was born in the Tatum family." Aileen''s voice sounded like a growl, but there was a smile on her lips that made Zia''s frown deepen. "But I am fed up with the way you treated me all this time."


    This is Aileen''s chance to shed all her annoyance over the years and she wouldn''t miss how Zia''s facial expression changed when she uncovered her dirty little secret.


    "You think I am so disgusting that I took Theodore from Hailee? Then what about you?" she asked with a smirk etched on her lips.

 Chapter 166: READING (2)

    <h4>Chapter 166: READING (2)</h4>


    Aileen pushed forward, trying to corner Zia and make her understand that she already knew something that Zia had been trying to cover up.


    However, Zia still couldn''t realize her intentions, because what was in her head right now was annoyance that Aileen had been so insolent to her and so dared to fight her openly like this.


    She still looked confused in response to Aileen''s drastic change in attitude, but even so, the way Aileen was cornering her made Zia feel ufortable and she instinctively pushed her away.


    Luckily, the push was not so strong that Aileen couldn''t get an excuse to fall, jeopardize her ''pregnancy'' which could put Zia in trouble.


    In this case, Aileen still needed herself to be pregnant in order to tie knot with Theodore, or else she would be dumped right there and then. Therefore, Aileen couldn''t use that trick now.


    "Get away from me, you are disgusting," Zia growled, still not realizing what kind of information Aileen had in her hands to make Zia gasp. Something only she and Aidan knew.


    Because of that urge, Aileen had to take a few steps back from Zia. "Me? Disgusting?" Aileen snorted and mockingly asked Zia while pointing at her. "Then what do you call yourself?"


    Zia narrowed her eyes as she began to feel that Aileen was speaking with a double meaning in her sentence. What she meant with that?


    "What do you mean?" Zia asked in a displeased tone. "Stop talking in riddles and tell me directly what you have to say." Zia''s voice was low, but deadly. Herrge eyes were focused on Aileen.


    However, Aileen responded in the same way. She folded her arms across her chest and snorted sarcastically.


    "What do you call a woman who seduces a married man?" Aileen looked at Zia deeply to see the changes in the expression of the woman in front of her. "You feel disgusted by me because I have stolen Theodore from Hailee, then should I spit on you for having an affair with Aidan Smith behind his wife''s back, Zia?"


    Instantly Zia''s expression changed. Her eyes widened in disbelief and her lips parted slightly as the words slid off Aileen''s lips. Her heart was beating very fast and dozens of questions echoed in her head and made Zia have an argument with herself. Her eyes became unfocused.


    Did she know? Did Aileen know about her rtionship with Aidan? How did she know?


    Zia firmly believed that she had closed all her affairs with Aidan Smith. She absolutely believed that no one had told any third party about their secret rtionship.


    Therefore, there was no way Aileen could tell about them being together.


    Zia definitely wouldn''t tell Aileen about this even if a knife was pointed at her, so was it possible that this was Aidan''s doing? However, Aidan didn''t know Aileen. They didn''t know each other, right?


    Meanwhile, Aileen was enjoying every little change in Zia''s demeanour that happened in the span of a few seconds. It was great to be able to see how Zia gasped and took a deep yet sharp breath when she heard Aileen''s statement just now.


    "Why? Feeling surprised?" Aileen asked in a very obvious scorn. "Are you confused about how I came to know all this?" She asked again.


    Zia didn''t know what to say. Should she lie and deny it all? But, if Aileen really did find out, wouldn''t that be a waste of effort? And she would look stupid for not admitting it...


    Zia gritted her mrs so harshly that she felt like she had crushed her own teeth.


    "You want to know how I know this?" Aileen asked in a lower voice, nothing more than a whisper, then took a few steps forward to approach Zia who still couldn''t believe what was going on. "You must be very curious."


    Aileen seemed to really enjoy this game and allowed Zia to feel more of her fear. It has been a long time since Aileen wanted to treat her cousin like this and now her dream had finallye true.


    Still in the same tone of voice, Aileen continued her words. "I will tell you then." A smile that was cynical and meaningful curled on the corner of Aileen''s lips. "Because Aidan mentioned your name over and over again when he spent a night with me."


    Aileen chuckled when she saw how Zia''s body started shaking as her eyes stared at Aileen with various emotions raging through her mind, which were well reflected in her eyes.


    "Well ... I was quite disappointed that he said your name instead of mine, but I think we both enjoyed the night quite well." Aileen shrugged her shoulders nonchntly, as if it wasn''t a big deal for her. Then she tossed her hair back as she said again, "You see? I am very fair. When I told your secret, I also told you mine. Then you wouldn''t mind, would you? Don''t ever tell Theodore about this? After all, we are getting married in less than a month," she pleaded her in mocking tone.


    Aileen squinted her eyes flirtatiously and tucked Zia''s hair behind her ear, like someone who was very considerate, but Zia pped her hand away from her.


    "I guess you wouldn''t mind keeping this a secret, right?" Having said that, Aileen walked away with light steps, leaving Zia alone there, struggling with her own frantic thoughts.


    ==============


    Ramon held out his hand for Hailee, which was greeted with a sweet smile. And when the sunlight fell on her face, this woman seemed to shine as if a radiance of joy could be seen from her.


    "Ready?" Hailee asked Ramon which made the manugh softly.


    "Shouldn''t I be the one saying that?" Ramon asked because Hailee stole the sentence he was supposed to say.


    "I know that you will not say it, so I will say it instead," Hailee answered casually, while Ramon was again amused by the logic his wife made.


    It is true that Ramon wouldn''t say such things to Hailee, but that didn''t mean Hailee could change roles with him, right?


    Well, it seemed Ramon would never get bored of seeing Hailee''s unique sides, and it was something that was fun to look forward to¡­


    Unlike before, when they came to this house for the first time, this time the whole family didn''te out to greet them, because they assumed Ramon had be a part of their family too, so the door to this house would always be open for him.


    The newly married couple then went straight into the living room and met Diego, George and also Theodore.


    Oh, Hailee could also see George''s wife, who was sitting next to her husband, throwing an unfriendly look at Hailee. It seemed that she was still annoyed by what happened the other day.


    However, Hailee didn''t see Aileen or Zia.


    Indeed Hailee didn''t really care about Aileen, but where did Zia go? Wasn''t she the most enthusiastic one to see her wedding ring from Ramon, which was a hereditary ring in the Tordoff family?


    But where was she now?


    Meanwhile, Ramon shake hand with Diego, George and Theodore one by one, then gave a small nod to George''s wife.


    Despite the minor quarrels that happened before, Ramon was still able to carry himself well, as if nothing had happened between them.


    "Where is Zia?" Hailee finally asked, since the new familywyer would be here in half an hour, there was still time for Hailee to chat with her cousin, because she didn''t really understand the discussion between these men.


    "Looks like she''s in her room," Diego replied, noticing that his daughter wasn''t there.


    "Oh, well I''ll go see her," Hailee said, then stood up from her chair, but before she really left, Haileended a brief kiss on Ramon''s cheek, whispering, "I''ll be right back."


    And Ramon responded with a soft squeeze to Hailee''s hand and a small smile at the corner of his lips, which was barely visible.


    Where as Hailee used to think these cute things were only done when they were out in public, this time Hailee could say that seventy percent of the affection Ramon showed her was real.


    And this was something nice to know, that they were no longer pretending to show each other''s feelings.


    "Okay," Ramon said quietly then let go of Hailee''s hand, letting his wife go away from him and returned to the chat they were having.


    However, after a while Hailee left, Theodore stood up as well, he muttered about himself needing to go to the bathroom for a while and after that would look for Aileen, because that woman had been away for quite a while and still hadn''t returned.


    Diego and George just nodded casually, because they were both still immersed in a serious conversation about thepany which was now in crisis and also George''s impulsive decision to buy diamond from their ownpany using money from his personal pocket.


    Diego totally disagreed with this and forced George to give up his ridiculous wish to reward Aileen with something that could get him in big trouble.


    However, Ramon had his own thoughts.


    His eagle- sharp eyes followed Theodore''s movements as he walked away, heading in the direction Hailee had disappeared a moment earlier.


    The look of dislike and suspicion could be seen very clearly from the way Ramon looked at the man, as if he could just pounce on Theodore.


    What was the man really thinking? Was he really going to look for Aileen? Or was he looking for Hailee just like the other night?

 Chapter 167: READING (3)

    <h4>Chapter 167: READING (3)</h4>


    Aileen was still trying to call Aidan, because thest time she called the man the line just went dead. Either because Aidan ended the conversation himself or there was an error in the connection...


    Aileen didn''t understand, but for sure Aidan hadn''t picked up a call from Aileen since their call that night and this really left Aileen annoyingly bothered.


    This was the first time that Aileen had met a man so cold as Aidan, who didn''t even hesitate to ignore her. Aileen wondered, why do the gentlemen of City A have such unpleasant personalities? Didn''t he think that Aileen could do something with the evidence in her hands?


    Just like Ramon Tordoff, who didn''t even nce at her. However, how did Hailee manage to seed winning his heart?


    Even how Hailee met Ramon was still a mystery to Aileen. She just did not think that the two of them would actually have a marriage that was initially based on business solely.


    Seeing how Ramon treated Hailee and also the tiara that the man won for her, was a small example that would break the opinion that they were married based on marriage convenience like some other young businessmen.


    Yes, Aileen heard the news about the tiara and she almost destroyed everything in her room because of the jealousy brewed in her chest.


    What a lucky b*tch! How could Hailee get that luxurious tiara so easily while she had to find a way to calm the angry share holders who learned that George had bought the diamond ring as a present to Aileen?


    Or how could she calm Diego who asked for the ring back and cancel George''s intention to buy it, which would embarrass Aileen too?


    Shit!


    Aileen cursed when Aidan did not answer her calls again. The man seemed to want to y with her which made matters worse. It seemed Aidan thought Aileen''s threat was all just her bluffing an empty threat.


    Annoyed, Aileen put her cell phone back in her small handbag and was about to leave the guest room when she found Theodore walking along the hallway.


    "Sorry, I took too long," Aileen said with a smile on her lips as she walked over to Theodore and kissed him on the cheek. "Are Hailee and Mr. Tordoff already here?" She asked.


    Aileen thought that Theodore was there looking for her and did not suspect any other possibility.


    Perhaps, it was because her mind was too focused on her frustration with Aidan and the ns that were forming in her head to get him, that she didn''t realize that Theodore wasn''ting for her.


    "Oh, yes, they havee¡­" Theodore answered Aileen, but his eyes did not meet hers, instead, he turned his gaze around the corridor, as if trying to find something.


    "Then, let''s meet them." Aileen took Theodore''s hand cheerfully, but the glint in her eyes said that the smile had not reached her eyes.


    ==============


    "How can you be with her?!" Zia really didn''t understand how Aidan could spend a night with Aileen. And even to the point of divulging their secrets to this woman.


    Among the millions of people, why should it be Aileen? That petty and cunning woman, who should know their secret?!


    Zia really wanted to scream in Aidan''s face, but sadly, all she could do now was let out her irritation and anger over the phone and let the man know that she already found out about what had happened between the two of them.


    Zia told him everything Aileen had told her in a voice shaking with anger.


    Indeed, Zia had closed ess so that Aidan could no longer contact her, even now she had changed her phone number again.


    But, that didn''t mean Zia couldn''t contact this man. His cell phone number was something Zia wouldn''t just forget about and again, the Smithpany office number was very easy toe by.


    "Zia, can we just meet and talk about this?" Aidan begged. He held his cell phone in one hand and massaged his throbbing temple with the other, begging them to meet and not discuss the matter over a phone call.


    Despite the troubles that have been guing himtely, Aidan would be very happy if this girl would just meet him for a moment.


    He really missed her.


    "What for?" Zia''s voice rose a notch, she clenched her fists at her sides, trying to keep her voice steady. "I don''t want to see you, so stop persuading me. I just want you to clear things up with Aileen and I don''t want her to threaten me like that again!" Zia growled.


    From the other end of the phone, the girl could even hear Aidan sighing heavily, indicating that the man was very tired.


    There was a side in Zia''s heart that wanted to say yes to Aidan''s invitation to meet, because there was a big part of her that missed him so much, but there was another part of her that said that she had to do this. She scolded herself; how long would she be like this??!


    Wasn''t it obvious that the rtionship between the two of them would not find any bright spots? Like walking through an endless dark hallway without being able to see the end of it...


    "Okay¡­ I will think of something so she doesn''t bother you again," Aidan said atst. He looked like a gambler who lost his gamble and left with nothing after he spent all his savings, so that all that was left was a feeling of emptiness.


    "That''s great then," Zia said in a t tone without emotion.


    Then, after those words were spoken, neither of them spoke, as if the two of them were enjoying this silence. Knowing that each other was listening to the same silence.


    Neither of them took the initiative to turn off the phone call, considering that there were no words they wanted to say.


    Actually this was the phase when they were very close in thest few weeks, even though the distance between them was still so great.


    "It was highly likely that I would be getting a divorce with Giana." Aidan finally said, breaking the silence between the two of them.


    "What?" Zia frowned, repeating the question because she was afraid she would have heard him wrongly.


    "I am going to divorce Giana," Aidan said, this time his voice became much firmer and more stable.


    However, it was at that moment that from Zia''s side, Aidan could hear someone calling the girl and her voice hurrying to turn off their line.


    "I have to go," Zia said when she heard Hailee''s voice calling out to her and saw her figure enter the room.


    "Where have you been? Why weren''t you downstairs to wee me?" Hailee asked in a confused voice, staring at Zia''s slightly panicked expression, as if she were hiding something from her.


    "Oh, I just called my friend," Zia stuttered a little and put her cell phone back in her pocket.


    Hailee looked a little confused by the attitude Zia was showing her, but before she could ask any further questions, the girl already hugged her tightly and greeted her cheerfully again, making Hailee forget what she wanted to ask and finding Zia''s slightly odd attitude just not that much important to be discussed more deeply.


    "Let''s go back to the living room, don''t let thewyer wait." Zia pulled Hailee''s hand. "I want to see Aileen''s face who got nothingter."


    ==============


    Aidan tugged at his hair in frustration and clutched his cell phone so tightly that his knuckles turned white with the emotions he was trying to control.


    For a moment Aidan was silent. He closed his eyes very tightly and tried to analyze all that had happened. All the mistakes and everything that had happened during his marriage to Giana.


    And in the end, Aidan agreed that there was no reason that could make him stay with Giana.


    Aidan was unhappy with the woman and its the same case with Giana. They both only hurt each other


    The convenience marriage they did, in fact, was very impossible to not involve and engage to their emotional state. It turned out that both of them took this matter very seriously.


    And maybe separation was the best thing ...


    Maybe this decision wasn''t all bad...


    Then Aidan''s thoughts turned to Zia. That woman¡­ didn''t Zia say that she would be with Aidan if he divorced Giana?


    And now Aidan was really going to divorce Giana...


    Which meant...


    Aidan''s eyes immediately opened and an understanding entered his mind, he immediately felt that he had to meet Zia, no matter what.


    Aidan then stood up from his seat, then grabbed his car keys. He would meet Zia now.


    If indeed Zia wanted their rtionship to be known by the public, then that would be what Aidan would do now.


    Wasn''t this her wish all along? And now Aidan could fulfill it all.


    The idea of ??being with Zia and spending the rest of his life with the woman he loved, made Aidan feel more excited than ever.


    However, before Aidan could head to the parking lot and carry out his n, someone had already entered his office.


    "Giana?" Aidan narrowed his eyes and immediately his cheerful face changed. His forehead creased and he looked defensive, noticing that his wife hade to his office.


    "You look happy." Giana said, examining Aidan''s face. Because there was still a smile on his lips."Did something interesting happen?" She asked.


    However, Aidan did not heed the question. He then folded his arms across his chest and stomped his feet impatiently. "Why are you here? What do you want?" He asked harshly.


    Giana was just about to argue with him again because the way Aidan spoke to her was considered too harsh.


    But, in the end Giana ignored this and walked into the room. "Sit down, we have to talk about our divorceter and adapt some stories." Giana then turned to Aidan when the man didn''t even follow her inside and was still standing in the doorway. "We don''t want the public to find out that we actually got divorced because you have been cheating behind my back since the first day of our marriage now, do we?"


    Hearing Giana''s words which have an underlying threat, made Aidan change his mind and walk back into his office.


    "Let''s talk about this quickly," Aidan said in a low, muttering voice.


    ==============


    Hailee sat next to Ramon, who looked calm as he listened to the Tatum family''swyer opening line regarding the inheritance to be received.


    Meanwhile, Aileen and Theodore sat directly opposite the Tordoff couple and looked just as calm.


    Although, actually the two of them were busy with their own thoughts...

 Chapter 168: READING (4)

    <h4>Chapter 168: READING (4)</h4>


    The reading of the will could be said to have run very smoothly and did not encounter any significant obstacles because Aileen did not have the right to demand more than what was given to her.


    Tatum Jewelry''s shares owned by Hailee''s parents amount to sixty- seven percent, of which Hailee got fifty- five percent and Aileen got twelve percent.


    The total inherited shares under Hailee''s name automatically made her the biggest shareholder in thepany and have full authority to remove Aileen and George from the chair they have upied without prior negotiation.


    Needless to say that the two of them didn''t have any right to be there in the first ce, if it was not because of Hailee went missing for some time and there were no one upied that position.


    This was not surprising at all and Ramon had anticipated it well. It was only a matter of time until Ramon could take control of thepany, recing Hailee and overhaul all management in it.


    This made George worry and made him feel very ufortable, because he knew that he had taken a wrong move during his first encounter with Ramon the first time they met and it was proved to be a very fatal step.


    Perhaps Ramon never brought this up, but George more than understood that this was not going to go unpunished and easily forgotten, especially for someone like Ramon, whose status alone, demanded every respect from other people.


    This time George hadpletely taken a misstep and put himself in an extremely dangerous situation for his future at thepany.


    The only way to save himself was Aileen''s marriage to Theodore, because after all Aileen was his real child and there was no way she were to betray him, right? At least, that was what in his mind right now.


    However, George seemed to overestimate the control he held over Aileen and this was a huge miscalction because Aileen had made other ns behind his back.


    Meanwhile, apart frompany shares, there were five houses which were in the names of Hailee''s parents. One of which was the main house where Hailee grew up and was now upied by Aileen alone.


    Four of the five houses were transferred under Hailee''s name and one house, which was a house in the same residential area as the Tatum family''s main house, was handed over to Aileen.


    Even though it was a house in the same area, it was rarely upied and much smaller than the main house.


    However, of course Aileen could not protest about it and could only show her understanding smile while holding back the jealousy and desire to scratch the face of Hailee who was smiling and whispering affectionately to Ramon Tordoff.


    Actually, she didn''t need those houses, since she lived in Tordoff residence with Ramon.


    How could Hailee get everything while Aileen only got the little things that were insignificant whenpared to what Hailee had?


    It didn''t stop there, there were some jewelry and small shares in three otherpanies, all of which fell into Hailee''s hands, while Aileen got and with an area of ??fifty hectares, which was nted with coffee beans and ntations that were still active and producing annually.


    Meanwhile, Hailee inherited two diamond mines, one of which was overseas and was still very productive until today.


    And after a few more statements and the attorney''s concluding words, silence engulfed the room until George spoke up.


    "Hailee really doesn''t understand how to manage apany, what if I volunteer to help her," George suggested.


    If he couldn''t stand up to fight Hailee, then he''d better stand up to help her, but on the other hand this help was like a knife with two sharp edges, ready to scratch anyone, or take George''s first chance to get Hailee in his grasp.


    But, just like his previous calctions, that often went wrong, he simply did not think that Ramon had done that long before the day this would happen because the man had such a strong vision.


    "No need," Ramon interrupted it calmly before George could say any further. "I myself will help my wife."


    It went without saying that Ramon and his team of professionals were more than capable of assisting Hailee in dealing with management issues at Tatum Jewelry, so it could be said that George''s help waspletely useless and out of ce.


    How ridiculous George''s offer when Ramon was more than capable to help Hailee in this case.


    Of course, this was realized by George and Aileen. Hailee would not take the reins of leadership alone, she needed Ramon behind her, which also meant that Ramon was the actual person who would run thepany.


    They were both like two very efficient twin swords, on the pretext that Hailee was the true heir, the shareholders would definitely support her, especially knowing Ramon Tordoff''s involvement in it.


    Who would miss a chance of partnership with the Tordoffs?


    George''s case of canceling the purchase of Ramon''s ring the other day got him heavily criticized, not to mention that his reputation was damaged after he bought the ring.


    Logically thinking, no one would support him. And, it was over for George if Ramon managed to get into this big mess and kick him out of thepany, which George knew very well that this man could do just that.


    "Yes, thank you uncle, but my husband is more than enough to help me deal with problems at thepany." Hailee then looked at Ramon with a look full of love and admiration, which made Diego smile happily, but it didn''t seem to be felt by some of the other people in the room.


    "Very well, because I have conveyed the important things that must be said in ordance with the will that has been left by Mr and Mrs. Tatum, I will resign myself now." Thewyer then stood up and smiled at every person in the room, shaking hands one by one. "To sign other important papers, Mrs. Tordoff cane to my office."


    Thewyer informed Hailee and the girl smiled happily at how her name was mentioned.


    Mrs. Tordoff.


    Hmm¡­ sounds really nice to carry that name.


    Afterward, Zia escorted thewyer out of the room, leaving them to discuss further, but Zia''s thoughts from the start of the reading of the will to itspletion, were still divided.


    Zia''s mind wasn''t here at all. She didn''t even really listen to what percentage she got, which was nothing significant anyway, since it was only five percent from a smallpany.


    Yes, Zia got a share, even though it''s very small, but it showed how much Hailee''s parents love her too.


    However, Zia wasn''t focused on that at all, as two things were echoing in her mind.


    First was the fact that Aidan had slept with Aileen.


    Zia did not understand how the two of them happened to meet and Aileen took advantage of the situation by trapping Aidan in such a way. It was too weird to be a coincidence, but Aileen shouldn''t be aiming for Aidan, right? She was going to marry Theodore.


    And the other thing, that Aileen was pregnant with Theodore''s child really left Zia bbergasted and she couldn''t stop thinking, how could Aileen do that?


    Then the second thought was; Aidan''s words which said that he would get a divorce from Giana.


    That statement gave Zia all kinds ofplicated feelings. She wasn''t sure what to feel when she heard the news.


    Should she be happy? What happened exactly? Wasn''t Aidan so against the idea of divorce because the consequences were too great?


    So what made Aidan finally decide to divorce Giana?


    ==============


    After reading the will, the whole Tatum family had a small talk about various things until it waste afternoon and Hailee and Ramon had to say goodbye because they both nned to visit the resting ce of Hailee''s parents.


    This had been nned for a long time, but for one reason or another, this was the first time they could make it happen.


    "Hailee, can we talk for a moment?" Theodore suddenly walked up to Hailee and grabbed her arm so they could talk secretly in the corridor, while Ramon and the others were still in the room.


    Hailee immediately brushed off Theodore''s hand because she felt ufortable being too close to this man.


    It''s really annoying to have to be forced by someone you don''t like.


    "Stop bothering me," Hailee hissed sarcastically. She then tried to get back into the room again, but Theodore pulled her farther away and looked so hasty. "If you keep doing this, then I will scream!" Hailee threatened.


    Either because of her sessful threat, or Theodore thought it was better to keep a safe distance for him to be able to talk to Hailee freely, but finally he stopped and looked at the woman who a few months ago was his fianc¨¦.


    "I have been investigating about Aileen." Theodore finally said, breathing heavily, as if a lump of emotions was trying to block his throat.


    Hearing Theodore''s statement, Hailee pushed the man away from her, but she didn''t go away from there.


    Theodore''s words were just intriguing enough for Hailee to hear more about what he had to say next.


    "Then?" Hailee raised an eyebrow in a very sarcastic fashion. "What are you telling me this for?"


    Theodore then looked away awkwardly. "I thought you wanted to know about this ..." he said in a low voice.


    "Why do you think I want to know?" Hailee snorted in annoyance.

 Chapter 169: I Will Love It

    <h4>Chapter 169 - I Will Love It</h4>


    "Hailee¡­" Theodore tried to make his voice sound natural and not show his emotions, but that didn''t seem to help at all, as it could be very clearly seen that he was feeling ufortable with the topic he was going to talk about at the moment.


    Meanwhile, Hailee was still wondering why Theodore suddenly suspected Aileen and how his attitude toward her had changed, even though it was only a little, but with their marriage would be in less than a month, it was simply weird.


    What''s the matter?


    And immediately Hailee remembered what Zia said when she was still on Crestgold Ind, a few days before when she was honeymooning with Ramon.


    Zia informed something that was quite surprising for Hailee and she only remembered it now, because there were many events that happened after that and Hailee almost forgot that she had ever had such a conversation with Zia.


    Especially, when Giana came to Crestgold Ind and literally ruined her honeymoon with Ramon. There was nothing Hailee could think of, except for her annoyance with her.


    Well, that made her forget this matterpletely. Ugh! How she could forget such a crucial information like that?


    "Aileen is pregnant with your child, right?" Hailee asked in a sharp tone. Her eyes were fixed directly on Theodore''s, but the man couldn''t quite clearly define the meaning behind her gaze.


    Surprise shed through Theodore''s eyes, but then it disappeared as fast as it appeared.


    Theodore should have anticipated this. Hailee certainly knew about the news of Aileen''s pregnancy, because after all, Zia was there when Aileen admitted that she was pregnant and also during her first examination at the hospital.


    Therefore, without having any other choice to say otherwise and even more so, Theodore admitted this. "Yes, Aileen is pregnant," he said clearly.


    There was no surprise in Hailee''s eyes when he admitted this. Not just shock, there wasn''t even anger, resentment, disappointment, neither pleasure.


    There was no emotion behind Hailee''s two beautiful eyes, as if the big news didn''t matter to her at all.


    Or it couldbe the truth; news about Aileen''s pregnancy was anything but news worthy of a response from Mrs. Tordoff and Hailee made sure that these feelings conveyed well to Theodore.


    "Then congrats," Hailee said in a t tone as she shrugged her shoulders nonchntly. "I don''t understand why you wanted to investigate Aileen''s motives when she was pregnant with your child. But, for whatever reason, I have no interest in knowing."


    "Hailee¡­" Theodore was about to interrupt Hailee''s words, but the girl had already raised her hand to stop whatever Theodore was trying to say.


    "Listen Theo," Hailee began. "I have absolutely no interest in hearing whatever you want to do. So, I hope this is thest time you will pull me by force like this."


    After saying this, Hailee turned and walked away from the ce, leaving Theodore alone, standing rooted in his ce.


    At present, there was only one thing Theodore knew for certain, namely; Hailee had really changed since she married Ramon Tordoff. No, ever since they first met again, Hailee''s attitude toward him had changed even more.


    It was inconceivable how in the past Hailee had never opposed Theodore''s wishes, but now she always looked at him coldly and condescendingly...


    Did Hailee think just because she had married Ramon and had be Mrs. Tordoff, she could look at Theodore with the way she was right now? How could she now have such a drastic change? Hailee no longer wanted to talk to him?


    Theodore continued to search for a defense in his head without even thinking that he had made a mistake that caused Hailee''s current attitude...


    After all, which woman would still want to be with a man who was clearly cheating behind her back? With her own sister for that matter?


    Theodore should have been smarter to think about the possibility of that reason, yet he was too cocky toe into that conclusion.


    ==============


    "Where have you been?" Aileen asked when she saw Theodore walking back into the room with an expression that would make you wonder; what else did you do wrong?


    "None of your business," he hissed without even realizing, because his annoyance at Hailee had made him ufortable.


    Or maybe it should be said that this was his frustration with himself and the situation he had to face.


    On the other hand, Theodore''s answer was enough to stun Aileen. She had never received such harsh and sharp words from this man before.


    If Theodore had been avoiding him all this time, Aileen only thought that this man needed time for himself. Because he was trying to adapt himself to the intricate situation they were in, but Theodore did not use such harsh words so far.


    In the midst of Aileen''s shock, Theodore seemed to have just realized what he had just done and his hardened expression suddenly turned awry.


    The man then walked over to Aileen.


    "Sorry," he said in a low voice. "Looks like we have to go home now." He looked around and found neither Hailee nor Ramon, as if they had already left. Not even George was there.


    He didn''t know why he kept looking for Hailee.


    Aileen did not answer Theodore''s words and immediately left the room without saying anything. She seemed too upset to be able to express what she wanted or what was on her mind.


    What Aileen was afraid of was that she could not hold back her emotions which might make the situation worse, therefore, before she said or did something she would regret, it would be best if she stepped away for a moment.


    This was too much!


    Theodore became too much to be taken care of!


    ==============


    Giana pulled out a document that Aidan had to sign and left it on the table under her husband''s unfriendly gaze, who would soon change his status to ''ex- husband''.


    "You can go through the documents again and let Dillon know if there really is anything you want to change in the conditions." Giana nodded at the document. "Give it back to me when you have signed it. The contents are roughly the same as what I already told you."


    Aidan said nothing, but neither did he intend to touch the document.


    "I will go now," Giana said back when she didn''t get any response from Aidan. "I hope we can finish this smoothly."


    Aidan still gave no reaction. However, just as Giana was about to reach the door, he then started talking.


    "Do you regret our marriage?" Aidan asked in a voice that sounded even and emotionless.


    When she heard the question, immediately Giana''s steps stopped and she turned her body to face Aidan. "Yes."


    It was a short, honest answer which left Aidan quite devastated, even though he had actually anticipated it.


    "If I didn''t have an affair with another woman and our household life was fine, would you still feel sorry for this marriage?" Aidan was not sorry about the decision to divorce, nor did he want to ask Giana to rethink it.


    It was just that, Aidan wanted to know what would have happened to the two of them if their circumstances were not the same as they were now.


    Would their marriage be sessful?


    Giana smiled, a smile that didn''t reach her eyes. "Maybe."


    "I am sorry," Aidan said, not because he regretted what happened, but for ruining any possibility between them. Giana was a good woman, but his heart belonged to someone else.


    "You don''t need to apologize," Giana said coldly and turned around, but she nced over her shoulder at Aidan as she continued her words. "Because in this marriage, you are not the only one who has an affair."


    After dropping the bomb, Giana turned around and left Aidan dumbfounded by the information he just got.


    Aidan didn''t expect for Giana to be loyal to him, but hearing it directly from the woman''s lips turned out to have a different effect on Aidan.


    Giana really had an affair...


    But with whom?


    However, Aidan could think about itter, because for now, there was something else he had to do, which was to contact Zia.


    Since this divorce decision had reached the final word, nothing will stand in the way of his desire to be with Zia.


    Zia would not be able to give him another reason not to continue their rtionship. Wasn''t this the main condition of her? And now Aidan could do it. He could give Zia the status she truly desired.


    Therefore, without even ncing at the documents on the table again, Aidan immediately got off the sofa and walked out of his office, executing his original n, which was to meet Zia.


    Whether the girl wanted to see him or not, Aidan would still go. After all, Zia had no more reason to avoid him, right?


    ==============


    "What are you talking about with Theodore?" Ramon asked casually as they were on their way home from visiting the resting ce of Hailee''s parents.


    This was a question Ramon had wanted to ask for a long time, but he still hesitated to pull it up.


    Ramon didn''t want to look like a busy body that he wanted to know about Hailee and Theodore''s business, even though that was exactly what he wanted.


    He was curious about what they were actually talking about in secret. Because after all, Ramon could still see how Theodore was looking at Hailee.


    There were streaks of longing and regret there.


    That bastard man dared to look at his wife with such a gaze.


    "Why?" Hailee turned her gaze to Ramon and found the man twisting his face with an expression that Hailee recognized as annoyance. "Oh, Theodore said he had started investigating Aileen''s motives." Hailee shrugged her shoulders indifferently. "He finally listened to my warning and started to suspect Aileen."


    "Finally he started to use his brain," Ramonmented sarcastically. "Why did he have to report that to you?" Ramon asked, looking at Hailee intensely.


    "I have no idea." Hailee approached Ramon and put her arm around his side so he could rest her head on his chestfortably. "I don''t think their rtionship is going well."


    "Too bad, they should get along very well with each other," Ramon muttered.


    "Right." Hearing that, Haileeughed softly in response. "You know that Aileen is pregnant?"


    "No," Ramon answered. "But I don''t think the guy from the Gevano family wants it."


    "Right." Hailee nodded. "Zia says Theodore is not very happy with the news of Aileen''s pregnancy." Then Hailee looked at Ramon. "Then what will you do if you find out I''m pregnant?"


    Ramon''s expression softened as he looked at Hailee and kissed her forehead. "Of course I will like it. Only fools will not love their flesh and blood."


    ==============


    Read also my new book: The Bride of the Vampire King.


    Hope you will like it! ((>o<))

 Chapter 170: I THOUGHT YOU WILL NEVER REALIZE IT

    <h4>Chapter 170: I THOUGHT YOU WILL NEVER REALIZE IT</h4>


    Ramon''s words made Hailee smile and move her body closer to this man. She didn''t know what she had done, for her to get Ramon as her husband.


    Maybe, because of what she had been through and all the sufferings Hailee had gone through had brought Ramon to her.


    If that was the case then Hailee wouldn''tin if she had to repeat the bad times all over again. It''s not that Hailee wanted to experience all those for the second time, but she would feel better knowing that a guy like Ramon was the one she would get and not a coward like Theodore.


    "I love you¡­" Hailee whispered into Ramon''s ear, which automatically made the man smile more widely. Getting rid of hisst negative thoughts, as he kissed Hailee on the forehead gently.


    "I love you too..." Immediately his annoyance at Theodore just disappeared and now he felt calm again with his wife beside him, feelingfortable with the warmth radiating from Hailee''s body.


    While outside, it started to rain. The sound of raindrops hitting the car windows lulled Hailee and Ramon the rest of their long journey back home, to the Tordoff residence.


    Tonight will be a long night ...


    ==============


    Zia was staring at her cellphone screen, because since earlier Aidan had not stopped to call her.


    It didn''t take a smart person to know what Aidan was going to talk to her about, because she knew what he wanted to say.


    Remembering Zia''sst remark, which was giving Aidan a condition to part with Giana so that they would be together, it didn''t need to be said that that was what Aidan would discuss if Zia picked up this phone call.


    Actually, the decision that Zia had to make was very simple. Wasn''t this what she wanted? Reconnecting with Aidan and being able to freely publicize their rtionship?


    And now she could do it ...


    But, why did Zia feel that there was something stuck in her heart?


    Something that had to do with the fact that Aidan had slept with Aileen bothered her a lot.


    Zia tried to focus on the fact that there was a chance that her and Aidan''s rtionship could work out, but when she remembered that, Aileen''s face shed back to her mind and crushed her hopes.


    It turned out that things were more serious than what Zia thought...


    Again, the number of missed calls on Zia''s phone had increased by one and she knew leaving things like this wouldn''t make matters better.


    Knowing Aidan, the man wouldn''t stop in his attempt to get what he wanted.


    Maybe Zia should just face all this and decide what''s best for the two of them.


    And as she had previously thought, the phone call happened again. This time Zia picked up the call.


    "Aidan, I think we should talk," Zia said without greeting with a ''hello'' as her opening sentence.


    Silence followed her words, but then Aidan''s voice spoke with relief. "Come out, I am in front of your house."


    ==============


    Ramon had been trying to shake Hailee''s body, trying to wake her up, but it seemed that Hailee was too fast asleep and Ramon didn''t have the heart to interrupt her dream, so he chose thest option he had; carrying his wife to their bedroom.


    This wasn''t a big deal for Ramon, and Hailee''s body wasn''t heavy either.


    So, in one fluid motion, Ramon lifted his wife princess style and carried her up to their room on the second floor.


    Upon hearing the car door closing and feeling the cold night air, Hailee''s body shivered slightly and she awoke for a moment, only to put her arms around Ramon''s neck and then fall back asleep again in her husband''s arms.


    Looking at Hailee''s sleeping face and slightly parted lips, Ramon could feel a smile blooming on his own lips.


    Perhaps the beginning of this marriage was a business rtionship where Ramon was looking to profit from marrying Hailee, but after spending quite a bit of time with this woman, Ramon feltfortable having her by his side and it was an undeniable feeling.


    Now that feeling was clearer.


    It was just that, there was another feeling bothering him. His random dreams about that women from his past¡­ Giana.


    Yes, thest few days Ramon had been dreaming about that woman. Nothing significant, just a sh of imagery or a memory of a scene Ramon felt had happened between the two of them.


    And having dreams like those were making Ramon feel ufortable.


    His mind continued to wonder, questioning the past that was lost in his memory. But, on the other hand, Ramon didn''t want to remember. He felt that it was enough to live in the present together with Hailee.


    This is all quite confusing...


    ==============


    Hailee felt bothered as her body felt hot, although she could still feel the cold air blowing from the air conditioner against her skin.


    For some reason Hailee felt ufortable which left her feeling nervous. Hailee wanted something, but didn''t understand what she needed...


    And this strange feeling prevented her from falling back asleep, making Hailee move her body on the bed until her back felt Ramon''s broad chest and his arms hugging her from behind, unconsciously making Hailee stop making a fuss.


    Hailee felt Ramon''s warm breath on the nape of her neck and immediately, the strange feeling that had disturbed her sleep returned, but this time it multiplied.


    It took a while until she realized what this feeling was and turned her body to face the man who was still sleeping beside her.


    Hailee bit her lip. Ramon was still asleep and the part of her that was still sane tried to warn her not to disturb his sleep.


    It''s just that, the irrational part of Hailee was trying to persuade her to do what she wanted.


    And the longer she stared at Ramon''s sleeping face, the more Hailee felt the desire for him. This man was the epitome of a temptation.


    She''s out of her mind!


    Hailee was sure that she was out of her mind thinking about this. Feeling excited because she saw her husband asleep while hugging her.


    Why is she being weird like this?


    Hailee went back to biting her lip a little harder, even though what she really wanted to bite was Ramon''s lips, which looked so seductive.


    No. No. No.


    What was Hailee thinking in the middle of the night like this? Why did she wake up in such an awful mood anyway?


    Hailee continued cursing, but no matter how much she tried to get rid of this very bold desire, she couldn''t get rid of the images of her and Ramon''s bodies tangled together...


    And when she closed her eyes, Hailee saw them even more clearly.


    Perhaps, touching Ramon a little was fine, right? Yes, right? Hailee then stretched out her hand and touched Ramon''s cheek, feeling his skin under her touch.


    Hailee''s fingers then traced the man''s jaw line and then down his neck, feeling the warmth radiating from Ramon''s body.


    But, Hailee wanted more. Her eyes then stared at Ramon''s face, who was still sleeping peacefully, as if there was no sign of waking up, so Hailee thought that it wouldn''t be a problem if she went a step further.


    Or maybe, Hailee did want Ramon to wake up and really respond to her.


    Hailee didn''t know what was on her mind right now, but she felt excited, but also very perverted at the same time because she fondled the sleeping Ramon, even though this man was her own husband.


    Ugh!


    What the hell ... Haileeined to herself.


    However, the awareness of this didn''t seem to make Hailee stop her mind at all, because now Hailee''s hand was under the shirt that Ramon was wearing and felt the man''s stomach muscles writhing under her palm, making Hailee smile to herself.


    Hailee felt like she was a pervert right now. But on the other hand, she didn''t want to stop at all. If Ramon woke up, maybe things would be even more interesting...


    Okay, she is a pervert.


    Then Hailee bravely traced Ramon''s body, inch by inch and enjoyed the silence that stretched out between them.


    When Hailee was done with her curiosity about Ramon''s body, the woman then lifted her body slightly to give a kiss on Ramon''s lips.


    At first it was just a short kiss, but over time, because Ramon still didn''t react, Hailee became more courageous and seemed to deliberately wake the man until she got the response she wanted.


    "Aw!" Hailee felt her lips sting and within seconds, her back was touching the soft mattress with Ramon pressing her down.


    "What are you trying to do?" Ramon asked in a deep, alert voice.


    Ramon was already awake when Hailee touched his lips, but decided to keep quiet because he thought Hailee would stop there.


    However, who would have thought that Hailee could act so bold and even touch other parts of his body, making Ramon find it difficult to maintain his pretense.


    Andstly, it was very clear that Hailee was no longer covering up her desires. She was really trying to get himself to wake up from sleep and fulfill this wish of hers.


    Well, Ramon actually didn''t refuse at all, it''s just that he felt a little strange because of Hailee''s sudden attack.


    "I thought you wouldn''t wake up," Haileeughed softly as Ramon bit her neck and growled softly as Hailee slipped her hand back under the shirt he was wearing.


    ==============


    Read my other book: The Bride of the Vampire King.


    Hope you like it. ((^o^))

 Chapter 171: YOU HAVE AN AFFAIR WITH HIM?!

    <h4>Chapter 171: YOU HAVE AN AFFAIR WITH HIM?!</h4>


    Hailee felt more refreshed after she woke up for the second time today. And, the sunlighting in through the open windows made her feel better, despite the fact that her body ached in some ces.


    But, on the whole, after remembering every little detail of what happenedst night, Hailee could onlyugh to herself as a sense of warmth crept up her cheeks.


    She really didn''t expect that she would end up bothering Ramon like that, but what made Hailee happy was that Ramon didn''t mind being bullied at all.


    Well, no one would say that he objected from the way he responded to Hailee''s annoying advancesst night.


    Hailee bit her lower lip to suppress the smile that was about to bloom before she continued to think about Ramon. Sticking her hand to the side, Hailee found that the man was no longer there.


    Her hand found Ramon''s side cold and empty, indicating that the man had woken up a long time ago and left the bed.


    Is Ramon in the bathroom? Hailee perked her ears up, but didn''t hear any sound until she felt sure that she was alone in the room.


    Then, Hailee began to stretch and wake up from her sleep, loosening her muscles while feeling her bones creaking loudly.


    Ah¡­ very nice¡­


    Hailee then got out of bed and grabbed her cellphone which was on the night stand beside and was shocked when she saw what time it was.


    It was 10.00 AM already!


    Hailee skipped breakfast and it''s almost lunch now! She never woke up until thiste, no matter howte she fell asleep the previous night.


    Ugh! This must be the result of the evening ''exercise'' she participated in. Ramon was to me for all this, considering that she was the one who got exhausted.


    Then, the second thing that caught Hailee''s attention were a few missed calls from an unfamiliar number.


    Hailee''s forehead creased seeingthe number. Not many people knew about this cell phone number except the Tordoffs, Ian and Zia.


    Then who is this?


    As if to answer Hailee''s curiosity, the foreign number called her back.


    "Hello?" Hailee answered in a voice that was still a little hoarse, with an expression that was still sleepy. "Who is this?"


    "Hailee." A woman''s voice greeted Hailee in a cold tone and immediately she recognized the voice.


    "Giana," Hailee said. She would always recognize her voice.


    And immediately, Hailee''s sleepiness just disappeared, reced by a sense of alertness and annoyance that mingled into one.


    "What do you want?" Hailee asked sarcastically. At first she intended to disconnect the call, but in the end Hailee decided to find out what Giana''s intentions were until she struggled to get her cell phone number.


    Getting Hailee''s cell phone number was not an easy job, but it was also not an impossible. As long as you have money and status, then you could get all the information you needed.


    At least that was the case in a world like the one Hailee was currently living in.


    "You don''t need to be cynical to me," Giana admonished her in a sharp tone.


    Hearing that, Hailee snorted, showing her displeasure. "Then, how do you want me to reprimand you?" She asked. "Even with all those harsh words, you still don''t understand what I''m saying. I did not think that you are so stupid that you don''t understand the essence of the words; do not disturb my life."


    Hailee bit out herst sentence through her clenched teeth, indicating how annoyed she was at the other person was right now.


    "You don''t want to talk to me?" Gianaughed bitterly. "You could just turn off this phone line¡­ hello? Hello?"


    And in the next second the telephone line waspletely cut off.


    Well, initially Hailee wanted to give Giana a chance to exin her purpose in calling herself, but since Giana didn''t appreciate the opportunity and asked Hailee to hang up, that''s what Hailee did¡­


    Besides, she didn''t want to talk to Giana in the first ce.


    Feel it!


    ==============


    Giana stared at her cellphone screen in disbelief, hearing the disconnected tone of the line Hailee had unterally disconnected.


    "Damn it!" Giana growled, gritting her mr teeth tightly. Her eyes were so sharp that she stared angrily at her cellphone, as if she were going to m the unfortunate thing one more time, were it not for Dillon to rush over and grab the innocent thing from Giana''s hand and secure it.


    "What is wrong now?" Dillon asked as he put Giana''s documents and cellphone on the table. With just one nce, he could tell that Giana wasn''t in a good mood, or it could be said that she didn''t want to be bothered right now. "Who else is looking to mess with you?" He asked.


    After the incident in the car, when Giana spent at least half an hour crying in Dillon''s arms, it seemed that the iceberg that was looming between them had melted, or you could say the iceberg was now much warmer than before.


    Dillon even felt that Giana became much more rxed and less guarded when she was around him.


    Not only that, Giana seemed even more attentive to his words now. Maybe it was just Dillon''s feelings, but that was exactly how he now felt about the rtionship between the two of them.


    "What''s wrong with you?" Dillon asked in a rxed tone and slumped himself down on the soft sofa.


    Giana still refused to speak and preferred to look away.


    And as if he understood what was on this woman''s mind, Dillon could guess exactly that this must have something to do with Ramon or his wife, Hailee.


    Everything that had to do with the two of them would make Giana''s mood change and her to be a little snappy.


    And even though he knew this, Dillon still felt that she was a little annoyed because Gianawas still struggling with the same problem, while she still had to face things that were moreplicated than this.


    "You don''t want to talk about it?" Dillon asked and he saw Giana supporting her head with her two hands, sighing in annoyance. That was when he knew that this woman wasn''t in the mood to discuss anything. "Then how about we discuss your divorce issue with Aidan?" Dillon shifted the document he had brought closer to Giana for her to examine.


    "Has he signed it? He agreed to all the conditions?" Giana lifted her head, finally looking a little interested in the topic that was brought up by Dillon. Then she reached for the document to read.


    Her forehead crinkled slightly when she saw some of the points Aidan put up. Her husband was really a businessman, he even made calctions with herself.


    However, Giana had anticipated all of that and after all, no point was too much to change.


    Aidan only revised two points and added one point to the number of points Giana raised previously. So, you could say that these requests weren''t made for profits, but to just find a bnce between the two of them.


    "Make a new copy with these changes and let me sign it before I go out," Giana said. She wanted to solve this problem as soon as possible.


    "Where are you going?" Dillon asked without thinking first, but when he realized it, he immediately anticipated Giana''s answer.


    Not because of anything, but thest time Dillon was too curious about his business, the answer that came out of Giana''s lips was not at all pleasant to hear, so he was now preparing himself for the worst.


    "I''ll be out for a bit," Giana muttered. This obviously made Dillon breathe a little relieved because he was not really pushing his luck.


    Maybe the rtionship between the two of them really got better, but it didn''t mean that Giana''s way of doing things would turn a hundred and eighty degrees or that she would suddenly be really nice to him.


    "Want me to apany you?" Dillon asked as he took the document back, intending to make a revision of it as soon as possible.


    "No need." Giana waved her hand, indicating that she wanted to be alone.


    Therefore, Dillon couldn''t do anything except what Giana wanted and resigned himself to revise the agreement that Giana needed.


    It''s just that, before Dillon had time to get out of the room, someone had stepped in and stopped right in front of Dillon, but a momentter his eyes were staring at Giana, who had now gotten up from her seat with a wary expression.


    "You, get out," said the man, who was none other than Giana''s father, Mr. Dawson.


    The middle-aged man looked like he was about to lose his temper and looked like he was going to explode in a moment because Dillon didn''t move quickly.


    But, on the other hand, Dillon did not move from where he stood. He didn''t want to leave Giana to face Mr. Dawson alone. Because, Dillon could tell from the sweat on the face of this middle aged man that he was going to go on a rampage in a moment.


    Dillon turned his gaze toward Giana under Mr. Dawson''s ring eyes, trying to ignore his order.


    "Get out of this room right now!" Mr. Dawson raised his tone at Dillon, rebuking him loudly because he was obviously being stubborn by staying there. "Leave the two of us alone!"


    Giana took a deep breath before she said in a t tone with face that devoid from any emotion. "Go, Dillon, leave us," she said and when Dillon still remained silent, Giana repeated her words even more firmly. "Go."


    Only then did Dillon react and stepped out of the room, because even from the start he understood that being there would only make things worse.


    After that, Mr. Dawson faced his daughter. His eyes were ring angrily at Giana, seeing how Dillon had not listened to his words just now.


    "You should fire a useless employee like him!" Mr. Dawson scolded Giana angrily, pointing to the door which Dillon had just closed before he left the room. "I want him to be fired right now!"


    Mr. Dawson didn''t seem to take the insult very well because he felt what Dillon did earlier waspletely out of work ethics.


    However, Giana had a different opinion and as for this one, she said a little harshly to her father.


    "Don''t even think about doing that." Giana''s voice sounded very cold and full of emotion. Her eyes shed with anger.


    And for a moment, this strong reaction that Giana showed left Mr. Dawsonpletely stunned. He couldn''t say anything for a while.


    "What do you want?" Giana asked coldly, distracting Mr. Dawson by asking the purpose of his arrival.

 Chapter 172: DROP THE LAWSUIT!

    <h4>Chapter 172: DROP THE LAWSUIT!</h4>


    However, it seemed Mr. Dawson did not want to let this matter go so easily. "Is it because of him that you decided to divorce Aidan?" The middle-aged man narrowed his eyes dangerously at Giana. "You have an affair with him?"


    "An affair? With whom?" Giana asked in a slightly raised voice, seeing how her own father gave her an using look. "What affair do you mean?"


    Giana didn''t understand what her father was saying. It couldn''t be that he knew about her affair with Ramon, right?


    And it didn''t even cross Giana''s mind that her father was actually talking about Dillon. Therefore, Giana''s frown deepened when Mr. Dawson pped her very hard.


    "Tell me!" Her father roared. His voice thundered around the room. Luckily the room was soundproof, so noises inside could not be heard by the people outside. "What is the real reason you filed for a divorce from Aidan?!"


    A heavy p on Giana''s cheek made the woman nearly fall and crash into the table while sending all the documents on it flying to the floor. But, luckily Giana quickly regained her bnce so she didn''t end up as sorry figured as she could have imagined.


    Although now her face felt hot and stinging from Mr. Dawson''s p, she still tried her best not to cry in front of her father.


    "Drop thewsuit immediately!" Eximed Mr. Dawson so angrily that almost left his whole face turn even more darker. "Stop your crazy actions!" He shouted.


    On the other hand, Giana bit her lower lip and took a deep breath to muster up some courage to look at her father.


    For some reason, at a time like this, Dillon''s face shed through her mind. The expression on his worried face for a moment before he left this room gave a little warmth to Giana''s heart.


    At least, that way Giana knew that there were still people who were really worried about her.


    Because both Giana and Dillon knew that nothing would be alright as Mr. Dawson came here with such a facial expression.


    Things like this could not be avoided.


    Actually, Mr. Dawson was not someone who could be called as easy-going and often used violence to make his point cross. And, it could be said that this was the third time Giana had been pped by her father in her life.


    But, it was different for this one case. For once, Giana didn''t want to back down and obey her father''s orders blindly. She did not want to return to her false married life with Aidan again.


    The thought of it alone was much scarier than facing her father now.


    Therefore, with her head held high and in a firmer voice, Giana refused his order. "Never." This answer left Mr. Dawson utterly bbergasted. "I will never drop thewsuit."


    "YOU!" Mr. Dawson''s anger was unstoppable when hended another p across the cheek of his daughter. "You really dare to fight me now!"


    Giana closed her eyes tightly when the second p she received made her head dizzy, leaving her gaze all blurred.


    And when she tried to bite her lip to endure the pain, Giana could feel fresh blood running down her tongue, which turned out to be from a cut on her lip.


    Her father really didn''t hold back when he hit her. He didn''t even hesitate to use all his strength to hurt his only daughter.


    "Drop the divorce suit!" Mr. Dawson shouted the same line as what he said earlier. Because that solely had been his original purpose foring to thispany. "Drop thewsuit, or I''ll do it myself!" The threat would really be carried out if Giana still chose to remain stubborn with her stance.


    However, it seemed that this time, there was no threat that could shake Giana''s determination to follow up this decision of hers.


    "Even if father withdraws thewsuit that I have filed, Aidan will surely file for one." Giana took a few steps back, anticipating that her father would hit her again. "Which one do you think is better? Aidan divorcing me or me divorcing him?"


    Mr. Dawson squinted and looked at Giana with dangerously narrowed eyes, as if he was going to kill his own flesh and blood in the next second.


    But, luckily, this was just Giana''s imagination, because Mr. Dawson just stood there for a while before he finally decided to break this emotional silence.


    "Tell me what is the reason you suddenly asked for a divorce from Aidan?" His voice no longer rose up to a few octaves high, but that didn''t mean he wasn''t any less scary. Precisely, Mr. Dawson seemed even more of a concern for his daughter when he was speaking quietly like this, making him look even scarier than usual.


    Meanwhile, Giana did not immediately answer her father''s question. She studied Mr. Dawson''s face and her expression changed as she finally relented; "Because Aidan is having an affair." Gian growled softly. "He has been having an affair for a long time!"


    Mr. Dawson frowned, as if trying to digest that answer, but a momentter, his response literally made Giana feel like she was losing her mind. "Maybe because you didn''t give him an offspring."


    What?!


    Giana had never felt so stupid in her life, except for this one time, where she couldn''t even properly express her emotions at the statement her father made.


    So, all this time they thought; Giana has problems with her body so she can''t give Aidan an offspring.


    But, have they ever thought that the real problem came from Aidan?


    In fact, there was a lot of spection about the sudden divorce between Aidan and Giana, and one of them was because Giana had not yet conceived an heir for the two families.


    For a moment that felt really really long, Giana seemed to lose her ability to speak, until a sentence escaped her lips like a hiss. "Dad, you didn''t really say that, did you?"


    Mr. Dawson did not flinch. He looked at his daughter with the same sharp eyes and gave absolutely no sign that he was sympathetic to Giana.


    "Stop making things worse," Mr. Dawson said in a cold tone. He didn''t want to know anything about what happened to Giana. What he wanted was stability in his ownpany, which would soon be disturbed if someone smelled the divorce suit filed by Giana.


    "Making things worse?" Giana snorted andughed. Augh that was far from friendly or funny, augh that was forced and would make anyone who heard it frown, including Mr. Dawson."I have made things worse?" She asked back sarcastically.


    "Stop with this childish attitude of yours." Mr. Dawson gritted his teeth tightly. He had never felt this angry with Giana because his daughter before, would always follow whatever he ordered. But apparently, that wasn''t the case now.


    Mr. Dawson would p Giana twice to make her bow. However, today was an exception, where Giana, even after the second p, still looked so defiant and couldn''t be brought down.


    "Then stop being this ignorance," Giana replied, making Mr. Dawson widen his eyes. "Because I won''t obey you this time." She dered.


    "GIANA!" Mr. Dawson''s roared very loudly, at the same time, a third pnded on Giana''s cheek again.


    ==============


    Hailee, who was in a very good mood this morning when she woke up, suddenly became all gloomy after she received a call from Giana. She was very upset that the woman managed to get her cell phone number.


    But, if Giana managed to get her cell phone number, that meant she could get Ramon''s cell phone number too, right?


    "Impossible," Ramon answered from the other end of the line when Hailee called him to report what happened this morning in an irritated tone. Ramon could even imagine Hailee twisting her face into one of her annoyed expressions at this moment, as if he was sitting opposite her.


    "Why?" Hailee asked grumpily. Looking very dissatisfied with Ramon''s answer.


    Meanwhile, Ramon listened to Hailee babbling while inhaling the aroma of his coffee. He looked rxed and calm, as if this didn''t bother him at all.


    "Of course it is impossible, because she will not be able to prate the security system on my cellphone," Ramon then exined briefly why it would not be possible for Giana to do this and also why she was able to get Hailee''s cell phone number so easily.


    On the other hand, Hailee was listening intently, asionally pursing her lips with an unsatisfied expression. "Okay then, because I don''t like that woman bothering you."


    From across the phone, Ramonughed. "Bothering me? Isn''t she bothering you?" He asked in a calm voice.


    "Oh, I don''t mind if she bothers me, because I can handle her just fine. What matters is if she starts bothering you and your work," Hailee said casually, shrugging her shoulders as if she didn''t care.


    "Why?" Ramon asked in a tone full of anticipation what answer Hailee would give.


    "Because if she interferes with your work, then it will also affect the ie and money I receive. What if the management of yourpany is in chaos and it runs into a deficit?" Haileeasked worriedly as if she understood how to manage apany. "Don''t forget, I own a few percent of your shares in yourpany."


    The corners of Ramon''s lips twitched and if he could turn back the time, then he would choose not to hear Hailee''s words.


    How could Hailee think like that?


    "It won''t happen." Ramon grumbled and Haileeughed at having managed to piss this guy off.


    But, she didn''t stop there.


    "I promised to meet with Ian this afternoon, at the cafe near your office, when you''re done, pick me up, okay?"


    "What?!"

 Chapter 173: CAME TO PICK UP HIS WIFE

    <h4>Chapter 173: CAME TO PICK UP HIS WIFE</h4>


    "What?!" Ramon''s frown deepened when he heard what Hailee just said in a light tone of voice.


    Didn''t he already say so clearly that Hailee shouldn''t see Ian again? Then why was now Hailee actually challenging him by bringing Ian to this city? And¡­ what did she just say? Picking her up after she was done hanging out with that ''best friend'' of hers?


    "I promised to meet Ian at the cafe near your office," Hailee innocently repeated her words from earlier. "When you leave home from work, can you pick me up first?" She asked.


    At this point, Hailee waspletely unaware of her husband''s change in mood and was still acting as usual. As if nothing had happened.


    "So, can you pick me up?" Hailee asked again when she noticed that Ramon didn''t answer her question even after a considerable amount of pause. "The cafe is not too far from where you are."


    "Hailee." Ramon''s voice sounded firmer and now the twitch in his temples became even more noticeable.


    "Yes?" Hailee answered in her sweet voice.


    "Didn''t I tell you not to see him again?" Ramon asked. His tone was very even, as if he didn''t have any thoughts at the moment. Although the truth was quite the opposite.


    "But, I didn''t say that I agreed, did I?" Hailee replied. Her face was expressionless when she said that. So innocent, as if she didn''t know what after- effect she was going to face if she continued her efforts to meet Ian. "Or if you can''t pick me up, I can ask Ian to drive me home," Hailee suggested.


    "What?" Ramon frowned again. This time he nced at the screen of his cellphone, making sure that the line was fine.


    "I can ask Ian to take me home." Hailee stared at her manicured fingernails with much enthusiasm, as if they needed more attention from her than her husband, who was on the verge of anger and resentment. "He wille on a motorbike," Hailee provided additional information.


    If you weremuting by a car, it was certain that there would be some distance between the two, but it''s entirely a different story if it was a motorcycle.


    It was impossible for Hailee and Ian to sit apart when the two of them did ride Ian''s motorcycle.


    Once again, Ramon growled. The thought of that alone irritated him as he felt a strange feeling that left him all ufortable.


    No. This was not jealousy.


    Ramon denied any words that crossed his mind, where upon he wondered why he felt this way. And ''jealous'' was not the right word. At least, that was what the Tordoffs'' heir''s concluded with his logic.


    He would not admit this ufortable feeling as jealousy.


    "Which cafe?" Finally, Ramon asked Hailee in the same tone of voice.


    For a moment, Hailee was surprised that Ramon didn''t prolong this matter anymore. Maybe after getting married, this man became a little more tolerant...


    That''s what Hailee thought as she gave the name and address of the cafe she and Ian would meetter. Hailee also didn''t forget to thank Ramon in a very docile manner, as if this was something very precious to her because Ramon was already willing to pick her up.


    However, Ramon didn''t like Hailee''s annoying tone, of course, therefore, without a word, Ramon immediately hung up the line, before Hailee could even finish her exaggerated praises once again.


    "¡­ You really are the most handsome husband¡­" Hailee didn''t have a chance to convey her thoughts as a dial tone was heard from the other end of the line, indicating that Ramon had hung up on her.


    Meanwhile, when she realized that Ramon had hung up on her, Hailee burst outughing.


    She shook her head and fell on top of her and Ramon''s bed, which was very soft.


    Hailee continued to imagine the expressions on Ramon''s face when she said this and startedughing again. She should have made a video call, so that Ramon''s precious reaction could be seen by her.


    However, even with just the way his voice sounded, Hailee could imagine how the man would look when he heard her suggestion and this made her unable to stopughing for a really long moment.


    This teasing was pleasant enough to make Ramon a little upset, because this morning Giana had upset her and ruined her morning time.


    Well, it wasn''t Ramon''s fault, but still ...


    Sometimes women are difficult to understand, especially when a creature named an ex started to intrude their lives with their partners.


    It could be that absurd ideas would cross their minds and Hailee executed the ideas in her head this way.


    ==============


    Zia woke up next to the man she had been trying to avoid, but the truth was, she simply couldn''t run away from him and what happened in thest few days had brought them both back to their original but starting point.


    It''s just that, this time Zia hoped things would get better. There was a bright spot, a rity in their rtionship.


    Finally¡­ after waiting for a long time, Zia and Aidan got the closure they needed and things would have been even better if Zia didn''t know what had happened between Aidan and Aileen before this.


    For some reason, this feeling was very disturbing and the fact that Aidan and Aileen had spent a night alone and had done the deed, made Zia feel uneasy.


    At first, Zia thought she could forget about this, but it wasn''t like that and the thought of how Aidan have made love to Aileen the same way they used to, made Zia''s heart feel very heavy.


    And this was what she was thinking when she woke up in the middle of the night after the umpteenth session with Aidan.


    Even when that man was inside her, Zia felt annoyed that she wasn''t fully in their intimate moment, because her mind was asking a myriad of questions that were hard to answer.


    And here was Zia, pensive along with her worries and disturbing thoughts.


    While next to her, Aidan was fast asleep as if he was a newborn baby with a smile on his lips.


    Zia sighed heavily once again and she couldn''t close her eyes for a long time, until the morning sun shone and illuminated the luxurious hotel room they were staying in.


    And when a short message entered the inbox memory of her cell phone, Zia got up from her sleeping position and reached for her cell phone that was on the nightstand while seeing who had sent the message to her.


    The message came from Hailee who invited her to meet this afternoon with Ian.


    Yes, Zia knew Ian quite well because Ian was Hailee''s close friend, but they haven''tmunicated in quite a while.


    Ian in Zia''s mind was a fighter in the arena, a ce where people would bet on who would win the match, but also a pretty good and funny friend.


    Maybe, it would be good for Zia to meet other people after she had spent thest few days with Aidan.


    Meeting new people and being in a new setting might help her think more clearly and stop feeling restless in this way.


    Therefore, after two minutes of considering this, Zia immediately sent a reply to Hailee and agreed to their meeting ce, which was quite a distance from where Zia and Aidan were staying.


    After that, she walked to the bathroom to clean herself from the remains and traces of the activities she and Aidan didst night.


    It turned out that Zia desperately needed fresh air and when water fell on her tense body and washed her tired face, she felt much better now.


    Her warm breath condensed on the ss and obscured her own reflection, so that she could not clearly see who she was.


    Perhaps, indeed, what happened had made Zia forget what was even more important.


    ==============


    "Sorry, did you wait a long time?" Ian greeted Zia as he got into the car, yawning wide without paying attention to the woman beside him. "Hailee suddenly called me to meet up." Once again, Ian yawned.


    It seemed this man was sleep deprived and needed this precious time to catch up with his freshing up business.


    Ian should have refused Hailee''s invitation, but he agreed and here he was, sitting next to Zia, who was driving her little car to town A, where they would meet Hailee.


    "Yes, she also called me all of sudden to meet up," Zia muttered as she turned her car onto the busy highway and began to focus on the road in front of her.


    This morning she told Aidan that she was going to meet Hailee, but didn''t say anything about Ian''s arrival, because at that time Zia still hadn''t thought about taking Ian with her.


    The idea only came up as she drove passed the arena.


    So instead of Ian having to ride his motorcycle in a sleepy mood, it didn''t hurt for Zia to offer him a ride, right?


    And the decision proved to be very correct, because as soon as Ian said his first sentence, his eyes immediately closed and his head sank into the back of the seat.


    "You don''t mind if I sleep, do you?" Ian asked, squinting to catch a glimpse of Zia, trying to fight the drowsiness he was trying to endure.


    "Sure," Zia nodded, smiling slightly at Ian and returned to focus on the road. "Go to sleep, you look like a zombie."


    Ianughed when he heard that and began to find afortable position for him to sleep in. He lowered the back of his seat and folded his arms.


    It didn''t take long for Zia to finally hear a gentle snoring from the man next to her and it was this snoring sounds that apanied Zia all the way to town A.


    Well, Zia didn''t mind and wasn''t bothered at all.


    ==============


    Hailee, escorted by her personal driver named Larry, a middle- aged man who always looked stiff, almost reached the cafe where she promised to meet Zia and Ian.


    However, just as Larry stopped their car, Hailee saw a car that she was way too familiar with, even from afar.


    Immediately, Hailee got down and approached the man who was casually leaning on his sports car.


    "What are you doing here?" Hailee asked with a mixed expression of surprise and confusion after seeing Ramon there. Shouldn''t he still be working at this hour? Then what was he doing here now?


    Ramon raised his head, looked at his wife and with an innocent expression and in an innocent voice said, "To pick you up."


    Ramon is crazy! Hailee didn''t even met Ian and Zia yet!

 Chapter 174: GIANAS MISERY

    <h4>Chapter 174: GIANA''S MISERY</h4>


    "I came to pick you up," Ramon said in a rxed tone, then he opened the car door for Hailee, waiting patiently for her to volunteer and happily step inside.


    It is just that, it turned out to be an impossible imagination for Ramon, seeing how Hailee was staring at him so fiercely right now. If possible, Hailee would really like to scratch her husband''s face, and make him stop staring at her with that triumphant smile that reflected on his eyes.


    Arrghh!!!


    Hailee was mad at Ramon! She was utterly speechless!


    Hailee''s original intention was to tease Ramon and make this man a little jealous. You know¡­ the essence life of being married. It wouldn''t be fun if this rtionship always went so smoothly.


    Every now and then, Hailee wanted to see and test how much Ramon cared for her. Maybe, now Hailee couldn''t really say that Ramon had fallen in love with her, but she had a concern as the beginning of their rtionship which started off a little weird.


    But, who would have thought, that Hailee''s original intention to get Ramon worked up would turn into her who was being teased by Ramon.


    And what is more, she still had not met Ian and Zia!


    "I do not want to!" Hailee backed away from the opened car door with Ramon standing by its side, as if these two things were her enemies. "I don''t want to, I want to meet Zia and Ian first," Hailee reiterated her refusal.


    "No can do." Ramon shook his head firmly. "You asked me to pick you up, so here I am; to pick you up while ignoring some of my work."


    "I am not asking you to neglect your work," Hailee defended herself.


    "Oh, but I did it to be able to meet you," Ramon said lightly, still holding the car door open. "Now get in, because soon I have an important meeting that I must attend." Ramon nced impatiently at the watchtched around his left wrist.


    "I don''t want to," Hailee said more firmly, insisting that she didn''t want to leave with Ramon.


    What picking up!? This was not picking her up, but coercing!


    "Then¡­" Ramon shrugged his shoulders nonchntly. "If I lose a fantastic project, then I will me you..."


    "What?!" Hailee eximed in disbelief at Ramon''s childish attitude. "You can''t do that to me."


    "Then go back to the office with me," Ramon said as he tugged on Hailee''s wrist, which she didn''t expect this man to do, so she didn''t have time to dodge and was sessfully pushed into the car without a fight.


    "Ramon! I have to meet Ian and Zia, they are on their way here!" Hailee protested again. But unfortunately, theint was not heard by Ramon, as he asked the driver to start the car immediately, in order to return to the office quickly. "Ramon, you can''t treat me like this!"


    Ramon finally turned his attention to his wife who was screaming hysterically and looked like a person who had almost lost her temper. "Then, you can change your meeting ce. There are several coffee shops in the building. You can meet them there." Ramon finally came up with a solution.


    However, Hailee didn''t like how things turned out to be her defeat at all. Thus, she folded her arms across her chest, showing her displeasure.


    Hailee was sulking and Ramon could only take a deep breath, feeling confused at himself who had such a high level of tolerance if an issue had anything to do with Hailee.


    Then, Ramon stretched out his hand to brush the strands of hair off Hailee''s sullen face. "I told you, didn''t I? I don''t like it when you meet that street fighter again?"


    Okay, they came back to this topic again and Hailee was too tired to exin why Ramon shouldn''t worry, or to rify that Ian was not a street fighter. He was in professional stage.


    "Zia will be there too, so there is nothing for you to worry about." Hailee sighed. She was subtly enjoying the touch of Ramon on her face and felt ''she was too easy'' to be easily persuaded in this way.


    Ugh! What else could she do? Hailee liked it when Ramon touched her gently like this, so all the protests she was about to convey were swallowed up instantly.


    "I am not worried," Ramon denied. He then looked into Hailee''s eyes deeply. "I just do not like it. They are two very different things."


    Haileeughed softly at his statement, then unexpectedly, his wife leaned over to kiss his lips gently.


    "If you are jealous, then just tell me straightly Mr. Tordoff," said Hailee.


    "Of course not," Ramon denied again and this made Hailee giggle.


    Okay, it seemed like an impossible mission for Hailee to make Ramon admit the feeling that felt odd for him.


    ==============


    "What is wrong?" Ian woke up when he felt the car stop moving while Zia was talking to someone on the phone. Her voice was loud enough to wake him up, even though the girl didn''t mean to.


    An indistinct muttering voice lightly echoed in the sleepy ears of Ian and then the telephone line was turned off.


    "Why?" Ian asked once again, looking around him. They seemed to have arrived at the caf¨¦ where they arranged to meet Hailee, but why didn''t they get down right away?


    "Hailee changed our meeting ce," Zia said in a half amused tone. "Apparently, her husband is very protective and does not allow her to meet just anyone."


    "We are not just anyone." This time it was Ian who grumbled. He then sat up straight, rubbing his sleepy eyes. "Then where are we going?"


    "To the Tordoff corporate office building," Zia replied, who then restarted the engine and drove through the busy and slightly congested streets.


    "I never thought that Hailee could be managed so easily by someone else like this," Ian said, half absentmindedly, staring out of the car window with a meaningful gaze.


    "Maybe that''s what is called love," Zia answered casually, but then realized that what she had said was more to herself.


    Meanwhile, Ian who was sitting beside her only snorted at what Zia said just now.


    Love? Seriously¡­


    That would be thest thing that happened between them, right?


    ==============


    "You are okay?" Dillon came back into Giana''s office when he noticed that Mr. Watson had left with a flushed face. It was very clear that Giana was putting up her best resistance to make her father lose his mind and patience.


    However, Dillon did not think that Giana would end up like this.


    "Your face!" Dillon eximed when he saw the dried blood on the corner of Giana''s lips and helped her to sit on the sofa. "I will get a coldpress for you," he said as he walked out of the room again.


    Meanwhile, Giana didn''t say anything. She just sat silently on the sofa staring at her luxurious and elegant desk, observing every document that had now fallen onto the floor.


    The heat from her father''s p could still be felt on her cheek and also the tone of Mr. Watson when he demanded Giana to drop the divorce suit.


    However, on the other hand, Aidan had also agreed to their divorce and was willing to sign the terms proposed, so until now, what else had Giana have to do except to step forward?


    Giana could even imagine that the man who was still her husband, now being in the arms of the woman who had been his mistress, discussing their future together and how Aidan would carry out their marriage after getting a divorce from Giana.


    At this point, Giana felt very tired which made her lean her head on the back of the sofa.


    If only she could do that; get married to the man she loved after their divorce, Giana wouldn''tin even though she had to take a dozen more ps from her father.


    Unfortunately, reality was not on Giana''s side and she had to endure this all alone.


    It didn''t take long for Dillon toe back with a small towel wrapped around some ice cubes, which he immediately pressed carefully against the side of Giana''s face which was already swollen. The problem was; both sides of her face looked so swollen that it left Dillon confused, how could this woman not wince at all when the cold towel touched her wound.


    Didn''t she feel anything at all?


    "Don''t you want to reconsider your decision to end this marriage with Aidan? Maybe you canpromise again like what you have been doing all this time." Dillon couldn''t bear to see Giana''s condition now.


    Then he gently grabbed Giana''s face and let her lean on his shoulder, his other handpressing the side of her face.


    Giana didn''t answer, but she shook her head weakly, making every cell in Dillon''s body scream out to protect this woman.


    Somehow there was such intense anger, which he couldn''t exin, that Dillon now felt. Anger over the situation which was so unfair to Giana.


    "I want a divorce," Giana said softly. She then grabbed Dillon by the cor and buried her face in the man''s neck, just before tears spilled out of her eyes.


    Giana was crying on Dillon''s shoulder again. Spilling everything she felt and once again made herself seem so fragile...


    This woman who looked strong and tough, finally broke her guard in front of Dillon, who was now hugging her warmly, as if offering the protection she hoped for.

 Chapter 175: HAILEE MUST DO SOMETHING

    <h4>Chapter 175: HAILEE MUST DO SOMETHING</h4>


    At this point, Giana didn''t know what else to do or what could make her feel a littlefortable anymore. But for sure, finding herself not alone with Dillon beside her, made her sadness and disappointment with life seem a lot better and she could immediately relieve her anxiety.


    Even though it took quite a long time, but during that very time, Dillon was also there, apanying her without saying anything or judging the decisions that Giana had made, and that was actually what she needed right now.


    Someone who didn''t judge her...


    That alone was enough...


    She had enough judgment from everyone around her right now.


    When Giana felt much better, she distanced herself from Dillon, while wiping the tears that still flowed from her eyes, a little harshly that left the make- up she was wearing a little messy.


    Well, who would have thought that today would be filled with crying sessions like this? If Giana had expected it, then she would have prepared herself by wearing waterproof make- up.


    "Are you feeling better now?" Dillon asked softly as he draped Giana''s hair behind her shoulders and tucked the stray hairs behind her ear.


    "Yeah, I feel a lot better," Giana said in a voice that sounded nasal while sobbing between her words.


    "What do you want to do after this?" Dillon asked again as he leaned over the table and poured a ss of mineral water for Giana.


    Giana didn''t answer the question right away, but she still received the ss of mineral water from Dillon and took a small sip, feeling the freshness wet her throat that became sore and dry from crying too much.


    Only after Giana finished half of it and felt her brain functions have returned, did she answer Dillon''s question from earlier.


    "Have you finished the documents I requested?" She asked, looking at the man who was looking at her worriedly.


    On the other hand, Dillon sighed heavily and nodded. "Yes."


    He actually didn''t want to discuss this, especially after what happened to Giana because of the divorce suit.


    However, in a situation like this, Dillon knew better than not toment on that and let Giana do what she believed was right.


    Maybe, what she was doing right now was the right thing to do.


    "I want to see it," Giana said as she handed back the ss which was now empty to Dillon, before she leaned her head on the back of the sofa, looking so tired and messy, that Dillon had no other choice but to do what she wanted.


    Dillon then walked to the small table in the corner of the room, where he put the document and returned to his earlier position, sitting beside Giana.


    "Here," Dillon said as he ced the document on Giana''sp which made her open her eyes. "I just want you to know that I will always be by your side to support you..."


    A faint frown appeared between Giana''s brows and she smiled faintly at that statement.


    "Thank you," she said briefly. Although the gratitude that Giana felt for what Dillon said just now, had far exceeded what she had shown him.


    However, at least this was enough and knowing that she had Dillon beside her, was meaningful to Giana.


    He was the only person that she had right now¡­


    ==============


    "Hailee¡­" Zia leaned over so she could whisper to her cousin. "Do they always have toe with you?" Zia''s frown deepened.


    While beside her, Ian''s face was already looking very sour, seeing how the four bodyguards were sitting at a table not far from them.


    Needless to say, they were there on whose orders.


    "You are being treated like a prisoner," Ianmented coldly as he nced at the four bodyguards who were enjoying their coffee.


    Even though the four of them tried not to appear conspicuous, of course it was difficult to do because of how they stood out.


    "Who is going to hurt you in this office building owned by your husband?" Ian grumbled. "What did the rich man was even thinking?"


    When Ian and Zia arrived at this office building and immediately headed to the cafe Hailee had told them to, they could see four bodyguards, walking behind Hailee and it didn''t require someone smart to know what the bodyguards wanted.


    Of course, they were here on Ramon Tordoff''s orders to look after his wife, or to be more specific, to spy on her.


    "I didn''t know that the cold Ramon Tordoff could be so overprotective of the woman he loves," Zia said as she nudged Hailee''s arm, teasing her cousin.


    The corners of Hailee''s lips twitched when she heard Zia''s statement. "You think so?" She asked skeptically. Of course, Hailee knew the exact reason why Ramon insisted that the four bodyguardse with her.


    Out of the corner of her eye, Hailee nced at Ian, who was still grumbling,pletely unaware that all of this was happening because of him.


    Well, Hailee had to admit now that a jealous guy could be creepy and absurd.


    Or maybe, it was just Ramon who was overreacting like this...


    She have no idea¡­


    ==============


    Aileen was now in the boutique, for fitting the clothes she would wear for her wedding which would be held in less than a month from now.


    A simple wedding ceremony that was closed to the public and would only be attended by a few close rtives.


    Of course, this was not the dream wedding Aileen wanted or imagined, especially after seeing how grand and luxurious Hailee''s wedding party was, she wanted that and even more.


    While biting her lip hard, Aileen looked at her appearance in the mirror and saw a reflection of herself staring back fiercely and full of disappointment.


    This was not something Aileen wanted, but at this point, what else could she do?


    She felt that she had again been beaten by Hailee and this kind of feeling was what Aileen didn''t like the most.


    "Where is Theo? Why isn''t he here yet?" Mrs. Gevano suddenly appeared in the changing room and found only Aileen who was standing there, grooming herself in front of the mirror.


    Immediately, when she heard the voice of her future mother- in-w, Aileen turned around with a sweet, innocent and charming smile etched on her lips.


    "Mother, you havee," she said softly, walking up to Mrs. Gevano.


    This move by Aileen made the wedding dress she was wearing swing around her body, making her look very graceful and gorgeous.


    Unfortunately, Mrs. Gevano didn''t appreciate this, because her focus right now was to find her son.


    "Where is Theo?" She asked again in a curt tone. If it weren''t for the fact that Aileen was pregnant with her future grand- child, then she wouldn''t have allowed to this woman be a potentialpanion for Theodore.


    "Oh, that¡­" Aileen looked fidgeting because she didn''t know what to answer. "Theo said he had an important meeting, so he couldn''t apany me to fit the bride''s clothes," said Aileen.


    In fact, Theodore told her the reason yesterday and until now the man had not been able to be contacted. But, what other reasons could Aileen give to Mrs. Gevano, if not that?


    "Don''t want to apany you to fit your wedding dress?" Mrs. Gevano stared at Aileen with the scorn that Aileen had grown ustomed to now. "Of course, he would feel that way."


    After saying this, Mrs. Gevano turned around and intended to leave the room, but before that, she had time to say some more painful things to Aileen.


    "That dress doesn''t suit you." The middle- aged woman then nced at Aileen over her shoulder with a snort of annoyance. "You have absolutely no idea how to dress properly. I will ask people to find a wedding dress that is more suitable for you."


    Then Mrs. Gevano walked out of the room without even looking at Aileen, so she missed the opportunity to see the girl staring at her back sharply. And if res could kill, then Aileen would happily try it on Mrs. Gevano.


    After the door closed, Aileen gripped the hem of the wedding dress she was wearing hard until it broke the texture. Then, she took her cell phone that was in her small handbag and dialed the number she had memorized by heart.


    Aileen''s body trembled in anger as she waited for the person to pick up the call from her.


    And it took three calls until the person she was tryingto talk to finally give up and stop ignoring her.


    "What do you want?!" Came a sharp scolding sound when the telephone line finally went through.


    "Is that how you should greet me?" Aileen gritted her teeth so hard that she could hear a chattering sound from her mrs. "You think my threat is just a passing wind then?"


    "Stop threatening me in such cheap ways." Aidan tightened his grip on the cellphone until his knuckles turned white. "Just say, what do you want?!"


    "You know what I want." A cynical and sly smile appeared on the corner of Aileen''s lips before she continued her words. "Shares of Tatum Jewelery and I will not bother you anymore."


    There was no answer from the other side of the phone, indicating that Aidan was thinking, considering his decision.


    And after three full minutes of silence, there was only one word he spoke before the line went dead.


    "Okay."


    And that one word was all Aileen needed to secure her position, be it in the Tatum family or in the Gevano family.


    ==============


    Hailee nced again at the clock on the wall, then toward the meeting room, and found the figure of Ramon who was listening to a presentation from an employee with an expressionless face.


    Ramon''s natural expression that he always showed whenever he was dealing with other people and this no longer made Hailee wonder or feel afraid.


    In fact, now the wrinkles between the two eyebrows of the girl looked deeper.


    After staring at her husband from behind the ss wall that connected to Ramon''s office, her gaze fell onto the bento box that was just sitting in front of her.


    "How long will it take for the meeting to be over?" Hailee asked Danny who happened to juste out of the conference room to get some of the files he needed.


    Danny then stopped and answered Hailee in a doubtful voice. "Maybe in an hour or two." He was not sure about this.


    "What?" Hailee sounded displeased with that answer. It was now nine o''clock in the evening and Ramon had not eaten anything, moreover he had to take his medicines.


    Hailee had promised to pay attention to this, so she had to do something ...

 Chapter 176: WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!

    <h4>Chapter 176: WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!</h4>


    Hailee had finished meeting Ian and Zia an hour ago and they had chatted about many things. Although there were several topics, most of were centered upon Ramon.


    And, they had to talk in either a low voice or whispers, but Hailee really enjoyed the time with the two people who were always closest to her.


    However, when she returned to Ramon''s office and found the man still not finished with his work, Hailee decided to wait for him. Ignoring Danny''s words, who said that she could go home first and rest, because it seemed that this meeting would endte at night.


    Hailee was worried about Ramon''s health and she would not leave until she made sure that her husband was eating and taking his medicines properly.


    The memory of Ramon suddenly falling ill and having to be treated a few days before their wedding, left Hailee rather uneasy.


    She would never wish for that to happen again for the second time.


    Of course, she didn''t want something like that to happen again, but it seemed like Ramon couldn''t be bothered for now¡­


    Meanwhile, from behind the mirror where he was listening to the meeting that was happening, Ramon could feel Hailee''s intense gaze, looking at him.


    Instinctively, Ramon turned his head to find his wife who was pursing her lips and frowning. An expression that clearly showed that she didn''t like what Ramon was doing at the moment, and the man knew what the problem was.


    Then, Ramon found Hailee moving her lips, forming a sentence, which he could easily understand.


    ''When are you going to finish?''


    Hailee asked through the ss, where she was waiting, to which Ramon replied with a simple word; soon.


    This time Hailee folded her arms, showing that her level of annoyance at Ramon neglecting his health had increased once again.


    However, somehow this made Ramon happy. There had never been anyone who worried about his health like Hailee, because usually Ramon always looked good at any given opportunity.


    Then on purpose, Ramon took his eyes off Hailee and refocused on the presentation from his marketing team leader, tantly neglected her.


    It was just that, what Ramon didn''t expect was Hailee''s reaction after she was ignored...


    "Mrs. Tordoff, are you going home?" Danny asked in confusion when he saw Hailee step back. "I will ask someone to drive you home."


    "No, I don''t want to go home," Hailee said in a voice that sounded very calm, the exact opposite of what she would be doing in a moment. "I will just make sure that Ramon stops neglecting me and his health."


    Danny tilted his head not understanding what Hailee was saying, even more so when he saw Hailee pick up the bento box which contained Ramon''s food that had turned cold from being untouched.


    The personal assistant''s gaze continued to follow Hailee in confusion when he saw his boss''s wife put the bento box into the microwave and warm the food.


    "Are you hungry Mrs. Tordoff? I can get someone to buy you a meal," Danny offered.


    However, Hailee shook her head. "This is for Ramon, not for me." Yes, because if Hailee had to wait for more food toe, it would take a lot more time for the food to be served, while Hailee wanted Ramon to eat right away.


    After all, there is nothing wrong with this food...


    And after two minutes, there was a soft, familiar beep from the microwave and the food inside turned warm, ready to eat.


    "I will tell Mr. Tordoff when the food is ready, maybe he will postpone the meeting for a while." Danny came back to suggest an idea which Hailee rejected again.


    Danny knew Ramon''s condition, therefore, he also agreed that this stubborn man was pushing himself too much to work.


    But, what he didn''t expect was what Hailee would do after this.


    "No need, he can continue the meeting while eating," Hailee said casually and walked toward the conference room, without waiting for Danny and giving him an opportunity to digest her words.


    Therefore, not long after, Hailee was standing in front of the meeting room door.


    The girl took a deep breath and let go of the slight nervousness she felt about what kind of action she was going to take this time.


    And with one soft knock on the door, which informed Ramon of her arrival, Hailee then opened the door to the meeting room and immediately became the main focus of the eleven important people who were sitting around a long table which was quiterge, with Ramon sitting at the far end.


    Once again, Hailee exhaled slowly to calm her nerves before a sweet smile curled on her lips.


    "Don''t bother about me," Hailee was quite satisfied because her voice didn''t tremble and sounded very calm like she wanted, as she continued with her next sentence. "I just wanted to make sure that Mr. Tordoff did not neglect his health. Maybe some of you don''t know this yet, but Mr. Tordoff is under close surveince following the ident he experienced a few months ago."


    Not only were the eleven people in the room quite surprised by Hailee''s actions, but Ramon also didn''t expect that Hailee would take action to this extent. They were more surprised by Hailee''s courage toe into the room than by her words.


    After leaving almost everyone in the room dumbfounded, Hailee casually strolled into the conference roon and took a seat beside Ramon.


    From the gaze Ramon gave her, it could be seen clearly that the man was just as surprised as the people in the room, even though his facial expression was normal, but his gaze seemed to be hinting a question; what are you doing here?


    Hailee then took afortable sitting position, before bringing a spoonful of food closer to Ramon''s lips, which made the people gasp again.


    Then with a defiant expression, Hailee looked at Ramon, with her big bright eyes as if she were saying; this is the result if you ignore me!


    There was a slight threat there...


    Well, the worst case scenario would be for Ramon to throw her out of the ce, which would embarrass Hailee, but at least if that happened, then she would¡­


    Ha!


    Ramon opened his mouth and ate the food that was fed to him, making Hailee''s fierce gaze soften and she smiled happily¡­


    Okay, at least Ramon wouldn''t embarrass herself by refusing her ''service'' and it seemed that her husband was quite enjoying the attention Hailee was giving to him now, though what she did now was quite unusual and could be said rather embarrassing.


    Therefore, before giving the second bite, Hailee turned her attention to the people who were stunned after they saw the interaction between the two of them.


    "Very well, you can continue this meeting, I will not interfere." Hailee waved her hand casually to the other people. "Let''s just pretend that I am not here..."


    Impossible!


    How could they think that Hailee wasn''t there?! When their big boss looked so tame in the hands of a woman. What a very unusual thing. It was a rare sight, which they would not see every day, or maybe even this would be thest time they saw all of this.


    How unbelievable!


    It turned out that even someone like Ramon Tordoff would surrender, bend his knees and be an unusual self in front of the woman he loves.


    And this also proves that their marriage is not just a convenience marriage, as rumored out there...


    "Please continue," said Hailee again when they still couldn''t escape from their shock. "I will just make sure that Ramon has dinner and takes the medicine."


    Hailee didn''t feel guilty and after all, from what she had been observing since an hour ago, Ramon didn''t say anything during the meeting. He paid more attention and examined silently what was being said, so it didn''t hurt if Hailee was there... Right?


    After all, this was an internal meeting and Danny had already said that Ramon would only listen to their monthly reports.


    A meeting that Ramon once mentioned as one of the boring meetings...


    "Mr. Tordoff doesn''t like peppers," said one of the executive staff in the room, which made Hailee turn her head to look at her.


    It was a woman with short shoulder- length hair with a round face and sitting two chairs left to Ramon''s right.


    Hailee''s eyes immediately caught a glimpse of the woman''s displeased gaze, which thetter then covered with a small cough.


    "I am Sorry Mrs. Tordoff, I am Lucy Warmor from the Finance section of thispany." The woman named Lucy introduced herself, giving Hailee her sweetest smile, which didn''t even reach her eyes.


    Maybe this was a woman''s instinct and intuition, but Hailee could feel Lucy''s dislike for her.


    "Maybe, Mrs. Tordoff didn''t know yet that Mr. Tordoff doesn''t like peppers," added Lucy, staring at Hailee with mocking eyes, because as his wife, she didn''t even know this little thing.


    On the other hand, Hailee gave Ramon a sharp gaze, which seemed to ask; So, apart from Giana, Lucy is a new insect that she must get rid of?


    Seriously?!


    Why Hailee had to face such situation again and again? Wasn''t Giana already enough?


    Anyway, if Hailee could handle even Giana, then she could get rid of this Lucy too!


    "Oh, you may not know it, but now Mr. Tordoff loves it, because it is my favorite," Hailee said calmly and took another slice of pepper and brought the spoon to Ramon''s mouth. "Right?"


    Ramon: "!?!?"


    What is this situation now¡­

 Chapter 177: A LITTLE WHORE

    <h4>Chapter 177: A LITTLE WHORE</h4>


    Lucy Warmor was a person who had been working with Ramon Tordoff for a long time. So, it could be said that this kind of thing was not an open secret to people who have known him for a long time, because on various asions those who invited Ramon Tordoff would pay attention to this. This was basic knowledge.


    However, Hailee didn''t know about it. Because, the only thing she knew about Ramon was the fact that her husband was a picky eater, but what kind of food he didn''t exactly like, Hailee hadn''t asked that yet.


    So, this little thing annoyed her a little. Especially so, when they were in the presence of other people.


    And when Ramon didn''t show any reaction and just stared at her with a t face.The few seconds that passed seemed so long that it made Hailee feel unsure if what she was doing right now was the right thing by forcing Ramon to eat food he didn''t like just to save her face in front of the people in this meeting.


    And when until the tenth second Ramon didn''t give any signs that he was going to help Hailee, the smile on her lips faded and she slowly lowered the spoon, intending to get rid of the damn peppers.


    However, what Hailee didn''t expect was; Instead, Ramon grabbing her hand that was holding the spoon before pointing it to his lips, finally eating the food Hailee gave him, along with the said peppers he didn''t like.


    "Of course, I like it," said Ramon casually, then turned his attention to the eleven people in the meeting room who were still in awe and disbelief. "Continue the presentation."


    And it was in that simple way that Ramon managed to save Hailee''s face, making his wife able to brag in front of Lucy.


    Not forgetting, Hailee nced at the woman and gave the same mocking look, as Lucy gave her just a moment ago.


    Oh, please¡­e on¡­ Ramon''s love for her was greater than his dislike for peppers!


    Right?


    ==============


    "So, where should I drop you off?" Zia asked Ian, who was sitting next to her. She was driving, cutting through a busy road with flickering lights illuminating the dark and slightly cloudy night.


    "Just near the hospital," Ian replied. At first, he had insisted that he would just drive himself, but in reality, Zia didn''t want to be driven. She needed to do something and keep her head focused, or else her thoughts would drift back to Aidan and that wasn''t what Zia wanted to think about for now.


    "Oh, visiting your sister?" Zia asked again. She knew the condition of Ian''s sister who was sick and was now being treated intensively. "Aren''t you going to the arena tonight?"


    "Not going." Ian shook his head as he opened the seat belt that''s wrapped across his body. " Ciara wants me to stop by. It has been a while since I saw her here because I was busy in the arena."


    Right at that moment, Zia''s cell phone started ringing, indicating that there was an iing call and by just listening to the ring tone, Zia could already tell who was calling her.


    Indeed, Zia personified special ringtone just for Aidan''s phone calls.


    However, instead of picking up the call, Zia gazed pensively at her cellphone screen which was still flickering until Ian nudged her shoulder to remind her that she had a phone call that needed to be answered.


    With a little flustered face, Zia then put her still ringing cell phone back into her handbag and said casually to Ian, "Come on, let me apany you inside, I have not seen Ciara in a long time either."


    Even though Zia was not really close with Ian''s little sister, but she had met her a few time in the past.


    Seeing Zia''s slightly odd attitude and behavior, Ian frowned, especially when this woman ignored the phone calls that were clearly still trying to get through.


    Ian then nced inside Zia''s handbag and nodded. "Is it okay if you don''t pick up that phone call? It seems important."


    Zia didn''t even nce in the direction Ian was pointing at, because after that she immediately unbuckled her seatbelt and jumped out of the car, leaving Ian with no other choice but to follow her.


    Woman is strange¡­


    "Come on," said Zia again, who then took a step toward the hospital, passing through the parking lot which was quite crowded tonight.


    Ian frowned. It seemed like there was someone Zia trying to avoid, but it was impossible for him to ask about the matter.


    ==============


    Aidan''s expression was unreadable as he stared at the screen of his cellphone. Zia didn''t pick up his phone calls at all. Had she fallen asleep? Or did she just not hear?


    Various questions raced in Aidan''s mind regarding Zia''s attitude.


    Maybe, it was just him who was overthinking a little about their current situation. Wasn''t it natural for Zia not to be always with her cellphone? Later when Zia saw his missed calls, the girl would definitely call Aidan back.


    At least that''s what he thought. Confirming the thought that Zia wasn''t avoiding him anymore.


    Although deep down, Aidan felt that there was something wrong with the way Zia was treating him.


    "Why? Your little mistress doesn''t pick up phone calls from you?" Giana''s voice came from the door, then her figure appeared within Aidan''s line of sight.


    His wife looked haggard and tired. There were dark circles under her eyes that her expensive concealer couldn''t cover.


    However, there was something else that caught Aidan''s attention, namely Giana''s face. Her cheeks were swollen and red, like someone who had just been pped hard. Or maybe that''s what happened...


    That was what made Aidan hold his tongue from shouting at Giana for insulting Zia.


    "What''s with your face?" Aidan asked. He then walked over to his wife, because after all, they had lived together as husband and wife for three years, so Aidan''s concern could be validated.


    It''s just that, when Aidan wanted to take a closer and clearer look at the wound, Giana brushed his hand away and gave him a look full of scorn.


    "There is no need to be attentive like that." Giana then walked away from Aidan, toward hershelf. "There is nothing we need to cover up now, therefore, stop your bad acting by pretending to be worried about me."


    Aidan frowned, not liking the way Giana was talking to him. What''s wrong with this woman? Wasn''t this divorce her idea? Wasn''t she the one who suggested this? Then, why did Giana look unhappy with the decision she made herself?


    Aidan may be an analytical figure in the business world, but it was certain that he had a hard time understanding hisplex rtionship with the two women in his life. Especially understanding that their attitude was not the same as the curve of a stock''s rise or fall.


    "I am just asking who pped you. That''s all," Aidan growled as he returned Giana''s words.


    "My father," Giana replied briefly as she took out something from the shelf, a gray suitcase which she then carried into her walk- in- closet.


    "Your father? Your father pped you?" Aidan repeated Giana''s words, but what his wife was doing now led Aidan to undo the questions he would ask regarding her and her father''s problems. "What are you doing?"


    Since there was no answer from Giana, Aidan walked into the walk- in closet, where he found the woman stuffing some clothes into her suitcase.


    Seeing this, Aidan''s frown deepened.


    "Where are you going?" He asked as he walked over to Giana, who was crouching down to pick up her work blouses and put all the styles she liked in a suitcase as well as a few pieces of trousers.


    "I am leaving," Giana still answered Aidan in curt sentences and didn''t look at his face at all as she was busy with her own business.


    However, this actually provoked Aidan''s anger. He grabbed Giana''s wrist to stop the woman''s actions and forced her to look at him.


    "What do you mean by you''re leaving?!" Aidan''s voice was a low growl of frustration mixed with annoyance as Giana was ignoring him.


    On the other hand, Giana looked back at the man who was still her husband with the same sharp gaze. "Of course I''m leaving. Getting out of this house. To live in a different ce. Leaving." Giana described it for him. "Do you understand now?" Giana''s eyes challenged Aidan.


    "Getting out of this house?!" Aidan hissed unhappily and this made his grip on Giana''s wrist tighten. "Then where are you going?!"


    Giana gave Aidan a mocking smile before she answered straightforwardly. "I have ten houses and several apartments in several cities. Maybe, I will choose one of those ces to live in."


    Yes, Aidan shouldn''t have to worry about where Giana would live, as she was more than capable of handling herself.


    "I also have enough money to rent a hotel room or apartment." Giana snorted and waved her hand away from Aidan''s tight grip, this time the man let go. "There''s no need to overthink about where I''ll live."


    After saying this, Giana returned to her initial busyness, namely tidying up her clothes, while Aidan could only watch what his wife was doing.


    "You would make unnecessary headlines if the media found out about this," Aidan said in the same tone. He was really annoyed that Giana was acting on her own without considering the steps she was taking, or at least that''s what Aidan thought.


    "Why shouldit be covered up again? Isn''t everything so clear? Sooner orter, they too will get news about this divorce. Isn''t it faster, the better?" Giana nced at Aidan fiercely. "I''m sick of being in this ce and pretending I''m all right."


    "Whatever you say!" Aidan was so angry over Giana''s statement just now. It was true that their rtionship hadended, but that didn''t mean it was okay for Giana to cause new problems. "I hope you don''t go to your personal assistant. Because, I don''t want to bebeled as a man who was cheated by his own wife with only a personal assistant."


    Aidan''sst mocking sentence angered Giana.


    Aidan had no right to say bad things about Dillon, when it is obvious that he was the cheating party himself!


    "So, you want the media to know that I was being cheated on?!" Giana raised her voice a few octaves and stood up with her arms folded across her chest. A defensive attitude. "You think your affair is better than just a personal assistant? Your affair is just a little bitch who doesn''t know herself!"


    Giana said that with a very calm and emotionless face.

 Chapter 178: HAILEE WILL NOT SLEEP TONIGHT

    <h4>Chapter 178: HAILEE WILL NOT SLEEP TONIGHT</h4>


    Giana didn''t know what happened today, but she had clearly provoked the people who interacted with her to p her again.


    Like what Aidan was feeling like doing this time.


    However, luckily the man was able to control his emotions just in time before he pped Giana for a second time.


    Aidan was not the type of man who would hit a woman, but somehow he always felt that Giana''s words were too muchtely and this also made him darken his eyes and gritted his teeth in anger.


    Or maybe it was because these feelings were mixed with annoyance that Zia had ignored his phone calls. Yes, even when Aidan first pped Giana, he felt annoyed because of Zia.


    So, it was clear right? How Zia could affect his mood and life so much? Thus, how could he let her go¡­


    And now, that Aidan was only a step away from having Zia by his side, it didn''t mean he wanted to make unnecessary fuss, because it would only have a bad effect when Zia really entered his life.


    However, what made him angry was Giana''s attitude now that seemed to provoke amotion and unnecessary attention toward them.


    "You are not going anywhere Giana," Aidan said as he gritted his teeth hard. His eyes stared hard at his wife, who seemedpletely unafraid of Aidan''s anger.


    "You think you can threaten me like that?" For the second time Giana shook off Aidan''s grip, then closed her suitcase which was almost full. This situation was not going well, seeing how Aidan was reacting, therefore before things could get even more worse, it would be good for Giana to leave immediately.


    "You think this is just a threat?!" Aidan, who was angry, yelled at Giana so loudly that it made the woman flinch.


    What is this?!


    "You have no right to forbid me to go wherever I want!!!" Giana shouted out loud, realizing that she was in an unfavorable position. "I can go wherever I want! And you can go to your little bitch! Stop pretending that everything is all right! Since sooner orter chaos will ensue, it is only a matter of time for everything to explode!"


    And after letting out all the irritation she felt, Giana immediately ran toward the door and mmed it close hard, leaving the suitcase that she had filled with her clothes behind.


    To hell with the clothes, Giana could get these items easily!


    All she needed now was to get as far away from Aidan as possible, because just seeing that man made her feel really sick and didn''t want to be in the same room.


    She hated him! He was very disgusting!


    ==============


    It was veryte into the night and it seemed like Hailee''s bedtime had already passed. So, it was certain that by the time of their return trip, the woman was fast asleep, leaning on Ramon''s shoulder and feeling her husband''s arm around her waist, making her snore softly like a cat.


    And by the time they reached the Tordoffs, as usual, Ramon would carry his sleeping wife into their house.


    This time, a scene like this was not a strange thing, to be presented to the residents of the house. The servants were very understanding and felt happy because Mr. and Mrs. Tordoff looked so affectionate at every turn.


    A male worker opened the door to Ramon''s room so the man could take his wife inside and after that the door was closed gently, leaving the new married couple alone in the room.


    Ramon then stopped right beside their big bed and looked at the face of Hailee, who was still sleeping quite ''intensely'' and noticed how the woman''s eyelids moved, as if she was aware that she was being watched.


    And instead ofying Hailee gently on the bed and covering his wife''s body, Ramon just let go of her onto the soft mattress.


    Even though she fell from a height that wasn''t too high, Hailee screamed in surprise when her body suddenly lost support and bounced slightly on the bed.


    "Ramon!" Hailee screamed in annoyance, she widened her eyes fiercely at him as she rolled over to the other side of the bed. "Why did you let go of me!? It hurts you know!" She protested.


    Of course it didn''t hurt, Ramon couldn''t possibly hurt Hailee in that way, this wife of his was just sulking because she knew what Ramon wanted to say after this.


    "You are not sleeping Hailee," Ramon said as he crossed his arms across his chest and saw Hailee avert her gaze, indicating that whatever answer she was going to say was something that wasn''t true.


    "I am sleeping," Hailee answered in a low voice and looked at their bathroom. "I will change clothes first." She said quickly, then crossed their bed and was about to get down when Ramon grabbed her body and threw her back on the bed.


    However, this time Hailee''s body was caught between his strong arms and squeezed by his broad chest.


    Ugh! This position is too much!


    "You think I will just leave you alone after what you did in the meeting room earlier? Hm?" Ramon asked, his intense eyes staring at his wife with assertiveness, but also seductively.


    "What did I do?" Hailee asked, pretending not to understand where this conversation was going. Her voice was so low and she looked away because she was being stared at way too intensely by this hot man.


    "Do I need to remind you?" Ramon asked again, still teasingly.


    "Move." Hailee tried to push Ramon''s body away and tried to get up from where she was lying down, but what could she possibly do to get rid of the body of a man that was almost twice her size? Therefore, thest thing Hailee could do was re at Ramon. "I want to change clothes. There is no way I am sleeping dressed like this."


    "Who said you can sleep?" Ramon seemed intent on answering Hailee''s every question with another one and that''s what he did. "You are not going to sleep tonight, Honey..."


    Hailee could feel her body trembling when she heard that gentle call. Honey¡­ hm, sounds pretty seductive and sexy, especially since Ramon said it.


    "I¡­ I want to change clothes," Hailee stuttered, because she could feel her body getting warm. This is dangerous.


    Well, actually, the fun kind of dangers...


    "You want to change clothes?" Ramon asked in his deep voice. "Then I will help you take off your clothes..."


    "What?" Hailee widened her eyes with anticipation. "No, no. I can do it alone."


    But Hailee''s words of protest were then swallowed up as she felt Ramon''s warm lips trailing their marks along her long neck.


    "So you wantto be alone?" Ramon muttered against Hailee''s skin, tracing her corbone to her ear. "You are sure, you don''t need my help?" Ramon then started to unbutton the clothes Hailee was wearing one by one with very slow and torturous movements.


    Hailee bit her lower lip, trying not to look like she wanted Ramon, but the look in her eyes that seemed to be covered by a misty curtain, was unable to lie about her true desire. This betrayed herst defense, leaving Ramon all free to carry out his original intentions.


    With a charming smile on the man''s lips, he continued to take off the clothes Hailee was wearing. "I think you really need my help to take this off¡­" Ramon then unbuttoned thest button of her blouse and revealed the woman''s smooth stomach and ck bra, which she was wearing.


    Hailee gasped softly as the cold air from the air conditioner hit her skin, but it was only for a moment, because the next moment, Hailee could feel her body getting hot with passion.


    Still in the same position, Hailee then stretched out her hands to help Ramon remove the white shirt he was still wearing.


    However, her position waspletely unfavorable, as Ramon could easily brush her hand away and thwart Hailee''s original intentions.


    "No, honey¡­" Ramon whispered tenderly into Hailee''s ear, leaning his body so that the woman could inhale the masculine scent from her husband''s body, while trapping Hailee''s hands over her head, causing her to widen her eyes in surprise, but there was a smile on her lips and her dark anticipating eyes red at Ramon warily. "You said you needed to change your clothes."


    "Then how are you going to change my clothes like this?" Hailee whispered back into Ramon''s ear, making sure that her warm breath pulled the same reaction out of him. "I am still wearing my clothes and my pants. You have to it off too... "


    Ramon then lifted his head slightly, only to look at Hailee and find his wife, smiling mischievously at him with a defiant expression, as if asking him to go further than this.


    This Ramon just took it for granted¡­ as if he could read what Hailee was thinking just by looking into her eyes and noticing the changes in the expression on her face.


    With sharp eyes, Ramon met his wife''s gaze and kissed her eyelids gently, forcing Hailee to close her eyes, while Ramon''s hand caught Hailee''s wrists in their original position and the other slid down from her body and opened the hooks on the trousers she was wearing.


    "Of course, I will do that..." Ramon whispered softly between their kisses and Hailee''s sigh, as she sensed what this man was doing.


    It was exactly what Ramon said; Hailee wouldn''t sleep tonight ...

 Chapter 179: THEODORES RAGE

    <h4>Chapter 179: THEODORE''S RAGE</h4>


    Dillon was awakened by the loud sound of the bell from the inte in his apartment which was repeatedly pressed by someone, indicating that this guest was hell bent on waking him from his deep sleep.


    What the hell is wrong with this person!


    Grumbling and rolling out of bed, Dillon then stumbled toward the inte near the door of his apartment.


    With an irritated expression and sleepy eyes, he rubbed his face roughly to bring back some of his consciousness.


    But, it seemed that that was no longer needed, because as soon as he saw who the guest that came to his apartment thiste at night, the remnants of his sleepiness disappeared and a name left his lips in surprise.


    "Giana?" The frown on his forehead deepened, because he saw the woman came alone, and from her expression, it seemed that Giana was not in a good mood, it could also be seen from how she pressed the bell button on the inte without pause.


    Well, she had been in bad mood since she met her father¡­


    Then without waiting for Giana to break the poor inte, Dillon immediately pressed a button so that the woman could enter the apartment building.


    Only then did the ringing of the bell stop.


    And it didn''t take long for Giana to knock on the door of Dillon''s apartment and he opened it, weing her with a confused expression.


    "What happened? Why are you here?" Dillon then followed Giana inside after confirming that the apartment was locked properly. "It is past midnight."


    He nced at the wall clock nailed to the living room wall, then where Giana had been sitting on the sofa, the same ce he had sat a few days ago, when he had just woken up from a hangover.


    Giana sat with her head leaning against the back of the sofa before closing her eyes and exhaled tiredly.


    She actually didn''t know why she chose Dillon''s house as her destination, even though on the way here, she drove past several hotels and two apartments that belonged to her, but somehow Giana didn''t stop at any one of those ces and instead chose to be here...


    This all felt very strange to Giana, but somehow Dillon''s apartment was the only ce she could think of.


    Maybe because Giana knew that Dillon would be in his apartment, so she wouldn''t feel alone, that way, Giana wouldn''t feel like being a loser anymore.


    Giana had to admit that she needed someone to apany her and Dillon was the only person she had now, someone she feltfortable and safe with.


    "So, do you want to say what''s the reason for you to being to my apartment at a time like this?" Dillon asked as he walked over to the sofa and slumped himself beside Giana. His hand lifted, then the man gently massaged his temples which started throbbing. "Is Aidan giving you trouble again?"


    "I decided to leave the house," Giana said in a tired tone, she then followed what Dillon was doing, massaging her aching temples, still with her eyes closed. "I will stay here for a while." She decided.


    "What?!" This time Dillon eximed, with his eyes wide open when he heard Giana''s final statement. If this woman''s problem was about leaving her house, Dillon was not at all surprised, given how tough Giana was, the option to leave the house must have been the first thing that came to her mind, but¡­ "What do you mean you are going to stay at my ce for a while? "


    "You are overreacting." Giana nced at Dillon with a critical look, before she closed her eyes again. "I am only going to stay here for a few days until you find an empty t, avable for renting in this building."


    Hearing that deepened the wrinkles between Dillon''s eyebrows even more. "Why does it have to be in this building?" He asked, genuinely confused.


    "Yes, because I like the atmosphere in this building," Giana answered casually, as if she didn''t really think more about it, because she actually didn''t understand why she wanted to live in this apartment building either.


    Maybe, because Giana didn''t want to feel alone. She was lonely, and this feeling was what Giana had tried to brush off from the very beginning she felt it. When she witnessed with her own eyes the marriage of Ramon and Hailee, as well as her marriage which was nowing to an end...


    "You are so unreasonable, Giana," Dillonined at Giana''s attitude which was sometimes very difficult to understand.


    "Stopmenting on me," Giana grumbled. "I have driven a lot toe here, at least you can clean up the guest room which I used to sleep at that time. I am tired and want to lie down."


    This time it was Dillon who grumbled, but in the end, what choice did he have but toply with this woman''s request?


    And this would be Giana''s second night sleeping in Dillon''s apartment...


    ==============


    Hailee woke up veryte in the morning and therefore it was certain that Ramon had already left for work a few hours ago.


    With a heavy head and aching hips, Hailee forced herself to sit up, rubbing her face roughly, hoping to get rid of the sleepiness that still gued her, although it couldn''t be said that shecked sleep, butst night''s activities drained her energy.


    Well, please note that Hailee didn''tin about that one part at all...


    A shy smile blossomed on her lips as she remembered what happenedst night. Too bad, Ramon wasn''t there to see the look on his wife''s face.


    Withziness and sleepiness still clinging to her eyes, Hailee got out of the bed, because her stomach was so empty. She wanted to eat something.


    After that, Hailee put on her robe to cover her nightwear that looked too sexy for anyone but Ramon to see, then walked down to the kitchen.


    However, before Hailee could have the chance to say what she wanted for breakfast, or you could say lunch because it was almost noon, Martha came with a golden envelope, which she then handed over to Hailee.


    "What is this?" Hailee asked in bewilderment, taking the envelope that looked like an exclusive invitation card written in red ink, from Martha''s hand.


    "This is an invitation to a fashion show for Mrs. Tordoff from Margaretha Lamos," Martha informed her in a pleased voice. It seemed that she already knew what the invitation was for. "Not many people get an exclusive invitation like that," she added.


    Hailee looked at the invitation, which looked beautiful and elegant, before unwrapping the thin stic wrap covering it and opening the invitation, which was designed like a booklet, and consisted of only five sheets of paper.


    Each paper provided information about what sort of events would be held, dress code, folder and the time of the event.


    Hailee didn''t give an exaggerated reaction or a happy expression like what emitted by Martha, so because of that, the butler looked a little confused. Wondering if Hailee knew what the golden invitation meant.


    "Mrs. Tordoff, you are invited to a fashion show that is being hosted by Margaretha Lamos!" Martha shrieked happily, as if that beautiful invitation was for her.


    It''s just that, Hailee didn''t seem as enthusiastic as the butler, therefore, this was what puzzled Martha.


    "Yes, I already know about this fashion show¡­" Hailee said while thinking about what she wanted for her lunch, while one of the servants had been waiting for her orders. "Mrs. Lamos has already told me about this when I went to the fitting of my wedding dress then." Then Hailee mentioned the food she wanted to eat, to which the maid nodded at her and immediately went to make what Hailee wanted.


    Actually this was not news for Hailee, but still there was one thing that left Hailee very curious.


    "Martha, can you do something for me?" Hailee asked hopefully, looking at Martha with a look full of hope and not forgetting her cute smile.


    "Yes, what is it, Mrs. Tordoff?" Hailee liked how she was being called now. Mrs. Tordoff...


    "Can you check, who will be on the list for the fashion showter?" Hailee asked, she wanted to know which socialites would be invited to the event.


    However, the truth was, there were some specific people Hailee wanted to confirm if she would meet themter.


    Well, Hailee had to be prepared for little surprises like that. She didn''t want to attend a fashion show that might turn into a disastrous encounter due tock of preparation.


    "Of course," Martha said, although a little confused but, getting a list of the names of people who would be present at such a big event, was not a difficult matter.


    After that, Martha went out of the kitchen, while Hailee waited for her lunch with a growling stomach.


    Ugh! She is really hungry ...


    ==============


    As it waste afternoon, Aileen came out of her office, heading for the car park to return home.


    Today was a really tiring day, because the problems with their investors regarding the diamond ring that George bought, were still not quite resolved.


    Those investors were still dissatisfied with George''s careless actions and sent theirpany stock lower, because they could be said they had offended someone important like Ramon Tordoff.


    This could not be tolerated, because if it was not resolved quickly, then Aileen and George would not have another chance to take Tatum jewelery from Hailee and Ramon''s hands if they make a move to take over thepany.


    Unfortunately, seeing their current condition, Aileen felt pessimistic that she and George couldpete with Hailee, who had Ramon behind her.


    Even now, those self- conscious share holders were brave enough to discuss the possibility that theirpany would be handled by Ramon Tordoff, or better yet, if theirpany could be on the same g as Tordoff, because after all Hailee was already Mrs. Tordoff, so there''s nothing wrong with that idea.


    If that happened, then they could be sure that they would not only survive the abyss of bankruptcy, but would also seed in increasing their share price.


    Yes! Of course what they have in mind were only profits and advantages.


    Now, Aileen could only grit her teeth in annoyance.


    However, before she could start her car and drive home, she heardher cell phone ringing.


    With one hand, Aileen then took out the t object from her handbag and looked happy because the one calling was Theodore¡­


    Finally, the man called her.


    "Hello?" Aileen greeted gently.


    "Meet me at the usual ce," Theodore said without his usual greeting or calm tone.


    Theodore sounded huffed and in a hurry. What''s the matter?

 Chapter 180: THEODORES RAGE (2)

    <h4>Chapter 180: THEODORE''S RAGE (2)</h4>


    The usual ce Theodore was referring to was a small suburban bar, where they had spent their first evening together.


    And this bar was also the ce where Aileen met Aidan some time ago.


    A fateful night where Aileen brewed a contingency n to take on Hailee and Ramon Tordoff, as well as her own father, George, who had been taking advantage of her.


    At that time, Aileen really couldn''t believe the lucky chance she stumbled upon, to be able to meet Aidan while he was half conscious, too drunk to tell her and Zia apart.


    And that was another fact that astonished Aileen. She had no idea that Aidan Smith would have an affair with her cousin; Zia!


    The same person, who always ridiculed her because she had snatched Theodore out of Hailee''s hands, but who would have thought that what Zia was doing was no less lecherous than she had ever done.


    At least, Aileen took Theodore from Hailee''s hands before they both got married, not like Zia who was with Aidan even though it was clear that the man had be the legal husband of Giana Dawson.


    Wasn''t what Zia doing was inferior to what Aileen was doing?


    Someone should have told Zia this fact and revealed this to Diego, her father. Aileen really wanted to know how Diego would respond to what his only child had been doing all this time.


    Without Aileen realizing it, a grin crossed the corner of her lips when she discovered the fact that she was holding Zia''s secret, which she could use at any time to threaten her annoying cousin.


    Yes, right! Aileen could use this for her personal gain.


    As to what exactly her ns for Zia, Aileen still hadn''t decided what they were yet, but it was definitely a best chance to take revenge on Zia and the way she treated Aileen all this time.


    However, there was something else that was more urgent for Aileen to think about at this time, namely; Theodore.


    What did Theodore want by meeting Aileen at this ce after several days of being unreachable?


    Aileen even remembered very well how Mrs. Gevano treated her and embarrassed her with her sharp words when she had to fit a wedding dress by herself and Theodore could not be reached at all.


    Aileen could only grit her mrs hard to prevent herself from uttering words she would regret.


    It is not time for that yet. Aileen still needed the support of the Gevano family to carry out her n and made George believe that she had no other n than the one they both have agreed on.


    If anything went wrong, then George would be suspicious and Aileen''s ns with Aidan would also fall apart.


    So, what did Theodore really want by inviting Aileen toe to this ce? And from his hurried, irritated voice, Aileen knew that this matter was anything but trivial.


    With short yet quick steps, Aileen walked to the room Theodore had booked for their meeting.


    Aileen then checked herself in the mirror along the corridor, making sure that she looked decent and didn''t look like the woman who had just faced the world temptation at work.


    And after confirming that not a single hair was out of ce and she looked beautiful as usual, Aileen then pushed the door of the room open, without knocking on the door and immediately put on the sweetest smile she had.


    "Theo..." She said in a voice as sweet as honey.


    Aileen hoped that Theodore would have a different attitude this time around and treat her better, but deep down she knew she shouldn''t hope for it.


    Unfortunately, what Aileen was worried about did happen, because what was waiting for her behind that door was; her future husband who was looking at her with a sharp gaze and cold eyes, as if he was going to kill her.


    Of course, the sight made Aileen shudder and her cute smile fell into a soft frown between her eyebrows. Her steps looked hesitant when she had to enter the room deeper and came face to face with Theodore who looked like he was in a very bad mood.


    "Sit down," Theodore said harshly, pointing to the sofa opposite him and not the position beside him as Aileen had always upied.


    At this point, Aileen began to doubt herself that she knew Theodore well, because in reality it was not like that.


    The figure of the man in front of her waspletely different from the man whom Aileen had known all this time. Theodore now did not seem like a man who was easy to control and needed her validation of all the actions he took.


    Theodore who used to really listen to every word that Aileen said, was now gone, reced by a man who stared angrily as he threw a document on the table, right in front of Aileen very loudly.


    Then with a roar that echoed through the room, Theodore shouted angrily. "WHAT IS THIS?!"


    Aileen winced in surprise, then her eyes widened iprehensibly at what Theodore was saying, but looking at the document before her, it seemed like it was something very important.


    "Exin to me what that means?!" Theodore shouted again. It seemed that in the past few days Theodore had never used hurtful words or a high tone of voice to use to speak to Aileen.


    Automatically, Aileen''s eyes turned to the brown document which Theodore had roughly threw onto the table, which left Aileen stunned after taking a quick nce at the contents of the documents.


    They were the files that told about the illicit business that Aileen had been in for the past three years.


    Where did Theodore get all that from?! Nobody should be able to dig this deep into the secret Aileen had kept so tightly.


    Nobody should know about that because George had guaranteed everything!


    However, it seemed that that did not apply to Theodore. As a member of the Gevano family, this man had no trouble finding out more about the secret of the woman he would marryter, or it could be said that Theodore might rethink this marriage.


    There was no way a woman as bad and dark as Aileen could enter their home and be his wife.


    Even Theodore himself was stunned when he got his hands on this information from his confidants.


    He thought he knew her after their long secret affair behind Hailee''s back, but as it turned out, he was very clueless about the woman that he gave up his fianc¨¦e on.


    Aileen who he thought was a good girl, although with a slightly questionable background, but as bad as she was, it didn''t mean that Aileen could do all this without thinking, right?


    "Where did you get all this?" Aileen asked in a low voice and pale face. Shit! How did Theodore know all these things?


    "That''s not the important thing right now!" Theodore cut in a fierce tone, then he looked at Aileen again with eyes filled with anger and disbelief. "My question is; is all of that true?!" Theodore snapped at Aileen with a fiery emotion.


    At this point, Aileen didn''t really know how to exin the problem at hand. Her cunning brain continued to work rapidly, trying to get herself out of the very unfortunate situation, only that Aileen was still unable to find a single usible excuse, which could save herself and leave her in a good position in Theodore''s eyes.


    One thing was certain, Theodore she was facing now was a different man, whom Aileen managed to snatch from Hailee''s hands.


    Theodore seemed much more skeptical of herself than Aileen could have imagined. No. Aileen never even imagined that Theodore would behave like this toward her. The change in his attitude was too sudden...


    Could this be because Aileen told him that she was pregnant? Theodore could not ept this baby and turned to hate her...


    If that was the case, then Aileen had taken the wrong step.


    The n she and George should have worked out a better n. Aileen seemed to have looked at herself too highly in Theodore''s eyes, so that she was one hundred percent sure that this man could hate her so deeply, that he even investigated Aileen further.


    Not only that, the deeper Aileen opened the pages of the file, the more she realized that Theodore had dug too deep. It was much deeper than what Aileen imagined.


    "Can you exin what it all means?!" Theodore eximed angrily, the look in his eyes gleaming with mes of hatred.


    Aileen''s eyes tightened when she received the usation, she didn''t want to admit it, of course. However, how should she give any reason for this matter.


    Aileen couldn''t possibly evade and reject all avable evidence, especially when the person who was looking for evidence was not just someone.


    Theodore had certainly hired the best man for this task. Denying the concrete evidence that was now lying in in sight was not a smart move in Aileen''s case this time.


    Therefore, there was only one way Aileen could escape from it. Or maybe it could be said that this was the only way that crossed Aileen''s mind.


    Therefore, Aileen suddenly knelt down and closed her eyes with her hands, and a momentter she started sobbing so hard that her shoulders trembled and her chest heaved and fell by the deep waves of sadness, which she was currently feeling.


    On the other hand, seeing how Aileen reacted, Theodore fell silent, not understanding what to do.

 Chapter 181: DONT WORRY, I HAVE ARRANGED EVERYTHING

    <h4>Chapter 181: DON''T WORRY, I HAVE ARRANGED EVERYTHING</h4>


    Aileen fell to the floor on her knees and started sobbing pitifully, which left Theodore who saw her bbergasted, unable to understand what exactly Aileen was doing right now.


    Was this another trick that this snake woman trying to trick him with? But, Aileen''s tears were real and now she looked like a woman who was helpless and in need of someone''s protection.


    Once again, Theodore''s male ego was tested. He liked the feeling of being needed, wanted. Therefore, when he saw how Aileen looked so weak and hopeless, his heart wavered.


    With a frown between his forehead and a hesitant gesture, Theodore knelt beside Aileen and stared at the woman, waiting for her sobs to subside, without doing anything.


    It was hard for him to continue venting his anger in Aileen''s present condition. How could he have an outburst at a woman, who was crying vehemently?


    It took up to half an hour before Aileen''s crying topletely subside and for her to get back in to a state of being able tomunicate again. And all that time, Theodore was silent and said nothing, with his eyes fixed on her.


    "Theodore ..." Aileen called out his name softly with her hoarse voice and stared at the man with eyes, which looked like an injured deer''s, making anyone who saw her now want to protect her.


    The same thing happened with Theodore. This was an old trick after all and still worked.


    The side of him that used to want to protect Aileen and also the feelings he had for her, that made him have the heart to turn away from Hailee, were now back again.


    "What happened?" His voice was soft, although his body was still in the same ce, as if it was unable to move an inch from there and his feet were rooted to the spot.


    Without wasting any more time and waiting for Theodore to change his mind, Aileen immediately threw herself at the man and hugged him tightly, then started crying again, leaving Theodore unable to do anything but calm her down by gently rubbing Aileen''s back.


    "You misunderstood me..." Aileen began to say in a much more trembling voice, biting her lip and burying her face into Theodore''s shoulder. "You misunderstood me, I am not like that ..."


    "What do you mean by I have misunderstood?" Theodore furrowed his brows in confusion. However, his attitude had turned much better than it had been in the past few days and this of course made Aileen happy, when she realized that she still had this effect on Theodore.


    Who would have thought that after how Theodore had treated her for these past few days and how their rtionship was going, but it turned out that Aileen was still able to have the same effect on him.


    Then Aileen''s tears intensified when she realized she was above the clouds. This was her only chance to turn things around.


    "Theo, I was framed ..." Aileen sobbed as Theodore returned to question the same thing with a trace of worry in his tone.


    "What do you mean?" Theodore couldn''t see the expression on Aileen''s face right now, because she turned her back to him, but from the way her body was shaking, he could tell that this woman was still crying.


    Then, a story flowed smoothly from Aileen''s lips, as if every word she spat was true and she wasn''t making anything up.


    The people out there would no doubt be amazed by how Aileen could fabricate a story like this and leave everyone who heard her believing that what she was telling was true.


    ==============


    Aidan was having dinner with Zia, in the hotel room where they used to meet, but the atmosphere between them felt so strange and unusual.


    Maybe, this happened because Aidan was fighting with Giana and the atmosphere in his house was not very conducive so this was also affecting his mood, or maybe this was because Zia suddenly became quiet and didn''t bring out any interesting conversation topics, as she usually did.


    Zia seemed more interested in the food in front of her than in having a lively conversation with the man she had been dating for years in wrong rtionship.


    Somehow, the atmosphere turned into this and the air felt heavier.


    "How is your problem with Giana?" Finally, Zia opened her voice and questioned the continuation of the problem between Aidan and Giana.


    Not because Zia really wanted to know about this matter, but because she was starting to feel uneasy about the silence thaty between them.


    Meanwhile, Aidan, who was just about to take his food, stopped. The spoon hung in the mid air, before he put it back down and answered Zia''s question.


    "Giana left the house two days ago," Aidan told Zia in an toneless voice, though his heart still roared with exasperation every time he remembered that.


    Howe? Someone who Aidan told to follow Giana, reported to him that the woman, who was still his wife had spent thest two nights living in the ce of her personal assistant, Dillon!


    What personal assistant and old friend!? Giana should be able to maintain her attitude more, because even now she was still the legal wife of Aidan Smith.


    Her behavior was only getting worse and worse and now she had the audacity to leave in another man''s house?! What kind of joke she was ying now?!


    It is just that Aidan couldn''t reprimand Giana on this one matter, because after all, he didn''t have the right to reprimand Giana when he himself had spent hundreds of nights living with Zia.


    All of these matters just seemed more and moreplicated as time went by.


    "Left the house?" Zia frowned and asked with a serious expression. Well, Aidan''s answer was enough to pique her interest in discussing this topic.


    "Yes, she said that she no longer cares if the media finds out about this and thinks that sooner orter, this will all happen, so there is no point in covering it up," Aidan exined with a gloomy and displeased expression on his face, for whatever might happen in the future.


    On the other hand, hearing Aidan''s answer, Zia frowned deeply and then voiced her opinion, "Isn''t what Giana said has a point too?" Zia looked at Aidan questioningly. "The news of your divorce will get big sooner orter, so it is all just a matter of time."


    Aidan, who heard this, only nced at Zia before he continued his dyed meal.


    "Indeed," he replied dryly. "But, before things can get any bigger than this, there are a few things I have to do first before thepany''s stock actually drops sharply and drastically. At least, I have to prepare some countermeasures if this divorce has such an impact. And if Giana speeds up the news spread in the media, then my n will not work out well." He was still thinking as a businessman.


    Aidan had his own considerations regarding this matter and Giana should have had the same thoughts as him, because instead of going out of the house, wouldn''t it be better to spend some time thinking about how to save the value of their respectivepanies'' shares?


    Not to mention the distribution of assets that they have to settle and agree on.


    It seemed, indeed, neither of them wanted to endure this married life for even one more day. Somehow they had survived the past three years...? it was like a miracle.


    "Hm¡­" Zia didn''t really respond to that statement and just muttered. ording to her, the problem ofpany shares or whatever that bes a consequence when they divorced afterward was the decision of both of them and Zia had no part in it, nor did she want to be involved in any decisions that ensued afterward.


    It was a business of both of them and of both the Dawson and Smith families, because now the problem that filled her head even more was the fact that she was still bothered by the fact that Aidan''s unexpected encounter with Aileen. A one night stand that left Zia unable to forget about it.


    It bothered her to the point where she felt ufortable when they had their intimate moment...


    "¡­ Zia," called Aidan, waving his hand in front of the girl''s face. "What are you thinking?"


    Aidan then put away his dinner te and leaned toward Zia, because since the beginning of their conversation, she seemed unfocused and easily distracted.


    For a moment Zia hesitated about how she felt, until she looked at Aidan with a questioning look, only to shook her head in the end. "Nothing," Zia said in a low voice.


    However, Aidan caught the deeper meaning of Zia''s ''nothing''.


    Aidan then stretched out his hand and grasped Zia''s cold hand. "Something''s bothering you, now, tell me what it is..."


    Zia didn''t really want to say it out loud, but from the way Aidan looked at her so intensely, she finally gave up and sighed heavily.


    "The fact that you and Aileen have spent a night together really bothers me," Zia said at the end of her sigh. She then stared back at Aidan with the same intensity. "I don''t like the fact that you have been involved in something with Aileen."


    This time Aidan looked away from Zia and stared at a certain spot in the room, such as their messy bed.


    "I didn''t mean to spend time with your cousin either," Aidan said.


    However, before he could exin further, Zia cut him off mid- sentence.

 Chapter 182: DONT WORRY, I HAVE ARRANGED EVERYTHING (2)

    <h4>Chapter 182: DON''T WORRY, I HAVE ARRANGED EVERYTHING (2)</h4>


    "She is not my cousin," Zia growled in a low voice. She didn''t like to be associated with that snake woman. She really didn''t like it. "I have already said several times that she is not a daughter of the Tatum family. She is just an adopted child raised by Hailee''s parents."


    It was true that Zia''s words sounded harsh, but everyone who knew Aileen would not mind when one described Aileen that way.


    "Yes, you did," Aidan said. "She called me a few days ago," he finally told her. Maybe by letting Zia know what Aileen wanted from him, could get a chance for him to be distracted by Zia.


    "What?!" Zia half screamed when he said that. "What does she want from you?"


    Aidan then began to tell how Aileen started ckmailing him to buy shares in thepany from the Tatum family. Making herself have majority shares in the familypany.


    And sure enough like what Aidan had expected, Zia''s annoyance at him evaporated and now she looked ready to kill Aileen based on the facial expressions she showed through the entire story Aidan told her.


    Maybe, Aidan''s way was too maniptive and he himself didn''t feel right to justify himself like this, but after all, he didn''t want to see Zia getting annoyed at him.


    And this was the only way Aidan could divert Zia''s negative emotions from him.


    ==============


    This was the day Margaretha Lamos would hold her fashion show, which meant it was also the day that Aileen and Theodore''s wedding countdown would drop to two weeks from now.


    The party was neither celebrated with great fanfare nor on arge scale for various reasons of security and privacy. Because, they didn''t want to show Aileen to their business colleagues and let them count the months to the birth of the Gevano family''s first baby.


    If that happened, then they would know that there was something wrong with the month count until the birth of their first grandchild.


    And other reasons were also because; having Aileen as Theodore''spanion would be a shame.


    But, that was a discussion for another session, because right now Hailee was frowning because Ramon couldn''te with her to the fashion show that the Diva was going to hold.


    "Why do you suddenly have to go?" This was the same question, which Hailee had been asking him for the past two hours, even though Ramon had answered dozens of times as well, but still his wife was asking the same thing. "I don''t want you to leave."


    And Ramon answered her again with the exact same answer for the umpteenth time. "A factory was burned downst night and there was something important I had to see for myself, so sorry that I couldn''t apany you today."


    Ramon was extraordinarily patient with Hailee and since this had happened so many times, therefore, he was no longer surprised how he had apologized to this spoiled woman over and over.


    The apologies that have escaped his lips today for Hailee were even more so than the apologies he had made in the past six months.


    What an extraordinary achievement that Hailee didn''t realize at all.


    But, somehow Ramon''s heart always softened whenever he had to face Hailee''s demands and her sometimes absurd attitude.


    It sucked, but it''s a fun thing to deal with, amidst his regr schedule and his life that tend to be devoid of any elements of surprise were it not for Hailee.


    "Lexus will apany you all day." Ramon then leaned over to kiss the top of Hailee''s head and her still curled, pouted lips.


    "I don''t want to go with Lexus." Hailee didn''t want to attend a party that Giana and Aileen would go to without Ramon. She felt ufortable because it was the first time for her to attend such an event. "I want to go with you," she said sullenly.


    Well, the real reason Hailee wanted Ramon to apany her was because she wanted to show off the affection between the two of them to the two women, but since Ramon couldn''t make it, of course Hailee''s ns couldn''t be carried out.


    Therefore, she was in a bad mood right now.


    Her ideas to make Giana annoyed at her even more, couldn''t be carried out¡­ ugh! Yet just imagining how that woman would re at her made Hailee happy.


    Too bad her brilliant n couldn''t took form...


    On the other hand, Ramon looked at Hailee with an expressionless face. There was a desire to cancel this trip and fulfill what Hailee wanted like what he almost always did. It''s just that the side of him that could still think logically insisted that he couldn''t always follow Hailee''s wishes.


    He had spoiled her too much.


    "Lexus will go with you in my ce. He attends fashion shows like this more often than I do. He will know what he has to do." Ramon was still trying to persuade Hailee.


    "But, I don''t want to go with him." Because Hailee couldn''t possibly be intimate with Lexus. But, of course she wouldn''t tell Ramon the real reason.


    "Why don''t you want to go with me? I am hurt." Suddenly, the voice of Lexus echoed in their bedroom and this made Hailee and Ramon turn their heads toward the sound, frowning.


    "I didn''t hear you knocking on the door," Ramon said coldly to his brother and made Lexus smile shyly at him.


    "I heard my name when I opened the door, so I immediately went inside," he replied with an awkward smile. He was used to enter Ramon''s room casually, back then when Hailee had not yet upied this room. Maybe this was what it meant by old habits, die hard.


    "I don''t want to go with him," Hailee repeated her sentence again, pointing at Lexus.


    Meanwhile, the one being used folded his arms defensively while also scowling. "Hey, for an event like this, I can assure you that I am a lot more fun to be with than my boring brother. Ramon just doesn''t know how to have fun. You will die from boredom if you go with him. I can guarantee you for this."


    ==============


    Theodore couldn''t believe that he would be with Aileen even at this point, and if he finally epted this woman back in his life and let things go their way regarding their marriage.


    A few days ago Theodore learned an extraordinary fact about Aileen''s identity.


    The fact that Aileen was George''s biological child from his extramarital affair with a woman left Theodore quite stunned how life was so unpredictable.


    Aileen was a Tatum and no one knew this except Theodore, and of course George himself.


    Not to mention the story that, cleverly and creatively, Aileen told, which made her look like someone with such a heavy burden in life and deserving of pity.


    Aileen also said that she was involved in prostitution rings and other questionable and illegal activities because of George''s coercion, which, most of what Aileen said was true.


    However, of course she would not be Aileen if she could not manipte the story she was telling and put herself in an advantageous and sympathetic position beforeTheodore. Because in the end, this man still had the same feelings, namely; a sense of wanting to protect, which made him feel better.


    Theodore had really not learned from his previous mistakes and still trusted Aileen on these kinds of things.


    He truly was the epitome of a man whose ego wanted to be acknowledged and Aileen was too smart to pass up the opportunity to take advantage of this particr weakness that stemmed from Theodore''s arrogance.


    Therefore, here was the heir of the Gevano family now, apanying Aileen to a fashion show that he was not at all interested in.


    "Theo, I am d that you are no longer ignoring me," Aileen said in an affectionate manner while clinging to her future husband, when they were in the car that would take them to the fashion show. "I promise I will say whatever you want to know and will not keep anything a secret from you anymore," she promised.


    Although, Theodore''s attitude was notpletely the same as before, but at least this was a step forward for Aileen to be able to regain his trust and also find people who could support her in the Gevano family.


    "Yes," Theodore answered with a faint smile, a smile that did not reach his eyes.


    After the incident that night, when he confronted Aileen about her involvement with an illegal organization, Theodore asked his people to further investigate what Aileen said, especially the fact that he was George''s biological daughter.


    And what made Theodore believe was; the fact that what Aileen said was true. She is indeed George''s biological child.


    This was evident from the results of DNA tests that Theodore secretly carried out, as well as other facts that mentioned George''s involvement in the illegal organization, which strengthened Aileen''s statement that she was forced by George to be involved.


    "Thank you," Aileen said as she nced gratefully at Theodore and kissed the man on the cheek.


    There was silence after that until Theodore made a statement, "I will be taking part in the routine check- upter."


    What Theodore meant was the routine check- ups that Aileen had to do for their baby before their wedding ceremony.


    "Of course, I will be happy if you want to apany meter," Aileen looked happy when she heard Theodore''s statement. It seemed this man was starting to care about his flesh and blood, even though this was just a big lie that was made up by Aileen. It seemed that this pregnancy strategy was not entirely a wrong move.


    "Hm," Theodore muttered. "But, I want you to be examined at a different hospital."


    Theodore''sst sentence made the smile on Aileen''s face instantly froze, it''s just that it happened for a split second, before Aileen smoothly looked normal, even her tone sounded undisturbed.


    "Why should it be in a different hospital?" She asked calmly. "Didn''t we choose the hospital because this secret could be kept from the public?"


    "Yes, but the hospital is a rmendation from George," Theodore answered Aileen in a rxed tone. His eyes were looking outward at the building they were going to go to where the Diva''s fashion show would take ce.


    "But, what if when we move to a different hospital and this news leaks out to the media?" Aileen asked, trying to give Theodore another look. "Your mother will hate me even more for this issue."


    Theodore then turned his head and looked at Aileen seriously. "You don''t need to worry, I already took care of everything."


    Oh, shit!


    Theodore had searched another hospital for Aileen''s checkup this time!

 Chapter 183: GIANAS REGRET

    <h4>Chapter 183: GIANA''S REGRET</h4>


    Aileen was dumbfounded when she heard what Theodore had just said. What did he mean by saying that he had prepared another hospital for Aileen''s next examination? Was he suspicious? Had what he discovered about the illegal activities that Aileen and George were doing have made him even more wary and suspicious that Aileen''s pregnancy was just nonsense?


    Well, although thetter assumption was not wrong, Theodore should not know about it. Why did this man suddenly be difficult to handle and cunning like a devil?


    She couldn''t understand this sudden of change attitude of Theodore.


    Aileen thought she had Theodore in her grip like before and could make him do whatever she wanted, but looking at how Theodore had acted with her and being more cautious about everything, it seemed this man had learned a thing or two from the information that he got.


    He didn''t think Aileen was so innocent as she looked like for the past few years he knew her.


    "Why do we have to change hospitals?" Aileen asked, trying to break the ice and looking less nervous. "Didn''t Uncle George arrange everything? The hospital that was previously very safe for me, for us. You know, right? Your mother wants to keep my pregnancy a secret..." Aileen touched her belly softly, to incite Theodore''s feeling, but it didn''t seem very work.


    After hearing Aileen''s statement and her gesture, Theodore frowned as a sign that he did not agree. "You know yourself that Uncle George isn''t as good as he looks. I don''t want unwanted things to happen to my child," he said righteously, though a few days ago, he really wanted to get rid of the baby.


    While saying this, Theodore cast a look full of meaning at Aileen, which was difficult for the woman to grasp what those eyes meant.


    Was it true that Theodore was suspicious of her and this time he wanted to confirm for himself that Aileen was really pregnant? Or¡­ was there something else this man was nning and Aileen didn''t know?


    It seemed like she should be more wary of Theodore, because the change in his attitude now didn''t seem to be in line with Aileen''s expectations¡­


    "I don''t think George would do anything crazy toward me now that I am pregnant with your child," Aileen said, trying to relieve the tension she felt as well as the questions that were eating away at her curiosity about Theodore''s sudden attitude. "He won''t go that far with this kid¡­" Aileen''s voice became low and she rubbed her t stomach gently.


    Meanwhile, Theodore just gave Aileen a faint smile and opened the car door when the car stopped right in front of the building''s lobby, he held her back and acted gentlemanly by reaching out to Aileen, to help her get off.


    "We will get to thatter," Theodore said as he kissed Aileen on the cheek and walked together toward the event that was about to take ce.


    ==============


    Hailee still felt a little annoyed when she had to attend this fashion show alone with Lexus instead of going with Ramon.


    Because, it meant messing up the ignorant ideas in her head that she had been nning since knowing that Aileen and Giana would be there too.


    But, that didn''t mean Hailee wasn''t happy to attend this event with Lexus, because like Ramon said, Lexus really knew how to run about in this circle.


    He knew most of the guests present and how to behave as an extraordinary social butterfly by not forgetting to involve Hailee in every conversation that was never boring.


    When Lexus met a group of businessmen, he would act more mature and reliable, discussing various projects casually and throwing jokes here and there so as not to make Hailee feel bored listening to the chat.


    Meanwhile, when Lexus had to face a group of young women, who could be sure to start flirting with him and asking for more attention from the second son of the Tordoff family, Lexus could change his attitude to be an easy- going person and mingle with their temptations, without being impressed or giving hope.


    Again, Hailee was stunned by the social skills that Lexus had and how he could be very flexible in changing his attitude very quickly, to adapt to the environment around him.


    These people woulde to Ramon because he had a ma to draw them closer to him, as if by being around him they felt they had a better status, but things were different with Lexus, because this second son of the Tordoffs made people approach him because they werefortable doing so.


    "So, it was your ex- fianc¨¦ who was snatched away by your adoptive sister?" Lexus said while handing a ss of drink to Hailee, nodding at the couple who had just stepped into the hall.


    The drink Lexus gave Hailee could be ascertained something nonalcoholic, because Ramon had warned him so as not to get Hailee drunk.


    Well, thest time this girl was drunk was not pleasant enough to remember...


    "Hm?" Hailee epted the ss of drink being handed to her and turned her head to look in the direction Lexus pointing by nodding his chin.


    Not far from them, Hailee saw Aileen, hand in hand with Theodore, stepping into the room with a happy smile that curled on her lips. Well, it must be said that Aileen seemed to be enjoying the show a lot more than Theodore. It was very clear from how the man looked around the room without any interest in his eyes.


    "Don''t you want to say hi?" Lexus asked Hailee, wriggling his eyebrows suggestively. "He might be very happy if you say hello to him, remembering how that man dared to sneak into your dressing room at your wedding party the other day."


    Hailee rolled her eyes dramatically and turned her attention away from the couple, before they could meet Theodore''s eyes.


    "You want me to go over there and say hello to Theo?" Hailee asked, teasing Lexus back.


    "Theo?" Lexus repeated the name while frowning and this expression reminded Hailee of Ramon, how he also looked displeased when she called Theo with just Theo and it sounded very intimate for them to hear.


    "Yes, Theo." Hailee confirmed thenughed when she saw Lexus snorting at her answer. "What are you doing?" She saw Lexus take his cellphone out of his pants pocket beforemaking a call.


    "I will call Ramon and tell him that you are flirting with other men. Aw!" Lexus protested when he felt a pinch on his waist. "Why are you pinching me, it hurts you know!" He grimaced, because Hailee actually pinched him really hard. This girl could be very violence if she wanted.


    "Stop provoking me using Ramon''s name," Hailee hissed fiercely. "After all, you were the first to offer to greet him."


    This time Lexusughed at Hailee''s defense. "But, I guess it would be nice if we greeted them? What do you think?" Lexus gave Hailee a mischievous look. "I guess it is okay if you go with me."


    On the other hand, Hailee caught the hidden meaning of Lexus'' words and really didn''t mind following him.


    "Of course." She said in a firm voice, giving him a meaningful smile.


    That said, Lexus and Hailee became partners in crime in this case. Too bad Ramon wasn''t there to stop these two mischievous humans, because who knew what''s inside their heads?


    ==============


    "Where are you going?" Dillon looked at Giana who was dressed very formally, not the kind of clothes you would wear to attend a famous fashion show. "Aren''t you going to attend the Diva''s fashion show?"


    Dillon had arranged this schedule for Giana and although she would go alone unapanied by Aidan, since this event was more for women, no one would be suspicious about this.


    However, it seemed that Giana had another ce to go...


    "I will not attend that fashion show." Giana notified Dillon and then applied her lipstick once more, making sure that her appearance looked amazing.


    "Then, if not to that fashion show, where would you go? You got an invitation to attend the event, it would be rude if you didn''t fulfill the invitation," Dillon exined.


    However, even though Dillon asked where Giana was going, he actually had his own hunch, about what this woman was going to do to have to cancel her ns.


    "I am going to town M," Giana said in a low voice, seeming all indifferent. Then she checked the contents of her bag and after making sure nothing was left behind, she walked toward the door.


    It''s just that, before Giana really got out of there, Dillon had held her hand first.


    "Tell me, why are you suddenly going to city M?" Dillon frowned, staring at Giana with a sharp gaze while demanding an exnation.


    "Because Ramon was there," she replied casually, as if there was nothing wrong with that.


    Dillon''s eyes widened in disbelief, how could Giana have gotten this detailed information about Ramon? But, then he remembered who he was dealing with. "Then what are you going to do?"


    The frown on her forehead showed that she didn''t understand why Dillon was asking this obvious question. "Of course to meet him. He is not with his wife, so this is my chance to meet him and make him remember me." The determination was apparent in her eyes when she said this.


    Dillon waspletely at a loss for words when he heard Giana''s narrative. "You are crazy ..." he muttered in disbelief. "You can''t do that."

 Chapter 184: GIANAS REGRET (2)

    <h4>Chapter 184: GIANA''S REGRET (2)</h4>


    Giana narrowed her eyes when she heard Dillon''s statement. "Why can''t I do it?" She asked skeptically. "Since he is married, I can''t do this to him?" Then came a wryugh from Giana as she continued her speech. "Ramon didn''t care about my marital status when we were together, so now is the time for me to behave the same way he used to be." Giana felt her action could be justified.


    After exining all that, Giana pushed Dillon''s body that was blocking her way and then came out of the man''s apartment, without even turning around.


    This time, Dillon did nothing to stop Giana, nor did he offer advice like he had always been doing.


    This time, Dillon allowed Giana to do what she wanted to do and didn''t hold her back at all. Maybe this way, Giana would realize that her efforts tend to go in vain and that she wouldn''t have another chance to be with Ramon.


    The woman seemed to have to learn from the most painful ways to understand that things didn''t always go the way she wanted them to.


    However, Dillon felt that there was something strange about his own feelings when he saw the closed door of his apartment after Giana leaving him alone there¡­


    ==============


    Lexus deliberately took Hailee toward a group of three men, who were chatting lightly with Theodore and Aileen.


    From where Hailee was standing, she could tell that her adoptive sister was feeling ufortable, being among these people, because even though her lips were making a sweet smile, her hand was wringing the little bag she was carrying.


    And Hailee knew Aileen well enough to say that she wasn''t interested in the ongoing conversation and wanted to leave, but of course she couldn''t do that.


    Meanwhile, when the three men saw Lexus walking toward them, the three of them immediately greeted Lexus very intimately.


    So, it was certain that the three of them were very close to Lexus, or indeed this man was too easy to get along with the people around him¡­ Hailee was increasingly amazed by Lexus''s ability to socialize.


    And when Lexus was side by side with Ramon, these two brothers were truly two extraordinary business partners.


    Hmm¡­ Hailee couldn''t be more proud of herself for being a family member of the two of them.


    Not to mention, the fact that it was the three men who approached Lexus and not the other way around, it showed that Ramon Tordoff''s younger brother had a greater influence than the three men.


    And by doing so, Theodore and Aileen were indirectly abandoned, which made them inevitably have to follow the three of them or sit back awkwardly.


    "How is it? Isn''t it fun going out with me?" Lexus whispered to Hailee in an arrogant tone, seeing how Theodore and Aileen approached them with reluctance evident on the expression of their faces.


    Meanwhile, Hailee only rolled her eyes dramatically when she heard how lexus was boasting, but smiled with satisfaction when Theodore and Aileen had to greet the two of them.


    "Oh, this must be Ramon Tordoff''s wife, right?" Asked one of the men, called Ryan. The three of them had introduced themselves to Hailee in a very polite manner, just the way she deserved. "I attended your wedding."


    "Thank you," said Hailee softly, even though she couldn''t remember this man at her wedding which was attended by so many guests.


    "I am sure you don''t remember me," Ryanughed as he said this, but there was no derision in his words. Of course, he understood that Hailee didn''t remember him at all, because after all they had never met in person before the wedding or this event.


    Hailee who was caught in the act of pretending to recognize Ryan, could onlyugh and nodded. She appreciate his understanding. "Yes, I don''t think I can remember the faces of each and every guest who was present at that time."


    "Hi Hailee, it has been a long time to see you, why didn''t youe home after your honeymoon event? Have you forgotten your own house?" Aileen greeted Hailee with an unnecessary courtesy, and moved forward to embrace her, showing the two sisters'' intimacy in front of these people.


    It''s just that, what Aileen didn''t take into ount was the fact that Hailee was not the same person she used to be.


    Therefore, the atmosphere turned even more ufortable for Aileen when Hailee tantly avoided her and said, "Of course I didn''t forget. How could I forget the ce where I came from. Maybe it is you, who forgot where you came from."


    The words were spoken in a sweet tone, so that people who were listening casually, would not have thought that Hailee was mocking Aileen.


    But, that didn''t mean the three people missed the cynical tone in Hailee''s voice and it was enough to make them faintly frown.


    Well, it seemed like something unpleasant was going on between these two sisters¡­


    "Oh, I almost forgot ..." One of the men, named Ralph patted his forehead and nced alternately between Hailee and Aileen. "You two are sisters, right?"


    "That''s right," Aileen replied, smiling kindly.


    "Of course not," Hailee said in a rxed tone, at almost the same time and this made the three men stare at each other with confused eyes. "She is my adoptive sister. My parents took her home when she was five years old."


    For all that Aileen had done to her, Hailee really didn''t want to acknowledge herself as a big sister anymore and this must be rectified whenever someone asked about it.


    In the past, Hailee would be the first to get angry if someone brought this up, but now Hailee would be the first to rify with anyone who said they were siblings. Because Hailee didn''t want to have an older sister like Aileen.


    "Hailee, you shouldn''t say that, just because Aileen entered the Tatum family when she was five years old, doesn''t mean she is not a member of the Tatum family." Theodore rebuked Hailee in a low voice, because after all, he came with Aileen and if Hailee demeaned hispanion like that, then it would be embarrassing for himself too.


    However, Theodore did not take Lexus into ount. The little brother of Ramon Tordoff could be very cynical if he wanted to.


    "Mr. Gevano, you better pay attention to what you say." Lexus'' tone sounded firmer than ever. "In the Tordoff family, of course we would not think of Aileen as a corefamily member, maybe this is different from the understanding held in the Gevano family."


    Hearing this small dispute, the three people began to notice the disharmony in Hailee and her adopted sister''s rtionship, and they knew what to say.


    "Well, my family will agree with Mr. Tordoff," Ryan said.


    "Yes, because blood is thicker than water after all," said Ralph.


    "Yes, I agree," Brian, who had been silent all this time, joined in to agree with the other two men. He didn''t want to be on the bad side of the Tordoffs, because this wouldn''t be good for their future.


    Seeing this, Hailee felt very happy that Lexus yed his role very well. Maybe, Hailee shouldpliment this manter and allow himself to be arrogant for a moment or two.


    Meanwhile, on the other hand, Theodore could only bite his tongue, knowing that he had taken a wrong step and was too carried away. If Hailee had known what he knew, surely she would not have said such a thing about Aileen¡­


    However, Theodore could not reveal this either.


    "Yes, there is no need to discuss this again, Ms. Aileen also looks ufortable if we are still dwelling on the topic of her family matters," Lexus said lightly, breaking the tense atmosphere.


    ==============


    It took about an hour and a half for Giana to reach the city of M, where she got information that Ramon was there.


    Of course, Giana had assigned several people to find out where Ramon was and monitor his movements.


    Although in fact this did not help much, because he would spend his daily life shuffling between his home and office only, thus not many ce that he would go alone recently.


    Therefore, this was a rare opportunity for Giana to find Ramon outside the city and when Hailee was not around too.


    She had to make the most of this.


    Giana then stepped into the five- story building and headed to the receptionist''s desk to ask about Ramon''s whereabouts, but of course the information regarding the man''s whereabouts was kept secret, so it was not that easy to meet Ramon. Just like when Giana went to his office before.


    However, of course Giana had predicted this, so it was certain that she had other ns.


    Hence, after hearing the receptionist''s lie saying that Ramon Tordoff was not there, Giana did not leave immediately. She returned to her car and started waiting.


    It so happened that on that day the parking lot in front of the building''s entrance was not too crowded, so Giana could get a good spot to look at the main door, to find out who was going out and entering the building.


    Giana recognized Ramon''s car which was parked nearby, in a special parking lot for designated to himself, and this was the reason she immediately knew that the receptionist was not telling the truth.


    While waiting, Giana leaned her head against the back of herseat and closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the silence enveloping her while outside the daytime sky had turned cloudy and dark clouds blocked the sunlight.


    Giana remembered very well that she had visited this branch office with Ramon once. It was also when they quarreled because Ramon forced herself to divorce Aidan, but at that time Giana had thousands of considerations that would not have been possible, or it could be said that she did not dare, to take that step.


    But, this time it was different ...


    Giana regretted her decision at that time and now she would do what Ramon asked her to do. In just a matter of weeks, she would be free from her marriage bond with Aidan.


    It''s just that, the problem was how Giana was going to make Ramon remember herself and also the memories they shared before.


    Who would have known that the situation turned out like this for her?


    What''s more, now that Ramon was married, things would not be as easy as they used to be. This situation would only get moreplicated.


    However, if this could make Ramon remember everything, then everything Giana was doing right now was worth fighting for.


    Because now, she regretted her previous foolishness. Only if she followed what Ramon had said then she wouldn''t have to go through all of this¡­

 Chapter 185: SEEING RAMON

    <h4>Chapter 185: SEEING RAMON</h4>


    Ryan, Ralph and Brian left the four people there and went to the ballroom, where the fashion show was to be held, while Hailee, Lexus, Aileen and Theodore were still there, enjoying their drinks.


    Or maybe you could say Lexus made the situation like this. He wanted to ''y'' with this Gevano family heir for a little longer. Well, for this part, he was in sync really well with his sister-inw.


    Hailee, of course, had absolutely no objection to ''ying'' with Lexus. She had to admit that going to parties with Lexus gave her another form of joy.


    Lexus could be ridiculous if he wanted to. Even though he shouldn''t have to ''bother'' Theodore and Aileen, but his prank made her unable to let go of this opportunity.


    Well, maybe in this situation, Lexus could be said to be the male version of Hailee.


    "So, how''s the Gevano family? I heard there was a ship that had a problem with its license a week ago," asked Lexus casually, ignoring Hailee''s gaze that seemed to say; how do you know about that?


    He seemed to be really enjoying this.


    Even if Theodore was surprised when he heard what Lexus said, he did not show it in the expression on his face when he gave Aileen a drink and took one to himself.


    It was still too early for an alcoholic drink, especially since Aileen was pregnant. So, it was certain that Theodore shouldn''t have given her a cocktail, but whether it was on purpose or not, the man handed her a ss.


    Maybe for Lexus who didn''t know it, it''s not something strange, but not for Hailee. She frowned slightly, questioning inwardly why Theodore had given Aileen a cocktail.


    "Everything is fine, there is only a little misunderstanding," Theodore said in a light tone as he drank his drink calmly.


    "Oh, good to hear," Lexus then did the same and nced at Theodore with a faint smile on his lips. "If your stocks return to stability."


    The grip at the stem of Theodore''s ss tightened for a moment when he heard Lexus''s statement. Of course, there was a double meaning behind hisst sentence, indicating that Lexus knew this much better than Theodore wanted him to know.


    However, as someone who had been struggling in a social circle, where you were required to always be able to hide what you really feel, Theodore''s shock onlysted less than a second before he returned to his normal behavior.


    "Yes, that''s amon thing in the business world," Theodore yed down the crisis faced by hispany the other day. At his side, Aileen also smiled, even though the smile did not reach her eyes, because she herself knew clearly what problems the case had caused.


    "So¡­" Lexus put down his empty ss along with Hailee''s on the tray, which was being carried by one of the waitresses, who walked past them. "Looks like we have to go inside now."


    Aileen looked at her watch and smiled sweetly at Lexus, the kind of smile that made Hailee want to roll her eyes. Oh, please¡­ not the same trick again.


    "Yes, the timing is perfect. We can enter together." Aileen then embraced Theodore''s arm, acting all spoiled. Of course, after putting down the empty cocktail ss that she had drunk to the end.


    Maybe, Aileen didn''t notice this and was too distracted by something else, so she just finished her cocktail. And this little detail did not go unnoticed by Theodore.


    "Sure," Lexus said cheerfully. He then took Hailee''s arm and walked ahead, with Theodore and Aileen walking right behind them.


    "Why invite them to sit with us?" Hailee leaned over and whispered to Lexus in displeasure.


    "Just watchter," Lexus whispered back to Hailee as they passed two women, guarding the door there.


    "Mr. and Mrs. Tordoff?" One of the women recognized Lexus and Hailee, then she approached the two of them and smiled even more pleasantly when Hailee said yes. "Pleasee this way, I will take you to your seats." She said very politely.


    Hailee had never been to an event like this before, so she didn''t really understand whether this was a standard for getting guests to their desks or not.


    Regardless, with light steps Hailee followed the woman by taking Lexus'' hand.


    However, when Theodore and Aileen wanted to follow in the footsteps of Lexus and Hailee, the other woman at the door asked for their invitation cards.


    This of course made Hailee stop walking and turn her head to see what really happened. And behind her, she could see Aileen frowning because she asked for her invitation card.


    "Why are you asking for our invitation cards, but not them?" Aileen tried to keep her voice calm, but it seemed like it was ahard thing to do now, because she was annoyed. Especially when Hailee witnessed all of this.


    "Oh, sorry ... but Mr. and Mrs. Tordoff were on the VVIP guest list," the woman replied calmly.


    There were only ten names included in the lineup of VVIP guests at this fashion show, who have the honor of being in the front row and the most strategic ce in the eventter, therefore, of course everyone involved already knew the faces of the ten guests well. And, Hailee and Lexus were among them.


    However, of course that answer didn''t satisfy Aileen and her ignorance of it, made her look even worse.


    "We also received an invitation toe to this event," Aileen still insisted. She felt unhappy when only Hailee was treated specially.


    Well, sometimes her jealousy could keep Aileen from thinking.


    "Yes, but is the invitation you received a golden invitation?" The woman still asked politely.


    "Golden invitation?" Aileen frowned, she didn''t know that there were several types of invitations to this fashion show, because she was quite happy to get MargarethaLamos invitation from Mrs. Gevano.It was her mother-inw who wanted her toe in her ce because she was not feeling well.


    "Yes, sorry, can you tell me your name? I will check your invitations," she said in a gentle tone, but this made Aileen feel all the more embarrassed.


    In the end, it was Theodore who gave their names and the woman checked them on the tablet she was holding.


    "Yes, the invitations to Ms. Tatum and Mr. Gevanoare tinum grade, so you can pass over here," the woman informed the two of them, pointing in a different direction from Hailee and Lexus''s seats, and what''s more, they didn''t get escorted there, like the treatment Hailee got.


    This certainly made Aileen furious, even though she didn''t show it in the expression on her face, but she almost failed to hide her true feelings when she saw Hailee smiling triumphantly.


    "Looks like we won''t be in the same ce," Lexus said lightly. "Then, see youter ..."


    Having said that, Lexus pulled Hailee away, and they bothughed when the two of them were already inside the hall.


    "Nice one!" Hailee eximed as she lightly smacked Lexus'' arm with her fist.


    "I told you, didn''t I? That I am much better to go to parties like this than my stiff brother." Lexus nced at Hailee.


    ==============


    The rain had just stopped, but the sky was still gloomy and the asional were raindrops hitting the car window, where Giana was sitting, waiting for Ramon''s appearance.


    During that time, Giana''s mind drifted to some of the things that had happened between her and Ramon.


    And every time Giana imagined all that, her heart became even more determined to say that what she was doing now was right, that Ramon was worth fighting for.


    A smile appeared on Giana''s lips, but the look in her eyes showed sadness and regret in her heart.


    If only she had followed what Ramon had said and parted ways with Aidan earlier, things wouldn''t have be thisplicated.


    And if only Giana had followed what Ramon said, then it was certain that the man would havetaken full responsibility for her.


    Although everyone riled against her for having an affair with Ramon when she was still married to Aidan, of course Gianawould still be safe with Ramon.


    He would make sure that Giana was okay and do whatever he could to protect her.


    This was what Giana regretted the most and regret was not at all a pleasant feeling to feel.


    If time could repeat itself, then she would make sure to correct that stupid mistake of hers. This was really a difficult thing for her to ept.


    Who would have thought that something that was in her hand all this time could just be gone like that?

 Chapter 186: SEEING RAMON (2)

    <h4>Chapter 186: SEEING RAMON (2)</h4>


    Meanwhile, out there, the rain had started to subside, leaving only wet soil and a few puddles here and there, and the evening sun was starting to dim behind the horizon.


    Giana then turned her attention toward the main door of the lobby again, ignoring the flickering light on her phone that indicated Dillon''s calls and chats that she didn''t respond to at all, because right now her main focus was somewhere else.


    And finally, after waiting for several hours, the figure that Giana had been waiting for all this time appeared.


    From behind therge ss that covered almost half of the lobby, Giana could see the figure of Ramon, followed by Danny, his personal assistant, who was walking quickly on the right, while there were three other people following Ramon on his left.


    She couldn''t tell what they were talking about, but it seemed like it''s just small talk after an important meeting that happened.


    Ramon and his small group seemed to stop when they saw the cloudy sky, but since the rain had stopped hours back, it seemed that it didn''t take an umbre for Ramon to get to his car, which was parked not too far away.


    Therefore, after saying a few things, Ramon and Danny immediately walked toward the parked car.


    Ramon seemed to be waving his hand, rejecting Danny''s suggestion that asked him to wait while he drove their car closer.


    It was also at that time that the two of them didn''t notice when Giana walked over with swift steps, so that she could catch up with the two of them.


    "Ramon," Giana called Ramon just as he came near his car, but her advances were stopped by two of Ramon''s bodyguards, who apparently followed him from behind and immediately approached Giana when they saw the woman approaching. "Ramon we need to talk," Giana said in a calm tone, letting the two bodyguards hold her there.


    There was no use for Giana to fight back, since there was no way she could beat those two big, muscr men and she didn''t want to make unnecessary fuss over it.


    On the other hand, Ramon stood silently beside his car with Danny, who also didn''t know what to do, staring at Ramon and Giana to and fro.


    "We need to talk," Giana reiterated her words.


    However, after a moment of silence, Ramon turned around and was about to get into the car, saying, "I don''t think we have anything more to talk about Mrs. Smith."


    "Within a few days, I am no longer Mrs. Smith," Giana said the line very emphatically, gritting her teeth to hold back the emotions that were welling up in her chest. "Soon I will be divorced from Aidan."


    However, Ramon didn''t seem to have the reaction that Giana wanted, so the woman was determined to rush forward, causing a littlemotion there, which stopped Ramon from getting into his car.


    "Ramon, we need to talk." Giana repeated the sentence again. "Why? You keep trying to avoid me because you are afraid to recall the memories that we created? Because you are afraid that if you remember it, then you will leave the woman you just married? Are you afraid of damaging your image? Ramon, believe me, you used to be willing to do anything for me."


    Those words were enough to provoke Ramon and his curiosity about the past that he had forgotten. Regarding the affair between himself and Giana and the reason why he did all that.


    Meanwhile, hearing what Giana said, shocked some of the bodyguards there because they did not think that this woman had that kind of rtionship with Ramon Tordoff.


    Howe? No one had ever seen Ramon with any other women or had a rtionship with any of them, let alone Giana Smith, who was known to be Aidan Smith''s wife.


    How could they both have an affair?


    And how could Ramon have that forbidden rtionship with this woman? There was a time when Ramon didn''t want to be followed by anyone, not even his own personal bodyguard.


    It might be said, Ramon Tordoff, used to go out without an escort, but no one suspected this, because they understood that Ramon Tordoff was a man who always wanted to protect his privacy.


    Therefore, Giana''s confession was enough to leave them stunned, unable to believe it. It''s just that, seeing from Giana''s status and also how she conveyed all of these things out loud, it seemed like they were all true.


    However, of course not one of the six bodyguards there said anything, or made gestures that shouldn''t be done. They kept their facial expressions as level as possible, including Danny.


    "I know that you don''t want to cause a scene here, therefore, we can talk one- on- one wherever you want." Giana saw this as a golden opportunity, as Ramon seemed to be considering what she had to offer. "I will not take much of your time. We only need to talk for a moment and you can ask whatever you want to know. Aren''t there lots of questions you couldn''t answer because you couldn''t remember them?" Giana continued to persuade Ramon.


    There was a moment''s silence as Ramon didn''t say anything or decide what to do with Giana. They just looked at each other, but no one there could read what was really on Ramon Tordoff''s mind at this moment.


    Until Ramon himself opened his mouth and gestured Danny to step aside, allowing Giana to get into the car.


    "Are you serious about this?" Danny asked Ramon in a low voice, making sure that this man had made the right decision by inviting Giana into his car.


    However, Ramon looked serious about his decision and Giana did not waste the opportunity she had been waiting for for a long time.


    Thus, she walked past the two bodyguards holding her back and smiled at Ramon, before she got into the car. A smile full of triumph.


    Giana felt that, even though Ramon lost his memory, the feelings this man had toward her were still the same¡­ Ramon still wanted her.


    After Giana got into the car, Ramon followed her in while Danny just stood in ce, not knowing what to do, until he remembered that he had to drive the car and immediately got into the car, to sit in the driver''s seat.


    "Where are we going?" Danny asked Ramon, as the two of them remained silent and still hadn''t started any conversation.


    It was Giana who answered that question without taking her eyes off Ramon at all. "Anywhere is fine."


    However, Ramon had other ideas. "We are not going anywhere," he said lightly. "You can wait outside."


    In other words, Ramon would grant Giana''s request to speak privately with him, but they would not do it in any expensive restaurant or in a hotel, which would make the possibility of unwanted news appearing, if only they were out of luck and the media caught on a photo of the two of them.


    "Well, if that''s what you want ..." Giana said in a choked voice. She didn''t like this.


    ==============


    The fashion show was lively, showcasing some of Margaretha''s designs that her admirers had been waiting for.


    However, after sixteen night gowns and several spring dresses were showcased, there were two evening gown designs that became the spotlight in this fashion show and became the main attention.


    Meanwhile, from the main seat row, where Hailee and Lexus sat, the two of them seemed more engaged in chatting about trivial matters that had nothing to do with this event.


    It seemed they both were on the same joke frequency, where the littlest things could make themugh. Of course, they had to hold back theughter if they didn''t want to be in the spotlight, recing the models who werebusy cat- walking.


    "Hey, isn''t there a dress you like?" Lexus suddenly asked Hailee, staring at thest two models rotating at the end of the runway, staring straight ahead with sharp eyes.


    Hailee then turned her attention again and shook her head. "They are pretty, but I don''t think I want them that much. I have a lot of gown that I don''t even know exist in walk- in closet."


    Hailee remembered her walk- in closet now in Ramon''s room, and she firmly believed that more than half of the clothes were not even touched.


    "Hey, you don''t have to fancy those clothes, but as someone who knows Margaretha Lamos personally, you have to buy her clothes." Lexus said in a patronizing voice.


    "I don''t know her personally, mom and you guys know her personally." Hailee rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the runway, when the room lights dimmed and two very beautiful models appeared, and simultaneously the music, which was initially upbeat and cheerful, turned softer and more serene.


    Hearing Hailee''s innocent answer, made Lexus click his tongue. "You are my brother''s wife, of course you are part of the Tordoff family, therefore, you should not consider yourself an outsider."


    What Lexus said was true and it made Hailee''s view of her own status in the Tordoffs even clearer.


    At the very least, Lexus''s words had just changed Hailee''s view of herself, who had always thought she was not one of them.


    Maybe, Hailee still felt a little awkward about this.


    "It''s your job to act and behave like a woman from the Tordoff family," Lexus said in a serious tone, but ended with a mischievous wink in his eyes, making the sentence sound less emphatic, but Hailee caught the meaning behind it well.


    "Thank you, I really appreciate what you just said," Hailee said sincerely, nudging Lexus'' shoulder with her own.


    Lexusughed at Hailee''s words and leaned over to whisper to the girl. "Sometimes we have to waste the money we have, not because we need the things we buy, but because there is a good rtionship to be maintained behind it."


    Yes, sometimes a good connection and rtionship was more important than the value of money, at least for people like Lexus and a few other well- known families.


    Hailee nodded in understanding. She got an unexpected lesson from Lexus this time.


    "Buy some evening gowns, my brother would love to see you in one of them," Lexus again nced flirtatiously at Hailee and was greeted withughter, but then he added. "Maybe, then I''ll get to hold a cute nephew sooner."


    Lexus''stment earned him a painful pinch on his waist.


    Haileeughed when she saw Lexus in pain and took out her cellphone to make a video call.


    "Who are you calling?" Lexus peeked over Hailee''s shoulder and found Ramon''s name on it. "Ah! Talking about cute nephews, makes you miss Ramon, right?"


    And Lexus''ments this time made Hailee''s face turn red.

 Chapter 187: YOU MAKE ME WORRY

    <h4>Chapter 187: YOU MAKE ME WORRY</h4>


    Hailee then hit Lexus on the arm for making such nosyments and returned to focus her attention on the cellphone screen in her hand, waiting for Ramon to pick up the call while she tried not to pay attention to theugh of her brother- in-w who was sitting right next to her.


    Hailee then nced at the watch that curled up nicely on her wrist, indicating that the time was quitete for the meeting that had taken ce in the morning to be still dragged out.


    Ramon should have finished with all his meetings, since that was what he said thest time theymunicated, but Hailee couldn''t tell for sure either, as thest meeting didn''t leave a good impression either.


    "Ramon didn''t pick up his cell phone," Hailee said, as the smile slowly disappeared from her lips. "Is he still in the meeting? But, from what he said, the meeting should have ended half an hour ago. "She then turned to Lexus, who shrugged his shoulders in response.


    "Ramon often extends the meeting when he feels that a discussion is still not find the conclusion yet," Lexus replied casually, because he knew very well the character and working style of his brother.


    "Yeah¡­ I thought so too," Hailee said with a bit of disappointment. Sighing, she put her cellphone back into her bag and then returned to focus on the two models who were demonstrating thest pieces of the night.


    They both looked so magnificent and spectacr, but Hailee''s mind was elsewhere. Somehow,she felt something was disturbing.


    Especially when she saw an empty chair, two spots, to her left. It was reserved for Giana Smith, but it turned out that the woman did not attend this fashion show at all.


    Yes, of course Giana Smith would also get a VVIP seat, just like Hailee and Lexus. But, what kind of reason could stop that snake woman from attending this famous fashion show?


    Hailee didn''t like her thoughts starting to wander everywhere. Could it be that she had now turned into an overthinker?


    If so, then all of it was Giana''s fault! She thought irritably.


    ==============


    "Why don''t you pick up the call from your wife?" Giana asked in a t tone, although it couldn''t be helped that the hope was growing inside her, which could be seen in the look in her eyes, when Ramon decided not to answer Hailee''s phone call.


    Didn''t that mean that Ramon preferred to talk to her alone in the car, rather than telling Hailee the truth that he was currently with Giana? This was a progress too, right?


    Ramon then turned his attention from the screen of his cell phone, which had now darkened because the phone call from Hailee had ended, to Giana, who was waiting for him to answer the rhetorical question.


    Without changing his facial expression, he put the cell phone into his coat pocket and said, "Now tell me, what you know about what happened two years ago." Ramon used a business tone when he spoke to Giana. As if he was presuming this conversation was no different to the business deal he had just snagged.


    And of course, this left Giana all displeased. She wasn''t used to the cold tone Ramon had been using when talking to her recently since he lost his memories, but she knew not to bring up this matter because their situation was not justmon.


    "You mean, how was our rtionship two years ago?" Giana asked in the same tone as Ramon''s.


    "Tell me what happened two years ago," Ramon ignored the meaning behind Giana''s question and instead shifted the conversation directly to the point he wanted to aim at. "How did all this happen?"


    Ramon had his own reasons for not picking up the call from Hailee. There were things that must be prioritized first, but that didn''t mean that right now he preferred to listen to Giana rather than let his wife know that he was with another woman.


    Ramon would call Hailee after his conversation with Giana, but for now he wanted to feed his curiosity regarding the story before the ident happened.


    Maybe, this was thanks to the drugs he was taking, or maybe the therapies he had to go through, but it seemed like Ramon was starting to pick up some snippets of himself and Giana.


    However, they were only in bits and pieces of a situation Ramon had no recollection of having experienced.


    However, on the other hand, Ramon being alone in the car with Giana, made him realize that this was not the first time, which was not something that came as a surprise, considering that they had been in a rtionship for two years.


    Perhaps, if Ramon tried harder, he would regain his lost memories¡­


    "Don''t you feel something when you look at me like this? Because of you¡­" Giana was about to protest, but Ramon cut her off with a firm tone.


    "Just answer my question or you can get out from the car," interrupted Ramon. "How did all this start?"


    Giana sighed. She already knew that this was what Ramon was going to ask her, but somehow it was very hard for her to tell how it all started, especially with the fact that only she could remember all of it...


    "We met for the first time at a fundraiser held by the Smith family. A charity event, just like the charity auction the other day," Giana started and the images of their first meeting flooded into her mind, making her heart flutter even harder.


    "What happened then?" Ramon narrowed his eyes.


    Giana shrugged her shoulders. "You came to me when I was alone on the balcony, after the fundraiser was over and the other guests were enjoying the meal."


    "I came to you?" Ramon asked inquiringly, causing Giana to lower her head slightly and correct her sentence.


    "Actually, it can''t be said that you approached me, because at that time, you thought there was no one on the balcony, so you went there for some fresh air I think. But, apparently I was there too," Giana then added. "You and I are a lot like Ramon. We don''t like crowds," she said softly and with feeling, hoping Ramon felt the same.


    "People who don''t like crowds aren''t just you and me," Ramon said calmly, but his words showed that he didn''t want to have such a ridiculous resemnce to Giana.


    Hearing Ramon''s answer, Giana could only bite her lips. That''s how Ramon forgot herself? Wasn''t there the slightest feeling in his heart that still remembered Giana? Because, after all, two years was not a short time and so many things happened during those two years.


    Things that couldn''t be forgotten just like that...


    Still feeling awkward, Giana tried to ignore Ramon''s statement and continued her story. "You intended to leave, but then I held you back."


    The streetlights alongwith the buildings started to lit up, brightening up the sky outside that had been looking very dark.


    While outside, Danny was staring at the car, the space in which Ramon and Giana were talking alone, praying that neither Hailee nor Lexus would call him to ask for Ramon, because he didn''t know what to answer in this situation. One wrong word, then the aftermath would be very hard andplicated.


    "At first, we didn''t talk about significant things. In fact, it could be said that we didn''t greet each other," Giana chuckled at the memory of the incident, drunk in her own memories at that time.


    However, on the other hand, Ramon did not find anything that made him feel sentimental, or reminisce about the incident, so he just kept quiet and waited for the continuation of Giana''s story.


    "Until finally I started the conversation," Giana smiled, looking at Ramon gently. "You only answered modestly, like this time; cold and less talkative. And I am the one who broke the ice with my questions."


    Ramon then nced at his watch briefly, but this small gesture certainly did not escape Giana''s attention.


    "If you intend to reveal every detail of the conversation at that time, then I have to say that I don''t have time for that." Ramon nced at his watch again, but this time, the gesture was an implicit message saying that Giana was just wasting his time. "Can you get to the point?"


    The way Ramon said this was beyond Giana''s expectations. Couldn''t Ramon try to feel the chemistry that Giana was trying to build between the two of them, so that Ramon could feel what she was feeling right now? Wouldn''t that help this man remember their past?


    "Very well," Giana finally said after considering all the possibilities. She didn''t want to force Ramon to follow her current mood, nor could she sulk to this man like she always did in the past. "After the meeting that night, we met again at several parties and events."


    Ramon was silent in response to that, he waited until Giana gave the answer he wanted to hear; when did their affair start and how?


    "After a few meetings, you started to be more warm to me and even greeted me first," Giana said, her eyes wandering into the night sky from behind the car window. "You started to open up and told me about yourself, although not much."


    Giana remembered very well every detail of the conversation that they had at that time, but unfortunately, the current Ramon wouldn''t wish to hear it.


    "What have I told you?" Ramon frowned. It didn''t seem like he could talk freely to other people.

 Chapter 188: YOU MAKE ME WORRY (2)

    <h4>Chapter 188: YOU MAKE ME WORRY (2)</h4>


    "At first, you only talked about work and general matters, which had absolutely nothing to do with your personal life, but over time..." Giana shifted her focus to Ramon''s face now. "You started to open up about some of the things you always hid from the world outside. You started telling me about your personal problems."


    The wrinkles on Ramon''s forehead deepened when he heard this. It made no sense to him to talk about personal matters or some crucial matters with other people.


    Had he loved Giana so much that he had forgotten all his self- made principles and just opened up on his secrets?


    "Personal problems?" Ramon repeated Giana''sst sentence. "What personal problems have I told you about?"


    Ramon had to know for sure, how far this woman knew his secrets or how deep and stupid he had been for doing it.


    Maybe, this ident actually helped his brain to work properly...


    Meanwhile, Giana did not immediately answer Ramon''s question and chose to look at him deeply, considering her options; did she have to just say everything? But then, what if Ramon didn''t want to see her anymore? Would he think that their business had ended just there?


    No, Giana didn''t want that to happen.


    "There are many things that you have told me, one of them is; a problem between you and your mother," Giana said, looking at Ramon more intensively to find out how deeply he was interested in this topic.


    As a businessman, you really need the ability to read the slightest change in the expression of your interlocutor when you convey something crucial, and that''s exactly what Giana was doing now.


    However, this most basic knowledge was not only known to Giana. And, Ramon was more than able to hide what he felt after hearing this woman''s statement, so Giana wasn''t sure what was going through Ramon''s mind right now.


    "What is that?" Asked Ramon, still in the same tone. "The problem is that she is against a past rtionship of mine?"


    Ramon knew that his mother was against the woman of his choice, even though at that time Lis didn''t know about Giana, because during that time, Lis had a woman of her own choice and wanted Ramon to marry that woman.


    However, if you think about it again, if Liz were to know about Giana, then it was certain that she would be very much against their rtionship.


    Lis couldn''t have stayed silent knowing that Ramon was in a rtionship with the wife of another man, especially if that man was from one of the five influential families in town A.


    Giana fell silent again before continuing her exnation. "You mean, our rtionship." She corrected. "Yes, one of them is that, but there is something else you told me that happened between you and your mother, which is very crucial."


    Ramon didn''t say anything, but from the way he looked at Giana, he seemed to be giving her a chance to continue her speech.


    "You know something about your father''s death and it has something to do with Lis." Giana said these lines in a slow tone, trying to see how Ramon would react.


    However, unfortunately she didn''t get what she wanted because Ramon didn''t show any change in his expression at this time too.


    It was very frustrating, since this man''s ability in hiding what he was feeling was always impable.


    "You assumed that Lis was involved in your father''s death," Giana said again.


    "Why do you think I assumed that?" Ramon asked, his eyes fixed on Giana, looking for the point of dragging her exnation.


    This type of conversation was really depressing, where they not only have to strategize what sentences were right to convey, but also have to keep the other person from knowing what they were actually feeling or thinking.


    Since both of them were so used to this kind of situation, they were more than capable of doing it for a long period of time.


    "I will tell you, Ramon, everything." Giana reached out her hand to touch Ramon''s hand, but the man made a refusal move that made Giana stop her actions. "But, this is going to be a very long discussion and it is impossible for us to do it in the car and in a situation like this."


    Ramon knew very well where Giana''s conversation was going and she proved it right.


    "How about we talk about this over dinner." Giana then nced at her watch which showed that it was quitete for dinner. "I have been waiting for you since noon and have not eaten anything."


    This was the right strategy for Giana. At first, she was going to throw in a topic that made Ramon think twice about refusing her invitation, because after all, who wouldn''t want to know about some secret thing that happened to their parents?


    An invitation to dinner at this time was not an exaggeration. Because after the dinner invitation, Giana would shift ces again and arrange a conversation that could pique Ramon''s interest even more when they finished dinner.


    And if she was lucky enough, she and Ramon could spend the night alone. Wasn''t this a perfect chance? The day could end much better than what Giana thought.


    "Just dinner and I will tell you about it." Giana tried to persuade Ramon. "If you think it is the only secret, then you are very wrong." She shook her head dramatically, indicating that this information was only the beginning. "You told me a lot of things and this is nothing."


    Ramon narrowed his eyes. He knew Giana''s game, it''s just that, he saw no other opening for him to know these secrets without agreeing to this woman''s invitation.


    Or maybe there was another way Ramon could make use of...


    "So? This is just a dinner, let''s just say you are chatting with an old friend. There is nothing wrong with that," said Giana.


    ==============


    Hailee frowned deeper when she saw that her phone call was not answered by Ramon.


    What''s the matter? It was unusual for Ramon to act like this with her...


    Was the meeting still in progress? Or something happened? Maybe this was just an over- spection, but most women tend to think of the worst when things go wrong.


    "What is wrong?" Lexus asked Hailee, who was still standing beside him, as they followed the other guests to walk out of the event hall.


    In the end, Hailee bought thest two dresses which were masterpieces of the evening and two other dresses that she felt would suit her well.


    However, the pleasure of buying these expensive dresses could not rece the fact that she was feeling ufortable with this situation. Ramon did not answer any of her phone calls and he did not return any messages either. Where exactly was that guy?


    The image of an empty chair that Giana didn''t upy made Hailee''s mind wander all over the ce.


    Maybe, it''s too far if Hailee thought that Ramon and Giana met, but that didn''t mean it coundn''t happen right?


    If Giana coulde over and find the ce where they honeymooned in Crestgold, it was not impossible for that snake woman to know that Ramon did note with her to this fashion show.


    Ugh!


    Hailee hated this feeling of anxiety!


    "My brother still doesn''t pick up his phone?" Lexus asked when he saw that Hailee did not answer his first question, and Hailee''s expression showed irritation and anxiety. "Why don''t you try calling Danny?"


    "Yes," Hailee said in a low voice.


    From afar, you could see their car that would lead the two of them back to the Tordoff residence and Lexus opened the door for Hailee to let her enter first.


    In the distance, there were Aileen and Theodore who were about to get into their car as well, and the two of them gave Hailee and Lexus a meaningful nce. It''s just that they both didn''t think this Gevano couple was that important, so they didn''t even notice it.


    Especially when Hailee seemed to be in a bad mood for not being able to contact Ramon.


    "I have been trying to reach Danny, but he doesn''t pick up my calls either," Hailee said grumpily, then slipped her cell phone back into the little handbag she was carrying.


    Hearing that, Lexus also tried to contact Ramon and Danny, but none of them picked up his call.


    It was only after three attempts with the same failed results that Lexus began contacting one of Ramon''s bodyguards, where thetter informed him that Ramon was already at home.


    "He had gone home?" Hailee stared at Lexus in disbelief when he finished talking with the bodyguard.


    "Yes, apparently so," Lexus said in a rxed tone, trying to calm Hailee down. "My brother was probably taking a shower or doing something and didn''t get to look at his cell phone."


    Hearing that, Hailee still seemed unable to ept the excuse, but she did not argue, because in her opinion, it was a little absurd.


    "You can ask him directlyter when we get home," added Lexus.


    Maybe Hailee''s anxiety was too much, but as a woman, sometimes she would feel a sharp intuition when something went wrong.


    ==============


    The first thing Hailee said when Martha greeted her was to ask if Ramon hade home or not.


    Her heart felt a little better when she heard Martha say that Ramon had arrived home an hour ago and was now in their room.


    Hearing that answer, Hailee headed straight to her and Ramon''s room when she found out that the man had returned first.


    Her heart kept beating unpleasantly, because she couldn''t understand why Ramon didn''t even pick up a single phone call from her when he had came back a long time ago. It worried her that something bad had happened.


    Hailee''s footsteps echoed in the hallway of the house until she stopped at the door to their room and then opened it immediately.


    "Why didn''t you pick up any of my phone calls?" Hailee immediately grilled Ramon with the question when she saw the figure of her husband who had juste out of the bathroom. It seemed that he had just finished taking a shower.


    While drying his hair with the towel in his hands, Ramon nced at Hailee through the mirror in front of him as she stood behind him with a sullen face.


    "I was checking some work and after that took a shower, so I didn''t have time to check my cell phone," Ramon answered.


    "You made me worry," Hailee grumbled and then threw herself on the sofa. "I thought something happened to you."


    Ramon then turned around to face Hailee, his gaze looking intense when he said, "Giana came to see me earlier."

 Chapter 189: A SECRET

    <h4>Chapter 189: A SECRET</h4>


    "Giana came to see me earlier," Ramon said in a calm voice, while gazing intensely at Hailee, trying to gauge the slightest change in his wife''s expression upon hearing this confession.


    At first, Hailee didn''t give any meaningful reaction. She just sat on the couch and returned Ramon''s gaze equally intensely, until a question escaped her lips. "So, that''s the reason why you didn''t pick up the phone from me or reply to my texts?"


    Actually it wouldn''t be right for Ramon to answer yes, because he had his own reasons why he couldn''t pick up Hailee''s phone at that time.


    However, after all, that was one of the reasons. "Yes," replied Ramon. "Because we were in the middle conversation. She was about to tell me what happened two years ago."


    Ramon was excellent at reading curves graphs and so on about business, but when it came to dealing with Hailee, especially in an emotional situation like this, Ramon was not very good at positioning himself or sorting out what to say or not.


    "So, since Giana said she would tell you what happened between you two, you ignored my phone calls?" Hailee narrowed her eyes in disbelief. The worry and tiredness she felt now were mixed together and made her feel awkward.


    It might be better for Ramon to let Hailee rest first or change into a more casual set of cloths before he dropped a confession bomb like this. However, again Ramon didn''t really understand the situation.


    Only now did he realize that he had taken the wrong step, but unfortunately he couldn''t take that step back.


    "You ignored a phone call from me right in front of Giana?" Hailee stood up from the sofa and walked slowly toward the man with gritted teeth, showing how annoyed she was.


    How could Ramon do that after what Giana did to her?!


    Even now, Hailee could imagine the petty smile of Giana, who felt that she had won because Ramon didn''t pick up a phone call from his own wife and chose to talk to herself.


    That snake woman should know herself better not to bother someone else''s husband!


    "I didn''t pick up the call from you because I wanted to tell you directly," Ramon said in a much firmer voice. He felt that Hailee shouldn''t react strongly like this to the honesty he was showing.


    Ramon tried to be open with his wife and told her what really happened. However, seeing the anger in Hailee''s eyes, he felt that those emotions shouldn''t be directed at him.


    Hailee was simply being unreasonable.


    "You can pick up the phone from me!" Hailee growled. A feeling of tiredness enveloped her, but resentment surrounded her heart, which had been shrouded by anxiety all along.


    Ramon frowned when he heard Hailee speak loudly to him. "What''s next? Saying that I am talking to Giana?" He asked.


    "Yes, you can say that!" Hailee eximed this time. She was now standing right in front of Ramon, staring at her husband with a sharp gaze.


    "Then, what are you going to do?" Ramon did not even flinch witnessing Hailee''s outburst, he folded his arms, showing a defensive attitude, even now he still didn''t understand why Hailee had to have such a huge reaction when he tried not to cover anything up from her.


    "Of course, I will go to her and p her again so she understands to stop following someone else''s husband!" Hailee was really mad at Ramon right now. Should this be asked? Of course, who could ept it if another woman tried to keep bothering their husband? There would be none!


    Ramon narrowed his eyes, looking at Hailee calctingly. His wife seemed too emotional to talk to at the moment. So, it would be better if this conversation was continuedter when things cooled down and Hailee had calmed down too.


    "Let''s talk about thister," Ramon said as he walked toward the door, intending to go to his study, because this sudden argument made it impossible for him to sleep right away.


    However, Hailee saw the steps being taken by Ramon in a different light. "Where are you going?" She hissed irritably as she watched Ramon walk away from her.


    "We will talk about this when you get a lot calmer." Ramon was inclined to be logical, and he knew that in such a heated atmosphere, it was absolutely impossible to speak properly about what had happened between him and Giana. What were the two of them talking about, to be precise.


    It''s just that, Ramon forgot the fact that not everyone could think like him and in this situation, Hailee needed to be persuaded to understand. This was what did not cross his smart mind.


    It could be said that this was their first serious bickering since they first met, even when Ramon found out about Hailee''s identity, they didn''t have this kind of fight.


    "When I am much calmer?" Hailee repeated the sentence in a mocking tone, she could feel the irritation rising up in her chest and making her eyes feel hot. Ugh! Sometimes when you are ereally upset, you will feel like crying out of frustration! "Then where are you going?? To meet your lover Giana again?"


    Hearing Hailee''s statement, Ramon stopped walking and turned around to face his wife. From the expression on his usually emotionless face, Hailee could see Ramon showing his dislike for herments.


    It''s just that, Hailee was too pissed off and she didn''t care anymore.


    "She is not my lover and you are my wife," said Ramon in a firm tone. "So, behave ordingly. You bear the name Tordoff and are in an environment that requires you to think more maturely." His voice sounded low, but clear enough in this quiet room. "So, stop being emotional or there will be many people who will take advantage of your weakness in the future."


    After saying this, Ramon turned around and walked out of the room, leaving Hailee there alone, with the intention of letting his wife calm down and able to think better.


    However, what Ramon was doing was making Hailee feel even more annoyed. She didn''t believe it that Ramon would reprimand her that way. She then grabbed the pillow on the mattress and threw it toward the closed door, grumbling.


    "Don''t get too emotional!?" She shouted out in the now silent room. "How else do you think I have to face that woman?! You don''t even like it when I go out with Ian, then you ask me to tolerate yourself!? Seriously!" Hailee felt this was unfair.


    ==============


    Hailee sat quietly on her bed which felt so big because Ramon was not there. Two hours had passed since their argument and Ramon still hadn''t returned to the room. He seemed to be still in his study, wrestling with documents that seemed like they would never run out for inspection.


    At least, that''s what Hailee saw twenty minutes ago when she sneaked down to the first floor to take a peek at Ramon in his study.


    What a wonderful life it was, Hailee thought sarcastically, but then her irritation grew even more.


    Ramon should have understood that the discussion about Giana was something that made Hailee very ufortable, and even though Ramon told her honestly and told her that he had met Giana earlier, knowing that Ramon had rejected her call right in front of Giana, made Hailee unable to imagine how arrogant that woman''s expression would have been.


    Actually that small fact was the main reason of her frustration¡­ sometime woman tended to be very petty for the things that they didn''t like.


    It was a trivial matter that didn''t need to be exaggerated, especially with the good intentions of Ramon who had told her honestly, but still, knowing the two of them had met behind her back, made Hailee feel ufortable and this feeling was very disturbing.


    Especially now that Ramon was treating herself coldly because she was taking out her frustration earlier. Shouldn''t Ramon calm her down? And persuade her?


    As a woman, of course Hailee wanted to be persuaded while sulking like now.


    It''s just that, Ramon didn''t seem to care about this and was even more concerned with his seemingly never- ending work.


    Hailee knew that Ramon had a cold personality by nature. Even so, hadn''t their rtionship gotten a lot better and Ramon''s attitude had started to warm up to her? Then why was this what happened?


    Again, Hailee threw the pillow that was within her reach on the floor and grumbled.


    She couldn''t sleep feeling this irritated! Ramon was such a jerk!


    Then roughly, Hailee pushed aside the nket that covered her body and got out of their bed. She didn''t want to sleep in this room!


    Meanwhile, downstairs, Ramon was staring at hisptop screen with a sharp gaze, as if it had a very big speck on it.


    He still felt that this attitude could be justified, but somehow he felt that something was stuck in his chest when Hailee''s face came back into his mind.


    The expression on Hailee''s face that showed annoyance, anger and disappointment left Ramon unable to think clearly and it was quite puzzling, considering that he didn''t usually act like this.


    He knew that Hailee was secretly peeking at him from behind the door, and thought that the woman woulde into the room and confront him again about the problem with Giana, but as it panned out, Hailee didn''t do that. Instead, she turned away without saying a word to Ramon when she saw himself pretending to be busy with these documents on his desk.

 Chapter 190: A SECRET (2)

    <h4>Chapter 190: A SECRET (2)</h4>


    Honestly, if he could choose, it would be better for Ramon if Hailee came into the room and grumbled, spilling out her irritation again and this time Ramon would respond in a different way and not be so cold to her.


    Unfortunately, Hailee didn''t do that and Ramon didn''t know how to start a conversation with his wife, because all this time the one who always initiated a conversation was Hailee.


    Lexus.


    Ramon closed theptop in front of him violently until it made a fairly loud sound, which echoed throughout the deserted workspace.


    This was so annoying! And this feeling was so foreign that it made him feel ufortable. Ramon didn''t like to get his emotions involved in everything he faced, but this time the situation was different.


    Roughly, Ramon reached for his cell phone and then called someone.


    The wrinkles on his forehead became more evident when the phone call was not picked up. Actually, this should note as a surprise, considering that it was already past midnight. It was not a hard thing to guess that Lexus might have slept after this day''s party.


    However, Ramon didn''t have anyone else he could ask about the problem he was facing right now, so he tried to get back to Lexus.


    The second call still got the same result.


    The third call was the same. Only when he tried calling for a fourth time, did Ramon get connected with Lexus.


    "What is wrong?" Lexus'' voice sounded very heavy, filled with intense drowsiness, which almost unbearable.


    If it weren''t for Ramon''s name that appeared on his cellphone screen, Lexus would definitely turned off his phone call before continuing to sleep again.


    Because the caller was Ramon and his brother called at an unusual time, therefore Lexus immediately sat down, in order to get rid of the little drowsiness in his system.


    "What is the problem?" Asked Lexus again because he didn''t hear Ramon answer him the first time.


    On the other hand, Ramon himself was not sure what questions he should ask Lexus. He himself was confused about where to start to exin this situation.


    "Hey, are you okay?" Lexus rubbed his face roughly, trying to hold back a yawn. "Did you fight with Hailee?" He guessed right.


    However, Ramon still didn''t give any answer. The man looked pensive in his own seat, lost in thought.


    So far, Ramon had never asked Lexus for his opinion, because he was the best decision maker of the two of them.


    Therefore, when at this time Ramon had to ask Lexus what to do with Hailee, he felt very ufortable and his self- esteem was a little bit wounded because of that.


    "Nothing," Ramon answered Lexus. "Wrong number."


    After saying that, Ramon then ended the phone call and got up from his chair.


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the Tordoff residence, the second son of the Tordoff family was staring at the screen of his cellphone which had turned dark with disbelieving eyes.


    "Wrong number?!" Lexus growled in annoyance. "How could you have the wrong number when you called me! Am I not your brother anymore until you forget my very phone number?! Ugh!"


    ==============


    It seemed that there was no other way for Ramon to get rid of this feeling except by walking over to Hailee and talking about the matter again.


    Even that was only possible if his wife was still awake. But, if Hailee was already asleep, it meant that Ramon would have to wait until tomorrow.


    And after all, Ramon was feeling tired and needed a rest after all this day''s events.


    On his way back to the room, Ramon remembered the words of Giana, who told him that his rtionship with his mother had turned out to be very bad.


    Ramon knew that he and his mother often have disagreements, but didn''t know that the problem was much moreplicated than he had imagined.


    And what was more, it seemed like there were some secrets that he knew about his mother, but was forgotten because of this amnesia...


    It didn''t take long for Ramon to get to his and Hailee''s room and immediately, the problem of his mother was forgotten, because there was an equally serious problem waiting behind this door.


    He had to calm down his angry wife. And this was a very annoying job, because Ramon didn''t know where to start.


    What''s more, when Ramon opened the door to his room, he didn''t see the figure of the woman there and the bed was a little messy, indicating that Hailee had been waiting for him, but decided to leave.


    Of course, Ramon knew where that woman had gone.


    "Tsk, what else does this woman want?" Ramon grumbled as he walked out of his room again to go to Hailee''s room.


    And sure enough, Ramon could see the mound of her body under the nket. She even hid her head underneath it, covering her whole body and making herself almost invisible.


    Seeing Hailee who was sulking, Ramon walked over to her and then sat on the edge of the bed to announce his presence in the room.


    There was no meaningful movement from Hailee, except for the soft sound of her breathing which indicated that she was still awake, but just pretending to be asleep.


    "I know that you haven''t slept yet," Ramon said in a much gentler tone than the one he had used when he said that Hailee was too emotional.


    Maybe, here it could be said that Ramon was now feeling too emotional and tired when he had to face how Hailee was now with him.


    "Want to talk to me?" Ramon asked as he patted Hailee''s body, what he felt was part of her arm.


    Still no answer from Hailee.


    Okay, looks like this would be a monologue from Ramon, seeing how Hailee responded to him. Whether this wife of his was just pretending to be asleep or not, he decided to tell her what had happened this afternoon between him and Giana.


    "Giana came to see me after I finished the meeting," Ramon began, and although it was only a small gesture, he could see that Hailee was responding to these words, so he continued. "Giana said that she knows some secrets that I told her, but I can''t remember because I haven''t got my memory back yet."


    "What secret?" Hailee''s voice caught under the nket she used to cover her face. She couldn''t help but ask out of curiosity.


    Hearing Hailee''s muffled voice, made Ramon smile. He knew very well that his wife often acted out of the ordinary, but somehow he always liked her.


    Precisely, this was what interested Ramon, making Hailee look much more attractive in his eyes.


    "I will tell you if you talked to me directly." Ramon made use of his speciality, namely bargaining.


    "I am talking to you right now," Hailee grumbled back from under her nket, still not wanting toe out of her hiding.


    "I am used to talking while looking into the eyes of the other person I am talking to, so if you cover your entire face with a nket, it can''t be said that you are talking to me directly," Ramon argued back very skillfully.


    Silence then stretched between them for two full minutes as no one wanted to budge.


    And after two minutes, Hailee''s voice was heard again. "Just tell me, I''ll listen," she said gruntly.


    However, Ramon insisted on his decision not to have started the story if Hailee hadn''t lowered the nket that covered her entire face.


    Knowing that this effort would not work and knowing how stubborn Ramon could be when he had already decided on something, Hailee finally gave up, she then lowered the nket that covered herself, but of course Hailee didn''t want to lose.


    Hailee only lowered the nket that covered her face only as far as her nose, while the rest of her body was still well hidden.


    Didn''t Ramon say that he only needed to look at the other person''seyes in order to speak directly? Then, Hailee could just show her eyes to Ramon.


    Seeing his wife like this, Ramon could only smile faintly. He knew that this alone was progress for this situation.


    "Quickly say what you and Giana did this afternoon when you refused to answer a phone call from me?" Hailee again demanded Ramon to exin the matter, her voice still furious, but not as sharp as before.


    Ramon then began to recount what happened earlier, about what happened between him and his mother ording to Giana''s narrative.


    There really weren''t many things the two of them discussed in the car, because Ramon and Giana were busy analyzing each other, being too careful in conveying their thoughts and taking more consideration of them that it seemed like a long time in unfavorable situations and conditions, too inconvenient.


    "Then you just believed what that snake woman said?" Hailee asked in disbelief. She would be very disappointed if Ramon just swallowed Giana''s words and trusted her blindly.


    Ramon shook his head. "Of course not," he replied.


    "Then, did you go out to dinner with her?" Hailee narrowed her eyes. It seemed like the fact that Ramon went out to dinner together with Gianawas much more interesting to her than the fact that Ramon was previously investigating his own mother, where there was a secret that Ramon knew about Liz, which he told Giana.


    Ramon was silent for a while and this annoyed Hailee. She then removed the nket and sat down before folding her arms across her chest.


    "You had dinner with her." This time Hailee used an using tone to convey her sentence.


    However, unexpectedly, Ramonughed out loud at his wife''s reaction, which he thought was very funny.


    "What are youughing at?" Hailee frowned, not liking how Ramon wasughing at her. "What is so funny?"


    And Ramon did another unexpected thing, he stretched out his arms to embrace Hailee, ignoring the woman who was struggling and threatening Ramon to let her go.


    Of course it was only a bluff, because a momentter, it became obvious that Hailee was enjoying Ramon''s treatment, even though the expression on her face still showed annoyance.


    "No," Ramon said softly into Hailee''s ear when his wife had stopped fighting back. He rubbed her back to let her calm down. "I turned down the dinner invitation from her."


    "Why?" Hailee was quite surprised to learn that Ramon actually refused Giana''s invitation. Didn''t Ramon want to know what secret was there between him and his mother?


    "Do you want me to go with her?" Ramon asked back and this got a strong reaction from Hailee.


    "Do you have a death wish?"


    "I guess that means a ''no''."


    "Then, what about the secret that Giana knows? Do you believe that?"

 Chapter 191: SHOCKING NEWS

    <h4>Chapter 191: SHOCKING NEWS</h4>


    "Then, what about the secret that Giana knows? Do you believe that?" Hailee asked about the most important issue out of what Ramon had told her.


    Hearing this question, Ramon did not immediately answer her. He paused for a moment to think about the decisions and ns he had made regarding this matter.


    "I will investigate it first," Ramon finally said, because he didn''t have a more specific answer than this. And also because he had rejected Giana''s invitation to have dinner together, in order for her to tell more details about what he had told her. So, this investigation was likely to be quite time consuming.


    After all, Liz was his mother, and whatever Ramon would findter might be something he didn''t expect.


    Or¡­ Giana was just spewing nonsense to lure Ramon, to bond with him again.


    Regardless, Ramon should investigate this matter more deeply.


    "But, what kind of secret might you have regarding your own mother?" Hailee muttered while looking at Ramon, who was looking back at her.


    But, from the look in her husband''s eyes, Hailee could tell that Ramon was thinking about something else. He had thisplicated look that often reflected in his dark and mysterious eyes on.


    At this point, Hailee was quite pleased with herself that she was able to read this small change, which meant that she had gotten to know Ramon one step further than when they first met.


    "I am not sure," Ramon said in a thoughtful voice, then looked back at Hailee. This time his gaze focused on the woman in front of him.


    Meanwhile, Hailee seemed to be deep in thought, as if she was struggling with her own thoughts. "Do you want to meet Giana to rify this?" Hailee finally asked reluctantly.


    Actually, she didn''t want toe up with that choice, but from what Ramon had just said, it seemed like this was a serious problem and Giana had an answer to it.


    Hearing Hailee''s offer, Ramon raised his eyebrows, but a smile became evident on his lips when he saw how unwilling Hailee looked while making that choice. "Are you serious about letting me meet Giana again?" he teased her, as he knew what Hailee truly felt right now, since her expression was quite easy to read...


    "Why not? I am fine." Lie. And it clearly noticeable from the small frown on Hailee''s forehead.


    "We had such a meaningless fight just because Giana met me, so I can''t imagine how you will react if I called her and nned a meeting together." Ramon touched Hailee''s cheek and smiled knowingly.


    An unnned meeting alone had angered Hailee so much that she even changed rooms. Then, what if Ramon actually nned one? Although this was an offer from Hailee herself.


    Maybe this was a test? Ramon never paid attention to the meaningless babble that Lexus brought up at times, that women liked to test the loyalty of their partners. Perhaps, this was also what Hailee was doing now, considering that this woman was the most random minded person Ramon had ever met.


    "I am fine," Hailee said, but the corners of her lips twitched as she was holding back her reluctance.


    "Is this a test for me?" Ramon asked. His hands yed with the ends of Hailee''s curly hair. "To see if I will turn to Giana at the first chance you give me?"


    Hailee pursed her lips at that. "Of course not. This is because I think this secret is really important for you to know."


    "I will find another way to get information about it," Ramon said while kissing Hailee on the forehead lightly and felt that the annoying feeling that he had felt before had disappeared.


    His heart felt lighter, knowing they were no longer in a cold war and had a silent treat toward one another.


    Ramon neither knew, nor could he remember how he treated Giana throughout their two years of rtionship, but what he was doing now with Hailee and having his wife by his side, felt right.


    And also¡­


    With this situation, Ramon became even more convinced that something was not right with whatever that happened during the four years that he had forgotten. There seemed to be some crucial things that had happened during those four years and now Ramon intended to investigate everything, starting with his own mother.


    "So, you will sleep in this room?" Ramon''s serious expression immediately changed, as he reminded Hailee that she was in the wrong room.


    Hailee''s face flushed slightly when she heard him and it reminded her of her childish decision to change rooms instead of solving this problem by approaching Ramon and discussing it.


    "Yes, for tonight I will sleep in this room." Hailee then pushed Ramon back until the man fell on the bed and she was lying on top of him. "But, you will also sleep here."


    Ramonughed at Hailee''s slightly pushy statement, but hisughter was drowned in the warm kiss that Hailee gave him. This forced the two of them to focus on other, more important matters ...


    ==============


    Dillon couldn''t understand what was really going on in Giana''s head at this moment. He understood that the problem this woman was facing was very heavy, but that didn''t mean that Giana could act as she pleased without thinking about the worst possible consequences for her actions.


    Two hours ago Dillon got a call from Giana, and just from the woman''s voice, there was no need for any further exnation to say that she was really drunk!


    How could Giana allow herself to so depress and act very impulsive like that? Didn''t she think of the possibility that there would be a paparazzi that could see her and spread her photos being in such condition?


    Not to mention the news of her divorce which was still yet to be published. Giana''s reputation and good name were at stake here. However, it seemed that all the rationality in that woman''s mind had simply vanished.


    He didn''t know what happened when Giana met Ramon until she ended up at a bar table, dead drunk. But, whatever it was, it was certain that the coercive meeting didn''t go well.


    Since Giana was in a different city, it would take Dillon quite some time to reach her.


    Therefore, it was only two hourster that he was able to find the bar Giana was referring to on his phone. It was really hard to understand where one was when you talked to them while they were hopelessly drunk.


    Dillon didn''t care about the hustle and bustle around him or the people dancing wildly. This was a local bar, where the people around had came from lower social circles and have a social status far below theirs, so the main thing Dillon was most worried about was Giana''s safety.


    Only after seeing that Giana was fine, did he take a more relieved breath. Well, you couldn''t really say he was fine when he found the woman fell asleep with her head facedown on the bar table alone.


    The relief that Dillon just felt immediately disappeared when he saw Giana''s poor condition.


    How could the daughter of a prominent family and also the wife of Aidan Smith, end up drunk heavily in a local bar in a far away ce, alone?


    Dillon was furious after seeing how Giana wasted herself like this, even though he understood what had caused it.


    "Giana," Dillon called out to the woman in a louder voice to ovee the deafening boom of music behind him.


    Meanwhile, Giana did not respond and let Dillon say a few more words until the man gave up and decided to pay for her drinks and then carried herself away from the ce.


    Even though this was not the first time Dillon had carried Giana in a drunken state, the awkwardness in the air was still evident. He never thought that he and Giana would end up in a situation like now when he was first selected to be her personal assistant.


    However, time hadpletely changed everything and with so much going on between the two of them and in the environment, Dillon no longer knew the boundaries between work and personal life, when it came to Giana.


    Because all those boundary lines had dissolved and vanished with what had happened between the two of them on Crestgold Ind the other day.


    It was just that, without Dillon knowing, someone from the corner of the room had been observing Giana and alreadytook some of her photos before Dillon even got there.


    And when he saw Dillon carrying Giana out of the bar, several times you could hear a low sound of the shutter clicking from the camera he was holding, now capturing photos of the two of them.


    Without further ado, he followed Dillon into the parking area, without difficulty as Dillon''s focus was on Giana alone.


    The mysterious man also followed Dillon''s car out of the bar parking area and followed him to his apartment in town A, where Dillon took Giana inside and didn''t leave until early morning.


    This mysterious man of course knew that Dillon was Giana''s personal assistant. But even so, wouldn''t it be more usible that he brought Giana back to the Smith residence? Instead of taking her into his own apartment?


    This was an interesting thing to investigate, and besides that, this was also a huge piece of news that would be a trending topic, if it was published in the mass media.


    This person was very sure that it would be a hit!

 Chapter 192: SHOCKING NEWS (2)

    <h4>Chapter 192: SHOCKING NEWS (2)</h4>


    Aileen''s routine checkup should have been carried out next week, but because Theodore had an unavoidable business travel schedule, coupled with a busy schedule ahead of the wedding day, there were several things to take care of.


    Therefore, it was decided that today Theodore would take Aileen for her routine monthly check- up, but this time they were going to have Aileen examined at the hospital that Theodore had in mind.


    As Theodore had previously informed Aileen.


    On the other hand, Aileen had tried desperately to get Theodore to change his decision, but to no avail. Because, the main reason that Aileen brought up with him was security concerns.


    Aileen had repeatedly said that the hospital that George contacted had guaranteed security and confidentiality. However, Theodore easily broke this simple excuse by saying that he had prepared everything in the hospital that they were going toter.


    Restless, Aileen kept trying to contact George, but the man didn''t heed her calls at all. From morning on, George had sent her only one text telling her to follow Theodore''s wishes and he would take care of the rest.


    But, how could Aileen calm down if she didn''t know what her real father was nning to do? At the very least, George had told her that he was going to do everything to prevent herself from going to the hospital.


    It was just that, until this moment, Aileen had not seen any movement that could make her n to go to the hospital prepared by Theodore to be canceled.


    And again¡­ where exactly was George?! Why couldn''t he be contacted?!


    "Aileen, we are leaving now," Theodore said, reminding Aileen who was still in the bathroom and hadn''t been out since ten minutes ago.


    Just seeing Aileen''s actions like this made Theodore think that the step he had taken was correct, thest thing he had to do now was just to confirm that his guess was not wrong and after that...


    After that¡­


    Theodore still hadn''t decided what to do if he found out that Aileen indeed lied about her pregnancy. If that was true, then one thing was certain; there would be no marriage or whatsoever between them.


    "Aileen, we have to go now," Theodore called out again, knocking on the door because there was no answer to his first question.


    "Yes, just a moment, I am going out now," came the answer from inside the bathroom followed by the sound of water, and not long after that Aileen came out of the bathroom. "Let''s go," a sweet smile crossed her lips.


    Meanwhile, Theodore said nothing more as he headed toward the waiting car.


    ==============


    Giana woke up from her sleep with a badly aching head, the influence of the alcohol really made her suffer this morning.


    Giana couldn''t even open her eyes for a moment, to know where she was now. However, the thing that calmed her the most was the fact that she could still remember calling Dillon to pick her up at the bar, informing the only person that she trusted of her whereabouts.


    After that, there was nothing that Giana remembered aboutst night''s events. So, at least it could be ascertained that Giana was in a safe ce right now.


    With a sound of groaning and grunting, Giana finally managed to open her eyes and found the room''s atmosphere very familiar to her. This was the room she used during her stay at Dillon''s ce.


    And strangely, this gave out afortable and calming sensation, because Giana knew this ce.


    It took another thirty minutes for Giana toy still and adjust to her condition until she could get out of the bed and stumble out of the room to meet Dillon.


    Usually the man would prepare coffee for her with the coffee machine, but this time, when Giana came to the kitchen, she didn''t find a drop of coffee, even the coffee machine looked clean, indicating that this morning Dillon didn''t even make coffee for himself.


    Strange¡­


    Because Giana knew how dependent they both were on this caffeinated drink.


    However, this was not a problem as she could make her own coffee. It was just that with a headache that seemed to want to kill her, Giana preferred to drink cold mineral water which could refresh her hazy brain a little, while Dillon was nowhere to be seen.


    It could be ascertained that the man had gone to the office first to finish some work, because Giana''s condition did not allow her to do so.


    ''You can go now.''


    The words returned to Giana''s ears when she had finished her drink. The words Ramon threw at her to turn down her invitation to a dinner.


    ''I don''t need to know the details about that.''


    Followed that short sentence and maybe this was a hallucinatory effect that was still being felt from the severe drunkenness she got herself into. But Giana could hear those words very clearly, as if Ramon was saying them right beside her ear. Making Giana feel a harsh brush of disappointment over the man''s treatment toward her yet again.


    Without she was aware about it, a tear came down her cheek again, which was followed by another. A silent cry.


    Giana didn''t know how long she had been familiar with tearing up like this. As if, this was all she could do when she was crying.


    Trying not to make any sound and sping her hands tightly, hoping she wouldn''t break in to pieces, because her feelings were getting heavier by the day.


    A soft thud could be heard as Giana fell onto the floor of Dillon''s apartment kitchen, covering her own mouth before squeezing the front of her shirt. Her body trembled due to the emotions she was trying to endure, but this time it was unstoppable.


    Her heart ached even more when the beautiful images of her and Ramon together came over her, like flood water breaking its embankment.


    And the sweeter the memories were, the more tortured she would be...


    Giana regretted her decision then and now, it seemed like she had lost hope of being able to fix things so that she could return to normal.


    Was it really toote? Was there nothing she could do to make things right? To restore Ramon''s memories? When that man was being so reluctant around her...


    Giana spent approximately an hour dealing with the mental breakdown she was facing and after that she got up to replenish the energy that had been wasted.


    Luckily, this didn''t really affect her appetite, so she didn''t have any additional problems with her existing problems.


    It was only when it was approaching noon and Giana intended to go back into her room, getting ready to take a shower, that a phone call distracted her.


    Giana then walked to the table beside her bed and opened her handbag which was lying on it. She did not activate silence mode on her cell phone.


    Giana''s forehead creased when she saw dozens of missed calls. Starting with Dillon, Aidan, her mother, some of her friends¡­


    And now, her father was calling again after Giana had not picked up.


    What exactly happened? Was anything big going on while she was asleep? Or maybe the news about her divorce from Aidan had spread widely?


    If that was the case, then there was nothing for Giana to worry about, because that was what she wanted in the first ce...


    "GIANA! WHERE ARE YOU!?" The sound of her father''s roar was the first thing Giana heard when she picked up the call.


    The loud buzzing sound worsened her headache and it took a while for Giana to clearly hear what her father was making a fuss about.


    "¡­ WHERE ARE YOU NOW? YOU DRAGGED OUR FAMILY NAME IN THE MUD!" Mr. Dawson didn''t lower his voice at all, as if he did, then Giana wouldn''t be able to hear him. "GET HOME NOW!"


    Giana''s forehead crinkled deeply when she heard her father''s words. "What is wrong?" Giana''s voice sounded very hoarse because this was the first time she had spoken after she woke up, apart from her desperate cries just a moment ago.


    "WHAT IS WRONG?!" Mr. Dawson repeated Giana''s sentence. "YOU ARE STILL ASKING WHAT?! ARE YOU NOW STAYING WITH YOUR PERSONAL ASSISTANT?! OR YOU WILL JUST SLEEP WITH ANY MAN YOU MEET?!"


    Giana''s eyes suddenly opened wide, hearing the humiliating words her father was saying now.


    "What do you mean?!"


    "You still don''t know what impact your actions have had brought about?!" Mr. Dawson said the sentence between his clenched jaws. He looked furious, even his wife did not dare to approach him at this time. As if he was going to kill whoever was bothering him.


    If Giana was right in front of him now, it was certain that a p or two would be a very light punishment for his only daughter.


    "What did I do?" Giana got even more clueless. What might she have done to make her father''s wrath unstoppable like this? She just had a gloomy morning and now it was just noon, so what might happen in such a short span of time?


    "FIND YOUR NAME IN THE NEWS IN THE MORNING BULLETIN AND COME HOME IMMEDIATELY!"


    After spitting out those words, Mr. Dawson then hung up the phone. He seemed unable to face Giana''s stupidity anymore.


    Without waiting any longer, Giana immediately checked her cellphone and looked for the morning news that she always received via email.


    It only took her a minute to figure out what her father meant and to realize what kind of trouble she had caused.


    What kind of devastation had she allowed herself to fall into.


    This was so crazy¡­ Giana''s hands couldn''t even bear the weight of her meager cellphone. She felt her breath stuckin her throat as her knees went weak¡­


    This was the second time she fell into a pit of despair, as if the world had copsed right beneath her feet.


    On the screen of her cell phone, Giana could see several articles that reviewed what happenedst night, a long narrative that reported something extravagant.


    A story that only provided one point of view from the writer, which would only cause a violent wave in themunity when they read such an article. But on the other hand, it was precisely Giana who was now being hit hard by the impact of what that person wrote.


    There, stered in the news column, was a picture of her and Dillon, where the man was carrying her out of the bar.


    Other people could see how drunk Giana was at that time...


    And a big title above the article which said that Giana was having an affair with her personal assistant...

 Chapter 193: BAD SITUATION

    <h4>Chapter 193: BAD SITUATION</h4>


    Giana''s hands were trembling and her heart was beating very fast like a crazed horse stomping against the dry ground. Giana''s felt her head spin as her breathing became irregr when she read the article.


    This is bad.


    No.


    This is really, really d*mn bad!


    How could this happen to her?


    Even though it was a question that Giana was asking herself, in reality she knew what the answer to that was.


    Of course, this happened to her. Why it should be questioned again when everything was already so clear.


    Her foolish actions of her not being careful and to think the problems she was already facing were trivial matters and not thinking carefully about the consequences she might receive was the answer to that question.


    This was what she would get if she continue to insist on ignoring the norms that she had so far embraced.


    And at times, it wasn''t just her who got into trouble, but also Dillon.


    This was so unfair to Dillon. But, instead of thinking about what damage the man might receive, Giana had to think about herself first. How she could get out of this chaos.


    This was not an easy thing and there was no instant way to solve it...


    And this time, it would be even more difficult for Giana and Aidan to announce their divorce. Especially for Giana.


    She could already imagine what kind of criticism would be directed at her if the news of the divorce broke out.


    The problem would only get moreplicated if they suspect that she had an extra marital affair with Dillon, which was certain what the general public would think.


    ==============


    Hailee stared at her phone with wide eyes and deep wrinkles between her eyebrows. She read a long article which had a very interesting title and was also hard for her to believe.


    "Giana is having an affair with her personal assistant?" Hailee muttered as she read the article, while Ramon was changing clothes, getting ready to go to work.


    It had been a few days since Hailee saw Ramon leaving for work, because she would still be asleep by the time he was leaving. But this morning, she forced herself to wake up and prepared breakfast for Ramon, because she felt like she had not done this in a long time.


    Actually, it was not necessary for her to do that, but for some reason Hailee recently feltzy to do anything and often felt tired and sleepy after every activity.


    However, this morning Hailee felt more refreshed and energetic as usual. Hailee didn''t really pay attention to this...


    "I have seen Giana''s personal assistant, but I didn''t expect that they were together¡­ isn''t this photographed on the night she met you?" Hailee lifted her head from her cellphone screen and looked at Ramon, who didn''t seem to pay much attention to what was in the news. "Yes, this was definitely after she met you." Hailee was very sure of this.


    The news was indeed broke out very fast.


    However, what was quite surprising was the fact that this kind of news could spread so quickly, in just a matter of hours, and your life would already be on the brink of copse.


    Just an article and everything you''ve protected so far, including reputation and good name, would just be destroyed in the blink of an eye.


    Hailee could imagine the impact Giana would receive after an article like this was released.


    Ramon only nced at Hailee, before he brought a tie to her and gave it to his wife.


    When she saw the dark blue tie, Hailee couldn''t help but grimace. Ramon seemed to have a tendency to feel happy when someone else was helping him with his tie.


    Even though, during the past few days while Hailee was still asleep when Ramon was leaving, the man seemed fine tying his own tie.


    However, Hailee would notin about this, this was a small gesture that she found very cute from Ramon. If her husband needed her to do simple things for him, she would be more than willing to oblige.


    "Don''t you think it''s strange?" Hailee said as she wrapped the tie around the cor of Ramon''s shirt. "She can''t possibly have an affair with her personal assistant, can she? Because that woman still loves you so much, even chasing you to the point of ignoring Margaretha Lamos''s fashion show."


    Ramon looked at Hailee with sharp eyes and said slowly. "What do you think about this?"


    Hailee pursed her lips and frowned, but she began to imagine what had happened to Giana that night.


    "I think Giana felt very depressed after hearing your unexpected rejection, because she thought it was impossible for you not to be interested in hearing the secrets she knew," Hailee said gravely, analyzing the situation.


    "Then?" Ramon encouraged her to continue exining the possibility. Although the expression on his face didn''t show anything, there was a mysterious glow in his eyes from the way he looked at Hailee.


    "And Giana went to a bar for drinks. She was drunk and her personal assistant came to pick her up, but unfortunately there were reporters who caught the incident and publicized this groundless news about them." Hailee then looked back into Ramon''s eyes when she had finished putting on his tie. "I think it is like that."


    A very faint smile appeared on the man''s lips. "Then, why do you think these journalists do not write what you say, but prefer to write negative news about the possibility of an affair between the two of them?" Ramon asked again.


    Hailee didn''t understand why Ramon was asking things like this, but she answered them based on what she thought. "Because people are more likely to feel drawn to negative things and this kind of news will skyrocket faster and be more profitable when published."


    "Clever," Ramon said softly as he kissed Hailee''s nose. "I think your analytical skill is very good."


    Meanwhile, Hailee didn''t feel that she had any good analytical skill, because she only imagined and thought based on the characteristics Giana had and what she might do.


    However, having good analytical skills or not, Hailee did not question it, because when she heard Ramon praise her, her heart felt light and a ridiculous smile crossed her lips.


    Whatever it was, Hailee would always like it if Ramon praised her. She felt she had done the right thing.


    "You have to keep this in mind," Ramon said again, pinching Hailee''s cheek, making her stop grinning. "That''s how the media works. Considering that negative news can attract the attention of many people, it will be the one that will be highlighted more."


    Hailee nodded at Ramon''s narrative.


    "Therefore, you have to be able to sort out which news you deserve to believe or which news you should ignore," Ramon then added. "What''s more, you have to be very careful in what attitude you show in public. They won''t care what kind of exnation you give or whether what they read and see is true or not. Those people out there, will only believe what they want to believe."


    In short, Ramon wanted Hailee to be less emotional and keep her emotions in check, especially in public. Losing her self-control for a moment would have a very bad impact on her reputationter and it would affect many aspects of her life.


    Ramon wanted Hailee to be more mature attitude wise and in carrying herself, notably when the camera beam would continue to follow her wherever she went.


    It''s not that Ramon wouldn''t protect Hailee, of course he would protect her, because this woman was his wife after all. But of course, there were some damages that he couldn''t possibly repair.


    Therefore, Hailee must know and learn this simplest thing.


    And Ramon was quite satisfied with Hailee''s answer, because it showed that she had a sufficient knowledge base in dealing with the possibility of getting into such a problem.


    "I understand," Hailee answered with a smile.


    "Whatever happens, or whatever kind of situation will arise, you have to ask and inform me first before concluding anything." Ramon lifted Hailee''s chin for their gazes to meet. "Understand?"


    "Okay."


    Ramon was quite happy with Hailee being adaptable, but now he felt something was bothering him.


    No.


    In fact, it was something else that was bothering him besides the problem that had just emerged regarding the secret his mother had.


    What had happened in the four years that he had forgotten? And how did the ident happen?


    Was it really just an ident?


    ==============


    Giana really didn''t know what to do anymore at this time, even she didn''t realize how she had showered, changed clothes and put on just enough make- up to get out of the apartment, to meet her parents.


    Giana could already hear her father''s anger filled insults before it even happened. However, this was what she had to face now.


    As Giana''s consciousness slowly returned, she heard a knock on the door. Her forehead creased, because if there were guests for Dillon, they would have pressed the inte button before they could get to his door.


    However, Giana no longer had the energy to think about this oddity, her feet automatically took a step toward the front door. After all, she was already intending to go out of this apartment.


    Ignoring the wails of her cell phone, which she knew was from Dillon, who was trying to reach her, Giana opened the door and found Aidan, standing right in front of her with an expression that waspletely unreadable.

 Chapter 194: BAD SITUATION (3)

    <h4>Chapter 194: BAD SITUATION (3)</h4>


    The two individuals who were still husband and wife, stared at each other for a few seconds that seemed like hours, until finally Aidan broke the silence.


    "Is it true that Dillon was the man who has an affair with you?" Aidan remembered Giana''s words that said that not only had he been having an affair all this time, but Giana also had an affair of her own.


    "No," she replied in a voice that sounded a little hoarse.


    Hearing Giana''s answer, which he thought was not very convincing, made Aidan narrow his eyes suspiciously.


    Although the interaction between them could be said not very good, but at least he could say when Giana was lying to him or not, and this time what was surprising was; Giana was not lying, or at least that''s what Aidan saw.


    This was quite surprising because since Giana said that she also had an affair, the first person on Aidan''s order of suspicion was Dillon.


    Even if it were true, then Aidan would not be too bothered, but since the problem had reached the mass media and had be veryplicated, then this automatically became Aidan''s responsibility to solve it, as it damaged his reputation too.


    "Then what were you doing with Dillon at the bar getting so drunk?" Aidan then entered Dillon''s apartment and immediately closed the door behind him so that no one else could hear the quarrel that was about to happen. "And you are also living in his apartment."


    Thest sentence from Aidan was uttered in a tone full of contempt and derision. His eyes scoured the whole apartment room and returned to Giana''s face, which looked pale and messy.


    "Look at how you look now," Aidan scoffed, grinning contemptuously. "You are not that different from a whore."


    As soon as the words left his lips, a heavy pnded on Aidan''s cheek, but Giana wasn''t satisfied with only pping him once, she pped him one more time, bursting out with her choked emotions.


    Or also as a means of revenge for what Aidan had done to her before.


    Still not satisfied, Giana grabbed a flower vase and was about to m it on Aidan''s head.


    By this time, Giana hadpletely lost her mind. She no longer knew what was right and wrong, or the consequences of her actions. All she knew was; she was too fed up with her feeling right now. She needed to vent this out.


    What she knew now was, that she really hated the male figure in front of her and wanted him to get out of her sight. She didn''t want to hear insults from him anymore.


    Did Aidan think he had been acting right all along?! Could his affair be justified just because the mass media did not sniff out the news yet?!


    Giana didn''t want to be insulted by someone like that!


    "FUCK YOU! DIE! YOU BASTARD!" Roared Giana, while swinging a flower vase made of porcin toward Aidan''s head.


    Luckily, Aidan moved faster and managed to dodge only a fraction of a second before the object hit his head and caused much more damage than this.


    "GIANA!!!" Aidan screamed in surprise to see Giana who had darkened her eyes and almost killed him. "ARE YOU CRAZY!?"


    The porcin flower vase that missed its target finally fell on the floor and shattered into hundreds of sharp pieces.


    However, Giana did not stop there, her eyes were glisteningly looking for thergest fragment and she just took it with her bare hand.


    Giana also no longer cared about her hand which was pricked and bleeding when the sharp edge of the shrapnel cut into her palm.


    Seeing what Giana was about to do, Aidan no longer had time to think about the two ps his wife threw or the dangerous attempt just now.


    Quickly, Aidan grabbed Giana''s wrist, which automatically made her unable to move freely and then tried to grab the piece of ss, even though what he was doing was injuring his own hand.


    Not only hands, as Giana struggled harder and they dropped both of them to their knees instead, some of the small fragments also pierced their calves and feet.


    However, the anger, resentment and frustration seemed so much greater that they could no longer feel the blood dripping from their wounds.


    "STOP!" Aidan screamed in exasperation, grimacing when he saw the shard stick deeper into Giana''s palm, in an attempt to grasp it tighter so that Aidan couldn''t snatch it away.


    "WHAT SHOULD I STOP?!" Giana roared back, her voice sounding much hoarser than before, but there were no more tears flowing from her empty- looking eyes, but instead, blood was pouring out of the wound on her hand. "YOU INSULT ME BECAUSE I CALLED DILLON TO FIND ME WHEN I WAS DRUNK?! THEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WHO SHOULD I CONTACT?!"


    Anger surrounded every word that escaped Giana''s lips.


    "WHO SHOULD I CONTACT?! YOU?!" A loud grunt and scorn could be heard when Giana said those words. Her empty eyes were now staring wildly and full of hatred at the figure of Aidan, who was holding her so that she wouldn''t hurt herself any further. "Contact you? When you were with your bitch? I guess you wouldn''t even care if I was dying." Giana hissed, denouncing Aidan''s morals.


    For a moment, Aidan was at a loss for words. He had no answer to that statement. And for the first time, he didn''t feel the anger he usually felt whenever Giana associated Zia''s name with a prostitute.


    Because Aidan knew, what kind of suffering Giana had been enduring for his actions.


    He knew, all this time, during their marriage life, Giana had always appeared tough, looking like nothing had ever happened and even tended to ignore his infidelity, that Aidan didn''t realize how he had pushed Giana to her limit.


    This was not fair. But, what was fair in this world? Didn''t things always go ording to people''s selfishness?


    "Stop acting like a crazy woman, Giana! This isn''t funny at all!" Finally after a hard and dangerous struggle, Aidan managed to grab the sharp flower vase fragment from Giana''s hand and tossed it as far as possible so that this crazy woman could not grab it back.


    At this time, blood continued to pour out of Giana''s hand with a deep gash. Apparently, she had to get a few stitches and extra care so the wound could heal and leave no marks.


    "If you want to die, don''t do it in front of me!" Aidan eximed angrily. He knew that those words were inappropriate for him to say to Giana, but his irritation and anger seemed to have clouded his mind, so the sentence just came out.


    Swiftly and quickly, Aidan immediately took off the jacket he was wearing and then he used it to press the gaping wound on Giana''s palm, while the woman stayed silent, breathless. He didn''t know what she was thinking right now, but what was certain was that Aidan was a little relieved when he saw that Giana was no longer struggling.


    After finishing bandaging Giana''s hand, Aidan still didn''t let her out of his arms, afraid that she might take another sharp piece. Meanwhile, with the position of those sitting on the floor and the many pieces of ss that were scattered around them, it was not impossible.


    Giana seemed to be on the verge of losing her sanity...


    "We have to go to the hospital to have your hand checked," Aidan said in a voice that sounded a little hoarse, informing Giana, but there was no response from her. She stayed still as if she lost her soul.


    Right at that time, Aidan''s cellphone vibrated, someone called him and it was one of the bodyguards who came with Aidan to Dillon''s apartment.


    "There are reporters waiting in the parking lot and lobby."


    Those were the words the bodyguard told Aidan and made the man curse at his misfortune today.


    "Clear the area!" Aidan instructed him furiously. He should have known that there was a possibility like this. That news hunters woulde to the apartment where Giana wasst seen. However, Aidan was too reckless with his decision.


    Actually, Aidan''s intention to meet Giana at this apartment was to diffuse the news out there and discuss the rification they would convey to the media. It was just that Aidan never imagined that this would end so badly.


    Aidan couldn''t let this news develop and get worse than this, because if the news of their divorce was revealedter, it would be adding gasoline to the fire.


    Not only that would affect him and Giana, but also the shares of the twopanies, and also Zia.


    "Giana, you have to cooperate with me and stand up!" Aidan said in despair to the woman who was still his wife, he tried to make Giana stand up, but the woman refused. She didn''t want to move her body at all, even an inch from there.


    And just at that moment, Aidan''s cellphone rang again.


    It was just that, for now Aidan couldn''t check it because he was trying to get Giana out of the apartment. He was too upied.


    And because Giana refused to move, it was inevitable that Aidan had to carry her to their car and take her to the hospital before she ran out of any more blood.


    This situation was so chaotic and getting out of control by each second!


    ==============


    Zia stared at the dark screen of her cellphone. It was nearly twenty times that she tried to contact Aidan to confirm the news she saw this morning about Giana and ask him how he was, considering how big and harsh the public''s reaction was in response to the news.


    However, Aidan did not pick up her phone calls, nor did he call her back, even though an hour had passed. Aidan wasn''t usually like this. Not even a single text came from Aidan since this morning.


    "¡­ Mr. and Mrs. Smith came out of the building ... "


    Those were the snippets of words that Zia heard from the news anchor on television, who was reporting live from the scene, and with that alone Zia''s focus shifted to the scene that was disyed.


    There, she saw Aidan carrying Giana, walking briskly surrounded by his bodyguards, avoiding the reporters who were hungry for news.


    They began to question why Aidan was in his wife''s personal assistant apartment? Did hee to pick up his wife after the alleged affair? What happened to Giana?


    The woman appeared being carried by Aidan. Something must have happened between them inside the apartment earlier.


    And the same question crossed Zia''s head. However, Aidan just walked away without giving any exnation...

 Chapter 195: WEIRD FEELING

    <h4>Chapter 195: WEIRD FEELING</h4>


    Aidan waspletely overwhelmed when he had to face Giana who was acting up, once again throwing a tantrum and losing control.


    The wound on Giana''s palm was bleeding profusely enough to make the floor of Dillon''s apartment look like a scene of murder with blood sttered everywhere.


    Not only Giana''s blood, but also Aidan''s.


    Yes, the man was also injured in his attempt to calm Giana, who seemed to no longer be able to think straight.


    Maybe, this was due to the depression and pressure she had been fighting for so long and this time, all these bad feelings were released at the same time, causing Giana to experience an uncontroble ''outburst''.


    Under such circumstances, Aidan really couldn''t pick up any iing calls from Zia, who kept calling him several times, because his focus was only on Giana.


    The woman, who was still his wife, was only brought under control after two of Aidan''s bodyguards came to help him take Giana to the lobby so they could go to the hospital to treat her wounds which seemed to be getting worse.


    However, things didn''t go so smoothly or ording to n. Because, the news hunters who had been waiting since the news first spread, didn''t just let them go.


    Even the help that Aidan asked for as well as an escorts service from the building to secure the way and Giana so that they could get out of the apartment building were not very fruitful.


    They were like moths that surrounded amplight, like an eagle that sticking its ws into its prey and was not easy to shake off. That was how they behaved when they finally gota chance to have their hands on a piece of tantalizing news.


    Giana managed to calm down by being held by two of Aidan''s bodyguards, who seemed too awkward to touch their boss''s wife, especially since Aidan was around as well.


    It was only after Giana seemed to have calmed down that Aidan walked over to her and knelt beside her to cover herself with a nket, so that no one would see the wounds on her body.


    Things would only get worse if the reporters saw Giana''s injuries, for which they had to get past the news hunters and escape the camera shots.


    On the other hand, Giana''s chest seemed to be rising and falling rather slowly, her breath was shallow, but her eyes were closed, showing resignation and exhaustion.


    There was a sense of pity and disdain that crossed Aidan''s mind as he lifted his wife''s body which felt very light. Giana lost a lot of weight and became thinner than he hadst remembered.


    And the worst part was; Aidan realized that he yed an important role in the bad circumstances and difficult situations experienced by Giana.


    Aidan''s jaw clenched as he had to lift Giana''s body, rather than the weight that he felt resting on his arms, as he walked briskly with his four bodyguards escorting toward the lobby where his car was waiting, Aidan felt more weight that weighed on his heart when he had to watch one of the most strong women he''d ever seen, finally falling to the ground.


    What a jerk he was for destroying Giana''s life in such a way.


    However, Aidan also did not find in him the desire to be able to live that unhappy marriage once again. Living in pretense when he had promised a future to Zia.


    And Giana certainly didn''t want this. For now, the two of them were on the same page. They both wanted a new lease and nothing could change that decision.


    Therefore, at least this was what he could do, ignoring Zia for now and preferring not to let go when Giana''s condition was really down as she seemed unable to get up again.


    They didn''t choose to go out through the back door because there were already many news hunters waiting in their cars. Crazy news hunters, who wouldn''t let Aidan and Giana off the hook.


    At the very least, by choosing a lobby, the reporters would find it difficult to catch their car. Although, the risk could be said to be very high, but they had no other way, especially when their options were very limited.


    "This is going to be difficult, try to ignore them, sir," one of Aidan''s bodyguards told him and immediatelymunicated with the others via the smallmunication device in his hand, telling them that Aidan and Giana would soon be out of the building and that they should do their best to contain the news hunters so as not to hurt these two people.


    No one should know about this. Especially the fact that Giana was injured.


    It didn''t matter if Giana was reported to be unconscious or drunk, but if they caught Giana''s unstable mental state where she wanted to hurt herself, then that was another problem.


    The big news that was currently shaking up the media, was enough to destroy Giana''s reputation and destabilize the shares of their respective familypanies. If this was coupled with more bad news, then Giana would not have a chance to recover.


    "This way, sir," the same bodyguard, who had been escorting them all along, pointed the way to Aidan, while the others opened the door.


    It didn''t take Aidan long to see how many news hunters had been waiting for him.


    For a moment, Aidan could see their shocked expressions, not expecting that Giana woulde out of the building in such condition.


    Giana''s head was drooped on Aidan''s shoulders, while most of her body and face were covered by therge nket that Aidan had put on her, so that no one would be able to see who he was carrying.


    However, who else if it was not Giana? Without even looking at it, they would know that it was his wife.


    "Mr. Smith, how did you feel when you learnedthat your wife is cheating on you?" Asked one of the reporters, trying to point his recording device at Aidan''s face.


    Luckily the bodyguard who was guarding Aidan immediately brushed the device away and restrained the little man from advancing.


    It''s just that, hundreds of questions were asked just like that and they became very difficult to contain when they were in physical contact with each other.


    Things became chaotic and mad with shouts and growls.


    "Mr. Smith, how did you get here?"


    "Are you aware of the rtionship between your wife and her personal assistant?"


    "Why is Mrs. Smith unconscious? Was she that devastated?"


    "Is it true that your marriage is just a convenience marriage?"


    "ording to the news circting, you guys have been living separately for a long time, is that true?"


    Question after question came without stopping, while growls and curses apanied Aidan''s journey to the car that was waiting for him, which was not too far from the lobby door, but felt very difficult to pass.


    Only when Aidan managed to get into the car and secure himself, did one of the bodyguards immediately close the car door to drown out the shouts and questions that would not stop.


    "We''re going to the hospital now," Aidan said in a tired voice as he adjusted Giana''s position and went back to examine her wound which was bandaged very tightly using a shirt he found in Dillon''s apartment, but now the blue shirt was covered in blood.


    ================


    Hailee was massaging her forehead while waiting for her friend at a cafe in city A.


    Even though the two of them weren''t really that close, because this friend had a tendency to be arrogant, Hailee didn''t have anything to do with her as much as possible.


    It''s just that times and circumstances have changed and now Hailee had to admit that she had to do something, considering that she was thergest shareholder in thepany, overseeing thousands of people who work for Tatum Jewelry and had several other responsibilities.


    Indeed, Ramon would be there to help her. And again, based on the agreement between the two of them, Ramon would take over thepany and manage it in his own way, which Hailee didn''t have a problem with, considering that she had not received sufficient education to enter this business field.


    However, Hailee didn''t want to just sit around doing nothing while Aileen looked so charming when she stood in front of the board of directors while leading a meeting.


    Well, Hailee didn''t want to look like a woman who could only hide behind her man''s back.


    Therefore, Hailee asked Ramon to meet Candice, a diamond designer who had just finished her studies. And of course, the man agreed to his wife''s request and let Hailee do whatever she wanted, with a note, that she must report directly to him whatever she wanted to do and shouldn''t make any decisions without discussing them first.


    For starters, Hailee wanted to ask Candice to design a jewelry set that would mark the acquisition between Tatum Jewelry and the Tordofpany.


    It''s going to be a big event and even though Candice wasn''t yet a big name among diamond designers, Hailee had seen her sketchbook and she''s really attracted to this woman''s creativity and imagination.


    Of course the final decision rested with Ramon, but Hailee wanted to do something too.


    "¡­Mrs. Smith appears to be unconscious and they are now on their way to the hospital¡­"


    It was a piece of news that kept repeating throughout the afternoon and made Hailee feel ufortable because she had to watch the scene of Aidan holding his wife''s body wrapped in a nket over and over again.

 Chapter 196: WEIRD FEELING (2)

    <h4>Chapter 196: WEIRD FEELING (2)</h4>


    This was quite annoying. Although, there was a littlepassion that Hailee felt for Giana, it was just that as soon as she remembered that the woman would look for Ramon when she woke up, of course she pushed away that feeling, stepping on it hard so that it couldn''t be felt anymore.


    Leave it alone, it was none of her business, she had another matter to handle...


    "These city streets are really annoying," Candice grumbled. These were the first words she said as soon as she sat on the chair opposite Hailee without permission. No ''hello'' or ''how are you?'' or ''how have you been so far after a few years of not seeing each other?''


    Well, Hailee could understand this, because after all, this attitude was very typical of Candice.


    "Would you like something to drink?" Hailee asked Candice when the girl had sat down and ced her bag on the table. The expression on her face was one of a frowning, not liking the atmosphere in the cafe.


    "I want coffee," Candice said, but more to herself, she then raised her hand to call the waitress and ordered the coffee she liked; espresso.


    Hailee didn''t really understand why there were people who like this type of coffee¡­


    "So tell me what''s the reason you want to meet me? And how did you get my number?" Very typical of Candice, asking straight to the point.


    Well, being with Ramon, Hailee got used to this way of speaking.


    "I got your number from Ian," Hailee replied calmly as she sipped her smoothie.


    "Oh, him." Candice remembered Ian. "But, I haven''t been in contact with him for a long time."


    "You could say Ian has a lot of connections," Hailee replied with a nonchnt shrug. "And I asked you to meet me to offer cooperation."


    Having a clear understanding of Candice''s interaction patterns, Hailee also didn''t want to spend a lot of time making small talk, thus she got straight to the point.


    "Cooperation?" Candice frowned and crossed her arms while leaning against the back of the chair, showing a defensive attitude, but also observing the other person. "I know that there is something important that we will talk about when we meet, but I didn''t expect that you would offer to cooperate."


    Hailee and Candice didn''t talk much on the phone and it could be said that Hailee was the one who insisted on meeting this girl, lucky that Candice was willing toe, because the office where she worked was only a few buildings away from this cafe.


    "I want you to design a jewelry set for mypany," Hailee said and just at that moment, the espresso that Candice ordered was delivered by one of the waitresses.


    The aroma of the coffee which was quite pungent and strong immediately pierced Hailee''s sense of smell and made her wrinkle her nose and squint her eyes. Her stomach churned. It was almost the same feeling she had when she had to be hospitalized because her stomach ulcers red up.


    "I don''t design anymore," Candice said in a tone that sounded very stiff. "I work as a financial manager." There was a tinge of fury behind her words when Candice informed her of her current status.


    "But, in college you..." Hailee frowned, both surprised and also because of the strong smell of coffee. She wanted to get rid of the drink or throw it away.


    "I did not finish my studies and chose to run the familypany. Now I am taking business management courses. So, my time can be said to be very limited. You are lucky I was bored in that stuffy office and met you here for some fresh air." Candice cut Hailee''s words into a long and detailed exnation. She seemed really bored to the point of being annoyed at having to be cooped up in a closed room, which wasn''t her style at all.


    Hailee didn''t know this. Oh, she should have followed Ramon''s way of solving problems, namely; find out down to the most detailed information about the people she need to meet and work with.


    Tsk, Ramon should have shared this wisdom with Hailee too.


    However, other than that, Hailee could still see Candice''s reluctance to run the family business. Since she didn''t really like she was enjoying her life right now.


    Maybe this could be a material consideration? Maybe Hailee could give it another shot? At least, she didn''te all the way just to see Candice without trying, did she?


    In some part, Candice reminded Hailee of herself, which she was not really willing to run her familypany.


    "But, I guess you still can''t let go of your passion." It was a statement and was spoken so convincingly by Hailee that for a moment, a longing look shed across Candice''s eyes. Her longing to put her brilliant ideas into a design. Her dream for a long time.


    Candice was an artist with a natural talent, of course taking a job that was not her dream was a very difficult thing and the past year had been a very long time. Candice felt like she was in a ce that didn''t belong to her.


    "I have not designed anything in a long time," Candice said in a somber voice. "If that''s your sole purpose of seeing me, I can''t seem to help." Candice''s voice sounded a little bit sarcastic. She then added bitterness to her life by sipping her bitter espresso.


    Seeing Candice drink the thick ck liquid, for some reason Hailee could feel a bitter taste on her tongue as well. Maybe it was just her mind ying tricks on her, but Hailee couldn''t stand it, she shuddered and averted her eyes from Candice who was drinking.


    Of course Hailee''s unusual attitude didn''t go unnoticed by Candice, she frowned and lowered her ss, ring at Hailee who was still shifting her gaze toward the highway.


    "Why? You don''t like the smell of coffee?" Candice asked, inhaling the fresh aroma of her own coffee.


    Hailee wasn''t a coffee lover, but that didn''t mean she had a problem smelling the aroma. Because if you could say it, she often made coffee for Ramon and that''s fine.


    It was just thattely her stomach had been churning whenever she smelled a strong scent, coffee being one of them.


    "No, not really," Hailee stuttered a little, turning her attention back to Candice, but being careful not to get closer to her coffee cup.


    On the other hand, Candice just shrugged her shoulders nonchntly. "Why are you asking me to design? Don''t you have your own designer at yourpany?"


    "I wanted something new, a breakthrough, before I took over thepany," Hailee said. Well, technically she would lead thepany even though in reality it would be Ramon and his professional team who would oversee all the affairs.


    "How about your husband?" Candice''s brows furrowed when Hailee mentioned him, but two secondster before Hailee exined any further, Candice was reminded of the big and exciting news from a while back.


    Candice didn''t follow such news, but at the time she was quite surprised that Hailee, her high school friend, was the lucky woman to marry Ramon Tordoff. More or less that''s how the mass media reported the marriage.


    "Oh right, I just remembered about your marriage to Ramon Tordoff," Candice said, not seeming too interested in the news. "Congrattions, you managed to get an established man. I thought you were going to marry the man from the Gevano family you were betrothed to first, I didn''t think you would end up with a better one," she said ndly. Well, in this case, she was right. Ramon was way much better than Theodore.


    Hailee gave a modest smile, because she knew Candice''s words of congrattions were just words she had to say to appear more polite, while herments about Theodore didn''t hurt Hailee at all.


    It was an undeniable fact that she got a man who was a million times better than Theodore.


    But, that didn''t mean Hailee wouldn''t do something about her original n.


    "I think you are very busy with your work right now," Hailee quipped at Candice a little in the way she spoke. She then put a few bills on the table to pay for their drinks. Since Hailee asked her to meet, so it''s on her... "Then I won''t take any more of your time. If you change your mind, I''ll be waiting to hear from you in three days, because I think you''re a perfect fit for this project, but if there''s no news from you in the next three days, then I''ll have someone else do it."


    Since Candice already knew of Ramon''s involvement, it was certain that she too would realize how fast Tatum Jewelry would grow under that man''s cold hands.


    And if Candice still had some interest and wanted to pursue her dream of bing a jewelry designer, then this was a golden opportunity she couldn''t miss.


    Or if Candice had thrown her dreams away, then there was nothing else Hailee could do.


    Because after all, she wasn''t going to waste her time trying to convince Candice to do what she could when she doubted it herself.


    For now, this was the most effective way Hailee could think of dealing with Candice, making her a little curious and feeling less needed, while if she thought about it further, then she would be able to see the advantages before her eyes.


    "You''re leaving now?" Candice saw Hailee stand up from her chair and smiled kindly.


    "Yes,"Hailee said softly. "If you hadn''t beente, perhaps I could have given you more details about what I had to offer, but I think you''ve already got a rough idea of ??what I mean."


    Candice was deliberatelyte, but who would have thought that Hailee would reply to her like this.


    "I still have other things to do, untilter Candice." Hailee waved her hand and left.


    There really wasn''t anything important for Hailee to do. If making dinner for Ramon and Lexus was important, then Hailee couldn''t be said to have lied, could it be?


    When Hailee passed the counter and the aroma of coffee wafted from the coffee maker, hitting her senses of smell again, a feeling of nausea hit her so badly that she had to cover her nose and run outside.


    It was only when Hailee was out in the open that she could breathe normally again, but the nausea still made her stomach feel ufortable.


    "Mrs. Tordoff, are you all right?" Asked Hailee''s private driver who approached her worriedly, because Hailee stood still for a while. "You look pale."


    "Yeah, I''m fine," Hailee replied, trying to take a deep breath of fresh air as the sun shone brightly.

 Chapter 197: TAKE A RISK

    <h4>Chapter 197: TAKE A RISK</h4>


    Behind her calm demeanor and facade that didn''t show anything suspicious, Aileen was actually in the highest level of tension in her life.


    Beside her sat Theodore, staring absentmindedly at the road and paying no attention to her at all, as if he wanted to finish this journey quickly and prove himself right, that Aileen wasn''t actually pregnant and that he could avoid the wedding which would take ce in less than two weeks.


    He didn''t know where the infatuation he felt when he had a secret rtionship with Aileen behind Hailee''s back.


    Back then, when they had kept their rtionship a secret, Theodore felt his adrenaline rushing and every time he managed to trick Hailee into meeting Aileen, he felt passionate feelings.


    However, the happy feeling he used to feel, had now evaporatedpletely, leaving only an empty feeling that he couldn''t understand. It felt like everything he was doing with Aileen now was not as interesting as it used to be.


    No.


    Being with Aileen no longer excited him, nor did it make him happy¡­


    The only thing in Theodore''s head right now was how he could keep Aileen out of his life.


    Even though Aileen was George''s flesh and blood, which made her one of the members of the Tatum family, but no one knew about this except himself, Aileen and of course George himself, so what was the point?


    Okay, at this point, Theodore started to use business calctions in his rtionship with Aileen. He started to think about the pros and cons of their marriageter.


    And seeing how many shares Aileen had in Tatum Jewelry, of course this didn''t please Theodore or his father who had given Aileen a condition to give up all the shares she owned in thepany when she entered the Gevano family.


    However, given the current state of affairs, nothing seemed to be promising, indicating anything good would happen in the future, especially when Ramon Tordoff had stepped in.


    Theodore would be on the losing end. Not only materially, but also for the time that would be wasted if he married Aileen.


    It''s true what his mother had said, he should be able to get a better partner. A woman who could benefit his business or had a status that wasparable to his.


    "What are you thinking about?" Aileen asked. She stretched out her hand to hold Theodore''s hand and offered a sweet smile, even though she herself felt uneasy.


    George couldn''t be reached and Aileen didn''t know what the old man was up to to thwart this trip to the hospital, to get her checked out.


    Or maybe George gave up and left herself to deal with this on her own?


    This thought had crossed Aileen''s mind, but she brushed it off because she knew how ambitious George was to make her the daughter- in-w of the Gevano family.


    "I am fine," Theodore replied, returning Aileen''s smile, a smile that didn''t reach his eyes. This was the smile that this man always gave to her recently.


    "You seem to be thinking about something¡­ work?" Aileen guessed stupidly, because she knew what was really going on in Theodore''s mind right now.


    "Yes, I have a lot of work to do," Theodore said casually. He just confirmed what Aileen said without wanting to think of a more usible reason.


    "Yes, I thought so." Aileen then rested her head on Theodore''s shoulder, ignoring the man''s body which suddenly stiffened as if he wanted to push herself away.


    Their rtionship turned really too bad to be repaired anymore¡­


    "Did you hear the news this morning? About the Smiths?" Aileen opened a conversation so that the atmosphere wouldnot be too stagnant. This news was broadcasted on all television stations or any mass media.


    No wonder, Aileen had had a hard time contacting Aidantely. It turned out that the man''s situation was not much different from her. He also had problems that many others didn''t know about.


    Seeing this, Aileen wouldn''t be surprised if Aidan and Giana finally decided to separate, considering how crazy he was for her cousin.


    "Yeah, I heard that too," Theodore responded half- heartedly to this topic of conversation.


    "What do you think caused Giana Smith to have an affair with her personal assistant when she had a husband like Aidan Smith?" Aileen asked while joining her fingers with Theodore''s.


    "I don''t know," Theodore said nonchntly, looking disinterested in the topic. "It''s hard to know what women want and think. They can appear weak and defenseless, but can actually stab you in the back, or they can appearpletely harmless, but have unexpected manipting abilities."


    Aileen''s expression immediately changed when she heard Theodore''s statement. Was this man making fun of her in a very subtle way? Trying to say that Aileen was that kind of person?


    "Yeah, we don''t know what''s in a person''s heart." Aileen tried to respond wisely, generalizing the word ''woman'' with people in general.


    "Yes, that''s why¡­ even with those closest to you, people you think you already know and know yourself very well, you should always be careful." Theodore said this in a tone that sounded so calm that it could make anyone who heard it feel anxious, as they could guess there were a hidden meaning behind those words.


    That was when Aileen lifted her head and found Theodore staring at her through the rearview mirror. Their gazes met and there, Aileen could tell with certainty that Theodore had known something. That the man who once loved her so much that she felt that she could control this man so easily, was gone.


    Now there was no longer the love that Aileen had always seen in Theodore''s eyes, but a deep emotion, full of mystery, that made Aileen subconsciously shudder when Theodore touched her shoulder and gently rubbed her shoulder.


    "You understand, don''t you? You can''t trust anyone in this world. You can only put your trust one hundred percent in your own self." Theodore looked at Aileen intensely.


    "Yes, I understand that." Aileen swallowed hard and tried to avoid eye contact with Theodore, because looking into his eyes now felt terrible.


    And before Theodore could say anything, just at that moment, there was the sound of metal squeaking as the brakes were applied with great force, as well as a muffled cursing sound mixed with a tone of fear.


    For a moment Aileen still didn''t understand what was really going on as their car was sent spinning wildly on the road, out of control.


    The honking of the cars around was the only deafening sound after the painful screeching.


    And for a moment Aileen felt her heart stop for real when she realized what was really going on, before darkness came over her¡­


    No way! This can''t be happen, right?!


    ================


    For a moment Hailee felt fine, but a momentter she didn''t feel that way, because every time she thought of the pungent aroma of the coffee she smelled in the cafe when she met Candice, she seemed to be able to see a thick ck liquid, espresso, which Candice had drunk earlier and this made her stomach churn again.


    Ugh! What''s with her really?


    The cold air from the car''s air conditioner didn''t help at all with the nausea that Hailee was feeling right now.


    Actually, Hailee had felt that her body wasn''t feeling well since a few days ago, but it had never been like this.


    Ignoring the air conditioner in the car that was still running, Hailee opened her car window and let the much fresher afternoon air hit her face and this proved to be much better.


    Luckily they were not driving on a busy street with cars or other vehicles, so they wouldn''t inhale a lot of vehicle fumes which made the air feel better.


    The wind ruffled Hailee''s hair and she closed her eyes, letting the gust of wind make her nausea decreased significantly and she could enjoy the wind that caressed her face.


    "Mrs. Tordoff," Larry, Hailee''s personal driver looked at Hailee from the rearview mirror because he was surprised when this woman opened the window. "Are you okay?"


    "Yeah, I am fine," Hailee answered quietly with her eyes still closed.


    "Are you sure you don''t want to go to the hospital? You look pale and not very well," Larry suggested the same thing again when he found Haileeing out of the cafe with a pale face. Of course he was worried about Hailee''s condition, because after all, if anything happened to her, he didn''t want to face Ramon Tordoff''s wrath.


    "No, I will be fine." Hailee refused again. "How long will it take us to get home?" She wanted to prepare dinner for Ramon, because it seemed like she had not cooked something for her husband in a long time.


    "About twenty minutes," Larry announced.


    "Hm," Hailee just mumbled in response. It seemed like twenty minutes was enough time for Hailee to refresh her mood.


    She was sure she would feel much better when she got home.


    Or maybe not¡­


    ================


    "Stocks of the Smith and Dawson familypanies have dropped drastically," Lexus reported to Ramon, his eyes skimmed briefly the report in his hands.


    The two brothers were in Ramon''s office, discussing this morning''s issue that shocked the wholemunity and caused an uproar in the stock market.


    The issue regarding Giana''s affair with her personal assistant really had a bad impact on both of their families and their respectivepanies.


    And this kind of impact would indeed happen if the affair between them was revealed to the mass media.

 Chapter 198: TAKE A RISK (2)

    <h4>Chapter 198: TAKE A RISK (2)</h4>


    This was also the actual reason why Giana did not want a divorce from Aidan when she wanted to be in an affair with Ramon or Aidan who also couldn''t divorce Giana when he was also in an illicit rtionship with Zia.


    The impact of these mistakes was enormous and would greatly affect all aspects of their lives.


    "Shareholders with a number of not too remarkable arepeting to sell their shares, while those who hold shares above eight percent are still holding on and hoping this situation will subside by itself," Lexus added. He massaged his temples which were sore fromst night''sck of sleep.


    "What is the total number of shares that these people have?" Ramon asked, his fingers intertwined at hisptop screen showing a graph of numbers, reflecting the downfall of the two bigpanies.


    With the influence and status that the Smith and Dawson families have, it was not that difficult for them to fix this situation. But of course it would take time, and during that time a variety of possibilities could happen, down to the worst.


    Seeing this, Ramon had a mix feeling about what was happening between the twopanies and the woman named Giana.


    However, this kind of feeling was not in romantic or affectionate way, he just badly wanted to get his memories back and figured out who was this woman to him.


    "Just a moment," Lexus mumbled, then checked the report in his hand once more. "Overall, from the twelve people who have a stake in Quantum, there are about twenty- three percent, while for JYT it''s around twenty- six percent."


    Quantum was thepany owned by the Dawson family while JYT was thepany owned by the Smith family.


    "How many shares do the two families have?"


    "The Smiths own forty- two percent, while the Dawsons own thirty- nine percent, which makes them the highest- ranking shareholders in the respectivepanies," Lexus reported this to Ramon, then with a suspicious look he raised his head and looked at him. A look at his brother left him frowning at the ominous feeling. "Don''t tell me that you..."


    Ramon then shifted his focus to his younger brother, making Lexus unable to finish his sentence. "Yes."


    "Impossible," Lexus muttered as he shook his head.


    "Yes, buy their shares from the stock market." Ramon confirmed what Lexus was thinking.


    "Ramon you are crazy," Lexus clicked his tongue. This was a big decision that Ramon had to discuss with the other shareholders and Lexus couldn''t see how his brother would be able to convince them all to buy shares of a troubledpany. Two at that, though thosepanies were from the prominent one.


    "Arrange a meeting with our shareholders," Ramon said in a final tone.


    Okay, Lexus understood his brother very well when he was in this mood. If indeed Ramon was going to carry out his n, then this would be a big and risky move, but Lexus also trusted his brother''s judgment.


    Ramon wouldn''t do anything without a reason and he wouldn''t enter a fight without thinking about how to win it either¡­


    ================


    Hailee didn''t think she was in a good condition to cook something for Ramon and although her nausea had long left, she didn''t seem to be in a good mood. She still looked a little ''down''.


    "Hey, you said you were going to cook something tonight? That was why I came here even though Ramon was looking at me fiercely," Lexusmented when he found out that the dinner served on the table was not one of Hailee''s specials.


    "I was, but I am not feeling well," Hailee said honestly as she ate her dinner with a little appetite.


    "You are sick?" Lexus'' nosy expression immediately changed when he saw Hailee who looked different from her usual cheerful self.


    "No, I am fine¡­" Hailee said, then reached for the ss beside her, downing almost half of the mineral water in the ss to remove the stinging taste from the steak she was eating.


    Ugh!


    This steak, which she usually loved so much, now tasted like sand when it touched her taste buds. Maybe Hailee wasn''t really doing well...


    On the other hand, Ramon reached out his hand to check Hailee''s temperature. He put his palm on Hailee''s forehead and didn''t feel that his wife had a fever.


    "I am fine," Hailee said as she avoided Ramon''s ufortable hand on her forehead and started eating again.


    Opposite them, Lexus looked at Ramon and moved his lips, mouthing silently; ''What is wrong? You guys are fighting again?'' That was what he asked, because that was the only reason he could think of, to be the cause of Hailee''s bad mood.


    However, the older brother didn''t respond and continued eating, as if he didn''t notice what Lexus was trying to ask.


    Every now and then, Ramon''s eyes would dart toward his wife which intensified the feeling that Hailee wasn''t in a good mood, making him a little worried. But of course Ramon wouldn''t say anything now, not when Lexus was at the same dining table with them. This little brother could be really annoying¡­


    ================


    Aileen did not think that she had just survived a car ident that almost killed her and Theodore.


    Luckily, the speed of the truck that hit their car was not too fast and only hit the side of the car, which made it steer off the track. And fortunately again, because the road at that time was not too congested, so there would not be a series of idents because of it.


    However, this still left Aileen in a shock that made her unable to think clearly for a while.


    And because the hospital Theodore was taking her to was far from where the ident had happened, they had to go to the nearest hospital, and even though there were no major injuries, but Aileen had to get her ''pregnancy checked'' immediately, lest anything happened to her and the baby in her stomach in the future.


    At first, being too shocked, there was nothing else on Aileen''s mind except being grateful that nothing serious had happened, but when they arrived at the nearest hospital, Aileen began to realize that something was unusual¡­


    The closest hospital they ended uping was the same hospital where Aileen used to check her ''pregnancy'', the same hospital that George had asked for, where the doctor who used to treat Aileen was.


    Of course, it was the doctor who had teamed up with George to create this lie.


    It was only after the doctor finished examining Aileen that she realized that this was too strange to be a coincidence.


    That collision, the location where the ident urred and this hospital¡­


    "How is she?" Theodore asked in a serious tone, with his brows furrowed. He himself did not suffer any major injuries, except for a slight bruise on his right arm due to the impact of the car door when holding Aileen''s body so that she would not hit the ss beside her. It happened instinctively¡­


    "Both mother and baby are fine," the Doctor said, he then nced at Aileen briefly, before returning his focus to Theodore. "I will write a prescription for her to rest and Mrs. Gevano should be on bedrest. Luckily nothing significant happened to the two of them, because the baby is still too early in the pregnancy."


    The doctor with thick sses perched on his nose gave some advice and wrote down a prescription for Theodore.


    It was just that, for now, Aileen''s thoughts were not on it, because the only thing that filled her head right now was; she had to ask George the matter directly, to make sure her gut feelings weren''t right.


    But, no matter how much she denied, there was something inside her that told her that her suspicions were true.


    "Let''s go home," Theodore said in a cold voice after he finished talking to the doctor and walked over to Aileen who was still lying on the hospital bed with nk eyes and a confused expression.


    "Oh," Aileen mumbled, she didn''t even notice when Theodore and the doctor had finished speaking.


    And with Theodore''s help, she got out of bed and smiled formally at the doctor who treated her.


    Actually, Aileen wanted to ask the doctor if George had said something to him, but of course Aileen couldn''t do that in front of Theodore.


    Her mind was really too busy thinking about this seemingly absurd possibility that she didn''t hear what Theodore had to say to her.


    Because if it was true that George was involved in the ident she had just had, then that would be terrible. If George had dared to take such a drastic step to stop Theodore from getting Aileen''s pregnancy checked up, then what else would George not do to achieve his goal.


    Just thinking about it made Aileen''s body tremble without her realizing it.


    "Aileen, did you hear what I said?" Theodore asked Aileen in a slightly louder voice.


    Stuttering, Aileen shifted her focus from the terrible thoughts of George to Theodore. "Sorry, what did you say earlier?"


    Theodore sighed slowly. "I know you are very surprised by the ident we just had, but don''t let it get to you too much." He rubbed Aileen''s head briefly. "My personal assistant is on his way here after resolving the matter at the police station with our impactor."


    "Oh, alright¡­" Aileen nodded, even though she only heard half of what Theodore said. "I will be fine after resting."


    "I will be gone for a while to collect your medicine, so you can wait here," Theodore said in a somber voice. He felt tired and annoyed that his n didn''t go the way he expected, but what else could he do in this situation?


    "I will wait here," Aileen said obediently and then sat down on a nearby bench.


    After seeing Aileen sit down and return to her thoughts, Theodore no longer bothered the woman and quickly finished his business. He had to call the hospital where he intended to take Aileen earlier and reschedule her visit.


    Meanwhile, after Theodore''s departure, Aileen''s mind wandered to the possibilities of George''s involvement in what she had just experienced.


    Half of her heart said that George couldn''t have done that, because after all Aileen was his daughter and if there was even a slightest mistake and she died, wouldn''t that be too much of a risk to take?


    However, Aileen''s intuition said differently.


    It was at that moment that Aileen''s cell phone vibrated, signaling an iing call, which was none other than the person she had in mind.


    "Did you n all of this?" Without greeting first, Aileen immediately asked the question that roamed in her mind.

 Chapter 199: THE SITUATION BECOMES WORSE

    <h4>Chapter 199: THE SITUATION BECOMES WORSE</h4>


    "Did you n all of this?" Without greeting first, Aileen immediately asked this.


    "No greetings?" George rebuked Aileen for her impoliteness.


    But who would care about politeness in a situation like this and knowing what George might do.


    Aileen really couldn''t understand what was going through George''s head to resort to this crazy idea. Didn''t he consider the possibility that his n might fail and she would have ended up dead by now?!


    "Don''t waste my time," Aileen growled angrily, she put her palm in front of her mouth so her voice could be muffled a bit. "Answer my question! Were you the one who nned all of this?"


    Silence¡­


    For a moment George said nothing. But, then his voice answered Aileen''s question briefly. "Yes. I did it."


    That one word was enough to make Aileen experience a feeling of anger and disappointment as well as fear, mixed together at the same time, making her knees go numb. Her body trembled to hold back the overflowing emotions that were bubbling up inside her.


    Even though she had expected this answer, it didn''t mean that hearing it, would make her mood better or appease the anger that was running through her body, like a deadly disease.


    "Why¡­?" Aileen''s voice trembled as she asked.


    "Why?" George repeated the same question. "You don''t know why I did all this? Of course because of that bastard heir of the Gevano family! You think you cane up with a much more brilliant idea than this?"


    "Why did you do that? Don''t you realize what will happen if your n goes wrong?" Aileen gritted her teeth hard, to hold back the tears of anger that threatened to flow down her cheeks.


    "My n didn''t go wrong and you''re still alive. You should be grateful for that!" After saying those hurtful words, George hung up the phone, leaving Aileen standing in the hospital hallway with emotions coursing through her body at an almost unstoppable speed.


    "You''re crazy¡­" Aileen hissed into the disconnected phone line. Her eyes gleamed with hatred for her own father.


    Hadn''t Aileen never made a fuss about the fact that George had abandoned her mother and herself? She even let George live quietly with his own family without saying a word about her true identity.


    Aileen even followed all of George''s ns and orders without as much as a question, until she had her own thoughts to save herself from George''s clutches, because of his attitude that Aileen could no longer tolerate.


    But what did George do to her?


    Instead of thinking of other ways or discussing a way out that Aileen must face in order to trick Theodore again, George made his own decisions and almost harmed Aileen with his stupidity and impulsiveness!


    And now he called herself without any guilt? He didn''t even give a single sentence of exnation.


    Well, although George have said she should be grateful to have survived the ident, but wasn''t this all his own doing?! What should Aileen be grateful for?!


    It was an attempted assassination! Indirectly George would not mind if she was injured.


    At this point, Aileen finally realized something she had been trying not to think about, namely; George would not think twice about saving his position as well as himself.


    Aileen''s knuckles turned white as she gripped the phone so tightly. Her trembling body stood motionless in the slightly crowded hospital hallway.


    It took Aileen quite a while to calm herself down and adjust her facial expressions so Theodore wouldn''t ce any deeper suspicion on her.


    It was at this point that Aileen became increasingly determined to carry out her own ns. The n concerning Aidan Smith. If this n worked out, then she would be happy to destroy George as well.


    Aileen was fed up with the way George treated her. Now, Hailee was no longer Aileen''s main target, because George was at the top of the list of people she would knock onto the ground herself.


    And Aileen would make sure that she would see that old man fall from his high horses.


    "What is wrong?" Theodore''s voice broke Aileen''s thoughts. The woman seemed so lost in her own thoughts that she forgot about her surroundings and didn''t notice that Theodore was standing beside her and watching her.


    With a sharp intake of breath, Aileen immediately adjusted her facial expression and forced a smile to form on her lips.


    "It''s okay, I just feel a little dizzy, maybe because of the impact," Aileen said softly as she wrapped her arms around Theodore''s arm. Her eyes then caught the stic bag containing the drugs this man had just bought. "Can we go home now?"


    Yes, Aileen wanted to go home and calm down, while recalcting the ns she had devised and how she could make good use of Aidan. Because this time, Aileen didn''t want to see the old man endanger her life again.


    Oh, George would never get the chance to do something like this again¡­ Aileen would make sure of that.


    ================


    The sky outside still looked dark, even the moon could still be seen on the horizon line. There could already be seen a red tinge, indicating that the sun would soon rise. The air was still cold and wet fromst night''s rain, leaving water droplets on the leaves and branches of the trees.


    It was so calm, but Hailee suddenly woke up as she felt a cramp in her right leg which made herself wince in pain, trying to grab her aching leg, but the more she moved, the more the pain became.


    Ramon, being someone who slept very lightly , of course immediately opened his eyes when he heard Hailee''s whimper.


    Quickly, he sat down and examined his wife. "What is wrong?" He asked in a slightly worried tone, then he turned on the tablemp beside him, only to see Hailee''s painful expression.


    "My feet¡­" Hailee said quietly while pointing at her feet. "Cramp..."


    Ramon then turned his attention to the part of the leg that Hailee was pointing at and examined it. When Ramon''s hand touched it, Hailee immediately let out a muffled scream.


    "It hurts," she whimpered.


    "It''s okay¡­ hold on for a second," Ramon said in a soothing voice. Then, so shrewdly and skillfully, he massaged the pain away for her. It was as if he had done this many times before.


    And indeed the results did not disappoint. In a short time, the pain that was making Hailee feel tormented slowly disappeared and she felt much better.


    "Where did you learn this?" Hailee asked, pleased with the massage Ramon was giving to her. Now, even though the cramping was gone, Hailee didn''t stop Ramon. She just rolled herself under the nket and looked at her husband with sleepy eyes.


    Yes, once the pain went away, sleepiness immediately came to her¡­ and somehow, Hailee''s sleeping time had been getting longer and longertely.


    "Lexus used to get cramps every time he learned to swim, so I often saw our swimming coach do this to him," Ramon said.


    When the two were young, their mother and father called a swimming coach and it was then that it was discovered that Lexus often had cramps every time he swam, even though he had done the rmended warm-up.


    "Oh, it''s great that you can remember this just by looking at it," Haileemented, but her eyes were closed from the unbearable drowsiness. She didn''t even get to hear what Ramon''s answer was after that because the dreand had greeted her first.


    Meanwhile, Ramon only realized that Hailee had fallen asleep after he told half of his childhood story when Lexus learned to swim.


    With a nk stare and expressionless face, Ramon looked at the sleeping Hailee and stopped massaging her feet.


    Then with a long and heavy sigh, he gently flicked Hailee''s forehead, feeling a little amused, but also annoyed that Hailee had fallen asleep in the middle of the story.


    "What should I do with you¡­?" Ramon said helplessly, then wrapped his wife''s body in his arms to sleep.


    ================


    Hailee had just woken up when it was almost noon and she felt her stomach growling immediately, feeling very hungry.


    "Ugh," Haileeined as she felt unwell, as if she had just run from city A to city M in a race, or like she had just climbed a high mountain, which caused a day''s rest to be insufficient.


    She frowned because it was unusual for her to feel this way and waking up thiste for several days in a row felt off as well.


    Hailee then nced at the empty spot next to her, and it was certain that Ramon had already gone to the office a few hours ago.


    With unsteady steps and a sore head, Hailee then forced herself out of the bed, holding her forehead, thinking if she had a fever or something. But apparently her body wasn''t hot, so it could be said that she was in good health, so why did Hailee feel otherwise?


    ================


    Another hitnded on Dillon''s face as he tried to stand up and a kick hit him in the gut as he tried to dodge the three people who were ganging up on him.


    In front of Dillon was Mr. Dawson, Giana''s father, with a facial expression that indicated only one thing; wrath.


    Meanwhile three people who were bigger and taller than Dillon, and at one nce one could tell that they were people who used to fight barehanded, stood around the battered Dillon. Blood was dripping from his nose and a cut wound was already on his forehead.

 Chapter 200: THE SITUATION BECOMES WORSE

    <h4>Chapter 200: THE SITUATION BECOMES WORSE</h4>


    Not only that, if they took off the shirt he was wearing, blue and red bruises would be visible, marring his otherwise perfect skin.


    However, Dillon couldn''t do anything but try to get through this without saying something that could make things even worse.


    "I will ask again," Mr. Dawson growled angrily, walking over to the helpless Dillon. "What have you done to Giana? How could she be in your apartment?"


    Now the five of them were in one of the dirty and dark corners of the hospital where Giana was being treated.


    Dillon''s original intention toe to this ce was to visit Giana and make sure that she was fine, but who would have thought that Mr. Dawson would go to him first and bring him here.


    This harsh beating even didn''t cross his mind when he followed him innocently. Who would have thought that such prominent figure like Mr. Dawson would use this raw method to teach him a lesson or two.


    And what was more unexpected was; Dawson family was one of the five respectable families in city A, and now hemitted such a brutal act against a minor like Dillon.


    "Giana came alone to my apartment," Dillon said breathlessly, repeating the answer he had given hundreds of times already.


    "DON''T YOU DARE TO LIE TO MY FACE!" Mr. Dawson was furious again. And this time it was he who came forward to kick Dillon in the face until he fell back down, adding a new wound to his face. "YOU THINK I WOULD BELIEVE YOUR BULLSH*T?!"


    In Mr. Dawson''s eyes, Dillon was just looking for an opportunity to enter into Giana and Aidan''s married life, which was now almost in the end of the story.


    Dillon was taking advantage of this situation to get Giana and raise his status in such a disgusting manner. At least, that was what Giana''s father thought.


    That was because Mr. Dawson was very skeptical of words like; guy best friend, old friend. ording to him, people would not be able to be friends if they have unequal status. Because those with lower status would always try to climb the socialdder by taking advantage of others.


    Mr. Dawson was indeed very famous for his orthodoxy and because he was in a social environment that had such views, then those were the norms that were ingrained in him and he tried to instill them in Giana as well.


    Unfortunately¡­ his daughter was too fragile to be able to act like that, maybe because she was a woman, therefore Mr. Dawson did not really incline to her.


    At times like this, Mr. Dawson would regret why he got a daughter instead of a son...


    "You are the most ignorant human being!" Mr. Dawson said fiercely. He was looking at Dillon with a piercing gaze, and if looks could kill, of course Dillon would be dead by now.


    This time, Dillon managed to stand up. He coughed a few times, then took a deep breath before he lifted his head and met Mr. Dawson''s eyes in the same way.


    Dillon''s eyes shed with hatred and disgust that he couldn''t hide. At this point, he realized that things would not go to the way they were before and there would be nothing he could do to change that. Not even with an apology.


    It went without saying that an apology was thest thing Mr. Dawson wanted to hear from Dillon''s mouth.


    It was just that unfortunately, Dillon did not intend to apologize, for he felt that it was not his fault. How could this be his fault?


    The scorching heat of the sun burned Dillon''s skin, especially when his sweat mixed with blood, making him feel very ufortable and even more annoyed with his current state.


    "You are Giana''s father, you should know how stubborn she is. You think I can persuade her?" The scale of Dillon''s sess in persuading Giana was deplorable, and Mr. Dawson knew that, how dedicated his daughter was to thepany, but this middle- aged man always looked at his daughter with a look as if what Giana did wasn''t enough.


    Mr. Dawson never satisfied with whatever Giana had achieved. It was such a pity that he couldn''t see how much his daughter had put effort just for him to acknowledge her hard work.


    Meanwhile, on the other hand, Mr. Dawson was surprised enough by Dillon''s audacity to stare back at him with a piercing re, as if the blows he had just received meant nothing to him.


    And under the scorching sun, his figure looked so conspicuous and like someone of great influence, despite the scars on his face and dirty clothes.


    Luckily, they were on the side of the hospital building which was deserted and not many people passed by, so no one saw this moment.


    "You can say anything to her." Mr. Dawson squinted, looking for fear in Dillon''s eyes, which he didn''t find. "You know she''s mentally unstable."


    Dillon snorted disdainfully when he heard these words. Mr. Dawson described Giana as if his daughter was suffering from an acute mental illness.


    How could a father think like that? When he was the one who had made his own daughter go through a hell in her life called marriage?


    "You really can''t be trusted with such narrow- mindedness, I doubt you are really worried about Giana, or maybe you are just worried about the rumors out there," Dillon mocked Mr.Dawson defiantly. He wouldn''t lose anything now, because this situation was beyond repair.


    With a muffled growl and clenched jaws, Mr. Dawson said in a very clear and low voice. "You are fired!"


    Dillon was not surprised at all when he heard those words. Mr. Dawson couldn''t help but think that Dillon hadn''t anticipated this, could he?


    Therefore, upon hearing those short sentences, Dillon simply snorted and picked up his suit that was lying on the ground, a silent witness to his futile struggle against three men who had more fighting experience than he had any management skills.


    Dillon flicked the coat a few times, to remove the dust that had stuck to it, then turned and walked away without saying a word.


    "You won''t get a job anywhere!" Mr. Dawson added as his anger had reached its peak when he saw Dillon acting arrogantly as if his words had just been a mere passing wind.


    Dillon didn''t budge, he kept on walking, leaving the lonely corner of the hospital. The job problem was another matter that he could think aboutter, because he had enough savings to support the next few years of his life without working.


    However, the problem now was; how could he meet Giana? He wanted to know her condition.


    The news that was broadcasted, which showed the figure of Giana wrapped in a nket and being carried by Aidan from his house to avoid the reporters, really worried him.


    Giana was not okay and he knew it.


    But how bad was she now? That was what Dillon wanted to know. Only, after this incident, he wasn''t sure he had even a one percent chance of seeing that woman in this hospital.


    And this left him angry and restless¡­


    ================


    "Hey, are you sick?" Zia repeated the same question, when she saw Hailee''s face which looked a little pale while she looked lethargic.


    However, Hailee shook her head again and smiled faintly, answering her with the same answer. "I''m fine, it''s just that I didn''t feel much appetitetely."


    "You didn''t try to see a doctor?" Zia suggested, sipping the cappino in front of her.


    Hailee frowned again when the distinctive smell of the drink hit her sense of smell. Maybe her reaction wasn''t as strong as when Candice drank her espresso, but it still bothered Hailee.


    "No," Hailee then took a sip of her orange juice to get rid of the pungent smell of Zia''s coffee, but that didn''t help. "I still feel fine, I don''t have a fever anyway."


    Zia shrugged, as if to say; Good.


    This afternoon, Zia called Hailee to ask her to meet at this mall and because Hailee didn''t have anything to do while waiting for the new school year to begin to enter college, and continue her education, she agreed, and here they were.


    Actually, Zia''s original purpose in asking Hailee to meet was so she could forget about her problems with Aidan for a moment.


    The incident that Aidan facing now was really bothering her, especially when it even became difficult to contact that man.


    Zia knew that Aidan had a lot of things to deal with, but at least he should have told her or gave some update. This was one of Aidan''s bad habits that Zia didn''t like. When a man got into trouble, he tend to walk away and try to solve the problem on his own.


    But, couldn''t Aidan share his problems with Zia? He didn''t need to be so stubborn to deal with it alone.


    "This news is like a wildfire right now," Haileemented when she saw the news that was reporting about Giana''s condition on the television there.


    And because there were no journalists who could uncover what was happening to Giana now, because of the tight security, there was a lot of spection that developed in themunity, where their opinions were far from the reality.


    "But, I am not sure if Giana is having an affair with her personal assistant," Haileemented again, not capturing Zia''s expression which suddenly turned stiff. "That crazy woman is not insane enough to have an affair with her personal assistant." Hailee was still upset about the phone ident with Ramon that night.


    "Why would you think that?" Zia asked in a voice that sounded very tense. She didn''t like this topic of conversation.


    This time, it was Hailee who looked a little flustered. She just said her opinion without giving it a second thought. "Nothing, just an instinct." Hailee answered nonchntly and finished her drink, hoping Zia wouldn''t ask any further. "I will order another drink."


    "You can call the waitress, you don''t need to go yourself," Zia reminded Hailee that this was a fine dining restaurant.


    "I would like to order it straight away," Hailee replied as she got up from her desk, one of the only ways she could think of to stop the chattering about Giana there.


    However, perhaps because Hailee stood up too quickly, trying to get away from Zia as soon as possible, she felt the floor beneath her feet shake, making her fall onto the ground.


    If it wasn''t for Zia who swiftly extended her hands, it was certain that Hailee''s head would have hit the corner of the table.


    "HAILEE!" Zia shrieked in fear when she stared at her.

 Chapter 201: WHERE IS DILLON?

    <h4>Chapter 201: WHERE IS DILLON?</h4>


    Zia panicked when Hailee suddenly fainted and fell unconscious for a while, luckily she was quick enough to catch her cousin''s body so there was nothing significant to worry about.


    Maybe previously, Hailee would have felt a little disturbed by the presence of the four bodyguards who were constantly following her. Even though they were trying to blend in with the others, Hailee still knew that they were around her.


    But, now things were different. Under these circumstances, they proved to be very useful. Because, when Zia was still bbergasted and confused to digest that Hailee have actually lost consciousness, the four bodyguards immediately took action.


    One of them immediately approached Hailee and lifted her carefully while coordinating with each other.


    Their calm and professional demeanor allowed Zia to breathe a little easier. At least, she wasn''t alone in this situation, because then she would definitely panic and be confused about what to do.


    In a very short period of time, they were already in the car, where Zia hugged Hailee tightly, rubbing her cheek to make her beloved cousin open her eyes, while they drove to the nearest hospital.


    ================


    Ramon was in the middle of a meeting when his cell phone vibrated, and only some important and closest people knew this number.


    Therefore, Ramon picked up the call in the middle of a presentation from one of his marketing staff about the new market they were going to enter, especially when Ramon saw that the number calling him was the number of Pyro, the head of the bodyguards guarding Hailee.


    So it was certain that something had happened to his wife, because there was no way Pyro would call him for an unimportant reason.


    And sure enough, three seconds after Ramon heard the reason why Pyro called him. His facial expression changed to a deep frown between his eyebrows and when the call was disconnected, the staff present there could feel Ramon''s mood changing so drastically.


    "Meeting adjourned," Ramon said curtly as he rose from his chair and walked away, leaving the people there, still shocked by the change.


    Since Ramon wasn''t around and just left the room in the middle of the meeting, without the slightest exnation, their attention automatically turned to Lexus.


    "What is wrong?"


    "What happened?"


    "Has Mr. Tordoff heard any bad news?"


    "Did something bad happen?"


    Meanwhile, Lexus, who was in the same confused state like them could only stared at them with nk face: Hey! I am just as confused as you guys, okay!?


    Lexus didn''t understand why Ramon suddenly looked panicked and just left. There were only a few things that could make the man leave the meeting voluntarily and whatever the reason, Lexus had to find out.


    ================


    Giana was awakened by the constant mechanical beeping sounds, like the sound of her heartbeat, but this soft sound irritated her and she furrowed her brows in displeasure.


    She didn''t want to wake up and face reality. She wanted to go back to sleep and not have to think about the things that had been bothering her for so long. The darkness seemed more calming and peaceful, knowing what she had to face the moment her eyes opened.


    However, of course Giana could not do that. She could not return to hide in the darkness that gave her a moment of calm.


    Especially when she recalled everything, the seconds she felt like she had gone mad, lost her mind, when she was blindly trying to hurt Aidan and injured herself in the process.


    Giana tried to raise her hand and touch her face, but her hand felt numb and she stopped the attempt after several tries.


    "How do you feel?" A voice that Giana knew all too well startled her.


    The voice came from her left. Maybe because Giana hadn''t fully realized yet, that''s why she didn''t notice Aidan''s presence there.


    "How are you feeling now?" This time Aidan got up from the sofa he was sitting on in the corner of the room and walked over to Giana. He stood by her bed and stared at the haggard and pale face of the woman who, a few hours ago, had tried to kill him. The woman who was still his wife. The woman who was now the most sought after by the news hunters in this country.


    Giana stared at Aidan for a moment, before closing her eyes again, as if to tell this man to stay away from her and not bother her now.


    Giana''s feelings now were hard to put into words and there was nothing she wanted to say to Aidan. Even to answer a simple question, she didn''t have any desire.


    Seeing Giana''s reaction, Aidan couldn''t do anything to force her to speak. Therefore, the only thing he could do was exining the current state and situation.


    Because Giana should know how bad things were out there right now. How bad of a plight Giana had thrown herself into through her reckless actions and long thoughts.


    And also because the bad situation had not yet end. No, it wasn''t even the culmination of the problems that Giana would faceter. Because Aidan could tell that the situation would be much worse than this.


    And Giana must prepare herself for that, since he wouldn''t be able to do it for her.


    At least, this was thest thing he could do for her¡­


    But before that, Aidan had to make sure Giana had recovered a bit and could digest his words well, so he pressed the emergency button beside Giana''s bed and called the doctor to run a check up on her.


    It didn''t take long for a doctor and two nurses toe to Giana''s room, and during the wait, no words were spoken between the two of them.


    Giana and Aidan were like two strangers who have to be confined in the same room, at the same time. Their rtionship seemed to be much worse than anyone could imagine.


    "¡­Mrs. Smith needs some bed rest, the wound on her hand needs extra attention so it doesn''t leave a scar," the Doctor said at the end of his examination.


    However, Giana who heard the exnation couldn''t help butugh wryly in her heart. She wasn''t sure she would care about the scars on her hands when her reputation and good name were crumbling out there.


    Then the doctor said some things that Giana didn''t pay attention to. Because, her mind was only focused on the red sky from behind therge ss windows opposite her bed. Looking beautiful and rxing...


    She didn''t want to think about anything else.


    "Yes, I''ll take care of everything," Aidan said dazedly, responding to the doctor''s words and after a long exnation the medics finally left, leaving them alone again.


    After making sure no one was there, Aidan pulled a chair to the side of Giana''s bed and sat there, blocking the view of the evening sky that she was enjoying and making her frown as the sight before her was reced with a figure she didn''t want to see.


    Thus, Giana turned in the opposite direction and looked at the sofa Aidan had been sitting on and the entire luxurious room in the hospital, but it felt cold and painful, without any warmth there.


    "Listen, we have to talk about this matter," Aidan began. Under these conditions, even though Giana didn''t want to pay attention to what Aidan had to say, she couldn''t go anywhere either. Thus, she couldn''t help but be forced to listen to him. "I understand you just woke up and are not in good shape for the news I''m about to tell you, but it''s for your own good."


    "Water," Giana said hoarsely, as if she hadn''t been getting any liquid for years.


    Hearing this, Aidan automatically stood up from his seat and went to the nearest table, poured a ss of mineral water and pressed the button on Giana''s bed, to lift the top of the bed, making it easier for the woman to drink, so as not to choke.


    Aidan also helped Giana by bringing the ss to her pale, chapped lips. A sight that reminded Aidan that the condition wasrgely his responsibility as well.


    After finishing half of the mineral water in the ss, Giana looked much better. "I didn''t think you were the only one in this room, waiting for me," Giana said.


    "Both of your parents are taking care of something important," Aidan exined curtly.


    "You mean taking care of the mess I made?" Giana corrected the man''s words with a scornful tone of voice.


    What else would her father do if it wasn''t to save the family''s good name. He probably wouldn''t even care about Giana''s current state.


    As long as his daughter was still breathing and didn''t cause a more serious mess, then Mr. Dawson would deal with herter.


    Very typical of her father, and Giana was very familiar with his nature. Very easy to read.


    "You could say that," Aidan confirmed in a low voice, cing the ss back on the nearest table. "So, there''s only me looking after you here."


    This time Giana let out a low, mockingugh. "I don''t even mind being left alone in this room. I didn''t even expect your presence."


    The condescending tone that Giana used to criticize himself really tested Aidan''s meager patience, but in this situation, the man looked tired of their bickering that always started this way.


    "Where''s Dillon? You don''t have to apany me, let him do it." Giana turned her gaze away from Aidan again.

 Chapter 202: WE NEED TO GO TO CENTRAL HOSPITAL

    <h4>Chapter 202: WE NEED TO GO TO CENTRAL HOSPITAL</h4>


    And this was what Giana always did. She would continue to annoy Aidan until this man lost his temper and exploded.


    Indeed, the saying: hurt people, hurt people (people who are hurt will hurt others) was a sentence that was very suitable for Giana''s current situation.


    Only this time it didn''t work, because Aidan didn''t budge and kept to his decision to say what he had to say.


    "If you really care about him, you shouldn''t be seeing that poor guy anymore," Aidan said in a calm tone of voice. This time, he wasn''t affected by his emotions at all. "Your father fired him."


    Gianna snorted. "Strange, I am not at all surprised to hear that." Of course, that was the first thing her father would do to Dillon.


    What else Mr. Dawson would do then if he didn''t try to make Dillon''s life more miserable, yet Giana hoped his father would stop at that and didn''t take things further.


    At the very least, Dillon had nothing to do with this, he was nothing but helping her to go through her sh*t days.


    "With the bad news circting out there, I don''t think he is going tond another good job anytime soon," Aidan expressed his thoughts.


    "He doesn''t have to worry about that," Giana answered lightly. As long as she still have ess to thepany, Dillon didn''t have to worry about unnecessary things.


    Hearing that frivolous answer, Aidan could only shake his head. "You would better worry about yourself than that guy."


    "I am now at a point where I don''t even know what to worry about anymore," Giana said in a tired voice. She had gone through a lot for herself to worry about, so now she could no longer sort out which things she should prioritize to be worried.


    After saying that, Giana turned and looked at Aidan. There, the man could see a very deep wound in her eyes.


    It was strange to see a tough woman like Giana was being vulnerable like this time.


    "Giana," Aidan called her name softly. "I want you to prepare for the worst and also¡­" Aidan reached out and grabbed Giana''s hand, holding it gently. "¡­I want to apologize in advance for what I am going to doter. It''s not just a matter between you and me, but it''s a matter that concerns the reputation of the family and both thepanies, so I hope you will understand whatever action I am going to take."


    Giana frowned, she tried to understand Aidan''splicated speech with her brain running very slowly.


    "Understand the actions you will take? Like tolerating your infidelity from the very beginning of our marriage?" Giana scoffed. "I guess I have been doing pretty well for the past three years, so whatever you do next, I guess I don''t care anymore."


    Aidan gritted his teeth. Giana''s words made him feel guilty and made it hard for him to find the right words to exin what he was about to say.


    "Giana you knew from the start that neither of us really wanted this marriage," Aidan said. His voice was nothing but patient. "You are notpletely innocent in this situation, after all. You too have an affair, whether it''s with your personal assistant or another man."


    Giana narrowed her eyes when she heard Aidan''s statement.


    "Yes, I got into an affair after a year of struggling with your very immoral attitude. We both don''t want this marriage, but at least you can respect me by not doing that to me." Giana''s voice did sound weak, but that didn''t mean she didn''t convey the meaning of her sentence as sarcastically as possible. "Or, at least you can be smart enough to hide it from me, but unfortunately you are not that smart."


    Aidan took another deep breath. He grabbed Giana''s hand again, and when he lifted his head to look at the woman who was furious at him, there was an apologetic look in his eyes.


    "Giana, here I want to apologize for what I have done or what I will doter¡­"


    Because Aidan kept saying that, Giana couldn''t help but catch something serious that seemed to be happening, or rather something bad that Aidan would do to her. But what?


    "What are you going to do to me?" Giana asked, her voice sounding wary and her brows furrowed, showing her confusion.


    ================


    The first thing that came to Ramon''s mind when he heard that Hailee had passed out was that his wife was back to being sick like a few months ago, when they had only just gotten to know each other.


    For the first time, he was worried about a stranger. Yes, Hailee could be said to be a stranger to Ramon at that time.


    However, now that the woman had be his wife, therefore Ramon''s concern was more evident from his attitude, although he didn''t show it in his facial expression.


    Ramon left the ongoing meeting and rushed to the hospital, after receiving a call from Hailee''s personal bodyguard.


    It didn''t take long for Ramon to reach the aforementioned hospital and meet Hailee.


    "How do you feel?" Ramon asked in a voice that sounded stiff. He then stroked Hailee''s pale cheeks and held her small, cold hands in his own.


    Indeed the past few days Hailee didn''t seem as cheerful and cheeky as usual, but Ramon didn''t think too much about it. He just thought that maybe Hailee was tired after the fashion show the other day and some of the activities she was doing.


    But, who would have thought that this would happen?


    Zia, who was in the room, couldn''t help but smile a little at the concern in Ramon''s eyes and was also relieved that Hailee had found a man like him.


    Who would have thought that the CEO and heir to the Tordoff family could be so romantic and worry about other people, even though rumors circted several times about him being very cold?


    But, after all, Hailee wasn''t someone else, she was his legal wife.


    "Looks like I will have to leave you two alone..." Zia said, stepping away from the husband and wife pair, narrowing her eyes mischievously and wink at Hailee before she closed the door.


    Ramon did not respond to Zia who resigned herself from the room, because what he was waiting for was an answer from Hailee regarding her current situation.


    "I have arranged for your transfer to the central hospital for better treatment." It was the first thing Ramon did on his way to this hospital.


    Actually, the man wasn''t used to showing his emotions, such as worry or anxiety, but Hailee would always be an exception in his life.


    With Hailee, Ramon felt all kinds of strange and tingling feelings, but on the other hand, he didn''t mind the changes that was happening in his life.


    "Why do I have to change hospitals?" Hailee asked with a frown. "We can go straight home after you hear the doctor''s exnation."


    "I have never had a medical check- up in this hospital," Ramon answered the question lightly. In other words, he did not trust the doctors here enough and only a diagnosis from the doctors at the central hospital was trustworthy, as he thought everything would be very urate there.


    And again, at the central hospital, there was a family doctor, who had been treating the Tordoffs for years.


    However, on the other hand, Hailee justughed softly at Ramon''s reaction, then she slowly tried to sit up with the help of her husband. "I am fine," Hailee said softly, cupping Ramon''s face with her palms, smiling so sweetly tofort this man. As it turned out, seeing Ramon worried was fun enough, maybe Hailee should try it a few more times¡­ "Very, very good in fact."


    Just at that moment, a young woman came into the room. She looked young and beautiful as a doctor, and it was her who had treated Hailee earlier.


    "Oh, Mr. Tordoff!" The young doctor let out a low cry when she saw Ramon''s figure.


    She didn''t know what she had done before to get a surprise like this. At first, she did not believe that this patient was Mrs. Tordoff, or you could say Hailee Tordoff.


    But, with the tight security out there and the four bodyguards who looked very stiff at the door of this room, and also after matching the wedding photos circting on social media with Hailee, then she believed it one hundred percent.


    Especially after she saw the figure of Ramon Tordoff in person with her own eyes now.


    Geez! She had only seen Ramon Tordoff in some television coverage and also his face in business magazines, but seeing this man in person was truly mesmerizing.


    Some people wouldn''t believe in love at first sight, but after seeing Ramon Tordoff, maybe that''s how it would feel like.


    "What''s wrong with my wife?" Ramon asked straight to the point and ignored the adoring gaze from the young doctor. Well, it wasn''t new for him to receive stares like that, so there was nothing special.


    "Oh," the female doctor gasped and lowered her gaze slightly in embarrassment. The word ''my wife'' from Ramon''s lips was like a p to her which seemed to remind her of what she was about to say. "Mrs. Tordoff is fine, very good in fact," she said as she looked at Hailee with a smile on her lips. She had returned to her professional demeanor again.


    On the other hand, Hailee who was sitting on the bed, hugging Ramon''s arm, smiled and looked at her husband with sparkling eyes.


    "So, what exactly happened?" Ramon didn''t understand, if Hailee''s condition was really good, then what were they doing in this hospital? "I received a call that my wife had fainted."


    Ugh! Hailee loved hearing Ramon call her ''my wife'' in front of other women¡­


    "I''m pregnant," Hailee said cheerfully, then looked at Ramon carefully, waiting for the man''s reaction.


    People who knew about their recent activities, surely wouldn''t be surprised to hear the news of Hailee''s pregnancy, but still, when she first heard this, she had a strange warm feeling.


    A feeling of disbelief mixed with amazement, imagining the existence of another life within her body. The life they both had been waiting for¡­


    Hailee could be sure that this was good news for Ramon too, because several times they had discussed this in passing and every word Ramon said, indicated that he was really looking forward to this moment.


    However, the smile on Hailee''s face faded slightly when she realized that Ramon didn''t say anything.


    "Hey, say something," Hailee whispered awkwardly.


    And finally Ramon spoke after a long moment of silence. "We have to go to the central hospital."

 Chapter 203: ARE YOU HAPPY?

    <h4>Chapter 203: ARE YOU HAPPY?</h4>


    "We have to go to the central hospital," Ramon said in a calm tone, which only made Hailee frown.


    "What are we going there for?" She asked confusedly. Aren''t they currently in a hospital as well? Why go to another hospital if Ramon wanted to do another examination?


    Hailee couldn''t understand what was going on in Ramon''s mind, because from his expression it was clearly hard to read.


    "A thorough check up," Ramon said in the same tone of voice. He then took off the coat he was wearing to drape it over Hailee''s shoulders.


    Of course, this action made the wrinkles on Hailee''s forehead deepen. What was Ramon really trying to do? Hailee was already wearing her own jacket and she wasn''t feeling cold, so this romantic gesture wasn''t really necessary¡­


    However, Hailee didn''t say anything, in order not to spoil the mood and let her husband help her out of the hospital bed carefully, as if Hailee was suffering from a serious illness and unable to function normally.


    Hmm, was this one of Ramon''s ways to show his concern? May be¡­


    Though it was a little bit strange, but Hailee was curious to see what else Ramon would do.


    Then, without saying anything else, Ramon led Hailee out of the room, leaving the doctor alone, as his arms wrapped around her waist protectively.


    Outside the room, they met Zia who was still waiting for Hailee. The young woman immediately stood up and approached her with a happy smile on her lips.


    She then shifted her gaze between Hailee and Ramon and then back to Hailee. "Congrattions Mr. Tordoff!" Zia said cheerfully.


    "Hm," Ramon responded tly.


    And when Zia was about to hug Hailee, Ramon suddenly pulled his wife''s body which was still in his arms back a little, preventing Zia froming closer. "Eh?"


    Hailee who saw this could only grimace. "We''re going to the central hospital," she said, informing her cousin.


    "What for?" Zia immediately came back from her shock and tried to act normal. Although, she didn''t understand why Ramon had to act like that. It was not like Zia would hurt Hailee by hugging her, right? If that was what this man thinking, then it was too much.


    "For a thorough check up," Hailee replied, but she used a questioning tone at the end of the sentence while looking at Ramon beside her, unsure of her own answer. Well, Ramon didn''t exin further about why they had to go to the central hospital.


    However, as long as Ramon cared about the health of Hailee and their future child, Hailee would notment much. Just let this cold man show his care in a strange way.


    "Oh, then I will go home and tell dad this happy news, he must be very happy to hear that," Zia said with a big smile, but this time she didn''t try to hug Hailee, but just waved her hand


    "Oh, okay," Hailee said then took the initiative to hug Zia first. "I will call you backter," she said, kissing Zia''s cheek lightly.


    "Okay, be careful on the road," Zia said. "Take care."


    Hailee smiled happily, while Ramon just gave Zia a small nod, like the formal nod he always gave to those who greeted him.


    Then, Ramon and Hailee left from the hospital to the central hospital apanied by several bodyguards who escorted them in a much ''low profile'' manner.


    Meanwhile, Zia could only wince when she saw the way Ramon treated Hailee.


    Maybe, people would think that Ramon''s attitude was too much, but that guy did it because he didn''t know how to react properly in a situation like this.


    Ramon had, of course, expected this moment to happen, but when Hailee was actually pregnant, he didn''t know the right reaction to show and had no one to ask.


    Well, Lexus would never be included in his count because his younger brother had never experienced anything like this too.


    Zia, who watched Ramon and Hailee leave until their figures disappeared, could only stand there alone.


    Actually the reason why Zia asked Hailee out was because she didn''t want to be alone. That was why, she met Hailee so she could distract herself from Aidan''s problems and the fact that he kept refusing her calls.


    However, now of course, she couldn''t bother her cousin.


    Zia then reached for her cell phone which she put in her trouser pocket and started looking for a number in her cell phone contacts which, you could say, she didn''t call often. "Ian?" She greeted. "Where are you?"


    Then, there was a grunt from the other end of the phone because Zia had disturbed his sleep.


    Meanwhile, the sky had revealed a reddish glow, signaling that the day would turn into night, leaving today with many unresolved stories between those who were feuding.


    ================


    "Giana I apologize in advance for what I am about to do," Aidan said at the end of his long exnation of the reason why he kept apologizing to this woman.


    Aidan knew he was an asshole for making Giana feel this way and adding to the devastation in the midst of the troubles she was in, but wouldn''t it be better if Giana knew about this beforehand so she could prepare herself?


    Meanwhile, Giana closed her eyes very tightly and gritted her mrs hard, to contain the anger that welled up inside her. Her hands gripped the nket until her knuckles turned white.


    "That''s all I wanted to say," Aidan said, ending his long speech. He then fell silent for a moment, waiting for Giana''s reaction. Is this woman going to throw a tantrum again like she did a few hours ago, or is she going to try to throw something at Aidan again¡­


    Whatever it was, Aidan had prepared himself for whichever reaction Giana would give.


    Only, Giana did not budge. She sat on her bed without saying anything, nor wanting to look at Aidan.


    Silence fell between the two of them for what seemed like a very long moment and Aidan was still patiently waiting for what Giana had to say, but the woman didn''t say a word.


    Until in the end, Aidan gave up and thought that Giana needed some time alone, so that''s what he gave her.


    Aidan then got up from his seat and straightened his clothes. He had asked someone to get him a change of clothes so that the clothes he was wearing now no longer had bloodstains on them. Only his bandaged hand indicated that the horrific incident at Dillon''s apartment had actually happened.


    "If there''s nothing you want to ask or say, I will go." Aidan waited, but still no reaction. "I think you need some time alone to cool off."


    After saying that, he stepped across the room, about to leave, but was stopped when Giana''s hoarse voice called out to him.


    "Aidan," Giana said his name very stiffly, as if there were a million emotions that pushed her to be able to speak. "I will make sure you pay for all this. If you think you can get out of this just like that with just meaningless apology of yours, then you are very wrong. I will drag you down with me as well as your little slut."


    It was a warning and a threat. And, Giana was determined to make it happen at any cost.


    The hatred that possessed her seemed to drown and strangle her strongly, making it hard for Giana to breathe, but at the same time, it was this hatred that pushed her to survive.


    ================


    "Hey, you can have your coat back, I am not cold," Haileeined. At first, she was okay with Ramon''s strange attitude, but after a while the coat made her felt ufortable and too hot.


    She had already put on a jacket and now Ramon added the coat he was wearing, not to mention their sitting position, which indirectly made Ramon half hug her.


    Ugh! Could you imagine how hot and ufortable it is?


    Ramon didn''t say anything, he just looked at Hailee with a slightly furrowed brow, but didn''t let go of his embrace or made a move to remove the coat that he made his wife wear.


    Tsk! Had Ramon be more quiet now than usual? No, he wasn''t actually quiet. It''s safe to say that Ramon talked quite a lot, but only with certain people he deemed worth talking to, then only he would utter a few more words than usual.


    "Ramon¡­" Hailee sulked. "I am hot. You can''t wrap me like a sweet potato like this."


    It was only after seeing the sweat that was starting to form on Hailee''s forehead, that Ramon was willing to let go of the woman and the coat he put on her.


    "Hey, are you worried about my condition?" Hailee asked curiously. She could have guessed it easily, but still, getting a direct answer from Ramon was far more satisfying. "You are worried about me now that I am pregnant?"


    Ramon didn''t answer immediately, he looked at Hailee first, long enough for the woman to feel ufortable with his intense gaze.


    "Yes," answered Ramon atst. "You can say that."


    ''You can say that''? What answer is that? Ramon should just say ''yes'' and didn''t need to add any exnation.


    Exasperated, Hailee turned her body so that she was facing Ramon, then she cupped her palms to the man''s cheeks so that their eyes met.


    "Are you happy to hear this news?" Hailee asked carefully, since Ramon had not yet said anything about her pregnancy, except that they needed to go to central hospital.

 Chapter 204: I HAVE TOLD HIM THAT

    <h4>Chapter 204: I HAVE TOLD HIM THAT</h4>


    "Of course," Ramon answered the question directly, his brows furrowed, not understanding why Hailee would question such an obvious thing. "Why do you ask like that?"


    "Because I haven''t seen you smile at all since the first time I told you the news that I am pregnant," Hailee said in a low voice, lowering her head so she looked like someone who was grieving. "I think I made a mistake¡­"


    "What mistake do you mean?" Ramon then put his finger under Hailee''s chin, lifting her head so he could see the disappointment in her eyes because Ramon''s reaction was not what she expected. "This can''t be a mistake. I am happy."


    "But you don''t look like that," Hailee sulked. "You looked tense from the first time I saw you step into the examination room, especially when I told you about this pregnancy. The expression on your face is that of someone waiting for a final verdict." Hailee was exaggerating, but she really wanted to know what was really going on in Ramon''s mind right now. She wanted rity.


    Ramon thenughed softly at Hailee''s analogy. "Of course I am very happy," he said softly, leaning his head to touch the tips of their noses together. "I just don''t know how to express this feeling. I am not sure I will be a good father."


    What was that? Did Hailee just hear Ramon speaking in a timid tone? Did he just show her his vulnerable side? Did he really feel unsure of himself?


    Whoa! It was the first time for Hailee to see this side of Ramon.


    "Why do you think so?" Hailee closed her eyes, enjoying their closeness. She loved such moments with him.


    "I don''t know," Ramon replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I suddenly feel like that¡­"


    "You will be a great father¡­" Haileeughed softly as Ramon rubbed their noses.


    It might be a romantic moment for both of them, but it seemed both Hailee and Ramon forgot that they were not alone in the car.


    In the front seat were Charlie and David, Ramon''s chief bodyguards. They both looked very ufortable in their respective seats, listening to the conversation between the two lovebirds.


    After all, what could they do? They couldn''t possibly turn a deaf ear and even though Hailee and Ramon''s conversation was nothing more than whispering, inside this silent car, of course they could hear it without problem.


    David then looked at Charlie as if to say; can''t you drive this car any faster?


    ================


    "Hey, tell me something," Lexus asked Danny in pitiful tone.


    Danny was indeed his ssmate when he was in college and was now Ramon''s personal assistant, but truthfully, the rtionship between the two of them was not very good.


    Therefore, if it wasn''t for an urgent situation that required him to call Danny, in order to find out where his brother and sister- in-w were, Lexus would not have called him.


    Lexus had arrived at the house an hour ago, but there was no sign of Ramon or Hailee there, and after asking Martha about the whereabouts of the two people, he learned that they hadn''t yet returned.


    And of course, the most annoying thing for Lexus was that neither Hailee nor Ramon were picking up their phone calls.


    Where were they? Did they get lost in the forest and couldn''t get signal?


    Even Hailee''s bodyguards didn''t want to talk about their whereabouts or what was going on.


    Ugh!


    For someone as curious as Lexus, this kind of situation was very annoying and frustrating. He would be willing to bang his head against the wall just to find out what was really going on between the two of them and what have made Ramon look so panicked when he left thepany in the middle of a meeting.


    "You can ask them after they bothe back," Danny answered Lexus in azy tone. He looked up at the darkening sky and the streetmps that had been lit.


    "Then, when will they return?" Lexus bombarded Danny with the same question for the umpteenth time.


    "They will be back in time," Danny replied casually.


    Aarrgggh!!!


    Lexus knew that Danny was taking revenge on him with that annoying answer. "Danny!!! If you are near me I will beat you up!"


    And after Lexus said those harsh words, the line was cut off, making the second son of the Tordoff family furious.


    "AARRRGGH! Watch out Danny! I will never let this slide!" Lexus growled and made several of the servants in Ramon''s house run away from him.


    ================


    Ramon was still uneasy that Hailee had not been thoroughly examined at the central hospital and because Dr. Bram wasn''t an Obstetrics and Gynecology specialist, he couldn''t check on Hailee''s condition efficiently.


    However, Ramon insisted that the doctor should alsoe and see his wife''s condition.


    "Ramon, you don''t have to call me here, it''s not an emergency." Dr. Bramined a little. He was a man in his mid- thirties and had known Ramon for quite some time, so when it was just the two of them and he wasn''t at work, Dr. Bram tended to be more rxed toward the heir to the Tordoff family.


    "You are the family doctor," Ramon replied casually, while watching Hailee who was undergoing a thorough examination.


    "You are crazy!" Dr. Bram grumbled. "Your wife is pregnant, not suffering from a deadly disease. You don''t need to over- do it like this."


    "Don''t talk carelessly," Ramon said fiercely to Dr. Bram, until the man had to close his mouth again andin in his heart why Ramon''s attitude was getting worse and worse.


    "I am just telling you that you don''t need to do this and that you don''t need me here," Dr. Bram defended himself.


    When he heard Dr. Bram, Ramon turned around and looked at him with a look that could make anyone immediately feel worried that they had said unpleasant things in his ear.


    "If you really don''t want to be here, should I change the Tordoff family doctor as well?" This question was a threat wrapped in kind words and Ramon said it very casually, as if they were talking about today''s weather.


    Immediately, Dr. Bram swallowed nervously. "No, there is no need to take it that far. I think I really should check Hailee''s condition, after all this is a thorough check up, so there must be something I can do."


    In a hurry, Dr. Bram immediately walked into the room and approached Hailee, and from the expression on her face, one could easily tell if she was feeling upset.


    At least, not just Dr. Bram was not happy with Ramon''s decision.


    "How long will it take to finish this examination?" Hailee grumbled at Dr. Bram. "I am pregnant, not afflicted with a deadly disease."


    Dr. Bram exhaled, he could also feel Hailee''s frustration. "That''s what I told your husband earlier. But, he doesn''t seem to understand this simplenguage."


    ================


    Aileen returned home, apanied by Theodore. But, the man did not get out of his car at all and went straight to his own house. He only said some sweet words that sounded like a bunch of pleasantries to Aileen before the woman got out of the car.


    For the attitude of a man knowing that his lover had just been in an ident, what Theodore did could be considered cold.


    But, for now, Aileen didn''t care about that at all. Her and Theodore''s rtionship didn''t seem to be improving as smoothly as before, so there was nothing she could do now.


    Aileen immediately took out her cell phone after she confirmed that Theodore''s vehicle had disappeared behind the tall gates of the Tatum family''s house.


    In the past, when her parents were still alive, it could be said that this was a warm house. Although, Aileen often felt jealous and resentful toward Hailee, but at least this house could still be said to be a home, not just a magnificent building that was quiet and cold, like now.


    "You are going to regret what you did today," Aileen said when George picked up the phone, without saying ''hello'' or greeting first.


    What for? The fact that George had almost killed her with that ridiculous n of his really made Aileen furious and bbergasted.


    How could such a stupid person be her father? Oh, George was such a fool, otherwise how could he have challenged Ramon and fall on that guy''s bad side just because of a momentary impulsive urge?


    Yes, that brief moment had gotten George into a dark pit in the office right now. Not only that, this also affected Aileen''s position in the Tatumpany.


    "There is no other way to get that bastard man to stop his intentions." George replied to Aileen''s words in the same harsh tone. He didn''t want to be med for what he thought was appropriate. "You think you can think of another way? The ident didn''t kill you and you are still alive, so what else are youining about?!"


    Aileen growled when she heard those painful words from George. Just because she didn''t die in the ident, then she should feel grateful? What kind of joke is that?


    "George," Aileen called his name this time in a very cold tone. She wanted to make sure that this man heard every word she was going to say after this. "You will regret what you did to me today and you should know that I will not let you go."


    "You are threatening me?" George snorted in annoyance. How could this girl who always obeyed his every word and order, dare to threaten him now?


    "Yes, I am threatening you." Aileen confirmed, her voice sounded much firmer and stronger than usual. "I will make sure you regret what you did today. You think you can get the Tatum family fortune just like that after falling out with Ramon Tordoff? I guarantee that you will lose your position in thatpany."


    "You think you are great now!?" George snapped at Aileen loudly. "If I fall from my position in thatpany, then you will fall with me too."


    Aileenughed wryly at this expected answer. "Not necessarily. Because just as I don''t know what kind of n you are going to follow, you don''t know what kind of n I am going to carry out either."


    "Aileen!"


    And before George could say anything else, Aileen had cut him off.


    "Stop using me, because I am fed up with what you are doing. From now on, we will take different paths," Aileen said those words very cold.


    The hatred in her heart grew like diseases in her heart and now she could no longer contain it.


    It was the time for her to give him an eye opener.

 Chapter 205: THIS WILL BE THE LAST TIME

    <h4>Chapter 205: THIS WILL BE THE LAST TIME</h4>


    "Where have you been?!" Lexus whined when he saw the figures of Ramon and Hailee stepping into the house.


    Lexus was almost like a child who was waiting impatiently for his parents to return. And, as soon as he heard the sound of a car approaching the Tordoff family residence, Lexus immediately jumped up from his seat, which he had been sitting on restlessly for the past two hours, and quickly ran toward door to wee them both.


    "What is wrong? What happened? Why?" Lexus immediately bombarded Hailee with questions, because he knew it would be difficult for him to get an answer out of his brother''s lips and even if Ramon did say something, it would not be anything satisfactory.


    However, before Lexus could approach Hailee, Ramon had already raised his hand and shoved his younger brother''s face with his palm, to get him away.


    But, Hailee then pushed Ramon''s hand away from Lexus''s face and looked at him in annoyance. Ramon had done this so many times already, not letting anyone get near her, as if they were carrying daggers with intentions to harm her. Ramon''s reaction shouldn''t need to be so exaggerated.


    At first, Hailee found it cute and funny, but she wanted to take her words back quickly when Ramon took things too far in the hospital by requiring her to undergo an over- examination.


    Well, now this guy was simply annoying!


    "You don''t have to do that," Hailee said fiercely and Lexus nodded in agreement.


    "Yes, you don''t have to do that to me, I am your younger brother," Lexus grumbled, rubbing his face in annoyance. "There is no way in the world will I hurt her, you should be more worried that Hailee might hurt me instead."


    This time Hailee''s fierce gaze was fixed on Lexus and this made the second son of the Tordoff familyugh cheerfully.


    "So, what is really going on? Ramon just left in the middle of a meeting after receiving a call." Lexus then checked Hailee from top to bottom carefully. No cuts, no bruises, Hailee didn''t look sick either. So what happened exactly? "The call must be from you, what happened to you?"


    "Hailee passed out," Ramon told Lexus curtly as he walked to their room on the second floor, still holding Hailee''s waist protectively, while his brother had to follow them, throwing questions like an annoying reporter.


    "Fainted? Why? Are you tired?" Lexus then put his hand on Hailee''s forehead, but he didn''t feel that there was anything strange about her temperature. "Not hot. Have you been to the doctor''s? What is the problem?"


    Hailee brushed Lexus''s hand away from her forehead. Maybe the two of them had different ways, but now the two brothers were on the same level of being annoying as when they were panicking or feeling worried. "I am not sick, I am pregnant."


    Hailee informed Lexus of the news just like that.


    For a moment, Lexus had the same reaction as Ramon. He was frozen and motionless where he was standing while Hailee nced at his nk expression over her shoulder and rolled her eyes, as if to say: I have seen that reaction before.


    Then, without waiting for Lexus to recover from his shock, Ramon led Hailee up the stairs and to their bedroom, ignoring the annoyed look from his wife.


    "I am not sick, okay." Hailee kept repeating that sentence, but just like before, Ramon didn''t care, instead he found a new excuse.


    "The first trimester is a delicate time, especially since it is your first pregnancy," Ramon argued with his new found knowledge.


    Although what Ramon said was not wrong, but of course the attitude and treatment he showed to Hailee was too much.


    However, at this point, Hailee knew that whatever she saidter would not have much effect on Ramon''s way of thinking, so Hailee wisely decided to stop this pointless argument and let her husband spoil her.


    After all, who didn''t love attention and being pampered? So, Hailee would just enjoy all of this happily. Well, this was win- win solution.


    "Okay, okay¡­" Hailee shrugged nonchntly and this time she left Ramon with his oddity.


    However, Hailee almost took a wrong step and lost her footing if it wasn''t for Ramon who supported her while they were climbing the stairs when Lexus screamed all of sudden with excitement.


    "PREGNANT!!!?" He shouted, almost like someone who wanted to wake the whole house with this information. "You are pregnant?!"


    Lexus, who had just regained ess to his thinking process, rushed to Hailee again and asked the same question. "You are pregnant? Really pregnant? Pregnant in the sense that you will have a child and I will have a cute nephew or niece in nine months'' time? Pregnant in that sense?"


    Let alone Hailee, even Ramon had to frown at Lexus'' barrage of questions which he thought didn''t make anysense at all. Is there another meaning for the word ''pregnant''?


    "Yes, Lexus, now get out of my sight," Hailee grumbled, trying to push Lexus away, but this man''s body was too sturdy to be nudged away so easily.


    Therefore, it was Ramon who pushed him until he got out of their sight.


    "Whoa! This is such a great news! This is great!" eximed Lexus cheerfully, he seemedpletely indifferent to the fact that neither of these lovebirds wanted to be disturbed by his chatter, or Hailee who wanted to immediately lie down on her soft bed and rest.


    Moreover, this afternoon Hailee fell unconscious. She needed rest¡­


    "Do you know!? Thest cute baby born in the Tordoff family was me!" Said Lexus proudly. "I have to tell mom about this amazing news! I can assure you that mother will be very excited to know that she will have grandchildren." But, then Lexus was pensive while rubbing his chin, thinking. "Or maybe she will be upset that she is going to be a grandmother, since she doesn''t want to be called old..."


    "She will be happy," Ramon said in a calm voice. And with the mention of Lis, without him realizing it, his conversation with Giana started reying in his mind.


    Ramon really had to start figuring out what had really happened over the past four years.


    "Oh, of course, of course," said Lexus quickly, not wanting Hailee to misunderstand what he meant. "I mean mom must be happy, but on the other hand¡­"


    Before Lexus could finish hisplicated exnation, Ramon had pushed Hailee''s body slowly into the room, while he was still standing in the doorway, preventing Lexus from getting inside.


    For a moment the two brothers looked at each other, but with different eyes. Ramon looked calm and tended to be cold, while Lexus was tilting his head in confusion.


    "What is wrong? Why are you¡­" again Lexus'' words were cut off.


    "Good night," said Ramon as he closed the door to his room right in his brother''s face, and not long after, Lexus heard the sound of the door being locked.


    It happened so fast that Lexus was still frozen in ce until a few seconds had passed, only then did he react. "Hey! You don''t have to lock the door! I couldn''t have barged into the room!" He cried in annoyance.


    But, anyone who knew him would know that that was what he would do if Ramon didn''t lock the door.


    "Oh! One more! You are taking Hailee to thepany anniversary, right?!" Lexus asked, but there was no answer.


    Ugh! Those two were annoying!


    Even so, Lexus''s annoyance didn''tst long when he remembered that he was going to have a cute nephew or niece soon.


    And with light and carefree steps he returned to his own house after he stopped making a fuss at Ramon''s house and told Lis about this happy news along the way.


    ================


    Zia grimaced as Ian delivered a powerful punch to his opponent''s stomach before pinning the body of a man asrge as himself onto the arena floor. He did it easily and it was clear that he had done it many times.


    This was Zia''s first time seeing Ian fight in person, because before, she had only heard of this from Hailee.


    And now she was grateful that she had not witnessed such a terrible thing, maybe tonight would also be thest night for her to witness Ian''s fight.


    Although Zia was born to a father who was a high- ranking military official, but never once had she seen violence or men fighting face- to- face. Especially when the people around the arena cheered and shouted, encouraging Ian to finish off his opponent.


    Isn''t that illegal? Wouldn''t that be murder then?


    Now Zia was thinking twice about her decision to see Ian in order to divert her attention from the headline that gued the Smith and Dawson families.


    When Zia saw Ian walk out of the Arena and head for the back door, which indicated that the show was over, Zia jumped up from her seat and followed the man through a different door.


    Behind her, Zia could still hear the cheers from the audience or the grumbling of some of the people who had lost their bets.


    However, all those annoying noises slowly disappeared as Zia walked down the corridor, toward the room where Ian usually changed clothes and rested.


    "I swear this will be thest time I watch your fight!" Zia immediately grumbled as soon as she opened the locker room door where Ian was being treated by other fighters. The wound on his left eyes seemed quite bad¡­

 Chapter 206: DAY OFF

    <h4>Chapter 206: DAY OFF</h4>


    Hearing Zia''s annoyance made Ianugh, but this only made the pain on his face increase and he grimaced at that.


    "I warned you, but weren''t you the one who wanted to see the match earlier?" Ian reminded Zia.


    He was actually quite surprised when he saw Ziaing to the arena unannounced, with intentions to watch the show tonight. Because all Ian knew was; although Zia tended to be simpler to say what was on her mind than Hailee and also looked more fierce, but when it came to violence, Zia''s heart was too soft to witness any violent scenes.


    Very contradictory indeed, considering her background, being the daughter of a military official.


    On the other hand, Zia pouted when she heard how Ian reminded her of her stubbornness earlier.


    Well, indeed the main goal of forgetting the problem with Aidan had been achieved, but this method seemed too extreme for Zia.


    Then, Zia snorted in annoyance and walked over to Ian, who was being treated, before sitting down beside him. "You really live off getting beaten up and beating up other people."


    Ianughed wryly at that. "Not everyone benefits from living the way they want, right?"


    "But you can find another job," Zia suggested. "You would probably be happier if you could make money in a more decent way."


    Zia didn''t pay any attention to her words, because she was only speaking what was on her mind.


    "It is quite worthy for me," Ian replied in a low voice. "But then, what brought you here all of a sudden to see me? You can''t be missing me this much, can you?"


    Ian changed the subject because he didn''t want to discuss what was appropriate or not appropriate with Zia.


    Earlier, when Zia came, they didn''t get a proper chance to talk, so Ian still didn''t know about the happy news that came from Hailee.


    "Oh, there is no need to be so confident," Zia sneered. "I came here only to tell you some happy news."


    "Good news?" Ian raised an eyebrow. "What kind of happy news? Tell me, I am in need of news like that. Lately, all I have been hearing is rubbish news."


    Ziaughed. She liked Ian''s easy- going attitude and his words that sounded like swearing, because when she was with Aidan, Zia also had to mind her attitude and rarely said or heard harsh words.


    "This is news about Hailee," Zia lowered her voice, as if adding tension to her story, but the smile never left her lips.


    "Happy newsing from Hailee?" Ian frowned, he then waved his hand to the young man in front of him, who had been silent all this time while cleaning Ian''s wounds, indicating for him to leave the two of them alone.


    "Yep!" Zia pped once, looking enthusiastic.


    "What good news? Are they divorced?" He asked spontaneously. Of course, this answer of Ian got a hard smack on the shoulder from Zia as well as a painful pinch right above his bruised arm. "You don''t have to turn out to be so brutal!" Ian grumbled as he moved away, sitting on the far side of the sofa they were sitting on.


    "If it is a divorce, then it wouldn''t be any happy news," Zia rebuked Ian, grumbling, but a secondter she resumed her sentence in a cheerful tone. "Hailee is pregnant!" She eximed.


    But, on the other hand, Ian didn''t feel the enthusiasm Zia felt at all¡­


    ================


    Ramon felt there was something strange about him, but didn''t understand what made him feel that something was odd.


    He looked at his fingers, his body and his feet.


    Ramon then looked at his surroundings as well as the objects that were not far from him, and only then did he realize that all of these objects were much taller and bigger than he was used to seeing.


    Supposedly, the big flower vase near the entrance was not the same height as him, but why were they now at the same level?


    Ramon then walked toward the living room, realizing that this was the same room he had always seen, only that some of the furniture had changed or was out of ce.


    However, the question that bothered Ramon the most was; where is everyone?


    This house was indeedrge and only inhabited by him, but there was no way he couldn''t see any servants or guards there.


    This is very strange¡­


    Where did everyone go...


    In the midst of his confusion, without realizing it, Ramon''s feet led him to the study downstairs and as he walked down the corridor, he could hear voices.


    Like the sound of two people fighting...


    Adult male and female voices.


    Hearing this, Ramon quickened his footsteps. Who were these two people? And how did they get into his study?


    His steps quickened when he heard a muffled screech before something falling and nging. Looks like this is indeed a fight¡­


    However, before Ramon could enter the room, he passed an adult- sized mirror on the left side of the hallway.


    Although Ramon couldn''t remember when he put the mirror there, the thing that surprised him the most was his figure.


    There, in the reflection of the mirror, stood a five- year- old boy, frowning.


    Ramon then looked behind him, thinking that he would see the figure of the boy beside him, but all he got was the fact that the little boy in the mirror''s reflection did the same.


    It took a few seconds longer for his clever brain to realize that the little boy was him.


    But, how could that be?!


    It was at that moment that the study door opened. Someone tugged on the door knob so violently that the creaking protest from the hinges was enough to hurt one''s ears.


    From inside the room, Ramon could see Lis, his mother, holding a child who was no more than a year old.


    Of course Ramon recognized who it was; Lexus.


    And these memories just came into his mind, like a dam of water had been shattered. Then, memories of this incident rushed into Ramon''s brain.


    Ramon remembered that this was an event that happened a very long time ago, a memory that was in the back of his head and had been forgotten.


    But, how could Ramon remember this again?


    This incident was the first fight between his parents that he witnessed directly. At that time, Lexus was less than a year old¡­


    "LIS!" His father''s voice called out for his mother''s name in anger and soon his figure came out of the room, intending to catch up with his wife who was carrying away their second son.


    However, before he could catch up with them, his gaze fell on the figure of a boy who was standing frozen beside the study door.


    And the moment their gazes met, Ramon could feel the anger and hatred so realing from his father''s figure, as if his first son had ruined his life.


    Ramon was quite surprised by the stare he received, but when he blinked his eyes, everything went ck.


    Losing his direction and source of light, Ramon tried to move in search of something he could reach.


    It was at that moment that Ramon''s hand touched hers¡­ something that was so warm andforting.


    And when Ramon opened his eyes again, he could see the figure of Hailee sleeping soundly next to him with her hair covering half of her face.


    Ramon didn''t even notice as his breath hitched and his body trembled slightly.


    Lately, he had been having strange dreams about events that had happened long back, which he hadpletely forgotten about.


    Maybe this was a side effect of the therapy he was undergoing? However, the range of memories that came back was not only in the four years that he forgot due to an ident a few months ago, but could be memories that have been buried for years.


    It seemed that Ramon would have to investigate this a bit for a more definitive answer.


    But, meanwhile, he needed some time to calm down and the first thing that crossed his mind was to hug Hailee and bury his face in his woman''s shoulder. Therefore, that was what he did.


    In that instant, the fragrance of the shampoo that Hailee had used mixed with her body''s signature scent, was able to make his headache lessen a bit and stop his body from shaking.


    Ramon loved this moment, where he felt so close to Hailee, feeling that he was not alone. This was a different form of intimacy and whatever it was, Ramon felt morefortable with Hailee by his side.


    It was stranger, remembering how they met for the first time and how they agreed to this marriage.


    But of course, Ramon was careful in hugging Hailee, considering that he had found out she was pregnant only a few hours ago, which meant he would be a father in a matter of few months.


    Ramon still couldn''t imagine what kind of father he would be, but his unease didn''t dampen his enthusiasm in the slightest.


    Yes, Ramon liked the idea of ??having a new member in his little family and this strange feeling warmed his heart and his disturbing dreams were long forgotten.


    ================


    Hailee woke up because she felt a tingling feeling on her arm as well as a very familiar warmth.


    "Morning..." Hailee said in a sleepy voice while her eyes were still closed shut. She then moved her body so that her head tucked into Ramon''s chest as she hugged him tightly.


    "Afternoon..." Ramon answered Hailee''s greeting, adding a sweet kiss on the woman''s forehead. Hailee''s long hair tangled between Ramon''s fingers and he loved it.


    "Afternoon?" Hailee frowned and yawned widely. She felt his body was very sore and stiff. Maybe she slept in the wrong positionst night or she slept in one position for a long time¡­


    But, it didn''t matter, because as soon as Hailee looked at the clock on her cellphone, her eyes widened. It''s almost noon!


    "Geez, I slept too long," Hailee said, rubbing her still sleepy eyes. She tried to look fresh, but once again she couldn''t hold back the urge to yawn.


    Luckily, Hailee didn''t have morning sickness at all. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have woken up thiste, but instead, her drowsiness seemed intolerable and her sense of smell had be more sensitive than usual.


    "No, you didn''t sleep too long," Ramon said as he pulled Hailee back into his arms. "You can sleep some more if you want, but only after you eat something."


    Ramon''s warm embrace and gentle caress on her back made Hailee unable to resist. But¡­


    "What are you doing? Why are you still here?" Asked Hailee, confused.


    "On leave," said Ramon curtly.


    Since when did Ramon start taking time off?

 Chapter 207: ITS REALLY INSPIRING

    <h4>Chapter 207: IT''S REALLY INSPIRING</h4>


    "Why are you still here and haven''t left for work yet?" Hailee asked confusedly when she noticed that Ramon still looked rxed at this hour. Shouldn''t this man be in the office already, working on some paperwork or attending a meeting?


    "I am taking a day off," Ramon replied curtly as he stroked Hailee''s forehead, brushing the few hair strands that seemed to be sticking out cutely.


    "On a leave?" Hailee repeated Ramon''s words with a frown. She then shifted her body so that she could be closer to her husband, feeling pleased as Ramon yed with her hair. "Since when did you care about taking time off?"


    Ramon then pulled the nket to wrap around Hailee''s body, hugging her protectively. "Since I knew I was going to be a father." Hailee chuckled when she heard this. He didn''t sound like Ramon. "I think I should spend more time at home."


    Hailee''sughter just got louder. She thought Ramon''s answer was very cheesy. And, she couldn''t help butugh.


    "So, what are we going to do Mr. Tordoff?" Hailee asked, cupping Ramon''s face with her palms while looking at him with sparkling eyes.


    Meanwhile, Ramon took a moment to think about what the two of them should do, as he hadn''t nned doing anything beforehand, because all he wanted was to be close to Hailee and watch over her twenty- four hours if possible.


    "A date," Ramon replied. "We have never dated before. How about we go on a date now?"


    And, the suggestion was proven made Hailee very happy. She gave her husband a sweet kiss.


    "Okay," said Hailee.


    On the other hand, while the two happy lovers were nning their date, someone was struggling with jobs that were suddenly left unattended by Ramon.


    "Ugh! What is wrong with my brother? Isn''t he a person of high integrity?" Lexus grumbled from behind his pile of work.


    ================


    Zia woke up when she heard the sound of her cell phone ringing under the pillow. Last night, she came home toote apanied by Ian after witnessing the man''s brutal fight and Zia promised it would be thest time she would witness such a thing.


    "Hello?" Said Zia in a hoarse voice because sleepiness still clung to her eyes. She even picked up the call without looking at the caller ID.


    "Are you still sleeping?"And from the other end of the phone came the voice of the man who had previously upied Zia''s mind, what she was trying to get rid of for this whole time.


    At that instant, Zia''s eyes opened wildly. She was silent for a while until Aidan thought that the connection between them had been severed.


    "Hello? Zia?" Said Aidan because Zia never answered.


    "Yes, I am here," Zia finally answered. She then got off the bed and walked over to the small table near her dressing table to pour herself a ss of water, to freshen herself up a bit. "How are you?"


    Aidan breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Zia answer him in a light tone, because before he decided to finally call Zia back, all the worst possibilities had crossed his mind. Luckily, Zia didn''t sound angry or upset.


    "I am fine," Aidan said in a gloomy tone. "I had some things to do so I couldn''t pick up your phone yesterday, sorry."


    Zia downed her drink and muttered. "I understand." If Zia was able to understand Aidan''s position over the years of being in a rtionship with him, then she would also understand this little thing.


    "But, I still have to apologize to you," Aidan insisted with his apology. "Can we meet?"


    Zia fell silent again. Something in her mind told her not to answer the question immediately.


    Yes, Zia indeed understood why Aidan kept refusing her calls, but there were also parts where she couldn''t ept everything.


    Wasn''t Aidan able to pick up the phone even if only for a moment and tell Zia that he was fine? Instead of ignoring herpletely and left her in the dark? Maybe, just a short message from him, which could indicate that Aidan was not ignoring her, would have solved the issue, no?


    Or maybe this disturbing feeling of reluctance was the result of a pile of resentment that had been buried since Zia found out that Aidan had slept with Aileen. The umtion of negative feelings that were not really wellmunicated.


    She didn''t know, because Zia definitely didn''t want to see Aidan''s worried face right now or listen to the problems he was facing.


    Maybe this was weird. If only this had happened a few months ago, Zia would have enthusiastically epted his invitation to this meeting, but now Zia found it veryplicated just to answer with a ''yes''.


    "I can''t do it now." Zia looked at her reflection in the mirror and the figure that was looking back at her looked very disheveled and messy. Zia frowned. It seemed like she was in need to go to the saloon to fix her appearance. Or maybe dyeing her hair red would make her look fresher. "Just finish your business first. We will meet when you are finally ready to meet me."


    Aidan was silent. Zia''s attitude screamed absolute strangeness, but he couldn''t detect any irritation or anger in this woman''s tone. Zia sounded fine as if they were talking about a trivial matter that didn''t require extra attention.


    Or maybe his guts feeling was wrong?


    Maybe that''s how Zia felt now. Aidan''s problem was the man''s problem. She was tired of worrying about something unrted to her and getting rejected every time she showed concern over it.


    While Aidan would just disappear without any news and return to contact her when he needed a ce toin.


    "What is wrong?" Aidan who was closing his eyes on the bed suddenly woke up. "Do you have important business to attend to?"


    "No," Zia answered quickly. She didn''t want to lie because she had always been honest with Aidan, so she was not going to start it now. "I was not in the mood to meet you when your life was in the spotlight. There could be someone who might catch wind of our meeting and this will be a new problem for you." And also for me. However, Zia did not say thest sentence out loud.


    Indeed, what Zia said was true, so Aidan couldn''t help but agree to it.


    "I miss you," Aidan finally said after they both fell silent.


    "Yes, so do I." The answer came automatically from her lips as if it was the only answer she had.


    "I will resolve this matter as soon as possible and thene to see you." Aidan really had to solve this problem quickly, even if it meant his rtionship with Giana would be impossible to be saved anymore and they would be nemesis in the future, so be it.


    "Hm," Zia mumbled in response.


    ================


    Today Ramon took Hailee for a walk in the beach, because his wife suddenly remembered their honeymoon vacation on Crestgold ind. But, since a trip to there would take a long time and drain their energy, of course Ramon didn''t agree.


    So they went to ra Bay, which took about two hours to get there. This was the closest beach from downtown A where they live.


    However, of course Ramon didn''t just leave like that, he also brought Dr. Bram with him, just in case something untoward happened like before.


    "I feel like the third tire, apanying the two of them on walks like this," Dr. Bram muttered to Pyro, the head of the bodyguards appointed to guard Hailee.


    Pyro justughed at the doctor''s words. Bram not only had to follow wherever the two lovers went, but were also to keep a safe distance to provide them some privacy. ''Luckily'' today, the Doctor was not too busy and had no surgery scheduled, so he had no reason to say ''no'' to the heir to the Tordoff family.


    "At least, this way, we know that Mr. Tordoff is not as cold as it is reported out there," said Pyro in response to Dr. Bram.


    Meanwhile, in front of them, Hailee and Ramon were walking barefoot, enjoying the dry sea breeze, under the soft light and not too hot sun.


    This time, Hailee wore a white knee- length middi dress and a beach hat that covered half of her face. She looked cheerful and very healthy, so there is really nothing to worry about, especially since Dr. Bram had already assured Ramon of that, but still he did not believe it and preferred to take precautions.


    Dr. Bram just couldn''t imagine what the man would do when it was time for Hailee to deliver the baby.


    "Is there a ce you haven''t been to but you really want to go?" Hailee asked, while making a trail on the white sand,paring the size of her feet and Ramon''s.


    "Hm," Ramon mumbled, thinking for a moment. Previously, he wanted to visit Crestgold because of the beauty of the ind, but now the ind was his and he had gone there several times already. "No," he replied.


    "No?" Hailee frowned. "Really nothing?" She asked again to be sure and when she saw Ramon shake his head in negative, she said in a low voice. "Ah, you are not fun¡­"


    "When I really want something, I''ll get it and don''t stop until it''s mine. So is the case with the ces I want to go." Ramon exined to Hailee.


    "It''s really inspiring," Hailee stuck her tongue out at her husband.

 Chapter 208: YOU ARE GOING TO FACE RAMON TORDOFF

    <h4>Chapter 208: YOU ARE GOING TO FACE RAMON TORDOFF</h4>


    Ramonughed at Hailee''s half annoyed expression and pulled her closer to him when another couple passed by them and almost bumped into Hailee. "Then what about you?" Ramon turned the question to her. "Is there a ce you want to visit?"


    "Yes," Hailee eximed cheerfully. "There is a small vige near the town of L. When I was a child, I used to go there with my parents. There is an inn near the waterfall, so you can get a great view of nature when you open the window."


    "A small vige in L town¡­" Ramon muttered while touching his chin. He had never heard of this ce, but if Hailee wanted to visit the ce again, it wouldn''t hurt him to find out, right?


    While the two of them were talking about this, someone suddenly called out to Ramon in a loud voice.


    "Ramon! You are here?" The man''s voice was getting closer and closer as he was half running toward the two of them. "What is this? Second honeymoon?"


    Hailee and Ramon turned around at the same time and saw a burly man running toward them, his breath was hitching but a wide smile graced his thick lips.


    Behind this man were several people, following him. Two men and one woman, it looked like they were on vacation together.


    "Who are they?" Hailee briefly whispered to Ramon, leaning her head toward her husband, before the stranger was within earshot.


    "Friends from college," Ramon answered Hailee, but his expression was dry. He didn''t seem too happy that their short vacation had been interrupted.


    "You are very difficult to contact," said the man, when he was in front of Ramon. Then his eyes turned to Hailee and his smile grew wider. With great enthusiasm, he took Hailee''s hand and shook it quite vigorously. "My name is Charlie, Ramon''s ssmate, you must be Hailee, we met at your wedding."


    Well, Hailee had to be honest that she didn''t remember this man at all even though he said they met at her wedding.


    How could Hailee recognize every single face that she saw for the first time under such bright spotlights and a sea of ??countless people.


    So, Hailee just greeted him in return. "Hi, Charlie."


    Even though Charlie said that he and Ramon were ssmates when they were in college, Hailee doubted that they were the same age, because Charlie looked at least ten years older than Ramon.


    "What are you doing here? I don''t think I have ever seen Ramon takes day off, especially on a weekday like this." Charlie started a barrage of questions, while the other three of his friends starteding over to them.


    Hailee didn''t really like the arrival of these uninvited people because she wanted to be alone with Ramon. But, Charlie seemed very happy to meet his old friend and Ramon didn''t seem to mind chatting with Charlie.


    Therefore, Hailee assumed that Charlie and Ramon were quite good friends when they were still in college.


    "I am Amy," the only woman in Charlie''s party introduced herself to Hailee, after the other two men, each named; Cordy and Billy. "I am also Ramon''s college mate, but I am in the same ss as Lexus."


    "Oh, so you know Danny too? I heard Lexus and Danny are ss mates," Hailee seized the opportunity to start a conversation with this woman named Amy, while Ramon was listening to Charlie chatter about their nostalgia from years ago.


    On the other hand, Cordy and Billy chimed in asionally, looking not confident enough to talk directly to Ramon.


    So you could say that only Charlie and Amy really knew Ramon. Hmm¡­ Hailee started with her own observations.


    The longer she was associated with Ramon, the more ustomed she became to making judgments about her surroundings and the more careful she was in dealing with people.


    Because like what Ramon said; You have to be careful in what actions and steps you chose to take, especially to whom you speak.


    "Oh, yeah¡­ I know Danny," Amy answered nonchntly. "But, I don''t get along with him." She said those words as if Danny was not in the same status as her, so hanging out with Danny could damage her image. Very typical of a conglomerate princess who didn''t respect other people. The types of drama queens that Hailee didn''t like.


    Okay, Hailee''s first impression of Amy wasn''t that great, but Hailee was quite happy with Charlie''s easy-going character, which reminded her of Lexus.


    There must have been fun stories from their college days.


    "How about we have dinner togetherter? Barbecue?" Charlie suggested and Amy pped her hands happily.


    "Come on, it must be fun reminiscing about the good olden days," Amy coaxed and asionally stole nces at Ramon. The woman thought her actions had escaped Hailee''s eyes.


    Oh, of course not¡­ Hailee was of course watching every little move this old friend of Ramon''s made and she couldn''t help but sigh in annoyance; this was one of the downsides of having a popr husband who had been the most coveted bachelor ever. There would always be annoying flies around.


    "What do you think?" Ramon actually asked Hailee''s opinion.


    However, what Hailee liked the most was the fact that Ramon didn''t even nce at Amy. His arms were wrapped protectively around Hailee''s waist and every now and then he would sweep Hailee''s messy hair off of her face because of the wind, gently.


    Well, Hailee was quite happy with this fact, therefore, Amy''s presence and the way she spoke which indicated that they were very close while they were in college didn''t bother Hailee at all.


    Why should Hailee be disturbed when all in Ramon''s eyes was her, and now they would be waiting for the arrival of a cute baby, which was an undeniable proof of their togetherness.


    "Okay," Hailee replied. "I love barbecue."


    ================


    News of the broken marital rtionship between Giana Smith and Aidan Smith was being over- published crazily. In fact, there were a lot of unreasonable spections circting in themunity as well.


    And of course, the divorce option always adorned the news.


    However, in the midst of the widely circting news regarding the affair between Giana Smith and her personal assistant, there wasa new piece of news that was no less surprising, namely; news of the affair between Aidan Smith and a woman whose identity was still a secret.


    ording to a source, it was Aidan Smith who initially ruined his marriage with an affair he had, so Giana Smith retaliated with the same action.


    Of course, this new news had pros and cons among the public. The newsmentary column would be filled with curses and insults against Aidan if the news was true and then public opinion would also slowly start to change because of this new variable.


    All of these events were like a roller coaster that was moving very fast, no one could predict where this confusing news would lead to.


    "Stop postponing that press conference!" Mr. Smith snapped at Aidan angrily because he saw the doubt in his son''s eyes over the best solution they coulde up with now, namely; none other than bringing down Giana and announcing their divorce before the Dawsons could take a step ahead of them.


    This was crazy. This situation had turned truly beyond reason, where the two family camps, which originally shared a bond so solid, began to bring each other down in order to save their own name and also their business.


    "There is nothing more you can do to save this situation!" Mr. Smith eximed angrily. Aidan should have held a press conference this afternoon to announce his divorce from Giana.


    However, he postponed it because there were several sentences in the speech given to him that he did not agree with. ording to Aidan, the words were too offensive for him to use to attack Giana.


    Aidan''s conscience refused to step on Giana like that. He felt like a loser.


    But, apparently the same thing didn''t apply to his father, for him, as long as this could help them to get out of the situation, then he would do anything to do it, not to mention step on Giana, he didn''t even care if that statement could ruin the reputation of the Dawson.


    "I will think of the best way to solve this." Aidan sighed heavily. He massaged his aching temples.


    "How are you going to solve it? Letting Dawson''s side attack you first with your stupid affair?!" Mr. Smith hit him again with the news that circted a while ago.


    At first he didn''t believe it, but Aidan himself confirmed that it was true. Therefore, he rejected the speech of the press conference which he would readter about Giana''s affair.


    Because after all, Aidan was the one who started all of this. Maybe the public who didn''t know the real story would sympathize with him, but what about when Aidan had to face Giana? He felt himself to be a joke to the extent that he med Gianapletely for this and acted like a saint.


    On the other hand, Mr. Smith couldn''t understand how could Aidan be so stupid as to be involved in a scandal and what was even more stupid was; the news had already reached the media.


    "I don''t want to know," finally Mr. Smith decided. "If you will not speak at the press conference tomorrow morning, then I will."


    Afternding hisst sentence Mr. Smith exited his son''s study, leaving Aidan alone there, in the already deserted office.


    Meanwhile, Aidan immediately grabbed his cell phone and dialed a number he absolutely hated.


    He didn''t understand how Zia could have a cousin like her, but after all Aileen wasn''t her real cousin, because she was just an adopted child in the Tatum family.


    "What are you trying to do?" Aidan''s voice sounded cold and stiff when the call was picked up and suddenly there was a sickening chuckle from Aileen.


    "I warned you Mr. Smith, that I wasn''t just bluffing," Aileen said at the end of herugh, imitating Aidan''s tone, emphasizing the meaning of her sentence.


    "You really are cheap!" Aidan hissed fiercely. He didn''t believe it that Aileen truly used this to ckmail him. This woman really didn''t have bottom line.


    News of the affair he had with Zia, was definitely the result of Aileen''s work, as Aidan ignored this woman''sst warning.


    "You want Tatum Jewelery? Fine. Consider you have got it." Aidan gritted his teeth. He didn''t want this problem to escte and implicate Zia.


    "Good. However, I just wanted to remind you that you are going to face Ramon Tordoff to get thepany." Aileen just wanted to make sure that Aidan didn''t forget who he would face in order to do so.

 Chapter 209: A SIMPLE QUESTION

    <h4>Chapter 209: A SIMPLE QUESTION</h4>


    "Good. But, I just wanted to remind you that you''re going to face Ramon Tordoff to get thepany."


    Hearing Ramon Tordoff''s name, made Aidan realize something.


    Yes, right. Ramon Tordoff''s wife was Hailee Tatum, a cousin of Zia, and the legal heir to thepany.


    Aidan did not think about this matter in detail until now. Because, ording to him, all he needed to do was simply be thergest shareholder in thepany and appoint this snake woman named Aileen to carry out his role in thepany.


    It wouldn''t have been a big deal for Aidan.


    But, now that Aileen reminded that Ramon Tordoff would be behind his wife to lead and monitor thepany''s affairs, of course it had turned into a whole new story.


    After all, there was no way they could just make them sell thepany''s stocks as they wished.


    Or maybe, Aidan could use a different method¡­


    However, for now the most important thing for him to do first was to stop Aileen with her madness.


    The news of his rtionship with an unidentified woman circting in the media had made the situation even more heated and Aidan didn''t want to drag Zia into this puddle with him.


    "Then, what do you n to do?" Aileen said again. She was trying not to sound too desperate in front of this man because the chances of Aidan refusing her request after realizing the difficulties he would have to faceter were the same as the chances of agreeing to it. "Is facing Ramon Tordoff going to be a problem for you?"


    Aileen was really maniptive. She even managed to adjust her tone in such a way that it made Aidan feel hurt by beingpared to Ramon Tordoff.


    From the way Aileen spoke, Aidan seemed to hear insinuations like; are you afraid of Ramon Tordoff?


    Maybe because he was in a state full of pressure or because there were many other things he had to think about, Aidan finally answered. "I''ll let you know when I''m done," he got stcuk in Aileen''s game. "Make sure you don''t do anything silly."


    There was a softugh from Aileen on the other end of the line before the call ended without a parting sentence.


    That''s how the deal came to be and would turn into something Aidan would regret.


    ================


    As night fell, Hailee was standing in front of a human-sized mirror, turning in circles several times, after wearing her bright yellow beach dress. She liked bright colors like this, because it would always improve her mood.


    It''s just that Ramon came and spoiled the mood...


    "No Ramon, I''m not wearing that!" Hailee shook her head vigorously and rolled her eyes at the light brown leather jacket he was holding. What''s with Ramon and jackets? Why did he always think that Hailee would be cold all the time? "You''re going to ruin my look with that ugly piece of clothing," Hailee hissed impatiently.


    The jacket that Hailee called an ugly piece of clothing, turned out to have a price she would never have imagined. There''s actually nothing wrong with the jacket, but it was the person that offering it, was the problem.


    "You want another jacket?" Ramon simply asked as he approached his wife who seemed to purse her lips in disagreement. "We still have time to find the jacket you want."


    Hailee sighed.


    It seemed like her simple way never worked to persuade Ramon. Indeed, certain strange ways ofmunicating were required to deal with the Tordoff heir.


    Therefore, when Ramon approached, Hailee immediately took action and wrapped her arms around the man''s neck, tiptoeing to be able to lightly kiss on his lips, making him a little surprised but also ignite a glint of enthusiasm in his eyes.


    "Why do I need a jacket when you''re there to keep me warm?" Hailee nced mischievously at Ramon and smiled seductively, tilting her head to show her slender neck. "Isn''t that so, Mr. Tordoff?"


    Ramon''s gaze on Hailee seemed to be getting more intense with each passing second, until Ramon leaned over and whispered with his hoarse voice in Hailee''s ear.


    "You''re ying a dangerous game, Mrs. Tordoff," he whispered. "This will lead to something we both expected."


    Hailee liked how Ramon referred to her as Mrs. Tordoff, that sounded sexy and disyed his territorial nature.


    Not to be outdone, Hailee did the same gestureas as her husband, although she had to tiptoe higher by resting her arms on the man''s broad shoulders so her lips could be close enough to Ramon''s ear. "Hm," Hailee mumbled, starting. "I know what you mean, but it''s a shame my OB said we can''t do it for the next two weeks. You know, the early stages of pregnancy are very vulnerable."


    Hailee smiled with satisfaction when she could use the same excuse, which Ramon had been using to be overprotective of her.


    But unfortunately, Hailee didn''t expect Ramon''s reply at all. "Then what did your dentist say?"


    Immediately Hailee shouted, "Ramon!"


    Okay, if this continued, then none of them would be attending Charlie''s barbecue party tonight.


    Or¡­


    They don''t really need to attend now, do they?


    ================


    "Hey, you guys arete!" Charlie eximed as he slid thest batch of meat onto the te from the barbecue sticks. "Amy almost finished it all."


    Meanwhile, Amy, who was sitting between the two men who had been with them this morning, immediately stood up and hit Charlie on the back of his head. "That''s nonsense, you, Cordy and Billy who ate it all."


    Meanwhile, Hailee and Ramon took a seat across from Cordy and Billy.


    Hailee justughed at the small fight and Ramon focused more on providing adequate nutrition and energy for his wife. He took a few pieces of meat and ced them on arge te along with some food that he knew Hailee liked.


    "I thought you weren''ting," Amy said to Hailee, then took a seat next to her instead of returning to her previous seat.


    "Oh."Hailee subconsciously nced at Ramon, who was sitting beside her, cing his arm behind the back of her chair. "There''s something I need to take care of first."


    "Something?" Amy tilted her head questioningly. "What do you have to take care of?"


    And unexpectedly, Ramon actually echoed Amy''s question, while looking at Hailee meaningfully. "Yes, what do you have to take care of?" His voice was low and a little hoarse.


    Hailee could feel her face heating up, and under the table her feet tried to stomp on Ramon''s feet, but the man didn''t seem to feel anything. Making Hailee''s efforts go to waste.


    Luckily Charlie who was not at all sensitive to the situation interrupted their conversation and distracted Amy from Hailee.


    "Shall we y truth or dare?" He suggested. "This is a must game for an evening like this!"


    The suggestion was immediately weed by Amy, Billy and Cordy, after which Charlie joined them to start the game.


    The beach wind which tended to be a bit chilly breezed past them, ying with Hailee''s hair and making her shiver a little.


    It made Hailee think again that it wouldhave been really a good idea to wear the jacket that Ramon suggested. While the others could warm themselves with a drink, of course Hailee, in her current state, couldn''t warm herself in the same way.She couldn''t consume any alcoholic beverages.


    But, before Hailee could say that, Ramon had already pulled her closer. He huggedher to make herself feel warmer.This madetheother four people tease the couple.


    "I told you didn''t I? You should have worn that jacket," Ramon whispered, but Hailee chuckled and whispered back.


    "No, because you''re so much better than that jacket," Hailee replied, whispering into Ramon''s ear, while Cordy, who was sitting right across from Hailee, asionally nced at her.


    He couldn''t be faulted, because Hailee looked beautiful that night in her yellow dress. She looked very sofisticated, coupled with her innocent face without any makeup. Only a hint of pink lipstick adorned her lips.


    Ramon Tordoff''s wife looked very refreshing.


    But Cordy was self-aware and careful not to make it too obvious, because what sane person would want to mess with Ramon Tordoff?


    "Ramon!" Charlie eximed as the bottle he was spinning stopped on Ramon, and his voice was loud and surprising enough to make Hailee jump a little in surprise. "Truth or dare!?"


    Ramon frowned when he heard the question. "I don''t remember agreeing to y this game."


    "We all agree here, that means you have to agree too, we take the majority vote." Charlie was looking for an excuse. "Even Hailee agrees with me, doesn''t she?" Charlie looked at Hailee, asking for support from the look in his eyes.


    And of course Hailee agreed. "Yes, you have to choose, truth or dare?"


    For a moment Ramon looked at Hailee''s mischievous eyes, then said, "Why don''t you just choose for me?"


    "Hmm." Hailee tapped on her chin. "How about truth?"


    "Then what''s the question?" Ramon looked back at Charlie for his question.


    "How about if I ask it for you?" Amy interrupted,volunteering to ask the question.


    "You can. I know this man well enough, so I don''t think there''s anything else I want to ask." Charlie agreed. "What is the question?"He chuckled, while the rest of the people''s focus was on Amy, waiting to see what she had to say.


    "A simple question," Amy said quietly after taking a sip of her drink. "Since you are the only married couple among us, I just want to know, how is your married life going?"


    Although Amy''s question sounded simple, there was another meaning behind it.

 Chapter 210: FIND OUT WHO IS THAT MAN

    <h4>Chapter 210: FIND OUT WHO IS THAT MAN</h4>


    Although Amy''s question sounded simple, there was another meaning behind the question.


    Of course what Amy really wanted to ask was; what was Ramon and Hailee''s married life really like? Was it true that the rumors out there that this marriage was just a sham to benefit both parties? A convenience marriage?


    However, while Amy could list the long list of benefits that Hailee could get when she married Ramon, she couldn''t make even a handful of lists, of the benefits that Ramon could get from marrying Hailee.


    What game were these two actually ying?


    Indeed, it was not Amy''s ce to ask this and also this was not the right question to ask in a light game like this, so Charlie had given Amy a warning look, but she just ignored it.


    It seemed that Amy''s curiosity was greater and the fact that they were from the same school made her even more daring to think that Ramon was her old friend.


    On the other hand, of course Hailee caught the meaning of the sentence.


    Huh. She realized that even being in Ramon''s circle couldn''t help one to discern whether someone was a friend or foe. Because, they would try to stab or scrape something about you subtly, even when you were a person that they just met.


    So bold¡­


    Hailee had to give a thumbs up to all of them here who could live in such a grueling social environment.


    "What is our marriage life like?" Ramon repeated the question in a fairly calm tone as he took a sip of his wine. Then the man pulled his wife closer and tilted Hailee''s head until their gazes met. "This is how our wedding looks like."


    Then, without warning, Ramon suddenly kissed Hailee''s lips and bit her lightly, leaving everyone there were stunned by Ramon''s unexpected answer and plummeting the atmosphere into an awkward situation.


    Who would have thought that Ramon was the type of guy who wouldn''t mind disying affection in public?! It just didn''t fit the image of him that''s circting out there, okay!?


    Only, Ramon didn''t seem to care about the change in atmosphere that ensued his bold act.


    One thing they should know, that; Ramon didn''t like it when his personal life was disturbed or questioned.


    He knew, once he answered that question, another stupid question would follow and Ramon didn''t want to have any of that.


    "Is this enough to answer your question?" Ramon asked, ncing at Amy briefly, before finally turning his attention back to his wife''s flushed face.


    And as if realizing that Hailee''s lipstick had got stuck to his lips from the kiss, Ramon wiped his own lips with the back of his hand.


    Hailee could have sworn that she had never seen any man look so sexy while doing something so simple.


    Ugh!


    Was it a sin to be addicted to your own husband?


    ================


    This was Giana''s second day in the hospital, and also the day she forced herself to return home, because she felt that staying here was just an excuse for her father to hide herself from the eyes of the outside world.


    Giana was tired of hiding...


    However, the first thing Giana saw when she woke up and was about to get ready to be discharged from the hospital was a live broadcast of the press conference that was being held by Aidan.


    It was ten-thirty and the press conference seemed to be nearing its end.


    Chloe, Giana''s secretary immediately grabbed the television remote and tried to turn it off, but Giana swiftly pushed her hand away and grabbed the remote.


    Her eyes zed with anger staring at the innocent television screen. And, her knuckles instantly turned white as a soft crackling sound was heard from the television remote she was holding.


    Behind the television screen, Giana could see the face of Aidan, who shamelessly announced their divorce, saying that he had known about Giana''s affair for a long time and now they were in the process of divorce.


    Aidan said all of this very convincingly, leading public opinion to sympathize with himself and further railing masses against Giana for her immoral actions.


    Aidan had not only destroyed Giana''s reputation and good name, but also destroyed the status of the Dawson family, in order to save his own name.


    He was sorry?


    Even if Aidan knelt down in front of Giana, it wouldn''t be worth the damage Giana had to endure as a result of this press conference.


    ================


    Ramon was sipping his coffee in the hotel cafeteria apanied by Dr. Bram, who had absolutely no idea what it meant to be on this vacation with them¡­


    As the Doctor said that Hailee was fine and there was no need to take him on their second honeymoon, but Ramon persisted and wouldn''t let him go home.


    "She looks drowsy all the time and she sleeps longer," Ramonmented.


    "Yes, because her body is still adjusting and every pregnant woman has her own condition," Dr. Bram exined patiently and ate his sandwich.


    Currently, Hailee was still sleeping soundly after several nights of insufficient sleep because of the cramps she had. After all, Hailee couldn''t smell coffee, therefore as a coffee person, Ramon couldn''t possibly call room service and order coffee to be brought to their room.


    "But, there''s nothing for you to worry about," Dr. Bram reassured Ramon. What''s with this man? He didn''t usually look nervous. Maybe, it''s true when people said that having your first child could change you...


    "Hm," Ramon muttered as he took another sip of his coffee, but then, his gaze focused on the two people who had just entered the cafeteria.


    A man and a woman.


    The female one, Ramon definitely recognized her because it was Lis, while the male one¡­ Ramon didn''t remember he had ever met the man before. Or maybe, they had met but Ramon didn''t remember?


    However, there were more pressing questions today; what was Lis doing at the hotel with a guy so early?


    "Didn''t you say you wanted to enjoy one of the ice creams at the cottage by the beach?" Ramon asked Dr. Bram, when he saw Lis and the man waiting for their order. They didn''t seem to be enjoying their drinks here.


    "You make it sound like I''m a ten-year-old," Dr. Bramined, but then he stood up. "Okay, if you don''t need me here anymore, then I''ll enjoy my time. Think of it as a vacation for me too."


    Having said that, Dr. Bram walked toward the cafeteria door which led directly to the beach while Lis and the stranger were near a different entrance, which led to the hotel.


    From the start, Ramon kept staring at his mother and the man, trying to remember or catch every little movement Lis made when she was around him.


    Lis smiled as the man whispered something into her ear and lightly smacked his arm, small gestures that a genius wouldn''t need to know what it was all about.


    Meanwhile, slowly, Ramon took out his cell phone and called Lexus.


    It only took two dial tones before his brother answered the call and started nagging about the workload that was dumped on him.


    "How long are you going to be on your honeymoon?" He babbled. "I know you are so excited about having a baby, but don''t you feel sorry for this little brother of yours who works day and night to keep thepany running and making a good profit?" Lexus started exaggerating his sentences, using a pitiful tone as he stared at the coffee cup in front of him.


    Yes, Lexus was still at home and the work he had to deal with was actually not as much as he made it to be.


    "Where is mother now?" Ramon asked,pletely not paying attention to Lexus''s begging for mercy, but asking straight to the point.


    "Mother?" Lexus''s brows furrowed. "Why are you suddenly asking mom?"


    "Just answer me," Ramon said impatiently. He looked at Lis and the man who was taking their drinks order.


    "Mom is in L city." Lexus tried to remember his mother''sst errand he knew. "I''ve tried to call her many times, but she''s not picking up. I think she''s very busy, so I just left a message about Hailee''s pregnancy news."


    "What''s going on in L city?" Ramon again ignored the additional information that Lexus had given him. He slowly stood up after leaving some bills on the table. "Do we have a project there?"


    "Yeah, there''s a small project we''re working on over there¡­" Lexus tapped his hand, trying to remember. "Hey, I don''t remember, if you want details on what project it is, give me ten minutes and I''ll tell you the details."


    "Okay, ten minutes it is." After that the phone line was cut off, leaving Lexus who could only stare in disbelief at his brother''s treatment of him.


    "Hey! Can''t you give me a nice goodbye before hanging up the phone coldly?" He grumbled at the dial tone that could still be heard.


    And of course Ramon couldn''t hear theints anymore, because now he was following after Lis and her strangepanion.


    Lis seemed pretty sure that no one would recognize her after wearing a mask and hat, but Ramon had seen Lis in various outfits, so it was easy for him to recognize his mother right away.


    Lexus said that Lis was now in city L, while this ce was definitely not city L.


    Why did Lis lie? Even if they were dating, why was it hidden? Ramon''s father had died many years ago and Lis was free to decide her own life. Ramon couldn''t stop thinking about this situation...


    Could this be the secret Ramon told Giana? The secret that the woman knew? How far had Ramon investigated Lis?


    "Find out what room they''re staying in as well," Ramon said to David, as he watched the two get into the elevator. "Find out everything that has to do with that man."

 Chapter 211: SHE HOPES THEY WILL BE LIKE THIS FOREVER

    <h4>Chapter 211: SHE HOPES THEY WILL BE LIKE THIS FOREVER</h4>


    "Find out who has spread the news about Aidan''s affair," Giana ordered Chloe over the phone. For now, Giana was in one of the apartments she have under her name and was trying her best to avoid her father.


    Because for now, thest thing she wanted was to hear the curses from her father while her mother became certain that she wouldn''t want to interfere in this matter and add to her husband''s wrath.


    "Got it," said Chloe. "But, the atmosphere in the office is very chaotic, don''t you want toe back to see the situation here?"


    "Did my fathere?" Giana asked as she poured some red wine into her champagne ss.


    "Yes, Mr. Dawson is here and he was furious after learning that you were discharged from the hospital without any prior notice," Chloe spoke in a whispering voice.


    She was indeed employed by Giana, but that didn''t mean she wouldn''t lose her job if Mr. Dawson discovered her lies by hiding his daughter''s whereabouts. And that was thest thing she wanted. She was also in a tight position right now.


    "You don''t have to worry about that, I will guarantee your safety," Giana said slowly. Not all of the assets were under the Dawson''s name, regarding this matter, Giana already took precaution, she had taken part in several investments that have nothing to do with her familypany, so to speak; even if her father cut off all her finances, it wouldn''t be a problem for Giana. "Just do as I tell you."


    After saying this, Giana then hung up the phone and tasted her red wine.


    Whoever had spread the news about Aidan''s affair, it was certain that they knew about the woman in the question also. Or it could be that they knew more details about the identity of Aidan''s mistress, whom Giana always failed to find out before.


    No.


    Giana didn''t really fail, she just never tried to dig deeper into her husband''s infidelity. Because to her, it was a waste of time andpletely unimportant matter.


    Only now, the situation was a lot different.


    If their current condition was like to a cold war, then the information about the woman was the right ammunition to destroy Aidan. Who said he could be with the woman he wanted after crushing Giana like this?


    Oh, of course not¡­


    Aidan''s life would be too easy if he always got what he wanted.


    And just as Giana was nning a strategy about what she would do next, someone crossed her mind.


    Dillon¡­


    How are things with him now?


    ================


    Theodore was really annoyed that he no longer had the chance to prove that Aileen''s pregnancy was fake as their wedding day drew near.


    Four more days, and all preparations could be said to be ny percentplete. Of course, this made the man even more grumpy and emotional. Never in his life had he felt this way or this helpless.


    Never in his life had he hated someone as much as he hated Aileen, but at the same time he couldn''t do anything to get out of this strange situation.


    And that was when, Theodore went back to reading the report given by his men about Aileen''s background and George''s criminal activities. He found a bit of information and a name that he thought was quite odd.


    Rnd Dimatrio, a former district attorney from the city of T, who was involved in a corruption case not too long back. The man''s name was on the list of people Aileen had worked with.


    This was quite strange, considering that the arrest of Rnd Dimatrio seemed to be intervened by Ramon Tordoff, where the central bank, which was overseen by the Tordoff family, informed the district attorney of an ount with an unreasonable amount.


    Of course the news became big, not only because of the prosecutor''s arrest but also the fact that the central bank shared the personal information of its customers.


    However, the damage that urred had been handled properly and quickly, and it was not enough to impose any negative impact on the bank for too long, as evidenced by the high level of public trust in the bank.


    What made Theodore feel strange was the fact that Ramon Tordoff was involved in this and he knew this was not the usual way of the man''s doings at all. A businessman like Ramon Tordoff was unlikely to suddenly put his conscience forward and expose a crime.


    There must be a much deeper reason than this and that was what Theodore had to find out.


    And it was also the very reason why he was in this prison, sitting behind the porous mirror while waiting for the prison officials to bring Rnd Dimatrio into the room.


    "Good afternoon Mr. Dimatrio," Theodore greeted, standing up and smiling formally at the middle- aged man.


    ================


    Hailee looked much more cheerful and radiant after her short vacation with Ramon. The vacation, which was originally nned for only one day, continued for three days.


    And of course when they got home, Lexus was already waiting for the couple with a sullen face on, like a pitiful kitten which was forgotten by its owner.


    But, all of that was easily resolved with just a te of Hailee''s chicken cordon bleu.


    Ramon, at first, vehemently opposed Hailee''s involvement in the kitchen duties, as if it was a red zone he strongly disapproved of his wife being in.


    But, since Hailee insisted and Lexus said that he would help, Ramon could only allow it.


    Well, in the end Hailee really just sat and watched the two brothers wrestle with the avable materials. She just had to say something and they both would do exactly as she asked.


    The intelligence level of the two of them didn''t seem to be able to handle their excessive anxiety and Hailee found this situation very funny.


    "Try this." Ramon blew the sauce he made colder before he gave it to Hailee for her to taste. "Is there something strange?"


    "Hmm." Hailee tasted it and smiled at her husband. "It is okay. Oh, Lexus, you cut that baby asparagus too short," Haileemented. "Have you ever eaten baby asparagus that short?"


    "I don''t always pay attention to what I eat. As long as it is good, I am fine with anything." Lexus shrugged nonchntly.


    Ramon returned to his sauce, but he took the time to smack the back of his brother''s head first, and Haileeughed at how Lexus grumbled, but slowly fell silent when Ramon red at him. Only his lips moved to express his discontent.


    Hailee loved this family and hoped that they would be like this forever...


    ================


    The news about Giana''s affair with Dillon was increasingly circting, who knew who had made the news continuously published in the mass media, as if the person behind it was not tired of reminding the public about the mistakes that Giana made.


    It''s not that the Dawsons have done nothing, they have used every means and effort to divert the news and get them out of the camera''s eye, but it seems like their efforts have been in vain.


    Not only did Giana and Aidan''s parting tarnish their good name, but that fact coupled with Aidan''s sneaky press conference had really brought them down.


    Meanwhile, Mr. Dawson still hadn''t been able to track down Giana''s location. Where was his daughter?


    Of course, all these pressures andplicated problems took a toll on Mr. Dawson.


    This morning, Mr. Dawson was taken secretly by private car to the central hospital, because his heart disease had made him lose consciousness.


    This sudden event had caused panic, especially when they couldn''t let anyone know about this, because thepany would be threatened again if they find out about the news. Their stock would be plummeted further.


    Therefore, for the time being, Lory Dawson, the younger brother of Larry Dawson, reced his older brother at thepany, until thetter''s condition got more stable, because Giana could not be found anywhere.


    This news had been kept secret in a very meticulous way, but of course Giana had her own way of finding out.


    "So, what are you going to do?" Chloe asked over the phone after reporting what was going on in the family.


    On the other hand, Giana was silent for a moment, her face didn''t show any visible change of expression, even though she had just heard of her own father''s critical condition, as if there really wasn''t anything she was feeling right now.


    "What about the other task I gave you?" Giana asked, apparently not at all interested in what was happening to her father. "Have you found out the person behind the spread of the news?"


    Chloe stuttered for a moment, "Yes, I have." She thought that Giana would be more concerned with news about her family, so she broke that piece of news first. "The news came from a woman named Aileen Tatum."


    "Aileen Tatum?" Gianna frowned. She was familiar with the family name Tatum, but couldn''t remember exactly what made her feel familiar, until a face shed across her mind. "What does this woman have to do with Hailee Tatum?"


    "She is Hailee Tatum''s older sister, Ramon Tordoff''s wife," Chloe replied and the mention of unnecessary detail set Giana''s eyes aze with burning emotion. "But, Aileen Tatum is just an adopted daughter of the Tatum couple."


    "Where can I find this woman?" Giana asked in a deep voice. "I want you to arrange a meeting with her immediately."


    Giana would deal with this another Tatum girl by herself.

 Chapter 212: HAILEE! DONT MESS AROUND!

    <h4>Chapter 212: HAILEE! DON''T MESS AROUND!</h4>


    On the other end of the phone, Giana made sure that Chloe confirmed this new order and without waiting long, she ended the call.


    Without the sound of her own chatter or any other noise, the apartment room could be said to be very quiet. The only sound that reverberated in there was the faint sounds of the vehicles from below, sounding so faint that it was almost like a hum.


    Slowly, Giana stood up and walked to therge, ceiling to the floor windows, pulled back the white curtains and gazed out at the glittering night and the shining city lights.


    "It''s just started Aidan," Giana mumbled. Revenge and hatred permeated off of every word she spoke. "I will destroy you and get what I deserved long ago."


    For a moment, her and Ramon''s problems were kept aside, but that didn''t mean Giana had forgotten about them altogether. Oh, of course not. Bringing back Ramon''s memories along with the memories of their time together, would be next on Giana''s agenda.


    She wouldn''t just let Ramon go into the hands of that woman named Hailee. Now that she was going to meet Hailee Tatum''s older sister, Giana was feeling all the more enthusiastic and full of curiosity.


    What was the deal between Aileen Tatum and Aidan Smith? The two of them shouldn''t know each other. But, why did Aileen Tatum seem to know more about Aidan and his affair?


    What was with the Tatum family? Giana felt that she was hearing this one particr family name more and more often. Very annoying.


    ================


    "What are you doing in my kitchen so early?" Hailee was surprised to see that Lexus was already at her house and was skimming through the kitchen.


    Maybe it was because Hailee was feeling better or maybe because she had been sleeping soundlytely, this morning she woke up earlier than Ramon, unlike usual.


    Therefore, Hailee thought of taking this opportunity to make Ramon breakfast. She missed cooking so much, becausest night''s chicken cordon bleu couldn''t be counted as something that was made by her.


    "I was looking for the leftover chicken cordon bleu fromst night. As I recall, there were two more portions left and you put them in the fridge." Lexus was still trying to find the food he was looking for. "I am not going to waste my hard earned cooking."


    "The dishes you made yourself?" Hailee sneered. "Wasn''t all you have done could be counted down to chopping the raw materials alone?"


    "Hey, don''t underestimate my efforts. Cutting also requires good technique and skill, otherwise the spices won''t be absorbed properly." Lexus reprimanded Hailee for herment.


    "Too bad, I finished the rest of the chickenst night, because I was too hungry," Hailee said lightly. She sat on a bar stool, propping her chin, watching Lexus''s reactions which were quite entertaining.


    "What?" Lexus turned his body in a dramatic motion, while behind him, the refrigerator door closed with a loud noise. "You ate both at the same time?"


    "Huh um." Hailee nodded. "I was suddenly hungryst night."


    "But, a few hours before you went to bed, you had eaten quite a lot," Lexus protested, disapproving that the chicken he wanted had been disappeared. "How can you still be hungry?"


    "I am pregnant, remember?" Then Hailee gently touched her t stomach, making Lexus lose his argumentative ability. What else was he supposed to say when Hailee said she was hungry?


    Last night, Hailee woke up because she suddenly felt hungry and wanted to finish the chicken cordon bleu made by Ramon and Lexus.


    And when Hailee was just about to get out of the bed, it turned out that Ramon also woke up, so they both finished the food. Only after Hailee felt her stomach was full, could she sleep again soundly.


    "Huft," Lexus snorted. "You are using your pregnancy to eatte at night, otherwise you would have thought twice before eating sote."


    "Why? Are you jealous?" Hailee teased.


    "Jealous? Of course not, we Tordoff men, have perfect bodies without the need to try hard," said Lexus proudly.


    Hailee stuck out her tongue when she heard that. "If this was said by Ramon, of course I would have believed it."


    "Hey, I''m his brother, so there''s no difference between the two of us." Lexus protested again while sitting across from Hailee. "Okay, since I''m being generous, this morning I will make breakfast for you, what do you want for breakfast?"


    "You are going to make breakfast for me?" Hailee asked, she raised her eyebrows, but a smile spread across her lips. "It was justst night that you learned how to cook and now you''re getting ready to whip up something again?" Hailee teased.


    "Of course not, I just wanted to make something for my future nephew," Lexus defended himself and they both knew it was the most ridiculous excuse ever.


    "Surprise me," said Hailee. "I love surprises."


    "Okay!" Lexus then snapped his fingers confidently, but then he asked Hailee to close her eyes.


    "Why should I close my eyes, what are you going to do?" Hailee looked at Lexus suspiciously. "Are you going to put something weird in my foodter?" Her eyes narrowed probingly.


    Of course, being treated like this made Lexus scowl, he clutched his chest dramatically, as if he was in extreme pain.


    "How could you suspect your own brother- in-w like that? I''m not a criminal," Lexus protested with a hurt expression on. "Besides, if something happened to you while you were with me, do you think Ramon would let me live in peace?"


    Hailee chuckled at Lexus'' childish grunts. People out there would not expect that Lexus had this side to him and Lexus only showed this attitude more often when he was around people who could make him feelfortable.


    "Okay, okay..." Hailee relented. She then raised her palms to cover her eyes and let Lexus do whatever he wanted to do without being seen.


    But, what made Hailee stopughing was, Lexus asking her to lower her hands in just two minutes. What kind of food could he make in such a short period of time?


    "You can see now. This is the breakfast I made especially for you," Lexus said in a proud voice, serving Hailee a bowl of breakfast.


    "What is this? You think I''m five years old?" Hailee stared at the cereal with milk in the bowl in front of her. Not only that, it was certain that the cereal was specifically for small children, based on its shape.


    Where the hell he found this?


    On the other hand, this time, it was Lexus turn tough. "You said, you wanted a surprise, are you surprised enough now?"


    ================


    For some reason, Zia still kept avoiding meeting Aidan. She would alwayse up with a reason to make the man cancel his intention toe to see her himself.


    It was not that Zia didn''t miss Aidan, of course she missed him, but there was a part of her that felt that she didn''t want to be in a rtionship like this forever.


    In the past, this would have looked challenging in Zia''s eyes, when she was younger, when she first met Aidan.


    At a time where her head was filled with absurd romantic fantasies, that they could have a happily ever after.


    But, like most fantasy stories, it was just a fantasy and Zia had reached the point where she had to face the reality before her.


    Was this the kind of life she wanted? How long would Aidan''s troublesst? Not to mention about the added problem of his divorce with Giana. That meant it would take a long time before Aidan could introduce herself to the public, so as not to attract attention and be the centre of the gossip again.


    And she couldn''t forget the rumors that circted about Aidan''s affair with a mysterious woman just a few days ago either.


    Zia felt like she almost had a heart attack when she heard this. Even though her identity was never revealed even after the rumors disappeared, it didn''t lessen her fears in any way.


    Zia couldn''t imagine her father''s wrath when he found out what she had beendoing all this time and the shame she had brought upon the Tatum family.


    No, Zia didn''t want to live like that.


    Maybe it was that fear that made Zia rethink everything from scratch, consider all possibilities and find the best solution for all of this.


    Leave Aidan.


    Her heart repeatedly whispered this and subconsciously, Zia knew that it was the best decision.


    However, there was a part of her that was still reluctant to let go of the memories that had been woven together over the years.


    Maybe Zia just hadn''t realized it, that she was still attached to the memories of the two of them and how their rtionship used to be, not about the man himself now or the situation they were currently facing.


    Especially when so much had happened between the two of them recently and Zia''s previous decision to really want to end their rtionship.


    And again the fact that Aidan had slept with Aileen was a big issue here, and without Zia knowing herself, it also seemed to be one of the triggers for her change of heart.


    Zia''s feelings toward Aidan had taken a turn.


    ================


    "Hey, you don''t feel anything strange?" Lexus asked while taking a sip of his tea because Haileeopposed when he was about to make coffee. Hearing that word alone made Hailee frown.


    "What?" Hailee took a bite of her toast. Finally they asked Martha to toast somebread for both of them.


    "It''s unusual that Ramon haven''t woken up until now," Lexus nced at the door. He thought his brother would join them when breakfast was ready, but as it turned out, even after he finished his third toast, Ramon''s figure was nowhere to be seen. "Don''t tell me he''s going to take another leave?!"


    This time Lexus widened his eyes at Hailee with using eyes, as if Ramon''sst time off was Hailee''s suggestion.


    "I do not know," Hailee raised her hand. "I never interfere in his work," she argued defensively.


    But, when Hailee thought about it again, she realizedit was quite strange that Ramon hadn''t woken up even at this hour.


    "I''ll check on him," Hailee then drank her warm water and immediately walked out of the kitchen.


    But, before shepletely disappeared from Lexus''s line of sight, her annoying brother-inw still managed to shout something at her.


    "Don''t make out too long okay! We''ll both bete for the office!" Lexus eximed, half teasingly.


    Hailee, who heard that of course, immediately turned around and smirked at Lexus. "What''s the point of being the owner of apany if you can''t eve?" Hailee then nced at Lexus innocently.


    "Hailee, don''t mess around!"

 Chapter 213: LET HIM TO WAIT

    <h4>Chapter 213: LET HIM TO WAIT</h4>


    "Ramon?" Hailee called as she stepped into their room. "Ramon, are you awake?" she asked again, but there was no response.


    When Hailee noticed that Ramon was still under the nket, in the same position as when she left, she was quite surprised to realize that Ramon still hadn''t woken up at this hour.


    So, she walked closer at a quick pace.


    "Hey, if you sleep like this, Lexus will be really annoyed and think that I am the one..." Hailee''s voice grew smaller when she got close enough to Ramon.


    From this proximity, Hailee could hear Ramon''s indistinct mumbling sounds, such as grumbled or low- pitched growls.


    Curiosity pushed Hailee closer, making her sit on the edge of the bed beside Ramon. She then slowly pulled off the nket that covered half of her husband''s face.


    "Ramon? What is wrong?" Hailee asked carefully. When the nket covering his face was removed, Hailee could see sweat dripping down her husband''s face and wetting his clothes slightly.


    Meanwhile, Ramon seemed to be still asleep, but it was obvious that it was not a pleasant sleep as he was constantly moving and muttering something.


    Hailee had seen Ramon like this before, when Ramon''s condition suddenly worsened three days before the eve of their wedding day and the memory of the incident was still a fresh in her head.


    "Ramon, Ramon," Hailee kept calling her husband''s name, hoping it would wake him up. "Ramon!"


    When Ramon finally opened his eyes, he looked around him with a look in his eyes that was hard to describe, like a wounded beast that was observing its surroundings intently, looking for any possible danger that might still be lurking around him.


    Dangers from the past...


    "Ramon what is wrong? Is it a nightmare?" Hailee shook his arm slowly to divert the man''s attention toward herself. "Did you just have a bad dream?"


    It was only when those two eyes stared back at Hailee and consciousness slowly began toe to him, that Ramon could breathe a little more steadily. He shook his head, a gesture to answer Hailee''s question and also steer clear of the images of his dream.


    "I am fine," he said hoarsely, but who would believe that?


    "Should we go to the doctor?" Hailee asked Ramon. She was really worried that he suddenly got sick again like before. Hailee then reached out her hand and checked Ramon''s forehead, which fortunately was not hot at all. In fact, his body felt cold to the touch.


    "No need, I am fine," Ramon said as he kissed Hailee''s forehead casually and got off the bed. "I will get ready to go to the office."


    After saying this, Ramon then walked toward the bathroom and soon Hailee could hear the sound of running water from inside.


    This didn''t happen very often, but sometimes, Hailee found Ramon sleeping restlessly, as if he was having some short of nightmare. What actually happened to him? Were his memories slowly starting toe back?


    But, was it that bad?


    From the way Ramon got those nightmares, Hailee was curious, what actually happened in his past?


    ================


    Giana finally managed to find out where Dillon was, because he never returned to his apartment after the events of the other day.


    "I almost forgot that you own this house," Giana walked into the yard, where Dillon was watering his rose nts. A contrasting sight if Giana remembered how Dillon was usually on a daily basis.


    On the other hand, as if he had guessed that this would happen sooner orter, Dillon was not at all surprised by the sudden appearance of Giana in his arguably very simple house.


    This was the house he inherited from his parents. And ever since Dillon started working for Giana, it could be said that he had not returned to this house for years, even just to check on its condition. Fortunately, he appointed a pair of husband and wife to take care of this old house.


    So when Dillon decided to stay away from the crowded and noisy city A, this ce was still very livable.


    Giana didn''t really think that her guess was right, otherwise she would have even spent four hours traveling from town A to this ce in vain.


    "What brought you here?" Dillon turned and looked at the woman, whom he had not seen in days. Giana looked fine, a little thin and pale, but overall she was in good shape and that relieved Dillon. He was surprised that he was still care this much to her.


    "Why didn''t youe to see me?" Giana asked. She stopped right in front of Dillon and from this close distance, the bruises that were still left on Dillon''s face could be seen clearly, but Giana didn''t show any reaction, because she knew the full story and didn''t want to bring up the topic. At least not now.


    "I came to see you, but your father was too angry to let me see you," Dillon answered simply. He had no intention of telling the story of him getting beaten up. And whether Giana knew it or not, didn''t really matter to him.


    "And it''s only because my father is mad that you stopped trying?" Giana crossed her arms in front of her chest while squinting. Some of Dillon''s wounds have healed, but some still left bruises. "You gave up that easily? I am very disappointed."


    Dillon shrugged nonchntly. "Your father fired me, so what else can I do?"


    Giana really wanted tough when she heard this, but instead of making a sarcasticment, she asked another question. "Will not you let me in? Or will you let me stand here? Who knows, some reporters will click a picture of us talking together again and create anothermotion."


    Realizing that they were still out of the house, Dillon quickly put down his rose can and stepped into the house, but Giana didn''t move an inch.


    "What are you doing standing there?" Dillon frowned in confusion when he reached the front door, but Giana did not follow him. "Didn''t you say you wanted to go inside?"


    "I didn''t hear any words of invitation from you," Giana replied. She was still at her previous spot. "So I thought you were ignoring me. Of course, I will not force my way in without permission."


    With a deep sigh, Dilllon could only sumb to this woman''s stubbornness. "Come in, I will make you some coffee."


    It was only when Giana heard the invitation from him that a smile finally appeared on her lips, as she followed Dillon into his humble abode.


    ================


    The incident this morning when Ramon had a nightmare, were still circling in Hailee''shead. Never before had she seen him look so confused and restless.


    And although Hailee had never felt what it was like to lose her memory of years at once, she could tell that it was not a pleasant experience, especially when the years lost from your memory held so many mysteries and importance to solve.


    Hailee also never attended any therapy session that Ramon was undergoing, because usually she would wait at the nearest cafe while Ramon was undergoing therapy, or she would simply never ask about his progress.


    Maybe it''s time for her to care more about this.


    Hailee nned to ask about itter tonight when Ramon hade home from work, as this bothered her. Had Ramon regained some of his memories? Or was there anything he remembered from his past? About Giana?


    Yes, Hailee must be honest that Giana''s problem was a very sensitive topic for her. She didn''t know what Ramon would do if he got his memories back about him and Giana.


    However, even imagining that Ramon would abandon her with the child she was carrying felt like the most impossible thing that would be done by someone like Ramon. Hailee couldn''t imagine Ramon turning into such a jerk.


    Therefore, nothing was certain for now¡­


    While Hailee was contemting this, Martha knocked on her door and told her that she had a guest who wanted to meet her.


    "Guest?" Hailee frowned. During her stay at the Tordoff residence, she never once had a visitor. After all she had no rtives in city A. "Who? A girl?" Hailee first thought it was Zia, but why didn''t she call her first if she really wanted toe to this house?


    "No, a man," Martha told her. "He is called Theodore Gevano, he said he was a close friend of you."


    "Theodore?" This was a name that never crossed Hailee''s mind and to think that he actually dared to appear or even step into this house...


    Hailee really had to raise her thumbs up at the man for his guts toe to the Tordoff residence and also for his shamelessness saying that he was a close friend of Hailee.


    Close friend, my ass!


    Hailee nced at the clock beside her bedside table, which showed that in less than an hour Ramon would be home.


    "Where is he now?" Hailee asked, quickly getting out of the bed and grabbing a jacket she could reach.


    "He is still stuck at the main gate, because he needs your approval in order for him to enter the house," Martha exined, especially when they werepletely unfamiliar with Theodore Gevano''sidentity.


    Gevano family maybe held some power in their city, but absolutely not here¡­


    Hearing that, Hailee chuckled and dropped the idea of wearing a jacket to meet Theodore. "Then tell them, let him wait for about twenty minutes before letting him in."

 Chapter 214: WHY SHOULD I PICK UP TRASH?

    <h4>Chapter 214: WHY SHOULD I PICK UP TRASH?</h4>


    Martha who heard the strange order could only agree and leave Hailee''s room.


    Meanwhile, Hailee was still wondering.


    What made Theodoree to the Tordoff residence? How daring of him to be here? Especially at an hour he knew Ramon wouldn''t be home.


    "Ramon," Hailee called him when the phone was picked up on the second ring. "Are you busy?"


    "No," replied Ramon as he put down the document in his hand. "Do you want something?"


    Hailee fiddled with the hem of her dress while shaking her legs. "I want you to take me out to eat. I want to eat seafood."


    Hearing his pregnant wife''s request, of course Ramon would not refuse. He had no reason to refuse. "I will be right back to pick you up," he said softly.


    Hearing that, a sweet smile bloomed on Hailee''s lips, but then she told him what was going on at home. "Theodore came to our house."


    "Why did that mane there?" Ramon frowned. "You don''t have to see him if you don''t want to." If Hailee didn''t want to see the man, then there was nothing Theodore could do to force his way in.


    "No, I want to see him. I wonder what he wants to tell me, considering that in two days is his wedding with Aileen," Hailee told Ramon truthfully. She didn''t want to hide anything from him, besides, it was inevitable that Ramon would find this out sooner orter and Hailee would prefer if he learned about this from her herself.


    Ramon was silent for three full seconds, seemingly, thinking about the decision Hailee had made. "Bring Pyro with you, I don''t want you alone with him."


    Hearing this, Haileeughed cheerfully. "He can''t possibly hurt me in my own house, but I will take Pyro with me." Hailee didn''t let Ramon protest and immediately agreed to her husband''s suggestion.


    "Good, I will be home soon." After he finished saying this, Ramon then hung up the phone and prepared to go home early.


    ================


    "How long do we have to wait like this!?" Theodore was getting more and more annoyed as if hours had been wasted waiting for them to open the gate for him. He felt very unappreciated.


    If Hailee really didn''t want to see him, they could just say so, no need to tell him to wait for a long time.


    Theodore had never waited for someone this long, especially in situations and conditions where he had to wait outside the fence of that person''s house. This is so disrespectful!


    "But they haven''t opened the gate for us yet," the driver told Theodore what the obvious thing.


    At this point, Theodore couldn''t say anything. Because, he didn''t want to make a fuss in front of the Tordoff residence. George''s fatal mistake of provoking and seeking trouble with Ramon was one example enough for him to be careful with his actions.


    Five minutester, only after Theodore began to consider leaving the ce, did the gates finally open and they were ushered in, having been told that Ramon''s house was the first house they woulde across after driving down this path.


    This was Theodore''s first time entering one of the five most respected families'' houses in city A and he was still stunned by the beauty of the ce.


    On the right and left sides of the road, the beautiful line of aesthetic trees which were thriving and were neatly maintained and not only that, before reaching the main house, they also passed a beautiful artificialke,plete with a pedestrian bridge.


    The thought of Hailee living in a ce like this and being the hostess of a ce as grand as this, left Theodore with mixed feelings. He felt a little ufortable and bothered by that fact.


    It took about five minutes to get to the main house and finally Theodore''s car stopped at a magnificent house that had such an antique and charming decor.


    Theodore immediately got down and walked toward the main door, where only a few maids greeted him.


    "I would like to meet Hailee," Theodore said, slightly awkward because he assumed Hailee would be waiting to wee him and not these maids.


    "Yes, we have been informed of this," said a maid who introduced herself as Martha. "Mrs. Tordoff will be down in a moment."


    Theodore didn''t say anything after that and followed them into the living room, where they usually received guests.


    After asking what Theodore would like to drink, Martha and the several other maids left, leaving Theodore alone there. Not even giving the man a chance to ask where Hailee was.


    While waiting, Theodore continuously looked around the room and made himselffortable there.


    At first, Theodore thought he was going to meet Hailee right away, but in fact, even until the drink he wanted came, Hailee''s figure was nowhere in sight and what was even more annoying was that Theodore didn''t get a chance to inquire about Hailee''s whereabouts and had to wait again.


    Did Hailee ridicule him by doing this?


    Various bad thoughts began to fill Theodore''s mind and made the man feel even more disorganized.


    Luckily, this time, he didn''t have to wait long, because a momentter the door to the room opened and Hailee stepped inside.


    Her demeanour was so graceful when she walked.


    Hailee wore white corduroy pantsbined with a matching oversized tee shirt. The clothes she wore looked simple, but also looked homey, showing who the owner of the house was.


    Theodore didn''t remember how long it had been since hest saw Hailee, but every time they met, this woman always seemed to be getting more and more attractive, making him question his decision to prefer a liar and deceitful woman like Aileen over Hailee.


    Maybe what people say was true, that; every woman will shine differently depending on how her partner treats her. And this was evidenced by Hailee, how she looked much happier now than when she was in a rtionship with Theodore.


    "How''s it going Hailee?" Theodore asked softly, his eyes not leaving the woman who was now sitting on the sofa so gracefully that he failed to notice the presence of Pyro, who was standing right in front of the door.


    "As you can see," Hailee smiled back at Theodore. "I am much better off than you are."


    In just one nce, Hailee knew that Theodore was going through a major crisis in his life that was greatly pressuring him.


    "So, what made you look for me?" Hailee then added. "Exactly two days before your wedding, you came to meet your ex- fianc¨¦? Aileen won''t be happy about this." Hailee quipped.


    Theodore understood very well what Hailee meant by saying that and he had no right to be angry with her, especially after he found out what Aileen had done to Hailee.


    "I know you are mad at me for choosing Aileen over you," Theodore began. He then sat down on the sofa, opposite Hailee with his head lowered. "I shouldn''t have done something like that to you."


    On the other hand, Hailee really didn''t have any clue as to what Theodore really wanted to say or what this man''s actual purpose foring here was. Theodore''s convoluted way of speaking annoyed Hailee, because she was used to Ramon''s style of always speaking straight to the point.


    "What kind of thing?" Hailee rested her head on her fist, leaning back against the back of the chair. She didn''t seem too enthusiastic about Theodore''s chatter. "There are a lot of disgusting things you did together with Aileen without my knowledge, which if I had to list out... I am afraid it wouldn''t be finished until tomorrow." That''s an exaggeration, but it could be true.


    It was only then that Theodore raised his head and looked at Hailee with a look full of guilt and shame.


    "I found out what happened between you and Rnd Dimatrio, as soon as I left the hotel where we met. When I said that I prefer Aileen." Theodore admitted it. "I''m sorry that I didn''t realize what actually was going on."


    Okay, this was quite surprising for Hailee because Theodore managed to find out what happened between her and Rnd Dimatrio. But of course, this was not shown by Hailee on her facial expression.


    "All of that already happened and I''m fine. In fact, if it weren''t for that incident, I wouldn''t be where I am today," Hailee said nonchntly, as if she didn''t remember the incident anymore. What for? There was nothing she had to remember about that night''s events.


    Meanwhile, Theodore fell silent for a moment when Hailee answered so, but then he made a statement that made Hailee raise her eyebrows.


    "Are you happy to be here?" he asked. "Or, are you using this marriage to protect yourself from Rnd Dimatrio and Aileen''s influence? Ramon gave his protection to you in exchange for this marriage, didn''t he?"


    Shelter from Rnd Dimatrio and Aileen?


    Well, it was like that at first, but that statement was not appropriate to say now. Couldn''t Theodore see that Hailee was really happy right now?


    Moreover, Rnd Dimatrio was in prison now and had no influence. While Aileen, Hailee would destroy that woman with her own hands, not to mention the mystery behind the murder of her parents which was still so painful to her after hearing Ramon mentioning it.


    Hailee raised an eyebrow. "What are you really trying to say Theodore? There''s no way you came here just to say that, right? After all, it''s already happened and there''s nothing you can do to change anything."


    Theodore fell silent again, he then looked around the room and found Pyro who was looking at him coldly, as if the mountainof a man was trying to drive him away with his gaze alone, as if his presence here was not expected at all.


    However, Theodore interpreted that differently.


    "You don''t have your freedom here?" Theodore asked.


    "Freedom?" Hailee didn''t understand why Theodore kept changing the topic of their conversation. Had this man almost gone insane because the time of his marriage to Aileen was getting closer?


    "You''re always being watched." Theodore then nodded toward Pyro.


    Only then did Hailee understand what Theodore meant. "Of course I can ask him to leave, but for what? I don''t have any important conversations to cover up. Do you?"


    "Hailee, if you want¡­ we can go back to how we used to be," Theodore said, ignoring Hailee''s words.


    "Like we used to be?" Hailee snorted. "You''re like picking up trash that you''ve thrown away."


    "No." Theodore shook his head vigorously. "You''re not trash, I''m the trash."


    Hearing that, a sinister and sly smile appeared on the corners of Hailee''s lips. "So, why do you think I should pick up some trash?"

 Chapter 215: SHE WILL ALWAYS BE MINE

    <h4>Chapter 215: SHE WILL ALWAYS BE MINE</h4>


    Hearing what Hailee said, Theodore finally realized that he was being made fun of by this girl and this made his face turn red. He couldn''t understand why Hailee would treat him like that when he wanted to sincerely apologize and mend the rtionship between them.


    At this point, perhaps, Theodore forgot that there was no longer any salvageable rtionship between the two of them and Hailee was also not in a state where she wanted to be saved from this kind of situation.


    What to save whenshe was really enjoying her life now. Theodore was too naive to think that Hailee still had feelings for him.


    "Hailee, you don''t have to force your marriage to Ramon," Theodore was still in his own imagination, thinking that the world only revolved around him, so everything was about him. "I¡­"


    Hailee shuddered when she finally realized what Theodore was going to suggest to her. She found it utterly absurd to hear him out and she didn''t feel like hearing anything right now, just in case her stomach felt ufortable.


    "Theodore, you are only wasting your time worrying about unimportant things. You should use your time to prepare for your weddingter. I will make sure toe if there really isn''t a big problem and Ramon isn''t too busy in his office." Hailee subtly indicated that Theodore and Aileen''s wedding wasn''t an important event that she had to attend, so she didn''t prioritize it. The Tordoffs would only attend when they felt it was necessary and vice versa. "If you have nothing more to say, you can leave."


    "Hailee I went to the prison where Rnd Dimatrio is being held and he told me everything about what happened and also some secrets rted to your parents," Theodore added when he saw that Hailee was about to leave the room.


    Of course, the words ''your parents'' had managed to make Hailee stop walking and turn around. "What do you mean?"


    ================


    Ramon intended to go home soon after he received a call from Hailee saying that the man from Gevano family was at their house.


    Hailee would be fine. What could Theodore be doing under Pyro''s tutge anyway? But then, Marco came with some information he asked for.


    Marco was Ramon''s right- hand man who he asked to find out about any information on Lis, his mother and also Giana. How far was the rtionship between Ramon and the woman and also how far was Lis''s rtionship with the man Ramon saw when they were at the hotel the other day.


    Therefore, Ramon''s return was slightly dyed as he had to check the report first.


    "That man is Leon Dawson, the older brother of Larry Dawson, the first son of the Dawson family, but because of the scandal he was involved in, he was removed from the list of heirs." Marco summarized the report he gave to Ramon. "A few years ago Leon Dawson disappeared, but then he reappeared, but he prefers to keep a low profile and isted himself elsewhere."


    Ramon read all the reports quickly.


    "The only people Leon Dawsonmunicated with were his nephews; Giana Dawson, who is now Giana Smith, the two of them have a pretty good rtionship," Marco stopped when Ramon raised his hand.


    He had also gotten to the report and was reading more slowly. "I will call youter," Ramon said without taking his eyes off the report in his hand.


    Meanwhile, Marco nodded obediently and walked out of the room, leaving Ramon alone with his own thoughts.


    What exactly was the rtionship between Leon Dawson and Lis? Because from what Ramon could see, the two of them didn''t seem like strangers to each other and also, Lis wasn''t the type of woman who would risk herself walking out in public with a stranger.


    But, how could his mother be so careless by doing that?


    Not only did Marco find out the identity of the man, but he also managed to get hold of two properties that were under the false name created by Leon.


    Leon changed his name to Herbert Long and bought two properties in two different ces, which were each of a fantastic value.


    How could someone who was no longer recognized by his family and had no inheritance, buy something that expensive? Moreover, Marco did not manage to get where the source of Leon''s financial funds came from.


    This was very unreasonable.


    ================


    "I wish you had an extra room in this house," Giana sipped her coffee as Dillon ushered her into his living room. "You wouldn''t tell me to drive for four hours to back get to City A at midnight, could you?"


    Dillon could only shake his head in disbelief. He had tried not to meddle in Giana''s business anymore and chose to lie under radar, thinking this was the best way to keep her safe.


    Because after all the news about Giana''s affair with him behind Aidan Smith''s back was still blowing strongly out there.


    But, who would have guessed, it would only take Giana a few days to find him here.


    "Aren''t you worried that news of you being here will spread widely?" Dillon asked as he sat down on the sofa opposite Giana. "You would have a hard time exining your appearance here."


    "Do you have any intention of summoning those reporters toe interview me here?" Giana nced at Dillon over her coffee cup. "If not, then I am safe. This ce is so remote, what kind of reporter would suddenly pop out in a ce like this?"


    Actually, what Giana said have some truth in it too, but still, you could never predict what would happen next, could you?


    "So, what made youe and see me? Don''t tell me it''s because you miss me," Dillon joked.


    Giana who heard that just shrugged her shoulders nonchntly. "If you want me to tell you that I missed you, then I will say; Yes, I miss my personal assistant."


    "Not funny at all," said Dillon. "I can''t help you Giana, go home."


    "You know that I am so stubborn, I won''t leave until I get what I want, and right now, I want you toe back with me. Running away like this will only make us both look guilty and as if confirming the usations they have leveled at us," Giana said.


    "Giana, things are not as easy as you think," Dillon began. For some reason, he always had other thoughts about every n that Giana made and felt that this woman was increasingly acting reckless.


    "I didn''t imagine this situation Dillon, I live in this situation." Giana then stood up. "I will not leave until you agree toe back with me. Now, which room can I sleep in tonight?"


    Giana was serious when she said she would spend the night at this ce. After all, she couldn''t think of any right words to persuade Dillon in her tired state.


    However, instead of showing her the guest room, Dillon asked her another question. "Have you stopped chasing Ramon Tordoff?"


    Hearing the unexpected question, Giana looked deeply at Dillon. Their gazes met and there was a lot of emotional exchange between them. "Of course not. I will not let him go again."


    "I will find you a nearby hotel," Dillon said.


    ================


    "Rnd Dimatrio refuses to say anything more than that, and he insists on seeing Ramon Tordoff." Theodore could not provide any further information than this to Hailee because Rnd Dimatrio himself refused to open his mouth.


    At this point, Theodore felt like he was being used to convey some message because the former district attorney had repeatedly asked to meet with Ramon, only that the request had gone unanswered.


    "If you want to know more about what Aileen has done or more information about your parents'' deaths, you''d better ask Mr. Tordoff to agree to go there." Theodore hoped that this way, he could feel better.


    His remorse toward Hailee and his self- pity for having been fooled by Aileen, made Theodore feel very ufortable.


    However, before Hailee could respond to Theodore''s statement, someone had opened the door to the room and Ramon stepped in with an expressionless face.


    His eyes immediately found Hailee,who was standing in the middle of the room, while Theodore was standing not far from her.


    With long strides, Ramon reached her within a few seconds and grabbed Hailee''s shoulder before lightly kissing her lips while whispering, "Why don''t you just wait in the car? We can go eat right away after I talk to Mr. Gevano."


    Hailee, who was surprised by Ramon''s arrival, immediately remembered that she had asked to eat out tonight. "Okay."


    And without looking at Theodore again, she stepped out of the room with Pyro trailing behind her.


    "How about I ask you to return Hailee to me?" Theodore suddenly asked Ramon that question.


    Hearing the rude and bold request, Ramon raised an eyebrow and snorted. "She will always be mine."

 Chapter 216: YOU DONT EVEN LOVE HER

    <h4>Chapter 216: YOU DON''T EVEN LOVE HER</h4>


    "You don''t even love her," Theodore retorted in a mocking tone, but Ramon didn''t say anything, but only the way he looked at Theodore made thetter feel embarrassed for some reason he knew. Theodore should have realized that those words could also be directed at himself, for the way he lost Hailee.


    Sometimes, you wouldn''t get a second chance for the first chance you just missed.


    "Mr. Gevano, I hope this will be yourst visit here," Ramon finally let out a response after the awkward silence he created. And this sentence was the only reason why he wanted to talk to him.


    "Is Hailee no longer allowed to receive guests? Not even an old friend can see her?" Theodore folded his arms across his chest, a gesture that indicated a defensive stance.


    Maybeter he would regret his decision for having so openly irritated Ramon, but for now, he felt this was the right thing for him to do.


    "Old friend?" Ramon smiled, the kind of smile that would make one feel inferior.


    Ramon''s sentence hung without him ending it and this created another spell of awkward silence like before, leaving Theodore at a loss as to how to respond him.


    "You don''t know Hailee like I know her." Theodore tried not to look defeated in front of Ramon, but this only made him look even more stupid. He kept saying unnecessary words.


    And that''s exactly what Ramon was making him do right now. He didn''t attack Theodore openly, but mentally, the heir to the Gevano family had truly been defeated. He should learn more if he really wanted to talk to Ramon at the same level.


    "Don''t ever say stupid things like that about my wife, next time I will not be so patient like this," Ramon said in a deep voice and made anyone who heard it gulp in agitation with the threat it contained.


    Having finished saying that, Ramon then left the room, without waiting for Theodore and immediately headed for the car that was waiting for him, where Hailee was already sitting in, patiently waiting for him.


    "Are you done talking to him?" Hailee asked as soon as Ramon sat beside her, she nced into the house but didn''t see Theodore''s figure that also should being out of there. Meaning,? the man was still inside.


    "Yes," Ramon replied curtly.


    "What did you say to him?" Hailee asked. "What were you two talking about?" curiosity made Hailee hunt down Ramon with questions.


    "Nothing," Ramon replied nonchntly again, but seeing the faint frown between Hailee''s eyebrows, he knew that such an answer would only lead to endless new questions until Hailee got the answer she wanted. "I asked him not toe to this house again."


    Hearing that answer, Hailee then burst outughing. "I should have been there to see how his face looked when you said that. Must be hrious."


    ================


    After two days of noting to the arena because he had to take care of his younger sister, Ian decided to have his share of fighting tonight and returned to collect money for the cost of his sister''s surgery.


    However, just as he was about to close the locker room door, two people rushed inside and pulled him away from the door before one of them closed the door and locked it.


    Of course this action made Ian feel wary. At first, he thought these two were just new fighters he had never seen before, but seeing how they locked the door, it didn''t seem like such a simple matter.


    Ian immediately moved away from one of them, taking the position he thought was most advantageous, but his luck would be useless if they had a gun. Well, anything was possible, especially in the world Ian was in right now.


    "Who are you?" Ian asked the standard question they would have guessed beforehand.


    Seeing the wariness in Ian''s eyes, the two of them didn''t try to walk closer, but neither did they move away from the door, because they knew Ian would try to escape and it was the only door in the room.


    "You don''t have to feel threatened, we are here to make an offer to you," said one of them. "Ian Schamber."


    Ian wasn''t too surprised when they said his name. After all, it wasn''t that hard to figure out such a basic detail.


    "I don''t need any offer from you," Ian said in a loud voice. He looked at these two men and was sure that he had never seen them before.


    "Are you saying that seriously now? You haven''t even heard what we have to offer," another man said, his voice hoarse like a big cigarette fan.


    "Go away, because I am not interested in anything you guys have to offer." Ian''s life was already very difficult, so he was very careful not to get involved in anything that could harm himself or add trouble to his life.


    "Too bad, when this involves the cost of your sister''s surgery," the same man said, provoking a reaction from Ian when he heard his sister being called.


    And as he had expected, Ian''s reaction was as he had predicted, therefore he took this opportunity to exin further about all the benefits he would receive if Ian really cooperated with them.


    Of course, he emphasized the benefits that his younger sister would get, because they knew that Ian''s first priority was his younger sister and also other benefits that Ian would find it very difficult for him to refuse.


    Indeed, everything they said was very tempting, but wasn''t the greater the reward Ian got, the more risky the work Ian mustplete?


    In this case, Ian really had to be careful in treading.


    "What do you want from me?" Ian asked atst after they had finished making their offer.


    "Very simple," answered one of them, he then took two steps closer to Ian. "We just want you to kill Ramon Tordoff."


    ================


    Ramon took Hailee to eat at the most famous restaurant in town A, as this restaurant served the best seafood.


    And since Hailee said she wanted to eat seafood, then of course Ramon took her to this ce.


    However, the problem was; after meeting Theodore, Hailee got into the car straight away and didn''t get to change her clothes, because she didn''t expect Ramon to bring her here.


    Therefore, when Hailee found out that they were going to this restaurant, she intended to cancel the n altogether, unfortunately Ramon didn''t let Hailee do it with the measly reason because of the clothes she was wearing.


    So here was Hailee, sitting in the most luxurious restaurant in town A in clothes more suitable to wear when she was going to eat at a street vendor.


    Really sad.


    Hailee reasoned that she felt morefortable dressed like that and again, she didn''t want Theodore to misunderstood if she got dressed up and overdressed when she saw him earlier. Without any of those, the man had already gotten the wrong idea and assumed what wasn''t true.


    But, since Ramon was by her side all the time and their bodyguards were just a few feet away, no one looked down on Hailee. The waiters didn''t ask much and didn''t treat her differently either.


    "I feel like we are part of beauty and the beast, but this time I am the beast," Haileeined after she had finished her meal and was enjoying the night view from the ss to the ceiling window next to her.


    Meanwhile, Ramon justughed at the analogy. "You are too beautiful to be the beast."


    "I know that I am beautiful," Hailee said proudly as she tossed her hair and smiled mischievously at Ramon. "Oh, I am going to the restroom. There''s no need to tell them to follow me, it''s embarrassing." Hailee warned Ramon before he thought of it because she knew what her husband was going to do.


    "I will go look for you myself if you don''te back in ten minutes," Ramon said calmly, watching Hailee walk toward the toilet.


    There were various feelings that were rumbling in Hailee''s chest right now. On one hand, Ramon''s overprotective attitude annoyed her sometimes, but on the other hand, Hailee was very happy to be treated like this.


    Weren''t men who show affection much more attractive than those who try to cover it up and act like they didn''t care?


    This made Hailee imagine too far and think what would happen when their child was born. What would the two of them be like while taking care of their child? The rtionship between them would be even stronger, right? No one would be able to ruin this little family of theirs, right?


    Such simple thoughts made Hailee feel happy, until Theodore''s words rang in her ears again.


    Rnd Dimatrio knew something about the death of Hailee''s parents and it had something to do with Aileen.


    This information was arguably very disturbing to Hailee.


    Maybe Hailee should discuss this with Ramonter, after they got home from this restaurant.


    However, when Hailee came out of her cubical, she met two women who were fixing their make- up.


    Of course, whenparing the clothes Hailee was wearing and the women''s, the three of them would appear to be from different social strata and this left both women surprised to see Hailee dressed so simply.


    "Are the waiters in this restaurant allowed to enter the visitor''s restrooms?" asked the one with the longest hair while looking at Hailee scornfully.


    Meanwhile, realizing that she was the one being talked about, Hailee couldn''t help but remain silent because she didn''t want to cause amotion in a ce like this. She would just wash her hands and leave immediately from there.


    Too bad, that simple n didn''t go smoothly either.


    "Yes, this should be reported to the restaurant management so that she can be fired." Her friend replied vehemently.


    And when Hailee had finished drying her hands and was about to leave, one of them seemed to have too much time with their morous lives to need something to add some spicy to her boring routine.


    The second woman was standing right in front of Hailee, blocking her way out of there. She crossed her arms in front of her chest while looking at Hailee sarcastically.


    "You want to run away from here?" she asked haughtily. Her eyes were fixed on Hailee and she didn''t even consider who exactly the person she was looking at was.


    "Escape? What for? I am just going back to my table, my husband is waiting for me," Hailee replied as she crossed her arms in front of her chest as well. Her gaze seemed bored from having to deal with people like them.

 Chapter 217: HIS WIFE IS REALLY HARD TO PREDICT

    <h4>Chapter 217: HIS WIFE IS REALLY HARD TO PREDICT</h4>


    Seriously, just because Hailee was dressed so simply, she was mistaken for a waitress at this restaurant? Very annoying wasn''t it, these people only know to judge others by what they wear instead of keeping their own behavior in check, they kept forgetting their manners and upbringing.


    It was true what wise people say; that money can''t buy manners.


    Hailee red at them one by one. She really wasn''t in the mood to make a fuss over a trivial matter like this.


    It was also Ramon''s fault for bringing her here dressed like this even though Hailee protested and refused. Well, basically Hailee med Ramon just because she wanted someone to me since she was upset.


    "Don''t lie," said one of the women sarcastically. She even walked up to Hailee and scrutinized her appearance from top to bottom tantly. "How can people like you eat in a ce like this? Who is your husband? A waiter at this ce?"


    And the two women burst outughing at the unfunny joke they had made themselves.


    It was also Theodore''s fault foring to her house this afternoon, and so Hailee couldn''t do her make up or wear any nice clothes. Hailee grumbled inwardly.


    "Get out of my way," Hailee said in a deep and calm voice. If only she didn''t think this would harm her baby, then Hailee would have definitely pushed them both away from the door.


    However, Hailee was afraid that such physical squabble would endanger herself.


    Of course, Hailee didn''t want anything bad happen to her baby either. Her precious babyes before anything now.


    "Oh, you want go out? Please feel free, we will report this inconvenience to the restaurant management," said one of them as she stepped out of the door to let Hailee pass.


    Of course,Hailee didn''t say much about this and quickly walked away. This was indeed what she wanted. Immediately go away from these two brainless women.


    However, when Hailee was walking down the corridor with the two women following, who said they were going to report herself to the restaurant management, Hailee met Ramon.


    This man really kept his word. It seemed that ten minutes had passed and he couldn''t wait for his wife toe back or he had a feeling that something had happened to Hailee, so Ramon himself went to see Hailee.


    Seeing her husband, a smile bloomed on Hailee''s lips. She then deliberately quickened her pace and wrapped her arms around Ramon''s neck.


    "Why are you looking for me? Are you worried?" she asked yfully, while Ramon held Hailee''s waist so she wouldn''t fall from her own recklessness.


    "I told you, didn''t I? If you don''te back in ten minutes, I''lle after you," Ramon reminded Hailee of his words from earlier.


    "I''m notte, it''s just that there are some people who want to report me to the restaurant management because they felt I wasn''t dressed properly," Haileeined to Ramon, ncing at the two women who now stood frozen not far from them.


    From the expressions on their faces, it was certain that they recognized Ramon.


    As it turned out, there were many advantages when your face was known by several people and one of them was this. Hailee didn''t need to exin who her husband was and they were both already shaking with fear at the sight of Ramon Tordoff in front of them.


    On the other hand, of course Hailee''s nce at the two women did not go unnoticed. Ramon''s brows furrowed when he saw the two women and cast a sharp and cold look at them both, making both of them immediately look down in fear.


    "Inappropriately dressed?" Ramon said in a low voice, but enough for them to hear. Then, Hailee pulled Ramon''s cor and whispered something in his ear, this made Ramon look at his wife suspiciously. "What do you want to do?"


    "Okay, just follow my lead, okay?" Hailee nced at Ramon, asking her husband to cooperate and agree to the n. "Just go with it," she coaxed again.


    If she was being like this, what else could Ramon do except following his wife''s sometimes unreasonable will? Ramon knew that some naughty ideas were running through Hailee''s head and he couldn''t say no to them.


    Then, taking Ramon''s arm, Hailee stepped confidently toward the two women with a satisfied smile, especially when they couldn''t speak as arrogantly as they did a moment ago.


    "What did you say? Do wearing these clothes make me undeserved to be in this restaurant?" Hailee asked in a gentle tone, as if she was asking their well being. "And you said that you wanted to report me to the restaurant management?"


    "No, no, that''s not what we meant," one of the women immediately denied, but she was too scared to look at Ramon who was standing behind his wife.


    "Sorry, we didn''t realize you were Mrs. Tordoff." The other one chimed in, shaking her head.


    "No need to panic like that, I just want to confirm what you said earlier." Hailee smiled very sweetly at them and then took Ramon''s arm. "Let''s go home now," she said to Ramon.


    Ramon raised an eyebrow, confused by Hailee''s attitude, but didn''t ask anything while his wife pulled him away from the ce, leaving the two women still apologizing and terrified.


    "What do you mean by doing all that?" Ramon finally spoke when they were in the car. If Hailee wanted to get angry or settle the score with the two women, maybe Ramon could understand, but Hailee didn''t do anything.


    "Nothing," Hailee replied lightly as she snuggled closer to Ramon, asking for a hug. "I just love seeing their panicked and frightened faces up close." Then Hailee giggled, amused remembering the incident from earlier and this made Ramon shake his head, not understanding Hailee''s way of thinking.


    His wife was really hard to predict.


    ================


    "What do you mean asking me to kill Ramon Tordoff?" Ian asked through his gritted teeth. This wasn''t a joke, was it? He had never gotten an offer like this before. What was really happening now?

 Chapter 218: THEY WILL KNOW THE RESULT

    <h4>Chapter 218: THEY WILL KNOW THE RESULT</h4>


    How could these two people ask him to kill Ramon Tordoff when he didn''t really know the man except for the fact that he was close to Hailee.


    But, howe they knew about that as well?


    "Think about this offer carefully," said one of them. "Think about your sister who needs a lot of money to recover while you are at it."


    "You think Ramon Tordoff would be that easy for me to take down, if that''s the case, why don''t you do it yourself?" Ian snorted. It would be foolish to ask a fighter like Ian to kill someone like Ramon Tordoff who was so incredibly guarded. "Don''t involve me in this useless business."


    "Oh, of course you alone couldn''t take him down so easily," the man with the hoarse voice said with a sneer. "You just need to follow our orders and everything will fall in ce."


    "Then just find someone else." Ian waved his hand nonchntly. From any point of view, this offer was just ridiculous.


    The two men stared at each other before one of them ended the conversation. "We will call you back the day after Aileen Tatum''s wedding."


    After saying that, the two men walked away, leaving Ian still standing frozen in his ce, trying to digest theirst words.


    The day after Aileen Tatum''s wedding?


    So they were not only targeting Ramon Tordoff, they were also trying to find out more about the people around him?


    Who were they really? And why would they want to kill Ramon Tordoff? That was a serious crime!


    And moreover, why did they specifically ask Ian to do it? If they were really digging up information about the people around Ramon, shouldn''t they know that Ian and Hailee were pretty close friends? Weren''t they afraid that Ian would tell Hailee about this and then it was inevitable that Ramon would find out in the end too?


    This was very strange¡­


    ================


    "You''re really not going toe back with me to city A?" Giana actually wanted to linger in that ce until Dillon gave up and was willing toe back with her. However, she had something important to attend to tomorrow.


    Aileen Tatum''s wedding.


    Yes, Giana wanted to attend the wedding. Of course not to congratte the bride, but to discuss matters much more pressing than that.


    Indeed the timing was a little strange and inappropriate, but it was Aileen herself who asked her to meet her before the wedding ceremony took ce.


    Weird, but also interesting. Giana wanted to know what Aileen Tatum wanted to tell her.


    "No," Dillon said. "I told you I''m noting back."


    "You are very stubborn as usual." At first, Dillon was opposed to the idea of letting Giana stay at his house and asked her to find a nearby hotel.


    But, then he remembered that this ce could be said to be so remote, that even the nearest hotel took an hour and a half to get to it, so Dillon had to let Giana spend the night at his house. He couldn''t have let her roam around when it was dark.


    And luckily Giana only had to stay two nights, because tomorrow she had to return to town A to attend Aileen Tatum''s wedding.


    "Then, what should I do to make you return with me to city A?" asked Giana, leaning forward, indicating how serious she was in discussing the matter now.


    Giana would really have considered anything if Dillon had just made a request.


    Too bad, the request Dillon really wanted wasn''t something she could grant or he could freely say.


    "You won''t be able to grant any of my wishes Giana, so stop asking." Dillon picked up the empty tes and carried them into the kitchen.


    The two of them had just finished eating dinner and now the silence in the house only added to the awkwardness Dillon felt.


    He wasn''t used to having Giana around him twenty four hours a day, but even more ufortable with the feelings he had for her.


    Of course, Dillon wasn''t stupid not to realize what this feeling was. It was just that he had been denying it all along, hoping that this annoying feeling would go away on its own.


    Too bad what he hoped for didn''te true.


    Behind Dillon, he could hear Giana''s footsteps approaching and stopping right behind him.


    "What is wrong? What can''t you tell me?" she asked. "I know that expression of yours, Dillon."


    Giana and Dillon had worked together for a few years, and again they had known each other long before that, so Giana could read his facial expressions quite clearly.


    "You won''t understand Giana, so don''tplicate things," Dillon said as he continued to wash the dishes, while Giana stood not far from him, leaning against the wall watching his back.


    "Why? Is it because you really like me?" asked Giana suddenly, which made Dillon turn around. "You fell in love with me?"


    ================


    Hailee should have discussed this matter with Ramonst night when they got home from the restaurant, but being too tired, Hailee couldn''t keep her eyes open for too long and fell asleep while they were still in the car.


    Meanwhile this morning, she woke up only after Ramon had left for the office and didn''t get to see him again.


    Thus, it was only now that Hailee had the opportunity to really talk about this matter.


    "¡­that''s what Theodore told me when he came here," Hailee said what Theodore had told her regarding the matter of her parents'' death. "Can''t we investigate this further?"


    Hailee looked at Ramon expectantly. After all, it was Ramon who initially expressed his suspicions about the unnatural deaths of Hailee''s parents. Therefore, Ramon shouldn''t have any objections to this, right?


    "I have a feeling that this has something to do with Aileen, but if it''s true, how could she do something like that?" Hailee frowned, deep in thought.


    On the other hand, Ramon did not immediately respond to Hailee''s request, because even without being asked he had investigated this and the results would be known to them soon...

 Chapter 219: IMPORTANT INFORMATION

    <h4>Chapter 219: IMPORTANT INFORMATION</h4>


    Today was the day Aileen had been waiting for all her life, but not even a smile had appeared on her lips since this morning, because of the huge fight that broke out between her and Theodorest night.


    Aileen kept cursing Rnd Dimatrio for daring to tell the secret he was supposed to keep. The former district attorney shouldn''t have said much in his now repudiated position.


    But, instead of keeping his mouth shut, he ''sang'' in front of Theodore, telling this man things he shouldn''t have heard.


    So the result of it all was;st night''s fight, which waspletely unavoidable.


    She didn''t know how much Rnd Dimatrio told Theodore, but what was certain that the stupid old district attorney didn''t leave the slightest detail about what happened at the hotel when he was almost killed by Hailee.


    Aileen could feel her head throbbing painfully when she had to rack her brains toe up with a usible reason why she had done that to Hailee.


    Theodorembasted her as an ignorant and ungrateful woman because it was Hailee''s parents who had cared for and raised her.


    Yes, indeed Aileen knew that she was very ungrateful by turning against the family that had amodated her all this time, but life was not that simple.


    Aileen felt it was unfair because Tatum''s blood flowed in her veins too. She is no stranger. She was also a member of the Tatum family that could be proven by blood, but of course Aileen couldn''t do that.


    Last night''s fightpletely ruined her and this special event. Aileen wasn''t even feeling like she was going to get married, but was preparing to enter a battle that would never end.


    After the five people who helped her get dressed and put on her make-up were done working on her, Aileen asked for some alone time.


    She wanted to finish what she started.


    "We can talk now," Aileen said when the phone was answered. There was no reply, just a low mumble before the phone line went dead.


    And it didn''t take long before someone opened the dressing room door again without even a knock on the door.


    As the door opened, entered a woman who was so elegant, wearing a dark blue dress with ents that were quite high on the left side.


    "Congrattions on your marriage," Giana said, as she walked gracefully across the room and sat on the sofa, which was not far from where Aileen was currently sitting.


    Through therge mirror in front of her, Aileen could see every move that Giana made, as well as her fake smile.


    "Thank you," Aileen replied to Giana with the same fake smile, then she turned around so they could look at each other. "But, I don''t need those words right now."


    A cynical smile appeared on Giana''s lips when she heard this. It seemed like she could read the situation well, where this marriage was not as beautiful as it looked. "So, what do you need now?" she asked. "I will grant anything as long as you can make me a good offer."


    The two women stared at each other for a moment, trying to understand each other''s character in the very short time after they met.


    "I want Tatum Jewelery," Aileen said very inly. "Can you give me that?"


    Her agreement with Aidan was still valid, but the man, as before, was always stalling and not serious in responding to her requests, while Aileen needed tangible evidence to secure her position after Hailee actually took over thepany.


    Or it could be said, after Ramon took over thepany.


    For now, Aidan seemed too busy with his own business, regarding the divorce and securing the value of hispany stock, not to mention his ns to bring down the Dawson family in order to save his own name.


    Then it could be said that Aidan was too difficult to rely on at the moment, or maybe it was his way of buying time, while Aileen didn''t want to wait any longer.


    "Tatum Jewelery?" Gianna raised her eyebrows. Her familypany also operated in the same field as thepany owned by the Tatum family, so you could say she had sufficient experience to see the potential of thepany. "You really are a greedy woman," Giana chuckled with a sneer.


    "I don''t need yourpliments," Aileen replied in the same tone.


    "I believe that even though you are the adopted sister of this family, it is impossible for them to leave you without an inheritance, but instead you want apany that belongs to their biological child," Giana criticized Aileen''s ambition.


    "You don''t need to know what my reasons are." Aileen then nced at the clock on the wall, which showed that the time to talk to Giana was only ten minutes due before the wedding ceremony started. "What I want to know is; can you get what I want?"


    Gianna narrowed her eyes. "What will you give me in exchange?" she asked directly.


    After all, the two of them weren''t here to have some small talk, so why should they start now?


    "I will tell you about all the evidence of infidelity that your husband did," replied Aileen simply.


    And that was exactly what Giana wanted, but of course she wouldn''t show it in the expression on her face as she snorted nonchntly, as if the information Aileen had given her wasn''t enough to win the Tatum Jewelerypany for her.


    "What do you think is in it for me to get proof of my husband''s infidelity?" asked Giana.


    But, unexpectedly, Aileenughed quite loudly when she heard the question, as if Giana was too stupid to make such a statement.


    "No need to waste my time with your ''don''t care'' game," said Aileen at the end of herugh. "You can see how thetest headline I spread on social media made Aidan panic? And how will the public react when they find out more about the news, although the odds are still unclear."


    Giana was silent when she heard this. Of course, she realized that much.


    "Can you imagine what would happen to the Smiths if you had concrete evidence of your husband''s infidelity?" A sinister smile tugged at the corners of Aileen''s lips. "How important the information I hold is, depends on how you process it. No matter how important the information is, it''s of no use if it is in the hands of a fool, agree?"

 Chapter 220: AILEENS WEDDING DAY

    <h4>Chapter 220: AILEEN''S WEDDING DAY</h4>


    Giana narrowed her eyes when she heard Aileen''s words. Although Hailee and Aileen were very different, they seem very happy to make snidements while smiling sweetly.


    One of somemon characteristics of both of them.


    "Of course, I agree," Giana said quietly, smiling back to match Aileen''s game. "I was just wondering why you didn''t use this method on Aidan. He can also give you what you want." This was one of the few things that Giana couldn''t understand.


    If only Aileen threatened Aidan with the information she had now, Giana was sure that the man would not be silent, after all Aidan always protected his little prostitute well.


    "Of course, I''ve tried it," Aileen replied calmly. "But, Mr. Smith seems to be so busy right now that he can''t grant my wish quickly."


    Aileen needed support that she could really rely on, not someone like Aidan who always bought time and made Aileen have to follow his very slow pace.


    No. This was Aileen''s game, therefore, she would be the one making the rules, not the other way around.


    "You kept him very busy," Aileen added. "Your marital problems seem to be draining his time."


    Gianaughed sarcastically when she heard that. "Yes, it seems so. He''s too busy to bring my family down."


    Aileen then stood up and walked slowly toward the door, indicating that the time for the two of them to talk to each other today was almost over.


    "So, how long will it take you to get thepany? I don''t care about anything else, but I want to be the major shareholder in thepany." Because that way, even if Ramon intervened in thepany''s matters, Aileen''s position would remain strong.


    "Give me two months and thepany will be under your control," Giana said with certainty, her every move showing her confidence in getting what she wanted.


    "Two months," Aileen touched her chin, thinking for a moment. Two months was not a short time for her, but it was quite a short time considering what Giana was going to do. "Good."


    Hearing this agreement, Giana also stood up and walked closer to Aileen who was now standing behind the door, with her left hand on the handle, ready to let Giana out of the room.


    "Then what about the information you promised?" Giana asked. She folded her arms when she was standing face to face with Aileen. She also didn''t have much time and she had quite a lot of things to do.


    "I will send you all the evidence in stages, as long as you inform me how the takeover of the Tatum Jewelerypany is progressing," Aileen replied calmly. She certainly wasn''t going to let Giana get all the information she had before she got what she wanted.


    Which meant, the sooner Aileen secured her position in thepany, the sooner Giana would get something from her to work against Aidan. And, the problems she was facing now would be dealt by Aidan then onward.


    Revenge was always fun...


    "At least tell me who the woman who has been ruining mine and Aidan''s household all this time," Giana asked, maybe the word ''ruined the household'' was not the right word, but by saying it like that, at least Giana could save the little pride that remained in her.


    Aileen didn''t need to know how messy her married life was with Aidan from day one.


    "I can introduce her if you want," said Aileen, she tilted her head while looking at Giana with interest, imagining how Giana would react when she met the woman who had be her husband''s mistress. Moreover, Aileen wanted to see how Zia would react when she saw Giana in here.


    "Show me," Giana said in a low voice, trying to hide her emotions, but actually she didn''t really understand what she was feeling right now. Because if she gave it a second thought, there was nothing for her to worry about Zia.


    But, maybe by looking at the woman, Giana could get a little idea on what kind of woman had filled Aidan''s heart all this time.


    "Stay here during the wedding, you will get to meet her," Aileen said while rolling her eyes.


    ================


    Hailee didn''t have to go to Theodore and Aileen''s wedding, but Diego asked her to attend, because after all Aileen was her adopted sister and this was a sacred and important moment for her.


    More so, Aileen also came during her and Ramon''s wedding, so at least Hailee could think of this as showing some courtesy and also as a way of honoring herte parents who had raised Aileen.


    Thus, here was Hailee, with Ramon by her side, looked amazing as usual and protective of his pregnant wife.


    The two of them had deliberately kept this pregnancy a secret because they didn''t want to attract too much unnecessary attention to Hailee. So, only a few close ones knew about it.


    Carefully, Ramon led Hailee out of their car, where Zia was already waiting for Hailee and hugged her carefully before Ramon could stop her from doing so.


    "Father is waiting inside, let''s go inside," Zia pulled Hailee, while Ramon followed behind them.


    This wedding event was far from their imagination, especially when considering how Aileen was so proud to have Theodore as her husband, or how the Gevano family held a wedding party for their only child.


    This wedding party was very simple and far from the expectations of anyone who was present, or you could say invited by the family.


    The invited guests were only close rtives and a few friends, but no business colleagues or other important people from their business circle.


    You could even say this marriage was being held in secret.


    Therefore, when Hailee arrived there, she was quite surprised that Aileen was willing to marry in such an atmosphere, especially when she met Theodore''s parents.


    Mr and Mrs. Gevano didn''t seem to be enjoying the party, which was being held in their own home.


    "You look very beautiful Hailee," Mrs. Gevano said while holding Hailee''s hand and looking at her deeply. "I was hoping that today would be your and Theodore''s wedding."

 Chapter 221: AILEENS WEDDING DAY (2)

    <h4>Chapter 221: AILEEN''S WEDDING DAY (2)</h4>


    Luckily when Mrs. Gevano said that, Ramon was quite far from them. So, it was safe for Hailee to assume that the man didn''t hear what Mrs. Gevano said just now.


    Meanwhile, Mrs. Gevano also knew that Ramon couldn''t hear them, so she continued her small talk.


    "If this had been the marriage of the two of you, your mother would have been very happy, because after all this was the wedding we both wanted," Mrs. Gevano kept saying anything and everything as if she had forgotten the fact that Hailee had married another man and today was her son''s wedding to a woman of his own choosing. "I know your mother very well."


    On the other hand, when she heard that, Hailee politely withdrew her hand from Mrs. Gevano and while still smiling, she replied to those words.


    "My mom would be happy to see me happy now, after all..." Hailee hung her words, but the look in her eyes suggested something Mrs. Gevano was toote to notice. "After all¡­ my mother wouldn''t be that happy if she found out what Theodore had done behind my back."


    Mrs. Gevano was about to open her mouth to defend her son by saying that Theodore was not entirely at fault and that it was all Aileen''s ruse to gain a better position in society by raising her social status.


    But, Hailee didn''t let Mrs. Gevano say that because she already knew very well what the middle-aged woman in front of her would say. Indeed, like mother like son, now only Hailee realized from whom Theodore got his arrogance.


    "You know my mother very well and you also know how much hate my mother would feel for betrayal," Hailee said, looking satisfied with the look on Mrs. Gevano who turned pale and lost her words.


    Mrs. Gevano''s behavior was totally uneptable. What she said only meant she didn''t respect Ramon, and by not respecting her husband, of course she wasn''t respecting Hailee either.


    Hailee wouldn''t let anyone trample on her family''s name like that, especially in front of her.


    After saying that, Hailee gave her a sweet smile once more before backing away and approaching Ramon, who was chatting with some of Theodore''s family who wanted to know more about him.


    It was very rare for them to chance upon an opportunity to meet Ramon Tordoff in person, of course they all would not miss this opportunity, especially when they had the chance to attract Ramon''s attention in investing into their business.


    "Are you done talking to your former mother-inw?" asked Ramon in a low voice that only Hailee could hear.


    Hailee immediately raised her head when she heard Ramon''s question, but she could see the mischievous glint in her husband''s eyes.


    "No need for a longer talk, I''m afraid she will regret even more for not having me as her daughter-inw," Hailee replied confidently and this made Ramonugh.


    ================


    Giana should have taken this into ount, that she would meet Ramon at Aileen''s wedding, because after all Aileen was Hailee''s adopted sister. So, it was certain that if that woman was here, then Ramon would apany her without a doubt.


    Indeed, previously Giana was so determined to be able to meet Ramon, no matter what happened she wanted to always be able to see the man, but now things were different.


    She wasn''t in an easy position to meet Ramon, especially when her purpose ining here was to see the woman who had been Aidan''s long-time mistress, and was none other than Zia Tatum, Hailee Tatum''s cousin.


    Giana really wanted tough at her destiny. How could two women from the Tatum family just ruin her life? This was a very ridiculous coincidence for her.


    "Then, what are you going to do when you find out that it''s the woman you''re looking for?" Aileen asked Giana, while the two of them were enjoying their drinks in one corner, after the main event of the wedding was over and the guests were enjoying the meal.


    On the other hand, Mrs. Gevano continued to watch Aileen chatting intimately with Giana Smith. Her forehead knitted together in confusion and curiosity. Howe Aileen knew someone like Giana?


    "She looks like a prostitute," Giana said in a low voice as she sipped her drink. Her piercing eyes were ring at Zia, who was chatting with Hailee while Ramon was standing not far from his wife. "So is the woman next to her," she added.


    "What?" Hearing Giana''sst sentence, Aileen was quite surprised. She turned to see if Giana was just joking with what she just said, and what she saw was seriousness there.


    "Oops, sorry, I forgot that it was your sister," Giana said in a sweet voice, but there was no apologetic tone in her voice. "Forget my words."


    "Do you have any problem with Hailee?" Aileen tried to investigate this subtly, so that Giana would not suspect her.


    Meanwhile, Giana didn''t immediately answer Aileen''s question. She watched the bride carefully before she finally answered with a more democratic answer. "Nothing, just this and that."


    Aileen caught this and tried her luck again. "I''m relieved that other people also find her annoying. Just because I''m indebted to her family for raising me, doesn''t mean I like her."


    Giana raised her eyebrows when she heard this. "What''s your problem with her?"


    And just as Aileen expected, Giana weed the hint well.


    Meanwhile, at the same time, Zia was stealing nces at Giana and Aileen who were having a serious conversation.


    She didn''t know what the two of them were talking about, but whatever it was, it didn''t make her feel any better. Zia felt that the two of them were nning something.


    "Is something bothering you?" Hailee asked. She had been observing Zia since earlier as well as Giana.


    Hailee was quite surprised to see Giana at Aileen''s wedding. What was the woman''s rtionship with her adopted sister? Hailee didn''t know they were close enough until Giana attended Aileen''s wedding.


    "Nothing," Zia replied as she continued sipping her drink, but then her father called out to her, for which she had to walk past where Giana and Aileen were standing. "Hailee, apany me, okay?"

 Chapter 222: AILEENS WEDDING DAY (3)

    <h4>Chapter 222: AILEEN''S WEDDING DAY (3)</h4>


    Meeting Giana at Aileen''s wedding was something Hailee never expected.


    She never thought that Giana would attend the wedding, because she knew Aileen and Giana weren''t that close to the point of visiting each other, but as it turned out, this was where the woman was, chatting very intimately with her adopted sister.


    What were the two women really talking about? Hailee didn''t understand how the two of them came to know each other. Maybe on her wedding day with Ramon? But, Giana was not the type of woman who would get along with anyone, especially someone she just met, without thinking about profit.


    And again, this time it didn''t seem like Giana was trying to get close to Ramon. She seemed more self- aware about her surroundings and the damaging news that was hitting her.


    Good thing, this woman still had a sane side to herself, and could still think straight, so Hailee didn''t have to worry about her at a time like this.


    "Hailee,e with me," said Zia suddenly.


    "Eh?" Hailee, who was engrossed with her own thoughts, seemed to have missed what happened. "Sorry, I didn''t hear what you just said. Come again?" Hailee asked, trying to regain her concentration.


    "Father called me and I don''t want to go alone," Zia said in a low voice. She didn''t understand why she felt this way, but it was really hard to just pass by Giana and Aileen, even if it was only for a few seconds.


    Zia was quite surprised when she saw Giana there. What did the woman want? And moreover what was she talking about with Aileen? All this bothered her and made her feel ufortable. If possible, Zia wanted to leave this ce as soon as possible, but that was something she couldn''t possibly do.


    "Apany you?" Hailee frowned in confusion. "Why?" She had never seen Zia so insecure. She looked restless for a reason Hailee didn''t know.


    "That¡­" Zia looked deep in thought. "You haven''t told my father directly about your pregnancy, he''ll want to hear it from you directly."


    Hailee raised her eyebrows questioningly. What strange reason was that? But, seeing how restless Zia was, she didn''t ask and just agreed.


    Speaking of pregnancy, Hailee hadn''t told this to Lis either since she couldn''t be reached. Where exactly was Lisa? She was gone for days now...


    "Oh okay. Let''s go see Uncle Diego," Hailee said with a cheerful smile, but before that, she approached Ramon to say where she was going. "I''ll keep an eye on you. If that womanes up to you and you seem happy to respond to whatever she says, don''t expect me to talk to you again," Hailee said threateningly.


    Of course, they both knew who ''that woman'' Hailee was referring to. Ramon had also seen Giana and was quite curious about what she was doing there.


    "Why? You are jealous?" Ramon asked yfully, his hand reached out to brush the few baby hair around Hailee''s frowning face. "You look so pretty when you''re jealous."


    "Don''t praise me for unreasonable reasons," Hailee said firmly. "I''m always beautiful no matter what."


    And Hailee''s confidentst statement made Ramonugh when he heard her. He really liked how Hailee always seemed brave enough to say what exactly she was thinking.


    "Hmm, I guess you''re right." Ramon then kissed Hailee''s forehead gently. "Go, I''ll pay attention to you too, lest you talk to other men and look happy, because I won''t respond well." Ramon reversed his wife''s words from earlier and this time Haileeughed.


    "Hey, you two, can the whispering be continuedter?" Zia rebuked the two impatiently.


    Hailee''s smile grew wider when she heard what Zia said, she then came closer to her cousin and took her hand. "Come on."


    The wedding was held outdoors, so when the sun was about to set on the western horizon, the lights started to turn on to illuminate the venue.


    And although not many people attended because the wedding was very private and took ce at the Gevano family''s residence, it could be said that the event went smoothly and for the first time Mrs. Gevano didn''t make a fuss with Aileen, although you could say she wasn''t sweet to her either.


    Every guest there seemed to be enjoying the event with a smile of formality on their lips, because it was inevitable that this kind of wedding would be a byword for people in the future. Especially because the Gevano family was one of the most respected families in the city.


    However, not everyone could show a perfect fake smile. Just like Zia, who couldn''t hide her anxiety at all. Especially when she walked past Giana and Aileen on her way to her father.


    "So this is the ''woman''," said Giana as Zia walked past her, deliberately emphasizing the word ''woman'' in her sentence, so that Zia could hear it. "I didn''t expect that she came from a prominent family too. I wonder how her family will react when they find out about this."


    Zia''s body stiffened when she heard that. She immediately knew who Giana was referring to. So, Aidan''s wife had found out? Did she know that Zia was the woman who had an affair with her husband?


    On the other hand, Hailee could feel Zia''s body stiffening before thetter trembled a little. She looked confusedly at her cousin.


    Infidelity? Hailee didn''t understand what Giana was saying, but she had a feeling that this woman was talking about Zia.


    "Beautiful, but it''s a shame to have no pride at all," Giana said in a louder voice so that several people could hear her as they turned their attention to Giana.


    For unknown reasons and maybe Zia would regret thister, but she stopped in her tracks and turned her body so she could face Giana.


    Meanwhile, Hailee was still trying to digest the situation. What really happened? While she was still guessing, Zia started to say.


    "Why? You came here to cry over your separation from your husband and me me?" she asked in a low voice that only the four of them could hear.

 Chapter 223: AILEENS WEDDING DAY (4)

    <h4>Chapter 223: AILEEN''S WEDDING DAY (4)</h4>


    Giana didn''t expect that Zia would turn around and confront her like this. She was quite surprised that this woman had the guts to talk to her in person, considering how she looked so restless throughout the wedding when she found out she had attended too.


    "You want to act like you''re a victim in your marriage?" Zia asked. She no longer cared about Hailee who was still standing beside her and listening to every word she said. "You''re not that holy Mrs. Smith. Don''t pretend to be a victim when youmitted the same sin."


    Okay, at this point Hailee was really confused as to what was really going on. Therefore, she could only remain silent and observe where this conversation would lead to.


    Meanwhile, Aileen did the same. She looked so calm observing the two women who were fighting, watching them as if she was watching her favorite television show.


    "Yes, I did the same." Giana smiled mockingly. "Why? You feel relieved after hearing that?" and this was the first time she had ignored Hailee''s presence there because her focus was on other people now.


    "Then what do you want to do?" Zia narrowed her eyes dangerously. She didn''t try to hide her anger. "Telling everyone what I''ve done? So that we can be in the same dirt?" Zia took a step closer. "I really don''t like being threatened."


    Giana didn''t back down when she saw the fury in Zia''s eyes because she was the one who provoked her. "Of course not," replied Giana in a toneless voice. "You can get the man. Besides, I don''t need him anymore."


    In other words, Giana gave Zia something she no longer needed and this really offended Zia.


    "You''re very happy, aren''t you, now that you can get him all to yourself?" Giana lowered her head so she could whisper into Zia''s ear. "A man who doesn''t even dare to take action properly. Were it not for this matter, I can confirm that you two would forever be in that shameful rtionship. You should be thanking me for causing this trouble."


    Zia gritted her jaw, clenching her fists so hard that her knuckles turned white. Shame and low self-esteem washed over her strongly when she heard what Giana said and realized that she was right.


    Her rtionship with Aidan would not go the way she wanted and Aidan would never divorce Giana, no matter how many times he said that he loved her, were it not for the scandal that hit Giana and forced Aidan to take this path.


    "Why are you silent? Now you realize that what I said was true?" Giana asked triumphantly.


    Zia really could not ept this defeat. She also had a big ego to just step back and show that she had lost to Giana.


    Therefore, ncing at Aileen, Zia said, "I don''t know what your original intention foring to this wedding was, but I guess I should tell you this. Just in case you still don''t know."


    Aileen who got a nce from Zia, frowned in confusion. What would this woman say?


    "You know that Aidan not only had an affair with me, but he also slept with her." Zia nodded toward Aileen and watched Giana''s reaction.


    And it was true as Zia suspected that Giana was not aware of this. A sh of genuine surprise crossed the woman''s beautiful eyes, though it didn''tst long as Giana immediately changed her facial expression again to one of being unconcerned.


    "So what?" asked Giana, to ovee her surprise. "I don''t care which bitch he''s been sleeping with. Everything is the same in my eyes."


    Ziaughed sarcastically when she saw Giana''s attempt to cover it up. "I just wanted to tell you that. And I think you''re smart enough to make any kind of deal with that woman so easily. Just make sure you stab her first, before she does that to you."


    After saying that, Zia grabbed Hailee''s hand and they continued their journey toward Diego who was waiting for them with a searching gaze.


    Although Zia couldn''t reply to the way Giana humiliated her, at least she had given the two people a sense of unease and concern. Maybe now they were working together, but it was possible that they would stab each other in the future. Because this was how their world worked.


    "Zia, is there something you didn''t tell me?" Hailee asked as they walked toward Diego, she deliberately slowed down her pace so she could ask this. "What''s your rtionship with Aidan Smith?" Hailee asked carefully.


    Hailee had a bad feeling about this and she needed to confirm it with Zia. Hailee just couldn''t believe that was what her cousin had done.


    On the other hand, at first Zia refused to answer the question and preferred to remain silent, but when they almost reached Diego''s little group, Zia said softly and quickly. "I had an affair with Aidan Smith during his marriage to Giana."


    Hailee felt her world spinning when she heard this directly from Zia. How could the Zia she had known for so many years do such a thing? With the husband of Giana? Seriously?


    Hailee didn''t know what kind of expression she had right now because her shock couldn''t be ovee quickly. Therefore, when Uncle Diego congratted her on the pregnancy, she could only stare at her uncle with a furrowed brow, as if she didn''t understand what he just said.


    "Why are you giving me such an expression?" Diego asked, stillughing and hugging Hailee carefully. "Your parents would have been very happy tohear the news of your pregnancy. I''m happy to hear that! Soon I will be a grandfather!"


    Maybe for some people who heard the conversation, it was happy news, but not everyone could say that they feel same.


    Giana stood transfixed when she heard this. Hailee is pregnant? She''s pregnant with Ramon''s child?


    She didn''t know what she was feeling now, because she felt a strange feeling running through her body. It was so strange that it made her heart beat faster. What is it? Anger?

 Chapter 224: AILEENS WEDDING DAY (5)

    <h4>Chapter 224: AILEEN''S WEDDING DAY (5)</h4>


    Not many people know about the news that Hailee was pregnant because Ramon deliberately didn''t announce it and tended to keep it a secret.


    But, because Diego said his congrattions for Hailee''s pregnancy in a loud enough voice, then some of the invited guests nearby could hear him clear enough.


    Luckily the guests at the time were close rtives of the bride and groom, so it could be said that there were no outsiders around, except for Giana. And, most of them did know Hailee before as Theodore''s fianc¨¦.


    Immediately, when several people heard that Hailee was pregnant, they immediately swarmed Hailee, vying to congratte her, as if the event that day was not Ailee''s wedding, because for a moment the bride waspletely forgotten.


    "Pregnant?" Giana hissed. Her eyes stared nkly at Hailee who was responding to the congrattory words sent her way with a smile on her lips. "She is pregnant?"


    "Oh, I just found out about this as well¡­" Aileen mumbled as she looked in the same direction as Giana. Then her eyes caught the figure of Theodore, who was standing transfixed. The man also heard what these people were talking about, the fact that Hailee was pregnant.


    Not only that, even Mr. and Mrs. Gevano seemed to be trying to hide their shock and acted as if they were happy to hear the news.


    Because it was undeniable, that Hailee and Ramon''s marriage caused skepticism among many people who said that the marriage was just a convenience marriage, but with the news of Hailee''s pregnancy being quite fast, of course it took them by surprise.


    "I didn''t know about this news¡­" Aileen mumbled again. Her brows furrowed in displeasure at the excessive attention Hailee receiving from these people. Why did she always be the center of attention?


    On the other hand, Giana didn''t say anything, but her eyes were now ring at Ramon who was walking toward his wife who was surrounded by a lot of people, as if he was worried that something might happen to Hailee.


    Ramon simply walked past Aileen and Giana, without turning or ncing at them, as if the two women were not there, or maybe his only focus right now was Hailee, so everything else was nothing in his eyes.


    While Giana could only stare at him without being able to do anything. No. This was not the right time for her to do anything. There was something else she had to do first before doing anything about her rtionship with Ramon.


    "You just found out about this too?" Giana asked Aileen, of course after her great efforts to distract herself from Ramon and Hailee. "I thought you two were close enough to share information."


    Aileen nced at Giana, as if this woman had just said something unreasonable. "Close?" Aileen sneered. "This is an annoying misunderstanding."


    Giana raised an eyebrow when she heard that. "I guess my assumption was wrong then."


    Aileen didn''t answer, but then she turned around and drank another ss of wine in frustration.


    It was her wedding day, but she wasn''t getting the attention she wanted, not even from her current husband, Theodore Gevano. Today, she was supposed to officially be Aileen Gevano, but she didn''t feel the happiness she should have felt.


    Aileen didn''t feel as happy as she imagined to have Gevano family''s name behind her name. Maybe it was because her main goal had changed, that she no longer wanted Theodore to help her get Tatum''spany, because now Aileen realized that she could achieve it all by herself.


    "I didn''t expect you to dislike your own sister so much," Giana said quietly, taking a ss of wine from the nearby table and sipping it.


    "She is not my sister," Aileen replied curtly. But then she noticed something odd. You could call this as a woman''s intuition. "Why do I feel that you have something to do with Hailee? Or is it just me?"


    Giana smiled meaningfully. "You are right. I have aplicated business with your sister."


    Aileen was quite surprised when she heard this, "Oh." She tossed her hair off her shoulders and asked carefully, acting as if she wasn''t interested in this. "What business do you have with her?"


    But of course, Giana could see her pretense quite well. "I will let you know if I need you." She took another sip of her drink. "Until then, our business is only about Aidan''s affair."


    Aileen snorted when she heard the subtle refusal. Giana was trying to y her cards well and take advantage of them. "I guess that''s fair enough."


    "But, before that." Giana tilted her head, ncing at Aileen with a cynical look. "Is what Zia said true?" she asked.


    "Which one? She talked too much earlier and you two spoke in whispers, so it''s safe to say that I didn''t hear half of your conversation," Aileen said nonchntly.


    "Zia said that you had slept with Aidan too. Is that true?" Giana asked in a calm voice.The news didn''t mean anything to her, but she had to know who she was making deals with, especially with people she just met.


    Aileen''s breath hitched slightly when she heard that, surprised that Zia told Giana about the secret and now Aileen had to choose between telling the truth or denying the statement.


    "Yeah, right," Aileen replied, in the end she chose to tell the truth, because Giana wasn''t the kind of person to be easily fooled. "I once slept with your husband."


    The only response Giana gave was to raise her eyebrows, as if to say; oh.


    "Only once and that was because your husband was drunk. Besides, if it wasn''t for that incident, I wouldn''t have known that Aidan had an affair with Zia. So I can''t be med." In her haste, Aileen tried to defend herself, but instead sounded like a desperate person.


    "I didn''t say anything," Giana said,ughing softly. "But, I want proof of that affair as well. You must have it, right?"

 Chapter 225: FEELING

    <h4>Chapter 225: FEELING</h4>


    "I didn''t say anything," said Giana,ughing softly. "But, I want proof of that affair as well. You must have it, right?"


    Aileen narrowed her eyes when she heard Giana''sst sentence. She did have evidence that she had been with Aidan, anyone would have guessed easily that Aileen made use of that evidence to ckmail Aidan as well before.


    But, that was not the problem. The problem was; Aileen couldn''t possibly give the evidence to Giana, because after all the evidence would be a boomerang for herter.


    Giana could use it to ckmail her back. However, if Aileen didn''t provide that proof¡­


    "Why? There''s no need to give me such a facial expression. Don''t tell me you don''t have any," Gianaughed softly at her own words. "You underestimated me so much if you thought I would believe it."


    Damn!


    Aileen thought it would be easier to cooperate with Giana, but in reality it wasn''t. This woman was like a snake that wrapped itself around her and made her feel like she had taken the wrong step.


    However, the choices in Aileen''s hands were terrible and she had to choose the worst among the worst.


    "What if I say ''no''?" Aileen tried to make things more bnced.


    Hearing the refusal, Giana pretended to be surprised and Aileen hated it. "Why? You want to keep the evidence as a keepsake between the two of you?" she asked with a sneer. "Dear, I don''t even care who he''s been sleeping with. And, I don''t care if he has slept with all the women in this town either."


    "Then what do you need it for?" Aileen narrowed her eyes, looking at Giana inquisitively, while the guests still surrounded Hailee and Ramon, talking about unimportant things. "You want to ckmail me?"


    Gianna shrugged. "We live in a harsh world, and I needed something to make sure I wasn''t stabbed in the back."


    "Why? You got a trauma because your husband stabbed you in the back?" Aileen actually dared to open the one wound that Giana was trying hard to ignore. "So you need a guarantee from me?"


    Even though the words were like a dagger stabbing Giana, she tried not to show it on her expression and preferred to act casual, as if the words didn''t bother her at all.


    "Yes, you can say that. Only a brainless person will fall into the same hole twice." Giana put down her empty ss, then nced at Ramon. "Just pretend that the proof of you and Aidan being together is part of this agreement and I''ll do something for Hailee in return."


    "What are you going to do to her?" Aileen looked wary when Giana looked back at Hailee with a meaningful look. The woman in front of her was not as simple as she thought.


    "You don''t need to know what I''m going to do, but since we both don''t like the same person, then I can say you''ll like what I have in mind for her." Giana then straightened her clothes. "I think it''s time for me to go."


    After saying this, without waiting for an answer from Aileen, Giana walked away from the party, leaving Aileen still wondering what really happened between Giana and Hailee. What''s the secret between the two of them and why did Giana seem to hate Hailee so much?


    ================


    Even though she didn''t see it clearly, Hailee could feel the hostile gazes that were cast by Giana and Aileen when people congratted her on her pregnancy.


    And if Hailee could sense that, of course that detail didn''t go unnoticed by Ramon either.


    "I hope you don''t visit your family too often," Ramon said on their way back to town A. "About your house, I''ll get someone to take care of it."


    The house that Ramon was referring to was the house now upied by Aileen which Hailee inherited from her parents recently.


    Because Aileen had inherited another house and also because she was married to Theodore, so she should have left the house, but it seemed that until now Aileen still hadn''t taken her things out of that house.


    "I didn''t think about the house," Hailee said. She then raised her head, straightened her body and looked at Ramon, indicating that she wanted to have a serious talk. "I don''t really care about the house at all. But, there''s something else I want to ask you."


    "What?" Ramon was more used to Hailee''s mischievous expression or unexpectedments, but seeing how serious Hailee was right now, this naturally made Ramon anticipate what Hailee would say.


    For a moment, Hailee seemed hesitant to say this, but then she made up her mind. "I don''t know if it''s right to ask this, but I wonder how much progress you''ve made in getting your memories back."


    Ramon didn''t expect Hailee to ask such a thing. "I''ll tell you, but I want to know why you want to know that so suddenly."


    "I realized that you keep having nightmares. You are restless in your sleep and it makes me wonder if this is a side effect of your therapy. So I want to know how far your therapy has progressed. Is there anything important you remember?"


    "Important things like?" Ramon yed with Hailee''s hair, as if they were discussing light topics.


    "Like how you started an affair with Giana," Hailee said, lowering her voice so that Pyro, who was driving the car, couldn''t hear her. "This bothers me a lot."


    Although Hailee didn''t seem to really care, but of course this bothered her a lot especially with the fact that Giana had not given up on the rtionship she had with Ramon in the past.


    And Hailee didn''t know how deep Ramon felt for her because this man didn''t remember anything about his past.


    Ramon rested his forehead against Hailee''s and closed his eyes as he said this. "I got a few fragments of memories of myself and Giana as well as some old memories that I thought I had forgotten. But, I don''t feel the same when I''m with you when I remember those pieces of memory. I don''t know what I did to have that kind of rtionship with Giana, but I''m not sure if it involves any serious feelings."

 Chapter 226: SECRET

    <h4>Chapter 226: SECRET</h4>


    "Hailee!" A woman''s voice was heard calling her name as soon as Hailee and Ramon got out of their car.


    The journey back to town A was tiring, but Hailee had enough time to take a refreshing nap in the car after Ramon shared how he felt about Giana.


    "Mother?" Hailee smiled when she saw Lis who was walking in a hurry to greet her. "I can''t reach you for the past few days."


    "Oh yeah¡­ I''m in a ce where it is difficult to get a signal," Lis said and because her focus was on Hailee, she missed the meaningful look her son gave her. "I just heard the news of your pregnancy!"


    "Ah, that¡­" Hailee lowered her head, she couldn''t bear to look at Lis when the still beautiful middle-aged woman said it in a quite loud voice. "Yeah¡­ we just found out about it."


    "I didn''t expect to be a grandmother so soon," Lisined, but from the look in her eyes, she looked very happy to hear the news.


    Admittedly, Lis looked too young to be called grandma¡­ hmm, Hailee thought people like Lis took extra care to maintain their appearance.


    "At the next examination, I will go with you," Lis said enthusiastically. "And you." This time her attention was on Ramon. "You don''t look happy to see your mother back? Don''t just stand there,e here, because there''s a lot I want to tell you as a father-to-be."


    And with that, they listened to Lis'' advice for the next two hours about the story of her first pregnancy with Ramon and everything Hailee needed to know.


    At this point, everything seemed perfectly normal, as if nothingplicated was waiting for them, and had Ramon not seen Lis at that hotel with a man from the Smith family, maybe Ramon wouldn''t have a suspicious thought about her.


    But no. He had seen Lis with the man named Leon and things didn''t look the same, or even simple for that matter. Even the smile andughter that Lis was showing right now felt fake.


    There were many things bothering Ramon and this kept him from focusing on the conversation between Hailee and Lis.


    What was the secret hidden in the four years he had forgotten? This situation started to get on his nerves¡­ Ramon sensed that danger was lurking, but he didn''t know where it wasing from¡­


    ================


    ¡­I''m not sure if it involves any serious feelings.


    Those words kept ringing in Hailee''s ears and made her heart feel warm. The incident during Aileen''s wedding where she had to meet with Giana, was forgotten a little. Or, you could say that it didn''t really bother Hailee.


    Luckily Giana was in her right mind and wasn''t looking to start a fuss with Hailee, nor was the shameless woman trying to get close to Ramon.


    But, something else was bothering Hailee right now, namely the fact that Zia had an affair with Aidan. This was something Hailee didn''t expect at all. Hailee wouldn''t dare imagine such a sudden turn of events even in her wildest imaginations.


    Hailee should talk to Zia about it. How far was their rtionship and did Giana and Aidan''s divorce have anything to do with their cousin? This unexpected information really bothered Hailee.


    "What are you thinking about?" Ramon asked in a soft voice, he was holding his wife while ying with her long hair in their quiet bedroom. "Your forehead is furrowed."


    "I had a conversation with Giana earlier," Hailee started, she looked up so she could see her husband''s face more clearly, while Ramon pulled the nket around her. "Giana said something totally unexpected."


    "What is that? Something about me?" asked Ramon. He din''t know when this started, but he didn''t like it when things bothered Hailee.


    "No." Hailee shook her head, she liked it when Ramon touched her hair. His habit whenever they were close. "It''s about Aidan."


    "Aidan Smith?" Ramon still couldn''t figure out why they were talking about Aidan Smith.


    "Actually, it''s not about me, but Zia," Hailee seemed hesitant to say this. "Giana said that Zia had an affair with Aidan and their rtionship has been going on for quite some time."


    Ramon didn''t seem surprised when he heard this and this made Hailee wonder because she didn''t get the reaction she had imagined.


    "Don''t get involved in other people''s problems," said Ramon atst after a moment of silence. "There''s no need to ask about it further."


    "Zia isn''t someone else," Hailee protested. "She''s my cousin."


    "She may be your cousin, but she has her own life. There is no need to investigate this further, because whatever you will find outter, will not please you in any way." Ramon gave his gaze.


    "But, I want to know why she did that," Hailee insisted.


    "Then, what are you going to do once you find out?" Ramon asked. At this point, he knew Hailee enough to know what she was thinking and Ramon didn''t want Hailee to be involved in something that was none of her business, even though Zia was her cousin.


    "I don''t know," Hailee answered quietly. "But, at least I want to know why she did that."


    "Hailee," Ramon called her name quietly, but demanded more attention from her. "I don''t want you to get involved with your family too much. There''s something I want you to see regarding the reports of the deaths of your parents that I managed to investigate."


    Hearing that, Hailee was about to sit up and get off the bed, forcing Ramon to show it to her right now.


    Ramon didn''t say anything about the oue of the information he had investigated so far, so for Ramon to say it now, this must be an important matter.


    However, Ramon held Hailee''s body back, preventing her from moving and hugged her a little tighter.


    "Tomorrow," he whispered. "I will show you the report tomorrow. For now, I want you to rest.''


    But, how could Hailee sleep peacefully after knowing this? Waiting until tomorrow was a very hard thing for Hailee.


    "You can''t expect me to sleep well now. Not after what you said," Hailee said in a trembling voice. "I want to know what you got. I don''t want to wait until tomorrow."

 Chapter 227: LEAVE ME ALONE

    <h4>Chapter 227: LEAVE ME ALONE</h4>


    It was impossible for Hailee to wait until tomorrow after what Ramon had said just now while they were in their quiet bedroom.


    Thus, here was Hailee now, sitting in Ramon''s study while holding several reports telling her some of the important information that Ramon''s men had gathered, with an unreadable expression on her face.


    "Aileen and George did it," Ramon concluded when Hailee reached the end of the report.


    However, even to the very end, Hailee still refused to say a word. She was extremely silent as her mind was filled with the new information she was able to get her hands on.


    All of this was so shocking to Hailee that she was at a loss for words and unable to properly digest everything she just came to know.


    All of this important information made Hailee feel very stifled. She didn''t know where to start thinking about all this.


    The fact that the deaths of her parents was a plot carried out by Aileen and George or the fact that Aileen was actually George Tatum''s biological child.


    Yes, Ramon managed to get the relevant evidence and now Hailee knew it as well.


    Aileen is a Tatum, the child born out of George Tatum''s illicit rtionship with a woman whose background was still unknown.


    Various feelings were running through Hailee''s mind and she couldn''t process them properly. She needed some time to understand all of this, because now Hailee felt her world was copsing right beneath? her feet.


    What Aileen did to her back at the hotel by selling her to Rnd Dimatrio was something she didn''t expect at all, but being involved in the murders of her parents was apletely different matter.


    Hailee might be able to understand why Aileen hated her or even envied her, but what wrong had her parents have ever done to her? Didn''t her mother and father never evenpare the two of them? Wasn''t Aileen treated so well and given whatever Hailee got? Then what went wrong?


    Hailee couldn''t help but feel her brain stop working which left her with innumerable unanswered but new questions.


    At this point, Hailee might not even have noticed her ragged breathing and her trembling hands that were holding the reports, but Ramon noticed it and swiftly pushed aside the files filled with all evidences, turned the chair Hailee was sitting on and knelt before his wife.


    "Hailee," Ramon called softly. His hand reached out to cup the face of the woman in front of him who looked pale, as if blood was leaving her veins. Hailee''s skin felt cold when Ramon touched her and this worried him greatly. "Talk to me."


    Meanwhile, Hailee turned her attention and looked deeply into Ramon''s eyes, her breathing still ragged and she didn''t know what to think now.


    This is a time when you have a lot to say, but there isn''t a single word you can think of saying, as if you''ve magically lost the ability to speak.


    "Hailee, say something," Ramon said again, this time he could feel a deep sense of concern for his wife''s reaction. "Speak."


    Hailee''s lips trembled, she was about to speak, but no words came out, not even a tear rolled down her cheek. The shock Hailee received seemed so great and Ramon was a little sorry for having to tell her about this all of a sudden.


    "What do you want?" asked Ramon again atst as thick silence started surrounding them. "Tell me what you want to do?"


    Ramon could feel the feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and anger that Hailee was trying to suppress, but what Hailee was actually feeling was much moreplicated than that.


    And Ramon was willing to do anything to make Hailee feel even a little better.


    "Tell me what you want to do?" Ramon asked again. He stroked Hailee''s pale cheek and kissed her forehead gently, but this didn''t make Hailee respond to what he was doing, because the woman was still frozen, deep in thought¡­ "You want to report this?"


    Yes, with the evidence in their hands and the vast influence of the Tordoff family, that was more than enough to report Aileen and George''s actions and put them behind bars for a long time.


    But¡­


    Is that what Hailee wanted?


    What does she want¡­?


    What?


    Ramon''s question echoed in Hailee''s head, she was now asking herself the same thing.


    What does she want to do after learning about the brutal and immoral actions of her uncle and adoptive sister?


    "I want them to suffer," she said in a trembling whisper. "I want them to suffer a lot more. I want them to regret their very lives."


    "You want to sue them? Bring this case to court?" Ramon asked patiently. At this point, he felt that he would do anything for Hailee. If it was the legal route that his wife wanted, then he would have won it and wouldn''t let Aileen or George go free after what they had done.


    However, Hailee didn''t answer right away.


    Jail?


    Could it make up to what Aileen and George had done to her? Would they suffer from being imprisoned? Yes, they would suffer. Destroyed reputations and snatched freedoms.


    But, Hailee didn''t want that kind of suffering for them to experience. The suffering in prison was too light. Having their freedom taken away? Seriously¡­ the two of them had teamed up to kill her parents. Only their freedom being taken away and their reputation being destroyed would not be able to make up to what they had done.


    No.


    Hailee wanted more. She wanted them to suffer more than that.


    And that''s when Ramon could see the change in Hailee. Something was growing inside of her that made this woman look worthy of attention, but Ramon knew that he wasn''t the one who had to anticipate Hailee''s wrath¡­


    "No," Hailee finally spoke, she shook her head and looked at Ramon with a look the man had never seen before. An unwavering determination."I won''t report them. No, it''s not time for that yet."


    Ramon then grabbed Hailee''s hand which was still shaking. "Then, what action are you going to take?"


    Hailee closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I need some alone time, can you leave me alone for a while?"

 Chapter 228: HAILEES SADNESS

    <h4>Chapter 228: HAILEE''S SADNESS</h4>


    Hailee felt she needed time to digest all of this. "I need some alone time, can you leave me alone for a while?" she said to Ramon and this time there was a pleading tone in her voice.


    Hailee suddenly felt mentally exhausted and unable to deal with other people, including Ramon. She didn''t know what the reaction would be appropriate or if her words just now sounded too mean and cruel to say.


    But, that''s how Hailee felt, as she didn''t know how to react to it anymore.


    Hailee didn''t want Ramon to think badly of her for saying that, but she couldn''t add that anxiety to her already veryplicated situation.


    Therefore, when Ramon gently stroked her cheek and tucked her hair behind her ear, only then did Hailee dare to open her eyes and look directly at Ramon.


    Hailee thought she would receive either an using stare or a judgmental look from this man, but that was not the case. Ramon was still looking at her the same way and nothing had changed about him.


    Maybe Hailee was overthinking this, but who wouldn''t?


    "I''ll make some hot tea for you, it will help you feel calmer." Ramon then stood up and was about to leave. But before that, he lowered his head and kissed Hailee''s cheek while whispering, "When you''ve decided what you''re going to do, tell me and I''ll help you."


    It was a simple sentence that was too straightforward, but it somehow gave Hailee some peace.


    Knowing that Ramon would be by her side to help her was important. Ramon seemed to remind Hailee that she was not alone.


    And that feeling made Hailee''s chest constrict, like a rush of various emotions trying to surface.


    The feelings that Hailee had suppressed since she first read the report and from just now overflowed, like a water dam breaking.


    Hailee grabbed the front of her shirt and gripped it tightly, as if she was trying to keep her broken heart intact.


    And when the sound of the door closing could be heard and Hailee was alone, the overflow of emotions turned into a sob and the sob turned into a scream of despair.


    Hailee wailed, like a wounded animal¡­


    Meanwhile, behind the closed study door, Ramon could hear Hailee''s desperate sobs and this made him wince, as if he felt the same pain.


    Ramon didn''t like this feeling at all and even more so seeing Hailee like that¡­


    ================


    Even though it was their wedding night, where both the bride and groom should be enjoying the night happily, but the reality was far from it.


    Because Aileen was currently sitting alone on the edge of the bed, in a luxury hotel room where they were to spend a week''s honeymoon vacation.


    Aileen nned this honeymoon alone because Theodore did not participate in the n at all. No, he didn''t even participate in anything rted to their marriage.


    And now the man was somewhere, after leaving his wife alone just like that.


    Aileen''s knuckles turned white as she gripped the hem of her dress so tightly as she gritted her teeth furiously.


    This was a tant insult. Aileen really felt insulted by Theodore''s attitude toward her.


    Perhaps the two of them could still fake a smile and act more decent when there were many eyes on them, but when no one else was around, the smile on Theodore''s lips would disappear so quickly.


    Aileen didn''t understand why their rtionship could change so drastically? Because during the time Theodore was engaged to Hailee and their rtionship was still a secret, Aileen firmly believed that she had the man in her palms.


    But, why now...


    Aileen looked back at the clock which showed that it was long past midnight and morning woulde in less than three hours, but Theodore still hadn''t returned. The man had left Aileen alone ever since they set foot in this hotel.


    It was anger and hatred that apanied Aileen throughout the night. In her solitude, her mind kept reying some of the ns she coulde up with to make Theodore regret for treating her like this.


    Not only Theodore but also Mrs. Gevano, that woman never considered her a part of the family, so that''s what Aileen would do as well.


    They weren''t family and she was free to do anything to people who made her unhappy.


    Aileen made a list in her heart of the people who would suffer under her hand and Theodore and George were at the top of the list.


    As for Hailee, she would take care of her after she got the green light from Giana...


    All the ns had been wellid out in Aileen''s head, but no one knew if it would all go the way she wanted¡­


    ================


    "What happened?" Lexus leaned in to whisper to Ramon who was sitting next to him. "Did you two fight again?"


    It was a normal morning that Lexus invited himself to have breakfast at Ramon''s house, but what he found was a gloomy looking Hailee, shrouded by a dark aura.


    Of course this surprised Lexus, because he wasn''t used to seeing Hailee in such a gloomy mood.


    If it was Ramon, maybe Lexus wouldn''t really care because that was how his brother usually was.


    "No," replied Ramon briefly while pushing Lexus away because his brother was too close to him, on the other hand, Hailee seemed not to hear their whispery conversation because she was too focused on the porridge in front of her.


    Yes, Hailee didn''t sleep all night, she was in Ramon''s study alone, while Ramon stood at the door, listening to his wife cry all night long.


    It wasn''t until the sun came up that Hailee''s crying subsided and Ramon went inside to invite her to have breakfast, as if he hadn''t heard her crying. This relieved Hailee, because thest thing Hailee wanted was someone to pity her.


    "But, why does she look so gloomy? Usually she is always cheerful whenever she sees me," Lexusmented and this got a response from Hailee.


    "I''m not happy to see you, so don''t spread rumors that aren''t true," she said.

 Chapter 229: I WILL INVITE SOMEONE

    <h4>Chapter 229: I WILL INVITE SOMEONE</h4>


    "I''m not happy to see you, so don''t spread rumors that aren''t true," she said.


    Hailee had heard the whispers that Lexus had made to Ramon. The second son of the Tordoff family thought that Hailee didn''t hear him because she was deep in thought, but the truth was; It was Lexus''ments that made Hailee unable to concentrate on her own problems.


    Maybe seeing this from a different perspective would be a good thing, because Hailee was being too deep about her feelings and that wasn''t good, but still what Lexus did was annoying.


    "Don''t lie," said Lexus as he waved his hand at Hailee, making a gesture as if he was ignoring Hailee''s statement. "You''re always excited when you see me."


    "I really can''t talk to your brother¡­" Hailee grumbled to Ramon. "He can be a very annoying person."


    "I know," said Ramon, confirming Hailee''s statement. "I''ll ask the guard to ban him from entering if hees without notice next time," Ramon said lightly as he took a sip of his tea, because Hailee couldn''t smell coffee.


    "Seriously!" eximed Lexus. "I''m your brother!"


    "And I''m his wife!" Hailee didn''t want to lose.


    And this littlemotion continued as long as they ate breakfast. Hailee and Lexus just couldn''t stop fussing over trifles.


    However, strangely, this only made Ramon feel much morefortable, because he liked this Hailee more than she was a few hours ago. At least, this unpredictable woman still had the energy to fight with his brother and that gave him a strange relief.


    "Thepany anniversary event will be held next month right?" Hailee asked. She pushed her bowl of porridge from which she only took a few mouthfuls, because she had lost her appetite.


    Seeing this, Ramon took the bowl that Hailee had pushed away and started to feed his wife. At first Hailee refused because she didn''t want to eat anything, but in the end Ramon managed to persuade her.


    "Yes, you wille right?" Lexus then turned his attention to his brother. "You''re not going to stop her froming, are you? Don''t be ridiculous, you don''t need to be so protective of her, to the point of forbidding her to attend a party."


    Lexus had seen how Ramon had been after learning of Hailee''s pregnancy, therefore his assumption that Ramon would prevent Hailee was not uncalled for.


    "No, I wille," this time it was Hailee, who answered firmly and Ramon did not give any response to the answer. "But, I have something to ask, can I invite someone else to the event?"


    "Of course," replied Lexus. "Who are you going to invite? I''ll have someone send the invitation to them."


    Hailee shook her head slowly. "No need, I will give the invitation myself."


    Hearing this, Ramon narrowed his eyes slightly, as if he knew about whom and what Hailee was thinking and her answer to Lexus''s question proved that his instincts were often right.


    "Who are you going to invite?" asked Lexus.


    "My adoptive sister Aileen and uncle George," Hailee replied calmly while eating the porridge that Ramon fed her.


    Their eyes met briefly and Hailee could see disapproval shing across Ramon''s eyes, only this time he chose not to speak his mind.


    But, Ramon would definitely discuss this when the two of them were alone.


    ================


    The news about Giana and Aidan''s divorce dominated all the mass media columns and became the trending headlines for days.


    And during that time, no one in the media had been able to find out where Giana was staying, while Aidan was very difficult to ask for information.


    The two soon to be divorcees were the most wanted people at the moment, because it was not only the news about their marriage that was bing hot gossip, but also news about the shares of the Dawson familypany which was increasingly worrying, while, like his daughter, Mr. Dawson was unreachable as well.


    Every important meeting, it was Lori Dawson who would appear to rece his brother as speaker. This strange thing also caused spection in themunity.


    Many people said that Larry Dawson, Giana''s father, was in a critical condition where he couldn''t even run thepany.


    And if the news was true, then the shares of the Dawson family would continue to decline and this would be a critical period for theirpany if allowed to continue, because Lori Dawson''s figure was not as strong as his brother''s figure in leading thepany.


    And from the very first day Larry Dawson was in the hospital, Giana couldn''t be reached, nor did she try to find out how her father was doing.


    Therefore, when today Giana appeared at the hospital and entered the VVIP room upied by her father, her mother was surprised and immediately approached her.


    "What have you been doing all this time? Why did you juste now? Don''t you know that thepany is under threat?!" eximed her mother with an angry face and also relieved after seeing the figure of her only daughter.


    However, Giana ignored it all and walked calmly to her father''s bed.


    Actually, this room was under tight security and not just anyone could enter. This was to prevent any news leaking about Larry Dawson''s health, but as the sole heir to the Dawson family, of course Giana was an exception.


    "You really are just making everything difficult for this family!" Her mother continued scolding her. "After the scandal, you just disappeared and are not responsible at all for the mess you''ve created! Divorce?! You really are crazy!"


    Giana had often heard disgruntled grunts from her father, so her mother''s protests meant nothing to her, but it still hurt, knowing that the person who was supposed to be defending her was actually standing opposite her. Even long before this incident, her mother had not really defended Giana or one could say never at all.


    "What other mess are you going to blow up now?!" her mother continued to scold Giana even after the two of them stood by the bed where Larry Dawson was sleeping with an oxygen tube up his nose.


    "Shut up!" roared Giana in the end, because her patience had run out from the constant obeying and bowing. "Stop your babbling and get out of this room right now," Giana growled in a low voice.


    This was the first time Giana raised her voice against her mother.

 Chapter 230: RAMON IS CRAZY

    <h4>Chapter 230: RAMON IS CRAZY</h4>


    "Giana¡­" Cassandra, Giana''s mother, was shocked when she heard her daughter yelling at her. This was the first time Giana had done this to her because usually she would just stay quiet, be passive and choose not to provoke her parents.


    However, this time Giana looked different. There was something about the way she looked at her that made Cassandra shudder in fear. A cold, distance emotion and pent- up anger.


    What happened to her daughter? In just a few weeks of her disappearance, Giana seemed like apletely different person, until Cassandra felt that she didn''t recognize her anymore.


    "Giana, did you just yell at your mother?" Cassandra asked in disbelief, clutching the front of her shirt and squinting at Giana, who didn''t even flinch when she said those harsh words.


    "Yes," replied Giana curtly. "Now get out of this room because I am going to talk to him." Giana nodded toward Larry Dawson, her father.


    "Giana, what happened to you?" Cassandra, subconsciously, lowered her voice, afraid that Giana would be even more unreasonable than this. At this moment, she was afraid of her own daughter.


    "What happened to me?" Giana asked, then in the next second herughter echoed in the room, causing Cassandra to take a few steps back in fear. "You are asking what happened to me?" Giana asked again between herughs.


    What question was that? Was it a rhetorical question that didn''t need an answer? But, seriously¡­ what idiot would ask such a question?


    "You don''t know what happened to me? Even strangers know what happened to me," Giana said very sarcastically.


    "That''s not what mother meant..." Cassandra tried to exin, but Giana had cut her off by raising her hand, indicating for her to stop talking.


    "Get out of this room now, I don''t have time to entertain you," Giana said in a very cold tone.


    "Giana, your father is sleeping, you can''t wake him up as you please," Cassandra was worried about leaving Giana alone with Larry, because it seemed that Giana''s condition was unstable, and so Cassandra gathered her courage to oppose her.


    Giana sighed in annoyance, facing her stubborn and unreasonable mother. However, this time she didn''t say anything and chose to call someone to enter the room.


    A few secondster, two men entered. Their burly bodies and the ck coats they wore indicated that they were both bodyguards.


    "Take her out," Giana said to the two bodyguards, nodding at her mother. "And make sure no onees into this room while I am inside."


    Giana was very serious while saying this and even though the two bodyguards know who Cassandra was and they shouldn''t do that to her, but seeing how Giana was acting, of course refusal was not the right action.


    Therefore, they had no other choice but toply with Giana''s request.


    "Giana, you can''t do this to your mother!" Cassandra growled. She looked at Giana with frightened eyes then at her husband who was still lying unconscious. Worry shrouded her heart, because she didn''t know what Giana would do.


    "Of course I can and now I am doing it," Giana said in a cold voice, waving her hand to signal that she wanted this woman out of her sight right now.


    It took more than three minutes to get Cassandra out of the VVIP room, apanied by roars and threats at Giana.


    Cassandra kept saying that Giana really didn''t know herself to cause such a mess and also make her father bedridden, then now she treated her mother like this.


    Giana had already prepared herself for the worst possible words her mother might say, but after she heard all of that in person, still, her heart ached. Giana felt someone was stabbing her with a blunt knife.


    Her life was ironic and Giana felt sorry for herself for it.


    After Cassandra left and the room calmed down again, Giana then walked over to her father''s bed and stared at the middle- aged man for a while.


    Neither the look in her eyes, nor her expression showed any emotion. So, no one knew what she would do at this point.


    Maybe because Larry Dawson had been sleeping for a long time, or maybe because he felt Giana''s intense hostile gaze, momentster, the middle- aged man opened his eyes and found his daughter before him.


    "Finally you showed up," said Larry breathlessly and in a low voice.


    "Finally you wake up," replied Giana.


    ================


    After Hailee learned the information about the facts behind her parents'' deaths, she felt very ufortable to be alone in the house.


    Hailee didn''t want to be alone in this situation or in a bad mood, so she decided to go to the office and bring lunch to Ramon.


    Since Hailee had decided this so suddenly, Pyro, Hailee''s head bodyguard, was a little surprised.


    "Oh, you can wait three minutes first," said Pyro to Hailee and then the man was busymunicating with the smallmunication device in his hand to coordinate with the other bodyguards.


    "Hey, I am just going to have lunch with Ramon, why do you guys look so busy?" Hailee didn''t understand why Pyro looked overwhelmed by this sudden change of schedule.


    However, soon Hailee understood what made Pyro look busy, because momentster there were two cars that stopped right behind the car Hailee was going to drive and each car was upied by four bodyguards.


    Wait! As Hailee recalled, she only had four bodyguards apanying her wherever she went before, but howe their number had now seemed to be doubled?!


    "Sorry Mrs. Tordoff, but Mr. Tordoff doesn''t allow you to go out alone," Pyro said apologetically.


    "I never go out alone!" Hailee protested and it was true, because there would always be Pyro following her. "I am just going to Ramon''s office, I am not going to window shopping."


    "I am sorry Mrs. Tordoff, but this is Mr. Tordoff''s order," Pyro said.


    Crazy Ramon! Hailee grumbled in her heart.

 Chapter 231: RAMONS ABSURDITY

    <h4>Chapter 231: RAMON''S ABSURDITY</h4>


    Hailee entered the building escorted by eight bodyguards, as if she was about to enter a battlefield instead of meeting her own husband. Does this still make sense?


    Ramon was really going out of his way to get her through this! Hailee grumbled again when every single pair of eyes in the building stared at her in amazement.


    At this point, it was certain that they recognized Hailee as Mrs. Tordoff, as they talked about her softly or stopped their activities for a moment only to slightly bow their heads politely at Hailee, to which she responded with a nod.


    Meanwhile, some of the employees who could only see Hailee from a distance gave a look of envy and admiration, seeing how the eight bodyguards behind Hailee walked after her, as if she was the most important figure in this country.


    Hailee wanted to scream at those who were looking at her with that look that all of this wasn''t her idea! This was Ramon''s idea! She didn''t want to bring these many bodyguards either...


    But, what a shame¡­ Hailee couldn''t possibly do that. Therefore, the only thing she could do was to quickly flee to Ramon''s office on the eighteenth floor.


    On the way there, Hailee had tried to contact Ramon, but it was Danny who picked up his phone and said that Ramon left his cell phone behind because he was in an important meeting with someone.


    Initially, Hailee was going to cancel her visit because she didn''t want to disturb Ramon while the man was busy working, but Danny assured that Ramon would be finished by the time Hailee arrived.


    So here was Hailee, standing in the middle of the elevator that would lead her to Ramon''s office surrounded by her bodyguards who filled the entire elevator and didn''t let anyone in.


    "Pyro, you guys don''t have to do this every time I go out right? There''s no need to double the escort group, right?" Hailee asked Pyro when they were in the elevator. "After all, who will harm me?"


    "I am sorry Mrs. Tordoff, it looks like this will be your standard of security from now on," said Pyro.


    Pyro''s answer of course annoyed Hailee. Her ire was not directed at the head bodyguard, but at Ramon of course. "Why is that?"


    Pyro looked troubled when he was about to answer Hailee''s question, but he also couldn''t possibly ignore her altogether, so, slightly awkwardly, he said quietly. "Because Mr. Tordoff said; because you are pregnant, there must be additional security for the baby."


    Hailee''s mouth opened wide when she heard Pyro''s answer and the bodyguard could understand why Hailee was giving such an expression.


    Hailee didn''t know whether to cry orugh when she heard that. Special security for the baby?! Seriously?! Their child was only the size of a corn kernel and was still in Hailee''s tummy, so an extra group of bodyguards for her waspletely absurd.


    At this point, Hailee couldn''t help but start thinking that Ramon had a problem spending his money so he was wasting it this way.


    "Are you okay Mrs. Tordoff?" Pyro asked seeing Hailee was still in shock even after the elevator doors opened.


    "No, I''m not okay," Hailee grumbled as she stepped out of the elevator to meet Ramon in person and confront him head on.


    Looks like someone has to correct Ramon''s current line of thinking.


    ================


    Theodore had just returned to the hotel room where he and Aileen were supposed to spend their first night when it was noon and that too with the help of two bodyguards. He was too drunk to walk on his own.


    Aileen really felt very embarrassed to see this man''s behavior. Even though the two bodyguards didn''t say anything, there was certainly no question that they would have unpleasant assumptions regarding this situation.


    And with just that thought, Aileen felt her pride had been trampled on. This was the most despicable humiliation she had ever experienced, especially from Theodore, a man who a few months ago had never thought of treating herself like this.


    "You can go out now," Aileen said in a cold voice, her jaw clenched hard, and her hands clenched tightly, she watched Theodore sleep while snoring with the smell of alcohol lingering on his body now slowly filling the room.


    Meanwhile, the two bodyguards rushed out of the room without waiting any longer, because they were quite aware that the situation was not good.


    After Aileen was alone with Theodore, who was still unconscious, her emotions ran wild, then with a loud scream she grabbed the nearest pillow and pushed it against her husband''s face with eyes shining with anger.


    "You''d better die!"


    ================


    Ian really didn''t know what to do anymore. Now, his younger sister''s condition was getting worse and he didn''t have enough money for her expensive surgery.


    The man slumped down on the hospital bench waiting for the final examination report from the doctor who treated Ciara, wondering how he could earn that much money in such a short time.


    Of course, this made Ian rethink the offers of the two mysterious people who came to meet him in the arena.


    The offer rang in his ears time and again since one of them called his cell phone just the day after Aileen''s wedding was held.


    Of course Ian wasn''t one of those invited, but he knew about the wedding and was grateful that Hailee didn''t marry Theodore.


    Even though Ian didn''t really like Ramon, but at least he was much decent than Theodore who stabbed Hailee in the back.


    Only, this wasn''t the time for Ian to think about that, because right now he was afraid of himself starting to consider the offer he got.


    Killing Ramon Tordoff?


    That sounded both impossible and absurd to do, considering how tight the security was around the man and how could someone like Ian get close to him?


    However, the mysterious man who contacted him the other day said that they had a n and that Ian just had to follow their directions.


    The question was; could Ian pull it off?


    Fighting in the arena and putting the opponent between life and death was apletely different matter from an assassination plot, especially if the target was Hailee''s husband.


    The woman who was so close to him¡­

 Chapter 232: I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT

    <h4>Chapter 232: I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT</h4>


    Ian felt like his head was going to explode at the thought of this, on one hand, he knew that it waspletely wrong to ept the offer.


    No, it was not just wrong.


    But if Ian epted the offer, he knew that if the mission was sessful, then he could not forgive himself and would have to live with the consequences for the rest of his life.


    That was a terrible thing to imagine.


    However, if the mission failed and the mysterious people''s ns proved to be ineffective, then he would have to pay for it with his life as well.


    Ian wasn''t sure someone like Ramon would let him tread freely after what he had tried to do.


    And Hailee¡­


    Ian didn''t even want to start thinking about what Hailee would think of him. Would she still side with him after knowing this?


    No.


    Ian did not want to step into such aplicated matter. The offer was a dead end for him, like a death sentence, whether he seeded or not.


    But, what about Ciara?


    What should Ian do now?


    ================


    "You don''t have to do that you know," Hailee was annoyed that Ramon had increased security around her.


    Just four bodyguards took Hailee a long time to get used to, but now Ramon was doubling them? Was he kidding?


    "That needs to be done," Ramon responded to Hailee''s annoyance casually, he then put food into her mouth to make Hailee stop protesting. This was done continuously until Hailee''s tirade didn''t drag too long. "In this world of business, I have many enemies and so do you."


    Yes, it was undeniable, Aileen and Giana were two special cases that couldn''t be ignored. And they''ve both proven to be able to do whatever they thought they should do even if it was totally out of the line, this had been proven time and time again.


    Aileen with the fact that she was involved in the murder of Hailee''s parents and also Giana with her madness and obsession with Ramon.


    So, if you think about it, actually what Ramon did was not an exaggeration.


    Not to mention the addition of enemies from Ramon''s side. If they couldn''t get Ramon, of course they would try to hurt the people around him and currently Ramon''s concentration was only on Hailee and their future child.


    Meanwhile, hearing Ramon''s reasoning which did make some sense, Hailee fell silent and stopped protesting. She also only realized this after Ramon exined it.


    Of course, Hailee didn''t want to jeopardize the safety of herself and the baby she was carrying just because she was annoyed with being followed by a few extra bodyguards.


    The consequences of her carelessness were simply not worthy.


    "Okay," Hailee said quietly, relented to Ramon''s wish. "But, I want to give yourpany anniversary invitation to Aileen in person and I want to meet her myself."


    Hailee wouldn''t ept the rejection of her one wish and it was evident on her face, but still this didn''t stop Ramon from feeling worried.


    This was also one of the reasons why Ramon had forbidden Hailee from seeing her family members too often.


    Maybe Hailee felt safe with Zia or Diego, or the other cousins, but Ramon didn''t know them that well, so this man took all the bad things that could happen to Hailee into consideration and didn''t trust thempletely.


    If Aileen, who was raised by Hailee''s parents, could do such a heinous act, what about the other people in her family?


    "Why do you have to give it directly? What do you want to tell her?" asked Ramon.


    "I don''t know, I haven''t thought of what to tell her yet," Hailee said quietly and leaned her head on Ramon''s shoulder.


    The two of them were currently in Ramon''s office with lunch in front of them, but neither of them actually had a good appetite.


    "I just wanted to see the face of the woman who had the heart to do that to the people who had helped her." Hailee pondered for a moment and hugged Ramon''s waist, to which her husband hugged her back gently while stroking her back to soothe her. "I want to see the look on her face when she finds out that I know she''s Uncle George''s daughter."


    Ramon was silent for a moment when he heard that. "Don''t provoke her. She can do something unexpected when she feels cornered. That''s not a wise thing to do."


    Hailee then raised her head and looked at Ramon intensely. "Then, what should I do? Be quiet?"


    Ramon then kissed Hailee''s forehead gently to appease his wife''s anger. "I know you are quite upset and angry about the information you have received, but you should think calmly and thoroughly about what action you are going to take."


    "I don''t want to think calmly," Hailee grumbled. She wanted them all to suffer for what they had done. "I want them to suffer."


    Ramon smiled. He understood what Hailee was feeling. "Then we will make them suffer," he stated.


    ================


    Hailee fell asleep in the spare room in Ramon''s office after their lunch and didn''t wake up until the evening.


    Maybe it was because Hailee was used to looking cheerful, so she wasn''t used to showing her sadness, but of course the facts she had just learned had left her very mentally exhausted and this made Ramon worry about Hailee''s pregnancy.


    Wouldn''t the mother''s emotional state affect the development of the baby? At least, that was what Ramon read from one of the articles he found.


    "Then what are you going to do?" Lexus asked curiously about Ramon''s ns regarding the Tatumpany.


    "It''s not me who will do something, but Hailee," said Ramon, he then nced toward the bedroom door, where Hailee was currently sleeping.


    "You know that the steps you take will provoke them, right?" Lexus found out what happened to Hailee''s family and this left him fuming with anger, but Ramon warned him not to show it in front of Hailee, because after all, she didn''t need another reminder for what happened.


    "I''ve calcted everything," said Ramon firmly.

 Chapter 233: BECAUSE SHE IS MY WIFE

    <h4>Chapter 233: BECAUSE SHE IS MY WIFE</h4>


    "I''ve calcted everything," said Ramon firmly.


    Ramon had calcted all the possibilities that would happen and thought about the consequences carefully, although maybe something unexpected did happenter, at least he was sure that this was the best step to take.


    Ramon wasn''t the type to wait to be attacked while anticipating the blow, but was the type to attack first, because then he could control the situation better.


    "If you say it like that, then I can''t say anything more." Lexus sighed.


    Between the two of them, Ramon was the strategist, so if his brother was sure about the steps taken, Lexus could only follow his lead.


    "Does Hailee know about this?" asked Lexus while ncing at the door, where Hailee was sleeping. "What do you think? Can she do that?"


    Instinctively, Ramon did the same. He stared at the closed door as if he were looking at his sleeping wife. "Yes, she knows about this and I''m sure she can do it."


    "You''re really confident about Hailee, she can act recklessly and get carried away by her emotions," said Lexus,ughing softly to lighten the mood.


    "Of course she will do well." Ramon then turned his gaze to his brother as he continued his sentence. "She''s my wife."


    ================


    Theodore stole nces at Aileen as he was about to go to the bar again.


    He knew that what he was doing was wrong and cowardly, but Theodore couldn''t help but continue it. He really needed to get away from Aileen as he didn''t even want to see her.


    However, the situation this time waspletely beyond his expectations.


    Theodore thought Aileen would cry or sulk, begging him to be nicer to her, because after all, Theodore had left Aileen on their first night and the nights after that during this honeymoon.


    But, it turned out that all of Theodore''s estimates were wrong, because Aileen did not react or respond ording to Theodore''s expectations.


    The woman looked indifferent when Theodore was around. Even now, the two of them were acting like two strangers living in one room.


    Every time Theodore was heading to the bar, Aileen wouldn''t ask where he was going or even nce at him at all, as if she didn''t think Theodore was there and this bothered the man.


    Theodore felt that it was unusual to be ignored.


    However, to talk to Aileen first, was not an option that he wanted to choose either, therefore by secretly ncing at Aileen, he left the room.


    Since it was thest night of their honeymoon and after that the two of them would go back, Theodore nned not toeback until the time of their return.


    After all, why should he care about a woman as vile as Aileen who had done all these dirty acts. He was already so ashamed to make that woman his wife.


    On the other hand, it was only when Theodore had closed the door with a loud thud that Aileen turned her head and stared at the closed door with hateful eyes.


    Gone was Aileen''s love for Theodore, or you could say she didn''t love him at all.


    Love? Aileenughed inwardly when she thought of that one word. Since when did Aileen love Theodore? She simply saw the man as a mission toplete from George.


    Yes, her father really wanted her to be able to enter the Gevano family, no matter what.


    However, after Aileen managed to do that, she didn''t feel the slightest bit happy because her goal had now changed. She no longer needed Theodore.


    After he knew? Aileen''s darkest secret and now he acted indifferently toward her, that woman didn''t need Theodore''s help anymore.


    Indeed, Aileen had to admit that she had let her emotions overwhelm her and almost killed Theodore on the first night he had returned drunk and unconscious.


    But, then she came back to remember her life and her purpose. It hardened her heart that this man was just a stepping stone and now that Aileen had entered the Gevano family, then Theodore was nothing but trash¡­


    "How about we release the first tip regarding your husband''s affair?" Aileen asked Giana shortly after the woman picked up the phone call from her.


    This was one of the things that Aileen liked about working with Giana, because this woman was not as difficult to contact as Aidan was.


    "Let me know what it was first, I know the right person to take advantage of the news," Giana said calmly.


    "Then, what about the Tatumpany?" Aileen again reminded Giana of their agreement.


    Hearing that, Giana just chuckled. Aileen was cruel and cunning, but of course Giana was on a different level from her. "I promised you two months and it''s only been a week, be patient and ask me again in seven weeks."


    After saying that, Giana didn''t want to waste her time chatting with Aileen, so she directly ended the call.


    ================


    After Giana hung up the phone from Aileen, she looked at the simple house in front of her and breathed heavily, because soon Giana had to face one of the problems in her life.


    With a heavy heart, Giana opened the door to the house which creaked in protest and hurt her ears, but Giana didn''t care because her mind was now drifting to thest conversation she had with Dillon before she left to attend Aileen''s wedding.


    At that point, things got awkward because Dillon openly confessed his feelings for Giana and thatplicated things between the two of them.


    Giana wasn''t supposed to be here, but she needed Dillon, either as her personal assistant or as a friend who was always by her side, because the real battle was about to begin and she really needed this man.


    Not only had Giana made her father''s condition worse with herst visit, but there was a long and grueling divorce trial she had to go through and Giana needed Dillon to keep her sane.

 Chapter 234: MEMORIES

    <h4>Chapter 234: MEMORIES</h4>


    Giana stood at the door of the house for a long time, not knowing what to do or say.


    In fact, Giana had already thought and imagined a perfect scenario, along with a list of long sentences to debate whatever Dillon''s answer would be when she tried to persuade the man toe back with her.


    But when she had to do it for real and confront Dillon, Giana felt doubtful whether she could convince him toe back or not.


    Behind Giana, the moon was shining brightly and the sounds of the nocturnal creatures made her feel even more restless.


    How could the atmosphere be so calm when it was the exact opposite of how Giana felt now?


    A thought of going back to town A without seeing Dillon had crossed Giana''s mind, maybe it was not wise to drag Dillon into her own war, a long battle that had absolutely nothing to do with the man.


    Especially when Giana couldn''t reciprocate Dillon''s feelings for her¡­


    But, couldn''t Giana take advantage of those feelings? If Dillon really loved her, then the man would do what she wanted him to, wouldn''t he? Of course with a little maniption here and there¡­


    It was just that, thinking about it, made Giana feel really bad because she was trying to take advantage of the feelings of the man who loved her and had been with her through many things in herplicated life. And now, Dillon was even saying openly that he didn''t care about Giana''s past and wanted to stay with her.


    It might sound very romantic and sweet, but Giana couldn''t fake her feelings since she didn''t love Dillon and didn''t see him as more than a friend or work partner.


    This problem turned out to be much moreplicated than Giana had imagined¡­


    And while she was deep in her thoughts, the door of the house suddenly opened and startled them both.


    Behind the door, Dillon was standing with a big ck stic bag. It looked like he was going to take out the trash, but didn''t expect that he would find Giana, standing pensively behind his door.


    "What are you doing here?" Dillon asked with a frown, staring at the woman who looked disheveled and surprised.


    Dillon thought, when Giana just left after he had confessed how he felt, they would never meet again, or not so soon, but in fact Giana was right in front of him and what she did after that really left Dillon dumbfounded and confused.


    He didn''t know what went through Giana''s mind as she rushed into Dillon''s arms and hugged him tightly.


    Giana buried her face on the man''s chest as she sobbed.


    This incident or what Giana was doing now waspletely outside the scenario she had nned. Didn''t shee here to talk? And instead of wailing like a child?


    But, deep in Giana''s heart, she knew that this was what she needed, someone who couldfort her and tell her that everything would be okay.


    Sometimes, appearing very tough in front of a crowd will make you slowly tired of your own attitude. And that was what Giana was feeling right now.


    Giana''s cries and her sudden embrace of course startled Dillon. He hadn''t even recovered from the shock of seeing Giana, but now this woman took the initiative to hug him first.


    And before Dillon could process what he had to do, his instincts took over and did what he wasn''t supposed to do.


    Dillon let go of the ck stic bag he was carrying and hugged Giana tightly, as if to prevent the woman in his arms from being shattered further.


    Dillon''s soft and warm hands stroked Giana''s back gently, in a soothing motion, but Giana''s crying didn''t stop and her body was shaking violently because of it instead.


    Giana cried for quite a long time and during that time, Dillon just hugged her tightly without saying a word. Surprisingly, for unknown reasons, Dillon understood why Giana suddenly had a mental breakdown.


    Even though Dillon wasn''t by this woman''s side, that didn''t mean he wasn''t keeping up with the news.


    And thetest news that Giana was going to divorce Aidan Smith and taking her im over the Dawsonpany, seeding her father, really made the whole media go crazy, as a lot of pros and cons coupled with wild assumptions were developed in society.


    Most of them did not believe that Giana would be able to run thepany, they were pessimistic and this was not a good move.


    "If you keep hugging me while crying like this, then I''ll misunderstand," Dillon finally said in a weak voice, when Giana''s crying had subsided a little.


    Slowly, Giana then freed herself from Dillon, but still gripping his shirt, then looked at the man through her wet eyshes.


    "Feel better?" he asked.


    For a moment, they stared at each other without Giana answering Dillon''s question, but then, Giana grabbed Dillon''s face and pulled him closer, until their lips touched.


    And this action waspletely beyond Dillon''s expectations. He was so shocked that he couldn''t react when Giana kissed him and bit his lip before she let go again.


    She looked into his eyes very intently, as if this woman could see into his heart.


    Or maybe she could and Giana immediately knew what Dillon wanted.


    "Will youe back to me?" she asked quietly, her eyes filled with hope.


    It''s crazy, Dillon knows it''s crazy, but he can''t help it...


    Especially when this time it was he who took the initiative to kiss Giana and she returned it with the same passion.


    ================


    Ramon woke up with his heart pounding as sweat dripped down his body. A dream disturbed his sleep again and this time, just like before, he couldn''t remember the dream.


    However, the feeling still lingered.


    A feeling that made him ufortable, angry and furious. A strong feeling, which Ramon had never experienced before because he was very good at controlling his emotions.


    But, what was this feeling? What had he just seen in his dream?


    Ramon then got out of the bed carefully because he didn''t want to wake Hailee up, but then pain hit him, he felt like his head was going to explode as dozens of memories flooded his mind.

 Chapter 235: COMEBACK TO ME

    <h4>Chapter 235: COMEBACK TO ME</h4>


    With his eyes darkened, he tried to walk toward the bathroom while clutching his head which was throbbing painfully.


    Ramon had never felt such pain before and although asionally some memories shed through his head about the events of four years ago or old memories that he had forgotten, the pain had never been like this.


    Ramon staggered toward the bathroom and when he was inside, he quickly closed the door so the groans of pain that escaped his lips wouldn''t wake up Hailee and worry her, as that was thest thing he wanted.


    The voice of Dr. Mark, his therapist, echoed in his head again, reminding him of what to do if something like this happened.


    So, slowly, Ramon followed the instructions he remembered and sat leaning on the cold bathroom floor. He then tried to catch his breath and let the memories flow by themselves and didn''t try to fight back.


    The first memory that came to his mind was him standing on a hotel balcony and looking at the city lights that lit up the night sky.


    The cold wind blew against Ramon''s skin and it felt real to him, even though the scene was actually just a part of his memory that came back.


    While Ramon was standing there, enjoying the silence, someone suddenly hugged him from behind tightly.


    For some reason, Ramon knew who was hugging him now.


    "Giana," Ramon said quietly and the name slipped from his lips, sounding very intimate and familiar. Did he always call her like that before?


    Hearing her name being called, Gianaughed softly behind Ramon''s bare back. "What are you thinking about?" she asked. She then peeked from behind Ramon''s back and looked at him with her droopy eyes.


    Giana was only wearing a bathrobe and her hair was a little wet, it looked like she had just finished taking a shower.


    "Nothing," replied Ramon in his t voice and Giana pursed her lips.


    "You''re lying, I know that expression," said Giana. "Is something bothering you?" she asked. "Just tell me, I''ll listen."


    For a moment Ramon stared at Giana, but the woman couldn''t tell what Ramon really felt, because he hid his feelings well.


    "Nothing," said Ramon again, repeating the same answer, then he moved his hand back to grab Giana''s body, which then he hugged her tightly.


    Getting such sweet treatment of course made Giana happy. She buried her face against Ramon''s chest, while the man stroked her long hair.


    "How about you?" asked Ramon, his eyes nk when he saw the night lights of city A. "How is your rtionship with Leon?"


    Giana let out a tired sigh. "He still doesn''t want to go back home and isn''t even tempted to get his inheritance. If Uncle Leon wants to apologize to Grandpa, he will surely be forgiven, because after all he is the first son."


    "Hm," Ramon mumbled when he heard Giana''s answer. "If Leon gets the inheritance, won''t Larry''s position be jeopardized?"


    Giana pursed her lips. "Yeah, I know¡­" she mumbled glumly. "But, if I''m being honest, I like Uncle Leon more than my own father."


    Silence fell over them both following Giana''s answer, until the woman spoke again.


    "This might be strange, but why are you so interested in knowing about Uncle Leon''s situation? Or is it just me?" she asked carefully, looking at Ramon with her big eyes.


    And the memories stopped there.


    Ramon couldn''t remember what his answer was, or how he reacted when Giana questioned him.


    But, he knew one thing for sure. Regardless of what it had to do with Giana, it seemed that he had been more interested in information about Leon Dawson.


    Who is that man? And what does he have to do with Lis?


    The information that Ramon got seemed to be verycking¡­ he needed to find out more about Lis and Leon''s rtionship.


    After Ramon felt that his headache had subsided a bit, he then stumbled into his room and found Hailee, still fast asleep.


    For some reason, looking at the face of his wife who was sleeping soundly without worrying about her surroundings, helped Ramon feel much better.


    Slowly, Ramon climbed onto the bed and hugged Hailee from behind, kissing the nape of her neck and this made Hailee turn around, still asleep and hug him back.


    Ramon hugged her closer, so that Hailee''s signature scent could be smelled by him and this helped him fall back asleep.


    Ramon hoped that his memories wouldn''te suddenly again like just now, because he was already tired of all the mysteries that surrounded him.


    For now, Ramon just wanted to enjoy his sleep and spend the night with Hailee in his arms.


    ================


    Giana moaned as Dillon touched her roughly.


    Their breaths caught in the darkness of the room which was only lit by the dim light of the moon that shone through the two of them from the bedroom window.


    Dillon pulled Giana, so that the woman would look at him, while Giana looked at Dillon with eyes full of desire.


    It wasn''t the first time they had done this, but it was the first time Giana had done this consciously and now she could see how much Dillon wanted her.


    He wanted herselfpletely and there were no other words to describe how Dillon looked at her now other than adoring.


    The soft moonlight streamed into the room through therge window behind Dillon, shining on his back which was glistening with the sweat dripping down his bare shoulders.


    All of this seemed surreal and intoxicating, but when Dillon stopped to whisper to Giana, his voice trembled and filled with deep emotion.


    "Giana I love you, I want you¡­" he whispered hoping Giana would say the same, or else they would wake up and act like this never happened. And, Dillon didn''t want that.


    Meanwhile, Giana could feel Dillon''s warm breath on her neck and when she answered the man''s desperate statement, she hugged him tightly.


    "Yeah, me too¡­e back to me¡­"

 Chapter 236: HAILEE CAME

    <h4>Chapter 236: HAILEE CAME</h4>


    Giana opened her eyes when she was sure that Dillon had fallen asleep, because after the sweetest sin they hadmitted was over, Giana didn''t know how to deal with Dillon and chose to pretend to be asleep.


    She needed time to think about how she should act or what her next step should be.


    Giana was really ying with fire, which was none other than Dillon''s feelings. Somehow, she knew that one day she would be burned, but for now, this was the only way she could think of to draw Dillon back to her.


    Maybe now Dillon thought that Giana was trying to open her heart to him, even though what Giana felt for Dillon was still the same.


    Giana felt so shameful for taking advantage of Dillon''s feelings for her. The only man who had never hurt her, but she had to do all of this, because she couldn''t think of any other way.


    Giana needed Dillon, but not in the way that Dillon wanted her and for that, Giana felt bad for him.


    It''s just that, for now, guilt alone wasn''t enough to stop Giana from carrying out all the ns swirling in her head.


    Giana then turned to look at Dillon who was sleeping soundly, with his arms wrapped protectively around Giana''s naked body.


    "I''m sorry..." Giana whispered to Dillon in the silence of the night, she touched the man''s face gently, tracing Dillon''s firm jaw with her slender fingers.


    ================


    Aileen was absolutely furious when she found out that Theodore had chosen for them to stay at the Gevano residence with his parents instead of the house they had nned for the two of them to live in.


    This meant, Aileen had to face Mr. and Mrs. Gevano every day!


    Dealing with Mr. Gevano may not be a difficult matter, but if she had to face Mrs. Gevano, Aileen really had to drain all her energy to keep her tongue frommenting or saying words that she would regretter.


    Like for example this morning, where Mrs. Gevano tried to make her eat dishes she clearly didn''t like, on the grounds that they were good for the baby.


    Which, in the end Aileen had to vomit because she really couldn''t eat the food.


    Of course, the end of the story was predictable, where Mrs. Gevano grumbled and used Aileen of being ungrateful for the attention she was giving her.


    And guess what Theodore did when he saw his wife being scolded? Yes. He didn''t do anything.


    The man casually finished his coffee and breakfast and after that, went to the office without even saying a single goodbye to Aileen, as if she wasn''t there.


    F*ck!


    This happened almost every day and the only way for Aileen to escape her hellish domestic life was to go to the office and immerse herself in her work.


    However, this couldn''tst long, because she had to think about how to get an ''abortion'', as sooner orter, the people around her would notice that her body hadn''t changed at all even though she was ''pregnant''.


    Actually George had thought of all this, but Aileen didn''t agree with his crazy idea, it was too extreme and she didn''t want to harm herself.


    Yes, George suggested that Aileen should fall down from the stairs.


    And not just pretending, but Aileen had to really fall from there so that everything would look natural.


    George was crazy to think Aileen would agree to that. Of course she rejected the suggestion which made George fumed mad. Again.


    But, this time Aileen ignored the man''s anger.


    If she had to fall down from the stairs, George had better do it first and give her a demo of how badly one would be hurt.


    Therefore, Aileen was currently pensive to think about the best way to do it and just at that moment, her secretary informed her that Hailee hade to visit.


    "Hailee?" Aileen asked again to make sure she had not heard wrong. What did shee here for?


    Hailee was thest person that crossed Aileen''s mind toe and visit her. What did she really want bying to this office? Was she going to start waging her im over thispany? And kick Aileen out?


    No. It wouldn''t be that easy, would it?


    "Let her in," Aileen said into her inte and after that she leaned her body against the back of the chair until the door opened revealing Hailee''s face.


    Hailee looked so different from what Aileen was used to, because in her mind, Hailee was a na?ve girl who looked innocent, spoiled and easy to deceive.


    Well, Hailee always looked like that in front of Aileen, because thetter always thought of her as her sister, so there''s no need to put her guard up or show her harsh side, since all this time, Aileen had always been kind to her. At least that was what Aileen was trying to show.


    "I didn''t expect you toe here," Aileen stood up and greeted Hailee when she was standing in front of her, in a red dress and clutch bag in her hand.


    The clothes Hailee was wearing did look simple, but the price behind all the things she was wearing wouldn''t say so. After all, Hailee looked much more mature in this style.


    "What part did you not expect?" Hailee did not sit on the chair in front of Aileen, instead she stood right in front of her, looking at her adopted sister with a sweet smile on her red lips. "Apart of meing to thispany or seeing me here?" she asked.


    "Hailee, you never came to thispany before. Even when our parents were still alive," Aileen answered, as she walked to the coffee maker. "I think you need a cup of coffee, I''ll make it for you."


    Hailee could feel the heat burning through her body when she heard Aileen mention her parents casually, but Hailee tried hard not to show it on her face.


    Instead of running to Aileen and pulling her hair before banging her head against the wall, Hailee sat on the chair that Aileen had just vacated and said calmly, "I haven''t drank coffee since my pregnancy was confirmed. The smell of coffee makes me sick."

 Chapter 237: YOU CAN WAIT AND SEE

    <h4>Chapter 237: YOU CAN WAIT AND SEE</h4>


    There was nothing for Hailee to hide about her pregnancy anymore, because almost every important figure that attended Aileen''s wedding already knew the news after Uncle Diego congratted her on her pregnancy in a loud enough voice.


    Hailee couldn''t me Uncle Diego, as she herself didn''t tell him to keep this a secret, but as Ramon said; Hailee had to be even more careful with people who were intent on harming her.


    Aileen especially.


    "Oh, I forgot to congratte you on your pregnancy," Aileen said in a tone she forced to sound cheerful, but instead, it made her voice sound like a squeaky tire.


    Especially when Aileen saw how Hailee sat quietly in her chair, as if she was the superior of this room which left Aileen herself have to sit in the chair in front of her.


    Howe the roles switched so suddenly? This little thing really pissed Aileen off. However, she couldn''t show it on her face directly.


    "Thank you," Hailee replied calmly. She sat down gracefully with one leg folded over the other. "Actually, I came here to give you this invitation."


    Hailee then ced the silver invitation on the table, while Aileen made tea for her.


    Realizing this, Aileen''s irritation grew. Why did she feel like a servant serving drinks to her master?


    No, Aileen shouldn''t think so. It would only make her look miserable in front of Hailee.


    Therefore, with a more decisive step while looking unconcerned, Aileen brought a cup of tea for Hailee and another cup for herself before she sat across from Hailee and looked at the invitation.


    "What is this?" she asked with a frown.


    "Well, I think there''s only one way to find out, and even a five year old knows how," Hailee said disdainfully. Even though she knew it was a mere rhetorical question that didn''t need an answer. However, Hailee enjoyed the change in Aileen''s expression when she heard her.


    Hailee''s visit this time to thepany wouldn''t be boring thanks to Aileen.


    "You don''t have to be like that with me," Aileen said with clenched teeth, as she took the invitation card from the table.


    "Don''t worry, this is just the beginning," Hailee said with meaningful eyes.


    Could this woman in front of her be anymore shameless? How could she protest just because Hailee treated her like that when what she did to Hailee was beyond logic and morals.


    Seeing this, Hailee felt sure that her decision not to immediately send Aileen and Georgeto prison for killing her parents was the right move. Because after all, they would never regret it.


    Now that Hailee knew Aileen was actually George''s biological daughter, she could clearly see the resemnce between the two.


    Maybe not a physical resemnce, but the greed and shamelessness of the two of them were really worth a huge round of apuse.


    "Tordoff''spany anniversary?" Aileen muttered when she finished reading the invitation. Then, her attention turned to Hailee once again. "What do you mean by inviting ourpany?" she asked.


    "''Our''?" Hailee repeated the word in a scornful tone, thenughed softly as if mocking Aileen, making her facial expression turn even more furious. Hailee really liked this. "You should say ''yourpany'', not ''our'', because you are not part of the Tatum family."


    Hailee said that on purpose to provoke Aileen and she could see that this woman''s hatred bing more evident from the look in her eyes.


    Aileen is a Tatum. But she couldn''t say that aloud. So of course, what Hailee said made her very angry.


    "Respect me as your older sister," Aileen said with tightly clenched jaws.


    "My older sister?" Haileeughed again, this time louder than before. "As far as I know, I''m an only child. I don''t remember mother giving birth to another child before me."


    Aileen gripped the invitation card in her hand tightly, trying to keep her emotions under control.


    "After all, you were only here acting as a substitute leader before I took over thispany, so it wouldn''t be good to decline an invitation from the original owner." Hailee hurled words full of provocation at Aileen again.


    Meanwhile, Aileen could only stare at Hailee sharply. If looks could kill, then Aileen would dly try it on Hailee.


    "Anyway," Hailee waved her hand, as if to shake off the heated topic. No, now was not the time. There were many opportunities for Hailee to mock Aileen¡­ "... you will attend the event."


    Hailee''sst sentence sounded like amand in Aileen''s ears.


    "I''m busy," she said bluntly. "I will ask someone else to attend it for me."


    "You can''t do that," Hailee said. "I have invited all investors and important people in thispany. I think they''ve got the invitation by now."


    Hearing Hailee''s statement, made Aileen narrow her eyes. Something was not right here. "You invited them by sending them an invitation card? But for me, you delivered it yourself?" Aileenughed grimly. She crossed her arms over her chest, a defensive gesture. "Should I be ttered that you came personally?"


    Hailee then stood up, so she could look at Aileen more cynically from her current position. "You will feel even more ttered for the things I have in mind for you."


    In that instant, Aileen''s ugly smile finally faded as it got reced by a look full of vignce. "What would you do?" she asked before standing up, so Hailee couldn''t look at her in such condemning way.


    "Why are you so impatient? Don''t worry, this is a surprise for you from me." Hailee then took her bag which was on the table. "You just wait for it."


    After saying that, Hailee walked out of the office with carefree steps and a small smile on her lips. She was satisfied to see Aileen''s final expression.


    "Wait," Aileen shouted when Hailee was about to open the door, which made her stop. "I''ll walk you."


    What else was this? There was no way Aileen was so kind that she was willing to see Hailee off personally¡­

 Chapter 238: PEOPLE KNEW

    <h4>Chapter 238: PEOPLE KNEW</h4>


    Hailee did ask Pyro not to follow her into Aileen''s office and told him to wait in the lobby.


    Although, at first, Pyro seemed to object to Hailee''s decision, because Ramon said not to leave Hailee alone even for a second. But in the end, after much persuasion and promises, the bodyguard agreed, on a note; Hailee had to call him immediately if anything happened. Whatever it might be.


    And with Hailee agreeing to the conditions, she went up to the eighteenth floor with none of her bodyguards.


    After all, Hailee thought, what could possibly happen to her in an office building full of so many people. Even if Aileen wanted to do something, she wouldn''t be stupid enough to do it in front of a crowd, would she?


    Therefore, when Aileen said she would escort her to the lobby, she didn''t see any bodyguard waiting for Hailee outside her room. This made the former smile inside, thinking that her n would go well.


    "I didn''t know you were so kind to leave your work, just to walk me to the lobby," Hailee said lightly as she watched some of the staff work in their cubicles, asionally stealing a few nces at her. "Are you worried about me?"


    Aileen didn''t answer the annoying question and continued walking toward the elevator doors at the end of the corridor.


    Seeing Aileen remain silent, Hailee felt that something was wrong. Maybe it was just a feeling, but it was better to be on guard than sorry, right?


    Subtly, Hailee reached for something that was in her pocket.


    But, just at that moment, Aileen suddenly dragged her toward the emergency exit by pulling Hailee''s hand.


    Once they were inside, Aileen''s eyes immediately fell on the CCTV camera hanging at the corner of the stairs.


    "What do you want?" asked Hailee with a bored expression. "Is this one of your tricks to set me up again?"


    "You''re too arrogant Hailee," Aileen growled, seeing how calm Hailee was in this situation. Shouldn''t she start worrying that Aileen would do something to her?


    "Arrogant?" Haileeughed when she heard the usation. "Don''t I deserve it? I am the owner of this jewelrypany, heir to the Tatum family and now I am married to Ramon Tordoff. I don''t need to exin, you know who Ramon Tordoff is, right?" Hailee said arrogantly.


    "You¡­" Aileen gritted her teeth furiously.


    "¡­Now I''m Hailee Tordoff." Hailee touched her chin, looking thoughtful. "Should I exin again why I deserve to be arrogant? Then we would be in this emergency staircase until tomorrow, but I don''t have time for that. I must return to wee my husband." Hailee nced at Aileen, making the woman''s breathing grow heavier with mounting anger.


    Aileen had been holding back her anger since the day of her marriage, then at home when she had to face Mrs. Gevano, but now she had to face Hailee''s taunts as well? Of course Aileen didn''t take this situation well.


    "While you¡­" Hailee hung her words purposefully. "I can''t say that you are happy with your marriage to Theodore¡­ you look like a ghost with that sour look on your face." Hailee smiled happily. "How does it feel to be married to a man who doesn''t want to marry you?"


    "Hailee¡­" Aileen growled angrily when she heard that.


    "You know that a few days before your wedding, Theodore came to my house? Imagine¡­ he didn''t even care about Ramon and came to see me. I wonder how much courage he must have mustered up just to meet me." Hailee didn''t stop provoking Aileen.


    It was like an addiction to Hailee now. She kept being tempted to make Aileen even angrier.


    If Aileen was filled with hatred and wrath, then Hailee was filled with pleasure in witnessing what she was seeing right now.


    "He dared to provoke Ramon just to say that he already knew about the incident at the hotel the other day with Rnd Dimatrio." Hailee took steps back until she could lean against the wall, but she did this to get away from Aileen, lest she could reach her easily. "Then he apologized to me. Saying how sorry he is for distrusting me."


    Aileen was getting angry when Hailee reminded her of that incident, of course Aileen remembered it clearly, because the night before their wedding, the two had a big fight.


    Theodore came to Aileen with anger brimming in his eyes that left her body trembling.


    If it wasn''t for the two of them having to save each other''s face and Aileen''s pregnancy, it was certain that their wedding ns the next day would have been cancelled.


    Unfortunately, both of them were still thinking about their reputation.


    If word got out that they were getting married because Aileen was pregnant, it would bring disgrace to the Gevano family, especially if they didn''t get married...


    "But don''t worry Aileen, this is just the beginning, there will be many things that will happen after this¡­" Hailee said this sentence in a sarcastic tone. Not paying attention to Aileen whose face turned dark, due to unbearable anger.


    "Yes, indeed, there will be a lot going on after this," Aileen said through her jaw clenched tightly. Her hands were fisted at her sides until her nails pierced her palms. "But it''s not me who should be careful, it''s you."


    Hailee raised her eyebrows in an arrogant manner. "What would you do? Push me off the stairs and cause me to suffer a miscarry?" Hailee said this calmly. "People will know that I''m with you. Didn''t you see the CCTV over there? I don''t think Ramon will stay silent if you do that to me."


    Aileen snorted. "Don''t you know that with just one word from me, the evidence will be erased forever if I were to push you down from here? But, no Hailee, I wouldn''t do that to you. Like you said earlier, people know that I''m with you."


    And after saying thatst sentence, Aileen dropped herself from the top of the stairs.

 Chapter 239: JUST LEAVE HER THERE

    <h4>Chapter 239: JUST LEAVE HER THERE</h4>


    Hailee stared coldly as Aileen''s body fell from the stairs, rolling until it reached the floor below.


    Aileen''s muffled scream echoed through the emergency exit and was the only sound that could be heard in that ce. Meanwhile Hailee was silent, unmoved, doing nothing, as if she was watching a crime scene in a cheap drama.


    After Aileen''s body hit the wall and finally stopped, a pained groan left her lips along with a few suppressed sobs.


    Only then did Hailee move, slowly descending the stairs. Her sharp eyes only focused on Aileen who was curled up into a fetal position in pain, but there was no sympathy to be seen there, only a strange emotion that was hard to decipher.


    On the other hand, when she saw Hailee approaching her, Aileenughed softly, as if she had won this round. "You see? I will me you for this. You think you can win over me at something sneaky like this? You have to learn more." Aileen winced in pain, but she was satisfied with what she was doing.


    Because after this, she could pretend that she miscarried right? You could say that George''s idea of ??telling her to fall down from the stairs as a scene where she could pretend to have a miscarriage wasn''t bad at all. This time Aileen could trap Hailee too. So one could say she got a double advantage.


    "Learn a lot more?" Hailee snorted and looked at Aileen with disdain. "I thought you were smart, it turns out that your abilities only manage to pull such trick..." A scornful tone could be heard clearly from the way Hailee said those words.


    "Oh, you think you can get away with this?" asked Aileen defiantly, she was ready to contact George and carry out their n.


    "Of course." Hailee folded her arms arrogantly. "You think a little thing like this can affect me? You can fall from the twentieth floor of this building and I won''t be affected in the slightest."


    Aileen gritted her teeth, because of the pain she had to endure and also because of her annoyance at Hailee. This wasn''t the kind of reaction she wanted.


    "You''re going to be in big trouble because of this Hailee." Aileen growled.


    "Trouble? You think by dropping yourself off the stairs, you can give me trouble?" Hailee burst outughing when she heard that, as if Aileen had just told the funniest joke she had ever heard. "You think too highly of yourself Aileen. Be smarter. Maybe you could fool me in this ridiculous way back then, but now, this kind of cheap trick won''t affect me at all."


    And when Hailee finished saying that, Pyro appeared in the door upstairs, looking panicked and tense, but his facial expression immediately turned a little calm when he realized that Hailee was fine. Thisdy surely knew how to give someone a heart attack.


    Without waiting long, Pyro immediately approached Hailee and in the next second he was beside her, pulling her slightly back from Aileen and cing himself between the two, as if an injured Aileen could harm Hailee.


    "Are you all right Mrs. Tordoff?" he asked, his sharp eyes scrutinizing Hailee briefly, looking for signs of injury or anything, because Ramon would be very furious if his wife suffered even a blister.


    "I''m fine," Hailee said calming the bodyguard. "Can you do something for me?" she asked.


    "Of course Mrs. Tordoff, what is it?" Pyro asked, ready to take any orders from Hailee.


    This was very random, but, it made Hailee feel happy every time someone called her Mrs. Tordoff. It might sound cliche and too cheesy, but that''s how she felt.


    "Go to the monitoring room and retrieve the CCTV footage of this emergency staircase from half an hour ago." Hailee''s words made Aileen widen her eyes in surprise.


    No. Hailee couldn''t do that. She didn''t have the authority to do that here.


    And as if Hailee could read what Aileen was thinking, she added slowly, "If they don''t give ess, say I asked for it."


    "Okay," Pyro answered swiftly. However, he did not leave Hailee, but instead contacted another bodyguard to carry out the task.


    Pyro could, of course, read the current situation where the tension between these two women was so intense. And so, it was absolutely impossible for him to leave Hailee here.


    After saying that, then Hailee''s eyes turned to Aileen who was still on the ground, unable to move even an inch.


    "As you said, with just one word, I will be able to delete the CCTV footage of this ce. But, s, I will not delete it. I''ll keep it, just think of it as a souvenir for my visit here." Hailee chuckled. "Thank you for inspiring me."


    "Hailee!" Aileen eximed furiously seeing how Hailee treated her. She tried to stand up, but at that moment a muffled scream could be heard from her lips as the intense pain engulfed her.


    It seemed like her leg was broken.


    On the other hand, Pyro immediately stood in front of Hailee like a shield, just in case this woman was going to do something to her.


    "Why? Feeling pain?" Hailee asked innocently. "Oh, it must really hurt, right? After all, you fell down from the stairs."


    "I will make you pay for this!!!" Aileen shouted angrily and her voice echoed within the emergency exit.


    "Why are you mad at me? I''m not the one who pushed you down. I didn''t even tell you to throw yourself down. You did it voluntarily. So, don''t be mad at me, but be angry at your own stupidity," Hailee said in a mocking tone and this made her adopted sister even more angry.


    Only, Hailee didn''t have time to entertain her, as she said before, she had to be home before Ramon.


    "Let''s go," Hailee said,pletely ignoring Aileen''s cursing words.


    "You''re going to leave her here?" Pyro asked curiously.


    Hailee then nced at Aileen over her shoulder and shrugged nonchntly. "Just leave her there."

 Chapter 240: SNITCHER!

    <h4>Chapter 240: SNITCHER!</h4>


    After Hailee left the emergency staircase with her big bodyguard, Aileen didn''t have time to groan in pain as she grabbed her cell phone and growled furiously when George was so slow to answer her call.


    "Fuck! Why isn''t he picking up the phone!" Aileen eximed in annoyance and frustration. "What is this bastard doing!?"


    It took George three calls to finally pick up Aileen''s call and he was just as upset as his daughter was.


    "Did you know that I am in an important meeting!?" George hissed in annoyance. He had to leave the room in the middle of a meeting because his cell phone vibrated constantly and this of course would give him a bad image. "What do you want?!"


    "Shut up and don''t ask too many questions!" Aileen snapped back at George fiercely.


    "What?!" George flinched at Aileen''s harsh words. Insolent child! How dare she speak to him like that! "Watch your mouth! You stupid wench!"


    However, Aileen didn''t have much time to respond to that. "Don''t ask too many questions and go to the monitoring room right now and delete the CCTV footage on the seventeenth and eighteenth floor emergency stairs as well as the CCTV footage of the eighteenth floor corridor!" Aileen said quickly in panic.


    Hailee said she would keep the tape, it was not a good sign. Aileen didn''t know what she would do with it, but that wouldn''t be to her advantage.


    Whatever Hailee would do with the tape, of course would not benefit Aileen at all.


    How could Hailee be that sneaky now? Aileen really couldn''t believe the drastic changes that had happened to Hailee, because she was used to Hailee who always called her ''sister'' with an innocent face andughed cheerfully, as if she was a gullible girl.


    "What nonsense are you saying!? Why should I do that?!" George didn''t have time to listen to Aileen''s nonsense when he was in an important meeting.


    However, Aileen''s angry scream again made the middle- aged man flinch.


    "JUST DO IT! JUST DO IT!!!"


    ================


    Hailee didn''t cook for Ramon, but she asked Martha to prepare Ramon''s favorite dish before arranging the table for them to have dinner tonight.


    And after everything was done, thest thing Hailee did was to wait for Ramon toe home while munching on a snack, becausetely she tended to be hungry all the time.


    Luckily, Hailee''s first pregnancy didn''t make too much trouble or suffering for her because some people have serious morning sickness, while Hailee didn''t have it. It''s just that she feels tired quickly and feels nauseous whenever she smells certain strong smells, such as coffee.


    Hailee hummed along with the song ying on her cell phone when she heard the sound of Ramon''s car stopping at the front door. Of course, she already knew this sound by heart.


    Therefore, with a smile on her lips, Hailee immediately got up from the sofa and approached Ramon who had just gotten out of the car. She couldn''t wait to tell him what had happened to her today.


    "How was your day?" Hailee asked, hugging Ramon''s body while tip-toeing to kiss his lips.


    Normally, Ramon would smile as he kissed Hailee''s forehead back before telling her about what he did that day, but this time it was different.


    Ramon didn''t even smile at all when Hailee kissed him and smiled brightly at him.


    What really happened? Did Hailee do something wrong again?


    Hailee''s smile slowly faded when she found Ramon staring at her intently. Ugh! What happened? It had been a long time since Ramon had been annoyed with her, so what did Hailee do this time?


    "What is wrong?" Hailee asked carefully. Slowly, she loosened her grip on Ramon''s waist, but the man kept her body close to him by putting his hand behind her back.


    So was Ramon actually angry or not?


    If he was angry, he shouldn''t hold Hailee''s body like this, right? Ramon''s attitude really confused her.


    "Are you mad at me?" It was good for Hailee to ask this directly because guessing Ramon''s sometimes unusual behavior could give her a headache.


    "Yeah, I''m mad at you," Ramon replied curtly and he tightened his arms around Hailee''s waist, lowering his face and kissing Hailee''s lips. He bit her lip a little harder, but not to the point of hurting her.


    "Hey, but your attitude doesn''t show that you''re angry," Hailee protested, she tried pulling herself out of Ramon''sembrace because there were still some people around them.


    Well, it was better to do it in their room, right? Then Hailee would be happy to give satisfy responds...


    "I''m so mad, Hailee." Ramon then pressed his forehead against Hailee''s and closed his eyes.


    This allowed Hailee to feel his warm breath and she started to grumble inwardly.


    Although now she was getting used to being close to Ramon. Hell, they had done even more intimate things than this time and time again, but still there were certain moments that made Hailee feel like she was meeting Ramon for the first time. This man could always make her heart flutter with his unexpected actions.


    "Why are you mad at me? What the hell did I do?" Hailee asked in a choked voice. Ugh! Could they just go to their room? It seemed Hailee''s mind was already imagining some obscene things she could have done with Ramon.


    Ramon then pulled his face away from Hailee and looked at his wife with a frown. "You left your bodyguard and met Aileen alone. You were alone with that woman on the emergency stairs." Ramon said that very firmly, annoyance was clearly evident in every word he said.


    On the other hand, Hailee was surprised that Ramon knew this already. It was a sure thing that she would tell him, but Hailee would put together a good words as to why she left her bodyguard in the lobby.


    Hailee then turned to find Pyro, who was trying not to look at her and busy adjusting his unwrinkled suit.


    Snitcher!

 Chapter 241: PUNISHMENT

    <h4>Chapter 241: PUNISHMENT</h4>


    Of course apart from taking care of Hailee, not taking his eyes off her for even a second while she was out of the house, was Pyro''s main job, but there was something else he had to do as well, which was to tell Ramon whatever his wife was doing, down to the little things like what she ate or drank.


    At first, Ramon''s overprotective attitude toward Hailee when they were newly married took all of his bodyguards by surprise and they thought it was the most protective attitude Ramon could show, but seeing the change in him after learning that he was going to be a father, made them realize that they were too early for making such a judgement.


    Meanwhile, Hailee couldn''t help but smile wryly and show a ''guilt'' expression to Ramon, but it didn''t work, her husband still put on a horrible face because of what she did.


    "You''re careless," said Ramon. There were actually a lot of words he wanted to say to Hailee, but Ramon wouldn''t rebuke his wife in public, no matter how angry he was.


    "Sorry," Hailee said in a low voice as she lowered her head.


    Ramon looked at the top of Hailee''s head and felt helpless in the face of this wife of his, but he didn''t want the same thing to happen again, so he had to warn her strictly enough so Hailee could remember it.


    "Come here, we need to talk," Ramon said firmly, grabbing Hailee''s hand before leading her to their room.


    Meanwhile, behind them, in whispers, some of the maids started their own chatter while looking at Hailee worriedly.


    "Is Mr. Ramon going to scold Mrs. Hailee?" one of the helpers asked the friend next to her, starting the gossip.


    "I don''t know, but Mr. Ramon''s face looks very annoyed. Could it be that Mr. Ramon will scold Mrs. Hailee to the fullest?" replied the friend before the third servant chimed in.


    "I don''t think so, can''t you see how much Mr. Ramon loves Mrs. Hailee? Maybe he''ll just rebuke her a little," she replied and the fourth maid joined the gossip circle.


    "But don''t you see the expression on Mr. Ramon''s face? It''s rare for Mr. Ramon to show such a facial expression and whenever it happened, it would be a serious matter," she said with a frown, looking worriedly at the stairs.


    "Are you done gossiping?" Martha suddenly appeared from behind the four of them and startled the four young servants. They all looked down, because now the expression on Martha''s face was as scary as the owner of this residence. "If this attitude of yours came to Mr. Tordoff''s notice, you guys are sure to get fired. Now get back to your work!"


    Without waiting for themand to be repeated again, the four servants immediately ran away, leaving Martha who could only shake her head.


    Slowly, she looked up at the top of the stairs and smiled a little. There was no way Ramon would hurt Hailee, seeing how he had been treating his wife all this time, of course no matter how angry he was, he wouldn''t even raise his voice¡­


    ================


    Ramon pushed Hailee against the door as soon as he closed it and red at her. "So, what''s your reason for leaving your bodyguard and going alone to meet that woman?" He kept his voice calm, but still, when Ramon recalled that their meeting didn''t end well, his chest ached, thinking about the worst that could possibly happen.


    "I¡­" Hailee stuttered, when she had to answer this. In the car, she had put together so much to exin the situation, but it seemed that with Ramon''s domineering attitude like now, Hailee had forgotten all about it. "I told you earlier¡­ there were a lot of people there, so I didn''t think it was possible for Aileen to do something to me that would attract attention and damage her image in thepany, especially when her image had already been damaged by the diamond ring incident the other time."


    Ramon gritted his teeth suddenly. He didn''t soften at all after hearing all that exnation and Hailee lost her confidence under her husband''s fierce gaze, so she couldn''t convince him in a proper way.


    Therefore, she tried the other way.


    "Are you mad at me?" Hailee sulked, she wrapped her arms around Ramon''s neck and kissed the man''s chin, ignoring the fact that Ramon didn''t respond at all. "Do not be angry. I''m fine¡­" okay, that was not enough, Hailee had to try harder. "I promise this is thest time I go alone. Next time I leave the house I''ll take Pyro everywhere I go, even to the women''s restroom."


    "Women''s restroom?" Ramon frowned, not liking the idea.


    "Hm," Hailee mumbled, nodding her head as she pressed her body against Ramon seductively. "Maybe someone will hurt me in the women''s restroom, who knows?" Hailee whispered into Ramon''s ear and kissed the man''s neck.


    Well, if a verbal apology couldn''t lower the tension between them, then there were some specific ways to reduce the tension, right?


    And it went without saying that Ramon understood what Hailee was initiating, but at this point he still wasn''t giving the response Hailee wanted and this frustrated his wife a little.


    "I already apologized and promised never to do it again, must you be this angry with me?" Hailee sulked again.


    "You know what will happen to you, don''t you? If your little ns and assumptions about your situation don''t work out?" Ramon''s tone sounded very cold. "She could be stupid enough to hurt you instead of inventing tricks to hurt herself."


    Hailee realized it, but she also didn''t want to be constantly med, because after apologizing for a long time, she was starting to get annoyed. "Yes I know. I am sorry."


    Silent, Ramon observed the sincerity of Hailee''s apology before he said, "You should be punished for that."


    "Punishment?" Hailee scowled. She was not a child who should be punished for causing this kind of trouble, right? After all, what kind of punishment would Ramon give her? This guy wouldn''t resort to hitting her right?


    But, before Hailee could protest, she gasped as Ramon''s cold hand traced her inner thigh before he silenced Hailee''s next words with a long kiss.

 Chapter 242: THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

    <h4>Chapter 242: THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING</h4>


    Aileen couldn''t use her original n to frame Hailee, nor could she carry out her ''abortion'' n.


    Because if someone else found out about the CCTV footage and saw Aileen dropping herself from the top of the stairs and pretend to suffer a miscarriage, then she would be the one to be med.


    "You''re so stupid!" shouted George, cursing Aileen, for who knows how many times, while his daughter was staring at the city lights with an expressionless face, as if trying to pretend that she wasn''t there and listening to her father''s cursing. "How could you let Hailee take the tape?!"


    Yes, Hailee managed to retrieve the tape and now she was holding a very important card, because neither of them knew to whom the tape would be given to.


    However, to whoever it was, the end result would still be detrimental to both of them, Aileen especially.


    "You know how stupid you are now?! I told you to kill her that time! But, what did you say? You want to y with her life?!" George snorted loudly. "Now look at what Hailee did to your life!!!"


    The swearing from George''s mouth continued after he cursed Aileen until his heart was satisfied, because it was Aileen who insisted on ying with Hailee''s life.


    Aileen intended for Hailee to be a ve to the lust of Rnd Dimatrio. Wasn''t life like that much more terrifying than facing death? And Aileen would always be able to see how miserable the girl was every time.


    Aileen liked to imagine moments like that.


    However, who would have thought that the n she had meticulously devised would fall apart when Hailee managed to escape.


    And to make things worse, it didn''t end there...


    The current situation and how Hailee ended up being a Mrs. Tordoff really suffocated Aileen with regret and greed. Her jealousy had now turned into envy.


    To hell with all the things she had been through, Aileen should have just killed Hailee, along with her two parents.


    "Hey! How dare you not respond to me!" George looked furious, then roughly, he grabbed Aileen''s shoulder.


    Aileen didn''t really listen to what George said, because whatever that came out of the man''s lips was simply trash and Aileen wasn''t in the mood to listen to those meaningless words.


    However, because Aileen was already familiar with the way her father acted, she was quite responsive when George started to raise his hand to p Aileen. She quickly grabbed it with her own hand and pushed the middle aged man''s body away from her.


    "Don''t you dare hit me," Aileen said coldly. She then threw a sharp, threatening re at George that made the man unable to say anything, then took her bag and left the room.


    If Aileen was alone with George any longer, she was afraid that she would start plotting the murder of George before taking her next breath.


    Not that the thought never crossed her mind, but it wasn''t the right time to add to the trouble, after all, Aileen still needed that man.


    Aileen had indeed gone through a period where she was afraid to fight George, but now, she was the one who would take advantage of that stupid man.


    ================


    "Don''t let Mrs. Dawson out of this house and no one is allowed to visit her without my permission," Giana told the butler and the head of security at Dawson''s residence.


    Yes, after visiting the hospital and dering that she would take over thepany, her father''s health worsened.


    Not because of the fact that Giana would take the helm of apany that was faltering with their share price which continued to fall rmingly, but because of the way Giana had put it.


    Giana swore that Larry would never have his position again and now all control was in Giana''s hands.


    There were even two bodyguards that Giana ced outside her father''s hospital room, not just to ensure that he could not be visited, but to make sure that he couldn''t leave the hospital even though his health had improvedter, without Giana''s permission, of course.


    All of these transitions happened so quickly, because Giana didn''t waste a second trying to get her revenge.


    She had made a list in her heart, who she would strike and she would use all means to make that wishe true.


    Including what she did with Dillon, because in the end it worked and here he was now, apanying her again as Giana wanted.


    "Don''t you think your ways are too cruel?" Dillon sat beside Giana who was closing her eyes while leaning her body against the sofa. "You''re indirectly confining your parents."


    Dillon had already conveyed his disapproval to Giana, but the woman remained stubborn, just like before, it was rare for Dillon to change what Giana had already decided.


    "If you think what I''m doing is cruel, then what about what they''ve been doing and telling me all along?" Giana opened her eyes and looked at Dillon next to her. "I didn''t hurt them Dillon. I am trying to protect them from the battle I will faceter. They don''t need to be too close."


    Not. It was a lie. Giana was being cruel to her parents. But, at least this way, Larry and Cassandra wouldn''t meddle in this matter and mess up her ns.


    On the other hand, Dillon sighed slowly. He did decide to return to apany Giana, although the woman did not give him any certainty.


    ''I will try. We''ll try this.''


    Those were the words Giana spoke the night she came to make Dillon''s heart melt and agree to return to town A.


    "I''ve spoken to some of the top shareholders in thepany and five of them have agreed not to sell their shares to outsiders." This was good news, because the recent sale of the Dawson family stocks had really turned things even more vtile for thepany.


    "Thank you for doing all that," Giana said softly, resting her head on Dillon''s chest and of course this made the man''s heart soften even more.

 Chapter 243: SERIOUSLY?!

    <h4>Chapter 243: SERIOUSLY?!</h4>


    "Did you guys make any ns to go out tonight?" Lexus asked as he picked up a piece of shrimp and devoured it. It wasn''t clear since when, but Lexus had started turning up more frequently for dinner at Ramon''s house now and every time he was asked about it, he always replied that eating alone was not good, but eating alone with the quiet Ramon was much worse. "Why are you dressed too neatly for someone going to bed?"


    So it could be concluded that Lexus would only have dinner there when Hailee was there, and although they often have small arguments, that was precisely what turned the atmosphere more lively.


    "I like to dress neatly," Hailee answered casually, even though she actually knew what Lexus meant, because now she was wearing a turtleneck sweater to cover her neck, because Hailee couldn''t possibly wear a scarf in the house. Lexus would be increasingly suspicious.


    On the other hand, Lexus narrowed his eyes. "Is this one of your strangest behaviors during pregnancy? Fully dressed before going to bed?"


    "Just eat," Hailee grumbled while throwing a sharp re at Ramon. It was all his fault! However, the target didn''t respond at all, he kept putting the meat on Hailee''s te and acting as if he didn''tmit any faults.


    Luckily Lexus didn''t notice the gesture and was busy eating his own dinner.


    The reason why Hailee wore a turtleneck sweater was because it had everything to do with the punishment Ramon had given her.


    Ramon left a trail along her neck which frustrated Hailee and her guilt for not listening to Ramon''s request to always be with Pyro, turned into anger.


    The biggest hickey that Ramon left is right on the top of the neck and as long as the mark is visible, don''t expect Hailee to show her neck. It was impossible for Hailee to walk around disying this madness of Ramon. Not. That was beyond embarrassing.


    But Ramon looked rxed after doing that, with his tantalizing naked body, he walked toward the bathroom saying "if you don''t listen to my words anymore, then the punishment will be much worse than this."


    Ugh!


    Those words made Hailee feel a newfound temptation to fight him back. Hailee was curious, just what kind of ''punishment'' did Ramon have in store for her.


    But, at that moment Hailee came to her senses and shook her head. Her mind was too naughty. She must learn to control herself from such thoughts.


    "Thepany''s anniversary is less than two weeks away, have you got the dress for the event yet?" asked Lexus. "You have to pay attention to your stomach, don''t wear anything too tight, my nephew will have difficulty breathing."


    The corners of Hailee''s lips twitched when she heard what Lexus said. They both have a strange way of expressing their concern.


    "Not yet," Hailee replied while eating an apple that Ramon had offered her, after she had finished eating her dinner. "I don''t know what kind of dress I''m going to wear yet..." Hailee still wasn''t in the mood to go shopping. She didn''t even think about it because there were so many things bothering her.


    "Good then!" Lexus pped his hands so hard that it took Hailee by surprise and he got a fierce re from his brother, therefore, when he continued his sentence, his tone was slightly lower. "We can go together to look for the dress, it''s been a long time since youst shopped, right?"


    "Shopping? With you?" Hailee asked skeptically, she knew that Lis really liked shopping and she herself still remembered their shopping experience. Lis invited her to move from one store to another with enthusiasm, until Hailee had a hard time following her, but what about Lexus? Would he do the same?


    "Yes," answered Lexus enthusiastically. "We''ve never shopped together, have we?"


    "I''ve never even shopped with a man," Hailee muttered as she chewed on the fruit.


    "Then I will be the first." Lexus smirked as he said that. But, then he saw Hailee giving him a code with her eyes to ask Ramon for permission.


    Oh, Lexus almost forgot about this overprotective brother of his¡­


    Hailee didn''t dare refute Ramon''s words anymore, at least for now, after what she had done. Well, Ramon''s punishment was still very fresh on her skin, so it could be said that Hailee would turn into an obedient wife, until she felt Ramon''s annoyance had lessened.


    "Could it be¡­" Lexus had just started his sentence, but Ramon had cut him off quickly.


    "No," he answered calmly, knowing what Lexus was about to ask.


    "I won''t tire her out," Lexus tried to bargain, while Hailee could only help with a hopeful look, giving Ramon puppy eyes, which had very little chance of sess considering how determined Ramon''s expression was in saying ''no''.


    "No."


    "We will only visit five stores." Lexus was still trying.


    "No."


    "Three stores?"


    "No."


    "Two?"


    Ramon didn''t answer again this time, but that didn''t mean he agreed and Lexus pped his forehead quite hard, feeling frustrated at his brother. Why was it so difficult to negotiate with this human?


    "Okay, one store. We''ll go to Margaretha Lamos'' boutique and ask her to make a dress for Hailee, how about that? You have no problem, right?" Lexus snapped his fingers, feeling smart for having provided such a solution. "You yourself know Margaretha Lamos well, you wouldn''t think anything bad would happen there, would you?"


    "No." Ramon still stuck with his answer and this time it was Hailee who spoke up.


    "Can''t I go out for a bit? I''ll go with Lexus and Pyro¡­" Hailee sulked. "If I don''t go, then how can I get the dress I want?"


    "Invite Margaretha Lamos and her team here to make you the dress you want," Ramon replied casually,ing up with the best solution to this trivial problem.


    Meanwhile, when they heard what Ramon said, Lexus and Hailee could only pat their foreheads in despair.


    Seriously!?

 Chapter 244: WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THEM?

    <h4>Chapter 244: WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THEM?</h4>


    "It''s okay, I''m just d that Ramon has invited me to his house," Margaretha said cheerfully. She had cut her hair short and dyed it dark blue, which would only be visible under the light of themp. "So far I''ve only visited Lis''s house, so I''m always curious, how Ramon''s house looks like," Margaretha whispered into Hailee''s ear while ncing at her husband who was sitting not far from them.


    Ramon sat casually on the sofa, he took another half day off to apany Hailee while she tried on her dress and of course this made Lexus furious.


    Because truth be told, it was Lexus who asked Hailee to look for a dress for a corporate eventter, but why did he have to end up at the office desk and rece Ramon to lead an internal meeting? The word annoying was not enough to describe Lexus''s anger at his brother.


    "Then thank you for taking the time toe here," Hailee said politely. She still felt bad that Margaretha had toe to their house, because after all, Hailee still felt awkward to be around Margaretha, as the two of them weren''t so close and seldom saw each other.


    However, Margaretha just waved her hand casually, "There''s no need to say that. Since the fashion show the other day, I''m not too busy." Margaretha then looked at the chart given by her assistant which contained Hailee''s body measurements. "Your size still hasn''t changed much, but I don''t think the guy over there would agree if I gave you a bodycon model." Margaretha nced at Ramon, while Hailee couldn''t help butugh wryly.


    It might have been hard to believe if Hailee hadn''t seen it with her own eyes, but Ramon really took this pregnancy seriously, no, he was taking it too seriously.


    Every night, Ramon would read at least two or three articles about pregnancy to understand more about their baby''s development. It had be part of his daily routine since finding out this news.


    Actually Margaretha had brought some dresses with her and asked Hailee to try them on, to see if any fit her, then she just had to adjust the size, but Ramon was not satisfied with the dresses and asked for new ones to be made.


    "But you better have to tell Ramon to be more careful not to leave marks like that again, or else I''ll have to redesign a dress for you," Margaretha whispered to Hailee, nodding toward her neck.


    In order to cover up the red mark on Hailee''s neck, she had deliberately parted her hair to cover her neck, but still Margaretha''s keen eyes caught the ring hickey easily.


    At that instant, Hailee''s face flushed even more and she bit her lip while grimacing. Ugh! Ramon should also have the same mark as this!


    This time, Hailee shot her husband a fierce look, but Ramon just smirked, as if he knew what secret chat Margaretha was having with her.


    Seeing Hailee''s reaction, Margarethaughed. "You don''t have to be shy, I was at your age too. Young people do tend to get carried away."


    Young people? Ramon wasn''t a teen anymore, alright! His face was still supportive for him to say that he was still in college, but he was already over thirty years old!


    "Okay, looks like I got everything I need to cover, you will receive the dress five days before the event," Margaretha said cheerfully.


    "Don''t you want to have lunch together?" Hailee again offered, even though Margaretha had refused earlier because she already had an appointment to have lunch with her friend.


    "Next time I''lle back to have lunch with you guys," Margaretha promised, then she kissed Hailee''s cheek while Ramon stood up from the couch.


    "I''ll walk you out," Ramon said.


    "I will apany you." Hailee walked up to Ramon, but his refusal held her back.


    "No, you just stay here," he said, which made Hailee frown in confusion. "Go back to the room."


    "It''s okay, I¡­" Hailee was about to protest, but there was something in the way Ramon was looking at her that made her change her words. "Okay."


    Of course this did not go unnoticed by Margaretha. "It''s fine, no need to escort me," she said lightly, but Ramon ignored her and took a step to his left to give the designer a way.


    "Please, over here," said Ramon with the seriousness of someone who had just finished a long meeting with a client.


    "Then be careful on the road," Hailee said, holding Margaretha''s body and hugging her, then walking in the opposite direction, but every now and then Hailee would turn to look at the back of Ramon, who was walking beside Margaretha to escort her out.


    There was something odd about Ramon, but Hailee couldn''t point out what it was. Because the way Ramon treated Margaretha was very different from usual. Was there something Ramon wanted to talk about alone with his mother''s friend? But what?


    The expression on Ramon''s face was so serious¡­


    ================


    "Okay, pass my regards to Lis, she''s been hard to contacttely, I guess she still can''t really stop working." Margarethaughed softly remembering her friend who was very workaholic. "Congrattions again on Hailee''s pregnancy."


    Margaretha had just been informed by Hailee about her pregnancy earlier. She couldn''t believe Lis didn''t share this happy news with her.


    "Who is Leon Dawson?" Ramon paid no heed to Margaretha''s previous words, but he immediately asked a question which was his main goal to lead Margaretha to the exit.


    "What?" Margaretha stammered and this small gesture caught Ramon''s attention. "Who?"


    "Leon Dawson," Ramon repeated the name.


    "Leon Dawson? I think because hisst name is Dawson, he is a member of the Dawson family," Margaretha tried to look calm and innocent in answering the question. "Why are you asking about him? You n to have a business rtionship with the Dawsons?"


    Once again Ramon ignored the question. "What is the rtionship between Leon Dawson and Lis?"


    For a moment, under Ramon''s cold gaze, Margaretha was at a loss for words. "What rtionship?"


    "You know something." And it was a firm statement from Ramon that demanded an exnation.

 Chapter 245: CHOOSE WISELY

    <h4>Chapter 245: CHOOSE WISELY</h4>


    "You know something." And it was a firm statement from Ramon that demanded an exnation.


    Ramon stood tall in front of Margaretha and looked foreign to the middle-aged woman, even though she had known Ramon since he was in Lis'' womb. But, the young man in front of her now really had a domineering aura that made her lose her footing.


    Ramon didn''t really do anything, but those short words were like an emperor''s verdict that was impossible to ignore.


    "I¡­ I don''t know what you mean Ramon," Margaretha stammered, then cleared her throat to get her voice back, so when she spoke again she sounded more convincing. "I don''t know Leon Dawson, if you think that Dawson guy has something to do with Lis, why don''t you just ask her directly?"


    But, of course the lie had been well seen by Ramon and he wouldn''t have believed Margaretha so easily.


    "If there''s nothing else you want to ask, I''ll go, I''ll bete to meet my friend," she said, forcing a smile to form at the corners of her lips. "I''ll contact you regarding the dresster."


    Not far from them, a luxury car was waiting for Margaretha, where her assistant was sitting behind the driver''s seat.


    "I don''t want to do this," Ramon mumbled as Margaretha turned around to quickly get into the car and away from the heir to the Tordoff family. "But, should I make you talk using Willy?" asked Ramon in a low voice.


    Margaretha, who was about to descend the second step, instantly froze in ce when Ramon uttered Willy''s name in a threatening tone. Her heart was beating very fast while her hands started shaking uncontrobly.


    It didn''t take a genius to say that Margaretha was in a state of shock as well as real fear.


    Slowly, Margaretha''s body turned around to face Ramon again, she hoped what this man said wasn''t true, and that he was just bragging about Willy.


    However, Margaretha could see in the way Ramon was looking at her, if he knew. And he knew about Willy. But, how did he know about this?


    "So can you tell me about Leon Dawson?" Ramon repeated his question. He waspletely different from the Ramon that Margaretha had known all this time.


    Yes, because this was Ramon''s true nature. He just didn''t show it when he was dealing with things he didn''t think were necessary and was a waste of his energy.


    However, this matter about Lis caught his attention and the fact that he was having a hard time getting more information about Leon Dawson didn''t sit well with him at all.


    "What do you mean by using Willy?" Margaretha asked and subconsciously she lowered her voice, as if afraid that someone else would hear them. Her eyes zed over at Ramon, as if she couldn''t believe that the dark secret of her life that only a few people knew about, was also known to Ramon.


    Ramon looked at Margaretha, but the expression on his face didn''t change, he wasn''t in a hurry to answer the question, instead, this man was observing the woman who was his mother''s best friend, making Margaretha even more ufortable upon being watched like that.


    Ramon really knew how to deal with someone to get what he wanted. "Should I exin who Willy is? Or should I start from the story twenty years ago?"


    "Stop it!" cried Margaret. Her breath hitched and her body trembled. This time she lowered her head, not wanting to look Ramon straight in the eye. "How did you know about Willy? Lis told you?"


    "We don''t have enough free time to talk about your past." So in other words, it was impossible for Lis and Ramon to talk about Margaretha''s past, even though they met.


    Moreover, it was rare for Ramon to see his mother if it wasn''t for work problems, even though they lived in the same area.


    Regarding Hailee''s pregnancy, Lis did look happy when she found out, but Ramon wouldn''t let his guard down so easily. There were many secrets that shrouded this situation and made things look suspicious.


    "So, what is the rtionship between Leon Dawson and Lis?" From the flinching response Margareth gave, it seemed that she knew more than Ramon had expected. "You can think about it again," said Ramon when he noticed that Margaretha was having a conflict with herself to answer Ramon''s question. "I will wait for the answer until tomorrow."


    After saying this, Ramon turned around and was about to enter the house, but Margaretha stopped him with a question.


    "What if my answer is no?" she asked. She raised her head to see how Ramon would respond to this, but all she saw was the expressionless face of her best friend''s son.


    "I don''t want to do this to you, but you certainly know how people like us work to get what we want," Ramon said quietly.


    Margaretha gritted her teeth. "You would do this to your own mother''s best friend? People you''ve known since birth? Are you threatening me?"


    "It''s not a threat, forgive me if you think like that." Lie. Of course these words were just a mere formality. "But the world isn''t always fair and I''m giving you a choice."


    "If I don''t want to say it, what will you do? Tell my husband about Willy?" Margaretha asked impatiently.


    Nobody knew about Willy and that Margaretha would keep in touch with him like that.


    "No," Ramon shook his head grimly. "The media will know about it."


    Ramon''sst sentence made Margaretha flinch and almost lose her bnce, if it was not for Ramon who quickly reached out his hand to steady her again. After all, Margaretha was standing at the top of the stairs and an ident wouldn''t look good in this situation.


    "Ramon you¡­" Margaretha was at a loss for words to describe how she felt. She pushed Ramon''s hand away when she could get a firmer footing. "¡­you, insolent! How dare you do that to me!"


    "Don''tplicate things, I just want some information you know." Ramon made it seem like his request was a simple question that shouldn''t have caused Margaretha to have such a big reaction. "But, the final choice remains in your hands. Choose wisely."

 Chapter 246: IT DOESNT MAKE SENSE

    <h4>Chapter 246: IT DOESN''T MAKE SENSE</h4>


    Choose wisely.


    Those were the words Ramon said before he turned around and entered the house, leaving Margaretha alone where she had been standing, frozen.


    It was unknown how long Margaretha stood there, but she only realized when her assistant approached and asked what was wrong, only then did Margaretha get into the car but she remained silent the whole way back to her store.


    She even canceled her meeting with her friend. There was no way she would meet anyone else under these conditions. She needed some time alone, to think about this matter properly.


    Margaretha knew Ramon well and she knew he wasn''t the type to just threaten without actually intending to do what he said.


    Therefore, when Ramon said he would let the media know about Willy, Margaretha was fully aware that Ramon wasn''t ying with his words.


    But how did Ramon know about Willy? And how did he find out about the rtionship between Lis and Leon? Should Margaretha tell Lis about this first? However, Lis was very difficult to contact and again, Margaretha didn''t want to take any rash action regarding this issue.


    It went without saying that this matter should be left as a secret¡­


    Choose wisely¡­


    Ramon''s cold words resonated in Margaretha''s ears and his piercing gaze seemed to warn her sternly that she should not think about messing with the situation.


    ================


    Ramon returned to his room to meet Hailee with a mango that had been cut into pieces.


    Lately, Hailee was eating this fruit more and it had not gone unnoticed by Ramon.


    When he opened the door to his room, Ramon thought Hailee was watching television, but when he looked closely, it turned out that it wasn''t a scene from a drama, but a CCTV footage that Hailee''s bodyguard managed to secure the day she visited Aileen to give an invitation.


    On the screen, Ramon could watch how Aileen dropped herself without any hesitation.


    Ramon frowned, not liking the scene, not because Aileen fell, but it could be Hailee who fell down the stairs instead.


    Hailee then shifted it to the CCTV footage on the ground floor of the building which showed Aileen wincing in pain in a sitting position on the floor.


    "What do you think is strange?" Hailee asked, pausing the picture. There, Aileen was raising her head, she was looking at Hailee who was going down the stairs.


    Ramon then sat on their bed, next to Hailee before handing her a piece of mango, which Hailee devoured immediately.


    "Thank you," Hailee said sweetly whilending a kiss on Ramon''s cheek. "So, what do you find strange?"


    "She didn''t try to protect her stomach when she fell," replied Ramon.


    "So it''s true!" Hailee pped her hands happily. This was one of the advantages of talking to smart people, you didn''t have to give a lot of exnations. "Aileen should have instinctively protected her stomach when she fell, since she was pregnant, unless she really wanted to lose the baby."


    "That''s right," said Ramon as he brought another piece of fruit to Hailee''s lips, which she happily ate, even though his wife was vehemently discussing strange things about Aileen. "Or maybe it''s because she''s not pregnant to begin with."


    "Hmm?" Hailee tilted her head. "You mean she was just pretending to be one?"


    "Didn''t you tell yourself that Theodore''s parents didn''t approve of their rtionship?" Ramon reminded her. "But, for a family with a status like the Gevano family, of course their flesh and blood is much more important."


    Hailee chewed the fruit slowly while she was thinking and when she swallowed it she started to speak slowly. "You mean Aileen pretended to be pregnant to be able to marry into the Gevano family?"


    "That''s just my assumption," said Ramon casually, smiling slightly when he saw his wife thinking and considering the clue he gave seriously.


    Hailee looked sexy when she was thinking like this, so Ramon couldn''t stop himself from kissing her lips.


    "Hey! Do not bother me! I''m thinking seriously," Hailee protested while trying to stop Ramon, but a smile was still on the corner of the man''s lips.


    "I didn''t stop you from thinking. You don''t think with your lips, do you?" Ramon defended himself, he then put a piece of fruit into Hailee''s mouth quickly before his wife protested.


    With a grunt, Hailee ate the fruit while picking up her cellphone which was lying on the table, beside the bed.


    "Zia," Hailee greeted. She called her cousin and exchanged pleasantries just before Hailee asked the question she really wanted to ask. The original purpose of calling Zia. "Is there any important news that I don''t know about?" she asked.


    "What important news?" asked Zia from across the line.


    "I don''t know, maybe the news about you has decided to end your rtionship with that bastard man." Hailee could hear Zia coughing in surprise and at the same time Ramon tapped her head lightly, as a warning. How could she curse being pregnant like that?


    Oops! Hailee forgot because she was really pissed off¡­


    "Hailee¡­ I told you, I''ll think about this¡­ things aren''t that easy, and again¡­" Zia tried to exin frantically.


    "Or maybe news from Aileen?" Hailee asked, ignoring Zia''s protests altogether.


    "Aileen? I haven''t heard anything from her other than news about her currently living at Theodore''s residence," Zia replied immediately, grateful that Hailee had changed the subject.


    Hailee then asked some light questions before she finally hung up the call.


    "No news about Aileen¡­" Hailee muttered. "Could it be that her womb was okay even after falling down all those stairs?" Hailee looked at Ramon. Could it be that what he said was true? That Aileen was just pretending.


    "What you think?" asked Ramon, smiling, handing her thest piece of mango. "Why not just let the Gevano family check the truth?"


    Hailee blinked her eyes, digesting what Ramon meant, before finally a smile spread across her lips.


    "You''re a genius!" Hailee eximed happily. "I did not choose the wrong husband!"

 Chapter 247: I WILL BE WITH YOU

    <h4>Chapter 247: I WILL BE WITH YOU</h4>


    Ramonughed when he heard Hailee''s statement. He then pinched her nose and pulled her closer. "Haven''t I told you many times that I''m the one who chose you, and not the other way around," Ramon corrected Hailee''s im.


    "You didn''t choose me Mr. Tordoff, but you offered yourself to me." Hailee didn''t want to give in to him and her stubbornness came back.


    "Offering myself?" That sentence sounded even more absurd. "I don''t remember ever offering myself to you Mrs. Tordoff."


    Hailee shrugged her shoulders nonchntly. "You offered to protect me as long as you got Tatum''spany." Hailee reminded him. "I agreed right away, which means I chose you."


    Ramon grimaced when he remembered that. Of course, Hailee agreed and the reason behind it was way beyond Ramon''s expectations.


    At that time, Ramon thought that Hailee would ask for some time to think about it first and he was ready to give her a few days, but who would have thought that Hailee would agree to the offer he made so quickly.


    The reason was that she was not interested in thepany''s management and had no intentions or abilities to lead thepany.


    After all, Ramon also offered Hailee a stable life for bing his wife, and considering the problems this woman was facing at the time, Ramon''s offer was certainly like a heavenly breeze for her.


    That was the first time Ramon felt that he was being tricked and trapped by his own ruse.


    However, as time went on, Ramon never once regretted his decision, because Hailee also brought fresh air to his boring life.


    Those times felt like just yesterday, but the truth was that the two of them had gone further than they could have ever expected.


    "I think we should revise the agreement we signed back then," Ramon muttered.


    "Right," Hailee replied with augh. "I will tell our child about the agreement when they grow up."


    Ramon looked at Hailee sharply when he heard herment. "Hailee, don''t mess around..."


    The threatening tone in Ramon''s voice didn''t frighten Hailee, it just made herugh more with added satisfaction because it had pissed this man off.


    And, Hailee''sugh was so contagious that it brought a genuine smile to Ramon''s lips.


    "So¡­" Hailee said, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes fromughing too much. "What''s the matter with Margaretha Lamos?" she asked. This time Hailee''s tone changed, bing more serious and sounding deeper.


    The smile on Ramon''s lips also faded and the atmosphere that had been light until now turned serious in an instant when Hailee changed the topic of their conversation all of a sudden.


    "I can see it, Ramon," Hailee said. "Something happened between you and Margaretha, right?"


    Of course, Ramon''s cold attitude was strange to Hailee, because after all Margaretha was his mother''s best friend and Ramon didn''t need to treat her like that.


    "You can tell me," Hailee''s voice softened, as she rested her head against the man''s chest. "Like I can tell you everything about me."


    The fact that Giana knew Ramon''s secret, was actually quite disturbing to Hailee. This made it seem as if the woman knew Ramon better than she did, although that might be true, considering that Giana had spent more time with Ramon than she had, but it still didn''t lessen Hailee''s worries.


    Ramon is her husband and Hailee deserves to know everything about him better than any woman around her husband.


    But, on the other hand, Hailee also didn''t want Ramon to feel ufortable with her demands...


    "But, if you''re not ready to tell me yet, that''s fine too." Hailee then lifted her head and kissed her husband''s cheek. "I just want you to know that I will always be by your side."


    Ramon knew that Hailee had noticed the change in his attitude toward Margaretha, but he was a little reluctant to talk about this matter, there were many considerations as many things were still uncertain.


    However, when he saw how Hailee was trying to understand him, despite her hopeful gaze that Ramon would open up to her more, Ramon felt likeughing at himself...


    Why did he hide this from his wife?


    "I found some disturbing facts about my mother," said Ramon atst when Hailee turned off the television which was still showing Aileen''s face, sitting on the floor of the emergency stairs.


    "About your mother?" Hailee turned around and faced Ramon. "What happened?" she asked anxiously.


    "Actually, the information I got is still verycking, whatever in my hands is not enough for me to make solid assumptions," Ramon told Hailee carefully. "So, I still don''t know for sure."


    Hailee shifted her body so she could speak to him face to face. "What kind of information did you get?"


    "You remember the time when we went to the beach?" Ramon tucked Hailee''s slightly messy hair behind her ear. "I saw my mother with a man."


    "With a man?" Hailee repeated the words. "Do you know what that man''s identity is?"


    "Yes, his name is Leon Dawson," Ramon answered honestly.


    "Leon Dawson¡­ Dawson?" Hailee frowned. The name Dawson was not unfamiliar, because it was the name of the five most respected families in City A, but she felt familiar with a different meaning when she heard the name.


    "Yes, Dawson. Leon Dawson is the younger brother of Giana''s father," Ramon understood what made his wife frown and he helped her to remember.


    Right. Giana Dawson. Giana was a Dawson before she married Aidan.


    But, that was not the main issue right now...


    "What''s the rtionship between your mother and the Dawsons?" Hailee couldn''t draw amon thread between the two. But then she realized something¡­ "Where did you see those two?"


    "In the same hotel where we stayed," Ramon replied and he could see an understanding look dawning in Hailee''s eyes.


    His wife then cleared her throat, "Maybe their rtionship is not what you think."


    "No, I expected their rtionship to be different from what I thought, but there''s more to it than that¡­" he muttered.


    Hailee never suspected Lis or thought that she would make Ramon feel perturbed in this way.

 Chapter 248: A PACKAGE

    <h4>Chapter 248: A PACKAGE</h4>


    "I''ming with you today, you don''t have to go to thepany," said Reba, Theodore''s mother, to Aileen as she was getting ready to go to work, albeit with her legs wrapped in bandages.


    Aileen preferred to be in her office, hiding behind a pile of work, rather than being at home with Reba.


    "Why?" Aileen was not happy with the way Reba decided on this matter. She was in a bad mood right now.


    This morning Aileen and Theodore had another fight.


    Actually Theodore had good intentions, the man asked Aileen to stay at home and go for a check up after seeing the bandages around Aileen''s ankles and hearing the news that she had just fallen down the stairs.


    However, Aileen felt that she would go crazy and wouldn''t be able to act more calmly if she had to be with Reba all day.


    "Theodore said you fell down the stairs, so I want us to go to the hospital to check your womb, don''t let anything bad happen to my grandchild because of your carelessness," Reba snorted in disgust because Aileen was asking too many questions.


    "I''ve been to the hospital and my womb is fine," replied Aileen unkindly. Annoyance caught in her throat. She had a feeling that if she had to fight with Reba too, then she would really lose control.


    Therefore, as much as possible, Aileen elerated the process of applying make-up on her face so that she could quickly escape from there.


    However, Reba didn''t back down after hearing Aileen''s refusal, instead she became angry.


    "You really don''t know yourself!" She rebuked loudly and made Aileen stop dabbing her lips with lipstick. She turned her head, waiting to hear what Reba would say to her next. "You know Theodore is paying attention to you, but you just ignore him. What do you think your husband is?!"


    A sinister smile tugged at the corners of Aileen''s lips when she heard the word ''attention'' and Theodore being associated in the same sentence.


    Aileen even forgot thest time Theodore had shown her any concern. Therefore, Reba''s words sounded very funny to her ears.


    "Did Theo just tell mom about my refusal?" asked Aileen lightly. Her voice was steady, despite the anger that was welling up in her chest.


    "Yes!" Reba walked forward, as if challenging Aileen to refute this. "You should know better! Theo was already very tired of taking care of his work at thepany, but now you''re adding to the burden on his mind¡­"


    "No need to worry, I''m sure Theo wouldn''t even think about this at all." This one, Aileen was pretty sure. Theodore just wanted to take Aileen to the hospital to have her pregnancy checked, because of the suspicion that still was eating away his mind regarding this pregnancy.


    This was also the reason why Aileen wanted to ''get rid of'' her pregnancy immediately. Some people were starting to get suspicious.


    It was already the fourth day since Aileen had dropped herself down the stairs and for the first two days no one noticed anything until Theodore came home from his business trip and saw Aileen''s bandaged leg.


    And since yesterday, this man had insisted on taking her to the hospital with the excuse that he was worried about their baby, even though Aileen had said that she got checked it herself.


    Hell! Who didn''t know what was really inside that man''s head? Because after all, once upon a time Aileen was able to control Theodore, like a puppet.


    Meanwhile, Reba didn''t care about Aileen at all, as much as possible, they would try to avoid seeing each other eye to eye.


    "Aileen!" Reba again rebuked Aileen for her words, if she hadn''t thought about the baby in Aileen''s womb, then she would have crossed this room and pped the woman who didn''t know how to behave. "Watch your words! How dare you speak like that."


    "Sorry ma''am, but for now I have to go to the office, there are some important documents that must be signed." Aileen no longer wanted to finish her make-up because she preferred to get out of there as soon as possible, before she regretted what she was about to do or say.


    "You really are ungrateful." Reba put on a haughty face as Aileen walked in front of her with a slight shuffle. "If it weren''t for the child you are carrying is Gevano''s flesh and blood, don''t expect you to be able to enter this house and enjoy your status as the wife of Theodore."


    Aileen stopped walking for a moment, took a breath while clenching her fists at her sides, then intended to leave and not respond, but Reba spoke again.


    "I wish Theodore had woken up sooner from your influence so I could have had Hailee as my daughter-inw instead of you," Reba said in a regretful tone.


    Aileen''s patience had run out in dealing with Reba''s attitude, which was judged to have exceeded the limit. Not only that, the pressure that Aileen had been under recently was so great, that it was difficult for her to maintain her control if she was provoked.


    "Enjoying my status?" Aileen turned around while squinting dangerously at Reba. "When did you see me enjoying my life here since I set foot in this house? I will never enjoy anything as long as you are still in this house. Don''t think too highly of it."


    Aileen didn''t realize what she had just said until she saw Reba''s shocked expression in front of her.


    Well, she didn''t regret it, it felt good enough to let out a little anger on this middle-aged woman.


    After saying that, Aileen started walking again, leaving Reba who still couldn''t seem to find the words to reprimand her because of the shock she was still going through.


    Reba just woke up from her surprise when a servant brought her a brown package and then left after Reba received the package.


    Reba''s brows furrowed slightly when she saw the name of the sender on the package. "Hailee?" she muttered. What did she send?

 Chapter 249: A CALL IN THE MORNING

    <h4>Chapter 249: A CALL IN THE MORNING</h4>


    Reba was really shocked when she heard what Aileen said. She knew that woman was not at all nice and full of maniption, but never once did she think that Aileen could utter such harsh words.


    Despite all her cunning and deceit, Aileen didn''t seem like someone who would express her frustration with harsh words.


    Therefore, what Aileen said was beyond Reba''s wildest imaginations.


    However, the thing she least expected was this package in her hand, waiting to be opened by her. A brown envelope containing a sh drive.


    "What''s this?" Reba stared at the sh drive with furrowed brows, especially when the sender of the small object was Hailee.


    As Reba recalled, her rtionship with Hailee hadn''t been very goodtely and it had tended to be a little strained because of their recent chat at Aileen''s wedding.


    But, why did Hailee actually send her something like this? And for what reason?


    Instinctively, Reba reached into her trouser pocket and took out her cell phone to call Hailee, but unfortunately, the one she had was Hailee''s old phone number and since she didn''t have her new number, the call didn''t go through.


    Confused, Reba came out of Aileen and Theodore''s bedroom, then headed to her husband''s study to look for hisptop, to see what the contents of the sh drive were.


    Reba''s steps were a little hastened than usual out of curiosity and when she arrived at the study, without waiting long, Reba immediately took theptop from the drawer and turned it on.


    ================


    Hailee was enjoying her breakfast in bed, a special breakfast that Ramon had made for her with a sweet ''good morning'' kiss, while watching her husband change clothes.


    Oh, it was a magnificent sight and what a beautiful morning. Hailee wished she could enjoy mornings like this forever and forget all the troubles that were guing her.


    "Why do you keep looking at me?" Ramon smiled. Hailee''s gaze bothered him more and more, but not in a bad way, on the contrary, if Hailee didn''t stop this, then Ramon felt he should call Lexus to let his brother know that he was going to bete.


    His brother might kill himter¡­


    "You look yummy," Hailee said while biting her bun in a sexy and seductive way.


    And this made Ramon walk up to her with eyes that started to darken. This was crazy. How Hailee could affect him with just one nce, waspletely unreasonable to Ramon, but this was what happened¡­


    Ramon had a hard time controlling himself, especially at times like these. He wanted to always be near Hailee and their child...


    And somehow, Hailee looked more attractive and beautiful now. It was not that she wasn''t attractive before, she had been very unique even from the first time they met, but there was something about her that exuded a different aura and it always managed to make Ramon feel calm andfortable.


    "Yummy?" Ramon smirked mischievously as he got close to Hailee. He reached out and touched Hailee''s cheek, making his wife close her eyes, enjoying the touch of his hand.


    On the other hand, Hailee was smiling happily because Ramon seemed to be so affected by her and with just one nce, she knew what he wanted.


    This pregnancy made Hailee''s hormones go rampant. Well, Hailee would me her pregnancy for being so flirtatious with Ramon...


    But, just as Hailee felt Ramon''s lips on hers, she was startled by the sound of her own cell phone.


    "Ignore it," Ramon whispered against her lips, but because Hailee hadn''t turned her phone to silent mode, the ringing tone was so distracting.


    Especially when the first call wasn''t picked up, it prompted new calls to follow. "Ugh! Who calls this early in the morning," Hailee grumbled. The mood was spoiled.


    Hailee pushed Ramon away and reached for her cell phone which was on top of the drawer, beside the bed.


    Her brows furrowed when she saw a row of numbers she didn''t recognize. Not many people knew this number and if they did, their names would have already been recorded in her cell phone memory...


    "Hello?" greeted Hailee. "Who''s this?"


    For a while there was no answer from the other end of the call before finally Ian''s voice was heard.


    "Hailee?" he asked.


    "Ian?" Hailee could recognize her best friend''s voice in an instant, then she looked back at her phone screen. "Whose number are you using?"


    Ian ignored the question. "Are you with Ramon?" he asked hastily.


    Hailee''s frown deepened. "Yes, I''m with him, Ramon is right beside me," Hailee replied slowly while looking at Ramon, as if her husband knew why Ian was looking for her so early in the morning like this.


    "Can I talk to him?" Ian asked again. "Can you give this phone to him? This is important."


    "Okay." The urgent tone in Ian''s voice kept Hailee from asking the barrage of questions she wanted to fire and she immediately handed the phone to Ramon, who epted it with a confused expression.


    If he heard it correctly, the caller who had interrupted his and his wife''s moment was Ian, but Ramon didn''t remember that they had a good rtionship tomunicate with each other in the morning like this. It was too early for someone to call him if it wasn''t for an urgent matter.


    Ramon then took the phone and pressed the loudspeaker on, so Hailee could hear what Ian had to say, because from the look on her face, it was certain that Hailee would be after him after the call ended.


    So, in order to save time, it was better for her to listen to it live.


    "Hmm," Ramon mumbled. Beside him, Hailee moved closer, she rested her head on Ramon''s shoulder listening to what Ian had to say.


    "Ramon, I hope this conversation will be between just the two of us. Please don''t tell Hailee," Ian started after the sound of his heavy breathing was heard. He seemed to be having trouble finding the right words.


    "Okay," he answered immediately. Technically, Ramon wasn''t going to tell Hailee because she would also be listening to this conversation.


    On the other hand, Hailee was getting more and more curious. What did Ian want to keep secret from her?

 Chapter 250: THE FACT

    <h4>Chapter 250: THE FACT</h4>


    Reba covered her mouth with her hands as she watched the only video file Hailee had sent her.


    It was a recording of the scene where Aileen dropped herself from the top of the emergency exit stairs. Reba didn''t know where this was, but she was sure that it was an emergency staircase of an office building. Maybe it was the Tatum familypany.


    However, that wasn''t the main focus of all this, because what Reba witnessed was very disturbing.


    How could Aileen possibly throw herself off the top of the stairs when she was pregnant?! And how could she and her baby be okay after falling from such a height?


    It''s impossible¡­ it''s almost impossible.


    Although there was no sound in the recording, what was certain was that Hailee didn''t do anything to Aileen that caused her to fall.


    What really happened? And the sinister smile that Aileen gave Hailee before she dropped herself, it made Reba shudder in horror. She was like a demoness who was ready to do anything to get what she wanted.


    Or maybe that was the truth, that was the real self of Aileen that she had been hiding with her smooth speech and maniptive attitude.


    Reba''s hands trembled as she reyed the video one more time, as if that way the scene would change¡­


    So what about her grandchild? The one Aileen is carrying?


    Quickly, Reba grabbed her cell phone and immediately called Theodore. She didn''t care what her son was doing or the fact that he just got to his office.


    Theodore had to see this. He had to see what his wife, the demonic woman, had done.


    "Come home now," Reba said in a trembling voice. "Mom doesn''t care. You have toe home now. It''s about your wife."


    ================


    "What do you want to tell me?" asked Ramon, urging Ian to say directly what the purpose of the call was.


    "There are people who want to kill you," Ian said directly and honestly. He had thought of a thousand ways on how to convey this, but no matter how good his exnation may sound, it still wouldn''t change the point of this conversation.


    Hailee gasped, she covered her own mouth so as not to make any noise because Ian didn''t know she was listening as well, while Ramon looked more restrained, as if this wasn''t the first time someone had tried killing him.


    "You know who gave the orders?" he asked.


    "No, I don''t know, but I can recognize the two people who came up to me to offer this," Ian said. He could feel his heart beating very fast. It was a gamble and the only good thing he could think of in this precarious situation where he and his sister were treading on the most dangerous road.


    "Tell me what else you know," said Ramon coldly. His voice was steady, even when there were death threats against him.


    Ian didn''t answer right away, he was silent long enough that Ramon had to call him, to remind him that they were still on the phone.


    "I know I''m an asshole for asking for this," Ian gritted his teeth tightly. This was the toughest part when he told Ramon that someone wanted to kill him. "But, I need this¡­"


    Hailee bit her lip hard. What else would Ian say? Why did his voice sound so tense?


    "Say what you want," said Ramon.


    "I''ll tell you everything I know, but I need your guarantee of protection. Until you agree on this, I won''t tell you anything." Ian felt his pride had vanished because he asked Ramon for this. Especially if this man refused, it would be game over for him.


    "Tell me where you are and my men will pick you up." Ramon didn''t make things difficult for Ian. Regardless of the information he had, Ian was Hailee''s best friend. If anything happened to him, it would hurt his wife too and being in a bad mood was not good for pregnant women, at least that''s what Ramon read in a recent article.


    "No, not me, I don''t care about myself," Ian immediately said.


    "Ciara¡­" Hailee mumbled softly. She knew who was important to Ian as of this moment. Ian wouldn''t care about him, but Ciara''s condition was different.


    "My sister," said Ian. "My sister needed money for surgery and they offered this to me and since I chose to side with you, so¡­" Ian didn''t finish his sentence and hoped that Ramon would get the meaning of his words, as it was hard for him not to sound like someone who was desperate and pleading earnestly.


    Saying this alone was already hurting his pride as a man. This was also one of the reasons why he didn''t want Hailee to hear him plead with Ramon.


    "Where is the hospital your sister is being treated?"


    ================


    If there was news that graced gossip and business magazines, or the most searched word in online searches, then it was the case of the feud between Giana and Aidan Smith.


    Just like the couple''s marriage three years ago, even at the time of their divorce, no one was able to learn the actual situation entirely. All media personnel werepeting to cover some news on the two people.


    The news seekers even seemed to ignore the code of ethics and barged into their private residences. They went crazy whenever someone got their hands on any small piece of information between Aidan and Giana.


    Therefore, the house of the Smith and Dawson families, as well as the house that had been upied by Giana and Aidan, had been very closely guarded.


    Especially today, because today was the first trial of their divorce case and both of them were not willing to attend, they were only represented by their respectivewyers.


    "Giana, where are you going?" Dillon rubbed his still sleepy face, but his sleepiness disappeared instantly when he saw the choice of clothes Giana would wear. "You''re going to thepany? In a situation like this?"


    Giana then walked over to Dillon and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "There''s something I have to do."

 Chapter 251: THE FACT (2)

    <h4>Chapter 251: THE FACT (2)</h4>


    "What are you trying to do?" Dillon squinted his eyes, looking at Giana inquisitively. For some reason, Dillon felt that something about this woman had changed.


    Giana seemed to be starting to open her heart to Dillon and considering their rtionship and was even willing to be seen in public together, despite the rumors circting out there regarding the news of Giana''s affair with him, which was the root of the breakdown of Aidan''s household.


    Despite everything, Dillon felt that Giana was being distant, not physically, but het attitude was always perfunctory and cold. He didn''t know why he had this strange feeling when they had just had a hot night together. But, that was how Dillon felt.


    Giana seemed to mask her emotions too perfectly to leave a gap and all this woman showed was just a charade.


    Or¡­ is this just Dillon''s feeling? Had he read too much into their situation? Untiling to such a conclusion?


    Dillon didn''t want Giana to get hurt at all; he wanted to show her how she should be loved, not like Aidan who cheated her with another woman or like Ramon who just left her. All Dillon wanted was Giana to feel loved properly.


    However, Giana was blinded by her own feelings and ambitions...


    "I have an important meeting to attend," said Giana, trying to pull her hand out of Dillon''s tight grip, but the man ignored her efforts and kept holding her so she couldn''t leave, making Giana unable to move and finally sitting back on the bed to give him a proper exnationt.


    "I don''t remember that you had an important meeting this morning," Dillon said after going through Giana''s schedule in his mind. Because after all, he was her personal assistant and everything in Giana''s schedule of activities was at the top of his list of things he had to remember.


    "I called the threergest shareholders in thepany to see me this morning," Giana replied softly, rubbing Dillon''s cheek to calm down the man a little. "Nothing to worry about. I''m only going to meet the three of them, you don''t need toe with me."


    Dillon looked at Giana with a deep gaze.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t believe her, but something was bothering him and Dillon needed to confirm this.


    "Give me ten minutes to get ready. We''re going to the office together." Dillon then got off the bed and kissed Giana''s forehead, before he rushed off.


    "You don''t have to do that," Giana protested. For some reason, she didn''t want Dillon to follow her.


    ================


    Hailee didn''t understand why someone wanted to kill Ramon by using Ian. Isn''t it very clear that whoever ordered Ian, would have known that he was close to Hailee, making it easier for him to get close to Ramon.


    But, who would dare to take such a step? Hailee wasn''t sure that the mastermind of the plot was someone she knew.


    Because if it was the case, why was Ramon the one they were after?


    Therefore, what was more likely was; The mastermind of the n was Ramon''s enemy.


    Ramon had indeed said this several times, how serious and important the security around them was, but until now Hailee had not taken it too seriously because she had never experienced being threatened this seriously.


    If that was the case, then the assumption of Ramon''s car ident that caused him to lose his memory was not true and everything rted to the incident was a fabrication which couldn''t be taken lightly.


    "Ah." Hailee groaned in difort, she suddenly felt pain in her stomach. It was only for a moment, but this made her realize that she was thinking too deeply about the problems that were swarming her in this condition.


    "Are you okay Mrs. Tordoff?" asked one of the maids who saw Hailee holding her stomach with knitted brows and a pained expression.


    "It does not matter." Hailee waved her hand and took a deep breath, before she leaned back against the sofa and rubbed her stomach gently. The pain is gone now. "I''m fine, you can go."


    The maid hesitated a little, but since Hailee didn''t say anything else and she seemed to be getting better, she finally stepped out of Hailee and Ramon''s room.


    But, it was certain, this would be a report from her to Martha and, of course, would be passed on to Ramon.


    Not long after Hailee was left alone, her cell phone rang. She hoped it was Ian who called her. However, she turned out to be wrong...


    The caller was thest person she wanted to hear from. Therefore, Hailee just silenced the call until it was disconnected on its own.


    However, Theodore seemed very determined to talk to Hailee, because after the first call, there was a second, third and fourth call, before Hailee finally decided to pick up the call.


    "What else do you want?" Hailee asked curtly, but then she remembered the pain earlier and didn''t want to get too emotional, so she lowered her voice. "I don''t have much time to talk to you..."


    "Is that really what happened?" Theodore cut off Hailee''s protest quickly.


    "Which matter?" asked Hailee, confused.


    "The video you sent me," Theodore said in a muffled voice. He tried to contain his emotions as best as he could. He just needed confirmation from Hailee as he would trust his ex-fianc¨¦.


    On the other hand, Hailee hadpletely forgotten about the video she had sent to Gevano''s house to push Aileen into trouble.


    "Of course, there''s no way I could edit that kind of thing, right?" Hailee said lightly. Oh, apparently they had received the video and seen it. Hmm, this would be a nice start¡­ "Or do you think I''m tricking you?" she asked again.


    "Of course not," Theodore answered seriously. This time he was going to trust Hailee.


    "So? How about Aileen''s condition now? Are she and her baby okay?" Hailee asked attentively, only behind her innocent smile, there was a hint of ridicule when she asked this.

 Chapter 252: THE FACT (3)

    <h4>Chapter 252: THE FACT (3)</h4>


    "So? How about Aileen''s condition now? Are she and her baby okay?" Hailee asked with concern.


    Theodore who heard the question gritted his teeth hard. Not because he was angry with Hailee, but because he had been so stupid until he fell into Aileen''s trap.


    He should have insisted on having Aileen checked for pregnancy and didn''t just believe her blindly. Isn''t all the evidence clear that that woman is so maniptive? But, again Theodore ignored all the signs he came across and had been led by his nose.


    "Theodore?" Hailee called his name while staringzily at her manicured fingernails. She was waiting for another call, well Hailee was still hoping that Ian would call her, therefore, if Theodore was just wasting her time by being silent like this, Hailee was better off just hanging up the phone.


    "Oh, sorry¡­" Theodore said hastily. He then shook his head to shake off the distracting thoughts and returned to focus on Hailee. "I''ve already called a team of doctors to check on Aileen at home and called her home without informing her of this, so I''m sure she won''t have any reason to dodge."


    Hailee raised her eyebrows and smiled happily. It was true what Ramon said about letting the Gevano family handle Aileen''s issue, so Hailee didn''t have to bother wasting time or getting her hands dirty.


    "Good," Hailee said curtly. Then silence fell over them both.


    If Hailee was impatient with what else Theodore was going to say, then the man was actually nervous because he was talking to Hailee right now. He wanted to say a lot of things, but didn''t know where to start.


    "So why did you call me?" Hailee finally broke the silence between the two of them by asking the question.


    "Oh," Theodore stuttered. He felt stupid, just like a teenager who was secretly calling the girl he liked. "I just wanted to tell you about this."


    Hailee fell silent, surprised at the unexpected answer, but a secondter herughter could be heard. "You don''t need to report that to me Theodore. I don''t need to hear it."


    Hailee could not understand what made Theodore assume that she wanted to know what was going on in his domestic life with Aileen. Had she given the wrong impression?


    "I thought you wanted to know," Theodore replied quietly, then he added. "Even though you are with Ramon, but you still think about me, I just want to thank you for that."


    Wait. Wait. Wait¡­


    Hailee blinked her eyes as her brain tried to process the information she had just received; So Theodore thought she sent the video because Hailee wanted to save that bastard from Aileen?


    What kind of misunderstanding was this?


    "Listen Theodore, whatever you think now about the reason I gave the video to you was a huge mistake, so stop thinking that way." Hailee shook her head. She couldn''t understand how she could be engaged to a man who only thought about himself and acted like the whole world revolved around him. "Aileen is my target, not you. I want to see her at her worst for what she has done to my family. So throw away those stupid thoughts of yours that depict I still have feelings for you."


    "Hailee¡­" Theodore was about to say something, but Hailee didn''t want to hear him at all.


    "Oh, and one more thing. Stop calling me." After spitting out all those long sentences, Hailee immediately hung up, not wanting Theodore to misunderstand any further.


    She thought of Theodore? Seriously? Was Hailee so free that she had time to think about another man besides Ramon and her ns for revenge?


    Whoops! A man like that really didn''t deserve to be on this earth. He should have just flown into the clouds with that overconfidence. Hailee grumbled.


    ================


    Theodore couldn''t help but stare at his darkened phone screen after Hailee hung up the phone and let out a long sigh.


    In the past, he didn''t like Hailee''s arrogant attitude and preferred the gentle nature of Aileen who was also good at stringing sentences, saying only the words he wanted to hear.


    However, now that things hade to this, listening to Hailee''s grunts, didn''t seem too bad. What Theodore had done deserved more than just a scolding.


    Hailee¡­


    Theodore''s thoughts about Hailee were cut short when someone knocked on his door and informed him that Aileen had arrived and had just gotten out of the car.


    "Bring her straight to this room," Theodore said furiously. The woman could no longer escape.


    In front of him, aptop was sitting nicely, showing the video of Hailee and Aileen, which was recorded on the emergency stairs.


    When you think about it, it was a pity that this marriage had to end less than a month after their wedding, not because Theodore still wanted to be with Aileen, but because his good name would be tarnishedter when he filed for divorce¡­


    "Why did you suddenly call me home?" Aileen went straight into Theodore''s study and sat on the chair opposite him. "What do you want to talk about that can''t wait?"


    The frown on Aileen''s forehead showed that she had absolutely no idea what would greet her in a moment.


    "Before I start, I want you to tell me the truth about your sprained leg," Theodore said slowly, making sure Aileen heard every word that came out of his lips. "What really happened?"


    Aileen had a bad feeling about that question, but she chose to stick with the original story she told Theodore as well as Reba.


    "I lost my footing and rolled down the steps of this house, that''s all." Aileen folded her arms across her chest, a defensive gesture.


    "Then can you exin what this is?" While saying that, Theodore turned hisptop so that the screen would be facing Aileen before ying the video.


    On the other hand, seeing what was disyed, Aileen''s face immediately turned pale.

 Chapter 253: SHE WAS TRAPPED

    <h4>Chapter 253: SHE WAS TRAPPED</h4>


    ying right in front of Aileen was a video of her and Hailee when they were both on the emergency stairs, it was the exact moment where she impulsively dropped her body from the top of the stairs in hopes that she could trap Hailee and fabricate Aileen''s miscarriage.


    But, who would have guessed that her n wouldn''t go ording to what she expected and instead became a counterattack for Aileen herself.


    "This¡­" Aileen stuttered when she saw how she had fallen from the top of the stairs. Her body trembled with anger as well as fear.


    Aileen knew that Hailee would use the video to take her down, but not this fast and simply.


    Aileen had been imagining that Hailee would use devious and intrigued ways to use the video as her final weapon, only sending the video to the Gevano family residence and letting them see it, seemed too trivial and simple.


    However, facts said otherwise and it was indeed a simple thing that Hailee used to slowly destroy Aileen.


    "I can exin this¡­" Aileen said without thinking, because right now her focus was oning up with a solid reason to get her out of theplicated situation she was in right now.


    "Then exin, I have all day to listen to your lies," Theodore said, looking rxed, despite all the anger that was welling up in his chest.


    It''s not time yet. He had to make Aileen unable to move anymore and pay for everything she had done.


    As Theodore looked back, his marriage to Aileen seemed absolutely ridiculous. If Aileen really wasn''t pregnant, then Theodore didn''t know what to do with this stupidity or what he should do to make the woman in front of him pay for her actions.


    Theodore had several options to choose from, but he still hadn''t decided which one was the best.


    "You said you were going to exin this, then why are you ying mute?" asked Theodore casually, taking a sip of his tea while looking back at Aileen''s pale face. This time he wondered, how could he love Aileen and be willing to do anything for a woman like this. "Exin to me."


    Aileen was racking her brains, but couldn''t find a proper reason to exin it and save herself, because the video was recorded from a point of view where it was clear that she dropped herself willingly.


    Saying that Hailee had provoked her and made her do such a reckless act, wouldn''t help her at all. Instead, the credibility of Aileen''s story would be increasingly questioned.


    What kind of words could make her willingly fall down the stairs and endanger her own baby? That''s very unreasonable.


    Therefore, Aileen remained silent, she looked everywhere around the room except for Theodore''s eyes, but a few momentster, the silence between them made Aileen feel even more ufortable.


    Thus, she decided to give Theodore the answer he wanted.


    "Yes, I dropped myself," Aileen admitted her actions. "But I can confirm that our baby is fine and for the reason why I did that..."


    Aileen didn''t have time to finish her words when Theodore had raised his hand and asked her to stop talking.


    "I want to make sure that your pregnancy is okay," Theodore said, then leaned forward slowly, looking very serious as he said again, "Let''s get it checked out, I won''t be at peace if I don''t hear it myself from the doctor."


    Immediately Aileen became defensive. She folded her arms across her chest and red at Theodore. "Why do you care? Don''t you want this child? I think you''d be much happier if something happened to this baby."


    Theodore snorted when he heard that statement. "Of course I care about the baby in your womb, because after all I am the father."


    Aileen raised her eyebrows sarcastically when she heard those words. "Says the man who begged me to abort this pregnancy and left me alone in a pregnant state while on my honeymoon."


    Aileen couldn''t help but make this cynicalment because she felt the treatment and pretenses that Theodore and Reba were showing her were getting more and more intolerable. They were both very hypocritical.


    Meanwhile, when he heard how Aileenmented on Theodore''s treatment of her, the expression on the man''s face changed slightly, there was a hint of embarrassment as he realized that his actions werepletely inappropriate.


    However, of course Theodore wouldn''t back down like that, because he had everything nned.


    "You don''t have to bring that up and use your pregnancy excuse to corner me," Theodore said as he pressed the inte button on the phone at his side. "Come in."


    Aileen didn''t really pay attention to who Theodore was letting in, but when she heard the footsteps of a few people behind her after the study door opened, her eyes widened, shocked by what she saw.


    "How about we confirm your pregnancy first before we discuss the incident on the emergency stairs?" Theodore smirked when he saw fear sh across Aileen''s face.


    ================


    After receiving a call from Theodore, Hailee spent her time sitting in front of the television, in her room, eating whatever she wanted to eat, from chocte, fruit to small cakes.


    Somehow, she felt sozy to do anything, even when her phone rang, Hailee took a little longer than necessary to answer it.


    "Zia," Hailee greeted while stretching her stiff body.


    "Hailee, you should know about this, because I''m not sure Aileen will tell you this," said Zia hastily.


    Hearing Aileen''s name, Hailee immediately corrected her sitting position so that she could hear the news that Zia was about to convey morefortably.


    "What is it?" Hailee asked, a little worried.


    "Aileen is nning to sell some of Tatum''s shares to Giana, Giana Smith, Dawson, or whatever her name is now," Zia told Hailee hastily when she learned this news from Aidan. The man had his own ways of digging for information¡­


    **************


    Follow my instagram @jikan_yo_tomare to see the character''s inner thought. ^^

 Chapter 254: THATS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS

    <h4>Chapter 254: THAT''S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS</h4>


    Because Aidan knew that Aileen had turned to Giana and chose that woman to work with, of course Aidan did not remain silent. He knew what his ex-wife could do with the evidence Aileen had.


    And moreover, Aidan knew what Aileen wanted from Giana. Tatum Company.


    Even though this was a cunning way and Aidan felt really bad for using Zia in the middle of his problems with Giana, it was the only way he could think of right now.


    By telling Zia about what Giana and Aileen were nning meant warning Hailee indirectly about this, but of course Aidan''s target was not Hailee, but the man behind her.


    Ramon would not stay silent when thepany he was after and almost had in his hands just slipped due to an unexpected fatal mistake, which came in the form of Aileen.


    "Aileen is nning to sell some of Tatum''s shares to Giana, Giana Smith, Dawson, or whatever her name is now," Zia told Hailee. "That woman¡­" she growled furiously. It went without saying that if Aileen was in front of her right now, she wouldn''t hesitate to p that shameless face hard. It doesn''t matter if she''s pregnant.


    "Sellingpany shares to Giana?" Hailee frowned. "She doesn''t have that much stake in Tatum Jewelry."


    Even if Aileen and George sold the shares they owned in thepany, it certainly wouldn''t be worth what Hailee had.


    "Yes, indeed, but Aileen is trying to convince some investors to sell their shares," Zia then gave the names of the tworgest shareholders in Tatum Jewelry after Hailee. "I don''t know what Aileen has to offer, but they seem interested."


    Hailee was silent for a moment. It seemed that today she couldn''t rx anymore.


    "How did you know all this?" Hailee asked inquisitively.


    What Hailee knew about Zia was that her cousin was almost the same as her who neither understood nor wanted to be so deeply involved with thepany''s affairs were it not out of necessity.


    Therefore, for Zia to know such detailed information, was a question for Hailee. Perhaps this was one of the positive effects of being around Ramon and watching the man work, and so Hailee became ustomed to thinking more critically.


    "Aidan told me everything in sufficient detail," Zia answered honestly, but this actually raised another suspicious brow from Hailee.


    "And why is he so kind enough to tell you things that have nothing to do with him?" Maybe because Hailee wasn''t in a good mood when she heard this news, but it could also be because she was still annoyed at Zia for having an affair with Aidan.


    Aidan was Giana''s husband and Zia was the third person in their marriage, while Giana tried to get Hailee''s husband in every possible way she could think of.


    Their rtionship was really messed up.


    "You don''t need to ask me in that probing manner, Hailee," Zia said with a slightly different tone. It seemed she was a little offended by the way Hailee suspected Aidan. "I''m also a member of the Tatum family, just because you own a bigger stake doesn''t mean I don''t have any."


    Hailee scowled. She didn''t like the way Zia used her either.


    "Of course he told me this in detail, because Aidan didn''t want Aileen to ruin our familypany," Zia said firmly.


    Hailee sighed heavily. She had to admit this. "I''m grateful that he warned me about what Aileen was going to do, but I just can''t help but wonder, why are you still in touch with him?"


    Zia gritted her teeth. She had no idea that their conversation would turn in this direction. "That''s none of your business, Hailee."


    And after saying those sharp words, Hailee heard a long tone, which indicated that the phone line had been disconnected.


    ================


    A hard pnded on Aileen''s cheek causing her to fall to the floor with her head spinning and ears ringing.


    Aileen could no longer digest what insults or insults she got from Reba when she found out that she wasn''t really pregnant and all this time it had been a lie.


    Of course at this point Reba could clearly see why Aileen had done this and when she recalled it, her anger at the ignorant woman only escted even more.


    At this time, the team of doctors who had been summoned by Theodore to check the authenticity of Aileen''s pregnancy had left the room, and now there were only the three of them.


    "Bitch!" Reba cried, she tugged at Aileen''s hair hard and tried to p her again, but Theodore pulled his still raging mother away, because after all he didn''t want her to lose control and do something she would regretter. "How dare you deceive my family! You framed my son to marry a woman like you!?" Reba shouted so loudly that her voice echoed through the walls of the room.


    Meanwhile, Aileen remained silent, she didn''t even shed the tears that used to be so easy to see when she was at a disadvantage. This time Aileen didn''t do the trick again, because she herself was tired of pretending to be nice.


    Slowly, Aileen stood up and straightened her hair and bravely looked back at Reba with hateful eyes.


    "How dare you look at me like that!?" Reba was very angry because Aileen seemed to challenge her. "You are the most ignorant and shameless woman I have ever met!"


    Despite Theodore''s efforts to restrain his mother, Reba still managed to reach out her hand to p Aileen, only before the pnded on her cheek, Aileen had already pped her hand away firmly and pped Reba.


    A p that was as hard as the one Aileen received a moment ago.


    Luckily Theodore was holding onto his mother, so Reba didn''t fall woefully to the floor like Aileen did.


    For a moment, silence fell over the three of them as Cassandra and Theodore tried to digest what had just happened.


    Aileen had pped her. She pped Reba without holding back...

 Chapter 255: FIGHTING EACH OTHER

    <h4>Chapter 255: FIGHTING EACH OTHER</h4>


    No one expected that Aileen could be so brave and presumptuous to return Reba''s p.


    Even the pain that Reba felt was masked by shock, as she could only stare at Aileen rooted to the ground, without saying anything, while her mind digested what had just happened to her.


    "Aileen!" Theodore shouted angrily as he regained control. "How dare you p my mother!?" he cried, anger evident in his eyes and for some reason, Aileen felt lost.


    Yes, Aileen had lost the side of Theodore who was easy to manipte and fool, a man she could control with just a few tears and sweet words, but now, Aileen barely even recognized this livid face anymore.


    What major changes have actually urred? Was it because of her hasty decision, which had forced this marriage on the grounds of pregnancy? Or was it just a trigger for Theodore to show his cowardice? Because that was what he always had been. A coward.


    "Your mother pped me many times and you just kept quiet," Aileen said in azy tone. She was tired of dealing with this mother and son pair. People who don''t know how to repay the politeness of others. All this time Aileen had been very patient with the two of them, couldn''t they be more decent to her?


    Even before they found out that Aileen had lied to them about this pregnancy, they had never once treated her like a daughter-inw.


    Especially now that Theodore''s attitude had changed one hundred and eighty degrees toward Aileen, being in this house was nothing but torturous.


    "Because you deserve to be pped!" Reba screamed in anger. She looked at Aileen with a look as if she was going to kill this woman for tarnishing the Gevano family''s reputation. How could a woman with cunning nature like her be the wife of her only son? What karma did she actually umte to get this bad luck? "Not just getting pped, you deserve to be kicked out of this house!"


    Hearing those words, Aileen raised her eyebrows provokingly, she wasn''t surprised at all because Reba was so predictable.


    Likewise with Theodore, this man will always follow what his mother says.


    At this point, all the pretense and the sweet smile along with the patient attitude that Aileen always showed in front of them had copsed, because now Aileen didn''t care about this family anymore. The only thing she wanted now was the Tatumpany.


    And Aileen had found another way to achieve it by not involving the Gevano family.


    Maybe this was a hasty and thoughtless decision, but Aileen felt very confident that she could control Giana.


    Unbeknownst to her, it was her blindness that would bring her down, because Giana was of course on a different level from Aileen.


    "I don''t want you in this house anymore," Theodore said in a deep and firm voice. He gritted his teeth as he said that, still trying to keep Reba from pouncing onto Aileen again. "Go Aileen, we''ll talk about this marriage another time, once things calm down."


    "Divorce her!" Reba eximed, agitated. She pointed her index finger at Aileen with anger that grew when she saw the sinister smile on the woman''s lips. "Divorce her right now!"


    Theodore did not respond to his mother''s words and repeated the sentence again, this time more firmly than before.


    "Get out of this house now Aileen," growled Theodore.


    "You''re going to divorce me?" asked Aileen in azy tone. She brushed her hair off her shoulders and chuckled. "Let''s get a divorce then. If you think marrying me was a mistake, then you think I don''t feel the same way toward you?"


    "Aileen!" cried Theodore.


    However, Aileen didn''t want to respond to the mother and son duo. She then turned her body and walked away from Theodore''s study, but as she walked, she stretched out her hand deliberately, dropping every disy piece or anything she could reach, causing moremotion and chaos in the already dpidated room.


    Aileen enjoyed how Reba screamed behind her along with the sound of vases or crystal statues falling and shattering to the floor.


    "Crazy! She''s a crazy woman!"


    ================


    "Giana bought a stake in Tatum''spany?" Lexus asked after swallowing hismb chop eagerly, while listening to what happened to Hailee that day.


    Actually Hailee told everything to Ramon, but since Lexus, as usual, was having dinner at their house, he also chanced upon the problems in her maiden family''spany.


    "Lexus, don''t you have your own house?" Hailee narrowed her eyes when she heard Lexus. "The chef at your house will eat a blind sry if you continue to eat dinner and breakfast in this house."


    "It''s okay," Lexus replied lightly, waving his hand. "Sometimes they need a day off."


    What did holiday mean in Lexus''s journal when almost every day he could make time toe to Ramon and Hailee''s house?


    "You''re such a hassle," Hailee grumbled, but when Lexus asked for anothermb chop, Hailee gave him the biggest chunk regardless.


    "Then what are you going to do?" asked Lexus excitedly. "Are you going to pay a surprise visit and remove her from her position? You have the power to do that."


    Hailee didn''t have an answer to that question yet, she nned to discuss this with Ramon.


    But, on the other hand, if it really was the case and Giana managed to get a stake in thepany, it meant Ramon would have to face Giana...


    Just imagining that scenario was already very unpleasant for Hailee.


    Was this also the reason Giana wanted to help Aileen? Because then she would have a chance to get close to Ramon again?


    Giana, Aileen¡­ they were really two people with the same character. She didn''t know how much longer she had to wait until the two of them started knocking each other down...


    **************


    Also read my new stories:


    1. THE PROTECTOR: until myst breath.


    2. MY BLOODY ROMANCE FOR YOU.


    Meet me on Instagram: Jikan_Yo_Tomare


    I hope you enjoy it. ((^o^))

 Chapter 256: COMPLICATED SITUATION

    <h4>Chapter 256: COMPLICATED SITUATION</h4>


    The news about the divorce between Aidan and Giana still continued to dominate the mass media and it seemed that the hype would not tone down for a long time, because the public''s enthusiasm was getting crazier when the evidence of Aidan''s affair saw the light slowly but gradually.


    Of course, all of this was the result of Aileen and Giana''s hard work. They both yed their cards really well.


    Giana did not reveal who the woman had been Aidan''s cheating partner since the beginning of their marriage immediately, but released the information little by little, which actually piqued the curiosity of many people.


    And when the buzz about this divorce had subsided a bit, then Giana would release another piece of juicy information again regarding other things rted to Aidan''s affair, as if to prevent the public from forgetting about how big of a jerk this man was.


    All the pressure and stress that Aidan had to face on a daily basis really made it difficult for him to control his emotions and made everything he handled messy.


    Not only did he have to think about his now tarnished reputation, but also the protests from the shareholders, who were increasingly dissatisfied with his work performance.


    Coupled with the insistence of his father who forced him to reveal who the woman was.


    Of course Aidan wouldn''t say anything, because he knew what maniptions and dirty tricks his father would resort to if he found out about this.


    But, on the other hand, Aidan knew that this secret could not remain as a secret any longer, because there would be a time when Giana woulde forward to announce it eventually and it would be a strong blow for Aidan.


    Not to mention about Zia. The woman looked increasingly scared to be near him and tried to cut off all ties with him.


    Zia always said that Aidan should take care of the problem until it was settled first, then they could talk about their rtionship, but right now Aidan needed someone to share his thoughts with and Zia was not willing to be by his side.


    Zia''s decision was understandable, it was just that Aidan wasn''t in a state where he wanted to understand other people.


    "I can''t meet you Aidan, the situation is too dangerous," Zia refused Aidan''s request to meet him again. Just this afternoon, news about Aidan''s mistress was released again and there they included her initials.


    The source of the news was kept secret, but Zia didn''t have to think hard to figure out where the news came from. So that was why she saw Giana and Aileen together at Aileen and Theodore''s wedding? Are they in cahoots now?


    This was a living nightmare for Zia. If only Giana came to her and scolded her for approaching her husband, then Zia could ept that, but to be involved in the intrigue and chaos of the dispute between Aidan and Giana involving the mass media, of course this had never urred to Zia, not even in her worst imagination.


    After hearing Zia''s repeated refusals, Aidan finally hung up without saying anything else. He was too angry to think about anything else.


    Even at thiste hour, Aidan was still in his office, feeling lost.


    His head throbbed painfully every time he thought about the problems he had to deal with and it was all because of Aileen.


    It was that b*tch who messed up all his ns. But of course Aidan''s stupidity that night was the beginning of theplicated problems he had to face.


    Aidan then opened his cellphone contacts and dialed Aileen''s number...


    ================


    The servants at the Tatum household were astonished to see Aileening home with several suitcases of clothes without being apanied by Theodore, but they wouldn''t dare to ask her outright.


    It was Aileen''s horrible facial expression that made the maids say nothing and act like normal.


    After being chased out of the Gevano family residence, Aileen returned to the Tatum family residence, the house that became Hailee''s inheritance, but still Aileen returned there. Because in this house, she felt more familiar than the house she had inherited, or her own apartment.


    For a moment, Aileen stared at the big house that felt empty and cold, then re-imagined the atmosphere of this house a year ago.


    This house was so lively when both Hailee''s parents were alive and the four of them lived together. The sound of the television broadcasting the news that was watched by her father or the voice of her mother chatting with the servants while attending to flowers, one of her hobbies that father thought was a waste of time.


    Within a year, everything changed¡­


    And now Aileen was standing here alone with problems that were piling up and getting moreplicated, but no matter what she felt now, even deep regret would not bring things back.


    Therefore, the only thing she could do was step forward and finish what she had started.


    That day, Aileen spent the whole day shutting herself in her room and sleeping, because that was the only way she could get a break from her hectic life.


    Aileen fell asleep so soundly that the sound of the phone ringing woke her up.


    Giana.


    Aileen looked at the analog clock on her cellphone which was already showingte at night, then what did this woman want by calling her thiste?


    "You know what time it is?" Aileen grumbled in a hoarse voice. There was no ''hello'' or ''hi'' when they started talking.


    "Send the rest of the evidence now," Giana said in a calm voice. She still sounded like someone ready to work twenty-four hours for seven whole days.


    "I won''t send anything until you keep your promise," Aileen said in a hoarse voice. She hugged her nket again and was getting ready to go back to sleep when Giana continued her sentence.


    "Mr. Arshen has agreed to sell his shares to me," Gian told Aileen which suddenly made the woman open her eyes. "I just need to convince one more person. Now send the rest of the evidence along with your video with Aidan."


    "I''m not sending the video." That was thest card that Aileen would use if one day she needed Aidan.


    "Then the agreement between us is cancelled."

 Chapter 257: YOU CANT GO

    <h4>Chapter 257: YOU CAN''T GO</h4>


    "Then the agreement between us is cancelled," Giana said in a light tone, responding to Aileen''s demands. She couldn''t possibly let this woman control her. This was a gamble and Aileen should have followed what Giana asked.


    The two of them did work together to achieve their respective goals, but any wise man would know, otherwise there could be two snakes in the same hole without killing each other.


    "I hope you can get out of your own mess," said Giana in a gentle tone, because Aileen didn''t say anything. "I heard you just returned to the Tatum residence. Hope you enjoy your days there."


    Aileen gasped when she heard Giana''sst sentence. Her eyes widened widely and swiftly she removed the nket covering her body and sat down immediately. How could this bitch know that? Was she spying on her?


    Aileen had just returned to this house, not even twenty-four hours had passed, but how did Giana find out?


    Giana really wasn''t a person Aileen could take lightly and look down on, because this woman turned out to be much more cunning and prepared than she thought.


    "Wait," Aileen immediately said, before the phone line was cut off. "I wonder what you are going to do with the video¡­"


    On the other hand, Giana smiled happily when Aileen decided to speak as she knew very well how to toy with a woman like Aileen.


    Aileen was indeed full of guile, it was just that she was not very good at reading a person''s character or situation, both of which were very important to survive in a business world full of intrigue. This woman was still an amateur.


    "What am I going to do with the video?" Giana repeated Aileen''s question in a tone that irritated Aileen. This woman seemed to be mocking her. "With that video, I will make sure that you don''t stab me in the back, even after our agreement is fulfilled," Giana replied smoothly, as if she had the answer prepared.


    "You don''t need the video, you should know that I wouldn''t do something like that to you," Aileen tried to evade and reassure Giana of her loyalty and honesty in the agreement between the two of them.


    Giana''sughter could be heard right after Aileen said those words.


    "You didn''t seriously think I would believe what you said, did you?" Gianaughed until tears flowed from the corners of her eyes. "Besides myself, I don''t trust anyone else."


    Aileen felt very stupid when she heard Giana''sughter. "I just need control in Tatum''spany and you have all the evidence for Aidan and Zia''s affair. Our agreement ends there."


    "No Aileen. I make the rules and I will say when the agreement is fulfilled," Giana confirmed again. Herughter faded as her tone became deeper and more serious. "I just wanted to remind you that you need me more than I need you right now."


    Silence fell over the two of them, while Aileen thought hard about her choice.


    "I want to meet you in person," Aileen finally decided. This way, she would have more time to think about what steps she could take in the future.


    "Okay," Giana agreed without much hesitation and then the line between them was cut off.


    As soon as the conversation ended, Dillon entered Giana''s study. He had put on his night clothes and looked at the woman before him with a look that was hard to describe.


    "What are you nning, Giana? Who are you calling?" asked Dillon as he approached the woman. Until now, Dillon still couldn''t understand how he could love Giana so deeply that he closed his eyes to all the actions that Dillon himself did not approve of.


    "Nothing," replied Giana sweetly, her eyes that were filled with hatred and calction, now looking at the man in front of her gently, while wrapping her arms around the man''s neck. "I told you, didn''t I, about Aileen?"


    "Yeah, you told me," Dillon mumbled, he closed his eyes when Giana kissed him on the lips, running his long fingers through her hair.


    A few days ago, Giana announced that Dillon would return to being her personal assistant and this naturally caused a lot of controversy among the higher-ups at Dawson family''spany.


    However, Giana ignored all of that and didn''t care about their harsh words.


    Giana told them to give up the shares they own if they were not satisfied with her leadership, because Giana was the only legal heir of the Dawson family, while Lori, her father''s sister, did not have a strong hold like her brother.


    "Then can we sleep now?" Giana whispered seductively into Dillon''s ear, making the man stop questioning her ns.


    ================


    The night before, they discussed about Giana who would buy shares in Tatum''spany, the very next day, Hailee got news that Aileen had returned to Tatum''s residence.


    Of course, that didn''t make her happy at all.


    Hailee didn''t really want Aileen to set foot in that house again. Why, you ask? She had been given the inheritance of another house, which she didn''t deserve, but still dared to act like ady from the Tatum residence?


    Hailee felt the urge to kick the woman out of her house.


    "I don''t want her there!" Hailee shouted. She was annoyed that Ramon had forbidden her from going there. "I want her out of that house."


    Well, thest incident when Hailee met Aileen still made the man uneasy, and now his wife was asking to see her adoptive sister again?


    "I will send people to drag her out of there." Ramon then wrapped his arms around Hailee and pulled her closer, hugging his wife who was pouting.


    "I want to see her face when they pull her out of there."


    "I''ll have one of them stream it live, so you can watch it from home."


    "I want to p her!"


    "I''ll have someone p her for you."


    "Ramon!"


    "No can do. You can''t go."

 Chapter 258: HIS NAUGHTY WIFE

    <h4>Chapter 258: HIS NAUGHTY WIFE</h4>


    Ramon insisted that Hailee should not go to that house and make calctions directly with Aileen.


    It was not that Ramon didn''t like the fuss Hailee would cause, oh, he always liked every fuss Hailee made, because he found it interesting, but because Ramon didn''t want anything bad to happen to Hailee during this stressful time.


    It was undeniable that several things have happened recently and Ramon was quite relieved that Hailee was strong enough to face them all, but that didn''t mean he was going to let his wife do what she liked, without thinking about the consequences.


    Indeed, Hailee tended to be clumsy and although that was very attractive in Ramon''s eyes. But considering her current state of being pregnant, Ramon had to be strict with her.


    It was just that Hailee''s whining didn''t stop with that night, she sulked time and again, seduced and did everything possible to melt Ramon''s heart, so that he would allow her.


    And the newest way that Hailee was trying to get what she wanted was by not letting Ramon touch her.


    Hailee would dress herself in sexy pajamas just as they were going to bed, red and ck lingerie, Ramon''s favorite colors, which could make the man''s eyes darken instantly, and sway her hips in light movements that seemed erotic.


    Like applying lotion to her body, which meant she would touch every inch of her body and leave Ramon stunned, or whenever Hailee tied her hair, she was very aware that Ramon liked the curve of her long neck and the part of her shoulders.


    Ramon was a little curious, where did Hailee learn such moves? Or who taught her...


    Only, Hailee was about to get really bold, when Ramon came up to her and started showing his intentions. She then would clearly say ''no'' emphatically, just like how Ramon had refused Hailee''s request.


    His wife was apparently seeking revenge and Hailee''s irritation seemed tost longer than usual.


    As Ramon recalled, Hailee''s anger would onlyst a few hours. Maybe she would sulk, whine or scowl for some time, but the next day, Hailee''s anger would subside and everything would be fine.


    That was what Ramon had in mind until yesterday, but now he no longer thought so. Maybe it was because of her pregnancy that it affected not only Hailee''s hormones, but also her mood.


    Ramon had heard of a woman who suddenly did not want to be approached by her own husband during pregnancy.


    However, what Hailee and Ramon were experiencing right now was certainly different, right?


    "Hailee, that''s my shirt¡­" Ramon rubbed his face roughly, when he saw Haileeing out of the bathroom wearing his t-shirt to sleep with her hair still half wet. Until three days ago, Hailee continued to wear lingerie, but now she was wearing his t-shirt, but this actually looked much more alluring and charming in Rmaon''s eyes.


    There''s a special feeling that''s hard to describe when your woman wears the t-shirt you usually wear. This feels more intimate and seductive.


    "Hmm?" Hailee nced over her shoulder, which made her look even sexier, while brushing her hair to dry it with a towel. "I know," she answered simply, then rolled her hair up and took the lotion from the top of her dresser, starting the activities that tortured Ramon.


    Hailee really knew what she was doing and yed this game well.


    The small smile on the corner of Hailee''s lips did not escape Ramon''s eyes, which had darkened, as he closed the book he was reading and walked over to his wife.


    It was already the fourth day since Hailee had started all this madness, but she wasn''t going to allow Ramon to do anything more than just hug her while they slept.


    And when you think of all the other interesting things you can do with your hot wife, but you''re only allowed to cuddle her, of course that''s going to be really frustrating.


    "Can you stop doing this?" Ramon whispered very gently into Hailee''s ear, then kissing her neck and shoulders before hugging his wife from behind.


    Hailee has entered her second month of pregnancy, but her body has not shown any significant changes; it was just that Hailee looked fresher and her body curves were more visible.


    It''s true what people say that pregnancy makes women more attractive.


    "Stop doing what?" Hailee asked in an innocent tone. She turned her head and feigned an innocent expression. "I did not do anything."


    Ramon didn''t speak anymore as he kissed his wife''s lips and didn''t let a single word of protest escape her mouth, as he lifted Hailee''s body easily andid her down on the bed slowly.


    Hailee tried to pull Ramon''s head away from her, but her husband only deepened their kiss. He even bit Hailee''s lips.


    "Ramon!" Hailee protested, when Ramon finally let her go. "You can''t do this to me."


    "You can''t keep doing this to me either," Ramon groaned in annoyance at epting Hailee''s refusal again. All this time, he had no recollection of ever being rejected by a woman, because Ramon knew that he could get them easily.


    But Hailee was a different story...


    His wife had really messed up his life, making him have an outburst of emotions and strange feelings, which he had always been able to control.


    "Do what?" Hailee pursed her lips which looked red and Ramon rubbed his thumb over Hailee''s lips. "I only wore your shirt, are you that angry because I wore your shirt? Should I take it off right now?"


    Hailee said that lightly, but they both knew what Hailee really wanted and what her goals were.


    This game was really driving Ramon crazy.


    But, he couldn''t force his will on Hailee either, because his wife would cleverly say things that could make him stop.


    "You''re not going to force me to do it, are you?" Hailee always started with this sentence when Ramon started touching her. "You know that sex must be based on the consent of both parties, right? Even though we are both married, if I don''t want it and you don''t pay attention to me, then it''s called coercion."


    As usual, Ramon pulled his hands back from Hailee''s stomach and sighed in exasperation, resting his forehead on Hailee''s, while he supported himself with both hands so as not to burden Hailee with his weight too much.


    "Hailee, say what you want," Ramon whispered.


    "You will grant it?" asked Hailee, a triumphant grin tugging at the corners of her lips and this made Ramon both annoyed and exasperated.


    "Yeah, I''ll grant it," Ramon said, yielding to Hailee''s stubbornness.


    These were the words Hailee had been waiting for. "I knew you would say that," she said, rubbing Ramon''s thigh mischievously.

 Chapter 259: SPEECHLESS

    <h4>Chapter 259: SPEECHLESS</h4>


    That night, Hailee indeed managed to subdue Ramon and make the man give in to her will. But, she should have known better that Ramon could be very annoying in negotiations, where he would try to take every advantage he could get.


    "I did agree, but I didn''t say exactly when you could go there, did I?" Ramon was forced to stop his activities because Hailee called him, grumbling.


    His wife was now on her way to his office after Pyro adamantly refused Hailee''s wishes to take her to the Tatum residence and kick Aileen out of the house. However, Ramon didn''t know this and Hailee had threatened Pyro seriously if he dared to report this to Ramon.


    The poor head bodyguard was forced to agree to not anger Mrs. Tordoff further.


    "This is an order from Mr. Tordoff."


    That was Pyro''s answer when Hailee became angry that they refused to escort her and asked her to understand or call Ramon to reconfirm her departure.


    On the other hand, Hailee didn''t allow Ramon to send someone else to get rid of Aileen, because she wanted to do it herself. There are things that only when you do it yourself, can make you more satisfied and for Hailee, this is such a moment.


    However, Ramon reneged his promise. He was really good at using words and exploiting loopholes in a deal.


    "Ramon, I''m really mad at you!" Hailee eximed just as the car had stopped in front of the Tordoff building. Since Hailee wasn''t allowed to leave, she would go over to Ramon to show the man how angry she was right now.


    "You can''t be mad at me, you didn''t ask for the exact time you were allowed to go there," said Ramon lightly. He yed with the ballpoint in his hand, enjoying the moment.


    "You can''t do this to me, you can''t lock me up." Hailee waved her hand at a receptionist, indicating that she shouldn''t tell Ramon of her sudden visit.


    And just by looking at Hailee''s current facial expression, they could tell that Mrs. Tordoff was in a bad mood, so it was best if they did what Hailee wanted.


    "I''m not locking you up, you are free to go wherever you like," Ramon stated the fact, and it was true that Hailee wasn''t forbidden to go anywhere, except back to the Tatum family residence.


    "Ramon you''re really getting on my nerves," Hailee grumbled in frustration. "You tricked me and took advantage of my carelessness." And now Hailee started to protest. "I feel wronged."


    Okay, Hailee''s words did sound a bit too much, but she had a hard time expressing her annoyance at her husband.


    While on the other hand, Ramon actuallyughed when he heard theseints from Hailee. "You didn''t feel cheated that night, honey¡­ didn''t we both enjoy it?"


    "Ramon!"


    This time the call didn''te from his cell phone, but from the real Hailee who had just opened the door to Ramon''s study with an angry expression.


    Oh, shit. Ramon cursed, putting down his phone. Why didn''t anyone inform him of his wife''s arrival?


    Ramon immediately stood up to approach Hailee. "Why didn''t you tell me you wereing here?"


    Ramon''s question got no answer from Hailee. His wife then stepped into the room with pounding steps, showing her annoyance before finally sitting on the sofa, crossing her arms defensively.


    "Ramon, don''t let my annoyance with Aileen disappear and get it reced by my annoyance for you," Hailee said in a firm tone as Ramon sat beside her. She tried to threaten the heir to the Tordoff family, who was known for his cold nature.


    Of course the threat didn''t work, but Ramon was smart enough not tough when he saw Hailee''s frowning face.


    "You can go there, but I''lle with you, how about that?" asked Ramon, offering a solution. He knew that he wouldn''t be able to stop Hailee forever, so this was the best solution he coulde up with.


    "Really?" A person who was very good at acting could easily change his facial expression in just a few seconds, and that was what was happening with Hailee''s attitude now.


    Her angry expression immediately changed when Ramon told her that he was willing toe to Tatum''s residence to apany her.


    Even the speed with which Hailee''s facial expression changed left Ramon quite surprised, he was bbergasted and momentarily speechless.


    "I love you Ramon!" Hailee immediately hugged Ramon''s shoulders tightly and kissed both of his cheeks. "You are the greatest, most understanding husband I could ever have. I really love you!"


    Ramon shook his head, unable to understand Hailee''s mood that could change so easily, as easily as turning the palm of a hand. Ramon felt that he had married seven women at once every time Hailee changed her attitude.


    However, on the other hand, this was what always made Ramon unable to take his attention away from Hailee. She was so attractive that he didn''t want to pass the time not knowing what his wife was doing.


    After the dramatic scene, Ramon then told Hailee something more important.


    "Ian and I will meet tonight, to discuss what he knows about the person who wants to kill me," Ramon said this very lightly, as if it was an everyday topic that no longer surprised him.


    ================


    Once again, an article about Aidan Smith''s infidelity had been released, this time the photo revealed the faces of Aidan and the woman, however, the woman had her body turned away, so that only her short hair and body that was wrapped in a towel were visible.


    This, of course, shocked the mass media; thousands ofments cornered Aidan again and adorned everyment column under the photo.


    And with the damage to Aidan''s self-image in the eyes of the public, Giana''s name was getting cleaner. They sympathized with Aidan''s wife, even understanding why Giana was having an affair behind her husband with her own personal assistant.


    Because all this time, Giana had always been seen with Dillon. Even now when the two of them appeared together and were caught on camera, it was very rare to see cynical or negativements being made about them.


    That was how one should deal with the mass media. Public opinion is very vtile and if someone is able to control it, then that person can do everything without worries.


    This is what Giana learned and applied.


    Her reputation, slowly but gradually, turned good. She began to gain the trust of the shareholders in her ownpany as well.


    Everything did seem to be going ording to her ns and would end well for her, if only Giana could control her obsession with Ramon¡­


    "How about we get married?" asked Dillon after their intimate moment.

 Chapter 260: MEETING IAN

    <h4>Chapter 260: MEETING IAN</h4>


    "How about we get married?" asked Dillon after their intimate moment.


    Dillon felt that nothing could stop the two of them from being together. The public was aware of their rtionship and this time gave a positive response because the bad news about Aidan''s affair from the beginning of his marriage to Giana, was revealed in the media.


    Even most of theizens understood why Giana was with Dillon, because all this time this man had always been there for her and was always seen together while apanying her in all her activities.


    And regarding Giana''s parents¡­


    They''ve both lost their power over Giana since her father fell ill and things were getting worse because Giana took over thepany in a way they didn''t approve of.


    Granted, Giana was the sole heir to the Dawson family, but this woman made it seem as if the takeover of power was nothing different from a usurpation.


    Dillon had no idea what Giana had said to her father, but since then Mr. Dawson didn''t get better.


    And about Mrs. Dawson, Giana did not allow her mother to leave the Dawson residence and restricted the visits of those who wished to see her.


    Giana''s actions tended to be too extreme, but she always said that this was only temporary until this tense situation passed and became calmer.


    "Marriage?" Giana nced at Dillon over her bare shoulders, while the man brushed away the woman''s long hair and kissed her shoulder gently. Giana liked how Dillon treated her, but this was not the man she wanted. "You know that my divorce suit against Aidan is still ongoing, right?"


    Dillon chuckled. "Yeah, I know¡­ I mean not now, but after all your business with Aidan is done."


    Giana did not immediately answer the request. She did envision a wedding, but certainly not with Dillon. Unfortunately, it was impossible for her to say that directly.


    Giana still needed Dillon by her side¡­


    "I need some time to think about that¡­" Giana then turned her body and let Dillon hug her from behind while whispering sweet nothings that could conquer any man''s heart¡­


    While Giana imagined Dillon as another man¡­


    Life is really confusing and soplicated when ites to feelings, because we tend to ignore people''s genuine concern for us and expect attention from someone who doesn''t even care if we''re okay or not...


    ================


    Ramon agreed to take Hailee with him tonight to where he would meet Ian after a lengthy argument involving a lot of flirting and promises from his wife, with a note; Hailee should wait in the car and listen to the two of them talking on the cell phone.


    Where Ramon would be connected with Hailee through a call and let her listen to his conversation with Ian. Hailee agreed with the idea.


    "Where are you two going?" Lexus just got down from his car staring at the two people with furrowed brows. As usual, he wanted to have dinner with Hailee and Ramon. However, seeing that both of them being well-dressed, the second son of the Tordoff family scowled. "You''re going without me?"


    "You''re not in the same package with us," said Hailee sarcastically. She waved her hand at Lexus, as if her brother-inw was an outsider. "You''d better find a girlfriend for yourself, so that there will be other people you can disturb."


    Lexus snorted when he heard that. "I can get a girlfriend easily if I want to," he said proudly, puffing out his chest.


    "Yes, yes..." Hailee replied in azy tone, she smiled at Ramon for opening the car door for her and got inside after giving her husband a quick kiss on the cheek, making Lexus'' expression even worse.


    "Hey, where are you guys going?" Lexus asked Ramon, after his brother closed the car door for Hailee.


    "Ian''s problem," said Ramon curtly. He then circled the car and sat beside Hailee.


    Lexus didn''t need a long exnation of what Ramon meant, because he knew the problem.


    Hailee opened her car window then told Lexus who was still standing frozen beside the car. "If you want to eat, I''ve made your favorite butter-fried chicken, ask Martha to warm it up for you."


    Hearing Hailee''s words, the smile on Lexus'' lips widened, he then approached the car window and poked his head in, making Hailee have to back away from it.


    "I know that you really care about me. I think you like me more than Ramon," said Lexus, wiggling his eyebrows idly.


    While Hailee gave an amazed expression at the statement. "I even like that butter-fried chicken more than you."


    Hailee''s reply was simply ignored. "What if she stays at home?" Lexus nodded toward Hailee. "At least someone can apany me to eat."


    But, in response, Ramon leaned in and reached out his hand to shut the window pane by Hailee''s side, forcing his talkative brother away.


    "Hey, is that how you treat your sweet little brother?" cried Lexus,ining.


    On the other hand, Haileeughed happily at what Ramon did and the car drove through the night, leaving the Lexus alone behind.


    Of course Lexus asked Hailee to stay home because he was worried that the conversation between Ramon and Ian would hurt her, because after all the street fighter was her best friend.


    But, Ramon knew Hailee better and he knew that his wife wasn''t that weak.


    Therefore, all Lexus could do now was enjoy Hailee''s butter fried chicken and let Ramon take care of all theseplicated matters.


    ================


    "Didn''t you two promise to meet at that building?" Hailee pointed to the tall building across from the park where Ramon asked Garry to stop the car. "Why did you stop the car so far from your meeting ce?"


    Hailee looked at Ramon with furrowed brows, she felt something was wrong, but didn''t know what was wrong.


    Meanwhile, Ramon just smiled and kissed Hailee''s forehead gently, rubbing his wife''s back to soothe her.


    "No problem, you''ll still be able to hear me and Ian talking through the cell phone." Ramon then opened the car door on his side, while another car was waiting for him. "I''ll be right back," Ramon said, then closed the car door to move to another car with David, his head bodyguard.


    Hailee watched Ramon until the man got into the car and drove away. There was an unsettling feeling when she saw her husband walk away, especially when Hailee realized that Ramon had a lot of bodyguards with him.


    If it was just to talk to Ian, he wouldn''t need to bring these many bodyguards with him, would he?

 Chapter 261: WHY DO YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND?

    <h4>Chapter 261: WHY DO YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND?</h4>


    Ramon arrived at the area of ??an old office building that had not been used for a long time, where the ss windows of the building had been shattered and the paint on the walls had been peeled off.


    David, Ramon''s head bodyguard, walked beside him, but there were only the two of them, while the other bodyguards were in different ces, they did not enter this area and were asked to wait by the car.


    After arriving at the ce Ian told him, Ramon stood there quietly, looking around.


    "This is a bad ce to meet, don''t you think?" asked Ramon in the silence of the night, as if he was talking to someone.


    However, his instincts were right, because not long after, Ian''s figure appeared from behind the broken door of one of the buildings. He was wearing a ck jacket and hat, as if he didn''t want anyone to know.


    "I had to make sure no one followed you here," Ian said in a low voice, but his eyes fell on David, who was standing next to Ramon. Needless to say, the bodyguard was fully armed.


    "So, are you sure now?" asked Ramon in a light tone.


    "You don''t need to bring anyone else." Ian nodded at David. He thought Ramon would be brave enough to meet him on his own.


    Ramon did have the courage to meet Ian alone, but he also had the money and the sharp mind not to.


    Sometimes, courage will only get you into bigger problems and Ramon doesn''t n on having another problem in his life.


    "He''s not someone else, he''s my bodyguard," Ramon replied in a very clear voice. "I don''t know how the situation will turn out, but I don''t like having to make physical contact."


    In other words, if Ian did something suspicious, Ramon wouldn''t get his hands dirty by confronting him. He wouldn''t pay a bodyguard such a high price if he had to fight someone else, wouldn''t that be really stupid? Typical people who have a lot of money to waste¡­


    "So? What do you know?" Ramon asked after a long moment of silence, which enveloped the two of them.


    "You didn''t tell Hailee about this?" Ian asked again, making sure that Ramon kept his word and only breathed a sigh of relief when Ramon shook his head. "How was Hailee''s pregnancy? Is everything all right?"


    Ramonughed sarcastically, augh that would make you think twice about going against people like him. "Hailee has me as her husband, so there''s nothing to worry about."


    Ian snorted when he heard those words filled with an arrogant tone, but also couldn''t deny that what Ramon said was true.


    Hailee''s life is now secured and she is well protected.


    "You didn''t ask me to meet in a bad ce like this just to ask about my woman''s condition, did you?" It was clear how possessive Ramon was when he said that, especially when he emphasized the word ''my woman'' in his sentence.


    Ian was silent, he seemed restless and ufortable, asionally he would look around him and also at the roofs of surrounding buildings.


    "Why? You are jealous?" Ian asked with augh that sounded very stiff, as if he was throwing a joke that wasn''t funny.


    "My jealousy is devastating. If I got jealous of you, then you wouldn''t stand in front of me and talk to me like this," said Ramon sharply.


    Those decisive and domineering words made Ian gasp and hisughter just disappeared.


    "Where are you going?" Ian stepped hurriedly toward Ramon when he saw the man about to walk away.


    "I don''t want to waste my time just hearing you say unimportant things while I have a wife who needs my attention," replied Ramon lightly.


    That sentence not only made Ian ufortable, but also David who was beside him. The bodyguard looked at Ramon in disbelief. Since when Mr. Tordoff started saying such cheesy stuff? Where did he learn it?


    "I''ll tell you who the people who have called me are if youe with me somewhere," Ian spoke quickly. "I have something I took from them. Maybe you can recognize him."


    "And what is it?" Ramon folded his arms across his chest.


    "A¡­ a business card. One of them identally dropped it when he saw mest time," said Ian quickly.


    Another spell of silence embraced them as the two of them stared at each other for a few long seconds.


    "You know what Hailee told me about you?" Ramon put his hand in his jacket pocket as he walked up to Ian and stopped right in front of him. "She said you were a bad liar."


    "What?" Ian frowned, but you could tell he was getting more and more restless.


    "For things that matter, especially when you''re not sure what you''re doing and circumstances require you to lie, you''ll give yourself away terribly." Ramon smiled kindly at Ian, but everyone else knew it was a sign not to mess with him. "And you''ll start talking pretty quickly."


    "I¡­ what?" Ian was getting nervous.


    "That''s what Hailee said, I wasn''t sure at first that it was true, considering you''re used to dealing with brutality in your job." Ramon looked at Ian from head to toe with his piercing gaze. "But now I can see why my wife said that to me. I''m quite annoyed that her words are true, which means you two know each other well."


    Ian looked back into Ramon''s eyes. This is the man who became Ian''s best friend''s husband. The woman he loves. Should he continue all this? If this was indeed the path he had chosen, then why did his heart feel uneasy and keep on shouting to himself to stop all of this immediately?


    Ian then moved his mouth to form a word; ''Go.''


    Ramon caught what he was saying, then looked around him. The old buildings still looked empty like no one was there, but of course if Ian was saying that secretly, then there was something strange.


    "Go away," this time Ian said the word in a low whisper.


    "Why should I leave?" Ramon smiled at Ian, waiting for his answer unhurriedly and this frustrated Ian.


    "Because of this," said Ian, then took off his jacket and showed the inside, where a small microphone had been attached, indicating that someone else was listening to their conversation.


    Ramon snorted when he saw that. "Then why did you change your mind now?"

 Chapter 262: SHE HAS A LOT TO TELL YOU

    <h4>Chapter 262: SHE HAS A LOT TO TELL YOU</h4>


    Ramon snorted when he noticed what it was. "Then, why did you change your mind now?"


    It didn''t make much sense to Ramon for Ian to change his mind at thest second unless something had triggered him. Was it because of Hailee? If that''s true, Ian had better keep his mouth shut otherwise, like what Ramon said earlier, his jealousy can be very destructive.


    Ian chose the safe option by not answering Ramon''s question. He took the small microphone attached to the inside of his jacket and threw it on the ground, before he finally stepped on the object until it shattered.


    "Get out of here now Ramon," said Ian hastily, he looked around him with concern. "Otherwise you won''t be able to get out of here alive."


    At first, Ian thought that Ramon would immediately run out of there and take his bodyguard away. And regarding the consequences that Ian would have to face? in the future, he could think about themter.


    Maybe Ian would regret this decision, but now all he wanted was for the man in front of him to step back and return to Hailee.


    Only, Ramon didn''t seem to take the warning Ian seriously. Hearing those words, he only responded by raising his eyebrows, as if questioning Ian''s attitude.


    "Leave now Ramon! This ce is under siege!" Ian eximed impatiently. Why is this man so slow to read the situation? If he was like this, then they would both be in danger and what Ian did for him would only be in vain.


    "You mean being surrounded like this?" Ramon pped his hands twice and from behind the tall buildings and the broken doors of the buildings emerged armed men dressed in all ck who numbered in the dozens, were it not for their movements and the rustling sound of this silent night, then Ian wouldn''t even notice they were there.


    "You think I''de to a ce like this unprepared?" Ramon snorted at Ian. A menacing smile crossed his lips, the same lips that always gave Hailee a warm smile.


    This is Ramon in the eyes of outsiders, this is him when he has to deal with people who interfere with his ns and this is Mr. Tordoff whom the bodyguards knew.


    A man who is cold and tends to be cruel to his enemies. He was a man who would strike first before his enemy took the first move. Full of deception and intrigue.


    Therefore, they could not understand how Mrs. Tordoff could make Ramon seem like a normal guy whenever they were together.


    "This¡­" Ian gasped as he looked around him. This ce is full of Ramon''s people!


    But, how long have they been here?!


    Ian firmly believed that the mysterious men had stationed snipers in several corners of the building as well as several armed men behind every door near them.


    But how could Ramon''s men take things over without making a sound?


    The answer, of course, was none other than that the people who worked for the Tordoffs were highly trained elites. They could not possibly endanger the safety of their family head in the hands of random people.


    This was Ian''s first time experiencing something like this and also his first experience witnessing firsthand what Ramon Tordoff was really capable of.


    It wasn''t strange that people were afraid of him. This man moves in silence, but his every decision and action is truly lethal.


    Just before Ian could ask the thousand questions that were bouncing around in his mind, David approached Ramon and whispered something to him.


    "Bring them here," Ramon ordered very calmly.


    Getting the order, David immediately spoke to the rest of his members via cellphone and walked a little away from Ramon to give him and Ian some personal space, since the situation was already brought under control.


    "So you''re using this to let them listen to our conversation?" Ramon kicked the remnants of the microphone Ian had destroyed earlier. "What do they really want to know?" he asked.


    Ian gritted his teeth tightly. Their original n was to take Ramon away from that ce, Ian did not know where or what they would do to Ramon. He was only ordered to take Ramon to the ck van that was waiting behind the building.


    The microphone was just a precautionary measure in case Ian said things he didn''t need to and also to avoid things like this when he changed his mind at thest second.


    And if something like that were to happen, they would kill Ramon on the spot.


    Unfortunately, the n they thought was foolproof didn''t go as expected.


    Ian said everything he knew, and there really wasn''t much information he could give Ramon.


    "Did you call me to set me up that morning?" asked Ramon again after Ian exined everything.


    "No," Ian replied. He rubbed his face roughly and saw Ramon''s men capture the attackers hiding in the darkness and take them away.


    He didn''t know what Ramon would do to them, but Ian certainly wasn''t interested in knowing it, while he himself wasn''t in a good position.


    "I really wanted your help at that time," Ian admitted. "But they somehow found out about the phone call I made to you and took my sister away. I have no other choice." Ian gritted his teeth as his fists clenched in anger. "But how did you know I betrayed you?"


    "The girl my people picked up at the hospital isn''t your sister," Ramon answered curtly.


    He did send his men to pick up Ian''s sister, but upon investigation, it turned out that the young girl was not his sister. Therefore, Ramon became more alert and chose to see how far Ian would trick him.


    Ianughed wryly. "Right, they reced my sister with someone else to trick you." His eyes then looked at Ramon tiredly. "But, in the end they were the ones who were deceived."


    "One more thing," Ramon ignored Ian''s words. "It was not only you who had other people listening to our conversation, even I have someone."


    Ramon then took out his cell phone from his pocket and handed it to Ian.


    With a confused face, Ian epted the phone while Ramon watched the arrival of a ck van toward them.


    "Who is it?" Ian had a bad feeling about someone else from Ramon''s side listening in on their conversation.


    "You can stay back for a while, I think she has a lot to tell you," Ramon suggested.

 Chapter 263: RAMON TORTURED THEM

    <h4>Chapter 263: RAMON TORTURED THEM</h4>


    Ian knew who Ramon was referring to by ''she'' and he grabbed the hand of the man in front of him suddenly, which made David wary who then quickly grabbed the gun that was tucked into his waistband.


    However, it turned out that Ian had no intention of doing anything except handing the phone back to Ramon''s hand.


    So fast, that people would think that the phone was a pot of hot coals.


    Ian''s face looked panicked and he grimaced, imagining what Hailee would say to him. He was not prepared to face her anger and disappointment.


    "I chose to deal with thister. Meeting her in person would be better," Ian said hastily.


    On the other hand, Ramon casually picked up his phone and faced the screen at Ian, indicating that the call between himself and Hailee was still connected. "You can tell her that directly."


    Ian immediately took the phone away from him and said quietly. "Later, I''ll talk to herter."


    Seeing how scared Ian was to talk to Hailee, he smiled triumphantly. This was also one of the reasons why he chose toe to this ce, even though he knew this was a trap, and also let Hailee listen to their conversation.


    The reason is very simple; Ramon just wanted to spoil Ian''s image in Hailee''s eyes, because after all, he didn''t like the closeness between the two.


    It''s good that Hailee is mad at him. The angrier Hailee, the better.


    Ramon then put the phone to his ear and spoke to Hailee. "I''ll be back in a bit." Pausing for a moment, Ramon listened to what Hailee had to say before replying. "Alright, I''ll bring him with me." Another pause. "Take it easy. All right, I love you."


    Ian frowned at those words. Is this the right time to express feelings to each other? At least Ramon should remember that he was not alone here.


    "You promised not to tell Hailee about this," Ian started toin right after he was sure that Ramon had hung up the phone and put his phone back in his pocket. "At least, you should know better to keep your word as a man."


    Ramon and Ian walked toward a ck van that stopped a few meters away from them and from inside the van, Ramon''s men violently dragged out three men who seemed to be aplices of the two mysterious instigators who approached Ian and offered a deal to kill Ramon.


    "I didn''t tell her anything. It was you all along," Ramon evaded and technically, it was true that he didn''t say anything regarding whatever Ian talked to him about, because Hailee heard it herself.


    "You should be ashamed for saying such a thing," Ian grumbled.


    "I will be ashamed if I don''t keep my promise and use cheap means to tackle my enemy," said Ramon in a cold, even tone.


    This was also a satire for Ian who had tricked him toe to this ce, so indirectly, Ramon said that Ian was the one who didn''t keep his promise.


    Realizing what the true meaning behind Ramon''s words was, Ian was at a loss for words as he didn''t know how to reply.


    Therefore, he turned this conversation to something else. "Then why are you turning off your cell phone now?" Ian stopped walking and stood beside Ramon as Ramon''s men forced the three people they had dragged from the van to kneel before their boss.


    "Because she''s pregnant," Ramon replied curtly.


    However, that short sentence exined a lot of things, such as; Ramon didn''t want Hailee to hear what he was going to say nor imagine what would happen after this, because it would be a sight that not everyone could see.


    "What if she''s pregnant?" Ian didn''t understand. He let Hailee hear of his betrayal, but didn''t let her hear as they interrogated the people who had ckmailed him. Isn''t that unfair to him?


    "I don''t want my baby to hear bad things," Ramon replied back and this answer left Ian thinking, how can Hailee live with a man like this?


    "You''re weird¡­" Ian said in a defeated tone.


    "You have to remember this Ian," Ramon said again, this time his tone sounded more serious than before and this forced Ian to look at the man beside him, who was now looking at the three men who had knelt before him. "I don''t trap my enemies, I get rid of them."


    Ian was bbergasted when he heard the words that were so full of authority, immediately his heart started beating faster and he had to admit that Ramon''s back alone looked very scary.


    Even for him who was a fighter and often faced situations where he had to be cruel and prove that life was a harsh world.


    Yes, Ian couldn''t shake the fear when he heard Ramon say that short sentence.


    Ian was standing one step behind Ramon, so all he saw was the man''s back, but even from this point of view, Ian knew he couldn''t mess with someone like Ramon.


    It wasn''t long before David came to Ramon''s side and handed him a gun.


    At this moment, Ian knew that things wouldn''t be the same and would get even more dire. It was smart on Ramon''s part to turn off his cell phone so Hailee wouldn''t hear what was about to happen.


    "Who ordered you?" Ramon asked. His tone was calm, but full of threat. He didn''t want to waste his time interrogating these three people if they didn''t know any information. They are worthless in his eyes.


    The three of them fell silent. They lowered their heads, but not out of obedience or fear, but because they didn''t want to see Ramon.


    And suddenly a soft popping sound was heard from the gun in Ramon''s hand which was equipped with a silencer.


    And in the next second, a scream full of pain rang out in the silence of the night. However, it didn''tst long, as one of Ramon''s men immediately came forward and covered his mouth with a rag that was dirty and full of dust, which they found around the area.


    Ramon fired a bullet from the gun right in the first man''s thigh. "Who ordered you?" The same question was repeated for a second time.


    And when no one answered, another bullet lodged in the shoulder of the second man.


    Meanwhile, Ian could only be bbergasted. Ramon didn''t kill them, but tortured them slowly.

 Chapter 264: HOW DARE YOU IAN SCHAMBER!?

    <h4>Chapter 264: HOW DARE YOU IAN SCHAMBER!?</h4>


    Ramon purposely fired the bullets into the non-vital parts of the three men in front of him, torturing them slowly until he got the information he wanted.


    And every time they screamed, doubled over in pain, the more painful the smothering in their mouths would be.


    Sand, dust and dirt entered the chest cavities of the three of them, making it difficult for all three to breathe.


    Meanwhile, on the ground, blood oozed from their gunshot wounds.


    David got another gun for Ramon as soon as the ammunition in the first gun ran out. He didn''t flinch at the sight in front of him, instead he felt more familiar with this side of Ramon.


    The Ramon Tordoff they knew was someone who would not underestimate any threat that came his way. He would retaliate more ruthlessly and make his enemy think twice before attacking him again.


    At least, seeing all this, they knew that Ramon didn''t get weak after he was married to Hailee, and this man would only be gentle and show his cordial side only to certain people, like his wife, of course.


    "Who ordered you?" Same question apanied with the same gun pointing, but this time Ramon aimed one of them in the head.


    "Even if you kill me, I won''t say anything!" eximed one of them who managed to dodge and spot out the cloth gagging his mouth.


    But, immediately he fell and was no longer able to move or speak because a bullet had pierced his head.


    "Who''s next?" Ramon asked, as if he was handing out a favor. There was no remorse, fear or other emotion, as he spoke, even though he had just killed someone.


    How can someone have such a cold heart?


    Ian felt his body tremble and his breath quickened when he realized that he had just witnessed a murder firsthand.


    Never in his life had he witnessed something like this.


    Even though Ian could only see Ramon''s back, he could feel a murderous aura emanating from him.


    Is this the real Ramon? Was this the man who spoke softly to Hailee just a moment ago? And say that he loves her?


    It''s hard to believe it''s the same person.


    This time Ramon stepped forward toward the two of them, emphasizing his domineering presence and making both of them try to distance themselves from him even more.


    Once again, Ramon raised his gun and was about to shoot one of the remaining two, but the thinner man then tried to speak. He nodded his head vigorously, and Ramon nodded to one of his men to untie the man.


    "I''ll tell you what I know!" he cried as soon as he could speak, but then he coughed violently as the dust and dirt got into his throat and airways. "I''ll talk..." he panted.


    And a final shot rang out, knocking out the third man who was still adamant not to say anything.


    This shocked the man, his breath sped up and his speech became difficult to understand. However, Ramon gave him some time to calm down, next to his two deadrades.


    Meanwhile, Ramon turned his head to Ian, ncing at the man behind him over his shoulder.


    "I''m not kidding when I say I''m going to get rid of people who threaten my life or the people around me, so¡­" Ramon hung on his sentence, he handed the gun in his hand to David and turned to face Ian. "So if you''re thinking of betraying me again and doing any cheap tricks; think well, because I won''t treat you any differently from them." Ramon nodded at the bloody scene behind him.


    On the other hand, Ian felt like his chest was on fire, and it turned out to be the case because he was holding his breath for a long time. His fear of Ramon and of the events he had just witnessed made him forget to breathe.


    "I don''t want Hailee to grieve over the loss of a best friend, but I also wouldn''t be stupid enough to let danger lurk around my wife and I," Ramon asserted. "So, the next time you intend to betray me, you better say goodbye early."


    Ian clenched his jaw tightly. He couldn''t find the words to answer Ramon, but from the pale expression on his face, Ramon could tell that he had clearly understood every word he said.


    "So, you can tell me who sent you now." Ramon then turned his attention to thest man still sitting on the dirty ground.


    "I don''t know for sure..." he said nervously, every now and then he would look at David or Ramon. "But that order came from the people who run The Arena¡­"


    "The Arena¡­" Ramon repeated the word and nced at Ian.


    The Arena is a ce where Ian fights and collects money, it is also a gambling and huge prostitution ce in R city district 18.


    Some important people were involved openly and Ramon of course knew about the ce, but he couldn''t remember having any problems with the ce, as he had only just set foot there himself.


    And what''s more, until now no one knew who the owner of the ce was. Ramon had no intention of digging it up either.


    But now¡­ it seems things are different.


    ================


    Hailee hugged herself while staring at the empty road. She couldn''t understand why it was taking Ramon so long to get back here? Didn''t he say he''d be back soon?


    But, why is there still no sign of his arrival whatsoever until now?


    "You still can''t reach David?" Hailee asked Pyro who was sitting behind the wheel.


    Hailee herself had tried to contact Ramon many times, but to no avail. Therefore, she asked Pyro to contact David, Ramon''s head bodyguard.


    "No," replied Pyro, which made Hailee frown even more. "That seems to be them."


    Pyro then pointed at the row of car lights that were heading this way. There were about six to seven cars.


    Seeing that, Hailee immediately got down and waited until a car stopped in front of her and Ramon got out of it.


    "Why are you waiting outside?" Ramon wasn''t happy to see Hailee out in the chilly evening air.


    But, Hailee raised her hand and said, "Wait."


    After saying that, Hailee walked to the other side of the car, where Ian just got out.


    "Hi Hailee," Ian greeted nervously.


    "IAN SCHAMBER! How dare you try to harm my husband!" Hailee shouted angrily and kicked her best friend in the shin.

 Chapter 265: POOR HIM

    <h4>Chapter 265: POOR HIM</h4>


    Hailee raised her hand to stop Ramon who was about to hug her after he got out of the car. Gently pushing on her husband''s chest and causing him to look at her in confusion; Hailee walked around the car and instead approached Ian, who had just gotten out of there.


    Ramon was just about to protest and think of a way to get the two friends away from each other.


    Wasn''t letting Hailee know that Ian had betrayed them enough evidence for her to hate that man?


    Ramon didn''t let Hailee listen to his conversation with Ian and showed the betrayal of the man, whom his wife called a best friend, just to see them show off their closeness to each other again.


    Why did Hailee approach Ian first and even refuse to hug him in front of Ian? This of course made Ramon angry.


    However, on the other hand, with this, at least he knew how Hailee felt when he rejected her phone call in front of Giana the other day which caused Hailee to be furious.


    It turned out that the feeling was so bad¡­


    However, Ramon didn''t have to feel that unpleasant feeling for long, because as soon as Hailee approached Ian, his wife actually lifted her leg and kicked the fighter''s shin, with fierce eyes.


    "IAN SCHAMBER! How dare you try to harm my husband!" Hailee shouted angrily. She kicked Ian once again at the same spot.


    "Hailee, Hailee¡­ I can exin, stop kicking me," Ian said hastily as he tried to dodge Hailee''s kicks desperately.


    Why did this woman look even more brutal now?


    "I don''t want to hear your exnation, you bastard!" Hailee cursed angrily.


    Hailee felt she had every right to be angry and beat Ian into a pulp for what he had done.


    Seriously! Her own best friend betrayed her in such an important matter?! This is so hard to believe!


    Hailee couldn''t imagine what would have happened if Ian didn''t get his sense back in time and told Ramon the truth.


    Ramon might have gotten hurt or it had been Ian that had gotten hurt, because it seemed something happened there and Hailee couldn''t know for sure what it was. However, as long as she didn''t hear any fighting or gunshots, it meant the situation was under control.


    Meanwhile, on the other hand, Ramon looked at Hailee and Ian with a smile on his lips, but that smile actually made Pyro, David and some of the bodyguards around who were watching, slightly shudder in fear.


    It was like an evil smile, the cold smile of the devil himself being satisfied with the bad things he had done.


    And Ramon was indeed satisfied with Hailee''s reaction, this was actually much better than what he had imagined.


    Even now, Ramon was thinking about teaching Hailee some good defensive and attacking techniques, of course after his wife gave birth to their child safely.


    Maybe if something like this happened again, Hailee could teach Ian a pretty memorable lesson, considering that the man wouldn''t be able to retaliate against Hailee. That is an advantage.


    "Mr. Tordoff, shouldn''t we stop them?" asked David, he saw Ian being overwhelmed in front of Hailee.


    "Leave them alone," replied Ramon.


    "But, Mrs. Tordoff is pregnant, I''m worried¡­" Pyro chimed in from the other side, but before he could finish his words, Ramon had already walked over to Hailee and stopped her.


    Meanwhile, Pyro looked at David arrogantly, saying, "You have to know the right words to say, buddy."


    David red at Pyro fiercely. "Shut up."


    On the other hand, "If you do it again, I will settle scores with you Ian!" Hailee shouted angrily, crossing her arms across her chest, still looking very angry at Ian. Ramon then hugged her waist, looking satisfied that Hailee defended himself right in front of the fighter.


    "Let''s talk about this at home," Ramon said softly into Hailee''s ear, kissing her forehead to calm her down, but also as a warning to Ian to stop thinking about any impossible things between him and Hailee.


    Because this woman was his and he didn''t forget to remind Ian of the baby Hailee was carrying.


    Ramon gently stroked Hailee''s stomach, which still looked t, before he led her into the car.


    Meanwhile, Ian could only curse in his heart. You bastard Ramon! He didn''t need to make such provocative moves, did he? Just to make Ian even more upset and miserable?


    ================


    The drive back to the Tordoffs didn''t take long and since the roads weren''t too busy that night, they were able to arrive early.


    But, because by the time they arrived, it was past Hailee''s bedtime, the pregnant woman couldn''t help but fall asleep in her husband''s arms, feeling warm andfortable..


    Moreover, Hailee''s bedtime seemed to have gotten longer since she became pregnant.


    So, as usual, Ramon carried Hailee out of the car and headed straight for their room on the second floor, while Ian followed closely behind.


    "What are you doing?" Ramon turned around to face Ian, as the man was about to follow him up to the second floor.


    They were now at the foot of the stairs with Hailee in Ramon''s arms, fast asleep, oblivious to the petty bickering between the two men.


    "I want to make sure Hailee is okay," Ian replied, but actually more because he didn''t know where to go in this big house and Ramon didn''t say anything to him.


    "She''s fine, so just hang in there." Ramon nodded toward arge room on his left, where he was used to receiving several guests.


    "Alright, alright." Ian raised his hands, indicating that he was giving up, even though it actually looked more like he was mocking Ramon.


    Ian then turned around and walked toward the room that Ramon pointed to, but after seeing Hailee''s calm sleeping face, it seemed that the heir to the Tordoff family had other ns.


    He was reluctant to leave Hailee''s side.


    "Tell the man I''ll meet him in the morning," Ramon said to David who was standing not far from him.


    "Okay, sir."


    "Put him in a room farthest from here," said Ramon again. But then Ramon changed his mind. "No, wait. Take him to Lexus''s house, let him stay there."


    Poor man, it seemed Mr. Tordoff wouldn''t treat him well...

 Chapter 266: SHOULD I DEAL WITH HIM?

    <h4>Chapter 266: SHOULD I DEAL WITH HIM?</h4>


    Lexus slept very soundlyst night and didn''t even dream of anything. He didn''t even know how Hailee and Ramon''s meeting with Ian went.


    Therefore, when the sun finally peaked from behind the horizon, the first thing that came to Lexus'' mind was to go to the couple''s home to find out the hottest gossip.


    The thought really excited him. What better way to start the day than a thrilling story?


    With this intention, Lexus immediately took a shower and changed clothes to go to Ramon''s house and pick up the full story aboutst night''s events.


    Therefore, Lexus was very surprised to find a man at his house, waiting in the living room as no one told him until now. Well, he really hadn''t seen anyone this morning.


    "Who are you!?" cried Lexus frantically when he found Ian in his house. He did know Ian from Hailee''s stories and took a glimpse of his face, but of course such insignificant things wouldn''t sink into his brain for more than five minutes before being simply forgotten.


    Ian, who had been waiting for Lexus since morning, looked at Ramon''s younger brother with squinting eyes. "I''ve been waiting for you since morning," he grumbled.


    Even though Ian had never met Lexus directly, who didn''t know about the Tordoff brothers? Their faces were very recognizable because they were everywhere.


    "You haven''t answered my question yet, who are you?" Lexus grumbled, he looked around him, but there were only the two of them. How could a stranger enter his house and pass through such tight security?


    "I''m Ian, Hailee''s friend," Ian replied, introducing himself curtly.


    "You''re Ian?!" Lexus gasped, he was surprised because the topic to gossip aboutter was right in front of him. How could this man be here? "Why are you here? What are you doing here?"


    The corners of Ian''s lips pulled up into a scornful smile when he heard Lexus''s words. "What am I doing here?" he repeated in disbelief. "You should have asked your brother about that, since he was the one who sent me to spend the night at your housest night."


    Ian was still very upset about the fact that Ramon had sent him to his brother''s house which was about five minutes away by car as the entire estate belonged to the Tordoffs.


    But, of course, what really annoyed Ian was because he realized the real reason Ramon sent him to his brother''s ce, which was because he didn''t want Ian to be near Hailee, them being in the same building wasn''t agreeable to him.


    Ramon''s attitude is so childish!


    "Ramon sent you here? Without telling me?" asked Lexus, his eyes wide, unable to believe that his brother sent a man like Ian to his house. Isn''t Ramon worried about his sweet little brother''s safety?


    As time went on, Lexus felt less and less of Ramon''s attention on him. Well, that didn''t mean that his brother had been paying attention and pampering him all this time...


    "Why did he do that?" Lexus looked annoyed, he approached Ian with a face that showed that he was not happy to see a stranger in his house.


    "You can ask your brother that, I don''t know the answer." Were all members of the Tordoff family like this? Although in a different way, they were really weird.


    ================


    "Caught?" a man stood with his back to another man, who informed him that their n to take Ramon Tordoff away had failed which then turned into a boomerang for them because some of their people had been caught by Ramon and until now their whereabouts were unknown.


    "I''m sorry, I''ll take care of all this." The man lowered his head, feeling afraid to face this man''s wrath.


    He was the most maniptive and cunning man he had ever seen and getting this man mad, certainly wasn''t a good start.


    But, unexpectedly, this man actuallyughed softly, augh that was enough to make one''s skin crawl.


    "He really is very difficult to deal with," he muttered. "Should I intervene myself to deal with him?" The question sounded more to himself.


    ================


    Today is the day that Giana has to fulfill the subpoena in her divorce case with Aidan which has be news in every mass media outlet.


    Not only that, this morning also witnessed another surprise in the form of the news Giana released. One of the few pieces of evidence that Aileen had sent her.


    In the news, not only the back of Zia''s figure could be seen, but also her chest which was exposed and only covered by Aidan''s arms.


    Giana chuckled when she read the negativements from people who saw it, and it didn''t take long for this news to be top in trending and the names of Giana and Aidan were in the top searches once again.


    Giana was very satisfied to see this result. She really wanted to see how Aidan and especially his little slut looked when they saw the photo.


    But, at the same time, Giana also felt disgusted when she saw the intimate photo.


    This man had lived with her for three years and became her husband, even to acknowledge such a man, Giana felt ashamed. How could she marry a human with low morals like Aidan?


    "You seem very happy," said Dillon, hugging Giana from behind and reading the article.


    For a moment, there was no response from her until he asked the question, "do you still want to live with Aidan?"


    Giana frowned, then turned around to look at Dillon, so he could see the hatred in her eyes.


    "Is that a question?" Giana asked curtly. "You think I want to go back into that worthless man''s arms?"


    "Then what about Ramon?" Actually the first question was not the real deal, because Dillon''s main goal was this. "Do you still want Ramon?"


    And Dillon could see the changing emotions in Giana''s eyes, he didn''t want to hear her answer at once.


    Giana didn''t answer either, but kissed Dillon instead.


    ================


    Hailee was awakened by the phone calls that did not stop and made her have to open her eyes.


    Another thing she heard was the sounds of water sshing from the bathroom which indicated that Ramon was there.


    It''s already morning?


    Hailee rubbed her face roughly and tried to straighten her hair that stuck to her face. She then reached out her hand to search for the cell phone that was on the bed side table.


    Zia?


    What did she want to talk about so early in the morning? Hailee remembered thest time their chat didn''t end well.


    "Hello?" Hailee greeted in a hoarse voice.


    "Hailee, what should I do?" Zia cried uncontrobly.


    ==============


    Meet me on instagram @jikan_yo_tomare

 Chapter 267: MORNING ARTICLE

    <h4>Chapter 267: MORNING ARTICLE</h4>


    Zia''s hand reached out to search for something when she was awakened by the sound of endless messages and calls, as if whoever was calling her now, was trying to get her attention in any way.


    But, it''s too early for anything to happen, right? Zia stared at her phone screen with sleepy eyes and saw dozens of messages and missed calls.


    What''s really going on? Did something important happen?


    While rubbing her face to get rid of her sleepiness a bit, Zia opened the first message, which immediately answered her question.


    Her eyes widened when she read the message.


    The first thing she saw was a link sent by her friends in the group chat as well as their mostly inquiring messages;


    ''Is that you Zia?''


    ''The person in the photo looks a lot like you.''


    ''Are you rted to Aidan Smith?''


    ''Are you the woman everyone has been talking about?''


    When reading the messages, Zia''s heart started beating fast. She could sense a bad feeling gripping her nerves when she opened the news link.


    But, in any case she had to know what was really going on first.


    Thus, with trembling fingers, Zia pressed the link her friends had sent and gasped when she saw the photo of herself and Aidan.


    Of course it was her, even now Zia still remembered when the photo was taken. It was a photo taken on her birthday, two years ago.


    And although Zia''s face was not clearly visible as it was blurred, those close to her would immediately know that it was her from her body shape and hairstyle.


    Therefore, her friends who often interacted with her immediately recognized that the woman in the photo was Zia.


    Zia''s hands trembled violently and her breath turned ragged, she then pushed the phone away from her as if the small object burned her skin.


    "No way¡­" Zia mumbled, denying any of that had happened to her. "Impossible¡­"


    Sobs started to escape her lips as she tried to deny the reality she had to face now. Zia then sat down, hugging herself, staring at her phone, wishing it was gone along with the terrible news that had just been released.


    But, of course it was just an empty wish that couldn''t possiblye true.


    Zia''s whole body trembled violently, her head felt heavy and her eyes began to lose focus while looking around her, as if the world was spinning fast.


    Zia closed her eyes and pressed her ringing ears with her palms. She had to think of something. She had to do something. But what? What could she do at a time like this?


    Aidan¡­


    It was the first name that came to her mind. She had to contact Aidan and make sure that the man had known of this news. He had to know this news and remove it. Aidan said he would take care of this matter.


    It took Zia quite a while to muster up her courage and retrieve her phone. She looked for Aidan''s name on her call list, but it was difficult to do so with her trembling fingers.


    Once she finally connected to the number, how disappointed and scared Zia was when she found out that the number was no longer active.


    What was this? Wasn''t it justst night that they talked on the phone? Why is the number no longer active? Did his phone just run out of battery?


    Zia tried to think positively, it''s just that it''s hard to do in the middle of her frantic mind.


    ''Call me ASAP.''


    Finally, Zia left a message, hoping Aidan would see it soon before calling her back.


    But, right now Zia needed someone. She couldn''t face this alone. She thought she would go crazy if it continued like this. This was the worst morning Zia had ever had in her entire life.


    Hailee¡­


    Only that name came to Zia''s mind. She didn''t realize she had been in contact with her cousin just recently, and forgot about their little fight that happened at the end of the two''s conversation the other day.


    The quarrel urred because Zia did not want to hear any advice regarding her rtionship with Aidan.


    Zia didn''t know how long she tried, but she finally managed to contact Hailee and her cousin''s sleepy voice greeted her.


    Zia couldn''t contain her feelings anymore as she started to speak in her trembling voice. "Hailee, what should I do?" Zia cried uncontrobly.


    "Zia?" Hailee called out, this time her voice didn''t sound too hoarse, it seemed like Zia''s crying had really woken her up. "What is it? What happened?"


    "Hailee, what should I do?" Zia repeated the sentence amidst her sobs that turned into hysterics. "What should I do Hailee?"


    "Calm down¡­ tell me, tell me what''s wrong?" Hailee asked in a worried tone of voice.


    However, it was hard for Zia to say it out loud, as if the words were caught in her throat and made her gasp for air.


    What should Zia say? That the photo of her and Aidan was being circted in the media? Half-naked pictures of her? How could she deal with the people out there? They must have recognized her right away.


    And her father...


    Zia''s tears grew even more uncontroble as she thought about how her father would react if he found out about this.


    Not. His father would surely know this. It''s all just a matter of time¡­


    "Hailee¡­ help me¡­ help me¡­" Zia repeated desperately.


    "Calm down Zia¡­ tell me where you are first. I''m going there now." Hailee became panicked because she had never seen Zia like this. "Are you at home? Tell me, where are you? I''m going there now."


    It took Hailee a while to get the exact location where Zia was and when she got it, she didn''t have to wait long to meet her cousin.


    "I''ll be there¡­ wait for me, okay?" After making sure Zia heard what she said, Hailee immediately got out of bed and rushed over.


    "What is it? Where are you going?" Ramon, who had juste out after taking a shower, caught Hailee''s hand and pulled her to sit back down. "What happened?"


    "Zia¡­" Hailee was at a loss to exin this matter, because she herself didn''t know what was going on. "Zia called me and she was crying." Hailee shook her head vigorously, as if trying to think more rationally. "Zia has never cried like this Ramon¡­ something must have happened to her."


    As if knowing what had happened, Ramon took out Hailee''s cell phone and showed her the article that morning.


    "This¡­" Hailee gasped when she saw the photo. It didn''t even take her more than a second to figure out that it was Zia.


    "I guess this is what happened to her."

 Chapter 268: COMMON MISTAKES

    <h4>Chapter 268: COMMON MISTAKES</h4>


    Hailee couldn''t believe the article that Ramon showed her, she woke up because Zia called her, so she didn''t have time to check her cell phone or see the news.


    In the article, Hailee saw Zia and Aidan together in an intimate pose, clearly showing what had just happened between the two of them before the photo was taken.


    And even though Zia''s face is blurred, those close to her and know her will immediately realize that it was Zia, just like Hailee did.


    "This¡­" Hailee couldn''t find any words to describe how she felt right now.


    "I think this is what happened to her," Ramon said, looking at his wife. His face didn''t show any expression, because Zia wasn''t someone he knew, but it was different for Hailee...


    "Ramon, how is this..." Hailee looked confused, she was so worried about her cousin and Ramon was worried about Hailee. "If Uncle Diego finds out about this¡­"


    Even though Zia was an only child and Uncle Diego rarely got angry with her, that didn''t mean he would just sit back and ept with an open heart, knowing his only daughter was involved in such a shameful scandal.


    Uncle Diego''s anger was unimaginable¡­ even Hailee shuddered at the thought of her uncle being angry.


    "I''m sure he''ll find out sooner orter." Ramon understood how this kind of information worked, or people like Diego Tatum, there''s no way he wouldn''t have seen the article. They might as well think that he already knew about it.


    "Isn''t there anything we can do?" Hailee knew that what Ramon said was true.


    Of course if this matter was about Hailee, Ramon would do anything to fix it, but this matter was about Zia, not his wife, so why should Ramon go to extra trouble of helping someone he didn''t even know that well?


    "Rx, I''ll be doing something with the media." But, still, seeing Hailee so flustered and panicked like this made Ramon feel uneasy.


    So, even if it troubled him, he would still do it for Hailee.


    "Really? Will you help?" Hailee felt the knot in her chest unravel a little.


    "Just for you," Ramon said softly as he lowered his head and kissed Hailee''s forehead. "Stop worrying. We''ll see what I can do about this situation."


    Immediately, Hailee threw herself into Ramon''s arms and hugged her husband tightly, showering Ramon with small kisses on his face. "I know that I can count on you. I love you. You are the best." Even Hailee wasn''t stingy with herpliments.


    On the other hand Ramonughed softly. "I know."


    ================


    Zia hugged her knees tightly, and rested her chin on them, while outside, her father knocked loudly on her bedroom door, forcing her to answer his call.


    "Zia you''re inside! I know you''re in there! Tell me it''s not you!" Diego eximed, anger palpable in his tone. "ZIA! OPEN THIS DOOR OR I WILL BREAK IT NOW!"


    Zia''s sobs grew louder, she tried to cover her ears, wishing her father would leave her alone. She didn''t want to see him for now.


    Not only out of fear, but also out of shame¡­


    How could she face her father now when she knew that almost everyone in this country had seen her indecent photo with Aidan? The disgrace was known by many people. How could she get out of her room and face people out there realizing that they knew she was the woman in the photo.


    The woman who had been the object of their gossip for the past few weeks. The woman who has ruined Aidan and Giana''s marriage.


    Whatever Zia said, no one would care. They wouldn''t want to hear the story from her side and after all, she didn''t have the ability to say a word right now.


    "ZIA! OPEN THE DOOR!" Diego''s roar was heard again and there was nothing Zia could do to dispel that horrible sound.


    With trembling hands, Zia tried to take hold of her phone again. She tried to contact Aidan.


    The man had to save this situation. He promised that no one would find out about her identity.


    But, as before, the number she dialed was inactive. Aidan was unreachable and Zia was directed to a voicemail.


    "Aidan¡­ help me¡­ what should I do?" Zia said quietly, sending the voicemail, hoping Aidan would hear it. "I''m afraid¡­ you promised to take care of everything. Why is it like this? Is this the karma I have to live with? Aidan¡­ what should I do?"


    Zia burst into tears, with a furious growl from her father as her background who was still trying to open the door to her room.


    ================


    A p from Mr. Smithnded on Aidan''s cheek causing the man to fall to the ground.


    No, it wasn''t just a p, but rather Mr. Smith hit Aidan so hard it caused the man''s lips to bleed.


    Meanwhile, standing behind her husband, was Mrs. Smith. She screamed in terror when she saw the father and son''s quarrel turn into a physical squabble.


    "You don''t have to hit him like that!" cried Mrs. Smith angrily, she immediately rushed to her son and hugged Aidan, panicking even more when she saw the blood flowing from her son''s lips.


    "Renfred, you''re crazy!" Sophie rebuked angrily.


    "Me? Crazy!?" Renfred could no longer contain his anger. "Your son is crazy!?" he cried angrily. "How can he destroy what my family has built for decades, destroy all the hard work that helped us be a prominent family in city A, in just a week?!"


    Renfred didn''t know how he could teach Aidan a lesson anymore. He wanted to kill his son for the disgrace he brought upon his family. However, of course it would only be a mere wish and could not possibly be realized.


    "We can solve this problem! We just need to find the best solution!" Sophie insisted. She hugged Aidan tightly, protecting her son from Renfred''s wrath. Who knows what her husband will do?!


    "Solution!? I already gave him a solution, but he refused!" Renfred hade up with the best solution they coulde up with at this point, but Aidan had refused it tantly.


    "Aidan, just do what your father says, okay?" Sophie tried to persuade her son. "It''s for your own good. You must restore your good name."


    Aidan closed his eyes tightly. How could he agree to that? How could he say that all of this was Zia''s fault for seducing him and trying to destroy his marriage? That everything happened between him and Zia was a mistake?


    Common mistakes that many men make in domestic life. Having an affair or two, for men, is a natural thing¡­

 Chapter 269: SUICIDE

    <h4>Chapter 269: SUICIDE</h4>


    "You don''t have toe with me if you have a lot of work to do, I can go alone," Hailee rested her head on Ramon''s shoulder, while the man wrapped his arms around her waist.


    Now the two of them were in the car driving to Zia''s house, because Hailee had promised her cousin, and again because she couldn''t calm down before seeing how Zia''s condition was now.


    Uncle Diego''s temper could be terrible and Hailee feared that something worse would happen.


    "No problem," replied Ramon. "Not too much work in the office at the moment." But, those words would not be spoken by Lexus at this time, because he was the one who had to struggle with Ramon''s absence.


    Maybe from the outside the two brothers appear to have a quiet life, but not so with their business affairs. Since Tordoff''spany had branches in several countries, of course it added work to Tordoff''s second son''s desk.


    "Still I feel bad that Lexus had to work in your stead." Hailee remembered Lexus'' expression clearly when Ramon told him to cover for him today. "He looked like he was on the verge of crying."


    Ramonughed softly at the term Hailee used. Maybe this was where the difference in their points of view was, because in Ramon''s eyes, Lexus looked more like someone who wanted to beat him. He would have if he was not afraid of his brother.


    "You don''t have to worry about him, he''s been doing his job too superficially, sometimes it''s good to train him to be more sensitive," Ramon exined. "This is training for him."


    Although Hailee still felt bad for troubling Ramon, she still appreciated how her husband left his job just to apany her to meet Zia.


    And even though Ramon didn''t say this, Hailee knew her husband was doing all this because he was worried about Hailee''s safety.


    Meanwhile, sitting beside the driver''s seat was Ian. He was also worried about Zia''s situation after seeing the news this morning.


    Granted, he wasn''t very close to her, but their rtionship was pretty good the past few days and Zia had even visited the Arena and watched him fight.


    Well, even though she swore never to do it again or watch such a horrible thing, but after Zia''s arrival that night, they hadmunicated several times just to ask how they were.


    Ian didn''t think that Zia was Aidan''s mistress. Not that he was keeping up with the gossip, but because the news was too big to ignore.


    In the silent car, suddenly Ramon''s cell phone rang and he picked it up on the second ring.


    "Hmm, yes. Okay. Do everything you can. Okay." These were the only short words that Ramon uttered before the phone line was cut off.


    "Who is that?" asked Hailee. She looked at Ramon''s face. "Is there any news regarding the development of Zia''s issue?"


    "My people are trying to reduce the media''s focus on her story and they''ve managed to remove eighty percent of the story and divert it with other news," Ramon exined curtly.


    "What news?" Hailee was curious, because she thought the news about Zia was too significant to be diverted with other news. Is it that easy to distract people nowadays?


    Ramon looked at Hailee gently. "News regarding Aileen."


    "Aileen?" Hailee adjusted her sitting position to feel morefortable listening to Ramon''s next words. "Which news?"


    "Actually I wanted to tell you first before releasing this news, but I haven''t had time and I think this is the right time for the news about your sister''s fake pregnancy to be known to the public," Ramon exined briefly.


    Hailee was wide-eyed, she then said quietly with admiration. "Wow."


    "You did n to release the news, after all, didn''t you?" Ramon added.


    "Yes," Hailee replied still with an amazed expression. "I didn''t think you could take advantage of a situation like this."


    "You should have guessed it," Ramon criticized Hailee. Of course these kinds of tricks and gimmicks and maniptions were daily meals for people like Ramon, it was just that Hailee''s husband was on a different level.


    "I think people''s focus is starting to change," said Ramon.


    Maybe the effect isn''t as big as the news between Giana, Aidan and Zia, because the Gevano family certainly can''t bepared to the families from town A, but still Aileen''s issue is a shocking headline and people love drama¡­


    "What is it?" Ramon grabbed Hailee''s chin and lifted her pensive face. For a moment, Ramon could see the vacant look in his wife''s eyes.


    "I feel like this is a war in social media, where everyone is trying to bring each other down in a horrible way," Hailee mumbled.


    Ramon smiled at Hailee''s opinion. "If this is indeed a war, then you should rest easy."


    "Why is that?" Hailee frowned in confusion.


    "Because you''ve got the best strategist," said Ramon and this made Hailee smile. "Isn''t that the case?"


    "I think so too," Hailee replied betweenughs.


    Ramon was happy to see Hailee being able tough again and he was even happier that he was the one who made this womanugh. He was the reason behind this sweetugh.


    Without hesitation, Ramon pulled Hailee closer and started kissing her.


    Hailee let him be, because she thought it was just a short kiss, but who would have thought that Ramon would gently press the back of her head to deepen their kiss?


    Hailee intended to push Ramon away because she realized they weren''t the only two in the car right now.


    Ian and Garry, who was driving, of course wouldn''t be able to avoid the sight, but Hailee was powerless against her own will and ended up drowning in Ramon''s demanding kiss.


    Until Ian finally couldn''t stand it and spoke up, surprising Hailee. "Can''t you hold back? We''re still in this car, you two aren''t alone," Ian grumbled.


    He wanted to take his eyes off of the shameless couple, but he couldn''t. What is wrong with Ramon? Was he doing it on purpose to show that Hailee was his?


    "Ah, sorry¡­" Hailee said shyly, but Ramon then grabbed her face again and started kissing her again. "Ramon¡­" Haileeined.


    "No need to apologize," Ramon said softly against Hailee''s lips, "This is our car, if he doesn''t like it, he can get out of the car any time."


    Hearing thatment, Garry nced at Ian''s furious expression. How could they stop in the middle of the highway? The only way was; Ian jumping out of the car at this high speed.


    Wasn''t that tantamount tomitting suicide?


    The way Ramon got rid of people he didn''t like was simply terrible...

 Chapter 270: NOT AN EASY ROLE

    <h4>Chapter 270: NOT AN EASY ROLE</h4>


    Hailee''s decision to visit Zia immediately proved to be the right one, because once she got there, she could see that the situation in the house was very inharmonious where Uncle Diego''s angry roar and Zia''s sobs could be heard out in the yard.


    Some of the maids who had worked there for a long time looked frightened, but couldn''t do anything but mutter quietly, begging Diego to stop. They were standing on the side, a little bit away from Diego and Zia, standing with trembling bodies, because this was the first time they had seen Diego this angry.


    Meanwhile, Zia could only cry while apologizing. She didn''t even know what to say anymore, as if she could only speak one syble ''sorry'' continously.


    On the other hand, Diego destroyed anything he could reach, making the living room in the house, which is usually always neat and tidy, look like a war zone with shards of ss strewn across the floor.


    Diego tried to vent his anger and disappointment with Zia by destroying things, because if he were to hit his daughter, no one knew what would happen.


    Diego probably couldn''t stop and no one would be able to stop him in the midst of his blinding rage.


    Meanwhile, Zia didn''t even feel the pain anymore when the ss shards pierced her skin. Fear and shame had overtaken her and she could no longer think straight.


    This is a very ironic sight.


    Hailee who entered the house with Ramon by her side immediately rushed toward Zia, but Ramon swiftly pulled her back and said firmly.


    "Wait here," said Ramon, then walked forward to approach the father and daughter pair.


    Ramon didn''t want Hailee to get hurt with all sorts of sharp objects scattered on the floor; neither could he risk Diego identally hurting his wife.


    "I will take Zia to her room, you wait here," Ian assured and immediately approached Zia. He knew that Hailee wanted to hug her cousin immediately, but also understood why Ramon forbade her.


    "WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" Diego eximed angrily when he saw Ramon approaching him. He didn''t hit Zia, but the things he destroyed certainly hurt his daughter more or less. "Don''t GET INVOLVED IN THIS MATTER!"


    Diego''s eyes grew darker when he noticed? the arrival of Hailee and Ramon, with another man he didn''t know. His shame and pride were trampled on because they were here.


    This was a disgrace and with their arrival, it showed that they already knew about the news.


    It''s shameful and Diego can''t live with this.


    Anger hadpletely blinded Diego''s eyes. If he was calm, he would have questioned himself why he had to attack Ramon, but when his emotions were a jumbled mess, he couldn''t reason with his actions for wanting to attack Hailee''s husband.


    "Uncle don''t!" Hailee screamed hysterically when she saw Diego lift a flower vase and was about to m it on Ramon''s head.


    "GET OUT OF HERE!" he roared like a wounded animal. His eyes were bloodshot and his face showed no friendliness at all. "LEAVE!"


    Quickly, Diego swung his arm, about to hit Ramon with the flower vase in his hand, but Ramon dodged the attack easily and twisted Diego''s arm, so that the vase fell between them, then pushed Diego''s body until the middle-aged man fell to the floor.


    It''s terrible to face someone who isn''t using their logic and letting anger overwhelm them, but when you''re calm, it''s easy to read their moves.


    And Ramon is trained enough to be calm in any situation.


    "Take Zia to her room," Ramon ordered. He gave the instructions, but his eyes were on Hailee, making sure that his wife didn''t move from her spot.


    Meanwhile, Hailee was so frightened to see Diego attack Ramon that she couldn''t even move. Her legs felt weak and her head was a little dizzy. There was a sharp pain that she felt around her stomach, but all of that was ignored when Hailee confirmed that Ramon was fine.


    "Go, I''ll take care of things here," Ramon said softly, calming Hailee who looked very worried. He knew what his wife was feeling earlier and was grateful for having decided toe with Hailee.


    This is the right decision. Ramon couldn''t imagine what would have happened to Hailee without him. Of course Ramon didn''t take Ian''s presence into ount. He would never entrust Hailee''s safety to that man.


    On the other hand, Ian helped Zia to stand up, but it seemed that the young woman was too shocked that her legs could not support her, so Ian had to carry her.


    Zia''s body was not heavy and it could be said that she seemed to have lost a lot of weight due to the recent mess. It must not be easy to live in the shadow of fear, thinking if one day news of her affair with a married man gets out¡­


    And that day hase...


    Zia buried her face into Ian''s neck and hugged him tightly, letting the man take her to her room apanied by Hailee who led the way.


    The surprising thing is; once they got to Zia''s room, they could see how Diego had forced his way into the room.


    Looks like Zia used various things to keep the door from opening, but Diego managed to break it down no matter what.


    Zia''s room is not much different from the situation in the living room and strands of hair can be seen on the floor. It seemed that Uncle Diego had dragged Zia out of the room by pulling her hair.


    Just imagining that made Hailee shudder in horror...


    Meanwhile, in the living room, Ramon was facing Diego. The man was still raging, destroying what was left to vent his anger, but not attacking Ramon this time.


    So Ramon just stood there, waiting for Diego to calm down, while David, his personal bodyguard, was standing not far away with some trepidation.


    He couldn''t have stayed silent if Diego attacked Ramon again, but luckily that didn''t happen and Diego was finally exhausted after an hour had passed.


    "Damned child!" Diego hissed as he grabbed his own hair, but tears welled up in the corners of his eyes.


    Ramon might not really understand how Diego was feeling right now, but at least he could conclude that; Being a father was not an easy role, it seemed he would have to read more articles after this, especially if the child were to be a girl.

 Chapter 271: SCREAMS FROM ZIAS BEDROOM

    <h4>Chapter 271: SCREAMS FROM ZIA''S BEDROOM</h4>


    Aidan disconnected the line, he just got an update that the hype about Zia''s issue was slightly toned down thanks to the news of Aileen Tatum and Theodore Gevano, where it was reported that they were already facing divorce even before people could learn about their shotgun marriage.


    Of course this news shocked many people, and although the Gevano family was not as big as the Smith family, the drama surrounding the news proved to be able to distract the public from the Aidan and Zia case.


    It was enough to leave people stunned because no one had received news of Aileen Tatum and Theodore Gevano''s marriage, but as soon as the news broke, they were on the verge of divorce even though their marriage had only been going on for less than three months.


    In the news it was also said that Aileen lied about her pregnancy, where she forced her way into the Gevano family by saying that she was pregnant with Theodore''s child.


    Aidanughed when he saw the news article. Whoever did this, he wanted to give him credit.


    Even though this wasn''t worth the damage Aileen had inflicted on him, at least they were both stuck in the same hole.


    It was a relief to know there were people out there who harbored the same hatred as he had for Aileen and were able to get their hands on inside information like this.


    Of course, this new drama was a breath of fresh air for keyboard warriors who were dissatisfied with their lives and tried to bring down others with negative sentences that they could put together in a rudement.


    At least, after the tension of the past few weeks, the news about Aileen was good entertainment to keep himself sane.


    Thest few days have been really tiring, not to mention the divorce suit with Giana. But, all of that would end quickly, considering they both agreed to reject the consideration of being together again.


    There''s nothing that could bring them back together, even if it was just a pretense.


    Aidan then took his cellphone which was on his bedside table. The ''discussion'' with his father ended in some injuries and he had not called Zia to find out how she was doing after the photo was exposed to the media.


    Only, Aidan couldn''t call her, because the call was connected to voicemail.


    ================


    "So all of this is Aileen''s doing?" Ian repeated Hailee''sst sentence. The two of them were now in Zia''s room and trying to calm her down.


    And from the silence in the living room, it seemed that Ramon had also managed to make Diego get over the situation.


    "I knew there was something wrong with that woman from the first time I met her," Ian muttered. He then gave Zia a ss of water, which she drank only a little.


    "Where are you going?" Hailee asked worriedly as Zia got off the bed.


    "Bathroom," she answered quietly with empty eyes.


    "Can I apany you?" Hailee volunteered because she was worried about her, but Zia shook her head. Of course, wouldn''t going with fellow women still feel awkward? "Don''t lock the door," Hailee advised, but Zia didn''t answer and walked toward the bathroom with shaky steps.


    After Zia closed the bathroom door, Ian turned his attention to Hailee, then spoke quietly. "I don''t understand, you and your family treated Aileen very well, but why is she replying to you guys like that? It was as if hatred hadpletely overpowered her."


    Hailee took a deep breath. It was the same question she often asked. What exactly went wrong? But, then Ramon told her one sentence, which was now Hailee''s answer to Ian''s question.


    "When your heart is not good, you don''t need a reason to hate someone," said Hailee.


    ================


    "You saw what that bitch did? You saw, right?" Reba sent a news article about Aileen to Theodore and immediately called him to make sure he saw the news.


    Reba was beyond hysterical after reading the negativements about her beloved son.


    While on the other hand, Theodore didn''t seem so concerned. "You don''t need to pay attention to such news," he said, signing the documents in front of him again. "It''s just a short piece of news that people will forget in the next few days."


    Reba disagreed with Theodore''s words and kept cursing and threatening to go and find Aileen to teach the woman a lesson for tarnishing their family''s reputation.


    "You don''t need to do that mom, you don''t need to see her," Theodore said in a tired voice, he had heard his mother nagging about Aileen from the very beginning of their marriage and after the woman''s lies were exposed, the only thing Theodore had heard from her was her swearing and cursing.


    It is very disturbing.


    "Mom, if there''s nothing else to talk about, I''ll hang up the phone. I have a meeting I have to attend," Theodore lied, because otherwise he would hear his mother cursing Aileen until her cell phone battery ran out.


    "Oh, alright, alright¡­ Mom will¡­" Before Reba finished speaking, Theodore had hung up the phone and resumed his work, leaving his mother still upset and angry.


    All of this was because of Aileen!


    ================


    In the living room which was still a mess because Ramon asked all the servants standing there to step aside for a moment, including his bodyguards. And, even though David looked reluctant to leave Ramon, in the end, there were only Ramon and Diego there.


    The two of them sat across from each other, amidst the rubble of shattered things with two cups of coffee between them.


    Ramon pushed Diego''s coffee cup toward him before taking a sip of his own.


    "For the time being, news about Zia can be diverted, but this is only for a short time, because if more news about Zia is releasedter, then the public''s attention will once again be on her," Ramon told Diego about the situation.


    Meanwhile, the middle-aged man was silent, but in the end he muttered thanks to Ramon for what he had done for his daughter.


    "This is not for Zia," Ramon rejected the reason for his kindness. "I''m doing this for Hailee."


    Of course Diego understood and Ramon didn''t need to exin it, but still Ramon exined it because he didn''t want any misunderstandings.


    Here he asserted that he didn''t care about Zia at all.


    "So, do you know who leaked the photos?" Diego grimaced as he admitted that the immoral photo was his daughter''s.


    "You know her," Ramon said slowly. "Aileen Tatum did this."


    "What? Aileen?" Immediately Diego raised his head and looked at Ramon in disbelief.


    But, before he could ask a question, they both heard Hailee''s scream from inside Zia''s room.

 Chapter 272: CRAZY WOMEN

    <h4>Chapter 272: CRAZY WOMEN</h4>


    Hailee was in the middle of a chat with Ian when she realized something was amiss. She then nced at the bathroom where Zia was, not paying attention to the rest of Ian''s words.


    There was no sound or sign of Ziaing out and it had been too long for her cousin to use the bathroom, making Hailee suspicious in an instant.


    "Ian," Hailee called, but her gaze never left the closed bathroom door.


    "What is it?" Ian asked, cutting off his words.


    "Wasn''t Zia taking too long?" Hailee asked, her brow furrowed and she looked really worried.


    Meanwhile, it didn''t take long for Ian to realize what Hailee meant. He immediately stood up and rushed to the bathroom and knocked on the door with Hailee following behind.


    "Zia, are you done?" Called Ian. "Hurry up, I want to use the bathroom too. My stomach hurts."


    Ian''s words received a meaningful look from Hailee, as if she was saying; you''re really using that excuse...


    This time, it was Hailee who knocked on the bathroom door. "Zia what are you doing? Hurry out."


    No answer. There wasn''t even any sound from inside.


    "Zia?" this time Hailee knocked harder as fear and anxiety began to creep up in her heart.


    "This isn''t right," Ian muttered.


    "Zia! Open the door!" Hailee screamed this time, she smacked her fist against the closed door, while her heart beat got louder and more painful as the thought of the worst possible scenario haunted her head.


    "Back off Hailee, I''m going to call someone to ask for a spare key." Ian stopped Hailee''s attempts to hit the door and asked her to wait while he looked for someone who could open the bathroom door.


    While Ian was gone, Hailee tried to see what was going on in there. She lowered her head and settled herself in a prostrate position, trying to take a peek through the gap in the door.


    At first, only the white floor was visible while Zia''s figure was out of sight, but then Hailee saw something that made her hysterical.


    Hailee''s screams echoed through the walls of the room, her body shaking with fear as she watched the blood flow, a stark contrast to the white bathroom floor.


    The blood came from the left side which Hailee knew was Zia''s bathtub and she couldn''t see it clearly from the gap under the door.


    However, Hailee didn''t need a clear view to know what was really going on in there.


    Hailee didn''t know how long she screamed, but when she stopped she could feel her throat burning and Hailee only stopped when Ramon hugged her tightly and Uncle Diego and Ian were around.


    There was one more person in the room saying something, but Hailee couldn''t hear clearly what that person was saying, or what Diego and Ian were shouting.


    Hailee''s body trembled with fear as Ramon picked her up and carried her out of Zia''s room.


    "No¡­ I want to be there¡­" Hailee struggled to get out of Ramon''s arms, she wanted to see what happened to Zia. Is she okay? How bad is it?


    "You don''t want to see her in this condition Hailee." However, Ramon didn''t let her do that and kept his arms around Hailee until they were in different rooms and the noise from Zia''s room could no longer be heard.


    Ramon caught a glimpse of what was happening in the bathroom and could see Zia''s condition, so he could decide that it wasn''t a sight Hailee could face.


    "Ramon¡­" Hailee sobbed, hugging Ramon''s neck tightly and burying her face, trying to control her explosive emotions, while Ramon rubbed her back in a soothing motion. "Ramon..."


    Hailee couldn''t say anything more except calling his name, but it was enough for Ramon to understand what Hailee meant. What were the words she couldn''t say¡­


    "I''m here¡­ calm down¡­ everything will be fine¡­" Ramon whispered softly into Hailee''s ear, kissed her hair and whispered some sweet words she wanted to hear.


    Hailee cried until she felt her chest tighten, the sight of the blood on the bathroom floor was still clear in her mind.


    "Blood¡­ there''s blood¡­" Hailee whimpered in a trembling voice.


    "They''re taking her to the hospital, Zia will be fine," said Ramon.


    Hailee sobbed again as Ramon hugged her tighter. "I want to see Zia¡­"


    "We''ll go to the hospital when you''re calmer." Ramon promised, because in a situation like this, there was no way he would stop her from going.


    ================


    Aileen smacked the table with a bang when she saw an article about her in the mass media, recing themotion of the photo of Zia and Aidan.


    Who else has done this if not Hailee? Because she was the one who started the whole fiasco of exposing Aileen''s lies. No one else knew about this except Hailee.


    Oh, the Gevano family wouldn''t be able to expose their own disgrace like this, Aileen could guarantee that Reba wasn''t that crazy to bring her down by humiliating her son.


    B*tch! Aileen should have killed her along with her parents when she got the chance!


    "You seem annoyed." Giana entered the VVIP room at a restaurant she had booked to meet Aileen.


    Aileen''s anger and hatred made her oblivious to her surroundings for a moment. She only noticed Giana when she was sitting in front of her.


    "What is it? Something bad happened to you?" asked Giana in a worried tone, but what fool would believe that this woman was worried about anyone but herself? And who would believe that Giana didn''t know about the news that was hitting her?


    "Looks like you brought bad luck," Aileen snorted. In her anger she no longer wanted to pretend to be polite, after all they were both in the same boat.


    "You mean, my divorce got you divorced too because you were in cahoots with me?" Giana wasn''t offended at all by Aileen''s harsh words. It was not much to be honest. If she had to mind all the harsh words and take them to heart, then there would be no way she would reach her current position.


    Because for people like them, mastering one''s own emotions and responses to others is very important.


    Aileen still has a lot to learn to be at the same level as Giana.


    "Don''t tter me like that, I parted ways with Aidan because he was an asshole, so if you end up separating from Theodore because of me, isn''t that something you should celebrate? Because I''m celebrating my divorce."

 Chapter 273: HAILEE HATES THAT SMELL

    <h4>Chapter 273: HAILEE HATES THAT SMELL</h4>


    In other words, Giana said that she did not give Aileen bad luck, but rather luck. Wasn''t being able to get away from a bad guy something to celebrate?


    "Stop twisting my words," growled Aileen, she was very annoyed that Giana was too good at using words.


    On the other hand, Giana did not respond to Aileen''s annoyance. For her, the young woman in front of her was not much different from any child who did not get her favorite toy. It just took a little coaxing and an offer of another toy, and she''d forget about it.


    Very easy to control.


    "I just didn''t think that your marriage wouldst so short," Gianamented, then grabbed the menu book in front of her. "I feel like it was only yesterday that I attended your wedding."


    And it was the simplest wedding party that Giana had ever attended, Aileen should be grateful because someone like her wanted toe there and humor an invitation from Aileen.


    "Can we discuss something else?" Aileen looked fiercely at Giana. She paid attention to the appearance of the woman in front of her and assessed all the things she was wearing. Tsk. The price of all the luxury items that Giana wore could certainly buy a luxury car.


    Aileen never failed in appraising luxury and branded goods.


    Giana then opened the menu book with a calm attitude. "Then where is the evidence I asked for? I''m not going to waste my time just listening to yourints."


    Aileen clenched her fists tightly, until her knuckles turned white. She really had the urge to scratch Giana''s face now, it was a shame that part of her was still sane, forbidding her from doing anything reckless.


    "So?" Giana shuffled the pages of the menu book in her hand and called the waiter using the bell on the table. "Where''s the evidence I want?"


    Aileen smiled slyly at Giana. "Give me proof first that you own the shares of the Tatumpany, then I''ll give it to you." Aileen snorted. "Isn''t that our agreement?"


    "You still don''t believe that I managed to get a third of the shares of Tatum''spany? When was thest time you worked properly? Until you don''t know the change in ownership of thepany''s shares?" Giana clicked her tongue and shook her head, as if she felt sad that someone like Aileen would lead thepany.


    "Shut your mouth," threatened Aileen in a low voice. She was already very stressed over the news she had just seen this afternoon as well as the telephone call from George, who questioned how this could have happened, therefore, Aileen didn''t want to entertain Giana''s ridicule as well.


    Giana again didn''t respond to Aileen''s harsh words since she was the one who had provoked her first, therefore, she took something from her bag and handed Aileen a document.


    "Look and see, maybe you should focus your attention on thispany more than thinking about why you can get bad luck when your lies can be easily exposed," Giana raised her voice when she saw Aileen about to interrupt her words. "Regretting what has happened is the stupidest time-wasting activity I''ve ever known."


    Because that was what Giana learned from what happened to her recently, but when it came to Ramon, Giana still had a lot of regrets toward that man¡­


    She might have been together with him by now, if only Giana hadn''t made the wrong decision or taken a bolder step at that time.


    Ramon¡­


    It''s okay, there wille a time when Ramon will remember everything.


    Giana will make Ramon remember her and taking over Tatum''spany is just a small step of hers toward getting close to Ramon.


    Because Giana knew for sure, Hailee wouldn''t be the one behind the desk taking on all the responsibilities within thepany. It was? certain that Ramon would be the driving force and would also lead the Tatumpany under the name Haileeter.


    ================


    Hailee and Ramon arrived at the hospitalte at night, of course after Hailee felt calmer and confident that she would be fine.


    Ramon had also confirmed that Zia had received the best treatment and her condition was stable.


    Now, in Zia''s room there were only Diego and Ian, while four of Ramon''s bodyguards, whom he ordered to guard and report to him about the situation, were standing in front of Zia''s room door.


    "Are you sure you''ll be okay?" Ramon held Hailee before she entered the room. He looked at Hailee''s reddened face and her eyes which were puffy from crying too much.


    Ramon had also made sure that Hailee had eaten and taken her vitamins beforeing here, otherwise he wouldn''t have allowed his wife to go anywhere.


    "Yeah, I''m fine," Hailee said quietly, a smile tugged on her pale lips. "Thank you for being with me."


    Ramonughed softly at that. "Do you really think I can go anywhere else but with you?"


    Ramon''sugh was infectious enough that Haileeughed along with him. "You''re getting smarter with your words," Hailee said. She then hugged Ramon''s body tightly, feeling the warmth of her husband''s body, energizing her. "I love you Ramon."


    "I know," Ramon replied curtly, but as soon as Hailee lifted her head and red at him, he hastily added. "I love you too."


    Only then was Hailee satisfied.


    Then Ramon pushed open the ward door and let Hailee in first.


    They saw Ian and Diego sitting on separate sofas and Ramon signaled for Ian toe out, because there was something he wanted to talk about, while Hailee approached Zia''s bed with Diego calming her down as they chatted lightly.


    Ramon walked to one of the quiet corners of the hospital, on the fourth floor terrace that led to the parking lot, he stopped there and Ian stood beside him.


    Ian knew what Ramon was going to talk to him about, so he became nervous and took a cigarette out of his trouser pocket.


    Actually Ian was not a smoker, but the problems with his younger sister and also some things, have really made him feel stressed and depressed, and he was used to channel his frustration out in this way when he didn''tpete.


    "Don''t you dare lit it up," Ramon rebuked Ian, his eyes cold again, just like the ones Ian saw that night, when he killed the two mysterious people who wanted to kill him.


    "Huh?" Ian was shocked and his hand stopped when he was about to light his cigarette.


    "The smoke from your cigarette will stick to my shirt and Hailee will catch it. She doesn''t like that smell," said Ramon.

 Chapter 274: TO REPEL PESTS LIKE YOU

    <h4>Chapter 274: TO REPEL PESTS LIKE YOU</h4>


    Ian paused his movements. He who was about to light his cigarette, immediately put it away.


    Not because Ramon said Hailee would hate the smell, oh, Ian would dly blow the smoke at Ramon''s face and make this man have to suffer in the bathroom, scrubbing his body hard to get rid of the pungent smell of cigarettes.


    But because the way Ramon looked at Ian was terrifying. It was as if Ian dared to try and light his cigarette, then Ramon himself would shove the cigarette into Ian''s mouth so he could swallow it whole.


    This man was terrible and his cruelty was on a whole different level when Hailee wasn''t by his side.


    "So what do you know about the people who told you to kill me?" Ramon said this lightly, as if this kind of topic was his daily conversation.


    Ian couldn''t imagine how many threats came Ramon''s way for him to be so calm even though his life was in danger.


    "I don''t know much about them, but I guess once they find out their n failed and I betrayed them by choosing to side with you, they won''t contact me anymore..." said Ian in a low voice. He frowned. "And my sister..."


    Ramon cut off Ian''s words. "They''ll call you," he said in a determined tone.


    "How did you know about that?" Ian gritted his teeth. Indeed he felt a little relieved that he didn''t have to kill Ramon and betray Hailee, creating havoc in the lives of those close to him, but on the other hand, there was his sister he had to save.


    Ian couldn''t understand how he got caught up in theplicated game of people like Ramon, when he was a nobody.


    "Because they have your sister," said Ramon curtly. "They will call you back."


    Ian narrowed his eyes. Ramon sounded so sure and Ian wanted to believe him. But¡­


    "When they contact you again, you must report it to me," Ramon didn''t give Ian a chance to express his doubts. "And if you choose otherwise and betray me again, you should worry about your own safety, before you worry about your sister."


    Ian subconsciously shuddered when he heard Ramon''s cold words, he didn''t even notice when the man left him alone there.


    Ramon''s curt words meant that he would not hesitate to kill Ian if he endangered the man''s life one more time.


    And Ramon always kept his word.


    What''s more, Ian had seen how sadistic the Tordoff heir was, so there was no doubt if Ramon intended to kill him.


    ================


    "We have to go home..." Ramon rubbed Hailee''s head which was drooping on the back of the sofa. She looked exhausted and this made Ramon feel unhappy.


    "I want to be here," Hailee said in a sleepy voice. "I don''t want to leave Zia¡­"


    "Go home Hailee, uncle will call you when Zia wakes up," said Uncle Diego. "You should take care of yourself too, especially since you''re pregnant."


    Hailee could no longer argue with that reason. If she wasn''t pregnant, of course she would have insisted on being in the hospital until Zia came to her senses, but because her condition didn''t allow her to do that, Hailee finally relented.


    "Okay..." Hailee said quietly and with Ramon''s help, she stood up and walked over to Zia to say goodbye.


    Meanwhile, Diego asked Ramon about theirst chat.


    "Is what you said true?" he asked. "Those photos are Aileen''s doing? And her pregnancy was a lie too?"


    Diego had just received news about the abrupt divorce between Aileen and Theodore. What a shame!


    Aileen had the surname Tatum behind her, she should have been removed from the family list. And she was only an adopted daughter, how dare she lie to everyone like that?!


    Moreover, how dare she attack Zia and humiliate her in public like this?!


    "Yes," replied Ramon. "I''ll have someone give you the details tomorrow morning, you can check it yourself after that."


    Diego rubbed his face roughly, he felt he had aged ten years in the span of a few hours. "That woman is nothing different from a demon."


    ================


    Aileen was on her way home when she got news that Zia was in the hospital due to a suicide attempt and was now in intensive care.


    Instantly Aileen''sughter echoed in the car. Herughter sounded terrible and cynical.


    "Suicide?" Aileen repeated the word she heard from Michael, her confidant.


    "Yes, now Mr. Tatum was with her as well as Hailee and her husband. There was another man named Ian who was with them," he reported everything that had happened at the hospital.


    "Alright," Aileen nodded with satisfaction. "Report to me when you get more news."


    After that the phone was disconnected and Aileen continuedughing to her heart''s content. This was the first thing that made her happy today after all the drama that happened.


    Especially when she was in a very bad mood after handing over the video evidence of herself and Aidan to Giana. However, the woman had proven that she had managed to buy Tatum shares from several shareholders and the value was quitergebined as well.


    "Should I go to the hospital to see her?" Aileen muttered, she tapped her finger on the steering wheel. "Perhaps Zia will die instantly when I do."


    The thought of getting rid of people she didn''t like really made her heart light.


    Aileen then started her car while humming to the rhythm of the music that was ying on the stereo.


    Looks like she''s going to sleep well tonight...


    At least, that was what Aileen had thought, because without her knowing something big was waiting for her at home.


    The streets were deserted because it was already night and not many people were passing by.


    Therefore, Aileen arrived at the Tatum residence faster. Yes, Aileen returned to live in the house after she was chased away by Reba from the Gevano residence.


    It was just that there was something odd when she turned her car to enter the yard.


    Right in front of the house, someone was burning something. It wasn''t something, it was a pile of stuff that was being burned on purpose.


    mes soared high and ck smoke rose into the sky.

 Chapter 275: BURN ALL!

    <h4>Chapter 275: BURN ALL!</h4>


    Seeing that sight, Aileen rushed out of her car and approached the mes. "What is this?" Aileen asked the two maids and one of the gardeners who were nearby. "Why are you guys burning something in front of the house?"


    But, then there was something else that made Aileen even more surprised, namely when she recognized the items that were almost burnt out.


    Those are her things!


    "To repel pests like you." Someone answered Aileen''s question.


    ==============


    "Ramon, I want us to return to the Tatum residence," Hailee requested out of the blue before raising her head to look at Ramon resolutely. "I want to go back to the Tatum residence."


    "Why? Will you be tired because the journey to city A is too long?" asked Ramon, he reached out his hand to brush the hair around Hailee''s face aside and noticed that his wife''s hair had grown longer.


    "No¡­" Hailee shook her head and pondered for a moment. "I just wanted to go home for a bit," she mumbled, looking down to avoid Ramon''s gaze.


    And immediately Ramon understood what was on his wife''s mind. "You miss home?"


    "Yes yes." Hailee immediately nodded in agreement, looking back at Ramon with hopeful eyes. "We can, right?"


    "Even though you know that Aileen lives there?" Ramon added.


    Hailee grimaced when she heard him. Ugh. It''s too hard to fool this man.


    "The real reason you want to go home was because you want to settle scores with Aileen, right?" Ramon borated his words.


    Hailee lowered her head further, then buried her face against Ramon''s chest. "If so, are you going to stop me?" Hailee asked, her voice muffled against Ramon''s chest.


    And yet again she used her spoiled attitude to persuade Ramon. Because she knew from experience that this method almost never disappointed.


    "I promise I will not do anything extreme," Hailee promised and suddenly raised her head to look at Ramon before pleading with teary eyes. "I also really miss home¡­ this must be our child''s wish¡­ I am usually not this sentimental¡­"


    Very nice. Now Hailee got one more weapon to use against Ramon...


    Well, this isn''t a bad idea, is it? Since this baby was in her womb, it meant they were a team.


    "You are usually very sentimental," Ramon corrected Hailee''s words.


    "I swear I will not do anything dangerous," Hailee promised again. "You will be with me after all, there''s no way you''d let this wife you love the most to get hurt, right?"


    "The one I love the most?" Ramon raised his eyebrows. "I have no other choice, right? You are my only wife." Haileeughed at that, but then herughter seized when Ramon added. "Perhaps it takes another woman for a fairparison?"


    "Oh, say that one more time and I will tell our child when they grow up," Hailee threatened, which made Ramon pause while Pyro and David had to hold back theirughter.


    This was a rare moment where Ramon lost an argument.


    ================


    In the end, Ramon sumbed to Hailee''s wishes and ordered David to turn back their car and head for the Tatum residence.


    Once they got there, some of the weing maids were surprised since Hailee had left without any notice before, but from the expressions on their faces, they looked happy to see Hailee again.


    Two of them immediately prepared Hailee''s room and the other asked if there was anything Hailee wanted to eat.


    But, for Hailee, only one thing concerned her.


    "Where''s Aileen?" she asked as soon as she sat down on the sofa, waiting for her room to be ready, taking a ss of her favorite mango juice that one of the maids had given her.


    "Elder Miss isn''t home, she left this afternoon and hasn''te back yet," one of the maids reported.


    "So it''s true that she returned to live in this house?" Hailee wanted to confirm this.


    "Yeah, she''s back a few days ago, carrying some suitcases containing her things."


    "She''s staying in her room?" asked Hailee again.


    "That¡­" the maid seemed hesitant to tell Hailee the truth and this made her suspicious.


    "It''s okay, you can tell me," Hailee coaxed, while Ramon hugged her from the side while making a phone call, as if this man couldn''t help but touch his wife even though he had other things to do.


    "That¡­ Aileen upied yourte parents'' room¡­" said the middle-aged maid. She has been working for the Tatum family since Hailee was little, in fact almost all the maids in this house have worked for the Tatum family for more than ten years.


    Therefore, Hailee knew them very well, like a family.


    "She''s staying in mom and dad''s room?" Subconsciously, Hailee growled as she said those words.


    How dare that shameless woman!?


    "Then what about my father and mother''s belongings?" Hailee asked again. She remembered telling them not to touch their belongings without her permission.


    "We''re sorry, but we moved your parents'' things to the warehouse on Miss Aileen''s orders." The maid''s voice trembled as she told Hailee about this. "We don''t know how to contact you."


    Indeed, ever since Hailee''s phone number changed, only a few people were aware, so they couldn''t be med when it was Hailee who never thought of giving them her new number.


    "She moved my parents'' stuff to the warehouse¡­" Hailee hissed furiously, while Ramon rubbed her back as if tofort her, while he was still talking quietly to someone on the phone.


    Hailee was silent for a moment, before she finally gave an order. "Take out all of Aileen''s belongings. Every single thing. Don''t leave anything behind and heap them in the front yard."


    Without questioning again, the two maids who were standing beside Hailee immediately carried out what they were told with the help of the other maid.


    ================


    It just took less than twenty minutes to collect Aileen''s belongings, which consisted of thetest branded items, but now they were no different from trash piled up on the dirty ground, while Hailee stood on the terrace of her house.


    "All of Aileen''s items have been brought out, so what are you going to do with them?" asked the maid.


    "Burn," Hailee said coldly. "Burn all of that stuff."


    "Burn?" The servant was surprised. "Everything?"


    "Yes, everything," Hailee said firmly. "I don''t want anything left."


    This was the maid''s first time seeing Hailee like this. She had known Hailee since thetter was just a child and all she knew was; Hailee is a cheerful child and loves her adopted sister, but Hailee''s attitude this time is very different.


    On the other hand, Pyro and David couldn''t help but grin, they remembered well how Hailee had promised Ramon in the car earlier, that she wouldn''t go to extremes. Isn''t this going extreme¡­?


    However, they also agreed with Mrs. Tordoff and for a moment, Hailee looked like the female version of Ramon. Maybe Mr. Tordoff had passed these qualities on to his wife¡­


    Meanwhile, Ramon ordered David and Pyro to bring the sofa from inside the house, he wouldn''t let his wife stand too long, even if it was to enjoy her own handiwork.


    ==============


    Find me on Instagram @jikan_yo_tomare

 Chapter 276: FUCK YOU HAILEE!

    <h4>Chapter 276: FUCK YOU HAILEE!</h4>


    The smile on Hailee''s lips grew wider when she saw Aileen''s car pulling into the front yard of the house and stopping just before arriving at the garage.


    Aileen must have noticed this big fire and didn''t have time to think about parking her car where it should be.


    Then Hailee casually leaned her back against the back of the sofa, while Ramon stood beside her, rubbing her head and ying with her hair, while Pyro and David were behind them, ready to act if needed.


    In addition, six other bodyguards were standing slightly away from them.


    However, to face the current Aileen, it seemed like the scene was too much, only that Hailee was happy that Ramon was willing to do this for her, because Hailee wanted to show. Not. More precisely, show off what she currently had and Aileen didn''t have.


    Hailee knew very well that her sister''s greed and envy would eat her from within.


    "What are you doing!?" Aileen shouted at the two maids and a gardener in the Tatum residence, apparently she still didn''t notice Hailee who was staring at her withzy eyes from the terrace, sitting on the sofa.


    The fact that her expensive things had caught fire and couldn''t be saved, things that Aileen was so haughty and proud of, made her think of nothing else. Anger blinded her eyes. Who would dare to do this to her!?


    It was only after Aileen saw where one of the maids was staring at, did she realize that Hailee hade.


    Aileen''s piercing eyes stared at Hailee as if she wanted to kill her, or lunge at her so that she would be knocked off the sofa and she didn''t have to see the girl''s triumphant smile. That was the thing that made Aileen very angry. She hated the situation when Hailee got the better of her.


    "WHY IS IT YOU!?" Aileen eximed with fiery rage. She climbed the terrace steps with hateful eyes fixed on Hailee.


    However, before she could get any closer to her sister, Pyro and David were already standing in front of her, making Aileen even angrier because she couldn''t pass.


    Knowing this game had been won by her easily, Haileeughed mockingly, because she knew this would provoke Aileen furthermore.


    It''s really fun after watching what happened to Zia because of Aileen...


    "You think anyone else would do that to you?" asked Hailee in a bored tone.


    "How dare you do this to me!" cried Aileen angrily, but couldn''t do anything to confront the two bodyguards who were standing in her way. "GET AWAY! GET AWAY FROM ME! I WILL TEACH HER A LESSON! I WILL KILL HER!"


    Pyro and David nced at each other, the thing they had in mind was the same, namely; this woman is crazy...


    Meanwhile, on the other hand, Ramon who heard Aileen''s words, frowned, his hand stopped stroking Hailee''s head. He never intended to interfere in this matter but of course Aileen''s words made him angry.


    "Want to kill me? Like you killed my parents?" Hailee asked, and when she said these words, the mocking smile that formed on her lips instantly faded, reced by a serious tone and a look of hatred, which she directed solely at Aileen.


    "You are crazy! I don''t know what you''re saying!" Aileen shouted angrily! All her rationale flew away out of the window.


    "I''m crazy?" Hailee snorted. She then stood up from the sofa and took one step forward, but it was still quite far from Aileen''s hand. Of course Hailee didn''t approach Aileen in her unstable mental state, even if Pyro and David were holding her back, she wouldn''t risk her baby''s safety just to provoke Aileen. "If I''m crazy, then what should you call yourself?"


    Ramon was standing right behind Hailee, he was anticipating this situation and thinking of the best way to end this argument, because it was getting veryte and Hailee needed a break after a long and tiring day.


    "Shut up Hailee! You really are insolent! How dare you burn my things!?" Aileen screams only got crazier. She didn''t even heed Hailee''s words that alluded her as the murderer of their parents. Instead, Aileen tried to charge forward, but couldn''t get past Pyro and David.


    "You want to kill me because you lost your precious things, which can be reced with the snap of a finger, is that right?" Hailee asked. She folded her arms in front of her chest, her gaze turning ice cold.


    "Yes, right! I want to kill you! I want you to get out of my sight!" Aileen roared. Her emotions were everywhere now. She also had a difficult day and when she came home she had to face all this.


    The tiredness and all kinds of negative emotions that had been ingrained in Aileen''s heart for a long time now exploded. This woman needed to vent her anger, or else she felt herself going to explode.


    "Then, how do you think I felt when you killed my parents?" Hailee asked, her tone very calm, but this was precisely what was scary. Because big storms alwayse when things are unnaturally calm.


    "You bitch! Don''t use me of something I didn''t do! You have no proof!" Aileen screamed, but her heart skipped a beat when she realized that Hailee might have solid evidence, because there was no way she would have known without some concrete evidence.


    Meanwhile, the other people who listened to what Hailee just said, looked taken aback, especially the three house maids, they covered their mouths to stop themselves from gasping.


    On the other hand, Ramon signaled the two bodyguards around him to do something.


    "Of course I have the evidence Aileen, I can throw you in jail now if I want, with the evidence I have," Hailee still kept her voice low.


    "If you have proof that I did it, then why don''t you take it out?!" growled Aileen, her hands shaking without her noticing.

 Chapter 277: HE COULD DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH HIS MOUTH

    <h4>Chapter 277: HE COULD DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH HIS MOUTH</h4>


    Hailee shrugged. "The answer is simple, because prison is too luxurious for you, I want you to feel that death is more easy than continue living. It is much more interesting to me."


    "You¡­!" Aileen didn''t have time to finish her sentence when she heard a loud explosion sound from behind her and when she turned her head, she was so shocked at the sight of her favourite car on fire.


    Aileen''s car exploded and caught fire, just like her other valuables.


    "FUCK YOU HAILEE!!!"


    Aileen screamed so loudly that she felt like her vocal cords were about to burst.


    "FUCK YOU HAILEE!!!" Aileen screamed until her voice echoed in the dark night, making everyone who heard her frown because they didn''t expect this woman to reach such a high note.


    While Hailee scowled. "I didn''t set the car on fire, why was she cursing at me?" She then looked at Ramon beside her, who didn''t seem to care much about what was happening before his eyes and the mess he was causing.


    On the other hand, Pyro and David could only sigh deeply. Burning things is one thing, but burning a luxury car is another. They didn''t want to imagine if Aileen persisted in being there, what else would Ramon do to this woman.


    And again¡­ didn''t they both say earlier that there wouldn''t cause any extreme scenes tonight? However, it seemed that all of that was not true¡­


    "Let''s go back inside," Ramon said softly, even though his wife red at him. He realized that he had decided on Hailee''s pleasure. "The cold night breeze is not good for you."


    "Ramon, you burned the car, now I can''t talk to her anymore. She''s getting too crazy to talk to," Hailee grumbled, because Aileen no longer paid attention to what Hailee was saying, because her adoptive sister was busy raving, cursing, swearing and uttering other curses against Hailee, even though she didn''t actually do anything...


    "Then why do you want to talk to a madwoman?" asked Ramon to answer Hailee''s words and make the woman look at him even more fiercely, but Ramon leaned over and kissed Hailee''s forehead gently, sessfully softening her a bit. "Let''s go inside, that''s enough for tonight."


    Seriously! Even in this condition, the two of them still had time to show off their love! Aileen couldn''t help but wonder, what did Ramon see in Hailee, that the heir to the Tordoff family could be crazy about her?


    With a groan, Hailee finally obeyed Ramon''s words and entered the house, leaving Aileen still screaming to vent her anger.


    Hailee deliberately didn''t even nce at her at all, as if whatever she did now, wouldn''t be able to shift Hailee''s focus away from her overprotective husband.


    With Ramon hugging Hailee''s waist, the two of them walked into the house leaving Aileen to be taken care of by the other bodyguards.


    But, before that, Ramon said softly over his shoulder to David and Pyro. "Make sure that woman is thrown out of the gates."


    "Yes, sir," they both replied at the same time.


    They wouldn''t allow Aileen to set foot in the Tatum residence, however, the problem was; all of Aileen''s belongings; her cellphone, wallet, money, credit card and everything were in her car, because she was in such a hurry to get off and didn''t have time to take her bag earlier.


    But, now that her car was on fire, it meant all of her belongings were on fire, so how could she leave? Stay at the hotel or get to her apartment?


    Does she have to walk? In the middle of the night like this? She didn''t even have a cell phone to call someone to pick her up.


    Unbelievable¡­


    But, all of that might happen, since Pyro and David really did what Ramon had told them to do.


    ================


    "I''m still mad at you," Hailee pouted. She sat on the edge of the bed with her arms crossed, looking like a sulking child, but of course she couldn''t keep that expression for long, because Ramon had juste out of the bathroom and only had a white towel wrapped around his sexy waist.


    Oh¡­ even now she still felt this fatal attraction toward her own husband, or maybe it was because she was pregnant. As it was well known, pregnant women''s hormones will sometimes go out of control¡­


    Well, whatever it was, Hailee didn''t want to admit that she was so distracted by the scene before her that it was hard to concentrate on staying angry. Distracted in a pleasant context, of course.


    Maybe it was Ramon who was too sensitive, or maybe it was Hailee who was looking at him very intensely, but a sly smirk appeared on his lips when he saw his wife''s gaze.


    Deliberately, Ramon walked over and stood in front of Hailee. "You''re being rude," Ramonmented.


    "Why?" Hailee still didn''t take her eyes off of something that intrigued her even more.


    "Isn''t it rude when you talk but you don''t look at the person you are talking to?" asked Ramon while enjoying Hailee''s surprised expression. "My eyes are up here, why do you keep looking down?"


    With her face flushed red and her skin starting to feel hot, Hailee lifted her head and stood up. Annoyance mixed with embarrassment made Hailee look awkward.


    However, she chose to put her hands on her waist in an intimidating manner, but of course, a woman whose size and height simply couldn''t bepared to Ramon, wouldn''t make him feel intimidated at all.


    "Don''t talk carelessly," Hailee grumbled. She was still trying to hide the dirty thoughts that crossed her head a few seconds ago, no, even now the dirty thoughts were still hanging in her eyes and they were clearly visible to the man in front of her. Ugh! Seriously¡­


    "So I''m talking carelessly?" Ramon teased, he walked closer to Hailee until their bodies touched.


    "Yes, watch your mouth," said Hailee slightly trembling, she was resisting the temptation to pounce on the man in front of her.


    Ramon then shed a smile that would make Hailee forget everything and really lunge at him, especially when this man leaned over and whispered something in her ear.


    "Okay," Ramon whispered as he touched Hailee''s hips in the way she liked. "But, I can do other things with my mouth, I hope you don''t mind this time¡­"


    ================


    Ramon felt this sensation again, the same feeling he had been feeling often recently. His body felt numb and his head felt heavy as the memories that Ramon had forgotten for so long came back into his mind.


    Ramon''s breath hitched and his hands balled tightly, preparing for whatever was toe.


    In this state, Ramon seemed to be experiencing sleep paralysis, where he knew that whatever was happening or feeling was only in his mind, but he couldn''t do anything about it.


    Ramon tried to calm himself when he found that he was in an old warehouse with not very good lighting and two people on his right and left.


    While someone else was sitting in front of him.


    Ramon couldn''t see who it was, but he felt a very strong hatred toward him.


    ===============


    Check my instagram @jikan_yo_tomare to seeic strip from chapter 39. CAN''T YOU KNOCK THE DOOR?

 Chapter 278: MEMORIES

    <h4>Chapter 278: MEMORIES</h4>


    The room was filled with sunlight shining brightly from the cracks in the worn-out wood as well as from the holes in the walls or broken roof, so Ramon could deduce that they were in an abandoned hut far from settlements.


    Since whoever brought him here left him in such an open ce with a high probability that someone else would see him here, it was no harm to think that this ce was deserted.


    But, who was the man in front of Ramon? His face was invisible, obscured by shadows, though he could clearly see the two men standing beside him.


    Those two faces¡­ Ramon would remember their faces.


    Ramon then noticed that his hands and feet were tied to the bench he was sitting on and also the blood dripping from the wound on his forehead. What really happened to him? Why was he in this condition?


    Ramon couldn''t have been so reckless and made such a rash decision that he could have put himself in danger, could he?


    But, all of this indeed happened, Ramon was sure that it really happened. Was this what happened before he had the ident? At the time when he had disappeared for two days?


    So, he was kidnapped? By whom? And how could that be?


    Various questions swirled around Ramon''s head because this was so unreasonable. Knowing himself well, he was sure that he had a backup n. But¡­.


    Ramon then squinted at the man in front of him. However, he could only make out his body outline while his face was still hidden in the dark shadows.


    Then he heard his voice as he started to speak. A deep voice, like someone who had the habit of smoking a box of cigarettes every hour.


    "You''d better die like your father," the man said.


    The voice was so low and rxed, as if he was talking about trivial things, but filled with threats that were not to be taken lightly.


    Of course Ramon recognized that tone, because he always used that tone when talking to his enemies. And, they both knew it wasn''t just a threat.


    The man then leaned forward, about to say something else, but the sun was so hot it seemed to be getting brighter because after that Ramon was blinded by the light and couldn''t see clearly.


    And the next thing that happened was; a loud screeching sound of metal shing echoing in Ramon''s ears. The sound was so loud that it was deafening, making Ramon''s head spin violently.


    Ramon assumed this was when he had an ident that caused him to lose his memory.


    But, how did Ramon escape from that mysterious man? Because at that moment, Ramon could actually feel such a powerful killing aura from him. The man intended to kill him at any cost.


    However, Ramon managed to escape and ended up in an ident...


    That was what Ramon thought, as he still couldn''t remember the details. Fragment after fragment of his memory began to return to their respective positions, but still there were parts that did not fit with the other parts.


    And when Ramon felt his body crash, he opened his eyes with sweat drenching his body, even though the room was so cold.


    That memory again...


    It took Ramon a while to calm himself down and catch his breath. He then rubbed his face roughly and tilted his body, looking for Hailee to find peace. Because by hugging his wife close, Ramon could feel better.


    However, when his hand was outstretched, Ramon couldn''t find Hailee, the ce beside him was empty and cold.


    Ramon quickly sat on the bed, his dark eyes looking at the empty space and then around the room, but could not find his wife.


    "Hailee?" Ramon called his wife in a hoarse voice. He then got off the bed and walked briskly toward the bathroom.


    The bad images of the past he had just recalled made Ramon feel uneasy, he felt his safety was being threatened. It didn''t matter to him, since he was never really in a safe situation, but this would be a serious problem if Hailee was involved.


    Ramon wouldn''t let anything bad happen to her.


    With quick steps, Ramon went into the bathroom and found that the room was empty. Hailee wasn''t there, so where was she? In the middle of the night like this? Did something happen to her?


    All sorts of bad thoughts began to eat away at Ramon''s senses and made it difficult for him to think logically and trust his intuition that Hailee was okay.


    Who would sneak into this house with Ramon''s heavy guard and take Hailee away without him knowing?


    But once again, Ramon''s logical mind was ovee by his excessive worry.


    ================


    Hailee entered her parents'' room hugging the jacket she was wearing.


    For some reason, she couldn''t sleep well tonight. Maybe because this was the first time she really came home after what happened to her.


    Of course Hailee never thought that after thest time she stepped out of the house, she would return as a wife to Ramon Tordoff and pregnant with their first child.


    Hailee wrinkled her nose because the room still smelled of Aileen''s room spray, even though her parents'' belongings, which her adoptive sister had stored in the warehouse, had been returned to their original ce, the remnants of Aileen''s existence were still lingering there and this made Hailee furious again.


    This room was a bit different from what Hailee remembered, but overall, being in this ce brought back sweet memories with her parents.


    Hailee remembered how her father looked at her mother lovingly and how her father taught her to walk or the unfunny jokes he made and made Hailee frown in confusion because it made her motherugh.


    Maybe it wasn''t the joke that made her motherugh, but it was because they were together and it made her happy.


    Hailee then sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the photo of her parents on the nightstand beside the bed, as memories clouded her mind.


    But, the nostalgia didn''tst long, Hailee felt her attention split when she heard the sound of the door opening and saw Ramon walking into the room.


    Ramon didn''t say anything, he just walked over to Hailee and hugged her tightly, burying his face in his wife''s shoulder.


    "Hey, what''s wrong?" Hailee asked confusedly.


    ===============


    Check my instagram @jikan_yo_tomare to seeic strip from chapter 39. CAN''T YOU KNOCK THE DOOR?

 Chapter 279: MYSTERIOUS MAN

    <h4>Chapter 279: MYSTERIOUS MAN</h4>


    The expression on Ramon''s face couldn''t be described in words, because at this moment, he was frantically looking for his wife who suddenly disappeared after he had a bad dream, making his mind start to imagine the worst.


    It was just that Ramon, who was panicking, actually looked terrible. He looked as though he would silence anyone who dared to say something wrong to him, or make his mood worse.


    The first room that Ramon went to was Hailee''s parents'' room, after he had searched for her in the front and back yard, because maybe Hailee couldn''t sleep and decided to get some fresh air.


    However, since Hailee wasn''t in either of those two ces, Ramon decided to go to Hailee''s parents'' room that he knew earlier when the maids rearranged her parents'' belongings, which Aileen had moved into the warehouse.


    And luckily Ramon''s instincts were right, Hailee was in there, looking all pensive. At once, relief flooded his veins.


    Hailee is fine, nothing happened to her.


    Like a ma, Ramon''s body moved automatically toward Hailee as he hugged her tightly before burying his face into his wife''s shoulder to feel the warmth of her body.


    A momentter, Ramon could feel Hailee''s small and warm hand, rubbing his back. It is nice andforting to have someone who truly loves you and you know that you can trust her, where trust and trustworthy people are very rare in people''s lives like Ramon''s.


    "What is it?" Hailee asked in confusion.


    Ramon didn''t answer right away, the man just buried her in his tight embrace.


    "What is it?" Hailee repeated her question in a softer tone. "Are you having nightmares again? Did you get any pieces of your memory back?"


    Hailee could assume that what she said was true based on Ramon''s reaction.


    They had discussed this quite a number of times before and Ramon had also told Hailee that his memory was slowly returning, but that it was a bit of a confusing scene.


    "Want to tell me about it?" Hailee asked, still stroking Ramon''s shoulders, nape and hair.


    "No," Ramon muttered. "Not now. Later."


    "Okay..." Hailee said. She was sure that Ramon would tell her everything when he calmed down and all Hailee needed to do was to wait.


    ================


    That night, after Hailee kicked her out of the Tatum residence and Ramon set the car on fire, Aileen had no other way to get to her apartment which was a few kilometers away from the Tatum residence. So she set out on foot, because she didn''t even have a penny or couldn''t use her cards, for they had all been burned.


    Hatred and vengeance overwhelmed Aileen with every step she took. At times like this, she was willing to do anything to hurt Hailee. To even kill the woman, so that she could no longer see the scornful smile on her face.


    Aileen clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white and stomped her feet hard, as if she was stomping on Hailee. As that was exactly what she did in her mind.


    And while Aileen was wrestling with her unstoppable emotions, a car stopped right beside her and the windows rolled down.


    "Hey." A man''s voice could be heard from inside the car and Aileen quickened her steps to avoid whoever this person was.


    Aileen looked around, this street was not too quiet, because there were still several cars passing by with some people walking, indeed a big city would never really sleep.


    "Aileen Tatum," the man called again and this time, by mentioning the woman''s name, he managed to grab Aileen''s attention and make her stop walking. The car he was driving steadily stopped right beside her.


    "Who are you?" asked Aileen with narrowed eyes. She tried to look inside the car, but it was hard to see who this man was when he was in the shadows.


    However, Aileen was sure that she didn''t know him.


    "How about you get in this car and we can talk more about who I am?" The man''s voice was heard again.


    Aileen snorted when she heard the offer. "Just because you know my name, you assume I''m going to get in that car and ride with you?" she asked with a scornful grin. "Even small children know not to go out with strangers you don''t know."


    Hearing that statement, a harsh and loudugh could be heard from inside the car, making Aileen''s frown deepen.


    What does this man want? And who is he?


    But, whoever it was, Aileen didn''t want to add to the problems that she was already dealing with. She had so many things on her mind and didn''t need new problems to think about.


    At least that''s what Aileen thought as she was about to walk away, leaving the mysterious man alone, until he said something that made her stop in her tracks again.


    "Come with me and you will get your revenge on Hailee," he said.


    What is this? Did Aileen hear wrong? How could everything happen by chance like this?


    Just a moment ago she had been racking her brains trying to figure out the best way to get rid of Hailee, but now someone had walked up to her and offered her what she really wanted.


    Is this just a joke? Or was this guy actually sent by Ramon Tordoff to harm her because she had threatened his wife?


    And as if he could understand what was going through Aileen''s mind right now, the man added again. "You have a grudge against Hailee, while I have unfinished business with Ramon Tordoff, so I think we can work well together."


    This wasn''t the first time this man had offered things to people near Hailee, manipting them into doing something for him, because he knew it would be difficult to get close to Ramon, so he started with someone who might hurt him.


    Namely, his wife, at one nce people would know that what was between Ramon and Hailee wasn''t a lie, just like what Ramon and Giana had¡­


    Therefore, the man chose this method to make Ramon suffer.


    "Ramon Tordoff?" Aileen mumbled. "What business do you have with that man?" Aileen''s frown deepened. If this man wanted to deal with Ramon, it would mean that he wasn''t a random person.


    The man chuckled softly. "I''m not used to having important conversations on the side of the road and in public spaces."


    ===============


    Check my instagram @jikan_yo_tomare to seeic strip from chapter 39. CAN''T YOU KNOCK THE DOOR?

 Chapter 280: HOSPITAL

    <h4>Chapter 280: HOSPITAL</h4>


    Aidan looked like he wasn''t himself when he couldn''t reach Zia for the next few days. He didn''t know how to connect to her, because every time he dialed Zia''s number, he would be connected to voicemail.


    This really frustrated him and he couldn''t think of any humanly possible way to get a clue about Zia''s current whereabouts.


    In the current heated situation, and even though Zia''s news was a little muffled after someone released the news about Aileen''s divorce, Aidan still couldn''t take a big risk by visiting Zia''s house.


    It went without saying that his every move was currently being monitored by the mass media, there would be several reporters following him to get exclusive news about the affairs in his life.


    If the media found out that Aidan met Zia secretly, then Aidan didn''t know what his father would do anymore. For now, he was trying to avoid his father to stop being forced to make statements that would demean Zia in order to regain public trust and also the image of the family andpany.


    Therefore, Aidan could not take rash steps.


    "Still no news?" Aidan asked when he got a report from one of his confidants whom he assigned to fish out for information about Zia.


    From the other side, someone answered his question in a hesitant tone, he informed that Zia''s house was heavily guarded by several in-clothed policemen, but he was sure that Zia was not at home.


    However, there was something odd; Diego Tatum, Zia''s father, was seening home a few times before leaving again for a few days.


    After being followed, it turned out that he went to a hospital, but the hospital did not want to leak any information about his visits.


    And what made this even more interesting was the fact that Diego stationed in-clothed cops at the hospital, as he did at his house.


    "Who''s in the hospital?" Aidan didn''t seem to need to ask this question, as his instincts told him the answer. Zia.


    But, why? Is she sick? Was it that bad that she couldn''t be contacted for several days and Diego had to apany her?


    "I''ll investigate further on that," replied the man from the other side.


    "I want news about this as soon as possible," said Aidan. Then the line was disconnected, letting the man fall back into his own thoughts about what really happened to Zia.


    ================


    Zia was still refusing to speak or even look Diego in the face. She simply chose to sleep all day or pretend to sleep to avoid talking to her father.


    Diego couldn''t do anything about this either. There was no way he would scold Zia when she was at the lowest point of her life, but he also didn''t know what to do.


    The news about the photo of Zia and Aidan was still being talked about, although not as often as it was a few days ago, because Ramon helped him to suppress the news so it couldn''t get any bigger.


    Diego was grateful for that, but of course he had no one else to ask what he should do now or what attitude he should show in front of Zia.


    Diego was too stiff to speak heart to heart, as he was used to doing things the military way, so it was easier to speak logically than to understand his daughter''s feelings.


    Now, Zia''s condition had improved physically, but her mental condition had not.


    It felt like this would be a prolonged trauma for her. Diego had thought about calling a psychologist to help Zia, but he wasn''t sure about that n either.


    "This is the requested food," said Ian as he stepped into the infirmary.


    Diego nodded toward the table in the middle of the room, "Just put it there."


    Ian had apanied them at the hospital and took turns keeping watch with him because there was no way Hailee could stay too much in a ce like this. It wasn''t that his niece didn''t want to, but Ramon wouldn''t allow her fearing his pregnant wife would be exhausted.


    From his actions alone or from the way Ramon looked at Hailee, Diego could tell how protective he was.


    "Ian¡­ can we go out and talk for a bit?" he asked.


    On the other hand, Ian just agreed to the request with a confused face, he had absolutely no idea what Diego was going to talk to him about.


    ================


    Today Hailee had nothing to do but wait for the dress that Margaretha Lamos had designed for her, for herself to wear at the Tordoffpany anniversary party.


    And actually it also seemed ideal for Hailee, because she felt toozy to do anything and just wanted to lie down while watching her favorite drama.


    After Hailee called Ian and confirmed that Zia''s condition was stable, since her cousin still refused to talk to anyone, she nned to go with her ''beingzy'' n, but Lis paid a surprise visit.


    Martha knocked on Hailee''s door and told her that Lis was downstairs waiting for her.


    With a furrowed brow Hailee finally decided to change into more presentable clothes and descended the stairs to meet Lis.


    Ramon had told her everything, including the snippets of memories he had when they were staying at the Tatum residence, and although it was hard to ept that Lis had a big secret that Ramon still had doubts about, Hailee could not help but look at Lis differently.


    She became more alert when she was here.


    "Mom," Hailee greeted as she approached her with a sweet smile tugging at her lips.


    Lis immediately hugged Hailee as soon as her daughter-inw sat beside her. "How are you?" she asked in a friendly manner and her gaze immediately fell on Hailee''s stomach which was starting to protrude out a little.


    "Fine," Hailee replied, still with a smile on her face. "Where have you been? It''s very difficult to contact you."


    Hailee did contact Lis several times and couldn''t reach her at all.


    ===============


    Check my instagram @jikan_yo_tomare to seeic strip from chapter 39. CAN''T YOU KNOCK THE DOOR?

 Chapter 281: HAILEE KNEW

    <h4>Chapter 281: HAILEE KNEW</h4>


    Lismunicated with Lexus more and it was from him that Hailee and Ramon learned about Lis''s whereabouts and knew what she was doing, or at least that was what they thought.


    "Work," Lis replied curtly, as Hailee had expected, but she wouldn''t ask any further. "I missed your checkup twice, even though I said I would take you to the hospital for an obstetric checkup."


    Hailee seemed to know what Lis hade for and her conjecture was proven by her next sentence.


    "Today I will take you to the doctor''s."


    Hailee didn''t know why Lis suddenly came to her house and wanted to apany Hailee to the doctor''s, even though she already got a check up done this month with Ramon, while Lis was difficult to contact.


    "To the doctor''s?" Hailee repeated the words and smiled sweetly. "But, mom, Ramon had already taken me to the doctor''s for a monthly checkup," Hailee politely declined the invitation.


    However, Lis didn''t give up. She naturally took hold of Hailee''s hand and said in a coaxing tone, "But, mom hasn''t apanied you before..." Lis then pressed her body against Hailee, looking at her with hope to grant her wish. "I''ve been so busytely that I couldn''t fulfill my promise the other day that I would take you to the hospital for a routine checkup."


    Hailee rubbed Lis''s hand, which was holding hers tightly. "It does not matter. I understand." Hailee shook her head slowly. "For the next examination, I can go with you mother."


    "I don''t know if I can clear my schedule when it is time for the next appointment," said Lis, not epting Hailee''s idea. "Besides, going with me will be much different than going with Ramon."


    Hailee knew that Lis was lying about her busy schedule. ording to Ramon, Lis had reduced her role at thepany recently, but even so, there was no way she was so much busier than Ramon that she couldn''t take time off and make sure of her own schedule.


    Because no matter how busy Ramon is, he can always make time for Hailee, therefore, if Lis said her busy schedule was the reason for her not being able to apany Hailee, then it was clearly a lie.


    "But¡­" Hailee was about to refuse Lis'' request again, but she didn''t know what exactly she could use as an excuse to do so. She didn''t want to offend Lis, because after all, this woman was her husband''s mother and also she didn''t want Lis to suspect that she knew about the problems in the Tordoff family.


    "There''s no problem in getting a double check up, right?" Lis cut off Hailee''s words before she could think of a way to say anything more. "Or, you are finding excuses because you don''t want to go with me?" Lis''s face turned somber and she looked disappointed.


    Of course it was just her who was sulking, trying to make Hailee agree to her request.


    "No¡­ it''s not like that¡­" Hailee became uneasy. Maybe Lis just wanted to take her to the hospital and see the development of the baby in Hailee''s womb, because after all, Lis would be the grandmother of the child Hailee would give birth to.


    "You don''t seem like you want me to apany you for a check-up," Lis mumbled, making Hailee even more ufortable. "Or are you annoyed that mom doesn''t seem to care about you? Mother was supposed to apany you in your first pregnancy, but mother is actually busy working?"


    Hailee grimaced when she heard that, her bad feeling made her finally agree. In a situation like this, Hailee seemed to prefer people who did have bad intentions toward her, rather than guessing the intentions of people who always treated her well.


    "Okay, but I''ll change clothes first huh..." Hailee said relenting in the end and Lis nodded, her face was filled with a happy smile that was clearly visible.


    "Wear clothes that will make you feelfortable, but prefer warmer ones," Lis ordered gently while caressing Hailee''s cheek affectionately. "I can''t believe I''m going to be a grandmother."


    Hailee returned the smile, if she hadn''t heard what Ramon had to say about Lis and all the gray secrets around her, then she wouldn''t suspect Lis at all and not look at her in skepticism.


    Because it felt good being taken care of by one''s mother-inw.


    Maybe if her mother was still alive, she would treat Hailee the way Lis looked after her now.


    Hailee missed her mother and she wanted to know how her father would react if she told them about her pregnancy, that the two of them will be grandparents...


    Pain pierced Hailee''s chest imagining their happy faces that she couldn''t possibly see and it was all because of Aileen¡­


    ================


    Aileen finally returned to her office after a few days of absence and could not be contacted because she was with the mysterious man who took her away the night Hailee kicked her out of the house.


    Yes, in the end, Aileen was interested in going with the man and knowing his identity.


    Of course, Aileen couldn''t tell anyone about this, because what she was going to do after this was something no one else should know.


    As more people got involved, there would be more people to worry about if the n was exposed and Aileen couldn''t take the risk.


    She wouldn''t say this to anyone, including George. Hell, there was no one else in this world that Aileen could trust except herself and moreover, she was hellbent on making this n work more than anything else.


    "Where have you been?!" cried George, as soon as he burst into Aileen''s study with his usual dark expression; full of anger and harsh words.


    In the past, he still refrained from cursing or hitting Aileen in the office, but recently, especially when the problems of Aileen and Theodore''s married life were revealed in the media and the Gevano family became hostile toward the Tatum family, which made all agreements between the two families be annulled, George no longer cared where they were, yelling and cursing at Aileen to his heart''s content.


    "I have no obligation to report to you," Aileen replied, she refocused her attention on theptop in front of her, she had some important work to finish immediately and talking to George was nothing but a waste of time.


    "Oh, of course you have to, you wretch!" shouted George again, his voice booming through the room. He dared to act like that because he was sure the soundproofing in this room wouldn''t let his voice travel all the way out.


    "No," said Aileen curtly. "You can leave if you have nothing important to do with me."


    "Now you dare to oppose me!" George walked with furious steps toward Aileen, but as soon as he reached her, Aileen immediately stood up and faced him head on.


    "Do you know? Hailee already found out that we were the ones behind the plot to kill her parents," Aileen said quickly before George could hurl any more cursing words. "She has Ramon Tordoff behind her and you can start to imagine what she''s going to do."


    **************


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 Chapter 282: DOES LIS KNOW?

    <h4>Chapter 282: DOES LIS KNOW?</h4>


    "Do you know? If I have to fall, then I''ll drag you with me," Aileen said in a straightforward and threatening tone to George. She was starting to show him that she wasn''t a doll he could just order around. "Therefore, instead of spending your breath cursing at me, use your brain to find a way out of this problem."


    Because Aileen had already found her own way out, and yes, she had obtained it in an unexpected way.


    After saying that, Aileen pushed George''s body out of her way while she walked to the other side of the room to get a drink.


    "No way," Geoge denied the information he had just heard. "Impossible. If it''s true that Hailee knows what we did to her parents, there''s no way she''ll just keep quiet."


    George turned around and walked over to Aileen again. He didn''t believe it. Hailee seemed so calm, even though she knew the truth.


    "Oh, she said she would make our lives miserable," Aileen then spent the next five minutes exining in more detail what exactly Hailee had told her.


    She also didn''t forget to add a few words here and there that could provoke George and make this old fart try to be smarter in managing his emotions or his ns for the future, because this was the only thing Aileen wanted to get involved with George. For the rest, they would each take their own way.


    This was thest kindness Aileen could show him, as his daughter.


    "No, you must not be serious when you say that," George refuted what Aileen said. "Hailee doesn''t have that kind of personality."


    Aileenughed softly when she heard George''s silly words. "What do you expect from her now?" asked Aileen. "We killed her parents, and you still expect her to be an innocent girl and forgive us just like that if we apologize?" Aileen used a scornful tone in her sentence.


    She didn''t understand why she had such a stupid and overly naive father like this¡­


    Let alone Hailee, even she wanted to kill George for all the unjust treatment so far. Aileen still remembered how George executed a stupid n that almost got her killed in a car ident, just to keep Theodore from taking her to the hospital for a monthly checkup.


    "Think more sensibly," Aileen criticized her father, casually walking over to the sofa and plopping down before looking at George''s surprised expression.


    "So what will she do?" George wasn''t afraid of Hailee, because no matter how angry she was, she wouldn''t be able to do much if it weren''t for Ramon''s support.


    And the big problem here is; Ramon supports his wife''s every decision. George still remembered very well how he paid for his wrongdoing to Ramon regarding the ring matter earlier and it was still clearly etched in his memory.


    "I do not know." Aileen shrugged her shoulders nonchntly. "You think she will share her revenge n with me?"


    "Stop talking sarcastically to me!" George was furious. Aileen made himself look stupid by talking in this way and that was what his daughter really wanted.


    However, before Aileen could reply to George''s words, her cell phone rang and she took it from her purse.


    On the rectangr screen of the phone was a single initial; ''L'', a contact Aileen had recently added. It was the mysterious man who had a personal grudge against Ramon, although Aileen didn''t know the actual problem between the two of them.


    But, for sure the target is Hailee.


    "Where are you going?" asked George when he saw Aileen walking out of her office to take a call. This made him suspicious.


    "I don''t need to report all my business to you, do I?" Aileen nced at George over her shoulder. "You can stay here and think about what kind of trouble Hailee will put us through."


    After saying that, Aileen closed her office door and proceeded to pick up her phone before the call ended.


    ================


    Hailee wore a denim jacket and a blue dress that covered her knees and t shoes to go to the hospital with Lis.


    But, of course before that, Hailee called Ramon to tell him her ns for the day and her husband immediately said he would follow her there.


    Hailee actually wanted to prevent Ramon from doing this, but she was also worried about her safety, because Ramon knew his mother better and was well aware of what decisions to make.


    What was more, Hailee felt calmer when Ramon was around her.


    After Hailee let Ramon knew which hospital would take her, he immediately hung up the phone and she assumed her husband was getting ready to leave the office.


    Imagining Ramon''s face tense from worrying about her, somehow made Hailee happy. Because it showed how important she was to Ramon.


    For Hailee, a man would be much more attractive when he showed his concern openly than when he insisted on not showing any emotion.


    Maybe for that reason, although Ramon''s overprotective attitude sometimes overwhelmed Hailee, in the end, she didn''t mind at all and enjoyed it with ''open arms.''


    "Hailee..." Lis suddenly called out when Hailee was lost in thought while looking at the street outside her car window.


    "Yes mom?" she asked, turning to give her attention to what Lis have to say.


    "Have you been feeling anything strangetely?" Lis asked suddenly and she could see her daughter-inw frowning. "I mean, has everything been going welltely?"


    "Yes, everything is fine." Hailee didn''t know what answer Lis wanted to hear from that question, but Lis''s question alone was already something out of the ordinary.


    "How is your rtionship with Ramon?" Liz asked again. Her facial expression was serious. "Did Ramon treat you well?"


    Hailee nodded. "He treats me really well in fact," she said with a genuine smile.


    "In that case, it''s good." Liz nodded with satisfaction.


    "What''s wrong mom?" This time it was Hailee''s turn to ask what Lis meant with these sudden questions.

 Chapter 283: IS IT JUST A COINCIDENCE?

    <h4>Chapter 283: IS IT JUST A COINCIDENCE?</h4>


    Lisa shook her head. "It''s okay Hailee, I''m just worried because I''m rarely around you and can''t be with you." Lis then grabbed Hailee''s hand.


    "There''s no need to worry about that, Ramon and I have a very good rtionship," Hailee replied in a determined tone.


    "That''s good then, even though you''ve only known each other for a very short time, but you can live through this marriage well," Lis said dreamily.


    Hailee''s smile instantly faded...


    Short rtionship? Shouldn''t Lis be thinking that Ramon had been in a rtionship with Hailee secretly for two years? Why is she now saying that they only met recently?


    Does Liz know something?


    Hailee''s inquisitive gaze made Lis realize the mistake she had just made, she slowly turned her head and found Hailee biting her lip, her habit whenever she felt like saying something but trying to refrain from doing so.


    "Yes, Hailee, I know it," said Lis straightforwardly. The slip of words she just had now, of course, was difficult to justify. After all, Lis didn''t intend to keep this from Hailee any longer, so maybe what she did earlier was a way for her to say this to her daughter-inw.


    "What do you know, mom?" Hailee squinted, she didn''t want to look too defensive, but that was how she felt right now.


    Immediately, the atmosphere turned more serious and tense as the topic of conversation shifted to something they shouldn''t have touched.


    "You are not the woman Ramon dated for two years while he kept it a secret," Lis said curtly, but that was enough to exin everything. Telling Hailee that her big lie had been discovered by Lis.


    Hailee felt the air being knocked out of her body, making it difficult for her to breathe and not only that, her hands were shaking as her mind was racing to find the right words to exin to Lis.


    Hailee knew that her lie was fatal, but she didn''t want Lis to misunderstand her and think that Hailee had been with Ramon with bad intentions.


    This was not a secret, many beautiful women from various walks of life constantly tried to approach Ramon with various motives, but most of them were, of course, negative.


    However, what Hailee and Ramon have is pure, they love each other. Ramon said that he loved Hailee and Hailee felt the same way about him.


    Hailee then sighed, she knew why Lis didn''t borate or utter another word, it was because she was waiting for Hailee to exin to her. "I didn''t mean to lie, I was in a difficult position at the time, so I had to do that."


    Hailee raised her head and looked Lis right in the eye, she could see that her mother-inw was listening without interrupting her exnation. This was a good thing, it meant Lis had an open mind to hear Hailee''s side of the story.


    "Ramon knows it all," Hailee concluded.


    Liz frowned. "Ramon knew?" she looked at Hailee in disbelief as the girl nodded. "Has Ramon got all his memories back?"


    Hailee shook her head. "No. Ramon hasn''t regained his memory yet." And at that moment, Hailee could see an odd relief in Lis'' eyes.


    Why is Lis relieved that Ramon''s memory hasn''t recovered yet? Hailee decided not to tell Lis about the snippets Ramon managed to recall. Leaving it for Ramon to decide on talking to his mother about it was the best solution.


    "But he still chose you and continued the marriage? Or did he realize it after you two got married?" The wrinkles between Liz''s eyebrows deepened. Sometimes she didn''t understand what was going on in Ramon''s mind, even though he was her son.


    Lis found out about Hailee''s background and everything that happened to this woman moments before she found out that she was pregnant. And the facts she learned were quite astonishing.


    She didn''t expect that such a thing could happen to Hailee, or to anyone. However, still, the fact that Hailee had lied to Ramon bothered Lis, even though she could see that Ramon seemed happy with this woman.


    "Ramon knew I wasn''t his girlfriend even before we got married," Hailee added hastily. "This marriage was not what I suggested, at first it was just our deal, but things went beyond both of our expectations, and we are really happy now."


    Lis then closed her eyes, she took a deep breath. "Hailee, I don''t want to judge your rtionship," she said in a low voice.


    Yes, Lis didn''t want to judge Hailee just from her lies, because she knew the reason behind her lie. Perhaps, if Lis were in her position, she would have done the same, and what''s more important was that Hailee didn''t show any ill will toward Ramon.


    "But, I just want to tell you one thing." Lis opened her eyes and looked sharply at Hailee. "Keep your intentions pure toward Ramon and I will let this lie be forgotten."


    Hailee felt that she was being threatened, and that was exactly what Lis was doing right now.


    "But, if you try to do anything harmful to him, I won''t stand by." Lis took Hailee''s hand and squeezed it gently, but it was also a warning, saying that she was serious about every word she said. "You will understand itter after your child is born, but I want to tell you one thing first. That a mother''s instinct to protect her child can be terrifying at times."


    "I understand," Hailee replied calmly. "I really love Ramon and you have my word, because just like you, I will not stand by when my family is hurt."


    And Hailee''sst sentence could be said to have a double meaning, delivering a hidden warning behind it cleverly.


    After the conversation, the atmosphere calmed down again, but it still didn''t return to the way it used to be, because both of them were busy with their own thoughts while the car drove on the busy street.


    ================


    Ian pulled out the cell phone Ramon had given him and it was a securework for him to call the Tordoff heir.


    Ramon warned Ian that he should only contact him if the mysterious person who wanted to kill Ramon, had contacted him.


    and just as he expected, the mysterious man again contacted Ian to threaten him with his sister''s safety and Ian answered them as Ramon had taught him.


    And now he was waiting for his phone to connect to Ramon''s.


    "As you said, he contacted me and asked me to meet him," Ian did not bother with uttering a greeting when the phone call was finally picked up by Ramon. He immediately cut to the chase.


    "When and where?" asked Ramon, he was driving to the hospital Hailee mentioned. And of course Ian''s call was answered on speaker mode. Ramon didn''t want to have a second ident in this situation.


    "Somewhere on the outskirts of town, exactly five days from today," answered Ian.


    Hearing Ian''s answer, Ramon frowned. Five days from today? It was the day hispany''s celebration party would be held¡­


    Is this just a coincidence?


    ===============


    Check my instagram @jikan_yo_tomare to seeic strip from chapter 39. CAN''T YOU KNOCK THE DOOR?

 Chapter 284: I WANT TO ACCOMPANY YOU

    <h4>Chapter 284: I WANT TO ACCOMPANY YOU</h4>


    Lis apanied Hailee for her obstetric appointment, and this was her second time in a month.


    Although Hailee went once with Ramon, because Lis wanted to experience the activities she had promised since the beginning of her daughter- in-w''s pregnancy, Haileeplied.


    However, studying the results of this examination, the doctor said several things, including that Hailee had to restpletely for three days and take the medicines and vitamins that were prescribed.


    "What is it?" Hailee asked worriedly, while Lis beside her had the same expression on.


    Then the doctor exined that there was a problem with Hailee''s pregnancy, but it wasn''t a serious one, it seemed that it was because Hailee was too tired.


    The doctor also asked if recently there was anything that stressed Hailee or made her feel depressed.


    It must be admitted that this week was the toughest week for her since she got pregnant, especially the issue regarding Zia which drained her emotions and thoughts.


    Hailee had tried not to think too much about the matter, but of course it wasn''t an easy thing to do, especially when it came to the people closest to her.


    Knowing that there was a death threat against Ramon, involving Ian, had drained most of her energy.


    "Yes, it is best for you to rest? for the following few days and not think about things that would stress you too much," said the doctor, who then gave Hailee the medicine and vitamins she needed.


    This ispletely unexpected.


    Hailee didn''t know that this would have an effect to this extent on her pregnancy, of course hearing that exnation made her even more worried and guilty, and it was evident on her face.


    "It''s okay, this is normal during the first term of pregnancy, especially during the first pregnancy." The doctor could easily read what Hailee was thinking through her facial expressions and she tried to calm the young mother- to- be.


    "It is okay, Hailee." Lis grabbed Hailee''s hand and held it. "You just do what the doctor says and after that you will be fine. Mother also experienced this when she was pregnant with Ramon."


    Hailee looked at Lis and nodded slowly. All right, she is going to rest and not think about the things that have been bothering her. After all, Ramon had taken care of Zia''s problem and now Zia was fine, so there was nothing for Hailee to worry about.


    ================


    "Why would I attend Tordoff''spany anniversary?" Aileen eximed at Leon''s wish for her to attend the event. Knowing it was Hailee''s territory, of course she didn''t want to embarrass herself at the event.


    Leon, the man sitting opposite Aileen, was now drinking his coffee quietly, while the sunlight from the window of the expensive restaurant where they had met, shone onto the dragon tattoo along his left arm. It was the symbol of an organization that he led.


    Although not many know the organization, for the people in their circle, this organization was the most feared.


    Leon moved slyly and did everything he could to get what he wanted.


    "Of course you should go," Leon said slowly. "Don''t you want to meet your sister?"


    "She is not my sister," Aileen refuted with a growl.


    Leon shrugged his shoulders nonchntly, then turned his face to admire the sunlight. He closed his eyes and spoke in the same tone, as if he had not heard Aileen''s previous refusal.


    "You should attend the anniversary event," he said without giving Aileen any room to argue.


    This man is really hard to deal with.


    ================


    When Hailee came out of the examination room, after asking a few more things about her pregnancy, she was surprised to find Ramon outside.


    The man leaned his massive body against the wall behind him and when he found out Hailee hade out with Lis, he immediately went to his wife and hugged her.


    "Could you leave me and mother for a bit? Wait in the car, I will follow soon," said Ramon softly, he had some things he had to ask Lis directly.


    But, at this point, actually Ramon still had no idea how to start or what he should ask because, after all, Lis was his mother.


    Not for sensitive reasons or matters of feelings, but because, just like Lis, they both know how each other thinks and to what extent they can manipte the other person.


    Tell lies undetected and also find out the information hidden in each answer given.


    Hailee looked at Ramon and Lis in turn, before she finally nodded, knowing that this was not her realm to interfere.


    Listening to it live or not, Ramon would tell her everything in the end, at least that was what Hailee knew.


    "Okay," Hailee said, then walked to the car with Pyro.


    After Hailee left, Ramon then looked at Lis and spoke in a firm voice, their gazes met and both seemed to know that this was an important discussion that couldn''t be avoided.


    It was a question That Lis had to answer, if not now, she would have to answer it one day.


    However, on the other hand, Ramon was determined to get that answer right now.


    Unbeknownst to Lis, Margaretha had said a few things to Ramon, although the information he got from the designer was iplete and still needed further confirmation, but at least Ramon stumbled upon some key points.


    "We have to talk," said Ramon.


    ================


    Ian returned to Zia''s room after he finished talking to Ramon and saw the woman was sitting on her bed weakly, with the IV tube still stuck in her arm.


    However, what caught Ian''s attention was the object Zia was currently focusing on that she didn''t notice Ian''s arrival.


    It was a knife on the table, which was used to peel fruit. Zia looked at it as if she had other thoughts about the thing.


    **************


    Meet me on instagram @Jikan_yo_tomare and find out about the characters'' inner thought.


    See you there ^^

 Chapter 285: WHO IS LEON DAWSON?

    <h4>Chapter 285: WHO IS LEON DAWSON?</h4>


    Ian understood what was going through Zia''s mind, but he didn''t want to say anything about it, because it was not something he could clearly express.


    Instead, Ian sat beside Zia''s bed and took her eyes off the knife on the table by leaning to the side, obscuring her view.


    "Want to go out for a bit with me?" Ian asked with a smile on his lips.


    However, Zia instead averted her gaze, as if she didn''t want to see Ian there, then said in a low muttering voice, "Go away, I want to be alone."


    "But, I want to apany you here," Ian said earnestly. After seeing what kind of intent shed across Zia''s eyes, there was no way Ian would let her be alone or leave without caring what would happen to this woman.


    They weren''t close, but that didn''t mean Ian would turn a blind eye to Zia''s suffering.


    Ian wouldn''t say that what Zia did was right, but he wasn''t in a position to judge how this woman lived her life, especially since Ian couldn''t say that he was proud of himself or the way he had been living his life so far.


    "I want to be alone," Zia repeated and theny back on the bed before covering herself fully with the nket, not even leaving her face.


    Meanwhile, Ian simply kept his word. The man didn''t even move an inch from Zia''s side until Diego returned to apany his daughter, having finished his work.


    No other family hade to visit Zia. Either they were busy with their own lives or they were too embarrassed to acknowledge Zia as family after what kind of disgrace this woman had brought upon herself.


    As for Hailee, because of her pregnant condition, it was not possible for her to travel back and forth between city A and city R. Even so, she would never forget to call and ask about Zia''s condition every day, even though her cousin would not take any calls from her.


    Zia seemed to be at the lowest point of her life and nothing else could make her happy again like before.


    Now, she looked much different than she had weeks ago.


    ================


    In a restaurant that was less crowded.


    At a table that tended to be in the farthest corner from the entrance and was almost impossible to locate through a fleeting nce, two Tordoffs were sitting facing each other, with two cups of coffee between the two of them.


    The two stared at each other for a full minute, as if they were judging each other, or thinking hard about what they were going to say.


    It was Ramon who then finally broke the silence between them.


    "So, is there anything you want to tell me?" he asked, leaning his back against the plush chair. He looked at Lis with a probing gaze, reading every little move his mother made.


    "I don''t feel like I have anything to say to you," Lis said calmly. She was inplete control of the situation.


    "How about starting with Lexus?" After the question was posed, Ramon could see the change in Lis''s expression, where she looked quite surprised and took some time to return to her calm expression again.


    There were several things that Margaretha told Ramon, but what surprised her the most was this one issue.


    Even though Ramon had thought of the worst, but facing the fact that it was a reality, a small part of Ramon''s mind still continued to resist.


    "What about Lexus?" Lis asked. She then reached out for her coffee, but Ramon pushed his mother''s coffee cup out of her reach.


    Ramon knew Lis''s habit, his mother would drink or eat something when she was nervous or didn''t want to talk, as if she could swallow back the words she should have said with those drinks or food.


    Lis then red at Ramon for doing that, but then she calmed down and leaned her back against the back of the chair, just like Ramon did.


    Both mother and child have the same tendency while doing things, which proved that some traits were gically inherited.


    "Who is Lexus''s father?" asked Ramon bluntly. He didn''t have time to talk verbatim to Lis, because Hailee was waiting for him in the car right now.


    And after all, their conversation would not progress any further and no information would be obtained by Ramon in that way.


    "What do you mean by asking like that, Ramon!?" cried Liz. Her voice rose and her eyes stared fiercely at her first son. A highly sensitive reaction from someone who feels cornered.


    "I''m just asking, who''s Lexus''s father?" Ramon repeated his question, he didn''t care about his mother''s re. "You can answer it without raising your voice, but if you act like this, I will feel there is something wrong with the question."


    "Of course it''s wrong! Something is indeed wrong with that question!" Lis hissed, she tried to lower her voice because she didn''t want to attract unnecessary attention from the people around them, but it was very difficult to suppress her bubbling emotions and hide the fact that her body was starting to tremble with the rumbling of her heart.


    "Then why don''t you just answer it?" Ramon still maintained the same expression.


    "I don''t need to answer that stupid question!" Lisa growled. She then leaned in even further to reach for her coffee cup and this time Ramon didn''t stop her, it seemed his mother did need some caffeine to deal with her irregr heartbeat.


    "That doesn''t answer my question though," Ramon sighed. He then leaned over and looked at Lis more seriously. "Or should I change the question?"


    Lis then did the same as Ramon. "You can''t intimidate me Ramon, remember that you are my son."


    Ramon ignored thatst sentence and left Lis even more speechless when he changed his question.


    "Then can I ask, who is Leon Dawson?" Ramon smiled slightly when he saw how Lis took a sharp breath, gasping unconsciously. "Or should I call him Herbert Long? Because he seems morefortable with that name."


    ================


    Hailee looked out of the car window with a worried expression, as it had been an hour since Ramon had left with Lis for a conversation and neither of them had returned.


    What happened? What were they talking about?


    And again, Hailee felt a sudden pain in her stomach and her hand automatically went to her stomach which was now a small bump, rubbing away the pain while leaning her body against the back of the chair.


    Hailee closed her eyes trying to calm down and not think about anything, it was just that the more she tried to clear her mind, the more things shed before her eyes.


    The only person you can''t lie to is yourself...


    "Are you okay?" Pyro asked when he saw Hailee closing her eyes with a frown.


    "Yeah, I am fine..." Hailee said weakly. Her hand was still on her stomach, but then Hailee felt something warm running along her thighs¡­


    ===============


    Check my instagram @jikan_yo_tomare to seeic strip from chapter 39. CAN''T YOU KNOCK THE DOOR?

 Chapter 286: DARKER

    <h4>Chapter 286: DARKER</h4>


    "Or should I call him Herbert Long? Because he seems morefortable with that name." Ramon noticed how Lis''s calm face got distorted when he said the name and it didn''t take a genius to know that there was something going on between Lis and the man called Herbert Long.


    Lis''s body stiffened, she stared intently at her son, as her mind was filled with all sorts of difficult questions for herself to answer.


    How much does Ramon know about Leon? How did he even know him! Has Ramon got his memory back?


    But, if Ramon had indeed regained his memory, he couldn''t possibly be this calm in the face of it. No. Ramon hadn''t gotten all his memories yet. However, that couldn''t exin how his son hade to know about Leon''s existence. He shouldn''t have remembered anything.


    Lis started to feel panicked, because she knew very well how Ramon worked. If this son of hers had dared to confront her openly, it would mean that he already had some irrefutable evidence that she could not evade.


    The investigation into Leon must have been running for a long time. And how much did Ramon know?


    Lis bit her lip and sped her own hands which were shaking as panic overtook her, but she tried to suppress all those feelings and not show them through her facial expression.


    The attempt proved to be a failure...


    "So?" Ramon raised an eyebrow. "You want to exin this to me or should I stick with my own assumptions?"


    Lisa didn''t make a sound. She then reached out her hand to pick up her coffee cup again and downed it in one go.


    Ramon was very much like his father. His ability to analyze problems and situations really could not be underestimated. Especially when he started investigating something.


    Ramon would not stop until he found what he was looking for. Just like his dad...


    "How long are you going to hide this?" Ramon folded his arms across his chest, his voice getting lower, but enough for Lis to hear the warning tone in his voice. "How deep is the rtionship between the two of you?"


    Lis put down her empty coffee cup, still refusing to make a sound. She couldn''t deny it, because she would look too stupid to try to do that, but she also didn''t have the courage to exin the real problem.


    "Or¡­" Ramon then leaned forward. "Should I change the question, to; how long have you two been together? Were you two in a rtionship when father was still alive?" he asked.


    Lis bit her lip, she couldn''t break eye contact with Ramon. The look in her son''s eyes was full of usations.


    "Right," Ramon muttered, nodding his head as if his mother had confirmed this to him. "You guys were rted even when dad was alive," Ramon deduced from Lis''s reaction.


    Even though Ramon had expected this and he shouldn''t have been surprised anymore since he had already predicted it, but still, seeing Lis not refuting or trying to defend herself in order to rify her son''s usations, made Ramon feel very disappointed.


    "Then what about Lexus?" Ramon didn''t stop there, because the family''s dirtyundry had been aired and the wounds had opened wide, so what else had to be covered up, wouldn''t it be better if everything was resolved right now?


    The prolonged pain of procrastinating the reality that lies ahead is far more terrifying than knowing it all at the same time.


    "What''s with Lexus?" Lis immediately became defensive. She looked at Ramon as if her first son would do something to his younger brother.


    "Is he the son of this man named Leon?" asked Ramon. He also became defensive, and this was the longest conversation the two of them had had in years.


    It was unknown of how long it had been since Ramon had spoken to Lis like this, maybe he had done it in thest four years which he forgot about, but still he didn''t remember ever confronting Lis and cornering her like this.


    Things only got worse and the more information Ramon dug, the worse the situation he had to face.


    On the other hand, Lis didn''t say anything. She stayed silent as before.


    And Ramon didn''t have any other choice but to draw his own conclusions with the attitude Lis showed. "Does Lexus know about this?"


    Lis gulped and turned her gaze to the window, where she could see a small garden beside the hospital cafeteria, several children were ying happily, and they reminded Lis of Ramon and Lexus when they were Little.


    "No, he doesn''t know," Lis answered honestly, because she knew there was no point in lying at this point. Lis''s breath was heavy. She didn''t expect that the day she dreaded had finallye.


    "Did father know about this?" asked Ramon. The questions deepened and he had prepared himself for the darkest and most disappointing answers, because the following question would go even further and would hurt both of them.


    However, Ramon needed to know about this reality.


    Lis sighed again and this time she closed her eyes, not only could she not look at Ramon, but she was sinking deeper and deeper into the pain that was now welling up inside her heart. "He knew."


    "How long had he known about this?" Ramon narrowed his eyes dangerously. Could it be that his father had known for a long time?


    Ramon couldn''t help but think back to his dream about his parents'' fight when Lexus was a baby.


    "Since Lexus was born," Lis replied in a slightly trembling voice. "Ramon, your father is not what you think. He''s not as good as you think."


    "And you''re not as good as I thought you are either." Ramon red at Lis intently when he opened his eyes and saw how much his words had hurt his mother''s heart. "I guess that''s fair enough for both of you."


    **************


    The original story belongs to WEBNOVEL.


    Meet me on Instagram @jikan_yo_tomare

 Chapter 287: BEDREST

    <h4>Chapter 287: BEDREST</h4>


    "Yes," Lis answered in a tired whisper. She admitted that much. "I''m not really a good mother to you two."


    Seeing Lis acting weak like this only made Ramon even more furious. "Does father''s death have anything to do with the man named Leon?"


    Lis widened her eyes and squealed. "Ramon! You''re being outrageous!"


    But, before Ramon could say anything or validate his ims, his cell phone started ringing and he couldn''t ignore the call because it was from Pyro, which must have something to do with Hailee.


    Ramon quickly picked up the call and his facial expression changed as soon as he heard the first sentence from Hailee''s bodyguard.


    "What is it?" Lis asked when she saw Ramon standing up quickly before half sprinting out of the restaurant.


    ==============


    For a moment, Hailee heard amotion outside her ward, but in the next second Ramon''s face came into her view.


    The worried look in the man''s eyes told Hailee how panicked her husband was at the moment.


    After entering the room, Ramon didn''t say anything. He just sat beside Hailee''s bed holding her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of his woman''s hand gently.


    "How do you feel?" Ramon asked when he saw that Hailee was showing no signs of pain or sadness, which meant their baby was fine.


    "Just tired," Hailee said, then she briefly exined what her doctor had told her, while Ramon listened intently.


    Hailee felt pain in her stomach and after that felt a warm liquid running along her thighs, which was confirmed afterward to be blood.


    In a panic, Hailee asked Pyro to take her back to the hospital and meet the same doctor who had examined her.


    Luckily they were still near the hospital, so Hailee could get examined quickly and was also treated immediately.


    For now, Hailee and the baby were fine, but she had to be administered with two bags of saline before being allowed to go home and restpletely.


    She also shouldn''t think about too many things that could stress her out, which was easier said than done, because how would she be able to avoid doing so even if she wanted to?


    However, seeing how she had harmed their baby by not taking care of herself, Hailee tried toply and not push herself, for a while she would assume that the problems she was facing didn''t exist.


    Whether it was a problem with Giana or Aileen. Hailee could think of the two of themter¡­


    "You are going to restpletely," Ramon repeated Hailee''s words about the doctor''s advice. "I will make sure you rest well."


    Hailee nodded, she didn''t reject or deny Ramon''s words, because she herself was utterly shocked when she saw the blood flowing between her thighs and had thought about the worst that she might face.


    Meanwhile, Lis was across the room, talking to the doctor who treated Hailee to find out the details of the condition of her daughter- in-w and future grandson.


    "What about mom?" Hailee asked quietly, she couldn''t help but ask, you could say it was instinct.


    However, Ramon shook his head and smiled. "Fine," he said tly. "Later."


    Later, after Hailee''s condition was much better and after his wife had given birth to their baby safely, because Ramon didn''t want to add trouble to her mind.


    And Hailee understood what Ramon meant, it didn''t seem like things were getting any better, but she didn''t need to know now, because Ramon must have thought of the best solution for every problem¡­


    "Okay," Hailee said quietly.


    ================


    The divorce trial between Giana and Aidan was still in the spotlight and the shares of the Dawsonpany continued getting worse. They must either find a solution to this problem or take more concrete steps to stop the news out there.


    Because after all, Aidan''s bad image reflected a considerable influence on thepany''s image, especially when thepany they run was engaged in services and a good image is a sacred thing to maintain.


    However, Aidan''s focus is now divided.


    He was still very worried about Zia''s condition after learning that the woman was admitted to the hospital for an attempted suicide.


    Aidan kept ming Aileen, it was all that damn woman''s fault!


    If only Aileen didn''t leak the photos between himself and Zia, then all Aidan''s ns would have gone smoothly and he could have a normal rtionship with the woman he loved after his divorce with Giana was settled.


    However, never once did Aidan think that all this had happened because he underestimated Aileen''s cunning nature and didn''t take her threats too seriously, even after she coborated with Giana.


    He was too reckless and arrogant to admit that the two women could mess up his life to such an extent.


    Aidan miscalcted, he took the wrong step and underestimated the abilities of these two women and now he had to suffer the consequences.


    "Where are you going Aidan?" asked Sophie, Aidan''s mother, when she saw her son going out at night, sporting a leather jacket.


    Since Aidan''s troubles started, he had returned to the Smith residence because this ce felt much safer from the pursuit of the increasingly crazed media, who didn''t even care when they have to enter someone''s private property just to get thetest information.


    "I will be back in a bit," Aidan muttered. He felt very ufortable with his mother''s overprotective attitude. He wasn''t a teenager, but Sophie treated him like one.


    "You are going to see that girl?" Sophie asked in a low voice. "You can''t go, Aidan. Things will only get worse if you do that."


    Aidan pushed Sophie''s hand away and growled with despair and anger. "That is none of your business!"


    "Mother will never approve of your rtionship with that girl!"


    ================


    Ramon proved his point. He really made sure that his wife rested by personally monitoring everything.


    Yes, Ramon not only started working from home, but he also moved his study table into the room.


    If anyone had said Ramon''s way of treating Hailee until then was being overprotective and seemed like he wasn''t himself, then now, that man was taking his standards to an extreme level. He didn''t even let Hailee out of his sight for even a moment.


    "Ramon, you will die of boredom if you are cooped up in the room like this," Hailee rested her head on Ramon''s shoulder, while her husband was staring atst month''s sales data, which Hailee didn''t understand at all.


    "I''m not bored," he said tly.


    Ramon had been locked in his room for several days and Lexus would grumble every time he came and had to hand over the work to Ramon.


    Not only Lexus, sometimes Danny also came to report about work problems, or Marco, who came to inform Ramon about the progress of the investigation regarding Leon Dawson.


    Meanwhile Hailee would watch cartoons all day or watch her favorite horror movies, and Ramon would apany her doing his own things.


    But, over time, these activities stopped appealing to Haileepletely¡­


    "Oh, tomorrow is thepany anniversary, right?" asked Hailee. She had tried on the dress that Margaretha had made for her and was very pleased with the result.


    "We are not attending," said Ramon curtly.


    "Ahh¡­" Hailee sighed in disappointment.


    **************


    The original story belongs to WEBNOVEL.


    Meet me on Instagram @jikan_yo_tomare.

 Chapter 288: SAVAGE

    <h4>Chapter 288: SAVAGE</h4>


    "Ahh¡­" Hailee sighed in disappointment. "Even though I have been waiting for this event to wear that dress..." she rubbed her face against Ramon''s upper arm and looked for a morefortable position to lean on her husband. "Too bad, clothes that expensive cannot be worn¡­"


    "You can wear it after the birth of our child," Ramon said, his hand reaching out to gently caress the top of Hailee''s head before kissing her forehead. "What do you want to eat?" asked Ramon.


    "Eat?" Hailee widened her eyes. "I just finished eating half an hour ago."


    "You want some fruit?"


    Hailee then nced at her fruit te which she had just emptied five minutes ago. "I have eaten fruit."


    "Then want some chocte?"


    Hailee nodded, grinning.


    "Wait a minute, I will get it," said Ramon, then got up to get a pack of choctes that Hailee had been really likingtely.


    Hailee then leaned back on the sofa while watching Ramon from behind and couldn''t stop admiring her husband.


    Hhmm¡­ if only there were no problems called Giana and Aileen, of course her life would be perfect right now.


    No. No.


    Hailee shook her head to get rid of those thoughts. She then closed her eyes to take a deep breath, one of the methods she had been using recently whenever she needed to calm down.


    Hailee just opened her eyes when someone opened the door. She thought it was Ramon who had just returned with the promised box of choctes, but it turned out to be Lexus who came with a scrunched up face carrying a brown envelope in his hand.


    It seemed that it was an important file that the two brothers had to discuss together.


    "Where did you hide my brother?" asked Lexus as he stepped into the room, then sat down next to Hailee.


    His sister- in-w frowned, hearing how Lexus asked for Ramon. The sentence seemed to indicate that Hailee had kidnapped her husband and tied him up somewhere so he couldn''t go anywhere, not even to the office.


    "Your brother is too big to hide," Hailee grumbled. "Hey, why don''t you knock on the door before you enter this room?" Haileeined when she realized this.


    "Oh, I forgot¡­ it seems my habit hasn''t gone away," said Lexus lightly. He ced the brown envelope on top of Ramon''sptop keyboard and leaned back. "After all, what are you two going to do in broad daylight?"


    Hailee grinned mischievously. "Oh, so what if it''s daytime? That doesn''t guarantee that you won''t see something you shouldn''t see."


    Lexus pursed his lips and looked at Hailee in horror. "You are getting more and more shameless Hailee."


    And Haileeughed at Lexus''s expression. "So next time, don''t forget to knock on the door first."


    "Sure, sure. Besides, I have to keep my eyes pure from people like you," Lexus grumbled. He then repeated the question that Hailee had not answered earlier. "Where''s Ramon?"


    "He''s getting me choctes," Hailee replied lightly.


    "Damn!" Lexus grumbled. "He never even bought me a piece of chocte. What did you do to my brother to be someone I don''t recognize anymore?"


    Hailee pouted her lips. "He looks a lot cuter and more human now."


    Lexus thought about the sentence for a moment and nodded in agreement. "Yes, you have a point, too," he muttered.


    Not long after, Ramon returned with a box of cold choctes, but his sharp eyes were fixed on Lexus.


    "Yo! Brother!" Lexus raised his hand with a grin, but Ramon''s next sentence made the grin disappear quickly.


    "What are you doing here?" replied Ramon while walking toward the two of them.


    "You really have the heart," Lexus protested while clutching his chest, as if Ramon''s words hurt him so much.


    Ramon then sat between Hailee and Lexus making the two of them have to shift in their positions to make room for him.


    "Am I not your brother anymore?" asked Lexus dramatically, but was ruthlessly ignored by Ramon.


    He then reached out his hand to take the choctes in Hailee''sp, but before Lexus could touch the choctes, Ramon had pped his hand away fiercely, staring at him with a warning look, as if by taking just a piece of chocte, he could starve his wife.


    "Cruel," said Lexus with a sad face and this made Haileeugh at the antiques of the two brothers.


    "What''s this?" Finally Ramon noticed the brown envelope that was ced on hisptop. He knew it was brought in by Lexus at a single nce.


    "Oh, that''s a document regarding the purchase of shares in the Dawson and Smithpanies," Lexus replied. The documents were important files for the purchase of shares of the twopanies that Ramon had ordered some time ago when the value of their shares plummeted on the stock market. "I? have got two more people willing to sell their shares."


    "Hm," Ramon nodded.


    "You bought shares in bothpanies?" asked Hailee. She didn''t remember Ramon ever telling her this. "I don''t remember you ever mentioning that."


    "Yeah, looks like I forgot to tell you." Ramon rubbed Hailee''s head. "Nothing to worry about."


    Hailee shrugged nonchntly. "I''m not worried, as long as it''s profitable, then why not?"


    A momentter, Hailee then ate her chocte heartily on her bed, while Ramon and Lexus sat on the sofa discussing the shares.


    He knew that tonight Giana would be attending Tordoff''spany anniversary and there was a high chance she would meet Ramon there.


    ================


    Giana was busy grooming herself to attend Tordoff''spany anniversary event tonight. She was dressed very prettily in slightly sexy clothes, because she hoped, no, she was sure that she would meet Ramon tonight.


    While Giana was too immersed in her own preupation with her makeup, she didn''t realize that she was humming, something she very, very rarely did.


    "You seem very happy," Dillon said, standing behind Giana with a hard-to-read expression on his face. "Nothing like usual."


    *************


    THE ORIGINAL STORY BELONGS TO WEBNOVEL.


    meet me on instagram @jikan_yo_tomare.

 Chapter 289: NIGHT OF ANNYVERSARY

    <h4>Chapter 289: NIGHT OF ANNYVERSARY</h4>


    "What do you mean?" Giana dodged lightly, while continuing her makeup.


    "If I asked you not to go, would you listen to me?" asked Dillon, a note of hope in his voice, even though he knew what Giana would choose.


    "Dillon," Giana sighed. "Don''t be childish."


    "How can I be childish just by asking that?" Dillon protested.


    Giana then turned around and faced Dillon, looking straight into his eyes. "I know what''s on your mind," said Giana. She then stood up andnded a quick peck on Dillon''s lips. "Didn''t I already say that I would put in my efforts in this rtionship? We havee this far, are you still going to dwell on the past?" Giana asked softly and then she frowned when she saw Dillon was silent in response to what she said. "Are you still doubting me? After all this time? After everything we have been through and came our way?"


    Giana was at it again, she said the same thing every time Dillon started to doubt this rtionship and made it seem as if Dillon''s worries were superfluous andpletely unnecessary.


    "No," he said, taking a deep breath. Dillon then pulled Giana''s body closer and hugged her tightly, instantly he could smell her sweet perfume.


    "Then what?" asked Giana in a small voice, as if she was hurt by the way Dillon asked her questions. "You are not believing me after everything we have been through together and you still have doubts about me."


    Hearing this, of course Dillon felt even more guilty, he felt his feelings of anxiety and trust issues were too much and he shouldn''t doubt Giana.


    "I am sorry," Dillon finally said, as he always did whenever things like this came to the fore. "I just feel like you don''t take this rtionship seriously," he voiced out what he felt. Somehow, he just couldn''t her sincerity in this rtionship.


    Giana then loosened her arms, but since Dillon''s arms were still wrapped around her waist, the woman couldn''t go anywhere.


    "How can you think like that?" Giana asked with a furrowed forehead, she showed a hurt expression. "Why do you think that I am not serious about this rtionship? You are not seriously saying things like that, are you? How else can I convince you?"


    Giana yed her part well, now she felt she was getting better at manipting Dillon and her guilt was slowly fading away as they spent more time together.


    Giana considered their intimate moment was a payment for the bad deeds she was doing to this man.


    Because only by thinking like that Giana could feel better every time she ensnared Dillon with her wiles and maniptions.


    "Then we should get married," Dillon offered the same suggestion again. "I would feel much better if I can show the people that you really were mine."


    "Are we back on this matter again?" Giana sighed wearily. She lowered her head and purposely didn''t look at Dillon in order to hide the annoyance that shed across her beautiful eyes. "Didn''t I tell you the reason why we can''t get married yet?"


    "Yes, I know, I know," answered Dillon quickly. "We don''t need to do it now, I can wait until the news about you and Aidan dies down, a year or two, it doesn''t matter. But, I wonder, do you have the same thoughts as me?" Dillon exined quickly.


    This topic was something he brought up constantly, but every time Giana would avoid answering it outright.


    After all, they were living together now and it wasn''t that Dillon didn''t hear the disapproving tone of those around them who disapproved of Giana''s decision to keep Dillon by her side, but they had both decided to ignore all that and focus on the problem at hand.


    Giana then raised her head and cupped Dillon''s face with her hands. "Of course, once this settles down, we will talk about it, okay?"


    "You want to marry me?"


    Gianna smiled. "Of course."


    It was not difficult for Giana to agree to the proposal.


    ================


    Tordoff''spany anniversary party was something that many people were looking forward to and was a gathering ce for the country''s top businessmen.


    The people invited were those who have influence on the economy of the country. And it was an honor to be invited to this event.


    Therefore, by sunset, almost the entire parking lot at a luxurious and stately hotel in city A, which was part of a subsidiary under the Tordoff family, was almost full. There were rows of luxury cars that most people could only dream of owning, parked downstairs, almost like a luxury showroom.


    Those who came, looked extraordinary, wearing dresses by famous designers, especially the women, their bodies were glistening as if decorated with diamonds.


    Meanwhile, a few kilometers away from the venue, Mrs. Tordoff was wearing her favorite pajamas, sitting on the bed munching on chocte while staring at the television screen showing her favorite drama, grumbling.


    "I will be out for a bit, okay?" Ramon walked over to Hailee and kissed her lips briefly. He didn''t really want to go, but it was urgent, because after all he was the host of the event and he had other important matters to attend to after all.


    An important matter concerning Ian and the man named Leon.


    Ramon had to confirm whether this man named Leon was the same person who was behind the order to kill him.


    "I know, you can go then," Hailee said sadly. She then looked at Ramon with her big eyes. "But, hurry back, okay? I feel bad whenever you are not here with me."


    "Of course," replied Ramon calmly. He then hugged Hailee and kissed her cheek. "I will be right back. Go to sleep first and don''t wait for me, when you wake up in the morning, I will be by your side again."


    Haileeughed softly when she heard that and got off from the bed. "Then I will walk you all the way to the front door."


    "You don''t have to do that," Ramon disagreed.


    "Ohe on, the front door of this house is not that far away, I am feeling better after all." Yes, after almost a week of just being in the room and doing nothing, Hailee was really bored and felt her body was very stiff. Even if it was just their living room and front yard, Hailee wanted to see a different view.


    "Okay," Ramon granted the request.


    Then the two of them walked to the living room and threshold, where a ck luxury car was waiting for Ramon outside.


    "You are so handsome in this formal suit, I would be very jealous if you nced at other women," Hailee grumbled.


    "Why should I nce at other women when the most beautiful woman is waiting for my return?" Ramon was getting smart at flirting like this which made Hailee blush, even though she knew it was just a tease.


    "Of course, since I am your wife, you can only have your eyes on me," Hailee said flirtatiously, she tiptoed and peck his lips, grinning to see the love in her husband''s eyes.


    **************


    THE ORIGINAL STORY BELONGS TO WEBNOVEL.


    meet me on instagram @jikan_yo_tomare.

 Chapter 290: NIGHT OF ANNYVERSARY (2)

    <h4>Chapter 290: NIGHT OF ANNYVERSARY (2)</h4>


    Ian made sure Zia had fallen asleep after taking her medicine. He had already told Diego that he had business he couldn''t leave unattended and couldn''t stay with Zia all night.


    Diego understood and thanked Ian for being willing to apany his daughter while he was not around, of course he used words that were a little stern and didn''t sound like a thank you, but Ian understood him.


    After a few days of getting to know Diego, the man wasn''t that hard to understand.


    Ian then nced at Zia once more and stared at the girl a little longer, her breathing sounded calmer and she looked much better than when she was brought to this hospital.


    If her condition stabilized within three days, Zia would be allowed to go home.


    Diego had also arranged for a live- in psychiatrist to attend to his daughter and during that time, Zia would not hear any news from outside, until the situation was really conducive and society had forgotten about this case.


    Everything had been prepared perfectly, however, the results would depend on how Zia would respond to all these arrangements.


    Ian then took his brown leather jacket that was slung over the back of the sofa, and his eyes caught a glimpse of the fruit knife lying on the table.


    For a moment, Ian was silent, but then he reached out to grab the knife before calmly tucking it into his jacket.


    He didn''t know why he was doing this, but maybe it was instinct.


    There is nothing wrong with being on guard anyway, just in case something bad happens, and also he needs a weapon in case things don''t go well.


    Because after all, the people he was dealing with were not random people. They were the ones who had the intent to kill Ramon Tordoff!


    How brave they are...


    Ian then stepped out of the room and closed the door slowly.


    After Ian left, the atmosphere in the room was quiet again and only Zia''s breath could be heard.


    However, it didn''tst long, because a few minutester Zia opened her eyes and looked around the room.


    Silent and quiet¡­


    She was finally alone...


    Slowly, Zia got up from her bed and looked around, her gaze nk.


    ================


    Aileen had just entered the hall of the hotel where the party was to be held and saw how magnificent and luxurious the decorations for tonight''s party were.


    Every inch of the hotel that she passed seemed to scream how much money was poured into creating such an atmosphere.


    Not to mention the people who came, who seemed to bepeting to show off how rich they were and how high their status was in society, especially in this city A.


    Unknowingly, Aileen felt insecure with everything at the party, not to mention the invited guests who came.


    If it wasn''t for the fact that she was one of the representatives of the Tatumpany, then she would not necessarily have received the honorable invitation.


    It was also the same with the other two people from the Tatumpany that came with her. They whispered about this quietly, but Aileen could hear them well, and it naturally ignited the mes of annoyance and jealousy toward Hailee.


    How did that bitch get all these things? Aileen still felt that Hailee didn''t deserve it.


    "Keep your bearings in check," George said as he walked side by side with Aileen.


    Hearing the warning, Aileen rolled her eyes. "Shouldn''t I be the one telling you that?" said Aileen curtly.


    Having said this, she walked away from George and disappeared into the sea of guests who were about to enter the great hall, where the main event and party were to be held.


    But, not far from there, Aileen could see a familiar figure.


    The figure of a man she had recently met. Who introduced himself as Leon Dawson. Not many people know about the Dawsons'' first son, because he didn''t run the family business, for which all the responsibility should fall on him.


    But, what Aileen saw now was; Leon was talking to Lis Tordoff, Ramon''s mother. What were those two talking about?


    From the expression on Lis Tordoff''s face, Aileen could even conclude that the two of them had known each other for a long time.


    "You came atst."


    Someone tapped Aileen''s shoulder, leaving the woman quite surprised. Instinctively, Aileen turned around and found Giana standing beside her, looking elegant with a ss of red wine in her hand. "You¡­" Aileen hissed.


    She wasn''t too happy about meeting Giana at this point, but of course meeting this woman was inevitable, considering how important this event was and how high the status of the Dawson family was, despite the storm of gossip that swept through Giana and Aidan''s marriage rtionship.


    "Who are you looking for?" Aileen asked after seeing Giana who seemed to be looking for someone. "Your lover is over there." Aileen nodded toward Dillon who was conversing with the men. "Or are you looking for your husband? He''s there."


    Aidan was not far from them, but the two men were certainly not who Giana was looking for.


    Where is he?


    From the moment Giana entered the great hall, she only noticed Lis and Lexus who were weing the guests. There''s no way he wouldn''te, right?


    ================


    "Is everything ready?" Ramon asked Marco through his cell phone, he could hear the sound of the waves crashing from the other side, indicating that Marco was somewhere near the beach.


    "Yes, everything has been prepared and ready to get the ball rolling. Ian is here too," Marco told Ramon.


    "Hm," Ramon mumbled with satisfaction and looked out of the car window. The street lights were on and the hotel building was visible. He''d be there in five minutes. "Report the developments if you find anything suspicious."


    "Yes, sir," said Marco.


    "Give Ian the phone," Ramon said.


    **************


    THE ORIGINAL STORY BELONGS TO WEBNOVEL.


    meet me on Instagram @jikan_yo_tomare.

 Chapter 291: NIGHT OF ANNYVERSARY (3)

    <h4>Chapter 291: NIGHT OF ANNYVERSARY (3)</h4>


    "Give Ian the phone," Ramon said, then a momentter Ian''s voice came from the other end of the phone. "Make sure you don''t mess up this n."


    Ian groaned when he heard what Ramon said. Should he say it directly like that at a time like this? "I wouldn''t be that stupid," Ian grumbled.


    "I hope you are not stupid."


    After saying that, Ramon hung up the phone, leaving Ian to curse the man in annoyance for not giving him a chance to get back at him.


    As time went on, this man was bing more and more annoying, but there was nothing Ian could do, because after all, he owed Ramon his life, as well as his younger sister.


    ==============


    Lis felt a jolt of fear in heart when she saw Leon''s figure in the crowd of guests.


    What was he doing here? But, the most appropriate question should be, how did he get here?


    Lis had no recollection of ever inviting this man or extending any extra invitations to the Dawsons.


    Lis had made sure that only Giana and her partner came, because ording to the intel she had, Dawson''spany was now under that woman''s control.


    But, to see Leon among the crowd of guests¡­


    Lis couldn''t say that this was a pleasant surprise.


    Very gracefully and elegantly, Lis walked over to Leon, who seemed to be enjoying his wine alone. His eyes scoured the room and it seemed that Lis knew who this man was looking for.


    "What are you doing here?" asked Lis sharply, but it was not at all visible from the expression on her face, which was adorned with a sweet smile. People who saw her now would think that Lis was just weing guests in a friendly manner like she should as one of the hosts of the event.


    On the other hand, Leon also didn''t show any surprised expression, he smiled back at Lis and said quietly. "Where is he? Can you call him over for me?"


    "I don''t know who you are referring to," Lis said angrily. Of course, she knew who Leon wanted to meet and Lis was not sure if this was the right time to bring the two of them together.


    "Oh, Lis, stop being like that, you know who I mean." Leon then put down his empty wine ss and took another one from the waiter who was walking around. "I can only see him from afar, but I think you have raised him well and I am very proud of him as a father."


    "Shut your mouth," Lis growled. "Others can hear this conversation." Lis looked around her warily, making sure that no one else was close enough to them and capable of eavesdropping on the conversation between the two of them. "Are you drunk?"


    Leon chuckled when he heard her. "Of course a few sses of wine won''t knock me down Lis, I just miss my son."


    "Stop saying that," Lis warned Leon angrily. She didn''t know what Leon''s purpose ining to this party was, but if he was going to make a fuss and say something bad, then Lis wouldn''t just sit back and let Leon mess around at an event like this.


    As if he could understand what was going on in Lis''s mind, Leon said calmly. "You don''t have to worry, I am not that crazy to make a mess at yourpany party. I just came to see my son and have a word or two with him. It''s not that toilsome, is it?"


    Lis gritted her teeth, she was still trying to smile so that those around them who saw her wouldn''t suspect anything, but it was hard when she thought what if Ramon saw Leon in this ce, Lis couldn''t imagine what would happen.


    These two men were hard to predict, especially since Ramon already knew Leon''s special identity.


    Leon took another ss of wine and handed it to Lis, which she couldn''t help but ept. "Look for Lexus, I just wanted to say hi for a moment." This time Leon''s voice sounded softer and more sincere.


    He really just wanted to talk to his son, was that a difficult thing to be asked for?


    "You are just going to say hello," Lis had to emphasize this. "You won''t talk about unnecessary things and after that, you will be leaving the party."


    Leon raised his hands in surrender. "I will leave immediately after greeting him and asking the weather today."


    Lis didn''t find the joke funny at all. "Ramon already knows who you are and he will be here soon, so I hope you will leave before then."


    After sharing the information, Lis walked away to call Lexus, thest time she saw her second son was when he was in the crowd of women who admired him.


    Meanwhile, Leon was muttering to himself. "He already knows my existence? In that case, it will be even more interesting."


    ================


    "Who is this person?" asked Lexus. He was frowning a little because his mother suddenly came over when he was enjoying being the center of the attention of some beautiful women. "Can''t you see I am busy?" he asked.


    "Busy?" Liz red. "All you do is spread charm here and there, I will let you be in the circle of those women if you choose one to take home and introduce to me for you to marry," Lis grumbled.


    Lexus who heard these words could only shudder in horror. "You must be joking, I still want to enjoy my youth and won''t get married any time soon."


    Lis growled and mumbled her annoyance in incoherent sentences. Lexus suspected that his mother was now cursing and muttering harsh words.


    "Shut up and just follow me," Lis grumbled.


    "I''ve been following you for a long time," protested Lexus. What was he doing now except following his mother into the middle of the great hall? "Who is this person?" asked Lexus again.


    "He is the first son of the Dawson family," Lis replied curtly. Her body stiffened when she saw Leon, still standing in the same ce and staring enthusiastically at Lexus.


    Lis really didn''t know what to say, feelings of regret and shame overcame her. When she thought about what she had done and how she had ruined her own life, she feared being unable to face Lexus or Ramon.


    "Oh, I think I know his name¡­ but I forgot. He was the main heir to the Dawson family, but disappeared decades ago, didn''t he?" Not many people knew about this and Lexus should be proud of himself because he knew it. Ramon had said this in passing, before he had an ident.


    "Yes," answered Lis curtly without any desire to exin further. "When you meet him, say hello to him and leave. There''s no need to have a long chat with him."


    Lexus frowned. Why was his mother being so weird? Lis had forced himself to meet this man, but after meeting, Lexus must leave immediately and couldn''t continue chatting?


    However, before Lexus could ask about the weirdness, they had arrived before the man named Leon and before Lexus could greet him, the man had rushed over and hugged him tightly.


    "You''re a big boy now," Leon said.


    ==============


    THE ORIGINAL STORY BELONGS TO WEBNOVEL.


    meet me on instagram @jikan_yo_tomare.

 Chapter 292: NIGHT OF ANNYVERSARY (4)

    <h4>Chapter 292: NIGHT OF ANNYVERSARY (4)</h4>


    Lexus was a little confused when he was pulled into a sudden hug by a man named Leon Dawson who was introduced by Lis as an old friend.


    At first, Lexus reached out, about to shake hands like two people who met each other for the first time and maintain a formal atmosphere, because what else should two people do on their first encounter?


    Hugging was thest thing on Lexus''s mind and therefore he didn''t expect this sudden turn of events at all when Leon pulled him close and hugged him tightly, as if they were old friends.


    Instinctively, Lexus wanted to push Leon away from him, because it was a normal reflex, where his brain thought he was being attacked, but unexpectedly, this man was very strong and Lexus soon thought that this person might not be an enemy.


    "You are a big man now," Leon said, patting Lexus on the back gently.


    "Yeah, I guess I am not a kid anymore..." Lexus thought he could even make a child now. So what did this middle- aged man''s words mean?


    On the other hand, Lis''s eyes widened when she saw what Leon did while her second son looked at her questioningly.


    Of course, Lexus was confused about how to respond to the man he just met. And, he was not used to being hugged by a man. Even in his entire life, Lexus did not remember that Ramon had ever hugged him.


    Lis frantically looked around and found several people staring in wonder at Leon and Lexus, while the others still didn''t notice this oddity.


    "Looks like you guys caught the attention of the other guests," Lis said softly as she patted Leon''s shoulder, as a warning for him to let go of Lexus.


    When Leon loosened his embrace, Lis quickly pulled Lexus to her side and stood between them, lest this man stretch out his hands again and do more crazy things.


    "You have met," said Lis stiffly. "You can go now."


    It was what Lis had agreed with Lexus earlier. Lexus didn''t need to stay back for long, because Lis didn''t want Leon to ask or say things that shouldn''t be said.


    "I think I will just be here with you," said Lexus, his tone sounding serious. He didn''t care what his mother said a few minutes ago, all he knew and saw now was; Lis looking scared in the face of this man, therefore, it was impossible for Lexus to leave his mother alone.


    Who exactly is this man and what is his rtionship with his mother? Because Lis wasn''t usually afraid to face people.


    Maybe it wasn''t fear, but¡­ panic? What is that mean?


    "Leave Lexus," said Lis in an impatient tone. She didn''t want Leon to be near Lexus any longer.


    She didn''t want that past story to be unfurled to Lexus.


    Ramon already knew it and Lis wasn''t sure how deep her first son had already dug out.


    However, Lis felt that she couldn''t face it anymore, so if Lexus also behaved like that and looked at her differently¡­ Lis really couldn''t afford to lose her sons and ept their using and ming stares.


    "No," said Lexus firmly, but a smile was still evident on his lips. He looked at Leon probingly, not hostilely.


    "Yeah, just leave him be." Leon offered Lexus a ss of red wine which he epted with a nod, as an expression of gratitude. "We can talk about some business together."


    Lexus raised his eyebrows subtly, he wasn''t sure what kind of business they would talk about, considering that Dawson''spany was now under Giana Dawson''s control while her divorce trial was still ongoing.


    "How about you continue weing the arrived guests?" Lexus said to Lis before turning to Leon. "So, where do we start?" asked Lexus, then took a sip of his red wine while Lis stood between the two of them, looking like someone who was about to faint.


    =================


    Ramon arrived at the hotel just before the event started and the first thing he noticed was Lexus talking to someone who had his back to him, while Lis was beside him.


    This was odd ording to Ramon, because the two of them should not be in the same ce and ignore the other guests.


    Who was this man? Was he so important that Lexus and Lis had to greet him at the same time? However, from his back profile, Ramon did not remember if he had ever met a businessman like him.


    With firm steps while ignoring the curious stares directed at him, he walked over to his mother and brother, while Danny took Ramon''s job to greet the guests and make sure their wishes were fulfilled.


    The guests seemed reluctant to approach Ramon, because the cold expression on his face seemed to leave them freezing in ce and dare not approach.


    Ramon''s steps quickened when he saw Lis finally sensed his presence and her shocked face made Ramon''s suspicions deepen about the man who was talking to Lexus.


    Lis looked more and more panicked as Ramon got closer, she seemed to pat the mysterious man''s arm and said something, which from the movement of her lips, Ramon knew that his mother was calling his name.


    After Lis, Lexus finally noticed Ramon''s arrival. A familiar smirk tugged at the corners of his brother''s lips.


    "Where have you been?" Lexus eximed as he approached his brother. "You are almostte, the party is about to start."


    "Hm," Ramon mumbled. He walked past Lexus and approached the man who still had his back to him. "Who is this?" asked Ramon, as he walked up to the man.


    His conjecture proved correct. It was the same man he was investigating. Leon Dawson, or Herbert Long.


    "Good evening, Mr. Tordoff," Leon greeted kindly. "Nice to finally meet you."


    Lis looked pale, even her exquisite make- up couldn''t help to cover up the anxiety she was feeling when she witnessed Ramon and Lexus finally meeting Leon.


    **************


    THE ORIGINAL STORY BELONGS TO WEBNOVEL.


    meet me on instagram @jikan_yo_tomare.

 Chapter 293: NIGHT OF ANNYVERSARY (5)

    <h4>Chapter 293: NIGHT OF ANNYVERSARY (5)</h4>


    Lis looked pale, even her exquisite make- up couldn''t help to cover up the anxiety she was feeling when she witnessed Ramon and Lexus finally meeting Leon.


    "Good evening, Mr. Dawson," said Ramon in an even tone. His eyes stared intently at the man in front of him. "Or should I call you Mr. Long? Since you are no longer recognized as a member of the Dawson family?"


    Lexus'' smile faded. He recognized his brother''s expression and tone of voice. Ramon wouldn''t treat people he met for the first time like this.


    Therefore, if Ramon were to show tant hostility, whoever this person was, he was not the right person to discuss business matters with, or whatever¡­


    Lexus'' friendly attitude immediately changed. Of course he would stand by his brother''s side.


    Lexus looked at Ramon with a slightly wrinkled brow when he heard how coldly his older brother had responded to Leon Dawson''s greeting.


    He was confused as to why Ramon was treating the middle- aged man he had just met in such a cold manner. While his brother wasn''t the type to socialize with a lot of people, he wouldn''t show his displeasure openly either, unless the person really irritated him.


    And seeing from the way Ramon behaved and how he refused to shake hands with Leon Dawson, Lexus immediately concluded one thing; whatever the problem between Ramon and this man was, it was definitely the middle- aged man''s fault, because his brother would never be wrong!


    For that one, Lexus knew for sure.


    On the other hand, Leon could see the change in Lexus'' attitude when Ramon arrived. His son stood beside his brother, giving him a cold look, as if he had already decided who he would side with, considering how Ramon had openly shown his displeasure.


    Leon really wanted tough seeing how his own son had opposed him to such an extent without knowing the real reason.


    "You two should wee the guests, mother will apany Mr. Dawson for a minute," Lis said, trying to lighten the mood, hoping Ramon would give her some face. "He will be leaving soon, because he has business to attend to, so mother will see him out."


    However, Ramon had a different idea. "Then, I will see him out." Ramon walked two steps forward and opened his palm. "This way, please."


    "No, that¡­" Lis stammered. If she didn''t want to leave Lexus and Leon alone, then even more so when Ramon initiated to be alone with Leon. No one would know what would? happen next.


    "It''s okay Lis, I do have some things I want to talk to him about." Leon looked at his son again, who looked a little clueless about the situation. "Regarding business," he added.


    "You two proceed, I will catch up in a minute," Ramon said to Lis and Lexus. Then walked away with Leon.


    Before that, Leon had turned to look at the worried faces of Lis and Lexus. "I will call you when I get home," he said. The sentence sounded awfully ambiguous.


    Leon really got Lis into trouble.


    "Call when he gets home?" Lexus muttered, but loud enough for Lis to hear clearly. "What does he mean?" Lexus then turned to his mother. "You two seem very familiar? What''s the rtionship between the two of you?"


    Lis was silent, but she tried not to seem too surprised at the question and instead hit Lexus on the arm and scolded him.


    "Don''t be silly, if other people hear you they will misunderstand things," Lis grumbled, and unlike Ramon, Lexus wasn''t that sensitive when it came to judging small changes in someone''s expression, especially people close to him, whom he thought he didn''t have to suspect.


    "Mom, don''t hit me like that, you are ruining my image!" eximed Lexus. He then walked away avoiding Lis, but still managed to see the backs of Ramon and Leon who disappeared into the crowd.


    What happened? Why does Ramon seem to hate that man so much?


    Lexus''s curiosity was very difficult to curb, because if there really was something big, it''s certain that Ramon would let him knowter, right?


    Lexus then saw someone familiar standing alone sipping his drink, it seemed that he had just had a long talk with a group of businessmen and was now resting for a while.


    "Hey," said Lexus reluctantly. He didn''t really like the idea that Danny knew more about what Ramon was doing than he did, but in this case, Lexus couldn''t help but ask.


    "Hmm?" Danny hummed in askance, which made Lexus grit his teeth. God! He''s so annoying! "You know who the guy that came out of the hall with Ramon was just now?"


    "Didn''t see him," Danny replied curtly.


    "Impossible," concluded Lexus. "You are here, of course you saw who Ramon was with."


    "I did not," Danny repeated as he walked away from Lexus.


    "Danny!" Lexus growled.


    However, Danny didn''t respond at all to his former college friend and kept walking away. He didn''t want Lexus to ask something he couldn''t answer.


    ================


    Hailee felt lonely because Ramon wasn''t around. Maybe this was because thest few days Ramon had been by her side twenty- four hours a day and she was used to seeing Ramon sitting on the sofa beside her bed, typing away on hisptop busily.


    Therefore, even though it was only a few hours since Ramon had left, she already felt mellow and lonely.


    Even her favorite drama show couldn''t hold her interest and after missing an episode, Hailee didn''t even understand how the story was going. She wanted Ramon to be by her side¡­


    She wanted Ramon to be here with her.


    Maybe by falling asleep, the night would pass quickly and as Ramon said, when she woke up in the morning, Ramon would be beside her kissing her good morning, like he always did.


    With that in mind, Hailee turned off the television and pulled up the covers, preparing to slip into slumber.


    On the contrary, after the atmosphere became very quiet, and upon the realization that she was alone, Hailee felt very lonely and sad¡­


    Maybe this pregnancy made her feel extra whiny and overly sensitive, because in the next second all she knew was; she started crying...


    ================


    "Are you sure my sister is here?" Ian asked Marco who was staring at the old building in front of them.


    Ian, Marco and two others were in a ck car parked near the beach, and a few hundred meters away was a house, not too big with a man blowing out white smoke asionally from the cigarette he was holding.


    "Yes, we spotted your sister ourselves," Marco said confidently, "Now we just have to wait for orders from Mr. Tordoff."


    Marco tracked Ian''s phone call the other day, because indeed Ian''s cell phone had a tracking device installed, so it wasn''t too difficult for them to find the caller''s location.


    But, that didn''t mean they could? immediately find this location, because it took a lot of effort by following everyone involved until Marco found out where they held Ian''s sister hostage.


    "What is Ramon doing? Why hasn''t he made a call yet?" Ian grumbled impatiently. He clicked his tongue and looked back at the man in the distance.


    **************


    THE ORIGINAL STORY BELONGS TO WEBNOVEL.


    meet me on instagram @jikan_yo_tomare.

 Chapter 294: NIGHT OF ANNYVERSARY (6)

    <h4>Chapter 294: NIGHT OF ANNYVERSARY (6)</h4>


    Ramon and Leon walked into a small conference room on the same floor where the party was being held, while David and three other bodyguards stood guard at the door and didn''t let anyone get close, including Lexus and Lis.


    They refused firmly and didn''t move at all when Lis tried to break through the four of them.


    Only after noticing the many pairs of eyes watching the scene, did Lis stop trying and finally relented and left, so did Lexus.


    Lexus was even more suspicious now. Lis seemed to know something while Ramon knew the man, so why was he the only one who didn''t know anything?


    "Is mom dating that guy and Ramon doesn''t agree, that''s why he''s angry?" Lexus muttered, he made his own analysis, which was almost right. "Ramon shouldn''t have to be so harsh, maybe mother is lonely, after all, father died a long time ago..."


    In the end, Lexus came to his own conclusions and would be satisfied with this thought, at least until he got a definite answer.


    Shrugging his shoulders, Lexus walked into the party again and chatted with a few people to take his mind off the strange happenings just now.


    Meanwhile, in a small conference room that could only amodate four people, Leon stood, facing Ramon.


    The two of them stared at each other with expressions on their faces that were hard to read. Both of them were so adept at concealing their respective emotions, it was only natural that they would both be very careful about what they said next.


    Ramon then pulled the chair in front of him and sat down. If Leon really wanted to spend the night just staring at each other like this, then it would be best if Ramon saved his energy by sitting down.


    "You want me to start this conversation?" Leon asked, he leaned his back against the wall and gazed at Ramon, with a fake smile on his lips. "I thought that since you brought me into this room, you should be the one starting this conversation."


    "You know what I want to ask you," Ramon said tly. "Start talking."


    Leon burst outughing when he heard Ramon''s bold words. "For a youngman, you are so impudent. Just like your father."


    Ramon narrowed his eyes when he heard Leon talk about his father, but still didn''t bother to say anything, because that wasn''t the way to deal with someone like Leon.


    "You know what your father did to your mother all those years ago?" Leon asked, he observed Ramon''s reaction, but nothing, he couldn''t read anything from his cold eyes. "Your father is not as good as you think. So is your mother."


    Ramon snorted. "You seem stupid," he said lightly and smiled slightly when he saw anger surging in Leon''s eyes. "I don''t care about something that already happened in the past."


    Leon walked forward and pulled out a chair for him to sit on, and now they were facing each other with only a table between them.


    "Not only are you stupid, but you''re a fool stuck in the past." Ramon''s grin grew wider when he saw Leon getting more and more provoked. Using words like this may not be Ramon''s style in a tactical conversation, but sometimes it was a much more effective and efficient way to save time than a ruse talk that would take forever.


    "The way you talk really reminds me of your father," Leon said.


    From what Leon said, Ramon could conclude that his father also knew Leon, it could even be said that they knew each other quite closely, so that Leon could confidently say how his father was.


    "I told you that I am not interested in talking about the past of the three of you or the times you two were together." Ramon said that lightly, he even put his hands on the arm of the chair and looked at Leonzily.


    "Then what do you want to know?" asked Leon, smiling.


    Leon didn''t deny it when Ramon said that he, Lis and his father were acquaintances. This confirmed Ramon''s initial assumption.


    However, Ramon did not want to know about the past. There was something else he wanted to know.


    "Are you the one who asked my wife''s best friend to kill me?" asked Ramon matter-of-factly.


    Leon smiled. "You wouldn''t be offended by such a little trick, would you?" he asked, as if the attempted assassination were a trivial matter. "Think of it as a greeting from me."


    "Of course not," said Ramon. "Didn''t I give you a gift in return for that greeting? Have you seen it?"


    What Ramon meant by returning Leon''s greeting was the corpses of two of Leon''s subordinates that he had caught when he met Ian in the area of old office buildings.


    "Did you like it?" asked Ramon, smiling, he was enjoying the game. And it also brought out the dark side of himself which had not appeared in a long time, watered down by his wife''s cheerful aura.


    Leon didn''t seem bothered by that. "Yes, I like it." He nodded. "I like your gift. I''ve seen more beautiful things than that."


    "I''ll give you something more beautiful than that then," said Ramon.


    "Certainly." Leon nodded. "I will do the same," his voice sounded like a muttering, as if he was talking to himself.


    "You are so brave toe here alone," Ramon said, reading the situation and the opponent he had to face.


    "Of course I''m not alone." Leon wore a secretive smile. "You couldn''t possibly think I entered this party unprepared, could you?"


    Ramon had expected it. Leon had infiltrated his men into tonight''s party, but at the same time, Ramon''s other bodyguards were also scouring the ce once again, checking for anything suspicious.


    Ramon would find out how many people Leon had brought in soon.


    "I don''t think I invited them to this party then." Unbeknownst to Leon, Ramon made a call to Marco discreetly, a small signal that they could start moving now.


    "Of course not, Ramon." Leon crossed his legs casually. "But, if you think I brought a battalion of my men to surround this building, then that''s a very wrong idea."


    Ramon narrowed his eyes. What did he mean? He didn''t target this building? Then?


    He was starting to have a bad feeling.

 Chapter 295: NIGHT OF ANNYVERSARY (7)

    <h4>Chapter 295: NIGHT OF ANNYVERSARY (7)</h4>


    Marco nced at his vibrating cell phone, signaling an iing call from Ramon, then told Ian and the other two to get ready.


    The other two pulled out their rifles and quickly got down from the van, heading to their positions, to act as snipers and scouts, in case anyone else came back to the house, because as far as they could see, there were only three people there, including the man smoking on the front porch.


    "You''ve used weapons, haven''t you?" Marco asked, and handed Ian a handgun. "Just in case."


    "I brought my own weapon," Ian said, showing him the knife he had taken from the hospital. "I''m not very good at this." Ian waved the gun Marco had given him.


    "It doesn''t matter if you''re not proficient, as long as you can use it, that''s enough." Marco shrugged nonchntly, then added, "There''s only one rule you must obey."


    "Hmm?" Ian then put the weapon in his jacket pocket and prepared to get out of the van. "What?"


    "Don''t shoot me," Marco said and this answer made Ianugh.


    "I didn''t know gunshot wounds are something you''re afraid of," he mocked.


    Marco rolled his eyes. "It hurts my pride if I have to get shot just because of the carelessness of myrade who can''t use a weapon."


    Ian''sughter immediately died down and he grumbled. "It turns out that even talking to his subordinates is really annoying."


    ================


    Aileen couldn''t say that she was relieved or upset at this time, but for sure, not meeting Hailee at the party organized by the Tordoffs was something she should be grateful for, because Aileen felt that she couldn''t bear to see the triumphant smile painted on the woman''s lips.


    The original n of Aileen''s arrival was to meet Hailee and take her to the ce Leon had determined, but unfortunately, after going around and looking for God knows how long, Hailee was nowhere to be seen, even after Ramon came.


    And ording to the information she got, the wife of Mr. Tordoff did not attend tonight''s event due to health problems and was expecting their first child.


    It was nice to know that Hailee''s pregnancy wasn''t going well, but it meant hering all the way to town A was just a waste trip, especially when she got to meet Giana too.


    Maybe Aileen didn''t think much of this before, but after she surrendered the video of herself and Aidan together, Aileen felt it was a very wrong, very fatal act.


    What Aileen did was like someone publicly showing her weakness, and she knew it could be used against her. Now she was regretting it, but what else could Aileen do?


    It was just a dream if Aileen thought Giana would give the video back to her and wouldn''t do anything with it.


    How unlucky!


    Aileen then grabbed her cell phone and tried to contact Leon, but like the previous few times, the call didn''t go through. What was that man doing?


    ================


    Ramon didn''t show any expression on his face when he heard what Leon had just said, although he felt something was really wrong. Like there was something important he was missing. But what?


    "What''s the matter with you wanting to kill me?" asked Ramon. He still wanted to know more about the reason why Leon was so obsessed with the idea of ??getting rid of him.


    Now that Ramon took a closer look and came face-to-face with Leon, it was highly likely that the two of them had met before and it wasn''t a wrong assumption if Ramon said; the ident he had a few months ago was due to Leon''s interference.


    "Have I ever killed someone close to you?" asked Ramon. "Can you tell me who? Because I killed too many people for trying to block my path."


    Leon snorted, he didn''t answer the question right away, and his silence seemed to suggest that Ramon should guess more urately. His guess was too far off.


    "Lexus is your son." It wasn''t a question, but a statement and how Leon raised his eyebrows, indicating that Ramon''s answer was now on the right track. "You wanted Lexus to inherit all of Tordoff''s estate after my death."


    "Bingo!" said Leon happily, like a maniac.


    "Your thinking is very shallow," Ramon criticized. He snorted as if the answer was too naive to be Leon''s motivation to kill him. "You think Lexus will side with you and enjoy Tordoff''s treasure after my death, especially after he finds out you were involved in it?"


    "Oh, he can get used to it. It was only a matter of time." Leon shrugged nonchntly, as if it was not a big deal.


    Ramon ignored Leon''sstment, and added. "You know what Lexus will do after finding out that you are my killer? He will dismember you and let you live to see the parts of your body being eaten by hungry dogs."


    Instantly Leon''s smile faded, not because of what Ramon said, but how the man said it, as if he was very sure that Lexus would do exactly that.


    "Oh, we''ll see," Leon growled. "After all, I am his father."


    Ramon stood up from his chair. "If you''re really sure he won''t mind it just because you''re his father, then I think Lexus should know that you''re his real father now. The only reason why you haven''t told him is because you''re not sure of what you''re saying." Ramon walked toward the door and smirked. "You don''t know Lexus as much as I do."


    Of course Ramon knew Lexus better, they had spent their whole lives together and Ramon was very good at judging a person''s character.


    Although Lexus always seemed cheerful and gave the feeling easy to be handled, that type of person would be a lot more terrible when you cross their temper. That''s what Lexus is like...


    So, it could be said that what Ramon said just now, was not an exaggeration.


    "Since you''vee here, then you won''t leave this ce until I let you go. There''s a lot we need to talk about, but before that there''s a party I need to attend first."


    No, Ramon won''t be attending any party tonight. He''ll be home soon, because he doesn''t feel well. His instincts told him he shouldn''t be here¡­


    "You think you can just hold me captive?" Leon then grabbed his cell phone and dialed someone quickly. "Now," he said.

 Chapter 296: THE ATTACK

    <h4>Chapter 296: THE ATTACK</h4>


    "You think you can just hold me captive?" Leon then grabbed his cell phone and dialed someone quickly. "Now," he said.


    And as soon as he said that, the lights in the entire building went out, making it pitch ck.


    From outside, one could hear themotion and loud words of several people panicking over what had suddenly happened. Although it didn''t cause amotion, the invited guests still felt restless because the lighting suddenly disappeared.


    Meanwhile, Ramon was standing at the door and he heard the sounds of fighting from behind it, and it didn''t take a genius to know that they were under attack.


    From the sound, there were several people specifically heading toward this small conference room, either to pick up Leon, or to finish him off.


    However, due to the dense darkness, it made it difficult for David and several bodyguards to fight back, while their opponents attacked them with full preparation and equipment, which allowed them to see in the dark.


    At this second, Ramon made a quick decision, he locked the door of the room, locked himself and Leon together, while waiting for the lights toe back on, because he knew it would take less than three minutes to activate the backup power in this hotel building.


    "I told you, didn''t I? I won''te unprepared," Leon chuckled. "And of course I won''te the usual way. I like these kinds of settings. Sometimes, you have to use your unparalleled imagination to execute such a n."


    Crazy Leon. He went too far and was so unpredictable.


    "That''s why..." before Leon could finish his sentence, he felt a strong blow to his face that made his lips crack and in the next second he could feel the blood running down the corner of his mouth.


    Ramon had just kicked him in the face so that the man''s body knocked into the table.


    "Shut up, you are so noisy," said Ramon lightly, as if he hadn''t just kicked Leon. Then, Ramon took out his cell phone and called someone.


    There were far more important things for Ramon to worry about right now, than the few people who seemed about to burst into the room after knocking out David and a few bodyguards at the door.


    Even now, there were noises outside, as they tried to break the lock on the door. It was only a matter of time before they entered this room and besieged Ramon, but the man was worried about someone else.


    ================


    Ian and Marco walked closer to the man who was putting out his cigarette by stomping it on the ground. He looked like he was preparing to go back into the house, but seeing two people walking toward him made him stop and stare at the two with furrowed brows.


    The man thought that these two men were just walking past this house, but when he saw the two of them walking toward him, he realized that he was the one they were aiming for.


    "What do you want?" The man looked left and right, this ce shouldn''t be crowded by many people, so¡­ why were these two people here? Are they lost?


    "Could we use the bathroom for a bit?" Ian asked. "Looks like we got lost and walked too far from the hotel."


    The man looked at the two people from head to toe, and wasn''t sure if they were both lost travelers. Their appearances were too suspicious to support their words.


    "No," the man answered firmly. "You can use the tree over there." He then nodded his head toward the coconut trees along the coast.


    While the waves pounded very loudly breaking at the rocks, the cold night wind hit their faces and bodies wrapped in thick jackets.


    Marco snorted, but it was Ian who spoke. "You''re not seriously telling me to go there, are you? You have no manners at all."


    However, before the man could answer or Ian could say anything else, the sound of a gunshot was heard, breaking the silence of the night, and echoing the crashing waves.


    "SHIT!" Ian cursed as he covered his ears with both hands and jumped away from Marco who was still pointing the gun at the man who had fallen to the floor with blood sttered from the gunshot wound to his head.


    "Andy, pay attention to the back of this house," Marco ordered through the earpiece in his ear, then turned his attention back to Ian. "How long are you going to talk about the toilet? You''re just wasting your time," Marco said. "Pull out your gun and get ready, we are going to barge in."


    Ian was still shocked at what was happening in front of him, but when Marco called out to him a second time, he immediately grabbed his gun and followed the man into the house, where the gunshots were heard again and Marco swiftly pulled Ian into cover.


    "Feel free to pull the trigger when you see them," Marco said, between the screams of the two men calling out to each other, preparing to face whoever had barged into this house.


    "I could go to jail if I kill someone." Ian was too confused to answer Marco''s orders, so that was the only logical answer he coulde up with.


    On the other hand, Marco rolled his eyes when he heard those words. "I thought you were a fighter, why are you acting like a holy sage?"


    "I am a fighter, but that doesn''t mean I kill all my opponents," said Ian in annoyance. "I have never killed anyone."


    "Oh, please¡­ you will go to jail if anyone reports this and involves the police, but even a fool knows that our enemies won''t involve the police in this." Marco educated Ian a little.


    Of course no one will report this to the authorities, because once you are involved in an organization like this, then that means there is only one rule that you should remember, namely; If you don''t kill, you will be killed. Just that.


    "Stop being so whiny and bring your ass over here to help me finish them off," Marco grumbled, he was calcting where thest two people were, through the sound of their footsteps. "After all this is your sister we must save."


    Ian took a deep breath, to calm his rapidly beating heart.


    "Okay, I''m ready," Ian said in a more steady voice.


    "Good, then you go first," Marco said.


    "M-meeeee???"

 Chapter 297: THE ATTACK (2)

    <h4>Chapter 297: THE ATTACK (2)</h4>


    Aileen tried to contact Leon when Giana had left, the woman seemed to be looking for someone among the sea of ??guests.


    Not her new lover and not Aidan who will soon be her ex-husband. No one knew who she was looking for...


    Maybe next time Aileen would be interested in finding out who Giana wanted to meet this hard, but not now, because she too had other problems to deal with.


    After two attempts to contact Leon and still no luck, a waiter approached Aileen and slid a small piece of paper into her hand.


    Aileen was about to rebuke the waiter because she thought the man was trying to tease her, but when their eyes met, Aileen knew that wasn''t the case.


    Leon''s men? Aileen thought¡­ were they disguised as waiters in this hotel?


    Aileen then looked around therge hall where the party was taking ce and saw the waiters passing by. So many that Aileen couldn''t even keep a count.


    One hundred? Two hundred? Who knew¡­


    Are all these servants Leon''s men? They filled the entire Hall!


    Aileen immediately opened the piece of paper and read what was written on it. It was a short message telling Aileen to hurry to the ce where she should take Hailee.


    Without thinking, Aileen immediately headed for the backyard, but on her way there, Aileen bumped into Reba, Theodore''s mother.


    She tried to stop Aileen, but she pushed her ''mother inw'' away and walked at a faster pace, disappearing in the sea of guests.


    The moment Aileen stepped into the backyard, a man asked her to get in the car.


    "Where are we going?" Aileen asked confusedly because no one told her what was going on.


    "Just go in first,ter Mr. Long will give you the next clue." And since Aileen didn''t move into the car, the man added. "We don''t have much time."


    Then reluctantly Aileen got into the car which immediately zoomed onto the road. It wasn''t just the car that Aileen was riding in, but there were several other cars that were also heading in the same direction.


    And when Aileen nced at the man next to her, she gasped at the sight of a weapon strapped to his waist.


    Realizing what Aileen saw, the man then covered his waist again by tidying the suit he was wearing.


    Aileen did not know what happened in the hotel building where the party took ce, because she had left before the ckout urred.


    ================


    The night was so dark and the silence was profound in the magnificent and spacious bedroom, which Hailee upied now.


    She couldn''t sleep, she felt uneasy. She wanted Ramon toe home soon, but there was nothing she could do, because she didn''t want to disturb her husband randomly.


    Hailee then looked at the clock which showed ten o''clock at night. She should have been sleepy at this hour and often had fallen asleep.


    However, tonight, she didn''t even feel sleepy.


    Hailee then sat on her bed and looked at her phone. She unlocked the screen and didn''t see any messages or phone calls from Ramon.


    Should she call him first? Would it be okay if Hailee called him? Or would she just interrupt Ramon''s time with his business partners?


    Or maybe it was okay for Hailee to call Danny or Lexus, to ask what Ramon was doing at the moment, but then she dropped that idea as well and put her phone back down.


    Hailee had already taken up enough of Ramon''s time by making him have to work from home, so if she had to call the guy to see what he was doing again, wouldn''t that look pretty bad?


    It could be that Danny and Lexus would think that Hailee was too spoiled and possessive of her husband to have to control Ramon''s life all the time.


    After all, Ramon had only been gone for a few hours.


    "Ugh!" Hailee grumbled inwardly. She didn''t like it when she started to overthink like this, but what could she do? She couldn''t avoid it¡­


    She had a bad feeling and she wanted Ramon to be with her now.


    Could it be because Hailee realized that Ramon was going to meet Giana, so she felt uneasy? However, Hailee didn''t feel that way. Something else was bothering her...


    While Hailee was lost in her own thoughts, her cell phone rang and she quickly grabbed the small object.


    Her heart felt happy and it was as if something was eating away all her anxiety, because it was Ramon on the phone. Hailee even forgot her worries just now.


    "Ramon, when did you¡­" Hailee hadn''t finished her sentence yet, but Ramon had cut her off in a rush.


    "Pyro will pick you up from your room, get ready and leave with him," said Ramon, while from behind him, Hailee could hear noises and incoherent screams.


    "Ramon, what''s wrong?" Hailee panicked, she could hear a knock on her bedroom door, then Pyro''s voice asking her toe out.


    "I''ll exinter when we meet, for now, just take my word for it," Ramon said, he was trying not to rush Hailee, not wanting to add to his wife''s panic, but it was a difficult endeavor to do in a situation like this. "Go now, I wille soon."


    Before the phone line was cut, Hailee managed to hear a loud sound, like something was falling and a loud bang.


    What''s that? Gun?


    Immediately, Hailee''s whole body felt cold, as if her blood had frozen.


    However, the pounding on her bedroom door and Pyro''s voice forcing her to leave immediately, made Hailee realize that she had to hurry.


    She doesn''t know what''s going on, but for sure Hailee must follow the instructions she got from Ramon.


    Hailee immediately jumped out of bed and grabbed her jacket which was draped over the sofa and immediately opened the door.


    Quickly, Pyro and several bodyguards led her out of the house. In the front yard, there were already several cars lined up, ready to escort Hailee away.


    In the car, Pyro took a soft and warm fluffy nket and slung it around Hailee''s shoulders.


    Pyro knew that Hailee would leave in a hurry and not have time to put on warmer clothes, as was the case now, Mrs. Tordoff just draped a jacket over her pajamas beforeing out.


    "Where are we going, Pyro?" Hailee asked, but the question remained unanswered when the car suddenly stopped.


    "They''re here," said one of the bodyguards sitting in the front seat.


    Who?


    **************


    THE ORIGINAL STORY BELONGS TO WEBNOVEL.


    meet me on instagram @jikan_yo_tomare

 Chapter 298: THE ATTACK (3)

    <h4>Chapter 298: THE ATTACK (3)</h4>


    The noises outside the door of this small boardroom grew louder and louder and it seemed that the fragile door would notst long, not even until the lights returned.


    Impatient and running out of time, they tried to force their way in by breaking the door lock, by shooting it.


    A few gunshots rang just a moment before Ramon hung up on his cell phone when he called Hailee. It was certain that his wife had heard the noises and it worried him that Hailee would start to panic and think the worst¡­


    But, now, there was something much more urgent that Ramon had to do.


    "You won''t be able to escape from here," Leon said with a chuckle because he believed he had cornered Ramon.


    On the other hand, hearing those words, Ramon waspletely unaffected, instead he walked over to Leon and quickly threw a fist into his face and two kicks to his stomach until the middle aged man copsed on the floor and coughed, hugging his chest, sick and difficult to breathe.


    Pain radiated through Leon''s body at the unexpected attack from Ramon, because after all, he couldn''t see clearly in this dark space.


    However, before Leon could utter any swear words or put up any resistance, Ramon had grabbed his cor and forced him to stand up, then a cold object stuck to his temple.


    For someone like Leon, it only took him a fraction of a second to guess what it was.


    It''s a gun. Ramon was pointing a gun to his head. This was the unexpected part that Leon had not thought of.


    "You want to kill me?" Leon asked breathlessly, after his coughs subsided. Looks like he got a broken rib.


    Ramon didn''t answer his question, because his focus was on the door that was about to open. From the gap under the door, Ramon could see the light from the torches they were carrying.


    "You''ll see the agony that¡­" Leon didn''t finish his sentence when Ramon shot one of his legs, but forced him to stand still.


    "I told you to be quiet," said Ramon coldly, ignoring Leon''s roar of pain. This time he pointed his gun at the door, waiting for the first person to enter.


    And in the next second, the door copsed, and gunshots could be heard, followed by more gunshots.


    ================


    In front of the gates of the Tordoff residence, there were about ten cars lined up, blocking the exit, but of course they couldn''t get in because the gate was locked and couldn''t be opened easily, just by crashing it.


    "Prepare for gunfire," Pyro said through the earpiece in his ear. Then he turned back and looked at Hailee, trying to calm her down. "It''s okay Mrs. Tordoff, this problem will be resolved soon," he said.


    Meanwhile, Hailee didn''t know how to respond to Pyro''s words, so she just nodded, hugging her stomach.


    Hailee kept muttering words; calm down, everything will be fine, soon you will meet Ramon. Calm down, everything will be fine, soon you will meet Ramon...


    She mumbled those words over and over again to rx herself and not panic, but of course she couldn''t fool her own feelings just by repeating those words.


    Because what Hailee saw before her eyes was far from ''calming'', especially when she noticed what happened next¡­


    Two guards walked past the gates and approached the cars, shouting something. Hailee couldn''t hear what they were saying, because her car was blocked by the two cars in front of her, but that didn''t prevent her from seeing the two people and a man in ck getting out of the car.


    The conversation didn''tst long, because the man who got out of the car quickly pulled out his gun and shot one of the guards who were approaching him, while the other guard resisted, but unfortunately his shot missed and a man from a different car shot him down.


    It happened so quickly and it was so hard to believe it had happened, that Hailee had a hard time processing it all.


    What happened was an unexpected event, which Hailee thought would only happen in the world of her imagination. Like a scene of violence in every movie she''s seen...


    However, all of this was happening for real and Hailee could even see the blood oozing from the gunshot wounds of the two guards, in the light of the car headlights.


    "Oh, shit!" Pyro cursed. "Retreat!" he called into the earpiece in his ear. "Call all units toe to the main gate!"


    Amotion broke out and the deafening sounds of the cars roaring filled the night, while the car Hailee was in, prepared to take her back into the house.


    Only, a loud sound hit the side of the vehicle, followed by another sound, like being hit by a barrage of bullets, or maybe that was what happened.


    Hailee screamed loudly, she curled up in the back seat, trying to protect herself and prepare herself to feel the pain she would receive if one of the bullets prated any part of her body.


    "Mrs. Tordoff, it''s all right. It does not matter. This car is bulletproof, that''s okay," Pyro''s faint voice tried to calm her down as the car they were in drove away from the shooting area, leaving the other cars to deal with the intruders.


    Yes, almost all cars owned by Ramon are bulletproof, especially the cars used by the Tordoff family members, so it is certain that the car Hailee is traveling in has the same durability, making everyone in it fine under the hail of bullets.


    Slowly, Hailee opened her eyes and looked around her with a worried look and trembling body.


    "Mrs. Tordoff, are you alright? Are you hurt?" Pyro asked worriedly, while another bodyguard drove the car back to Ramon''s residence.


    Of course Hailee wasn''t fine, she was having a hard time stopping her trembling body and neutralizing her fast beating heart, but Hailee nodded in response.


    Seeing that Hailee seemed to be still able tomunicate, which indicated that her condition was still fairly good ording to Pyro, he then continued his order quickly through the earpiece on his ear.


    Hailee bit her nails, her habit when she was panicking. Her breath was ragged and her head was a little dizzy¡­


    Looks like it''s going to be a long night.

 Chapter 299: THE ATTACK (4)

    <h4>Chapter 299: THE ATTACK (4)</h4>


    Aileen did not expect that Leon''s men would take her to the Tordoff residence directly from the hotel. She looked clueless when she saw the Tordoff family''s house towering in front of her and only after they stopped right in front of these magnificent ck gates did Aileen realize how many cars were heading this way.


    There were about ten cars lined up blocking the way in and out of the gates.


    Then the next question is; how many people are in each car? And why were they bringing so many people to the Tordoff residence while Ramon, Lexus and Lis were elsewhere.


    They weren''t home at all.


    Aileen still had no idea what was going to happen until she saw the person driving the car get down and pull out a gun.


    It happened so fast and Aileen didn''t even have time to scream in terror when she saw the two guards falling to the ground covered in blood, having had gaping gunshot wounds to their heads.


    It happened so suddenly and horribly. Aileen had never even seen an actual murder happening right before her eyes.


    And before Aileen could really process what was really going on, the sounds of bullets being fired as well as rapidly spoken orders filled the car, as gunfire broke out.


    "Shut up!" cried one of Leon''s men, snapping at Aileen as she screamed in terror while covering her ears, curled up in the back seat of the car. Her evening dress was rumpled while her hair and makeup looked a little messy, but Aileen didn''t care about that at all.


    What is all this?!


    ================


    Ian and Marco finally managed to incapacitate the other two people in the house and immediately moved to the room which was believed to be the ce where they hid Ian''s sister.


    The room was locked and they both had to break it down.


    "Is it safe outside?" Marco asked through his earpiece. He asked the two people outside on watch just in case someone else came to the house and they both answered in unison with a single word; safe.


    Marco then pointed his gun at the door handle and started shooting until the door broke and with just one kick, it slipped off its hinges.


    However, as soon as the door opened and the two of them burst into the room, Marco and Ian were surprised, both looked around them and were silent for a moment.


    Because not only did the two of them find Ciara, but about five other children between the ages of seven and Twelve were also in the room.


    "Huh¡­ what is all this?" Ian muttered in disbelief.


    However, all of his questions and surprises disappeared when he found the person he was looking for.


    Ciara, a little girl aged seven years was in the corner of the room, curled up on a thin mattress with an infusion needle stuck to her left arm. Her condition was so weak that she didn''t even open her eyes when Ian walked up to her and called her name.


    "We have to get out of here, we have to take her to the hospital," Ian said frantically. Then carefully, he removed the IV needle from the little girl''s arm and hugged her thin body.


    Ciara''s body felt cold in his arms and this almost made Ian''s heart stop beating because he thought something bad had happened and he came sote.


    However, soon Ian saw Ciara''s chest moving up and down, only then did he breathe out a sigh of relief.


    "Marco, we have to get out of here, now!" Ian was so panicked, the only thing on his mind right now was to go to the hospital and get Ciara the help she needed.


    Ian vowed to avenge this deed!


    Marco was about to catch up with Ian, when one of the five kids tugged at his shirt and looked at him expectantly.


    "I want toe with you," said the little boy. His big eyes were begging Marco not to leave him there.


    Soon the other four followed the little boy''s actions. They all stood up and looked at Marco expectantly.


    "Don''t leave us here..." he said again in his childish voice.


    Ugh!


    What should I do¡­


    Marco would feel really bad if he left the five kids behind, but after all, he was in the middle of a mission and they weren''t in the ns at all.


    However, if Marco left them all here. No one can guarantee what will happen to them.


    Maybe Leon''s men woulde back and treat them badly. Marco wouldn''t even be surprised if they were killed.


    ================


    "Where''s Marco?!" eximed Daniel, one of the bodyguards tasked with monitoring the situation along with Andrew. Daniel was bulkier than the other three, and he slung his rifle over his shoulder as he got into the car. "We must leave immediately."


    Marco was supposed to be in the car by now, and once Ian had managed to get Ciara out of danger, they had to leave immediately. However, the man was nowhere to be seen.


    "There he is," said Daniel. "What the hell is that?!" he eximed in surprise.


    "Shit!" cursed Andrew.


    In front of them, Marco was holding two small children in his arms with three other older children running after him.


    "He''s crazy? Where did the kidse from?!" Andrew couldn''t believe what he was seeing.


    Only Ian knew what had happened and because he was too worried about Ciara''s condition, he had forgotten about the children.


    "Start the car and pick them up, quick! We have to go to the hospital immediately!" cried Ian.


    That would save a lot of time, rather than having to wait for Marco to get to them.


    "What are we going to do with the kids," Andrew grumbled, but then he did as Ian asked and picked up Marco and the five little ones.


    ================


    One person fell as soon as he stepped into the small conference room, the only door of which they had managed to break down.


    The lights on them made it easier for Ramon to determine his target, but as soon as the lights came on, Ramon was a little disturbed by the sudden light.


    And a bullet shot past his shoulder, making him grit his teeth while blood stained the shirt he was wearing.


    Deftly, Ramon then grabbed Leon, using him as a shield to block the next shot and also buy time for help to arrive.


    ===============


    Check my instagram @jikan_yo_tomare to seeic strip from chapter 39. CAN''T YOU KNOCK THE DOOR?

 Chapter 300: THE ATTACK (5)

    <h4>Chapter 300: THE ATTACK (5)</h4>


    Giana hid behind a wall in fear after she heard gunshots consecutively several times. Her body trembled with fear which made it difficult for her to move her feet away, therefore she could only stand frozen, unable to go anywhere.


    At first Giana came to this area, which was a bit far from the main hall, where the party was taking ce, because she saw Leon and Ramon walking in this direction.


    Giana had seen Leon earlier, but since her uncle was talking to Lis and Lexus, she didn''t go any closer.


    It''s just that, after Ramon came, the two of them actually left together.


    Giana couldn''t recall if Ramon knew Leon so personally that the two of them could talk one-on-one in another room privately, even though the party was going on and Ramon, as the host of the party, shouldn''t be there.


    But, what Giana saw and heard just now, really stunned her.


    When the lights went out, she heard a fierce fight, then the sound of a door being smashed, followed by several gunshots, and now it sounded like a battlefield.


    Giana''s hidden position allowed her to hear the whole incident quite closely and without being noticed by others.


    What really happened? Is Ramon all right?


    Giana couldn''t help but worry about that man¡­


    ================


    Pyro brought Hailee back to the house and asked her to lock the door to her room, until he gets the situation under control.


    Hailee wasn''t allowed to open the door unless Pyro asked for it. And to calm Hailee, Martha also stayed in the room.


    Now the two women sat in silence, in the spacious room, trying to catch any sound that could tell them what was really going on outside the house.


    However, the atmosphere was very still and a little tense, but perhaps this was a good sign, as it would mean that gunfire did not ur and the assants did not manage to enter the Tordoff residence.


    Pyro will do everything to keep Hailee safe.


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the house, in one of the cars trying to break through Tordoff''s guarding barricade, Aileen sat silently in the back seat shaking with fear, seeing how brutal the people who came with her were.


    What are they doing? Breaking into the Tordoffs'' house? Are they so crazy to dig their own grave?!


    Aileen couldn''t understand how they dared to enter the Tordoff residence by force.


    She couldn''t imagine what Ramon would do if he found out about this. George''s recent tricks, which infuriated Ramon, had thrown things into chaos at thepany and put George''s position at stake, therefore, if something of this magnitude were to happen and they actually broke into Tordoff''s residence, then Aileen couldn''t imagine the consequences she would have had that horrible man find out about her involvement.


    "What do you want¡­ in this ce?" Aileen stuttered while questioning Leon''s two henchmen, who were talking through their earpieces, plotting to break into the huge gate.


    "Shut up you damn woman!!!" eximed one of them in annoyance and made Aileen''s guts shrink.


    Aileen was afraid that if she spoke more than this they would be very annoyed to respond and shoot her instead.


    Thus, when the man behind the wheel backed his car and tried to crash it into the gates of the magnificent Tordoff house in hopes of knocking them down, Aileen could only hug herself, preparing for the next impact.


    This is a nightmare. Really bad.


    If she knew it would turn out like this, then Aileen wouldn''t want to be told to get into the car or follow Leon''s words.


    Aileen had to say that Leon''s n was too direct and nothing like what he told her before.


    ================


    Ramon pulled Leon and used him as a shield, while he stood behind him. And? Leon''s body couldn''t cover Ramon''s sturdier and taller body, but with a gun pointed at Leon''s temple, it was far from enough for Ramon to hold off the three people who barged into this small meeting room.


    While the other three had been dealt with, being knocked down to the floor, covered in blood after getting shot from Ramon''s gun.


    "You think you can get out of this situation?" Leon chuckled, heughed mockingly at Ramon who was cornered. Meanwhile the light facilitated thest three people to take off their infrared red sses, which allowed them to see in the dark.


    "You think you''ll still be alive if they make a reckless move?" Ramon smirked, he knew what he was doing and what he said was true.


    Because a few momentster they heard the sound of footsteps and the three people looked panicked, they turned their bodies around and aimed their weapons at the eight people who came.


    Instinctively, they turned their backs on Ramon because the number of people who had arrived was far greater.


    But, it was a fatal mistake on their part. Because after their guns had shifted elsewhere, Ramon unhesitatingly pulled the trigger and put the bullet in the back of the head of two of the three, one by one.


    And when the third person briefly shifted his aim and intended to shoot Ramon, he was strafed by three bullets from the three bodyguards, which were released simultaneously.


    It happened so fast that all three fell to the floor with fatal gunshot wounds, rendering them unable to move anymore.


    "Mr. Tordoff, are you all right?" asked one of his men who immediately entered the boardroom, after the situation was safe.


    After the situation was secured, Ramon immediately pushed Leon away from him, as if by touching this man any longer Ramon would contract a disgusting disease.


    "Take care of things here," said Ramon coldly, he then stepped outside and saw David who had just woken up and staggered to his feet. The man seemed to have just survived a bullet aimed at him.


    There was a bloody scar on his temple from the missed bullet as well as several bruises.


    "Mr. Tordoff," David called when he saw Ramon walking past him, rushing over to his boss while shaking his head, as if that way he could regain his consciousness more fully. "Are you okay? I am sorry, I¡­"


    "Go to the hospital," said Ramon curtly. He didn''t stop. "And get your wound checked."


    "My wound is fine," said David hastily. Then his eyes caught the bloodstain on Ramon''s upper arm, barely visible because of the dark colored clothes Ramon was wearing. "You hurt your arm," he said worriedly.


    "Just take care of things here," said Ramon.


    "But, I¡­" David felt disappointed in himself with Ramon''s response.


    "Make sure Lexus and my mom are okay." Ramon cut David''s sentence again.


    "Fine," David replied immediately and stopped running after Ramon. He cursed himself for his poor performance. How could he have passed out in such a precarious condition?


    He thought that Ramon was acting like that because he had failed to protect him, but what he didn''t know was; currently nothing else crossed Ramon''s mind except Hailee.


    Leon''s words were bothering him a lot.


    However, just as Ramon was walking, half running, down the corridor with several bodyguards in tow, someone jumped in front of him.


    Reflexively, Ramon drew the gun at his waist, the same gun he used to shoot Leon and kill five others.


    The eight bodyguards behind him did the same.


    "Ramon¡­" Giana gasped when she saw the nine guns pointed at her, ready to fire.


    Seeing that it wasn''t an enemy, Ramon lowered his gun and was about to run toward the back exit again. But once again, Giana got in the way.


    "Ramon, where are you going?" she asked, tugging on Ramon''s arm.


    However, unexpectedly, Ramon again aimed his gun at Giana, until the cold barrel stuck to her forehead, making the woman freeze.


    "Stand in my way one more time, and I will kill you," growled Ramon coldly, even the bodyguards who saw Ramon now shuddered at the anger in his eyes.


    ================


    Lexus and Lis refused to be taken into a safe ce when the ckout urred, as it was unlikely for them to leave their guests and save themselves. This would be very bad and would damage the image of the Tordoff family.


    How could the event''s host not be on site and secure themselves when something happened in their event?


    And if Lexus and Lis weren''t around and the guests knew they were being escorted into a safe ce, then of course there would be panic, negative assumptions would start to spread, and tonight''s events wouldn''t be discussed with just the usual ckout topic.


    Maybe it is the wrong way of thinking for some people, but there are things that must be prioritized.


    "Where''s Ramon?" Lexus asked one of the bodyguards when the lights finally came back and Lis was with the guests, talking about this and that.


    "Mr. Tordoff has returned home," replied one of the bodyguards, he couldn''t lie to Lexus because he wasn''t told the details of the next order on what to do.


    "Back home?" Lexus frowned when he heard this. "Why did he go back?" If Ramon went home now, then he didn''t show himself at this party at all. Then what about the wee speech from himter? And the part of the event that required him to be here?


    "Looks like there''s urgent business," he replied.


    "What urgent business?" The only thing Lexus could think of was Hailee. Because that woman is the only one in the house now. Did something bad happen to Hailee?


    ===============


    Check my instagram @jikan_yo_tomare to seeic strip from chapter 39. CAN''T YOU KNOCK THE DOOR?

 Chapter 301: THE ATTACK (6)

    <h4>Chapter 301: THE ATTACK (6)</h4>


    Hailee was sitting in her room with Martha, waiting for what would happen next, because she couldn''t hear any sound from outside.


    Maybe this is a good sign, because it means everything is going smoothly, right? That means the gunfight that''s urring in front of the gates can be resisted, right? And whoever tried to break into the Tordoff residence would be unsessful with their n.


    But, assuming so didn''t lessen the anxiety Hailee felt in the least bit. She felt her body shaking violently, from the panic attack, not to mention Ramon''sst call¡­


    After hearing the gunshots directly earlier, Hailee was now even more certain that what she heard just before Ramon hung up the phone was the sound of gunshots.


    And this makes the condition worse.


    "Where''s my cell phone?" Hailee asked weakly. She felt tired because there were so many emotions and feelings she had to deal with at the same time.


    Martha deftly gave Hailee''s cell phone. "This¡­" she said, looking frightened by Hailee''s pale face.


    Hailee took the phone into her hands and tried to call Ramon, but even when it reached thest tone, Ramon didn''t pick up the phone.


    Hailee repeated the call again.


    She repeated the call five times, but to no avail. Ramon wasn''t answering her phone calls.


    What is he doing? What happened?


    This only made Hailee even more nervous. She stared at her phone screen, only half an hour had passed since Ramon hadst called her, but so much had happened in that short period of time.


    Hailee then held the phone to her chest, hoping that Ramon would make a phone call and tell her that he was okay.


    Hailee had never felt this hopeless after the death of her parents. And this feeling really bothered her.


    Now she is starting to feel the pain in her stomach again¡­


    ================


    "Stand in my way one more time, and I will kill you," growled Ramon coldly, even the bodyguards who saw Ramon now shuddered at the anger in his eyes.


    Giana even forgot to breathe when she saw Ramon''s wrath directed at her. She had never seen Ramon this angry, not even at his men¡­


    Giana''s surprise didn''t even fade when Ramon had left with some of his bodyguards, leaving the woman there just like that.


    She didn''t know how long Giana sat there, while her brain was trying to digest and process what had just happened, but it was very difficult for her to ept it all.


    Ramon looked at her with anger zing in his eyes and a gun aimed at her¡­


    Giana had never seen a gun in person at such close range, let alone being pointed at by one and what was even worse was; Ramon did that.


    Ramon, the man Giana loves so much, pointed a gun to her head and threatened to kill her if she gets in his way. No need to mention that Giana was only worried about Ramon''s safety after hearing the gunshots from inside the meeting room and the fight that urred during the ckout.


    This is a harsh blow for Giana. She felt like someone had pped her so hard until she felt like her head was spinning.


    Giana was shaken and this made her whole body tremble.


    She didn''t know how long she had been standing in the corridor, not moving a step away after Ramon had brutally threatened to kill her.


    And what hurts even more is; Giana was sure that Ramon was serious about his words. That man would have killed her if Giana had been so stubborn...


    "Giana... what''s wrong?" The faint sound of Dillon''s voice was heard and Giana''s body shook visibly, not because of fear, but because Dillon, who was helping her to regain focus. "What happened? Are you hurt?"


    Dillon''s worried voice was like a gentle whisper in Giana''s ear, which brought her slowly back to reality and was able to control her emotions a little.


    Slowly, Giana turned to look at Dillon and when she saw the man''s worried expression which waspletely different from the one Ramon directed at her, Giana couldn''t hold back her tears.


    And in the next second, she was sobbing into Dillon''s chest.


    Her heart ached and her head was still resisting what had happened, as if she had just woken up from a nightmare she didn''t want to remember anymore. It was just that Ramon''s eyes¡­ they seemed to haunt her, they seemed about to tear her apart brutally.


    On the other hand, Dillon couldn''t fathom why Giana was suddenly crying like this? Did anyone hurt her?


    However, Dillon saw no wounds on Giana''s body or any other signs of violence.


    Therefore, Dillon confusedly returned Giana''s hug and rubbed her back gently, whispering softly into her ear, "Don''t be afraid, I''m here, I won''t leave you. Do not Cry¡­"


    Dillon thought that Giana was lost when the lights went out earlier and she was scared¡­ at least, for now he would think of it that way.


    Meanwhile, when Giana heard Dillon''s gentle words, she couldn''t help but cry harder while hugging the man tighter.


    ================


    "Where?" Ramon asked Pyro over his cell phone while he was driving his car.


    "Mr. Tordoff, there''s trouble at home," Pyro said in a strained voice. "There were several people trying to break into the Tordoff residence. There was gunfire at the main gates."


    Ramon pressed the gas pedal all the way down, until it was flush with his feet when he heard the report. "Where''s my wife?" Ramon growled, his voice low and dangerous.


    "Since we couldn''t go out, Mrs. Tordoff was sent back to the house, now she is in her room with Martha," Pyro reported timidly, even over the phone, Ramon''s anger could be felt very clearly.


    "Stay with her, make sure you don''t let anything happen to her." Ramon cursed himself for not preparing any other way to get out of the residence other than the motherfucker''s main road, so now Hailee was trapped inside the house. "Shoot anyone who dares to step into the Tordoff residence."


    Since their enemies also carry firearms, their actions can be justified, because they are the ones who have entered his private property.


    Ramon will not hesitate to kill anyone who intends to harm his wife and child.


    "Okay, Mr. Tordoff," Pyro answered earnestly, and then the line went off.


    Ramon was driving like a madman, he even left the cars with his bodyguards, who were supposed to be guarding him.


    Ramon even skipped a red light and crossed the maximum speed limit, breaking several traffic rules and overwhelming his bodyguards in pursuit.


    Luckily the roads weren''t too crowded and this allowed Ramon to drive his sports car at full speed.


    The focus of the man is only on one thing, namely; get home soon, that''s all.


    He had to be back to make sure that Hailee was okay, but when Ramon was about to call Hailee to make sure his wife was okay, Ramon got a call from Marco informing him that they had managed to get Ciara, Ian''s sister, but there were other problems.


    "Later," said Ramon. He was not in the mood to hear any news, or any other problems, because the problem he was facing now, was far more important.


    Marco hadn''t had a chance to say anything about the five small children he brought out as Ramon hung up the phone swiftly, leaving the bodyguard scratching his head ufortably.


    Now Ramon was only a few minutes away from home, so he chose not to call Hailee and focused on the road in front of him.


    ================


    Hailee and Martha who were in the room were waiting anxiously to hear from Pyro and tried to listen more carefully if something was going on out there.


    Time passed and it didn''t feel like just half an hour had passed since they started waiting in this room, but it felt like it had been all day. Time goes by so slowly when you are anxious or waiting for something uncertain.


    Then, a series of sounds was heard.


    Sounds like someone stifling a snarl and a blunt object scratching against some rough surface.


    Instinctively, Marta and Hailee looked at each other. They didn''t know what it was, but it certainly didn''t sound like good news.


    A momentter, they heard the sound of the door handle being forcefully opened.


    "Who is that?" Martha asked, frightened, but there was no answer. "Mrs. Tordoff, hide somewhere," Martha said in a hushed, trembling voice, but the look in her eyes showed that she was going to protect Hailee at any cost. "I don''t think it''s Pyro¡­"


    Horror ran through Hailee''s veins when Martha confirmed her doubts. Somehow, Hailee knew it wasn''t Pyro even before Martha said it clearly.


    "Then what about you?" Hailee''s voice trembled, she looked at the middle-aged woman in front of her in panic.


    "I''ll be fine," Martha reassured Hailee. "Now think about yourself and your baby Mrs. Tordoff," Martha coaxed.


    Reminded of her baby, Hailee felt like her heart was being torn apart. She then stood up and Martha took her to hide in Ramon''s walk-in closet which was on the left side of the room, while the banging outside the room grew louder.


    But then there was a gunshot and the door was forced open.


    Approaching footsteps echoed in the room. And from a rtively closer range, the two of them could also hear fighting and gunfire going on.


    What''s this? They are shooting each other in the house? Have the people at the gates managed to get in? It shouldn''t be that easy for them to knock down the main gates.


    "Whatever happens, don''te out," Martha told Hailee.


    And Hailee hugged herself as Martha closed the closet door, leaving her in the dark.


    ===============


    Check my instagram @jikan_yo_tomare to seeic strip from chapter 39. CAN''T YOU KNOCK THE DOOR?

 Chapter 302: THE ATTACK (7)

    <h4>Chapter 302: THE ATTACK (7)</h4>


    Aileen hugged her body, curled up behind the car seat while covering her ears from the sound of gunshots that were still ringing outside the car.


    She was so scared that her whole body had turned to jelly. Aileen couldn''t even move an inch. She seemed to have merged with the seat.


    Until finally, one of the men in the car, said loudly into the earpiece in his ear, eximing, "Back off, it''s done!".


    And immediately, all their aplices got back into their bulletproof cars and automatically stopped the gunfight that was taking ce in front of the main gates of the Tordoff house.


    Within seconds, the ten cars of Leon''s men with their firearms, had vanished from the scene of the crime, leaving their two dead men in the truce and hundreds of shell casings on the ground.


    Thin, white smoke was still visible in the air as they left, confusing Pyro and several other bodyguards.


    What was that about? They left just like that?


    The Tordoff family''s main gates were still intact and they didn''t manage to enter the residence, but something made Pyro feel strange¡­


    Like he had missed something.


    Then he went back to thinking quickly¡­


    If they really wanted to enter the Tordoff residence, they should have known that the main gates were the only way in and also the only obstacle they had to break down, but why didn''t they prepare themselves properly? And just kept them busy in this ce?


    Is this just¡­


    "Barry, stay here!" Pyro shouted, he then jumped into the car and rushed the vehicle back to Ramon''s house, where Hailee was.


    Barry didn''t have time to ask what happened to Pyro, but he did as he was told and started organizing the rest of the bodyguards.


    The two guards who had been shot earlier were immediately given first aid and apart from that there were no other victims from their side, while the gate was opened and two victims from the opposing side were immediately identified, even though they knew that they would not get much information.


    Meanwhile, Pyro was racing against time as he took the car he was driving back to Ramon''s house, he hoped nothing bad had happened to Mrs. Tordoff, his heart racing at the speed of the car.


    And when he just arrived in front of Ramon''s house, he saw someoneing out of the house with blood on the left side of his face.


    Seeing that Pyro''s heart seemed to stop because his nightmare had reallye true.


    "What happened?!" he shouted as he got out of the car, but the bodyguard that Pyro recognized as Collin, immediately waved his hand, signaling for Pyro to get back into his car.


    "Get back in your car!" he cried hastily, then he got into the nearest car that was parked in front. "They took Mrs. Tordoff away!" he shouted frantically, not giving Pyro a chance to ask anything else.


    "What?! How could that be?!" Pyro was wide-eyed, but because Collin looked so serious and the news of Mrs. Tordoff made the blood all over the bodyguard''s body freeze, he couldn''t think straight.


    Panic attacked him, especially when he was reminded of how he failed to carry out his duties. He would die if Mr. Tordoff found this.


    Hurriedly, instinctively, of course Pyro got back into the car and followed Collin''s car.


    He spoke into the earpiece in his ear to prepare a few more cars to catch up to the cars that had attacked the main gates of the Tordoff residence.


    And in the midst of the chaos, Pyro forgot one big question; how could they get to Hailee when the only ess in and out of the house was the main gates where the gunfight took ce?


    ================


    Ramon arrived in front of his house when several police cars were already around. It turned out that the continuous sounds of bullets erupting and breaking the silence of the night, had attracted the attention of many people and were heard up to several nearby houses, even though they were so far away.


    It indicated how fierce the ceasefire had been.


    Ramon clenched his jaw and stopped his car right in front of the gates, as he couldn''t get into the house, being blocked by the two police cars ahead.


    "Mr. Tordoff," said one of the police officers in charge, who immediately approached Ramon, but the man ignored his call and immediately approached one of his bodyguards because he didn''t see Pyro there.


    "What happened?" asked Ramon.


    The bodyguard then briefly exined what had actually happened; a horde of cars suddenly blocking the main road, gunfire and after that their hasty departure.


    But, none of that mattered to Ramon, because all he cared about right now was one thing. "Is Pyro with my wife?"


    Hearing that question, the bodyguard immediately lowered his head and if he had a choice, he would choose to go back to undergoing harsh military training instead of having to tell Mr. Tordoff.


    He couldn''t help but tremble in fear as he answered him, even the look in Ramon''s eyes was far more terrifying than the gunfight earlier.


    "Those guys managed to get Mrs. Tordoff and Pyro and several other bodyguards were now chasing after them," he replied.


    "Got Hailee?" Ramon hissed very sharply, his jaw clenched tightly.


    The state Ramon was in now, was far more terrifying than the several times they had seen him so far. This was the most terrifying side of Ramon they had ever seen.


    Even the policeman who approached Ramon and was about to speak to him didn''t dare to interrupt and just stood there staring at the furious Tordoff heir.


    "How did they get Hailee when you guys stopped them here?" Even in a precarious situation like this, Ramon was still able to think logically.


    However, it didn''t apply to some people there.


    Maybe because of the chaotic situation and all the ruckus that happened seemed to have left them unable to think clearly.


    "That¡­" the bodyguard stuttered. He didn''t know what to say to that question. It didn''t even ur to him.


    Ramon then returned to his car and zoomed back in the way he came while trying to contact Pyro.


    On the other hand, some of the bodyguards who were following Ramon from the anniversary event, had just arrived when they saw Ramon getting back into the car and driving it away with the same madness.


    ================


    Pyro lost track of Collin, he couldn''t even be reached.


    Where did he go? Where is this ce? Pyro got out of his car and kicked the tire hard. He needed something to vent his anger.


    What is this!? Where did Collin go?


    Collin''s car disappeared around the corner of a slightly busy road and now he can''t be reached, some of the cars that had participated in this blind hunt have also been called back by Pyro and they were gathered on a quiet side street when Ramon called Pyro and asked where he was.


    From the voice of Mr. Tordoff, Pyro understood that Ramon seemed to know most of what had happened and now, he was just waiting for Tordoff''s heir to punish him for failing to protect his wife.


    Pyro didn''t even want to start thinking about what Mr. Tordoff would do to him. Dismissal is only one of the things he has to faceter.


    Apparently, it didn''t take long for Pyro to figure out what Ramon was going to do, and soon a ck sports car pulled up to a sudden stop beside his car.


    The squeaking sound of car tires scraping the asphalt really hurt the ears when the driver stepped on the brake pedal very deeply.


    And inside the car was none other than Ramon Tordoff. He had tossed his party suit and tie somewhere and was now only wearing a white shirt which left him looking a little messy.


    It seemed like the mayhem in Ramon''s appearance was directly proportional to the uproar in his head.


    "Mr. Tordoff," said Pyro, he immediately approached Ramon to exin the problems that ensued there, only Ramon answered Pyro''s greeting with a heavy blow to the side of his face.


    The blow was so strong and so unexpected that Pyro didn''t realize what had just happened until his bodynded on the hard asphalt and blood gushed from his cracked lips.


    Everyone present gasped, but didn''t dare to take a step forward or speak a word, because the cold aura that enveloped Ramon was now very hard to ignore.


    No one was able to look into his eyes, not even Pyro who was now slumped on the ground.


    They could all feel Ramon''s strong killing intent.


    "Where''s Hailee?" he asked in a calm voice, but in fact the tone he used was far scarier than when he shouted loudly at him, because how he spoke with the emotion emanating from him was theplete opposite and these are usually times when you need to be wary.


    "My apologize, Mr. Tordoff¡­ I, I¡­ lost track of her," Pyro stammered. He immediately corrected his position and bowed his head in the face of Ramon''s wrath.


    "Lost track of her?" asked Ramon, still in the same tone.


    "I''m sorry," said Pyro in a trembling voice. He had never faced anyone like Ramon before. No, he had never even seen Ramon like this before¡­


    "You want to tell me that you have failed in your duty?" asked Ramon.


    "I''m sorry," said Pyro timidly.


    "Sorry?" Ramon snorted. His wife and future child are in danger and all he gets is an apology? Darkness began to fill his eyes, as his anger was almost unstoppable. "Why don''t you just die," Ramon hissed.


    Quickly, Ramon grabbed the gun at his waist and aimed it at Pyro''s forehead. It only took one more move to kill the bodyguard.


    ===============


    Check my instagram @jikan_yo_tomare to seeic strip from chapter 39. CAN''T YOU KNOCK THE DOOR?

 Chapter 303: WRATH

    <h4>Chapter 303: WRATH</h4>


    Ramon quickly grabbed the gun that was on his waist and pointed it at Pyro''s head with a savage look on. He was ready to kill.


    Anger had blinded him and he could not tolerate this.


    Pyro''s failure in his job, putting his wife and future child in danger now was something Ramon could not ept.


    On the other hand, the other bodyguards held their breaths at the scene. They were very surprised to see Ramon''s reaction and also how he looked now.


    Never had they seen Mr. Tordoff being so furious, until resorting to such an extreme decision without much thought.


    They all held their breaths to see what would happen next, it didn''t feel like just a second had passed, as it dragged too long and Pyro could only close his eyes in the face of death that was rapidly approaching him.


    A momentter, a single and crisp gunshot could be heard and not a single one of them couldn''t hold their breath at what was happening before their eyes.


    It took a few seconds longer for them to understand what actually happened.


    The bullet had indeed been fired from the gun that Ramon was holding, but the bullet did not prate Pyro''s head. It only scratched his temple and left a wound that now oozed fresh blood on the side of the bodyguard''s face.


    While behind Ramon, the bodyguards who had followed him back from the party had just arrived and got out of the cars.


    They were no less surprised when they saw Mr. Tordoff pointed his gun at Pyro and heard gunshots.


    What happened? Is Mr. Ramon intending to kill Pyro? They all shuddered. Because Ramon never once acted mean toward his people, though they couldn''t say the same to his enemies.


    Therefore, what they saw now was something that left them in shock and speechless.


    Luckily, Ramon changed his mind at thest second and fired the bullet slightly to the side.


    Apparently, the self-control that Ramon cultivated was still functioning well, as he still hadplete control over himself and didn''t let his anger and intent to killpletely overwhelm him and blind his ability in assessing the situation.


    He still needed Pyro to get Hailee back.


    Ramon still needed Pyro'' skilss and killing this man would only slow down the process of finding his wife.


    "Stand up," Ramon said in a low voice. He lowered his gun, but the tension in the air was still palpable.


    Meanwhile, slowly, Pyro stood up, his body shaking and he couldn''t believe he had just made his way past death''s door with just a thin line of Ramon''s sense of consciousnessing just in time.


    Pyro didn''t even dare to look Ramon in the eye when he finally stood up and faced the man, because the Ramon who was in front of him now, was terrifying. Even for him, who had repeatedly seen death or been involved in other heinous deeds.


    The bodyguard couldn''t even utter a word, as if Ramon''s presence alone was pressuring enough for him. He also didn''t feel the pain in his temple which was scratched by the bullet and was now bleeding.


    "Gather everyone and find out about the background of the missing bodyguard."


    "Yes, Sir," replied Pyro in a trembling voice. He didn''t realize how violently his body was shaking under Ramon''s cold gaze until he gave him an answer.


    After saying this, Ramon got into his car and left the ce.


    It was only after the man left that they could all breathe better again. It was a very terrible experience.


    But, the bad news is; it wouldn''t be over until they found Mrs. Tordoff.


    They only hoped that Mrs. Tordoff would be fine, or else¡­they couldn''t imagine what kind of hell Mr. Tordoff would put them through, considering how protective he was of his wife.


    ================


    Ramon returned to the Tordoff residence, after giving orders to bring Lis home by force, while Lexus was still at the hotel to see the event to the end, of course with double security that left him ufortable.


    Lexus grumbled many times, but since the bodyguards received direct orders from Ramon, the only way to get an exnation was to ask his brother directly.


    Only, Ramon could not be contacted at all. Not a single call from Lexus was picked up by him.


    And this raised suspicion and a lot of spection in Lexus''s already over-thinking brain.


    Therefore, throughout the event there was only one thing that Lexus wanted, namely; ending it quickly before heading home to find out what was really going on.


    Meanwhile, Ramon walked into his house, which had now been cleaned of the remnants of the fight that had taken ce, with quick and decisive steps.


    In the living room, Lis was waiting for Ramon with a twisted face. She had never been treated this badly before.


    How could Ramon force Lis to just leave the event? Even though Ramon might find something unpleasant after talking to Leon, shouldn''t he hold back until the event is over and talk about it? Because after all, what happened there could jeopardize the image of the Tordoff family and thepany.


    At this point, Lis still didn''t realize what had really happened, because no one had told her and by the time she had arrived at the Tordoff residence, nothing about the house gave a reason for her to worry about.


    "Leave us alone," said Ramon coldly as soon as he saw his mother sitting on the sofa. From the expression on her face, Ramon could tell that what he had done had angered Lis.


    However, the anger inside him was far greater than Lis''...


    Hearing Ramon''s order, all the bodyguards rushed out of the room, leaving Ramon and Lis alone.


    "What the hell is this Ramon?!" cried Lis angrily. She stood up to face her son and walked over to him. "You should know how to separate work and personal life! You will ruin thepany''s image if you do this!"


    First, Ramon didn''t stay in the party and now Lis disappeared from there. It was a form of disrespect and they would look disrespectful to the invited guests who are important figures in themunity, not to mention the sudden power outage. Tonight''s party is aplete mess!


    Ramon was silent when he heard Lis'' usation, but a momentter, he grabbed the flower vase that was on the table and threw it to the side of the room, which automatically made Lis freeze and scream in terror at how the small shards of the vase scattered on the floor of the house.


    "Ramon! What are you doing!" cried Lis with fear. Her body trembled when she saw the strange anger in her son''s eyes. "What are you doing!?"


    Ramon was still silent. He then took another disy piece from the table and did the same.


    Seeing this, Lis was at aplete loss for words. She closed her eyes when Ramon did the same thing several times.


    Lis covered her ears with her hands, closed her eyes tightly and trembled in fear at her son''s very simr attitude to his father.


    Yes, Ramon''s father would do the same whenever he was at the peak of anger. He would vent it like this¡­


    And what Ramon did seemed to bring the trauma of the past back to Lis.


    It was unclear how long Ramon did this, but as soon as he finished, the atmosphere plunged into a tense and eerie silence.


    Ramon didn''t say anything either. He just stood in front of his mother, staring coldly at the woman among the rubble of the things he crushed.


    Before this, Ramon had never felt a feeling this strong. A feeling he couldn''t describe in words.


    Emotions like anger, fury and despair and other feelings mixed together, like a storm inside him and he needed an outlet.


    He couldn''t possibly hit Lis, just like how he couldn''t kill Pyro. His little self-control prevented him from doing that.


    Therefore, since Ramon couldn''t hurt the people who had made him feel this deeply troubled, this was the only thing he could do to vent it.


    Two minutes¡­


    Five minutes¡­


    Ten minutester, Lis opened her eyes and lowered her hands, then slowly looked at her son who was standing in front of her.


    The look in his eyes was still the same. A look full of anger and hatred. Lis felt like she had relieved her worst nightmare.


    "What¡­ what are you doing?" she asked in a trembling voice. Not just her voice, her whole body was shaking with fear.


    "Your lover took away my wife and I want you to tell me anything you know." Ramon didn''t waste his time with sweet words.


    He did manage to catch Leon, but Ramon wouldn''t approach the madman without enough information on hand, because he knew there would be long negotiations ahead.


    Because after all, Ramon would trade Leon''s life for Hailee. If something happens to his wife, then Ramon will make Leon beg to kill him.


    The suffering Ramon would put him through then would be hard to imagine¡­


    Therefore, Ramon had to gather all the information he could get and start from Lis.


    "What? No¡­ no way," Lis rejected the statement. "He wouldn''t do anything to harm this family."


    Ramon really wanted tough at Lis'' rejection of the reality thaty before her eyes. How could his mother turn into someone as naive as this?


    "I just wanted to tell you, if anything happened to my wife, then there wouldn''t be any part of his body left for you to cry over," Ramon said viciously. "Now, start talking."


    ===============


    Check my instagram @jikan_yo_tomare to seeic strip from chapter 39. CAN''T YOU KNOCK THE DOOR?

 Chapter 304: WRATH (2)

    <h4>Chapter 304: WRATH (2)</h4>


    "He wouldn''t do anything to harm this family." Lisa rejected that statement.


    Ramon narrowed his eyes when he heard Lis''s statement. How could Lis not realize what Leon had been doing all this time? What made his mother like that?


    Lis really trusted Leon blindly, until it blunted her logic.


    It''s not like the Lis that Ramon knows. Wasn''t she the woman who had secured thepany''s assets from the rest of the Tordoff family at the time of her husband''s death? In order to maintain Ramon''s position as the next leader when he is old enough to face such a cruel business world.


    However, what happened to Lis now? Ramon could not recognize the woman in front of him who was so careless and naive. However, it was the bond between them that still made Ramon refrain from venting the anger that was licking every inch of his body.


    Ramon even felt that there was a storm inside him that he couldn''t control easily. This is all really draining his energy and there is only one thing Ramon wants now, no, he needs Hailee¡­


    "I just wanted to tell you, if anything happened to my wife, there wouldn''t be any part of his body left for you to cry about," Ramon said viciously. "Now, start talking."


    And Ramon meant what he said. He will not tolerate anymore if something bad happens to his wife and their future child.


    He wouldn''t even care about anything anymore...


    On the other hand, when Lis heard Ramon''s statement, she immediately fell on the sofa, sat down and stared nkly in front of her, her focus lost and Lis muttered, "He wouldn''t do that Ramon..."


    Ramon didn''t have time to listen to Lis'' denial. Since he couldn''t afford to waste his time on such unimportant things, he directly left the ce.


    Because seeing Lis''s current mental state, no matter what questions Ramon asked now, his mother wouldn''t be able to answer them properly.


    The shock hit her hard and Lis was still in a position of not being able to ept what her son had told her about Leon.


    Therefore, Ramon did not want to be there for a second longer, because time was very precious to him now. Those bastards could do the unthinkable to Hailee and he wouldn''t be able to forgive himself if that happened.


    Ramon left swiftly, leaving Lis alone, still struggling with her own thoughts, to go somewhere, to where he had ordered David to take Leon¡­


    ================


    Aileen arrived at an elite housing estate in the city of F, where they had to travel about an hour to get there, but the whole journey was like a reenactment of a scene in a movie.


    It felt hazy and unreal because Aileen was immersed in her own thoughts. Fear, panic and helplessness still gued her system, due to the incident earlier.


    Aileen could still hear the deafening sounds of gunfire and the sound of orders being given, as well as the blood flowing from the two gatekeepers of the Tordoff residence, where both of them were shot down just like that.


    Aileen''s body was still shaking violently. She was having a hard time understanding the situation she was in right now, until someone opened the car door beside her and told her to get off.


    "I¡­ where is this?" Aileen asked, stammering. Her voice sounded very hoarse because she had been screaming for a long time during the shooting.


    "Get down now," said one of the men in a cold tone. He looked impatient and didn''t mind dragging Aileen out if this woman still insisted on not listening to his orders.


    "I¡­ I want to meet Leon¡­" Aileen said. Her breath was ragged and she didn''t know what to do in the current situation. She didn''t want to be around these barbaric people. Who knows if she gets out of the car, they''ll shoot her in the head when she''s off guard.


    "Get down now." The man emphasized every word he said as if Aileen couldn''t hear him. "Or I''ll drag you out myself."


    And Aileen had no other choice but to do what the person asked.


    Nervously, Aileen got out of the car and saw a golden brown two-storey house in front of her. Is Leon inside? "Where''s Leon?" asked Aileen again.


    However, as before, she didn''t get the answer she wanted and could only follow the man into the house, not knowing what would be waiting for her inside.


    ================


    Lexus couldn''t wait to end the evening''s show, he felt something big was waiting for him at home and couldn''t figure out what the actual deal was.


    Does this have anything to do with Hailee? So even though Ramon had arrived at this party, he didn''t make any greetings and just left?


    However, his instincts also said this had something to do with the man named Leon.


    Lexus knew Ramon very well and he knew when his brother didn''t like someone he would tend to act cold, but toward Leon, it wasn''t coldness, but an attitude filled with hostility.


    Have they known each other for a long time? Even his mother too.


    Lexus stomped his feet in annoyance when he couldn''t contact any of his family members, not Ramon, Lis, Hailee and even that annoying Danny.


    Lexus even tried to contact David, the head of Ramon''s bodyguards and also Pyro, the head bodyguard of Hailee and neither of them picked up the phone.


    "Ugh! I feel like I want to send these guests home right away!" Lexus grumbled impatiently as the line went dead again.


    "You will be finished if someone else hears youin like that," said a woman who was suddenly beside him without Lexus noticing.


    "Who are you?" asked Lexus, squinting, he wasn''t in the mood to be nice to the people he met.


    "I''m Hailee''s friend, but she doesn''t seem to being tonight," the woman said again.


    =================


    Ramon took the hot iron rod from his bodyguard''s hand and stabbed the iron itself right into Leon''s thigh with an expressionless face, staring unblinkingly as the man before him who was tied up roared in pain while cursing profanities nonstop.


    There was only one question that Ramon asked over and over again, until he got a satisfactory answer. "Where''s my wife?"

 Chapter 305: WRATH (3)

    <h4>Chapter 305: WRATH (3)</h4>


    Ramon didn''t even blink his eyes at all as he thrust the hot iron into Leon''s thigh. No. He enjoyed every roar of pain this man let out, as if they could lessen the almost murderous rage inside him at the thought of losing Hailee.


    Based on the report he had received from Pyro, it seemed that there was a rat within the bodyguard group tasked with guarding Hailee.


    This was also a mistake that made Pyro feel ashamed of himself, because he had personally chosen the core bodyguard members who would protect Hailee.


    But, in fact, that was precisely what happened.


    This time, Pyro really couldn''t lift his head to look at Ramon because of the fatal failure he had been.


    As it turned out, the bodyguards who informed that Hailee had been kidnapped and pretended to pursue the people who attacked them were also on Leon''s side and Mrs. Tordoff was right in their car.


    Because Pyro was so panicked to hear that those people had managed to break into the Tordoff residence and take Hailee away, especially since that man was someone Pyro trusted, he didn''t suspect him at all.


    Another stupid mistake on Pyro''s part¡­


    "Tell me where my wife is," Ramon growled dangerously. "Or¡­"


    Before Ramon could deliver his threat, Leon had cut him off andughed happily. "Or what?" he challenged. "You want to kill me?" he said in a mocking tone that earned him another stab in his leg from the hot iron Ramon was holding. "Just kill me and your sweet wife will die!" roared Leon.


    Ramon then threw the iron away and threw a punch at Leon''s face, so hard that Leon fell from the chair that was holding him and as soon as he vomited the blood that had gathered in his mouth due to his chapped lips, he could feel one of his teeth fall out.


    "FUCK!" cursed Leon. He sucked in even more force when Ramon kicked him in the stomach, causing him to bounce a few meters and the chair bound to him hit the wall and shattered, causing the bonds on his body to loosen and he was free.


    However, with his body covered in wounds and Ramon''s bodyguards guarding every way out possible, his chances of escaping from this basement were zero.


    There was no way he would be able to fight them all when he himself couldn''t stand up properly.


    "Where''s my wife?" Ramon asked again, his tone still the same, as if he didn''t hear what Leon said earlier.


    "If I die, then your wife will die too!" Leon eximed, between gasping for air. "She''s going to die as well as your baby-to-be!"


    This time Ramon grabbed the gun held by one of his bodyguards and fired a hot bullet at Leon''s leg. At this rate, even if Leon could survive Ramon''s wrath, there was a chance that he would end up crippled.


    "Where''s my wife?" Ramon repeated his previous question, like a cassette tape ying the same song over and over again.


    Realizing that threats wouldn''t work on Ramon, Leon changed tactics in his negotiation this time.


    "I¡­ I''ll tell you on one condition," Leon said breathlessly.


    Ramon then lowered his gun and red at Leon, as if he was saying; state your terms.


    Knowing the gesture, Leon then continued his sentence. "I''ll tell you if you¡­" Leon coughed some more blood. It was long enough that all that could be heard from the empty basement was the echo of his choking voice. "¡­I''ll tell you if you¡­ kill yourself."


    After saying that, Leonughed really hard, as if he had just said the funniest joke he had ever said before. This was very pleasing to Leon, knowing that what he had done had left Ramon even more fuming.


    He was ready to get another kick, punch, stab or even a bullet.


    However, what Ramon ordered next was quite unexpected. "Call Doctor Bram and ask him to treat him."


    "Eh?" The bodyguard who was closest to Ramon was taken aback. He had to make sure he didn''t hear wrong. "Sorry?"


    "Don''t let him die," said Ramon and then turned around. He was only wasting his time here torturing Leon when the man had no hope of living anymore. Someone who no longer wants to live, is too difficult to negotiate with.


    But, maybe Ramon could use something else to get him to talk¡­


    "Oh, okay¡­" the bodyguard looked confused at such an order, but if David was around, he would have immediately understood what Ramon meant.


    Ramon wouldn''t let Leon die so quickly, because that would be too good an ending for someone like him.


    "If you knew what''s happening to your wife right now, you would definitely feel the pleasure I feel now!" Leon eximed, calling Ramon back. "Come here, I''ll tell you what happened to your wife now!"


    ================


    Aileen was taken to the second floor of the house and asked to enter arge room. Judging from the furniture there and how luxurious and grand the house was, it seemed like this was the master bedroom.


    Seeing this, Aileen felt a little relieved, because she thought that she would be put in a cer or some other terrible ce.


    At least this way, Aileen could conclude that Leon wouldn''t be that bad at treating her.


    However, in that room, Aileen met someone she didn''t expect at all.


    The woman stood in the middle of the room and seemed to be observing her surroundings carefully, as if she didn''t even understand why she was in this room.


    Aileen had met this woman just a few hours ago, so seeing her again in an unexpected ce like this was truly surprising.


    "Giana?" called Aileen hesitantly. She still couldn''t believe what she saw, because right now the person in the question was standing with her back to the door.


    It was only after the woman was slightly surprised and instinctively turned around that Aileen could see that her guess was correct. It''s indeed Gianna.


    "What are you doing here?" Aileen asked, her forehead furrowed and her confused expression well reflected in Giana''s eyes.


    "What are you doing here?" asked Giana. "Why are you here?"


    The two of them didn''t really have any idea about the situation they were currently facing.


    Especially when they heard the sound of a door opening and a man pushing a woman into this room. A woman they both knew very well.


    Hailee¡­

 Chapter 306: SNAKES LAIR

    <h4>Chapter 306: SNAKE''S LAIR</h4>


    Lexus looked at the young woman beside him and was not at all interested in having a warm chat with her, as his thoughts were currently miles away, not to mention he had never seen this woman before and had no recollection of seeing her at a party he had ever attended.


    Yes, Lexus''s ability to remember faces is remarkable, because he is required to be able to recognize these important people and greet them properly, that is the basis of goodmunication.


    People tend to be more friendly when their name is called, especially when the other person remembers who they are.


    "I''m Hailee''s friend," the young woman said. The two of them were now in the corner of the balcony, a ce a bit far from the mor of the party and the likes. Only the two of them were in the not so secluded balcony. "Where is Hailee now?"


    Lexus nced at the young woman and once again tried to contact Ramon. "She didn''te. Sick."


    "Sick?" she asked. "Oh, is the baby okay?"


    The news about Hailee''s pregnancy was not widely publicized, as Ramon didn''t want to draw a lot of unnecessary attention to his personal life, let alone Hailee, but it is unavoidable as many people already know about this.


    Lexus wanted to cry when he heard that question, because right now he wanted to know what happened to Hailee or Ramon as well, or anyone who could give him information about his family.


    Ugh! Why was he the only one left here? Lexus grumbled. He was like a child who was not invited to the yground.


    "I don''t know," Lexus replied curtly and clicked his tongue because he still couldn''t reach Ramon, instead he tried to contact Danny, although he was annoyed that he had to contact the man.


    "You don''t seem as friendly as the rumors that are going around," the woman criticized Lexus while giving him an appraising look. "If I knew Hailee wasn''ting, I wouldn''t havee here," she grumbled. "What a waste of time."


    "Sorry," said Lexus, running out of patience to hear this fussy woman. "Can you leave me alone?"


    The woman raised her eyebrows in surprise, thenughed. "Ie here first, and you as the host of this party, shouldn''t you be sitting there?" the woman pointed at the crowd in front of them, where the guests were rejoicing andughing at the evening''s meal.


    Even though Lexus knew that most of them were starting to feel that something was wrong in this party, of course they wouldn''t say it out loud. After all, it''s hard to fool people like them.


    Lexus sighed in annoyance. "At least, don''t be noisy," he said.


    The woman was just about toin when Lexus raised his hand to stop her from speaking because after millions of full moons waiting from him, Danny finally picked up his phone call.


    "Where are you? Where''s Ramon?" asked Lexus impatiently, but then he realized he wasn''t alone, so he lowered his voice. "I called you earlier, why did you only pick up now?" Lexus grumbled in annoyance.


    "Why do you keep calling me?" Danny asked from across the phone. From the sound of the horns behind him, Lexus could tell that Danny was on the road. Could Ramon be nearby too?


    "Have you seen my eighteen missed calls?" asked Lexus again sarcastically.


    "I''m not your boyfriend, if I don''t pick up the phone from you, you should understand," Danny replied. He didn''t really want to pick up any calls from Lexus, but because the consistent ringing was so annoying and he was waiting for an important call, he couldn''t help but pick it up and tell Ramon''s younger brother to stop calling him.


    Actually, though, another reason Danny didn''t pick up the call was because he knew what Lexus was going to ask and he didn''t have the answer.


    Lexus red when he heard those words and sighed loudly. "Just tell me, where is Ramon now?"


    "He''s on his way to the hotel to see you," Danny replied.


    "What?" Lexus didn''t believe it.


    "I think he''s there by now," he repeated.


    And sure enough, when Lexus turned around, he saw his brother''s figure in the crowd, greeting the guests as if nothing had happened.


    "Oh, shit!" Lexus cursed to himself. "I really don''t understand what''s going through his head¡­"


    Sometimes, Lexus can''t read what''s on Ramon''s mind¡­ he''s so unpredictable.


    ================


    Hailee woke up when she was in the car, with a bodyguard she recognized, but as soon as she recalled the recent events that happened at the Tordoff residence, she immediately realized that she was in danger.


    The people who had forcibly entered her room were Ramon''s men, one of which was the bodyguard who was always with her besides Pyro.


    "Ramon will kill you if anything happens to me," Hailee said fiercely. "Let me down here now." Hailee''s voice was so sharp and cold, it made the bodyguard named Argos feel ufortable.


    But, it wasn''t enough for him to do what Hailee asked.


    After trying to speak to Argos several times and the man refusing to answer, Hailee no longer continued wasting her time. She also didn''t want any physical contact with Argos because there was no way she could win, especially when the pain in her stomach started to return.


    Hailee tried her best to stay calm...


    Hailee tried to look at the surrounding streets and recognized that the ce was one of the business centers in F city and they were heading for one of the elite housing estates in the city.


    Half an hourter they entered a courtyard and Argos stopped his car right on the front porch of the house and asked her to get off.


    Haileeplied, because she couldn''t see an opening for herself to escape.


    Argos then escorted Hailee to the second floor and opened a door for her. However, it wasn''t because of the luxury of the room that Hailee was surprised, because inside, she saw Giana and Aileen.


    Immediately her blood turned cold and Hailee felt increasingly alert.


    "Don''t look at me like that," Giana scolded. "I know absolutely nothing about this." She raised her hands in surrender, but Hailee could see the evil intent behind her eyes.


    "Oh, that''s very convincing," Hailee said sarcastically. She then looked around, looking for something to protect herself. Because after all, she was in a snake''sir.

 Chapter 307: SOMEONE KIDNAPPED HER

    <h4>Chapter 307: SOMEONE KIDNAPPED HER</h4>


    Giana got a call from Chad, one of Leon''s confidants, to go with Leon''s men somewhere.


    Therefore, Giana''s n to return home with Dillon after the power return did not happen and Dillon left alone, while Giana went with Leon''s men to the ce Chad told her.


    At first Giana did not suspect anything, she was just curious about what Leon would tell her.


    Because they haven''t beenmunicating well for the past few months and Leon only contacted her again after the divorce issue between her and Aidan surfaced in the media, especially when Giana took over the Dawson familypany.


    Apart from Dillon, Giana also needed other advice from someone she could trust and that person is of course Leon.


    However, Giana had absolutely no idea what Leon was going to tell her tonight. Didn''t they meet at the party? Then why did Leon actually ask her to go to one of his houses just to talk to him?


    Giana''s confusion only increased when she met Hailee and Aileen. What is happening here?


    "So you''re behind all this?" Hailee asked Giana, interrupting her thoughts. Becausepared to Aileen, Hailee was more inclined to the idea of Giana being the mastermind behind the kidnapping. Because after all the woman is smarter and cunning than her adopted sister.


    "Oh, don''t be too emotional," said Giana, waving her hand. Even though she didn''t know what was going on here, she wouldn''t allow Hailee to talk as she pleased. "I don''t even know anything about this."


    Hailee snorted when she heard Giana''s answer, she hugged her body, but it was just an instinct to protect her baby. "So I can assume that you don''t actually know anything about the gunfire that took ce at the Tordoff residence?" Hailee said those words in a scornful tone and paid close attention to the slightest changes in Giana''s expression.


    "The gunfire at the Tordoff residence?" Gianna frowned. She didn''t know that at all and Hailee could see that her surprise wasn''t a pretense.


    "Yes," Hailee replied curtly. "The gunfire at the Tordoff residence." Hailee repeated the sentence so that Giana could talk more about it and let out any information about the attack that happened a few hours ago.


    "Honestly, I don''t know anything about the attack you''re referring to, because I was at a party," Giana then added in a meaningful tone, as if her words had hidden meaning. "Together with Ramon."


    Even though Giana still didn''t understand this situation, she wouldn''t miss the chance to provoke Hailee and was a little happy that they met in this ce.


    However, the image of Ramon pointing a gun to her head and intending to kill her, still disturbed Giana very much...


    "Together with Ramon?" Hailee raised her eyebrows, then she added. "And hundreds of others, you mean?" Hailee didn''t even mask the mocking tone of her sentence and didn''t hold back herughter at all. "You''re really funny, Giana."


    Hearing how Hailee made fun of Giana, which was something funny even to Aileen, made the woman couldn''t help but snicker andugh as well, which she disguised as a cough when Giana looked at her sharply and coldly.


    However, Hailee''sughter suddenly seized and her facial expression turned serious in less than a second. "Stop admiring my husband, so stop thinking you can get him," Hailee said sarcastically and loudly.


    "He was mine before he met you," Giana growled. She didn''t ept what Hailee said and still couldn''t ept the reality in front of her eyes.


    It seemed, Giana''s love for Ramon, mixed with regret for what she should have done in the past, made her obsessed with him.


    Yes, it''s no longer a matter of who owns who, but Giana has gone a step further than that and has made Ramon her obsession.


    She also wanted to see Hailee suffer from losing Ramon.


    The sight would be a pleasure to behold¡­


    "Then, does he want you now?" Hailee asked as she tilted her head and looked at Giana with condescending eyes.


    ================


    Lexus immediately approached Ramon who was talking to the invited guests at the end of the event, after which he would deliver a closing speech.


    So, before Lexus could get the exnation he wanted, he had to wait for Ramon to, formally, end the evening''s event with a few closing sentences.


    Even in his ending speech, Lexus could see that Ramon couldn''t wait to finish his closing remarks and make his sentences as short and effective as possible.


    Less than a minuteter, Ramon had finished and thanked the guests present, after which he got off the stage and immediately approached Lexus.


    "Ramon¡­" Lexus hadn''t had time to finish his sentence before Ramon had cut him off.


    "Follow me," he said with a stiff facial expression, while walking past Lexus, he didn''t even slow down for a second.


    Even the people around Ramon could sense the cold aura he was emitting. A dangerous feeling, as though if they made the slightest mistake, their lives would end up in the hands of the Tordoff heir.


    On the other hand, without being reminded twice, Lexus immediately followed Ramon, trailing behind his brother like he did all along.


    Of course he would go wherever Ramon took him.


    ================


    Ramon stopped the car he was driving in a secluded ce near theke, a ce that looked beautiful and natural with some decentlyrge trees shading the ground.


    Only, because it was nighttime, and the lighting wasn''t very good, the ce reminded Lexus of a murder scene in one of the movies he watched with Hailee.


    "Why are we here?" asked Lexus, he then looked at Ramon who had just turned off the car engine, while his four cars of bodyguards had stopped a bit far from where they stopped. "You''re making me nervous. Can''t we find a ce that has a little more lighting?"


    Ramon ignored the joke Lexus was trying to make, instead he unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car.


    Ramon needed a little fresh air to clear his head, because what he was about to say next would be a shocking thing to Lexus.


    "Ramon, what''s wrong?" asked Lexus, following his brother out of the car. "Is there a problem?"


    "Yes," replied Ramon. "Hailee is kidnapped."

 Chapter 308: ARE YOU OKAY?

    <h4>Chapter 308: ARE YOU OKAY?</h4>


    "Someone kidnapped Hailee," Ramon said suddenly. One sentence that Lexus didn''t expect to hear.


    "Hah?" Lexus took a little longer to digest that simple and short sentence. "What do you mean?"


    Those three words were like a bomb dropped on Lexus that blocked his way of thinking, making him unable to process quickly like his usual self.


    "Hailee is kidnapped," Ramon repeated again. And this time he took a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, lit a cigarette and stuck it between his lips.


    It had been years since Lexus had seen Ramon smoke. His older brother had already broken this habit when he took over thepany, although Lexus had seen Ramon pickup the habit again when thepany went through a veryplicated crisis, at the beginning of the transfer of ownership to him which both depressed and stressed Ramon a little.


    And it seems the same thing is happening now.


    Ramon in front of him now is not a calm and considerate brother, someone who is able to ovee any problem he is faced with, Lexus can see a different side of Ramon, he can see how frantic Ramon is now.


    "How could that be?" asked Lexus, he then took the lit cigarette from Ramon''s hand and stepped on it. Seeing Ramon like this bothered him a lot, because he was used to seeing his older brother as someone he could always rely on. "Hailee is at home¡­ so how could someone break into the house and kidnap her? Where''s Pyro?"


    Ramon clenched his jaw and rubbed his face roughly. His emotions were unstable right now and only when he was with Lexus could he show them openly.


    "Some of the bodyguards assigned to protect Hailee were traitors," Ramon admitted, his voice more like a suppressed growl.


    Lexus was silent, his mouth opened several times, but no words came out, because he felt there were no appropriate words to say at a time like this.


    "Wow¡­" Lexus shook his head and he looked back at Ramon. "This is really messed up."


    Ramon then took off the coat he was wearing and threw it away, he also loosened the tie that was wrapped around his neck, because he felt suffocated, even though it had nothing to do with the ufortable feeling he felt right now.


    "Then what are you waiting for? Why are we still here?" All of a sudden, Lexus felt an adrenaline rush, as an understanding of the gravity of the situation began to creep into him. "We have to find Hailee! She must be scared right now, she''s pregnant! Did you find any leads? Did the kidnapper ask for a ransom?"


    Ramon wanted tough when he heard Lexus''st sentence. If things were that simple and the kidnapper was only asking for a ransom, then Ramon wouldn''t be on the verge of a mental breakdown like this¡­


    "No," replied Ramon. He then looked at his brother more closely. "This is not a ransom issue."


    "Then what is this about?" Then Lexus seemed to be enlightened a little on this issue. "Are these people your enemies?"


    "Yes," replied Ramon curtly. It could be said like that.


    "Then what do they want? They must want something from you, right?" Lexus really wanted to hit Ramon to get him to talk more and give him the information he needed. Hearing that his brother only answered each of his questions briefly, made Lexus want to pull his hair hard in frustration.


    Silence engulfed the two of them for a moment and it made the atmosphere even more tense and suffocating.


    Ramon fell silent and looked at his brother. He then put his hands in his pants pockets and seemed to be struggling with his own thoughts.


    "Lexus," called Ramon. "I have something to tell you and I want you to listen carefully."


    Lexus rarely saw Ramon look nervous and unsettled, so this made him even more ufortable. "What is it?" he asked carefully.


    ================


    Hailee looked around her, trying to find something to use as a weapon. She didn''t know what would happen next, but she certainly needed weapons to defend herself, especially in the face of Aileen and Giana.


    Only the three of them were inside this spacious room and Hailee chose to sit away from the two of them.


    Not only Hailee, Aileen and Giana didn''t want to sit together and be close to each other either.


    After that small quibble between Hailee and Giana earlier, neither of them spoke again and the atmosphere in the luxurious room turned very quiet, until finally Giana got impatient and stood up from her seat.


    She then walked toward the door and was immediately stopped by a guard, who asked her to go back into the room.


    But, of course Giana would not take this lying down and began to show her true nature that did not like to be restrained.


    "You do not know who I am? I want to meet Leon and talk to him," Giana said to the guard very rudely and curtly.


    Leon¡­


    Hailee, who heard that name being called, started to understand the situation at hand¡­ so Leon was the mastermind behind all of this¡­


    What was he nning to do by gathering Hailee and Aileen and Giana in the same ce?


    But, then another guard barged in and walked toward Hailee, then gave her an order in a harsh tone. "Follow me."


    ================


    Ramon nced at Lexus sitting beside him deathly still and hadn''t moved again since the moment they entered the car.


    Meanwhile outside, the sun was almost up and the roads were starting to get crowded with vehicles.


    The night just passed and with so many unexpected things happening, Ramon had no idea that less than twenty four hours ago, he could still see Hailee''s sleeping face as everything seemed fine then.


    Yesterday, at the same time of the morning, Hailee was in his arms, under the warm and safe nkets of their home.


    But now things are different and Ramon doesn''t even know where Hailee is or how she is. This almost made him really lose control of himself.


    However, right now there was something else he had to deal with.


    Lexus didn''t say a word from the time they got into the car until Ramon stopped the car in front of a two-storey building not far from town.


    "Are you okay?" asked Ramon, he then turned off the car engine and looked at his brother.


    "No, I''m not okay," said Lexus. He then turned his attention to Ramon. "Are you sure about what you said?"

 Chapter 309: REUNION

    <h4>Chapter 309: REUNION</h4>


    Lexus felt as if all his life had been a big lie as he continued hearing Ramon''s words.


    Actually, Lexus didn''t really listen to what Ramon said after learning the person named Leon Dawson was his father. That their mother had a rtionship with the man and that he, Lexus, was their child.


    It felt like listening to the outline of a cheap novel that made no sense with far-fetched twists.


    It was unfathomable how Lexus''s perception of his own family, Ramon and Lis, instantly changed, with just one sentence from Ramon.


    The problem here with Lexus is; he always believed what Ramon said. Whatever that is. Ever since they were little, even when Ramon lied to him, Lexus still believed him.


    Therefore, it was hard for him to start doubting what his brother said now. Not in the face of such a big secret.


    Ramon rarely even joked about trivial matters, so there was no way his brother would start with such a big issue, especially when his pregnant wife had been kidnapped and her whereabouts were still unknown.


    "Are you sure about what you said?" asked Lexus when Ramon asked if he was okay.


    There''s no way he''d be okay. Even now, Lexus felt his head spinning rapidly. He didn''t even realize that they had already arrived at the building where Ramon was holding Leon.


    "Do I look like I''m joking?" Had this not happened, then Ramon would not have wanted to be the first to break the news to Lexus, or if possible, this would not be a priority for Ramon.


    Not because he didn''t care, but because nothing would change even if Ramon knew this. Lexus is still his little brother and nothing else will change that fact.


    However, what was happening now,plicated things and Ramon resented the circumstances which made him the person to deliver this news to Lexus.


    "I hope you''re joking," Lexus said, his voice an incoherent mumble. "You know, when two siblings tease each other, the older brother will tease his younger brother by saying that he is an adopted son. Kids always joke like that¡­"


    Lexus would babble on obscure things like that to hide his own feelings, because then he could think that the facts in front of his eyes were not very real.


    But, Ramon pulled him back to the reality he had to face.


    "We are not children." Ramon cut off Lexus''s incoherent rambling with a firm sentence. "And I never used that as a joke to prank you."


    "Yeah, because you''ve never bullied me like a big brother," Lexus muttered. He didn''t even know what to say anymore or how to respond to all of this, because he was too confused about how to deal with all of this.


    "We have to get down and you can meet him," said Ramon. He then got out of the car and because Lexus did not follow him, Ramon then walked to the other side of the car and opened the door for Lexus.


    "This is the first time you''ve done this to me," Lexus muttered. He then got out of the car. "Is it because you feel bad for me, because I am the child from our mother and another man''s affair?"


    "Stop saying that," Ramon growled. "There''s something else I want you to do," he said.


    "Meeting the man," Lexus replied gloomily.


    Then the two of them walked toward the building, in the basement of which Ramon kept Leon.


    "You''re not kidding about this, are you?" asked Lexus again, his head down and Ramon had never seen his younger brother look so unenthusiastic like now, he was used to seeing Lexus being careless and not really caring about his surroundings.


    "You want a DNA test?" Ramon offered.


    "Are you kidding me?" asked Lexus, raising his head and staring grimly at Ramon.


    "You want me to joke now?" Ramon returned Lexus'' gaze.


    "No." Lexus then shook his head and looked in a direction other than Ramon''s. "You''ll look a lot worse than this if you force yourself to joke."


    Then the two of them walked toward the elevator which led them to the basement of the building.


    "What do you want me to do?" asked Lexus when the elevator doors opened again and they had arrived at the intended basement.


    "I want you to find out where Leon has hidden Hailee," said Ramon. Leon wouldn''t say anything to him, no matter how hard he tortured the man while Lis didn''t know anything about Leon''s involvement in this sinister plot.


    Therefore, perhaps by presenting his biological son to him will help Ramon in getting the answer he wants.


    "How¡­ how do I do it?" asked Lexus. He felt very nervous. He still felt like he was in the clouds and was still trying to digest the reality in front of his eyes.


    Or rather, the reality that was waiting for him behind the basement door that Ramon would soon open.


    "Just a moment," Lexus said quickly, holding Ramon''s hand which was about to open the door. "Let me think for a moment."


    Ramon looked closely at Lexus, then saw the worry in his younger brother''s eyes.


    Lexus then shook his head, as if that way, he could get rid of his bad feelings and be able to ept the reality that wasid out in front of him more.


    Unfortunately, the problem can''t be solved that simply.


    "Tell me, what should I do with all of this?" asked Lexus, he muttered while lowering his head, not daring to look at Ramon.


    "I know this is hard for you," said Ramon. "But I need you to do this." Ramon really needed him and couldn''t think of any other way to quickly get information about Hailee''s whereabouts except by using Lexus.


    "Give me two minutes," Lexus offered. "Two minutes for me to organize my thoughts."


    Ramon then let go of the door handle he was holding and allowed Lexus to open the door himself. Even when the promised two minutes had passed, Lexus was still transfixed in his ce, not moving at all.


    "Are you sure mom has an illicit rtionship with this man and I am the result of that affair?" Lexus still refused to look at Ramon, he only heard Ramon acknowledging his words softly. "He knew about this?" he asked again.


    "Yes, he knows. But, he didn''t know that you were aware of it now." Ramon then added. "I don''t want to ruin the reunion between you and your biological father, but I need to know where my wife is."


    Hearing Ramon''s words, Lexus frowned. "Reunion my a**," he cursed, then opened the door.

 Chapter 310: PAIN

    <h4>Chapter 310: PAIN</h4>


    Reunion?


    Lexus grumbled in his heart when he heard how Ramon called this meeting a reunion. Seriously, he wouldn''t even acknowledge that creature named Leon as his father, so don''t call this a reunion.


    With annoyed steps, Lexus entered the room and headed for another room which was the exact ce where Leon was being held.


    Beforeing in, Ramon had already told Lexus that Leon was in a not so good condition.


    Lexus understood what Ramon meant by the phrase ''not so good.'' His older brother must have vented a bit of his anger on Leon and made him a little miserable.


    However, Lexus didn''t mind that fact at all, because he didn''t have any emotional attachment to this man named Leon, who turned out to be his real father, whom he only met a few hours ago.


    If only Lexus didn''t have so much trust in Ramon and knew his brother very well, of course he wouldn''t have immediately believed what he said, because the facts that Ramon had just conveyed sounded so foreign and too extreme to be true.


    Argh! But that can be thought aboutter.


    Lexus tried to push all the thoughts that bothered him and tried to focus on the problems at hand now, namely; find out where Hailee is.


    If it was true that Leon was behind all of this and he was the one who had kidnapped Hailee and attacked the Tordoff residence, father or not, he himself would be the one to teach that man a lesson.


    No one was allowed to y with his family and Leon was not a member of the family that Lexus had in mind. He''s just a stranger.


    "I''d better go inside myself," said Lexus when they arrived at the small room where Ramon kept Leon.


    "Are you sure?" asked Ramon. He didn''t think Lexus was in a stable mental state.


    "You''re worried he''ll hurt me?" Lexus asked back with a scornful tone. He then closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then spoke again in a calmer voice. "I will get information from him. No one is allowed to hurt my future nephew."


    After saying that, Lexus then opened the door and ordered the two guards who were in the room to get out, leaving him alone with Leon, who was now curled up in the corner of the room in a state that was anything but good.


    Lexus did not even flinch when he saw his sorry and battered figure. There was no pity or any other emotional feeling that surrounded him.


    Leon, who heard the sound of the door being opened and thought it was Ramon who came back to ask him to tell him where his wife was, was quite surprised when he saw Lexus walking into the room.


    His son looked at him with a cold and expressionless face. It was hard to know what was really going on in his mind.


    Leon then tried to sit down and followed Lexus''s footsteps with his eyes until he took a chair and pulled it forward so that it was right in front of Leon before sitting down calmly.


    For a moment, silence filled the room, until Lexus spoke up.


    "I can''t believe that I was born to someone like you," said Lexus in a disdainful tone. Him sitting on the chair and Leon sitting on the dusty floor, made him have to nce down to be able to see Leon''s eyes directly, and this had a great effect on the man, he felt belittled by his own son.


    "Is that how you greet your biological father?" based on the first sentence from Lexus, Leon could draw the conclusion that he already knew Leon''s identity as his real father, so, there was no need to hide anything anymore, right?


    Hearing those words, Lexus raised his eyebrows and snorted. "I don''t even think of you as my father."


    The man before him waspletely different from the Leon he had faced at the partyst night. And remembering about the party again, Lexus felt like going home and taking a shower, scrubbing his body clean because this man had hugged him so tightly.


    As for that hug, it was beyond disgusting.


    And also his mother''s expression when it happened. And it was only now that Lexus realized why his mother had such a facial expression.


    He had no idea that reality and the reasons for it turned out to be much darker and bleaker than he had imagined.


    "No matter how much you deny me, you won''t be able to deny the fact that I am your real father." Leon is still adamant about it.


    The pain in his groin and leg was excruciating, especially since a doctor came and stitched up the wound without anesthesia. Leon would? remember this pain.


    "Alright then, biological father." Lexus shrugged his shoulders nonchntly. "Now tell me where is my sister-inw? You certainly know who she is. Your assholes people have entered the Tordoff residence without permission."


    Leonughed loudly, as if Lexus had just told the funniest joke he had ever heard. "If I didn''t tell Ramon about it, do you think I would tell you?" he asked.


    "So you don''t want to tell your biological child?" asked Lexus, the expression on his face showing disappointment, but of course it was just a pretense. "Think of this as a first request from your son that you haven''t seen in a long time, how about it?"


    "Oh, Lexus, I would give everything for you because you are my son, but as for this matter, it is a private matter between me and Ramon." Leon also followed Lexus'' game and showed a disappointed facial expression.


    Lexus scowled. "I feel like an outsider."


    "Of course not. Because I did all this only for you." Hearing that Lexus felt nauseous. The second Leon told where Hailee was, it was a sure thing that he would pull this man''s tongue out and cut it off, especially if he uttered such words again. "I like your name. Lis initially rejected the name. Lexus."


    That meant his name was given by Leon.


    Lexus vowed to change his name once this matter was resolved.


    Meanwhile, outside the room, Ramon was leaning his body against the wall, next to the door where Lexus and Leon were talking. He closed his eyes as the pain in his head felt like it was going to kill him.


    The kind of pain he would feel whenever his body was drained or under too much pressure and for now, the cause was both.


    Ramon groaned softly as the pain intensified and his vision blurred.


    And Ramon knew what would happen next¡­

 Chapter 311: PAIN (2)

    <h4>Chapter 311: PAIN (2)</h4>


    "You,e with me," said one of the guards who entered the room. He stood in front of Hailee and looked at the pregnant woman withplicated eyes.


    Apparently, there was still a bit of humanity to him when he noticed Hailee''s condition, which was being pregnant. At least he still has some passion'' left in him...


    Meanwhile, Hailee didn''t want to bother asking where this man would take her because the odds were close to impossible that she would receive an answer.


    Therefore, Hailee would not waste her energy asking questions. After all, she would find out soon enough. It''s not like she can refuse the request.


    Slowly, Hailee got up from her seat, but she slipped something into the pocket of the jacket she was wearing. The small object she found earlier in this room and started following the man out of the room.


    Hailee and Giana exchanged nces as she passed her and she could see the deep hatred in her eyes.


    Hailee couldn''t understand why Giana was so obsessed with Ramon when rumors about her rtionship with Dillon were no longer just an open secret. Even if Giana decided to be with Dillon, there wouldn''t be many negativements about the two of them, knowing what Giana had been through in the past, and her marriage life with Aidan. It seemed that the public could tolerate their rtionship.


    But, why was Giana still thinking about Ramon? That woman must have gone mad¡­ and blinded by her obsession with getting Ramon back.


    In the brightly lit corridor, which was decorated with assorted paintings on each wall, Hailee followed the man into another room on the other side of the house.


    Until they arrived at a wooden door with intricate and unique carvings, showing how expensive this piece of wood was.


    The guard then knocked on the door and waited until a voice from inside allowed them to enter.


    The voice sounded like a young man''s voice and Hailee''s curiosity made her dare to enter the room and find out who this man was.


    After Hailee entered the room, it seemed the guard didn''t follow her in and closed the door right behind her, leaving Hailee in there with the stranger.


    "Come here, let me see you," called the voice from inside. And Hailee followed where the voice came from.


    In a room asrge as the first one, Hailee found a young man she had never met, pouring two sses of red wine with soft music ying in the background.


    What is this?


    Hailee stood quite a distance from the man, despite his request toe into the room and ept the wine ss from him.


    There''s no way Hailee would ept the drink, even when she wasn''t pregnant, Hailee wasn''t a fan of alcoholic drinks, plus her low alcohol tolerance¡­ of course she didn''t dare to drink it.


    Therefore, when this foreign man approached her and handed her the ss, Hailee just held it and didn''t drink it.


    Even though she felt a little afraid of this man''s true intentions, Hailee didn''t want to show it which would give this man an advantage to intimidate her.


    "It''s very rude not to drink the drink," said the man in a hoarse voice. He seemed to be a heavy smoker.


    "I didn''t mean to be polite," Hailee replied coldly. She didn''t feel like she had to be friendly with this person.


    Hearing Hailee''s answer, the man startedughing so hard that he had to put down his ss so he wouldn''t drop it.


    "You really are as cynical and mean as I heard," the man said after he finishedughing and wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes. "To think I''d get such a weing remark on our first meeting."


    Hailee looked at the crazy man in front of her with eyes that weren''t interested at all. She didn''t want to spend time with this man or Aileen and Giana. She really wanted to leave this ce¡­


    "Oh, I''m sorry for being so rude. I know about you but you don''t know anything about me, I guess?" asked the man, being hair-raisingly polite.


    Hailee had been with Ramon long enough to learn that; when someone is very polite or nice to you, especially someone you just met, then that''s when you need to be more vignt.


    And Hailee totally understood that sentence at this time. Living in a world like Ramon''s doesn''t allow you to let your guard down at all, because you don''t know who will stab you the moment you let your guard down.


    "I''m Axcel Dimatrio," he said as he offered his hand to Hailee which she didn''t wee at all.


    "Axcel¡­ Dimatrio¡­?" The name sure brought several memories of the past back to Hailee.


    "Yes, Dimatrio¡­ do you remember that name?'''' When Hailee realized where she had heard that name before and the figure of that immoral middle-aged man appeared in her mind, her eyes immediately widened in shock. "Yes, you must remember, don''t you? I''d be very upset if you didn''t."


    ================


    Ramon growled while gripping his head tightly. He felt as if his head was going to explode right then and there.


    He didn''t even hear the four bodyguards rushing over to him frantically and taking him into the car to sit down and rest.


    David, who had just arrived at the ce, immediately ordered one of them to drive the car to the hospital, but Ramon stopped him and asked them to leave him alone.


    He knew what would happen after this and he just needed them to leave him.


    "LEAVE!" Ramon roared when David and the other four bodyguards didn''t listen to his orders.


    Hearing him, David had no other choice and quickly walked away. Not before closing the car. He stood a few meters away from the man in pain, but not too far away, so that he could immediately know if something was wrong, or what happened to Ramonter.


    In the car, Ramon felt like his head was going to explode, as if a huge explosion was about to happen when some past memories came crashing down on him, making it hard for him to even breathe.


    He remembered¡­


    He remembered the reason why he was with Giana and how they started that affair¡­


    Ramon even remembered everything about when his father was alive as well as some fights he identally saw happening between his father and mother behind their bedroom door¡­

 Chapter 312: PAIN (3)

    <h4>Chapter 312: PAIN (3)</h4>


    "So, what exactly are we doing here?" asked Aileen in a bored tone, she then flopped down on the sofa where Hailee sat before, looking at Giana who didn''t manage to get ess out of this room.


    Instead of answering Aileen''s question, she asked her own. "You know Leon? How did youe across him?" Giana asked in an unfriendly tone, still annoyed that she wasn''t allowed to leave. She would call Dillon to pick her up if in the next hour she didn''t get any information about why she had to spend time at one of Leon''s properties with Aileen and Hailee.


    "Yes, I know him." Aileen then looked at Giana with eyes full of judgment. "He''s a member of the Dawson family, isn''t he? Leon Dawson. Or better known as Herbert Long to some people."


    Yes, Aileen had carried out her own investigation to find out the background of the mysterious man who offered to work with her.


    So she knew more or less about Leon and his rtionship with the Dawsons, but that was all there was to it. Because there really wasn''t much that she could get her hands on, considering that she didn''t have as much influence as the well-known families from City A.


    "How do you know him?" asked Giana. Looks like she''ll be seeing Aileen more often after this. Somehow she had such a feeling.


    Regardless of the problem with the video between Aidan and Zia or other problems rted to Hailee.


    "He doesn''t like Ramon and I don''t like Hailee. We help each other," replied Aileen while shrugging her shoulders nonchntly. "Then, what does that have to do with you other than you being his niece? I don''t think you have any problem with Ramon or Hailee¡­" Aileen looked at Giana with probing eyes, of course she didn''t know about the affair between Giana and Ramon when she was still Aidan''s wife.


    "You don''t need to know about that," Giana answered briefly, then turned away to hide her expression. Leon hates Ramon?


    Aileen''s statement just now left her quite surprised, because Giana never knew that Leon hated Ramon.


    Didn''t Giana tell Leon about her rtionship with Ramon and he was the only person who supported her? Then why is Aileen now saying that Leon hates Ramon?


    Is Leon just tricking the woman or¡­ Leon hates Ramon because he married Hailee and left Giana? Because after all, Leon knows how much Giana loves Ramon.


    Seems like thetter possibility is much more usible¡­


    "Want a Drink?" asked Giana as she grabbed a bottle of whiskey and asked Aileen if she needed a little alcohol to calm her nerves after a long night.


    Aileen nced at the window and saw that the sun was almost shining, which meant that she hadn''t slept for an entire night.


    So much had happened that she felt the calm yesterday was like a day from a few weeks ago.


    "It''s too early for a ss of alcohol," Aileen grumbled, but a momentter she said, "I''d like a beer. Is there any beer here?"


    Giana rolled her eyes at that. "You have absolutely no taste."


    "Don''t criticize my taste, when you have bad taste too," Aileen replied to Giana and she referenced her words to Aidan.


    "Says someone who has almost the same problem as me," Giana answered briefly and to the point, which was able to turn Aileen instantly quiet.


    ================


    "What do you want to do with Hailee?" asked Lexus calmly. "You want to kill her? To upset my brother?"


    "He''s not your brother," Leon said when he heard Lexus associating himself with Ramon. "That bastard born to a jerk isn''t your brother."


    Lexus raised his eyebrows mockingly at Leon. "It''s up to you what you want to say, but for sure I love Ramon more." He then chuckled, as if he had just heard the funniest joke he had ever made.


    A simr reaction, which Leon often had when he wanted to mock his interlocutor.


    "So, where is Hailee?" asked Lexus, after he suddenly stoppedughing. The man looked even more serious than before.


    Lexus then stood up and walked over to Leon, crouched in front of him and looked him straight in the eye.


    "If anything happens to Hailee, I''ll make your life miserable until you start begging to be killed." Lexus paused in his sentence to see how Leon would react. "I will kill you slowly, cut your body into small pieces and let you watch how the hungry dogs eat the flesh off your own body."


    Leon couldn''t believe what he heard just now and wanted tough at himself. How could what Ramon said Lexus would do, actually be said directly by this son with such dreadful sincerity?


    But, what Leon didn''t really know was; it was Lexus'' favorite line when he wanted to threaten someone and Ramon had heard it so many times.


    "Did your men bring Hailee out of this town?" asked Lexus. He looked Leon straight into his eyes intently. "Yeah, your men took her out of this town," Lexus muttered.


    Then he asked a few more questions which he answered himself by just looking at the expressions on Leon''s face.


    "Why are you surprised?" asked Lexus after a few questions. "Did I forget to tell you that I am very good at reading micro expressions?"


    ================


    Ramon remembered everything...


    His meeting with Giana, how he approached her and also the reason why he was able to have the affair¡­


    It all started because of? Leon...


    No, Ramon had known that Lexus was Leon''s biological son since a few years ago, when he got to know Giana.


    Knowing the closeness of Giana and Leon, even though the man had disappeared from the Dawson family and his name was removed from the heir recipient, it turned out that Giana still asionallymunicated with the man.


    And arguably, Giana is much closer emotionally to Leon, than her own father.


    Knowing this and also Giana''s very clear purpose when she started approaching Ramon because she felt this man gave her the green light, made Ramon take advantage of the situation and establish such a rtionship with Giana two years ago.


    With all this in mind, Ramon couldn''t help but think of his ambition to make himself step over the edge...


    Not only that¡­ the memories of the past hit his head again, making his vision blur and he had to grit his teeth to endure the almost unbearable pain.

 Chapter 313: PAIN (4)

    <h4>Chapter 313: PAIN (4)</h4>


    The fragments of memories shed back into Ramon''s memory, ying like a short film clip that went too fast.


    Ramon remembered how he first spent the night with Giana, telling some secrets that could make her more trusting in him and less suspicious when Ramon wanted to know more about Giana''s family under the pretext of understanding her more deeply.


    People always say that when you share a secret in your life, other people will do the same.


    Therefore, by telling some secrets that Ramon thought was safe enough to tell Giana, Ramon began to nurture deeper feelings between the two of them.


    Just to achieve his goal.


    And sure enough, Giana was more than happy to talk about her experiences as a child, how her school life was, the rtionship between her parents and also about Leon.


    Giana said that she was Leon''s favorite, where her uncle still contacted her and kept in touch with her even though his name had been removed from the Dawson family.


    Ramon even managed to figure out some of the secrets between the Dawsons and the Smiths from Giana, as well as thepany secrets that Giana had told him offhand, because she didn''t suspect Ramon at all and let her guard down whenever she was with him.


    There were so many things that Ramon had learnt and the information he got was crucial¡­


    It wasn''t strange when he lost his memory, he instantly felt that important parts were missing and the things he remembered didn''t fit.


    Ramon''s headache only intensified, making him groan constantly, clenching his jaw hard and tightening his fists until his knuckles turned white.


    His breathing quickened while his heart was beating very fast, along with beads of sweat falling from his temples.


    Ramon had never felt an attack like this before and got so many memories at a time, it was as if he could remember everything, except¡­


    Except when he had the ident. Ramon remembered the memories of him being strapped to a chair, in an old barn with a partially detached roof and shattered ss.


    But, after that, nothing. Ramon hadn''t gotten back all the lost memories yet¡­


    It''s just that, maybe because Ramon was pushing himself so hard that it tired his body too much, now Ramon couldn''t even sit up and rolled over to his right side. Breathing hard.


    Ramon''s face was pale and the painsted twice as long as thest time he had this attack and there was no sign that it would stop any time soon.


    Several scenes repeated in Ramon''s head, such as when he saw his parents fighting and how his father looked at Lexus with hatred, which caused Lexus to be closer to him than their parents.


    Ramon also recalled old memories that were almostpletely forgotten by him, when Lexus was beaten by their father and he was so angry about it.


    How could Ramon forget all that?


    Shouldn''t that be a memory that would stick with him forever? Such memories are not something that can be simply forgotten. Even though it happened a long time ago.


    It took a while for the attack to subside and he could think a little more clearly¡­


    That''s when Ramon heard a knock on his car window. It was David. The bodyguard was so worried because Ramon didn''te out of the car and decided to check again at the risk of facing Ramon''s anger.


    "Are you okay, Sir?" asked David when Ramon finally got out of the car with a pale face. "Do we need to go to the hospital?"


    "What about Lexus?" asked Ramon. His voice sounded very hoarse, like someone who had not had a drink for days.


    "Lexus is still in the room and hasn''te out yet," David answered Ramon''s question straightforwardly. He immediately followed Ramon who walked straight into the room where Lexus and Leon were.


    Apparently, Ramon''s patience had run out and he had no more free time to persuade the man.


    So, if the man really intended to die, Ramon would dly kill him.


    ================


    "F City¡­" Lexus muttered. "You kept Hailee in F city? In one of your properties?" he asked. And Lexus could see Leon''s pupils dting visibly.


    Small changes like these meant a lot to someone who could understand micro-expressions and Lexus is quite proficient at this.


    It''s not that Ramon couldn''t do the same, it''s just that his unstable emotions and feelings would affect his judgment and he didn''t have enough patience andposure at a time like this to deal with Leon.


    There was no way Ramon could discern the slightest changes in his facial expressions when the thing Ramon wanted most when he was around Leon was to torture him until he got the answer he wanted.


    "So, she''s in city F¡­" Lexus confirmed and he again saw Leon''s very subtle confirmation gesture. "Thank you for answering all my questions," said Lexus with a sweet smile at the end of the monologue session, because since the beginning of Lexus''s questionnaire, Leon hadn''t said a single word to him.


    On the other hand, Leon didn''t know whether he shouldugh or cry when he saw Lexus'' extraordinary analytical abilities.


    His son really has the potential to lead the Tordoff, Dawson and Smithpanies.


    Yes¡­ Leon wants Smith''spany as well and Giana is working on it without knowing the real intentions behind Leon''s n.


    And now, seeing Lexus'' amazing skills, Leon found himself getting increasingly ambitious to make his son what he wanted.


    Power¡­


    Who wouldn''t be tempted by this? As a man, of course it is very important ... and ording to him, Lexus is no exception.


    "You know Lexus¡­" Leon began, his voice low, due to the pain he had to endure. "If you want, I can help you get everything you want¡­ all the things you never imagined you would get¡­"


    Lexus tilted his head and looked at Leon innocently, then said casually. "I already have what I wanted." Lexus then shrugged his shoulders. "I am rich, handsome, kind, friendly, loved by women, have a great brother and a sister-inw who is beautiful and good at cooking, and now I will wait for the birth of my cute nephew. I don''tck anything."


    Once again Leon was at a loss for words when he heard Lexus'' unexpected answer. Maybe he is his real father, but he can''t read his son''s character at all...


    "You don''t have what I have, so there''s no need to make any offers to me, because you look pathetic when you do that."

 Chapter 314: PAIN (5)

    <h4>Chapter 314: PAIN (5)</h4>


    After saying his piece, Lexus stood up and was about to leave the room when he saw Ramon opening the door from the outside with a pale face and sweat dripping down his forehead.


    However, what attracted most of Lexus'' attention was the menacing look in Ramon''s eyes as he red coldly at Leon. Lexus could clearly see a wild killing intent in his brother''s eyes.


    If Lexus and few of their bodyguards weren''t around, maybe Ramon would have lunged at Leon and killed him on the spot, convinced that he wouldn''t get any answers from the man, because Leon was so determined not to open his mouth and let out any information regarding Hailee''s whereabouts.


    But, Lexus had already restrained him and said quickly. "I know where Hailee is," said Lexus.


    That one sentence had a great impact and it was able to pull Ramon out of the darkness of his own thoughts and make his attention now focused on his brother.


    "Come on," Lexus said. He didn''t want to discuss this in front of Leon. "We have to hurry."


    However, before the two of them left the room where Leon was being held captive, the man called from behind to get the attention of the two of them.


    "You might be able to find out where she is, but I think by the time you get there, you''ll bete." Leonughed softly at the change in Ramon''s facial expression. It turned out that this man was not as cold as the rumors said about him.


    Or maybe Ramon would only react like that when it had something to do with Hailee, after all he had never felt this way before. Fear, despair and helplessness as if he couldn''t do anything¡­ such feelings sent his fury even more out of control.


    "I had to admit, I didn''t do anything to her, but there is one thing you should know¡­" Leon paused in his sentence to enjoy the anger gathering in Ramon''s eyes with his growing hatred. "You should know that you and your wife seem to have enough enemies to make things difficult enough for you for decades¡­ and as for myself, I''m just helping them to get what they want by bringing them all together¡­ I''m not bad, am I?"


    Hearing that, Ramon was about to take a step closer to beat Leon until he realized what it was like to be on the verge of death, but Lexus moved faster, his younger brother took the chair he was sitting on earlier and threw it at Leon.


    The chair hit the wall, but then bounced and hit Leon''s head, although the effect wouldn''t be as fatal as when the chair hit him directly, but still, the impact was so hard that the wound on his head opened again and a lot of blood gushed out rapidly.


    "Come on, Ramon, we have to find Hailee," Lexus tried to persuade his brother who was still standing motionless in his ce, it seemed the desire to kill Leon was so strong that he couldn''t even move his feet from there.


    But, hearing Hailee''s name, reluctantly, Ramon finally took his eyes off Leon and followed Lexus out of the small room.


    "Where is she?" asked Ramon, his voice so hoarse and his appearance so battered, because after all, they had spent such a long night without resting for even a second. "Where''s Hailee?" Ramon repeated his question impatiently.


    "ording to what I learned earlier, I think she''s in town F, in one of Leon''s properties," said Lexus, touching his chin, deep in thought and trying to reanalyze the answer Leon gave earlier.


    "Leon doesn''t own any property in town F," replied Ramon firmly. He had read the files on Leon and he still clearly remembered some of the properties under either Leon Dawson''s or Herbert Long''s names. None of these are in city F.


    "There aren''t any?" Lexus frowned. He was very sure that when he mentioned the words property and city F, Leon gave an expression that confirmed the statement. Or maybe, Lexus got it wrong?


    ================


    "Axcel Dimatrio¡­" Hailee repeated the name. Of course she didn''t remember who Axcel was, but it was certain that she would always remember the surname Dimatrio. "Rnd Dimatrio¡­"


    "Yes!" Axcel pped his hands once and smiled very sinisterly and horribly. "He is my father," he said. "You know what your husband did to him? What impact will it have on our family? Or my position?!"


    The more questions Axcel asked, the higher the pitch of his voice and the more Hailee could hear the deep hatred in his tone.


    "You destroyed my family''s reputation, destroyed my father''s career and mine and you have dishonored the Dimatrio family!" Axcel was now no longerughing. His face that was full of arrogance was now filled with fury as he bit out word after word venomously.


    But, Hailee didn''t want to back down either. She wouldn''t give the pleasure of being able to intimidate herself to someone like Axcel.


    "You deserve it," Hailee quipped sarcastically. She looked straight into Axcel''s eyes, pursed her lips and clenched her fists until her fingernails pierced her palms, but Hailee ignored that because she didn''t want Axcel to see that she was shaking.


    Yes, Hailee is scared. She was afraid that something bad would happen and she couldn''t defend herself. Only this time Hailee felt resentful because she couldn''t and didn''t know what to do.


    "Deserve it?" Axcel red at Hailee and repeated those words. "You said we deserved that?"


    Hailee lifted her chin and red at Axcel, mustering up all the courage she could. "Yes," she answered and she was grateful that her voice wasn''t shaking. "Do you know what dirty things your father did?"


    Axcel didn''t answer Hailee''s question with words, but instead, a very hard pnded on Hailee''s cheek.


    So hard that for a moment, Hailee didn''t know what happened to her when her body fell to the floor, only her instincts and reflexes made her hug her belly to protect her baby.

 Chapter 315: TENSION IN THE MORNING

    <h4>Chapter 315: TENSION IN THE MORNING</h4>


    Hailee fell to the floor on the right side of her body and immediately rolled away from Axcel who was standing proudly in front of her.


    Surprise still haunted Hailee because she didn''t expect that Axcel would actually hit her. This man is crazy!


    Hailee''s instinct told her to get out of the room immediately. If at this moment Axcel could hit her without a second thought, then Hailee didn''t want to imagine what this man would be able to do if she stayed in this room any longer.


    "You deserve it," Axcel said with a satisfied smile on his lips. "And of course I know what my father did."


    Hailee grabbed her jacket and felt the small object poke her finger, giving her a slight sense of security.


    =============


    "Leon doesn''t own any property in city F?" Lexus frowned and clenched his jaw. "Are you sure?"


    Ramon didn''t answer the question, but the look in his eyes was enough to tell Lexus that he shouldn''t have asked him that question.


    Seeing his brother staring at him with an indescribable look, made Lexus immediately shut his mouth tightly and think harder, but when he was so sure of the answer he was given, he became frustrated and looked back at the room where Leon was being held.


    "Or should I torture him into talking?" asked Lexus furiously.


    "I wouldn''t have asked you toe here if the solution you offered was something I coulde up myself." Oh, Ramon would be very good at torturing Leon, he already thought of a thousand and one ways on how he would torture Leonter, it''s just that, for now, Ramon doesn''t have any more time.


    "Where are you going?" asked Lexus when he saw his brother rushing away. He immediately got into the car that Ramon was driving without asking his brother''s approval first, while several other bodyguards immediately got into their cars and followed Ramon.


    ================


    "F City?" Marco repeated Ramon''s words. He just got a call from Mr. Tordoff, but before he told him about his sessful mission and the children he found in the house, Ramon had given him another mission. "Okay."


    After agreeing and knowing how the situation had turned, Ramon then hung up the phone.


    "Where are you going?" Ian asked, seeing Marco rush off after receiving a call from Ramon. "What happened?"


    The only thing Ian could afford to worry about right now was Hailee and if Ramon was in a state of panic there might be something wrong on the girl''s side.


    Ian could even tell something wasn''t right from the way Marco answered Ramon''s question in such a hurry, and his conjecture proved correct.


    "Mrs. Tordoff was kidnapped," Marco replied curtly.


    For a moment Ian couldn''t catch the sentence correctly, only after Marco rushed out of the ward, where Ciara was receiving intensive care, did Ian immediately run after him.


    "Please take care of my sister," Ian said to Daniel and Andrew, then he chased after Marco.


    For a moment, Ian had lost track of the man because he was moving so fast, luckily Ian remembered where their car was parked and immediately took the path to the parking lot, where he saw Marco already in the car.


    Ian immediately stopped the car by standing in front of it, then he walked to the other side of the car and knocked on the window until Marco opened the door for him.


    "Are you crazy?! Tired of your life already?" Marco eximed in annoyance as Ian had suddenly jumped in front of his speeding car.


    "You didn''t exin to me how Hailee got kidnapped," Ian grumbled. "You just left without giving any exnation."


    "I don''t know the details," Marco answered simply, and he drove out of the basement of the parking lot and was soon on a busy road.


    It was almost noon and neither of them had enough rest, it''s just that the current situation didn''t allow them to rx even for a moment.


    "Then how did Hailee get kidnapped? Wasn''t she in the Tordoff residence?" How was it possible for a ce with such tight security to be infiltrated by random people and moreover bring Hailee out of there unnoticed. Hailee is not a doll.


    "It seems that two of Hailee''s bodyguards have betrayed us," Marco said. He got this news from another bodyguard who also said that Mr. Tordoff almost killed Pyro for failing to do his job.


    Marco couldn''t even imagine how angry Ramon would be right now when he found his wife and future child in such a dangerous position.


    "Damn! How could that happen?!" cursed Ian.


    "I don''t know," Marco answered in a confused tone.


    "Then, shall we head to city F? What is going on over there?" Ian asked. "Have they got any information regarding Hailee''s whereabouts?"


    "Yes, ording to Mr. Tordoff, Mrs. Tordoff is in town F, but the problem is there''s no property in Leon Dawson''s name there," Marco exined as he pressed the gas pedal harder, making the car go even faster.


    "F City¡­ Leon Dawson¡­" Ian muttered.


    ================


    Lis had been staring at herptop screen for hours and there was only one video that was being yed over and over again, namely the CCTV footage ofst night, when the Tordoff residence was attacked and two of the security guards were seriously injured, from gunshots.


    Even now, this house was still under the radar of the police.


    And the media out there started to sense that something was wrong with the Tordoff residence being guarded by a lot of police and began to link this problem to the case of a ckout that urred during the few minutes ofst night''s party.


    There were some crazy theories and assumptions that strayed too far from reality, but there were also some opinions that were close to the truth and this was really surprising about people''s ability to analyze the situation.


    Lis sighed and rubbed her face roughly. She still couldn''t understand how Leon could hurt her family. He did make several proposals to make Lexus the sessor to the Tordoff family by recing Ramon.


    But, how could that be done? Lis knew her children very well and Lexus is not someone who is ambitious about position or money. Her second child only followed in Ramon''s footsteps because he idolized his brother.


    Therefore, Lis didn''t take Leon''s words seriously and took it as a thing of the past. However, who would have thought that something like this would happen?


    And Hailee¡­


    Why did Leon involve her pregnant daughter-inw in his evil n?


    Lis could feel her head throbbing painfully and her heart almost jumping out of her chest when she heard the sound of the door opening, revealing Lexus and Ramon? behind it.


    "Tell me where he lives in city F?" Ramon skipped all the greetings or small questions and went straight to the heart of the matter.


    "What?" Lis frowned, it felt like she couldn''t think anymore and when she saw Lexus together with Ramon, she felt very nervous. Does Lexus already know about it? Had Ramon told him?


    Lis tried to analyze the expression on her second son''s face, but was interrupted by a urging question from Ramon.


    "Did you take Lexus to meet him?" asked Lis, instead of answering Ramon''s question.

 Chapter 316: TRYING TO SURVIVE

    <h4>Chapter 316: TRYING TO SURVIVE</h4>


    "Did you take Lexus to meet him?" asked Lis, instead of answering Ramon''s question.


    For now, she seemed to have lost her ability to analyze the situation and couldn''t see how her eldest son really didn''t care about other matters, anything but those rted to his wife.


    And Lis'' question just now only fueled Ramon''s emotions even further. He then mmed his hand on the table and made the middle-aged woman in front of him focus on the question he asked.


    How could a mother think that; it was a good time to ask something else, which concerned herself rather than worrying about his son''s wife who was pregnant with their first child?


    It made no sense to Ramon at all and now his patience was running out. He didn''t have time to answer damn questions about Leon and Lexus.


    On the other hand, when Ramon mmed his fist against the table, Lis let out a low shriek while Lexus gasped, realizing that his brother was in no good mood to have a civilized conversation. No. He was in such a horrible mood, maybe if he didn''t remember Lis was their mother, Ramon wouldn''t even care if she''s a woman¡­


    "Where is Leon''s property in town F?" Ramon asked the same question and in the same calm tone, only the look in his eyes couldn''t possibly fool the emotions that were welling up inside him. He is furious beyond exnation¡­


    The way Ramon looked at Lis was as if a predator was looking at its prey savagely.


    "Mom, you have to tell him where Leon lives in F city, does he have a ce in F city?" Lexus asked, trying to mediate between the two, a role he rarely yed, especially between two people who had very strong characters and were almost always calm in every situation.


    Lis looked like a lost person, confused and surprised because she didn''t expect that Leon would go this far¡­ hadn''t she said many times that his dream for Lexus didn''t match their son''s character at all?


    However, Leon didn''t listen and took it this far.


    "Mom, you have to tell me where Leon is hiding Hailee," Lexus persuaded Lis again, who still seemed shaken. Then he looked at Lis''sptop screen which was still showing the scene fromst night''s shooting, which was recorded on their home CCTV camera.


    In fact, Lexus was stunned to see the scene that was disyed and couldn''t say anything to justify what Lis said.


    If indeed Leon is his father...


    An indescribable pain coupled with shame hit Lexus again and he quickly pushed it to the back of his head because this wasn''t the right time for that.


    He would reflect on thatter, after Hailee had been found and her safety had been ascertained.


    Lexus will have plenty of time to resent that and ask Lis what really happened.


    His mother owed him millions of exnations for what she has done...


    "Mom!" Lexus shook Lis''s hand, to get her attention, because he was worried that Ramon would do something crazy if his anger hadpletely taken over him.


    Yes, Ramon is like their father. Both have exploding emotions and possessiveness inmon about things.


    Even though Lexus knew that Ramon wasn''t as bad as their father who would throw his fists at anyone who made him angry, but no one could say for sure, because until now no one ever dared to try and test Ramon''s anger level.


    "I¡­ I¡­" Lis stammered, she felt scared when she saw Ramon looking at her like that. She felt as if her husband hade back and judged her and when Ramon raised his hand to rub his own face roughly, Lis flinched, she thought he was going to hit her.


    But no¡­ this is Ramon, not her husband¡­


    "Leon doesn''t own¡­ any property in city F," Lis said stutteringly, as if to finish the sentence, it would take more energy to do so.


    "There is not any?" Lexus felt so stupid. Did he misinterpret it? It seems that he is not as great as he thought¡­ "Are you sure?"


    "No..." Lis answered with certainty. She knew almost all of Leon''s assets as well as the man''s properties, but she had never heard of Leon having a house or resting ce in town F.


    Lexus rubbed his face roughly and was frustrated that his help was meaningless. He misinterpreted Leon''s facial expression¡­


    Should he go there again and interrogate the man?


    Actually they could have called Lis to ask about this and not wasted time meeting their mother, however, of course it would be different if they met face to face like this and Lis could see what kind of damage her boyfriend had done¡­


    Hearing that answer, Ramon stepped out of the study, not paying any heed to Lis or Lexus'' calls who were trying to chase after him.


    Unfortunately, this time Lexus couldn''t get into the car in time, because Ramon had driven the car at full speed to quickly leave the Tordoff residence.


    "Damn!" cursed Lexus.


    =================


    Hailee''s body hit a table corner again with a bang and the things on it fell onto her.


    However, she didn''t try to protect her head, like normally someone who wanted to protect himself, instead, she kept hugging her stomach and felt some intense contractions.


    It felt like almost her entire body was numb, except for her stomach which felt like it was being stabbed.


    "Stop¡­ please," Hailee whimpered¡­ "Stop¡­"


    The baby¡­


    She doesn''t want to lose her baby...


    No, no¡­ she had to do something.


    "Stop?" said Axcel with a triumphant grin. He then crouched right in front of Hailee and lifted the woman''s face which had turned blue in the corner of her eye, from receiving a blow from him. "Stop you say?"


    Hatred welled up in the man''s heart and he didn''t hold back at all as he threw a hard p to the side of Hailee''s face and made her fall to the ground.


    "You didn''t even stop bothering my family after you tried to kill my father!" eximed Axcel. "You actually sent him to prison and ruined my family''s reputation! Ruined my father''s career that had been built for years and mine!"


    Of course you deserve it!


    Hailee screamed inwardly, but it was impossible to say it out loud which would spark another brutal act from this man.


    And when Axcel stood up, about to kick Hailee''s stomach, with the remaining strength she had, she dodged and avoided the kick, while sticking a pen she found in the first room, into Axcel''s thigh.

 Chapter 317: TRYING TO SURVIVE (2)

    <h4>Chapter 317: TRYING TO SURVIVE (2)</h4>


    A sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu overcame Hailee, as she employed almost the same method when she tried to escape from Rnd, Axcel''s father, a few months ago, and she was now in the same situation with his son.


    How could father and son have the same demonic nature? Hailee really couldn''t understand how she got entangled with this father and son pair.


    They''re both assholes!


    After Hailee drove the pen into Axcel''s thigh, she then tried to stand up, and because of her haste, Hailee felt the pain in her stomach getting worse, as if she had just stuck the pen into her own stomach instead of Axcel.


    The pain was so excruciating that it forced her to bend down and curl up on the floor again, whimpering in pain as everything else around her seemed to be spinning.


    Ramon¡­


    The name echoed in Hailee''s head, she subconsciously called out her husband''s name and tried to get her strength back.


    Hailee was sure that Ramon woulde, so what she needed to do now was to endure, waiting for Ramon to save herself and their baby.


    Until then, Hailee must endure¡­


    With the remaining strength she had, Hailee tried to move toward the door, she had to get out of this room, away from Axcel. Otherwise this man would kill her for what she had done to him.


    Crawling on her arms and legs, Hailee tried to move as fast as she could.


    Meanwhile, Axcel was still screaming in fear, seeing a pen stuck in his thigh. It seems he is not the type of man who can tolerate pain well, because maybe in his life no one has ever hurt him at all.


    But, for now Hailee didn''t care about any of that. Instead, Axcel''s screams and cries gave her the strength to scramble away.


    But, then she heard Axcel''s voice which was like a beast growl, trying to stand up and pull Hailee back.


    The anger and fury that radiated from the man left Hailee breathless. She couldn''t run away again if Axcel managed to grab her.


    She didn''t want to think about what would happen after Axcel caught her...


    ================


    Ramon stopped on a busy street, pulled over his car and mmed his fist into the steering wheel very hard, ignoring the fact that his arm was injured and had not been treated from the bullet fired by Leon''s men, which only missed the target slightly.


    The dried blood was still visible on his white shirt, and it wasn''t a sight anyone could see in the heat of the day like this.


    It''s been twelve hours since Hailee disappeared and Ramon still hasn''t gotten any leads.


    It felt like there was a lot he had to do, but at the same time, there was nothing he could do because he felt all his efforts were in vain.


    Ramon hated himself whenever he couldn''t find a solution to a problem and wasn''t in control of the situation.


    And of the many situations, why should he feel like that at a like now?


    Damn it!


    Think!


    Think!


    City F¡­


    What did he miss? There seems to be something rted to the city of F¡­


    Ramon tried to retrace his memories that he just got, reying his conversations with Giana, the questions he asked her and also the casual things she told Ramon about Leon.


    What? What?


    There must be something to those memories.


    And now, Ramon realized that there was a small part of his memory that still hadn''t fully returned, especially the day on which he had the ident.


    City F¡­


    Giana had mentioned the city before¡­ but, what were they talking about?


    Ramon then reached for his cell phone to call David and in just one ringtone, the call was answered. "Find out all of the Dawson family''s properties in City F. I want the report immediately."


    Ramon still believed in Lexus'' deduction, which said that Hailee was in one of Leon''s properties in city F.


    However, maybe this house isn''t in the name of Leon Dawson or Herbert Long, maybe he''s using another name¡­


    Or maybe it is a family property¡­


    That''s when Ramon remembered something and right at the same time, the report from David entered the email on his cell phone.


    After going through the report, Ramon was even more convinced of his suspicions and immediately started the car back at an insane speed, calling David.


    "Bring everyone to this address," he said coldly.


    ================


    Aileen and Giana finished their sumptuous lunch, but neither of them felt they could enjoy the meal when they didn''t know what kind of situation they were in.


    It was annoying to be forced to wait for something uncertain and Dillon started to get nosy by calling Giana over and over every half hour to ask where the woman was.


    "Where are you? I''ll pick you up," said Dillon over the phone. One could clearly hear the worried voice of the man. "You just left and didn''t tell me where you were going."


    "I don''t have to say where I''m going and report my every move to you, Dillon," Giana answered Dillon with a hint of sarcasm. She felt her head throb from not sleepingst night and couldn''t think clearly. Therefore, she didn''t have enough energy to pretend to be kind and sweet in response to Dillon at this time.


    Dillon was a little surprised to hear how Giana answered his question, but before he could say anything else, the woman had hung up.


    On the other hand, Aileen looked at Giana with scornful eyes, she thought Dillon was very stupid to trust a snake woman like Giana.


    However, before any further and unwanted disagreements arose, someone had opened the door of the room, revealing one of Leon''s confidants.


    "Chad," Giana called, and immediately approached the man. He was a man in histe forties with almost all white hair.


    "Come with me," said Chad, then his eyes fell on Aileen. "You too."


    Aileen had met Chad when she met Leon, therefore, she didn''t feel there was anything wrong with following this man because the only reason Aileen was here was because of Leon.


    However, what Aileen didn''t expect was what she would seeter¡­


    ==============


    Check my instagram @jikan_yo_tomare to seeic strip from chapter 39. CAN''T YOU KNOCK THE DOOR?

 Chapter 318: TRYING TO SURVIVE (3)

    <h4>Chapter 318: TRYING TO SURVIVE (3)</h4>


    Chad took Aileen and Giana to the same room, to which Hailee was taken earlier, without saying anything.


    This didn''t make Giana suspicious, because Chad didn''t really talk much. His job as Leon''s right-hand man requires him not to be careless by running his mouth and saying unnecessary things outside of the context of his work.


    "Where''s Hailee?" Aileen asked, because she was curious. It had been several hours since Hailee was taken away, and no one had told them about her whereabouts or what they had done to her.


    Chad then stopped in front of a door made of mahogany with intricate carvings that shouted luxury, while two guards could be seen standing in front of the door, bowing slightly to salute Chad and as if to say that the situation there was under control.


    Chad nodded back at them and they both left, leaving the three of them behind.


    However, before Chad opened the door to the room, he said to Aileen and Giana.


    "This is a gift from Mr. Long to you two." He talked in a very formal tone as if it was an important announcement. "As a form of gratitude to the two of you for helping him all this time."


    Aileen didn''t understand what Chad meant. She didn''t feel that she had done anything significant. She even failed toplete Leon''s first assignment because Hailee didn''te to the partyst night, but she listened carefully.


    "Mr. Long said that after Mr. Dimatrio is done with her, you can do whatever you like with her," he said, then took a step to the side, allowing Giana and Aileen to open the door. "Please."


    "''Her?''" Giana repeated the word with a questioning face. "Who is the ''her'' you are referring to here?" she asked probingly. Giana had a bad feeling about it, but she didn''t want to jump to any conclusions herself either, as it seemed almost impossible for her assumptions toe true.


    "You can see for yourself once you go inside," said Chad.


    "What does Mr. Dimatrio have to do with this ''her''?" asked Giana. She clenched her jaw tightly. At least she had to prepare herself to see what was really going on behind that door.


    "You can see for yourself inside," Chad repeated again.


    Aileen, who couldn''t wait for the answer to Giana''s question, immediately stepped forward and opened the door, she didn''t want to waste time on what she might know soon enough.


    However, Giana didn''t follow in her footsteps and still stood there, staring at Chad with furrowed brows, trying to assess how bad things were inside.


    "This is a gift from Mr. Long. Mr. Long said that you really want to get rid of this woman," Chad began once again when Giana stayed silent while looking at him. "Therefore, you can do whatever you like with this woman."


    Hailee¡­


    Only one name crossed Giana''s mind. She had indeed told Leon about Hailee, ever since her uncle found out about the affair between her and Ramon. She also remembered saying that she really wanted to get rid of this woman from her life.


    However, it seemed that Giana was not ready to see what she would find in the room.


    Especially when she heard a frantic scream from within. Aileen''s voice sounded so scared, seemingly, petrified from seeing the scene inside.


    And this only reinforced the bad feeling Giana felt earlier.


    ================


    Ramon remembered...


    He remembered that Giana once said that she had a house in town F which was inherited from her grandfather. A house in the city''s elite residential area.


    However, because Giana rarely went there, the house was mostly used by Leon. Even Giana herself said that she had given the house to her uncle. Even though Leon refused, Giana reced the name of the house and made himself the legal owner.


    Therefore, even though the house is a property that Giana owns, Leon actually uses it more often.


    It was a very small memory out of the many memories that Ramon had got back and he felt a little relieved to be able to remember such a trivial thing.


    And now all he had to do was go to town F and visit that house.


    Ramon had also contacted David to gather as many people as he could get to meet him there.


    Ramon doesn''t even care how many traffic rules he has vited and the insults and curses he has received from road users for driving dangerously, but all of that can wait...


    Things can wait until he gets his wife back¡­


    ================


    After Ramon''s departure, Lexus returned to Lis'' study and found his mother still sitting in the same ce with empty eyes.


    Silently, Lexus also sat on the sofa his mother was sitting on but didn''t say anything. Fatigue immediately overtook him as his back leaned against the back of the couch.


    Not only physical exhaustion, but also mental...


    For the past few hours, ever since Lexus learned that he was not his father''s biological son and Leon was his biological father, he had been holding back this urge very strongly.


    Because now wasn''t the time to be having a mental breakdown, but when the silence that enveloped the room and his mother, the person he could ask about the truth of what Ramon had said, sat right across from him, Lexus couldn''t help but rethink everything¡­


    How could Lis lie to him for twenty-eight years of his life and act like nothing happened?


    Lexus knew that his father was not an ideal father figure that could be idolized by him because the man only looked at him with hatred and treated him very unfairly, whenpared to Ramon.


    Lexus still remembered it all so clearly, even though it happened years ago.


    Only, after knowing this fact, Lexus understood why his father behaved like that toward him. He even felt sorry and also grateful, because all this time, his father had never said a word about him who was not his own flesh and blood.


    How could a man survive for so long, living under the same roof with the child of his own wife''s infidelity?


    "Mom..." Lexus called with his eyes still closed and a tired tone. "Why did you do that?" he couldn''t understand his mother¡­ Not even a bit¡­

 Chapter 319: WILL YOU TELL ME?

    <h4>Chapter 319: WILL YOU TELL ME?</h4>


    "Mom, whatpelled you to cheat?" Lexus didn''t even use smooth words when asking this question, because ording to him, no matter how beautiful the sentence he was about to put together, in the end the meaning of the question was still very unpleasant to understand.


    On the other hand, Lis didn''t seem to dare to lift her head, she looked at theptop screen which was still showing the same scene time and again. Lis seemed to be lost in her own thoughts.


    However, after a while, Lexus closed theptop screen and asked the same question again. The question he wanted the answer to from Lis.


    "Why did you do that?" Lexus'' soft voice made Lis''s forehead wrinkle. Her lips trembled from holding back so many intense emotions at a time.


    It seemed like Lis was in a situation where she was experiencing a fairly strong mental breakdown.


    Retelling all of this didn''t seem as easy as imagined, although Lis never expected that it would be a smooth sailing, but still she was having a hard time putting together a sentence to begin with.


    And even though Ramon had shouldered the difficult part of exining this to Lexus first, Lis still felt that she wasn''t ready for all of this.


    "You don''t want to tell me? Should I find out myself and make my own assumptions?" Lexus squinted, he looked tired from all this trouble. "You know how I am, I will think about the worst possible situation."


    Lis then turned her gaze to Lexus, her eyes looked tired. "What do you want to know?"


    "Everything," Lexus answered quickly. "Also your reason why you did that."


    Hadn''t Lis gotten everything by being together with her husband who was the then Tordoff''s heir? Money, title, good position, extraordinary status in society, but why did Lis still fall into that illicit affair, humiliating herself like this?


    "Because I don''t like my marriage," Lis replied. She didn''t know how to exin all this and couldn''t find a good reason to make Lexus sympathize with her.


    Because at this moment, even Lis herself had no sympathy for herself. If she looked back now, she would only find herself so young and stupid and filled with impulsive desires that her husband couldn''t fulfill.


    Yes, Lucas Tordoff, Ramon''s father, is a very rigid person, who only cares about work and doesn''t pay much attention to Lis.


    Coupled with Lis''s young age when she married Lucas, where she still wanted to do many things and all of that she couldn''t do because of her status as the wife of Lucas Tordoff.


    Many people would be nice to her and even willing to be her best friend, simply because she was the wife of Tordoff''s heir and Lucas wasn''t there to teach her how to deal with people like that.


    Lucas is too busy and never there for Lis, but Leon is different¡­


    The closeness between Lis and Leon is not taken seriously by Lucas, because the three of them have a good rtionship, it can be said that Leon is also one of the few people who can be close to Lucas'' cold personality.


    However, things got messy when Lis and Leon started their secret rtionship behind Lucas''s back.


    It was a shameful thing and Lis couldn''t forgive herself for it, but if time went back and Lis had to make a choice, maybe she would make the same choice.


    Because living with Lucas was so exhausting and suffocating while being with Leon gave her a little room to breathe properly.


    "You''re not going to tell me anything?" asked Lexus in a cold voice. He seemed disappointed that Lis refused to speak and he couldn''t possibly force his own mother. "How long are you going to be like this? Should I ask that person about this?"


    "That person?" Liz frowned. "Leon¡­? Is he here?"


    It didn''t ur to Lis that Ramon was actually holding Leon captive.


    "You don''t need to know," Lexus replied, then he stood up from his chair and walked out. Being in the same room with his mother right now, didn''t seem very good for his health, both mentally and physically.


    While Lis was still contemting the facts she had just learned.


    Leon is in Ramon''s hands¡­?


    If so, what had his son done to him?


    Lis knew very well how cruel Ramon was and even though she had always kept an eye close and let Ramon do what he thought was right in a slightly cruel way, which reminded Lis of Lucas, but that didn''t mean she was entirely in the dark.


    Because of that simrity, Lis seemed a little reluctant to interfere in Ramon''s business, but after all, he was still her son and Lis couldn''t help but care.


    ================


    Giana did not immediately enter the room when she heard Aileen''s terrified screams and preferred to stand where she was with a calcted expression.


    "You don''t want to go inside and see what''s going on?" Chad asked, trying to understand the meaning of Giana''s expression. "You might like it. Mr. Long said you''d like this."


    Giana didn''t respond to Chad''s words, she focused more on Aileen''s voice.


    It was only after Aileen stopped screaming and the atmosphere in the room calmed down a bit did Giana step inside.


    Her heart was telling her that she would find the sight very unpleasant to look at¡­ or maybe it was the other way around?


    Giana walked slowly and found Aileen standing, bbergasted and in a state of shock, staring at something on the floor.


    And on the floor, before Aileen feet, Giana could see Hailee, unconscious with her face covered by her long hair, and her body resting on her right side while her arms wrapped around her stomach protectively.


    Apparently, Hailee was trying to protect her baby.


    "Is¡­ is she¡­ she dead?" asked Aileen, stuttering. She really wanted to kill Hailee, but that didn''t mean she wanted to see her corpse firsthand.


    Aileen didn''t like seeing anything that was rted to the word ''terrible.'' Whatever its cause might be.


    "Why don''t you just check?" Giana asked in a grumbling voice, but if Aileen calmed down a little, then she could see that Hailee was actually still breathing. Her chest was rising and falling in a gentle motion, indicating that she was still breathing.


    "Why should I be the one to do it?" growled Aileen, but since Giana had no intention of moving from her position, Aileen had no other choice but to go forward, to check how severe Hailee''s condition was. "Leon is crazy¡­" Aileen hissed.

 Chapter 320: YOU CAN SEE IT YOURSELF

    <h4>Chapter 320: YOU CAN SEE IT YOURSELF</h4>


    "Leon is crazy," Aileen hissed. She knew that this was Leon''s handiwork and even though the man didn''t do it directly because Aileen was sure he wasn''t here right now, because until this moment Leon still hadn''t shown his face, but of course he had someone else do this to Hailee.


    With hesitation and fear, Aileen brushed Hailee''s hair that covered her face and instantly, her hands automatically covered her mouth, to muffle the screams that almost escaped her lips.


    Lying on the floor, Hailee''s face was bruised with blood dripping from her chapped lips, and, if Aileen looked closely, she would know that some blood had dried on Hailee''s hair.


    With trembling fingers, Aileen then put her finger in front of Hailee''s nose and unconsciously let out a sigh of relief when she finally felt the woman''s warm breath.


    "What¡­ what exactly happened?" Aileen stammered. She didn''t like the sight of this. If Hailee was going to be killed, then just kill her, she didn''t mind at all, but Aileen didn''t like to see it happening firsthand. "What did Leon do to her?"


    Aileen screamed again when she heard a soft whimper from Hailee''s lips, it seemed she was starting to wake up from her condition.


    "What should we do with her?" asked Aileen. She had fallen to her knees and crawled backward when she saw Hailee''s stirring slightly, it seemed that she would soon open her eyes. And the sight looked terrible to her. "Hey! Don''t be silent!" She cried to Giana who didn''t say anything.


    Meanwhile, Giana remained in her position and showed no sign that she was about to do anything while she didn''t even have a significant emotion when she saw what had happened to Hailee. Doesn''t she feel a little pity or fear?


    "Don''t just stand there! Shouldn''t we do something? What should we do with her?!" Aileen shouted again, she couldn''t understand how Giana could look so calm in this situation. And unaffected in the slightest by what she saw before her.


    Meanwhile, it took a while for Giana to react and say to Aileen, as she crouched down in front of Hailee with Aileen sitting limply beside her.


    "Didn''t Leon already say that she was a gift for us?" Giana said dreamily, looking at Hailee''s bruised face. The area around her neck was slightly blue, it seemed that someone had tried to forcefully strangle her, before releasing her when she lost consciousness.


    "What do you mean?" Aileen could feel a chill run down her skin when she saw Giana''s expressionless face. She looked so calm, as if not at all bothered by the fact that Hailee was in a near-dying state. "What are you going to do with her?"


    Giana then shifted her focus to Aileen and smiled. A smile that Aileen didn''t want to see at all, because behind that smile hidden was something very evil.


    And for the first time, Aileen felt that Giana was much worse than she thought. She didn''t want to deal with this woman at all.


    "Don''t you want to do something to her?" asked Giana. "You hate her, don''t you? You said it yourself that you wanted to get rid of her."


    Giana recalled Aileen''s words a while ago when she asked why Aileen joined Leon and became his aplice.


    "You said yourself that things would be better if Hailee wasn''t around," Giana repeated the words Aileen said in a cold and scornful tone, as if to say that her words didn''t match her current stance. "Isn''t this your chance?"


    Aileen had indeed hired several people to kill her parents, but she wasn''t at the scene and she didn''t witness how brutal the process was.


    Even after the incident, Aileen refused to see the bodies of her adoptive parents, arguing that it would make her too sad.


    Therefore, seeing Hailee injured like this, was quite shocking and frightened her.


    It''s just that, Aileen was surprised to see Giana looking too normal and not bothered at all by the sight.


    Giana even had time to smile. It was terrible to see.


    "Ask Chad to bring three guards here," Giana ordered Aileen, and left no room for her to protest because she had presumptuously ordered her around like a maid. "What are you waiting for?" Giana turned to Aileen who still didn''t move, looking at her with a look of horror in her eyes, as if she knew what Giana would do next.


    "What are you going to do, Giana?" Aileen asked carefully.


    "You don''t need to ask, you can see for yourself."


    ================


    Ramon was driving like a madman and by the time he had arrived at the address he was aiming for, several of his people had already arrived before him, especially Marco and Ian, who had headed for town F first. It seemed they were nearby.


    As soon as the two of them saw Ramon''s car, Ian wanted to rush over to the car and discuss how they should go into the house.


    Because even though the gate of this house is not as solid as the main gate of the Tordoff family house, there were still several guards holding guns to stop them and as much as possible, especially during the day, a shooting incident likest night should not happen again.


    It would attract a lot of attention from the people around them.


    Only, Ramon didn''t have the same thought.


    Meanwhile, before Ian could approach the car, Marco had pulled him away, because he noticed that the car Ramon was driving was not slowing down at all.


    And sure enough, if Marco hadn''t pulled Ian away, it was certain that the man would have been crushed mercilessly.


    Because instead of stopping to discuss how they were going to get inside, Ramon rammed his expensive sports car straight into the gates of the house, making a rumbling and rattling sound of metal shing loudly.


    It didn''t stop there, Ramon backed his car and did the same thing over and over again. Making everyone around there, couldn''t help but be shocked and at a loss for words by the scene they were witnessing.


    How could Ramon be so brutal?


    But, maybe this was the side of him that had been sleeping all this time. The dark side of Ramon that not many people know about.

 Chapter 321: WE NEED TO LEAVE

    <h4>Chapter 321: WE NEED TO LEAVE</h4>


    Chad was so angry when he came down to the living room and found Axcel who was being treated for his wound and was swearing because of the pain he had to endure.


    "You jerk! You almost killed her!" Chad growled, he had just escorted Giana and Aileen to the room where Axcel had just finished torturing Hailee.


    If Chad came anyter, it was certain that this stupid man would have killed the woman and Giana and Aileen wouldn''t have had their turn to take revenge on her.


    Yes, Leon had already arranged everything. He had given Chad such a detailed and very significant order.


    Even told Chad that there was a chance that Axcel would get carried away and that he should check on the man from time to time.


    And his guess was right, Axcel almost killed Hailee if Chad didn''t stop him in time. Stupid man! He couldn''t even follow a simple instruction.


    "Can''t you see!? She almost killed me too!" Axcel roared in a loud voice. He pointed at his thigh which was bleeding and now wrapped in a white bandage, even so, the blood could still be seen. "She almost killed me! I was just protecting myself!" he growled.


    And a p fell on Axcel''s cheek, so strong that the man fell from the chair he was sitting on and Chad gave orders to the man who was treating Axcel to leave the two of them.


    "How dare you p me?!" Axcel roared loudly. He tried to stand up, but the pain in his thigh, right where Hailee had stabbed him,pletely paralyzed him. "I am a client of Mr. Long! You will be in trouble if he finds out about this!"


    "This is an order from Mr. Long," Chad said casually and then took out two crystal sses from a ss cab and a bottle of whiskey. "This will help you lessen the pain."


    Chad then poured the liquid into the two sses he was holding and gave one of them to Axcel.


    "Mr. Long told you to hit me?" Axel snorted. "What kind of lie is that? At least you have to be convincing if you want to lie."


    Chad didn''t respond to that, because he thought it was pointless to exin this to the mad man who was hurting. Axcel has absolutely no culture that can make himself appreciated by others.


    Even in his career, people only saw him as the son of Rnd Dimatrio and now that his father''s name was tarnished, of course he had nothing to be proud of.


    Moreover, his true nature was even worse than his own father.


    This family is aplete mess.


    "What are you going to do with that bitch?" asked Axcel as he finished his drink in one gulp and handed the empty ss back to Chad, asking him to fill it again, because the warm feeling the liquid gave him made him feel better.


    "I don''t know, it depends on the other two women with her. They can do anything to her." Chad looked up and stared at the second floor, as if he could clearly see what was going on there by doing so.


    Axcel understood, then started asking again. "When they''re done, can I have my turn again?" He still wasn''t satisfied with torturing Hailee and his anger because of his ruined career and family name was still not being channeled properly.


    Maybe torturing her for a while more would make him feel much better than drinking this whiskey.


    "Oh, it depends¡­" Chad replied casually and poured another ss of whiskey for Axcel. "We have to make sure she''s alive¡­ if she''s really that bad. We have to let her recover first."


    This has always been Leon Dawson''s way of doing things.


    He would not torment his subject personally, but instead gather people who had a deep hatred for the subject and let them vent.


    With this, he gets both pleasure and profit.


    Pleasure, because he didn''t even need to get his hands dirty to extract his vengeance and enjoy the fruits of someone else''sbour, who would then be indebted to him in turn.


    Just like what happened with Aileen and Axcel, they were both under Leon''s influence and would do what he asked, especially Axcel, this man would y an important role in Leon''s escapeter¡­


    "Tch!" Axcel grumbled. "Why don''t we just kill the woman straight away and give her body to her husband. I hate Ramon Tordoff too." Yes, apart from Hailee of course Ramon was involved in the downfall of his family name.


    Just because Ramon is too powerful to be touched and too high to reach, it made it very difficult to get the man.


    But, torturing his pregnant wife would impact the man even more, wouldn''t it? It''s much better¡­


    Like killing two birds with one stone.


    "Hmm, great idea. You can pitch the idea to Mr. Longter," said Chad casually.


    And that''s when they heard a noise from outside the house. The sound of the crash was so loud that every guard there ran out.


    ================


    Giana heard the noise, like the sound of metal shing and making a deafening squeaking sound.


    "What is that sound?" Aileen asked. Her body was shaking. She was terrified to witness what Giana would do.


    However, when she turned her head and looked at the woman, Giana waspletely unfazed and instead spoke to the three men behind, who seemed so reluctant to do what she asked.


    "What are you guys waiting for?" She asked. "You want to wait until she wakes up? I don''t have much patience for that."


    The three guards there looked at each other, then looked at Hailee who was still lying helplessly on the floor.


    "She''s pregnant, how could we do that," one of them finally protested. "You may look down on us because we are just Mr. Long''s henchmen, but that doesn''t mean we''re unscrupulous."


    "Touching a pregnant and helpless woman is an insult to us. We are not animals," said another.


    Giana snorted when she heard those words.


    They are not animals, they say? Then, Giana who told them to do that was a beast?


    They''re simply useless.


    But, the noise out there was really distracting and tested one''s concentration. What''s really going on?


    Then, someone opened the door and said to them in a hurried tone. "We have to leave immediately!"

 Chapter 322: HER ONLY CHANCE

    <h4>Chapter 322: HER ONLY CHANCE</h4>


    "We have to leave immediately!" said a guard with a very serious face, as he opened the door hastily. They could even see a glimmer of fear that shed in his eyes.


    It seemed, whatever happened out there resulting in amotion, was something that couldn''t be taken lightly at all.


    "What happened?" asked one of the three men Giana asked to harass Hailee. They weren''t forced to do anything yet because of themotion out there, but that didn''t mean they would if they had not been interrupted.


    The three of them were just lowly subordinates who took orders from their superiors, but to harass a woman, especially when she was pregnant, was of course beyond the line of tolerance they could ept.


    The three of them looked at Giana with condescending eyes. How could she ask them to do that?


    "There''s someone trying to get into this building and wreaking havoc. Seems like it is someone who knows this woman," said the man quickly and urgently, nodding at Hailee who was still motionless, lying on the cold floor, with her body curled into a fetal position.


    They had to leave by using the back door of this building and take Giana and Aileen out of here, safely at that.


    "Bring the girl too," Giana ordered. She still wasn''t done with Hailee, while Aileen couldn''t say anything, because she was too scared.


    "That must be Ramon Tordoff¡­. It must be him¡­" Aileen muttered in a voice that was trembling with fear. How could she possibly be left unscathed? Ramon is not a forgiving person.


    If Ramon could get George into so much trouble and threaten his position in thepany over a trivial matter like a ring, then Aileen couldn''t imagine what kind of fate she would face when that horrible man found out that his wife was in such a terrible condition.


    Even though Aileen didn''t touch Hailee in the least bit, not even a strand of her hair, she really doubted that Ramon would be understanding and forgive her and let her go without hurting her at all.


    Just imagining that made Aileen shudder. Her body trembled violently and her teeth began to chatter violently. What the heck is this¡­ exactly what kind of situation has Aileen been in and with what kind of person has she made a deal?


    It seemed things wouldn''t get any better for her, no matter what she did¡­


    "Kill her¡­" Aileen said in a low whisper when Giana was busy giving orders to the three men. "Kill her! Kill her! KILL HER!" she cried frantically.


    And a pnded on Aileen''s cheek so hard that she fell to the floor.


    "Shut up, you''re really noisy," Giana said sarcastically, then again told the three men to take Hailee with them, while they refused to touch her because Chad ordered them to leave Hailee behind. "Lift her up. Now." Giana ordered sharply.


    "You must kill her!" Aileen roared. She tried to stand up, but Giana''s blow was so strong that she staggered and fell back. "If you let her live, she will tell Ramon. You think Ramon will let us live after that?!" Aileen was so panicked to save her own life.


    "Who said I would let her live?" asked Giana sarcastically. "I didn''t n on letting her live at all. However, killing her now doesn''t feel right, because I''m still not satisfied with repaying every insult she inflicted on me."


    A sinister smile tugged at the corners of Giana''s lips as she again ordered the three men to bring Hailee away.


    In the end, because themotion outside was getting louder and chaotic and they didn''t have time, while they couldn''t leave unless Giana and Aileen went with them, one of the men finally forced Hailee up and they all walked toward the garage to escape from the house.


    ================


    Evidently, the gate of this house was not as strong as the Tordoffs'', because after several hits, the gate began to show fatal damage and that didn''t mean the car Ramon was driving didn''t suffer the same damage.


    But, who cares? Ramon couldn''t care less about such small things now.


    Meanwhile, Ian, Marco and several other bodyguards could only get ready to charge into the house after Ramon knocked down the damn gate, because they couldn''t possibly stop Ramon.


    "Ramon is crazy..." Ian muttered, he then took the gun that Marco handed to him and stared at the nearly torn gate, his eyes filled with fear and disbelief.


    "Yes, this time I have to agree with you..." Marco said. "Imagine how terribly the car is damaged by Mr. Tordoff to crash the gates?"


    Hearing Marco''sment, Ian turned his head and frowned. "I think we''re worried about different things..." he said. "I don''t care about the car at all." After all, whatever the price of the car was, it had nothing to do with Ian.


    ================


    Hailee tried to struggle when one of the men carried her because she knew that Ramon was outside this house. She was so close and all Hailee needed to do was to stay here until Ramon came to pick her up.


    Thus, despite the pain gnawing at her body and making it difficult for her to breathe, she struggled to fight back.


    Unfortunately, Hailee didn''t have any strength left and was easily carried away.


    "Now you see, who has thest smile?" Giana asked, her smile making Hailee feel sick and at the same time she wanted to kill the woman.


    Hailee wasn''t a saint who never hated someone, but not to the point where she wanted to kill that person. Giana was a first for her.


    "I won''t forget this..." Hailee said while biting her lip.


    "Of course, you won''t. I will make sure of it..." said Giana with a happy tone. Sheughed cheerfully.


    Aileen frowned. She no longer cared about any of this. Gianna has gone mad. All these people have gone mad. She just wanted to get out of this ce alive.


    And if they wanted to go to the basement, they had to use an elevator.


    It was then, Hailee saw her only chance to escape¡­

 Chapter 323: A SWEET PROMISE

    <h4>Chapter 323: A SWEET PROMISE</h4>


    To get to the basement where the car that would take them away was waiting, they had to use an elevator and Hailee saw this as an opportunity for her to escape.


    Now or never.


    Because if they managed to take her, Hailee didn''t know what Giana would do to her and she didn''t even want to guess about it.


    By just seeing how Giana looked at her with such hostility and hatred, Hailee realized that she would be in even greater danger once they seeded in their n.


    Therefore, with great force, Hailee bit the ear of the man who was holding her, so hard that she could hear the man''s screams full of pain echoing through the walls of the house and making her ears ring painfully.


    However, Hailee didn''t let go of the bite until the man shoved her to the floor and with all the strength she had, Hailee scurried toward the elevator and pressed the button to close the door very hurriedly, panic and adrenaline ran in every vein of her body, especially when she saw two other men lunging forward to stop her.


    Luckily, the other two were in the back and some distance away from the man who was carrying Haile, while Giana was still glued to the hallway, looking toward the living room, hoping to see the figure she wanted to see.


    Of course Hailee knew who Giana wanted to see right now. The mad woman was already getting delusional about her obsession with Ramon.


    Meanwhile, Aileen, her adopted sister was unable to move an inch and just stood frozen with a face full of fear, watching how Hailee bit the big man.


    It seemed, if it weren''t for Giana''s cursing at her for how useless she was, Aileen would never have realized her stupefied state.


    On the other hand, the elevator doors managed to close before anyone could catch up, but before reaching the basement, Hailee pressed the emergency button which brought the elevator to a sudden halt.


    And now, Hailee was trapped in that tiny room, but at least she was safe there, for now¡­


    ================


    Finally the gate was sessfully broken. It was almost like the gates of hell were being forcefully torn down and sending the demons out of theirir to create amotion.


    The sun shone faintly in the sky, indicating that the day would soon turn to night, but for Ramon and his men, this was just the beginning.


    A shooting scene was unavoidable and they were all ready for this gun battle.


    A bullet was shot which then nimbly pierced the chest of a man, who was Leon''s aplice as Ramon''s men burst into the house.


    Ramon was at the very front as they started shooting at every enemy in sight.


    Maybe because they didn''t expect that Ramon would find this ce so quickly or maybe because they didn''t expect this to happen at all, there didn''t seem to be any significant resistance and within minutes. The ce had been taken under control by Ramon''s men who startedbing the house with every guard they brought before Ramon came.


    Meanwhile, Ramon himself opened every room in the house to look for Hailee, even the ces his men had checked.


    However, nothing. Ramon couldn''t find his wife anywhere.


    Anger and hopelessness are two feelings that should not surge at the same time because the result of theirbination would create damage that is sorge and difficult to control.


    However, it was unavoidable right now, because Ramon felt not only anger and despair, but all sorts of other bad emotions, which made his vision darken and he couldn''t even feel the pain ofst night''s gunshot wound.


    Meanwhile, in the living room, there were about eleven men whom Ramon''s men had seized and were ready to be interrogated.


    "Where is she?" asked Ramon in a voice that sounded breathless. Strongly resisting the urge to kill someone really required extra strength.


    "Where''s the woman you brought with you?" David took over the interrogation and tried to exin it better to them.


    Only, Ramon didn''t have any patience left for that. He then took the gun that was in Marco''s hand and shot the man closest to him in the head.


    "Where is she?" asked Ramon again.


    This time, even David backed off as he didn''t want to be anywhere in Ramon''s shooting range. He could see the madness in Mr. Tordoff''s eyes.


    "Where is she?"


    And another person was shot dead because no one answered.


    "Where is she?"


    There were only eight people left now.


    "Where is she?"


    There were only seven people left now.


    "Where is she?"


    Five left.


    "Where is she?"


    Three left.


    "Where is she?"


    Two left¡­


    Apparently, Leon had done a really good job training his people to be loyal to him. Even after seeing theirrades who died because they refused to speak, it didn''t really make them open their mouths.


    And finally, only one person was left...


    Just at that moment, Ian entered the room carrying a man. "I found him trying to escape in the basement," he said as he pushed the man onto the pile of ten dead guards.


    The shrill and frightened voice of the man Ian had just brought, indicated that the man was not part of Leon''s men.


    Realizing that, Ramon turned his attention to the man. He gripped the man''s jaw very tightly and raised his head very roughly.


    "Axcel Dimatrio," said Ramon. Of course he recognized this bastard as he studied detailed information on Rnd Dimatrio who nearly harassed Hailee in the past. "What are you doing here?"


    Axcel was scared sh*tless to face Ramon. He felt his whole body no longer have any strength and fear coursed through every inch of him, like an insect gnawing at his skin¡­


    "I¡­ I don''t know anything¡­ really, I didn''t do anything¡­ you have to release me¡­ I''m not involved in any of this," Axcel stuttered to exin himself.


    But, of course, not even a fool would believe what he said.


    "Okay," said Ramon lightly. "Tell me where my wife is and I will ask one of my men to take you home safely," Ramon promised, apanied by a smile.


    However, the people around Ramon shuddered when they saw that smile and heard the sweet promise.

 Chapter 324: DID I SAY THAT?

    <h4>Chapter 324: DID I SAY THAT?</h4>


    "Tell me where my wife is and I will ask one of my men to take you home safely," Ramon promised. He did so very calmly.


    Hearing that, Axcel''s eyes turned slightly hopeful. His eyes visibly widened when Ramon finished saying the sweet-sounding promise. "You''re going to let me go?"


    "Of course," replied Ramon confidently. "I just want to meet my wife. That''s all¡­" Ramon then crouched down so that he was at an eye level with Axcel and could look directly into his eyes.


    "That¡­ that¡­" Axcel stuttered. He was still having a hard time making his choice. If Ramon managed to find Hailee, it would mean he would be in danger when she told this man what he had done to her.


    But, if Ramon was going to just let him go and forgive him, maybe he''d have enough time to run away and hide in a ce that Ramon couldn''t possibly find, waiting for this matter to pass and Hailee and Ramon forget about it.


    It was a desperate thought that Axcel could think of in a chaotic atmosphere like this. Things seemed a lot better with the little hope he could count on.


    However, Ramon didn''t have time to let Axcel think any longer than this. He didn''t want to waste even a second looking at the doubt and anxiety filled eyes of the bastard before him.


    Thus, with the gun still in his hand he aimed it at thest person and shot his head so calmly. Ramon didn''t even look at his target and was still looking at Axcel with the same calm smile.


    Once again, Axcel was pushed to the point of having a mental breakdown and screamed like a woman, his screams so loud they were deafening.


    Not only that, the fear made his dignity disappear somewhere as his pants started to get wet and he couldn''t control his natural urges¡­


    Seeing that, Marco and David couldn''t help but frown and Ramon backed away so the liquid wouldn''t contaminate him.


    "Fuck you," Ramon cursed. "Shut up."


    However, Axcel didn''t fall silent, instead his screams got even louder and unbearable. His demeanour was nowpletely different from what he looked like a few hours ago while he tortured Hailee and made her scream loudly every time he kicked or hit her.


    At that time, Axcel really enjoyed the woman''s screams and grew happier every time Hailee screamed in pain.


    But now, the same wasn''t true¡­ he looked like a trapped rat that was about to die, emitting one after another shrill, annoying sounds.


    If it wasn''t for Ramon still needing him, then he would have silenced him for good.


    "Make him quiet," said Ramon to one of his bodyguards.


    And two of them immediately stepped forward and tightly blocked Axcel''s mouth, preventing him from shouting again.


    "Now, tell me where Hailee is and I''ll let you go, okay?" asked Ramon. He waited until Axcel nodded his head vigorously, then signaled his bodyguard to let go of the pathetic man.


    "Your wife¡­ your wife¡­ she was taken away by Giana and Aileen along with some men¡­ I don''t know where¡­ I don''t know¡­." Axcel stammered and started crying.


    Ramon really didn''t like this man.


    "I didn''t hold back anything... now free me... I want to go home..." Axcel pleaded between sobs.


    Even Ian looked at the desperate man with a look of disdain and scorn. How can a man behave like that? He even remembered how arrogant that man was when he was about to be caught.


    If it wasn''t for the fact that one of Ramon''s bodyguards managed to incapacitate the two men who were about to run away with him, Ian believed this man would beughing now arrogantly at having managed to escape.


    "Aileen and Giana¡­" Ramon said the two names in an even tone.


    That''s when David came forward and reported to Ramon. "Three cars managed to escape from this ce, but our people are chasing them."


    "So my wife is with Giana and Aileen?" Ramon asked Axcel again. "You saw it?"


    Axcel thought for a moment, his eyes bulging as he looked around him. "I don''t know¡­ I didn''t see her¡­ thest time those two women were with your wife, I don''t know anything else¡­"


    Leon is a total jerk. He used people who hated Hailee instead of using his own hands¡­


    "Send more people after the cars." Ramon then was about to hurry to join in the pursuit again. However, he remembered that his car had been destroyed because he rammed it into the main gate earlier. "Did you see any more cars in the basement of this house?" Ramon asked Ian. "What cars?"


    Ian who got the unexpected question was quite surprised and took a little longer to recall what cars he saw in the basement.


    "I think there were about three cars¡­ one of them was a sports car¡­" he muttered. "The other two I don''t know what kind¡­"


    That was enough for Ramon. "Tell me where the basement is¡­"


    "Follow me." Ian then walked first in front of Ramon.


    "Then¡­ what about me?" Axcel suddenly interrupted. "I¡­ you promised to take me home?"


    But then Axcel fell silent when he received a cold and sharp re from Ramon. He then corrected his words.


    "No problem¡­ you''re very busy¡­ I''m going home now¡­ you don''t have to worry about me," he stammered. But just as he stood up and was about to leave, David held him back. "I''ll go alone¡­ there''s no need to hold me back. Ramon you promised¡­"


    Axcel then turned his body to look at Ramon, demanding the promise he had made earlier to be fulfilled.


    "Did I say that? I don''t remember," said Ramon lightly then he shifted his focus to Ian. "What are you waiting for? Christmas?"


    With that simple sentence, Axcel felt his heart stop beating, especially when David gripped his shoulder hard. For a moment, he felt that he would not survive Ramon Tordoff''s wrath.


    On the other hand, Ramon was behind Ian who then directed him to the stairs, but he stopped when he saw the halted elevator.


    "What are you waiting for?" Ian asked irritably. Wasn''t Ramon in a hurry?


    "Why did this elevator stop?" Ramon muttered when he noticed the strangeness about the elevator.


    "How would I know? Hurry up. We have to go," Ian urged Ramon, but the man was still standing frozen in front of the elevator which was showing red on the small screen above it.


    ===============


    Check my instagram @jikan_yo_tomare to seeic strip from chapter 39. CAN''T YOU KNOCK THE DOOR?

 Chapter 325: IS THIS REAL?!

    <h4>Chapter 325: IS THIS REAL?!</h4>


    Ramon had a strange feeling about the elevator, because it had clearly stopped in an emergency. How could that thing stop in an emergency? Is there anyone inside it?


    There should be someone inside to be able to press the emergency button.


    "Hey, hurry up. We have to go. What are you doing there?" Ian asked impatiently. He then approached Ramon and followed his gaze to the elevator.


    Ian tried to find the oddity that made Ramon stop at it, and found nothing but the elevator indicating that it was in an emergency stop position.


    But, that wasn''t enough to keep Ramon glued to it, was it?


    A momentter, several people came, led by Marco, they approached Ramon because they saw this man standing rooted to the ground. He didn''t move and seemed to be lost in his own thoughts.


    "Mr. Tordoff? Is there a problem?" Marco asked as he approached him. He then looked at the elevator, looking for anything odd.


    "Open this elevator," said Ramon in a calm and even voice.


    "What?" Ian couldn''t believe what he was hearing. "We could lose track of Hailee if you waste time on this," he grumbled impatiently. Why is Ramon more interested in a stationary elevator than saving his own wife?


    "Open this elevator," Ramon repeated. He didn''t heed what Ian said.


    Whether he left now orter, Giana had been away with Hailee for quite a while and it was impossible for him to catch up with them, that was assuming that Hailee was with Giana. But, after all, someone had caught up with them, so the only thing Ramon could do in the pursuit was to entrust it to his men.


    However, this stopped elevator bothered Ramon. He couldn''t exin this feeling, it was just that he felt there was something that made him have to thoroughly examine this elevator first.


    Obviously the lift is functional and usable, but why is it in an emergency stop?


    This is absurd and suspicious.


    Ramon then nced at Marco who still hadn''t moved and the bodyguard who got the nce immediately realized and ordered his men to bring the tools in their car.


    "Ramon is simply crazy, he just wasting time," Ian muttered impatiently. He couldn''t help but get in the car and gave chase to get Hailee back. "Every second you''re wasting here will put your wife at risk, as well as..."


    However, Ian didn''t have time to finish his sentence when Ramon suddenly looked at him with sharp and fierce eyes.


    "I will do this my way and you can do it your way," said Ramon in a cold tone. Sometimes his way of thinking is different from most of the people around him and this is really frustrating and he has no obligation to exin himself to everyone name by name.


    Ian clicked his tongue and took a deep breath, but then he decided to stay back, because he wanted to know if Ramon''s instincts were so sharp and there was actually something in the elevator.


    Therefore, Ian waited for Marco to return with the necessary equipment and started working on the elevator.


    They opened the doors and Marco jumped down to get into the closed elevator.


    But, Marco was surprised when he opened the door of the hatch escape above the elevator cabin and looked inside.


    "Mrs. Tordoff!" he cried frantically. "Mrs. Tordoff is here!" he said.


    Marco''s voice echoed in the elevator shaft and the information took Ramon and Ian by surprise. The two of them immediately approached the elevator doors that were forced open and saw Marco''s expression in the darkness.


    Surprise was evident on his face when he met their gazes and whatever happened down there, didn''t give a good feeling to Ramon.


    "Get her out now." Ramon uttered the sentence in the form of a growl through his tightly clenched jaw.


    Without being ordered twice, Marco immediately jumped off the elevator top andnded on the floor.


    =================


    "We should have brought her¡­" Aileen mumbled while hugging herself. "We should have killed her¡­" fear made the woman''s body tremble violently and made her voice sound like she was daydreaming.


    On the other hand, Giana didn''t want to hear thosements and preferred to focus on what she had to do next.


    There was a chance that Ramon would find Hailee in the elevator, but there was also a chance that Ramon would leave the house without checking the elevator, even though Giana knew that the chances were very low, but still¡­


    "You never believe what I said¡­" Aileen muttered again. "You should have killed her¡­"


    Then, not getting the attention she wanted, Aileen then looked at Giana who was sitting beside her and shook her arm.


    "You should have killed her!" cried Aileen again in a louder voice. "You made a big mistake by letting her live!"


    The first time she freed Hailee, she was thinking that she would be able to torture her, yet she ended up at aplete disadvantage and Hailee actually got all the benefits, which Aileen had never even imagined before.


    And now, Hailee was back on the run again...


    Aileen couldn''t imagine what would happen to her after this. Especially when Ramon saw what had happened to his wife. What''s this? Why is luck always on Hailee''s side? She couldn''t always be this lucky, could she?


    "We should have killed her!" cried Aileen again, she felt that she would go crazy just imagining what would happen to herter. "We should have killed her!"


    "Shut up!" Giana growled; she then pushed Aileen''s body away from her and looked with disgusted eyes at the woman who was now sobbing.


    Of course this was very scary for Aileen who did not have any supporting factors like Giana did.


    At least, thepany that Giana runs is owned by her own family, while Aileen¡­ Tatum''spany is clearly Hailee''s.


    Aileen doesn''t understand what went wrong, it seems things are turning for the worse for her.


    =================


    After the elevator doors opened, Ian gasped when he saw Hailee lying on the elevator floor while Marco supported her head.


    Ian''s heart seemed to stop beating when he saw the blood that flooded the floor and Hailee''s pale face.


    Oh, God¡­ is this all real?


    ===============


    Check my instagram @jikan_yo_tomare to seeic strip from chapter 39. CAN''T YOU KNOCK THE DOOR?

 Chapter 326: THEY LOST IT

    <h4>Chapter 326: THEY LOST IT</h4>


    Hailee was free when she managed to close the elevator doors and pressed the emergency button which brought the elevator to a stop so she could feel a little safer in here.


    Hailee could still hear Giana''s voice screaming to order the three men to forcefully open the elevator doors and also Aileen''s voice urging them to do the same.


    These two women¡­


    Hailee will never forget this incident¡­ never.


    However, her hatred for the two women could wait, because at this moment Hailee felt her stomach contracting violently, making her gasp until it was hard to breathe.


    With her head spinning and her eyes zed over, Hailee pressed her back against the elevator wall and started slumping down while clutching her stomach which was in great pain.


    "Soon, honey¡­ Daddy will be here soon¡­" Hailee whispered softly in the narrow room, as if her agitated baby could hear her. "You must be in pain... sorry..." Hailee said while sobbing, because the pain was getting unbearable.


    She knew that she just needed to hold on a little longer, because Ramon was already there and also, now Hailee could no longer hear the screams and grunts from Giana and Aileen, which signaled that the two women had left.


    But Hailee wanted to wait a little longer, just to make sure that Ramon really came, or until she was sure that the house had been taken over by Ramon''s people.


    Soon¡­


    However, Hailee''s heart chilled when she saw the blood flowing from her lower body, soaking the floor below her. It felt warm against her cold skin.


    "Oh no¡­ no¡­" Hailee panicked and this made things even worse for her. "No¡­ this can''t be happening."


    Hailee then tried to stand up, but her lower body felt numb and she could no longer feel her legs.


    "Ramon¡­" Hailee then banged on the elevator door while crying. She wished someone could hear her, even though her voice or the smacks of her hand sounded so weak, even to herself. "Ramon..."


    And when a new wave of pain hit her, Hailee felt her body lighten up and darkness greeted her¡­ giving her a strange calm that made her even more anxious.


    She had to tell Ramon that she was here¡­


    ===============


    Lexus ran along the hospital corridor while Lis followed behind him. They both looked panicked and worried when they heard from David that Hailee had been found, but her condition didn''t look very good and they were now in the hospital waiting for Hailee toe back to her senses.


    Lexus arrived first and opened the door to the room a little harshly, so Ramon raised his head and looked at whoever entered the room with a fierce look.


    However, as soon as he saw it was Lexus, Ramon immediately lowered his head again and ignored his younger brother, because at this time, Hailee was still lying unconscious.


    Lexus was panting, his heart beating very fast, his steps faltering as he tried to approach Hailee and Ramon.


    "How¡­ how are things?" he stammered. Even when he asked this, he still hoped that nothing bad happened to his sister-inw, or else things would never be the same again.


    Ramon answered Lexus''s question in a t tone devoid of any emotion, as if he wasn''t the one talking, or he wasn''t the object of the question.


    And just as Ramon answered his brother, Lis had just arrived at the door of the room where Hailee was being treated and heard what her son had to say.


    "She just had a surgery," replied Ramon with a t and emotionless face, with his eyes glued to Hailee''s face, which still had bruises on it.


    "Operation?" Lexus felt his heart suddenly stop and didn''t want to ask his next question, but there was no way he could hold it in. "Operation¡­ surgery for what?"


    "The baby didn''t survive," said Ramon. Even now, Ramon was still unable to properly understand what that meant.


    Yes, Ramon understood that their baby was not safe, which meant they wouldn''t be carrying their first child after the next five months, which meant, there wouldn''t be a new member in their little family within the time they have been told and neither would the nursery which Ramon had prepared¡­ it would not likely be filled by their first child.


    Because their son has gone...


    However, Ramon couldn''t sort out the emotions he was feeling. Is it sadness? Anger? Disappointment? Anxiety? Worry? Or what?


    Ramon didn''t understand his own feelings and didn''t know what he should be feeling. Should he cry over the loss of their child? Should he be angry because he had done a worse job in taking care of Hailee? Should he avenge all of this and destroy the people who had hurt Hailee and their child?


    For thetter, of course Ramon would do. He swore he would.


    But, for now, for this second, Ramon just wanted to be beside Hailee. He didn''t want to do anything. He just wanted to sit there staring at her, waiting for her to open her eyes.


    And Hailee could tell him what kind of feeling he should be feeling right now. Because right now, all Ramon felt was emptiness.


    There were so many emotions wrestling inside of him that he couldn''t fathom one by one and therefore, as a defense, Ramon was numbing himself.


    "The baby¡­ didn''t survive¡­" Lexus repeated the sentence and the sentence felt strange on his tongue, even sounding unreal. "Impossible..." he mumbled.


    Then he looked back at Ramon and Hailee, then Hailee''s t stomach¡­ Lexus blinked a few times, but he still couldn''t ept the fact.


    He wanted to ask if Ramon was joking with him, but of course he couldn''t say that, because he himself knew that wasn''t true. Ramon couldn''t possibly be joking at a time like this and it wasn''t about the right thing either¡­


    Meanwhile, at the door of the room, Lis fell to the ground while covering her mouth, to suppress her sobs. She cried as she learned that her son had lost his child¡­


    Lis''s sobs were the only sound that could be heard in the room¡­

 Chapter 327: NUMB

    <h4>Chapter 327: NUMB</h4>


    The shing headlights of the cars on the dark street gave off a calm and cool feel, especially since it had just rained.


    In a yellow car, Chad was heading to the ce where Ramon was holding Leon captive, to free his boss.


    This could be achieved because they had their own man infiltrate Ramon''s security stationed there, none other than a subordinate of Axcel Dimatrio.


    Yes, the men who betrayed and took Hailee away from the Tordoff residence were actually Axcel Dimatrio''s, and the man had been nning for quite a while. Precisely, right after Ramon destroyed Dimatrio''s career and family name by throwing his father in prison.


    Only, Axcel wasn''t a good nner and he didn''t really know what to do after getting his men mixed with Ramon''s guards.


    And what was more, Axcel was not a risk taker and too cowardly to do big things.


    Therefore, Leon took advantage of this and invited him to join him, just like he did with Aileen.


    Knowing what Axcel had done and the crucial positions of his men in Ramon''s security, of course it was a piece of cake for Leon to execute his own n.


    And in the same way, Chad was able to get the exact location where Ramon had hidden Leon.


    Now, Chad was looking at a three-story building, which was one of the branch offices of the Tordoffpany, and was currently under siege by the police because of an alleged kidnapping case.


    This was also Leon''s idea, and also one of his ways to reintroduce himself to the outside world.


    Had he not been forgotten after his name was removed from the Dawson family register? Many people from the Dawson family circle didn''t even remember his name anymore. As if he was not an important person to remember or his presence was just a mere trivial thing.


    And now, not only the police, but also the journalists were crowding the ce. They couldn''t believe that one of the Tordoff family''s office buildings was being used to hold someone captive.


    Of course, this news would be huge and if not handled properly, then Ramon''s reputation would be in smithereenster.


    Across the street, Chad could see Leon being carried by two policemen into an ambnce. Their gazes met for a moment and Chad nodded at Leon as a greeting.


    This news would certainly suppress the hype of infidelity and divorce issues between Giana and Aidan.


    "We''re leaving now," Chad said as he got into the car and the ambnce door was closed, carrying Leon away from the building.


    The glow of the streetmps lit up the crowd of reporters still hounding for more information on what was really going on in there.


    ================


    Lis brought a bowl of hot soup to Ramon and tried to carefully persuade her son to eat something, because Ramon had not touched any drink or food sincest night and now it was already morning.


    "Ramon, you need to eat something," said Lis timidly. She didn''t dare look at her son, but it was impossible for her to just leave him be and close her eyes while Ramon was torturing himself right now. "You haven''t eaten anything sincest night."


    No response or acknowledgement.


    Lis then put the soup bowl on the nearest table and touched Ramon''s shoulder, and immediately his son''s shoulders tensed, as if he didn''t want to be touched by her. This is so painful¡­


    "Ramon..." Lis said, but then Ramon shook her hand off of his shoulder, though not in a rude way, but this only confirmed that Ramon didn''t want to be touched by her. "I know how you feel..."


    And as if those words were the trigger for Ramon, Lis finally got what she wanted.


    Ramon turned and stood, so tall Lis had to lift her head to see her son''s face.


    However, she didn''t need to do so for long, because there was something in Ramon''s eyes that scared Lis to look at him any longer.


    "You don''t know how I feel," said Ramon without emotion. It was as if he was reading a text when he said that. "So don''t ever say you know how it feels."


    Hearing those words, Lis''s tears fell down her cheeks again, but that also couldn''t make Ramon warm up to her.


    "I didn''t know Leon could do that¡­ I didn''t know the n¡­" Lis sobbed, but then Ramon cut her off.


    "I don''t want to hear that." Ramon then nced at Hailee, as if he was afraid that he might miss the first moment his wife opened her eyes. "If you want to help me, please don''t be around me."


    Meaning, Ramon didn''t want to see Lis at all right now. Because by seeing his mother, of course it would remind Ramon that all this happened because of the man Lis liked, the father of Lexus.


    Ramon didn''t want to hate either of them, but his emotions were unstable right now and he needed someone else to me, because if he had to put all the me on himself, then Ramon wasn''t sure he would be able to get through this.


    This feeling was so heavy and excruciating. He needed an outlet¡­


    "At least for now," Ramon added so that it wouldn''t sound too cruel.


    Lis then wiped her tears and nodded. "I understand," she said in a firmer voice. She then turned to get her bag and jacket and looked at Ramon with an apologetic look. "Don''t forget to take care of your health."


    After saying that, Lis walked out of the room with unsteady steps, she held back her tears and tried to understand the situation her son was in.


    After Lis''s departure, the atmosphere in the room calmed down again, but it didn''tst long, because a few minutester, Ian knocked on the door and entered the room without waiting for Ramon''s approval.


    "I didn''t want to bother you," Ian said.


    "You''ve already done so," Ramon replied, not looking at Ian at all.


    Ian then nced at Hailee who was still lying unconscious, while the light of the morning sun shone on her face.


    "Yes, I think so too. But, I want you to see this." Ian then took out a cell phone from his pocket. "This is Axcel Dimatrio''s cell phone."

 Chapter 328: REVENGE

    <h4>Chapter 328: REVENGE</h4>


    Ian got the phone while searching the man''s body and found a shocking video, which made his blood boil as his eyes blinded with anger.


    Luckily Marco was right beside him, otherwise he might have finished Axcel with his own hands and there was nothing he cared about more than making the bastard suffer the same way he had hurt Hailee.


    How could he do that? How could a manmit such a despicable act?


    And, Marco was adamant that he couldn''t take matters into his own hands and had to ask Ramon what to do about it, and Ian relented since it was also good to let Ramon know what Axcel Dimatrio had done to his wife.


    Ian was sure that Ramon would not disappoint him with the choice of punishment he made.


    And Ramon didn''t let him down...


    "He did that to Hailee," said Ian just as Ramon had finished watching a video that Axcel made when he tortured Hailee by kicking or hitting her hard. "I think that''s the main reason why you guys lost your baby..."


    Ian deliberately said this very clearly, to fan the fire of anger that had subsided a little after Ramon managed to find Hailee. He himself didn''t watch the video a second time and chose to stand by Hailee''s side, recalling every wound she got and couldn''t imagine how something so bad could happen to her.


    Ian would really settle scores with Axcel for every bruise he inflicted on his best friend.


    This was absolutely uneptable and of course Ramon would not stand still.


    After watching the disturbing video, Ramon put the phone on the table and walked over to the bed where Hailee was being treated.


    He stared intently at his wife''s face as the sun shone from the window that had the curtains open behind them.


    It was morning and it could be said that Ramon hadn''t slept for two days in a row, and although he didn''t show any signs of fatigue, the dark circles under his eyes only worsened his appearance and made him look even more terrifying and dangerous.


    Ramon then leaned in and gently kissed Hailee''s side of the face which looked less bruised, careful not to hurt his wife again, while Hailee was still unconscious and unaware of what was going on around her or what storm Ramon would bring upon people who had hurt her.


    "Ramon..." Ian called. "I know this news will be a little upsetting, but you should be informed that Leon was rescued and now Lexus is dealing with the police."


    Lexus didn''t inform him of this because he didn''t want to disturb Ramon, but since they were holding Leon in the basement of the Tordoff family building, of course someone had to take the brunt.


    Meanwhile, their PR team was trying to keep the media from releasing news that could harm the Tordoff family name.


    Luckily the Tordoff family has a fairly strong influence in some of the major mass media outlets in this country, therefore, the news can be deferred, but also not for long.


    "I know," replied Ramon in a serene tone. A vibe that was actually quite terrifying when it came from Ramon, especially when he should have looked furious.


    This was far more terrifying than seeing him shoot eleven people to death without blinking, inside Leon''s house in city F, a few hours ago.


    Ian waited for what Ramon would do now that he learnt about this. However, after a while of waiting, it seemed that Ramon still didn''t move from where he was standing with an indescribable look in his eyes, so Ian broke the silence again.


    "Then what are you going to do?" he asked. He couldn''t wait to hear what Ramon would do after this. If Ramon had asked him to skin Axcel alive, of course Ian would be happy to oblige.


    However, Ramon''s request was very different from what he had imagined.


    "Stay here with Hailee," Ramon said quietly, when he finally took his eyes off his wife''s face and then took something from the pocket of the jacket slung over the sofa; a gun. "Shoot anyone you think is a threat or trespassing."


    Ramon then handed the gun casually to Ian, as if it were a stick of cigarette.


    Ianughed grimly as he received the weapon. "Why do you guys kill people so easily?" he asked with an ironic tone in his voice.


    "Because some people deserve to be killed." Ramon then grabbed Hailee''s hand gently before kissing it softly.


    Ramon really wanted to be around when Hailee woke up, but it seemed like the chaos out there wouldn''t allow him to have that little bit of happiness.


    But, it didn''t matter, as long as Hailee was safe and recovering, then it was fine. Ramon would see herter, because there were some people out there who seemed impatient to meet him and were constantly testing his patience.


    Since marrying Hailee, Ramon had seemed easier to approach, but that didn''t mean they could take him lightly.


    The dark side inside Ramon didn''t disappear at all and now they were summoning that side of him¡­.


    "You are leaving Hailee alone with me?" Ian asked in disbelief. He thought Ramon would drive him away from his wife, considering that Ramon had always tried to keep Ian at least a kilometer away from Hailee.


    Ramon nced at Ian and stared at him for a moment with those cold eyes of his. "I''m going to get someone to install CCTV in this room, so if you mess with my wife, my people out there will take care of you right away."


    "Ramon!" cried Ian, not believing what he was hearing. Was he really that low to try things on Hailee in her current condition!? This man is crazy.


    ================


    Ramon stared at Axcel in silence, while the man continued to beg for forgiveness from him. A pardon from Ramon Tordoff, which was highly unlikely.


    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry¡­ I didn''t do it on purpose¡­" Axcel said. His face was sticky with blood flowing from his injured head as well as the rest of his body.


    It seemed, even without an order from Ramon, Axcel had taken a few hits from David and Marcus. They seemed very angry after learning that Hailee lost her baby due to Axcel''s actions.

 Chapter 329: REVENGE (2)

    <h4>Chapter 329: REVENGE (2)</h4>


    Ramon still vividly remembered how Axcel kicked Hailee in the stomach and recorded the whole incident with his cellphone, as if he would watch the video again and again to enjoy the whole torturing process.


    Hailee''s voice whimpering in pain as well as Axcel''s disgustingugh kept ringing in Ramon''s ears, beating his current apology.


    Hailee''s face scrunched up in pain while her body curved to protect their baby. How in vain his wife tried to protect the baby by hugging herself while this bastard didn''t stop hitting or kicking her, only fueled his hatred toward this man.


    Damn it!


    Not to mention seeing Hailee in pain, to see his wife frowning during her pregnancy because she felt ufortable had Ramon on tenterhooks, worried that something bad would happen.


    And here, this asshole, so boldly kicked his wife until they lost their first child?


    Truly, even if this man had nine lives, then Ramon would happily kill him nine times after he was satisfied torturing him and satisfaction would nevere to him, which meant, the torture would never end.


    "Ramon I''m sorry¡­ I didn''t mean to act like that, really it was just a momentary impulse¡­ I didn''t mean it like that¡­ I¡­ I¡­" he stuttered, looking for a thousand and one good reasons to melt Ramon''s heart. "I was told¡­ I was ordered by someone¡­ I¡­ Leon told me to do that¡­"


    No, Leon never told him to do that¡­ Leon just said he could do anything to Hailee, but who cares? Because Leon wasn''t there to defend himself.


    And Ramon didn''t care about that either. Whether it was Leon''s orders or not, Axcel would never be able to escape the grip of Ramon Tordoff''s wrath now.


    On the other hand, David, Marcus and several other bodyguards looked at Axcel with a look of disgust and murderous intent that was very obvious. Just one word from Ramon, they would scramble to be the first to torture the man to death.


    "Leon sent you?" Ramon asked, but his eyes fell on David who nodded at him, saying that preparations wereplete.


    "Yes yes." Axcel nodded hastily, afraid that Ramon would not believe him if he took too long to answer. "Leon told me to."


    "Hm," Ramon mumbled, then he turned his attention back to Axcel. "Then how about you change in that room." Ramon nodded toward a room on his left. "There''s clean clothes in there and I can talk to a much better looking you."


    Axcel''s face immediately turned a little cheerful when he heard Ramon''s words.


    Easy as that? Is it that easy to convince Ramon Tordoff? Did he just believe it? This was hard to believe and Axcel was still motionless, kneeling before Ramon.


    "What are you waiting for? I don''t have too much time for you," said Ramon, looking at the creature in front of him with eyes that were difficult to decipher. "When you''re done, we''ll talk."


    Axcel blinked a few times, trying to convince himself it wasn''t a lie, and it took a few seconds longer for him to register the situationpletely.


    "Okay, okay..." Axcel said in a hurry. He then tried to move as fast as he could toward the door that Ramon pointed at, despite the intense pain that gripped him.


    After Axcel had gone inside, Marcus casually locked the door from the outside, while Ramon turned around and walked away.


    "Where''s Lexus?" Ramon asked David.


    "Your brother is at home, being interrogated by the chief of police regarding Leon Dawson''s issue," David answered quickly.


    "We''re going there," said Ramon leaving the building behind him. But, of course the suffering that Axcel would endure was nowhere near its ending.


    No, this was just a warm-up¡­ Ramon was still trying to figure out what kind of torture he wanted to inflict on the man, because he didn''t want Axcel to die quickly. Death was too easy of a punishment for him...


    In the car, Ramon took his cell phone out to call someone. It didn''t take long before the person picked up the phone from him.


    "Mr. Tatum, I need your help," said Ramon as soon as he heard Diego Tatum''s greeting.


    "Yeah, I assumed you would call me sooner orter. I''m on my way to city A, I''ll be there in half an hour," said Diego.


    As soon as he heard the news about Leon Dawson, he immediately knew that something was wrong. So he tried to find out the actual situation. How shocked he was when he found out what happened to Hailee...


    "I''ll be waiting for you at the Tordoff residence," said Ramon, then cut off the line.


    And as soon as he looked at his cellphone screen, there was a message notification that came in, telling him that the CCTV camera that Ramon wanted was installed in Hailee''s room.


    With this, Ramon could monitor Hailee from afar. There, on the screen, he could see his wife who was still unconscious and also Ian who was sitting a bit away from Hailee''s bed.


    ================


    Axcel entered the room that Ramon had shown earlier and saw arge bed that lookedfortable and also a shirt and pants for him to wear.


    Axcel didn''t even bother what the big bed was for as he walked over to the hanged clothes, prepared to put them on and talk to Ramon.


    In fact, since he stepped foot into this room, he had been thinking all kinds of lies he was going to tell Ramon.


    All the lies that Ramon might want to hear from him and all that would point at Leon. How the man took advantage of him and that in fact he waspletely innocent of the abuse.


    Oh, maybe adding a story like him being threatened with death by Leon if he didn''t do what he wanted would sound more convincing.


    While thinking all these things, Axcel took off his clothes one by one and wiped the blood from his face. Too bad he couldn''t shower so he could look cleaner.


    But, he could do itter, when he was free from Ramon and he ate all his lies.


    However, what Axcel didn''t realize was the presence of seven men in the room who were looking at him with savage eyes.


    And when he realized what the men were aiming for, it was toote for him to retreat.

 Chapter 330: REVENGE (3)

    <h4>Chapter 330: REVENGE (3)</h4>


    Lexus was now facing two investigators who asked him about the details of the issue with Leon Dawson who was held captive in one of the buildings belonging to the Tordoff family and their involvement in it.


    However, the second son of the Tordoff family was not willing to answer any questions without being apanied by hiswyer, who was still on his way to this house.


    The two investigators who hade were unable to do much, because the Tordoff family background was so extraordinary and could not be underestimated.


    Both could only ask simple questions that Lexus was willing to answer, out of courtesy.


    But, not long after, Ramon came along with Diego Tatum, even before their familywyers had arrived.


    The two investigators were quite surprised to see Diego Tatum, and they immediately stood up to salute the man.


    It is only now they realized that Ramon Tordoff''s wife is Hailee Tatum, who is Diego Tatum''s niece.


    "Ramon, how''s Hailee?" asked Lexus when he saw Ramon hade and walked up to his brother with a questioning face. He didn''t expect that Ramon would appear together with Diego Tatum.


    "Still unconscious," replied Ramon in an even voice. He then walked into the room where Diego Tatum and the two investigators were talking behind closed doors.


    "I thought you''d be with Hailee until she came to her senses," Lexus said, looking confused.


    Of course Ramon had nned to do so at first, but the reality required Ramon to leave Hailee for a while.


    But, even so, he was still able to monitor Hailee''s progress through the CCTV camera installed in her room.


    "I have business to attend to," said Ramon, then opened the door and went inside.


    Because Ramon did not forbid Lexus to enter the room and take part in this small meeting, Lexus did not miss the opportunity and followed Ramon inside to listen to their discussion.


    "¡­ Yes, this is human trafficking," said Diego Tatum with a serious face as he informed the two investigators.


    Uh? Lexus looked confused when it was the first sentence he heard from Diego. What human trafficking?


    But, Lexus didn''t ask any questions, he just listened to them.


    "You can follow me to see the evidence for yourself." Diego finished his sentence.


    Lexus then looked at Ramon, who was standing next to him and didn''t say anything, it seemed that there was something he didn''t know or that Ramon had not had time to tell him.


    The two investigators then agreed to Diego''s proposal. If there really was evidence on Leon Dawson''s involvement in human trafficking, then of course this would be something big.


    However, before they could leave, Ramon finally spoke up.


    "I want you to keep this investigation a secret for the time being until more evidence is gathered," Ramon said in a stern voice while his face showed no friendliness, forcing them to heed every word the Tordoff heir said.


    "More evidence¡­?" muttered one of them. If indeed Diego Tatum had absolute evidence in the form of children that Ramon managed to save from human trafficking, then what other evidence could solidify such a crime case?


    As if he could read what was on the investigator''s mind, Ramon added. "You don''t think Leon Dawson''s crimes are all that much, do you?"


    Ramon would not let Leon go that easily. It was impossible, regardless of the fact that Leon was the biological father of Lexus. He will destroy that man and he will start from this.


    Since Leon had involved the police in this matter, then Ramon of course would take advantage of everything and take every slightest opportunity to make Leon suffer.


    If this was how Leon wanted to y, then Ramon would show him how this game is yed and how to end it.


    =================


    Having finished with the investigators who left with Diego Tatum to collect the mentioned evidence, Ramon stared at Lexus in silence.


    "What? You want to say something?" asked Lexus who was ufortable being stared at by Ramon like that. "Just say it."


    They stayed back in the room while Diego took the two investigators to the ce where Marcus left the children he met when he and Ian were on a mission to rescue his sister.


    Ramon told Diego about it and this was something that could incriminate Leon and at least make the news of his captivity in the basement of one of the Tordoffpany buildings divert a bit.


    As for Tordoff''s corporate image, it would be handled by theirpany''s PR professionals and there was nothing to worry about so far, as the media were still under the influence of the Tordoff family to withhold the news.


    "I will not stop just because he is your biological father," Ramon said the sentence clearly, because he did not want anything to be hidden from Lexus and not only that, he did not want any misunderstandings in this matter.


    This matter had consumed all of Ramon''s attention and energy, therefore, he did not expect another crucial problem in the form of Lexus.


    His brother should know where he stood now.


    "Seriously?" Lexus raised his eyebrows in disbelief at his brother. He sighed exasperatedly. "I will be very angry if you don''t give him the punishment he deserves for hurting my sister-inw and my future nephew," Lexus said angrily. "And if you don''t want to do it, I will assure you, I will do it myself."


    Lexus didn''t feel any emotional attachment to Leon at all. Maybe he was his real father, but Lexus didn''t feel that way. He only felt that the man was just a stranger he had just met.


    And after all, just like Ramon, Lexus tended to think logically and wasn''t too happy to dramatize the situation.


    "Hm," Ramon nodded when he heard that. "Where''s mother?" he asked.


    "She is at her house," Lexus answered quickly, and as if knowing that Ramon was going to confront Lis, he added. "Don''t be too harsh, she doesn''t seem to know much about this."


    Ramon didn''t respond to Lexus''s words and walked out of the room, but before that he said, "Go to the hospital and apany Hailee."

 Chapter 331: REVENGE (4)

    <h4>Chapter 331: REVENGE (4)</h4>


    Lis was sitting in her study, like thest time Ramon had seen her in this house and was so surprised when she saw her son enter the room.


    "Ramon, how is Hailee?" asked Lis impatiently. She then approached her son and could see how tired he was.


    There were dark circles under Ramon''s eyes, but those eyes still looked so determined, as if there was some crazy desire that had controlled all of him so that Ramon no longer felt the slightest sense of fatigue, and now Lis could only hope that this would all end soon.


    "Hailee is still unconscious," replied Ramon in a toneless voice. He then sat on the sofa in the room and immediately asked Lis to sit across from him.


    Lisplied with Ramon''s request. She knew that this would happen sooner orter, but she wasn''t ready to face this yet, no, Lis would never be ready to face this.


    "I know what you''re going to say," Lis said in a low voice. She looked down and stared at her intertwined hands, not daring to look Ramon straight in the eye, as if by avoiding looking at Ramon she could escape her son''s wrath a little.


    "No, you don''t know what I''m going to say," said Ramon quickly. He didn''t want people to assume what he wanted to say when the other person didn''t even know him well.


    Yes, Ramon felt that Lis did not know him regarding this matter or any problems that urred. Because now Ramon realized that what Lis saw in him was his father.


    Of course Ramon didn''t doubt Lis''s love for him, because after all he was her son, but still Lucas''s shadow would always follow Lis whenever she looked at Ramon.


    "I''m not my father, you should know that," said Ramon. He could see Lis getting flustered as he revealed the truth of what she had been thinking all along. "I''m sorry for what dad did to you and what you had to go through with him while I didn''t do anything for you," Ramon continued.


    Hearing Ramon, made Lis feel her eyes stinging. Heat coursed through her body as her sadness returned.


    "But, that doesn''t mean I validate what you did to get out of that problem." Ramon took a deep breath. His head was spinning.


    He had not slept or eaten for two days. It was only a matter of time until he finally copsed, no matter how strong he was, he was still an ordinary human. "And I can''t tolerate what Leon did to Hailee at all."


    Lis nodded, she understood where Ramon wasing from and had no intention of interfering in the matter. "I know, I understand," Lis replied in a low voice.


    "Mom, I will destroy him. I will even kill him and I want you not to interfere in this matter," said Ramon with a sharp tone and cold voice.


    He didn''t even hide his intentions. The dark side inside him was unstoppable and even Lis could feel his intent to kill from the way Ramon said this.


    "That''s why I don''t want you here for a while," Ramon continued and handed her a white envelope containing her passport and everything Lis would need. "I want you to go away from this town for a while."


    Because there''s going to be a storm in town A soon and if things get any moreplicated, it only meant the Tordoffs and the Dawsons would face each other openly, if they tried to protect Leon.


    Because after all, it was Giana who was now in control of the Dawson family and she was also involved in Hailee''s kidnapping.


    Meanwhile, Ramon didn''t care about who reigned supreme in the Dawson family, but Giana and Aileen were the next targets for Ramon to take down once he was done with Leon.


    In front of him, Lis stared at the white envelope with wide eyes. She then grabbed it and opened its contents to see where Ramon would send her.


    After seeing all the things inside, she sighed heavily and closed her eyes, as warm tears fell down her cheeks.


    "I''m sorry for all this Ramon, but mother didn''t think that things would turn out like this," Lis said in a trembling voice. If Ramon really wanted her to leave, then she would. "But can you wait until Hailee wakes up?"


    "No," Ramon answered immediately.


    That short answer really hurt Lis, but she could understand. "Or can I at least take a look at her for a second? I''m going to stop by the hospital to take a look."


    Ramon then stood up and said onest time. "No, don''t go near my wife." After that he walked away, leaving a sobbing Lis behind.


    This may seem very cruel and heartless, but it is for the best, because Lis is too tangled up in her emotions regarding this matter and Ramon doesn''t know exactly how far Lis will go if Leon tries to see her again.


    Ramon couldn''t be sure that Lis would be able to stick to her own principles.


    Therefore, this was the right decision; keeping Lis away from this city as well as Leon. Not only was this to lighten the burden on Ramon''s mind, but also for Lis''s own good.


    However, when Ramon reached the door, he turned around and looked at Lis while asking, "Are you sure that father''s death was a natural death? That he died of illness?"


    Hearing that question, Lis raised her head and looked at Ramon through her teary eyes. "Dr. Bram was around when your father died and he firmly believed it was a natural death." Then Lis''s eyes widened slightly when she realized what Ramon insinuated. "You don''t think I was involved in your father''s death, do you?"


    Ramon didn''t answer her right away, so the silence made Lis even more sure that that was what Ramon thought she had done.


    "Ramon, I couldn''t have done that to your father," Lis said hastily.


    "You may not, but if it''s Leon, it''s very possible," said Ramon in a t tone, with a look that was difficult to understand. "I will find out more about this matter."


    After saying that, Ramon didn''t wait for Lis'' reply and walked away.

 Chapter 332: SHE IS AWAKE

    <h4>Chapter 332: SHE IS AWAKE</h4>


    Ramon looked at the man in front of him with an expressionless face, but his whole body naturally emitted a different aura.


    Anger, danger¡­ were not the words to describe Ramon Tordoff''s current mood, although for now, he said nothing and stood facing the half-living man before him silently.


    Axcel.


    The man looked like someone who had just gone through all the bad things possible in his life at once and seemed unable to say anything but curled up like a patient.


    "Wake him up," said Ramon coldly. He then sat on the sofa opposite Axcel, while David brought a bucket of cold water before sshing Axcel, who immediately screamed and howled in fear.


    David deftly used a nearby rag to gag Axcel''s mouth. He then pull him into a sitting position.


    However, the moment Axcel tried to sit up, he immediately screamed in agony, as if the sofa he was sitting on was made of sharp spikes that hurt him.


    Tears flowed from his soulless eyes and streamed down his haggard face.


    Axcel had indeed changed into better clothes from before, but now his mental stability was not at all good.


    Something had happened to him and it was the worst nightmare he ever had in his life. No. He never even thought that something like that would happen to him, not even in his nightmares.


    "Tell him to be quiet," Ramon massaged the bridge of his nose because he felt like his head was being poked with sharp needles. His headache wouldn''t subside and the sound of Axcel''s screams only added to the pain in his head.


    David then whispered something into Axcel''s ear, which made him widen his eyes in surprise while fear could be clearly seen on his face.


    Axcel immediately nodded and tried to stop his wails, while still trying to tilt his body, because he couldn''t sit up properly.


    After Axcel nodded fiercely and David was sure that Axcel wouldn''t scream again, he removed the rag blocking Axcel''s mouth and allowed him to ask Ramon a question.


    "Ramon¡­ you¡­" Axcel stammered. He was afraid to show his anger at Ramon, but on the other hand, he couldn''t contain that suffocating thing either. It almost drove him crazy. Axcel felt himself going crazy. "How could you¡­ do that¡­ to me¡­"


    As Axcel said that, the image of what had happened to him until a few moments ago shed back into his eyes and he shuddered unconsciously. His body was shaking violently from the pain, anger and humiliation he was feeling.


    "Of course I can..." Ramon replied casually. "You made my wife lose our first baby, what do you think I can''t do?"


    The sentence had such a strong effect on Axcel, that it instantly silenced him leaving him speechless.


    He had made Ramon lose their first baby, of course it was a big problem. So big that Axcel couldn''t imagine what else Ramon would do to him after this.


    He was even more afraid of what Ramon just said; what can''t he do?


    Of course, Ramon''s anger was much bigger and his wrath woulde very horribly for what Axcel did to Hailee.


    Now, it''s not impossible that Axcel will never see the outside world again.


    However, as before, Ramon was extremely difficult to predict. "If you agree to help me, I''ll let you go."


    That promise again.


    Ramon promised Axcel freedom before, but here he was, experiencing the worst thing of his life.


    "You didn''t keep your promise..." Axcel said in a trembling voice. "You didn''t keep it..."


    Ramon just tilted his head when he heard the usation.


    "A good man will keep his word," Axcel started giggling and this made Ramon smile, a thin line that only made his facial expression even more terrifying.


    "Too bad I''m not a good man," he said. "But, if you don''t want this opportunity, then I won''t force it."


    Seeing Ramon about to get up from his seat, made Axcel panicky.


    "You''re really going to forgive me?" he asked in a trembling voice. "You''re going to free me?"


    "Yes," answered Ramon lightly, as if the word meant nothing to him.


    "You''ll forget that I hurt your wife and¡­" Axcel didn''t want to bring up this topic, because he could see the change in Ramon''s facial expression, but he had to make sure what Ramon promised was true. "Making your wife miscarry¡­ you''re going to set me free?"


    "Yes," replied Ramon, but this time, the word seemed to be spoken with emphasis. "If you''re not sure, you can spend another night here," said Ramon.


    Spent another night here?!


    Of course, what sane person would be happy with the offer? And Axcel still wasn''t crazy to risk the safety of his soul by being in this damned ce for another night.


    "What¡­ what do you want me to do?" asked Axel. He didn''t want to be in that ce even for a second longer. "I will do anything, as long as you will free me¡­ and don''t look for me anymore¡­"


    David snorted when he heard that, while Ramon readily agreed.


    "I just need you to do one thing..." said Ramon.


    ================


    Ramon had finished his business with Axcel and was about to go to the office to take care of some problems due to the news of his involvement with Leon Dawson''s captivity.


    It seemed, at this point, Ramon didn''t mind killing himself by making himself work timelessly.


    Some people have their own way of dealing with grief and despair and this is Ramon''s way of numbing himself to grief that is so great and so foreign to him.


    But, before Ramon dived too deep into his work and ns for revenge, David gave him some news.


    "Mrs. Tordoff hase to her senses," said David with a beaming face.


    And immediately they rushed to the hospital, while Ramon monitored Hailee, who had regained consciousness and was being treated by several doctors there.


    Hailee''s face wasn''t very clear on the screen of his phone, and also because of the several doctors around her, but Ramon was pretty sure that his wife had opened her eyes. He could even see Hailee moving her hand as if to hint at something¡­


    And when he saw that, Ramon felt the knot in his chest loosen a bit. The pain in his chest didn''t bother him too much...

 Chapter 333: I AM SORRY

    <h4>Chapter 333: I AM SORRY</h4>


    Ian was sitting beside Hailee''s bed, to guard her, while the gun that Ramon had given him was tucked away in his trouser pocket and about five bodyguards were outside this room.


    But, that''s not all, actually the entire hospital building was filled with Ramon''s people.


    Maybe this was an exaggeration, but considering who Ramon Tordoff was and what had just happened to his wife, of course Ramon wouldn''t take this for granted and do all the crazy things he could do.


    Meanwhile, Hailee was still unconscious.


    The bruises on her face were still clearly visible, making Ian every time he saw her want to go after Axcel and give the jerk a private lesson. How could he possibly hurt Hailee like this? Has he gone mad?


    But,e to think of it, nothing sane had happened for the time being. Everything has been really crazy in thest twenty-four hours.


    Ian yawned and turned off his cell phone''s screen after reading the news about the Tordoff Family being involved in Leon Dawson''s captivity.


    The news was huge, because after all the Dawsons had been in the spotlighttely.


    Although Leon was no longer a member of the Dawson family, hisst name still attracted a lot of attention.


    Ian didn''t know how Ramon would handle this, but he knew that the man would be able to handle any problems that arose.


    And now, Ian''s focus was solely on Hailee. The woman was still asleep and there was no sign that she would wake up anytime soon.


    Ian then nced at the CCTV installed in the corner of the room and sighed. He didn''t know what Ramon was doing right now, but he wasn''t sure if he wanted to find trouble with the man when he was in such a dark mood.


    Therefore, Ian refrained from getting too close to Hailee and making the Tordoff heir go even more out of control.


    Ian yawned again. He then walked to the sofa and prepared to close his eyes for a moment because he could no longer stand the sleepiness and tried to sleep for a while.


    But then Ian saw Hailee move from the corner of his eye before he heard her whimpering softly.


    Immediately, Ian''s drowsiness disappeared and he jumped off the sofa, quickly rushing to Hailee''s side to make sure that the girl had really regained consciousness.


    And indeed that was what happened. Ian saw her slowly opening her eyes.


    "Hailee?" Ian felt his smile hurt his face and he immediately pressed the emergency button beside Hailee''s bed to call the doctor.


    Hailee then moved her lips, she seemed to be about to say something, therefore, Ian leaned his body so that his ear was closer to Hailee to hear what this girl had to say.


    "My baby..." Hailee said very quietly, like a whisper. "How¡­ my baby¡­"


    Hearing this question, Ian was suddenly at a loss for words and was unable to find the right way to disclose that she had lost her baby to Hailee.


    How could Ian tell this kind of news to his best friend?


    ================


    Ramon immediately got out of the car before the car actually stopped and rushed to Hailee''s room, avoiding several reporters who had arrived and were being restrained by Ramon''s bodyguards.


    It was unclear where they got the information about Ramon''s whereabouts, but he certainly didn''t want to focus on that right now because there were other things that were far more important than all of that.


    Ramon ran down the corridor while the several bodyguards scattered around the hospital nodded at him, as a short greeting.


    And Ramon only slowed down when he arrived at Hailee''s door.


    Ramon slowly reached out his hand to open the door, while feeling his heart beating fast. It wasn''t that he had run along the corridor, but that something else was making him unable to breathe and feel suffocated, because Ramon knew what awaited him.


    With one gentle thump, Ramon opened the door and walked inside.


    On the other side of the room, there was arge ss window that showed the beauty of the sunset and it is a very eye-catching and romantic sight.


    However, Ramon didn''t feel all of these things, especially when his eyes fell on Hailee''s face.


    Hailee''s body looked so small and fragile in the big hospital bed. Her eyes were bruised and there were several small cuts on her face while her right hand was bandaged with an IV drip attached to her wrist.


    Hailee''s long ck hair spread behind her back and looked a little messy.


    Hailee was talking to Ian when she noticed Ramon''s presence and the stared at each other for a while before Hailee reached out her hand, asking Ramon toe closer.


    The atmosphere in the room felt very stifling, there was an unspeakable sadness that was palpable, even to Ian.


    It was as if the air had be heavy and oppressive, and Ian knew it was time for him to leave.


    Wordlessly and quietly, Ian rose from his seat and walked out of the room, leaving the couple alone, as he closed the door behind him.


    Ramon walked over to Hailee and held her hand which felt so fragile in his own, he kissed it softly for a really long moment.


    "I''m sorry..." Ramon whispered softly into Hailee''s hand which he was kissing. "I apologize¡­"


    Ramon then knelt beside Hailee''s bed and lowered his head, allowing Hailee to gently stroke his neck and then run her fingers through his hair.


    "It''s not your fault," Hailee said. Her voice sounded very hoarse and heavy, as if there was an intense sadness she was trying to swallow.


    "I''m sorry..." Ramon said again, this time his voice was stronger and trembling.


    Hailee could feel her hands getting wet while Ramon''s breath roared as his shoulders shook violently.


    Hailee then leaned forward and kissed Ramon''s head, while she felt her own tears dripping down her cheeks.


    "I''m sorry..." Ramon repeated again. He said every word earnestly, but that alone wasn''t enough because he had a thousand reasons to apologize to his wife and also their child who would never feel the affection of the two of them¡­

 Chapter 334: GRIEF

    <h4>Chapter 334: GRIEF</h4>


    When Ramon was two years old, he had an injection once and while the other children were bawling their eyes out, he didn''t even flinch, as if it hadn''t happened at all.


    When he was five years old, Ramon had fallen and hit his temple on a rock and bled, but he didn''t cry and was just ying with his car when the doctor stitched up his injured forehead.


    When Ramon was six years old, he fell off his bicycle and broke his leg, but he didn''t cry when people around him were hustling and bustling to call an ambnce for him.


    Ramon just frowned at the pain and the fact that he wasn''t going to be able to ride a bike anytime soon.


    When he was eight years old, Ramon got into a fight with a child who bullied him continuously, until his lips cracked and his face was bruised, but the child had to be admitted to the hospital for intensive care.


    At that time, Lucas scolded him, but Ramon didn''t cry. Either because of being scolded or because he suffered some injuries after fighting, not a single tear left his eyes.


    At the age of twelve, Ramon was again fighting with three people at once because they were bothering Lexus. He came home with wounds all over his body and didn''t say anything to Lucas or Lis about this, because they weren''t at home and neither of them knew about the incident.


    At the age of twenty, Ramon lost his father and also had to start learning to handle thepany that Lis managed after the death of her husband to hand over to Ramon when he turned twenty-two.


    Even at his father''s death ceremony, Ramon received the guests calmly.


    And in the years that followed Ramon lived as if he was a human being who had been programmed to endure everything and lived his days in a monotonous style.


    Some intrigue in thepany, dealing with fraud, or some problems that require ''special'' attention from him, eventually invoked his dark side.


    Killing people or getting involved in a dark organization is not a problem for Ramon nor when he is needed to act cruel and outside normal limits.


    Ramon was used to it all and no longer thought it was a big matter.


    Until Ramon thought that he could deal with any kind of emotion or difficult situation calmly.


    That''s what Ramon had in mind. That''s what Ramon believed until he felt what it was like to lose something, which he had loved with all his heart, before he even had the chance to see it¡­


    Ramon had never felt this kind of feeling, so vulnerable and fragile. An unfamiliar emotion.


    He himself a few years ago probably would not have believed that the word loss had such a deep and suffocating meaning as he felt now.


    How can you love something even when you''re not actually touching it? See it?


    But, that''s what happened. That''s how Ramon felt now.


    The warm tears that flowed from his tired eyes and fell on the back of Hailee''s hand, proved that such a thing was possible with Ramon Tordoff.


    Ramon wept silently after his repeated apologies to his wife, while Hailee rubbed his head gently.


    "There''s nothing to apologize for, Ramon¡­ it''s not your fault¡­" Hailee said softly. "This is not your fault¡­"


    Just like Ramon, those were the only words Hailee could tell him. Because right now, she doesn''t even know how to deal with this situation.


    Hailee felt there was an empty and dark void in her heart, something she didn''t want to touch. At least for now¡­


    She didn''t want to touch that part, because Hailee felt that by being near that empty and dark void, her defenses would copse and she would lose herself to a wave of sadness that she couldn''t possibly face at this time¡­


    She would think about itter¡­


    She would grieve for their babyter...


    Because for now, Ramon looked much more devastated than Hailee. Even to see Ramon in this condition alone was a pain in itself for her¡­


    ================


    Hailee woke up while the sky was still dark and the sun was still behind the horizon, emitting a soothing reddish glow.


    Hailee stared at the light with her vacant eyes. There were so many things in her head that she had to think about and also there were so many feelings that she had to digest right now.


    Only, Hailee didn''t have the energy to cope with it all. She really felt very tired. An exhaustion that she had never felt before.


    A fatigue that she didn''t know how long it would take to dissipate. This was the kind of exhaustion that wouldn''t go away just by lying down or resting.


    This was a fatigue she would always feel whenever she remembered this day.


    Even the bruises on Hailee''s body couldn''t cover the tiredness in her heart right now. Hailee''s breath hitched as she tried to approach the empty hole in her heart, trying to untangle the tangled threads in her mind.


    No¡­ she couldn''t do it now¡­


    Hailee then tilted her body and looked at the face of Ramon who was sleeping beside her. Even in his sleep Ramon was still frowning, as if the restlessness and sadness he felt was chasing him into his dreams.


    Hailee forced Ramon to sleep beside her even though the man said he didn''t want to identally hurt her. Because Ramon could move in his sleep and actually hurt Hailee when his wife''s body was already full of wounds.


    But, Hailee won the debate easily.


    Maybe it was because they were both so tired and being around each other was what they needed the most.


    Slowly, Hailee raised her hand and gently touched Ramon''s face with her fingertips, feeling Ramon''s stubble covered face because he had not shaved for the past two days.


    And from what Ian said, Ramon had also not slept for those two hellish days. Hailee could feel the pressure Ramon had felt during those two days.


    Granted, they both lost their baby, and Hailee wouldn''t say she was so much sadder than Ramon...


    They share the same sorrow...


    Either because of Hailee''s touch, or because Ramon couldn''t continue sleeping, the man finally opened his eyes and looked at Hailee with wide eyes.


    "Good morning," Hailee said, then kissed Ramon''s forehead like she always does and tears welled up in their eyes once again.

 Chapter 335: GRIEF (2)

    <h4>Chapter 335: GRIEF (2)</h4>


    Two days have passed since the horrific incident.


    Not too much happened during those two days, except for things that really should have happened.


    Those two days were the time when Hailee and Ramon became very close both raw and spiritually, where they shared their sorrows in silence and encouraged each other in ways no one else could understand.


    Neither Hailee nor Ramon, ever discussed what they really felt at that time nor brought up the topic.


    Because their hearts were still not ready and unable to approach the wound unless they realized that it was there. The empty space that was like Pandora''s box was still there and it wasn''t time for them to get any closer than this.


    Both needed time and also more mental strength to be able to deal with this.


    However, the two were there for each other and they knew they could rely on each other.


    And for Ramon, this was the first time he felt such an intense emotion in his entire life, therefore, he needed time to digest it and express it properly.


    There were times when Ramon didn''t say anything and just fell asleep beside Hailee, or there were times when he would get so angry over small things.


    Anger that he should not vent on the people around him, like Lexus or David, Danny, who did not manage to escape his anger.


    When Ramon''s emotions were unstable, Hailee would approach him and hug him, only then did this man seem calmer.


    That''s what happened for the past two days.


    And during that time, the news in the outside world only got crazier.


    Giana, who managed to escape from Ramon''s pursuit, filed awsuit against Ramon''s actions toward her uncle, Leon Dawson. The woman gathered several of her family''swyers to fight Ramon in court.


    However, what made the news grab public attention was the fact that the Tordoff family did not respond to it at all. There was no confirmation or any words of denial from the Tordoffs, as though they didn''t even think the case existed.


    Even Lexus Tordoff, who was usually very easy to find and approach, didn''t appear to give a few words to describe this.


    The attitude of the Tordoff family left people to form wild assumptions that were sometimes too imaginative and creative.


    However, all of that seemed unable to prate Hailee''s treatment room, because in front of his wife, Ramon did not let out anything.


    Until one night, when they were lying in Hailee''s bed, alone and in a solemn and calm silence, Hailee probed a little into the problem at hand.


    Maybe it''s time to try to touch the wound and find out how much pain they can endure, especially when there is still a lot of energy and emotion that lies before their eyes.


    "What are you going to do with Leon?" asked Hailee. The name left a bitter taste on her lips.


    Ramon was silent for a moment, before he answered the question in a cold and emotionless voice. "Kill him," he answered simply.


    Ramon then hugged Hailee''s body, pulled her closer to him and kissed the top of her head.


    "Yes, please do," Hailee whispered. "Leave Giana and Aileen to me," she said a momentter.


    ================


    Since Ramon promised Axcel that he would be released, then that''s what happened now.


    Axcel was enjoying his freedom anxiously, thinking that Ramon or his men woulde pick him up and try to torture him again, because he couldn''t believe that Ramon would actually let him go.


    Although Axcel didn''t want to admit this, his actions had been the reason why Hailee''s pregnancy had ended up in a miscarriage and the couple had to lose their first child.


    Knowing how Ramon Tordoff works, of course it is not a trivial matter that can be simply forgotten.


    But, after two days of no news or nothing really happened to him, Axcel started to think in a different direction.


    Especially when almost all the news cornered Ramon, there was even one small news station criticizing how the big news stations did not take the matter deeper. They openly alleged that the higher-ups of the other news stations had been bribed by the Tordoff family to keep their mouth shut on this matter.


    Although their reason was because they were waiting for more urate news from the Tordoff family before releasing the news.


    It''s a clich¨¦d self-defense.


    Axcel felt that Ramon forgot about him and would not bother him because he was currently busy facing public criticism, but this thought was proven wrong, as Axcel received a small package containing a sh drive on the afternoon of the third day.


    "What''s this?" Axcel tried to find the address or name of the sender, but he couldn''t find it.


    Out of curiosity, he walked to his study and tried to open the sh drive with hisptop.


    "Argh!" Axcel growled in annoyance when he had to sit up, because the pain was still like a ghost that haunted him even in dreams.


    Unfortunately, even in the dream Axcel repeated every scene, as if the worst experience in his life refused to be forgotten.


    However, when he opened the only video file on the sh drive, he knew that his nightmare was real and that there was no way he could escape from that part of his life experience.


    There, on hisptop screen, Axcel could see a five-hour video showing the scenes of his nightmare.


    Every disgusting word those seven men uttered until desperate screams, cursings, pleas for them to stop, were all clearly audible.


    Even theughter of the seven bastards was recorded very clearly, bringing back the trauma that hit Axcel hard.


    The video is a momento from Ramon and also a warning that he will not be able to escape from the grip of the man.


    With anger, fear and nausea hitting him hard, Axcel threw theptop and the small pieces scattered on the floor.


    Just then his cell phone rang. It was the number he had to pick up.


    "I think you''ve seen the video," said David. "And I''m guessing you''re not going to watch it all the way through."

 Chapter 336: A WARNING

    <h4>Chapter 336: A WARNING</h4>


    "I think you''ve seen the video," said David. "And I''m guessing you''re not going to watch it all the way through."


    David''s words were like a bolt of lightning to Axcel. His anger and embarrassment about the video of himself that he had just seen was now reced by fear.


    Even as he replied, his voice trembled. Whether it''s because of fear, or panic. To be sure, he didn''t like the video he saw or this call from David.


    "What¡­ what do you want?" asked Axcel. He really wanted to either end the call or m the phone down, just like he did with hisptop.


    However, it''s a shame he couldn''t do that, Axcel didn''t know what Ramon would do to him if he acted like a willful young master.


    "Mr. Tordoff doesn''t want anything from you." Answered the voice from the other end of the line. "Not yet," David added in a meaningful tone.


    Hearing that, Axcel could only clench his jaw and close his eyes, hoping this would be over soon.


    Damn that Ramon! He recorded all of it!


    "Are you going to threaten me with this video?" asked Axel. His hands were clenched tightly at his sides. "You''re going to threaten me to do what you want with this video?" he asked again. Emphasizing every word he said.


    "Should I threaten you with the video?" David asked again. "Didn''t you say that you would help catch Leon yourself?"


    Axcel gritted his teeth. His anger made his body tremble. "Don''t mess with the video."


    "Is that a warning?" he asked. This time his voice was much more serious and deep as he continued again. "Are you trying to warn Mr. Tordoff through me? I think he will dly ept this report."


    Axcel held his breath to control his erratic emotions and replied to David''s words in a much calmer voice. "No, I didn''t mean that," he said.


    Davidughed when he heard him. "There''s no need to be afraid. I just called you to make sure you got the video. You know, right? Sometimes the goods you send don''t arrive at the recipient''s address properly."


    It was a mockery, a ridicule.


    If the video fell into other people''s hands, of course this would not have any effect on Ramon Tordoff, but it would have an uncontroble impact on Axcel.


    His career and family name had been ruined when his father went to jail, but that didn''t mean he wanted to ruin his life even more with a video like that.


    "Okay, now that you''ve got the video, that spells no additional problems," David said lightly and prepared to hang up the call as he said, "Get ready, you''ll be needed soon enough."


    With that, the line was disconnected and now Axcel really threw the phone in his hand until it hit the wall and the small object shattered into several pieces.


    It was only momentster that he remembered that he had to be on stand-by to receive further orders from Ramon Tordoff, which meant he had to get a new phone¡­


    Fuck! Everyone''s a jerk!


    =================


    Hailee was still curled up in her bed as Ramon prepared to go out and finish his business. But first, he approached his wife and kissed her forehead gently.


    "Good morning," said Ramon when Hailee opened her eyes. Those beautiful eyes didn''t emit the same joy as they used to and it seemed like it would take a lot of time and effort to bring back the cheerful look in Hailee''s eyes that he had always loved.


    "Morning," Hailee replied. She then pushed her body up into a sitting position with Ramon''s help.


    "Are you still feeling sick?" Ramon then rubbed the bruises on Hailee''s cheeks which already started to fade a little. Hailee''s other smaller wounds have now disappeared.


    "No, I''m fine now," Hailee said. She then looked around her room which felt empty. If Ramon left then she would? be all alone here. "I want to go home."


    "Stay here for a few more days." Ramon wanted to make sure Hailee waspletely healthy before taking her home.


    Actually, there''s no problem with Hailee''s health, she just needs some rest. Also, Hailee''s weakness and helplessness had nothing to do with her previous injuries, but it certainly had something to do with the invisible wounds she suffered.


    "No, I want to go home," Hailee insisted. Then she remembered something important, which she often forgot to ask. "What about Martha?"


    Hailee knew that there was a traitor in her bodyguards, which caused her to be taken away from the Tordoff residence, but she forgot to ask how the housekeeper was doing after trying to save her.


    "Martha is fine, just a little shocked, because someone beat her unconscious, but other than that she''s back to work," replied Ramon.


    "Good," Hailee mumbled. "Then what about Pyro?" she asked for the head of her bodyguards because she had not seen Pyro after she was rescued.


    Ramon went silent for a moment, then answered by shifting Hailee''s focus. "I''ll introduce you to your new bodyguard."


    Hailee narrowed her eyes when she heard that. "What happened to Pyro?" she insisted on knowing the answer.


    Ramon sighed deeply because he knew he wouldn''t make it past the question and Hailee wouldn''t stop until she got the answer she wanted.


    "I fired him," said Ramon curtly.


    And Hailee''s reaction was exactly what Ramon had expected.


    "You fired him?" Hailee frowned and threw Ramon a look of disapproval. "Why did you fire him?"


    "Because he has failed in choosing the bodyguards to protect you and also especially because he has failed in protecting you." Ramon didn''t want his decision to be questioned and he wouldn''t change it no matter what Hailee said.


    Or at least that''s what Ramon has determined¡­


    Hailee backed away from Ramon and folded her arms across her chest, and for a moment, her eyes lit up with life. "I want him back."


    Ramon raised his eyebrows. "Mrs. Tordoff, don''t you realize you''re asking for another man in front of your husband?"


    Hailee rolled her eyes at Ramon''sment which she thought was unreasonable. "Ramon, really?"


    "Am I no longer the jackpot to you?" asked Ramon in a hurtful tone.


    Hailee then pulled Ramon and kissed his lips quickly. "Now, give Pyro back to me."

 Chapter 337: MOMENT

    <h4>Chapter 337: MOMENT</h4>


    Ramon couldn''t understand how his wife could ask him for another man, even with her half-forced and fierce gaze like the one Ramon was seeing right now.


    "Am I no longer the jackpot to you?" asked Ramon in a hurtful tone.


    Hailee rolled her eyes dramatically, then pulled Ramon and kissed his lips quickly. "Now, give Pyro back to me."


    Ramon narrowed his eyes. "Give Pyro back to you?" he repeated her words. "You think a kiss can melt me?"


    Hailee then blinked her eyes and gave an innocent look, her facial expression immediately changed, then a second kissnded on Ramon''s lips again. "Okay, two then."


    "That''s not the way to kiss me Hailee," Ramon smiled as he could see a smile in his wife''s eyes.


    Maybe things couldn''t go back to the same as they used to be, but at least the two of them were trying not to get too dragged behind by the problem.


    And Ramon really appreciated how Hailee tried to cheer him up by breaking the ice like this. Ramon knew very well that this had always been Hailee''s way of getting things out of him.


    There is something missing, but there is also something that will never change and Ramon will cherish every second of his time with his beloved wife. Whatever they will face in the future, whatever wille their way, at least Ramon knows that he will always have Hailee in his life.


    And that was enough to make Ramon feel much better.


    The sadness did not go away so easily and it was certain that they would forever remember their first child, who did not get the chance to enjoy their love. That loss would forever be a part of Hailee and Ramon.


    "Then how?" Hailee asked, a smile on the corner of her lips, though there was still sadness in her eyes.


    Ramon smiled back at his wife and leaned in so that he could gently touch Hailee''s lips with his and cupped her face in his hands.


    "Like this," Ramon whispered between Hailee''s lips. "I love you Hailee..."


    ================


    After Ramon left for his office to take care of matters with Leon as well as some other things, Hailee also rushed to take a shower and change into the clean clothes she got from Barry, the new bodyguard Ramon mentioned before he left.


    "Mrs. Tordoff you can''t go out," Barry forbade Hailee to step out of her ward, but a fierce re from Hailee made him back off.


    "If you want to report this to Ramon, just go ahead," Hailee said indifferently and stepped out of her room while Barry and six other bodyguards followed behind her.


    Out of the corner of her eye, she could see that Barry was trying to make a phone call and Hailee didn''t have to think hard about who Barry was calling right now.


    And her guess was proved correct when momentster her cell phone rang, signaling an iing call that required her attention.


    "Yes, honey," Hailee said sweetly, as she got into the car apanied by Barry in the driver''s seat.


    "Don''t ''honey'' me." Ramon sounded displeased with the sweet endearment. It was not her choice of name that he didn''t like, but because Hailee''s purpose was what made him have to extend his patience for his wife. "Didn''t I tell you that you shouldn''t leave the hospital?"


    "But, I never agreed," Hailee told him the fact. "I thought after that kiss, you finally gave me consent."


    Hailee said this very smoothly but made Barry almost hit the brakes suddenly, while Collin, Hailee''s previous bodyguard, gave a look that seemed to say; You''ll get used to this, Barry.


    Pyro wouldn''t be surprised, but today was actually Barry''s first day being Mrs. Tordoff''s bodyguard.


    "That kiss had nothing to do with this," Ramon grumbled now.


    "I''ll give you more than a kiss when I get home, but for now, I have things to do," Hailee promised.


    And this time Barry actually pressed the brake pedal all of a sudden as they were about to pull out of the parking lot.


    This received a fierce re from Hailee and Barry lowered his head, giving her an apologetic look through the rearview mirror.


    "I promise I''ll tell youter, okay. I love you." After that Hailee hung up the call before Ramon could even return her words.


    Hailee felt she had to do something. She couldn''t just sit back and pamper herself just because Ramon treated her like that, while her husband faced the people who had made her suffer alone.


    No, Hailee wasn''t going to stand still while Ramon had the pleasure of getting his revenge.


    Hailee would also get her revenge. Because that''s the only way she could divert herself from the sadness she was feeling.


    Hailee didn''t want to lower herself so badly that she couldn''t do anything but cry.


    She could do other things besides that¡­


    She would cryter, after those bastards had cried for their lives¡­


    Hailee then called someone, as soon as she hung up on Ramon. "Pyro, where are you?" she asked when Pyro picked up the call. "Meet me right now."


    Pyro choked on the drink he was drinking then immediately answered Hailee''smand with a slight cough. "Mrs. Tordoff, you may not know this¡­ but, Mr. Tordoff has¡­"


    "Ramon fired you, but now I''m hiring you back." Hailee cut off Pyro''s words, because she didn''t have time to make small talk. "So are youing to see me or not?"


    "I think Mr. Tordoff wouldn''t like it if¡­" Pyro seemed to contradict himself a bit.


    "I''ll take care of Ramonter, now tell me, do you still want to work for me?" asked Hailee. Her voice sounded very serious and urgent. She needed Pyro''s answer now.


    "Yes, of course¡­" Pyro answered immediately. He was drinking because he felt so useless that he had lost his job. However, it wasn''t because he lost the job that he was depressed, but because of the reason behind it and theck of opportunity to correct the mistake that made Pyro feel so useless.


    "Good, then meet me now," said Hailee, who then mentioned the address where Pyro could meet her.


    This whole mess needed a start to sort it out, and this was the first step Hailee took to begin her revenge.


    Most people need an important moment in their life to finally realize what they have to do, and for Hailee, losing her child was that moment.

 Chapter 338: WE NEED TO GET RID OF THEM

    <h4>Chapter 338: WE NEED TO GET RID OF THEM</h4>


    Hailee then met up with Pyro at a small cafe at the ce she had mentioned over the phone.


    Today, Hailee was wearing ordinary clothes which didn''t show that she was important at all, but still, the aura emitting from her was so strong that it made the cashier in the cafe stare at her for a long time.


    The young girl felt that she had seen Hailee somewhere, but wasn''t sure where and even if Hailee was an important figure, she couldn''t possiblye to this small cafe.


    With that in mind, she ruled out all possibilities and thought that she had mistaken one for another.


    Therefore, here was Hailee now, sitting by the window letting the slightly scorching midday sun wash over her, while her bodyguards were sitting at nearby tables and also scattered out on the street, just to ensure Hailee''s safety.


    For now, Hailee neitherined nor felt ufortable with their presence, because she knew the importance of security.


    Oh, she wouldn''t allow herself to be in the same situation as a few days ago. She wouldn''t be so stupid as to endanger herself again.


    In front of her, Pyro was sitting with his head down, the bodyguard was down because he had to face Hailee today.


    He still remembered his failure in carrying out his duties and letting very bad things happen to Hailee.


    Pyro heard that Hailee had lost her baby and felt very bad about it.


    "You''ve been drinking," Hailee said, revealing what she observed from the figure in front of her.


    "Ah," Pyro gasped, then looked even more embarrassed because the smell of alcohol on his body must be so strong that Hailee could smell it. "I only drank a few sses." He was lying.


    What else could he say? Was he going to admit that he was frustrated after that incident and also the fact that Ramon Tordoff had fired him?


    It was a light punishment, given Ramon Tordoff''s usual way of doing things, he could have ended up worse than just being fired.


    "On an afternoon like this?" Hailee asked in disbelief. "You''ve had too much to drink for such an early evening."


    Pyro didn''t say anything, he just looked down and stared at the tips of his shoes. He should have showered before meeting Hailee, but for some reason he just headed straight to this ce.


    Does he really want to get his job back? He thought pitifully because he realized that was the answer.


    Then, silence fell over the two of them as neither of them spoke. While the cafe could be fairly empty if it weren''t for Hailee and her bodyguards.


    "So there''s something you want to tell me?" Hailee asked in a low voice. She then took a sip of her apple juice before twirling the ss in her hand.


    "I want to apologize, but I don''t think my apology alone will be enough to pay for what happened," said Pyro regretfully. "I''m sorry to hear you''ve lost your baby."


    Pyro could clearly remember how much the Tordoffs were looking forward to their baby. And now, all the waiting was in vain because they had lost it.


    "Yeah, even your most sincere apologies won''t be able to bring back what I''ve lost," Hailee said which made Pyro feel even worse. "But, there''s at least one thing you can do for me," Hailee said calmly.


    "What''s that?" Pyro asked. He then raised his head to look at Hailee.


    "I want you to help me get my revenge." It was the clearest statement Hailee had ever made in front of Pyro. "I want you to work for me again, if that''s what you want."


    "What about Mr. Tordoff? I''m not sure if Mr. Tordoff would love to see me back," Pyro voiced his concern.


    "Ramon will be fine. After all, you''ll be working with me, not Ramon," Hailee replied. "We can''t really get back what they''ve made me lose, but at least I can make them pay for what they''ve done with a fair price. Is that not it?"


    ================


    After convincing Pyro and giving him orders to find out where Aileen was, Hailee tried to contact Ramon.


    Hailee knew that Ramon must have ordered his people to find out where Aileen was, but it would be more efficient if Hailee was involved too, because she knew the ces her adopted sister might visit.


    And that was why she needed Pyro to check out those ces, because Ramon still seemed very reluctant to let Hailee cooperate with him and wanted his wife to rest and do nothing.


    How could Hailee rest while the people who made her suffer could stillugh and enjoy their lives?


    "Where is Ramon¡­" Hailee mumbled when she found Ramon''s cell phone unreachable. Then she decided to call Danny.


    Danny picked up the call on the second ring.


    "Are you with Ramon?" asked Hailee directly. She was on her way to Tordoff''spany after her business with pyro was over.


    "Oh, yes, I am with Mr. Tordoff," Danny answered a little hesitantly.


    "Where are you guys now?" Hailee asked curiously. "I tried calling him but he didn''t pick up."


    "Mr. Tordoff is in the interrogation room, that must be why the phone is off," Danny replied.


    "Interrogation room?" Hailee repeated. Then she remembered the case that ensnared Ramon because Leon Tordoff was found in one of the buildings belonging to the Tordoff family. "Where are you?"


    After Hailee got the address, she immediately ordered Barry to drive to that ce.


    "We need more security if you want to appear in public," Barry reminded Hailee, because the situation was not very conducive for anyone in the Tordoff family to be in the public sphere considering the huge case that was currently gracing the mass media.


    Hailee nodded. "Yes, do whatever. Bring as many people as needed," she said, not paying much attention to this.


    It took less than twenty minutes to get to the police station Danny mentioned and when they got there, several cars, which Hailee recognized as cars belonging to the Tordoff family, which meant the bodyguards Barry had called in, had arrived as well.


    Hailee was still amazed by their efficiency.


    However, there was one thing that caught Hailee''s attention more than the six cars that were there, because not far from her, she could see Giana''s figure.

 Chapter 339: MORNING SICK

    <h4>Chapter 339: MORNING SICK</h4>


    Dillon really didn''t understand why Giana had chosen to protect Leon Dawson, her uncle.


    Apart from the fact that Leon Dawson was no longer a member of the Dawson family legally, because his name had been removed from the Dawson surname, there was something else that Dillon found very odd.


    "Why?" asked Giana as she browsed through her clothes. She was taking her sweet time to select a shirt to go to the police station, where she would be questioned about Leon Dawson and also to meet her uncle. "Because blood is thicker than water. He''s my uncle. Although he is no longer a member of the Dawson family, I still consider him my uncle. He is more of a father figure to me than my own father," Giana exined casually.


    For now, Giana''s father was still in the hospital and had fallen into aa. The doctor said that Mr. Dawson wouldn''tst long, but Giana didn''t want to see her father at all.


    Even Dillon, being the person who had been beaten by Mr. Dawson before, had asked Giana to go and visit her father once in a while, but never got a response.


    She always said that she had nothing to do with her father anymore and that their rtionship would not improve or that his health would not recover even if she went to visit.


    "Yeah, but you''re going to fight Ramon Tordoff for this?" Dillon asked, finally managing to express how he really felt.


    Perhaps it was for this reason that Dillon felt ufortable letting Giana support Leon, as it also meant that Giana would be spending some time meeting with Ramon at the police station to participate in the investigation of the case and Dillon had never felt this restless before.


    He felt that something was not right here.


    Giana then chose a bright yellow shirt and a matching zer, she even got up early so she could have more time to take care of her makeup.


    "Why not? I will still support Leon even if it is someone else," Giana replied casually. "Even if I had to meet Ramon, it wouldn''t be unavoidable."


    Giana could even feel the piercing re Dillon was directing at the back of her head. This man was being suspicious again, but this time Giana didn''t have time to cajole him. She had to take care of her make-up so she wouldn''t look pale. And to give her face a fresh look.


    "Do you enjoy meeting Ramon Tordoff?" Dillon narrowed his eyes. Even when he said this, he felt really bad.


    Why did he feel constantly threatened by Ramon''s existence? And now, Giana would meet the man. No matter what Giana said, it didn''t help Dillon feel confident about her at all.


    It was an excruciating and confusing state of affairs¡­


    Dillon wanted to let Giana go, but every time he tried to walk away, Giana woulde to him with a face full of love and make him feel that what he was worried about was just him over thinking things and he should trust Giana more.


    And it kept happening. Even now, Dillon had no idea how many times he had tolerated this¡­


    This was an unhealthy rtionship and Dillon couldn''t see the end to this...


    "You''re too much Dillon," said Giana, daubing her lipstick. "You''re thinking too much. You know that, don''t you?"


    Dillon did not answer the question. He then walked up to Giana and stood behind the woman and looked at her through the reflection on the mirror.


    "You''re beautiful," he said suddenly.


    "I know," Gianaughed when she heard thepliment. Of course she was beautiful, she had to look prettier than usual today.


    "But isn''t it too much to just go to the police station and see your uncle?" asked Dillon, he didn''t like the bright red color Giana had on her lips.


    "I have to go to the office too after this, not just to the police station," said Giana. She then stood up and faced Dillon, looking at him with her usual seductive gaze. She left a quick peck on the lips. "Stop thinking nonsense. Shouldn''t you be getting ready to go to the office as well?"


    This morning, Giana was extraordinarily sweet to Dillon, much more than usual.


    "Hm," Dillon mumbled, he then hugged Giana''s body and started to lick her lips.


    "You''re going to ruin my lipstick," protested Giana, she tried to gently push Dillon away, not wanting him to be offended, but Dillon didn''t let go.


    "You can put it back on," Dillon replied against Giana''s lips, he didn''t stop what he was doing now.


    "I¡­" Giana''s next words were swallowed by Dillon''s quick and demanding kiss.


    The man seemed to want to express his anxiety through the kiss and didn''t want to let Giana go at all.


    Only, what Dillon didn''t know, was that Giana opened her eyes and stared boredly at the wall behind Dillon''s head. She seemed to just want Dillon to stop kissing her because she wasn''t in the mood to be romantic with him at all.


    Giana then rolled her eyes when Dillon''s arms tightened around her.


    Boring¡­


    =================


    Giana looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled contentedly, but when she saw her lips, her smile faded slightly. Dillon bruised her lips and Giana was a little angry about this.


    But, maybe that''s not the only thing that turned Giana''s mood bad this morning.


    Somehow she felt like an unwell person. Her body ached and hurt in several ces.


    This morning she also vomited while trying to eat her breakfast.


    Dillon didn''t know this because he was in the shower when Giana was enjoying her breakfast. No, she just drank a cup of coffee and didn''t touch her breakfast at all.


    Even now, when the car was going too fast, she felt sick to her stomach.


    This sucks¡­


    ================


    Actually, Giana got the afternoon slot, but since she knew that Ramon got called during the morning schedule, she changed hers as well.


    But, who would have thought that Ramon also changed his schedule for the same reason.


    Therefore, when Ramon came to the police station, Giana was already finished with her investigation. However, due to therge number of reporters and the man being heavily guarded, she didn''t have the chance to meet him in person or have a conversation.


    Therefore, annoyed, Giana returned to her car and wanted to go home immediately because she was not feeling well.


    But, just as she was about to get in the car, someone got out of the car beside hers and it was Hailee.


    What a coincidence¡­

 Chapter 340: ITS MUCH MORE INTERESTING

    <h4>Chapter 340: IT''S MUCH MORE INTERESTING</h4>


    Hailee really wanted tough at how fate had yed with them by bringing her to Giana at a time like this.


    The woman who a few days ago tried to torture her and humiliate her by ordering three men to harass her.


    Hailee couldn''t imagine what Giana would have done to her if she had been taken away by her at that time and she didn''t manage to escape by locking herself up in an elevator.


    Which resulted in her having to bleed in the cramped space and lose her baby eventually.


    Indeed, Giana was not the reason behind her miscarriage, but she was trying protect the person who was the cause of all this chaos at all costs.


    This woman was crazy¡­ and Hailee had been aware of it for a long time, only she didn''t expect Giana''s madness to be so chronic.


    For a moment, the two women stared at each other, while the bodyguards of the both stood guard around the two of them.


    And like two poles of a ma, opposites attracted each other, that was what happened to Giana and Hailee.


    It wasn''t clear who started it first, but the two of them suddenly walked closer, still staring intently at each other.


    Luckily, they were in a ce to where the reporters were prohibited ess and therefore, the two of them were able to freely talk without any third party interference.


    "Oh, I see you''re still alive," Giana said in an annoying tone, but then she palmed her stomach and took a deep breath, feeling the nausea she''d been feeling since this morning.


    This must be because her gut feeling told her that she was going to meet Hailee, and therefore, she was having a lot of nausea. At least that''s the absurd perception Giana currently had about her nausea.


    "Yes, I''m still alive," Hailee replied, she smiled calmly and this calmness surprised herself quite a bit. Shouldn''t she be angry and have explosive emotions after seeing Giana up close? However, she didn''t feel any of that. Hailee could think clearly with much calmness. "But, too bad, I can''t say the same to you."


    Giana raised her eyebrows when she heard Hailee''s boldment. "You want to kill me?" she asked scornfully. "You know for sure, don''t you think I caused your miscarriage? I''m not even done with you yet."


    Hailee smiled slightly as she folded her arms across her chest, as if she was listening to a story and this was not the reaction Giana wanted to see.


    Gianna narrowed her eyes. "You really don''t know gratitude, you should be at home crying over your child''s death. Because of a mother like you, because of your mistakes, your child did not survive."


    Those words were sharp when Giana said them and she meant to hurt Hailee''s feelings, to hurt the feelings of a mother who had just lost her child, without even having the chance to touch her or hold her.


    "And look at you..." Giana looked at Hailee from head to toe. The wife of Ramon Tordoff was wearing clothes that were not at all shy and very different from what Giana was wearing today. "You really don''t deserve to be Ramon Tordoff''s wife¡­ your bruised face¡­ you can go out and show the public your face like that? It''s terrible¡­" Giana sneered.


    But, when she was about to open his mouth again to insult Hailee again, a p, no, it was a fist. Hailee no longer wanted to p Giana in the face, she wanted to smack her fist into that annoying face.


    Only, as if Giana had known this was going to happen, she quickly raised her hand, brushing Hailee''s hand away. Because after all, Hailee had pped her over and over again, so this was kind of a pattern from each of their encounters.


    Therefore Giana already knew what Hailee would do.


    A triumphant smile spread across Giana''s lips as she managed to fend off Hailee''s hand.


    However, Hailee did not stop there.


    Because she was wearing casual clothes, she could move freely. If Giana took hold of her hand, it didn''t mean she was forbidden to kick her, and that was what Hailee did.


    She moved her leg back and kicked Giana''s shin so fast that she didn''t have time to dodge it.


    No, Giana didn''t even expect Hailee to kick her so brutally.


    The result of the kick, made Giana fall to the ground, on her knees, because of the skirt she was wearing and the high heels she was wearing, making it difficult for her to maintain her bnce.


    Instantly, Giana was in a kneeling position in front of Hailee.


    The incident happened so quickly and made the bodyguards of both of them stunned, bbergasted because the two women were fighting like that.


    However, the next second, as if onmand, Berry and the two other bodyguards who were with Hailee, as well as two of Giana''s bodyguards, pulled out their guns and aimed at each other.


    This incident really made the air around them so tense, leaving everyone who was around suffocated.


    However, because the basement of the parking lot was far from the police building, and there were no police officers on duty around there, no one interrupted the incident.


    "There''s no need to kneel like that," Hailee said with the same scornful tone that Giana used earlier. "Tell your men to lower their guns, we don''t want any bloodshed here and I want to see my husband soon."


    Giana gritted her mrs very tightly, and ignoring the pain she felt in her knees and hands that were hurting from the hard asphalt under her feet, she immediately stood up and looked at Hailee with eyes ready to pounce on the woman in front of her.


    "I just lost my son, so you think I''d be scared being at gunpoint?" Hailee smirked, she looked like she had lost her mind. "You have to feel what it''s like to lose like this, to know that there''s nothing to fear now."


    Giana could even see the madness in Hailee''s eyes. Madness, sadness and hurt were inteced in Hailee''s eyes.


    "How? You dressed so pretty this morning just toe to the police station, did you manage to seduce my husband?" asked Hailee. "If you didn''t seed, maybe you shouldn''t wear anything next time. It''s much more interesting."

 Chapter 341: BIG NEWS!

    <h4>Chapter 341: BIG NEWS!</h4>


    Giana couldn''t contain her anger all the way to the office. She couldn''t even feel any pain in her palms or knees when she recalled how Hailee had insulted her and made her look like this.


    If only Giana had a little more courage and didn''t think too much about the consequences she would receiveter, she might have ordered her men to shoot Hailee right in the head there and then, making her no longer a problem in her life.


    Unfortunately, Giana was not born like that, she did not have that in her blood to behave and act in such an extreme way, especially when the consequences were not at allmensurate with the results she wanted.


    Maybe it was because of Giana''s uncontroble emotions and also because she hadn''t felt very well since this morning, but every time the annoyance made her feel suffocated because of remembering Hailee, she also felt pain in her stomach.


    She felt like a knife was piercing her lower abdomen and it was very unpleasant.


    Instinctively, Giana clutched her stomach, hoping that way she could ease the pain she was feeling.


    Unfortunately, that didn''t help.


    Giana then began to think that she had eaten the wrong foodst night. Maybe she was food poisoned? That could have happened¡­


    If that was the case, she needed to fire the waiter in charge of her dinnerst night.


    "We''re going to the hospital," Giana said to her driver. She felt that she could no longer bear this and also that it was impossible to go to the office with a sorry figure.


    The driver then looked at Giana''s pale face from the rearview mirror and immediately rushed to take her to the nearest hospital.


    ==============


    Hailee walked into the police station. And the many reporters gathered outside to cover the news about Ramon, finally turned their questions to Hailee.


    However, Ramon Tordoff''s wife didn''t even look at them and let her bodyguards take care of the news hunters while Hailee was solely focused on finding Ramon.


    And since Ramon still couldn''t be reached, she called Danny again.


    "Where''s Ramon?" Hailee asked as soon as Danny picked up the phone and said they were at the police station. "I know. I''m here too. So where are you exactly?"


    Hailee could hear Danny''s gasping voice, he had no idea that Hailee would actuallye to the police station in the middle of a media raid out there. Did something so important happen to her that she had to meet Ramon right away?


    But, before Danny could answer the question, Ramon, who had juste out of the interrogation room, took his cell phone and with a frown he spoke to his wife.


    "You are here?" Ramon asked in a tone of disbelief.


    "Yes, I''m here," Hailee replied casually. She then leaned in front of a room and told Ramon where she was now.


    "I''ll be there soon." Ramon immediately walked in the direction Hailee mentioned and let Danny follow him. "You don''t have toe here, you should rest."


    Hailee snorted when she heard the word ''rest''. How much longer should she rest? Any longer than this, Hailee felt that she would die of boredom.


    "I''m here because I have business too," Hailee said in a t voice. From the end of the corridor, she could see Ramon taking long strides to approach her.


    "What''s your business here?" Ramon asked suspiciously, as they had both agreed to report Hailee''s abductionter and after Ramon resolved his issue with Leon more personally.


    And in a more personal sense, it could mean very broadly.


    "What are you going to do?" Ramon asked again, by then he was already in front of Hailee. They both stared at each other for a long moment.


    Hailee then hung up and smiled at her husband. "I want to report the murder of my parents."


    Hailee felt it was time for that. George had suffered enough in the Tatumpany with the other shareholders and lived in the shadow of Hailee''s arrival, where his position would be vacated from the familypany''s elite ranks.


    "Tomorrow I wille to Tatum''spany and kick him from there on the grounds of this murder case," said Hailee.


    As for Aileen¡­


    Pyro would trace her out before the police could find the woman and Hailee would settle the scores directly with her.


    For a while, Hailee would let Aileen live as a fugitive and feel fear and apprehension at every step she took.


    ==============


    Giana stared at the results of her examination and her eyes widened in disbelief. No¡­ this was unlikely to happen¡­


    "I want this to be kept a secret," Giana said firmly to the female doctor who treated her. She stared at the doctor very fiercely, as if threatening her.


    In fact, although the doctor didn''t know what the problem was until she had to be threatened like that, seeing how Giana looked at her very sharply, she immediately agreed.


    Giana then got out of bed and discarded the results of the examination she had obtained a while ago.


    But, before she left the room, the doctor immediately reminded her of the prescription she had written earlier.


    "What''s that for?" Giana asked cynically, narrowing her eyes, staring at the piece of paper stretched out at her.


    "Eh, this¡­" the doctor miscalcted. She should have known that the strange and horrible woman in front of her certainly did not want the medicines, evident from how she reacted as she discarded the results of the examination without any hesitation. "It''s a pill," she replied.


    Giana''s gaze grew more frightening and it was as if the air around her had turned colder as she picked up the piece of paper very roughly and left the examination room with an angry -looking step.


    Only after Giana left, did the doctor remember who Giana was¡­


    Of course, she remembered her¡­ who didn''t know Giana Smith? News about her became the hottest topic for several weeks and her face and her husband''s face spread in the media.


    Ah. If she is pregnant, then the father of the baby is¡­


    The doctor immediately closed her mouth. This is big news¡­ this is amazing. She was the first to know this.


    No wonder why Giana looked so angry and even threatened her¡­


    The doctor was now really frustrated to learn this kind of news but couldn''t tell anyone¡­

 Chapter 342: DONT MAKE A JOKE LIKE THAT

    <h4>Chapter 342: DON''T MAKE A JOKE LIKE THAT</h4>


    Ramon eventually apanied Hailee to report the murder case nned by George and Aileen, and provided evidence against both of them that Ramon had previously collected.


    Hailee finally took the initiative and was relieved as everything would be processed as it should be.


    She would see George''s downfall and Aileen in misery...


    But, of course she was going to deal the final blow to both of them before the police could touch them.


    "How do you feel?" asked Ramon. He pulled Hailee close and hugged her, feeling the warmth of the woman he loved.


    It was a miracle to be able to find love like this in the midst of a life full of intrigue and dark secrets that could make anyone not even believe their own shadow.


    Hailee''s presence alone was a miracle for Ramon and he was grateful for every second with this woman, especially after the incident where he almost lost Hailee.


    It was a valuable experience that he would never forget¡­ and their baby too¡­ it''s so heartbreaking to remember all that.


    "I''m fine," Hailee muttered as she leaned closer to Ramon again, feeling the warmth of his body and feeling safe in his strong embrace.


    Meanwhile outside, the sun was starting to set, emitting an orange hue on the skyline, behind the tall buildings of City A.


    "I got back most of my lost memories," said Ramon.


    He didn''t want to keep this a secret and wanted to share it with the only person he trusted. Even if one day Hailee held a gun and pointed it at his head, Ramon would still trust Hailee with all his heart.


    This may sound very silly, but that''s how he felt after his memory returned and his mind became much clearer to be able to understand what he really felt for Giana.


    It wasn''t love¡­ of course. Ramon couldn''t even understand how he could have an affair with a married woman.


    But, if he thought about it now, those feelings and his decision back then, were, of course, extremelyplex andplicated. He couldn''t see from only one side.


    However, of course the decision Ramon took was because he didn''t have someone like Hailee by his side, so his ego and ambition pushed him to make that decision.


    It was the easiest way, but it was also the foulest method Ramon had ever used.


    "Is that true? What do you remember?" asked Hailee. She then raised her head and looked at Ramon. "Tell me. When did you get your memories back?"


    "When you were kidnapped," replied Ramon in a somber tone.


    "Oh, at least it had a positive effect on you." Hailee said this as a joke and had no other intention than that, but Ramon didn''t take it well.


    "I would never find that funny Hailee," said Ramon firmly, showing that he didn''t like what Hailee had said.


    How could sheugh and feel grateful for it?


    On the other hand, realizing her mistake, Hailee cupped her hand on Ramon''s face and looked at him gently while saying softly. "I''m sorry, okay. I didn''t mean it."


    Ramon then hugged Hailee and buried his face in between Hailee''s shoulders, breathing in her signature scent.


    He wanted to say that if Hailee knew how he felt at that time, then she wouldn''t have made such a joke about it.


    But, Ramon didn''t say anything and just kissed the top of Hailee''s head and started to tell her everything he had remembered.


    ================


    The sound of music that was so loud was deafening while many women in sexy clothes were dancing provocatively on the dance floor. Not only that, this echoing sound was certainly so loud that it made Lexus'' heart beat fast to follow the rhythm.


    However, even though the atmosphere was very lively and he was surrounded by his friends and several beautiful women, this did not make Lexus able to shake off his loneliness.


    Leon Dawson''s case which was still rolling was certainly notpletely ignored by Lexus. He was simply refusing to think about the fact that his mother had been cheating on his father with the man he recently learned was his father.


    And what was even worse was that he was a child of that affair.


    Of course now things were very clear to Lexus. How his father used to look at him with disapproving eyes and sometimes even with terrible eyes as if he was just a thought away from hurting Lexus.


    If it weren''t for Ramon, of course Lexus would have been a disorganized child. Because just looking at the figure of his brother, Lexus found a way to go through all his hellish teenage years.


    He didn''t really hate his father, it''s just¡­ now that he knew the truth he felt sorry for him¡­


    "Add more!" eximed one of Lexus'' friends. There were four of them with about six women there, all six of whom kept ogling Lexus with the eyes of a predator that was about to pounce on its prey.


    Lexus didn''t openly reject them, but he also said firmly that he didn''t want to be touched.


    And the four friends happily enjoyed thepany of the women they brought with them.


    "Where are you going?" asked one of his friends in a loud voice to ovee the ring sound of music.


    Lexus didn''t answer him and just waved and walked toward the toilet.


    "The Tordoffs are in trouble, aren''t they?" one of the women started gossiping as soon as Lexus was out of their earshot. "They kidnapped members of the Dawsons."


    "We don''t know for sure about the news yet." One of Lexus'' friends then downed his drink and ordered another bottle.


    "Oh, no wonder he looks so frustrated..." said one of the women with short hair. "And I also heard that his sister-inw just had a miscarriage¡­"


    The gossip continued at the table, while Lexus tried to find his way to the toilet.


    His eyes zed over while his surroundings seemed to spin. He drank too much and was wasted to the point of no return.


    Until finally, he bumped into a woman, knocking the woman onto the ground unceremoniously.


    "Don''t you have eyes!?" cried the woman angrily while she tried to stand up. She pushed Lexus'' hand away who tried to help her. "You again?!"


    Lexus narrowed his eyes. Did he know this woman? Looks like yes. Where have they met?


    Lexus'' mind was hazy and he felt like throwing up¡­

 Chapter 343: HOW DARE YOU RAMON TORDOFF!

    <h4>Chapter 343: HOW DARE YOU RAMON TORDOFF!</h4>


    Lexus'' mind was hazy and he felt like throwing up¡­


    Lexus tried to suppress the urge, but it was still difficult and this made him frown and cover his mouth, instead of asking about the identity of the woman in front of him.


    How did she know him? Because Lexus didn''t feel that he had met her before.


    But, then, from the corner of his eye, Lexus could see there was an unusual movement and his hunch was that something was wrong.


    Journalists.


    Lexus had been dealing with them for years, so he could spot their suspicious movements very easily. Also, his hunch on this matter could be quite sharp, so he didn''t need to confirm it anymore.


    "Hey, where are you going?" The woman looked displeased that Lexus had left her in the midst of her ranting.


    "Uh, keep quiet," Lexus grumbled, but because of his frowning face, the woman misunderstood and was offended by Lexus'' attitude.


    "You really are an annoying guy, even on the first day we met. The rumors out there about you really need to be questioned." The woman then stopped walking after shouting those words.


    However, Lexus then pulled her and asked a strange question. "You brought a car?"


    The woman frowned at the question. "Of course," she answered automatically.


    "Where''s your car?" asked Lexus again. "Help me."


    This time the woman raised her eyebrows, she then threw her shoulder-length hair in a haughty manner and folded her arms in front of her chest. Not able to understand Lexus.


    Howe, one second ago he was ignoring her and the next second he was asking for help as if there was nothing wrong with it?


    Perhaps, there really wasn''t anything wrong with that¡­ but then Lexus grabbed her wrist and walked quickly to cut through the crowd.


    "What do you want?!" she eximed in annoyance at being pulled like that. "You can''t treat me like this! You really are drunk!" Candice cursed because she had to run in her high heels.


    They ran all the way to the elevator and Lexus literally smashed his fist against the elevator button, hoping that the elevator doors would open faster.


    It wasn''t just Lexus'' instinct, but he actually saw two reporters running after him.


    Maybe Lexus was drunk, but that didn''t mean he wasn''t wary. Well, he was vignt enough to keep himself from getting into trouble, adding another thing to Ramon''s list of problems to deal with.


    Asshole. Why did he be like this?


    "There are reporters," Lexus replied. He couldn''t say much because he felt like throwing up every time he opened his mouth.


    "So? What does that have to do with me?" the woman protested. She had absolutely no business with reporters, so why did she have to run away along with him?


    "Take me home," said Lexus softly. He was almost out of breath.


    And when the elevator doors opened a second time, they were already in the basement and the eardrum-breaking music could no longer be heard now.


    "Where''s your car?" asked Lexus curtly. He held his head which was throbbing in pain.


    Meanwhile, the woman''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Seriously? You want me to take you home?" she shook her head, apuding the courage and shamelessness of Lexus.


    "Yes," answered Lexus curtly. His stomach rumbled again.


    "Where''s your car?" the woman asked, frowning deeply.


    "No car."


    And before the woman protested again andid out a thousand and one reasons why she didn''t want to drive Lexus home, the man had bent over and emptied his stomach on the side of the elevator door.


    "Argh!" the woman shouted angrily. "If you can''t drink, don''t drink!"


    Lexus alcohol level was quite high, however, he hadpletely crossed the threshold tonight.


    ================


    Ramon took Hailee to a house on the outskirts of town, but not that far from where they were going.


    "Whose house is this?" Hailee frowned when she saw the simple two-storey house in front of her.


    The building was like an uninhabited house from the horror films she had watched.


    "My house," replied Ramon curtly. "Wait here, I''ll be right back."


    But, Hailee pulled Ramon''s hand and looked at him sternly. "You can''t leave me, honey. I aming along."


    Ramon rolled his eyes when he heard how Hailee said determinedly that she would go with him and helped her out of the car, as his wife kept holding him.


    "Are you scared?" Ramon asked when he saw Hailee''s hand clutching his coat tighter.


    "No." Hailee lied. Of course she was afraid. This house was like a haunted building filled with ghosts.


    Even though she enjoyed listening to scary stories, that didn''t mean she wanted to experience them herself. Those were twopletely different things.


    "What are we here for?" Hailee asked again as Ramon''s bodyguards lit the way and opened the door. "And why does this ce look so neglected?"


    Ramon fell silent for a moment. He was hesitant to tell Hailee about this.


    And Ramon''s silence didn''t go unnoticed by Hailee. "What? Are you hiding something?"


    "No." Ramon then entered the code of the house to open the door.


    Ramon must have remembered a lot if he could remember the door code. Because this house looked like it hadn''t been upied for months.


    "Then what?" Hailee insisted.


    "I''m not sure that you will like the answer," said Ramon, he then opened the door of the house and entered first.


    "Why? Now you are making me even more curious," Hailee forced Ramon again. She squinted as Ramon''s bodyguard turned on the lights in the room.


    The house looked very minimalist with only a few pieces of furniture.


    "This is the house where I often meet Giana," Ramon finally decided to e clean''.


    Actually, Ramon couldn''t understand why he had brought Hailee to this ce. The decision came out of nowhere.


    "You brought me to the house where you spent alone time with Giana?!" Hailee hissed sharply. And if Ramon hadn''t seen Hailee''s face, he might have thought that his wife had turned into a snake.


    "How dare you, Ramon Tordoff!" Hailee growled.


    This time, Ramon felt that there was nothing more terrifying than the angry face of Hailee. "I want to check something," said Ramon softly.


    "Barry! Remind me to burn this house down before we leave!"

 Chapter 344: A SMILE

    <h4>Chapter 344: A SMILE</h4>


    Hailee was riled up the moment she found out that Ramon had brought her to the house where he and Giana frequented together.


    Meanwhile, on the other hand, Ramon didn''t think so at first. He just didn''t want to have any secrets with Hailee, but his decision proved to be a little wrong¡­


    Maybe it''s not the right time to invite Hailee to this part of his life. Ramon should have thought about that aspect more.


    However, even though Ramon was proficient in plotting and using every loophole he could think of to bring down his enemies, but in terms of sensitivity, it seemed he still had a lot to learn because his decision this time didn''t please Hailee at all.


    His wife red at him, and only then did he realize that he had made a mistake.


    "Barry! Remind me to burn this house down before we leave!" Hailee said to Barry while throwing a fierce look at her husband. She even looked sullen when Ramon lowered his head and kissed her forehead in front of the many bodyguards who were there.


    It was a shame they had to be attacked like this.


    "I''ll just take one thing, after that, we''ll be out of here." However, since Hailee''s facial expression didn''t soften, Ramon added again. "You are free to do whatever you want with this ce. I don''t mind if you burn it either."


    But, even after Ramon said that, Hailee was still grumbling.


    Because that''s not what Hailee wanted. She didn''t really want to burn this ce down, of course it was just a casual remark, but she was just annoyed that Ramon was insensitive and took her with him, but on the other hand, if she wasn''t invited, Hailee would be pissed too.


    And now Hailee was upset because she was upset and couldn''t find a solution for it.


    Ugh! Sometimes what she wants is so confusing, even to herself.


    Hailee then hooked her hand on Ramon''s arm and said quietly, half muttering, "I''ll go with you. What are you going to take?"


    Ramon, of course, would have granted the request without saying much. Anything to pull his wife out of her bad mood¡­


    "I seem to remember that I have documents in one of the rooms in this house," said Ramon. He then helped Hailee walk up the dusty stairs, where the dust made Hailee cough a little. "You can wait in the car¡­"


    However, receiving one fierce look from Hailee, Ramon immediately understood what her decision would be.


    "What important document do you want to retrieve?" Hailee asked curiously as they entered a room that seemed to be Ramon''s study.


    Hm, even in this house that he doesn''t live in regrly, Ramon has his own study¡­


    "It''s a document regarding the organization as well as the illegal business run by Leon Dawson," replied Ramon in a low voice. He then walked to the table and opened all the drawers. "I don''t really remember what the document held, but I thought it was important and would be helpful."


    Hailee then looked around the room while Ramon looked for the document by opening all the drawers there.


    "Did you find it?" Hailee asked after she saw Ramon just standing behind the desk and staring nkly at the pile of old, unused papers.


    "I feel like I kept it in this room, but I can''t find it," said Ramon. "Or maybe it was in that room¡­"


    Hailee tilted her head. "What room?"


    Ramon then looked doubtful as he looked at Hailee again. He felt like he was someone who had been caught cheating and felt bad about it.


    Despite the fact that he was with Giana before he even knew Hailee.


    "I think you should wait downstairs," Ramon suggested.


    That room¡­


    Hailee thought and connected the words ''that room'' with Ramon''s attitude now, and it wasn''t hard to connect the two dots.


    "I''ming," Hailee said firmly. She then took Ramon''s hand and looked back at him fiercely. "I also want to see ''that room''."


    Hailee emphasized the phrase ''that room'' in her voice, and didn''t give Ramon a chance to refuse.


    ================


    Candice really couldn''t understand what misfortune had fallen on her that she had to save Lexus Tordoff from being chased by reporters while the man was so drunk she couldn''t evenmunicate properly with him.


    "Hey, where do you want me to take you?" Candice asked impatiently. She had now stopped to refuel her car after sessfully escaping the pursuit of the terrible journalists. "To the Tordoff residence?" Candice asked again.


    But, Lexus shook his head vigorously. This was the gesture he gave to every question Candice asked him and this really made the girl feel frustrated.


    "Ugh! If only beating someone didn''t make me a criminal, then you would be the first to feel my anger!" Candice grumbled.


    The girl then got out of the car and bought a drink. She came back shortly after but then she got really angry when she found that the car door was locked from the inside.


    Somehow the drunk man managed to lock the car door.


    "Hey! Lexus! Open the door!" Candice cried, banging on the windshield near Lexus'' seat, but the man only opened his eyes for a moment then looked at Candice with a furrowed brow.


    Not only that, Lexus even waved his hand, making a gesture to shoo Candice away from him.


    Seriously!? This man was aplete curse to Candice and a real pain in the ass!


    "Hey, open the door!"


    "Noisy..." Lexus grumbled as he closed his eyes again and leaned his body against the back of the car seat, trying to sleep.


    "Hey, don''t sleep! Lexus Tordoff! Hey!"


    ================


    And it was true that the document Ramon was looking for was in the bedroom on the second floor. But finding that important document didn''t make him feel any better.


    "So this is where you spend your nights with Giana?" Hailee said in an annoyed tone. The expression on her husband''s face even confirmed it.


    "Hailee¡­ you don''t need to be so defensive¡­ you know what the real story is¡­" Ramon said softly.


    Of course Hailee knew it, but knowing it didn''t make Hailee feel any better.


    "I''m not defensive, I''m fine. Can''t you see my smile?"


    And it was the most terrifying smile Ramon had ever seen¡­

 Chapter 345: SHE IS OKAY

    <h4>Chapter 345: SHE IS OKAY</h4>


    Candice had been trying to wake Lexus up for about thirty minutes now, but the man wouldn''t wake up and she didn''t know what else she needed to do to stir him awake now¡­


    Ugh¡­


    Candice really had a feeling that tonight luck was getting away from her and this kept Candice grumbling for the next ten minutes until she remembered something.


    Isn''t Hailee the sister-inw of Lexus Tordoff? Since she married this annoying man''s older brother?


    And Candice had her number.


    Yes, Hailee gave her personal number thest time they met at a caf¨¦, where Hailee offered her a job as a jewelry designer in her family''spany.


    Candice was supposed to meet Hailee again at Tordoff''spany anniversary party, but because Hailee couldn''t make it due to health reasons, she actually met Lexus instead.


    And Candice couldn''t say that it was a pleasant meeting for the two of them. Because like now, Lexus treated her more than casually.


    But Candice would think about thatter, because right now, she needed someone to get Lexus out of her car so she could go home in peace.


    And without much thought, Candice immediately contacted Hailee¡­


    ================


    Hailee held the important document that Ramon had left in her care and read the information on it.


    Although Hailee didn''t have thepulsion to meddle in Ramon and Leon''s affairs, she still felt that she should at least contribute something to this matter¡­


    Although Leon did not directly cause her to lose her first child, all this happened because of him nheless.


    Meanwhile, Ramon had absolutely no objections in giving Hailee that freedom. His wife can do whatever she wants.


    "Did you know that Giana''s bodyguards pointed guns at me?" Hailee asked lightly, still staring at the documents in her hands. She made her voice sound like she didn''t really care about that fact, even though she was actually waiting for Ramon''s reaction.


    "Pointing a gun at you?" Ramon reached out and pinched Hailee''s chin with his index finger and thumb. He then looked intently into Hailee''s eyes and then at Barry who was driving. "I didn''t know about this."


    Ramon''s voice sounded deep and dangerous as he uttered hisst sentence. He was annoyed that no one had told him such an important thing until Hailee said it herself.


    Weren''t they paid to inform him of dangerous things going on around his wife?


    "That¡­ sorry Mr. Tordoff, I¡­" Barry stuttered a little when he caught Ramon''s piercing gaze in the rearview mirror and suddenly felt his throat was parched. It was terrifying to have Ramon stare like this¡­


    However, Hailee then put her hand on the side of Ramon''s face and made him turn to stop torturing her new bodyguard. Hailee wasn''t saying this to get other people into trouble.


    "No problem, I''m fine¡­ they protected me well." Hailee added ''rescue points'' to her bodyguard. "I provoked Giana first."


    Seeing how Ramon reacted, she was quite happy to find the man so angry for her.


    "Stop doing such dangerous things Hailee," Ramon muttered. His forehead wrinkled.


    Hearing that answer, Hailee blinked her eyes and looked at him innocently. "But, I like it. It feels good to be able to treat Giana like that."


    "Honey¡­" Ramon sighed.


    But, before they could continue the topic, Hailee''s cell phone rang. Not many knew her number, so Hailee felt that the call was important enough to distract her from Ramon.


    "Candice?" Hailee said when she saw the caller''s name listed there. "Hello?" Hailee said into the phone.


    And a momentter Candice''s relieved voice was heard. "Hailee. You have toe here right now."


    "What is it?" Hailee''s forehead wrinkled and this made Ramon pay attention to what Hailee was talking about with whoever the caller was.


    "Your brother-inw, Lexus Tordoff, is in my car. And he is hopelessly drunk. He even locked me outside." Candice then added. "You need to get here before the reporters find us."


    Candice did manage to shrug off the reporters chasing after them, but that didn''t mean they weren''ting back any time soon.


    If they found Candice and Lexus here, maybe Candice wouldn''t even dare look at the news tomorrow morning.


    It sucks to get involved in a scandal and make it into the news.


    "Okay, I''ll be right there." Hailee then hung up after finding the gas station where Candice and Lexus were.


    "What is it?" asked Ramon as Hailee gave Barry a different aim as they were almost at the Tordoff residence.


    "Lexus..." Hailee then briefly told what Candice had told her earlier.


    Ramon immediately fell silent. He forgot about Lexus...


    He didn''t pay much attention to his brother because Lexus didn''t show any signs of being bothered by the news about him being Leon Dawson''s son. He even stepped forward to help out in this case.


    However, it actually made Ramon think that Lexus was actually fine and didn''t need a serious conversation about this.


    Seems like Ramon misread his brother''s actions¡­


    ================


    Several cars immediately docked beside a small yellow car, where Candice was waiting for them, sitting on the side of the road. Looking more than annoyed.


    "Candice," Hailee immediately greeted her friend and then Candice pointed at her car, where Lexus had been fast asleep. "Ramon will handle it."


    Some of Ramon''s bodyguards then tried to pry out Candice''s car window and open the door.


    Meanwhile, Ramon did not allow the other bodyguards to approach Lexus, and carried his younger brother into the car himself.


    Lexus seemed to be muttering something as his brows furrowed. He looked pale from drinking too much, so his body gave off a strong smell of alcohol.


    Even Hailee herself felt that she would get dizzy just by smelling the air around him.


    "You can call Hailee about the repairs," Ramon said to Candice after he put Lexus in the car and walked over to Candice. "Thanks for taking care of him."


    Well, Candice wouldn''t say she had taken care of Lexus, because she didn''t really want to do that. It was simply because the situation forced her to do so.


    "Ah, no problem..." Candice said with a small smile at Ramon. Then she looked at Hailee and her smile was reced with sympathetic eyes. "I''m sorry for your loss."


    "It''s fine¡­" Hailee wasn''t too happy to be reminded of that.

 Chapter 346: DONT SCOLD ME

    <h4>Chapter 346: DON''T SCOLD ME</h4>


    Lexus felt like his head was going to explode when he finally opened his eyes and found that he was lying on a familiar yetfortable bed with the morning sun shining through his bedroom window.


    However, there were other things that he was more concerned with, namely; the pain in his head that made him groan quite loudly. His head felt like it was going to burst open and his throat felt like it was on fire, as if he had just eaten sand in an arid desert.


    Okay, maybe that''s too much, but still Lexus felt awful about his situation.


    What happened? He thought¡­


    "Are you awake? If you are, drink this¡­" Hailee came into the room, carrying a tray of porridge and also a ss of warm mineral water and two pills to relieve headaches. "You really are looking to die," Hailee grumbled as she sat on the edge of Lexus'' bed.


    "What are you doing here?" asked Lexus, still trying to open his eyes properly because the sunlight from the window on his right was really distracting, blinding his vision. "You shouldn''t be at my house so early¡­"


    Hailee snorted when she heard him. "This is my house," she said firmly. "Besides, what if I was at your house in the morning?"


    "Because if you''re at my house, I can''t eat your homemade breakfast..." said Lexus, still half asleep with unfocused eyes, but then he realized there was something strange about Hailee''s statement just now. "This is your house?"


    "Hm," Hailee mumbled, she nodded and gave a small smile as Lexus started to open his eyes fully and take in his surroundings.


    Right. This was not his room.


    "Why am I here? What did you do to me?" he asked, dramatizing the scene. He rolled his eyes at Hailee, while his memories of the night before felt like events from long back in time while he only remembered the name of a woman named Candice, but not much of her face.


    "Don''t overdo it," Hailee grumbled while patting Lexus on the shoulder. "Take your medicine and eat your breakfast. You really troubled my friendst night."


    "Your friend?" asked Lexus. He looked up at the ceiling, but couldn''t really remember the girl''s face. "How did I meet your friend?"


    "I should be the one asking that," Hailee said in a voice that showed her curiosity. "How did you meet Candice?"


    Lexus frowned as he swallowed the two pills Hailee had given him. "I don''t even remember how I got to meet her."


    Hearing that, Hailee clicked her tongue. "Your memory is like a fish, very short." And hearing this, Lexus just chuckled. Maybeter, he would remember it clearly when the fog in his head finally disappeared. "But why did you drink so muchst night?"


    Hailee asked him about it, not that she didn''t know. Of course she was well aware of what was happening to Lexus now.


    Lexus had just found out that he was a child born out of his mother''s infidelity. His biological father turned out to be an asshole who wanted to harm his brother and caused Hailee to have a miscarriage and now the matter turned even moreplicated because the media had smelled the case.


    As for Lexus, although his decision was unquestionable that he would stand by Ramon''s side, it didn''t necessarily make him feel any better about everything that had happened.


    Although Lexus hid it by being cheerful as usual and as if nothing had happened, of course this left a huge impact on him.


    "Oh, I was out with my friends, you know how men¡­" Lexus winked at Hailee. His attitude was always like this and he didn''t show what he really felt.


    To be honest, Lexus and Ramon were very simr to each other.


    Ramon hid what he felt by being cold, while Lexus did so by being warm and friendly toward everyone, so that people who didn''t know them, wouldn''t know what they were going through right now.


    "But Ramon is not like that," Hailee defended her husband. "He''s never been as drunk as you."


    The Lexus bared his teeth as he hissed in annoyance. "That''s because he rarely drinks." In the end, of course, he had to defend himself. "By the way, where are you going?"


    Lexus raised his eyebrows when he noticed that Hailee was dressed very neatly.


    "I''m going to Tatum''spany," she replied. "There are some things I have to take care of." Perhaps it would be more correct if Hailee said; there was someone she had to take care of.


    Yes, Hailee would be going to Tatum''spany for the first time after she had acquired shares in thepany and she was not going there to introduce herself to the other shareholders in thepany, but to throw George out before the police issued an arrest warrant and locked him up for good.


    Well, it would be more interesting to embarrass the guy first¡­


    "Ramon wille with you too?" asked Lexus curiously, he then ate the breakfast that Hailee had brought and within the first bite, he already knew that Hailee was the one who made it.


    This was one of the things that Lexus loved about Hailee. She was always very caring, even though she didn''t seem to really care.


    And at this point, Lexus again felt ufortable in her presence ... because it was his father who had made Hailee and Ramon lose their first baby, even though Lexus did not consider Leon as his father and he also knew that neither Hailee nor Ramon would me him for this problem.


    But, still¡­ the guilt seemed to gnaw at him viciously.


    "No, I''ll go there myself," Hailee replied confidently. She was normally nervous that Ramon wasn''t by her side, but now she realized that there were certain things that you really have to handle on your own and that way alone you''ll know which path to take.


    If Hailee continued to depend on Ramon for every small thing, then she wouldn''t make any progress while their enemies roamed freely and came to devour them relentlessly whenever they saw an opening to do so.


    "Wow, great..." Lexusmented.


    And into a few minutes of them making small talk about anything and everything while Lexus ate his breakfast, Ramon finally entered the room.


    "Hailee, can you leave us for a moment?" he asked softly as he kissed his wife''s forehead.


    Hailee just smiled at him before leaving the two brothers alone.


    "Hey, I know I''m wrong for drinking too much, but don''t scold me just yet¡­ my head still hurts," Lexus whined.

 Chapter 347: MY LOVELY HUSBAND

    <h4>Chapter 347: MY LOVELY HUSBAND</h4>


    Lexus thought that Ramon''s arrival this time was to scold him for being irresponsible and troublesome.


    Because after all, they were currently in serious trouble, and he was leisurely wasting time drinking until he was dead wasted.


    Just a few moments ago, Lexus finally remembered how Ramon and Hailee picked him up. It must be a woman named Candice whose face he didn''t remember, who had called the two of them to pick him up, since she was Hailee''s friend, so it was certain that she had her sister-inw''s phone number.


    "Hey, I know I''m wrong for drinking too much, but don''t scold me just yet¡­ my head still hurts," Lexus whined. "I didn''t get enough sleep, my throat hurts and my head feels like it''s going to explode."


    Lexus started behaving childishly in front of Ramon, so that his cold and fierce brother would feel sorry for him and cut him some ck.


    Even Lexus'' face, which looked slightly refreshed while he chatted with Hailee, now looked sluggish, like someone with anemia.


    "Poor me, okay?" asked Lexus. "I wille to the office this afternoon. Just give me some more time to sleep."


    Lexus had said dozens of words, while Ramon had not said a single word, but Ramon being silent was far more terrifying than when he shouted angrily.


    Sometimes, Lexus couldn''t understand how Ramon could pull that on people.


    "Rest today," said Ramon. He then stretched out his hand and felt Lexus'' forehead. "Your fever has gone down," he said.


    On the other hand, hearing those two sentences from Ramon, was already able to make Lexus feel at a loss. He turned speechless and looked at his brother in disbelief.


    Did he hear wrong? How could Ramon be so gentle with him? Not that Ramon treated him harshly, but this was very, very rare, in fact, Ramon almost never showed this side of him to Lexus.


    Moreover, he had just checked his temperature.


    Ugh! Ramon''s treatment was so sweet!


    "I love you my brother..." said Lexus with sparkling eyes.


    However, it didn''t leave the effect he wanted, because after that Ramon answered curtly. "If you can joke like that, you''d bettere with me to the office now."


    Immediately, Lexusy down on the bed, pulled the nket up to his chin, and acted like an obedient child.


    "I''m sick," he whined again.


    Seeing his younger brother''s behavior, Ramon couldn''t help but sigh. How could Ramon ask how he felt and how he was coping now, when Lexus was acting so ridiculously? It felt like the mood that was built did not match the topic he was going to talk about.


    What Ramon wanted to convey was a slightly sensitive matter and it didn''t seem like now was the right time.


    "Really, I''m sick." Lexus confirmed his condition when Ramon just stood there staring at him. Ugh! If he kept doing that, Lexus was sure that he would really fall sick...


    Ramon finally averted his gaze from Lexus and took his cell phone out from his trouser pocket, while Lexus just watched him silently.


    After a moment of quick browsing, Ramon gave his cell phone to his brother. "The news about you is all over the inte."


    At first, Lexus did not understand what Ramon meant, but as soon as he read the news that had just been published a few hours ago, he saw his photo with a woman, in a parking lot.


    In the photo, it could be clearly seen that Lexus was so drunk that he needed the woman''s help to carry him into a car. Not only that, his appearance looked very messy in the photo.


    As someone who was mboyant, Lexus never had an appearance that looked so inappropriate, so he scowled.


    "Those reporters¡­" he hissed unhappily. "Can''t they take a better picture of me? I''m like someone who doesn''t have a home here," he grumbled.


    Hearing Lexus'' response, Ramon reached out his hand and smacked his younger brother''s head until he roared in pain.


    "Ramon! That hurts you know!" he cried as he rolled away from his cruel brother. He then rolled to the other end of the bed, hugging the pillow, as if it was his defense against Ramon. "You hurt me! Hu Hu Hu¡­."


    Ramon didn''t really respond to the strange behavior of Lexus and chose to leave for the office immediately, because he had other things to do.


    He then walked around the bed and approached Lexus, while thetter immediately hid under the covers, thinking that Ramon was going to hit him again, but his older brother just took his cell phone back which he was still holding.


    "Don''t let the scandal escte," said Ramon before he left Lexus'' room. "We already have a lot of scandals to deal with, don''t add any more."


    "I didn''t mean to add to the trouble," Lexus grumbled, groaning. But, somehow he knew that he had indeed added trouble for Ramon.


    "You don''t need to get involved with Leon''s business, you just take care of your problem," Ramon said before he closed the door of Lexus'' room and left his brother alone.


    Seeing the closed door, Lexus sighed heavily. He then looked up at the ceiling of his room.


    It seemed he had to talk to the girl. At least he owed her an apology and a thanks.


    It must have been very troublesome to take care of his drunk a**st night. However, he didn''t know how to contact her, until his brain recalled something Hailee had said, that the girl was her friend.


    =================


    "Yeah, I''ll stay at home for the night ande back the next day..." Hailee said over the phone to Ramon.


    For some reason Ramon kept asking this as if a few secondster she would change her mind and return to the Tordoff residence instead. Even though Hailee wanted to, she couldn''t do that¡­


    She had things to take care of the next day at thepany and it would be very difficult if she had tomute from the Tordoff residence because it was so far away.


    "Sure, I won''t forget." Hailee smiled, finding this side of Ramon, worrying about her, very cute. Her husband could be so adorable¡­ "Okay."


    Then the phone line was cut off, but only after Ramon made sure that she would not go anywhere without an escort and always put her safety first, even though she said it in a cold tone¡­


    But not long after that she got a call from Lexus.


    "Why is your phone busy for so long?" Lexus grumbled impatiently.


    "Because I''m talking with my beloved husband," Hailee replied in an exaggerated tone, irritating Lexus effortlessly.

 Chapter 348: YOU HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

    <h4>Chapter 348: YOU HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY</h4>


    Giana gritted her teeth when she was in her luxurious bathroom, she suddenly felt nauseous just as she opened her eyes. So immediately, she ran inside to empty her stomach contents.


    Panting heavily, Giana turned the faucet in her sink and washed her mouth after all the unpleasant phases. Her head felt dizzy and she felt very ufortable. Her whole body ached and this made her very upset.


    Why did this have to happen at a time like this?!


    Damn it!


    Pregnancy was not on her to-do list or on her mind at all. This was thest thing she would want to worry about now, but reality told her otherwise and here she was, stuck with this unbearable nausea.


    How could this happen? Yet she had been very careful about this.


    Giana clenched her fist and mmed it into her stomach. "Fuck," she hissed fiercely.


    But a momentter, she opened her hand and rubbed her stomach hesitantly. Her forehead creased with the momentary outburst of emotion she had just experienced.


    Of course she knew that this was not the fault of the baby she was carrying. The chance that you will get pregnant if you have sex, is certainly an unavoidable possibility especially if you haven''t paid much attention to safety factors diligently...


    Giana did not dislike children. There was even a time when she wanted to have her own little family. But, it wasn''t Dillon''s baby that Giana wanted. She didn''t want this baby...


    It''s just that Giana couldn''t even imagine taking such an extreme action.


    "Giana, are you okay?" asked Dillon, knocking on the bathroom door. He too had woken up when he heard Giana was gagging earlier and became worried.


    "Yes¡­ yes, I''m fine," Giana answered quickly and then washed her face with cold water, to relieve the nausea she was feeling.


    "I heard you throwing up earlier," Dillon said, frowning. "Are you sure you''re okay? Should I call a doctor?"


    There was no answer, but a momentter, the sound of the door lock being opened could be heard and Giana''s figure emerged from behind the door, smiling sweetly at Dillon, as if the tantrum phase she had been through had never happened at all.


    "I''m fine, really, you don''t have to worry." Giana then kissed Dillon on the lips, said good morning to the man and immediately rushed past him, toward the breakfast spread.


    However, Dillon stood frozen, speechless. He felt something was wrong, but didn''t dare to confirm it or ask Giana any further.


    Even when they were finally having breakfast together, Dillon could notice the oddity and couldn''t deny that Giana wasn''t feeling well.


    "I think we should go to the doctor, you look pale." Dillonmented when he saw Giana just twirling the spoon in her hand while her food was untouched, looking uninterested to eat her breakfast. "I''ll take you."


    "No need," said Giana immediately, she then tried to put the food into her mouth, but it tasted very nd, as if she was eating cotton, while the wrinkles between her eyebrows became more obvious.


    "You''re not doing well Giana," Dillon insisted on making the point, but Giana was even more stubborn than he was.


    "I''m just too tired because of Uncle Leon''s problem," she said softly, her voice no louder than a whisper.


    Leon''s problem...


    Dillon sighed. He couldn''t understand why Giana wanted to clean up after her uncle''s mess. Not because Leon was no longer a member of the Tatum family, but more because Dillon knew everything that the man was doing, the illegal business he was involved in and the other businesses that were not exposed, and very secretive.


    In essence, there was nothing good to be said about the man.


    Thus, Dillon had a hunch of his own when he saw the news that had been recently circting regarding the feud between Leon and Ramon Tordoff.


    As someone who had been in this field for a long time and knew Ramon Tordoff personally because of the affair Giana once had with him, Dillon knew that a man like Ramon Tordoff would not make such a reckless move without reason.


    It was certain that the reason was so strong that it made him act very extremely by holding Leon captive.


    And Giana¡­


    For some reason, Dillon felt that Giana was doing all this just to get herself close to Ramon. Even though they were opposite parties, the possibility of them reconciling was very high.


    Or was this all just in Dillon''s head?


    Dillon felt that he was being too much. And there was a part of him that wanted to confirm that, only unfortunately, the side of him that didn''t want to trigger a fight with Giana, was much stronger.


    "I''m not that hungry," said Giana, when she finally gave up pretending to eat her breakfast and got up from her chair to get ready to go to the office, leaving Dillon still pensively staring at the empty chair Giana had been sitting in.


    ================


    "Who''s this?" Candice asked as she picked up a call from a number she didn''t recognize.


    "It''s me," said a male voice.


    "''Who are you?" Candice insisted. She had just parked her car in her office, struggling to escape the pursuit of reporters who wanted to confirm a photo of her and Lexus Tordoff fromst night.


    How irritating!


    How did they get the news so fast?! And now Candice had to deal with the mass media. Something she never liked doing at all.


    "Lexus Tordoff," Lexus said, mentioning his name and the next moment he had to keep the phone away from his ear to keep his hearing fine because Candice used this moment to vent all the frustrations she had been holding back from the moment she saw the photo circting in the media.


    Seriously, Candice couldn''t understand why she had to be chased like this when Lexus Tordoff was famous for his mboyant nature and tended to get close to women easily. Unlike his brother, Ramon Tordoff, who was very cold and hardly ever got into this kind of news. The photos alone shouldn''t have raised this much attention, right?


    "Of course that''s not fine. I''m not always on the gossip news," Lexus denied Candice''s usations.


    "Ah, I don''t want to hear anymore, you should be responsible for all that news, now those reporters won''t stop bothering me," Candice grumbled in annoyance. "Get them out of my face."

 Chapter 349: SHOO HER AWAY

    <h4>Chapter 349: SHOO HER AWAY</h4>


    Today Hailee was visiting her family''spany where this would be her first official appearance after she married Ramon Tordoff and also inherited thepany.


    Her wish was only one, namely; to bring down George Tatum and make him regret forever for treating her parents so badly.


    Hailee would begin to take what was rightfully hers and avenge those who have hurt her over the years.


    And now her n starts with George Tatum.


    Together with twelve bodyguards apanying her, led by Barry, the new head of Hailee''s security, who was appointed by Ramon, Hailee walked into thepany building.


    Which, of course, attracted the attention of many people. With so many bodyguards protecting her, it indirectly portrayed how important Hailee is.


    Even some employees who weren''t aware of Hailee''s identity as thergest shareholder in her ownpany, would now know that this woman was no ordinary woman and could not be underestimated.


    The aura that radiated from Hailee was really strong, leaving everyone around stunned and not daring to approach, especially with the twelve men around her.


    It''s just that George Tatum was nothing like most normal people, he even dared to cut off Hailee''s path and make a bit of a fuss before the meeting started.


    "Leave him alone," Hailee said casually. She looked at her father''s younger brother with scornful eyes and a smile on the corners of her lips that didn''t reach her eyes at all.


    How could Hailee give such a genuine smile to the person who had destroyed her family? She was being too patient with George.


    "What do you want?" Hailee then nced at the expensive watch that was wrapped around her wrist. "The meeting will start in less than fifteen minutes, you better hurry because I don''t want to bete for my first meeting."


    Hearing this, George really wanted to p Hailee and wipe the smile from his nephew''s lips, but he could only do that in his mind.


    Under the watchful eyes of these twelve bodyguards, it was the most unlikely thing to happen.


    "You want to attend the shareholders meeting?" asked George in a hissing voice. He tried to keep his emotions stable, but sadly, it was so hard to do when you were solely focused on your anger.


    On the other hand, Hailee just raised her eyebrows in a defiant manner, as if to ask; what do you mean?


    "This is mypany, so it''s given that I should be here," Hailee replied nonchntly. She then looked around and her smile grew sweeter. Only, George felt his blood boil even more when he saw Hailee''s calm demeanor.


    Didn''t she just lose her first child? How could she be so calm? It was as if nothing major had happened in her life.


    Hailee was only getting better at hiding her feelings, especially in front of her enemies, where these emotions could be exploited by them. In this regard, Hailee learned well from her beloved husband Ramon, who had shown her that good tactics alone were not enough.


    "You don''t have to bring so many bodyguards like this," George said scornfully. "You think someone''s going to hurt you here?"


    Hearing that, Haileeughed softly. "Of course it is necessary, don''t tell me you don''t know what happened to me a few days ago." Hailee then added. "Your dear daughter must have told you, right? She was there before she became a fugitive."


    Hailee was kidnapped from the Tordoffs'' house, which meant that nowhere was safe for her.


    Not to mention in apany like this.


    "If you have nothing more to say, then I''ll go to the meeting room first," Hailee said quietly, but enough for George to hear her. "I''ll wait for you in the boardroomter."


    Meanwhile, almost everyone in the lobby watched the two of them and started whispering to each other because this was the first time they were seeing the wife of Ramon Tordoff, who was also the owner of the Tatumpany.


    Hailee Tatum.


    Ah, no, she had be Hailee Tordoff¡­


    "Even though you are thergest shareholder in thispany, don''t forget that I also hold shares in thispany," George growled as Hailee passed him.


    Immediately Hailee stopped walking and turned her head slightly, looking at George out of the corner of her eye. "Of course I won''t forget that."


    Of course Hailee wouldn''t forget it, because she wouldn''t leave a penny for George to enjoy. Not after today.


    This rotten man would learn what it was like to live while being half dead.


    And after saying that, Hailee walked back to the meeting room, where the other shareholders were waiting for her, while George followed her a few steps behind, unable to break through the human barrier formed by her stiff and cold looking bodyguards.


    ================


    Ramon was reviewing the files he got from Marco on Leon Dawson. He used everything, even his connections in the ck and illegal world, to get the bad guy out.


    Ramon was going to make sure Leon Dawson got a payback far more horrific than what he had done to Hailee.


    This was just the beginning.


    "Mr. Tordoff, someone wants to see you," said Danny, who was now standing in the doorway of his study.


    Ramon lifted his head from the pile of documents scattered on his desk and frowned when he saw the indescribable expression on his personal assistant''s face.


    "Mrs. Smith," Danny said, answering a question that was not voiced by Ramon.


    Since the divorce trial between Giana and Aidan was still on going, it meant that she still had the name Smith behind hers.


    "Then what were you doing there?" asked Ramon. He then looked down again to continue reading the report in his hand which needed extra attention from him.


    "Eh?" Danny didn''t understand the way Ramon had answered him. What should he do about this? Did Ramon want to meet the woman or not?


    Sometimes, Danny still felt trouble reading the mood of Lexus'' brother.


    "Throw her out," Ramon said impatiently. He recalled how Hailee was so angry when they went to that house. Of course, he didn''t want to go through it again...

 Chapter 350: YOU WILL PAY FOR EVERYTHING

    <h4>Chapter 350: YOU WILL PAY FOR EVERYTHING</h4>


    Giana didn''t know what brought her to Tordoff''spany. She was just driving aimlessly, even though she was supposed to be at work this morning, but this whole pregnancy thing was really bothering her and making her unable to concentrate on anything in front of her.


    She also didn''t answer a phone call from Dillon, who would ask where she was now because he couldn''t find Giana in the office.


    This, of course, would be a new problem for Giana, but Dillon could wait, because Giana really didn''t want to meet the man. He was at the top of the list of people Giana didn''t want to meet, no matter what.


    After that, Giana drove aimlessly and here she was now. At Tordoff''spany.


    Giana had been in her car for about thirty minutes, thinking about what she should do and what she could do now.


    However, only the idea of ??meeting Ramon crossed her mind. She would offer a partnership with the man to help him fight Leon.


    Giana would drop Leon''s case if Ramon agreed to do something for her. Although Giana hadn''t thought of what she wanted from Ramon, of course it would not be a problem for her, because as long as Ramon agreed then everything would be fine.


    With so much negative news circting out there about Tordoff''spany, because of Leon being held captive in one of hispany buildings, Giana was sure Ramon would wee this ''kind gesture''.


    After all, for argepany like the Tordoffpany, reputation was everything, especially when their stocks were down.


    The decline in Tordoff''s share prices was not significant, like the decline in the shares of the Smith and Dawson families when the negative rumors about Giana and Aidan blew, but still it was an unfortunate thing.


    Thus, with that in mind, Giana stepped into Tordoff''spany with even more confidence, convinced that Ramon would ept her offer.


    Until Danny came back and told her what Ramon had ordered.


    "Mr. Tordoff couldn''t see you," Danny said in a firm voice, his face utterly calm.


    "Why?" The wrinkles between Giana''s eyebrows deepened. She looked at the personal assistant with disbelieving eyes. "Have you told him what I told you?" she couldn''t believe that Ramon had turned down this opportunity.


    Because the Ramon she knew was a person who was very concerned with his business affairs and as much as possible to take the maximum profit.


    Ramon was a person who would do anything to get what he wanted. Wasn''t solving the problem with Leon and fixing the Tordoffpany name what he wanted? Giana didn''t understand Ramon''s current attitude.


    Why did this man have to defend Hailee all the time and make things moreplicated for himself?


    Ramon just had to ask and Giana would dly back out on Leon''s case.


    "Yes, I said so," Danny answered in a clear voice. "But, Mr. Tordoff said he didn''t want to be disturbed." Then Danny added. "Especially by you."


    "Especially by me?" Giana was at a loss for words, she couldn''t believe what she was hearing. Ramon really didn''t want to see her to discuss this matter? Even though she had been kind enough to humble herself and meet him? This was very unreasonable. Giana really couldn''t find the right words to describe how she felt now.


    It was too much for Ramon to squander the opportunity that Giana had given him.


    "Tell Ramon that I''m not done with him yet. And if he changes his mind, he knows how to reach me," Giana said through a clenched jaw, holding back the irritation she was feeling.


    When she finished saying her piece, the woman turned around and left, while Danny could only shake his head in disbelief at what he had just heard.


    He couldn''t believe that there was a woman like Giana, who was so ignorant of her own position.


    ================


    "Are you seriously going to revoke his position?"


    "How could you do that to your own uncle?"


    "Is this a personal matter?"


    So many questions rose in the air, just a second after Hailee said she was going to remove George Tatum from his position at thepany.


    At first, the atmosphere that seemed so warm and enthusiastic after the announcement of Hailee''s arrival, became so tense just after Hailee announced that she was going to fire George Tatum.


    There were eight pairs of eyes gazing at Hailee and George in turns now, as they wanted to know each other''s reaction after the decision.


    George, on the other hand, seemed to be trying to calm down, though it was obvious that he couldn''t hold back the emotions that were eating at him so strongly at the moment.


    How could Hailee destroy his years of effort with just one word from her?


    After everything George had done and after what he had nned¡­ no, his ns were aplete mess. The brilliant n went awry after Aileen was sued for divorce by Theodore, after her fake pregnancy was exposed.


    But, if he thought back now, it was always Hailee who was ruining everything. His ns as well as his life.


    And now Aileen was being chased by the police because of Hailee, too.


    Therefore, how could George hold his temper in front of this ignorant niece?


    Furious, George threw the ss that was in his reach at the wall. This action certainly made the eight shareholders there immediately stand up from their seats with surprised expressions, while Hailee''s two bodyguards who were standing on either side immediately approached Hailee and stood there to protect her.


    On the other hand, upon hearing themotion, the ten bodyguards waiting outside the room immediately rushed in.


    "You bitch!" roared George, no longer able to contain his anger, especially after he realized he couldn''t get Hailee to change her mind.


    Only, Hailee was so calm when responding. "It has only begun. This is just the beginning." Hailee smiled sweetly at George as she continued her words. "You will pay for everything you have done."


    "What did I ever do to you?!"


    Hailee didn''t respond to that sentence. "Especially for what you did to my parents."

 Chapter 351: THINKING ABOUT YOU

    <h4>Chapter 351: THINKING ABOUT YOU</h4>


    "Especially what you did to my parents."


    Hailee said the sentence loud enough, leaving the several people around the room stunned enough to stare at each other.


    What had George done to Hailee''s parents?


    The eight pairs of eyes in the room looked confused as they cast their gazes between Hailee and George and none of them could utter a single word amidst the row between George and his niece.


    However, that didn''t mean they didn''t have their own assumptions and what they came up with was way too terrifying for them to even think of it as a possibility.


    Is it possible¡­. Something like that actually happened?


    It was no secret that people like them, when it came to power and wealth, would do anything to achieve both and George was no exception...


    However, they did not dare to express that opinion, because it was too twisted to be brought up.


    On the other hand, George felt his cell phone, which he had ced in his left pocket, vibrate suddenly, signaling an iing call.


    By looking at George''s simple gesture alone, Hailee could guess the situation on to the point. "Why don''t you just pick up your phone?" Hailee tilted her head and looked at her uncle withzy eyes. "Maybe something important happened at home."


    At this point, George really wanted to run across the room and give Hailee a hard p on the cheek for being so bold to mock him in front of these important people.


    However, that would only be a wish, where the twelve bodyguards surrounding Hailee alone were enough for George to know what the end result would be.


    Fuck!


    And the cell phone in George''s pocket was still vibrating, indicating that whoever was calling him now had an urgent situation to talk to him.


    ================


    Even though Lexus didn''t go to the office today and was asked to rest, it didn''t mean he could enjoy this rxing time.


    Throughout the morning and afternoon, his head felt like it was going to burst from the pain and he threw up every time he tried to eat something.


    Lexus'' condition only slightly improved after noon when Doctor Bram came to check on his condition and gave him some medicines that Lexus had to take and put him on an infusion. Lexus finished two infusion bottles until he felt better.


    And when Ramon was on his way home, he took the time to call Lexus to ask what he wanted.


    His brother, on a very, very rare asion, offered to buy him something.


    Of course Lexus would not let this opportunity pass. Even though he didn''t really want anything and there was no other dish that was much tastier than Hailee''s, he still wanted to make the most of this opportunity.


    "You''re going to finish it all?" Ramon frowned when he heard Lexus'' unreasonable list of requests. He knew that his little brother was only asking for so much food just because he had the names in his head, not because he really wanted to eat them all.


    "Of course, I''m so hungry," Lexus whined. "I''m sick, remember? I need lots of nutritious food. You better get me some good food."


    Lexus didn''t get an answer from Ramon after he whined like that, because after that his brother cruelly disconnected the line, leaving Lexus to guess for himself, whether he would be given food or not.


    But, that didn''t matter, because as Ramon had expected, Lexus didn''t really want all those dishes.


    And he also knew why Ramon was suddenly a little warm to him.


    The two of them were just looking for the right time to discuss this. Discussing Leon''s issue was such a sensitive topic and even though neither of the two wanted to talk about it, still the pent-up emotions weren''t good.


    ================


    Ramon came home three hourster with all the dishes Lexus wanted and red at his brother.


    "Hey, I''m sick, remember? Don''t stare at me like that, you will make me sicker¡­"ined Lexus, who was now opening the nearest food box and eating it.


    It was noodles with beef, which was spicy and scorched on Lexus'' tongue, so he took the second dish which happened to be asparagus soup and started drinking it instead.


    "Lexus," Ramon said, he then sat down on the nearest sofa and looked at his brother.


    Since Lexus wasn''t at his best, he decided to stay at Ramon''s house, especially since Hailee wasn''t around either.


    The woman was spending the night at the Tatum residence, which meant it was the first time Ramon and Hailee were away from each other after their marriage.


    "I know what you want to say," Lexus muttered. "Wait for me to finish eating."


    Hearing that, Ramon then took his cellphone and stood up from the sofa. He made his way to the balcony of the room and called Hailee, while waiting for Lexus to finish eating.


    Ramon felt like not going back to his room because he knew Hailee wasn''t there to wait for him.


    His woman was tens of kilometers away from him and this left him annoyed.


    "What are you doing?" Ramon asked shortly as soon as Hailee picked up his phone call.


    ================


    The day was really exhausting for Hailee, but also quite fun, especially since she managed to embarrass George in front of the crowd by ousting him from his current position, which was certainly a very refreshing thing.


    Not only that, Hailee even imprinted in her memory the look on George''s face when he found out there were several police officers looking for him at home while some of them directly came to the office, carrying an arrest warrant against him.


    "I managed to find Aileen," said Pyro after Hailee picked up the phone.


    Of course the news was like an extra gift for Hailee, which brought a sweet smile to her lips.


    "Wait for further news from me," said Hailee and then cut the line off, she wanted to immediately tell Ramon this, and describe how her day was.


    However, before Hailee could reach Ramon, her husband had called her first.


    "What are you doing?" Ramon asked shortly after Hailee picked up the phone call.


    With a sweet smile and sparkling eyes, Hailee replied, "Thinking and missing you," she said.

 Chapter 352: SO, WHERE IS MY ANSWER?

    <h4>Chapter 352: SO, WHERE IS MY ANSWER?</h4>


    "Thinking and missing you," Hailee smiled as she said that softly. She couldn''t help but miss her husband and was a little annoyed that they had to stay apart for the night.


    Hailee was used to having Ramon by her side when she closed her eyes and when she woke up in the middle of the night. Not to forget about receiving a good morning kiss from the man.


    Therefore, to sleep alone, it felt a little strange.


    "Me too," replied Ramon, he smiled as he looked at the garden behind his house, which was filled with Hailee''s favorite flowers. Sunflowers. Maybe next time Ramon should ask why Hailee liked those yellow flowers.


    There was a brief pause as neither of them spoke, but the silence didn''t make either Hailee or Ramon feel ufortable. On the contrary, they both enjoyed the silence, knowing that on the other hand, their partner was listening to the same silence.


    "I want you to be here," Hailee mumbled in a whisper. She just said this without thinking and knew that Ramon couldn''t possibly do that. Therefore, before Ramon could respond to her words, Hailee added. "How was your day?" she asked enthusiastically.


    Ramon muttered as he replied, "Very good. I finished some work, found new evidence on Leon''s involvement with human trafficking and illegal activities, Giana came to the office, and about the news out there about Tordoff''s name getting tarnished¡­"


    "Wait a moment." Hailee cut Ramon''s story short. Of all the information Ramon gave Hailee, only one caught the woman''s attention, so that she sat on her bed. "You said Giana came to your office?"


    Even just from Hailee''s voice on the phone, Ramon could imagine what kind of expression his woman had right now. Ramon really missed Hailee. And he should have said this while looking at Hailee''s adorable face¡­


    "Hm," Ramon mumbled, enjoying Hailee''s irritated voice. "She came to my office this afternoon."


    "Then what did you do?" Hailee gritted her teeth. She was annoyed. Why did that shameless woman still dare toe to Ramon''s office after what happened?


    "I kicked her out."


    No response from Hailee.


    "I asked Danny to kick her out and asked the guard not to let her in when shees again." Ramon added.


    Still no response from Hailee.


    "I love you, Hailee."


    "Really?"


    "Of course."


    "Not that." Hailee shook her head. "You kicked her out? She didn''t get to see you?"


    Ramon smiled. He did have the choice not to tell Hailee this, but he didn''t want Hailee to hear it from someone else, and of course the second reason was because his wife was so cute when she was jealous like this.


    "Of course not."


    "I should have been there to rebuke her," Hailee grumbled. "Did you know what she tried to do to me when I was in that house?"


    Actually, Hailee didn''t want to bring this topic up for discussion, but since it had already been raised and she didn''t feel awkward discussing this with Ramon either, she continued.


    "What did she do?" asked Ramon, the smile on his lips fading when he heard what Hailee said.


    With a grunt, Hailee then told what Giana wanted to do to her when the incident happened. Of course, although Hailee didn''t add to the story she was telling, that didn''t mean she couldn''t incite Ramon''s wrath, because after all she was a good storyteller.


    "Lucky you came just in time..."


    And if not¡­ Hailee probably wouldn''t have recounted what happened this calmly.


    But, of course thest sentence was not spoken, but the two of them knew enough¡­


    "She did that and how dare she provoke me when we were at the police station again?" Hailee smiled, knowing that her words would only fuel Ramon''s anger toward Giana further. "The bodyguards pointed their guns at me..." Hailee whined.


    Another spell of silence fell after Hailee finished telling this and she knew what Ramon''s expression looked right now and what he was thinking, even though he didn''t say it out loud.


    Hailee loved this, she felt like she wanted to knock on Giana''s door and give her two or twenty ps in the face. Or maybe kissing Ramon and flirting with her husband in front of Giana would be much more effective at making thetter feel more miserable¡­


    Hailee would think about thatter.


    "You haven''t said it back yet," said Ramon, breaking the silence between the two of them.


    Although he didn''t continue the discussion about Giana, because it would only anger him and waste his time with his wife, that didn''t mean he didn''t calcte what he was going to do with Dawson''spany in the future.


    Also, he had a few percent of thepany''s shares in his hands.


    "Say back what?" Hailee frowned in confusion. She didn''t remember that Ramon had told her something.


    "I love you," Ramon repeated again. Flirting with his wife had been proven to reduce the anger bubbling up inside him and this was good for his health.


    Haileeughed when she heard Ramon say that.


    "What do you want me to say?" Hailee couldn''t help but tease him. Of course, Ramon wouldn''t get the words he wanted to hear that easily.


    "I want you to answer."


    "I''ll answer it when you''re in front of me," Hailee insisted andughed quite happily when she heard Ramon grumble.


    And the next five minutes of their chat consisted of Ramon forcing Hailee to say that and Hailee refusing to answer over the phone.


    Until finally, the call ended because Lexus had finished eating and there were several things that Ramon had to discuss with his brother.


    "You''re still not going to say it back?" Ramon asked again to be sure.


    "No..." Hailee said,ughing softly. "See you tomorrow then."


    Ramon groaned and let Hailee hang up without getting what he wanted.


    Meanwhile, in the room, Lexus had finished with his meal and was scrolling through some posts on his cell phone.


    "So, can we talk now?" asked Ramon.


    And with that, Lexus put away his cell phone and took a deep breath. He didn''t want to talk about this, but he knew that something like this couldn''t be left undiscussed, because pent-up feelings would boomerang one day.


    That was what their father taught them, or maybe now Lexus should get used to the fact that Lucas was Ramon''s father alone and not his.


    Because his biological father was an asshole who had caused him to lose his nephew.


    ================


    Ramon reached out his hand toward Lexus and patted the shoulder of his brother who was looking down, and felt his shoulders shaking slightly.


    Lexus didn''t want to cry or show emotions like this in front of Ramon, but his feelings really couldn''t be described in words. Shame, despair and also anger that all this happened to him.


    He felt it was unfair and at the same time he could understand why Lucas Tordoff treated the two of them differently.


    Even when Lexus was treated unequally by his father, he didn''t cry like this and only grew closer to Ramon, because his brother was a role model for him.


    "Sorry..." Lexus muttered.


    "For?" Ramon asked, frowning when he got the apology.


    Lexus couldn''t answer him. Even he didn''t know what the apology was for. He just felt that he should apologize for what had happened to Ramon and Hailee.


    Maybe it was an apology because he couldn''t help them in any way or maybe it was because he was embarrassed¡­


    Maybe he would feel better if Ramon beat him up and cursed him, ming him for the death of his first child.


    But, of course Lexus knew very well that Ramon would not be able to do that.


    Therefore, Lexus could not answer Ramon''s question.


    "You''re not like yourself," Ramon said in a calm voice and his words made Lexus lift his head and look at him questioningly. "My brother will not apologize for a mistake he did notmit."


    Hearing that, Lexus looked down again and this time Ramon pulled his younger brother and let Lexus wet his shoulder with his tears, while he patted his back without saying anything else.


    ================


    Hailee couldn''t sleep. She felt lonely in the room she had lived in all her life.


    And when she finally closed her eyes, it was veryte at night.


    However, Hailee''s sleep didn''tst that long, because not long after, she woke up when she felt someone open her bedroom door and walk inside.


    Surprised, Hailee immediately sat up and directed her gaze toward the door after turning on the light. Her trauma after the kidnapping incident the other day was still afresh and maybe this was also the reason why she felt uneasy about sleeping alone.


    And how surprised Hailee was when she found Ramon standing there.


    "What are you doing here?" Hailee rubbed her face, thinking that this was a dream because she missed Ramon too much.


    Hailee was also about to pinch herself when Ramon proved this wasn''t a dream in a painless way.


    Ramon pulled Hailee''s hand that was about to pinch herself and kissed her lips gently.


    Ramon''s lips felt cold against hers.


    "Why are you here?" Hailee then pushed Ramon, she wanted to know why this man came sote at night to see her.


    "Didn''t you say you wanted me here?" This time Ramon kissed Hailee''s forehead. "So, where is the answer I want?"


    ===============


    Check my instagram @jikan_yo_tomare to seeic strip from chapter 39. CAN''T YOU KNOCK THE DOOR?

 Chapter 353: WHAT RAMON HAS DONE FOR HAILEE

    <h4>Chapter 353: WHAT RAMON HAS DONE FOR HAILEE</h4>


    "So, where is the answer I want?" Ramon questioned this to Hailee while kissing her forehead and then looked into her eyes that were still locked on him with a look of disbelief, as if Hailee still didn''t expect that Ramon would actuallye here just to ask for this.


    Hailee bit her lip, but Ramon then held her chin with his two fingers, staring at her intensely.


    "Why did youe here?"


    Of course, the journey between the Tordoff residence and the Tatum residence would take about three hours, if the streets were really quiet.


    But, seriously? Did Ramon just waste his timeing to Hailee in the middle of the night like this just to keep herpany because Hailee wanted him toe?


    Hailee didn''t know that Ramon could be this crazy...


    This was a surprising discovery. What a sweet surprise, if Hailee could say so. And she really liked it¡­


    "That''s not the answer I wanted, honey," Ramon whispered into Hailee''s ear and kissed her neck, making Hailee''s heart skip a beat, she could feel a wild feeling awaken inside her.


    "Then, what kind of answer do you want?" asked Hailee, she smiled faintly when she heard Ramon groan in annoyance at her stubbornness.


    "You know what I want to hear." Ramon then pushed Hailee''s body slowly onto the bed and started tracing her jaw, while his other hand gently squeezed the girl''s slender waist.


    "No¡­ it seems you have too high expectations of me," Hailee said in a whispery voice. Her breath hitched as Ramon''s hand started exploring under her pajamas.


    "You want to hear it again?" asked Ramon.


    "Hmm." Hailee nodded weakly. She could feel Ramon''s cold hand against her smooth stomach, as he gently caressed her.


    "I love you, Hailee..." said Ramon again for the umpteenth time tonight.


    "Yes I know." Haileeughed as Ramon growled, because that wasn''t the answer he wanted.


    ================


    Ramon didn''t sleep at all tonight, he just hugged Hailee all night and coaxed her to sleep.


    They did nothing but hug and tease each other.


    Of course, Ramon wouldn''t have the heart to do that to Hailee after what she had been through. It was too soon for her to ept such attention and Ramon didn''t want to hurt Hailee, no matter how much he wanted it.


    Thus, Ramon spent the night coaxing his wife to sleep and to stop being naughty and provoking him further.


    In the end, with a groan, Hailee fell asleep.


    Not only because Ramon had to think about the next step he should take, which was the reason why he didn''t fall asleep, but also because he needed to return to town A soon, considering the long journey he had to go through.


    Even though he only got to see Hailee for a few hours and this disrupted his rest hours, Ramon didn''t regret it at all. Maybe Lexus would say that what Ramon was doing right now was unnecessary, because Hailee would be home the next day, but for her¡­ This is worth it.


    Ramon lifted his hand from Hailee''s body and looked at his watch which indicated that it was time for him to leave.


    Therefore, slowly, Ramon removed himself from Hailee''s side and kissed her forehead. He also tucked the nket around the woman so she wouldn''t get cold. After that, he slowly walked out of the room.


    Time to go back to town A¡­


    ================


    Hailee woke up and found that she was alone, the spot next to her was cold, which indicated that Ramon was gone for a long time, even though the sky outside was still dark.


    With sleepy eyes, Hailee took out her cell phone and called Ramon.


    Her husband picked up the phone on the second ring. "Are you awake?" he asked gently. "Why don''t you sleep some more?"


    "Are you on your way back to town A already?" Hailee asked in a hoarse voice that made Ramon smile.


    "Yes. I have a meeting this morning that I have to attend," said Ramon. "And also a trial."


    This afternoon''s trial would involve Axcel Dmitri, where he would testify against Leon by saying that he knew about the illegal trade the man was engaged in.


    Axcel did know this, but not to the extent that could make him a key witness in this trial.


    But, with Ramon behind him, of course knowing an important detail was not a problem anymore.


    And after all, Axcel didn''t have much choice; be a witness at this trial or get popr as the video made at that time would be widely circted in the cyberworld without censorship¡­


    That''s crazy!


    Axcel''s life was already a mess, so if this had to be added to it, of course he would be utterly devastated¡­


    For the narrow-minded man, the most important thing now is how he survives. For that alone, he would do whatever was necessary.


    "Go back to sleep, it''s still early¡­" Ramon coaxed when he heard Hailee yawning.


    "Let me know when you get home," Hailee mumbled sleepily.


    "Of course."


    "I love you."


    And Ramon smiled when he finally heard those words. Last night, Hailee was so stubborn not to say it back.


    ================


    This morning, Lexus felt better and decided that it was okay for him to go to the office, thanks to Doctor Bram and the two infusion bottles. Oh, he didn''t forget the food that Ramon brought.


    Maybe the real problem wasn''t with his body, but rather with the thoughts and feelings that weren''t being channeled, so after Lexus'' brief chat with Ramonst night, he felt much better.


    "You weren''t homest night? Where did you go?" Lexus asked when he saw Ramon had juste down from his room. "I heard the sound of your car in the middle of the night."


    Ramon took a few slices of bread and let Martha pour him coffee.


    "You hanging around in the middle of the night because Hailee isn''t here? I''ll tell my sister-inw if you mess around," Lexus threatened in a rxed tone.


    Meanwhile, Ramon nced at Lexus and said quietly, "I went to meet Hailee."


    It took Lexus two full seconds to digest the words until he finally turned to Ramon to confirm that what he had just heard was true.


    "You are actually with her? You went to the Tatum residencest night?" Lexus looked at his brother in disbelief.


    And even though Ramon didn''t respond to the question, Lexus knew that Ramon wasn''t lying when he said that. "You two really leave me speechless¡­" Lexus muttered¡­ he could only shake his head and finish his breakfast.


    ================


    Pyro knew of Aileen''s whereabouts now, and this would be the first thing Hailee nned to do; meet her beloved adoptive sister to release longing...


    Hailee really couldn''t wait to see how Aileen was now that she had be a fugitive. Did she know that her status had changed? That she could no longer roam around freely out there? It would be a very pleasant thing for Hailee to know that Aileen was living in fear if she realized that.


    Therefore, Hailee would make sure that her beloved sister knew what her current status changed to.


    The police did move quickly to find Aileen''s whereabouts, but Hailee had known her sister for a long time, so at least there were some ces she believed to be where Aileen was hiding and Pyro had his own way of finding out about the information.


    And now, Hailee was on her way to what was believed to be Aileen''s hideout.


    This morning, while she was checking her phone, Hailee found a sweet message from Ramon wishing her good morning and informing her that he had arrived home.


    Maybe these little things don''t really mean much, but these kinds of things can definitely make Hailee feel over the moon.


    Ramon said he would let her know when he got home and he did, whether Hailee was awake or not when she received the message or if he would get a reply soon, Ramon kept her updated.


    This is indeed a trivial thing, but Hailee genuinely appreciates it nheless.


    Hailee then read Ramon''s words from this morning again that sounded so sweet. She didn''t expect Ramon to use these kinds of words¡­


    ''You are probably sleeping like a cute little baby right now. I just wanted to say good morning beautiful. Hope you have an amazing day today, my wife.''


    It was a line Hailee didn''t expect Ramon to use. Maybe it was a good idea to not be at home once in a while to bring out this sweet side of Ramon.


    "We''re here," Barry said as they turned into a narrow alleyway where no cars could go. He could see Pyro, standing nearby, waiting for them.


    Hailee cleared her throat for a bit to wipe the silly smile off her face before she muttered. "Okay."


    "Mrs. Tordoff, are you sure you want toe down? Wouldn''t it be better if we took Aileen out of her house to meet you?" asked Barry. He didn''t like Hailee being in a strange ce like this.


    "It''s okay, Pyro said this ce is safe," Hailee said, then she opened the door when the car stopped.


    With no other choice, Barry got out of the car, as did several bodyguards from the six cars following them.


    Hailee recalled that she only brought twelve of them yesterday when she went to Tatum''spany, but when all the bodyguards finisheding out of the cars, why did their number seem to be doubled?


    Hailee was stunned for a moment when she saw therge number of them. What''s this? It looks like she''s on a parade right now...


    Even Pyro had widened his eyes when he saw the men around Hailee.


    Although most of them wore casual clothes, that didn''t mean Pyro couldn''t tell them apart.


    "Ramon¡­" Hailee was sure that this was her husband''s doing.

 Chapter 354: DAMN YOU HAILEE!

    <h4>Chapter 354: DAMN YOU HAILEE!</h4>


    Sometimes you have to give people a taste of their own medicine.


    -unknown-


    ==============


    Aileen had been confined to this small and ugly room ever since Giana had dropped her off on the street and left her alone. That was several days ago.


    Fear and paranoia began to haunt Aileen because she had to run from Ramon. This went without saying. And it didn''t take a genius to know that she wouldn''t be able to escape Ramon''s grasp just like that. Gaining forgiveness from such a man was an almost impossible feat for Aileen to achieve.


    Especially Hailee.


    Hailee would never forgive her.


    Aileen still remembered how Hailee looked at her full of anger and hatred. The look in her cold and angry eyes even haunted her in her sleep.


    There was nothing more terrifying than that...


    You could say this was the lowest point of Aileen''s life. She had never imagined that she would be reduced to staying in such a small and shabby room, sitting in a corner, frightened and paranoid.


    Even to go out and look for food, Aileen felt someone was watching her. But, something even more pressing issue here was; she will soon run out of money.


    Alieen had called George a few days ago to ask for money, but her father didn''t give her a penny and insteadshed out at her for ruining all his ns.


    Starting from her marriage to Theodore, which was now on the verge of divorce and also problems with Hailee.


    George also med her for cooperating with Leon without telling him anything. This was the thing that angered George the most.


    He used Aileen of trying to stab him in the back. Of course that was what she had in mind if all the ns went well, but unfortunately, Aileen actually fell into a situation like this.


    Also, Aileen couldn''t possibly admit outright that she was nning to stab George in the back just like that.


    Damn it!


    She felt she had hit a dead end and med Hailee for all the misfortune that had befallen her. It made her feel much better.


    "I should have just killed her! She should be dead! She should be dead! Stupid Giana. She should have killed Hailee. If Hailee was dead, Ramon Tordoff wouldn''t have known of my involvement."


    Regret of having made the same mistake again, continued to eat away at Aileen''s heart. She couldn''t help but curse her own stupidity.


    She should have snatched the guard''s gun and shot Hailee when she had the chance...


    Or even killing Hailee instead of handing her over to Rnd Dimatrio seemed wiser. She wouldn''t be where she was now and Tatum''spany would be in her hands by now.


    "Stupid, stupid, stupid¡­" muttered Aileen, while rocking her body back and forth as her hands gripped her hair tightly.


    Aileen didn''t want to be caught and imprisoned. She couldn''t imagine what her life would be like when she was sent to prison. She is still young and there is only so much she can do.


    Aileen didn''t want to waste the golden years of her life behind bars.


    "Argh!" Aileen roared loudly again as she thought about the possibilities of what would happen to herter, and all those scenarios were not pleasant things for her in anyway.


    Aileen felt that she would go crazy if she continued like this.


    ================


    Hailee walked through a narrow alley that could not be passed by cars, with Pyro on her right and Barry on her left, while other bodyguards walked in front and behind Hailee.


    For a moment, Hailee felt this was too much and she was attracting unnecessary attention, but then she remembered that her safety came first, hence, she didn''tin or ask them to back off.


    After all, there was no telling what would await her in a strange ce she was unfamiliar with.


    Maybe it was a post-traumatic feeling because of what had happened to her, but Hailee felt a little ufortable when she was in an unfamiliar ce, around strangers.


    The ce Hailee walking down was a rundown alley, where shabby apartments were on her left and right.


    The apartments were not very high and the paint on their walls was almost faded.


    "Are you sure that Aileen is in a ce like this?" Hailee asked Pyro to confirm. She couldn''t imagine having to live in a ce like this, where the sound of small children crying came echoing from the small balconies of every t. Or the sound of people cursing and violently mming doors.


    Even Hailee herself wouldn''t have chosen a ce like this to stay, let alone Aileen who was always arrogant and full of herself¡­


    It seemed that this was the karma that Aileen started to gain after what she did. However, it was still far from what Hailee had nned for herter...


    "Yes, I saw it myself, Aileen entered one of the apartments in this ce," answered Pyro confidently. He then pointed to a dull red apartment building, where the paint had been peeled off here and there. "She lives in one of the ts in that building."


    Hailee''s arrival was an unusual sight that people started whispering and came out onto the street to see her.


    Of course, no one dared to approach Hailee because of the entourage that surrounded her. Meanwhile, since they were ordinary people who had never really cared about the business media covering Ramon, it was harmless to say that they couldn''t recognize Hailee.


    While people who have seen her before couldn''t believe it was Hailee Tordoff herself. What was that high-ss woman going to do in a slum like this?


    Some people started whispering and pointing silently at Hailee, too afraid to deal with people who were full of wealth and high status like Hailee.


    "I didn''t expect her to hide in a ce like this¡­" Hailee mumbled.


    "You''d be even more surprised when you see how she looks now," added Pyro.


    "Is that true?" Hailee turned her head, looked at Pyro in disbelief and saw her bodyguard nod excitedly, which made it hard for Hailee to contain her smile and enthusiasm. "I can''t wait to see her new look then."


    Then, after arriving in front of the intended building, Pyro immediately went to the onlyrge table, which seemed to be a receptionist table with a middle-aged woman sitting behind it.


    The middle-aged woman looked surprised when she saw Hailee and was even more surprised when she saw the people behind her.


    Although Hailee seemed friendly by smiling at the woman, she still looked very surprised and didn''t smile back at Hailee.


    "Here, here is the key." The woman then handed a key to Pyro with trembling hands. "There won''t be any problems, right?" she asked anxiously.


    "Don''t worry, she''s the sister of the woman above," Pyro said, calming her down.


    She nodded, whether she understood it or not, but she certainly didn''t want any trouble in this ce.


    After that, Pyro walked toward the elevator, waiting for the door to open for Hailee.


    "What floor is her room on?" Hailee asked Pyro. From the outside, this building looked no more than four floors.


    "It''s on the top floor. Fourth floor," replied Pyro.


    "Then we''ll just use the stairs," said Hailee. She then walked toward the emergency stairs without another word.


    The bodyguards who knew the back story as well as Pyro, understood why Hailee didn''t want to use the elevator. The trauma was still fresh in her mind.


    Hailee only found out about this when she was at the Tatumpany yesterday, when she went to attend a meeting with other shareholders.


    Hailee found it difficult to breathe and her vision turned blurry. She had a panic attack while in the elevator which made her whole body tremble. Sweat dripped from her forehead when she had to go down by using the elevator again because the meeting room was on a high floor.


    Understanding what happened to Hailee, the bodyguards didn''t say anything and immediately walked ahead of her while the others followed behind.


    Several bodyguards stand guard in front of the building and lobby.


    And when they got to the fourth floor, only Barry, Pyro and two more bodyguards walked into the room, while the others waited outside.


    Barry opened the door for Hailee,? Pyro, and the two bodyguards to enter after him.


    And when they had just arrived at the door, Hailee could hear Aileen''s familiar scream.


    The scream echoed through the narrow room.


    In the next second, Barry immediately moved forward to protect Hailee while Pyro swiftly restrained Aileen, who was trying to run toward Hailee while screaming hysterically.


    "Tsk, tsk, tsk," Hailee clicked her tongue and shook her head when she saw Aileen''s madness. She didn''t expect to find her adopted sister in a much worse state than she imagined. "Your room is even smaller than the bathroom at the Tatum residence¡­"


    Hearing thatment, Aileen went crazy, until she needed another bodyguard to help Pyro deal with her.


    "You b*tch! Damn you Hailee!" Aileen struggled and spat out the curses she knew. "You should have died! I should have killed you!"


    Haileeughed softly when she heard her. "Yes, you should have done it while you still had the chance, because now I will destroy you."


    "You''re not satisfied to see me in this state?! You really are heartless!"


    "Oh, of course it''s nothing. I haven''t even started yet." Hailee smirked.


    ==============


    Check my instagram @jikan_yo_tomare to seeic strip from chapter 39. CAN''T YOU KNOCK THE DOOR?

 Chapter 355: AN INTERESTING PLACE

    <h4>Chapter 355: AN INTERESTING PLACE</h4>


    "Are you talking about feelings with me?" Hailee raised her eyebrows questioningly as if she couldn''t believe what she was hearing. A soft smile was tugged at the corners of her lips.


    How could Aileen talk about feelings with her after what she did to Hailee? But then she remembered this was Aileen, the same person who had nned the murder of her parents and also almost sold her off to Rnd Dimatrio.


    And recently, even though Aileen wasn''t the main reason why she had a miscarriage, she still had a hand in it. In a sense, she was responsible for it all. Aileen, Giana and Axcel and the people who have helped them.


    "You should have killed me while you could," Hailee said coldly. Her tone sounded so dark and emotionless. Hearing it? made Pyro and the other three bodyguards wince unconsciously.


    Oh, Hailee wasn''t messing around this time...


    "You bitch! You deserve it!" Aileen continued to berate Hailee shamelessly and tried to struggle free from the grip of Pyro and one of the other bodyguards. She was raging like a madwoman and this forced Pyro to pin her to the cold floor, face down on the dirty floor with her hands twisted behind her.


    But, that alone couldn''t stop Aileen from berating Hailee and uttering curses that were even able to infuriate the men in the room.


    "Argh!!! You wretch! Just die Hailee!" Aileen screamed uncontrobly. She kept struggling and tried to kick Pyro or whoever was holding her down.


    Meanwhile, almost everyone in the building came out of their apartments and tried to find out what was going on, but Hailee''s bodyguards outside this room handled the situation quite well.


    And after all, as soon as they saw the robust people in ck suits, they immediately backed off and didn''t want to get into trouble that they couldn''t possibly solve.


    Meanwhile, Hailee didn''t do anything while Aileen continued to scream like a madwoman until her voice turned hoarse. Instead, she just observed the narrow room which consisted of a bed, a television and a table, a rattan chair and a small wardrobe.


    "Wow, I didn''t know that you could endure living in a room like this, it''s not like you¡­" said Hailee, amidst Aileen''s screeching. She seemed to have blocked all the deafening screams and continued to makements that made Aileen feel frustrated and angry.


    "You bitch Hailee! Help! Help! She? will kill me! Help!" But, of course no one came to help her. Most of the people around her t, where Aileen lived, didn''t even know she existed.


    "You ate this for your meal?" Hailee lifted an instant noodles packet and showed it to Aileen. "I didn''t think you''d be able to swallow this kind of food." Hailee didn''t even hide the mocking tone in her voice. She didn''t hold back at all when she realized that what she was doing was only making Aileen angrier. In fact, the angrier she got, the happier Hailee felt.


    Hailee then walked over to the small wardrobe and opened it, where there were only a few tattered clothes.


    "Wow, I didn''t expect you to wear these outfits as well," said Hailee. "I remember that you never wanted to wear unbranded clothes. Now that I think about it, you''re too willful¡­ asking for this and that even though you''re not the biological child."


    Hailee then stopped before Aileen''s bed and looked at her adopted sister who was on the floor, she deliberately sat right in front of Aileen. And this made it look like Aileen was about to kiss her feet.


    "But, it''s true that the nature of parents affects the nature of their children, it was proven after I saw you." Hailee folded her legs in front of Aileen haughtily. "But do you know where George is now? He has been imprisoned for fraud in thepany and murder of my parents."


    Hailee smiled when she saw a surprised look sh across Aileen''s face. That meant she hadn''t heard any word from the outside world, which meant the next news Hailee was about to deliver would shock her even more, wouldn''t it?


    "And you''re on that list too. Did you know that you too are a fugitive now?" Hailee asked slowly, enjoying Aileen''s expression which turned frightened. But she still didn''t stop the cursing that escaped her lips.


    Not only that, Aileen even boldly spat on the floor, showing her disgust at Hailee.


    "Ugh, you shouldn''t have done that¡­" Hailee sounded disappointed and then she nodded at Pyro. "Don''t you remember that mom and dad always said to clean up after the mess you''ve made yourself?"


    Pyro then grabbed Aileen''s hair and made her wipe her own spit with her cheek. Of course, this turned Aileen even more hysterical because she couldn''t fight Pyro at all.


    She could feel her own spit on her cheek and it was disgusting.


    "Ugh, that''s disgusting," Hailee said. "How do you feel? Are you still okay?"


    This time Aileen cried hysterically. She felt humiliated, aggrieved and frightened. Never in her imagination would she have thought that she would be treated like this, or live in a ce like this.


    How quickly the karma came to her and Hailee retaliated by doing this to her.


    Time passed so fast and Aileen could no longer recognize Hailee.


    Because the Hailee she remembered was the one who wouldn''t do this to her no matter what. She was a sister figure who wouldugh every time Aileen said something funny, but would turn fierce when someone mocked that she was just an adopted child.


    Hailee was someone who never got mad at her when she made a mistake. Haile also wouldn''t say no or refuse when Aileen wanted something that was hers.


    Even up tost year, Hailee was still spoiling her when their parents were alive. Always happily chattering with her, telling her what happened to her or listening intently to Aileen''s words when she was advising her.


    They were so close and intimate...


    That was how Hailee used to be toward her. But now¡­ Aileen couldn''t see that shadow again in Hailee and everything had changed. Their rtionship and circumstances have changed¡­


    What Aileen had done had changed Hailee''s sweet little sister persona and made her apletely different person. She was even smiling when she saw Aileen crying and hurting.


    Aileen''s inexplicable greed and jealousy made her take an extreme step and now she had no turning back.


    "Why are you crying? Don''t cry," Hailee said, but even though her words were so gentle as if they were sympathetic, the smile on her lips and the twinkle in her eyes said otherwise.


    "Hailee¡­ I''m sorry, okay?" Aileen lowered her voice. "I''m sorry for what I''ve done¡­" Aileen sobbed, her tears making her voice hoarse and her tears blurring her vision. "I apologize¡­"


    "You are apologizing to me now? After what you''ve done?" Hailee then crouched right in front of Aileen, looking at her with an innocent face.


    "Yeah, I regret it¡­ I regret it¡­ can''t we just go back to being sisters like we used to be? I promise to make up for all my mistakes by being nice to you¡­ please¡­" Aileen whined, begging for Hailee''s mercy.


    Meanwhile, Hailee tilted her head, looking at Aileen with a look in her eyes that was hard to decipher, as if she was thinking.


    "But, it''s not that easy¡­ you''re a fugitive, remember?" Hailee again reminded her of the fact. "I can''t be nice to a fugitive."


    "Hailee, Hailee, Hailee¡­ please don''t send me to jail! I can''t live there! I will die. I can''t live in prison, please¡­" Aileen became hysterical again. She couldn''t imagine what kind of life she would lead behind those iron bars. "Give me a second chance. I deserve a second chance¡­"


    Hailee tilted her head and didn''t say anything for a while, and this frustrated Aileen even more. She promised whatever she could say, even though it was impossible, but for her freedom she would give anything...


    "Okay, I''ll forgive you," Hailee said lightly. "But I have one request from you."


    "Say, say, what is it? I will do it, I will do it." Aileen nodded her head to confirm what she said. "Whatever that is."


    "Whatever that is?"


    "Yes, whatever it is."


    "Then return my parents."


    Aileen''s breath hitched at once. What kind of request was that? She wanted to curse Hailee back, but she held back and didn''t want to make this woman in front of her angrier. This was her only chance.


    "Hailee you know that there is no one who can do that..." Aileen again apologized to Hailee for her actions earlier.


    "But, you said anything¡­"


    "Anything Hailee, except that."


    "Then my child," Hailee said in a toneless voice.


    "Hailee, no one can do that¡­ I know you''re sad about losing your child, but I didn''t touch you at all¡­ I''m not the reason you lost your child¡­" Yes, Aileen didn''t do anything to cause Hailee to miscarry, she was just being unlucky by being there.


    "Oh, you''re right." Hailee touched her chin while nodding. "Then you can''t do anything for me, there''s nothing you can offer."


    Hailee then stood up.


    "Hailee, I don''t want to go to jail, please¡­" Aileen pleaded to her shamelessly with tears on her eyes. She was scared.


    "Oh no, you''re not going to jail," Haile said cheerfully. "I''ll take you to a much more interesting ce."


    ===============


    Check my instagram @jikan_yo_tomare to seeic strip from chapter 39. CAN''T YOU KNOCK THE DOOR?

 Chapter 356: HE IS NOT LIKE YOU

    <h4>Chapter 356: HE IS NOT LIKE YOU</h4>


    Marco walked up to Axcel right after thetter had finished testifying against Leon and said something to him as the man was about to get into the car.


    It wasn''t clear what Marco said to Axcel, but it managed to make the man widen his eyes in surprise and nod his head obediently. From the expression on his face, it was clear that he was scared.


    But then Marco patted his back kindly and smiled at him. He even opened the car door for Axcel and let him get inside first.


    Axcelplied, what else could he do? After that, the car drove away from the court premises.


    The trial that daysted almost all day and it was exhausting.


    Meanwhile, not far away, Ramon could be seen standing at the exit of the courthouse, while the reporters were waiting outside, hungry for thetest news on the feud between the Tordoffs and the Dawsons.


    This was very big news during this time, because recently the Dawson family had a feud with the Smith family, where the case was still ongoing, because the divorce decision between Giana and Aidan was still pending.


    They were both very difficult to find and their divorce case took a very long time, because both refused to attend and were only represented by their respective legal representatives.


    Before Ramon stepped out of the ce, Leon approached him and stood right by his side, while David and two of Ramon''s bodyguards immediately tried to keep the man away from him.


    However, Ramon raised his hand, indicating that he was okay with this and letting Leon say what he wanted to say.


    "I didn''t think that we would meet again under these circumstances," Leon said. "So, how is your wife?" There was a sneer in Leon''s voice when he asked this.


    There was absolutely no way Leon didn''t know that Hailee had miscarried after what he had done.


    On the other hand, Ramon didn''t respond to the question and just stared at him with an expressionless face and this prompted Leon to speak again.


    "You don''t have to look at me like that. I didn''t cause your wife to miscarry," Leon said with a shrug, as if he waspletely innocent of what had happened to Hailee.


    The same thing was said by Axcel or anyone else involved in the absurdity that day.


    But, if no one was responsible for the incident, then who was to me for the loss that Ramon and Hailee suffered?


    Ramon still didn''t respond to Leon''s words, but he didn''t leave either, letting the reporters take photos of this moment.


    Camera shes went off like crazy while they tried to hear what Leon and Ramon were saying, but of course they were stopped very far from them; they couldn''t hear a single word.


    "Are you done?" asked Ramon when Leon said nothing more and just stared at him. "If you''re done talking, I''ll leave."


    Leon thenughed and shook his head. "You really do look like your father."


    Ramon''s eyes glinted when he heard this and this didn''t go unnoticed by Leon, so he took up the topic to talk to Ramon. "You are very much like your father. Your coldness and that look in your eyes."


    And then, Leon started rambling nonsense about how the three of them used to be friends, himself, Lucas and Lis.


    Leon started to talk about the past that Ramon didn''t know about and also reminisced about the memories of the three of them. Lis never said this to Ramon.


    Not only that, Leon even started making some kind of crazy list about Ramon that reminded him so much of Lucas, how much they looked alike, what were their simrities and so on.


    "Yeah, you two are very simr, cold and not very social," Leon said.


    And this time, Ramon responded to it. "Yeah, and Lexus doesn''t look like you at all. Lexus is very grateful for that."


    Ramon knew what he had to say to leave a desirable impact on Leon, and he said exactly that.


    Because after that, Leon''s facial expression changed and this made Ramon smile, not the kind of smile that would make you feel like smiling too, but the kind of smile that would leave you fuming mad.


    "Lexus told me himself that he really hates the fact that you are his father." Ramon looked at Leon with scornful eyes. "He likes it better to think that Lucas is his dad and I''m quite happy to share a dad with him."


    This time, Leon clenched his fists as his jaw tensed, as if he would punch Ramon if the man in front of him spoke one more word.


    Lexus was his soft spot and he couldn''t help but feel infuriated when Ramon discussed his only son.


    "You''ll see how Lexus turns against you," Leon said.


    "Just like you betrayed my father?" Ramon raised his eyebrows when he asked this. "I do not think so. Haven''t I told you, that he doesn''t look like you at all?"


    "You won''t know until that happens," Leon said sarcastically and Ramon just smiled.


    "I''m pretty good at judging a person''s character." Ramon''s eyes then shifted toward the person behind Leon for a moment. "And you''re as stupid as your niece."


    Ramon said this, indicating the fact that he managed to get Giana to tell him everything about Leon and made Leon think that he had fallen into his trap and actually had genuine feelings for Giana.


    The fact that Ramon asked Giana to divorce Aidan of course couldn''t be separated from his desire to ruin the rtionship between the two big families, because to deal with the two families, it would take too much energy while it would be easier to face them one by one.


    And now, Giana was doing it herself even when Ramon lost his memory, didn''t that mean his n was going smoothly?


    It was Giana herself who asked for the termination of the coboration between the two families and caused the initially very strong rtionship to split and caused many problems to arise in bothpanies.


    This was an advantage to Ramon, given that he also owned shares in bothpanies.


    Perhaps, if there was one thing that didn''t change about Ramon, it was the fact that he would always make the most of everything that happened.


    And approaching Giana, bringing her to her knees, brought him many advantages.


    Well, that was before he met Hailee¡­ but,e to think of it, Ramon also approached Hailee with the same goal in the first ce, before he discovered how unique his wife was and found himselfpletely addicted to her presence.


    "Enjoy your time while you can," Ramon said with a smile on the corners of his lips, then walked away, while David and a few other bodyguards cleared the way for Ramon from the reporters'' ''ambush''.


    On the other hand, Giana quickened her pace, but didn''t manage to get to Ramon and couldn''t reveal her intentions in front of the media personnel who were so wild to get a piece of news they could make headlines.


    "What did he say?" Giana asked Leon.


    However, Leon didn''t answer her and instead walked away. He was not arrested, due to the influence of the Dawson family and several supporting factors behind him, but Leon had to report every day.


    And that was something he didn''t like, especially when he was acutely aware of the feelings Giana had for Ramon which made it difficult for him to bring him down.


    Giana often procrastinated on things Leon asked for and this made the man angry.


    In the game of feelings yed by Giana and Ramon for two years, of course whoever fell in love first, should be dered as the loser.


    And as Ramon said, not only did Giana lose, but she was stupid too¡­


    ================


    Today had been a tiring day for Candice, but remembering that there were still a few loyal reporters waiting for her in the parking lot made her grumble again. How could they be so patiently waiting for her when she had even stated clearly that she had no rtionship with Lexus Tordoff?


    Well, it did look fun when you were associated with someone like Lexus Tordoff, but really, it was disrupting Candice''s life, even her family asked for the truth and tended to be disappointed when she said they were all just rumors and didn''t have any truth to them.


    After all, who wouldn''t want to be rted to the Tordoffs?


    Just when Candice was about to walk to her car, four journalists immediately approached her. They had been waiting for her there because Candice''s work schedule was so predictable.


    Unfortunately again, out of frustration, Candice dropped her car keys, preventing her from escaping in time, so the four reporters managed to swarm her before she could get into the car.


    "I don''t have anything to do with Lexus Tordoff," Candice grumbled, repeating the same line. She had absolutely no idea how to deal with these people.


    "But, you spent a night with Lexus Tordoff, it''s impossible not to have any rtionship," said one of the female journalists.


    When Candice heard this, her eyes widened in shock, where else would such a liee from?


    "You''re intruding on her privacy," said a male voice, which automatically made the five people there turn their attention to him.


    And there, not far from them, the figure of Lexus Tordoff that was being talked about, was walking toward Candice with several bodyguards behind him.


    Candice almost had a heart attack when she saw Lexus. Ugh! His arrival would only make matters worse!

 Chapter 357: TOUCH ME

    <h4>Chapter 357: TOUCH ME</h4>


    "You popping up here will only make things worse, you know!" Candice cried in annoyance, mming her back against the back of the chair, her expression displeased as her arms folded across her chest.


    Even a blind person would know that Candice wasn''t in a good mood, especially when the car''s air conditioner was way cooler than it should be.


    While on the other hand, Lexus just rolled his eyes at Candice''s childish attitude. The woman looked like she was about to smack him in the face if it wasn''t going to make things even more chaotic.


    Lexus could feel it¡­


    "I came to save you from those reporters, at least you can thank me, you know," Lexus replied to Candice''s harsh words and also grumbled as he nced at the girl. "You should wear your seat belt," he reminded her.


    "No, let me be," Candice was so annoyed, especially when she saw Lexus'' attitude which made him look very calm while dealing with her, of course she didn''t want to be upset alone.


    And while Candice didn''t want to put her seat belt on, the warning sounds from inside the car continued to re, annoying Lexus further.


    "Wear your seatbelt, so this noise stops, it''s not safe after all," Lexus grumbled. He didn''t know that Candice was this stubborn. If only he knew, then he wouldn''t be so kind as to approach this girl after he was done with work, just to apologize to her in person.


    "No," Candice said, being more and more stubborn. "What are you doing in my car anyway? Get out!"


    Lexus very swiftly took the car keys that Candice had dropped because the reporters were chasing her and immediately pushed her into the car, easily dodging the news hunters in the process.


    Therefore, now Lexus was in Candice''s car.


    "Just tell me where is your house? I''ll take you home," said Lexus. He was still bothered by the noise.


    "Why do you want to take me home? I didn''t say I agreed for you to be in my car!" Candice was quite surprised when she heard that Lexus would take her home in her car. Then, Lexus will call a taxi for himself to go hometer? Or will he stop by her house?


    No. No. The fuss with the reporters alone was exhausting, there was no need to add Lexus who wanted to stop by her house and Candice remembered that there would be other family members.


    No. No. That should never happen.


    "Ah! Shit!" Lexus cursed, he couldn''t stand the noise from the car and immediately pulled it over.


    "What are you doing?" Candice asked, instantly turning wary when Lexus leaned toward her after unbuckling his own seatbelt and then pulled the seatbelt around Candice''s body, before finally putting it back on.


    Immediately, the atmosphere in the car became quiet and for a few seconds, silence enveloped the two of them.


    "Listen, this is better, isn''t it?" Lexus red at Candice, who then red back at him fiercely.


    "You better get out of my car. You know, you threw up in my car that night. You know what it smells like?!" Candice grumbled and when she saw the expression on Lexus''s face change, she didn''t stop torturing his morale. "How can you let a woman take care of a drunk guy like you and still think of yourself as a gentleman!?" Candice growled in disbelief.


    Only, Candice was smiling heartily in her heart, because she could see Lexus grimacing and feeling guilty.


    Good! That''s how he should feel!


    "Did I really do that?" Lexus asked with a frown, if that was really what happened, how embarrassing would he be for doing something inappropriate? That was so embarrassing.


    "Of course," Candice answered confidently and in a loud voice.


    Even though it didn''t actually happen. Lexus almost threw up, but he didn''t do so in her car and it happened after Hailee and her husband arrived.


    Candice only made up this story to make Lexus feel guilty and ufortable.


    "Should I buy you a new car to atone for my guilt?" Lexus looked at Candice sharply, the look in his eyes showed that he was serious about his words.


    "You think I can''t afford a new car?!" Candice eximed, her hand flying toward the arm of the second son of the Tordoff family, making a loud smacking sound. "Even though my family isn''t as rich as yours, who would apologize by buying a car?!"


    Crazy Lexus.


    "Me," the Lexus replied curtly. "I will, if you will forgive me."


    "I don''t need your car," Candice retorted fiercely.


    "Then you epted my apology?" because Candice just refused the car from him and didn''t say anything about the apology that Lexus proposed, therefore Lexus arbitrarily drew that conclusion.


    "I didn''t say I have forgiven you," Candice growled. She rarely lost her temper like this, but during the three times they''d met, Lexus always managed to enrage her sessfully.


    "You''re hard to understand," Lexus sighed wearily. He shook his head, after which he started the car again.


    "Why are you driving my car, you should get out of here!" Candice massaged her temples in pain, it felt like facing Lexus could make her blood pressure rise.


    "Then how do I get home?" Lexus asked innocently.


    "You think I don''t know? Those three cars behind us are your bodyguards''!" Candice pointed behind her at the three big ck cars that had been following them for a while.


    "Exactly!" Lexus eximed cheerfully. "Those are all my bodyguards'' cars, which means they''re not mine. I left mine in the parking lot as I was busy saving you from those reporters."


    "You didn''t save me." Candice reiterated this point. She couldn''t let this misunderstanding go any further. "You got me in trouble by doing that."


    On the first day, there were about a dozen reporters who came to her office, and today their number had decreased to four, but thanks to Lexus, Candice thought tomorrow the number of reporters would increase by five times.


    "You heard me, didn''t you?" Candice grumbled at not getting a response from Lexus.


    "I''m hungry," he replied.


    "Then you can go wherever you want, just get out of my car." Candice rolled her eyes dramatically.


    "Eat with me," said Lexus, it wasn''t a request but a statement because he didn''t ept rejection.


    "No, I don''t want to eat with you," Candice said back. "Get out of my car now."


    "No can do," Lexus replied calmly, then he turned to Candice, grinning triumphantly. "We have entered the toll road, we could get a ticket or cause an ident if we suddenly stop. That is dangerous."


    Candice growled and grumbled in an incoherent voice.


    "No problem, I''m fine," said Lexus as if he understood what Candice was saying.


    "You''re the problem!"


    ================


    "Where are you?" Ramon asked Hailee when he reached her on the phone after he was done dealing with the courtroom matters and his business with Leon.


    Ramon''s feelings were not good at the moment, the anger he had held back against Leon, was nowing to the surface and he felt like being near Hailee and listening to her chatter.


    "Are you done with your business?" asked Ramon. "Should I pick you up?"


    Hailee''s chuckle could be heard over the phone and just hearing that made Ramon feel much better. "Did you miss me that much?"


    "Hm," Ramon mumbled. "I miss you and can''t wait to see you."


    David, who was sitting in the front seat couldn''t help but sigh¡­ here we go again¡­


    Hailee''sughter sounded even more happy when she heard Ramon''s sweet words. "How much do you miss me?"


    "I''ll show you how much I miss you when you''re in front of me," Ramon said those words very smoothly, as if he had been flirting with women all his life.


    Even David suspected that the one in the back seat was Lexus Tordoff and not Ramon Tordoff.


    "I''ll be home soon, my business will be finished soon," Hailee replied. She smiled a little, blushing when she heard Ramon''s words, even now she was still not used to her husband. "We''ll meet at home, okay..."


    "I will wait for you at home then. Be careful on the road," said Ramon.


    "Hmm, you too." And the moment the line was finally disconnected, Hailee''s expression swiftly turned one hundred and eighty degrees when she saw Aileen sitting next to her.


    Aileen didn''t look like herself right now, because of her messy hair and her attire which was nothing but a cheap bathrobe, and underneath that bathrobe she only wore panties and her bra.


    This is indecent, but who cares?


    Everything Aileen had done to Hailee was beyond indecent. So what was wrong with letting Aileen taste the results of her own actions?


    She had to feel the same way, no, much worse than what Hailee had been through, to know how bad she was.


    "Is this it?" Pyro asked Hailee, he turned to the woman, then nced at Aileen, only there was no pity in his eyes.


    "Yes, here," Hailee replied after looking out the window of her car, which showed they were in the center of the city. It was a very busy location at this hour. "Get her out."


    Pyro and Barry immediately got out of the car and pulled Aileen out of there.


    Aileen''s semi-conscious and half-awake state made it easy for them to pull her out of the car, and every time Pyro touched her, Aileen would try to rub her body against Pyro''s or Barry''s, muttering something in Pyro''s ear or the other''s, which made the bodyguards shudder.


    "Touch me..."

 Chapter 358: GLAD YOU ARE HERE

    <h4>Chapter 358: GLAD YOU ARE HERE</h4>


    Lexus finally took Candice to a restaurant he frequented, which was very far from her own home address, which Candice finally told him.


    Lexus did purposely make the girl angry, even though he promised not to do it often because as soon as Candice knew where they were going, she bbered nonstop and wouldn''t give him a break, even until they got to this restaurant and ordered food.


    Lexus even admired how Candice could speak quickly in a low voice like a hiss so the people around them wouldn''t hear.


    "Are you crazy? You brought me to this ce?" Candice asked in her low, fierce tone. "What if a reporteres and takes a photo of the two of us together again? That would be a big problem!" she grumbled.


    She couldn''t help but pinch Lexus'' arm whenever the man didn''t give a response to her rhetorical questions.


    After all, how should Lexus answer such questions? Candice left him no choice but the answer she wanted to hear and otherwise one more pinch wouldnd on Lexus'' arm.


    As it turned out, this sweet girl was a bit brutal and rude¡­


    "Today I''m not drunk and there are several bodyguards who will be on guard, don''t worry, they are quite experienced in dealing with news hunters," Lexus replied.


    Candice was about to say something, but a waitress came with their food, so she restrained herself and fell silent. Soon the waiter put down all the food and left.


    They didn''te to any expensive five-star restaurant. This was just a simple diner that sold fresh seafood, caught directly from the sea.


    While on their left side was the sea with soothing waves crashing, which apanied the two of them having dinner.


    Actually, if only Lexus didn''t act as annoying as this, Candice would really enjoy having dinner at a ce like this. It was a shame that Lexus'' presence only spoiled her mood further.


    "Whatever you say, they''ll write that we''re on a date over dinner," Candice hissed again, leaning over to Lexus, but then she smelled the appetizing aroma of grilled crab and sighed for a moment. Her stomach growled, she was hungry too.


    "See, you''re hungry, right?" said Lexus with a grin when he heard the ''call''. "Eat this. It''s the best here in my opinion." Lexus then peeled the shrimp and put the meat into Candice''s bowl.


    Of course the girl didn''t refuse, but she didn''t stop grumbling either.


    "Hmm? Isn''t that Aileen?" Candice was just about to put the prawn meat that had been peeled by Lexus into her mouth when she saw someone very familiar to her on therge television screen behind Lexus. "Yes, it is Aileen! Oh my god¡­"


    Candice was not very close to the Tatum family, but of course she knew the Tatum sisters, maybe because of her initial dream to be a jewelry designer, she became a little jealous of the two sisters who own a diamondpany that was quite famous in their city.


    "Yes, it''s Aileen! How could she¡­" Candice trailed off and covered her mouth, but one could still hear her disbelieving mumble. "How can she be like that?"


    Curiosity then prompted Lexus to turn his head, see what Candice had actually witnessed that left her so surprised.


    However, once Lexus saw what had caught Candice''s attention, he couldn''t help but be surprised too, because on the screen, in the midst of the crowd, he could see Aileen, who was being hauled into the police car wearing an oversized police jacket that was only able to cover her up to half of her thighs.


    They didn''t know what happened to Aileen, but she didn''t seem aware that she was in such a critical condition, because the woman still had time tough and point at the camera that was documenting the incident with a smirk on her lips.


    Aileen looked drunk, but it was more like she was on a ''high''¡­ she was hopelessly oblivious to her surroundings¡­


    And the question still remained; why was she wearing a police jacket to cover her body? Not a momentter, as if answering Lexus and Candice''s unspoken question, in the news headlines, they could read that Aileen Tatum was walking around the city center wearing only her bra and panties.


    "Oh, my God¡­" Lexus muttered, looking nervously for his cell phone. He had to call his sister-inw. This is crazy¡­ "What has Hailee done¡­? This couldn''t have been her idea, could it?"


    Candice who heard that frowned. What did Hailee have to do with Aileen''s embarrassing situation? But then, she kept quiet and started to eavesdrop on the conversation between Lexus and Hailee.


    When Lexus called after seeing the news that was being reported in the media, Hailee was almost home. She was still in the car heading to the Tordoff residence.


    "Hailee, was that all your handiwork?" asked Lexus in a demanding tone. He wasn''t going to let Hailee go until he got the full news. "You did all that?"


    "Did what?" Hailee still didn''t understand what Lexus meant, her brows furrowed when suddenly bombarded with questions.


    "Don''t tell me you don''t know, the news has been on television and online." While talking to Hailee, Lexus also checked online news sites with Candice''s cell phone.


    "What?" Hailee was annoyed at not understanding her brother-inw.


    "Aileen," Lexus finally said impatiently.


    "Oh." And that was all Hailee''s response, as if it didn''te as a surprise to her.


    "Don''t ''oh'' me," Lexus grumbled irritably. "That''s you, isn''t it? Did you do it? Geez!" Lexus closed his eyes when they telecasted a photo that waspletely indecent, showing an almost naked Aileen, who was only wearing her underwear.


    Hailee did that on purpose to Aileen. Embarrassing her in public and not just in front of one wholemunity was a very severe punishment for her adopted sister.


    Aileen, who always wanted to appear superior, prettier, smarter and more perfect in front of people, now couldn''t look at them or meet eyes with anyone because of this shameful incident.


    Anyone would remember this incident and digital records would be very difficult to erase. You could say it was almost impossible to erase a digital track record.


    "You''re the one behind this, right? I didn''t think you coulde up with an idea like this¡­" Lexus was still speaking in disbelief, while Candice pulled her chair over to sit next to Lexus so she could hear their conversation more clearly. "How did youe up with such an idea?"


    "Why did you immediately guess that it was me? It could have been Ramon''s idea and I just carried on with it," Hailee argued when Lexus urged her.


    "No, Ramon would notmit such an immoral act," said Lexus. But, then he was silent for a moment. No. Ramon could do something like that, too. Lexus remembered what transpired with Axcel Dimatrio and how his older brother threatened the man with his perverted videos. Ugh!


    As it turned out, your life partner would indeed be a reflection of you and Hailee had really been influenced by Ramon''s bad qualities.


    "You''re saying I''m immoral?" Hailee''s voice turned cold as she said that.


    And Lexus hastily denied it. "No, of course not." Lexus then raised his thumb, as if Hailee could see it. "You''re so brilliant."


    Meanwhile, Candice rolled her eyes.


    "But, my dear sister-inw, after I saw what you did, if you have a problem with me, tell me directly, okay? Don''t set me up like this. You two are terrible," said Lexus.


    Hearing that, Haileeughed happily. Talking to Lexus could always lift her mood, although sometimes her brother-inw could be annoying.


    "Where are you? Have you had dinner?" asked Hailee, the car driven by Pyro had just entered the premises of the Tordoff residence.


    "Oh, I was having dinner¡­" but, then Lexus got another pinch from Candice, who shook her head really hard. "By myself."


    "It''s pathetic," Hailee reproached.


    After saying a few words, the call finally ended with Lexus promising to collect the full story tomorrow morning when they had breakfast.


    "Why don''t you want to talk to Hailee? Isn''t she your friend?" asked Lexus in confusion.


    "She''ll think we''re dating," Candice said.


    "What''s wrong with that?" And for an answer, Lexus got one more pinch on his arm.


    ================


    When Hailee''s car arrived, she saw Ramon waiting for her on the terrace wearing a homely outfit that looked veryfortable.


    Without thinking, Hailee immediately ran into her husband''s arms, impatient to hear Ramon''s day or tell him what had happened on her end.


    "You hungry?" asked Ramon.


    "I''m starving," Hailee replied as she rubbed her t stomach, although as she did so, she could feel the pain in her heart, which she tried to push away, not wanting to spoil the moment.


    "I''ve asked Martha to cook your favorite food," Ramon said softly as he kissed the top of Hailee''s head.


    However, when his eyesnded on Pyro, Ramon tensed his jaw, his sharp and cold eyes stared at Pyro and made the bodyguard stand ufortably in his ce.


    "Good evening, Mr. Tordoff," said Pyro awkwardly. He had a feeling that if Ramon was holding a gun, then he would shoot him straight away, continuing what he had stopped doing the other day.


    As expected, Ramon didn''t reply to his greeting.


    Seeing this situation, Hailee scowled and pulled Ramon''s face to look at her. "He works for me now."


    "I dont not rmend him," replied Ramon.


    Hailee rolled her eyes dramatically when she got that answer and immediately grabbed Ramon''s hand. "I am hungry."


    Meanwhile, David nudged Pyro''s shoulder. "d you''re here again."

 Chapter 359: YOU DONT WANT IT

    <h4>Chapter 359: YOU DON''T WANT IT</h4>


    "So this is what you wanted to do?" Ramon asked while feeding a piece of crab meat to Hailee.


    His wife forced him to praise her for thinking of such an excellent way of revenge against Aileen, and now she asked to be fed because she was too tired.


    Although the truth was; Hailee just wanted to be spoiled by Ramon.


    On the other hand, Ramon liked doing this and didn''t mind at all about feeding his wife, who was now enthusiastic about telling him what happened on her end all day.


    The two of them were on the balcony of the second floor, from where they could see the garden behind the Tordoff residence and also a golf course beyond the walls, which was still on the Tordoff family''s turf.


    "It isn''t over yet. I''m just getting started." Hailee chewed on the tender crabmeat and smiled at Ramon. "So, how was your day?"


    Ramon loved this serenity, after a tiring and emotionally draining day and, as he had expected, being with Hailee could make him much calmer.


    "The evidence we have is sufficient to lure Leon into jail, but he has strong support and insiders who wield great influence behind him, therefore, it will take us a little longer to get him behind the prison bars." Ramon exined to Hailee while opening the shell of the crab in front of him and separating the meat.


    "You weren''t nning on letting him go to prison that easily, were you?" Hailee could read Ramon''s intentions quite well, as she had been watching this man for a long time.


    After what Leon did to them, Ramon couldn''t possibly just avenge Leon''s moral conduct just by putting him behind bars.


    There would be something far more cruel that he had nned.


    Meanwhile, hearing Hailee''s statement, Ramon justughed softly and fed his wife again. "Just as you said, this is just the beginning."


    At this point, Hailee felt that she had been affected by Ramon''s bad temper, only that she didn''t regret it at all.


    Sometimes, a bad deed had to be repaid, otherwise people like Leon and Aileen, Giana and the others, wouldn''t know how it felt to experience that suffering.


    "Then, what are you going to do with Axcel?" Hailee asked, but her tone sounded slightly edgy when she bit out the name. It was like opening an old wound and this tensed up her facial expression a little.


    Ramon understood Hailee''s mood swings, as he felt the same way, but he could hide it more easily than his wife.


    Ramon then reached out his hand and wiped the sauce off the corner of Hailee''s lips with the back of his knuckle. "What do you want me to do to him?" Ramon asked.


    Oh, of course, other than Leon, Axcel was at the top of Ramon''s revenge list. Because he was the reason they lost their first child.


    The recording he saw on Axcel''s cell phone was still very clear in Ramon''s memory. The very footage of how he tortured his wife and hurt Hailee.


    One could clearly hear Hailee''s groaning in pain and her body bending to protect their baby.


    And after Axcel''s part in this trial was fulfilled, then it was the end for him¡­


    ================


    Giana gripped the rim of the closet as she spilled all the food she atest night onto it. The nauseous feeling she had felt since this morning hadpletely made her powerless to cover it up again.


    Her head spun while her body felt uneasy. ording to what Giana had read, this was morning sickness, and she got it pretty badly.


    Even getting out of bed took an unusual amount of effort. Giana needed to muster all her willpower to get out of bed and face the morning sun which was too hot for her.


    Not only that, she couldn''t eat certain foods that she usually liked very much anymore because it would trigger her nausea.


    And this change certainly didn''t go unnoticed by Dillon.


    He noticed that recently Giana looked pale and often vomited in the morning. At first this made him anxious, especially when Giana refused to go to the doctor and get herself checked.


    But then another possibility crossed Dillon''s mind when he observed Giana''s symptoms.


    Dillon certainly wasn''t so stupid as to not notice.


    "When was thest time you got your monthly period?" Dillon asked as he helped Giana up from the cold bathroom floor to their room.


    Dillon had asked someone to prepare a ss of warm water which he gave to Giana, to ease her nausea.


    "Giana?" Dillon called out her name because Giana didn''t respond. He then sat by Giana''s side and put his arm around her shoulder. "I''m sure it''s well past time, right?"


    Giana still didn''t answer. She then gulped down the warm water which felt cool on her throat and warmed her chest.


    "We have to get you checked," said Dillon. He looked confused but also eager to know if his conjecture was correct.


    "No need," said Giana. She then ced the empty ss on the table beside her bed. "I don''t have time. I have to go to the office soon, I still have a lot of things to do."


    Giana still hadn''t decided what to do with her pregnancy and of course she had to make a decision soon, considering that she wouldn''t be able to cover this up much longer.


    Or it could even be said that she could no longer deny Dillon''s suspicions. The man looked at her with probing eyes.


    "I know how important the office is, Giana," Dillon said in a calm tone, but from the way he looked at her, of course others would know there was a strong emotion welling up inside him. "I know for sure how much hassle that is."


    Compared to Giana, of course Dillon knew better, because he was the one who usually took care of everything and managed all matters rted to thepany.


    However, Giana chose to add to his work with unnecessary things such as defending Leon at trial.


    And even though Dillon had told her not to interfere, Giana, as usual, was too stubborn to listen to him and kept saying that Leon was a father figure to her, so she couldn''t possibly just ignore him.


    In the end, Dillon chose not to bring it up altogether because he didn''t want to fight with Giana.


    "We have to go to the hospital," Dillon said, this time his voice sounded much firmer.


    "No," said Giana, who then stood up to walk to her walk-in closet to change, but Dillon followed behind her.


    "Did you know about this?" asked Dillon. They were now inside Giana''s walk-in closet and the woman was changing to a more formal outfit.


    Just as Giana stripped down to her underwear, Dillon grabbed her arm and made her turn around. Now, the two of them were facing each other.


    "You got yourself checked?" Dillon asked. His eyes were fixed on Giana''s t stomach, but of course she must not have shown any changes, considering that Giana did have a slender build, so that couldn''t be used as a benchmark, especially if it was only in the early months. "Is my guess correct?"


    Giana then pushed Dillon''s hand away from her arm and distanced herself from the man. "I don''t understand what you''re expecting me to say," she said as she turned around and took a white shirt and a pair of matching pants.


    Dillon closed his eyes for a moment, trying to concentrate on what he was about to say and the words just came out.


    "You''re pregnant," Dillon said curtly. After saying that, he felt all kinds of feelings running through his mind.


    If only Giana hadn''t made it very clear that she didn''t want this to happen, then Dillon would certainly be the happiest man in the world.


    "Answer me," Dillon demanded a response from Giana. He then opened his eyes and found that Giana had stopped whatever she was doing.


    The white shirt that Giana was wearing was only half buttoned and the white pants she was going to wear were clutched in her right hand, while Giana''s shoulders were seen rising and falling rapidly, indicating that she was breathing heavily.


    "You''re pregnant." It''s not a question anymore, it''s a statement. From Giana''s reaction, he knew that what he said was true. "And you don''t want the child."


    Thatst sentence was like a dull knife being stabbed into Dillon''s chest, a fact that was difficult for him toprehend.


    Why didn''t Giana want it? What was wrong? Even if the timing wasn''t right, couldn''t the two of them be able to talk about this matter and make things better for their child?


    "Dillon listen," Giana finally said, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly before she turned around and faced the man.


    "I just want to hear your answer Giana," Dillon said, looking directly into Giana''s eyes with pleading eyes. "Do you want the baby?"


    Giana gritted her teeth when she heard that. "It''s not a matter of whether I want it or not..."


    Dillon quickly cut Giana''s sentence. "Of course the problem lies there. Do you want it or not?" Dillon''s voice quivered, as he held back the emotions welling up in his chest.


    "The timing isn''t right¡­ it''s not the right time¡­" Giana tried to find better words, but she couldn''t find any.


    "So you''re going to abort the baby?" The expression on Dillon''s face waspletely unreadable when he questioned her.

 Chapter 360: I WILL HANDLE THEM ALL

    <h4>Chapter 360: I WILL HANDLE THEM ALL</h4>


    "So you''re going to abort it?" Even before Dillon could stop himself, the sentence was blurted out just like that.


    Right now, Dillon''s facial expression waspletely unreadable while he waited for her reply. There was a desperation in the way he phrased his words, as if he could guess what Giana''s answer would be.


    Although the woman would not answer directly, but of course Dillon knew Giana too well, even in her silence, he knew what she was thinking and what reasons she woulde up with just to justify her actions.


    "The current situation won''t allow us to do this," Giana said with a choked voice. She turned her face away because she didn''t want to gaze at Dillon too long. She couldn''t bear to look into those eyes. "This situation is tooplicated."


    "So you''re going to abort it?" Dillon repeated the same question because he didn''t get a definite answer from Giana.


    "I already told you, didn''t I? That the current situation is tooplicated, for us to do this." Giana couldn''t even bring herself to say that she was pregnant and they couldn''t raise a child now.


    It seemed, the words ''pregnant'' and ''child'' sounded foreign to her ears and her tongue felt numb when she tried to say them.


    "So, you''re going to abort it?" This was the third time Dillon had asked this question, as Giana still refused to answer him directly.


    Every second that passed, Dillon felt like he was slicing his own wrist and letting the blood drip drop by drop. Killing himself slowly.


    He knew that Giana would avoid answering him because she wouldn''t be able to say it directly, but that way, Dillon would know what Giana was really thinking or what she really wanted if her morals let her.


    "I didn''t say I would abort it!" Giana eximed in annoyance. She clenched her jaw hard and balled her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white.


    Giana turned her body and faced Dillon with her stern eyes.


    "You said you wouldn''t abort it, but you didn''t say you would keep it either," Dillon said the main point in Giana''s sentence.


    "I don''t know what to do, okay!?" Giana became hysterical and her breathing got heavier. She felt like someone was strangling her neck now. Why didn''t the problem she had to deal with go away? Why was the problem only getting bigger and moreplicated?


    In fact, if only Giana had been willing to back down and let go of her obsession, things would have been much better for her.


    Too bad¡­ Giana held onto the obsession as if it was her life itself. It was as if her life depended on it and she couldn''t let go if she wanted to live.


    Like someone who was feeling thirsty and instead drank sea water, that was how Giana felt now¡­ she was also slowly killing herself by holding onto this endless obsession.


    "Tell me what you want. What makes you not want the child¡­ I will do everything in my power and make things a lot better for you." Dillon was still trying to keep his tone calm, even though a storm was raging inside him.


    Dillon then approached Giana and kissed her forehead, holding her hand.


    "We can go away from here until we wait for our child to be born. You choose where we''re going and I''ll take care of everything. You just need to focus on our child and I will take care of everything." Dillon reiterated every sentence, hoping Giana would take up the offer.


    "It''s not that easy," said Giana, trying not to flinch when Dillon touched her.


    "This matter is very simple if you only think about it simply." Dillon tightened his grip on Giana''s hand. "Please."


    Dillon pleaded with the woman in front of him who was carrying his child, hoping that Giana would understand him a little.


    "I''m still Aidan''s wife, the divorce isn''t over yet. The decision over our divorce was still being processed." Giana felt a little relieved because she found a more usible and strong reason to support her ims.


    "You and Aidan''s divorce won''t be a problem. It was only a matter of time." Dillon then ced his index finger under Giana''s chin, making her look up at him. "That''s not a problem. In the end, you and he will get a divorce and after that, we can go to a ce no one else knows about the two of us."


    Giana gritted her teeth. "What about thepany?"


    "I''ll take care of it." Dillon had always had an answer to Giana''s every problem, but the real issue was not with the problem, but with Giana herself. "You just need to focus on our baby and I''ll take care of everything for you."


    "Why will you be in charge of thepany? It''s mypany," Giana said in a cold voice. She looked too fierce when she answered Dillon, but that was only because she didn''t know how to dodge his probing anymore.


    And Dillon could see the reluctance in Giana''s eyes. She didn''t want the baby or himself.


    "Giana, be honest with me now." Dillon then distanced himself from the woman in front of him, he took a step back and studied Giana. "Have you ever thought about starting a family with me?"


    Silence.


    Giana couldn''t answer that, because she had never thought about it, nor had the thought crossed her mind, but she didn''t have the courage to lie either.


    Because, the way Dillon looked at her made her feel flustered. It was as if he was looking straight into the depths of her soul.


    "Is everything you said so far about our rtionship true?" asked Dillon again, his words sounding very calm, but also cold and stiff.


    "Of course." Giana answered like that because she was used to answering him that way.


    "Then follow my words this time."


    ================


    Just as Lexus promised Haileest night over the phone, he appeared in front of his brother''s house this morning to hear the full story about what happened to Aileen yesterday and how she ended up in that sorry state. Or what actually Hailee had been doing.


    There were so many questions that Lexus wanted to ask his sister-inw, but unfortunately, before he could even enter the house, Ramon was already standing at his doorstep while Hailee was about to escort him out.


    "Where are you going? Why are you leaving so early?" Lexus asked as he got out of the car, while Ramon was about to get in his car, preparing to leave.


    "I have business in M city," said Ramon.


    "Oh, be careful on the road then," Lexus said innocently as he waved his hand at his brother, but Ramon caught his hand and pulled him to go with him.


    "Hey, what''s this?" Lexus protested. He pulled himself free and ran behind Hailee to avoid his abusive brother.


    "You''re going to the office too, aren''t you? I''ll give you a ride." Ramon opened his car door, pointed inside, indicating Lexus to get in first.


    However, the gesture reminded Hailee of a trainer who was telling the animal he was training to enter the cage.


    "It''s still too early to go to the office," he grumbled. "After all, I have my own car. My car is also very good. There''s no need to hitch a ride in your car."


    "Isn''t the car still in my name?" Ramon narrowed his eyes at the sports car Lexus was driving, which was still in his name because Lexus was toozy to take care of the name change.


    After all, for Lexus, what belonged to Ramon belonged to him, and vice versa.


    "You already gave it to me, you can''t possibly take it back, can you?" Lexus scowled, he then went for Hailee''s hand to pull her into the house, impatient to gossip.


    Only, Ramon moved faster, he grabbed Lexus''s hand first and dragged him into the car instead.


    "No, no, no," Lexus protested again when his brother pulled him by force. "I still haven''t heard the story," he said.


    However, Ramon wouldn''t let Lexus just go and his grip on his brother''s arm only got stronger, like the tentacles of an octopus. No matter what Lexus did, he couldn''t free himself from his older brother.


    He grumbled, but didn''t dare curse right in front of Ramon.


    "I haven''t even had breakfast yet!" Lexus eximed.


    And those were thest words Hailee heard before Ramon closed the car door, muffling his brother''s voice.


    "I''ll leave first," Ramon said softly to Hailee. He kissed her forehead and lips.


    "Be careful on the road," Hailee replied in between their kisses.


    However, the sweet moment was interrupted again when Lexus got out of the car through the door on the other side. "I don''t want to go to the office right now."


    Hailee then distanced herself from Ramon andughed. "You have to take care of him first."


    Ramon sighed in annoyance when his moment with Hailee was interrupted, he then kissed Hailee''s lips briefly and immediately turned to look at Lexus.


    "Come in," he said curtly, but it was very effective at getting his brother to obey him.


    "Huhuhuhu¡­ my brother is so mean," Lexus whined as he felt he was being treated unfairly, but didn''t dare to go against Ramon, especially when he was being stared at like that. "I''ll be backter tonight."


    Lexus still hadn''t given up.


    **************


    meet me on instagram @jikan_yo_tomare and find my other stories.

 Chapter 361: DONT TOUCH THEM

    <h4>Chapter 361: DON''T TOUCH THEM</h4>


    On the other hand, Hailee could only shake her head at the antiques of the two brothers. Who would have thought that the two of them could be like that?


    Hailee felt lucky to be able to see another side of the Tordoff brothers.


    And five minutester, the car carrying Ramon and Lexus left the Tordoff residence, amid Lexus grumbling, while a driver took Lexus'' car to his office.


    After a smallmotion that morning, Hailee was nning to sort things out with Aileen, but then she found someone staring at her from a distance, and now she was walking closer.


    "Mother?" Hailee looked at Lis who was approaching her.


    This morning Lis came up to her to say that she was going somewhere to calm down and rethink her actions so far.


    Actually, to be honest, Hailee didn''t me Lis for this tragedy at all.


    Yes, Lis indeed had an illicit rtionship with Leon and even that rtionship had been going on for decades and the fact that Lexus was not a Tordoff was something that couldn''t be denied from thatplicated rtionship.


    However, Lis seemed to know nothing about Leon''s ns that fateful night.


    And even though Lis had done something that wasn''t exactly good, she couldn''t possibly harm her own children.


    Hailee could see the sincerity in Lis'' eyes when she asked herself to watch over Ramon and Lexus during her absence.


    Sadness radiated from every inch of her being, and Hailee couldn''t think of a single word to converse under such circumstances and conditions.


    Therefore, all she could do was listen to what Lis wanted to say.


    She didn''t know for how long Lis would be gone, because even Lis herself didn''t know about it. But for sure, after all the trouble here was over, Lis woulde back¡­


    Hailee knew that it was Ramon who had asked Lis to leave and not to interfere in this one matter.


    Even though it seemed rude and cold, Hailee understood that this was what was best for them. Lis wouldn''t want to see the man she loved being destroyed by her own child, so not knowing this at all was the best choice.


    ''I''m sorry.''


    Lis whispered those words as she hugged Hailee before she said goodbye to the girl.


    That one word ''sorry'' held so many meanings for Lis. That very one word couldn''t even describe how sorry she was for what had happened to Hailee and all the bad things she had to go through because of Leon.


    She also said one word of apology for forgiveness from her future grandson who had not been born into the world.


    No one knew about this, but Lis had even started buying baby clothes for her grandchild. Only, she had to save those tiny clothes for now because who knows when she would get a chance to take them out again¡­


    "We''re here," Pyro said, informing Hailee who had been daydreaming along the way.


    Now they have arrived at the police station, where they detained Aileen.


    Hailee''s previously bad mood got better after she thought about how Aileen''s misery wouldfort her after knowing what would happen to herter.


    "Let''s meet my adopted sister." Hailee then stepped out of the car with a light feeling.


    Indeed the journey to teach those who had hurt her a lesson would be long and tiring, and no matter how much Hailee or Ramon retaliated against, or how bad the revenge was, it would never be worth what they had been put through.


    ================


    Aidan was standing in front of a hospital door, behind which he knew was the one woman he loved, Zia.


    He had waited so long for this opportunity, to be able to meet Zia after thest incident that happened.


    Aidan had also repeatedly tried to contact Zia, only she didn''t seem to be holding her phone any longer. The number was inactive and could never be reached.


    Therefore, the only way to talk to Zia was to meet her face to face like this.


    It was just that, havinge this far and having gone through all sorts of trouble to get time out of his father''s strict watch, Aidan felt like a loser. He didn''t even have the courage to open the door and face Zia head-on.


    Aidan gripped the flowers in his hand tightly. His face looked very tense and his body was shaking.


    Luckily, from the past two days, Diego no longer ced any guards outside as he saw his daughter bing increasingly stable.


    Physically, Zia had indeed healed, but there were some invisible wounds that needed to be healed as well, that was the reason why Zia was still in this hospital.


    Aidan stared at the doorknob in his hand, he just had to push the door and finally meet the woman he had been missing for weeks.


    But¡­ where did all of Aidan''s courage go?


    It couldn''t go on like this.


    Then in a single breath, Aidan finally got the courage to push the door open.


    Immediately, he could hear someone''s voice humming softly. Zia''s voice. Of course Aidan immediately recognized the voice.


    But, as soon as Zia saw who had entered her room, her hum, which sounded calm and serene until then, stopped altogether.


    Zia and Aidan looked at each other, but the man couldn''t even tell what Zia was thinking. They just kept staring like that for a while until the awkwardness made Zia ignore the fact that Aidan hade, and started ying with her phone¡­


    Unbeknownst to Aidan, Zia was sending a short message to Ian asking him toe to the hospital and help her, because she was sure that she would not be able to drive Aidan out alone.


    ================


    On a pleasant morning like this, Ian, who had just returned from the Arena, was still asleep. This was his second day in the ring after the long vacation he took to look after Zia which continued with his sister''s rescue and then Hailee''s abduction.


    It felt like Ian''s quiet days in the Arena had long since disappeared as all chaos had erupted in his life after he met two mysterious people who ''requested'' him to do unreasonable things.


    A ''request'' that made him have to get involved in aplicated problem of the Tordoff family. This would have beenpletely unexpected had Ian not experienced it himself.


    It was just that, when Ian was about to rest, his cell phone suddenly beeped, indicating an iing message.


    Actually, Ian wanted to ignore the message, but then his cell phone rang non stop, it seemed that whoever was trying to reach him now had very important business with him that forced Ian to pick up the call.


    Therefore, with eyes still sleepy, Ian picked it up, but the call was cut off as soon as he said the word ''hello.''


    Since the phone was already in his hands, Ian opened the message he had previously received.


    And the message came from Zia. The girl asked him toe to the hospital right now¡­


    ================


    Hailee met Diego in front of the interrogation room. Even though her uncle was from the military, he still had some connections within the police force.


    "Is everything going smoothly?" Hailee asked Diego.


    This was the first time they had met after Hailee''s kidnapping incident which resulted in her miscarriage, therefore, before discussing the crux of the matter, Diego asked Hailee''s condition and made sure that she was okay.


    "Of course," Diego replied, now feeling much better after seeing with his own eyes that Hailee was back to health. "If you need anything else, tell me and I''ll make it happen."


    "For now, this is all I need," Hailee replied with a smile. "Will the transfer take ce now?"


    Diego nodded.


    "Can I meet her first?" Hailee asked.


    "Of course, she''s in there," Diego replied, then opened the door to the interrogation room for Hailee.


    Inside the small room, Aileen sat silently, lost in thought, while her hands and feet were cuffed to the chair she was sitting on.


    However, as soon as Aileen saw Hailee, her eyes immediately became very fierce, as if there was a fire of hatred burning in their depths.


    "YOU!" Aileen screamed angrily.


    Seeing Aileen''s overly agitated reaction, of course Hailee became even more excited to ''talk'' to her.


    "Yes, me," Hailee replied with a triumphant smile on her lips, knowing that this would only drive Aileen crazy with anger and annoyance.


    ================


    Lis was waiting for her ne to depart when someone came and sat beside her.


    "Where are you going?" Leon asked in his hoarse voice. He covered his face with a hat and mask. "I need to talk to you for a moment."


    Leon couldn''t possibly follow Lis out of the country, because he had an obligation to report every day and was prohibited from traveling, therefore, this was Leon''s only chance to talk to Lis, before they parted.


    Then, without hearing Lis'' answer, Leon immediately pulled the woman''s hand to an area where there were not too many people, where they could talk more freely.


    "Where are you going? Is it Ramon who wants to send you away?" asked Leon impatiently. He immediately came to this airport after hearing the news of Lis'' departure this morning. "Or did¡­"


    But, before Leon could finish his words, Lis had raised her hand and swung it very hard across the cheek of the man in front of her.


    The p was so hard that Lis felt her hand turn numb, then hot.


    However, the pain she felt now, both in her hand and heart, was not at allparable to what Lis felt every time she remembered that Hailee and Ramon had lost their first child because of Leon.


    "How dare you harm my son!" Lis hissed fiercely while the look in her eyes turned intense as she stared at the man in front of her. "I told you not to touch them!"

 Chapter 362: I HOPE YOU LIKE IT

    <h4>Chapter 362: I HOPE YOU LIKE IT</h4>


    "I told you not to touch them!" Lis clenched her jaw as she rebuked him. Her voice sounded more like someone who was hissing. Her eyes burned with fury. The same was evident from how she tried to ward off Leon''s hand that held onto hers tightly. "Do not touch me."


    Lis didn''t want to be caught on camera with Leon. She didn''t want to cause anymore trouble for her sons, but also didn''t want to provoke Leon, because she knew how unpredictably the man in front of her could act.


    Leon might make this issue public if necessary and Lis didn''t want that to happen.


    This man was crazy if he thought Lis would still want to be with him after what he had done to Ramon and Hailee.


    "Where are you going?!" Leon eximed. He tried to stop Lis from leaving and to calm her down, but in vain, because he saw the determination in her eyes. Lis didn''t want to have anything to do with him anymore. "Was it Lucas'' son who wanted to send you away? He''s the one who forced you to leave this country, right?"


    Liz narrowed her eyes. "You''re still ming Ramon? Are you targeting him?"


    "Everything that happened was his fault," Leon argued. His grip on Lis''s arm tightened as he looked at her intently. "You don''t have to go anywhere. You will being with me. You don''t have to worry about Lucas'' son."


    "What are you going to do to him?" Liz asked. She looked at Leon suspiciously. "You won''t fight him, Leon¡­" she could even see that herself.


    How Ramon had a look of determination, just like the look in his father''s eyes. Ramon looked so scary when he was like that.


    "I will fight Lis, and I will get Lexus back." It sounded like a promise to Lis'' ears. It was as if Leon would dedicate his entire life to achieving that goal.


    And nothing was more terrifying than a man who was determined to do something.


    "You won''t get anyone back." Lis shook her head when she saw Leon''s madness. "Don''t you realize now that Lexus doesn''t at all like the fact that you''re his father."


    Leonughed at this and Lis felt like she didn''t want to talk to the man in front of her anymore.


    What Leon had done to Ramon and Hailee was far more hurtful to her as a mother, than having to leave the man she loved as a woman.


    Lis didn''t understand what made Leon so ambitious to bring down Ramon.


    Many a time, they had discussed her n of introducing Leon to Lexus slowly and tell their son what actually had happened, to make him understand. Things then would have gone much more calmly than the path Leon had chosen.


    "I don''t have anything to tell you," Lis said quietly, then stepped away from Leon and this time he didn''t stop her anymore.


    "I''ll look for you Liz. I will look for you with our child and then, you will realize that your judgment all this time was inurate."


    Lis didn''t turn her head when she heard Leon''s final words, she didn''t turn her head because she didn''t want him to see her cry, because after all, Leon was the man who her heart was filled with...


    And it''s so hard to walk away from the man you actually still love...


    ================


    Ian came just as Aidan was trying to make Zia listen by holding her hand tightly.


    "Do not touch me!" Zia shrieked, trying to press the emergency button, but Aidan held her hand, locking it in ce so she wouldn''t move around recklessly.


    Aidan didn''t understand why Zia was still in the hospital even though she looked fine. Her wound was healed now.


    However, he thought there might be a wound he didn''t see. And of course there was another wound, but it was in Zia''s heart.


    Zia didn''t expect that Aidan would onlye to see her after a few weeks had passed.


    How could Aidan meet her after so long? And even if Zia didn''t have her cell phone, she was very sure that Aidan could find her whereabouts easily.


    Just like now...


    But, he only came to see her after quite some time had passed? What if something happened to Zia? What if she died trying to kill herself? And what if the Tordoff and Dawson family troubles and the rumors behind Lexus Tordoff''s dating life didn''t push the scandal involving herself and Aidan out of limelight?


    And this man only met her now?


    Zia wanted tough hysterically at the thought of her pitiful self, especially when she heard Aidan''s excuse.


    "I have a lot of things to take care of. Please understand Zia," Aidan said with his voice sounding tired, as if he had just been through all the troubles in the world.


    "And I''m not your priority, am I?" asked Zia fiercely. She couldn''t ept this.


    Zia wondered, even if they were together, would she have to spend her life understanding Aidan endlessly?


    In the past, she wasn''t a priority because Aidan married Giana, and now she was not a priority because of his hectic work?


    "Zia don''t say that, you know very well what I mean," Aidan pleaded with Zia, he could see the cold eyes of the woman in front of him.


    And just at that moment someone opened the door, it was Ian.


    It was very clear that the message Zia sent and the short call she made had woken the man up. He looked like a mummy who just woke up from his coffin¡­


    "What are you doing here?" Ian inquired, without saying much. "Get out of this room."


    Ian''s mood was not good, his head felt dizzy by the time he came to this hospital and it hurt even more when he saw Aidan trying to calm Zia by holding her hand.


    Wait¡­


    Ian didn''t notice this before, but then his eyes fell on Aidan''s hand which was holding Zia''s hand tightly, locking it in ce.


    "Let her go," Ian growled.


    He took long strides toward Aidan and Zia, then grabbed Aidan by the cor with a savage expression, the same expression he had when he was about to beat up his opponentst night.


    "Get your dirty hands off me," Aidan growled. He couldn''t digest being treated like that. And thus, he couldn''t help but let go of Zia''s hand.


    Meanwhile, Zia looked panicked as she feared that the two of them would start fighting. The two of them could get into trouble if that happened.


    "Oh no, until you walk out of this room, I won''t let you go," Ian said in a voice that was calm, but also dangerous.


    "Don''t try to be crazy with me," Aidan said calmly, then in one smooth motion, he pulled himself away from Ian.


    But, on the other hand, instead of approaching Aidan, Ian took out his cellphone and started recording the man.


    "Okay, stay as much as you want, and let''s see what kind of trouble you''ll get yourself in if the public finds out." Ian shoved his phone in Aidan''s face. "You must be finally free. You visited Zia after a long time."


    Those words not only pierced Zia''s heart, but also made Aidan clench his fists in anger.


    "Leave Mr. Smith, you''re not wee here," Ian said. He looked at Aidan fiercely.


    "I''lle backter," Aidan said to Zia, and then walked out of the room. But then he heard Ian say; do note back again just before he closed the door.


    "Thank you Ian," Zia mumbled, but then she saw Ian raise his hand nonchntly, then stride toward the sofa located in the middle of the room.


    "Thank meter, let me sleep for a while," said Ian in a sleepy voice. "I need sleep," he mumbled, then plopped down on it.


    "Sorry I disturbed your sleep," Zia felt bad, but then she realized that Ian was asleep and wasn''t listening to her words.


    Huh? That fast?


    ================


    "What did youe here for!?" Aileen screamed right in front of Hailee. She was thest person she wanted to see.


    Aileen didn''t expect Hailee to make her do such a shameful act. When her consciousness finally returned and she was able to think more clearly, Aileen realized what had happened and became hysterical. She had been screaming all night cursing Hailee and needed someone to inject a sedative to stop her acting like that.


    Not only that, Aileen even acted like a crazy person after that, because she couldn''t ept the reality that was in front of her eyes.


    "Didn''t I tell you I''d take you somewhere interesting?" Hailee crossed her arms in front of her chest and smiled very sweetly, a smile that she knew could make Aileen even crazier because of the hatred she felt toward her. "You don''t think this is that special ce, do you?"


    Aileen went berserk again and there were two officers who finally came in to secure her and asked Hailee toe out, because they didn''t want anything bad to happen to her.


    They both knew who Hailee was, besides being the wife of Ramon Tordoff, she was also the niece of Diego Tatum, who was a big name in the military.


    "Okay then," Hailee got up from her seat, but her eyes were still on Aileen, who was screaming hysterically.


    Only when Aileen stopped screaming did Hailee say herst words before she left the room.


    "Don''t worry, we''ll meet again at the special ce I mentioned to you," Hailee said, waving her hand. "I hope you will like it."

 Chapter 363: TRAUMA

    <h4>Chapter 363: TRAUMA</h4>


    Of course, Hailee wouldn''t let Aileen go to that ''special'' ce alone. Like the good sister she was, she followed the car that took Aileen to the predetermined ce and even apanied her until she was settled inside.


    However, it seemed that Hailee''s good intentions were not warmly weed by Aileen, instead of thanking her, she cursed and raged hysterically when she found out where Hailee had taken her.


    "F*ck you Hailee! F*ck you Hailee! I hope you will die!" Aileen screamed over and over and couldn''t count the words she used to curse Hailee.


    Not only that, some of the people around were forced to calm Aileen down while Pyro and Barry stood guard in front of her, just in case Aileen did other crazy things.


    It was only after a sedative was injected into her system that Aileen stopped screaming and seemed a lot calmer. But she had not lost consciousness because of it and was still able tomunicate.


    Only then did Hailee approach her and whisper to her. "What do you think? Do you like this ce?"


    "F*ck you, Hailee," Aileen said weakly. "I''m not crazy¡­"


    They were now in a small room, even smaller than the room Aileen had rented in the slums until the other day.


    And now Aileeny on her narrow bed, white and slightly dull, with a pair of doctor and nurse ready to monitor her condition for twenty-four hours.


    "Right," Hailee agreed. "You''re not crazy now, butter you won''t even be able to realize whether you''re actually sane or not," Hailee whispered into Aileen''s ear again.


    Of course the mental hospital that Hailee had chosen was not an elite mental hospital that had facilities like a five-star hotel with extraordinary services.


    Oh, that was too good for Aileen. Hailee didn''t want to waste her money on such useless things.


    The mental hospital that Hailee admitted Aileen in now was a hospital where even a sane person would go crazy over it.


    And this was where Aileen was going to spend the rest of her life...


    "How can¡­ how can you do this?" Aileen asked, her breath bing shallow as she felt her body begin to sumb to the effects of the sedative.


    "Of course I can¡­ you don''t know who''s behind me to support me?" Hailee asked, a triumphant smile etched on her lips. Oh, she really enjoyed moments like this. "Don''t worry, I didn''t let you go to jail, did I? You should be thanking me for doing this for you¡­"


    "You''re crazy..." Aileen said weakly, if she could raise her hand, she would happily p Hailee or grab her hair.


    "Me? Crazy?" Hailee widened her eyes with a scornful expression, but then sheughed softly. "Says someone who has to stay in a mental hospital."


    After saying that, Hailee stood up and was about to leave, but then she seemed to have forgotten to say something to Aileen, she leisurely returned to her adopted sister''s bedside.


    "I really don''t want to say this, but you better know it beforehand so you can prepare yourself properly." Hailee then bent down and whispered to Aileen so she could hear herself clearly. "To avoid patients running away easily and can be quickly distinguished from others, they shave off the patients'' heads. Well, maybe that way, they can take care of you more easily too¡­"


    Hearing this, Aileen caught her breath and looked at Hailee fiercely, but not a single word came out of her lips, because she couldn''t put a single curse together in the midst of her shock.


    Aileen always liked her long hair and never even cut it short, and now Hailee was telling her they were going to shave it off?!


    "Hailee¡­" Aileen meant to growl, but all that came out of her lips was a weak whisper.


    "Okay, if you have nothing more to say, I''ll be going." Hailee then stood up and waved her hand at Aileen. "Bye. I will visit you when I have free time."


    Thest thing Hailee noted about her adopted sister was the look in her eyes which implied she couldn''t wait to kill her, but that was just a wish and Aileen could live with her hatred and envy forever in this ce.


    Aileen would enjoy it¡­


    ================


    "You want me to do that?" Ian asked. He didn''t expect that today would turn into a day he couldn''t sleep well.


    It was not just Zia who asked for his help to get rid of her crazy billionaire ex-lover this morning, but just as he was about to go back to sleep, Ian actually received a call from Ramon asking him toe see him.


    What was really going on with these people? Couldn''t they just let him sleep and get some rest before his game tonight?


    "Yes, you can coordinate with Marco," said Ramon.


    Now Ian was in Ramon''s study and listening to his crazy idea.? When he didn''t even want to be involved at all in the feuds of the rich families of City A.


    "Wait a minute, I didn''t say I agreed with your crazy idea, I didn''t even say I wanted to get involved in this." Ian raised his hand, asking Ramon to pause and give him some time. "I don''t want to get involved in this," Ian said finally, affirming.


    "You have no choice, you were involved from the start." Ramon then leaned his back against the back of his swivel chair. "Didn''t I save your sister? This is your return favor to me."


    Ian opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but he seemed to be at a loss for words when he heard Ramon''s shameless statement.


    How could someone talk about returning a favor like a loan shark collecting debts? Wasn''t that what Ramon was doing now?


    "You really are shameless, you took advantage of me," Ian said in disbelief. "I think the rtionship between us has improved."


    Ramon frowned. "It''s only in your mind," he said.


    Ian really didn''t know how to talk to Ramon Tordoff. Were they both using differentnguages?


    "Okay, I''ll do it. You have to pay me a fortune to do this crazy thing Ramon," Ian grumbled.


    "Just tell me the number," replied Ramon as if he didn''t care and this only annoyed Ian further.


    He promised to write endless Zeros. He would just drain the entire wealth of the rich man in front of him at once.


    "You are really making me do this dirty work, especially to a woman." This was another reason why Ian was reluctant to do so.


    "Yes, and this woman is the woman who has hurt my woman," Ramon said, deliberately emphasizing the phrase ''my woman'' in his sentence.


    "You are using me because you want to appear as a gentleman because you didn''t want to retaliate against a woman?" Ian sneered. "You really can''t be trusted."


    "This has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that she''s a woman or not, even if she doesn''t have a gender, as long as she hurts my wife, I''ll still repay her in other ways." Ramon shrugged his shoulders and looked at Ian, as if the man before him was too stupid to understand this. "And I''m not trying to be a gentleman here, I''m just going to act like that in front of my wife."


    "Alright, alright¡­" Ian was really tired of continuing this debate. He raised his hand, indicating that he no longer wanted to hear Ramon say ''my wife'', or ''my woman'', it was annoying.


    "Report the progress to Marco." And of course Marco would tell himself, but Ramon didn''t want to be in direct contact with Ian.


    Ian realized this, so he angrily replied, "I''ll contact Hailee to let her know how things are going."


    "Oh, of course¡­ call my wife and you''ll lose your job," said Ramon. "You know exactly what I can do." This was a serious warning from Ramon.


    "Alright, alright." And Ian could only grumble and curse as he walked out of the man''s study. It sucked to have to deal with Ramon Tordoff. How could Hailee put up with that guy''s attitude?


    ================


    Since Hailee''s business with Aileen was over and she had free time until Ramon came home, she thought ofing to his office instead of having to wait for Ramon at home alone without doing anything.


    Therefore, she came to Tordoff''spany building with cakes and soft drinks for herself to drink with Ramon.


    Only, when Hailee had to take the elevator, she felt that feeling again. Her breath hitched as her heart ached at the thought of her having to be in there.


    But how could she get to Ramon''s study without taking the elevator? Moreover, Ramon''s office was on the higher floor of this building.


    She would spend a lot of time doing that.


    Hailee closed her eyes and caught her breath.


    It''s fine. I will be fine¡­


    Hailee repeated the sentence silently.


    "Could you hold it please." Hailee gave the snacks she brought to Pyro, and then hugged her body when the elevator started moving.


    Hailee could feel her breath hitching and she was having a hard time concentrating as the elevator doors began to close.


    "Mrs. Tordoff, are you all right?" Barry asked when he saw the change in Hailee''s face. He then looked at Pyro, who had already noticed this.


    Of course, Pyro knew why Hailee was acting like that. This small and confined ce made Hailee think back to what happened.


    And it seemed Mr. Tordoff was not aware of this yet.


    Pyro would find the right time to tell him thister¡­

 Chapter 364: I LOVE YOU, HAILEE

    <h4>Chapter 364: I LOVE YOU, HAILEE</h4>


    Hailee took a moment topose herself before she walked into Ramon''s office and surprised her husband with her arrival.


    Meanwhile, Ramon''s secretary, who was not far away, could only stare at theirdy boss, Mrs. Tordoff confused because she looked very pale and was even shaking a little.


    "Mrs. Tordoff, should I call a doctor? Or do you need a drink?" Pyro asked, daring to ask Hailee who was still silent at the door.


    However, Hailee waved her hand. "No need, I''m better." She threw a faint smile at the bodyguard and then stepped into the room.


    Once Hailee was inside the room, her eyes fell on Ramon who had his eyes closed as he leaned against the back of the chair.


    Ramon wasn''t the type to fall asleep too soundly, so when Hailee walked into the room and he didn''t notice, Hailee concluded that Ramon wasn''t having his usual, light nap.


    And the same was evident from how tired he looked...


    Cautiously, Hailee closed the door of the room and walked toward Ramon''s chair. Even then, her husband had not opened his eyes.


    Hailee then put down the snacks she brought quietly, lest Ramon woke up. She was grateful that she had not knocked on the door before entering.


    Hailee then circled the table and knelt beside Ramon, staring at her husband''s sleeping face. Even when he was sleeping, the space between his eyebrows was knotted. What exactly was Ramon thinking right now that he couldn''t even sleep peacefully?


    Slowly, Hailee grabbed Ramon''s big and warm hand andnded a soft kiss on the back of his hand, only then did Ramon wake up¡­


    He groaned softly while rubbing his eyes and when he found Hailee by his side, kneeling beside his chair, a smile broke out on Ramon''s lips.


    "What are you doing there?" Ramon then extended his hand, whereupon Hailee greeted him with a smile back at him. "Did you wait long?"


    Ramon pulled Hailee to sit on hisp and the woman leaned on his shoulder. It felt good to have this woman close to him.


    "No, I just arrived and saw you were asleep," Hailee admitted. "You should sleep in the bedroom."


    Hailee remembered that Ramon had a room inside his office, where he could rest on a soft bed.


    "No, it looks like I just fell asleep for a bit." Ramon then kissed Hailee''s forehead. "What brought you here all of a sudden?"


    Hailee then lifted her head and kissed Ramon''s lips gently. She then blinked her eyes as she said, "I missed you."


    "Really?" Ramon raised his eyebrows, he followed this game his wife often yed; teasing him.


    Ramon liked it whenever Hailee teased him and made what she wanted very clear, because Ramon''s life was already full of puzzles and intrigue, he didn''t need the same from his wife.


    "Hm," Hailee mumbled as she traced Ramon''s strong jaw with her lips and smiled when she noticed Ramon''s breath hitched.


    "How much do you miss me?" Ramon asked, his voice deepening and sounding like an affectionate whisper.


    "Can''t exin in words¡­" Hailee replied.


    "I''m not sure about that," Ramon mumbled, then he quickly stood up with his hands under Hailee''s back and behind her legs. Ramon lifted Hailee''s body with ease. "I can''t believe it until I prove it myself."


    Haileeughed when she heard what Ramon said. "How are you going to prove it?" Hailee asked as she wrapped her arms around Ramon''s neck, allowing him to carry her into the room inside the office.


    "I have several ways to prove it, honey¡­" Ramon then let Hailee open the door and kicked it shut after he walked them inside. "And I''m sure you''ll like all of them."


    "I came here to bring you an afternoon snack," Hailee said betweenughs as Ramon lowered her onto the bed.


    "Thanks for bringing you," said Ramon, grinning triumphantly.


    "I''m not a snack," Hailee grumbled, she tried to put on a fierce front, but failed to frighten Ramon. On the contrary, he seemed to enjoy it even more.


    "Is it? Then why do you taste sweet?" Ramon then kissed Hailee''s lips, biting her lightly. "I love this taste."


    "Ramon!"


    ================


    "What are you doing here again?!" Candice hissed fiercely at Lexus when she saw the man standing beside her car as she headed home from work.


    Lexus smirked when he saw Candice''s annoyed face. "There were a lot of reporters around here, so I was just being kind by kicking them out," Lexus replied with an innocent face, then he stretched out his hand.


    "They came because you were here," Candice grumbled. She felt like kicking the man in front of her who was pretending to be innocent. It was very unlikely that Lexus would not even understand such a simple? concept. "Stop bothering me and they''ll also stoping here."


    "I''m just helping, what''s wrong with that?" Lexus asked with an innocent face.


    Candice took a deep breath. Lexus was like a queen bee. Regardless of where he went, the reporters would automatically flock to him.


    However, Candice didn''t want to spend her time exining what Lexus could have known by himself.


    "If you have so much free time, why don''t you spend it taking care of yourpany? Stop following me around," Candice grumbled.


    "Oh, don''t worry, Tordoff''spany won''t copse just because I get home from work early." But, when Lexus saw Candice widen her eyes fiercely, he swiftly added, "I don''t mean to be arrogant," he said.


    Candice furrowed her brows, dealing with this strange and annoying man was really hurting her head. "Then, what do you mean by that?" Candice then nodded toward Lexus'' hand that was still outstretched in front of her.


    "Where are your car keys?" Lexus answered with a question of his own. "I''ll take you home," Lexus dered confidently.


    "Did I ask you to?" Candice narrowed her eyes dangerously, as if Lexus was a creature that had to be exterminated immediately because he was being aplete eyesore to her.


    "No, I volunteered," Lexus said shamelessly, then waved his hand, indicating for Candice to give him her car keys so they could get out of there quickly. "Now where are your car keys," Lexus returned to ask for the car keys.


    "Did I ever say that you could drive my car?" Candice was getting annoyed with Lexus'' brazen behavior.


    "Then, do you want to ride in mine?" Lexus offered. He himself did not know what possessed him to act like this.


    Maybe it was because of the pressure and stress that Lexus tried to endure and suppress because the cases involving his family were getting so much attention from the media until he needed a means to channel his frustrations.


    But, unlike most people, this was how Lexus would channel a prolonged sense of stress. He would turn into a very ignorant and a little reckless, only to make those around him feel the same frustration that he was feeling by his actions.


    And Lexus couldn''t bully Hailee as that woman had her own share of problems to deal with. There was no way Lexus could add to her frustration, because that would also mean he was looking for trouble with Ramon, therefore, Lexus came to Candice.


    Seeing the girl''s frustrated face made him feel better.


    "You''re crazy," Candice hissed, she then tried to push Lexus out of her way, but too bad Candice didn''t have enough strength to get him to move from there.


    "Come on, let me take you home," said Lexus, coaxing him. "If we stay here you will be the talk of your office." Lexus then nodded behind Candice, where she could see several of her colleagues that stumbled on the incident. Some even started recording them. They were now being openly watched from a distance.


    "And whose fault is that?" Candice growled. She red at Lexus fiercely, but the man waspletely unfazed.


    It took more than a fierce re to make this Tordoff man feel intimidated.


    "I won''t me you," said Lexus, smiling sweetly.


    "Of course, you can''t me me when it''s your fault!" Candice screamed in frustration, but then she realized it was not right for her to get emotional. Then in a tired voice she spoke again, "What do you really want from me Lexus?"


    Candice couldn''t believe that Lexus was so kind enough to take her home without wanting anything from her.


    "I don''t want anything from you, I already have everything." Lexusughed when he saw Candice ring fiercely at him. "But, I''m in need of a friend to chat with. Apany me, okay?"


    "You will leave after that?"


    "I''ll take you home after that."


    Candice growled in annoyance, then she gave her car keys to Lexus. "I don''t want to eat seafood anymore."


    ================


    Hailee woke a few hourster to find Ramon still asleep while hugging her. His face was so close to hers that she could see the dark circles under his eyes.


    The past few days must have taken a toll on Ramon.


    It was a tough period for both of them and Lexus, although each of them acted like they were fine and could handle everything, but that didn''t mean it could make them forget what happened.


    They have their own way of dealing with and coping with this problem.


    Slowly, Hailee reached out and gently stroked Ramon''s face and ran her fingers over Ramon''s slightly swollen lips, this sight brought a sweet smile to Hailee''s lips.


    Ramon sensed that Hailee had woken up, but because of his sleepiness, he still didn''t really wake up and muttered while tightening his arms around his wife''s body.


    "I love you Hailee," Ramon murmured, his eyes still closed.

 Chapter 365: I HAVE RIGHT TO THE BABY

    <h4>Chapter 365: I HAVE RIGHT TO THE BABY</h4>


    Giana found herself at a bar, facing her second ss which she downed in the next moment guiltlessly.


    No, actually the guilt was eating away at her like insects swarming a carcass.


    Giana didn''t mean to hurt herself nor did she do this on purpose considering that her body wasn''t just hers now.


    However, she needed this alcohol to escape the emotional overdrive she was suffocating from. Pain, frustration, hopelessness and various kinds of feelings were raging in her mind. She just wanted to forget all that for a moment.


    She used to have Dillon, who would listen to all herints. Before, Giana could do whatever she wanted, because she knew Dillon would be there for her. But now, she couldn''t do that.


    Because Dillon was the new source of trouble in her life¡­


    Dillon wanted this child, but Giana didn''t. She still hadn''t decided what to do with her pregnancy and every time she was around Dillon and with the way he was treating her, she felt cornered. She couldn''t even breathe properly.


    All the attention Dillon giving to Giana was too much for her and she couldn''t even express how she felt.


    Especially when Dillon had been talking about selecting a name as well as everything to do with their baby''s future.


    Not only that, Dillon also took over most of the work, leaving Giana with a lot of freetime on her hands.


    Dillon didn''t want Giana to be too tired because it wasn''t good for her during the early months of pregnancy.


    Giana''s phone vibrated again just as she asked the bartender to refill her ss, and Giana didn''t even have to look at her phone to know who was calling her.


    "Why don''t you pick up your phone call?" A young man, who suddenly approached Giana, asked her. He then sat down next to the woman and ordered a drink.


    Giana didn''t respond to the man''s question and took another sip of her drink.


    "You don''t seem in a good mood," the man said again, trying to start a conversation with Giana.


    But, sadly, his efforts didn''t produce the results he wanted because in the next second, Giana got off the barstool and walked elsewhere.


    She didn''t want to be disturbed.


    Seeing this, the man could only click his tongue and watch Giana''s wobbly movements which seemed to indicate that she had been affected by alcohol...


    ================


    Hailee was watching Ramon who was changing clothes from the bed. Her hair still looked tousled while her eyes were still droopy, but the scene in front of her was too good to miss.


    After Ramon finished putting on his clothes, he walked over to Hailee and handed his wife a dark blue tie, silently asking her to put it on for him.


    "Ah, I don''t like it," Hailee grumbled as she hung the tie around Ramon''s neck.


    "Hmm?" Ramon raised his eyebrows. "What don''t you like?" he asked curiously. It was very rare for Hailee to say something like this, especially with a frowning expression on her face.


    "I don''t like the clothes you''re wearing," Hailee said with a pout. Now, she was proficient in tying Ramon''s tie. She was done with it in less than two minutes.


    "You don''t like this dress?" Ramon was sure that he had worn this outfit before and Hailee didn''t protest at all, so what was different this time?


    "Yeah, I don''t like it," Hailee replied, spoiled. She then wrapped her arms around Ramon''s neck and lifted her head so that she could see Ramon more clearly.


    "What don''t you like, beautiful?" Ramon asked as he hugged Hailee''s slender waist. He lowered his head so he could kiss her forehead. Ramon always liked how his wife looked in the morning, and how Hailee looked at him with sleepy eyes and messy hair. "Should I change into another one?"


    Ramon had absolutely no problem with changing his clothes if Hailee wasn''t happy, if necessary, he wouldn''t wear those clothes again.


    "I don''t like the fabric, I don''t like the color, I don''t like the size," Hailee then said a series of nonsensical words, which made Ramon frown, because it sounded like a far-fetched excuse.


    "Then which clothes do you want me to wear?" Ramon asked patiently after listening to Hailee''s ranting. He couldn''t see if she was joking, teasing him like usual or if she was serious when she said that.


    And a smile appeared on Hailee''s lips when she heard Ramon''s question, which she had been waiting for. Hailee then tiptoed and grabbed Ramon''s neck so he could lean closer to her. "I prefer it if you don''t wear anything," Hailee whispered into Ramon''s ear and kissed his neck.


    As expected, his wife was really naughty¡­


    "I don''t mind wearing nothing to work if that''s what makes you happy," Ramon whispered into Hailee''s ear and kissed her neck. "Do you mind if other women see my body?"


    Hearing that, Hailee scowled. "Try it if you dare to do that."


    Ramonughed at Hailee''s facial expression. "Didn''t you want that Mrs. Tordoff? I will do anything to make you happy."


    Hailee thought about thatst sentence a little more seriously. "Really?"


    "Is there something you want?" Ramon asked immediately.


    "You," Hailee replied briefly, and as soon as the answer left her lips, Ramon pushed Hailee''s body onto the bed.


    "With pleasure," Ramon said in his hoarse and dangerous voice, but Hailee raised both her hands, asking Ramon to stop. "What?"


    "No, that''s not what I meant," Hailee said quickly. "Why is your mind so dirty?" she grumbled.


    And thatst sentence made Ramon groan in annoyance. Hadn''t Hailee been the one with dirty thoughts all this time?


    Well, they both could be said to hold the same record¡­


    "Then what do you want?"


    ================


    "I prefer to continue our previous activities," Ramon grumbled when he found out where Hailee intended to take him.


    "Come on, don''t be like that," said Hailee. Sheughed at Ramon''s expression.


    Today, Hailee asked Ramon to take time off from work. After what had happened recently and how stressful the problems they had been through, it seemed like a day of vacation wasn''t too much of a stretch.


    And just as Ramon said before, he indeed kept his word, about granting any of Hailee''s wishes.


    But, if he had to choose, Ramon would prefer for them to spend time in their own room alone, cuddling and doing other interesting activities.


    "I want us to go back home and be alone in our room," Ramon said as he hugged Hailee''s body and rested his head on his wife''s shoulder.


    "We''ve spent a lot of time in our room, it''s time we get some fresh air outside." Actually, the idea of ??spending time in a room alone with Ramon wasn''t bad, but Hailee really wanted to do this activity. "We have to move our bodies too."


    "Does your body move less when we''re in the room?" Ramon shot back a sentence that had a double meaning. "I didn''t know you weren''t moving enough when we were in the room, why didn''t you tell me earlier?"


    Hailee could feel her face turning red when Ramon said that, she pped Ramon''s hand in annoyance to warn her husband of this.


    Meanwhile, behind the wheel, David could feel his ears getting hot when he heard Ramon''s words. Although the words were said quietly, but still in this silent car, Ramon''s voice was as clear as it could possibly get.


    On the other hand, Barry looked shocked. Now he realized why Pyro and David had argued not to be in the same car with Mr. and Mrs. Tordoff, while Barry had absolutely no problem with that, because he didn''t know that something like this would happen¡­


    ================


    Giana woke up from her sleep with a sore head, her vision hazy and she felt the morning sun hurt her eyes.


    But when she was about to pull the nket back up, she found Dillon, who was standing beside her bed, watching her.


    "My head hurts," Giana mumbled. She groaned and closed her eyes again.


    However, she couldn''t go back to sleep, because she could feel Dillon''s sharp eyes, which were staring at her very intensely.


    "Don''t look at me like that, I can''t sleep," Giana grumbled, but Dillon didn''t give any response, nor did he move away from where he was standing. "What is it?" Giana asked irritably. She rubbed her face roughly.


    "You really intend to kill the child?" Dillon''s question sounded very cold and unfeeling.


    Last night, he found Gianaing home half drunk and from the smell of alcohol that wafted from her mouth, he knew that this woman hadn''t just stopped at two or three sses.


    Didn''t she realize that she was pregnant? Or maybe Giana was purposely forgetting about it?


    Hearing that question, Giana knew what she was going to face and immediately felt very tired.


    "Stop that. We''ll talk about thatter." Giana tried to pull the covers back up again, and although she didn''t seem able to go back to sleep, at least she could pretend she was, to avoid Dillon.


    Giana knew what she was doing was wrong, but sometimes, what you know didn''t align with logic and feelings at all.


    But, Dillon didn''t just leave her alone. He still stood there and said what he wanted to say, whether Giana wanted to hear it or not.


    "If you really don''t want the baby. Just give birth to the baby and I''ll take care of it. And if you don''t want me either, then I will leave your life with my child." Dillon had considered this. "That is my child. I have rights to the baby."


    ***********


    This story belong to Webnovel.


    meet me on instagram @jikan_yo_tomare

 Chapter 366: HAILEES TARGET

    <h4>Chapter 366: HAILEE''S TARGET</h4>


    "If you really don''t want the baby. Just give birth to the baby and I''ll take care of it. And if you don''t want me either, then I will leave your life with my child. After all, that is my child. I have rights to the baby."


    Dillon really didn''t think he would have toe to this decision in the end. Where he had to say things he didn''t like at all.


    However, at least hearing these words, Dillon hoped that Giana would change her attitude, or give the response that Dillon expected.


    At least, if Giana refused and got mad at him for having the heart to say that and if Giana yelled at him and beat him saying that she wouldn''t give up the baby to him and that a mother shouldn''t be separated from her baby, then Dillon would feel much better.


    Because only by showing emotions like that, could Dillon know that Giana really wanted their child. And brush offst night''s actions as just some stupid actions that she did without thinking and then they could get Giana''s pregnancy checked, make sure that their child was okay regardless of its mother''s stupidity.


    So that kind of reaction was more of a relief to Dillon than anything else.


    But, it''s just¡­ Giana didn''t give any reaction. She just stayed silent and avoided eye contact with Dillon. Giana preferred not to answer him and pretended not to have heard his words at all.


    Therefore, Dillon had to reiterate his sentence once again. "Give me the baby and I''ll take care of it and if you don''t want me either, I''ll bring my child away from you."


    Still no response from Giana.


    "Give me my child, Giana¡­" Dillon said finally. He felt hopeless and frustrated in dealing with the woman. "Give me my child and you won''t have to think about it again if you don''t want to."


    ================


    Ramon didn''t expect Hailee to take him to the shooting range nearby and ask him to teach her how to shoot.


    Seriously, this wasn''t the holiday Ramon had envisioned. He had spent a fair share of time at the shooting range when his father was alive and practiced his skills in his spare time, but now his wife had dragged him back to this ce.


    "You can ask one of your bodyguards to teach you," Ramon said with a grunt, he didn''t want to move from his seat. "They are all very well trained in this area."


    Yes, all Tordoff family''s bodyguards could handle at least the three firearms they often carry as well as several other weapons.


    "Ramon,e on, teach me," Hailee coaxed him.


    "Do not want to." That was Ramon''s absolute answer because he was not only annoyed at his wife, who almost always had unexpected desires, but could be very confusing at times.


    Right now, Ramon just wanted to be alone with Hailee with nothing between them and having a light or deep chat about anything and everything, instead of being in an open field with no less than ten bodyguards surrounding them.


    "Ramon, you''re really annoying," Hailee grumbled. She then bit her husband''s arm before walking away and calling Pyro over to teach her.


    Hailee wasn''t doing this without any reason, she just wanted to be able to protect herself. She had experienced how it felt to be unable to do anything and she didn''t want it to happen again...


    Only, Ramon was looking to have his wife all to himself, which would be a perfect getaway ording to him. Ramon even suggested that they should take a vacation in a faraway ce, on an ind where they honeymooned for example, but that would take a lot of time and Hailee said that Lexus would kill her if she took Ramon away to such a faraway ce.


    Hence, here they were, at the shooting range, out in the open and with no privacy while his wife was eagerly trying to ''kill'' her target.


    Actually, Ramon could understand why Hailee wanted to do this, even though his wife didn''t say it out loud and when she was with him, all he showed was a face full of a bright smile.


    However, Ramon knew more than anyone how many times Hailee would wake up in the middle of the night crying over what happened. She would even cry in her dreams sometimes.


    Ramon didn''t want to bring that up or talk about it, because Hailee didn''t mention that sensitive topic either, but still that incident would always be carved in their hearts.


    "So, how is it?"


    Ramon could hear Hailee''s voice asking Pyro while the bodyguard exined to her patiently.


    Seeing that, Ramon finally decided to join his wife. He got up from his seat and walked over to Hailee slowly.


    And as soon as he was behind his wife, Ramon hit Hailee''s adorable a** a little harder to surprise her.


    "Ramon!" She cried, turning her head and ring fiercely at Ramon. Her round eyes widened fiercely. "Did you just hit my a**?"


    "Yes, mydy," Ramon whispered as he hugged Hailee from behind and held both of her arms which were holding a rifle. She looks sexy. "Do you like it?"


    On the other hand, sensing the flirtatious atmosphere, Pyro realized it was a cue for him to leave that ce before he actually had a heart attack.


    Mr. Tordoff was very dangerous, whether he was holding a gun or when he was holding his wife¡­


    Neither was good for Pyro''s heart and the weak hearts of some of the other bodyguards.


    ================


    "Give me my child and you won''t have to think about it again if you don''t want to."


    Dillon didn''t expect himself to say this to Giana and felt like a loser, but he had no other way to save his child from this very uncaring mother.


    At this point, Dillon felt very hopeless and frustrated in dealing with Giana, therefore, he felt it was the right time for him to decide what their rtionship would be like in the future.


    If indeed there was no future in this rtionship, then Dillon would not waste his time and also Giana''s to unite their hearts, because deep inside Dillon''s heart, he knew where Giana''s heart was.


    After all he was a man, and sometimes he would let his male ego take over. He wanted Giana all for himself, not just her body.


    But, even now, Dillon still felt uneasy with the woman''s heart.


    Giana was quite surprised by the man''s statement. She then looked at Dillon with questioning eyes, trying to find out if what this man said was serious, or if she could still avoid this matter.


    However, Giana couldn''t get any hint from Dillon''s expressionless face, not to mention with the addition of her head still hurting a lot, Giana didn''t feel that she could think more deeply about this matter.


    "I haven''t decided anything, after all this child is not only yours, but mine as well. I''m the one carrying it," Giana said to Dillon in an even voice, as if they weren''t discussing an important matter between the two of them that could make things very ufortable.


    Hearing such a response, Dillon narrowed his eyes at the woman. "But you don''t act like you want the child, Giana."


    "There are many things I have to think about. I still hold the status of Aidan Smith''s wife." The asshole changed his tactics which left their divorce decisionplicated because of the mess Giana made by exposing a photo of him and Zia.


    Aidan deliberately controlled her freedom by keeping her as his wife in the eyes of thew, so that Giana couldn''t quickly remove the name Smith from the back of her name.


    Even though Aidan knew very well that Giana was now with Dillon and they had been living together. Damn man!


    "You''re going to get a divorce sooner orter," Dillon said, brushing off Giana''s excuse.


    "We''ll discuss thister, Dillon," Giana said softly and then closed her eyes, wanting to end the conversation, although her heart felt a little uneasy because of what Dillon said.


    On the other hand, Dillon didn''t say anything in response to Giana''s attitude and just walked out of the room. He had said what he had to say and he was sure that Giana was conscious enough to hear all that.


    Therefore, whatever Giana''s decision would be, then it was an absolute thing. Dillon would act ording to what the woman decided.


    He didn''t want to force his will anymore.


    Meanwhile, Giana only opened her eyes again after she heard the sound of the door closing slowly. Her head still ached, but she felt that this had absolutely nothing to do with the amount of alcohol she drankst night.


    ================


    Hailee seemed to be a fast learner. With only a few tries, she was able to grasp the concepts of what Ramon teached quickly.


    And his sweet wife looked happy that she had managed to hit the target a few times, even though many of her shots have missed, but for someone just starting out, she was pretty good.


    "See, I''m great, aren''t I?" She said proudly to herself. She then looked at Ramon expectantly waiting for thepliment from her husband.


    And Ramon certainly wasn''t stingy with hispliments. He also added a sweet kiss on the lips of his smiling wife.


    Meanwhile, a board shaped like a human moved closer to show the result of Hailee''s shot.


    Six out of ten bullets hit the target, but the others missed. Only her shots ended up at the bottom, where the vitals of the target board were.


    "Why did you shoot that point?" Ramon frowned.


    "It''s no fun if you kill the person right away," Hailee replied lightly.

 Chapter 367: I THINK I AM IN LOVE

    <h4>Chapter 367: I THINK I AM IN LOVE</h4>


    Pyro and several other bodyguards stared at the target board in the shape of a person with stunned facial expressions when they noticed what Hailee was targeting.


    They felt that Mrs. Tordoff grew more and more like her husband, one might even say she could be even worse.


    Mr. Tordoff bad influence was not a joke.


    "Why did you shoot that point?" Ramon frowned. He clearly remembered telling Hailee to target the target board''s fist, and not the point at its crotch.


    "It''s no fun when you kill a person right away," Hailee replied lightly, her smile spreading sweetly, as if she hadn''t done anything to surprise them.


    If the target board was a real person, then of course what Hailee did would have ruined that person''s future.


    "I was right, weren''t I?" Hailee turned to Ramon and shed him a mischievous grin which her husband liked so much.


    Of course the smile rubbed off on him and made Ramon smile along, "Of course my wife is always right." Ramon then took hold of the weapon in Hailee''s hands.


    "Ah, this activity turned out to be quite fun," Hailee said cheerfully.


    And apparently, after this, Hailee would be visiting this shooting range more often to practice.


    ================


    "Zia, if I leave you, will it be okay?" Ian asked Zia.


    Now the girl had returned to her own home, but for one reason or another, Diego still wanted Ian toe over once in a while, in order to apany Zia, because his daughter still didn''t want to meet other people, neither family nor friends.


    She only epted being around Ian. Therefore, Diego asked Ian to apany Zia and chat with her, to help his daughter''s recovery process.


    Of course the wound on Zia''s wrist was now only a thin line that was barely visible, but there was another wound that had to be treated and it wasn''t easy.


    Despite his anger, Diego no longer brought up Zia and Aidan''s problems. He didn''t want to see his daughter in that condition again. No matter what people say about this family or Zia, their family definitely wouldn''t say anything in front of his daughter and Diego would make sure of it.


    "What is it?" Zia asked. She was sitting in the chair opposite Ian''s. They were ying chess now and she was close to winning this round. "Is there a problem?" Zia frowned when she saw the expression on Ian''s face.


    "A little," Ian replied, groaning a little when he got a text from Marco. Again. It was about the job that Ramon had recently given him.


    Ian did not imagine that he would actually agree to work for Ramon one day.


    But, so to speak, this job had a much better payoff than fighting in the arena for a week. The rich man was happy to waste his money, so why not?


    "I''ll be back after I''m done with this business," Ian said with a smile at Zia.


    They had be very closetely and Ian had to admit that he feltfortable around Zia, and vice versa. This friendship turned out to be much better than he thought.


    "Okay," said Zia.


    Ian was about to leave when Zia called after him.


    "If you''re not busy, can I exchange messages with youter?" Zia asked. "I''m a little bored when you''re not here."


    Ianughed when he heard Zia asking for such permission. "Of course it doesn''t matter. I''ll call you when I''m not too busy," Ian promised and that brought a smile to Zia''s face.


    Little things like this turned out to be quite fun after the turmoil that hit her some time ago.


    And now, whenever Ian was around her, Zia didn''t even think about Aidan anymore. She was no longer waiting for a phone call from that man. At the same time, Aidan didn''t even know her new number...


    But, as it turned out, Zia was happier like this.


    "Okay, I''ll go first, don''t forget your dinner." Ian reached out his hand and rubbed Zia''s head gently before he left Diego Tatum''s house.


    ================


    Hailee looked at Lexus in annoyance as her brother-inw sighed loudly again. It was as if he was carrying the world''s heaviest burden.


    "Hey, can you stop sighing like that, you''re making me anxious," Hailee grumbled. The two of them were in the television room, because Ramon had not yet returned from his business trip.


    It was the second day since Ramon left and Hailee was feeling grumpy because she had to sleep alone. Thus, she called Lexus to watch a movie together. Of course the movies Hailee really wanted to watch were horror movies, but Lexus threatened to leave her at home alone, if she dared to make him watch such a movie.


    Therefore, now the two of them were watching a romantic film that was not to her taste at all.


    "I''m concentrating on watching," Hailee said to Lexus, "Can''t you just calm down for a second," she grumbled.


    Lexus didn''t reply to Hailee''s words and that was odd. After sensing his weird behavior, Hailee turned her body to face Lexus and looked closely at her brother-inw.


    "What is it? What happened?" Hailee asked, this time her voice was much softer. She thought it had something to do with Leon or anything rted to the case, because after all that bastard was Lexus'' real father.


    But, who would have guessed that the real problem was somethingpletely different and Lexus wasn''t really thinking about Leon?


    He didn''t even acknowledge Leon as his father, therefore to feel an emotional attachment and sympathy for that man was impossible for Lexus.


    "I think I''m in love," Lexus said, being dramatic. Lately he was always showing a dramatic attitude.


    Hearing that, Hailee leaned back against the back of the sofa and ate the potato chips made by Martha.


    "Hey!" Lexus scowled when he didn''t get the response he wanted from Hailee. "I just told you the reason I feel frustrated, but why are you ignoring me instead?" Lexus then took the bowl that was in Hailee''s arms and scarfed down the potato chips in annoyance.


    "You fall in love with a different woman every day, what is special about this?" Hailee exined. She stretched out her hand to take the potato chips from the bowl that Lexus had taken, but the man pped her hand away violently, causing Hailee to re at him fiercely.


    "I''m not in love with them, I''m just admiring them," Lexus corrected Hailee''s words and was still trying to ward off her hand, which was still struggling to grab the potato chips.


    "What''s the difference?" Hailee rolled her eyes dramatically and pinched Lexus''s hand which pped her hand away. "To you, like, love and admiration have the same meaning."


    Lexus widened his eyes at Hailee. "Of course not." Lexus insisted.


    "Okay, okay," Hailee finally said, giving up. "Now tell me, who is this woman." In the end, Lexus gave the potato bowl to Hailee, letting the woman eat a few. But just as Hailee put a chip in her mouth and was munching on it, Lexus answered Hailee''s question.


    "Your friend, Candice," Lexus said which made Hailee cough, choking on the potato chips she was eating.


    "What? You like her?" Hailee looked at Lexus in disbelief. "What do you like about her?"


    Lexus shrugged his shoulders nonchntly. "I don''t know, I don''t know what I like about her either."


    And this time, Hailee had to pat her head lightly because of Lexus'' answer. "Then how far have you gone to try to show your feelings? Does she know?"


    "No," Lexus answered quickly. "She always looks annoyed whenever he sees me."


    Hailee waspletely at a loss for words when she got such an answer from Lexus. "That means she doesn''t like you."


    "That''s precisely the problem, Hailee," Lexus said enthusiastically, he even turned in his seat to face Hailee who shoved the bowl of chips back to hisp. "The more she dislikes me, the more I like her."


    Hearing that answer, made Hailee gape at him. She wanted to say something, but no words came out of her lips.


    "You have to help me, I feel very frustrated," Lexus begged her.


    "You know what, you''re the one that frustrates me right now," she replied.


    ================


    The word fear couldn''t describe what Axcel was feeling from the moment David suddenly came to pick him up at his house.


    Of course he couldn''t refuse and ended up following Ramon''s bodyguard, with no one knowing where he was going.


    Axcel shouldn''t have been that stupid, thinking that David just wanted to meet with him to discuss something normal. But learned his mistake when he was forced into a ck van and taken away to a ce he had no idea about.


    This was very scary, considering how he had been treated previously when dealing with Ramon and David.


    Axcel thought the problem between them had been resolved, after he turned against Leon and became an important witness for Ramon to fight Leonter in the trial.


    Axcel thought that he was safe by assuming this role, where he felt that his presence was a meaningful thing for Ramon''s side to win thewsuit.


    However, that thought was very far off the mark, because Ramon didn''t have such a simple n at all.


    He had much better ns for Axcel.


    "Where are you taking me?!" Axcel cried frantically as David and another bodyguard pulled himself forcefully into an old house, which looked to be on the verge of copsing.


    ***************


    Meet me on instagram @jikan_yo_tomare

 Chapter 368: ONE

    <h4>Chapter 368: ONE</h4>


    Axcel had a really bad feeling about this ce and he couldn''t ignore that it made his body tremble violently.


    The word fear couldn''t describe what he was feeling right at this moment. Even his brain seemed to stop thinking, as if he knew what would happen next and he had no power whatsoever to change his fate.


    He shouldn''t have let them drag him to this ce and run away while he still could. He shouldn''t have taken Ramon''s words so lightly and thought that his new role as a witness against Leon would make his life safe.


    All of Axcel''s fears were finally proven when David pushed him into a wooden chair and tied him to it.


    "Please, please¡­ please¡­ don''t do this¡­ I want to talk to Ramon. Where''s Ramon? I have to talk to him¡­" Axcel whined, begging to see Ramon, but David didn''t say anything.


    Axcel''s body seemed to tremble greatly as he looked at his empty surroundings. This dpidated house was equipped with only one light which was just above his head, while the rest was shrouded in shadows.


    "Where''s Ramon?! He can''t treat me like this! He had promised not to hurt me! He promised to let me go!" Axcel shouted hysterically. "You should ask Ramon first and you can''t just do this to me!"


    Axcel got hysterical when he couldn''t move anymore because the straps on his chair were so tight and after David released his grip on the back of Axcel''s chair, the man fell straight to the floor, still tied to the chair, as he kept trying to free himself.


    "Where''s Ramon?!" Axcel shouted again.


    And as if answering Axcel''s question, someone walked in with calm steps and an aura that could make the man pause for a moment, finally sensing his presence, like a prey who realized the presence of a predator that locked its eyes on him.


    Out of the dimness of the room, and from the shadows, a man emerged into the light and it was none other than Ramon Tordoff himself.


    Ramon crouched down in front of Axcel and looked at him with cold eyes as if he wasn''t looking at a man who was begging him with all he had, while fear was creeping up on him like a deadly disease.


    "Ramon¡­ Mr. Tordoff, please, you have promised to release me, you have promised to free me, you have also promised to guarantee my safety if I do whatever you ask." Axcel started his long rambling, trying to remind Ramon of the sweet words he said earlier. "You promised Mr. Tordoff and I have done everything you wanted me to do."


    Ramon tilted his head when he heard that, seemingly watching Axcel''s expression carefully.


    "I have a question for you," Ramon finally said in a voice that sounded cold, especially in this squalid and terrible ce.


    "Anything, anything¡­ No matter what the question, I''ll answer," Axcel immediately took the opportunity, hoping to escape Ramon''s clutches. The man in front of him was terrifying and he didn''t know how he could look so scary even when he just half kneeled there and stared at him.


    Ramon took the time he needed to ask Axcel. "How did you get your people into my security personnel?"


    The fact that Axcel managed to infiltrate his men into the Tordoff family''s exclusively trained security team disturbed Ramon greatly.


    How could he feel at ease when the people who were supposed to look after him were the same people who worked for his enemies?


    Of course, Ramon had to dig to the bottom of this issue and fix what wascking in recruiting the bodyguards.


    "Sure, sure¡­ I''ll tell you." Axcel relented, even though he doubted that Ramon already knew what he had done to breach the Tordoff family''s security system to get him to Hailee, kidnapping her from her own house.


    Then, Axcel started to exin; because every member of Ramon''s bodyguard should always go through a strict selection and through a legitimate security agency, Axcel as a prosecutor made use of his connections with people in the government agency and introduced them to the people he arranged beforehand.


    Of course this was done with care and they didn''t suspect Axcel''s motives.


    And because the Tordoff family only epted people who were at the highest rank and not from random selections, then only by including people who had extraordinary abilities and disguised their backgrounds, recing them with other identities, did Axcel manage to gain ess to Ramon''s security as soon as the person was selected.


    And because the person appointed was the one Axcel rmended, the people in the security agency did not suspect him and in that simple way, Axcel was able to ce his people among Ramon''s security team.


    "That''s all I did¡­ really, that''s all¡­ I didn''t bribe them or threaten anyone," Axcel said at the end of his exnation. He looked at Ramon in fear, while his hands and feet felt cramped from being in this totally ufortable position for too long.


    On the other hand, when he heard Axcel''s exnation, Ramon''s face darkened. He looked like someone who was holding back his emotions and looked so furious.


    The security system could be breached just like that?


    "Who are your people in my security personnel?" Ramon asked again in a very cold and terrible voice.


    Just looking at the way Ramon looked at him made Axcel frown and say three names whom he put into Ramon''s security team and were involved in kidnapping Hailee.


    Axcel said everything without holding back anything because he didn''t want to make the man in front of him angrier than this.


    "David, have you heard those names?" Ramon asked David coldly and the bodyguard said that he would take care of them right away. "No. Execute them."


    What Ramon meant by execution was of course nothing simple but the three people were to be killed.


    Hearing Ramon''sstmand, Axcel felt like his head couldn''t think anymore, as if his brain had been frozen and he was unable to speak like his tongue got stuck to the roof of his mouth.


    "Mr. Tordoff please¡­ please¡­" Axcel pleaded, begging for Ramon''s mercy. "You promised to let me go."


    And when Axcel heard a very loud barking sound, his eyes widened. He knew what made that sound.


    "RAMON! RAMON!" He screamed hysterically especially when he saw ten cages being brought into the room, each of which contained a dog of a breed that Axcel did not recognize.


    No, his brain had been frozen to think what kind of dog it was, because he saw the ten creatures in the cage as mere threats, dangerous predators and a warning rm immediately went off in his head.


    Axcel felt that he had now signed a contract with the angel of death and now, the angel of death hade to im his life.


    "Ramon! You promised! You promised! I''ve done whatever you wanted!" Axcel just repeated those words like a broken record.


    On the other hand, Ramon didn''t show any expression as he said, "Of course I''ll let you go. I promised, didn''t I?"


    And then Ramon stood up and gave orders for his bodyguards to untie Axcel.


    However, at the same time, a bodyguard sshed a red liquid on him, which covered his entire body. By the small of it, Axcel knew it was blood. Axcel didn''t even want to know where that blood was from...


    "I''ll give you one minute to escape from this ce, before I release those lovely dogs." Ramon walked away, hiding himself in the shadows again. But his voice still echoed in the room. "If you can escape, then it''s your luck, but if you can''t¡­ it''s not my problem."


    "What? What?" Axcel looked around and with every bark from the dogs, Axcel could feel their sharp fangs piercing his skin and tearing at his body mercilessly.


    Axcel then looked around, the way out of this ce were doors and windows that had been broken on several sides.


    And before Axcel could properly digest the words that Ramon said or understand the critical situation he would faceter, David had started the countdown, which made Axcel feel like all the blood in his body had disappeared.


    "Ten¡­"


    "Nine¡­"


    His instinct to stay alive made Axcel move toward the door, dragging his body with difficulty due to cramps in his legs which made it difficult for him to move.


    Axcel fell several times, but once he was near the door and was about to run away, all of Ramon''s bodyguards raised their guns and pointed them at Axcel, as if warning him that if he got any closer than this, they would shoot him mercilessly.


    "Eight¡­"


    Therefore, the only way out that Axcel had was through the broken window on the other side of the room.


    "No! No!" Axcel ignored his cramping legs as he walked toward the window and smacked his elbow against it to shatter the remnants of ss, so he could fit himself out of this room before the count was up.


    "Seven¡­"


    "Six¡­"


    "AARRGGH!!" Axcel roared in pain as his body was shed by the remnants of the ss as he tried to pulled himself out of the room. But, that was not the main problem now.


    "Five¡­"


    "Four¡­"


    Axcel cursed as his own blood soaked his body and made him feel weak.


    "Three¡­"


    Axcel finally managed to get out of the room and fell on the cold ground while the night wind blew against his skin which was full of wounds.


    "Two¡­"


    Axcel looked around and it was just an expanse of clearing, where he couldn''t see a single ce to hide from the dogs.


    "One."

 Chapter 369: DUAL PERSONALITY

    <h4>Chapter 369: DUAL PERSONALITY</h4>


    "Sh*t¡­" a curse escaped his lips in the form of a mumble and at this point, Axcel could no longer feel the pain from his skin being scraped by the ss shards when he tried to get out of that dirty and hellish room.


    Because Axcel''s mind now was filled with only one thought; how could he survive the mad dogs that Ramon was about to release?


    He knew begging Ramon was a futile effort, because he could see the glint of killing intent in Ramon''s eyes when he looked at him. So, Axcel stopped holding onto Ramon or wasting his time doing it. With no other choice, he tried to escape from the pursuit of hunting animals who wanted to enjoy the flesh on his body.


    However, seeing the sight before him, which was a vast expanse ofnd, where he couldn''t see any shelter, Axcel knew that his desperate attempt was a big failure and his life would end here.


    There was no way he could run faster than the dogs, even if he was in normal condition, there was no way for Axcel to be able to outrun those beasts.


    Especially now that his condition was like this, where even taking one step was too difficult for him and made him wince in pain.


    Therefore, with a crazy and chaotic mind, Axcel sat on the ground. His breath caught as his body trembled uncontrobly. He started to shout angrily and spat out all the swearing he knew, centering Ramon.


    "F*CK YOU RAMON! ***! F*CK!" Axcel eximed in the midst of his despair. Because he knew that there was no way he could live through this.


    His measly attempts to escape would only give him a few seconds of life and in the end, only a painful death awaited him.


    Therefore, instead of wasting his time, Axcel preferred to curse at Ramon and let out all the frustrations that he could only chant in his heart all this time.


    "BA*TARD!" Axcel screamed as he saw the first dog jump out of the window he had broken earlier.


    The ck dognded smoothly on the ground and immediately lunged at Axcel in its next jump, and the dog''s eyes were the horrific thing Axcel saw before he felt a pain that a human body couldn''t endure. The beast tore himself apart brutally and violently.


    The screams of pain and the wild barks of the dogs now leaping out of the house, through the windows, were the only sounds that could be heard tonight in an old house, in the middle of the fields. No one could hear the screams that were full of heart-wrenching pain from Axcel, except for Ramon''s men, who were now standing in the house.


    Ramon walked closer to the window and watched every second of the torture, as if by seeing it all he could lessen the pain he felt over the fact that he had failed to protect his wife and their first child.


    Ramon witnessed it all calmly, he heard every plea for mercy and curses that Axcel shouted at him.


    Ramon remained where he was, behind a broken window with several armed bodyguards standing behind him and David on his right.


    They all turned their heads away, because even for those who had been trained to deal with a scene like this, what Axcel had experienced was too terrifying to witness.


    However, Ramon watched all that until thest movement from Axcel and hisst mutter which finally disappeared into the barks of the hungry dogs that ripped his body apart.


    Ramon watched it all to the end.


    And even when Axcel''s body was out of shape, he still stood there, perceiving the scene with his cold, murderous eyes.


    However, even though Ramon had done that to Axcel, he was still not satisfied. His revenge wouldn''t be paid off until he gave Leon the same death...


    "Mr. Tordoff," David called out timidly as Ramon was still staring at Axcel''s deformed body.


    They had been standing there for more than half an hour and Ramon had not given any instructions, like he was currently lost in his own thoughts and not paying attention to his surroundings.


    "Mr. Tordoff, Mrs. Tordoff called," said David, handing Ramon''s cell phone to him.


    It wasn''t until after hearing his wife''s voice from the phone that Ramon turned his attention away and took the cell phone from David''s hand.


    He then turned his back to the view on the field and leaned his back against the wall as he spoke to Hailee.


    "What is it, honey?" Ramon spoke very sweetly and as if that one short sentence contained an undeniable love.


    David and several other bodyguards around also witnessed how the aura around Ramon warmed in a split second m.


    The man turned from a bloodthirsty cold-blooded killer to a warm and loving husband.


    David and all the bodyguards silently agreed that Mrs. Tordoff would not have guessed what Ramon had done when she heard the way he spoke now.


    They never came across a person who could change his personality as fast as Ramon did.


    This man is terrible...


    "I''ll be home soon," Ramon replied, interspersed with a crispugh when he heard Hailee''s sulking voice asking him to go home because Lexus kept pestering her and she couldn''t get the man out of their house. "Let me talk to him."


    "Lexus ran away into the kitchen when I said you wanted to talk to him. I''m sure he will finish our food supply," Hailee grumbled as if it was a precious food supply and they were facing a war, making food very scarce.


    "I''ll be home soon, endure it a little longer, hmm?" Ramon said quietly, a warm smile on his lips, his tone turning very pleasant. "I love you."


    "I love you too, but you have toe home soon before my love for you diminishes because of my anger at Lexus," Hailee said.


    And after a few more words, Ramon hung up the call.


    "Clean it up, let''s go now," Ramon said curtly as he walked toward the door, while David gave instructions to several people there to clean the ce and left no clues that could lead to Ramon Tordoff.


    One day, one week or even after a month they would find Axcel''s body, but no one would know who did this to him and Ramon had ns of his own in the case of Axcel''s sudden disappearance.


    Axcel Dimatrio was indeed an important witness in a trial that would incriminate Leon, but Ramon had other ns that made his death much more crucial and useful in bringing down Leon.


    This was just a start for Ramon in his revenge n and no one would be able to stop him.


    ================


    "What else do you know about Candice?" Lexus asked. He was still bothering Hailee with all sorts of questions.


    "I told you I''m not very close to her, if you want to know what her personality is like and other things, you should go up to her openly and ask all those things," Hailee grumbled.


    Lexus theny his head on the dining table, while Hailee sat beside him drinking warm, fragrant tea.


    "She''s so fierce," Lexus said in a mumble. "I''ve only been nice to her by driving her home, but she keeps rejecting me because those damn reporters are after her more and more, but my original intention was to protect her from those reporters..."


    Hailee frowned when she heard Lexus'' words. "I think your love life will be veryplicated." Hailee said this to make fun of Lexus, but the man took it seriously.


    "That''s why I need your help. How did you defeat Ramon?" Lexus raised his head, looking at Hailee expectantly.


    "These are two different cases," Hailee said briefly and then threw out? a little idea that she hadn''t really thought of. "Women usually like jewelry, why don''t you give her a few?"


    Hailee wasn''t even serious about the idea.


    "But, aren''t you usually able to subdue women, why are you now such a naive teenager who doesn''t know anything about women?" Hailee asked Lexus again with confused eyes.


    "It''s not that I don''t know anything about women, it''s just that, when I''m serious, I get a little clumsy," Lexus replied curtly.


    "You are really serious about it? Even though you''ve only met a few times?" Hailee raised her eyebrows in disbelief at the seriousness Lexus was talking about.


    "Well, I don''t always conquer women, they just fall when they see my charm," Lexus replied proudly and this made Hailee roll her eyes.


    "Good luck then," she said as she took another sip of her warm tea. "If you seed in persuading her to be your girlfriend, persuade her to work for Tatum''spany as well. I need her for mypany."


    Hailee hadn''t spoken to Candice about this matter yet, so if Lexus could do it for her, why not.


    And just at that moment, Ramon came into the kitchen and his gaze immediately turned to Lexus who was still lookingzy in his chair.


    "You''re back," Hailee called cheerfully when she saw her husband.


    As for Lexus, he quickly straightened up and when he saw the tired look in Ramon''s eyes he immediately raised his hands. "Okay, okay, no need to kick me out of your kitchen, I''ll kick myself out before you do that." Lexus then swiftly ran toward the door and disappeared from there.


    After all, Hailee couldn''t be of much help to himself¡­


    **************


    Meet me on instagram @jikan_yo_tomare

 Chapter 370: THAT STUFF

    <h4>Chapter 370: THAT STUFF</h4>


    This was the second night Giana hadn''te home after their argument a few days back and even if they only met at thepany the next morning, Dillon could tell that Giana had drunk too much the night before.


    Maybe that was also why Giana didn''t want toe home, because she knew that Dillon wouldn''t take it well when she was drunk.


    It was just that, at this point, Dillon was no longer too worried about Giana. Rather he was more worried about the safety of the child in Giana''s womb.


    How could he not feel anything when his child, whom he had been waiting for its arrival into the world, was being tormented by its own mother who didn''t even care about it?


    Dillon felt tortured every time he saw Giana like that.


    He even tried to give some space to the woman by sleeping in a different room because he thought Giana needed time to cool off, but as it turned out, what she was doing was only putting their child at risk.


    And if only Dillon could get the child out of Giana''s womb and take care of it himself, then he would have done it.


    But one night, Dillony in bed and stared up at the ceiling which looked very gloomy, just like his then mood. And so, he felt a sudden urge to see Giana.


    He just wanted to see her before going to bed, because their rtionship during the past few days was not very good. They didn''t even talk except for work matters which were done very briefly and soberly, as if they were two strangers who had just gotten to know each other rather than a couple with a child waiting to be born between them.


    Therefore, tonight, Dillon decided to go to Giana''s room, not to do anything to her. He just wanted to look at the face of the woman he loved and hug her.


    Therefore, when it waste at night and he made sure Giana was fast asleep, Dillon walked to the woman''s room. He opened the door carefully and got in very quietly.


    On the big bed that Giana used to share with Dillon, the woman was now lying with her back to him. Dillon could only see her shoulders rising and falling as she breathed.


    Seeing that, Dillon wanted to hug Giana, as he had always done, but of course there was a side inside him that forbade him to do that, even that side of him kept telling Dillon to get out of the room immediately and forgo his intention.


    Only, the side of him that wanted to stay behind, was much stronger and he didn''t want to immerse himself in that thought alone, hoping that Giana would change her mind and take care of their baby more.


    Deep in his heart, Dillon knew that the possibility of this happening was close to a miracle. Thus, Dillon didn''t want to waste his time on things he knew what the oue would be.


    In the dimness of the room, Dillon climbed onto the bed, to the empty side on Giana''s bed and sat down beside her looking at the side of Giana''s face. The woman was fast asleep with her lips slightly parted.


    She looked beautiful as usual, but it also hurt Dillon because he knew her heart wasn''t with him.


    He had known this for a long time, however, it was only now that he finally gave in and admitted it.


    "My child¡­" Dillon whispered softly, his voice so low it was like a gust of wind. "If we don''t meetter, then know that I love you¡­ your mother loves you¡­ it''s just that this isn''t the right time for us to meet¡­"


    Dillon reached out and stroked Giana''s head gently, feeling her hair between his fingers and staring at her t stomach.


    =================


    Giana felt her head hurt as her breath hitched. She seemed to be having a panic attack, but it wasn''t really that, because Giana knew exactly what was happening to her right now.


    The cold air in her office made Giana''s body shiver and she felt that the temperature in the room had dropped drastically.


    And when Giana looked at her own hand, she could see that it was shaking. Her hand couldn''t even hold the ballpoint pen properly...


    Therefore, in a hurry, Giana took the cell phone that was in her small expensive handbag and immediately called that person again.


    "I need that ''stuff'' right now," said Giana hastily. Even her voice didn''t sound like her own. "Tell me, where can I meet you?"


    Heard from the other end of the phone was a male voice, telling Giana the location where she could meet him.


    "I''m going there now. Just prepare the ''things''," Giana said in a hurry, put her cellphone in her bag and took out her car keys instead.


    Giana didn''t even arrange her messy desk when she left the room, which was not at all like her, to leave her own work in a disarray and not care about the documents.


    She could no longer care about the possibility of a stranger entering her office and copying information from any important documents.


    Because it seemed that Giana didn''t care about it at all in her current state.


    Companies could run themselves as they should, so just taking a few moments to get out of the office wouldn''t change anything.


    However, not long after Giana left the room, Dillon entered her office and found the room empty with important papers strewn all over the table. It was a very unusual, or one might say, very reckless thing for Giana to do.


    However, the most pressing question right now was; where was Giana now?


    ================


    "Ramon, you really make me feel like a criminal," Ian grumbled as he stood in a lonely corner of the secluded street with his jacket and hat draped over his face.


    Ian wasn''t sure why he had chosen this outfit when he could have worn other normal clothes. However, he felt that what he was doing was very dirty and did not want anyone else to recognize him while doing this.


    "You are a criminal," Ramon replied casually as he signed the documents in front of him. "You have agreed to do this."


    Ian hissed when he heard Ramon''s shameless statement. "Seriously, I never agreed to this n of yours, it was you not giving me any other choice, you know!" he growled.


    "But you epted it and it was a choice you made." Ramon then put the ballpoint pen in his hand down and leaned his back against the back of the chair saying, "How far have you progressed in your assignment?"


    Ian cursed softly when he heard Ramon''s question. He felt like an employee being questioned by his superior, although that wasn''t wrong at all, because from any angle, Ian was someone who worked for Ramon and the man paid him satisfactorily.


    "I''ll meet her to deliver this ''stuff''," Ian said quietly. He lowered his head when someone passed in front of him. "You''re really going to ruin her life if you continue like this Ramon¡­" Ian warned.


    "That''s exactly what I want," Ramon replied casually, he closed his eyes and felt the headacheing back again.


    Thest time Ramon felt pain in his head like this was when Hailee was kidnapped and he got almost all of his memories back, except for the incident just before the ident.


    And sometimes, he would still see shes of his forgotten past.


    "You really are terrible. You don''t even have mercy on women," Ian said. On one hand, he felt ufortable doing this because Giana was a woman, maybe he would feel much better if the one he was dealing with was Axcel.


    "Because this woman does the same thing to a baby that hasn''t even been born then," Ramon replied in a calm tone of voice.


    However, if Ian had been near Ramon and seen how his expression was now, he would have shuddered in fear under the murderous intent shed in that pair of cold eyes.


    Meanwhile, hearing Ramon''s answer, made Ian fall silent, unable to say anything else.


    Silence enveloped the two of them for a moment, but neither of them took the initiative to turn off the phone because they were both lost in their own thoughts, until Ian broke the silence.


    "She''s here," he said quietly. "I''ll call youter."


    After saying that, Ian hung up the phone with Ramon and walked toward the white car that had stopped just a few meters away from where Ian was standing.


    After Ian got close, he then walked around to the passenger seat, where the ss was down.


    "You brought the ''stuff''?" Giana asked in an urgent tone, because like Ian, she didn''t want anyone else to know she was here.


    "Of course, as you asked," Ian said enthusiastically. He then took something out of his pocket and handed it to Giana.


    "Good," Giana said after getting the ''thing'' she wanted and handed him arge brown envelope filled with money.


    Of course Giana would not transfer that money, because she did not want to be found to have any rtionship or transactions with this man.


    After exchanging the items they both wanted, Giana immediately closed the car window, but before that, Ian held the ss with his hand and smirked at Giana.


    "If you need more, just call me," Ian said as Ramon had told him to. "I guarantee to give you the best stuff."

 Chapter 371: THEY LOST IT

    <h4>Chapter 371: THEY LOST IT</h4>


    "I''ve already given her what she needs," Ian said when he had finished his business with Giana and called Ramon back to inform him of this. "If I get caught in this matter, I will rot in prison."


    "Impossible," Ramon replied in a rxed tone.


    Hearing that answer, Ian couldn''t help but roll his eyes in annoyance, because he had to admit, with Ramon behind him, nothing could happen.


    Maybe even if he had to kill someone, he''d be fine. And it was not something that hadn''t happened before.


    Ian knew what had happened to Axcel, although it wasn''t in detail, but he knew that the man''s disappearance had something to do with Ramon. There''s no way Axcel Dimatrio just disappeared while Ramon didn''t do anything to look for him.


    He doesn''t know what this guy is up to...


    And Ian didn''t want to know because at this point, he felt like he wouldn''t be able to follow this man''s way of thinking. He really was way above him.


    Ian realized that Hailee had the best man she could get.


    "It could have happened," Ian replied, regardless of what he was really thinking. He just didn''t want to agree with Ramon, so he chose to be stubborn.


    "That won''t happen," Ramon dismissed Ian''s words casually and let the man grumble to his heart''s content before he cut off the line which made Ian even more annoyed by the matter.


    Ramon closed his eyes and massaged the bridge of his nose as he felt his head hurt. He had felt that he had overexerted himself, it was just that his mind wouldn''t allow him to rest.


    At least, not before he took down his enemies and settled scores with them. Ramon wasn''t going to rest until he saw those people who wronged him feel what he felt.


    They were all responsible for what had happened.


    Ramon massaged his temples and leaned his back against the back of the chair, basking in the warmth of the afternoon sun from the ss wall on his left that showed a view of the city.


    And from where he was sitting, he could see the Dawsons'' building, behind several other buildings, and immediately Ramon''s eyes changed.


    He would own that building¡­ he would rule the Dawsons.


    Previously, this goal was just a discourse in his head because he didn''t feel like he had to do that and cause trouble with the other prominent families in this town, it was just¡­ those who were looking for trouble with him, made him unable to just sit back.


    ================


    The news about Lexus Tordoff and his new girlfriend was increasingly spreading in the mass media and this left Candice really frustrated in dealing with people who wanted to know the truth.


    At first Candice would exin to them in as much detail as possible so that they would believe that she had no rtionship with Lexus. However, even after the effort she put in, Candice could see that none of them believed her words. Therefore, she had no other choice but to shut up and let them say whatever they wanted to say.


    At this point, Candice was no longer trying to deny or confirm their words and chose to remain silent. Because all her efforts were in vain¡­ no one would believe her or hear her side of the story.


    Even her own family did not believe that she was not involved with the second child of the Tordoff family.


    No, they actually liked the gossip and if they could, they would have urged Candice to turn it into reality instead of constantly denying it.


    Realizing that their mindsets werepletely different, Candice even stopped exining this to her family or other siblings.


    However, there was one incident that made her so upset this afternoon¡­


    Candice overheard a female staff member''s conversation with her friends. They work in the samepany, only in different divisions.


    "... She is too much," one of the women said to her two friends. "I''ve seen Lexus Tordoff pick her up several times, when it''s already like that she still denies that the two of them have a rtionship?" The shoulder-length haired woman rolled her eyes and sneered.


    "Yeah, I''ve seen them both a few times too," the second woman chimed in. Her skirt was too short for an office woman.


    "Yes. Though Candice is not very beautiful. How did she even get acquainted with Lexus Tordoff? Maybe he just wants to y with her. No, not maybe, I am sure of it." Since the third woman did not want to lose, she alsomented.


    "Yes, there are tons of other women who want to be with Lexus Tordoff, so there is no way he would choose an ordinary woman like Candice," the first woman said jealously.


    Hearing all these words, of course, made Candice furious. On an impulse, she entered the pantry without even knocking before.


    Out of the corner of her eye, she could see that the three women were shocked that the person they were talking about had suddenly appeared in front of them.


    Candice then cast a scornful nce at the three women while making coffee with the coffee machine avable.


    "You want to know how I got my hands on someone like Lexus Tordoff? While other women can''t?" Candice had a sweet smile at the corners of her lips, looking at the three women gently. "Of course because those women weren''t me. I''m not like women in general."


    Then, Candice poured coffee into her ss and gave the three women who turned speechless a condescending look, making them even more annoyed with her.


    It was better, at least with this they had another reason to be annoyed with Candice.


    But, when she came down, she saw Lexus was waiting beside her car again. Only with a flower in his hand this time.


    "What is the meaning of this?" Candice hissed, widening her eyes fiercely at the stupid man in front of her.


    "Let''s go on a date," Lexus said confidently.


    "What?" Candice knew that Lexus was being a little too enthusiastic, but she had no idea that this man would ask her out so tantly. "God, what should I do with you¡­" Candice covered her face with her hands, annoyed that Lexus wouldn''t listen to her words.


    "Oh, you don''t have to do anything for me, I''ll do everything for you," Lexus said smoothly, as if he had expected what Candice would say. "Shall we go now?"


    ================


    Giana couldn''t stand this anymore. Dillonpletely ignored her because she left the office without saying anything to him and only returned homete at night.


    The man no longer scolded her or even tried to advise her as usual. Dillon just stood at the top of the stairs on the second floor and stared at her for a moment, before hepletely ignored her and chose to return to his room, leaving the still drunk Giana to be handled by the servants in the house.


    For some reason, when she saw this, Giana felt very upset. She was so upset that she couldn''t stop crying all night long.


    And because she couldn''t stop crying, Giana got even more annoyed. And the feeling kept bubbling like that until she felt very tired and finally fell asleep.


    Dillon shouldn''t have ignored her like that¡­


    Even when they were in the office, Dillon limited their conversation to work and didn''t extend the topic of their conversation even when it was just the two of them¡­


    Giana didn''t want to rebuke the man or start a conversation with him first, it was just that she felt something was missing when Dillon started to keep his distance from her and stopped trying to get her attention.


    The more depressed Giana was, the more dependent she became on the ''stuff'' she bought from the mysterious man. At least this way, Giana could? forget her problems for a while and there was nothing more enjoyable in her life than when she could forget everything...


    But, of course things only got worse and worse for Giana, especially her pregnancy.


    Until one morning, Giana found herself awake with blood already pooling on her bed.


    Of course it was the most terrifying thing Giana had ever seen.


    And without a second thought, she shouted his name frantically. "Dillon! Dillon!" Giana didn''t even dare to look at her lower body which was now covered in blood. She closed her eyes tightly.


    Luckily, it didn''t take long for Dillon to burst into the room and find that Giana''s condition was critical.


    "Prepare the car," Dillon said to a servant who also rushed to Giana''s room after hearing the woman''s screams.


    Dillon stepped into the room with a pounding heart. He knew that this would happen one day¡­ he really knew it, but still, when he had to face reality, he couldn''t.


    His heart was beating so hard when he found Giana who was covering her face with her hands while her body was shaking violently.


    "Calm down... everything will be fine..." Dillon said as he wrapped Giana''s body in the nket and carried her out of the room. "We are going to the hospital now. Calm down¡­ everything will be fine¡­"


    Dillon kept repeating these words several times, but in fact they were more for himself than Giana.


    Dillon hoped everything would be okay, even though he knew things would never be the same again.


    He knew that Giana had lost their baby. No matter how hard he prayed, it was toote and nothing would change¡­


    But, one thing was for sure; Dillon had lost the reason to stay by Giana''s side¡­

 Chapter 372: THEY DIDNT KNOW

    <h4>Chapter 372: THEY DIDN''T KNOW</h4>


    Giana felt that she had been sleeping for a very long time, so long that she could not remember a few pieces of what happened or what day it was.


    Her head felt dizzy while her mind seemed to be covered by a thick fog that she couldn''t get rid of, or perhaps she wanted the thick fog to dissipate, because then, everything would be clear.


    And by being clear, Giana knew she had to face all her troubles again. Such aplicated problem, which consumes a lot of time and energy.


    However, Giana couldn''t hide behind the fog forever. She had to get out of there and face reality.


    However, even though Giana had been asleep for so long that she felt like her body had gone numb, she still didn''t want to wake up¡­


    "I lost my baby¡­" Dillon said on a very sunny morning. Perfect weather and beautiful sky.


    However, the same couldn''t be said about the atmosphere inside this ward, because inside the VIP room where Giana was being treated, a heart-breaking thing was about to happen¡­


    "You mean I lost my baby?" Giana said with a tired face. Her voice was very hoarse. She then tried to reach for her drink which was on the table, on the edge of the bed. However, Giana couldn''t reach it. She couldn''t stretch her hand far enough.


    Usually at times like this, Dillon would quickly get her the ss and help her to drink, supporting her body so that Giana wouldn''t choke, but all Dillon did now was stand across the room, leaning his back against the window.


    "You couldn''t have lost the baby Giana," Dillon said calmly, as if he had no emotions when talking about his dead baby. "You never wanted it."


    Thest words hit Giana''s heart. She could feel the nagging paining back when Dillon said that.


    Of course, Giana didn''t want the baby¡­ but that didn''t mean she wanted something bad to happen to the baby. Although her actions so far could not justify these ims.


    She never did a single thing that didn''t harm her pregnancy.


    "I never said that," Giana said in a murmur like voice. She finally gave up on getting her drink andy back down on her bed, ncing at Dillon. Was the man not going to help her get a drink? Apparently so, he was still standing in the same position.


    "You didn''t say it, but you showed it," Dillon said in the same tone. He then continued when he saw Giana snorting in disgust. As if this was not the right topic to discuss right now. "You drank high doses of alcohol every time you got a chance, you didn''t take care of yourself¡­ you never showed that you wanted the baby."


    Giana sighed in annoyance. She clicked her tongue. "We don''t need to discuss this now. This is just a disaster." Giana then tried again to reach for her drink, and this time she removed the infusion tube that was stuck in her left hand to make it easier. This action caused blood to flow from her veins and stain the bed and nket. "Regarding myself consuming too much alcohol, you know for yourself that I need it when I have a serious problem on my mind."


    Giana nced back at Dillon and the man didn''t move an inch from where he was standing, not even when he saw the blood on Giana''s hands.


    What was this? The Dillon that Giana knew would be running toward her while calling for the nurse in panic by now, but all Dillon did was just stand there doing nothing, as if he didn''t see the blood flowing down Giana''s hands.


    "Including drugs?" Dillon asked. There was a hint of emotion in his voice when he said that word. "Of course I know that." Dillon answered a question that Giana hadn''t had time to ask, but of course the man knew what the woman was going to ask.


    "It was just a mistake," Giana evaded. She was still trying to get her drink and was getting annoyed because she was so thirsty. She is really pissed off right now.


    "The hospital told me theb results, and that''s one of the reasons you miscarried." Dillon then gritted his jaw as he added. "Even if the baby survives, doctors said under such conditions, the baby will have abnormalities in its growth and is very risky."


    Giana clenched her fists so tightly her knuckles turned white and then red at Dillon for saying that. "You don''t have to make me feel guilty and make it worse. I know my mistake, so stop this conversation."


    There was a sense of tightness that Giana felt, but she tried to hide it, pretending that this was not something to be exaggerated.


    "Could you please help me get a drink?" Giana was annoyed that Dillon had absolutely no intention of helping her. She stared at the man fiercely when Dillon didn''t even move an inch. "Help." Giana finally added the word in a slightly softer tone.


    Only then did Dillon move over to Giana. He poured mineral water into a ss and gave it to Giana.


    "And this will be thest thing I do for you." Dillon said softly, his eyes vacant, as if he didn''t feel anything anymore. "You are right. Let''s stop this conversation." Dillon then pressed the emergency button on Giana''s bedside, so someone could clean the blood off her hands and treat her.


    Giana sipped her drink, staring at Dillon with a furrowed brow, but her heart was beating very fast, as if she had a bad feeling about Dillon''s unusual attitude.


    Only, Giana didn''t say anything.


    And when the two nurses came, they looked surprised when they saw the IV needle that had been pulled out of Giana''s hand while blood flowed out, staining the nket.


    While the two sisters were busy with Giana, Dillon slipped out of Giana''s room.


    The man didn''t say anything and Giana could only see his slumped back. He was like someone who had lost a war.


    Actually Giana wanted to stop Dillon from leaving, because she felt this would be thest time for her to see the man, but her ego and anger blinded her eyes and heart. She was adamant not to say anything or stop Dillon.


    Not even an apology was said by Giana after what had happened or what Dillon had to go through.


    And that was theirst meeting. Without saying goodbye, thank you, sorry or other parting words.


    Because thest word they spoke was; Let''s stop this conversation.


    And the conversation between the two of them really ended right then and there.


    ================


    "Ramon, I really didn''t know this," Ian called Ramon when he got thetest update on the assignment the man had given him. "Don''t you know this at all? You really don''t know about this? Are you serious?" Ian sounded a little panicked when he called Ramon.


    Meanwhile, on the other hand, Ramon did not immediately answer Ian''s question. He was silent for a moment and then sat down at his desk, staring at the setting sun from therge window in his office.


    The scenery was very beautiful, as if the city was enveloped by bright orange light.


    "Ramon? Do you hear me? Answer me, for I feel very bad now." Ian was irritated by the silence between him and Ramon. This was not the time for Ramon to be silent.


    "I didn''t know about Giana''s pregnancy until I heard that she had a miscarriage," Ramon said, finally answering Ian''s question.


    Meanwhile on the other side of the phone, Ian rubbed his face roughly. "I feel like a jerk." After all, he had harmed an innocent baby. "If I had known, I wouldn''t have done what you told me to do."


    "If that woman found out she was pregnant, she wouldn''t be asking for that stuff from you all the time or going to bars every night," Ramon said and those words made Ian think with new logic.


    What Ramon said was true¡­ Giana didn''t want her child, otherwise she wouldn''t have done all that when she found out she was pregnant.


    Other people would not know this because Giana kept it a tight secret and after all she was still not officially divorced from Aidan, therefore, to suddenly appear pregnant, would definitely be a new problem for her.


    Was that why she wanted to get rid of the baby?


    But still¡­


    "Ramon, the baby is innocent¡­ the baby is innocent," Ian said tiredly. It couldn''t be said that it was entirely the fault of Ramon''s ns or Ian''s actions, but still, the guilt was there.


    Likewise with his baby¡­ the baby Hailee conceived, their first child was also innocent. "Then the baby will go to heaven," replied Ramon.


    And after saying that he hung up the phone with Ian, frustrating the guy since Ramon sounded like he didn''t care.


    Yes, it did sound cruel, but if Giana had been more careful and she really wanted the child, she would have avoided such an oue, especially what Ian offered her.


    But, the woman actually epted it and abused it continuously.


    And if only Ramon had known that Giana was pregnant, he would have changed his ns. Ramon wouldn''t do that to an innocent baby...


    It was just that, when the situation was already like this, then there was nothing else to do but continue with their n as before.


    And Ramon''s target this time was Leon, thest man on his revenge list...


    Of course it was him¡­

 Chapter 373 - I WISH YOU WERE HERE

    <h4>Chapter 373 - I WISH YOU WERE HERE</h4>


    Giana returned home after recuperating for a week in the hospital and during that time, Dillon never once visited her or could be contacted.


    The first day that Dillon didn''t contact her at all and didn''te to visit her in the hospital was because he was still grieving over the loss of their son.


    Giana couldn''t bring herself to call Dillon because she felt the same pain herself¡­


    It wasn''t only her body that felt different, but also her heart that ached.


    Giana thought she would be fine if she didn''t think about it, but she was wrong. At night, she found herself crying until her body trembled, leaving her chest all tight.


    Not only because she had a sense of guilt that she didn''t want to admit, but also because she felt alone and had no one. Giana even checked her cell phone once every ten minutes and made sure that the cell phonework was fine.


    She was waiting for a call from Dillon, or at least a text asking how she was.


    But as it turned out, even on the second day, she didn''t receive a single iing call or text from Dillon.


    At this point, Giana wanted to give up and call the guy first, but she still held back and didn''t want to budge.


    It wasn''t until the fifth day, when she couldn''t sleep anymore and kept checking her cell phone screen all the time, expecting a phone call or chat from Dillon, that she finally dialed Dillon''s cell phone number, which was no longer active.


    At that time, Giana was still trying to think positively that Dillon might just have forgotten to bring his cell phone or his cell phone was out of battery.


    However, the reasons Giana gave herself did not satisfy her at all. She then tried to call home and found that Dillon had packed all his belongings four days ago and now his room was empty.


    Giana''s heart skipped a beat when she learned this. Deep down, Giana knew what was really going on. The voice in her heart that she ignored when she saw Dillon leave, and her instincts that told her it was theirst meeting, gave Giana an idea.


    And now, Dillon was acting like he wanted to leave everything behind, all things Giana-rted, but maybe that wasn''t a bad thing, maybe even now, Dillon had left her.


    Realizing this fact, Giana''s body froze. She couldn''t believe what she was going through now.


    Dillon couldn''t have just left her, could he? He wouldn''t do that to Giana, would he? Didn''t he really love her?


    Was it because of Giana''s miscarriage that he became very angry?


    And Giana''s confusion grew when she found out that Dillon had suddenly resigned from thepany, even though he didn''t turn over properly, so there were several things that were hampered because of this. Because usually Dillon was the one who handled everything.


    Coupled with Giana who was not in the office either, the situation in thepany became a bit chaotic. No, the office was in chaos.


    Giana was speechless at this point and she couldn''t even shed tears when she found that Dillon had left everything behind.


    It was not like Dillon wouldn''t take responsibility for what he did.


    However, it seemed that the man no longer cared about Giana or thepany. He just wanted to get out of there...


    And now¡­ that Giana was back home, she felt a lot more empty than usual. Because she knew that Dillon wouldn''t be there to greet her. Because she was aware that no one would wait for her¡­


    Dawson''s house, which she had lived in for as long as she could remember, suddenly felt so empty and foreign to Giana.


    Although several maids greeted her upon her arrival, of course it was not the same thing.


    "Would you like to eat something?" one of the maids asked with a worried face seeing Giana''sckluster expression. The girl looked like someone who didn''t want to live anymore. And this worried the maid, especially now that there was no Dillon to manage everything.


    Giana just waved her hand to answer the question and walked unsteadily back to her room on the second floor.


    After arriving at the room, Giana found that the room felt so big and empty.


    Giana blinked her eyes for a moment and climbed onto her bed. She theny down on her back, feeling very tired even though she didn''t do anything.


    Even to cry or say something, she had no energy left. However, the drowsiness did note.


    Giana wished she could sleep and forget about all this for a while, it''s just that, even in dreand she still felt tormented¡­


    It was like an endless torment and for the first time Giana wanted Dillon to be by her side and see the man more than Ramon.


    She needed Dillon now. She wanted him here and was worried about him, like she always had...


    But, where is he?


    ================ ;


    "Ramon!" Hailee eximed in annoyance when her husband kept calling her. "Seriously?" Hailee hissed.


    It had been two days since Hailee returned to the Tatum residence to take care of thepany that Aileen and George suddenly left behind.


    The unnned departure of the two of them actually had a negative effect on thepany. As it turned out, there was a lot of piled up work that was not done by them.


    Hailee was really cursing at those two, even without them being here, both of them didn''t fail to be troublesome.


    Luckily, Hailee was apanied by awyer from the Tordoff family, and therefore she didn''t feel too confused by the heaps of documents before her eyes.


    Only, Ramon constantly ringed her up. It wasn''t exaggerating to say that he would call her every hour.


    "I''m at work, you can''t call me all the time like this," Hailee said. She was annoyed, but also amused by Ramon''s childish behavior.


    "I don''t keep calling you," Ramon evaded.


    "You called me an hour ago," Hailee replied, she then waved her hand, asking Mr. Garrson, the Tordoff family''s attorney, to get out of her room for a while.


    Of course, Mr. Garrson didn''t want to eavesdrop on the husband and wife''s conversation and left the room at once.


    "See I don''t call you continuously, there''s an hour gap between the two calls," Ramon argued easily.


    Hearing that reason, Hailee didn''t know whether to cry orugh, but for sure she seemed at a loss for words in this debate with her husband.


    "What do you want to say?" Hailee asked atst.


    "I miss you," Ramon replied straightforwardly. He didn''t even hesitate to express how he felt and this was very different from what he was like when they first met. "When will you be back?"


    Hearing what Ramon said, Hailee''s heart suddenly felt warm and a smile bloomed on her lips instantly.


    Every gesture of affection that Ramon showed to her, always managed to make Hailee feel ttered and happy.


    "I miss you too, and I''ll be home the day after tomorrow," Hailee replied softly and chuckled when she heard Ramon''s grumbling voice.


    "Tomorrow, I don''t ept rejection," Ramon said firmly.


    "I still have a lot of work to do," Hailee mumbled, looking at the pile of files in front of her. "They''ll start talking about me if I don''t learn all these things soon."


    "I can teach you," Ramon said and then added. "I can even teach you something more interesting."


    "Ramon!" Hailee eximed as her face turned red when she heard the man''s happyugh.


    And this was another thing Hailee realized, Ramon had beenughing a lottely. It wasn''t the cynical and skepticalugh he always showed, but augh that came from his heart.


    The problems they went through were tough, but it made them stronger and also realize that they both needed each other.


    "Are you outside?" Hailee asked when she heard a car honk.


    "Yes, I have to visit a branch office," Ramon replied curtly.


    "Then be careful on the road," Hailee quickly ended the call. "I''m going back to work and don''t keep calling me. I''ll call you when I get home, okay?" Hailee said sternly, as if threatening the Tordoff heir.


    "Okay," replied Ramon resignedly. "I want to see you."


    Haileeughed softly when she heard that. "I wish you were here."


    And after a few words, the call finally ended and it took Hailee a while to focus on the work in front of her, because Ramon''s sweet words kept ringing in her ears.


    However, the calm and serene did notst long, as an hourter, someone opened the door to her office, without even a knock or notification.


    Of course this surprised Hailee, but what surprised her even more was the person who entered her office.


    "Ramon? What are you doing here?" Hailee asked before walking over to the man and looked at him in confusion. "Didn''t you say you were going to visit a branch office?"


    "Isn''t thispany already mine?" Ramon asked with his charming and arrogant smile. He bent down and kissed Hailee''s lips.


    Meanwhile, Hailee could only shake her head in disbelief at what she was seeing now. This man was truly unpredictable¡­


    But actually, he had changed a lot now...


    "Anyway," Ramon said, and kicked the door behind him shut before carrying Hailee to the couch. "Didn''t you say you wished I was here? Have you changed your mind now?"


    * * ** ** *** *** *** ;


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 Chapter 374 - I AM GETTING USED TO THEM

    <h4>Chapter 374 - I AM GETTING USED TO THEM</h4>


    "Ramon, you''re not really going to do it here, are you?" Hailee looked at Ramon who was above her with a look of surprise in her eyes, but her body couldn''t lie to the two of them that she too wanted this.


    "I''ll do it here," Ramon admitted in a hoarse voice that sounded very sexy and this made the woman feel that her defenses were being eroded.


    Oh God! This man was really hard to resist! No matter how many times they did it, Hailee never felt that it was enough.


    "What if someone sees?... The door..." Hailee''s voice trembled as Ramon''s hands continued exploring her body. He rubbed her inner thigh, while his lips traced Hailee''s jaw, leaving a trail there.


    Ramon knew Hailee''s body by heart, therefore, he knew very well that the neck and ears were sensitive areas for his wife.


    "I told David not to let anyone into this room until I got out," Ramon said simply. He then traced Hailee''s long neck and one by one, opened all the buttons of the shirt that Hailee was wearing.


    "That means they know what we''re doing?" Hailee immediately realized. She wanted to push Ramon away because it was so embarrassing.


    There''s no way David didn''t know what she and Ramon were doing in this room if Ramon ordered him like that?


    Ugh!


    Sometimes, Ramon behaves very extremely...


    Only Hailee''s protests were swallowed up when Ramon started tracing her shoulder des and neck then to her ears.


    Hailee''s breathing became heavier with every touch Ramon made to her skin, as if each touch left a trail of heat that could make Hailee moan without her knowing it.


    "Let them know. You''re my wife, what''s wrong with this," Ramon reasoned and when Hailee was about to say more, Ramon covered her lips with his and blocked his wife''sment, making the woman go silent and say nothing more except his name¡­


    ================


    Lory Dawson, the younger brother of Giana''s father, came to the house looking for his niece as she hadn''t been to the office for two weeks and left all the business to him.


    Previously, Lory was told that Giana was sick and was being treated at the hospital, but she didn''t want to be visited.


    Thinking that Giana was going through a serious problem in her life and she needed some alone time, Lory let his niece take time to recover her strength and refresh her mind.


    Maybe leaving her alone for two or three days could make her think more clearly and after that she would be back to work as usual.


    Lory knew that Giana must have been devastated by the departure of Dillon, who had always been by her side, but two weeks was more than enough time for Giana to sulk over her own feelings. She had to go back and start all over again.


    Her life was not over yet and there were thousands of employees who depend on thepany for their lives. Giana should have thought about it.


    It was just that, for now, Giana didn''t know what to think anymore, because everything felt so tiring. She didn''t even know what she wanted anymore.


    Giana felt like she had lost her direction in life. Not even her obsession with Ramon could make her get out of bed and go to her office or think about how to harm Hailee and get Ramon back.


    Giana lost her obsession and she felt like she lost everything.


    Even when Lory Dawson, her uncle, banged on Giana''s door, she ignored it and preferred to pull the covers up to her head and plug her ears with earphones, listening to the songs she loved.


    But, all those songs felt different now.


    "Giana, how long are you going to be childish like this?!" Lory cried impatiently. He gritted his teeth and ordered the maids nearby to bring the spare key, telling them to open the bedroom door.


    And it didn''t take long for Lory to finally enter the room and find how messy it was, while Giana was asleep on her bed, stuffed herself under a nket.


    "Giana!" Lory rebuked loudly. He then pulled the nket that covered Giana and was surprised to notice that Giana had be so thin.


    Giana only wore a pair of boxers and Dillon''s T-shirt which he had forgotten in his room. She had been wearing it for a week now and hadn''t changed it at all.


    However, the shirt and boxers clearly showed how skinny Giana had be. She was like someone who got a terminal illness and was waiting to die.


    "What the hell is this Giana?!" Lory couldn''t stand seeing Giana like this. She tortured herself to this point?! "You can''t go on like this Giana! What exactly is your problem?!" he cried angrily.


    Lory then pulled the earphones that Giana was wearing and made the woman finally look at him.


    "What exactly is your problem?!" Lory repeated in a harsher tone.


    Giana then threw a tired look at her uncle. "I had a miscarriage," Giana answered without thinking, because right now she couldn''t and didn''t want to think about anything.


    "What?!" Lory widened his eyes in disbelief. "Whose child is it?!"


    Giana closed her eyes as tears fell from the corners of her eyes. She didn''t want to mention that name¡­


    "Is it Dillon''s?" Her uncle guessed right and gritted his teeth. He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "He left you because you were pregnant?"


    Giana''s pregnancy would be a scandal that could shake thepany''s name again if the media were to learn about this, even though they have just stabilized the value of their shares after the divorce case of Aidan and Giana.


    "I aborted the baby," Giana said in a low voice. She finally admitted it and when she did, it didn''t necessarily make her feel better, instead it made her feel even worse¡­


    "You what?" Lory frowned, but then he began to digest the sentence better. "In that case, good. We don''t need additional trouble."


    Giana opened her eyes and looked at her uncle with emotionless eyes. "That baby would just be trouble, wouldn''t it?" Giana asked this to justify her actions.


    "Of course, we don''t need any other trouble now. The existing problems are already tooplicated, there is no need to add your pregnancy problems to the lot," Lory growled, he wanted to say that Giana was so stupid that she had to have a miscarriage like that. She should have been able to better tap into Dillon''s potential and she shouldn''t have gotten pregnant.


    "That means what I did was right, right?" Giana asked again. She wanted someone to validate what she had done and say it was true. That what she chose was correct.


    "Of course, if you don''t abort it, then I will order you to abort it. It''s just a problem." Lory folded his arms across his chest. He wanted to talk about thepany, but it seemed that Giana wasn''t in a state of being able to discuss.


    "So I made the right choice, right?" Giana asked again in a low voice.


    "Yeah, stop asking the same question," Lory said irritably.


    "Then, why can''t I stop crying and feel better if what I chose was right?" And that was when tears again graced Giana''s face.


    She cried non-stop and no matter what Lory said or did to calm her down, nothing worked. Giana just kept sobbing until her breath hitched, but even then, Giana didn''t stop crying. It was as if she wanted to release the pain that was squeezing her chest.


    This feeling was excruciating and Giana just wanted to see Dillon...


    =================


    Hailee fiddled with Ramon''s hair between her fingers while looking at the man''s sleeping face. He seemed to have spent the nights when Hailee wasn''t at the Tordoff residence finishing his work early so he could catch up with her in this town.


    Hailee didn''t know what she had done to get a man like him. Ramon would do anything to be with her and it was the sweetest and happiest thing Hailee has ever felt.


    "We''re here," David said from the driver''s seat. He looked at Hailee through the rear window of the car and found Mr. Tordoff was still fast asleep.


    "Is work very busy these days?" Hailee asked, her focus still on Ramon. Her husband''s sleeping face was so adorable, reminding Hailee of a baby. He looked so innocent and didn''t seem to care about his surroundings.


    "Yes, there are some important meetings that Mr. Tordoff attended rted to the problem with Leon Dawson, because there was some news that cornered the Tordoff family name to make shareholders a little nervous," David answered Hailee''s question and then added. "And also, Mr. Tordoff left for the office early today and pushed some of his meetings forward so he could go see you."


    Hailee was really speechless when she heard the report.


    Ramon was very different from the figure of a calcting man who always thought about profit the first time he met her, because now her husband was a man who would do anything to be with her.


    By having Ramon, Hailee felt that she didn''t want anything else. This man was more than enough for her¡­


    "You guys just get off first, but don''t turn off the car engine," Hailee said in a low voice. She didn''t want to wake Ramon and was still enjoying this position.


    And without waiting any longer, David and Pyro quickly got out of the car and walked to the side, not wanting to disturb the couple.


    "I think I''m getting used to their disy of affection¡­" Pyro said.

 Chapter 375 - COFFEE

    <h4>Chapter 375 - COFFEE</h4>


    Giana didn''te out of her room even until a week after her uncle, Lory, came to scold her, which didn''t seem like it had much of an effect on her though, because Giana was still in the same mental state.


    Until one morning, when she heard that Lory wasing back to her house, Giana got out of bed and hurried away before her uncle got home.


    The maids and the people on guard tried to prevent Giana from leaving the house and driving the car alone, because it was an act that was not only dangerous for herself, but also for others, keeping Giana''s unstable mental state in mind.


    This wasn''t? the first time Giana had been like this. When the divorce case of her and Aidan''s divorce spread in the media for the first time and they blew up the affair between her and Dillon, Giana was in the same mental state.


    It was just that, at that time, there was Dillon who always supported her or her parents who took care of thepany.


    But now, Giana didn''t have Dillon to lean on, nor her parents to run thepany.


    And now, her father could no longer give instructions from behind his desk regarding what steps theirpany should take, because he was still unconscious due to Giana''s actions that made his condition severe.


    As for her mother, Giana couldn''t ask any help from her mother because she chose to keep quiet and didn''t bother with her at all. Her mother didn''t even want to talk to her. Not at the moment orter. She refused to meet her after Giana locked her in the house and restricted her ess to the outside world.


    Therefore, Giana had to face everything alone and now she had reached a breaking point where she no longer cared about anything.


    Thus, Giana drove her car out rashly, as if she wanted to leave everything behind.


    Giana mmed the car''s elerator t, viting several traffic rules. Her thoughts were a mess and now, the only thing that crossed her mind was that ce¡­


    ================


    "Then what if I open a franchise restaurant?" Candice looked very annoyed at the person she was calling right now. To her, this waspletely unreasonable and annoying.


    "You spent half of your savings on a business n that you didn''t think through," Lexus said, he took a deep breath and massaged his throbbing temples.


    Their rtionship couldn''t be said to have deteriorated, but to say it was getting better was rather confusing.


    Lexus had told Candice his intention to have a serious rtionship with the woman, but Candice still hadn''t given a definite answer to his confession and preferred to let Lexus make his own assumptions.


    This really frustrated Lexus, but on the other hand, he didn''t want their rtionship to be awkward.


    "Let it be!" Candice grumbled. She snorted in annoyance. "I''ll call you backter."


    After saying that, she hung up on him even before hearing a response from Lexus, grumbling to herself.


    Lexus shouldn''t have scolded her like that. This was Candice''s first attempt at business, so it was only natural that she was at a loss, right? Because she had no experience or whatsoever in this field.


    Although actually, Candice had to admit that she had made a fatal mistake, which should have been avoided.


    However, because Lexus scolded her too much she became a little annoyed and ended the call in that way.


    "Ugh!" Candice growled in annoyance, but now that she had fought with Lexus, she wasn''t feeling any better, on the contrary, she was feeling much worse.


    ================


    "Annoying woman! Difficult to understand!" Lexus grumbled, but it wasn''t even two seconds since heined about it, Hailee had thrown a pillow at him.


    "If women suck, then why don''t you just date David?" she asked sarcastically.


    Lexus threw the pillow back at Hailee, but Ramon caught it before it even hit his wife. His sharp eyes warning Lexus not to do that.


    Seeing how Lexus could be defeated so easily by her husband, Haileeughed cheerfully.


    Right now, the three of them were in Ramon''s study. Since both of them had to go out of town for two days, they decided to discuss the project at home and leave at midnight.


    "What is it? What happened?" Hailee asked curiously. As for Hailee, she had her own ''responsibilities'' rted to herpany, so she also tagged along, hoping the two of them could help her out if there was something she didn''t understand.


    But, apparently, after Lexus and Candice''s call, Hailee was much more interested in hearing their stories.


    "You don''t need to know," Lexus replied irritably. "Aren''t you going back to school?" Suddenly, Lexus changed the subject.


    "It''s still two months away, because I missedst semester," Hailee replied. "So how''s everything between you and Candice?" Hailee asked, not wanting the topic to be sidetracked.


    "You wouldn''t understand how stubborn that girl is," Lexus said with a grunt.


    "Oh, trust me, I totally understand." Then Hailee nced at Ramon. "Now tell me what''s wrong?"


    Lexus then jumped out of his chair, left all the important files they were supposed to be discussing and joined Hailee to gossip.


    Well, they had been in a tense and serious mood for four hours straight, so it wouldn''t be harmful to say it was time to take a break.


    On the other hand, Ramon couldn''t say anything because Hailee and Lexus seemed unstoppable, they seemed to be facing burnout and needed a new atmosphere by talking about unimportant things.


    Therefore, Ramon could only clean up the files that Lexus had left without being able to scold his younger brother.


    "So this is it," Lexus began his story, where he told about how Candice chose to open a coffee-themed cafe because she liked it, but didn''t tell Lexus about it. "She should have asked me for advice¡­ Weren''t I¡­" Lexus frowned for a moment, realizing that he was having a hard time putting himself in a rtionship with Candice. "A male friend who is very close to her?"


    Haileeughed when she heard the term Lexus used. Very close male friend? What is that term?


    "At least if she told me what her n was..." Lexusined, actually he was annoyed that Candice didn''t involve him. "Does she not like me?" Lexusined. "But, she responded when I kissed her, so I thought we¡­"


    "You kissed her?!" Hailee shrieked and then sat up straight, staring at Lexus as if he was the only thing she had to pay attention to in this room. "How did you kiss her? You haven''t told me this yet!"


    "Well¡­" And Lexus started another story¡­


    On the other hand, Ramon knew that he was isted from this kind of topic, and that the two of them were in their own world right now, and he also realized that the conversation between the two would not be over any time soon¡­


    ================


    Candice kept staring at her phone impatiently, even when she fell asleep, she would wake up in the middle of the night and check back on her phone like an idiot, but that was what she did when she was expecting a call or just a text from Lexus.


    But as it turned out, there wasn''t any. Not even a single word from the man.


    Indeed Candice said that she would contact Lexus, but that didn''t mean he shouldn''t contact her first, right?


    Ugh! This sucks.


    And that was how Candice''s night went.


    When morning came, Candice checked her phone again and found that there was no news from Lexus. She then decided that she had to find a way to apologize to the man, maybe her words were too harsh yesterday.


    But¡­


    Candice was too proud to apologize...


    Sometimes, this prestige of hers could be so torturous¡­


    Candice hit herself in the head as she faced herputer. She was now back behind her desk, but she had not finished a single task.


    Not long after, Candice decided to call Lexus directly.


    "I''m at the airport," Lexus said. "I didn''t tell you that I''m going out of town today?"


    Candice hadpletely forgotten about it.


    "What is it?" Lexus said softly because Candice was silent.


    "I want starbucks," Candice said instead of an apology.


    "Okay," Lexus agreed easily. "I''ll call you back once I get there, now I have to go. See you."


    After the call, Candice hit her head in annoyance. "That''s not what I wanted to say..." she grumbled.


    Candice didn''t want coffee or anything, she just wanted to make sure their rtionship was okay.


    And after struggling hard enough to get her focus back on her work, Candice finally forgot about the coffee incident until her coworkers told her that someone came looking for her.


    "I''m Randy Hamilton, you must be Candice Ashburn?" the man asked very politely, confirming Candice''s identity.


    "Yes? I don''t think we''ve met before," Candice said hesitantly.


    "I''m thewyer for the Tordoff family," he said, revealing his identity in front of Candice. "I came here on orders from Lexus Tordoff."


    Candice had no idea why Lexus had sent awyer toe see her, but since she was confused herself, Candice let the person exin.


    "¡­Starbuck does not franchise individually, but there are several coffee franchises that you can choose from," Mr. Hamilton said at the end of his exnation.


    "Huh?" Candice frowned, her eyes blinking in disbelief at this misunderstanding. "But I just want a cup of Starbucks coffee¡­"


    How could Lexus have misunderstood her words to that extent? Seriously, Candice just wanted a cup of coffee, not a coffee franchise! It was too much¡­


    ================


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 Chapter 376 - DEVASTATED

    <h4>Chapter 376 - DEVASTATED</h4>


    Giana stopped her car right in front of a familiar house. This was the same house that Giana had been to when she was looking for Dillon a few months ago, when she was facing the shocks of her life.


    At that time, Giana only focused on being maniptive to get Dillon back to her by giving the man hope that she too had the same feelings...


    The house still looked the same as thest time Giana came here and it seemed someone had been taking care of it.


    And when she saw that a light was on, Giana''s heart felt her heart thump really hard. Could her prediction be correct? Dillon returned to this house after he left?


    Just like before, Dillon also isted himself by visiting this house? If that was the case, there was a high chance that Dillon was really there.


    Yes, there was a possibility...


    Unconsciously, Giana started walking very fast as she approached the house. She didn''t want to waste even a second of her time.


    As for how it would turn out after she met Dillon, or what he would say didn''t matter. Because for now, Giana just wanted to meet the man. She wanted to see Dillon.


    The pain in her chest was unbearable when she knocked hard enough on the door of the house and caused a little noise which she shouldn''t be doing at this hour of the night.


    "Dillon!" Giana called while knocking on the door non-stop. "Dillon!" She wanted to see the man immediately. Right now. She wanted him to know that she had suffered during the weeks they were apart.


    Giana wanted Dillon to know all about it and hug her like he always did, because then Giana would feel safe, she would know that she wasn''t alone in facing this sh*tty life.


    However, when the door finally opened, it was not Dillon''s face that greeted Giana, but a middle-aged woman and a man of the same age, behind the door.


    "Who are you?" the man asked in confusion when he saw a young woman looking frantic and in tears.


    Giana tried to contain her disappointment, but it was difficult for her to say the words. "Dillon?" That was the only word she could say. She hoped the two of them would understand what she meant.


    "Are you Giana Dawson?" the woman asked.


    Hearing the woman say her name, Giana nodded quickly and said that one word again. "Dillon?" As if she were a baby learning speech and those were the only words she could say.


    The woman sighed and looked at her husband who was standing beside her. Her face looked sad when she let Giana in. "Come on,e on in..."


    Bewildered and still not looking at the expectant woman who was hoping for her to say she was going to call Dillon out, the woman remained silent after inviting her in.


    "Where''s Dillon?" Giana asked again after she was inside the house and the man locked the door.


    The woman looked restless as she was about to deliver this news. "Dillon said thatter there would be a woman looking for him in this house named Giana Dawson."


    Giana''s tears flowed again, the man still remembered it. No matter what happened, Dillon still remembered it and that was a good sign, wasn''t it?


    If Dillon was still thinking about it, that meant she still had hope, right? And this time Giana promised to set everything in the right path. She needed someone and that person was Dillon.


    She didn''t need anything else, not even Ramon...


    She wanted Dillon and this time Giana was going to make it very clear.


    The days that she had gone without Dillon or news from him, or the attention from that man who always made sure she was okay and didn''t feel lonely was the best part of Giana''s life and she was getting all of it now.


    Giana would do anything to get Dillon back and this time she would really listen to every word he said.


    Regardless of how many orders or prohibitions came from him, Giana would just follow without a word of refusal. She was feeling hopeless now¡­


    This loneliness was driving her crazy.


    However, what the woman said next really made Giana feel that her world had copsed again and she was buried at the bottom.


    "Dillon said if Giana Dawson came over then let her stay here as long as she wanted," the woman said.


    It looks like this is the husband and wife couple that Dillon told her about, and that they were the ones who took care of this house while he lived in the apartment in city A.


    "Then, where is Dillon?" Giana looked around the house, hoping that she could find the figure of the man, standing in a corner of this house, but she saw no one except the two people in front of her.


    "Dillon isn''t here," the man said with a face full of sympathy that Giana didn''t need right now.


    Giana needed Dillon and she didn''t want sympathy from anyone.


    "Dillon hasn''t even been back since thest time he left this house. He only contacted us by phone to tell him this," the woman said. She walked over and was about to rub Giana''s hand, trying to calm the frantic woman down.


    But instead, Giana pushed her hand away and walked alone into the house, exploring every side and opening every door to the rooms, checking every corner, hoping Dillon was somewhere inside and that this man and woman were just lying about Dillon''s whereabouts.


    But after searching for half an hour and checking every room three times, Giana finally had to ept the fact that Dillon wasn''t really there.


    And when that realization came to her, Giana felt her whole body tremble uncontrobly and her legs became so weak to support herself that she fell to her knees on the floor.


    Seeing this, of course, made the husband and wife duo panic. The woman immediately knelt by Giana''s side, hugging her.


    "What do you want? What is it? Why?" the woman asked frantically, while the man fetched her a drink.


    "Where''s Dillon?" Giana asked in between her tears. "Where is he?" And for nearly two hours straight, those were the only words Giana kept repeating.


    There was nothing else Giana wanted now, except for someone to tell her where Dillon was, because that was all she needed. She didn''t need anything either.


    She needed Dillon to be by her side and that seemed like a tough wish to be fulfilled.


    Giana felt her heart would explode while her chest only felt tighter by each second.


    And to make things worse for herself, Giana was remembering everything Dillon had ever done, what he had risked and how she had hurt Dillon in such a way.


    How was it possible, a man who didn''t even care about her past or the big problems that Giana had to face, had now left her just like that?


    The man who loved her sincerely and would do anything for her now left her without even looking back.


    ''If you really don''t want the baby. Just give birth to the baby and I''ll take care of it. And if you don''t want me either, then I will leave your life with my child. That is my child. I have rights to the baby.''


    "ARRRGH!" Giana screamed with all her might, as she lost control of herself.


    Those words echoed in Giana''s ears again and this made all her sorrows even harder to deal with.


    =================


    "You want me to continue doing this?" Ian asked in disbelief when he heard Ramon''s orders.


    It was veryte at night, but Ian received a phone call from Ramon regarding his follow-up ns.


    "Yes, continue with the n," Ramon said in a cold voice.


    Ian sighed heavily. It seemed that the news of Giana''s miscarriage did not necessarily make the man sympathize with the woman. There was no need to mention sympathy, he didn''t even deviate from his original n at all.


    For Ramon, what happened to Giana was the result of her own actions, so there was no need to pity anyone, and what Ramon had in mind now was that Giana had taken a bad decision by siding with Leon.


    Ramon would destroy anyone involved in this and he didn''t y with his words at all.


    "Okay," Ian relented.


    And after that, the phone line was disconnected.


    "Who are you calling at this time of the night?" Hailee asked, suddenly appearing from the direction of the room behind the balcony where Ramon was standing.


    Ramon turned around and faced his lovely looking wife with a sleepy face, her long hair looking a little messy at the sides of her face.


    Not only that, she was wearing one of Ramon''s shirts, which only covered half of her thighs, making the girl look very sexy.


    "Ian," Ramon replied honestly.


    Hailee frowned when she heard that. "You called Ian in the middle of the night like this?" Hailee asked in confusion.


    "Business," Ramon replied as he walked over to Hailee and hugged her warm little body.


    "So, you''re really calling Ian in the middle of the night?" Hailee''s voice sounded like she was holding something and had a double meaning in her sentence. "How about I call him too? Because after all he is my best friend."


    Hearing that, Ramon growled softly, he then lifted Hailee''s body, let her long legs wrap around his waist while he held her thighs, then carried his naughty wife to the bed andid her a little roughly there.


    "All right, honey." Ramon smirked. He then took his cell phone from the back pocket of his pants and called Ian back.. "Let him hear what I''m about to do to you."

 Chapter 377 - HAILEES BEST FRIEND

    <h4>Chapter 377 - HAILEE''S BEST FRIEND</h4>


    Giana woke up when her head felt very heavy. It was as if thousands of needles were stabbing her head while her body felt very cold and sore.


    Giana shivered even though it wasn''t cold in the room and the sun was shining brightly outside. And to make things worse, she was sweating.


    This condition really made her feel like she was going crazy. She felt a sudden feeling of depression so intense that she was unable to concentrate or even think where she was.


    Giana could feel her heart beating so fast and in the midst of her thoughts, she realized what was happening to her.


    She needed that ''stuff'' again. She needed it more than ever. Only that ''stuff'' was on her mind or she could remember for that matter.


    And so, with great difficulty, Giana crawled out of her bed, a bed she was sure wasn''t hers in a room that seemed foreign to her. Where is this?


    If Giana was in good shape, she would have realized that she had stayed in the same room before, with Dillon. The two of them spent a few days here before Dillon decided to forgive Giana and return to town A with her.


    Too bad, this time, Giana didn''t get what she wanted, because Dillon didn''t give her the slightest opening to re-enter his life.


    Last night, Giana had even asked the married couple for help but they both couldn''t contact Dillon at all.


    The number they had was the same as the number Giana had and the number couldn''t be reached at all.


    "I need that thing," Giana said in a trembling voice. She found her cell phone in her handbag which was ced not far from the bed in the corner of the room.


    By now, the woman was feeling cold, but sweat was dripping down her forehead and the only way to stop this madness was to call the man.


    Of course the man immediately agreed to her request, but then Giana told him an address which turned out to be very far from the city.


    "I WILL PAY YOU WHATEVER YOU WANT! JUST BRING THAT FUCKING THING!" Giana eximed, she screamed so loudly that the husband and wife pair came rushing over to her.


    "What is it? What happened?" the woman asked frantically.


    But, all they found was Giana who had smashed her cell phone across the room. The pieces of the cell phone were now beside the wall of the room, scattered on the floor.


    "Buy me a new cell phone," Giana said in a low voice. She felt unusually tired and was unable to think clearly.


    "Are you okay? Should we go to the hospital?" The woman approached Giana worriedly, but the woman looked at her very fiercely, as if the older woman was her eternal enemy.


    "I said, just buy me a new cell phone." Giana repeated her orders, she felt very angry that this woman did not listen to her orders.


    "We have to take you to a doctor, you look very sick, your face is very pale." Then the woman turned to her husband and said, "Get the car ready, we have to take her to the hospital."


    "I SAID I DON''T NEED A DOCTOR! JUST BUY ME A NEW PHONE!" Giana roared angrily. Her eyes shed with rage and her face confirmed how angry she was now. "FUCK!"


    ================


    "Hailee, this is working really well, she just called me!" Lexus eximed happily while they were on the ne that would take them to another city.


    On the other hand, Ramon who was sitting next to his brother couldn''t help but put on a facial expression that was hard to understand because after all, it was his wife that Lexus called as soon as he got a call from Candice.


    Why didn''t Lexus just tell him? Wasn''t he his brother? Why should Lexus even bother Hailee?


    "Yeah, yeah, yeah, you''re absolutely right about that," Lexus said cheerfully. "I do have to pull back a little every now and then so she feels like she''s missing me," he added.


    A flight attendant walked up to them. She was telling the other passengers to turn off their cellphones because the ne was about to take off, while here Lexus was still calling Hailee.


    "You are a genius! You are my advisor from now on," he said excitedly. "I didn''t think it would turn out like this, I think she''s starting to like me, right?"


    However, Lexus had not yet had time to hear an answer from Hailee when Ramon snatched the cell phone.


    "We''re taking off, I''ll call as soon as we arrive," Ramon told Hailee on the phone. "I love you honey," Ramon said softly before hanging up the call.


    On the other hand, the flight attendant smiled kindly, quite happy that she didn''t have to reprimand these two men. Of course, she recognized the infamous Tordoff brothers and didn''t want to have any trouble with either of them.


    "Hey, I''m still talking," Lexus grumbled.


    "Can''t you see we''re about to take off?" Ramon said in a slightly fierce tone.


    "Well¡­ you''re right," Lexus muttered, then put his seatbelt on. He looked sullen, but then his good mood returned after remembering that Candice called him first.


    "If you want to talk, you cane to me." Ramon then shifted in his seat until he was facing Lexus. "Perhaps we can discuss this now and I can give you some advice during our journey."


    Lexus then looked at his brother who was looking at him quite intensely. "No thanks," Lexus grimaced. How could he tell Ramon when this man was looking at him like he wanted to extract all the information from him?


    "No, tell me how your rtionship with this girl named Candice is. Which family is she from? What is her family background?" Ramon folded his arms in front of his chest and this actually made him seem more intimidating to his younger brother. "You''re free to tell me about that woman. You don''t need to hesitate."


    Lexus grimaced again when he heard that. "Listen Ramon, you don''t suit for this at all."


    "Why not?" Ramon asked while frowning, he didn''t understand. "You can talk smoothly to Hailee but you can''t tell me anything."


    Of course, because telling you was like being interrogated. Lexus said in his heart. He couldn''t possibly voice his opinion.


    "Now tell me about that woman. Should I find out myself and extract? all the information about her?" Ramon asked again, his tone sounding very casual when he said that.


    "What? You''re going to find out about her in an illegal way?" Lexusined. "How can I tell you when you act like a gangster like this? And you ask why I can''t tell you directly¡­"


    ==================


    It took Ian several hours toe to this remote ce and find the house Giana was referring to.


    Along the way, Ian was really grumbling that he had toe to a ce like this and had to cancel his ns with Zia.


    In fact, it was thest thing that annoyed Ian more than having to drive hours and hours to get to this ce.


    After Ian managed to find the house in question, he immediately called Giana and told her that he was just outside of the house and she could go out now.


    After making the phone call, Ian then waited for the woman toe out while leaning his head on the back of the car seat and ncing at a fairlyrge box beside him, containing the things Giana needed.


    Ian didn''t want to start thinking about the side effects of using the stuff that much, and besides, it seemed that even now Giana was still getting addicted to these drugs and Ian couldn''t me her.


    These drugs are so strong and once you try it will be very difficult for you to stop them.


    The process of quitting this addiction will be excruciating and you will wish you would just die instead of going through such torment.


    Ian had seen what happened to people who had tried to quit these drugs and nothing had stopped him from shuddering.


    At this point, Ian had to admit that the method Ramon used was fatal. He destroyed Giana in such a way, and no longer thought about the consequences he would receive.


    But, in any case, all the decisions rest with Giana, she had chosen to start this and still continued even though she was pregnant, which resulted in her having a miscarriage.


    Therefore, Ian couldn''t fully say that all of this happened because of Ramon''s terrible n alone.


    In the middle of his thoughts, Ian was surprised as he heard someone knocking on his car window and saw Giana''s face that looked pale with messy hair.


    Ian quickly rolled down his car window and said with a bit of fear. "You surprised me! I thought it was a ghost that came to me! Look at that look of yours," he grumbled in annoyance.


    In the middle of the night like this, Ian really didn''t like being surprised by things rted to the supernatural world.


    "Where''s the stuff?" Giana asked impatiently, she reached out her hand and threw an envelope of money into Ian''sp.


    Still grumbling, Ian handed the box that had been very carefully wrapped to the woman.


    "Go away," Giana said after their exchange was over in less than two minutes, she then turned and went into the house.


    On the other hand, Ian could only shake his head when he saw the woman. He was very sure that Giana would notst long now.


    But then, he started his car again. He had to travel tens of kilometers to get back.


    Meanwhile, inside the house, Giana was calling someone. "Did you get the identity of the man I asked you to find out?"


    "Yes, he is Ian Schamber, best friend of Hailee Tordoff," answered the voice from the other side of the line.

 Chapter 378 - EARNEST EYES

    <h4>Chapter 378 - EARNEST EYES</h4>


    Previously, Giana had asked someone to find out about Ian''s background. But, it seemed like it took a long time before they could get any information about the man who had approached her and given the ''item'' to her.


    And when Giana had just returned from picking up her order from Ian, she got a call from Garry, her confidante who she asked to find out about Ian.


    "Yes, he is Ian Schamber, best friend of Hailee Tordoff," answered the voice from the other side of the line. "He is also a fighter in the arena and knows and is quite close to Zia Tatum."


    "What?" Giana''s voice sounded like a low whisper. She couldn''t believe what she had just heard. "He''s not a dealer?" Giana asked in disbelief.


    "No," replied Garry firmly.


    Meanwhile, Giana felt that she just experienced a mental breakdown. Her head ached terribly and her body trembled, as she could feel anger rising in her head and making her unable to think clearly.


    Hailee Tordoff?


    Close to Zia Tattum? The woman who had been Aidan''s mistress? The man named Ian knew the two women? The two women who have ruined Giana''s life?


    Then, what was all this?


    Giana could feel that her brain was working rapidly to connect the dots she knew.


    It was like a jigsaw puzzle where Giana had to put the pieces together and in the right ces, so she could see the whole picture.


    Because that was the only way Giana could see the devious n that had been going on, targeting her.


    If Ian did know the two women and he wasn''t a dealer, then there was only one reason why the man had approached her and introduced her to this ''stuff''.


    Giana felt her head spinning rapidly, realizing that she had been falling into Hailee''s trap all along without herself knowing it.


    How could she be so stupid and let herself get into trouble like this?


    "ARRRGH!!!" Giana screamed very loudly and fell to the floor, and of course, the scream made the couplee running back to her, just like they did this morning when they found Giana throwing a tantrum.


    "What is it now?" she asked, but this time she didn''t daree any closer. The woman just stood a few meters away from Giana and hugged her husband. The woman looked at Giana with eyes filled with anxiety and fear, as if Giana would soon turn into a scary monster.


    Or maybe it was true, because Giana no longer felt like herself.


    All this time¡­ all this time, her life was being toyed with by Haiee and she didn''t know it at all. Hailee ruined her life in the most horrible way. Slow and deadly.


    How could Hailee make her dependent on drugs?! And Giana only realized it when it was toote for her to stop?


    Giana then tugged at her hair until she could feel clumps of hair in her hands, but she didn''t stop there.


    Because it was difficult to channel the emotions she was feeling now, Giana began to destroy the things in the room blindly. She no longer thought about the consequences or her reputation.


    There was only one thing that Giana wanted, namely; to make those who have made her suffer to fall with her.


    That was all Giana wanted now.


    =================


    After arriving at their destination, Ramon and Lexus immediately checked in at the pre-booked hotel and each followed their own agenda; calling their respective women.


    "How can you misunderstand that I want starbucks?" Candice asked in disbelief as soon as Lexus called her. Not even greeting with a ''hi'', ''hello'' in her first sentence.


    "Don''t you want Starbucks?" Lexus had a small smile as he heard Candice continue grumbling.


    "Yeah, I want Starbucks, but not an outlet, I just want a cup of coffee, you dumbass," Candice grumbled in annoyance, hearing Lexus''ughter, but theughter proved infectious as it put a gentle smile on the corners of Candice''s lips in an instant. "When will you be back?" Candice asked at the end of her sentence.


    The question, of course, made Lexus'' eyes sparkle with pleasure. He raised his fist in the air and shouted silently, making a strange dance move.


    It was only when he started to speak that his voice sounded indifferent. "I''ll be back the day after tomorrow. Why?" he asked. "Miss me?"


    "Huh?" Candice snorted and grumbled. "You expect!" she finally said.


    Hearing that, Lexusughed softly and they started to talk about what they had been doing all day.


    It wasn''t really much as nothing special happened, except for the surprise Candice received when Tordoff''swyer came to her office and said he was going to help her open a cafe outlet.


    And the rest of it was meaningless chatter, but somehow, they both enjoyed just talking to each otherte into the night.


    ==================


    "What brings you here?" Leon asked Giana when he saw his nieceing to his house during one normal day. Giana was in such a state of chaos that he barely recognized this woman. "You look terrible," Leon said to Giana when he saw the woman standing in the doorway of his dining room.


    "There are a few things I need to confirm with you," Giana said, her voice hoarse and her tone more stern than she should have meant.


    "What''s that?" Leon asked as he put down his fork and knife. He pushed away the steak he had just eaten halfway and gave Giana all his attention.


    Whatever his niece was going to say now seemed to be a very important matter and Leon had to listen to it very clearly. What did this girl want? Because it was unusual for Giana toe to him in this condition.


    "Do you know Ian Schamber?" Giana asked straight to the heart of the matter, she then walked over unsteadily before sitting across from the table where Leon was sitting. The two of them stared at each other, as if they were reading the small movements of their interlocutor.


    "Yes, I know him. Traitor, professional fighter and now he works for Ramon Tordoff," Leon answered bluntly, then added. "Oh, he also has a sickly sister."


    "Working for Ramon Tordoff?" Giana frowned, because the information she got from Garry didn''t mention that.


    Giana knew that Ian Schamber was a street fighter and also Hailee''s best friend, but she didn''t know that Ian had a working rtionship with Ramon.


    Because as soon as she heard of the rtionship between Ian and Hailee, Giana thought that the one behind all this was Hailee.


    Giana thought that it was Hailee who had got her addicted. She had no idea that Ramon was behind this.


    Of course, now that Giana thought about it, there was no way a little woman like Hailee could havee up with a covert n that was so neat and involved illegal things like the drugs she was currently taking.


    It would make more sense if Ramon was the one doing all that.


    And that reality hit Giana very strongly. Ramon wanted to destroy her. All of this was Ramon''s doing. That man was the one who turned her into an addict and felt pain like this¡­


    It was crazy, but it was a fact that Giana had to ept, because after all, nothing made more sense than this.


    "Are you okay?" Leon asked while frowning when he saw Giana start tough softly, but then herughter got louder and louder and this worried Leon. "What are youughing at?"


    Gianaughed as if she had just heard the funniest joke she had ever heard in her entire life and this brought tears to her eyes.


    Or maybe, her life was just a joke.


    "I have one request and I think you can grant it," Giana said after herughter died down and Leon fell silent while looking at her intently.


    "What''s that?" Leon felt that there was something different about his niece, there was something that made her look different and dangerous.


    "You want your son to rule over the Tordoffs, don''t you?" Giana asked in a hoarse voice.


    On the other hand, Leon didn''t answer the rhetorical question, because Giaan definitely knew the reason behind Leon doing all these crazy things, which was to get his son to the pinnacle of glory that the Tordoff family had.


    "But I don''t think you are capable of making Lexus take that position from his brother because he likes Ramon so much." Giana shook her head and corrected her words. "He idolizes his brother, so Lexus couldn''t possibly have any desire to snatch what belongs to Ramon."


    Leon narrowed his eyes when he heard that statement, he felt that Giana would do something dangerous and extreme and he didn''t know whether to get involved in this or not. "What do you really want to say?" Leon asked suspiciously.


    "If Lexus can''t take that position because he doesn''t want to take it away from Ramon, then why don''t we just remove the obstacle?" Giana asked, looking at her uncle meaningfully. "Lexus doesn''t need to take that position away from Ramon. If we remove the obstacle, won''t Lexus automatically get it?"


    Leon could understand what Giana meant, but he also didn''t expect this woman to go that far. Because from what he knew, Giana really loved Ramon.


    Therefore, Leon must ensure this so that there would be no misunderstandings.


    "You want to get rid of Ramon Tordoff?" Leon asked in a deep voice. His eyes stared intently at Giana, confirming her sincerity.


    "Yes," Giana replied firmly.


    "Get rid of him forever?" Leon questioned her bluntly.


    "Yes, I want you to kill him," she said with earnest eyes.

 Chapter 379 - MINDBLOWING NEWS

    <h4>Chapter 379 - MINDBLOWING NEWS</h4>


    It had never urred to Giana that she woulde to such a big decision like this, considering how she used to love Ramon so much and was willing to do anything for him.


    Even a week ago, even as she thought about how hurt she had been when Dillon left her, Giana still had a ce for Ramon in her heart and thought of that man¡­


    It never urred to Giana that she would want to hurt Ramon or see him hurt, even more so to ask someone to kill him.


    Giana was even willing to give up her uncle so he could see her again with the same love she felt when they were together.


    But, it turned out that all of that was just a temporary thing and all this time, Giana had only been in her own imagination.


    Giana knew that Ramon had got some of his memories back, which meant, he had remembered Giana too, but seeing how Ramon was behaving, she was not sure that all they had was love.


    Does all this make sense? Giana couldn''t understand how fate was ying with her.


    "You want me to kill Ramon Tordoff?" Leon confirmed the sentence; he himself was surprised when Giana asked for it. "Are you sure about what you said? Or are you just high?"


    Giana did have to deal with her addiction to ''stuff'' given by Ian, but now her mind was in a very clear state and she was very calm while making that decision.


    "If I can''t have him, then he should just die," Giana said coldly. Ramon had toyed with her so outrageously. The man made herself look like an idiot when all she wanted was their old rtionship.


    But, now¡­ he was even about to kill her¡­ those ''things'' that she had consumed, of course, would slowly kill her.


    Moreover, because Giana did not feel that she would be able to stop using it. Only by using the ''stuff'' and being under its influence, Giana could feel better. She needed that feeling of calm that she got from such a dangerous addiction in the midst of the turmoil that must be experienced and faced.


    "What happened exactly?" Leon narrowed his eyes, staring at his niece very intensely, trying to figure out what Giana was really thinking right now, but there was nothing he could find there. Giana''s facial expression didn''t show any emotion that could tell him what was on her mind at this moment.


    "I''m just fed up, and one more thing," Giana replied casually. She then stood up from her chair and looked at her uncle calmly. "I don''t think I can stand behind you in your case with Ramon anymore, because legally, you won''t be able to escape punishment."


    Not long ago, due to the issue of the disappearance of Dimatrio''s son, who was a key witness from Ramon Tordoff''s side, all suspicions were directed at Leon, of course they would suspect the person who was weighed down by the man''s testimony.


    No one would suspect Ramon of his own key witness disappearing. And tactics like this really made Leon want tough. The young man from the Tordoffs was really cunning.


    And Leon couldn''t help but admit that he was really impressed by Ramon''s brilliant thinking.


    If only Ramon were his son, then he wouldn''t have gone this far¡­


    "So, what do you want to say?" Leon asked finally. He intertwined his hands and rested his chin on his fingers, looking at Giana curiously as to what this woman was nning to do.


    "I must say frankly that you have no hope of winning this case and when the help I provide is no longer useful, they will detain you, whereupon you will no longer have any freedom." Giana then took her teacup and drank it. "You won''t be able to enjoy this anymore either."


    Leon smiled. It seemed that it was not only Ramon''s ability to analyze situations that could leave him a little bbergasted, but also Giana''s change in attitude that made him not think that his niece could take such an extreme step.


    "Then?" Leon could read what was going through Giana''s mind right now, but he wanted to hear it in person. "Are you threatening me to do this dirty work for you?"


    Gianaughed when she heard that, augh that Leon had never heard before. It sounded so cynical and also full of calction and revenge.


    "I''m not threatening you, Uncle," Giana said in a low voice. She then walked over to Leon and stood right in front of him. "I am helping you to aplish what you wanted to do."


    Leon raised his eyebrows, indicating for Giana to exin further on the matter.


    And this annoyed Giana a little, because she knew for sure that Leon understood what she meant.


    But, this time, when her mind was in a calmer state, Giana easily hid it.


    "You want to take down Ramon and I have the same goal, so instead of uncle spending time in prison doing nothing while Ramon gets what he wants, wouldn''t it be better if we just took him down with us?" Giana smiled gently, as if she was talking about something pleasant, maybe it was fun for her¡­


    Leon smiled back at him. "You are just asking me to make sacrifices to achieve your own n."


    Gianaughed and patted Leon''s back. "Don''t dramatize the situation, Uncle. I just want to make you more useful by helping you. After all, you''ll end up in prison without my help and it''s only a matter of time." Giana then added, "If you seed, I might as well help you to escape, hide for the rest of your life, like you have been doing all this time."


    Giana hadpletely changed into a different person. She was no longer blinded by her obsession with Ramon, but now she was driven by revenge.


    "Isn''t that a good offer?" Giana asked that rhetorical question with a smile on the corners of her lips.


    ================


    Lexus couldn''t understand why going to the supermarket and shopping was Candice''s choice of spending time with him.


    "Seriously, if you want food, we can go to any restaurant you want," Lexusined. He pulled back the ck hat he was wearing and covered his face.


    "I didn''t invite you, you volunteered toe along," Candice defended herself. She didn''t bring Lexus with her, but when she was about to go shopping, this man followed her and approached her at this supermarket.


    "Now, hold this," Candice then put a papaya into Lexus'' arms andughed when she saw the man grumbling.


    "You can put it straight in the trolley," he grumbled, then shoved the fruit into the trolley he was pushing.


    "If you don''t like it, you can get out of here," Candice said nonchntly, but when Lexus didn''t see her, the girl would smile with satisfaction that this man hadn''t left her.


    "Don''t worry, I''m willing to give up anything for you..." Lexus said in a teasing tone. "I don''t even mind you giving birth to my child."


    Following that, a punchnded on Lexus'' back as Candice used a melon to hit it.


    "Don''t talk carelessly," Candice growled, she could feel her face turning red when Lexus said this unexpectedly.


    "I''m not talking carelessly, I''m serious about what I say," Lexus said while rubbing his sore shoulder. This girl could turn very brutal if provoked.


    "Oh really?" Candice raised an eyebrow when she said that. "Then how about you say that in front of my parents?" Candice challenged Lexus.


    However, the challenge actually made Lexusugh. "Honey, you were the one who didn''t allow me toe directly to your house, but now you''re acting like I''m the one who avoided meeting your parents."


    Lexus then reached out and ruffled Candice''s hair. Luckily, no one suspected that this couple was the two people who recently filled the news magazines with their dating news.


    "Oh really?" Candice narrowed her eyes and looked at Lexus intensely. "Then juste." Actually, Candice just wanted to make sure to what extent Lexus would go for this still uncertain rtionship. "We''ll see if my parents will like you or not."


    "Of course they will like me," Lexus said proudly. "I''m handsome, rich, loving and who definitely loves their daughter."


    And this time, Lexus got hit with a carrot in Candice''s hand. That girl was really cute when she was upset.


    And it was with such temptations that their shopping trip ended for the day.


    But, just as they were about to walk to the cashier and pay, the television over there showed somepletely unexpected news¡­


    "Lexus¡­" Candice''s voice sounded very low like a whisper as she watched the news that was being broadcast on television and made all the visitors stop their activities, turn around and stand still, frozen in their ce.


    Everyone had the same thought, namely; there was no way that Ramon Tordoff would do such a thing.


    And there, on the television, a news anchor announced a very shocking news, namely; the forbidden rtionship between Giana Smith and Ramon Tordoff when the woman was still married to Aidan Smith.


    "Lexus¡­" Candice called again, she then turned and looked at Lexus who had a tense facial expression on. His jaw clenched and he didn''t say anything for a while. "That news¡­"


    Lexus then took a deep breath and tried to show Candice a smile as he replied to her in a light tone. "Looks like I can''t take you home.... sorry," he said before bending down and kissing Candice''s forehead and running away.

 Chapter 380 - I FEEL BAD

    <h4>Chapter 380 - I FEEL BAD</h4>


    "Ramon, what is the meaning of this news?" Lexus narrowed his eyes as he red at his brother intently. "You had an affair with a married woman?"


    Lexus pulled his hair, frustrated that his brother didn''t answer his question.


    Prior to this, Lexus wouldn''t have dared to confront Ramon as he did now, but the news circting out there was outright insane and it was like a snowball that the longer it was allowed to roll the more dangerous it became. This will destroy them.


    "You had an affair with Giana Smith." Finally Lexus made his own conclusions and he was sure that what he said was true, because Ramon did not reject the statement at all. "Ramon, have you gone mad?"


    This matter became very personal for Lexus because he felt what Ramon was doing by ruining another couple''s household was too much. This reminded him of what Leon did to Lis and Lucas'' marriage. He was the live proof of that illicit rtionship.


    But now, the older brother he had been proud of and thought of as a role model for him, had actuallymitted the same dirty act. So, how could Lexus ept all this? This was crazy and Lexus didn''t want Ramon to admit it.


    It was just that Ramon''s silence answered everything. He really did.


    Realizing this, Lexus groaned in frustration in the face of Ramon. "How can you be that stupid!!!" Lexus eximed in fury.


    In the midst of his anger, he threw a disy on the table at the wall which had left a mark there.


    Lexus felt more furious because of his disappointment that Ramon had done the same thing as Leon did. It really made Lexus feel that his brother, whom he had always seen as perfect, had let him down.


    He was no different from Leon.


    Damn it! Lexus didn''t want to let out his frustration at a time like this, but seeing Ramon really made Lexus feel the anger that he had been hiding so well resurfaced.


    "Say something! Damn it!"


    Perhaps this was the first time Lexus cursed and uttered harsh words in front of Ramon and behaved like this in front of his brother.


    Ramon then stood up and approached Lexus in a calm gait. "Yes, I did. All the news is true."


    Of course all the news was true because it came from a trusted source. Who else but Giana, a person who knew what was going on between the two of them so well that she could provide the news hunters with such incredible details?


    "FUCK YOU RAMON!" Lexus roared furiously and unexpectedly, he threw a punch right at Ramon''s face with great force.


    At first Lexus thought that Ramon would dodge the blow, there was no way he didn''t see iting, but apparently Ramon took the hit calmly and allowed Lexus to vent his anger on him.


    Damn it!


    Ramon staggered a little from the blow that Lexus had thrown, but then he stood up straight and faced his younger brother again. He looked at Lexus with an emotionless face.


    "You''re not much different from Leon!" Lexus growled. He suppressed the guilt deep within him when he saw Ramon''s bleeding lips and his face which was soon going to turn blue and swollen.


    "Of course I''m different," Ramon replied, his voice not shaking at all. He could control his emotions well. "I approached Giana because I wanted to know about Leon''s ns, but that man approached our mother because he wanted thispany."


    "To hell with it all!" Lexus roared. He didn''t want to justify what Ramon said, he wanted to be angry with his brother, so he didn''t want to listen to any excuses. "You two are the same to me!"


    Ramon didn''t say anything when he heard the usation, he let his brother go on a rampage and destroy everything in his study. Ramon just hoped that Hailee wouldn''te downstairs and stumble on this fight.


    Only after Lexus had broken everything that his hands could reach and the condition of Ramon''s very neat workspace had turned very disorganized, did Lexus stop and take a deep breath.


    He sat on the floor among the shards of ss scattered around him, while Ramon approached him and sat next to him.


    The two of them were silent, neither of them made a sound for a long time, until the only sound was Lexus'' heavy breathing.


    Until finally Lexus asked Ramon in a hoarse voice full of emotion.


    "What about Hailee? Does she know?" Lexus felt sorry for the woman, just like Lucas, Ramon''s father, Hailee was now in the same position.


    "Yes, she knows," Ramon admitted easily and the answer was not what Lexus expected.


    "She found out?" Lexus repeated Ramon''s statement, in disbelief. "Hailee knew about this but she didn''t say anything¡­?"


    Lexus was quite surprised to hear that Hailee had found out about this and that he had not heard anything from her.


    "She''s known about it for a long time," Ramon said. He then leaned his back against the wall behind him while sitting on the floor with his brother. ss shards of all sizes were everywhere and the enormous workspace fell apart after Lexus''s indiscriminate anger.


    Luckily, Lexus had now be calmer and could talk much calmly.


    "She knew it long ago?" Lexus frowned, he tried to think back to this. "But isn''t it¡­"


    Wasn''t Ramon in a rtionship with Hailee for two years prior to their marriage and his brother was very skilled at hiding Hailee''s identity because their mother didn''t approve of the rtionship.


    Lexus and his mother just got to know Hailee and saw her after the ident that took Ramon''s memory happened.


    "I do not understand." Lexus shook his head in confusion and Ramon understood what Lexus couldn''t say.


    Of course, those who didn''t know the history of the rtionship between Hailee and himself would find it very strange. But, actually it all makes sense.


    "During those two years, I didn''t have any rtionship with Hailee. I only knew Hailee after the ident happened. I had a rtionship for two years with Giana," Ramon admitted.


    At this point, Lexus looked at his brother with his mouth wide open.


    Perhaps the word ''shocked'' alone could not describe how he felt now at Ramon''s confession. How could his brother have such a big secret and no one knew?


    "You had a secret rtionship with Giana for two years and no one knew, but you married a woman you just met?" Lexus tried to digest the situation faced by Ramon and hisplicated love story.


    How could such a big thing be missed by Lexus?


    "You can summarize it that way," Ramon replied, not contradicting Lexus''s statement at all.


    "You¡­" Lexus was at a loss for words in response to this. He was now in a state where he couldn''t believe the reality of what had just unfolded before his eyes. "And people say that you''re so cold to women when they brand me as a yboy!?" Lexus felt the world was unfair to him.


    He didn''t even date the women he was rumored to be close to!


    The news hunters only assumed so because he was close to the women, but actually Lexus didn''t have a serious rtionship with them. It was just a fling between him and those women¡­


    "Wow¡­ you really can''t be trusted," Lexus grumbled. "Now tell me about all that nonsense¡­"


    And in the end, after going through the phase of anger and emotional venting, Lexus and Ramon spent their afternoon through evening in his study.


    Lexus would continue to ask Ramon, while he would answer every one of his questions in detail, without hiding anything.


    Maybe, not about the thing where he asked Hailee to sign a contract before they got married and acquired Tatum''spany that way.


    The secret regarding the contract would forever be a secret between the two of them and Lexus didn''t need to know.


    ================


    "I''m fine Zia, you don''t have to worry," Hailee said,ughing softly.


    Ever since the shocking news about Ramon and Giana''s affair broke in the media, Hailee had been getting calls from people who were worried about her.


    It was actually quite fun, considering that she knew that and there were still many people who really cared about her.


    Not only Zia, Ian had called her before, asking how she was and also Uncle Diego.


    Even Candice called her and said that she and Lexus saw the news when they were at the supermarket.


    "I''m okay... my rtionship with Ramon is fine too," Hailee said in a light tone. "You don''t have to worry about this."


    While talking to Zia, Hailee nced at the door, saw Ramon enter the room who immediately hugged her tightly.


    "Okay, we''ll talkter, okay?" Hailee hugged Ramon back with her free hand, while the man pushed Hailee so that shey on the bed, while her husband buried his face in her shoulder. "Yes, it is okay. Okay. We''ll talk again. Okay. Bye."


    And the phone line was disconnected. Hailee then threw her cellphone aside and hugged Ramon back tightly. She traced her fingers through Ramon''s ck hair.


    "What is it?" Hailee asled. She felt Ramon was not like he used to be.


    "I feel really bad," Ramon said. His voice was low and his warm breath brushed against the skin of Hailee''s neck.


    "Everything will end. We''ll get through this just fine," Hailee said.


    But, Ramon raised his head and looked at her. He then shook his head slowly.. "I don''t care about the news, I feel bad for you."

 Chapter 381 - YOU CAN HANDLE HER

    <h4>Chapter 381 - YOU CAN HANDLE HER</h4>


    Ramon didn''t really care what the news out there said about him because he didn''t feel he had the responsibility to exin his actions.


    And Ramon didn''t even bother to find out who had leaked his rtionship with Giana, because he knew for sure who was behind all this big news.


    What missed Ramon''s ns and guesses was the fact that Giana might leak this to the public in great detail.


    He did not think that what he had done had cornered the woman and did not think long about bringing her down in any way. Even if it meant Giana had to ruin her own reputation.


    At this point, Ramon felt that Giana must have known who Ian really was and connected the man to him.


    Because otherwise Giana wouldn''t have taken such an extreme action. Giana''s love and self-respect were the main reasons why Ramon was sure she wouldn''t reveal their affair.


    However, it turned out that Giana made an unexpected decision and threw everything away. She chose to drag Ramon down with her¡­


    However, all of that was fine with Ramon, but there was one thing that made him feel uneasy.


    Hailee¡­


    The woman had known about his affair even before they got married, but now that the affair had be public, it was Hailee who Ramon was very worried about.


    He didn''t want to hurt his wife and all of that happened before they met, but still Ramon felt that he had betrayed Hailee for doing that.


    Now that everyone knew about the affair between Ramon and Giana, Hailee neither provoked him nor said anything to him.


    Maybe if Hailee got angry and mad or vented her emotions like Lexus did, Ramon would feel better, but Hailee didn''t do any of that.


    She stood beside him, sped their hands, and got ready to get through all this madness together.


    And Ramon felt bad that Hailee had to go through it all while his wife didn''t deserve such treatment.


    "I don''t care about the news, I feel bad for you," Ramon whispered in a low voice. He looked into Hailee''s eyes and found no hatred there.


    "Why do you feel bad for me?" Haileeughed softly, while rubbing Ramon''s face and touching the crease between Ramon''s forehead. Her husband looked tired. "I''m fine."


    Ramon shook his head. "I''d feel a lot better if you were mad at me."


    Haileeughed when she heard his nonsense. "I didn''t know you wanted to see me mad so much," she said teasingly. "I''m fine Ramon. I know the story between you both and I wasn''t there at the time."


    "I still feel bad," Ramon said in a voice that indicated how bad his mood was right now.


    "Hey, you should be the one persuading me not to be gloomy, but why are you the one who looks more gloomy than me?" Haileeined, but then, her facial expression softened again. "We will get through all of this. We''ve been through even worse situations and we''ve managed to get through them all, so we''re going to get through this too."


    Ramon kissed Hailee''s forehead gently, knowing that his wife would always be with him and it was exactly what Ramon needed. He wouldn''t ask for anything else but their togetherness...


    =================


    "You''re really crazy Giana," Leon said to his niece after he turned off the television and looked at Giana with questioning eyes. How could his niece, who a few weeks ago was still curled up under the nket, crying over the departure of Dillon, her personal assistant, was now trying to attack Ramon Tordoff, the man she loved the most?


    It was true what people say, that sadness would change a person into a different person.


    Leon was just curious, how deep was Giana''s sadness that she became a person he couldn''t recognize anymore.


    "I''ll take that as apliment," Giana said as she took a bottle of alcohol from the fridge and poured its contents into two sses, one of which she gave to Leon.


    "No, I didn''t mean topliment you," Leon said firmly. He downed the ss Giana had given him and felt the drink roll down his throat. "You''re an idiot for shooting yourself in the foot while dragging the Dawson family name in mud again," Leon growled.


    The n or action that Giana had just decided on, was more like an act of suicide.


    Leon did want to kill Ramon and weaken the family under Ramon Tordoff, but that didn''t mean he would let Giana destroy the familypletely.


    "You''re too naive if you think so, uncle," Gianaughed softly, giving her uncle a scornful look. She knew that what Leon worried about was the legacy that would be left to Lexus. That was all that mattered to him, because of course Leon didn''t want to leave Lexus with apany that had gone bankrupt. "Ramon Tordoff isn''t going to fall down just because of the news."


    Leon had indeed studied Ramon for years and devised a n to put Lexus at the top of power, only things were unexpected, such as; Lexus had absolutely no ambition to take over the Tordoffpany and that was something very unfortunate.


    As for Giana, two years was not a short time for her to get to know Ramon, of course behind the man''s pretense to love her and find out information about Leon. But he could not pretend all the time.


    There were times when Ramon also acted as himself and with the intimate rtionship between the two of them back then, of course Giana could have read the man a little better. Knowing things Leon didn''t know.


    "Not really," Leon replied. "But you ruined your own reputation."


    Giana narrowed her eyes when she heard that. "Don''t you think that you are too greedy? You want Ramon Tordoff to be destroyed but you don''t want to take the risk." Giana tapped Leon''s shoulder. "You can''t get everything uncle. That''s not how this unfair world works."


    And Giana had felt the injustice of the world in a very bad way.


    "Uncle, just do what I ask and we''ll both get what we want," said Giana. "I want you to kill Ramon, somehow."


    "And you will help me to escape from such action? You want me to believe that?" Leon asked,ughing scornfully at his niece.


    "You have no other choice, uncle. You follow my word or you don''t, you''ll still end up in jail, as soon as I take a step back from your and Ramon''s case." Giana then shrugged her shoulders nonchntly. "I guess you can''t avoid this even with my support. You were proven to have kidnapped Hailee and now they''re using you of the murder of that key witness."


    Leon clenched his jaw tightly when he heard that simple sentence from Giana, which was filled with hidden threats.


    "Let''s do this well and get the results we want." Giana then raised her ss and touched it to Leon''s.


    =================


    "That woman really is so impudent!" Renfred threw the ss in his hand across the room, until it shattered into pieces as it hit the wall hard. But, he still looked dissatisfied with what he was doing. Renfred felt his pride being trampled on.


    How could his son be cheated on when they were still married?! News of Giana and Ramon Tordoff''s affair was in the news headlines for several weeks and didn''t seem to be fading at all as time passed.


    In fact, the news went out of control because of the attitude of the Tordoff family who chose to remain silent and did not make any statements. There was no exnation from the Tordoffs or a press conference to straighten this out.


    Of course, this news dragged the Smith family into the dirty rumors again.


    "Do you know about this?!" Renfred asked his son.


    On the other side of the room, Aidan was leaning against the wall, seemingly unconcerned by his father''s outburst that had destroyed the entire room, he seemed to be struggling with the cell phone in his hand.


    Aidan was facing difficulty meeting Zia or contacting her. He had even waited in front of the Tatum family''s house every now and then, but the girl didn''te out at all. And what made him even more furious was the fact that a man named Ian could freely enter and leave the house.


    What was the rtionship between the two of them?


    "AIDAN!" Renfred roared, he then threw a disy onto the floor in anger that his son had ignored him.


    Aidan just raised his head and looked at his father with an expressionless face. "What do you want me to say? I also had an affair, so I have no opinion on this."


    "Don''t you feel your self-worth being trampled on?! Or do you really have no self-respect?!" Renfred cried angrily.


    Aidan just shrugged his shoulders and red at his father. "Didn''t you choose her to be your daughter-inw? If anything goes wrong here, then it''s on you father."


    =================


    Hailee was looking at herself in the mirror and applying a bright red lipstick that made her face look much more mature and elegant. In a matching red dress, Hailee gave off a vibe that no one could look down on.


    "You look beautiful," Ramon praised, and then slipped his hand around Hailee''s slender waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. "I want toe to the party too."


    "No," Hailee said firmly. "This is a woman-to-woman affair, you better not interfere. Don''t you believe me?"


    Ramonughed when he heard this.. "I''m sure you can handle Giana."

 Chapter 382 - THE EVENT

    <h4>Chapter 382 - THE EVENT</h4>


    Tonight was the night where everyone who worked in the jewelry trade, especially diamonds, would gather to attend a leading diamond exhibition.


    Of course, aspanies dwelling in the same field, the Tatum and Dawsonpanies would be invited as well.


    And that meant Hailee would? meet with Giana and exchange ''greetings'' at the event.


    This particrly attracted public attention as this was the first time for Hailee to appear in public since the scandalous news surrounding her husband, regarding the affair between Giana Dawson and Ramon Tordoff, surfaced.


    And news on the ''epic'' moment where Hailee Tordoff met Giana Dawson was far more interesting than the news of tonight''s diamond show.


    The reporters who came were certainly ready to aim their cameras and capture every moment when Hailee and Giana met for the first time.


    Actually, this didn''t bother Hailee at all, in fact, she had been waiting for this moment to meet Giana.


    She wouldn''t stop until she got the attention she wanted and Hailee was more than willing to give it to her.


    "I want to go to the party, too," Ramon said, kissing Hailee''s nape, teasing her so slyly that she would let hime with her.


    However, Hailee didn''t want to involve Ramon in this. "This is a woman to woman business, you better stay out of this."


    Ramon chuckled when he heard this. "I promise not to interfere, even if you fight Giana until you two start scratching each other, I will not intervene."


    Hailee turned her body and wrapped her arms around Ramon''s neck, looking at the man with a seductive expression. "Is that true? If I fight with Giana, you won''t help me."


    "Of course not." But, then Ramon added, "I think Pyro and David are enough to bring that woman to her knees."


    Haileeughed when she heard that. "That''s called an unfair fight."


    "I don''t care about ''fair'' when ites to my wife," Ramon said very softly, like a whisper, then his hands went down Hailee''s thighs as he lifted her slowly.


    "I don''t have time for this, I might bete," Hailee warned Ramon, but she let her husband caress her skin very gently.


    "So, what if you arete? Weren''t you just going to teach her a lesson?" Ramon asked while tracing Hailee''s inner thighs, making the woman''s breath catch and this made Ramon even more daring. "You want this too, honey..."


    "No..." Hailee refused with a hoarse voice, while her body betrayed her instantly.


    And when Ramon stopped what he was doing, Hailee opened her eyes and red at her husband.


    "Why?" Ramon asked with a smile on his lips. "Didn''t you say to stop it?"


    Hearing that, Hailee became sullen. Sometimes women would be hard to understand, there would be times when they say one thing, when they actually want another.


    But, this time, Ramon knew exactly what Hailee wanted. "Let me tag along, then I will give you what you want."


    Hailee pursed her lips. "No," she said in a shaky voice as Ramon again traced his hand purposely over Hailee''s chest. This man really was a tempter!


    "No?" Ramon then did it again and saw Hailee''s eyes that shone with annoyance, but also a ferocious pent-up desire at the same time. "Are you sure about your answer?" This time, Ramon lowered his head andnded a kiss in between the girl''s shoulder des. "You don''t want to change it?"


    Hailee bit her lip. "Make me change my mind then¡­" Hailee whispered while smiling mischievously at her husband.


    This was indeed a coercive way that both of them liked very much, when their egos and desires were at odds with each other, but both of them certainly knew the game well.


    "Oh, of course..." Ramon said. "I will not only change your mind, but also that arrogant attitude of yours."


    Haileeughed. Compared to Ramon, she was far from arrogant. This man was just ttering himself¡­


    "Then how are you going to change my mind?" Hailee asked, and then ced her hands on Ramon''s broad chest, giving him a look that invited her husband to do more than this.


    Of course, that always worked, because as always happened, Ramon immediately picked up Hailee''s body, but this time, he didn''t take her to their bed, and instead sat Hailee down on the round table in the middle of the room.


    "Don''t ruin my dress," Hailee warned Ramon. She didn''t want to bother looking for dressester.


    Hearing that, Ramon just gave his wife a meaningful smile. "I don''t promise, it depends on how you handle me¡­"


    And after saying that, Ramon immediately knelt before Hailee, while his eyes locked on his wife''s long legs.


    Ramon was like a poet who had just found his favorite verse and he was about to immerse himself in the stanzas.


    And as Hailee had expected, she would bete for the event.


    ================


    "I''m really mad at you Hailee," Ramon said over the phone. He really couldn''t believe that after all this time being together, Hailee had still managed to trick him.


    Ramon didn''t know whether he should be proud or annoyed at his naughty wife.


    Ramon said that he was going to take a quick shower and change clothes after their hot ''persuasion'' session, but Hailee just left the house and had the audacity to tell the bodyguards, who woulde with her, to take all the ten cars that Ramon had parked in his garage.


    And to get another car, it would take some time, meanwhile, Hailee was already halfway to the party.


    "I will grant all your wishes when I get back home," Hailee said, holding back a smile because she could still hear Ramon''s grumbling voice.


    "I don''t know what to do with you," Ramon said in a defeated tone. He took a deep breath, "Tell me if you need anything ande home as soon as that d*mned party is over."


    "Hey, you''re using harsh words on me," Haileeined, even though she knew the words weren''t directed at her.


    "Sorry honey, I''m just upset that I can''t be in the same frame with you in the news tomorrow morning." Ramon reasoned.


    "Good reason Ramon," Hailee said lightly. "Okay, I''m almost there, I''ll turn off the phone."


    "Hmm, have fun," Ramon said.


    After that, the phone line was disconnected, of course Hailee would ''have fun'' in this event.


    "Ramon?" Candice asked when Hailee had just finished turning off her phone.


    Hailee turned to Candice and smiled shyly. "Yes¡­"


    Candice smiled with her.


    Today, Hailee deliberately invited Candice to this gemstone show, because she knew that Candice liked this field, but her family didn''t approve of it.


    "You shouldn''t have asked me," Candice said. "I haven''t kept up with thetest fashion and read news about developments in the industry."


    "Oh, stop that..." Hailee said in a rebuking voice. "You wouldn''t be here if you didn''t want to."


    Hailee knew very well how stubborn Candice was, so how could she persuade Candice if she didn''t want toe? After all, she was not a child who could be easily coaxed.


    Hearing Hailee''s answer, Candice couldn''t help but grin in resignation. Well, she was a little interested. Just a little¡­


    "You''re going to get me in trouble if they find out I''m on this show," Candice muttered. While in front of them, there were already many luxury cars queuing up to park.


    The building that would be the venue for the event was a five-star hotel skyscraper which was one of the well-known hotels in city A.


    "They won''t be mad if you say you were with your sister-inw," Hailee said teasingly. She was happy to see Candice blush when she said that.


    "Oh, please¡­ nothing is certain in my rtionship with Lexus. We just met." Candice shrugged, trying to be nonchnt. "It''s too soon to say that this rtionship is something serious."


    Haileeughed when she heard Candice''s rebuttal. She should have known how short Hailee''s rtionship with Ramon was when they finally decided to get married.


    Well, it seemed that it would be a story for the two of them and would not be told to anyone else¡­


    "Are you sure you want to see Giana Dawson?" Candice finally asked worriedly.


    "Of course, otherwise I wouldn''t be here." If it weren''t for that reason, Hailee would definitely be in Ramon''s arms right now, instead of being in the crowd and under the shes of news-hungry reporters.


    =================


    Giana looked at the hotel building that would be the venue for the event, but what she saw was not a magnificent hotel building, but a ce where she would meet Hailee.


    Giana had confirmed many times that the representative of the Tatumpany was Hailee Tordoff and not the board of directors of thepany.


    Gianna narrowed her eyes. She didn''t know what she was going to show her to be so brave to face her. But, what was certain was that Giana would teach her a valuable lesson so that the girl would stop being arrogant and think that she could win this fight.


    Of course Giana would not let that happen.


    She would see Hailee getting humiliated in front of the crowd with the news that had spread in the mass media.


    And as for Giana, she wasn''t afraid to lose anything anymore, no matter how harsh the criticism she would receive, she didn''t care about any of that anymore.


    As long as she could take down Hailee and Ramon, then that would be enough for her to avenge this heartache....

 Chapter 383 - THE EVENT (2)

    <h4>Chapter 383 - THE EVENT (2)</h4>


    As soon as Hailee got out of the car, she saw the news hunters who started aiming their cameras at Hailee ferociously and throwing questions that could almost be said to be a little rude and ufortable to Hailee''s privacy.


    Meanwhile, Barry and Pyro as well as ten other bodyguards stood around Hailee and Candice to protect them both from the attacks of the reporters.


    "How do you feel about the affair between your husband and Giana Dawson?"


    "Does your husband admit that the affair ever happened?"


    "How are you dealing with this?"


    "Will there be a divorcewsuitter?"


    "Did you know that Giana Dawson would also attend this event?"


    "Have you met Giana Dawson yet?"


    These were just a few of the questions Hailee could hear on her way into the building.


    Of course, because so far neither the PRpanies from Tordoff nor Ramon have been willing to speak out on this issue, the journalists could not get any sources of information.


    While Lexus Tordoff or other members of the Tordoff family were very difficult to find, they would always be surrounded by at least six bodyguards.


    Therefore, the news circting so far was just some wild assumptions made by the journalists to create some hype based on their respective points of view.


    So when they got the news that Hailee wasing, the reporters went crazy, especially since Giana Dawson would also attend the event.


    But, neither Hailee nor Giana, wanted to answer those questions¡­


    Maybe they thought wrong, because now when she was at the top of the stairs and saw the reporters clustered a few steps below, heavily guarded by the bodyguards, Hailee stopped and turned around to face the reporters.


    Immediately the reporters fell silent, so they could hear what Hailee had to say, while their camera lenses were only focused on the face of the girl.


    "My husband cheated on me?" Hailee asked with a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She didn''t seem bothered at all when she said that and the people there who saw it were quite impressed with the confident vibe Hailee exuded.


    "Yes, Ramon Tordoff was in a rtionship with Giana Dawson for two years." One of the reporters said in quite a loud voice.


    "Where did you hear something like that?" Hailee asked in a firm voice, she didn''t scream. But, they could hear her voice quite clearly.


    "There are reliable sources to back that up." The same reporter told Hailee.


    They thought Hailee would finally admit the affair, but unexpectedly, Ramon Tordoff''s wifeughed softly, as if what they said was something funny.


    "Get back to me if you guys have other evidence besides some words from that ''reliable source''," Hailee then added. "Besides, even if it''s true, the word cheater is not appropriate for my husband. Didn''t Ramon at that time not have a partner? Ramon at that time wasn''t even married to me. So, how could you say he had an affair?"


    A buzz of voices from the reporters rose immediately as they realized that what Hailee said was reasonable.


    Ramon at that time was alone, while Giana was the wife of Aidan Smith. Although the act cannot be justified, the word ''cheater'' is more appropriate for Giana.


    And before Hailee entered the building, she added again. "Don''t assume things, you think someone like Ramon Tordoff would have such an affair?"


    And Hailee''sst question made reporters think and question it again.


    When the reporters'' unrelenting bombardmentprising a new set of questions started again, Hailee just waved her hand and smiled sweetly at them, before she finally turned around and walked into the building right when a new performance seemed to be starting.


    On the other hand, Candice couldn''t help but stare at Hailee''s actions, how could a girl whom she knew as a sweet and calm person, could make such a simple statement that had such an impact...


    ================


    In a majestic room with precious stones of various sizes and types beautifully disyed in eye-catching ss cases, Giana walked over to a figure she knew well.


    Hailee.


    The girl didn''t notice her presence even until Giana got close enough to her and Pyro restrained herself.


    Inside this exhibition room, they were only allowed to bring one bodyguard, while the others had to wait outside the event hall.


    Of course, when he saw Giana being dismissed, her bodyguard stood in front of the woman until Pyro had to face Giana''s bodyguard who was veryrge.


    "There''s no need for this," Giana said calmly. "I just wanted to talk to her."


    The words Giana said caught Hailee''s attention and made the girl turn around and find Giana standing not far from her.


    "Long time no see," Giana said with a mocking smile tugging at her lips. Hailee knew that kind of smile all too well and looked less offended.


    "It''s okay," Hailee said while touching Pyro''s back, but the bodyguard didn''t move, he looked at Giana''s bodyguard right in the eye.


    And even though Giana''s bodyguard was much bigger, of course people would be able to see that Pyro was much more agile inbat.


    "Pyro," Hailee called his name and made the man walk backward, but not too far.


    Of course Pyro wouldn''t leave Hailee out of his sight, no matter what this woman said.


    Because after all, he knew what had happened between Hailee and Giana, and the fact that Giana was involved in the previous case was what made Pyro swear that it wouldn''t happen a second time.


    And after Pyro retreated, Giana''s bodyguard did the same, leaving Giana and Hailee face to face, while Candice was seen standing behind Hailee with a slightly worried expression.


    "So?" Hailee raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "What do you want? Is there something you want to tell me?"


    Giana looked at Hailee sharply, Hailee''s clothes that were in the brilliant shade of red really had a tremendous effect.


    The young woman looked much more mature, ssy and elegant, making Giana even more furious when she was around her.


    The red color that Hailee wore seemed to intimidate the person she was talking to, but Giana had far more experience, to be intimidated by Hailee.


    "I just wanted to ask how you are," Giana said, ncing behind Hailee. "I see you didn''te with Ramon, but instead with your girlfriend." She smiled very sweetly, showing how much she despised and belittled Hailee.


    "Why?" The smile on Hailee''s lips didn''t fade at all. "You still want to find a chance to meet Ramon after the news you spread yourself?"


    "But it''s not a lie, the news is true. Ramon was with me for two years." Giana smiled proudly.


    "I didn''t say you were lying." Hailee shrugged. "Because what I''m going to sayter isn''t a lie either."


    Giana frowned slightly at what Hailee was about to say and very kindly, Hailee informed Giana about a few things.


    "What about your addiction?" Hailee asked while giggling amused, which made Giana freeze. "Will anyone still listen to the words of an addict?"


    Giana balled her fists and clenched her jaw with anger rising in her head. "The truth will always be the truth, you can''t deny my affair with Ramon just because I''m an addict."


    There was nothing for Giana to hide anymore, because she already knew that Ian was Hailee''s best friend and there was no way this woman waspletely blind about what had happened to her.


    "I''m not denying it," Hailee said calmly.


    "But that''s not what you told the reporters earlier," Giana smiled sarcastically.


    "Oh, Giana," Hailee sighed, shaking her head as if she felt sorry for the woman in front of her. "Don''t you know that we always have two faces? You think you''re the only person who can manipte the mass media? I can also lead public opinion. Do the drugs make your brain dull?" Hailee asked with a face that showed that she didn''t mind continuing this ''discussion'' further.


    But, before Giana could reply to Hailee''s sharp words, an announcement could be heard, informing the invited guests that the highlight of the evening was about to take ce.


    "I didn''t think you would be an addict." Hailee gave Giana a condescending look, making the woman even more furious. "How worthless are you? Tsk tsk tsk¡­"


    After saying that, Hailee turned around and took Candice by her arm before following the people who were changing rooms to enjoy the highlight of the evening.


    As for Giana, she was walking in the opposite direction, she needed to calm down.


    "You don''t have to follow me!" Giana eximed angrily. Her hands trembled as she snapped at her bodyguard. "I''m just going to the toilet for a bit."


    After saying those words in a harsh tone, Giana walked hastily into the toilet and took the booth furthest from the entrance.


    In the cubicle, Giana took out a small roll of paper which contained white powder and took a deep breath.


    Giana clenched her jaw tightly. She hated herself for doing this, but she also couldn''t handle herself well when she wasn''t using this ''stuff''.


    Giana took a deep breath and let the effects of the drugs work, while clenching her fists tightly.. She then mmed her fist against the wall hard.

 Chapter 384 - THE EVENT (3)

    <h4>Chapter 384 - THE EVENT (3)</h4>


    The diamond show would be closed with the night''s highlight, a bidding on a ring decorated with rare gems where the proceeds from the auction would be donated to a charitable foundation.


    Therefore, all of them had topete to get the jewelry. It was not that they had some moral responsibility to help others, of course that was not the reason.


    But because having jewelry would portray their high status in society. As in today''s society, people would judge your status depending on what you have.


    And it was certain that the people involved in tonight''s event were not random people you could meet at any time.


    "You''re not participating in this auction?" Candice asked Hailee who sat beside her and didn''t seem very interested.


    "Not really..." Hailee said, she then raised her hand and showed Candice her wedding ring from Ramon. "That ring wouldn''t go well with this ring."


    In other words, Hailee could not match the ring that was being auctioned with her wedding ring, and it would be impossible for her to take off her wedding ring and rece it with another ring.


    Therefore, Hailee was not too interested in the ring, although it could be said that the ring currently being auctioned was very pretty and beautiful.


    "You two really can be envied," Candicemented. "I didn''t expect there to be stupid news about Ramon and Giana." Even if the news was true, couldn''t Ramon not be called having an affair? While he was not in a serious rtionship with anyone.


    "Don''t worry, I think Lexus will treat you the same. Because after all, the two of them are brothers, so it''s no surprise that he treats you so sweetly." Hailee raised her eyebrows and gave Candice a meaningful look.


    And it reminded Candice of the coffee misunderstanding the other day and it made her smile a little.


    Hailee was happy that Lexus had met Candice, because even though they weren''t very close back then, they were now close enough to attend a celebration party together.


    Right after that moment, Hailee caught sight of Giana who had just entered the room. She sat three tables away from where Hailee and Candice were sitting.


    Their gazes met and Hailee gave Giana the best and sweetest smile she could show, raising her drink as if offering her a toast.


    Hailee felt happy every time she managed to piss off Giana and maybe she should stop this habit soon...


    Because it was like an addiction to her...


    "Yes! And the price is closed with an offer from participant number one nine eight!" a slightly fat man dressed in white cried. He banged the hammer, indicating that the ring had been sold.


    Hailee didn''t really take part in this auction event, because her purpose ining here was to provoke Giana.


    However, she was a little surprised when she heard her name being called.


    "Mrs. Tordoff, you can go up the stage to pick up your ring¡­" the man said, smiling very broadly, as if he was the one who got the expensive ring.


    "Hmm?" Hailee frowned. She didn''t remember that she took part in tonight''s bidding¡­


    "You have to go," Candice said, smiling very cheerfully.


    Wait, did I miss something? Hailee thought in confusion¡­


    "What is this?" Hailee whispered to Candice in a low voice. She didn''t think she had won the auction when she didn''t follow it at all.


    "Didn''t you hear what he said?" Candiceughed softly and patted Hailee on the back as she shook her head.


    Hailee''s concentration had only been on Giana until a moment ago when the man had announced something, so she wasn''t really listening.


    "Your husband, Ramon Tordoff, bought the ring for you," Candice told Hailee about it, like a very kind person. She even emphasized the words ''your husband'' to get Hailee''s attention. "You should be smiling broadly now. Even though you forbade him to participate in this event, your husband has other ways of showing his presence."


    "Ramon bet for me?" Hailee repeated this while standing, because she couldn''t possibly keep the people pping for her any longer. "Well, that seems to be a thing Ramon would do for me."


    Hailee didn''t know what she did to get a guy like Ramon.


    As Hailee walked through the rows of patrons, the women she passed stared at her with envy while the men gazed at her with admiration.


    Of course, Hailee in this red dress looked so energetic, sexy and seductive.


    Along Hailee''s journey to retrieve the ring, hundreds of pairs of eyes followed her and she was very sure that one of them was Giana. And knowing that alone made Hailee feel very happy.


    After Hailee had reached the podium, the man greeted her and congratted her, while handing her a jewelry box that looked very beautiful, expensive and luxurious.


    Some people could only hope to have it, while Hailee, who didn''t really want the ring, just got it.


    While receiving the ring box and signing some documents as standard procedure that was always done in every auction¡­


    Hailee took the time to look at Giana who was still sitting pretty in her seat, she looked not at all happy about Hailee getting this ring in such a high profile manner and didn''t p for her.


    Nor was there a smile she offered Hailee, even if it was just a fake smile.


    However, it wasn''t a problem for her. Thus, when their gazes met, Hailee nced coquettishly at Giana, provoking her further.


    See? It''s like an addiction for Hailee to piss her off¡­


    =================


    When the event was over, all the guests have left the room to return home or continue their own party.


    Hailee stood in the hotel lobby and waited for Giana, while Candice was waiting for her in the car first.


    "I was waiting for you," Hailee said like an innocent girl waiting for her sister to pick her up. It didn''t match the sly look in Hailee''s eyes at all.


    "Very well," Giana replied sarcastically, she lifted her chin haughtily, showing a strong domineering aura.


    "Let''s go out together and face the press, so they can see that our rtionship isn''t that bad," Hailee said cheerfully.


    At this point, Giana started to get suspicious about the n that Hailee was working on in her little head. What was her purpose of doing all this?


    Giaan knew something wasn''t right here, but she couldn''t pinpoint what was wrong either.


    "Our rtionship is not really bad, so there''s no need to try and show otherwise," Giana said fiercely.


    "Of course not, how can I be on good terms with the person who killed my baby and was also involved in the kidnapping by her own uncle," Hailee said in a dark tone. The smile on her lips faded, as her voice turned serious. "What''s your uncle''s name again? Leon Dawson, right?"


    "You don''t know who you''re provoking Hailee," Giana said fiercely. "I hope you will carry Ramon''s baby again and I will do the same as I did before." Giana walked over and said in a lower, savage voice. "And I''ll do even worse for the babies you''ll be carrying."


    Hearing this, Hailee clenched her jaw tightly trying not to get emotional and maintained her smile that threatened to turn stiff.


    Because after all, Hailee felt the urge to kill Giana right then and there.


    "Like what for example?" Hailee asked in a stiffer voice. "Like when you kill your own baby with the drugs you take?"


    Gianaughed, but theughter didn''t reach her eyes. "Yeah, you can imagine it that way. You did this to me. So when you get pregnant again, pay attention to the food you are going to eat, because there might be poison in it." And that was a threat. Even a deaf person would know it was a threat.


    "I will remember it well." Hailee smiled at Giana as usual and nodded, as if she took good advice from this woman in front of her.


    After saying those threatening lines, Giana tossed her hair and lifted her chin arrogantly, before she nodded at the guard there to open the lobby door for her.


    But, nimbly, before Giana stepped out of the lobby, Hailee had taken her hand and walked along with her.


    And instantly it could be seen that the two women involved in the recent hot news were stepping out together, hand in hand and that was not what the reporters there were waiting for.


    However, still, the scene was something that must be captured, where the first photo from tonight''s event was a photo of Hailee and Giana walking together, exiting the hotel lobby.


    "What are you doing?" Giana hissed and pushed Hailee''s body, causing the woman to stagger slightly, but not enough to fall off on her five-inch high heels. "You want to do another trick?" Giana folded her arms and looked at Hailee angrily.


    On the other hand, Hailee wasn''t bothered at all, either by Giana or the questions from the crowd of reporters.


    "Watch me," Hailee said quietly while ncing at Giana, then she faced the reporters who were waiting. "You''d better stop spreading stupid news about the affair between my husband and this woman, because here, I have much more legit news than that."


    Hailee then showed something in her hand, a small object that would destroy Giana''s reputation.

 Chapter 385 - GOODBYE

    <h4>Chapter 385 - GOODBYE</h4>


    Tonight, they were at a small airport which was a private property of the Tordoff family. Hailee and Ramon were there to send off Ian and his sister, Ciara.


    Ian had to leave for a while because Giana would definitely be looking for him and that was a dangerous thing, considering that Ian was the one who had supplied her with drugs.


    Therefore, Ramon would hide the man''s whereabouts for the time being.


    "It won''t be more than two years," Ramon said, promising that. After all the problems were solved and Giana was under control and the situation was safer, then Ian coulde back at any time.


    "Two years¡­" Ian nodded his head. Two years wasn''t a long time, but it couldn''t be said very short either, especially when he had to be away from someone who had been in his headtely.


    Ciara, Ian''s sister, hugged Hailee as they chatted in hushed voices. Hailee bought the little girl a big teddy bear and she seemed very happy to receive it, while Ian and Ramon walked away a bit to have a talk between the two of them alone.


    "If I didn''t know the situation was better than this, then I would have thought that you were doing all this to distance myself from Hailee." Ian still remembered how Ramon sent him to Lexus'' house because he didn''t want him to stay in the same house as his wife.


    "You can think so," Ramon replied nonchntly.


    "I think our rtionship can be a little better after this," Ian grumbled, shaking his head in disbelief at the man before him. "I thought we had be friends, at least."


    "Don''t let your imagination soar too high," Ramon warned Ian. He didn''t like the word ''friend'' to describe the rtionship between the two of them.


    "That''s up to you," Ian grumbled as he rolled his eyes, as if to say he didn''t care.


    "Once you get there, someone will take you to a house where you will live." Ramon briefly exined about their problem. "After that you are not allowed to contact anyone. Anybody." Ramon confirmed this many times. Because it was very important.


    "I understand." Ian nodded and took a deep breath. "In that case, let me call someone."


    Ian then reached out with his palms open, asking Ramon''s cell phone to call someone.


    Ramon raised his eyebrows questioningly.


    "You cut off mymunicationpletely from the outside world, so at least let me contact someone onest time before I return in two years," Ian said, then added. "I wish you could solve this problem sooner so I don''t have to wait two years."


    Ramon stared at Ian for a moment before he handed his phone to Ian. It was his personal cell phone and he just handed it over to the man in front of him.


    "Don''t take too long, you''ll run out of credit," Ramon said before walking away.


    Hearing this warning, Ian couldn''t help but gape and shake his head in disbelief.


    How could someone who was one of the five richest people run out of credit? Was that a joke?


    But then, he looked at Ramon''s phone and realized that it needed a password to be unlocked.


    "Hey!" Ian cried to Ramon. "What''s the password?"


    Ramon nced at Ian over his shoulder before he replied, "My wife''s birthday!" he eximed.


    Actually Ramon didn''t need to say ''my wife'', but he seemed to get used to showing his im over Hailee whenever he talked to Ian and that was really annoying.


    Of course there was no need to guess hard to find out who Ian was contacting at this time, because there was only one person who had been quite close to him.


    =================


    Zia was ying the piano in the living room when she got a phone call from Ian. At first, she didn''t want to pick up the phone call, thinking it was Aidan trying to call her again.


    Somehow the man always managed to get her number, no matter how many times Zia changed it, only this time it was different.


    After three unanswered calls, a message arrived in her inbox which read;


    ''It''s me, Ian. I''m using Ramon''s cell phone. Please pick up.''


    Only then did Zia pick up the next and fourth phone call. She couldn''t be med, because what Aidan had done so far had left quite a deep trauma for Zia and she couldn''t act as if those things never happened.


    "What are you doing with Ramon''s phone? Where''s your cell phone?" Zia asked Ian directly and stood up to walk to the back garden, leaving her piano.


    "I didn''t say this before, because I was waiting for the right time, but I don''t think the right time ever came." Ian started. He was quite confused about how to tell Zia, so he tried not to think and said what was on his mind right now.


    "I don''t really understand what you want to tell me right now," Ziaughed softly. "Can you be more specific?"


    "I don''t think I cane over to your house again for a while," Ian said in a lower voice and Zia knew this was something serious.


    "What is it? Did you get a mission from Ramon again?" Zia asked. She knew what Ian did to Giana and didn''tment on it at all, because she thought that Giana deserved it after what she and her uncle did to Hailee.


    "Yeah, sort of," Ian mumbled.


    "How long?" Zia asked finally after being silent for a while. This was not the usual¡­


    "Two years," Ian answered curtly.


    "Two years?" Zia was quite surprised and shouted, making the two maids who happened to be passing by stop and stare at her questioningly.


    "If you want to me someone, me Ramon," said Ian hastily. "In fact¡­"


    And Ian spent the next ten minutes exining his situation to Zia and the reason why he would be gone for the next two years.


    At that time, Zia didn''t know what she was feeling, but for sure, the loss made her cry, even though Ian wouldn''t know it¡­


    =================


    "I guess this is the right thing to do, don''t you think?" Hailee asked, in a slightly bad mood after saying goodbye to Ian.


    "Of course," Ramon replied dispassionately. He was quite happy to send the man away.


    Hailee chuckled when she heard that answer and then took out her cell phone to check today''s news, while outside, the sun was almost setting, leaving an orange hue in the sky that looked very beautiful.


    "This news is still hotly discussed even though three days have passed," Hailee mumbled and smiled, satisfied with the headlines written by the reporters, based on the information she provided.


    What Hailee gave them the night after the event was a video file of the conversation between herself and Giana just before they left the lobby.


    Since it was a video showing the events of that day, there was no doubt that it was true.


    Especially when Hailee gave the video directly to them, so there was no indication that she made up the words in the video.


    And in the video, Giana admitted that she caused Hailee to have a miscarriage and also that she took drugs which caused her to have a miscarriage.


    In this short video which was less than five minutes long, there was a lot of information that journalists could dig up and find out more about the truth and it was not an exaggeration to say that you should not underestimate the ability of journalists to search for news because it was their very field to begin with.


    "You look happy," Ramon said softly as he kissed the top of Hailee''s head. He loved it when Hailee wasughing, angry or sulking.


    "Of course," Hailee replied cheerfully. She then turned to Ramon and gave her husband a quick peck on the lips. "Now they can stop bringing up your rtionship with Giana."


    Hailee''s tone changed when she said herst sentence and this made Ramonugh. Sometimes, he would forget how fast Hailee''s mood swings could be.


    Her facial expressions and moods could change in a matter of seconds.


    "So annoying, you know? To open a news article and find news about you and Giana," Hailee grumbled.


    The times when the news about the affair between Ramon and Giana was so big and spread all over, Hailee couldn''t even read the news or watch television without seeing the stupid news.


    And it really sucks to be reminded of that all the time.


    "You''re such a jealous wife," Ramon teased. He put his finger under Hailee''s chin so she could look at him.


    "Yeah, I''m jealous," Hailee admitted easily. "Why? Are you the only one who can be jealous?


    "It''s okay," Ramon said with a smile. "I love seeing you getting jealous, you''re so cute when you''re angry."


    "Don''t try to seduce me," Hailee snarled, but Ramon could see the joy in his wife''s eyes.


    "I''m not seducing you Mrs. Tordoff, but if you feel like it, maybe I did it without realizing it."


    ==================


    Giana smashed her room again, she didn''t know how many times she had done this, littering her room with shards of ss.


    Her anger was unstoppable and it was not only anger that she had to deal with, but also her addiction that made her suffer.


    Giana couldn''t think straight. She needed the drugs, but she couldn''t reach Ian at all.


    It wasn''t just because she needed the drugs that she contacted Ian, because she wanted to catch Hailee''s best friend and put him behind the bars, making sure he would rot in prison as a dealer.


    But, s, no matter how many people she deployed, no one could find where Ian was now.

 Chapter 386 - BREAKDOWN

    <h4>Chapter 386 - BREAKDOWN</h4>


    "ARRRGH!" Giana couldn''t bear this anymore. She was so angry and annoyed with herself, at her current state and at everything.


    She needed something to keep her sane, but she didn''t know what it was, and it was at this moment that Giana realized that she was all alone and had no one in this world. She was alone¡­


    She used to have Dillon, but she took him for granted. Even though at that time Giana didn''t love Dillon, what she did had always been too much and he epted all her madness.


    It was Dillon who had been keeping Giana sane and not hurting herself when everything and everyone in her life turned against her, when everything in her life copsed, Dillon was her only support.


    But, now¡­ Giana had no one¡­


    Not her obsession with Ramon, not even her ruined reputation or someone who could tell her what she should do¡­


    No one would stand by her and say everything was going to be alright.


    Oh, how Giana wanted to do whatever Dillon said. Giana really wanted to hear the man scold her now.


    Because no matter how angry he was with her, Dillon would eventually take care of everything for her. He would stand by her side to keep herself strong and steadfast in living this tough life.


    Giana was willing to give anything to get Dillon back and now she was regretting everything she had done.


    And when she realized that thought, Giana burst outughing. It was so funny how she could fall into the same pit twice.


    The first time this happened was when she turned down Ramon''s suggestion to divorce Aidan and be with him instead.


    Even though their rtionship was a calctive move by Ramon who only wanted to take advantage of her, Giana probably wouldn''t regret it. Ramon wouldn''t treat her like trash, the way he was treating her now.


    And now, when Dillon was gone, Giana felt the same way and it made her want tough. Even a donkey wouldn''t fall into the same pit twice, but Giana seemed dumber than a donkey.


    After Giana was satisfied destroying everything her hands could reach for and making her room no longer look like a ce to live, Giana fell to the floor, looking out the ss window where she could see the night sky was so thick and the overcast clouds hanging in the sky.


    Everything seemed so wrong in Giana''s eyes right now¡­


    =================


    "What is it?" Ramon asked in the morning when he saw Hailee curled up in bed clutching her stomach aftering back from the bathroom.


    "It''s okay¡­" Hailee said in a voice like a mumble, she grimaced softly and added. "Just cramping because I got my period today."


    Ramon, who was ready with his work clothes and about to leave the room to have breakfast with his wife, immediately approached Hailee and kissed her forehead. "Are you okay? Does it really hurt?"


    Normally, Hailee wouldn''t feel this kind of pain, but ever since she had a miscarriage, it seemed like it affected her monthly cycle as well and made her ache on the first and second day of each month.


    However, Hailee didn''t want to worry Ramon, because this was a natural thing for her to experience as a woman.


    "I am alright." Hailee tried to convince Ramon. "You better get ready to go to work. I''ll ask Martha to make something for me."


    Only, Ramon didn''t move from there. How could Ramon leave Hailee when his wife was in pain?


    "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?" Ramon asked worriedly. "Should we go to the hospital? No, I''d better call Brian toe over."


    Haileeughed softly, realizing that whatever she said after this couldn''t change Ramon''s decision and she wouldn''t be able to get him out of here.


    Then, Hailee smiled gently. "Well... a lot of food and kisses might help me feel better," Hailee said.


    Ramonughed with her when he heard that and started kissing Hailee''s face up to her ears and neck.


    But then, Hailee just looked at Ramon while pursing her lips, indicating that there was one part that Hailee hadn''t felt Ramon''s lips touch this morning.


    Of course, Ramon dly granted his wife''s request, because whatever Hailee wanted she would get.


    Ramon then cupped his hands on Hailee''s face and pulled her closer while kissing her lips gently. He really liked their intimate time.


    =================


    "I thought you went to work," Hailee looked at Ramon in disbelief. Half an hour ago Ramon had gone out of the room and he asked Martha to make a warm drink from natural ingredients which she would usually drink when sick like this.


    "No, I''m taking a day off," Ramon said calmly as he walked over to Hailee with a tray of drinks he made.


    "Don''t tell me it''s the drink I asked Martha to make for me!" Hailee widened her eyes in disbelief when she saw Ramon sitting by her bed and gave her a smug smile.


    "You asked Martha to make it, but this is my handiwork," Ramon said proudly to her. "Get up, you should give it a try."


    "Oh, now I understand why it took Martha so long to make this drink, you''re interfering with her work." Hailee teased Ramon, she then lifted her body and sat down.


    The warmpress on her stomach helped a little to relieve the pain, but this drink would help her much more.


    "This is a masterpiece of mine, you better drink it while it''s warm." Ramon helped Hailee put some pillows behind her and gave the ss to his wife. "This is special."


    Haileeughed. "What makes this drink special?" Hailee brought her nose closer and smelled its scent. Nothing strange, the color was the same too. "Nothing about this drink seems special. It''s the same drink."


    Hearing that, Ramon folded his arms across his chest. "Hailee Tordoff," he called and this made Hailee smile. "You should know the effort I put into making this drink, and again I won''t be making this drink for anyone else, so to say the least, this drink is exclusively for you."


    "Alright, alright. You''re making my stomach hurt even more," Haileeughed. "Thank you for the special drink. I hope you didn''t bother Martha while making this."


    Well, if Martha hadn''t remembered that Ramon was the boss, then she would have been very frustrated and tried to kick Ramon out of the kitchen.


    However, since the middle-aged woman still remembered all that, she had no other choice but to tell Ramon all the steps one by one, so he could make the drink Hailee asked for.


    =================


    Aidan couldn''t understand what Giana wanted anymore.


    After the news about her having a miscarriage by taking drugs, and the news was strengthened by a statement from the doctor who treated her, this time Giana tried to do something else by distributing an obscene video of himself and Aileen from months ago.


    Wasn''t it toote to release such news to the media? And that was not all, why was Giana still bothering him after their divorce decision finally concluded?


    This woman just wanted to find a way to keep the media''s attention off her and was trying to distract the media''s focus onto him, however, Aidan didn''t expect her to use herself to achieve that.


    What a cheap and selfless woman!


    And his arrival this morning to the Dawson residence was not without reason, Aidan''s anger was unstoppable.


    When his life had started to return to normal and the scandalous news about Giana no longer had anything to do with him and Aidan nning to go to Zia''s house and mend his rtionship with the woman, Giana actually got back into action and dragged him back into the mud puddle he was trying to crawl out.


    "Giana!" Aidan cried furiously. He knew this house very well and he immediately ran to the second floor, where his ex-wife''s room was.


    When they saw that he was about to barge into Giana''s room, two maids immediately approached Aidan and tried to stop him, even though the effort was in vain, because Aidan no longer wanted to hear the people who defended Giana.


    "Please, leave Giana alone first. She was devastated," said one of the maids who had worked at the Dawsons'' home for decades. She was an old woman who had taken care of Giana since she was a child.


    However, Aidan no longer wanted to hear such words, because his anger was unstoppable.


    Actually, he felt a little surprised, because there were no security personnel guarding this house. However, that wasn''t something he cared about right now.


    Aidan then pped the hands of the two maids away and walked toward Giana''s room.


    Very rudely, Aidan mmed his fist on the door of the room and shouted angrily. "GIANA! COME OUT!"


    Aidan did that many times and made a lot of noise. However, there was no answer from within.


    It was only when Aidan tried to pull the door handle that the door opened, which meant it was not locked by Giana.


    Aidan frowned in confusion, especially when he looked at the scattered items on the floor as well as the shards of ss littering the floor.


    This was indeed something that Giana almost always did whenever she was angry and upset. She tended to destroy things around her, but this time¡­


    The atmosphere in the room was so messy and Aidan had to be careful if he didn''t want to get hurt.


    While the only sound that could be heard from inside the room was a conversation from a cartoon show that was being broadcasted on television.

 Chapter 387 - I WILL PICK YOU UP

    <h4>Chapter 387 - I WILL PICK YOU UP</h4>


    Aidan found his ex-wife sitting on the floor, leaning against the foot of the bed. Her eyes were unfocused, staring at the cartoon Mickey Mouse shown on television, while all around her were broken ss and trash in a scattered mess.


    It seemed, no one would dare to approach this woman and distract her from the television program she was watching.


    Immediately upon seeing this scene, Aidan felt his anger fade away. Confusion, pity, annoyance and also several other kinds of feelings that he couldn''t exin hit Aidan.


    Because after all, this woman was the one who had been with him for three years and also the one who had been by his side even though she knew she had been betrayed.


    But of course, that wasn''t enough to make Aidan forget what Giana was doing now, by spreading the video between himself and Aileen on social media.


    "Giana," Aidan called. He stepped in carefully, trying to avoid the shards of ss on the floor. Giana was pretty lucky it seemed, because she didn''t look hurt among all this mess. "Giana, can you hear me?" Aidan tried again.


    The man then knelt beside Giana and took the television remote from her hand before turning off the cartoon.


    Only then did Giana move a little, showing signs that she heard him.


    Giana didn''t say anything, but looked at Aidan with a nk stare, as if waiting for what this man wanted to say to her.


    And precisely when Aidan had gotten Giana''s attention, he didn''t know what to say. Even if Aidan beat her and berated her in the harshestnguage, he didn''t feel that it would mean anything to Giana.


    She had gone too far inside herself and seemed to want nothing more in life.


    If life was a game, then Giana was a loser who would go home with her head hung low.


    And in the end, Aidan could only sit beside Giana, leaning his back against the foot of the bed as well, but before that of course he made sure first that there were no broken ss pieces there.


    "Where is that man?" Aidan asked finally. At such a close distance, he could see how thin Giana had be and how her hair, which had always looked healthy and well-groomed, now looked tousled and dull, as if she hadn''t washed it for several days.


    Giana averted her gaze from Aidan and stared at the chandelier above their heads.


    "Where''s Dillon?" Aidan knew that it was the man who had been keeping Giana sane and cleaning up all the mess that his ex-wife always made, but this time Aidan had not seen the man for a long time.


    Aidan of course knew that the baby Giana was carrying was Dillon''s and not his, because otherwise they wouldn''t have reached the stage of divorce now. However, where was the man now?


    There were even some rumors that said that the man had run away after impregnating Giana, and because he did not want to be responsible, Giana was forced to abort the pregnancy.


    However, having been in this world for so long, he knew very well not to believe the rumors circting out there.


    Every rumor circting and also the words circting in themunity could easily be changed ording to their respective assumptions.


    "Is that guy really gone?" he asked again, but got no response from Giana, the woman hadpletely disappeared into her own world and it seemed that Aidan could no longer reach her.


    For a moment, the two of them seemed to just fall silent and sat side by side, as if lost in their own thoughts.


    Aidan''s n, which was to settle scores with Giana, seemed to be forgotten. How could he do something to a woman who didn''t even know herself?


    ================


    "You really took advantage of the situation," Lexus said in disbelief to his brother.


    After the news about the affair between him and Giana began to fade in the media, Hailee released an even far more spectacr news about Giana, however, none of the news wouldst forever, because it would be very easy to control the media and shift attention from one hot topic to another when you always have much more shocking news.


    Now Ramon was starting tounch his n to acquire Dawson''spany, where thepany was already on the verge of bankruptcy.


    The rumors about the family and the absence of an eligible candidate who could lead thepany, made the Dawson family''s downfall something that was predictable.


    Especially when Ramon was working behind the scenes to make sure that happened.


    "Here are all the documents you need," Lexus then handed several documents to Ramon. "So, what''s after this? Would you do the same to the Smiths?"


    Ramon took the documents and checked them briefly. "Yes."


    Lexus was quite surprised when he heard that, but had also predicted it. "You have absolutely no mercy on them. But, I don''t think the Smiths have any disagreements with you, so why are you targeting their family too?"


    Ramon nced at his younger brother and said softly, "There is no particr reason. This is business, everyone is always looking for more profit."


    Lexus didn''t know whether to cry orugh when he heard that statement. Ramon was very hard to predict¡­


    Just because Ramon saw the advantage in this matter, he immediately grabbed it and didn''t wait for a second chance.


    However, what Lexus didn''t know was the fact that Ramon did that to protect their family. The stronger their family became, the people who wanted to do bad things to this family would think dozens of times before doing it.


    Money was not everything and Ramon learned that from Hailee, but also everything needed money and he learned that from what had happened to Hailee, because money had undeniable power.


    If Ramon could break all the support given to Leon, then it would be easier for him to teach a ''valuable'' lesson to that jerk.


    And Ramon would start with the Dawsons.


    "Oh, one more thing, there is information regarding Leon''s whereabouts," Lexus informed Ramon. He didn''t feel awkward when he said the name, because he didn''t feel anything for the man he had barely met in his entire life.


    ==============


    "You have to be careful Hailee," Zia said when they finally met at a caf¨¦. This was the first time for them to meet after a long time; after the two got entangled with different problems.


    Now, Zia looked much better and was starting to dare to go out of the house and since Ian left, she had started asking Hailee often to go out and meet, just to chat or shop.


    As they were doing now.


    Hailee purposely went to meet Zia and spend time together because Ramon had business in this city today and Hailee asked toe along.


    And of course there was no reason for Ramon not to grant his wife''s request.


    "They''re still looking for Leon aren''t they? Now he has be a fugitive." Zia ate her ice cream. It could be clearly seen that Hailee''s cousin had regained her confidence and was starting to look cheerful as usual.


    "Yeah, Ramon looks a little paranoid too," Hailee saidnguidly.


    Meanwhile, Zia looked at the ten bodyguards who were wearing casual clothes and mingling with other visitors, so as not to make Hailee feel ufortable.


    However, they were still well recognized by Hailee and Zia.


    "I''d like to say that this is an exaggeration, but considering what dangers lurks around you, I think it''s only natural that Ramon would do this," Zia grimaced as she said that. She couldn''t imagine herself having to be followed by so many people like this.


    "Yes, I understand, so I don''t reallyin," Hailee said. She didn''tin, but sometimes she would sulk at Ramon. "I understand how he feels¡­"


    After they finished eating at the caf¨¦, the two women nned to shop at the outlets in that mall.


    But then Hailee''s phone vibrated and after seeing who it was, Hailee''s face brightened.


    "Where are you?" Ramon asked over the phone and Haileeughed, asking how his meeting was and telling him where she was now. "The meeting is over, I''lle over there to pick you up."


    "I''m with Zia," Hailee said. "We can meet at home."


    "I want to see you now," Ramon said firmly. Now he was in his car. "I''m already on my way there."


    And it left Hailee speechless.


    "Okay Mr. Tordoff,e here¡­ I need money for shopping," Hailee said, acting all spoiled. "Maybe you can buy me some clothes."


    "Hm," Ramon mumbled. "No problem, as long as it''s lingerie and stuff I''ll buy you anything you want."


    "Ramon!" Hailee could feel her face heat up, but it wasn''t that she didn''t like it.


    "Why? Is there something wrong?" Ramon asked in a light voice.


    In response to her husband''s teasing, Hailee slightly walked away from Zia as they entered the jewelry store. "No, nothing''s wrong. As long as you apany me to try it out, then I think we can find something suitable for both of our tastes."


    "My taste is you Mrs. Tordoff." Ramon smiled and if Hailee could see that smile, of course, she would know what was on her husband''s mind right now.


    And after a few more seductive exchanges, the phone was hung up, only when Hailee was about to enter the jewelry outlet, someone called her.


    "Hailee," a male voice rang behind her.


    And as soon as Hailee turned her head, her mood immediately turned bad.


    Theodore.

 Chapter 388 - SHE DOESNT BELIEVE ME

    <h4>Chapter 388 - SHE DOESN''T BELIEVE ME</h4>


    Today had been a perfect day for Hailee. Reuniting with Zia to chat about a few things, although there were topics that made her a little ufortable, especially regarding the case of Leon running away, at least Hailee felt much better now.


    Especially when Ramon said that he woulde to pick up Hailee after he was done with his business to have more time with her.


    It was just that all the fun ended when she saw the man who greeted her.


    Theodore.


    Her mood immediately became bad when she saw the man walking toward her.


    Hailee really wished she hadn''t heard the call, so she didn''t have to turn around and face Theodore.


    Meanwhile, Zia, who was standing beside her had put on a displeased expression upon seeing Theodore.


    "What are you here for?" Zia asked Theodore as the man approached them.


    However, Theodore ignored Zia''s hostile attitude and walked straight toward Hailee. He greeted her very kindly, as if all the troubles in the past had never happened and he had forgotten everything.


    Well, Theodore might have forgotten everything, but Hailee wouldn''t have forgotten a single one of that man''s actions that had hurt her.


    "Hailee, how are you?" Theodore asked kindly. "I''m sorry for the recent news that has hit you."


    Zia rolled her eyes when she heard such clich¨¦ dialogues. Oh, please¡­ even a blind person could tell with great uracy that the words Theodore had just uttered were anything but sincere.


    How could this man still think he could trick Hailee after everything that happened?


    But, the most important question was; what was this man trying to do to Hailee with a scantily d woman staring at his back so fiercely feeling forgotten?


    "Thank you," Hailee said curtly. She then was about to walk past Theodore, but the man grabbed her arm instead.


    "Wait a minute, I still want to talk to you," he said hastily when he saw Hailee ignoring him again.


    However, it was a stupid move and the bodyguards around Hailee didn''t like it at all.


    They immediately took action by holding Theodore''s hand, restraining him.


    "Keep your hands to yourself," Pyro said very coldly. He put his arm around Theodore''s shoulders and opened his jacket, showing a gun that was on his waist and made himself understand that he wouldn''t hesitate to use force if Theodore still insisted on blocking Hailee.


    Seeing that, Hailee just gave a small smile and released her hand from Theodore''s grip with ease.


    She didn''t even ask the bodyguards to back down or rebuke Pyro for scaring Theodore. ording to her, this was very pleasant to see.


    "Then I''ll go first," Hailee said in a light voice and took Zia''s arm.


    However, Hailee actually got a fierce re from the woman who tagged along with Theodore and was forgotten by the man.


    "Don''t look at my cousin like that, you don''t know who she is?" Zia asked the woman as they passed. "A man like that can''t catch her attention at all."


    And apparently, the woman did not recognize Hailee.


    Most people would know that Hailee was Ramon Tordoff''s wife, but they certainly would not be expecting to meet her in public like now.


    Therefore, the woman did not even realize who she had been staring at so fiercely.


    "What did you do to him!?" the woman cried angrily and pulled Theodore out of Pyro''s arms. "Are you okay?" she asked anxiously. "Who is she?" she quipped finally.


    "Friends," Theodore replied curtly, he then looked at Hailee''s distant figure, surrounded by several bodyguards d in normal attire.


    "There''s no need to be friends with her anymore, she''s so rude, she''s rich and pretty," the woman grumbled.


    However, Theodore turned his head and looked at the woman beside him with a look of discontent in his eyes. "She is rich and beautiful."


    ================


    Hailee was apanying Zia to choose the bags, but she did not choose any for herself because she already had more than enough of the bags.


    There were even some bags in the Tordoff residence that were left unopened.


    Only, as Hailee was sitting leisurely in the waiting lounge, drinking her chocte milkshake, she saw Theodore and the woman enter the same shop.


    And in that instant Hailee knew that Theodore was actually looking for her.


    It was very easy to tell, seeing how the man looked around him, as if he was looking for someone there.


    And when Theodore''s eyes caught Hailee''s figure, he looked relieved, as if he had found what he was looking for.


    Seriously¡­ Hailee really didn''t want to be in the same room with that disgusting man, nor breathe the same air.


    Therefore, she told Pyro, who was standing not far from her, to look for Zia and buy a bag at another shop, while waiting for Ramon toe pick her up.


    "Alright," Pyro said and walked away to find Hailee''s cousin, leaving her along with ten other bodyguards who were ready to do the same as Pyro did earlier if Theodore dared to approach her again.


    Only, this time, Theodore seemed to know enough to not approach Hailee again and tried to be a good lover by apanying the woman in his arms shopping.


    But, every now and then, Theodore would sneak nces at Hailee.


    And at that moment, Hailee''s phone rang before the screen showed the caller''s identity. Immediately, a smile appeared on Hailee''s lips.


    "Where are you?" Ramon asked and from the background noises on the cellphone, Hailee could guess with certainty that Ramon had entered this mall.


    "I was in a boutique with Zia," she replied, then mentioned the name of the shop. The two of them talked for a while while throwing teases at each other.


    And when the call was disconnected, how surprised Hailee was when she saw the woman who had been beside Theodore, when he stood in her path earlier, with an unpredictable face.


    "Is there anything I can help you with?" Hailee asked lightly. She then took a sip of her almost finished milkshake. Meanwhile, the woman was standing a little further away from her so as not to make the bodyguards feel that her presence was threatening.


    "What is your rtionship with Theodore?" she asked in a cold voice.


    Oh well¡­ Hailee didn''t even do anything, so how could she get someone to hate her like this?


    "Why don''t you just ask him?" Hailee asked. She then looked around in search of Zia, but that cousin of hers couldn''t be seen anywhere.


    "Why? Are you looking for my future husband?" she asked proudly.


    "Huh?" Hailee''s expression was very funny because she couldn''t believe the question she just got. "Looking for your future husband?"


    The woman didn''t even introduce herself, so Hailee didn''t know who she was, but that wasn''t what mattered to her now.


    "Didn''t you see that my bodyguards wereughing as you said such absurd things?" Hailee spread her arms in a dramatic manner, as if to show that what the woman said was really very funny.


    Immediately, the woman''s face darkened slightly. She pressed her lips hard to contain her annoyance.


    "If you know who my husband is, then I''m sure you will not jump into such conclusions," Hailee said lightly, she even nced at the woman.


    However, the gesture made by Hailee was considered very offensive for the woman who had been burned by the jealous fire.


    "Who is your husband?!" she asked defiantly. She puffed out her chest with great pride when she told her her name. "I am Maureen, Maureen Arimbi. Who are you?"


    Hailee didn''t think that she could find out the name of the woman in front of her in this way.


    Of course Hailee knew the Arimbi family, but didn''t really know their family members one by one, because they were a new family in L city.


    Where, the Arimbi family just won a big project and raised their family name. It could be said, for socialites like the Tatum family, of course the Arimbi family was nothing.


    Especially when youpared it to the Tordoffs.


    But, of course Maureen didn''t realize what she was dealing with or who she was dealing with right now when she was bragging about her family.


    "Who are you?!" Maureen asked harshly. "You think that by bringing in so many bodyguards like this you are an important person?" Maureen snorted. "I could bring some of my bodyguards too if I wanted, but of course I wouldn''t take them, it''s too annoying to be surrounded by strangers."


    "Or maybe because you''re not an important person," Hailee said, she then covered her mouth as her eyes widened yfully. "Oops! Sorry for being too honest with you," she said in a mocking tone of voice.


    "You!" Maureen eximed, but one of the bodyguards immediately positioned himself in front of Maureen and said very firmly.


    "This is Hailee Tordoff, wife of Ramon Tordoff," the bodyguard revealed. "If you don''t know the Tordoffs, then you should socialize better."


    Immediately, Maureen''s facial expression changed. She blinked her eyes for a moment, but the wrinkles on her forehead didn''t go away.


    "Impossible." That meant this girl was Theodore''s ex-fianc¨¦ whom her mother had always been so proud of. This annoyed Maureen.


    "Of course it''s possible," Hailee said cheerfully, she then stood up from her seat and walked over. "If you don''t believe me, just ask him directly."


    Hailee didn''t walk to approach Maureen, but to approach the man behind her. She spread her arms wide and hugged Ramon who had just arrived.


    "Honey, tell her that I''m your wife.. She doesn''t believe me."

 Chapter 389 - ARROGANT

    <h4>Chapter 389 - ARROGANT</h4>


    Ramon entered the mall that Hailee had told him and walked toward a boutique where she was now with Zia.


    However, when he saw a strange woman standing in front of his wife, it went without saying that Ramon immediately noticed the tense atmosphere around the two of them.


    Not only that, Ramon could even see how the woman snorted when she heard his wife speak.


    And sure enough, as he walked closer, he could hear a bit of arguing between the two of them before Hailee finally noticed his arrival.


    With great speed and her usual spoiled attitude, his wife immediately went over to Ramon and hugged himself regardless of their surroundings.


    Not only that, Hailee even said while sulking at him. "Honey, tell her that I''m your wife. She doesn''t believe me."


    Ramon raised his eyebrows, he didn''t know where that assumption came from and how could anyone not recognize this beautiful wife of his¡­


    Then, without saying a word, Ramon lowered his head and kissed Hailee''s lips quickly and deeply. He even pressed Hailee''s body flushed against his which surprised her because they were in a public ce and this kind of scene would look very awkward.


    But, a momentter, Hailee changed her mind and she didn''t seem to care what happened next as she shamelessly returned Ramon''s kiss.


    It was only after they both heard Zia clearing her throat behind Ramon''s back and Hailee immediately opened her eyes in a bit of panic, she pushed Ramon''s body away, forgetting her original purpose as to why she approached Ramon.


    "Couldn''t you do it somewhere else?" Zia grumbled, she then turned away to pay for the bag she wanted to buy. "You should have told me about this, Pyro," Ziained to Hailee''s bodyguard.


    Meanwhile, Pyro could only grimace. If he had known he was going to witness this, he would have preferred to order a coffee and sit back and rx in one of the cafes in the mall, away from the ''loving'' couple.


    "So? Is that proof enough?" Ramon asked, not at all concerned with what Zia wasining about.


    "Eh? What?" Hailee already forgot about her original goal. She blinked her eyes in confusion.


    Ramon smiled sweetly at his wife and nced at the woman, whose face was now hard to describe. She looked shocked and stunned by what had happened.


    "No, nothing important, let''s go home," Ramon said as he hugged Hailee.


    His wife still looked confused, but she didn''t remember anything. Either it was because of Ramon''s intoxicating kiss that Hailee forgot what had just happened, or because she really wasn''t important, so that part of Hailee''s brain didn''t want to store unnecessary memories.


    Who knows¡­


    However, when they were about to leave the outlet, they both ran into Theodore and only then did Hailee realize that she had neglected the poor woman.


    "Mr. Tordoff, Hailee¡­" Theodore called out, he looked awkward when he saw Hailee and her husband, especially when the woman immediately walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him.


    Although shocked by the kiss scene, she looked much better now that she had Theodore by her side.


    "Ah, is this the famous Mr. Tordoff?" the woman asked with a beaming face, she looked so amazed to see Ramon Tordoff up close.


    However, neither Ramon nor Hailee had the same enthusiasm, they both looked at each other and smiled lightly.


    Maureen then held out her hand to Ramon, intending to shake hands with the number one elite of town A. It was clear from her eyes which gleamed with obsession that Hailee knew so well.


    Maureen didn''t even care about Theodore who was by her side.


    On the other hand, Theodore didn''t seem veryfortable with the attitude shown by Maureen, he seemed to be trying to reprimand the girl, but unfortunately the gesture had no effect on the woman whatsoever.


    Meanwhile, Ramon didn''t take Maureen''s hand, he just looked at the hand then her face, without saying anything and this made the atmosphere very stiff and awkward.


    Hailee wanted tough but also wanted to shake her head helplessly. She now witnessed another of Ramon''s unique abilities. Her husband was very capable of making things even more awkward than they should be by just sitting around. Wasn''t that an advantage too?


    "Theodore, Maureen," Hailee said in a very formalnguage when she said their names. She then looked at Maureen who pulled her hand back because Ramon didn''t wee it, but that didn''t make the smile on her lips recede. In fact, she seemed more interested in Ramon''s cold demeanor. "Nice to meet you guys, but now, we have to go first."


    And after hearing those words, Ramon immediately pulled Hailee away from the two of them, as if they could shroud his wife with a negative aura.


    "Tsk, how arrogant," Theodore muttered when he saw Ramon had turned away. "If he doesn''t have the name Tordoff behind his own, then he''s a nobody." Theodore could only talk about bad things behind Ramon''s back. Because if the man heard what he was saying now, it wouldn''t result in a pleasant oue.


    "You shouldn''t have said that." Maureen scowled. "Why are you mad at him? Is it because you still like your ex-fianc¨¦?"


    "Of course not," Theodore grumbled.


    "Be careful of what you say," Zia said, who suddenly appeared from behind the two people. "You''re nothing if it weren''t for your surname," she said mockingly.


    Maureen, who heard that, became annoyed and looked at Zia fiercely.


    "You should keep your word!" Zia added.


    "Why? Are you jealous that your cousin has a husband like Ramon and an ex-fianc¨¦ like Theodore?"


    Hearing Maureen''sst statement, Ziaughed. "Having a husband like Ramon can be enviable, but what can be proud of having an ex-fianc¨¦ like him?" Zia pointed at Theodore with her chin. "He''s just a trash man who can only get other trash women, like his ex-wife Aileen and¡­" Zia''s eyes then turned to Maureen and she chuckled.


    It was clear that Maureen was another trash woman Theodore had chosen.


    "Watch your mouth! You, who don''t know yourself!" Maureen eximed.


    "You should have asked him why he let Hailee go and where his ex-wife is now. Do you know where Aileen is now?" Zia asked and from the expression on Maureen''s face, she could clearly see that this girl knew absolutely nothing about it. "Aileen is now in a mental hospital."


    Hearing this fact, Maureen was shocked and she couldn''t hide her emotions.


    "Zia!" Theodore shouted when he heard how Zia said that bluntly, humiliating him. But, Zia just waved her hand and immediately followed Hailee and Ramon.


    ==================


    Hailee and Ramon boarded a different car and not Zia''s when they were about to return to the Tatum family''s house.


    "How long will you be here?" Ramon asked, leaning his head on Hailee''s shoulder while his wife was browsing an online catalog. She still wanted to get Candice to work for herpany and if Lexus managed to get the girl, it might be easier to talk to her.


    "Until the day after tomorrow," Hailee replied in a low voice, because her focus was now only on her cell phone.


    They were now in the car on their way home and it was about half an hour from the mall they had just left.


    Seeing that, Ramon was not happy at all, he took Hailee''s cellphone and threw it away carelessly.


    "Hey," Hailee scolded, but thenughed when she saw Ramon''s darkened face. "I''m looking at the jewelry designs for a new setter."


    "No," Ramon said. "You''ve been working all day and hanging out with Zia, now I want your focus to be on me," Ramon said.


    Hearing that, Haileeughed softly. "You''re acting like a child," she grumbled.


    But then she pulled Ramon closer and kissed his forehead. "How was your day? Did anything interesting happen?"


    "Today¡­" Ramon''s words didn''te out as his facial expression immediately turned very serious.


    "What is it?" Hailee immediately noticed the change, however, things happened so fast that no one was prepared for the next moment.


    Quickly, Ramon grabbed Hailee''s body and hugged her very tightly when he saw a car speeding toward them at high speed.


    The car didn''t appear to be stopping in time and looked as though it intended to hit them.


    And the most terrible thing happened, as the collision was unavoidable.


    The car that Ramon and Hailee were traveling in was at a crossroads when another car from their right drove very fast and hit the side of the car Hailee was sitting in.


    The car they were driving bounced quite a distance and rolled on the asphalt.


    Not only that, in the process, the car Hailee and Ramon were traveling in also hit four other cars, of which two were the cars filled with bodyguards while the other two were passersby cars.


    The collision was very fast but also deadly.


    No one thought this would happen. However, what was even more terrifying was the fact that another car had stopped behind them soon and from inside the car, came several armed men pointing their guns at the car that had been hit.


    No one recognized the faces of the mysterious men because they were wearing ck masks to cover their faces.

 Chapter 390 - WERE YOU LOOKING FOR ME?

    <h4>Chapter 390 - WERE YOU LOOKING FOR ME?</h4>


    "What do you mean Ramon and Hailee had an ident?!" Lexus cried when Danny came into his office to tell him the news. "I just called Hailee and they said that the two of them will be staying at Tatum''s for a few days."


    Danny tried to calm Lexus, who looked very angry and lost hisposure. "Calm down first Lexus¡­ where are you going?!" Danny asked when he saw that Lexus was about to burst out of his office.


    "Where else do you think I would go?! Of course to see the two of them!" Lexus was so furious that he didn''t wait for Danny''s full report because emotions had overtaken him and made him a little blind to his surroundings.


    ident?!


    Ramon had been in an ident more than once in the past year! Was this just a coincidence? Lexus felt it was a sabotage.


    And his assumption was proven correct when Danny pushed Lexus'' body away from the door and closed the door with a bit of force.


    "Can you calm down for a bit?!" Danny cried in annoyance.


    "My brother and his wife got into an ident and you are telling me to calm down?!" Lexus squinted at Danny in disbelief. "Just tell me, where are they being treated now?"


    "They''re not being treated anywhere," Danny said very firmly. He even seemed to growl when he said that.


    "What do you mean they are not being treated anywhere? Aren''t their injuries that serious that they don''t require treatment?" When thinking about that possibility, Lexus would feel a little relieved if that was indeed the case.


    But Danny shook his head and Lexus thought of the worst.


    "Quickly tell me you bastard! You''re driving me almost crazy!" Lexus roared angrily as he grabbed Danny by the cor because he looked like he was thinking whether to tell him about this or not and it was really annoying.


    "They are not in any hospital because they were kidnapped!" Danny cried loudly. He looked at Lexus who gave him a confused look and could see that his words were tooplicated for him to understand.


    "Kidnapped?" Lexus asked with a frown.


    And only now did he realize that his cell phone had been vibrating non-stop and his office phone was ringing continuously.


    "The incident took ce in front of a lot of people. There are too many eyewitnesses so it''s difficult to cover all this. For now, the media can only assume and they are waiting for an exnation from the Tordoff family regarding this." Danny tried to summarize the whole report.


    He didn''t even think so much had happened in less than an hour and how the media had gotten the wind of it.


    Now, the Tordoff family was back in the spotlight.


    Lexus closed his eyes and took a deep breath, he then rubbed his face roughly and looked at Danny with a very sharp look.


    Danny even almost felt that he was dealing with an angry Ramon rather than a cheerful Lexus.


    "How much information did you get regarding this kidnapping? What do you know about the abductors?" Lexus asked, his face very serious. Not a soft smile or warmth radiated from him at all now.


    And Danny knew that if Lexus was on his very serious side right now, he wouldn''t take the trouble in front of him so easily.


    It was not an easy matter because all of this concerned his brother and sister-inw.


    "There were two bodyguards who died in the incident and also several others who were seriously injured, David and Pyro included, because they were so close to Mr. Tordoff and Mrs. Tordoff, so Barry is currently the head of security." Danny reported.


    Barry was Hailee''s bodyguard appointed by Ramon, but because his wife preferred Pyro, the two of them had been working together.


    For Ramon, it didn''t matter how many bodyguards were protecting Hailee, as long as his wife was safe, but unfortunately, no matter how many bodyguards were around them, the incident this time waspletely unexpected and unavoidable.


    "You know who''s behind all this?" Lexus asked finally, his voice deep and filled with suppressed emotion.


    Danny shook his head. "I''ve deployed a team to look for their whereabouts, led by Barry, but it will still take some time until we get any urate information on this."


    Lexus touched his chin, he looked much calmer and analytical than his usual self, as this was not a natural urrence and a kidnapping case was something that had to be handled carelessly and lightly.


    "Is there a call for ransom?" Lexus asked. He knew it was a stupid question. This wasn''t an ordinary kidnapping case, but he felt he had to check all the possibilities.


    "No, there hasn''t been a call like that," Danny replied. "There is already a team set up to track down such calls."


    But, Lexus shook his head. "Follow me." He then opened his office door and walked briskly down the corridor.


    Lexus ran to Ramon''s office, ignoring the questioning stares of the other employees.


    And when Lexus got to Ramon''s office, he didn''t hesitate to open Ramon''s safe and retrieve the important data about Leon Dawson.


    Seeing all this data made Lexus feel much more furious. If his conjecture was correct, then Lexus would never forgive this person in the slightest. Never¡­


    "Check Leon Dawson and give me all the data. Focus the search on him," Lexus said firmly, as if he already knew who was behind this kidnapping. "Give me all the information you know about Leon Dawson that you gave to Ramon."


    Before this, after the problem with Leon Dawson was revealed, Lexus preferred not to dig into the case too deeply, because he didn''t know how to act, and Ramon had never forced him to take over the matter, but things were different now.


    "Okay," Danny replied, taking orders from Lexus, and for the first time he felt fine working with his ssmate. Danny then hurried away from there.


    Lexus spent the next two hours checking all the data on Ramon''sptop before he received a call. At first, he wanted to just ignore it, but as soon as he recognized the phone number that was disyed, he immediately picked up the phone call.


    "Are you okay?" Candice asked when Lexus finally answered the call.


    "I''m fine," Lexus said, he then sat in the chair that Ramon used to sit in and leaned his back against the back of the chair. His head was spinning. Too many things have happenedtely, especially what was happening right now.


    "Is there anything I can help you with?" Candice asked in a low voice. She knew that she couldn''t be of much help especially when she waspletely ignorant of the matter and had no clue about the perpetrators of Ramon and Hailee''s kidnapping.


    Therefore, she wouldn''t feel bad when Lexus refused her request, but Lexus surprised her by saying something she didn''t expect.


    "Of course you can do something," Lexus said, a smile lingering on his lips.


    "What''s that?" she asked. "Tell me, I''ll do whatever I can," Candice said excitedly, responding to Lexus'' request.


    It felt good to be able to help or be of use to someone you like.


    "Save me from this hunger," Lexus said in a lighter tone, but even though he was joking like that, there was no joy in his eyes at all. "I have not eaten."


    "Hah?" Candice gasped in confusion, but then she shook her head at the request. "Is there anything special you want to eat?" she asked.


    "As long as you''re here to apany me to eat, then I guess I don''t mind it even if you bring rice and salt," Lexus replied and chuckled when he heard Candice''s grumble.


    Hearing Lexus''s slightly cheerful voice, at least reduced her worries. Because she thought the man would look stressed now, Candice was grateful that Lexus was okay.


    And that was exactly what Lexus wanted. He didn''t want Candice to worry too much about him and trouble herself.


    "I''ll bring you some rice and salt, so just wait," Candice said, before she hung up the phone and hurried off to buy something tasty for Lexus.


    On the other hand, as soon as Candice''s phone was hung up, Lexus'' expression turned cold again and he immediately continued what he was looking for.


    Not long after, Danny returned with a sh drive, which contained all the data he gave Ramon about Leon and the entire Dawson family.


    "Thank you," Lexus said briefly, then started the search again.


    ===================


    Lexus looked at Candice who was asleep on the sofa waiting for him to finish his work. She wanted to stay there and be with him, even though Lexus said that she didn''t need to do that.


    But Candice wanted to help, even though there was nothing she could do, at least she wanted to be there to provide support.


    And Lexus was grateful for that. Candice''s presence helped him to think more clearly and made his emotions much more stable.


    But now, the girl was asleep and Lexus didn''t want to wake her up, so he chose to carry Candice into the room that was prepared to rest and let her sleep morefortably there.


    The room was rarely upied by Lexus, because he returned home more often, but he had asked for the ce to be kept clean, just in case something like this happened.


    After Lexus put Candice down, he felt his phone vibrate. Someone was calling him.


    "Hello?" Lexus said softly, looking at Candice''s sleeping face.


    "I heard you were looking for me."

 Chapter 391 - YOU ASK FOR IT

    <h4>Chapter 391 - YOU ASK FOR IT</h4>


    Candice spent the day at Tordoff''s building, inside Lexus'' office, watching the man at work when the issue of the kidnapping of his brother and sister-inw surfaced in the media.


    Lexus looked different when he turned serious. He looked even more terrifying when he was like that and the shadow of his always cheerful and never even raising voice self vanished in an instant.


    But somehow Candice liked it. He looked more authoritative and responsible.


    And while Candice wasn''t much help with the search for Ramon and Hailee, at least she made an effort to help with little things and made sure she was there to support him.


    And Lexus was very grateful to Candice for that.


    Until now, Lexus had never really taken care of things alone. Ramon was always by his side whenever he needed something or their mother, but this time, he had to face everything on his own and even after trying with all his might, he still couldn''t find the whereabouts of that bastard, Leon.


    This frustrated him, because in the hands of a madman like Leon, every minute counts. He could do anything to Hailee and Ramon and no one would know about it.


    Until the phone call came...


    Lexus had just put Candice in bed, in the break room in his office when Leon called him, speaking to him in a voice that made Lexus want to beat him up and hate himself for the fact that this disgraceful man was his father.


    "I heard you were looking for me," Leon said when Lexus finally picked up the phone from him.


    Lexus'' eyes narrowed when he heard those words. He didn''t have to ask to find out who the person that called him was. "And you heard right," Lexus replied.


    Leonughed when he heard that. "You did a good job, son."


    And thatst word really made Lexus want to go up to him and kick him to death. "Where are you? Let''s talk."


    "Now you want to talk to me?" Leon asked.


    "Well, you''ve made a fuss that I can''t ignore. I think you''re very curious and desperate to talk to me, so okay, let''s talk," Lexus said lightly, as if this wasn''t a big deal, but if Leon could see Lexus''s expression now, he would think twice about messing with him...


    The anger of someone who was always cheerful was terrifying and unpredictable.


    "We can talk, but only if you do what I say," Leon said.


    "I''m not an obedient child. You can ask Ramon about this. Where''s my brother?" Lexus asked casually.


    "Don''t worry, he''s fine. I don''t really have the heart to kill him, you know your cousin sister, Giana, still has some unfinished business with him." Leon chuckled.


    Giana¡­


    Lexus took note of anything, the slightest bit of information that could help him find Ramon and Hailee.


    "Oh, what else does that woman want to tell my brother? Tell her she''s not as pretty as Hailee and if she thinks she can win Ramon''s heart, she''s very wrong, I know my brother, he doesn''t like ''used'' goods."


    It was an insult that Lexus could think of at this moment and he could hear Leonughing again. It seemed that none of Lexus'' words could make him emotional, because he felt he was at the top of his own game, where whatever step he took, he was the one who woulde out victorious.


    And it was sickening¡­


    "What do you want, Leon?" Lexus finally asked. His voice now deep and even, like someone talking about important business. There was no sarcasm or anything and Leon responded the same way.


    Lexus was a little angry when he found out that the way they spoke sounded the same, as if they had more bonding, which wasn''t a good thing to him. After all, Lexus hated the very fact that Leon was his biological father.


    "For the first request, this is not a difficult request," Leon said in a voice that sounded very clear and made Lexus seem to be able to guess what he wanted.


    "Just say it, you''re just wasting time here."


    "I want you to call me dad," Leon said, just as Lexus had expected.


    Even though he had predicted the request, Lexus still felt this sudden urge to break something when the word slipped from his lips because he didn''t want to argue and waste any more time.


    Lexus regretted his decision that he didn''t expect Leon to call him and didn''t install a tracker on this phone.


    If only he had done that, maybe he''d know where this bastard was by now. Had this been Ramon, his brother would have thought the following few steps very well...


    "Father," Lexus said. His voice sounded very distant and as if devoid of any feelings, but he had said it anyway and Leon wouldn''t be able to force him to say that horrible word with more feeling. "What else do you want? Do you want to celebrate all the father''s days you spent alone with me now? We can arrange a meeting."


    Leon chuckled, but then he said, "I''ll think of something else. When I know what I want from you, I will contact you again," he said.


    And Leon didn''t even wait for Lexus to respond before he hung up on the phone.


    Lexus tried to call the number again, but the number was no longer reachable.


    "D*mn it!" Lexus growled angrily, he raised his cell phone high and was about to m it against the wall across the room, but when his eyes caught a sleeping Candice, he curbed his urge and stepped out of the room to call someone else he thought could help.


    In front of Lexus, was the view of the city at night that looked so beautiful with lights illuminating every dark corner of the city and he was standing in one of the tallest buildings in the city, as if he was on the roof of the world.


    But, Lexus didn''t feel happy at all. He couldn''t help but wonder what Leon would want to be able to do with all of this when all these things didn''t look so pleasant to have.


    "Hello?" Lexus said when the phone call was connected. "I''m sorry that I''m bothering you sote at night¡­"


    But then Lexus'' words were cut off as the man said in a slightly hoarse voice. "I know, I was waiting for a call from you."


    Lexus chuckled. "Sorry, I only called you now, Mr. Tatum."


    "I know, I''m now in city A, we can meet in the morning," Diego said.


    "Can we meet now?" Lexus asked hopefully. He didn''t feel like he could sleep tonight with all the trouble surrounding him and making him uneasy.


    "That''s much better," Diego replied.


    And after a short conversation with Diego, Lexus went back into the room and looked at Candice''s face who was still fast asleep. He didn''t want to wake her up...


    Therefore, Lexus wrote a note and ced a key on the small bedside table before he left and locked his office door from the outside, so that no one could enter recklessly.


    ===================


    The room was dark, there was no sign that could tell him it was day or night, because there were no windows for him to see how the sky was outside.


    But, that was thest thing he was worried about, because right now, his mind was only focused on how Hailee was doing and where she was now.


    That was all in Ramon''s head now that he finally came to his senses.


    This ce was not that dirty, more like a workshop with all kinds of tools scattered on the floor and also oil sttered in several ces.


    Ramon recognized the two guards who hade to deliver him food. He didn''t talk to them because it would just be a waste of time and energy, because they would definitely not answer any questions he asked.


    The food served couldn''t be said to be luxurious and appetizing. At this point, Ramon didn''t think he would enjoy any kind of food, but he ate it nheless.


    As long as the food was decent, then he would eat it. He would not starve himself or be weak. It was a bad choice because it would not bring him any benefit.


    And actually it was all a gamble, maybe they put poison in the food, but Ramon bet that they wouldn''t do that.


    Not if they hadn''t got what they wanted.


    But, today, she came¡­


    Giana walked into the room, with a pale face, while bringing him food.


    "Hi, Ramon¡­ finally we can meet again," Giana said. She walked over and ced the food in front of Ramon, whose left hand was tied in handcuffs, while he was sitting on the floor. "I didn''t know I had to do this to be able to talk to you."


    Ramon smiled, a smile that waspletely harmless. "Sorry if I have to trouble you," he said softly.


    Giana was a little surprised when she heard how Ramon spoke, so softly, as if they went back in time.


    However, Giana wasn''t that stupid as to deceive herself by thinking that Ramon was sincere to her.


    "No need to apologize, I''m enjoying my time," Giana said. She then took out a small pouch filled with white powder. "I received your gift well."


    Ramon nced at the small object and smiled at Giana. "I see you like it."


    Gianaughed lightly when she heard that. "Yeah, I like it, I like anything you give until you give me a big problem in my life."


    "You asked for it all."

 Chapter 392 - WHAT DO YOU WANT?

    <h4>Chapter 392 - WHAT DO YOU WANT?</h4>


    "Yeah, I like it, I like anything you give until you give me a big problem in my life." Yes, Giana loved everything that Ramon gave her from the moment they met to the iparable pain he put in her heart, including the constant problems that gued her life.


    Ramon was also the one who had turned herself into an addict who loved these drugs. She loved everything that had to do with Ramon. Or, she used to¡­


    But, after Dillon left, all of a sudden, Giana questioned her whole obsession fiasco.


    "You asked for it all." Ramon looked straight into Giana''s eyes. "You should be smart enough to know when you should stop."


    And that answer got a very hard p from Giana. The woman was hysterical and started tugging at his hair, while Ramon didn''t move at all. He even stared at her the whole time with an expressionless face as if Giana hadn''t just pped him, or the fact that she was crazy in front of him didn''t bother him at all.


    "You Bastard, Ramon!" Giana growled. She kicked everything that was in there, everything she could reach and now she took a long screwdriver that was quiterge and gripped it very tightly while looking at Ramon with angry eyes. "You ruined my life!"


    "You ruined your own life," Ramon said. He knew what Giana was going to do next and could have chosen not to provoke her, but what Ramon did only angered the already mad woman further. "But, if you find satisfaction in ming me and making a fool of yourself, then feel free to do whatever you want."


    Giana roared again, her voice like a wounded animal. She wasn''t just hurt. She was crushed and it was a very drastic difference.


    "I will kill you!" Giana eximed. "If I can''t have you, then I''ll just kill you!" Giana roared again.


    "You can do it," Ramon said. His eyes stared straight at Giana where he didn''t blink a bit when Giana threw arge screwdriver at his head.


    ==================


    Lexus met with Diego at a restaurant on a quiet side street, a ce rarely visited by people, so the owner was surprised that two people driving luxury cars came to his small restaurant.


    "He contacted me through this number," Lexus said. He then handed his phone to Diego, showing the row of numbers used by Leon to call him.


    Diego took Lexus'' cell phone and recorded the number on his own before handing it back to Lexus.


    "I''ll find out about this number," Diego said.


    "Do you have any information we can use?" Lexus asked. He had given Diego all the information he knew, but there wasn''t much to help, while Marco, Ramon''s source of information, was currently in the hospital. He was one of the people who had suffered serious gunshot wounds trying to chase down the people - the very armed men who took Ramon and Hailee away.


    "I got some information, but I''m not sure if this is where they kept Hailee and Ramon." Diego frowned. "This information is still not valid, but there is a lot of evidence pointing to it."


    "What''s that?" Lexus asked impatiently.


    Diego was silent for a moment, he seemed to consider it for a moment. "The arena," he said. "I got information from a trusted person that Leon was behind the business."


    Lexus of course knew the ce, after all Ian was from there.


    ====================


    Ramon looked Giana straight in the eye as the woman flung the screwdriver in her hand, aimed at the side of his head. She was about to m the thing into Ramon''s head and there was absolutely no doubt about it.


    Sometimes, when you look into someone''s eyes directly, you will instantly know what that person is going to do, and this is one such moment.


    Ramon didn''t even blink as Giana flung the screwdriver swiftly at his head.


    However, before the object could seriously injure him and reward him with several stitches to his head, Ramon quickly raised his hand and grabbed Giana''s body and made her fall to the ground.


    Giana fell right into Ramon''sp and the man grabbed her neck mercilessly with one hand, ignoring the w marks he received on his arm as Giana tried to get away from him.


    The woman''s eyes widened inplete shock when she saw how Ramon didn''t even blink at all when he was about to kill her.


    Yes, Ramon was about to kill her and Giana couldn''t do anything about this. The woman couldn''t believe the irony of this situation.


    Giana knew that Ramon was a cruel man, but to die at his hands, was something that even Giana had never imagined before.


    Was this the kind of man she loved? Was this the kind of man who she sacrificed her life for and ruined everything she had?


    Giana destroyed everything in her life just to obsess over the man who was now going to kill her?


    And that was what Giana kept asking as the darkness overtook her and she stopped struggling, she couldn''t scream because Ramon was pressing her neck too hard.


    Only after Giana stopped moving did Ramon let go of the woman and took the screwdriver that Giana had used to attack him.


    While outside, the two guards who felt strange because the atmosphere in the room was suddenly quiet, intended to go inside.


    ===================


    That afternoon when Lexus had just finished calling Candice, someone unexpected came to his office and surprised him quite a bit.


    "Mother?" Lexus said in a choked voice. He then stood up from his seat and approached Lis. "What are you doing here?"


    Lis raised her eyebrows and looked at Lexus questioningly, as if she was saying; are you seriously asking me about that?


    "Can I not be here?" Lis asked in a slightly defensive tone, but maybe it was because she was too tired from traveling so far and making her look older than usual.


    Lexus then sat beside Lis on the sofa.


    "What''s the situation right now?" Lis asked impatiently for an immediate update on Ramon and Hailee''s situation as well as thepany that looked shaky because of the kidnapping case.


    Lexus rubbed his face roughly.. "May I know why do you came back for?" Lexus interrupted before she said ''important'' things that would not benefit him at all.

 Chapter 393 - RETURN

    <h4>Chapter 393 - RETURN</h4>


    "May I know where you came back from?" Lexus said before she said ''important'' things that would not benefit him at all.


    Lexus didn''t mean to be rude to his mother or suspect her like this, but what happened earlier and everything that was revealed between Lis and Leon made it difficult for him to trust his own mother.


    It was an annoying feeling because he didn''t want to feel that way at all, only, Lexus couldn''t help but be suspicious of his own mother.


    Lis knew this and understood why Lexus treated her a little harshly and coldly.


    However, knowing this did not stop her froming back and helping her sons once she found out that they were in serious trouble.


    Because after all, Ramon was her son. Her biological son, and she wouldn''t just sit back if someone tried to hurt her son, including Leon.


    "Mother came here to help," Lis replied. She had already prepared the answer. No one could ever understand Lexus'' nature better than Lis, so more or less, she knew how to deal with this son of hers.


    "How are you going to help me?" Lexus asked. He narrowed his eyes and then his body became even more tense as Lis walked up to him and ruffled his hair.


    "Stop acting like that, you''re really not fit to act like Ramon," Lis said. "You are my children, there''s no way I would just sit back knowing that someone was trying to hurt my sons."


    "Including the man you''ve loved for years?" Lexus raised his eyebrows as he asked skeptically.


    "Including Leon." Lis said the name firmly. "I warned him not to do things like this, but it''s a shame he''s such a bad listener," Lis replied.


    Lexus stared at his mother for a moment. He didn''t know how to respond to what Lis said, but on the other hand, he didn''t feel that it was wrong for a mother to feel troubled.


    Yes, indeed Lis had been hiding the truth all this time, but never once did Lis do anything dangerous that could threaten his and Ramon''s safety.


    Lis wasn''t the best mother in the world, of course she wasn''t, but she would be the first person to be on the front line if anyone came to hurt her children, and Lexus believed that, even now.


    "Tell mother, how far has your investigation reached?" Lis asked. She then sat down beside Lexus, took her second son''s hand and looked at him deeply. "We will work this out together."


    ==================


    News of the change in ownership of the Dawson family''spany made headlines the following morning, with the Tordoff family holding more than two percent of the total stake the Dawson family had in their ownpany.


    This of course made a big change in the country''s economy, where the shares of the Tordoffpany rose very sharply.


    Even so, the news of the kidnapping of Ramon Tordoff and his wife was still in the limelight.


    They still couldn''t find where the husband and wife were even until now.


    It was very unfortunate that the performance of the police seemed to be very slow in handling this matter, thus leaving Diego Tatum to intervene in dealing with the problem personally.


    "He''s trying to attack like that¡­" Leon muttered, a sly smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he watched the morning news.


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Giana waspressing her face which looked swollen from getting hit on the head by Ramon. The man hadn''t been kind enough to keep her body from falling to the floor with her face first.


    The bruises on Giana''s head from the blow were invisible and wouldn''t be a problem, but it was the wound on her face that she was worried about, because she couldn''t appear in public with a face like this.


    Meanwhile, Ramon was brought under control before he freed himself. It took more than four people to be able to retrieve the screwdriver that Giana used to hit him with, even though at that time, Ramon was tied.


    "You have to take your ce back," Leon growled at his niece who didn''t seem to care at all what was going on with their familypany or any other issue out there.


    Now, she was more like a rich addict than the once ambitious businesswoman of the Dawsons.


    Leon knew that their family would fall one day if Giana couldn''t quit this addiction of hers.


    No, the woman didn''t even try at all to rid herself of the pseudo-happiness she was getting from the powder.


    "Okay," Giana replied casually.


    However, Leon didn''t want to hear some half-hearted answer. He wanted a serious answer from his niece.


    Therefore, Leon stood up and approached Giana with a very serious face.


    "I''ll only say this once. And I hope you will listen well," Leon said slowly, so that his words could be understood by the ''high'' Giana. "Take back what belongs to the Dawsons or you will suffer a lot in this life."


    Too bad, Giana wasn''t in the right mind. She actuallyughed when she heard those words. "Don''t worry¡­" she waved her hand nonchntly, then stood up, about to walk away from there.


    "Where are you going?" Leon asked, annoyed at being ignored. If only he wasn''t a fugitive and could have put himself in Dawson''spany, then Leon wouldn''t be here right now, because he wouldn''t let anyone touch his family''s assets.


    It was just that Giana was so unreliable at the moment.


    "I want to meet my old friend¡­" Giana then smiled at Leon, a smile that showed her madness. "Hailee¡­" she said the name like a whisper and then giggled in amusement.


    "Stop messing with her, you better kill her right away," Leon said.


    But, Giana just frowned. "Why should I kill her?" She then opened the doorknob. "Sometimes life is more painful than death."


    After saying this, Giana left the room leisurely.


    ==================


    Ian didn''t expect that he would return to this city so soon, but he also wanted to do something when he saw the news regarding Ramon and Hailee.


    Indeed Ramon was annoying, but he owed his life to the man, including his sister''s.


    "I''vee, where are you now?"


    From across the line, Lexus scolded him foring, but then he asked, "Arena?"

 Chapter 394 - RUNAWAY

    <h4>Chapter 394 - RUNAWAY</h4>


    Under the cold hands of Lis and Lexus, it was a piece of cake to control the market by taking over most of the shares owned by the Dawson family, although news of the kidnapping of Ramon and Hailee was still a hot topic.


    It was not that they didn''t care about Ramon and Hailee''s safety, but under these conditions, if they didn''t strengthen their position, then it would be even more difficult for them to find Hailee and Ramon.


    This showed that the Tordoffpany was powerful and that people who were after thispany should not do anything stupid.


    This step was also taken to protect them from unnecessary internal or external problems.


    At least, seeing how the Tordoffpany took over from the Dawsonpany, they would think twice before attacking this family.


    And besides, of course Diego was looking for the quickest way to find Ramon and Hailee, trying to find Leon''s hideout.


    They tried to follow Giana, but the woman had disappeared from the public eye.


    No one had seen her since thest board meeting and now, Dawson''spany was run by the younger brother of Giana''s father, who seemed to be struggling to keep thepany stable.


    "Who''s this?" Lexus asked when he picked up a foreign call on his cell phone.


    "Ian," a male voice answered from the other end.


    Immediately, Lexus sat up. "My brother has taken the hard road to send you to safety, why are you back already?" Lexus grumbled. He wasn''t in the mood to get into new trouble with Ian''s business, the existing problems were already enough to hurt his head.


    "I''m not looking for trouble, okay?" Ian grumbled. "It''s not that hard for Ramon to find a ce for me to hide after all." Since it wasn''t Ramon who was looking for the ce, the bastard just approved of the idea.


    "Where are you now?"


    "At Town A airport," Ian answered directly. "Send someone to pick me up."


    "I''ll send you a ticket, you can go back to your hiding ce instead," Lexus replied.


    "No, thank you. Where are you?"


    "At the office," Lexus answered automatically.


    "Don''t go anywhere, I''ll take a taxi and you''ll pay as soon as I get there."


    "What?" Shameless bastard. Lexus grumbled resentfully. However, a momentter, Lexus remembered something.


    "You''re from the Arena, aren''t you?" Lexus asked immediately.


    "Arena?" Ian frowned. Why did Lexus suddenly ask this question? "Yeah, I''m from there."


    "Good," Lexus said, sounding much more excited than before.


    "Hmm?" Ian still didn''t understand the sudden change in the tone Lexus used when talking to him.


    "Come here quickly, we have important things to talk about," Lexus said, then disconnected the line.


    =================


    At first, Giana intended to visit Hailee, but her already chaotic mind that was confused by the drugs she had just used, made Giana cancel her intention. Instead she turned down the corridor and headed for the ce where Ramon was being held captive.


    Giana''s face brightened when she saw that two men, apparently the guards, were about to give Ramon a new dose.


    In the hands of one of the men, was a syringe that they would give to Ramon, so that the man could be easier to manage.


    This had been routinely done after Ramon''s attack on Giana and the man almost managed to escape.


    "Leave us alone," Giana said excitedly, she walked over to the guard who was holding the syringe, and grabbed it.


    One of them tried to stop Giana because they knew this woman wasn''t in the right mind, but of course Giana didn''t want to listen to them.


    Therefore, the two of them could only stand in the doorway and wait to see what this woman would do.


    Meanwhile, Ramon sat with his head down, and his back leaning against the wall behind him. He looked like he was sleeping, but when Ramon heard footsteps approaching him, he lifted his head.


    Sweat dripped down Ramon''s face and his hands trembled slightly. The effects of the medicine were so strong that it made Ramon look so affected when they were toote to give him the next dose.


    "Are you happy to see me? Are you happy to see me now?" Giana asked cheerfully, waving the syringe in her hand.


    Ramon''s eyes narrowed when he saw the disgusting thing, because he knew what would happen next.


    "Why are you silent? I asked you if you were happy to see me¡­" Giana repeated her question.


    At this point, Giana was nothing like the woman who ran the Dawsonpany single-handedly. She didn''t look like a woman from a prominent family but like a woman who lived in delusions, and was unable to manage her life properly.


    "Ramon¡­ you know, don''t you, that I love you so much?" Giana muttered, and took Ramon''s hand, stroking it gently.


    Ramon''s hands were sped together in front of his body, shackled by a handcuff.


    "I can''t possibly hurt you," Giana said softly, she then kissed Ramon''s hand very passionately.


    Ramon still didn''t react to the woman''s actions.


    "But, you actually hurt me in such a way¡­"


    Ramon still didn''t utter a word, but when Giana stuck the needle into his arm, Ramon made a movement that was quite shocking and broke the needle.


    "Ramon!" Giana screamed when she saw the broken needle, as well as the blood flowing from the wound on his arm.


    However, Ramon didn''t seem to notice that, his forehead didn''t even wrinkle at all.


    Seeing this incident, one of the guards who was standing at the door, immediately entered and dragged Giana out of the room.


    But, the woman screamed angrily, as she hit, scratched and tried to free herself.


    "I WILL TELL UNCLE LEON THAT YOU ARE TREATING ME LIKE THIS!" she cried angrily.


    However, the guard shouted back at Giana. "This is an order from Leon!" With great difficulty, the guard pulled Giana out by dragging her. "You get another shot," the guard ordered his friend, as he struggled to get rid of Giana.


    "Okay," said the second guard, who then closed the door and left Ramon there alone.


    After the silence and as the sound of Giana''s struggling voice getting further and further away, Ramon used the needle still stuck in his arm to open the handcuffs.


    This was difficult to do, considering the needles weren''t very strong, so he had to break them in half first, and also because his mind seemed to be in a fog, due to the effects of the medicine they gave him.


    ===================


    The guard returned with a fresh shot and when he opened the door, he frowned to find an empty room.

 Chapter 395 - THEY ARE COMING

    <h4>Chapter 395 - THEY ARE COMING</h4>


    The guard returned with a fresh shot and when he opened the door, he frowned to find an empty room.


    He was sure that he had locked the door before leaving, but how could there be no one there.


    "Shit!" he cursed, then he stepped into the room hastily to see what had really happened inside.


    But, sadly, all the guard found were tampered with handcuffs, which were originally used to cuff Ramon.


    Quickly, he was about to report this through themunication device in his hand, but just as he was about to turn around or say anything, someone came behind him and broke his neck.


    The guard didn''t have time to announce this incident or scream to alert the others, before he finally fell to the floor and stopped moving.


    Meanwhile, the man who attacked the guard immediately took themunication device in the guard''s hand.


    Ramon clenched his jaw tightly because the pain in his head was so intense. He felt the whole room spinning.


    Shaking his head, as if he was about to shake off this unpleasant feeling, Ramon stepped out of the room where he was being held captive.


    In the corridor, Ramon did not see anyone. It seemed that Leon did not expect that Ramon would be able to escape after all the medicines given to him and also his handcuffed condition.


    "Where are your positions?" Ramon spoke into themunication device in his hand, asking a simple question that could help him find Hailee''s whereabouts.


    Ramon was really going to kill Leon for doing this to him and his wife.


    He was on the emergency stairs, under the dim lights and his eyes sparked so brightly and dangerously, as if he had managed to regain his full consciousness.


    And when he got the answer he wanted, the drowsiness from the medicines seemed unable to affect him anymore.


    Because the determination within him was much stronger than anything right now.


    After that, with a more steady pace, Ramon started looking for Hailee.


    Of course, if he found Leon on his way there first, he would dly finish him off first.


    ====================


    "There''s one door in the arena that I''ve never entered," Ian said, trying to remember the location and position of each room in the Arena.


    Since not many people had ever been to the Arena, it was only natural that Ian, who had worked as a fighter there for many years, knew the ce better.


    "Is it some kind of secret room?" he asked.


    "Maybe Leon kept Hailee and Ramon there," Lexus added.


    Lexus didn''t let Iane to the office, but picked him up and met with Diego at a ce, where Diego was ready with some of his people.


    The backup woulde after they confirmed where Ramon was, but for now, they had to act quickly and visit all the ces where Ramon was suspected of being held captive.


    "I think so." Ian looked as if contemting his own words. "Yeah, I think it''s possible for Ramon and Hailee to be held there," he said again, this time more reassuringly.


    "Okay, let''s go now," Diego said.


    The three of them were now in Lexus'' limousine. They headed to the Arena in several other cars filled with Diego''s men and Lexus bodyguards.


    Meanwhile outside, the sun had almost disappeared behind the horizon and left an orange hue in the sky, behind the city''s tall buildings.


    And tens of kilometers from where they were, Lis was pressuring Dawson''spany, making sure it was in her hands and they couldn''t retreat that easily.


    All in all, she didn''t expect Leon to be able to go this far. The manpletely ignored her ultimatum to stay away from her children.


    And now, Lis would make sure that the man had no ce to run to anymore or someone who would support him in his escape, while Lexus would get to him soon.


    Wasn''t that what Leon always wanted? His own son toe to him?


    So it would happen today. He should wee Lexus well.


    Lis stared at the Dawsonpany building, her eyes fierce and harboring the cunningness of a businesswoman.


    She had conquered thepany alone when her husband died before Ramon took over, so she wouldn''t mind doing it again and this time, the Dawsons were her absolute target.


    ====================


    Giana looked like a lunatic as she tried to get out of her room. She kept banging her fists against the door, screaming at whoever passed by to open the damn door and let her out.


    Only, no one responded to her words.


    "OPEN THIS FUCKING DOOR!" Giana screamed hysterically and hoarsely.


    She mmed her fists again and kicked the door as well, but no one opened the damned door for her.


    Giana was frustrated and now she started throwing everything she could at the door, letting the shards of ss scatter on the floor and messing up the room.


    "AARRGGH!!!" she screamed hysterically.


    Until finally, someone opened the door and Leon''s figure was standing there. Her uncle''s eyes looked horrifying as he looked into the room and saw the mess that Giana had made.


    "LET ME OUT!" Giana eximed loudly. She walked toward the door, ignoring the shards of ss that stuck to the soles of her bare feet. It seemed that she could no longer feel any pain.


    "GIANA!" Leon rebuked angrily when he saw his niece''s behavior which could no longer be tolerated.


    "I WANT TO GO OUT! LET ME OUT!" Giana pushed Leon''s body away from the door, but her uncle didn''t move at all. He was like a solid rock and Giana could only scream in frustration in his face.


    "FUCK! FUCK!" Giana cursed again, but a hard p thatnded on her cheek silenced her instantly.


    Leon and Giana finally looked at each other and there were so many inexplicable emotions going on between the two of them.


    However, before either of them could speak or continue this bickering further, someone contacted Leon to inform him that someone had messed up in the arena.


    "Who was it?" Leon asked.


    "Ian Schamber, our former fighter."

 Chapter 396 - LETS GO

    <h4>Chapter 396 - LET''S GO</h4>


    Ian hadn''t been to this ce in a long time, he couldn''t even remember thest time he was here. Or maybe it was because he didn''t want to remember it at all.


    But whatever it was, Ian''s being here now was of course for apletely different reason.


    He walked in as his eyes looked around the room, with a face that lookedpletely unconcerned about his surroundings.


    Because it was still not toote, there were not too many visitors to the Arena and only a few old customers could be seen who were almost always there.


    Most of them recognized Ian and greeted him quite kindly. Well, it was quite a friendly greeting for a ce as loud as this.


    "What should I do?" Ian asked in a low voice. He wore an earpiece tomunicate with the people in the van, outside this Arena, where Diego, Lexus and several others were waiting for his ''go'' signal.


    "Can''t you just create a little fuss?" Lexus grumbled impatiently. "I think you''re the right person to look up to."


    Ian clicked his tongue impatiently. "No one here is looking for trouble with me."


    Of course they wouldn''t be looking for trouble with Ian, given his infamous reputation. During his time there and being a fighter, Ian could almost say, he never lost, be it a serious fight or a silly brawl.


    Therefore, how could they be the ones to start a fight with him?


    "In that case, why don''t you just get into trouble with them?" Lexus asked impatiently. He pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headacheing from having to deal with someone like Ian. "Come on, you are a Damn fighter, you can grab the biggest guy in there and get him into a fight and make a fuss."


    Ian didn''t think that such a method would work, but it couldn''t hurt to try, right?


    "Okay," Ian said hesitantly.


    But then he walked over to the biggest man he could see in the room. It was Ronan, one of the bartenders there, with a body covered in hideous tattoos.


    They didn''t really have a close rtionship and were only working partners, so maybe Ian could irritate him?


    Once near Ronan, Ian picked up a bottle of whiskey and mmed it against the side of the table, sending its contents and broken ss shards flying everywhere.


    Hearing the loud noise, everyone present turned to see what had happened. But, Ian just stood there. Holding the broken bottle, he stared at Ronan, waiting for the big man''s reaction.


    "If you''re not in a good mood, go and register yourself for tonight''s fight, don''t waste my drinks, because they will simply deduct it from your next paycheck."


    Those were the words Ronan spoke before he returned to his own work.


    Ian really didn''t know what to say. Wasn''t this the moment Ronan got aggressive with him and started fighting? But, why were Ronan''s words sounding more like a piece of advice instead?


    "Hey!" Ian cried and then walked over to Ronan. "I''m still not done with you!"


    Ronan lifted his head from under the cooler and tossed a can of beer at Ian, which he instinctively caught.


    "Drink this and go somewhere else, let''s say, It''s my treat."


    Huh?


    At this point, Ian didn''t know what to say anymore, should he go at Ronan directly and challenge him to a fight?


    But, before Ian could decide what he should do, someone had patted him on the back and made him turn his head.


    Ian''s brow furrowed when he saw Lexus behind him, but before he could say a word, or ask what this man was doing here, a fist flew toward Ian''s face, knocking him down to the floor.


    "What the hell!?" Ian eximed in surprise and looked at Lexus in disbelief. What was that punch for?!


    However, Ian didn''t get the answer he wanted, because the next instant, he saw a champagne ss flying toward him.


    "Stop it!" Ian was annoyed that Lexus kept throwing the sses at him.


    However, the situation turned serious when Lexus took the ice pick and walked toward him with quick steps and an expressionless face.


    Shit! What''s gotten into this man''s body?! Is he seriously going to kill him?!


    Ian, who felt that his life was in danger, immediately got up and started to fight back. He also grabbed a ss and threw it at Lexus, which thetter managed to dodge before hitting Ian in the face.


    And that was when all hell broke loose.


    No matter where or who started it, anothermotion broke out on the other side of the ce, and on another side not too long after.


    "Shit!" Ronan cried loudly. "What is this?! Why is everyone fighting!?" he couldn''t stay still anymore and started running with a bottle opener in his hand.


    Meanwhile, from the direction of the door, several people, who seemed to be the security guards of this ce, immediately ran in to secure the situation.


    "Stop! Stop! Stop!" Lexus eximed when he saw that Ian was about to hit him with a bottle. "We should check into that room, shouldn''t we?" Lexus pointed toward the door from which the guards came out.


    While around them,motion and rioting had broken out and it was almost difficult to control.


    "You finally realized it?!" Ian screamed in annoyance. He lowered the bottle in his hand, but didn''t let go.


    "Can''t you see that I''m just pretending?!" Lexus replied, no less cynical.


    "You think this is a fake one too?!" Ian showed the wound on his hand to Lexus'' face. Just a moment ago, Lexus stabbed his arm with an ice pick, although it wasn''t deep and didn''t cause any serious injuries, it didn''t mean it didn''t hurt.


    On the other hand, Lexus, who saw the wound, just tilted his head and blew on the wound. "It''s okay, it''ll heal in a minute," he said lightly, as if by blowing on Ian''s wound the pain would go away. "Let''s go."


    Ian, who saw what Lexus was doing, could only stand there frozen, unable to say anything.


    This man was outright crazy, just like his brother.


    Then, without saying anything, Ian walked up to Lexus and hit the back of his head a little too hard.


    "What are you doing?!" Lexus growled while holding his head.


    Ian then blew on his head and said, "let''s go."

 Chapter 397 - SOMEONE ELSE IS INSIDE

    <h4>Chapter 397 - SOMEONE ELSE IS INSIDE</h4>


    "What''s with that expression on your face?" Hailee asked when she saw Leon''s changed facial expression after he received a call from one of his subordinates.


    He had just been informed that the Arena section, which was located on the top floor of this building, was in a state of utter chaos. There seemed to be a fight going on there, which led to another fight.


    And now, some of his men were trying to calm things down.


    Only, it didn''t take a genius to know what was really going on inside the Arena.


    Just hearing that Ian hade to this ce alone, was already a big rm bell. There was no way the man who had been missing for some time and was very close to the Tordoff family, woulde to this ce again without any agenda.


    "Why? Something happened to this ce?" Hailee asked again, in a voice as if she was mocking Leon. "Was my sweet brother-inw the one who caused the mess? Or my uncle?"


    Hailee paid no heed to the fierce re Leon threw at her, which seemed to tell her to be quiet, so that he could hear more clearly about the details of the chaos that had urred as well as alternative routes for him to escape if things couldn''t be handled.


    Because from the tone of the voice of the man who informed Leon, it seemed that things were getting even more chaotic.


    Leon gritted his teeth and threw the cell phone in his hand toward Hailee, luckily the woman moved quickly, as if she had seen that this man would lose his temper in the face of her taunts.


    "Why are you angry? You don''t like me asking?" Hailee spoke again, as if nothing had happened.


    While on the other hand, Leon was trying to contain his anger. He needed to be calm in a situation like this, but it was really hard to achieve suchposure while being around Hailee.


    "You think you can escape from this ce?" Leon asked sarcastically. "You will never be able to see your husband again."


    Hailee shrugged. "I''m not running away, I''m going to walk out of here with my head held high and I''m going to see my husband again." A sinister smile tugged at the corners of Hailee''s lips. "This game is not over. And it won''t end until I see how things end for you."


    "You''re too brave for a woman," Leon mocked Hailee.


    But, Hailee actually took it as apliment. "Of course, that''s why Ramon chose me and not your frail, addicting niece."


    Hearing Hailee''s answer, Leon clenched his fists tightly. Anger almost blinded his eyes until he almost reached for the gun that was at his waist. Were it not for him trying to contain himself and thinking that this girl still had some use for him, he would have given into that impulse.


    On the other hand, Hailee looked straight at Leon without fear. She knew that Leon would not possibly hurt her, especially when he could use herself as a shield to escape from this ce.


    This man was really cunning and Hailee wouldn''t be surprised if he sacrificed Giana for his own safety. Besides, Giana couldn''t do anything now.


    With onest fierce look, Leon closed the door behind him and left the room where he was holding Hailee.


    Hailee knew that Leon would definitely not leave the door unlocked, but she still walked forward and tried to open the door.


    And when she found that the door was indeed locked, Hailee pursed her lips.


    Hailee didn''t know for how long she had been trapped in this room, she wasn''t even sure how many days she had been unconscious since the ident and how Ramon was doing now.


    However, from what Leon said every time he tried to provoke her, Hailee knew that Ramon was still alive and that was the most important thing for her to know.


    And now, something was happening, which made Leon quite angry until he lostposure. It seemed that she would soon be free from this ce.


    "Ramon¡­" Hailee mumbled, staring at the door in front of her, trying to think of a way to protect herself.


    =================


    The chaos in the Arena was getting out of control, not only because the people there were fighting with each other, or one could say it was the people brought in by Lexus who caused the chaos, but also because of the sudden ambush by other people - Diego''s men, after Lexus told him he coulde inside.


    "This door can only be opened from the inside," Ian said, telling Lexus, while staring at the door that several of Leon''s men had passed a moment ago.


    "Can''t you call a friend of yours to open this door?" Lexus asked.


    Ian rolled his eyes when he heard Lexus'' question. "I''m not friends with them."


    "You''ve been here for years and you don''t have any friends?" Lexus clicked his tongue while shaking his head.


    "Hey!" Ian was annoyed that Lexus made it seem as if he was someone who was an outcast and didn''t have many friends. "I don''t socialize with people like that. I choose my own friends."


    "Sometimes you don''t have to choose a friend," Lexus replied.


    "Do you know? We''re a really bad team," Ian grumbled impatiently.


    "I agree with you on that," Lexus said without thinking.


    After the small bickering, the two of them saw one of Leon''s men running out. He pushed the door without realizing that two people were waiting for him.


    And when he was so close to Ian and Lexus, Ian immediately blocked him and quickly disarmed him, while Lexus ran to the door and kept it from closing.


    "Did you kill him?" Lexus asked as Ian jogged over to him after dropping his first victim.


    "I don''t think so," Ian answered casually, and the two of them ran inside.


    "Shouldn''t we wait for backup before we go deeper into this ce?" Lexus asked when he saw Ian trying to enter the ce without thinking.


    "Most of Leon''s men are upstairs, so I don''t think we''re going to find so many of Leon''s men here." Ian tried to analyze the situation, but before Lexus could respond, the two of them saw that there were about twenty people crossing an intersection in the corridor, which startled them both. They rushed into the nearest room.


    "You said there wouldn''t be a lot of people!?" Lexus protested.


    "I said ''I guess'', it was an analysis, not something definite," Ian grumbled.


    "I can''t cooperate with you," said Lexus in frustration.


    But then their little bickering stopped when they realized that someone else was inside this room.

 Chapter 398 - CHAOS

    <h4>Chapter 398 - CHAOS</h4>


    "You two are so noisy."


    A voice rang inside the room Ian and Lexus entered. Hearing the voice so suddenly made them both jump in surprise because they did not expect to meet someone in this dark room.


    In an instant, they aimed the guns they were holding at the source of the sound and with wary eyes they saw a man, who sat leaning against the wall behind him.


    "Put down your guns," he ordered.


    Only then did Lexus realize who was speaking. He recognized this voice, it was just that their current situation could really make anyone feel so tense to actually be able to pay close attention to their surroundings.


    "Ramon?!" Lexus eximed, as he put down his gun and gave Ian a fierce look, before he approached his brother, saying, "Put your gun away."


    Ian, who heard the curt tone from Lexus, could only roll his eyes and put down the gun he aimed at Ramon, before he approached the man.


    "What happened to you?" Lexus asked with a panicked expression when he saw his brother looking pale with sweat dripping down his body. He had never seen his brother like this before. "What did they do to you?"


    "They gave me drugs," Ramon said softly, but there was still annoyance in his voice.


    If it wasn''t for them being in this condition, then it was certain that Ian would have teased him by saying that it was the karma he had received for giving drugs to Giana, but of course it wouldn''t be a joke at a time like this.


    "Help me up," Ramon said, clenching his jaw tightly. He felt pain all over his body and his breath hitched when he didn''t get the dose they always gave him.


    A**holes!


    But, the only thing he hoped for right now was; Hailee not experiencing anything like this and they didn''t give her the drugs, because if that happened, he wouldn''t let thew touch Leon and Giana, because he''d be the one to punish those two bastards.


    Lexus then helped Ramon up.


    "Drugs?" Lexus scowled. "You really look terrible now."


    Ramon ignored Lexus''ments. "Who came to be your backup?" he had anticipated this. "Is it Diego Tatum?"


    "Yes," Lexus answered quickly. "He''s outside with some military personnel he brought, he''ll be here soon, we''ll just have to wait for him."


    But, Ramon shook his head. "I have to find Hailee."


    "You know where she is?" Ian asked.


    Lexus supported his brother for a few steps, but then Ramon seemed strong enough to walk on his own.


    "No," Ramon replied. His voice sounded much firmer. It seemed he had managed to regain consciousness.


    "Then where are you going to look for Hailee?" Ian asked.


    He was worried about the woman. If they treated Ramon like this, it wasn''t impossible for Hailee to get the same treatment. Or even worse¡­


    ===================


    "Go out!" one of the men, who opened the door to Hailee''s room, eximed.


    In the doorway, Hailee saw two men with towering figures standing with guns tucked in their waists, as they asked her toe out of there.


    Hailee looked at the two men and followed their orders.


    She looked at the room she had been in for several days, not knowing the time at all.


    Hailee didn''t even know if it was night or still morning now.


    The two men walked behind Hailee with a gun pointed at her back. One of them was using amunication device to talk to another bodyguard who was setting up their escape route.


    It seemed that this ce was no longer safe for Leon, and he had beenpletely exposed.


    What happened now reminded Hailee of what had happened to her before, when she was pregnant. An incident that she would never forget as she lost her then unborn baby.


    Therefore, Hailee didn''t want that incident to happen again. And at the same time, no one could guarantee her safety if Leon managed to take her away from this ce.


    All Hailee had to do was to stay in this ce until help arrived, just like she had done in that two storey building, waiting for Ramon toe to her.


    But, what could she do now?


    Although Hailee was not tied or handcuffed, but with a gun digging into her back, it was certainly not an easy feat for her to escape on her own.


    Hailee gritted her teeth and looked around, listening to the two of themmunicate.


    That was when Hailee learned that Ramon had managed to break free and Leon was in the underground parking lot, with a car ready to take her away.


    Leon only had to wait for Hailee''s arrival, before he left this ce.


    However, Hailee didn''t hear anything about Giana. She didn''t even know where that woman was...


    And just as they were about to turn at a corner of this long corridor, Hailee saw Ramon, Ian and also Lexus, as well as several others behind them, wearing uniforms.


    This ce waspletely under siege.


    Of course seeing there was no other way to escape, the two people grabbed Hailee and held her body, and now the gun was stuck to Hailee''s forehead. One careless move and her chances of survival would be close to zero.


    On the other hand, when Ramon saw that, his facial expression turned very cold and it was hard to exin what was going on in his mind right now.


    The man didn''t show any fear or hesitation, but if just looking at someone could kill that person, then the two people who were holding Hailee up at this time, would have already met their deaths in a very tortuous manner.


    Unfortunately, such a thing was not possible.


    "You are surrounded, drop your weapons!" one of the cops cried from behind them. They both turned back and sure enough, two cops were behind them.


    There was no way out of this situation.


    "Get out of the way! Or I will kill this woman!" one of the men, who was now holding Hailee, eximed in panic.


    Things were so chaotic, as both sides were shouting at each other, but no one was really listening.


    While Ramon didn''t say anything, his eyes didn''t leave his wife, neither did Hailee.


    The two of them stared at each other as ifmunicating, regardless of their surroundings at the moment.


    ***


    Read my new story: UNTAMED: MEN OF CHAOS


    Hope you like it!

 Chapter 399 - IT DOESNT CHANGE ANYTHING

    <h4>Chapter 399 - IT DOESN''T CHANGE ANYTHING</h4>


    Leon''s men were cornered. They were stuck in the middle of the corridor and their only way to get out of there was to use Hailee as their hostage. Therefore, when the police tried to get closer, they became increasingly panicked and shouted loudly. Angry at them for not backing away.


    Meanwhile, Ramon stayed where he was, his eyes fixed on his wife, so did Hailee.


    The cops who were there didn''t lower their guns, but they didn''t get in the way of the two men as the two of them moved more and more toward the way they were going either.


    The tension was palpable in the air right now and one wrong move, one unexpected shot, would take a real life.


    Ramon wasn''t going to gamble with the possibility of his wife getting hurt, but he wasn''t going to let the two of them take Hailee away either.


    He knew that Hailee would be a very valuable chess piece for Leon in the future, because they both knew Ramon would do anything to get his wife back.


    And when the two men moved swiftly to escape, Hailee made an unexpected move.


    As soon as she felt the gun pointed at her shift a little, Hailee immediately jumped up and mmed the back of her head into the man''s face, then she dodged and bowed her body quickly.


    It was the exact moment she wasn''t at gunpoint and if the cops moved fast enough they could shoot the two men.


    However, Ramon was the first to notice this and immediately seized the weapon in the hands of the nearest police officer. He fired a single bullet that hit the hand of the man holding the gun. He was the one that used Hailee as a shield until a moment ago.


    With terrifyingposure, Ramon fired the gun in his hand and made the man roar in pain, having his hand shot while his gun fell to the floor.


    Seeing this, Hailee immediately crawled away from the two men, while the second man tried to pull Hailee back, or rather, he tried to shoot Hailee for messing up their ns.


    Unfortunately, a hot lead shot from one of the policemen''s gun was fired and incapacitated the second person.


    Quickly, Ramon ran toward Hailee while the police behind him arrested the two people.


    "Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?" Ramon asked frantically, he looked at Hailee with a worried face, while his head throbbed painfully. His body was really trying to stay strong as he hugged his wife''s warm body.


    However, Ramon''s consciousness seemed to disappear as soon as he felt thefort he had been looking for and thest thing he remembered was Hailee''s hysterical scream. Ramon wanted to say that everything was fine, that he was okay and seeing Hailee unharmed was a huge relief for him.


    However, no words came out as everything went dark.


    Meanwhile, Hailee could feel Ramon''s grip on her body slowly loosen and the man''s body lost its strength before finally falling into her arms.


    Hailee was surprised, she tried to call Ramon, but the man didn''t open his eyes.


    "Hailee, Hailee¡­" Ian tried to call the woman while shaking her body. "Ramon just fainted, calm down. He''ll be fine, I''ve called the medics, they''ll be here soon."


    Hailee sobbed, hugging Ramon''s unmoving body and only now did she realize that Ramon''s face actually looked much paler than usual and he was also sweating a lot.


    "What''s wrong with him? What happened?" Hailee tried to see if there were any wounds on Ramon''s body. Was he tortured? Or did he get shot?


    However, Hailee couldn''t find even the slightest injury on his body.


    "We''d better wait for the medics toe," Ian said, looking confused for the right words to calm Hailee down, because he knew that nothing could calm this woman down.


    The only thing he could do now was stay by Hailee''s side and be with her until help came and they could reassure this woman that her husband was okay.


    Ramon would be fine...


    ==================


    Leon clenched his jaw tightly when he got the report that the people who took Hailee didn''t manage to get her away and now the woman had been rescued.


    Leon closed his eyes when he saw the police had surrounded his car. Only a miracle could save him from this siege.


    The only thing he could do now was look around him andugh like a maniac.


    He didn''t expect that he would end up like this.


    But, one thing that made him a little amused was; seeing Lexus'' expressionless face in the crowd of uniformed policemen.


    His son looked at him, but no emotion could be seen on his face, as if he wasn''t looking at his biological father who was in a critical situation.


    Or it was because Lexus never considered himself to be his real father?


    Leon''sughter grew louder and sounded much crazier as the thought entered his head and he stared at Lexus wildly.


    The years he didn''t spend with his son as well as the end of him like this, made him realize that it wasn''t like this that Leon wanted Lexus to see him.


    The cops around Leon shouted, ordering him to surrender, with guns in their hands.


    However, Leon seemed to no longer be able to hear them as if Lexus was the only person in his eyes. Other people''s faces were all blurred, bing a background scenery.


    Instead of turning himself in and letting them take him to the trial, which would end in him rotting in prison, since it was certain that Ramon wouldn''t let him go, Leon grabbed the gun that was on his waist and aimed it at Lexus.


    Instantly, Leon could see his son''s shocked expression before two gunshots could be heard and his body fell to the ground.


    Leon breathed heavily as the policemen approached him and removed the gun that was still in Leon''s grip.


    However, the only thing he could focus on was his son, who stood where he was and made no attempt to approach him.


    Lexus instead turned around and just walked away.


    It was not untilter that they discovered that the gun Leon pointed at Lexus was actually just an empty gun without bullets, but of course that didn''t change anything.


    ===============


    Read my new story: UNTAMED: MEN OF CHAOS.


    Hope you like it!

 Chapter 400 - INSPECTION

    <h4>Chapter 400 - INSPECTION</h4>


    "You should rest, Hailee," Lis said, sitting next to Hailee. She stared at her daughter-inw who had been awake all day beside her son.


    Hailee didn''t want to move an inch from Ramon''s side were it not for something important and urgent.


    Lis was grateful that apart from the bruises and minor cuts on Hailee''s body, she had experienced nothing else, especially what happened to Ramon.


    It could be said that Ramon was very strong to withstand the pain he suffered because of the addiction.


    And now, he was still unconscious even after two days had passed.


    Doctor Bram who was treating him said that it was still in a normal stage, because sleeping meant Ramon was resting and that was what his body really needed, because it would fasten the healing process. The Doctor tried to exin this as simply as possible to Hailee.


    After all, the woman looked very frantic, when Ramon didn''t wake up.


    It was the same situation until the sun set and night fell when Hailee, as usual, apanied Ramon there, telling him about everything.


    Starting from her childhood stories to the time she met Ian.


    "I didn''t like this part of the story¡­" Ramon mumbled, as Hailee recounted the silly days she had with Ian.


    Immediately Hailee stopped her rambling and turned to look at her husband, who was looking at her with a frowning expression. Not really liking the story Hailee was telling him.


    As soon as Ramon opened his eyes, the first stupid thing Hailee did was to cry. She couldn''t stop the tears flowing from her eyes and no matter how hard Ramon wiped the tears off her cheeks, Hailee couldn''t stop crying.


    "Why are you crying like this? Shouldn''t I be the one crying because you''re telling such a boring story?" Ramon said softly, but then he pulled Hailee''s body into his arms.


    Ramon was very relieved to see that Hailee was okay, even though his wife was crying non-stop and wetting his clothes.


    Many things have happened during the past week and the mass media was filled with various news that could only be considered as shocking headlines.


    At some point, it seemed that the news coverage on the dispute between the Tordoffs and the Dawsons would not end even if it was discussed for a year.


    The facts that came to the surface really made people tremble and shake their heads, especially when all the evidence happened to be so urate.


    As if Mr. and Mrs. Tordoff''s kidnapping problem was not fearful enough; the public was shocked by the fact that Leon Dawson was the mastermind behind Ramon Tordoff''s ident a year ago.


    They just didn''t know the exact reason why Leon Dawson hated Ramon Tordoff so much that he even tried to kill the Tordoff heir several times.


    Many say that this was a business dispute, but many argue that it did not make sense, because Ramon Tordoff and Leon Dawson''s business lines do not intersect at all.


    It was well known that Leon Dawson was no longer a member of the Dawson family and he had a business that had absolutely nothing to do with his family.


    This was also the second time Leon Dawson had kidnapped Hailee Tordoff. In the previous attempt, he even caused Hailee to miscarry and lose her first baby. Of course this infuriated the public who became unsympathetic to the fact that Leon Dawson had died.


    Some of them regretted that Leon Dawson had to die that way, because they thought it was too easy, but none of them were relieved that he was gone either, because then the Tordoffs could live in peace.


    News about the rtionship between Leon Dawson and Lexus Tordoff was never revealed, because it would be suppressed and be a secret forever.


    Meanwhile, Giana Dawson was currently in a rehab center for her addiction to illegal drugs, before being released and facing trial for the legal case she received.


    And during that one month, Ramon underwent rehabilitation because of the drugs that were injected into him inrge doses.


    During that time, it was Lis and Lexus who managed the Tordoffpany as well as the Dawson corporation, which was now under their family management, having been acquired.


    The past two months, things looked better, apart from the news of the feud still circting in themunity, but of course, the news didn''t touch Ramon and Hailee, as they both preferred to live their own lives.


    And now, to celebrate Ramon''s recovery, the two of them were going on a honeymoon, somehow for the umpteenth time and making Lexus grumble.


    "Make sure youe home with good news," Lexus said after dropping Ramon and Hailee at the airport. He had already imagined how much work awaited him in the absence of Ramon.


    But, at least, after Lis returned, the work that Lexus had to handle was not too heavy, his mother proved that she was still very useful for thepany, although asionally, Lexus caught his mother daydreaming.


    Lexus didn''t ask what she was thinking about, because he didn''t want to know what his mother was thinking.


    "What kind of good news?" Hailee asked while checking her passport. She looked beautiful in a white sweater and jeans, her long hair flowing freely.


    "You know what¡­" Lexus said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.


    And it seemed that the suggestion that Lexus gave her was not conveyed well, because Hailee didn''t really focus on him.


    But then Ramon approached the two of them and pulled Hailee to his side while kissing the top of Hailee''s head.


    "Of course, we''ll be back once you can hold your nephew," Ramon promised.


    And it was only after Ramon said that did Hailee understand what Lexus was suggesting and sheughed. "Yeah, we''ll be back once you can hold your nephew," added Hailee firmly.


    Immediately, Lexus''ughter faded. "Hey! It doesn''t have to be that long either!" he eximed. He couldn''t imagine Ramon leaving his job for that long.


    But, that was exactly what Ramon had nned.


    So many things happened and all of them threatened the safety of his wife and himself, therefore, Ramon felt that this was the right time to step back for a while from his world.


    ==================


    Hailee had just finished taking a shower after their long journey and was wearing a bathrobe when Ramon pulled her close.


    "What are you doing?" Hailee asked as he untied Hailee''s bathrobe.


    "Hmm," Ramon mumbled. "Inspecting."


    "Inspecting, huh?" Hailee raised her eyebrows.


    "It seems I need to inspect you more deeply."


    ===============


    Read my new story: UNTAMED: THE ALPHA


    Hope you like it!

 Chapter 401 - TEST PACK

    <h4>Chapter 401 - TEST PACK</h4>


    Ramon only realized the trauma Hailee had been suffering from after they went on this trip. They were staying in the Tordoff family''s apartment, which was on a high floor and the only way was to take the elevator.


    Hailee would be terrified whenever they used the elevator and would grip his arm very tightly as she closed her eyes.


    Ramon realized that when his wife was trapped in an elevator and lost their baby, the incident not only left pain for her to suffer, but a deep trauma as well.


    Therefore, after two days in the apartment and not going anywhere, because Hailee was afraid of having to travel down the elevator again, Ramon decided that they would go somewhere else, which held fond memories for them.


    And so, here they were, in the house by the beach. The very ce where they had honeymooned.


    The beautiful white house, where it all started¡­


    They spent their time more rxed and calm, after the death threats and crazy problems that kepting their way.


    Hailee felt like she was reborn. Like everything that had happened for thest few months was just a nightmare they didn''t want to revisit.


    And after Leon had been pronounced dead and Giana was in rehab before serving her sentence, and also that Dawson''spany had been acquired by Tordoff, things seemed a lot better now.


    Hailee felt like she could breathe a sigh of relief again.


    Especially since they were in this beach house now. Even though their days tended to be boring and revolved around eating, sleeping, strolling by the beach, ying in the sea or spending a star-filled night on Ramon''s little yacht, it was all a lot more enjoyable.


    At night, they would joke and tease each other, which would end in the routine way.


    Therefore, when this morning Hailee felt the same symptoms that she had experienced before, she felt worried, anxious but also palpitating.


    Hailee felt very nauseous, as if the whole room was spinning while her body felt very weak.


    Not only that, after checking the date, it turned out that her period was two weekste. During the vacation, Hailee never checked the date or day, because it wasn''t necessary.


    Ramon was also not so busy with work. Lexus or Lis would send the documents needed to be reviewed via email where Ramon could just respond ordingly.


    After finishing with his rehabilitation, Ramon looked more rxed and less busy with work, he also seemed to dedicate his time only to Hailee and that made the woman feel very happy.


    Therefore, when Hailee felt this head spinning nausea for four days straight, she decided to check it herself.


    "What?" Pyro asked. He widened his eyes in disbelief when he heard Hailee''s request.


    "Do not be noisy!" Hailee hissed as she pressed her finger to her lips, then nced toward the bedroom, waiting to see if Ramon would wake up, but luckily, her husband was still fast asleep. "Just buy it," she said hastily and in a low voice.


    "You''re asking me to buy you a pregnancy test kit?" Pyro rified Hailee''s request from earlier. He still couldn''t believe that Hailee could so casually ask him to do such a thing.


    Well, Hailee didn''t ask for it casually, but because she felt that she was very close to Pyro and her bodyguard was already considered a friend, therefore Hailee could freely ask for it.


    "Why don''t you buy it yourselfter?" Pyro asked, his voice was barely a whisper, because he seemed to understand that Hailee didn''t want anyone to hear their conversation. "You can take Mr. Tordoff to keep youpany, he must be delighted to hear this news."


    Pyro knew very well that Mr. Tordoff would be very happy to hear the news of Hailee''s pregnancy, learning from Hailee''s first pregnancy experience, the man seemed to give the whole world to this woman.


    "No, no, no," Hailee said hastily, shaking her head and getting annoyed with Pyro for asking too many questions. "I don''t want him to know."


    "You don''t want Mr. Tordoff to know? He is its father, how could he not know?" Pyro furrowed his brows, but then his eyes grew wide and filled with fear. "Or maybe..."


    But, before Pyro could finish his sentence, Hailee had already hit his head in annoyance.


    "Don''t think too much of it," Hailee grumbled. "Of course, if I am pregnant, he is the father. Who else have I been with all this time?"


    Pyro rubbed his aching head, which Hailee had hit earlier. Come to think of it, for the past two weeks Hailee hadn''t been anywhere except with Mr. Tordoff. She didn''t even leave the house without her husband and as a bodyguard who watched over her for twenty-four hours, of course Pyro knew that Hailee hadn''t met any men.


    "So what?" Pyro asked, not understanding.


    Hailee yed with her clothes and said in a low voice and biting her lip impatiently. "I didn''t mean to hide this¡­" she looked down and hesitated to say it. "But, this is just a symptom, nothing is certain¡­ I don''t want to see Ramon hopeful, only to learn that the end result is disappointing."


    It could be just Hailee''s feelings or maybe something else was going on, which had the same symptoms as when she was pregnant, but no one knew for sure until she got the test done.


    However, Hailee didn''t want to tell Ramon when the oue was still uncertain.


    Seeing how Hailee seemed to have a hard time expressing what she was feeling, Pyro finally sighed.


    "Okay, I''ll buy it," he said, finally giving in. "Although, I don''t really understand why you''re so worried about this. I''m pretty sure Mr. Tordoff is more worried about you than the results of the pregnancy test. Whether you''re pregnant or not, it doesn''t matter to him."


    Hailee raised her head and looked at Pyro, smiling sweetly. "I know, I''m just worried."


    "I''m a man, I know very well what an asshole is like and I can confirm that Mr. Tordoff doesn''t belong to such men." Then Pyro added, "If I may say, the love he has for you often makes him blind to his surroundings."


    What Pyro meant was; whenever Mr. Tordoff was with his wife, he would forget about his surroundings and show how much he loved Hailee regardless of the surroundings.


    Hearing this, Hailee pushed Pyro away. "Alright, just buy it already."


    ===============


    Read my new story: UNTAMED: THE ALPHA


    Hope you like it!

 Chapter 402 - THE RESULT

    <h4>Chapter 402 - THE RESULT</h4>


    Hailee closed the door of the house after she pushed Pyro out and was a little worried about the oue she would find outter.


    This was her second pregnancy, but that didn''t mean it was going to get any easier, especially when she remembered what had happened in her previous and first pregnancy.


    Hailee shook her head. She didn''t want to feel that sadness again, even though she knew she wouldn''t forget it. Hailee didn''t want to forget it, because whatever happened, it was a part of her. She loved her baby and would always feel guilty for not being able to take care of it.


    Then, Hailee turned around, meaning to check if Ramon was up or not, before going into the kitchen and making breakfast.


    This had be a routine for Hailee now, ever since they started living in this house.


    Ramon did say that this was their second honeymoon, but so far, he had shown no sign that he would be returning to thepany soon. Ramon was seen still enjoying his time with Hailee, alone with his wife.


    And Hailee too, she hoped this wouldn''t pass too quickly and she could be with Ramon forever.


    However, when Hailee turned around, she found Ramon standing behind her with a frown on his face.


    "What are you doing here?" he asked. There was a trace of sleepiness in his voice, but also curiosity. "What did you talk to Pyro about? You guys seem to have a secret."


    Hearing thatst sentence, Haileeughed. How could Ramon think she had something with Pyro? That didn''t make any sense at all.


    Indeed Ramon was very jealous, but to think that Hailee had a secret with Pyro, wasn''t that going too far?


    Wait. But, Hailee did have a secret with Pyro. She just made it.


    Hailee then walked over to her husband and wrapped her arms around the man''s neck, kissing his lips. But, when Ramon didn''t return the kiss and didn''t hug her like usual, Hailee startedughing.


    "Don''t tell me you''re jealous of Pyro¡­" Haile rolled her eyes, thinking it was ridiculous, but Ramon narrowed his eyes suspiciously.


    "My wife is very beautiful and attractive, of course I suspect every man who is around you."


    Hailee smirked when she heard that, sheughed and kissed Ramon''s lips. "How can I be attracted to other people when I have you?"


    For some reason, seeing Ramon being jealous like this, made Hailee even more happy to tease him and she felt very happy this morning. She felt herself to be the happiest person in the world.


    ====================


    Pyro gave the test pack secretly so that Ramon would not suspect anything and Hailee would only check it tomorrow morning when Ramon was still asleep.


    She wanted to know the result first, then tell Ramon about it. And if her suspicions were indeed wrong, then this would remain a secret forever. Ramon didn''t need to know that Hailee was doing this.


    Therefore, this morning Hailee woke up early, or maybe it could be said that she hadn''t slept at all the entire night. She felt anxious and unsettled before actually knowing the results.


    And when the sky was still dark and Ramon was still fast asleep, slowly, Hailee got out of bed and walked over to her bag, where she kept the test pack and headed for the bathroom.


    Hailee could feel her hands shaking when she opened the wrapper and also her heart beating really fast.


    What if the result was not what she expected? What if she got disappointed?


    And various unpleasant imaginations. Hailee bit her lip as she struggled to open the wrapping paper and her finger slipped a few times.


    She was annoyed and decided to just bite it, but before she could do that, someone reached out and snatched it from her grasp.


    Hailee almost screamed hysterically when she saw Ramon''s towering body, standing behind her. Her husband opened the wrapper with ease.


    "What are you doing here?" Hailee asked, she didn''t know what to say, so she asked a stupid question.


    Ramon raised his eyebrows when he heard Hailee''s question. "My house. My room. My bathroom. My wife." Ramon kissed Hailee''s head. "I''m free to be anywhere, even with you."


    Hearing Ramon''sst sentence, Hailee could feel her face turning red as a burning feeling ran down her neck.


    Why was this man being so perverted even now? He could even say those words with an expressionless face.


    "Try it now," Ramon said calmly, but Hailee could see the impatience evident on his face.


    "Ugh¡­" Haileeined. "I meant to let you know after I confirmed it was positive," she muttered.


    "Positive or not, I have a right to know." Ramon then slid his finger under Hailee''s chin. "Don''t keep anything from me. I''m going crazy whenever you''re keeping something from me. Coupled with that suspicious attitude of yours."


    Hearing that answer, Hailee became reminded of something.


    "How did you know I was going to do this?" Hailee asked suspiciously.


    Ramon shrugged nonchntly. "Pyro told me about this voluntarily."


    Hailee narrowed her eyes suspiciously when she heard what Ramon said.


    No kidding¡­ Hailee had known Ramon long enough and understood his nature well enough to be able to tell that the word ''volunteering'' from Ramon''s mouth could involve many things.


    "Don''t look at me like that," Ramon grumbled, he continued to stare at the small object in Hailee''s hand, impatient for his wife to start doing what had to be done and stop asking him.


    "Ramon¡­ you said we have to be honest." Hailee knew that Ramon was impatient, but she was deliberately teasing him because this guy was so impatient and most importantly, he messed up her ''ns''¡­


    Ramon sighed in annoyance. "I just asked him to reveal what you two are hiding. You guys are quite suspicious, so there''s no way I didn''t notice anything." And while Hailee was still staring at him intensely, Ramon added. "I intimidated him a little."


    Poor Pyro...


    Hailee chuckled and Ramon urged his wife again.


    "Now try it."


    "Alright, alright¡­"


    ***


    ording to the instructions, it took about two minutes for the results to appear and Hailee felt that two minutes was a very long time.


    The two of them stared at the small test stick, where an indicator would tell them the result.


    And when the indicator finally worked and announced the result they had been waiting for, Hailee could feel warm tears running down her cheeks as Ramon hugged her gently.


    He kissed Hailee''s head while his wife sobbed¡­


    ===============


    Read my new story: UNTAMED: THE ALPHA


    Hope you like it!

 Chapter 403 - FIRST TRISEMESTER

    <h4>Chapter 403 - FIRST TRISEMESTER</h4>


    The first thing Ramon wanted to do after he found out that Hailee got pregnant was; taking her to the hospital.


    And because they lived on an ind, it wouldn''t allow Hailee to get the best treatment there.


    Ramon insisted that they must return to their home for better treatment avable there.


    However, Hailee rejected the idea. She wanted to spend more time in this house and she didn''t want to return to the Tordoff family''s residence just yet.


    Hailee loved being here and thought it was good for her pregnancy, as she needed rest.


    And after a long debate, it was finally decided they would stay behind for the next few months, but Ramon didn''t want to take the risk by letting Hailee give birth in any hospital except the central hospital.


    Ramon was negotiable for anything Hailee wanted, but for that one thing, he didn''t want his wife to argue with him.


    Hailee agreed, after all she didn''t want to risk her pregnancy, and after all she had to be more careful in maintaining her current pregnancy.


    She wasn''t going to take the big risk of endangering her child, but she did want to be on this ind a little longer, enjoying the early days of her pregnancy.


    "Good morning," Ramon said in a voice that sounded very cool.


    Hailee woke up, rubbed her sleepy face and got a sweet kiss on her forehead and also breakfast.


    "You cooked?" Hailee asked in a still hoarse voice.


    Just like her previous pregnancy, Hailee always felt very sleepy and woke upter than usual. Therefore, it had been a few days since she had missed making breakfast for Ramon.


    Besides, Ramon didn''t allow Hailee to cook anything for him. He didn''t even allow Hailee to get close to the stove.


    The man was a little paranoid that Hailee mustn''t be in a dangerous ce and he thought the kitchen was the most dangerous part of a house.


    Hearing that, Hailee couldn''t help butugh, not knowing how to respond.


    Hailee''s pregnancy was in its second month, but of course with her body, her belly was still not visible.


    "What do you want to do today?" Ramon asked, just as Hailee had finished washing her face and eating her breakfast.


    Hailee bit her spoon and thought for a moment. "I want to watch a horror movie."


    Ramon frowned. "Shouldn''t you watch a sweet show?" What was with Hailee''s taste? Even when she was pregnant, she still liked that kind of film genre.


    ====================


    Ramon knew this was going to happen, but of course he couldn''t do anything when his wife actually put him in this position.


    In the middle of the horror movie that Hailee wanted to see, his wife actually fell asleep and missed almost half of the film.


    Seeing Hailee leaning on him with her lips slightly parted, Ramon couldn''t help but kiss her. He kissed Hailee''s lips and made her hug him. Her eyes didn''t open, which meant she was still asleep and didn''t know what he was doing.


    "I''ll take you to the room," Ramon whispered, and then picked up Hailee and carried her back into the room before covering the woman.


    Seeing Hailee sleeping soundly, made Ramon feel sleepy too, therefore, he chose to sleep beside Hailee, hugged her body and felt the girl''s heartbeat against his chest.


    Hailee''s body felt warm and Ramon always liked her distinctive scent. It was like an addiction to him.


    ==================


    Hailee woke up when the sun was almost setting and the orange light shone from the ocean. She could see it through the open balcony door and it was so beautiful and rxing.


    "Ramon..?" Hailee called out to the man, realizing that she was alone. Wasn''t she watching a movie with him earlier? Then what was the story of the film?


    Did she fall asleep again?


    Hailee then got out of the bed and out of the room to look for Ramon, but she found Martha in the kitchen cooking something.


    "Martha?" Hailee asked in disbelief when she saw the middle-aged woman there. She was cooking something for dinner. "What are you doing here? When did youe?"


    To Hailee''s knowledge, Ramon didn''t say anything about Martha''s arrival.


    On the other hand, as soon as Martha saw Hailee, her face immediately broke into a wide smile. Sheughed and looked almost like she was about to jump in joy.


    How could she not? Martha was called a few days ago toe to this ce immediately, but she didn''t know why she had toe here.


    And since she didn''t have any thoughts, Martha immediately packed up and boarded the flight that Ramon had prepared for her.


    Martha thought these two people needed someone to take care of their needs or clean the house.


    But, who would have thought that Hailee was pregnant and had entered her second month. Pyro told Martha about this on their way here.


    No one knew about this until now because the couple still didn''t want to tell Lis or Lexus, or the rest of the family.


    "You''re pregnant!" Martha eximed cheerfully. She looked happy when she saw Hailee''s radiant face and hugged her carefully.


    Hailee then spent the next hour talking to Martha and chattering about all sorts of things with her.


    Martha looked cheerful. She was currently making Hailee''s favorite pudding. She tried it and was very happy that Martha was here with her, before she finally asked for Ramon because her husband was nowhere to be seen.


    "Mr. Tordoff is on the terrace with David and Pyro." Martha told Hailee.


    David and Pyro?


    Hailee felt a little confused, because it was unusual for Ramon to spend a lot of time with David and Pyro.


    Are they talking about business matters? Or was there a problem at the office?


    Out of curiosity, Hailee quickened her footsteps, but she stopped when she heard Pyro''s voice from behind the door.


    Hailee didn''t understand why she was hiding behind the door and instead eavesdropped on David and Pyro''s conversation, who seemed to be arguing about something.


    Putting her ear closer to the door, Hailee heard Pyro''s disapproving voice.


    "Of course, even if she''s a girl she has to practice martial arts to take care of herself." Pyro''s voice sounded disapproving.


    "If you can''t take care of a child, then I''ll do it."


    What were they really arguing about?


    ===============


    Read my new story: UNTAMED: THE ALPHA


    Hope you like it!

 Chapter 404 - SECOND TRISEMESTER

    <h4>Chapter 404 - SECOND TRISEMESTER</h4>


    Hailee was telling Ramon about her childhood and the naughty things she had done as a child, deliberately not talking about Aileen, because she didn''t want to spoil her mood by remembering that woman.


    They were in the balcony of their room, enjoying the evening sitting close together on the sofa set there, gazing at the Moonlight that beautifully reflected on the dark sea surface. The sound of the waves crashing was the most pleasant and soothing thing for Hailee right now.


    But, in the middle of her words, Hailee suddenly stopped talking and this made Ramon stopughing too. He looked closely at Hailee''s facial expression, noticing that there was something odd about his wife.


    "What is it?" Ramon asked frantically. He quickly sat up straight and his eyes sharpened when he saw Hailee touching her stomach which had started to look like a baby bump. "Are you sick? Do you feel something?" Ramon rubbed Hailee''s stomach. "Say something." He looked frustrated that Hailee was silent.


    Since Hailee didn''t answer his question, Ramon stood up and tried to carry Hailee, but the woman just moved her body, avoiding him, not wanting to be carried.


    "What do you want?" Hailee asked back in confusion.


    "We''re going to the hospital," Ramon''s voice sounded very stiff, enveloped by his fear and all other feelings of uncertainty seeing Hailee''s condition.


    But then, he saw the wide smile that tugged at the corners of his wife''s lips. "You''re too tense, I''m fine."


    However, Hailee''s words couldn''t diffuse his worries, because Ramon didn''t change his facial expression at all when he heard Hailee say that.


    "Really, I''m fine." Haileeughed this time, and then pulled Ramon''s hand so that the man could sit beside her, but Ramon refused and still tried to carry Hailee, wanting to take her to be examined. He seemed a little paranoid about Hailee''s pregnancy and didn''t want anything to go wrong. "No, sit down first, I was just joking earlier."


    Ramon was still staring at Hailee, his gaze so wary, as if he couldn''t believe it when Hailee said she was fine.


    Well, Ramon was often not easy to believe when it came to the health of his wife and child.


    But, after some persuasion, Ramon finally sat down and looked at his wife''s face questioningly.


    "What is it? Why are you in pain?" Ramon asked, his brows furrowed in stress.


    "I''m not in pain," Hailee reconfirmed. She then took Ramon''s hand and ced it on her stomach. "Try to feel this..."


    It was not the first time Hailee had experienced it, but that didn''t mean she would get used to it. Of course not, she didn''t think that she would get used to her pregnancy at all.


    Every change in her felt like it was a miracle, especially a moment like this.


    After a while of waiting, Ramon felt movement under the palm he ced against Hailee''s stomach.


    He then looked at his wife. "The baby''s starting to move," he said in a low voice. He then moved his hand again and found the part where their baby was kicking again.


    "Yeah, I think he likes your voice," Hailee said softly, kissing Ramon''s cheek, to which she got a hug in return.


    "I love you Hailee," Ramon whispered softly into her ear. "I love you and our child."


    ===================


    Hailee pursed her lips trying to look at her feet, standing up, but then she walked over to the single sofa and sat there, trying to bend over.


    It was just that, her stomach started to grow, blocking her movement and making it difficult for her.


    It was then that Ramon walked into the room bringing Hailee an afternoon snack. He found his wife with a scowling face.


    "What is it?" Ramon asked, and then put down the tray he had brought with him, which contained fruit, cake and milk.


    Ramon walked over to Hailee and kissed the top of her head gently and sat down at the table in front of her.


    "I can''t cut my own toenails," Haileeined. She couldn''t do that because her stomach was giving her a little trouble.


    Ramonughed when he heard that and took the nail clipper from Hailee''s hand and lifted her leg into hisp.


    "What are you doing?" Hailee asked, looking at Ramon wide-eyed.


    "Cutting your toenails, what else?" Ramon asked in a tone as if to say; was that even a question? Wasn''t it obvious what he was going to do?


    "Don''t..." Hailee refused, trying to pull her legs back from Ramon''sp, but Ramon just pulled her legs back into hisp.


    Hailee was already six months pregnant and the two of them were still keeping this a secret from Lis and Lexus, because both of them wanted to return home next month and surprise them both.


    And that was not the only reason, but also because the two of them would definitely cause unnecessary fuss if they found out earlier.


    "Why not?" Ramon asked in bewilderment, as he got down to work.


    "I feel bad when you touch my feet," Hailee said softly, but Ramon ignored her words and continued to trim his wife''s toenails.


    And from that day on, it was Ramon who would help Hailee to do everything. That being said, in her current pregnancy, Ramon would be prepared for twenty-four hours for his wife.


    On one night, Hailee woke up experiencing cramps in her legs. She tried not to make any sound, not to disturb Ramon who was sleeping.


    This was not the first time she had experienced this, because in her previous pregnancy, Hailee often experienced cramps like this when she was sleeping.


    But, no matter how quietly Hailee hissed and how slowly she moved her body ufortably, as soon as Ramon sensed something was wrong with his wife, he immediately opened his eyes and checked on Hailee''s condition.


    "Cramp¡­"


    The one word that escaped Hailee''s lips was enough for Ramon to know what he should do next.


    Without saying much, Ramon then immediately grabbed Hailee''s leg and massaged it. He did this until Hailee really feltfortable and went back to sleep. After that, hey down and hugged his wife tightly.


    Oh, Ramon would try to fulfill all of Hailee''s strange requests.


    There was even one time, Ramon ordered David to buy something outside this ind because Hailee wanted it and David had to take a helicopter to buy it that very night.


    Hailee just needed to say something and in the next moment, regardless of what she asked for, Ramon would grant without much questioning.

 Chapter 405 - THIRD TRISEMESTER

    <h4>Chapter 405 - THIRD TRISEMESTER</h4>


    Candiceughed when she saw Lexus'' annoyed face and it only made her boyfriend frown even more and ruffle her hair in annoyance.


    "What else?" Candice asked,ughing cheerfully and getting up from her chair to sit next to Lexus.


    This afternoon, Lexus came to have lunch with Candice at a caf¨¦ near her office. Lexus had been very busy recently, coupled with his brother still enjoying his honeymoon which didn''t seem to end any time soon, all the work was done by Lexus and Lis.


    Lis seemed to be a bit saddened by Leon''s death, because after all, he was the man she had been with for all these years and they had Lexus from that rtionship too.


    So, to say the least, Leon''s death was enough to shake her a little.


    Only, Lis took it out on work. The woman worked tirelessly to retrieve all the assets owned by the Dawsons.


    This was Lis'' revenge against the family, although a little contradictory, but it seemed that Lis really wanted the Dawsons toe to their knees.


    And that was not all, after Lis learned of Ramon''s original n to take over the Smith''s familypany, which was currently reeling from some unpleasant issues due to Aidan Smith being involved in embarrassing scandals, Lis wanted thatpany as well.


    Ramon''s absence was an opportunity for Lis to vent her feelings at work, but the person who suffered the most in this whole incident was; Lexus.


    Lexus just wanted to live his life in peace and not get swayed with such big ambitions, but now, he had to work desperately to achieve Lis'' demands.


    Especially with the addition of Ramon''s work who was not in the office.


    Lexus really wanted to cry¡­ especially since he''d been spending so little time with Candice.


    "My candy..." said Lexus while hugging Candice who just rolled her eyes when she heard the endearment.


    Candice had told Lexus several times not to call her Candy, but the warning didn''t seem to be getting any results.


    "Ramon said he wouldn''te back when I asked him when he''d be back¡­" Lexus looked very annoyed with his brother. "He said he was going to spend another year on his honeymoon. Does anyone even honeymoon for a whole year?!"


    Lexus couldn''t believe how shameless his big brother was. He was supposed to work and provide for the family.


    Well, it was not that Ramon hadn''t been working all this time, but of course it would be different if he was actually present at thepany.


    "For Ramon, I think the phrase honeymoon for a year exists," Candice said. She remembered how well Ramon spoiled Hailee.


    Hearing this, Lexus buried his face between his palms and groaned in frustration.


    "I cannot bear this anymore." Lexus then lowered his hand, his eyes shing as he spoke again, "Youe with me."


    "Hmm?" Candice raised her eyebrows questioningly. "Where to?" she then looked at her watch, which indicated that her break would end in less than fifteen minutes. "I don''t think I can," Candice said.


    "No, of course you can." Now, Lexus had grabbed Candice''s hand and led her out of the caf¨¦.


    "I have to go back to the office now." Candice grabbed her bag because Lexus was pulling her in a hurry.


    "No, you will forget about the office and apany me."


    "What? Of course I can''t."


    And when he heard this, Lexus stopped and took out his cell phone, but didn''t let Candice go, not wanting the girl to run away from him.


    Lexus then made a call and told the person on the line to take care of Candice''s permission.


    "Lexus you can''t do that," Candice eximed, her eyes widened in disbelief at what Lexus had just done.


    "Of course I can, I just did," Lexus replied, turning off his phone and pushing Candice into the car.


    "I feel like I''m being kidnapped," Candice grumbled, as Lexus got into the car and sat behind the wheel.


    "I enjoyed kidnapping you. Next time I will kidnap you forever," Lexus said, and leaned over to sp the seatbelt for Candice in ce before stealing a kiss from the girl, who looked at him with disbelieving eyes.


    This is one of the things you get when you date an influential man in this town. He can do anything.


    Well, actually Candice didn''t really mind. Kidnapped by your own lover and have to skip work, why not?


    ===================


    Hailee looked at herself in the mirror, she was wearing a bright yellow mini dress that entuated her bulging belly.


    Now she was in her seventh month of pregnancy and of course now her belly was looking bigger and this was something Hailee loved.


    Therefore, Hailee wore a dress that fit her body.


    "You look sexy," Ramon whispered into Hailee''s ear as his wife sat on hisp watching a romanticedy.


    Thank God. Hailee''s tastes changed, because Ramon didn''t want their baby to be scared in his mother''s tummy.


    Outside, the sound of the waves crashing could be heard while the afternoon sun was warm, highlighting the living room where Hailee and Ramon sat rxing while Martha went out to buy something.


    But, right at that moment, there was a noise from outside and a very familiar voice filled the air suddenly.


    "Ramon!" Lexus eximed in annoyance. He entered the house stomping his feet, while Candice followed behind him.


    Lexus was annoyed, and immediately made an impromptu trip to this ce. Fortunately, as the younger brother of the owner of this ind and had an airline that could bring him here, he didn''t have to wait long.


    "Ramon! What do you mean you will stay in this secluded ce for another year!?" Lexus was furious when he found his brother rxing with his wife.


    Surprised, Hailee immediately stood up and found Lexus and Candice at her house.


    "Lexus? What do you mean by honeymooning for one more year?" asked Hailee in confusion.


    "Just ask your husband," Lexus grumbled angrily.


    "We''re going back next week," Hailee said.


    Lexus was about to say something, but then his eyes fell on Hailee''s stomach and his mouth dropped open.


    Slowly, Lexus'' hand rose and he pointed at Hailee''s stomach.


    "Your stomach!" he cried, Lexus'' eyes widened at Hailee''s stomach. "Your belly looks big! Did something happen to you?"


    "Of course! I am pregnant!" Hailee eximed in a loud voice. This brother-inw of hers was sometimes difficult to understand¡­

 Chapter 406 - RAMON CAN KILL ME

    <h4>Chapter 406 - RAMON CAN KILL ME</h4>


    Hailee knew it would turn out like this in the future, but she didn''t expect that Lis and Lexus could prepare everything in such a short time.


    Yes, after Lexus found out that Hailee was pregnant and only had to wait a few months to get a new family member in the Tordoff residence, the man was much more hysterical than Hailee and Ramon.


    He immediately called Lis who was equally enthusiastic. And not long after that, Lis insisted on visiting them and arrived at night. Even though she was only there for two hours to see ''the baby,'' Lis looked very happy and looked much younger than her age at once, because of the radiant light that shone from her face.


    "We should make one like that too!" Lexus shouted at Candice, who then gave Lexus a hit on the back of the head for his tant speech.


    Lexus grimaced when he was treated like that, but still smirked with pleasure when he saw Candice blushing at his words.


    "When are you going to propose to her?" Hailee asked as soon as she found Lexus alone. She couldn''t wait to see the two of them finally together. So, Lexus could stop bothering her and the babyter.


    Seeing how enthusiastic Lexus was when he found out about this pregnancy, Hailee knew that Lexus woulde to see her and Ramon''s baby every single day.


    Well, Lexus would be a great and wonderful uncle, but he''d better have a baby of his own to nag and tease.


    "Ah!" Lexus sighed in frustration when he heard what Hailee asked. "I told Candice this, but she still thinks I''m just messing with her."


    The yboy aura inherent in Lexus seemed to be very difficult to get rid of and it made this man very frustrated exining to Candice that he was serious in this rtionship.


    Candice should have known, because all this time apart from work, she was the only woman he would associate himself with¡­


    "You shouldn''t have to ask, you just need to go in person and see her parents to talk about this matter." Hailee pped the hand of Lexus who was about to take her afternoon snack and red at him. She didn''t like anyone else taking her food. "That way she''ll know you''re serious."


    Lexus thought about it more deeply.


    "Should I throw a big surprise party to propose to her?" Lexus asked.


    Hailee nodded. "That sounds fun."


    It was just that the ''surprise party'' in Hailee and Lexus'' imagination was very different and Candice would bepletely surprised by it.


    A few dayster, Hailee and Ramon returned to the Tordoff family residence and found that a room had been prepared for the birth of their child.


    The room wasplete with all kinds of decorations to wee the little one. It could even be said that Hailee didn''t need to buy anything else because everything was already prepared.


    "If you still want to go shopping, that''s okay, don''t hesitate. Do you need me to apany you? But let me know the day before so mom can arrange a schedule."


    Those were the words that Lis said enthusiastically while pointing out the things she had bought for her future grandchild.


    She didn''t seem to mind at all that Hailee would spend more money on shopping, and was even more inclined to support it.


    "Pregnant women should always feel happy so that the baby they are carrying can feel happy and mothers feel that shopping makes someone happy."


    Hailee grimaced when she heard this, but couldn''t be med either, because it seemed that in Hailee''s pregnancy this time, Lis seemed to want to make up for what she didn''t do to Hailee in her previous pregnancy.


    "See! I already bought the baby a toy car!" Lexus eximed in a loud voice, as he stepped into a very spacious room filled with all kinds of toys.


    In the hands of Lexus, there was a remote control while in front of it moved a toy car that was quiterge.


    The remote-controlled car was meant to be ridden by children up to four years old.


    However, the baby Hailee was carrying had not even been born! So how would he y with the toy anytime soon?


    While Hailee was sure, all these purchased items were not the end of Lis and Lexus'' race to squander their money in pleasing this little baby.


    "I don''t even know the gender of my child..." Hailee said quietly. She and Ramon agreed to keep the gender of their child a secret until the day of the delivery.


    Of course, whether it was a boy or girl, they would be very happy to have their child happy and healthy in their midst.


    "That''s why I bought both!" Lis eximed with a triumphant smile. "There are both boy''s and girl''s clothes."


    And with that, Hailee fell speechless.


    Because no matter what she said at the moment, it seemed that her and Lis'' and Lexus'' thinking paths were on threepletely different paths.


    So, what Hailee could do was; let them both have fun. After all, on the other hand, Hailee was happy to see the enthusiasm of the two in weing their little baby.


    ====================


    One night, when Ramon had to take care of an important matter that he couldn''t ignore, Lexus was apanying Hailee.


    The two of them were in front of the television with lots of snacks before them as well as assorted fruit juices, as it seemed that Hailee''s appetite had gotten too big as the day she would give birth neared.


    Ramon promised to sort things out at the office as soon as possible and return home, because at times like these, he didn''t want to be away from Hailee.


    ording to the Doctor, Hailee was due to give birth in two weeks, therefore, for Ramon to be away for a while it wouldn''t be a problem, after all Lexus and Martha were enough to watch over Hailee.


    And of course several bodyguards and maids were also there.


    "I really don''t understand why I have to watch this romantic film with you? I should have watched this with Candice," Lexusined while eating the potato chips on hisp.


    "I also feel the same. Why should I watch such a beautiful film with you?" Hailee replied with a sneer.


    They both looked at each other annoyed, because they had to be with each other on this beautiful weekend night.


    But then, Hailee widened her eyes.


    "What is it?" Lexus asked frantically, he immediately sat up straight and watched Hailee''s facial expression change.. "Hailee, what''s wrong? Don''t scare me, Ramon could forget that I''m his brother and kill me."

 Chapter 407 - THANK YOU MY WIFE

    <h4>Chapter 407 - THANK YOU MY WIFE</h4>


    Ramon had deliberately not turned his cell phone to silent mode because he didn''t want to miss any news from his wife who was at home.


    Right now, he was signing an agreement with a foreign investor and if all went well, then Ramon would be with Hailee again in less than an hour.


    And now, business was done and they were talking about some things when Ramon''s cell phone rang, signaling a call from Lexus.


    Without thinking, Ramon immediately picked up the phone call warily.


    Ramon''s face swiftly changed when he heard Lexus'' panicked voice and before his younger brother even exined what had happened, Ramon had left his seat and walked hastily out of the building where he just had a meeting.


    Ramon''s heartbeat quickened when he heard the noise from Lexus'' side. He couldn''t wait for the driver to drive the car and immediately pushed the middle-aged man into the back seat while he sat behind the wheel instead.


    Ramon left without saying anything, leaving Danny to take care of everything and make excuses for the investors that Ramon had abandoned.


    Ramon even left David and a few bodyguards who were supposed to follow him around far behind.


    But, of course they would not lose track of Ramon because it was certain where Ramon would go.


    ===================


    Lexus looked panicked, but Martha and Lis acted faster and more swiftly by taking Hailee to the hospital immediately.


    "Didn''t we have two more weeks?" Lexus asked while driving the car that brought Hailee, while Lis was in the back, apanying Hailee. Martha had sat in the front seat with Lexus.


    Behind them, Pyro followed with several bodyguards in five cars.


    "This is a normal thing if the doctor''s estimates are wrong," Martha said.


    Hailee was already feeling the contractions, but at long intervals, which meant they would have enough time to get to the hospital. They didn''t need to rush. And even now, the woman was leisurely eating chocte while enjoying the fuss she was causing.


    Hailee had told them not to panic, based on what she had read and the advice she had received, this was normal and the interval between the cramps she felt was not too close.


    And besides, just three days ago Ramon asked for Hailee and their baby to be examined, because the closer the due date, the more paranoid the man became.


    "I don''t understand anything rted to women," Lexus said with a low sigh. He thought about how Ramon would react now because he heard his panicked voice on the phone call earlier.


    "Says the man who is surrounded by dating gossip almost everyday," Hailee said, teasing Lexus.


    "Hey! I''ve never been rumored again since I was with Candice," Lexus protested disapprovingly.


    ====================


    Ramon ran along the hospital corridor and immediately went to the room where Hailee was being treated. Outside the room, there were Pyro and Barry on guard, so it was certain that Lexus and Lis were in the room, apanying Hailee.


    Pyro and Barry immediately stood up when they saw Ramoning toward them, but apparently apart from his wife, Ramon couldn''t see anything else, because he immediately entered the room and found Hailee lying on the bed.


    "How are things now?" Ramon walked to Hailee''s bedside and found his wife curled up with knitted brows, as if the contractions she felt were getting worse by the second.


    "It''s okay," Lis said, calming her son. "Doctors said Hailee was able to give birth normally, the mother and baby are in good health. We just need to wait until the opening is over."


    Ramon held Hailee''s hand while listening to Lis'' exnation, but his eyes continued to stare at Hailee''s wrinkled face, in pain.


    "How about going through a cesarean procedure instead?" Ramon asked. He had put forward the idea from the start, because he didn''t feel he could bear to see Hailee in pain like that.


    Only, Hailee refused. She wanted to have a vaginal birth and heard that it was possible for her, so there was no reason for Hailee to go into the operating room.


    "No Ramon, we''ve discussed this, after all the doctor said that I can do this," Hailee said in a low voice.


    "But, you''re in pain¡­" Ramon stated and this made Haileeugh.


    "This is worth it. Soon we will see our child," Hailee said, she looked so excited and enthusiastic in weing their baby.


    Likewise with the others. This would be the first grandchild for Lis and the first nibling for Lexus.


    "I have another suggestion for the name," Lexus said suddenly. "How about we add the name¡­"


    "No." Ramon and Hailee rejected Lexus'' idea at the same time. They had alreadye up with a name for their baby. Even so, Lexus wouldn''t stop proposing other names.


    "I''m just making a suggestion..." Lexus said with a grunt.


    However, the pair soon to be parents didn''t seem to pay much attention to that, because right now they were looking into each other''s eyes, as if giving support and strength in silence, while intertwining their fingers.


    =====================


    When she fell in love with Ramon and the man reciprocated the same feelings, Hailee felt like the happiest woman in the world, especially with the way Ramon pampered her and gave all his attention to Hailee.


    But, none of thatpared to what Hailee was feeling right now, she had never felt this happy when she saw her little daughter for the first time or heard her cry demanding attention.


    Their little daughter was born perfectly.


    She had very small fists and also a pretty face. Perhaps this was a biased judgment from a mother who would always think her baby was beautiful.


    But really, seeing her little daughter, Hailee felt she never saw a baby as cute as her.


    The cute baby wriggled and cried on Hailee''s chest when she was finished cleaning. Her small mouth opened, her fist gripped Hailee''s finger and her crying immediately stopped as soon as she was fed.


    Not only Hailee who was fascinated by the little baby, but everyone who was there also looked at the little baby with eyes full of affection.


    Their waiting finally paid off, the pain Hailee felt paid off by seeing her little daughter.


    "Thank you my wife¡­" Ramon whispered in Hailee''s ear.. Tears ran down her cheeks, seeing their daughter in her father''s arms.

 Chapter 408 - ONE YEAR

    <h4>Chapter 408 - ONE YEAR</h4>


    Alina Hailee Tordoff.


    It was the name given to Hailee and Ramon''s little daughter, and regarding the usage of Hailee''s name as a middle name, it was a secret to both of them.


    However, Lexus always teased Ramon by saying that his older brother could not be separated from his wife and loved her so much, until he would give each child the name Hailee, even if they had a son for their second child.


    That was what Lexus always said when the journalists asked about the name of the Tordoff couple''s first daughter who had the name Hailee.


    On the other hand, Ramon and Hailee were very difficult to find or ask for information or just an interview. They both preferred to keep their lives very private.


    Since not even a photo of their daughter was released in the mass media, this actually made the public curious who were so obsessed with seeing the face of the little daughter of the Tordoff family.


    However, the tight security made it difficult for them to find more information.


    =====================


    In the first three months of the little baby being at home, Ramon and Hailee felt that reading all the books or parenting counseling and also the advice they had heard almost had no effect because reading theory and listening werepletely different from experiencing it firsthand.


    Hailee was even hit by the baby blues after the first two months of Alina''s birth.


    "We''ll get through this together," Ramon whispered softly. "It''s okay..." he said as he kissed Hailee''s forehead and wiped her tears.


    "I''m not a good mother," Hailee sobbed. "I''m not going to be a good mother." Tears flooded Hailee''s face again.


    Alina was breastfeeding well and fortunately Hailee''s milk was also smooth and there were no problems.


    However, Hailee had no time to fall asleep for a while peacefully because she was too tired to carry Alina and her sleeping hours were really messed up, therefore, their baby choked and cried so hard that her face turned red and Hailee felt very bad because of it.


    It took Ramon a while to calm Hailee down.


    And it wasn''t just the first time, but there were times when Ramon found Hailee crying and kept saying she wasn''t well.


    But luckily it didn''tst long, because after Alina turned seven months old and looked much stronger and started rolling around in bed cheerfully and was starting to respond to voices, Hailee''s condition got much better.


    Hailee tried to take care of Alina alone because she felt like she could be closer to her daughter, even though Ramon had prepared two babysitters to help his wife.


    So was Ramon. The first thing he did in the morning was kiss Hailee and stare at his daughter''s sleeping face.


    Sometimes Alina would wake up in the middle of the night and Ramon would tell her things, as if the little baby could understand. Maybe she could understand what her father was saying, because the little baby would always smile and reach out her hand to grab Ramon''s fingers, whenever she saw his father.


    As for Lis and Lexus, the two of them didn''t need to be questioned anymore, because they would always look for the little baby every time they entered Ramon and Hailee''s house and wouldn''t agree to let her go.


    "Lexus, she''s not wearing any diapers," Hailee told Lexus one morning as the man carried ten-month-old Alina.


    The little baby had just woken up, but Hailee suspected that Lexus had disturbed her and woke her up, then carried her into the dining room, where they would have breakfast together.


    Alina yawned and rested her head on Lexus'' chest, feelingfortable in her uncle''s arms, while stuffing all her fingers in her mouth.


    "It''s okay, Alina is a good girl," Lexus said with augh and kissed the top of Alina''s head, which was now covered with hair thick enough for a baby her age. "She is my best friend! The best niece in the whole world!"


    But, a momentter the expression on Lexus'' face changed and he let out a startled scream, making the little baby flinch in confusion from her sleep.


    "She peed on my shirt!" Lexus eximed. "I have a meeting this morning!"


    "I told you that she wasn''t wearing any diapers," Hailee said, smiling happily at what her little daughter did to Lexus.


    The expression on her brother-inw''s face was really cute.


    Ramon immediately took his daughter who was confused to see uncle Lexus hysterical and gave it to one of the babysitters there so that they could change clothes and bathe the baby.


    But, before that Ramon kissed the top of Alina''s head and kissed both of her cheeks. "Smart girl," Ramon said and got a happyugh from Alina, showing off her two little teeth that just grew.


    After that, Ramon walked over to Hailee and kissed her lips, saying a few sweet words before he left.


    "Ramon! Do not go yet! I have to change clothes! I must take a bath!" Lexus cried frantically.


    However, Ramon turned around and said viciously, "If you''rete for the meeting, I''ll send you out of town." And then he added, "Don''t wear my clothes."


    Which meant, Lexus had to go home to change clothes, in that case, how could he not bete for the meetingter?


    Whoops! Ramon just wanted to keep him away from Alina.


    =====================


    There were some things that Alina didn''t seem to like and it was quite the opposite from her mother''s nature.


    And the thing that stood out the most was; Alina didn''t like anything with scary voices, even when there was amercial break showing an ad that tended to be a little scary, Alina would crawl away from there and look for her father or mother.


    However, tonight something seemed different, Hailee and Alina were in the living room, sitting on the thick carpet while enjoying a snack, when the television screen showed a pretty scary advertisement.


    Haileeughed when she saw her little daughter turn her head away and hide her face into Hailee''s chest.


    "You''re so cute," Hailee said as she hugged Alina and changed the channel.


    But, when Alina saw her father walking closer, she immediately freed herself from Hailee''s embrace and fumbled toward Ramon.


    Alina started walking at the age of eleven months.


    She took three steps and fell, then got up and took four steps, then fell.


    Hailee and Ramon who saw it were quite surprised and Ramon immediately approached his daughter and hugged her.


    "Alina started walking," Hailee almost screamed. She was amazed, but then a smile appeared on the couple''s lips.


    They had just witnessed their daughter''s first steps and wished they would be with her every step of the way.

 Chapter 409 - TWO YEARS OLD

    <h4>Chapter 409 - TWO YEARS OLD</h4>


    "Uncle Lexus!" Alina eximed when she saw Lexus walking into the house with her father.


    The little girl ran over to Lexus, holding up both hands, asking to be carried. Seeing that, Lexus immediately approached the little girl and bent down, so he could lift Alina.


    "What did you do today?" Lexus asked in a cheerful voice. He was always happy to be able to pamper Alina and make the little girlugh, augh that Lexus found very pleasant to the ears.


    "Martha taught me to sing," she said cheerfully.


    "Would you like to sing for me?" Lexus asked as he plopped on the sofa and sat Alina on hisp while the little girl sang.


    On the other hand, Hailee approached Ramon and kissed his cheek. Her husband looked unhappy to see the bond between Lexus and Alina. He felt his little daughter had been stolen.


    "Your face shows your mood," Hailee said in a low voice, seeing Ramon jealous like this was aforting sight. "At least you can hide it well."


    Ramon then turned his attention to Hailee, grumbling, "I don''t want to hide it." His words were short and this made Haileeugh again.


    Because Lexus was much more cheerful and always talkative, telling Alina anything, whether it was important or not important at all, the little girl tended to look for her uncle rather than her father who kept his silence.


    Couldn''t be faulted, because after all Ramon had changed now and was much warmer than he used to be, but of course you couldn''t expect this guy to act as silly as Lexus did.


    But it was certain that the little girl loved her father nheless, because her father was the first person she would look for when she was confused or Lexus told her something.


    "Daddy!" Alina eximed, looking for her father.


    Meanwhile, Hailee smiled as she saw Ramon forget his moodiness and approach their little daughter.


    "Uncle Lexus said that the dolphin suckles its young, is it true?" Alina asked, her big round eyes staring at Ramon, waiting for an answer from her father.


    Even though Alina was only two years old, the vocabry she could use was already quite vast and Hailee must give this credit to Lexus again, because there was no one as fussy as him in this house.


    "Yes, that''s right," Ramon replied while touching his daughter''s adorable cheek.


    It was only after she got an answer from her father that Alina believed what her uncle said and it always happened like this.


    "Why don''t you believe what uncle said?" Lexusined because this little girl would always seek her father for confirmation.


    "Because dad is smarter," Alina answered innocently.


    Immediately, Haileeughed loudly and Ramon looked up at his daughter proudly. He rubbed her head gently.


    And this was how the interaction between the three of them was and it had always been like this, while Hailee prepared snacks for them because Lis wasing home from out of town soon and she intended to stop by for a moment to have dinner together before going home.


    Hailee couldn''t feel luckier than she was right now.


    "Smart girl," Ramon praised her, ignoring the res from his brother who was now frowning.


    "I''m smart too," he said, not wanting to lose.


    At night, before going to bed, Alina would choose two of the many story books that filled her room for Ramon or Hailee to read.


    For this activity, Ramon would spend more time with his little daughter, reading her a story every night.


    Hailee would only take his ce if Ramon couldn''t be home sooner and Alina had fallen asleep, tired of waiting for her father''s arrival or Ramon was out of town and couldn''te home.


    ====================


    One weekend afternoon, Lexus came to Hailee and asked if he could take Alina for a walk.


    However, Hailee felt that something was strange with her brother-inw.


    "What are you trying to do?" Hailee asked suspiciously as she folded her arms across her chest.


    "What will I do?" Lexus repeated Hailee''s question. "I''ll just take her for a walk, buy her clothes and toys."


    Lexus tried to show his most innocent face, but Hailee red and grew suspicious.


    Lexus always looked suspicious when he was nning something and this time Hailee was very sure, one hundred percent sure that he was having other ns with her child.


    "Tell me what you''re going to do with Alina, otherwise I won''t allow you to take her." Those were strong words.


    Hailee stared intently at Lexus trying to figure out what else her brother-inw would do.


    However, Lexus still insisted on not telling anything and when Alina came with her babysitter, Lexus immediately picked up the little girl.


    Alina looked happy when she saw Lexus, but Hailee just stood up from the sofa and turned around to face her brother-inw.


    "Put down my daughter Lexus," she said firmly. "You''re not taking her anywhere until you exin to me what you''re going to do."


    "I won''t do anything. She''s my niece, how could I do anything bad." The expression on his face showed that he was slightly offended by Hailee''s words, but his voice sounded rather unconvincing.


    "I''ll call Ramon then, maybe you''ll answer if he asks you himself." Ramon was in the study, but because the house was sorge, it would take some time for Hailee to get to her husband in person.


    "Okay! Okay!" Lexus raised one hand that he wasn''t using to carry Alina and gave up. "Don''t call my evil brother," Lexus grumbled.


    "Then?" Hailee raised an eyebrow and put away her cellphone, she folded her arms in front of her chest, waiting for Lexus'' exnation of whatever n he was going to carry out that involved Alina.


    "I had a fight with Candice," Lexus said, grumbling. "She was furious with me and now she won''t pick up my calls. It''s been four hours. I can''t call her while she won''t reply to my texts."


    Four hours was a very long time for Lexus not to talk to the girl. He couldn''t think well if his problems with Candice weren''t settled yet.


    "I think it''s your own doing." Candice rarely got angry, let alone to the extent of avoiding Lexus and if that happened, then there was no doubt who started the fight. "Then why do you want to bring Alina?"


    Lexus''s face lit up. "Because Alina will help me to persuade Candice to forgive me.. My niece is too cute to be refused."

 Chapter 410 - THREE YEARS OLD

    <h4>Chapter 410 - THREE YEARS OLD</h4>


    "I''m still mad at you, Lexus," Candice said. She folded her arms across her chest, pursed her lips, refusing to look at the man beside her and instead paid attention to the busy and bustling street outside.


    Lexus nced at Candice one more time before he sighed. His gaze was fixed on the road in front of him, but when he spoke again, he sounded sincerely apologetic.


    "I don''t know how they got that kind of photo," Lexus said, trying to defend himself and lessen Candice''s anger a little bit. "I''ve made them remove the news and it won''t happen again."


    What annoyed Candice most was; the media, that couldn''t just leave the two of them alone without making some weird and senseless gossip.


    And this time, they published a photo of Lexus with another woman, but in the photo Lexus seemed to be kissing the woman''s forehead. But in fact, they were standing quite far away and it was impossible for Lexus to kiss the woman.


    It was just a matter of the angle from which the photo was taken and the timing.


    The photographer of the photo had certainly been very skilled with his camera, but his skills didn''t seem to have had a good impact on anyone else.


    "I''ll take care of it," Lexus said. "You don''t have to worry about that."


    The same thing happened a year ago. Lexus got involved in a cheap rumor that he was dating another woman and of course this made Candice very angry and Lexus needed a little help to calm his lover by taking Alina with him so that Candice could stop ignoring him.


    "This sucks¡­" Candice grumbled because the media never left her alone alwaysing up with gossip like this.


    "I will stop the gossip once and for all." Lexus'' voice sounded very determined and implied another meaning, however, Candice didn''t get it.


    On the other hand, Lexus also felt very upset because the media did not stop gossiping about him and other women.


    Howe when Ramon and Hailee were making babies they didn''t dare to bother them? Why did the media crew actually dare to interfere with Lexus and Candice? Was it because Lexus was too bubbly and easy going, so they were not afraid of him?


    Lexus kept thinking about this and started thinking about changing his own image. Maybe he should look colder and more cruel like Ramon so that people would know that he couldn''t be bothered either...


    "Where are we going?" Candice asked as she watched them enter the tollne. She didn''t remember Lexus saying about him taking her far away from the city. Lexus just said that they were going to have dinner.


    "A nice ce. Just take this as my apology," Lexus said, but he could feel his heart beating really hard.


    Hope all goes well¡­


    ====================


    Lexus arrived at a restaurant outside the city with a sea view that Candice was very familiar with.


    This was the first ce Lexus took her out to eat after the gossip between the two of them developed, which said that Candice was Lexus Tordoff''s lover and asked for an exnation regarding the photo of the two of them justing out of a nightclub with Lexus looking all drunk.


    And now, Candice was here, along with Lexus for the same reason, only the female object was no longer her.


    Oh, of course not, because she was already Lexus'' lover and it was official. They had been together for about five years and it wasn''t a short time.


    You could say this was the longest rtionship that Candice or Lexus ever had.


    "You want to reminisce?" Candice asked, a smile forming on her lips. She looked cute when she was not angry.


    "Not really," Lexus replied, but then he grinned. "I didn''t think that I would fall into your arms." He then rolled his eyes.


    Seeing that, Candice rolled her eyes dramatically. "Of course, you chased me like crazy."


    Candice still remembered very well how persistent Lexus was, well, if you couldn''t say forcible, to take her home during the gossip that hit them both.


    And of course the gossip didn''t subside, it just got hotter.


    But, that was why the rtionship between the two of them was able to run until now and when Candice thought about it again, she didn''t regret it at all.


    A waiter then walked up to them, delivered the menu and asked what they both wanted.


    After that, the servant left, but that was when Candice sensed something was off.


    "What is it?" Lexus asked, noticing the change in Candice''s facial expression.


    "Why is this ce so quiet?" Candice looked around, she had rarely been to this restaurant, but right now there were only two of them around.


    And before Candice could hear Lexus'' answer, the lights all over the restaurant went out.


    "What¡­ what is this?" And, the first thing Candice realized was; Lexus had knelt before her holding a small blue velvet box.


    "I''ve been trying to memorize one long and poetic sentence that Hailee wrote, but now I can''t remember a single word of it. But, the most important thing is the question I want to ask you." Lexus'' voice sounded a little hoarse and nervous in this quiet and dim room, where a soft light shone in his direction. "Will you marry me?" he asked.


    Candice looked surprised, but then her eyes filled with tears. She didn''t answer immediately and this made Lexus even more anxious.


    "What if I say ''no''?" Candice asked, her voice hoarse from the emotions she was trying to suppress.


    "You see the sea behind you?" Lexus asked without changing his facial expression. "I''ll jump into it if you ever say ''no'' to me."


    Candiceughed when she heard that. "Then I have no other choice but to say ''yes'', right?"


    Lexus got his ''yes'', but he frowned. "You look forced," heined.


    Candice then bent down and gave Lexus a peck on the lips. "Sometimes I like to be forced," she said softly.


    They then kissed,pletely forgetting about their surroundings. Or it could be said that Lexus forgot that his and Candice''s entire families were just behind them.


    "Dad, why are my eyes closed?" Alina protested because Ramon''s hand covered her eyes. "I can''t see, I want to see." The little one started to fuss with him because she couldn''t get her father''s hand off of her eyes.


    "Don''t look, this will only get your eyes dirty," Ramon grumbled. "He proposed in a ce like this? He really has no taste."


    Hailee, who heard that,ughed, imagining Ramon''s proposal that camete.

 Chapter 411 - FOUR YEARS OLD

    <h4>Chapter 411 - FOUR YEARS OLD</h4>


    It had been more than five years since Hailee hadst seen her.


    But, that didn''t mean Hailee thought about her, it couldn''t happen because it would just be a waste of time.


    Hailee had just remembered herself after the past few days and it was her curiosity that prompted her toe back to this ce and check how she was even now.


    Hailee didn''t expect her to be okay, because there was no way anyone in their right mind would be fine living in an environment like this and be surrounded by people who have lost their sense of the real world.


    At least, Hailee wanted to know what she looked like now.


    When Hailee arrived, she was greeted by someone wearing a light blue uniform, one of the nurses there.


    She recognized Hailee easily and immediately led her to meet the woman in question.


    "She looks a lot calmer now¡­ the first two months she''s been here, she looked so messed up," the nurse told Hailee without even being asked. "Now, she prefers to sit alone contemting."


    Hailee listened to what the nurse said quietly, while looking around, where she could see several people apanied by a nurse or just sitting on chairs at the end of the corridor.


    "Maybe, if you take her to a bigger hospital, then she will recover soon, the equipment and treatment here are limited." The nurse continued to speak rapidly, not even paying attention to whether Hailee was listening to her words or not.


    They passed one corridor after another.


    "Why don''t you take her to a better hospital?" she asked. For someone like Hailee Tordoff, of course, it was nothing.


    "Because I don''t want to waste my money," Hailee answered softly, but sounded clear enough.


    This of course took the nurse by surprise and when she finally looked at Hailee, the look in Mrs. Tordoff''s eyes immediately made her understand that she had said too much.


    They then walked into a room and the nurse showed a woman sitting on the floor. She was staring at the window beside her, leaning her head against the green wall where the paint was almost peeling off.


    In front of Hailee, her adoptive sister was sitting pensively, muttering something while drawing circles on the floor with her index finger.


    "Aileen," Hailee called. This was the first time she had reunited with Aileen.


    Although Hailee said she would visit her thest time she took Aileen to this ce, she herself did not expect that the break would stretch this long.


    Well, not that Hailee regretted it, she just didn''t expect time to go by so fast.


    And apparently, Aileen''s time was very hard, because she didn''t look the same as before.


    It took Hailee a while to point out the simrities between this woman in front of her and Aileen who had always been so arrogant and stubborn.


    Her hair that used to look well groomed and so shiny now looked like a bird''s nest on top of her head.


    Someone had given her a bad haircut, because they only prioritized practicality rather than making Aileen look beautiful, because her once long hair was now loose, and was even cut short.


    But, it seemed that Aileen didn''t care about all that at all. Had she been her haughty old self, she would have been mad furious and fired the man who had cut her hair instantly.


    "Aileen." Hailee called her adopted sister again, but there was no response from her. Then Hailee reached out her hand toward Aileen and shook her shoulder.


    Only then did she distract herself from whatever imagination that was running through her mind at the moment.


    Her droopy eyes coupled with dark bags, were focused on Hailee now. Aileen''s skin, which once looked brilliant, was now dry and unkempt. She was like someone who hadn''t touched water in days.


    "You remember me?" Hailee asked, as she smiled sweetly at her.


    Aileen blinked a few times, as if wanting to capture the figure in front of her better, with her brow furrowed.


    "Hailee¡­" she mumbled in a low voice.


    On the other hand, Hailee was quite surprised to find that Aileen recognized her, but then, a smile bloomed on her lips again.


    "Yes, I''m Hailee."


    Aileen shook her head in disbelief. She then said, "No way, I already killed Hailee. I''ve killed her many times."


    Okay, Hailee didn''t expect that answer at all.


    "I killed her many times, you can''t be her¡­" it seemed that hatred had clouded Aileen''s sensespletely. She imagined that she had killed her sister many times in her mind.


    But, sadly, all of that was just a fantasy and would nevere true in her life.


    "Then who else did you kill besides Hailee?" Hailee asked, following Aileen''s way of thinking, but her voice sounded colder than usual and she no longer smiled when she heard Aileen''s answer.


    "I killed Hailee, her mother, her father, her child, her husband and everyone who helped her, everyone around her as well as her naughty cousin¡­ what''s her name again?" Aileen forgot Zia''s name, therefore, Hailee helped her to remember.


    "Zia."


    "Yes, Zia, that b*tch. Also Giana. That woman revealed a video of me with her ex-husband to the public."


    Hailee knew what video Aileen meant, because the news had be a trending topic, she didn''t expect Aileen to still remember it.


    "Aileen." It wasn''t clear what was going through Hailee''s mind when she leaned in to whisper softly to Aileen. "I''m not dead. I put you in this ce, look around you."


    Aileen then followed Hailee''s gaze and saw the shabby and untidy ce she had been in all this time, then turned her attention to Hailee.


    "You deserve all of this. You''ll rot here."


    And that was when Aileen screamed very loudly, banging her head against the wall and making several guardse to calm her down.


    Meanwhile, Hailee rose to her feet, watching every move Aileen made, hearing her heart-rending screams as well as her attempts to fight the people who gave her the sedatives.


    Hailee then asked herself; did she regret having made Aileen''s life like this? Did she feel guilty?


    However, her answer was quite surprising to Hailee, because she didn''t feel guilty at all. She did not regret this decision.


    Rather, what was on her mind now as she stepped out was; what gift she must prepare for her little daughter whose birthday was in two weeks.


    ===============


    Read my new story: UNTAMED: THE ALPHA


    Hope you like it!

 Chapter 412 - FIVE YEARS OLD

    <h4>Chapter 412 - FIVE YEARS OLD</h4>


    This morning, the atmosphere in the Tordoff residence, or rather the house where Ramon and Hailee lived, looked busier than usual.


    Five-year-old Alina was about to have her first day at school and she was really excited about it.


    His mother and father had bought her a bag in the shape of a white bunny and some school supplies which she really liked.


    Therefore, even before Ramon and Hailee woke up, Alina had already woken up and went to her parents'' room to wake them up.


    "It''s still too early dear," Hailee said, feeling still sleepy. She then pulled her daughter up and ced her between herself and Ramon. "Sleep a little longer." Hailee''s voice sounded hoarse from her unbearable drowsiness.


    "No," little Alina refused, she then tried to get out of her mother''s arms and wake her father instead.


    Ramon opened his eyes and checked the clock which indicated there would be no problem waking up an hour from now. Therefore, Ramon did the same as Hailee, he hugged his daughter tightly and kissed the top of her head gently.


    "You''re too excited honey, it''s still too early," Ramon said.


    Because her father hugged her more tightly than the hug she received from her mother, Alina could not move and went silent on the spot. But her whining still didn''t stop.


    "I don''t want to bete."


    "Let''s get up quickly."


    "I want to go to school right away and make friends."


    "Get up. Get up."


    But, after several tries, both Hailee and Ramon were still asleep, not caring about it at all. This annoyed Alina very much.


    Unable to move, the little girl decided to do something she could do at the moment.


    Alina bit Ramon''s arm until her father let her go and ran out of the room, but not before saying; "If I amte, it''s papa and mama''s fault," she said, annoyed.


    Then there was the sound of the door being closed impatiently.


    "She''s so stubborn," Ramon mumbled. This time, he approached Hailee and hugged her tightly.


    "Well, she inherited it from you, don''t you agree?" Hailee replied with her eyes still closed.


    "I think it''s a part of both of us," Ramon suggested.


    The two of them certainly couldn''t decide who was more stubborn.


    ===================


    Alina sat between her parents in the car ying with the stuffed bunny she had brought from home.


    "You can''t bring your doll into ss honey," Hailee tried to make Alina understand, because she knew very well what her little daughter looked like now.


    "Why?" she asked curiously. She raised her head and looked at Hailee with her big bright eyes. "I love this doll."


    "Yes, but your teacher won''t allow it, nor will your other friends bring dolls or toys into the ssroom." Hailee stroked Alina''s long hair which was now tied into two pigtails on either side of her head. Her bright red school uniform made Alina''s cheeks look red. "You''ll make friendster there."


    Alina was silent for a moment. "Okay," she finally answered. But then Alina gave the doll to her father. "Papa, take care of my doll," she said and made Ramon raise his eyebrows.


    "Why?"


    "Because he said he wanted to be with papa," Alina replied.


    Sometimes, this daughter''s imagination was too high and difficult to understand. How could the doll want to be with Ramon?


    "Maybe you heard it wrong, dear," Ramon said softly. "I think your stuffed bunny wants to be with mama. Give it to mama and she will take it back to your room. He needs sleep." Ramon had no other choice but to sing along with his daughter.


    But, Alina shook her head disapprovingly. "No," she said firmly. "This doll wants to go with papa. He''s bored at home and wants to work with papa."


    Ramon looked at Hailee, asking for help. He didn''t want to refuse his daughter''s wishes, but to go to the office with a stuffed bunny was a challenge.


    Ramon knew he couldn''t lie to Alina, because his little daughter would definitely call him and ask to make a video call to see if her stuffed bunny was in his office or not.


    However, Hailee didn''t help Ramon. She sided with their daughter instead. "That''s right, let the doll go with papa, he must be very tired of being at home and in your room all the time, let him go to work. Maybe that way, papa''s work can be done faster and he cane back earlier."


    Hearing this, Alina smiled very cheerfully, she put the doll into Ramon''s hands and said enthusiastically. "Right. Daddy has to bring him¡­"


    Either this was just Alina''s imagination, or because Hailee''s mischievous nature had passed on to their daughter, but somehow Ramon felt that he was being caught in a trap.


    "Papa has to promise to bring him, okay?"


    And with that promise, Ramon had no other choice. Out of the corner of his eye, Ramon could see how Hailee was trying to hold back herughter, but it didn''t work out well enough, as her body was shaking and she turned her gaze out the window.


    Although he felt a little annoyed because of the ignorance of his wife and child, Ramon was happy with the family he had.


    He wouldn''t ask for anything else because it would look very greedy. The two of them were more than enough for Ramon.


    Or maybe three or four¡­ wasn''t it time for Alina to have a sibling? Hmm, Ramon must really start thinking about that.


    =====================


    This morning, the atmosphere in Ramon''s office seemed to be normal, but every staff member there immediately turned and stared at him for a longer time when Ramon walked past them all.


    Of course it was because of the cute bunny that Ramon was holding which made the staff widen their eyes.


    The white rabbit doll looked so innocent and naive in the hands of someone who was known to have a very cold personality like Ramon.


    It could be said that the view that morning was not an ordinary sight that they could see every morning.


    And this was said well by Lexus when the two brothers met in the elevator and Lexus recognized the doll in Ramon''s hand as Alina''s doll.


    "Why did you kidnap my niece''s doll?" Lexus asked in disbelief. He then reached into his pocket to take out his cell phone.


    "Alina told me to bring this. What are you doing?" Ramon asked when he realized Lexus had taken a photo of him.


    "I know that Alina asked, because she''s now asking for a photo of you and the doll as proof that you actually brought it." Lexus smirked.


    ===============


    Read my new story: UNTAMED: THE ALPHA


    Hope you like it!

 Chapter 413 - SIX YEARS OLD

    <h4>Chapter 413 - SIX YEARS OLD</h4>


    Hailee was on her way home after dropping Alina off at school, but then she remembered something. Maybe this wasn''t a great thing to do and it wasn''t a good idea either, but for some reason Hailee felt like doing this so badly.


    There was something inside her that told her she wanted to do this. So she asked the driver to turn around and gave him the address of the ce she wanted to go.


    Upon learning the address, the driver looked surprised for a moment, before he finally returned to his professional demeanor. He didn''t ask much and chose to take Hailee to said ce.


    This was a ce Hailee had never been to before or thought she would ever set foot in. But, for today, she just felt like doing it. She wanted to meet her¡­


    She didn''t know why though. Was it just to see how much she had suffered or just to show how happy Hailee was now? Or maybe both? But whatever the reason, Hailee wanted to see her after years she hadn''t seen her.


    It took about an hour from where she was to reach a prison where Giana had been serving the rest of her prison term.


    She was cleared of her addiction to the prohibited items two years ago and had to serve her sentence after that. Of course, Ramon and Hailee weren''t going to let the woman get away with just getting rehab.


    And this tended to be easy to do because Giana no longer had the support from her family.


    The Dawson Company officially became part of the Tordoff familypany three years ago and now one of the top five families in City A, had removed the Dawson family name from its list. The Smith family followed the same path.


    They got the Smith familypanyst year, although it took a little longer, but with Ramon and Lis, the process had been fairly quick, considering what had happened to thepany so far and how Aidan wasn''t verypetent at managing it, it was a big yet distinct advantage for them.


    Hailee got out of the car and walked into the prison, after filling out the guest book and asking to meet with Giana, the two guards there escorted her to a room, where she would meet Giana from behind the ss.


    Hailee didn''t need to wait too long for the woman, because two minutester, a guard had brought a woman inside and sat her on a chair with a stiff look on her face.


    It had been about seven years since Hailee hadst seen Giana and she had no idea that the change Giana had undergone could be this big.


    Giana didn''t look like herself, or rather she seemed like apletely different person.


    Her condition this time was almost the same as Aileen''s, although one could say that Giana was much more well-groomed and, fortunately, didn''t look crazy. Because if she was anywhere near insane, then she too might end up in the same ce.


    Her beautiful hair was now nothing more than a tangled mess on top of her head. Not only that, her skin which usually looked healthy and glowing, now looked dull and unkempt.


    Hailee could even see the crow''s feet at the edges of her eyes and wrinkles at the corners of her lips, although Hailee was sure that Giana wasn''t that old to get them.


    Maybe if someone had previously said that Giana would end up in prison in this condition, then no one would believe that. Hailee herself found it hard to believe even though now Giana was sitting in front of her.


    Hailee felt that she was facing apletely different person.


    "What are you doing here?" Giana asked with a cold tone. She looked at Hailee. The same nk and depressed look Hailee saw on Aileen''s face.


    It was as if the two women had no zest for life and were just waiting for death toe and give them salvation.


    "Visiting you," Hailee replied briefly, she then leaned her back against the back of the chair while looking at Giana more seriously.


    When asked the real reason, Hailee still couldn''t decide whether she wanted to make fun of Giana or she just wanted to see how much she suffered.


    Hearing the short answer, Gianaughed sarcastically. She snorted. "At least bring me something if you really intend toe see me." That cynical voice and that ominous tone were the only things Hailee was very familiar with, convincing her that this was the same Giana.


    "Maybe next time," Hailee replied. "I just dropped Alina off at school when I thought of visiting you here."


    "Alina¡­" Giana mumbled the name. "Your daughter?"


    "Yes."


    "Five years?"


    "Six years."


    Giana was seen nodding her head, it wasn''t clear what she was thinking now, then the atmosphere became silent because no one spoke until five minutester Giana finally spoke up.


    "If you came here just to hear my apologies, then you will be disappointed, because I had absolutely no intention of doing that." Giana looked at Hailee and when their gazes met, Giana looked away. She didn''t want to see any pitiful look. "Stop pitying me."


    "It''s hard to do that," Hailee replied. She then shook her head when she saw Giana turning her head and staring at her fiercely. "I was just curious, didn''t you think clearly first? I have always seen you as a calcting and intelligent young woman. Therefore, I didn''t think that you would fall this deep."


    Giana snorted when she heard this.


    "You can start a new life when you are separated from Aidan and live your life in peace with Dillon and live happily with your baby." Of course Hailee knew about Giana''s pregnancy. "But you chose another path that led you to your own destruction. I can''t figure it all out."


    Giana suddenly stood up and shouted angrily. "Don''t say that name again!" she eximed. "GET AWAY FROM ME!"


    Hailee was quite surprised by Giana''s outburst, but she knew that the woman couldn''t hurt her, but more importantly she saw the deep regret in Giana''s eyes. The regret that left her in despair and that was enough to answer Hailee''s question.


    "Okay, I''ll go," Hailee said as she got up from her chair. "Goodbye Giana." Then she walked away, leaving Giana in a hysterical mess.


    ===============


    Read my new story: UNTAMED: THE ALPHA


    Hope you like it!

 Chapter 414 - SEVEN YEARS OLD

    <h4>Chapter 414 - SEVEN YEARS OLD</h4>


    Today was the day that Lexus and Candice would finally get married after two years of engagement.


    Due to one reason or another, this wedding ceremony was always dyed and could only be held now.


    And this wedding was an extraordinarily grand and extravagant event, which even beat Hailee and Ramon''s wedding.


    Big events like this could really illustrate the personality of Lexus where he was a person who always liked parties and crowds.


    This must have been passed down from Lis. And, thebination of mother and son in this marriage would make the party event much more spectacr than Ramon and Hailee''s wedding.


    Because in the past, the couple were more inclined to keep their wedding party simple.


    Candice''s family did not mind this at all. They were just as excited as Lexus and Lis.


    It could even be said that Lexus was the one who was more active in nning this wedding.


    Their long-standing rtionship, almost eight years, made the two of them the most anticipated couple, especially after the constant gossip that circted during their time together.


    Gossip and rumors that tended to be untrue apparently couldn''t separate the two of them and the public was very enthusiastic about weing the day of the inauguration of the couple''s love.


    And the busyness that happened was not spared in Hailee and Ramon''s family.


    Especially Hailee, she was very excited about her brother-inw and best friend''s wedding.


    "Why is mom taking so long?" Alinained, she pursed her lips as she poked at the slices of fruit in front of her, while Ramon sat beside her, apanying her.


    "Mom is changing clothes. We''ll be leaving soon." Ramon stroked Alina''s hair which had been tied on top of her head.


    The little princess was wearing a pink dress and also a big ribbon on her head, with her flushed cheeks looking all adorable.


    "Mama''s been in the room for an hour," Alina said, her eyes widening in disbelief. "What is mom doing?"


    Ramonughed when he heard that. An hour for Hailee was not a big deal. She could spend a day in her dressing room.


    "Mom will be finished soon," Ramon said so that Alina wouldn''t frown.


    Outside, the sun was shining brightly and although it was still noon and the event was going to take ce in the evening, of course they had to leave early and go to the venue first to oversee all the preparations and also meet Lexus.


    "Mama takes a long time to dress up," Alinained.


    Ramonughed softly and took the fork Alina was using to poke her food at and started to feed his daughter.


    "Papa, I''m an adult, I can eat by myself," Alina said as she took back the fork from Ramon''s hand and ate the fruit herself.


    Hearing this, Ramon realized that his little daughter was about to get bigger and he didn''t think that seven years had passed since he carried her in his arms and saw her face when Alina was sound asleep.


    Or heard her cry because she was hungry or thirsty, or just to get her wet diaper changed.


    Ramon looked at his daughter and he could only see how time had passed so quickly and there was nothing he could do but watch his daughter grow up and be by his side.


    Then a slightly sentimental sentence escaped from Ramon''s lips, which he didn''t even realize.


    "Can you stay small forever like this? Papa doesn''t want to see you grow up so fast." Ramon''s voice was like a whisper, while his hand gently stroked Alina''s head.


    On the other hand, his daughter just tilted her head and furrowed her brows, she wasn''t sure if she understood what her father was trying to tell her.


    "But I can''t stay small forever," she said.


    "Yeah, you''re right," Ramonughed softly when he heard that answer.


    ====================


    Hailee went to the bride''s room while Ramon met Lexus with Alina in his arms.


    "Uncle Lexus!" Alina eximed, and immediately tried to get down from Ramon''s arms and burst into Lexus'' arms. "You look very handsome today uncle!" Alinaplimented cheerfully.


    "Of course!" Lexus answered proudly, then lifted Alina up. "Not just today, but I look amazing every single day, don''t I?" Lexus moved his eyebrows suggestively, while Alina''s smile faded. Now, she seemed to be pouting her lips.


    "My father is more handsome," Alina said, and then immediately got off the Lexus'' arms to run to her father.


    "How do you feel?" Ramon asked, when he saw the panic that shed in Lexus'' eyes, even though his younger brother was trying hard to cover it up.


    "I''m going crazy," Lexus said tiredly, he then sat back in his chair and leaned his back against the back of the chair.


    "I can cancel this wedding if you want," Ramon offered, because Lexus seemed very tense, like he couldn''t make it through the partyter.


    Hearing this, Lexus widened his eyes fiercely. "Until now I couldn''t even tell if you were joking or serious," Lexusined.


    Ramon then took a seat across from Lexus and looked at his brother, while Alina had run off somewhere, Ramon wasn''t too worried about her because Pyro was there to take care of his daughter.


    "If you want to treat this as a joke, then what I''m saying is a joke, but if you really want to cancel it, I can do it too," Ramon replied casually. "Up to you."


    Lexus hissed sarcastically at his brother, but then he plopped down on the chair and stared up at the dressing room ceiling, contemting.


    "I want to see Candice now..." he said. "I miss her, I want to see her wearing that wedding dress soon¡­"


    Ramon rolled his eyes dramatically. "She''s just in the next room, what are you missing?"


    It had been three days since Lexusst met Candice. Lis had forced him to do that, because there was a belief that the groom should not see the bride before their wedding. Otherwise, bad things would happen to them.


    It was a foolish belief in his opinion and of course Lexus didn''t believe it¡­


    But then, Alina ran into the room again while handing a cell phone to Lexus.


    "Uncle, look!" Alina eximed excitedly.


    "What?" Instinctively, Lexus took the phone from Alina''s hand and saw a photo of Candice there, in her white wedding dress.


    "She''s beautiful, isn''t she?" Alina said.


    However, Lexus started panicking. "I shouldn''t have seen this!"


    ===============


    Read my new story: UNTAMED: THE ALPHA


    Hope you like it!

 Chapter 415 - EIGHT YEARS OLD

    <h4>Chapter 415 - EIGHT YEARS OLD</h4>


    Zia felt very uneasy about her rtionship with Ian. She felt this rtionship was not getting her anywhere.


    Especially when Ian didn''t show that he was ready to take it to the next level and make the rtionship between them fall in ce.


    It was not that Zia didn''t know what problems Ian was facing and why he wasn''t taking the initiative in this rtionship.


    But, how long would Zia have to wait? She was no longer young and she had already wasted a significant part of her youth in a meaningless rtionship with Aidan.


    And now, it seemed Zia was stuck in the same type of situation, although it looked a little different because this time Zia and Ian didn''t have to cover up their rtionship.


    Zia knew that Ian felt a little insecure, or it could be said that he didn''t feel his status was enough to be with Zia, therefore, the man never said anything about marriage.


    Until then, Zia let him be, but now, after all these years, Zia didn''t think she could just leave it to fate.


    This time, she had to take action and tell Ian what she was thinking.


    Therefore, Zia was now in a coffee shop that Ian owned, waiting for the man to finish his business and approach her.


    "Sorry, did you wait long?" Ian asked, he kissed Zia''s cheek and sat beside her, not forgetting to bring her a cup of ck coffee. "I hope it''s not toote for a cup of coffee," Ian said in a soft voice.


    "Thank you," Zia muttered, she took the coffee cup and could feel the warmth in her palms. And when she took a sip of the coffee, the bitter taste that invaded her senses made the tension Zia felt a little better.


    "What is it?" Ian asked. He could see that Zia had something to say. Because this woman always tended to be quiet whenever she was trying to say something important or had something bothering her.


    Meanwhile, outside, through the opaque caf¨¦ window, Ian could see the evening sky being overcast, indicating that it was going to rain soon. It seemed a cup of coffee was the right choice.


    Zia seemed to be moving around in her seat ufortably, but then she took a deep breath, indicating that she was ready to say what was on her mind.


    Ian had known Zia for quite some time, after all they had been in this rtionship for many years. He could recognize this woman''s habits quite well.


    Therefore, Ian straightened his posture and faced Zia, trying to listen carefully to what this girl had to say to him at this moment.


    "I wonder where we will take this rtionship?" Zia asked in a low but firm voice, her beautiful eyes staring at Ian pointedly.


    On the other hand, hearing the question, Ian fell silent. He stared back at Zia for a few moments before he finally averted his gaze and stared at the raindrops outside his caf¨¦.


    "Zia¡­ I¡­" Ian couldn''t find the right words to convey to Zia, because he really didn''t have anything to say¡­ he felt like the jerk of a man right now.


    "Just tell me Ian, what do you want from this rtionship?" Zia insisted, but there was a hint of hope in her voice and Ian knew what the girl was hoping for, however, he didn''t feel that he was capable of fulfilling those expectations.


    There was a moment of silence between the two of them as the rain outside started to fall hard while the drops made the ss blurry.


    The atmosphere inside the caf¨¦ became calmer, but this didn''t make the two of them feel any better, because after all there was a problem they should have solved a long time ago.


    "I think I know the answer," Zia said, she smiled, but the look in her eyes showed how painful that understanding was.


    She realized that she wasted her time again and this time it was much more painful¡­ the pain even numbed Zia.


    Zia didn''t cry as she walked past Ian to get out of the caf¨¦ and into her car and then by some amazing miracle, she managed to start the car.


    Half of the trip was blurry and she couldn''t remember whether Ian was holding himself back or not or he just let Zia go. Zia wasn''t sure about all of that, but then she realized one thing¡­


    The rtionship that the two of them had been in for years was over and nothing could be done to save it.


    After arriving home, Zia dragged herself into the house and up the stairs, into her room andy down on the bed.


    Only then did Zia feel an overflow of unbearable sadness and pain.


    Zia didn''t know how much time she spent crying and letting out all the pain, even though after that she didn''t feel better.


    In the end, Zia fell asleep to the apaniment of the sound of rain outside.


    ====================


    Zia woke up when she felt someone sitting beside her and holding her hand tightly.


    With heavy eyes and heart, Zia tried to open her eyes and found Ian sitting beside her bed holding her hand.


    Was it a dream? Zia could not confirm this.


    "Ian¡­?" Zia wiped her face and could feel the remnants of the tears still on her cheeks and wet eyshes. Did she fall asleep crying?


    When he heard Zia''s voice, Ian raised his head and gave the woman a small smile. He looked just as miserable as Zia.


    Ian''s eyes were filled with sadness as well as doubt. But then, when he decided to speak, his voice sounded much firmer and better.


    "I know how stupid I am for letting you wait that long." he started, shaking his head. "I know that my fear of my family''s disproportionate background makes me look like a coward."


    Zia had known about it for quite some time, so it wasn''t a surprise, but for Ian to talk about it now, Zia wanted to know what this man really wanted to say.


    "But, I also can''t imagine my life without you. I''ve been preparing for this for five years." Ian then took something from his pants pocket. "You must marry me.." He then put the ring on Zia''s finger.

 Chapter 416 - NINE YEARS OLD

    <h4>Chapter 416 - NINE YEARS OLD</h4>


    "Oh, I''m so happy for you!" Hailee eximed excitedly when she heard that Zia and Ian were expecting their first child.


    Last year, the two of them finally got married, in the presence of only a few close family members. It was a small wedding ceremony held at Tatum''s residence.


    Her uncle, Diego Tatum, didn''t seem to mind the small party because the happy and cheerful smile that radiated on his daughter''s face was more than enough for him to be able to see that Ian was the right choice and was the only man who could bring Zia happiness.


    "Yes, I feel very happy!" Zia eximed, then she lowered her voice as she added. "But don''t tell anyone about this, okay," she said. "I haven''t even told Ian this news yet."


    Hailee widened her eyes when she heard this, which meant that Zia told her this important news first. She was the first to know?


    Hailee wanted tough when she realized this, her cousin really put priorities in the wrong ce.


    "Okay," Hailee replied. "But you have to tell me how Ian has reacted when he finally learns it."


    Hailee was really curious how her best friend would react to the news of Zia''s pregnancy.


    After that, the two of them talked for a while before Hailee ended the call because she had to find Alina.


    Her daughter had gone out with Pyro a few hours ago for a ride and had not returned even after lunch hade.


    When her little daughter was with Pyro, she tended to be curious about everything and asked the bodyguard to let her do things that tended to be dangerous and Pyro, on many asions, did not have the ability to refuse the little girl''s requests.


    Therefore, before anything untoward happened, Hailee had to find the two of them.


    Hailee asked some people back at the house about Pyro''s whereabouts and they said that Alina and Pyro went to Lexus'' house.


    "To Lexus'' house?" Hailee frowned, she tried to contact her brother-inw and the call was not picked up, neither did Pyro and Alina.


    Hailee''s suspicion grew stronger after that.


    Alina, Pyro and Lexus were not a goodbination, the three of them sometimes would go too far and Lexus could be very childish like Alina, even though he was now a father of a child.


    Yes, one year ago Candice gave birth to a tiny and adorable baby boy, whom they named Misha James Tordoff.


    And since then, Alina would often be seen ying at Lexus'' house with the little baby who was now already able to walk and could call Alina''s name.


    Seeing Alina''s interest in the little baby, Ramon always teased her to give Alina a sibling with the excuse that his little daughter would be happy.


    Hm¡­ Hailee of course didn''t believe in such shallow reasoning.


    But, that didn''t mean Hailee didn''t want a second child, having another baby did seem like fun and Hailee had been thinking about it a lot more recently.


    After Hailee arrived at Lexus and Candice''s house, she could immediately hear Alina and Lexus'' voices in the backyard while Candice was in the living room with little Misha.


    "Are they throwing a tantrum again?" Hailee asked as soon as she entered the house.


    Candice grinned and shook her head in resignation. "You know what they''re like," Candice said.


    Before approaching her, Hailee approached Misha and kissed the baby''s tiny cheek.


    "He looks thinner than thest time I saw him," Hailee said.


    "Yeah, he started running around and I think that''s what made him lose weight."


    Haileeughed. Alina too was like that when she started running here and there.


    And after that the three of them walked toward the back garden, where Lexus, Alina and Pyro were trying to practice shooting.


    "Now they''re practicing shooting," Hailee muttered. She was still holding baby Misha in her arms while Candice walked beside her.


    "Well, it''s a lot better than when they were training to ride," Candice replied, remembering all too well themotion the three of them made doing so.


    Realizing that someone else was behind, the three of them turned around and found the two women walking toward them.


    "Mama!" Alina eximed as she ran to Hailee. "I am practicing shooting!" Alina reported to her mother proudly.


    "Yeah, I can see it," Hailee said. She then gave baby Misha to Lexus and looked at Pyro with eyes that seemed to say; So this was what you were teaching my daughter?


    On the other hand, Pyro could only smile a little, but didn''t feel guilty at all.


    "See, I can aim well," Alina said, and then pulled her mother closer and asked Pyro to prepare the gun she would use.


    "If I hadn''t seen this, I wouldn''t have believed that a little nine-year-old girl was ying with a gun," Candice muttered.


    This might seem a little scary and dangerous, but since Alina wasn''t alone and Pyro and Lexus were there, it was actually quite fun.


    As long as Alina was under close supervision, then everything would be fine.


    After Pyro gave the gun to Alina and the little girl put on her noise mufflers, she was ready to aim at her target.


    Not long after, five consecutive gunshots could be heard.


    At first, this loud noise startled Misha and took him by surprise, but after the gunshots finished, the babyughed and pped his hands.


    Three of the five bullets Alina shot hit the vitals of the target, while the other two hit another part of the target.


    "See!" Alina eximed happily and Hailee gave her thepliment her daughter wanted to hear.


    "I want to try too," Hailee said, feeling nostalgic. Even then, she was very enthusiastic in practicing shooting, maybe you could say almost the same as Alina now.


    Pyro then gave Hailee the gun and let the girl shoot her target.


    However, after Hailee finished and as the target board moved closer, no onemented, the atmosphere became quiet until Alina said in her innocent voice.


    "Mama, why did you shoot at the bottom of the target? Aren''t you supposed to shoot in the middle?" her daughter asked in confusion.


    Meanwhile Lexus stared at Hailee with nk eyes, lost for words and Pyro could only grimace. Mrs. Tordoff hadn''t changed at all...


    ===============


    Read my new story: UNTAMED: THE ALPHA


    Hope you like it!

 Chapter 417 - TEN YEARS OLD

    <h4>Chapter 417 - TEN YEARS OLD</h4>


    Two months ago, Hailee found out that she was pregnant with their second child and this was greeted with great enthusiasm by her daughter and Ramon.


    Especially Ramon, he had been waiting for a second child for the two of them for a long time, but he also didn''t want to force Hailee, because his wife could always be pregnantter.


    Therefore, when Ramon heard that Hailee was pregnant with their second child, he pampered Hailee with everything he wanted.


    Not that it had a significant difference, because all this time Ramon always buys whatever his wife wanted.


    But, every time he came home from work, Ramon would bring a red rose that looked fresh and fragrant or wake up early just to prepare breakfast for Hailee.


    Just like when she was pregnant with Alina, in the early months of her pregnancy, Hailee would feel nauseous and experience severe morning sickness.


    There were asions when Ramon would not go to work so he could apany Hailee and look after her.


    But after the fourth month and their baby started to move around in her stomach, Hailee''s condition would be better.


    And not only Ramon, Alina also weed the birth of her sibling enthusiastically.


    ''Now papa will stop bothering me and worrying about me.'' This was what Alina would say when someone asked her if she was happy with the birth of her sibling.


    Apparently, Ramon''s overprotective attitude was starting to make their daughter feel ufortable and resentful.


    But, it went without saying that they loved each other very much.


    "Where''s the baby moving?" Alina asked as Hailee was lying down and rubbing her stomach. She liked to feel the movement of her sibling in her mother''s stomach, she thought it was very funny and fun.


    Felt strange because something was moving in her mother''s stomach.


    "Here," Hailee said, bringing Alina''s hand to the left side of her stomach, where there was a visible bulge. At this time, the baby was very active.


    Alina immediately moved her hand to the side of the bulge and looked happy, herugh reminded Hailee of Ramon. Yes, getting bigger, Alina actually had features that looked more like Ramon than hers.


    That said, Alina was the female version of Ramon. She was left with nothing of Hailee except for her mischievous attitude.


    ========================


    Today, Hailee went shopping with Alina to the biggest mall in the city to buy some baby stuff.


    Unlike before, this time Hailee had found out the gender of their baby and in less than two months, she would have a baby boy who wouldplete their little family.


    Alina was a little disappointed that she didn''t get the little sister she wanted to apany her to y, but she still felt happy to wee her baby brother.


    "You guys can make more babiester until I get a little sister." That was Alina''s answer when she heard that Hailee was going to have a baby boy.


    Hearing this, of course Ramon looked excited, while Hailee couldn''t help but smile wryly.


    Well, if only she could, Hailee wouldn''t mind having a few kids, as long as Ramon carried them and gave birth to them.


    And today, Hailee picked up Alina from her school and the two of them immediately headed to the shopping center and had lunch there.


    Of course, Pyro and a few bodyguards followed behind Hailee and Alina, Ramon wouldn''t let her out of the house unattended, especially when she was heavily pregnant.


    Ramon was still very protective, although sometimes very annoying, but his treatment showed that he really cared.


    "Hailee," someone greeted as they were at a baby shop.


    Instinctively, Hailee turned around and found Theodore there. The man looked surprised, especially when he saw Hailee''s big belly, but then he quickly recovered and smiled gently at her.


    "Hi, you must be Alina," Theodore greeted Alina. Of course, everyone knew the name of the first child of the Tordoff family.


    "Yes, I''m Alina..." Alina replied, ncing at her mother, who rubbed her cheek.


    "Long time no see Theodore," Hailee said in a very formal tone of voice, as she waved her hand at the bodyguards around her who were preparing to approach, signaling that she was okay, as Theodore walked up to her.


    "Yeah, long time no see Hailee," Theodore replied.


    From thest news Hailee heard, after separating from Aileen, Theodore married a woman. Hailee forgot her name, but definitely not thest woman they met.


    And apparently the marriage didn''tst long, because after three years of marriage, they separated two years ago and until now, Theodore was rumored to be with several other women, but none of them seemed to be serious.


    It wasn''t that Hailee kept tabs on the news regarding Theodore, but in her conversation with Zia, the girl would always be very happy to update her with this kind of news.


    "Mom, I''m hungry," Alina said. She didn''t really like this man and wanted to get away from him immediately, but sadly, the little girl''s goal of separating her mother from this strange man was not realized.


    "Then how about we have lunch together? I haven''t had lunch either, we can talk about a lot of things." Theodore seemed happy with the idea and Hailee felt bad for refusing his invitation, especially since Alina said she was hungry too.


    "Okay," Hailee agreed.


    Knowing her little n had actually boomeranged on herself, Alina didn''t seem quite happy, especially when this man named Theodore kept asking her questions, as if trying to be sweet and friendly.


    Seriously, Alina didn''t like other men approaching her mother. Of course, Alina knew that her mother was very beautiful.


    "Your baby bump is already that big, but why didn''t Ramone to apany you shopping?" Theodore said, as if insinuating something else.


    "I don''t needpany anymore, I can do it myself, after all Ramon has sent a lot of bodyguards to look after me." Hailee didn''t feel like this kind of activity should also be apanied by Ramon, because the man had been apanying her all the time and gave her abundant attention without showing it to others.


    Now they were sitting in a restaurant and out of the corner of her eye, Hailee could see that Alina was typing something on her cell phone.


    Ignoring what Theodore said in return for her words, Hailee leaned her back and read the message.


    [Papa, there is a strange man approaching mama,e here quickly. This man is very annoying.]


    Hailee didn''t know whether tough or cry when she saw Ramon''s answer.


    [Where are you?]


    It was certain they had to add an extra seat upon his arrival.


    ===============


    Read my new story: UNTAMED: THE ALPHA


    Hope you like it!

 Chapter 418 - ELEVEN YEARS OLD

    <h4>Chapter 418 - ELEVEN YEARS OLD</h4>


    The cloudy sky today indicated that it would rain soon. This gloomy atmosphere really made the mood a little more ufortable and tended to be glum.


    Especially when you were in the hospital and waiting for bad news, news that could make your heart race and worry because this was something that could happen.


    The whole Tordoff family was at the central hospital, sitting in the waiting room, waiting for the doctor toe out of the operating room and tell them how the operation went. Did it go well? Or they would have to receive news they didn''t want?


    It took them about two hours to figure out what was really going on in there.


    And when the doctor finally came out to tell them the news, the whole Tordoff family immediately got up and walked over to him, thinking they were going to get some good news.


    It was just that, with just one look at the doctor''s face, they all knew that the results of the two hour long surgery were not good and they had to be prepared for the bad news.


    And sure enough, bad news was inevitable.


    Martha died in old age, at the age of seventy-four after devoting her life to the Tordoff family for approximately forty years.


    She was a woman who had worked for them for a very long time and had be like family. It was also Martha who took care of Ramon and Lexus when they were little and also their children.


    However, this morning the woman had a sudden heart attack and didn''t have time to say goodbye to the family that she had been with for decades.


    Martha died in her sleep and this left the entire Tordoff family feeling lost.


    Alina cried loudly in her father''s embrace, asking him to do something to bring Martha back, but of course there was nothing Ramon could do about it. He could only calm his daughter down.


    As for Hailee, although she had only known Martha for the past twelve years since she had set foot in the Tordoff mansion, Martha was an important figure to her as well. She was the one who was always there for her and helped her from the very beginning while Hailee was still trying to adapt to Ramon.


    Lis could only sitnguidly, with Lexus beside her, who was whispering soothing words to his mother, while Candice was at home, taking care of their child and the baby Hailee had just given birth to.


    Things looked pretty messy this morning when they found out that something unusual had happened to Martha. They rushed her to the hospital and didn''t have time to think about anything else.


    The entire Tordoff family felt devastated and lost because of Martha''s passing, she was someone they could always rely on.


    Meanwhile outside, slowly, rain began to fall on the earth and everything became a little hazy due to the fog.


    Gradually, too, the drizzle continued to fall heavily, like the Tordoffs'' tears streaming down their faces.


    They were so grateful that Martha hade into their lives, even though the new members of the Tordoffs didn''t know her for long.


    =====================


    Every detail that followed was like a blur, where the next day, Martha''s body was buried and they said theirst goodbye with a prayer.


    And even though Martha didn''t get to say anything to them, they knew that she loved this family very much.


    That night, Alina did not want to sleep alone and asked to be apanied by her father and mother.


    Hailee and Ramon didn''t mind, they ended up sleeping together with Alina who kept crying for quite a while. The little girl had a hard time falling asleep.


    Meanwhile their baby was in the crib and was fast asleep.


    The little baby boy named Jayden Tordoff did not get to know Martha and would not be able to remember the figure of the woman and Hailee regretted it.


    In fact, when Hailee gave birth to Jayden a few months ago, Martha looked very healthy and so excited to be able to take care of their second baby as well.


    Yes, Martha loved her children and Candice''s too. She looked much more like an understanding grandmother than Lis, although Lis was also very caring toward her grandchildren, but Lis was still busy with several meetings that she had with her friends, even though she was not very active in the office.


    "I miss her..." Alina said in her sleep, she was delirious and sobbed a little.


    Alina was indeed close to Martha, it could even be said that she spent more time with Martha than she spent with her father, therefore it was very understandable the sense of loss that Alina was experiencing now.


    And what was more, this was the first loss she had ever experienced.


    Seeing that, Ramon then pulled Alina''s small body and hugged her and lulled, humming a soft song.


    On the other hand, hearing her husband hum like that, Hailee looked quite surprised. She then turned and looked at Ramon, but the man didn''t seem to pay much attention to it and was more focused on their sleeping daughter.


    Looks like the song that Ramon hummed to Alina was quite effective.


    It was only after a while that Ramon realized that Hailee was looking at him quite intensely.


    Immediately, he stopped humming and looked at his wife.


    "What is it?" Ramon asked in confusion. Hailee was no longer crying, but that didn''t mean her eyes weren''t red and the sadness had disappeared from her facial expression, but there was another feeling that could be seen there.


    It was a mix of confusion with a bit of surprise.


    "Nothing." Hailee shook her head slowly.


    Of course Ramon would not believe that. Hailee''s eyes shed something else.


    "Tell me, what''s wrong?" Ramon insisted, talking in a low voice, not wanting to wake Alina up.


    "I didn''t know you could sing," Hailee said, smiling a little. It was the first smile that appeared in thest few days.


    "I was just humming." But, as soon as Ramon saw Hailee''s eyes, he quickly added on. "I don''t sing and don''t ever ask me to do that."


    Well, actually that sounded much more like a threat than a warning, and at that, Hailee grinned.


    Maybe Hailee couldn''t ask Ramon to do that, but it was certain that Alina could find a way to get Ramon to do it.


    Because after all, their little daughter would always be Ramon''s weakness.


    ===============


    Read my new story: UNTAMED: THE ALPHA


    Hope you like it!

 Chapter 419 - TWELVE YEARS OLD

    <h4>Chapter 419 - TWELVE YEARS OLD</h4>


    On this day, Hailee was not at home, because she went out with Candice and Lis to do some shopping.


    A kind of women''s activity where husbands were left at home to look after their children.


    Actually Ramon and Lexus didn''t mind, especially since Jayden and Misha were only a year apart, so they could y together.


    But, the problem was Alina.


    The little girl who had started to be a teenager began to make many friends and spent more time with her friends than with her family.


    Actually there was nothing strange about it, it was something natural as the kids started growing up and began having their own friendship life, the parents had to start picturing themselves as friends for their children.


    However, the two men from the Tordoff family still couldn''t ept this fact.


    In their eyes, Alina was their little girl they had to take care of. For them, she was always a child who would run toward her father or her uncle while smiling broadly before hugging them tightly.


    It was a shame, Alina rarely did thattely and what was more, she also spoiled the two men only once in a blue moon.


    And Alina''s change was very pronounced for Ramon and Lexus.


    This afternoon, Alina had a group study, where three of her friends woulde, while they consisted of two boys and one girl.


    "Why are there boys in your study group?" Lexus asked with a probing tone, he was holding Misha and feeding him.


    "Why can''t they?" Alina tilted her head, feeling strange at the question raised by Lexus. "Ours is a coeducational school, so of course there will be boys in my group."


    "I should have sent you to the only girls'' school," Ramon muttered as he tried to make Jayden eat quietly.


    Lexus just realized that feeding a child was very inconvenient because all this time he had never really been left alone with Misha, there would always be Candice or a babysitter to tend to them. As for Ramon, he seemed much more in control of the situation.


    "Seriously, papa..." Alina muttered while rolling her eyes. She was now being helped by two maids to arrange afternoon snacks for her study time together with her ssmates. She looked cheerful.


    Of course, Alina''s facial expression could be seen clearly by Ramon and Lexus and it aroused even more suspicion in them.


    "Don''t lock your room," Ramon said.


    "Yes," Alina replied, still garnishing the small cakes on the te.


    "Don''t do anything stupid," Lexus added.


    "We''re going to study uncle, no-no what do you mean?" Alina frowned and pouted.


    Alina knew that the two of them were very overprotective, but actually she didn''t have a problem with it at all. It was just that, sometimes, being watched so closely like this was really ufortable.


    Therefore, she had to confirm something with these two men before things got any worse than now.


    "Okay, listen," Alina said, this time she walked closer to her father and uncle and shortened the distance between them.


    This time, Alina looked like Ramon when he was asking for people''s full attention in an important meeting he was about to chair, and the strange thing was; both Ramon and Lexus paid close attention to her. Even Misha and Jayden perked their ears up.


    "I hope you two don''t do strange things while I work on our group assignment," Alina said, opening the conversation. "We will only work as a group, nothing more, so throw away your negative thoughts."


    Lexus scowled, he then denied. "What negative thoughts do you mean? Of course we don''t have any negative thoughts, anyway what can we do? What do you mean by doing weird things?"


    Lexus spoke too fast to sound confident with his offended acting, while Ramon was silent because Lexus had already said what he wanted to say.


    "I don''t know," Alina said. She then folded her arms and tilted her head, just like Hailee when she understood that Lexus was trying to trick her. "Maybe you will spy on my room or identally enter my room suddenly or do other things that can interfere with my efficiency."


    Lexus gulped. He didn''t need to say that what Alina said was true, because that was what had been on his mind all along.


    Lexus then nced at Ramon with using eyes that Ramon couldn''t understand, because right now Lexus was using his older brother of raising a daughter like himself who was full of calctions and logic.


    Meanwhile, Lexus'' expression told Alina that she had guessed correctly.


    ====================


    Outside Alina''s room, Ramon was receiving a phone call from David, who was reporting on the three children that came to study with Alina, after he sent pictures of Alina''s three friends who had just arrived. Especially the background of the two boys in the room.


    Ramon wanted to know which family the two boys belonged to, the full names of their parents, what business they were involved in and any other records that David was able to find in the shortest time possible.


    While by his side, Lexus was holding Misha in his left hand and Jayden in his right, while he put his ear close to Ramon''s to be able to hear the report.


    The first boy was named Luca De Russo and he was from one of the most respected families in town A who also had a business in the transportation sector. Ramon knew the family.


    While the second one was Sebastian Ashburn, he was the first son of a businessman whosepany stocks had recently skyrocketed. Ramon also recognized this family.


    "It doesn''t seem too suspicious," Lexus muttered after Ramon turned off his cell phone. "But, we can''t let our guard down." He added.


    However, without the two of them expecting it, Alina was already standing in the doorway and staring at the two men with sharp eyes.


    "You broke the agreement," she said in a cold, sharp tone. Just hearing it left Lexus and Ramon quite surprised.


    Then without saying much, Alina closed the door to her room, mming it slightly.


    Ramon and Lexus thought their problem was just dealing with an angry Alina, but it didn''t end there, because momentster they got a phone call from Hailee and Candice.


    ===============


    Read my new story: UNTAMED: THE ALPHA


    Hope you like it!

 Chapter 420 - THIRTEEN YEARS OLD

    <h4>Chapter 420 - THIRTEEN YEARS OLD</h4>


    Yesterday was Jayden''s birthday which Ramon celebrated very grandly by inviting every immediate family member. They held the birthday party in their backyard and made cute decorations and invited some attractions that the kids liked.


    Not only that, Ramon had also nned a vacation with his little family for a few days to the ind where Ramon and Hailee had their honeymoon, or when Hailee was pregnant with Alina.


    It had been thirteen years since they hadst been there and this would be Alina and Jayden''s first experience of being there.


    Therefore, today they were packing.


    While Hailee and Ramon were teasing each other, two-year-old Jayden was going through a photo album and Alina was making a video of what they were doing now.


    Ramon just bought her a new camera and Alina really liked it. The camera never left her hands, especially at Jayden''s birthday yesterday.


    But then, the three of them stopped when they heard Jayden''s voice asking his mother while pointing at a photo in the album with a curious expression.


    "What is this?" he asked.


    Hearing the question, Hailee approached her son and saw a photo he was showing. It was a wedding photo of her and Ramon.


    "It''s mom and dad''s wedding photo," Hailee replied cheerfully. She then stared at the photo for a long time, reminiscing about the beginning of their marriage which felt like riding a roller coaster.


    Hailee didn''t think that she would get to a point like this. Having a small family and a husband who loved her with two cute children.


    Ramon then came over and hugged Hailee''s shoulder whilending a soft kiss on her cheek, which drewints from their daughter.


    "Euh! Don''t do that in front of me," Alina grumbled.


    Ramon justughed and gave Hailee another kiss on the forehead, making Alina frown in disgust.


    There was only one thing that caught Ramon''s attention and made him turn his attention to their son.


    Jayden was staring intently at the wedding photo of himself and Hailee with a frown on his face. He looked displeased.


    "What is it?" Ramon asked while rubbing his son''s head, but then his hand was shaken off as Jayden avoided being touched by Ramon.


    This certainly made Hailee and Alina shift their attention to the youngest member in their family.


    Jayden didn''t usually behave that way toward Ramon and it could be said that Ramon was one of those people that Jayden always listened to. He loved his father and that was for sure.


    Then why was this little man now staring fiercely at his father and mother?


    "Is there something wrong?" Ramon asked, and listened carefully if something was not right with his son.


    "Is this a party?" Jayden asked. Just like Alina, although he was only two years old but he had a lot of vocabry, and also because they had a party yesterday, Jayden knew what a party was.


    And the photos in the album show that they were partying extraordinarily majestic and luxurious.


    "Yeah, it''s mom and dad''s wedding photo," Hailee replied cheerfully, still not really paying attention to her baby''s bad mood. She didn''t feel there was anything wrong with that until when Jayden asked his next question.


    "Then where am I?" he asked. "I''m not in these photos," he said.


    Hearing this, the three looked surprised, but thenughed. Jayden''sment was so funny and made it hard for them to stopughing.


    But, again, it was Ramon who immediately realized that his son was serious. He stoppedughing at once, even now Jayden looked annoyed. His tiny lips pursed, showing that he didn''t like beingughed at.


    "Hey, what''s wrong?" Ramon asked then, nudging Hailee''s shoulder to stop her fromughing, while Alina recorded the whole scene.


    However, the little one was too upset, so he refused to speak and now folded his arms in front of his chest, showing his displeasure.


    "What is it, honey?" Hailee asked this time, she caressed Jayden''s red cheeks and he let her mother touch him.


    "Why am I not in this photo?" the little boy asked in a very disappointed voice.


    Hearing the question, Alina automaticallyughed, she angled her camera at her brother, capturing the moment how he rolled his eyes fiercely, reminding her of their father when he was angry.


    Ramon never scolded his children, because there was nothing to be angry about. His children were perfect in his eyes.


    But that didn''t mean Alina had never seen him angry.


    "Of course not, you weren''t even born yet. I wasn''t even born yet," said Alina, grinning and making her little brother even more annoyed.


    "So you guys are partying without us?" Jayden asked again. "Why is that?"


    "Well, if the two of you were in the marriage then that would be very strange." Hailee scratched her forehead and then looked at Ramon, asking for his help exining to their little boy.


    "You''re twelve yearster honey, so there''s no way you''re in that picture." Ramon rubbed Jayden''s head and this time he didn''t refuse.


    "You shouldn''t have had a party without us," he said annoyed and this made Alinaugh out loud again.


    Seeing his sister who was constantlyughing, teasing him, Jayden went out of the room, his lips pursed.


    "Stopughing," Ramon scolded, while Hailee smiled stifling herughter and walked out after their son.


    "He''s so cute, papa," Alina said, and then moved closer to Ramon to sit on hisp. "How could he be in that photo?"


    Ramon rubbed his daughter''s head gently and looked at the camera in Alina''s hand. "Did you record everything?"


    Alina looked radiant, raising two thumbs up as she smirked. "Of course!" she said cheerfully.


    "Good." Ramon nodded. "This will be a memoryter."


    Alina giggled at the thought of it. "I want to see how he reacts when he looks back at this videoter when he grows up."


    Alina couldn''t wait for her little brother to grow up.


    Ramon alsoughed when he heard this. He loved his little family so much and now it was much easier tough and smile at the little things his children do.


    This small family was the most precious treasure Ramon had and he would do anything for them.


    "Yeah, we''ll see it togetherter," Ramon agreed.


    =================


    THIS STORY WILL BE ON HIATUS UNTIL 5 JANUARY 2022.


    Read my new book for the meantime; UNTAMED; THE ALPHA.


    Happy new year everyone!


    Hope next year will be better for all of us!

 Chapter 421 - FOURTEEN YEARS OLD

    <h4>Chapter 421 - FOURTEEN YEARS OLD</h4>


    "Papa, I can''te with you to the office anniversary party because the same night, I have a prom party at school," Alina said when Ramon reminded her of the dress she would wear to thepany''s anniversary party.


    Ramon remembered it well, but unfortunately he refused to let his daughter attend the school prom.


    Bad thoughts always haunted Ramon as his daughter was a teenager. He seemed much more overprotective and always felt that what he was doing wasn''t enough to keep his daughter safe, especially from the teenage boys who tried to get close to her.


    Hailee always said that what he was doing was too much and he shouldn''t have acted like that, but Ramon couldn''t shake the feeling off easily.


    Especially this prom. He knew very well how those teenage boys would easily get involved in juvenile delinquency at prom and of course Ramon didn''t want Alina to be in that kind of situation.


    Ramon didn''t know what he would do if he found his daughter in such a situation.


    "No, you will being with us to the party at thepanyter." It was unusual for Ramon not to grant Alina''s wish and it was also unusual for the two of them to fight over this kind of matter.


    Therefore, when the two of them were involved in a cold war for two days straight, Hailee couldn''t just sit back and immediately decided to discuss this with Ramon.


    "No Hailee, I won''t allow her to go to such an event." Ramon had just put on his white t-shirt to sleep.


    Ramon''s habits hadn''t changed at all even now, he always wore his white t-shirt to sleep.


    "Come here," Hailee said softly, and then patted her thigh, inviting Ramon toy his head on herp.


    While dealing with Ramon, you must know when to be firm, gentle, persuasive and when to act as if you agree with his stubbornness before you reveal your true intentions.


    Actually, Ramon wasn''t that hard to predict. You just need to pay more attention to the man''s mood, although the real problem lies in paying attention to Ramon''s mood which was hard toprehend.


    "Come on,e here, I won''t bite," Hailee teased Ramon, smiling innocently.


    "I know what you want Hailee," Ramon said suspiciously. "You don''t agree with my opinion of forbidding Alina to go to her school prom." Ramon narrowed his eyes when he saw Haileeughing.


    "I didn''t even say anything," Hailee said, feeling like she was being med. "I just asked you to lie on myp. You look tired and too tense for my liking. I''ll just massage your head. Come here."


    Hailee knew that this method always worked and Ramon knew that he wouldn''t be able to refuse any request from his wife when she did that, but still he walked into the same trap over and over again.


    Ramon could feel the tension in his body slowly dissipate as heid his head on Hailee''sp and breathed in her soothing scent. Especially when his wife''s little hands began to run gently through his hair and apply just the right amount of pressure.


    "Yeah, I think you have a point and your concern is very reasonable regarding the school prom Alina is going to attend¡­"


    And the persuasion began. Hailee would start her sentence by agreeing with Ramon''s fears and then she would slowly speak her mind and make Ramon look at an issue from a different perspective.


    After that, Hailee would emphasize how reasonable her opinion was and give some options that Ramon could discuss with Alina if they agreed.


    Making Ramon see the advantages if he agreed to Alina''s wishes and also see the disadvantages he would receive if he didn''t agree to it.


    Of course the most important thing Hailee emphasized was; If this continued, Alina could get used to getting angry at her father instead of discussing problems and finding solutions with Ramon.


    Well, it always worked because the thing Ramon was most afraid of was; not liked by his own daughter...


    ====================


    "Is that true? Mom, you are not lying, right?!" Alina eximed happily, her face lit up with joy when Hailee said that Ramon finally agreed to let Alina attend her school promter.


    "Yes, but you have to talk to your father first with a hug," Hailee returned Alina''s hug and kissed the top of her head. She had grown into a beautiful teenager and of course Hailee was worried, but she didn''t want to be a parent who was too rigid, forbidding her daughter from doing things that she wanted to do.


    As long as Alina knew her limits and could take responsibility, which Hailee firmly believed she could, then Hailee felt that she would be just fine.


    "Certain!" Alina eximed cheerfully. She would talk to her father and ept whatever her father asked of her.


    Therefore, when night fell and Ramon was in the shooting range at their house, Alina entered the room and found Ramon trying to check the ammunition in his weapon.


    This was not unusual, because Alina had been used to practicing shooting since she was a child. Pyro taught her.


    "Papa, mama said that you agreed for me to go," Alina said. She smiled and hugged her father and immediately the cold war between them ended.


    And although Ramon was very relieved that Alina was no longer angry with him, he wouldn''t show any gentleness this time.


    "You know that there are a bunch of rules and restrictions that you have to follow, right?" Ramon asked, rubbing his daughter''s head.


    Her head already reached his chest. And, she would continue to grow. It felt like only yesterday Ramon held his daughter in his arms and saw how small her hands were.


    But as it turned out,? without them realizing, fourteen years had already passed and those times have be a very precious memory for Ramon.


    "Of course, I will agree to everything."


    And then, Ramon spent the next hour telling Alina what the rules and restrictions were, repeating them to emphasize important points, while his daughter listened intently.


    Until at a point where Alina cut Ramon''s sentence.


    "But of course you know that I''m going to the prom with my boyfriend," Alina said.


    This annoyed Ramon. Of course he knew, and this was also one of the reasons why he forbade it.


    Ramon then fired hisst bullet at the target at a distance that hit the target''s head. "Who''s he?" he bit out furiously.


    =================


    THIS STORY WILL BE ON HIATUS UNTIL 5 JANUARY 2022.


    Read my new book for the meantime; UNTAMED; THE ALPHA.


    Happy new year everyone!


    Hope next year will be better for all of us!

 Chapter 422 - GIANA

    <h4>Chapter 422 - GIANA</h4>


    The woman looked haggard with a wrinkled face and ck eye bags. Her hair that used to look shiny and well-groomed no longer looked the same.


    She looked much more like a seventy-year-old woman than a fifty-five years one.


    Yes, she was now fifty-five years old.


    The time she had spent in prison for these twenty years hadpletely drained all of her energy. She had ruined her life, her name and the honor of her family and ended up with nothing.


    Regret was no longer a word to her, but it was a lifestyle she had to adopt to now.


    Shame was no longer in her, because she didn''t need to feel that way as no one knew her now.


    No one would recognize her anymore even though she walked in a crowd and without a bodyguard. There would no longer be mass media swarming around her just to hear a word or two from her.


    Or a group of elite people who ownee shares in various well-knownpanies who would listen to her business ideas.


    Because all that was in the past and now the woman was no longer able to work on even a simple business project. Everything had been forgotten, as if everything that had happened twenty-five years ago was just a long dream she had lived without knowing any details.


    Twenty five years¡­


    Twenty-five years of time that she wasted without getting any meaningful results¡­ twenty-five years was a very long time for Giana to be freed from the iron bars that have bound her all this time.


    And twenty-five years was also the time she wasted all her brilliant youth.


    But now, Giana couldn''t think about it, because she had other things to deal with now.


    The outside world¡­


    Twenty-five years was not a short time and everything had changed now. There were a lot of changing things out there.


    Giana no longer owned her mansion, nor her wealth, nor her family, or whoever it is¡­ she no longer owned anything.


    As Giana was serving her third year in prison, Giana had to face the harsh reality that her father died and she couldn''t even see him for onest time. Likewise with her mother, who followed after several monthster.


    This fact had to be faced by Giana alone without anyone evering to see her.


    During these twenty years, she never had anyonee back, be it from her family or friends.


    They had all thought she was no more. People didn''t even remember her name anymore.


    And as Giana walked through the administration block corridors, before she was led to the ce where her belongings would be handed over, Giana began to realize that this ce, the filthy ce she used to be afraid of, felt much more like home than what she would face outside there.


    Ramon really used all his strength to destroy her, leaving her with nothing.


    The man ruthlessly took everything she had. A man who was once in her past, once Giana loved with all her soul. But, he was also the one who destroyed everything.


    "Can''t I just stay here a little longer?" Giana asked a female officer who had treated her very well and was now leading her to walk to the store room and get her things.


    The female officer named Bettyughed softly, she smiled, but from her eyes Giana could see that she sympathized with her and understood what kind of fears Giana was feeling right now.


    "You''ll be fine out there. You still have a family, don''t you? They will definitely take you back," Betty said in a soft voice, then she rubbed the frail back of the middle aged woman who was limping beside her.


    "You mean the family that never came to see me while I was here?" The people in this prison actually seemed more like family to Giana.


    If there was one thing that was still not missing from Giana''s behavior, it was the sharpness of her words. However, even those words were not as powerful as before now.


    On the other hand, Betty couldn''t help but grimace and gently caress Giana''s back. She understood why the middle aged woman was angry and could understand it.


    After taking care of some documents, Betty then led Giana out to the store room for the items she hadst used.


    Giana still remembered thest things she wore twenty-five years ago. She only wore a pair of jeans and a ck t-shirt and a denim jacket of the same color.


    "I''ll leave you to change," Betty said, who then left Giana alone and closed the door behind her to give Giana the privacy she needed.


    With one heavy sigh, Giana then rubbed the dull brown box, looking at it with sad eyes that no longer radiated the desire to live, but at the same time, she also felt the life she was living now or she would live in the future would have no meaning anymore.


    Then slowly, and with shaking hands, Giana opened the lid of the box, as tears immediately flooded her eyes and clouded her vision when she saw the clothes she wore while she was very young. It was the same shirt she''dst worn twenty-five years ago.


    The ck shirt looked shabby as did her pants and jacket. Some of the jewelry and valuables that she had brought with her during the arrest were still there.


    Two gold rings, an expensive watch, a ne and bracelet and a pair of earrings, all of these things she would certainly sell to make a living. After all, there was nothing she could do with her family anymore.


    And it was impossible for Giana to return to the Dawson family, to meet her uncle or her siblings to ask for help and amodate her old self¡­ no. Giana wouldn''t do it.


    She would choose to die on the streets instead of having to do that.


    Giana roughly rubbed her face which felt soft against her sagging old skin. Then slowly, she took off her prison clothes and put the ck shirt and jeans back on.


    Apparently, Giana''s body had be much thinner than it used to be, because she had to roll up the waist of the pants to keep them from falling, while her clothes felt very loose against her body.


    The jacket she was wearing didn''t fit anymore.


    After putting on all her clothes, Giana folded her prison clothes and ced the clothes next to the box. She then took the jewelry she had and put it in her trouser pockets.


    There was no way she could wear those things. The jewels felt foreign to her fingers, as if they did not belong to her, including the clothes she was now wearing.


    Giana then took a deep breath and turned her body, facing the wall where, not far from her, was a mirror as tall as her body.


    Giana didn''t really like looking in the mirror, watching her face and skin that aged wasn''t really pleasant anymore. She was afraid to face her own reflection, but this time, Giana wanted to see who she had turned into.


    Therefore, with unsteady steps, Giana walked toward the ss and noticed her reflection there.


    =================


    THIS STORY WILL BE ON HIATUS UNTIL 5 JANUARY 2022.


    Read my new book for the meantime; UNTAMED; THE ALPHA.


    Happy new year everyone!


    Hope next year will be better for all of us!

 Chapter 423 - GIANA (2)

    <h4>Chapter 423 - GIANA (2)</h4>


    First, Giana noticed that her feet were still barefoot, her skin looked so dull with her nails starting to get long and ck.


    Then Giana looked up at the shabby jeans she was wearing and looked so loose on her body.


    Then at her shaking hands. Her trembling and very thin fingers made Giana frown.


    The fingers sticking out of the sleeves of her jacket looked very old and wrinkled. Giana felt that she was looking at someone else''s fingers instead of her own.


    Then she directed her gaze toward her upper body. Her chest that used to look sexy and seductive now didn''t look the same as she imagined.


    Then Giana turned her gaze to her neck. She had to clench her jaw tight so she wouldn''t cry and make Betty burst inside.


    The skin on her neck looked ck with wrinkles everywhere.


    Her youth had disappeared just like that¡­


    Then with a breath that almost choked her throat, Giana lifted her gaze so that she could see her own figure in the mirror.


    The figure she saw was not a young woman, a reliable businesswoman from one of the city''s leading families, the Dawson family, or the widow of businessman Aidan Smith.


    Nothing like the figure Giana actuallyst remembered herself as.


    Because all she saw now was an old woman with wrinkles that lined the edges of her eyes and the side of her lips. The woman''s gaze was nk.


    It was just that, slowly, the gaze implied sadness, regret and despair.


    The word ''if only'', was always ringing in her ears.


    If only she didn''t choose the path she chose. If only she had stopped when she could. If only she had made a different decision in her life. If only she hadn''t let the madness overwhelm herself.


    If only she had epted Dillon''s offer and let the man take care of her. If only she hadn''t aborted her own child...


    "AARRRGGHHHH!"


    Giana screamed loudly. She tried to stop those ''if only¡­'' words in her head, but couldn''t, because they were in her mind and had been nted deep in her heart.


    Giana''s screams bounced off the narrow room as she fell to her knees in front of the mirror which showed the figure of a poor old woman, who had made a mistake in living her life¡­


    =================


    The first rays of the morning sun were so bright and dazzling that Giana had to shade her eyes with her hands.


    "Be careful on the way. You can call this number if you need help," Betty said, and then apanied Giana to the gates and gave the middle-aged woman ast hug.


    Giana nodded, although she wasn''t sure if she would dial the number or not, but for now, it might be better for her if she knew there was someone who could help her when she needed it.


    "Okay," Giana said in a low and hoarse voice.


    And then she stepped out of the prison building, taking her first steps to freedom and a breath of fresh air for the first time in twenty-five years.


    The air smelled of freedom, but still mixed with fear and anxiety.


    Twenty-five years in prison made Giana forget what it was like to have freedom, but this time, she didn''t think that living outside the prison building was a pleasant thing.


    Giana was scared...


    ====================


    The first thing Giana did was find a ce to sell her jewellery. Betty had told her there was a ce where she could cash out all the gold she had as well as expensive watches that were now dead.


    The hands of the clock showed ten minutes and twelve seconds past eight, where the time on the dead clock stopped and Giana felt that the time she had had also stopped.


    So much had changed in this city until she could no longer recognize anything.


    The streets she used to walk and also the buildings that stood high up in the city. Now the streets looked much more congested with vehicles in thetest models passing by on the highway.


    Giana did not recognize most of these types of cars.


    After selling all the things she had, she now had money again. These new notes that had been issued by the government felt foreign in her hands and she also didn''t know how long she couldst with the money she had now.


    Would it be a month, two months, three months? a year? Two years? Giana did not feel that the money she had wouldst that long.


    ording to Betty, with the money she would get at the pawn shop, she couldst six months, or nine months if she was frugal and didn''t use it for things she didn''t need except for food and basic supplies.


    Giana wanted tough when she found out the value of the money. Back then, she didn''t care at all how much money she had to spend, but now, every penny of that money was worth and precious to her.


    Giana then walked along the highway and stopped in front of a building that had a logo that she knew very well.


    It was the logo of the Tordoffpany, although the building was owned by the Dawson family, at least it used to be owned by her family.


    Giana stood there frozen for a moment and then walked away when she saw a young maning out of the building heavily escorted by ten bodyguards.


    The young man walked into the ck car that was waiting for him and quickly drove away.


    But, what Giana didn''t see, or what she refused to see was the fact that; how much he resembled the man she once loved and the man who had ruined her life.


    ======================


    For the past two years Giana had been in the old age home that Betty suggested for her to go.


    After two months renting a small house for herself, Giana felt haunted by loneliness whenever she saw the empty house that had nothing. She didn''t have anyone to talk to either.


    =================


    THIS STORY WILL BE ON HIATUS UNTIL 5 JANUARY 2022.


    Read my new book for the meantime; UNTAMED; THE ALPHA.


    Happy new year everyone!


    Hope next year will be better for all of us!

 Chapter 424 - GIANA (END)

    <h4>Chapter 424 - GIANA (END)</h4>


    After two months renting a small house for herself, Giana felt haunted by loneliness whenever she saw the empty house that had nothing. She didn''t have anyone to talk to either.


    Therefore, she decided toe to this old age home. At least by being here, she would not feel lonely, at least there were people who could show her a little care and also people she could still talk to.


    At the age of fifty-three, Giana lived surrounded by mostly people her age, who have absolutely no influence or have an extraordinary family background.


    They were just people with ordinary backgrounds and did not have any privileges.


    ''I live, because I did not die.''


    Maybe it was the suitable sentence to describe Giana''s current situation. She was alive, but her soul was dead. She stillughed some times, but it never reached her eyes.


    If the eyes were a reflection of the soul, then Giana''s nk stare was a perfect reflection of how empty her soul was right now.


    Giana thought she would no longer be able tough freely, but would only feel sadness because she felt tears had left her eyes or feeling disappointment and regret because those two feelings had gotten too close to her.


    However, this afternoon proved something different. Her heart was beating fast again after years of not being able to feel it.


    Giana saw his figure in the crowd of people who hade to do a volunteer activity by feeding the residents of this old age home, and there he was, in the group of the volunteers.


    Standing beside a young girl who had a simr face to his, a girl around twenty-one or twenty-three years old, wasughing as the man whispered to her.


    Dillon.


    Giana still recognized him. He looked old, just like herself, but his face didn''t show the same agony or misery as Giana''s.


    From a distance, from the glint in his eyes, from the way he smiled andughed at the young girl''s words, Giana knew that his life was perfect now. He was happy and Giana should be happy for him.


    It was just that, at this time Giana could only stare at Dillon, without realizing that the young girl noticed Giana''s gaze and came to her with a box of food. The girl smiled at Giana and gave the box of food to her.


    "Here, take it," the girl said softly. "Why are you crying aunty?" she asked in confusion when she saw Giana lowering her head and wiping her face.


    Unable to contain the deep sadness that she now felt, Giana chose to walk away.


    However, the worried young girl followed her instead.


    "What is the matter? Are you sick?" she asked politely. "How about we sit there and eat together?" The girl showed Giana an empty seat in the garden, but she shook her head.


    Confused, the girl offered other things, but Giana kept refusing, until in the end someone else came up to them and took the food box from the girl''s hand.


    "You can wait there honey, dad will apany this Aunty," Dillon said to his daughter.


    "Okay," the girl agreed because she thought her father would find it easier to persuade people his age.


    It was only after the girl left that Dillon walked quickly and stopped right in front of Giana. He blocked her path and they were both silent for a moment, just staring at each other.


    "I didn''t think it was you," Dillon said in a calm voice.


    After decades of not seeing each other and when they finally faced each other again, Giana didn''t know what to say.


    Should she say ''sorry'' to him? One word she never said to Dillon, or the word ''thank you'', another word she never got to say.


    "Long time no see," Giana said quietly. "Is that your daughter?" she asked to lighten the mood.


    "Yes, she is my daughter." Dillon looked at his daughter who was chatting with someone else. The look in his eyes was enough to see how proud and happy he was now.


    "She''s beautiful," Giana praised, in her heart she wondered, would Dillon look at their child like that too if Giana had done what he asked? A request that was so unselfish and sounded a lot like an appeal to her, which she simply crushed.


    "Yes. So pretty." Dillon readily agreed and then handed Giana the box of food in his hand.


    This time, Giana didn''t refuse the box and took it, it was just that the food box felt heavy in her hand. The sun was almost setting, which made Giana feel the tightness of regret for her actions even more.


    "Nice to meet you again," Dillon said softly, then he walked away leaving Giana.


    It wasn''t clear what was going through Giana''s mind when she called the man''s name and made him stop walking, then turn around.


    "I''m sorry and thank you for everything you have done," said Giana. "Sorry, I said it toote."


    Giana thought Dillon would ignore her, but the man just smiled faintly, he looked so sincere and honest when he answered this.


    "I ept your apologies and thanks, but," he said quietly.


    Dillon then turned his attention back to the crowd of volunteers and found a woman looking at him with a cheerful smile, her smile prompting a smile on his own lips.


    "But, I don''t regret the decisions I made." Dillon turned his attention back to Giana after he waved his hand at her. "You have made your own decisions and I have made mine. It''s true that a lot of unpleasant things happened between us, but I don''t regret it at all."


    Giana bit her lip and a tear rolled down her cheek, warm as it fell on her hand.


    "I hope you don''t regret that either," Dillon then added. "And I''m d to see you again."


    And that was all, Dillon just felt relieved to meet Giana, no more feelings involved, because right now, his heart was too full with the two women he loved.


    =================


    THIS STORY WILL BE ON HIATUS UNTIL 5 JANUARY 2022.


    Read my new book for the meantime; UNTAMED; THE ALPHA.


    Happy new year everyone!


    Hope next year will be better for all of us!

 Chapter 425 JAYDEN

    <h4>Chapter 425 JAYDEN</h4>


    Jayden cursed himself for being caught in a situation like this, he looked to his left side and found Pyro in a much worse condition. His head bodyguard was gasping for air. Blood was pouring from the side of his head as he had his eyes closed.


    The sound of his heavy breathing was the only indication that the man was still alive.


    "Hey, you can''t just die," Jayden kicked Pyro in the leg, because that was the only way to reach the man.


    Now the two of them were tied up in an old warehouse which was located quite far from the residents'' residences and not only that, their assants left them both in quite a pathetic condition, after they were satisfied with beating both of them.


    "I''m not dead," Pyro grumbled. His voice was hoarse, as if saying that one short sentence alone had consumed his remaining strength. "It''s because of you that we ended up in this situation."


    Jayden grimaced, he had to admit that he was the one who had been looking for trouble to make things difficult for both of them.


    "I just wanted to know," Jayden said, shrugging his shoulders, but then he regretted what he did because his shoulder hurt. He could even feel the bone shifting. tsk!


    "Your curiosity can be a problem for you," Pyro said, too tired to scold the young man before him.


    Jayden did inherit his mother''s inquisitive and sometimes reckless nature, but at other times, he seemed like the calcting and considerate Ramon.


    "Don''t worry, help wille soon, I''m not that reckless to get caught without reckoning," Jayden said in a fairly calm voice. And immediately, he could imagine Pyro rolling his eyes at that, not at all believing what he was saying, to him. Jayden was too unpredictable.


    "Yeah, hope the helpes before I bleed to death." Pyro leaned back, leaning against the cold wall behind his back. With his hands and feet tied, he had to listen to Jayden''s ramblings in front of him.


    "Don''t die yet, my mother will be angry if you die." Jayden imagined his mother''s anger when she found out he was in trouble again. "At least, wait until we''re somewhere safe and you exin that it''s not entirely my fault."


    "You are truly unbelievable," Pyro muttered, clicking his tongue. "What made you think that I would defend you in front of Hailee?"


    "Because you love me like your own child," Jayden said calmly, feeling very sure that Pyro would agree with him on this.


    "No thanks, I have a child of my own to care for," Pyro groaned in pain. But by talking to Jayden, he was able to keep himself awake. "I don''t want to have a child like you anyway, you''re troublesome."


    "I''m not troublesome, I am just a little bit adventurous." Jayden corrected Pyro''s words.


    Jayden was deliberately engaging Pyro in a conversation so as to keep him awake. Because in a situation like this, losing consciousness would be fatal.


    "Where did you have a child from? You never married," Jayden pointed out.


    "I''m not married," Pyro admitted.


    "I never saw your daughter."


    "I don''t want you to see my daughter," Pyro said. His voice was now shaking while his body was cold. Looks like Jayden''s method is no longer effective.


    "Tsk! You are so damn petty," Jayden mumbled, his eyes darting around, but this old building was just an old abandoned barn, devoid of any secrets. "They''re hiding something in this ce," Jayden said.


    "There aren''t any secrets here." This time Pyro''s voice sounded more like a whisper.


    And then silence enveloped them both again, making Jayden even more nervous. The help should have arrived by now, but where were they?


    "Pyro," Jayden called.


    No response from Pyro.


    Jayden kicked his leg again. "Pyro!" This time, his voice was louder than before.


    There was still no answer from the middle-aged man.


    Pyro should have retiredst year and was enjoying his days in peace, but he didn''t seem to like that kind of life. So, six months ago he came back to Jayden and offered to be his head bodyguard.


    Of course Jayden immediately agreed to that, because he had known Pyro before he could even remember, it was this man who taught him to use various weapons. Therefore, even though his mother did not approve of it, Jayden weed Pyro''s return with a wide smile.


    Pyro was like an older brother to his mother, therefore, Hailee wanted Pyro to enjoy his old age better.


    But, if tonight Jayden really lost Pyro because of his stupidity, then he would not forgive himself for that stupidity.


    "Pyro! Hey! Don''t die yet, mama can kill me if you die on me!" Jayden eximed. "Sh*t!" he cursed angrily.


    At first, Jayden just wanted to wait for help to arrive, but it seemed like the situation was getting out of hand.


    Jayden then dropped to his side and squirmed on the cold floor, trying to move his handcuffs behind him toward the front. Pyro had taught him this trick and he was quite proficient now.


    And after he brought his hands to his front, Jayden used a small iron bar to open the handcuffs on his own hands.


    This trick was quite difficult to do in a position like this, but not impossible.


    It took Jayden about five minutes to free himself from the damn handcuffs and without wasting any more time, he rushed over to Pyro who had slumped limply.


    "Sh*t!" Jayden cursed again, because of theck of lighting in this room, Jayden had a hard time seeing how badly injured Pyro was. Because during the whole conversation, he didn''t say anything.


    It was only after taking a closer look that Jayden realized that Pyro''s injuries were quite serious.


    He then took off his shirt and wrapped it around the man''s waist, hoping to stop the blood that was constantly flowing from his stomach.


    "Don''t die on me," Jayden muttered, now all the carefree vibes that he exuded earlier had disappeared.


    He looked calm enough, but calctive.


    =================


    THIS STORY WILL BE ON HIATUS UNTIL 5 JANUARY 2022.


    Read my new book for the meantime; UNTAMED; THE ALPHA.


    Happy new year everyone!


    Hope next year will be better for all of us!

 Chapter 426 I WANT TO LIVE TOO!

    <h4>Chapter 426 I WANT TO LIVE TOO!</h4>


    "You really camete," Jayden said coldly to his cousin Misha. "How did it take you so much time to find me here?"


    "Speak politely, I''m two years older than you," Misha grumbled, brushing the dust off his body and ring at his cousin. "Next time, find a more remote and more difficult to reach ce so that I cane just to collect your body." Misha then lit the cigarette in his hand and blew white smoke into the air.


    "You think I chose this ce?" Jayden took the cigarette in Misha''s hand and took a deep breath, while his cousin stared at his disheveled self.


    "You need to go to the hospital," Misha suggested as he lit another cigarette for himself.


    "Of course, I''ll go." Pyro had been taken to the hospital first, his condition would improve soon, but there was something else Jayden had to do first. "After I asked a few questions first."


    Jayden then threw his still-lit cigarette on the ground and stomped it to crumbs, before he raised his hand to Misha.


    Misha understood what Jayden wanted, so he gave his cousin the gun that was on his waist, but Jayden refused.


    "Not that."


    Misha rolled his eyes dramatically. "You''re still following the old fashioned way."


    "I am an old soul," Jayden replied nonchntly and took the small knife from Misha''s hand.


    After getting what he wanted, Jayden walked away from him. Even from behind, Misha could feel Jayden''s powerful killing aura.


    Jayden could change the aura around him in the blink of an eye and that was a terrifying thing for Misha.


    In the previous second, Jayden would still beughing with you making funnyments, as if he was a harmless man, but in the next second he could put a gun to your head and kill you without batting an eye.


    Such ability to switch was terrifying ording to Misha, and he had witnessed the change in his cousin more than twice.


    And the sadistic attitude he showed all stems from the kidnapping incident that Jayden experienced twelve years ago when he had just entered high school.


    He didn''t know what happened at that time, only Jayden knew and he never really told anyone.


    And to this day, Jayden was obsessed with finding the man who kidnapped him¡­


    ====================


    "AARRRGGHHH!" A heart-rending scream could be heard in the silence of the night, as Jayden casually plunged the dagger in his hand into the thigh of the man who had stabbed Pyro earlier.


    On the other hand, Jayden who saw the man writhing in pain just stared at him nkly, as if he was thinking what he should do again to hurt this man even more.


    The man''s hands were tied as were his feet, just like what they had done to Jayden and Pyro earlier.


    "I want to ask you a question, so don''t be loud, okay?" Jayden said softly, pulling the dagger he had stuck in the poor man''s thigh earlier. "I want you to answer my question."


    However, the man kept screaming in pain,pletely ignoring what Jayden was saying and this made the son of the Tordoff family frown his brows in displeasure.


    "I said shut up," he said, but then he stabbed the man in the thigh again, just inches away from the first.


    The man''s screams of pain grew louder and this irritated Jayden. He then took off one of his shoes and stuffed the man''s mouth with it.


    "Shut up," he said quietly, then stabbed the man in the thigh a third time.


    "You won''t get any answers that way." Misha came, walking slowly to where Jayden''s torture was taking ce.


    "Probably not from him," Jayden replied in a rxed tone. He then stood up, one leg bare, but he didn''t care. "But they will answer my questions."


    Jayden''s eyes were now on the five men who had been subdued by the people Misha had brought with him earlier.


    The five men were on their knees, hands and feet bound, while behind them were five other men who were looking up to see what Jayden had done to their friend.


    "So, who will answer my question?" Jayden asked. This time, he took a gun from the closest men, who were people of the Tordoff family, and shot the poor man straight between his eyebrows.


    "You want to answer my question?" Jayden asked, pointing his gun at the first man in the line of five. "No?"


    A gunshot could be heard and the man fell, horribly dead, with a bullet through the head.


    Blood soaked the cold ground while the quiet night instantly became tense, no one dared to make a sound or breathe too loudly.


    "How about you?" Jayden asked, pointing the gun at the second man. "Want to talk?"


    But before the man could answer Jayden had shot him dead and this left all the men there in shock.


    Most of them were recruited by Jayden himself and they weren''t from the firm where the Tordoffs recruited their bodyguards.


    The men that Jayden recruited were mostly people who had worked in illegal and ck market organizations.


    The reason as to why Jayden recruited them was in his mind alone.


    But, even when those people were used to violence, seeing how Jayden dealt with a situation, especially when it involved violence, they still couldn''t believe that someone was so cold as him. Contrary to the image he disyed in his daily life.


    Jayden seemed to have two personalities¡­


    "I''ll talk!" the third man cried, even before Jayden could point his gun at him. His voice was shaking. He tried not to nce at his two dead friends next to him, but that was hard to do. "Please don''t kill me¡­ I don''t want to die."


    "Great! I don''t want to die either, I love my life! Please talk!" Jayden said cheerfully, he looked like a child who got Christmas toys early. "See? It''s not too difficult to cooperate with me, right?"


    =================


    THIS STORY WILL BE ON HIATUS UNTIL 5 JANUARY 2022.


    Read my new book for the meantime; UNTAMED; THE ALPHA.


    Happy new year everyone!


    Hope next year will be better for all of us!

 Chapter 427 APPLE

    <h4>Chapter 427 APPLE</h4>


    The clock was ticking so slowly and this left Jayden very frustrated. How could time pass so slowly?


    The doctor had said that Pyro would be fine, but because his body was no longer young, it would take him quite a while to recover to normal, and even if he did, he wouldn''t be able to work right away.


    Or maybe not being able to work at all to be Jayden''s bodyguard.


    While Jayden himself didn''t mind it. He didn''t care whether Pyro could get well soon or not, but he certainly wanted the man he had known his whole life to get better.


    Inside the hospital room, only the sound of the life supporting machines could be heard indicating that Pyro''s heart was still functioning properly, backed up by the middle-aged man''s heavy breathing.


    Meanwhile, Jayden sat on the edge of Pyro''s bed, holding his rough hand. He was about to fall asleep when someone suddenly and violently opened the hospital room door.


    Immediately, Jayden grabbed the gun that was on the table beside Pyro''s bed and swiftly pointed the gun at the door.


    At first, Jayden thought he would see a swarm of mening to attack him, although that was almost impossible in this hospital. But, what he saw was even more astonishing.


    There, through the doorway, a young woman with shoulder-length curly hair and a fierce gaze and firm steps, was walking toward Jayden, or Pyro¡­


    Jayden didn''t have time to think about that when he heard a cursing sound from outside before four men entered in a panic.


    The four men were the ones in charge of guarding this room, but from their expressions, it seemed that this mysterious young girl had just taught them some lessons.


    "Put your gun down," the young woman grumbled, casting a fierce re at Jayden, stopping only inches from the gun that was being pointed at her.


    If Jayden decided to pull the trigger, it was certain that the woman wouldn''t be able to see the next second.


    "Of course it''s not that easy pretty," Jayden replied in a calm voice, but his grip seemed stronger. "Just because you''re beautiful, you can''t just beat up people."


    The four men who were currently in the room looked a little embarrassed by the fact that they were all defeated by a woman.


    "At least tell me who you are?" Jayden asked.


    "I am the daughter of the man who is dying because of your stupidity," the young girl said sarcastically, her gaze hard as if that alone could kill Jayden with her fury.


    "Oh." Jayden remembered what Pyro said before, he lowered his gun. "You are Pyro''s illegitimate child."


    He didn''t know what went through Pyro''s mind to say that, because that was thest conversation between him and Pyro, but he didn''t mean anything bad with his words.


    On the other hand, as soon as she heard what Jayden said, the girl very quickly and swiftly grabbed the gun that Jayden had just lowered and aimed it at him.


    The tip of the gun was now digging into Jayden''s forehead.


    Her sudden action made the four men behind her immediately take out their weapons and point them at the mad woman.


    "Wow! Easy, easy¡­" Jayden said as he raised his hands, now things have turned around and the woman was in control. "Why are there so many people trying to kill me today?"


    "You just realized that there are a lot of people who want to kill you? You shouldn''t be surprised," the woman said sarcastically.


    "Of course not, there will be a big party if my enemy manages to kill me." Jayden lowered his hand and shrugged nonchntly. "But, at least wait in line."


    In such close proximity, Jayden could see the simrities between the girl and Pyro. She had the face of the man, but of course in a good sense. She looked sweet and beautiful, but dangerous and fierce at the same time.


    Interestingbination¡­


    From the way she held the gun without hesitation and howfortable she was with the gun in her hand, it was certain that this girl had learned all the tricks Pyro had.


    "Get out of the way," she said impatiently. "And tell your fools to lower their guns."


    "Hey you fools, put your guns down," Jayden said to the four men behind the girl. "I don''t want to be rude, but this girl put a gun to my head," Jayden exined that he was only saying what she asked.


    The four men then lowered their guns and Jayden signaled them to leave.


    Hesitantly, they exited the room and closed the door again, realizing that the girl was Pyro''s daughter.


    "Very stupid."


    Suddenly there was a voice from the direction of the sofa, which was located a bit far from the bed where Pyro was lying and neither of them noticed that Misha was there.


    "How long have you been there?" Jayden asked, as the girl was about to point the gun at Misha.


    "You don''t have to be like that, Apple," Misha said, then he got up from his seat and walked toward the door. "I''m going out now."


    "You two know each other?" Jayden looked confused.


    "Of course, she is Pyro''s only daughter," he replied in a matter of fact tone.


    "Then why am I the only one left out?" Jayden muttered, disbelieving this fact, because he thought he and Pyro were quite close.


    "You too, out now." The girl named Apple put the gun into Jayden''s hand again and immediately sat on the seat that Jayden had vacated when she barged into the room earlier.


    Misha then took Jayden''s arm and pulled him out of the room.


    For a moment, Jayden, who was still surprised that Misha knew Pyro''s daughter, didn''t say anything as his cousin pulled him out. But when he was out of the room and walking down the corridor following Misha, he realized something.


    "Why should I go out? Didn''t I pay for this hospital room? Then why am I the one being thrown out?" he said pettily.


    =================


    THIS STORY WILL BE ON HIATUS UNTIL 5 JANUARY 2022.


    Read my new book for the meantime; UNTAMED; THE ALPHA.


    Happy new year everyone!


    Hope next year will be better for all of us!

 Chapter 428 NOT YET

    <h4>Chapter 428 NOT YET</h4>


    Apple looked at her father, who was lying on the bed with a look that was hard to exin. The expression on her face was hard to read and she didn''t move from her seat for a long time.


    No one knew what was going on in her mind right now, but she certainly hadn''t closed her eyes all night, as if she were afraid she might miss something, even though a doctor hade and told her that her father would be fine.


    Pyro had passed his critical period and was currently in the recovery process. He was under the influence of drugs to speed up his recovery, so he hadn''t regained his consciousness until now.


    Apple understood, but that didn''t mean she was going to stop worrying about her dad.


    And as the sun shone through the shuttered windows, casting a golden glow across the room, Apple heard the sound of the door being opened from outside.


    With full awareness and sharp eyes she turned around and found Jayden Tordoff standing in the doorway. His right hand carried arge stic bag with a logo of one of the restaurants nearby.


    "I am atoning for my sins," Jayden said, holding up therge stic bag in his hand, showing that he had no ill will toward the girl.


    "By bringing me breakfast?" Apple asked sarcastically. She was still annoyed that this young man was the reason why her father was now lying down on the bed and badly injured.


    Jayden ced the stic on the table and walked over to grab a chair to sit on the other side of Pyro''s bed.


    "I was going to bring you a box of jewelry, but I don''t think a diamond ring and a few earrings will cool you down," Jayden replied lightly, and when he sat down across from Apple and found the girl staring at him fiercely, he raised his hands. "Don''t stare at me for too long, you can be charmed by me."


    Apple widened her eyes and stood up, as if she were ready to beat this guy up, but Jayden then quickly corrected his sentence.


    "It''s a joke, a joke, ame joke, okay¡­" he said hastily and then muttered under his breath. "She doesn''t have a sense of humor at all¡­"


    "What did you say?"


    "Nothing." Jayden shed her a handsome smile and grimaced. "We shouldn''t be loud here, it will bother your father. How about we have breakfast? I haven''t eaten sincest night."


    Last night was a long one and apart from a cup of coffee, Jayden didn''t eat or drink anything else. As for Misha, he casually returned to the Tordoff residence and left everything to him.


    After all, it was Jayden who had caused this trouble, so it should be his job to take care of everything, at least that was what he was told by his cousin.


    Great¡­


    "I bought you breakfast¡­" Jayden stood up when he saw Apple walking out of the room. "Where are you going?"


    However, Apple didn''t answer his question. She inly chose to ignore it and left the room quickly.


    "Pyro¡­ don''t you feel very annoyed to have a daughter like that?" Jayden asked the still unconscious Pyro. "If you don''t answer me, I will assume that you agree with me."


    Of course, Pyro could not question Jayden''s statement or back his daughter up.


    "Yeah, I guess so too." Jayden nodded, but then he stood up and decided to go after the girl.


    Apple was Pyro''s daughter and he almost made her lose her father, so Apple''s attitude could be tolerated¡­


    ====================


    Luckily, Jayden had his men in several ces in this ce, so he could easily trace Apple in the hospital cafeteria.


    The girl was sitting alone, eating instant noodles which were not at all healthy. Ramon used to stare at Jayden sharply whenever he ate instant noodles when he was a child.


    "I bought you a much healthier meal earlier, but you chose this food instead," Jayden said as he sat across from Apple. "Your tastes really need to be questioned."


    Apple didn''t say much, but she quickly changed tables and continued enjoying the instant noodles she thought of as breakfast.


    Meanwhile, Jayden who saw Apple''s childish attitude smiled. For some reason, seeing her upset entertained his foul mood.


    "You shouldn''t be like this toward me, it''s rude," Jayden said righteously, as he sat down in front of Apple. "After all I am your father''s boss."


    Apple immediately stopped eating and drank mineral water from the bottle beside her, but when she put the bottle down, she literally mmed the poor little thing against the table until the sound echoed in this almost empty canteen.


    Jayden flinched at seeing such a violent gesture from a sweet girl like Apple.


    "Yes he is, but you are not my boss," she said grimly.


    However, Jayden raised his brows instead and smirked. "Not yet."


    =================


    It took Pyro two days to finally regain his consciousness, but it was not until a weekter that he was finally able to recover.


    "Apple," Pyro called in a slightly hoarse voice. He looked much better, though he still sounded weak.


    "Hmm?" Apple replied, without even turning around. She was currently busy packing her father''s clothes. The n was that they would go home tomorrow as Pyro didn''t want to be in the hospital anymore and the doctor had already allowed him to go home.


    "I want to ask you something," Pyro said carefully.


    "What?" Apple asked, but she still didn''t really turn her attention to Pyro and was still busy folding her dad''s clothes.


    Meanwhile, Pyro wanted to have a serious talk with her, so he didn''t say anything until finally Apple realized his intention and left her task of packing the clothes and chose to face her father.


    "What''s the matter, dad?" Apple asked as she sat down beside Pyro''s bed.


    "I want you to take over my job for a while," Pyro said, and saw his daughter''s expression change instantly.


    =================


    THIS STORY WILL BE ON HIATUS UNTIL 5 JANUARY 2022.


    Read my new book for the meantime; UNTAMED; THE ALPHA.


    Happy new year everyone!


    Hope next year will be better for all of us!

 Chapter 429 HOW DARE YOU!

    <h4>Chapter 429 HOW DARE YOU!</h4>


    "I want you to take over my job for a while," Pyro said, and saw his daughter''s expression change instantly.


    "What do you mean?" Apple seemed to guess the reason, but she wanted to confirm it with her father first.


    "I want you to work for Mr. Tordoff for a while until he gets a recement to me."


    "What?" Apple frowned. The expression on her face showed that she couldn''t believe what she had just heard. How could her father ask her to work for Jayden Tordoff? "Father isn''t seriously suggesting this, is he?"


    Apple was still hoping that her dad wasn''t actually asking her to work for that shitty man.


    Being with Jayden for a few moments was already unpleasant, but now her father was suggesting that she should take care of the man? Seriously¡­ what kind of joke was this?


    "Of course dad is serious." Pyro took his daughter''s hand and cupped his own over it. "It''s only temporary, until he finds someone he can trust."


    "Then why should I?" Apple asked, still very reluctant to be around him. Jayden was like a gue that must be avoided, not to mention the way he talked that tended to be arrogant and his attitude that was annoyingly casual.


    "Because you more or less know him well enough," Pyro replied.


    Apple raised her eyebrows when she heard his exnation, as if asking her father to exin in more detail what he just said.


    "Know him well enough?" Apple raised an eyebrow questioningly, what did her father mean by knowing Jayden Tordoff well enough? "You mean, since you talk about the Tordoffs a lot, you think I know him well enough?"


    Pyro nodded, confirming his daughter''s guess.


    "Dad you can''t force me to do this," Apple protested.


    "Please, they are like family to dad," Pyro asked his daughter earnestly.


    And then the discussion about this went on so hard that Apple kept refusing her father''s attempts at asking her not to refuse his request.


    But, how could Apple ept the job?


    She was barely able to stand him, how could she spend a lot more time with him? What was it? Twenty four hours with him? That was a ridiculous suggestion.


    "Of course you don''t need to be with him for twenty-four hours a day, honey..." Pyro almost sounded like he was about tough when he heard his daughter grumble. "You just need to work ording to schedule, and of course, you will still be able to enjoy your day off."


    Apple grumbled in annoyance, took a deep breath, showing that she didn''t like the n.


    "He''ll be fine," Apple said. "He''s no longer a teenager who can be easily kidnapped."


    But, when he heard Apple''sst sentence, Pyro immediately grabbed his daughter''s hand and looked at her deeply. "Never use that line in front of him, even if it''s just a joke, okay?"


    Apple understood how traumatized Jayden Tordoff was from the incident, although he didn''t show it, but her father knew him deep enough to be able to tell.


    "So you''re going to take this job, aren''t you?" Pyro asked hopefully, but all he got was a grunt from his daughter.


    =====================


    Today, Pyro was allowed to go home and Apple would apany him for two days and it was only on the third day that she would start working for Jayden.


    And especially for today, Jayden emptied his schedule all day just to be able to apany Pyro back home.


    Of course, Jayden didn''t admit that he was involved in the problem that caused Pyro to be hospitalized, but he did say that Pyro had been admitted to the hospital because he was old and got sick too easily.


    For that reason, he was able to delegate the affairs of thepany to Misha and his sister Alina, who were indeed better at managing the business, while he preferred to work behind the scenes.


    "Where are you going?" Jayden asked.


    "I''ve to buy dinner," Apple said.


    "You can buy me anything, but I don''t eat seafood," Jayden said when he came out of Pyro''s room and found that Apple was about to leave the house.


    "Are you going to have dinner here?" Apple asked with an unhappy face.


    "Of course."


    "Why don''t you just go home?"


    Jayden narrowed his eyes. "Did I just get kicked out? I feel like I just got kicked out."


    "It''s good that you can read in between the lines," Apple said lightly and then left the house, without waiting for Jayden''s reply. "Don''t expect me to buy you food, so go home."


    "Tsk, she''s not even pretending not to hate me at all."


    ====================


    The diner that Apple went to was really busy this afternoon and she had to wait quite a while to get the food she and her dad liked.


    Therefore, she came hometer than she should have.


    But, as she was in a hurry to get home, a man stopped her right at the end of the road, just before she could turn and reach her house.


    Apple recognized this man.


    "I called you two days ago, why didn''t you answer my calls?" the man said coldly and blocked the girl''s path.


    Of course Apple recognized the man. He was her lover, or one could say her ex-boyfriend.


    "You should have realized that if I don''t pick up your calls, I don''t want to be in touch with you anymore," Apple replied sarcastically, with her eyes fixed on the man in front of her. But her expression instantly darkened when she saw Jaydening out of the house and about to walk in their direction. "Get out of here right now, I''m sick of seeing you," Apple growled.


    However, what Apple didn''t anticipate was that the man in front of her wouldsh out at the harsh words she uttered.


    "HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT!?" he cried angrily.


    And because at that moment Apple''s attention was on Jayden who was about to approach her, she didn''t have enough time to dodge the man''s p.


    =================


    THIS STORY WILL BE ON HIATUS UNTIL 5 JANUARY 2022.


    Read my new book for the meantime; UNTAMED; THE ALPHA.


    Happy new year everyone!


    Hope next year will be better for all of us!

 Chapter 430 LET’S GO BACK

    <h4>Chapter 430 LET''S GO BACK</h4>


    Jayden left the house because he realized that Apple had been away for too long and Pyro started asking about his daughter.


    And because Jayden didn''t want to attract unnecessary attention, when he drove Pyro home today, he didn''t bring a single bodyguard to guard him. After all, he felt this ce was safe enough.


    As such, he had no one he could send to check on Apple''s whereabouts, although he was sure that the mean girl would be all right.


    Who was going to mess with a girl who had a razor-sharp tongue like Apple? She was more than capable of taking care of herself, alright?


    However, what Jayden saw as soon as he came out was quite surprising to him...


    The moment Jayden came out to check on Apple''s whereabouts, he found the girl had returned and was talking to a man on the street. In her right hand, she was holding arge bag containing their dinner.


    "When you got back you should have gone inside the house and put the food down before you chatted with your friends¡­" Jayden grumbled. He intended to go to Apple and take the food and leave the two of them.


    But, what he didn''t expect was the man''s angry, high-pitched scream, snapping at Apple without holding back.


    "HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT!?" the man cried angrily.


    And it made Jayden squint when the man raised his hand high andnded it squarely on Apple''s cheek, so hard that it knocked the girl down onto the paved road.


    Jayden understood why Apple didn''t have time to dodge such an attack, because the focus was on himself walking up to them.


    But what made Jayden even more confused was the fact that Apple did not retaliate at all.


    She immediately stood up, but did not reply to the man who had hurt her earlier.


    Did that girl just let someone p her and didn''t even try to retaliate? But why?


    Jayden would haveughed out loud if the reason Apple didn''t do that was because she was scared.


    But he knew better than the girl, who could fight four of his bodyguards at once and had a gun pointed at her head, was terrified to face a man.


    On the other hand, Apple was snarling at Kyle, her ex-boyfriend. "Get out of here before you get into more trouble than this."


    "Did you just threaten me?" Kyle growled angrily, his eyes fixed on Apple. "I don''t want to leave here and I don''t want our rtionship to end."


    "Oh, you should have thought so before you slept with my best friend. You think I''ll take you back after what happened?" Apple said through gritted teeth. She waspletely furious after finding out their affair a week ago, when her father was still unconscious.


    But, the truth was that Apple didn''t want to be in this rtionship anymore, not just because of the problem. There were many things that were impossible to keep this rtionship going and one of them was Kyle''s rude attitude. This rtionship was too toxic to continue nurturing it.


    "Now get out of my sight," Apple hissed. She looked even more panicked when Jayden walked over and stood right behind Kyle.


    And before Kyle could snap at Apple again or hit her a second time, Jayden announced his presence.


    "You let this ugly man hit you and didn''t even retaliate?" Jayden asked in disbelief.


    However, when he got close to Apple, he could see the bruises on the girl''s face that this man had left after the blow, and at that moment, Jayden''s eyes turned cold.


    "This is none of your business," Apple murmured, trying to find a way to end this odd situation, especially since Jayden got involved.


    "Who''s he? Your new lover?" Kyle asked scornfully. He looked at Jayden with disdain and disapproval that he had dared to meddle in his affairs with Apple.


    However, if he could have looked more clearly, he would have recognized Jayden Tordoff from some of the news circting about the sess of the Tordoff family inunching their new subsidiary.


    "Alright, stop this." Apple then pulled Jayden''s hand away to leave.


    Only, Kyle grabbed Apple''s hand and pulled her so she couldn''t go anywhere.


    And a momentter, everything happened so fast.


    Jayden took something from his waist and Apple immediately realized what it was, of course as Pyro''s daughter, she recognized the movement all too well.


    And Instinctively, she warded off Jayden''s hand so the shot missed Kyle''s head.


    The sound of gunshot was loud enough that Kyle let go of his grip on Apple''s hand and looked at Jayden in disbelief, then at the gun in his hand.


    "Are you crazy!?" Apple cried, ring angrily at Jayden, but the man didn''t show any expression, not even an expression of regret for having done this.


    Jayden actually looked at Apple with eyes that said; what was wrong with this?


    "Put that gun away and let''s go back," Apple growled, and pushed Kyle away. She then grabbed Jayden''s hand again, but her eyes were still on the gun in her hand, anticipating that Jayden would shoot Kyle a second time.


    Unexpectedly Jayden didn''t say anything when Apple pulled him away, it was just that the expression on his face was enough to leave Apple stunned. He looked terrible¡­ as if he was ready to kill Kyle if Apple hadn''t been there.


    And this time, Kyle could only stand still, staring at Apple and Jayden walking away, his face still showing a very surprised expression.


    If it wasn''t for Apple who had pped Jayden''s hand away in time, then it was certain that he wouldn''t be able to see the sun shine tomorrow morning.


    What was the guy''s problem? Why did he have a gun and what was the rtionship between that man and Apple?


    Kyle still didn''t move from where he was standing even after Apple and Jayden had disappeared from his sight and just felt that his ear was bleeding from the missed shot¡­

 Chapter 431 CHILDHOOD

    <h4>Chapter 431 CHILDHOOD</h4>


    "Are you out of your mind?" Apple really couldn''t believe what she had witnessed Jayden do earlier. This man was absolutely insane.


    Yes, Apple had heard of how impulsive Jayden could be from her father, but after experiencing it firsthand and witnessing it with her own eyes, she finally understood that what her father had to say couldn''t really describe how impulsive Jayden Tordoff could be.


    "You could have killed him earlier!" Apple could swear that her heart was still beating fast. What kind of trouble would she have to face if Jayden actually pulled the trigger and killed Kyle?


    This man was unpredictable and dangerous, but at the same time he looked like the most harmless man you could evere across.


    How could it be that after what happened he actually showed an expression ofplete innocence?


    "I did intend to kill him, but since you intervened at thest moment, he''s still alive," Jayden replied lightly and his eyes fell on Apple''s empty hands. "So after a long wait, I still didn''t get any food?"


    Apple forgot about thatpletely. She only realized that the bag of food she was carrying had fallen earlier when Kyle hit her pretty hard. It made them unable to have dinner now.


    "You are so unbelievable¡­" Jayden clicked his tongue and walked into the house, but then he stopped halfway and turned around. "I thought you were strong enough to work in your father''s ce, but apparently you can''t even protect yourself."


    Those words pierced Apple''s heart deeply because what he said was true. Apple had let Kyle hit her and she never retaliated. What kind of stupidity was that?


    However, Apple had her own reasons.


    "You don''t know anything, so don''t interfere," Apple said, slightly annoyed. She was about to walk into the house first, ahead of Jayden.


    But, as she walked past the man, her hand was grabbed by him as he forced her to stop. Jayden''s grip on her wrist was so strong that Apple couldn''t shake him off.


    "I don''t know why you let that guy hit you, but whatever it is, don''t let me see him again." Jayden''s expression showed how serious he was and although he didn''t raise his voice, its low pitch conveyed that he meant every word he said. "Because if I ever see him again, I''ll make sure he won''t be able to use those hands again, even to lift a chopstick."


    Apple was stunned for a while when she heard that, especially when she saw the deep look in Jayden''s eyes. He seemed to have his own reasons why he behaved like that, or it could be said that he had experienced something unpleasant in his past that made himself act like that.


    Or had this something to do with his past trauma? Apple couldn''t know for sure the answers to the questions in her head.


    But, then she uttered a sentence that she didn''t really think about. "Why? You care about me now?"


    And Apple really regretted those stupid words as soon as they left her lips. A smirk could be seen forming at the corners of Jayden''s lips in the next moment.


    "Of course not," Jayden said, then released his grip on Apple''s arm. "I just don''t like seeing women get beaten up. However, if you were a man, I would probably grab a stool and a bowl of popcorn and enjoy the show when you get beaten up by whoever the guy was."


    After saying this Jayden stepped into the house first, but not before telling Apple to check her face and make sure to not let Pyro see that.


    Apple touched her face and could feel the stinging pain on her cheeks. Damn that bastard!


    =====================


    "You said Apple woulde as a recement for Pyro?" Misha asked Jayden when the two of them were about to attend an important meeting that required Jayden''s presence because Alina was out of town to take care of their newpany.


    "I don''t think she''lle," Jayden replied casually, he didn''t think much of the girl anymore. Apple should have reported to him to rece Pyro two days ago, but the girl didn''te at all.


    Jayden didn''t want to ask Pyro about it. He felt it was unnecessary to ask. If Apple didn''t want to work for him, then that was her decision and so be it.


    "What did you do to her?" Misha asked, he looked at Jayden usingly.


    "I didn''t do anything," Jayden retorted fiercely, but then he remembered what he nearly did and corrected his words immediately. "Maybe I did something to upset her¡­"


    Misha rolled his eyes dramatically. "What did you do?" he asked curiously.


    "I almost shot a male friend of hers in the head," Jayden said casually. "Looks like she''s mad about it."


    Misha opened his mouth and closed it again, he seemed to be at a loss for words at the statement he had just heard from Jayden.


    "You really can''t be trusted," Misha said atst, but Jayden didn''t respond. His mind was upied with other things.


    He received information that one of the members of the organization that kidnapped him in the past would gather at a bar tonight and he was nning to visit that ce.


    "But why do you care so much about her?" Jayden asked. Just a casual question as they waited for their elevator to stop on the floor they were on.


    Misha nced at Jayden and answered him. "Don''t you remember?"


    "Remember what?" Jayden asked. He then stepped out of the elevator first, passed through the corridor and slowed his pace.


    "You two met when you were little and I took care of you both," Misha said. He reminded Jayden of their first meeting. "You don''t remember and I don''t think Apple remembers it either."


    "Really?" Jayden asked in disbelief, he frowned and looked at Misha. "When?"


    "When you were twelve and she was five," Misha replied.

 Chapter 432 WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

    <h4>Chapter 432 WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?</h4>


    Jayden had no idea that he had ever met Apple before, while the girl didn''t seem to remember this either.


    Naturally, Apple was still too young to remember while Jayden''s childhood memories got blurred because of the kidnapping incident that happened to him when he was fifteen years old.


    After attending several meetings back to back until the evening, night finally came and Jayden prepared to go to the bar, where he could ''catch'' the man who ording to his informant was a member of the group who called themselves "The Serpent."


    It was the members of that organization that had kidnapped him twelve years ago which left Jayden deeply traumatized.


    His father had tried to trace the main base of this organization, but it was too difficult while the people who kidnapped him had been caught and given very severe sentences.


    Maybe that was why Ramon wasn''t really interested in the organization anymore. While on the other hand, Jayden wouldn''t be satisfied until he was able to get to the roots of the organization and destroy it.


    Therefore, he was more involved in underhanded dealings and activities in the ck market than being behind the desk as Misha and his sister did.


    Even though Alina was very worried about her brother, she and Misha knew that nothing could stop Jayden if he had focused on something.


    "You have to stop this obsession Jayden," Misha said with a cold expression on his face.


    Sometimes, Jayden felt that his cousin looked a lot more like his father than he did, especially when he put on a cold face like this and started talking seriously.


    "I''ll lose my direction in life if I stop what I love," Jayden replied in an exaggerated and dramatic tone.


    Hearing that, Misha couldn''t help but be speechless as he couldn''t find any words he could say to Jayden.


    This cousin of his was indeed difficult to guess. He was always too stubborn and followed his own whims.


    "Up to you." In the end, that was all Misha could say before he turned and walked away from Jayden, leaving the man in his office to prepare himself for who knows what he might face tonight.


    After Misha left and Jayden was alone in the room, he called Richard, someone who had temporarily filled Pyro''s position, since Apple hadn''t arrived.


    Jayden hired Richard as one of the spies to dig for information in the ck market. He took him in when his previous boss was about to cut off his hand because of a mistake he made.


    And even though the man was grateful that Jayden helped him, Jayden still couldn''t trust him one hundred percent.


    It was like a dangerous game Jayden chose to y.


    He kept these dangerous people close to him to facilitate his own movement in the ck market because they knew the terrain well, but on the other hand, Jayden couldn''t let them get too close, because they might stab him when he was off guard.


    This was one of the concerns of Misha and his family¡­


    "Yeah, I''ll meet you there, bring some people over..." Jayden said, and ended the call before preparing to leave.


    =====================


    Jayden''s right hand was on the shoulder of a woman who looked very beautiful and seductive in a short sleeveless dress. She had long and reddish hair. Even in this dark room condition, anyone who looked at them, would immediately notice her beauty. They stared at the girl, no longer having time to look at the man she was with because it would only be a waste of time.


    And that was exactly what Jayden wanted, he wanted all eyes on him to shift to the woman beside him, while he hid his skillet between his shoulders and neck.


    Even though he hugged the girl named Hellen, whoughed every time he spoke and was very boring with all her flirtations that sounded so clich¨¦, Jayden''s mind was elsewhere. And although his lips curved into a smile, Jayden''s eyes were trained on the table across from his desk, where he could see three men talking seriously, taking advantage of the busy bar situation where no one could hear them.


    "Hey, focus on me," Hellen sulked when she didn''t get Jayden''s attention. The girl pursed her lips when she saw Jayden chuckling before leaning over to kiss her lips.


    Well, it was a lot easier to make the girl beside him happy and stop sulking.


    But then, when Jayden saw one of the three people standing there, he broke the kiss and kissed Hellen on both cheeks.


    "Can you order some drinks and food?" Jayden asked, handing a card to Hellen and made the girl''s eyes sparkle. Without much to say, she immediately stood up to order drinks and food, even though they had more than enough on the table.


    Jayden then looked in a different direction where his subordinates were waiting for a signal from him, only then did the man stand up to follow one of the three men who had left earlier.


    However, when the other two men started to stand up from their seats, Jayden prepared himself to leave after the two of them.


    However, the two of them seemed to be still discussing something important and were silent near their table.


    Jayden was about to move when they made a move to leave, but just before he could act on his impulse, someone sat on the seat across from him and quickly pulled the bottle of water in front of him.


    Quickly, Jayden''s hand flew to the gun on his waist, but when he found out who the woman had so boldly approached him, he was instantly stunned.


    "What are you doing here?!" Jayden''s voice sounded much higher than he expected, but then he looked around him, where the people he had brought had prepared to approach him because of this uninvited girl.


    However, Jayden shook his head subtly, asking them to stay put.


    "Help me," Apple said.

 Chapter 433 FINALY YOU REALIZE THAT I AM HANDSOME

    <h4>Chapter 433 FINALY YOU REALIZE THAT I AM HANDSOME</h4>


    There were about fifteen people who came with Jayden to the bar tonight, so when Apple suddenly came and said that she needed help after sitting directly opposite Jayden, they all immediately moved and their movements were quite significant.


    Luckily, the two people who were having a serious conversation didn''t realize this and were still discussing things that Jayden couldn''t eavesdrop on at all.


    Jayden shook his head very slowly, telling them the situation was under control, while Apple in front of him, drank straight from the bottle, downing it in one go.


    She seemed to be frowning and when she had put the bottle away, she looked at Jayden.


    "Pretend that you know me," Apple said.


    Jaydenughed at that. "We know each other, remember? I''ve even been to your house and met your father." Jayden''s words seemed to indicate something else. "So why should I pretend?"


    Apple scowled at him then shrugged nonchntly. "Talk to me, pretend like you''re talking to me."


    This time Jaydenughed. "If you want to chat with me, just say so, don''t talk in circles."


    Apple hissed and cursed under her breath, but Jayden couldn''t hear what she was saying because the room was too noisy.


    "So, what''s the matter? Did you get in trouble here? Can''t pay for your drinks? Or were you abandoned by your date?" Jayden teased the girl in front of him.


    Hearing what Jayden had to say, Apple kicked his leg under the table. It was not a warning kick, but a kick full of irritation, and of course very painful.


    "You don''t need to know," Apple grumbled.


    "Are you actually here to ask for help or not? How could you hurt the person you wanted to ask for help?" Jayden stared at Apple in disbelief.


    "I know what you''re doing here, so I''ll help you while you help me," Apple said.


    Jayden raised his eyebrows. He was quite surprised to hear such a frank statement. "What do you know?" he inquired.


    "You''re following the man at your 3 o''clock, aren''t you," Apple said casually, ncing at the two men still standing at their desk.


    "Wow, you''re great, how do you know that?" Jayden asked, but then he got the answer. "Pyro. Was it Pyro who sent you here?"


    "Dad did tell me toe here, but I came because I had things to attend to," Apple answered quickly. Her eyes were fixed on a table of four people, on the left side of the bar. And when Jayden was about to take a look, Apple hurriedly reached out her hand with a smile and grabbed his. "Don''t turn."


    Jayden ignored this and pretended to be looking around the room, but of course he was looking at the four men staring at Apple right now.


    "What do you want me to do?" Jayden asked.


    "Don''t leave me alone and take me home," Apple replied.


    But, before Jayden or Apple could continue their conversation, Hellen had returned with a bottle of drink and a te of snacks. The girl''s eyes turned fierce when she saw Apple was holding Jayden''s hand.


    "B*tch! Hands off!" she hissed so sharply that Jayden thought he had kissed a snake a few minutes ago and not a woman.


    Surprised, Apple immediately withdrew her hand, but Jayden quickly grabbed hers back and now he was the one holding Apple''s hand.


    "What the hell are you doing, Richard?" Hellen said to Jayden, she knew this man as Richard and didn''t really know his real identity, because they just met tonight.


    "Honey, can you leave us for a bit?" Jayden said in a soft voice, but didn''t let go of his grip on Apple''s hand. "You can take the card and buy whatever you want," he added when he saw that Hellen was going to make it a big deal.


    Hearing this, with a chin up and stomping steps, indicating that she was annoyed, the woman walked away, away from Jayden and Apple, taking the drinks and food she bought and of course the card Jayden had given her.


    "Richard?" Apple scoffed at the name Jayden chose. "You have absolutely no creativity," she said.


    "Why? Richard is a great name," Jayden replied.


    "Yeah, but it doesn''t suit your face." Apple didn''t want to lose, but before she could say anything else, Jayden had her stand up.


    "We have to get out of here," Jayden said, standing up first and pulling Apple into his arms.


    Out of the corner of his eye, Apple could see that the two people had moved away while the four people following Apple, also stood up from their seats when they saw Apple leave.


    "You don''t have to hold me, do you?" Apple quipped, ncing at Jayden''s hand slung over her shoulder.


    "Would you rather we just hug?" Jayden asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively.


    "Don''t take the chance," Apple grumbled.


    "Smile, I couldn''t possibly take a chance with you when I wasted on a girl like Hellen just now," Jayden sighed, as if he really regretted getting Apple in exchange of Hellen. "She really has beautiful curves."


    Apple knew that Jayden was only trying to get on her nerves, but it still annoyed her. So she pinched the man''s waist, causing Jayden to take a sharp breath and re at her.


    "Smile," Apple said, imitating Jayden''s words moments ago. "I just wanted to let you know that you need to freeze the card immediately, because that girl will definitely drain out the funds on it in a matter of seconds."


    Jayden smirked when he heard that. "Don''t worry, she''ll only get the money I''ve prepared for her."


    But that did not mean the money was of a small nominal value.


    "That''s up to you, perfert, I''m just trying to save your finances," Apple grumbled.


    Hearing that, Jaydenughed. "You don''t have to worry, I can still buy you a diamond ring if you still want it."


    "Focus on this mission, handsome, or we''ll lose the two guys you''ve been tailing."


    Hearing that, Jayden refocused on his original mission, but before that he took the time to mutter. "Finally you realized that I''m handsome."

 Chapter 434 GET RID OF HIM

    <h4>Chapter 434 GET RID OF HIM</h4>


    The two of them finally followed the two of them and ended up in the underground car park below, where the two men entered a gray car and were about to leave.


    "What are your ns now?" Apple asked. She lifted her head and saw Jayden looking around them, seeming to be anticipating how many people there were or the positions of the people he brought.


    "Follow them," Jayden replied casually.


    "Where did you park your car?" Apple asked, she looked around and didn''t find the car Jayden usually drove. But then again, didn''t someone like Jayden have more than one car?


    "I parked it on the other side of the building," Jayden said, grinning when he saw Apple snort in annoyance at his response.


    "Then what are you going to do now?" Not far from them, the gray car''s engine was turned on and the car started to move away, to get out of the parking lot.


    If they went to collect Jayden''s car first, it was certain that they would both miss their target.


    "Don''t worry," Jayden replied casually, watching the car go backward and standing next to a car while brushing Apple''s hair, as if they were two very romantic lovers. And Apple could only roll her eyes dramatically at the sight of what Jayden did.


    It was very cheap acting and she didn''t believe she was a part of it.


    "The car''s gone," Apple said, nodding at the gray car that had pulled away from the parking lot, but they could still see it moving away.


    And just at that moment, a ck sedan pulled over and the driver got out of the car.


    "Come on," Jayden said as he grabbed Apple''s hand and led her into the car.


    "Actually I could go home with one of your guys and not have to join this chase," Apple said when she was already in the car. "I don''t really want to get involved in your troubles." Well, Apple already had issues of her own to deal with, so she didn''t feel like she had the time to take on any more.


    "Too bad, beautiful, you''re already involved now, so buckle up, because I guarantee it''s going to be a lot of fun tonight," Jayden said, rolling his eyes at Apple.


    Apple rolled her eyes dramatically. "Let''s finish this quickly, I want to hurry home." She then buckled her seatbelt and let Jayden drive the car, following the gray car about two cars from them, waiting in line to get out of the building''s parking lot.


    =====================


    "Why are you in that bar?" Jayden asked as they remained silent, having followed the gray car for about ten minutes now.


    "I have business," Apple replied curtly, as if she wanted to end the conversation that hadn''t even started yet.


    "What business? With that rude lover of yours?" Jayden asked, then turned left. From the street boards, it seemed like they were about to get out of city A.


    "He''s not my boyfriend," Apple said sarcastically. She didn''t like being associated with that man anymore.


    "Your ex-lover then." Jaydenughed when he heard Apple snort in disgust. "So? Did you meet him?" he asked curiously.


    "None of your business," Apple grumbled.


    "It''s none of my business, but at least say something, I''ll be sleepy if you just continue keeping mum while frowning." Jayden pretended to yawn.


    For a moment Apple didn''t respond to the man, but then she started talking.


    "I met him five years ago, but only started a serious rtionship with him four years ago," Apple said.


    "And how old are you now?" Jayden asked curiously.


    "I''m twenty years old."


    "So you met him when you were fifteen and started a serious rtionship with him when you were sixteen, correct?" Jayden nced at Apple, who gave him a suspicious look, as if she sensed that there was something behind the question.


    "Yes," Apple replied curtly, still eyeing Jayden warily.


    "Wow, that''s amazing¡­" Jayden smirked. "You''ve been in a serious rtionship since you were sixteen, I didn''t even have a single serious rtionship at the age of twenty-eight."


    Apple sneered. "That''s because you never take anything seriously."


    Jayden shook his head when he heard that, heughed softly. "That''s because I have more important priorities."


    "Like finding out the organization that once kidnapped you?" Apple could see that Jayden was slightly frowning, feeling ufortable with the topic, but then, his facial expression changed again and he had his usual calm expression.


    "At least it''s better than focusing my attention on an asshole who hits a girl," Jayden retorted with a nonchnt shrug.


    And even though Apple red at him for hisment, she still had to admit that what Jayden said was true.


    "Then, what''s your problem with the guys at the bar?" Jayden recalled the four people who kept watching Apple from a distance.


    "You could say that Kyle was in trouble and I, as his former girlfriend, was affected too," Apple replied in a rxed tone, although from what it seemed, the problems she was facing were not at all that light.


    There was a pause after Apple said that before Jayden finally asked her.


    "You want me to help you?" Jayden asked, his eyes still focused on the road in front of him as well as the gray car he was following, with people full of at least two cars tailing behind him.


    "Help me in what way?" Apple asked, she stared at the side of Jayden''s face, waiting for his answer.


    "I can get rid of them if you want," Jayden replied.


    "You can''t just kill people," Apple retorted, but he knew that Jayden was serious with his ''promise'' and this wasn''t his first dirty job.


    "Of course, I can. I can get rid of him like this." Jayden then snapped his fingers.


    And for a moment, seeing his half smile, Apple could feel chills run down her spine.


    =================


    read my other book: UNTAMED: THE ALPHA


    meet me on instagram @jikan_yo_tomare

 Chapter 435 STAY BESIDE ME

    <h4>Chapter 435 STAY BESIDE ME</h4>


    "Hey, wake up," Jayden whispered, rocking Apple who was sleeping while leaning against the car window.


    The girl immediately woke up and turned alert, looking around her with interest.


    "What is it?" she asked in a low voice, she looked around and realized that they were no longer on the main road and there were some shabby houses around them. From a distance, Apple could even hear a ship''s whistle. "Where are we now?" she asked confusedly.


    "We''re getting down here now," Jayden said, then handed Apple a gun.


    Apple who saw that showed a surprised face, not expecting that the situation would be this serious.


    "There''s no need to look so tense," Jayden said lightly. "This is just a precaution," he said soothingly.


    But, of course Apple didn''t believe his words, she looked doubtful as she took the gun and put it in the tuck of her pants.


    "You have a lot of people who can do this dirty work, so why did you involve yourself in investigating this?" Apple did not understand the way the man beside her thought.


    "If you like horse riding, then it would be more fun to do it yourself than to see someone else do it," Jayden replied wisely.


    "I just found out that your hobby was horse riding, I thought you only love showing off," Apple sneered at him, but this son of the Tordoff family didn''t seem offended at all, he just smirked and replied.


    "I have a lot of hobbies, including showing off too," he answered shortly before getting out of the car followed by Apple.


    "Where are they?" Apple asked when she had walked over to Jayden and stood beside him. She looked around and realized that they were in a harbour.


    What were they going to do in this ce?


    "On one of the ships over there," Jayden replied, nodding toward one of the ships located not far from them. "Some of my people have checked this ce, but they couldn''t drill the whole thing, so we have to go and do it ourselves."


    There weren''t that many people Jayden had brought to be able tob a ce this big, after all bringing a lot of people would only draw the attention of the two men.


    "Then let''s get this over with as soon as possible so I can go home as soon as possible," Apple said firmly. She was about to walk first, but then she felt Jayden pulling her back.


    "Stay behind me," Jayden said, he then took the initiative to walk ahead of Apple and let the girl follow him.


    On the other hand, Apple wasn''t used to finding herself hiding behind a man, so she said in a low voice. "I thought I was your bodyguard and not the other way around."


    "You''re off duty, so you''re just Pyro''s daughter and not my bodyguard," Jayden replied lightly.


    "Can''t we count this as me doing overtime?" Apple countered, starting to follow and keep up with Jayden''s jokes.


    "You should sign some paperwork first, beautiful, before we discuss money here."


    Apple sneered at him. "You gave your money for free to that girl named Hellen, but you''re keeping tabs with me?"


    Jaydenughed softly at what Apple said. "I''ll treat you to a meal after this."


    Apple snorted in response, but then she refocused on the matter at hand.


    Jayden walked in front of Apple while the girl checked behind them, hoping that the night would end soon because she wanted to go home and have a good sleep.


    "Which ship?" Apple asked when they got close to the dock. There were about five ships there, two of which had been inspected by Jayden''s men, while the remaining three wererge ships they couldn''t possibly have inspected alone.


    But, Apple then realized something, Jayden didn''t answer her question, he looked tense until the veins in his neck were protruding.


    "Are you okay?" Apple asked. She saw beads of sweat popping down Jayden''s neck and then remembered one of her father''s stories about Jayden''s trauma. "If you don''t want to get on that ship, I can check it for you."


    Then, without waiting for Jayden''s response, Apple stepped forward and was about to enter one of the ships when three of Jayden''s men entered it.


    "No," Jayden said, grabbing Apple''s hand quickly to keep the girl from getting into the ship. "We can wait here."


    Apple looked at Jayden and was silent, not contradicting his words or making the jokes she had always thrown before.


    Meanwhile, Jayden could only curse under his breath because that damn trauma was still haunting him.


    He had gone through several sessions with a psychologist and seen several psychiatrists on the advice of his mother, but nothing seemed to help him with his fears.


    Sh*t!


    Jayden then leaned his back against one of the masts there, while they both took cover in therge cargo that was between him and the ship.


    However, after a few minutes of waiting, nothing happened. There were no reports whatsoever that his men managed to get any information or anything.


    However, after three minutes had passed, in the middle of the quiet and rtively calm night, they could hear gunshots that were loud enough to make Apple and Jayden jump in alert.


    Then followed by two other gunshots.


    "Stay here, I''ll check it out, it''ll be faster if I move alone," Apple said, who immediately ran swiftly and agilely toward the ship, without Jayden having time to stop her.


    "Sh*t! This girl¡­" Jayden cursed. He had no problem with the firefight going on. But that being the scene on a ship made Jayden feel not wanting to approach at all, while Apple had almost reached the ship and disappeared behind it.


    Apple did have the gun that Jayden gave her earlier, but he certainly didn''t want anything to happen to the girl.


    *****************


    Read also my new story: UNTAMED: THE ALPHA.


    Hope you like it.

 Chapter 436 GUN FIRE

    <h4>Chapter 436 GUN FIRE</h4>


    Apple drew closer to the stern of the ship where she could hear some noise from. But since the gunfire had stopped, she tried to walk closer, with her back against the wall and a gun in hand.


    Apple could only feel a little relieved when she saw a man lying face down on the floor of the boat near the mast with two men pointing their guns at him.


    Apple recognized the man that had fallen on the floor to be one of the two men who had been at the bar.


    While the two men who pointed a gun at the first man were Jayden''s men.


    "Where''s the other man?" Apple asked them. They stared at Apple for a moment, but then they answered the question, because they had seen this girl with Jayden before.


    "He managed to escape to the other ship, there are already two people chasing after him," one of them answered.


    "Where are the others?" Apple asked.


    "They''re checking this ship," he answered again.


    Thinking that the situation here was under control, Apple then ran toward the ship that the bodyguard had pointed to earlier.


    Apple didn''t think anything of it, she just wanted this to be over quickly and enable Jayden to get the two people he wanted.


    Therefore, to shorten the time, she jumped from one ship to another because the distance allowed her to go for a jump, instead of having to get off this ship and get on to the next ship.


    However, what Apple didn''t know was; her moves just drew admiration from the two men who saw her, they didn''t expect the cute-looking girl to have such astonishing courage.


    Meanwhile, Applended smoothly on the second ship, rolled for a moment and immediately stood up with a gun ready in her hand, she then looked around her warily.


    From seeing her moves alone, one could tell that this was not the first time she had to face such a condition.


    After confirming that no one was around, Apple immediately walked to the ship''s deck and checked it.


    The ship was quiterge, so Apple had to really pick up on every sound that surrounded it, between the gusts of wind from the sea and the waves rocking the ship.


    Apple was silent for a moment when she heard gunshots and people screaming in pain.


    Once she was sure of where the voice wasing from, she immediately moved toward it, running cautiously and asionally looking behind her back.


    The first thing her father taught her was to always be aware of what was behind her while she was looking at what was in front of her.


    It was a confusing lesson for Apple when she was a kid, but now she was used to it and was grateful that her father had taught her it.


    Soon, another shot was heard which was followed by two more gunshots.


    Apple immediately took cover and listened to her surroundings. Only after she felt sure things were getting safer did shee out of her hiding ce and sneaked toward the source of the sound.


    There, on the deck of the ship, Apple could see two of Jayden men had fallen on the ground with blood soaking the floor. The man had managed to immobilize both men and now Apple didn''t know where the man was.


    Apple didn''t immediately approach the two men who had been injured, but was grateful when she noticed that they were still moving. They were even groaning in pain.


    It was only after waiting for a while and feeling that the conditions were safe, Apple walked toward the two men.


    However, before she could reach the two of them, someone had run very fast toward her.


    Her instincts kicked in in time, as she pivoted on her heel and pulled the trigger. However, she missed the target as the bullet only scratched his arm and didn''t do too much damage to stop him from attacking her.


    When Apple was about to fire her second bullet, she was toote, for the man had grabbed her gun and was pulling it toward himself, about to smack her in the face mercilessly.


    Luckily, Apple was flexible enough to dodge the attack and crouched down to deliver a kick to his groin, which made the attacker bend over in pain.


    But, when he did that, Apple actually brought her knee to his face and made him scream in agony, covering his face with his palm, as blood was oozing out from his nose.


    Apple smiled triumphantly when she saw that and was about to charge forward when that man drew a knife from his waist that forced Apple to take a step back.


    Apple once fought someone who wielded a knife while she didn''t have any, but it wasn''t a pleasant experience and if she could, she didn''t want to repeat that experience again.


    Not far from her, Apple could see the gun that the man had thrown earlier, on the ground, but the man was also looking in the same direction.


    "Don''t be silly, I can kill you right now," he growled angrily, his other hand still covering his bleeding nose.


    "Same here," Apple replied, showing no fear at all.


    But, just at that moment, the man threw the knife he was holding at Apple in an unexpected motion.


    Luckily, Apple''s reflexes were good enough that she was able to dodge the attack unharmed, however, the man immediately ran to the gun and grabbed it.


    With precision, he pointed the gun at Apple and prepared to pull the trigger.


    Apple might be able to dodge a knife thrown at her, but that didn''t mean she could dodge the bullets that were fired at her. She didn''t have that ability.


    Therefore, with a stoic face, she braced herself for the worse when she heard gunshots.


    ==================


    Read also my new story: UNTAMED: THE ALPHA.


    Hope you like it ^^


    meet me on instagram @jikan_yo_tomare

 Chapter 437 YOU DRIVE

    <h4>Chapter 437 YOU DRIVE</h4>


    The sound of gunshots was deafening in the middle of this cold and lonely night.


    Apple felt that she was just a second away from crossing the river of afterlife and waited for the gunshot pain to mangle her soul, but after a while, instead of feeling pain herself; Apple heard the sound of someone groaning in pain followed by the sound of flesh hitting the floor.


    Carefully, Apple opened her eyes to find the man, who had pointed the gun at her earlier, had fallen to the ground, lying motionless with blood sttered around his body.


    While not far from her, and from behind the man''s body, Apple could see Jayden standing. The gun in his hand still emitting a faint white smoke, as proof that the gunshots that Apple heard earlier were from the man''s gun.


    It was only after she realized she was fine and alive that Apple could breathe a sigh of relief and plopped down, sitting on the cold floor of the ship, while Jayden walked over to her.


    There was something different about the way the man approached Apple, especially the expression on his face.


    Jayden looked shocked, even a little scared. His hands were shaking and his breath was shallow, as if he had just woken up from an endless nightmare.


    A ridiculous thought crossed Apple''s mind ; maybe Jayden was scared because he had killed the man earlier.


    She wanted tough in the midst of this tense situation. How could a man like Jayden be afraid of killing someone who was his enemy? He would have killed more than this if Apple remembered the stories her father had told her.


    There must be something bothering Jayden for him to react this way, only, Apple didn''t know what it was and didn''t have a chance to ask, because the man had snapped at her harshly.


    "DON''T EVER DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT AGAIN!" he yelled furiously at Apple. "You''re not going anywhere until I tell you otherwise and you won''t act recklessly like before!"


    The word ''thank you'' that Apple was about to say to Jayden for saving her life, was swallowed again because of her shock at the way Jayden yelled at her.


    Why was he angry? Even he himself could not handle his trauma well and looked scared when he saw these ships¡­


    "You can die! And what am I supposed to say to Pyro when his only daughter dies because of her own stupid impulsiveness?!" Jayden shouted again, while several men came from behind him, stopping in their tracks, because they saw Jayden being furious at Apple. "You will only move when I say so, and you will stay put until I say otherwise!"


    A moment of hush fell after Jayden let out all his anger and Apple just sat on the floor, with her head tilted, looking Jayden straight in the eye.


    She didn''t look scared at all, but it was nothing like Jayden had imagined either, because he thought Apple would snap back at him and scold him in return.


    However, she didn''t do so and when a few minutes had passed and she was sure there would no longer be anymore outbursts from Jayden, she spoke innocently.


    "Are you done throwing your temper tantrum?" she asked. "If so, help me up." Apple reached out her hand, asking Jayden to pull herself up from this ufortable position.


    Jayden was confused that Apple didn''t react the way he had imagined, but he didn''t wait long to pull the girl to her feet and steady herself.


    "Are you hurt?" Jayden asked, with his voice lowered this time, as his eyes scanned the girl''s body quickly and briefly.


    "No," Apple answered quickly.


    Jayden also saw that this girl wasn''t hurt at all. At least, he wouldn''t get into trouble with Pyro for sending his daughter back in a fully wounded condition.


    "Good," Jayden said sullenly. He then tossed a car key to Apple, which she caught with ease. "Your turn to drive, I am sleepy. After all, you''ve slept the whole way here."


    Apple scowled as she received the car keys and stared at Jayden''s moving back, while several men hade toward her to help their friends and secure the man Jayden had shot.


    Even from behind like this, Apple could see that Jayden wasn''t doing well at all. His gait was a little wobbly and his shoulders slumped.


    Without waiting long or dilly dallying until Jayden scolded her again, Apple immediately ran after him.


    =======================


    Several times, Apple turned to Jayden, who was resting his head against the window ss, with his eyes closed shut tightly.


    His face looked a little pale asrge beads of sweat started to appear on his forehead.


    "Are you sure you don''t want to go home?" she asked. "You can meet my father tomorrow and talk to him."


    Jayden insisted on seeing Pyro tonight and refused to go home, because he knew that he would be all alone at the Tordoff residence, because no one else lived there but him.


    His parents chose to live on their favorite ind six months back and it was uncertain when they would return.


    Jayden didn''t want to go back to his apartment either because he didn''t want to be alone.


    "No," Jayden replied curtly, without opening his eyes.


    "You want me to take you to the hospital?" Apple asked again, because she knew what kind of trauma Jayden had gone through before.


    "No," Jayden answered again in a firmer voice.


    "Or¡­"


    But, before Apple could finish her sentence, Jayden had cut her off. "Shut up and just drive."


    Hearing that, Apple groaned in annoyance, but then she fell silent.


    The ride tonight was long, especially when Apple had to drive this vehicle alone with no one to talk to.


    Apple didn''t know if Jayden was really asleep or not, but for sure when they finally got to her house, he wasn''t awake at all.


    "Jayden, we''re here," Apple called. She stretched out her hand and was about to shake him, but Jayden suddenly opened his eyes and choked her.

 Chapter 438 I CAN SLEEP IN YOUR BEDROOM

    <h4>Chapter 438 I CAN SLEEP IN YOUR BEDROOM</h4>


    Jayden felt very ufortable after getting down from the ship earlier. The sound of the waves and the way the ship shook and bobbed made Jayden feel dizzy and he didn''t like the sensation at all.


    It made him remember things he didn''t want to remember at all. The memory that he painstakingly buried deep in his subconscious, which ording to his psychologist was his coping mechanism to heal and survive from the trauma he experienced.


    His head started aching on the way back to Apple''s house and this made Jayden feel even more ufortable.


    But, when he finally managed to fall asleep, the images and nightmares awaiting him suffocated him out of his wits.


    Jayden felt that he had returned to the time he was when he was fifteen years old. The very period when he was just a helpless teenager who struggled to defend himself and also protect himself, letting bad things happen right in front of his eyes without being able to do anything.


    His breath hitched and beads of sweat began to appear on his forehead, but Jayden didn''t wake up, for he had been ensnared in the nightmare.


    Jayden didn''t see her, but he felt and could hear a woman''s voice calling out to him. It was a strange sound, but he was sure he had heard it somewhere.


    The woman kept calling his name, demanding his attention, but he was too upied with the nightmare to deal with her, so Jayden couldn''t give her the response she wanted.


    And just at that moment Jayden could feel it, the woman moved closer and her hand reached out to touch his.


    Out of instinct, Jayden opened his eyes as he quickly warded off the woman''s hand, while his other hand reached for her neck, trying to strangle the woman who had dared to approach him.


    "Jayden!" Apple screamed in surprise when she saw that Jayden''s eyes were full of hatred. This man seemed to want to kill her without a second thought. His eyes were unfocused and clouded by something Apple couldn''t exin. "Let go!"


    For a moment, Jayden didn''t let go of his grip on the girl''s neck, while Apple tried to w his hand and keep his hand away from her neck, however, her strength certainly wasn''tparable to the man''s in front of her.


    Therefore, thest step Apple could do was to clench her fists and m them into the side of Jayden''s face until the man groaned in pain and released her.


    "Are you crazy!?" Apple cried angrily, clutching her neck and coughing, trying to draw as much air as possible into her lungs, because she felt like she was about to die from suffocation. "You want to kill me!?" she cried again in annoyance.


    And without waiting long, because Apple was afraid that Jayden would try to kill her again and mistake that he was still in a dream, Apple immediately got out of the car. At least by being outside, she could resist much more efficiently if Jayden tried to kill her again.


    Meanwhile, in the car, Jayden shook his head violently, as if to get rid of the horrible memories that clouded his mind.


    It wasn''t until a momentter that he realized what he had just done to Apple, or what might have happened had she not beaten him in time.


    Quickly, Jayden got out of the car and walked over to Apple, but the girl just kept her distance from him, and he understood why she did so.


    Therefore, Jayden stayed where he was, giving Apple the distance she needed to feel safe from him. "Are you okay?" Jayden asked with a frown on his face.


    "Apart from almost dying at the hands of a stupid man who almost killed me because I woke him up while he''s still delirious, I am totally fine, my life is perfect," Apple said exaggeratingly, the irritation in her voice very vivid.


    Jayden would haveughed at Apple''s scathingments if the situation had been different, but not this time. He wasn''t in the mood tough at all because he knew what Apple said was true. He almost killed her.


    "Thanks for hitting me in time," Jayden replied. "But I can assure you now that I''m safe and tame." He tried to lighten the mood a little by raising his hands, indicating that he was giving up.


    Luckily, Apple saw Jayden''s efforts and didn''t extend the issue. "Any time," she answered curtly. "Next time you do that again, I''ll beat you until you don''t understand if you''re dreaming or not."


    "Yes, do it," Jayden replied in a low voice, then he walked toward the door of the Apple house, following behind her.


    "I think my dad''s asleep," Apple mumbled, she then walked over and checked Pyro''s room and found her dad was indeed asleep, then went back to Jayden to tell him this. "My father is asleep, you can''t talk to him now."


    Jayden nodded. "I''ll talk to him tomorrow morning then," Jayden replied in a low voice. He then walked into the kitchen and took a ss to drink.


    Pyro''s house wasn''t that big and it was not a terraced house and only contained two bedrooms. Pyro had upied one room, the other room was Apple''s. So the question was, where would Jayden sleep?


    "You''re going home, right? You''ll be back tomorrow morning to talk to my father." Apple followed him into the kitchen and poured herself some mineral water.


    "Why should I go home? I can stay here," Jayden said in a nonchnt tone and this made Apple frown.


    "Who allowed you to stay?"


    "Pyro will allow me to stay over if you wake him up now."


    "Then where are you going to sleep? We don''t have any vacant, unused rooms."


    "I can sleep in your room," Jayden replied lightly.


    Apple folded her arms across her chest, staring at Jayden in disbelief that this man would be so shameless as to suggest such a thing.

 Chapter 439 BRUISES

    <h4>Chapter 439 BRUISES</h4>


    "I can sleep in your room," Jayden replied lightly.


    "If you sleep in my room, then where am I going to sleep?" Apple widened her eyes in disbelief. This man was not seriously suggesting that.


    "You can sleep on the living room couch," Jayden replied, he shrugged nonchntly as he poured more mineral water into his empty ss. He was like someone who had just returned after being lost in a desert for months.


    "What makes you think that I would agree to sleep on the couch and give up my room for you?" Apple folded her arms across her chest, staring at Jayden in disbelief that this man would be so shameless as to suggest such a thing.


    "I am a guest here, shouldn''t a guest be well served?" Jayden then turned his attention to the refrigerator, where there were lots of photos pinned with mas.


    They were photos of Apple as a child and only Apple. The girl had short, curly shoulder-length hair, just like her current hairstyle, it seemed she didn''t really like experimenting with her hair.


    On the other hand, Apple, realizing that Jayden''s attention was on her childhood photos, immediately pushed the man away and stood in front of the refrigerator, blocking his view.


    "It''s very gentlemanly of you to tell a woman to sleep in the living room while you sleep in the room."


    Jaydenughed when he heard the statement. "I never said I was a gentleman, beautiful," he replied. "I wouldn''t mind even if you called me an asshole, because that''s what I am."


    "You are not sleeping in my room," Apple insisted, she was fuming because he annoyed her so much tonight.


    It started with him yelling at her on the ship, then he almost strangled her to death and now he wanted to invade her room?


    What kind of selfish and shameless man was he?


    ====================


    But, despite Apple''s stubbornness to defend her room, she finally had to admit defeat and withdrew from the room when Jayden casually slept on her bed without wearing a shirt and left his upper body bare just like that.


    "If you want to sleep, just sleep, there is no need to be afraid, I am too tired to do anything to you." Then he added. "You are not my type anyway, so you will be fine."


    Of course, Apple wouldn''t be coaxed into sleeping in the same bed with a topless guy like Jayden. She left the room after turning off the air conditioner and hiding the remote so he wouldn''t be able to sleepfortably in that hot room.


    Apple wanted to see how long the Tordoff heir would survive in a room without air conditioning.


    And sure enough, after a while, Jayden came out of her room and grumbled under his breath, trying to find the AC remote. But it couldn''t be found anywhere, because Apple had it.


    Apple also sensed that Jayden had approached her and stood looking at her, but since she was pretending to be asleep, Jayden couldn''t do anything, because he didn''t want to disturb her.


    This was a plus, but still the girl refused to make the annoying Tordoff heir feel better after taking her room.


    And after a while, Apple actually fell asleep not really caring about how Jayden would deal with the heat.


    But, in the middle of the night, just two hours before sunrise, Apple woke up feeling thirsty. She thenzily went to the kitchen to pour a ss of water for herself.


    But when she turned around and was about to drink it, Apple was surprised to find Jayden standing there, sitting on the ind naked with sweat glistening in the dim kitchen light.


    "What are you doing there?!" Apple''s hiss stifled. This wasn''t the first time Apple had seen a naked male body, but she had never seen a male body like Jayden''s. He looked like someone who spent his time in the gym all day, although that was highly unlikely since he had a job that required his attention.


    "Where''s the AC remote?" Jayden asked in a furious tone. "I can''t sleep at all," he grumbled.


    Apple bit her lower lip to suppress augh. She wanted to say that it was his punishment for taking her room, but seeing Jayden''s frowning and funny face made Apple answer him casually.


    "Get out of my room and I will give you the AC remote," Apple replied.


    Jayden frowned. What was the point of him getting that AC remote if he couldn''t enjoy the air conditioning as it was in Apple''s room?


    "You know, I have a meeting this afternoon and I haven''t slept at all," Jayden grumbled, then he ruffled his hair in annoyance. "This isn''t funny at all."


    "I think it''s funny. I like it," Apple replied casually, but then she reached into her pajama pockets and handed the AC remote to Jayden. "Here. As a token of my gratitude for saving me by shooting the man in time." And also for daring to get on board, even though Apple knew it was a tough thing for Jayden to do, despite him trying to hide it.


    But, of course, Apple didn''t say herst sentence out loud.


    Jayden immediately took the AC remote and grumbled something incoherently, then got off the ind and was about to walk back to Apple''s room.


    But then, he stopped and turned around. He looked at Apple intently and spoke softly. "You shouldpress your neck, it looks like the bruises are starting to show," he said.


    Apple, who was not used to Jayden''s words sounding sincere, touched her neck a little awkwardly.


    "I am sorry," he said in a tone full of regret. "I did not mean it."


    Apple cleared her throat and replied. "Let''s just say we are tied, you shouldpress your eyes too, because they are already starting to be swollen."


    *************


    Read my new story: UTAMED: THE ALPHA.


    Hope you will like it ^^

 Chapter 440 WAKE HIM UP

    <h4>Chapter 440 WAKE HIM UP</h4>


    Jayden could see the bruises on Apple''s neck and it made him feel ufortable. He had never hurt a woman thus far, because all his life he had always been filled with love by his mother and sister, therefore to see Apple have a wound inflicted by himself, made Jayden feel guilty.


    "I am sorry," Jayden said with a tone full of regret. "I did not mean it."


    "Let''s just say we''re tied, you shouldpress your eye too, because it''s starting to look bruised already," Apple replied nonchntly, but Jayden couldn''t help but smile as he touched the side of his injured face.


    "You hit me with all your heart," Jayden said, then walked away with the AC remote in his hand.


    He had to go to bed soon, because he had important meetings to attend in a few hours, not to mention that he had to talk to Pyro first thing in the morning, which meant sacrificing his sleep time again.


    "Oh, yeah, wake me up when Pyro is awake, there''s something I want to talk to him about."


    "Just set an rm on your phone."


    "I have a hard time waking up even though I set the rm." Especially after a long night coupled with the fact that hecked sleep. Not to mention it was all because Apple had hidden the AC remote.


    Ugh! This girl really annoying.


    Meanwhile, seeing Jayden innocently enter her room again, Apple could only purse her lips and turn her body to look at her reflection in the mirror. It was true what Jayden said earlier; her neck indeed starting to look bruised.


    Apple took a deep breath, she couldn''t imagine the depth of trauma that Jayden had gone through to make him lose his mind like that and not be aware of his surroundings.


    Thenzily, Apple took apress and startedpressing the bruises on her neck. Her father would make an unnecessary fuss if he saw these bruises.


    But, it was also impossible for Apple to cover it up within a few hours. Bruises like this would take at least three days to fade.


    Ugh! that guy really annoying.


    ===================


    Apple couldn''t sleep anymore when the sun started to shine. She decided to make breakfast for the three of them because usually her father would be up soon.


    Apple looked into the refrigerator and found that their groceries were running low and she had to go out for her monthly shopping spree.


    Therefore, Apple made breakfast from avable food ingredients and one of the dishes she was very good at was scrambled eggs and fried potatoes.


    It didn''t take long for Apple to make breakfast and when she was done, she could hear her father''s bedroom door opening. Shortly after, Pyro staggered into the kitchen at the smell of breakfast. His still sleepy eyes were only half open as he yawned widely.


    "Wash your face and brush your teeth first before eating," Apple said, pping her father''s hand which was about to pick up the fried potatoes from the te.


    Pyro snorted in displeasure, but then he realized that something was off. "Why are there three tes for breakfast here?" There were only two of them, so who was the third te for?


    Apple lifted her head from the pan and announced that Jayden had stayed the night.


    "He is here?" Pyro asked with a surprised face, instantly his sleepiness disappeared as he frowned at his only daughter hard.


    "Yeah, he''s stayed here."


    "Where is he sleeping?"


    "In my room," Apple answered directly.


    "WHAT?!"


    Apple dropped the spoon she was holding because she was surprised to hear her father''s voice screaming loudly enough.


    "What? Why?" Even at this point, Apple still hadn''t realized what was wrong with her answer.


    But, her father posted yet another question to her.


    "Then you two slept together in the same room?!" Pyro felt that the wounds he had suffered from Jayden''s stupidity and impulsiveness meant nothing at all when he thought that something had happened between the two of them.


    Jayden wasn''t a bad guy, but as someone who had followed him for a long time, of course Pyro knew what he was doing and the kinds of women around him.


    And knowing that, how could Pyro allow his daughter to be in the clutches of such a man?!


    "What?" Apple frowned when she saw her father''s exaggerated reaction, but as soon as she realized what her father meant, she immediately widened her eyes. "No, no, wait a minute, you misunderstood." She waved her hands frantically to stop her father from misunderstanding her.


    "Exin to me, what''s the misunderstanding?" Pyro put on a fierce face and folded his arms across his chest. He then nced at Apple''s bedroom door which was still closed.


    "I didn''t sleep in my room!" Apple eximed quickly. "That bastard upied my room and I was made to sleep on the front couch!"


    Apple then showed him the still unfolded nket she hadn''t tidied, which was still on the couch in the living room.


    Pyro quickly followed the direction indicated by his daughter and found the nket which proved that she indeed slept on the sofast night.


    And at that moment he burst outughing. "So you were forced to sleep in the living room while he monopolized your room?"


    Apple scowled. "It''s not funny."


    "He is a spoilt little brat. He doesn''t want to sleep on the couch, he just wants to sleep on the bed, he doesn''t even want to sleep in the car," Pyro said.


    However, Apple doubted her father''sst sentence, because Jayden fell asleep in the carst night when she was driving them home.


    "Okay, since you are awake, wake him up. He said he wanted to talk to you and asked me to wake him up when you are up," Apple said, groaning and still hearing her father''sughter as the man walked into her room to wake the picky and petty businessman up.

 Chapter 441 HOW RIDICULOUS SHE WAS

    <h4>Chapter 441 HOW RIDICULOUS SHE WAS</h4>


    Apple didn''t know what her dad and Jayden were talking about. But then, she didn''t feel like knowing anything about it either. However, they had been talking for a long time and she was starving.


    Therefore, after a long wait, Apple decided to eat first without waiting for the two of them, while watching television in the living room after tidying up the nkets and pillows she used to sleep on this sofa.


    She felt sad because she had to be evicted from her own room and ended up sleeping on the sofa in her own house.


    However, when Apple was almost done having her breakfast, the two men finally came out of the room and from the expressions they both had, it could be seen that the two of them had just discussed a fairly serious matter.


    Only thing that made Applein was her father''s next sentence.


    "Why aren''t you ready yet?" Pyro asked, looking at his daughter.


    "Getting ready?" Apple didn''t understand why there were so many misunderstandings this morning between her and her father. "Why should I get ready?" she asked confusedly.


    "You''re going to work in dad''s ce, aren''t you?" Pyro reminded Apple. "Jayden will leave early and you will go with him."


    "Why should I leave with him, he doesn''t need me for that position," Apple protested, she didn''t want to work with that annoying man, seeing him for just a few hours was too tiring, imagine if she had to see him all day. A big no.


    "Jayden told dad what happened to you guysst night and how you got that wound on your neck." Pyro nodded toward Apple''s neck. "You did a great job, and even though Jayden was slightly injured, it was much better than him losing his life."


    Apple, who heard the statement, could only gape in confusion. It did seem like an excuse that Jayden would spout to her father.


    Only, Apple knew that the man was making up apletely different story from the truth.


    "Wait a minute, what did Jayden tell you?" Apple was trying to incite her dad to tell her the story Jayden told him.


    This man was not only obnoxious and maniptive, but also an aplished liar.


    But, instead of responding to his daughter, Pyro waved his hand, dismissing the topic and preferring to go into the kitchen and eat his breakfast.


    Meanwhile, Jayden walked over to Apple and sat beside her, showing off his devilish smile to the girl beside him.


    "What did you say to my father?" Apple growled in annoyance, she removed his breakfast te from in front of him and red at Jayden.


    Jayden shrugged and looked at her with innocent eyes. "I just told the truth regarding the chase after the two menst night," he replied casually.


    "Then what did you say about this?" Apple then pointed to the bruises on her neck. "And this?" She pointed at the side of Jayden''s face which was now turning blue from being untreated.


    "I improvised the events a bit," Jayden replied lightly, he then smirked at how frustrated Apple was in dealing with him, he thought the facial expressions that Apple showed were very funny.


    But before Apple could reply or say anything, her father hade from the kitchen with a te of omelets, which was Jayden''s breakfast.


    "This is your breakfast, eat it first, even though this dish is not as delicious as your mother''s," Pyro said, who then took a sitting position opposite the two of them.


    Jayden took the te from Pyro''s hand then looked at Apple. "You made this?" he asked.


    "Yes, why?" she asked offensively.


    "You didn''t put anything weird in it, did you?"


    Apple felt that she wanted to give another bruise on the side of Jayden''s face that looked still healthy, while her fatherughed because he thought it was a funny joke, on the other hand, Jayden was actually serious with his words.


    Because he knew what this girl could do. If she could think of hiding the AC remote from him and making Jayden miserable all night, it wasn''t impossible for this girl to put weird things in his breakfast.


    "If you don''t want to eat it, you can just leave it on the table," Apple said curtly.


    "No poison?" Jayden asked and he watched how Apple tried to kill him with her piercing eyes. "I will take that as you didn''t put poison in this poor omelet."


    "If you''re so worried, you don''t have to eat it."


    Jayden popped a mouthful of omelet into his mouth. "I need energy to face today, especially when you will be around me and consuming a lot of my energy."


    Apple didn''t want to give him pleasure to tease her any further, so she just kept quiet and let her father, who did all the talking.


    Mostly, Pyro would talk about Apple''s childhood memories and how ridiculous she was when her father lied to her.


    "You said I can''t have a boyfriend before I turned, at least, eighteen years old," Apple snapped at him.


    "Why?" Jayden asked, munching on his omelet, he looked like someone, who was not fed for weeks. He had a big appetite.


    "Because he said my boyfriend was going to die," Apple retorted, and she felt stupid as her twelve year old self believed it blindly, until a friend of her had a boyfriend at fifteen and her boyfriend was still alive.


    "And you believed that?" Jayden widened his eyes in disbelief at how stupid Apple was to believe such a lie.


    But, before Apple could reply to Jayden''s words, her father had already answered him betweenughs that were unbearable at the memory of that moment.


    "Oh, princess, of course he would die. Trust me, he would die if he dated my only daughter when you are not of legal age yet," Pyro said.


    And those words reminded Jayden of how protective his father had been over Alina when a man dared toe over to his house and ask her out on a date.

 Chapter 442 HE IS FILTHY RICH

    <h4>Chapter 442 HE IS FILTHY RICH</h4>


    Inevitably, Apple had to go with Jayden to his office because she had already started working as her father''s recement and Jayden also insisted that she sign a deration of agreement as well as a contract with him, just to make sure that Apple would work well.


    "I''m not going to wear that stupid ck uniform," Apple grumbled as she exited her house after saying goodbye to her father while Jayden waited by the car.


    "Okay," Jayden replied casually. He then threw the car keys to Apple. "You drive."


    Apple frowned upon hearing that. "Usually most men don''t like being driven by women."


    "I''m not your average guy," Jayden replied casually, then got into the car. "Hurry up, I''ll bete at this rate."


    Apple stomped her foot and mmed the car door hard enough once she got behind the wheel, making Jayden jump in surprise.


    "Are you nning to destroy this car? Remember that I can deduct the damage fees from your sry," Jayden threatened with a tense expression on his face, as if he were frowning, showing his displeasure at Apple''s attitude.


    "Oops! Sorry¡­" Apple said lightly, without any trace of regret in her voice. "I thought you were so generous that you didn''t mind this."


    "I''m generous, kind and handsome, but that doesn''t mean I will let it slide. Of course not, beautiful."


    After debating dramatically about this and that and somepletely unimportant things, the two of them finally found out those trivial matters weren''t worth their energy. Apple finally got the car out of the parking lot of her house and drove down this still a little deserted street, bringing Jayden to one of the Tordoff family office buildings.


    ====================


    Apple waited in Jayden''s office while the man was in the break room of his office, changing and showering there, because he didn''t have toiletries at Apple''s house.


    While waiting, Apple stood before the floor to the ceiling windows, looking out at the busy city with bustling streets. The view from this office space was incredible and she felt it would be even more beautiful at night, where the lights were shining in the dark night.


    For a moment, she was lost in thought, and only came to her senses when Jayden stepped into the room and found Apple still brooding, leaning back as she looked out over the city.


    "If you''re thinking of jumping out of there because you can''t stand being around me, just say so," Jayden chimed in as he walked over to his desk and prepared to open hisptop to check the important emails that came in during his absencest night.


    Apple was startled when she suddenly heard his voice, then she turned her body and found Jayden, neatly dressed in his maroon shirt and a ck coat that slung over his hands, while his eyes were focused on the report on hisptop.


    Apple must admit that Jayden exuded a unique charm. He could look so elegant and manly even in that bold color, while she couldn''t imagine if other men wore the same color, they would be able to pull it off as good as him.


    In other words, this man had his own charisma.


    But, hearing the annoying words the Tordoff heir just said, forced Apple to remember how annoying he could be regardless of how attractive and handsome he was.


    "Oh, I could say the same to you," Apple said in a calm voice. She then walked over to Jayden''s desk and sat across from him.


    Today, Apple didn''t wear shy clothes. She just wore her everyday clothes, a white t-shirt and jeans, because she didn''t want to dress formally like the other guys who worked for Jayden.


    "Don''t worry, if that happens, I''ll take you with me," Jayden said lightly, winking at Apple and refocusing on whatever he was reading on hisptop.


    Apple rolled her eyes dramatically, then leaned back against the back of the chair and enjoyed the serenity in the office, which was filled only with the sound of Jayden''s fingers typing away on hisptop keyboard.


    Not long after, you could hear the soft sound of a machine, it seemed like Jayden had printed several sheets of paper which were then handed over to Apple.


    "Read them all and tell me if there''s anything you don''t agree with, we''ll fix it right away so you can get to work today." Jayden waved the papers in front of Apple''s face.


    The girl knew that this businessman was indeed very efficient in terms of time, but she did not expect that Jayden would move so quickly to take care of everything.


    Reluctantly, Apple took the papers from Jayden''s hands and read a few sentences. She would read it carefully because there was a high chance for this man to set her up with points that were not in her favor.


    "I''ll be back in an hour, and I hope you''ll finish reading the whole document and tell me if you agree or not, or if you have any revisions on that." Jayden then took his ck coat and prepared to leave the room.


    "You''re going to work this early?" Apple asked, she looked at her watch and saw that it was too early for anyone to start their day.


    "Of course, I have a lot of things to take care of," Jayden replied, then stepped out of the office. "See you in an hour," he said cheerfully, leaving Apple alone in his office with hisptop still on.


    Apple squinted at Jayden''sptop. "This man is really reckless," she mumbled, then looked down at the papers Jayden had given her.


    On the first page, which exined the points of work engagement between her and Jayden, he borated all the things she should and shouldn''t do as well as various details regarding what her responsibilities were.


    But, when Apple got to the payment column, her eyes widened at the nominal number.


    "He is filthy rich." She clicked her tongue.

 Chapter 443 BUSINESS IS BUSINESS

    <h4>Chapter 443 BUSINESS IS BUSINESS</h4>


    An hourter, Jayden returned to his office after finishing the problem he had to take care of and found Apple actually sleeping in the same chair where he hadst seen her.


    She seemed so sleepy that a soft snoring could be heard from her slightly parted lips, while the agreement papers he had asked her to read were already on the table with some highlighted parts exining the points she disliked and needed to be revised.


    Jayden then took the papers and sat on the table, facing Apple who was still asleep reading the papers.


    "Hey, wake up," Jayden called, kicking Apple''s leg lightly to wake her up, but the girl squirmed and fell back asleep. "What do you mean you want to get two days off in a week? It''s too much, even Pyro only gets a day off twice a month."


    However, the girl Jayden spoke to didn''t respond at all because she was still sound asleep.


    Apple woke up too early today, so it was only natural that she was still sleepy right now.


    On the other hand, watching Apple fall asleep, Jayden couldn''t help but sigh deeply, how could she fall asleep so soundly in a ce she had never been to before? Even with a man she''d only known for a while.


    Just at that moment, Jayden''s phone rang and on his screen, he could see that it was Pyro on the other side.


    "Apple?" Jayden repeated when the man asked about his daughter. "Wait." Jayden then changed the call mode to a video call and showed Apple''s sleeping face.


    "How are you doing with my daughter?" Pyro asked.


    "Of course I''m fine with her, even if there is a victim between the two of us, then it''s definitely me," Jayden replied in a calm voice. He kept showing Apple''s sleeping face and nudged her cheek, making the girl furrow her brows.


    "Stop doing that to her, she will flip when she wakes up if you keep making fun of her," Pyro said helplessly. He highly doubted that the two of them could get along just fine. The two of them were simply like water and oil based on their characters.


    "It''s fun," Jayden said lightly, but then he stopped his childish actions and turned his attention back to Pyro. "So you know who the guy at the barst night was? They really are members of that organization?"


    In that instant, Jayden''s calm and yful demeanor vanished. He now looked serious and scary.


    "You hit a jackpot," Pyro said seriously.


    "Hmm?" Jayden raised his eyebrows when he heard those words. "What do you mean?"


    "One of the three men you saw at the bar was the cousin of the head of the organization," Pyro said in an excited voice, but with a hint of hesitation inteced in it.


    "How do you know?"


    "That weak man admitted it himself." Of course after a long ''coaxing session''.


    ======================


    It was only almost two hourster that Apple finally woke up from her deep slumber and looked around, only to find that she was alone with Jayden who was busy with hisptop and phone calls.


    "Yeah, I''d like tonight''s meeting to be canceled," Jayden said when he called someone on his cell phone, but then looked at Apple who had now woken up and was rubbing her sleepy eyes. "Yeah, move it to Thursday and I will meet him at two o''clock. Yes. Yes. Do it."


    After a few sentences that Apple didn''t pay much attention to, Jayden hung up the call and turned his attention to the girl in front of him.


    "How was your sleep?" Jayden asked. "I said I''d be back in an hour, but you fell asleep instead."


    Apple nced at Jayden with azy and still sleepy look, her curly hair stuck to the side of her face and Jayden thought she looked cute with that facial expression.


    "You said you''d be back in an hour, but didn''t ask me to stay alert until then." Apple stretched her body until she heard the cracking sounds of her bones. "I haven''t slept at all sincest night because I had to sleep on the couch, you know," Apple grumbled in annoyance.


    "Yeah, I know," Jayden answered lightly. "That''s why I don''t want to sleep on the couch."


    Apple didn''t know whether tough or cry when she heard Jayden''sment. This man was absolutely shameless to look so proud for letting a girl sleep on the couch.


    "So, let''s go back to discussing this agreement." Jayden began handing over the documents that Apple had scribbled on earlier and added a few points he wanted. "What do you mean twice a week off?"


    "Why?" Apple asked innocently. "Your employees get two days off per week, so why can''t I get them?" she protested.


    Jayden facepalmed himself. "You should, more or less, already know how the bodyguards work from Pyro, right? There''s no way I can give you two days off in a week."


    "I am just recing my father, so I''m not really your bodyguard," Apple replied in a matter of fact tone.


    "What if I''m in danger in your absence?"


    "As long as it''s not my working hours, it''s not my responsibility."


    "You arepletely irresponsible."


    Apple smirked when she heard those words, she then walked around the table to stand right next to Jayden. She folded her arms as she looked down at the man with triumphant eyes.


    "I can work those hours, but that means you have to pay for the time I worked at that time by counting it as overtime," Apple said casually.


    And it was only then that Jayden realized Apple''s cunning y.


    "So that''s the reason why you''re asking for triple pay for your overtime?" Jayden squinted at Apple in disbelief because he had a feeling this girl was toying with him.


    "Business is business Mr. Tordoff, take it or leave it." She shrugged her shoulders. "It''s up to you."

 Chapter 444 THE RIGHT MOTIVATION

    <h4>Chapter 444 THE RIGHT MOTIVATION</h4>


    "Hoaaam!" Apple yawned widely as she walked with Jayden to the parking lot after apanying the man to several meetings.


    Apple couldn''t help wondering how Jayden could sit through each of those boring meetings in a sleep deprived state? Wasn''t he sleepy while listening to that very tedious presentation?


    "How can you sleep after a day of doing nothing?" Jayden criticized the girl next to him.


    "Following you all day bores me," Apple said honestly. She then raised her hands and stretched her stiff muscles, then looked at the time on her watch. "Alright, my work time for today is over, I''m going home now."


    Apple was just about to step over to the other side of the parking lot when Jayden hooked his finger around her cor and made her walk backward, back to her earlier position.


    "Hey!" Apple immediately dodged and tried to free herself from Jayden. "Don''t pull my shirt!"


    "Where are you going?" Jayden asked. "Get in the car." He then nodded toward his car.


    "Home," Apple replied innocently. "You want to take me home?" Apple blinked, she didn''t expect Jayden to be nice enough to drive her home.


    But, it didn''t take her that long to realize what Jayden meant waspletely different from what Apple had imagined.


    "No, our business isn''t done yet, I want you toe with me somewhere," Jayden said as he walked toward his car, but instead he took a position in the seat next to the driver, indicating that he wanted Apple to drive the car.


    "It''s past my work hour," Appleined. She groaned, folded her arms across her chest and red at Jayden in annoyance. "You have to pay for overtime if I have to work past this hour."


    "Okay," Jayden answered lightly. "Now let''s go."


    Grumbling, Apple walked over to the car, caught the keys Jayden had thrown at her and sat behind the wheel.


    "Where are we going?"


    "Put on your seatbelt first," Jayden told Apple.


    "I didn''t know you were so concerned about safety like this." Apple then put on her seat belt.


    "Safety is alwaysing first, beautiful, remember that."


    "Don''t call me that." Apple felt ufortable with the way Jayden called her. It sounded close and familiar, while she didn''t want to have that kind of rtionship with Jayden.


    This man simply spouting such endearments would only bring trouble to Apple if she fell for the Tordoff heir''s pranks.


    "Call you what? Beautiful?" Jayden raised his eyebrows, he then looked at Apple quite intensely with a smile at the corners of his lips.


    "Yes."


    "Then what should I call you?"


    "You can just call me by my name," Apple grumbled.


    "Apple."


    It was just that, after Apple heard her name being called by the man, somehow the word ''beautiful'' sounded much better than when he called her by her name.


    The way Jayden said her name sounded so intimate¡­


    Or maybe it was just Apple who felt so? Whatever it was, she hoped that tonight wouldn''t be like the night before.


    =====================


    Jayden led them to a building, some distance from downtown, where Apple could see that it was a ce where Jayden''s people congregated.


    This ce was like arge gym building with all kinds of exercise and weightlifting equipment in there.


    Apple had just entered the ce and immediately felt ufortable, especially when she was the only woman there.


    Yes, she was the only woman out of about a hundred burly men there.


    Of course, Apple felt a little scared. To fight three or four men at once, maybe Apple could still stand a chance, but more than that, she had to face the fact that it was impossible.


    "If you are going to take me to your den of rogues, you''d better give me a gun to make me feel safe," Apple said quietly, as she walked beside Jayden so only the man could hear her.


    Apple did feel scared, but she didn''t show it on her face, especially when all eyes were on her. She wouldn''t be so stupid as to show her fear to others.


    "There''s nothing for you to worry about, they''ll lose their hands if anyone dares to touch you." But Jayden took something from his trousers pocket and put it into Apple''s hand. It was a pocket knife.


    Apple immediately lifted her head when she sensed the coldness of the small knife against her skin, and also because she felt the aura that Jayden emitted was a little different. He no longer looked yful, but was like a boss from a dark organization.


    "Where is he?" Jayden asked a man who approached them. He was big and had tattoos all over the left side of his body.


    "He''s downstairs, passed out, but I''ll wake him up by the time you get there," the man said, then his eyes fell on Apple. "Who is this girl?"


    "Pyro''s recement," Jayden replied curtly.


    But instead, the manughed mockingly and looked at Apple with a scornful look, making the girl frown.


    "But, she is a woman, there is no way she could stab and kill a grown up man like Pyro did¡­"


    But, before the man could finish his sentence, Apple moved swiftly and lifted the small knife Jayden had previously given her at the man.


    Apple moved so fast that the man didn''t realize what was happening, and only realized when the knife was only an inch from his eye, which startled him until he leapt back swiftly.


    "I don''t like being questioned about my abilities," Apple said coldly, then lowered her knife and looked deeply at the man. "A woman could easily kill a man with the right motivation."


    There was a smirk of satisfaction at the corners of Jayden''s lips when he saw how well Apple handled this situation and left his team gasping in shock.


    As he had expected, Apple was a perfect fit for this job.


    ***********


    Read also my new story: Untamed: The Alpha.


    Hope you like it ^^

 Chapter 445 APPLE’S CHEEKINESS

    <h4>Chapter 445 APPLE''S CHEEKINESS</h4>


    Adrian was indeed the leader of this association and he also managed the men in the ce, but it must be noted that he was a little arrogant and always looked down on women, particrly in physical strength.


    Although Jayden disagreed with his opinion that women couldn''t beat men, he never thought of arguing about it either.


    In this city A, who didn''t know Ramon Tordoff? The most feared man in the business world, and the man who made it smooth for the Tordoff family to expand its businesswork? But when his father had to face the two women at home, he would not move.


    Jayden thought it was funny, until he realized that his father''s traits had been passed on to him. It wasn''t funny anymore.


    Therefore, when he saw Apple putting Adrian in his ce and shocked all the men in this room, he smirked, satisfied.


    "Okay, enough with the violence," Jayden said, then nced at Apple. "You can keep it to yourself." The girl still looked annoyed, but she knew better to not start another fight with that man.


    And after hearing what Jayden said, Apple put the knife back down. She secured it by hiding it under the jacket she was wearing, in a safe ce, where she would be able to retrieve it quickly if needed.


    "Adrian, this is Apple, she will be taking Pyro''s ce for a while," Jayden introduced Apple to the man again and deliberately didn''t say that Pyro was her father, because that would leave an unpleasant impression. "And Apple, this is Adrian, he is the leader of this ce."


    Apple and Adrian just nodded at each other as a formality.


    "Now, you can show me the ce where those people are being held," Jayden said to ease the tense atmosphere. They needed to get out of there immediately. If this tension wasn''t diverted in time, there might be another fight.


    Still a little annoyed, Adrian finally agreed and without saying anything else, he immediately walked first to the second floor of this ce, where they held the cousin of the head of the organization that Jayden had been looking for.


    While Apple followed the two of them, leaving the men there who still looked aghast at what she had done. The girl had her arms folded across her chest, but Jayden knew she just wanted to feel safe by feeling the weapons hidden underneath her jacket.


    They finally climbed the stairs, past severalrge, burly men, who looked like Adrian. All of them bowed, saluting Jayden each time they passed him.


    Immediately, Apple realized how much influence this man had to subdue men like them.


    Adrian led them through two doors on the right side of the stairs and at the third door, they stopped and the man on guard opened the door for them.


    Apple came into the roomst, ignoring the questioning stares from the man guarding the door, since women weren''t usually allowed in there.


    And after Apple was inside, she could immediately see a man lying on the floor with his bodypletely covered in wounds and blood sttered on the floor.


    The room was quiterge, however, nothing was there, so therge room seemed in and empty.


    "I hope you won''t cry just at the sight of this." Andrian deliberately slowed his pace so he was beside Apple and whispered the words.


    Jayden heard this and only used the corner of his eye to see how Apple reacted to the ridicule and sight before her.


    And as expected from Pyro''s daughter, Apple actually snorted and rolled her eyes at Adrian, crossing her arms in front of her chest.


    "What sight?" she asked nonchntly. "Is that all you can do?"


    Jayden bit his bottom lip and took a deep breath to prevent himself fromughing at Apple''sments and destroying the self-image he had built. This wasn''t the time tough, especiallyughing at the leader of his group, but the expression that Adrian showed really made Jayden want to pat the man on the back and say; you took the wrong opponent.


    Jayden might find Apple''sments funny, but it was not the case for Adrian, his face turned bright red when he heard what the young girl had to say.


    "You!" Adrian growled. He was about to raise his hand and Apple prepared to pull out the knife neatly tucked away in her jacket.


    But, Jayden had taken it a step further. "ENOUGH!"


    Jayden''s loud, deep voice echoed through the empty space and made the two fighting humans stop in their tracks, holding themselves back, while the other three men flinched, shocked at Jayden''s anger.


    Well, if Jayden couldn''tugh out loud, at least he could still channel it out in a different way.


    "Wake up the man," Jayden said to the other two men, while Apple and Adrian were in a cold war with one another.


    The man who was ordered by Jayden immediately carried out his orders and immediately woke the poor man who was lying on the floor by dousing him with cold water filled with ice cubes.


    Of course, the cold water sshed all over the ce and since Jayden was a bit further away, he didn''t get hit, but not so with Apple and Adrian.


    They both stood too forward and when the cold water sshed neither of them noticed, but Apple swiftly took cover behind Adrian.


    She immediately stood behind Adrian''s body, making the man her human shield.


    Therefore, while water and blood sshed on his body and stained the white shirt he was wearing, Apple was fine.


    Of course, this made Adrian even more furious and Jayden could only facepalm himself seeing Apple''s cheekiness.


    "Don''t stand behind me!" Adrian growled, he turned around and red at Apple.


    While the young girl he was staring fiercely at only raised her hands as she said lightly. "Okay."


    ******************


    Read my new story: Untamed: The Alpha.


    Hope you like it.

 Chapter 446 YOU BOYFRIEND IS HERE

    <h4>Chapter 446 YOU BOYFRIEND IS HERE</h4>


    While the girl that he was staring fiercely at only raised her hands as she said lightly. "Okay."


    Apple then went behind Jayden and stood there, ignoring Adrian''s fierce re and pretending that the man wasn''t there.


    If only Jayden wasn''t there and Apple was a man, Adrian would have gone up to her and asked her to wrestle.


    He had never seen a girl as slender as Apple. Who exactly was this girl? And how did she know Mr. Tordoff, until she could fill in Pyro''s position? While they all knew that Pyro was a confidante of the entire Tordoff family, not just Jayden.


    "WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" the man cried, groaning in pain. His body was shaking from the pain but also the cold that pierced his bones. "MY UNCLE WILL KILL YOU IF HE KNOWS I AM HERE!" Anger gleamed in his eyes.


    Meanwhile, Jayden walked closer to him with determined steps and looked straight into his eyes intently.


    If this man didn''t know before, now he would start to realize who the person he was dealing with was.


    "That''s good then, I do want to meet your uncle," Jayden said, his voice sounding calm but also deadly.


    "Jayden Tordoff?" he said, frowning in confusion as Jayden crouched down in front of him.


    Of course he knew him, who didn''t know the whole Tordoff family?


    "Yeah, it''s me," Jayden answered lightly.


    "What do you want from me?" At first, he thought that he was being kidnapped by a bunch of unimportant people, who only wanted money, but a Tordoff couldn''t have kidnapped him just for money.


    "I want to meet your uncle, where is he?" Jayden asked.


    "I don''t know," the man said through gritted teeth. He had been asked about this a number of times and he didn''t really know where his uncle was.


    While Jayden just nodded, and then changed his question. "Then tell me what you know about your uncle."


    "What do you want from him?" the man asked in a defiant voice.


    Jayden knew he was going to go through a convoluted rejection process like this, but he had only so much patience to repeat his question over and over again.


    "I wonder if he is in human trafficking," Jayden answered honestly and this answer made Apple frown.


    It was true what her father said; Jayden still couldn''t let go of the kidnapping incident that happened to him twelve years ago and left him deeply traumatized.


    She didn''t know what happened during that time, but it seemed like it was so deeply imprinted in Jayden''s mind until it made the man reluctant to say anything or tell anyone the details of the bad events that had happened to him.


    On the other hand, hearing Jayden''s answer, the man justughed out loud, as if what Jayden said was the funniest joke he had ever heard, but hisughter ceased when Jayden pointed a gun to his head.


    "Wow!!! Calm down!" The man immediately tried to back away, but two men held him in ce and made him unable to go anywhere.


    "So tell me, what do you know about your uncle?" Jayden still didn''t lower his gun.


    "You re not going to kill me, you re a businessman and not a murderer," the man said in a shaky voice. He himself wasn''t sure of what he was saying. After all, he could sense something was different from the way Jayden was looking at him. It was as if he could pull his entire soul out.


    A shot was fired and hit the man in the leg, making him groan and roar in agony. Blood spurted, oozing out of his wound, but he couldn''t curl his body, or protect himself as the two men holding him refused to loosen their grip, leaving his body exposed to Jayden''s next shot.


    "Richard Anderson," Jayden said his name in a calm voice. He then pointed his gun at the man''s head and began to say what he knew. "You have a wife and a daughter. I don''t really like hurting women and children, but how about I bring your wife here to see how you are skinned alive? That would be something interesting to watch. Maybe she can give me more information than you have."


    "FUCK! DON''T YOU DARE TO TOUCH MY FAMILY!" Richard cried angrily. His eyes shed with an emotion that nearly drove him crazy and a pain that numbed his senses.


    "I heard she is pretty too," Jayden sneered. "I don''t think she will find it difficult to find a stepfather for your children after you are gone."


    And when Richard heard that, he began to struggle and swear at Jayden.


    "Or I can make you witness your wife being in another man''s arms while you are dying in front of her." Jayden smiled at him. "Your choice."


    That was when Apple realized how far Jayden could go to get what he wanted.


    Even though it was a threat, which Jayden wouldn''t necessarily act upon, it didn''t mean that when he was provoked he wouldn''t do it.


    This man was reallyplicated.


    "I will say it, I will say it! But I don''t know where he lives!" he screamed loudly.


    =====================


    "Are you really going to do that?" Apple asked Jayden who was ying a game on his phone while she was driving on her way home. This man was really taking advantage of her.


    "Do what?" Jayden asked without taking his eyes off of the game in his hand.


    "About what you said you were going to do to Richard''s wife and children."


    "Yes."


    "You have no heart."


    "Richard''s wife had been having an affair for over two years, that stupid man didn''t even notice."


    Apple turned her attention to Jayden. This man knew the information to such detail?


    "Oh, your ex boyfriend is here!" Jayden said as he lifted his head and looked at the man who had hit Apple previously.


    ******************


    Read my new story UNTAMED: THE ALPHA.


    Hope you like it ^^

 Chapter 447 STAY AWAY FROM HER!

    <h4>Chapter 447 STAY AWAY FROM HER!</h4>


    Jayden did tell Apple to go over to her house first, because he wanted to discuss something with Pyro. Therefore, here he was, making Apple drive them to her house, while the girl hoped he wouldn''t decide to stay the night, because she didn''t want to sleep in the living room on the couch anymore.


    They were almost at Apple''s house when Jayden saw again the figure of the man who had hit the girl, standing in front of her house, leaning his back against the wall.


    "Oh, your ex boyfriend is here!" Jayden said as he took his eyes off of the game in his hands and looked at the man who had hit Apple previously. Even though it wasn''t very bright outside because it was already night, Jayden was very sure that he had not seen it wrong.


    Apple then lifted her eyes and found Kyle, standing in front of her house. He was wearing her favorite ck jacket and looked a little drunk.


    Only now did Apple really see how stupid she had been to be in a rtionship for so long with such a man.


    And when they were in front of Apple''s house, she stopped the car, but Jayden''sment made the girl return him a sharp look.


    "You don''t want to hit him?" Jayden asked with an innocent expression, as if he were asking what Apple''s favorite color was. "If you don''t dare, I can do it for you."


    "Shut up and don''t get out of the car," Apple said curtly.


    "You treat me like a child."


    "That''s because you''re acting like one," Apple replied in a hissing voice.


    After saying that, Apple unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car to go over to Kyle, while Jayden resumed his game, but every now and then he would nce at what was going on between the two of them, even though he couldn''t hear their conversation.


    It seemed, from the way Apple spoke to Kyle, she looked angry and so did the man. He shouted at Apple with inappropriate words and made the girl widen her eyes.


    "She should have used the knife I gave her to shut the guy up," Jayden mumbled. He propped his head on his fist and decided to watch the two people bicker, because it was more fun than ying some game on his phone.


    Then casually, Jayden saw how Apple handled the man this time.


    "You have to get out of here, I don''t want to see you again!" Apple cried, and red angrily at Kyle who looked half drunk. His eyes were red and from his scent she could tell that he went out to hang out with his useless friends again.


    However, Kyle just looked angry and raised his hand, about to p Apple for yelling at him.


    Only, this time Apple dodged the man jumping aside. She could have thrown a kick at him, but she didn''t and this made a certain man inside the car a little annoyed that he didn''t get to enjoy watching a few action scenes.


    "Don''t you dare hit me, or I''ll make sure that you never wake up again," Apple threatened Kyle, but she also hoped that the man would stop before she actually hurt him.


    "You want to hit me? After everything I have done to you, you want to hit me?!" He eximed in disbelief. "I saved you from your addicted mother and gave you shelter until your father came to pick you up, but you said you will beat me?! You should be thanking me!"


    "Yeah, I thanked you enough until you slept with my best friend, you bastard!" Apple cursed in a loud voice.


    On the other hand, Jayden purposely opened the window of his car, to hear more clearly, because the argument was getting heated and they were both already shouting at each other.


    It seemed that this time, Jayden got down to Hailee''s inquisitive nature who liked gossip.


    "Cheating with her best friend..." Jayden muttered.


    "I told you that it was a mistake! I''m drunk!" Kyle eximed, defending himself.


    "Don''t believe it, he can''t be so drunk until he can''t even tell you and your best friend apart!" Jayden shouted provokingly and drew both of their attention to him.


    And this made Kyle even more angry. Furiously, he walked over to Jayden, his eyes looking very angry.


    Not so close, because Jayden just rolled up his car window and locked the door. This left Kyle pounding his fists against the car windows.


    "GET OUT!" Kyle shouted furiously.


    "APPLE TOLD ME TO STAY IN THE CAR!" Jayden shouted, responding to Kyle''s screams.


    On the other hand, at this point, Apple didn''t know whether to cry orugh when she saw this. How could he be the same man who a few hours ago was able to bring a man from a ck organization to his knees? After all, he was acting more like a seven year old boy now.


    "GET OUT!" Kyle shouted again, kicking the car.


    But, this time, Jayden opened his car door suddenly and of course this made Kyle lose his bnce when the car door hit him and made him fall to the ground,nding on his rear.


    Seeing that, Apple widened her eyes, but she had no intention of helping Kyle, she just couldn''t understand Jayden''s ever-changing behavior.


    When he saw Kyle fall on the dirty ground, Jayden got out of the car and walked past him casually, he even kicked Kyle''s leg on purpose and this made Apple just shake her head.


    "Oops, sorry."


    Jayden then stood next to Apple, wrapped his arm around the girl''s shoulder.


    "Stay away from my woman!" Kyle didn''t like it when he saw Jayden touching Apple. He hated this man. "DON''T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!"


    Jayden narrowed his eyes, then turned his attention to Apple. "Do I need to know who he is?"


    "Fuck!" Kyle charged forward and was about to hit Jayden, but the man quickly kicked Kyle back to the ground.


    "She''s my girlfriend now, so stop bothering her," Jayden said nonchntly. "Right, honey?"


    Apple frowned upon hearing that. "Are we?"


    And since Apple didn''t respond ordingly, Jayden proceeded to kiss her cheek and ruffled her hair. "Of course, we are."

 Chapter 448 WHAT ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT?

    <h4>Chapter 448 WHAT ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT?</h4>


    Apple didn''t understand what was really going on at first. After all, she was busy enjoying Kyle''s anger and Jayden''s silly attitude.


    But, when Jayden pulled her closer andnded a sweet kiss on her cheek, the anger that rolled off of Kyle became invisible to her as she was bbergasted at the shock that hit her at Jayden''s behavior.


    What the hell just happened?!


    Indeed Jayden didn''t kiss her on the lips, which was a sign of something too intimate, but even a kiss on the cheek wasn''t a natural thing to happen between them.


    Slowly, Apple tilted her head and looked at the man beside her. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she saw absolutely no trace of regret in the expression on Jayden''s face.


    "Enough evidence?" Jayden asked lightly. He even had the audacity to rest his head against hers and smile cheekily at Kyle.


    After that, Apple didn''t hear what else Jayden had to say to Kyle to make him go away from her house, swearing and throwing all sorts of obscenities as he walked away.


    Apple was pretty sure Kyle woulde back to her in the future, but that would be another day''s trouble, for now, she had to get things straight with Jayden first.


    Because it seemed this man needed to be told the boundaries between them.


    "Okay, problem solved," Jayden said casually, lifting his arms from Apple''s shoulders. "Let''s go inside the house now."


    But, before Jayden turned his body to enter the house, he caught Apple''s movement and stopped her hand just in time before the girl managed to smoothly p him hard.


    "Wow! Calm down¡­ what is this for?" he asked in a low voice, looking Apple right in the eyes and realizing how annoyed she was. "It was just an innocent kiss on the cheek, okay? I helped you, you have to admit that."


    Apple wriggled her hand to get out of Jayden''s grip and the man let go, but he still looked wary because Apple wasn''t calm at all.


    "Maybe you are used to just kissing every woman while they don''tin," Apple growled fiercely as she looked into Jayden''s eyes and not only that, she even stomped her feet hard, one of her habits when she was angry. "But I''m not one of those women. I''m not your woman wagging my tail every time you touch me without consent!"


    Apple stomped her foot hard, but this time shended her foot on Jayden''s and made the man groan in pain.


    "Hey!" Jayden cried, limping from the pain. Apple seemed to be venting all her frustrations, so she didn''t hold back at all when she crushed his feet.


    But, before Jayden could get close to Apple or grab her hand to keep her from leaving, Apple had rushed into the house, leaving Jayden groaning in pain.


    "Damn! It hurts like hell!" Jayden grumbled, who then followed her limping into the house.


    Arriving inside the house, Jayden was immediately confronted by Pyro, who was already standing in the living room with his arms crossed over his chest. He had a hard to read expression on his face.


    "There''s something I want to talk to you about," Jayden said straight away, still wincing at the pain in his leg.


    "Yeah, I have something to tell you too, boy," Pyro replied with a serious expression on his face. He then walked ahead with Jayden following behind him.


    On the other hand, when he heard the term ''boy'', Jayden knew that whatever Pyro wanted to tell him was something serious. He had never looked so concerned like this.


    But, Jayden more or less knew what made the man act like this.


    Looks like he owes someone an apology...


    ====================


    Pyro led Jayden into his study where the two of them sat across from each other with only a table apart.


    Jayden didn''t say anything, because he knew that what he was about to say would be cut off by Pyro, since the man had already shown indications that he was going to say something much more important.


    "Jayden," Pyro began.


    Here they go¡­


    "You want to reprimand me because I kissed Apple on the cheek?" Jayden had beaten him to admit this first. "I did not mean it."


    Pyro took a deep breath. He knew that Jayden meant no harm, because he had known Jayden for a long time, from the very moment he was born.


    Literally, Jayden was like a child to Pyro.


    "I know, I saw it all." Pyro admitted.


    "I''ll talk to Apple about this."


    Pyro nodded. "I hope your rtionship is nothing more than work."


    In other words, Pyro didn''t want anything else to happen between the two, especially if they started involving feelings. It wasn''t something Pyro wanted at all.


    Jayden was not bad, but because he knew the nature of this man and how he responded to the women around him, Pyro therefore would definitely disagree if their rtionship developed more than something that was just work rted.


    It was not that Jayden treated them badly, it was just that Jayden had this tendency to treat them very well, even though he didn''t have any feelings and would leave them when he had had enough.


    Of course, Pyro didn''t want that to happen to Apple. He knew his daughter very well. One of the reasons why Apple was able to stay in a rtionship with Kyle for so long was because his daughter was too emotionally invested in everything she did.


    "I see what you mean," Jayden answered bluntly. He looked serious when he said that.


    However, unbeknownst to them, Apple was crouching in front of the door, trying to eavesdrop on the conversation between Jayden and her father, hoping she could hear her father scolding Jayden.


    "What the hell are they talking about," Apple grumbled, because she couldn''t hear anything.


    The girl crouched ufortably, pressing her ear to the closed door curiously. She would love to hear her father nagging at Jayden.

 Chapter 449 I WILL THINK ABOUT IT

    <h4>Chapter 449 I WILL THINK ABOUT IT</h4>


    "You said you had something to say?" Pyro finally asked, ending the topic of Apple.


    He didn''t need to go into more detail about what he wanted to tell Jayden, because the man was smart enough to understand his intention, without him exining it in detail.


    "There''s a ''delivery'' a week from today," Jayden said. His attitude immediately took a turn, making him look much more serious and mature. A cold aura radiated from him as his eyes turned sharp instantly.


    He always had this kind of aura whenever he talked about the organization.


    "You know where it is?" Pyro asked.


    "At a port in L city," Jayden answered bluntly. Richard, the nephew of the head of the organization, had informed him of this.


    "Are you sure about that information?" Pyro asked doubtfully.


    "No," Jayden answered honestly. He certainly wouldn''tpletely trust the man, regardless of whatever he said. There was no guarantee that he was telling the truth. After all, he was proficient in dealing with even more cunning and deceitful people.


    Jayden had been chasing them for the past five years, ever since he took a seat at the Tordoff''spany and had more ess to the various sources of information his family had.


    "It''s good that you don''t believe him," Pyro muttered. Because that way, Jayden wouldn''t let his guard down and put himself in danger. "But it is a port."


    Pyro reminded Jayden again. Although he was much better, Pyro understood very well his trauma to such a ce.


    Jayden didn''t answer him directly, he thought for a moment. "I''ll take Apple."


    This time, it was Pyro who went silent. Professionally, he certainly trusted Apple, because he knew his daughter''s abilities and how capable she was in this field, but as a father, he found it hard to let Apple be in danger, especially when she was the only child he had.


    "Okay," Pyro answered atst. "But I want you to discuss this matter with Apple immediately."


    "Of course," Jayden agreed. "I''ll talk to her after this."


    And after that, Jayden and Pyro talked about ns for the following week for about three hours, until it got toote.


    ====================


    Apple felt her legs go numb because she''d been crouching in front of her dad''s study for too long, just to listen to what Jayden and her dad had to say.


    However, the information she could hear, because they tended to speak in low voices, was simply not worth the pain she felt from having to crouch for too long.


    She felt her legs go numb and could barely stand when she heard the sound of chairs shifting, which signaled that Jayden and Pyro had finished their discussion.


    And now the girl was cursing herself for being so stupid to follow her curiosity.


    But, before Apple''s leg recovered, she could hear a knock on her bedroom door and soon Jayden''s voice could be heard.


    "I know that you haven''t slept, can Ie in for a moment?" Jayden asked.


    "No," Apple replied immediately. "I don''t want to talk to you."


    Apple''s tant refusal didn''t make Jayden back down, the man opened the unlocked door to her room.


    Apple was cursing herself for not locking the door and getting herself into trouble now that the man had stepped into her room and closed the door behind him.


    "Didn''t I tell you that I didn''t want to talk to you?" Apple squinted in disgust at Jayden, but she couldn''t move or run outside due to her numb feet. Her feet fell asleep on her.


    "Oh, I don''t know. I didn''t hear clearly what you said earlier, that''s why I went into your room to confirm what you just said," Jayden answered innocently.


    "I said you can''te into my room."


    "Well, since I''m already in your room, how about we talk?"


    Apple couldn''t understand what was wrong with this guy. She suspected that the two of them actually spoke differentnguages ??so this kind of mimunication urred.


    "I don''t want to talk to you."


    "Then I''ll talk and you can just listen."


    Apple wanted to facepalm herself. Why was it so hard to talk to this man?


    "Get out of my room!" Apple cried, and then threw a pillow at Jayden, but still didn''t get up from her position, which was sitting on the edge of the bed.


    Meanwhile, with his quick reflexes, Jayden caught the pillow Apple had thrown at him and looked at the girl with understanding eyes, as if he were dealing with a five-year-old girl throwing a tantrum.


    After throwing all the pillows Apple could reach for, she couldn''t help but stare at Jayden in annoyance. If only her legs didn''t give up on her, she would have thrown Jayden out of the room.


    Unfortunately, she couldn''t do that and now she had to be patient with Jayden''s stubbornness.


    "I''m here to apologize, okay," Jayden began. "I didn''t mean to do anything bad to you."


    Of course, it never crossed Jayden''s mind to do bad things to Apple.


    Pyro may have worked very loyally to the Tordoffs, but that didn''t mean he wouldn''t shoot him in the head if he did something weird to his only daughter.


    "I don''t think what I did was too inappropriate." For Jayden, a kiss on the cheek was not much, he had done more than that and not a single woman hadined about it.


    But, as Apple said before, she wasn''t the woman Jayden used to meet.


    "Good thing that you understand," Apple grumbled.


    "So you will forgive me? I promise it won''t happen again." Jayden raised his hands, showing his sincerity. "I didn''t mean anything bad, just wanted to kick the guy out."


    "I will think about it," Apple replied curtly.


    "That''s better." Jayden then walked over to Apple, returning the pillows this girl had thrown at him. "Then see you tomorrow?"


    "I wish I could take some time off."


    "You''ve only been at work for one day and already want a day off?" Jayden shook his head. "At least show your integrity."


    Apple was really tempted to kick this guy...

 Chapter 450 COMPLICATED MAN

    <h4>Chapter 450 COMPLICATED MAN</h4>


    Jayden didn''t prolong his stay in Apple''s room. Before long after he left, she heard the sound of a car roaring and driving away, indicating that Jayden had gone home.


    But, just as Apple was about to go to sleep, her father stepped into her room.


    "Apple, are you asleep?" Pyro asked, knocking on the door.


    "No,e in," Apple said, at which Pyro walked into the girl''s room. "What''s the matter, dad?" Apple asked, and then sat on her bed while Pyro walked into the room.


    "There''s something I want to tell you," Pyro said, his voice sounding doubtful, as if he weren''t sure what he was going to say next.


    "What is it?" Apple immediately sat up, as it was unusual for her father to speak to her this seriously. It could be said that it had been a long time since her father had such excessive worries as now.


    "I want the rtionship between you and Jayden to be fully work oriented." Pyro didn''t know how he should say this, so he said it ording to how he felt. "Father doesn''t want any other rtionship between the two of you."


    On the other hand, Apple was dumbfounded when she heard what her father had just said. She wasn''t sure if she had heard him correctly.


    "What do you mean dad? Wait a moment." Apple straightened her position first before she took her father''s words seriously. "You don''t think I have any excessive feelings for Jayden, do you?"


    "I hope you don''t feel that way," Pyro answered honestly.


    That was when Apple burst outughing. Hearing her father''s unfounded concern seemed to have amused her. "Don''t worry dad, I''m not going to like an annoying guy like Jayden Tordoff," she said betweenughs.


    However, Pyro didn''t seem to take that as a joke. He took it seriously.


    "It''s not that dad doesn''t agree, but if you can, don''t have more feelings for him," Pyro said, trying to exin his disapproval.


    "No, there''s no way we could have that kind of rtionship," Apple said, waving her hand nonchntly, not thinking that her father was serious about what he just said. "I can''t even imagine myself and him being in a romantic rtionship." Apple shuddered after trying to imagine that.


    "Promise daddy," said Pyro.


    "I promise, my rtionship with him is only a professional one," Apple replied in a firm voice. She didn''t need to think twice before making that promise.


    "That''s good then," Pyro said in a low voice, but his worries didn''t subside after hearing the promise.


    After waiting for a moment, Apple asked her father the reason for him to think so. Was Jayden that bad in her father''s eyes?


    "It''s not like that," Pyro muttered, he then folded his arms in front of his chest and looked closely at his only daughter. "Jayden is a veryplicated man. He looks cheerful, yful and easy going, but will never show you his dark side."


    Pyro knew Jayden from the moment he was born, of course he knew all the qualities of the young man and he had never even been so frightened when he saw someone get out of control.


    Pyro was even more afraid of seeing Jayden go out of control than when his father, Ramon, put a gun to his own head because he failed to protect Hailee in the past.


    Ramon had been able to think rationally and stop his actions because he still had some considerations, but that wasn''t the case with Jayden, who wouldn''t think about anything else when he really got out of control.


    Pyro saw it happen once and he didn''t want his daughter to face the same thing, let alone with that guy.


    ====================


    And the following days went by with Apple following Jayden whenever he went to meetings, and because she didn''t want to wear the same clothes as the male bodyguards that Jayden employed, Apple chose to wear in clothes.


    This was quite helpful for her to monitor her surroundings, acting as if she were just a young girl who happened to be in the ce. This was very useful for Apple to be able to move around without attracting much attention.


    "Why do you like that jacket? I''ve seen you wear that jacket about twice in the past five days," Jayden said on the phone.


    Jayden was enjoying his lunch alone in the restaurant, while Apple was bing'' outside the restaurant, while eating ice cream with an earphone plugged in her ear, as well as Jayden.


    If other people saw it, they would think that the Tordoff heir was talking about important business matters and the like, but what they didn''t know was that Jayden Tordoff was apparently getting rid of his boredom by teasing Apple.


    "Why? I quite like this jacket," Apple replied, slightly offended. She looked down at her own jacket and nced at the restaurant and saw Jayden staring at her too.


    This was the brown jacket that Kyle had bought for her because she said she liked it.


    Apple didn''t wear it because she still wanted to reminisce about her rtionship with Kyle, but because she just wanted to.


    "You''ve been wearing that jacket too many times," Jayden said, shoving food into his mouth. "People will notice that you are always around me."


    What Jayden said had some truth in it too, because it would be easier for them to recognize Apple this way.


    "You should change your look more often," Jayden added and he could hear Apple''s grumbling voice, displeased that someone else was criticizing her appearance.


    "I don''t have another jacket," she finally said, but since she knew what Jayden said was true, she reluctantly added. "I''ll buy one or twoter, after my working hours are over, so stop giving me overtime."


    Jayden smiled a little when he heard Apple''sint. "No need for that, you can go shopping with me."


    Apple sneered when she heard this. "No, I don''t want to go shopping with you."

 Chapter 451 DON’T LET HER OUT

    <h4>Chapter 451 DON''T LET HER OUT</h4>


    "No, I don''t want to go shopping with you."


    It was just, even though that was what Apple said, she couldn''t refuse when Jayden insisted on taking her shopping, of course.


    So here she was, a few hourster after that lunch and past the two meetings that Jayden had to attend.


    Apple resorted to using a mask to cover her face as well as a hat, so no one could recognize her at this time.


    And even if reporters clicked a photo of her with Jayden now, they wouldn''t know who Apple was.


    "What if there is gossip about this?" Apple asked, groaning as she walked beside Jayden into a famous shopping center in City A.


    Of course, this shopping center was owned by the Tordoff family. Apple even felt that this family had a monopoly in the city''s economy.


    "No problem, it''s not the first time this has happened, is it?" Jayden shrugged nonchntly.


    "You really never take this kind of thing seriously," Apple said, realizing that Jayden had indeed been gossiped about with other people a few times, but he himself had never taken it seriously.


    "Because there really isn''t a woman who makes me want to be in a serious rtionship," Jayden answered honestly.


    Apple didn''t nce at the man walking beside her and found Jayden grinning. It was very difficult for him to look serious, if he weren''t facing the people who were his enemies.


    Even today, Apple felt that this Jayden was almost normal. She felt that the man who had tortured other men for information a few nights ago was not him.


    "Don''t stare at me too long, you might fall for my charms," ??Jayden teased when he caught Apple stealing nces at him. "I promised Pyro not to tease you, but if you''re tempted, it''s not my fault, is it?" Jayden winked at her.


    Apple rolled her eyes when she saw the man act like that, but before she could reply, someone called Jayden.


    "You go in first, I''ll take this call," Jayden said as he picked up the phone.


    Apple didn''t wait long, and immediately walked into a branded store that sold jackets and some clothes and started browsing there. Jayden took note of where Apple was going, only then did he answer the caller.


    On the other hand, Apple was sorting through clothes and found a jacket that caught her attention, so she asked an employee of the store to get it for her.


    However, when the female employee had taken it out and was about to give it to Apple, a group of men walked up to them and took the jacket she was holding.


    There were about three men and they looked young, maybe only a year or two older than Apple, but from their looks, one could easily tell that they were the children of wealthy families.


    The kind of young men who only knew how to spend their family''s money to show off their luxurious life, but knew nothing about the business world, because all they knew was seeking entertainment.


    But, Apple didn''t buy it, she looked at the man in the green shirt who was holding the jacket she wanted and quickly snatched it back.


    "Hey!" the man eximed in annoyance because the jacket he wanted was snatched away by a young girl. "That is mine!" he cried angrily.


    The three young men were very tall, almost as tall as Jayden, and Apple might only be up to their shoulders and they all looked very intimidating, but of course that wasn''t enough to make the girl back away in fright.


    And when the first man wanted to reim the jacket that Apple had taken back, she easily dodged him. The girl then rolled her eyes fiercely at the man.


    "I saw this jacket first," Apple argued. She couldn''t ept this man''s high profile attitude. If only he had asked nicely, she would have given it up, but the way he snatched it right out of her hand was really unpleasant.


    "You won''t be able to afford it, just give the jacket to him," the second man, who was seen looking down at Apple condescendingly, ''advised'' her running his eyes from top to bottom.


    Apple, who did not wear any branded clothes and looked very ordinary that day, certainly couldn''t portray a convincing look to have enough money.


    However, what was wrong with their perception was; Apple may not have the money to buy this expensive jacket, but wasn''t Jayden the one who promised to buy her a jacket? So to say the least, they had to pit their fortunes against Jayden Tordoff, and Apple didn''t believe they had more money than that stinky guy.


    "I can afford it," Apple replied curtly. She then turned around and intended to walk to the cashier when she saw Jayden had finished with his phone and was walking toward her.


    However, the third man was about to hold her back by grabbing her shoulder.


    Maybe it was just a conditional reflex, but Apple''s next reaction would have made the man regret touching him.


    Apple didn''t hesitate to throw him over her shoulder when she grabbed the man''s hand and made a mannequin fall on the poor man.


    "You b*tch!" the other two men cried, and came rushing over to help their fallen friend. "Hold her! Don''t let her out of this shop!"


    In the distance, when he saw this, Jayden stopped walking and was amazed for a moment, but seeing Apple''s angry expression, heughed softly.


    This would be fun.


    Jayden wanted to know what kind ofmotion Apple had caused, so he quickened his pace so as not to miss the next interesting scene.


    On the other hand, upon hearing themotion, several people immediately came to see what was really going on, while a young female employee at the store immediately called security to secure Apple and also called her manager to resolve the matter.


    This shopping n had turned into chaos¡­

 Chapter 452 LET ME PAY FOR IT

    <h4>Chapter 452 LET ME PAY FOR IT</h4>


    Apple stared intently at the two security guards who were approaching her, folded her arms across her chest and gave the two a threatening look, as if to say; if they dared to touch her, then she would not hesitate to break their bones.


    And Apple didn''t mess around with that hidden threat.


    Maybe because they felt a very strong aura of hostilitying from Apple, the two security guards stayed where they were and didn''t approach her.


    After all, the young girl didn''t do anything nor did she go anywhere, therefore, they didn''t feel the need to hold her back.


    On the other hand, after Apple was sure that the two security guards wouldn''t touch her, she shifted her sharp and hostile gaze toward Jayden, who was standing a bit away from this riot.


    What was that man doing?! Why didn''t hee to settle the matter but instead act like he was just a bystander watching from a distance? Damn! He was no spectator! Apple being here and getting involved in this insignificant problem was all because of him.


    But, it seemed Jayden had absolutely no intention of helping her, and preferred to find entertainment by just watching.


    Realizing this, Apple snorted in annoyance. Fine! If that was what Jayden wanted, then she would make him see how crazy Apple was.


    If it was a scene that Jayden wanted to see, then Apple would entertain him with a show that was worth it for him to watch.


    "This womanmitted a violent act against my friend, you must arrest her. Can''t you see that she''s destroying things here?!" one of the men eximed angrily, while the third man helped his friend to his feet after getting an unexpected attack from Apple.


    On the other hand, the female employee who witnessed everything that happened, told everything in detail about what really happened to the manager.


    The female employee tried to be fair and exined that Apple had been the first to see the jacket and wanted it, but one of the men took the jacket she was about to take a closer look at.


    It was just that the man who was overthrown by Apple spoke in a fairly loud voice.


    "Don''t you know who my family is?!" he eximed. "We havee here many times and you must know that we are regr guests!"


    Of course, the manager realized who he was dealing with and which families the three men in front of him were from, so he looked confused.


    "You don''t want anything to do with our family," one of them said in a smug tone.


    "Miss, I''m sorry," the manager began after he had made some calctions. He saw that Apple neither wore branded clothes nor came from a respected family he had known, so it would have been easier to deal with this girl. "But I think you should give them the jacket, because they are regr guests here."


    Apple widened her eyes in disbelief. What kind of logic was that?


    "If every regr guest gets what they want even if it means they take what belongs to someone else, then why are you still opening this shop to the public?!" Apple cried in annoyance.


    She then directed an annoyed look at Jayden who was actually enjoying his slurpy, who knew who had bought the drink for him.


    The man looked back at Apple, but the look in his eyes seemed to say that this was what life was like and Apple should have known it for a long time.


    This of course made Apple even more annoyed.


    "Sorry, but you haven''t paid for the jacket yet." Then the manager added cautiously. "Are you able to pay the price for the jacket? Have you seen the price?"


    "I don''t need to know the price of this jacket to buy it," Apple replied curtly, she tried to walk over to Jayden to throw the jacket in his face so he could pay and they could get out of here quickly.


    Now, Apple wanted this jacket not because she liked it, but because she didn''t want it to be given to the three stupid men in front of her.


    And what annoyed her even more was that there was only one such jacket left.


    "Sorry Miss, but you can''t bring the jacket." He got in the way of Apple. "I''m just asking, do you have enough funds to buy it?"


    Apple closed her eyes to give herself a little patience, but when she opened her eyes the three men made fun of her and she saw Jayden casually drinking his drink.


    "Hey, you!" Apple raised her hand and pointed at Jayden. "COME HERE!"


    Of course, the way Apple addressed Jayden sounded a lot like an employer calling a servant, sounding aggressive andmanding.


    Hearing that, several bodyguards who were around Jayden gasped, shocked by what they saw and heard. They would never have thought that they would see a day when Jayden Tordoff was summoned like a lowly employee by a woman to approach herself.


    Even Jayden didn''t think that Apple''s reaction would be like that. He choked on his drink and coughed a few times, before he collected himself and looked as cool as ever.


    "Come here quickly!" Apple cried impatiently, waving her hand at Jayden. "Come and pay for this."


    Jayden blinked a few times. It seemed like after this they should have a serious conversation on who was boss between the two of them and Apple shouldn''t treat him like this, especially in front of so many people.


    "You are taking too long! Walk fast!" Apple cried again. She seemed to be venting her frustration on those around her at Jayden.


    But, before Jayden could go up to Apple and pay the bill for the jacket, someone came up to Apple, took the jacket, and grabbed her wrist before saying.


    "Let me pay for it."


    Apple was taken aback, as were those around them, but when they realized who the man was, the manager didn''t dare stand in his way and the three men fell silent.


    "Misha? What are you doing here?" Apple asked.

 Chapter 453 BE CAREFUL WITH HIM

    <h4>Chapter 453 BE CAREFUL WITH HIM</h4>


    Misha was indeed in the shopping center when he saw a few men he recognized and they happened to be Jayden''s bodyguards, although they were wearing in clothes that didn''t stand out too much to others.


    So he thought that Jayden would not be far from them, and sure enough, he saw that troublemaker cousin of his talking on the phone while Apple was in a clothing store.


    Even though the girl was wearing a hat and mask, Misha could recognize her well with just a single nce at her posture.


    At first, Misha just wanted to skip greeting the two of them and didn''t want to bother the two, because there really wasn''t anything important that he needed, but when he saw amotion breaking out until Apple was in trouble, he became interested in stopping for a moment and observing what his cousin would do.


    Misha thought Jayden would soon solve the trivial matter, but he was just watching from afar while enjoying what was happening.


    It was very typical of Jayden when his pranks were on the rise.


    And what surprised Misha even more was how Apple handled the situation. She ordered Jayden to pay for the jacket in her hand, but in a tone as if she were the boss and Jayden were just her goon.


    The little girl he used to know had now grown into an attractive woman.


    Then when Jayden was about toe forward to deal with the situation after that special order from Apple, Misha found himself going first and approaching Apple.


    Misha grabbed Apple''s hand and made her walk beside him while he took the jacket in her hand to pay the bill.


    "Misha? What are you doing here?" Apple asked in bewilderment.


    "Saving you from my cousin''s stupidity," he replied nonchntly and only released his grip on Apple''s wrist when they reached the cash counter.


    Misha immediately handed over the jacket that was the source of the problem and handed over his card as well.


    However, someone had taken the card before the cashier epted it.


    "I think she asked me to pay for this jacket and not you." Jayden held Misha''s card and handed the cashier his own card instead.


    "I thought you wanted to finish your drink first," Misha replied.


    Jayden smirked. "Don''t worry, I''m used to doing various things at the same time."


    "You''ll get involved in new gossip if the media catches a photo of you with this girl," Misha said.


    "It doesn''t matter, I haven''t been in the news for a long time, I''m afraid people will forget about me gradually," Jayden replied lightly. After Jayden finished punching in the pin code for his card and got the jacket Apple wanted, he pulled the girl to his side and said as he dragged her away, "See you at home, brother."


    Meanwhile, Misha could only stare at his cousin''s back as thetter acted casually while walking away with the girl in his arms.


    However, not far from them, the three arrogant men from before along with the manager of this store could only look at Jayden Tordoff and Misha Tordoff with gasping and dumbfounded faces, because they didn''t expect that an ordinary-looking woman could be associated with these two businessmen.


    Who exactly was that girl?


    =======================


    "You don''t have to act like that toward your own cousin, do you?" Apple asked as soon as they got in the car and as usual, she was behind the wheel, while Jayden was ying some game on his phone.


    "Behave like what?" Jayden asked without taking his eyes off the game he was ying.


    "Behaving like an asshole," Apple replied in a light tone, she thought Jayden would be angry or offended at her harsh words, but she seemed to be overthinking it, because in fact he wasughing.


    "He''s an asshole," Jayden said. "Don''t be fooled by his cold and uncaring attitude, he can turn into a ruthless person in a matter of seconds."


    Apple squinted and looked at Jayden instead. "You mean the same as you? Or are you actually talking about yourself right now?"


    Jayden lifted his head and stared intently at Apple. "I think it''s a curse in the Tordoff family, we men have a bit more sadistic blood than men from other families."


    "The word ''sadistic'' seems too light for what you can do."


    Jayden shrugged his shoulders nonchntly. "I''ll take that as apliment."


    "I''m not praising you," Apple said curtly, and red at Jayden, but the man had returned to the game on his phone. He really didn''t care about what Apple had to say.


    ======================


    It seemed that what Misha predicted was right, because where there was a crowd, there was a camera, which would capture every moment, especially the unusual and spectacr moments.


    Unfortunately, the incident where Jayden pulled Apple to his side and kept the girl by his side in a slightly intimate way, made it news everywhere.


    They said that the bachelor already had the woman of his dreams and went too far until they published misleading information such as, they would get married soon.


    "What the hell!?" Apple hissed when she saw the news that morning which showed a photo of her in Jayden''s arms with her face covered in a mask and hat.


    Because of her covered face, people began to go crazy by making strange assumptions.


    They tried to guess who the girl was and began to look for a girl with a simr body posture to hers from the upper ss families.


    "You should have predicted that," Pyro said, his voice full of concern, as he drank his morning coffee. "I warned you that you should keep your rtionship limited to work."


    Apple lowered the phone from her face and stared at her father in disbelief. "Look at this!" She then slid the phone right under her father''s nose. "I didn''t hug him, he hugged me. So you can''t me me."


    "I don''t me you honey, dad was just telling you to be careful with Jayden Tordoff."

 Chapter 454 RAINY DAY

    <h4>Chapter 454 RAINY DAY</h4>


    That morning, Apple walked into Jayden''s office with a frown on her face. She was very annoyed at the news that was circting out there and made herself the center of attention. And even though it could be said that no one recognized her, still this made her feel ufortable.


    Especially after that morning''s chat with her father.


    She didn''t know what Pyro knew about Jayden until he gave Apple such a warning to stay away from Jayden, but what was certain was that; Apple also had no intention of having a romantic rtionship with the Tordoff heir.


    This was really messed up.


    Apple could feel the questioning stares from the other employees. They whispered to each other and pointed at herself stealthily, thinking that Apple didn''t notice.


    For people who had seen her passing through the office or often seen her with Jayden, of course it would be easy to realize that the woman in the photo was her.


    However, luckily they had signed a non disclosure agreement that could prevent them from speaking to anyone outside of thepany and it proved to be very helpful in the current situation.


    "Jayden!" Apple cried as soon as she entered his office and found that the man was alone there and had been here since early in the morning.


    The man was fast asleep on the sofa, with the clothes he wore yesterday and shoes that just fell off.


    This was not the sight she had expected herself to see upon seeing this troubled man.


    It didn''t seem that Jayden had been here since early in the morning, but indeed he didn''t return to his house and instead fell asleep here.


    Immediately, Apple scowled, as she couldn''t vent her frustration on Jayden and approached him slowly.


    "He said he couldn''t sleep on the couch," Apple grumbled. "Then what is this?"


    Then, the girl plopped down on the sofa next to Jayden and felt that her head was a little dizzy from not being able to vent her frustration on this one man, as he fell into afortable sleep instead.


    "You bastard," Apple cursed, sticking her tongue out at Jayden.


    And after that, the atmosphere in the room went quiet again, while outside, the morning sky that should have been bright and had the sun shining brightly, was cloudy, indicating that it was going to rain.


    Apple thought about their nster that evening to ambush the people from the organization Jayden had been searching for a long time.


    She didn''t know whether what Richard Anderson said was true or false, but what was certain was that Jayden received reliable information and tonight there would be a shipment of somerge cargo at the port.


    Harbor¡­


    Apple didn''t know for sure what was the connection between Jayden''s trauma and the harbor, but it was one of those ces that traumatized him and Apple had seen it with her own eyes, when the trauma triggered something inside of Jayden.


    Suddenly, in the serene silence, Jayden''s cell phone rang. The sound wasn''t too loud, but it must have been enough to wake Jayden up as it was very quiet in the room and he should have woken up when he heard his cell phone ring.


    But, in fact, no. Jayden didn''t even move at all, not even a sign of him hearing his own cell phone ringing could be detected.


    "Hey, your phone is ringing, pick it up, maybe it''s an important phone call." But, there was no answer from Jayden, he was still lying on the sofa, unmoving.


    Only the movement of his chest rising and falling indicated that the man was still alive and stopped Apple from running out while calling an ambnce.


    But, even so, it was still suspicious. For someone as alert as Jayden, wouldn''t it be very strange to fall asleep without paying any attention to his surroundings at all?


    It was only then that Apple realized that something was wrong with Jayden. His face looked a lot redder than it must have been and his body was sweating even though the air conditioner was on while it felt quite cold with the rain slowly starting to fall outside.


    "Jayden," Apple tried to shake him, but he didn''t move or get up from his slumber. "Jayden!" her voice sounded louder now.


    Oh, sh*t!


    Did something happen to him? Was he poisoned? Or did someone attack him before she came here? But, that was impossible, there was no sign of a fight here and he wasn''t hurt at all after all.


    "D*mn it, Jayden! What happened to you?!" Apple then pulled out her own cell phone and intended to contact Adrian.


    But, before the call was connected, Jayden had opened his eyes and groaned as he pushed himself into a sitting position.


    "No need to make a call," Jayden grumbled, his voice weak and he didn''t look all right now. "Turn off the call."


    Apple did what he wanted and ended the unanswered phone call.


    "You''re so noisy," he grumbled. "You disturbed my sleep."


    "Oh, you''re sleeping? I thought you were dead," Apple said sarcastically. "I''ve tried to wake you up several times but you wouldn''t wake up."


    Jayden shook his head, as if he wanted to get rid of the cloud that surrounded his thoughts.


    "Get my medicine from the break room." Jayden pointed toward the room he used to rest in. "It''s in the second drawer on the left."


    Although Apple had a few questions to ask Jayden, she held herself back and did what the man wanted.


    Not to forget, she brought a ss of water for Jayden too.


    "It''s a sedative," Apple stated, after Jayden had finished taking two pills of the drug.


    "You know?" Jayden raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised to learn that Apple was aware of this drug.


    "Of course I know," Apple replied, leaning back against the sofa and staring at the rain that was starting to fall hard outside.


    The situation at the port would be even more difficult if it rained like thister that night.


    "Have you ever taken this medicine?" Jayden guessed.


    "Hm," Apple replied in a mumble.

 Chapter 455 FIRST KILL

    <h4>Chapter 455 FIRST KILL</h4>


    Maybe it''s because of the rain outside which gives a sense of calm and peace. You knew right, about how a rainy day makes you a little more vulnerable about how you feel and how it bes easier for you to show your weak side in times like this.


    A side you''ve never shown before or a side that no one else has noticed before.


    And for Jayden and Apple, that moment of magic is now. When Jayden is at his lowest and most vulnerable, and also when Apple seems much calmer than usual.


    "Have you ever taken this medicine?" Jayden guessed, when Apple said he knew what medicine he was taking.


    "Hm," Apple replied in a mumble.


    "What happened?" Jayden asked, he could feel that the dizziness that was hitting his head was starting to subside, but he felt a little sluggish after taking the drug, this was an effect he didn''t like, especially since tonight they had something big going on.


    "I don''t know if my dad ever talked to you about my mom or not," Apple began.


    "I can assure you that he never spoke of this to me." Jayden moved his body to find afortable position to continue this conversation. I don''t know when was thest time he had a conversation like this. "I only found out about your existence when Pyro was injured."


    "As expected," Apple muttered, nodding its head. He then looked at Jayden with eyes that looked calm andfortable. "My father and mother never married, the truth is, I exist because of a mistake between the two of them."


    "Oh, I didn''t know Pyro had a wild side to women too, I thought he was the conservative type." Jayden then raised his hand when he saw Apple''s gentle gaze turn fierce. "Continue."


    "My mom was pregnant with me and dad knew about it, but because mom said she wanted me so dad only visited me once in a while, after all he spends a lot of time outside with your family." Apple remembers the incident very well, how his father would visit him very rarely.


    Roughly speaking, Pyro gave his mother a lot of money to take care of Apple and also cover all expenses.


    It could be said that the money that Pyro gave was more than enough to support Apple and its mother. He even bought a house big enough for the two of them.


    "It''s just that when I was nine, my mother met another guy and he started acting differently. He gambles and is almost always drunk."


    Jayden listened patiently and imagined how Apple was feeling right now.


    "That man hit you?" Jayden asked.


    "Yes," Apple replied curtly, not wanting to go into detail about the incident.


    The man beat him and his mother when he was not given money to gamble and buy drinks. And it happened for years.


    Pyro didn''t know because he rarely came to the house and no one told him about it.


    "I met Kyle at the age of fifteen and was in a rtionship with him for five years because he was the one who helped me when my mom''s boyfriend started beating me," Apple said in a low voice.


    "He sounds like a nice guy. Are you sure they are the same men I met not too long ago?" Jayden asked. "Maybe he fought too much to change his personality?"


    Apple rolled his eyes. "Of course they''re the same man."


    However, one thing that Apple can draw conclusions from what has happened to him so far is; alcohol is always able to change a person''s behavior.


    "Thest two years he''s turned violent and behaves more like my mother''s lover."


    And after that, Jayden didn''t need the full details of what happened until Apple needed the sedative.


    So it''s safe to say that Kyle was her savior, but also the one who gave Apple the second nightmare after her mother''s lover.


    While Pyro only took Apple when he was seventeen years old and separated himself from the mother and the man.


    Of course the method that Pyro uses is not an inducement, but a threat, because they consider Apple as their source of ie, where Pyro will only give money to his daughter.


    "Then how about you?" asked Apple at the end of his short story, while it was raining harder and harder outside and the sky was getting darker, but they both seemed to be getting morefortable with each other.


    "Nothing specific happened to me." Jayden shrugged nonchntly. "I was born rich, handsome and inherited the number onepany in the country. Has a beautiful mother and older sister and a fierce and slightly ambitious father. I think I inherited this trait from my father." He thought for a moment. "Yes, I inherited that trait from my father." He confirmed.


    Apple rolled its eyes dramatically when it heard Jayden''s arrogant statement. "What happened when you were fifteen?"


    They both knew what Apple meant about the incident.


    There was silence surrounding the two of them, while outside thunder and lightning shed against each other.


    At first, Apple thought Jayden wouldn''t say anything and would divert the topic, but after a while he started talking.


    "They kept me in one of the cargo hold for sale." Jayden turned his attention away from Apple and stared at the wall. "Yeah, I almost fell victim to human trafficking carried out by that organization if it weren''t for one of them realizing that I''m the son of the Tordoff family."


    "They asked for a ransom instead?" asked Apple.


    "Yeah, you can put it like that. They asked for a high nominal for it, "said Jayden. "But when they got the money, they didn''t let me go."


    Then Jayden turned his attention to Apple and smirked. "I think you know what happened after that.


    Yes, Apple knows what''s going on, he heard it from his dad. "Youmitted your first murder."


    "You''re right," he answered lightly.

 Chapter 456 PATHETIC

    <h4>Chapter 456 PATHETIC</h4>


    Jayden knew that what he had done at that time was something he had to do, and to be honest, he didn''t really feel guilty or sorry for what he did.


    Because in such a situation, he was only left with two choices; him being killed by them or him killing them first.


    Indeed, the two choices were not fun things to do, but if he had to choose, of course Jayden would choose to live.


    It was just that, even though Jayden didn''t feel guilty, he was still just a fifteen year old teenager who was never really forced to deal with a precarious situation. After all, he was surrounded by bodyguards who would protect him round the clock.


    Therefore, this event would always be etched in his heart and he would not be able to just get rid of it.


    His first murder made Jayden have to go in and out of the therapy room, getting counselled from a psychiatrist who helped him to talk, talk about the problems he was experiencing.


    It was just that Jayden felt reluctant to bring up the memory again, he felt that it was better to just keep it hidden and didn''t need to remember it.


    However, as a side effect, Jayden became obsessed about finding the organization until he could think of nothing but bringing them down.


    Ramon had indeed caught those who were involved in Jayden''s kidnapping, but he didn''t want to delve into the matter deep enough and objected to finding out who was behind the organization.


    But, not for Jayden.


    He wanted to get them.


    "How did you feel when you found out that you killed that man?" Apple asked, listening intently to every word Jayden said.


    For a moment, Jayden was a little taken aback by the question, because he thought Apple would see him differently, but no, the girl didn''t show any fear or any judgmental attitude toward him.


    Discussing this issue with Apple was like he was discussing a business n that he was really interested in. Jayden didn''t feel forced or pressured to talk about this to the girl.


    "Nothing," Jayden answered honestly. "I was silent for a moment, but at that moment, I didn''t think I had the luxury to feel pity for them."


    Apple fell silent when she heard this, her eyes showing that she was listening carefully to whatever Jayden was saying right now.


    "They''ll kill me if I don''t kill them first." Jayden shrugged his shoulders nonchntly. "I think, at that time, my survival instinct kicked in."


    Apple nodded, she knew how that felt. She also might do the same thing. When you were in danger, of course you would do anything to save yourself.


    "Then what makes you feel afraid of ships?"


    Jayden chuckled when he heard this. Maybe it was the effect of the medicine he had taken, or the effect of the rain outside. This type of weather could make your defenses a little lower and leave you a bit vulnerable in expressing your feelings.


    "I''m not afraid of boats, I don''t feelfortable being on a lot of water." Jayden then closed his eyes. The effects of the medicine started to work, he felt much calmer now. "I don''t like being on a boat that bobs around, and makes me feel like I''m in the middle of the ocean."


    And that was when something clicked in Apple''s head.


    She remembered this story from her father. At the time of the rescue, Jayden was found in a small boat, after he managed to escape from the big ship that was going to take him somewhere after they got the ransom from Ramon Tordoff.


    Jayden, who at that time was only fifteen years old, was adrift in the middle of the high seas for approximately eighteen hours before he was found and rescued.


    Therefore, he was afraid to be in a ship or on the high seas. That was the origin where he developed his trauma from.


    "Jayden?" Apple called out to him again, but found the man had fallen asleep with his soft snoring audible.


    =====================


    Jayden had slept all day. He even missed a few meetings and made Adrian shake his head at his boss''s behavior.


    How could he sleep all day when they had a big mission that night to catch the ''shipping'' that was about to happen?


    On the other hand, Apple could understand that, because she could understand why Jayden did that. It was his way of coping with his trauma.


    Where tonight he would again be faced with a situation that would trigger his own trauma.


    That was why he was preparing himself in this way, although it sounded a little strange, but that was what happened.


    However, Jayden seemed to be much better off, because when they were on their way to their appointed ce, he was acting as usual.


    Even Apple didn''t expect this to be the same man who talked about his fears a few hours ago.


    "Don''t look at me like that all the time, you''ll be seduced by my charms." Jayden winked at her and Apple snorted disdainfully, feeling that her worry was just a pointless feeling.


    There was nothing to worry about this creature. Apple then put on her helmet and got on the motorbike.


    "Are you sure you want to ride this?" Jayden asked, ncing at Apple''s motorcycle with an uncertain look in his eyes.


    "Of course," Apple replied for the umpteenth time.


    "She''s much better at riding a motorbike, than a car." A voice echoed within the basement before its owner''s figure appeared from behind a car.


    Hearing the sudden voice, Jayden and Apple nearly jumped in shock.


    "Stop doing that!" Jayden grumbled. "Stop appearing all of a sudden. I thought you were a ghost."


    "Right," Apple chimed in.


    Unbeknownst to the two of them, both of them were afraid of ghosts, they were somehow very brave in fighting the enemy, but not so brave when dealing with invisible creatures.


    "Both of you are pathetic," Misha said as he got into his car.

 Chapter 457 CHANGE OF PLANS

    <h4>Chapter 457 CHANGE OF PLANS</h4>


    Misha came to take part in this mission because it was he who had been helping Jayden in digging out information on the organization and apanying Jayden in every pursuit like this.


    And the only reason why Jayden did not involve the authorities in this matter, such as the police, was because they had valid evidence that this organization also involved the police in every operation.


    Therefore, there was truly no safe ce for them to share information.


    And what was more, Misha suspected that Jayden had a personal grudge against the head of the organization. Something must have happened when he was kidnapped more than what he told them.


    "Feeling good out there?" Jayden asked over the phone, as he saw the motorbike Apple was driving at the side of his car. The girl was using the earphones connected to her helmet tomunicate with Jayden. "You can get in the car now if you want," Jayden offered.


    "No thanks," Apple replied, and then elerated her motorbike, overtaking the cars in front of her, but because she was still on the phone with Jayden, she couldn''t really stop the man''s voice from reaching into her ears.


    "You''re going to get sick at the rate this rain is pouring down," Jayden said in a light tone and almost sounded like he was making fun of Apple because she would rather ride a motorbike than get into the car and let a driver drive her.


    Meanwhile, the rain outside was pouring heavily and making visibility short. One of the weather conditions that Jayden didn''t like at all.


    However, this didn''t seem to bother Apple at all, as the girl rode her motorbike without any problems.


    "No, thank you. I''ll get there first and take a look at the situation," Apple replied and since talking to Jayden was costing her her concentration she turned off themunication device, after saying. "See you there."


    On the other hand, in the car, Jayden couldn''t help but frown when he heard the tone of the phone line being disconnected.


    This girl was really worrying. She was too brave for her own good.


    ======================


    By riding a motorbike, of course Apple would easily get to their destination earlier than Jayden or Misha. They would probably arrive ten minutester than her.


    "I''m here," Apple said as Jayden picked up the phone after the first ring. She then parked her motorbike in a fairly hidden ce and walked toward the dock.


    "Wait where we agreed," Jayden told Apple. But then he felt the urge to emphasize this point. "Don''t do anything just yet. Stay there."


    "Okay, okay..." Apple said as she walked toward the point they had agreed to get a better look at the surroundings. "I''m heading to the rendezvous point."


    Apple walked toward the ce where they would meet, which was in warehouse C. There were tworge cargoes there and Apple was hiding behind a container truck that was usually used to transport sand.


    There were a few suspicious people walking around Apple, but she easily hid herself, away from their eyes.


    Rainy conditions and blurry eyes really helped Apple in hiding. Only, her whole body was drenched and covered in mud because of her actions this time.


    Apple grumbled that she was wearing her new shoes and wasn''t sure they would survive in these conditions.


    She should have just used her old ones.


    However, when Apple lifted her head, she saw a group of people pointing their guns at a man, when he just got off one of the closed containers.


    She couldn''t hear what they were talking about, but in the next second the man fell to the ground and was no longer moving.


    It seemed they used silencers on their guns so that Apple didn''t hear gunshots and also didn''t attract the attention of those around them.


    And when the man went down, falling to the ground with blood pouring down on the rain-soaked ground, two men came forward and opened the chain of the container that locked it.


    They shouted something as the door of the container opened, words Apple couldn''t quite catch because of the heavy rain all around them.


    But after a while, Apple didn''t need to understand what they were saying


    She saw several people walking out of the container, consisting of children and teenagers ranging in age from eight to eighteen.


    They walked timidly, exiting the container with several guns pointed at their heads.


    Some of the younger children were seen crying in terror and calling for their mothers, but the men shouted angrily, telling them to be quiet.


    Apple frowned when she saw a man pulling a short-haired teenage girl, who looked very frightened.


    There was a bit of an argument between the man and one of his fellow men, which the man eventually won.


    He pulled the teenage girl away from the group and told her to walk toward where Apple was hiding.


    At first, Apple didn''t understand why he had separated the girl, but once they got closer and she saw the lustful look in the man''s eyes as he stared at the girl in front of him, Apple knew what was going to happen next.


    This was not something that Apple could just ignore.


    The man led the girl right behind the container where Apple was hiding, but he still didn''t notice her presence there.


    Apple was so close to the man that she could hear the girl''s cries as he began to touch her.


    "I can''t allow this..." Apple said into the still connected line.


    "Allow what?" Jayden asked, his voice firm and antsy. "Apple, don''t act rashly."


    But on the other hand, Apple couldn''t stay silent when she heard the girl''s cry for help which was so heartbreaking.


    "Change of ns, Jayden," Apple said, and then checked the gun on her waist, but instead chose to use the knife she was carrying, strapped to her ankle because it would be less noisy.

 Chapter 458 DON’T LOOK

    <h4>Chapter 458 DON''T LOOK</h4>


    "Change of ns, Jayden," Apple said on the phone to the man, then hung up.


    "Sh*t!" Jayden cursed loudly when he heard a tone from his cell phone indicating that the line had been disconnected.


    Not long after, they could see the harbor in the distance. From this distance, it looked like it would take about two to three minutes to arrive at the ce where they had agreed to meet.


    During these two minutes, Jayden couldn''t calm down. He knew that Apple would stop the man and if he were there, he would probably do the same.


    But, it was very dangerous and Apple was out there alone.


    For now, all Jayden could do was hope that Apple could handle the guy well and didn''t mess with their ns.


    Jayden would miss this golden opportunity to catch the head of this organization if Apple messed up their ns just to save a stranger.


    However, for some reason, Jayden was much more concerned about Apple''s safety than about the sess of their n.


    Maybe this was because he was too afraid to imagine what Pyro would do if Apple got hurt in this mission.


    Maybe in the end, recruiting Apple to be his personal bodyguard and bringing this girl into this situation wasn''t such a good idea.


    But, Jayden didn''t regret it...


    =====================


    Apple moved quickly and swiftly, each step so light and silent, that in the matter of a few seconds, she was behind the man who was hurting the girl. The lecher had his back facing Apple.


    It was the girl who saw Apple first with a knife in her hand, while she put her finger to her lips, asking the victim not to make a sound and give away her whereabouts.


    Therefore, the young girl closed her eyes and pressed her lips together, in order to prevent herself from screaming and wished that this stranger would save her quickly, because she could no longer contain her disgust for the man who was touching her.


    On the other hand, when Apple got very close to the man, the first thing she did was plunge the knife into the man''s neck and sh the arteries in his neck, so that he couldn''t scream because of the blood pooling in his mouth.


    Only then did Apple kick the worthless man''s body away from the young girl.


    The man fell to the ground with his face hitting the ground first, letting out a low gurgling and grunting sound, because he couldn''t speak.


    Seeing that, Apple again attacked the man by stabbing him in the chest, right where his heart was. Her free hand was covering his mouth, causing him to choke on his own blood while feeling an unimaginable amount of pain.


    Apple did it coolly, as if she had done it several times.


    It was hard to imagine a woman as young as Apple could do this, but her moves were so precise and she didn''t look the least bit intimidated.


    And within seconds, the bastard was no longer able to scream or move. He just died without even putting up any meaningful resistance and it was a death he deserved.


    After finishing with the man, Apple then walked over to the young girl who was still cowering in fear and crying silently.


    She then took hold of her hand, trying to help her up, but since the girl had her eyes closed she didn''t know that it was Apple who had touched her, so she screamed in terror, trying to get away from Apple''s touch.


    "Rx, it''s fine. It''s all over, you''ll be fine." Apple tried to calm the girl down as much as possible, because she didn''t want anyone to hear her screaming.


    She would be in trouble if the men found out that someone had killed their friend.


    "Hey, hey, hey," Apple tried to calm her down. "Open your eyes, you''re fine now," she said.


    It wasn''t until the young girl heard Apple''s voice that she was sure that she was safe. Slowly, she opened her eyes and found a young girl wearing all ck, looking back at her worriedly.


    The girl didn''t have time to notice the blood on Apple''s hands when she hugged her and started crying.


    Apple hugged her back and tried tofort her with words, but she couldn''tfort her for long, because she had important things to do now.


    "Where are those people taking you?" Apple asked the girl after she let go of her hug. She was still shaking and it could be heard clearly as she spoke.


    "They¡­ they will take us on a ship¡­" she stammered. "They said¡­ they would sell us."


    She overheard the conversation as the men who caught them were chatting along the way.


    "Do you know which ship will take you?" Apple asked, hoping for a clue, but then she saw the girl shake her head. "Okay, go now. Get away from this ce."


    Apple then told the girl where she had to go. She would meet some men who would save her and take her back to her house to be with her family.


    "Don''t look back," Apple said quickly when the girl noticed the blood on Apple''s hands and was about to turn her head back to see the lifeless body of the man who had attacked her, but Apple quickly stopped her. "You won''t like what you see. Now, go in the direction I told you to, okay?"


    The girl nodded and ran in the direction Apple told her to.


    Meanwhile, Apple gave the dead man onest look before she finally continued her mission to follow the men, who were leading the children and teenagers away.


    The atmosphere in the harbor was very noisy, therefore she did not need to be careful in approaching the people she had seen.


    Luckily it didn''t take long for Apple to find them again.


    **********


    Read my new novel: UNTAMED; THE ALPHA.


    Hope you like it ^^

 Chapter 459 THEY MOVED

    <h4>Chapter 459 THEY MOVED</h4>


    The first thing Jayden noticed after he got out of his car was a young girl looking confused, walking toward himself and his people timidly.


    In an instant, Jayden realized that it was the young girl that Apple had saved. She seemed very scared and didn''t know what to do in the cold night weather that was still pouring rain.


    Jayden then ordered someone toe up to the girl and get her into a car, while he walked out of his car, ignoring the raindrops drenching his expensive coat.


    Apple had moved ahead and he didn''t know what was happening with the girl now, so he didn''t feel like wasting any more time.


    On the other hand, Misha got out of the car, looking as calm as ever, checking the gun and other weapons before he followed after Jayden to the point where they had agreed to meet with Apple.


    "Where is Apple now?" Misha asked Jayden, since he was the one wearing the earphones, with which he was currently trying to contact Apple.


    "She had found the ship that would carry this ''shipment''," Jayden said in a low voice, answering Misha''s question, while he immediately concentrated back on what Apple was saying through themunication device.


    Currently, Apple was telling him the characteristics of the ship that would bring away the children and teenagers. It was arge white ship, like a private ship with an anonymous logo.


    Apple then sent a picture of the logo to Jayden and instantly he realized whose logo it belonged to.


    Misha who was behind him saw the logo and immediately realized who they were facing now.


    "I didn''t expect them to actually have a ''delivery service'' like this, too," Misha muttered. They certainly realized who the owner of the logo was.


    It was a special logo owned by the Gevano family. They did introduce their newpany logo three years ago, but some of their goods still use the old logo.


    And apparently, the ship found by Apple was one of them.


    "Didn''t your mother have a history with that man from the Gevano family?" Misha reminded Jayden and saw his cousin click his tongue.


    Jayden of course knew about the story between his mother and Theodore Gevano, but it was only told within the family and was only for them to joke about, because Alina had met Theodore Gevano and realized the man''s attitude toward their mother was unnatural.


    But, it was an old story that even Jayden would have forgotten had Misha not reminded him.


    "At least it''s a clue," Misha said, then continued walking toward the harbor. The rain that fell made their clothes wet, but it didn''t bother them at all.


    On the other hand, Jayden called someone to give him more detailed information about the Gevano family and whether Theodore Gevano had any involvement with the matter, especially with Jayden''s kidnapping case twelve years ago.


    This was absolutely valid evidence and Jayden was not going to waste it. He would investigate further into this matter.


    ====================


    "What do you want me to do now?" Apple asked when she saw that all the kids were already on the ship and they were getting ready to leave, while Jayden''s men weren''t there yet.


    "Stay there," Jayden ordered.


    "I can get in that ship I think," Apple said, she saw that their guard wasn''t that tight and she thought it was very possible for her to sneak inside. "What do you say? We''ll lose them if they ever get out of here, unless you have a ship here to catch up with them and that''s sure to attract a lot of attention."


    Apple would get in there the very moment Jayden approved the idea.


    "You are talking a lot tonight," Jayden grumbled, frowning when he heard Apple babble. "Go if you think you can sneak in there."


    "Okay," Apple replied lightly.


    "Don''t kill those people, I want to question them," Jayden warned Apple.


    Luckily, Jayden didn''t see the expression Apple made when she heard his words. Her face morphed into a scowl as she stared at the mast very cynically, as if the mast was Jayden Tordoff.


    "For God''s sake," Apple grumbled. "They are about seven fully armed adults, while I m just a young woman with a gun and knife in hand, aren''t you worried about the wrong person?"


    Jaydenughed softly and this made Misha frown out of curiosity at what Apple said to make his cousinugh like that.


    "I am sure you can beat them without difficulty," Jayden replied. "Don''t worry, I''ll be your white knight if you really can''t stand them."


    "I don''t need a white knight." And after that, Apple turned off themunication device again before Jayden replied to her words after she announced that she was going to get on the ship.


    Apple then walked slowly toward the ship, deliberately walking on the side where there was a shadow so that she could hide herself well. And after she got close, Apple jumped onto the ship''s deck and rolled herself behind a fairlyrge container, hiding there.


    Because not far from her, there were two men who were talking to each other.


    It wasn''t until the two men walked away that Apple restarted themunication device and notified Jayden that she was already on the ship.


    "Now what?" Apple asked. "They have started the engine and I think this ship will start moving any time now."


    "Find out where they hid the girls," Jayden ordered and Apple agreed.


    Even from themunication device, Jayden could hear the ship starting to move, with Apple on board.


    "They have moved?" Misha asked Jayden.


    "Yes," Jayden replied briefly and then quickened his pace, but immediately stopped when the two people who had run ahead of them, started shooting.


    It seemed their whereabouts had been exposed and now their journey to approach Apple was dyed.


    *******


    Read my new story: UNTAMED; THE ALPHA.


    Hope you like it. ^^

 Chapter 460 WHAT A PITY

    <h4>Chapter 460 WHAT A PITY</h4>


    Gunshots rang out in the darkness of the night and both camps were in an atmosphere that required them to be vignt because otherwise there would be bullets drilling their heads.


    Meanwhile, Jayden and Misha were standing side by side, hiding behind a yellow cargo ship after shooting right at three of their opponents.


    "Doesn''t this feel like the paintball game that we yed when we were kids?" Jaydenmented. He looked up at the still dark sky and the rain that was still falling, though not as hard as when they came earlier.


    "I don''t feel like we were ying paintball at all," Misha retorted.


    "Yes, of course, because you always lose to me," Jayden said.


    "Just because you''ll be crying all day and sulking at your mother if I beat you," Misha retorted. He then raised his eyebrows as Jayden looked at him intently, as if to say; what did you want to say again? Still dare to deny?


    "I don''t sulk, stop defaming me."


    "Just because I''m older than you, doesn''t mean you can lie and act like you want all the time right? Remember, I''m only one year older than you." Misha reminded him.


    But, before the bickering between the two cousins ??continued, Apple interrupted their conversation by reminding them of the current condition and situation.


    "Hey, actually I don''t want to cut off your deep talk to each other, but I''m in a difficult position here, so can you please keep going with our n, please?" Apple was now hiding in one of the men''s rooms and was rummaging through the room for any clues she could get of the men''s identities.


    Since she hadn''t been able to reach the ce where they held the children and teenagers, she came up with a way to help themselves.


    "I''m sorry honey, he''s a little annoying, but I''ll being to you soon, so can you hold on a little longer?" Jayden said softly.


    "Stop teasing me, you promised my dad you wouldn''t tease me."


    "I''m not teasing you. I''m not gonna tease anyone while I''m being pinned down, okay. Those are just friendly words."


    Apple rolled her eyes. "Come here quickly, because if I get hurt, my father won''t forgive you."


    Jayden groaned, slightly annoyed. "Can we not mention your father for a while? I find it a little strange when you bring Pyro who is now miles away into our conversation."


    "Bring your a** here, I don''t want to wait, they will find me."


    "I am your boss."


    "It''s already outside my working hours, so you''re not my boss anymore."


    "You''re working overtime, honey."


    Meanwhile, Misha, who heard the banter between them, pointed his gun at Jayden.


    "If you keep talking like this, there''s a high chance that they''ll kill you. So instead of them, wouldn''t it be better if I killed you first?" he said, annoyed.


    "Okay, I wille to you soon, Misha has gone mad. He is pointing his gun at me." Jayden scowled, he frowned at his cousin. "You''ll have a hard time dealing with my mother if you kill me, cousin."


    "Move your a**," Misha grumbled.


    Hearing that, Jayden suspected that he had learned Apple''s words. They both had dirty mouths.


    ======================


    While the two brothers were bickering with each other, Apple busied herself looking around and found a wallet containing the identification of one of the men on board.


    She then read his name and put the badge in her own jacket pocket. Oh, right, this was the same jacket she got after a bit of a fuss the other day.


    But, of course this wasn''t thest jacket she got from Jayden. Because the very next day, she got at least two dozen other jackets of different styles.


    Jayden reasoned that he did it so that Apple''s disguise when around him was not easily recognized by people because she wore the same jacket every time she was around him.


    Apple couldn''t argue with that or convince the mentally ill man to take back the jackets he had shipped.


    Apple didn''t need to ask for the prices of these jackets or check for them on the inte, because by noting the jacket brand itself, Apple knew that these weren''t cheap things.


    That said, the jackets alone were enough to pay her sry for a year.


    And when Pyro saw that, all he could do was shake his head because he was so familiar with such things.


    It seemed the Tordoffs'' vices had really passed down to their offspring.


    "I''ll be going forward to find out where the room they hold the kids and teens is," Apple informed Jayden of her move.


    "Okay, I''m having fun here." Then there were gunshots and other noises in Jayden''s background. "I will go to you after I finish this."


    "Take your time."


    "You know what?" Jayden then fired his gun again, lodging the bullet right between the enemy''s eyes. "You can be a perfect girlfriend."


    "And what makes you think so?" Apple opened the door and observed the deserted corridor before moving slowly down another corridor.


    "No woman would ever say ''take your time'' to a man who was busy killing nearly a dozen people."


    "Don''t worry, I just killed people thirty minutes ago."


    "Ugh! Somehow, that sounds so hot."


    And Misha who couldn''t stand the behavior of the two of them, fired his gun at the ground, only ten inches away from Jayden''s feet to make the man realize that they were in a gun fight with their enemies and not in a game of paintball, where he could y while flirting with someone else.


    "What''s that?" Apple heard gunshots so close.


    "Misha was just trying to shoot me, but he missed."


    "Too bad," Apple said disappointedly.


    Jayden furrowed his brows when he heard Apple''s disappointed tone. "You''re not disappointed that he didn''t actually shoot me, are you?"


    "I guess if I was there, I''d have the urge to shoot you, too," Apple replied dispassionately.

 Chapter 461 AN URGE TO KILL HIM

    <h4>Chapter 461 AN URGE TO KILL HIM</h4>


    It was strange, Apple and Jayden were in a situation where both of their lives were on the verge of death, but with themunication that was ongoing between the two of them, Apple actually felt a little rxed in the midst of this situation.


    Especially by hearing thements from Jayden. The man seemed to know no fear and responded to all situations with a cool head.


    Well, Jayden would only look like this, taking control of the situation if his trauma didn''t kick in at a time when he felt triggered by what was around him.


    "I think if I was there, I''d have the urge to shoot you, too," Apple replied dispassionately when she heard what Jayden had to say.


    It was like a casual chat where the two of them were talking about light topics, instead of talking about people shooting at each other and implicating death.


    Apple then walked to her left, where she didn''t hear much. The ce sounded much quieter. Looks like the seven people didn''t check this part after they led the captives inside.


    Of course, who would have thought that someone would sneak in, especially when they were out at sea.


    Apple then walked very carefully down the corridor and found a door, where inside was only a pantry without any other doors.


    Actually, Apple was quite surprised that they left the man alone with one of their captives and none of them suspected or looked for him.


    Howe? That was puzzling to Apple. After all, they shouldn''t have left the guy with a young girl they''d be sellingter, right?


    Even so, Apple didn''t have the time or resources to find out about it. But of course, she would talk to Jayden about the oddity when the two of them metter.


    Apple then walked down the corridor, found two other rooms, but found no people being held captive. She then walked straight ahead until she found the third door where she heard the faint sound of a child crying.


    It was the ce where they kept the poor children, who, the oldest of them, were probably only a few years younger than Apple.


    The girl then grabbed something from her jacket pocket, a penknife with several tools in it, which could help her to open the door.


    The peak of being Pyro''s daughter was; there was not a single door that Apple couldn''t open. She could open all the doors with the tricks she learned from her father.


    And in fact, she was able to open several safes without breaking them.


    Wasn''t that a wonderful talent? And Apple was proud that she had learned all the tricks from her father well.


    Well, for her it was something she could be proud of.


    It only took less than a minute for Apple to be able to open the door. She could see there were several children and teenagers sitting close to each other in the corner.


    All eyes in the room stared at Apple with gazes full of fear and questions, for they had never seen this young girl before.


    "Don''t make noise, okay?" Apple whispered, pressed her finger to her lips and stepped inside. "I''m here to free you all," she said.


    She then began to work on the lock of the door again and locked herself along with the children and youth inside.


    They all stared at her in bewilderment as how could anyone who wanted to be in this room, be trapped with them.


    Was this young girl really going to save them? Because she didn''t look very reliable at all...


    When Apple had relocked the door, she turned around to find the littlest girl there starting to cry.


    "You said you would save us, but why did you lock the door again?" the little girl asked between her tears.


    "Hey, did you just make a little kid cry?" Jayden asked through theirmunication device. "You are so bad."


    "Shut up!" Apple growled at Jayden.


    But of course the little girl didn''t know that, and she thought Apple just snapped at her, because why not? Apple''s facial expression was terrible and her voice sounded very sinister when she told Jayden to stop talking.


    And the girl hugged a teenage girl of about fourteen or fifteen beside her, more tightly.


    "Hey, hey¡­ I''m not mad at you, okay?" Apple tried to persuade the poor girl, but instead she buried her face in the girl''s arms.


    While the others tried to stay away from her. They looked at Apple worriedly and almost cried too.


    "I''m talking to someone." Then Apple showed the earpieces that were in her ears, while ignoring Jayden who said; say hi to them from me.


    This man was such an asshole, how could he make jokes in a situation like this? Even Apple could hear clearly that the truce was still going on in Jayden''s background right now. No wonder Misha had the urge to shoot his cousin.


    "I''m here to save you guys, okay?" Apple then came closer to them, taking off her hat so they too could get a good look at her. "Do you know where you''re going to be taken?"


    They all shook their heads.


    "How did they get all of you?" she asked again, at least, while waiting for Jayden''s arrival she could get some information from them.


    After all, there was nothing she could do while waiting.


    "I was ying in the park," a boy, with cute curls, replied. "Then a man came and put me in the car."


    "I was justing home from school when a guy asked me out."


    They all then notified Apple one by one.


    But, while Apple listened to their exnation, she sensed that something was wrong with themunication tool. There were indistinct voices as Jayden spoke.


    "Hey, I can''t hear you very well," Apple said beforemunication waspletely cut off.


    *******


    Read my new story: UNTAMED; THE ALPHA


    Hope you like it ^^

 Chapter 462 YOU CAN TAKE ME

    <h4>Chapter 462 YOU CAN TAKE ME</h4>


    "Apple¡­ Apple?" Jayden called into hismunication device when he couldn''t catch what Apple was saying.


    "What is it?" Misha asked, and then shot a man who was within shooting range with great precision, then turned his attention to Jayden.


    "Mymunication with Apple was cut off," Jayden replied in a low voice. He no longer looked easy going when he realized this. "Looks like she has gone too far."


    One needed a special and strong signal tomunicate when he was in the middle of the ocean and Apple seemed to be too far away for this signal to reach.


    Misha, who heard that, turned his attention toward the harbor. "Looks like we have to catch up with her before we really lose her."


    And before Misha could finish speaking, Jayden had moved forward and fired his gun blindly at their enemies.


    Gone was the childish and witty demeanor that he had emitted when he was talking to Apple, because now what he saw was how he executed his enemies so smoothly without even showing any facial expressions, as if this was no big deal to him.


    Indeed, one could say that this was not foreign to Jayden''s life as he was much more ustomed to his dark organization than being a businessman from the Tordoff family.


    Misha followed behind Jayden because his cousin could be reckless and put himself in danger.


    However, there was something that bothered Misha.


    "Don''t you think that our mission this time is well nned? Then how did they know we were here?" Misha asked Jayden.


    Jayden must have realized that in the first second they were ambushed. "We will find out about thatter."


    After that they moved further and found the body of a man who was covered in blood. However, the man did not die from the bullets they fired, but someone had stabbed him with a knife and shed his neck.


    Misha frowned when he saw how death had taken the man. "I think I have got the answer."


    "Yeah," Jayden responded. "Apple is a little sloppy in her job¡­"


    It seemed that these people had found the man''s body beforehand, so they realized that someone was checking the ce, which made them wary and cautious.


    This dead body rmed them.


    "I think she was in a hurry to get rid of this man."


    "Or she is in tight schedule to get rid of this big guy properly," Jayden added.


    And whatever it was, they needed to deal with this situation ASAP before they actually lost Apple.


    ===================


    After asking a few questions, Apple then mingled with the other captives. She also took off her jacket which was too shy. Those men would immediately realize that she was not part of the captives they had captured when they saw the jacket.


    Now, Apple was only wearing a shabby gray t-shirt and jeans of the same color. She purposely ruffled her hair to make her look like the kids around her, all the while trying to get in contact with Jayden again, but her efforts were in vain. She lost him.


    "What is it?" the girl next to Apple, who looked like she had just turned ten, asked her. "Is helping?"


    "Yes, of course," Apple replied with certainty. "They wille to our aid." Jayden couldn''t possibly have left her here. Well, unless he got shot in the situation he was in, then Apple would panic.


    They all then fell silent again, only the sound of the waves crashing outside could be heard, rocking the ship.


    Perhaps this was how Jayden felt when he was captured twelve years ago. It seemed this was the origin of the trauma he suffered.


    Feeling trapped and helpless, and adrift in the middle of the high seas that made him very frustrated.


    But, it seemed like it would take more than a situation like this to bring a stubborn man like Jayden to his knees and suffer deep wounds.


    However, Jayden still seemed reluctant to open up about it.


    When they all fell silent, that was when they could hear footsteps in the corridor. Apparently, one of the guards decided to go down and inspect the captives.


    Well, it could be a disaster, if they realized Apple was there and she wasn''t a part of them.


    Quickly, Apple moved behind the children and teens, covering herself, as the door to this room opened after a few lock sounds echoed in the room.


    And when the door opened, they could see a man who was about thirty years old walked in and started bbering something in his half-drunk state.


    He walked over with eyes that stared unfocused at the captives there and smiled, grinning horribly at them, making them all shrivel up in fear, but that didn''t seem to matter to the man as he seemed to be enjoying their fright.


    "Come here, I am not here to hurt you," the man said. He then walked up to a teenage girl of about sixteen and grabbed her wrist very quickly, making her stand up and so he could see her face more clearly.


    The young girl struggled to free herself, but the man was too strong for her, while the other girls pulled away, averting their gazes, not wanting to attract the drunken man''s attention.


    "Wow, it is a shame they have to cut your body to get your organs..." he mumbled, but his words certainly sounded very clear to Apple.


    They weren''t trading these children, but their organs?


    Did Jayden know this? Had their assumptions been wrong? Apparently, this organization was much darker than Apple could have imagined.


    She couldn''t think of what would have happened to these kids had Jayden not decided to be so ambitious about bringing down this organization.


    "Just take me," Apple said when the man was about to drag the girl out of the room to do what he liked. "Just take me and let her go," Apple reiterated her words.

 Chapter 463 NO, THANKS!

    <h4>Chapter 463 NO, THANKS!</h4>


    "Just take me and let her go," Apple reiterated her words. "You can just take me."


    Apple then stood up, showing herself in front of the man who had been blinded by lust and with a mind clouded by alcohol which made him drunk.


    "You?" The man then turned his attention to Apple. His eyes stared at the girl in front of him who offered herself with greedy eyes, as if he wanted to swallow Apple by just looking at her.


    He licked his lips with a suggestive look in his eyes, and it took all the self-control in Apple not to lunge at the man and stab him with her knife for staring at her like that.


    But instead of killing the man outright, Apple froze where she was, allowing the man to make his judgment on her.


    "You really dare to offer yourself, beautiful." Of course the madman liked what he saw. Apple was a natural beauty and she looked very cute, but also fierce at the same time when she stared at someone intensely.


    And that was what she was doing now.


    Apple looked very confident in these conditions.


    "Of course I''ll take your offer, don''t regret itter," the manughed heartily, as he grabbed Apple''s hand and shoved the first girl he caught pretty hard across the room.


    The girl would be in pain now, but at least she wouldn''t meet her end at the hands of this disgusting man.


    "I hope you don''t regret choosing me either," Apple muttered, more to herself.


    The man yanked Apple''s hand a little rough and made her stumble a bit on her own feet. Luckily, she had a goodmand over her own body, so she could steady herself very quickly and keep herself at pace with this drunk guy.


    The man didn''t forget to lock the door again before he took Apple in the opposite direction from where he hade.


    Looks like he wanted to take Apple to the engine room, where it was very cramped and hot.


    Apple frowned as soon as they walked in there.


    "Can''t you take me to a normal ce? A ce a little more spacious than this and not hot?" Apple filed aint against the man. She couldn''t believe that she had to be in a ce like now. It was very ufortable, even to stand.


    Either it was because this man was drunk that he brought Apple to this very ugly ce, or he just had really bad taste.


    "Shut up!" he shouted harshly, he raised his hand and was about to p Apple, wanting to teach the girl a lesson for talking too much.


    But, too bad, he didn''t realize who he was dealing with right now.


    Before he could even connect his hand to Apple''s cheek, the girl had lifted her leg first and kicked the man''s crotch so hard until he had doubled over from the pain.


    However, when he bent down, Apple lifted her knee hard enough that it hit the man in the face, sending him falling backward.


    "What the hell!!!" he shouted loudly, but his voice was slightly muffled by the sound of the engine around them. "B*tch!"


    This had indeed be a ce he would not have expected to be a ce to suffer.


    "Hey, don''t curse, I don''t like people cursing in front of me, especially when those words are directed at me," Apple said, lips curled into a vicious smile. "I told you, make sure you don''t regret choosing me." Apple reminded him.


    But, of course the man didn''t listen, he tried to stand up. At once he sobered up, shaking his head to regain his vision which had been blurry because of ''kissing'' Apple''s knee.


    "I WILL KILL YOU!" he cried with rage. He then stood up quickly and made a very dangerous move, which aimed at Apple''s feet. He was about to grab the girl''s legs, causing her to lose her bnce.


    However, Apple was quicker, a speed that even surprised the man enough that she could move that fast and kicked the man in the face again.


    "Fuck!" he cursed angrily, covering his face in pain as Apple''s leg hit his nose. He could feel his nose broken until warm blood ran down his chin.


    "What? Still want more?" Apple asked betweenughs. She couldn''t help but wonder, how could such an asshole like this live in peace? Such men should be exterminated from the face of the earth.


    Just at that moment, Apple got themunication signal back and Jayden''s voice came back.


    "Apple?"


    "Yeah, I''m here," she said, relieved to hear the man''s voice again, but this time Jayden''s voice sounded much more serious than before.


    "How are things there?" Jayden asked. He wanted to ask how the girl was, but he felt the question sounded wrong, so he changed his words.


    "Does not matter. Everything is still under my control."


    "Good job," Jayden said, a little brighter.


    "Where are you?" Apple asked again. "Have you solved your problem there? I don''t want to bother you, but it looks like you should be here soon. I can''t handle seven men at the same time and for your information, I can''t drive a ship."


    Jaydenughed softly at that. "I don''t think Pyro taught you all the tricks."


    "I am still young, there''s still plenty of time for me to learn all that."


    "Well, I can teach you if you want," Jayden offered.


    "No, thanks, you can save it for yourself. I am okay with how skilled I am now."


    But, in the middle of their conversation, the man interrupted and threatened Apple with a furious voice.


    "You will not be able to escape from this ce! Anyone who¡­"


    But, before the man could continue his words, Apple had kicked him again hard enough and sent him falling backward, hitting his head against a machine, making a pretty loud sound.


    This guy is too noisy and annoying.

 Chapter 464 I WILL BE THERE

    <h4>Chapter 464 I WILL BE THERE</h4>


    From themunication device, Jayden could very clearly hear the voices of someone groaning in pain and the sound of something hitting flesh quite loudly.


    "Are you torturing someone over there?" Jayden asked when he heard amotion in the background of Apple.


    "More or less. Not torturing, just giving a little lesson." She corrected Jayden''s words.


    "Don''t kill him, I want him alive to interrogate."


    "Don''t worry, I still have six more for you. You can do anything to them," Apple answered lightly.


    Oh, please, this man was more concerned about Apple killing them, than about her own safety. Looks like Jayden was overly confident in Apple''s abilities...


    "Come here quickly, otherwise I''ll start killing them one by one."


    However, after Apple said that, the signal was interrupted again. Even so, she could still hear Jayden''s voice telling her in a hurried voice. "I''ll be there soon."


    After that, their signal was lost again.


    Where was that man now? And how could he find this ship already on the high seas? And what was more, how quickly could they reach here?


    Apple was really upset about her current situation and now, just like Jayden, she was starting to dislike being in a ship, bobbing in the middle of the ocean with assholes like them.


    =====================


    Jayden and Misha walked past the lifeless bodies of those who had attacked them earlier. They could no longer move now, nor fire their weapons.


    And apparently, it was only after themotion subsided, they could see how many lives had been lost because of the chaos that had just erupted. Even Misha raised his eyebrows with much skepticism, when he saw the number of gunshot casualties their men had caused.


    "Good job to the people you''ve trained," Mishamented to Jayden, but his cousin didn''t respond.


    "We have to find Apple soon," Jayden said, and looked out at the sea, a furrow between his eyebrows as he did so and Misha knew what was bothering his cousin.


    Jayden was traumatized before and even now, he still couldn''t get over it. Therefore, in order to catch up to Apple, who was now somewhere in the middle of the sea, they had to board one of their speedboats, of course, apanied by dozens of their own people.


    But, the problem was, Jayden couldn''t get on the speedboat.


    "You wait here, I''ll go get her," Misha said, trying to make the situation easier for his cousin. "You can look into these people, and maybe get some information."


    "What kind of information can I get from these lifeless bodies?" Jayden frowned, not liking Misha''s idea. What kind of idea was that?


    There was no way Jayden would examine the bodies of these men one by one for information. Such a search, his subordinates could carry out very well, without having him intervene.


    Meanwhile, Misha could only sigh. "Or you can go back to the car and have a cup of coffee, while waiting for my report."


    From a distance, Misha could see dozens of speedboats approaching them. Those were the vehicles they intended to use to chase the ship that Apple had sneaked into earlier.


    Jayden frowned even more deeply. That was an even more ridiculous suggestion.


    "Or you can do whatever you like and I don''t care, okay," Misha said as he walked to one of the speedboats, waved his hand and nced back at him briefly to make sure Jayden wasn''t following him.


    Only after he confirmed that Jayden was standing rooted to his spot, did he board the speedboat and wave his hand at his cousin, before he gave an order for them to move immediately.


    On the other hand, Jayden could only watch as a group of about thirty people using fifteen speed boats, moving away and disappearing not long after.


    Jayden just stood where he was, not moving at all. It wasn''t clear what was on his mind now.


    He had promised to get Apple back and go back soon, but just being in the middle of the sea, Jayden could feel his panic attacking back.


    Damn... he cursed in his heart...


    =======================


    Apple then beat the man onest time before she used the shirt that the man had worn to tie his hands and his belt to tie his legs.


    This kind of work was a nuisance, but she didn''t want to kill this man. She had killed enough today and didn''t want to overdo it.


    By the time Apple was done, the man had passed out from receiving a barrage of fists from the girl in front of him.


    Who would have thought that a girl as beautiful and cute as Apple could subdue him and be able to fight so skillfully?


    On the other hand, after Apple was done with what she was doing, she sat on the floor of the engine room for a moment, catching her breath as she felt a little tired and hungry.


    She should have brought snacks with her earlier, at least she could replenish some energy.


    She then tried to contact Jayden again, but themunication was still broken and couldn''t get through to the man.


    "Hey, Jayden, can you hear me now?" Apple called into themunication device, but no response.


    And then she just sat there, thinking how they would find her. But then, negative thoughts started to get to her as there was nothing else she could do but wait.


    What if they couldn''t find her? Then, how would she save herself and save the kids in there?


    Should she start killing those men? But, she couldn''t steer this ship, could she?


    Apple didn''t know how long those negative thoughts had apanied her while waiting, but then she was startled when she heard a voice from hermunication device.


    "Jayden?"


    "You have a gun?" he asked directly, without even greeting.


    "One gun."


    "Go up to the deck of that ship, I''ll be there in two minutes."


    "What?"


    =================


    THIS STORY WILL BE ON HIATUS UNTIL 5 JANUARY 2022.


    Read my new book for the meantime; UNTAMED; THE ALPHA.


    Happy new year everyone!


    Hope next year will be better for all of us!

 Chapter 465 RELAX

    <h4>Chapter 465 RELAX</h4>


    "You have a gun?" he asked directly, without greeting her or whatsoever. Those were the first words spoken by Jayden once themunication between the two of them got back to work.


    "One gun." Apple remembered the gun she had, but now it was in the room where the kids were being held, because it was in the jacket she left in there. She had to go back into the room to get it.


    "Go up to the deck of the ship, I''ll be there in two minutes." It was a hasty order and Apple didn''t have much time to question it.


    "What?" Apple frowned, but then she followed what she was told and immediately rushed out of the room, but before that, Apple took the time to kick the leg of the man she was holding captive. "I''ll be upstairs in five minutes."


    It took Apple about three minutes to go back into the room where the children were being held and retrieve her jacket, inside which she found the gun and knife.


    The kids and teens were shocked at the sight of the weapons, but Apple didn''t have much time to exin.


    "I''ll be right back." She ran toward the door and this time she didn''t lock it, just leaving it open. "Come out in fifteen minutes, okay?"


    Everyone inside nodded and looked at Apple with eyes full of amazement, and only then did they believe that this girl wasn''t lying when she said she would save them.


    It took Apple six minutes to get to the deck of the ship and find that Jayden was in a low-flying helicopter, trying tond on this ship, while the men on board attempted to shoot him.


    Well, it was a great idea toe by helicopter since Jayden had trauma of the sea and ships, but it wouldn''t be a wise choice to fight them from up there either¡­


    Helicopters were unstable for this kind of battle.


    And now, Apple knew why she had to get out of the hull and help Jayden knock these people out.


    Once Apple was on the deck of the ship, she didn''t hesitate to step up and shoot the first man she saw followed by the second.


    It was quite easy to do because they were not aware of her existence at this time.


    However, when they found out that someone else was on board and was trying to attack them, the remaining four went straight for Apple.


    "I have to admit your idea is cool, but could you please send someone to help me? They''re going to kill me here," Apple grumbled to Jayden through theirmunication device.


    Apple then looked up and saw Jayden sitting in the back seat of the helicopter and ordering two people to get down on a rope to help Apple.


    "Keep them busy, I will send two people to help you."


    "How do I keep them busy? By offering myself as a target for their guns?" Apple quipped, but then she did what she could now; fired her bullets wildly to attract their attention toward herself.


    "Well, it will only take them ten seconds to get down, so hang on as long as you can," Jayden replied.


    Apple grumbled something incoherent, dodging the shots that were aimed at her.


    "If you''reing by a helicopter, you shouldn''t have let me get on this ship."


    "This n urred to me just a moment ago."


    "You''re not a great nner."


    "No, but I''m a great executioner," Jayden corrected Apple. "Okay, they''re down, you can rx now."


    Rx? What did Jayden mean by rx? Sit back and enjoy the oceanic view?


    "No, thanks, I will rx once I get to my room." Apple jumped from ce to ce to take cover from the four men who wanted to kill her, while Jayden watched her from the helicopter. "Why don''t youe down and try to rx here?"


    "Oh, no thanks, you know that I have trauma of the sea and ships? I feel much morefortable in my expensive helicopter." Jayden even waved his hand at Apple with a smile, making the girl feel tempted to fire her gun at the helicopter above her.


    "Get out of here now before I shoot down your expensive helicopter!" Apple grumbled.


    "Look to your left," Jayden said, informing her that one of the four men would attack her from the left.


    Luckily, thanks to Jayden''s warning Apple was able to fire the bullet right at the man just in time.


    "Nice teamwork!" Jayden said.


    "I am the one who works here, not you," Apple snorted, but she was grateful that Jayden had alerted her, even though she didn''t express her gratitude verbally.


    "Oh, my sweet cousin ising on the speedboat, you''ll be safe now."


    And sure enough, in the distance Apple could see several speedboats moving closer, their voices could even be heard before the speedboats appeared.


    "See you on the ground," Jayden said, waving his hand from the helicopter before ordering the pilot to take him away from there.


    Just looking at the scenery below made Jayden feel nauseous. His head felt heavy, but he insisted oning to this ce himself.


    ====================


    In the end, that day''s mission waspleted and it could be said that it waspleted quite well, although there were some things that were not nned.


    "Come here, let me help," Jayden said as he approached Apple who had just gotten off one of the speedboats with Misha.


    He came over with a box filled with medicine and bandages.


    "What?" Apple was just about to get mad at him for changing his ns on a whim, but her protests were pushed back when Jayden told her to sit down and then helped her clean the wound on her hand. "Oh, I didn''t realize that I was hurt," Apple muttered.


    She looked down at her bloody hand. This must have happened when she beat up the man in the hull because he started acting like a jerk.


    =================


    THIS STORY WILL BE ON HIATUS UNTIL 5 JANUARY 2022.


    Read my new book for the meantime; UNTAMED; THE ALPHA.


    Happy new year everyone!


    Hope next year will be better for all of us!

 Chapter 466 ANNOYING

    <h4>Chapter 466 ANNOYING</h4>


    "Feeling guilty because I got hurt?" Apple asked Jayden when she saw the man''s expression as he cleaned the cuts and blood on her hand.


    Apple didn''t feel any pain nor would she have realized that she had been hurt if it weren''t for Jayden telling her.


    And now that she knew she was hurt, she started to feel pain a little, especially when Jayden rubbed alcohol over the wound before he applied the ointment.


    "Of course not, you decided to get on that ship yourself," Jayden replied in a low voice, but his focus was still on Apple''s injured hand.


    Meanwhile, the girl pursed her lips when she heard Jayden''s answer that sounded heartless.


    "Okay, it''s over now," Jayden said as he pped her hand a little harder, causing Apple to scream in pain and kick his leg.


    "Hey, I just helped you to clean your wound," Jayden said, wincing in pain because Apple didn''t hold back her kick at all. "At least, a thank you would sound nice," he grumbled.


    "Thanks," Apple replied nonchntly before walking to her motorcyclenguidly. "Since today''s matter is over, I''ll be going home first."


    "I''ll take you home," Jayden said walking over to Apple, but the girl had started the engine and waved at the man.


    "Tsk, this girl is really unbelievable," Jayden said with a heavy sigh.


    Meanwhile, Misha came from behind him and gave him the car keys. "You drive."


    "Why should I drive?" Jayden protested.


    "Since I''m older than you and you asked for my help toe here, so at least show your gratitude."


    Jayden snorted, his cousin always used the same excuse every time he did something.


    =====================


    Apple woke up when she heard the sound of her cell phone ringing so loudly near her ear.


    And when she was about to open her eyes, she immediately grumbled in annoyance because the sunlighting in from her bedroom window had almost blinded her.


    Therefore, when she finally picked up the stubborn call, she didn''t have time to see who the caller was.


    But, it was not necessary, because Apple immediately recognized his voice even when she was only half awake from sleep.


    "Where are you? It''s noon and you''re still not here," Jayden grumbled. Apple groaned in annoyance and Jayden immediately noticed that the girl had just woken up and wasn''t fully awake yet. "Are you still sleeping? Seriously¡­ I''ve tried to call you dozens of times," he said in disbelief.


    "I''m off today, so stop bothering me!" Apple cried hoarsely. Just being woken up by the sound of the phone in her ear was already terrible enough, let alone hearing Jayden''s protesting voice.


    "Just do overtime today."


    "I won''t ept overtime today." Apple nced at the clock on the wall in her room and was pretty sure she had only slept for about four hours. How could that man still sound so energetic and not tired after what happenedst night?


    Did Jayden not sleep at all? This man really was amazing, but in a bad way.


    "No, you must apany me today."


    "I''m off today. Just get someone else to do it and stop bothering me!"


    After saying that, Apple hung up the phone and pulled the nket over her head again, but since she was already awake, it was hard for her to sleep again, therefore, Apple med Jayden for this.


    This guy was really really annoying.


    And then, with unsteady steps, Apple walked out of her room and washed her face. She intended to make breakfast, but apparently her dear father had made a te of fried rice for her.


    "What is it? I heard you screaming from the room. Jayden?" Pyro asked. He was enjoying his coffee and was about to change the bandage on his hand.


    Apple intended to help, but Pyro waved his hand, as if to say he could do it himself and his daughter could just enjoy her meal.


    "Yeah, that Jayden sucks," Apple said with her mouth full and bit her spoon like she was biting the guy. "Can''t he give me a day off? I have been doing overtime every day."


    And then, Apple spent an hour telling how annoying the guy was and what happenedst night to her dad, while Pyro justughed when he heard that.


    "Stopughing, you know how pissed I am?" Apple protested because her dad really wouldn''t stopughing.


    "Jayden is like that," Pyro said after he finishedughing. "He doesn''t trust people easily and is always on guard. But, once he trusts someone then he always wants that person around him."


    Jayden could be very obsessive when he fell in love with something, but could also act like he really depended on or trusted someone even though he didn''t really feel anything for that person.


    Leaving that person with the wrong interpretation because of his attitude that could be very easy going and easy to approach.


    However, if circumstances changed, then he could also change his attitude in just a matter of seconds.


    In other words; Jayden was incredibly maniptive and this was one of the reasons why Pyro didn''t want Apple to get too close to him.


    Not because Jayden could do anything bad to his daughter or harm her, but because he didn''t want his daughter to be hurt and misinterpret his attitude.


    "And why can''t he give me a break?" Apple snorted resentfully. She then went back into her room to get her cell phone without hearing her father''s answer first.


    Of course the answer was very simple. Because Jayden really trusted Pyro and Apple was his daughter, he was treating Apple the way he treated Pyro.


    It was just that, such a rtionship would of course be difficult considering the two of them could be trapped in a moreplicated rtionship.


    In the room, Apple took her cell phone and saw that there were dozens of missed calls from Jayden.


    "This man is really crazy¡­" Apple grumbled, but before she put her phone back down, she saw that there was an iing message from someone she didn''t expect at all.


    =================


    THIS STORY WILL BE ON HIATUS UNTIL 5 JANUARY 2022.


    Read my new book for the meantime; UNTAMED; THE ALPHA.


    Happy new year everyone!


    Hope next year will be better for all of us!

 Chapter 467 DELIVERY

    <h4>Chapter 467 DELIVERY</h4>


    Apple swore she didn''t want to get involved with these two again, but the truth was she couldn''t just ignore the two of them and she felt really sorry for herself.


    D*mn!


    Apple tried to remember how these two people had hurt her but that wasn''t enough and here she was.


    Apple parked her motorbike and stepped into an old, empty building, like an abandoned building that had not beenpleted and found Kyle and Maureen in the middle of the building, while almost the rest of the group stood around the two of them.


    "Apple¡­!" Maureen screamed as soon as she saw Apple had arrived and rushed over to her, crying as she hugged her.


    But Apple didn''t feel very empathetic toward her, she only came because she promised to herself that this would be thest time she''d help these two bastards.


    "No need to hug me, we''re not that close," Apple said coldly, then pushed Maureen away from her and ignored the hurt look the girl gave her.


    Maureen then walked a little behind her, as if she were hiding behind the girl''s body.


    "Apple¡­ I didn''t expect you toe for them, after what those two did to you," a man in his thirties, with a body adorned with tattoos, began in anguid tone. "You''re being too good for them, aren''t you?"


    "I feel more like I''m stupid than good," Apple replied. Her eyes caught a glimpse of Kyle, who seemed to have passed out with his body covered in wounds and blood dripping from his nose and lips.


    tsk! Why was he always in such a state whenever a problem like this came up?


    "Yeah, you''re beautiful and stupid," the man agreed with what Apple said andughed to himself, while those around them stared at Apple coldly.


    They weren''t really hostile to Apple for leaving the group, because it wasn''t the girl''s fault that she decided not to join them anymore, but they were just sad that Apple still cared so much about Kyle and Maureen toe back to this ce.


    "Let''s just get this over with quickly," Apple said impatiently. "How much do they have to pay this time?"


    Apple was ready with the cash that she brought in her backpack, because when Maureen sent her a message, she also told her about the amount they had to pay their Chairman.


    But, when Jerome, the Chairman, said the sum Kyle and Maureen had to pay, Apple was so shocked. It was an amount beyond her wildest imaginations.


    "What?!" Apple cried in disbelief and instinctively she turned her head and red at Maureen who was still standing behind her with her head down. "You didn''t mention that many zeroes in your message!" Apple shouted at the girl in annoyance.


    The amount that Jerome mentioned was five times the number Maureen had told her.


    "I''m sorry Apple..." Maureen said with a sad tone, she then knelt in front of Apple while holding her hand, as if she were afraid that the girl would immediately leave the ce without helping herself and Kyle. "If I punched the real number in, I''m afraid you won''te to this ce."


    Now, Apple really wanted to kill them both with her own hands for getting her involved.


    "Fuck you two!" Apple growled. She felt very stupid foring back to this ce with the intention of helping the two humans who had betrayed her.


    Maureen had been her best friend since childhood, the only person she wanted to be friends with when all the other kids turned away from her because her mother and stepfather had a bad reputation in the town where they lived.


    As for Kyle, Apple was indebted to her ex-boyfriend because he was the man who helped her through the tough times when she was still living with her mother and stepfather.


    Everything seemed perfect, until one day Apple discovered the two of them were having an affair behind her back.


    But, after all the drama that had happened and what the two of them had done to her, Apple forgave them, simply because remembering the two of them were all she had over the years and how they had always been by her side even in her worst moments.


    But, forgiving was not the issue here, forgetting was.


    "Fuck you two," Apple growled again.


    Maureen, who saw Apple''s anger, immediately hugged the girl''s legs while kneeling and crying. "I''m sorry, we needed money, we needed money."


    "What do you need that much money for?!" Apple cried angrily.


    The two of them should have known that borrowing money from Jerome was not a solution, and even though they were members of the group of men, Jerome would not tolerate it if the problem was money.


    "We only used half of the money, half of which was interest on our loans," Maureen exined.


    And yet again Apple was surprised. "How can you give them such a huge amount?!" This time, her anger was directed at Jerome. She red at the man.


    Jerome was the worst version of a human.


    "They agreed." Jerome shrugged his shoulders nonchntly. "They agreed to the conditions I told them and I gave them."


    He couldn''t be med, because it was Kyle and Maureen who signed in for this.


    Apple rubbed her face roughly.


    "What do you need that much money for?" Apple asked Maureen, still trying to control her emotions.


    "I''m pregnant and we decided to get out of town," Maureen said shyly. Of course it was Kyle''s.


    "And how do you think they''re going to be able to pay it back asshole?!" Apple cried to Jerome. The two of them could be said to have no money at all, so how could Jerome believe that the two of them would pay that much money.


    "I only needed them to do two jobs, but they failed in the second one." Jerome then walked toward Kyle and kicked his body.


    "What job is that?" Apple asked, with her eyes narrowed. Any work that came from Jerome was suspicious.


    "Delivery."


    =================


    THIS STORY WILL BE ON HIATUS UNTIL 5 JANUARY 2022.


    Read my new book for the meantime; UNTAMED; THE ALPHA.


    Happy new year everyone!


    Hope next year will be better for all of us!

 Chapter 468 ASSASINATION

    <h4>Chapter 468 ASSASINATION</h4>


    "What job is that?" Apple asked, with her eyes narrowed. Any work that came from Jerome was suspicious, for none of his work would make any sense.


    Jerome shrugged his shoulders nonchntly and said lightly, "Delivery."


    Apple furrowed her brows. "What delivery?" She is a little sensitive to words like ''delivery'', becausest night''s events were still very fresh in her head. The wound on her hand still hurt, so there was no way she could forget what had happened.


    Jerome tilted his head, as if he were teasing the girl in front of him. He''d always liked how caring and sympathetic this girl was, but of course on the other hand that kind of attitude really didn''t suit the group he was leading.


    But, on the other hand, Jerome knew how to make good use of Apple''s soft side.


    "You don''t need to know what delivery it is," he answered in a secretive tone, he didn''t intend to tell Apple about it or exin Kyle''s work beforehand. "What you should know is; he couldn''t afford the money he borrowed and he also failed inpleting the task."


    Apple then pushed Maureen away from her and walked closer to Jerome. "Then what are you going to do Jerome?" she asked defiantly.


    "I want my money."


    "If not?" Apple asked, and nced back at Kyle who was still lying on the floor. What exactly had they done to make Kyle go unconscious for this long? "Do you want to kill them?"


    "Well, I''d suffer a huge loss if they died. At least I''ll think of some way to make them a little more useful." Jerome then took a step closer to Apple and leaned in, whispering softly to the girl. "You know that humans have high value, don''t you?"


    Apple instantly realized what Jerome meant and it was all thanks to Jayden who had been poisoning herself with his case for the past few days.


    Of course, what Jerome meant was human trafficking.


    And the big question for Apple now was; was she going to let this a*****e in front of her do that to those two bastards?


    A part of Apple said to just leave them to their fate, that was none of her business, but the sane part of her certainly couldn''t let that happen.


    "For now, I only have this money," Apple said, and dropped the backpack she brought in front of Jerome. "Give me some time to pay off the rest."


    Jerome then nodded at one of his men to count the amount of money Apple had brought, but apparently that amount didn''t satisfy him.


    "I don''t have any more money for now." Apple raised her hand. "Give me some time and I''ll pay off your money, or you can kill them right now. Although thetter option is unprecedented, you can''t force me to make that much money in such a short amount of time."


    Jerome burst outughing when he heard Apple''s answer while the girl was not quite happy that she had beenughed at.


    "You know that what you''re doing for them is ridiculous, right? They betrayed you and you are willingly giving your money for them," Jerome teased.


    Of course, there was no need for this man to say out loud what Apple had already concluded. "Whatever you want to say," she growled. "Now, what is your decision?"


    Jerome seemed to think for a moment. "I don''t need the money in a hurry really," he said slowly.


    Hearing that, Apple really wanted to kick him in the head. If he didn''t really need the money, did he need to kick such a fuss now?


    However, Apple was trying to be patient. One day, she would really kick this man in the head.


    "But, I have one job I want you to do," he said again, this time his eyes focused on Apple. "Do this sessfully and I will consider your debt paid off."


    "I don''t owe you anything, Jerome," Apple corrected his words, her eyes still coldly ring at the man before her.


    "Oh, my bad," Jerome said. "I mean the debt owed by your ex-lover and your best friend who betrayed you."


    "Say what you want." Apple couldn''t wait to end this annoying conversation. "There''s no need to waste my time."


    "OK. I want you to kill someone," Jerome cut straight to the point.


    Hearing that, Apple raised her hand and turned away from the man. "I''ll pass. You can kill them. It''s up to you what you want to do with them, I don''t care."


    After saying that, Apple turned around and walked away from them.


    "But, that''s not what I really want from you Apple." Jerome grabbed Apple''s shoulders, preventing her from leaving.


    However, Apple reacted too quickly and saw this as a threat, thus, she immediately turned around and twisted Jerome''s hand behind his body and kicked him behind his knee, causing the man to fall to his knees in front of her with his hands still behind his body, which were strongly held back by Apple.


    Immediately, the entire group reacted in unison, they raised their guns and aimed them at Apple.


    On the other hand, Apple already had a gun stuck right behind Jerome''s head. "Tell them to lower their guns or I''ll blow your head off."


    Apple didn''t y with her threats, because she knew how much Jerome valued his life.


    "Wow, easy boys¡­ lower your guns before she blows my precious head off," Jerome said to his men.


    And immediately they lowered their guns, but Apple didn''t.


    "You''re still very fast even though you haven''t had an assignment from this group in a long time."


    "Say what you want."


    "Couldn''t we talk while looking at each other."


    "Just say it like this."


    "Okay," Jerome said, slightly annoyed. He then exined briefly, "There''s someone who wants me to kill Jayden Tordoff."


    =================


    THIS STORY WILL BE ON HIATUS UNTIL 5 JANUARY 2022.


    Read my new book for the meantime; UNTAMED; THE ALPHA.


    Happy new year everyone!


    Hope next year will be better for all of us!

 Chapter 469 TRAP

    <h4>Chapter 469 TRAP</h4>


    "There''s someone who wants me to kill Jayden Tordoff," Jerome jumped straight to the heart of the matter so Apple could release him. "Can we talk, now?"


    "Kill Jayden Tordoff?" Apple asked when she heard this and then pushed Jerome away from her so they could talk better. "Who ordered you?"


    Jerome scrambled away without a second thought, but grimaced when he saw the gun in Apple''s hand that was still pointed at him.


    This girl was really very vignt in every action she took.


    "I can''t tell you who ordered me," Jerome said. "But then again, you know what kind of delivery I mean, because it happenedst night and you were on the ship."


    Apple''s expression must have changed when she heard this, because Jerome looked very satisfied that he had surprised herself with this revtion.


    "Yeah, you were on that ship with Kylest night. He was one of the men on the ship." The two then looked at Kyle''s body which was still curled up on the ground. "Luckily he was the sole survivor ofst night''s siege."


    Jerome clicked his tongue, thinking how lucky Kyle was to survivest night''s events.


    "What do you want?" Apple firmly believed that Jerome already knew very well that her father worked for the Tordoffs, so there was no way he would ask her to kill Jayden Tordoff.


    "Untilst night, I didn''t know we were dealing with the Tordoffs either." He seemed to be frowning at knowing how big the name Tordoff was and what it meant to get into trouble with the family. "That''s why I epted their assignment, but after I investigated further, it turned out that Jayden Tordoff was obsessed with this organization."


    "Don''t beat around the bush," Apple warned Jerome. "Tell me directly what you want."


    "I''d like to make an offer to Jayden Tordoff." He smiled brilliantly, as if the idea in his head was extraordinary. "I can tell him what I know about this organization, but he''s certainly going to have to pay a very high price in exchange for this information."


    Appleughed when she heard the offer. "You are trying to betray the person who paid you, so what makes you think Jayden Tordoff would believe your words?"


    "I have faith in you," Jerome said in an exaggerated voice so that he sounded very serious.


    While Apple rolled her eyes. Yes, you bet¡­


    ======================


    Of course Apple wouldn''t let Jaydene to this ce. Instead, she asked Jerome toe to a cafe not too far from the Tordoffpany.


    But all that could happen after surviving a long and tough debate with Jayden.


    "Do you trust this man?"


    "No," Apple answered honestly.


    "Then keep him away from me."


    Apple snorted in annoyance that Jayden had not heard her properly. Maybe it was because of the noises behind him that made it impossible for him to hear her properly.


    "What are you doing now? Could you find a ce that''s a little quieter, so you can hear my exnation better?" Apple asked.


    "I don''t want anyone that wants to kill me near me."


    "Stop acting like you''re being paranoid." Apple knew that Jayden was just sulking because she didn''t go toe see him and work overtime.


    At this point, Apple understood that her strategy to discourage Jayden from giving her overtime by demanding nonsensical figures of money was not working. In fact, the man didn''t mind at all.


    If possible, Jayden would probably want Apple around him every waking second.


    "Where are you now?" Jayden asked. "You''re still with the man who wanted to kill me?"


    "Yes."


    "Get out of there right now."


    "LISTEN TO ME!" Apple cried impatiently and this shocked everyone present when they heard the girl screaming in anger.


    Did this girl just snap at Jayden Tordoff?


    "Okay," Jayden said loudly. He even moved toward a less noisy ce to hear what Apple had to say.


    "This person was involved inst night''s incident, he knows who is behind the organization. We can take advantage of it if you really want to go after that person."


    "Why didn''t you tell me that earlier?" Jayden grunted.


    God! Apple felt like everyone was just testing her patience today. She was really going to explode now.


    And that was how the conversation between Jayden and Apple ended.


    Then, Apple rode with Jerome and Maureen in one car, while four members of Jerome''s group followed them in a different car.


    "You sure, he won''t set me up?" Jerome squinted at Apple probingly. He had purposely left Kyle in the building and if there was no news from him in the next two hours, then they would kill the useless man.


    "Yeah, he won''t set you up," Apple grumbled as they entered the promised restaurant.


    The location of this restaurant was in the city center and there were a lot of people passing by, so it would be difficult for any of them to do something ridiculous.


    However, who they were going to face was Jayden Tordoff, and of course, nothing was impossible for a man like him.


    By the time they entered the restaurant, there were only five guests and as soon as they chose a seat in the corner, a waiter approached them and gave them the menu.


    Of course Jerome only ordered a coffee, while the four men who were Jerome''s subordinates did the same thing, and ordered drinks for themselves.


    "When will hee?" Jerome asked, staring out the window, monitoring the situation, this was a rather strange ce to talk about their deal, but of course this was a neutral zone for two parties who didn''t trust each other.


    However, when their drinks came, a few things happened not long after, especially when Jerome watched his four men fall to the floor, unconscious, as soon as they drank their drinks.


    =================


    THIS STORY WILL BE ON HIATUS UNTIL 5 JANUARY 2022.


    Read my new book for the meantime; UNTAMED; THE ALPHA.


    Happy new year everyone!


    Hope next year will be better for all of us!

 Chapter 470 I WILL PAY YOU TO KILL HIM

    <h4>Chapter 470 I WILL PAY YOU TO KILL HIM</h4>


    Something happened not long after Jerome''s four men drank their drinks. They fell to the floor, unconscious, as soon as they put their cups down.


    "WHAT THE HELL?!" Jerome eximed, he stood up from his seat and looked at the four men that he had brought along had fallen to the floor and didn''t move again. Were they dead?


    And in that instant, everything happened so fast.


    Someone closed the doors and the five guests who looked like ordinary people, with two of them being women in office clothes, quickly pointed the weapons they had hidden, at Jerome and Maureen.


    "You framed me!?" Jerome growled at Apple, who was sitting directly across from him, but the girl seemed just as confused as he was. Only, Jerome was too filled with anger to realize that.


    Jerome quickly grabbed the gun at his waist, but then he cursed loudly when a bullet breezed past his ear and froze him, not daring to move anymore.


    Meanwhile, Maureen screamed in terror and hid under the table.


    On the other hand, Apple could only close her eyes and hope that things didn''t get any moreplicated, because she knew who had nned this impossible thing.


    Damn, she had forgotten that Jayden Tordoff could more than afford to rent this cafe for this kind of meeting and make it seem like an ordinary situation.


    And Apple just told Jerome that Jayden wouldn''t set them up. She seemed to have to get to know Jayden a little more to figure out every trick he had in mind.


    "I wouldn''t count this as your overtime." Those were the first words Jayden said when he appeared and sat right next to Apple pointing his gun at Jerome.


    "You tricked me! You set me up! You said this wasn''t a trick!" Jerome quipped at Apple, but then fell silent because Jayden fired another bullet at him, this time grazing the side of his neck.


    "Shut up, I''m talking to her, you''re so rude to interrupt us," Jayden grumbled, displeased that his conversation with Apple had been cut short. "Where were we?" Jayden asked Apple after he managed to silence Jerome.


    Apple sighed heavily when she saw Jayden''s nonchnt attitude.


    "Oh, right, overtime. I wouldn''t count this as overtime," Jayden said, sounding very petty about it.


    While Apple just waved her hand. "Whatever you say." She then nced at the four men who had fallen to the floor. "Did you put poison in their drinks?"


    "I''m not that bad," Jayden said with a hurt face. "I just put a sleeping pill that can put an elephant to sleep."


    "You can kill them!" Apple cried.


    "Well, they''ll just be in aa in the worst case." He waved his gun recklessly at Jerome. "No need to worry."


    Jayden even patted Apple on the shoulder to make the girl feel much better about what he just said.


    "You can kill them," Apple still insisted on her opinion.


    "Yeah, of course I can kill them," Jayden assured Apple, but then his expression turned serious as he looked at Jerome and all his childishness disappeared in an instant. "What do you have for me?"


    It was Jerome''s first time facing Jayden''s change of pace. So of course, he was shocked and speechless, but when Jayden put his gun on the table, and leaned back against the sofa, he looked much more rxed and less intimidating.


    Especially since he was no longer holding a gun.


    Jerome nced at the gun that was on the table, trying to think how fast he could reach it.


    "I am talking to you," Jayden reminded Jerome. "Apple said you have something you can offer me."


    "Is this safe for me to drink?" Apple suddenly asked, raising her drink to Jayden. "Or did you put something in here too?"


    "Oh, of course not, honey," Jayden said. "It''s safe to drink."


    Only then did Apple drink the drink. And since Jayden was here now, she could rx a bit and let this man take care of things the way he wanted.


    "So? Do you know who was behindst night''s rendezvous?" Jayden asked Jerome directly.


    "Yes, I know." Jerome then turned his attention from the gun on the table to Jayden.


    "So?"


    "I want to make a deal with you."


    "But I don''t think you''re in a position here to make any offers to me." Jayden nced at the five people who still had their guns pointed at Jerome.


    Jerome shook his head, he then said in a loud voice. "You can either kill me and I won''t say anything, or you can save your time figuring out who they are for a fair price."


    Jayden then nced at Apple who was enjoying her bread while drinking her coffee. She was starving, because she had only eaten breakfast and lunch time had long passed.


    "Would he rather die than not be paid?"


    Apple answered with her mouth full. "He loves money."


    "I love money too."


    "He loves money more than his life."


    "Oh, that means we''re not on the same page in that regard. I love my life more."


    Apple rolled her eyes. "You guys don''t even read the same book."


    "So, what price are you offering?"


    Jerome then stated the number he wanted, but it was even higher than the money Kyle and Maureen had borrowed from him along with interest.


    "Hey, that''s not the amount you asked for earlier!" Apple protested.


    "I didn''t say that I would ask for the same amount. And that price doesn''t include redeeming your ex-lover and best friend." Jerome grinned triumphantly.


    "What?" Jayden furrowed his brows when he heard that. "I''ll pay the price you mentioned if you kill his ex-boyfriend."


    "Jayden!" Apple cried.


    "What?" Jayden asked. "I''m not going to help you to pay the ransom for your asshole lover."


    And just at that moment, Maureen came out from under the table and spoke timidly. "Help us, please."


    =================


    THIS STORY WILL BE ON HIATUS UNTIL 5 JANUARY 2022.


    Read my new book for the meantime; UNTAMED; THE ALPHA.


    Happy new year everyone!


    Hope next year will be better for all of us!

 Chapter 471 A DATE

    <h4>Chapter 471 A DATE</h4>


    Jayden was startled when he saw someonee out from under the table all of a sudden before looking at him with teary eyes. Oh, he almost forgot about this girl.


    "Help us, please." Maureen came out from under the table and spoke timidly.


    Jayden frowned as he looked at Apple who was still eating, not at all bothered by the fact that Maureen had just emerged from under the table.


    "Help us¡­" Maureen pleaded, she then sat back in her chair again and looked at Jayden expectantly, but there was a look of amazement in the way she looked at the Tordoff heir.


    It was her first time seeing Jayden Tordoff up close and the man''s face waspletely different from the one she always saw in magazines or the news.


    In fact, he was ten times more handsome than that. No wonder so many women were crazy about him.


    But Jayden''s handsome face didn''t guarantee his friendly demeanor, he waved his hand at one of the men there and told him to take Maureen away so as not to interrupt this conversation.


    "Where are you taking her?" Apple asked Jayden''s men.


    "He''s just going to put her on another table in the restaurant," Jayden replied lightly.


    "She''s pregnant," Apple said, telling the man to be careful.


    "Child of your ex-lover?" Jayden asked, confirming this.


    But, Apple just looked at him fiercely and said curtly. "You have other matters to attend to, don''t you?"


    ====================


    The conversation between Jayden and Jerome ended sooner than Apple expected, but that was actually because Jayden mixed in a bit of threatening here and there while talking to Jerome.


    And it was only then that Apple realized how maniptive Jayden could be when he wanted something and this was proven right by how he steered the conversation between the two of them in his own favor, while Apple only listened to them.


    Perhaps it could be said that it was a very rare coincidence to find out that her former group had, in fact, cooperated with Jayden''s enemies and everything had brought them into this situation.


    "I''ll take you home," Jayden told Apple when their conversation was over, while the expression on Jerome''s face didn''t show that he was pleased with the oue they had agreed on.


    He looked annoyed that he didn''tpletely get what he wanted and Apple couldn''t me him for that, because negotiating with Jayden could be one hellish experience.


    "Okay," Apple replied, not turning down the offer, because she had left her motorbike in that abandoned building. "You should call the guy who held Kyle and say you were okay. You have to let him go."


    Jerome snorted. He then made a phone call and told his people to let Kyle go, ording to what he had promised Apple earlier.


    And after Jerome turned off his cell phone, Apple nodded in agreement and was about to walk to catch up with Jayden who was talking to someone with a serious expression.


    But, before she had gone far, the girl was then surprised when she saw Jerome suddenly fell on the table and didn''t move again after he drank his coffee, because he was thirsty after a long argument with Jayden.


    "You said you didn''t put anything in the coffee!?" Apple turned her head and looked at Jayden with a little panic, when she saw Jerome''s condition.


    "I said I didn''t put anything in your drink, not his." Jayden defended himself. "He should know not to drink carelessly when he''s with the enemy."


    Of course Jerome knew, but seeing Apple drinking her drink and being fine coupled with his anger toward Jayden, it seemed he had forgotten the basic rule. Moreover, he felt safe after reaching an agreement with Jayden and felt that they were on the same side.


    But, what he didn''t know was; Jayden never let anyone actually be on the same side as him.


    "Okay, whatever Jayden." Apple didn''t want to argue with this guy right now, at least she knew that Kyle had been released and as for Maureen, she could take care of herself.


    Apple had done what she could to help both of them and now it was up to the two of them.


    ====================


    "So, after you find out that the people behind all this are the Gevano family, what are you going to do?" Apple asked Jayden curiously when they were both in the car and of course she was the one driving the car, while Jayden was ying games on his cellphone.


    "Oh, of course I''ll go against them and settle scores with them." It was a simple answer that Apple couldn''t understand.


    "What do you mean by that?" Apple asked in bewilderment.


    "It is not difficult to bring down apany like the Gevano family." Jayden lifted his head from the game on his phone and smirked at Apple. "The Gevano family isn''t one of the big families like mine, so it would be easy for me to destroy it."


    "You said that lightly."


    "What''s difficult about that?" Jayden then returned to focus on his game. "The thing that is a little tricky is; how can I gather the evidence."


    "It would be easy if you had ess to theirpany data."


    "I thought so too." Jayden then smirked at Apple. "Great minds think alike."


    Apple did not respond to Jayden''stestments.


    "But, how are you going to do that?" Apple asked curiously. Stealing data from apany was not an easy thing to do.


    "I have a n."


    "I don''t want to get involved."


    "Oh, of course you were involved. You are in the n."


    Apple scowled. "I don''t like your n."


    "Stopining," Jayden said. "My n this time is not to hurt you."


    Apple snorted. "What is your n?"


    "We''ll hack Gevano''spany data."


    "It is impossible."


    "Nothing is impossible when you''re with me," Jayden said confidently and winked.


    "I doubt that."


    "Be more optimistic," Jayden said in a cheerful voice. "If we seed in this mission, you must date me, what do you say?"


    =================


    THIS STORY WILL BE ON HIATUS UNTIL 5 JANUARY 2022.


    Read my new book for the meantime; UNTAMED; THE ALPHA.


    Happy new year everyone!


    Hope next year will be better for all of us!

 Chapter 472 THE WAY JAYDEN’S MIND WORKED

    <h4>Chapter 472 THE WAY JAYDEN''S MIND WORKED</h4>


    "If we seed in this mission, you must date me, what do you say?" Jayden said, turning hisplete attention to Apple. Ignoring the game on his phone, he looked at the girl seriously.


    "What?!" Apple almost got them into an unnecessary ident out of shock at Jayden''s suggestion.


    However, it seemed the man didn''t care at all about that fact and continued talking as if Apple weren''t looking at him like he had grown a new head. "I''ve thought about this."


    "Don''t think about things like that, it doesn''t suit you," Apple said curtly. She then tried to concentrate again on the road in front of her. It seemed Jayden had taken the wrong medicine, so he was thinking incorrectly.


    And again, Jayden ignored Apple''s grunts, as he then exined this more logically. "I have never shared my personal problems with other women and don''t think I would share these problems with any woman in the future."


    Apple nced at Jayden to make sure he wasn''t going to pull out a ring and ask her to marry him. This man seemed drunk, but she was sure that Jayden didn''t drink any alcohol earlier.


    "But I''m sharing my stories with you and I''m fine when you''re around me," and Jayden added. "And even now that we''re making a n together, it''s something special to me."


    Apple shook her head. She found it hard to follow Jayden''s logic in thinking.


    Yes, right. Jayden wasn''t using his feelings when he said he wanted to date Apple, but was depending on his logic.


    Since he thought he could tell Apple anything and she also knew what was wrong with Jayden, he thought he didn''t need to exin things that were supposed to be secrets to other people.


    Because if he had to tell her all these things, Jayden didn''t think he would even start at all, and a rtionship based on dishonesty wouldn''tst long.


    At least those were the points Apple had caught after listening to Jayden''s lengthy exnation, until finally when they got off the freeway, Apple decided to pull over to the side of the car and confront this man, letting him know what was on her mind and what she thought of it.


    "You don''t like me Jayden, you just don''t want your secrets to be known by others and it''s tooplicated for you to tell any woman you''re going to date." Apple said what was on her mind.


    And to her surprise, Jayden agreed with her thoughts. He nodded, confirming what Apple said.


    "Right, that''s what I thought." Then he smiled proudly. "See? I don''t need to exin to you at length and you know what I''m thinking, we are of the same mind."


    "Argh!" Apple growled in annoyance, feeling like wing at this man''s face. "You don''t like me, you''re just happy that you have a woman who can understand your situation, because all this time it was only men who knew about all your madness and your obsession with that damned organization."


    Jayden thought about it for a moment. "You''re not wrong to say it like that." He had always been surrounded by men. The only women he''d ever been close to were those that thought he gave them an advantage, but it was impossible for Jayden to tell them anything about him.


    Apple then rubbed her face roughly, she felt like she was talking to a five year old kid, exining why he shouldn''t eat a specific food.


    "Jayden, you can''t start a rtionship just because you think I know all your secrets and you''re free to tell me anything."


    "Isn''t that the basis of a rtionship? No secrets?"


    There was nothing wrong with what he said, that honesty was the basis of a rtionship. But that was not all.


    "Shall we try it first?"


    "I do not want to."


    "Three months. We''ll be dating for three months, if you don''t feel like continuing, we can separate."


    "I don''t agree."


    "Six months."


    "You are crazy."


    "Nine months then."


    Apple didn''t know what else to say in the face of this man and chose to remain silent. Well, in ying a game, one needed an opponent to continue and since Apple refused, Jayden could y his game alone.


    "If you don''t say anything, it means you agree."


    Apples: "¡­"


    ====================


    "This will be thest time I help you guys," Apple said as she rented out a small apartment for Kyle and Maureen to live in temporarily.


    "Thank you Apple," Maureen said, she stepped closer to Apple and intended to hug her. But the girl stepped back, avoiding her arms with passion.


    "Don''te near me, we''re not that close now," Apple said coldly.


    Then, from behind Maureen, Kyle walked forward, his face was all bruised with some areas still bleeding, but apart from that, he looked better.


    "I want to talk to you for a moment," Kyle said in a low voice, lowering his head, showing that he was regretting something. "Can you leave us for a moment Maureen?"


    Maureen then looked at Apple and Kyle in turn, thought for a moment and nodded. Then she walked into the apartment.


    But Apple knew that her former best friend would be watching them from one of the doors there. She must be eavesdropping on their conversation right now, because there was no way Maureen would leave Kyle alone with her.


    But, sadly, Apple could care less about either of them now and this time would really be thest. Let it slide as a reward for the good deeds they did to her when she was down first.


    "Apple I''m sorry I betrayed you," Kyle said, starting their conversation.


    "I don''t," Apple answered quickly.


    "I want us to go back to how we used to be, if possible..." Kyle said shamelessly.


    And in response Apple threw a punch at Kyle''s face and kicked him so hard until she could hear Maureen''s scream in the distance. Sure enough, the girl was eavesdropping on their conversation.

 Chapter 473 A BET

    <h4>Chapter 473 A BET</h4>


    After Apple hit Kyle once, she went silent for a moment, trying to process what she was feeling. However, she didn''t feel any remorse at all so she threw a kick to his stomach and this time, she felt very satisfied.


    All this time, when Kyle tried to hit her, Apple hadn''t fought back at all, not because she couldn''t, but she still had feelings for that jerk, but now, when she hit Kyle without guilt, she was actually enjoying it.


    "Back to you?" Apple asked in a cold voice, a sinister smile etched on the corners of her lips as she said that. "After you got Maureen pregnant, you still got the nerve to say you want me toe back to you?"


    Just at that moment Maureen came out of hiding and cried while hugging Kyle''s body, she spoke while sobbing.


    "Don''t hit him, I know you''re mad, but don''t hit him please..." Maureen said between sobs.


    "Angry?" Apple tilted her head, looking at Maureen with a look in her eyes that showed how cute that sentence was. "Why will I be angry? I feel happy that you guys got together. Birds of a feather flock together."


    After saying this, Apple walked toward the door and before she left the apartment she made sure to warn them.


    "Never look for me again and don''t ever try to meet me, for next time I will not stay silent. I''ll beat you two up like what I''m doing right now."


    After she was satisfied with threatening the two of them, Apple stepped out of the apartment with a much lighter heart.


    D*mn! She must have done this a long time ago, she didn''t know that it was such a nice feeling to be separated from toxic people like those two.


    Well, even though she had now lost two people who were always with her, that wouldn''t be a big deal. After all, the two of them would be a nightmare if they weren''t dealt with any time soon, alright?


    Apple walked along the corridor of the apartment with light steps.


    However, the calm she felt was cut short when she reached the parking lot and found Jayden already there.


    "What are you doing here?" Apple stared at the man in disbelief. How did he know she was here?


    "Pyro told me," Jayden replied in a light voice. "He told me that you''re still dealing with your asshole ex-boyfriend."


    Apple squinted, but didn''t say anything about Jayden''s words.


    "You don''t have to take care of them anymore, I will take care of them from now on," Jayden said, then pulled Apple''s hand to get into the car.


    "What do you mean you will take care of them?" Apple asked confusedly, while Jayden fastened the seat belt around her body.


    "I mean, you don''t have to worry about them."


    "You''re not nning to kill him are you?"


    Jaydenughed and closed the car door, while he got in from the other side of the car and sat down next to Apple.


    "Of course not, I''m not that bad," he replied, fastening his own seatbelt.


    Apple narrowed her eyes when she heard that answer. "I doubt that." But then she realized something. "Why am I sitting behind the wheel?"


    "Because you''ll be driving this car," Jayden replied in a matter of fact tone.


    "You said you wanted to be my boyfriend, but you always tell me to drive you around," Apple grumbled as she started the car.


    "So if I drive the car, are you willing to be my lover?" Jayden asked, lifting his head from the game he was ying. "Why didn''t you say from the start, that kind of requirement wasn''t difficult."


    "No, stop now! I''ll be driving this damn car!" Apple cried in annoyance when she saw Jayden getting out of the car. This man waspletely unpredictable and needed extra patience to deal with.


    =====================


    Today they would go to L city, where the Gevano family was located, which meant Jayden and Apple would spend the night outside and alone, because unlike usual, Jayden didn''t bring any bodyguards.


    "You''re my bodyguard, so why should I bring someone else?" Jayden asked when Apple asked about it. "Besides, doesn''t this feel like a date?"


    "I don''t think you understand the concept of real dating..." Apple replied in a voice that sounded a little annoyed. How could something like this be considered a date?


    "Well, we have plenty of time for you to teach me how to really date," Jayden said.


    Even at this point Apple didn''t take what Jayden said and initiated seriously, because she didn''t feel that this man meant what he said.


    Especially when her father had warned Apple about Jayden, so it was only natural for Apple to be wary of this man.


    "Whatever you say," Apple then pulled the car over. She got out of the car and appeared beside Jayden''s window and knocked on it. "Let''s take turns."


    Jayden stared at Apple for a moment and then the girl repeated her words.


    "It''s your turn to drive, I''ve been driving for four hours, now it''s your turn," Apple grumbled, but that made Jaydenugh.


    "Finally you lose your temper too," he said as he got out of the car and switched positions with Apple.


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "I had a bet with Misha, how far you can be patient with me," Jayden said.


    "You even bet on this? Don''t you think that''s very childish?"


    "If it makes you happy, you don''t need a reason for it," Jayden replied wisely.


    Apple sighed dramatically and clicked her tongue. "Then who won?"


    "Of course me, Misha, thought too highly of you and underestimated my ability to piss someone off."


    Apple didn''t want to argue about it and started to buckle up while Jayden got the car back on the road, continuing their journey to L city.


    "Good, that means you have to pay me half because you won it thanks to me, right?" Apple said nonchntly, of course she wouldn''t let herself lose.

 Chapter 474 A KISS

    <h4>Chapter 474 A KISS</h4>


    This was the first time for Apple to be at the Tatum residence, which was Jayden''s maternal home.


    Several maids immediately came to wee them both and an old maid who seemed to have worked in this house for a long time and was very familiar with Jayden immediately approached Apple and asked a question that took her by surprise.


    "Are you Jayden''s lover?" she asked in a teasing voice. "This is the first time Jayden has brought a woman into this house."


    "No, I''m not his girlfriend," Apple replied immediately.


    However, Jayden had a different answer. "Of course she is my lover." As it turned out, he heard the question and casually corrected Apple''s answer.


    And what annoyed Apple even more was that the old woman believed what Jayden said.


    Of course she trusted the maniptive man more, so Apple just let them be, because it would be useless to correct this.


    But, the second question made Apple''s face turn red like an apple.


    "Are you two going to sleep in the same room?" the older woman asked again.


    "No, no!" Apple answered as she waved her hands frantically, confirming her answer and this time, she threw Jayden a threatening look if the man said otherwise.


    "No, we sleep in separate rooms," Jayden informed the woman casually, but then he nced at Apple, teasing her. "At least not yet. She''s still shy about this."


    Apple was really tempted to toss the shoe she was wearing at Jayden''s head right now. This man really was a devil.


    ======================


    And it was only two dayster that Apple found out what Jayden had in mind, namely to attend the Gevano family''spany anniversary party, which would be held in thepany''s own building.


    "You''ve been nning this ever since you found out that the Gevano family was the mastermind behind all this, right?" Apple asked, staring at Jayden in disbelief as the two of them walked into a boutique that would stock Apple with the best dresses for tonight''s party.


    "Yeah, you could say that," Jayden answered lightly.


    Several people there immediately greeted the two of them. With Jayden''s true identity, it was inevitable that they treated him very nicely and politely.


    "I feel like I''ve been schemed against," Apple said, which made Jaydenugh. He then encouraged the girl to try on the clothes he had chosen for her.


    "No need to worry, my trap this time won''t hurt you." He rolled her eyes and handed Apple a red dress, asking her to try it on.


    Apple rolled her eyes but then she didn''t protest and tried on the dress.


    This dress was very tight and hugged her curves perfectly and Apple was grateful that she had worked out so well that she had enough curves to make her feel less insecure.


    And a triumphant smile appeared on her lips when she saw Jayden''s expression the first time he saw her.


    "I know I''m beautiful, but you don''t have to be so impressed," Apple said confidently.


    "I know you''re beautiful in that dress, but I''d rather you not wear it," Jayden retorted and this earned him a hard kick in the calf, making him wince and some of the employees thereughed in secret.


    "You makements like that one more time, I''m going to break your neck," Apple hissed, then headed back to the locker room to change, but Jayden had a chance to see the blush on her cheeks and this made him even more excited to tease her.


    It felt good to make Apple blush because she was always being mean to him.


    =====================


    And that night, Apple asked Aby, an old maid who had worked at the Tatum mansion for a long time, to help her put on her make-up and make herself look much more feminine than usual.


    And when Apple came down the stairs, Jayden was waiting for her with a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.


    "You look beautiful," heplimented and this time Apple heard the sincerity in his words, not because he was teasing her like before.


    "You are not so bad yourself," Apple replied, and then put her hand in Jayden''s, letting him lead her out of the house, where a car was waiting for the two of them.


    "You''re not going to tell me to drive that car, are you?" Apple asked, ncing at Jayden with probing eyes. This man could be so crazy and ask her to drive the car in this beautiful red dress.


    However, Jaydenughed when he heard Apple say this. "Of course not. You don''t work for me now, you are my plus one for tonight."


    Apple sighed heavily as she said to Jayden in a low tone. "I don''t think this rtionship will go well."


    "Don''t be too optimistic about your opinion."


    But Apple ignored his words and began to exin why their rtionship wouldn''t go well.


    "My dad warned me from the start not to have any ambiguous rtionship with you," Apple said.


    "Pyro has always been paranoid."


    "And I think he has a point," Apple said.


    "Of course not. I''ll prove it''s not true. I can make an amazing boyfriend, you know."


    "How can it be?"


    "I''m rich, handsome, caring, smart¡­ you name it, I have it all," Jayden said confidently and smirked at the ring girl beside him.


    "I don''t think your parents will approve of this rtionship, I''m just the child of your bodyguard." Apple felt insecure just at the sight of the Tatum family''s house. She was nothing at allpared to these great families.


    Jaydenughed even more at that answer. "I will be the one getting married and I will be the one who will choose my partner to marry, not them."


    Apple then got into the car first when a driver opened the door for her, Jayden followed.


    And in the car, Jayden said, this time his tone was more serious.


    "Okay, that means all problems have been resolved and you are my girl now," Jayden said, kissing Apple briefly on the lips.


    "What''s that?" Apple looked surprised.


    "A gesture to validate our rtionship."

 Chapter 475 I NEED YOU TO SOBER

    <h4>Chapter 475 I NEED YOU TO SOBER</h4>


    Apple was so shocked by what Jayden had just done to her, at his sudden warm kiss. It couldn''t be called a kiss either, because it happened so briefly, that Apple didn''t even notice when it started and ended.


    "What''s that?" Apple looked surprised.


    This wasn''t Apple''s first kiss, but still, it never crossed her mind that Jayden Tordoff would kiss her and ask her to be his girlfriend while there were tonnes of women waiting for such a confession.


    Apple thought there was something wrong with Jayden''s way of thinking so something had to be fixed about the man in front of her.


    "A gesture to validate our rtionship."


    She was so shocked that when she finally realized what this perverted man had done to her, her hand flew to his face.


    Only, Jayden prevented her from pping him as he held her wrist firmly and effortlessly.


    This made Apple widen her eyes in disbelief, how could this man do this so easily?


    And then she remembered that Jayden was a Tordoff as well as a man who had been trained by her own father since he was a child.


    And despite his reckless and detached attitude, he was perfectly capable of protecting himself.


    Sometimes, even Apple was fooled by his reckless attitude and also the fact that she was his bodyguard, but that didn''t mean Jayden couldn''t beat even herself.


    "Save your energy forter," Jayden said in a low voice and then brought Apple''s hand to his lips and gave her a very sexy look. "You will need it."


    Having said that, Jayden smirked when Apple withdrew her hand roughly while scowling in disgust.


    "Don''t ever do that again, or I''ll tell my dad," Apple threatened, then she wiped her lips with the back of her hand, to make it clear that she didn''t appreciate what Jayden had just done.


    Seeing that, Jayden just tilted his head and gave a mysterious smile.


    "And stop looking at me like that," Apple grumbled again.


    =====================


    The two of them finally arrived at the venue, where all the visitors had arrived in their best attires and Apple was grateful that she didn''t embarrass herself as what she was wearing matched the theme of the event.


    Things like this should be left to Jayden entirely, he really understood what to wear to an event like this.


    "Don''t mess around," Apple warned Jayden again as the man took hold of her hand.


    "You came here as my plus one, so there is no way we can enter the building while looking like a pair of eternal enemies," Jayden argued, he then pulled Apple''s body closer. "And don''t forget to smile, people who saw you will think that I have kidnapped you to be mypanion for the night."


    While giving such instructions, Jayden didn''t forget to put on his sweetest smile, the expression on his face didn''t show anything at all, as if the two of them were having a casual small talk.


    He was an expert at these kinds of things¡­ and it couldn''t be denied.


    Thus, instead of Apple having to hit herself in the head and getting frustrated with Jayden''s behavior, she finally let the man lead the two of them.


    It was Apple''s first time to attend a party of this kind and meet important people showing off their precious clothes and jewelry. Talk aboutpany status and stock, business benefits and so on that Apple didn''t know understand a single thing of.


    And for the first time in her life, Apple felt afraid of people.


    All of them who were present here looked like they came from a different world to her and used a differentnguage, not only that, the topic of conversation they had was very intimidating for Apple who knew absolutely nothing about their world.


    Luckily, Jayden was always by her side to turn the conversation that was aimed at Apple on to himself.


    Jayden spoke very fluently to them and was able to crack jokes even on very difficult andplicated topics.


    This man''s social skills were unquestionable and this made Apple think she was almost like a joke.


    It was just that, from the moment they arrived, until the event was about to start, Jayden continued to hold her hand tightly and didn''t let go.


    "I am going to get a quick drink," Jayden whispered to Apple as the four people who came up to them were busy talking to each other, while Jayden withdrew to get something.


    Upon hearing this, Apple immediately held Jayden''s hand tighter and said to him in a panicked and muffled voice.


    "No, I aming with you," Apple said in a low voice. She stared warily at the four people there, afraid they''d start questioning her.


    Hearing this, Jayden rubbed Apple''s hand gently and then leaned his body toward her. "You are so clingy."


    Hearing this, Apple widened her eyes in annoyance. Of course, she was not clingy, but if Apple had to choose between having to face these guys and fighting, it would certainly be more satisfying if she could beat up someone at a time like this.


    Apple was not born into the same environment as Jayden and not even into a warm family like the Tordoffs with a father and mother who loved each other.


    "Here," Jayden handed Apple a ss of champagne and she gulped it down and this made the man raise an eyebrow.


    "Sorry," Apple muttered shyly, because she knew what she had just done was totally inappropriate, but her nervousness made her need for an extra push.


    Jayden chuckled. "I would like to give you another ss, but I still need you to stay sober for the next few hours, sweetie."


    Apple thanked Jayden for understanding, but the endearment at the end of the sentence made Apple scoff.


    "I will go get some mineral water," she mumbled and walked away without waiting for Jayden''s response.


    ********


    Meet me on instagram @jikan_yo_tomare

 Chapter 476 LOWER STATUS

    <h4>Chapter 476 LOWER STATUS</h4>


    Apple could certainly feel the change in the people around her when she walked away from Jayden.


    Because at once, the people that looked at her secretly until now, started to look at her more boldly and carefully.


    They even tantly observed her to the point of twisting their bodies just to get a better view of Apple''s face.


    Of course they were wondering, because every woman who was close to Jayden would always be a hot topic until she made it to the headlines of newspapers.


    Apple would be an easy target when she was alone and she realized it toote, having said before that she was very unustomed to being in this kind of environment and being with people like them.


    Apple and Jayden''s lives werepletely opposite and it was really noticeable when the girl attended events like this.


    And after experiencing this chasm-like difference, Apple wanted tough when she remembered Jayden''s confession. The man seemed to have been drunk even before he had a chance to drink anything tonight.


    Apple was more curious about Jayden''s motivations when he said that. It was an absurd and sudden thing.


    And when Apple finally got the mineral water she wanted, a woman came up to her while she was downing her drink.


    "Hi," the beautiful woman said, even Apple, who was a woman, felt fascinated by the beauty of this woman.


    She was like a model, very slim and looked graceful in every movement she made. Curiosity overtook Apple¡­ how many men''s hearts had she broken?


    Tsk.


    If one looked at it like this, Apple''s sense of insecurity seemed to have begun to eat away at her annoyingly.


    "Hi," Apple replied back in the same tone of voice. She then wiped her lips in a very udylike manner. Luckily, the waterproof lipstick she was currently wearing did not smudge or leave a stain either on the back of her hand or on the sides of her lips. "Is there anything I can help you with?"


    The pretty woman in front of Apple smiled very kindly, but for people who had been in this kind of life for a long time, it was as clear as a day that it wasn''t genuine hospitality.


    Because the friendlier someone is to you, the more alert you have to be, because you have to find out what they want from you.


    Such was life in Jayden''s world. Where you are required to be alert at all times and pay attention to what you say every time because it could someday be used against yourself.


    "My name is Isabel Brown," the woman said, holding out her hand.


    Apple immediately shook the hand and could feel the smooth skin on her slightly callused hands.


    "Apple Dunn," she murmured when she said her name.


    "Nice to meet you Ms. Dunn," she said pleasantly and let go of her hand. She didn''t even look surprised when she saw Apple''s rough hands. Indeed, people like Isabel must have been well trained from childhood not to show how they really felt.


    "Just call me Apple," Apple said, not used to hearing her name being called like that.


    Isabel smiled kindly again and flicked her hair to the back of her shoulder. She wore a pale red evening gown which contrasted sharply with her ck hair.


    "Apple," Isabelplied with Apple''s request. "I''ve never seen you at events like this before, do youe from a family out of town?"


    "Oh, no... my family doesn''t live out of town, I was born and raised in this city," Apple replied amiably, but she knew where this was going.


    Neither businessman nor famous person had ast name like hers, therefore, it must have been very confusing for a girl with a prominent family like Isabel to find that Jayden Tordoff invited her to walk beside him at a big event like this.


    "Oh." Isabel tilted her head and her beautiful hair fell gently to the side of her face.


    God. How could women like Isabel appear wless to such extent? Apple wasn''t sure that her doing so would have the same effect as Isabel.


    "Then how did youe to know Jayden Tordoff?" Her tone had changed slightly now, not cynical, but probing.


    Isabel Brown seemed to represent questions from dozens of people that were present, regarding the identity of the woman who had walked beside Jayden Tordoff tonight.


    "My parents worked for Mr. Tordoff a long time ago," Apple replied diplomatically.


    And there, Apple began to notice the change in the look in the eyes that Isabel had directed at her. She looked disbelieving and a little surprised.


    "So¡­ your parents are employees of Mr. Tordoff?" she asked probingly, and then took a ss of wine from a passing waiter before handing another to Apple.


    Apple grimaced as she looked at the champagne ss in her hand. She shouldn''t be drinking this, but under the intimidating stares from the women who admired Jayden Tordoff so much, it looked like she needed some more courage now.


    Therefore, Apple gulped down the drink and answered Isabel with more confidence.


    "You could say that." Wasn''t a bodyguard also an employee? Apple did not need to exin this further, right?


    Isabel then raised an eyebrow and after hearing Apple''s answer, she no longer showed her friendly attitude and smiling face.


    Because ording to her, it was really unnecessary to do to people who have a lower family status than herself.


    "Oh," she muttered under her breath and looked at the clothes Apple was wearing. "I think Jayden chose this dress for you too."


    Apple, who realized the change in her attitude, then smiled understandingly. She knew why now Isabel''s treatment was different after learning about her family background.


    "What''s the matter with the clothes I''m wearing?" Apple asked.


    "Because I know the designer of this dress," she answered arrogantly, implying that she knew the price of the dress.


    "And I know the person who bought it."

 Chapter 477 PROVE IT

    <h4>Chapter 477 PROVE IT</h4>


    "Because I know the designer of this dress." Isabel said that smugly, as if boasting about her connections.


    On the other hand, Apple responded to thesements by raising an eyebrow, seemingly to say; what is there to be proud of?


    Apple was quite surprised and almost gasped when she realized how quickly changes could ur in the way someone treated other people after they found out that their status was not the same.


    It waspletely unreasonable that this could happen, but that was how it was and this was what she was witnessing now.


    "And I know the person who bought it." The words just slipped from Apple''s lips without thinking. She said it as if it were something to be proud of.


    However, on the other hand, what Apple said was enough to irritate Isabel, because it meant that she might know the designer of this dress, but no matter how expensive the item was, the most important thing was the buyer who had bought the expensive item, right?


    "Oh really?" Isabel snorted, she then folded her arms across her chest in a very arrogant manner and held her chin high, ncing at her. "No matter what reason Jayden has for bringing you here, I''m just going to give you a suggestion, don''t expect too much from a gesture like that from him. He''s just ying with you."


    Apple felt that she wanted the ground to split open and swallow her up right there and then, because what Isabel had just said was what she herself was thinking. That was what had been on her mind from the very moment she heard Jayden''s sudden and absurd confession earlier that evening.


    But, what Apple didn''t want was; her pride to be trampled on by Isabel and her arrogance.


    Therefore, with strong determination, Apple shook off her insecurities and lifted her chin as well with a smile. She hoped her smile wouldn''t look fake so that Isabel would know that she had sessfully knocked her down.


    That was thest thing Apple wanted out of this whole nonsense.


    "I don''t know if he''s ying games or not, but he certainly just told me how he feels." Apple then boldly took one step forward to approach Isabel while saying in a low voice. "ying or not, Jayden Tordoff is mine right now."


    God!


    Apple wanted to beat herself up. How could she say such shameless words in front of a girl as beautiful and graceful and arrogant as Isabel Brown? She must have gone mad.


    However, since she had already said that and the words could no longer be taken back, she had no other choice but to continue.


    While gritting her teeth, Apple had to face the fact that she could turn out to be a great bragger if conditions and circumstances required her to act like that.


    And she was quite satisfied to see how Isabel gritted her teeth furiously.


    "Prove it then." Isabel challenged Apple bravely because she didn''t believe her at all.


    Oh, I''m dead¡­


    Apple grimaced in her heart because what she said actually resulted in this kind of problem and what was more important right now was; how could she prove something like this?


    Seeing that Apple didn''t immediately answer what she said, made Isabelugh softly. She covered her mouth very gracefully, even though her scornful gaze was on Apple.


    "You really think I''d believe your bullshit?" Isabel rolled her eyes dramatically and Apple had the urge to keep this woman''s eyes rolling like that. "You''re just a toy," she whispered. "You lowly people are just toys to people like us."


    What Isabel had just said seemed like a very clear dividing line between the two of them, which was something Apple had been aware of from the start, but after this woman said it again, it became even clearer.


    If Apple could choose, she would choose to face five men at once or repeat the events that urred during the chase on the ship, rather than having to deal with women who were hungry for position and status like Isabel Brown.


    Apple''s blood was boiling with her uncontroble rage and anger, but she also knew she couldn''t beat Isabel Brown or give her a kick or two.


    It would be very unsightly to look at, especially in an event like this.


    Therefore, Apple looked deeply into Isabel''s eyes and as she started to walk, her sharp eyes fell on Jayden Tordoff who was standing not far from her.


    That asshole, who didn''t even realize that he had put Apple in this kind of trouble, was chatting with two other men, but Apple could feel the man''s gaze asionally traveling to her.


    It would be a lie if Jayden didn''t know what Apple was going through with Isabel, but he decided to just stand aside and not help.


    Therefore, he must not me Apple if she solved this problem in her own way and now, Apple had to share the frustration that she was feeling.


    Apple walked over to Jayden with brisk, indecisive steps. Well, she was used to running and jumping and kicking people, not graceful, charming walks.


    On the other hand, when Jayden saw Apple approaching him, he no longer focused his attention on the men he was talking to, but on the girl.


    The steps taken by Apple seemed so decisive and Jayden could even feel the annoyance from within the girl.


    Apparently, whatever topics were discussed between Apple and Isabel, things didn''t go smoothly and this annoyed the girl.


    Meanwhile, the men in front of Jayden immediately stepped aside when they saw how serious Apple''s face was when she was about to approach Jayden.


    Apple only stopped when she was standing right in front of Jayden and staring at the man deeply.


    "What is it?" Jayden asked and from behind Apple, he could see Isabel''s gaze trained on them.


    *******


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    Hope you like it ^^

 Chapter 478 FIND A ROOM

    <h4>Chapter 478 FIND A ROOM</h4>


    Apple approached Jayden with determined steps, she could see the confusion in the eyes of the man who was staring back at her.


    Apple didn''t know how the look on her face was now, but for sure, it was what made Jayden show such an expression.


    Apple didn''t know exactly what she should do when she was finally in front of Jayden. Should she say something? Tell him what Isabel just said, or should she just shut up and stand beside him? Was that enough to silence Isabel?


    Actually, this was no longer a matter of proving the words that had already been thrown out and not about who won or who lost, but rather referred to the ego.


    Apple didn''t want to beughed at, it was the thing she hated the most¡­


    Therefore, when she did this, her brain instantly froze and was unable to think anything, it was just, it seemed her body had a mind of its own and when she started to move, she didn''t even notice it at all and let her instincts lead her.


    Meanwhile, on the other hand, Jayden noticed something different from the way Apple was looking at him now.


    "What is it?" Jayden asked and from behind Apple he could see Isabel''s gaze trained on them.


    Only, before Jayden could hear the answer to his question, Apple had done something that left him speechless.


    Because what she did after that took them both by surprise.


    Apple tiptoed and slightly tugged Jayden''s cor so he could bend down, because even though she was wearing quite high heels, this man was still much taller than her, so she had to bnce their heights in order to kiss the man on the lips.


    A quick kiss, same as the one Jayden gave her in the car a few hours ago, it was just a peck, but enough to take them both by surprise.


    Apple didn''t expect herself to do this while on the other hand, Jayden didn''t expect this girl to do this either.


    "What was that?" Jayden asked Apple whose face was now red like a real apple, ah, she looked so cute and adorable.


    "That¡­" Apple wrecked her brains to give a proper reason to what she just did, until she suspected that Jayden could hear the sound of her brain working hard now. "That''s revenge for what you did in the car," Apple replied simply.


    Jayden chuckled, realizing that all eyes were staring at them with expressions of surprise that couldn''t be hidden, especially Isabel, they were all waiting for Jayden''s reaction after this.


    Jayden then leaned forward and spoke very softly to Apple when he saw the girl just being silent, frozen, aware of the attention of the hundreds of people around them. "I kissed you when it was just the two of us, but you kissed me back when we were at a party. Hmm¡­" Jayden whispered softly into her ear.


    Apple closed her eyes and spoke again in a very low voice. "I¡­ I can exin, actually¡­" Ugh! Apple was very upset that she had to do this and no matter how she exined itter, she would look very shallow to respond to Isabel''s words like this.


    "I know," Jayden cut in. He pulled Apple closer, put his hand on the girl''s slender waist, then stroked Apple''s shoulder length hair and pushed it aside and kissed her neck gently, making the girl tremble in his arms.


    In the next second, the voices of people gasping and stunned could be heard when they witnessed the sweet sight.


    What were those two doing? Making out in the middle of a party? But somehow they just didn''t mind and wanted to see more than this.


    "You knew?" Apple repeated what Jayden had told her earlier, she then winced and clicked her tongue ufortably.


    "Of course," Jayden whispered again. "So why don''t we just continue?" Jayden asked, rolling his eyes. "It wasn''t a kiss after all."


    "What?" Apple turned her face and found Jayden''s face so close to hers and when she was about to speak, Jayden silenced her with a warm and sweet kiss.


    This time, unlike their previous two kisses, Jayden actually kissed Apple in front of a crowd that was now gaping in disbelief at what they were witnessing.


    Jayden Tordoff went ahead showing off his affection in front of many people!


    Jayden ced his hand on Apple''s nape and held her head there while his other hand wrapped around Apple''s slender waist and pulled her closer, deepening their kiss.


    Jayden bit Apple''s lower lip to give him ess to take a deeper taste of those sweet lips and he realized that Apple had downed another ss of champagne.


    Bad girl¡­


    Jayden had told Apple not to drink anymore but she actually went to get herself another ss of wine.


    Meanwhile, when Apple realized that this kisssted longer than their two short kisses, she immediately panicked and tried to distance herself from Jayden, but the man held her so firmly and tightly, making it difficult for her to move.


    Especially when she tasted the sweetness of Jayden''s kiss, Apple couldn''t say anything or protest, she couldn''t do that. Jayden was too tempting to resist, causing Apple to lose control of herself and return the kiss.


    Her head floated slightly as she wrapped her arms around Jayden''s neck and the man responded with a low growl against her lips. Apple liked this and she was slightly giddy at this moment.


    And that was when the lights in the whole room went out and left them in the dark as everything turned dim, because the wee speech for the party was about to begin.


    An old man with very neat clothes and a mischievous grin on his lips approached Jayden and whispered to him.


    "Find a room, boy," he said with augh, feeling young again when he saw Jayden and Apple''s behavior. He was like that when he was young too.

 Chapter 479 THINK ABOUT IT

    <h4>Chapter 479 THINK ABOUT IT</h4>


    Jaydenughed softly at thement and then detached himself from Apple while grinning at the old man who was a business partner of his.


    Then, still embracing Apple, he walked away from the crowd of people who were still watching him and the woman in his arms, rather than concentrating on the announcement that the evening''s events were about to begin.


    The two of them slipped through the crowd of guests and walked out in the dim light and disappeared behind one of the doors.


    Leaving the people there who witnessed the incident to have wild fantasies of what the young heir of the Tordoff family would do.


    Jayden pulled Apple into a room and closed the door while the girl still had a cloudy mind and looked a little dazed.


    "Thank you for providing a brilliant and unsuspecting way out of the room." Jayden shed her a smile and then ruffled her hair. "You are so bold."


    Immediately, Apple understood what Jayden had just said.


    "I didn''t mean to¡­" Ugh! Apple was at a loss for words to exin this to the man in front of her. She didn''t know how to start. Or, did she need to exin it at all?


    Or should Apple be mad at thements Jayden just made? Or should she be mad that Jayden kissed her like that earlier?


    But, wasn''t she the one who started it first? So, Apple shouldn''t be angry about that, right?


    On the other hand, when he saw the fluctuating confusion and annoyance on Apple''s face, Jaydenughed softly and stroked the girl''s cheek while whispering softly into her ear.


    "I know what''s going on," he said, then kissed Apple''s cheek gently and looked into her eyes. "More or less you did it all because Ms. Brown provoked you, didn''t she?" Jayden guessed right.


    Apple, who heard this, frowned and could only be silent while muttering something incoherent.


    "You can''t be mad at me because I kissed you like that in front of so many people, because you were the one who started it, right?" Jayden argued defensively, noticing that Apple didn''t look happy.


    And indeed for that very reason, Apple was pissed off now, because she couldn''t be mad at Jayden for that kiss.


    "Besides," Jayden added, holding out his hand as he stroked Apple''s rosy cheeks and his voice was lower than usual and full of temptation. "You can''t be mad because you have enjoyed it too, can you?" Jayden teased.


    "You!" Apple hissed as she rolled her eyes in disgust at this man, but of course the way her body responded couldn''t lie about how she felt and that didn''t go unnoticed by the very sensitive Jayden.


    "Okay," he interceded, stifling augh. "You can argue with me as you please after we finish today''s task and this mission, okay."


    Apple red at Jayden and brushed his hand away from her cheek. "I know."


    They didn''te here today to show off affection, but to finish a job wlessly before today''s event ended and after that, Apple could forget everything that happened today and the nonsense Jayden threw at her.


    "Hopefully what you guessed is true," Apple said, exhaling slowly.


    "Hopefully so, otherwise we''ll both be in trouble," Jayden said lightly.


    "Do you know?" Apple opened the door to the room and noticed the empty corridor while in the distance, the sound of people pping loudly after hearing the opening speech echoed in the air. "You are a bad nner."


    Hearing this, Jayden justughed softly and clicked his tongue. "I may not be a very good nner, but I am a good improvist."


    Apple stuck her tongue out at Jayden, mocking him before she exited the room and walked down the corridor, taking note of every single CCTV camera that was installed along the corridor.


    It was going to be a long night and Apple hoped she could get back to her room soon and sleep peacefully tonight.


    =====================


    In addition to the red dress she was wearing, the high heels made it difficult for Apple to move around because she was not used to wearing this type of footwear.


    However, since she couldn''t change her clothes and didn''t have much choice, she took off her high heels and carried them in her hands.


    "You shouldn''t force me to wear clothes like this in the future, it''s really hard for me to move around," Apple hissed into themunication device in her ear. She was seen casually strolling down a deserted corridor on the fifteenth floor.


    To avoid running into the guards inside this building, Apple had to take the alternative route of climbing the emergency stairs or walking down the asional corridor.


    So for that reason she removed the high heels that were bothering her.


    "You''ll be fine," Jayden said softly, but there wasughter behind his words.


    "Just fine?" Apple repeated Jayden''s sentence sarcastically, she hissed again until Jayden thought he was talking to a snake instead of a girl. "Come and do this job, go up to the fifteenth floor in a dress and high heels," she grumbled.


    If only Pyro was okay, he''d be the one doing this job, because Jayden trusted not many people.


    Jayden burst outughing when he heard that, but then he managed tough at hearing Apple cursing in disgust. "Try to imagine me in clothes like that and wearing high heels. I think even Ms. Brown will run if he sees me."


    Apple bit her lips to keep fromughing at the thought of what Jayden was saying. This man was annoying, she couldn''t even stay mad at him.


    "Have you found the room?" Jayden asked when Apple had been silent for a while.


    "Soon," Apple muttered.


    On the floor where the event was taking ce, security was tight because there was a party going on with important people attending as guests, but in this ce, not many guards were passing by.


    And this was exactly what Jayden had predicted.


    "Okay, I found the room," Apple reported.

 Chapter 480 BICKERING

    <h4>Chapter 480 BICKERING</h4>


    "Hey, what''s with this n of yours?" Apple asked Jayden through the earpiece. "I''ve been captured in all the CCTV cameras of this building, if something happenster, they''ll definitely know that I''m the mastermind behind all this."


    Apple then walked back to her left and entered the fire escape again. Jayden had given her a floor n of the building and told her his crazy n, so Apple knew what to do.


    Only, Jayden didn''t seem to tell Apple the whole n, because he kept it all in his head.


    "I''ll be deleting their CCTV footage for tonight," Jayden replied calmly. "I told you not to worry."


    Apple grumbled something incoherent before she said in a curt tone, "You''re just sitting there with yourptop on yourp while I have to do all the manual work. How can you say so lightly that I don''t have to worry?"


    Jaydenughed when he heard that. "Sorry honey, but I''m not used to doing such heavy work."


    When she heard this, Apple suddenly stopped in her tracks. She almost blew her top because of what she had just heard, if it wasn''t for her still remembering that this mission required her to be as silent as possible, she would have scolded Jayden at length for thatment.


    Did he think she was used to doing menial work?


    "I can see your face now," Jayden said suddenly when there was no reply from Apple. "You must be really pissed off right now, right? You''re holding your breath not to get angry because you know in this situation it''s impossible to scold me."


    Jayden''s voice now was inteced withughter.


    "Oh, you know me well, Mr. Tordoff," Apple scoffed at him.


    "I''ll get to know you better soon. How about we start with ''what''s your favorite color?''" Jayden asked, out of context.


    Sometimes, Apple struggled to keep up with Jayden''s more often erratic way of thinking.


    "You''re crazy," Apple grumbled, then she walked into a room filled with hundreds of wires and boxes showing numbers.


    "I never knew there was a color called ''you''re crazy''. My own favorite color is blue," Jayden said. "My favorite food is seafood and I prefer hot chocte in the morning to coffee, how about you?"


    "I didn''t ask all that," Apple grumbled.


    "There''s no ''I didn''t ask all that'' menu," Jayden retorted and he could hear Apple groan in annoyance. For some reason, Jayden found it hrious and fun to y with Apple.


    The room that Apple entered was filled with so many wires that she had absolutely no idea about, but of course Jayden knew what room it was.


    "Stop ying, I''m already here." Apple informed Jayden of her position to get him back to serious about their situation.


    And suddenly Jayden''s voice turned serious, even now, Apple was still not used to how easily this man changed personality, as if she were dealing with different people in different situations.


    "Look for the boxes that show the number fifteen and sixteen," Jayden ordered.


    Actually, he could have gotten someone else to do what Apple was currently working on, however, Jayden could be said to have high trust issues and he didn''t trust anyone arbitrarily.


    Regarding this mission, where he was going to steal the data of apany, of course he wouldn''t just entrust it to someone else.


    As for Apple, even though he was new to this girl, she was the daughter of Pyro and after spending some time with her, Jayden didn''t doubt her one bit.


    Perhaps this feeling offort was also what prompted Jayden to be impulsive by announcing that he wanted Apple as his woman.


    "I''ve found it."


    "Open the box."


    The box in front of Apple was almost as tall as her and she traced the metal side of the box carefully, before finally finding a gap and pulling it open.


    "Wow¡­ I''ll never understand what to do with these many wires¡­" Apple muttered, because in front of her, she could see an electrical circuit with all kinds of wires and tiny lights around it and even though there were descriptions on some of the wires, Apple didn''t feel she could figure out which cable they were aiming for¡­ "Are you sure you can find the right cable?"


    "Send me a picture of it," Jayden said calmly.


    "Just a minute," Apple said, then she pulled out her phone and sent Jayden the photo he asked for. "I sent it."


    "Give me a moment."


    "Take your time, I amfortable here." Apple could hear Jayden''s chuckle which made her smile, then she sat on the floor and hugged her knees.


    The air in the room wasn''t too cold, maybe because of the heat from the machines in front of her.


    It took Jayden about three minutes to finally talk back to Apple and give her very clear instructions on what to do, which even Apple couldn''t possibly go wrong with, unless she was really stupid.


    "Now press the button on your left and cut the blue wire next to it," Jayden said at the end of his instructions.


    "Cut the cord?" Apple looked doubtful, but she pulled out a small knife from her waist anyway. "Are you sure I won''t get electrocuted?" She looked scared when she had to cut off the cable.


    "Of course I wouldn''t risk your safety, sweety," Jayden said softly, as if he were coaxing a child who didn''t want to eat.


    Apple scoffed when she heard that. "Says the one who sent me to this ce and told me there was a high chance I''d start a gunfire and fight with the trained guards if they found me." Apple shrugged nonchntly. "I think it''s safer than the possibility of me getting electrocuted."


    "Your level of sarcasm just keeps getting higher."


    Apple ignored thements and did what Jayden asked her to do. She cut the said blue wire in the circuit quickly.


    And immediately, all the lights on the fifteenth floor went out as only this particr floor experienced a ckout.

 Chapter 481 BLACKOUT

    <h4>Chapter 481 BLACKOUT</h4>


    And immediately, all the lights on the fifteenth floor went out as only this particr floor experienced a ckout.


    "Looks like you did it," Jaydenmented when he saw the lights on the fifteenth floor had gone out. He poked his head out of the window and looked up. "See? Safe isn''t it?"


    "Yeah, yeah..." Apple muttered as she tried to adjust her eyes in the dark. She then walked toward the door, where she heard the sounds of people running and shouting each other''s names to give instructions and orders, to find out what was really going on.


    Because the ckout only urred on one floor, the event, which was taking ce several floors below, was not disturbed at all.


    "Okay, now get out of there and go to the next ce."


    Of course the next ce was Theodore Gevano''s guarded study on the floor.


    "On my way," Apple said in a calm voice. She walked slowly down the corridor which was very limited in light and only lit by the lights from the surrounding buildings.


    Her red dress turned out to be quite helpful for hiding in the dark, although it would be even better if it was ck.


    "I''m here and I need a password to sign in," Apple said.


    "Two - five - zero - six - two - nine," Jayden said.


    Apple frowned as she entered the code and the door opened. There were no guards on watch, because they didn''t expect anyone to enter Theodore Gevano''s room, especially when the room had a passcode to enter that only Theodore Gevano knew.


    "Wow, you impressed me again and again," Apple muttered as she slipped in and closed the door behind her.


    "I know that you''ll find me attractive, it''s only a matter of time before you actually fall in love with me."


    Apple rolled her eyes dramatically. "Yeah¡­ just keep dreaming, you''ll need me to support your head when your head gets bigger."


    "That means you must always be by my side."


    Apple clicked her tongue. "How can you do that?"


    "By magic," Jayden answered nonchntly.


    Actually, it was Pyro who had taught Jayden these kinds of things at first, but then, as he found hacking a system quite interesting, Jayden studied it further.


    The two of them kept bickering until Apple found aptop in a locked drawer.


    "He didn''t seem careful enough with leaving hisptop in an unlocked drawer," Jayden said.


    "I didn''t say the drawer was unlocked."


    "So the drawer is locked?"


    "Of course."


    "Then how did you open the drawer?"


    "By magic," Apple replied cheekily, mimicking what Jayden had told her earlier. She was satisfied that she had been able to counter Jayden''s words earlier.


    Of course, Apple learned this from her father, and now, there was hardly a lock she couldn''t unlock.


    But, on the other hand, Jayden didn''t feel offended at all. He justughed with Apple and found her unyielding demeanor amusing.


    "Okay, my smart girl, let''s get down to the business, shall we?" Jayden said at the end of hisugh, he then stretched out and cradled theptop in hisp. It was time to find out the truth behind the organization that kidnapped him in the past.


    ======================


    The sky grew darker and cloudier as light rain began to fall, but the party downstairs continued to go on without any disturbances.


    The guests werepletely unaware of what was really going on or whether something was off.


    They also did not realize that someone was hacking the security system of the Gevano family.


    Only Theodore Gevano wasn''t like that, he knew something was wrong when he got news that the electricity on the fifteenth floor had gone out and only on that floor.


    But he couldn''t just leave the party and let his guests wonder about his absence.


    And everything became clearer when Theodore realized that one important guest had disappeared from the party.


    "Mr. Tordoff and his new girlfriend are using one of the meeting rooms," Aska, his son, answered. "We''d better not bother them," he said in a meaningful tone, for his father would know what he meant.


    However, the two of them did not share the same thoughts, as Theodore felt that something was wrong with all of this.


    Jayden Tordoff was not the type of guy who would leave a party giving the impression that he was spending time with his woman.


    Theodore knew Ramon Tordoff well and although his son''s demeanor was more suggestive of taking on his mother''s traits, still, their son must be as cunning as his father as well.


    "Father, where are you going?" Aska asked when he saw his father''s facial expression change as he rushed off after giving him an order.


    "Watch the course of this party," Theodore said before he gave orders to his men to gather in his study.


    "Father, where are you going?" Aska asked, he was the second child in the Gevano family and a young man at the age of twenty-four who should have shown maturity, but his mother had spoiled him too much.


    On the other hand, Theodore didn''t listen to what his son was saying and immediately ran toward the elevator that would take him to the fifteenth floor.


    Luckily only the lights went out due to a broken cable, but other than that, everything worked fine.


    "What did you get?" Theodore asked impatiently.


    "It looks like the severed cable was intentionally cut," one of the bodyguards, who were in the same elevator as him, reported immediately.


    "What about my study room?" Theodore asked.


    "We''ve put several people on guard there, but nothing suspicious is found." They could only stand guard at the front as it was impossible for them to enter the room.


    Theodore gritted his mrs hard, and clenched his fists tightly.


    Tordoff.


    Again that family. The Tordoff surname was like a scourge within Theodore''s eye and he would never forget what happened in the past.


    Of course everything was over, but Theodore always felt there was a score that had not been settled right.

 Chapter 482 I THINK IT’S HIM

    <h4>Chapter 482 I THINK IT''S HIM</h4>


    Theodore rushed to his study and found that there were already several guards standing there to keep an eye on the situation. And it seemed that no one had entered his study.


    But, of course Theodore wouldn''t take such a calm situation for granted. He had lived long enough and seen a myriad of devious intrigues under the circumstances.


    "Are you guys standing guard here all night?" Theodore asked, his voice sharp and threatening when he asked this.


    Some of them immediately looked at each other and didn''t dare to give a definite answer. Their attitude alone had already aroused Theodore''s suspicion that they were not doing their job well.


    They only stood guard in front of his study after receiving orders.


    Therefore, even though Theodore saw that there was nothing odd or anything he should suspect, Theodore still insisted on entering his room.


    The man entered the passcode and immediately turned on the shlight of his cellphone to walk inside, because the lights on the floor still couldn''t be turned on.


    As soon as Theodore was inside and the light from his cell phone shone on his desk, his expression changed as he saw that hisptop was on the table in an open position.


    Without thinking, Theodore went over to hisptop which should be in a locked drawer and immediately checked the usage history of theptop.


    One minute was enough for Theodore to realize that someone had stolen his data.


    "YOU ARE ALL FIRED!" Theodore cried angrily at the guards manning the door because they had failed in their duty.


    Theodore''s anger peaked and made him unable to think clearly, especially when he knew what the consequences would be for him if news of him spread in the media about what he had been doing.


    With uncontroble anger, Theodore took out his cell phone and called someone.


    He did not have proof of who had entered his office and it was certain that the CCTV cameras had not worked in thest two hours. All the data was just erased. Even when they tried to recover it, they couldn''t.


    This was truly something Theodore had not expected before¡­


    "Ramon," Theodore growled as soon as the call was answered.


    =====================


    In their old age, where they were no longer young, the two agreed and decided to move into this house full of memories.


    The house by the sea, which had a beautiful sunset view, as if after thousands of times they had seen it, its beauty had not faded at all, and still looked timeless.


    On this ind, reminiscing many memories between Ramon and Hailee, the two of them still looked affectionate, as if they had just met each other for the first time.


    Even though their marriage had reached the forty years mark, nothing seemed to change much between the two of them.


    Ramon still looked very handsome in his old age and so did Hailee, looking beautiful and charming, even with the wrinkles around their eyes and some strands of hair that had turned white.


    They both agreed to leave the business world, leaving everything to their two children, because Alina and Jayden were more than capable of running thepany.


    But, tonight, Ramon got an unexpected call and when he saw the name of the caller, his forehead creased in displeasure.


    "What is it?" Hailee asked in a sleepy tone. She rested her head on Ramon''s shoulder and felt the change in her husband''s mood.


    "Bullshit," Ramon grumbled.


    "Hmm?" Hailee, who had almost closed her eyes, opened them and looked at her husband with questioning eyes. What annoyed Ramon?


    She then nced down and saw a strange number on his cell phone''s screen, but it seemed like Ramon knew whose number it was. He still had a good memory, especially with numbers.


    "Who is that?" asked Hailee.


    "Theodore Gevano," Ramon replied in an annoyed voice. The memory of Theodore Gevano would always be the worst part of his memory.


    Then, before the call ended, Ramon decided to pick up the call.


    "What do you want?" Ramon asked curtly. There was no warmth at all in his tone.


    "Ramon," Theodore said, breathing out his name in a deep voice, as if he was holding back his emotions. "I want to you to tell me what your son has been doing in my office."


    Hailee, who saw Ramon''s expression turned stern, immediately took the phone from his hand and turned the phone call to loudspeaker mode to listen in on the conversation.


    After that, the two of them could hear the passionate usations that Theodore had made about what Jayden had done.


    On the other hand, Hailee frowned in displeasure at having her son used in such a way, but she herself wasn''t sure that it wasn''t Jayden''s doing.


    Well, it could be said that Hailee knew her son and daughter very well.


    "Do you have proof?" Ramon asked coldly.


    "I knew you would ask that." Theodoreughed in frustration. "But, I don''t need proof, because I know for sure that it was your son!" he eximed.


    In response to this, Ramon snorted sarcastically. "Don''t think that just because Alina is so kind to let you go, I will do the same," Ramon said slowly and threateningly. "I can bring your family down in an instant, so stop talking nonsense."


    After saying that, Ramon hung up the phone and threw his cell phone on the sofa, he looked really annoyed now.


    Meanwhile, Hailee looked at her husband and a smile appeared on her lips. She seemed to see the shadow of the former Ramon, a man who was so cunning in running a business and always oriented to profit.


    "I think it was Jayden who did it," Hailee said after a moment of silence.


    "Yeah, I think it''s the kid who''s been messing with the Gevano family," Ramon grumbled. He then got out of bed and took his phone back.


    "Who are you going to call?" Hailee asked.


    "That rascal," he replied slightly annoyed.

 Chapter 483 YOUR BASTARD SON

    <h4>Chapter 483 YOUR BASTARD SON</h4>


    Jayden managed to get what he wanted, data from the Gevano familypany, but what was more important than that was; he got his hands on the confidential information of the dark business run by Theodore Gevano.


    One of the reasons why Theodore Gevano had not yet given up his power and passed the ownership of hispany to his children was because his two sons werepletely unreliable.


    Erick and Aska were two men who had absolutely no idea how to run a business. Even Jayden couldn''t understand how Erick had managed to marry Alina before.


    And how his extraordinarily brilliant and beautiful sister could fall into the hands of that stupid man.


    Luckily, after the case that happened fifteen years ago, Alina immediately realized and kicked out the man who did not know himself and did not know any better.


    "Seems like they''re starting to notice," Apple said as she took a sip of her wine, because their mission was over and she almost got caught, so she needed a drink of alcohol to calm her tense nerves.


    "Yeah, I noticed that," Jayden said, grinning happily, looking like he had something else to hide from this mission.


    Apple furrowed her brows when she realized something.


    "You deliberately gave them a hint that you were the one who had devised a n to infiltrate Mr. Gevano''spany firewall?" Apple asked doubtfully, but then once she saw the look on Jayden''s face, she knew that her conjecture was true. "You''re crazy," Apple hissed. "Are you deliberately trying to spoil your own ns?"


    Jaydenughed. "They can assume, but they will never have any evidence to prove their assumption." Jayden shrugged nonchntly. "Just leave them with their own thoughts."


    Because as long as Theodore Gevano didn''t have any concrete evidence regarding Jayden''s involvement in the theft of hispany''s data, then Jayden''s position would be safe, he wouldn''t be able to be threatened just because Theodore suspected him. A suspicion factor alone without evidence was a ridiculous thing to use against Jayden.


    And what was more, Theodore Gevano was unlikely to take this case to court based on his gut feeling alone, because after all, in any case, he could not win against Jayden in court.


    Jayden held his ace.


    "You''re ying with fire," Apple said, taking another sip of her drink. This time, her body felt warm and all the tension she had previously felt was gone. She felt much better now.


    "I''m a risk taker, so I''m used to ying with anything." Jayden rolled his eyes coquettishly at Apple, he noticed how the girl looked giddy when she was feeling tipsy and it was so cute in his eyes.


    When tipsy like this, Apple looked much more rxed when around him and also looked much cuter with her blushing cheeks.


    But, of course the girl was conscious enough to pay attention to her surroundings and noticed that Theodore Gevano and his two bodyguards were walking toward them.


    "Here we go¡­" she said softly, her voice crisp in Jayden''s ears. "Your troubles areing." Apple nodded at Theodore who was approaching them with a fake smile on the corners of his lips. Nodding asionally at the guests who greeted him, Theodore actually looked very calm.


    However, the look in his eyes couldn''t hide the roar of anger that welled up inside him.


    "This is gonna be fun," Jayden said cheekily and took the champagne ss from Apple''s hand. "I still need you to stay sober."


    Apple pouted her lips, but then, she blinked her eyes to regain consciousness.


    "He looks displeased," Apple whispered.


    "It''s okay, I didn''t n to make him happy at all," Jayden chimed in.


    On the other hand, Theodore walked toward Jayden and Apple with firm steps and stopped right in front of the two of them, while his bodyguards stopped slightly behind him.


    "I haven''t seen you in a long time," Theodore said, patting Jayden on the back. He did it to show his superiority.


    It couldn''t be denied, because after all, Theodore had been Alina''s father-inw in the past. And when that happened, Jayden was still very young, he was still in school.


    But now that Jayden had inherited the family business, the attitude Theodore disyed was the most subtle form of contempt.


    Apple stared intently at the hand that touched Jayden''s shoulder. In her slightly drunken mind, she imagined breaking those fingers so this man would retract the mocking smile he was showing now.


    It was really annoying to see.


    "Yeah, that''s why I came to visit you," Jayden replied lightly, he didn''t seem to mind at all the attitude Theodore had shown just now. "This party was so much fun."


    Theodore narrowed his eyes at Jayden, but the smile still didn''t leave his lips. It was a sly and sinister smile.


    "But, it seems you seeked other pleasures." There was a hidden meaning in this sentence.


    Only, Jayden cleverly interpreted it differently. He nced at Apple instead and pulled her closer.


    "Oh, sorry about that. I just couldn''t keep my hands off my girl so I did things I shouldn''t have." Even though he apologized, there was no hint of regret in his tone.


    Theodore clenched his jaw when he heard that. That wasn''t what he meant, but since Jayden had already brought this up, he didn''t mind continuing the topic.


    "Looks like you''ll be making headlines tomorrow morning," Theodore said. "I wonder what family this sweetdy is from, because I''ve never seen her before."


    "Shees from an amazing family," Jayden confirmed and said it with aplomb, almost sounding like he was proud to own Apple.


    And to Apple, that sounded really sweet.


    "I wonder if Ramon and Hailee will ept a woman from a family that isn''t your equal," Theodore said as if he was worried. "You should find a woman who matches you."


    Hearing that, Jayden burst outughing, even making the people around them turn their attention to him.


    "If my parents could ept your son-of-a-bitch as son-inw, what makes you think they''d turn down Apple?"

 Chapter 484 PROBLEM

    <h4>Chapter 484 PROBLEM</h4>


    "If my parents could ept your son- of- a- bitch as son- in-w, what makes you think they''d turn down Apple?" Jayden said this very lightly and without blinking his eyes at all.


    The expression on his face didn''t even show that he was insulting the person in front of him and this made Apple look giddy to witness the continuation of the dispute between the two people.


    People like Jayden and Theodore were different when it came to dealing with something like this.


    "Looks like it''s toote, I have to take my girlfriend home first," Jayden said as he wrapped his arm around Apple''s shoulders and looked at the girl gently. "Then I will say goodbye first, thank you for the party, this is very fun."


    After saying this, Jayden pulled Apple toe with him, but the two bodyguards that came with Theodore immediately moved and blocked Jayden''s path.


    Of course, this made the man snort and turn around to face Theodore again.


    "I think your people should be taught better manners, how can they get in my way like this?" Jayden said in a calm tone of voice. "Can you get them out of my sight?"


    "I haven''t finished talking to you yet," Theodore said in a deep voice, he looked at Jayden with a piercing look in his eyes, his expressionpletely cold. Looks like Jayden''sstment really pissed him off.


    "Oh, if that''s the case, you don''t have to do this, do you? I really don''t like it when people treat me like this, especially people who don''t have more power than me." Jayden''s tone changed when he said that as he sneered at Theodore. "I''m not as good as my sister, the methods I use can be more maniptive, you won''t like facing me Theodore."


    Then a smirk appeared on Jayden''s lips after rying all those threats.


    "So get rid of them." Jayden nodded toward the two bodyguards and at the same time, about ten men entered the party and walked straight toward Jayden. "Or do you like making unnecessary fuss?"


    Right at that moment, the ten people surrounded Jayden and Apple with very fierce faces.


    Apple remembered that she had met them in the training basement before.


    Maybe this was an exaggeration, but for one reason, Apple just found this method very suitable for Jayden, because he almost always nned something out of the blue and would surprise her every time he executed an idea.


    Seeing the ten people who had suddenly entered the party to escort Jayden out of this room, made Theodore''s expression harden. His face looking even older with the stress he was dealing with right now.


    Like what Jayden said, Theodore knew that it was all Jayden''s doing, but he couldn''t prove it because gut feeling alone wasn''t enough for him to use the son of the Tordoff family with such heavy usations.


    "We will meet againter," Theodore said grimly, then he nodded at his men to step aside and give Jayden and Apple and the ten people surrounding them ess to the door.


    "Oh, of course, we will see each other again soon," Jayden said in a light voice, then he walked away with Apple by his side, escorted by his own bodyguards.


    Seeing Jayden leave, Theodore couldn''t help but growl angrily, but he had to change that expression on his face immediately because the people around them were watching.


    The party was not over yet and Theodore wasn''t going to let Jayden just walk away with victory in his hands.


    Giving in to the boy from the Tordoff family¡­ That was thest thing he would do.


    =======================


    "How did you get those people into the party?" Apple asked while massaging her forehead. She felt tipsy after drinking so much wine, but was sober enough to have this conversation with Jayden.


    "Oh, it''s easy, I just told them to introduce themselves as bodyguards of the Gaveno family and they were called by that guy to enter the party, after all they were not armed, so what''s there to be afraid of." Jayden gave a light answer while ying a game on his cell phone.


    Apple raised an eyebrow when she heard this. Even though Jayden said it lightly, she knew that the reality on the ground wouldn''t be that easy.


    After all, Jayden didn''t say anything at the start that he wouldn''t bring bodyguards to this party.


    Ugh! Apple''s head was spinning just thinking about it, sometimes, no, most of the time she just couldn''t keep up with Jayden''s random way of thinking.


    "What game are you ying?" Apple asked, looking at Jayden''s phone.


    They were now in a car driving down a deserted highway where all the buildings had their lights on and looked beautiful under the clear night sky.


    "You y that game a lot, what is it?" Apple asked curiously. She leaned in to see what kind of game Jayden was ying and her brows furrowed in disbelief. "You y an old game like that?" she snorted.


    Only, just at that moment, before Jayden could reply to the scorn of the girl beside him, a phone call came to his cell phone and Apple could see who was calling him.


    Apple''sughter filled the car as she said in an amused tone. "Oh, looks like someone will be getting into trouble with their parents."


    Jayden also grimaced when he saw the name listed on his iing call. He seemed to be staring at it without doing anything, just letting the call turn off on its own.


    "Why don''t you pick it up?"


    "Because I know what my mom is going to say," Jayden grumbled and now he didn''t want to hear any grunts or nags from Hailee. His mother could be very long in delivering monologue.


    "I think you are going to be in more trouble if you don''t pick up the phone," Apple suggested when she saw the call ended.

 Chapter 485 HANGOVER

    <h4>Chapter 485 HANGOVER</h4>


    But not long after that, a message came in and she also saw the contents of the message. Apple could no longer hold back herughter when she identally read the contents of the message.


    "I did warn you, didn''t I?" Apple said betweenughs and another call came to Jayden''s phone.


    Grumbling and muttering something incoherent, Jayden finally picked up the call and prepared himself to receive Hailee''s wrath.


    "What did you do to Theodore Gevano?!" Hailee said in a voice that sounded annoyed.


    His mother was much more upset that he had attended their family event than the fact that it was possible that her son had just stolen theirpany data.


    "I am just making regr visits. A party¡­ Mom, you know I like parties, right?" Jayden said weakly.


    Now, Apple could see another side of Jayden, where he looked like a teenage boy facing his fierce mother. All the terrifying and dangerous aura from within him when he faced Theodore, instantly vanished, disappearing without a trace.


    "Don''t make unreasonable excuses!" Hailee grumbled. "Then who is the girl you brought to the party?"


    Ah! Jayden immediately knew where this conversation was going. He knew it right away.


    His parents didn''t really force their will to see him get married and have a serious rtionship with a woman, but of course his mother was quite worried because, quoted from what Hailee said, Jayden''s character was simr to his uncle, Lexus.


    Therefore, this made Hailee a little worried because he had never had a serious rtionship with a woman thus far.


    Gossips and rumors circting about Jayden''s dating with a woman from socialite circles would end up with him recing the woman on the next day.


    For that reason, Hailee was more curious about the woman Jayden brought to the mini-night party.


    As for how Hailee found out about the news¡­ oh, one shouldn''t look down on how the Tordoffs gained ess to information quickly and urately.


    Although, sometimes, it was annoying if you used it on your own child...


    "Who is that girl?" Hailee asked urgently, she really couldn''t wait to hear Jayden''s exnation.


    "Mom, don''t you know her?" Jayden asked in disbelief. "She is Pyro''s daughter. You didn''t know her?"


    Jayden said it as if it was a mistake for Hailee not to know Pyro''s daughter, even though he himself only found out recently.


    "Apple?" Hailee asked. Jayden could imagine his mother''s frowning expression. "That''s Apple?"


    It turned out that Hailee remembered Apple¡­


    "Yes, of course it''s her¡­ how many children does Pyro have?" Jayden received a light smack on the arm when Apple heard this.


    "She looks a little¡­ different," Hailee finished her sentence hesitantly, because thest time she saw Apple was a few years ago and she lookedpletely different in a dress and make- up now, because in her image was a tomboyish, slightly thin girl. "Then what is the rtionship between you two?" Hailee urged again.


    Jayden looked at Apple with meaningful eyes, a smirk tugged at the corners of his lips, while he got full ess to a re from Apple that seemed to be warning him not to say such things.


    "Oh, we are dating," Jayden replied, ignoring the warning re from the way Apple was staring at him. "I think I will marry her. What do you think?" he asked again.


    "You are crazy!" Apple hissed viciously, hitting Jayden''s arm even harder. She hissed so sharply, that Jayden almost thought she was going to turn into a snake¡­


    However, Jayden did not listen to this and continued his conversation with his mother.


    "Yeah, I''ll take herter¡­ well, you don''t need to worry, of course I''ll treat her well¡­ okay, I''ll visit you soon."


    After saying this and a few sentences that Apple couldn''t catch properly, Jayden finally turned off the call and looked at Apple who was staring at him very fiercely.


    "My mom wants to see you," Jayden said with a grin.


    "You are crazy! I didn''t say we were in that kind of rtionship!" Apple cried fiercely, but Jayden didn''t seem to care much about it because after that he lookedpletely carefree.


    "But we''re in that kind of rtionship, sweety," Jayden said, stroking Apple''s cheek and brushing away a strand of hair.


    The girl looked a little drunk and that was exactly how she felt, but with the added chatter between Jayden and Hailee, it made her head spin a little and she wasn''t sure what happened next because her stomach felt bad.


    "What is it?" Jayden asked, the smile on his face disappearing when he saw the change in Apple''s expression. "Oh, no¡­ no¡­" he said frantically when he found out what was going to happen next.


    And sure enough¡­ Apple spit out her guts all over the car floor, soiling Jayden''s clothes a bit.


    "Ugh! Not like this!" Jayden grumbled, but he swiftly pulled Apple''s hair back and held it back so it wouldn''t catch her vomit. "You know that my clothes are very expensive and yours too and the floor of this car and¡­ arrghh!" Jayden grumbled in annoyance when he saw how Apple replied to his jokes in a more ''dirty'' way.


    =======================


    Apple woke up when she heard the bedroom door open and sensed that there were several people around her. She heard voices of about two people talking about something, but couldn''t quite grasp what they were talking about.


    But a momentter, she smelled a warm and sweet smell and this made her empty stomach growl with embarrassment.


    She then sighed and finally opened her eyes and found two young maids standing beside her bed smiling sweetly at her.


    "Good morning," they both greeted her very friendly.


    "Uhm, morning..." Apple said in a slightly hoarse voice, her head feeling very heavy and she felt like she was remembering bits and pieces fromst night''s events.


    A plot to steal the Gevano family''s data, then a call from Hailee Tordoff, after that¡­.

 Chapter 486 NOT ALLOWED TO GO

    <h4>Chapter 486 NOT ALLOWED TO GO</h4>


    "You must feel very dizzy and probably have a hangover, I''ve made tea to deal with the headache," one of the waiters there said. She then approached Apple while carrying a cup of tea which was still blowing white smoke into the air.


    Apple smelled it and liked it right away, but then she felt a strange feeling in her throat and an unnatural taste on her tongue.


    "I''m going to brush my teeth first," Apple muttered, then immediately got out of bed and was about to walk to the bathroom.


    But, as soon as her feet hit the floor and she was about to take a step forward, her legs couldn''t support her weight and she fell. Her legs felt like jelly and so weak.


    Quickly, the two maids approached Apple and helped her up.


    "Are you all right?" they both asked, almost at the same time.


    "No, I''m fine..." Apple replied, shaking her head, but it turned out to be a wrong move, because after that her head hurt a lot more.


    "We will help you to the bathroom and help you to shower too," one of them said again, this time sounding much more sincere.


    However, hearing this statement actually made Apple wince in horror, she never needed help taking a shower or thought of allowing other people to see her naked for that matter.


    Thus, despite the pain in her head, Apple immediately broke free from the two maids'' grasp and rejected the terrible proposal.


    "No, I''ll be fine, you don''t have to do that," Apple said quickly, waving her hands frantically. She then walked toward the bathroom, away from the two of them.


    Luckily, her legs were strong enough to support her and the pain in her head had lessened a bit when a gentle breeze from the balcony with its doors opened hit her face.


    She seemed to need some fresh air more than anything right now.


    "Oh well¡­ we''ll be here to help you if you need anything," the short haired maid said. She had a sweet, dimple smile on her cheeks.


    "There''s no need for that," Apple muttered again.


    But then, the other maid who had short curly hair told Apple something. "But,dy¡­ if you want to go to the bathroom, it''s on that side¡­ you''re walking in the wrong direction."


    The waiter then showed the opposite side to where Apple was walking¡­


    Ugh!


    Apple felt that she started the day wrong and not right...


    ======================


    After finishing having breakfast in the room, Apple had time to ask where Jayden was and the two maids only replied that Jayden had left the house very early in the morning and no one knew where he had gone.


    Apple frowned. In the early morning? Did he even get any sleep?


    But, that was not a problem for Apple now, because she needed a moment to organize her thoughts again.


    Throughout breakfast, memory after memory shed through her head and the more she thought aboutst night''s events, the more embarrassing she felt.


    Apple didn''t expect herself to throw up in the car. Maybe it was because she was too nervous, tense and annoyed at Jayden for telling Hailee Tordoff something he shouldn''t have.


    He even boldly said that he would bring Apple to meet his mother.


    Who was Apple? She was just the daughter of a bodyguard who had worked for the Tordoff family for a long time, and that was all. How could she bepared to them?


    What would the Tordoffs say when they saw her? Apple was sure that she could take rejection well enough, however, just thinking about it made her feel bad¡­


    Ugh! Indeed, alcohol and excessive thoughts were not a goodbination, at least Apple learned this fromst night''s incident.


    After she felt better and had changed her clothes, she then went downstairs and was about to go home.


    She didn''t have to wait for Jayden to return to City A, because she felt their business was done.


    Jayden had obtained evidence against Theodore Gevano on his involvement with human trafficking and was just one step away from uncovering the mystery behind the kidnapping that traumatized him then and now Apple was no longer needed. Her task had beenpleted.


    Therefore, she intended to go home right then and there, while she didn''t need to meet with Jayden or start a conversation with the man.


    Because to be honest, Apple didn''t know what to say or talk about anymore.


    "You can''t go home," Jimmy said when he saw Apple was about to leave the Tatum residence and asked where she was going.


    "Why?" Apple asked, frowning.


    "Mr. Tordoff said you should wait for him toe home," Jimmy answered lightly.


    "I don''t have to wait for him, I''m done with him," Apple muttered. "Now get out of the way." Her head was aching, therefore, she was not in a good mood right now.


    So if Jimmy really wanted to get into a fight with her, this wasn''t the time, because Apple wasn''t in the mood to be bothered.


    "I can''t, Apple," he said in a tired voice. The two of them have known each other since Apple became Jayden Tordoff''s personal bodyguard in ce of her father. "I have to follow orders and can''t just let you go."


    Apple raised her eyebrows defiantly. "Why not?" she asked irritably.


    "Because it''s an order."


    Since when did Jayden order someone to detain her? Jayden was crazy.


    "If you insist on leaving, why don''t you just call Mr. Tordoff? If he lets you go, then I''ll dly get out of your way." Jimmy suggested, but Apple seemed reluctant to do so.


    Apple then stomped her foot and went back into the house.


    But, would she just obey? Of course not¡­


    Apple remembered that the room she was given had a balcony and that it led directly to the back gates of the Tatum residence.


    So with pounding steps, to show her annoyance, she returned to the room and immediately walked toward the open balcony.

 Chapter 487 HER FATHER CALLED HER

    <h4>Chapter 487 HER FATHER CALLED HER</h4>


    She found that the back of the house was not very tightly guarded and after seeing thest guard leave, she immediately looked around for a handhold for her to descend from the balcony of the room.


    It was a bit challenging, but it was not a big deal for Apple because she felt she could do this. Hadn''t she been trained to run away from home since she was very young?


    Apple then went down the balcony and jumped into the nearest gutter, so she could jump to the ground a short distance away, then she jumped onto the tter foundation of the house, before finally jumping to the ground.


    A satisfied smile crept across Apple''s lips as she managed tond well. Luckily, her room was on the second floor, so it wasn''t too difficult for her to pull this stunt.


    Only, just as she was about to walk toward the gate and think of a way to jump the Tatum residence''s high walls, she saw Jimmy already standing behind her with two other men whose names Apple had forgotten.


    "It was to be expected. It''s true that you''re going to do this," Jimmy said with a deep sigh. He then walked over to Apple and folded his arms in front of his broad chest.


    "What is this?" Apple grumbled when she saw Jimmy there, quite surprised to have been caught pulling the stunt, but what annoyed her even more was the fact that she had been caught. It sucked of course.


    She had no intention of getting caught at all, especially by Jimmy.


    "What do you mean you guessed this?" Apple grumbled, her face twisted wryly. She pouted in annoyance.


    "I didn''t guess this," Jimmy cut in, correcting Apple''s statement. "Mr. Tordoff had told me what you might do." Of course, he wouldn''t have guessed this, were it not for Jayden Tordoff who had warned him of the possibility that Apple would escape from the balcony.


    "Jayden?" Apple felt the name roll distastefully on her tongue. She was furious now, not only because her escape n was ruined, but also because she didn''t expect Jayden to urately predict what she would do. Was he a psychic?


    "Yes, Mr. Tordoff warned me of what you were might do."


    "And you believed it?"


    "Not at first, but orders are orders, and now that I''ve found you here, I know that this conjecture he has is absolutely right."


    Apple clicked her tongue in annoyance.


    "Let''s go inside," Jimmy said atst. "You''re not going to climb up and into your room from the balcony again, are you?" This time, he teased Apple about her heroic action earlier and this made the girl even more annoyed.


    "I want to go home!" she grumbled stubbornly.


    "You know you can''t escape from this ce."


    "Oh, I can beat you unconscious and then run away from this ce," Apple said in an arrogant tone, confident with her self-defense abilities.


    "Sure you can do that, I don''t doubt it, but," Jimmy then smiled meaningfully. "Are you sure you can knock me out? You may be Pyro''s daughter but I was trained by your father long before you started learning from him, okay."


    Apple narrowed her eyes dangerously at the man before her. "We don''t know if we don''t try," Apple said diplomatically, then she took off her jacket and rolled up her sleeves.


    Maybe she wasn''t going to win against Jimmy, but at least she knew this man wouldn''t seriously injure her. But then again, she needed to do something to vent her anger on Jayden and Jimmy willingly volunteered.


    Apple couldn''t possibly beat up the Tordoff heir, could she?


    "If you insist," Jimmy said lightly, he took off his ck coat and rolled up his sleeves.


    And it was only when he did that, that Apple could see very clearly, the muscles hidden beneath his neat clothes.


    You know, just like men who look slender and lean when they put on their coats, but when they took them off you could clearly see how nearly perfect their bodies were, with stunning biceps.


    "Okay, I''m going back to my room," Apple said casually, picking up the jacket she had thrown to the ground before walking into the house from the front door.


    Well, Jimmy wasn''t going to give her a fatal blow or hurt her, but what if he identally hit her? Apple could already imagine the pain of that muscr fist.


    Well, thanks, maybe next time¡­


    =======================


    Apple spent her time at the Tatum residence shutting herself in her room, eating, watching television, eating again and watching television again, because she didn''t know what to do while waiting for Jayden toe back to this house.


    This was frustrating and Apple couldn''t figure out how to answer the endless phone calls from her father.


    Yes, Pyro had contacted her dozens of times and was furious as he heard the news about her and Jayden.


    Her father had warned her not to have more of a rtionship with Jayden Tordoff and to stay away from the man.


    However, now news about their rtionship was spreading in the media.


    "Ugh! I''m going to go crazy if this keeps up!" Apple grumbled as she grabbed her hair out of frustration that she was trying to shake off, only that it was hard to do considering she couldn''t think of a single reasonable reason to give her father.


    "Why are you going crazy?" a voice, that Apple had been waiting to hear from this morning, asked suddenly.


    Immediately, when Apple heard Jayden''s voice, she turned around and looked at the annoying man, who was now walking up to her before proceeding to take a seat beside her.


    This time, Apple was in the living room watching a news program on television that gave rise to gossip about her and Jayden''s rtionship, while in front of her, her cell phone kept ringing, telling her that Pyro still hadn''t given up on contacting his daughter.

 Chapter 488 I WILL SEE HIM

    <h4>Chapter 488 I WILL SEE HIM</h4>


    "This is what drives me crazy." Apple picked up her phone which was ringing again and disyed the name of the caller. She hadn''t heard Jaydening toward her earlier, but that didn''t matter now, because this man was already beside her and he was the one who had to sort out the trouble he had caused. What an annoying man...


    Jayden nced at the caller''s name and looked pensive for a moment.


    Good. At least he didn''t bring out that lightugh or smile of his, so Apple knew he too thought she was in trouble because he had made false news about their rtionship.


    "What are you trying to do?" Apple asked, who quickly pulled the phone away from Jayden, who was about to pick it up.


    "Fix the trouble I caused."


    "By?"


    "Talking to Pyro."


    "What are you going to tell my father?"


    Jayden shrugged his shoulders nonchntly. "I don''t know, I''ll improvise in the middle of the conversationter."


    "What? You can''t do that." Apple hissed, and started hitting Jayden''s arm in annoyance.


    "Of course I can," Jayden replied calmly and loosened his tie. "That''s how I solve problems. By improvisation."


    "You are the worst person that I have ever known!" Apple said angrily and then red at Jayden.


    "Worse than your ex-boyfriend sleeping with your best friend?" Jayden asked again and then he jumped out of his seat when he saw Apple standing up in a rage because he had brought up her ex.


    Well, maybe Jayden had gone too far¡­


    "Okay, I won''t talk about that anymore." Jayden raised his hands, showing a sign of surrender. "Can''t we just make peace? I''m so tired, all day having to go here and there to take care of the Gevano family who don''t know themselves," Jaydenined in a low voice. "At least give me a break and don''t hit me, okay?"


    "What are you going to tell my father?" Apple picked up the phone again and showed Jayden that her father had called again.


    "Give it to me." Only, Jayden didn''t wait for her permission, and took it quickly. His hand was so fast and agile that Apple didn''t notice it and suddenly the phone had changed hands. How could he do that?


    Apple was quite surprised, but then she immediately tried to stop him in a panic. "We should at least have a briefing first, right?"


    "I''m not used to doing briefings, usually my personal assistant does those kinds of trivial things." Jayden then put his finger to Apple''s lips, to tell her not to say anything while he picked up the umpteenth call from Pyro to his daughter''s cell phone.


    Seeing that, Apple''s eyes widened. She then pushed Jayden''s hand away from her lips and moved her hand, indicating that Jayden should press the loudspeaker button, so she could hear the conversation too.


    Only, Jayden used this moment to tease her, so instead of hitting the loudspeaker, he ran away and locked himself in the first room he found.


    Asshole! Apple also wanted to hear what the two of them have to say! What if Jayden said something that was a big no-no?


    No one could guarantee that the man would give an answer that wouldn''t give the other person a heart attack!


    Jayden Tordoff was very hard to read.


    "D*mn you, Jayden!" Apple cursed at the closed door, but she didn''t do anything. She didn''t even try to bang the door open.


    Apple was too scared to face Pyro''s wrath and even picking up a phone call from him made her hands sweat.


    Her father was rarely angry, but there was one time Apple saw him angry and she swore it was the most horrific thing she''d ever seen in her life.


    Therefore, there was no way Apple could rest easy upon learning that she had vited the only thing her father had forbidden her to do.


    And what would Jayden say in response to this?


    Apple felt utterly stupid as she pressed her ear against the closed door, ring fiercely at Jimmy and the two other bodyguards came walking behind her, while tantlyughing at her antics.


    Apple waved her hand in annoyance, asking them to get out of there because this was an embarrassing situation.


    She felt like a stalker and this hurt Apple''s pride.


    But, even though she had done that, she still couldn''t hear anything of the conversation between Jayden and her father, not even the sound of the man''s reply.


    It was very quiet in the room, nothing could be heard.


    Asshole. Why was everything in the Tatum residence so fine and of such extraordinary quality that even the slightest sound could not be heard?


    In fact, Apple felt that her ears were almost one with the door now.


    Giving up, Apple finally sat on the floor leaning against the closed door behind her. She took off her shoes and threw them at Jimmy and the other two bodyguards, who were intently watching her, as if she were an entertaining spectacle.


    F*ck them too! Apple grumbled inwardly.


    But luckily, it didn''t take long for Apple to figure out what Jayden was talking about with her father, because two minutester, the bedroom door behind her snapped open.


    Apple didn''t notice and almost fell backward because she was leaning against the door.


    "What are you doing?" Jayden asked, holding up Apple, before her head could hit the floor and cause serious injury. "You know it''s dangerous to lean on a moving object, right?" Jayden told Apple while flicking her forehead.


    Luckily, Jayden had great reflexes, because otherwise, Apple might have gone back to suffering the headache she had this morning again with double the pain.


    Apple immediately moved away from Jayden, crawling away from this man. "What did you say to my father?" she asked as soon as she put some distance between them.


    Jayden then sat on the floor throwing Apple''s phone back at her. The girl quickly caught her phone.


    "Nothing much, I just said that I will see him tomorrow."

 Chapter 489 HE CAN SHOOT YOU

    <h4>Chapter 489 HE CAN SHOOT YOU</h4>


    "Nothing much, I just said that I will see him tomorrow."


    "You are crazy."


    "I think so."


    "My dad can shoot you when he''s really upset."


    Jayden actuallyughed out loud when he heard this. "Pyro won''t shoot me sweetie, I''ve pissed him off a lot more than this, take it easy."


    Apple had no doubts about that, seeing how talented Jayden was at making people mad at him, she knew this man was telling the truth.


    Let alone her father, who had worked for the Tordoff family for years, even Apple, who had only been beside Jayden for a few months, felt that every day was a challenge to her patience level every time she was with this man.


    "My father would not approve of this rtionship."


    "Oh!" Jayden let out a surprised sound and this made Apple wary. She felt like she had said the wrong thing, but what?


    "What?" Apple asked warily. Her head again tried to remember what words she''d said in thest ten minutes to make Jayden have that kind of reaction.


    "You''re worried about whether Pyro approves of this rtionship or not," Jayden concluded with beaming eyes.


    "Yes, so?" Apple asked carefully, still not understanding what Jayden meant.


    "You''re worried about whether Pyro will agree to this rtionship or not, instead of rejecting me outright," Jayden replied, he then rolled his eyes at Apple andughed as the girl snorted. "Doesn''t that mean you have thought of me as your lover, indirectly?"


    "In your dreams!" Apple hissed. She was grumbling now, especially when she saw the triumphant smile on Jayden''s lips.


    "We will go back to your house and meet Pyro, after that we will go to the ind where my parents isted themselves, having their romantic honeymoon."


    "What? I''m not going to see your parents," Apple said, her heart racing at the mere thought of it.


    "Oh, or do you want my parents to see you?"


    "Jayden!" That was much worse. How could she possibly ask someone like Hailee and Ramon Tordoff to meet her?


    "I can arrange that." His mother cared more about him ending up in a serious rtionship with someone, therefore, it was certain that Hailee wouldn''t mind. While for his father, where his mother went, the man would definitely follow.


    "Don''t mess around," Apple growled warningly, but Jayden couldn''t possibly respond, he was too busy with the ns in his own mind.


    ======================


    "Hey, shouldn''t I be the one nervous about having to meet your father?" Jayden asked as he yed on his cell phone, but he was paying enough attention to Apple, who had been fidgeting around a bit.


    Right now, the two of them were in the car driving to town A, back home, after the problems in town L were taken care of, at least for now, because Jayden''s n was quiteplicated, so he had to execute it more carefully.


    "You don''t need to see my dad," Apple said.


    "Then you can face him alone?" Jayden teased, but his eyes were still focused on the game on his phone screen.


    As Apple said, now, Jayden was no longer asking the girl to drive the car. Instead, he arranged someone else as his driver, even though Apple said it casually, without any intention. But Jayden was very attentive to the smallest details.


    Therefore, he did not allow Apple to drive him again.


    "Of course not," Apple said quickly.


    "Then, we will deal with things ording to my n, okay?" Jayden raised an eyebrow, taking a break from the game he was ying, while Apple groaned defeatedly.


    "I didn''t think you were still ying that outdated snake game," Applemented on the game Jayden always yed. As it turned out it was a very old game. In fact, not many people were ying it anymore.


    "Why not? This game is fun," Jayden said, and had now returned to focus on his game again.


    "It''s up to you..." Apple muttered under her breath, and then tried to calm herself down. She had thought of the worst, but there was no way her father would try to outright kill him, right? So she could calm down a bit with that fact.


    =====================


    "Why don''t you go in first? I''ll catch up in ten minutes," Apple said when they arrived in front of her house. She was afraid to go inside and face her father.


    Therefore, Apple suggested that Jayden go in first and ept her father''s wrath, while she waited outside for her father''s anger to be vented on Jayden and would only go inside when conditions were conducive.


    "Oh no, dear Apple..." Jayden grabbed Apple''s hand, making sure the girl didn''t run away anywhere. "You intend to use me as a bait for your father''s wrath?"


    Yep. So true! "Of course not, I can''t be that bad."


    "I can see it in those beautiful eyes of yours, sweety."


    Apple growled in annoyance. "You''re the one looking for trouble, why don''t you face it. As a man, you should be a gentleman."


    Jayden raised his eyebrows when he heard that statement. "Shouldn''t a gentleman put his girl first in everything?" Jayden asked in a voice that implied a different meaning. "In that case, please¡­dies first." He opened the gates to Apple''s house for himself.


    "Jayden!" Apple cried frantically when she heard the sound of her door being opened and revealing Pyro, standing in the doorway. He appeared to be in good health now and could return to duty at any time.


    Ah, that was too bad¡­ even though Apple hoped Pyro wouldn''t be too bad¡­ well, it was not that she meant anything bad to her dad¡­ it was just that, in this overly healthy state, he could be pretty awful to deal with¡­


    "What are you guys doing out there, hurry in," Pyro said, his voice cold and devoid of warmth when he said that.


    Pyro''s figure disappeared behind the door. Apple was curious, was he bringing out his gun to threaten Jayden?


    He couldn''t be that reckless to threaten Jayden, could he? He wouldn''t be that crazy, would he?

 Chapter 490 A SERIOUS CONVERSATION

    <h4>Chapter 490 A SERIOUS CONVERSATION</h4>


    "Jayden¡­" Apple whined, she walked behind the man, staring at her door warily.


    "Why? Haven''t you been dying to go home since yesterday?" Jayden asked, walking slowly, because Appletched onto him and gripped his shirt tightly, making it difficult for him to move.


    "Could you take me to one of the Tordoff residences?" Apple asked, she didn''t feel up to her father now.


    Jaydenughed when he heard this. "Pyro will report me for kidnapping if I do that."


    Ugh! Appleined.


    "There''s nothing for you to be afraid of."


    "I''m even more scared when you say things like that," Apple answered honestly, because usually Jayden would be a little unruly when he was ignoring something.


    "Whatever will happen, let it happen," Jayden said lightly.


    Atst, they both entered the house and found Pyro sitting upright on the living room couch, waiting for them with a patient smile that scared Apple.


    Her father wasn''t usually this patient, it was precisely this kind of situation that made anyone even more wary.


    Apple chose to sit next to Jayden instead of being close to her dad and this certainly didn''t go unnoticed by Pyro...


    Apple made Jayden a shield.


    "So¡­" Pyro was just about to start, but Apple cut him off first.


    "He''s the one who suggested such things to me, he''s the one who said he wanted to make me his girlfriend, I didn''t even say ''yes'' to his ridiculous suggestion. I don''t even agree, dad, really." Apple immediately pointed at Jayden, throwing him straight at the hungry and angry lion.


    Now, Pyro looked at Jayden very sharply, there were a lot of emotions raging from the way he looked at Jayden, but the most important thing was; Jayden was able to look back at him very calmly.


    Even Apple, who wasn''t staring at him like that, could feel her guts shrinking and didn''t dare say a word more to her father.


    "Don''t you realize that you made a mess of going to the party with my daughter?" This time, Pyro spoke to Jayden not as a bodyguard who was considered family or as a teacher advising his foster children, but as a father, whose daughter had been exposed by the media because this young man in front of him gave the impression that there was something between them.


    "I noticed," Jayden replied calmly. Calm enough to amaze Apple.


    "You must have known that what you did to Apple would end up like this." Pyro would not believe it if Jayden said that he did not know the extent of the consequences of his actions.


    Jayden was too smart and resourceful not to notice this kind of obvious thing.


    "Yes, Pyro," Jayden answered firmly.


    "So what game are you ying right now?" Pyro asked sharply.


    Jayden didn''t show any expression. He was not being his yful self, nor was he being his scary looking self, full of cunning tricks. He looked ordinary and looked like a normal young man, without any extraordinary family background.


    He was like a man facing the father of his lover and seemed calm in responding to the situation.


    "I''m not ying games. I''m serious."


    Pyro snorted. "Son, I''ve known you since you were in your mother''s womb, you think I don''t know your true nature?"


    "In that case," Jayden said, then leaned forward a little, looked Pyro straight in the eye and let the man judge him. "You have known me since the first day of my life. Can''t you tell if I''m talking seriously or just ying around?"


    Apple wished she could disappear behind this couch when she felt the air be a little thicker than usual due to the tension that enveloped the three of them. Or maybe it was just Apple''s feeling, because when she saw her father and Jayden, neither of them showed the same signs of difort as Apple was feeling now.


    "Tell me now, am I just ying around?" Jayden asked again, repeating the sentence. "You know me better than that, Pyro."


    Apple bit her lip when her father gave no response to thement, not able to discern whether that would be a good sign or not¡­


    But he didn''t say anything to lighten the mood either. Well, Apple was currently thinking it would be best if she could just disappear from this room.


    Apple didn''t like situations like this.


    =======================


    "How are things inside?" Jimmy asked, surprising Apple who was preparing drinks for Jayden and her father.


    Two hours ago, they had moved into Pyro''s study to continue their conversation in more privacy.


    And just now, she got a text message from her father asking her to prepare drinks for the two of them.


    tsk! Apple wanted to know what they were talking about...


    "I don''t know," Apple grumbled as she stirred the coffee she was making.


    "You don''t want to eavesdrop on them again like you didst night?" Jimmy teased when he saw Apple''s frowning face.


    "You better get out of my sight right now," Apple growled, and then took the knife that was lying not far from her and gripped it tightly. "You are making me angry."


    "Okay, okay..." Jimmy said, surprised to see the knife in Apple''s hand. There was no guarantee that this girl would not attack him. "I will go now."


    After saying that, he then stepped out of the kitchen and no longer bothered Apple.


    Meanwhile, Apple put the knife back down and held up the tray containing two cups of coffee for Jayden and her father.


    She walked briskly, for this was the only excuse she could use to eavesdrop on their conversation.


    Once at the door, Apple knocked and heard her father''s voice inviting her to enter.


    Pyro was standing staring at the open window showing a very beautiful sunset, while Jayden was sitting on the sofa.


    Quickly, Apple tried to make her own assessment of the situation going on inside Pyro''s workspace. Only, there wasn''t much she coulde up with as the two of them had no emotion on their faces at all.


    What exactly were the two of them talking about that took them two hours?

 Chapter 491 SLEEPING APPLE

    <h4>Chapter 491 SLEEPING APPLE</h4>


    "What happened?" Apple whispered to Jayden as she ced his coffee in front of him. She tried to stay in the room a bit more, but of course, she couldn''t possibly spend an hour on coffee delivery, could she?


    "If you''ve put down the coffees, you can go out now," Pyro scolded his daughter.


    See? It was easy to see through the petty ns that Apple was trying to carry out¡­


    "Okay¡­" Apple grumbled groggily, and tried to make eye contact with Jayden before exiting the room, hoping that the man would be kind enough to tell her something.


    But instead of responding to this, Jayden pretended not to see it, so Apple deliberately kicked him in the leg and made him wince before she went out of her father''s study.


    Serve you right!


    =======================


    "Apple¡­"


    Apple squirmed in her sleep and muttered something incoherent.


    "Apple¡­ if you want to sleep, go to your room," Pyro said, trying to wake his sleeping daughter in front of the television that was still on.


    It took Jayden and Pyro another five hours to finish their conversation and when they finally came out of Pyro''s study, he found Apple asleep in the living room.


    "No need to wake her up, I''ll take her to her room," Jayden said, and then moved closer to Apple, but Pyro pushed him away first.


    "You think after what we talked about earlier, I''ll let you touch my daughter as you please?" Pyro grumbled. Arguing with Jayden really drained his energy and his mind.


    This man was used to dealing with someone who was stubborn and had his own tactics for expressing his opinion and getting others to believe what he said.


    Pyro might be very good at fighting and protecting himself and using weapons, but debating and arguing had its own technique and Pyrocked skill in that aspect.


    "Will you carry her into the room then?" Jayden asked in disbelief. He raised his eyebrows at the middle-aged man before him.


    "Yes of course." Pyro then narrowed his eyes when he saw Jayden''s expression. "Why? You don''t believe that I can carry her into the room?"


    "I didn''t say that," Jayden said, shrugging his shoulders nonchntly. "If you want to pick her up, go ahead." Jayden then took a step back, allowing Pyro to do so.


    Seeing Jayden act like that, of course Pyro didn''t miss the challenging tone in the young man''s voice.


    Tsk! This brat just got bolder.


    Pyro could only grumble inwardly when he saw the way Jayden looked at him and crossed his arms, as if he doubted Pyro''s abilities.


    "What are you waiting for?" Jayden asked, deliberately egging Pyro. "Couldn''t you do it? Otherwise, just say you need help, I''m fine."


    "Shut up!" Pyro growled, he then bent down and prepared to lift Apple, but he could feel his waistin as his breath hitched.


    However, under Jayden''s disdainful gaze on his abilities, of course Pyro wouldn''t show that.


    Ignoring the pain in his waist, he used all his strength to lift Apple off the sofa.


    He tucked his arms under Apple''s neck as well as under the crook of her legs, but he couldn''t bring himself to lift his daughter.


    Tsk! How could it be like this? Pyro felt like it was only yesterday he could lift Apple with just one hand, but why was she so heavy now?


    Pyro tried again and it didn''t work.


    He tried one more time but Apple''s body didn''t move from its original position at all, while the pain in Pyro''s waist seemed to be killing him.


    "Are you okay?" Jayden asked, now the bad boy was crouching down, propping his face with his hands, as if tired of waiting for something to happen.


    Asshole!


    "You can ask me for a favor," Jayden reminded. "You just recovered from your illness, so it''s only natural that you can''t lift her." He tried toe up with an excuse for Pyro, but to the middle-aged man, everything Jayden said sounded like ridicule.


    "I can lift her just fine, she''s my daughter! I''m used to lifting her with just one hand." Pyro was adamant in his stance.


    This time, it was no longer a matter of bringing Apple into her room, but it had be a means of proving himself and also boosting his self-respect.


    Even if Pyro had to drag Apple into the room, he would do it himself without anyone''s help.


    "All right, all right," Jayden muttered in a bored tone.


    Two minutes passed and nothing happened.


    Three minutes.


    Five minutes.


    Ten minutes.


    Sweat dripped down Pyro''s forehead. Even so, Apple still didn''t wake up,pletely unaware of the effort and struggle her father had put in just to lift her body.


    "Just give it up, Pyro¡­ you have to admit it." Jayden stared at the nails on his neatly trimmed fingers. "I can help you."


    Hearing that, Pyro growled in annoyance and threw himself on the floor, leaning against the sofa that Apple was sleeping on.


    "I couldn''t lift her because she ate too much and put on weight!" Pyro grumbled, looking for an excuse himself.


    "Well, I guess so," Jayden said lightly, then he pushed himself to his feet and patted his pants to remove the imaginary dust that wasn''t even there. "How about I give it a try now?" Jayden suggested and walked over to the sofa.


    Seeing that, Pyro''s face looked displeased, he grumbled in a low voice, biting out incoherent words.


    "She seems to fit into my family''s diet, so she''s gained quite a bit of weight," Jayden said when he saw Pyro''s frowning face.


    "No kidding," Pyro groaned in agitation.


    On the other hand, Jayden didn''t respond to Pyro''sments afterward and stared intently at Apple''s sleeping face. "Your daughter really sleeps very soundly, she doesn''t even wake up at all," Jaydenmented when he saw Apple''s sleeping face that seemed to not care about the outside world at all.


    "Yeah, she''s like a dead pig when she sleeps," Pyro said, this time agreeing with Jayden''s opinion. However, his eyes narrowed when he saw Jayden bend over and prepare to carry Apple in his arms.

 Chapter 492 BEING GHOSTED

    <h4>Chapter 492 BEING GHOSTED</h4>


    "I''ll take her to her room," Jayden said when he managed to lift Apple a few inches off the couch so easily, without so much as frowning.


    Seeing this, Pyro only became more irritated. He then pinched Apple''s thigh hard enough to make his daughter wake up in shock.


    "Heck? What happened?" she asked nervously, clutching her sore thigh from her father''s pinch. "Ouch, it hurts, what is this?"


    Apple was still not aware of her surroundings and still looked confused because she was still sleepy and in pain.


    "You shouldn''t be sleeping on the couch! If you want to sleep, go to your room over there!" Pyro rebuked her. He stood up and folded his arms across his chest, in an authoritarian manner that was so horrible that Apple quickly forgot the pain and rushed to her room.


    She didn''t even get to look at Jayden anymore or ask what the two of them had talked about.


    "What?" Pyro asked defiantly when he saw the scornful look in Jayden''s eyes standing beside him.


    "You are really pathetic," Jayden said, shaking his head, confused by the attitude Pyro had just shown.


    =========================


    The next morning, when Apple woke up, she almost screamed in terror when she saw her father sitting on the side of her bed with a very gloomy and unsightly face.


    "What is it?" Apple asked in a husky, still sleepy voice. "Father, don''t surprise me like that!" she grumbled. "You could give me a sudden heart attack!"


    However, Pyro''s mood wasn''t good at all, he didn''t even smile orugh at all when he heard his daughter''s grumbling.


    "You intend to have a serious rtionship with Jayden?" Pyro asked straight away, he didn''t even beat around the bush andpletely ignored the fact that Apple had just woken up and her mind was probably still not fully awake.


    "Father!" Apple groaned in frustration. "Couldn''t we talk about light stuff first before you ask me the question that''s giving me a headache?"


    Apple then rolled herself into the nket again, trying to sleep again, but of course the atmosphere in her room had changed and it was impossible for her to go back to sleep.


    "Just answer this question, do you intend to have a serious rtionship with Jayden Tordoff?" Pyro did not back down from the question. He wanted answers straight from Apple.


    "I don''t know," Apple muttered from under the covers. "He decided that himself, I told you that I didn''t even approve of the rtionship he proposed. Jayden is just making his own assumptions."


    But, hearing that, instead of feeling relieved, Pyro sighed heavily.


    "Why are you sighing like that?" Appleined as she lifted the nket covering her face. "I say if I don''t have a special rtionship with Jayden Tordoff, you should feel relieved right?"


    "He wants you, Apple, that''s the problem," Pyro stated the true problem in this matter.


    "If I don''t want him, can he really force me?" Apple asked confusedly.


    "You don''t know him well enough to say something like that." Pyro then massaged his forehead which was throbbing painfully. "When he wants something, he will definitely try to get it."


    "I am not an object."


    "That goes for everything."


    "Dad, he can''t be serious with me."


    "He''s serious about you."


    "How did you know that?" Apple challenged, still not trusting her father''s judgment.


    "You think I spent hours talking to him yesterday to no avail?" Pyro asked, offended when he realized his daughter had underestimated his judgment.


    "I did not say that," Apple muttered. "He''s experienced with women and all the women he''s dated have had a great reputation and an amazing family background." Apple then hugged her father, not intending to belittle him. "You know what I mean, dad."


    Of course Pyro knew what Apple meant, but that was what worried him even more.


    "That is where the problem lies, Apple." Pyro stroked his daughter''s long hair. "I''ve never seen Jayden want something without thinking about profit at all."


    Either this was because he hadn''t been able to see Jayden''s true motives, or indeed what the young man felt for his daughter were genuine feelings.


    It was really hard to be objective on this matter, especially as it concerned Apple.


    =======================


    After the incident at her home, Apple no longer saw Jaydening to her house or heard from him; he stopped contacting herpletely.


    Apple also couldn''t find a reason to meet with Jayden because two days after that, Pyro returned to his duty to be Jayden''s bodyguard, confirming Apple''s work status that she was only a substitute for her father.


    And now, Apple didn''t have a job and anything to do, but she did make quite a bit of money from the paychecks she''d received from working for Jayden for a few weeks.


    This sucked because Apple would constantly find herself staring at her phone, waiting for a message toe in from the guy.


    What was this?


    Shouldn''t Apple be happy that the guy wasn''t bothering her anymore? But, why did she be so unmotivated?


    Ugh!


    Apple buried her head in the pillow and groaned in annoyance, because she was bored and didn''t know what to do.


    It was true that her meeting Jayden was always filled with fights, but that was precisely what made Apple feel more alive.


    "Tsk! Stop thinking about it!" Apple was furious with herself and also Jayden who disappeared without a word. "Am I being ghosted?" Apple frowned, displeased with the current situation.


    Apple also couldn''t ask her dad how Jayden was, because she didn''t want to bring up this topic and upset her dad. Besides, wouldn''t it be awkward if she suddenly asked about Jayden?


    But today, when Apple was watching news broadcasts on television, she could see the progress of the case being handled by Jayden Tordoff regarding the alleged human trafficking case carried out by the Gevano family.


    ====================


    Read my new story; UNTAMED: The Alpha.


    Hope you like it ^^

 Chapter 493 FARAWAY PLACE

    <h4>Chapter 493 FARAWAY PLACE</h4>


    The Gevano family was well known for their shipping business, which they misused for every possible inhumane purpose. Lots of people were outraged by the news and admired Jayden for revealing this case by presenting data and also quite valid evidence.


    Apple could only watch the progress of the case as she drank her milkshake and snacks, stretched out on the couch with an ount full of money.


    But¡­ "I''m bored¡­" Appleined.


    =======================


    "I''m bored..." Jaydenined as he threw a document from in front of him and then turned his attention to Pyro. "Can''t you do anything else apart from just standing there looking at me like that? Apple always has interesting topics to argue about."


    Actually they weren''t arguments, maybe more like fights if the two of them had different opinions.


    "You''re no fun at all," Jayden muttered to Pyro.


    "I''ll call Misha then, to make your day more pleasant." Pyro took his phone out of his jacket pocket with an annoyed face that he had to listen to Jayden''s endlessints.


    "Forget it, I don''t need him to ruin my mood even further." Jayden then closed his eyes. "Did Apple not ask you anything why I didn''t call or contact her?" he asked atst.


    "No, she looks just fine," Pyro replied, taking a delicious sip of his coffee. "I think she''s forgotten about you."


    "No way," Jayden grunted. He wondered why Apple had not tried to contact him at all. He thought she would do what the girls he dated always did.


    But, in reality, after a week had passed, Apple had not contacted him at all and it was as if the two of them had never known each other.


    "What''s your n by not contacting my daughter after what you said and did to her?" Pyro sighed heavily. If only Apple showed any signs that she was feeling uneasy or sad because of what Jayden did, then Pyro wouldn''t be this calm and would be making calctions with Jayden because he had toyed with his daughter.


    But in fact, Apple didn''t care at all and Pyro could see that whatever ns this young man had, were not going well at all.


    Jayden looked restless and asked him several times for Apple.


    "I don''t have any ns." Jayden then walked across his room and sat beside the sofa Pyro was sitting on. "I just wanted to try out one theory I''ve read about."


    "What theory is that?" What strange book did this young man actually read?


    "There is one sentence that I want to prove true."


    "And that sentence is?"


    "When you are far apart your heart will feel empty, that''s when you realize that you need each other."


    For a moment, Pyro didn''t respond to the quote, but then hisughter echoed through the office and made Jayden frown.


    "What are youughing at?"


    "You think that if you suddenly disappear, Apple will look for you and long for you?" Pyro asked in disbelief between hisughs.


    Actually that was what Jayden had in mind, but why when Pyro said it out loud, it sounded ridiculous?


    "Where did it go wrong?"


    "Your mistake was¡­" Pyro tried to stopughing and patted Jayden on the shoulder in a fatherly manner. "Your only fault, namely; You miscalcted,d, Apple just doesn''t care about your absence. She''s moving on with her life and if you keep acting like this,e back to her in one month and she''ll even have forgotten your name."


    Jayden frowned even more at that.


    It seemed that there was no such strategy that could be used in all battles, because every battle always required its own strategies.


    Apparently, this time Jayden really resorted to the wrong strategy in dealing with Apple.


    "Continue with your strategy, I can rest easy now," Pyromented. There was nothing for him to worry about anymore if Jayden acted like this.


    =======================


    Apple was bored at home and intended to go to the shopping center and buy some clothes to spoil herself with her hard earned money.


    But, just as she had pulled the car out of the parking space, she found Kyle, standing by the fence of her house, next to the red racing motorbike he had gotten from who knew where.


    The afternoon sun shone on his haggard face and the wounds he''d gotten from his previous fight, didn''t seem to have healed properly.


    "What are you doing here?" Apple asked as she rolled down the window. She didn''t want to rebuke or talk to Kyle, it was just that she felt ufortable having him standing in front of her house.


    Hearing Apple''s familiar voice, Kyle lifted his head and smiled awkwardly at the girl.


    "Apple, how are you?"


    Oh, not with these unpleasant pleasantries, Apple grumbled inwardly. "What do you want?" Apple immediately got straight to the point.


    "Can you get out of the car for a moment?" Kyle asked, trying to be nice to Apple. "I want to talk to you for a moment."


    Apple''s car was just about to get out of the gate, but since Kyle was in front of the car, she couldn''t get it out without bumping into the man.


    Hm¡­ actually Apple was quite tempted to run into Kyle¡­ but of course she didn''t. Her car was too valuable to be used to crash into a human like Kyle.


    Then with great reluctance, Apple backed the car and got out of there.


    "What do you want?" Apple asked curtly, she folded her arms across her chest in an arrogant manner, while on the west horizon, the sun was almost setting, giving off a dazzling red hue. "Tell me, what do you want?"


    "I want to thank you for what you''ve done for me," Kyle said hesitantly. "But can you tell Mr. Tordoff to not throw me into this town so far from town A?"


    "What do you mean?" Apple asked in bewilderment.


    "You did not know?" This time, it was Kyle who was confused. "Mr. Tordoff sent Maureen and me to a very faraway ce."

 Chapter 494 ANNOYING HUMAN BEING

    <h4>Chapter 494 ANNOYING HUMAN BEING</h4>


    "Mr. Tordoff sent Maureen and me to a very faraway ce." After theirst meeting the other day, Jayden told them to choose between going somewhere far away or getting locked up in jail.


    For someone like Jayden, of course, that was an easy thing to do, especially when Kyle and Maureen had enough criminal records to send them straight to jail.


    "Jayden sent you somewhere far away?" Apple frowned. She didn''t expect that Jayden would take action to this extent, but then she smiled very sweetly andughed. "Then enjoy your days there."


    Apple couldn''t help but wonder what made Kylee to her instead of Jayden and think she could change the man''s mind. He should have known that this man''s way of thinking was really very different from the average person.


    "You can talk to him, I don''t want to get out of town and Maureen is pregnant." Kyle immediately jumped up and stood in front of Apple, trying to block her path.


    But then, Apple backed away from his outstretched hand that was trying to grab her, as he always did when his wish wasn''t fulfilled.


    "I can''t and don''t want to talk about your problem with Jayden, that''s his decision and I don''t have any rights to interfere," Apple replied curtly. She tried to get into her car again, wanting to quickly leave from there. This time, she wasn''t going to be so kind, she''d just hit him all at once if he still got in the way of her car.


    It was just that Kyle kept getting in her way and wouldn''t let her go on her way at all.


    "Apple, listen to me first," Kyle growled, probably starting to lose his temper. He blocked Apple''s path and stood right in front of the car door, preventing Apple from getting in bypletely blocking her path. "Maureen is your best friend."


    "She was my friend," Apple said fiercely.


    "Apple, please don''t be like this, weren''t we close friends before, you loved me once." This time, the tone he used was pitiful, hoping that Apple still had somepassion for him.


    Apple grimaced when she heard the statement. "If you expect me to agree with your request by reminding me of the past, then you are very wrong," growled Apple. How could he remind herself of the past when it was the same thing that reminded her of their betrayal?


    This man was not very smart.


    And after being around Jayden, and witnessing with her own eyes how he handled situations and strategized brilliantly, of course this made Apple look down on Kyle.


    Ugh! He had raised the bar for men Apple wanted to date. This was a dangerous thing, because where else could she find a near-perfect man like Jayden Tordoff?


    "Now, get out of my sight," Apple said gruffly, the longer she was with Kyle, the angrier she became at what they had done to her and the more she thought about it, the more disgusted she was with Kyle .


    "Listen to me!" Kyle raised his voice. "Tell that man not to send me away from this town!" he cried angrily.


    And this was the figure of Kyle that Apple hated the most.


    "If not?" Apple challenged the man with a look that was no less fierce. "What are you going to do if I don''t want to do that?!" This time, it was Apple who shouted at him furiously.


    How dare he yell at herself in front of her own house for something that had absolutely nothing to do with her?


    And that was when Apple saw Kyle raise his hand, about to hit her like he used to before. All this time, Apple had let him do that, because she felt she still had some feelings for him.


    But now, Apple was feeling really stupid and wanted to beat up her old self for letting this asshole put her down.


    "Can''t you understand my situation?!" Kyle growled, he then took a step closer and was about to hit Apple.


    Previously, Apple had let Kyle hit her, because that way it would be easier to de-escte his emotions and their fight would be over more quickly than she would have to fight back.


    But, it was also done because Apple still had some feelings for him.


    Only, not this time. The feelings Apple had for Kyle had disappeared somewhere and hadpletely vanished without a trace.


    Therefore, when she saw herself being attacked, of course Apple was ready. She spun around and threw a kick right into Kyle''s face before he could even touch her.


    It didn''t stop there, Apple even took another step forward and pulled Kyle''s face down so hard until it hit her knee, making the man scream in pain and immediately cover his bleeding mouth and nose.


    "Fuck you!" Kyle grew even more furious and charged forward, about to hurt Apple again, but this time, the girl was prepared and was able to dodge the attack quite easily.


    Apple looked very calm in the face of Kyle''s anger and thatposure was terrifying, because in every single attack, Kyle was unable to even touch her.


    Finally, Apple threw a kick in his stomach and sent the man flying three meters away from her and crashing into her house pole.


    Apple was relieved that she didn''t feel sorry or guilty for treating Kyle like this.


    In fact, if you could say it, she felt very satisfied and regretted why she was only now repaying Kyle''s insolent actions.


    "Does Maureen know you came here?" Apple asked. She walked closer to Kyle who was rubbing his face and trying to wipe blood from his nose.


    "Fuck you Apple!" Kyle growled. "This is the reason why I prefer Maureen over you! You''re just a bitch!" he cried again in a disdainful tone.


    Appleughed at that. It really made her feel disgusted with herself.


    How could she ever like a man like this?


    However, Apple''sughter instantly disappeared when she saw what Kyle had picked up from the ground.

 Chapter 495 I AM SORRY

    <h4>Chapter 495 I AM SORRY</h4>


    It was a long iron rod that her father used to practice and ofteny around in her yard.


    But, who would have thought that Kyle would use that to attack Apple?


    Kyle pushed himself to his feet and walked toward Apple with quick steps, swinging the long iron rod in his hand.


    Apple backed off and prepared to fight him. This time, she was no longer ying games, because her opponent was using a weapon while she was empty handed.


    And just as Kyle was about to swing the iron rod, Apple jumped to the side to dodge, but Kyle moved even faster and attempted tond a second attack luckily.


    However, someone stepped forward and blocked Kyle''s second attack with his arm, while he ced Apple behind his back.


    "Isn''t it too much to use weapons when you are fighting a woman?" Jayden asked, his eyes looking very sharp and giving off a dangerous look. His body looked tense because the rod in Kyle''s hand almost hit Apple.


    "Fuck you!" Kyle shouted angrily.


    Only then did Apple realize that Kyle was under the influence of drugs. It was hard to see the difference when Kyle was awake or high as he had almost the same personality.


    However, upon closer inspection, Kyle was indeed high right now, as he seemedpletely fearless and more reckless than usual.


    "Good thing you are here! I will finish you all off!" Kyle shouted angrily. He then tried to free his hand from Jayden''s grip, but he couldn''t do that.


    Instead, Jayden, twisted his wrist until he heard the sound of his bones breaking.


    Kyle roared in pain and tried to kick Jayden, but the man had already pushed him to the ground and signaled for Jimmy to clean up after him, because he didn''t want to waste his time on this kind of guy.


    "What are you doing here?" those were the first words that came out of Apple''s lips when she saw Jayden, because she didn''t expect this man to be at her house now. After not contacting her at all for two weeks!


    Yes! He disappeared for two weeks after what he said! Asshole!


    "I was expecting at least a thank you," Jayden muttered as he rubbed his arm which he had used to parry Kyle''s attack.


    Apple snorted and rolled her eyes dramatically. "Thank you? What for? You think I can''t handle him? Have you forgotten that I am the one who jumped into a ship full of gunmen toplete your mission?" Apple reminded him again.


    "Oh, right¡­ you did¡­" Jayden said. "Where are you going?" Jayden asked then followed Apple into her car.


    Meanwhile, Kyle was already in Jimmy''s hands and Jayden was going to tackle this guyter.


    "None of your business," Apple replied curtly, but Jayden took Apple''s car keys and hid them in his trouser pocket.


    "Jayden, give me my car keys," Apple said threateningly. She then got out of the car and tried to approach the man with a furious face.


    "I''ll give it back if you tell me where you''re going."


    "Stop being an as*!"


    Jayden tilted his head and looked at Apple with defiant eyes.


    "I''m going to the shopping center, now return my car keys," Apple said in a furious voice. She stretched out her hand, waiting for Jayden to return the keys, but the man instead walked out of the house and got into his own car.


    Seeing that, Apple kicked the car in annoyance.


    "Hey!" Jayden eximed. "You can hurt your leg if you kick this car."


    Well, at least he cared more about Apple than his own car and was worried that the girl might hurt herself.


    "Come in, I''ll take you to the shopping center you want." Jayden said through his car window, but when Apple didn''t even get in his car, he got out of there. "You said you were leaving?"


    "Yes, but not with you."


    "Why not?"


    Apple groaned in frustration. "How can you think I''ll be okay with you after two weeks you didn''t show up at all and now you''re acting like you''re my boyfriend?! You literally ghosted me!"


    "I didn''t mean it that way," Jayden muttered.


    "Yeah, that''s what you mean Jayden." Apple confirmed.


    From inside her house she saw Kyle raging and trying to get away from Jimmy by fighting him as hard as he could.


    However, even though Kyle was much bigger than the bodyguard, Jimmy, the man handled him without any problems, it was just that Kyle''s screams and roars were deafening and distracting.


    "Shut up, I''m having a serious conversation here," Jayden said lightly as he waved his hand.


    Hearing the order, Jimmy carelessly then hit Kyle on the back of the head so hard that the man fell unconscious immediately.


    Seeing that, Apple widened her eyes. She knew that Kyle wasn''t dead, but was quite surprised by Jimmy''s effective method.


    Well, that was the quickest way to silence the guy.


    "What are you going to do with him?" Apple frowned when he saw Jimmy take Kyle into another car and drive away.


    "Throw him into the crocodile captivity, or the wilderness or maybe I''ll leave him in the middle of the ocean¡­" Jayden shrugged nonchntly. "There are many options, you want to suggest something?" he asked.


    Apple hissed at the nonsense, but she was sure that Jayden would do it if Apple challenged him, so she just kept quiet.


    "Don''t mess around," she mumbled.


    "OK." Jayden then took his cell phone and called someone, who turned out to be Pyro and told him what had happened.


    "What are you doing?!" Apple eximed in surprise when Jayden had finished calling her father.


    "You didn''t want me to do anything to that bastard, so I left it to your father. See? I''m trying to correct my mistakes and take your word for it."


    Argh! Appe felt like she wanted to facepalm herself for having to deal with a guy like this Jayden.


    "I''m sorry, okay?" Jayden said softly this time.

 Chapter 496 WHAT GAME IS SHE PLAYING?

    <h4>Chapter 496 WHAT GAME IS SHE PLAYING?</h4>


    "You''re not taking my word for it!" Apple eximed, she was very annoyed when Jayden behaved like this. He just disappeared for two weeks and came back as if nothing had happened.


    Hm, Apple was confused as to what he really wanted?


    "I''m sorry, okay?" Jayden said softly this time. He realized his mistake, or rather he realized the wrong strategy he used against Apple.


    Maybe this was too arrogant to say, but Jayden was used to women chasing him and taking the first step to establishmunication with him or take the initiative to do something.


    Therefore, Jayden did nothing and left Apple alone, but apparently the girl didn''t take the bait at all. Let alone contact, she seemed unaffected by his absence.


    It was true what Pyro said that Apple would forget about him if he let this continue any longer than this.


    "I am sorry? What for?" Apple folded her arms across her chest and looked at him with nonchnt eyes. How could she make such a facial expression in front of Jayden Tordoff, while so many women were dying to be in her position?


    "Sorry, I didn''t call you," Jayden replied. He was not used to this kind of situation, where he had to persuade a woman.


    "Okay," Apple replied lightly.


    "Okay?" Jayden didn''t understand the meaning of the word ''okay'' that Apple threw at him. Was he forgiven? But, apparently not¡­ Jayden could hear a sense of indifference in Apple''s voice. "Apple ..." Jayden pulled Apple''s hand as she was about to get back into her house because she was annoyed that her car keys were being held by Jayden.


    "Let go," Apple said fiercely.


    It was good that Jayden apologized and hoped the problem was resolved. Apple didn''t like being ghosted like Jayden did. So if she had to take this guy back, it seemed like Apple had to teach him a lesson first.


    "Am I forgiven?" Jayden asked. He smiled sweetly at her, of course that sort of thing didn''t work at all in front of Apple right now.


    "Yes," she answered simply, then stretched out her hand to take the keys back. "Where are my car keys," she said, asking for the car keys back.


    "What must I do to make you forgive me?"


    "I have already forgiven you."


    "I doubt that," Jayden narrowed his eyes at those insincere words.


    "What do you doubt?" Apple asked curtly, but then she caught him off guard and managed to reim her car keys. "Now, stay away from me."


    "You''re mad that I didn''t call you, right?"


    "Of course not."


    "Yeah, you''re angry about that."


    "Our business is finished now Mr. Tordoff, I''m not tied to anything anymore." Apple then got into the car and started the engine.


    "My parents want to meet you."


    Apple almost hit the gas and brake wrong when she heard that sentence. Only, the girl pretended not to care and started to drive, out of her driveway.


    Seeing Apple who insisted on ignoring him, Jayden immediately got into the car and told the driver to chase her car.


    ======================


    Apple clicked her tongue in annoyance when she saw Jayden''s car following her in the rearview mirror. The man was clearly following her.


    Seeing the persistence shown by Jayden, Apple deliberately did not go to the shopping center, but instead went to apletely different ce.


    It was a ce where lower-middle ss people gambled and a ce where thugs and pickpockets congregate.


    Apple remembered the outfit Jayden was wearing, and if that man really came to this ce, then it was certain that his appearance would be very eye-catching and that was exactly what she wanted.


    Apple wanted to see if Jayden would follow her all the way to a ce like this? For Apple, this ce was not too foreign, because when she was with her former group, she hade to this ce several times and got to know several people.


    So very casually, she got out of the car and entered arge alley where there were many gambling and prostitution ces on the left and right sides of the street.


    Apple nced over her shoulder and could see Jayden getting out of the car. A sly smile appeared on her lips.


    Jayden may be very powerful out there, but this wasn''t a ce where he could use his powers like he always did¡­


    Maybe Jayden didn''t know it yet, but he was going to learn something today and so Apple smiled at the prospect.


    On the other hand, Jayden frowned as he looked around him, which looked very rundown and like a dangerous ce.


    What was Apple doing in a ce like this? Didn''t she say that she was going to the shopping center? Then why did shee to a ce like this?


    "Mr. Tordoff, I don''t think you should go inside," one of the drivers, who was also his bodyguard, said.


    "Stay here and call some people toe," Jayden said as he stepped out of the car.


    "Mr. Tordoff, I''lle with you inside." the bodyguard was adamant not to let Jayden go to such a ce alone, especially in a shy outfit like the one he was wearing now.


    What Jayden was wearing now was a bulletin board with a neon light above his head telling the bad guys there that he was a target.


    Because Jayden''s appearance from head to toe screamed money.


    "No, I''ll go in there alone." Jayden couldn''t have let Apple go to such a ce alone, no matter how skilled she was. She was a woman for God''s sake! What was she really nning?


    "But¡­" the bodyguard was about to argue again, but one fierce re from Jayden was enough to make him pause and stop disobeying his orders.


    On the other hand, Jayden started walking away to enter the main alley from the ce where he could feel hundreds of pairs of eyes staring at him stealthily.


    D*mn! What game was Apple ying right now...

 Chapter 497 STUCK

    <h4>Chapter 497 STUCK</h4>


    Jayden couldn''t understand what Apple had in mind to get him to go to a ce like this. And, what was she doing here anyway? This made no sense at all, even to Jayden.


    Was the girl ying tricks on him?


    If that was the case, shouldn''t Jayden refrain himself from falling into her trap willingly like this and find another way to catch the bad girl?


    But instead, Jayden followed her game and let the girl lead him to a corner of the city that he himself had never visited before.


    Jayden realized how conspicuous his appearance was among the people there and this was not a good sign.


    Tsk! Why did Apple have to do this to him? He didn''t understand her mind at all.


    Then after a while, he caught her figure turning at a corner and chased her there.


    It was a narrow alley with a pile of garbage left and right.


    "Apple!" Jayden called aloud. At this point, he no longer cared about his appearance and was more worried about the girl.


    This girl was crazy to dare venture into an area like this, no normal girl he had ever met would want to go to ces like this, even when she was angry.


    Jayden quickened his pace when he saw Apple turning into another alley. He even shoved some of the men blocking his way there and got a few swear words which he simply ignored.


    It was clear that Apple knew that Jayden was following her there, but she still wouldn''t stop, even deliberately slowing her pace when Jayden lost track of her. She purposely lured him to follow her and Jayden had no other choice but to follow the girl.


    Jayden should have listened to Pyro''s advice a long time ago, because the man had said in passing that his daughter would be very hard to beat and if she got upset then you should stay away from her.


    Jayden ignored the suggestion because it was clear that Pyro didn''t really approve of his rtionship with Apple, so he wouldn''t take advice from someone who totally disapproved of their rtionship.


    For some reason, Pyro didn''t seem to like it when he approached Apple, even though he had exined to him that he would take full responsibility for the girl.


    However, it seemed that Jayden''s ''ignoring Apple for about two-weeks'' strategy had produced far worse results than he had expected.


    "Apple! Wait!" Jayden shouted furiously and quickened his footsteps when he saw the girl turning back into the other corner of the alley, which was bing increasingly deserted.


    He bumped into a man walking with two of his friends and they cursed at him, but as before, Jayden ignored them and tried to grab Apple.


    "Stop!" Jayden eximed, finally grabbing Apple''s wrist and making the girl stop and turn around rapidly. "Did you know that this ce is dangerous? What are you doing here?!" Jayden looked annoyed that he was worried about the reckless girl in front of him, while Apple didn''t look scared at all.


    "Oh, thanks for warning me, but I''ve been to this ce a few times, so there''s nothing to worry about," Apple replied casually. She even pushed away Jayden''s hand that gripped her arm fiercely. "You know you shouldn''t be here, don''t you?"


    Apple nced at their quiet surroundings and smiled naughtily.


    "Whatever you want to say, but we have to get out of here now," Jayden said angrily, he then grabbed Apple''s hand and was about to take her away from there. This was not the right ce to talk at length. Jayden could nag herter in the car once they had left.


    However, it didn''t seem like things were going the way he wanted, because before the two of them could even take a step, a group of people had gathered at the side from where Jayden hade. They looked at Jayden and Apple with very hostile eyes.


    "I told you no, that you shouldn''t havee to this ce," Apple said in a light voice.


    Without Jayden having to see the expression on her face, he knew that this girl was not at all afraid of how they would turn out, maybe she had even predicted this beforehand.


    This girl was really hard to control.


    "What do they want?" Jayden asked as he watched the five people move closer.


    "Of course they want you." Apple then gave a look full of judgment while looking at Jayden from head to toe. "Don''t you realize that by looking like this you will be a target for pickpockets and bandits?"


    "Of course I know, but I''m more worried about you hanging around in this kind of ce," Jayden muttered honestly and this impressed Apple quite a bit with the way he rambled on even under these circumstances.


    Well, not bad¡­


    "Oh, thanks, but for your information, I can protect myself, you don''t have to worry about anything unnecessary," Apple replied in a casual tone.


    She then was about to stand beside Jayden to face the five men.


    "I''ll take the skinniest guy, while you can deal with the rest," Apple said, as if she had proposed a fair share. One for herself and four for Jayden. Fair enough.


    But, it turned out that Jayden actually had other thoughts, he actually asked Apple to hide behind his body and stay away from this fight.


    "You''re going to face them all?" Apple asked to be sure.


    "Of course, I wouldn''t let you face these men alone," Jayden replied firmly. "You''d better stay away from here."


    "Where should I go?" Apple nodded to the other side of the alley which was covered by a very high iron fence, while the other side had the five men, which meant they were trapped here. "We''re stuck here."


    "Stay behind me," Jayden said.


    "Okay," Apple replied nonchntly then walked back to a barrel and sat on it. "Don''t take too long, I''ll be waiting."

 Chapter 498 A WARNING

    <h4>Chapter 498 A WARNING</h4>


    "Okay," Apple replied nonchntly then walked back to a barrel and sat on it. "Don''t take too long, I''ll be waiting."


    Apple didn''t seem too concerned about the fact that Jayden might get a punch or two in the face or whether he could handle five people at once at a time like this.


    "You''re not worried about me at all?" Jaydenined when he saw how calm Apple was as she sat on the barrel and crossed her legs.


    "You said you were going to face them all alone, right?" Apple reminded Jayden of this and was confused because he looked displeased.


    "But you can at least pretend to be worried, can''t you? I have to fight five grown men," Jayden reminded the girl.


    "Are you being petty?" Apple snorted. "No, I''m not worried about you. If you can''t handle them alone, just say so. I''ll be happy to help you."


    Jayden sneered at Apple at the answer and turned to face the men in front of him. "No thanks, I''m not that weak."


    Apple rolled her eyes when she saw Jayden''s reaction. "Boys and their arrogance..." she grumbled.


    On the other hand, the five of them looked annoyed that neither Jayden nor Apple paid attention to them at all, both seemed busy talking to each other.


    "Hey!" one of them with thergest body eximed. He walked forward to approach Jayden with four people very close behind him. "I''m talking to you!"


    "Just a minute," Jayden cut him off by lifting a finger. "I''m talking to my girlfriend."


    Apple could only raise an eyebrow when she saw this and ignored what Jayden was trying to tell her, because Apple thought this situation was so funny and she couldn''t help butugh.


    Jayden wasn''t used to being interrupted, but the situation they were in, of course it wouldn''t be right for him to ask for time from people who wanted to rob him.


    "You hear me don''t you?" Jayden grumbled seeing Appleughing, the girlpletely missed all the words Jayden said and burst outughing.


    Meanwhile, the five men had lost their temper and they started moving forward to beat up Jayden for belittling and insulting them.


    Actually, the gesture Jayden gave wasn''t meant to insult them, he just wasn''t used to being cut off when he was talking.


    "Hey, you''re making them even angrier," Apple said when she saw the movements of the five people.


    The biggest man among them immediately grabbed Jayden''s cor and shouted right in his face.


    "How dare you act like this in front of me!" the man eximed angrily, but then a sly smile appeared on his lips as he nced at Apple. "Hand over your things and I''ll probably let you go after we''ve had some fun with your lover."


    On the other hand, Apple who heard this could only raise her eyebrows. Well, it certainly could have happened with a note that they were able to ovee Apple and her bad temper.


    However, Jayden who heard this was not as calm as Apple. How could he hear another man saying he would abuse his girlfriend right in front of his face and Jayden not doing anything? Of course, the Tordoff heir wasn''t that kind to leave him alone after saying those impudent words.


    Right after the big man finished his sentence, he roared in agony while bowing his body because Jayden kneed him right on the ce where it hurt the most.


    However, when he bent down, Jayden kneed him right on his face again. He literally grabbed the man''s head hard and smacked it against his knee with a lot of force.


    The man immediately fell to the ground with blood dripping from his broken nose. He groaned in pain, but was able to stand up again to fight Jayden.


    But, Jayden didn''t just stop, he then grabbed the closest man to him and immediately beat him too while the others were still shocked by what Jayden did to their gang leader.


    "Touching my girlfriend? " he hissed viciously. In that instant, Jayden''s terrifying and dangerous was back in the game, even the look in his eyes instantly turned cold and deadly.


    In less than three minutes, he had already knocked down four of them. Two of them were already unconscious, while the other two could do nothing but roll on the dirty ground, howling and wincing in pain.


    Meanwhile, the one man that was left looked terrified as his four friends fell to the ground without getting enough of a chance to fight back.


    This man was very strong and fast and the look in his eyes¡­


    Thest man left the ce without even saying anything, abandoning his friends without a second thought.


    Seeing the fight finished quickly, Apple was quite surprised. She knew that Jayden was strong and capable of handling this problem well, but seeing it in person like this, it seemed that Apple had underestimated this man''s abilities.


    She too could get things done so quickly, but even she herself would find it difficult to deal with five men at once, but one thing was clear to Apple now.


    "If you are this good at fighting, why do you need me to be your bodyguard?" D*mn! He was even better than most bodyguards he owned and he definitely didn''t need Apple to rece Pyro.


    However, thements that Apple made received silent treatment from Jayden.


    Apple thought they would be bickering as usual, with Jayden responding to her words with a sarcasticment.


    However, when Apple realized something was wrong, she immediately shifted her attention toward Jayden and found the man staring at her intently, looking very annoyed.


    "What¡­? Why¡­?" Apple asked timidly. She then jumped down from the top of the barrel when Jayden approached her looking at her with those dangerous and scary eyes of his. "Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked carefully.


    "This is yourst time in a ce like this." Jayden''s voice sounded very cold as he warned Apple.

 Chapter 499 I WANT TO TAKING CARE OF YOU

    <h4>Chapter 499 I WANT TO TAKING CARE OF YOU</h4>


    Jayden looked annoyed with how Apple was behaving and the look on his face showed it all when he got in the car and started the engine.


    "I brought my own car," Apple grumbled, she refused to get into the car driven by Jayden and chose to be a brat and refused whatever he said.


    However, this time Jayden was too annoyed to amodate Apple''s attitude, so, without saying much more, he took the small sling bag from Apple''s shoulder and passed it to one of his two bodyguards and gave them clear orders.


    "Find the car keys and you two can follow me in her carter," Jayden said in a cold voice. He then pulled Apple closer and put her in the car before buckling her up with a seatbelt.


    "I''m not a kid," Appleined.


    "Right, so stop acting like one," Jayden said and reached out his hand to ruffle her hair, of course this attitude was theplete opposite of what he just said. This is an attitude where you want to show your annoyance toward a small child. Jayden treated her like a kid, despite what he said earlier.


    "You''re annoying," Apple grumbled, she didn''t fight back or try to get out of the car, because after all, her bag was in the hands of Jayden''s bodyguards and they had gone to her car which was a little further from this ce, but Apple could still see it from behind. So ifter Apple forced her way down, she wouldn''t be able to go anywhere.


    Hearing that, Jayden said nothing and focused on driving the car.


    They didn''t talk until they were on the freeway, wondering where Jayden would take Apple and it seemed the girl didn''t even bother to ask where they were going.


    But, when they had gone too far and Apple''s stomach was growling because she was hungry and it was gettingte, she couldn''t help but get over her irritation and ask Jayden where he was taking her.


    "Where are you going to kidnap me?" Apple asked grumblingly, she didn''t really like the idea that she had to skip her dinner to be taken somewhere she didn''t even know about.


    Jayden didn''t answer at all. It was so quiet in the car.


    "Jayden?" Apple called, she then finally turned her attention away from the road in front of her and faced the man who was driving the car with a rigid face. "Did you hear me? Hello?"


    Jayden still didn''t answer Apple''s question, he was beingpletely silent and acted like she didn''t say anything.


    "Stop being an asshole and answer me you fucking idiot." These were probably the harshest words Jayden had ever heard that made him give the reaction Apple wanted.


    "What? What did you just say?" Jayden immediately pulled over the car to a side, where behind them, Apple''s car driven by the bodyguards pulled over. "What did you just say? Say it one more time."


    It''s not that Jayden has never been insulted before, but the insults are usually coated with sweet words and sarcasticughs, never thrown around like Apple does. Swearing him right in the face¡­ it was a shock to Jayden.


    "Say it one more time," Jayden growled.


    Oh, shit¡­


    Apple could sense that the radar that indicated her being in danger was at work right now.


    She saw Jayden''s bad side again, the dark side of him that wasn''t easy going. Ever since they left the ce and after the fight that happened, Jayden''s face was dark, he looked annoyed.


    But now that Apple was provoking him, maybe she had gone a little too far by using the harsh words she just said¡­


    "Say it again..." Jayden grabbed Apple''s hand that was about to open the car door and held it there, he bent down so that his face was only inches away from Apple''s.


    He was too close and this made Apple lower her gaze as she was unable to see his piercing eyes from this close.


    And her heart¡­ her heart was beating really fast. Apple felt that she would die of shame if Jayden heard this humiliating sound of her heart beating.


    "Why are you silent? Haven''t you always bravely answered my challenges and answered all my words with your sarcasticments?" Jayden''s voice was so low and sexy it made even Apple blush. How could this billionaire brat look so perfect? Isn''t this very unfair to the men out there?


    There''s practically nothing that Jayden doesn''t have and now she wants him¡­ ugh! Apple felt that if she woke up from a dream like this she would go crazy...


    Well, with a note that Jayden is into her.


    Apple snorted at the thought of the possibility that this handsome billionaire man had indeed chosen herself among the hundreds of sexy and graceful women who pursued him tirelessly.


    "Stay away from me," Apple said, gritting her teeth in annoyance, because she liked the smell of Jayden''s perfume. What perfume does he use again?


    "If not? You''re going to berate me again?" Jayden asked, his eyes like a pair of LED lights, so bright that Apple couldn''t look into them directly.


    "Okay, I''m sorry, I shouldn''t have cursed at you, now can you stay away from me? You''re making me ufortable."


    "You also made me feel ufortable by going to a ce like that." Jayden seemed to have a little pity for Apple and started distancing himself from the girl.


    And Apple just realized that she had been holding her breath for a long time.


    "Anything can happen in a ce like that, Apple."


    "I''ve been there a few times before I met you and I can take care of myself just fine," Apple retorted. She was more than capable of taking care of herself.


    "I know you can take care of yourself, but I want to take care of you," Jayden replied, his hands caressed her jaw as he put his finger under her chin.

 Chapter 500 WE WILL GO TO THE HOSPITAL

    <h4>Chapter 500 WE WILL GO TO THE HOSPITAL</h4>


    "I know you can take care of yourself, but I want to take care of you," Jayden replied, his knuckles caressed her jaw before he put a finger under her chin. Jayden looked at Apple more closely then said in a low voice, he whispered to her softly. "Don''t forget the fact that I am your lover."


    Okay, this had gone too far and Apple could no longer contain the feelings that were bubbling up inside of her because of the very strong tension with what Jayden was doing right now.


    He dared to touch her like this and make her heart beat really fast, he also dared to make her feel guilty for bringing him to that ce, which he thought was dangerous, when he himself followed her.


    And what was more he dared to intimidate herself after he ghosted her for two weeks?!


    This was a good time to set the boundaries, right? Or else, she would be always under his thumb!


    Apple thought furiously before she finally lowered her head and caught Jayden''s finger holding her chin tightly and biting it really hard.


    Apple didn''t even hold herself back in doing this, as if she was venting all her frustrations on him and this was the price Jayden had to pay for making her so upset.


    And as Apple had expected, Jayden couldn''t possibly endure the excruciating pain, but he couldn''t just forcefully pull his finger from between Apple''s teeth, because that would only make the wound worse.


    It''s just that Jayden couldn''t use the option to hit Apple. Hey, Jayden Tordoff''s not gonna hit a girl, okay. Especially when he has said that Apple is his woman.


    They arepatible in many ways, so why should Apple make this matter moreplicated?


    "Stop it! Aarrgh!" Jayden tried to endure the pain and his screams made the two bodyguards sitting in the front seat turn around, but even though they saw what was going on, they were at a loss for words and didn''t know what to do in a situation like this.


    This wasn''t the time to interrupt the two of them, but on the other hand, it was their job to make sure that Jayden Tordoff wasn''t hurt.


    So, very reluctantly and without having a single brilliant idea, one of them reached out and tried to grab Apple''s hand, forcing her to release her bite.


    Of course the bodyguard would not only snatch Apple''s hand, but he would also hurt her.


    And so, when the bodyguard raised his hand and was about to hit Apple, Jayden''s eyes widened with ferocity.


    "Don''t hurt her!" he hissed very viciously.


    The bodyguard was surprised and immediately pulled back his hand, he was scratching his head which wasn''t itchy because he didn''t know what else to do.


    But, desperate situation calls for a desperate solution. That''s probably the correct term for the idea that suddenly shed through the bodyguard''s mind as he grabbed the gun in his waist holster and pointed it at Apple.


    "Let him go!" he cried threateningly.


    Sure, he was threatening Apple, but it was just an empty threat and there was no way he could actually shoot the girl.


    Seeing this the three other people who were in the car immediately widened their eyes in disbelief at what they had just seen.


    He pointed his gun at Apple without a second thought.


    "DROP YOUR GUN!" Jayden roared angrily. He stared fiercely at his bodyguard who threatened the woman. "NEVER POINT A GUN AT MY WOMAN! AARGGGH!"


    Jayden screamed again because Apple bit him harder while throwing her murderous re at the bodyguard who had pointed a gun at her.


    "Squeeze her nose, pinch her nose so she can''t breathe," the second bodyguard shouted, giving Jayden directions which he then followed because he considered this method much safer and less life-threatening.


    And Luckily, it worked because Apple onlysted a few minutes before she ran out of air and loosened her bite on Jayden''s finger.


    Seeing this opportunity, Jayden immediately pulled his hand away from Apple, and not only that, he moved away from the girl, sitting up to the side of the door where he was sitting, putting as much as distance possible between them.


    He cradled his hand and looked at Apple with frightened eyes. "You hurt me," he said sadly, while Apple wiped her lips in a maniacal motion and fixed her fierce gaze on Jayden.


    "So what?" she asked in a defiant tone and this made Jayden lost his words, he could only stare at the girl sitting in his car in fear.


    "You''re really terrible," Jayden grumbled, he pursed his lips and slowly peeked at his poor finger and his eyes widened in shock. "My finger is bleeding! See!" he eximed as he thrust his thumb under Apple''s eyes, but he retracted it even faster. He didn''t want to take a risk as there was a high chance that Apple would try to bite him again.


    In that short time, Apple could see what she had done to him.


    His finger was bleeding and there was a pretty serious wound there. Of course his finger was bleeding, Apple could even taste the blood in her mouth now. Has she been too much? But her annoyance at Jayden was simply unbearable. For a moment, Apple felt a little guilty. ''A moment'' is the key word here.


    Because the next moment, she casually told the bodyguard sitting behind the wheel to drive them to the hospital.


    "Take us to the hospital now," Apple said in a cold voice.


    "What?" the bodyguard frowned, he didn''t take orders from Apple.


    "Do it," Apple said again this time in a firmer voice, apanied by a very fierce look.


    They both gasped, but when they saw their pitiful boss, who was huddled in the corner of the car mournfully at the sight of his injured finger, they didn''t say much anymore and immediately followed Apple''s orders without asking much.


    Is this it? Is this a sign that Apple has more power and took over the reins of leadership from Mr. Tordoff?

 Chapter 501 YOU CAUSED SO MUCH LOSS

    <h4>Chapter 501 YOU CAUSED SO MUCH LOSS</h4>


    The doctor at the hospital threw Apple a strange look and then at the wound on Jayden''s hand that he was treating.


    The man looked at Apple and the wound and Apple and the wound several times until curiosity overcame him and he dared to ask a question about the wound.


    "If I may ask, how did you get hurt like this?" the Doctor asked, trying to keep his voice calm and was not impressed that he was so eager to know the exact answer.


    Jayden pursed his lips and cast a nce at Apple who was standing not far from him.


    Since this was all Apple''s fault, Jayden felt that she should be responsible for the damage and apany him into the treatment room.


    The wound caused by Apple ended up causing Jayden to have two stitches on his finger.


    This girl is absolutely amazing. Jayden looked at Apple with a furrowed brow.


    "I was bitten by a dog," Jayden replied in a curt tone as he looked back at his poor finger.


    On the other hand, Apple cleared her throat and corrected his words. "He was bitten by a puppy," she said quietly.


    But, Jayden threw a disapproving look at Apple, which she simply ignored.


    The doctor, of course, didn''t believe it, but didn''t question it any further either, for he seemed to have got the outline of what had happened.


    "Apparently, your dog is very fierce, huh," the Doctor said to melt the atmosphere that seemed very tense.


    "Yeah, so fierce, I''m having a hard time even managing it," Jayden grumbled.


    It took the doctor another five minutes to finish his assignment and when he was done, Jayden found his finger wrapped very neatly in a white bandage.


    "I can''t work like this," Jayden said in a very sad voice. "If I can''t work, I will lose a lot of money because of it and if I lose a lot of money, of course thepany will go bankrupt."


    They were now walking down the hospital corridor, toward the parking lot where the bodyguards were waiting for them.


    Jayden would of course drive Apple home first and meet with Pyro to discuss something, because the man went home earlier and they didn''t have time to discuss anything about the case with the Gevano family. It was an important issue, but of course Jayden wouldin about what Apple had done to him.


    There was no way in hell Jayden would admit defeat just because of one bite. Well, he is that petty¡­


    "What?" Apple frowned distastefully when she heard what Jayden just said. "Don''t you sound a little dramatic?" she threw a reproachful look at Jayden.


    How can a single bite lead to the bankruptcy of apany? And they are talking about the Tordoffpany here.


    Apple firmly believed that even if Jayden had to spend a month just sitting there wailing on his poor finger for a month, it wouldn''t have much of an impact on thepany.


    "Of course there is, how can you talk like that?" Jayden threw Apple a hurt look. "I am an important person in thepany."


    Apple rolled her eyes dramatically. Of the many personas that Jayden has disyed to her, Apple can''t understand how this man could have such an annoying personality like he is now.


    And Jayden decided that now was the perfect time to piss Apple off.


    "You''re not that important," Apple said casually, not paying much attention to the words she said when she refuted him. "Your cousin will be there to take care of thepany."


    "You''re hurting my integrity to my family''spany."


    "You''re acting like a drama queen now."


    "I am a man."


    "Drama king."


    "Would you like to be my queen?"


    Apple winced when she heard hisme pick up line. What''s really going on in this man''s mind? Should they do a full check? Who knows, one of the nerves in Jayden''s brain isn''t right.


    "I''m not interested."


    "But, you are perfect to be my queen." Jayden rolled his eyes and opened the door for the both of them, but just as Apple was about to step out, he let go of the door, almost hitting the girl in the face.


    "Jayden!" Apple cried angrily, then she pushed the door violently. Of course it wouldn''t have any effect on her or seriously injure her, but shouldn''t he be holding the door?


    "What?" he asked innocently.


    "You almost made me crash into the door! You shouldn''t have let it go!"


    "But, my hand is hurt¡­" he said sadly, showing his finger which was now wrapped in a bandage.


    Apple had to take a deep breath and remember all the tricks to calm herself down before she lost her temper and earned him more than just two stitches on his finger.


    As she got into the car grumbling and mumbling incoherently, Jayden couldn''t help but smile. He was quite happy to irritate this girl.


    At this point, he thought that the wound on his finger was worth it.


    ======================


    "Why did you follow me into the house?" Apple asked with a furrowed brow, she felt that Jayden had been treating her house like his own.


    "I already told you that I have important business with Pyro, right?" Jayden said in a cheerful voice, he then stepped inside first toward the fence of her house and let one of his bodyguards park Apple''s car.


    "What do you want to say? Reporting me because I bit you?" Apple asked in a cold voice. She stared at Jayden''s finger. It''s just a small wound, why is he making a fuss over it?


    "Well, that too, my Apple," Jayden said, he tapped his finger on the top of her nose and smiled at her cheerfully.


    "Stop acting like such a bitch," Apple grumbled as she swatted away the hand in front of her face.


    "If that''s your request, then you''ve asked me not to be myself," Jayden said lightly and they found Pyro in the kitchen, preparing dinner.


    "You want to eat here?" Pyro asked.


    Apples: "Of course not!"


    Jayden: "Absolutely!"

 Chapter 502 WHAT’S WRONG

    <h4>Chapter 502 WHAT''S WRONG</h4>


    "You want to eat here?" Pyro asked when he saw Jaydening in with his daughter.


    The middle aged man could only sigh in resignation when he saw how stubborn the son of the Tordoff family was, how could he not? Pyro was even tired of telling him to stop chasing Apple because the two of them simply weren''tpatible with each other.


    Be it in their natures or in their family backgrounds, but apparently, Jayden didn''t heed any of that.


    And almost as he always did when he had taken a liking to something, he would keep going after it until he got it.


    At this point, Pyro only hoped that Jayden had the same loyalty as Ramon to Hailee.


    Apple, who heard the offer, immediately answered her father loudly. "Of course not!"


    However, Jayden seemed to have other thoughts, "Absolutely!"


    Apple red fiercely at the man beside her, but Jayden just walked away and headed into the kitchen while rubbing his head casually and ncing at her, which Apple took as a challenge.


    "Is there anything I can help you with?" Jayden asked.


    "Can you really cook?" Apple asked curtly, she couldn''t help but follow Jayden into the kitchen and watch the man roll up his sleeves.


    "Of course," he answered proudly. "My mother is a very good cook."


    "But that doesn''t mean you are one," Apple grumbled.


    "Let''s prove it," Jayden replied lightly, then walked over to the fridge and took out the ingredients he needed.


    Jayden''s movements were very rxed, exuding a no-nonsense attitude, as if he was perfectlyfortable with Pyro and Apple, like this was his own home.


    "I''m about to finish making dinner, we can eat right away after the meat is cooked," Pyro reminded Jayden because the man took the main ingredients out of the fridge instead.


    "I''m going to make one dish that my mother loves to make, Apple has to taste it," Jayden muttered as he continued to pull the ingredients out of the fridge.


    Apple scowled at that. "Do you realize that you are only a guest in this house?"


    Hearing that, Jayden stopped taking things out of the fridge and turned his head, staring at Apple with a hurt face.


    "What?" Apple asked, not feeling like she had said something that might offend Jayden.


    "I thought we were family..." Jayden said warily. "Your father always said that we were family¡­"


    After that, Jayden resumed his activities while whistling.


    Family your ass!


    Apple regretted having felt bad about offending him earlier. She should have said much sharper words.


    ======================


    "Not good," Apple grumbled as she pushed her empty te away.


    "No need to lie, if it''s not delicious, you can''t finish it all," Jayden said, smiling at the shrimp dish he had cooked that Apple had shamelessly devoured.


    "That''s because I don''t want you to feel bad," Apple muttered as she walked away from the table and cleared the empty tes.


    "Oh yes? But, you seem to enjoy my cooking," Jayden said, continuing to tease Apple.


    Meanwhile, the girl just stuck her tongue out at him and walked away from there.


    "Stop teasing her," Pyro warned Jayden as he took a sip of his drink. "What brought you here?" he asked curiously.


    Instantly, Jayden''s mischievous face changed and he became serious in the matter of a few seconds.


    "I want to talk about the matter with the Gevano family," Jayden said, his tone darker than before, his eyes sharp as he looked back at Pyro.


    "Let''s talk about this in my study," Pyro said, but then he remembered something. "What happened to your hand?"


    Pyro had wanted to ask Jayden this all along when he asked Apple to help him cut the ingredients he was going to cook.


    "What? This?" Jayden asked, holding up his bandaged hand.


    "What''s with that hand of yours?" Pyro asked curiously again, then he looked back at the mischievous smile on Jayden''s lips as he answered his question with a chuckle.


    "This is your daughter''s doing," he answered simply, then walked first to Pyro''s study, leaving the middle-aged man alone in his confusion.


    =========================


    Apple woke up when she felt someonee into her room and sit beside her bed. At first, she thought that it was her father, but somehow she felt something different and firmly believed that the man who was currently staring at her intensely was not her father.


    Therefore, with her mind still drowsy, Apple tried to open her eyes and how surprised she was when she found Jayden sitting beside her bed.


    "What are you doing here?!" Apple cried in a muffled voice. She widened her eyes in disbelief.


    Last night, because Jayden and Pyro were talking about an issuete into the night, Apple went into the room first and went to bed.


    So, she didn''t know if Jayden was still in this house or had gone home, but seeing the man in her room now, she was sure that Jayden had taken the opportunity to stay at her house.


    Come to think of it, Jayden seemed to be staying at her house a lot recently, even though he had dozens of apartments that he could live in.


    After all, the Tordoff residence wasn''t too far from here either.


    "Hey! Get out now!" Apple cried in a muffled voice, because she didn''t want to make any unnecessary fuss.


    However, Jayden didn''t seem to have heard her words, therefore, Apple approached him and nudged him shoulder.


    "Hey, can you hear me?" she asked with a curious face seeing Jayden''s attitude like this. "Hello?" She then waved her hand in front of Jayden''s face and it was only then that she realized that this man was still asleep.


    He seemed to be sleepwalking.


    "You freak," Apple grumbled. "You''re troublesome, you know that?"


    Then, without a second thought, Apple got out of bed and grabbed Jayden''s hand to lead him out of her room.


    Only, when Apple opened the door to her room, she came face to face with her father who had just walked out of the kitchen.

 Chapter 503 SHE BIT ME!

    <h4>Chapter 503 SHE BIT ME!</h4>


    Only, when Apple opened the door to her room, she came face to face with her father who had just returned from the kitchen. It looked like he had just taken a drink.


    "What is it?" Pyro asked when he saw Apple''s surprised face, but then his expression changed when he saw the figure behind his daughter.


    Pyro left his room feeling thirsty, wanting to get a drink for himself, but when he looked at the sofa in front of the television, he didn''t find Jayden there. Last night, the man said he would sleep in the living room because he was too tired to go home.


    At first, of course Pyro offered the young Tordoff his room to sleep, because after all he was the boss, so there was no way he would let the son of the Tordoff family sleep on a sofa, but Jayden refused, preferring to sleep on the sofa after quite a short debate. Knowing how stubborn he was, Pyro could only relent.


    However, who would have thought that this young man would appear from behind his daughter''s bedroom door?!


    "APPLE!" Pyro snapped at his daughter.


    "Shh!" Apple looked panicked, while putting her finger in front of her lips, wide-eyed. How dare she still dare to roll her eyes at her father after she was caught red-handed with Jayden in her room? "It''s not what dad thinks."


    "What do you mean it''s not what dad thinks? This is so obvious!" Pyro put his hands on his waist, looking at his daughter as well as Jayden fiercely.


    "He''s sleeping daddy, he''s sleeping!" Apple tried desperately to exin. "He is sleepwalking."


    "What do you mean?" Pyro narrowed his eyes suspiciously at his daughter. "You''re just looking for excuses aren''t you?"


    Apple rolled her eyes when she heard that. "Seriously! Even if I''m going to do something, there''s no way I can do it in the house, while you are still here."


    "So if I wasn''t here, you would, then?"


    "Of course not," Apple grumbled. "He is still sleeping. If you don''t believe me, just have a look."


    Pyro squinted as he looked at Apple, but then he walked over to Jayden and examined the young man, to make sure what his daughter said was true. He observed Jayden closely.


    "He is."


    "I told you¡­" Apple breathed a sigh of relief that her father believed her. "So what are we going to do now?"


    =====================


    When Jayden woke up the next morning, he was confused because he was in Pyro''s room. He looked around him carefully and was sure that he was in the middle aged man''s room.


    But, what was he doing here? As he recalled, he was sleeping on the sofa in the living roomst night and didn''t go anywhere. So, how could he be in Pyro''s room when he woke up?


    Jayden looked around again and got out of the bed when he didn''t find Pyro there.


    However, when he walked toward the door, he found that the door was locked. Jayden tried to twist the handle and even tugged it a few times.


    This door was indeed locked.


    Jayden frowned. "Hmm?" He then knocked on the door. "Pyro, Apple! What happened? Why is this door locked?"


    Jayden tried to open it but in vain. He could have smashed the door open, but the damage done wouldn''t have pleased Pyro or Apple.


    "Hey! Open the door! Why am I locked inside?" Jayden shouted loudly. "Open this door!" he shouted again, louder this time.


    And only then did he hear the sound of footsteps from behind the locked door and hear the sound of a key turning.


    "Why did you lock me in your room?" Jayden grumbled when he saw Pyro''s figure behind the door.


    "You don''t remember what happenedst night?" Pyro folded his arms across his chest.


    "What did I dost night?" Jayden frowned uprehendingly. However, when he saw the expression on Pyro''s face, Jayden felt that whatever he didst night, the old man didn''t like it.


    But, Jayden couldn''t remember anything.


    "What?" Jayden asked again, because Pyro didn''t answer his question and continued to stare at him with eyes full of scrutiny, he even gritted his teeth. "Did I do something?" This time, his voice was quieter and more careful.


    "You don''t remember at all?"


    "What should I remember?"


    Pyro was silent for a moment, but then he exhaled and waved his hand casually at Jayden. "Let''s have breakfast now." Then he just walked away from Jayden''s presence.


    "What the hell is that about? I''m worried for nothing," Jayden grumbled.


    =======================


    "Oh, I need Apple toe with me," Jayden said as he and Pyro were about to leave.


    "What for?" Apple asked defensively.


    "I need you to help me with work," Jayden replied casually, then showed Apple his hand. "You have to take responsibility for your actions."


    "What did you actually do to him?" this time, it was Pyro who asked Jayden with a face full of curiosity. Last night, Jayden didn''t exin enough.


    "Apple bit my hand," Jayden replied sadly.


    "NO!" Apple lied without a second thought. She then red at Jayden, giving him a warning look.


    "What? Did you really bite him?" Pyro looked surprised, of course it seemed to indicate something else.


    "No!" Apple cried, insisting on her lie.


    However, Jayden ignored the girl''s fierce gaze as he further escted the situation. "I got five stitches because she bit me." This time, Jayden put his hand in front of Pyro. "Look, my fingers are swollen now."


    "He''s lying!" Apple hissed, frowning because Jayden had told a lie. "He only got two stitches and not five! Do not lie!"


    Pyro didn''t understand what was going on in Apple''s mind and how his daughter could be so gullible.


    "You mean you really bit him?" Pyro asked directly.


    If it was true that Apple didn''t bite Jayden, no matter how many stitches the man received, then Apple would still say she didn''t bite him.


    However, the girl fell into Jayden''s trap with ease.


    "That¡­ I mean¡­" Apple stuttered as she realized her mistake now.


    Meanwhile, on the other hand, Jayden smiled triumphantly at Apple. "Of course she is lying, she has bitten me."

 Chapter 504 I WANT A GRANDCHILD!

    <h4>Chapter 504 I WANT A GRANDCHILD!</h4>


    Apple had no idea that she could fall into Jayden''s trap so easily and admit her lies thoughtlessly.


    And now, she was in the same car as that annoying man, while he was busy ying games on his cellphone.


    Apple wanted to get mad and rebuke Jayden, but then she remembered that she wasn''t in a position to win this fight.


    "Stop frowning," Jayden said, without even taking his eyes off the game. "You''re really not cute like that."


    Apple snorted when she heard what he said, but then her eyes widened in surprise and her head turned to face Jayden when she felt the man''s lips against her cheek.


    "What the hell is that for?" Apple covered her cheek with her hand and turned quickly to face Jayden. "Did you just kiss me?" she hissed in annoyance.


    Jayden smirked, now that he had put his phone away. "Yes," he answered proudly, he could see the blush on the girl''s cheeks. "My dad used to do this whenever my mom was upset and he managed to calm her down."


    Apple rolled her eyes and folded her arms, as she shifted her gaze to the other side of the car, looking down at the street through her windshield.


    However, it was obvious that she just felt awkward.


    But then, Jayden reached out his hand and pinched her chin, so she would turn around and face him.


    "Hey," Jayden said softly and huskily, his gaze so intense, looking straight into Apple''s eyes until the girl lowered her head. "I know that you don''t like me yet and are still confused about my proposal of us being lovers, but at least you''ll give me a chance, won''t you? Otherwise, it wouldn''t be fair to me."


    Apple risked her heart to steal a nce at Jayden, but as soon as their eyes met, she immediately turned away her gaze again and was now staring at the hem of her shirt. Her heart was beating so fast she could feel her face heat up to be stared at by Jayden Tordoff like that.


    Damn! How many women are willing to kill each other just to be in her position now?


    "So? At least let me try."


    "Whatever," Apple said curtly, but she bit her lower lip to suppress a smile when she saw Jayden''s genuine smile out of the corner of her eye.


    "Thank you."


    ====================


    Jayden walked into his office with Apple beside him, while Pyro could only shake his head when he saw the two of them, he stopped in the lobby and didn''t follow Jayden, because he had other things to do.


    However, his steps came to a halt when he saw someone he hadn''t seen in months.


    His eyes widened in disbelief when he saw the figure, waving at him.


    "David? What are you doing here?" Pyro immediately asked, running to his old friend.


    David is Ramon and Hailee''s bodyguard, and because the couple chose to settle on their small ind, David joined them to settle there as he had no family, but after a few years there, he found a woman who had now be his wife.


    "Yeah, I got here very early."


    "Why didn''t you say hi to Jayden earlier? He will be pleased to meet you."


    But, David justughed softly and patted his shoulder. "Because this is a secret mission."


    Pyro frowned. "Wait a minute." He then turned toward the elevator that was sending Jayden and Apple to the man''s office. "If you''re here, that means¡­"


    "Yes. They are here too." David then followed Pyro''s line of sight and found the figure of Apple there. "Your girl grew up to be a very attractive woman."


    Pyro grimaced when he heard that. "I worry about her getting into the Tordoff family."


    But, David actuallyughed out loud when he heard this. "You worry too much, you''ve worked for them for years, there''s no way you don''t know their nature, especially Jayden." David shrugged nonchntly. "It could be said that you also contributed to raising that man."


    ===================


    Jayden knew that if there was something wrong with the state of his office, his employees seemed more engaged in their work, even though they asionally stole nces to see who he and Apple were.


    But, Jayden felt there was something bigger that made them more nervous, than their need to gossip, talk about Apple being back together with Jayden, even after Pyro returned to work.


    "You can ask someone else to do this, you know..." Apple said in a low voice, she was also aware of the sneaky stares thrown by the employees in this ce.


    "No, I want you to do it." Jayden then put his arm around Apple''s shoulders and pulled her into his office.


    Despite the bad feeling he felt, Jayden ignored his intuition and chose to step into his office, only to find two people waiting for him there.


    "Let go of me," Apple grumbled, but then she sensed something was wrong with Jayden as the man stopped walking and stared at the sofa, where two figures were now standing facing them and giving Jayden a meaningful look, especially his arm that was wrapped around Apple''s shoulders, making the girl froze where she stood.


    "Jayden," Hailee called in her soft voice, but her gaze fell on Apple who was standing next to her son, while Ramon Tordoff stood beside his wife with an expressionless face. "Is this the future wife you told mom about?"


    "What?" Apple frowned and cold sweat formed on her forehead when she realized what Hailee had just said.


    Especially when Jayden pulled Apple in front of him and closed his office door, kicking it arbitrarily.


    Jayden smirked as he introduced Apple. "Yes. This is my future wife of choice, I hope you can treat her well," he said proudly.


    Hearing this, Apple widened her eyes in panic, especially when she saw a big smile forming on Hailee''s lips.


    "Great!" she eximed happily. "I can''t wait to have grandchildren!"


    What!?

 Chapter 505 GENETICS

    <h4>Chapter 505 GENETICS</h4>


    Apple felt that something was wrong with all the things that were happening before her right now, but she couldn''t deny that she felt very awkward sitting next to Mrs. Tordoff and in the presence of Mr. Tordoff.


    The man looked cold and scary and Apple didn''t know where to put her hands or where to look, because now she felt that anything she did would be seen wrongly.


    On the other hand, Hailee seemedpletely oblivious to the stress that Apple was going through and was very happy to be able to chat with the girl.


    "I haven''t seen you in a long time," she said cheerfully. "If I''m not mistaken, thest time I saw you was when you were a teenager, when Pyro first got custody of you."


    Of course, Pyro managed to get custody of Apple once he found out what happened and how they treated his daughter, but more than that, of course, the Tordoff family''s big name role provided the necessary influence in the trial.


    "Do you remember when you two met when you were little?" Hailee asked again, she seemed much happier than anyone to be able to chat with her future daughter-inw.


    "Not¡­." Apple answered hesitantly. She kept staring at Jayden, begging for his help, but the man seemed to have other problems just as big as hers to deal with currently.


    "You don''t have to stare at Jayden all the time, it''ll get to his big head if you treat him too special," Hailee reprimanded Apple to make her stop stealing nces at her son.


    "Of course she can''t do that, she''s too impressed by my good looks," Jayden replied proudly, but his eyes couldn''t lie that he knew there would be a serious conversation between him and his father soon.


    "I don''t think that''s the case," Hailee said sneeringly at her son, waving her hand casually. "You really have inherited your father''s character."


    But, on the other hand, Ramon actually frowned and looked at his wife with eyes that seemed to say; Isn''t it your nature to be overconfident at times? However, Ramon did not say this openly.


    And that was exactly what Jayden thought before, because after that, Hailee very smoothly ushered Apple out of the office.


    "Never mind..." Hailee said calmly then stood up while pulling Apple with her along. "I haven''te to town A in a long time, you don''t mind apanying me shopping right?"


    And of course the answer Apple could say was ''yes'', because there''s no way she''d turn down the invitation. Actually, it was not an invitation, but rather a coercion, because Apple did not have many options to choose as an answer.


    "So let the men talk about their problems and we can go shopping, what do you think? Great idea, right?" Hailee smiled so kindly at Apple that it was impossible for the girl not to smile back.


    Finally Apple gave in and nodded, but before leaving the room, Apple took the time to turn and look at Jayden again, but unfortunately the man had put his focus on his father.


    "Come on," Hailee said as she gently pushed Apple''s shoulder. "You don''t have to worry, Ramon won''t eat your lover."


    Apple shuddered when she heard the insinuation, but then she followed Hailee out of the room.


    As soon as the two women were no longer in the room, the tension in the air plunged the atmosphere in the room and this made Jayden no longer able to feel calm.


    Damn!


    Even after all the years he had known his father, he still couldn''t help but feel nervous when he had to face this old man.


    Well, Ramon didn''t look too old even at the age of fifty years, but the aura that radiated from his body couldn''t be mistaken at all. He has a strong presence.


    "Dad," Jayden said as the silence started to make him ufortable. "What brought you here?"


    "Isn''t this still mypany too? Can''t Ie here anymore?" Ramon stood up and walked across the room and sat in Jayden''s chair looking at his son.


    Even after all these years, Jayden still felt that he was just a teenage boy who was being scolded by his father for misbehaving.


    "That''s not what I meant, you know that''s not what I meant," said Jayden, waving his hand. Ugh! He felt like he just wanted to call his mother, because his mother was always able to make his father look a little less scary, suppressing the dark aura around Ramon, especially when he was in a rage like he was now.


    "So, start exining what''s going on between you and the Gevano family?" Ramon leaned his back against the back of the chair and red at Jayden.


    Jayden felt like he was back to those days when he was a bratty boy, who was being scolded by his father, only his father was a hundred times scarier now.


    "I think you''ve heard what happened."


    "Yes," Ramon replied curtly. "But, I want to hear from your mouth directly. Because right now I''m really annoyed that I have toe back to this city in the middle of my vacation with your mother."


    Vacation my ass! His father had been on the ind for many years and thest time he came to the city A was a year ago!


    But, of course Jayden couldn''t show that expression to his father. Ramon would chew his head out if heined about the ''vacation with your mom'' concept.


    Jayden sighed and sat across the table, opposite Ramon. He looked at his father with furrowed brows and began to exin the problem.


    "Now I have reported all the work he did to the authorities, but this is very difficult, because the Gevano family also has people in the government." Jayden sighed. To Ramon, he didn''t look like the Jayden Tordoff people out there said he was. No matter what, he was still his boy.


    "Reporting to the authorities?" Ramon narrowed his eyes. "How could you be such a fool?"


    "Maybe gics?" Jayden replied and got a deadly re from Ramon.

 Chapter 506 TYPICAL MAN IN TORDOFF FAMILY

    <h4>Chapter 506 TYPICAL MAN IN TORDOFF FAMILY</h4>


    "Reporting to the authorities?" Ramon narrowed his eyes, he sighed in exasperation when he heard that. "How could you be such a fool?"


    "Maybe gics?" Jayden replied and got a deadly re from Ramon.


    "I would never take that path," Ramon growled dangerously and Jayden shrieked in his chair.


    Did I say the wrong thing? Jayden thought he was just saying what was on his mind¡­


    "Then what kind of path will you take?"


    "Don''t you have your own channel in the underworldwork?" Ramon rested his elbows on the armrests to support his chin, looking at his son. "Why don''t you take advantage of that?"


    "It would destroy their family," Jayden replied in a tired voice.


    "Then? Is there a problem with that?"


    "I don''t have a problem breaking the family, but Alina will find trouble with me," Jayden said in an annoyed voice. He took a deep breath.


    "She wants to destroy the family herself," Jayden said.


    "Just pretend you''re helping her."


    Jayden narrowed his eyes at his father. "Dad, don''t tell me you forgot, thest time I helped Alina, she destroyed my favorite car."


    Ramon cleared his throat, as if he had not heard the words.


    "And you didn''t punish her at all." Jayden would never forget that moment, because he was very, very angry with his older sister for destroying his beloved car.


    "That''s because you wrecked the car first, wasn''t it?"


    Jayden''s expression changed and he no longer looked irritated, instead, he looked like he hadn''t heard the words.


    Well, Jayden destroyed the Apple car because he didn''t want his older sister to date a guy from the Gevano family.


    "Okay, I will handle the Gevano family as you wish, but you have to handle your daughter," Jayden said in the end.


    "My daughter is your sister," Ramon said while Jayden just shrugged his shoulders nonchntly.


    "So now we have a deal, okay," Jayden said in a light voice. "Don''t let Alina destroy my car again."


    "Don''t bring Misha into this, because your uncle is so worried about his only son."


    Lexus doesn''t want Misha to get involved in Jayden''splicated life-threatening problems, he just wants his son to be a businessman.


    "If he''s so worried, why doesn''t he go make another son?" Jayden grunted. "I didn''t take Misha with me anyway, he''s the one who always follows me."


    "You never asked him at all?" Ramon asked in a probing tone.


    "Well, I did invite him once in a while..." Jayden''s correction hastily.


    And after that, their conversation was much lighter and away from bloody topics.


    ====================


    Hailee took Apple for a few hours to the biggest shopping center in City A and Apple could see where Jayden''s extravagance wasing from.


    After nightfall and Apple''s feet were sore, and the bodyguards had turned into porters carrying Hailee''s shopping bags, it wasn''t until Mrs. Tordoff called it a day.


    She looked satisfied at the results of her hunt and asked the bodyguards to bring the items to the car first, while she and Apple would have dinner at a restaurant nearby.


    "Shouldn''t we take Jayden and Mr. Tordoff to eat together?" Apple asked carefully because she didn''t want Hailee to think that she didn''t like eating alone with her.


    "Of course not," Hailee replied, tossing her long hair. She looked beautiful even in her old age. People would see the two of them as sisters, rather than people from two different generations. "There are many things they will talk about, and there are also many things I want to talk to you about."


    Hailee''s smile was so sweet and genuine, looking harmless, but the words she just said really made Apple speechless. How could she talk so honestly with such a calm face?


    "You don''t need to be nervous, I won''t interrogate you," Haileeughed softly, waving her hand lightly. "So when was the first time you met Jayden?" Hailee asked then.


    And now, Apple could see where Jayden got hisplicated personality. Didn''t Hailee just say that she wasn''t going to interrogate her?


    But, then the next question is an interrogation, right?


    "That¡­" Apple looked around her. There were two bodyguards standing guard by their table, enjoying coffee while looking around, while the other four bodyguards returned to the car to put their bags away.


    Apple felt awkward when she was the one who had to be guarded by the bodyguards, when she was used to being in their position.


    "Just say it, don''t be shy," Hailee said, urging Apple and it sounded like a real interrogation.


    "Actually I met Jayden while he was in the hospital¡­" Apple then recounted the facts, but of course she missed the part where she put a gun to Jayden''s head.


    She didn''t want to mess with Mrs. Tordoff just by narrating a story.


    Then the story rolled to where Apple helped Jayden find evidence against the Gevano family''s crimes and also during thest party, where ehe stole important data from thepany.


    "Wow! You guys look great together," Hailee said, her eyes twinkling with pride while Apple felt there was nothing to brag about. "I guess that''s what made Jayden fall in love with you."


    Apple grimaced when she heard that. "Actually¡­ Jayden can''t be said to be in love with me¡­" Apple admitted in a low voice, she looked embarrassed when she exined what Jayden had actually told her.


    Apple then exined how calctive Jayden was when he said he wanted her to be his girlfriend and exined how he feltfortable with her because he didn''t have to tell about his problems and the trauma he was going through to other people, because Apple already knew about this and helped him too.


    "Doesn''t that sound like apromise?" Apple said at the end of the story.


    However, Hailee actuallyughed when she had finished hearing Apple''s exnation of how her son had expressed his feelings.


    "I think that''s typical of men in the Tordoff family," Hailee said.

 Chapter 507 KIDNAPPED

    <h4>Chapter 507 KIDNAPPED</h4>


    Hailee listened intently to what Apple had to say about how her son confessed his feelings and found the method very funny as it brought back memories of how she and Ramon got married.


    Wasn''t even Ramon full of calctions then? He even openly said that he was after her family''spany.


    Of course at that time Hailee did not mind it, she was in a very difficult and unimaginable situation, and moreover she also did not have the experience to manage apany.


    So, having Ramon willing to help her, look after her and run herpany, what else should Hailee consider?


    Maybe at that time Ramon thought that he had benefited by marrying Hailee, even though it was actually Hailee who felt that way.


    Ramon is full of calctions, just like what Jayden did to Apple.


    Hailee never thought that her son would inherit talent from his father. Why did he have to pass down such a strange trait? Hailee had no idea.


    "Doesn''t that sound like apromise?" Apple said at the end of the story.


    However, Hailee actuallyughed when she had finished hearing Apple''s exnation of how her son had expressed his feelings.


    "I think that''s typical of men in the Tordoff family," Hailee said. "They usually start a rtionship with a calctive attitude."


    Apple frowned when she saw Haileeughing, she didn''t understand why Mrs. Tordoff found this to be amusing. Did she not look serious when she said this?


    "I don''t understand his way of thinking."


    Hailee then reached out and grabbed Apple''s hand and smiled very sweetly at the confused girl.


    "I think even they themselves find it difficult to know about themselves. Even after decades of being married to Ramon, I still don''t understand his way of thinking. But, sometimes surprises are good for a rtionship right?"


    Apple couldn''t find any words to respond to this.


    "I started a rtionship with Ramon starting from his calctive attitude." Even now, Hailee still had their marriage contract which the two of them signed first and would tease him asionally. "But believe me, you can count on the Tordoff men. When they''ve decided on something, they''ll really do it. Give Jayden a chance and you can judge for yourself."


    However, Apple caught one sentence in Hailee''s words that made her curious. "You also started a rtionship in that kind of situation?"


    Hailee''s eyes lit up brightly when she saw how curious Apple was. "Would you like to hear my story?" she asked.


    Apple grimaced and said shyly. "If you do not mind."


    And in the end Hailee told the things that happened between the two of them and this really became an eye opener for Apple, where she didn''t think that a rtionship that started in an unusual way, could continue for decades...


    Isn''t that so incredible and hard to believe? If Hailee hadn''t said it so directly as now, Apple probably wouldn''t have believed that such a rtionship would work.


    ======================


    In the end, an exhausted Apple fell asleep in the car while Hailee drove her home, but it seemed Mrs. Tordoff had other ns.


    "Apple? She''s not with me," Jayden said when he received a call from Pyro saying that Apple wasn''t home. "He was shopping with my mom and I think she brought her home."


    "No, Apple hasn''te home at all."


    "Didn''t you try to call my mother?"


    "I''ve tried but the calls are always being diverted," Pyro replied.


    At this point Jayden sensed that something was not right. He knew her mother very well and she could be very unreasonable at times.


    "I''ll find out about it, I''ll let you know once I know of her whereabouts." After hearing Pyro say he would wait to hear from Jayden, they ended the conversation.


    Pyro may not be the perfect dad, but he is one of those panicky daddies, and this time he says he will report missing Apple if they don''t find her by morning.


    After hanging up the call, Jayden then called his mother and it took a while for Hailee to pick up the call.


    "Mom, where did you hide Apple?" Jayden asked, even without further ado, for he knew very well what his mother was doing.


    Haileeughed when she heard the using tone of her son and then waved her hand lightly.


    "Don''t worry, she''s safe at home."


    Jayden frowned and asked again in more detail. "Whose house are you referring to here?"


    "The Tordoffs'' home," Hailee cheerfully replied and Jayden facepalmed himself. He had expected this to happen.


    "Mom, you just kidnapped her and Pyro is really freaking out right now," Jayden grumbled. "He almost called the police to report his daughter''s abduction."


    Hailee grumbled back at him. "Apple came to this house without coercion."


    On the other hand, Jayden really doubted that statement. His mother is very good at using and ying with her choice of words, so you don''t feel forced, but willing to follow her wishes.


    "Mom, I''ve known you long enough to know it''s not true."


    "Jayden Tordoff, I''ve known you long enough to say that you just hurt my feelings," Hailee said in a voice that sounded like she was hurt by Jayden''s words.


    Hearing that, Jayden couldn''t help but sigh. "Can I talk to her?"


    "Apple is asleep," Hailee replied.


    "I''m going home now."


    And now Hailee''s voice had changed to a more cheerful one in just a matter of seconds. "I guessed you would say that."


    After that, Jayden hung up the phone and got rid of all the paperwork he had toplete. He was nning to sleep in the office, but it didn''t seem like a good n now.


    Jayden knew why his mother brought Apple home. She wanted to talk to him face to face.


    One of the reasons why Jayden chose to sleep in the office tonight was because he wanted to avoid his mother''s interrogation.


    Only, his mother was already two steps ahead of him.

 Chapter 508 ELOPED

    <h4>Chapter 508 ELOPED</h4>


    Jayden reached the Tordoff''s residence in less than thirty minutes and immediately handed the car keys to the valet there to park the car because he was in a hurry to meet his mother.


    Previously, Jayden had contacted Pyro and said that Apple was fine and that his mother had ''kidnapped'' his daughter.


    Of course Pyro had known Hailee long enough to notice his mother''s strange attitude and could only sigh.


    "Then why is her phone switched off?" It was the first question Pyro asked when he found out where Apple and his daughter''s cell phone could not be reached.


    ording to what Jayden said, Hailee told him that Apple''s phone was low and the girl was so tired that she probably forgot to turn her phone back on or even forgot to charge it.


    Whatever the reason, at least Apple isn''t in trouble.


    Well, being at the Tordoff residence with his mother in charge there, it couldn''t be said that you werepletely out of trouble¡­


    After that, Jayden entered the house and found his mother waiting for him with his favorite dish, which made his heart melt.


    Jayden was annoyed, but when he saw his favorite food cooked directly by his mother, the needs of his stomach overcame the needs of his ego.


    Ugh! Her mother always knew how to get out of difficult situations, especially when dealing with her husband and children.


    "This isn''t fair," Jayden grumbled as he took the deep-fried prawn pieces onto his own te, he didn''t even wait long to gobble down the dish.


    "What''s not fair? I cook my beloved son''s favorite dish," Hailee defended herself.


    "Beloved son?" Jayden sneered. "You only have one son and have no other choice."


    "I have Misha."


    "He''s not your son."


    "I already think of him as my son."


    "Then just annoy him."


    "Ah, that¡­" Hailee slumped onto the chair next to Jayden. "He''s not interesting to tease."


    "So, I''m interesting?" Jayden devoured the prawns while looking at his mother fiercely. "That''s why you keep bothering me," he stated the truth.


    "Because I love you, silly," Hailee said, she then leaned in to kiss her son''s cheek andughed at Jayden''s expression.


    Out there, people would look at Ramon with eyes full of fear, if you were on his bad side, or stare at him respectfully.


    Or think Jayden looked easy going, but could be very serious and dangerous in just one second, he was able to change the expression on his face to be very scary when facing his business opponents.


    It''s just that, in this house, in front of Mrs. Tordoff, these two wonderful men were just a sweet husband and son.


    Hailee was more than capable of handling the father and son duo.


    "What''s with your finger?" Hailee just realized that Jayden''s finger was bandaged and frowned in confusion. "Are you fighting?"


    "Not. It''s a bite mark," Jayden mumbled, not exining further. His father was too cold to ask what the wound was when he had clearly seen it, but his mother was certainly different.


    "What bite?" Hailee wouldn''t stop asking questions until she got a satisfactory answer.


    "It is nothing¡­"


    Jayden nced at Hailee out of the corner of his eye and he recognized the mischievous look.


    "It''s nothing¡­" Hailee repeated in a probing tone and a smile formed on her lips which gave Jayden a bad feeling.


    =======================


    Apple woke up early this morning and realized that she wasn''t in her own room, and when all the memories ofst night''s events shed back into her mind at once, it left her wincing.


    Ugh! Mrs. Tordoff sure knew how to persuade someone and Apple was too tired to confront her after a long day of roaming around.


    Somehow shopping with Mrs. Tordoff was far more grueling than all of her missions with Jayden.


    Maybe because apart from being physically tired, Apple was also tired mentally because she felt intimidated by Mrs. Tordoff.


    After rubbing her face roughly to get rid of her sleepiness, Apple immediately got off the bed and prepared to leave the room. Her throat felt dry. She was very thirsty.


    However, once outside the room, she was confused to find a kitchen in a house this big, so she ended up wandering around the house until someone''s voice startled her.


    "Are you touring around the house so early in the morning?" Jayden asked from behind her.


    His shocking voice startled Apple so much that she almost screamed.


    It was still dark, but the sky was slowly starting to lighten and maybe because Apple was still sleepy, she didn''t hear Jayden''s footsteps following her.


    "Don''t startle me, I thought you were a ghost," Apple grumbled, looking up at Jayden who was approaching her.


    He lookedzy and sleepy in his white t-shirt and sweatpants, as if he had just woken up.


    "Is there anything I can help you with?" he asked with azy smile at the corners of his lips.


    "I would be very grateful to you if you could give me a drink."


    "Of course, love, I''d give you anything, not just a drink."


    Apple rolled her eyes when he heard those words and was slightly surprised when Jayden took her hand.


    "We don''t need to hold hands like this, right?" Apple tried to pull her hand away, but Jayden''s grip tightened.


    "Of course this is necessary, I don''t want you to get lost," he teased.


    Apple then grumbled something that was not clear in response to this very cheesy bullshit. "What are you doing so early?"


    Jayden rolled his eyes at Apple. "Actually I''m not used to getting up early, but it seems we have a strong rtionship, so we wake up at the same time."


    "You make it sound awful."


    Jaydenughed when he heard this. "You should be grateful that I''m here, because I was trying to save you from my mother."


    "Why is that?"


    "Oh, if you thought yesterday''s interrogation was over, you must have underestimated Mrs. Tordoff. My mom will schedule an activity that the two of you can do for the next week. And I''m here to elope with you."


    Apple grimaced when she heard this. "I won''t thank you for thetter."

 Chapter 509 SCREWING MISHA’S MORNING

    <h4>Chapter 509 SCREWING MISHA''S MORNING</h4>


    "What is it?" Ramon asked when he found his wife grumbling and in a bad mood when she just woke up. "Are you okay?" he asked.


    Ramon immediately sat up straight and pulled Hailee close to him and hugged his wife''s irritated self.


    "Is something upsetting you?" Ramon asked again, his voice very soft, something that Ramon always did whenever he talked to Hailee. Not once would he raise his voice at his wife.


    "Yes," Hailee replied with a grunt.


    Instantly Ramon''s sleepiness disappeared and he looked more serious. "Who pissed you off?" he asked.


    "Your son," Hailee replied in a sulky voice, she lifted her head from Ramon''s shoulder and looked at her husband sullenly. "He took my future daughter- in-w away. I wanted to cook a nice breakfast for her."


    Hearing that answer, Ramon was at a loss for words, he didn''t know how to respond.


    Well, that seems like a really big problem¡­


    =======================


    "Are you sure it''s all right?" Apple asked worriedly as they were now on the main road looking for a restaurant that was open this early to get their breakfast. "I didn''t even say goodbye to your mom and dad before I left."


    "If you say goodbye to my mother, you won''t be able to get out of the Tordoff residence, believe me. I know my mother very well." Jayden looked to his left and found a small restaurant there. "You want to eat there?" he asked.


    Apple followed Jayden''s gaze and saw the restaurant the man was pointing at. "I am so hungry and I am ready to eat anything now."


    Jayden smirked when he heard this and immediately turned the car to go to the restaurant.


    "But I still feel bad for leaving your house in such a situation," Apple mumbled and then felt Jayden''s hand gently ruffle her hair.


    "You don''t have to feel that way," Jayden replied. "My mother will know that I was the one throwing the tantrum."


    "And you are okay with that?"


    "Well, I''ve been throwing tantrums since I was a kid, I guess my mom is used to it." Jayden shrugged his shoulders nonchntly. He smirked briefly at Apple. "No need to think about that problem, how about we think about what we can get in this small restaurant, to be honest I''m also starving."


    "They certainly didn''t expect that their restaurant would be visited by the infamous Jayden Tordoff this morning," Applemented then.


    Who doesn''t know Jayden Tordoff? He and his father were two of the most coveted men in their youth.


    Well, of course Misha would alwayse second in this unreasonable assessment. But, still, they were the Tordoffs. The most respected family in this elite city A.


    "Jayden Tordoff and his wife," Jayden corrected. He liked teasing Apple and seeing how their cheeks would start turning red, whether it was from anger or embarrassment.


    Maybe that''s why she''s called Apple.


    "I''m not your wife," Apple said curtly. "So stop saying that."


    "My future wife, then." Jayden still didn''t want to give in to this ridiculous debate.


    "I''m not your future wife."


    "My darling?"


    "I''m not your lover."


    "My sweetheart?"


    Apple red at the statement and Jaydenughed happily. "Just tell me what you want to call this rtionship, then I''ll agree, because whatever name you say, you''ll end up being my bride."


    "You''re too confident to say that," Apple grumbled in an annoyed voice.


    "That is one of my charms." Jayden nced at her and found Apple rolling her eyes when she saw him do this.


    ======================


    Misha frowned as he kept getting calls from foreign numbers he didn''t recognize.


    At first he wanted to let the call go and thought it would stop there, but as time passed, the calls didn''t stop and since it was a private and important number, he couldn''t just turn off the phone.


    In the end, after the fourth call, he thought that this was really important and that it wasn''t just anyone who knew this number.


    "Who''s this?" Misha asked finally when he picked up the call and suddenly Jayden''s voice came from the other side of the line.


    "Misha, my cousin, I need your help," Jayden said in a panicked voice.


    It was rare to hear for someone like Jaden to speak in such a panic and of course this put Misha on alert.


    "What happened?" Misha asked in a serious voice. He thought that his cousin was in some serious trouble again and was trapped somewhere.


    Even if Misha wanted to think more clearly, that possibility was almost impossible. Isn''t it too early to make a fuss? However, Jayden was an unpredictable character, so anything could happen to him.


    And Jayden''s next answer made the man nearly throw his phone across the room.


    "Come here quickly, I don''t have money to pay for my and Apple''s food," Jayden said in a very serious voice.


    Damn! Misha felt that he was going to kill someone right now just to make his stupid cousin give a reasonable exnation as to how he could go to a restaurant without bringing any money?


    What was he doing in the morning like this, going out and looking for a restaurant? Were there not enough chefs in his house to fulfill his appetite?


    Misha knew that Jayden could be very random, but not like this¡­


    "Hello? Hello? Misha? My cousin? Are you still there?" Jayden called from the other end of the line.


    Misha took a breath and it sounded very clear over the phone.


    "Okay, I understand you need some time to cool off, you can take as much time as you want after youe here and pay for my food okay," Jayden said quickly, knowing he had screwed up his cousin''s morning.


    "I almost got everyone to look for you because I thought you were kidnapped again," Misha growled.


    "Well, I am sorry for not meeting your expectations, but my problem this time is not that big, don''t worry."

 Chapter 510 JUST IN CASE THEY FORGOT ABOUT ME

    <h4>Chapter 510 JUST IN CASE THEY FORGOT ABOUT ME</h4>


    "You really embarrass me," Apple grumbled. "How could you forget your cell phone as well as your wallet?"


    "You forgot all that too, didn''t you?" Jayden replied to the girl beside him who seemed to be grumbling.


    Jayden only realized that he forgot everything after they were almost done eating and were about to pay for their food, but it turned out that after Jayden checked his jacket, not only was his wallet that he didn''t bring, but also his cellphone.


    "You asked me to leave immediately, I forgot that I put my cell phone and wallet by the bed, I thought they were all in my bag," Apple said with a frown on her face.


    "So am I," Jayden replied, not wanting to lose.


    "If you want to invite me to elope, you should be more prepared than this," Apple replied again.


    And their little bickering continued until Misha came and saved them both from bing the main attraction of some embarrassing headlines.


    Even when Misha got there, they were both still busy defending themselves and didn''t notice his presence.


    "Do you guys want to keep fighting or do I have toe backter after you guys are done?" Mischa asked as he sat down beside Jayden and called a waitress to make him a cup of hot, bitter ck coffee. He needed this if he had to start the day like this.


    "He took me away from the house and made me leave my wallet and cell phone in my room. I want to take them back."


    "I''ll have someone deliver them to the office."


    "I want to go home," Apple replied.


    "But, I need you at the office."


    "What do you need from me?"


    "You forgot about this?" Jayden showed his finger which was still wrapped in the bandage and Misha rolled his eyes at Jayden''s childish behavior.


    If only he opened the bandage, it was certain that there were no more wounds there, maybe it would leave a scar, but of course it wouldn''t interfere with his performance at work. What fool would believe that?


    And sure enough, Apple flicked Jayden''s finger that he pointed out earlier and red at him.


    "It doesn''t even hurt at all," she protested. "Don''t act spoiled."


    "Are you guys really going into this rtionship?" Misha asked. "I am already very tired just to see the two of you fighting."


    "Of course, that''s the essence of a rtionship," Jayden replied with a grin.


    "I don''t have any rtionship with him," Apple denied in annoyance.


    But, Jayden just shrugged his shoulders and said in a very confident voice. "You can deny as much as you like honey, but time will tell that I''ll be the one walking the aisle with you."


    "You could be the flower boy in my wedding," Apple replied fiercely and this made Jayden frown while Misha closed his eyes. He wished he wasn''t here right now and listening to this senseless bickering.


    "If I were the flower boy at your wedding, then I would put tacks instead of flowers," Jayden said cruelly.


    "Great," Mishamented. "You can start killing each other now."


    Misha had enough of dealing with these two humans. He felt like a nanny looking after two big babies now.


    =======================


    "What exactly am I supposed to do here?" Apple asked irritably as she stared at the pile of documents in front of her.


    "You can read that document," Jayden said, pointing to a document on the table between them and this annoyed Apple even more. Why did she have to read those documents when Jayden could do it himself?


    "Don''t act spoiled, you only hurt one finger, you didn''t lose both your hands and your ability to read," Apple grumbled. She then dismissed the documents that Jayden showed her. "You can read this document on your own without any help from me."


    "But I want to hear your voice," Jayden said unabashedly. He said it as if it was a natural thing.


    "You''re crazy," Apple growled. She refused to read the document. She had read dozens of documents in the past two hours and she didn''t want to read something she didn''t understand anymore.


    Hearing those words, Jayden justughed and smirked. "I''ve heard someone say that to me dozens of times, but when you say it, it sounds really sweet."


    Apple was at a loss for words to reply to this statement. She couldn''t help but shake her head at Jayden''s attitude which seemed very unreasonable to her. What did he mean by saying that? He likes being called crazy by her?


    "I''m hungry," said Apple. "I''m going out for lunch."


    "Why didn''t you invite me?"


    "Because I don''t want to go with you," Apple replied lightly. She meant it, but Jayden turned off hisputer and walked over to her. "Didn''t I tell you I didn''t want to go with you?"


    "I didn''t say I would go with you, but for your information, I''m human too and I need to eat," he answered simply.


    Apple could only grimace when she heard that and didn''t think further when she walked out of his office.


    However, when she realized that Jayden kept following her to the caf¨¦ across hispany building, she knew what kind of game that this man was ying right now.


    "Stop following me," Apple grumbled.


    "So what?" Jayden this time looked at Apple with innocent eyes. "I''m not following you, I want to have lunch at the cafe." Jayden nodded toward the cafe Apple was about to enter.


    "You don''t leave yourpany without your bodyguards and without covering your face." Apple pointed to Jayden''s appearance that was too ''eye catching''.


    The only reason people didn''t swarm him was because they couldn''t believe that the infamous Jayden Tordoff was strolling casually across the street, with a simple girl beside him, wearing only his in white shirt which looked a little messy.


    "I want people to see my face, just in case they will forget my handsome face."


    Apple growled at him. "How could people forget it when your face was so clearly stered on such a big banner?!" Apple pointed to a portrait of Jayden''s face along the way.

 Chapter 511 HYPOCRITICAL

    <h4>Chapter 511 HYPOCRITICAL</h4>


    "I want people to see my face, just in case they will forget my handsome face," Jayden said with his handsome arrogant face, but this time Apple was more immune to the charm he exuded.


    "How could people forget it when your face was so clearly stered on such a big banner?!" Apple pointed to a veryrge portrait of Jayden''s face on an electric banner beside thepany''s building, along the street.


    Not to mention his interviews to several media outlets regarding the discussion of the economy and matters surrounding these heavy topics.


    In short, it is impossible for people to forget his handsome face to the point of needing him to show himself in person in public.


    "Well," Jayden said in a low voice. "Those photos don''t even look like or even close to my real self."


    Jayden then grabbed Apple''s hand and held it as they were about to cross the street, he also positioned himself on the outskirts of the road as they walked down the sidewalk.


    And all these things Jayden did without him knowing it, because that''s how he usually does when he walks with his older sister, Alina, and also his mother.


    He was taught to be a gentleman, but sometimes his demeanor could change a hundred and eighty degrees and make anyone shake their head.


    Not to mention when his emotions ran unstable. He could show a hundred facial expressions and moods alternately in a short time.


    "You are a narcissist," Apple said quietly, but she didn''t shake off Jayden''s tight grip, because she knew it would only cause unnecessary fuss.


    "I am not a narcissist," Jayden defended. "I am an optimist."


    "Whatever," Apple mumbled and finally they both entered the cafe that Apple really wanted to go to.


    When Apple worked for Jayden to rece her father as this man''s personal bodyguard, she often had her lunch here, when Jayden wasn''t going anywhere or forced her to have lunch with him.


    And her favorite spot is the sofa in the corner of the room, near the big window, where she could see the street directly from there.


    "You said you were not following me?" Apple scolded when she saw Jayden sitting across from her.


    "I am not following you, I really want to sit here."


    "In this cafe, in this seat? How can it be so coincidental that our thoughts are the same?" Apple asked sarcastically, but Jayden only replied lightly.


    "Maybe it''s a sign that we are a match from heaven."


    Apple rolled her eyes when she heard that, but she didn''tin again after that, because she knew she wouldn''t win any argument with this man in front of her.


    And once the food had been ordered, the two of them fell silent. Well, Apple was silent, while Jayden yed his boring game on his phone.


    Seeing this, Apple was silent but since nothing caught her attention from the streets out there, she ended up paying attention to the game Jayden was ying.


    It''s a very outdated game. A game of snakes where the snakes have to eat their food which will eventually make their bodies elongate.


    She didn''t know why Jayden really likes this game.


    "Ah!" they both screamed as the game Jayden was ying showed the words game over on the screen.


    "You want to try ying it?" Jayden asked Apple, but the girl turned him down and turned her attention elsewhere.


    "Of course not, it''s a very outdated game," Apple said.


    "But, I am sure you won''t be able to win this."


    Apple then turned her attention back to Jayden and asked. "There are thousands of games far more sophisticated than this, but why do you keep ying this game?"


    Apple frowned in confusion.


    "Because there''s a score I need to pass." Jayden then showed the highest score of the game. There was a name written on it and he was in second ce. "I don''t like being in second ce."


    Apple grimaced when she heard that. "You are upset because there is someone else better than you ying this game?"


    "Yes," he answered lightly.


    If Apple didn''t know Jayden well, of course she would have judged Jayden as shallow and with strange ambitions. It''s just that this is a part of Jayden that not many others know about.


    And actually,e to think of it, he seemed sweet and adorable to have such a simple motivation in ying the game.


    "I couldn''t find the right words and reactions after hearing that answer."


    But, before the small talk which tended to be nonsensical could continue further, there was amotion from the main entrance of the cafe and the two of them saw about four young men holding guns, pointing at the cashier there.


    But then, the other three targeted guests who visited this restaurant.


    "Is this a robbery?" Jayden asked, frowning.


    "If not, what do you think this is?"


    "Oh, it''s my first time witnessing a robbery in person." Apple stomped on Jayden''s foot and made the man wince. "What?"


    "This is not the time to be amazed," Apple mumbled. She red fiercely at Jayden, could this guy be a little more serious?


    "Hey! You guys over there! Take out your money and your valuables!" one of the men cried. They were all wearing masks, so it was difficult to recognize their faces.


    But based on their posture and voice, they were at least in their early twenties orte twenties.


    Hearing this, Jayden put his wallet on the table, while Apple put some cash only, because that was all she brought, while the rest of her belongings were in Jayden''s office.


    Apple nced at Jayden, he didn''t look scared at all, he just looked bored, as if this whole robbery was a waste of time.


    One of the robbers took things on the table, but when he saw Apple''s face, he paused andmented lewdly at Apple.


    "You look beautiful, how about you spend the night with us?"

 Chapter 512 APOLOGIZE

    <h4>Chapter 512 APOLOGIZE</h4>


    Jayden had no idea that his luck had really run out and he''d have to endure a robbery at noon like this.


    This made no sense, especially to him, because he was used to taking things far more seriously than this. If only he had left after notifying his bodyguards, they would have solved this trivial matter, without even Jayden having to worry at all.


    But, sadly, he left all his bodyguards in the office, because he was in such a hurry to catch up with Apple and it never urred to him that he would experience this kind of ridiculous incident.


    Jayden didn''t want to make things worse, because he wanted this to end soon and he and Apple got their lunch.


    However, the robbers didn''t make things any easier for them and only made things worse.


    One of the four robbers in the cafe came over to Apple and Jayden''s table, picking up their belongings that had been lying on the table.


    But instead of grabbing the items quickly, he made ament that woke Jayden''s dark side.


    Well, despite his sometimes childish and goofy nature, he is still a Tordoff who has done countless worse things than this.


    So, when the robber made ament on Apple, it was the time that he had signed to his doom.


    "You so look beautiful, how about you spend the night with us?" the robber said. His mask twitched slightly around his lips, which Jayden assumed this jerk was throwing an obscene grin at Apple and Jayden''s eyes darkened in an instant.


    It happened so fast that before even Apple could stand up for herself, which she was more than capable of doing, and before the robber could understand what was really going on, Jayden had taken the gun out of his hand and pressed his head against the table.


    It all happened so fast, a second ago the robber was staring at Apple with dirty thoughts in his head, but the next second, his head had hit a hard table and made the world dark for a moment, before finally the pain hit him very strongly.


    The other three robbers who heard the screams of pain from theirrade, immediately turned their heads and found Jayden had pointed the gun he had snatched earlier and fired a bullet at them.


    The first bullet went through the mugger''s hand, causing him to let go of the gun in his hand, the second bullet pierced the other robber''s thigh, causing him to bend his knees and groan in pain, while thest mugger got a bullet lodged right in his shoulder.


    Jayden did all that with a cold face; he didn''t even flinch as he fired the three bullets, precisely hitting his targets, one by one.


    It was not just the customers at the cafe who were shocked by how Jayden turned the tables around and got the upper hand from the robbers, but so was Apple.


    The girl was surprised by Jayden''s sudden change in mood. Just a moment ago, he looked bored because he was being ''robbed'' and looked like he wanted all this drama to end, but the next second he looked very cold and showed his cruel side, shooting them all without any consideration.


    He didn''t look remorseful or even frown, and to be honest, for a moment, Apple was afraid of Jayden. He looked like a cold blooded killer.


    "Jayden," Apple called carefully, she was much more afraid of the current Jayden than the four armed robbers.


    "Are you okay?" Jayden asked in a rigid tone.


    "Mm, I ampletely fine here." Apple did not know how to respond to the question. She satfortably in her chair, watching Jayden''s shooting, but this man was really worried about her condition. "I amfortable in my seat."


    Well, that kind of sweet actually¡­


    After hearing that and confirming that the robbers were no longer holding their guns, Jayden refocused his attention on the man on the floor, whose gun he had snatched for making inappropriatements on Apple.


    "What did you say?" Jayden asked him. His voice sounded much deeper and more dangerous as he spoke to the robber, his eyes twinkling horribly, as if enjoying this torture and this made Apple wary.


    Not wary of the robbers, but of what Jayden might do. Because he could just do a reckless thing and make this situation even more messy than it should be.


    Well, Apple had witnessed Jayden do some crazy things, so she wouldn''t be surprised if he did it again.


    "You said if she could apany you tonight?" Jayden repeated the man''s words, pointing a gun to his head.


    But, out of the corner of his eye he could see one of the robbers trying to escape. Jayden then fired a bullet right beside his hand that was about to reach for the door.


    "I will shoot anyone who goes through that door," he growled angrily because his time to talk to the robber before him was interrupted.


    At this point, the robbers felt that they were the ones being robbed.


    "I am sorry for thement, I am sorry, I did not mean to say it," the man said, sobbing.


    On the other hand, the corner of Apple''s lips twitched. How could things turn out like this?


    However, Apple caught a glimpse of the malicious intention in Jayden''s eyes, when he pressed the gun to the side of the man''s head.


    "Sorry?" Jayden said in a scornful voice. He smiled, enjoying the fear the man was showing. "You said you wanted my girl to apany you and you are apologizing now for saying that? There is a reason why people should think first before they speak."


    And that was when Apple knew what Jayden was going to do and it was the worst thing she could ever imagine would happen.


    So, without thinking, out of instinct, Apple rushed toward them.


    Shit! This man has truly lost his mind!

 Chapter 513 YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL

    <h4>Chapter 513 YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL</h4>


    Somehow, Apple could see the ill will that shed in Jayden''s eyes before something worse happened.


    Therefore, out of instinct, Apple rushed toward them and snatched the gun that was in Jayden''s hand quickly.


    But, at the same time, Jayden also fired his bullets so that if Apple was even a secondte, it was certain that the bullet would pierce the man''s head and somehow get lodged in some part of his body.


    It was a terrible thing and Apple had no idea Jayden was capable of such a thing.


    Apple knew that Jayden, at times cane across as a brutal man and as if born a heartless person, he had even done a lot of bad things that Apple believed were far worse than what she had heard so far.


    But, those people are bad people and they deserve it.


    Only, the robbers do not mean this is necessarily different. This man had indeed said condescending things towards Apple, and he himself would have been happy to give two or three punches and kicks to the face.


    However, not to the point that you want to kill him by blowing his head off. It was terrible.


    "Jayden!" Apple rebuked Jayden, his tone firm and his face serious as he called out to the man. "Stop this," she hissed at him.


    Luckily, the bullet that Jayden shot went slightly off the man''s head, which is why he''s still alive today, but he''s pissed himself. Had Apple not acted quickly, this robbery would have ended up being a murder.


    "Are you crazy?!" Apple scolded him in a low tone and could see that everyone was crouching down, covering their heads, terrified that the bullets would stray and aim at them.


    But, Jayden didn''t seem to really care about any of that, he just stood looking at Apple with emotionless eyes for a while, before he finally took his phone out of his trouser pocket and made a call.


    Apple then took the gun Jayden was holding and put it out of reach, he took a deep breath when he realized how nervous he was.


    Meanwhile, the man who was nearly shot by Jayden could only sit on the wet floor and Apple frowned at the sight.


    =====================


    What happened that afternoon was aplete shock, but after Misha arrived and some police took care of everything that was going on there, it could be said that everything was back to normal again and so was Jayden.


    The man returned to his easy going nature and even teased Misha who threatened to report this to Ramon, after hearing what Apple had to say to him.


    "You don''t have to kill him, do you?" Misha asked with a serious face, crossing her arms in front of her chest.


    "Well, I wouldn''t have killed him if he hadn''t said that." Jayden didn''t feel at all guilty that he had done that, butter admitted that he had gone too far. "Yeah, I shouldn''t have killed him right away, and I should have kidnapped him and ''yed'' with him first."


    "Jayden!" Apple looked annoyed when he heard Jayden''sment, his eyes widened when he gave the warning, but Jayden just grabbed his hand and led him away from Misha.


    "I am hungry, let''s go find lunch, we haven''t had lunch at all." Jayden sulked at Apple, not letting go of his hand at all, but this time, he took Apple in the car and asked the driver to get out of there immediately, leaving Misha standing alone to take care of Jayden''s mess.


    "You left Misha alone," Apple stated the facts.


    "Leave him alone, he likes this job."


    "Huh?" Apple frowned. What kind of answer is that?


    "This time we will have lunch at the restaurant I chose and make sure it is free from robbery."


    Hearing that and how Jayden was acting, Apple knew it would be pointless to argue with him. "Whatever."


    And throughout the trip Jayden continued to tease Apple while the girl hissed at him over and over again to stop.


    "But, your face turns red every time I say you are beautiful," Jayden said in a cheerful voice. "Look, you look cute." Jayden nudged her cheek and Apple swatted his hand away from her.


    "I am not blushing, it''s because of the hot midday sun."


    "But we were in the car and the sun is not even by your side."


    Apple: "¡­"


    =====================


    Apple thought that the incident in the restaurant would end quickly and would leave nothing to worry about, but he was wrong.


    The big name Jayden Tordoff is certainly hard to ignore.


    It didn''t take long for the media crew to catch this news and start broadcasting it on several channels and surprised Apple.


    Apple just finished finishing some paperwork with the pretense of helping Jayden, although he didn''t know what to help this man with, because Jayden looked perfectly healthy and capable of doing everything alone in Apple''s eyes.


    And while Apple was waiting for Jayden to receive a business call on his desk before they left the office, he scrolled through the news online and came across a recent article saying that Jayden Tordoff was dating a woman when a robbery urred at a cafe they were both in. visit.


    Apple quickly went to Jayden''s side and showed him the article, shoving it right under Jayden''s nose while he was talking to the person on the other end of the line.


    Jayden read it and saw a photo of the two of them, but he wasn''t bothered by it at all and continued his conversation casually.


    Apple waited for Jayden to finish speaking and hung up on hisint.


    "They caught a photo of the two of us and now we''re in a gossip article."


    "Then?"


    "There''s a photo of the two of us in there," Apple repeated what he said.


    "Of course it''s a photo of the two of us. You look beautiful in that photo."

 Chapter 514 SHE DIDN’T NEED TO ASK

    <h4>Chapter 514 SHE DIDN''T NEED TO ASK</h4>


    Apple did not expect that this afternoon''s incident at the restaurant would actually get the attention of the mass media and instead their main focus was not on the fact that Apple and Jayden had just experienced a robbery incident in the cafe, but on the fact that they were both together.


    Of course, before this Apple had been caught on camera several times when she was still working as a bodyguard protecting Jayden to rece her ailing father, but that was certainly different from the photos that were scattered in the media today.


    They reported it as if the two of them were on a date and the fact that there were no other bodyguards around drove their assumptions crazy.


    They began to say that the rtionship between Apple and Jayden had been going on for a long time and this was not the first time they were out on a date.


    It was just that today they were unlucky and a robbery urred at the cafe where they went to date.


    "They took a photo of the two of us and now we''re in a gossip article." Apple looked annoyed when she approached Jayden about this.


    "Then?" Jayden looked indifferent when he heard the question. He didn''t look surprised at all, which made Apple suspect that this man actually knew what was really going on in the media.


    "There''s a photo of the two of us out there, spreading like crazy," Apple repeated what she said. She was annoyed that Jayden''s response did not reflect her own annoyance at all.


    Jayden nced over and smirked, before he turned his attention back to the document in his hands. "Of course it''s a photo of the two of us. You look beautiful in that photo."


    Beautiful my a**! Apple cursed inwardly. She knew she was beautiful, but she wasn''t in the mood to hear that kind ofpliment from Jayden right now. She wanted this man to see the trouble that was before their eyes.


    However, Jayden didn''t think it was a problem...


    Annoyed, Apple scrolled through several news articles and came across a news story from one of the mass media whose contents were quite shocking and infuriating.


    "Look at this!" Apple shouted again while shoving the phone under Jayden''s nose so that he wouldn''t have a choice but see the article Apple was pointing at. "What does this mean?!"


    In the article, it was said that Apple was Jayden Tordoff''s former bodyguard, which is a fact, but it was the next sentence that infuriated Apple.


    There it said that; it''s possible Apple seduced Jayden Tordoff during her stint as bodyguard and created a scandal with him. And not only that, there are some long lines that make absolutely no sense and arepletely bullshit when it says that Jayden just wants to have fun with Apple and the rtionship isn''t serious.


    Not only that, the mass media also looked down on Apple as a woman who had no self-respect and gave herself up to Jayden.


    Of course the next article surprised Apple even more¡­


    This article said that Apple used a connection she has, namely her father, who is none other than Jayden''s personal bodyguard to try to get close to the Tordoff heir.


    "They literally wrote that I was a gold digger in sweet prose," grumbled Apple. She then pulled back her cell phone when she concluded that Jayden had finished reading it. "It''s nice to be you, when all the negativements are thrown at me and you''re pictured here just messing with me, but why am I the one getting the me?" she growled impatiently.


    Apple is really upset about all this news.


    And after her long rant, only then did Apple realize that Jayden didn''t say anything after she pointed out the negative article.


    "Hey, can you hear me?" Apple nudged his shoulder. "Jayden?" she called him.


    "I''ll take care of this," Jayden said coldly. His facial expression once again changed as he said that and then stood up suddenly.


    "What?" Apple asked in bewilderment when she saw the man staring at her with a smile on the corners of his lips. His facial expression again changed a hundred and eighty degrees and now he looked back to his easy going self.


    "Let''s have dinner together," he said cheerfully.


    "No, I don''t want to have dinner with you," Apple refused. "Haven''t you seen the news that is being spread in the mass media? They''re talking about us."


    Shouldn''t it be at a time like this that Jayden should have reduced the chances of the two of them being seen in front of the camera until the news died down?


    But, it seems Jayden has other ideas.


    "Let them talk," Jayden said nonchntly and grabbed Apple''s hand as he ushered her out of his office. "It''s been years since I cared what they said."


    ======================


    Despite Apple''s desire not to have dinner with Jayden, she couldn''t seem to resist the man''s wish.


    Jayden always had a thousand and one ways to get whatever he wanted, therefore, when Apple found herself in a fancy restaurant that looked very expensive with delicious food lined up in front of her, Apple could only shake her head.


    "There''s no need to look sad like that. I''m used to winning arguments, therefore, it''s only natural that I will win this argument too, right?" Jayden winked at her and put some of the food onto the te in front of Apple. "Eat a lot. In a situation like this, you need a lot of strength to fight those reporters."


    Apple red angrily at Jayden and growled softly. "You put me in this position."


    Jayden actuallyughed when he heard this. "I didn''t mean to hide our rtionship."


    "We don''t have any rtionship."


    "Of course there is, you are my girlfriend."


    "I''m not your girlfriend."


    "Fianc¨¦ then?"


    Apple was just about to protest this when she noticed that several people in the corner of the restaurant were taking photos of the two of them.

 Chapter 515 CHEESY PICK UP LINE

    <h4>Chapter 515 CHEESY PICK UP LINE</h4>


    "Jayden, don''t you realize that there are reporters in this restaurant?" Apple whispered in a low voice, but when she saw Jayden''s expression, of course she did not have to ask.


    Jayden was totally aware of the reporters'' attendance here. Therefore, the next question is; what the fuck he mean with this?


    "You nned all this?" Apple asked in disbelief. How could he have nned all of this amidst the rumors about their rtionship circting?


    "I did not n it," Jayden replied, shrugging his shoulders nonchntly. "I just let them do whatever they want. Those are two different things." Jayden quickly defended himself again when he saw Apple about to scold him.


    "You are so petty," Apple grumbled. "What are you doing all this for?" she asked angrily.


    Hearing the question, Jayden actually tilted his head, as if to ask; is that a question? Because the answer is very clear.


    "Because I am serious about this rtionship, and sooner orter, they will find out, so why wait any longer than this when I can bring this rtionship to the public sooner?"


    "Since when did I say that I agree to be in a rtionship with you?" Apple squinted her eyes at him.


    "Well, I am still working on that too," said Jayden. "Look, Apple." Jayden took Apple''s hand and looked deep into her eyes. "Tell me what should I do to make this rtionship work? I will do it."


    "Then answer my question." Apple narrowed her eyes dangerously.


    "Tell me what it is?" Jayden said with an expression that was no less serious.


    "Why did you choose me when you can get any woman you want?" this question kept bother Apple since the first time she took his words seriously.


    "You are right when you say I can get any woman I want." Jayden then raised Apple''s hand and gave a soft kiss on the back of her hand, while the reporters went crazy, capturing every moment that Jayden had with Apple. "But you are the only woman I want."


    Apple looked back into Jayden''s eyes. She then said in a low voice. "Where did you get that dialogue from? From thest movie you saw?"


    "Well." Jayden smirked. "I read a few pick up lines on the inte, but I don''t think it has any effect on you at all¡­"


    Apple wanted to facepalm herself because Jayden admits he got those cheesy words after looking them up on the inte. He is not that smart in this aspect, is he?


    In the end, Appleughed softly and shook her head. "Whatever you read on that website, don''t ever do it again, it makes me cringe."


    Jaydenughed along with Apple. "I feel that way too." Thoseme pick up lines weren''t meant to make Apple flutter and impress, but they were meant to make herugh because Jayden knew this girl would figure it out pretty quickly.


    After all, words like that weren''t Apple''s style at all.


    "So, what are you going to do with them?" Apple asked after hisughter died down. She didn''t think it would be good to discuss these matters here while someone else was documenting them.


    Apple didn''t want to be caught on camera beating up Jayden because her anger couldn''t be contained anymore.


    "Well, we can just act normal, as if nothing happened." Jayden then added, he smiled mischievously. "And make sure you don''t open your mouth wide when you eat."


    Apple was really tempted to stab Jayden with the fork in her hand right now. This man is very hard to predict.


    ======================


    Misha stared at his cell phone screen, his eyes narrowed when he saw the status Jayden had posted on his social media.


    Jayden is not very active in his social media ounts and very rarely finds himself posting a status or publishing anything other than business-rted matters, especially regarding his personal affairs.


    But, this time it was different. He even openly wrote down where he was going tonight and with whom.


    Even though in the midst of news like this, Jayden should have reduced his public appearance together with Apple, but he doesn''t seem to care, even tends to challenge.


    So, it is certain that not long after that, all the news on social media reported about their date night and how romantic their dinner was together.


    "Tsk, what exactly does he want?" Misha clicked his tongue in annoyance. Because in the end, he was the one who would be busy with the aftermath.


    Not only Misha, even Hailee and Ramon got the same news after Lexus told them to check online news which was at the top of the search.


    There was no doubt that it was their son.


    "This is a bad move," Ramon muttered when he saw the news about his son and saw a photo of Jayden and Apple having dinner alone there.


    "Of course not, he did the right thing," Hailee defended when she heard Ramon''sment.


    "How can you say that it''s the right thing? Creating a mess to start a rtionship doesn''t always go well," Ramonmented.


    They were both in their room, at the Tordoff residence.


    While Hailee was sitting on the bed, Ramon had just finished showering and his hair was still wet, with a few drops of water falling onto his broad chest.


    Oh, gosh! Hailee felt like she was a teenager again every time she saw Ramon like this, even decades of marriage still couldn''t bore her with this sight.


    And Ramon knew very well the meaning of Hailee''s expression.


    "We started our rtionship with a bit of a mess, remember?"


    Ramon then walked over to Hailee and sat across from her. "You created the mess."


    "Well, the only mess I have done is iming to be your fianc¨¦," Hailee replied lightly, still not wanting to admit anything.


    Ramonughed softly at that. "Yes, and I am grateful you did." He leaned in and kissed his wife softly on the lips.

 Chapter 516 CONFRONTATION

    <h4>Chapter 516 CONFRONTATION</h4>


    The news of Jayden Tordoff being in a rtionship really made headlines for the next week and it seemed the reporters really weren''t tired of chasing news about the heir to the Tordoff family.


    Not only did they not feel this as some chore, but they all felt curious about what was really going on between the two of them.


    Is it true that their rtionship is just a mere setting or is there something going on between the two of them?


    And Pyro thought the same thing.


    "So?" Pyro prodded one morning when he saw his daughtere out of the room, well-dressed and ready to go for a job interview.


    Yes, Apple couldn''t stay with her dad forever and herst job as Jayden''s personal bodyguard did pay her a lot of money, but that didn''t mean she''d be able tost forever with that money.


    "So, what?" Apple asked back, not understanding, she then took a piece of bread and took a bite while walking to the kitchen to make a cup of tea for herself, because Pyro prefers to take coffee with his breakfast.


    "So, what''s the rtionship between the two of you?" Pyro asked directly, he then lowered his phone and asked Apple directly about this. ording to him, the two of them have made the rtionship between them very ambiguous.


    Jayden indeed said that he wanted a serious rtionship with Apple. He even said it directly to him and assured Pyro that this rtionship was not a casual one.


    At that time, Pyro trusted Jayden a little and had not been as harsh as he used to be when hepletely rejected Jayden''s presence and the rtionship between the two of them went beyond a professional one.


    It was just that Apple didn''t seem to like this kind of rtionship and wasn''t thrilled about being the lover of the Tordoff heir.


    "Couldn''t you have asked something else? I feel like I''m going crazy when everyone starts asking me the same thing over and over again," Appleined, she pouted a little and sighed.


    But, of course Pyro didn''t buy it. He knew his daughter quite well.


    "You don''t have enough friends to ask you about that sort of thing," Pyro retorted, and what he said was true.


    "I have a lot of friends, I just don''t interact with them," Apple replied in an irritated voice.


    "Friends from your motorcycle gang, you mean?" Pyro asked with a sneer. He doesn''t really like Apple''s friends, especially when they sound very noisy and are a bad influence on Apple.


    If not for Apple herself saying that she would keep her distance from them and proving it time and again, it was certain that Pyro would go full nuclear with her friends.


    "Okay, I''m leaving for the interview now, please wish me good luck," Apple said, who then immediately left the house, before Pyro argued with her about another matter.


    "You haven''t answered my question," Pyro shouted at his daughter.


    "What kind of question is that?" Apple, who was choosing what shoes to wear for her first interview today, shouted back at her father.


    "What''s the rtionship between you two," Pyro repeated his question again, he even came to his doorstep and saw his daughter start the car in a hurry, as if she was trying to run away.


    Or maybe, that''s exactly what Apple is doing now, trying to get away from her own father.


    "Nothing," Apple muttered as she threw her bag into the car and tried to get out of there as soon as possible. "I think of him as an older brother"


    An older brother? Gross!


    Apple didn''t know where the idea came from, but after saying it, she realized how cringy the answer was. An older brother my ass! They had even kissed. Ugh!


    And after that, she drove her car off the driveway and started going fast when she reached the main road.


    On the other hand, at the door, Pyro stood where he was for a long time, his face scrunched up when he heard Apple''s answer.


    An older brother?


    =====================


    Apple applied for a fairly well-knownpany, but to be sure, she had confirmed that thepany did not have any business rtionship with the Tordoff family, so she wouldn''t be said to be taking advantage of the rumors, and what was more, Apple didn''t want any misunderstandingster.


    Apple knew that this was not the perfect time to look for work, let alone putting herself in a public ce like this, because it was being targeted by the mass media.


    However, it was highly unlikely that she would just stay in the house doing nothing and not trying to find a job when a woman at her age had, at least, had a job and was thinking about building a career.


    Of course, Apple wasn''t going to stay home and hide behind her dad or avoid Jayden Tordoff by hiding behind her bedroom door. That was ridiculous.


    But going to an interview and having to be in a public room, where everyone knew you, seemed to be in a room alone and locked up, wasn''t so bad, right?


    From the very moment Apple entered the building, she could already feel the gazes of the people on her and how they breathed sharply in surprise and began to speak slowly to the person beside her, gossiping.


    Apple never got this kind of attention and didn''t expect to get it either because she was not a fan of being the center of attention.


    There were about two other women, apart from Apple, who were in the waiting room waiting for their turn to be interviewed.


    However, from the movements of the two of them, it could be ascertained that both of them know Apple and they even secretly took photos or videos of themselves, which they wouldter upload in social media.


    And ording to Apple, it was very outrageous and she could not ept it. Isn''t this tantamount to viting privacy? They couldn''t do this to her.


    Annoyed, Apple stood up from her seat and immediately approached the two women. To confront them.

 Chapter 517 STUPID GAME

    <h4>Chapter 517 STUPID GAME</h4>


    Apple didn''t know what these two women wanted, but of course it was wrong to take photos of her without her consent and an invasion of her privacy. Apple really didn''t like it when her privacy was invaded.


    Therefore, the news circting between her and Jayden Now really bothered her and she didn''t want to help the media crew get any more news to prolong their own gossip.


    "Delete please, photos, videos or whatever you''re doing right now," Apple said, trying to be calm and rational, but it was hard to do when she was upset and feeling unappreciated.


    The two women then looked embarrassed and pretended that they didn''t know what Apple meant. They then put their phones back in their handbags and looked at Apple with innocent eyes.


    "What do you mean?" one of the women asked, staring intently at Apple before finally the second woman chimed in.


    "We reserve the right to use our phones to record anything." She looked defensive. Just like people who are defensive because they made a mistake and know that the other person is right.


    On the other hand, Applepletely felt disapproved of the way things were and she was once again trying to calm herself down. She took a deep breath and tried to remember every step she had ever read about ways to calm down.


    It was just a shame that all these methods didn''t seem to work and she was even more annoyed now. Ugh!


    "Delete that photo right now," Apple growled. If these two women didn''t belong to the fair gender, they would certainly have gotten a kick or two from Apple, but sadly, Apple didn''t want to hit women.


    "What if I say no?" the first woman said in a defiant tone.


    And the second woman actually took a step further by continuously recording Apple''s facial expressions that looked very angry and then uploading them to social media.


    She showed it to Apple proudly.


    "You are exactly what the mass media portrayed you. You really don''t deserve Jayden Tordoff." The second woman looked very proud now that Apple was speechless and could only stand there silently.


    Only, a confrontation like this really wasn''t Apple''s forte. She did not engage in verbal confrontations and wae superior to physical confrontations, so she seemed a bit lost.


    "I uploaded it too." The first woman showed her the screen of her phone, where she had uploaded a short video in which Apple almost lost her temper and it was obvious from the expression on her face that she would resort to violence when necessary.


    "I know that you are Jayden Tordoff''s former personal bodyguard." Then the second woman lowered her voice, but it was loud enough for Apple and the other women. "But I doubt that Jayden Tordoff really needs your services to protect him."


    Apple frowned when she heard the statement. "What do you mean?" she asked defensively.


    "Well, you know what, people like Jayden Tordoff wouldn''t take people like you seriously." The second woman looked at Apple disgustingly. "He must have a lot of women, but because of his reputation and busy schedule, he can''t have them all the time, that''s why you were hired as his personal bodyguard, right?"


    Then the First woman leaned in for a meaningful nce at Apple, which made her really want to throw up. "How much did you get paid to apany him?"


    "How is he in bed?" The second woman chimed in.


    Apple swore she''d really like to beat up the two women, but of course it wasn''t necessary, because she already had other, less physical means. Thanks to Jayden, it looked like some of his sneaky traits rubbed off on her a little bit.


    "You know that what you guys have said this time could be disastrous for yourself? You can be sued for defamation," Apple said in a firm voice.


    They both thenughed and looked at Apple as if the girl had grown a pair of heads.


    "There''s no need for that. People like Jayden Tordoff are used to having mistresses." The firstdy looked very confident when she said that.


    "Yeah, right, I can''t believe someone like Jayden Tordoff doesn''t have a mistress. Rich people are the same." The second woman seemed very satisfied, so she turned the topic back to Apple again. "So? You''re his mistress while being his personal bodyguard, right?"


    Apple didn''t answer the stupid question, but then she raised his hand, where he had recorded all the words spoken by the two women and pointed the phone at them, so that the camera of the phone recorded the shocked faces of the two.


    The two of them then immediately looked away.


    "What are you doing?!" they both asked very angrily while covering their faces. "Stop it."


    "Why?" Apple asked innocently. "This is my camera, so I''m free to record whatever I want," Apple said again, repeating what the two women had said earlier.


    Now that they were both in Apple''s position and the tables had turned, they couldn''t ept it and cursed her with harsh words. Truly an example of hypocrites.


    "Why are you guys angry?" Apple asked again, she then stopped them and they both lowered their hands from their faces. "Should I upload this too?"


    The two women hissed and said harshly. "Don''t you dare do that, I''ll sue you!"


    Apple raised her eyebrows when she heard that and chuckled. "Didn''t you hear what you said just now?"


    The two of them blushed slightly, but that didn''t relieve their anger at all.


    "Or should I send this video directly to Jayden Tordoff? Given that you two know him so well, I think he''d be happy to get to know you two too."


    And after that, Apple enjoyed watching the change of expressions on their faces.


    "W¡­ what?" they both stuttered and for some reason, Apple was happy to see their reaction.


    At this point, Apple had absolutely no desire to attend the interview.


    "You can''t do that!" one of them cried.


    But, Apple smiled slyly. "Of course I can, I know Jayden Tordoff, remember?"

 Chapter 518 YOU CAN LEAVE

    <h4>Chapter 518 YOU CAN LEAVE</h4>


    "You can''t do that!" one of them eximed with fear when she heard Apple would publish it on social media.


    But, Apple smiled slyly, she still had another suggestion that was far crazier. "Or should I send this video directly to Jayden Tordoff? Given that you two know him very well, I think he''d be happy to get to know you two too."


    "You wouldn''t do that." The second woman red at Apple furiously, but Apple could see the fear in her eyes quite clearly.


    "Of course I can, I know Jayden Tordoff, I''m his ''mistress'', remember?" At this point, Apple was too eager to frighten the two Women and feel their retaliation, so the interviewter, didn''t seem very appealing to Apple.


    "You!" The two women stood up from their seats and were about to challenge Apple, but the name of one of them was called and asked to start the interview process.


    "Then, good luck!" Apple walked away cheerfully. No longer intending to be in that ce any further than this.


    Apple even took the time to wave to thedies and walk away with a light stride, knowing she had won the little feud.


    Well, not much had pleased her since the news of her and Jayden''s dating made headlines, so she was quite happy with what happened just now, which was quite a fun thing to remember.


    And it seemed, because the news out there was still very hot, it was best if she didn''t go out in public first and didn''t look for work, because all the news and the attention of the people around her were on her.


    It would be better to wait for things to subside.


    Apple then walked back to her car, forgetting the job she wanted because she could already feel the atmosphere in the office would not be at allfortable with how people were staring at her.


    But before she started the car, her cell phone rang and from the screen, Apple could see that it was Jayden on the phone.


    "So how was your interview today?" he asked directly, before she even said a ''hello'' whatsoever.


    "What?" Apple was quite surprised, she frowned and narrowed her eyes. "How did you know that?" she asked suspiciously. "Are you stalking me?"


    Apple looked around, trying to see if there was someone hiding in the bushes or other suspicious people.


    But, no, she was alone in this parking lot, even the parking aisles on the left and right were empty, there were only about ten cars in this part of the parking area.


    "Of course not," Jayden answered quickly, then heughed. "Pyro is with me all day, so of course it''s very easy to know your schedule, especially when you report it to your father every day."


    Apple cursed her habit and thought about getting out of the house and looking for an apartment of her own, but that meant she had to find a job soon, because there was no way the money Jayden gave her could cover all her expenses for the next few months without any ie.


    "Messy," Apple grumbled, she fiddled with her car keys, groaning. "You know what happened?"


    "What happened?" Jayden''s voice sounded excited to know what had happened to Apple and made hier sound as pissed off as she was now.


    "I''m really really angry right now¡­"


    And in the end, Apple spent the next two hours venting all her frustrations on the two women and how they said she was Jayden''s mistress and how people looked at her with strange, inquisitive eyes.


    Apple told everything in such detail that it admitted how hungry she was right now.


    She didn''t know why she was telling him all that and why he had to tell Jayden either.


    But, maybe because the timing was just right and Jayden was the only person who would hear hermenting right now, well, after all, all the trouble Apple had to deal with right now, were results of Jayden''s actions.


    "Send me the video," Jayden said calmly.


    "Okay." Apple then sent the video without a second thought, but after the video was sent, she then realized and frowned. "What is this video for? I''ve just recorded it to threaten them, but I''m not really going to use it."


    "You don''t have to worry," Jayden said lightly. "Let''s just say that everything is in order."


    Apple''s frown deepened. "But when you say to calm down, I''ll be even more uneasy."


    Jaydenughed when he heard that, he shook his head. "You have very little faith in me."


    Apple then shrugged her shoulders nonchntly. "It''s hard to trust someone like you." But then Apple cursed and this made Jayden''sugh stop as well.


    "What is it?" Jayden asked in a serious tone, for it was unusual for Apple to sound panicked like that.


    "One of thedies parked her car right behind mine," Apple growled. "I can''t leave." Apple couldn''t move her car without bumping the car behind it. "Wait a minute," Apple muttered, then got out of the car, clutching her cell phone.


    There, the long red-haired woman, who was the first woman to start an argument with Apple, was standing by her car and taking out her cigarette.


    "Hey, get rid of that car of yours!" Apple cried in annoyance. "And smoke somewhere else."


    The woman didn''t seem to really respond to Apple''s call and acted like she didn''t hear it.


    "Put your car away," Apple growled again when she was standing in front of the woman, but instead she blew cigarette smoke into Apple''s face.


    This made Apple put all her energy into not beating the woman to a pulp.


    "Why are you angry?" she asked in a rxed voice. "I''m free to park my car anywhere."


    "You have the entire parking lot to do so. It''s funny it has to be right behind mine," Apple quipped.


    However, the woman shrugged her shoulders nonchntly. "If you want to leave, just leave."


    Hearing the provocation, Apple actually smiled. "Okay," she answered lightly and it was precisely the short answer that made the woman feel worried.

 Chapter 519 HE HAS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

    <h4>Chapter 519 HE HAS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY</h4>


    Jayden ended up listening to what Apple had to say about her interview today and how annoyed she was at the two women she met.


    Not only that, Apple also sent a video where the two women clearly state that Apple is Jayden Tordoff''s mistress and how they think about Jayden Tordoff who is described as a mboyant figure.


    Jayden grimaced hearing these women''s views on him, it seemed he had to work hard to improve his image on that one.


    And of course, the video that Apple forwarded to Jayden was sent directly to his PR team so they could use it at the right time.


    "You''re really bothering me!" Apple grumbled.


    Hearing Apple grumbling made Jaydenugh out loud. He even went so far as to cancel a board meeting and ask Misha to rece him at another meeting, just to listen to Apple''sints about the people she met.


    It''s rare for Apple to open up like this, so Jayden wasn''t going to waste this moment.


    But then, Jayden heard something else over the phone and Apple cursed.


    "What happened?" Jayden asked, his voice turning serious and hisughter dying down. However, Apple didn''t say anything and asked him to wait and not turn off the phone.


    Therefore, Jayden had clearly heard the banter between Apple and a woman. Looks like they''re talking about the car''s parking, if Jayden''s heard right¡­


    ======================


    "If you want to leave, just leave!" The woman eximed even with a smile full of cunning and continued smoking.


    Hearing this, Apple squinted, she seemed quite wary when she did that, because it would mean she would screw someone else''s life right now.


    "Okay," Apple smiled and it was this short answer that made the woman feel worried.


    She didn''t understand why Apple was so calm in responding to this and just in case, she took out his phone and recorded Apple walking into the car and starting the car''s engine.


    Impossible. She couldn''t possibly do that, could she? She couldn''t be that crazy, could she?


    "Impossible..." The woman mumbled, she still continued to record and circled her car with the intention of reprimanding Apple, but it was toote. "Hey, don''t act rashly! I''m recording you right now!" she cried in a loud voice.


    However, Apple was no longer thinking about the threat when she stepped on the gas pedal deeply after setting the car in reverse.


    Of course, it went without saying, the back of Apple''s car collided with the side of the woman''s car very hard, shattering the ss and leaving huge dents on both cars.


    "AARRGH!" The woman screamed in terror when she saw how Apple crashed her car. She even did it twice until the woman''s car shifted and she was able to get out of there.


    The woman kept screaming, calling for help because she was so scared and ran backward, away from Apple''s car, because she thought Apple would be so crazy to run her over with her car.


    Of course the stupid thing was not done, because as soon as she got out of the confines of the car that was blocking her, Apple drove the car away, out of the parking lot of the building with a dented rear bumper.


    "AARRGHHG!"


    The woman''s screams were still audible even when Apple had moved away from her and smiled in satisfaction.


    However, thatcency didn''tst long, because she knew he had just made a mess and things might get even more hectic than this when the media found out what she had just done.


    If Apple weren''t as famous today as Jayden Tordoff, maybe a little thing like this would be easily resolved, but now Apple isn''t sure thatpensation alone is enough to get her out of trouble¡­


    Ugh! Apple wanted to curse herself. She was so rash and too impulsive.


    And it seemed, since things were like this, there was only one person she could turn to for help, especially since Apple had seen the woman filming it earlier.


    Apple didn''t think she''de to this conclusion by asking Jayden Tordoff for help, but in her defense, didn''t it all start because of the man who let rumors about their rtionship spread?


    At least he has some responsibility in this, right?


    Apple grimaced, she knew that didn''t sound right¡­.


    ======================


    "What are you doing?" Misha frowned as he walked into Jayden''s office and saw the man smiling with his phone pressed to his ear.


    Misha thought Jayden was calling someone, but the smile on his lips showed that whoever he was calling now wasn''t a business rted person, they would be crazy to see Jayden smile like this.


    "Who is that? Apple?" Misha guessed while cing a thick document on the table.


    "How do you know?" Jayden asked, looking stunned that Misha could guess so easily.


    Misha could only shake his head at his cousin''s behavior. "You can''t talk about business with a stupid smile like that."


    Jayden immediately pouted when he heard Misha''s usation.


    "What exactly are you doing?" Misha asked, his curiosity got the better of him when he found Jayden didn''t say anything during the phone call and instead of looking like he was having a conversation, he looked like he was just listening.


    "I think Apple forgot to turn off the call," Jayden said. "She forgot that she hasn''t hung up on me yet."


    Misha grimaced when he heard that. "Then why don''t you just turn off the call."


    "Of course not," Jayden refused immediately. "Why do I have to turn off the call?"


    At this point, Misha didn''t know what to say anymore. Jayden was getting more and more weird and unreasonable, but well, as long as he was able to run thepany, Misha felt that was enough.


    "I think Apple is on her way here," Jayden said, still listening to the voices on the other end of the line.


    "Stop that, you look so creepy." Misha was about to walk away when Jayden chuckled.

 Chapter 520 POSITION

    <h4>Chapter 520 POSITION</h4>


    "Stop that, you look so creepy." Misha was about to walk away when Jayden chuckled.


    Jayden''sughter made Misha doubt his cousin''s sanity, maybe it''s a good idea to call someone at home so they can be on the lookout.


    "She is on this floor right now. Maybe I should start the countdown," Jayden said.


    On the other hand, Misha''s face is contorted. He was in disbelief that they were actually rted by blood. Maybe they should think seriously about getting a DNA test done.


    "Five¡­ four¡­ three¡­"


    But, before he could count to one, the door to Jayden''s office was pushed open and there, Apple stood with an annoyed look on her face.


    The girl stepped forward and only nced at Misha briefly and Misha swore he had never seen such sharp nces except when Alina, Jayden''s older sister, looked so angry.


    And it must be said that Alina is one of the few women who can leave Misha stunned. Well, whatever it was, Misha didn''t want to be there and get into trouble, so he quickly got out of there and let Apple do whatever she wanted with Jayden until she was satisfied.


    "What brings you here?" Jayden asked, he then stood up from his chair and looked cheerful to approach an angry Apple. "I thought we were on the phone," he said, pointing to his phone, which was still connected to a call on Apple''s phone.


    Seeing that, Apple''s eyes widened in surprise and then immediately checked her own phone and eximed, "oh crap. I forgot that I am still connected to you!" he then immediately hung up the call, but then she looked at Jayden with a furrowed brow. "In that case, why didn''t you just turn off the call?"


    Jayden chuckled, "Because I love hearing you grunt all the way."


    Apple hissed when she heard that. She did grumble the whole way, more like talking to herself because she was feeling upset, but of course she didn''t know that Jayden was listening and they were still on the call.


    "You are weird," Apple stated, staring at Jayden with using eyes.


    "I will take that as apliment," Jayden replied, then walked across the room to sit on the couch on the other side of his office. "So, what brings you here? I am sure you have an interesting idea I can hear. I get a little bored when you are not around."


    Apple rolled her eyes when she heard that. Has Jayden started seeing pick up line rmendations on the inte again? He had to give up his new strange habit immediately.


    "You have to take responsibility for the mess you''ve made. I can''t find a job at this rate," Apple grumbled. She then threw herself on the sofa and looked at Jayden with a bit of annoyance.


    "If you want to work, I have a thousand and one job vacancies for you, just tell me what position you like," Jayden said lightly as he drank his already cold coffee on the table, then he frowned while muttering; I need new coffee.


    "I don''t want to work in yourpany," Apple grumbled. She deliberately sought work outside of Tordoff''spany so she wouldn''t have too much to do with Jayden.


    "Then whatpany do you want? I can take care of it."


    Apple wanted to facepalm herself. Does this man not understand? "I don''t want your help, Jayden. I need your help with something else," Apple almost eximed exasperatedly with Jayden''s way of thinking. "I want you to stop the rumors circting, and rify the news."


    "Okay," he answered lightly. "I have a press conference this afternoon to exin this matter."


    "Really?"


    "Of course. You want toe?"


    Apple grimaced when she heard the offer. "No, thank you."


    "What kind of position do you like? Actually I have the perfect position for you, this position will make you feel better."


    Apple didn''t really want to ask this, but for some reason she just asked it out of curiosity. "What position is that?"


    Jayden gave a small smile when he heard the curiosity in Apple''s tone. "On top of me."


    It took Apple a few seconds to digest the meaning of Jayden''s words, but as soon as she realized what Jayden was insinuating, her eyes widened in annoyance and her face turned red.


    "Jayden! I will kill you!" Apple cried and lunged at Jayden, but luckily the man was able to dodge Apple swiftly and jump to the other side of the sofa he was sitting on.


    Seeing how angry Apple was, Jaydenughed happily. "Why? What is wrong with that position? Or do you prefer I am on top of you?"


    "Jayden!" Apple''s face flushed red when she heard that, she tried to chase after Jayden, but the man managed to easily dodge her.


    "Why? You are still not satisfied? I can be behind you if you want." Jayden hadn''tughed like this in quite a while.


    =======================


    In the afternoon, Jayden held a press conference that he said he would hold to rify the news circting about his rtionship with Apple.


    Of course Apple doesn''t want to be in the spotlight anymore, therefore, she prefers to be in Liam''s office with Misha, watching the live broadcast from the television there, while eating a light snack, while Misha is checking some emails on hisptop...


    "Are you sure you don''t want to go there?" Misha asked, not taking his eyes off hisptop screen.


    "No, what will I even do there?" Apple asked, chewing.


    "You don''t know what he''s going to say, he can say anything you don''t expect."


    "Impossible."


    Misha then nced at Apple. "What is impossible? You know what he''s going to say next?"


    "He will rify the rtionship between the two of us."


    "rifying what exactly?" Misha asked in more detail.


    Hearing that, Apple was silent for a moment. She did not ask in detail what Jayden would say at the press conferenceter.

 Chapter 521 THE ANNOUNCEMENT

    <h4>Chapter 521 THE ANNOUNCEMENT</h4>


    "rifying what exactly?" Misha asked in more detail. "You have to go into detail when it involves Jayden, he''s very good at ying with words."


    Hearing that, Apple was silent for a moment. She blinked her eyes and thought. She didn''t really ask in detail what Jayden would say at the press conference that was going on right now.


    "There is no way he would do that, right?" Apple grimaced at the thought of the possibility and then looked at Misha with hopeful eyes.


    "What is the ridiculous and impossible thing that Jayden didn''t do?" Misha actually asked Apple back.


    "You''re not serious, are you?" Apple looked worried when she remembered Jayden''s true nature and her mistake in believing him.


    On the other hand, Misha did not give any response, he was busy with his emails.


    "Misha! Say something," snarled Apple, visibly regretting her decision for trusting Jayden too much. She should have known how cunning the man was, she just didn''t expect Jayden to outsmart her like this.


    "What else should I say? There is nothing more you can do now," he said in a low, dreamy voice as he was reading some important emails. "You can pray if you want."


    "How likely is it that my prayers will be answered?"


    Hearing that, Misha nced at Apple and then sighed, saying in a regretful tone, "The odds are close to zero."


    Apple is really tempted to beat up Jayden Tordoff''s cousin. They are both very simr. Both are annoying, but in their own way. But, still, those are not pleasant things to know.


    "Thanks for telling me the possibilities," Apple grumbled.


    "Don''t mention it."


    This time, Apple stared at the television screen with a sense of trepidation. She lifted her legs and hugged them while resting her chin on top of her knees. She felt her head spinning as her heart started beating fast.


    Jayden could not do such a stupid thing, could he? He couldn''t have thought of doing it.


    Those words were like a mantra that Apple kept chanting, but even she couldn''t believe it herself and couldn''t stop worrying.


    On the screen, Apple could see that the first person to speak was the PR specialist of the Tordoff family and also the representative of thepany, while Jayden was nowhere to be seen.


    This arrangement is a little weird because the main focus should be Jayden, right? So, where is the man?


    There, the PR specialist greeted the reporters with warm, polite and firm words. He looks a little older than Pyro and seems very understanding of the situation, but there are times when he looks bored?


    Apple doesn''t understand, maybe because this press conference doesn''t really interest her and she wants it to be over soon.


    After the words of warm wee were over, the man then spoke directly about the main problem that forced them to gather there on the same day suddenly, because the announcement of the press conference was just made this morning.


    If it were not for Jayden Tordoff''s big name and the issues that are currently making headlines, of course these news hunters wouldn''t havee this far.


    "Why were not you there too to keep Jaydenpany?"


    "He''s not a kid who needspany." Misha then nced at the television then returned his attention to hisptop again. "It won''tst long after all."


    "How do you know?" Apple frowned, slightly impressed by what Misha said.


    Misha nodded at the television, but his eyes never left hisptop screen. "Because this press conference wasn''t supposed to happen, it happened because Jayden wanted something grandiose in publicizing something."


    Apple tilted her head, slightly confused by Misha''s exnation and due tock of response, Misha exined in a little more detail.


    "He''s just showing off right now. Creating a bit of attention on him. He has always loved attention and has been the center of attention since childhood. This way is also easier to straighten out the problem regarding the rtionship between you."


    Misha wasn''t really interested in listening to what or how the press conference was going, because based on the information he got from Apple, that was enough for him to know how the final oue of this press conference would be.


    On the other hand, when Apple heard what Misha said, the wrinkles between her brows deepened.


    But when Apple saw how things were going at the press conference, she started to feel that what Misha said was true.


    This press conference is just a cover for Jayden to make an important announcement.


    Because usually, in a press conference there will be a question and answer session, but in this case, there is no such session. The man, apanied by two other people only told why they had gathered the reporters there, discussed a few issues circting about the rtionship between Apple and Jayden, then without responding to questions from reporters there, they invited Jayden toe on stage.


    That''s when all the cameras focused on Jayden Tordoff. He looked neat and handsome in a dark blue suit that screamed money, his hair looked so neat and he smiled a little at the reporters.


    The man from the PR team raised his hand to calm the reporters down and make them stop asking questions. By then Jayden had taken the mike and started talking when things had calmed down.


    Apple waited with a worried face, while Misha didn''t seem too concerned.


    "I just wanted to rify the news circting about my rtionship with a young woman named Apple."


    Apple felt her breath stop when she heard her name being mentioned in front of dozens of journalists and millions of spectators.


    Some of the reporters again started to ask questions, but were then easily calmed down.


    "The rtionship between us is true. She is my lover."


    And after saying that, Jayden nodded curtly and withdrew. Didn''t say anything else or give any other exnation.


    Apple''s jaw dropped when she heard that.

 Chapter 522 FATHER IN LAW

    <h4>Chapter 522 FATHER IN LAW</h4>


    "The rtionship between us is true. She is my lover."


    Apple''s jaw dropped when she heard that. She couldn''t believe that Jayden would say such a thing and with an innocent expression on his face.


    "What the hell¡­" Apple muttered in disbelief as she stared at Jayden on the television screen. After saying that, he nodded curtly and simply walked away, disappearing behind the curtain, leaving the chaos there, without giving any further exnation.


    The other three who were there then closed the very brief press conference and left, not even saying anything else or giving any other exnation.


    "Just like that? Why would he say such a thing?" Apple then turned her attention to Misha who didn''t look at all surprised at what had happened just now. How could Misha not have any reaction?


    Apple felt her head spinning really fast right now and wasn''t sure what she had just witnessed.


    "How could that be? Why did he just say that we were in a rtionship?" Apple asked Misha.


    "You should have guessed this already," Misha said casually, he even said it while typing away something on hisptop.


    "How could I possibly guess? I thought he would tell the truth."


    This time Misha closed hisptop and turned all her attention to Apple who was still staring at him in disbelief.


    "Honesty and truth for you guys are different. Jayden thinks this is the truth," Misha exined. "Congrattions."


    "Congrattions for what?" Apple sounded a little curt, she looked at Misha sharply.


    "I don''t think you will be able to dodge it anymore now." Misha then stood up. "Maybe I should consider you as my cousin- in-w from now on."


    "Hey!" Apple cried. "Your joke is not funny at all."


    Misha then tilted his head and looked at Apple very seriously. "I am not joking right now," he said lightly.


    He knew that Jayden would have a thousand and one ways to take down Apple and whatever it was, he had all the criteria needed.


    Jayden has enough patience, strategy and experience to handle a woman. Coupled with his wealth and status, what else can be used as aint material?


    Maybe Apple doesn''t ept it now, but eventually, she wille around.


    "Why don''t you just try the rtionship between the two of you? Nobody knows if it will work or not, right?" Misha asked as he took the documents on the table and walked away from inside the office.


    Apple was still frowning, still sitting in the same ce staring at the television screen which presented some follow- up news about the rtionship between Apple and Jayden as well as somements from the public.


    "Besides, what are you afraid of?" Misha asked before he left the room and closed the door behind him.


    Yes, what is Apple afraid of? Apple wasn''t really scared, she just didn''t feel confident enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with Jayden. Because after all their family backgrounds are very different.


    Also, Apple was still not sure if Jayden was serious about this rtionship and his words, because as many people say, he was quite a yboy. He can get any woman he wants, so why Apple?


    Apple didn''t want to be offended¡­.


    =====================


    "Apple isn''t picking up my calls," Jayden whined at Pyro who was driving beside him. He looked at his phone screen with sad eyes. "Why won''t she pick up any calls from me?"


    Seeing Jayden''s current behavior, Pyro could only sigh and suppress the urge not to yell at him and make him understand this easiest thing.


    Of course Apple didn''t want to take his calls. He had announced the unexpected and forced their rtionship.


    "I''m going to stay over at your house to persuade Apple to talk to me again," Jayden stated.


    Hearing this, Pyro frowned in confusion and then turned the steering wheel and turned toward the road back to the Tordoffs'' house.


    "Hey, I said I wanted to stay at your house," Jayden eximed as soon as he realized where Pyro was taking him.


    "When you''re staying over at someone''s house, you should be asking for permission, not making a statement as if it''s your own home," Pyroined.


    "But you can treat my house like yours, you can even stay at my house without asking permission," Jayden replied, which was a fact. Pyro was free to go in and out of the Tordoff residence and do whatever he liked.


    But, it''s just, in this case it feels very different. That''s not what Pyro meant. He didn''t notice it at all.


    Pyro really wants to facepalm himself at this point.


    "That''s different."


    "What is the difference?"


    "When I say it''s different, it''s different."


    Jayden mumbled something and then took Pyro''s cell phone from his pocket which made the man widen his eyes.


    "What are you doing?" Pyro asked when he saw Jayden had managed to unlock the passcode to his cell phone''s lock. "How did you know my cell phone password?"


    "You are quite a boring guy, you use Apple''s birthday for your password. It doesn''t take a genius to guess," Jayden said casually, as if his words didn''t irritate Pyro at all.


    On the other hand, Pyro nced away from the highway and shot Jayden an annoyed look, but s, this man didn''t take it seriously at all and didn''t pay any attention when he looked up the name Apple in Pyro''s phone contacts.


    "That''s an invasion of privacy," Pyro grumbled.


    "Well, we have passed that, father inw." Jayden waved his hand at Pyro, as if the words he just said were the usual thing to say.


    Pyro was about to hit the brakes deeply when he heard the words ''father inw'' from Jayden''s lips.


    "You are making me cringe," Pyro grimaced.


    "You have to get used to it," Jayden replied, but when Pyro was about to interrupt again, he put his finger to his own lips, signaling for Pyro to stop talking.

 Chapter 523 STEP UP HIS GAME

    <h4>Chapter 523 STEP UP HIS GAME</h4>


    "You''ve got to get used to it," Jayden replied, but when Pyro was about to interrupt again, he put his finger to his own lips, signaling for Pyro to stop talking, because the caller tune could be heard from the other side, which meant Apple could pick up his call anytime now.


    Seeing this, Pyro couldn''t help but roll his eyes slightly annoyed. How dense was Jayden?


    He might be able to call Apple with his cell phone, but there was no way he could imitate his voice, right? If Apple picked up a phone call from her father''s number, but it turned out that the voice that greeted him was Jayden, of course she would immediately hang up on him.


    "Hello?" Apple said from the other end of the line.


    "Hey, it''s me. Can we talk¡­ for a minute¡­" Jayden hadn''t finished speaking when a momentter his voice trailed off as he heard a disconnected tone from the other side, which meant Apple hung up on him, knowing that it wasn''t her father speaking. "What? How dare she hang up on me," Jayden grumbled.


    Hearing Jayden''s grumbling, Pyro didn''t say much, he just looked at the young man who seemed to be grumbling beside him. Jayden looked sullen at the treatment he was getting from Apple.


    Well, wasn''t he the one looking for trouble himself?


    "Can''t we just go to your house?" Jayden cooed, looking at Pyro expectantly.


    "No." And that was Pyro''s final, irreversible answer and it left Jayden in an even more bad mood.


    ========================


    This was the third day since Jayden announced that he was officially in a rtionship with Apple and also the third day that Apple refused to ept calls from him and also the third day since Jayden''s first attempt to woo Apple again.


    "How long are you going to ignore him?" Pyro asked on the fourth morning, he was seen enjoying his coffee while making breakfast for the two of them, even though Apple still didn''t want to go out in public and couldn''t do job interviews because of what Jayden had done, the girl still got up early to apany her father to breakfast.


    "Until my annoyance subsides," Apple said again as she helped her father make breakfast. She stood beside Pyro, chopping vegetables and meat.


    "When your annoyance has subsided, I think this house will be a flower garden," Pyro pointed out at the many bouquets of flowers in this house, which filled almost every corner.


    For the past four days, Jayden had been sending Apple bouquets of flowers at random hours, and since he didn''t know what flowers Apple liked, he seemed to have decided to send all kinds of flowers he could get his hands on.


    At the first nce, this might sound romantic and cute, but when almost every hour there was a courier interrupting your break just to deliver a bouquet of flowers, of course all of this no longer looked sweet and romantic.


    At this point, Apple began to suspect that Jayden didn''t really want to woo her, but he actually just wanted to mess up with her and annoy her.


    Well, nobody knew what was inside his head.


    Pyro had asked Jayden to stop doing this and said that there was nowhere else in their house to put those stupid flowers.


    ''I sent the flowers to Apple, not to you.''


    That was Jayden''s answer, he even said it with an innocent face and as if there was nothing wrong with it.


    And when Pyro kept asking him to stop, Jayden told Pyro instead to make Apple stop ignoring him, otherwise he wouldn''t stop doing what he was doing now.


    But, of course, anyone who knew Apple would understand how stubborn his daughter could be. Apple could even stick with her own opinion even though many people disagreed with it.


    Hence, at this point, Pyro wanted to facepalm himself as if he were caught in between the bickering of two ten year old brats and just wanted to stay away from the two of them.


    "You can ask him to stop sending flowers," Apple said stubbornly.


    "And Jayden will say he''ll only quit after you respond to a call from him."


    Hearing that answer again, Apple could only grumble incoherently and mumble something Pyro understood as cursing.


    And just at that moment, their doorbell rang. This was not a strange thing anymore. The delivery men had been ringing their doorbell at random hours to deliver Jayden''s stupid flowers for the past four days.


    Hearing that, Apple stomped her foot and prepared to tell the delivery man to bring back the flowers he had brought, while Pyro continued to make breakfast.


    Pyro thought Apple wouldn''t have a problem with this and she would just ask the poor man to bring the flowers back, because indeed their house had turned into a flower garden now.


    But, sadly, this morning didn''t seem to be off to a good start, because from the kitchen, Pyro could hear Apple arguing in an annoyed tone with someone.


    Curiosity then prompted Pyro to go check what really happened and find his daughter angry with someone.


    Even just by looking at Apple''s back, Pyro could tell that Apple was furious right now. She was trembling in anger.


    However, it was only after he walked closer that Pyro realized that Apple was not talking to just one delivery man, but that there were actually five of them while many more were waiting right outside their gates.


    What is this? Pyro became a little panicked when he saw the crowd, especially when Apple started to raise her voice to show how annoyed she was.


    "Take them all away!" Apple cried in annoyance and frustration, she massaged her forehead which was throbbing painfully.


    "Sorry, we can''t take them all away without permission," one of them said. He looked awry and frustrated too.


    And it was only when Pyro walked over and saw it all that he really wanted Jayden''s ending.


    That man had stepped up his game.

 Chapter 524 ANNOYING WAY

    <h4>Chapter 524 ANNOYING WAY</h4>


    That man had stepped up his game.


    Outside the house, Pyro could see there were at least ten motorbikes lined up, waiting in line at the gate of his house. Waiting for their turn to deliver the goods they were ordered to.


    They were take outs from a restaurant near their house, which Pyro knew was one of Apple''s favorite restaurants. There are some dishes that are indeed her favorites and Pyro was willing to bet that the dishes in the boxes behind the seat of their motorbike were all Apple''s favorites.


    But, the problem was; food is very different from flowers. You can keep flowers for a while and at least they can beautify the room and make the room smell good, but those dishes are of course very different.


    These dishes will notst long and will smell bad when they start to dpose.


    And they couldn''t possibly put all of the takeouts in the fridge for storage, because it wouldn''t be enough to fit all the food and therefore they couldn''t put it outside for a long time.


    Pyro felt that this morning he had a migraine.


    "Wait here," Apple growled, and then stormed into the house, past Pyro who was still confused by all this.


    With just a nce, Pyro could tell that his daughter was very upset over what had happened this morning. Well, he was also very upset¡­


    But, on the other hand, Pyro was intrigued to what extent Jayden would continue this ridiculous act of his just to get Apple to pay a little attention to him and stop ignoring him.


    Actually, Pyro thought that what Jayden was doing was not a ''romantic way'' to get Apple''s attention, but rather an ''annoying way'' to get Apple to pay attention to the man and talk.


    And indeed, this one method could be said to be sessful, because now Apple has stormed into her room to take her cell phone and call the annoying man.


    =========================


    Jayden had a lot of work to do, apart from his primary mission of getting Apple to contact him because he couldn''t get any ess to contact the girl.


    His original n to go to Pyro''s house was rejected by the bodyguard. He said that there was a high possibility that Apple would be even more angry and would not want to see him again.


    Therefore, Jayden canceled his intention and preferred to wait until the girl contacted him.


    However, it would really be a miracle if the girl contacted him voluntarily, so Jayden gave her a ''little'' push to motivate her.


    And sure enough, after his first try didn''t work out, now Jayden changed his strategy and the results could be seen immediately.


    Apple contacted him this morning while he was still asleep.


    Yes, Jayden had had a long day these past two days because his trial with the Gevano family was going on in the court, and he had to focus on the trial.


    "Hello?" Jayden said in a voice that was still a little hoarse, he picked up his cellphone without seeing who was calling because the only people who called him on the cellphone were his family and a few close friends. So that there is no way for anyone from business or formal affairs to contact him through this number.


    And the next second what he heard was the voice of the woman he had been waiting for, but not like this and in this condition.


    As Apple screamed loudly into his ear, Jayden felt a painful ringing in his ears. He wondered how Apple could scream so loud and so furiously at him.


    Jayden even instantly regained his full consciousness. He no longer felt sleepy, because he suddenly felt that he had the energy to start the day alert.


    "What do you think you have done!?" Apple eximed in a shrill voice and this made Jayden immediately sit up in his bed and stare at the open window, the morning sun wasn''t even shining too bright now, but he was in trouble.


    Yes, the problem Jayden was looking for himself...


    "I bought you breakfast," Jayden answered innocently, this time he was back to his easy going nature quickly, as soon as he realized what had happened and what made Apple so annoyed with him.


    "Breakfast my a**!" Apple cried again.


    "Language please. I like your a**, but that doesn''t mean you can mention it carelessly while I''m not there."


    And Jayden should have known that hisments had brought new problems for him and made Apple even more upset. And again, maybe that''s what Jayden wanted. Annoy Apple.


    It''s hard to know how Jayden really thinks.


    "Jayden!" Apple cried again. This time she seemed to be at a loss for words to respond to Jayden and didn''t understand how she could get back at him.


    "Yes, my love, I hear you," said Jayden.


    Then nothing else was heard. silence. No voice orint from Apple or anything.


    Because there was no response or reaction from Apple, Jayden looked at his phone screen, he thought Apple had hung up on him again, but the line was still connected, which means Apple is just silent now.


    So, Jayden waited for what Apple would say, maybe she needed a moment to calm herself down.


    While waiting, Jayden got out of bed and opened his bedroom window wide to let the morning sun shine in the room and when he looked down he could see his mother was in the garden and his father was watching his mother with eyes that to this day make Jayden cringe.


    But this was something that always happened whenever they were together and he had seen it hundreds of times throughout his life, only, he was still unfamiliar with how they could pull off such a disy of affection everywhere. Ugh!


    Jayden would surely get back at them.


    "What do you want, Jayden?" Apple finally gave in and this made him smile happily.


    "How about lunch?"

 Chapter 525 LEARN YOUR LESSON

    <h4>Chapter 525 LEARN YOUR LESSON</h4>


    In the end, the row of bikes that lined the front of Apple''s house could be handled quite well. Jayden called the restaurant and asked them to distribute the food to people at the shelter who really needed it.


    They demanded an extra charge to do this, but of course, the extra charge from a restaurant wouldn''t even hurt Jayden''s finances at all. It was nothing for him.


    But, him getting a ''second date'' with Apple this afternoon seemed to make Jayden excited to live through the morning.


    Pyro had scolded him a few times this morning for his silly actions, but Jayden just brushed it off with a wave of his hand and said that this afternoon he has a date with Apple, so Pyro is forbidden to spoil his mood, because he will finish his work today more quickly.


    "The one you''re dating is my daughter," Pyro grumbled. "How can I stay out of it?"


    "Father inw."


    "Stop calling me that," Pyro cringed. Asking Pyro to ept the idea of him dating Apple was one thing, but hearing him call him ''father inw'' was apletely different thing.


    "I''m not messing with Apple, Pyro," Jayden said in a serious voice. His easy going demeanor had disappeared when he spoke like this, especially when he stared at Pyro right in his eyes when he said that he would take responsibility for Apple. "I''m serious about this rtionship and if Apple doesn''t want it, I''ll quit."


    Pyro frowned. "Are you really going to quit if Apple asks you to quit?"


    "That wasn''t my original n actually," Jayden replied, now his serious attitude was nowhere to be seen. He looked like a teenager who was being interrogated by his father for being caughtmitting an uwful act. A little timid and defensive. "But I n to ask for at least thirty days of probation, after which, she can decide if she wants to be with me or not. At least that''s fair, right?"


    Pyro wanted to kick his a**, but he didn''t do it. All he did was wave his hand and look at Jayden with tired eyes. "It''s up to you what you want, as long as you don''t be rude to Apple I''ll let you two take care of each other."


    "I''ll take your words as a sign that you approve of the rtionship between the two of us," Jayden said cheerfully.


    "What?!" Pyro widened his eyes, but Jayden had already gone into the meeting room and he couldn''t possibly express his protest again.


    Pyro could only take a deep breath. How could his words just now be interpreted as his approval of their rtionship?


    Well, anything is possible when you are dealing with Jayden.


    ======================


    In order to avoid the reporters trying to cover the news about the two of them and also in case there was a robbery like the other day, Jayden was the one who chose the restaurant where they would have lunch.


    This ce is well guarded, therefore, they don''t have to worry about their privacy being invaded.


    It''s just that, when Apple entered the luxury restaurant, she got into a bit of a problem.


    "Who would you like to meet with?" the hostess asked, looking at Apple from head to toe.


    Apple had to admit that she didn''t find out first what kind of restaurant Jayden had booked for them. She only thought that it was one of the restaurants near his office and didn''t know that this was a private restaurant that not many people knew about.


    Therefore, the clothes that Apple wore could be said to be very standard. She wasn''t overdressed, but she certainly wasn''t up to par by this restaurant''s standards.


    Therefore the hostess looked Apple up and down several times, although she tried not to appear judgmental, but still, Apple could feel it.


    "Jayden Tordoff," Apple replied with a frown on her face. She purposely wore a mask to avoid people who might have recognized her face through the mass media, so it was no wonder this young hostess didn''t recognize Apple.


    "You are sure?" the hostess probed, looking at Apple with a slightly skeptical look in her eyes. "Are you sure that the person you are going to meet is Jayden Tordoff? He is a VVIP guest here."


    Apple rolled her eyes dramatically when she heard this. She didn''t have time to deal with crap like this, so she took out her cell phone.


    "Where are you now?" Apple asked into the phone. She actually called Jayden directly because she knew that although she would be let in after they checked the guest list and Jayden Tordoff was waiting for her to be there, this kind of attitude in hospitality was totally uneptable.


    And once in a while, people like this should be taught a lesson to pay more attention to their attitude.


    "I''m already in the room, where are you now?" Jayden asked. He had made sure to tell the restaurant that he was waiting for someone and gave the name Apple.


    Therefore, Apple just needed to say her name and her own name and someone would walk her into this room.


    But, it looked like Apple wanted something else.


    "I''m already downstairs, can you pick me up here?" Apple asked.


    At first, Jayden was confused, but since that was what Apple wanted, that would be what she was going to get. "I''ll be right there." Therefore, without much question, Jayden immediately headed to where Apple is now.


    "So? You''re really going to see Mr. Tordoff?" the hostess asked, still looking at Apple with judgment. She didn''t even bother to hide how she was staring at Apple now.


    "You better fix that attitude of yours, because the way you look isn''t nice at all," Apple said fiercely.


    On any other asion, maybe she wouldn''t have prolonged things like this, but this time Apple was annoyed and also because she didn''t want to be stared at with such condescending eyes.

 Chapter 526 A KISS

    <h4>Chapter 526 A KISS</h4>


    "You better fix that attitude of yours, because the way you look isn''t nice at all," Apple said fiercely.


    Hearing this the hostess rolled her eyes and she was really furious when she heard the condescending tone that Apple aimed at her. She hissed as a sharp, disgusted look took over her eyes.


    "Who do you think you are? You think you''re great? I think you''re just Mr. Tordoff''s side chick, even being a side chick of his is an honor to yourself. You don''t even deserve to be standing next to him." The woman looked Apple up and down with a sinister look.


    She didn''t raise her voice and her facial expression didn''t change at all, she even smiled so sweetly that people who didn''t hear their conversation would think that the two of them were just having a light conversation.


    But of course Apple wouldn''t let this impudent hostess treat her that way. She wasn''t going to go so far as to get her fired, but she wasn''t going to let it slip by either.


    "Why? You can''t answer?" the woman asked. She looked beautiful like a girl in her early twenties, but the make-up she was wearing made her look much more mature than her actual age. "Or you can leave your phone number here and I''ll promote you to the other rich men who are members of this ce."


    Apple chuckled, she shook his head, she didn''t think that all of this happened just because she was wearing clothes that she thought were ''low'' for this restaurant standards and then Apple realized that the badge name on the woman''s chest indicated that she was a trainee, which means she was new to this ce and was still in the probation period.


    It looks like she has to work hard in the hospitality aspect and whoever the trainer is should pay better attention to this.


    "No need, Jayden Tordoff is enough for me," Apple said, rolling her eyes at the woman when she saw Jayden walking toward her.


    "What are you doing here? Why didn''t youe straight to the private room?" Jayden asked, frowning. He didn''t pay attention to what kind of clothes Apple was wearing, but he certainly saw the look of annoyance in her eyes.


    But, when Jayden felt something was slightly off about this situation, Apple actually surprised him with what she did after.


    Apple walked over to Jayden and threw her arms around his neck and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.


    Then she took Jayden''s hand and lowered the mask she was wearing, to reveal her face.


    The hostess initially didn''t recognize who Apple was and if Apple''s face wasn''t in the news headlines all the time, Apple was sure no one would recognize her, but when she smiled, the hostess immediately realized who the girl holding Jayden Tordoff''s hand was.


    Holy crap!


    On the other hand, Apple smiled with satisfaction when she saw the surprised look in the woman''s eyes. ording to her, the hostess'' current expression was priceless and made her day a little more cheerful after the food delivery incident this morning.


    "Thanks for the suggestion, but I think one Jayden Tordoff is enough for me," Apple said in such a low voice that only the hostess could hear it.


    After that she pulled Jayden away from there.


    "What is it? What happened? Is there anything interesting I missed?" Jayden asked in a low voice, whispering into Apple''s ear and pulling a bit away from the girl because she was standing too close.


    And when there were only the two of them in the corridor of this restaurant, which led them to the private room that Jayden had rented, Apple let go of his hand.


    Only, Jayden quickly grabbed Apple''s hand back and gripped it even tighter, so that she couldn''t break free.


    "Whatever you''re nning, do it to the end," Jayden said in a teasing voice, he was then led the way to the private room and only then was Apple freed herself from him. "So, what happened?" Jayden asked once they were alone in the room.


    "Nothing." Apple didn''t seem to care much about it, as if it didn''t really matter, but then Jayden raised an eyebrow.


    "Should someone be fired today for putting you in a bad mood?" Jayden asked in a light tone, but Apple knew this guy would really fire someone if it was necessary.


    "Do not try anything with me. You''re the one who has put me in a bad mood," Apple grumbled, she then walked to one of the benches and when she was about to sit down, Jayden had pulled her chair out for her and sat next to her. "You can sit across from me, you know, that way we can chat morefortably."


    "But I don''t want to be away from you," Jayden replied and chuckled. "After all, that kiss on the cheek just now can''t be said to be a kiss. You''re wearing a mask."


    "No, it''s just a greeting."


    "Do you greet other people by kissing them too?" Jayden frowned when he heard Apple''s answer. He didn''t like that answer. "Should I show you a real kiss?"


    Just as Jayden finished saying those words, his body instinctively retreated when he saw a shing object streaking toward him.


    It was a knife sitting on the table and Apple grabbed the knife so quickly that it made her movement almost imperceptible and thrust its sharp corner at Jayden''s neck.


    "Say it one more time," Apple said sweetly. She smiled, but with a knife in her hand, of course no one would return the smile.


    "Well, we can have a good talk. That knife looks dangerous, love," Jayden said quietly. "You can get hurt if you''re not careful."


    Hearing that, Apple certainly didn''t let go of the knife, but she couldn''t possibly stab Jayden either.


    Therefore when Jayden leaned forward quickly and grabbed her wrist very fast, he easily twisted the knife from her hand and before Apple could protest, Jayden leaned in to kiss her.

 Chapter 527 WHY YOU DON’T LIKE ME?

    <h4>Chapter 527 WHY YOU DON''T LIKE ME?</h4>


    Apple certainly didn''t let go of the knife in her hand, but on the contrary, she couldn''t possibly stab Jayden either. This was just an empty threat and Jayden himself knew it.


    However, what was unexpected was what Jayden did afterward.


    Jayden leaned forward quickly and startled Apple. "What are you doing?!" she eximed in surprise. Instinctively, she removed the knife from before her, so that the sharp edge wouldn''t stab the madman.


    However, Jayden grabbed her wrist very fast and twisted the knife from her hand swiftly and now, the knife was in his hand. He put the knife back on the table, out of Apple''s reach.


    And before Apple could protest about how crazy his actions were, Jayden had leaned in to kiss her lips.


    Of course this left Apple surprised as she did not expect for him to steal a kiss from her again.


    However, this kiss was only fleeting and Jayden pulled himself back almost immediately, he chuckled a little when he saw Apple''s facial expression now and also the changes that followed after.


    Apple''s facial expression changed from being surprised to annoyed. She was about to stand up and get angry at Jayden, but the man had said it first.


    "Honey, why don''t we talk about this more calmly?" Jayden said in a light tone to calm Apple who was about to explode in anger over what Jayden had just done. "How about we assume what I did just broke even? You kissed me unannounced, even threatened me with a knife¡­ you can''t imagine how sad I am." Jayden even feigned a sad face.


    Seeing that, Apple rolled her eyes dramatically. She knew that no one would get hurt. She couldn''t have stabbed Jayden for real and, although Apple never tried to fight him one-on-one, she knew that Jayden was a lot better at fighting than he had shown.


    "Yeah, I can see the tears in your eyes," Apple grumbled sarcastically and this made Jaydenugh. He then rang the bell on the table, informing him that the waiters could deliver their food now.


    "Let''s eat first, okay? I''m so hungry, I haven''t even had breakfast yet. After eating, then we can discuss this matter, okay?" Jayden persuaded Apple.


    "Okay, I''m hungry too," Apple said in a defeated tone. She''d spent the entire morning feeling annoyed with Jayden, so it wasn''t unusual for her to feel like she needed something to eat after spending all her energy in vain.


    And after the food came, they both ate peacefully. Even though nothing was said and every now and then Apple would find Jayden looking at him smiling, Apple just tried to ignore him.


    Jayden even peeled the prawns for her or deboned the fish and ced the meat in Apple''s bowl. He looked very attentive and this left Apple constantly frowning.


    "You should take care of your own food, don''t bother with mine," Apple said.


    "I am done eating, you have been eating for a long time. I have nothing to do but wait for you to finish," Jayden replied casually.


    "Oh," Apple murmured.


    It was true that Jayden had finished eating earlier and it seemed that not only was Apple eating longer than Jayden, but she was also eating a lot more than him, so of course she took longer than the man.


    Ugh! What else could she do? Apple was hungry and the food at this restaurant is very good. Besides, you shouldn''t be wasting food, right?


    Apple tried to concentrate on her food instead.


    And after he finished eating and the waiters came to clear the table and serve the dessert, the chocte pudding that Jayden knew Apple liked, only then did he start this conversation.


    "I know you are upset about the announcement I made to publicize our rtionship, but why don''t you give me a chance?" Jayden asked. "We can date for three months and after that, you can decide whether you want to continue this rtionship or not?"


    Apple narrowed her eyes. Whenever Jayden said something like this, she always felt insecure about herself and her family background.


    "Why don''t you just choose a woman from your circle?" she said in a cold voice, for she had thought of the worst that she would hear.


    Jayden gave her a look. "Because there is no one like you," he said lightly and sounded like he was teasing Apple, so she didn''t know if Jayden was serious about his answer or not. "They don''t know how to fight like you or sneak into apany to get their important data."


    "You should just marry a spy," Apple said.


    "Well, I like you. We hit it off from the first time we met."


    "You mean the first time I met you and pointed a gun at you?" Apple asked because she remembered the first time they met was when they were in the hospital and Pyro was injured.


    At that time, Apple pointed a gun at Jayden. Did Jayden feelpatible with her at that time? Because Apple pointed a gun? Very hard to believe.


    Jaydenughed when he heard this. "Come to think of it, you''ve pointed a gun and a knife at me, what are you going to point next time?"


    Apple grumbled incoherently, but didn''t answer the silly question.


    "So, you agree, don''t you? I can make an amazing boyfriend and I can guarantee that." Jayden then leaned over and whispered to Apple. "And I can confirm that I can be much better than that ex of yours."


    Apple scoffed, but said nothing. She was curious enough about what Jayden did to her ex and former best friend, but not curious enough to ask now.


    "Now, I want to ask you a question," Jayden said, this time he looked at Apple seriously. "Why don''t you want to be with me? I am a good catch you know. Handsome, established, kind, has a good personality, rich¡­ you name it. So, why do you keep rejecting me?"

 Chapter 528 I WILL KICK HIM

    <h4>Chapter 528 I WILL KICK HIM</h4>


    "Why don''t you want to be with me? I am a good catch you know. Handsome, established, kind, has a good personality, rich¡­ you name it. So, why do you keep rejecting me?"


    "I agree that you are handsome and rich, but other than that, you''re just exaggerating," Apple replied.


    Apple said that to get Jayden back off, but he seemed quite happy with ''handsome and rich'', so much that he was grinning at Apple like a cheshire cat.


    For Jayden, at least he still had a selling point in the eyes of this girl in front of him.


    "So what''s your real answer? Why did you reject this handsome and rich me?" Jayden asked confidently.


    Apple had to give Jayden a perfect score for his confidence. No matter which mood he was in at the moment, he would always carry himself very well.


    "Because I don''t want drama. I don''t like the camera or being the center of attention, after all our worlds are too different, I will never understand what kind of business world you are in, nor do I want to understand it because I''m not interested," Apple dered with determination.


    "Well, you''ve got a point." Jayden nodded in agreement. "Then I want to know what kind of world you live in. If you don''t want to know my world, I want to know what kind of world you live in, what you like, what ces you want to visit. After all, my world is unpleasant and boring, I wouldn''t rmend it for you to learn." Jayden grimaced and this made Appleugh.


    "Well, at least you know your world is boring and understand why I didn''t really want to know about it."


    "That is how it is."


    Seeing how Jayden''s eyes lit up when Apple said that, she couldn''t help but take a deep breath and say in a defeated tone. "Thirty days," Apple said.


    "What do you mean thirty days?" Jayden asked not understanding, he tilted his head to ask this.


    "Your original n was to offer thirty days of this trial period, wasn''t it?"


    "I asked for three months."


    "No, you said thirty days to my dad," Apple said, recalling the words Jayden had said to Pyro.


    Jayden then clicked his tongue. "Your father can''t keep secrets. He''s like a double agent."


    "At the end of the day, he is still my father," Apple said betweenughs. She could see Jayden''s genuineugh, not the formalugh he used to show. Jayden also seemed much more rxed now.


    "Okay, deal. Thirty days," he said at the end of hisugh. "Then you will being with me to my cousin''s wedding, won''t you? It will be held five days from now," Jayden said. "You will be my plus one."


    "Your brother? Who? Misha?"


    Jaydenughed when he heard Misha''s name. "Of course not, with his attitude like that, I wouldn''t be surprised if he ended up bing a monk."


    "I think he''s more attractive than you," Apple said as she dug into her chocte pudding.


    But, Jayden was not happy with the praise that Apple threw without thinking about it. He then pulled the pudding that the girl was eating and kept it out of her reach.


    "We''ve just officially started dating, but you''re alreadyplimenting another guy in front of me? It''s unbelievable," Jayden said in a dramatic tone.


    ======================


    "So you and Jayden are officially dating?" Those were the first words Pyro asked as soon as he saw his daughter had juste out of her room to make dinner for the two of them.


    Apple didn''t answer that and just continued what she was doing, preparing dinner.


    "So, you were invited to the wedding?" Pyro asked again.


    At this moment, Apple put down the knife she was using and turned her body to face Pyro.


    "What else did Jayden say? Looks like he''s going over everything with you," Apple said in a low voice, but Pyro could even hear the irritated tone in her voice from another corner of the room.


    "Jayden didn''t say anything to me," Pyro said honestly. "I saw his mood improved today after he had lunch with you. He is less annoying, so I guess whatever he''s nning seems to be working."


    Apple still didn''t believe the statement, so she asked again. "Then how did you find out about the wedding invitation?" she asked.


    "Of course I know, even without Jayden telling me I would have known about the big wedding," Pyro replied. "So it''s true that you were invited toe?"


    Apple sometimes feared how her father could turn out to be a detective if he wanted to, especially if he guessed right.


    "Yeah¡­ he invited me toe," Apple replied. She then saw her father waving his hand to sit beside him.


    At first Apple wanted to refuse, but then she realized that sooner orter she wouldn''t be able to avoid this conversation, so she walked over to her father after cleaning her hands and sat beside him.


    "What is it?" she asked defensively. She didn''t know for sure what Pyro was going to tell her, but she was sure that it had something to do with her rtionship with Jayden.


    "You know what you''re going to face when you decide to join that family, don''t you? When did you decide to be in a rtionship with the Tordoffs?" Pyro asked.


    He stroked Apple''s hair gently, while he could see that his daughter was thinking about it.


    "You understand, don''t you, why I didn''t approve of your rtionship in the first ce?" Pyro asked again and Apple nodded, she understood very well why her father disapproved of the rtionship. "Not because you are not enough for them, but because you are the only person who is most important to me and I don''t want anyone to hurt you, not even one of the Tordoffs."


    Apple turned her head to look at Pyro''s face and she could see her father looked very calm.

 Chapter 529 SHE WILL STAY WITH HIM

    <h4>Chapter 529 SHE WILL STAY WITH HIM</h4>


    "I love you so much that the thought of the possibility that the Tordoffs might hurt you because of your disproportionate background to theirs would hurt you which would hurt me too."


    Pyro then kissed Apple''s forehead. She was his only daughter and the one thing he couldn''t ept was when someone else tried to hurt her, whether it was people he didn''t know at all, or people from families he knew very well, like the Tordoffs. .


    "But I think Jayden can protect you, because otherwise I am the one who will kick his arse." Appleughed when she heard her father say that.


    Jayden may seem easy going and sometimes not serious about what he wants or will do, but that doesn''t mean he''s irresponsible. His seemingly rxed nature was actually just his way of showing that he didn''t want to think about unimportant things.


    But, if Jayden wanted to be with Apple on a serious note, maybe Pyro should reconsider his decision.


    Jayden wasn''t that bad.


    "Yeah, you should kick him harder," Apple said, then sheid her head on her father''s shoulder and closed her eyes, enjoying their time together.


    "I am going to kick him multiple times," Pyro promised.


    Apple giggled when she heard that and said quietly. "Cook dinner tonight, okay?"


    "Didn''t I take care of our dinner yesterday?" pyro protest.


    =======================


    "Where are you?" Jayden asked as he fiddled with the ballpoint pen in his hand. Today he was feeling really bored from his hectic work and it was making his head hurt, so he thought bothering Apple would ease his headache a bit.


    "I am on my way," Apple replied, driving her car. She was wearing earphones, of course.


    "Hmm? Where are you going?" Jayden asked again, he didn''t know Apple was going somewhere. Heck, this girl wouldn''t have called him or told him anything if he didn''t take the initiative to do so.


    "I have to help a friend do a photoshoot," Apple replied lightly.


    Her friend, Ivan needed someone to assist with the photoshoot that he was working on, and this was for an international photo contest, but suddenly the assistant got sick and couldn''t be there.


    Actually this is not a tough job, you just need to handle some paperwork and manage schedules and remind them when to do something and how much time they can use.


    Looks simple, but a littleplicated and annoying for those who have their own tasks.


    After all, Apple had no activities and still hadn''t started applying for jobs yet. Therefore, she epted this offer, after all the pay was decent.


    "Where?" Jayden asked, he frowned.


    "In town L," Apple replied without a second thought. "I will be back tonight."


    "You will stay out until the night?" Jayden asked. "What is the name of the photo studio?"


    Hearing that Appleughed softly. "You are really going to ask such a thing?"


    "I want to know."


    "You sound like an overprotective boyfriend."


    "I know you can protect yourself, but I want to protect you¡­" Jayden said. "Otherwise, maybe at the end of our thirty day agreement, you''ll kick me out."


    Apple didn''t know if she shouldugh or cry at this, but she eventually told Jayden the name of Ivan''s studio.


    "You know this man well?" Jayden asked, his tone devoid of anything, but the expression on his face certainly changed.


    "I have known him for a long time, about three years since I graduated from high school," Apple replied.


    Jayden pursed his lips.


    "I was driving and looking for this address, because I don''t really know the area here, so I am hanging up first, because I couldn''t concentrate," Apple said.


    "But¡­" and before Jayden could protest, Apple had already hung up the phone and left Jayden staring at the screen in amazement. "No kissing me goodbye? Or other affectionate words?"


    Jayden clicked his tongue and shook his head in disbelief. This girl is really cold¡­


    Jayden felt that he had tried everything he could to woo this girl, but that wasn''t enough to bring Apple to her knees.


    Interesting¡­


    So she is in town L...


    =======================


    Jayden looked sullen as he came out of his office, he looked like he just lost on a big project, but the employees there couldn''t remember any major projects that failed because all of thepany''s ns this year went smoothly, even very sessfully, despite some obstacles...


    Especially the feud between the Tordoff and Gevano families.


    Therefore, they were very confused when they saw Jayden Tordoff looking so annoyed and irritated as soon as he got out of his office and immediately got in the car and started the engine, he didn''t even wait for his personal bodyguard toe with him.


    They were all confused because Jayden told them to shut up and not follow him.


    But, where was he going or what was he going to do? Especially with an expression like that.


    "What should we do?" one of Jayden''s personal bodyguards asked his fellow guard, Pyro, because he seemed so rxed in response to this.


    "Leave it alone," Pyro replied, then stepped into his car. "You guys go home."


    The two men looked at each other. "Is it okay? What if something happened to Mr. Tordoff?" one of them asked, looking worried.


    However, Pyro just waved his hand, as if to say that it wasn''t something they needed to worry about.


    "No problem, you guys go home," Pyro replied, and then drove his car out of the parking area, because he seemed to know where Jayden was going with that expression on his face.


    What happened a few minutes ago was; Jayden was just about to call Apple to ask if her work was done and she was on her way home, but all she got was a text message saying her job was extended due to some issues and she wouldn''t be back for another week.


    Apple literally said that she would stay with Ivan.

 Chapter 530 THAT ’APPLE’

    <h4>Chapter 530 THAT ''APPLE''</h4>


    Apple thought she''d be getting endless calls from Jayden after he read her messages, but apparently there had been no word from him and even her messages have been left unread.


    This made Apple frown a little but she decided it wasn''t a big deal, because right now, Ivan was taking her out for a drink at a bar, to unwind because they had been to quite a few ces all day.


    There were about four other people, apart from Ivan and Apple and they decided to take two cars to go to the bar.


    It is one of the famous bars in L city and Ivan''s group would oftene to this ce whenever they have a project in L city.


    Besides Apple, there was another woman named Rachel, who rode in the same car as Apple and Ivan, while three other men used a different car.


    Rachel is an editor, and edits all the photos they usually take. But now, her role is not really necessary, because edited works aren''t allowed in thepetition and actually Rachel is in the group because she is Ivan''s lover.


    At first, Apple questioned why Rachel wasn''t the one managing their schedule and dealing with sponsors, but Rachel herself said that she didn''t want to deal with those corporate businessmen and didn''t want to be bothered with the schedule.


    So one could say that she was only here to be with Ivan and watch her future husband work.


    "You know that Ivan has proposed to me?" Rachel asked Apple, who was sitting in the backseat, ying with the ring on her finger. They didn''t really talk much because they were too busy, so Apple didn''t really pay attention to the ring.


    "Congrattions," Apple said sincerely and smiled sweetly at Rachel who was sitting in the front seat, next to Ivan, as she kissed the man on the cheek.


    Ivan didn''t seem to be the kind of guy who liked to show public disys of affection, so he felt a little ufortable when Rachel kissed him in front of Apple and started acting a little touchy.


    Meanwhile, Apple is not even aware of this at all. She felt that there was nothing wrong with it all.


    "We are nning to get married, you wille, right,? To the wedding ceremonyter?" Rachel asked in a spoiled manner, she also touched Ivan''s shoulder, showing off her engagement ring.


    "Of course, if I get the invitation, I''lle," Apple replied in a rxed tone. She was still smiling sweetly at Rachel, responding to her questions.


    "But, who will youe with?" Rachel asked. "Do you have a partner already?" she asked again.


    Actually, this was the question Rachel wanted to ask in the first ce, but she chose to twist her words so it wouldn''t be too obvious when she was investigating Apple''s rtionship status.


    Of course, Rachel immediately came to the ce where Ivan was doing the photoshoot when she heard that another woman was joining their work.


    She couldn''t understand why Ivan would invite a woman to join his group when he could handle the scheduling work alone.


    But, of course Rachel failed to see how troublesome Apple''s work was, even though it looked very simple and didn''t take much effort, but it certainly took a lot of time.


    "Ah, I wanted to ask you the same thing," Ivan said suddenly, as if he had just remembered what he was going to ask Apple after hearing Rachel''s question.


    Of course because Ivan was a close friend of Apple, he didn''t have to twist his words around for the question he wanted to ask in the first ce.


    On the other hand, Rachel looked at Ivan and then Apple with a bit of cynicism because her fianc¨¦ was interested in knowing Apple''s personal life.


    But what Rachel didn''t take into ount was what Ivan said next.


    "How is your rtionship with Mr. Tordoff? Is what was reported true?" News about the rtionship between Apple and Jayden Tordoff has indeed be the headlinestely, especially after a brief press conference conducted by Jayden some time ago.


    "Mr. Tordoff?" Rachel asked, frowning. She looked at Apple and then Ivan. "What does it mean?"


    "You didn''t see the news? She is the girl who is rumored to be in a rtionship with Jayden Tordoff," Ivan said lightly, he chuckled when he saw how Rachel reacted.


    "No way," Rachel muttered. "Are you really¡­" Rachel then turned around and took a closer look at Apple''s face this time.


    The first time she saw Apple, she felt that her face seemed a bit familiar to her, especially with her name. The unique name of course made it easy for people to remember it, but Rachel wouldn''t have guessed, or even wanted to think that Apple was the same Apple as the girl who was rumored to be close to Jayden Tordoff.


    "Is that true?" she asked again to confirm Apple''s true identity. "You''re that Apple who''s rumored to be Jayden Tordoff''s lover?"


    It was at a time like this that Apple found it a little odd to acknowledge the rtionship between herself and Jayden, but didn''t they agree? So of course Apple wouldn''t lie.


    "Yes, I am that Apple," she replied.


    "Oh. my. Lord." Rachel blurted her words very slowly and looked at Apple as if she had grown another head.


    This was really surprising for Apple, because it was the first time she''d seen anyone shocked in such an exaggerated, almostical way if Apple could say.


    After that, Rachel started bombarding Apple with a few questions, which even made Ivan himself feel bad about it.


    "You shouldn''t ask her that, honey, it''s a personal question," Ivan said, reminding Rachel. He tried to drive the car faster so they could get to their destination as soon as possible.


    "It''s okay, this is between girls, okay," Rachel said, ignoring Ivan''s warning. "So? Have you ever been to the Tordoff mansion? What do you guys do on a date? How does it feel to date a tycoon?"

 Chapter 531 JAYDEN

    <h4>Chapter 531 JAYDEN</h4>


    "It''s okay, it''s between girls, okay," Rachel said, not listening to Ivan''s warning at all. "So? Have you ever been to the Tordoff mansion? What do you guys do on a date? How does it feel to date a tycoon? What kind of dates have you guys had so far? Dating on a cruise ship? Private jet?"


    Apple wasn''t really sure how she should answer all of these questions, because she felt she didn''t have the answers.


    Apple didn''t feel like they had dated before, as the first few days of their rtionship could be said to have had a bit of tension in them, and therefore Apple found it difficult to answer Rachel''s question.


    "I have been to the Tordoff residence," Apple replied, which made Rachel squeal and she didn''t understand why this woman was making such a sound.


    "Then, where else has Jayden Tordoff taken you?" Rachel asked probingly and a little excitedly for Apple liking.


    Apple frowned. "I have never been on his private jet." It was certain that the Tordoffs owned a private jet, but she''d never even seen one, while for a cruise ship, Apple wasn''t really sure Jayden would take her anywhere by it, given the trauma he was suffering from.


    So there are nopelling answers that Apple can provide to Rachel''s questions.


    "So what are you guys doing?" Rachel asked, still excited to know the dynamics of their rtionship. She never dated a conglomerate, let alone had a romantic rtionship with those kinds of people. She never even knew someone like Jayden Tordoff. "Then what kinds of dates have you been to? Anything interesting while you two were together?"


    To Rachel''sst question, it looks like Apple has the answer.


    "Well, yeah¡­ I had an interesting experience," Apple answered slowly, noticing Rachel''s eager face. The woman kept looking back, she had even shifted in her seat to face Apple. "I was robbed once at lunch with him."


    This time Ivanughed when he heard this. "Yeah, I remember that. It was the first news reporters covered about you two. You guys look so cute, exposed for being robbed at lunch."


    Appleughed wryly at that. "Pretty interesting, isn''t it?"


    Meanwhile Rachel didn''t care about the news, she didn''t even think about the interesting part when the two of them were robbed in the cafe, but rather because that wasn''t the answer she wanted.


    She wanted something romantic, something a little scandalicious, so she could use it as a gossip topic with her girlfriends.


    But, sadly, Rachel didn''t have much time for that because it didn''t take long for Ivan to get to the bar they were going to and during that time Apple didn''t answer any of Rachel''s questions specifically.


    Arriving at the bar, Apple and the others ordered drinks for themselves after finding a table to the left of the room.


    "Why don''t you call Jayden Tordoff over here?" Rachel asked, she still couldn''t let go of her obsession with Jayden Tordoff and wanted to know everything about the man from Apple because she thought it was so interesting. "Why don''t you call him? Invite him toe here. Wouldn''t he be jealous when he saw you spending time with these men?"


    "He is in city A, there is no way he cane here, it is toote after all," Apple politely refused. She was actually starting to get ufortable with Rachel''s questions. It was obvious that this woman really wanted to find out all the details about Apple and Jayden''s rtionship.


    "If he loves you so much, he will definitely be willing toe to this city even though the distance is so long."


    Appleughed when she heard that statement and this annoyed Rachel a little, because she didn''t like beingughed at. "I never measure love by distance. If the position was reversed, I would also object to having to pass through several cities just to prove love. He has other ways of showing it." Apple nced at Rachel, insinuating at something naughty.


    And that made Rachel even more jealous of Apple''s luck.


    "Stop talking about Jayden Tordoff," Ivan warned his lover again. "It makes everyone here ufortable."


    Rachel pursed her lips and for a moment, she didn''t mention Jayden Tordoff anymore because she saw how strict Ivan had been in giving her a warning.


    After all, whe could see that her boyfriend looked annoyed that she kept talking about other men right in front of him.


    Therefore, Rachel had to calm her partner down.


    That night at the bar there wasn''t much of anything interesting, Ivan looked a little tipsy and Rachel was beside him, whispering somethingughing and this made Ivan smile, while the other three men had left their table in search of other girls to keep thempany. there.


    One of them is Rio. Apple can see the man dancing on the dance floor. Together with a girl with light brown hair, they both seem to be enjoying one another''spany.


    While Apple was stuck in that ce and had nothing else to do, especially when she saw Rachel and Ivan already kissing each other, Apple took it as a cue for her to get out of there. She didn''t want to be a spectator to either of them.


    Apple''s main goal was finding a bar table, where she could order drinks while gazing across the room and enjoying her solitude.


    But, just as she sat there, a man sat next to her.


    "I''ve been watching you since a long time ago," the man said. He looked cute with sses perched on his sharp nose, his smile looked very confident and he had a nice body.


    Overall, he was pleasant to the eyes.


    "May I know your name?" the man asked, holding out his hand. "I am Derek."


    Apple looked doubtful when she saw the outstretched hand, but before she could decide, someone had reached out his hand first, over her shoulder and grabbed the man''s hand.


    "Jayden."

 Chapter 532 YES MA’AM

    <h4>Chapter 532 YES MA''AM</h4>


    "I am Derek." The man introduced himself to Apple while holding out his hand.


    This man named Derek looked cute with sses perched on his nose and an athletic body. He looked like someone from a prominent family in this L city.


    Apple looked doubtful when she saw the outstretched hand, because she didn''t want to make friends with anyone in a ce like this. She didn''t even think about getting acquainted with anyone in her current state and situation.


    In the midst of the confusion, before Apple could decide what she was going to do, someone had reached out his hand first, over her shoulder and grabbed the man''s hand.


    "Jayden," he said.


    Not only was Apple surprised when she heard the name, because the man behind her was standing right behind her back, so she could feel the man''s broad chest and the warm breath that brushed against her neck, but Derek also seemed surprised when a man suddenly grabbed his hand.


    "Jayden Tordoff," Jayden said even more firmly now. He looked Derek straight in the eye when he said his full name.


    Needless to say, Apple knows very well who this man is, even before he said anything, Apple could hear his voice quite clearly and could confirm for sure without even seeing his face first.


    "Jayden¡­ Tordoff¡­" Derek said with a surprised face. He then grimaced slightly, but then his facial expression returned to normal.


    Apple could see that Jayden was holding Derek''s hand too tight before he pulled his hand back and rested his hands on Apple''s Shoulders.


    "Nice to meet you, Derek," Jayden said with a smile on the corners of his lips.


    "What are you doing here?" Apple asked, she turned his body to face Jayden and found the man looking at her with a look in his eyes that was hard to exin and this made Apple frown.


    "Don''t mind if I join in here?" Jayden asked Derek kindly, but the man had other thoughts.


    "Of course," Derek replied calmly. He quickly regained control of himself and started initiating a conversation. "Excuse me, is this your lover? Because I saw her sitting here alone."


    Jayden smiled kindly, but Apple was sure it didn''t look as harmless as it appeared. After that he took a chair and ced it in the middle, right between Apple and Derek''s, which automatically distracted Derek''s attention from Apple.


    "Of course, you didn''t see thetest news?" Jayden asked lightly, then he ordered a drink from the bartender there, he also ordered a ss of juice for Apple, to which the girl red at him. Juice? At a bar? Oh, please¡­


    "Oh sorry, I don''t watch the news much," Derek replied lightly. It sounded like a light answer, casual even, but of course Jayden could hear the scorn in his voice, as if this man was saying that the news in the media wasn''t important to get his attention. "So I don''t know about the rumors circting out there."


    Jaydenughed softly when he heard this and Apple could feel the hairs on her neck stand up hearing Jaydenugh.


    "Yes, ignorance is bliss, right?" Jayden then put his elbows on the table, this time his movementpletely covered the Apple from Derek''s view, hiding her behind Jayden''s broad body.


    "Right." Derek raised his ss and drank it in front of Jayden. "So, may I know the girl''s name?" he asked again.


    "Of course not," Jayden answered firmly.


    "She doesn''t seemfortable enough to be controlled by you. Don''t you think so?" Derek nodded at Apple.


    "Oh, you are talking about juice? Juices are good for the body and after all, I will let her order whatever she wants after I get rid of the distractions around her now." It goes without saying that the ''distraction'' Jayden was referring to was Derek himself.


    However, the man seemed too dense to understand this and instead tried to talk to Apple again.


    "Shall we go to the dance floor? You don''t mind dancing with me, right? Then you can tell me what is your name, I am sure you will be more than happy with me," Derek said enthusiastically, he tilted his head so he could see a bit of the top of Apple''s head, which was behind Jayden Tordoff''s body.


    At the same time, Jayden''s and Apple''s drinks were finished and Apple stared at the juice with displeased eyes, but when she heard what Derek had to say, she seemed much displeased.


    "No thanks," Apple said, this time pushing Jayden away so the man stopped blocking her view. "I don''t really like dancing and he''s my boyfriend, so I guess you should back off."


    Derek looked a little surprised when he heard this, but then heposed himself quickly. Well, Apple was a little impressed with his ability to calm himself back in seconds.


    "You seem too controlled by him. You must not be happy in this rtionship." He even clicked his tongue when he said this.


    And one more thing that Apple didn''t like was that people were as knowledgeable as Derek and have unreasonable assumptions that he believed in.


    "No, actually I am the one who controls this man." Apple then turned her attention to Jayden, while the man only raised his eyebrows slightly, looking eager to know what Apple''s ns were. "I want to go home now, take me home."


    Apple didn''t say that in a demanding tone, but it almost sounded like an order and Jayden chuckled as he answered the order.


    "Yes, ma''am, anything for you," Jayden then took out a few bills, which Apple felt were too much to pay for their drinks. But, then Jayden with a big smile, turned to face Derek and smirked. "It''s on me."


    He paid for the three of them and held out his hand to help Apple get off her bar stool and walk away, leaving Derek alone to watch them leave, without him knowing the girl''s name.

 Chapter 533 SHE DOESN’T THINK SO

    <h4>Chapter 533 SHE DOESN''T THINK SO</h4>


    "What are you doing here?" Apple asked, nowfortably seated in the car, while Jayden Tordoff drove to the nearest hotel.


    "Came to pick up my naughty sweetheart," Jayden answered lightly, backing the car shrewdly and pulling them out of the parking lot. "My girlfriend said she was returning home, but she is still here."


    Apple pouted her lips when she heard that. "I told you that the trip got extended," Apple replied annoyed, she then opened the car window and felt the cold night air. This is much more refreshing than the cold air from the Air Conditioner, so Apple turned it off and Jayden did the same.


    "Yeah, but you have only called me twice today," Jayden protested unhappily.


    "I called you three times," Apple corrected and this made Jayden roll his eyes in frustration. If Apple could hide now, she would haveughed when she saw the childish look on Jayden''s face now.


    "It doesn''t sound good," Jayden still protested about it. "Two and three are small numbers."


    "You can''t expect me to call you all the time, can you?"


    "Well, how about twenty times?"


    "Ten."


    "That''s half of it."


    "Nine then."


    "Apple, no kidding." Jayden turned and found the girlughing cheekily.


    "Eight."


    At this point, Jayden could only frown and say nothing else. He knew the numbers were only going to drop drastically and he didn''t want to give Apple a reason to contact him only a few times in a day.


    ======================


    "This isn''t the hotel I am staying at," Appleined, when she realized that Jayden had taken her to a five-star hotel in the city of L. One of the most expensive hotels in the city and certainly one of the many businesses run by the Tordoff family.


    Therefore, it is certain that Jayden will get the best room there, no matter what time he will check in, even without a reservation in advance.


    "The hotel you are in is ugly," Jayden replied, getting out of the car, about to open the door for Apple.


    Of course Jayden''s answer really irritated her. Bad?!


    Okay, indeed the hotel that Apple is staying at is not as good as the hotel in front of them, but she has already paid for the hotel and they have agreed to leave this morning to continue the photo session together.


    "You don''t have to make fun of the hotel I am in, you know," Apple grumbled as she got out of the car door Jayden had opened. Granted it was just a cheap three-star hotel on a promotional price, but Jayden didn''t have to be so annoying like this. "You suck."


    Jaydenughed hearing that and kissed Apple on the cheek, which made the girl turn and re at Jayden while covering her cheeks with both hands as she walked away.


    "Okay, I won''t say anything about the hotel of your choice," Jayden said lightly. He shrugged nonchntly and followed the girl. "If that guy really wants an assistant, I can give him one."


    Apple red at Jayden when she heard what this man said. "I work there."


    "I can trade my secretary with you, that way you can work for me, how does it sound? Great idea, right?" Jayden eximed, pping his hands, as if he''d juste up with a brilliant idea for a mega project.


    "No," Apple answered firmly. "Don''t ever think you can do that," Apple grumbled.


    "I''m just making a suggestion," Jayden protested groggily. He was walking behind Apple, but then caught up with her as they entered the lobby. "How about I pay you twice the cut?"


    "Not."


    "Thrice?"


    "Not."


    "Tenfold?"


    Apple took a deep breath and looked at Jayden''s beaming face, hoping that Apple would agree to his offer.


    Of course Apple knew that Jayden could afford that money, even a hundred times that value wouldn''t put a dent in his finances. But, that''s not what Apple wants.


    "We can work while dating. Isn''t that amazing?" Jayden is back with his crazy ideas.


    "No," Apple answered firmly.


    "We can¡­"


    "No," Apple replied again before Jayden could finish his sentence. "Stop thinking that you can get away easily with your money."


    "But..." Jayden then ran after Apple who had walked away from him. "I''m curious. Why don''t you want to do an easy job that pays ten times as much?" he asked curiously.


    And for the second time, Apple stopped walking and looked at Jayden. "Since my boyfriend can give me so much more than that, then why should I work when I can ask for it?" She then rolled her eyes at Jayden. "Right?"


    It took Jayden a while to realize that Apple was teasing him. He then ran over to the girl and wrapped his arms around Apple''s Shoulders while ruffling her hair annoyingly.


    "You''re so adorable. How about we just get married right away?" Jayden said, whispering into Apple''s ear and making the girl want to stomp on his feet, but Jayden moved faster and dodged her swiftly.


    "Stop saying those nonsensical words," Apple grumbled, she tried to pry Jayden''s arms from him, but the man only pulled her closer. "Stay away from me, what if a reporter takes a photo of us like this?"


    "Let it be." Jayden rolled his eyes dramatically when he heard this and kissed the top of Apple''s head when they arrived at the reception and the poor girl had to stare at them both shyly. "We''ve been caught together, so what''s there to cover up?"


    Hearing this answer, Apple knew that it was true and they don''t need to cover up this rtionship anymore.


    But, Apple still felt strange, how could she have a romantic rtionship with a man like Jayden Tordoff?


    She looked at the man beside her. He looks perfect as a boyfriend. How lucky she was to have him.


    "Don''t be stunned by my good looks." Jayden smirked, when he caught the way Apple was ogling at him.


    Okay, now she doesn''t think so.

 Chapter 534 YOU ARE ANNOYING, BUT I LIKE YOU

    <h4>Chapter 534 YOU ARE ANNOYING, BUT I LIKE YOU</h4>


    The hotel room reserved for Jayden is the best suite avable in the hotel with a magnificent view, showing how beautiful the lights at night from the highest floor of the Building are.


    On the left are two skyscrapers and on the right, Apple can see the highway and the small lights of the buildings around them.


    Although this sounds a little cheesy, Apple was stunned for a moment when she found herself staring at such a beautiful sight and it could be seen clearly on her face when Jayden came up to her and hugged her from behind.


    For a moment Apple was taken aback, but then she rxed in Jayden''s arms. Well, what will happen will happen. Apple is too tired to respond to Jayden''s stubbornness, forcing this rtionship.


    After all, if you look at it on the bright side, Apple has nothing to lose by epting Jayden as her boyfriend, right? He has all the criteria a Woman wants, well, except for his vtile mood, but that''s still within the limits Apple can handle, so no problem in that regard.


    "It''s a beautiful sight, isn''t it?" Jayden asked while whispering into Apple''s ear in a low voice and Apple nodded in response. She looked very beautiful in the reflection of therge window pane in front of her, while Jayden stood behind her, hugging her.


    "Hm," Apple mumbled, not wanting to admit it, even though the expression on her face had already given away what she was feeling and what she was thinking at the moment.


    "Much more beautiful than the ce you stayed at the hotel Ivan made a reservation in, isn''t it?" Jayden asked again, sounding a little cocky about his wealth. This man knows the advantages he has and it is certain that he has so many advantages that he is aware of and puts to good use.


    "Well, you could say so," Apple said in a low voice.


    "Admit it, don''t be shy," Jayden teased in a voice stifledughter at Apple''s expression on the mirror in front of him, smiling slightly at her.


    "I''m going to bed," Apple mumbled as she released himself from Jayden''s arms and then walked toward the bedroom which was separated from the living room.


    This hotel room has three parts, the master bedroom, living room and kitchte.


    "Looks like you can''t wait to put me to sleep," Jayden teased again, following Apple from behind, but the girl turned around with a frown.


    "Isn''t this the time when you should say; ''You can sleep on the bed, I''ll sleep on the couch,''" Apple protested. "A gentleman should say something like this."


    Jayden snorted when he heard that. "Why do I have to sleep on the sofa? This is a special hotel room for me, so I should have gotten the master suite. Besides, I don''t intend to be a gentleman tonight." Jayden rolled his eyes at Apple which made the girl frown even more.


    "You are telling me to sleep on the couch?" she asked in disbelief.


    "Why do you have to sleep on the couch?" he asked with a grin, then he walked past Apple and opened the door that led to the master bedroom. "Why should one of us sleep on the couch when we can sleep in the same bed?" he wriggled his eyebrows suggestively.


    "You didn''t think I would turn myself in and sleep with you, did you?"


    Hearing what Apple said, Jayden feigned a surprised look, showing an innocent face. "I didn''t say that you should surrender yourself to me or sleep together," but then his expression turned into a mischievous one. "But, if you insist, I''m fine."


    "Pervert. Do you act like this with every woman you date?"


    Jaydenughed. "Of course not, because even without being teased they already like me, so I don''t have to do much."


    Apple rolled her eyes in annoyance and then walked into the room.


    In there, there is a veryrge bed, five people can be sure to sleep on itfortably and this is the first time for Apple to see a bed this big.


    "I told you no, that no one needs to sleep on the couch tonight," Jayden said as he closed the door behind him and leaned against it, folding his arms across his chest.


    Seeing this, Apple squinted her eyes. "Don''t even think about anything silly. It''s a no-no."


    "Oh, Apple, my mind is not that dirty, I can guarantee that between you and me, I am the owner of the cleanest mind between the two of us."


    "Seriously, I doubt that."


    "Don''t worry, I''ll be docile." Jaydenughed then started to take off his clothes.


    =========================


    When it was almost morning, Apple woke up when she felt the vibration of her cellphone, probably due to an iing call, which was from none other than Ivan.


    The man asked where she is now and reminded her that they had to leave early in the morning.


    "Okay, I''ll be right there," Apple said, rubbing her face to get rid of the sleepiness.


    But, when she was about to get out of bed, Jayden just pulled her body back onto the bed and hugged her possessively.


    "Where are you going? It''s still early," he muttered in a sleepy voice.


    "I have to go, Ivan needs me to go now," Apple said in a low voice, she could feel Jayden''s warm breath sweeping around her neck and this made her voice sound strange.


    Nothing happenedst night between the two of them because they were too tired and Apple was a little tipsy after finishing a few drinks before she headed to the bar where she met Jayden.


    "But, I need you," Jayden grumbled, he hugged Apple even tighter, locking her in ce.


    "Stop, let me go now," Apple said, but Jayden didn''t respond, so she twisted her body in such a way that she escaped the man''s grip in a heartbeat.


    Jayden then opened his eyes and looked at Apple with a frown, who was now out of bed. "Why are you so annoying and I still like you?" Jayden grumbled at Apple.

 Chapter 535 BYE

    <h4>Chapter 535 BYE</h4>


    It took Apple a few days to finish her work with Ivan and finally return to city A, but when she was about to check out of the hotel and was in the lobby sitting next to Rachel, Ivan''s lover, the woman suddenly gasped.


    "What is it?" Apple asked when she heard Rachel''s loud gasp and then began to look around.


    Apple suspected something extraordinary had happened, or at least something very dramatic, but what she found was Jayden Tordoff walking toward her.


    "That''s¡­ Jayden Tordoff," Rachel whispered in a panicked voice.


    Well, Rachel didn''t need to tell Apple, because she was all too well used to that arrogant style of outfit and gait of his.


    "Yeah, I guess that iss him," Apple muttered, but her lips curved into a smile as Jayden smiled at her. She doesn''t know why his smile is so contagious.


    But, next to Apple, Rachel was also smiling at Jayden, thinking that this Tordoff heir was smiling at her.


    And as Jayden drew near, Rachel immediately stood up, as if she was about to greet Jayden with a beaming face and a huge smile.


    "Mr. Tordoff," Rachel said in her low, seductive voice, but Jayden didn''t respond.


    There was only one person in Jayden''s eyes and that was Apple, so there was no way he was aware of what Rachel was trying to do now.


    "Ready to go home?" Jayden asked, and looked at Apple, but there was a woman he didn''t recognize standing in his way, he didn''t think anything of it, but this woman was quite annoying and Jayden was a little surprised when it was this woman who answered his question. "I''m here to pick you up."


    "You came to pick me up?" Rachel again gasped when she heard Jayden''s answer.


    "Pardon me?" Jayden nced at Rachel and this made the girl blush while she frowned in confusion.


    It was only then that Apple stood up and lightly patted Rachel''s shoulder as she exined to her.


    "Jayden meant toe pick me up," Apple corrected Rachel. She smiled and could see her red face, but not from blushing, but from the embarrassment she was trying to hide.


    Rachel hadpletely forgotten that Apple was Jayden''s lover, because she didn''t look so luxurious andparable to be the lover of someone like Jayden Tordoff.


    "Oh, I am sorry, I didn''t realize that earlier," Rachel mumbled, tucking her hair behind her ear and looking like a teenage girl caught staring at her crush, Apple grimaced slightly at this.


    Her rtionship with Rachel is not very good. And after the night she stayed at the hotel together with Jayden, this woman kept asking questions that made Apple ufortable and kept wanting to know when Jayden would visit her again.


    However, after a few days Jayden didn''te and themunication between them wasn''t too intense because Apple and Jayden were both busy with their respective jobs, Rachel''s questions then led to something that insinuated that Apple was just Jayden''s side chick.


    At that time, Apple justughed it off and didn''t respond, while Ivan would apologize to her because his girlfriend had spoken so rudely, but Apple didn''t care about it at all.


    Until finally all of Rachel''s questions stopped and she seemed to have decided that there was no connection between Apple and Jayden. As though the ''Apple'' that was reported in the mass media was not the same ''Apple'' that was with her at that time.


    Reality hit her hard when she saw Jayden Tordoff himself picking up Apple on their return day.


    "Mr. Tordoff, are you here to pick up Apple?" Rachel asked back in her attempt to start a conversation with Jayden Tordoff. Of course Rachel already knew the answer, because Jayden and Apple had already confirmed it.


    The people in the hotel lobby didn''t seem to notice that Jayden Tordoff was there, and again the hotel lobby wasn''t packed with people.


    "Yeah, he came to get me," Apple replied. She then stepped past Rachel and kissed Jayden on the cheek in front of the woman.


    Even when she did that, Apple didn''t understand why she did it, because of the disy of affection that she showed to her waspletely uncalled for, but she felt satisfaction from watching Rachel''s surprised expression.


    On the other hand, Jayden didn''t think that Apple would kiss him, and of course every good thing has to have a payoff too right? Therefore, Jayden kissed Apple''s forehead gently and then pulled her away by her hand.


    "Let''s go," Jayden said and then led Apple away from there, ignoring Rachel altogether, treating her as if she didn''t even exist.


    Apple then waved her hand at Rachel with a sweet smile and said, "bye¡­"


    After the pair were a little further apart, Jayden pinched Apple''s cheek while whispering into her ear.


    "What was that? Showing off?" Jayden didn''t look upset, he just liked what Apple was doing. He finds it funny and interesting.


    "Kind of," Apple said cheekily and then they bothughed softly, attracting the attention of those around them, as they passed through the lobby.


    "Hadn''t I told you already, that there''s a lot to gain if you''re my girlfriend," Jayden reminded Apple.


    "Well, I am just starting to adapt well to my new status." Apple then got in the car, while Jayden sat next to her and asked the driver to drive them away.


    "You will adapt well. Don''t worry." Jayden tousled Apple''s hair lightly. "I am here to tell you that the day after tomorrow there is a big Tordoff family event and I''d like you toe with me."


    Apple''s facial expression immediately turned tense when she heard this. "What do you mean Tordoff''s big family event? Who wille?"


    "The whole Tordoff family," Jayden replied lightly, unaware of the stress he had put Apple in.


    "Not just your parents?" she asked in horror.


    "Not just my parents," Jayden replied. "The whole family will be there."

 Chapter 536 WHO TOLD YOU?

    <h4>Chapter 536 WHO TOLD YOU?</h4>


    "Not just my parents," Jayden replied. "The whole family will be there."


    Apple almost choked when she heard Jayden answer so calmly.


    "What?" She widened her eyes in disbelief. She hoped Jayden wouldugh and say it was all a joke and then grin mischievously, like he always did.


    But, when Apple saw no indication that Jayden was going to say his words were a joke, she started to worry. No, Apple freaked out.


    Meeting Jayden''s parents alone was enough to make Apple feel almost a heart attacking, how could she be able to face the entire Tordoff family?


    Apple shook her head emphatically, refusing Jayden''s request. "No, no, I don''t want to be at the party."


    "Why not?" Jayden asked, knowing that Apple would turn him down. He had thought of a thousand and one ways to persuade this girl, but before that he had to know for sure, what was really making Apple feel ufortable.


    "Because I don''t have proper clothes," Apple replied after she had wrecked her brain for an excuse, but what came out of her lips was a simple excuse that was certain that Jayden could easily tackle down.


    "I can give you whatever clothes you want so you can go to the party."


    It was the answer Apple had been anticipating from Jayden, of course what he said was true. Therefore, Apple must immediately find a new way.


    "I don''t feelfortable being in a crowd." Especially when these people would think that she only approached Jayden because of his status and wealth. Isn''t that what big families like Tordoff always think when they find that one of their family members has been in a rtionship with someone who has a social status far below them?


    "But, you feelfortable with me?" Jayden asked in a calm tone. He knew that everything that came out of Apple''s lipster was just an excuse, because he thought he knew the real reason Apple why declined his invitation.


    Apple pursed her lips. "Is that question even relevant?" she asked cautiously. You have to have this kind of caution when you face Jayden Tordoff who looks calm and collected. He is not being his goofy side character, so Apple has to make sure she doesn''t get caught.


    However, when Jayden saw Apple start to put her guard up, he chuckled lightly. This girl looked like someone who was about to be attacked.


    Thus, Jayden leaned forward and lightly kissed her lips to lower the tension hanging in the air.


    "What was the kiss for?" Apple grumbled while frowning. They were having a serious conversation, but suddenly Jayden kissed her. What a strange creature.


    But, Jayden refused to answer that, he justughed softly and looked deeply at Apple, his lips still curling into a sweet smile.


    "You do not have to feel ufortable being in a crowd, because you will always be with me. Forget the crowd and focus only on me." He rolled his eyes yfully at Apple. "I would be happy to have your attention all day long."


    Apple snorted at that, but she smiled giddily inwardly. It was cheesy, but for some reason Apple was delighted when Jayden said that.


    "Okay, so you agreed to go, didn''t you?" Jayden asked when he saw the look on Apple''s face.


    "I haven''t said anything yet," Apple protested.


    "You don''t have to say anything, I can see it right in your eyes," Jayden replied confidently, then he pulled Apple to sit next to him. "Why do you always sit far from me? Should I buy a smaller car so there won''t be too much space between us?" Jayden contemted that idea for a while.


    "Stop being so silly," Apple said quietly, but she managed to rest her head on Jayden''s shoulder and it felt¡­fortable enough, Apple loved it, while Jayden''s arms wrapped around her waist protectively.


    "I like being silly for you," Jayden said softly into her ear and this made Appleugh. "What is so funny?"


    "You sound so cheesy," Apple admitted and Jaydenughed along with her.


    "Well, you have to endure it for the rest of your life. So start getting used to this." Jayden rubbed the top of Apple''s head and seemed quite satisfied that Apple had started to get used to being around him.


    "I guess I will have to start getting used to your other unique traits first," Apple muttered.


    ========================


    Early in the morning, Apple, who was opening herptop looking for a suitable job opening, suddenly got a phone call from a number she didn''t recognize.


    When Apple picked up the call, a woman''s voice in a formal and cheerful tone greeted her and asked to confirm her identity.


    "Yeah, that is me," Apple replied slightly confused. "Who is this?" she asked.


    Then the woman said that she called Apple because she was interested in the photos sent to them and asked if Apple was interested in bing a model in their agency.


    "Model? Photos?" Apple is confused by all of this. What does that mean? What photos? She didn''t feel like she had been photographed for anything recently. The only thing she did and that had to do with the photos was to help Ivan.


    "Yes," the woman replied cheerfully.


    "I think you got it wrong, I have never been photographed for any event," Apple said politely because she still felt there was a misunderstanding in this conversation.


    However, the woman assured Apple that what she said was true and she also didn''t understand why Apple didn''t know that she was the model in the photo, because her photo was chosen from among many other photos.


    And at that moment, Apple realized one thing. "Where did you get my number?" Apple asked, because she was sure not many people had her contact details. There were only less than two hundred numbers in her contacts.


    "From Studio Stardust," the woman replied.


    "Who is the photographer?"


    "Ivan Andreas," she answered.

 Chapter 537 LET’S GO SHOPPING

    <h4>Chapter 537 LET''S GO SHOPPING</h4>


    Apple was confused when she was called this morning by a woman who said that she was chosen to be a model for herpany, through the selection that was made.


    Oh, please, Apple never even took part in such things, so how could she win apetition she didn''t even know about?


    "Where did you get my number?" Apple asked, confused, because she was sure not many people have her contact details, since there were only less than two hundred numbers in her contacts.


    "From the Stardust Studio," the woman replied in a calm voice.


    When she heard the name, of course Apple knew what the deal with the studio was, but she needed more exnation for this.


    "Who''s the photographer?" Apple asked again, just to confirm her guess.


    "Ivan Andreas," the woman on the other end of the phone answered without hesitation and this confirmed Apple''s previous conjecture.


    However, what kind of photos did Ivan send to thepany and what kind of selection did thepany make in choosing the model?


    Apple knew that Ivan was taking part in somepetition, but she didn''t know that her friend had secretly taken a photo of her to enter thatpetition.


    How could Ivan do this without her knowledge? And what kind of photo of herself did he take? Apple was starting to get worried.


    "Can you give me some time to adress this issue?" Apple asked, she needed time to decide whether or not she wanted to take the job.


    The woman on the other side seemed a little stunned by Apple''s answer, because they should have discussed a meeting schedule to do a photo shoot, because if the candidates had decided to enter thispetition, it meant they were ready, but in the end she gave Apple some leeway, because she could sense some kind of mimunication and misunderstanding here.


    "Okay, I''ll call back tomorrow to hear your decision," she finally said still in a friendly tone.


    "Can you send that photo to me?" Apple asked carefully, because she felt she was asking for too much.


    But she really needed some time to call Ivan and ask her best friend what was really going on and why he was secretly taking pictures of herself.


    And after sorting out the calls she received this morning, Apple immediately called Ivan to ask for an exnation of this problem.


    And the first thing Ivan said was an apology because he had done all this behind her back and afterward was very happy that he won thepetition with Apple as the model.


    "I never wanted to be a model," Apple grumbled, she was annoyed that Ivan was doing all this without her knowing, but also a little proud of herself.


    Especially when she got a reply email from the woman who sent her a photo of her that helped Ivan win thepetition.


    In the photo, Apple is standing by the river, leaning forward, as if she was looking at herself on the clear surface of the river, even though at that moment what Apple was looking at were boulders at the bottom of the river.


    Ivan does take pictures of naturalndscapes, so when they work together, most of their time will be spent outdoors, especially outdoors like this.


    It can''t be denied that Apple looks beautiful there, she looks really enjoying the natural scenery and looks so calm.


    Even Apple herself has to admit that she is amazed by her own photos. How could Ivan capture such a moment? In the photo, the aura that Apple emits looks so calm and gentle, until Apple feels she''s not herself.


    Apple must recognize the greatness of his friend.


    "You''re perfect for this job Apple," Ivan coaxed. "I''ve told you about it in the past, haven''t I? You are suitable as a model, I can help you in this industry, but you always refuse my offers, now, I have proved it right."


    Indeed, Ivan had offered this job to Apple several years ago, but Apple always found a way to turn him down because she didn''t feel confident to be in front of the camera, especially when she thought that a model should look more beautiful and elegant than she was.


    "Bullshit," Ivan grumbled. "You''re beautiful Apple, it''s just that you don''t pay attention to yourself."


    Apple pursed her lips. She wanted to say that she wasn''t that pretty, but the photo that Ivan took showed that she could be beautiful too. Even Apple thinks she''s really pretty in the photo, which makes her blush.


    "So you''ll take the offer, won''t you?" Ivan asked excitedly. He had wanted to take Apple photos professionally since the first time he met this girl, but she was very difficult to work with.


    Hearing the offer, Apple weighed her options.


    "At least you should try first, so you will know, even if you don''t like it, it''s okay, you can stop whenever you want," Ivan coaxed again. He knew that Apple was starting to take this more seriously and that this was an opportunity for himself too. "You''re broke now, after all, there''s nothing wrong with earning a little money from this job, right?"


    "Damn you, Ivan," Apple grumbled when she heard her best friend say that she was broke.


    Meanwhile, from the other side of the phone, Apple could hear how Ivan wasughing happily.


    ======================


    Apple just learned that the agency that made the offer was named White Cloud after she called Ivan yesterday and the woman who called her was named Martha.


    She had just finished calling Martha to let her know that she was willing to model there and had arranged a schedule for the first photo shoot.


    Apple was very nervous, but she was excited at the same time.


    Just after she finished talking to Martha, a vague sound of doorbell ringing registered in her mind and then someone knocked on their house door.


    Curious, Apple came out of the room and opened the door only to find that it was Hailee Tordoff, Jayden Tordoff''s mother.


    "Mrs. Tordoff?" Apple said in disbelief.


    "Apple!" Hailee immediately hugged her. "Let''s go shopping!"

 Chapter 538 PHOTOS

    <h4>Chapter 538 PHOTOS</h4>


    After Apple finished expressing her willingness toe to the agency''s photo shoot, she heard their bell ringing, followed by a knock on the door.


    Whoever came to her house right then must be very impatient to be able to meet her.


    Apple immediately came out of her room and opened the front door and how surprised she was when she found Hailee Tordoff standing in front of her smiling very sweetly and greeting her cheerfully.


    "Mrs. Tordoff?" Apple said in surprise and blinked a few times. She would have never thought that Hailee Tordoff woulde to her house, especially seeing her current appearance.


    Ugh! She really is very messy right now. Apple''s messy appearance is usually only shown to her father. She wouldn''t even step out of the house in this appearance, let alone meet someone else, such as Jayden''s mother.


    Apple really was about to kick herself when she saw her own reflection.


    "Apple!" Hailee immediately hugged her. "Let''s go shopping!" Hailee eximed matter- of- factly, but then she frowned. "You are such a mess."


    Hearing that, Apple felt like she wanted the earth to split open and swallow her up without any trace. How can one handlements like that? Apple just wanted to run away.


    But, it seemed Hailee didn''t think too much about that, she just wanted to get out of there and start shopping with her future daughter-inw.


    "Now go to your room, shower and change, we are going shopping," Hailee said cheerfully, pushing Apple into the house and coaxing her to change clothes quickly. She didn''t want to waste the time she could spend shopping with this girl.


    On the other hand, Apple didn''t have much choice but toply with Hailee''s wishes and started walking back into her room to shower and change.


    She didn''t know what to wear, because to be honest, she didn''t have a collection of expensive clothes like Hailee, so she took the best clothes she could find, because she didn''t want to embarrass Mrs. Tordoff.


    It took about fifteen minutes for Apple to finallye out of the room, looking much more presentable than earlier and at that moment, Hailee was looking at a photo album in the living room.


    The photo album is not hidden and can be seen by anyone, but since not many peoplee to this house, it is not a problem.


    However, as Hailee flipped through the photos, Apple panicked. For some reason, she felt the urge to hide those childhood photos, because she felt herself always making silly expressions when photographed.


    "Mrs. Tordoff," Apple said quietly, trying to get her attention away from the photos. "We can go now."


    However, it seemed that Hailee''s passion for shopping faded a bit when she saw something that piqued her interest even more.


    "Wait a minute, I still want to see these photos," Hailee said cheerfully. She then returned to being busy looking at the photos. "Has Jayden seen these photos?" she asked.


    Apple shook her head. Jayden doesn''t seem to be as thorough as his mother at discovering things.


    "Look, it is you and Jayden when there was a birthday party at the Tordoff residence," Hailee said, showing one of the photos in the album.


    Hailee''s words made Apple move closer to get a better look, because she didn''t even notice that there was a photo of the two of them there.


    But, it turned out to be true. There, in one of the photos, was a photo of herself when she was two years old with a boy around eight or nine years old, looking annoyed at the camera.


    Looks like Jayden was in a bad mood when the photo was taken.


    "Ah, if I knew you two would be together like this, I should have taken more photos of the two of you when you were little," Hailee muttered, it looked like she adored the photo so much.


    Meanwhile, Apple could only grimace when hearing this.


    And after sharing a few nostalgic stories about the photo and Hailee managed to find one more photo that captured the moment when Apple and Jayden were together, they finally left the house to head to the shopping center.


    "Mrs. Tordoff, may I ask, why you are taking me shopping?" Apple asked, she still remembered the shopping experience with Hailee Tordoff that ended with herself being ''kidnapped'' by her to force Jayden toe home.


    Hopefully this time it will not end as dramatically as that time.


    "Hasn''t Jayden told you you were invited to the Tordoffs'' party?" Hailee asked in confusion.


    "Oh, yeah, Jayden told me about that," Apple said sheepishly. Hailee was so beautiful, she could even be said to look more like an older sister to Jayden than a mother. It is certain that, with wealth like that of the Tordoffs, you can keep your youth longer than the average woman.


    "Then, have you found a suitable ball gown?" Hailee asked again. She looked excited.


    "Jayden said he''d pick it up."


    Hearing this answer, Hailee waved her hand and made a face. "He doesn''t know women''s taste."


    Apple Grimaced. She doubted that. She felt Hailee was just looking for an excuse to be able to go shopping with her instead.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll find you a dress that will glue all eyes to you," Hailee said cheerfully and proudly.


    And that''s thest thing Apple wants. She didn''t want to be the center of attention.


    And just at that moment, Hailee''s cell phone rang, they were still halfway to the shopping mall.


    "I brought Apple for shopping, so don''t bother us." Those were the first words Hailee said when she picked up the phone.


    Needless to say, Apple could have guessed for sure who was on the other end of the phone, but then Hailee started to say smugly.


    "Have you seen the photos of Apple as a child?" Hailee asked cheerfully. "Oh, she''s so adorable. I just saw it," Hailee gushed exaggeratedly.

 Chapter 539 EXTRA BODYGUARD

    <h4>Chapter 539 EXTRA BODYGUARD</h4>


    Jayden had just received news about Theodore Gevano who seeded in scapegoating other people to receive punishment regarding human trafficking, while himself, who was previously a suspect, had now be a witness.


    Of course this made Jayden very angry. How could with the evidence he had provided, Theodore Gevano could get away with it?


    Theodore Gevano had not been proven one hundred percent innocent because the investigation was still ongoing and he could be back in jail.


    But, now that his status had changed, he was allowed to go home on bail and of course this left Jayden furious.


    Because that meant, Theodore Gevano would only be under surveince.


    Not only that that made Jayden furious, he had an instinct that after this Theodore Gevano would target himself and Apple using dirty methods that he always did. Jayden is well aware of this.


    And now he is worried about Apple''s safety, because she is more likely to be traveling alone or at home alone.


    So, he tried to call Apple, but the calls kept going to voicemail.


    And it was only then that Jayden remembered that his mother was taking Apple shopping. She mentioned it once when his mother told him to take Apple to a family event, which Jayden didn''t really want to go to.


    His mother said that she was going to take Apple shopping, so Jayden quickly dialed his mother''s cell phone to make sure Apple was with her.


    "I brought Apple to go shopping, so don''t bother us." Those were the first words her mother spoke when she picked up the phone.


    "Where?" Jayden asked again, his brow furrowed slightly when he heard this. Maybe he was too stressed because of the problems with the Gevano family, or maybe because of his overprotective attitude that was now active, but for sure, he felt ufortable letting the two of them go outside without adequate security.


    Then Hailee told him the shopping center she used to go to and Jayden knew the ce very well.


    And after a brief exchange and hearing his mother''s voice which sounded very cheerful, it was enough to help Jayden to feel a little calmer.


    Then, Hailee bragged about one thing that made him frown.


    "Have you seen the photos of Apple as a child?" Hailee asked cheerfully. "Oh, she is so adorable. I just saw it," Hailee gushed exaggeratedly. "Even I saw two photos where the two of you were together."


    Jayden didn''t know there was a picture of the two of them as kids at Apple''s house. Hell, he had never even seen the album his mother mentioned.


    And the way his mother spoke as if she had won something over him, made Jayden feel a little annoyed at his mother.


    "Stop bragging like that, you sound childish," Jayden grumbled.


    "And you sound a lot more childish for being annoyed with your own mother for this," Hailee retorted.


    Ugh. His mother was difficult to talk to.


    =============================


    Apple was really about to give up when Hailee asked her to enter another outlet. She felt that shopping together with Hailee Tordoff was much harder than having to do physical activities.


    How can Hailee who is no longer young still have this much stamina?


    At this point, Apple was already feeling dizzy and wanted to stop walking, but of course she couldn''t do that, Hailee would be disappointed in herself for showing that she wasn''t that enthusiastic and happy to shop with her.


    Even though the original intention was only to shop for one dress for the Tordoff family''s partyter, the time spent on it was almost an entire day.


    However, while Apple was sitting on the couch, waiting for Hailee to pick out some jewelry to match the dress they had found earlier, Apple realized something odd; the number of guards around them increased.


    Apple remembered well when they walked into this shopping center they only brought two bodyguards with them. Two bodyguards who were dressed formally so as not to attract the attention of the people around.


    However, now there are about six bodyguards, all of whom Apple recognizes, because previously she worked as Jayden Tordoff''s personal bodyguard and it could be said that they were all friends and subordinates of her father.


    Therefore, Apple then approached one of them and asked about why there were so many bodyguards with her and Hailee. Could this be standard escort for Hailee Tordoff? But, thest time she remembered, not so many bodyguards followed them.


    "This is an order from Mr. Tordoff," Adam replied, one of the bodyguards there, who had worked with Apple to protect Jayden before.


    "Ramon Tordoff?"


    Adamughed softly and shook his head. "Of course not, Jayden Tordoff."


    "Jayden?" Apple frowned, not understanding what Jayden was going through and sending extra bodyguards to them, when they were just shopping and in a crowded public ce. "Why did he do that?"


    Adam shrugged. "He has been looking very distracted since this morning and when he found out you two were out of the house, he immediately ordered us to bring extra guards to you."


    Apple squinted, she knew there was something else Adam wanted to say, because she knew this man well enough to say it.


    "What is it?" Apple urged. "Just say it. What do you know?" There was no way Jayden would suddenly be so paranoid like this if nothing had happened.


    After a while, Adam finally started to say, "I don''t really know for sure what happened to him, it seems he got some bad news involving his troubles with the Gevano family."


    "The Gevano Family?" Apple thought that the problem had been well resolved, especially with the evidence they had. That would be very hard to refute, but why was that a problem now?


    "At first, Mr. Tordoff wanted to send about ten or twelve additional people." Adam grimaced when he saw the surprised look on Apple''s face.


    Well, that sounded too much indeed, Mrs. Tordoff would be flipped as well.

 Chapter 540 TIME CHANGES PEOPLE

    <h4>Chapter 540 TIME CHANGES PEOPLE</h4>


    "At first, Mr. Tordoff wanted to send about ten or twelve additional people." Adam grimaced when he saw the surprised look on Apple''s face. He told Apple what he knew and heard. "But don''t worry, your father managed to calm him down a bit and only sent four extra people."


    Apple frowned. She wanted to know what made Jayden behave the way he was doing now. He didn''t usually act rashly like this, especially when things were important. But, his actions seemed to show that he was¡­ desperate? Is she under threat?


    Apple then opened her phone and saw that there were three missed calls from Jayden and a text message from him asking when they would finish shopping.


    She then replied to the short message and said that maybe just before this shopping center closed they would be finished, because it seems that Hailee will only leave after this shopping center closes.


    "Apple dear,e and try on this jewelry," Hailee called excitedly, waving a ne in her hand.


    How could Hailee be holding such an expensive ne and swinging it carelessly, as if it had no value? Well, money can indeed make anyone reckless like her.


    "Enjoy your shopping," Adam said, he smiled slightly when he saw the look on Apple''s face.


    "Yeah, I hope I can enjoy it, let''s see how long I willst," Apple replied, which made Adamugh. She really expected a miracle to happen, then she walked toward Hailee.


    Once Apple was near Hailee, she immediately asked her to wear the ne she had chosen.


    The ne looked beautiful and so luxurious on her, but, Apple couldn''t stop staring at her reflection in the mirror either, she looked beautiful and graceful, and she had to admit it.


    "So? She looks pretty, doesn''t she?" Hailee said proudly while showing Apple to the female staff who helped them choose a ne for Apple.


    "Of course, of course," the staff girl was parroting, she nodded her head with a wide smile on her lips. "No wonder why Mr. Tordoff chose herself to be his partner, she looks very beautiful and docile. Otherwise, Mr. Tordoff definitely wouldn''t want to be with her."


    Hailee raised an eyebrow when she heard this. "Are you saying that my son is only interested in artificial things?"


    The girlughed softly, looking embarrassed that Hailee could understand the meaning behind her words so well, but not shy enough to admit it, of course in much better words when she admitted it.


    "Isn''t that natural, a man like your son, who is so handsome and well-respected, would want someone beautiful beside him, and Mr. Tordoff is still so young and it wouldn''t be a bad thing to y around with a few women before he decides which woman deserves to be settled down." The female staff didn''t even show any difort when she said that.


    The girl''sstment made the smile on Apple''s lips fade. The corners of her lips twitched. What does she mean? So she thinks Jayden only chose her because she''s pretty and submissive? Is Jayden choosing a pet over a life partner?


    Had Hailee not been there, Apple would have uttered the most sarcastic words she had ever heard in her life. But, sadly, Apple didn''t want to get into trouble in front of Hailee and create unnecessary mess.


    Only, Hailee didn''t have the same thoughts. Of course, she caught what the female staff meant by herstment and she wasn''t blind to how the female staff looked at Apple with condescending eyes.


    Well, one shouldn''t do that, especially in front of Hailee. Insulting Hailee''s precious people should be thest thing on your list in her presence.


    "Can I call someone else?" Hailee asked in a calm voice. She looked graceful and unbelievably dignified even when she was upset like now.


    The girl in front of them whose name was Diana, whose name tag could be seen as she brushed her hair, looked a little confused, but then she called out to one of her friends, who came over to the two of them with a friendly smile.


    She greeted Hailee and then Apple, she knew Apple from the news, of course she recognized her immediately.


    The attitude of this second girl is much more friendly and polite toward Apple than the first girl who asionally threw a condescending nce at her.


    "Can I help you?" the girl asked in a cheerful voice.


    "I want this ne," Hailee said, then she added. "Sell it under your name."


    Hailee knew very well that each staff member would get a two percent bonus from every sale they saw through, therefore, with the fantastic price of the ne she was about to buy, of course the staff would get a bonus enough to have fun.


    The first staff member looked surprised and tried to say that she was the one who had served since earlier, but seeing Hailee''s cynical look, all the words of protest she wanted to throw back were swallowed and in the end she didn''t say anything.


    While the second staff member happily wrote proof of purchase on her behalf and served Apple and Hailee cheerfully.


    Seeing that, Apple wanted tough. Hailee had her own way of dealing with people like this, without even raising her voice or uttering harsh words. Hm, a valuable lesson that Apple could learn from her.


    When they had bought what they needed and walked out of the outlet, Hailee then grumbled.


    "Don''t you feel irritated when you hear such things?" Even Hailee had experienced something like this when she was with Ramon.


    "I wanted to be sarcastic actually, but you handled it better," Apple said with a lowugh.


    Hailee smirked too. "At your age, I''d use some sharp words for her impertinence, but it seems time has changed my personality." Hailee then nced at Apple. "I was pretty reckless when I was your age too, so next time, don''t hold back on standing up for yourself."

 Chapter 541 CRAZY IDEAS

    <h4>Chapter 541 CRAZY IDEAS</h4>


    "At your age, I''d use some sharp words for her impertinence, but it seems time has changed my personality." Hailee then nced at Apple. "I was pretty reckless when I was your age too, so next time, don''t hold back on standing up for yourself."


    Appleughed when she heard that, she couldn''t imagine what Hailee would have been like when she was her age.


    Of course, Hailee had experienced something like this in the early days of her rtionship with Ramon Tordoff, although it could be said that the Tatum family also had its own reputation in L city as one of the best diamond franchise, but of course whenpared to the Tordoff family, it was very far away forparison.


    Therefore, Hailee can understand the sentiment that these people give to Apple, especially with the background of Apple''s family.


    But for Hailee, Pyro had be like family to her and Ramon didn''t mind epting Apple either. Well, he didn''t really care about that. The main thing for him was to see Hailee happy.


    If Hailee was happy with her son''s choice, then he wouldn''t say anything.


    Very strange, isn''t it? Even after decades had passed, Ramon still acted as if he had just fallen in love with Hailee and his demeanor had never changed. He treated Hailee very well.


    And it seems to run in the blood of the Tordoff family.


    "Next time, if someone makes you feel humiliated, you have to stand up for yourself and remind them of their position," Hailee said, holding Apple''s hand. She was happy that Jayden got Apple and his son was serious about this girl.


    Apple knew Jayden well enough to say that, at first Jayden might reason with a thousand and one reasons why he wants Apple, but actually, as long as he isfortable with one person, he will show his loyalty to that person.


    In that regard, Hailee has to say that Jayden is very simr to his father.


    And when they both exited the shopping center and headed to the lobby, where the car was waiting for them, it turned out that Jayden was already there in a different car.


    The man then came out and kissed his mother''s cheek. "How was your shopping activity today?" Jayden asked. He looked a little disheveled than usual, it was obvious that he had been busy all day.


    "Fun," Hailee replied, ncing at Apple. "Why did youe here? Want to make sure I don''t kidnap her again?" Hailee''s teasing made Jaydenugh softly.


    "Go home first, I''ll take Apple home."


    "I''m right, you didn''t want me to kidnap her," Hailee muttered.


    "You''re thinking too much, mother," Jayden said, then kissed Hailee''s cheek again and took her to her car and closed the door.


    Hailee rolled the car window down and waved her hand at Apple. "We''ll meet at the partyter, okay."


    Apple smiled, and then nodded. She was quitefortable with Hailee and she seemed very motherly, affection that she never got from her own real mother.


    After seeing Hailee off, Jayden then took Apple to his car, where he opened the door for the girl and then sat behind the wheel.


    "Wow, you really don''t tell me to drive anymore," Apple teased, because she remembered well, Jayden didn''t really like being behind the wheel, because he could use this time to y games on his cell phone.


    Hearing this, Jaydenughed. "I remember your words saying that I should be the one driving you, not the other way around."


    Apple just rolled her eyes dramatically when she heard that. It wasn''t that she didn''t want to drive Jayden, it was just a casual protest that she didn''t even remember now.


    Jayden then kissed Apple on the forehead before he started the car engine and drove them away from there.


    Apple then turned on the music so that it wasn''t too quiet in the car and there wasn''t too much tension between them when she started asking about the problems with the Gevano family.


    "So? What happened?" Apple asked carefully. She chose a song that sounded cheerful, a stark contrast to the topic of their conversation.


    Jayden nced at Apple and he knew what Apple was trying to ask, so he didn''t beat around the bush and told her that Theodore Gevano''s status had now changed from a suspect to an eye witness.


    The man managed to find someone to take the me and ept his downfall.


    Even though he''s notpletely free, this news still makes Jayden very upset and makes him a little crazier in looking for something else to destroy the Gevano family.


    Supposedly, his father had done this long ago, when Theodore Gevano was fighting with his mother, or when the son of the Gevano family mistreated his sister.


    "They must have spent quite a bit of money to get that guy to ept such a downfall." Apple contemted for a moment. "You can look into where the funds given by the Gevano family are going, can''t you?"


    "I am already looking into it," Jayden said.


    And along the way, the two of them discussed this. For some reason, by discussing this with Apple, Jayden actually felt a little relieved, because they were both on the same page and this girl was giving crazy ideas that couldn''t be done, just because she was annoyed, but it actually made Jaydenugh.


    Such as; ''Why don''t we just kidnap Theodore Gevano and sell him? So that he can feel what it''s like to be a victim of human trafficking.'' Or ''Why don''t we just sell his organs and do surgery, open his guts when he wakes up.''


    Well, it can be said that these ideas are quite interesting but impossible to implement.


    Luckily, they arrived at Apple''s house, before the girl came up with even more terrifying ideas and tempted Jayden to try them.


    "What is it?" Jayden asked as he stopped his car right in front of Apple''s house and saw the girl frowning as she stared at her own house.

 Chapter 542 THIS IS BAD

    <h4>Chapter 542 THIS IS BAD</h4>


    Apple sensed that there was something odd about her house as the car approached and that was why she didn''t get out of the car right away when Jayden finally stopped right in front of her gate.


    Of course, this reaction of hers left Jayden a little confused, especially since the girl didn''t respond to hisst sentence, and asked if something was wrong.


    "What is it?" Jayden asked as he stopped his car right in front of Apple''s house and saw the girl frowning as she stared at her own house.


    Apple frowned and a momentter she looked at Jayden with questioning eyes. "Is my father home yet?" she asked.


    "Yes," Jayden answered quickly. "Pyro was home before I even went to pick you up. What is it?" Jayden tried to find out if there was anything strange, but he couldn''t find anything abnormal about the dark house.


    And then Apple took out her cell phone and tried to call her dad, but each time, the call would go to voicemail, which made Apple even more suspicious.


    "My dad''s not picking up the phone," Apple said in a slightly unsettled voice. She didn''t like situations like this and when her overthinking nature overtook her. "If he is home, it means he has been home a long time ago, but why is not the house light still on?"


    After Apple said this, Jayden realized what was strange about the house that made Apple act like this.


    "I will check it out," Jayden said, but before he could get out of the car, Apple had already gotten out of the car and carefully opened the gate of her house. She made no sound at all.


    Jayden didn''t like Apple putting herself in danger like this, but knowing how stubborn his partner was, he knew, nothing could stop her now, especially since Apple could protect herself too.


    So, just in case, Jayden messaged Adam to send someone over to Pyro''s house right away, before he followed Apple into her own house very carefully.


    Jayden followed Apple behind him, but when they reached the front door, Jayden pulled the girl behind him and asked for the spare key that Apple had.


    However, it was not needed, because as it turned out that the door was not locked and this of course added to their suspicions.


    Apple became very anxious and restless, because she was afraid something might have happened to her father when he got home.


    "Wait in the car," Jayden said in a cold voice, he didn''t want Apple to be in danger, even though he knew this girl wouldn''t be helpless if something happened. "Wait in the car until help arrives."


    But, as expected, Apple was not that easy toply with Jayden''s request, she stared at the man in front of her fiercely.


    "No," she refused firmly. "Why don''t you just wait in the car," she grumbled.


    Knowing that this argument could get them nowhere, Jayden relented and let Apple follow him into the house, but on the condition that she would be behind him and not out of sight.


    Apple agreed begrudgingly and then the two of them went into the house and began to explore every room without turning on the lights and moving very carefully, making as little noise as possible.


    Apple wanted to split up and check the house herself, but Jayden didn''t agree, because he thought it would be better if they checked it together.


    The two of them checked every room, and only when they arrived at the kitchen did Jayden see Pyro''s body lying with blood pouring from his head.


    Seeing that, Apple shouted for her father and immediately approached Pyro who was lying motionless, his heart rate was very fast because all the bad thoughts that could possibly happen to her father, began to appear in her mind.


    But, right at that moment, Jayden saw movement in the corner of his eye and quickly moved before the stranger attacked Apple.


    On the other hand, Apple also saw this and immediately rolled her body to the other side, her eyes were sharp when she saw the knife gleaming in the light, while Jayden grabbed the man''s hand that was holding the knife and immediately twisted it until the knife fell to the ground.


    Apple didn''t think twice about getting rid of the knife by kicking it away and then ran toward her father, while Jayden and the stranger fought.


    It was only after feeling Pyro''s pulse and slow breathing that she could calm down a bit and then call an ambnce.


    But, just at that moment, another man was about to attack her from behind, luckily Apple had a strong instinct and dodged the man''s attack just in time, she also had the chance to kick the man''s leg, causing him to fall.


    This was her house, so Apple knew where the things were in his own house and immediately armed herself with a knife she took from the top of the kitchen shelf and threw it right at the man''s feet before he could stand.


    The man screamed in pain as the knife thrown by Apple plunged into his thigh.


    At that moment, Apple took a nce to see how Jayden was doing and unexpectedly, the man was facing two other men and they both had small knives in their hands.


    Apple could see a scratch on Jayden''s cheek and this worried her a little.


    These people were not ordinary robbers, they were trained assassins that were not to be trifled with. They couldn''t lose focus for a moment because it would be fatal, especially since they were outnumbered right now.


    Apple gritted her teeth and came closer to Jayden who was also approaching her.


    "How''s Pyro?" Jayden asked as they drew closer, his voice calm, even under these circumstances.


    "My dad is fine, looks like a concussion, but alive." Apple said quietly when she felt Jayden''s back against hers. "This is bad."

 Chapter 543 THANKS, BABE

    <h4>Chapter 543 THANKS, BABE</h4>


    "How''s Pyro?" Jayden asked as they drew near, his voice calm, even under these circumstances.


    "My dad is fine, looks like a concussion, but alive." Apple said quietly when she felt Jayden''s back against hers. "This is bad."


    Yes, Jayden knew this was bad and he should have forced Apple to stay in the car or wait for help to arrive before the two of them got into the house and faced a situation like this.


    The first experience of putting Apple in danger when there was a robbery in a cafe the other day was enough to prove that he hated putting Apple in situations like this.


    "It could be worse," Jayden said when he saw two more men emerge from the darkness of this house, which made them five against two.


    "Great," Apple said quietly, she also saw the additional two people who just joined the other two. "I hope you asked for help earlier." Apple had seen Jayden send a message to someone earlier.


    "Yes, but it will take them some time to get to this ce," Jayden exined.


    Well, that''s much better than nothing...


    "At least we just need to survive until help arrives, right?" Apple said, trying to simplify the situation.


    "You can kill them," Jayden said with a shrug. "No problem."


    "Interesting offer," Apple muttered as she tightened her grip on the knife in her hand. It''s going to be an interesting night¡­


    And when one of the five men started attacking, Jayden rushed forward to retrieve the knife that the first man had dropped and kicked him, while Apple faced the man who had attacked her.


    The man looked tall and burly, every muscle in his body made him look intimidating, but Apple was furious at seeing her father hurt, so she didn''t have time to feel intimidated by this stupid man.


    Apple moved quickly to dodge the man''s attack and because her body was much smaller than his, she could easily do that.


    But, while she was moving, she had wielded the knife in her hand to sh any part of the man''s body she could reach.


    Jayden had already said she could kill this man and that was probably what she would do, because she had no reason to let this man live after what he did to her father.


    Blood soaked the floor and sttered the furniture and walls there. It''s awful to look at, but Apple and Jayden don''t have time to pay attention to any of that.


    Especially Jayden who has to face four people at once and they are trained fighters.


    Out of the corner of her eye, Apple could see Jayden shoving one man away from himself before facing another, while one man had fallen to the ground and winced in pain, but couldn''t immediately get up and fight back.


    Meanwhile, the fourth man sneaked behind Jayden''s body and tried to stab him with the knife in his hand.


    Seeing Jayden in danger, Apple then threw the knife in her hand, which then pierced right behind the man''s head, sending him falling to the floor with fresh blood sttering the floor.


    Jayden realized this, then smirked at Apple while saying loudly. "Thank you, babe." Then he refocused on the three men in front of him, whereupon the man who had fallen to the floor had risen again and started attacking him again.


    "Anytime, babe," Apple replied instantly.


    And after she threw the knife in her hand of course she had to find another weapon to protect herself.


    Apple then moved toward her father''s study while trying to avoid the attacks of the man in front of her. Apple remembered that his father kept a gun under his desk and she aimed for it, while the male assant followed her into the study.


    As soon as Apple was inside, she rushed to her father''s desk and her heart started beating really fast. Then she felt like her heart stopped beating because the gun she was aiming for was not there, while the man closed the study door by kicking it, showing the gun Apple was looking for.


    "You are looking for this little girl?" he asked, grinning, the wounds Apple had inflicted on him, didn''t seem to bother him at all.


    The man waved the gun in his hand. They didn''t use this gun because the sound would attract attention from the neighbors in the vicinity, especially since Apple lives in a fairly congested neighborhood.


    "Oh, thanks for finding it," Apple said lightly. "Can you give it to me, so I can blow your head?" Apple said in a sharp voice.


    However, the man then threw away the gun in his hand and then moved closer to Apple very quickly and managed to pull her hair.


    Apple tried to break free and kick the man, but instead he gripped her wrist very tightly. This man is very strong. Apple couldn''t move once he got his hands on her.


    And after that, this guy hit her, pped her in the face until Apple felt her head wouldn''t stop turning and she saw the stars.


    Damn! That hurts like hell! She cursed under her breath.


    The man then tried to approach Apple again, and she tried to crawl away, but her efforts were fruitless when the man stepped on her foot and Apple could hear the sound of her bones breaking.


    She roared in pain and tried to move away, after the man lifted his big leg.


    Damn!


    Apple was very upset that this man had managed to catch her like this, especially when she saw the man''s triumphant gaze for hurting Apple.


    Therefore, without thinking, Apple then reached for the drawer under the bookshelf, which she remembered was the ce where her father kept his tools. After all this house was hers, and Apple knew very well where she could find weapons.


    There, in thest drawer, she pulled a screwdriver out and plunged it quickly into the man''s leg.

 Chapter 544 DAD, CAN WE TALK?

    <h4>Chapter 544 DAD, CAN WE TALK?</h4>


    Apple groaned in pain as she could hear the sound of her leg snapping and felt the pain run through her body. This is pain you could never imagine you could endure.


    Apple felt all the air in her lungs being sucked out of her body and left her with only pain.


    But when the man smiled sinisterly and lifted his leg, it was that moment Apple used to break free and crawl away from this madman.


    This house was her, so it was certain that Apple was well aware of every piece of furniture that was in it and she knew very well where she could find weapons.


    Freed, she then reached for the drawer under the bookshelf, which she remembered was the ce where her father kept his tools.


    There, from thatst drawer, Apple pulled a screwdriver out and plunged it swiftly into the man''s leg, before he could even realize what was really going on.


    A rough, painful roar echoed through the study, bouncing off from the walls and making anyone who heard it shudder in fear.


    In such a situation, Apple crawled away, as far out of the man''s reach as possible.


    She even had a chance to kick her assant in the face as he tried to pull herself closer to him again.


    "B*TCH!!!" the assant roared in anger.


    He then lowered his body and forcibly pulled out the screwdriver stuck in his leg, sending fresh blood spurting out immediately.


    Out of the corner of her eye, Apple could see the blood running down the floor and this made her head feel a little dizzy. She hadn''t seen that much blood in a long time.


    With great difficulty, Apple tried to stand up, but her broken leg made her fall back to the floor.


    "Damn!" Apple cursed under her breath, hissing in pain as the pain made her head spin. She had no idea what had happened to Jayden. Yes, she had killed one of the four men who had attacked him earlier, but three to one was certainly still not an ideal number.


    And just at that moment, Apple''s attacker got up and grabbed her leg again, knocking the girl''s head on the table in the process and making her lose bnce instantly.


    "You think you can run from me!" cried the man angrily. He then tried to kill her by strangling her.


    It wasn''t his main mission to kill Pyro''s daughter, but since she had stabbed him like that earlier, anger had blinded his eyes and the only thing he wanted was to hurt her even more.


    "Die you little bitch!" he growled with rage.


    Meanwhile, Apple felt like her head was going to burst, the pain in her chest from the loss of oxygen and the pain in her legs left her with no more strength to fight back.


    This is it? Apple thought, as her consciousness began to fade, slipping from her grasp. She didn''t have the strength to fight anymore.


    This is it? Is this the end? If that''s the case, it sucks. Apple never thought she would die like this.


    And that''s when Apple heard the sound of gunshots and the weight that was pressing on her body instantly disappeared.


    Then she heard gunshots again and again and again¡­


    The shooter fired at least five rounds and only when there were no more rounds left did she stop and go over to Apple.


    "Apple¡­" Jayden''s music-like voice sounded so sweet to her ears that Apple forced herself to open her eyes.


    She could see Jayden was looking at her with worried eyes. There were a few scars on his face and hands, but other than that, he was fine. She is grateful¡­


    "Don''t move your head," Jayden muttered, he didn''t dare move Apple because he was afraid it would make the wound worse. "An ambnce is on its way here."


    Apple could only mumble incoherent words before she closed her eyes again. The pain had now turned numb and there was nothing else she wanted to do but close her eyes and sleep for a while.


    =========================


    Hailee and Ramon came to the hospital as soon as they both heard what had happened at Pyro''s house.


    He found their son sitting beside Apple''s bed, while Pyro was still under intensive care.


    "How is she?" Hailee asked carefully, as she sat down next to her son. Hailee noticed Jayden''s injuries and was able to breathe a little easier when she saw that there were no serious injuries.


    "A few fractures and bruises, but she''ll be fine," Jayden said in a slightly hoarse, deep voice.


    Just from the tone of his voice, Hailee could tell that her son was holding back his anger. He looked calm when emotions were taking over him. Just like Ramon did.


    Hailee then turned her attention to Apple, who was still lying unconscious with a brace around her neck and an oxygen tube to her nose.


    There were several cuts and bruises on her face and hands.


    "Everything will be alright," Hailee said reassuringly, because that was all she could offer at the moment, and Jayden just nodded in response.


    For a moment, there was silence over them until Jayden turned and looked at his mother for the first time.


    "Can I leave Apple with you for a moment?" he asked. "I want to talk to dad for a bit."


    "Of course." Hailee assured him. She rubbed Jayden''s back. "Go."


    Right now, Jayden needed his father more to channel his anger.


    After that, Jayden stood up and walked over to Ramon, who was standing not far from them, he wasn''t anywhere near the three of them because he knew what he would see now could only make him angry.


    "Dad, can we talk for a moment?" Jayden walked over to Ramon and the two of them walked out of the hospital ward to the balcony.


    There were at least six people manning the door to Apple''s room and six others near Pyro''s, and a dozen more standing guard around this hospital.

 Chapter 545 I WANT TO SEE THE INTEROGATION

    <h4>Chapter 545 I WANT TO SEE THE INTEROGATION</h4>


    Ramon had provided maximum security around the hospital to ensure no such incident would ur again, while Jayden had ordered an investigation into this case.


    Three people died inst night''s incident. One man was whom Apple killed with her knife, one man was whom Jayden managed to kill in his unequal fight against three men and another was Apple assant, whom he brutally killed using a gun that Jayden found when he saw the man nearly kill Apple by strangling her.


    Jayden didn''t know what he was thinking when he fired five bullets in a row at the man, but for sure, there was only one thing he wanted at that moment, and that was to see the man who had hurt Apple die.


    And as a result, the five bullets he shot blindly in the assant''s head, made his face unrecognizable. It was a gruesome sight, but Jayden felt it wasn''t enough.


    Meanwhile, the other two men managed to be taken away by Jayden''s men before the police arrived. He didn''t want the cops to interrogate them, because he had his own methods to interrogate someone.


    And the fact that Theodore Gevano managed to change his status as the suspect to the witness in the human trafficking case that was inflicted on him left Jayden skeptical.


    If indeed this had to be handled in this way, then Jayden would be more than wee to handle this matter the way they wanted.


    "So?" Those were the first words Ramon uttered after Jayden had finished a cigarette.


    It was a habit of Jayden''s that he still couldn''t break when he felt he needed time to think or was under pressure.


    "Theodore Gevano," Jayden said, as if they had had a long conversation and Ramon immediately understood what his son meant.


    "You have proof?" Ramon asked as he looked at Jayden who had lit his second cigarette, while he had long since given up smoking because Hailee didn''t like it, ever since she got pregnant with their first child.


    "No," Jayden answered, but his eyes reflected the mes on the end of his cigarette. "At least not yet," he said coldly.


    And after that, they talked about a few things until the morning sun shone on the horizon and when they finally got back into the room, they found Hailee had fallen asleep beside Apple''s bed.


    "I''ll take your mother home," Ramon said quietly and then approached Hailee to take her away, but Hailee woke up and looked at him with furrowed brows.


    "How about Apple?" she asked in a still sleepy voice.


    "She''s fine, let Jayden take care of her," Ramon said as he helped Hailee to her feet. "We can go home now."


    At first, Hailee did not agree, she wanted to be there for her son and daughter-inw, but when Ramon insisted, Jayden asked her to just rest at home, so in the end, Haileeplied and left with Ramon.


    Now, Jayden was alone with Apple and every time he saw the wounds on her body and the bruises she had, it made his anger feel like it was eating him alive.


    These wounds as well as the fact that Apple was lying as weak and helpless in a hospital bed as she was now were proof that he had failed to protect her.


    He was too arrogant to think that they could handle anything.


    What if help doesn''te? What if he doesn''t show up in time to help Apple and the guy killed her?


    Jayden shook his head. He could feel the nerves in his body tighten just imagining it.


    =========================


    The first thing Apple felt when she opened her eyes was the pain in her neck and legs. Once the painkillers wore off and he gained full consciousness, she began to feel the pain again.


    Her dry throat made her feel ufortable, as well as her body which felt very difficult to move.


    However, after looking around for a moment, Apple realized where she was and what had happenedst night.


    "Jayden?" Jayden was the first person that came to mind when she woke up and tried to look around her, but the cast around her neck was limiting her movements.


    When Apple called Jayden, she wasn''t sure if the man was there and heard how quiet the room was. Apple thought she was alone, but in the next second, Apple heard noises and hurried footsteps and Jayden''s face appeared before her.


    "Apple, are you all right?" he asked. "How do you feel?" Jayden immediately pressed the button to call the doctor, informing them that Apple was awake.


    "How is my father?" Apple asked immediately without answering Jayden''s question first. She was worried about her father''s condition.


    Thest time she saw him, her father was still alive, but time was critical for him with blood running out of her head while she and Jayden had to deal with those bastards.


    "Pyro is fine, he''s still in intensive care, but he''ll be fine," Jayden reassured Apple and then kissed her forehead. He could see the scratches on her face had started to heal and the bruises on her skin had started to fade. "Get some rest, the doctor wille to check on you shortly," Jayden said softly.


    Apple nodded weakly. "You know who did this?" Apple asked again, her voice hoarse and Jayden fetched her a ss of water, to moisten her throat.


    "Theodore Gevano," Jayden replied, helping Apple to drink so she wouldn''t choke.


    "You have the proof?" Apple asked after she had finished half the ss of water.


    "I''m still gathering the evidence." Jayden already had the evidence, but it was still weak and he needed more than that to destroy Theodore Gevano.


    "What about the five men who attacked us?"


    "I got two of them and took them into custody before the police came and were interrogating them both."


    Hearing that answer, Apple''s eyes lit up even brighter, she then said coldly. "I want to take part in the interrogation."


    And their conversation was cut off when the doctor and some nurses came.

 Chapter 546 DAD, CAN WE TALK?

    <h4>Chapter 546 DAD, CAN WE TALK?</h4>


    Apple groaned in pain as she could hear the sound of her leg snapping and felt the pain run through her body. This is pain you could never imagine you could endure.


    Apple felt all the air in her lungs being sucked out of her body and left her with only pain.


    But when the man smiled sinisterly and lifted his leg, it was that moment Apple used to break free and crawl away from this madman.


    This house was her, so it was certain that Apple was well aware of every piece of furniture that was in it and she knew very well where she could find weapons.


    Freed, she then reached for the drawer under the bookshelf, which she remembered was the ce where her father kept his tools.


    There, from thatst drawer, Apple pulled a screwdriver out and plunged it swiftly into the man''s leg, before he could even realize what was really going on.


    A rough, painful roar echoed through the study, bouncing off from the walls and making anyone who heard it shudder in fear.


    In such a situation, Apple crawled away, as far out of the man''s reach as possible.


    She even had a chance to kick her assant in the face as he tried to pull herself closer to him again.


    "B*TCH!!!" the assant roared in anger.


    He then lowered his body and forcibly pulled out the screwdriver stuck in his leg, sending fresh blood spurting out immediately.


    Out of the corner of her eye, Apple could see the blood running down the floor and this made her head feel a little dizzy. She hadn''t seen that much blood in a long time.


    With great difficulty, Apple tried to stand up, but her broken leg made her fall back to the floor.


    "Damn!" Apple cursed under her breath, hissing in pain as the pain made her head spin. She had no idea what had happened to Jayden. Yes, she had killed one of the four men who had attacked him earlier, but three to one was certainly still not an ideal number.


    And just at that moment, Apple''s attacker got up and grabbed her leg again, knocking the girl''s head on the table in the process and making her lose bnce instantly.


    "You think you can run from me!" cried the man angrily. He then tried to kill her by strangling her.


    It wasn''t his main mission to kill Pyro''s daughter, but since she had stabbed him like that earlier, anger had blinded his eyes and the only thing he wanted was to hurt her even more.


    "Die you little bitch!" he growled with rage.


    Meanwhile, Apple felt like her head was going to burst, the pain in her chest from the loss of oxygen and the pain in her legs left her with no more strength to fight back.


    This is it? Apple thought, as her consciousness began to fade, slipping from her grasp. She didn''t have the strength to fight anymore.


    This is it? Is this the end? If that''s the case, it sucks. Apple never thought she would die like this.


    And that''s when Apple heard the sound of gunshots and the weight that was pressing on her body instantly disappeared.


    Then she heard gunshots again and again and again¡­


    The shooter fired at least five rounds and only when there were no more rounds left did she stop and go over to Apple.


    "Apple¡­" Jayden''s music-like voice sounded so sweet to her ears that Apple forced herself to open her eyes.


    She could see Jayden was looking at her with worried eyes. There were a few scars on his face and hands, but other than that, he was fine. She is grateful¡­


    "Don''t move your head," Jayden muttered, he didn''t dare move Apple because he was afraid it would make the wound worse. "An ambnce is on its way here."


    Apple could only mumble incoherent words before she closed her eyes again. The pain had now turned numb and there was nothing else she wanted to do but close her eyes and sleep for a while.


    =========================


    Hailee and Ramon came to the hospital as soon as they both heard what had happened at Pyro''s house.


    He found their son sitting beside Apple''s bed, while Pyro was still under intensive care.


    "How is she?" Hailee asked carefully, as she sat down next to her son. Hailee noticed Jayden''s injuries and was able to breathe a little easier when she saw that there were no serious injuries.


    "A few fractures and bruises, but she''ll be fine," Jayden said in a slightly hoarse, deep voice.


    Just from the tone of his voice, Hailee could tell that her son was holding back his anger. He looked calm when emotions were taking over him. Just like Ramon did.


    Hailee then turned her attention to Apple, who was still lying unconscious with a brace around her neck and an oxygen tube to her nose.


    There were several cuts and bruises on her face and hands.


    "Everything will be alright," Hailee said reassuringly, because that was all she could offer at the moment, and Jayden just nodded in response.


    For a moment, there was silence over them until Jayden turned and looked at his mother for the first time.


    "Can I leave Apple with you for a moment?" he asked. "I want to talk to dad for a bit."


    "Of course." Hailee assured him. She rubbed Jayden''s back. "Go."


    Right now, Jayden needed his father more to channel his anger.


    After that, Jayden stood up and walked over to Ramon, who was standing not far from them, he wasn''t anywhere near the three of them because he knew what he would see now could only make him angry.


    "Dad, can we talk for a moment?" Jayden walked over to Ramon and the two of them walked out of the hospital ward to the balcony.


    There were at least six people manning the door to Apple''s room and six others near Pyro''s, and a dozen more standing guard around this hospital.

 Chapter 547 I WANT TO SEE THE INTEROGATION

    <h4>Chapter 547 I WANT TO SEE THE INTEROGATION</h4>


    Ramon had provided maximum security around the hospital to ensure no such incident would ur again, while Jayden had ordered an investigation into this case.


    Three people died inst night''s incident. One man was whom Apple killed with her knife, one man was whom Jayden managed to kill in his unequal fight against three men and another was Apple assant, whom he brutally killed using a gun that Jayden found when he saw the man nearly kill Apple by strangling her.


    Jayden didn''t know what he was thinking when he fired five bullets in a row at the man, but for sure, there was only one thing he wanted at that moment, and that was to see the man who had hurt Apple die.


    And as a result, the five bullets he shot blindly in the assant''s head, made his face unrecognizable. It was a gruesome sight, but Jayden felt it wasn''t enough.


    Meanwhile, the other two men managed to be taken away by Jayden''s men before the police arrived. He didn''t want the cops to interrogate them, because he had his own methods to interrogate someone.


    And the fact that Theodore Gevano managed to change his status as the suspect to the witness in the human trafficking case that was inflicted on him left Jayden skeptical.


    If indeed this had to be handled in this way, then Jayden would be more than wee to handle this matter the way they wanted.


    "So?" Those were the first words Ramon uttered after Jayden had finished a cigarette.


    It was a habit of Jayden''s that he still couldn''t break when he felt he needed time to think or was under pressure.


    "Theodore Gevano," Jayden said, as if they had had a long conversation and Ramon immediately understood what his son meant.


    "You have proof?" Ramon asked as he looked at Jayden who had lit his second cigarette, while he had long since given up smoking because Hailee didn''t like it, ever since she got pregnant with their first child.


    "No," Jayden answered, but his eyes reflected the mes on the end of his cigarette. "At least not yet," he said coldly.


    And after that, they talked about a few things until the morning sun shone on the horizon and when they finally got back into the room, they found Hailee had fallen asleep beside Apple''s bed.


    "I''ll take your mother home," Ramon said quietly and then approached Hailee to take her away, but Hailee woke up and looked at him with furrowed brows.


    "How about Apple?" she asked in a still sleepy voice.


    "She''s fine, let Jayden take care of her," Ramon said as he helped Hailee to her feet. "We can go home now."


    At first, Hailee did not agree, she wanted to be there for her son and daughter-inw, but when Ramon insisted, Jayden asked her to just rest at home, so in the end, Haileeplied and left with Ramon.


    Now, Jayden was alone with Apple and every time he saw the wounds on her body and the bruises she had, it made his anger feel like it was eating him alive.


    These wounds as well as the fact that Apple was lying as weak and helpless in a hospital bed as she was now were proof that he had failed to protect her.


    He was too arrogant to think that they could handle anything.


    What if help doesn''te? What if he doesn''t show up in time to help Apple and the guy killed her?


    Jayden shook his head. He could feel the nerves in his body tighten just imagining it.


    =========================


    The first thing Apple felt when she opened her eyes was the pain in her neck and legs. Once the painkillers wore off and he gained full consciousness, she began to feel the pain again.


    Her dry throat made her feel ufortable, as well as her body which felt very difficult to move.


    However, after looking around for a moment, Apple realized where she was and what had happenedst night.


    "Jayden?" Jayden was the first person that came to mind when she woke up and tried to look around her, but the cast around her neck was limiting her movements.


    When Apple called Jayden, she wasn''t sure if the man was there and heard how quiet the room was. Apple thought she was alone, but in the next second, Apple heard noises and hurried footsteps and Jayden''s face appeared before her.


    "Apple, are you all right?" he asked. "How do you feel?" Jayden immediately pressed the button to call the doctor, informing them that Apple was awake.


    "How is my father?" Apple asked immediately without answering Jayden''s question first. She was worried about her father''s condition.


    Thest time she saw him, her father was still alive, but time was critical for him with blood running out of her head while she and Jayden had to deal with those bastards.


    "Pyro is fine, he''s still in intensive care, but he''ll be fine," Jayden reassured Apple and then kissed her forehead. He could see the scratches on her face had started to heal and the bruises on her skin had started to fade. "Get some rest, the doctor wille to check on you shortly," Jayden said softly.


    Apple nodded weakly. "You know who did this?" Apple asked again, her voice hoarse and Jayden fetched her a ss of water, to moisten her throat.


    "Theodore Gevano," Jayden replied, helping Apple to drink so she wouldn''t choke.


    "You have the proof?" Apple asked after she had finished half the ss of water.


    "I''m still gathering the evidence." Jayden already had the evidence, but it was still weak and he needed more than that to destroy Theodore Gevano.


    "What about the five men who attacked us?"


    "I got two of them and took them into custody before the police came and were interrogating them both."


    Hearing that answer, Apple''s eyes lit up even brighter, she then said coldly. "I want to take part in the interrogation."


    And their conversation was cut off when the doctor and some nurses came.

 Chapter 548 WHERE AM I?

    <h4>Chapter 548 WHERE AM I?</h4>


    Apple was feeling much better after four days in the hospital and the cast on her neck and leg had been removed, but the bruises and scratches were still visible.


    But, other than that, Apple''s condition had improved and she was allowed to go home by the doctor.


    Meanwhile, Pyro hade out of his critical period and had been transferred to the infirmary. Apple had visited her father twice, but indeed Pyro was still unconscious.


    Today, Jayden took the time to go to the hospital to pick up Apple when he learned that she was allowed to go home.


    He seemed so patient with Apple, but also less talkative and more serious than before.


    Whenever Apple asked about his problems with the Gevano family, Jayden would distract her and say she had nothing to worry about, that everything was under control.


    But, Apple knew that Jayden wasn''t telling the truth, he just didn''t want to worry Apple especially when she was still not fully recovered.


    "Are you ready?" Jayden asked, kissing the top of Apple''s head and helping her out of bed, while one of the bodyguards had the bag filled with clothes and everything Apple used while in this hospital.


    "Okay, let''s go home," Apple said excitedly. Her father was still unconscious, but she was sure that her father would be fine, after all, he was in good hands and under the protection of the Tordoffs.


    After all, who would attack him in a hospital like this?


    "Okay, let''s go home," Jayden said, holding Apple''s hand.


    When they were outside the hospital room, there were about eight people escorting them out the back door, where a car was waiting for them.


    "Why did you bring so many bodyguards?" Apple asked, leaning over to whisper to Jayden.


    "The media got wind of this," Jayden replied, this was the reason why they had to use the back door to get out of the hospital.


    It was also something that made Jayden''s business a bit bogged down, because the media had been going crazy by reporting that the future daughter-inw of the Tordoff family had been attacked and was now in hospital.


    The news had been confirmed to have been obtained from outsiders who were aware of the attack and leaked it to the mass media, otherwise it would be impossible for the reporters to find out so quickly.


    Jayden then helped Apple to sitfortably in the back seat, while he sat beside her and Adam was the one driving the car, along with another bodyguard that Apple didn''t recognize.


    There were so many bodyguards for the Tordoff family that it was impossible for Apple to recognize them all.


    "How are you?" Jayden asked, he noticed the look on Apple''s face and then asked how she was feeling. Was she feeling pain in a certain part of her body or was there something she wanted to eat? Or was Apple sittingfortably?


    Apple then massaged her temples, grimacing.


    "What is it? Your head still hurts? Should we go back to the hospital? I told you that you should be hospitalized for at least another week until you fully recover." Jayden frowned, he didn''t approve of Appleing home from the hospital so soon.


    But instead, Apple massaged her temples and red fiercely at Jayden. "My head hurts because you ask too many questions," sheined.


    "I am worried," Jayden said quietly, his face twisted with a sad expression and seeing that Apple just remembered the stray puppy, his puppy eyes reminded her of it.


    "I just need a hug," Apple then said a little more gently because Jayden seemed really stressed out recently and she didn''t want to add to his thoughts anymore.


    Hearing this, Jayden''s facial expression immediately became cheerful and he happily hugged Apple and buried his face in the girl''s neck.


    "You scared me," he mumbled. "I thought I was going to lose you."


    Appleughed softly when she heard that. "You didn''t lose me, you didn''t know that I was very strong?"


    Jayden lifted his head from Apple''s Shoulders and looked at her sullenly. "You couldn''t beat a single man that night," he stated matter of factly.


    Hearing this, Apple widened her eyes in displeasure. "I helped you kill one man, don''t you forget my contribution."


    "I killed two men." Jayden didn''t want to lose, which meant he killed more than Apple. "Oh no, I killed three, because I also killed the man who attacked you."


    Killing might be a much lighter word when considering what Jayden had done to the man who had hurt Apple, one could say the man''s face was already unrecognizable because of all those bullets that hit his head at close range.


    "Oh, should we have a race over who kills more, then?" Apple let go of Jayden and folded her arms across her chest. She looked a little bitpetitive now over this issue.


    Meanwhile, Adam and the man sitting beside him stared at each other and grimaced in horror.


    How could the two of them race to see who killed more? Jayden and Apple do get along well with each other, but this is a strange level.


    ========================


    "This is not my house," Apple said when she woke up and realized that Jayden was holding her.


    She seemed to have fallen asleep after their little bickering.


    "You think I will take you to your house again? Of course not," Jayden said firmly.


    Adam walked in front of them and pressed the button for the elevator that would take them to Jayden''s penthouse.


    "Wait, wait." Apple tried to get out of Jayden''s arms and he lowered her carefully, although she felt a little dizzy when her feet hit the floor of the esctor and as it moved upward. "Where are we?"


    "You will live in my apartment."


    "In your apartment?" Apple frowned.


    "Yes, with me." Jayden smirked.


    "I don''t remember agreeing to it."


    "I did not ask for your to agree with me."

 Chapter 549 COME HERE SO WE CAN CUDDLE

    <h4>Chapter 549 COME HERE SO WE CAN CUDDLE</h4>


    "You will live in my apartment." Jayden had already had this nned. There was no way he would let Apple live alone in her house after the attack.


    Although Jayden could have provided tight security around the house, of course, this apartment building would be much safer for Apple, especially because the location of this apartment is close to his office, so he cane quickly if needed.


    "In your apartment?" Apple frowned, her heart beating fast because she didn''t expect Jayden to invite her to live in his apartment. "Alone?"


    "Of course not, you will live with me." Jayden smirked.


    Hearing that Apple widened her eyes in surprise, she had never heard this talk before. "I don''t remember agreeing to it."


    "I didn''t ask for you to agree with me." Jayden shrugged his shoulders nonchntly, then continued to say in a calmer voice. "I just wanted to make sure you were in a safe ce, because that would help me think better."


    Jayden felt he couldn''t do a good job while he was constantly worrying about Apple''s safety.


    It may seem strange, but this is the first time for Jayden to feel such strong feelings of attachment to someone as he feels toward Apple and, even though this sounds terrible and a little disturbing, Jayden feels much better having Apple by his side.


    "Give up on this one," Jayden coaxed, he rubbed Apple''s head gently, he couldn''t see this girl looking displeased or annoyed like the expression she was showing now. "I just wanted to make sure you were safe."


    In the end, after Apple thought for a while, and since what Jayden said had a point, she nodded in agreement and exited the elevator, which turned out to be a private elevator that led them straight into the penthouse Jayden chose.


    Apple stared at this ce for a moment. This was the first time Apple had seen a penthouse or been in it, so she was a little surprised to see how precisely this could be so extravagantly luxurious.


    This penthouse has two floors, half of which are surrounded by ss walls, which show a view of the city. When night falls, Apple can imagine how beautiful the view is with the beautiful twinkling city lights.


    Meanwhile, everything in the room screams luxury and Apple can''t imagine how much money Jayden must have spent on this whole ce.


    Is this the kind of man who likes her and asks her to be his wife?


    Really¡­ if this was a dream, she hoped she wouldn''t wake up at all.


    This time Apple understood well why these women would go crazy about Jayden. Not only is this man handsome, but also intelligent, generous and overprotective, moreover he is reliable and rich¡­ he was filthy rich and that is a true reality that can''t be denied.


    Even for Apple, who often proudly deres herself not a gold digger or a woman who covets her partner''s wealth, seeing all the luxuries in front of her and the revtion she just got, she felt very tempted to imagine how to live without difficulties regarding money matters...


    "Don''t look at me like that," Jayden said as he ushered Apple across the room and led her to the room she''d be upyingter. "I know I am handsome, so there''s no need to show that you''re impressed like that."


    Apple shook her head. "No, I am much more attracted to you because you are rich."


    Jayden stopped walking and stared at Apple for a moment before he finally burst outughing at Apple''sment. "Oh, thanks for your honesty, you''re right, I am rich. Did you just realize that now?"


    "Yeah, sort of." Apple shrugged nonchntly. "Careful, I might change my mind and be a gold digger."


    Apple then entered the room that had been prepared for her and smiled broadly at the room. She feltfortable in that room, even though it was the first time she entered it. This room has a balcony overlooking the city.


    "I don''t mind if you be a gold digger, I have enough money for you to spend. You can have a party every day if you want." Jayden then closed the door behind him, leaving only the two of them in the room.


    "You know I don''t like parties," Apple wrinkled her nose. She didn''t really like that kind of stuff and it was also fair to say she was not a social butterfly who liked to socialize and on the other hand, Apple didn''t enjoy shopping as much as Hailee.


    Therefore, her options for spending Jayden''s money could be said to be very limited.


    "Yes I know." Jayden then stepped closer to Apple with a look in his eyes that was hard to exin. As if he had a hidden agenda.


    Apple could sense this from Jayden and squinted her eyes. "Why did you close the door?" she asked when she realized that Jayden had closed the bedroom door.


    "Of course so we can have some alone time." Jayden walked up to Apple with a determined stride and a sweet smile on his lips, which only made the girl wary.


    "Don''t mess around, I''m still sick, you want to make me sicker?" Apple asked fiercely. She didn''t think her leg had healed properly, as it still hurt a little when she walked or stood for too long.


    "I''m not that kind of person." Jayden looked at Apple with innocent eyes, then he walked over to the bed andy there. "But can we sleep for a while, I haven''t been getting much sleeptely, you also need sleep, right?"


    "No thanks, I slept earlier," Apple said, refusing Jayden''s suggestion, but the man shamelessly kicked off his shoes and plopped down on the bed. Well, technically, this is his penthouse so he''s free to do whatever he wants.


    "Come here, so we can sleep in each other''s arms. We can cuddle. I promise I will not do anything," Jayden said tiredly.

 Chapter 550 WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!

    <h4>Chapter 550 WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!</h4>


    We can cuddle. I promise I will not do anything.


    And that was what Jayden and Apple did. They both seemed too tired to do anything and once they were both lying on the bed it didn''t take long for Apple and Jayden to fall asleep and thest thing they realized was that they werefortable with each other''s presence.


    It may sound cheesy and hard to believe, but by being in each other''s presence, they feel much calmer.


    It wasn''t clear how long they slept, but what was certain was that when Jayden woke up, the sky had turned dark and Apple was still asleep beside him. She looks cute when she is sleeping like this.


    However, there was one thing that bothered Jayden and this was the reason why he himself woke up in the middle of his deep sleep.


    This is the feeling you will get when you are being stared at by someone intently for a long time. Even when you are asleep, a look like that will wake you up. Dispel any good dreams or bad dreams that you have.


    And that was how Jayden felt now and it was not wrong at all, because when he turned his attention away from Apple''s sleeping face, he found Misha standing at the end of his bed, staring at the two of them with his piercing gaze.


    "Damn you Misha!" Jayden eximed in surprise. He identally shouted and this of course woke Apple, who then also screamed in surprise when she saw Misha was there.


    Meanwhile, the man who had almost given them both a heart attack, casually took out his cell phone and recorded the two of them.


    Misha casually took out his cell phone and took a photo and then recorded the shocked expressions of the two of them, as if the two of them were being caught doing something obscene and he was there to gather evidence.


    "Damn you Misha! What do you think you are doing?!" Jayden immediately got out of bed and tried to snatch the cell phone from his cousin''s hand, but Misha had quickly sent the photos and videos to the family chatroom and in a short time several people had seen it, especially his mother, Hailee.


    Therefore, when Jayden managed to snatch the cell phone from Misha''s hands, there was nothing he could do, because the damage had been done and if Hailee and her uncle, Lexus had seen the photos, it was certain that it would forever be the subject of discussion.


    They will both make sure that their respective partners know about it.


    Well, Jayden quite worried to know his father''s reaction, though he knew that the man would never against anything that his mother like. It was enough to get her mother blessing, actually.


    "Damn you Misha! You misunderstood us!" Jayden eximed, he red at his cousin who was now looking at him with innocent eyes, as if he didn''t feel guilty for what he had done.


    "I didn''t say anything." Misha then walked to the other side of the room to sit on the bed and looked at Apple who seemed still in shock. "How are you?"


    "You didn''t write anything down, but that doesn''t exin the photos! You know what my mom and dad were like, they''d jump right into the worst and most scandalous conclusions they could think of." Jayden threw the phone back into Misha''sp. "And she''s fine. There''s no need to ask her that," Jayden grumbled.


    "There''s nothing wrong with me asking her. Moreover, you deserve that, after you delegated all the tasks that you should havepleted to me." But, after Jayden said that, he had to move quickly to avoid Apple''s pillow.


    Apparently, Apple had just digested what really happened and that was the first reaction she had.


    "Screw you, Misha!" Apple cried, she then got off the bed and immediately attacked Misha, who now looked surprised by the strong reaction Apple gave.


    "Jayden, control your girlfriend!" Misha eximed, as he tried to dodge Apple''s attacks, while she attempted to hit him.


    "You deserve that, after what you did," Jayden said nonchntly, but then he pulled Apple away from Misha, because he didn''t want this girl to get hurt. The wound on her leg still hadn''t healed properly, so she shouldn''t be fighting like that.


    "He made your family think badly of me," Apple grumbled, pointing at Misha, but she let Jayden pull her away. "What if your mother thinks something bad?"


    In recent days, Apple had indeed be closer to Hailee because she woulde and spend her time in the hospital apanying Apple when Jayden was not around and had unresolved office matters, especially with the issue with the Gevano family.


    And for that reason too, Apple didn''t want Hailee to have a bad impression of her. Ugh! What is certain is that the photos and videos really didn''t need to be sent by Misha.


    "Of course they wouldn''t think anything of it," Misha said casually and picked up his cell phone from the floor where it had been dropped. "At most they will just use the photos to force the two of you to get married sooner."


    Hearing that, Apple and Jayden had two very different reactions.


    Jayden smiled happily. "Well, you''re right..." he mumbled.


    But, Apple was not having it at all, she red fiercely at Jayden and Misha. "What do you mean by that?"


    "Well, the Tordoffs aren''t that old-fashioned, but they certainly wouldn''t expect their future grandson to be born out of wedlock," Misha exined casually as he walked out of the room. "They will press for marriage under such pretext."


    For a moment Apple seemed to be trying to digest Misha''s brief exnation, but then she exploded.


    "Grandson my ass! We didn''t even do anything!" Apple shouted at Misha, but the man just nced away, waving the phone in his hand.


    "But, too bad, it doesn''t look like that in the photos I took just now."

 Chapter 551 THE SAME STRANGE FEELING

    <h4>Chapter 551 THE SAME STRANGE FEELING</h4>


    "They will press for marriage on the pretext that you have slept together and are afraid that Apple will have children out of wedlock," Misha exined in a matter of fact tone.


    For a moment, Apple seemed to be trying to digest Misha''s brief exnation, because it sounded so absurd to her ears, but then once she understood what Misha meant, she exploded.


    "Grandson my ass! We didn''t even do anything!" Apple shouted at Misha, but the man only nced over while waving the phone in his hand, a mischievous smile etched on the corners of his lips as he said.


    "But, too bad, it doesn''t look like that in the photo I took just now." After saying that, Misha casually walked out of the room, leaving Jayden to deal with Apple.


    After there was only Jayden and Apple, the girl immediately turned around and red at Jayden. "So?"


    "So?" Jayden asked Apple back with an innocent look. Well, he is trying to look innocent now, even though he is actually holding back a smile.


    "You are not going to exin that? That it was just a misunderstanding?" Apple asked grumpily. She was really worried about what Hailee would think of her because she didn''t want her to think badly after seeing those stupid photos and videos.


    "You don''t have to worry," Jayden said, kissing Apple''s forehead. "My mother wouldn''t think so badly."


    Actually, Jayden could already imagine how Hailee and his uncle would react after seeing the video, but maybeter Jayden would exin a bit to them.


    After that, they both came out of the room and found Misha cooking.


    Apple raised an eyebrow when she saw that, but Jayden snorted when he saw Misha wearing an apron.


    "I didn''t know you could cook," Applemented.


    However, Jayden then lowered his body and whispered into the girl''s ear. "We should just eat out, you won''t want to taste his cooking," Jayden whispered.


    Apple then turned and looked at Jayden in confusion. "Why do we have to eat out when Misha is going to cook something for us? Isn''t that right?" Apple then turned to Misha to ask for reassurance from him. "You are going to cook for us too?"


    "Of course," Misha replied in a low voice, he then threw a sweet smile to his cousin, who looked panicked while trying to pull Apple away.


    "You are not going to like this," Jayden persuaded Apple again for the girl to go with him, but unfortunately, Apple wouldn''t listen to Jayden''s exnation and refused to leave.


    "No, Misha''s cooking, I want to know how good it will be." Apple pushed away Jayden''s hand trying to pull her away.


    "Trust me, you won''t like this."


    But instead, Apple sat at the bar and stared at Misha chopping up the ingredients skillfully. He''s so skilled at chopping them up, so at least his cooking wouldn''t be as bad as Jayden''s trying to describe it, would it?


    "Apple, you will regret this."


    Unfortunately, the warning had no effect on Apple because her curiosity far outweighed any possible regrets of hers.


    Misha didn''t look so bad and looked as if he had cooked dozens of times.


    "Sit down and calm down, I will cook for both of you, because it looks like you two are very tired," Misha said softly and smiled meaningfully at Jayden, which made his cousin wince.


    "Apple, you have to think about this carefully..." Jayden said as hisst attempt to convince Apple, but the girl didn''t seem to be listening at all, as she was more interested in finding out what Misha would cook for them and how it would taste because of Jayden''s reaction was very suspicious.


    ======================


    "You should have warned me more determinedly," Apple said as she plopped down on the bed. Her expression looked dejected.


    Perhaps this is the right definition of the saying; Don''t judge a book by its cover alone.


    Indeed Misha looked skilled when he prepared the dish earlier, like a chef with great abilities, but who would have thought that the end result would be so disappointing.


    You could say the end result was simply a disaster.


    Apple had never eaten food that tasted so gross as Misha''s. If Jayden hadn''t told her that was the end result of every dish, she would have thought that the man was trying to outright poison her.


    "Are you sure you don''t want to see a doctor?" Jayden asked and theny down on the bed next to Apple.


    Apple chuckled when she heard that. "I guess it won''t be so bad that I have to go to the hospital, right?"


    "Just in case," Jayden said quietly, then he pulled Apple into his arms. In fact he was still sleepy, if only Misha had not suddenlye and disturbed his sleep.


    "You should go back to your room," Apple said, but she feltfortable in Jayden''s arms, so she snuggled closer to him.


    "Yeah, I am going back to my room," Jayden said, but he closed his eyes instead. "Just a moment. I just want to close my eyes for a moment."


    Hearing that, Apple just mumbled incoherently and when she feltfortable and safe in Jayden''s arms, she didn''t protest anymore and closed her eyes too.


    =========================


    Jayden had this feeling again when he suddenly woke up to find Apple beside him, still snuggledfortably in his arms, whose sleeping face was so sweet that Jayden spent a few more seconds just staring at her.


    Until he realized this familiar feeling, which he had felt before and turned his head only to find his mother sitting on the sofa, in the corner of the room, watching the two of them in silence.


    Really, this is the most horrible moment Jayden has ever felt in his life, he can''t even speak and can only shake Apple''s body to wake the girl up, while Hailee is still staring at the two of them without saying anything.

 Chapter 552 GOLD DIGGER

    <h4>Chapter 552 GOLD DIGGER</h4>


    Jayden was awakened again when he had the feeling that he was being watched, like someone was staring at him intently.


    It was almost like repeating the same dream.


    Or maybe it wasn''t Jayden''s fault that he felt that way, because that was what was happening. Jayden was indeed being watched, but this time, it was not Misha who was standing at the end of the bed, but his mother who was sitting in the corner of the room watching the two of them in silence.


    You know, when someone who is very bubbly and cheerful, immediately doesn''t say anything, watches in silence, then you will know immediately that you are in big trouble. That was the vibe that Jayden felt right now.


    And it seemed that was how Jayden was feeling now. He was really in big trouble now that his mother decided against anything and just sat quietly in the corner.


    "Apple¡­ Apple¡­" Jayden shook Apple slowly, trying to wake the woman beside him, but the expression on his face didn''t show much emotion.


    Since the matter had reached this stage and his mother had seen it with her own eyes, there was no point in panicking and trying to exin himself, since whatever Jayden was going to sayter would mean nothing.


    It would be better to let his mother calm down and exin the matter at ater time.


    On the other hand, feeling her body being shaken like that, made Apple finallye to her senses. She rubbed her face and saw Jayden pointing in a certain direction for her to look.


    And how surprised Apple was when she looked in the direction Jayden was pointing and found Hailee sitting on the corner couch, staring at the two of them.


    Apple almost screamed in surprise and her sleepiness disappeared instantly. She no longer felt sleepy or anything, what she felt now was a dreadful feeling because Hailee saw them in this kind of situation.


    When Misha sent the photos and videos, maybe Apple still had a chance to exin that it was just a misunderstanding, but now Hailee saw it with her own eyes and this happened twice already.


    Yes, Apple knew it was stupid of her to fall asleep in Jayden''s armsst night without forcing him out of the room.


    "Mrs. Tordoff¡­ it''s not what you think¡­" However, Apple immediately covered her mouth when she saw Hailee stand up from the chair and walk toward them.


    "Get out," Hailee said.


    Hearing that, Apple immediately got out of bed and tried to get out of the nket wrapped around her, but then Hailee said again, this time in a softer voice.


    "Not you, my dear," then she cast a fierce re at her son. "You''re out. Meet your father."


    "Oh," Jayden said, then he got out of bed and took the time to kiss the top of Apple''s head, as if making fun of his mother, which made Apple even more horrified. "See you in a moment," Jayden said lightly.


    See you in a moment? Well, yeah, see you, if only Hailee didn''t eat her alive right now.


    "Mrs. Tordoff¡­" Apple started, she looked at Hailee''s face with fear, especially when she saw the look on Hailee''s face now.


    However, Hailee put her finger to her lips and asked her not to say anything and waved her hand, indicating for Apple to sit down.


    Apple felt herself on trial, the tension she felt made her body feel colder than usual.


    She wasn''t used to feeling scared, but this time, it was certain that she was afraid of Hailee, because she didn''t know what to say to this woman who looked so calm, as if nothing could disturb her calm.


    Apple flinched when Hailee also sat beside her and put her hand on her shoulder, then patted her back.


    "Mrs. Tordoff¡­" Apple called out carefully. She didn''t know where to start, but when she saw Hailee''s softened expression, Apple felt a little confused.


    "I want to ask you a question and you have to answer honestly, okay?" Hailee''s voice sounded so soft and soothing, she even smiled sweetly at her.


    "Yes, I''ll answer that," Apple replied immediately.


    "Was Jayden the one who forced you to sleep with him?" Hailee asked straight to the point, which made Apple wince and blush a little. She didn''t expect Hailee to be so vulgar and on to the point with her first question.


    "No, no," said Apple, waving her hands to indicate that wasn''t really what was happening.


    "So you did it willingly and without coercion?"


    "Yeah, but¡­" Apple felt that there was something odd about Hailee''s question, because it sounded like they had been doing something other than sleeping with each other innocently. "It''s not like that actually¡­ we didn''t do anything¡­"


    However, Apple''s efforts to exin the problem did not end well, because Hailee Again waved her hand, dismissing any excuse that Apple would say. "From now on, you can call me Mom," Hailee said with a beaming face.


    "What?" Apple felt that she had misheard Hailee''sst words.


    "I''ve told you several times to call me, Mom, right?" Hailee smiled very cheerfully at her and hugged Apple who looked surprised by this reaction.


    Apple thought Hailee would look at her with judgmental eyes and even in the worst case scenario, she would think she had seduced her son to sleep with her. Even she was prepared for Hailee''s gold digger usations, but none of that happened.


    Unbeknownst to Apple, Hailee knew her own son better than she did, of course she wouldn''t believe it until Jayden was tempted to do something she didn''t want to do.


    The fact that Jayden was sofortable being with Apple and even sleeping by her side was enough for Hailee to confirm that Apple was the one that Jayden wanted.


    "I can''t wait to introduce you to the whole Tordoff family," Hailee said cheerfully.


    Oh, damn. Apple almost forgot about that¡­

 Chapter 553 I WILL SUE YOU

    <h4>Chapter 553 I WILL SUE YOU</h4>


    Jayden left Apple alone with his mother, because he was sure that both of them would be fine. Hailee would not be able to scold Apple for his mistakes.


    After all, it was Jayden who had invited Apple to live in this apartment together with him.


    When Jayden entered the kitchen, he thought he''d run into Misha trying to make breakfast, but he found things far worse than that.


    Ramon was sitting on the barstool sipping his morning coffee leisurely.


    "Come here," Ramon said in his usual cold tone, when he saw his son turn around to avoid him as soon as he saw his father there. Too bad, Ramon spotted his son even before Jayden could think of running away from him.


    Hearing his father''s calm voice actually made Jayden not feel at all calm. How could this man be so rxed but at the same time he gave off such a terrifying aura?


    Little did Jayden know, he is the same way when anger gets to him and he can''t think straight.


    "Father, you are here," Jayden said as he walked back into the kitchen to face his father.


    "I am here," Ramon said casually. Then he took another sip of his drink. "What did you do to Pyro''s daughter."


    "I didn''t do anything," Jayden said quickly, then walked over to the coffee machine and poured himself a cup of coffee. "The photo that Misha sent was just a bit misleading. It''s not what you see."


    "Hm," Ramon mumbled, then said calmly, while his eyes stared intently at his son. "Then what about what I saw just now?"


    "That¡­" Jayden scratched the back of his neck. He could feel his father''s intense gaze on him and he knew that there was no way for him to escape, so he chose to face him. "We didn''t do anything, but she''s the girl I want to be with."


    Thest words came out of nowhere and Jayden didn''t know what reaction to expect from his father.


    Ramon stared at his son for a moment and at that moment, Jayden thought there would be a confrontation between the two of them, but it didn''t happen, because after that his father only answered with one word.


    "Okay."


    And after that, Ramon didn''t say anything else.


    OK¡­


    =======================


    After spending two days in the apartment and Pyro regaining consciousness, but still in intensive care, Apple asked Jayden to meet with the two men who attacked them that night.


    "You wouldn''t want to see them," Jayden said lightly, hugging Apple as they both watched a movie.


    "Why?" Apple lifted her head from Jayden''s arms and looked at the man curiously.


    The events two days ago with Hailee and Ramon ended smoothly, well, at least as smoothly as one could hope for.


    Now that Hailee has found out that they are living together, she can''t wait to make this rtionship more ''official''.


    "They look ugly," Jayden replied casually as he fed the Apple an apple he had cut earlier.


    And because Jayden knew Apple was in his apartment and someone was waiting for him when he got home, he tried to do his job faster and not spend too much time in the office.


    "Bad?" Appleughed when she heard that. "What did you actually do to them? You didn''t make them undergo stic surgery, did you?"


    "Of course not," Jayden replied with a grin. "I won''t spend my money on useless things."


    Well, he thought, it was the most useless thing one could think of.


    "Then what did you do to them?"


    Jayden shrugged his shoulders nonchntly as he answered. "I just gave a punch or two here and there. Just that."


    "A punch or two?" Apple raised an eyebrow, asking for an exnation.


    "Well, a punch or two every minute."


    Apple could only shake her head at this.


    Jayden then kissed the top of Apple''s head and hugged her tighter. "You don''t have to think about that, just think about tomorrow''s event at the Tordoffs. I can''t wait to see you in the dress you''re about to wear."


    Jayden had seen the dress that Apple would be wearing for tomorrow''s Tordoff family event and it is very beautiful and sexy, although Appleined a little about the cut of the dress being too low and felt that it was too ''luxury'' for her.


    "You deserve all the luxuries I can provide for you."


    "I''ll be a gold digger if you keep treating me like this."


    "Well, you can be whatever you want." Jayden then tipped her head back and started kissing Apple gently, before finally he pushed the girl onto the sofa and they both made out, while the movie that was still going on on television was ignored.


    However, when Apple opened her eyes she screamed and immediately pushed Jayden away from her because from behind Jayden''s back he could see Misha standing with his arms crossed in front of his chest, watching the two of them in silence.


    "Damn you Misha!" Jayden grumbled, turning to look at Misha with a fierce look, but he didn''t move from above Apple at all and this prevented the girl from pushing him away further. "You want to record a video of this too? Try and I will sue you."


    Jayden looked annoyed when he found Misha finding them in apromising position again.


    Misha was lucky that Apple was still fully clothed, otherwise Misha would have gotten a punch or two in the face.


    Damn. He had to change the password for his apartment so that no one from his family could enter arbitrarily.


    Previously, this was not a problem, as Jayden was living alone, but not anymore.


    "Calm down dude, I just walked in and was shocked," Misha said. He had just entered the apartment and was surprised to find out what Jayden and Apple were doing in the living room, but before he could react, Apple had noticed his arrival. "I brought you news because you weren''t answering your phone."

 Chapter 554 A BEAUTIFUL GIRL

    <h4>Chapter 554 A BEAUTIFUL GIRL</h4>


    "Calm down dude, I just walked in and was shocked," Misha said.


    He had just entered the apartment and was surprised to find out what Jayden and Apple were doing in the living room, but before he could react, Apple had noticed his arrival.


    He should be the one protesting because he was treated to a scene like this while he was single.


    "I brought you news because you didn''t answer your phone," Misha grumbled. He frowned as it seemed that Jayden had no intention of improvising his intimate position with Apple, so Misha decided to leave them be. "It seems that your bodies are glued together and need time to separate. I''ll be waiting for you in the study room."


    Apple closed her eyes and could feel her face heat up when she heard what Misha said just now. She really wanted to push Jayden away from her body right now, but the man didn''t budge at all.


    "I''m really going to change the password to this penthouse to get them to stop snooping around," Jayden grumbled as he kissed Apple''s forehead and got off her body. "I''ll be back soon," he said after that and went to meet Misha.


    Meanwhile, Apple covered her face, hiding behind her hands, as if it could help her neutralize the embarrassment she was feeling.


    Ugh! Very embarrassing!


    ======================


    "What do you want?" Jayden asked, he grumbled when he entered his study room and found Misha opening hisptop.


    "Come and take a look at this," Misha said, waving his hand at Jayden for him to see what he had found.


    Jayden''s frowning face instantly changed when he saw what Misha showed him, but he didn''t look as surprised as his cousin had imagined.


    "I already know about it," Jayden said calmly, he then sat next to Misha and leaned his body on the back of the sofa. "The two people I arrested just admitted it yesterday."


    Misha raised his eyebrows. "You didn''t tell me that."


    "Well, I''ve been a little busytely," Jayden said with a straight face that made Misha roll his eyes dramatically.


    "Yeah, I can see how busy you''ve beentely," he said sarcastically. "You have any ns for the Gevano family?" he asked again.


    "Of course," Jayden said coldly. "I will make a move on that family. They have been causing trouble to our family for a long time and they should know where they belong."


    ======================


    Finally, the long awaited day hase. Although it''s not really the day Apple has been waiting for, because she''d much rather be huddled under her nkets in a t-shirt and sweatpants while watching a movie than having to face the whole Tordoff family.


    Apple didn''t want to be around strangers she wasn''t familiar with and have conversations on topics she didn''t understand.


    But, no matter how bad Apple''s mood was, it didn''t make her look bad in a party dress with a v-neckline that hung down past her anklespleted with borate and luxurious embroidery designs,plimenting the curves on her body.


    The dress was champagne red, whichplimented her skin tone color so much, which made Apple look so beautiful and elegant, people would easily mistake her for a model, if only she wasn''t so nervous and smiled more.


    Today, Jayden will meet Apple in person at the venue, because he has something to do first before the party starts.


    Because after all, he was the future head of the Tordoff family after his father stepped down, so there were some things he needed to discuss with the people there.


    But, of course Jayden didn''t just leave Apple, he sent two stylists to help Apple with dresses and make up and style her hair.


    "You look very beautiful, Mrs. Tordoff¡­" muttered the hairstylist. The middle-aged woman who still looked beautiful looked at Apple with great admiration. "No wonder Mr. Tordoff chose you to be his wife."


    Hearing that, Apple waved her hand while shaking her head. "No, no. I''m not Mrs. Tordoff." She didn''t want them to misunderstand this.


    "Ah, it''s only a matter of time, soon you will be part of the Tordoff family, of course you will be Mrs. Tordoffter." The womanughed behind the palms of her hands, looking very happy, as if she was the one who would marry Jayden Tordoff.


    Apple could onlyugh with a grimace on her face hearing this. Well, she hoped she wouldn''t mess up tonight and end up pitting herself against the whole Tordoff family.


    Given her ability to wreak havoc, of course Apple firmly believed she could do something stupid.


    "Well, now you''re ready." Another woman said while handing a blue box to Apple. "This is the final touch, Mr. Tordoff said you should wear this."


    Apple then opened the blue box and found a jewelry set. A ne, a pair of earrings and a bracelet.


    Everything looked beautiful and was studded with red stones, matching the clothes Apple was wearing.


    "Isn''t this an exaggeration?" asked Apple when she saw the jewelry.


    Apple is not a woman who knows for sure when ites to jewelry, but at one nce, she can tell that these pieces of jewelry are very expensive.


    "Of course not," said the woman, pping her hands and taking the ne from the box and putting it on for Apple. "Look, you''re so beautiful." She also helped put her earrings and bracelet on.


    "I''m sure all eyes will be on you tonight," said the stylist confidently.


    "I hope not," Apple muttered nervously. She saw her own reflection in the mirror and she had to admit, tonight she looked absolutely gorgeous. This is probably the most beautiful moment Apple has experienced in her life.


    "Do you know how much this piece of jewelry costs?" said the stylist again, then she mentioned a number that made Apple almost freeze, wanting to remove the jewelry there and then.


    If Apple lost of these jewels, she could be a ve for the rest of her life, just to pay the price.

 Chapter 555 HER BACKGROUND

    <h4>Chapter 555 HER BACKGROUND</h4>


    Apple came over in a limousine that stopped right in front of a luxury resort that had been reserved for the Tordoffs.


    The resort is a tourist destination that is very famous for its beautiful sea views and is located on a high cliff. So you can be sure that privacy is very well maintained in this ce.


    A ce that is very suitable for members of the Tordoff family who really value their privacy.


    And booking just a single resort vi requires a very good fortune and wealth because this ce is very expensive.


    But, Apple shouldn''t be surprised, considering this is the Tordoff family gathering, where the rich people gather.


    Apple felt like a swindler in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, getting out of this limousine, while being arguably the poorest of the people in there.


    "No. No. No. Don''t think like that," Apple said to herself. She shook her head vigorously. She didn''t want these negative thoughts to damage her self-confidence even more.


    Jayden would be there and he wouldn''t let herself get into any trouble. All Apple had to do now was be a good girl and not cause a mess.


    There is no need to talk unless you are asked. No need to have a conversation with anyone. She would be very grateful if no one spoke to her tonight and left her alone.


    Okay, she just had to survive for a few hours there and after that she could go home and curl up in herfortable nket.


    "Okay, you can do it," Apple whispered to herself as the driver opened the door for her and let her step out of the car. Not to forget, Apple had even drank a ss of champagne to soothe her tense nerves.


    But it seemed she needed a bottle of champagne to really ease the tension in her system when she stepped in and was confronted by two young girls who were serving as receptionists.


    "May I see the invitation?" one of the girls asked very politely. She tried not to stare at Apple too long, but of course it was difficult to do, because the woman in front of her was absolutely stunning.


    Apple then took out her cell phone from the small handbag she carried, but when she saw the cellphone, she cursed in her heart because of his stupidity.


    She forgot to charge her cell phone because today the two stylish people sent by Jayden had taken all her attention and time, so much so she forgot that her cell phone''s battery was low and now the little gadget wouldn''t turn on at all.


    "You guys have chargers? Can I borrow it for a moment? My phone has no power." Apple showed both of them the screen of her totally dead phone.


    The invitation was sent via email and only family members and a few plus ones from Tordoff family members were invited.


    These plus ones are important people for the Tordoff family because they have been considered to be part of the Tordoff family and one of the goals of tonight''s event is to introduce them into the big family.


    "Oh, pleasee with us," one of them said very kindly. She was still smiling sweetly at Apple.


    But then, one of them seemed to recognize Apple and gasped for a moment. "You are Apple, Jayden Tordoff''s girlfriend, right?"


    Apple chuckled, still feeling weird about the name, especially when she said yes.


    "Yeah, you could say that," Apple said in a low voice.


    "Ah, too bad, we have to register your invitation before letting you in, even though Mr. Tordoff asked if you hade or not," the girl who had dimples looked regretful about that.


    "It''s okay, once your phone is on you can directly meet Mr. Tordoff." The other girl, who was about to take Apple to charge her phone, looked much more excited.


    "Thank you, I''ll be back soon." Apple was then about to follow the girl when someone came from behind them and called out for Apple.


    "Who are you?" the woman asked. She looked very elegant in her ck evening gown with a man beside her.


    Apple turned and looked around, thinking that the woman was talking to someone else, but there was no one there except her, so it was certain that the woman was talking to Apple.


    "Oh, I remember, you''re the woman who''s rumored to be together with Jayden Tordoff, aren''t you?" she said in a low voice and with an appreciative look in her eyes.


    Oh, please, the night hadn''t even started yet, she was already in an unpleasant position. Apple cursed inwardly. She wanted to ignore this woman, because she didn''t even know who the woman and man beside her were.


    "What did youe here for? You think Jayden invited you toe?" she asked sarcastically, but the man Apple thought was her husband just stood there, doing nothing when his wife started insulting someone she just met. "You don''t have to expect much, there''s no way Jayden likes you. Your family background doesn''t support being in the Tordoff family at all."


    This is one of the reasons why Apple is so reluctant to have a rtionship with Jayden, because her family background will always be an issue.


    It''s just that, at this point, Apple didn''t want to lower herself like that, let alone admit defeat in front of this woman.


    Especially since Jayden had convinced her many times that there was nothing wrong with her family background, and Hailee had said the same thing.


    Therefore, very calmly, Apple replied to the woman''s words.


    "If you have nothing more to say, then I''ll go," Apple said lightly and was about to walk away from there, but the woman didn''t want to let it go and reached out her hand to pull Apple.


    Unfortunately, Apple had pretty good reflexes and when she sensed herself being in danger, her bodily reflexes took over before she could think long.

 Chapter 556 RESPECT GOES BOTH WAY

    <h4>Chapter 556 RESPECT GOES BOTH WAY</h4>


    Have you ever met a woman for the first time and thought she is above everyone else just because she had money and status that mattered? And think that she is entitled to everything and has the right to decide what is and isn''t a person?


    Apple is dealing with one such type of woman right now.


    When the woman didn''t get the argument she needed from Apple and didn''t even get the reaction she wanted, she became irritated at being ignored.


    In her eyes, people like Apple should be grateful to just be able to talk to her.


    Ugh! Apple didn''t really understand the way these people think and of course this made her feel really sick.


    "If you have nothing more to say, then I will go," Apple said lightly and was about to walk away from there, but the woman didn''t want to let her go.


    The woman felt insulted that Apple turned her body and was about to leave her before she finished speaking. She then reached out her hand to pull Apple back.


    She didn''t know what she would do, but what was certain was that the woman could not ept that Apple didn''t give her any face. If anything, she should be the one who should act like that.


    But, sadly, the one thing the woman didn''t take into ount was; Apple had pretty good reflexes and when she felt herself being in danger, her bodily reflexes took over before she could think long.


    Thus, before she could reach Apple''s arm, the girl had stepped aside and pped her hand hard enough, causing the woman to lose her bnce.


    Had her husband not been there, the woman would have humiliated herself even more.


    "What do you think you have done!?" eximed the man who now finally showed his emotions and stopped acting like a statue by just standing next to his wife.


    "I don''t like being touched carelessly," Apple said coldly.


    "Who do you think you are, huh?!" The man seemed angry at what Apple did to his wife, and the woman smiled smugly at getting her husband''s protection.


    Hearing that question, Apple frowned. "Who do you think you are?" Apple actually asked the two people back with the same arrogant attitude and surprised them with her attitude which they thought was impudent.


    "You are just a girl with no clear background! Don''t expect you to get into the Tordoff family. With a girl of your background, it will only tarnish the good name of the Tordoff family!" the man cried vehemently.


    Ouch! That''s crazy¡­


    Apple frowned. "You think since you are from the Tordoff family that you can just say bad things about me? Poor quality people are everywhere, even the Tordoffs and you prove that."


    After saying that, Apple immediately regretted it, not because she was afraid that she would get herself into trouble, but because she shouldn''t attract attention and spend the night like a ghost, without being noticed by anyone at all.


    But, it had alreadye to this, and it felt like the wish she had would note true. She had already drawn enough attention to herself even before entering the banquet hall.


    "How dare you say that!?" The woman looked very angry, her voice sounded like a car screeching, hurting people''s ears. After that, she grumbled about something that implied how inappropriate it was for Apple to be there.


    The longer Apple heard her, the more hurt she felt, because she knew that what the woman said was true. Damn. She hated it when she started to feel that she wasn''t enough.


    "Jayden will only dump you once he has done ying with you and only then will you know your ce," the woman eximed at the end of her shrill scream.


    Meanwhile, Apple just listened to all the insults she hurled at her because she had no reason to cut her words and also found the words to defend herself.


    "Why? You want to cry and go home?" the woman asked mockingly, smiling scornfully at Apple.


    "Can you repeat thatst sentence of yours?"


    Apple almost jumped in surprise when suddenly she heard Jayden''s voice from behind her. Apparently, the woman in front of her was not aware of Jayden''s existence because she was too focused on Apple and so was her husband.


    But, as soon as Jayden walked over, all attention was on him.


    Behind Jayden, Apple could see one of the receptionists from earlier. Apparently, after seeing thismotion and how the woman treated Apple rudely, she ran into the resort vi to call Jayden directly.


    Of course, hearing that Apple was in trouble at the front door was reason enough for him to leave the conversation he was having with some important people from the Tordoff family.


    This is what Jayden tries to avoid, because he knows very well there will be some very entitled members of the Tordoff family with their surname that will cause trouble.


    "What did you just say Aunt Hellen?" Jayden walked straight to Apple and hugged her waist, his eyes ring at the woman he called Aunt Hellen.


    His whole demeanor changed, Jayden looked very aloof and very dangerous now.


    On the other hand, Hellen was a little surprised by how Jayden talked to her, because they didn''t interact much and whenever she met Jayden, this young man always showed a bubbly and easy-going attitude,pletely different from the attitude he was showing to her now.


    "You don''t have to act like that, Jayden, you have to respect people who are older than you," Hellen''s husband, who is a distant rtive of the Tordoff family and was lucky enough to have Tordoff''s name behind his name so he could show it off to everyone, interjected.


    "Respect goes both ways," Jayden said coldly and then nced at the girl beside him. "You are worrying me, you arete."


    "My phone''s battery ran out," Apple mumbled, raising herpletely dead phone in her hand.

 Chapter 557 IT’S OKAY, I WILL GO WITH HER

    <h4>Chapter 557 IT''S OKAY, I WILL GO WITH HER</h4>


    "My phone''s battery ran out," Apple muttered as she showed Jayden herpletely dead phone, so she couldn''t show the digital invitation on her phone to the two girls waiting in front.


    Luckily, one of them was quick to respond and immediately called Jayden when two people from the Tordoff family tried to find trouble with Apple.


    Hm, she should thank themter¡­


    Jayden nced at the darkened screen of Apple''s phone, indicating that it was indeed dead and then nodded at her.


    "Let''s go in," Jayden said in his calm voice. His cold and sharp gaze was still fixed on the two people in front of him.


    After saying that, he pulled Apple''s arm gently toward him and kissed her cheek in front of Hellen and her husband while whispering softly into Apple''s ear.


    "You look really pretty tonight," Jayden said sincerely, the look in his eyes telling how much he valued Apple and craved her.


    On the other hand, Appleughed softly. "Just tonight?" she asked teasingly. "You are not bad yourself."


    "You look beautiful every night, only tonight you look much more spectacr," Jaydenplimented her again as he led her inside, where the show was about to start.


    "Spectacr?" Apple chuckled. "Unique choice of words."


    The Tordoff family party would be three nights and two days during which they would take part in a number of activities around the resort, some of which Jayden had exined to Apple and the girl was very excited to be involved.


    And as for the clothes that Apple needed while they were there¡­ Since Jayden had said she didn''t have to worry about it, then Apple was sure that Jayden had arranged everything.


    After all, it wouldn''t be difficult for Jayden to arrange some clothes for her. He just needed to give orders to a few maids to pack some casual clothes for the few days following, after all the party was only going to take ce tonight, so there was nothing to worry about.


    And again, if worstes to worst, Apple will always be able to borrow Jayden''s shirts for her to wear.


    "Nervous?" Jayden asked Apple who looked much quieter than usual.


    From the receptionist''s desk at the front to the main event venue which is an outdoor party in the spacious central garden with lively music ying all the way to where they are standing now, it took about five minutes and during that time, Apple didn''t say anything and this is unusual.


    "A little," Apple answered honestly. She held Jayden''s arm quite tightly as they walked through the park and when Apple saw how many people were at the party and how they carried themselves with such grace and dignity, Apple grimaced. "Is it toote for me to back out?" she asked in a low voice.


    Jaydenughed when he heard what Apple said, but he tightened his grip on Apple as they entered the party area, which was arge and spacious garden, conjured up with a Victorian theme.


    At this particr moment, Apple was grateful that Hailee took her shopping and chose the clothes she was now wearing.


    "Of course, it''s toote for you to back out, you can only walk forward with me," Jayden said, he then looked ahead and smiled at the people who greeted him and introduced Apple in a voice that sounded proud.


    On the other hand, Apple smiled more and didn''t say much, she let Jayden take over the conversation. She would only answer when asked, because she did not want to choose the wrong words and embarrass herself.


    They all looked very respectful, especially when they found out that she was with Jayden.


    Some of the women there, whom Apple assumed were partners of the Tordoff family members, looked at Apple with slightly ufortable eyes, as if they were going to swallow her whole.


    Apple knew they weren''t the Tordoffs because Jayden didn''t know the women and only knew the man beside them.


    It seems, even though youe from the Tordoff family, there is still a hierarchy in it, where Jayden and Misha rank the highest after their fathers, especially Jayden, because Ramon is the first person people will think of when they hear the Tordoff surname.


    "Apple!" cried a female voice that Apple recognized. That''s Hailee. She walked over quickly in his high heels and immediately hugged Apple warmly.


    Tonight Hailee looked very beautiful in her navy blue evening gown, she looked much younger than her actual age. She was gorgeous.


    "Mrs. Tordoff," Apple said as she hugged Hailee back, but then she let go of her hug and scowled at Apple.


    "What do you mean by Mrs. Tordoff? Didn''t I tell you to call me ''mom''?" Hailee raised an eyebrow and looked fierce, which made Apple wince.


    "Mom," Apple said obediently.


    "Good," Hailee replied this time. She smiled and hugged Apple again. "You must be tired of hearing men talk,e here, I will introduce you to the rest of the Tordoffs." Hailee gently pulled Apple''s hand away from Jayden.


    To be honest, Apple didn''t want to go with Hailee and get to know the rest of the Tordoff family, she wasfortable enough being next to Jayden listening to him talk about boring business matters, at least then she had an excuse not to join the conversation.


    "No, mom, Apple will be here with me," Jayden declined his mother''s invitation gently. He could feel Apple''s grip on his arm tighten.


    "Oh, but maybe we can talk a lot, you know, woman to woman," Hailee said with hopeful eyes at Apple.


    And this is when you will feel much worse if you refuse.


    "It''s okay, I will be gone only for a bit," Apple finally decided, she let go of her grip on Jayden''s arm.


    "Are you sure?" Jayden looked unsure, but Hailee quickly grabbed Apple''s arm and led her away, while the girl could only smile at Jayden to calm him down.

 Chapter 558 WILL YOU HONOR ME WITH A DANCE

    <h4>Chapter 558 WILL YOU HONOR ME WITH A DANCE</h4>


    Apple could see that Jayden looked unconvinced, but Hailee quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her away, while the girl could only give Jayden a resigned smile to calm him down. Hope that she will be fer.


    "I heard you got into trouble with Hellen at the entrance?" Hailee asked with a smile on her lips as they walked away from Jayden, who kept an eye on where his mother was taking Apple.


    "How did you know about that?" Apple looked surprised as she turned her head quickly to look at Hailee by her side.


    "Of course I know." Hailee rolled her eyes yfully as she grabbed Apple''s arm even more and waved her hand at her surroundings. "Once you know how to interact with these people, then you''ll know how to take advantage of their curiosity."


    Apple looked at Hailee with furrowed brows and this made her blush and pinch her future daughter-inw''s cheeks.


    "In a family like this, you have to pay attention to who you can trust, who wants to bring you down and who is only pretending to be nice to you," Hailee exined, because she thought it was important to tell Apple before she entered the Tordoff family.


    Hailee didn''t mean to scare Apple or make her think anything bad, but she had to be on guard. Mainly because Apple was not used to being in an environment full of maniption and gimmicks like this.


    Where people you think are friends are not.


    "People who approach you aggressively and show their distaste for you are much nicer, than people who approach you with a sweet smile and pretend to be friends, but stab you in the back." Hailee then touched the tip of Apple''s nose. "You have to keep that in mind. Not only in the Tordoff family, but also in your daily life."


    Hailee didn''t know if Pyro had taught this to Apple or not before, but she firmly believed that Apple needed it now and Hailee said it just to make sure Apple wasn''tpletely naive when it came to the Tordoff family.


    Even Hailee, who was the only daughter of the Tatum family, was not able to escape their looks of disdain, let alone Apple.


    Luckily Ramon didn''t care too much about it and it passed down to their son, which was a relief to Hailee, but that didn''t mean the whole Tordoff family had the same opinion.


    "Wow, I feel like I''m entering a battlefield," Apple muttered anxiously.


    Instead of answering, Hailee justughed softly at her. The people who were looking at them now would not be able to guess that the two of them were actually discussing this topic.


    Then, Hailee introduced Apple to some of the people there. It was only a brief introduction, where Apple would tell her name and Hailee would drag her away again saying that she would introduce Apple to other people.


    However, between introductions from one person to another, Hailee would not forget to briefly exin the background of the next person, such as what they do and their rtionship with the Tordoff family.


    Apple was sure that she wouldn''t be able to remember all of it, but at least she tried to remember all the names.


    "Didn''t you notice the group of girls over there?" Hailee asked as she fetched a ss of champagne for Apple before taking one for herself from the waitress there and nodded at the group of girls who had been staring at Apple furtively for a long time.


    "Oh, yeah¡­" Apple replied in a voice that sounded disinterested. "They keep staring at me."


    Haileeughed softly, even herugh sounded very dignified and ssy. To be expected from someone like Hailee Tordoff.


    "You have to get used to it and one thing you have to remember." Hailee''s voice immediately sounded serious and a little cold. "You have to know that you will always have the support of Jayden and I, so when they have ventured out of line, you have to really make it clear where you stand and where they stand."


    Apple nodded, she bit her lip nervously.


    "You were part of our family, Apple, even before you had a rtionship with Jayden, because my husband and I think that Pyro is family and I''m sure that Jayden agrees with that, therefore, getting you to be part of this family is a bonus."


    Hailee then gently kissed Apple''s cheek, which made the girl beam who then mumbled a thank you in a low voice.


    ========================


    Tonight was a really great night and despite what happened at the front door with Hellen and her husband, overall the night was much better than Apple had hoped.


    Now, Apple was sitting at one of the avable tables there, near a beautifully flowing artificial river, which had a beautiful sight with all the lights reflecting on the surface of the artificialke.


    Hailee left Apple there, because she realized that she felt tired to stand too long in high heels, because Apple is not used to wearing high heels.


    And now, Apple is sitting with a ss of champagne and a te of cake that looks very good. The cold night air doesn''t bother Apple so much because of the champagne that apanied her.


    Maybe it''s because of the influence of alcohol in her blood cirction that made her a little tipsy, or indeed because she felt much morefortable and could grasp the whole situation better than when she first came, Apple felt at ease being alone here.


    "Hi, beautiful, will you honor me by having your first dance with me tonight?"


    Apple was about to shriek softly when she heard Jayden''s voice in her ear. She then turned her head and found Jayden staring at her, he was standing behind the chair she was sitting on, smiling sweetly.


    "Will you honor me by dancing with me?" Jayden repeated his question again.


    "I can''t dance," Apple answered hesitantly.


    "No problem, you can just follow me."

 Chapter 559 MINE

    <h4>Chapter 559 MINE</h4>


    The first dance is usually performed by the head of the family, who is the dominant figure in the Tordoff family.


    In previous years, the first dance would be performed by Ramon and Hailee. Sometimes by Lexus and Candice, if Ramon and Hailee decided not to attend this kind of event.


    However, by letting Jayden do the first dance this year meant that Ramon had really stepped down from his position and put his full trust in his son.


    Therefore, this first dance was very important, however, Apple didn''t know the deep meaning of tonight''s first dance.


    She just thought that she couldn''t dance and that was a major problem for her.


    She would never have imagined that this first dance was a moment for Jayden to introduce to the entire Tordoff family that the woman in his arms would be the firstdy of the Tordoff family in the future.


    And that is a very important thing.


    It was also one of the reasons why many people paid attention to Apple. They made a bet among themselves whether Jayden would pull Apple as his dance partner in tonight''s party, because that would mean his decision to be in a rtionship with this girl was very serious.


    And if it wasn''t Apple that Jayden was dancing with, then of course their rtionship wasn''t that serious. Wouldn''t it be natural to y around first? Especially when Jayden is very young, much younger than when Ramon announced his serious rtionship with Hailee.


    Despite the fact that Jayden came to this party with Apple, they were still skeptical about their rtionship.


    "Will you honor me by having a dance with me?" Jayden repeated his question, when he saw Apple didn''t say anything and just kept quiet, looking bbergasted and a little confused.


    "I can''t dance," Apple answered hesitantly.


    Then, Jayden walked to Apple and bowed before the girl. "No problem, just follow me," he said slowly.


    But, before Apple could deny his proposal to dance, suddenly the spotlight was on her, taking her by surprise and instantly all attention was on her and Jayden.


    "Jayden, what is this?" Apple whispered frantically. She had managed not to be the center of attention and tried to be lowkey during the party all night, but now in an instant there were hundreds of pairs of eyes there, staring at her.


    In that short period of time, Apple felt the self-awareness she had developed from nowhere sharply and this made all the blood in her body run cold.


    But, among the crowd of people staring at her, she found the face of Hailee, who was standing next to Ramon Tordoff, nodding slowly, as if giving her the encouragement she needed and in front of her was Jayden Tordoff, holding out his hand, still waiting for her to dance with him.


    Well, fuck everything.


    Apple took a deep breath and epted Jayden''s outstretched hand, whose smile instantly turned so blinding.


    Jayden then grabbed Apple''s hand, helped her up and kissed the back of her hand.


    Apple felt a jolt of electricity from the touch of his lips on the back of her hand which then spread throughout her entire body.


    "I thought you wouldn''t ept my request," Jayden whispered as he led Apple to the dance floor under the hundreds of pairs of eyes that were still trained on them. The spotlight just followed the two of them.


    "What would have you done if I hadn''t epted your request?" Apple whispered back to him.


    "Well, I was thinking of carrying you to the dance floor," Jayden mumbled as if he was really considering the option.


    "You won''t dare," Apple growled warningly and this made Jayden chuckle, but as soon as they got to the dance floor, Jayden''s expression immediately changed.


    He looked softer and the look in his eyes was the only thing that could make Apple ignore the people around her.


    The look in his eyes hypnotized her and Apple no longer cared what other people thought, because right now, only Jayden was in her eyes.


    "I don''t know what to do," Apple said honestly. She didn''t know where to go and where to put her hands.


    "Just follow my cue," Jayden replied, he chuckled lightly when he saw how Apple was staring at him, but this time he didn''t tease the girl and let her stare as long as she wanted.


    Jayden then put Apple''s hand around his neck and sped her other hand, as he ced his hand on the girl''s slender waist.


    "Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?" Jayden asked which made the girl in front of him beam.


    Meanwhile, behind them, the sound of music that is so soft and soothing, apanied their steps on the dance floor.


    All of this seemed surreal, like a dream and Apple didn''t want to wake up from a dream like this.


    "You''ve said it before," Apple replied. "But I don''t mind hearing it again." Apple smirked as she said that.


    She had never been so happy as she was now. Damn. Was she really in love with Jayden Tordoff now? Why does this man look so handsome? It was as if he was the most handsome man she had ever seen and she didn''t even want to waste a second by looking away from him.


    "You are greedy," Jayden whispered into her ear, his warm breath brushing against Apple''s ear and this made her shudder softly and bit her lower lip. "But, what can I do, you are beautiful, you deserve to hear it over and over again, as much as you want."


    Then, Jayden let go of his grip on Apple and made her spin once and caught her again, this time, Apple wrapped her arms around Jayden''s neck and the man put his arms around her waist, hugging her in front of the whole Tordoff family.


    "You''re beautiful and you''re mine," Jayden said firmly. He was serious when he said that as he bent down to kiss Apple''s sweet lips.

 Chapter 560 WILD MAN

    <h4>Chapter 560 WILD MAN</h4>


    As soon as the first dance by Apple and Jayden had finished, Ramon and Hailee joined them on the dance floor, followed by Lexus and Candice for the next song.


    Then after that a few couples joined them all and it seemed everyone was enjoying the evening.


    Out of the corner of her eye, Apple could see Misha dancing with a cute red-haired girl, which made Apple a little curious, because Misha had never been heard of being close to anyone.


    It must be Jayden who was always in the news being close to women, while Misha, he seemed more interested in business and would immediately shut up reporters or anyone who tried to find out about his private life.


    "I just found out that Misha is with someone," Apple said when Jayden finally pulled her off the dance floor and handed her a drink.


    Jayden knew that Apple felt ufortable being there, so after he finished showing everyone how serious their rtionship was, Jayden immediately pulled Apple away and let the girl rest.


    "Hmm?" Jayden muttered, he then turned and followed Apple''s gaze and found Misha dancing with a red-haired girl he had never seen before. "Probably his new girlfriend."


    "His new lover?" Apple took a sip of her drink and took a seat on the bar stool, where she had sat before. This ce was very strategic, where you could see the entire party area, but was not disturbed by other people. Even so, this corner was not visited by too many people.


    "Yes," answered Jayden, who then sat down next to Apple after he draped the coat he was wearing around Apple''s shoulders, for tonight was a little colder than expected.


    "I didn''t know Misha had a girlfriend before," Apple said in a low voice.


    "He had many girlfriends before this," said Jayden, he then got a look of disbelief from his lover. "You don''t believe it?"


    "I can''t believe it, he''s never been in any gossip newspapers, instead you look like a yboy because you''re always on the main page of gossip newspapers." Apple pointed at Jayden with her index finger.


    "You were fooled by Misha''s serious face," Jaydenughed. He then took Apple''s hand and kissed it, making the girl''s face turn red. Maybe because of the drink she had been drinking.


    How many champagnes had she had now? Usually Apple never drank this much, but what could she do? She felt much calmer when the drink warmed her body.


    "Hm, actually you can''t say that Misha has many lovers, because they are not his lovers¡­" Jayden looked like he was thinking hard to find the right words.


    "What do you mean?" Apple frowned when she heard this.


    Jayden smirked at Apple, but this time his grin didn''t look like he was joking or trying to lighten the mood between the two of them, he looked flustered and struggling for words.


    "Actually you are wrong if you say I am the yboy, actually it''s Misha," Jayden finally admitted this and then hisughter disappeared when Apple didn''t give any response and just stared at him. "You think I''m lying?"


    "I thought you were trying to put down your cousin," Apple said.


    "Why would I do that?" Jayden frowned.


    "Yeah, why did you do that? That''s why I am looking for the reason."


    Jayden rolled his eyes. "I am speaking the truth. Misha has several girls whom he often secretly dates."


    Apple was still staring at Jayden in disbelief. "But, he doesn''t look like that kind of man."


    Hearing this, Jayden reached out his hand and pinched Apple''s cheek in exasperation. "What kind of man do you think Misha is?"


    "A very serious man who only cares about business," Apple answered honestly, brushing off Jayden''s hand that was pinching her cheek.


    "Of course not," Jayden said, then hugged her. It seemed he was too excited by Apple''s answer and because he had never talked about Misha''s love life, Jayden felt a little awkward.


    It''s just that Apple is his girlfriend and one day he will marry her, so Jayden believes that they shouldn''t be hiding anything from each other. He learned this from his father and mother.


    "Misha is not as serious as he seems." Jayden then whispered into Apple''s ear and said in a very dramatic voice. "Actually he is a little wild," he said in a low tone.


    "What do you mean by a little wild?" Apple rested her head on Jayden''s shoulder, feeling a little tipsy now. "I don''t understand." Apple smelled the perfume Jayden was wearing and she loved it, therefore, this position made herfortable. She didn''t want to let Jayden go at all.


    Jayden then rubbed her back, while Apple snuggled closer to him. "Well, you could say he is quite an asshole¡­" Jayden mumbled, looking at Misha who hade down from the dance floor and pulled the red-haired girl elsewhere. The two of them disappeared into the crowd and Jayden had no intention of finding out who the girl was.


    Whoever the girl is, Misha will be holding a new girl in a matter of days, therefore, there is no need for him to keep on track of who his cousin is dating.


    "You are drunk, let''s go to the room so you can rest."


    "I am not drunk."


    "Yeah¡­ most drunk people would say the same thing, my love," Jayden chuckled, as Apple hugged him tighter. This girl was really drunk, otherwise she wouldn''t have done this in front of the crowd. "Come on, I''ll walk you to our room."


    Jayden then stood up and helped Apple to stand up too.


    "But, the party isn''t over yet."


    "For me the party is over. Let them finish their own party." Jayden stroked Apple''s reddened cheek. "I''m so d you came to the party and danced with me."


    Hearing that, Apple tiptoed and kissed Jayden''s cheek and smiled at him very sweetly. "I''m d you invited me to this party. Tonight was amazing."

 Chapter 561 TRUTH OR DARE

    <h4>Chapter 561 TRUTH OR DARE</h4>


    Hearing that, Apple tiptoed and kissed Jayden''s cheek and smiled at him very sweetly. "I''m d you invited me to this party. Tonight was amazing." Apple meant it when she said that and now she looked a lot more radiant than before.


    Apple''s smile was intoxicating in Jayden''s eyes, or was it because of the whiskey he was drinking? No way, Jayden only had a few drinks, it couldn''t possibly get him drunk, but this girl really made him feel warmer. And it was much more intoxicating than alcohol.


    How could she do that?


    "Jayden, why don''t you two join us?" asked one of the two men who approached them at this moment.


    Jayden recognized the man that had spoken as his cousin, Brian, while the other man was the fianc¨¦ of one of the women in the Tordoff family.


    "Yes, join us, we are ying a game there," said the other named Mark.


    "What game is it?" Apple asked, seemingly interested when she heard him speak, looking even more sociable than before.


    "Truth or dare."


    "ssic game," Jayden muttered, not looking at all interested in joining, but Apple had a different reaction from him.


    "I want to y it," said Apple excitedly. Her face was flushed red and it seemed like Jayden had to keep an eye on this girl and not let her drink anymore. He didn''t know how many sses she already had since the evening.


    Apple also seemed to have forgotten her limits, because every ss of champagne she drank could make her calmer and reduce the tension she felt.


    "Great!" cried Brian. "We can go now,e with us."


    And then Brian and Mark led them to another table that was spread out in therge garden that was used as the party area, where there were already two other men and two women, sitting around a table that was enough for eight people, so after they four joined, their number was just right to y the ssic game.


    The two women and two men who were already at the table looked surprised when they found that it was Jayden and Apple who hade to fill the vacant seats, but they all seemed excited to wee this new couple.


    The six then introduced themselves, but more to Apple, since Jayden knew them all, at least he remembered their names.


    "No more drinking, okay," Jayden whispered as he took the ss of champagne Apple received from the waiter who passed them. "You''re drunk."


    It was just that Apple red at him before her gaze turned sulky at Jayden and this made the man relent and give her the champagne ss back.


    "Just one ss," Jayden warned Apple, he didn''t want anything bad to happen to her.


    After that, Jayden took another sip of his whiskey and started their game.


    ording to Jayden, this game is very boring, he would much prefer to y games on his cellphone than being here. It was just that Apple seemed to enjoy this game, therefore, Jayden was more than happy to be there.


    But after a few questions and a few challenges, Jayden no longer followed the flow of this game and instead was busy staring at aughing Apple. She looked more rxed and cheerful because of the casual atmosphere.


    Maybe it was the influence of alcohol, but it was also possible that it was Apple''s true nature, where she seemed much more sociable under stress-free situations. This is a good thing.


    However, about half an hour into the game, Jayden had to leave Apple briefly to make an important phone call after one of his men notified him of important information.


    "I''ll be back in a minute," Jayden said, kissing Apple on the cheek and walking away. He didn''t say anything to the six people present, who gaped at the interaction between the two of them with meaningful eyes. Jayden ignored it all and immediately walked away from there.


    He didn''t go too far, only enough distance for them not to hear what he had to say, but Jayden could still watch Apple and see herughing giddily.


    "Yes, what is up?" Jayden asked as the call went through and in just the first ring he could hear the voice of Larry, one of his confidants, whom he now entrusted to deal with the two men who attacked Apple home a few days ago and caused chaos there.


    "These two guys just confessed something," said Larry, who then shared what he knew.


    Jayden did tell Larry to contact him immediately if he got any new information from the two people, without any time limit.


    Therefore, Larry immediately called Jayden when he got something.


    "I want you to find out more about this," Jayden said in a voice that was far from sweet. The expression on his face instantly changed when he heard Larry''s report.


    And when Jayden was in a serious chat with Larry, right at that moment, he saw Apple''s expression change, the girl looked displeased about something. Her brows were tightly knitted together and her lips pursed slightly, while one of thedies there kept on persuading Apple to do something.


    At that very second, Jayden felt that something was wrong. Something happened to Apple that made her feel ufortable, so without a second thought, Jayden rushed over to her.


    "I''ll call you backter," Jayden said immediately, who then hung up the phone and walked over to Apple. "What happened?" Jayden asked as soon as he got back to their table.


    Apple looked annoyed now. She was scowling at the woman who had been seen trying to persuade her to do something.


    The girl is Brian''s fianc¨¦e. Jayden didn''t know them very well, but his father was certainly one of the directors at Tordoff''spany.


    "She told me to kiss her fianc¨¦, Mark," Apple said in an annoyed, slightly drunk voice. Apple looked annoyed, she stood up and hugged Jayden. "I don''t want to y anymore. I don''t want to kiss strangers."

 Chapter 562 TEACH YOUR WOMAN

    <h4>Chapter 562 TEACH YOUR WOMAN</h4>


    "What secret do you know about Jayden?" asked Tania, Brian''s fianc¨¦e when the bottle they were spinning stopped and pointed at Apple.


    The girl sitting next to Tania looked surprised and the four men there looked ufortable with the question she was asking Apple.


    Meanwhile, Apple was indeed feeling light in her head and body, but that didn''t mean she wasn''t able to understand the type of the question she asked.


    Jayden''s secret that Apple knew? Of course Apple knew some of Jayden''s secrets, especially regarding his trauma and also the grudge that Jayden has against the Gevano family.


    However, Apple was well aware that those kinds of things weren''t things she could just blurt out, luckily, the alcohol in her system wasn''t enough to make her brain sloppy.


    "Tania," Brian called his fianc¨¦e, warning her not to do this.


    In Tania''s mind, she''d get her hands on some juicy news about Jayden that not many people know about, or maybe some information that could help her understand why a man like Jayden Tordoff would be willing to have a rtionship with a girl like Apple, who didn''t look attractive at all in her eyes.


    To be sure, Tania didn''t look like she was thinking clearly and this tricky question was an impulsive one on her part, because before this, the game of truth or dare didn''t have tricky questions like this.


    "I choose ''dare''," said Apple without thinking. Of course she couldn''t answer the question. If it was a secret, she wasn''t the right person to reveal someone''s secret even if it wasn''t Jayden.


    It was the basis of respecting one another, which Tania seemed to fail to understand.


    "Why don''t you just answer my question?" Tania grumbled which made Gabby, the girl sitting next to her, nudge her shoulder to remind herself not to go too far, because this is Jayden''s woman and they shouldn''t make things difficult for her.


    "I choose ''dare''," Apple repeated again, she didn''t look as happy as before.


    Hearing the firmness in Apple''s voice, Tania brushed her hair behind her shoulders and said in a menacing voice, "Dare for you is kissing Mark. Do you dare kiss Mark?"


    "What?" Mark looked surprised when he heard this. "No way."


    "Why not?'' asked Tania with an innocent face, as if this was a natural thing. "This is just a game," she said in a slightly louder voice, because she felt a little annoyed that her request had not been followed earlier, especially when Brian had scolded her lightly.


    "Stop this, Tania," Brian said in a cold voice.


    "Why? Oh,e one, this is just a game."


    "But this is going too far," Mark protested, not that he didn''t want to kiss Apple, but that the consequences were too great and disproportionate.


    Even though Mark was Gabby''s fianc¨¦, he couldn''t possibly have had physical contact with any other woman in front of his lover, let alone go toe-to-toe with Jayden Tordoff. It was thest thing he would do.


    "What do you mean by this?" Gabby stood up from her seat and red at Tania, she didn''t seem to really enjoy this joke which thetter thought was very unfunny. "If you meant it as a joke, then your jokes weren''t funny at all."


    "Stop this, Tania," Brian growled, he looked at his fianc¨¦e with disapproving eyes.


    However, Tania didn''t take all this seriously, she waved her hand whileughing softly at all of them.


    "Ohe on, this is just a game, nothing serious," Tania said lightly. "We''ve made challenges like this before, so why can''t she give in? Is it because of Jayden Tordoff?"


    Before this, they didn''t really mind the challenge of randomly kissing another guy, even if it wasn''t their partner, but somehow there''s one unspoken rule that you shouldn''t mess around with Ramon''s nuclear family, because they can be pretty horrible and brutal if someone does something they don''t like.


    And there wasn''t a single person there who hoped to prove that point in any way with the woman Jayden Tordoff had announced as his potential partner, even if it was indirectly.


    And as if knowing that his lover was in an unpleasant situation, Jayden came and immediately stood behind the chair upied by Apple. His sharp eyes stared at the six people in front of him one by one.


    "What happened?" he asked coldly.


    And before anyone could exin, Apple had spoken. "She told me to kiss her fianc¨¦, Mark," Apple said in an annoyed, slightly drunk voice. She then stood up and hugged Jayden. "I don''t want to y anymore. I don''t want to kiss strangers."


    Apple hugged Jayden''s body tightly, and then looked fiercely at the six people there. Meanwhile, the two other men who werepletely uninvolved in this, raised their hands and stood up from their seats.


    "I don''t know anything about this."


    "I didn''t say anything or do anything inappropriate."


    After that, the two left, seeing Jayden not paying attention to either of them.


    Both just wanted to have fun at the Tordoffs'' annual event and didn''t want to get into trouble, especially with the new head of their family.


    "Exin what that means, Brian," Jayden said, his eyes fixed on his cousin.


    Brian frowned and shook his head. "It''s just a stupid challenge, don''t take it too seriously," he said as he stood up from his chair and walked over to Jayden, who was now hugging a drunk Apple.


    "Stupid challenge?" Jayden raised an eyebrow, he looked so fierce and dangerous. His dark side seemed toe to the surface. "Telling my woman to kiss another man? Whose idea was this?"


    "Jayden, you don''t need to be so serious¡­" Tania started. Shepletely ignored Brian''s fierce gaze that told her to be quiet.


    But, before Tania could exin any further, Jayden had delivered a heavy blow to Brian''s face, which made the girl shriek while Gabby moved away toward Mark.


    "I can''t hit women, but with this, I hope you will teach your women how to behave," Jayden said sharply.


    "I can hit a woman!" Apple chimed in happily.

 Chapter 563 WHAT HE HAD DONE?

    <h4>Chapter 563 WHAT HE HAD DONE?</h4>


    "I can''t hit women, but with this, I hope you will teach your women how to behave," Jayden said sharply after pping Brian in the face which made everyone around them gasp in surprise. They did not expect Jayden to do this.


    However, none of them tried to interfere with the situation either.


    On the other hand, the drunk girl in Jayden''s arms became excited when she saw how Jayden beat up the guy who pissed her off, for letting his fianc¨¦e act on her own.


    "I can hit a woman!" Apple chimed in happily, jumping up and down like a child. "Let me beat her up," she shouted excitedly. "I can hit both women and men."


    Well, what Apple is saying isn''t a lie. She''s already proven it dozens of times that she''s more than capable of even beating multiple men at the same time.


    On the other hand, when Jayden heard what Apple said, a sweet smile appeared on his lips as he looked at her indulgently.


    "I don''t doubt that, honey," Jayden said in a soft voice to calm the over excited girl. It seems alcohol and violence are not a goodbination for Apple. "But, you look too tired to beat someone up tonight."


    "No." Apple shook her head and blinked a few times to bring herself to her senses and make herself look more sober than before. It''s just that the attempt failed. "I''m not tired." Apple confirmed in the next second.


    "Come here, if you want to beat someone up, you can do it to me. You can do whatever you like to me when it''s just the two of us, okay?" Jayden whispered into Apple''s ear, but it seemed he was deliberately trying to raise his voice because the people around could hear what he was saying as well.


    The four people looked a little awkward when they heard what Jayden said to Apple.


    Maybe it''s because Apple is so tired or she doesn''t want to be there too long or maybe it''s because Jayden''s charm is too strong to resist, but in the end the girl relented and agreed to join Jayden. Back to their room, forgetting the beating she wanted to give¡­


    Meanwhile, Brian didn''t say anything after getting pped, he just red at Jayden as he passed him, especially when Jayden said something to him.


    "Teach yourdy how to behave, I don''t appreciate that at all," Jayden said in a low, threatening voice.


    Brian didn''t say anything when he got the warning and Jayden didn''t wait to hear from Brian either.


    They both came from the Tordoff family, but of course Brian''s position was far below Jayden''s. While Jayden was at the top of the Tordoff family hierarchy, which his father had indirectly announced by letting him do the first dance tonight, Brian was simply managing a branch office of the Tordoffpany in another city.


    Therefore, he should have known not to let his fianc¨¦e mess around with Jayden''s woman. Especially after those who were there had warned him, and Tania who had gone too far.


    =========================


    Hailee wasn''t drunk, she just felt a little tipsy when she was on her way to the room after the party was almost over, while Ramon was with Lexus and talking to some of the other Tordoffs.


    Since they''ve been living on the ind that Ramon owned and it was rare to return to town A, then Ramon had some catch ups to do.


    At first, Ramon insisted on escorting Hailee back to the room, but she refused because she didn''t want to disturb the family reunion. After all, this event was hosted to let the members of the Tordoff family talk to each other. And it''s not a long way to return to her own room either.


    Oh, please¡­ Hailee isn''t too senile until she can''t do things on her own yet.


    Therefore, now Hailee was enjoying the night atmosphere while walking on the simple bridge across the beautiful artificial river at this resort. She enjoyed the cold night air which sobered her up a little more.


    And while she was enjoying her solitude, Hailee was surprised by someone approaching her with a brisk stride.


    At first, Hailee thought she was going to pass her, but instead she stopped in front of Hailee and red at her.


    OK, looks like there''s a problem here...


    "Is there anything I can help you with?" asked Hailee after the woman blocked her way, leaving her nowhere to go.


    "Yeah, of course there''s something you can do to help." The woman looked annoyed and angry, while Hailee tried to remember what she had done during the party earlier.


    Hell, she couldn''t even remember who this woman before her was.


    "First of all, sorry, but I''m not sure if I know you," Hailee said politely.


    "You don''t know me?" The woman''s voice rose when Hailee said that.


    "I rarely attend Tordoff family events, so I don''t really know all the members of the Tordoff family individually," Hailee answered honestly. "Do you know me?" she asked carefully, still thinking about what she did to anger this woman to this extent.


    "Of course I know you. You''re Hailee, wife of Ramon Tordoff," said the woman irritably.


    Well, maybe that means I''m more popr than you.


    However, Hailee bit her tongue before thement left her lips. She could provoke this woman''s wrath even worse if she said that.


    "Then? What is your problem? You seem so upset, I don''t even remember if we met at the party," said Hailee. The night air was getting colder and she wanted to return to her warm room immediately.


    "This is not a problem between us, but a problem with your child."


    "Which one? Alina? Jayden?"


    "Jayden."


    Hailee wanted to facepalm herself when she heard this. What trouble has Jayden gotten himself into now? Especially with this unreasonable woman¡­


    Couldn''t her son have fought with a woman less scary than her? Okay, give me the worst. "What has he done to you?"


    "Not to me, but to my son."

 Chapter 564 SHE THOUGHT JAYDEN KILLED SOMEONE

    <h4>Chapter 564 SHE THOUGHT JAYDEN KILLED SOMEONE</h4>


    Hailee wanted to facepalm herself when she heard this. What trouble had Jayden gotten himself into now? Especially with an unreasonable woman like this. Couldn''t her son have fought with a woman less scary than her?


    Okay, give me the worst. "What has he done to you?" Hailee asked softly especially when she realized that the woman in front of her was much older than her. She didn''t want to be said to be disrespectful to the elders.


    "Not to me, but to my son."


    "Hmm?" Hailee tilted her head. Hm, this is getting interesting. "What did Jayden do to your son?"


    Hailee knew thatpared to Alina, Jayden was the biggest trouble maker and often ended up getting in trouble when he was in school and growing up, but never once did he step out of line or do anything to embarrass the family.


    Jayden''s delinquency is juvenile delinquency in general.


    "He hit my son!" The woman screamed so dramatically that it made Hailee look around her, thinking if anyone heard the way this woman screamed, they would assume Hailee was harassing her.


    "So, what happened? Your son is in the hospital? Got a few bones broken? Or is he in a critical condition?" Hailee immediately assumed the worst.


    She didn''t know why Jayden had hit someone, but if that person was family and he beat him mercilessly, things would get a littleplicated.


    Well, as far as Hailee is concerned, once Jayden loses control and gets angry, he can get a little brutal.


    But, to Hailee''s surprise, the woman looked shocked and frightened when Hailee said these things, and afterward she looked angry.


    "How can you assume that?" The woman even put a hand on her chest as a gesture of dramatic surprise.


    And her reaction only left Hailee even more confused. "So your son isn''t in a critical condition or in a situation of life and death?"


    "Of course not, how could you say such a bad thing?" The woman grimaced.


    Hailee then looked impatient with her. Does this woman just want to mess around with her? "So, what exactly did my son do to your son?"


    "He hit him."


    Hailee blinked her eyes in confusion. "How many times?"


    The woman gritted her teeth as she answered, but then she quickly tried to justify her actions. "Only once. But, it doesn''t matter how many times your son hit mine. Even one hit was so wrong! We''re family, how can Jayden beat his own cousin?"


    "How old is your son?"


    And the woman seemed to be getting more and more annoyed with every question Hailee asked. "It''s not a matter of age, it''s the fact you are letting your son hit someone else and not thinking it was a result of wrong parenting!"


    Okay, at first Hailee wanted to be calm in a situation like this, but because this woman annoyed her by doubting her parenting, as if questioning whether she was a good mother, she would no longer be civil toward this woman.


    "How old is your son?!" growled Hailee, she red fiercely at the woman and the years she had spent together with Ramon helped her to perfect the serious and intimidating expression her husband always had when he was showing his anger without saying too many words.


    "He¡­" The woman stuttered because Hailee suddenly changed her attitude and looked really terrible. "He''s thirty-two, but..."


    Hearing this answer, Hailee immediately burst intoughter, which made the woman swallow the next sentence in surprise at Hailee''s reaction.


    This woman has mood swings that are too fast and hard to keep up with¡­


    "You said your son was thirty-two? Which means he is three years older than my son and you''reining because of a single blow that was thrown at him?" Hailee summed up their entire conversation which she thought was a waste of time. "Are you seriously going toin about this to me?"


    "It''s not a matter of who hit whom, but the fact that¡­"


    "The truth is," Hailee interrupted again because she was impatient. "The truth is my son who is three years younger than your son hit him once and you came to me to question how I raised my son? I would understand if you held me ountable if your son ended up in the hospital."


    "Those are terrible words to say," the woman said, frowning and gasping dramatically.


    Actually, it wasn''t Brian who had reported this to her, but Tania, her son''s fianc¨¦e. She was the one who told her about what Jayden had done. In fact, Brian had absolutely no idea what his mother was doing now.


    "I feel like I''m in kindergarten."


    "You can''t overlook this just because Jayden hit my son once." She was still displeased and adamant onining, but Hailee seemed to have had enough of this woman.


    "Come andin to me if your son is in the hospital or is in the realm of life and death, then we will talk." After saying that, Hailee walked away.


    She even purposely bumped into the woman''s shoulder when she passed her because she was still blocking Hailee''s way and didn''t pay any heed when the woman called out to her in annoyance.


    Ugh! Hailee thought Jayden had gone mad and killed someone tonight, judging by how the woman had behaved while confronting her earlier.


    =========================


    Apple could feel her body feeling hot and delicious as she felt Jayden''s rough hands touch her skin.


    Not only that, Apple could also feel Jayden''s warm breath roaring against her sensitive skin, making her mutter his name softly.


    Apple felt her whole body being crushed, but she didn''t want Jayden to stop, even as she felt a sharp pain in her lower body, she didn''t want Jayden to let go. She wanted Jayden to carry on.


    Apple didn''t mind feeling the pain. She wanted Jayden to continue to embrace her. The physical contact between them felt so surreal and thest thing she wanted was Jayden to be away from her.

 Chapter 565 UGH! THAT’S HURT!

    <h4>Chapter 565 UGH! THAT''S HURT!</h4>


    Apple felt much calmer when Jayden apologized sincerely and persuaded her several times. The girl finally melted and decided to stay at the resort instead of going home and sitting alone in her room, feeling bitter about what had happened.


    Jayden even suggested for them to get married as soon as possible in case something unexpected happened.


    For example, Apple getting pregnant because of what happened between themst night. If that really happened, there was no reason for them to dy the wedding.


    Jayden exined it all very clearly and a little excitedly, but Apple just stared at him with a look in her eyes that seemed to say that his n was crazy and chose to take him to breakfast.


    "Stop talking about weddings and all, I want to eat right now and don''t want to talk about the theme of a wedding," Apple grumbled as she got out of bed. She felt hungry after she expended all her energy being furious at Jayden, not to mention she even hit him.


    One the corner of Jayden''s eyes, she could see blue bruises looming over his eyes. It looked really painful. A pinch of guilt gued Apple''s eyes that she quickly threw away.


    Jayden deserved that.


    "Get out of the room, I am going to change," Apple said in a sharp voice. She still had the nket wrapped around her frame.


    "I could be on the balcony if you want to change," Jayden suggested, providing a solution so he wouldn''t have to be kicked out of his own room.


    "No." Apple shook her head firmly. "You are out of this room." she was not going to give Jayden a chance to peek at her while she was changing.


    "I can turn my back if you want," Jayden said, offering Apple another solution.


    "No, I want you out of this room." Apple''s voice was getting louder and louder, leaving no room for debate.


    "Or I could¡­"


    "Get. out."


    And after hearing thest words from Apple and seeing how angry the girl was and realizing that whatever Jayden said wouldn''t change what she was thinking, Jayden walked out of the room reluctantly. He didn''t want to feel a second blow to his face.


    "Okay, okay," Jayden said quickly, running to the door but not before pointing to one of the cupboards. "Your clothes are there." And after that, he disappeared behind the door.


    Seeing what Jayden did, Apple could only mutter in a tired voice. She needed time to think about all of this. Too many things had happened in just one night. Especially the things that had happened between the two of them. Wasn''t that too fast?


    Apple covered her face with both hands and growled in exasperation, then shook her head violently, as if she was in denial.


    "Okay, it is what it is," she told herself to stop feeling guilty and annoyed. After all, it had already happened and she could only deal with it.


    Jayden had said that he would take responsibility if neededter.


    Apple could calm down a bit because she felt like she knew Jayden quite well and above all, Hailee seemed to be on her side and couldn''t possibly let her son treat her however he wanted.


    She remembered the look on Hailee''s face when she found Jayden sleeping with her in the same bed and the first thing she worried about was Apple. Frankly, Apple was very touched when Hailee looked at her like that, especially since she had lost her mother so long ago.


    So, if Jayden messed up, Apple could just say this to Hailee and let Mrs. Tordoff deal with her son.


    At least, Apple could feel relieved to know this.


    Apple took a deep breath and then walked over to the closet Jayden had pointed out earlier. She saw a bright yellow sweater and faded blue jeans. Well, at least Jayden knew what kind of clothes Apple wasfortable wearing...


    ========================


    Apple had spent about two hours showering, getting ready and calming herself. She came out of the room and the first thing she saw was a bouquet, not a flower bouquet, but rather filled with all kinds of choctes that wereid out in front of her.


    For a moment, Apple was surprised to find this, but once she saw Jayden behind them, she knew what this man was up to.


    "Thank you," Apple said quietly as she took the chocte bouquet and looked at Jayden who seemed dissatisfied with Apple''s answer and reaction.


    "Just thanks?" Jayden asked as he raised his eyebrows and pouted his lips, like a child who didn''t get the praise he expected after the thoughtful thing he had done. "I have been waiting for you for two hours, standing here with the choctes you love."


    "What more do you want?" asked Apple curtly.


    "At least give me a kiss," Jayden answered honestly.


    Apple rolled her eyes when she heard that. "I am still upset over what happened and now I seem to have changed my mind again to just go home and spend some time alone."


    Hearing this, Jayden immediately changed his tune. "Today we will ride horses and after that we will explore ces in this resort that are still beautiful and have beautiful natural views. Have you ever ridden a horse before?"


    Jayden immediately changed the topic of their conversation and walked beside Apple, while the girl was still holding the chocte bouquet that Jayden had given her.


    "Have you ever ridden one before? I will choose the best horse for you. Have you ever been camping? Do you like natural scenery? Do you like outdoor physical activities?"


    Jayden kept questioning things because he didn''t want Apple to talk about going home again or get upset.


    Meanwhile Apple, who was walking by his side could only stare at this man while frowning. "For now I like horses and all that more than you."


    "Ugh. That hurts¡­" Jaydenined.


    ***


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 566 I DON’T WANT YOU TO CONTACT ME

    <h4>Chapter 566 I DON''T WANT YOU TO CONTACT ME</h4>


    Jayden knew this was going to happen and Apple would be furious when she realized this. But¡­ what happenedst night waspletely beyond Jayden''s control and it was the first time for him to really not think rationally and prefer to act impulsively.


    To sum it up, it wasn''t the right time to lose control of himself when Apple used every means to seduce him and he didn''t even try harder to resist the girl.


    Well, what happenedst night was one of the few moments Jayden didn''t feel proud of himself in his life. He was not a gentleman overnight and had no intention of bing one.


    It was because of the influence of alcohol in his system or indeed this was what he had wanted for a long time. But whatever it was, it couldn''t be used as an excuse for what he had done to Apple and Jayden wasn''t trying to justify his actions right now. He was more than willing to own his mistake, yet the problem was not that simple.


    "You seduced me, Apple, you seduced mest night," Jayden blurted out and the next thing Jayden knew was Apple had thrown her fist at him, right in his face.


    Was this what Karma meant? Becausest night Jayden hurt Brian on the same spot and now, he had to cover his face with one hand where Apple had beaten him, and point his other palm at Apple who was now stepping toward him with anger in her eyes.


    "Ouch!" cried Apple, waving her hand in pain. Jayden''s facial bones felt very hard and when Apple hit him with her fist, of course she felt almost the same pain.


    But, Jayden immediately approached her worriedly. "Are you okay? You shouldn''t hit me with your bare hands," Jayden advised, trying to see Apple''s hand that she used to hit him with.


    Only, Apple didn''t ept the gesture and instead stared fiercely at Jayden. She could feel the pain in her hand, but was thankful that her fingers didn''t seem to be broken.


    "No, get away from me!" Apple seethed. She looked at Jayden with such a sharp and fierce re that made the man back away from her in an instant.


    Have you seen the movie Avatar the Last Airbender? Well, in Jayden''s eyes right now, Apple looked like that when Aang entered the Avatar''s state.


    Simply terrifying¡­


    "I SEDUCED YOU?! STOP KIDDING ME!" Apple shouted angrily as she walked over to Jayden with a determined stride, her naked frame still wrapped in the nket. "THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE!"


    The closer Apple stepped in, the more Jayden distanced himself. Hu Hu Hu. She is scary¡­


    "Think about it again, try to remember what happenedst night," Jayden said, trying to calm a furious Apple. But, it seemed that the woman was too angry to listen to him.


    "Remember my a**!" cried Apple in a hoarse voice. She felt her throat burning as she screamed, but this was the only way she could vent her anger.


    On the other hand, Jayden noticed the difort in her throat and then poured a ss of mineral water for her.


    "Drink this first," Jayden said, handing her the ss of water. "You''ll feel better after drinking this."


    "I don''t need a drink!" cried Apple in her husky voice.


    "I''m not going anywhere, I''ll stay here to listen to your tantrums, but you have to drink this to feel better first," Jayden coaxed with a sweet smile, which he hoped would make Apple less annoyed with him.


    Meanwhile, Apple stared at the ss, which was shoved in her face for a moment before she decided to do as Jayden said and downed the water one go.


    Indeed, she felt better now.


    "Have you calmed down?" Jayden asked carefully, taking back the empty ss Apple was holding. "Would you like another ss?"


    Apple red at him. "No," she replied irritably.


    "Are you calm enough now? Can we talk about this without any beatings?" asked Jayden who was now cornered, his body pressed against the wall and if Apple were to attack him again, of course it would be hard for him to dodge.


    "I don''t want to talk to you!" said Apple in annoyance, she clutched the nket around her body tight and walked back to the bed, still looking very angry.


    Therefore, Jayden followed her and knelt by the side of the bed.


    "I know I am wrong here, you were drunk and I took advantage of you," Jayden said, starting the topic and this made Apple speechless. She wrapped her body tightly, as if that way she could hide herself. "I''m not going to defend myself now that I''m the one at fault."


    Apple still didn''t respond, she lifted her legs onto the bed and hugged her ankles while resting her chin on her knee, her eyes dead fixed on the floral carpet.


    At times like this, Apple''s reaction was much better than when she shouted angrily at Jayden and hit him, at least even if Apple wasn''t responsive, she was willing to listen to what Jayden had to say.


    "Hey, I''m so sorry, butst night''s temptation was really hard to resist," Jayden said in a low voice.


    Hearing that, Apple tilted her head quickly and red at him angrily, but still didn''t say anything.


    "I know I should have gotten out of this room and cooled my head so thatst night didn''t happen," Jayden said in a low voice.


    Ramon and Hailee would really kill him if they found out what Jayden did to Apple, but he didn''t think about it at all, because that was thest thing he could think of at that moment.


    "I want to go home," Apple said. The Tordoffs'' party would be over in two more days, but if being away from this ce really calmed her down, of course Jayden would agree.


    "Okay, I''ll take you home," Jayden agreed.


    "I want you not to contact me again."


    "Of course that can''t happen." Jayden frowned disapprovingly.

 Chapter 567 SHE REMEMBERED EVERY SINGLE DETAIL

    <h4>Chapter 567 SHE REMEMBERED EVERY SINGLE DETAIL</h4>


    While Jayden was trying to exin what really happenedst night to Apple and she was still in the impression of denying everything that Jayden had said, but she slowly started remembering everything that had happenedst night and Apple had to admit that she was very surprised when she realized that she could do such a thing.


    As time went on, Jayden''s words became more and more like a noise in the back of her mind, bing a background noise to the memories that Apple recalled aboutst night''s events.


    Yes, right¡­


    Apple remembered being led into the room by Jayden after that stupid game of truth or dare, which required her to kiss another man.


    And after a small fight between Jayden and Brian, Apple looked sulky because she was not allowed to hit Tania. After all, that woman had been the mastermind behind the dare given to Apple.


    And it was after the two of them got to this hotel room that Apple started flirting with Jayden, even though he kept turning her down because he didn''t want to do that kind of thing when Apple was unconscious and not really in control of herself.


    It was just that, at the time, Apple did not ept the word ''no'' and instead behaved even more brazenly.


    Apple really didn''t want to describe how aggressive she was and didn''t want to go into detail about it, but still, her thoughts were out of her control and all the memories ofst night slowly started reying in her head.


    All the details that Apple did not want to remember, even Jayden''s words and his scent, came flooding back into her mind now that she''d managed to remember her naughty behavior fromst night.


    Even she herself felt like saluting to Jayden who had patiently held onto his self- control to survive in the midst of Apple''s very bold seduction.


    Apple had to admit that Jayden had tried his best to push her away and walk away from her, but the man had to admit that it was very difficult to break free from a woman who knew how to fight, so it was absolutely impossible for Jayden to free himself from Apple without hurting this girl.


    And well¡­ Jayden had been open right from the start about the passion he had for Apple, so not only did Jayden have to fight Apple, but he also had to fight himself.


    Apple also recalled the time when she bravely unbuckled Jayden''s belt which made the man jump, pushing her away in surprise which actually made Apple take off her own clothes.


    "I want to see your body!" eximed Apple boldly. She seemed annoyed that Jayden was moving away from her.


    "No," Jayden replied curtly and firmly. "Control yourself, Apple, this is not you."


    However, Apple pouted, she looked at Jayden sulkily before she took off her own dress and this made Jayden gasp loudly.


    He screamed to himself to look away, but he couldn''t control his eyes that seemed to move on their own, staring at every curve of Apple''s beautiful body. He was taken aback and froze where he stood.


    "You have seen me, now let me see you!"


    Ugh! Apple wanted to dig a deep hole and bury herself in it. She didn''t want to get out of the hole until they could both forget about the incident, which was impossible.


    How could she be like that?!


    Apple wanted to facepalm herself, because of what she had done. She ''sessfully'' recalled everything. It would be better if she didn''t remember it at all, then she wouldn''t be as embarrassed as she is now and could me Jaydenpletely with a calmer mind.


    "I want to go home," Apple said. She could no longer contain her embarrassment.


    On the other hand, the Tordoff family''s party would be over in two days, but if indeed returning home early and canceling all the activities they were supposed to be participating in could make Apple more rxed, of course Jayden would grant her request.


    "Okay, I''ll take you home," Jayden agreed, because he wanted Apple to feel better. For now, that was the main thing they both needed.


    At this point, Jayden was still under the impression that Apple still couldn''t remember what happenedst night, so she didn''t want to talk about it.


    There were some things Jayden didn''t say because they were too unbelievable even for himself, but the thing he didn''t know was; Apple had remembered everything. Every single detail.


    For example, when the girl asked Jayden to touch her and whispered vulgar words that made Jayden''s face turn red.


    Jayden swore he wouldn''t allow Apple to drink any more alcoholic drinks like this without him by her side.


    "I want you not to contact me again," Apple continued after seeing how Jayden had agreed to her initial request. This would be so much better, she just needed to avoid this guy and think thatst night''s events never happened at all. It would be easier that way.


    However, upon hearing this, Jayden frowned disapprovingly. "Of course that can''t happen. I can''t help but contact you."


    "Why?" asked Apple in a defensive tone, because after all she knew it wouldn''t be easy to get away from Jayden.


    "What if you''re pregnant and I don''t know?" Jayden answered innocently. His eyes stared intently at Apple and he could see a tinge of red running down her cheeks all the way to her slender neck. "I knew you weren''t on the pill."


    Apple gritted her teeth hard when Jayden said that, because they both knew the hidden meaning behind it.


    "And you still did it inside?" Apple said those words in a voice that was almost a whisper and she could see the guilty look in Jayden''s eyes.


    "It''s a little bit difficult to exin¡­" Jayden answered timidly because at this moment, he could see the mes of anger zing in Apple''s eyes when she heard that.

 Chapter 568 UGH! THAT’S HURT!

    <h4>Chapter 568 UGH! THAT''S HURT!</h4>


    Apple felt much calmer when Jayden apologized sincerely and persuaded her several times. The girl finally melted and decided to stay at the resort instead of going home and sitting alone in her room, feeling bitter about what had happened.


    Jayden even suggested for them to get married as soon as possible in case something unexpected happened.


    For example, Apple getting pregnant because of what happened between themst night. If that really happened, there was no reason for them to dy the wedding.


    Jayden exined it all very clearly and a little excitedly, but Apple just stared at him with a look in her eyes that seemed to say that his n was crazy and chose to take him to breakfast.


    "Stop talking about weddings and all, I want to eat right now and don''t want to talk about the theme of a wedding," Apple grumbled as she got out of bed. She felt hungry after she expended all her energy being furious at Jayden, not to mention she even hit him.


    One the corner of Jayden''s eyes, she could see blue bruises looming over his eyes. It looked really painful. A pinch of guilt gued Apple''s eyes that she quickly threw away.


    Jayden deserved that.


    "Get out of the room, I am going to change," Apple said in a sharp voice. She still had the nket wrapped around her frame.


    "I could be on the balcony if you want to change," Jayden suggested, providing a solution so he wouldn''t have to be kicked out of his own room.


    "No." Apple shook her head firmly. "You are out of this room." she was not going to give Jayden a chance to peek at her while she was changing.


    "I can turn my back if you want," Jayden said, offering Apple another solution.


    "No, I want you out of this room." Apple''s voice was getting louder and louder, leaving no room for debate.


    "Or I could¡­"


    "Get. out."


    And after hearing thest words from Apple and seeing how angry the girl was and realizing that whatever Jayden said wouldn''t change what she was thinking, Jayden walked out of the room reluctantly. He didn''t want to feel a second blow to his face.


    "Okay, okay," Jayden said quickly, running to the door but not before pointing to one of the cupboards. "Your clothes are there." And after that, he disappeared behind the door.


    Seeing what Jayden did, Apple could only mutter in a tired voice. She needed time to think about all of this. Too many things had happened in just one night. Especially the things that had happened between the two of them. Wasn''t that too fast?


    Apple covered her face with both hands and growled in exasperation, then shook her head violently, as if she was in denial.


    "Okay, it is what it is," she told herself to stop feeling guilty and annoyed. After all, it had already happened and she could only deal with it.


    Jayden had said that he would take responsibility if neededter.


    Apple could calm down a bit because she felt like she knew Jayden quite well and above all, Hailee seemed to be on her side and couldn''t possibly let her son treat her however he wanted.


    She remembered the look on Hailee''s face when she found Jayden sleeping with her in the same bed and the first thing she worried about was Apple. Frankly, Apple was very touched when Hailee looked at her like that, especially since she had lost her mother so long ago.


    So, if Jayden messed up, Apple could just say this to Hailee and let Mrs. Tordoff deal with her son.


    At least, Apple could feel relieved to know this.


    Apple took a deep breath and then walked over to the closet Jayden had pointed out earlier. She saw a bright yellow sweater and faded blue jeans. Well, at least Jayden knew what kind of clothes Apple wasfortable wearing...


    ========================


    Apple had spent about two hours showering, getting ready and calming herself. She came out of the room and the first thing she saw was a bouquet, not a flower bouquet, but rather filled with all kinds of choctes that wereid out in front of her.


    For a moment, Apple was surprised to find this, but once she saw Jayden behind them, she knew what this man was up to.


    "Thank you," Apple said quietly as she took the chocte bouquet and looked at Jayden who seemed dissatisfied with Apple''s answer and reaction.


    "Just thanks?" Jayden asked as he raised his eyebrows and pouted his lips, like a child who didn''t get the praise he expected after the thoughtful thing he had done. "I have been waiting for you for two hours, standing here with the choctes you love."


    "What more do you want?" asked Apple curtly.


    "At least give me a kiss," Jayden answered honestly.


    Apple rolled her eyes when she heard that. "I am still upset over what happened and now I seem to have changed my mind again to just go home and spend some time alone."


    Hearing this, Jayden immediately changed his tune. "Today we will ride horses and after that we will explore ces in this resort that are still beautiful and have beautiful natural views. Have you ever ridden a horse before?"


    Jayden immediately changed the topic of their conversation and walked beside Apple, while the girl was still holding the chocte bouquet that Jayden had given her.


    "Have you ever ridden one before? I will choose the best horse for you. Have you ever been camping? Do you like natural scenery? Do you like outdoor physical activities?"


    Jayden kept questioning things because he didn''t want Apple to talk about going home again or get upset.


    Meanwhile Apple, who was walking by his side could only stare at this man while frowning. "For now I like horses and all that more than you."


    "Ugh. That hurts¡­" Jaydenined.


    ***


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 569 GAMBLING

    <h4>Chapter 569 GAMBLING</h4>


    Apple had almost forgotten what happened this morning andst night when Jayden took her around in the car, circling this beautiful and expansive resort area.


    Apple, of course, had taken walks outdoors and even camped, but she had never seen such a beautiful sight before and she was amazed at the expanse of meadows that stretched as far as the eye could see and the trees that looked so lush, behind all of that, a mountain towering so high that its top was covered with clouds.


    This was one of those scenes that you could describe as a scene that came straight out of a painting. Yes, it was all like a beautiful painting and Apple couldn''t hide her excitement and enthusiasm to explore this ce.


    Especially when Jayden opened the roof of the car and Apple could feel the fresh, cool breeze blowing against her face and ying with her hair. It was the most incredible feeling Apple had ever had.


    If it weren''t forst night''s events, she would be even more grateful to Jayden.


    "Feeling better?" Jayden asked.


    "Yeah, it''s fun," Apple answered honestly, covering her eyes from the re of the sun shining brightly above them.


    Even though the sun was shining brightly, the air in this mountain was still very cool.


    "Put these on," Jayden said, which made Apple open her eyes. She squinted because of the re, but she could see what Jayden had given her.


    They were a pair of sunsses and from the name on the hilt, Apple discovered that they were from the recent edition of a well-known brand. In simple words, expensive stuff.


    She had seen these sses at an exhibition as they were thetest release and were advertised frequently.


    "Thanks," said Apple, who then took the sses.


    Okay, since she had a rich boyfriend, it seemed like Apple didn''t need to think too much about the price of an item because all of that would be taken care of by Jayden, especially since he was the one who gave this expensive item, knowing that Apple could be clumsy and spoil it.


    "Anytime, babe," Jayden answered lightly, then turned his attention back to the road in front of him.


    Jayden himself looked very handsome in a bright yellow sweater and faded blue jeans that he was wearing, and sses perched sweetly on his sharp nose.


    But, wait¡­


    Apple felt something was odd¡­ but, what? She felt that there was something wrong with their appearances after a bit of contemtion.


    "You make me feel awkward when you keep looking at me like that," Jayden said, grinning at Apple who was staring at him intensely.


    Apple pouted her lips because the reason she was staring at Jayden wasn''t what this man thought.


    But, what was so odd about his appearance¡­?


    "Ah!" Apple widened her eyes in surprise when she realized what was wrong with Jayden''s appearance.


    No, there was nothing wrong with Jayden''s appearance. It was just that Apple realized one thing that made her eyes widen in disbelief.


    They were both wearing matching clothes!


    "What the hell?!" Apple cursed loudly.


    "Language, please," Jayden warned the girl beside him who wore a cute surprised expression. Well, at least Jayden thought that Apple was really cute in his eyes right now and no one else could convince him otherwise.


    There was only one word that could describe how her facial expression looked now, namely; epic.


    Jayden thought Apple would notice it soon enough, but it took her a while to notice that the clothes they were wearing were the same.


    "You¡­" Apple pointed her hand at the sweater and jeans that Jayden was wearing then to herself. She seemed lost for words for a moment. Because she didn''t know how topose sentences to exin the absurdity of what Jayden had done.


    "They are couples'' clothes, you don''t know?" Jayden asked innocently. He then stopped his car in front of a dark brown building, where there were already many luxury cars parked.


    Of course Apple knew what they were wearing!


    These were couples'' clothes and Apple immediately noticed the resemnce between their clothes. However, the main question was; why? Why was Jayden wearing clothes like this? It was not like him at all.


    Or maybe this was another part of Jayden that Apple hadn''t seen before? The ''cute'' part of him?


    "Of course I know..." Apple said quietly. She facepalmed herself and thenughed softly while shaking her head.


    "Why are youughing?" Jayden asked, feeling a little worried at Apple''s drastic change in mood. "You''re okay, right?"


    "I didn''t expect you to be ''cute'' like this," said Apple in between her helplessughter. She then looked at Jayden who was grinning.


    "Well, ''cute'' doesn''t seem like a bad word." He shrugged nonchntly and got out of the car to open the door for Apple.


    "I wonder how cute you can be," said Apple in a more cheerful voice. It seemed, there would be many more surprises from Jayden in this rtionship, therefore, she had to prepare herself.


    "I was thinking about getting Mickey and Minnie costumes, sounds cute, doesn''t it? Or screen printing t-shirts with the words Mr. and Mrs. Tordoff, what do you think?" Jayden took Apple''s hand to lead her to the arena.


    "Don''t you dare to do that," Apple winced. Just imagining it made her shudder. "You are so tacky."


    Jaydenughed when he heard this. "Well, I tend to be a little tacky when I''m happy."


    "So you''re happy now?" asked Apple in a mocking tone.


    "Very," Jayden answered shortly, who then kissed the top of Apple''s head and wrapped his arm around the girl''s shoulders, as the two of them walked into the arena.


    "Hmm, what is this ce?" asked Apple when she saw a building in front of her that looked more like a stadium.


    "Racetrack," Jayden replied.


    "I thought we were going for a ride," Apple said.


    "We''ll do it this afternoon."


    "Then what are we going to do here?"


    "Betting." Jayden smirked as he answered her.


    ***


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 570 HE DOESN’T MIND

    <h4>Chapter 570 HE DOESN''T MIND</h4>


    It was the first time for Apple toe to a racetrack, especially witnessing a live horse race betting.


    When Jayden and Apple entered the racing stadium, a young man immediately recognized Jayden and seemed to have been waiting for the two of them, after which he escorted them to a tower on the west side of the stadium.


    It took about five minutes to get there and they then took the elevator to reach the fifth floor of that part of the tower.


    "What number will you bet on?" Jayden asked when the two of them had entered afortable room in that tower. From this room, everyone who was there could see first hand all the horses that were going to race.


    Apple then looked at Jayden in confusion. "No, I''m not betting." Apple didn''t have the money to bet on a race like this, which ensured that the money needed was a number she couldn''t afford.


    "Then which horse do you think is ''cute''?" Jayden asked, changing the question, but still the purpose of the question was the same. He would bet on the horse that was pointed out by Apple.


    "You''re going to bet on the horse I choose, aren''t you?" asked Apple in a low voice.


    In this room were several other people, two of whom Apple recognized as Mark and his girlfriend Gabby, and were part of the Tordoff family. Gabby seemed to have a higher status than Brian, as not all the members of the Tordoff family were allowed in this room.


    While Apple could see that Brian and his fianc¨¦e, Tania, were at the forefront of stadium style seating, where each row of seats was higher than the row of seats in front.


    Beside Tania, Apple could see Brian, who was sitting with his arms crossed over his chest and didn''t seem to be enjoying the atmosphere that much.


    There was some point where Tania''s and Apple''s eyes met and even from such a great distance, Apple could still feel hostility from her. Wow¡­ how much hatred that girl had umted even though they had just met for the first timest night?


    "So, what number did you pick?" Jayden entered Apple''s line of sight, blocking out her entire view of the stadium seats, as well as Tania and her fierce gaze. Apparently, Jayden did this on purpose because he noticed the way Tania was looking at his woman.


    Apple then turned her attention back to the horses on the racetrack. "Number eleven," Apple replied.


    "Eleven? Okay," said Jayden, who then made a phone call to tell the other person the number he had chosen.


    "Eleven?" a woman walked up to Apple when Jayden wasn''t around. He had left to make a few more phone calls, leaving her alone for a while. "Are you sure you want the horse? It''s an old horse," she said scornfully.


    On the other hand, Apple frowned when she was casually approached by a person she didn''t recognize. She seemed to have had to get used to being approached out of the blue like this.


    Because suddenly, the people around her spoke directly to her as if they knew each other, rather than ignoring her.


    "I just liked the color of the horse and Jayden asked which horse I liked." Apple shrugged her shoulders and smiled sweetly. "So I just answered the question."


    "You know how much money Jayden bet on that horse you ''fancy''?" asked the woman sarcastically. She looked at the clothes worn by Apple and then what Jayden was wearing and it seemed that only annoyed her more, because she could clearly see that the clothes worn by Apple and Jayden were a couples'' set.


    "I don''t know," Apple answered honestly. She didn''t know how much Jayden put out or how much Jayden intended to spend gambling on this horse race, because it was his own money.


    For a moment, Apple didn''t recognize the woman in front of her, who looked very cynical, but then she looked surprised when she realized who the woman in front of her was, as they had met before.


    The woman in front of Apple was none other than Aunt Hellen. They met when Apple was about to enter the party area and there was a smallmotion, whereupon Jayden came over and helped her.


    No wonder this woman suddenly approached Apple and was very rude and tended to be full of hatred for her, even though Apple didn''t know what she had done wrong.


    "He spent at least a million dors to bet on this race," said Aunt Hellen arrogantly. She raised her eyebrows and chin, staring at Apple as if the girl had a much lower position than her.


    Aunt Hellen even waited to see how Apple would react upon hearing this and got a little annoyed when Apple didn''t show the reaction she wanted. Her smile faded and now her lips curled into one sinister line.


    On the other hand, Apple didn''t even blink at all when she heard the number, although in her heart she wanted to scream; what the hell was he doing betting so much money?!


    Apple would be more than happy to get the money for herself instead of pinning her hopes on the cute horses.


    But, on the outside, Apple didn''t show that surprise and just shrugged nonchntly. She didn''t want to let Aunt Hellen get the satisfaction of seeing her reaction. It was not necessary¡­


    "Well, you might think it''s a lot of money, but Jayden doesn''t seem to think so," Apple said calmly. Wow. She had to praise herself for having the courage to stand up for herself and looking so calm. She felt so cool right now. "Besides, Jayden said he wouldn''t mind spending the money on me."


    Aunt Hellen''s face turned red as she said. "You are a gold digger!" she used.


    However, Apple actuallyughed when she responded to this. "Don''t worry, I already told Jayden that and he doesn''t mind."


    ***


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 571 WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT

    <h4>Chapter 571 WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT</h4>


    Aunt Hellen''s face turned red when she heard about the amount that Jayden had to waste for Apple''s recklessness. "You are a gold digger!" she used.


    It certainly wouldn''t go unnoticed and by Aunt Hellen''s standards, Apple had all of these criteria, especially with her family background. She still couldn''t understand how someone like Jayden who could get everything he wanted ended up with someone like this girl. What a very unfair rtionship...


    On the other hand, Apple actuallyughed when she responded to this. "Don''t worry, I already told Jayden that and he doesn''t mind it." Appleughed softly. "You don''t have to bother reminding him of that, because I already did," continued Apple confidently.


    Hearing this, Aunt Hellen was even more annoyed with Apple for what she said. She was just about to say something more when she saw Jayden walking back toward them and his piercing eyes quickly pinned her.


    The gesture seemed to be enough for Aunt Hellen to shut her mouth and gulp back whateverment she wanted to throw at Apple and then back away.


    "Aunt Hellen is saying nonsense again?" Jayden asked as he came to Apple''s side andnded a peck on her cheek, then rested his arm on her hip while ring fiercely at Aunt Hellen who was trying to avoid Jayden''s gaze.


    "No problem, I can handle it just fine," Apple said proudly, smirking at Jayden.


    "Good girl," said Jayden as he ruffled Apple''s hair and returned to focus on the horse race below them which was about to start.


    For a moment, all their attention was on the racetrack down there and Apple hadpletely forgotten what had happened earlier with Aunt Hellen. She looked so excited.


    This was her first time cing a bet. So it was needless to say, she wanted to win, although ording to Aunt Hellen it was highly unlikely.


    Well, Apple didn''t know what criteria would determine whether a horse could win or not, but these few certainly wouldn''t be in the arena if they didn''t have great abilities.


    But, as soon as Apple saw the number eleven horse selected by her speeding up and slowly overtaking the other horses one by one, Apple''s face brightened even more.


    It was true that horse number eleven wasn''t in first ce when the race started, you could even say it was second fromst, but slowly and surely it overtook the other horses and it excited Apple so much to see their likely victory.


    Apple even gripped Jayden''s hand tightly because the tension she was feeling was so strong. She didn''t even notice it, but he let her do whatever she liked right now. Because to him, Apple''s current expression was priceless. He could spend all day just staring at her.


    "Oh, I can''t believe this¡­" Apple mumbled as horse number eleven started going even faster and finally caught up with the second horse. "Oh¡­ just one more¡­"


    Apple now released her grip on Jayden and leaned against the ss wall for a better view.


    Her tense face was absolutely adorable in Jayden''s eyes. Especially when miraculously the number eleven horse chosen by Apple won the race by just a fraction of milliseconds when all the horses finished thestp and touched the finish line.


    Apple''s face turned very excited as she jumped up and down to walk over to Jayden and hug him very tightly.


    "We won!" eximed Apple happily, she looked as if she was glowing with happiness shining on her beautiful face.


    "You are amazing!" Jayden said enthusiastically, he hugged the girl back and looked at her proudly.


    "I am so lucky!"


    "Yeah, I guess I can retire from my job and rely on your luck."


    Apple pouted her lips when she heard that. "Why don''t you just let me run your business?" asked Apple lightly.


    "Great idea." Jayden touched his chin, as if he was really considering the matter. "You can deal with Misha every day, I won''t mind the arrangement," Jayden said in a low voice


    "Misha?" Apple furrowed her nose in displeasure. "No, thank you."


    Apple then looked around the seating area and didn''t see Misha or the red-haired girl who was with him, instead she saw Hailee and Ramon on their left, sitting and chatting lightly.


    Hailee leaned over and whispered something into Ramon''s ear, which made the manugh softly. From the way Ramon looked at his wife, it was very clear how much he loved his wife.


    "Why don''t you go over to your mom and dad?" asked Apple, pointing at Hailee and Ramon. "Shouldn''t we go over there and say hello to them?" she asked again. Apple found it rude to just ignore Hailee and Ramon.


    Meanwhile, Jayden turned his head to look at his father and mother with furrowed brows. "I don''t remember theming here," Jayden said in a low voice. "I think it''s time for us to leave."


    Jayden was about to run away with Apple when suddenly Hailee waved at them and called the two of them toe over.


    "Looks like you can''t run away now," Apple teased in a low voice and this made Jayden groan a little annoyedly and walk over to his parents.


    "Why does my mother always interfere with our ns?"


    "You want to know the answer?" asked Apple again.


    "You know the answer?" Jayden turned to Apple, they were still far enough away that Hailee and Ramon wouldn''t hear their chatter.


    "I don''t know," Apple replied lightly. "But, if you want to know, I can ask your momter," said Apple cheekily, which made Jayden pinch her cheek in return.


    "You want to get me killed?"


    =========================


    And as Jayden had guessed, his mother was back to monopolizing Apple like she didst night and now he was stuck with his father.


    It was not that Jayden didn''t like having conversations with his father. It was just that the topics they would discuss only revolve around business and during a holiday like this, Jayden didn''t really want to discuss business, let alone with his father. He felt like the two of them were in a meeting.


    "You shouldn''t havee to the horse race," said Ramon, taking a sip of his coffee.


    "I got here first," Jayden replied, not wanting to lose.


    "Your woman upied my wife''s time," Ramon grumbled.


    Meanwhile, Jayden could only stare at his father with the corner of his eye twitching at what he said.


    What the hell? Jayden should have been the one to say that. It was his mother who had kidnapped his woman and now the two Tordoffs were stuck together, only being able to stare at their women who seemed to be enjoying their free time from their respective partners.


    Not far from Ramon and Jayden, Hailee invited Apple to go to the stadium, to see horse number eleven that had been Apple''s betting horse and won the race quite unexpectedly.


    Hailee then approached her husband and son who seemed very tortured to sit alone.


    "We will be gone for a while," Hailee said, kissing Ramon''s forehead gently. "I am going down to the stables for a bit to see the horse Apple picked out earlier."


    "I can take you," said Ramon.


    "I can go with you guys," Jayden said.


    The two of them immediately jumped to their feet at the first opportunity to be able to go with Apple and Hailee, but s, Mrs. Tordoff objected to this quite emphatically.


    "No. You two stay here." Hailee confirmed this and she did not receive any rebuttal when she pulled Apple away from the two.


    Meanwhile, Jayden could only frown in displeasure. "Damn. At least let her kiss me first before pulling her away," Jayden grumbled.


    His mother kissed his father''s forehead before she left, even though what she did was annoying, but at least his mother showed affection for his father, so why didn''t he get the same privilege from Apple.


    "Language," said Ramon as he took a sip of his coffee.


    "You should pay attention to your wife not to take my woman for granted."


    "What?"


    Ramon red at his son before Jayden realized that he had said the wrong thing and chose to run away from his father before he flipped out because Jayden spoke badly of his own mother.


    Jayden really dodged a bullet.


    ========================


    "What happenedst night?" Hailee asked Apple when it was just the two of them in the elevator heading to the stables, where all the horses rested.


    "What?" Apple was very surprised when she heard the question. "Last night? What aboutst night?" Her mind immediately drifted to the incident in the hotel room. She didn''t know what her facial expression was like now, but she certainly could feel the blood leaving her face and now she looked a little pale.


    "Yes,st night''s incident involving you and Jayden," Hailee said again confirming her question, then turned to Apple. "Why do you look pale? Are you okay?" she looked concern to see the color on Apple''s face.


    Hailee then reached out her hand to touch Apple''s forehead, but she was fine.


    "It''s okay, I am fine," Apple replied in a bit of a panic. "What aboutst night?" Apple really wanted to dig a deep hole and bury herself in it.


    How could the two of them have this kind of conversation? Apple had almost forgotten what had happened until Hailee reminded her.


    "It''s okay, you can tell me, I know that my son can be stupid and be a little overwhelming to deal with."

 Chapter 572 WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT (2)

    <h4>Chapter 572 WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT (2)</h4>


    "It''s okay, I''m fine," Apple replied in a bit of a panic. "What aboutst night?" Apple really wanted to dig a deep hole and bury herself in there, never toe out again.


    How could the two of them have this kind of conversation? It would be very embarrassing to discuss and Apple wasn''t sure she could exin what had happened. It wasn''t a topic she wanted to discuss with anyone. Apple had just forgotten what had happened until Hailee reminded her.


    "It''s okay, you can tell me. I know that my son can be stupid and be a little overwhelming to deal with." Hailee smiled very gently at Apple. "But, believe me that he is always true to his words."


    Apple grimaced when she heard that, but she knew what Hailee said was true, but still, she wasn''t sure how to openly discuss this with Hailee.


    "Actually..." Apple stammered. "Actually¡­ it was just a misunderstanding¡­ we were both drunk and it just happened¡­"


    Apple tried to be brief, but because there were too many details she had to omit, that was the only sentence she could think of, even though it didn''t really exin what was going on between the two of them at all.


    "Misunderstanding? It just happened?" Hailee frowned. By now, the two of them had stopped walking and only had a few more steps to go until they could step into the stables, where there were several people already waiting. "What does it mean?"


    "That¡­" Apple stammered. She didn''t know how to exin this well, because she didn''t think that Hailee would find out about this at all. How did she find it out? Only Jayden knew aboutst night''s events and there was no way he could tell his mother.


    This kind of thing would be very embarrassing to talk about, no matter how close you were to your mother.


    "Yes?" Hailee prodded. She waited for Apple''s response, not intending at all to let her divert the topic.


    "It¡­ it just happened, because we were both feeling a little drunk. I drank quite a lotst night and I think I acted out of my mind," Apple said in a low voice.


    "What kind of action?" Hailee then leaned her back against the wall behind her while watching Apple with curious eyes.


    Ugh! Why did Hailee want her to go into more detail? She wouldn''t like to know the details.


    "I can''t go into more detail," Apple said, feeling like she was on the verge of tears. "You know what things are like when a man and a woman are together in the same room."


    Apple gritted her teeth tightly. She wanted to cry and disappear from this ce and definitely didn''t want to have this kind of conversation again.


    "Man and woman Together in one room? But I think there were some of you and it happened outside in the open?"


    "Eh?"


    Were they talking about the same thing? Why was the description given by Apple so different from what actually happened? What did Apple even mean?


    "Did anything else happenst night between you and Jayden?" Hailee asked. She tilted her head as if suspecting what was really going on between the two of them, her eyes scrutinizing Apple.


    What really happened?


    "What kind of incident are you referring to?" asked Apple carefully. She felt her face was very hot. Had she leaked the ''secret'' between herself and Jayden by ident?


    "Jayden beating Brian," said Hailee bluntly, without thinking, while staring intently at Apple. "Is there anything else going on between the two of you?"


    AARRGHH!


    Apple wanted to scream with all her might when she heard those words. How embarrassing! Apple almost said the forbidden thing that shouldn''t be said! Ugh!


    "Oh, that beating¡­ oh, right, that beating by Jayden," Apple parroted.


    Hailee then took a tissue from the small handbag she was carrying and brushed it on Apple''s forehead. "You''re sweating," she said quietly. "What happened between you two until it made you so nervous?"


    "Oh, no, nothing¡­" Apple answered so quickly, it was really hard to believe, especially when Hailee was starting to look suspicious like now and Apple had to admit that mother instincts were really sharp.


    Hailee narrowed her eyes suspiciously.


    "There really isn''t anything." Apple tried to confirm this, but it sounded like a desperate attempt on her part to convince Mrs. Tordoff.


    "Apple¡­"


    Apple felt her blood freeze when she heard Hailee call her name like that. "Yes¡­?"


    "You can tell me the truth."


    "Yes, Jayden''s fight with Brian happened because Brian''s fianc¨¦e, Tania, dared me to kiss Mark and Jayden didn''t like it¡­ I already refused, but Tania insisted."


    After that Apple spent the next ten minutes exining in detail the incident of the beating, there was even a part where she repeated it as if she wanted to make Hailee forget the other questions.


    It was just that Hailee was so hard to fool and Apple was really in trouble right now, because Hailee wasn''t going to let her off without getting the answers she wanted.


    "Then? What about the other incident involving just you and Jayden?" Hailee asked right after Apple finished exining the story.


    Hailee questioned what happened between Jayden and Brian, becausest night, Brian''s mother came to ask her, but what she didn''t expect was; she got more interesting information and had to dig much deeper.


    "Mrs. Tordoff¡­"


    "You can call me mom."


    "Mom..."


    "I am here."


    "Can we talk about something else?" Apple felt like she was about to cry when she said this. How couldn''t she? She couldn''t possibly talk about it. Her face was very pitiful and she hoped Hailee would understand what she meant.


    On the other hand, seeing Apple''s frightened expression, Hailee gave a small smile, holding back augh. Oh, she''s so cute¡­.


    "Is what I thought the same as what happened between the two of you?" Hailee asked, wanting to make sure she wasn''t assuming wrong.


    "Yes," replied Apple in a defeated tone. She looked at Hailee timidly.


    "Were you forced?" Hailee asked again.


    And Apple shook her head. For as long as she could remember, it was Jayden who had been forced by herself to be in that situation, therefore, Apple couldn''t say that it was out of coercion.


    "Really?"


    "Yes."


    "Nothing you regret?"


    Apple''s face reddened even more, as she shook her head a second time. Her body felt very stiff and tense now. Ugh¡­


    "Really?"


    "Yes."


    "Okay."


    "Okay?" Apple parroted again. It just ended like that? Had the interrogation beenpleted?


    "I won''t dig into this too far if you don''t want to talk about it," Hailee said in a much calmer voice. She then reached out her hand to gently caress Apple''s cheek and smiled sweetly. "As long as you''re okay, then I don''t think there''s anything to worry about."


    Apple looked at Hailee in disbelief and was so relieved that she was able to get out of this situation so easily. This wasn''t a situation she wanted to be stuck in with Hailee. "Thank you," Apple said quietly.


    And then, Hailee took Apple''s hand while leading her to the stables she had promised.


    But, after just a few steps, Hailee had already asked Apple another question.


    "He wore protection, right?" Hailee asked curiously, which made Apple''s face even redder.


    "Mrs. Tordoff."


    "Mom," Hailee corrected Apple''s words again.


    =========================


    "Should we really discuss this during the holidays?" Jayden groaned in annoyance at his father because they were discussing such boring and uninteresting things.


    Well, the rtionship between Jayden and Ramon could be said to be close, but of course the things they discuss were only about business where Ramon would teach everything about the Tordoff family business to his son.


    But, apart from the topic of the problem, they both suck at finding different and interesting topics. Normally, Hailee would be the one to bridge the silence between the two of them, but now that Hailee wasn''t around, the only thing they could do was have this boring conversation.


    "Dad, you should be looking for other topics during your long vacation with mom, at least you can learn from her. Mom has so much to talk about, why don''t you ever change and talk about those with me?" Jayden grunted.


    "You want me to talk about the romance film your mother watched?" asked Ramon with a defiant look in his eyes that made Jayden shudder.


    "No thanks," Jayden replied immediately. Just the thought of his father watching a romance film made him frown, let alone having a conversation about it. Shit, he couldn''t imagine how awkward the situation would be between the two of them then. Just imagining it made him shudder.


    "You''re boring, unlike my wife," said Ramon.


    "Excuse me, I am your son. If I''m boring that means I got genes from you, dad," Jayden replied which then made him jump from his seat because Ramon was staring at him so intently, as if he was going to kill him. "Whoa! Calm down dad, this will not do, let''s find our women."


    That was the best idea Jayden coulde up with for now, because if they were together any longer, Jayden was worried that something bad would happen.


    Luckily, Ramon agreed and they both walked out to the stables, where Hailee and Apple were.


    "Dad, I''m curious," Jayden said, opening a new conversation between the two of them.


    "Hmm?"


    "How can mom like you?" he asked.


    "Isn''t the answer obvious?" said Ramon lightly.


    "What?"


    "I''m rich, handsome, smart and full of affection."


    Hearing that, the corner of Jayden''s lips twitched. His father was a narcissist, but then he remembered that he had said the same thing.

 Chapter 573 WELCOME TO TORDOFF FAMILY

    <h4>Chapter 573 WELCOME TO TORDOFF FAMILY</h4>


    While Apple was looking at the horses in the stables, where horse number eleven was being fed, Hailee was having a brief chat with the jockey. He was a cheerful young man who responded to Hailee''s every question enthusiastically and politely.


    It was clear how much he loved this equestrian sport.


    Meanwhile, Apple strolled around the stables to have a look at the ce, as this was Apple''s first time being there. She felt very happy to have this experience.


    It was safe to say that if it weren''t for Jayden, it would be very unlikely that Apple would be in this ce, with these people.


    It was true what Jayden said, there was no harm in having that man as her boyfriend, it did sound a little ridiculous, but everything he said was true.


    It was just that, of course having a man like Jayden had its own challenges. For example, the situation she found herself in the next moment.


    "Your name is Apple, right?" called a voice from behind Apple that made her sigh.


    Apple recognized this voice, she didn''t even have to turn her head to see who had called her.


    "Yes, is there anything I can help you with?" asked Apple as she turned around and found Tania and a woman beside her. At this moment, thest thing Apple wanted was to be around these two women, whoever is the beautiful woman beside Tania.


    "You don''t remember what happenedst night?" asked Tania in a cynical voice.


    Hearing that, Apple wanted to cover her face with her hands because every time someone asked aboutst night''s incident, she would immediately imagine what happened between her and Jayden, not the brawl between Jayden and Brian...


    She had to stop thinking about it.


    "I remember," Apple replied curtly, her face devoid of any reaction.


    "Then?" demanded Tania.


    "So what?" Apple asked back in confusion.


    "I''m waiting for your apology," said Tania in a very curt tone. She looked as if Apple had owed her something so precious and had to apologize on her knees.


    "Apology?" Apple repeated the word. She burst outughing when she heard that, because to her it waspletely unreasonable and Tania was totally wrong if she thought she could make Apple apologize to her. "What did I do wrong?" asked Apple with an innocent face, which made the two women look like they wanted to kill her.


    Well, that was going to be really hard, because for Apple, it was going to be very easy to fight both of these women at once, so she had nothing to be afraid of.


    "You''re still asking what you did wrong?" asked the woman standing beside Tania in a loud voice. "You really are shameless."


    "My bad, but may I know your name before you get angry at me?" asked Apple politely. She looked at the girl in front of her with a sweet smile on the corner of her lips.


    When the girl heard Apple ask her name, a happy and smug smile curved the corners of her lips. "You want to know what my name is?" she asked, lifting his chin.


    "I don''t mind if you don''t want to tell me," Apple replied lightly. She was really tempted to pull out her phone and take a photo of the girl''s expression and then show it to Jayden. "I''m not at all interested."


    And so, the girl''s smug expression had now turned into a very annoyed one at what she just said.


    If only Apple were given the chance to get away from these two women for a moment, then she would spend itughing it off.


    "You know who I am?!" The woman growled, pointing to herself. "I am Brian Tordoff''s sister, Isabe Tordoff! I am part of the Tordoff family."


    At this point, Apple was fed up with hearing them glorify the Tordoff family name while they had nothing to contribute. Apple firmly believed that Isabe didn''t even work and just used her surname to intimidate others, very typical¡­


    "So?" asked Apple again.


    "My brother has been beaten because of you!" cried Isabe furiously. She pointed her thin index finger at Apple.


    Luckily, the gap between them wasn''t too narrow, so Apple didn''t have to worry about getting scratched by her sharp nails.


    "Wait." Apple raised her hand andughed softly. "You want to say that you are upset because your brother was beaten by Jayden, but you are asking me to apologize?" Apple wanted tough as she summed up her current situation.


    If Apple didn''t remember Jayden, Hailee, Misha and some of the great people she knew were Tordoffs, then she would think that everyone in this family had a shallow personality like Isabe did.


    "Apologize now!" demanded Isabe. In her defense, she could not ept that her brother was beaten.


    "But it wasn''t me who hit your brother, it was Jayden who hit him. If you want an apology, demand the right person." Apple tilted her head as she looked at the two of them with calcting eyes. "You can demand an apology from me when I hit your brother."


    "What?!" Isabe screamed in disbelief, but then Tania nudged her body, warning her not to make a fuss because Hailee Tordoff was right around the corner and they didn''t want her to know about this hassle.


    "I told you, didn''t I? Jayden Tordoff is very bad at judging women," said Tania sarcastically. She folded her arms in front of her chest and smiled triumphantly.


    "Don''t worry, I will convey your concerns," said Apple sweetly, which made Tania widen her eyes. "I think he''ll be pleased to hear your observations."


    "Don''t make fun of us! You have no right to do that!" Isabe cried angrily, but Tania nudged her shoulder again, warning her to tone down her voice. "You really have disgraced the Tordoffs!"


    At this point, Apple was speechless. She didn''t know where she was wrong, because she firmly believed that there was nothing wrong with what she said and she had absolutely no part in the beatingst night.


    Damn! Jayden even forbade her to hit someone.


    If Apple had known that she would be med like this, she would have at least thrown in a punch or two to make their usations more reliable.


    "You really are shameless!" cried Isabe.


    Apple took a deep breath when she heard the insults thrown at her, but then, the unexpected happened when Tania suddenly fell to the ground and ruffled her hair, then groaned in pain.


    "Stop Apple, I didn''t mean it like that..." she said between her heartbreaking sobs.


    "Hmm?" Apple looked at the girl who had fallen to the dirty ground on her butt. Even Isabe was confused for a moment, but then, Isabe''s eyes widened at something behind Apple and then she too joined in the y that was being orchestrated by Tania.


    "Are you alright? Are you okay? I know you don''t like Tania for what happenedst night, but that doesn''t mean you can just beat her up!" Isabe shouted fiercely, scolding Apple for something she didn''t do at all.


    Woah... tsk tsk tsk... Apple felt the urge to apud both of them for the swift change in their demeanors.


    Were they serious?


    Apple couldn''t understand how they could both lie about something like this and then, she realized what a pathetic act they were performing considering what they were doing...


    "What''s going on here?"


    It was Ramon''s voice, it sounded very deep and if you heard it for the first time, you could be sure you''d be surprised, especially if you didn''t expect the man to be there.


    Quickly, Apple turned around and there, she could see Mr. and Mrs. Tordoff. Jayden immediately walked to her side and stood beside her.


    "Are you okay?" Jayden asked.


    Surprisingly enough, that was his first question while the two women in front of them were still wailing pitifully.


    "What''s going on here?" Hailee asked with her voice heavy and full of authority, just like her husband.


    "Mrs. Tordoff, sorry for the fuss," Isabe said, but then Tania shook her head.


    "Never mind, there''s no need to talk about it anymore," said Tania quietly, then she propped herself up against Isabe, who helped her up. "It is my fault."


    On the other hand, Apple looked at the two of them with questioning eyes. What were the two of them actually doing? Is this a drama?


    However, it seemed that this drama would only get moreplicated because from behind Isabe and Tania, came two other people.


    One person Apple recognized as Brian, while the middle-aged woman who had approached Haileest night was beside him.


    "What''s going on here?" the woman asked.


    Meanwhile, the corners of Hailee''s lips curled up when she saw the woman. Well, she had been living too far from these people for quite a while, it looked like a y or two would be interesting before she and Ramon returned to their ind.


    "Mom." Isabe then went to her mother, while Brian helped his fianc¨¦e. His face looked confused. He didn''t seem to know anything about the tricks these two women were trying to pull.


    "What happened to you?" Brian then tidied Tania''s slightly messy hair.


    But instead of answering Brian''s question, Tania hugged him and started crying.


    Seeing this, Apple really wanted tough, so she snorted and shook her head, while Hailee nced at her future daughter-inw''s reaction and seemed to know the gist of this.


    "Wee to the Tordoff family," Jayden whispered into Apple''s ear, smiling.


    "I didn''t know your family was so interesting," Apple replied in a whisper to the man.


    "Of course, we are a very creative family." Jayden nced at Apple.

 Chapter 574 THEY ARE STUPID

    <h4>Chapter 574 THEY ARE STUPID</h4>


    Hailee seemed to have realized what game the two people in front of her were ying after seeing the expression on Apple''s face.


    The girl looked disinterested and preferred to remain silent, not saying a word until Jayden whispered to her.


    "Wee to the Tordoff family," Jayden whispered into Apple''s ear, smiling. He was even so close to Apple that it made the girl feel like she was leaning into him instead. While Apple let Jayden rest his chin on the top of her head.


    Yes, Apple was not that high and she had to admit that, for Jayden to be able to do that to her.


    "I didn''t know your family was so interesting," Apple replied in a whisper to the man.


    "Of course, we are a very creative family." Jayden nced at Apple.


    Meanwhile Ramon nced at his son, as if telling him to stop disying affection in public and only then did Jayden return to his serious self.


    Not that he disagreed, but Ramon just wanted this matter to be done and over with soon so he could have some more time together with his wife. The two of them already made ns to go somewhere in the resort, so he didn''t want his schedule to be disrupted.


    Meanwhile, on the other hand, the four people in front of them seemed to be busy with Tania who was crying pitifully, as if the whole world had made her amon enemy.


    "What happened?" asked Brian, her fianc¨¦, and also a member of the Tordoff family. He had asked Tania to stop approaching Apple or Jayden again, but instead he found his fianc¨¦e here, along with Jayden and his parents.


    Actually, if only Tania wasn''t crying like this and he was not in the limelight, Brian would have pulled her away and asked her to stop crying and embarrassing herself.


    "Tell me, what''s wrong?" Brian asked, trying to be patient.


    Tania sobbed and wiped the tears that flowed from the corners of her eyes, while she said in a low voice to Brian. "She hit me," said Tania in a hoarse voice. She looked so pitiful.


    "Hit you?" Apple almostughed when she heard the usations. Very ridiculous. She didn''t even touch a single hair of hers.


    "Yes, you hit me when I came to apologize," said Tania between her tears and Isabe eagerly followed the story that Tania made up.


    "Yeah, right, I saw it, I''m the witness," Isabe chimed in. She even released herself from her mother''s arms to hug Tania, as if to calm the woman down.


    Meanwhile, Brian frowned, but didn''t say anything, he looked like he was deep in thought. It was the woman whom Isabe called mom that came forward and looked very angry.


    "Hailee, I didn''t expect you to be like this. Is this how you teach your children?" she said as she looked at Hailee angrily.


    If only this woman was a man, surely Ramon would be in front of Hailee and handle her ''well''. However, considering her being a woman, he left everything to his wife, who was more than capable of silencing her.


    "Who''s she?" Hailee asked, whispering to Ramon, but it seemed that she did it on purpose so that her voice could be heard, because at that instant, the woman''s face turned red with anger.


    But, instead of answering Hailee''s question, Ramon turned to his son and asked the same thing. "Who''s she?" Of course in a voice loud enough for all of them to hear.


    Jayden wanted to facepalm himself. There was no way Ramon didn''t remember who the woman was. At least, he knew what the woman''s name was, but he just had to follow Hailee''s game and help her to humiliate her.


    "This is rissa, wife of Gerald Tordoff, father of Brian," Jayden answered in full.


    "Oh¡­" Hailee and Ramon muttered at the same time.


    Hearing how Hailee and Ramon responded, of course made rissa very angry, but she was able to control herself in time and didn''t make matters worse because she knew her position was not as high as the two of them.


    "You should have taught your son not to hit my son and now, that girl with no clear family background is hitting my future daughter-inw." rissa gritted her teeth tightly as she said all these things.


    "What did you just say?" Hailee narrowed her eyes. She stood in the front while Ramon stood behind her and Jayden stood beside her Along with Apple. "Girl with an unclear background? She is the future wife of Jayden Tordoff. Show some respect."


    rissa looked a little frightened by how Hailee stressed every word she said, but she was still stubborn and wouldn''t give up, even though Brian was already staring at her to warn his mother not to prolong the matter.


    "You have absolutely no idea what''s going on here. She has been very rude to Tania," rissa said in a firm voice.


    "We haven''t heard the full story yet," Hailee said simply. "Why don''t you tell me in detail what happened?" Hailee nodded toward Tania, ordering her to tell her what really happened.


    And of course, Tania made up the whole story with Isabe supporting her, pointing to herself that she was a witness to the brutality that Applemitted against Tania.


    "She hit Tania twice with all her might," said Isabe, to which Tania also agreed.


    "Yeah, she hit me with all her might. She even saidst night that she wanted to hit me." Tania used Apple of what she told herst night.


    "Is it true?" Hailee asked Apple.


    "Yes, that''s right," replied Apple without hesitation, for it was true that she had said that when she was drunk.


    "You heard yourself, Hailee!" rissa eximed when she heard Apple admit it without even thinking about it. She didn''t know if the girl was stupid or what, but this thing definitely benefited rissa. "She injured my future daughter-inw, I will sue her! You better be careful with her, don''t make a mistake in choosing a wife for your son."


    rissa looked very arrogant when she heard Apple''s confession, she looked at Apple with her brow raised and snorted mockingly at her.


    "Then what exactly happened just now?" asked Hailee, who was now looking at Apple.


    "Why are you asking her this again? You''ve heard the exnation given by Tania, right? That''s enough! I will sue her for beating Tania!" rissa looked furious.


    "Of course, we will press charges on whoever is at fault here," said Hailee lightly. "But, we also need to hear what Apple has to say, just as Tania has the right to exin matters here."


    "All the words she''s going to say are lies and we''re just wasting our time here." rissa snorted hatefully at Apple.


    But, Hailee didn''t agree, she looked fiercely at rissa which silenced her in an instant, but annoyance still shone in her eyes.


    "Apple? Is what Tania said true? You hit her?" Hailee asked again, turning her attention to Apple.


    Meanwhile, Apple was upset because she had been used of doing things that she didn''t actually do and all the insults that were leveled at her.


    However, Apple was quite calm in dealing with this, because she knew that this was an easy fight.


    "It''s okay if you really don''t want me to talk and think my words are lies, but..." Apple then turned her attention to Isabe and Tania. "You two are really stupid," she said casually.


    "WHAT!? WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?!" Isabe became very rude and loud when she heard how Apple insulted her.


    As Apple expected, Isabe wasn''t very smart. It was very easy to provoke her emotions and Apple did this just to add a little spice to this drama created by Tania.


    Meanwhile, Brian tried to calm his sister down, he tried to pull Isabe back so that the girl would stop pushing forward and trying to hurt Apple.


    "Shut up!" Brian shouted loudly as Isabe grew out of control. And this took the girl by surprise, because it was rare for her brother to sound this angry with her.


    But, after Isabe had calmed down a bit, Brian then turned his attention to Apple and said in a low and firm voice. He looked quite polite.


    "You shouldn''t use words like that to insult other people," Brian said.


    But, Apple just smiled very sweetly. "I''m just saying what I think. They''re both so stupid." Apple then raised her hand, stopping the protest that was about to be thrown at her while pointing at a corner of the stables. "They are so stupid. If only they were smart, of course they would have noticed that."


    Apple pointed to a corner of the stables in front of her, where there was a surveince camera.


    "Or that." Apple then pointed to another ce again. "That and that." In the end, Apple pointed out at least five surveince cameras installed around them, which from the angle of the instation, could record every movement from where they were now.


    Immediately, Tania and Isabe''s faces changed. They looked panicked and Tania even stopped cryingpletely.


    "And what else did you say earlier?" Apple asked Isabe who now looked like she had just swallowed a fly. "You said I hit her with all my might?"


    Apple walked over to one of the posts there, where the door looked very sturdy and strong. The door that served as the horse barrier was made of a very strong wood.


    "Are you honestly saying that I hit her with all my might?" asked Apple again who then raised her hand and mmed it against the stable door, which then broke into several pieces. Luckily, the booth was empty. "She would be like this if it was true."

 Chapter 575 FORGIVENESS

    <h4>Chapter 575 FORGIVENESS</h4>


    Apple knew things were going to get a little heated right now, but she couldn''t understand how these people could lie so tantly.


    Especially the stupidity of those two who werepletely unaware of the surveince cameras in many corners of this horse stable. Maybe this was Apple''s habit of always observing her surroundings carefully when she entered a ce, therefore, it was very easy for her to find these cameras.


    It was an instinct for her to take note of the location of the surveince cameras as well as the closest ce to escape when she was in a room and all this was thanks to her father who had taught and trained her to behave like this.


    Therefore, she didn''t really panic when facing the false usations of the two women. She just couldn''t understand what was really going on in Tania and Isabe''s heads.


    It is true what people say that an educated person is not necessarily an intelligent person.


    Apple walked over to one of the posts there, where the door looked very sturdy and strong. The door that served as the horse barrier was made of a very strong wood.


    "Are you honestly saying that I hit her with all my might?" asked Apple again


    who then raised her hand and mmed it against the stable door, which then broke into several pieces. Luckily, the booth was empty.


    Apple even used her left hand when doing this. "Which hand did I use? She would be like this if it was true that I hit her with all my might."


    She didn''t know why, but Apple felt satisfied when she saw the shocked expressions of the four people.


    Tania, Isab and rissa screamed in fear, while Brian was stunned speechless when he saw how easily Apple crushed the wood. It wasn''t soft wood nor was it easy to break, even Brian wasn''t sure he could break it himself even if he used his legs and arms.


    "You¡­ you¡­" rissa stuttered, she stared at Apple as if the girl had grown another head on her shoulders, as if she were a monster. "How could a woman do something like that?!"


    rissa, who throughout her life had always been filled with the idea that women were gentle creatures and never used violence, let alone destroying wood, had never even participated in sports that she thought were ''udylike'' such as martial arts and the like.


    Therefore, of course rissa was very surprised when she saw what Apple could do. She even looked hysterical when she witnessed it. It shouldn''t have mattered if it was a man, but a woman? She considered it a crime and a personality crisis.


    "How can you ept an uncouth woman like this to be your son''s future wife? She is very udylike!" rissa then turned her attention to Hailee. "You''re okay getting a future daughter-inw like that?"


    On the other hand, Apple was a little nervous because she didn''t think that far. Yes, indeed Hailee had been very nice to her and even always defended her, but realizing what she had just done, Apple felt like she had taken things for granted¡­


    Apple even felt that what rissa said was true. The Tordoffs were a noble family, how could they tolerate a woman who was so barbaric?


    But, it seemed Jayden realized what was going on in Apple''s mind, because it clearly showed on his face.


    His triumphant smile instantly faded when he heard rissa''s gibberish.


    Therefore, Jayden walked closer to Apple and hugged her waist while kissing the top of her head.


    "Let me see your hand," Jayden said softly, pulling Apple''s hand for a quick inspection. "I''d be mad if you hurt yourself."


    Apple was quite surprised to hear what Jayden said, especially when the man kissed the back of her hand, saying quietly.


    "You have a cut here," he said.


    Apple got a small scuff on the back of her hand for what she had done, but it wouldn''t be obvious if you didn''t look closely.


    On the other hand, Hailee was smiling at Apple, but her expression turned sinister when facing rissa.


    "Only strong women deserve to be in the Tordoff family, especially those who are tough and smart. I would not agree if Jayden brings home a woman who is so stupid and doesn''t know how to position herself especially those who are unaware of her surroundings and takes her as his wife."


    Hailee then looked at rissa, Tania and Isabe one by one. Of course, all the words she spoke were aimed at the three women.


    "Women in the Tordoff family are treated as equals, so a trophy wife ispletely unnecessary here." Hailee then walked closer to Brian. She looked at the man with sharp eyes, smiling. "You have to teach your woman to look smart, not just beautiful."


    The smile on Hailee''s lips was what Ramon missed, he almost forgot that his wife could be so mischievous when circumstances demanded it.


    Living on their quiet ind made Ramon miss Hailee''s side when she was confronted like this and it seemed Hailee was enjoying her time, therefore, Ramon kept quiet and let his wife y with these people.


    On the other hand, Brian clenched his jaw tightly, so much the muscles in his neck could be seen. He looked like someone who was holding back anger, shame and irritation at the same time, but he knew better to keep his attitude in front of Hailee.


    "Yes, Mrs. Tordoff, I''m sorry for the fuss," he said in a very low voice.


    "You''re apologizing to me?" Hailee raised her eyebrows. "Your fianc¨¦e, your sister and your mother used my future daughter-inw ofmitting acts of violence, but you are the one apologizing?"


    rissa could see that the situation was not in her favor, so she stepped in and tried to smooth things out.


    "Hailee, this was just a misunderstanding," rissa said, this time her voice was softer, less aggressive than she was before.


    "I don''t think so," Hailee said calmly, this time turning her attention to rissa. "This is a libel and a false usation, just like what you demanded, I want to file awsuit with the evidence I have," Hailee said firmly, which made the three women look terrified.


    They were really looking for trouble with the wrong people¡­


    ======================


    "You think it''s okay?" asked Apple when Jayden invited her to lunch and let Hailee and Ramon take care of the four of them.


    Tania looked really scared when Hailee said that she would sue her, rissa and her daughter as well.


    Meanwhile, Brian tried to talk to Ramon, because he thought the man would help them.


    Brian was trying to logically talk to Ramon, but one thing Brian should have known was; one couldn''t talk logically to Ramon when it came to his wife.


    Ramon just said ''What my wife says, goes.'' And after that, he stopped listening to Brian''s attempts to help him stop Hailee.


    "So what?" Jayden asked as he returned the te of sliced ??steak to Apple, letting her eat her food.


    "Didn''t your mother go too far?" Apple had no problem forgiving them as long as they apologized and didn''t prolong the issue, but Hailee didn''t seem to think the same.


    "There''s no need to worry about that. Can''t you see my mother''s face is beaming with trouble? Her life is too far from drama, therefore, she won''t mind blowing out things once or twice during her visit, before she returns to their ind."


    Apple frowned and felt a little weird about it, but then she didn''t mind it anymore and started eating her food when her phone rang.


    This was an unknown number, so she frowned slightly.


    "Why aren''t you answering it?" Jayden asked when he saw Apple''s expression. "Is there a problem?"


    Apple shook her head and before the call ended she picked up. "Hello?"


    There was a very soft female voice on the other end of the phone call, she then confirmed the identity of Apple and that she was not mistakenly connected.


    "Yes, it''s me. Who is this?" Apple seemed to recognize this voice, but she couldn''t remember where she had heard it before.


    And it turned out to be Riley, the woman from the agency who had contracted her for a photo shoot.


    Damn! Apple hadpletely forgotten about that because a lot of things had happened recently, especially with her father who was still in the hospital, although now Pyro''s condition was much better.


    "Yeah, I just wanted to make sure that you''lle to the photo shoot which will take ce in three days," Riley said amiably.


    "Oh, yeah, thanks for reminding me, I''ll definitelye," Apple said in a cheery voice.


    Three days from now meant the day after she would return from this resort. It was the perfect timing as it would not sh with her stay here.


    "Yes, I will..." Apple then talked about a few other things before finally she ended the call and faced Jayden who had been waiting for her with a curious expression on his face.


    "What''s that about?" Jayden asked as he ate his steak. He was curious because Apple looked happy when she got the call.


    Apple exined how she was offered to be a model after Ivan''s photo of her won a contest he entered.


    "Model?" Jayden put down his cutlery and leaned his back against the back of the chair, then folded his arms across his chest.


    "Why?" asked Apple in a slightly defensive manner.


    "Should we celebrate this?" Jayden asked who thenughed. He was just teasing her.


    ***


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 576 SNIPER

    <h4>Chapter 576 SNIPER</h4>


    "Find out everything that has to do with Ivan Andreas and his photography studio and also Stardust studio," Jayden said in a low voice, but it couldn''t assuage how serious this man was right now. After all, it was his lover who was in the question.


    Jayden was a little displeased with the way Ivan had secretly taken a photo of Apple and used it to enter a contest.


    While Apple took it for granted without a second thought. It was not that Jayden didn''t trust Apple''s judgment, it was just that the girl was sometimes too kind for her own good, especially since Ivan was her friend and the woman tended to lower her guard for that reason.


    Jayden then listened to the answer from the person on the other end of the line.


    "Yes, everyone," Jayden replied, as he waved his hand at Apple who was staring at him from a distance. The girl was choosing the horse she would ride.


    The sun wasn''t too hot during the day, and Jayden could feel the cool breeze from the mountains hitting his face.


    "Okay," Jayden said curtly before he hung up the phone and walked over to the woman.


    "Busy?" asked Apple when Jayden had arrived beside her, while she was engrossed in watching the horses there. She assumed Jayden had just gotten a call rted to work.


    "No, just some business," Jayden replied, kissing Apple gently on the head. "Any horse you fancy?" Jayden asked when he saw that Apple still hadn''t decided which horse to ride.


    "I like all of them, but there''s still none that I think fits my heart," replied Apple, stroking the mane of the horse closest to her.


    "Come here, I think you''ll like this," Jayden said, pulling Apple''s hand to follow him.


    Jayden took Apple to one of the stables that belonged to him, the stable looked different from the others and looked much more memorable and luxurious. Then he introduced Apple to a beautiful horse.


    "This is Oscar," Jayden said, introducing the ck horse with its one eye covered in a white circle, like a pirate''s eye patch.


    Apple was amazed when she saw the horse. This was thergest horse Apple had ever seen and it looked absolutely gorgeous with its soft mane and shiny body.


    The horse also looked arrogant, holding its head high while looking at Apple curiously, but he allowed Jayden to rub his head. When Jayden raised his hand, the horse even lowered his head. Very sweet¡­!


    "Hi, Oscar," Apple greeted the horse who only snorted when he heard his name being called.


    Whoops! Not only was the owner a little annoying, even this horse seemed to have the same personality as Jayden.


    "Come here." Jayden pulled Apple''s hand closer and then ced her hand on the ck horse''s body.


    Oscar flinched for a moment and turned his big head to see who had touched him and then red at Apple.


    "Is it just me or is this horse staring at me fiercely?" Apple whispered to Jayden. She couldn''t believe she was talking about the horse as if this animal could understand what she was saying.


    "That''s just how you feel," Jayden chuckled when he saw Apple''s worried expression. "Oscar is the best horse here."


    "Well, of course, this is your horse."


    "Yes, I always get the best," Jayden said as he hugged Apple from behind and kissed her cheek briefly. "Thus, I will feel much better if you ride Oscar."


    "Okay, but are you sure this horse likes me?" Apple narrowed her eyes as she stared at this ck horse.


    "Of course he likes you. Even I like you."


    "But, you are not a horse Mr. Tordoff," replied Apple. "Argh!" Apple shrieked softly as Jayden lifted her up and sat her on Oscar''s back.


    The horse was already equipped with the saddle and harness so it was no problem for Apple, who immediately grabbed the reins that was given to her after Jayden settled her down there.


    "Have you ever ridden a horse before?" Jayden asked, putting Apple''s foot in the saddle. The girl looked awkward when Jayden touched her feet, but instead the man looked normal, as if there was nothing unusual about what he was doing.


    "My father took me on horse riding several times. Thest time was about three years ago," Apple replied.


    Therefore, it could be said that Apple was not too foreign to this activity, even though she was not very proficient.


    "If I ride your horse, then what about you?" asked Apple, only realizing this now.


    "I can choose one of the horses in the stables," Jayden replied lightly. "Would you like to take a look around?" Jayden said and then took the reins in Apple''s hands and pulled Oscar out of his stall.


    Jayden took hold of Oscar''s reins as they walked down the wide grass field, having small talk about some things they had never talked about before.


    And from this conversation, Jayden learned a little about Apple''s childhood, when she had lived with her mother and stepfather.


    Apple didn''t go into detail about how her life was then, but she certainly didn''t seem to be enjoying talking about her time with her mother that much. She didn''t even look enthusiastic at the prospect of reuniting with her mother.


    Jayden listened to what Apple had to say, because he wanted to know more about herself, but he wasn''t going to push and unwilling to stop discussing something if he felt Apple wasn''tfortable with it.


    From afar, the two of them looked very well matched and was a beautiful sight to behold. A couple who were chatting casually while riding, with the man leading the horse by the reins and directing them to ces with beautiful views, while the woman was on the horse, telling something that asionally made the manugh or pause, like deep in thought.


    "Jayden, why don''t you take one of the horses? We''re going to the river, do you want toe?" asked Gabby who was approaching them on her horse while not far from her was her boyfriend, Mark.


    Jayden and Apple both turned to the source of the sound and found Gabby in her red shirt and jeans, she looked very cute with her red hair flowing freely behind her back.


    "To the river?" asked Apple. "Is that the same river you told me about?" Previously, Jayden had already told Apple about the beautiful river and the two of them did n to go there.


    "Yeah, we''re nning on going there too," Jayden replied to Gabby.


    "Then why don''t we go there together?" Gabby looked cheerful when she invited them to go.


    Apple didn''t answer the invitation, but the look in her eyes showed her enthusiasm for going there soon and Jayden understood that.


    "I''ll call someone to bring a horse here," Jayden said, then he let go of Oscar''s reins he was holding because Apple wanted to try to get Oscar to walk on her own.


    Jayden believed that nothing bad would happen, especially since this was not the first time for Apple and he also trusted his horse for this, moreover, Jayden knew that Gabby was a good horseman, after all Mark was there too.


    Apple then took the bridle from Jayden and made the horse trot a little, because they were going to the river together and Jayden was going to ride his own horse, so Apple started to get used to Oscar.


    It was just that while Apple was riding around slowly, chatting with Gabby, while Jayden was making phone calls with his eyes still watching Apple''s movements, something bad happened.


    It would be so hard to believe if you weren''t there. But, someone actually fired a bullet at Jayden, the sound of the gun popping made the horses that were there run in an unsteady direction.


    Especially when the second and third popping sounds followed and this made things even more chaotic as the horses turned rebellious and difficult to control, including Oscar.


    Oscar was a big horse and when the animal started to rebel and tried to escape in the midst of this chaos, Apple couldn''t control him and she had only two choices.


    The first option was to throw herself off Oscar''s body, which could put her at risk of being stepped on by this horse and seriously injured or trying to control Oscar by hanging in there.


    Out of instinct, when this happened and Oscar started throwing a tantrum, Apple wrapped her arms around the animal''s neck, trying to keep herself up there, while Gabby and Mark''s horses were still uncontroble.


    Apple''s mind was running fast, she was trying to see where the shots wereing from. How could there be an attack in a ce like this especially when the entire Tordoff family was there?


    But, the main thing was; where was Jayden? It was hard for Apple to see Jayden''s figure in the midst of this mess, especially as Oscar moved away from it.


    "Good boy, good boy, stop running, okay?" Apple said those words in a panic as Oscar took her further and further away from the meadow and they began to enter the dense forest with huge trees, after Oscar gracefully jumped over the guardrail.


    Damn! This horse is great!


    But, Apple had to get back to the others before she was really lost in this forest, after all Apple was still thinking about who was behind the shooting. Were they Jayden''s enemies? The Gevano family? If it was true, how brave they were.

 Chapter 577 WHAT ABOUT OSCAR?

    Chapter 577 WHAT ABOUT OSCAR?¡¡¡¡"STOP! STOP! STOP!" Apple pulled Oscar''s reins as hard as she could, causing the horse to lift its front legs high in the air. "Arrgh!"


    Unable to bnce her own body, Apple ended up falling off Oscar''s back and hitting her head on the hard ground.


    Thest thing she saw was Oscar lifting his legs up high and this made Apple pray that this horse wouldn''t step on her, because her body waspletely immobile at the moment and she couldn''t dodge if this horse tried to break her bones and that was thest thing Apple remembered before she finally lost consciousness.


    For a moment, her head hurt terribly, but after a while, her body felt very light and the pain she felt was instantly pushed to the back of her mind.


    =========================


    The only sound that could be heard in the room was the agonized screams of the bloodied man, who was curled up in the center of the room, blood soaking the expensive carpet beneath.


    There were about twenty-five people in the room, including Gabby and her family and Brian alone, without his fianc¨¦e or mother and sister.


    However, their attention was not fixed on the man covered in blood, but the man who looked so angry until those around him couldn''t even lift their heads to look him in the eye.


    The man screamed again in pain as Jayden stabbed him with a firece poker meant for loading firewood in the firece.


    Misha gave Jayden a new hot fire iron while heating another one for him to use again.


    Of the many people there, no one dared to make a sound in the room, not even Hailee stepped up to her son, because she knew that Jayden was inconsble right now and it wasn''t a good idea to try to talk him out of something when he wasn''t feeling well like now.


    Once again, Jayden stabbed the man''s thigh, which made him howl in pain. He wanted to push the hot iron tool away, but his hand got burnt and Jayden had no intention of ending his suffering any soon.


    Not yet. It was still not enough¡­


    "Who sent you here?" Jayden asked calmly, but that didn''t mean everything was okay, because it was just the calm before the storm.


    After that, the room was filled only with screams of pain from the man, while the women tried to avert their faces so as not to see the gruesome sight and several others actually turned around or chose to hide behind the bodies of theirpanions.


    They couldn''t get out of this room because Jayden wouldn''t allow it. He wanted to show that this was the reward for those who tried to mess with him.


    Not long after, Ramon stepped into the room and immediately went over to his son. He only threw a brief nce at the poor man who still insisted on not saying anything, refusing to answer Jayden''s questions.


    "A team has been dispatched to look for Apple, go, let me handle this," said Ramon to his son.


    Jayden then stabbed the man in the thigh casually and told his father. "Don''t kill him just yet. I still have something I want to talk to him about."


    "Okay," replied Ramon calmly. He patted his son on the back as Jayden stepped away.


    Jayden''s stride was resolute as he walked past the people who were there, whereupon they immediately cleared the way for him, too afraid to provoke him even in the slightest.


    There was no way they wanted to get into trouble with Jayden who was angry like he was right now.


    Jayden walked quickly, as if the wound on his leg didn''t mean anything, yes, the wound on his leg was the result of the first shot he got.


    It was a stroke of luck, because at that moment, he was standing still as he was making a phone call to get a horse for him, but just at that moment, he made a sudden movement that made the shooter miss their target and hit Jayden in the leg instead.


    Realizing that they were in danger, Jayden ordered Oscar to take Apple away and now they must find the woman and the horse in the woods. Luckily, as far as Jayden knew, the forest had no wild animals¡­


    =======================


    Apple didn''t know what had happened or how long she had been asleep on this cold ground, because the first thing she felt was a warm breath on her face and a gentle nudge against her side.


    Apple squirmed, but it seemed like it was a very wrong move as the pain was so piercing it immediately made her wince in pain. She curled her body again, her breath catching as she waited for the pain to subside a bit before she could open her eyes and observe her surroundings.


    It took Apple a while to regain consciousness and get ustomed to the pain to a limit she could tolerate, then she opened her eyes and breathed slowly.


    For a moment, Apple couldn''t see anything. Everything was dark. But then, slowly, the shape of the surrounding trees came into view as well as Oscar.


    Yes, it was Jayden''s horse that had been trying to wake her up continuously when she lost consciousness.


    Apple groaned softly as she turned her body and now she was lying on her back, gazing up at the star-studded night sky and the beautiful full moon. It was bright enough for Apple to see her surroundings more clearly.


    She hoped that there were no wild animals in this forest like wolves, bears, or whatever, because right now she would be soft food for the wild animals considering she couldn''t even move.


    Apple then felt a nudge again. Oscar rubbed the side of his face against Apple''s cheek, as if tofort her and this made her chuckle.. But then, she winced a little as her back hurt.


    "I thought you were going to leave me," Apple said as she raised her hand to wipe Oscar''s face and the horse neighed softly. "I''m quite touched that you''re still here to take care of me."


    Oscar then neighed again and folded his legs, dropping his body on Apple''s side.


    "Wow, be careful, you can crush my bones you know," said Apple, who then moved her body to her left side to get a better look at Oscar, only then did Apple see the reason why Oscar was still there.


    It looks like one of the shots hit the horse''s hip and this caused him pain and difficulty moving. Luckily, Oscar''s body was strong enough, otherwise this horse would have been lying defenseless with a bullet lodged in its nk.


    "Oh, no¡­" Apple groaned softly when she saw the wound as well as the dried blood sticking to Oscar''s body. "What do I do¡­?"


    Ignoring the pain in her body, Apple tried to push her body into a sitting position and this took no easy effort, as she could feel that she had broken some of her bones when she fell earlier.


    Once she was in a sitting position with much difficulty, Apple then moved closer to Oscar to examine his wound, but as soon as her hand touched his body, the horse neighed loudly and stared at her fiercely again, or maybe this was just her feeling¡­


    "Shut up¡­ I have to see how bad your wound is¡­ otherwise you won''t be able to walk anymore," Apple said firmly to the horse.


    But the animal just snorted at her and turned his head, which made Apple shake her head in disbelief that she had to face this arrogant horse.


    "We are in this together, okay?" Apple scolded the horse who kept snorting at her, as if he was annoyed that Apple touched his wound.


    Apple had nursed gunshot wounds before, but she had never tended to a gunshot wound for an animal, especially with the risk of this horse kicking her several meters away and breaking her bones.


    No, she''d better wait for help to arrive. Apple believed that Jayden would soone and find her.


    However, the problem was; the forest was so vast and Apple had no idea how far Oscar had led her into the forest, so therefore, it was not clear how long it would take Jayden to find her here.


    Apple looked around her, wary of anything suspicious there, especially since she wasn''t sure if the forest was safe from wild animals or not.


    Apple''s breath caught in her throat when she heard a rustling sound from behind the dense trees.


    Instinctively, Apple tried to find something she could use as a weapon, even though she didn''t have much choice in this situation. Her fingers curled around a stone that fit perfectly in her grip.


    Meanwhile, the sound was getting closer and closer until Apple held her breath, waiting for what woulde her way.


    She could only breathe a sigh of relief when she saw a man emerge from behind the bushes and the first thing Apple had in mind was; the guys sent by Jayden have found her.


    But then, another thought entered her mind, which warned her to stay alert, because after all they had just been attacked.


    "Who are you?" asked Apple in a low voice. The stone in her grip tightened and she could even feel the tension from Oscar. The horse was looking at this man with hostility while baring his teeth threateningly.


    "I am the one Jayden Tordoff sent to save you," the man said. "Now you don''t have to worry and we can get out of here right away."


    "What about Oscar?"


    "Who''s Oscar?"

 Chapter 578 COME HERE, COME HERE

    Chapter 578 COME HERE, COME HERE¡¡¡¡"Who are you?" asked Apple in a low voice. Her grip on the rock in her hand tightened and she could even feel Oscar tensing up beside her. The horse was looking at this man with hostility while baring its teeth.


    Oscar looked as if he was going to lunge at this man if he moved closer to them, but Oscar''s attitude that Apple was aware of was always unfriendly. She was no exception either, even though they spent some time together. Therefore, Apple couldn''t take any indication from him in judging this foreign man.


    "I am the one Jayden Tordoff sent to save you," the man said. "Now you don''t have to worry and we can get out of here right away."


    The man didn''t say anything about Oscar, while he clearly saw that the horse was in pain and couldn''t move properly, due to the gunshot wound to its pelvis.


    Therefore, Apple asked about the arrangement for the horse. "What about Oscar?"


    Only, the answer from the man waspletely unexpected.


    "Who''s Oscar?" He furrowed his brows and lookedpletely clueless as to which Oscar Apple was referring to and this made an rm go off in Apple''s head.


    It could just be her being paranoid about their current situation. After all, not everyone knew the name of Jayden''s favorite horse, even though he was one of Jayden''s people. However, there was nothing wrong with being vignt.


    "This horse," Apple replied curtly. She didn''t want to show excessive surprise or provoke the man into suspecting her because from what Apple saw, he was fully armed while she only had a rock in her hand, which couldn''t be considered a weapon at all.


    The man looked young, probably in his mid-twenties with his hair cut so short and a body that clearly told how much time he had spent exercising.


    Maybe Apple could have knocked him out if she hadn''t suffered a few fractures, but of course her current state was very unfavorable.


    "That horse¡­ someone will take care of it," said the man firmly. "Now stand up, we must go. Mr. Tordoff is waiting for you, he is very worried about you."


    In that instant, Apple''s expression turned extremely pitiful. "I want to get out of here right away," she said in a low voice, but then she pointed at her dirty feet. "But I have sprained my leg and I have broken several bones, making it difficult for me to move."


    Apple then looked at the man with pleading eyes.


    "Can you help me to get up and walk?" asked Apple, holding out her hand to the man, asking him to help her up.


    "Sure," the man replied calmly, holstering the gun in his hand and walking over to Apple without a second thought.


    Because in front of him now was only a wounded girl who couldn''t move freely and had several bones broken. There was nothing to worry or be afraid of. He could handle this girl without any problems.


    "Thank you," Apple said with a gentle smile. She looked harmless and hopeless, but when the man stretched out his hand, Apple shook her head. "I can''t walk, can you carry me on your back?" she asked politely.


    Hearing this, the man hesitated a bit, but after thinking for a while he decided it wasn''t a problem, and so he knelt before Apple and turned around.


    "Come on up." If worse came to worst, he just had to throw her off his back, so this wasn''t his main concern.


    On the other hand, when the man had turned his body, the helpless expression on Apple''s face immediately changed. She turned cold as she crawled up onto the man''s shoulders.


    At close range like this, Apple could see what weapons the man had and of course they were too much for a rescue team.


    "What''s your name?" asked Apple.


    "Ben," the man replied curtly as he stood with Apple on his back.


    "Thank you, Ben, sorry for troubling you," said Apple again in a sweet voice. "But, if I may ask, how long have you been working for Jayden Tordoff? Because I''ve never seen you before."


    They were walking further and further away from Oscar and thest time Apple saw the horse, the beast tilted its head haughtily, as if to say; what the actual fuck were you doing girl?


    "I''ve started working just recently, about three months," Ben replied curtly. He quickened his footsteps and was literally half running now and this only added to Apple''s suspicions.


    There was no way Jayden sent only one person to look for her and the fact that he didn''t even call anyone to inform them he had found Apple was one of the basic reasons for Apple''s suspicion that he wasn''t one of Jayden''s people.


    "Oh, no wonder I''ve never seen you before," Apple said lightly, as if she just wanted to have a casual conversation during this lonely trip. "What about Andreas? Is he okay?"


    Ben was silent for a moment before he replied, "Yes, he''s fine."


    "He must have missed me. Because thest time I saw him, we had a nice chat and got along pretty well," said Apple again and as she had expected, the answer she got from Ben was very brief and just parroted what she was saying.


    "Yes, he misses you."


    "Is that true?"


    "Yes."


    "Do you know who Andreas is?" asked Apple again in an unchanging tone of voice, but she could feel the tension in Ben''s body, so, to lighten the mood, she chuckled and exined. "He''s the head of security for Jayden, every bodyguard the Tordoff family has is trained at the same ce and Andreas is the head trainer."


    "Yeah, I know," Ben replied unconvincingly and now he was elerating his footsteps.


    Right at that moment, Apple could see the flicker of a shlight in the distance moving closer toward them followed by the sounds of many footsteps. Faintly, Apple could hear Ben cursing in a very low voice as he continued moving away from the crowd of peopleing toward them.


    "Why did you just leave?" asked Apple. "Aren''t they your friends? I''m sure it''s Jayden''s people looking for me. Shouldn''t we go there?"


    "Shut up," Ben said quietly and firmly, his tone threatening as he moved even faster, away from the crowd.


    "Ben, you know..." Apple said lightly. "The head trainer''s name is not Andreas, but Adrian and I don''t have a good rtionship with him."


    "The fuck with that," Ben growled harshly. His focus now was on taking Apple away from the people who were looking for her, but his footsteps stopped suddenly because he felt something against his neck, sharp and cold.


    "You really are an amateur," Apple hissed sarcastically at the man, in her hand was a knife that would sh Ben''s neck if he made a sudden move or provoked the girl he was holding. "How did your covere out so quickly?"


    Apple clicked her tongue while Ben had stopped running.


    "Where did you get this knife from?" asked Ben, because he was sure that Apple had no weapons at all when he found her.


    "Well, I hope you don''t mind if I borrow your gun," Apple said lightly, shrugging her shoulders.


    She had deftly disarmed Ben''s possessions without his knowledge because he was overly confident that Apple was harmless and lowered his guard on the injured girl.


    And the next thing that happened was; Apple shot Ben''s gun in the air, alerting those who came looking for her current position.


    "Thanks for carrying me, but I think you should take responsibility for your actions and have a little chat with Jayden now."


    In the distance, Apple could hear the sound of approaching footsteps and the beams of the shlights that pierced the darkness grew crazier, illuminating every dark corner of the forest.


    "If you dare to suddenly drop me or run away, don''t me me if I identally cut your throat," Apple threatened him, as if she could read what was going through the man''s mind. Because the choices he had right now were either to run away with Apple or throw her down.


    It was just that both options would end up with Apple identally killing him instead.


    Therefore, left with no other choice, Ben chose to remain silent until Jayden''s people surrounded them and the re of their shlights focused on the two of them.


    And the first person Apple saw was Jayden, he was standing in front of dozens of men pointing guns at Ben.


    "Jayden, I caught him!" Apple eximed cheerfully. "Could youe over here and carry me? I sprained my leg and broke a few bones I think."


    On the other hand, Jayden looked like he was about to kill someone. He actually found a man holding Apple and trying to take her away.


    Jayden imagined how frightened and helpless his woman was, but once he got closer and could clearly see that Apple was the one in charge in this situation and even had a knife pointed at the stranger''s neck, Jayden didn''t know whether tough or cry.


    "Come and hold me, I want to get away from this man," Apple said again because Jayden didn''t move from his ce at all. "Don''t worry, I''ve disarmed him, he''s not dangerous," Apple said proudly. She even said that she was just injured very lightly, as if it wasn''t a problem.


    And again, given their current situation, with dozens of guns pointed at the foreign man, there was certainly nothing for Jayden to worry about, right?


    "Come here,e here," whined Apple.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 579 PROBLEM WITH HIS PERSONALITY

    Chapter 579 PROBLEM WITH HIS PERSONALITY¡¡¡¡Jayden never thought that he would find Apple in such a scenario. In his mind, he concluded that now Apple would be in pain, injured, having fallen from a horse.


    Or maybe the worst case scenario was that the assassins were after Apple and now the woman was in their captivity.


    However, what Jayden had now in front of him was far from what he had imagined and it made him unable to decide whether tough or cry when he saw what was happening.


    "Come and hold me, I want to get away from this man," Apple said again because Jayden didn''t move from his ce at all. The man just stood there stunned, staring at her. "No need to worry, I have disarmed him, he is not dangerous," Apple said proudly. She even said that she was injured very lightly, as if it was not a big problem.


    Apple thought Jayden didn''te to her right away because he was being careful, wary if this man had a gun he was hiding.


    And when you think about it, given their current situation, with dozens of guns pointed at the foreign man, there was certainly nothing for Jayden to worry about, right?


    "Come here,e here," whined Apple, because Jayden didn''t move toward her.


    It was only after a while that Jayden and his two bodyguards came over to Apple and the stranger. The two men under Jayden''smand pointed their guns straight at the man''s head while Jayden pulled Apple off the man''s back.


    If this guy thought of doing something funny, then the two guards wouldn''t hesitate to shoot him on the spot.


    "Give me the knife," Jayden said as he took the knife from Apple''s hand which she used to hold the man holding herself hostage, while a gun was tightly pressed against the man''s temple.


    Once he made a single suspicious move, it was certain that his head would be blown off, although perhaps Apple wouldn''t be happy to have someone''s head explode right before her eyes.


    "I sprained my leg," Apple said in a low voice, after handing the knife in her hand to Jayden.


    "Come here, I''ll carry you," Jayden said as he slowly picked up Apple and walked away from the man.


    "Mr. Tordoff, let me carry her," said one of Jayden''s bodyguards who approached him and was about to take Apple from Jayden''s hands, but of course this was uneptable to Jayden.


    Instead of rejecting him, Jayden looked at him very fiercely, as if he would kill him if another man touched his woman.


    The bodyguard immediately backed away and lowered his head.


    Even though it was only for a short moment, it was certain that it made him feel his heart stop beating for a second. The look Jayden Tordoff gave him was so deadly, and he was at a loss for words.


    Just at that moment, the second bodyguard came up to him and patted him on the shoulder.


    "What exactly did you have in mind when suggesting such a thing?" asked the other guard.


    "Mr. Tordoff''s foot was injured, so I thought about helping him," he answered honestly.


    But the other man just shook his head and clicked his tongue impatiently. "You are so innocent. Men in the Tordoff family, especially those in high positions like Jayden Tordoff, were very possessive of their women. He won''t let you touch his woman. You''re lucky to only get a deadly re from him."


    ==========================


    The wound on Jayden''s leg was excruciatingly painful and the pain seemed to kill him every time he took a step, especially with Apple in his arms.


    It was just that, despite the excruciating pain, he wasn''t willing to give Apple to anyone. He would continue to look after this girl and would not let her out of his sight again.


    This girl was now hurt and Jayden felt very guilty because he felt it happened because he was ipetent in taking care of her.


    That was why Jayden looked so aggressive when he carried Apple back to their room with a family doctor following behind.


    Even Ramon couldn''t say anything when his son was in this mood while Hailee fell silent.


    It was rare to see Jayden angry. He didn''t often get in this mood, but once he was really angry, then no one would dare to take him lightly, including his parents.


    "Stay here," Jayden said as he lowered Apple onto the bed and allowed the doctor to examine her wounds.


    "Your leg is injured." Apple pointed at Jayden''s injured leg and realized it wasn''t a minor cut, as blood was already seeping out of the white gauze wrapped around his ankle.


    "It''s okay," Jayden replied softly. He lowered his body and kissed Apple''s forehead. "I''ll leave you here with my mom, okay. I''ll be gone for a while," said Jayden.


    Apple nodded when she heard this. There was something about Jayden that made her feel that this man was in a very bad mood and it would be best for Apple to take his word for it.


    After all, by andrge, Apple could imagine what Jayden would do once he got out of this room.


    "Okay," replied Apple.


    Then, Jayden stepped out of the room and walked over to his mother who was standing at the door.


    "Mom, I need your help," Jayden said, but Hailee already knew what her son wanted and what she had to do.


    "Just go and take care of your business." Hailee patted Jayden on the shoulder and stepped into the room, toward Apple who was undergoing a check up by the doctor there.


    Meanwhile, Jayden walked toward his father and at a single nce, Ramon could understand what his son wanted and followed him out of the room.


    ======================


    If there was a very unpleasant ce to visit, you could be sure that that ce was this room.


    Because at this moment, the smell of blood was so overpowering and sobering, not to mention the terrifying sight before their eyes now.


    Even men who could be said to have grown ustomed to seeing blood and grievous wounds, still had to squint and frown every time a shrill, painful sound echoed through the room.


    In the center of the room, the two men whom they had arrested this afternoon for the attempted murder of Jayden, were now curled up. One of the men''s bodies was undergoing convulsions, where he saw with his own eyes how a white lion was tearing his legs. Blood scattered on the floor and walls, and also all over his body. It was his blood and it was his legs.


    He knew that he would die once he was caught, but he didn''t expect that these Tordoffs would give him a death like this.


    At this point, the man was shouting for them to just kill him straight away. There was no need to make him go through all this, especially when the white tiger was now aiming for his right hand.


    And once again, a roar of pain could be heard in the room as the tiger ripped apart the man''s hand.


    There were only two people in the room who didn''t seem to have any reaction at all, as if the two of them couldn''t discern how terrifying the scene before them was, namely Ramon and Jayden. Both father and son seemed to have gone numb.


    The two men who were suffering right now wouldn''t have thought that Jayden and Ramon were men full of affection.


    Even Misha was only frowning as the man''s blood stained his new shoes.


    "We''ve told everything we know! We aren''t hiding any more information! Please understand!" eximed the man who still had aplete body. Seeing his friend still alive even after the tiger mutted him so badly, made him nauseous.


    It didn''t matter how greatly trained you were or how mentally strong you were, but once you were made to see this, you would know that all the practice was in vain. Everyone had their own limits and what he saw and how tortured they were, of course, was far beyond their limits.


    The poor man who was being mauled by the white tiger was the same man who had targeted Apple and carried her in the forest earlier.


    Not only Apple, a few minutester they also found Oscar. The horse was sitting quietly, despite suffering a gunshot wound to his hip, but now, he was all right.


    "FORGIVE US! WE''VE TOLD YOU EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO KNOW! RELEASE US!" cried the man in fear as the white tiger turned its attention to him instead.


    Jayden tilted his head, his sharp and angry eyes stared at the man who was pleading with fear in front of him.


    Then, without taking his eyes off the man, Jayden took the gun from Misha''s hand and shot right between his eyes.


    "Ah, I thought you''d let him go," Misha mumbled, because that was what Jayden promised to get the man to speak.


    "Really? I don''t remember saying that," Jayden said lightly as he returned the gun to Misha''s hand, after which he walked away.


    "Uncle, don''t you suspect that Jayden has two personalities??" Misha asked when Jayden was out of the room.


    Ramon nced at Misha next to him and answered lightly. "It''s okay, he can assume whatever personality he wants." Ramon then patted Misha on the back. "Fix this."


    Hearing that, Misha could only facepalm himself and do what his uncle told him to do.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 580 INSTANT NOODLES

    Chapter 580 INSTANT NOODLES¡¡¡¡Jayden felt so exhausted after everything that had happened. He felt all his energy had left his body by the time he returned to the room and found Apple had fallen asleep.


    The doctor who treated her must have given her a sedative, so she didn''t wake up, even when Jayden kissed her forehead.


    "How are you?" Hailee asked as she walked over to her son who was sitting on the side of the bed, looking at Apple with his soft and tired eyes.


    "I am fine," Jayden replied. He then gave his mother a small smile and kissed her cheek. "I think I''ll rest for a bit."


    "Then I will leave you two. I will ask Adrian to keep watch around here," said Hailee, who got a nod from Jayden. He agreed, just too tired to say anything.


    At that, Hailee didn''t say much anymore and then left the room, leaving the two of them alone. The two needed a really peaceful break.


    After his mother went out of the room, Jayden immediately took off his clothes and took a shower to freshen himself up a bit, besides he didn''t want to sleep with others'' blood all over his body. He wouldn''t even approach Apple in a dirty state like that.


    And after Jayden finished his shower, he immediatelyy down next to Apple, pulled the girl closer and hugged her tightly, and instantly feltfort overtake him which made him fall asleep faster.


    He felt grateful to be able to hug his woman now¡­


    =======================


    Apple woke up when she felt her body was too warm, there was someone who was hugging her very tightly, almost making her feel suffocated.


    Who was it?


    With great difficulty, Apple finally managed to open her eyes and found Jayden holding her very tightly, even when she was asleep, making Apple''s body sweat.


    Ugh. She should have guessed this...


    Apple then wiggled her body, writhing, to get out of Jayden''s embrace, but that didn''t seem to work. He was hugging her really tight and when she tried to free herself, Jayden just hugged her even tighter.


    This of course made Apple realize one thing. "You''re awake." It was not a question but an usation.


    Jayden was awake and now he was just messing with her.


    There was no response from Jayden, nor was there any change in his facial expression, but Apple could tell that he was already awake with the way his breathing changed from even to ragged.


    "Let go of me, Jayden, you''re making it hard for me to breathe. It''s almost suffocating when you''re like this," Apple protested at him, but Jayden still didn''t care. He was very reluctant to let her go, no matter what the girl said. "You''ll regret it if you don''t let me go." This time Apple threatened him.


    "Shut up¡­ we still have plenty of time to go back to sleep. You need some time to rest too, don''t you? You''re hurt," Jayden said, then he opened his eyes to find Apple with her lips pursed while staring at him fiercely. "You don''t have to look at me like that. You should rest or I will take you to the hospital to be treated there. Your choice."


    Not too long ago, Apple was out of the hospital and of course she didn''t want to go there again anytime soon, especially when she felt there was nothing to worry about. She was not in danger or in a life-and-death situation.


    "Not too long ago, you broke your leg and now, you sprained your ankle. At this rate, you could end up in a worse case scenario, you know?" Jayden scolded her a little because she wouldn''t stay still.


    One of the reasons why Apple got hurt more easily was because of what happened at her house some time ago, when there were several people who wanted to harm her.


    Therefore, when events like this happened again, Jayden felt very annoyed with himself for letting Apple get hurt time and again. He felt very helpless and this was a feeling he didn''t like at all.


    "If you continue being like this, I could end up in an even worse case scenario by not being able to breathe," Apple said in a grumbling voice. She tried to push Jayden away. "You''re making it hard for me to breathe," she protested.


    "But I want to hug you," Jayden replied in a low voice, like a child being scolded by their mother.


    "No, move away from me a little," Apple grumbled. Jayden''s body felt very hot from being attached to hers and this made her a little ufortable.


    Just then, Jayden''s cell phone rang and he groaned in frustration as the noise continued to annoy him, which ultimately forced him to give into Apple and pick up the annoying phone call that wasing from Misha.


    Having managed to escape from Jayden''s arms, Apple immediately rolled to her side on the bed and continued to sleep. It seemed, the drugs given by the doctorst night were still effective on her.


    Not long after, Apple fell back asleep and she could no longer hear what Jayden was saying to Misha, although she wanted to hear the conversation a little longer because Jayden''s tone turned very serious when he started speaking.


    This must have something to do with yesterday''s attack and Apple wanted to follow its progress, however, as soon as Apple turned around and felt the cool morning air, she was unable to fight her drowsiness and fell asleep almost immediately.


    "Do you have any proof?" Jayden asked, leaning against the wall, staring intently at Apple, watching how the woman fell asleep and no longer cared about her surroundings.


    Jayden listened to what Misha had to say for a while, then the phone call ended. He fell silent in contemtion.


    Jayden looked like he was deep in thought, the expression on his face was getting more and more dangerous. However, as soon as Apple''s calm sleeping face entered his line of sight, he shook his head slowly and gave a small smile before finally approaching the girl.


    Jayden knelt on the side of the bed, staring at his woman and kissing her forehead gently.


    "Sorry for not protecting you in time, I''ll be better after this and make sure you don''t get hurt at all," Jayden whispered to Apple, rubbing her rosy cheeks. "What have you done to me? Why do I feel sofortable with you?"


    It was a question Jayden kept asking himself. He felt Apple made him feel different.


    "Will you marry me?" Of course, the question did not get any answer, but when Jayden asked this important question, he did not hesitate at all. There was nothing that made him question his decision.


    This was very strange, but also a relief, because he thought he would not be with anyone in a serious rtionship for the next few years.


    But, now that he had found Apple and developed these feelings for her, Jayden felt a little giddy because this was his first serious rtionship, while what he had before was just a fling right here and there.


    Therefore, he wanted to make this rtionship work.


    Perhaps, it was time for Jayden to start asking for his mother''s ring, which was the heirloom of the Tordoff family.


    For some reason, Alina, his older sister, didn''t get the ring, so of course the heirloom would fall into his hands.


    ======================


    "Did I wake you up?" Jayden asked when he found Apple staring at him. He deliberately didn''t leave Apple alone in the room, and chose to do the rest of his work today via hisptop by sitting by the girl''s side.


    "No, I woke up because I am hungry," said Apple in a low voice. She nced at the window and found that it was already night. If she hadn''t been injured, she might have explored the beautiful ces in this resort. Too bad¡­ "Did I miss dinner?"


    Of course, Apple was starving because she had been asleep almost all day.


    "Yeah, you missed dinner. What do you want to eat? I''ll ask the kitchen to make it for you." Jayden then reached for the phone by his bedside, preparing to order food for his woman.


    Apple pursed her lips, contemting what she wanted to eat. On a cold night like this, of course eating something hot would be very pleasant.


    "I want to eat instant noodles."


    "Instant noodle?" Jayden''s brows furrowed when he heard that and this also made Apple frown.


    "What''s the matter?"


    "You mean noodles, don''t you?"


    "Yes, instant noodles. Haven''t you ever eaten instant noodles?" asked Apple, her eyes widened in surprise. It was the mostmon and inexpensive, but delicious, food that Apple thought everyone had eaten at least once in their lifetime.


    But, to Apple''s surprise, Jayden shook his head.


    "Seriously? Do you live under a rock?"


    "No, sometimes I live in a three-story mansion, or in a penthouse, or in a five-star hotel." Jayden smirked when he saw Apple''s annoyed expression. He knew it was an idiom, but Jayden took it seriously.


    "Are you showing off your wealth?"


    Jaydenughed when he heard that. "I just wanted to impress you a little." He then leaned in to kiss Apple''s lips. "But, after all, someday, what''s mine will be yours too."


    Apple sneered but then she patted Jayden''s shoulder and her eyes sparkled with joy. "How about you try eating instant noodles? There will always be a first time for everything."


    "I''m not sure they have instant noodles here," said Jayden skeptically.


    "You have so many subordinates and you can''t make them find a packet of instant noodles that you can find anywhere?" asked Apple, exaggeratedly.

 Chapter 581 SOMETHING PRECIOUS

    Chapter 581 SOMETHING PRECIOUS¡¡¡¡"I just wanted to impress you a little. Is it working?" Jayden then leaned in to kiss Apple''s lips.


    Apple rolled her eyes dramatically. "Not really, rich boy," she said lightly.


    Jaydenughed when he heard the endearment that Apple had used on him. "But, after all, someday, what''s mine will be yours too."


    Apple pouted but then she patted Jayden''s shoulder and her eyes sparkled with joy. "How about you try eating instant noodles? There will always be a first time for everything."


    Jayden''s brow furrowed. He was not sure that in a resort like this they would provide instant noodles. No one would ask for such food. "I am not sure they have instant noodles here," said Jayden skeptically.


    "You have so many subordinates and you can''t make them find a packet of instant noodles that you can find anywhere?" asked Apple in disbelief.


    Well, what Apple said was also true, if indeed instant noodles could be found anywhere, that meant it wouldn''t be difficult for his subordinates to find the food that Apple wanted, right?


    With that in mind, Jayden made a phone call and called Adrian to tell him what the man should be looking for.


    "Instant noodles?" Adrian repeated Jayden''s request in disbelief, his eyes wide, as if he had just heard some earth shattering news, while his fellow bodyguards stared at him in bewilderment. "Okay, yes, understood."


    Adrian listened to a few more instructions while nodding, but with a confused expression on his face and a furrowed brow.


    "What is it?" asked one of the bodyguards there while approaching Adrian with a worried expression. "Did something bad happen?" he asked warily.


    They had just been attacked in this ce, which was supposed to be a ce with heavy security, but the head of the family was actually attacked, so they wanted to make sure that everything was fine.


    "No, nothing bad happened, it''s just strange¡­" Adrian muttered. He stared at his phone screen, making sure that it was really Jayden Tordoff who had called him just now.


    "Then what is it?" asked the man curiously. He knew that something was not right from Adrian''s facial expression.


    "Mr. Tordoff asked us to find instant noodles."


    "Instant noodles?" The man was also surprised, as well as the other two bodyguards. "What for?"


    No one had any idea why Jayden Tordoff wanted that kind of food, since instant noodles were verymon for them, but they never even thought that Jayden Tordoff would eat instant noodles when there was a chef who had decades of experience at this resort, where he could ask to make any food.


    "You''re not kidding, are you?" he asked Adrian.


    "Of course not." At this point, Adrian had his own guess. There was no way Jayden Tordoff would suddenly want to eat something like that if it weren''t for Apple. That girl really had a strong influence on the heir to the Tordoff family.


    It seemed, just like his father, Jayden Tordoff would also go down the same path as Ramon did with Hailee.


    =========================


    "Since I don''t know what vor you like, I bought all the vors so you can choose your own," Jayden replied innocently, while Apple palmed herself at what this man had done.


    "You''re not serious about this, are you?" Of course it was a very unnecessary question, seeing there were three big boxes of instant noodles in different vors. Jayden was very serious about what he was saying right now.


    "Of course, I am serious. I will always be serious whenever ites to you," Jayden replied in a calm voice. He smiled cheerfully at the frustrated looking Apple.


    This time, the two of them were in a luxurious kitchen, with all kinds of very modern and extraordinarily expensive cooking utensils, just to cook two bowls of instant noodles, which Jayden very generously bought so much.


    As they entered the kitchen, a young chef on duty immediately prepared to summon their head chef, but Jayden immediately waved his hand, ignoring his question about what food they would like to eat, and telling him to step aside.


    They would call the young chef if they needed his help with something.


    "Now, what should we do?" Jayden asked. He wasn''t very good at cooking, because if it wasn''t for the Tordoff family chefs, his mother would be very happy to cook for their little family and that was enough for Jayden.


    Apple took a deep breath, then said in a resigned tone. Apparently, the first thing they had to sync up was how the logic of the two of them went.


    "Well, we can boil water first." Apple then took a pot and started boiling water, then she turned to the young chef and asked where they put the eggs or meat that she could add to the instant noodles.


    "Oh, over here," said the young chef with a face that was difficult to describe. He looked confused, but also worried. "This is meat of the highest quality," he said, then exined the quality of the meat and the price.


    It left Apple wincing when she heard it all. The price of four boxes of all the instant noodles alone was not worth the price of a piece of meat that the young chef gave her as a side dish to the instant noodles she was about to make.


    Apple seemed to understand why the chef mentioned the price and quality of the meat she was going to use, because he indirectly wanted to say that the instant noodles were not suitable for the meat to be used. He didn''t agree to use the expensive meat for the cheap instant noodles Apple was cooking.


    "Okay, thank you," said Apple as she took the two pieces of meat, ignoring the young chef''s exnation.


    "Oh, and this meat should be cooked to a certain temperature," he said, observing the meat in Apple''s hands with worried eyes.


    "Let her do what she wants," Jayden told the chef, as he kept telling Apple what to do.


    On the other hand, Apple smiled knowing how ridiculous this situation was, especially when she saw the pitiful expression on the young chef''s face, which looked like he was about to cry when she started to grill the meat.


    He looked like someone, who had just lost something valuable¡­


    Apple really wanted tough when she saw the man''s expression, because she didn''t treat this precious meat up to standard.


    "I think that''s enough, you can go," Apple said, sparing him the sight of his proud meat''s sad ending.


    It was not Apple''s fault that they only had high- end meat and didn''t have regr meat while all the ingredients there were premium.


    "You can go," said Apple repeating the sentence because the man just stood there looking sadly at the meat.


    "Oh, yes, okay..." he said slowly, as if he had just woken up from his daydream, then walked away from there.


    Apple chuckled at his defeated expression.


    It didn''t take long for Apple to finally cook the instant noodles and serve it to Jayden, who had been waiting for a long time.


    "Okay, this is the most expensive instant noodles dish I have ever cooked," said Apple as she served the bowl of noodles in front of Jayden which made the man smile.


    Jayden then took out his cellphone and took a photo of the bowl of noodles in front of him.


    "You took a photo?" asked Apple with a furrowed brow, because Jayden didn''t usually take pictures of the food he was about to eat.


    "Yes, because this is my first time eating instant noodles, of course I have to capture the moment," Jayden said lightly. He then uploaded the photo with the caption ''first time'' and tagged Apple''s social media ount.


    At this point, Apple didn''t know this, she would only figure it out the next morning when she found out that so many people had suddenly followed her ount and had to change the settings to private.


    "Why are you smiling like that?" asked Apple confusedly when she saw how Jayden smiled while staring at his phone screen, before he returned to face the instant noodles in front of him.


    "It''s nothing," Jayden replied lightly as he put away his cell phone and started eating enthusiastically. "This is so delicious."


    Hearing that, Apple could only grimace and say nothing, but then Jayden wondered about Apple''sck of response.


    "What is it? There is something wrong?" he asked, while Apple sat beside him, starting to eat.


    "I am not sure if you mean the instant noodles or the meat and all these side dishes," she said in an unconcerned tone. "I feel like this bowl of instant noodles symbolizes me while the side dish is you."


    Jaydenughed when he heard the analogy, then he kissed Apple on the cheek softly while speaking gently. "No matter how delicious the side dish is, these instant noodles are still the main highlight. After all, who said that instant noodles are not delicious? This is the main focus of our super."


    "You can''t say it is delicious when you haven''t eaten yet."


    "I can feel it."


    Apple giggled when she heard that. "Are you trying to please me?"


    "Did that work?"


    Apple thought for a moment then gestured with her two fingers. "A little."


    "I should try more then," Jayden said lightly, then started eating his food again.


    Meanwhile, a certain person in the Tordoff family saw thetest post that Jayden shared on his social media ount. After all, he very rarely shared private photos and almost never did that.


    "He makes me cringe," Misha muttered when he saw the post.

 Chapter 582 I AM NOT A PREDATOR!

    Chapter 582 I AM NOT A PREDATOR!¡¡¡¡After they finished eating, Apple was about to wash their tes, because this had be a habit of hers. And also since she didn''t want to leave two dirty tes and a pot there. Washing these things wasn''t a big deal anyway, but Jayden took the tes first and walked toward the kitchen sink.


    "You have cooked, let me do the dishes," Jayden said in a low voice as he started to wash their tes.


    "Wow, I didn''t know the heir to the Tordoff family was so reliable," Apple teased as she followed Jayden and stood by his side.


    "Are you impressed with me now?" Jayden asked, and winked at Apple which made herugh.


    "A little." Apple brought her index finger and thumb together until they were almost touching each other, indicating how little impressed she was with him.


    "You are really bad at judging," Jayden protested.


    However, Apple did not really care about this and continued to pay attention to what the man was doing right now, as he washed all the dirty tes and the pot.


    After they finished with their supper and were about to return to their room, Apple suddenly stopped right in front of their bedroom door and turned around, making Jayden frown, wondering what had gone wrong again.


    "We are going to sleep in the same room?" Apple frowned.


    "Yes, of course, we did it yesterday." Jayden smiled a little when he saw the look on Apple''s face when he brought upst night''s events and of course he knew what was going through Apple''s mind right now. "Hey, I am not a monster, we are not going to do anything, you and I are injured and neither of us are under the influence of alcohol. As long as you don''t tease me, I think we will both be fine and can spend the night in peace."


    "What do you mean by me teasing you?" Apple narrowed her eyes at Jayden. She could feel blood rushing to her face now at what Jayden had just said, not to mention the fact that there were several bodyguards there listening to their conversation.


    Even if they didn''t show any reaction and didn''t say a word, Apple knew they were listening.


    Based on her own experience, Apple knew that this would be the subject of gossip for themter when they were on a break. After all, Apple had been a bodyguard for Jayden Tordoff before.


    "Have you forgotten? If I¡­" Jayden didn''t have time to finish his sentence when Apple covered his mouth and dragged him into the room.


    Quickly, Apple closed the door behind her and locked it.


    At first, Apple wanted to ask Jayden to find another room, or Apple would be happy to move to another room if Jayden objected, because after all, this room was a VVIP suite, so it would only be fair if Apple was the one who left.


    It just didn''t look like that was going to happen.


    "You don''t have to be so aggressive with me," Jayden protested, but his eyes showed that he didn''t mind at all when Apple was being aggressive with him. He even tended to like this¡­ "And you don''t have to lock the door, I will guarantee you I am not going anywhere."


    Apple rolled her eyes dramatically as she walked toward the bed. "Don''t talk with underlying meanings."


    "I didn''t do that¡­" Jayden raised his hands in a surrendering gesture, but then he walked over to Apple. "What are you doing?"


    Jayden looked at Apple piling the pillows she could find in the middle of the bed and immediately understood what she meant.


    "I am not sure those pillows can stop you," Jayden said, folding his arms across his chest as he smiled sweetly at Apple. "I can vouch for that."


    Jayden again reminded Apple that she was the one who had teased him, which ended up in both of them having an intimate momentst night.


    "Stop saying weird things," Apple grumbled, casting a fierce re at Jayden and continuing what she was doing.


    "I didn''t say anything weird," protested Jayden who walked to his bedside and took extra pillows from the cupboard, then helped Apple to build her ''defense''.


    Not only that, Jayden took this matter even further, just to annoy this girl, as he took out his cell phone and asked Adrian for extra pillows, which confused Apple.


    "What are you doing?" Apple asked when Jayden had just hung up the phone call. "What are so many pillows and nkets for?"


    "I am helping you to build this ''fortress'', after all I have to protect myself, right?" Jayden answered innocently, he even looked serious when he said that. "No one can guarantee that I won''t be attacked tonight."


    "JAYDEN!" Apple''s face turned red when she heard this and this made Jaydenugh out loud. "You say it like I am a predator!"


    "No, I didn''t say that, but you really forced me to do that." Jayden had a hurt expression on his face, but the look in his eyes betrayed his spectacr acting.


    This irritated Apple, as she threw a pillow at him. "I am not like that, it''s because I was drunk!"


    "Drunk people usually show their true nature," Jayden retorted. "I suspect that you actually harbor such feelings for me."


    "JAYDEN!" Apple''s face turned even redder when she heard this and this made Jaydenugh even more.


    ========================


    The sun still hadn''t risen at the horizon, but Jayden had woken up and when he turned to his left, he found Apple curled up at his side. This girl didn''t seem to be aware that she had broken down her self- made ''wall of defense'' and approached Jayden.


    Smiling slightly, Jayden pulled Apple closer to him and hugged her tightly, while the girl snuggled closer to him without even noticing.


    "I told you, didn''t I? You are going to try to get close to me," Jayden muttered as he kissed the top of Apple''s head and fell back asleep again. He felt veryfortable with Apple in his arms.

 Chapter 583 I CANT BELIEVE YOU TWO

    Chapter 583 I CAN''T BELIEVE YOU TWO¡¡¡¡Apple woke up when she felt Jayden''s body press very tightly against hers and made it a little difficult for her to even breathe. Even though the air conditioner was running quite fine, it didn''t seem like it had much effect on Jayden who was sweating and burning hot.


    This made Apple feel a little ufortable until she opened her eyes, whereupon she found herself in Jayden''s arms. Before she knew it, one of them had torn down the ''barriers'' made of pillows.


    Sounds ridiculous, but that was what happened, only Apple had not had a chance to protest about it when she felt Jayden''s hot body under her palms until it made her frown.


    Apple then reached out to touch Jayden''s forehead, in order to check his temperature and how surprised she was when she found that this man had a high fever.


    "Jayden¡­" Apple called his name softly, but upon getting no reaction, she called him louder while shaking his body. "Jayden."


    A low moan escaped Jayden''s lips when he finally opened his eyes and found Apple shaking him worriedly.


    "What is it?" Jayden hugged her again and made Apple feel so hot again. Since when did he have a fever like this? Wasn''t he finest night? Apple got a little confused because of this.


    "You have a fever."


    "I don''t have a fever. Ow!" Jayden grimaced as Apple pinched his waist because he was denying his own body condition. "I''m fine."


    "You''re not okay," Apple said firmly, after which she freed herself from Jayden''s embrace and distanced herself. "I''ll call the doctor."


    "No," Jayden said quietly. "I will be fine. I just need some sleep."


    Jayden tried to reach for Apple, but the girl had gotten out of bed and walked briskly toward the door to call for Adrian, while the man was standing right behind the door with another person on guard.


    "You surprised me," Apple said, as if scolding him for surprising herself.


    "I''m the one who should say that." Adrian touched his chest dramatically when he saw how Apple looked now.


    Not only were her face and hair messy, even the clothes she was wearing looked rumpled.


    "At least fix your appearance before meeting someone," Adrian grumbled. "You scared me."


    Thatst statement was too much. When they first met, Adrian looked down on Apple because she was a woman even though she was the daughter of Pyro, since he didn''t see her that way.


    It wasn''t until Apple had taught him a lesson or two that he could appreciate herself better.


    Annoyed, Apple ruffled her hair with her hands while saying urgently. "This is no longer my problem. You should find a doctor for Jayden."


    "What''s wrong with Mr. Tordoff?" asked Adrian, his expression serious. "Is he sick?"


    "Yeah, looks like he got a fever. His body is very hot."


    Adrian then took out his cell phone to call the Tordoff family doctor. "Could it be because of the instant noodles he atest night?"


    "Impossible," said Apple, waving her hand. "I ate the same instant noodlesst night and I''m fine."


    "But you''re used to eating instant noodles," said Adrian while making a phone call. "Jayden Tordoff''s stomach is definitely different. He''s not used to eating cheap food like that."


    Apple sneered when she heard that. "Seriously, how could youe up with such a ridiculous excuse?"


    However, Apple was actually quite worried that it was because of the instant noodles they atest night, because after all, what Adrian said was true. Jayden wasn''t used to eating such food.


    ======================


    "Seems like you''ve been seeing doctors a lottely," Mishamented as soon as the Tordoff family doctor stepped out of the room, after checking on Jayden. While Apple was together with Hailee, escorting the doctor while listening to his further exnation.


    "Stop it. Not now," Jayden groaned in annoyance. His head ached terribly and throbbed exasperatedly. "Can you close the curtains? The sun''s rays make my head hurt even more."


    Jayden closed his eyes as the midday sun shone straight at him and dazzled him.


    "With pleasure," said Misha, who then stood up and walked toward the curtain, but instead of closing the curtain, he pushed it asidepletely, which made Jayden curtsy. He threw pillows at him immediately.


    Misha easily dodged Jayden''s pillows. Even after four pillows were thrown at him, not a single one could hit him.


    "Your pitch sucks," Misha said.


    "Close the curtains," Jayden grumbled as he hid himself under the covers, avoiding the midday sun.


    "Now I wonder, why are there so many pillows and nkets in your room? What are so many pillows for?" Misha noticed this oddity, but Jayden was hiding under the covers. "Hey, I''m asking you."


    Misha then pulled the nket over Jayden and put it away from him.


    "Are you molesting me? I''m sick," Jayden growled. If only his head didn''t feel like it was going to burst, he would have beaten Misha up for what he did just now.


    "You just have a fever, don''t be so dramatic." Misha then gave back the nket he had taken. "I have information we need to discuss regarding the Gevano family."


    "You can discuss thatter," said Apple, who walked into the room and found it very bright because all the curtains were open. "What''s going on here?"


    Hearing Apple''s voice, Jayden emerged from under the covers and whined at her. "He bullied me." Jayden pointed at Misha, "I told him to close the curtains but he opened them all instead."


    For a moment, Apple stood between the two cousins ??and stared at them one by one in disbelief.


    "People will find it hard to believe you two were actually grown men, because you two were behaving so childishly."


    "I just teased him a little," Misha said defensively.


    Only, Jayden did not ept it. He then pointed at his cousin. "He always bullied me. Even since childhood he has always bullied me."


    On the other hand, Apple shook her head tiredly. "I can''t believe the two of you."

 Chapter 584 PUNISHMENT

    Chapter 584 PUNISHMENT¡¡¡¡It could be said that Jayden was very fussy when he was sick and very clingy to say the least, because he did not want Apple to leave his side at all. Even if the girl got out of bed just to go to the toilet, Jayden became very noisy by asking where she wanted to go.


    "I want to pee, you want to monitor me while I''m peeing?" asked Apple irritably, but what annoyed her even more was the fact that Jayden took the question seriously.


    The man blinked a few times and asked innocently. "May I join?" he even blinked cutely.


    Apple then answered by shoving a pillow in his face, as she walked away from this unbearable man.


    "Why did you do that to me? I am sick," Jayden mumbled as hey back on the bed. "Don''t stay in there too long."


    Apple then gave him the middle finger while looking fiercely at him.


    "Oh, girl, you should be punished for that attitude," Jayden said in a calm voice. "If only I wasn''t sick, I would have given you a very good punishment," said Jayden.


    But, Apple didn''t listen to him at all, she even preferred to stay in the bathroom for a while, calming herself before she got out of there and faced Jayden''s sometimes unreasonable attitude.


    How could Apple not be stressed, when the man hugged her very tightly while his body was burning at thirty- eight degrees Celsius? To make things worse, he wouldn''t let go at all. Clinging his hot body to hers. Apple felt like she was being roasted when he did this.


    But, as soon as Apple shut herself in the bathroom, Jayden''s frowning expression turned serious as he picked up the phone that Apple had kept away from him because he didn''t stop making phone calls to Misha which made him restless.


    The problem was; Misha had important information about the Gevano family and they needed to act quickly on this and although Misha said he could handle it himself, Jayden didn''t want to leave it to him, because he wanted to be involved too.


    However, Apple was on Misha''s side and kept the phone away from Jayden.


    "So, how''s it going?" Jayden asked Misha in a cold voice. He wouldn''t let this ruin his ns at all.


    "Shouldn''t you be sleeping?" Misha asked in an irritated voice, while behind him Jayden could hear the screams of several people begging Misha for mercy. They seemed to be being tortured and Misha didn''t care at all about it.


    "Just answer first," Jayden said impatiently. Apple coulde out of the bathroom at any time and the girl would snatch his phone. Apple could be as fierce as his mother when she wanted to.


    "I learned the Gevano family was nning another one of their deliveries again. The shipment will be one month from now, if we find out the day of the delivery, maybe we can catch them red-handed this time," Misha exined.


    Meanwhile Jayden listened to what Misha said while listening to Apple''s movements in the bathroom, predicting when she woulde out, because he didn''t want to be caught on the phone with Misha.


    "Okay, how much information did you get on that so far?" Jayden then heard Apple finishing her business in the bathroom and before Misha could answer he quickly ended the call. "Apple ising. Don''t call me."


    After that, the call was cut off, which made Misha stare at his phone screen in disbelief, how could Jayden tell him not to call himself when he was the one who called him.


    "You really can''t be trusted," Misha grumbled. "Apple has you wrapped around her little finger."


    Meanwhile, Apple walked toward Jayden who looked like he was sleeping, but her instincts told her differently, somehow she didn''t believe this and walked to the side of the bed to look at Jayden''s cell phone lying on the table.


    That was when Apple found out that Jayden wasn''t sleeping and had just used his phone.


    "So you called Misha again?" asked Apple, whoter got no response from Jayden. "I know you''re not sleeping."


    Jayden then opened his eyes slowly. "Would you be angry if I told the truth?"


    Apple just raised an eyebrow without saying anything, which made Jayden then sit up and pull her hand to sit beside him.


    "How did you know I just called Misha?" Jayden asked very softly as he hugged her body tightly, making Apple flinch. Jayden''s body temperature still hadn''t gone down and this worried her.


    "Your phone''s position shifted a few inches," Apple replied lightly which made Jayden release his arms and stare at Apple with an expression that was filled with disbelief. "What?"


    "You pay attention to things to that detail?" he said with a surprised expression on his face. "Am I dating a psychopath?"


    "What?!" Apple hit Jayden for hisments. Forget about him being sick, his words really pissed Apple off.


    =========================


    Today was thest day of their stay at the resort and tomorrow afternoon they would return to city A. But because Jayden was sick, he couldn''t attend thest party held, as a closing event.


    "You can go alone," Jayden told Apple. "I don''t want you to miss this moment."


    Apple pursed her lips. "I won''t miss anything, the only people I know are you and your parents, but they both havee back first. So, there''s no need for me to be at the party. After all, I''ve been to a barbecue before. It won''t be much different."


    Apple then slung the jacket over Jayden''s shoulders as the man stood on the balcony looking up at the mountains that looked like dark silhouettes under the night sky.


    "Okay, if you prefer to be here with me," Jayden said, he then felt Apple hugging him from behind and this made his heart melt a little.


    "I don''t think I have any other choice," Apple replied lightly.

 Chapter 585 WILL YOU DATE ME?

    Chapter 585 WILL YOU DATE ME?¡¡¡¡Tonight felt so much different from the previous nights at this resort, a lot had happened during their three days stay here, and now Jayden was sick.


    Jayden''s condition had gotten better a little, but it was certain that he shouldn''t move around much and shouldn''t be too stressed either and moreover, the food he consumed must be taken care of.


    In a way, it seemed that the instant noodles they had for dinner really didn''t fit in the stomach of the heir to the Tordoff family, as it was thest thing Jayden''s body needed to finally copse.


    It seemed Jayden hadn''t been paying much attention to himtely and the incidents of thest few days served as factors in why he fell sick now.


    Apple saw Jayden standing on the balcony and then immediately took the jacket slung over the chair and draped it around his shoulders.


    She didn''t know what got into her, but she felt like hugging the man. Feeling grateful for what he had done for herself.


    "Okay, if you prefer to be here with me," Jayden said. He then felt Apple hugging him from behind and this made his heart jump a little surprised because it was not usual for Apple to be clingy like this.


    But, Jayden liked it, he liked that Apple started to warm up to him. This actually meant a lot to him.


    "I don''t think I have any other choice," Apple replied lightly. She closed her eyes as she leaned her side against Jayden''s broad back and took a deep breath. Her senses were filled with Jayden''s signature scent and it looked like it would forever be etched in Apple''s memory.


    "Only now do you realize that you have no other choice?" Jayden asked, cing his hands on Apple''s and feeling the girl''s body very close to him. There was no way he''d have anyints about this.


    Jayden had forgotten when he had felt sofortable as he was now, or who had given him this level offort before.


    But, he got it now from Apple and no words could express how much he cherished moments like this with this girl.


    For a moment, the two of them didn''t say anything, there was nothing they wanted to say, but even so, this silence wasfortable. They didn''t feelpelled to talk about anything, just enjoying each other''spany.


    This was a very pleasant thing.


    "Do you want to go on a date with me?" Jayden then asked Apple after a few minutes that passed in peaceful silence. "I remember that I never actually asked you out."


    "Yeah, I don''t think we''ve ever been on an actual date. We have jumbled up the steps while going into this rtionship."


    Jaydenughed, he rubbed Apple''s arms around his waist, then slowly pulled out of her embrace and turned around so he could see the sweet girl who had made his world feel so different.


    "What do you think is the correct order?" Jayden asked, he pulled Apple closer to him, cing his hand which was still warmer than normal at the side of Apple''s face. He gently caressed her cheek, looking at her with peaceful eyes.


    "Hm¡­" Apple thought for a moment. "You should approach me, flirt with me, say you like me and then date me and then I''ll decide if I want to be your girlfriend or not."


    Jayden raised his eyebrows in disbelief andughed at her upon hearing this. "Yeah, it looks like the order is really messed up."


    Apple then giggled when she realized that the order was really messed up and Jayden really liked the sound of herugh.


    And that was what Jayden told her. He leaned in and put his lips right next to Apple''s ear. "I love yourugh," he whispered into Apple''s ear, which made the girl shiver, feeling Jayden''s warm breath on her neck.


    "If you really like it, you have to keep making meugh," Apple said, her voice so low that she blushed a little because she was so nervous about this closeness.


    "That was my n." Jayden then kissed Apple on the cheek, tracing her jaw and chin. "I n to make youugh as long as I live."


    Jayden then kissed the tip of Apple''s nose, her eyes and then forehead, which made the girl freeze while biting her lip.


    The tension between them really made her forget to breathe.


    "I n to make youugh as long as I live, as long as you''re with me, and all the days we''ll spend together," Jayden said solemnly. He had found her, the woman he wanted to spend his life with.


    His father once said, when he was with his mother, he felt that he could not say anything, but felt very satisfied just by feeling her existence, that was when he knew that he had found the woman he wanted.


    And that was how Jayden felt now with Apple.


    "Will you date me?" Jayden asked in a soft voice.


    "Sure, let''s do it." Apple smiled sweetly. She could feel her chest tighten from feeling so happy.


    But, just as Jayden was about to lean over to kiss her, the cell phone in Jayden''s pocket suddenly lit up and this took them both by surprise, as if the romantic spell that enveloped them had been broken and this made both of them slightly pull apart from each other.


    Slightly annoyed, Jayden took his cell phone from his trouser pocket and then threw it on the bench on the balcony when he saw that the caller was Misha, after turning it off.


    And without waiting any longer, Jayden pulled Apple''s waist closer to him and kissed her passionately. There were no soft touches or whispers of sweet nothings that could leave one''s heart fluttering.


    This time Jayden proceeded a little harshly, as if he wanted to assert his domination. He wanted to say that this woman was his and no one should have her.


    Meanwhile, Apple put her arms around Jayden''s neck, letting the man do what he wanted to do to her¡­

 Chapter 586 RAIN IN THE MORNING

    Chapter 586 RAIN IN THE MORNING¡¡¡¡Ah¡­ Apple couldn''t believe she did this. How could she do this? Shouldn''t she be holding back?


    What excuse did she have this time? She was not drunk and was not under any influence. She was also very aware of what the two of them were doing and what was about to happen, but she gave in.


    So what reason could she use now after what happenedst night?


    Damn.


    Apple didn''t know what kind of reaction to give or what to say to Jayden when the man woke up.


    Apple slowly opened one eye and found that Jayden was still fast asleep. He didn''t look like he was going to wake up in the next few hours.


    But, sooner orter, he would wake up and Apple would have to face him. Should she run away now? Or give Jayden sleeping pills to keep the guy asleep until they leave the resort?


    No. No. No.


    She couldn''t possibly give Jayden sleeping pills for that kind of reason. And now Apple was even more frustrated.


    She could feel their bodies intertwined under the nkets, as Jayden''s arms wrapped around her bare back, diffusing warmth andfort, and it seemed his body temperature had returned to normal, which was a very good thing.


    But, considering what happenedst night¡­


    Apple closed her eyes tightly, trying not to remember anything fromst night, but it seemed she couldn''t do that at all. This was something she had to face. There was no way she could just forget about it.


    As for what happenedst night...


    Apple remembered very clearly the passion they shared and also how Jayden''s body felt so close to her body.


    There was nopulsion and no reason for her to refuse this man. The two of them were not under any influence and did so knowingly.


    Meanwhile outside the sun, which should have risen, was covered by dark clouds with an overcast sky indicating that it was going to rain soon.


    Apple then raised her head and looked at Jayden closer. She could see every single feature more clearly, the corners of his lips, the tip of his nose and also the stubble that had started to grow around his chin, his furrowed brow, which showed how stressed he had been the past few days.


    But he always managed to seem okay in front of Apple.


    She then traced Jayden''s strong jaw, his lips. The stubble pricking her fingertips somehow made her feel calmer. She felt very at peace, lying beside this man, under the warm nket and on thefortable bed.


    While outside, it started to rain, the sound of the raindrops was like a melodious rhythm in the morning and made Apple get carried away.


    What a beautiful morning it was, but the man by her side was so much more beautiful than anything else.


    "Don''t do that," Jayden muttered with his eyes still closed. He had been awake since Apple touched his lips, but was trying his best not to make any surprising moves, because he wanted to know what else this girl wanted to do.


    "Why?" asked Apple, her voice a whisper, as she ran her fingers over Jayden''s bare skin and found a scar on his right shoulder. She ran his thumb across the scar. "What''s with this?" she asked.


    "Shot two years ago," Jayden said, he then opened his eyes and caught Apple''s hand, gripping it tightly because her touch was so intoxicating and this morning he wanted to have a conversation with her, after what happenedst night, to make sure they were both okay.


    "What happened?" asked Apple, she looked into Jayden''s eyes gently.


    Maybe it was because of the rain outside that made the atmosphere in this room so romantic until it felt like it had a deep meaning.


    "I was trying to find out about the organization that had kidnapped me and when I was about to catch them, there was gunfire and I wasn''t careful enough." Jayden summed up the horrific scene so well, omitting the horrific parts, so it didn''t sound so dangerous.


    But, Apple could read everything in between the lines, and her brow furrowed.


    While Jayden who saw her expression leaned over and kissed the top of Apple''s head gently.


    "I don''t want to talk about anything bad this perfect morning," he said softly, pulling Apple even closer, making the girl very aware that there wasn''t a single piece of cloth standing in the way of the two of them.


    But, Jayden didn''t seem to mind it, he even lookedfortable and this made Apple feel the same way.


    "Then what do you want to talk about?" asked Apple again. She rested her head on Jayden''s shoulder, causing the man to take a deep breath.


    A peaceful hush fell over the two of them, while the sound of raindrops sshing on the window sounded so sweet.


    "Are you okay?" Jayden asked. He hugged Apple tighter, as if to say he was by her side and always would be.


    "Yes," she answered. She knew what Jayden meant. "I''m fine."


    Jayden nodded. "I hope this time I got your consent."


    Apple bit her lip when she heard that, then she stretched her body and piled her body on top of Jayden''s chest, as she looked at him deeply.


    "Yes, you did," she said softly.


    Maybe it was because it was raining out there, which pushed their feelings up a bit and made the two a lot morefortable with each other than the time they had spent together before.


    Jayden reached out his hand and tucked a strand of Apple''s hair behind her ear, while Apple continued to stare at him wordlessly.


    She didn''t know since when she had this feeling, but yes¡­ she liked this man and wanted to have this kind of rtionship with him.


    Then slowly, Apple kissed Jayden''s lips. For the first time, it was she who took the initiative to carry out the first movement¡­

 Chapter 587 A DROP OF BLOOD

    Chapter 587 A DROP OF BLOOD¡¡¡¡"Hwatchi¡­" Apple rubbed her nose after she sneezed and wondered if she caught the flu. Her body wasn''t very hot, but of course her body temperature was above the normal temperature of a healthy person.


    Meanwhile, Jayden that was lying by her side just smiled at her, who didn''t stop sneezing. He then handed her a box of tissues.


    "I think I infected you," he said lightly, while Apple took the tissues and snorted hard, showing how annoyed she was.


    Now they were in the car, returning to city A after attending the luncheon.


    And since Jayden was reportedly still recovering from his fever, the two of them could skip thest get-together and head straight for the car.


    If only they had known, Jayden was much healthier than he looked. It could even be said that he was so healthy that there was nothing to worry about.


    "It''s like you did infect me," Apple grumbled. She then threw the tissue in her hand into the almost full trash can in the car, staring at Jayden fiercely.


    "You''re not supposed to be around me when I''m sick, you know," Jayden defended, but his defense only made Apple more upset.


    "You don''t realize how clingy you can be?" Apple narrowed her eyes fiercely at Jayden. This man didn''t even let go of her from his embrace, so how could he say not to get close to him.


    "Oh yeah I forgot about that part." Jayden looked at Apple sitting next to him, while Anthony, who was sitting behind the wheel, stole nces at Adrian next to him. "But, at least you should be wearing clothes."


    Adrian and Anthony wanted to facepalm themselves when they heard those words spoken so casually and lightly by Jayden Tordoff. This man was really hard to believe. He actually said it with no restraint at all.


    "Jayden," Apple hissed, which only made Jayden tease her even more.


    "What? Did I say something wrong?" he asked with an innocent expression. "I am not lying¡­"


    "Jayden!" Apple growled and then covered the man''s mouth with her hand.


    Right. Mr. Tordoff''s mouth should be zipped. Adrian and Anthony readily agreed with Apple''s actions.


    Jayden wasn''t really speaking out loud and his voice even sounded like a whisper when he spoke, but in this confined space, with them being trained bodyguards, of course they could catch what Jayden said very clearly.


    =======================


    After returning from the resort, Apple took the time to stop by the hospital to see her father, who was still unconscious.


    Not much had changed, they were just waiting for Pyro toe to his senses, but it seemed the trauma in his head had put him in his current state and it might take him a little longer to get back to his normal activities.


    But, for now, his condition had stabilized and he looked much better.


    After visiting her father in the hospital, Apple then returned to Jayden''s penthouse, because the man had forced herself to stay there.


    Because after all, the security in the penthouse was much better than her home. And for security reasons, Apple had arguably moved to live in that ce for a while.


    "I''ll be back for dinner, okay?" Jayden kissed the top of Apple''s head as they arrived at the penthouse.


    "Are you leaving again?" asked Apple in disbelief. They had just arrived, and the two of them hadn''t even had a chance to sit down yet, but Jayden was about to leave again. "Where are you going?"


    "I have business to attend to," Jayden replied, then hugged Apple tightly. "If you think your flu is getting worse, give me a call or call the Tordoff family doctor right away, okay?"


    Jayden wanted to call the doctor before they departed, but Apple insisted she was fine. It was just a mild flu and she caught it from Jayden, so it wasn''t anything serious.


    "Where are you going?" asked Apple as she pulled herself away from Jayden, then red at him.


    "Work."


    Apple raised her eyebrows. "Work? Are you going to see Misha?" she asked in an using voice, as if she knew what Jayden would answer.


    "Why? Are you jealous?" Jayden touched the top of Apple''s nose andughed softly as he watched the girl try to p his hand away. "Don''t think anything of it, Misha and I are just cousins."


    This guy really knew how to divert the real issue with his absurd jokes.


    "Oh, should I worry now? You seem to like Misha more than me," Apple said, following Jayden''s game. "You''d rather be with him now than with me."


    "Nonsense," said Jayden, he frowned, when he heard that he liked Misha more. "There''s no way I like him, you''re much prettier than him. Ow!"


    Apple pinched Jayden''s waist for hisments. How could hepare Apple''s beauty to that of a man?


    "I''ll be back by dinner time, okay?" Jayden said with augh. "I promise I won''t bete."


    Hearing that, Apple could only sigh heavily. "Okay," she answered lightly while crossing her arms in front of her chest. "But don''t let me see any bloodstains on your clothes."


    "What?" Jayden was a little surprised to hear that.


    Then Apple walked over to tidy up the cor of his shirt. "You think I don''t know what you''re going to do with your dear cousin?"


    =======================


    Screams of pain could be heard very clearly in the room, echoing between the walls and giving anyone who heard them goosebumps.


    However, Misha and Jayden didn''t seem too affected by this scene before them.


    "These are the only people I can get hold of, while our men have already infiltrated into the Gevano familypany and are observing their movements." Misha reported this to Jayden. "Why are you standing so far away?" Misha frowned as he saw Jayden standing tightly against the wall, away from the torturing scene before his eyes.


    "Apple will kill me if my clothes get bloodstained," Jayden replied tly.

 Chapter 588 HER BIRTHDAY

    Chapter 588 HER BIRTHDAY¡¡¡¡"What is it?" asked Apple as she walked over to Jayden who seemed pensive. He looked like he was thinking about something and this worried her quite a bit.


    Luckily, the flu that Apple hadst night was just a mild flu. It was nothing to worry about, so she was able to attend today''s photo shoot without any problems.


    Ivan had already told her the few things she needed to know and now, Apple just had to go over to do that photoshoot.


    She was so nervous because it was her first time being in front of a camera, not to mention being the center of attention.


    But, it seemed Jayden''s reaction was much weirder than hers was. Since breakfast, he hadn''t talked much and preferred to be quiet.


    "It''s nothing," Jayden replied, looking as if he was just making up lies.


    Therefore, Apple immediately climbed onto hisp and straddled him, which made the man raise his eyebrows questioningly.


    "You excite me when you sit on me like this," Jayden said warningly, but he didn''t let Apple move away at all. Instead, he rubbed her thigh which was at his side.


    "Tell me, what''s wrong?"


    "Is this a new interrogation method?" Jayden asked, his voice a whisper and his face looking much more radiant than it had a moment ago.


    "Are you going to use this method to interrogate those poor people?" Apple put her hands on the sides of Jayden''s face and made the man look at her.


    "They''re bad people, not poor people," Jayden corrected Apple''s choice of words, bringing his lips to her chest.


    Today, Apple was wearing jeans and a ck shirt. She didn''t look over the top, but looked simple and elegant. Jayden liked what he saw and wanted Apple to stay home and not go anywhere, because he wanted to have this girl all for himself.


    Maybe this was the honeymoon phase that people always talk about, but Jayden felt that he would never be out of a phase like this.


    "Jayden!" Apple shoved Jayden in the face when she felt the buttons of her shirt being unbuttoned by his teeth.


    And sure enough, the man unbuttoned her shirt with his teeth, which made Apple stare at him in horror, but her flushed face couldn''t hide that she was feeling the other effects of Jayden''s silly actions.


    "I have to go." Apple immediately buttoned her shirt back. "I could bete." They were at Jayden''s penthouse and this man chose to stay there all day to take care of some work, since he didn''t have any meetings scheduled today.


    And of course, Apple was always amazed to see him wearing only home clothes. For some reason, it made this man look much hotter and sexier whenever he was only wearing training pants and a in white t-shirt.


    "Can''t you just stay home? I''m still sick," Jayden whined, which made Appleugh. No sick person looked as healthy as this man now.


    And just at that moment, Misha walked into Jayden''s study after only two knocks on the door and opened it straight away.


    The girl sitting on Jayden''sp, instinctively tried to get down from this position that absolutely no one should be looking at, but Jayden''s hands held her tightly, preventing her from moving anywhere.


    "I''m sure I''ve changed the password on that door. How did you get in?" Jayden asked groggily, while Apple rested her head on Jayden''s shoulder with herself still straddling him.


    On the other hand, Misha didn''t seem to notice the details as he ced some files on the table.


    "Changed the password to Apple''s birthday?" Misha eyed Apple''s back, from here he seemed to be able to hear the girl''s plea who wished that she could just disappear. "You have to try to be more creative."


    "Damn you, Misha!" Jayden grunted.


    "You''re wee." After saying that, Misha stepped away from Jayden''s desk. He didn''t want to be in the same room with these two perverted lovebirds. "At this rate, it looks like I will get a nibling sooner."


    Apple, who heard that, immediately raised her head and looked at him with a frown. "Stop that."


    However, Misha just shrugged his shoulders. "I don''t mind at all, at least my parents can leave me alone and not fuss over me to have children soon."


    That''s right, Lexus and Candice had been nagging him about this for a while now. Maybe with Jayden and Apple giving birth to a child, they could both get off of his back for a while.


    "Why didn''t you introduce the red- haired girl at the party that night to us? Why did you hide her?" Apple thought of the red-haired girl Misha brought to the resort. "Why? Because you don''t want me to tease you about that?"


    Misha squinted at Apple at herment. "If you don''t need me anymore, I''ll go."


    "No one asked you toe here! Do note back again!" Jayden grunted.


    But, Misha just raised his hand and waved at Jayden.


    "Looks like I''ll have to find anotherbination of numbers for the main door."


    ==========================


    Jayden asked Adrian to take Apple to the building where she would be shooting and asked him to wait there.


    At first Apple objected to this, but when Jayden exined that the Gevano family seemed desperate to get rid of him, and that Apple had to be careful, because she was directly involved with Jayden.


    Therefore, the existence of Adrian now was not an exaggeration. At least, Jayden wasn''tpletely crazy about sending a dozen people to guard Apple.


    Although the idea had crossed his mind for a moment, Apple immediately broke that crazy line of thought and chose to bring Adrian instead.


    "I didn''t think that you would date Mr. Tordoff," said Adrian, ncing at Apple sitting next to him.


    Adrian was a friend not a driver.


    "Yeah, I didn''t think so either."


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 589 PROPOSAL

    Chapter 589 PROPOSAL¡¡¡¡"I didn''t think that you would date Mr. Tordoff," said Adrian, ncing at Apple sitting next to him.


    Adrian was a friend not a driver for Apple now. Although their first meeting could not be said to be very pleasant for Apple, she didn''t think much about it now. After all, this man had started respecting her enough and had even stopped making annoying remarks just because she was a woman.


    "Yeah, I didn''t think so either," replied Apple.


    "And I couldn''t believe you were actually going to do a photoshoot. You being a model is the most absurd thing I''ve ever heard," said Adrian,ughing heartily.


    This of course prompted Apple to look at him fiercely. "What does it mean?" grumbled Apple in annoyance. So what if she did a photoshoot? "You think I''m not beautiful enough to be a model?"


    "No, it''s not like that. I don''t think you''re the type of girl who would jump into modeling." Adrian had been following Jayden for a long time and out of all the people who were after him, of course there were top models with all their mor and Apple didn''t fit that criteria at all.


    "Sometimes, life does give you unexpected surprises," Apple said wisely.


    "Are you philosophizing?"


    "Why? You''re getting more and more impressed with me?"


    Adrian grimaced hearing that statement.


    Not long after, they arrived at the building they were going to and Adrian immediately dropped her off in front of the lobby. Apple then leisurely entered the building.


    "Call me when you''re done," said Adrian before the girl got out of the car, which was answered with an exaggerated salute from Apple.


    This building looked luxurious and big, even more beautiful and aesthetic. And even though the magazine published by thispany discussed fashion and beauty as well as public figures, and was not a magazine from the upper ss, you could feel that this ce was afortable ce to work.


    Apple arrived fifteen minutes early when she walked over to the receptionist and they told her to wait in a room, while she had prepared some snacks and drinks for her.


    And when the door to the room opened a second time, Apple immediately stood up, thinking that it was Ms. Veronica whom she was going to meet today.


    However, her guess turned out to be wrong.


    "Ivan?" Apple blinked when she saw the figure of the man standing in the doorway smiling.


    "I''m here because I saw you walking into this room earlier," Ivan exined to Apple.


    "What are you doing here?" Apple smiled back at him and walked over to him, the two of them hugged. Just a casual hug between two friends, nothing more.


    After that, the two of them sat side by side.


    "I work here."


    Apple was quite surprised to hear this, because she knew that Ivan had his own photo studio, not to mention she even helped Ivan in running his photography business before.


    "Yeah, photography is my hobby and the studio is still running, it''s just not very profitable, so I chose to ept the offer from thispany," Ivan exined to her.


    "Are you going to take my picturester?" asked Apple, she would be morefortable if she knew someone here.


    "Yes."


    That answer pleased Apple and they chatted about a few things while waiting for Ms. Veronica, the editor-in-chief of the magazine.


    Also, the photo shoot went well and since Apple had already known Ivan, she wasn''t too tense about it.


    =======================


    "What are you doing here?" Misha looked at Jayden with a furrowed brow. Wasn''t this man nning to work from his penthouse, then why would he suddenlye in casual clothes to his study?


    "I want to ask your advice," said Jayden who then took a seat across from Misha and lightly closed the man''sptop so his cousin could concentrate only on him.


    "What advice?" Misha asked as he leaned back against the back of the chair and folded his arms across his chest. He looked impatient in dealing with his cousin.


    "I want to propose to Apple, what do you think is a good concept?" Jayden asked directly.


    Misha raised his eyebrows when he heard this. "The Gevano family is after your life and all you are thinking about is how to propose to your lover?" Misha clicked his tongue while shaking his head.


    "Isn''t that romantic? Romance and action."


    "I think you have your priorities wrong."


    "I don''t want to die alone."


    Misha snorted when he heard that. "Good reason."


    "It''s not like I''m going to marry her tomorrow anyway, I''m just asking you for ideas because I suddenly thought of this."


    Misha then pped Jayden''s hand off hisptop and opened it again while continuing his work which had been dyed.


    This was one of Jayden''s randomness that sometimes Misha couldn''t understand. He could think about one thing seriously, but in the next second he would be thinking about something else that was very much different in depth as well.


    "Come back and ask me after I proposed to someone."


    "Ah, I forgot that you don''t even have a girlfriend."


    Misha red at Jayden, but his cousin didn''t care at all.


    "Who was the red-haired girl at the resort that time? I''ve never seen you bring someone to a family event," Jayden inquired, but Misha kept his mouth shut and fell silent. "Or should I start my own investigation to find out who the girl is?"


    Since Misha always annoyed himself and Apple. There was no harm in returning the favor, right?


    ========================


    "I''ll take you home," Ivan offered when he saw Apple standing in the lobby.


    However, Apple politely refused. "No, there''s no need. Someone will pick me up," he said.


    "Mr. Tordoff?" Ivan asked probingly.


    "No, no, not him. Jayden will be very busy just to pick me up," said Apple, waving his hand. "My friend will pick me up."


    But, when the car Apple was waiting for arrived, the person behind the wheel was not Adrian.


    "Going home now?" Jayden asked.

 Chapter 590 THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH HER

    Chapter 590 THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH HER¡¡¡¡It was evening when Apple finally finished with her shoot. She was grateful that everything went smoothly. In fact, she felt much morefortable with Ivan there, considering they were quite close.


    "Mr. Tordoffing to pick you up?" Ivan asked when he found Apple waiting in the lobby.


    "No, no, not him. Jayden will be very busy just to pick me up," said Apple, waving her hand. "My friend will pick me up."


    Apple found it odd to refer to Adrian as her bodyguard or personal chauffeur, because they had worked alongside previously. And while they weren''t really friends, at least they weren''t enemies now.


    After all, Jayden had already sent Adrian to apany her all day, so there was no need for him toe, right?


    However, when the car Apple was waiting for arrived, the person behind the wheel was not Adrian whom she had expected.


    It was a red sports car that was quite striking and left those around them in awe when they saw the luxury car.


    And when the driver''s window rolled down, Apple was surprised to find Jayden there.


    "Going home now?" Jayden asked, and briefly nced at Ivan, but then turned his attention back to Apple.


    "I don''t think he is as busy as you say," Ivan whispered to Apple which made Jayden squint and decide to get out of the car.


    He was still wearing the training pants and white t-shirt he wore this morning, but he was covering his face with a baseball cap, so as not to attract attention.


    Because after all, it was certain that people would have a hard time mistaking the face of this heir of the Tordoff family.


    "Let''s go home," Jayden said, pulling Apple''s arm closer to him.


    Meanwhile, Ivan smiled kindly at Jayden. "We have met before. I am a photographer and friend of Apple."


    "The person who submitted her photos without permission to enter apetition?" Jayden remembered all those details. "Yes, I know you, Ivan Andreas."


    Apple bit her lip when she heard Jayden''s very calm voice. She felt she knew this man well enough to tell that behind Jayden''s soft voice there was something you should be worried about.


    "Oh, I am sorry about that¡­" Ivan looked embarrassed when Jayden said that. "I did not mean¡­"


    "It''s fine, I am quite happy that you can see her potential." Jayden patted Ivan''s shoulder lightly.


    And although their conversation sounded very civil and Jayden didn''t seem to mind what Ivan had done, somehow he felt that this was more like a threat and warning than small talk.


    And again, Jayden mentioned Ivan''s name which indicated, at least he had basic information about this man.


    "If there is nothing else you need, can we go now?" Jayden asked Apple who was standing by his side.


    "Of course," she said, tugging Jayden''s arm to quickly get out of there because the car had attracted too much unnecessary attention, not to mention that they realized that it was Jayden Tordoff who hade into the office building.


    A few weeks ago, Apple''s face had indeed looked recognizable as the girl who was dating Jayden Tordoff, but after the news died down a bit, miraculously, Apple photos became difficult to find.


    And even those who remembered her would not have guessed that she was here now.


    "Let''s go home," said Apple. "See youter, Ivan." Apple waved her hand at the man who replied with a smile.


    But Jayden had turned Apple around and pulled her into the car.


    "I thought you were busy, where''s Adrian?" asked Apple, as Jayden fastened her seatbelt, because sometimes this girl didn''t like wearing them, she felt tied down.


    "I sent him back." Jayden then drove the car out of the building area. "I am never busy for you," he added with a smile.


    "Oh, how lucky I am to have a boyfriend like you," said Apple with smiling eyes.


    "I told you, didn''t I? You have nothing to lose by having me as your lover," Jayden said with a proud voice.


    "Okay, okay..." Apple chuckled, she then looked at the night view of city A, which wasn''t too crowded. "Where are we going?"


    Apple realized that the route that Jayden took was not the road that led to the penthouse.


    "When''s your photo shoot again?" Jayden asked, watching the car behind him through the rear view mirror.


    "Four dayster, why?"


    "I want to take you somewhere."


    "Where to?"


    "Surprise. I won''t say it now."


    Apple then turned her attention to Jayden. "Is it far?"


    "Mm, far. We will be boarding my private ne for a few hours."


    "But I didn''t bring anything." Apple hadn''t even had time to pack anything up yet.


    "Don''t worry, I''ve prepared everything for you. By now your suitcase must be on the ne."


    "Dating you is full of surprises," Apple stated, but then she shifted in her seat so she was facing Jayden. "Is it just me or am I overreading the situation?"


    "Why is that?" Jayden nced at Apple briefly.


    "I had a feeling you seemed to be threatening Ivan earlier." Apple frowned as she made that statement and this made Jayden chuckle softly.


    "You''re not over thinking and it''s not just how you feel. I did threaten him." Jayden admitted honestly.


    "Why?" Apple didn''t remember that Ivan had done anything wrong to Jayden before.


    =========================


    After Apple and Jayden left in their luxury sports car, Ivan was still standing in the lobby until Veronika, the editor-in-chief of the magazine, approached him.


    "Jayden Tordoff really came to this ce," Veronica said as she stood by Ivan''s side. "You were right about that girl."


    Ivan nced at Veronica and walked back into the office building. "I already told you, didn''t I? That that girl really is Jayden Tordoff''s lover and their rtionship is serious."


    "I didn''t expect Jayden Tordoff to fall for a girl like her."


    "There''s nothing wrong with Apple. She''s a unique girl."

 Chapter 591 A RING

    Chapter 591 A RING¡¡¡¡Apple had no idea where Jayden was going to take her and she was too tired to think about it anyway.


    She was still tired from what happened while at the resort and also her activities all day. Although it was nice to experience new things and meet new people, posing away for photos almost all day really drained her.


    Undeniably, the feeling offort and security that she got from Jayden made her sleepy, especially because this car was enveloped by his distinctive aroma and soft music. Jayden''s soothing voice was like a luby that transported her to dreand.


    "¡­So that''s how it is¡­ what do you think?" Jayden then turned to Apple because he didn''t get any answer, but as soon as he looked at the woman, he found that she had fallen asleep.


    Her head was leaning against the window with her lips slightly parted, it was obvious that she was tired, this sight made Jayden smile.


    He stopped the car on the side for a moment, fortunately, they were not on the highway, after which Jayden took off his jacket and covered Apple with the jacket, before he continued driving.


    Jayden wanted all the best things for her and couldn''t wait to make her his,pletely his. He had never been so sure in his life like he felt toward her right now.


    Probably this was too fast, but he was someone who knew what he wanted and right now, Apple was all he wanted. There was nothing that could make him feel otherwise.


    He wanted her and that was all that mattered¡­


    =======================


    Apple woke up when she heard a very loud noise that disturbed her sleep. She rubbed her face and opened her sleepy eyes. When she looked around, she saw that she was on an airne runway.


    It was a small airstrip, which could be said to be privately owned.


    But, the question for Apple was; what were they doing here and why were they here? This made absolutely no sense to Apple, because she didn''t know if she was going anywhere.


    But wait a minute, didn''t Jayden say that they were going somewhere far away? Was this what he meant?


    Apple grimaced, sometimes you really couldn''t take the words of someone like Jayden lightly, because he would surely take this matter to a much worse level, which you would never have imagined.


    Apple then turned her head left and right to look for the man. She found Jayden talking to someone wearing a pilot''s uniform.


    On his left, Apple could see a ne with the Tordoff family logo, which deepened Apple''s suspicions that this man would take her to a faraway city, somewhere...


    Apple waited in the car until Jayden finished talking to the person and walked back to the car. He walked over to Apple''s side, because he thought the girl was still asleep and was about to pick her up.


    Unexpectedly, Jayden was confronted by Apple''s piercing gaze. She scowled with a displeased expression and he could guess what the problem was now.


    Jayden bent over and leaned into the car, with one arm resting on the car door frame and the other on the seat, right next to Apple''s thighs, to support her.


    "What is it? Hungry?" Seeing Apple''s sullen expression, Jayden wanted to tease her.


    Yes, she was hungry, but that was not the problem now. "Where are we going?" asked Apple straight to the heart of the matter. She looked at the ne behind Jayden.


    "We are going far away, I told you earlier," Jayden reminded Apple.


    "Yes, but why do we have to take the ne?" Apple frowned even more. "I don''t want to go."


    "You don''t want to go? But, I already bought tickets for both of us," Jayden said disappointedly.


    "Nonsense. Why are you buying a ticket when you are going on your own private ne," Apple grumbled, realizing that Jayden was just teasing her and this made the manugh.


    "If you don''t want to walk to the ne, I can happily carry you." Jayden then proved his point by putting his arm under Apple''s feet.


    But before he could pick her up, Apple started struggling as she didn''t want to be carried.


    "Come on, you promised toe with me, it won''t be long, only two days and we will go home, let''s just say this is my atonement for not being able to apany you around the resort thest two days." Jayden then knelt beside Apple, making everyone who saw this gape.


    How could the Tordoff heir let his expensive pants get dirty just to woo his woman? Men in the Tordoff family could be unbelievably unreasonable at times...


    "You don''t have to do that, I am not evenining."


    "But, I want to do it," he said very softly as he took Apple''s hand, looking at her expectantly. "I want to go on a vacation with you."


    Well, it looked like they really needed a vacation after all the things that happened and with the stress Jayden was facing in the form of threats from the Gevano family, of course Jayden needed this vacation more than anyone else.


    And in the end, Apple relented, which Jayden had predicted from the start. "I can walk by myself," Apple muttered as she gently pushed Jayden''s shoulder so she could step out of the car.


    "Okay," Jayden said cheerfully, he stood up and helped Apple to get out of the car and walk to the ne that was waiting for them.


    It was a private ne that could amodate about ten people and had an incredibly beautiful interior, where everything in there seemed to scream how much money Jayden had spent on such a private ne.


    While Apple was admiring the private ne, Jayden was thinking about something else.


    The only thing on Jayden''s mind was asking his mother for the Tordoff family ring.


    ================


    THIS BOOK IS PUBLISHED ON WEBNOVEL.


    Meet me on Instagram @jikan_yo_tomare.

 Chapter 592 YOU LEARN FAST

    Chapter 592 YOU LEARN FAST¡¡¡¡Apple didn''t know where Jayden was taking her, but she was certainly very happy to be here. This was her first time flying a private ne and wherever she was going, it seemed like it had be a second priority for her.


    "Are you happy?" Jayden asked as he handed her a ss of wine and sat down beside her.


    "Of course." Apple took the wine ss from Jayden''s hand, while the smile on her lips grew even more beautiful.


    Boarding a private ne while enjoying a ss of wine was something that Apple never imagined to be able to do. She never even dreamed of it, because to her, it was so unreasonable and a dream too far to realize.


    But, with Jayden by her side and by being this man''s lover, it seemed that no dream was impossible toe true.


    At this point, Apple really had nothing toin about, everything was perfect in her eyes. In fact, she still couldn''t believe that Jayden was really serious about her. Even now, she still had those doubts.


    "What do you think?" Jayden asked, kissing Apple on the cheek. They sat side by side watching the television showing a new movie, but neither of them was paying attention to the plot.


    "Nothing," Apple answered lightly, because she didn''t know what else to think now. Her lips curved into a sweet smile.


    "How about you think about what kind of concept you want for our wedding?" Jayden asked, his tone seductive and since he did this a lot, Apple didn''t take him seriously.


    "We will talk about marriage after you sessfully proposed to me first. It''s too soon to talk about that," Apple said in an even tone, resting her head on Jayden''s shoulder and snuggled into his arms.


    Oh, it is easy¡­ Jayden thought. He had nned it all.


    "What do you like about me?" Apple then asked a momentter, after letting a spell offortable silence to stretch between them.


    This was one of the things that Jayden liked, because they could both be quiet, without saying anything, but feelfortable just in each other''s presence.


    "I like everything about you." Jayden pulled Apple closer to him and hugged her warm body.


    "You know, there''s this saying that says when you like someone too quickly, you get bored of them quickly too." Apple raised her head to study Jayden''s expression when she said that. "What do you think?"


    "Of course, that is not true," Jayden replied with a chuckle, then he tapped the tip of Apple''s nose with his finger lightly. "Where did you learn such a stupid saying?"


    Apple shrugged her shoulders nonchntly and mumbled something incoherent.


    "You can take my word for it. Men in the Tordoff family have a slightly odd trait."


    "Yeah, I can see that," Apple said quickly, immediately agreeing that Jayden was weird, but the man tickled her in annoyance.


    "That is not what I meant," Jayden growled, feigning anger at being called weird by Apple. "What I mean is; the men in the Tordoff family knew exactly who they wanted to spend their lives with. We don''t y with our feelings when we''re serious about a rtionship."


    "What about Misha? You said that he changes his girlfriend every week?" This made Apple remember the food catering that changed almost every week.


    "Yeah, but nothing serious, it was all just a loop." Jayden knew this because Misha never introduced a woman to their family, except for the red-haired girl they saw at the resort the other day, therefore Jayden was very curious who the girl really was. "You want me to tell you about how my mom and dad met?"


    Apple raised an eyebrow, she heard a bit about it from her father, but never knew the details.


    "Is it okay?" asked Apple worriedly, though she was trying to suppress her curiosity.


    "Of course. This is a ridiculous story, you wouldn''t expect something like this to actually happen," Jayden said excitedly, as he started the story.


    Whenever Jayden revealed something about how Ramon and Hailee ended up together, Apple would widen her eyes in disbelief and say, ''Are you lying?'' And every time Jayden would make sure everything he said was true. He wouldn''t lie about it to her.


    "It''s like a made- up story¡­" Apple muttered as she looked at Jayden with a frown. She didn''t believe it, but why would Jayden lie to her about this?


    And while Apple had some doubts about the authenticity of the story, there was a part of her that believed every word Jayden said to her.


    "Of course not." This was Jayden''s first time telling all of this to someone, as no one outside of his immediate family knew the story.


    "Especially the contract¡­"


    "The contract became a souvenir and a keepsake for both of them. It''s even be an internal joke between them," Jayden said, then he added, "If you don''t believe me, you can ask my mother about itter."


    Just as Jayden said that, Apple realized something, which she should have noticed in the first ce.


    "Are we going to the ind?" she asked with her eyes wide open. Apple knew that Jayden''s parents lived on an ind owned by Ramon Tordoff.


    "Yes, we are going to meet my parents," Jayden replied.


    "Why didn''t you say anything?"


    "I didn''t even tell them." This idea just popped into his head and he couldn''t help but follow it. "Don''t worry, we will stay at the hotel, and not at their house."


    Jayden couldn''t stand seeing the two of them making out all the time.


    "So, what do you like about me?" He asked the same question to her to even the number.


    Apple red at Jayden. "You are handsome, rich and can make all my dreamse true," replied Apple curtly and this made Jaydenugh.


    "You learn fast."


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 593 SLEEPING SOUNDLY

    Chapter 593 SLEEPING SOUNDLY¡¡¡¡They reached the ind an hourter and soon after that a car was waiting for them to take the two to the hotel.


    Because it was veryte, so of course the visit to Ramon and Hailee''s house had to be postponed until tomorrow morning. After all, they were too tired from this impromptu trip initiated by Jayden because he couldn''t contain his impulsive urge.


    Upon their arrival in the hotel room, Apple immediately cleaned herself up, especially from the make-up she had gotten for today''s photo shoot.


    "Here''s your shirt," Jayden said as he stepped into the bathroom, carrying a shirt that Apple could wear for her to sleep in.


    "JAYDEN!" Apple immediately pulled the curtain to cover her naked body. She was already suspicious when she saw this bathroom key that didn''t work. It must be the man''s doing. "You can just put it outside!"


    Jayden looked at Apple, who was poking her head from behind the curtain, with an innocent look. "But, you have toe out wearing nothing then."


    Apple really wanted to throw something at Jayden''s head so he could think a little more clearly.


    "There''s a bathrobe in here! So, why should Ie out of the bathroom naked?" She wanted to facepalm herself for the nonsensical reasons given by Jayden.


    "Oh, right. I didn''t think that far." A smile tugged at the corners of his lips when Jayden said that.


    And of course Apple knew that the man was just covering up his lies. A person as smart as Jayden couldn''t have forgotten such a tiny detail.


    "You''re a pervert!" Apple grumbled. "Now get out and don''te in again."


    "What is the problem? I''ve seen your body twice and I like what I see." Jayden blinked his eyes and kept teasing Apple.


    Meanwhile, Apple grabbed a handshower and was about to spray it on Jayden, but before she could do so, Jayden had first given her a warning.


    "If I were you, I wouldn''t do it, honey,. Because I wouldn''t wait for you in wet clothes and stay out of the room until you''re done with your shower. I''d simply join you if you got me wet." Jayden looked at Apple with his mischievous smile. "Or do you actually want to take a bath with me?"


    Apple growled in annoyance and shouted desperately. "Get out. Get out!"


    This time, Jayden came out of the bathroomughing happily, because he had managed to piss off Apple. And also after all, he didn''t want to keep Apple wet for long because that might make her catch a cold. She recently had a mild flu.


    And seeing Apple sick was thest thing he wanted because it would spoil the purpose of this trip.


    On the other hand, after Jayden came out of the room, Apple could finally take a shower in peace, but after she was done, her anger grew even more when she saw the clothes Jayden had prepared for her.


    It was a ck camisole that was so provocative, knowing Jayden''s nature, Apple knew he was doing this on purpose.


    "This guy needs to be taught a lesson," Apple muttered, then she put on the camisole and looked at herself in the mirror.


    Well, the annoyance she felt just now disappeared instantly, because this camisole was so beautiful and fit her body perfectly, as if it was made especially for her. And this camisole entuated her body precisely, making her look so exquisite and Apple had to say that she felt very sexy wearing this.


    However, the goal was not that. She intended to teach Jayden a lesson and that was what she was going to do now.


    Taking a deep breath, Apple then stepped out of the bathroom confidently and approached Jayden who was on the phone. He stood in the center of the room with his back to her.


    But, as soon as Jayden heard the bathroom door open, he immediately turned around and his first reaction really made Apple so confident and proud of herself.


    Perhaps this was the first time she had truly felt beautiful. Well, it was not that Apple thought she was ugly, of course she didn''t, but there would always be a sense of insecurity that she would feel from time to time.


    But, now that she saw how Jayden had reacted, for the first time, Apple hadplete confidence.


    Jayden''s eyes went wide when he saw Apple standing in the doorway in the ck camisole he''d put in the bathroom a few minutes ago, her long hair still slightly damp.


    She looks¡­


    He dunno¡­ Jayden couldn''t think of a word to describe the girl¡­


    "Yes, it is ok? I don''t understand what you''re saying," Jayden said while frowning. It was very difficult for him to concentrate when he saw Apple in that camisole. "I''ll call you backter."


    After that the connection was lost.


    The person on the other end of the phone call; "¡­"


    "I don''t think I have this camisole." Apple tossed her hair as she walked closer to Jayden. Her eyes fell on the man very seductively.


    She didn''t know if she was teasing Jayden or she was just making a fool of herself, as she had never done this before, but judging by Jayden''s reaction, Apple was confident enough to continue.


    "Yeah¡­ I bought it because I thought it would suit you very well." Even Jayden''s voice became heavy now as he said.


    "What do you think? Nice?" asked Apple, lightly touching Jayden''s shoulder.


    "Of course. More than beautiful." Jayden grabbed Apple''s hand, but the girl had deftly avoided him.


    "Shouldn''t you clean up yourself first?" Apple smiled as she walked backward to avoid Jayden. "Take a bath first and we can continue thister."


    And without saying anything, Jayden immediately walked to the bathroom and showered cleanly and quickly, because he couldn''t wait to continue what Apple had started.


    However, when he finished, he found that Apple was already sleeping soundly.

 Chapter 594 I WILL PAY FOR THAT

    Chapter 594 I WILL PAY FOR THAT¡¡¡¡When Jayden came out of the bathroom, he looked so excited, as if the exhaustion he was feeling and the fatigue and headache he was experiencing had no effect on him at all.


    He felt very refreshed, but his spirits immediately dampened when he saw Apple had actually fallen asleep while snuggling into her covers. Her face looked sound and peaceful, she even let out a soft snoring sound with her lips slightly parted.


    "You must be kidding me¡­" Jayden stayed where he was for a moment, blinking his eyes. "She is already sleeping?" he muttered to himself as he slowly approached Apple.


    The look of disbelief was still etched on his face very clearly. There was no way this could happen right? Seriously¡­


    "So what was I even excited about earlier¡­" Jayden muttered as he sat on the side of the bed, staring at the girl who was fast asleep on this big bed, as if she was no longer thinking about the world or whatever was happening around her, not even aware of a grown up man who was now looking at her in despair.


    This couldn''t have happened to him...


    Jayden then coughed, sounding so loud it didn''t look natural. He also plopped down beside Apple so hard it made the bed shift a little violently.


    But when he turned his head, he found Apple only frowning a little, but there was no sign of her waking up whatsoever.


    "No way..." Jayden grumbled. He then turned around and faced Apple''s face, staring at her with desperate eyes, because he didn''t know what to do now.


    Jayden then reached out his hand and was about to pinch her cheek, but on second thought, he also didn''t have the heart to wake Apple because she was sleeping so soundly.


    In the end, he took a deep breath and exhaled heavily and gently caressed the girl''s cheek before he finally pulled her into his arms.


    "How dare you Apple..." Jayden grumbled. "So, what should I do now..." he bowed his head solemnly, his gaze filled with sadness and annoyance.


    But, at this point, there was nothing he could do. He couldn''t actually wake Apple for such selfish reasons, could he?


    =============================


    Apple felt so refreshed and energized when she woke up this morning. She felt all her tiredness was gone as she slept so soundly.


    And when she felt the warm sunlight entering their room through the open window and the distinct smell of the sea, she seemed to be filled with an extraordinary energy.


    It was rare for her to wake up in such a light and carefree mood, therefore, to her surprise when she stretched her body and turned around, she found Jayden sulking while staring at her.


    "What is it?" asked Apple in bewilderment. She was still a little sleepy and being hugged by Jayden like this made her veryfortable. "Why do you look like you didn''t sleep all night?"


    Jayden hissed. "I didn''t sleepst night," he grumbled. He was sulking.


    "Why?" asked Apple, looking at him with an innocent face. "You have insomnia?"


    At this point, Apple hadpletely forgotten what she had donest night, because she didn''t think much of it and it wasn''t a big deal for her to remember it until this beautiful morning.


    "You really don''t remember?" Jayden asked in disbelief, to which to his horror, Apple shook her head. "You got me excited and left me to sleep one your own."


    "Just because of that?" asked Apple wide-eyed.


    "Not ''just because of that''. This is a big problem." Jayden pinched the tip of Apple''s nose in exasperation. "You have no idea how tormented I was."


    Hearing Jayden say that, Apple just burst outughing.


    "Okay, should I pay for it now?" asked Apple in a low voice, whispering into his ear, which made Jayden smile happily.


    "You have to pay it along with the interest¡­" Jayden replied.


    =======================


    It seemed like it would be very wrong to call this a brunch or breakfast, since it was now close to lunch time.


    "Eat slowly, no one will steal the food from your te," Jayden said cheerfully, help Apple to tie her long hair into a messy ponytail.


    "You starved me," Apple grumbled. She didn''t eat like a starving man, of course not, she wouldn''t embarrass herself in a fancy beachside restaurant like this, but she was serious when she said she was starving.


    "No way," Jayden said quickly. "I let you ''eat me'' time and time again, so there''s no way I''d let you starve."


    Apple gritted her teeth, she didn''t know whether to be angry orugh when she heard the joke, so she intended to step on Jayden''s feet which were under the table, but the man swiftly avoided her.


    Looks like Jayden knew Apple enough by now to say what she was going to do.


    The two of them then enjoyed their meal while gazing at the open sea which looked beautiful under the reflection of the midday sun, like a dazzling sea of twinkling stars.


    "We''re going over to my parents'' house this afternoon," Jayden said as he deboned a fish and ced it on Apple''s te.


    "Have you informed them of our arrival?" asked Apple.


    "No."


    "No?"


    "It''s a surprise for them," Jayden replied cheerfully. He wanted to take revenge on his father and mother for thest time they came unannounced.


    On the other hand, Apple found it a little difficult to follow the ''surprises'' in Jayden''s family.


    "Jayden? What are you doing here?"


    A woman''s voice greeted them, as she walked toward the two of them, which made Apple turn and look at the girl.


    However, it wasn''t the girl who greeted Jayden who became the center of attention, but the man walking beside her.


    Apple recognized the man, they had met once at a bar and it seemed Jayden remembered him too, as his smile turned cold when his eyes caught the man''s figure.


    "I didn''t expect you to be here¡­" The girl continued to speak, not noticing Jayden''s piercing gaze on her male friend.

 Chapter 595 SHE IS FUNNY

    Chapter 595 SHE IS FUNNY¡¡¡¡Apple never thought that she would meet that man again. What was his name? Danny? Daniel? Surely it was something that started with D¡­


    Although Apple forgot his name, that didn''t mean she forgot about the man altogether. She remembered his face quite well.


    And Jayden seemed to remember the man too, seeing his reaction now, it was certain that this man recognized him immediately.


    Meanwhile, the woman who was approaching Jayden waspletely unaware that the tension in the air had be a little more pronounced, as she continued to speak.


    "I didn''t expect you to be here as well," the girl said cheerfully, then her gaze fell on Apple and her eyes turned more cheerful. "Hey, I know you. You are Apple, right?"


    Then without being invited, the girl immediately pulled up the nearest chair and sat beside Apple, while her male friend sat in the chair next to Jayden. He even gave the man a sweet smile, which looked harmless.


    "We met at the party, remember? At the resort where the whole Tordoff family is gathered." The girl reminded Apple.


    However, since there were so many people and Hailee at the time introduced her to so many members of the Tordoff family, it seemed she had missed this girl, or maybe they had met before but Apple had forgotten about it because she had met so many people in a row.


    Well, she couldn''t be med, you couldn''t expect to get to know so many people in a single meeting, especially when Apple only attended the night event on day one, while for the rest of their days at the resort, she and Jayden stayed in their room to rx and recuperate.


    "She''s dys," Jayden told Apple when he saw the woman looked confused. It was obvious she didn''t remember her at all. He then briefly exined how she got the Tordoff surname behind her name before turning around and looking at the man beside him. "And you are? I''m sure we''ve met before."


    "Oh, I forgot to introduce him. He is my boyfriend, he just returned from studying abroad a month ago. His name is Derek William." dys looked proud when she exined a bit about Derek''s line of work. He was a software engineer and was now trying to build his ownpany.


    "Your boyfriend?" Jayden raised his eyebrows at Derek and looked at him more intensely. "It must be really hard to have a long distance rtionship," Jaydenmented.


    Then dys started to share her experiences in their long distance rtionship andined about a few things.


    From this brief interaction, Apple could conclude that dys was the type of girl who was jovial and too open for her own good. When you asked one thing, she would tell the whole story and even ask you what you think about it in return.


    Needless to say, their lunch turned out to be a little messy and not up to the mark, but Apple found this amusing, because dys seemed like a friendly girl, unlike Tania. Maybe, they could be friends.


    Apple quite enjoyed dys'' chatter that dominated the conversation, even though Jayden didn''t think so, because he was a little annoyed that his dinner with Apple had been disrupted, especially with the man next to him.


    Their first meeting at the bar wasn''t exactly a pleasant one, but Derek didn''t do anything suspicious or outrageous to get acquainted with Apple any further, but it was annoying nheless.


    Even more so, when Jayden noticed an odd thing. Derek said he didn''t know Jayden Tordoff or the Tordoffs, but he was dating a girl from the Tordoffs himself. What did it mean?


    There was something odd about this man.


    "So, what are you guys going to do tonight?" dys asked, looking expectantly at Apple and Jayden. "I have some friendsing over to a party tonight, want to join?" she asked enthusiastically, then took Apple''s hand and squeezed it tightly. "Come on, it will be fun to party together. You two weren''t even present at the closing ceremony of the Tordoff family gathering because of the incident."


    "Maybe next time," Jayden said to dys. He then stood up. "I have to go see my parents."


    Hearing that, dys eyes went wide. She then made an unnecessary fuss. "You''re going to make your rtionship more official? Will there be an engagement event? I''m really good at organizing parties, you should let me arrange your engagement party."


    dys seemed too enthusiastic to notice Apple''s smile that looked like she was grimacing.


    "That''s too soon," said Apple, then patted dys'' hand to calm her down a bit, now that they were the center of attention. "Besides, I''ve met Mr. and Mrs. Tordoff before this. It''s just an ordinary meeting, we are just paying them a casual visit."


    dys looked a little disappointed, but she didn''t give up. "Give me your phone, I''ll save my number on yours, if you change your mind and want to join the party tonight, call me. Okay?" she said cheerfully. "The party is definitely very lively, because I am the coordinator of the event," she said proudly.


    It took a while for dys to calm down a bit and let go of Apple''s hand after she saved the number on her phone.


    "If you''re done, we''ll leave now," Jayden said, holding out his hand for Apple. He wanted to get out of there as soon as possible.


    "Oh! You two look so cute," dys gushed and Jayden quickened their pace which made Appleugh once they got to their car.


    "You''re such a freak,"mented Apple.


    "Oh, you don''t know, but she''s the cousin I''ve always avoided," Jayden replied. He then told the driver to get out of the way, as if dys was going to chase them all the way to the car. "She won''t stop talking if you don''t get out of there soon. She could talk all day without realizing it. If I had known she was here, I would have dyed our departure," Jayden grumbled.


    Appleughed even more at Jayden''s expression. "I think she''s quite cute."

 Chapter 596 ADVANCE THOUGHT

    Chapter 596 ADVANCE THOUGHT¡¡¡¡Jayden thought he would surprise his parents with his arrival this time with Apple, but who would have thought that he was the one to be surprised because it turned out that both of them had already known of his arrivalst night.


    Hailee had even prepared some very delicious dishes for them to enjoy, unfortunately they had eaten before arriving here.


    But, that was not all, Hailee even prepared some snacks that she felt Apple would enjoy during their small talk.


    So here they were, sitting on the balcony, looking out at the sea in a slightly dry afternoon, enjoying Hailee''s delicacies.


    "Since when did you know we wereing?" Jayden asked groggily.


    "Since you guys left town A," Ramon answered quickly. He nced at his son proudly, as if to say; You''re too young to beat your father, son.


    Jayden grumbled when he saw the triumphant smile on his father''s lips. His dad could be really annoying andtely he had been proving just how annoying he could be.


    It waspletely unfair when the two of them came, he didn''t even get any information until they had arrived home.


    But, when he thought of surprising them for a change, they actually got information even before Jayden''s ne took off? How was that fair?


    "So, are you guys going to stay here?" Hailee asked excitedly. She would love to spend a lot of time with Apple. "We have an empty room."


    This beach house was not too big and didn''t look very luxurious, very farpared to the Tordoff family''s magnificent house in city A, but somehow this ce felt much more like ''home''.


    "No," Jayden answered quickly, as Ramon stared at him fiercely and it didn''t take a genius to figure out the meaning of the re. Ramon didn''t want anyone to bother him and his wife.


    Even to this day, Jayden still couldn''t understand how his mother could stand his father like this, not without reason, as his father was really annoying when it came to matters involving his wife and their privacy.


    Jayden sometimes wanted to scream in his face saying; hello, I am your son and that''s my mom, so you don''t have the right to monopolize her.


    "We live at the resort and will do a lot of activities there, it''s kind of a vacation because we didn''t go anywhere thest two days at the resort," Jayden said quickly exining his refusal to his mother.


    Hailee looked a little disappointed, but she could understand the reason, after all Jayden and Apple did need some time alone.


    After that, the chat continued about a few things as they talked about light stuff, where Hailee would tease her son and Apple here and there, until finally the sun went down and it was time for dinner.


    Apple intended to help Hailee prepare dinner, but while the two of them were in the kitchen, Jayden called his mother to talk for a bit, leaving Apple alone there.


    "What is it?" Hailee asked, but there was a smile on the corners of her lips, as if she could guess what Jayden wanted to tell her.


    "So this is..." Jayden started in a calm voice, but when he saw the look in his mother''s eyes and the meaningful smile of the woman who gave birth to him, full of amusement, Jayden felt the words he was about to say get caught in his throat and he found it difficult to speak. .


    "So?" Hailee prodded him. "What do you want to say?"


    Jayden gritted his teeth. Damn. Why was he being so unreasonable like this? He shouldn''t stammer and lose his ability to speak. This was far more terrifying than the speech he delivered to the board of directors when he took over thepany from his father''s hands.


    "If you keep me here, Apple will get suspicious," Hailee reminded her son. She could now see his forehead was sweating.


    "I¡­" Jayden closed his eyes for a moment, but when he opened them, you could see determination in his gaze and he seemed much more rxed. "I want to propose to Apple, may I ask the Tordoff family ring to propose to her?"


    The Tordoff family ring that was on Hailee''s finger was her engagement ring with Ramon and had been on her finger for more than three decades. Therefore, when she heard Jayden asking for the ring, she somehow felt sentimental. Even though Hailee knew this was what she wanted Jayden to talk about by pulling her away from Apple.


    "Mom, what happened?" Jayden blinked and looked surprised when he saw Hailee shed tears. He thought his mother disapproved of it and didn''t want to take the ring off.


    Well, Jayden had no problem with that and since his sister, Alina, didn''t get the ring, he just thought it would go to him.


    "If you don''t want to give it, I''ll find another ring..." Jayden still didn''t understand what made Hailee cry, but he definitely had to calm her down first, before his father saw this.


    Speaking of the devil, Ramon walked toward them and red at Jayden. "What did you do to your mother?" he asked coldly.


    "I did not do anything." Jayden raised his hands and looked back at his father with innocent eyes.


    Meanwhile, Hailee shook her head and quickly wiped away her tears before the matter got bigger and Apple noticed.


    "No, stop it. I''m crying because I''m happy and a little sentimental," Hailee said with a smile, but at the corners of her eyes you could still see tears welling up. "I didn''t expect you to ask me for this so soon. I felt like time was passing so fast until I didn''t even notice. It feels like only yesterday when I carried you when you were a baby, but now you are about to have a child of your own."


    Jayden was moved when he heard his mother''s words until thest part of what Hailee said. "Erm, mom¡­ we haven''t gotten that far¡­ I was just about to propose¡­."


    It seemed Hailee''s thinking was too advanced in this regard.

 Chapter 597 HOW TIME PASSES

    Chapter 597 HOW TIME PASSES¡¡¡¡Hailee had no idea that time had passed so quickly and without her realizing, Jayden had grown so big and was ready to start his own family.


    It felt like just yesterday Hailee changed Jayden''s diapers and coaxed himself who had a fight with Alina or when she had to go to school because Jayden was throwing a tantrum and being so naughty. All of that turned out to be years ago.


    "I didn''t expect you to ask me for this so soon. I felt like time was passing so fast until I didn''t even notice. It feels like only yesterday when I carried you when you were a baby, but now you are about to have a child of your own."


    Jayden was moved when he heard his mother''s words until thest part of what Hailee said. "Erm, mom¡­ we haven''t gotten that far¡­ I was just about to propose¡­."


    It seemed that Hailee''s thinking was too advanced in this regard, but either way, Jayden understood how his mother was feeling now.


    He then walked over to hug Hailee. No words were spoken between the two of them as they remained silent like that for a while until Hailee finally calmed down enough and let go.


    "I hope for nothing but a beautiful life for you," Hailee said as she removed the ring that Ramon had given her more than three decades before.


    It was so nostalgic when Hailee took the ring off, it made her hands tremble slightly, until it prompted Ramon to help her with it.


    Decades ago, it was Ramon who put the ring on Hailee''s finger and decadester, it was Ramon who took it off to let their son continue the family tradition.


    Ramon gave the ring and hugged Jayden quite tightly. This was the closest he could show his emotion, because he was not used to disying emotions like this.


    But, from the brief and tight hug from his father, Jayden knew that his father''s feelings were not much different from what his mother showed. It was just that he had a hard time showing any other expression other than showing that stoic expression he had on every day.


    "Then what should I do? Hmm?" Suddenly, Apple appeared at the end of the corridor and found the three embracing. She looked at them confusedly and tilted her head.


    Did I miss something?


    However, Hailee handled things well and approached Apple immediately, she then took Apple''s hand and led her away, so Jayden could hide the ring before Apple found out.


    =========================


    After finishing dinner with their parents, Jayden and Apple decided to go back to their hotel room to spend some time together.


    The house was too small and cramped to hold two affectionate couples, so Jayden decided to have a quiet and romantic evening thinking about what he should do to propose to Apple.


    What kind of event and how should he do it?


    Meanwhile, Apple looked pleased when she got an email from Ivan sending her the photos from her shoot the day before.


    Apple excitedly showed Jayden the photos. "What do you think?" asked Apple with a cheerful face.


    "Is that even a question?" Jayden replied. Apple shouldn''t need to ask anymore, because she looked amazing in the photos, even Jayden couldn''t find the right words to express it. "Of course you look very, very beautiful," Jayden said, kissing Apple on the cheek. "Send the photos to me."


    In a light mood and looking happy, Apple sent the photos to Jayden without asking at all.


    She stared at the photos of herself and didn''t realize that she could look so beautiful. No matter how ignorant you were, when you saw yourself in such an extraordinary state, you would definitely feel very happy.


    It was only after a while that Apple realized what Jayden was doing. "You used my photo as your wallpaper?"


    Apple caught a glimpse of herself on Jayden''s phone screen and she rolled her eyes. She felt embarrassed, but there was also this tickling feeling that made her want tough. How could Jayden use her photo for his cell phone wallpaper? It was so cheeky, but at the same time it was funny.


    It showed that Jayden was proud to have her, willing to show herself off and that was really a nice feeling.


    Having someone who was proud of your existence was an honor in itself for Apple.


    And she gave Jayden a kiss on the lips for that.


    "That''s not the way to return apliment," Jayden said with a mischievous smile tugging at the corners of his lips.


    Whereupon Jayden took advantage of the gesture and deepened the kiss by pulling Apple closer, ignoring their driver trying to stay professional in this tough job.


    Arriving at the hotel, Apple pouted slightly because Jayden bit her lips, while the man only offered a half-hearted apology and med herself for teasing him.


    Teasing him my arse. Where did he get such an assumption? He could just keep kissing her and Apple shouldn''t mind, while if she was the one who started it, he said she was flirting with him?


    There must be something wrong with the concept of ''flirting'' that Jayden had in mind.


    "Come here," Jayden said as he pulled Apple back closer to him and tousled her hair as they walked into the hotel. "You look adorable when you look annoyed and pout like that."


    "Yeah, and I''m going to be fucking gorgeous when I beat you to a pulp," Apple grumbled.


    She couldn''t understand how these words could be categorized aspliments? Moreover, if that was really true, then every woman would constantly feign annoyance to look adorable, right?


    "Language, please," Jayden said, pinching Apple''s cheek gently.


    However, when they entered the lobby, it seemed they had something else to worry about. Because not far from them, they could see dys waving at them both with Derek beside her.


    "Oh, don''te here¡­" Jayden muttered, but against his wishes, dys ran toward them.

 Chapter 598 TENSION IN THE AIR

    Chapter 598 TENSION IN THE AIR¡¡¡¡As the two of them entered the hotel lobby, they could see that not far from them dys was waving enthusiastically with sparkling eyes with the man Apple met at the bar the other day, Derek, beside her.


    "Oh, don''te here¡­" Jayden muttered, but against his wishes, dys ran toward them.


    Meanwhile, Apple smiled bitterly when she saw dys walking closer to her, pulling Derek to follow her.


    She looked like a cheerful girl and very extroverted. At first nce, Apple knew that she liked this girl morepared to the other cousins of Jayden.


    However, the fact that she was with Derek still bothered Apple and she didn''t seem veryfortable with the fact that this guy ever asked for her number.


    While it was not umon to find someone to talk to at a bar and ask for their phone number, why would Derek want to have a girlfriend when he already had a girlfriend? That made absolutely no sense to Apple.


    However, even so, Apple felt it was not her ce to judge him, especially since she didn''t want to interfere in their rtionship. She just met dys.


    "You guys just came back from Jayden''s parents'' house?" dys asked excitedly and then took Apple''s hand. "Then how about youe to my party? Just for a bit. Try a drink or two, then go back to your hotel room, okay?"


    dys almost begged Apple and this made her ufortable to refuse.


    "No, we''ll go back to the hotel room right now," Jayden said firmly, trying to pull Apple out of dys''s arms, but his cousin pped his hand away and red at him.


    She knew she wouldn''t be able to convince Jayden, but it looked like Apple would be an easy target to persuade.


    "Apple, just a ss or two, okay? There are some people who didn''te to this party, so it looks very lonely. Please do me a favor, will you?" dys coaxed relentlessly at Apple, giving her hopeful eyes for the girl to give in and agree.


    "What dys said is true, why not rx for a while?" asked Derek, joining in on this chat that made Jayden stare at him scornfully.


    He didn''t like it when people cut him off, so he grabbed Apple''s arm, keeping the girl by his side.


    Jayden wasn''t rude when he did this, as there was no way he''d hurt Apple, but his sudden move surprised dys quite a bit.


    "You don''t have to be like that," dys muttered, frowning. She looked very disappointed and Apple thought it wouldn''t hurt if they attended the party for a bit.


    "I think a ss or two would be nice enough," Apple said to Jayden, to which dys smiled happily and pped her hands like a child.


    Jayden looked deeply at Apple. He didn''t like it when Apple felt obligated to do something she didn''t like. "You don''t have to do that."


    But, Apple rubbed his arm gently as she said, "I''m not that tired, we''re already here after all, right? And our goal is to take a vacation. Parties are also part of the holiday, right?" persuaded Apple.


    No. Jayden came to this ind specifically to meet his mother and ask for the Tordoff family ring for him to use to propose to Apple. But, of course, he would not say that reason out loud.


    And he had no other reason to say it wasn''t just a vacation.


    "Come on, I guarantee it''s going to be a great party," dys coaxed, taking Apple''s hand. They seemed to be the same age if not Apple was a year or two older than her.


    And in the end after getting persuaded here and there, and making sure that Apple wasn''t doing this out of necessity, Jayden finally agreed to go and the two of them walked behind dys and Derek, to the swimming pool where the party was taking ce.


    dys had rented the swimming pool for tonight''s party.


    "You don''t have to go if you don''t want to," Jayden said as they walked across the lobby, while dys was happily talking to Derek in front of them. "I know you''re notfortable with this kind of event."


    "It''s okay, we can leave immediately if I start to feel ufortable," said Apple, waving her hand, as if this wasn''t a big deal to argue about. "Again, if I''m really joining your family, shouldn''t I have a good rtionship with your cousin?"


    Thest time Apple saw the Tordoffs, she caused an unnecessary fuss. Even though she knew very well it wasn''t her fault, she still felt bad about it.


    On the other hand, Jayden was quite happy to hear that Apple was making an effort to get to know his family more closely.


    "Tell me if you''re notfortable, then we''ll leave right away, okay?" Jayden whispered into her ear while kissing the nape of Apple which made her shudder a little because the gesture was too intimate for her and this made Jaydenugh, because he thought Apple was very funny.


    Meanwhile, dys nced at the couple behind her, who seemed to be having their own time and having fun, though she couldn''t hear a word they were saying.


    But, at least she''d been able to persuade these two lovebirds and they would definitely be the center of attention, which would make the party even more lively, since it was safe to say that Jayden rarely, if not at all, attended parties like this.


    And it looked like what dys thought was right, because as soon as Jayden stepped into the swimming pool area, all eyes immediately fell on him, especially the women.


    However, those adoring gazes turned into very sinister gazes when they saw the girl in Jayden''s arms. They furrowed their foreheads very clearly, as if to say; what was that woman here for?


    On the other hand, Apple felt this thick tension in the air. It was as if she was entering a tiger''sir.

 Chapter 599 HANDSOME MAN AND THE MOON

    Chapter 599 HANDSOME MAN AND THE MOON¡¡¡¡A feeling of dread enveloped her as soon as Apple entered the swimming pool area where the party was taking ce and found that all eyes were on her. She could feel the sharp gazes of all of them, who were staring at her scornfully.


    However, she knew it was because of the man next to her, who was half hugging her body and it was this man who earned her the hostile stares of the women here.


    So, subconsciously, Apple''s instincts told her to stay away from Jayden. She didn''t want to get into any trouble tonight, nor to cause a mess at Jayden''s cousin''s party which she was attending for the first time.


    However, Jayden did not agree with Apple''s intentions. He didn''t want to be away from her and after all, why should Apple avoid him anyway? He wanted to show that he had someone by his side and that was Apple, because he was proud to have her, so they could walk away from him for all he cared.


    "Where are you going?" Jayden asked, raising an eyebrow at Apple. "Are you leaving already? We can go now if you want," Jayden said as he whispered into Apple''s ear. He leaned in so that the gesture looked very affectionate in these people''s eyes.


    Jayden then looked at Apple with a look that seemed to say; I warned you that you wouldn''t like being here.


    And this of course made them go crazy because they didn''t ept Apple being treated like that, while they could only watch from the sidelines.


    Apple gasped when she felt Jayden''s warm breath on the nape of her neck, but then she thought; fuck these people. Why should she feel guilty for walking in public with her boyfriend? Especially when they obviously came to enjoy a party they were both invited to. So why should Apple care about their difort and make herself restless?


    With that in mind, Apple boldly took Jayden''s hand and tiptoed slightly while holding his shoulder to whisper tenderly into the man''s ear, just like he did earlier.


    "Of course not, let''s have a drink. I am thirsty." Apple smiled as she finished whispering to Jayden and felt the hot gazes of thedies. Just let them seeth. Hohoho¡­


    Seeing the smile on Apple''s lips and knowing what was going on inside this girl''s head, Jaydenughed softly. Apple could be very cunning if she wanted to and this turned him on.


    Quickly, Jayden stole a peck on her lips and smirked when he saw Apple blink her eyes.


    "What was that for?" asked Apple.


    "Because you''re so pretty tonight," Jayden replied lightly and that made Appleugh, a crispugh that he loved so much. He wished he could hear it more often.


    "Hey, you two¡­ you can make outter," dys said as she walked over to the two of them, but she smiled cheekily when she saw the two of them being all lovey dovey. "You can go over there first and get your drinks before you two get all the attention of my friends."


    Appleughed bitterly at dys. "You said that there had been some people who missed this event¡­" she then nced at the swimming pool which was filled with people and also some of them, who were walking to and from. Clearly, this party was anything but a lonely one. "But I don''t see that you have a shortage of people at your party."


    "Oh, I invited about thirty-five of my friends, but there were three who didn''te, of course it wasn''t too crowded." dys defended herself.


    Now, Apple was curious how many people had to be invited if she threw a party, if having this many had made her think they were very few.


    "Okay," Apple said quietly. She didn''t want to argue about this and immediately pulled Jayden over to the open bar overlooking the beach. "We''ll get our drinks first then."


    Jayden just followed Apple, his eyes were only on this girl.


    "I think I''m wearing too many clothes," Apple said, after they sat down and ordered their drinks, ncing at the pretty girls just hanging around in bikinis.


    "Don''t be silly," Jayden pinched Apple''s cheek. "I''ll carry you to our room if you''re only wearing your bra and panties."


    Appleughed when she heard that, of course she wouldn''t. It was okay, there was nothing wrong with wearing a bikini, but she was just not veryfortable wearing a two piece swimsuit.


    "Those are not bras and panties, but bikinis," Apple corrected Jayden and he just shrugged nonchntly.


    "It''s the same in my eyes," he said lightly.


    And after that, the two of them ignored the piercing stares that were directed at them while the two of them talked to each other, chatting aboutpletely unimportant to trivial matters, but somehow both of them liked this ''small talk''. And imperceptibly, Apple had downed a few sses of wine.


    "Looks like we have to go back to our room," Jayden said, when he saw Apple starting to look tipsy. "You said just a ss or two."


    Apple pursed her lips. She didn''t want to go back, she still wanted to enjoy the night here, together with Jayden, staring at his handsome face with moonlight above them and pleasant music in the background.


    "I don''t want to..." refused Apple, alcohol seemed to have affected her.


    But, not far from them, there was a girl carrying arge bowl of fruit juice and walking toward Apple and Jayden.


    They didn''t know where she would take the fruit juice, but she certainly shouldn''t be walking toward the two of them.


    And if Apple and Jayden had looked at her more closely, they would have seen the narrow look in her eyes, as if she was up to something, while two of her friends were standing behind her, giggling.


    The three of them looked drunk.


    Because Jayden had his back to the girl, it was Apple who clearly saw her arrival from behind Jayden''s shoulder. She frowned.

 Chapter 600 BYE, BYE...

    Chapter 600 BYE, BYE...¡¡¡¡Apple was the first to see what the girl was about to do, because Jayden had his back to the girl, and she felt a little confused because of the influence of alcohol in her system.


    For a moment, Apple didn''t understand why the girl in the white bikini was walking up to her with a smile that irritated her and a look in her eyes that made her feel like punching her.


    Well, under the influence of alcohol, Apple could be a little brutal because she couldn''t control herself well.


    Behind the girl in the white bikini were two other girls who were staring with wariness and anticipation, as if something interesting was about to happen.


    They giggled amongst themselves and this made Apple frown and squint even more. Alcohol was a little disturbing factor.


    And then several things happened simultaneously that werepletely unexpected.


    The first thing was when Apple saw the girl in the white bikini walk up to her and twist her body, positioning herself, where if she stumbled, therge bowl of fruit juice she was holding would hit Applepletely.


    They must be either crazy or too drunk to use this kind of prank on Apple, especially when she was Jayden Tordoff''s lover and they were doing it right in front of him.


    However, Apple was silent for a moment, before suddenly kicking the bowl before it fell on her and actually caused the entire contents of the big bowl to hit the girl in the white bikini instead.


    And when the bowl fell to the floor, the fragile thing shattered into pieces, but Apple had saved herself by sitting on Jayden''sp and burying her face in the man''s chest, holding him pretty tightly.


    Meanwhile, Jayden was very surprised when he saw Apple suddenly standing up and even more surprised when he heard the sound of ss falling and breaking apart after being kicked by Apple. How could this girl do this so quickly?


    And when Apple suddenly sat on hisp, Jayden instinctively hugged her so she wouldn''t fall, while protecting her from the sharp shards of ss.


    Of course, this smallmotion drew the attention of several people around them, who immediately surrounded the scene, as well as dys and Derek.


    The man beside dys raised an eyebrow and stared in disbelief at the chaos that had urred, while the girl in the white bikini, whose whole body was now sticky with the syrup from the fruit juice that had fallen onto her body, started crying after the initial shock that made her speechless.


    And after crying for a bit, anger started to build up in her, as she walked briskly to Apple, who was on Jayden''sp, but the shards of ss under her feet prevented her from walking any closer without hurting herself.


    The girl was about to open her mouth and swear at Apple, only she swallowed it all when she saw Jayden''s sharp and fierce gaze, which seemed to warn her to be careful in choosing her next words.


    And the message was conveyed well, because the woman opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, but couldn''t find the right words to say to the girl on Jayden''sp, until it was Apple herself who spoke.


    "She was about to spill the contents of that bowl on me," Apple grumbled in a sad voice. She didn''t like this girl. "I saw it myself. She was smiling when she was about to spill the drink on me." Apple stretched out her hand while pointing at the girl''s face.


    Now she really was in the limelight the way she wanted to be when she was about to embarrass Apple.


    As for Apple, she buried her face in Jayden''s chest and nced at the girl with fierce eyes.


    "Two of her friendsughed too," said Apple, pointing to the two female friends behind her.


    "She must be drunk, I didn''t mean to spill this drink on purpose," the girl said defensively, but she was afraid to steal nces at Jayden, afraid he would explode in anger.


    Now, after this incident, she was fully aware and it could be said that the influence of alcohol within her hadpletely disappeared, reced by the fear that had begun to creep up in her heart, especially when Apple used her of this in public. She saw what she was going to do? Wasn''t she drunk?


    dys immediately approached Apple and Jayden. Indeed, the girl in the white bikini was her friend, but she was more afraid of upsetting Apple and Jayden than the girl.


    "Are you okay? Ah, your leg''s bleeding," dys said, pointing to Apple''s calf and saw that there were scratches from the broken bowl.


    Immediately, Jayden snapped quietly and coldly. "Okay, enough is enough." Then he stood up holding Apple in his arms tightly. The girl was muttering; I want to see the blood. I want to see my blood. "What''s your name?" Jayden asked.


    Immediately, the girl''s face turned pale and she stammered out an apology.


    But, he had no time for her. So, he immediately turned to dys to ask the girl''s full name before finally leaving with Apple who actually waved at the girl in white bikini.


    "Bye, bye¡­" Apple slurred.


    Jayden then took Apple to the lobby and asked a receptionist to bring a first aid box to his room.


    Only then did the two of them head to their room.


    "I''m not going to allow you to drink again at this rate," Jayden said sternly at the frowning Apple.


    "But it''s not my fault," Apple objected. She didn''t want to be med for something that wasn''t her fault.


    "Yeah, you''re not wrong, but kicking things isn''t good, you see? Isn''t your leg hurt now? Why do you always get hurt when you are with me?" Jayden grunted.


    Only Apple ignored him, she was busy groping Jayden which made the man grit his teeth. This girl!


    "Oh! I found a ring!" she eximed.

 Chapter 601 WHERE IS THE RING?

    Chapter 601 WHERE IS THE RING?¡¡¡¡This was the second time Apple had acted out because she had drunk too much. She tended to act more cheekily when she was drunk.


    It didn''t matter since Jayden was by her side this time, but he certainly wouldn''t let Apple drink too much without him by her side. He didn''t want to see this girl get into trouble, because after seeing herself drunk a second time, Jayden could imagine what kind of trouble this girl would get herself into if she was left alone.


    "Kiss, kiss, kiss¡­" Apple pulled Jayden''s head tond a peck on his cheek.


    Just at the same time, a couple got into the elevator. From the looks of it, it looked like they were in theirte fifties.


    The two nced at Apple and smiled at Jayden who was forcefully kissed by her.


    "Mmuach!" said Apple as she managed to kiss Jayden, acting like a kid who had just gotten an early New Year''s present, making the couple in front of them grin, pretending not to see the two of them.


    "I won''t allow you to drink again at this rate," Jayden said fiercely at the frowning Apple, as he scolded her a little.


    "But it''s not my fault," Apple objected. She didn''t want to be med for something that wasn''t her fault. "It''s their fault."


    "Yeah, you''re not wrong, but kicking things isn''t good, you see? Isn''t your leg hurt now? Why do you always get hurt when you are with me?" Jayden grumbled and it was a fact he couldn''t deny. Moreover, since their wounds still hadn''t healed from yesterday''s events. Jayden even felt his leg, which was shot, still hurt a little, but he refused to let Apple down from his embrace.


    On the other hand, Apple ignored him, she was busy groping Jayden which made the man grit his teeth. This girl!


    While luckily the couple in front of them had made it to the floor they were on and when they went out, Jayden swore that the two of them were chuckling while ncing at himself and Apple.


    As for this girl, she didn''t stop groping him and it made Jayden remember their first time together, because this was exactly what Apple did to him.


    "Oh! I found a ring!" eximed Apple, as she reached into Jayden''s pocket and shoved the ring right into his face. "Look! The ring is so beautiful!"


    And when they both stepped out of the elevator, Apple gushed loudly on the ring she was holding, waving it in Jayden''s face, while the man couldn''t take the ring back because his hands were busy supporting Apple''s body.


    "Look! I found a ring! I found a ring!" Apple sang the same line repeatedly along the corridor, while Jayden quickened his pace to quickly enter their room. "How much money will I get if I sell this ring?"


    Jayden grimaced. "The ring is not for sale, love." He then put down Apple because he had to enter a code to open his room door and with Apple constantly moving, it was very difficult to do so.


    But, as soon as her feet hit the floor, the girl immediately jumped away from Jayden, preparing to run away from him.


    Luckily, Jayden was quick enough and grabbed her hand before she could get away from there and run away from him.


    "You really want to be punished," Jayden growled, which then made Apple approach him and kiss his neck affectionately.


    "Okay, punish me," she whispered, which left Jayden speechless.


    Did something get into her when she was drunk? Because Apple would turn into apletely different person every time alcohol took over her system.


    "You won''t like getting punished by me," Jayden whispered back, but he was having a hard time keeping his mind clear and this made his movements a little slow when he was about to open the door.


    "I like it, we''ll see."


    And just as Apple finished saying that, Jayden pushed their room door open and immediately pulled her into the room, before pinning her against the door and kissing her a little harshly.


    This girl would truly be the death of him if she continued to act like this. Jayden would happily proceed with what they would do next, but he was reminded of his bleeding leg.


    Therefore, he distanced himself from the girl and this made Apple whimper.


    "No. No. No. I am not done yet¡­" Apple whined, trying to pull Jayden back to her and trying to kiss him, but since Jayden was so much taller and Apple couldn''t reach him, especially since he refused to bend over, she couldn''t get what she wanted.


    "I am not finished with you yet," Jayden said in a voice that sounded very dark, staring at the whining Apple. "We''ll finish thister after I treat your leg."


    Now, Jayden was just waiting for someone to bring him a box of first aid kit, so he could clean the wound before fixing their ''problem''.


    Apple scowled, pouting her lips and folding her arms across her chest, staring at him fiercely.


    "Come here, have a seat, I''ll get you some water," Jayden said in a tired tone, then he grabbed Apple''s hand to lead her to the bed.


    However, halfway to their bed, he realized something and stopped to examine Apple''s hands.


    "Where''s the ring?" Jayden asked, which made Apple tilt her head and look all over her body, but she couldn''t find the ring.


    Instead, Apple asked Jayden back. "Where''s the ring?" And then she started going over Jayden''s body, groping him like she had done before.


    "Apple, the ring wasn''t with me, you were holding it." Jayden tried to hold his temper.


    And it seemed that Jayden''s low voice and fierce gaze made Apple slightly wake up from her drunken state and realize that she had screwed up.


    Even though she still seemed to have no idea what the ring was for, seeing that look in Jayden''s eyes made her rush back toward the door.


    "Must have fallen around here¡­" she said frantically and started searching the floor.

 Chapter 602 I FOUND IT!

    Chapter 602 I FOUND IT!¡¡¡¡Jayden wanted to facepalm himself when he saw how Apple''s attitude took a drastic turn as she began to search seriously around this area of ??the room. She looked terrified, even panicked, but she couldn''t be med either, because the ring was a legacy from the Tordoffs and she had lost it.


    Even though Apple didn''t know about it, it seemed that Jayden''s expression really described how he felt, so this girl looked scared because she knew she had screwed up.


    Apple then crouched down and started looking for the ring, shaking her head from time to time, so she could stay focused, because she still felt a little dizzy.


    Just at that moment, someone pressed the bell, seemingly someone from the hotel. A young man brought the first aid kit Jayden asked for. He delivered it to the man, but he could see a girl crouching on the floor.


    But, he only caught a glimpse, because after that Jayden quickly closed the door and pulled Apple to her feet.


    "Come here, you have to treat your wound first." Jayden didn''t raise his voice at all. He could tell his men to look for the ringter, because if it had fallen in the room, it wouldn''t be difficult to find it.


    Jayden still remembered well that Apple was still holding the ring when he pulled her into the room. Maybe it was when he pressed her against the door that Apple forgot the ring and lost the little thing.


    "No, I have to find it," Apple muttered. "You''re mad."


    "I am not angry." Jayden wasn''t lying, he wasn''t angry, he was just a little shocked when he heard the ring was missing, but he wasn''t angry, for the reasons he mentioned earlier. He was sure that with the help of a few people, the ring could be found.


    "No, you''re mad¡­" Apple said in a low voice while still crawling on the floor looking for the ring.


    "Alright, let it go," Jayden said in a low voice. "I''m not angry. Come here, we have to clean your wound first." He tried to persuade her to stand up.


    Jayden then pulled Apple''s hand gently, so that the girl would stand up, but his hand was pushed away and she was still trying to find the ring. Ignoring his words.


    "You were angry. You were angry. I saw that you were angry earlier." Apple kept looking around her feet and near the door, but she couldn''t find it.


    In the end, Jayden knelt before Apple and cupped his hands around the girl''s face. He then looked at her deeply.


    "I''m not mad, I''m just surprised that the ring is missing. But, I''m not mad at you. I''ll have people look for it tomorrow, okay?" said Jayden, staring intently at Apple. The girl looked sad when she heard that.


    "I lost that pretty ring..." she whined. She looked at Jayden guiltily. "I identally lost it."


    "No, you didn''t lose it, we''ll find itter, okay?" Jayden coaxed Apple, he then kissed the tip of the girl''s nose and lips.


    At least this way, Apple would be calmer and they could go back to bed, so Jayden could treat the wound on Apple''s leg.


    But, just momentster, Apple screeched and identally bit Jayden''s lips in their kiss when she eximed in quite a loud voice.


    "There! The ring is there!" she cried, pointing to a certain spot under the small shelf that was near the door. "There''s the ring!"


    Not only did Apple bite his lip when she shouted earlier, but she also pushed Jayden away as she tried to reach where she saw the ring.


    Then quickly, Apple crouched beside the shelf and stretched her hand under the shelf to retrieve the ring she had lost earlier.


    "Apple..." Jayden grumbled as he felt his lips hurt from being bitten by her. "You hurt me..."


    However, Apple didn''t seem to care about that, as she was more focused on the fact that she had found the ring and this made her very happy.


    "Look! Look! Jayden, look at this!" she eximed cheerfully. "I found it!"


    Apple raised her arms high and immediately jumped up and down. She then admired the ring, how the light reflected on the beautiful diamond and how the glow from the diamond seemed like a light of life to Apple.


    "Okay, good job, good job," Jayden said, still half grumbling, but then he stood up and walked over to Apple.


    At this point alone, Jayden already knew that he had messed up his ns to propose to Appleter. He just hoped that this girl would forget about this incident in the morning.


    But, based on previous experience, it didn''t seem like that would happen.


    Last time, Apple could remember every detail so well, she even only needed a few moments to get all her memories back.


    Therefore, it was safe to say that Jayden''s proposal ns hadpletely gone awry as Apple found the ring much sooner than he had intended her to.


    This was not how Jayden imagined he would propose to Appleter.


    "Look, this ring is so beautiful," Apple gushed as she held the ring high and smiled very sweetly. She looked like she was about to jump up and down with pleasure.


    "Yes, the ring is beautiful, now bring the ring, I will keep it," said Jayden, he stretched out his hand to ask for the ring.


    "No," Apple refused immediately.


    "No?"


    "I''ll keep this ring, or you''ll lose it again."


    Jayden took a deep breath. "You lost the ring, not me," he corrected, but Apple paid no heed. "Okay,e here, let''s treat your leg first, you can hold it."


    Finally Jaydenpromised and gently nudged Apple for her to follow him to the nearest couch, while Jayden knelt in front of her to treat her leg.


    "I''ll wear it so it doesn''t get lost."


    "No!"


    But, Jayden was toote, because the ring was stuck on Apple''s finger.

 Chapter 603 COMFORTABLE MORNING

    Chapter 603 COMFORTABLE MORNING¡¡¡¡Finally after he tried to get the ring back and it was not given by Apple, Jaydenpromised. He nned to take it back after she had fallen asleep or when she wasn''t paying attention.


    Jayden then gently nudged Apple''s body for her to follow him to the nearest couch.


    "Sit down," Jayden said, followed by Apple, while she was still staring in amazement at the ring in her hand.


    Jayden then took the first aid kit that had been given by the hotel staff and then knelt in front of her to treat Apple''s calf which was still bleeding from the broken ss.


    "Nice ring, nice ring," Apple began to sing, following a tune of her own and this her ridiculous banter cleared Jayden''s annoyance and heughed, because after all, he was d that this girl liked the ring.


    The ring would eventually be hers too.


    "I''ll wear it so it doesn''t get lost." Apple then put the ring on her finger, but because the ring was a little too small for her, she had to force it a little.


    "No!" Jayden immediately raised his head and when he grabbed Apple''s hand, the ring was already neatly tucked into her finger. The ring was stuck on Apple''s finger.


    "Look? It''s good, isn''t it? Now this ring will be safe with me," Apple said cheerfully, showing her hand to Jayden. Sheughed happily, but not at the man in front of her.


    Jayden didn''t know what to say to Apple now. Because he felt confused between wanting to cry orugh at the behavior of this woman in front of him.


    "Okay, okay, you can wear it," Jayden said in a low voice. He then looked at Apple with a resigned look on his face, but his gaze was like he was going to let this girl do what she liked.


    Including putting on the ring that Jayden was supposed to give to her as their engagement ring.


    Did this mean Apple agreed to his proposal, even without him having to get down on one knee and ask if this girl was willing?


    If that was the case, this method was very easy and a relief, but why did Jayden feel awkward and wrong?


    He really shouldn''t be doing this.


    And it was true what they had discussed before, that the order of their rtionship was so messed up. And the proposal that was supposed to be something they couldn''t mess up, turned out to be like this.


    "Okay, it''s time for bed," Jayden said as he grabbed Apple''s hand to carry her to bed.


    Maybeter after Apple had gone to sleep, Jayden would be able to remove the ring and propose to her normally, although it was a bit messy at first and this could not be considered a surprise for Apple anymore.


    "Pick me up," Apple said smugly, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing Jayden''s lips.


    "Okay," Jayden chuckled and lifted Apple''s legs, so she wrapped her legs around this guy''s waist, while he lifted her up like a baby ko.


    ========================


    In the middle of the night, Jayden was grimacing when he tried to pull the ring off of Apple''s finger. He had tried various ways, even had used soap, leavingrge and ring wet spots on the bed, but still the ring couldn''t be removed.


    Jayden did n to measure Apple''s finger unnoticed and alter the size of the ring to match her size.


    But, who would have thought that the ring was actually worn by Apple and turned out to be too small? And now the ring was stuck on her finger.


    "Oh, my god¡­" Jayden was feeling frustrated and depressed, while Apple was sleeping soundly.


    In the end Jayden gave up, he would take Apple to the doctor tomorrow if they still couldn''t figure out the best way to get the ring off.


    And yes, Jayden''s n that he had worked out in his head had failed miserably.


    Forget about surprises¡­


    Jayden theny down next to Apple and hugged her body while trying to sleep, at least this way he could sleep better.


    =======================


    Apple woke up when she heard the sound of the rain outside and the soothing sound of the waves. She squirmed and found Jayden right behind her, his warm breath hitting the nape of her neck.


    Apple smiled when she found herself in this position, especially when she realized Jayden had been holding her all night.


    Slowly, Apple moved her body so as not to wake Jayden, then positioned herself face to face with the man who looked still sound asleep.


    Jayden was breathing deeply and there was a slight furrow between his eyebrows, a trait Apple realized was an indication that he was thinking hard.


    But, what was he thinking about? If Apple could read a person''s mind, then Jayden would be the only person she was curious about how his mind worked.


    Apple wanted to look at her phone to see what time it was, but then she had to get out of bed and that was something Apple didn''t want to do right now, because she felt veryfortable in this position.


    She felt so safe andfortable in Jayden''s arms, hearing the mix of the waves crashing and the rain outside.


    It was a feeling that was difficult to describe in words.


    "Why do I feel this way toward you?" Apple whispered, while Jayden snored softly. He looked so cute and innocent when he was sleeping like this and Apple felt that she could spend the whole day just staring at him without feeling bored at all.


    "Wake up..." said Apple, without making any actual effort to wake him up.


    Apple reached out and stroked Jayden''s cheek, pinching his nose lightly andughing silently, as she pulled his nose and it made Jayden grunt a little.


    But something else caught Apple''s attention, when the dim light from the room reflected off the ring she had on her ring finger.

 Chapter 604 THIS RING!

    Chapter 604 THIS RING!¡¡¡¡"Wake up..." said Apple, without making any actual effort to wake Jayden because she realized that she liked watching this man sleep, as if he forgot the world around him, this was something that made Apple feel really grateful that she had this man in her life.


    Apple then reached out her hand to caress Jayden''s cheek, tracing her fingers on his jawline, his brows, nose and then pinching his nose softly andughing silently, as Jayden grunted a little, but fell back asleep. Looks like he won''t be awake for some time.


    She didn''t know what this guy had donest night, but he seemed really tired.


    But just at that moment, something else caught Apple''s attention, as the dim light in the room reflected off the ring she had on her ring finger.


    Apple frowned as she had never seen this ring before. She wasn''t sure if she knew about this ring or how it ended up on her finger.


    However, that was two seconds ago, because in the next moment, she gasped loudly, when her memory returned.


    Last night''s incident, regarding how she kicked arge bowl brought by one of the women at a party in a white bikini, as she could guess that she had bad intentions.


    Then her injured leg and how she had groped Jayden in the elevator and found this ring. Then they lost the ring and how it ended up in her hands again.


    Apple remembered all the details of the incident and this left her mortified. Not only because the ring ended on her finger, but also because she knew what the meaning behind the ring was.


    To say the least and after a closer look, Apple knew what the ring was and whose it was before.


    Apple had seen this ring worn by Hailee Tordoff and she had said that this ring was a legacy for the Tordoff family and was also her engagement ring.


    So, how this ring could be in Jayden''s hands and now wrapped around her finger, was a journey that was very easy to guess.


    Therefore, Apple tried to remove it from her finger, but the ring was stuck and couldn''t be removed, which caused her to panic and try even harder, but still nothing happened. The ring stuck motionless on her finger.


    "You don''t have to do that, I have already tried and it didn''t end well," Jayden said in his sleep. He still had his eyes closed and his voice sounded very deep and sleepy. "The ring is stuck on your finger."


    "What?" Apple looked at Jayden''s face. If he hadn''t spoken, Apple would still think that this man was actually still sleeping. "You have tried taking it off?"


    "I have tried to get it off all night, but to no avail," replied Jayden, who then snuggled closer toward Apple, nuzzled her neck then fell asleep again.


    While Apple stared at her finger with disbelieving eyes. She really had to think of a way to get the ring off, but didn''t know how to do it.


    "Then what about my finger?"


    "Leave it alone," Jayden said casually. "You wore the ring yourself and now the ring is stuck on your finger, it means you proposed to yourself, so you are stuck with me forever."


    "What kind of conclusion is that?" Apple frowned and looked at Jayden with irritated eyes, this wasn''t how things were supposed to be.


    After all, how could Jayden count this unexpected thing as her agreeing to his proposal.


    "Hey, if you want to propose to me, you have to do it the traditional way," Apple protested, but Jayden was already asleep. And, he was even snoring softly. It seemed what he didst night and didn''t work exhausted him.


    Meanwhile, Apple stared at the ring on her finger with a look on her face that was hard to exin.


    Why did it always go like this, she grumbled inwardly.


    She then promised not to drink too much, it seemed that she tended to do things she didn''t usually do when she was under the influence of alcohol.


    She wouldn''t have found this ring if she hadn''t groped Jaydenst night...


    =========================


    Despite Jayden''s words that he was going to leave the ring on her finger forever, he knew it wasn''t healthy.


    Rings that were too small would interrupt blood cirction and this would result in things they didn''t want in the long run.


    Of course when Jayden said all that he wasn''t serious and did have ns to take Apple to the doctor to get the ring off.


    And therefore, here they were now.


    Jayden and Apple intend to go to the doctor in city A, because they thought it was much better to do it there, than anywhere else, especially since this ind did not provideplete medical care like in city A and Jayden wanted the best for his woman.


    But, before they left the hotel, dys approached them, still with the man named Derek in her tow.


    This guy didn''t look unsettling nor did he look annoying, but somehow Apple was getting a bad vibe from him, or maybe it was just her feeling.


    Who knows¡­


    "Apple¡­" dys then walked over to Apple and hugged her tightly. "I''m sorry aboutst night," she said apologetically. "I hope you''re not angry and don''t minding to my party next time around, I''ll make sure women like that won''te to my party again."


    dys then released her arms around Apple and sped her hands with regretful eyes.


    "It''s okay, don''t worry about it," Apple said lightly. She didn''t feel that dys had any ill will toward her.


    "Hmm? What''s this?" dys felt the ring on Apple''s finger and raised her hand. "AH! This ring!" she eximed. Of course dys, as a member of the Tordoff family, knew this ring, which was also an heirloom.


    =======================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 605 KEEP QUIET!

    Chapter 605 KEEP QUIET!¡¡¡¡"It''s okay, don''t worry about it," Apple said lightly. She didn''t feel that dys had any ill will toward her.


    ording to Apple, it was so sweet of her to approach her and apologize in person, even though it wasn''t her fault, especially since it was certain that the the women who were at the party were her friends, people who dys had known better than Apple.


    But, she preferred to defend her instead. Maybe it was too soon to say this, but Apple seemed to be good friends with dys, at least she could befriend one of Jayden''s cousins ??and that meant a lot to her.


    dys was about to say something, but she felt something in Apple''s hand that she was holding. "Hmm? What''s this?" dys felt the ring on Apple''s finger and raised her hand. "AH! This ring!" she eximed. Of course dys, as a member of the Tordoff family, knew this ring, which was also an heirloom.


    And it was certain that she knew the meaning of the ring as well.


    "So¡­ you¡­ and Jayden¡­" dys looked at Apple, then her cheerful and happy eyes shifted to Jayden.


    But, on the other hand, Apple looked at her with eyes full of horror, because seeing dys with an expression like this, was like seeing a ticking time bomb ready to explode at any moment and it made her panic a little.


    Apple didn''t want dys to misunderstand, but it was certain that whoever saw this would misunderstand, regardless of the reason. Because it was very inconvenient for Apple to tell what really happened and again the story would sound a little ridiculous.


    And two secondster, the bomb exploded, as dys hugged Apple tightly and didn''t stop congratting her.


    "Congrattions to both of you! CONGRATULATIONS!" she eximed excitedly and jumped around like a child, as if she had just gotten a new toy she had been wanting for a long time and this caught Apple a little off guard. "CONGRATULATIONS!"


    Because dys'' voice was quite loud, it caught the attention of those around them who looked at dys and Apple with questioning eyes, not to mention the fact that some of those people were the same people who came to the party at the swimming poolst night.


    "Wait¡­ no, actually it''s not what you think¡­ it''s not what you think, you misunderstood this." Apple then nced at Jayden, trying to ask him for help.


    However, it seemed that her efforts were not at all fruitful, because Jayden was clearly not helping her, instead he was standing not far from them, folding his arms and looking at dys with a look of approval for themotion she was creating now.


    If he could, Jayden would probably help dys make the announcement. This man!


    And in the end, unexpectedly, it was Derek who took the initiative to pull dys away from Apple and calm her down.


    "Come here you little munchkin, you''ve made her feel ufortable," Derek said softly, she then pried out dys'' arms around Apple and pulled his girl to his side.


    "Oh, I am so sorry, I didn''t mean to make you ufortable," dys said, feeling guilty for what she had just done, but Apple shook her head and said softly.


    "It''s all right," she said. She understood, but then she tried to exin again that it was a misunderstanding. "And this ring¡­ this ring was just identally in my hands, so¡­"


    Ugh! Even Apple found it odd, she couldn''t find the words to make this exnation sound a little better.


    "That''s okay," dys said, waving her hand at Apple. "I understand, I will keep this a secret and won''t tell anyone, okay? You take it easy. This secret is safe with me."


    "But, that''s not really what happened." Apple was still trying to exin, but then Jayden kissed the top of her head and said goodbye to dys as they were about to leave from there to head back to City A.


    dys asked why they were leaving for home so early and then asked for Apple''s phone number so they could meet up sometime for lunch or having brunch or coffee together.


    Of course Apple happily agreed to this, because she felt it was important to have a good rtionship with the rest of the Tordoff family, considering the only family she had was her father, while her mother had long been out of the picture from her life.


    So, seeing how big the Tordoff family was at that dinner, made Apple feel the urge to have a big family like that.


    "I''ll call you when I get to city A, we need to do something fun together, I''ll take you shopping to my favorite ce," dys said excitedly, her eyes sparkling with delight as she nned this.


    On the other hand, the corner of Apple''s lips twitched. Is this one of the things the members of the Tordoff family have inmon? They really love shopping activities.


    And although Hailee wasn''t a direct member of the Tordoff family, she seemed to have been well exposed to this shopping ritual.


    "Then, see youter," said Jayden, who then pulled Apple away from dys and her lover. And as parting greeting to Derek, Jayden just nodded briefly, which was returned with a dazzling smile from the man, as if he was pleased. As to why it seemed so was a mystery¡­


    "Do you feel there is something strange about that man?" asked Apple, ncing at Derek with a furrowed brow.


    "As long as he doesn''t get into trouble with the Tordoffs, then he can be as weird as he wants to be," Jayden replied curtly and opened the car door for Apple. "You guys seem to be getting along well."


    "Yeah, she''s a cute and very cheerful girl," said Apple in a light voice. "I would love to spend time with herter."


    Well, Apple hoped they could really be friends.


    =======================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 606 MISS ME?

    Chapter 606 MISS ME?¡¡¡¡After what happened on the ind and then the drama at the hospital where the ring finally slipped off Apple''s finger, the day of her second photo shoot finally arrived.


    Ivan met her in the same studio.


    "How was your holiday?" It was the first question he asked when he saw Apple.


    And this of course left Apple a little confused. She didn''t answer him right away, but looked at him doubtfully.


    "What do you mean?" asked Apple with a furrowed forehead. She was sure that her confused expression was really showing and this made Ivan frown too.


    "I mean your vacation yesterday with Jayden Tordoff," Ivan said in a light tone. "IS there something strange?" he tilted his head.


    "How did you know about that?" Apple squinted at her male friend. "I''m sure I didn''t tell you anything about the vacation."


    Apple was used to capturing small changes in a person, because it was very necessary to observe and be vignt, and that was what Apple was doing right now.


    "So?" Apple raised an eyebrow, waiting for Ivan''s answer. "How did you know that?"


    Ivan''s surprise instantly disappeared as heughed in a low voice, he shook his head. "Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked lightly. "I''m sure you''ve said that to me in our previous conversation."


    But, Apple shook her head, she refused to allow Ivan to manipte her by saying things that weren''t true. She knew what she had said and what had happened. Even after being heavily intoxicated, she was able to remember the details of what had happened. Therefore, it was ridiculous for her to forget these details.


    "No, I remember well what I said and what I didn''t say, so don''t try to say I did, because I never told you anything about the vacation." Apple didn''t raise her voice nor did she sound threatening, but her voice was firm and clear.


    Apple may be a little paranoid, but she knew the situation she and Jayden were in and also the danger that threatened them from the Gevano family. Even though she and Jayden looked so easy going, that didn''t mean they weren''t careful and kept their eyes wide open to their surroundings.


    "You''re taking this too far, Apple," Ivan said lightly, patting her on the shoulder. But, of course that didn''t answer anything, about how he found out about the holiday.


    "No, I know what I''m saying," Apple insisted, but before she could ask Ivan any further about this, someone called the two of them to inform them that preparations wereplete and they could start shooting right away.


    "Don''t think about it too much, you seem to need a break, after this, I''ll suggest a week of rest," Ivan said in an understanding tone, like a caring friend worrying about his friend. But, for Apple, it didn''t sound like that at all.


    Ivan was just avoiding this topic of conversation, however, the question was; why?


    "Come on," Ivan suggested, tugging at Apple''s arm, but she dodged and smiled softly at him. "Don''t think about nothing, you don''t need to think about weird things, because people forget. It''s very natural."


    "Yeah, maybe I''m too tired," Apple said, going along with his lies, and sounding convincing enough to Ivan''s ears. "I need a few minutes, you go first, I will catch up with you soon."


    Ivan frowned and he intended to refuse, but in the end he still agreed.


    "Two minutes, okay?"


    "You are very stingy." Appleughed and nodded. It was only after seeing the girl''sugh that Ivan seemed to rx a little, as if he had managed to dodge a bigger problem.


    But, as soon as Ivan turned around, the smile on Apple''s face instantly disappeared as she took her cell phone from her pocket and started dialing Adrian''s number.


    "What is it? Are you done? That''s fast," said Adrian when he picked up the phone call from Apple.


    "No, I''m not done yet, but I have two requests for you." Apple said quickly and although what she said sounded quite serious, her facial expression didn''t show it at all, her facial expression didn''t even change a bit.


    "Hmm? Requests? What are those?" asked Adrian.


    And after that, Apple informed Adrian of what she wanted to ask for and told him that she herself would tell Jayden about this.


    "Okay," said Adrian when he had finished hearing what Apple had to say.


    =========================


    After the morning session was over and they were resting for an hour, Apple told Ivan she wanted to go out for a bit for lunch.


    "Together with Jayden?" Ivan asked in a teasing tone.


    "No, he''s busy at work," Apple said, waving her hand, then before the rest of the crew teased her too, she quickly walked out of the studio and into the parking lot, where Adrian was waiting for her.


    "You brought what I asked for?" asked Apple.


    Adrian then ced a small box the size of a fist into Apple''s hand and told her something else. "Well, I actually brought more."


    "What do you mean?" asked Apple confusedly. She didn''t understand.


    "Get in the car." Adrian nodded toward the car parked not far from them and whose windows were so ck that you wouldn''t be able to see who was in there.


    But, for one thing or another, Apple seemed to know who was in there.


    "Didn''t I say that I would tell him myself?" Apple raised her eyebrows usingly at Adrian, but the man just shrugged his shoulders and looked at Apple with guilt-free eyes.


    "I had to get his approval to be able to take these tools and there''s no way I''d lie. I like this job more than you."


    Apple rolled her eyes dramatically. "Yeah, same here." And after that, she walked toward the car, where she found Jayden sitting leisurely.


    Jayden smiled sweetly at Apple while waving his hand. "Miss me?"


    "Not really."


    =======================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 607 I WILL HANDLE THIS

    Chapter 607 I WILL HANDLE THIS¡¡¡¡Apple felt betrayed when she discovered that Adrian actually took Jayden with him when he came to hand her the object she asked for.


    "I had to get his approval to be able to take these tools and there''s no way I''d lie." That was the reason Adrian gave Apple when she asked why Jayden was there too. Then he casually added, "I like this job more than you."


    Hearing that, Apple rolled her eyes dramatically. "Yeah, same here." And after saying that, Apple walked over to the car, where she found Jayden sitting leisurely.


    The man was smiling sweetly at Apple while waving his hand, while in hisp was a box of lunch from a restaurant she liked.


    "Miss me?" he asked in a deep and seductive voice, while Adrian preferred to be outside the car to protect his eyes and his sanity from the interaction between the two of them.


    "Not really." Apple shrugged nonchntly as she got in the car and sat down next to Jayden. She then saw the food box that was on the man''sp and intended to take it.


    However, Jayden swiftly protected the food box from her wandering hands.


    "Didn''t you bring that for me?" asked Apple, her eyes ring at Jayden in confusion.


    "I brought it for someone who misses me," Jayden replied, slightly petty, as he kept the box of food out of Apple''s reach.


    Watching Jayden''s antics, Appleughed. He could be so childish and annoying at the same time.


    "I''m serious." Jayden didn''tugh with Apple, his face showing the seriousness of what he just said. "I know you''re beautiful and charming when youugh, especially with the make-up and clothes you''re wearing now. But, I won''t waver. I will only give this food to people who miss me."


    "Okay, I missed you, now may I have my lunch?" she asked as she tried to retrieve her lunch box again, but Jayden brushed her off and red at her.


    "I can''t believe what you said. After all, it doesn''t sound sincere at all."


    Apple then smiled at the man who was sulking in front of her. She then leaned in and kissed Jayden''s cheek. "Now may I have my lunch?"


    "Just one kiss on the cheek?" Jayden raised his eyebrows questioningly, as if what Apple had just done was an insult to him.


    Apple then kissed Jayden''s other cheek, but the man still shook his head and made her a little annoyed, therefore, Apple pulled Jayden closer by cing her hand behind Jayden''s neck and kissing his lips.


    But, during the kiss, Apple''s other hand grabbed the food box that Jayden was holding and snatched it away easily because Jayden didn''t fight back at all.


    "Yay, I got it!" cried Apple as she pushed Jayden away from her after she got what she wanted.


    "Don''t you think you''re a little rude, even heartless to me?" Jayden grumbled while wiping his pursed lips.


    Apple thenughed and reached out her hand to wipe off the remaining lipstick on Jayden''s lips and then proceeded to open her lunch box. Her smile was so cheerful when she found the dishes she liked.


    Of course, Jayden knew what dishes she liked the best.


    Then casually, Apple ate the food, while Jayden took a deep-fried shrimp which warranted a fierce re from Apple.


    "That''s my food," she stated, as if Jayden had justmitted a criminal act.


    "Do you want to share?" Jayden ced the shrimp between his lips, bit the tip of the shrimp slightly and leaned in.


    Jayden thought Apple wouldn''t take the bait, but he was wrong, because after that this girl leaned in and took the shrimp back with her lips and ate it straight away.


    "Don''t steal my food," Apple said with augh when she saw Jayden''s surprised expression.


    "You actually turned out to be really bold," Jayden said, but he was so happy to hear Apple''s soothingugh and kissed her cheek.


    While Apple ate, Jayden checked the iing emails on his cell phone. He didn''t bother the girl who was eating while humming.


    Therefore, a few minutes in the car were only filled with Apple humming, while the man couldn''t tell what song she was singing.


    It was only after Apple closed her empty meal box that Jayden closed his emails and put away his cell phone.


    "So, what are you asking for these tools for?" Jayden asked straight to the point.


    He shifted his body and picked up the empty box of food that Apple had eaten and pushed it into the front seat, then handed her a bottle of cold beverage so they could talk more seriously.


    "I suspect Ivan," said Apple directly, she then drank her beverage and looked at Jayden. "Maybe I''m being too paranoid after some of the events that happened in thest few days."


    Jayden shook his head.


    "No, I don''t think you''re being paranoid. It is better to be safe than sorry, right?" Jayden said.


    "Well..." Apple said slowly. "I''m not sure if I''m correct, but I feel something was indeed strange with Ivan."


    Apple then told Jayden about how Ivan found out about their vacation to the ind, which she didn''t tell anyone beforehand. Hell, she didn''t even know where she was going until Jayden took her to the Tordoff family''s private airstrip.


    Then his sudden decision to work in thispany while he had his own photo studio and had his own team. ording to Apple, this was all very strange, because as far as Apple knew, Ivan was very proud of his photo studio.


    So it was almost impossible for him to leave the photo studio to focus on being a worker in the same field.


    "Maybe I''m overthinking this stuff," Apple said, but she couldn''t shake off the feeling.


    Meanwhile, Jayden listened to what Apple had to say with a serious face. In the end, he said quietly and calmly, "You don''t have to worry, I''ll take care of this matter and find out what really happened."

 Chapter 608 JAYDEN TAKES IT TOO FAR

    Chapter 608 JAYDEN TAKES IT TOO FAR¡¡¡¡After an hour of rest, Apple started shooting again and everything went well, although she didn''t find a chance to discuss the matter with Ivan from before any longer.


    But, ording to Apple, it was better if she didn''t mention the matter at all, because that would only make Ivan wary and of course that was thest thing Apple wanted.


    "Ah, Ivan, can I borrow your cell phone for a moment to call Adrian?" asked Apple as she approached the man, while he was checking today''s output. "My phone is dead, out of battery." Apple lifted her phone and showed its dark screen.


    "Of course." Ivan then took his cell phone and unlocked it before handing it over to Apple. "Here."


    "Thank you." Apple then walked a little away from Ivan and started fiddling with the phone before she put it to her ear and waited for someone on the other end to pick up the call.


    Meanwhile, Ivan continued to follow Apple''s movements from the corner of his eyes.


    And when suddenly Apple turned around, Ivan spontaneously smiled at her, but it was obvious that he was watching the girl.


    Of course this didn''t go unnoticed by Apple, although she didn''t say anything after she returned the phone.


    "I''ll go first, Adrian will wait for me in the lobby," Apple said as she handed back Ivan''s cell phone. "Thank you."


    "Don''t forget that three days from today we have a night photo shoot near the beach," Ivan reminded.


    "Of course," replied Apple lightly, although it sounded very strange to shoot near the beach, but she didn''t think anything of it. "There are more?"


    Ivan shook his head. "I''ll send you today''s photos after we have finished editing them."


    Apple patted him lightly on the shoulder and waved her hand at him, rushing to leave from there.


    After Apple had left, the man signaled to the two men who were still there for them to take care of the rest of the work, since they had very little to do, after which he left the room.


    Ivan then found a quiet corner in the corridor not far from the studio and took out his cell phone, which had been borrowed by Apple and checked the number the girl had called.


    He then took a screenshot and sent the number to a foreign number he programmed as ''G'', by chat; this is A''s bodyguard number. After that, he sent it.


    It wasn''t clear who the number was sent to, but for sure, Ivan had very different intentions from what Apple had in mind when they met before.


    =========================


    "You got it?" asked Apple as soon as she got in the car and sat in the front seat, next to Adrian, as he drove the car away from the Building.


    "Yup." Adrian then gave Apple a tablet so she could check it herself.


    What Apple did just now of course could be categorized as something illegal, but in a situation like this and in this line of work, the line between legal and illegal seemed too vague.


    "Okay..." Apple then spent the next five minutes checking Ivan''s phone and found some messages that had been deleted and of course this made her feel suspicious and increased her curiosity, what exactly did Ivan want?


    They had been friends for a long time and it was safe to say that Ivan is one of her best friends, even though they hadn''tmunicated as intensely in the past year or two.


    "Hmm?" Apple frowned when she saw Ivan send a message to someone with the initials ''G'' as the recipient. He sent a screenshot containing the number that Apple had dialed, namely Adrian''s number, by chat; This is A''s bodyguard number.


    "A? Does he mean me?" murmured Apple.


    "What is it?" asked Adrian when he saw the crease between Apple''s eyebrows.


    "He texted someone."


    "Suspicious message?"


    Apple nodded.


    "We''ll check it outter. Maybe your instincts are right, he''s a little suspicious." Adrian then turned the car toward the freeway, but Apple still didn''t notice.


    "Yeah, he''s suspicious," said Apple, confirming Adrian''sments on this matter. "Can you recover deleted messages?" asked Apple, she then lifted her head from the tablet in herp to look at Adrian.


    "I''ll call someone from the IT department to take care of it," said Adrian, but then he thought for a moment. "I think Mr. Tordoff can do that."


    "Hmm?" Apple looked surprised for a moment but then she smiled. "Yeah, he can do everything." Herst words sounded like she was very proud of her boyfriend.


    But then, Apple looked around and realized that they weren''t on the way to the penthouse where she and Jayden lived. Because the way to the penthouse didn''t cross a highway like this.


    "Where are we going?" asked Apple, looking around her.


    Adrian grimaced slightly as he answered this. "Mr. Tordoff just said not to tell you anything about his n."


    "What does it mean?" Apple frowned in confusion.


    "You know, this is a surprise."


    "A surprise?" Apple pursed her lips when she heard those words. "Last time I had a surprise from Jayden, he took me away for a three hour journey."


    Adrianughed at that. Apple must be talking about the surprise Jayden gave her when he took her to the ind where his parents lived.


    "No, this ce won''t be that far," said Adrian, reassuring Apple, who seemedpletely unconvinced by his words.


    "Where are we going?" Apple reiterated her question, because she didn''t like to be kept in the dark.


    "You''ll find outter."


    "Just say it now."


    "I can''t say."


    "Why?" asked Apple, then she lowered her voice. "Just tell me, I wouldn''t tell Jayden even if you had told me, I''ll pretend to be surprisedter."


    "I really can not." Then Adrian told Apple the reason by ncing at his cor, where there was a small device for tapping conversations.


    Jayden took things too far to ensure this surprise wouldn''t fail.

 Chapter 609 CANDLES AND FLOWERS

    Chapter 609 CANDLES AND FLOWERS¡¡¡¡One thing Apple didn''t like and found very annoying was being left in the dark, so when Adrian refused to tell her where they were going, it irritated her a bit. Because she wanted to know the answer right now.


    Seeing what Jayden had done two days back by taking her far away, it made Apple even more wary when she heard the man was going to surprise her again.


    "Where are we going?" Apple stared intently at Adrian, making the man a little nervous while driving.


    "You''ll find outter." Adrian tried not to look at Apple at all and stay calm.


    "Just say it now."


    "I can''t say."


    "Why?" asked Apple. She looked suspicious. However, since persuasion didn''t work, she tried to negotiate with Adrian. "Just tell me, I wouldn''t tell Jayden if you had told me, I''ll pretend to be surprisedter."


    "I really can not." Adrian looked frustrated when he refused to answer the question for the umpteenth time and instead nced at his cor, where there was a small device for tapping conversations.


    At first, Apple didn''t understand what Adrian meant at all, but then she saw the little listening device after following Adrian''s gaze.


    "What?" Apple frowned. She opened her mouth, closed it again and opened it again, but no words came out. She was too speechless when she saw the little tool.


    Jayden had taken it too far to make sure this surprise wasn''t leaked by Adrian, because he seemed to have guessed that Apple would use various means to get him to talk.


    "This is outrageous!" Apple grumbled. "JAYDEN!" Apple eximed at the tool, which made the receiver ring because the sound was quite loud and shrill.


    Even Adrian narrowed his eyes and covered one ear with one hand.


    "Don''t scream in my ear, I''m driving, it''s dangerous," Adrian scolded her. "After all, this is a one- way channel, Mr. Jayden can''t possibly answer you."


    Apple''s phone had been really out of battery earlier, which she had deliberately done to make it look more convincing when she borrowed Ivan''s phone.


    "I know," said Apple, leaning back in her seat and letting Adrian drive the car to where they were going.


    Meanwhile, from the car window, Apple could see the sun almost setting behind the tall skyscrapers of City A and also the sky which was starting to get dark.


    Apple then stretched out her hand to y her favorite music by connecting her ylist to the car''s stereo and looked much more rxed when she closed her eyes while enjoying the beat of the song.


    Apple didn''t know how long she had been asleep for, but she felt Adrian shaking her hand to wake her up.


    "Hmm?" Apple frowned as she looked around, to confirm where they were, but this ce looked strange.


    "We''ve arrived," said Adrian lightly. He then got out of the car and opened the car door for Apple, letting her out.


    "Where is this?" asked Apple again, looking around her.


    "Wear this," said Adrian, handing her a thick jacket that wasfortable because the night air was quite cold.


    Apple''s ck hair fluttered in the strong wind as she got out of the car and thanked Adrian in her heart for his thoughtfulness, for indeed tonight was a little colder than usual.


    "Where should I go?" asked Apple. She looked around and realized that they were in a car park and there was a greenhouse and arge artificialke in the distance.


    However, from where Apple was standing, she couldn''t clearly see what was there. She could only tell that the ss building, like a greenhouse, had slightly dim lighting.


    "Toward that house," Adrian pointed to the greenhouse, the first building that caught Apple''s attention.


    "You''re noting?" Apple turned around and asked Adrian when the man didn''t follow her and instead prepared to take his cigarette out of his jacket pocket.


    "No, of course not, the surprise was for you, not for me," he answered quickly.


    "Well, we can be surprised together," Apple said nonchntly, which made Adrianugh, but then he waved his hand for Apple to get out of there.


    "Go quickly, Mr. Tordoff must be waiting for you inside," he said, as if he couldn''t wait to get Apple out of there.


    Seeing Adrian''s impatience and unstoppable curiosity, Apple then walked quickly toward the ss building.


    She still hadn''t removed her make-up, so she looked like someone ready to go to a party.


    Apple then slowed down when she came to a path lined by candles to her left and right and a sprinkling of red rose petals on the rocky path, which would lead her to the greenhouse.


    To be honest, Apple was not the type of woman who liked romantic things like this, but for some reason it gave her a feeling of joy and happiness when she looked at everything around her.


    Especially when Apple walked closer and caught the music from inside the greenhouse and captured a silhouette of someone sitting before a white grand piano.


    The building was empty, there wasn''t a single bench or table or other equipment, but only the figure of a man waiting for her while ying a song, a soft melody that made Apple''s heart thump wildly as she approached.


    Now, Apple was in the doorway of the ss house, standing there watching Jayden Tordoff y the piano.


    Damn. She never knew Jayden could y the piano before.


    No, there was actually a lot Apple didn''t know about Jayden Tordoff, not just about ying a piano.


    But, as the man had said, they would have a lot of time in the future getting to know each other.


    And there, Jayden lifted his head and smiled at Apple who was standing on the spot, transfixed and amazed at what she was looking at right now.


    And the soft music continued to y, as if guiding Apple toward the man.


    ================


    THIS BOOK IS PUBLISHED ON WEBNOVEL.


    Meet me on Instagram @jikan_yo_tomare.

 Chapter 610 CANDLES AND FLOWERS (2)

    Chapter 610 CANDLES AND FLOWERS (2)¡¡¡¡Apple never expected to see a scene like this. She thought things like this would only exist in a romantic novel or movie, but Jayden really did it for her.


    Apple never said she wanted any of these things, but when she got them, she was really, really excited. She couldn''t remember when she had ever felt this happy and touched in her life.


    Not that her father never did good or gave the best for her, of course her father was a different case.


    But seeing someone''s effort to make her happy and do all this for her, really left her at a loss for words.


    Was it because of the candles that were lit in the dim night, or maybe it was because of the flowers that were scattered around it which added to the romantic feel? Or maybe it was because of the beautiful music yed by Jayden...


    Apple just found out that Jayden could y the piano.


    She didn''t know which factor made her feel so happy, but she felt so loved right now. She felt she loved the man who was sitting behind the white piano and looking at her tenderly.


    Never before had Apple had this feeling. Even with Kyle, her ex.


    She felt like crying andughing at the same time. She wanted to run to Jayden, but her legs were carrying her too slowly and she didn''t have the strength to pump them faster than this. But then again, Apple knew she would eventually approach him.


    Apple couldn''t take her eyes off Jayden. He was very handsome in a white t-shirt and jeans. Simple and casual clothes. He wasn''t wearing a tuxedo or formal suit because Jayden remembered, Apple always looked at him in awe and said he looked handsome in simple clothes like this.


    Jayden looked a little more rxed and seemed more homey when he wore a white t-shirt and jeans and Apple loved that impression.


    So Jayden threw away all his crazy ideas about the proposal and kept it simple but memorable, because that was what the girl wanted.


    Apple bit her lip to stop herself from smiling, because she was sure that if she didn''t, she''d be smiling from ear to ear by now, and Apple wasn''t sure the expression on her face would be pleasant to look at¡­


    And when Apple finally got to Jayden and stood by his piano, the man yed thest few notes of the song and ended it beautifully, before he gave all his attention to Apple.


    Thest tune was soothing to Apple''s ears, before he finally ended the solo piano ying and stood up to walk over to her.


    "You look beautiful tonight and the nights before and nights toe," Jayden said, he bent down and kissed Apple''s cheeks and smoothed out the jacket she was wearing.


    "I know I''m beautiful," said Apple with a big smile on her lips. "But it''s really nice to hear that."


    Jayden chuckled when he heard this and then put on his own jacket slung over the side of his chair.


    "I''ll say it as much as you want," Jayden said as he grabbed Apple''s hand and led her away. "I''ll show you something."


    "Hmm?" Apple raised an eyebrow. She thought this was the moment he would give the ring to her.


    But then, it seemed Apple didn''t really care where she was going, because as long as she was with Jayden, then Apple wouldn''t mind wherever he took her.


    Jayden then led Apple out of the greenhouse and took her to theke in the backyard, where a small boat, only fit for three to four people, was moored by theke, waiting for them to board.


    "I thought you were afraid of water," Apple said, reminding Jayden of his trauma.


    "I''m not afraid of water," Jayden corrected her, pinching her cheek. "My trauma is rted to the sea."


    "What about this?" asked Apple, pointing at theke. "It has a lot of water too."


    "Of course it''s different." Jayden then pulled the boat closer and helped Apple to get on it before he caught up.


    "You know how to row?" asked Apple again, a little worried when she got on the boat.


    "Of course," Jayden answered proudly. He then took the oars that were on his left and right and pushed the boat away from the shore, bringing them into the middle of theke.


    Apple realized that in the middle of theke there was actually a small stilt house. It was a simpleke house filled with only a table, where on the table was their dinner.


    "A romantic dinner?" asked Apple as they approached the littleke dwelling in the middle of theke and she saw what was there.


    Jaydenughed. "Yeah, it seems so. I''m sure you''re hungry."


    "Hmm, I forgot that I was hungry when I heard you ying the piano," said Apple. "I just found out that you can y the piano."


    "Stick around and you''ll find out more things you didn''t expect from me," Jayden said, rolling his eyes, which made Appleugh.


    After that, he brought their boat closer and immediately got down from there to moor the boat and help Apple down from there.


    On the table, there was already a bottle of wine and a delicious spread of dishes. This all felt like a dream and Apple really didn''t expect Jayden to put such effort into it.


    "I''m ttered by all the effort you put in for me," Apple said, as Jayden pulled out a chair for her to sit down.


    "Of course I''ll only do it for you," Jayden said as he kissed her shoulder and walked to the only chair across from hers and sat there.


    Apple had been waiting for Jayden to take out the ring. She thought, after ying the piano, he would drop to his knees and propose, but he didn''t.


    Maybe after the special dinner?


    Somehow Apple felt giddy, although she never imagined she would be proposed to in this way.

 Chapter 611 WILL YOU MARRY ME?

    Chapter 611 WILL YOU MARRY ME?¡¡¡¡Somehow Apple felt giddy, although she never imagined she would be proposed to in this way.


    This was far from what she imagined her evening to be.


    Jayden was so attentive tonight, he didn''t seem like the easy going person he tended to be, but also didn''t show that he felt stiff and tense, on the contrary, he looked calm and rxed, much more mature than his usual self.


    This was the side that Apple had just seen from Jayden. He looked very mature and not overdone. He didn''t tease or make jokes that would make Appleugh out loud. He didn''t do any of that tonight.


    However, the conversation between the two of them flowed so smoothly, they shared some things that had never been told between them, such as nostalgia for the past, things they liked, hobbies they used to have.


    Light topics but had the potential to make them lose track of time.


    Finally, when Apple finished one ss of wine and was about to refill her ss, Jayden held her hand and stopped her from doing so.


    "No, I need you to stay conscious today," Jayden said in a serious tone, as he remembered the two experiences he had been through when Apple was too drunk. And having Apple out of control was thest thing he wanted to happen in his ns tonight.


    Apple raised her eyebrows slightly surprised, but then smiled. "Why? You''re afraid I''ll jump into theke?"


    "Not really," said Jayden. "The thing that stands out the most when you''re drunk is that you turn out to be very seductive and passionate."


    Apple remembered the two incidents when she got drunk. She couldn''t deny Jayden''s words that she did get ''a little'' naughty when she lost control. You could say she would be more than a bit naughty when alcohol affected her system.


    "But if you insist, we can do it on this table," Jayden said, tapping the table between them, which made Apple''s face turn red.


    "Oh, stop teasing me," Apple grumbled. She thought Jayden would continue his teasing, but no, he just stood up and walked over to her.


    "You must already know what I''m going to do and what the point of all this is," Jayden said, standing in front of Apple and making her bite her lip, waiting for what he would do next.


    "I think so." Apple knew she had ruined the supposed surprise effect at a time like this, but somehow, even though she knew what was going to happen and what Jayden was going to do and what the essence of it all was, she was still happy.


    It didn''t diminish her happiness at all.


    Apple felt her chest tighten and full as Jayden turned her chair as he stood across from her, looking so handsome and so dignified.


    "I think if reincarnation existed and good karma existed, I might have saved the world in my previous life," Apple muttered, but Jayden could hear it quite clearly.


    It sounded a little weird, but that was what Apple felt like.


    "If that was really the case, I might have been by your side to save the world because I managed to get to you."


    "I like it..." Apple muttered under her breath.


    Jayden smiled and gently stroked Apple''s cheek, saying quietly. "I know there won''t be any more surprise effects for this proposal, but I promise to give you more surprises for the rest of our lives."


    Then, having said all that, Jayden dropped to his knees and pulled out the ring that Apple had known, performed the move she had anticipated and said the words she had been waiting for.


    "Will you marry me?"


    Apple bit her lip when she actually heard those words. She wasn''t a girl who cried easily, but for some reason, her throat felt tight and her eyes felt hot.


    She blinked her eyes and could feel the warm tears falling down her cheeks.


    Were these the tears of happiness? She tried to stop them, but couldn''t, she wanted to answer his question, but her voice was heavy, so she nodded and a soft ''yes'' escaped her trembling lips.


    Jayden then took Apple''s hand and put the ring on her finger, indicating that it was her. One more ring and this girl would be his forever.


    He then kissed the ring and Apple''s cold hand, before he stood up and hugged the girl who was now crying.


    Jayden let Apple cry as long as she wanted, while he rubbed her shoulder and gave her thefort she needed.


    And just at that moment, a series of fireworks lit up the night sky, the sound was so loud, it made Apple flinch a little in surprise.


    "Ah, I forgot about this one," said Jayden, which made Apple chuckle and stand up from her chair, while Jayden still had his arms wrapped around her.


    "Beautiful," said Apple, looking up at the night sky.


    "Yes, it''s beautiful," Jayden replied, looking at the woman beside him.


    "I mean the fireworks."


    "Hm, that''s what I meant too," Jayden replied without taking his eyes off Apple, which made her blush.


    "Thank you," Apple said, tiptoeing and lightly kissing Jayden''s lips, but the man didn''t ept the brief kiss and held her body and deepened their kiss, while the fireworks still lit up the beautiful night sky.


    Everything was going ording to n, just as Jayden had imagined and he didn''t think his proposal was a bad idea.


    Half an hourter Jayden and Apple left the small stilt house in the middle of theke to return to the greenhouse.


    And now, Apple was back to humming the same tune she hummed when she was drunk a few days ago, staring in awe at her ring, while Jayden was rowing their little boat back to the greenhouse.


    "I thought you''d propose to me after you yed the piano," said Apple, still staring at the ring with a sweet smile on her lips. "What made you decide to do it in the middle of theke?"


    "Because I have to have a n B."


    "n B?"


    "In case you rejected me, I would have left you there."

 Chapter 612 THAT RING!

    Chapter 612 THAT RING!¡¡¡¡"I thought you''d propose to me after you finished ying the piano," said Apple, still staring at the ring that wrapped nicely around her finger and smiling. The soft reflection of the moonlight made the ring look even more beautiful. "What made you decide to do it in the middle of theke?"


    Apple didn''t mind at all where Jayden was taking her, because she knew it was bound to happen, but she just wanted to know why this man did what he did.


    "Because I have to have a n B," Jayden replied curtly.


    "n B?" Apple frowned and turned her attention to the man who was rowing their boat now. "What''s your n B?"


    "In case you refused me, I would have left you there." Jayden nodded toward the small cottage in the middle of theke. "And we would have stayed there until you said ''yes''."


    Apple looked at Jayden with a reproachful expression on her face. "You''re ruining the romantic atmosphere," she grumbled.


    But then, Apple didn''t seem to care much as she started staring at her ring again. She even gushed about the ring.


    "Can you teach me how to y the piano?" asked Apple as Jayden was mooring their small boat by theke.


    "Of course," Jayden said, taking Apple''s hand and leading them back toward the greenhouse. "What song would you like to learn?"


    "That song you yed earlier," Apple replied cheerfully.


    "You like the piano too? We can take it home if you want."


    "Doesn''t the piano belong here?"


    "No, it''s just an ordinary garden and it''s a normal greenhouse," Jayden replied lightly and then pulled Apple closer while wrapping his arm around the girl''s shoulders. "I bought it because the color fits tonight''s concept."


    Apple sneered. "Rich people are different¡­"


    Jaydenughed when he heard that and then kissed Apple on the lips gently, making the girlugh. "You are also a rich woman now."


    Jayden then lifted the finger of Apple, where the engagement ring circled and smiled cheekily at his fianc¨¦e. "Do you know the price of this ring?" he asked.


    "How much?" Apple knew there was no way the legacy ring from the Tordoff family would have a normal price.


    But, when Jayden leaned in to tell Apple how much the ring cost, of course she didn''t expect it to be that expensive.


    "WHAT?!" she cried out when she heard the nominal price of the ring on her finger. Immediately, the ring felt very heavy.


    =========================


    "Hey, wake up¡­" Jayden called out to Apple softly when the sun was already quite bright and dazzling.


    Apple frowned, her body ached and when she saw this dazzling sunlight, she realized that she hadn''t woken up this morning.


    "What time is it?" asked Apple in a hoarse voice. Her body ached and thest thing she wanted was to get out of herfortable nket and this soft mattress.


    Jayden didn''t answer Apple''s question, but he showed her the digital clock on his phone and noticed how his fianc¨¦e''s expression changed in surprise.


    "It''s already afternoon?!" she cried, and immediately widened her eyes, but Apple then covered herself with the nket again, because as she said before, she really didn''t want to get out of this nket. "I''ve never been up thiste¡­" she grumbled, but had no intention of getting up at all.


    She still rememberedst night''s events and stared at her ring from under the covers,ughing silently.


    "I didn''t wake you up because it was noon," Jayden said as he opened the nket a little, so that at least Apple''s face popped out. "I woke you up because Pyro was awake."


    "What!?" Apple immediately pushed herself to sit up and nearly hit Jayden''s head.


    "Yeah, I just heard about it half an hour ago," Jayden told her.


    "I have to go," said Apple hastily.


    "Of course we''ll go there." Jayden chuckled as he looked at Apple who got off the bed and forgot that she wasn''t wearing anything under the nket. "But, I think you should put on some clothes before we go there. Pyro could go back into aa if he sees you like this."


    Apple was so excited to see her father that she forgot about this and when she realized it, she immediately pulled the nket to cover herself.


    Only Jayden moved much faster and secured the nket first by pulling it away from Apple.


    "Jayden!" cried Apple in annoyance who then hit him with a pillow to cover his face, while she ran to the bathroom.


    =========================


    "Father?" called Apple when she came into the room with her father''s favorite food.


    Jayden had called the doctor there and asked if Pyro could eat the food before they came with the man''s favorite dishes.


    This was another advantage of having a boyfriend like Jayden Tordoff, because everything was guaranteed and under control.


    Apple bit her lip when she saw Pyro half sitting, watching the news. He still looked weak and a little pale, but certainly much better than he was before.


    Pyro''s eyes lit up with joy when he saw who hade to meet him. Heughed softly and tried to sit up.


    "I''m really worried about you," said Pyro, whereupon Apple helped him to sit up properly after cing the food she had brought onto the bedside table.


    "You don''t have to worry about me, I''m fine." Apple then pulled up a chair and sat beside his bed. "You must be hungry, I brought your favorite food."


    Jayden had purposely beente because he wanted to give Apple and Pyro some time alone, while he did some of his work in the hospital cafeteria.


    "How do you feel? Still sick?" asked Apple worriedly.


    Pyro just waved his hand, as if dismissing the question. "I''m fine. Not a big deal."


    Not a big deal? Apple snorted. He was in aa for a few weeks, of course that was a huge deal. But she certainly didn''t say it out loud.


    "I brought you your favorite food."


    But, Pyro just widened his eyes. "Apple! That ring!"

 Chapter 613 CAFETARIA

    Chapter 613 CAFETARIA¡¡¡¡As soon as Apple heard that her father had regained consciousness, of course she immediately came to see how he was.


    Jayden also came along with her, but since he wanted to give Apple and Pyro a little privacy, he stayed back in the hospital cafeteria to sort things out before he went over to see Pyro.


    After all, there were things Jayden had to tell Pyro, so it was certain he would meet him sooner orter.


    "I brought you your favorite food." Apple pulled a chair to the side of her father''s bed and started to open the box of food she and Jayden had bought.


    But, when Apple was about to feed her father, Pyro widened his eyes. "Apple! That ring!"


    Pyro immediately took the lunch box that was on Apple''sp and put it aside, as he pulled his daughter''s hand to look at the familiar ring that was wrapped around her finger more closely.


    Of course Pyro knew the ring, it was Hailee''s ring, passed down generation after generation in the Tordoff family and was a precious ring, and something not just anyone could wear.


    "This ring!" Pyro shouted in a loud voice. He looked at Apple, then the ring then at Apple again and back to the ring.


    However, all he could do was shake his head in disbelief at what he was seeing before his eyes.


    "Who gave this? Where did you get it from?" asked Pyro quickly. She wanted to know for sure where his daughter got the ring from, even though he could guess easily.


    Especially when Adrian gave a vague answer when he asked how the rtionship between Apple and Jayden was.


    He didn''t answer him directly, but it went without saying that something important, or rather something big had happened between Jayden and his daughter.


    However, he wanted to make sure that his conjecture was correct. He wanted to hear it straight from Apple.


    "Where did you get this from?" Pyro grabbed Apple''s hand and gripped it tightly.


    "Dad¡­" Apple then let her dad pull her hand around like that, because she knew she had to exin this.


    Ugh. Jayden should be here to exin, after all this was his responsibility, right?


    "Jayden gave it to me," Apple said, then she added quickly. "Last night."


    "He proposed to you?" Pyro asked.


    "Yeah, he proposed to me."


    For a moment, Pyro fell silent when he heard that answer. He looked like a shaken person and this worried Apple.


    "Are you okay?" asked Apple quickly. "What is it? You don''t agree?"


    But, a momentter, Pyro hugged Apple. He grabbed her quite strongly and surprised his daughter.


    "What''s the matter, dad?" Fear began to creep into Apple''s heart about the possible bad things that could happen. "You don''t approve of this rtionship?"


    This was very likely to happen, because at first Pyro had doubts about Jayden, or maybe he still had doubts about him.


    "Do you not approve of this rtionship?" asked Apple again, repeating her question, because Pyro didn''t answer her and just hugged her tightly.


    "Of course you both have my blessings if that''s what you want," Pyro finally said and hugged Apple even tighter. "I just didn''t expect that he would finally settle down with my beautiful daughter."


    Appleughed when she heard that.


    "But, of course I have to have a serious talk with him," said Pyro, suddenly his tone turned very serious and he stared intently at Apple.


    "Jayden is in the cafeteria downstairs, do you want me to call him over here?" asked Apple as she removed her arms from around Pyro and sat back in her chair.


    "No, I''m not in a hurry to see and talk to him. I want to spend some time with my daughter first," replied Pyro, shaking his head, as if seeing Jayden was thest thing on his mind.


    =========================


    "May I sit here?" A young woman approached Jayden carrying a tray of food.


    For now, Jayden wasn''t with any of his bodyguards, as this area of ??the hospital had been thoroughly protected by Jayden''s people, ever since Pyro was hospitalized here.


    "There''s a lot of empty seats over there," Jayden said politely, pointing at the row of empty chairs and tables this woman could upy.


    Jayden wore casual clothes and a hat, so it was a little difficult to attribute him to Jayden Tordoff, heir to the Tordoff family.


    But still, without that status, his face would be very attractive for those around him, especially those of the opposite sex.


    "But you''re sitting here alone," the woman said in a voice that sounded very low, a little seductive even, as she sat down on the chair opposite Jayden and this made him raise an eyebrow. "You look lonely, so I guess I''ll apany you here. It is okay, right? I''ve been watching you from the start, but you''re not with anyone."


    "I''m here with my fianc¨¦e," Jayden said, leaning his back and folding his arms across his chest. "A small piece of advice, you should leave immediately, because my fianc¨¦e is quite fierce."


    The girl widened her eyes in disbelief, but then sheughed while covering her mouth with her hand, to make herself look a little cute. "You must be upset to have such a fierce fianc¨¦e like that."


    "No," Jayden replied.


    The girl leaned in and Jayden could smell the perfume she was wearing, and only one thought crossed his mind; he didn''t like the smell of her perfume. It was nowhere as nice as Apple''s natural scent.


    "You don''t have to lie, I know how you feel, before this, I was also in a very toxic rtionship like that. My lover is very controlling, in almost everything¡­" the girl tossed her long brown hair and slightly lifted her chin.


    While Jayden had not paid attention to what the girl had to say since the second sentence because he was not at all interested in listening to her babble.


    "You can move to that empty table, or I''ll move there."

 Chapter 614 CAFETARIA (2)

    Chapter 614 CAFETARIA (2)¡¡¡¡Jayden had not paid attention to what the girl had to say since the second sentence because he had absolutely no interest in listening to her babble.


    "You can move to that empty table, or I''ll move there." Jayden didn''t want to be rude and usually he''d never been in trouble like this before, as he was rarely out in public without a bodyguard apanying him.


    "What?" The girl stopped talking. She frowned, as if she didn''t understand Jayden''s refusal. "What do you mean?"


    But, before the girl could ask any further, Jayden had changed to another empty table carrying hisptop and coffee. He didn''t want to waste his time with this girl.


    However, the girl seemed displeased with the way Jayden treated her, therefore, she chose to change seats as well and sat right on the chair opposite Jayden again and this made the man look at her in annoyance.


    "You shouldn''t be afraid of your girlfriend."


    "Fianc¨¦e," Jayden corrected her, grabbing his phone and typing away something on it.


    The girl frowned at Jayden''s correction, but she didn''t think too much about it and continued with her very naive-sounding advice to tell Jayden that as a man he shouldn''t be treated like that by women.


    On the other hand, Jayden tried to ignore her because he didn''t want to create a scene in this hospital.


    At least he had asked for help¡­


    =========================


    "What is it?" Pyro asked when he saw Apple''s expression. He had just finished eating and Apple was peeling fruit for him.


    "I''ll be leaving for a minute, Dad," Apple said, turning to leave, leaving Pyro alone in his room.


    Pyro frowned in confusion, but then he continued what Apple had started and peeled the fruit himself.


    "You weren''t with Jayden?" asked Apple when she found Adrian waiting at her dad''s door.


    "No, Mr. Tordoff wants to be in the cafeteria alone, what''s wrong? There is a problem?" asked Adrian as he followed Apple, while two other bodyguards waited at the door of Pyro''s ward.


    "Yeah, there''s a problem, but you don''t have toe," Apple said in a firm voice. "I can handle this on my own," she said confidently.


    "Hmm? What''s really going on?" Adrian asked Apple as he stopped walking.


    "Wait here, don''t follow me," Apple said in a much firmer voice. And after making sure that the message was conveyed correctly, Apple turned and walked away.


    It only took Apple a few minutes to find the cafeteria because Jayden had directed her quite clearly earlier, not even missing where he was sitting.


    The message that Jayden sent didn''t contain many words, he only sent a voice message, the voice of a woman who said that Jayden was in a toxic rtionship and advised him to get out of the rtionship.


    Beneath the voicemail, Jayden simply wrote; SOS and then where he was now.


    So it was very easy for Apple to find him there, sitting while the girl in front of him was shaking her hair and hands, talking excitedly and animatedly.


    Jayden immediately waved his hand as soon as he saw Apple and this made the girl stop talking and turn to Apple.


    "Come here, this is my fianc¨¦e," Jayden said proudly, pulling Apple closer to him.


    "Oh..." the girl looked embarrassed. She immediately stood up from her seat, but didn''t know what to do. "Oh, I only had a short chat with him, because I saw that he was alone and had no one to talk to."


    Apple didn''t look happy with that excuse, she threw a fierce re at the girl who was trying to cover up her clumsy attitude by being arrogant.


    "Didn''t it cross your mind that he really wanted to be alone?"


    "You don''t need to be angry, your boyfriend had said that you will be angry if I talk to him, you are too controlling. Just be careful if he runs into another woman''s arms," the girl grumbled.


    Hearing that, Appleughed and then turned her attention to Jayden. "That''s a valid concern. What do you say, Mr. Tordoff?"


    "No, never crosses my mind, my fianc¨¦e is perfect," Jayden said casually.


    "Tordoff?" Of course she knew the Tordoffs.


    "Yes, Jayden Tordoff," Apple said. "Let me introduce myself, I''m his fianc¨¦e." Apple held out her hand, but when the girl subconsciously reached for Apple''s hand, she took Jayden''s hand instead. "Let''s go. Next time find someone else to talk to."


    Jayden then took hisptop and happily followed Apple.


    "Why did you have to call me for something like this? You can kick her out yourself," Apple said, while Jayden took her hand and kissed her headughing.


    "Because I feel happy when you stand up for me."


    ==========================


    "What is it? What happened?" asked Apple as Jayden came out of Pyro''s ward.


    He''d been in there for about two hours and Apple couldn''t eavesdrop at all from behind the door. Sometimes, things like this were really annoying.


    Jayden smirked when he saw Apple''s worried expression, then he put his arm around her to walk away from there.


    "You should have more confidence in your fianc¨¦," Jayden said. "Everything is fine. Your father just gave me some advice as usual." Jayden shrugged nonchntly like it was no big deal. "I''ve heard far longer advice than that in my entire life, so no problem. I am used to it."


    Yeah, some advice and threats to be more precise. Pyro was very firm in warning Jayden to treat Apple well.


    "Some advice? But you were in there for more than two hours," Apple said sarcastically.


    And the two of them had small talk during their walk to the hospital lobby where a car was waiting for them both to take them to the apartment.


    Jayden opened the car door for Apple and let him in first. Along the way to the apartment they talked about many things, but their conversation was cut short when the car suddenly stopped.

 Chapter 615 AN AMBUSH

    Chapter 615 AN AMBUSH¡¡¡¡It had been a tiring day, but Apple was quite happy that she could see her father was doing well and had even spoken to Jayden about their engagement.


    And what relieved her even more was the fact that her father approved of this marriage.


    It went without saying that Pyro wasn''t going to overdo it and Apple was sure he wouldn''t reject Jayden outright, but still, imagining the possibility was enough to leave Apple nervous.


    They were in the car with Adrian driving while Apple and Jayden were talking about trivial things that didn''t really matter, but then their conversation was cut short when suddenly Adrian hit the brakes hard and the car came to a screeching halt.


    Swiftly, Jayden grabbed Apple''s body, so she didn''t hit anything.


    "What is it?" Jayden asked, while Apple was in his arms. He looked out the car window and seemed to immediately get the answer to his question.


    Outside, there were two cars nking the left and right of the car Adrian was driving, while in front of them was a car that stopped and blocked the road.


    So, in a nutshell, the car Adrian was driving was now stuck in the middle of these three cars and the only way out was to back off, but a momentter another car started blocking their way to retreat.


    "Well, looks like we are in trouble again," said Apple, looking around her. What she said was true, because there was no way these four cars had good intentions by trapping their car.


    "Interesting observation," Jayden replied. He then reached under the seat of the car and grabbed a gun, while Adrian did the same.


    "Oh, you guys stash guns in there," Apple muttered, then she looked out and found about eight or ten people getting out of the cars that smacked them holding a gun each. "I hope this car is bulletproof."


    Apple then looked at Jayden, waiting for a response from him.


    "This car is bulletproof, right?" she asked with a little panic, because if they all intended to shoot them, then it was certain that no one would survive this tragedy.


    "Yes, honey," Jayden replied, kissing Apple on the forehead and handing the gun in his hand to her. "Hold this."


    Apple took the gun and looked around, while Jayden made a phone call and spoke to Adrian at the same time.


    "Just crash this car into the car up ahead," Apple advised.


    "You can''t, the car in front is too big and we can''t run over that car with this," said Adrian.


    "Get out of the way, let me try," said Apple, patting Adrian''s shoulder.


    The bodyguard frowned, and looked at Apple doubtfully. "Are you sure? I already told you that''s impossible."


    "If that''s not possible, there''s no harm in trying because it would be much better than being trapped here, wouldn''t it?" Apple then gave back the gun that Jayden had given her and signaled Adrian to switch positions.


    Adrian hesitated for a moment, and then looked at Jayden, who gave him a look as if to say; do what she wants.


    Thus, in the next second, they had swapped positions, while eight to ten people had already stood beside their cars, or simply opened their car windows, preparing to fire.


    "This will not end well," Apple mumbled to herself when she got behind the wheel and the guys out there shot them all at once.


    It was not the first time for Apple to get in a bulletproof car and be bombarded by bullets like this, but still, being in such a situation made her a little nervous until she almost forgot what she was supposed to be doing.


    "Honey, if you are nning on doing anything, I think now is a good time," Jayden reminded her gently, his voice slightly muffled by the sound of bullets from outside, hitting the windshield and other parts of the car relentlessly.


    "Got it, got it. I am doing it now." Apple felt her palms turn wet, but then she took a deep breath and started her trick. "I have to get it right, because otherwise, we will be stuck in this ce and can''t even move.


    "Okay, take your time, my love, I am chilling here with Adrian, no need to rush," Jayden said to Apple, while still on the phone with someone, while Adrian sat beside him, where Apple had been sitting, because the girl told him to sit there.


    Apple didn''t want Adrian to sit beside her because that would make her even more nervous.


    On the other hand, Adrian looked resigned. Jayden Tordoff¡­ didn''t this man know that the three of them were on the verge of death? How could he joke like that? He became even more frustrated right now.


    If this was Adrian, he would have told Apple off to get her to move and get them to safety first. Too bad the authority didn''t lie in his hands.


    "Hold on," Apple said and then the car started to shake, while Apple hit the gas hard and started moving the car back and forth simultaneously to make room for them to get out of there.


    Adrian had never seen this trick before or learned of it, but there was no doubt that Apple learned this from Pyro, her father.


    And after a few minutes of doing this, the rear tires of this car finally climbed onto the bumper of the car behind their car.


    "Okay, this will be a little bit rough." Apple reminded them again.


    "Do whatever you want, babe," Jayden said lightly, he seemed very confident in what Apple was going to do and left his life one hundred percent in her hands, as if they were in a simted assault instead of a real one.


    "Oh, I hate it when I have to ruin such a beautiful car," Apple grumbled.


    ====================


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    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 616 HE WAS INNOCENT

    Chapter 616 HE WAS INNOCENT¡¡¡¡"Okay, this will be a little bit rough." Apple notified them in advance when she put the car in reverse, and the rear tires of this car had climbed onto the bumper of the car behind them.


    The road, the ce where they were stopped, tended to be quiet and not traversed by many car users and other vehicles, therefore, when this incident urred, no one was an eyewitness to it.


    "Do whatever you want, babe," Jayden said lightly, looking as if he had left his life one hundred percent to his fianc¨¦e''s hands, as if they were in a simted assault instead of a real one.


    However, not everyone in this car had as strong a belief in Apple as Jayden did, because Adrian didn''t have the same optimistic thoughts and he simply couldn''t understand why Jayden could be so calm in their current situation and leave everything to Apple.


    What an odd couple, while Adrian held his gun warily.


    "Oh, I hate it when I have to ruin such a beautiful car," Apple grumbled when they felt the aftershocks and the car started to climb the car behind them and hit a man who didn''t have enough time to jump aside to avoid the collision. "Oh, looks like I ran over someone."


    Apple then drove their car away from the deserted street onto the main road, but that didn''t mean she had escaped the chase.


    "No problem, they can definitely take care of it," Jayden muttered again.


    "Great. I don''t want to go to jail for this."


    "Don''t worry, as far as I know, Adrian is driving this car."


    "What?" Adrian then looked at Jayden Tordoff with a pitiful expression on his face. How could his boss throw him under the bus? Meanwhile, Jayden just smirked at him.


    Love was really scary, indeed.


    After Apple managed to get them out of the confines of the cars trying to ambush them, she then sped up and tried to leave behind the four cars, which were now trying to chase them.


    "Take us to district twenty-third, babe," Jayden said. "I have a surprise for them."


    "Got it." Apple then pressed the gas pedal very hard and overtook several cars in front of them.


    Adrian had never really driven a car like this and instead sat in the passenger seat, because usually, for situations like this, he would be the one driving.


    Moreover, to entrust his life to Apple, they didn''t seem that close and he didn''t have the deep trust that Jayden Tordoff had in his fianc¨¦e.


    And with Apple behind the wheel, the car they were in was moving in a zigzag fashion, overtaking the others, while three cars followed them.


    Apparently, the other car was no longer able to function properly to carry out this pursuit.


    "Turn left," Jayden said, directing Apple to enter a deserted shopping area that had not been frequented for a long time. This area had been purchased by the Tordoffpany, and an office area would be built.


    However, because the paperwork had not yet beenpleted, the construction had not yet started.


    "It''s a dead end," Apple said, frowning.


    "Turn the car around and turn on the spotlights at mymand," Jayden ordered and Apple did exactly what was asked.


    Apple made this car turn around and face the road she was on, there was only one way out of here and that was taking a U-turn. They must find another way before the three cars came and closed the ess to the road.


    However, then Apple saw that there were some people working in front of them, installing a nail stud that would rip your tires apart as you passed.


    And in an instant, Apple realized what Jayden had been up to and what he had been talking about over the phone ever since.


    While in the distance, they could hear the roar of approaching cars and this was a sign for them to get ready.


    "Now," Jayden said as he saw the first caring toward them and Apple immediately shed the spotlights to blind the people behind the wheel for a moment, so they didn''t see the trap Jayden''s men had set.


    It was easy enough to beat the first car because the car was apparently not bulletproof and all the bullets aimed at them prated the windshield and car body, finishing them off in just a few seconds.


    While the other two cars following behind them started being bombarded by bullets as well as by the snipers stationed above the building, some of them tried to get out of the car, but of course that wasn''t a good idea, as they died on the spot.


    "You killed them all?" Apple asked, she seemed to be witnessing an action scene right now, only the entire cast were dead. "Didn''t you leave someone to interrogate?"


    "No need," Jayden replied curtly. "I already know who sent them and there is no more information I need from them. They''re just errand boys who don''t know anything."


    Jayden would not be getting any important information from these people and would only be wasting his time.


    "Good job, Apple," Jayden said, kissing her cheek, before he got out of the car.


    "Just a kiss?" asked Apple, pursing her lips. "I have done an amazing job. Praise me more!"


    Jaydenughed softly when he heard this, then he kissed Apple on the lips and whispered to her. "I''ll give you more of thister, for now, let me sort this out first, before I take care of you."


    Appleughed and Jayden got out of the car, but herughter stopped short when she saw Adrian''s expression.


    "What?" asked Apple, annoyed by Adrian''s stare.


    "You''re so shameless," Adrian grumbled.


    "If you feel ufortable, you should close your ears instead of eavesdropping on our conversation."


    Adrian really wanted to facepalm himself. This car was not spacious enough, how could that be said to be eavesdropping?


    He was innocent in this matter.

 Chapter 617 HE IS BEING AN ASS

    Chapter 617 HE IS BEING AN ASS¡¡¡¡"If you feel ufortable, you should close your ears instead of eavesdropping on our conversation."


    "You''re so shameless," Adrian grumbled.


    He desperately wanted to facepalm himself. The car they were driving was certainly not spacious enough to allow the two of them to talk freely without being heard, therefore, how could this be said to be eavesdropping?


    He was innocent in this matter.


    After hearing how shameless Apple was, Adrian immediately got out of the car and rushed to follow Jayden, to see what he would do next.


    On the other hand, Jayden checked the three cars and confirmed that these people were dead and after that, he ordered his men to check if there was any valuable information they could find there.


    Although Jayden wasn''t sure that they would bring anything of value that could be used as a clue that would lead them to the Gevano family.


    Meanwhile, not wanting to wait in the car too long, Apple decided to get out of the car and approached Jayden.


    "Will there be something important?" she asked as she approached Jayden.


    "I don''t think so," he replied. He then pulled Apple closer and kissed her forehead. "You should have just waited in the car, this scene is too horrendous for you."


    Hearing this statement, Apple rolled her eyes and patted Jayden''s shoulder firmly.


    "You don''t have to worry about me, I''ve seen far more horrific things than this," Apple said with an admonishing tone and then she walked over to one of the cars, passed the corpse of the man who had been shot in the head. Her eyes briefly skimmed over his frame, not even lingering there for a full second, as if it was nothing that of a big deal.


    "For a moment, I thought Apple couldn''t be as cruel as Mr. Tordoff. But now¡­ tsk, tsk.. she may be even crueler than him."


    There were two men talking to each other, when they saw how Apple reacted to a scene like this, even though they were speaking in low voices, somehow Jayden could still hear them.


    And the man actually looked proud when he heard that. Of course, his woman was not a weak woman.


    That was why he chose Apple. She was very strong, not only physically, but mentally as well. Where else could he find a woman like her?


    And more importantly; Apple showed that they could go hand in hand, that she was someone Jayden could depend on, just like what happened before.


    "Honey, let''s go home¡­ I want us to go home¡­" Jayden called out to Apple which made the woman grimace, because Jayden was suddenly very sweet to her.


    ======================


    "Oh, I almost forgot to tell you that I''ve tapped Ivan''s phone and it looks like he''smunicating with someone suspicious," Apple said, but her voice sounded very deep, as she panted.


    It was as if she had just finished running a very long marathon.


    However, in response to the information, Jayden growled in a very deep voice. He sounded annoyed as he spoke.


    "Should we talk about that now?" Jayden whispered into Apple''s ear, his body so close to the woman, it could even be said that she was in his embrace. And Apple was talking about another man.


    Very unbelievable¡­


    On the other hand, Apple actuallyughed when she heard how annoyed Jayden was at the topic of conversation she chose when they were in the middle of doing the deed.


    Their bodies shone in the dim light of the room''s lights, their arms and legs intertwined. Nothing separated them, not even a single thread. But then, Apple actually had to choose a moment like this to talk about another man?


    Wow¡­ Jayden must ''punish'' this woman.


    "Why?" Apple whispered into Jayden''s ear in a seductive voice. "You don''t like it when I talk about other men?" she asked again. She did this on purpose and annoyed the man hovering above her.


    "Are you deliberately pissing me off?" Jayden asked, he then quickened his pace and this made Apple take a sharp breath. "You''re really going to talk about that guy now, babe?"


    Jayden thought he had gone too easy on her previously. On the other hand, Apple couldn''t even answer his question right now...


    ==========================


    Apple squirmed under the covers and stretched out her hand, but she didn''t find Jayden beside her and this made her open her eyes. Only the blinding sun immediately made her let out a groan as she pulled the covers back up again.


    From under the covers, Apple tried to reach for her phone to see what time it was and how surprised she was when she found out it was already noon.


    Damn! Jayden seemed to have worked so hardst night, until she skipped her breakfast.


    Okay, it should be clear here that Apple was upset that she missed her breakfast, and not about what happenedst night¡­


    "Ugh! Come on." Apple shook her head and immediately rushed to the bathroom, only to see the kiss mark on her shoulder and this made her gasp. "I have a photo shoot tomorrow!" Jayden was being an ass now!


    Without thinking, Apple called Jayden and expressed her frustration.


    "How could you do this to me!?" eximed Apple, who didn''t stop for a second because she was annoyed to see another kiss mark on the bottom of her stomach. She had a photo shoot tomorrow and although this could be covered up with make up, it would be a shame to ask for it.


    "You asked me for them, remember?" Jayden said calmly. He then reminded Apple how she requested it.


    "That¡­ I¡­" Apple was speechless. She stammered to deny it, but they both knew it was true.


    "Oh, and I forgot to tell you that you were on speaker mode." Jayden told her lightly. "There''s only Misha here, so¡­"


    But, before Jayden could finish his sentence, Apple screamed and hung up. "I will see you at home, Jayden Tordoff!"


    "Looks like she''s angry,"mented Misha when he heard the sound of the call being disconnected. He looked at Jayden with a condescending look.


    "You bet." Jayden smiled as he looked at his phone.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 618 SHOULD I CALL HIM?

    Chapter 618 SHOULD I CALL HIM?¡¡¡¡"I will see you at home, Jayden Tordoff!" Apple cried in annoyance from the other end. Just from her voice, Jayden could imagine his fianc¨¦e''s annoyed expression.


    "Looks like she''s angry,"mented Misha when he heard the sound of the call being disconnected. He gave Jayden a condescending look at the petty act he had justmitted.


    "You bet." Jayden smiled as he looked at his phone. "I''ll be in trouble once I get home."


    "You''re the one looking for trouble yourself," Misha reminded Jayden of that and his cousin just shrugged nonchntly.


    "Yeah, looks like I''m the one looking for trouble, so I can''t reallyin about this either." Jayden then put away his cell phone and took out some documents. "Come on, we have to get going, I don''t want to pay someone who doesn''t work."


    "I don''t get paid by the hours I work," Misha reminded him. He owned a stake in thepany, so he''d be fine even without working. "After all, I''m the one who always works for thispany."


    Jayden didn''t heed Misha''sst statement and walked out of his room.


    "Where are you going?" Misha frowned as Jayden pulled his hand toward the parking lot. "Meeting room is over there."


    "There will be someone keeping track of the meeting, we don''t need to be there." Jayden then pulled Misha into the elevator.


    "Then what does this mean? You are kidnapping me?" Misha folded his arms across his chest when he saw what Jayden was up to.


    "No way," Jayden said with augh and hit Misha pretty hard on the shoulder. "There''s no way I''d kidnap Misha Tordoff."


    "You''re asking for a fight?" Misha narrowed his eyes because Jayden''s punch was too painful to be a joke.


    "Of course not." Jayden then immediately stoppedughing and made a serious facial expression. "I need you to observe one thing."


    "I don''t want to get involved," Misha said quickly. He then pressed the button for the elevator to open on the next floor before they reached the basement, but Jayden pressed back to cancel it.


    "Oh, of course you have to be involved. You''re already way too deep in this to say you don''t want to get involved any longer, bro."


    Misha frowned, and looked at Jayden with annoyance. "I''ll tell my mom and dad if you put my life in danger."


    Jayden Grimaced. "Can you hear yourself? Stopining. You''re not in any danger anyway, you''re with me."


    "Precisely. Dangeres together with you in a package."


    =========================


    After Apple hung up on Jayden, she immediately took a shower and tried to get rid of the sticky feeling on her body. She was feeling very tired, but couldn''t sleep anymore and actually didn''t have any ns for today.


    But, just as she had finished her shower, she got a phone call from dys, who asked her to meet.


    "Hmm, sure. I do not have any activities today. Where do you want us to meet?" asked Apple.


    And after telling the cafe where they could meet, dys hung up the call with her.


    Apple immediately chose clothes for herself.


    Luckily, the kiss mark was on her shoulder, so it wasn''t too difficult finding the clothes she could wear.


    Apple chose to wear a t-shirt and a jacket and jeans, because these clothes were veryfortable for her. Moreover, she would be able to move freely and with ease wearing these.


    After that, she came out of the room and found Adrian right beside her door.


    "What are you doing here?" asked Apple after the initial shock had passed upon finding Adrian standing by her bedroom door. "You surprised me."


    If Apple didn''t know Adrian, she might have thought that this man was actually here to peek at her.


    "I was asked by Mr. Tordoff to look after you," he said lightly.


    "You don''t have to be outside my room," Apple grumbled.


    "So, should I be inside?"


    Apple raised an eyebrow when she heard this and Adrian immediately realized his mistake. He got carried away just then because he still thought of Apple as his friend.


    "Should I call Jayden and tell him that?" threatened Apple.


    "My bad. I shouldn''t have joked like that." Adrian raised both hands, indicating that he gave up. "Going somewhere?" he asked when he saw the clothes Apple was wearing.


    "Yeah, I''m going to meet Jayden''s cousin at a cafe."


    "I''ll get the car ready."


    "No need, I can go by myself."


    This time, it was Adrian who raised his eyebrows questioningly upon hearing her deration. "We both know that''s impossible." Adrian then looked at the phone in Apple''s hand that she was going to use to call Jayden to threaten him earlier. "Should I call Mr. Jayden and tell him that?"


    Apple hissed when she heard how Adrian used the same line to threaten her.


    "You really are annoying. I don''t understand how Jayden can put up with you."


    "You should get used to me, we''ll see each other more often since you two are engaged now." Adrian then turned around and smirked. "Congrattions on your engagement."


    "Yeah, yeah¡­" Apple mumbled under her breath.


    ========================


    dys waved at Apple when she saw the girl enter the caf¨¦. She sat at a table in the corner.


    Apple smiled at her and walked over to her.


    "I''m d you came here," dys said in a slightly hoarse voice.


    Even before Apple sat down, she could tell easily that this girl had been crying. It didn''t take great skills to figure that out, especially when her eyes looked as red as a rabbit''s.


    "You''ve been crying," Apple blurted out. It was not a question, but a statement. She then sat down in the chair opposite dys.


    "Ah no. I was just a little pissed off earlier."


    One thing Apple learned from dys was; she was like an open book and for Apple, who was ustomed to carefully analyzing people and observing her surroundings, reading dys mood was like a walk in the garden.


    "What is it? You called me to talk, didn''t you?" asked Apple and immediately tears rolled down dys'' cheeks. "Eh?"


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 619 CHEATING

    Chapter 619 CHEATING¡¡¡¡dys immediately changed seats and quickly sat next to Apple while hugging her, which confused Apple in response.


    What''s the matter with this girl? Did she get into trouble? Or was something bothering her?


    But who could be so stupid as to annoy a girl from the Tordoffs that she cried like this?


    "Calm down, calm down, tell me what''s going on¡­" Apple tried to calm dys down, while the people around her stared at them with their faces full of question marks about what was really going on and this made Apple feel a little ufortable, being the center of attention and all.


    "Apple¡­" dys was crying. She was crying so much that tears were running down her cheeks in two steady streams. It was not just sobbing.


    "Yes¡­ yes¡­ what is it?" Apple didn''t know what she signed herself up for when she agreed to this meeting with dys, but if she had known beforehand, she wouldn''t havee to meet her right away.


    This girl should have chosen a private restaurant if she really wanted to cry her heart out.


    In the end, Apple hugged her again, so that the sound of her crying could be muffled by her shoulder, until she had calmed down a bit, only then did she let go.


    Meanwhile, Adrian, who was not far from them, could only lower his head while looking around them, hoping nothing major would happen because he didn''t want to be associated with these two girls.


    "What is it?" Apple asked again while handing dys a tissue, to wipe her tears that fell. This time, she was quite calmer than before and seemed to be able to talk to her again. "Tell me, what''s the matter?"


    "He cheated on me¡­" dys started to sob again.


    "Having an affair?" Apple narrowed her eyes, but she didn''t raise her voice at all. "Derek cheated on you?"


    dys nodded then went back to crying again. She sobbed and wiped her tears. Then she went back to sobbing again, and repeated.


    It took another twenty minutes or so for dys to start talking and tell her what had really happened.


    "He cheated with my friend," dys sobbed.


    Well, it sounded familiar¡­


    In the past, Kyle had an affair with her best friend and in a way, Apple could feel what dys was feeling right now. Not just one person, but two people had betrayed you at once, you would start to question what was wrong with yourself that you were treated like trash like that.


    "How do you know?" Apple asked carefully. She could see that dys was still very sensitive about this incident and of course she just found out about it, because when they were still on the ind, the two of them still seemed very amiable and didn''t seem to have any problems.


    dys was not a person who could hold back emotions or lie easily, as Apple said before, she was someone who was easy to read, like an open book.


    "I found out this morning," dys said and since the woman who had an affair with Derek was her own friend, who was a girl from her circle of friends, she didn''t dare talk about this to anyone.


    And the first person that came to dys'' mind was Apple, simply because she wasn''t in her circle of friends.


    "How did you find out?" asked Apple again. She didn''t really wonder why she wasn''t too surprised by this fact because it couldn''t be denied that she had felt something was wrong with Derek since the second time they met and found out that he already had a girlfriend.


    How could he have a girlfriend who was a woman from the Tordoff family, but he didn''t know Jayden Tordoff and said he didn''t even know the family name?


    He must have done that just to spite Jayden.


    "I read their chat history." dys then grabbed her phone and handed it to Apple. "I had time to screenshot the messages of the two of them. Here, read it."


    Hm¡­ actually Apple wanted to refuse, because she felt too weird to read ''their affair''s evidence'' like this, because it evoked an unpleasant memory in her mind too.


    But, of course Apple didn''t say anything and started reading the messages.


    It was just that, just after five seconds of reading, she was already frowning deeply, because of how explicit the words ??that the two of them used and also the chat contained indecent pictures of the two of them.


    Okay, Apple didn''t have the slightest desire to see the naked bodies of other men or women, so she gave dys'' phone back and focused on the girl in front of her.


    "Then how did he react after he found out that you found out about this affair?" asked Apple a momentter, but dys shook her head instead.


    "He doesn''t yet know that I know."


    At that, Apple looked quite surprised. "How could that be?"


    "Because I ran away before he woke up, after I took a screenshot of the messages." dys started crying again.


    Ugh. Apple remembered her initial reaction to her predicament then; of course she confronted Kyle and her former best friend and settled scores with them both.


    "Then, what''s your n?" asked Apple. She felt anger start to boil her blood. She strongly condemned the act of infidelity and this was the thing that made her blood boil, especially since dys was crying and running away. If there were people who should run away it was Derek and his side chick.


    "I don''t know," dys replied weakly. "I¡­ how can I forgive him for this?" dys raised her head and looked at Apple with eyes filled with tears.


    "What? You want to forgive him?" asked Apple in disbelief, her voice going even a little higher and this took Adrian a little by surprise. "You will take him back?"


    "Maybe¡­ maybe there''s something wrong with me¡­" dys said weakly.


    "If anything is really wrong then it''s with that guy because he can''t keep his d*ck inside his pants!"


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 620 I WANT TO TAKE REVENGE

    Chapter 620 I WANT TO TAKE REVENGE¡¡¡¡"What? You will forgive him?" asked Apple in disbelief, her voice even went a little higher and this took Adrian a little by surprise. "You will take him back?"


    That kind of thought never urred to Apple at all when she found out Kyle was having an affair with her best friend, so she was a bit surprised when dys wanted to find a way to get Derek back.


    Why did it have to be dys who felt guilty about this ignorant man and that bitch? They should feel ashamed and guilty instead.


    "Maybe¡­ maybe there''s something wrong with me¡­ maybe I am too closed off and it''s too arbitrary¡­" dys said weakly.


    And while dys was saying all that, Apple shook her head. No. No. That was definitely not the case.


    Apple felt her blood boiling when she heard dys ming herself. How could it be her fault?!


    "No. Of course not," said Apple quickly. "If something is really wrong then it is with that guy because he can''t keep his d*ck inside his pants! We should cut his d*ck off, so it will not wander around."


    Adrian looked down solemnly, pretending not to hear Apple''sst sentence.


    Other people might think that Apple was just being arrogant and experienced an outburst after finding out her friend was being cheated, but Adrian knew very well that Apple would really carry out the n if things really came to it.


    The girl was serious about her words and more than capable of doing it and that was the scary part.


    Why did Jayden Tordoff choose this fierce woman to be his wife? Why not choose a woman like his mother, Hailee Tordoff, who was always elegant and gentle no matter what?


    Well, Adrian didn''t seem to know Hailee Tordoff that well, otherwise he wouldn''t think so.


    "Then, what should I do?" dys asked while wiping her tears. Apple''s words shocked her, but they did seem to knock some sense into her mind. "I live with him."


    Apple thought for a moment about this. "You said that he just came back from studying abroad. So the ce where you guys live is your ce?" asked Apple.


    "Yeah, that''s my apartment," dys answered innocently. She was still sobbing, but looked much better now, because Apple''s anger had represented her annoyance and not only that, Apple''s anger validated the annoyance and anger she felt.


    And that seemed to be what dys needed more now.


    "If that''s your apartment, then he has to get out of there," Apple said vehemently. "Where is he now?"


    Apple was ready for violence, if Derek was in the apartment she would drag him out, well, if not herself, then she would tell Adrian to do it.


    "He should be in a meeting with his friends now, he said he would be meeting them at this time." dys nced at her phone to check time and Apple could see there were some missed calls and some messages she hadn''t opened.


    It seemed like Derek realized something and tried to contact dys, but he still hadn''t gathered his mind to provide a proper answer to this problem.


    "Great. Does that mean there''s no one in your apartment at the moment?" asked Apple excitedly. Her life couldn''t seem to escape drama like this, so why not just enjoy it?


    "There should be no one," dys replied.


    "Then it''s time for us to go over to your house and do what we have to do." Apple then immediately stood up and pulled dys.


    "Are you sure I should do this?" dys asked hesitantly.


    "You don''t need trash in your apartment."


    "But¡­"


    "You came to me asking for my help, didn''t you?" asked Apple. "Trust me, I''ve been in your position before, you''ll feel a lot better when you take the trash out of your apartment."


    dys seemed like a pretty pampered daughter in her family, so she rarely made decisions on her own and needed someone else to push her to do the right thing.


    Apple didn''t say it was the right decision, but she knew for a fact that Derek wasn''t the right guy for dys.


    This girl was too innocent and too easy to be manipted by a man like Derek.


    =======================


    "Are you sure I should do this?" asked dys as she packed Derek''s things and put them in a box with the help of Apple.


    "Of course," Apple replied firmly.


    dys didn''t think she was going back to this apartment to pack Derek''s stuff and kick him out of the apartment when he left this morning.


    However, there was one thing that Apple quickly realized, dys was no longer crying. She just looked a little confused, as if feeling hesitant. Apple could conclude that dys didn''t really love Derek that much. She was just used to him. Moreover, it seemed to be the longest rtionship she had ever been in.


    "How do you know?" dys asked in surprise when Apple questioned her the same. "Yes, after I told you all this, I didn''t feel as sad as this morning, now I just feel annoyed. But, how do you know?"


    "Because I don''t think you love him as much as you think," Apple said which made dys frown. She was about to say that she really did love him, but Apple had cut her off first. "You wouldn''t be sitting here quietly picking up that guy''s things and eating chocte if you were really heartbroken."


    Apple pointed at the chocte she was casually eating and this made dys smile.


    "I think you''re right." But then she started praising Derek. "But he is so handsome¡­ and understanding too¡­"


    Apple chuckled when she saw dys like that. "And you''re willing to be cheated on just for that reason?"


    dys pouted and shook her head. "Of course not, I feel like I want to take revenge."


    "Then, just do that." Apple winked at her.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 621 OPEN THE DOOR!

    Chapter 621 OPEN THE DOOR!¡¡¡¡It was certain that dys wasn''t that fond of Derek. She only liked the guy because he treated her well and had an appearance that was very pleasing to the eye.


    But, still, that was not a reason for dys to stay in a rtionship like this. She could get someone much better than Derek.


    Not a jerk who wanted to take advantage of her, especially a scumbag who had an affair with her own friend.


    Apple seemed to have returned to the time when she was cheated on. As such, she was vehemently against it if dys thought she''d take that bastard back.


    "I think you''re right." But then dys started praising Derek with a dreamy voice. "But he''s so handsome¡­ and also understanding¡­ he treats me well too¡­ he likes to make breakfast for me and put me to bed¡­ the food he makes is delicious too."


    Apple chuckled when she saw dys like that. "And you''re willing to be cheated on just for those reasons?"


    dys pouted and shook her head. "Of course not, I feel like I want to take revenge."


    "Then, just do that." Apple winked at her, indicating that she had a n.


    "But how?" dys asked again in a low voice, but her eyes showed that she was quite excited about whatever n was going through Apple''s head right now, because she had never before taken any kind of revenge. Hence, she was quite excited now.


    "First¡­" Apple then exined the n to dys and told her what to do.


    And every time Apple said something, dys'' eyes would glow with excitement, it went without saying that she was actually quite into the drama that was about to happen.


    "Are you sure the reaction will be like that?" dys asked after she seemed done being excited about the whole n Apple had to say, as she hesitated a bit to get started.


    It was just that Apple was more than capable of convincing this girl back of her worth that she shouldn''t forget.


    "What if he just got lost for a little while?" asked dys again. She seemed to be weighing her decision.


    "Got lost? He is a grown up man, not a five-year-old kid who makes mistakes and loses his way," Apple said even more firmly now, then said a few things that could boost her confidence.


    =========================


    Derek felt something strange with dys because since this morning she had not picked up her phone or replied to any messages from him, even when she left this morning, she did not say anything.


    Derek was still sleeping when she left. If he thought back again, dys left unusually early.


    This had never happened before and dys was not the type of woman who could resist talking or sharing her side of things every second. There would always be events that happened to her that she loved recounting, so it was very strange that dys didn''t call him all day.


    Was it a special day and she was nning to surprise him or something?


    Derek knew that dys was into pranks, but he couldn''t remember what special day today was, because there was nothing special about today at all.


    "What is it?" asked a girl next to him. She pulled Derek''s face closer to herself to get a better look because he had been out of sorts for a long time. "What are you thinking about?" she asked again, but Derek just shook his head and didn''t answer the question.


    This made the girl beside him feel impatient who then pushed her body into a sitting position.


    "You can''t lie to me, tell me, what''s wrong?" she asked in a demanding voice. She cupped Derek''s face with both hands and forced the man to look at her.


    A momentter, Derek sighed and answered the question. "dys doesn''t pick up the phone calls, nor does she reply to my messages."


    Hearing that answer, the girl immediately let go of Derek''s face and immediately got out of the bed in all of her naked glory. She strutted into the bathroom and mmed the door loudly.


    The sound of the door mming made Derek flinch and furrowed his forehead.


    He knew he wasn''t just in trouble with dys, but with his side chick as well.


    But, he got to cate herter, because right now he was much more worried about his rtionship with dys as this girl''s unusual attitude really worried him.


    Therefore, instead of chasing after his girlfriend into the bathroom and no longer trying to appease her, Derek got dressed and was about to go back to the apartment. Of course the apartment belonged to dys, because he didn''t have a ce to live in this city A.


    "Where are you going?" the girl asked, opening the bathroom door when she heard the tter of Derek rushing out of their hotel room.


    "I have to check on dys first," said Derek lightly. "We''ll talk about thister."


    dys knew he was with his friends and wouldn''t be home in a few hours, but it wouldn''t hurt if he went home early and saw that nothing had happened to the girl.


    "Of course not," she said, the girl then walked toward the door and tried to stop Derek from leaving, still not wearing any clothes.


    She tried to hug Derek and take off his shirt and push him toward the bed, but the guy emphatically indicated that he didn''t want to do anything with this girl at all and pushed her away from him.


    "I can''t do this babe, now stay away from me for a bit," said Derek, trying to reach the door and push the girl away from him.


    But, the girl insisted and tried to stop him again and again, until she finally got frustrated and shouted angrily at him.


    "What''s really going on?" cried the girl in annoyance. "You like her more now?!"


    Derek then stopped in his tracks and turned to look at the woman who looked very angry at him, her eyes locked on Derek were filled with annoyance and impatience.


    "You don''t remember? It was you who asked me to approach dys," Derek said, reminding her. "Where do you think you can get all those luxurious things from? From your lover who is a nameless photographer? Can he afford it?" sneered Derek.


    Hearing this, the girl''s jaw tightened and she looked at Derek with disbelieving eyes because he dared to say that.


    Derek had always done whatever she wanted all along, but hearing his outburst just now, took her by surprise.


    Never had Derek said such a rude thing before, even though it was true.


    "That''s not money from you either! It''s the Tordoff girl''s money!" she cried, not wanting to give up.


    "Yeah, that''s right, it''s money from her," Derek said scornfully. "Therefore, I have to make sure that my source of funds is okay."


    After saying this, Derek exited the hotel room, leaving the girl alone, throwing a tantrum and destroying the room. Throwing around the stuff that''s in there.


    She couldn''t believe that Derek would rather go to dys than calm her down.


    =========================


    "You''re friends with her?!" asked Apple wide-eyed, when dys showed her a photo of the woman who was supposedly Derek''s mistress.


    "You know her?" dys asked confusedly when she saw Apple''s surprised expression.


    Apple immediately nodded when she heard the question. "Her name is Rachel, right?"


    This time it was dys'' eyes that went wide when she realized Apple got her name right. "Right. Right. How did you know that?"


    "Her boyfriend is my friend," Apple said quickly.


    "Boyfriend?" dys frowned in confusion. "As far as I know, she doesn''t have a boyfriend."


    "Doesn''t have a boyfriend?" Apple then sat across from dys and took her hand. "How close are you two?" she asked again.


    "Hm¡­" yds thought for a moment about this question. "Close enough, I''ve known her for the past two years."


    "And how long have you and Derek been together?" asked Apple again. She knew that the world was small, where you could meet unexpected people, but this¡­


    "Almost two years¡­" dys then realized what Apple was thinking and started to get shocked too. "No way¡­ this can''t be, can it?"


    Wow¡­ Apple couldn''t find the right words to express how confused she was about the current situation.


    Rachel, Ivan''s lover, turned out to be having an affair with the boyfriend of dys, Jayden''s cousin and the man dared to say that he didn''t know Jayden at all? He didn''t know the Tordoffs?


    Apple then told dys all about it, about her first meeting with Derek at the bar and how he asked for her number.


    And the more Apple told her all about it and how Rachel was behaving when she saw Jayden, clearly trying to seduce him who had a fianc¨¦e, the angrier dys seemed. She was seen clenching her jaw tightly and fisting her palms in anger.


    "Oh, I feel like I want to beat up that guy! How could he have been fooling me all this time!? How could he lie right to my face like that!?" she growled angrily.


    "Now you''ve finally got the right reaction," Apple muttered, for while dys had looked doubtful before, it was only now that she was genuinely angry that she had been lied to.


    And just at that moment, there was a knock on the door and Derek''s voice calling out dys'' name traveled inside the apartment, asking her to open the door because she had changed her password earlier, so of course, Derek couldn''t get in.


    "dys, open the door, I know you''re inside."


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 622 I DONT REMEMBER HER

    Chapter 622 I DON''T REMEMBER HER¡¡¡¡Apple waspletely shocked when she found out that Ivan''s girlfriend was in an affair with Derek, who was actually dys'' boyfriend.


    This situation was really messed up and Apple couldn''t have imagined at all that something like this could happen and they would know each other.


    Apple knew that a lot of weird things could happen, but this waspletely unexpected and left her speechless.


    And just as the two of them were discussing this oddity, there was a knock on the door and Derek''s voice calling out dys'' name traveled inside the apartment, asking her to open the door because she had changed her password earlier, so of course, Derek couldn''t get in.


    It was Apple who advised dys to do this, as there was no way she would let Derek into the apartment after what he did to dys.


    "dys, open the door, I know you''re inside." Derek knocked again a little louder on the door. "I saw your car in the basement, I knew you were in," he said, his voice even louder while the pounding on the door wouldn''t stop.


    Apple then gave dys the phone and instructed her to call Derek, as they had previously agreed.


    At first dys looked hesitant, she seemed a little scared because ording to her, Derek had never been like this before and hearing him speak in such a high tone of course made her feel nervous.


    But, Apple once again reassured her that nothing bad would happen, and they were safe. After all, they were inside dys'' apartment and the door was securely locked. There was no way Derek would break it, so there was nothing to be afraid of.


    And when it came to dealing with men like Derek, Apple was more than capable of apprehending the man. Well, of course Apple skipped thatst detail and tried to persuade dys again to call him as they had agreed.


    In the end, dys relented and called Derek, where she could hear Derek''s voice simultaneously, from behind the door as well as from the speaker on her phone.


    "Babe, what''s wrong?" asked Derek in a worried voice. "I was worried because you didn''t pick up your phone and didn''t reply to my messages, what''s the matter?"


    Then Derek spent the next few minutes going on and on about how worried he was about dys, thinking that something bad had happened to her and all sorts of bullshit that sounded so sickening.


    On the other hand, fortunately, dys was able to see through all the pretense and made herself even more determined to end things between the two of them.


    "What really happened?" asked Derek after all the worthless chatter he had said. "Are you pulling a prank for me? Please, don''t do this."


    And this time there was a soft knock on the door, along with Derek''s soft voice speaking from the speaker on the phone.


    "dys, open the door, we can talk directly if there''s a problem, okay?" he coaxed dys again and took a deep breath. "Talk to me, why are you silent?"


    Throughout the long chat, dys remained silent, neither answering, nor responding to his long rambling.


    But, as soon as dys answered, she only said one short sentence and hung up on Derek.


    "Of course there is a problem, you can see the messages I sent you." After that, the two women moved toward the door and started to peek through the peephole on it, trying to see Derek''s reaction after reading the message. "Ah¡­ I regret I didn''t install a door camera¡­" dys muttered under her breath as she peered through the peephole.


    If only they had a door camera installed, the two of them would have been able to see Derek''s expression more clearly now and wouldn''t have to take turns peering around like this.


    "Yeah, you should add that to your must-buy list once he''s out of here," Apple added in a low voice, impatient to hear Derek''s breaking down as he realized his love affair with dys was over.


    On the other hand, when dys told him to check the messages she left, Derek knew it was going to be bad.


    He tried to think of what dys might have found out and how to get himself out of this. However, the problem was; when he finally saw what dys had sent, he was in shock and was speechless for a really long moment.


    If one paid close enough attention, they could even hear how Derek''s brain worked quickly toe up with a usible reason for the words he wrote in the screenshot of the chat that dys sent him.


    This of course made Derek panic and try not to make it obvious, only, this whole situation really made him unable toe up with a proper excuse and the only thing he could say right now was to ask dys to open the door.


    "dys, babe, I can exin this. Please, open the door first and we can talk about this in person, okay?" Derek begged.


    "It''s not as bad as you think," Apple whispered mockingly, as if imitating Derek''s voice.


    "It''s not as bad as you think," said Derek from behind the door.


    "Please, I can exin," said Apple again in the same tone.


    "Please, I can exin," Derek said, begging dys to open the door and allow himself to exin the matter face to face.


    Meanwhile, Apple and dysughed because Apple had correctly guessed every word Derek was about to say and this made both of them chuckle in disbelief at how easily Apple had guessed Derek''s script of persuasion.


    "He should be more creative than this," Apple said, staring mockingly at the door, as if she was looking directly at Derek.


    They bothughed at the same time.


    =========================


    Jayden was about to walk toward the lobby after finishing his work today, it was still afternoon and the sky was still bright. It seemed he had other things to do outside the office, because he didn''t n to go home early.


    However, as he walked toward the lobby, someone came up to him and immediately stood beside him, which surprised him because he was paying so much attention to his surroundings and after all, no employee in this building would dare to approach him like that.


    But, of course this was no ordinary employee, that girl was his fianc¨¦e.


    "You surprised me," Jayden said when he saw Apple standing quietly beside him and immediately put his arm around her, making everyone''s eyes turn to the two of them.


    Apple was wearing a mask at the moment, but it wasn''t hard to guess who she was. After all, before this, the rumors about the details of the future Mrs. Tordoff were already blowing hard and photos of the two of them had spread widely before being taken down by the PR team of the Tordoffpany.


    Therefore, when they saw the girl who approached Jayden Tordoff which prompted the smile on the man''s face, of course they could immediately guess who the girl beside him was.


    They couldn''t help but sigh and stare enviously at Apple because she had managed tond a guy like Jayden Tordoff who might be out of stock in this world.


    "Why are you here?" Jayden asked, kissing Apple''s head.


    "I knew you were going to leave the office and head to the port to check the ce out before the ''shipping'' happened," Apple replied.


    Jayden then opened the door for her, hovering his hand over her head so she wouldn''t hit the car door frame, before he finally got in the car too.


    "How do you know?" Jayden asked, supposedly this ''trip'' was a secret and not many people knew about it.


    "Adrian told me when I asked," Apple replied lightly while pointing at Adrian.


    Meanwhile, Adrian looked awkward, he would feel guilty if Jayden didn''t approve of his actions.


    "Oh, I''m sorry Mr. Tordoff, because I thought you wouldn''t mind if your fianc¨¦e learned about your schedule," answered Adrian, trying to curry favor by referring to Apple as ''his fianc¨¦e''.


    It of course made Jayden look happy. He didn''t really seem to mind it.


    "Yeah, no problem, you can tell her my schedule," Jayden replied casually. He didn''t think much of this while his fianc¨¦e was right beside him.


    "So I heard you went out to meet dys?" Jayden asked. "What happened? There seems to be an exciting story I could hear during our trip to the Harbour."


    Apple was a little taken aback when Jayden brought that up. As the question of how he could know about the matter surfaced in her mind. But then she thought of Adrian and the man purposely didn''t meet her gaze.


    So, it was certain that it was Adrian who took the initiative to tell Jayden all the details of what happened at dys'' apartment.


    Well yed¡­


    It seemed like Adrian didn''t want to let any secrets remain between the two of them and chose to help both of them.


    "So, what happened?" Jayden asked when he saw the look on Apple''s face.


    And that was when, excitedly, Apple told him about Derek and Rachel''s affair.


    "You''ve met her, she is Ivan''s lover. She also teased you, you remember?" Apple grumbled.


    "Well, I honestly don''t remember," Jayden replied, fiddling with Apple''s hair between his fingers.


    "She was there when you picked me up when I was with Ivan."


    "Oh, since you were around, then I must not have paid attention to other women."


    Adrian almost choked when he heard those cheesy words.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mat

 Chapter 623 OPEN RELATIONSHIP

    Chapter 623 OPEN RELATIONSHIP¡¡¡¡"You''ve met her before, she is Ivan''s girlfriend, she also teased you, you remember?" Apple grumbled.


    She tried to remind Jayden of the incident because there was no way Apple would forget the person who had dropped some hints on her man.


    "Well, I honestly don''t remember," Jayden replied, fiddling with Apple''s hair between his fingers. He nced at her face casually and looked rxed, an expression that he often sported whenever he was with his fianc¨¦e.


    "She was there when you picked me up when I was at the bar, after I finished working with Ivan." Apple was still trying to remind him.


    "Oh, since you were around, then I must not have paid attention to other women." Jayden smiled and kissed the tip of Apple''s nose with a chuckle. "You''re too beautiful to ignore."


    Adrian almost choked when she heard those cheesy words and rolled her eyes so hard she almost feared her eyes wouldn''t return to their original positions.


    But, Apple''s expression actually made Jaydenugh.


    "What''s with that expression?" he asked, pulling Apple closer and letting her lean on his shoulder. "I''m telling the truth."


    "Yeah, I know I''m pretty, you don''t have to keep reminding me," said Apple halfheartedly, because she wasn''t serious about what she was saying.


    Jayden chuckled, but then he started asking what happened to Derek and dys after that.


    "dys ns to ghost him and kick him out to the curb, not answering his messages or picking up calls from him," Apple said. "dys won''t let him get a chance to even exin himself."


    "You mean that was your n?" Jayden said, because he knew full well that dys couldn''t do such things. His cousin was very gullible and would tend to forgive Derek even after what he did.


    "Yup, so to speak," Apple smirked. "How do you know?" she asked, lifting her head to take a closer look at Jayden.


    "Because I can''t imagine such an ideaing from dys." Jayden pinched Apple''s cheek gently. "She couldn''te up with such a devilish idea."


    Hearing Jayden''s reasoning, Apple raised an eyebrow. "So you mean I''m that devilish?"


    Jayden chuckled when he heard this and kissed the top of Apple''s head and then cheek, whispering, "I love your devilish side."


    Ghosting someone was a bad thing to do, but so was cheating.


    ========================


    Derek really didn''t know what to do now, because dys wouldn''t open the door for him and wouldn''t reply to messages or pick up calls from him either.


    He noticed Appleing out of dys'' apartment, but he couldn''t get close because she had four bodyguards escorting her out.


    And after an hour of knocking on the door and persuading, but to no avail, Derek finally decided to return to the hotel, where he had left Rachel earlier.


    Of course, that wasn''t such a good idea either, because Rachel still looked so angry that he''d actually decided to just leave her and go see dys.


    "Stop being like that," Derek said sarcastically, because he couldn''t stand Rachel''s irritating behavior which worsened his mood in return. But it didn''t end there. She even mmed whatever she was holding onto to show how annoyed she was. "dys knows about our affair," Derek said furiously.


    "So?" Rachel folded her arms across her chest, still d in the camisole she wore earlier and sitting on the single sofa by the window.


    The light from the buildings around this hotel which contrasted sharply with the darkness of the night, fell on her face and she looked very beautiful to say the least.


    If Derek hadn''t been in all this hassle, he would have pounced on this girl and made love to her.


    Too bad, what was going through his head right now was so messed up and he didn''t even find the same passion that Rachel usually evoked in him.


    "So?" Derek repeated the word. "She will end her rtionship with me."


    "So what? You''re with her for her money, aren''t you?" Rachel said sarcastically.


    Rachel was the one who came up with this crazy idea. She was the one who suggested for them to have an open rtionship and Derek could date dys, because she was lucky enough to get ess to be in the same circle of friends as the girl from the Tordoff family.


    Moreover, since dys was very gullible and easy to approach, it was therefore quite easy for Rachel to introduce Derek to dys and start taking advantage of the girl. It was Derek''s job to cheat her out of her money. After that, Derek would give the money to Rachel.


    Derek didn''t know what was in his mind when he agreed to the open rtionship concept that Rachel suggested, but at that moment, he loved this girl and he understood that he couldn''t give Rachel what she wanted from a financial perspective, because he wasn''t too well off.


    Therefore, when Rachel suggested having an open rtionship, Derek thought this girl would eventually wake up ande back to him.


    But, apparently not, she got together with Ivan Andreas, the photographer who could fulfill all her expensive desires, buying her branded bags and bringing her on great vacations.


    Meanwhile, Derek, who was supposed to be Rachel''s boyfriend, had actually turned into the other man in her rtionship with Ivan.


    Derek and Ivan were friends as well, but of course Ivan didn''t know anything about the open rtionship between Derek and Rachel, and neither did dys.


    Meanwhile Rachel and Derek would continue to meet whenever an opportunity arose and spend time together, which no one would suspect because they thought the two of them were friends.


    What kept Derek going was Rachel''s words. She always said that he was her true love and that she would leave Ivan eventually, because she saw no future with him, she saw her future together with Derek, not with any other man.


    But, since they were still young, shouldn''t they spend some time having fun before getting tied down? Explore a lot of things so that there would be no regretster? Rachel''s words, not Derek''s.


    And because Derek was afraid of losing this woman, because he felt they were perfect together and Rachel would end up with him in the end, because he was the one she really loved, so he put up with this bullshit.


    Derek was still thinking the woman he loved was Rachel, even when he was with dys, even though he knew how much she loved him and always tried to make him happy and fulfill all his requests.


    Never once did Derek think that dys would leave him. He always thought he would leave dys when Rachel was done with her wanderings and prepared to tie the knot with him.


    It was just that what Derek was feeling right now didn''t seem like that at all. His heart was not at ease when he found out that dys knew about this affair and broke their rtionship.


    And for the first time he resented Rachel¡­


    "If she really broke up with you, then so be it, let it go," Rachel grumbled, then smiled a little and moved closer to Derek. "I heard you went on a vacation with Jayden Tordoff and his girlfriend?"


    Derek narrowed his eyes when he heard what Rachel said and seemed to be able to read where this conversation was going.


    "I met them there by chance and didn''t go on a vacation with them," Derek corrected Rachel for her assumption.


    However, Rachel just shrugged her shoulders and started talking back in a light tone. "Well¡­ are you good friends with Apple or Jayden Tordoff? We can arrange dinner together with them."


    Rachel failed to have a friendly rtionship with Apple when she was working for Ivan, but since Derek was here and he was easier to socialize with, Rachel thought it wouldn''t be difficult for Derek to be close friends with Apple.


    Rachel even forgot about Derek''s failed attempt at the bar, when he attempted to approach Apple and instead ran into Jayden Tordoff there.


    "No," said Derek, shaking his head and giving Rachel a disgusted look.


    "What do you mean by no?" Rachel was slightly taken aback by how Derek turned her down and how he looked at her now. He had never looked at Rachel like this before.


    "I know what''s going on in your head and what you''re nning to do, so my answer is no." He set his foot down in this matter. "They''re both engaged."


    "Yeah, but they''re not married yet." And it seemed Rachel immediately realized that her out of impulse answer had gone too far and tried to save the situation by exining herself. "That is not what I mean¡­"


    Only, Derek didn''t want to hear her exnation anymore.


    "Enough Rachel." Derek then stood up, trying to get away from this woman so he could think more clearly.


    However, Rachel didn''t leave him alone, she tried to approach Derek and make him understand that that wasn''t her intention, that this man had misunderstood the meaning of her words.


    But, of course this made Derek even more ufortable. He felt overwhelmed by Rachel who continuously invaded his personal space.


    "Hey, I''m sorry, okay? I didn''t mean to say that," Rachel said, trying to hug Derek. "I love you, I always do."


    However, Derek could no longer feel thefort he felt from the words I love you that Rachel said to him.


    And just at that moment, his cell phone lit up, indicating that a message hade in and when he saw who the sender was, Derek shoved Rachel away from him as he opened the contents of the message, making the girl in front of him widen her eyes in disbelief.


    "Shit!" Derek cursed while reading a message from dys.

 Chapter 624 SHUT UP!

    Chapter 624 SHUT UP!¡¡¡¡Apple and Jayden arrived at the Harbor and both immediately found Misha, who had been there and was talking to two men, it seemed he was instructing something to the man.


    Meanwhile, between them, there was a small table, which had a rifle on it. Apple had never seen that model of rifle and as someone who lived with Pyro she was naturally used to guns like this.


    Misha only nced at Jayden and Apple who came up to him and let theme closer while he was still talking to the two men in front of him.


    "What''s this?" asked Apple curiously as she looked at the gun on the table that was about arm-length.


    "Don''t touch," Misha said quietly and sounded a little sarcastic, which made Apple roll her eyes displeased with the intonation of his voice.


    Therefore, Apple instead touched the barrel of the rifle with her index finger, while looking at Misha provokingly, while Jayden, who was standing behind his fianc¨¦e could only facepalm himself, because he didn''t know what to say.


    Well, it started again. Every time they met, of course the two of them didn''t get along like this.


    "Don''t touch it, that gun isn''t for women," Misha said again in a more cynical tone now, but Apple didn''t listen. She was holding the gun now and this made Misha re at her.


    "I just found out that guns have gender," Apple said unhappily.


    But, in return, Misha took a gun from one of the two men in front of him and shoved the gun into Apple''s hands.


    "Here, a woman''s gun," he said lightly.


    Apple looked down and looked at the gun that was ced in her hand by Misha, it was a Glock forty three caliber and of course in terms of size it looked fit for ''women''.


    "Now, y somewhere else," Misha said lightly to her, waving his hand lightly, as if he had just given a toy to a small child and told her to leave.


    Apple was not pleased and then pointed the gun in her hand at Misha and this made the two men there hold their breath in surprise at Apple''s dangerous move.


    While Misha didn''t even flinch at all. He returned Apple''s fierce re without even batting an eye whatsoever.


    "You''re going to let your girlfriend do this to me?" Misha asked Jayden, but his eyes were still on Apple. He didn''t even look scared and seemed to be more calm than everyone else here.


    "Well, you shouldn''t make her angry in the first ce, cousin," Jayden answered lightly and picked up the gun on the table that Misha had forbidden Apple to touch and inspected the weapon more closely. This was the new weapon they ordered.


    Jayden didn''t seem too serious about the quarrel between the two of them.


    On the other hand, hearing that Jayden didn''t want anything to do with this matter, Misha then spoke directly to Apple, who still didn''t lower the gun in her hand and was still pointing it at Misha''s face.


    "You think I''ll give you a loaded gun?" Misha asked, with a mocking smile on the corner of his lips, as he gently pushed the gun away from his face.


    Hearing this certainly made Apple hiss in annoyance, she then checked the bullets in the gun and found that the gun was actually loaded.


    Misha lied to her. He fooled her.


    "You!" Apple growled in annoyance.


    However, Misha just chuckled, not taking her seriously. He then said quietly in a patronizing tone. "You''re decades too early to threaten me, sweety."


    "Don''t use endearments to her," Jayden said to Misha, his voice firm, because he didn''t like anyone calling Apple like that but him.


    Misha just shrugged his shoulders nonchntly. "Why is she here?" Misha grumbled at Jayden, he pointed at Apple''s nose and with his tall body, Misha was almost the same height as Jayden, Apple looked like a child being scolded.


    Apple then brushed Misha''s hand away from her face and red at him. She no longer had the gun pointed at Misha''s face even though she knew it was loaded.


    "Because she''s in on this too," Jayden replied casually, but he pulled Apple closer to him so he could keep them both away. The two of them were like Tom and Jerry and for a moment, this seemed funny to Jayden.


    Well, except if they both really wanted to kill each other, then it would be a different story.


    Misha looked at Jayden. "You''re going to involve her in the operationter?" he asked.


    "Yes," Jayden replied curtly. "She insisted oning."


    At first, Apple thought Misha would object to her existence and she was ready to argue, but the man didn''t say anything, which could mean he didn''t mind at all.


    After all, theirst operation was a sess and that was thanks to Apple too. Tagging her along to this operation was not really unideal. She wouldn''t be a bother at all and could be said to be a great help.


    And right at that moment, Apple''s cell phone rang indicating an iing call from dys.


    She then showed Jayden her cell phone and walked away to pick up the call, leaving the two cousins ??to discuss their ns further.


    "You''re really going to marry her?" Misha asked because he saw the ring on Apple''s finger, which was Hailee''s ring before.


    "Yes, I will marry her," Jayden answered without any doubt in his voice. He then raised his head and looked at Misha when the man suddenly became quiet. "Why?"


    Misha then waved his hand to dismiss the two men who were there, telling them to leave.


    The two men then took the new weapons that were shown and left the two of them, providing privacy.


    "What is it?" Jayden asked again because he felt there was something odd about the way Misha was looking at him now. He looked a little defensive because he thought that Misha didn''t approve of the rtionship between him and Apple and he was prepared to tell him off if that was what he was going to say.


    Only, what he was going to ask next made Jayden raise his eyebrows suspiciously.


    "How did you propose to her?" Misha asked in a low voice, he even looked a little¡­ nervous?


    Jayden had never seen Misha out of sorts like this, as if he was ufortable with the topic of their conversation, but forced himself to ask further.


    This was weird¡­


    Although the changes were not obvious, Jayden was very sensitive and he had known Misha since he was wearing pampers, therefore it was very easy for him to know if there was something wrong with his cousin.


    "What is it?" Jayden asked probingly, which made Misha avert his eyes from Jayden. Things he didn''t even do when he killed someone. "Is there something I should know?"


    Misha red at Jayden and growled at him in annoyance, because he caught his awkwardness.


    "Forget it," Misha grumbled as he waved his hand and prepared to walk away from nosy Jayden.


    However, Jayden couldn''t possibly miss the chance to prank his cousin. He moved closer to Misha and started acting annoyingly.


    "Tell me, which girl are you going to propose to? That red-haired girl? The one you brought to the family party? Who''s she? Should I find out myself if you don''t want to tell me?"


    "Shut up!" Misha grumbled as he tried to get away from Jayden. He regretted his impulsive question.


    Misha shouldn''t have asked such a thing.


    =========================


    Derek cursed under his breath when his cards got declined many times, which meant dys had blocked all the cards he was given and emptied their joint ount.


    Which meant, Derek didn''t have any money at the moment, while all he had right now was the spare cash in his wallet, but that would onlyst him two days and wouldn''t bring him anywhere.


    Not only that, dys even canceled his ne ticket, which was supposed to be scheduled to fly to M city tomorrow, so that Derek could meet his parents.


    And right now, Derek didn''t have enough money to buy tickets in such a near future, because it was predictable how expensive the tickets would be.


    "Damn it!" Derek smacked his hand against the steering wheel before he got out of his car and mmed the door hard.


    An hour ago Derek got a message from dys that she had packed all his clothes and belongings and put them on the doorstep of her apartment and asked him to take all of them before the cleaners threw them in the trash.


    "Damn it! Damn it!" Derek kept cursing the whole way he headed to dys'' apartment for the second time tonight and once there, he opened his cell phone and was about to call dys, coaxing her to talk to him.


    However, there was one thing that made Derek open his eyes wide in disbelief. He had been blocked by some of his friends, who were friends of dys, and even removed from their chat group.


    Of course they only thought of him as a friend because he was dys'' boyfriend, but other than that, he was a total nobody with an ordinary background to the upper ss families like dys'' friends.


    Which meant, all the connections and rtionships that Derek had built so far with people from such prominent families ended in vain.


    Because in the end, who would want to have a dispute with someone from the Tordoff family?


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 625 WELL, IT WAS NOT GLADYS...

    Chapter 625 WELL, IT WAS NOT GLADYS...¡¡¡¡"Damn it! Damn it!" Derek kept cursing the whole way he headed to dys'' apartment for the second time tonight. And once there, he opened his cell phone with the intention of calling dys, to coax her into talking to him.


    Only to find he had been blocked by most of his friends he made through dys and was also removed from the chat group.


    At this point, Derek realized that he had lost all the connections he had built during his time with dys.


    Derek thought how easy it was for him to make acquaintances when he was with the girl, especially from important families in city A. They used to be very nice, friendly even and wanted to be friends with him.


    One thing that would be difficult for you to do with a family background like Derek''s. He thought they really wanted to be friends with him, because for the past year and a half, they had been friendly with him.


    Therefore, Derek never thought that they would block him like this and only really realized that all the privileges he got were because he was dys Tordoff''s boyfriend.


    If it weren''t for dys, then of course they would have thrown him away like this long back without a second thought.


    "Damn it!" Derek continued to curse. He looked at the fourrge boxes in front of dys'' apartment door which contained all his belongings.


    He did n to live together with her, having finished his study abroad and his belongings only arrived a few days ago, therefore, almost all of them were still in the boxes.


    "dys," Derek called, banging on her apartment door. "I know that you are inside, please open the door for a moment, let us talk. I can exin all that, it''s not what you think."


    At this point, Derek didn''t know what he was talking about, he promised everything just to be able to talk to dys, but the girl didn''t open the door for him at all. She no longer cared about him.


    Derek had no idea that dys could turn a hundred and eighty degrees like this and it was so terrifying. He had not prepared himself for something like this to happen.


    "dy, please. I will not go until you open the door for me." Derek became stubborn and chose to lean against the wall, while waiting for dys to open the door. There was no way she would stay in the apartment without going out for days.


    Therefore, this was the only way for Derek to meet her.


    ======================


    Apple walked away from Misha and Jayden when she received a call from dys and the first thing she heard was; this girl was sobbing pitifully.


    "What is it?" asked Apple, a little worried if something happened to her.


    "Derek was at my apartment door and didn''t want to leave. He keeps saying he loves me and want to apologize to me and that it''s all just a misunderstanding." dys said in a voice that sounded too nasal from crying.


    Apple really wanted to facepalm herself because of what dys said. Didn''t they both agree? Even dys and herself had been on the same page on this matter, that she was never going back to Derek.


    But, apparently, when the man yed the pitiful card, dys'' confidence was shaken and she became concerned about the man.


    Well, you would always have friends like this, who would find it hard to see the faults in their partner even when everything was right in front of their eyes and even if they saw something bothering they would find a way to justify it and give them a second chance.


    For Apple, not every mistake deserved a second chance and certainly Derek''s mistakes didn''t deserve one at all.


    Not only was Derek having an affair, but based on what dys had told her, the girl had even paid for almost all of Derek''s needs.


    Apple really couldn''t understand how dys could be so generous with a guy, but then, Apple had recalled how Jayden usually treated her¡­.


    Maybe it runs in the family?


    "No, don''t go out," Apple said firmly. Someone like dys who was very gullible, really needed a friend like Apple who could make her a little more assertive and grow her spine so that no one else dared to treat her like a doormat. "You''d better call the police to kick him out."


    "Police?" said dys in surprise. She didn''t want to take the matter too far and didn''t want to involve the police.


    On the other hand, Apple could understand why dys didn''t want to involve the authorities, but that didn''t mean she had encountered a setback in dealing with this issue.


    Oh, of course not. Apple would always have some way in her brain to get rid of bullies like Derek.


    "Wait a minute," Apple said to dys then walked over to Adrian to talk to him about a few things.


    "It''s no big deal, there are some people off duty." Adrian nodded understandingly because he was there too when Derek tried to get into the apartment and knocked violently on the door and now, he was throwing a ''tantrum'' again.


    "Okay, can you send some to dys'' apartment?"


    "No problem," said Adrian who then began to do what was ordered by Apple and sent several people to dys Tordoff''s apartment.


    But it wasn''t until he hung up the phone that he realized why he was following Apple''s directions without asking Jayden Tordoff first? Even though Adrian was sure, with Jayden Tordoff''s attitude toward Apple, the man wouldn''t raise aint.


    However, Adrian was a little surprised how he could naturally take orders from Apple without a second thought.


    This made him frown because he felt he was not himself, as Apple could control him and he followed her orders very naturally.


    ======================


    Derek had been waiting at dys'' apartment door for almost two hours when he saw four veryrge, tattooed men approaching him.


    He looked quite confused, but then he stood up as the four men were clearly walking toward him, after all there was only dys'' t at the end of this corridor.


    "What is this?" Derek asked the four men. He looked at the four men warily.


    "Get out of here before we call the police to report this," said one of them as they went ahead and carried the four boxes that were there.


    So Derek couldn''t help but have to follow them all while still getting angry and asking them to leave his things alone.


    However, they only dropped his belongings once they were all in the lobby and informed the management of the apartment that this man was prohibited from entering the building and briefly exined the reason why they must not allow the man to be there.


    Of course the management of the building immediately took action when they heard the name Tordoff.


    However, they had to confirm the truth of the ban with dys first.


    "Yeah, ask her, she couldn''t possibly have banned me from meeting her. I''ve been here a few days!" eximed Derek in annoyance. He stared at the four men fiercely.


    Derek was sure that dys wouldn''t have the heart to do this to him, but to his surprise, when the manager of the apartment returned, he said that dys Tordoff agreed to prohibit Derek from visiting her again at this apartment and this of course made Derek couldn''t stop thinking.


    How could dys do that to him? He understood dys well enough to know how gullible she was.


    But, what suddenly made dys so resolute and take such extreme measures?


    "You have to go now, or else we''ll have to get the police involved," the building manager said, warning Derek of the matter, which made the man grit his jaw hard in annoyance.


    Having no other choice, Derek stomped his foot and started walking away from there, as he didn''t want to cause any more chaos than this.


    Not only that, he had to drive over his car and lift the four boxes into his car under the gaze of the four men who had kicked him out of the building.


    They didn''t help at all and insteadughed at seeing Derek in trouble.


    ==========================


    "I saw him being taken away," dys told Apple, reporting the incident and sounding a lot better without Derek whining and begging her to take him back.


    Without the man in front of her, she could be more resolute with her decision to cut contact with him.


    Meanwhile, Apple nodded proudly, confirming that dys had not had any contact with Derek.


    On the other hand, Jayden looked grumbling that he had been ignored. Right now, they were on their way home and in the car, driving through the dark night and the generally deserted streets.


    Jayden had several times tried to distract Apple from her phone call with dys, but each time, Apple would shove him away, while she and dys were still excited to talk about Derek.


    Of course this annoyed the man.


    "If you leave him to me then I''ll make sure to let him go through even worse things," Jayden cursed, pouting his lips.


    "Shh!" Apple shushed Jayden and went back to talking to dys. "The car he went back in was yours? You have to take it back, tell him to return it, otherwise you will report the car as stolen."


    And that very night, Derek got a message from dys saying to return the car otherwise she would report it as stolen.


    This of course left Derek bbergasted¡­ he had no idea that dys could be that cruel to him.


    Well, it was not dys'' idea, actually¡­


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 626 YOU HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

    Chapter 626 YOU HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY¡¡¡¡After Derek got all his things, he went to Rachel''s apartment and the girl was already there, for she came home as soon as Derek left her a second time at the hotel.


    "Why did you bring all your stuff with you?" Rachel asked displeasedly as she looked at Derek''s belongings that he had put into her apartment. "What should I say if Ivan sees your things? Bring them all back," she grumbled.


    However, this time Derek didn''t seem too bothered by what Rachel had to say, choosing instead to just rest on the couch and take a deep breath, trying to tune out what Rachel was saying now.


    Derek couldn''t understand what was happening to him. He shouldn''t be in a situation like this, but here he was.


    Never once did Derek think that dys would end things between them and their one and a half year rtionship would end just like that.


    Derek raised his hand and covered his face with his arm, while Rachel''s voice of protest sounded like white noise in the back of his head. He could no longer understand what the girl was saying, all he knew was that he didn''t want to hear any ramblings at all and wanted a quiet atmosphere.


    But, it seemed Rachel didn''t want to leave him alone. She kept scolding him foring to her apartment unannounced and bringing all his belongings with him.


    Needless to say, Rachel also found out that Derek had been kicked out of the chat group and blocked by some of their friends, because she was too in that chat group.


    However, these people only know that Derek had cheated on dys, without knowing who the mistress was.


    Rachel thought she could change things for the better for her, knowing dys didn''t reveal her identity, that meant she still considered her a friend, right? There was still a chance for Rachel to avoid the catastrophe.


    Meanwhile for Derek, everything had been done for. He was unlikely to be epted again in dys'' circle, unless he won her back, which was unlikely to happen anytime soon.


    "Hey, did you hear what I said?!" Rachel shouted, then shook Derek to get his attention.


    But then the man did something he had never done before.


    Derek swatted Rachel''s hand quite roughly while shouting loudly. "SHUT UP!" he bellowed, which made Rachel take a few steps back.


    For a few seconds Derek let the anger overwhelm him, but then he realized what he had done and this waspletely out of his character. He was a little in disbelief at what he had just done.


    Derek and Rachel were shocked and for a moment, neither of them knew how to react to what had just happened, until finally Derek took the initiative to speak first.


    "I will sleep on the couch," he said in a lower voice, then hey down on the sofa and closed his eyes. He didn''t want to think about this any further because he didn''t want to think about anything right now.


    Luckily, having been yelled at earlier, Rachel seemed to be thinking twice before bothering Derek this time, as the man had never reprimanded her so harshly before and this was the first time Derek had treated her like that.


    Rachel blinked and looked at Derek who was lying on the sofa with his back to her. He seemed to be trying to sleep and really didn''t want to be disturbed, so Rachel didn''t protest or say anything anymore.


    For now, since she couldn''t get Derek to leave, she had to make sure that Ivan wouldn''t suddenlye to her apartment.


    So Rachel took her phone and started calling Ivan, to ask where he was because she didn''t want this man to suddenly appear at her apartment door.


    Meanwhile, Derek heard how Rachel was talking to Ivan, flirting with that guy in her soft voice.


    He didn''t know what to feel about this, he was not even sure what kind of rtionship that he had with Rachel at this point, because everything was really fucked up.


    Exhausted and no longer having the energy to think, Derek eventually fell asleep, but even in his own sleep, he felt restless and overwhelmed with regrets that he couldn''t express.


    Things about dys and how she had treated him all this time yed on a repeat mode in his head; how she never made him angry and always tried to please him and even fulfill his unreasonable demands.


    Where fruits of all those demands always end up in Rachel''s hands. All the privileges Derek got from dys would end up in Rachel''s favor.


    But, look at it now, the girl he was fighting for was actually flirting with another guy just meters away from him.


    However, what made Derek couldn''t stop thinking was; he thought nothing of it, his heart had gone numb for Rachel.


    =========================


    "Hey, are you angry with me?" Apple poked Jayden''s back when they were in bed.


    Jayden didn''t want to talk to Apple after he was ignored for an entire evening and their ride home because his fianc¨¦e was so excited to chat with dys.


    And now, one could say he was sulking and ignoring Apple. Even when in bed, Jayden chose to turn his back to her.


    This didn''t upset Apple, on the contrary, she found Jayden''s actions funny and it made her want to annoy this guy.


    "Hey, are you mad at me? How long will you be angry?" Apple again poked Jayden''s back, this time the man moved away to keep himself out of reach of his fianc¨¦e''s ''wandering hand'', but this made Apple chuckle softly.


    Apple then moved closer to Jayden and kept poking his back, but this time, Jayden pulled the covers over himself and buried himself.


    Of course, this did not make Apple stop her advances. She tugged at the edge of the nket and got into it too.


    This time, Apple hugged Jayden from behind tightly, she literally squeezed him, but there was no response from this man.


    Therefore, Apple tried to get his attention by wriggling her body and climbing on top of Jayden''s body instead.


    But the man was so stubborn, he didn''t even respond at all and just pretended to be asleep.


    "Jayden, honey, babe¡­ my love?" called Apple because she didn''t get a response. Still, there was no reaction whatsoever.


    Jayden closed his eyes and didn''t respond to Apple''s calls and this made the girl even more challenged to do more.


    "Are you sleeping?" asked Apple, but there was no response from Jayden. There was no way he was sleeping.


    Just a minute ago Jayden was still awake, but now he was asleep as if nothing could wake him? What kind of joke was that?


    After that, Apple decided to kiss Jayden''s forehead, cheek, tip of his nose, corner of his lips, but she didn''t get any response.


    It was just that Apple felt clueless...


    Oh, she wanted to know how this man would respond if Apple took what she started further.


    "Hm¡­ so you didn''t respond because you were sleeping?" Apple muttered right into Jayden''s ear, kissing his neck and making Jayden''s breath catch.


    The change in his breathing was very subtle, but still Apple could feel it and it made her smile.


    "So, you are sleeping..." Apple mumbled again as her hands dipped under Jayden''s shirt and she could feel his warm chest beneath her palms.


    Apple stroked the man''s chest and made him grunt softly and Apple had to hold back herughter, seeing how stubborn Jayden was to continue his sleeping act.


    "Hm¡­ you are sleeping¡­" Apple whispered as she kissed Jayden''s chest and made him move restlessly, feeling Apple''s lips on his skin and this made his body a bit warmer than usual.


    Apple then continued her dangerous game and started kissing Jayden''s chest, down to his stomach and lingering there until she heard Jayden grunt a little bit louder.


    Keep your stubbornness and you will not get anything, thought Apple happily because she managed to toy with Jayden.


    After that, Apple traced her fingers around the boxers he was wearing, teasing him again and making it even harder for Jayden to stay still.


    But then, didn''t she know that Jayden wasn''t sleeping? Who could be fooled like that?


    After that, Apple made sure she got the reaction she wanted and when Jayden''s hand tried to touch her head, Apple suddenly stopped and moved away.


    Immediately Jayden opened his eyes and looked at Apple who was kneeling at his feet with a sweet smile on her lips.


    "What¡­ what are you doing?" Jayden asked in a hoarse voice. His eyes were aze with lust for her. He was annoyed that Apple suddenly quit.


    But, the girl just shrugged her shoulders and got off the bed casually.


    "Where are you going?" Jayden asked when he saw that Apple was about to leave the room. Oh, that wouldn''t end well, Jayden wouldn''t hesitate to tie her to the bed if Apple stepped even a foot out of the door.


    "Aren''t you sleeping? I want some fresh air," Apple replied nonchntly, but before she could grab the door handle and step outside, Jayden had grabbed her hand and pulled her back onto the bed.


    "You think you can just walk away? You have to take responsibility," Jayden grumbled as he pinned Apple to the bed, while the girl smirked.


    "What do I have to take responsibility for?" she asked, feigning innocence.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 627 BAD VIBE

    Chapter 627 BAD VIBE¡¡¡¡Apple was woken up by a peck on the lips and a wandering ''hand'' on her bare back.


    Of course this made Appleugh softly, knowing who touched her like this so early. She tried to get Jayden''s hand off her body, but he pulled her closer instead.


    "I feel sore¡­" Apple grumbled when she felt Jayden''s lips on her neck and it made her shiver involuntarily.


    "Hm¡­ I am not doing anything," Jayden said, still continuing whatever he was doing right now and this made Appleugh.


    "If you really want to lie, you must do better than this," Apple said betweenughs, she could feel Jayden''s cold hands on her hot skin.


    "I''m not lying, I just wanted to do this¡­" Jayden brushed the tip of his finger against her belly, right under her breast, which made her gasp. "And this¡­" he traced her abdomen and went further down.


    Apple caught his hand before he touched her there and opened her eyes fiercely, but instead she found Jayden smirking at her innocently.


    "What? I did nothing wrong¡­" Jayden said as he kissed Apple''s cheek and twisted her hand until he was the one holding his fianc¨¦e''s wrist.


    "Of course you did something wrong, did you get my permission to touch me?" asked Apple, trying to be defiant, and now, her sleepiness was gone in an instant. She didn''t feel that sleepy at all anymore and instead felt awake more than anything right now.


    "I''m not touching you¡­ you''re touching yourself¡­" Jayden said with a small smile, while guiding Apple''s hand down. He let her touch herself¡­


    =============================


    "You look happy today?" Ivan looked at Apple''s face, which beamed with radiance. Of course she didn''t smile to herself, but even so, when you were happy, that aura would radiate off your body and the way you look at things, as if there were twinkling stars there and that was what Ivan saw in Apple''s countenance.


    On the other hand, Apple couldn''t help it and indeed, somehow today she felt very happy, was it because of their love making session? But, it wasn''t the first time, was it?


    Or the way Jayden teased her? But, he always did. Apple didn''t know what made her heart feel so happy, but she could feel it, she seemed to be in a very good mood and there didn''t seem to be a single bad news to piss her off.


    "Really? I feel normal." Apple tried to brush this topic off, but of course Ivan could tell.


    "I can see it, Apple," Ivan said with augh.


    The happiness that Apple felt, did make her feel very rxed and think that everything was fine, but that didn''t mean she forgot the text message Ivan had sent someone, which after being further investigated by Jayden revealed that the phone number actually belonged to one of the subordinates of the Gevano family.


    Of course, who else was watching them so closely? However, what Apple couldn''t understand was; how did Ivan get involved with the Gevano family? What was the motivation?


    As far as Apple knew, Ivan wasn''t the type to betray his own friend, but maybe he had changed? Everyone changes, right?


    "What do you see?" asked Apple, fiddling with her phone, trying to ignore Ivan''sment.


    "Your face is beaming," he replied in a matter of fact tone.


    Appleughed when she heard that answer, but then she changed the subject again. "How is your rtionship with Rachel?"


    Ivan looked confused for a moment, but then he answered casually.


    "All right," he replied.


    From a distance, a young man could be seen waving at Ivan and Apple, informing them both that all preparations wereplete and they could leave now.


    "Looks like it''s time for us to go." Ivan then looked up at the sky. "Hopefully it won''t rain at the Harborter, because otherwise we won''t get the sunset photos we want."


    Apple smiled and walked ahead of Ivan. "Yeah, let''s go now."


    She didn''t tell Ivan what she knew about the rtionship between Rachel and Derek, dys'' ex-boyfriend, because she still wanted to know the extent of involvement between Ivan and the people of the Gevano family.


    After tapping Ivan''s phone for a while, Apple could confidently say that Ivan was up to something after today''s photo shoot with someone from the Gevano family, but she had no idea what kind of ns they had made.


    Therefore, Apple did not want to shake the boat first, because she wanted to see how far these people would go.


    "Apple," Ivan called, which made the girl stop walking and turn to him.


    "What is it?" asked Apple after the man said nothing after a while. She tilted her head to find out what this man really wanted, but Ivan just shook his head and smiled at her.


    "Let''s go, don''t keep the others waiting." Ivan then walked over to Apple and walked past her.


    "You''re weird," Apple grumbled yfully and made Ivanugh softly, but as soon as he didn''t look, the look Apple gave this man turned a little dark.


    She followed Ivan to the lobby, where there was a car waiting for them to drive them off.


    It was just that Apple used her own car, as Jayden didn''t allow her to go together in another car and unapanied, especially when they realized that Ivan was trying to pull something.


    "Jayden is being really overbearing," Ivan said as Apple was about to get into her own car. "Be careful, people like Jayden Tordoff have a lot of enemies."


    Appleughed softly when she heard this. "There''s nothing to worry about an obvious enemy, instead what you should worry about is an enemy disguised as a close person. Those are the people you should watch out for."


    For a moment, Apple could see the change in the look in Ivan''s eyes, but then heughed softly and hit her shoulder yfully.


    "Let''s go, we''ll bete, don''t cause us to spend the night there, Jayden will be very upsetter." Apple yed it lightly, as if what she said was just casual gibberish that didn''t mean anything.


    After that, Apple walked over to her car and closed the door, leaving Ivan standing where he was for a while until someone called him to remind him that it was time for them to leave.


    Only then did they leave from there.


    "Everything is okay?" Apple asked Adrian and the man nodded.


    "Are you sure you want to do this?" asked Adrian, he looked at Apple through the rearview mirror and saw the girl was busy ying with her cellphone. "Things could get very chaotic."


    Apple nodded, but she didn''t take her eyes off the game she was ying on her phone.


    "Of course," Apple replied lightly. "I''m used to chaos."


    Adrian tilted his head. "If you get hurt, then Mr. Tordoff could go out of control."


    Hearing thatment, Appleughed softly, but then realized that it was not really impossible.


    "You don''t have to worry, are you sure I can get hurt that easily?" asked Apple again. "If you really think I can get hurt so easily, then you''re really underestimating my abilities."


    Apple tossed her hair arrogantly and then smirked at Adrian, who could only shake his head.


    ======================


    Derek looked annoyed when he woke up to find neither a message nor a call from dys. The girl didn''t even answer his phone calls at all, nor did she reply to any of his messages.


    This had never happened before and really made Derek''s thoughts go haywire.


    He seemed very stressed about this and became more sensitive, until even Rachel could feel Derek''s anger when they were in the same room.


    Not only that, Rachel had never seen Derek this angry before, so she felt a little afraid of this man.


    At first, Rachel wanted to scold Derek to make him leave her apartment immediately, but when she felt the negative aura from this man, for some reason she couldn''t find the right words and for the first time, Rachel was afraid of him.


    "Where are you?" Rachel asked when she called Ivan, to which he answered that he was busy with a photoshoot near the Harbor, on a beach in the outskirts of town A. "Okay, we''ll catch up there."


    Rachel didn''t need a reason for her to follow Ivan when he was visiting an area and her boyfriend never objected.


    After all, Rachel needed a ce to escape from her own apartment, as she couldn''t get Derek out of here, meanwhile, she began to feel frightened and ufortable with the man, who was like a ticking time bomb and was just waiting for the right time to explode.


    However, this time, Ivan refused her arrival on the grounds that they would only be there until the evening and would return as soon as the business there was done.


    "Why?" Rachel asked confusedly. She was now in her room and was watching what Derek was doing in the living room of her apartment from the slightly open door. "You don''t want me there because you''re with Apple? What are you doing with her? Are you interested in that girl?"


    And a slightly annoyed answer came from the other end of the phone, from Ivan.


    "What do you mean? I''m here working with her. After all, how could Apple be interested in me when she has someone like Jayden Tordoff by her side?"


    "I''m just asking, why are you angry?" Rachel huffed.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 628 LET HIM KNOW

    Chapter 628 LET HIM KNOW¡¡¡¡"You don''t want me there because you''re with Apple? What are you doing with her? Are you interested in that girl?" Rachel was suddenly annoyed that Ivan wouldn''t allow her toe to his work location, because he wasn''t usually like this.


    Ivan always allowed her toe visit him when he was at the location and never once did he mind Rachel visiting him.


    Therefore, Ivan''s response and reaction now annoyed Rachel a bit and coupled with the stress she felt from seeing how Derek was grumpy all day which made it seem like she was walking on a bed of eggshells, she couldn''t take it anymore andshed out.


    "What do you mean? I''m here working with her. After all, how could Apple be interested in me when she has someone like Jayden Tordoff by her side?" Ivan''s answer sounded a little irritated on the other end of the phone, because he had no idea where Rachel''s thoughts hade from.


    "I''m just asking, why are you angry?" Rachel huffed. She took a deep breath and grumbled something incoherent, before finally hanging up on Ivan, to show that she wasn''t happy being treated this way by the man.


    But then, a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips when she saw an iing call from Ivan.


    "You should be taught a little lesson," Rachel muttered, when she saw Ivan''s name shing on her phone screen, but she didn''t answer the call immediately.


    She felt victorious because she could make Ivan feel bad about his behavior toward her just then. She did have to put him in his ce once in a while and not make him think he could just treat herself as he wanted.


    After four unanswered phone calls by Rachel, there was an apology message from Ivan saying that he woulde to Rachel''s apartment as soon as he was done working.


    Rachel''s brows furrowed when she saw the message, because there was no way she would let Ivane to her apartment while Derek was around. There was no way she would let the two of them meet each other.


    Therefore, there was only one way to make sure the inevitable didn''t happen, which was to go directly to the location of Ivan''s photo shoot, ignoring his disagreement.


    After all, Ivan might get annoyed, but he wouldn''t be mad at her all the time, would he? Looking at the content of the message Ivan had sent and how he felt sorry and apologized for his earlier behavior.


    Assuming she had the situation under control, Rachel immediately got out of bed and freshened up. She also got changed and put on the dress Ivan liked the most, because she knew her arrival would piss him off.


    But, as soon as Rachel came out of her room, she found Derek staring at her angrily. The look in his eyes made her shudder in horror because this man had never been so hostile toward her.


    Derek always obeyed whatever she said, therefore, to find Derek looking at her with hatred and anger, made Rachel feel a little scared. She wanted to run out of her own apartment immediately.


    However, Derek''s deep voice stopped her in her tracks.


    "Where are you going?" he asked in a deep voice. He looked a little messy because he was still wearing the same clothes he worest night. Even his hair looked all disheveled.


    Meanwhile, the room was filled with the smell of cigarettes. There was even an empty bottle of alcohol that had been finished by him on the carpet. Did he think the expensive alcohol was water?


    However, Rachel didn''t have the courage to scold him now, because he looked absolutely terrifying and she knew it was better not to provoke him any further than this.


    "I''m going out for a bit," Rachel said, trying to quicken her pace toward the door, but Derek grabbed her hand hard enough to make her flinch in pain. "What do you think you are doing?! You are hurting me!" Rachel cried, trying to free her hand from Derek''s grip, but to no avail.


    He maintained his grip on her hard enough and refused to let go.


    At this close distance, Rachel could smell the stench of cigarettes and alcohol wafting from his body and she felt disgusted.


    "I asked, where are you going?" Derek''s voice sounded deeper and more dangerous, he even tightened his grip on Rachel''s arm, frightening the woman.


    He knew that what he was doing right now was very out of character from him, but he couldn''t deny that seeing Rachel having fun with Ivan and even going to meet him while he was here and feeling like trash, really made his anger overpower hismon sense.


    Not to mention the fact that dys still hadn''t replied to any of his messages and hadn''t picked up her phone, making Derek feel very annoyed and angry at the girl.


    He had a feeling that none of this would have happened if Rachel hadn''t thrown a tantrum and his rtionship with dys would have been fine.


    Now, Derek felt more like he was angry that his rtionship with dys wasn''t working than because Rachel wanted to go see Ivan.


    "I''m going to see Ivan," Rachel said aloud and she was now trying to guilt trip Derek with her excuses. "You look really messed up and I feel like you need some time alone, so I''m leaving, because I can''t help you any more than this. Of course I care about you¡­"


    Rachel tried to soften her voice, in hopes she could melt Derek''s heart.


    Instead, the man startedughing like a maniac, as if he had lost his mind.


    "Why? Why are youughing like that?" Rachel asked, squinting in disbelief.


    "You really care about me?" asked Derek and his voice was very sarcastic. "You''re really doing this because you care about me?"


    Rachel was used to lying, but this time, she found herself tongue-tied and couldn''t find the words to lie to Derek. She couldn''t find a good reason for it.


    "Yes, of course I care about you, I love you Derek, have you forgotten about that?" Rachel said the same words she told this man more than a dozen times to keep him going with their open rtionshipmitment.


    But, at this moment, even she herself knew that those words did not reach Derek at all. He was seen snorting when he heard what Rachel said and then pushed her against the wall, pinning her in ce.


    "You care about me, that''s why you were running into another man''s arms?" Derek hissed when he said that.


    Rachel found herself shaking with fear at the drastic change in Derek''s demeanor.


    "I wanted to leave because I know that you want to be alone and there''s nothing I can do, I''m helping you after all." Rachel tried not to look straight into Derek''s angry eyes, but it was hard to do. His gaze was fixed on her and she couldn''t break free. "Ivan said that he woulde here after he finished work, but you need this ce more. So I wanted to help you by keeping him froming here."


    Hearing that reason, Derekughed maniacally, he literally threw his head back when he startedughing like a madman all of a sudden and this scared Rachel even more.


    "You want to help me by going to another man?" he asked betweenughs. Where did Rachel get that kind of logic from? That was very amusing to hear.


    "Derek¡­" Rachel struggled to help him regain his sanity.


    However, Derek suddenly stoppedughing and red at Rachel. "No, I don''t want you to leave, I want you to be here and I don''t care if hees and sees us both, I want him to see how I fuck you."


    Rachel gasped loudly when Derek tore off the dress she was wearing and just as she was about to scream, Derek silenced her by kissing her deeply.


    =========================


    Apple squinted when she saw the heart emoji Jayden had sent after the words ''Take care. I love you.''


    She didn''t realize since when this man had be increasingly cheesy and seemed like he couldn''t be helped anymore.


    But, Apple wasn''tining though, she liked this side of Jayden and was always looking forward to the ridiculousness of what he was about to do.


    "Everything is ready," Ivan said as he walked over to Apple and saw her smiling. "Jayden?" he asked because he thought nothing would ever make this girl smile like that if it weren''t for Jayden Tordoff.


    Apple lifted her head and immediately turned off the screen so Ivan couldn''t see the conversation between herself and Jayden.


    "Okay, let''s go now," said Apple as she stood up from her chair. She was done with her make up and also made sure everything was fine with the white dress she was wearing.


    "Oh, I forgot to inform you about something," said Ivan again. "You''re going to take a photo with a male model and there''s another indoor shoot."


    Apple raised her eyebrows when she heard that. "I was never told that I was going to do a photo shoot with a guy."


    "Well, I forgot to tell you about that¡­" Ivan scratched his non-itchy head and looked guilty.


    "And may I know what kind of indoor shoot it is?" asked Apple suspiciously. This was the moment Apple had been waiting for.


    "Indoor shooting in a house, this will be the end of our series of shoots," said Ivan, but he looked nervous.

 Chapter 629 MENDING YOUR BROKEN HEART

    Chapter 629 MENDING YOUR BROKEN HEART¡¡¡¡"And may I know what kind of indoor shoot it is?" asked Apple suspiciously. She waspletely uninformed about anything rted to the indoor shoot. But, on the other hand, this was the moment Apple had been waiting for.


    She had been wondering for a long time how Ivan would actter, but now she could see where this man''s n was heading.


    "Indoor shooting in a house, this will be the end of our series of shoots," Ivan said, but he looked nervous. He didn''t even dare to look Apple in the eye and instead looked at the sea or at the staff at work more.


    "Where exactly is this house?" asked Apple again. She wanted to confirm the address of the ce where she would be takenter.


    "I''ll let you know through textter, I forgot the address. After all, I''m not very familiar with this ce. So I didn''t really pay much attention to it. But don''t worry. It''s only about twenty minutes from here," Ivan said quietly, he then nced at Apple and smiled, before his gaze fell on someone who was directly behind Apple.


    Ivan waved his hand and this made Apple automatically turn around to see who this person called by Ivan was.


    Not far from her, a young man, who was about two or three years older than Apple, walked up to them with a big smile on his lips. He looked cute and Apple felt his face looked a little familiar.


    As if he knew what was on Apple''s mind, Ivan briefly exined about this young man who approached them.


    "This is the male model I mentioned earlier, he will do a photo session with you on the beach, with the concept of a honeymoon. A young husband and wife, enjoying their honeymoon at the beach," Ivan exined briefly about their concept.


    "I''ve never heard of such a concept before." Apple grimaced when she heard that. The concept sounded tacky and made her shudder, but then something inside Apple made her want tough, imagining how Jayden would react when he heard this.


    For some reason, Apple had developed a new hobby of teasing Jayden and seeing his annoyed expression was really a mood booster for her.


    Maybe it was wrong to make the guy jealous, but Apple didn''t do that every day, did she? After all, she couldn''t help it. For some reason,tely she had been feeling giddy about provoking Jayden again and again.


    "His name is Mateo," said Ivan, telling the name of the young man who was now walking toward them. "He''s been in a lot ofmercials, you must have seen one of themercials he''s in."


    It took Apple a moment to remember whatmercial this man was in, because she felt that his face looked familiar, but since she rarely sat before the television screen and watchedmercial breaks, it took her a little longer to recognize the man named Mateo.


    "Mateo Sullivan?" Apple guessed and just as she said that, the man was too close and he could hear his name being called.


    "Yes, I am Mateo Sullivan." He smiled kindly at Apple and held out his hand. "You must be Apple, right? I''ve heard a lot about you."


    Apple raised her eyebrows. She wasn''t sure which news this man heard because she didn''t feel that what she was doing was worth it.


    "You are Jayden Tordoff''s girlfriend, aren''t you? Photos of you and Jayden Tordoff were circting in the news online a while ago and you were the talk of many people, before the news disappeared and photos of you were taken down from online media," he exined when he saw the confused look on Apple''s face.


    Immediately, Apple felt bitter. Of course, that was all he knew, was there any news that made her seem interesting other than being Jayden Tordoff''s girlfriend?


    "You''re wrong, Mateo," said Ivan, who then raised Apple''s hand and showed him the ring. "She''s engaged to Jayden Tordoff. She is his fianc¨¦e now, not his girlfriend anymore."


    Apple immediately lowered her hand and smiled stiffly at both of them. She didn''t really like showing off like that, but she kept her emotions in check, because she didn''t want to create a scene right now.


    "So, shall we do the photoshoot now?" asked Apple. She looked out at the sea and saw a car she recognized from a distance. She knew who was in the car. Although she had said many times that she would be fine, nothing seemed to stop him from worrying about her.


    "Yeah, we''re going to do the photoshoot now. The two of you can chat to lighten the mood between the two of you, so you can work up good chemistryter." Ivan then walked away to meet the rest of the staff, leaving Apple and Mateo alone.


    Mateo smiled at Apple when it was just the two of them. "So, you really are Mr. Tordoff''s fianc¨¦e?" he asked enthusiastically and this made Apple feel a little ufortable.


    "Yes," Apple answered quietly.


    "Oh, don''t get me wrong," Mateo immediately said, raising his hands as if defending himself. "I have a little sister who is very crazy about the Tordoffs, especially your fianc¨¦. It can be said that he is her idol, therefore she will feel very thrilled if she knows I am here to do a photo shoot with Mr. Tordoff''s fianc¨¦e."


    Apple sighed and started walking toward their shooting set with Mateo walking beside her.


    "Are you sure she''ll be thrilled when she finds out about this and not curse me?" asked Apple in a tired tone. "You should know that most of the fan girls wouldn''t like their idols having girlfriends or partners."


    Mateo thought about it for a moment and thenughed at her. "Yes, you''re right. I don''t think my sister will be so thrilled to find out that her idol is already engaged."


    And after that heughed softly, which made Appleugh too.


    But then she could feel her phone vibrating in her pocket and when she saw who was calling her, she couldn''t help rolling her eyes. It was Jayden.


    "Yes?" asked Apple in a light tone and still a trace ofughter could be heard. "Jayden?" she called his name because she couldn''t hear anything from the other end of the phone.


    Apple then waved her hand at Mateo to go first because she was on a phone call with someone and the man gave her a look that seemed to say; I know who had called you before walking away.


    Apple didn''t respond to his knowing stare and tried to listen to what Jayden had to say because he didn''t say anything.


    "Hey, are you okay?" asked Apple as she still didn''t get any response from Jayden and was a little worried that something might have happened to him. She then looked at the car that was near the beach, which was parked very far from her.


    "No," Jayden replied curtly.


    And that answer made Apple frown and ask what happened and why he sounded so bad.


    "I''m sick," Jayden replied curtly again.


    "Why are you sick? You''re fine this morning." Apple thought about it, but then she realized that by the time she woke up, Jayden was long gone. "Well, you were finest night." She corrected her sentence.


    And ''fine'' didn''t exin Jayden''s conditionst night at all, as he was arguably a bit ''wild'' than usual.


    "Yeah, but I''m sick."


    "Where are you hurt? Have you been to the doctor''s?" At this point, Apple didn''t know if Jayden was just joking and teasing her as usual or not, but she was genuinely worried about the guy.


    "Not yet."


    "Why? Then what hurts?"


    "My heart hurts."


    Apple: ¡­.


    "My heart hurts at the sight of youughing with another man."


    Apple really wouldn''t have hesitated to kick this guy if he was right in front of her or even do something a little violent to him.


    He shouldn''t have joked like that when they were in a situation like this. Had he forgotten that they were currently on a mission?


    "Jayden, I feel like I want to punch your gut for scaring me." Apple red at the car. She knew that Jayden was in there with Adrian.


    "But, my heart is really hurt watching you smile andugh easily with another guy."


    From the way Jayden spoke, you''d think he was talking about a serious matter and not some petty argument like this.


    "I''ll hang up the call, okay? I will mend your broken heartter." Apple bit her lip as she said that, it sounded cheesy, but somehow, she wanted to say something like that.


    "Okay, see youter," Jayden answered cheerfully all of a sudden and this made Appleugh because of how entric his mood was.


    A moment ago, he was all moody and grumbling, but then he sounded like the most easy going person in the world.


    "I love to hear and see your smile."


    "You can only hear me, you can''t see me," Apple corrected him because there was no way Jayden could see herself, as he was so far away from her now.


    "Hmm," Jayden mumbled. "Take care, okay? I don''t want to see you get hurt anymore." This time, his voice was serious and sounded much deeper.


    But, what Apple didn''t know was in the car that Jayden and Adrian were sitting in, the heir to the Tordoff family had just put down the binocrs with which he was watching Apple.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 630 A TRAP

    Chapter 630 A TRAP¡¡¡¡"You can only hear me, you can''t see me," Apple corrected him because there was no way Jayden could see herself, as he was quite far away from her now.


    "Hmm," Jayden mumbled. "Take care, okay? I don''t want to see you get hurt anymore." This time, his voice was serious and sounded much deeper.


    "Of course, you too," Apple replied softly and the two of them hung up.


    For a moment, Apple nced at the car again before she walked over to the shooting set where Mateo was getting his makeup done.


    But, what Apple didn''t know was, in the car that Jayden and Adrian were sitting in, the heir to the Tordoff family had just put down the binocrs with which he was watching Apple.


    So his words which said he was looking at her were, of course, true. Meanwhile, sitting behind the wheel, Adrian could only shake his head inwardly when he saw Jayden Tordoff''s behavior.


    Why was he carrying binocrs and observing Apple from a distance?! Didn''t he have another job?!


    "What do you think Adrian? Will he have the potential to be my rival?" Jayden asked, displeased that another man had approached Apple and made herugh.


    "No one can beat you, Mr. Tordoff, Apple is blind that she prefers that guy over you," Adrian answered very honestly, but then he felt a fierce stare from Jayden behind him and this made his heart skip a beat.


    "Are you saying that my fianc¨¦e is stupid?" Jayden asked coldly.


    "No, that''s not what I meant..." Adrian said frantically, trying to make things better. "I didn''t mean to say that..."


    "I got the idea that you are assuming so," Jayden said coldly. "You said my fianc¨¦e would choose that man?"


    "You misunderstood, Mr. Tordoff¡­" Adrian felt like he was going to cry. He shouldn''t have said anything about Apple. Ugh!


    However, he could feel Jayden''s intense gaze on his back. He really didn''t like it when people say bad things about his fianc¨¦e, regardless of the context of the conversation.


    =========================


    By the time Apple was done with this shoot, the sun almost set and the people on the set started packing their gear.


    "Let''s go," Ivan said as he approached Apple. "We''re going to the next set."


    "I''m the only one?" asked Apple. She looked at Ivan calmly and realized that the man was sweating. It seemed he really couldn''t calm down as he had something to hide.


    From Ivan''s reaction, Apple could deduce that he wasn''t fully involved with the Gevano family, or at least he hadn''t been involved with them for long.


    Because if he was really used to the violence carried out by the Gevano family, then it was certain that he wouldn''t be caught easily like this and moreover he looked very ufortable.


    "Yeah, just you and me."


    "It will feel like a date if it''s just the two of us." Apple tried to lighten the mood and make Ivan less tense, as she could seeyers of sweat forming on his forehead.


    On the other hand, Ivanughed ndly when he heard that. He didn''t really pay much attention to what she said. He couldn''t help but feel uneasy.


    After all, he meant no harm to Apple.


    "Why can''t Mateo juste with us? Isn''t the concept this time about a couple? It would be better if he was there too, wouldn''t it?" Apple suggested, but Ivan quickly dismissed the idea and said a thousand reasons why Mateo couldn''t go with them.


    But, sadly, Mateo was nearby and approached them when he heard his name being mentioned.


    "What is it?" Mateo asked the two of them. He looked refreshed after changing into a casual t-shirt and training pants, as if he was getting ready for bed. "I heard my name being called."


    Ivan then exined to Mateo that they were going to do an additional photo shoot at a rented house and he also gave him the address because Mateo was very familiar with this area.


    "Oh, I know that ce. The house is often rented out for photo shoots," Mateo said happily. "Actually, near the house there is a nice little food stall and I''m nning to go there after this photo shoot, how about we go there together?"


    Apple tried to hold back a smile when she saw how Ivan looked now, as he stammered exining that Mateo couldn''te, but the young man kept insisting and said he wouldn''t be a bother.


    Apple shook her head inwardly. She felt a little sorry for Ivan because he waspletely inexperienced in this kind of field and shouldn''t have agreed to deal with this kind of situation.


    If it really was a critical situation and things got bad, Apple felt that Ivan would be the first to be shot and killed because he had absolutely no idea how to survive in this kind of line of business.


    At this point, Apple felt extremely curious. Did Ivan really make a deal with those people? She couldn''t believe there was something driving him into this devious business until he had to join the Gevanos and defraud her.


    "Okay, you cane," Ivan said atst because he couldn''t find a good reason to refuse Mateo''s request without making himself look suspicious, even though he had been suspected from the start.


    "Okay, you should try the seafood at that little stall too, Apple, you won''t regret it." Mateo looked so excited when he said this.


    "Okay," Apple replied calmly.


    She could see that the car that had been near the beach this afternoon had disappeared, which meant that Jayden had been part of the n.


    "Okay, let''s go now, before it gets dark." Ivan didn''t look happy with Mateo tagging along and he walked first to his car and let Mateo sit beside him, while Apple sat in the back seat.


    "You look pale, Ivan, are you okay?" asked Apple, slightly teasing him because it was very obvious that this man was very nervous.


    "Yeah, I''m fine," Ivan replied. He took a deep breath and started the engine.


    He seemed to be staring off into the distance and not too involved in the chat between Mateo and Apple the whole way, as if he was very focused on driving this car.


    "Yeah, you look sweaty, will you just close the window and turn on the air conditioner?" Mateo asked, because he thought Ivan was not very used to the night breeze from the sea, but Ivan once again shook his head and said he was fine and there was no need to think about it.


    Therefore, Mateo didn''t say anything else.


    "Ah, that''s the house over there," Mateo pointed out, but he noticed something odd because instead of going straight, Ivan took a left turn, which he knew was a dead end. "Where are we going?" Mateo asked confusedly. "This is not the way to the house."


    However, Ivan didn''t say anything and continued to drive the car until they reached a dead end and they couldn''t go anywhere unless they took a U-turn.


    "I already said it was a dead end, didn''t I?" Mateo said again. "We have to turn around."


    But, instead of taking Mateo''s advice, Ivan turned off his car engine and walked out of the car with the keys, so no one could drive the car away.


    "What is up with him?" Mateo asked confusedly and was about to get out of the car, but Apple stopped him by holding his shoulder.


    "Don''t go out," she said coldly.


    "Why? I don''t want to be in this car alone, where is Ivan going anyway?" asked Mateo who was a little confused and annoyed at Ivan''s attitude toward him. "Is he upset that I insisted on tagging along? He shouldn''t have reacted like that."


    Apple shook her head. "This has nothing to do with you," she repeated. "Don''t get out of this car, understand?"


    Mateo was about to refute what Apple had warned him of, but when he turned around and was about to face her, he found a pair of cold eyes filled with warning staring back at him, as she repeated the words she just said.


    "Don''t get out of this car, understand?" asked Apple.


    Instantly, Mateo could feel a very strong pressure from this girl. He didn''t expect that a girl as cheerful as Apple and tended to be sweet could give such a strong ultimatum that he subconsciously nodded his head in agreement.


    "Okay, but what is this about?" Mateo asked confusedly, but he had no intention of getting out of the car after seeing how serious Apple was.


    However, Apple did not answer his question as she stepped out of the car and quickly approached Ivan.


    Apple put a hand on Ivan''s shoulder to stop his hasty pace.


    But, Ivan tried to shake off Apple''s grip on him by pping her hand away.


    Of course, that was a mistake, because Apple didn''t have the patience anymore to deal with this man who was trying to set her up.


    Very deftly, Apple then twisted Ivan''s hands behind his back and kicked him behind his knees until he fell to the ground in a kneeling position. Apple then released his hands, letting him fall head first.


    "Where do you think you are going?" Apple asked dreamily. "You should know that you won''t be able to catch me alone. You are no match for me, Ivan." She looked at the man, who was sprawled on the floor, wincing in pain.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 631 COMPLICATED SITUATION

    Chapter 631 COMPLICATED SITUATION¡¡¡¡With great dexterity, Apple then twisted Ivan''s hands behind his back and kicked him behind his knees until he fell to the ground in a kneeling position.


    After that, Apple let go of Ivan''s hands and pushed him, letting the man fall head first on the solid ground.


    "Where do you think you are going?" Apple asked dreamily. But, her eyes were fixed on Ivan. "You should know that you won''t be able to catch me alone. You are no match for me, Ivan." She looked at the man who was sprawled on the floor, wincing in pain. There was no tenderness in her eyes.


    Apple then stepped aside and allowed Ivan to turn around after which the man tried to stand up.


    "Have you forgotten who I am?" asked Apple. The two of them had been friends for a long time, so Ivan should have known that Apple could stand up for herself and didn''t need anyone''s help. He should have remembered who Apple''s father was and had been more careful with her. "If you want to set me up, do it right."


    "Apple¡­ I can exin¡­" Ivan stammered, he looked confused and scared, but he didn''t know what to do either, because he didn''t expect Apple to know about this n in advance.


    The words that stumbled out of Ivan''s lips really made Apple feel an urge tough, because they reminded her of how Derek had tried to get dys to talk to him. They both tried to exin when no more exnations were needed. Why did these men like things like this? Apple couldn''t stop thinking about this...


    "What kind of exnation are you going to give me?" Apple then took two steps back from Ivan when she heard noises around her and could feel several people starting to circle this ce in the shadows. They were positioning themselves on the roofs and in the corners of this alley.


    By this time, Ivan had stood up and attempted to speak to Apple before everyone surrounding them appeared at the same time.


    They were the ones that that man had sent.


    "Rx Apple, they won''t hurt you," Ivan said in a low voice. "They just want to ask you something."


    Apple could sense that this ce was under siege, she nced at the car and was grateful that Mateo heeded her warning by staying in the car.


    "Just wanted to ask me something? Why should they go to the trouble of bringing in so many people when there are so few questions?" Apple red at Ivan. "I never thought that you could be this stupid. Do you know who you work for?"


    Ivan did not answer the question. He just fell silent when Apple approached him and red at him.


    "Do you know who you made a pact with?" Apple approached him and looked at him dangerously. She looked as if she was going to pounce on this man before her if his answer didn''t satisfy her.


    "I¡­ I only found out that his name is Rick."


    "And his surname?"


    Ivan looked confused.


    "You did not know?" Apple really wanted to facepalm herself for Ivan''s utter nonsense. "You teamed up with someone you didn''t even know for sure and you dragged me to a dangerous ce?"


    Ivan waved his hands frantically and tried to exin himself. "This person just wants to talk to you," Ivan said again, he repeated the same excuse and sounded very stupid to Apple''s ears.


    "Do you seriously believe that?" growled Apple. "What do you really want? What did they offer to make you relent and sell your friend?"


    Ivan was like a deer caught in the headlights now and his face looked a little red from holding back the shame he had to endure for his actions.


    "I''m sorry, Apple, but I need money ..." Ivan admitted this much. He looked down, like a child being scolded.


    "Need money for what? Isn''t your studio running smoothly?"


    At first, Ivan hesitated to answer this, but seeing how Apple looked at him fiercely, he finally answered the question. "I''m nning to propose to Rachel and she wants a spectacr wedding."


    Annoyed, Apple hit the man on the head until he winced in pain. However, he didn''t dare to protest.


    At this point, when she heard Ivan''s reasoning, she really felt sorry for this man. If only he knew what his girlfriend had done to him.


    "Use your head better and look around you," Apple eximed, waving her hand at Ivan in annoyance.


    It was only then that Ivan realized that there were several people on the rooftops of the houses surrounding this dark alley and there were also about five men who were approaching them. And what left Ivan surprised was; they all held guns.


    "What?" Ivan blinked a few times, looking confused. "But, it''s nothing simr to what we agreed to, they just said that they would only ask you a few questions."


    "Asking some questions, huh? Looks like they''re pointing some guns at me instead." Apple red at Ivan. "Next time you want to make a deal with someone you don''t know, make sure you make it legally, so you can sue them for breaching the contract."


    Ivan didn''t say anything, he just grumbled something incoherent and let Apple continue cursing under her breath, which was obviously aimed at him.


    "They''re just going to talk¡­" Ivan repeated the words, but this time it sounded like he wanted to convince himself rather than convince Apple.


    "Shut up!" cried Apple fiercely and red at Ivan. She was not happy about this situation, even though she knew it would turn out like this, but hearing Ivan''s reasoning, really left her miffed.


    On the other hand, Mateo was bbergasted when he saw how Apple beat Ivan and made the man fall to the ground in one move. How could a girl as gentle as Apple and as beautiful as herself be so brutal? But then he noticed the two of them were getting into an argument.


    At first, he had intended to stay in the car and not get involved in the issues between the two, only when he saw about five men approaching them, did he intend to separate the two.


    He didn''t know who the five men that were blocking the way in this alley, but he felt ufortable and wanted to get out of here immediately. Didn''t Ivan say that he and Apple still had to do onest photo shoot?


    "What happened¡­" Mateo asked as he opened the car door and was about to step out.


    "STAY IN THE CAR!"


    However, before his feet could hit the ground, Apple had shouted at him fiercely and given him an ultimatum to stay in the car, which made him shrink back into the car and stay there, following Apple''s orders. That girl looked fierce when she got angry...


    Wouldn''t Jayden Tordoff get into trouble if he made the girl angry? Was he okay when he saw how terrible his fianc¨¦e was?


    But, one thing was for sure; Mateo didn''t dare step out of the car anymore and could only watch what was happening through the rear window.


    On the other hand, Apple stared at the five people blocking the only exit in this dark alley and tried to identify them, only, she was sure that she had never seen these men before¡­


    "So, what''s this?" Apple asked the five men who had just approached them.


    "You said you were just going to ask about something, why bring guns?" Ivan asked one of the five men.


    He agreed to the deal they presented him with because the money offered was quite a lot and the reasons they gave were quite reasonable.


    They said they had trouble getting ess to question Apple because she was heavily guarded and when Ivan asked what questions they wanted to ask her, so he could represent her, instead of bringing Apple to this ce, they didn''t answer clearly.


    All they said was it was a personal matter that needed to be discussed with Apple directly, and Apple wouldn''t have agreed to it if she had known about it first.


    Therefore, Ivan kept this meeting a secret, even though he felt something was off, but he brushed it off because he had already received the money they gave him for this deal, so he couldn''t back down anymore¡­


    "What do you want until you deceived this stupid friend of mine?" said Apple in annoyance, she even nced at Ivan when she said how ''stupid'' he was, but the man didn''t protest at all, he seemed to ept what Apple had to say about him.


    "I want you toe with me," said the man, one of them then came forward, he was wearing a ck t-shirt and jeans. He didn''t forget to aim the gun in his hand at Apple.


    "What are you doing? You want to shoot her?" Ivan eximed in surprise. He tried to block Apple, but the girl got him out of the way first.


    She knew they wanted her alive, but they wouldn''t think twice before shooting Ivan if he got in their way.


    "It''s not what you promised!" cried Ivan again. He didn''t mean to harm Apple like this and didn''t think the situation would get thisplicated.


    If only he had known, there was no way he would have brought Apple into such a dangerous situation. Yes, he did set up Apple, but this¡­


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 632 KIDNAP!

    Chapter 632 KIDNAP!¡¡¡¡Ivan didn''t think the situation would get this serious and even involve weapons. Didn''t they just say they wanted to talk to Apple? So what was the issue here now? They should just talk to her, right? No need with all the threats and weapons they brought.


    However, Ivan was too naive to think that the situation was that simple. If you think about it, Ivan was not familiar with these kinds of situations and couldn''t be med if he thought too naively.


    After all, he had never thought about being in a life and death situation or getting involved in the human trafficking carried out by the Gevano family.


    Ivan had always assumed that such incidents were real and factual, but the possibility of him being involved in such a situation was close to zero and highly unlikely.


    Therefore, he still didn''t fully realize when he stood before Apple and blocked the path of the bullets that might be fired at the girl.


    "What are you doing? You want to shoot her?" Ivan cried, standing in front of Apple, shielding the girl behind his back, but Apple pushed him out of the way first.


    She knew that these people wanted her alive, after all, she would be of no use if she died, but they wouldn''t think twice before shooting Ivan if he got in their way.


    Therefore, what he did was stupid, well, everything he was nning right now was stupid to be honest¡­


    "It''s not what you promised!" cried Ivan again. He didn''t mean to harm Apple like this and didn''t think the situation would get thisplicated.


    If only he had known, there was no way he would have brought Apple into such a dangerous situation now. Yes, he did set up Apple, but this was going too far. This was a criminal act.


    "Apple, we have to call the police," Ivan said frantically, whispering in a low voice to Apple standing next to him.


    On the other hand, Apple didn''t really respond to that. She just nced at Ivan and didn''t say anything.


    "What do you want?" asked Apple. She then snatched Ivan''s phone when he tried to contact the police, alerting the snipers around them.


    "What are you doing? Give me back my phone," Ivan hissed frantically. His body seemed to be shaking a bit and it looked like he was having a panic attack right now, especially when he received the fierce and cold stare from Apple.


    "You''ve caused enough trouble, so just shut up and let me handle this," growled Apple. She was annoyed that Ivan could be so stupid like this. "Follow my words, or I will shoot you myself. You''re just being troublesome."


    Apple''s cold stare finally managed to silence Ivan. He said nothing more. But, he also didn''t dare to do anything rash after Apple''s warning.


    Was she going to shoot him herself?


    Ivan knew that Apple was a bit brutal and violent because she had a father like Pyro and had also been involved with a criminal gang before, but the threats Apple threw at him just now left Ivan really scared. He unceremoniously believed her, thinking this girl would not hesitate to shoot him, if he were to throw a tantrum again.


    "Now your business with me," Apple said to one of the five men in front of her, who was standing slightly ahead of the others. Apparently, he was the leader of these people. "Did the Gevano family send you guys here?" she asked.


    The man did not answer. He shoved his hands into the pockets of the cloak he was wearing, and Apple assumed he was holding his own guns.


    "It is not your turn to ask questions," said the man. "You are the one who should follow our orders."


    Apple scoffed disdainfully when she heard the statement. She didn''t like being ordered around and following orders. Heck. She rarely even wanted to hear what Jayden had to say. So, why would she listen to this stranger?


    "If you''re looking for someone who can follow your orders, it looks like you''ve got the wrong target," Apple said calmly. She nced toward the roofs of nearby houses and tried to guess how many snipers were there.


    "You have no other choice but to follow our orders."


    Apple raised her eyebrows when she heard this. "Really?" she asked in a surprised tone that sounded very fake.


    "You''d better follow us quietly, so that nothing untoward should happen." He then nced at Ivan and the car they came in earlier. He seemed to realize that someone else was in the car now. "Or an unwanted victim. "


    "Where are you taking me?" asked Apple. She was still looking around and it seemed there really were only these five men surrounding her and a few snipers on the roofs, but she couldn''t confirm the exact number of the snipers.


    "Come with us quietly, then we won''t hurt you." The man took one step to the side, followed by the four behind him, which then paved the way for Apple to step away from there.


    "Apple, we can find another way to escape from here. You should call the police," Ivan whispered to her, his voice shaking with fear.


    "Isn''t there something else you should tell me?" Apple nced at Ivan sarcastically when she said that.


    "I will apologize to you as much as you want after we manage to escape this situation safely." Ivan understood what Apple meant.


    But, it looked like Apple had ns of her own.


    "Okay, I''lle with you guys, but just leave them here, okay?" said Apple to the man in front of her.


    "Of course," he answered quickly.


    But, hearing this, Ivan widened his eyes in disbelief. "Don''t do this Apple, I''m sorry, but you can''t go with them, you don''t know what they''re going to do. We''ll find another way out of this ce, you don''t have to protect me like this¡­"


    But, before Ivan finished with his rambling words, Apple had hit him on the back of the head hard enough to knock him out and fall on his face, but this time, he didn''t get up again. Ivan just lost his consciousness.


    Apple could see the look of horror and fear as Ivan stared at her before he lost consciousness. He should have known when to stop talking, or else Apple would be in trouble too.


    ''You don''t have to protect me¡­'' he said?


    Apple scoffed. If it weren''t for them being old friends, she wouldn''t have bothered to silence him like this, because what Ivan did and said would only provoke these people and ruin her ns.


    "So, can we leave now?" Apple asked the man in front of her, after she was done dealing with Ivan.


    "You''re not afraid to leave your friend like this?" the man asked, but there was a sinister smile on the corners of his lips as he said that.


    "He can take care of himself. So, shall we go now or should we wait for Christmas eve first?" asked Apple sarcastically.


    The manughed softly. "For a woman, you are very brave."


    Apple narrowed her eyes when she heard this. "And you, for a man, are very talkative."


    Apple smiled slightly when she saw that this man was feeling a little annoyed. "So, shall we go now?" Apple asked them.


    The man then approached Apple and handcuffed her hands securely.


    "Hey, don''t be too rough, you can''t hurt me," Apple protested. "If it leaves a mark, then you and I will be in big trouble."


    The man just frowned because he didn''t understand what Apple just said, she seemed to be babbling about bullshit.


    And after that, Apple was rushed into a ck van parked at the end of this dark alley and they locked her inside.


    "Am I being kidnapped right now?" asked Apple as she satfortably in the van. "I just found out that your n is to kidnap me¡­"


    "Shut up," one of the men grumbled.


    There were at least two other vans that were following the van Apple was riding in, in the same color.


    "It turns out that you guys really wanted to kidnap me because I was Jayden''s fianc¨¦e¡­" she mumbled, as if talking to herself. "See? It''s such a pain to be Jayden Tordoff''s fianc¨¦e¡­ I should have asked for more rewards than this¡­"


    There were two men sitting on either side of Apple and they both stared at this girl who was talking to herself with furrowed brows, as if they didn''t understand what Apple was rambling about.


    "¡­ this is indeed one of my predictions that I will be kidnapped¡­ but¡­" Apple then looked at the two men sitting on her left and right with a slightly stern and furrowed brow in displeasure. "Can''t you just sit a little further away? You are too close," she grumbled.


    The two men looked at each other and then shifted their bodies, because they did have a fairlyrge body size, so being seated in the middle, Apple felt squeezed.


    But, what they couldn''t understand was; why did they silently agree toply with Apple''s request? It should have been this girl who followed all their words and not the other way around.


    "Hm¡­ this car has a bad smell¡­ and the two people nking me also have a body odor that makes me sick," Apple said quietly, as if she was talking to herself.


    "What the hell were you saying earlier?" eximed one of the men, he felt offended that Apple said that. He didn''t smell bad!

 Chapter 633 YOU CANT DRINK!

    Chapter 633 YOU CAN''T DRINK!¡¡¡¡After a tiring two-hour drive and Apple eventually falling silent with boredom, they had finally arrived at a ce Apple didn''t expect at all.


    This was a residence of the Gevano family, one of the houses they own in the city.


    During the past fifteen years, this family had experienced very rapid development and it could be said that their business was growing very well, even the price of theirpany''s shares on the stock market continued to increase, making them one of the bestpanies in the country.


    Who would have thought that they were doing dirty business like now?


    "Hm¡­ one of the Gevano family residences¡­" Apple muttered quietly. Then the door opened and she was invited to get out of the car. Of course these people guarded Apple closely, even though she was in handcuffs and there was no way to escape.


    They really treated Apple with ''care''.


    After Apple got out of the car, she was immediately taken into this spacious and big house. They passed several rooms that looked very luxurious and arrived at the study which was on the left side of the corridor.


    "Go in, Mr. Gevano is waiting for you inside," said one of the men. He opened the door for Apple, holding it until she stepped into the room.


    Apple took two steps, but then she stopped and faced the guard and said in a toneless voice, as if she was bored right now.


    "Don''t you want to open the handcuffs on my hands? You don''t think I can escape from here, do you?" said Apple, staring at the man holding the door for her with an emotionless face.


    "No," he answered simply. "I''m not going to open the handcuffs. I know you well."


    Apple raised her eyebrows in surprise. She had never heard anyone say that they knew herself well.


    But, before she could say anything, the man had pushed her into the study and closed the door behind her.


    "Huh? This is so ufortable¡­" Apple muttered as she stepped into the office. Even though she was in handcuffs at the front, still, this cold and slightly rough iron bit into her skin ufortably.


    "Sorry if this makes you ufortable," said a voice that sounded very gentle and fatherly.


    Apple turned around and saw an old man with almost all white hair walking toward her. He ced the book he was reading earlier on the table and walked over to Apple without any hesitation.


    This room was an office space that housed a lot of books. On one wall, there was a bookshelf that almost touched the roof and was filled with all kinds of business books and so on.


    While on the other hand, there were several weapons disyed. Apple knew they were antiques and collectibles.


    While behind this man there was arge table with a leather chair, which Apple assumed was his work desk.


    While in the middle of the room, there was a circr sofa. Seemingly, it was for guests.


    "Please have a seat," Theodore said, extending his hand toward the sofa, as he walked over to it and sat down first. He then waved his hand at the sofa in front of him and smiled at Apple. "Sit down, we''ll talk."


    However, Apple was too stubborn toply with the old man''s request, so she preferred to just stand where she was.


    "You are so stubborn¡­" Theodore said quietly, but a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "It''s okay, if you want to stand up, too. You can do whatever you want."


    Apple scoffed at the statement. "Free to do what I want? You are saying that while my hands are bound," she said with a lowugh. "You''re very funny Mr. Gevano."


    Theodoreughed when he heard the statement from Apple. "I''ve studied you well, Apple. I know who your father is and how capable you are." He then winked at Apple. "I also know that you and Jayden have stolen confidential data from mypany at a party a while ago. So don''t tell me you''re harmless just because you''re handcuffed, because I wouldn''t believe that."


    Apple gave Theodore a small smile and started to walk around therge room, where Theodore watched her every move.


    "You really are a girl who is hard to predict, you can even win the heart of Jayden Tordoff." Theodore then tilted his head and looked at the ring Apple was wearing. "I know the ring very well and now it''s on your finger."


    "Why? Do you like this ring?" asked Apple, she then stuck out her middle finger. "Oops, wrong finger." She then lowered her middle finger and raised her ring finger for a moment and smiled sweetly at Theodore, as if she had not insulted him a few moments ago.


    "You''re very funny and interesting," Theodore said. "No wonder Jayden likes you. The Tordoffs do have good taste in choosing women."


    "I will take that as apliment." Apple then walked over to Theodore''s desk which was tidy and there were no piles of documents or sheets of paper there, it seemed he was prepared for this, so he didn''t give any clues that Apple could see.


    But, then Apple took a small pen from the table and hid it in the inside of her palm, but of course she did it all very smoothly without evoking suspicion in Theodore.


    "So, what are you going to ask?" asked Apple. She then turned around and faced Theodore, walking toward him, but still refusing to sit with him.


    "Actually, I just wanted to talk to you." He then leaned his back against the back of the sofa and just then someone knocked on the door.


    The person only stepped in after being allowed by Theodore and was a maid in this house who brought two wine sses and a bottle of red wine along with two tes of snacks.


    "I thought I was going to be interrogated and not asked to drink like this," Apple said sarcastically. Who would be a fool to drink at a time like this?


    "Not really, I just said I was going to ask you a few questions." Theodore waved his hand and ordered the maidservant out, leaving the two of them alone.


    Theodore then stood up and opened the cap of the wine bottle that the woman had brought, taking it from the steel bucket which had been filled with ice.


    "You must be crazy to think I''d drink with you." Apple then sat down on the corner of the table, not far away from him, still refusing to sit on the sofa Theodore pointed out.


    "I expected it, but I will still treat my guests well."


    "Why don''t we just get to the heart of the matter? Didn''t you manage to bring me here? So what do you want?" asked Apple. "You''re just wasting your time."


    "Not really." Theodore poured red wine into a ss and handed one to Apple. Which she took, but didn''t drink. She just sat it down by her side, while she was still sitting on the corner of the table. "Do you still not understand what I am nning?"


    Apple tilted her head and stared at Theodore for a moment before she shook her head.


    Then, without taking his eyes off Apple at all, Theodore took out his cell phone and dialed a phone number. He even put the call on the speaker so Apple could hear it too. You could hear a dial tone for a while before someone finally picked up the phone.


    "Jayden Tordoff," Theodore said, staring at Apple at the mention of the name, trying to engage her reaction.


    However, the response given by Apple was just a raised eyebrow. She didn''t look very surprised.


    Meanwhile, from the other end of the phone, Jayden didn''t respond right away, there was a momentary pause before Jayden''s voice could be heard.


    "Oh, Theodore Gevano, right?" Jayden said from the other line. "What a surprise you called me. Is there something you want to talk about?"


    "How are you?" Theodore smiled when he heard Jayden''s voice and then took a sip of his drink.


    There was a grunt from the other end of the phone and this made Apple chuckle. She could imagine the look on Jayden''s face now, especially when she heard what this man said next.


    "Can we talk straight to the point? I bet you don''t really care about my health. The feeling is mutual."


    Hearing that, Theodore''s eyes turned hard and he looked like he was about to throw a fit, but in the next second, he was able to control himself and spoke in an even tone to Jayden.


    "You really have no manners in speaking, young master Jayden." Theodore sighed. "Your parents must be very disappointed."


    "Really? I don''t think so," Jayden asked, then he chuckled softly. "I don''t think this is the first time my parents have let you down. Especially my mother. You must be used to being let down by her by now, right?"


    Jayden intended to poke fun at Theodore and Hailee''s past, where the man still hoped to get together with his mother, even after several years of her marriage.


    Hearing that, Theodore lost his cool and now he spoke straight to the heart of the matter. "I heard you got a tip from your men regarding the delivery I''m about to make. Is that true?"


    "Yes," Jayden answered lightly.


    "I called you just to let you know that your girlfriend is drinking wine with me."


    There was no response, but then Jayden grumbled. "Apple you can''t drink when I''m not around!"

 Chapter 634 DO IT NOW!

    Chapter 634 DO IT NOW!¡¡¡¡"I heard you got a tip from your men regarding the delivery I''m about to make. Is that true?" Theodore''s voice sounded a little harsh because he was annoyed with the way Jayden mentioned the history between him and Hailee.


    It was an old story, but it was still a sour spot for him, no matter how many times it was told.


    "Yes," Jayden answered lightly. He didn''t even think about lying because he didn''t find any benefit in trying to hide it aftering to this point. "So why did you call me?"


    "I called you just to let you know that your girlfriend is drinking wine with me." Theodore stared intently at Apple.


    One thing Theodore knew very well and also learned about the males of the Tordoff family was; they were very overprotective and loyal to their women. And now he knew that Apple was actually Jayden''s fianc¨¦e, so of course, this girl was someone who was very valuable.


    On the other hand, there was no response for a while, but then Jayden grumbled. "She''s not my girlfriend, but my fianc¨¦e," Jayden corrected him in a firm tone and then continued in a slightly louder voice, as if he knew that this phone call was set on speaker. "Apple, you can''t drink when I''m not around!"


    Jayden had seen more than once how Apple behaved when she got drunk, so he had warned her not to drink when he wasn''t around, because she could turn a hundred and eighty degrees and be bolder and reckless than usual.


    "I didn''t drink," Apple grumbled under her breath. She frowned disapprovingly, but nced at the wine ss beside her.


    "Oh, you''re too controlling, Mr. Tordoff, what''s wrong with a woman drinking?" Theodore chuckled meaningfully as he misunderstood Jayden''s annoyance.


    "Oh, believe me, Mr. Gevano. I''m trying to save your ass from trouble," Jayden replied again and this answer made the smile on Theodore''s lips instantly fade. "My fianc¨¦e and wine are not a goodbination."


    "I heard what you said, Jayden," Apple said irritably. She looked at the phone held by Theodore with a slightly cynical look.


    Annoyed that the two of them were actually talking to each other and straying so far from the topic Theodore wanted to discuss, he then took control again and made it clear his main purpose in calling Jayden.


    "I want you to step back from this matter," Theodore said directly, without any further ado.


    "I don''t understand what you mean," Jayden answered immediately.


    "You know what I mean, Jayden, don''t y with me," Theodore said. "I want you to stop bothering me and my business."


    "You mean your illegal business?" Jayden asked again. He sounded very rxed when discussing this topic with Theodore. "Why should I retreat when victory is right in front of my eyes?"


    "Victory?" Theodore repeated the words and snorted disdainfully. "What do you mean by victory? Don''t you realize where your girlfriend is right now?"


    "My fianc¨¦e," Jayden corrected him again and this made Apple want to facepalm herself because they were in the middle of a serious conversation and Jayden didn''t have to correct Theodore over and over about unimportant things.


    "You really are very funny, Mr. Tordoff. When you show how much you care about this woman''s status in your life, you don''t really sound panicked at all when your lover is in my hands." Theodore clicked his tongue.


    "What do I have to worry about?" Jayden asked, he didn''t sound concerned at all.


    "I can do something to her and you should know that what I can do to her is something you can''t imagine," Theodore said quietly in a threatening tone.


    "Really?" Jayden asked unenthusiastically. "I''m not sure you can do anything to her. She''s not the kind of girl you''re used to. It takes special skills to be able to handle my fianc¨¦e."


    Apple grimaced when she heard what Jayden had to say. The man was talking as if she was a wild beast.


    Theodore''s face turned sour when he heard Jayden''s way of speaking, this was far from what he thought. "Don''t worry, I have a lot of guys who can handle this girl."


    "But, I guess there''s no one in the room except you and my fianc¨¦e now, right?" Jayden asked casually.


    "What do you think you can do? Just so you know that your woman is in handcuffs and can''t do anything right now."


    However, just a momentter, Theodore''s eyes widened in surprise when he saw how Apple could open the handcuffs on her hands so easily with a small pen she had picked up on the table.


    "What''s wrong Mr. Gevano? Is my lover in handcuffs now?" Jayden asked in a voice like he was holding back augh when he heard a gasp from Theodore. "Are you still okay?"


    Theodore felt like watching a slow motion scene in a movie when Apple demonstrated her skills in breaking free from the shackles of the handcuffs that bound her wrists and immediately grabbed the wine ss beside her and mmed it on Theodore''s head.


    Theodore was not a fighter. Even when he was young, he never fought. He had his own bodyguards and was the son of a prominent family in L city, therefore, who would bother him?


    However, it became a weakness for him now, because at this moment, his old self was certainly no match for Apple. He was simply unable to put up a fight.


    "Handle me?" Apple frowned and red at Theodore, who was now slumped to the floor with his head bleeding, because Apple rammed the ss in her hand against Theodore''s head. "How dare you say you''re going to let those guys deal with me in such a perverted tone."


    Apple then picked up the dropped phone and turned it off, but then she spoke into the earpiece attached to her ear.


    "Where are you now?" asked Apple and Jayden''s voice could be heard from the earpiece in her ear.


    "I''ll be there in five minutes," Jayden said. "Are you okay?"


    "Of course," replied Apple proudly, then she looked at Theodore who was staring at her in disbelief and that expression made her want tough. "Surprised?" she asked.


    Apple then tucked her hair behind her ear and showed a small object stuck in her ear. She had it from the start when Ivan took her away saying they had an extra photo session.


    "It seems you have to train your men better, Mr. Gevano, because they arepletely useless," said Apple casually. "They are overconfident and it makes themselves look really stupid."


    His men would not have guessed that Apple had known of their n in advance and thought that they had seeded in executing a sudden ambush, so they would not have guessed that Apple had amunication device on her.


    They didn''t even bother to check on her because they didn''t think she was carrying any dangerous tools and had been prepared when they caught Apple.


    This was of course advantageous for Apple because she couldmunicate with Jayden along the way.


    Not only that, Apple''s engagement ring, which was a heirloom of the Tordoff family, had a tracking device inside.


    This was done by Ramon at that time Hailee was kidnapped and until now, the tracking device was still in the ring.


    Jayden also informed Apple about this and she didn''t mind it at all since it proved to be very useful in situations like this.


    "You''ll have to reevaluate your people, Mr. Gevano," Apple said calmly. She then threw the handcuffs that she managed to open at Theodore who was still kneeling on the floor. His head, bleeding from being hit with the now shattered ss, got hit by a sharp edge of the tool aimed at him.


    Damn it!


    Theodore did not expect that this girl could open the handcuffs on her hands so easily. He never thought such a thing would happen.


    "Now call the people at the gate to let my fianc¨¦ in, because he wants to talk to you directly," Apple said as she held out the phone in her hand to Theodore.


    But, the man looked at her with hatred, as if he was going to kill Apple with his gaze alone.


    "No need to look at me like that," said Apple, waving the phone in her hand in Theodore''s face. "Now call them or I''ll kill you."


    Theodore snorted with hatred very evident in his eyes. "You wouldn''t dare do that."


    Apple raised her eyebrows defiantly. She then pointed the sharp part of the broken ss, which she picked up from the floor, at Theodore''s neck.


    "There are three deadly points around the neck that can make you lose a lot of blood and are difficult to help, you want to try to find out the truth?" asked Apple.


    From themunication device in her ear, she could hear Jayden clicking his tongue excitedly when he heard what Apple had to say.


    "Now, call your men and tell them to let Jayden Tordoff''s men in." Apple again shoved the phone in front of Theodore''s face. "I''m not kidding now."


    And this time, Apple made a scratch on Theodore''s neck to show how serious she was about what she said.


    "Do it now," Apple said. "Don''t you want to talk to Jayden Tordoff? Wouldn''t it be better if you two speak face to face instead of over the phone and use me as a hostage?"


    ================


    THIS BOOK IS PUBLISHED ON WEBNOVEL.


    Meet me on Instagram @jikan_yo_tomare.

 Chapter 635 ADRIAN SAID...

    Chapter 635 ADRIAN SAID...¡¡¡¡"Are you really sure about this, Mr. Tordoff?" asked Adrian. He looked at this situation so full of tension while the atmosphere felt very heavy.


    In his opinion, this was too dangerous and it almost felt like they were going on a suicide mission. It was too rming to continue, so he couldn''t help but speak up, of course, in a low voice so that no one else could hear.


    At first, Adrian didn''t think it was going to be this tense and now he felt like two big gangs were about to sh.


    "You will walk straight into the enemy''sir." Adrian expressed his concern to Jayden. He then told the heir to the Tordoff family to think about his decision again, because he felt this was not right.


    However, Jayden just lightly patted his shoulder, then straightened the clothes he was wearing.


    Tonight, Jayden was wearing only a in white shirt, the sleeves of which were rolled up to the elbows. He left his coat in the car, so it could be said that it was an informal look. He only looked like this when he was visiting his close friends.


    So, in other words, Jayden didn''t take this situation too seriously.


    Jayden smiled when he heard that. "My girl walked into the enemy''s den without hesitation, so why should I think twice about doing the same?" he said lightly. Jayden then shed Adrian a smirk. "Why? Are you scared?"


    Jayden even raised his brows, as if he was teasing him, while waiting for his answer and looked at his reaction for this.


    In that instant, Adrian realized what he had just said. Damn. Jayden was right¡­ he forgot the fact that Apple was in this house and entered the enemy''s den withoutint, one could even say that this was her own n.


    At the time of weighing their options, Apple insisted that this was the best n. Needless to say, this was the best n they coulde up with, but Jayden didn''t agree because this would put Apple in danger. He didn''t like the idea in the slightest.


    However, it seemed that there was nothing to worry about because Apple said lightly.


    ''You insult my intelligence if you doubt me on this mission.''


    That was what Apple said to convince Jayden to go ahead with the n she hade up with and it left the Tordoff heir speechless.


    And so, here they were. So far, their n had been sessful and there had been no major problems.


    Adrian would even hail this n a genius one if they made it out of this ce alive.


    Really, this was a challenge in itself for Adrian. That girl who looked like someone veryid back, could n something like this and turned out to be much more daring than he was.


    "Ask him where my fianc¨¦e is," Jayden said to Adrian when he saw one of Theodore''s men manning the spacious living room.


    Adrian grimaced when he heard how Jayden emphasized the words ''My fiancee''. He didn''t need to unt around and say that Apple was his fianc¨¦e everywhere, right?


    But, of course Adrian kept that thought to himself and then ordered one of Theodore''s men to show him where Theodore was.


    At first, they didn''t agree to do so, until a phone call made them do as Jayden asked. Even Jayden could hear Theodore''s voice so loud as he snapped at the man harshly.


    "Ugh, he sounds so fierce," Jaydenmented when he heard how harshly Theodore was yelling at his men. "I wouldn''t yell at my men like that." Jayden scowled.


    Meanwhile, walking beside Jayden, the corners of Adrian''s lips twitched. Yes, Jayden wouldn''t do anything like that, but he would either fire the person outright or if something his subordinates did put his life at risk, such as selling personal information from thepany and betraying him, then it was certain that that person would no longer exist.


    "You''re much scarier, Mr. Tordoff," Adrian said quietly, as they walked down the corridor, with the young man walking in front of them, showing the way, while there were about twenty armed men following Jaydan and Adrian as well as about twenty more from Theodore''s side following them.


    Of course they all wielded lethal weapons and were the best in their fields.


    "How could that be?" Jayden protested, turning his head and looking at Adrian with a furrowed brow. He didn''t agree with him at all. "I am the best boss."


    Adrian sighed, as if he was tired of arguing with Jayden on this matter.


    "You know, Adrian. I think Misha needs your help, maybe I can lend you to him for a few months," said Jayden lightly. He even walked leisurely down this corridor, as if he was an invited guest, looking around.


    "No, I''m more needed by you, Mr. Tordoff. You''re the best boss I''ve ever had." Immediately, Adrian turned into a cheerleader and smiled sweetly at Jayden.


    There was no way he could bear to work for Misha. The man was very unpredictable and rarely spoke, Adrian would fall into depression if he were to work under such a man.


    "Good. That''s what I thought." Jayden patted his shoulder. "I will tell Misha that you are not avable."


    Adrian smiled, but it looked like it was forced, but Jayden didn''t really care.


    And when they had reached Theodore''s study, the young man knocked on the door and opened it instantly when a voice came from inside.


    There, Jayden could see that Apple was sitting on the sofa while Theodore was standing looking at his fianc¨¦e with a very fierce look.


    "Ah, you''re finally here." Apple immediately stood up and ran into Jayden''s arms and hugged him tightly. "I''m hungry. Did you buy me food?"


    "Ah," Jayden mumbled. "I was going to buy you something, but Adrian said models don''t eat dinner."


    Adrian: "..."


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 636 ADRIAN SAID...

    Chapter 636 ADRIAN SAID...¡¡¡¡"Are you really sure about this, Mr. Tordoff?" asked Adrian. He looked at this situation so full of tension while the atmosphere felt very heavy.


    In his opinion, this was too dangerous and it almost felt like they were going on a suicide mission. It was too rming to continue, so he couldn''t help but speak up, of course, in a low voice so that no one else could hear.


    At first, Adrian didn''t think it was going to be this tense and now he felt like two big gangs were about to sh.


    "You will walk straight into the enemy''sir." Adrian expressed his concern to Jayden. He then told the heir to the Tordoff family to think about his decision again, because he felt this was not right.


    However, Jayden just lightly patted his shoulder, then straightened the clothes he was wearing.


    Tonight, Jayden was wearing only a in white shirt, the sleeves of which were rolled up to the elbows. He left his coat in the car, so it could be said that it was an informal look. He only looked like this when he was visiting his close friends.


    So, in other words, Jayden didn''t take this situation too seriously.


    Jayden smiled when he heard that. "My girl walked into the enemy''s den without hesitation, so why should I think twice about doing the same?" he said lightly. Jayden then shed Adrian a smirk. "Why? Are you scared?"


    Jayden even raised his brows, as if he was teasing him, while waiting for his answer and looked at his reaction for this.


    In that instant, Adrian realized what he had just said. Damn. Jayden was right¡­ he forgot the fact that Apple was in this house and entered the enemy''s den withoutint, one could even say that this was her own n.


    At the time of weighing their options, Apple insisted that this was the best n. Needless to say, this was the best n they coulde up with, but Jayden didn''t agree because this would put Apple in danger. He didn''t like the idea in the slightest.


    However, it seemed that there was nothing to worry about because Apple said lightly.


    ''You insult my intelligence if you doubt me on this mission.''


    That was what Apple said to convince Jayden to go ahead with the n she hade up with and it left the Tordoff heir speechless.


    And so, here they were. So far, their n had been sessful and there had been no major problems.


    Adrian would even hail this n a genius one if they made it out of this ce alive.


    Really, this was a challenge in itself for Adrian. That girl who looked like someone veryid back, could n something like this and turned out to be much more daring than he was.


    "Ask him where my fianc¨¦e is," Jayden said to Adrian when he saw one of Theodore''s men manning the spacious living room.


    Adrian grimaced when he heard how Jayden emphasized the words ''My fiancee''. He didn''t need to unt around and say that Apple was his fianc¨¦e everywhere, right?


    But, of course Adrian kept that thought to himself and then ordered one of Theodore''s men to show him where Theodore was.


    At first, they didn''t agree to do so, until a phone call made them do as Jayden asked. Even Jayden could hear Theodore''s voice so loud as he snapped at the man harshly.


    "Ugh, he sounds so fierce," Jaydenmented when he heard how harshly Theodore was yelling at his men. "I wouldn''t yell at my men like that." Jayden scowled.


    Meanwhile, walking beside Jayden, the corners of Adrian''s lips twitched. Yes, Jayden wouldn''t do anything like that, but he would either fire the person outright or if something his subordinates did put his life at risk, such as selling personal information from thepany and betraying him, then it was certain that that person would no longer exist.


    "You''re much scarier, Mr. Tordoff," Adrian said quietly, as they walked down the corridor, with the young man walking in front of them, showing the way, while there were about twenty armed men following Jaydan and Adrian as well as about twenty more from Theodore''s side following them.


    Of course they all wielded lethal weapons and were the best in their fields.


    "How could that be?" Jayden protested, turning his head and looking at Adrian with a furrowed brow. He didn''t agree with him at all. "I am the best boss."


    Adrian sighed, as if he was tired of arguing with Jayden on this matter.


    "You know, Adrian. I think Misha needs your help, maybe I can lend you to him for a few months," said Jayden lightly. He even walked leisurely down this corridor, as if he was an invited guest, looking around.


    "No, I''m more needed by you, Mr. Tordoff. You''re the best boss I''ve ever had." Immediately, Adrian turned into a cheerleader and smiled sweetly at Jayden.


    There was no way he could bear to work for Misha. The man was very unpredictable and rarely spoke, Adrian would fall into depression if he were to work under such a man.


    "Good. That''s what I thought." Jayden patted his shoulder. "I will tell Misha that you are not avable."


    Adrian smiled, but it looked like it was forced, but Jayden didn''t really care.


    And when they had reached Theodore''s study, the young man knocked on the door and opened it instantly when a voice came from inside.


    There, Jayden could see that Apple was sitting on the sofa while Theodore was standing looking at his fianc¨¦e with a very fierce look.


    "Ah, you''re finally here." Apple immediately stood up and ran into Jayden''s arms and hugged him tightly. "I''m hungry. Did you buy me food?"


    "Ah," Jayden mumbled. "I was going to buy you something, but Adrian said models don''t eat dinner."


    Adrian: "..."


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 637 BE CAREFUL

    Chapter 637 BE CAREFUL¡¡¡¡Apple rubbed her stomach, she was hungry because she hadn''t eaten anything earlier and she would have had her dinner by now if she hadn''t been kidnapped like she was now.


    But, too bad, she had to wait for all of this to be over until she could get her food.


    Thenter, Apple thought; Jayden might buy her some food, as this was usually her mealtime and he was usually very attentive toward her, so it never hurt to ask.


    And that was exactly what Apple did when she heard the door open and saw Jayden walk in with Adrian in his toe into the room.


    Only Jayden and Adrian entered the room, while the people that Jaydne had brought were waiting outside, while from Theodore''s side, there was a man who had white hair, but judging by his face, he seemed to be in his thirties.


    "Ah, you''re finally here." Apple immediately stood up and ran into Jayden''s arms and hugged him tightly. "I''m hungry. Did you buy me food?"


    Apple looked at Jayden expectantly and her eyes even shone with anticipation, which made the man feel a little guilty for forgetting that the girl hadn''t had her dinner yet.


    But, of course Jayden would not admit it was his fault. Well, he was a little petty at the moment, so he blurted out the first reason he could think of.


    "Ah," Jayden mumbled. "I was going to buy you something, but Adrian said models don''t eat dinner."


    Adrian: ''I never said anything like that.''


    "Is that true?" Apple then nced at Adrian and frowned, waiting for Adrian''s response to the statement.


    "Yeah, I thought that models usually didn''t eat dinner..." said Adrian in a low voice. He didn''t know whether to cry orugh at this moment.


    Not only did Jayden hope Adrian to protect him from enemy attacks, but he also hoped that the bodyguard would protect himself from his fianc¨¦e''s disappointment.


    Jayden had literally thrown him under the bus!


    "I''ll buy your favorite food right after we are done with this, okay?" Jayden attempted to persuade Apple to forget about the matter for the time being.


    "Okay," Apple agreed.


    Meanwhile, the white haired man just now strode toward Theodore and tried to help him to wipe the blood from his neck. The wound had stopped bleeding, after all, Apple didn''t stab him too deeply, but it still annoyed Theodore.


    Especially when he saw how Apple and Jayden were all lovey dovey in front of him like this. He had to grit his teeth in fury at what the two of them had just done.


    Seriously¡­


    Why could they talk so casually and not even notice that they were in enemy''s territory. At least they could be more serious.


    Talking about dinner?!


    Theodore was really annoyed when he heard this. This isn''t their house, okay?! But, they seemed veryfortable in this house!


    And the way Jayden walked into his study, he was treating this ce like his own home.


    There was no doubt that the self-confidence that radiated from the heir to the Tordoff family coupled with his strong dominant aura, sometimes made anyone feel ufortable, especially the people who were in a conflict with him.


    "Please have a seat, Mr. Gevano, there seems to be a lot of talk that is overdue between the two of us." Jayden thenfortably sat on the couch with Apple beside him, while Adrian stood behind them, his hands shadowing the gun at his hip, because he had to act fast if the situation escted in the worst possible direction.


    Hearing this, of course, Theodore didn''t really feel better. This was his house, his office space, but why was he the one being treated as a guest?!


    "Joe, not now," Theodore said, holding the hand of the white-haired man beside him, who was about to reach for the gun at his waist when he saw how arrogant Jayden Tordoff was.


    Joe grunted, but he did as his boss said and stood behind him, as he sat on the couch opposite Jayden and Apple.


    "It''s been a long time since we''ve seen each other, Jayden," Theodore said lightly, still holding the small towel in his hand, pressing the wound on his neck.


    "I prefer you to call me Mr. Tordoff, we''re not close to calling each other by first names," Jayden said lightly.


    "Watch your mouth! You''re talking to Mr. Gevano!" cried Joe angrily at Jayden''s disrespectful attitude.


    "Who is that?" Adrian cheekily replied. He didn''t even show any expression when he said that, as if the name Gevano wasn''t that important for him to remember.


    And if it came from Adrian, who was Jayden Tordoff''s personal bodyguard, of course it sounded like an insult.


    Apple almost burst outughing when she heard this and she had to cover it up with a small cough.


    Well, good reply, bro. She liked it.


    "Okay, everybody calm down," Theodore said to all of them. He then lowered his hand and showed Jayden the wound on his neck. "You should be careful in choosing a partner, she will be able to hurt you without you knowing."


    Jayden raised his eyebrows, as if to say what he meant by that.


    "You see this wound? You don''t know what she can do to youter. Don''t you think it''s weird that you two are together when you and Apple have such vastly different backgrounds?"


    Jayden scoffed when he heard this. He was fed up with people bringing up his and Apple''s background whenever he talked to someone.


    Jayden then reached his hand into his trousers pocket and took something out of it.


    It was a coin, which he then ced on the table, smiling sweetly at Theodore.


    "Buy a bandage for your wound with this. My girl is a bit too rough and only certain people can handle her." Jayden ced the coin in the center of the table, looking at Theodore provokingly. "You should be careful in choosing your enemy, she will be able to hurt you without you knowing."

 Chapter 638 A SPEECH

    Chapter 638 A SPEECH¡¡¡¡Hearing how the guy wasining, Jayden then slid his hand into his trousers pocket and took something out of it.


    It was a coin, which he then ced on the table, smiling sweetly at Theodore. He looked very harmless now, but people who understood him would, of course, know Jayden could be extremely dangerous when he was in this state.


    Because no one would be able to guess what horrible n was brewing inside his head.


    "This is to buy a bandage for your wound. My girl is a bit too rough and only certain people can handle her." Jayden ced the coin in the center of the table, looking at Theodore provokingly. "You should be careful in choosing your enemy, she will be able to hurt you without you knowing."


    Jayden quoted what Theodore had said earlier, he didn''t even need to string the words together and this made Theodoreugh softly, but his eyes showed how angry he was when he was treated like this by a man half his age.


    "Oh, and one more thing." Jayden leaned over to Theodore, so he could see how serious he was now. "Don''t bring up my fianc¨¦e''s family background. Because she definitely has much better genes than you."


    Theodore raised his eyebrows when he heard that. "How so?"


    "Well, she doesn''t have any cheating records on her, so you could say she is a lot better than you and your son." Jayden then leaned his body against the back of the sofa again.


    Of course, anyone in this family circle knew that previously, Theodore had cheated on Hailee with her adopted sister, while his son had cheated on Jayden''s older sister with someone else.


    Even now, Jayden couldn''t help but wonder, even after so much bad blood between the two families, why were they miraculously, still rted to each other?


    It was Alina''s fault for having chosen to enter this family and not heeding the warnings of their parents and letting the rtionship between these two families re- established.


    "You are still bitter about your sister," Theodore said in a low voice. He didn''t even heed the insults Jayden hurled at him subtly about him having the cheating gene.


    It was just that Jayden didn''te here to discuss it, he did not want to be involved in his crap drama and immediately said what he wanted to say.


    "So, may I know why you brought my fianc¨¦e to this ce?" Jayden asked Theodore. He then put his arm around Apple''s shoulder and pulled her closer, so he could feel the girl''s body close to him.


    "I think you already know the reason," Theodore said. "Mind your own business and I will mind my own business."


    Hearing that, Jayden clicked his tongue and frowned while looking at Theodore with eyes that seemed to say; what a pity¡­


    "That doesn''t seem possible," Jayden said apologetically.


    "It''s none of your business as to what kind of business I am in." Theodore confirmed the spoken sentence. "Do you feel morally responsible for humanity?" he booed Jayden about this.


    Too bad, since they decided to kidnap Jayden a decade ago and tried to sell him like any other kid, from then on this was all Jayden''s business as well.


    "Yes, I feel morally and humanly responsible for what you did," Jayden replied in a firm voice. He then reiterated that he did not want the illegal business to develop and said how cruel and shameful it was.


    In a nutshell, Apple and Adrian felt like they were at a seminar with Jayden as the speaker where he didn''t hesitate to lecture them how inhumane trafficking was and made it out to be a business that could destroy humanity.


    Apple and Adrian; "¡­"


    They were both speechless when they heard Jayden''s long speech about life and a person''s life, as if he had never killed anyone or even hurt a mosquito.


    Even Theodore couldn''t interrupt the speech and was forced into silence, looking confused as to where this was going and what Jayden really wanted to say.


    They both knew that they both had bloodied hands and sounded very hypocritical when it came to humanity.


    Did Jayden forget how cruel he was when he tortured people sent by his enemies just to get information out of them?


    And recently, Jayden also killed several men who tried to kill him.


    But, Jayden''s long speech now, didn''t insinuate that at all.


    "And that was the reason why I have to mind your business too," Jayden said ending his lengthy speech, after which he stood up and pulled Apple with him. "Now, I have got my fianc¨¦e back, I am going home, because she is hungry."


    And having said that, Jayden pulled Apple away from there, leaving Theodore and Joe still seemingly unaware of what had really happened.


    They felt like they had been lectured, but couldn''t understand what was really going on with what Jayden had said for the entire five minutes.


    "You are just going to leave them like that?" asked Apple as she walked out of the study room. She was amazed at the sight of so many armed men surrounding them as she didn''t expect Jayden to bring these many reinforcements.


    "Yeah, let''s have dinner," Jayden said lightly.


    Apple was even more surprised when they got to the front yard to find about ten cars waiting for them where many more people were holding heavy guns in standby.


    Theodore and his people must not have expected Jayden to bring this many people along, because they didn''t move and didn''t dare to take the provocative step first.


    Because, even though they were in his own house, they were outnumbered, especially when they didn''t expect the number of people that Jayden brought with him.


    There were not many people in the Gevano residence and one could say the number of people Jayden brought was twice the number of Theodore''s.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 639 CODE RED

    Chapter 639 CODE RED¡¡¡¡Theodore did not expect that Jayden would bring this many people to his residence on such a short notice, because he thought that the n was going smoothly and it would be impossible for Jayden to find out beforehand. Theodore never thought that Jayden woulde in such a well-prepared manner.


    Hence, no one dared to initiate a provocation from Theodore''s side.


    On the other hand, they also didn''t receive an order to attack from Theodore, therefore, they just stood guard without doing anything.


    This was truly something they could not have imagined would happen, especially with their plot to kidnap Apple and think that they would profit and have a hand above Jayden.


    It was just that they miscalcted every single thing.


    "What do you want to eat?" Jayden asked as he opened the door for Apple, who was still looking around. She felt very strange at Jayden''s question in the midst of such a tense situation.


    "Hmm, I want some seafood," Apple muttered as she got into the car, but Jayden covered her head with his palm, so her head wouldn''t hit the car door frame.


    "Okay, we are going to a seafood restaurant." Jayden then looked at his watch and started thinking about seafood restaurants that were still open at this hour.


    As soon as Jayden got into the car, Adrian who became their driver and simultaneously, the group of ten cars that Jayden had brought here drove away, leaving the Gevano family''s yard, without anyone daring to stop them.


    In fact, Theodore could only stand on the porch staring at them in rage, but he too couldn''t do anything in a situation like this.


    He stood there until thest car was out of sight, clenched his fists in annoyance and walked straight into the house after that.


    It went without saying that he was furious that his n to use Apple, to pressure Jayden, had failed miserably.


    He walked furiously back to his study and started making calls to change their ''delivery'' n, since Jayden had known of the n beforehand.


    So, it was certain that the first n would fail, as Jayden would be there to catch them red-handed and personally see to it that Theodore received punishment. At this time, he was still under surveince, even though there was already someone who was willing to be his scapegoat toter be med for the human trafficking case that ensnared him.


    "Fuck!" cried Theodore. He looked very angry. His already wrinkled face twisted as his jaw clenched hard. "FUCK!"


    Meanwhile, after leaving the Gevano family residence, in a bulletproof car, where Apple and Jayden sat side by side enjoying the night, Apple turned her body to face the man.


    "Now tell me," Apple said in a serious tone, ring at Jayden. "What was that all about?"


    Jayden then turned his attention from the game on his cellphone to his fianc¨¦e.


    "What do you mean?" Jayden asked innocently. He then put away his cell phone because it seemed that his girlfriend wanted to talk to him more seriously. "I don''t understand, exin to me." Jayden turned his body to face Apple.


    "I don''t remember that we nned to bring so many people," said Apple. She wouldn''t have thought that Jayden would go full nuclear when he came to the Gevano residence.


    "I only brought a few people."


    "How many people exactly?"


    Jayden then turned his attention to Adrian. "How many people did we bring?" he asked Adrian.


    "There are fifty- four people," answered Adrian briefly.


    Then Jayden turned his attention to Apple. "Fifty- four people."


    "I thought you would only bring a few people." Because that was exactly what Jayden said when they made the n.


    "Yeah, fifty- four people were a few people," Jayden replied in a matter of fact tone.


    In Apple''s mind, a few people meant ten to fifteen people, not more than fifty.


    "Babe, you are in the enemy''s ce, I will definitely make sure everything is safe and under control. Since you said to bring only a few people, I only brought a few people earlier," Jayden said in a low voice.


    Jayden also gave Apple his sweetest smile.


    "How many people would you bring if I told you, you could go all out?" asked Apple curiously.


    It was not that Apple was angry or resentful, but she felt that themunication between them needed to be improved.


    Hearing the question, Jayden smirked. "If I go all out, that means code red."


    "What is that?" Apple had never heard of such a term and had no idea what it meant either.


    "Adrian," Jayden called, asking him to exin this to Apple, because he wanted to focus on the change in Apple''s facial expressions while she heard Adrian''s exnation.


    Adrian then exined about code red, which was a term for Jayden to deploy all of his forces, which meant every single one of them.


    Code red was initiated by Ramon at first because Hailee had been kidnapped and each of its members could be ascertained as elite people who were very skilled in using weapons and even creating explosives.


    "Air force?" Apple found herself whispering.


    "Yes, there are a number of helicopters avable for emergencies and they are specifically meant for this." Adrian then added. "Each member will get a trial for code red training every six months, so if code red is needed they will be ready."


    Apple didn''t know how crazy the Tordoff family was to spend that much money on training.


    "So, when was thest time this code red was used?" asked Apple. She couldn''t help but be curious abouts this.


    Adrian smirked, he saw Apple''s facial expression from the rearview mirror as he replied, "In almost three decades, only once."


    "Only one time?!" Apple widened her eyes in disbelief when she heard that, but then red at Jayden as he suddenly kissed her cheek.


    "Yes, it happened when Mr. Tordoff was kidnapped when he was a teenager," Adrian told Apple, he only found out about this when he joined the security unit formed by the Tordoff family.


    "Your surprised expression is so cute, I can''t help but kiss you," Jayden seemed to answer the stare that Apple gave him, then kissed her again.


    "Stop kissing me," Apple grumbled, covering her cheeks with both hands. "I still have more questions."


    But, Jayden then gave a quick peck on Apple''s lips, because he couldn''t kiss her cheeks. "Just ask. You can ask whatever you want," he said cheerfully, staring at the look on Apple''s face.


    "If you don''t use it for that long, why do routine training like that?" Being Pyro''s daughter, she knew that kind of training would hurt your pockets, well, maybe not the pockets of the Tordoffs.


    Apple became curious as to how rich the Tordoffs really were.


    "I didn''t expect to use it," Jayden replied easily, then provided aparison that was much easier to understand. "If you buy a taser to protect yourself, do you expect to use it? Or are you going to throw it away because you have no use of it?"


    "Well..." Apple nodded her head. "I don''t think I will want to use it¡­" she said honestly.


    There was no way she would expect to use those personal protective tools, as that would mean she would be in danger and under attack, so there was no way she would want that.


    Likewise with code red, if it was used, it meant it was an emergency situation, which was a very critical thing.


    So, there was no way they would expect something really bad to happen to their family so they could use code red.


    But¡­


    "But¡­ that training costs a lot, doesn''t it?" asked Apple carefully, because she didn''t want to misspoke.


    Jayden smirked when he heard that, he then rubbed Apple''s head very gently.


    "Right." Jayden nodded. "But don''t worry, because I have a lot of money," he said arrogantly, flexing his wealthiness.


    Hearing this, Apple didn''t know what to say and let Jayden hug her whileughing.


    Wow¡­ if you are rich, even when you are being arrogant, you can be excused and actually make other people feel sorry for themselves.


    "How can you be so arrogant..." Apple began, making Jayden let go of his embrace and look at the girl with curious eyes to know what was going on. "¡­but still look very charming." Apple smiled at Jayden who then kissed her.


    Code red was originallyunched by Ramon after Hailee was abducted in the past. Thest time it was used was when Jayden was kidnapped as a teenager, but after that, its use never came again.


    "Stop it, I still want to ask you one more thing," Apple said in a slightly breathless voice, while Adrian tried to ignore them both.


    It seemed like Adrian was already very skilled in tuning out the both of them when they wanted to tease each other like this.


    "What?" Jayden asked as he rested his head on Apple''s Shoulder and was about to start the game again, but Apple took his phone and made Jayden pay attention to herself.


    "What do you mean by your long lecture about humanity and all?" asked Apple. "I didn''t know that you had such high morals that you thought about the safety of all humanity." Had he forgotten what he had done to the poor people he had caught?


    But, of course, Apple didn''t say that and kept it to herself.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 640 LIKE A PUPPY

    Chapter 640 LIKE A PUPPY¡¡¡¡"What do you mean by your long lecture about humanity and all?" asked Apple. "I didn''t know that you had such high morals that you thought about the safety of all humanity." Had he forgotten what he had done to the poor people he had caught?


    But, of course, Apple didn''t say that and kept it to herself.


    She was intrigued by Jayden''s hypocritical lecture because they both knew how unreasonable he sounded, especially because of what they had done to the people who had tried to hurt them.


    On the other hand, Jayden knew that Apple would ask this question, so he didn''t exin what he had done earlier, but pointed it out to her straight away.


    Just then, Jayden sat up straight and grabbed something from the front seat. It was a device that had headphones and he gestured to Apple to put on headphones.


    "Listen," Jayden said quietly, then he pressed a few buttons on the device.


    Apple knew what device it was, but she didn''t have any idea who Jayden was tapping into.


    However, when she heard the first sound that came out of the receiver, she was able to determine who it was.


    "When actually did you put a bug on Theodore?!" Apple asked in surprise, because she didn''t expect Jayden to put a bug on the man, but when? They had no contact at all for as long as Apple knew.


    The two of them didn''t even shake hands or stand too close, except when they were sitting across from each other, so that was why Apple was curious about how Jayden pulled it off.


    "How did you do it? When did you put the bug on him?" asked Apple. She then removed the headphones from her head and stared at Jayden, waiting for a response from the man.


    She knew that the receiver was equipped with an audio recording function, so they could listen to the audio recordingter.


    She was amazed at how Jayden improvised, as this was not in their original n, but it seemed like, as usual, Jayden got the idea at thest second. He had always been like that.


    On the other hand, Jayden looked proud when he saw Apple was surprised to find out what he had done, he looked at his fianc¨¦e with a sweet smile tugging on the corners of his lips.


    "First of all, there''s something I need to rify," Jayden said in a low voice, as if to dramatize the atmosphere, but also this was his way of teasing Apple, because this girl would be very focused on him right now, because she wanted to know what had really happened.


    "What''s that?" asked Apple curiously. She turned to Jayden waiting for an answer from him while looking at him questioningly.


    "I didn''t put the bug on his body," Jayden said. "You remember the coin I gave him to buy a bandage?" Jayden asked with a meaningful smile on his lips.


    Apple narrowed her eyes. "The coin you put on the table?" She asked to make sure that the coin she was thinking of was the same coin that Jayden meant.


    "That''s right," Jayden said cheerfully.


    "You put that coin with that purpose?" Apple asked Jayden with a look of disbelief because the moment was so fitting and he didn''t look nervous at all. Well, what could she expect from Jayden Tordoff?


    Of course, he wouldn''t be at all nervous about this, would he?


    Jayden was very experienced at deceiving people to get what he wanted when his evil side was showing up.


    "Yup," Jayden said, then looked at Apple with a sweet smile, which reminded the girl of a puppy wagging its tail. "Praise me."


    Appleughed when she heard that and then rubbed his head gently, ruffling his hair.


    "Good job, Mr. Tordoff," said Apple, to which Jayden pecked her lips and held out his hand in front of Apple.


    "May I have my phone back?" Jayden asked.


    This man was really weird. There were thousands, if not millions, of online games that he could y, but he was struck with this very outdated snake game? Apple couldn''t understand why he preferred to y this game.


    Apple then gave back the phone when Jayden shifted slightly to lie on herp. He then put Apple''s hand on his head and asked the girl to rub his head while he yed the game.


    See? No wonder Apple thought this guy was like a puppy, right? He was behaving like one and this made Apple shake her head in disbelief.


    But, needless to say, Jayden looked very rxed now, really being himself, something that was rarely seen.


    He must also be very tired today after arranging everything so well and even thinking about ns within ns within ns they made.


    Yes, today was a long and tiring day...


    And this made Apple smile a little at him and rub his head as requested.


    Every now and then, Jayden would take Apple''s hand and kiss the palm of it, as if to let her know he wasn''t ignoring her.


    ======================


    "What are you going to do with those two?" Jayden asked Apple when they had finished eating.


    "Hmm?" Apple tilted her head, a little confused as to who Jayden meant. "Who?" she asked, as she sipped on her drink.


    They just finished dinner at a seafood restaurant on the beach, which was the Jayden family''s favorite restaurant, especially his uncle, Lexus and his wife, because this was where his uncle proposed to his current wife.


    And also because the food here was really good.


    "The two people that were with you earlier," Jayden said, then he told her who the two men he was referring to were. "Ivan and Mateo."


    Apple almost spat the drink in her mouth at Jayden''s face. Luckily, she had good reflexes and swallowed it instead, but she still choked.


    This of course surprised Jayden, which made him quickly move to the side of Apple''s seat and massage the back of her neck, looking a little panicked.


    "What is it? Are you okay?" Jayden asked, his voice filled with anxiety. He looked at Apple wide-eyed and wiped the tears that had fallen from the corners of her eyes. "Are you okay? You don''t have to drink in such a rush," Jayden said again.


    Apple then shook her head and when she had regained herposure, she red at Jayden.


    "You imprisoned Ivan and Mateo?!" asked Apple in disbelief, she hissed like a snake because she didn''t want to be the center of attention in this ce.


    "Yeah, they were found in that dead end alley, Theodore''s guys just left the two of them there, so I brought them both," Jayden replied with an innocent face.


    Jayden said it like he was telling how he had noticed two abandoned kittens and picked them up out of pity.


    At this point, Apple really wanted to facepalm herself.


    "What will you tell them if they find out about this?" Apple was feeling anxious. "What if they find out you''re involved in this and you''re reported to have kidnapped someone. It''s a kidnap."


    Jayden shrugged his shoulders, not really caring about it. "Truthfully, they don''t know that I am the one holding them."


    "Hmm?" This time Apple got confused. How could they not realize that Jayden was not involved in this and not know that Jayden had imprisoned them?


    "Ivan is still assuming that the people who caught him after you left are still the same people Theodore sent to kidnap you," Jayden replied. "As for that male model¡­ I don''t know what he''s thinking, I put them in the same room, so maybe Ivan can tell him what happened or make up a story."


    Jayden didn''t really care about that and Apple squinted her eyes then asked to be more certain about this.


    "Because he keeps asking my people he''s done what they wanted, so why are they holding him back." Jayden didn''t seem at all sympathetic to the man.


    "Then why did you confine them?" Apple lightly hit Jayden''s arm.


    "Because I thought you wanted to talk to them," Jayden replied innocently.


    "Maybe I want to talk to Ivan, but why did you bring Mateo too?" asked Apple cluelessly.


    Yes, Ivan was involved in whatever that had transpired tonight, but Mateo had nothing to do with this and he was just in the wrong ce at the wrong time.


    "Oh, it''s because he looks scared, so I brought him along," Jayden replied lightly, but he smiled mischievously, indicating that he actually just wanted to scare the poor guy.


    Or maybe it was because Jayden wanted to teach the guy a lesson for having a slightly romantic photo session with Apple.


    He didn''t like it when he saw the man standing too close to Apple or even dropping his arm around her shoulders, looking at her sweetly.


    Ugh!


    Jayden was a little annoyed, even though he knew that it was clearly work rted and Apple was more than enough to protect herself and would not let others take advantage of her.


    But, Jayden was still annoyed.


    "You really couldn''t be trusted," Apple grumbled, pinching Jayden''s arm. "We have to go over there now and let them both go."


    "Let them stay the night," Jayden grumbled. "I gave the two of them a room."


    "No, you''ll be in trouble if you kidnap a public figure like Mateo Sullivan," Apple grumbled.


    "Ah, I forgot about that¡­"


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 641 PETTY REVENGE

    Chapter 641 PETTY REVENGE¡¡¡¡Apple couldn''t understand how Jayden thought that he could keep a public figure like Mateo captive.


    Of course, people would start asking if he went missing and if this matter led back to Jayden, of course this man would be in trouble, especially if Mateo found out that he had been ''kidnapped'' by Jayden Tordoff.


    Sometimes, Apple really didn''t understand Jayden.


    "Let them stay the night," Jayden grumbled. "I gave the two of them a room."


    "No, you will be in trouble if you kidnap a public figure like Mateo Sullivan," Apple grumbled.


    "Ah, I forgot about that¡­" Jayden said very casually, as if he didn''t really care about that fact and this made Apple feel a little suspicious.


    It was impossible for Jayden Tordoff who was used to thinking through all ns very carefully and even always taking into ount every detail of his ns to forget this factor very casually.


    "You did that on purpose, didn''t you?" asked Apple wide-eyed in disbelief. "You did it on purpose, right?" she asked again to confirm this and this made Jayden try to avoid her eyes and focus on the game on his cellphone. "Hey, I am asking you."


    "I am ying a game," he said quietly.


    However, there was no way that Jayden would rather focus on his game than listen to Apple, so she could say that what Jayden said was just an excuse so he didn''t have to answer Apple''s questions.


    "Okay, if you don''t want to answer my questions, I won''t ask you again," Apple said threateningly, feeling ignored.


    Immediately, Jayden put down his phone and pouted while looking at the girl beside him.


    "I am just going to teach him a little lesson," Jayden said in a pitiful voice. "A little lesson." Jayden pinched his index finger and thumb together, a hair''s breadth apart, trying to let Apple know this wasn''t a big deal.


    "On the grounds?" asked Apple again. She tilted her head and looked at Jayden who was sitting next to her.


    Apple raised an eyebrow when Jayden didn''t answer her question and instead mumbled something incoherent.


    "Jayden?"


    "Apple." And when he saw that his fianc¨¦e was waiting for an answer from him, Jayden sighed and said quietly. "You are really not going to let me go, are you?" he grumbled.


    "So?"


    "I don''t like seeing you take pictures with him," Jayden said. "I don''t even have a picture with you," he said irritably.


    Yes, after realizing this, Jayden became quite annoyed when he realized that he did not have a photo of himself with Apple.


    Howe the two of them never took a picture together and it never urred to Jayden to take a photo of Apple either?


    Because for Jayden, whenever he missed this girl, he would simply go to her. After all, he would rather look at her in person than look at her photo.


    It was just that, when he saw how Apple took a photo with Mateo, he felt a little annoyed.


    Well, especially with the romantic concept that was being insinuated in the photos.


    "You''re so childish," Apple said, frowning.


    "Come here, take a picture with me," Jayden said enthusiastically, he then picked up his phone and was about to take a photo of the two of them, but before that he took a photo of Apple alone.


    However, when Jayden aimed his phone camera at the girl, she actually made an ugly face while sticking out her tongue and rolling her eyes.


    But, Jayden didn''t stop and kept taking photos of Apple.


    After that, Jayden took some photos of the two of them and looked more cheerful, he even whistled when he saw the photos.


    "Oh, I have a very beautiful fianc¨¦e," he said, kissing Apple on the cheek.


    "Okay, enough, let''s go and immediately save those poor souls," said Apple, who kissed Jayden back before pressing her lips to his head, then stood up from the bench.


    "Why? Let them be for another hour," Jayden sulked.


    ========================


    By the time they got there, it was past midnight and Apple felt a great difort in her body. She was feeling very tired and Jayden could see this.


    "You can wait in the car or we can just go home and not have toe here. If you''re worried about them, I''ll send someone to take them back to their houses," Jayden said. His brow furrowed when he saw Apple''s tired face.


    They didn''t have toe here and do this.


    "No," Apple answered quietly. "I have something to tell Ivan for a moment." There was indeed something she needed to discuss with Ivan in private. "Could you move them into separate rooms?" she asked.


    "Okay," said Jayden, who then told Adrian to do what Apple asked.


    Adrian quickly made arrangements and put Ivan and Mateo in separate rooms because Apple wanted to talk about something private with Ivan.


    Just when they had reached there and entered the building, they could hear Mateo''s voice screaming in terror because he was separated from Ivan.


    "He doesn''t have to cry like that, does he?" Jayden said with a frown. "I didn''t even hurt him at all."


    Jayden seemed to be answering Apple''s unspoken question, as he could see from the way she was looking at himself. This girl was questioning the male model''s safety.


    "Okay, I''m just interrogating him, but that''s just to make it look like he''s really being kidnapped," Jayden said, trying to justify himself.


    "Jayden," Apple called his name in a very cold tone of voice and this made the man grin, feeling guilty for his actions.


    "I am sorry, I got carried away," he said quietly.


    And after that, because Jayden didn''t want to receiveints and protests from Apple anymore, he immediately left with the excuse that he had to check something and Apple could go see Ivan and Mateo with Adrian.


    "He''s so childish," Apple said. She shook her head.


    "Yes, but he only acts like that with you," said Adrian, confirming what Apple said. He looked like he couldn''t understand how Jayden Tordoff could be so petty when it came to Apple.


    "Yeah, I guess I''m a bad influence on him," she mumbled, but Adrian justughed when he heard this and this made Apple turn to him. "What''s wrong with that?"


    "You make him more rxed," said Adrian. "You''re indeed a bad influence, maybe." He shrugged nonchntly. "But I think he is much better now than he used to be."


    Apple scowled, she frowned when she heard that statement. "I haven''t seen a big change in him since the first time I met him."


    Indeed, there were no major changes, however, Apple was always surprised by the changes in Jayden''s attitude and also his personality that could change in a rtively short time.


    "Because I saw him much longer than you," said Adrian, which was true. It could be said that Adrian had been following Jayden for more or less thest decade. "He used to be too tense and calcting. He doesugh and chat casually with other people, but you will never see him so rxed and calm or taking a petty revenge like he is doing now with that model guy."


    Apple and Adrian walked to the room where they held Ivan. This was an old building where bodyguard candidates as well as bodyguards for the Tordoff family were trained. Apple was here once and met Adrian for the first time.


    "It looks childish, but Mr. Tordoff in the past, wouldn''t have cared about such a petty revenge. All he knows is hard revenge," Adrian smirked.


    And those words made Appleugh a little. The two of them then stood in front of a door, where Ivan was waiting inside.


    Adrian then gave two keys to Apple. "Here''s the key for this room and here''s the key for the other room."


    After exining this, Adrian walked away, leaving Apple alone there.


    The girl certainly didn''t need a guard to meet Ivan. If she could enter the enemy''s den without fear and stroll there alone, of course facing Ivan and Mateoter would not be a big problem.


    After receiving the key, Apple then inserted it into the keyhole and opened the door, where Ivan immediately stood up from his seat.


    This room was not so narrow, but only filled with a table and two chairs and a slightly dimmp above it.


    "Apple!" Ivan eximed in disbelief, he then immediately rushed to Apple and tried to hug her.


    Only, Apple held up her hand and made the man stop running toward her.


    "Don''te near me Ivan, I don''t know what I will do to you if youe close to me. I''m really mad at you right now," Apple said in a snarling voice and this made Ivan stop where he was and stare at her sheepishly.


    "I''m sorry Apple," Ivan said sincerely. "I didn''t know that you would be kidnapped like that nor did I know that you would be taken away by them. They just said they wanted to talk to you, that''s all."


    "Stop talking about bullshit such as ''they only wanted to talk to you''. I will not buy it!" Apple growled at him in a deep voice. "And what did you get from them? A lot of money to give your girlfriend, Rachel, the dream wedding she wants?"


    Ivan bowed his head solemnly when he heard that, but had nothing to say except a soft ''yes''.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 642 A THREAT

    Chapter 642 A THREAT¡¡¡¡"Stop talking about bullshit things such as ''they only wanted to talk to you''. I will not buy it!" Apple growled at him in a deep voice.


    She was really annoyed that Ivan used such nonsensical excuses over and over and seemed not to have owned up to his mistake.


    He didn''t admit it, nor did he apologize properly and instead med the bastards for kidnapping Apple and not keeping their promise.


    What did you expect when you sealed underhanded dealings with people you didn''t know?


    Apple couldn''t understand Ivan''s way of thinking.


    "And what did you get from them? A lot of money to give your girlfriend the dream wedding she wants?" Apple shook her head as she scoffed and really felt sorry for this man.


    On the other hand, Ivan bowed his head solemnly when he heard that, but had nothing to answer but a soft ''yes''.


    "You''re so stupid," said Apple. She even said that while looking straight at Ivan fiercely.


    She knew those words sounded harsh, but Apple couldn''t find the right words to express how annoyed she was at this man for his stupid decision.


    "I know that I made a mistake, I''m sorry for that," Ivan said again. He looked at Apple but then he lowered his head again, because he couldn''t hold her sharp gaze.


    "You did all these stupid acts just to please your lover? Did you know that your lover is having fun with someone else?" asked Apple in a deep voice. She growled as she recalled the foolishness Ivan hadmitted by trusting a woman like Rachel.


    Ivan frowned, he then ventured to look at Apple this time and the girl looked at him with pity.


    "You don''t need to get back at me like this," Ivan said in a low voice. "I already apologized to you and Rachel had absolutely nothing to do with my decision," Ivan said in a pitiful voice. He even still defended his girlfriend.


    Apple rolled her eyes when she heard that and took a deep breath before she finally took out her phone and showed him something that made Ivan gasp.


    She handed the cell phone in her hand to Ivan and waited for his reaction as she leaned her body against the closed door and folded her arms across her chest. She watched the change in the expression on Ivan''s face while being still and very calm.


    Of course, what Apple was showing Ivan now was the evidence of the affair between Derek and Rachel that she got from dys.


    There was a hint of satisfaction that Apple felt when she saw the change in Ivan''s face as he widened his eyes in disbelief. Of course he didn''t believe it. Who would believe something like this?


    Apple shook her head. Everything Ivan did for Rachel, even to the point of doing something so humiliating like this, really left her at a loss for words.


    "Impossible¡­ impossible¡­" he kept muttering those words, even though the evidence was right before his eyes and it was undeniable evidence.


    But, like a person who had been blinded by love and could no longer see right or wrong, you would continue to reject the reality that was presented before your eyes.


    Just like what Ivan was doing now.


    "You''re only doing this to get revenge on me, right?" Ivan asked in a trembling voice. He stared intently at Apple, as if looking for signs that Apple had lied to him.


    But no, he couldn''t find any signs of it. She looked so calm, but Ivan was in his own delusion.


    "Why would I do that? You''re not important enough for me to go through such trouble, just to get back at you," Apple said a little harshly, because she was so annoyed at how stupid Ivan was now.


    How could he allow someone to y with him in such a way? And this was the woman he had been dating for the past few years. How could he not have known this sooner and not understand the real Rachel?


    "No, you''re doing this to make me feel ufortable, aren''t you? You did it just to make me feel guilty and just wanted to hurt me," said Ivan, still immersed in the stupid delusion in his head.


    Not wanting to argue with him any further, Apple then opened the door behind her and held it for Ivan, so he could get out of there quickly.


    "You can go now, you can go and check what I said." Apple then reached out her hand to take the phone from Ivan''s hand. "There will be someone who will take you home."


    Ivan looked doubtful, he didn''t believe Apple''s words that someone would take him home. Especially in a situation like this.


    "Why? You think these people will take you to a strange ce and dump you there after they kill you?" asked Apple again after seeing Ivan''s look of disbelief.


    He couldn''t be med either, because who would believe that, especially since Ivan was still under the impression that the people holding him here were the ones who kidnapped Apple.


    On the other hand, as if understanding Ivan''s doubts, Apple then answered the man''s unspoken questions.


    "These are Jayden''s people. You don''t have to worry about that, but¡­" Apple''s tone turned serious, one might even say it sounded like a threat rather than a warning. "Pretend tonight never happened. You don''t know what kind of danger you will get yourself into. Understood?"


    Ivan knew that Apple was serious about this and he nodded.


    "Now go," Apple said in a tired voice. She was eager toy down to rest, but she still had to go to Mateo and exin the matter to him.


    "Are you serious?" Ivan asked hesitantly. "Rachel did this?"


    "No one pays me to lie to you." Apple looked straight into Ivan''s eyes. "I have Jayden Tordoff as my fianc¨¦, you think I need money to lie? My fianc¨¦ can pay you ten times what got from them."

 Chapter 643 ANOTHER SHOCKING NEWS

    Chapter 643 ANOTHER SHOCKING NEWS¡¡¡¡"Are you serious?" Ivan asked hesitantly. "Rachel did this?"


    "No one pays me to lie to you." Apple looked straight into Ivan''s eyes. "I have a boyfriend, Jayden Tordoff, you think I need money to lie? My fiance can pay you ten times what they pay you."


    Well, Apple had to admit that sounded pretty cocky, but, what could she do? She just couldn''t stay silent and also, she was very upset that Ivan risked himself to get the money.


    Ivan was silent for a moment when he heard those words. He lookedpletely shocked, then realized how stupid he was to ask such a question.


    Of course, Apple didn''t need other people''s money when her fiance was so loaded and indulgent.


    "Can we still be friends?" Ivan asked when he had realized his mistake. But, turning back time, Ivan would probably do the same. Because in the end, Apple survived and she didn''t appear to have been hurt or traumatized.


    She seemed fine and lookedpletely unaffected by what had happened, so in the end, there was nothing to worry about, right?


    "Friends with you?" Apple scoffed. "I am not friends with cheap people who can be bought easily," said Apple. She knew her words sounded cruel and condescending, but she was really serious about this.


    Ivan looked taken aback when he heard this, but a momentter, after his shock disappeared, he nodded, epting Apple''s decision.


    "I''m sorry for what I did to you," Ivan said again. "I''m not thinking clearly."


    "I can see that," Apple said sarcastically. Someone who was willing to harm other people just because of money and had the same motivation as Ivan, who wanted to please his girlfriend at the cost of hurting other people, didn''t really deserve to be her friend.


    "I''m sorry for what I did," Ivan said again in a low voice as he stepped out of the room where he had been locked in for several hours.


    But, before he walked away. He turned around and looked at Apple with guilt-ridden eyes.


    "I''m sorry for what would happenter," Ivan said again in a low voice. He seemed to be struggling to exin what he meant, but then he built up the courage and said it. "There will be an article about you tomorrow."


    Apple opened her mouth and closed it. Again, she blinked in disbelief.


    It was not just the Gevano people, but this asshole also tricked her with the photoshoot agency?


    "The photo contest I won is bullshit, isn''t it?" said Apple in a quivering voice. She looked very angry when she found out about this.


    "That''s not bullshit. Thepetition does exist, but it has pre-determined that the winner will be you after I offered cooperation between you and them," Ivan admitted this. "I apologize."


    Of course, when they found out that Apple was Jayden Tordoff''s lover, they were more than excited to let Apple win without any selection and with that being said, Ivan would be the photographer for each of their shoots.


    "Stop apologizing, you are a man with no dignity. I didn''t think you would stoop that low." Apple clenched her fists very tightly. "There''s no need to say anything more. I want you to leave right now."


    Apple gritted her teeth very hard and Ivan, who seemed to want to apologize again, immediately turned around and walked away from there quickly, because Apple''s expression was quite awful.


    "Do you want to change your mind now and kill him?" asked Adrian, as he handed the gun to Apple which he was holding in his hand thus far. "You can still aim from here."


    Apple then red at Adrian, who just smirked slyly. This man loved drama so much¡­


    "No, thank you." Apple then returned the gun in her hand to Adrian. "I don''t want to get my hands dirty for a guy like that," Apple said as she stepped into the second room to free Mateo.


    "You''re too kind," said Adrian in a bored tone. "After all, this gun has no bullets."


    "I know, therefore, I''m not wasting my time." Apple chuckled at him and unlocked the door leading to the room where Mateo was being held. "After all, I choose my own battles wisely."


    Adrian couldn''t help butugh when he heard this and shook his head in disbelief.


    Then Apple entered the room where Mateo was standing warily in one corner of this room holding a chair up high, ready to attack anyone who entered the room.


    But, when he saw the figure of Apple, he discarded his intentions.


    "What are you doing? Put that chair down," Apple said with a frown. She then sat down in another chair in the room.


    This room was the same as the previous room, which only contained two chairs and a table.


    "Apple? Are you okay? What''s really going on? Where are we?" Mateo asked in disbelief when he saw Apple there.


    "Sit down, I''ll tell you," Apple said, waving her hand to indicate for Mateo to sit quietly.


    =========================


    As it turned out, the article was released two hours after midnight and the article was entitled: Future Mrs. Tordoff. There were lots of photos of her during the shoot.


    But, what made Apple keep thinking were the photos of her and Mateo on the beach a few hours ago.


    The photos seemed as if they were candid and random clicks, leading to public opinion that Apple and Mateo were in a special kind of rtionship.


    "What trash article is this?" Apple grumbled as she read the article.


    Ivan had told her about this, but he had not made it clear what they were really nning.


    "Damn it, Ivan!" Apple cursed under her breath. She was feeling very tired and wanted to rest soon, but instead, she was presented with this news.


    Right now, she was in the car with Jayden and Adrian, heading home.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 644 I WISH I WERE THERE

    Chapter 644 I WISH I WERE THERE¡¡¡¡"Damn it, Ivan!" Apple cursed under her breath. She was feeling very tired and wanted to get some rest, but instead she was presented with this news. "What trash article is this?"


    Right now, she was in the car with Jayden and Adrian, heading to Jayden''s apartment.


    Apple couldn''t help grumbling while reading the article and Jayden had already contacted his PR team to take care of the matter.


    Too bad, Jayden really missed it because it happened at a very inconvenient time, as there were so many other things happening almost simultaneously and he wasn''t able to pay more attention to this.


    He didn''t expect that Ivan, the person Apple considered a friend, would treat her like this. Because after doing a background check, he was found to be clean.


    Not to mention the problem of shooting at the resort and also the arrival of the ship and if Apple didn''t realize there was something wrong with Ivan and start tapping him, maybe tonight Jayden would have stormed into the Gevano family''s house and something bad might have happened.


    The evening had gone very smoothly thanks to Apple and now the girl was grumbling in annoyance over the article she was reading.


    "You don''t need to worry, I already asked my PR team andwyer to take care of all this stuff, you don''t need to be so upset," Jayden said in a soft voice, he then stroked Apple''s silky hair and pulled her closer.


    "I should have killed him," Apple grumbled in annoyance. She let Ivan go so easily.


    On the other hand, when he heard that, Jaydenughed softly. "Just say it and I''ll do it," Jayden said.


    "Well, I don''t mind doing it," Adrian chimed in from behind the wheel, when he saw Apple looking so annoyed.


    "No! I will do it myself with my bare hands," she said in a voice so dangerous.


    Seeing that, Jayden and Adrian couldn''t help butugh softly.


    Especially when she was muttering like that, Apple rested her head on Jayden''s shoulder and soon she was asleep. She seemed very tired. It had been a long day and they all needed a break.


    =========================


    Ivan didn''t know what to think. He didn''t want to believe what Apple had shown him, but the messages didn''t look like a ruse, after all, how could Apple do that?


    She couldn''t possibly get enough time to do it all, could she?


    Ivan shook his head in disbelief at what he had just experienced and learned.


    Maybe he was still in denial right now, but he certainly didn''t know what to think anymore, because everything looked so hazy in his eyes, it was as if he was seeing everything through an obscure lens.


    Ivan also realized that an article about Apple hade out and he was to me for the article. Because that was all he nned together with Veronica.


    Ivan knew this would be dangerous and cause trouble, especially since Apple had Jayden Tordoff behind her and a scandal like this simply spelled trouble.


    But, on the other hand, Ivan couldn''t refuse the big sum they offered him to find out more about Apple and Jayden''s rtionship.


    What Ivan didn''t expect was; Apple was too quiet. She didn''t say anything unnecessary about her rtionship with Jayden, even though they used to talk a lot.


    To get out of this problem, Ivan relied on his friendship with Apple. No matter what, Apple would protect herself, right? And would not let Mr. Tordoff act out of line.


    But, this time, he really messed up, especially after seeing the messages and the hateful look Apple gave him.


    Ivan took a deep breath as he walked toward his empty and lonely apartment and this made him even more depressed.


    Jayden Tordoff''s men had dropped him off right in front of his apartment building and just left, without saying a word.


    Overall, that was a good sign, wasn''t it?


    But, Ivan didn''t want to be alone right now. Therefore, he decided to go to Rachel''s apartment, thinking about confronting the girl, whether the messages shown by Apple were true.


    Ivan then took his car keys and called Rachel, who picked up after he tried calling her the third time.


    "Hello?" Rachel''s voice was deep and sleepy.


    "Where are you?" Ivan asked. He then got into the elevator to go to the basement. "Are you asleep?"


    "Hmm?" Rachel mumbled and there was a sound of movement, it looked like she was in bed. "Yes, I was sleeping. Where are you now?"


    When he heard the question, Ivan stepped out of the elevator and stopped where he was for a moment. He looked like he was transfixed for a few seconds.


    "Ivan? Where are you, babe? Everything is alright?" Rachel asked, her voice hoarse, but also filled with worry.


    "Yes, everything is alright¡­" Ivan didn''t know what got into him, but at that moment he decided to lie. "I''m still at the beach and will probably spend the night here and return tomorrow morning."


    He didn''t know why he was doing this, but he felt it was the right decision he could make.


    "Oh, okay..." Rachel said. "You''re alright, aren''t you?" Rachel asked again to be sure.


    "Yeah, yeah, I''m fine. I just want to hear your voice," said Ivan. He could feel the adrenaline rushing through his veins and making his heart beat fast.


    "I miss you too," Rachel said after letting out a smallugh after what Ivan said. "I wish you were here with me," Rachel said in a sexy whisper.


    "Yeah, I wish I was there with you," said Ivan again. His voice was dry and trembling slightly when he heard the sweet words from Rachel''s lips. "I wish I was there."


    Rachel let out another chuckle when she heard that.


    "Okay, sleep well, my baby," Ivan said softly, his voice a small whisper.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 645 ANXIOUS

    Chapter 645 ANXIOUS¡¡¡¡Ivan didn''t know how he could drive a car without causing an ident now and by the time he realized it, he was already in front of Rachel''s apartment building.


    He looked at the building before him and was terrified to find something he didn''t want to see in there.


    Ivan was afraid that he would find out that what Apple said was true and he couldn''t stand it. He didn''t know what to do or what to say.


    Ivan didn''t even know what his response would be if he found out this was actually happening.


    Ivan''s mind was really in a mess.


    He couldn''t think straight and hoped this was just a misunderstanding.


    And as he kept thinking about this, he found himself right in front of Rachel''s door.


    It wasn''t the first time Ivan had been in Rachel''s apartment, of course. But for some reason, his heart was beating so fast he couldn''t bring himself to open the door.


    Just that one door.


    Ivan then clenched his shaking hands and began to press the numbers for the password to open the door and enter it.


    It was an easy thing, wasn''t it? He could do that. There was nothing wrong with any of that¡­


    Ivan just had to enter this apartment as usual. Nothing would be different. He would find Rachel sleeping in her room with a nket wrapped around her.


    Then, Ivan would sneak into her nket too and hug her. Rachel would be surprised at his early return andter Ivan would say it was a surprise from him.


    And they would make love and in the morning Ivan would make Rachel breakfast as usual.


    Yes. That was what would happen. There was nothing to worry about. There was nothing to be afraid of.


    Ivan took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down, even though he knew he was anything but calm. His whole body trembled as he entered the numbers of the password into the lock and when he opened the door, Ivan felt that the door was a hundred times heavier than usual and this made him feel very dizzy.


    And when he did opened it, the first step to enter this apartment felt even harder. He felt that there was a very heavy burden on his shoulders that he could not get rid of.


    "Baby?" Ivan tried to make a sound, calling out to Rachel, but his voice sounded far away, like a whisper and this made Ivan realize how scared he was.


    Ivan had been looking for the ring that Rachel wanted and had to admit that the price of the ring was beyond his means, but since Rachel liked it, so why not?


    His footsteps stopped when he reached the living room, where he found a suitcase as well as a nket and pillow on the sofa. It looked like someone had spent the night here, but Rachel didn''t say anything about any of her friends staying the night.


    Seeing this made Ivan take a deep breath and try to think more clearly.


    But then, he saw Rachel''s bedroom door wide open, and Ivan felt his heart stop beating and the world started spinning so fast inside his head.


    Ivan shook his head to get a little rity on what he had just seen.


    This can''t be happening, right? It couldn''t happen to him...


    Ivan felt that all of this was too much to be true.


    Because without him knowing it, his feet had brought him to step closer to the room. Rachel''s room. The room where he and Rachel slept in and now he could see a man with his back to him naked, along with Rachel.


    Rachel''s body was wrapped in the nket, but Ivan could see that she was wearing nothing under the nket.


    Never had Ivan felt his whole body freeze like this. He felt that he was dreaming, a very bad dream.


    ======================


    Apple woke up when she felt Jayden''s warm breath caress her neck and when she turned around, she found Jayden sleeping while hugging her.


    She didn''t know since when, but Jayden now had a habit of sleeping while hugging Apple and this was not just Apple''s imagination.


    Because if she woke up first, then she would find Jayden in this position.


    "Hey, you''re not going to work?" asked Apple, rubbing Jayden''s head then looking at the clock on the wall that said ten in the morning. "You''rete for work."


    "I don''t want to go to work," Jayden said, still in a sleepy voice and pulled Apple even closer. He kissed her neck and then went back to sleep.


    "Is it okay if you didn''t go to the office today?" Apple just wanted to make sure he didn''t miss an important meeting he had scheduled for himself.


    "No. But¡­ Misha can sort that out," he mumbled again.


    On the other hand, hearing this made Apple chuckle. Misha was really very patient in dealing with Jayden if he still hadn''t flipped out after dealing with Jayden''s fickle nature everyday like this.


    "Apple¡­" Jayden mumbled, his eyes still closed and his head still resting on Apple''s chest, while the girl fiddled with his hair absentmindedly.


    "Hmm?"


    "Let''s go public," Jayden said out of the blue and this made Apple chuckle.


    "Is that your PR team''s suggestion to solve the problem with the article that concerns me?" asked Apple again in a still sleepy voice.


    Apple and Jayden clearly enjoyed each other''spany. Even though not many words were said and even if they had to just sit in bed all day without saying anything, it seemed like it was still better than anything.


    Jayden would rather do nothing with Apple, than do everything without her.


    "No, that''s my suggestion and they said it was genius," Jayden said.


    "I think yourst statement was a bit exaggerating," Apple retorted. And hearing this made Jaydenugh too.


    "But, it can''t be helped, it''s the truth," Jayden chuckled with his arrogance. "You admitted that yourself."

 Chapter 646 PERVERT!

    Chapter 646 PERVERT!¡¡¡¡"Let''s go public," Jayden said out of the blue and this made Apple chuckle.


    Jayden just thought of that, he didn''t even think about it a second ago. Perhaps this was because his brain was still not working properly, as he could be said to be half asleep right now.


    But somehow those words made a lot of sense and a momentter Jayden thought it was a very genius suggestion from him. So, how could that be a problem?


    "The public already knows about our rtionship, Jayden," Apple said, then she reminded this man about the photos of them that had been circting in the media some time ago and how it was Jayden who deliberately leaked them and made their rtionship public.


    "But, we have never said it officially, have we?" Jayden said, his eyes still closed, resting his head on Apple''s chest as he hugged her tightly. Apple''s body felt warm andfortable, and he also liked the way she ran her fingers through his hair. He had never felt so blissful as he did now.


    "What does it mean?" asked Apple curiously again.


    "A press conference is a great idea, what do you think?" Jayden asked for advice. He felt that he would fall asleep again now if Apple continued to do this.


    "Press conference?" Apple thought about it for a moment and frowned as she pictured herself holding a press conference with Jayden. "No, I don''t want to sit behind the mic and take a question and answer it, then they broadcast it. It was like a nightmare," said Apple, shuddering a bit.


    Jayden then chuckled when he saw Apple''s reaction and hugged her tighter.


    "How about we throw an engagement party?" Jayden suggested that and tilted his head slightly to see Apple''s reaction. There, he could see how Apple thought about it. "We don''t need to rush it, there''s no need now, we can do it once Pyro gets better."


    "My dad is getting better and he will be home in two days," Apple said.


    "Then we can throw the party next week." Jayden smirked, but then he rested his head on Apple''s chest again and nudged her hand to continue caressing his head again as before.


    Yeah, Jayden said there was no need to rush, but he also said that the party could be held next week, wouldn''t that be another definition of rush?


    "And after that, we will leak some photos to the media." Jayden suggested again, but he couldn''t think of anything better than this. ording to him, this n was very good. "What do you think?"


    "You''re going to make a fuss in the mass media," Apple pointed out the gist of the problem.


    "Indeed. But, wouldn''t they sooner orter find out about this? It would be better to announce now and deal with the rumors about you and that bastard." Jayden opened his eyes and he looked annoyed. "How can they make such rubbish news? That man isn''t even prettier than me."


    Appleughed when she heard Jayden''sst sentence. She knew and everyone would admit that Jayden was much more handsome than Mateo and this Tordoff heir was superior to the male model in every way.


    It was just that Jayden''s confidence did take Apple by surprise, but in a good context. She liked a man who knew his own value and had high self-confidence.


    Indeed Jayden sounded a little arrogant, but of course he didn''t cross the line and actually sounded adorable to Apple''s ears, when he bragged about himself.


    "Yeah, yeah, that''s why I''m with you, of course you''re more eye-catching than Mateo."


    "Oh, that''s his name?"


    Appleughed and pped Jayden lightly on the back and they both fell asleep again until noon.


    When Apple woke up the next time, Jayden was no longer by her side, but she found a note beside the bed, which said that if she woke up before one o''clock in the afternoon, Apple should call him and they could have lunch together in his office. Adrian would pick her upter.


    Too bad, Apple woke up at two and lunch time was over an hour ago and even if she left now, it would take her over an hour to get to Jayden''s office, because she had to shower and get ready first.


    Yesterday was a brutal and exhausting day. Remembering how she hadn''t slept at all from morning until well past midnight and all the things that had happened was absolutely insane.


    However, Apple then decided to call Jayden and tell him she was awake.


    "We can have a tea break this afternoon at four," Jayden said, sounding excited to suggest it.


    Appleughed when she heard this, it seemed that no matter what time Apple woke up and called him, he would try to find an excuse for them to meet, even though they were still together a few hours ago.


    "Okay, I''ll get ready," Apple said. "I''m going to turn off the phone call."


    However, Jayden didn''t allow Apple to turn off the call when he suddenly asked. "What are you doing?"


    "I''m walking to the bathroom and going to take a shower to freshen up," Apple said, not knowing what Jayden wanted now.


    "Are you in the bathroom now?" Jayden asked again.


    "Yeah, I just went into the bathroom." Apple then closed the bathroom door and Jayden could hear it.


    "Are you undressing now?" Jayden asked again.


    Apple found this question a little odd, but she answered the question anyway. "I''m taking off my pants right now, it''s hard to do because I have to hold the phone with one hand," Apple said. "I will cut off the call, okay?"


    "Weird," Jayden said again.


    "What''s weird?"


    "You should take off your shirt first before you take off your pants."


    And instantly Apple knew what was on Jayden''s mind right now. Pervert!


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 647 COMPENSATION

    Chapter 647 COMPENSATION¡¡¡¡"Weird," Jayden said curtly, Apple even seemed to be able to see the faint crease between his eyebrows.


    "What''s weird?" asked Apple because she didn''t find anything unusual about any of this, but she still continued to unzip her pants.


    "You should take off your shirt first before you take off your pants," Jayden said, still in the same tone.


    And instantly Apple knew what was on Jayden''s mind right now.


    Pervert!


    "You are so shameless Mr. Tordoff," said Apple, snickering. She couldn''t understand how he was able to tease her in the middle of working.


    "You should have taken off your shirt first and then your pants, you messed up the order," Jayden said, still in the same serious tone, as if this was an important matter, but his expression was mischievous. "What stage are you at now?"


    "I am taking my shirt off right now," Apple said again in a soft voice, stifling augh. She couldn''t help but smile when she found Jayden behaving like this with her again.


    This man was really going to be the death of her.


    "Hmm..." Jayden mumbled.


    After that there was no response, but Apple received a video call request from Jayden.


    "Don''t even try, Jayden," Apple said, rejecting the video call.


    "Well, at least I will try my best to persuade you," Jayden replied lightly.


    "If you keep pestering me like this, maybe I''ll change my mind and choose to spend time at home instead," Apple said in a calm voice.


    "Okay, I will hang up the call, you made mete for the meeting and if Misha gets angry, then it''s your fault," Jayden said quickly.


    And before Apple could say anything, the phone line was cut off.


    What? If he waste for the meeting and was scolded by Misha, then it was her fault? Apple could only shake her head in the face of Jayden''s sometimes unreasonable attitude.


    She then proceeded to take a shower and get ready to meet her erratic fianc¨¦.


    =======================


    Apple had just gotten out of the car and was about to walk into a cafe near the Tordoff familypany building, when he got a call from a phone number she didn''t recognize.


    At first, Apple didn''t respond to the call, preferring to ignore it, but then after three iing calls, she decided to find out who had been relentlessly contacting her.


    Because it was unusual for someone to contact her like this if it wasn''t something very important.


    Therefore, when she got the third call, Apple decided to stop in front of the cafe hostess and decided to pick up the phone call that had been bothering her.


    The cafe wasn''t very busy at this hour and Apple had arrived twenty minutes early, but she was told that they knew Jayden and his fianc¨¦e were on their way here and a table had been reserved for the two of them.


    "Hello?" greeted Apple when she finally picked up the call.


    And without further ado, Apple could hear Veronica''s voice, which sounded very stressful, but tried to remain calm when she spoke to Apple.


    But, of course it was very difficult to cover up. Apple could even hear Veronica''s very stressed voice over the phone.


    First, Veronica asked how Apple was and apologized for the article they had released, saying it was a mistake and they wanted to apologize to Apple directly.


    Not only that, subtly, Veronica even offered some cooperation contracts that would only be offered to top models and had much higher worth than Apple.


    For about ten minutes, Apple let Veronica rant about everything and when she was finally done, the woman was a little nervous because Apple didn''t say anything during those ten minutes.


    "Apple? Are you still there? Hello?" Veronica asked nervously.


    "Yeah, I am still here," Apple said. "Is there anything else you want to say?" asked Apple again. She sounded unconcerned and cold enough to face Veronica who was desperate to meet her.


    "How about a coffee? We can have coffee together to discuss this," said Veronica, asking for an appointment to meet her.


    Too bad, Apple was not at all interested in meeting this woman. They were never close, the rtionship between them was limited to work, so if she was so willing to cut ties with Ivan, who she called her best friend for years, why couldn''t Apple have the heart to cut ties with this unfamiliar woman?


    "No thanks, I don''t drink coffee. If you have nothing more to say, I''m going to turn off this phone line. I have a date I need to go on," Apple said, then without waiting for Veronica''s response, she cut off the call, turned off her phone as she didn''t want to be pestered by her.


    After turning off her cell phone, Apple then walked to the hostess and asked for the table that had been reserved by Jayden, after which a beautiful young girl brought Apple to her table and ced a menu there.


    After that, she left Apple alone, but when she lifted her head, she could see the hostess who had escorted her, talking to the other two hostesses and needless to say, Apple knew that she was the one they were talking about.


    Knowing this, Apple averted her eyes and stared out the window, because it seemed Jayden had booked a specific ce knowing that Apple liked spots like this.


    Apple felt Jayden had done something to the modeling agency and the newspany that had published news about her, which made Veronica panic and desperate to meet her.


    But, whatever it was, Apple didn''t really care. They should have known what they were going to face when they messed with the Tordoff family.


    Apple didn''t wait long, because about ten minutester, Jayden walked into the cafe and found her right away. He walked straight to her and immediately kissed her on both cheeks.


    "Compensation for waiting for me."


    ================


    THIS BOOK IS PUBLISHED ON WEBNOVEL.


    Meet me on Instagram @jikan_yo_tomare.

 Chapter 648 ROBBERY

    Chapter 648 ROBBERY¡¡¡¡Apple didn''t wait long, because about ten minutester, Jayden walked into the cafe and found her right away. The man walked straight to her and immediately kissed her on both cheeks.


    At the time, Apple was looking at him and smiling, but was quite surprised when Jayden did so. She raised an eyebrow to ask what that meant.


    Because from behind Jayden, Apple could see how the waitresses and hostesses were looking at them both with envious eyes and surprised faces.


    They all must have seen that trashy article, which said that Apple had an immoral rtionship with a male model named Mateo, but what Jayden was doing now was certainly the opposite of what they had read.


    "Compensation for waiting for me," Jayden answered Apple''s unspoken question that shed in her eyes.


    Jayden then sat down in his seat across from Apple''s seat and started looking at the menu on the table.


    "I''m so hungry," Jayden said. "I didn''t eat anything at all when I went to work, because Misha kept screaming on the phone for me to go over," heined about his cousin''s actions.


    Of course, Misha almost blew out his phone because Jayden promised to only leave thepany for one day, since yesterday Jayden was taking care of his problem with Theodore Gevano and promised toe on the second day.


    And his cousin was so strict and didn''t allow Jayden toe up with any excuses. He didn''t want to hear any excuses and just wanted Jayden toe quickly to finish the documents that had piled up on his desk.


    "Misha was so mean to me today," Jayden grumbled and this made Apple smile.


    "Did he scold you again?" she asked.


    "Not only did he scold me, he even talked in a cynical manner, as if I was his enemy," Jayden said in a pitiful tone.


    But, hearing that made Apple smile even brighter. "Okay, let''s eat. What do you want to eat? This time it''s my treat. I just received my first paycheck."


    "Really?" Jayden asked with sparkling eyes.


    "Yeah, it''s on me today," Apple said proudly, because she could pay for the food for both of them. During this time, it was always Jayden who paid for their food, therefore, she wanted to take the role once in a while.


    Apple then raised her hand to call one of the waitresses there and a young woman with red hair came over to her.


    She brought the tab and was ready to take their order on it. However, it was undeniable that she was very distracted by Jayden, because she would steal a nce at that man every now and then, before returning her gaze to Apple.


    Indeed, her eyes did not show hostility, but those eyes were filled with curiosity and this made Apple smile when she saw the girl''s gaze sh with hers, which made her lower her head.


    "Okay, I will order¡­" And Jayden started the long list of food that he wanted, starting from the appetizer menu to the main course then the dessert menu to the drinks.


    "I think it''s tea time," said Apple in disbelief at the long list that Jayden had just mentioned. Apple felt Jayden was robbing her now.


    "And chamomile tea," Jayden added and then handed the menu book to the waitress.


    The waitress smiled sweetly at Jayden as the man''s eyes fell on her for a split second.


    "Oh, and Apple pie." Jayden then looked at Apple very intensely and this was witnessed by the waiter as well. "I really want to eat apple now¡­ apple pie I mean."


    Damn it, Jayden! How could he take the time to flirt with her like that in front of this waitress?


    And out of the corner of her eye, Apple could see how the waitress was standing there ufortably after Jayden''s suggestive sentence.


    Of course, this waitress knew that her name was Apple.


    "So what would you like to order?" Jayden asked, reminding Apple that she hadn''t ordered anything and a smile could be seen tugging at the corners of his lips when he caught Apple kicking his leg under the table. "Why did you kick me?" Jayden asked innocently.


    Apple could see that the waitress was smiling sheepishly because now they were both flirting in front of her eyes and for some reason this made her blush.


    Okay, that''s weird¡­


    It seemed this waitress was one of the members of the group who supported Jayden Tordoff''s rtionship with her.


    Apple didn''t respond to Jayden''sst question and ordered the food she had seen on the menu earlier.


    After that, the waitress repeated the dishes they had ordered and this confirmed what Apple thought of her was true.


    "Yeah, that''s all right," said Apple and then gave the waitress a small smile before she walked away from there.


    Only then did Apple growl at Jayden while the manughed softly at Apple''s flushed face.


    "What do you mean by that," Apple grumbled and then Jayden moved into the chair next to her and put his arm around his fianc¨¦e.


    "Oh, I just want Apple so bad. Apple pie I mean." Jaydenughed softly and then his smile turned warm, no longer teasing, as his hand gently stroked Apple''s head. "I just wanted to let them see that the news wasn''t true. After all, the best way to spread something is through word of mouth."


    This might soundpletely unreasonable to someone like Apple who didn''t understand publications or how PR worked.


    However, apart from using digital means, it would be better if there were people who voiced the news they wanted because this way they could spread it much more quickly through themunity and the people around them.


    Of course, that way they couldment on social media too.


    "Then what do you mean by ordering so much food? You want me to go bankrupt?" Apple pouted. "You said tea break?"


    "If you go bankrupt, that''s okay, I can support the two of us and our twelve childrenter."


    Apples: "!?!?!"

 Chapter 649 DIRTY SOCK

    Chapter 649 DIRTY SOCK¡¡¡¡"Then what do you mean by ordering a lot of food? You want me to go bankrupt?" Apple pouted. "You said tea break?"


    Apple thought for a tea break, Jayden would only order some snacks and a few slices of cake, not a full set of meals like this.


    She felt like she wanted to facepalm herself for what Jayden had done to her.


    On the other hand, Jayden just smirked. "If you go bankrupt, that''s okay, I can support the two of us and our twelve childrenter."


    Apples: "!?!?!"


    "Who will give birth to and bear twelve children? You think I''m a cat?" Apple grumbled and Jayden leaned closer and whispered into her ear.


    "You are my pushy," Jayden whispered into her ear and this made Apple''s heart skip a beat at what he just said.


    Since when did Jayden get into dirty talking like this?!


    No. He did often use dirty talk to tease her, however,tely he had been getting more creative.


    "Jayden!" Apple hissed, but a tinge of red could be seen on her face, ears and neck. She herself could feel her face heating up after what Jayden had just said.


    Oh my god¡­.


    What possessed Jayden''s body? It seemed the stress at work was making this man even more insane...


    "Okay, okay, I will stop," Jayden said betweenughs. Apparently, it rxed him a bit to be able to tease Apple like this. He seemed to really enjoy the moments when Apple''s face turned red or called his name in annoyance.


    Meanwhile, Apple rolled her eyes and sighed in annoyance, but then she looked at Jayden with a frown on her face.


    "Are you sure you can finish all that food?" Apple didn''t really mind therge portion of food Jayden ordered, but she didn''t want him to waste any food.


    "Of course. I''m starving," Jayden moaned while holding his stomach. "Hearing Misha nag all afternoon has really drained me."


    "You deserve to be scolded because you have been toozy to work and even left the office." Apple scolded him a little bit.


    Jayden shouldn''t have followed Apple to yesterday''s shoot and waited there for the entire day, but this man insisted on being there from start to finish.


    Where in the morning and afternoon, he could work in his office.


    "But, I have to apany my fianc¨¦e, because she is very charming and attractive, so I feel I have an obligation to take care of her." Jayden rested his head on his hands on the table, staring at Apple. "It can''t be helped, my fianc¨¦e is very beautiful, so I always miss her."


    "Does your fianc¨¦e know that you are so infatuated with her?" asked Apple, she was following the game Jayden was ying now.


    "I think she knows, but she doesn''t really care about that. She''s so cool."


    Apple couldn''t help but smile when she heard this and then she remembered the call from Veronica and asked what Jayden had done until it made her sound so scared.


    "Oh, I sued them." Jayden shrugged nonchntly, as if that was a normal thing.


    Apple knew Jayden was going to sue them, but what kind ofwsuit did Jayden file to make them so frightened and even resort to contact her in such desperation?


    Apple wanted a more detailed exnation of this because she was curious.


    Hearing Apple''s question, Jayden smirked slyly, as if he was so proud of what he had done to them.


    "Well, you can say that thewsuit they will face will screw them big time. They may not recover from this fall." He returned to disying his distinctive smile, which indicated that he loved destroying his enemies.


    Only Theodore Gevano remained. The n would be in motion soon. He would be able to destroy that man now.


    Jayden didn''t care what would happen, but he would absolutely destroy the family to pieces. He wouldn''t leave anyone behind anymore.


    There was no doubt in Jayden about that.


    Meanwhile, Apple just nodded, but of course she would support every move that Jayden would take.


    The two of them ended up chatting about lighter and very trivial things until their food arrived and it was a miracle that Jayden had finished all the food he ordered.


    He looked very hungry though.


    How could someone who could buy anything be so hungry like now?


    But when Jayden asked for coffee after finishing his chamomile tea, Apple frowned at the strong smell of the coffee.


    "What is it?" Jayden asked as he saw Apple''s furrowed forehead as her body pressed against the back of the sofa she was sitting on. She looked ufortable.


    "Nothing," Apple muttered, but of course Jayden didn''t buy that. "What coffee is that? Why does it smell so weird?" asked Apple with a furrowed brow. She didn''t like the smell of this and it bothered her a lot.


    "This is ordinary ck coffee..." Jayden said. He then inhaled the aroma of the coffee and shook his head because he felt there was nothing strange about the smell of the coffee. Didn''t she make coffee for himself every morning? "Nothing unusual."


    "I don''t know, the coffee smells weird to me." Apple frowned ufortably.


    Seeing this, Jayden put his coffee on another table.


    "Are you sick?" he then reached out his hand to examine Apple''s forehead and didn''t feel that her body was hot, and then Apple pushed his hand away.


    "I''m fine," Apple said. "It''s just that the smell of coffee isn''t pleasant¡­" She then lowered her voice because she didn''t want anyone to hear. "It smells like dirty socks."


    Hearing this, Jaydenughed. "Have you ever smelled dirty socks before?" he asked betweenughs.


    "Of course I have," replied Apple immediately.


    "Whose socks did you smell?" Jayden became curious.


    "Whenever my dad has to work overtime for days, he doesn''t get a chance to change his socks," Apple grumbled and made Jaydenugh even harder.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 650 I AM THROUGH

    Chapter 650 I AM THROUGH¡¡¡¡Ivan didn''t know what to do anymore, now he was in the hotel and received no phone calls from anyone, especially from Rachel and numbers he didn''t recognize, which he assumed were Rachel too.


    How could that woman betray him? After everything he had done and all the sacrifices he had made to make her happy¡­ this was how she would treat him?


    Ivan couldn''t believe what would be happening to his rtionship with Rachel now.


    Moreover, all the problems and all the sacrifices, even to have to lose a friend like Apple and pawn his pride¡­ they all ended in vain.


    Ivan shook his head. He was really angry and couldn''t forgive Rachel and himself for being so stupidly tricked by a woman like Rachel.


    And now, it seemed Rachel had started to realize that something was wrong with Ivan, because he hadn''t received her calls and wasn''t in his apartment either.


    Overall, Ivan had been ghosting Rachel, just as dys had Derek.


    For now, Ivan didn''t want to talk to anyone or meet anyone else. He just wanted to be alone and in this room, which he felt was like a hiding ce that would allow him to think clearly for a moment.


    How could Rachel be that stubborn?


    At first Rachel sent some voicemails, he could still hear her sweet voice asking where he was, but after that, those voicemails turned into worried questions because Ivan had suddenly disappeared.


    Then the voicemails sounded so angry that Ivan was making her anxious.


    How dare that woman be mad at him after what she did to him? Did this woman have no self-respect? Did this woman have no feelings?


    Ivan kept thinking about it and now he was really annoyed that Rachel had really turned himself this way.


    Then the voicemails sounded very sad and it was certain that Rachel had shed some tears, asking Ivan to exin what was wrong and if they were all right.


    Tsk!


    That shameless woman wasn''t even ashamed to lie anymore and pretend that he was the viin in this matter and she was the victim.


    There was even one voicemail asking if Ivan went to another woman and dumped her. Had he been having an affair?


    See?


    How could she say that, crying that Ivan had an affair when it was herself who had gone ahead and done it?


    Very shameless. That woman was so shameless.


    Ivan was very angry and also annoyed. But, he was even more mad at himself for letting Rachel fool him into this.


    "AARRGGGH!" Ivan shouted angrily and chucked his phone at the mirror, sending the mirror to the ground, shattered into a million pieces, just like his life and his trust in Rachel now.


    It was certain that Ivan would have topensate for the mirror, but he didn''t care at all.


    ======================


    Rachel paced back and forth in front of Derek. She was so annoyed, worried and scared that Ivan didn''t pick up her phone. She couldn''t even think straight now.


    Meanwhile, Derek didn''t care about her being upset.


    "Why didn''t he pick up the phone from me?" Rachel grumbled impatiently, tugging at her hair in annoyance, especially when she looked at Derek nkly watching television.


    It wasn''t clear what he was thinking, but she then took the television remote and turned it off, causing Derek to nce at her. However, he gave no reaction after that.


    "Can you sympathize a little with my plight?" Rachel grumbled irritably at Derek.


    Derek just nced at Rachel and stared at her nkly. Never before had Derek looked at her like that and this made Rachel feel awkward and didn''t know what to say.


    Instinctively, Rachel took a step back because she was afraid to see the look in Derek''s eyes. He looked so cold and Rachel felt that she had lost control over this man.


    Derek and then Ivan. What was with these guys, why were they treating her like this now?


    "Sympathize with you?" asked Derek coldly. "Who are you, actually?" he asked again.


    Even after being treated so harshlyst night, Rachel still thought that Derek still had such strong feelings for her and he was so frustrated that he vented it that way.


    Therefore, Rachel letst night''s incident go and chose not to bring it up again.


    But, who would have thought that this man had actually acted like that because he no longer had any feelings for her?


    "Derek, don''t start with that again," Rachel grumbled in annoyance. Derek kept asking this question and this annoyed her, especially since Ivan was also acting weird right now. "You know what our rtionship is like, don''t you? We¡­"


    "I don''t know¡­" Derek cut Rachel off and then stood up, which made Rachel take two steps back from him because she was scared. "I never wanted an open rtionship. You''re the one who wanted it."


    "We''ve been doing this for years and you''re making a fuss about it now?" Rachel asked in disbelief. She shook her head, trying to control the situation and making Derek think that this was his fault too. And he was wrong if he wanted to push all the me to Rachel. "You''re fine all those years, so what happened now? Why are you bothered about it?"


    Derek snorted and narrowed his eyes. "It''s not that I don''t mind it, but it''s only now that I realize how stupid I was to live such a life," Derek said in a deep voice.


    "What do you mean, Derek?" Rachel narrowed her eyes. "If you really don''t want tofort me, there''s no need to say that!" Rachel hissed in annoyance.


    "You are asking me tofort you while you are thinking about another man?" asked Derek sarcastically.


    "You know what our rtionship is like, don''t you?" Rachel was starting to lose control over herself now.


    "Rtionship?" asked Derek sarcastically. "There is no rtionship between us. I am through with you."


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 651 BICKERING

    Chapter 651 BICKERING¡¡¡¡"You are asking me tofort you while you are thinking about another man?" asked Derek sarcastically. He really couldn''t understand what was going through this woman''s head to say such a thing, to be so bold as to even suggest such a thing.


    Entertain her? She seemed beyond crazy.


    "You know what our rtionship is like, don''t you?" Rachel was starting to lose control over herself now. She wanted to get closer, but her feet couldn''t go any closer than this.


    Usually at times like this, Rachel would go up to Derek and hug him,fort him and tell him that she loved him.


    Only this time was different, and she did not dare to approach this man. This man gave off a terrifying aura, as if the man Rachel had known all this time was no longer here and this man was someone else.


    "Rtionship?" asked Derek sarcastically. "There is no rtionship between us. I am through with you."


    Rachel looked a little surprised when she heard this and she blinked her eyes in disbelief, as if she misheard what Derek had said just now.


    How could he do this to her?


    "What? You''re not serious, are you?" Rachel asked, her voice a whisper now, because she couldn''t believe what she was hearing. Never once did Rachel think that she would hear words like these from Derek''s lips, when he had treated her like a princess all along and always did whatever she asked, even when it didn''t make sense at all.


    "Of course," Derek said, then grabbed his suitcase and walked away. He didn''t have enough money to rent a car or stay at a hotel, but he still had enough money to go to his uncle''s house he hadn''t been to in a long time.


    The only thing he could hope for now was that his uncle was still living in the same ce.


    "You can''t possibly break up with me!" Rachel cried, screaming into the back of Derek who was stepping out of her apartment.


    "I just did." After saying that, Derek walked away from there and all the toxic attitude and toxic rtionship between him and Rachel.


    At first, Derek thought he would feel sad or lost, but when he left it all behind, he felt that he was a lot freer and his heart became a lot lighter.


    Maybe it was just the shock at the moment that made him a little numb, maybe a few hourster he would feel like he lost Rachel and beg her to take him back, but for now, he wanted to enjoy the feeling of freedom he never had before.


    Derek walked calmly toward the elevator and he didn''t even turn his head to look at Rachel, who was standing in the doorway of her apartment, waiting for him to turn around and take a look.


    But, even to the end, Derek didn''t look at her.


    ========================


    Today was the day that Pyro could return home after a long stay in the hospital, therefore, Jayden took half a day off and made Misha angry again because he left his job again.


    But, before his cousin could nag very long, Jayden had run away with Adrian first and left Misha with several meetings he had to attend to rece Jayden.


    It was still unclear if Jayden could survive Misha''s wrath, once he got back.


    But, for now, Jayden didn''t care at all. No, he never cared about that at all. Misha was more suited to be in the office than him anyway.


    "How are you feeling, father?" Jayden asked Pyro.


    "Father?" Pyro grimaced when he heard the call. He widened his eyes as if Jayden had just said somethingpletely unreasonable. "Since when did you be my son?" said Pyro grumbling.


    Jayden pushed Pyro''s wheelchair into the house as he happily teased him, knowing that Pyro would be annoyed if he heard Jayden call him ''father''.


    Pyro was still not willing to give up his daughter to Jayden Tordoff, or maybe he was not willing to give up his only daughter to anyone at all.


    Pyro was just in a denial phase.


    Meanwhile, Apple, who followed them from behind, together with Adrian who was carrying Pyro''s things, could only sigh when they saw the two of them fighting again like this.


    Even before Jayden met Apple, the rtionship between Jayden and Pyro had always been like this, which ironically showed just how close the two of them were.


    "Look, they are at it again," said Adrian when he saw Pyro and Jayden starting to annoy each other.


    "Can''t you take him back to thepany?" Apple looked at the two men in front of her with a tired look. She didn''t want to serve either of them now.


    "Can you?" Adrian actually asked Apple back.


    If Apple couldn''t persuade Jayden to return to hispany, how could she expect Adrian to do that? Of course, he could not do it.


    Too bad, Apple had to face them both, at least for today¡­


    =======================


    While Apple was preparing lunch for the three of them with Jayden''s help, she heard the doorbell ring, signaling that someone hade to visit their house.


    "I''ll check it out in a bit," said Apple, then dried her hands and let Jayden do the rest.


    Considering the incident that happened when they were attacked inside this house, of course this time Jayden put a pretty tight security around the house in order to prevent the same thing from happening again.


    Therefore, if there were guests who came, it meant that person had been ''cleared'' by their guards.


    But, who hade? Because Apple and Pyro very rarely got guests.


    And when Apple opened the door, how surprised she was when she saw someone standing in front of her door with a very wide smile as they looked at her.


    "Apple!" eximed that person cheerfully.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 652 UNEXPECTED GUEST

    Chapter 652 UNEXPECTED GUEST¡¡¡¡Considering the incident that happened when they were attacked inside this house, of course this time Jayden put a pretty tight security around the house in order to prevent the same thing from happening again.


    When Apple opened the door, how surprised she was when she saw someone standing in front of her door with a very wide smile as they looked at her.


    "Apple!" dys eximed cheerfully.


    Sheughed cheerfully when she saw Apple behind the door. She had already guessed that the address given to her was correct when she met Adrian who tried to stop her from going closer to this house earlier.


    Of course, Adrian knew dys and she was able to enter without getting into any trouble.


    "Oh, I missed you!" dys eximed as she hugged her tightly, meanwhile, Apple also hugged her back awkwardly, because she was still surprised to see dys here.


    As far as Apple recalled, she had never given anyone the address of this house, so how did dys get here?


    "Come in, have you eaten? We are making lunch," Apple ushered dys into her house.


    The girl lifted the red stic bag she was carrying and showed it to Apple. "I bought desserts for you," she said with a big smile, as they entered the house.


    "What are you doing here?" Jayden asked when he saw his cousin.


    "Yo! Jayden! You skipped work again to make Misha mad, didn''t you?" dys asked in a cheerful voice which made Jayden re at her.


    Jayden didn''t have to guess who had told dys the address of this house.


    "Uncle¡­ I heard that uncle just got out of the hospital, therefore, I brought this for uncle," dys said very sweetly and took out the desserts she had brought.


    However, she only brought three servings, while there were four of them, because she didn''t expect that Jayden would be here too, since Misha didn''t tell her that Jayden would be here either.


    Of course, dys knew Pyro from some of the Tordoff family activities that the two of them had participated in, especially when Pyro was still guarding Hailee and Jayden was a kid and they both had time to y together.


    It was just that, after growing up and getting busy with their own businesses, they both grew apart. They couldn''t be med, because they were quite far apart in age and just the sight of dys always irritated Jayden because she was very fussy and whiny.


    "Ah, but one less serving, too bad, you don''t get desserts, okay Jayden," dys said cheerfully.


    Hearing that, Jayden squinted his eyes and childishly, he looked at the dessert box and got the phone number of the dessert shop where dys bought it.


    Without thinking, Jayden ordered ten more boxes to be delivered right away to Apple''s home address.


    "I don''t need that. I can buy it myself," Jayden said arrogantly and then put the dessert box on the table and continued to prepare lunch with Apple.


    "Tsk, you are so childish," dys grumbled. "I will help too."


    =======================


    Apple was washing all their lunch tes with dys in the kitchen while Jayden was making phone calls and Pyro was watching football in the living room.


    "So how''s your rtionship with Derek?" asked Apple to start a conversation.


    dys'' eyes immediately lit up when she heard this, because the main purpose of hering here was to talk about this, but because the timing wasn''t right, she didn''t bring it up.


    Luckily, Apple raised this topic first, so dys didn''t feel awkward.


    "Do you know!?" dys hissed and Apple almost thought this girl had suddenly turned into a cat or something. "You know what he did?"


    "I wouldn''t know if you didn''t tell me," Apple said, handing dys the te she''d just washed for her to dry.


    "That''s why I will tell you," dys said excitedly, not realizing that Apple had just teased her a little earlier. "You know that he sends me so many flowers every day? He also texted me many times, reminding me to eat, take vitamins and reminding me to take care of myself and also telling me how much he loves me and misses me."


    Apple scoffed when she heard Derek''s methods, Kyle, her ex, did the same to get her back back then.


    Damn. These guys had absolutely no sense of creativity at all.


    "Even though he is never sent me messages like that before and only now is he paying so much attention to me?" dys scrunched her face. She looked annoyed, but at the same time she was happy.


    And this prompted Apple tomemorate her. "You didn''t reply to any of those messages, did you?" asked Apple in a firm voice.


    dys'' age was not that far from her own, but it was needless to say that this girl had lived in luxury and was very pampered. It was just that she didn''t turn into an annoying girl, but instead turned into a naive and innocent girl and made Apple feel irritated for her, telling her that what Derek did was wrong.


    It was just that this girl was still smitten with him, not because she still liked Derek, but because she liked the attention she was getting from this guy.


    The problem of being a girl like her was; she would always want to get all the attention, whether it was bad or not.


    And right now, dys was too immature to realize such a thing.


    "Of course not, I did as you said," dys said in a voice that sounded very proud of herself. "I made sure not to reply to any of his messages."


    "Good job," Apple said encouragingly.


    "How about we have a drink to celebrate this evening?" dys asked enthusiastically. "We don''t need to go to the bar, we can just have our drinks delivered here. The three of us."


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 653 UNEXPECTED GUEST (2)

    Chapter 653 UNEXPECTED GUEST (2)¡¡¡¡"How about we have a drink to celebrate this evening?" dys asked enthusiastically.


    "Oh, I don''t think I can leave my father." Apple immediately rejected her because she could not possibly leave her father alone in this condition.


    But, dys then waved her hand.


    "We don''t need to go to the bar, we can just have our drinks delivered here. The three of us." dys suggested it. "We haven''t had a drink in a long time, haven''t we? It''ll be fun tonight."


    "No," Jayden refused, this time the man entered the kitchen and immediately took the towel in dys'' hand and pushed her away so that he could assist Apple by drying the tes instead.


    Needless to say, dys didn''t do a great job, so Jayden took over.


    "No. She can''t drink," Jayden said in a firm voice.


    "Why not?" asked Galdys childishly. "She''s a grown woman who can do anything," she grumbled.


    "Because you should already know what she looks like when she got drunk," Jayden warned her.


    "Oh, you''re talking about how she was when we were on the ind?" asked dys with a smile on her face. She smiled cheerfully as she recalled the incident. "I think she''s really cool!"


    On the other hand, Apple raised both hands andughed at dys. "See? I''m so cool, you''re exaggerating," she told Jayden.


    "No, no, she can''t drink." Jayden denied this request very firmly and after that he put the towel back and pulled her out of the kitchen. "Don''t interfere with my and Apple''s work. You wait in the living room."


    "What? I''m interrupting?" dys grumbled disapprovingly, but then she sat down next to Pyro who was watching football. "Pyro, are you sure you want to ept him as your son inw?" asked dys grumpily.


    Pyro who heard this smiled and thenughed.


    "He is a brat!" dys hissed at Pyro. "You should think about it again."


    But, from inside the kitchen, Jayden shouted, as if he could hear what dys was saying when she was badmouthing him.


    "Don''t you dare incite him!" Jayden eximed in annoyance. "I''ll tell your parents when you go to the ind to partyter."


    Hearing this, dys stiffened, she stared at the kitchen with a sharp gaze, as if she could see Jayden there. "How did he know about it?"


    dys didn''t say anything when she would go with her friends to the ind and no one should know about it because her parents wouldn''t allow her to go that far to party.


    Yes, dys was a little too spoiled by her parents...


    "Is he some kind of psychic? How did he know about it?" asked dys with a frown on her face. She also grumbled, cursing under her breath, which Jayden rebuked her for. "Ugh! He sucks. Good luck making him your son inw."


    Pyroughed when he heard that and leaned his body to whisper to her. "Yes, I need more than just luck to be able to live my old days in peace."


    ========================


    After nightfall, dys still didn''t want to go home, and still wanted to hang out with Apple.


    And not only did this make Apple''s house even busier than usual, it also made her feel a lot more alive.


    Howe? Jayden and dys kept bickering with each other, trying to kick each other out of the house, even though this wasn''t their home at all.


    This could only make Apple and Pyro shake their heads.


    "If you two don''t stop fighting, I''m going to kick you both out of this house right now," Apple threatened which immediately made both of them speechless. "I didn''t expect that you two were actually adults, I feel that you are thirteen year old teenagers."


    Meanwhile, Pyro calmly ate the dessert that Jayden bought, after finishing the dessert that dys bought this afternoon.


    "Father, you''d better go to sleep after you finish the dessert," said Apple firmly. "You need rest."


    Apple had already given Pyro his medicines after dinner.


    "Okay," Pyro said quietly, because he didn''t want to provoke the girl further and annoy her even more. Who knew what she would do then?


    After that, about half an hour passed a bit calmer because dys and Jayden finally toned down their bickering, but then they both were at it again because they wanted to watch different television broadcasts.


    "No, I want to watch a drama. I can''t miss that," dys eximed, grabbing the remote for the television, but Jayden held it high so the girl couldn''t reach it, because he wanted to watch a football game.


    "You can watch the drama streaming."


    "You can go back to your house and watch that stupid ball game at your house too."


    "Then why don''t you just go back to your house? You have more than one television there."


    "Jayden, aren''t you ashamed? You have far more televisions than I do!" replied dys not wanting to lose.


    While Apple could only facepalm herself. I am sorry, I only have one television.


    "Hey, why don''t you guys go back to your respective homes and watch whatever you want morefortably?" Apple suggested to them both. At this point, she really wanted to kick them both out of this house.


    "No," dys and Jayden answered almost at the same time.


    Apple was just about tosh out at the two of them, but, before she could, they heard the doorbell ring again and Apple immediately went to see who it was.


    What a surprise when she saw the figure of this man standing in her doorway at this hour, for he was thest person she expected toe and visit them.


    "You?!" Apple eximed when she saw their guest.


    "What is it? You don''t feel happy to see me here?" Misha frowned when she saw Apple''s reaction.


    "Yeah, you''re thest person I thought would evere to my house," Apple muttered, while inside, Jayden and dys could still be heard arguing.


    "Looks like you guys are having fun."


    Having fun, my ass!

 Chapter 654 HE GOT DUMPED

    Chapter 654 HE GOT DUMPED¡¡¡¡"What is it? You don''t feel happy to see me here?" Misha frowned when he saw Apple''s reaction. He could see that she didn''t like seeing him standing at his door now. "I am offended."


    Apple sighed when she heard what Misha said. "Yeah, you''re thest person I thought would evere to my house," Apple muttered, while inside, Jayden and dys could still be heard arguing.


    Misha poked his head into Apple''s house, saying, "Looks like you guys are having fun."


    Having fun, my ass! It could be said that Apple was currently under so much stress, dealing with these two people and now it just got doubled with the appearance of Misha.


    "Are you going to offer me toe inside or can I just wait at the door?" Misha asked, waving a drink bag in Apple''s face.


    "Can I ask you to go home?" Even though that was what Apple said, she still stepped aside and invited Misha to enter the house.


    He seemed to have brought so many bottles of drink to enjoy tonight and when Apple was about to follow Misha inside she saw Adrian standing near the railing, snuffing out his cigarette by stomping on it with the heel of his foot.


    Since Apple''s house was already very crowded, it wouldn''t hurt to add more people, right?


    Therefore, without thinking, Apple waved her hand and asked Adrian toe inside. After all, from what Apple saw, Misha brought so many drinks, that the four of them couldn''t possibly finish them, because her father couldn''t possibly drink alcohol just after getting home from the hospital.


    "What is it?" asked Adrian as soon as he reached her front porch.


    Apple then immediately pulled Adrian into the house. "Come in, join us."


    "Why?" he asked confused, but allowed Apple to drag him into the house.


    "Celebration," Apple answered nonchntly.


    "Celebration for your father''s return?" asked Adrian, again confused.


    "Yeah, kind of..." Apple said in a vague tone, because she didn''t know what they were going to celebrate either.


    Adrian finally joined Apple and three other Tordoff family members, while Pyro went into his room to rest because the effects of the drugs had started to work.


    In the medicines he was prescribed, they were also sleeping pills, therefore, fifteen minutes after ingesting them, he couldn''t hold back his sleep and no matter how loud the bickering between Jayden and dys was, he wasn''t awake at all and wasn''t disturbed.


    And in the end, dys won the battle for the channel because Apple also wanted to watch a drama instead of watching a football match where the teams thatpeted were not their favorite.


    Therefore, Jayden relented, because there was no way he would be bickering with Apple.


    And there they were, two Tordoffs and a bodyguard with above- average fighting skills, sitting in silence watching the romance drama that made them cringe in every scene.


    "I think I came at the wrong time," Misha muttered. He shook his head when he saw the plot of the drama, but he didn''t move from there either, because on the one hand he was curious about something.


    There was someone who said that he didn''t show any emotion at all, but seeing how the man in the drama cried and fell to the floor and roared like a lion, made Misha frown. He simply couldn''t rte¡­


    "Why did this drama take so long to end?" Jayden grumbled, he leaned his back against the back of the sofa and folded his arms across his chest, staring at the back of Apple and dys'' heads, for they both chose to sit on the carpet with their legs crossed, while the men sat on the sofa, behind them.


    The two girls talked to each other, discussing the drama.


    "Why are you here?" Jayden asked Adrian who was sitting next to Misha, while he was on the other side of Misha.


    "I can go out right now," said Adrian, who really couldn''t stand staying there. He would happily spend his time in the car or patrolling around this house instead of having to be in the house watching this drama.


    "You want to run away?" Jayden narrowed his eyes when he heard that. "Of course not. Sit quietly and watch this drama to the end," Jayden said firmly, he would not allow Adrian to escape alone. There was no reason for him to run away now.


    Hearing this, Adrian couldn''t help but sigh and sit back down, even though all he wanted to do was leave right away.


    "Then why are you here?" Jayden asked Misha. He nced at the man beside him.


    "Because I wanted to see Pyro," he answered simply. It was true that Pyro wasn''t his parents'' bodyguard or his bodyguard, but, like Jayden, he had known Pyro for a very long time, so he cared enough toe and see how he was.


    "Then why did you bring drinks?" Jayden asked, nodding at the drinks Misha brought. "You know that Pyro can''t drink alcohol until he''s dered stable."


    "Yes I know. Those are for me," Misha said lightly. His eyes were still glued to the drama that was ying in front of him, while Jayden, who was sitting next to him, was looking at him spectively.


    Needless to say, there were a lot of conspiracy ideas going through the man''s head right now when he saw Misha acting a little different than usual like this.


    "Did you get dumped by that red- haired chick?" guessed Jayden.


    Misha only turned his head, but didn''t answer Jayden''s question.


    Only, Jayden didn''t need to hear what he had to say, because when he saw the way he was looking at him, he could tell that what he just said was true.


    Damn. Who would dump a man like his cousin? He was quite experienced with women, but he got dumped?


    Jayden''s nosy side was a little intrigued to find out who the woman was, because Misha was so secretive.

 Chapter 655 MISHA WAS ANGRY

    Chapter 655 MISHA WAS ANGRY¡¡¡¡"Did you get dumped by that red- haired chick?" guessed Jayden.


    Damn. Who would dump a man like his cousin? He was quite experienced with women, but he got dumped?


    Jayden''s nosy side was a little intrigued to find out who the woman was, because Misha was so secretive.


    It was just, too bad¡­ if Misha found out about this and learned that Jayden was poking his nose into his personal life, he would kill him.


    And Jayden didn''t want to die just yet because he was not married to the love of his life.


    "Are you serious?" Jayden asked and Misha looked away again.


    "I''m upset, don''t bother me," Misha grumbled, who then stood up and headed toward the fridge to find the drinks he had brought and started drinking alone.


    Not long after, Jayden followed and drank with his cousin and not long after, Adrian also joined them and drank too.


    So the three men drank in the kitchen while the girls were sitting in front of the televisionmenting on their drama, not realizing that the boys had moved.


    "So?" Jayden asked. "You don''t want to talk?" he then poured the drinks for the three of them, but Misha put away the ss and instead took the bottle in Jayden''s hand and started to drink directly from it.


    Seeing that, Jayden and Adrian looked at each other with worried and surprised looks.


    "Is it that bad?" he asked in a low voice, but instead was met with a fierce look from Misha and this made Jayden speechless, not wanting to ask his cousin any more questions.


    After that, Misha looked annoyed, but also sad, but then he took another sip of his drink and this time he looked at Jayden, as if he wanted to kill him.


    "Wow, wow!" Jayden raised his hands. "You''re directing your anger at the wrong person," he said warily.


    Misha would turn violent slightly when he got drunk enough. Then, he would turn a lot quieter again and didn''t want to be bothered, but that was pretty awful to say the least.


    "Okay, stop drinking, okay? Where are you going? Sit down," Jayden said sternly when he saw Adrian about to slip away.


    "I think if he decides to tell the story it will be a secret and I don''t think I deserve to hear it," he exined.


    But, Jayden shook his head. "No, you sit down. You already know too many secrets of the Tordoff family to back down, so one more secret won''t hurt you."


    And for the second time, Adrian had to sit back and listen to what Misha had to say.


    It was just that, apart from chugging down his drink, Misha didn''t do anything else. He really looked aloof and untouched by reality. It was possible that he had told him what had happened to him, however, he had not spoken it out. All these conversations were going on in his head.


    It was also no wonder why these past few days, Misha looked very annoyed and more easily angered.


    Just like when Jayden didn''te to thepany, although usually Misha didn''t really mind it, but this time, it became a very big thing for him, plummeting his mood entirely.


    And then, Misha continued to drink his alcohol with no signs of stopping at all. He continued to drown himself in the alcohol and in no time, he had finished almost half the bottle of the drink and his face was now turning red.


    After that, Misha decided to get up from his seat, however, his steps were so wobbly, indicating that he couldn''t hold himself back.


    "Stay away from me," Misha growled at Jayden and Adrian who were about to help him and then walked out of the kitchen.


    "Oh, this will not end well..." Jayden muttered as he followed Misha, as did Adrian.


    And when they finally returned to the living room, the drama the two girls were watching had ended and they were both discussing the story of the drama when Misha walked past them. He stopped in front of Apple and dys and looked at them both.


    "What is it?" asked Apple as soon as she realized Misha was staring at her. "You need something?"


    "He''s drunk," Jayden told Apple, because the girl looked confused to see Jayden''s cousin like this.


    And when she heard that, Apple stood up, followed by dys.


    "Okay¡­ I understand that he''s drunk, but why is he looking at me like that? Did I do something wrong?" asked Apple, not understanding what was happening now.


    Jayden shrugged his shoulders, he also didn''t understand why Misha was looking at the two girls with such eyes.


    "Looks like he''s heartbroken," Jayden finally said.


    "Heart broken?" dys and Apple said the same thing at almost the same time and then looked at Misha in disbelief.


    "I thought he was heartless," dys muttered, but it was clear enough for Misha to hear and this made the girl take cover behind Apple''s body.


    "Why are youdies so hard to understand?" Misha mumbled and this made everyone in the room feel their jaws drop because Misha didn''t usually say things like this.


    "Are you sure he''s just drunk and not high as well?" Apple asked Jayden. She doubted that Misha was okay now.


    Who was the person that made Misha feel so miserable as he was right now? Apple wants to be friends with them¡­


    "Well, I don''t think so¡­ he''s clean," Jayden answered Apple''s question.


    But, then Misha became enraged, he neither raised his voice nor shouted, but he hissed very cynically, as if he had seen something which made him very upset and angry.


    "You women are so annoying! Unreasonably demanding!" he growled.


    "Sounds like a broken hearted person," dys whispered to Apple. Turns out she wasn''t the only one who was heartbroken here.


    Misha then muttered his annoyance about women, but they all could immediately notice that there was a specific woman that Misha was talking about.

 Chapter 656 MISHA IS WEIRD

    Chapter 656 MISHA IS WEIRD¡¡¡¡"You women are so annoying! And unreasonably demanding!" Misha growled. He looked at dys with an annoyed look because it was dys who had been chiming in so much in his words.


    Not only that, Jayden suspected that Misha had been drinking in the office before he came here, as it seemed impossible for him to get drunk like this after just a few drinks.


    "Sounds like a broken hearted person," dys whispered to Apple. She hid behind Apple''s body for fear of seeing Misha who was staring at her fiercely. What happened to this cousin of hers?


    Turns out she wasn''t the only one who was heartbroken here.


    While on the other hand, Misha mumbled his frustration about women, but they all immediately realized that there was a specific woman that Misha was talking about and of course Jayden and Apple guessed that it was the mysterious red-haired woman they met at thest Tordoff family event.


    Not only that, tonight, Misha surely talked too much for someone like him. He seemed to be showing his emotions as well, something that was rarely seen.


    "What happened to you?" asked dys, frowning. "It''s not like you," she said in a low voice. "Did that woman dump you? Maybe you should improve yourself, you know, you''re too stiff," she said again.


    And it seemed that dys'' words had finally triggered Misha, because after hearing that, he didn''t say anything, but it was clear from his gaze now that he was very angry. Very, very angry to say the least.


    "dys, I don''t think that what you just said were the right words to say¡­" Jayden said in a low voice, because he could see the change in expression on Misha''s face now.


    It was just that dys didn''t seem to be able to read the current situation, because she didn''t agree with what Jayden was saying, especially since she had just gotten out of a serious rtionship with Derek.


    And even though, as Apple thought, dys didn''t really love Derek and just felt like she was used to him, she still felt sad and upset that she had to break up with him.


    Especially when they broke up after the ugly truth that Derek had an affair was found by her.


    "You don''t know how to treat a woman," dys grumbled, she red at Misha.


    Well, it proved to be a wrong move¡­


    Because after that Misha walked quickly toward dys with a cold face and none of them knew what he was going to do now.


    But, the sight of Misha''s expressionless face alone, of course, was enough to set off rms in their brains, especially since Misha didn''t even break eye contact with dys who was looking scared shitless right now.


    "What? What? What would you do?" asked dys in a low voice, hiding behind Apple and not even daring to peek over her shoulder.


    "Oh, this is not going to be good¡­" Jayden muttered, who then immediately dashed toward Misha to stop his cousin, followed by Adrian.


    Even though they didn''t know what Misha would do to dys and there was no way he would hit a woman, even when he was drunk, but of course instinctively, they had to stop Misha no matter what he did.


    However, they were still slow and realized the gravity of the situation toote and this prevented them from reaching Misha in time.


    When Jayden and Adrian made their move to stop Misha, he had almost reached Apple and dys.


    And when Misha held out his hand to dys, Jayden cursed under his breath because he realized it toote.


    However, what happened next was like a slow scene in their eyes, which stunned them and halted their steps in an instant.


    Because in front of Jayden and Adrian, Apple brushed Misha''s hand away quickly before he could touch dys.


    Apple looked at Misha fiercely, as if to say; what would you do?


    But then, when Misha tried to extend his hand again to dys with a more aggressive attitude, Apple then caught Misha''s hand and twisted her body, then crossed her leg behind his before making a sweeping motion that sent Misha crashing to the floor.


    "Oh¡­" Jayden watched this with admiration. He had forgotten that the girl was more than capable of handling such a situation.


    Meanwhile, Adrian could only wince when he heard the sound of Misha''s body mming to the floor and he groaned softly.


    Misha must not have thought that this would happen and moreover did not expect that Apple would do such a thing to him.


    It was certain that on normal asions, Misha would not be able to be brought down that easily, but right now his mind was in a state of uncertainty and again he was half drunk now.


    "I think that gets her three points, right?" Jayden said to Adrian, elbowing the bodyguard standing right beside him.


    However, Apple didn''t think so, because after dropping Misha, the man didn''t get up and remained on the floor.


    "Jayden! What happened to our cousin?!" dys cried frantically, waving her arms at Jayden and Adrian to help him, as she crouched beside Misha''s motionless body.


    Apple was afraid that she had gone too far, but she could tell that Misha just fell to the floor, his head didn''t even hit anything, but why didn''t he stand up or move at all.


    Of course, this scared Apple because Misha had been behaving very strangely since earlier.


    Meanwhile, dys crouched beside him and looked at the unconscious Misha.


    "What happened to him? What have you done?" dys didn''t see what was happening, because she closed her eyes and hid behind Apple''s body.


    On the other hand, Jayden and Adrian walked over to Misha who was still motionless with his eyes closed, while Apple looked worried.


    Jayden then watched his cousin for a moment and chuckled lightly. "Don''t worry, he''s just sleeping."


    "Sleeping?" Apple repeated the word in disbelief. How could he fall asleep after being tackled down by her?

 Chapter 657 ARRANGEMENT

    Chapter 657 ARRANGEMENT¡¡¡¡Jayden watched everything that was happening before him and stared with admiration at Apple, but then he snapped back to reality when he heard Apple''s frantic voice calling out to him because Misha wasn''t moving.


    Jayden and Adrian then watched the said cousin for a moment and Jayden chuckled lightly when he realized what the problem was. "Don''t worry, he''s just sleeping."


    "Sleeping?" Apple repeated the word in disbelief. How could he fall asleep after being tackled down by her? Didn''t he feel anything when she dropped him like that?


    Apple was confused by this, but she was also relieved that Misha was only sleeping, although this had taken her by surprise.


    "So what should we do?" asked dys timidly.


    Jayden then looked at dys and started making her feel bad. "It''s because of you, so you''re the one who has to think of what to do with him," Jayden said and made dys frown.


    "I didn''t do anything," dys said defensively. She shook her head as she looked at Jayden with her round eyes.


    "You kept criticizing him, that''s why he''s angry and it made Apple have to take him down, because if she didn''t, Misha would havee to you, now he''s unconscious, that means you''re the one responsible," Jayden said firmly.


    For people who didn''t understand Jayden, they would think Jayden was scolding dys right now, because of his serious expression as well as his stern voice.


    He was just trying to make dys feel bad and it worked, because the girl was frowning and feeling bad for having talked back to Misha earlier.


    "I didn''t mean it like that," dys grumbled, she looked at Jayden with a frown on her face.


    "Yes, but you see now? Misha is unconscious, that means this is your responsibility," Jayden said in an even more firm voice.


    "How can I be responsible for him?" dys grumbled, she then nced at Misha who still had his eyes closed. Seems like the guy is fine, just needed some time to sleep, right?


    "You should take him home," Jayden said. ording to him, this n was perfect, because he was able to get rid of dys and Misha at the same time. Isn''t that perfect? And after that, he could spend time with Apple without being disturbed.


    "No, his house is far away. My house and his house aren''t on the same route either. Moreover, I want to stay here together with Apple. I''ve even brought a change of clothes," said dys. "I want to chat until morning with Apple."


    Hearing that, Jayden didn''t seem to like dys'' idea, because he would be the one chatting until the morning with Apple, not her.


    "No, no, no¡­ you''re going home with Misha," Jayden confirmed. Why was it always like this? Whenever he wanted to spend his time with Apple, Misha would annoy him and now dys had entered the game. There was no way Jayden would let this happen and let his two cousins ??ruin his moment with his fianc¨¦e.


    "No, I''ll stay here." dys stood her ground when she said that, her face looked very firm, indicating that she would not change her decision.


    "No." Jayden said the word more emphatically.


    "Okay, enough guys," said Apple, because if she didn''t stop this bickering, the two of them would be fighting until morning. Luckily, Pyro had fallen asleep and he was under the influence of sleeping pills strong enough to not wake up even if he heard thismotion. "How about you go home and drop Misha off?"


    "No," Jayden dismissed it, even before Apple could finish her sentence. "I''m not going home. I was the first toe here."


    Apple took a deep breath. She didn''t know what else to say to these people.


    "Then, how should I arrange the beds for all of you? My house doesn''t have dozens of rooms that can amodate all of you." Apple was now frustrated with all of them and looked at them one by one with her beautiful eyes.


    This house only has two rooms, which are upied by Apple and Pyro respectively.


    "That''s easy," Jayden said lightly. "I''ll sleep in your room and dys can sleep in the living room with Misha to look after him and Adrian can sleep in the car."


    "No, why should I sleep on the sofa and take care of Misha? This sofa is only big enough for one person," dys protested. "I''ll sleep with Apple in the bedroom and Misha will sleep in the living room and you, Jayden, you can sleep in the car with Adrian."


    "No, of course not!" Jayden denied it emphatically, he red at dys. "I''m not leaving this house."


    And after back and forth quarrels, it was finally decided that dys was going to sleep with Apple, Misha was going to sleep with Pyro, because the two of them literally wouldn''t wake up until morning and after all Pyro''s bed was big enough for the two of them, and Jayden would sleep on the sofa in the living room, because the sofa was only big enough for one person, while Adrian would sleep in the car.


    Of course, Adrian didn''t mind, he had wanted to run away from this ce for a long time because they all kept fighting.


    dys smiled smugly when she found a ce in Apple''s room. She even had a chance to make fun of Jayden before they entered the room.


    And when midnight had passed and dys had finally tired of telling stories and fell asleep, Apple opened her eyes and got out of bed slowly to go to the living room, where Jayden had fallen asleep.


    Apple walked out of the room looking left and right, to make sure Misha or her father didn''t wake up in the middle of the night. After that, she walked toward the sofa.


    "Are you asleep?" asked Apple, walking over to the sofa, where Jayden was lying.


    ================


    THIS BOOK IS PUBLISHED ON WEBNOVEL.


    Meet me on Instagram @jikan_yo_tomare.

 Chapter 658 COMMOTION IN THE MORNING

    Chapter 658 COMMOTION IN THE MORNING¡¡¡¡And when midnight had passed and Apple had confirmed that dys had slept soundly after she was tired of telling stories, Apple opened her eyes and got out of bed slowly so as not to wake dys to go to the living room, where Jayden should have been sleeping.


    Apple wanted to make sure that the man was asleep, because she felt ufortable after letting him sleep in the living room alone, especially on the sofa that could not amodate his huge frame at all.


    And Apple saw Jayden had closed his eyes with his legs dangling out of the sofa, because they were too long, Apple went over to Jayden, to see if this man needed something.


    Apple walked out of the room looking left and right, to make sure Misha or her father didn''t wake up in the middle of the night.


    "Are you asleep?" asked Apple, walking over to the couch, where Jayden was lying. "Good night," said Apple because there was no reaction from Jayden, she then kissed his forehead.


    But before she could kiss Jayden''s forehead, the man opened his eyes suddenly and almost made Apple scream in surprise.


    "Are you going to kiss me?" Jayden asked, his eyes shining, as if he hadn''t slept at all. Maybe he didn''t sleep.


    Hearing that question, of course Apple froze in her half-bowed position while their faces were only about half an inch from each other''s.


    Apple didn''t think that Jayden would wake up from his slumber. Apparently, he didn''t sleep at all, therefore, this moment was very awkward for him.


    "Or should I pretend to be asleep again so you''ll kiss me?" asked Jayden, who then closed his eyes again, pretending to be asleep.


    Of course, this made Appleugh softly and in the end she kissed Jayden on the lips instead.


    "Good night," Apple whispered quietly then stood up straight and was about to go back to her room, but Jayden pulled her hand so that her body fell onto Jayden''s body.


    Well, actually in this position, it could be said that Apple was sitting on Jayden''s stomach and the man grimaced a little, but then he wrapped his arms around Apple''s body and made her unable to move anywhere.


    "Jayden!" cried Apple with a mortified face. She immediately looked at her room and also her father''s room, afraid that one of them would wake up ande out of the room and find them both like this.


    Apple did not know what reason she would give if that happened.


    "Just a moment," Jayden grumbled as Apple kept trying to free herself from Jayden''s embrace. "They''ve had you upied since this afternoon, I just wanted to be with you for a bit," Jayden whined.


    Jayden even made Apple fit enough on this cramped couch, while he snuggled closer to her and hugged her even tighter, piling his legs on top of Apple''s and making her unable to move.


    "Jayden, what if someone sees?" asked Apple, her voice like a hiss now and she looked scared.


    However, Jayden didn''t respond because he was busy hugging Apple before snuggling closer to her body.


    "Just for a moment, just for a moment," Jayden whined. "If you keep making noise, they''ll wake up, so you should just keep quiet."


    After saying that, Jayden closed his eyes.


    ========================


    "Why are your eyes red? Are you sleep deprived?" dys asked as she helped Apple to unbox the breakfast sets.


    dys took the initiative to order a fancy breakfast from her favorite restaurant and asked one of her people to bring it here, so this morning, they didn''t have to prepare breakfast for five people at once and it wasn''t too much of a hassle.


    "Yeah, maybe a little¡­ I had a hard time sleepingst night," Apple muttered as she was busy ting their breakfast.


    "Strange¡­" dys tilted her head. "I thought we slept around the same timest night," dys muttered.


    Apple did not respond to this. Of course she couldn''t sleep as her body was hugged so tightly by Jayden. The man really didn''t let go even when he was asleep.


    Apple was only able to get away from Jayden when she said that she needed to go to the bathroom and only after that Jayden let her go.


    But, of course after going to the bathroom, Apple went straight into her room and pulled her nket to sleep.


    But, with less than two hours of sleep, the sun was up in no time and, unexpectedly, dys was a morning person. The girl woke up and immediately woke up Apple as well.


    Meanwhile, Jayden was in the living room checking something on hisptop while Misha and Pyro were still asleep in the room.


    This morning was refreshing and also looked very calm, but just a few minutester, they heard a scream from Pyro''s room.


    It was not clear who screamed, but one of them seemed to have woken up and was surprised to find someone beside them.


    "Looks like the morning drama has started," dys said, grinning. She then followed Apple out of the kitchen to her father''s room. Jayden had gotten there first and seemed to be smiling happily when he saw Misha and Pyro''s reaction.


    The two men were still on the bed, while Pyro looked surprised, Misha was holding his head, it was obvious that he was having a hangover.


    "What the hell¡­" Pyro muttered cluelessly, he looked at Jayden and Apple, then dys. "Why did he get here?" he asked confusedly. He remembered that he had entered the room alone, but why was Misha suddenly beside him?


    Not only that, Pyro apparently woke up when he felt someone rubbing his back while muttering words he didn''t understand.


    And when he opened his eyes, Misha''s face was the first thing he saw, so close, that it took him by surprise.


    "Don''t shout like that, you make my head hurt," Misha grumbled, he didn''t even care where he was right now. "Stop being so dramatic."

 Chapter 659 LIKE A MARRIED COUPLE

    Chapter 659 LIKE A MARRIED COUPLE¡¡¡¡Apple, Jayden and dys immediately rushed into the room when they heard someone shouting and it went without saying that either Pyro or Misha had woken up from their sleep and found one another in the same bed.


    "Don''t shout like that, you make my head hurt," Misha grumbled, he didn''t even care where he was right now. "Stop being so dramatic."


    He pushed himself up to sit and looked around, to find, besides Pyro, there was Jayden, Apple and also dys, standing at the door.


    However, instead of thinking that it was a strange thing to wake up like this, he ignored it andy back down again. His head was still throbbing painfully, therefore, he wanted to continue sleeping.


    "If you have seen enough, you can close the door, I still want to sleep a little longer."


    And those were the words Misha said before he closed his eyes again and went back to sleep. How could he be so indifferent to his surroundings, when he was in a room that wasn''t his own?


    Meanwhile, the four people there couldn''t help but stare at Misha, who had now gone back to sleep.


    "What happened to this kid?" Pyro asked while rubbing his face roughly. He looked at Misha who looked very haggard and didn''t look like himself at all. His face looked a little pale and there were faint wrinkles between his eyebrows, which indicated that he wasn''t in a good shape.


    "He drank too muchst night," Apple exined. "Looks like he''s hungover."


    Pyro took a deep breath. He didn''t know what Misha''s problem was, because he was always so secretive, but what he did know now, this man was in big trouble, because otherwise there was no way it would bother him to this extent. He wasn''t the type of guy to be easily distracted by trivial matters.


    "Let him sleep then," muttered Pyro, who then immediately got up from his bed. He didn''t want to lie down with Misha especially after he hugged him earlier. These children were indeed unpredictable, even though he had known them since they were little.


    Meanwhile, Jayden immediately went over to Pyro and helped him to sit on the wheelchair.


    After that, their breakfast went on quite uneventfully, except for Jayden fighting with dys here and there, but other than that, everything was fine.


    After breakfast, dys had to leave because she wanted to meet her friend, while Jayden had to go back to the office. Looking at Misha''s current condition, he didn''t think it was the right time to disturb his cousin.


    After all, before this, Jayden had been bothering him a lot by being absent at thepany due to personal matters, so it seemed it was time for Jayden to switch positions with Misha.


    "If he wakes up or he goes somewhere, just tell me, okay?" Jayden told Apple that his cousin hadn''t woken up. He didn''t say it clearly, but it could be seen that he was quite worried about Misha''s unbiased attitude.


    "Of course," Apple immediately agreed, and then escorted Jayden to the front door, where he kissed her forehead before he left.


    "Ah!" Jayden eximed, his eyes wide, as if something shocking had just crossed his head.


    "What is it?" asked Apple worriedly. "You forgot something?"


    But, then Jayden''s expression softened and he smiled sweetly at Apple. "Don''t you see, our future together?"


    Apple frowned. What nonsense was Jayden saying right now¡­


    "What do you really want to say?" asked Apple confusedly when she saw Jayden smiling sweetly at her.


    Instead, Jayden clicked his tongue and said impatiently. "I go to the office early in the morning and you apany me to the door and I kiss you before leaving for work, don''t you see that we are like a married couple?" Jayden said enthusiastically.


    Apple was about to say something, but then they both could hear Pyro screaming from inside the house.


    "Don''t fantasize too much, get to work right away! Otherwise I''lle up to you and throw you straight into the Tordoffpany," Pyro growled, which made Appleugh when she saw Jayden''s grumbling expression.


    "He really knows how to spoil the mood," Jayden grumbled, who then immediately stole a kiss from Apple and ran away before he heard Pyro''s rambling again.


    Once outside, he immediately got into his car and continued on his way to the office.


    However, just as Apple was about to enter the house, she noticed a smallmotion going on. Since she had just seen off Jayden, this sessfully caught her attention and made her go out of the house to see what was really going on.


    And what she saw made Apple feel a little ufortable, because there, she found a woman in her forties, talking to Adrian in a high tone.


    However, that was not all that bothered Apple, because she knew very well who the woman was.


    "Mother?" Apple furrowed her brows in confusion when she saw the woman. They had not seen each other for about ten years and even so, Apple certainly still recognized her mother well.


    "See? You heard that yourself, didn''t you? I am her mother!" cried the woman while scolding Adrian because he said that she couldn''t go straight into the house to meet Apple, because he had to confirm the woman''s identity first.


    "You want to meet her?" Adrian asked Apple. He looked a little annoyed when facing the woman, because she kept looking at himself with a condescending look, even though they had only met for less than three minutes. How could this woman make him so annoyed? It definitely required extraordinary abilities¡­


    "Okay, what do you want to talk about?" Apple asked her mother. She wondered what made her mothere looking for her.


    Only, when her mother was about to walk into the house, Apple stopped her.


    "We''ll just talk here," she said firmly.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 660 NADIA

    Chapter 660 NADIA¡¡¡¡Her mother was thest person Apple would ever want to see or perhaps, thest person she would ever expect ofing to this house.


    If Misha''s arrival had surprised her, of course, her mother''s arrival had left her speechless to see this woman standing in front of her.


    Especially when she was here for less than five minutes, and was already fighting with Adrian. How could she upset the bodyguard?


    She was absolutely unbelievable and after years of not seeing her, it turned out that she had not changed at all, not only did she not, she didn''t even show any remorse for abandoning Apple.


    This woman was truly unbelievable. How could she call herself a mother?


    "You want to meet her?" Adrian asked Apple, making sure she really wanted to talk to this woman, otherwise he''d be happy to tell her to leave, and he could do that anyway. It was no problem for him.


    Apple then nodded her head, indicating that she would take over from here and Adrian could back off now. "Okay, what do you want to talk about?" Apple asked her mother. She wondered what made her mothere looking for her.


    There was no way if nothing big and significant had happened, she suddenly came looking for her here, because for years, her mother had never looked for her at all, even though her father''s house had not changed at all.


    But, when her mother was about to walk into the house, Apple stopped her by standing right in front of her and tilting her head, as if asking where she was going.


    "We''ll just talk here," she said firmly.


    "Here?" Her mother looked at Apple like she was crazy for even suggesting this, but Apple didn''t flinch at all when she heard the question. "We can''t talk in front of your fence like this. I''m your mother and you treat me like a stranger."


    Apple narrowed her eyes when she heard that. "Yeah, you''re my mom, but you haven''t yed that role at all all those years ago, during the very period of time you didn''t even care what happened to me," she said very clearly and made her mother feel embarrassed because Apple said it in front of many people.


    "Apple, my daughter, at least we can go somewhere to talk together," said Nadia, Apple''s mother. "This isn''t the kind of talk you want people to hear, honey," she coaxed, trying to make Apple warmed up to her.


    It was just that Apple just stared at her with eyes that looked very hard, she seemed to have no feelings when she saw her mother in front of her now, as if this was a stranger she didn''t know at all.


    "Apple, please¡­ at least give mom a chance to exin," she pleaded with Apple.


    She looked pathetic to say the least and Apple couldn''t bear to make her any more sad than this, only, Apple was very annoyed with her current attitude.


    "Adrian, can I borrow your car keys? I''ll be gone for a bit," said Apple, holding out her hand to Adrian, waiting for the man to give her the key, but when Adrian seemed hesitant to do so, Apple then added. "You can follow from behind."


    There were at least three cars waiting by Apple''s house, therefore, it was very easy for Adrian to follow herter.


    On the other hand, Adrian knew that he would not be able to ignore this one request from Apple, so, with a heavy heart, he finally gave the car keys to Apple and let her do what she wanted.


    "Thank you," Apple said to Adrian, walking to the nearest car and opening the door. She immediately sat behind the wheel of the car and waited for her mother toe in too.


    "Where are we going?" Nadia asked with a little enthusiasm, but Apple didn''t respond to that at all. She was more focused on getting this car away from her house as quickly as possible, because she didn''t want her mother to be around the house or near her father.


    So, Apple did not answer the question. She didn''t want to answer the question at all. She just wanted to get out of here right away.


    ======================


    Apple ended up taking her mother to the nearest cafe she could find. This was not a fancy or expensive cafe like her mother had imagined.


    But, they were here just to talk, right? And the cafe was quiet enough for them to talk without anyone bothering them.


    Therefore, Apple could casually refuse her mother''s suggestion to go to an expensive restaurant and spend money just for a ce for them to talk.


    "You can ask Jayden Tordoff to rent a restaurant, can''t you?" said Nadia, looking around her with disapproval. "What if there are reporters around here?" she scowled and kept ncing behind her back, as if a reporter would pounce upon them out of nowhere and ambush the two of them in this cafe.


    "You don''t have to worry, they won''te," Apple said soothingly to her mother, brushing off her mother''s meaningless anxiety. "Now tell me, why did youe to me?" asked Apple again.


    However, Nadia kept ncing around her, and her face lit up a little when she saw Adrian enter the cafe together with a man. Apple assumed the rest of the bodyguards were outside, standing guard there.


    "Oh, at least he came into this cafe and did a good job of being a bodyguard, not just sitting around doing nothing," Nadia grumbled. "He has to look after theirdy boss and if they don''t do their job well, you have to report it to Jayden." Nadia kept on rambling, ignoring the fierce stares from Apple who seemed to have almost lost her temper.


    "If you don''t want to talk, I can go home now. Stop criticizing them. They''re much better at taking care of me than you ever have," Apple said curtly.

 Chapter 661 I STAYED WITH JAYDEN

    Chapter 661 I STAYED WITH JAYDEN¡¡¡¡Apple couldn''t stand thements made by Nadia anymore, because the first thing she did was criticize the people around her and be very rude to them.


    Apple knew where her mother''s attitude came from. Nadia must have seen the news circting about her and Jayden, and that was also why her mother had finallye looking for her after all these years.


    "If you don''t want to talk, I can go home now. Stop criticizing them. They''re much better at taking care of me than you ever have," Apple said curtly.


    Apple even stood up and was about to leave. She assumed her mother had enough money to call a taxi or whatever to take her back home, so it didn''t matter if she left her at this cafe she never visited at all.


    After all, it was still early and this cafe was not a remote ce, there were various public transportations passing by around here.


    "Apple," Nadia called her and held her hand, asking her to sit back down. She seemed to be holding back her own emotions, but then realized that what she had done was wrong and now had a regretful expression on her face.


    Well, or at least Nadia thought she could fool Apple with her cheesy acting.


    "Okay, mom came here because I miss you," said Nadia softly. "I know that what I have done all this time is wrong and I want to apologize to you," said Nadia, holding Apple''s hand.


    Seeing that this was going to be a long chat that would be full of apologies from her mother, Apple sat back down and this made Nadia smile with relief.


    It wasn''t that Apple would believe her mother''s words that she missed her, it couldn''t be that after all this time her mother suddenly came because she missed her either. Where had she been in all the years she hadn''t seen Apple? But, because Apple wanted to hear what motivated her mother toe back to her again.


    Was her guess right?


    "What exactly makes you want to apologize to me?" asked Apple, leaning back against the sofa and willing to take the time to listen to what her mother had to say.


    It was just that Apple would get out of there real soon if her mom started saying things that didn''t make sense.


    "What did you do that made you want to apologize to me?" asked Apple again in a low voice. She seemed very patient in her response to her mother, though it was hard to say what was really on her mind right now.


    "Mom¡­" her mother started to say, but she seemed lost for words, until in the end she just repeated the same thing. "I''m sorry about what I''ve done to you in the past," she said.


    "What are the specifics? I want to know what you did that made you feel guilty," Apple kept asking what exactly her mother wanted to be forgiven by her.


    You can''t apologize to someone when you don''t know where you went wrong, can you? You can''t apologize just because you want to apologize without knowing what you did wrong.


    "For what I did all those years ago," Nadia said in a slightly quivering voice, but Apple could see through her well enough to draw her own conclusions.


    And it seemed, based on the answers given by Nadia, her mother, Apple could conclude that in fact she didn''t know what she did wrong and just repeated that everything she did was wrong.


    It was just that she said that when she met with Apple because she knew that was what Apple wanted to hear and it was also what allowed her to talk to Apple, to start a conversation that had been due since years ago.


    "You don''t even know where you went wrong," Apple said in a tired voice. She then called a waitress to order drinks and snacks, because it was still early and she felt talking to Nadia now would make her crave extra energy.


    On the other hand, Nadia also ordered drinks and food, and as Apple expected, she ordered the most expensive servings there and acted very arrogantly, as if she was ady boss.


    "Apple, you have no idea how I feel, for years I have felt that what I did to you was very wrong and I have wanted to apologize to you for a very long time." Nadia changed her arrogant expression when talking to the waitress to a sad expression when talking to Apple, very easily. "This feeling of guilt continues to haunt you and eat away at your heart."


    Hearing this, Apple sighed tiredly. Couldn''t she have said something much more convincing than this?


    "If you do feel sorry and feel that your guilt is haunting you, how can you allow that guilt to eat away at your conscience for years?" asked Apple in a calm voice. "I lived in the same ce for years and dad never moved at all or changed his address, so howe you only came now when you say your guilt nearly killed you?"


    Nadia was silent for a moment, she seemed to stutter and her lips parted and closed repeatedly. She seemed tongue tied for a while, unable to find the words she wanted to say.


    Until finally their drinks and food arrived.


    Of course, Apple could just leave her mom there and pay for the food she ordered and then leave, but of course she wouldn''t pay for the food she didn''t eat.


    Or at least, she would eat the food first before leaving her mother in this cafe.


    Well, it would be better if her mother continued to be at a loss for words like this so that she could eat in peace and pretend that her mother was not in front of her.


    "Mom has been to your ce everyday for thest two weeks," Nadia finally said, while Apple was enjoying her cmari. "But you weren''t home."


    "Yeah, I stayed at Jayden''s apartment while dad''s in the hospital," Apple said lightly.

 Chapter 662 WHAT IF JAYDEN LEFT YOU?

    Chapter 662 WHAT IF JAYDEN LEFT YOU?¡¡¡¡The drinks and food that Apple ordered had arrived and after the waitress served them all, she left and from a distance, Apple could see Adrian and a bodyguard who came with him drinking coffee and eating their food.


    Only, Apple frowned when she saw Adrian sipping his coffee. For some reason, she didn''t like seeing people drinking coffee these days, the smell made her feel dizzy.


    "Mom has been to your ce everyday for thest two weeks," Nadia finally said, while Apple was enjoying her cmari. "But you''re not home," Nadia said sadly.


    She then cut the cake in front of her and started talking about a few other things about how she came almost every day to Apple''s house but no one was there.


    "I thought you had moved to a much better ce without telling me, therefore, I was very happy to see you standing at the door today," said Nadia with a sweet smile on her lips.


    Thest two weeks? How about thest few years? What had she done to try to reach her when her guilt had been haunting her for years?


    Move to a nicer ce? Apple could see where this conversation was going.


    "Yeah, I stayed at Jayden''s apartment while dad''s in the hospital," Apple said lightly. She knew very well that her mother would be surprised to hear that she had been living in Jayden''s apartment.


    And of course, Nadia didn''t disappoint her at all. Her shocked face and wide eyes made Apple couldn''t help but sigh and finish the food she ordered faster.


    "You went over to live in Jayden Tordoff''s apartment?" Nadia wanted to confirm this first and then shook her head in disbelief. "Then why did youe back? You shouldn''t have toe back! You should just stay there. Why did youe back to your father''s ugly house?" Nadia grumbled.


    But, then her eyes saw the ring on Apple''s hand. It was her engagement ring and it was the heirloom of the famous Tordoff family and of course, because Nadia knew the Tordoff family from Pyro, more or less she knew the ring and she had also seen the ring worn by Hailee Tordoff before.


    "This¡­ this¡­" she stammered, pointing at the ring that wrapped nicely on Apple''s finger. She didn''t know what to say anymore at this point.


    Only, Apple, knowing what she was looking at, immediately pulled her hand off the table, out of Nadia''s sight, but before she could do so, her mother had reached out her hand quickly and sped it, gazing in awe at the ring on Apple''s hand.


    "This is the Tordoff family''s very precious heirloom ring, isn''t it?" she asked enthusiastically. "So, you two are engaged? You guys are already at that serious stage? Then when are you nning your wedding?"


    Quickly, Apple shook off her mother''s hand, but she didn''t stop to eat, there was at least one thing she enjoyed at a time like this.


    "Apple!" Nadia raised her voice because Apple waspletely ignoring her, but this only made her nce at Nadia before she continued eating again. This cmari was delicious¡­ "Tell mom that the rumors are not true. That you don''t have an affair with that male model. How could you cheat on a guy like Jayden Tordoff?!"


    Apple just ncedzily at her mother without saying anything and at this point, she was certain that what she suspected was true regarding the real reason why her mother hade to her.


    She really wanted tough at herself for giving this woman a chance to talk, but at least the cmari was delicious¡­


    Apple then raised her hand and called the waitress who had served them. "I want two to take home," she said with a smile.


    "Apple!" cried her mother in annoyance, but then she looked at the waitress as well. "Add two more to take home but in a different bag," she said.


    Apple could only shake her head; she didn''t know what her father saw in this mother of hers so he could be with her, but then, they never really had a serious rtionship, because Nadia''s pregnancy with Apple was an unintentional ''ident''.


    "You haven''t answered mother''s question," Nadia said firmly as she looked at Apple, who was now munching on her cmari, which was now reduced to a few pieces. "You''re not having an affair with that male model, are you? Like the stupid media say?" Nadia lowered her voice, as if someone would hear what she said, even though it was actually just the two of them, Adrian, and the other bodyguard who was with Adrian here.


    "If the media is really stupid, why do you believe it?" asked Apple in a low voice. She then raised her head to look at her mother. "So you came to me just to make sure I wasn''t cheating on Jayden Tordoff?" she asked.


    Her mother looked a little flustered, but then she scowled, as if Apple had said something that had offended her. "Of course not, I came to you because I missed you and wanted to see you, and also because I wanted to apologize for what I did earlier."


    "Which deed? You don''t even know where you went wrong, but you keep insisting on apologizing," Apple said calmly as she finished thest piece of her cmari.


    "I''m just worried that you will ruin your own life, is that a mistake?" asked Nadia with a slightly changed attitude. She looked at Apple with an annoyed look. "You shouldn''t be around that male model, what if Jayden thinks you''re having an affair with that guy and leaves you?"


    This time Apple actuallyughed when she heard that and leaned over.


    "Jayden knows me a lot better than that, he''s not going to leave me just because of some stupid news from the media that''s nearly bankrupt now."


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 663 I WILL THINK ABOUT THAT

    Chapter 663 I WILL THINK ABOUT THAT¡¡¡¡"I am just worried that you will ruin your own life, is that a mistake?" asked Nadia with a slightly changed attitude. She looked at Apple with an annoyed look.


    Of course, Nadia wouldn''t really object to Apple''s rtionship with Jayden, because what parent would turn down Jayden Tordoff? Well, Pyro had doubts about the man actually...


    But that is because he loves Apple so much more than Jayden, who was basically a guy he had known since childhood too.


    "You shouldn''t be around that male model, what if Jayden thinks you''re having an affair with that guy and leaves you?" And this was the main reason why her mother was so worried that she finally decided to go see Apple, to make sure that their rtionship was okay.


    The opportunity to be the mother-inw of someone like Jayden Tordoff and be a part of the Tordoff family certainly didn''te around every day, did it? And Nadia would make sure that this opportunity did not go to waste.


    Meanwhile, on the other hand, this time Apple actuallyughed when she heard that and leaned over.


    "Jayden knows me much better than that, he is not going to leave me just because of some stupid news from the media that''s nearly bankrupt now." Of course, thepany almost went bankrupt after facing awsuit filed by the Tordoff family''s attorney.


    It was something they should have anticipated from the start. Did they think that just because Apple was close friends with Ivan, she would help him and let that man walk all over her? Oh, of course not¡­


    She didn''t know what the man was doing now and how he was dealing with Rachel and her betrayal, but for sure, in the past two days Veronica, the editor-in-chief of the magazine had been in contact with Apple constantly, asking to meet.


    She was even willing to let Apple decide where or when they could meet.


    Of course, Apple did not respond to any one of her requests. She had a lot of other things to take care oftely.


    Also, although Jayden didn''t say it out loud, Apple knew that his feud with the Gevano family wasn''t over yet and as the days went by, the tension was only getting more and more pronounced.


    Although Jayden tried to cover it up by acting silly.


    "Apple¡­ you can''t keep punishing mom like this," said Nadia sadly. "Are you going to keep ignoring me like you are now?"


    "Punish? When did I punish you?" Apple then nodded at the food in front of her and just at that moment, the waiter came with two bags containing the servings of cmaries for the two of them. "I even paid for your food and your drinks. When did you see me punish you?" After that, Apple asked the young waiter for a bill.


    Nadia looked a little grouchy when she heard this. She didn''t have anything to say, because there really wasn''t anything she could say in a situation like this.


    "If you''re done with what you want to say, I''ll go," Apple said in a tired voice. What was even the real point of this meeting?


    Apple couldn''t say she was upset or happy to see her mother again after so long, because she didn''t feel anything right now.


    "Wait a minute," Nadia said quickly after that, she then immediately stood up and held Apple''s hand, as she was about to leave. "You''re going to invite mom, right, to your wedding?" she asked hopefully. "You may not know this, but you have a younger brother who is seven now."


    Seven year old little brother?!


    Okay¡­ that was news for her!


    It was certain that the surprised expression on her face was very obvious because this made Nadia a little nervous as she hurried to exin, of course, with a dramatic story of her own.


    "After you left, I felt guilty and to save my marriage with your stepfather, we tried to have children, because it felt very lonely when you weren''t home," said Nadia.


    Wow¡­ Apple was really ttered when she heard that. They felt guilty and lonely after she left and instead of looking for her or trying to mend their rtionship, they had a child?


    Great.


    "Thanks for telling me that I have a brother," Apple said in a very sarcastic tone, but this didn''t stop Nadia at all from making the situation much worse for Apple.


    Because after that, she reminded Apple to invite her to her uing marriage to Jayden Tordoff one more time.


    "You''re going to invite me, aren''t you?" her mother asked hopefully, regarding Apple with a sweet smile on her lips. "There''s no way you won''t invite your mother and brother."


    "Younger brother? The little brother I just knew of less than a minute ago? And a mother I just met after ten years of no contact at all?" Apple raised an eyebrow. She then grabbed the stic bag containing her takeout. "I''ll think about it, but don''t expect too much."


    After saying that, she walked out of the cafe and got into the car and drove away.


    Meanwhile Adrian and other bodyguards immediately got into their cars and left too, leaving Nadia who was still sitting at the table.


    =======================


    "Where have you been?" Pyro asked when he saw Apple had juste home with a bag of food.


    On the sofa, Apple could see Pyro and Misha, sitting watching the news and this sight was really strange for Apple, because Misha wasn''t usually soid back.


    Well, he had been acting a little strange the past few days since they hadst seen each other.


    "I went to a cafe nearby and bought this. I tried it earlier and it tasted really good," said Apple as she walked into the kitchen. She took out one of the cmaries she bought earlier and ted it in two tes, which she gave to Pyro and Misha while she ate the other serving.

 Chapter 664 HE IS ALMOST DEAD

    Chapter 664 HE IS ALMOST DEAD¡¡¡¡When she came back, Apple could see Pyro and Misha, sitting and watching the news. This scene was really strange for her, because usually Misha would hurry to the office first thing in the morning and attend to his things.


    He rarely even looked rxed and was always well-dressed, but this time, he didn''t even change his clothes from the ones he wore yesterday and his hair looked really unkept.


    Whatever happened, it seemed like it was a big problem for him, because it bothered him to this extent.


    Apple was really curious about the problem between Misha and the mysterious woman he was dating. Should she ask Jayden to look into the matter?


    Apple shuddered, since when did she be a busybody and interfere with other people''s business, especially when it was a matter that concerned Misha¡­


    This man would be furious if he found out that someone was looking for something he didn''t want to talk about.


    "I went to a cafe nearby and bought this. I tried it earlier and it tasted really good," said Apple as she walked into the kitchen. She took out one of the cmaries she bought earlier and ted it in two tes, which she gave to Pyro and Misha who were still watching the news.


    Meanwhile, Apple started eating the other serving herself. She liked the taste and even though she had eaten one portion earlier, she still wanted to eat it again.


    "Why did you go to the cafe so early?" Pyro asked with a confused face, because there was no reason for Apple to leave and he was feeling a little strange.


    For a moment, Apple was silent, her fork halted in the air with a piece of cmari. She thought for a moment whether she should lie or not, but then she decided to tell the truth.


    Because it was not impossible that her mother woulde to see them again after what she had tried to pull this morning.


    "Mom''s here," Apple said in a calm voice, as if she wasn''t saying anything surprising, then she continued eating again. "Mother came to ask if the news circting about my rtionship with the male model was true."


    Hearing this, Pyro''s face hardened, because he immediately knew what was going on in Nadia''s mind and what the real reason for her to suddenly appear after ten years of not showing up at all to ask about Apple.


    However, what Apple said next really took Pyro by surprise.


    "She has a child with that man," she said. "A seven year old boy."


    "What?!" Pyro turned around and then rolled his wheelchair into the kitchen to have a face-to-face conversation with Apple. "So you have a half-brother now?"


    Apple stopped eating and thought for a moment, before she continued again. "I guess so," she said slowly.


    Pyro raised his eyebrows to find out if his daughter was feeling something or if she was feeling a little sad or upset about it.


    "Then how do you feel now?" Pyro asked again, because he couldn''t read what was really going on in Apple''s mind right now.


    It was just that Apple just shrugged her shoulders as she continued to eat. Even though she had breakfast and had eaten a portion of cmari at the cafe earlier, she was still hungry.


    "I don''t know," Apple replied casually. "I didn''t think about it at all. I don''t feel anything." Apple admitted honestly.


    After all, how could she possibly feel anything when she hadn''t even seen her brother? Or her mother in the past ten years for that matter?


    "Then what did she say?" asked Pyro quickly. He didn''t want Nadia to hurt Apple with her words again, but Apple didn''t seem affected at all after meeting her. She didn''t show any emotion so to speak.


    Apple then told what she talked about with her mother and also her request to be invited to her weddingter.


    "Are you going to invite her?" Pyro asked carefully.


    "I didn''t think about it. Maybe I''ll invite her, maybe not, it makes no difference to me." But then Apple stopped eating and looked at Pyro with a frown. "Dad, what marriage, I didn''t even discuss this with Jayden yet."


    Pyro then shook his head with a worried look on his face. "I just wanted to make sure you knew what your mother might have done."


    Apple stared at Pyro for a moment then nodded before she continued eating again. "Yes, I know, there is no need to worry."


    =========================


    "Jayden, I''m worried about your cousin..." Apple said in a low voice, peering into the living room, where Misha was still watching television.


    He was in that position all day and only moved about when he needed to go to the toilet or to eat, otherwise, he just sat there watching television shows he didn''t usually watch at all.


    Pyro had tried to talk to him, but Misha didn''t want to talk to him at all and even though night had longe and Pyro was asleep, Misha was still in the same position.


    Of course Pyro couldn''t fight the drowsiness, because of the drugs he was taking, but it had been hours since Misha was like a zombie and this was very worrying.


    "When will youe? I have a feeling your cousin needs your help here. Maybe he will talk to you," Apple said again. She peeked at Misha from the slightly ajar door. "Looks like your cousin''s problem is much worse than we thought."


    "I''ll be there in two hours," Jayden said, working on the important documents Misha had left behind.


    Damn¡­ he just realized how much work Misha had to take care of all this time, while the man in the question never seemed bothered at all.


    But, it had only been a day since Misha had given up his duties and Jayden wanted to cry to beg his cousin toe back.


    Well, he would appreciate Misha more after this.


    "Just make sure he will still be breathing when I get there, okay?" Jayden told Apple over the phone.


    "I''ll try, even though it looks like he''s almost dead now..."

 Chapter 665 CALAMARY

    Chapter 665 CALAMARY¡¡¡¡"Just make sure he''s still breathing when I get there, okay?" Jayden told Apple over the phone, checking thest document he had to sign.


    Well, he didn''t want his cousin to die of a broken heart. It didn''t reflect himself at all¡­


    Hearing that, Apple chuckled and replied with very dramatic words. "I''ll try, even though it looks like he''s almost dead right now¡­ you have toe back soon, otherwise we''ll be in trouble here."


    Jaydenughed softly when he heard that. "I''ll take care of this as soon as possible, wait for me there, okay?"


    "Hm," Apple mumbled.


    "I''ll hang up first, I''ll be there in about an hour," Jayden said in a low voice, but then Apple stopped him. "What is it?"


    "Could you please stop by the cafe near my house on your way back here?" asked Apple hesitantly.


    "Hmm? Caf¨¦? Is there anything you want?" Jayden asked curiously. He stopped what he was doing and listened to Apple more attentively.


    Since Apple didn''t usually ask him for something as she usually got it herself, he wanted to listen better when she wanted something, because this didn''t happen every day.


    "Yeah, I want cmari," Apple said.


    "Cmari?" Jayden asked confusedly. Usually, Apple didn''t eat that stuff. "There is a cmari outlet near here. Do you want me to just buy it from there?'''' What Jayden meant by the restaurant near his office was a five-star restaurant, the taste of which was unquestionable.


    Apple thought about it for a moment, but then she shook her head. "No, I want cmari from that cafe only. I went there this morning and their cmari was delicious."


    "Hmm?" Jayden frowned. How nice was that? He was curious. But, since that was what Apple wants, then he wouldn''t question it anymore. "Okay, I''ll buy it for youter on the way home."


    "Okay, hurry home," said Apple.


    Even though Jayden couldn''t see it, he could imagine the smile on the girl''s lips when he heard Apple''s cheerful voice. Never mind cmari, Jaydena would buy anything for Apple if it made her happy.


    "You want me to hurry home because you want to see me or to enjoy the cmari right away?" Jayden teased which made Appleugh.


    "I want you toe home soon so you can deal with Misha, because he is emitting a very gloomy aura right now, somehow I feel the lights in my living room are getting darker than usual¡­" Apple said dramatically.


    "So in other words, you are saying that he made your living room gloomy?" Jayden asked in a low voice, holding back augh.


    "Yeah, kind of..." Apple nced back at Misha who still didn''t move from his ce. He just stared at the television, although Apple was sure that if she changed the television show to flinstone he wouldn''t mind.


    This man was even more difficult if he really didn''t do or say anything¡­


    What exactly happened between him and that mysterious woman? It seemed like a very serious matter.


    =======================


    Jayden bought the cmari that Apple wanted. He bought three servings at a time because it seemed like Apple really wanted this food.


    He looked quite happy because he would soon meet his fianc¨¦e, but when he opened the door, he realized that what Apple said was true after all. The gloomy aura emitting from Misha was really strong and this made Jayden frown as he couldn''t stand this gloomy feeling.


    Ugh!


    What was really wrong with this very capable cousin of his? How could he fall into the abyss of depression to this extent because of a woman? Wasn''t he always the one who pushed women into depression like this?


    People would think that Jayden was the yboy between the two of them, because of his yful attitude and often flirting nature when he talked, of course he did that when he wasn''t with Apple, but actually, Misha was like that.


    His cold and very serious demeanorpletely fooled everyone around them and what was even more annoying was that no one would believe Jayden when he said Misha was that kind of guy...


    But now, was karma biting his ass after all the bad things he had done to those poordies?


    "Misha, don''t you realize that you made the whole house gloomy?" Jayden asked, and put the bag containing the three servings of cmari he bought at the cafe pointed out by Apple on the table, then sat down next to Misha. "What''s wrong my cousin?" he asked in a tired voice.


    Damn. He didn''t know that Misha had so much work to do, now he had to respect his cousin more and make him happy, so he wouldn''t have to spend more days like this.


    "Hey?" Jayden elbowed Misha lightly, but he didn''t say anything. His gaze was still focused on the television in front of him.


    And from inside the room, Apple came out and sat with them, opening a box of cmari. She didn''t say anything and just ate it quietly.


    She also opened the other two boxes, just in case Jayden and Misha wanted them.


    "Would you like a drink?" Jayden asked. "I''ll get you a drink, I asked Adrian to bring you the drink you like this morning."


    "The drink''s in the fridge, behind the blue box," Apple said, guiding Jayden.


    "Okay, I''ll get it for us to drink together," Jayden said, then stood up and walked to the kitchen to get the drink, while Apple approached Misha and stuffed a piece of cmari into his mouth.


    Out of instinct, Misha opened his mouth and ate it, but then he red at Apple.


    "How is it? It''s delicious, isn''t it?" asked Apple with an innocent face, as if she hadn''t done anything wrong.


    There was nothing wrong with what she thought she did.


    Not long after, Jayden returned with the bottle in his hand.


    ================


    THIS BOOK IS PUBLISHED ON WEBNOVEL.


    Meet me on Instagram @jikan_yo_tomare.

 Chapter 666 SHOCKING NEWS

    Chapter 666 SHOCKING NEWS¡¡¡¡"How is it? It''s delicious, isn''t it?" Apple blinked innocently, after she force fed Misha a piece of cmari and asked him how it tasted, as if she hadn''t done anything wrong.


    There was nothing wrong with what she was doing ording to her. After all, Misha had not eaten well since this morning. Therefore, if he decided to be angry, at least he should have the energy to do so.


    Not long after, Jayden returned with the bottle in one hand and two sses in the other, which made Apple frown.


    "Why did you only bring two sses?" asked Apple, because she wanted to taste the drink too. She thought of having a ss this afternoon, but there was no way she could do that because it wasn''t hers.


    Even though she was a bit ignorant of the rules, she wouldn''t drink or eat other people''s things without permission.


    "Who said you could have a drink now?" asked Jayden, who then took a position in the middle, between Misha and Apple, which automatically pushed the girl aside.


    "Why can''t I drink?" protested Apple grumbling, she couldn''t stop eating her cmari. "I want a drink too."


    Jayden then opened the bottle of wine with a corkscrew and poured it into the two sses he had brought, of which he gave one to Misha and when he was about to take the other, Apple tried to snatch the ss.


    Only, Jayden moved faster and brushed her hand away immediately. "I said you can''t drink," he said fiercely.


    "Why?" whined Apple. She scowled. She also wanted a drink. "You said I could drink with you."


    "Taking care of Misha in this condition alone is hard enough, imagine if I have to take care of you too." They both knew how fucked up it could get when Apple drank.


    Although Apple might not drink to the point of getting drunk, wasn''t it better to be safe than sorry?


    Jayden would be the next man to lose his mind if it came to taking care of Apple too tonight.


    Not to mention coupled with the work that he had to deal with all day, Jayden would not be able to take care of the two of them.


    Jayden couldn''t even imagine the two of them getting drunk and having a fight like yesterday¡­ ugh! Jayden didn''t need that extra work.


    "I''m not a kid to be taken care of." Misha grumbled and then downed his drink and poured himself some more.


    "Now you eat it in peace, okay," Jayden said, and stuffed another box in Apple''s hands, taking away the box in herp that was almost empty now.


    How could she eat so much in such a short time?


    Apple grumbled, but then she didn''t argue with what Jayden said. She just kept quiet and ate silently.


    "So?" Jayden asked Misha. He turned around so he could face his cousin. "What happened to you to the point you are giving off such a gloomy aura?" Jayden asked impatiently.


    Misha was silent for a moment, downed his ss until it was empty and then shook his head. He then refilled his empty ss and leaned back against the back of the sofa, his eyes still focused on the television program.


    "I''m fine," he finally said.


    Of course Jayden didn''t believe that, he didn''t wait patiently for Misha to do all the work just to finally get a half hearted ''I am alright'' answer.


    "It was clear something happened to you," Jayden said, taking a sip of his drink as well. "Now tell me what''s wrong?"


    Misha fell silent again, but then shook his head and this made Jayden sigh deeply. He leaned back against the back of the sofa, while Apple passed a piece of cmari to him as well as to Misha.


    She fed them both because they were both too busy with the problems in their heads and the drinks in their hands.


    "You always talk so little like this, even when you were a kid, you didn''t talk much at all," Jayden said, staring at the television screen and munching on the cmari that Apple fed him. "But, at least you said something if something bothered you."


    "Hm," Misha mumbled.


    "Is it really hard to say this time?" Jayden nced at Misha for a moment, to gauge his reaction.


    "Hm," Misha mumbled again and this time epted the piece of cmari that Apple fed him without frowning.


    "Is it so heavy that you can''t say it?" Jayden asked again. "I can find out what the problem is if you can''t say it because it''s too heavy, so you want me to find out myself?"


    "I don''t know," Misha replied in a deep voice. "I don''t know if this should be said or not," he said in a tired voice. He then drank his drink again before pouring some more wine into his empty ss again.


    "So you''re not going to say it or do you need a little more time?" Jayden asked.


    "I don''t know," Misha replied, shaking his head. He then received another piece of cmari from Apple.


    "Hey, you already gave him two pieces and only gave me one," Jayden protested to Apple.


    "I have a child," said Misha suddenly.


    For a moment, there was silence surrounding the statement even though the television show was still going on, but for Jayden and Apple, they couldn''t hear anything after the shock they felt when Misha admitted this.


    "What?" Jayden stammered. He didn''t know what to say in response to this news or what response he should give. "Can you say that again? I don''t think I heard thest part."


    Apple then grabbed the television remote and turned off the television show to be able to hear more clearly what Misha had just said.


    "Say it again, you have a child?" Jayden repeated the words that made him unable to believe what he just heard.


    And this time, Misha tilted his head and looked Jayden straight into his eyes while saying very seriously.


    "I have a daughter."

 Chapter 667 THREE YEARS OLD

    Chapter 667 THREE YEARS OLD¡¡¡¡"Say it again, you have a child?" Jayden repeated the words that made him unable to believe what he had just heard.


    Jayden and Apple looked at Misha with serious faces, because as they expected, this was a serious matter. What they didn''t expect was that this would involve a small child.


    On the other hand, this time, Misha tilted his head and looked Jayden straight into his eyes while saying very seriously. His eyes were so focused on Jayden that his cousin felt his heartbeat stutter. He felt that Misha would hit him the next second.


    Fortunately, he did not. He just repeated the words he had said earlier.


    "I have a daughter," Misha said with an unreadable expression on his face. He then nced at Apple who was clearly as surprised as Jayden before leaning back against the sofa again and closed his eyes, letting them absorb the news.


    Jayden opened his mouth and closed it back, not knowing what to say, while Apple too fell silent, saying nothing. She was afraid to say the wrong thing and make things worse.


    At least, Jayden knew Misha better than she did.


    It was just that this silence was so heavy and Apple felt a little stupid for turning off the television earlier. Because now, the atmosphere was a little awkward, as no one was talking.


    "I want some more cmari," Misha said, still closing his eyes. Apple leaned in toply, however, Jayden already reached for thest box of cmari and stuffed a piece of cmari into Misha''s mouth before Apple could do it.


    "Hey, I don''t know how to respond to this news and I don''t know if I should congratte you or not," Jayden said honestly, continuing to stuff the cmari into Misha''s mouth every time he stopped chewing.


    "Do you want the baby?" asked Apple carefully, she peeked over Jayden''s shoulder and looked at Misha''s face who seemed to be very troubled.


    Misha then opened his eyes and nced at Apple which made her back away, because Misha''s gaze was so sharp. Jayden then leaned forward to block his cousin''s gaze on Apple.


    Misha didn''t mean to scare Apple or act mean to her. He was just so flustered that he couldn''t control his facial expressions or how he looked at someone.


    "My daughter is already three years old," said Misha quite calmly.


    Three years?!


    Jayden and Apple again widened their eyes when they heard that confession. The two of them looked at each other and were at a loss for words in response to this news.


    And the thick silence came back between them again.


    "Are you sure it''s your daughter? Have you done a DNA check?" Jayden asked, he just wanted to make sure of this. He could imagine the reaction of Lexus and his wife if they found out that they had a grandchild. One could even say they would both have the same reaction as his mother.


    But, before telling something as important as this, of course they had to make sure of thngs first. This was a serious problem.


    "Not yet," replied Misha.


    "So you were just told it was yours without getting any evidence?" Jayden asked again.


    Misha then opened his eyes and looked at Jayden, while Apple peeked over his shoulder.


    "She didn''t want me to do a DNA check nor did she tell me it was my child."


    And that answer made Jayden and Apple frown in confusion. "Then how did you know it was yours?" asked Apple curiously.


    Because from what Misha said, this sounded very strange.


    "Because she looks a lot like me," Misha said with a deep breath.


    "You can''t say a child is your child just because she looks like you," Jayden said exasperatedly. He wanted to hit Misha in the head, to wake him up, but there was no way he could do that now.


    On the other hand, Misha then reached into his pants'' pocket and took his cellphone out. He opened the photo gallery and showed a photo of a three year old little girl on his cellphone.


    He gave the phone to Jayden and Apple for them to look at and only then did they both realize what Misha meant.


    "Impossible¡­" Jayden muttered under his breath, even Apple was thinking the same thing.


    The resemnce between the two of them is undeniable. This little girl really had a very simr face to Misha, even the eyes, nose, mouth, face shape, all very simr to Misha.


    This little girl was like a photo of Misha as a child, only in a female version.


    Of course, it was Jayden who was more surprised because he had seen many photos of his cousin as a child and could be ny percent certain that this little girl was his niece.


    Damn. The Tordoff''s gen was not a joke.


    How could this girl be so simr to Misha? If he had a little girl, would she also look like himself like this?


    "She looks a lot like you¡­" Jayden acknowledged this, then shook his head. "If your DNA test results don''t match, then I will be very confused."


    Misha sighed.


    "Then what happened? You don''t want this little girl?" Jayden asked again, he then narrowed his eyes and growled at his cousin. "Don''t tell me you''re going to be a deadbeat father to her, I''m really going to beat you up right now."


    Misha nced at Jayden with tired eyes. "You think my problem is that easy?" he asked.


    "So what? You don''t want to recognize this little girl?" Jayden asked again. He was annoyed when Misha spoke only in bits and pieces like this and didn''t finish his sentence clearly.


    "Of course, I admit that it''s my child, I insist that it''s my child, even though the woman is very insistent that I''m not her father," Misha said annoyed. "My daughter cries when I carry her."


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 668 FUTURE PLANS

    Chapter 668 FUTURE PLANS¡¡¡¡"Of course I admit that it''s my child. In fact, I insist that it''s mine, even though the woman is very insistent that I''m not the father," said Misha, annoyed. He wasn''t really upset with the woman, because he could understand what he was like back then and it was an undeniable fact that he was such an asshole. If he was in her shoes, he wouldn''t want to see him again either.


    "Why doesn''t that woman want you to be the father of her child?" asked Apple in a low voice. There must be a very strong reason to make the woman refuse to have a rtionship with Misha.


    Apple became more and more curious. How shitty Misha had been in the past and what bad things he had done to make the woman refuse to acknowledge Misha as the father of their child?


    Well, if there were women who had children of the Tordoff family, they would not cover it up. It was certain that they woulde forward even when the baby was still in the womb.


    Misha sighed in annoyance. "Because I did something stupid the first time I met her."


    As expected¡­ Apple thought to herself, but of course she wasn''t going to voice her opinion at a time like this.


    Misha then looked into the distance. "My daughter cries when I carry her." And this was what kept haunting him. He was far devastated when he saw his little daughter cry when he was about to approach her, rather than getting rejected by that woman. He felt himself to have be the worst human being in the world.


    "Because she doesn''t know you," Apple said. "She''s definitely not used to you, that''s why she''s like that, but after she gets to know you and gets used to your presence, she will also warm up to you over time."


    Apple tried to cheer him up as best she could. She felt sorry for the little girl because she had an unpleasant childhood too.


    "How do I make friends with a child?" Misha scowled. He then looked at Apple with questioning eyes. He really wanted to know.


    "You just have to talk to her¡­" said Apple, she wasn''t very experienced with small children either.


    "What do I have to say to a three year old little girl?" Misha frowned even more and stared intently at Apple, waiting for an answer from her. "She knows nothing."


    "Well, you can ask her what kind of food she likes," Apple suggested to him.


    But then, the three of them imagined Misha sitting next to a cute three year old little girl and asking her what kind of food she liked, but then they could imagine what would happen next, that little girl would cry unceremoniously.


    "What kind of question is that?" Misha frowned. "Isn''t there a more usible question?"


    "What goes through your mind when you talk to a three year old little girl?" Apple became curious about this. "Perhaps you can think of something more appealing to her?"


    Misha thought about it for a moment. "A question that catches the attention of a three-year-old child?" Misha mumbled to himself. He frowned, thinking hard. Was there any question that would interest a three year old little girl? "What are your future ns?"


    Apple and Jayden''s jaw dropped when they heard this¡­


    Yikes! What? What are your future ns?


    Who would ask a three year old that question? How interesting was Jayden''s cousin...


    "Dude¡­ her future ns must be how to get as many choctes and sweets as possible and eat them without her mother finding out," Jayden said in an almost desperate voice. How could Misha think of such a question to ask a three year old?


    "Hmm? I can arrange that to happen¡­" Misha mumbled. He really took Jayden''s words seriously and really thought about it.


    However, Jayden then hit Misha on the back of the head lightly, trying to wake his cousin up because that wasn''t the main point of his words. Maybe Misha drank too much? Was he still drunk now?


    "That''s not what I just meant," said Jayden with a sigh because Misha really lost it. "You want to make your child sick by eating too much chocte and candy? After all, what is the question again? Who would be thinking about their future when they were just three years old?" Jayden asked in a tired tone of voice.


    "I think, I thought of my future n when I was at that age," Misha muttered thoughtfully.


    "Not all kids are as weird as you, my cousin," said Jayden, who then ate the portion of cmari on hisp.


    "So, what''s this little girl''s name?" asked Apple after silence fell over them again. And she could see Misha''s eyes lit up a little when she asked that. There was even a slight smile on the corners of his lips when he said the name of the little girl.


    "Her name is Mika," he answered softly. A hint of pride and affection, that you could very rarely see on his otherwise cold face was clearly evident in his voice, when he mentioned that name. "She has curly hair and brown eyes and when she cries her nose and cheeks turn red. She is quiet, but she always pays attention to her surroundings."


    Jayden nced at his cousin and felt he couldn''t recognize who was speaking softly like that, but Jayden was happy that his cousin had turned into this due to having an unexpected child. Who knows? Maybe he will be like that too when he bes a father.


    Without her noticing, he looked down at Apple''s t stomach and her generous portion. "Have you had dinner?" he asked. "You finished two servings of cmari alone."


    "I had my dinner," Apple said casually as she took the remaining portion of Jayden''s cmari. "Besides, I didn''t eat two servings. I fed you both, remember?" Apple defended herself, but this only made Jayden frown, staring at her intently.


    "Well, two servings now," he said when Apple took his share.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 669 A CHILD WITH HER

    Chapter 669 A CHILD WITH HER¡¡¡¡"I am having dinner," Apple said casually as she took the portion of cmari from Jayden''sp of which there was still half left. "Besides, I didn''t eat two servings. I fed you both, remember?" Apple defended herself, but this only made Jayden frown, staring at her intently.


    "Well, it''s two servings now," he said as Apple scooped up his portion of cmari and pushed aside the empty box she had ''swept clean''.


    "Why? Do you mind?" asked Apple with a sharp look on her face. She waited to hear what Jayden would say about this, but the man leaned his body over and kissed her cheek gently instead.


    "It''s okay you can eat as much as you want, I''ll buy you some moreter if you still want to eat the cmari," Jayden said in a cheerful voice, but he kept his eyes on Apple and stared intently at how she enjoyed her meal.


    The three of them finally talked for a few more moments and it wasn''t until after midnight that Apple went to her room first because she was already sleepy and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.


    "So, when are you going to do that paternity test?" Jayden asked, opening a new bottle for the two of them.


    "She still doesn''t want Mika to be tested," Misha said. "I can force her to do that¡­" he mumbled again.


    "Are you sure you want to force her to do that? She could really hate you if you did that." Jayden said this quietly, trying to get Misha to understand the problem here.


    "Yeah," Misha groaned. He then leaned back and closed his eyes tightly. "This is fucked up¡­"


    Jayden can only sympathize with his cousin because if that woman didn''t even want Misha to be in her child''s life, then what his cousin was doing was a very, very bad thing.


    "What exactly did you do to that woman that she was hating you with passion?" Jayden was curious about this.


    On the other hand, Misha did not immediately answer the question. He was silent for a moment and opened his eyes to stare thoughtfully at the ceiling, but he didn''t say anything.


    So, Jayden waited, hoping he would say something, but as it turned out, Misha just finished his drink and immediately stood up and went into Pyro''s room to sleep.


    What?


    Jayden scowled. He waited long enough to hear his answer, but he just left him to go into the room just like that?


    Jayden felt really annoyed with his cousin but then, he thought deeply. What was it like to be a father?


    His eyes then turned to the closed door of Apple''s room, he then spun the ss in his hand and thought for a moment about this. And a momentter, the corners of his lips curved into a sweet smile as he imagined a little creature that looked like himself and Apple¡­


    And after that, Jayden walked into Apple''s room, to find the girl had curled up and was fast asleep. She didn''t even care about her surroundings anymore and just fell asleep like that.


    Slowly, Jayden walked closer to Apple andid down beside her. He pulled her body closer and she turned around to hug him back.


    Apple''s body felt very soft and warm in his arms and this helped Jayden to sleep faster.


    Maybe it was due to the alcohol, but he felt very calm and peaceful when he had this girl in his arms.


    "I love you, Apple¡­" he squeezed her body a little bit tighter and got a cute mumbling sound from her in response.


    And so they slept until morning came.


    =======================


    Rachel really couldn''t reach Ivan and she felt like she was going to go crazy at this rate.


    She had no idea what was wrong with Ivan and what had happened between the two of them. Weren''t they still fine thest time he called her? Then what happened now?


    Rachel again tried to call Ivan, but his phone number could not be reached. She also tried to go to Ivan''s apartment, but he had changed his password and he wasn''t there.


    Rachel had confirmed that. The car wasn''t even there.


    So why had Ivan avoided her for days and why didn''t he contact her even for once? What did he know? Did he finally realize that Rachel had been cheating on him?


    Rachel tugged at her hair roughly because of the frustration she was feeling. She didn''t understand what else she should do now.


    "Damn it!" She then threw her cell phone across the room and threw her body on the mattress hard. She felt she wanted to hit someone and vent her frustration on someone, but on whom? Even now, Derek was nowhere to be seen.


    Rachel tried to calm herself down, but that was hard to do when all she wanted was to get angry, but didn''t have the right target.


    And when she was silent for a moment, Rachel then remembered something. She then immediately got up from her bed and took back the cellphone she had thrown.


    Luckily, the phone wasn''t damaged at all and she quickly searched dys'' social media. The girl liked to party and was very active on social media, so it was very easy to find her whereabouts now.


    And after a while of investigating dys'' current location, Rachel realized where the girl was and immediately changed clothes to join dys'' party.


    This might not be a good idea, but Rachel wanted to have someone beside her now.


    Therefore she immediately rushed to clean her body and quickly got dressed, applied her make up and immediately ran out of her apartment to meet dys.


    And Derek? The man had been unreachable for days and just like Ivan, he had also turned off his cell phone and now, Rachel had absolutely no idea where Derek was.


    He could have died somewhere without anyone knowing...

 Chapter 670 DONT WASTE OUR TIME

    Chapter 670 DON''T WASTE OUR TIME¡¡¡¡It was getting dark when Rachel walked into one of the fancy restaurants in town A, which dys used to go to together with her friends and it was easy to spot their location because they had posted it online.


    What made Rachel feel strange was; she wasn''t invited to this party at all, although one could say she was also a member of dys'' close circle of friends, or at least, that was what she thought.


    She didn''t think at all that there was any possibility for dys to have found out about her rtionship with Derek and that was why almost all of her friends shunned her.


    She was still under the impression that they just forgot to invite her to their parties and there was nothing unusual about it. After all, she wasn''t kicked out of their group chat, like what happened with Derek.


    Therefore, Rachel dared toe and meet dys. However, she was not allowed to enter, because the special room where dys and her five friends gathered was the VIP room and Rachel was not listed as an invited guest.


    "You can call dys, she''ll tell you that I''m her friend too," Rachel said adamantly because she didn''t want to go home now that she had driven all the way to this ce.


    "If you are indeed a friend of Ms. Tordoff, you can call her yourself and let her know you''re out so she can call the lobby to let us know," the hostess said politely to Rachel. "Because all the guests of Ms. Tordoff have already arrived and there are no reports of additional guests," the hostess exined to Rachel.


    However, Rachel didn''t agree to that and insisted that they must send someone to tell dys that her friend was waiting outside.


    "No, you have to tell her I''m here!" she cried in annoyance. She looked at the hostess as if she was very stupid and deaf for not listening to her words.


    And in the end, after some back and forth, they agreed to send someone to check this out. To ask if she was a friend of dys Tordoff.


    With that, a triumphant smile could be seen on Rachel''s face, however, that smile didn''tst long as the person sent came back and said that dys didn''t know Rachel at all.


    "Not only Ms. Tordoff, but also the other five friends don''t know you at all," said the waitress with a frown on her face because she had to ask this and disturb Ms. Tordoff. She didn''t want to anger the bigshots just because of this and let her tips money be snipped off. Then that would be a real pain in the ass.


    "No way," Rachel muttered. She then tried to dial dys''s number, but she didn''t pick up. "Let me ask her myself," Rachel said, annoyed. She tried to enter, but there were two guards who forbade her to even step inside and stood right in front of her with very fierce eyes.


    "You better leave and don''t make a fuss, otherwise we''ll have to cklist you from this ce," said the hostess in a stern tone. She then pointed at the door with a polite gesture. "Please go away, or else you will only embarrass yourself."


    Hearing this, Rachel growled in annoyance, but she didn''t fight back when someone led her away from there.


    It was only when she was outside the restaurant and seeing how they were treating her, that the thought of the possibility of dys knowing this came to her and this made her curse again, very annoyed.


    It shouldn''t have ended like this. All her ns should go well. But, why was she in this position now?


    All of this happened because of Derek''s ignorance who was not careful enough in hiding their affair.


    To this day, Rachel still thought that dys didn''t know who Derek had been having an affair with.


    =======================


    Apple kept getting calls from numbers she didn''t recognize and this was so annoying. She was just about to leave her house when she overheard Adrian talking to someone on the phone.


    At first, Apple didn''t want to eavesdrop on this conversation, but since she heard about the delivery, which reminded her of Jayden''s n to ambush the Gevano family, she couldn''t bring herself to step away and decided to listen to Adrian''s conversation.


    Adrian was right in front of the front door, but he had his back to it, so he didn''t realize that Apple had been listening to most of his conversation, until someone gave him the signal to turn around and he found Apple standing behind him with her arms crossed over her chest and thinking hard.


    "I''ll call youter," said Adrian, who hastily hung up the phone in a hurry. "Is there anything I can help you with?" asked Adrian trying to stay calm, even though his heart was beating fast, because he knew he had fucked up.


    This n wasn''t supposed to be known to Apple, but she heard almost all of the n.


    "Shouldn''t I be the one asking that?" Apple asked Adrian. "Why wasn''t I told about Jayden''s n?" asked Apple curiously.


    She had asked Jayden many times about this, but Jayden always easily brushed it off and said that he was still working on the n, but now, she just found out that the n would be implemented tomorrow.


    "Oh, I don''t know what you''re talking about," Adrian said innocently, but of course Apple didn''t buy that.


    "You know exactly what I''m talking about. Do you know why Jayden didn''t involve me in this?" asked Apple with a very fierce look.


    "I don''t know about that¡­" Adrian muttered nervously.


    "We both know you''re lying, Adrian. Let''s not waste our time," Apple said in a voice that sounded very cold, as if she could see right through Adrian''s soul. "What has Jayden nned for Gevano?"


    "Apple¡­ look¡­" Adrian tried to exin.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 671 MY LOVELY FIANCE

    Chapter 671 MY LOVELY FIANCE¡¡¡¡Apple was surprised when she overheard Adrian''s conversation with someone on the phone who said they had prepared everything for an ambush mission involving the Gevano family tomorrow.


    Apple had asked about this a number of times, but Jayden always brushed it off and said she didn''t have to think about it.


    Therefore, Apple did not expect them to make a move tomorrow.


    "We both know you''re lying, Adrian. Let''s not waste our time and tell me the truth," Apple said in a voice that sounded very cold, as if she could see right through Adrian''s soul and it gave off the same vibe he felt whenever he pissed off Jayden Tordoff.


    This must be because Jayden had rubbed his scary vibe on her.


    "What has Jayden nned for Gevano?" Apple demanded an answer from Adrian regarding this and she would not drop the topic until Adrian answered her.


    "Apple¡­ look¡­" Adrian tried to exin, while his brain was working hard to get him to avoid this question, but he couldn''t find a good reason for himself to convince Apple not to pursue this matter.


    "I am listening, what do you want to say now?" asked Apple, who then leaned against the wall and folded her arms across her chest. "So?"


    And in the end, Adrian gave up and bowed his head defeatedly because he didn''t know what to say to Apple now. He felt very ufortable telling her this.


    "Look, you shouldn''t know about this n," he said.


    "I figured that out already," Apple replied.


    "Mr. Tordoff has his reasons for not wanting to tell you about this n."


    "I can imagine what would be the reason." Apple nodded. She knew that Jayden''s reason for not telling her was for her own safety. But, wasn''t she there when Jayden carried out the raid on the Harbor a while ago?


    Damn! He even left her alone on the ship!


    "Therefore, if you want to know this in more detail, you should ask Mr. Tordoff, because I can''t tell you." Adrian grimaced as he said this. "But, you shouldn''t know this."


    "Well, you should have been more careful if it''s a secret," Apple said as she walked out of the house.


    "I was careful, you were eavesdropping on my phone call," Adrian protested. "Where are you going?" asked Adrian when he saw Apple walking toward the gate and about to leave the house. Where else was this woman going?


    "You said I should ask Jayden this directly, so that''s what I am going to do," Apple said lightly. She then walked to the car and asked one of the bodyguards for the keys.


    "You will get me fired if Jayden finds out you found out about this n from me," Adrian grumbled. He then got in the car too, but sat in the passenger seat next to Apple.


    "Don''t worry, you are not going to get fired," Apple said casually, then she pulled out her phone and called Jayden.


    "How can you be so sure of that?" asked Adrian with a frown, he then put on the seatbelt.


    "Of course because he loves me," replied Apple dramatically and this made Adrian frown, showing an expression that clearly said he didn''t like the way Apple was talking.


    "You are not cut out for talking so sweetly like that, you make me cringey," he grumbled.


    However, Apple did not respond to this because Jayden had picked up the call.


    "Yes, my lovely fiancee?" said Jayden and this made Adrian feel like crawling out of the car right away.


    Apple raised an eyebrow, even though Jayden had called her many times with endearment words like this, she still couldn''t understand how he could call her such a tacky nickname without shame. "You are still in the office, aren''t you? I will be there."


    "Yeah, I am still in the office," Jayden said. "I will be home in about two hours, do you want me to bring you some more cmari?" Jayden asked. It had be a routine for Jayden to bring her the cmari because it seemed Apple really enjoyed that particr dish.


    "No need, I''ll buy it myself, I''lle to your office," Apple said as she started the car engine.


    "Hmm?" Jayden mumbled. "You miss me so much that you want toe over to my office?" he asked again and this made Apple close her eyes for a moment.


    Well, she must praise Jayden''s level of confidence...


    "Yeah, you could say that," Apple said to Jayden''s delight and even through the phone call, Apple could sense that the man was smiling happily now.


    "You are going to bring me cmari?" Jayden asked and this made Appleugh.


    "Yes, I''ll bring you cmari."


    ========================


    Some staff who were still in the office looked surprised when they saw Apple there. They didn''t expect Apple toe here while rumors about the rtionship between Apple and the male model were still circting out there.


    And this was the first time for Apple to appear in public after the rumors came out.


    Some eyes stared at her covertly but some were openly staring at her. They watched Apple''s every move, especially since she wasn''t wearing any fancy or extravagant clothes, because she hadn''t nned toe to this office in the first ce.


    Apple only wore a white t-shirt and jeans, she didn''t even carry a bag and only brought her cellphone.


    And when she got into the elevator, there were two employees who also went in with her.


    Apple tried to ignore them and act casual, carrying a bag of two servings of cmari in her hand.


    But, when Apple reached Jayden''s floor and the elevator doors opened, she could see the man was waiting for her with a grin.


    "How do you know that I''ve arrived?" asked Apple who walked straight to Jayden.


    "That''s what CCTV is for," Jayden replied casually.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 672 I AM SORRY

    Chapter 672 I AM SORRY¡¡¡¡When Apple reached Jayden''s floor and the elevator doors opened, she could see the man was waiting for her with a grin.


    Jayden then approached Apple with a sweet smile, as if he had been waiting solely for her to make an appearance. Of course, this made Apple blush a little, because in the elevator it was not just herself. While the two women behind her, became a little embarrassed seeing their boss being so sweet.


    "How do you know I''ve arrived?" asked Apple, who walked straight to Jayden.


    The first thing that crossed Apple''s mind was; Adrian had told Jayden about it and that was why Jayden could tell quickly that she was in the building and had arrived.


    It was just that her guess was wrong...


    "That''s what surveince cameras are for," Jayden replied casually, then he took the carry bag containing two boxes of cmari and wrapped his other hand around Apple''s shoulder, letting the girl stare at him with wide-eyed wonder.


    How could he do that? That was another level of stalking¡­


    "You''ve been watching me on CCTV cameras since I walked into the building?" asked Apple in disbelief.


    "Yes," Jayden answered proudly, there was no doubt or guilt in his voice, as if it was something to be proud of.


    "You know it''s creepy, you''re like a stalker," Apple grumbled as she lightly pped Jayden''s arm and the manughed. "You really are like a stalker now."


    "How can you call me a stalker when you willingly entered the office building and came looking for me yourself?" Jayden asked, which made Apple frown.


    Well, indeed Jayden couldn''t be called a stalker if he put it like that, but of course this didn''t make Apple any happier. She frowned, looking annoyed because she couldn''t retort Jayden.


    "You look so cute when you frown like that," said Jayden who then kissed Apple''s head suddenly in front of his employees.


    This was something this guy did often, he would kiss Apple''s forehead or cheek when he wanted, no matter where it was. He would just do it spontaneously.


    Apple actually liked Jayden''s sudden affectionate attitude, but shouldn''t he have held back more in front of his employees?


    "Stop that, a lot of people are watching," Apple whispered softly, but she got another peck on the cheek in return.


    "Why? I kissed my fianc¨¦e, my woman, what''s their problem?" Jayden asked, then he opened the door to his office for Apple, letting the woman in first and closing the door after he told the secretary he didn''t want to be disturbed.


    Of course, if he had Apple with him, why would he want to be bothered by anyone else? He was too busy paying attention to this woman¡­


    And when Jayden finally came into the room, he found Apple standing in the middle of the room looking at him seriously. Her arms were folded across her chest and she clenched her jaw, indicating she was holding back her emotions from exploding.


    "I think I am in trouble¡­" Jayden said quietly as he walked over to Apple, who was still nowhere near calm. "May I know my mistake this time?" he asked carefully, he then stood in front of the woman, bowing his head because Apple''s head only reached his shoulders.


    Damn. How could such a small girl look so fierce and sometimes so intimidating until Jayden was speechless when ites to dealing with her?


    "Yes, you are in deep trouble, Mr. Tordoff," said Apple and Jayden was sure he had guessed the right thing.


    "May I know what my offense is, ma''am?" Jayden asked carefully. He stepped over to Apple and now his body towered over the girl and could be said to be quite intimidating.


    However, the problem here was; Apple wasn''t intimidated at all. She gave off an aura of her own, which made Jayden believe that this woman wouldn''t flinch even when she had a gun pointed to her head.


    She is very stubborn.


    "You''ve been nning something about the Gevano family, haven''t you?" Apple cut straight to the point of the matter. "You''re going to put the n into action tomorrow, aren''t you?"


    Because Apple was right beside Adrian and she threatened the poor bodyguard not to tell Jayden, Adrian didn''t say anything to Jayden.


    He couldn''t tell Jayden because Apple could be terrifying when she was angry.


    "Oh, that..." Jayden stammered, he scratched his non-itchy head and Apple could see how Jayden was trying to use his clever brain to find the right excuse to get himself out of this trouble.


    "So, what''s your excuse this time?" asked Apple. Her piercing eyes stared at Jayden impatiently. Even though she was much shorter and smaller than the man before her, for now, Apple was far more intimidating than Jayden.


    "That¡­" Jayden tried toe up with a good excuse, but he knew from the start that he wouldn''t be able to lie to his fianc¨¦e. "Who told you?"


    And since he couldn''t lie, he tried other ways to get him out of this trouble.


    "No need to know who told me," Apple said in a very calm voice, but her face was very serious. "Just tell me, why did you lie to me? So we started this rtionship on a lie?"


    Jayden grimaced. From the way Apple put it, he felt really bad. Starting a rtionship on a lie? Well, no matter how Jayden put it, it sounded really bad and he couldn''t help but admit that he was wrong for lying.


    "I''m sorry," Jayden said quietly. "I didn''t mean to lie to you. I just don''t want you on this mission," Jayden exined.


    And this exnation was already within Apple''s expectations from the start. She knew that the reason Jayden didn''t include her must be because of this.


    "I took part in the first mission, why do you think I can''t participate in this mission?"


    "Because things are different now."


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 673 YOU ARE LATE

    Chapter 673 YOU ARE LATE¡¡¡¡"I am sorry," Jayden said quietly. He really felt guilty, especially after he heard how Apple viewed this situation, of course he didn''t mean to hurt her like that. "I didn''t mean to lie to you. I just don''t want you on this mission," Jayden exined from his own point of view.


    And this exnation was already within Apple''s expectations from the start. She knew that the reason Jayden didn''t include her must be because of this. However, she still couldn''t understand why she wasn''t allowed to go now...


    "I took part in the first mission, why do you think I can''t participate in this mission?" Apple asked in a demanding voice. She had proven herself that she was capable of carrying out the missions that Jayden had given her before, so what had changed now?


    Jayden frowned, as if he was deep in thought about this, but then he answered quite quietly. His voice was barely audible. "Because things are different now."


    Apple drew closer to him again, so there was no distance between them. "What''s different now?" Apple started to feel pain in her neck because she had to keep looking up. Ugh. Why is this man so tall?


    Jayden didn''t seem to give a direct answer to this, he seemed to be deep in thought, as he looked at the woman in front of him and the cmari bag in his hand felt heavy.


    "Why?" Apple insisted. She could see that Jayden seemed to be having a hard time finding an excuse. Apple thought, couldn''t Jayden just tell her he was worried? But, why did he look troubled this time?


    Especially when he started fidgeting around and this made Apple even more worried about the excuses she was about to hear, because Jayden wasn''t usually like this.


    "What is it?" asked Apple. "Why are you getting restless like that?" She frowned when she saw Jayden''s movements. "Tell me, is there a problem?"


    "I know this sounds crazy," Jayden said, not even expecting himself to think this far. Misha must have influenced him so that he was thinking too much now. "Come here."


    Jayden then took Apple''s hand and let her sit on the sofa, he then put the cmari bag on the table, and went to his desk.


    And all of Jayden''s behavior made Apple ufortable. She looked at the man with a frown on her forehead.


    What really happened to Jayden? Why was he acting so weird?


    "Jayden, you''re worrying me," Apple said. She then turned her body to look at Jayden who was taking something from his desk drawer. It must be very small, because Apple couldn''t see what it was. "Tell me, what''s wrong?"


    Jayden then put the small object in his trouser pocket and walked back to Apple again.


    But this time, his face was slightly twisted. He looked very ufortable with what he was going to say next and this made Apple panic too.


    Especially when Jayden knelt before her, holding her hand.


    "Did you forget that you already proposed to me?" asked Apple, because Jayden''s vibe seemed to indicate that he was going to propose to Apple. Especially with his body position like this. "I didn''t know you would propose to me again."


    Hearing this, Jaydenughed a little, he shook his head. "No, I will not propose to you again, because the next step is to marry you." Jayden then took a deep breath and looked Apple right in the eye as he again said. "Would you like to try this?"


    "This?" Apple''s frown deepened when she heard that. "What do you mean by this?" she asked worriedly. The first image that came to Apple''s mind was; Jayden had just watched porn and he wanted to try something out of the ordinary with her.


    But, as far as Apple knew, Jayden wouldn''t watch any of those films.


    "First, you promise not tough or take this in a non-serious manner," Jayden said, his tone very serious and this made Apple think more quickly about what Jayden wanted her to do.


    "Yeah, I promise, just tell me what is it?" urged Apple impatiently.


    And the next thing Jayden did made Apple gasp. She hoped Jayden would watch those movies and ask her to re-enact one of those scenes because what she saw next made Apple hold her breath with a frightened face.


    "I want you to try this," Jayden said as he pulled out the little thing Apple had seen him put in his pocket earlier. Now, in the man''s hands, Apple could see two unopened small rectangr sachets.


    "What do you mean?" asked Apple, her throat feeling very dry and her mind racing, she then started to remember thest time she had her period.


    And the answer she got made her curse at herself.


    No. No, no¡­ there must be a mistake¡­


    Only, Apple was neverte by days as far as she knew. She had a fixed date for each of her monthly periods.


    And this realization left her quite panicked.


    "No way..." Apple whispered as Jayden ced the two objects in her hand, somehow they felt so heavy and made her wince. "But, you always wear protection¡­"


    Apple could feel her face heat up when she said that. She looked at Jayden carefully and the man looked much calmer after saying that.


    "Yeah, but not when we first did it¡­" Jayden reminded her of that. They were both very drunk at the time and couldn''t think straight.


    Oh, right!


    Apple then hit Jayden''s arm, who hissed but didn''t say anything. She stared at the man with a look of horror in her eyes.


    "Try it first," Jayden said, rubbing Apple''s arm, trying to calm his panicked woman. "It''s possible that my prediction was wrong."


    "How did youe to this conclusion?" asked Apple.


    "You''re almost two weekste now," Jayden said lightly.


    "You noticed that?!" Apple was surprised.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 674 WE WILL SEE A DOCTOR

    Chapter 674 WE WILL SEE A DOCTOR¡¡¡¡"How did youe to this conclusion?" asked Apple, her voice sounding very low, as if she was whispering when she asked this, because she didn''t think Jayden woulde to such a conclusion.


    Jayden grimaced as he answered this. "You''re almost two weekste now," Jayden said lightly. He tried to make this situation less awkward, so as not to put unnecessary pressure on Apple.


    "You noticed that?!" Apple was shocked when she heard Jayden''s exnation. How could he even pay attention to that? Apple didn''t think so at all.


    "Of course I noticed," Jayden muttered, he always wanted Apple, so of course he remembered the reason why Apple refused his advances whenever she was on her period.


    Apple pped her forehead lightly when she heard the exnation, but then she shook her head. Shepletely underestimated Jayden''s observation skills¡­


    Even she herself only realized this after Jayden told her.


    "So?" Jayden nodded toward the two small objects in Apple''s hands. "How about you try it so we both know for sure, just humor me and try, okay?"


    Apple grimaced when she saw the two rectangr-shaped objects in her hand. She was silent for a moment, deep in thought and Jayden let her sort out her thoughts. Apple took time and he would give everything he had for her.


    At first, Jayden didn''t want to tell it this way, but since Apple was already here and it was the perfect time, so why not give it a try?


    Because the longer Jayden hid this, the more nervous he became with uncertainty, and after all this was one of the reasons why Jayden didn''t allow Apple to join in on the second mission to raid Gevano''s house.


    He couldn''t have put Apple and their future child at risk if it was true that his fianc¨¦e was pregnant.


    "Just give it a try¡­" Jayden coaxed Apple carefully after she had been silent for a while. He kissed her forehead gently, as if to tell her that no matter what happened he would always be by her side.


    "When did you buy this?" asked Apple. She then raised her head to look at Jayden who looked suddenly awkward.


    "This afternoon," he answered slowly. "When I finished lunch, I passed by a convenience store and before I knew it, I had bought this¡­" he grinned as he said that, a habit of his when trying to lighten the mood, but this time it didn''t work for Apple.


    Because the woman was in a frenzy in her own mind.


    "Hey, I am here¡­" Jayden gripped Apple''s hand very tightly, giving her the support she needed, trying to calm her frantic self. "We will face it together, okay?"


    Apple bit her lip and looked at Jayden with a look in her eyes that was hard to describe.


    "Or, do you want me to pee on it as well?" Jayden tried to make Apple smile and the dry joke helped, because Appleughed out loud when she heard it. "I can pee on the other one and you take the other. We can pee together."


    Apple pped Jayden''s arm, but she rxed a bit now, although it didn''t mean anything because a momentter, Apple looked so tense again.


    "Let''s give it a try, okay?" Jayden gripped Apple''s hand tightly. He didn''t let go at all, telling the girl he wasn''t going to leave her and there was nothing to be afraid of.


    In the end, after a few minutes of deliberation, Apple finally stood up and walked toward the bathroom which was located inside this room, while Jayden waited outside.


    "You want me toe in too?" he asked.


    "No," Apple replied curtly, how could she let Jayden see her pee on it?


    And after saying those short words, Apple closed the door right in front of Jayden and let the man wait for her outside the room.


    Apple was feeling very stressed now, facing such high pressure over what was happening now.


    She bit her lip hard as she pulled down her pants and followed all the instructions suggested on each test pack.


    Actually, the instructions on the two test kits were almost the same, but since they were from two different brands, Apple just wanted to make sure no steps were ignored, giving a chance to mess up with the final result.


    Because after all, this was the first time for her to take this kind of test.


    It took Apple about ten minutes to get it all done and get the final result of the two kits.


    She closed her eyes as she leaned against the cold wall, while outside, Apple knew that Jayden was waiting for her. He must have been very impatient to see the results of the tests.


    However, Apple was quite happy that Jayden respected her enough and gave her space to be alone. He didn''t force his way in or try to pressure her.


    Because they both knew, sooner orter, Apple would be out and Jayden would find out after that.


    And sure enough, after more than ten minutes of waiting, which seemed like a long time, Jayden finally heard the sound of the door opening and from behind it, he saw Apple staring at him with a confused look.


    "So?" Jayden asked carefully, because Apple looked confused. "Can I see the results?"


    "I don''t know¡­" Apple said quietly, then she showed Jayden the results. "Why are the results like this?" asked Apple, frowning.


    Jayden then took two test packs from Apple''s hands and saw that the results of the two test packs were different.


    One test pack said that Apple was indeed pregnant, but another test pack said that she was not pregnant.


    And indeed this was confusing. Jayden didn''t even know what emotion to show, but he was trying to be calm, because Apple seemed so distracted right now.


    "We''re going to the doctor now to confirm this, okay?" Jayden said soothingly.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 675: A GREAT NEWS!

    Chapter 675: A GREAT NEWS!


    After a long conversation and Apple finished talking about her childhood, Jayden realized where his fianc¨¦e''s fears stemmed from, and understood Apple even deeply.


    On the way home, the girl fell asleep, resting her head on Jayden''sp, while the man gently stroked her head. Apple looked so calm now and he couldn''t stop smiling, knowing that the woman he loved was pregnant with their child.


    And that made Adrian feel a little worried¡­


    "Mr. Tordoff¡­ are you all right?" asked Adrian. He knew that Jayden and Apple went to the hospital, but couldn''t figure out which of them was sick, because they both looked fine.


    Especially when a few hours ago he could see how healthy Apple was and how she wasn''t in any pain at all when she went looking for Jayden in his own office.


    "What happened?" asked Adrian carefully. "Is Apple sick?"


    Jayden raised his head and looked at Adrian with a big smile, he then said something unexpected.


    "You will get a bonus this month. Go to the HR department and tell them about the bonus tomorrow," Jayden said with a beaming face.


    "Huh?" Adrian looked confused when he heard this, he didn''t understand why he was given a bonus all of a sudden even though he didn''t do anything other than usual. "But¡­"


    "Oh!" Jayden gasped, as if he had forgotten something. "Also tell HR that you and the others will get a ten percent increase, starting this month."


    "Huh?" Adrian increasingly didn''t understand why Jayden Tordoff was suddenly throwing his money away by giving them a raise even though they only received a raise four months ago.


    It was not that Adrian didn''t want to ept the increasement of the sry, it was just that he felt very confused about this situation. Was it natural for Jayden to do this?


    "Oh, and don''t forget to tell HR that next month thepany will be hosting a dinner party for all the employees," Jayden said again.


    It could be clearly said that Jayden was in a very good mood right now, he didn''t once stop humming and staring lovingly at the sleeping Apple, while his lips didn''t stop curving into a beautiful smile.


    However, there was something more pressing now that they both knew that Apple was pregnant, which was to tell Pyro and Jayden''s parents.


    Apple asked for some time to cool off before the two of them would face Pyro and Jayden''s parents, who would be very excited to find out about Apple''s pregnancy.


    But, they didn''t know what kind of reaction Pyro would give, especially when the two of them weren''t married


    yet.


    And that made Apple feel even more anxious.


    In the heat of the moment, Jayden asked Apple to marry him right away if it would ease her mind, because he didn''t want to stress herself out.


    But, Apple actuallyughed and said that it would not happen. She was getting married the right way and Jayden appreciated that, in retrospect, what he said sounded so immature¡­


    "We have arrived," said Adrian, he then peered into the rearview mirror and he could still see Jayden''s worried smile. It seemed Mr. Tordoff didn''t stop smiling throughout the ride here.


    But, what made him look so happy? Adrian couldn''t even think of any possibility that could cross his head.


    "Open the gate and the door of the house," Jayden said, he then opened the car door and lifted Apple''s body easily, while Adrian did what Jayden asked. He opened the door for both of them.


    Apple had woken up when Jayden picked her up, but the man gently said she could go back to sleep and they were home and he got her¡­


    Hearing this and feelingfortable to be in Jayden''s arms, of course, it made Apple feel sleepy again. She fell asleepfortably in his arms again.


    Jayden then ced Apple on her bed and took off her shoes, while he waved to Adrian, signaling him to leave the two of them alone. He could go wherever he wanted now.


    Carefully, Jayden took off the jacket worn by Apple and covered her. He looked at her for a long time with a smile. And, ever so often, his eyes would drift to Apple''s stomach, even though her body was covered by the nket now. His eyes would sparkle very brightly when he remembered that this woman was pregnant with his child.


    "Have a good sleep, my love..." Jayden said quietly, then he kissed Apple''s forehead before he stepped out of her room.


    He didn''t know since when he often stayed here and this house had be like a second home to him.


    Jayden then walked into the kitchen and took a ss to drink while humming softly. He wanted to share this news with someone and the first person that came to his mind was his grumpy cousin.


    So, that was what he did. Jayden didn''t even look at the clock when he called Misha, knowing that his cousin was asleep.


    Misha finally returned home, but he hadn''te to work yet and Jayden didn''t force him toe right away, knowing that his cousin was a mess right now.


    Misha didn''t pick up didn''t pick up the first time, but before the second call ended, Jayden could hear Misha''s hoarse voice as he answered the call.


    &n


    bsp;


    "I hope this is important news, because you have disturbed my sleep," said Misha fiercely as usual.


    Well, if he could nag like this, he should go back to the office.


    It was just that Jayden was really happy right now and he was in an extraordinarily good mood, so this didn''t bother him at all.


    "I want to tell you good news. This is so amazing!" Jayden said excitedly.


    "What? You won a big project?" Misha tried to guess it, but Jayden said that his guess was very far off.


    "You can do better," Jayden said excitedly.


    "You know what time it is?!"

 Chapter 676: HE HEARD EVERYTHING

    Chapter 676: HE HEARD EVERYTHING"You won a big project?" Misha tried to guess, while holding back his sleepiness and annoyance since his cousin called him in the middle of the night, but Jayden said that his guess was way off the mark and asked him to guess again.


    "You can do better," Jayden said excitedly. "You can guess it, I''ll give you a bonus if you guess it."


    Misha had no idea what Jayden had in mind until he could think that giving him a bonus would make him feel a bit excited about ying this stupid guessing game.


    Did he forget that the shares they have were the same? And money was never an issue for either of them? How could Jayden think that giving him a bonus would interest Misha?


    "You know what time it is?!" Misha snapped as he grumbled, annoyed. "Stop telling me to guess, just tell me what''s the matter?" he grumbled.


    While on the other hand, Jayden was grumbling when he heard Misha''s reaction. "Can''t you be a little excited for me?"


    "I would cheer you up if I knew what was the reason you woke me up in the middle of the night and made me guess unnecessarily!" Misha replied annoyed. He grunted and then pushed himself into a sitting position. "Now tell me what''s wrong?" he asked.


    "You certainly wouldn''t have guessed this."


    Misha groaned again. "Stop asking me to guess."


    "I have a child! I am having a child!" said Jayden excitedly, he then waited for a response from his cousin, but there was no sound at all from the other end of the phone.


    Jayden then looked at his phone, thinking that the line had been cut, but no, they were still on the phone, so why didn''t Misha answer him? Or give any response?


    "Hey, are you still there? Are you sleeping?" Jayden asked, thinking that Misha had fallen asleep at the very moment he announced that he had a child just like Misha. "Hey? You didn''t fall asleep, did you? Cousin¡­ yuh¡­"


    "Who has your child?" Misha asked, he sounded very serious.


    And after the question, there was a very clear silence between the two of them until finally Jayden realized what Misha''s question meant.


    "Of course Apple, she''s pregnant with my child right now," Jayden said excitedly and half nagged at Misha, it seemed his cousin was still asleep and his brain cells weren''t fully awake yet, that he actually asked such an obvious question.


    "You didn''t make it clear," Misha grumbled again. He thought that Jayden had a child with a woman other than Apple.


    "Don''tpare me to you, we are so much different, how can youpare me to you," Jayden grumbled. "I''ve never fooled around like you did."


    The rumors out there were indeed annoying. They painted him as someone who liked to change partners constantly just because he was more easy going than Misha, while the reality was quite the opposite.


    "Congrattions on Apple''s pregnancy," said Misha, he didn''t sound enthusiastic, but what do you expect from this man? He rarely showed his emotions. "So how''s Apple now?"


    "She''s fine, she''s asleep right now, we just came from the doctor after confirming the news. I can''t believe that her desire to eat cmari is because she is having cravings," Jayden said very excitedly, he was like a teenager talking about his crush right now with Misha.


    "How does it feel to fulfill those cravings?" Misha asked for more details. He looked much more awake than earlier. His eyes looked much more radiant than before.


    "It feels¡­ I don''t know¡­ I don''t know, but I''m d I was able to fulfill her wishes," Jayden told him. "I feel like if Apple wants the caf¨¦, then I''ll buy it for her."


    While on the other hand, Misha could not continue listening to Jayden''s chatter as he imagined who had fulfilled that woman''s cravings when she was pregnant with his own child.


    Hearing Jayden say how happy he was to fulfill Apple''s wishes, Misha was bitter that he couldn''t do that for his daughter and the woman while she was pregnant.


    And suddenly the line was cut off because Misha didn''t want to hear Jayden''s excited voice anymore.


    "Hmm? Hello? Misha?" Jayden called out to Misha in confusion. He stared at his phone screen in bewilderment and when he tried to call his cousin back, out of the corner of his eye he saw someone moving toward him and this immediately alerted him.


    Without thinking, Jayden took the nearest knife, thinking that someone had sneaked into this house again, but it turned out to be Pyro. He seemed to have woken up and wanted to get a drink.


    "You surprised me," Jayden said, he breathed a sigh of relief and put the knife back down.


    Pyro didn''t need his wheelchair anymore, but he still couldn''t walk as fast as a normal person.


    "Don''t put down the knife," said Pyro in a cold voice.


    "Hmm? What do you mean?" Jayden looked at Pyro in confusion, but he kept the knife away from him.


    "Take the knife back, because I might kill you," Pyro growled as he said that.


    On the other hand, Jayden looked confused by Pyro''s attitude, but then reality hit him and this made Jayden''s whole body freeze, as if someone had just sshed him with cold water and this made him really realize what he had just done.


    "You¡­ overheard my conversation with Misha¡­" Jayden didn''t even need to ask about this, because the answer was very clear from the look on Pyro''s face. He had heard everything Jayden said to Misha over the phone.


    Even more so since Pyro confirmed it himself.


    "Apple is pregnant and that is your child?" Pyro growled, his eyes looking very sharp as he said coldly. "You have impregnated my daughter."


    Instinctively, Jayden moved away from Pyro as the man walked toward him with swift steps, as if his pain had disappeared somewhere.


    "You got my only daughter pregnant," Pyro grumbled again, trying to catch up with Jayden.

 Chapter 677: PYRO WAS PISSED

    Chapter 677: PYRO WAS PISSEDPyro woke up in the middle of the night, feeling his throat was so dry and when he stretched out his hand to the side, he found the ss on the table beside his bed was empty, so he got out of bed and went straight out of the room to go to the kitchen and get some water.


    However, because he still couldn''t walk very well, his steps were very slow and made no sound.


    Pyro paused for a moment when he realized that there was someone else in the kitchen. His body stiffened, thinking that someone had managed to enter the kitchen like a month ago.


    However, after he realized that it was the voice of Jayden, who was on the phone, he smiled.


    Apparently, Jayden was talking about something exciting and from his voice alone, he could tell that the man was in a good mood.


    He wanted to know what they were talking about.


    Actually, Pyro didn''t mean to eavesdrop, it was just that, because he walked so slowly until no one could hear, Jayden didn''t even notice his arrival, and Jayden was so immersed in his chatter that he didn''t even notice Pyro''s presence.


    It wasn''t until Pyro came closer and heard more clearly what Jayden said to Misha that his body instantly froze. He felt someone had doused him with cold water and could hardly believe what he was hearing.


    Apple got pregnant? His sweet Apple is pregnant now?! Pyro felt like he was about to have a heart attack.


    This boy! How many more times was he going to give Pyro a heart attack like this!? Even since childhood he had been acting arbitrarily and making everyone around him anxious, and now he got his little daughter pregnant!?


    Pyro gritted his teeth and that was the first thing Jayden saw when Misha hung up on him and found Pyro in front of him, staring at him very fiercely.


    And when he realized that Pyro overheard everything he said, the smile on his face disappeared in an instant.


    "Apple is pregnant and that is your child?" Pyro growled, his eyes looking very sharp as he said coldly. "You have impregnated my daughter. My sweet Apple!?" Pyro said through his gritted teeth.


    Instinctively, Jayden moved away from Pyro as the man walked toward him with swift steps, and at this moment, Pyro seemed to have returned to his initial state. He looked like his usual tough bodyguard self and was very angry, as if his pain had disappeared somewhere.


    "You got my only daughter pregnant," Pyro grumbled again, trying to catch up with Jayden.


    "Wait, calm down, I''ll exin," Jayden said desperately, but when things turned out like this, what else would Jayden exin? There was nothing else he could exin when everything was as clear as day.


    "I don''t need your exnation!" Pyro eximed in annoyance, especially when Jayden used the dining table as his shield.


    The two of them circled the dining table, running around it.


    If Pyro moved to the left, then Jayden would move in the same direction, he would always be on the opposite side of Pyro, so the dining table annoyed him very much.


    "Come here!" Pyro eximed in annoyance, he tried to move faster, but it seemed his movements were still very limited, therefore, Jayden could dodge him easily.


    "How could I approach you when I knew you were clearly going to hurt me," Jayden grumbled. "Calm down first, then we can have a good talk," Jayden persuaded. He winced when he saw how annoyed Pyro was. It had been a long time since he had seen such an expression on this man''s face.


    Actually, Jayden and Apple had indeed agreed that they would tell Pyro eventually, but of course they didn''t want Pyro to find out this way.


    But, what could he do? Pyro found out about it now, so all Jayden could do now was face his wrath. He hoped it wouldn''t be so bad¡­


    "Talk nicely?!" Pyro was getting more and more annoyed with what Jayden said. "You say talk nicely?! No room for ''nice talk'' with you now! How dare you impregnate my child! Don''t you know how to use protection?! I even had a chat about it with you when you were a teenager!"


    Yes, that was right, because they were so close and Pyro had thought Jayden was like his own son, seeing how he was getting attracted to the opposite sex and started flirting with lots of women out of boredom, they had a serious chat about it.


    But, how could he do that to his own daughter?! This ''little'' boy really needs to be taught a lesson!


    "Come here!" Pyro cried again in annoyance.


    "No, I do not want to!" Jayden replied in a stubborn voice. "You will definitely hit me!"


    "I''m not going to hit you, soe here now!" Pyro shouted angrily.


    Of course, from the expression Pyro showed, who would believe his words. There was no way he wouldn''t do things to Jayden once he was near him and in his arms.


    "Oh please, Pyro¡­ you can''t lie to me like that, we both know what you''re going to do to me once you get me!" Jayden eximed, groaning. "You''d better go back to your room, if you ever get sick again, Apple will worry even more. We can''t stress pregnant women, it''s not good for the baby she is carrying," said Jayden righteously.


    It was just that what he said seemed to make Pyro even more annoyed because he was reminded that Apple was pregnant again.


    "What is this?" said a sleepy voice and then the figure of Apple appeared, with slightly messy hair, rubbing her still sleepy eyes. "Why are you guys making a fuss in the middle of the night?" she asked in a low voice and then yawned.


    "Apple!" Pyro eximed in a loud voice. "Come here now!" he said in amanding voice and this didn''t sit right with Jayden.


    "Don''t snap at her."

 Chapter 678: YOU ARE SO CHILDISH

    Chapter 678: YOU ARE SO CHILDISHApple woke up because she heard amotioning from the kitchen. She could immediately recognize that it was Jayden and her father''s voices, so she didn''t get out of bed immediately and hoped that the two of them could solve whatever problem they were having and not fight in the middle of the night like this. But apparently, whatever the problem was, it couldn''t be handled easily, as Pyro sounded really annoyed.


    From Apple''s room, she could only hear their voices, without being able to fathom what they were saying. So when the two of them didn''t stop fighting, she immediately left her room, although her head was still spinning and she wasn''t fully awake yet.


    "What is this?" said a sleepy voice and then the figure of Apple appeared, with slightly messy hair, rubbing her still sleepy eyes. "Why are you guys making a fuss in the middle of the night?" she asked in a low voice and then yawned.


    She saw the two of them standing on either side of the dining table. Were they ying catch and run using the table as a barrier? Like children? Apple shook her head.


    What was with these two guys...


    "Apple!" Pyro eximed in a loud voice. "Come here now!" he said in amanding voice and this didn''t sit right with Jayden.


    "Don''t snap at her," Jayden rebuked with a grunt. He then gave a signal to Apple not to follow Pyro''s orders, but the girl didn''t understand why the two of them were fighting in the first ce, in fact she had no idea at all about it.


    "She''s my daughter, I can do whatever I want!" Pyro shouted at Jayden in annoyance. Ugh! This rancid boy¡­!


    Pyro regretted that he didn''t give Jayden proper lessons when he was still a teenager, or at least make him listen to what he had to say. He should have taught the lessons a lot harder back then, especially when Ramon didn''t mind.


    The rtionship between Jayden and Ramon could be said to be very good, but still, Jayden couldn''t really tell Ramon everything, because he was his father who rarely showed emotions and was very practical, but Jayden really idolized his father.


    Jayden even hoped to be more like his father who looked authoritative and exuded a very dominant aura, however, Jayden really failed in his ambition, although sometimes when he was serious, he looked like Ramon, but in everyday life, he looked more like Hailee instead.


    Therefore, Jayden was morefortable talking about trivial things with his mother or Pyro, which made the two of them very close.


    "But, I''m her future husband!" Jayden eximed not wanting to lose. "I am the father of the child she is carrying!" Jayden wanted to make it even with Pyro, but it made Apple widen her eyes when she heard what Jayden had just said. "Your father already knows," Jayden said.


    "Already knows¡­?" Apple gasped. She hadn''t prepared herself for this, so how could her father have known before she could say anything? Apple bit her lip and didn''t dare look her father in the eye, instead she red fiercely at Jayden. "Why did you tell him? I told you we''d tell himter."


    "I didn''t tell him, Pyro sneaked up on me and overheard my conversation with Misha," Jayden defended himself, he then moved swiftly before taking cover behind Apple''s body. "I thought your father would kill me."


    "Yes, I will kill you! Come here!" Pyro eximed, very annoyed. He tried to get closer to Jayden, but this time the one standing in his way was his own daughter and this made Pyro even more annoyed at Jayden. "Come to me yourself! I''ll just give you one or five hits!"


    "One or five? No way!" Jayden refused, he then used Apple as his shield again. "You can''t stress a pregnant woman, you have to stop your childish behavior!" Jayden shouted at Pyro, asking him to stop.


    "Childish!?" Pyro really wanted to hit this guy right now and he wasn''t kidding at all about his threats. Jayden really drained all his patience. "Come here you two! Looks like you guys have been left too free!"


    "You can''t hurt her," Jayden said in a voice that sounded like someone was desperate, because he didn''t know how to deal with an angry Pyro anymore.


    "Who said that I would hurt my daughter!" Pyro eximed with fiery eyes. He tried to catch Jayden, but the man kept avoiding him and made it unable for him to move freely because he was hiding behind Apple''s body.


    No matter how upset Pyro was right now, he couldn''t possibly hurt Apple, especially since she was now pregnant with his grandchild. There was no way he could do that to his own daughter.


    On the other hand, Jayden who knew about it made good use of it and tried to avoid Pyro as much as he could, even though the man didn''t want to give up.


    "Apple¡­ help me," Jayden whispered into Apple''s ear.


    Apple knew that this wasn''t going to end anytime soon if she didn''t do something to stop her father either, so when she heard Jayden''s desperate plea for help, Apple couldn''t help but sigh heavily.


    Apple felt these two men really were like children.


    But, what could she do? If she didn''t step in, then all of this probably wouldn''t stop until morning.


    And with that thought, Apple suddenly bent down and hugged her stomach while wincing in pain.


    "Aw... aw..." Apple moaned which made both Jayden and Pyro freeze in ce. They both looked at Apple with frightened eyes and in the next second the two men were already squatting in front of Apple and looking at her very worriedly.


    "What''s wrong? Are you in pain? Do you want to see a doctor?" Pyro asked worriedly, he had forgotten all about his anger toward Jayden now, for his voice was filled with anxiety, as he knelt before Apple. "You! Take her back to the room!" he ordered Jayden.

 Chapter 679: I WILL DRINK FOR YOU

    Chapter 679: I WILL DRINK FOR YOU"What''s wrong? Is there a sore spot? Do you want to see a doctor?" asked Pyro worriedly. He had forgotten all about his anger toward Jayden now. His voice was filled with anxiety, as he knelt before Apple. "You! Take her back to the room!" he ordered Jayden.


    On the other hand, Jayden knew that it was just an act, but somehow he felt very anxious when he saw her like that. He was really scared that it wasn''t a y and Apple was in real pain.


    Jayden only felt relieved when Apple winked at him when he lifted her up in bridal style to carry her to her room and put her on the bed.


    "Should we go to the hospital?" Pyro asked frantically because he didn''t know what to do now. "Are you still in pain?" Pyro asked again anxiously.


    "It''s okay dad, I''m fine," Apple said in a weak voice, but of course Pyro didn''t believe it. "Let''s go to the hospital."


    But, Apple actually grabbed Pyro''s hand and made him sit on the edge of her bed. "I''m fine. It must be because of stress, you just kept screaming," said Apple.


    Well, she felt guilty for making her father feel this way, but what else could she say? She had no other way to calm Pyro down, right?


    After that, Apple smiled at Pyro and rubbed his hand gently, while saying very gently.


    "Can you calm down? Because seeing you panic like that stresses me out too," said Apple. She then smiled at her father, who looked much calmer now. "Yes, I''m pregnant, I''m pregnant and the doctor has confirmed it. I''m sorry that things turned out like this," Apple said sincerely because she had absolutely no intention of telling Pyro in this way.


    On the other hand, Pyro was seen sighing heavily and smiling at Apple with a furrowed brow. It seemed like he needed some time to sort out his emotions. After all, this was big news and he didn''t want to seem so rash in responding, even though he just was like that a few minutes ago.


    "Okay, dad is sorry for making you worry," said Pyro in a voice that sounded very tired. He then hugged Apple carefully because he didn''t want to hurt his daughter. After that, he looked into his daughter''s eyes very gently. "Are you really alright? Does your stomach still hurt?" he asked in a low voice. He then looked at Apple''s t stomach and sighed heavily again.


    "I''m fine Dad, sorry for worrying you. I didn''t mean to tell you this way," Apple said in a voice that felt very guilty. "I wanted to tell youter, but you seem to have found it already."


    Pyro nodded. "Well, I can''t say that it''s your fault, since you didn''t do anything wrong in this. I only found out by ident because that brat couldn''t contain his excitement and told Misha this, I just happened to overhear the conversation between them," said Pyro exining this problem to Apple.


    Apple then nodded understandingly, until she finally realized what Pyro had just said. "What? Jayden said this to Misha?!"


    Quickly, Apple turned her head to Jayden who was standing at the door, and looking at her with innocent eyes.


    "You told MIsha about this?" asked Apple again, trying to confirm this and Jayden nodded.


    "Yes, I told him earlier," he answered in a calm voice. He was too excited and wanted to share this happy news, but didn''t know with whom. He felt that he would explode if he didn''t share the happy news soon.


    And the first person that came to Jayden''s mind was Misha, therefore, he called the man and told him about the news.


    Thus far, Jayden didn''t see anything wrong with any of this, but from the way Apple stared at him, it looked like he had made a mistake and it looked like Jayden knew what made Apple feel that way.


    "Don''t worry, Misha won''t say anything, he doesn''t care too much about other people''s business to tell this to anyone else," Jayden said and he hoped he was right, because just like himself, Misha was sometimes hard to understand.


    Therefore, Jayden felt he was in trouble, now that he saw the expression shown by Apple.


    "Am I in trouble?" Jayden asked in a timid voice. He then nced at Pyro who gave him the same facial expression.


    What was with this father and daughter duo? They both looked as if they wanted to kill him with just a look in their eyes. Jayden could feel it. These two were so amazing.


    ========================


    After talking for some time with Apple, Pyro sat down next to Jayden. The girl was fast asleep in her room and Pyro hoped nothing would happen to her.


    Based on what Pyro knew, the early stages of pregnancy were very vulnerable, because things could happen and it worried him, especially when Appleined of pain.


    "So? Is she asleep?" Jayden asked when Pyro was sitting beside him, he then poured the drink into the empty ss he had prepared for Pyro and then gave it to the man.


    "You know I can''t drink yet, right?" Pyro grumbled, looking at Jayden with a furrowed brow.


    "Oh, right." Jayden smacked himself on the forehead when he said so and smirked. "Sorry, I forgot about that," he said lightly and then drank the drink himself. "Then I''ll drink it for you."


    Pyro could only shake his head in disbelief, even after all these years, this man hadn''t changed at all.


    Pyro then sighed and patted Jayden on the shoulder, saying in a begrudgingly tone. "Congrattions on Apple''s pregnancy, I hope you will be a good father to your future children," he said quietly, his eyes fixed on the television that wasn''t on.


    "Child? You mean my children and Appleter, don''t you?" Jayden corrected Pyro''s words with a grin.


    ====================


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    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 680: LUCID DREAM

    Chapter 680: LUCID DREAM"Child? You mean my children with Appleter. Don''t you?" Jayden corrected Pyro''s words with a grin.


    Meanwhile, Pyro could only grunt in disgust when he heard what Jayden had to say.


    Damn this boy.


    "Don''t push your luck, because I might not be this goodter," Pyro said threateningly. He then looked at Jayden with annoyed eyes. "How can you not heed any of my words after our awkward conversation about protection all those years ago?" he grumbled which made Jaydenugh.


    "Well, you could say there''s nothing that can stop me," he said proudly. Of course, he wasn''t being serious because he remembered very well what had caused this situation.


    Well, even though it was already like this, Jayden didn''t regret it at all. He would ept his child well, and whatever happenedter, he and Apple would face it together.


    "I feel like hitting you right now," Pyro muttered, his father instincts were goading him to just do that, only he was too tired. "Too bad I''m still recovering."


    "I''ll count it as I''m lucky today then," said


    Jayden smiled sweetly.


    "You''re really annoying..." Pyro grumbled, he then sighed and closed his eyes.


    "Hey, if you want to sleep, go back to your room," Jayden said as he shook Pyro''s shoulder, but the man just gave a low mumble and fell asleep. "Tsk, you''re not a child, I can''t carry you to the room, you''re too heavy."


    Pyro who was still half awake then muttered. "Then get me a pillow, I don''t want to sleep in the room."


    Hearing this, Jayden couldn''t help but take a pillow and nket from Pyro''s room and tuck him in the sofa. He then continued drinking a few more sses of wine, before he changed clothes and went to Apple''s room.


    The woman was sleeping very soundly and Jayden didn''t want to wake her or make her ufortable because right now, his body was still reeking of alcohol.


    "I''ll be right back with you," Jayden said, then he kissed Apple''s forehead and stepped out of the room.


    It was still very early, but today was the day Jayden would settle the scores with the Gevano family.


    Now that things were like this, it seemed Jayden really had to end his conflict with the Gevano family because he didn''t want his child to be the target of that family.


    He really had to ax this family down to the roots because he didn''t want his child to be harmed by them or go through the same thing he had before.


    ============================


    When Apple woke up, it was morning and when she turned around she didn''t find Jayden there and instead whom she saw was; Hailee!


    Hailee Tordoff was by her side! She was sitting on the edge of the bed looking at her gently.


    Wait! Was she still sleeping? Was this just a dream? There was no way Hailee Tordoff was in her house and in her room. What was she doing here? This was really very confusing.


    For a moment, Apple didn''t react at all to the scene before her eyes, she thought she was still dreaming. You know, like a lucid dream, a dream that would feel so real. So real that Apple could even feel Hailee''s soft hand caressing her cheek.


    "Why am I dreaming of Jayden''s mother¡­?" mumbled Apple, then she pulled the nket back. She could even hear the woman''s softughter and her very cheerful voice.


    "Sleep if you''re still tired, you need to rest a lot," said Hailee, she then pulled the nket up to Apple''s chin and rubbed her head, helping her to fall back asleep and of course it was really nice to get someone to give her attention like this.


    Therefore, while smiling and closing her eyes, Apple curled her body and smiled happily. Yes, it is veryfortable when you have a mother watching over you.


    "Hm¡­" Apple mumbled, feeling Hailee''s soft touch. "Jayden, I am borrowing your mother for a moment¡­"


    Maybe it was because Apple was still sleepy and oblivious to her surroundings, so she spoke without thinking and didn''t really know why she said that. All she knew was that she felt veryfortable right now.


    And again, thatugh sounded so much fun, Apple felt that she could listen to it all day long.


    "You can borrow me anytime sweetie," Hailee said softly.


    =======================


    The second time Apple woke up, she didn''t find Hailee beside her anymore, but the sun was already shining brightly high in the sky and she felt her drowsiness had subsided a bit. However, she got up from her bed feeling so hungry that her stomach ached a little.


    After washing her face, she felt fully awake. And so Apple got out of bed before skipping out of her room to go to the kitchen, but what she saw in the kitchen made her stop in her tracks.


    It was the figure of Ramon Tordoff! He was leaning against the kitchen counter with a cup of coffee in his hand.


    For a moment, they stared at each other and Apple couldn''t help but frown.


    If this was indeed a dream, why did it feel so real? Especially the pungent smell of coffee, why did it feel so real? She didn''t like the strong smell of coffee now.


    "Wait, am I still dreaming?" Apple frowned when she saw Ramon and the man also frowned at what she just said.


    "What do you mean by dreaming?" asked Ramon as he took a sip of his coffee and looked at her with a furrowed brow. "Pregnancy left you in a daze?" he asked in his deep, distinctive voice.


    "What?" Apple blinked her eyes repeatedly. She looked at Ramon with an inexplicable expression then shook her head.


    "Something''s not right here," Apple muttered. "Are you real?" Apple asked Ramon, after which she approached the man to take a closer look. "You can''t be Ramon Tordoff, he''s miles from here."


    Meanwhile, Ramon just regarded her coolly. "I just arrived a few hours ago knowing you were pregnant."

 Chapter 681: SHOULD WE GO TO THE DOCTOR?

    Chapter 681: SHOULD WE GO TO THE DOCTOR?The first time she woke up she saw Hailee, now Apple saw Ramon Tordoff in her kitchen, sipping his coffee very casually.


    Apple really felt very strange about what happened this morning. How could she hallucinate twice in a single day? Also this was the first time for Apple to have a lucid dream, even twice in a row.


    But, everything felt very real, especially the strong smell of coffee. Who knew exactly when? But she started to dislike the smell of coffee and this was very strange for her. But after finding out that she got pregnant, it seemed she began to realize what the reason for her sudden yet strange repulsion was.


    But this? What was this? Did she also start experiencing lucid dreams besides detesting coffee because of her pregnancy?


    Pregnancy was a strange thing...


    "You can''t be Ramon Tordoff, he''s miles from here." Apple scowled as she walked over to take a closer look at Ramon Tordoff, trying to prove her theory of lucid dreams. "But really, you look so real¡­"

 Chapter 682: SENSITIVE

    Chapter 682: SENSITIVEAfter realizing the stupid things she had done thinking this was just a dream, Apple felt like digging a hole and disappearing from this ce.


    While on the other hand, Hailee was not at all offended, she actually found what Apple was doing was very entertaining. "No need to feel guilty, you''re so cute when you''re confused like that," Hailee said, waving her hand casually.


    Meanwhile, Ramon just stared at Apple before he said. "Do we need to go to the doctor to have your head checked?" he asked in a serious tone, even the expression on his face showed how serious he was.


    This might sound like a joke to others, but actually, Ramon was really worried about his daughter-inw, especially since she was pregnant with his grandchild.


    However, this way of conveying concern might sound a little strange when it was Ramon who said it, because he was not used to showing too much emotion if it didn''t involve Hailee.


    "Ramon is just worried about you because you look a little dazed," Hailee said as she walked over to Ramon and kissed his cheek. "She''s fine, it''s the same as when someone has moments like when they dream while walking, nothing to worry about."


    "She should also be checked if it was the case," Ramon said with a frown as he looked at Apple. "You should get a thorough check-up," he said firmly, leaving no room for discussion.


    Meanwhile, Apple could only wince and nod. The men in the Tordoff family really overreacted to things like this it seemed.


    And luckily, Hailee was around, so she was able to neutralize the situation and knew exactly the right way to deal with Ramon''s excessive worries.


    "Why don''t you go ahead and have a chat with Pyro? I will prepare food for you guys," Hailee said cheerfully, she had been wanting to cook something for Apple for a long time and now she had the opportunity to do it and she would go all out.


    Thest time they visited the ind was weeks ago, and Hailee missed cooking something for Apple and Jayden.


    "Okay," replied Ramon very obediently, he then took his coffee and walked out of the kitchen, but when he passed Apple, he could see that the woman was frowning. "Why? You don''t like this smell?" he asked, thrusting his cup of coffee in Apple''s face, which made the girl immediately turn away.


    Ugh.


    If he knew she didn''t like the smell of coffee, Ramon shouldn''t have shoved the coffee cup right under Apple''s nose just to make a point of his words.


    "Yeah¡­ the smell of coffee has been giving me a headachetely," Apple admitted. She looked at Ramon shyly, biting her lip. She wanted to scream at him to get the coffee out of her face, but of course she couldn''t really do anything about it, could she?


    "Strange,"mented Ramon.


    "Eh?" Apple blinked her eyes. She tried to hold her breath so as not to inhale the smell of the coffee, because until now, Ramon still didn''t get it out of Apple''s face. "What''s so strange?"


    And Hailee was the one who answered the question. "Even I didn''t like the smell of coffee when I was pregnant," Hailee replied cheerfully.


    On the other hand, Ramon was frowning and just when Apple thought he was going to say something, the man stepped out of the kitchen to look for Pyro.


    Well, now who was the weird one here?


    "Leave him alone, he really likes to be mysterious sometimes," said Hailee, taking Apple''s hand. "Even after decades of being with him, I still can''t understand him," Hailee smirked as she said that. It was obvious the love she had for Ramon was great and vice versa.


    Even after so many decades together, their love only got multiplied and Apple hoped that she and Jayden would just be like the two of them. She desperately wanted a family like Ramon and Hailee had and had children grow up in such a family.


    "Now, what would you like to eat? I''ve bought a lot of groceries that you might like, I was going to ask you, but you were still sleeping," said Hailee, reminding her of the incident in Apple''s room when she thought she was still dreaming. "And after I asked the bodyguards here, they said thattely you''ve been ordering cmari a lot, would you like to eat that?"


    Apple didn''t know what to say, because how could someone like Hailee Tordoff go to extra lengths to find out what food she wanted to eat and for some reason, this only made Apple feel a little sore in her eyes and without realizing she started tearing up.


    "Whoa? Why? What is it?" Hailee asked in a bit of a panic when she saw Apple actually cry after she offered to make her cmari. Did she say the wrong thing? "What is it? Why are you crying?"


    Apple then hugged Hailee and sobbed harder. Oh, how nice it was to have a mother like this who cared for her.


    "Well, there''s no need to cry, if you really want cmari, you just have to tell me," Hailee said calming her daughter-inw. She patted her back gently.


    And Hailee''s words actually made Appleugh, of course it wasn''t because she wanted cmari and they both knew that. But, Apple seemed to be a little sensitive because of this pregnancy. It really made her cry easily.


    "Alright, no need to cry, you just have to tell me what you want to eat. Okay?" Hailee then gently wiped Apple''s tears from her face. "You''ve heard from Jayden, haven''t you, that I''m a very good cook?"


    Appleughed. "Yes, I heard about it."


    =========================


    "My mom and dad are at Apple''s house?" Jayden wanted to facepalm himself when he heard the news from Adrian. Why did he receive this news sote?


    He didn''t even know his parents were in the country until after they got to Apple''s house.

 Chapter 683: BE CAREFUL

    Chapter 683: BE CAREFUL"My mom and dad are at Apple''s house?" Jayden wanted to facepalm himself when he heard the news from Adrian.


    Jayden didn''t expect this news to spread so quickly. It made him feel that no matter what he did, his father would still have the best resources to get whatever information he wanted.


    And what Jayden really regretted was; Why did he receive this news sote?


    He didn''t even know his parents were in the country until after they got to Apple''s house.


    His sources of information needed to be strengthened. How could his long-retired father be more up to date than him?


    Jayden was feeling a little annoyed by this, shouldn''t he be the one to tell the two of them?


    But, of course for now, he didn''t have time for that, because he had other urgent matters to deal with, namely the matter with the Gevano family.


    Tonight there would be a delivery and Jayden would try to catch them all in the act. He got this news from a reliable source and he didn''t want to mess up the ns that had been in ce for a long time, especially when he himself was having a hard time figuring out where and when exactly this nned delivery of goods would happen again.


    Because of him messing with Theodore Gevanost time, the man had be more wary than usual and leaked out a set of incorrect dates to distract him from the actual delivery.


    Luckily, at the time of Apple''s kidnapping the other day, he had put a bug on him. But he couldn''t find much, because it seemed that the coin had been thrown away by Theodore.


    "Are you going to go home and meet your parents?" asked Adrian when he saw Jayden''s frowning expression, he didn''t seem displeased after receiving the news.


    "No, just go ahead with our original n," Jayden said in a low voice, he scowled and stared out the windshield of his car and then pulled out his cell phone to call Apple.


    Apple knew that this was the day he would catch Theodore Gevano in the act and the excuse of Apple being pregnant was a very strong reason for Jayden not to involve the woman.


    Even though Apple didn''t seem too happy with the decision, at least she couldn''t deny that Jayden was right in forbidding her to get involved in this dangerous thing.


    Therefore, like it or not, Apple obeyed his words.


    "Both of your parents are here," Apple informed Jayden as soon as she picked up the phone which made the man smile.


    "Yeah, I know they''re there," Jayden replied softly, his expression instantly softening when he heard his fianc¨¦e''s voice. "Are you okay?" Jayden asked. "My mother didn''t make a fuss, did she?"


    Hearing thatst question made Appleugh out loud. She didn''t know what to say to describe what Hailee had done for her. "No, your mother didn''t make a fuss, she just made me a lot of food. I feel like I''m going to put on a few pounds now."


    "It''s okay, you will be more cuddled if you''re a little fat," Jayden said.


    "Oh, so now you don''t want to hug me because I''m skinny?" asked Apple in an annoyed tone, even though she was actually smiling at his words.


    "Have I not hugged you enough to the point you are thinking like that?" Jayden asked in a spoiled voice. "Don''t worry, after I get home, I will hug you so much you will never think like that again."


    But, before Apple could reply to Jayden''s words, he could hear his mother''s voice approaching and asking Apple.


    "Is that Jayden?" Hailee asked when she saw Apple on the line.


    "Yeah, it''s Jayden," Apple said immediately. "You want to talk to him?" asked Apple, offering and it made Jayden freeze.


    "No, there''s no need, there''s no need to talk to my mom, I''ll¡­" Jayden tried to keep Apple on the phone and escape from his mom, only it didn''t work, because in the end, it was Hailee who snatched the phone away.


    "Jayden," Hailee called out in a firm voice.


    Ugh!


    Jayden closed his eyes and answered. "Yes, mom?"


    "How could you not tell mom that Apple is pregnant? I actually learned this from someone else and not you," she said disappointedly and slightly angry.


    "You guys found out too soon," Jayden grumbled. "It''s not that I''m trying to hide it or anything¡­ but, you guys got that information too soon, Apple and I haven''t even known about the pregnancy for twenty-four hours yet," Jayden grumbled to his mother.


    Hailee talked as if Jayden was trying to hide it and she actually found out about Apple''s pregnancy from someone else in the family, although in reality, they knew this for sure from the Tordoff family doctor who was so loyal to his father.


    The doctor must have been unable to bear to keep news of this magnitude. So he told his father, who was in return so loyal to his mother¡­ ugh. These people¡­.


    "Where are you now? Howe your fianc¨¦e is pregnant and you are not by her side?" asked Hailee fiercely.


    "I have some business to attend to, mom," Jayden replied, but this time his tone turned a little serious and Hailee could hear it quite well.


    "Is it the problem with Theodore?" his mother asked in a cold voice. Of course, Hailee knew about Jayden and Theodore''s conflict, but so far her son had handled this matter well, so she didn''t feel the need to interfere in this matter.


    "Yes," Jayden replied curtly, then he saw Adrian signal to him, telling him that the operation was about to start. "Mom, I''m going to hang up the phone and call backter."


    Hailee was silent for a moment when she heard that, but then she nodded. "Be careful, take care of yourself and don''t get hurt, your family is waiting for you toe home."


    Jayden smiled when he heard this. "I will."

 Chapter 684: I WANT YOU TO DO SOMETHING FOR ME

    Chapter 684: I WANT YOU TO DO SOMETHING FOR ME"What is it?" asked Apple when Hailee returned her phone, as she could see the worried look on Hailee''s face.


    But, when Apple asked this, Hailee immediately changed her expression, smiled and hugged her gently. "It''s okay, Jayden said he will be away on business for a while and probably won''t be home tonight," Hailee said, trying to calm Apple down.


    Actually, though, what Hailee didn''t know was; Apple knew exactly where Jayden was and what he was up to. But, because Hailee thought Apple didn''t know and didn''t want to worry her, she pretended not to know about it and smiled back at Hailee.


    "Let''s have dinner then?" asked Apple in a soft voice. She smiled very sweetly at Hailee when she asked her to eat together.


    "Yeah, let''s eat first, I''ll call Ramon, you call Pyro, okay?" said Hailee who was greeted with a smile from Apple which made her want to pinch her cheeks. "Ah! You are so adorable!" she eximed, pinching Apple''s cheeks. "No wonder Jayden likes you so much."

 Chapter 685: UNDER STRESS

    Chapter 685: UNDER STRESSOnce out of the room, he took out his cell phone and called someone. "Richard?" called Ramon when the person on the other end of the line had picked up the call. "I want you to do something for me."


    The person on the other end of the phone listened carefully to what Ramon had to say to him, while Ramon Tordoff walked toward the front door, where a car was waiting for him. He didn''t need to say much, as the car drove away the second he got on board.


    Meanwhile, Richard, the man who was on the phone with Ramon, was telling him aboutplicated matters, but exining them as briefly as possible.


    "We''ll keep an eye on it, but if something happens and things get out of hand, we have to move closer, you understand?"


    "Yes, I understand Mr. Tordoff," he answered solemnly, then the line was cut off. Now, it was just a matter of awaiting what would happen after this.


    "Drive faster," Ramon ordered as he put away his cell phone.


    "Okay, Mr. Tordoff," said the driver obediently, he then drove the car even faster.


    Meanwhile, Ramon leaned his back against the back of the car seat and stared out, into the darkness of the night, his eyes so bright and seemed to hide a lot of mystery behind them.


    However, there was one thought that kept bothering him, namely; he had toe back before Hailee woke up because he didn''t want to exin where he wentst night and make her worry.


    Therefore, he had to finish this as quickly as possible and he hoped that Jayden''s n would go smoothly without any hups.


    ========================


    Apple opened her eyes and looked around in the dark. She then turned around and stared at the ceiling.


    Huh. She couldn''t sleep.


    How could she sleep in this condition when Jayden was in danger out there? She couldn''t sleep in this situation without knowing what would happen to Jayden.


    Apple then took her cell phone and thought of calling Jayden, but then she rejected the idea. Because she knew in an operation like this, it was impossible for Jayden to activate his cellphone.


    Even if he didn''t turn it off, Apple didn''t want Jayden to have his attention divided just because he picked up a call from her.


    Apple was feeling awry right now, she just wanted to know how Jayden was and make sure he was okay.


    "Ugh! I can''t sleep because I''m too tense," Apple grumbled. She then got out of bed and went out of the room to get a drink. She hoped this long night would end soon and Jayden would call her in the morning.


    But, still, this did not make Apple feel any calmer. She then finished the water in the ss and filled it again and then finished it again, but this didn''t help at all and she was very frustrated.


    "Ah¡­ that sucks¡­" Apple grumbled. She then walked toward the door and saw two bodyguards guarding her house. The two bodyguards were in a car with tinted windows, but Apple knew they were there, because it had be a routine and she knew all of this by heart.


    Therefore, having nothing to do and since she felt very ufortable to be in the room, Apple then got out, went to the bodyguard''s car and knocked on the window.


    One of those sitting by that window immediately lowered the ss and greeted Apple in a friendly manner.


    "Can I help you?" he asked immediately. "Is there anything you need?"


    At this point, they must have been told that Apple was pregnant, so this was how they reacted to it.


    "It''s all right, can you open the back seat door?" asked Apple in a cheery voice. The night air was a little chilly and she was not wearing a jacket. After all, she had no intention of going out of the house earlier.


    "Oh, okay..." said the two bodyguards in a panic and then immediately unlocked the back door and let Apple in.


    They didn''t know what Apple wanted. At first, they thought Apple just wanted them to buy something because she was craving something.


    "Is there anything you want to eat?" one of them asked the same, concernedly, but Apple justughed and waved her hand.


    "Mrs. Tordoff has made me a lot of food, I''m full," Apple said softly. She had to talk softly like this because she wanted something from them. "But, I need help from you guys," said Apple, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.


    "What''s that? We will help as much as we can," they said excitedly. Of course, they would help. Who would refuse Jayden Tordoff''s woman''s request?


    "I wonder how the mission went," Apple said in a coy voice. "Could you call a guy over there and ask him to tell us how the mission went?"


    Apple felt that she couldn''t do anything until she found out for herself what was going on in the mission. This might sound stupid and unreasonable, but she couldn''t calm down without knowing anything.


    On the other hand, when they heard that, of course the two of them immediately looked for an excuse. "You should rest and just believe that the mission will go well, after all Mr. Tordoff has worked out this n well."


    However, Apple was not epting rejections at this time. She then leaned back against the back of the seat and folded her arms.


    "No, I want to hear a report now," said Apple very stubbornly, her charade of being nice earlier had nowpletely disappeared and she looked like a woman who would swallow you whole if you refused this one request.


    "But, Apple¡­ we can''t do that, Mr. Tordoff said that we shouldn''t stress you out," said one of the bodyguards, who seemed to be asking for understanding from Apple.


    "You''re actually stressing me out right now by refusing my request," she said.

 Chapter 686: I WILL JUST WATCH

    Chapter 686: I WILL JUST WATCH"But, Apple¡­ we can''t do that, Mr. Tordoff said that we shouldn''t stress you out," said one of the bodyguards, who seemed to be asking for understanding from Apple.


    They had been specifically instructed not to stress Apple out, although they didn''t understand how they could stress a pregnant woman out when they weren''t even interacting with her at all.


    But, it seemed that now they understood the meaning of Adrian''s words and could now see that it was a very difficult task to aplish. Not because they were going to stress Apple out, but more so because they had to deal with this woman.


    "You are actually stressing me out right now by refusing my request," she said. She then folded her hands and red at them. "You know I am really stressed right now because I didn''t hear from Jayden? I can''t even sleep."


    Apple then touched her forehead and massaged it gently, then winced, as if she was in pain.


    "Now I have a headache because I can''t sleep. I''m too worried about what will happen to the father of the child I am carrying," Apple said dramatically, then looked out the window. "Is he okay, is he really not hurt... "


    Hearing this gave the two bodyguards a real headache. They sighed heavily when they saw Apple''s current behavior.


    "You don''t have to be so dramatic," said one of them. The two had met with Apple before when she was working as a substitute bodyguard for Pyro, but there really wasn''t much interaction between them, so this girl seemed to have forgotten them.


    Therefore, they both knew that Apple was anything but this weak. She was just being dramatic to get what she wanted, and it was undeniable that it might work if practiced on them.


    "I am worried," Apple said weakly, then rubbed her t stomach with a furrowed brow, as if she was in pain or had a lot on her mind. "What if¡­"


    "Okay, okay, enough..." said one of the bodyguards, he raised his hands in the air, indicating that he was giving up on persuading Apple.


    They both knew that Apple wouldn''t stop until she got what she wanted, and therefore, it would only be in vain trying to stop this woman.


    "We got it, we got it," said the bodyguard with a heavy sigh, now they were the ones who felt frustrated because they had to face this woman.


    "We will try to call one of the guys over there, okay? But, if they don''t pick up, we can''t do anything more," he said firmly, he looked at Apple as if he wanted to force her to agree.


    But, of course it wasn''t that easy to make Apple agree to something, because she didn''t approve of it at all.


    The woman raised her eyebrows and red back at the two of them sharply. "Of course if your guy over there doesn''t pick up the phone, you should try to contact someone else on the field."


    Apple already knew what trick they were going to useter, so she didn''t want the two of them to gang up on her like this.


    "Why don''t you call Mr. Tordoff directly? He''ll exin the situation to you," one of them suggested to Apple, but the woman shook her head, refusing him emphatically.


    "No," she said firmly. "If I call him now, it will only distract him, and it may even harm him."


    The two of them who heard this wanted to hit their heads hard, because where did that thoughte from? Wouldn''t it break their friend''s concentration if they called him?


    On the other hand, Apple seemed to be able to understand what they were thinking and then said calmly.


    "They don''t need to report while talking on the phone, just put their phone in their pocket and that''s enough for me to hear what''s going on over there," Apple said.


    Because that way, at least she could hear themands given and the voices around the person, that way she could quite tell what was going on there.


    "Oh, okay..." said the bodyguard in agreement.


    This method was also quite safe for people who were called because they did not need to talk at length with Apple.


    And after that, a phone call was made, while the three of them were in the car, listening to what was happening at the Port, where the shipment was to be made.


    ============================


    Ramon arrived at the parking lot of the old building, near the harbor, where Jayden was carrying out his secret mission.


    As soon as Ramon got down, Richard, a man who looked like he was in histe thirties and had a bald head, approached Ramon and gave a brief report on the current developments of the situation.


    For now, it didn''t look like much had changed and the delivery hadn''t been done yet, but Jayden had everything set up and it didn''t look like it was going to take that long, considering the other side would have to do their job very quickly too before anyone noticed this delivery.


    "So, what are you going to do now?" Richard asked Ramon, he looked at Mr. Tordoff, even though he was no longer young and had long retired and now settled on a deserted ind with his wife, still, no one could resist this mysterious and domineering aura emanating from him.


    "We''ll wait," said Ramon calmly. He then got back in the car and sat there.


    He wouldn''t do anything if Jayden could handle this well, therefore, he was just here to observe.


    If Jayden could do this well, then Ramon wouldn''t have to intervene at all and no one would even know he was there.


    =======================


    Jayden didn''t stop grumbling as he went on this mission, which he had nned himself.


    Why did it have to be in a Harbor?!


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 687: ON MISSION

    Chapter 687: ON MISSIONJayden didn''t stop grumbling as he went on this mission, even though this mission was something he had nned himself.


    But, it seemed he was overestimating himself. Ugh. This was very annoying and then again¡­


    Why did it have to be in a Harbor?!


    He couldn''t understand why Theodore Gevano didn''t use other means after he had been caught using the Port as his transaction medium in carrying out his sleazy activities before. Why was he using the same medium again anyway? The man really wasn''t creative at all in thinking about the n.


    Jayden had apparently underestimated his trauma to this ce. Back then, when he was kidnapped, he was brought here and now, here he was again, still having the same fears he had faced almost twelve years ago.


    Damn.


    Jayden really didn''t like this side of him and it really frustrated him.


    Jayden then shook his head vigorously and tried to focus on what he was going to do now.


    "Are you okay?" asked Adrian in a worried voice as he drew closer to Jayden. They were hiding behind arge cargo hold, while observing the specifics of the cargo not far from the two of them.


    And that cargo was what they were going for now. They could see there were several chests stuffed inside.


    Of course, they could imagine what was in those chests.


    "Yeah, I am fine," Jayden said. He sighed in annoyance. "Looks like the sea breeze is not good for me," he grumbled, while massaging his throbbing head.


    On the other hand, Adrian didn''t understand why Jayden had joined this mission. Not many people know about Mr. Tordoff''s trauma centering the harbor, but at least Adrian was one of the few people who knew about it, so he was feeling really worried right now.


    "Mr. Tordoff, you can step back from this situation, we can sort it out well, without you being here," Adrian said understandingly, he didn''t want Jayden to suddenly fall ill or something bad happening to him.


    Only, Jayden couldn''t see his intentions. He instead looked at Adrian with a frown.


    "What do you mean by saying something like that to me?" he said glumly, he looked at Adrian in annoyance and hissed. "You don''t like me here? You don''t want me to be here with you?"


    Hearing this, Adrian felt like he wanted to facepalm himself. How could he think so, when he was only thinking about his current state?


    "It is not like that, Mr. Tordoff, you should know you can''t be here, right? You know exactly how you feel now, don''t you?" said Adrian in a low voice.


    Mr. Tordoff shouldn''t need to be here because he didn''t need to intervene directly, but knowing Jayden''s nature, of course that wouldn''t happen.


    This mission had been his obsession for years and had be a part of him, therefore, whatever Adrian said now, it didn''t seem to have any effect on Jayden at all.


    ''No, I am here, I have to see firsthand what would happen next,'' Jayden said firmly.


    For now, the two of them disguised themselves as officers from the Port and were now walking, patrolling therge cargoes around the Port.


    With an appearance like this, naturally no one would be suspicious of the two of them.


    "What do you think has allowed the Gevano family to have such great influence now?" asked Adrian, while they waited for the right time to strike. "As far as I know, the Gevano family is not one of the strong families, they tend to be average whenpared to the families from City A."


    But, how could a business like this run for decades and even after Jayden Tordoff himself intervened, only recently did they find out that the person behind all this was Theodore Gevano?


    Wouldn''t it be a great achievement for the people of the Gevano family to be able to face the Tordoffs and be a scourge for so many years?


    "That''s because of Theodore Gevano''s second marriage," Jayden replied lightly. He had been investigating this ever since he learned that Theodore Gevano was the one behind his kidnapping from twelve years ago.


    After marrying Aileen Tatum, his mother''s half- sister, Theodore Gevano divorced her and got remarried to a woman from a fairly influential family and it seemed that he got the wealth and poprity of the woman''s family.


    Not to mention that the efforts they were putting in together could be said to be sessful and generated sufficient coffers of money.


    Unexpectedly, all the capital came from this activity¡­


    Jayden stared at the crates being loaded into the cargo hold with a very sharp look in his eyes. He looked very angry when he witnessed all this.


    "Ah¡­ that kind of family is reallyplicated¡­" said Adrian, responding to Jayden''s words, he then looked around and realized that there was something strange and it seemed that Jayden was aware of it too.


    "Someone ising," Jayden muttered, the two of them walking past the cargo that was about to be loaded onto the ship, when tworge freighters pulled up near them.


    But, unable to give away their disguises now, the two continued walking past the trucks.


    However, out of the corner of his eye, Jayden could see that someone was getting out of the truck and this of course surprised Jayden because he didn''t expect to see the man at all.


    It was the first child of Theodore Gevano, who was also Alina''s ex-husband. Thest time they met was at a party he and Apple attended and stole theirpany''s data.


    Jayden really had to control himself very well, because every time he saw that man, he felt like pping him mercilessly.


    Well, he would be able to do just thatter when all of this was over.


    He would make sure that was the first thing that he did.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 688: MY STOMACH HURT

    Chapter 688: MY STOMACH HURTWhen Jayden was about to walk away from the ce together with Adrian, out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone was getting out of the truck and this of course surprised Jayden because he didn''t expect to see the man at all.


    He is Erick, the first child of Theodore Gevano, who is also Alina''s ex-husband.


    Damn!


    Sometimes Jayden felt that there was something wrong with Alina''s brain because she married this kind of man. Of course, this happened before the kidnapping case that involved him.


    But, why did hee here? Thest time they met was at a party he and Apple attended and stole theirpany''s data.


    Jayden really had to control himself very well, because every time he saw that man, he felt like pping him mercilessly.


    Well, he would be able to do just thatter when all this was over. He was really going to destroy that guy because Alina didn''t do anything to him as far as Jayden knew¡­


    "Isn''t that..." Adrian looked at the man who got off the truck. Even though he was wearing a ck hat and jacket and didn''t look shy at all, he could recognize him very well.


    "Yeah, I know¡­" Jayden mumbled stubbornly, trying to keep himself from hitting the guy right then and there. "It is a shame he is still alive," Jayden said nonchntly.


    The annoyance that Jayden felt was quite understandable, considering what Erick had done to his sister.


    And after that, the two of them walked away, letting Erick do what he had to do now.


    ========================


    "Are they still not moving?" asked Apple warily, looking down at Danny''s cell phone, which was being used to call one of the men who were with Jayden Tordoff on this mission.


    "Don''t worry too much, everything will be fine," Gabriel said, trying to calm Apple, who was now listening to the guy on the phone, although not much could be heard or said anything, due to the atmosphere behind the line. Such phone calls tend to be very quiet.


    "Ugh! It''s so annoying, I am so worried that I feel sick to my stomach," Apple grumbled. She was used to being directly at the scene when carrying out a mission, therefore, not being able to be at the scene in person, was really stressful.


    However, Gabriel and Danny immediately widened their eyes when they heard Applein like that.


    "Hey, no kidding¡­" they grumbled. "Don''t say things like that. Did you forget that you are pregnant? It could mean something else," he said frantically. He didn''t know much about pregnant women, but one thing was for sure; Mr. Tordoff would be furious if anything happened to this girl. Therefore, how could she say that so lightly?


    On the other hand, Apple really forgot about it. Oh right, she was pregnant now, how could she say such a thing?


    Apple grimaced and rubbed her stomach. Sorry, I didn''t mean to say that.


    "Your stomach really hurts?" Gabriel asked, looking at Apple anxiously because she didn''t say anything.


    "It''s alright¡­ I''m alright¡­" Apple waved her hand to make the two men stop worrying about her, because after all, she was only saying that out of spite because she couldn''t be there and see the mission firsthand.


    However, Gabriel and Danny still couldn''t believe it. "Are you sure?" they asked with furrowed brows. "We don''t really need to see a doctor now?" he asked worriedly.


    "You don''t have to worry about me, I''m fine. If I feel something is wrong, then I will tell you guys," Apple said lightly, waving her hand at their worried faces.


    And then, after confirming that Apple was okay, the two of them then turned their attention back to the phone that had been their main focus for a long time.


    Waiting for something to happen.


    But, they hoped that nothing bad would happen, because the night seemed so long.


    =======================


    Jayden watched the movements of Erick and five others, who were loading valuable looking crates into arge cargo hold where a ship would be carrying them off.


    It was fortunate that tonight Theodore Gevano had his sone check on this work personally. It seemed like he really didn''t trust anyone and wanted to make sure everything went smoothly.


    But, what they didn''t know was that, with Erick Gevano''s appearance, of course this would help making the usations of human trafficking that they were charging them with now be irrefutable.


    Even if Theodore Gevano could be released like before, by scapegoating someone and because of the evidence that said he wasn''t at the scene, at least Erick would be convicted in a serious legal case.


    Jayden smiled at the thought, the bastard was finally about to meet his end and it was quiteforting for Jayden.


    Only, Jayden really couldn''t ignore his restless feeling now that he was in the Harbor.


    All the things he had done and the post-abduction trauma therapy, couldn''t really help him get back to his original state.


    He still felt anxious when he saw the big ships and also his fingertips felt very stiff.


    And being around these cargoes only made him feel like he was about to have a panic attack.


    Very annoyed, Jayden took off his jacket as his breath became heavy, while beads of sweat began to appear on his forehead which made Adrian worried.


    "Are you okay? You can go back and I''ll continue this," said Adrian, trying to persuade Jayden, but the man wouldn''t listen at all.


    Just at that moment, someone touched Jayden''s shoulder and this made him gasp and instinctively, he turned around to see who the person was.


    And when he turned around, he saw a burly man looking at him fiercely.


    "What are you doing here?" asked the man who was wearing the same uniform that Jayden and Adrian were wearing.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 689: PEACEFUL DECISION

    Chapter 689: PEACEFUL DECISIONWhen Jayden turned around, he saw a burly man staring at him fiercely.


    "What are you doing here?" asked the man who was wearing the same uniform that Jayden and Adrian were wearing. "You know that you shouldn''t be patrolling the area around here?" the man asked in his deep voice, as if he had just finished a box of cigarettes.


    Hearing this, Jayden squinted, he then looked at Adrian who was standing beside him and was about to make an excuse, but before he could say anything, Jayden had hit the man very fast and knocked him on the head very hard when he tried to get back up.


    Of course this was unexpected and Adrian didn''t expect Jayden to do such a thing.


    "What are you doing?" he asked with wide eyes. He looked at the man who fell on his face and went still.


    Adrian knew that the man couldn''t possibly die, he just fainted. It was just that they could find a much better solution than this. Adrian could have talked to him and this unnecessary violence wouldn''t have happened.


    "I could have talked to him," said Adrian. "And we could have gotten out, without this having to be like this."


    If it was like this, they would actually attract attention if someone came and this would increase the risk of their mission. Jayden should know that right?


    Only, Jayden didn''t listen, instead he approached the man''s body and then reached into his jacket pockets, but when he found nothing, he then checked around his waist and found something.


    "He is not the port officer here," Jayden said, pointing to the gun tucked into the man''s waist. "No supervisor needs to carry a gun."


    "Oh," Adrian mumbled. That''s right¡­


    There was no way for a supervisor to walk around with a gun on their waist, so it was absolutely absurd.


    Adrian then nced at Jayden Tordoff. How could he catch this so quickly? Even he himself couldn''t figure it out¡­ of course this was something he did not expect at all.


    After immobilizing the man, Jayden then tried to search the man''s body further and found that he was carrying amunication device tucked away in his trouser pocket.


    Jayden took the smallmunication device and put it to his ear while listening to the orders given by Erick to his other subordinates.


    From the conversation, Jayden knew that this man was not alone, there were two other men who had disguised themselves by wearing the same uniform as Jayden and Adrian.


    "Call someone to clean this up," Jayden said, kicking the man, like he was just trash littering the streets. He didn''t even nce at him after that and just walked away, right after making sure the man would stay unconscious.


    Meanwhile, Adrian quickly contacted someone to take care of the man who had been knocked unconscious by Jayden and asked him to take the man away from him.


    It was only after that Adrian went to catch up with Jayden and went back to observe the extent of the activities that these people had carried out.


    Only, before Adrian could move closer, Jayden had pulled him away to take cover behind one of the cargo.


    Because there, on the other side of the Cargo, Jayden saw Erick talking to someone. He was reporting what happened in this Harbor and it went without saying that that person must be Theodore Gevano.


    Jayden frowned as he eavesdropped on the conversation, but his head felt very dizzy and his fingertips felt numb. He felt that he was about to have a panic attack.


    Damn.


    He didn''t want that to happen, nor to experience it at a time like this. He wanted to be here to see their fall.


    And it was at that moment, in the distance, that Jayden could see the ship, carrying the cargoes that had been loaded with crates earlier, moving away because they had managed to get what they wanted.


    "Now," Jayden said quietly into hismunication device, but he forgot that he was wearing themunication device he took from the man earlier.


    And by the time Jayden realized that, it was toote.


    On the other hand, Adrian could only facepalm himself at the small mistake, while Jayden smirked. His head had been throbbing with pain since earlier, therefore, he couldn''t think clearly and made the mistake.


    But, since things had already happened, what could he do?


    Quickly, Jayden came out of his hiding ce and surprised Adrian, because this wasn''t what they had nned.


    On the other hand, Erick was startled when he heard someone talking into hismunication device in amanding tone and then in the distance, he could see several speed boats moving toward his ship.


    Which, not long after, was followed by the sound of a helicopter in the distance.


    "Damn! What is this!?" Erick shouted in annoyance, he looked around, but when he saw the figure of a man walking toward him, he tried to grab the gun at his waist, which Jayden had anticipated.


    Jayden moved faster than Erick and within seconds, he had his gun pointed at the man''s head.


    "If you try to draw your gun, I will blow your head off," Jayden said threateningly, but he did not raise his voice at all. He sounded very calm and in control of the situation.


    It was just that this ce seemed to be hellbent on challenging his sanity. He wanted to get out of here and go back into Apple''s arms, keep herpany...


    "Jayden Tordoff¡­" Erick said, calling his name in a scornful voice. "We have not seen each other in a long time."


    "I wish it stayed that way," Jayden retorted, for he had not at all expected to meet this man.


    "Then how about we discuss this matter peacefully?" he asked with that sickening smile on his face.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 690: ITS YOUR DADDY!

    Chapter 690: IT''S YOUR DADDY!"Jayden Tordoff¡­" Erick said, calling his name in a scornful voice. "We haven''t seen each other in a long time."


    "I wish it stayed that way," Jayden retorted, for he had not at all expected to meet this man.


    "Then how about we discuss this matter peacefully?" he suggested something very absurd.


    "Hmm? Peacefully?" Jayden snickered when he heard those words. He tried to put hisplete focus on Erick and of course it wasn''t an easy feat, considering the fact that he was in a Harbor alone made Jayden feel tense.


    Damn!


    His trauma was really upsetting.


    "Peace? Dude, you know that I like when things get suspenseful and mind-blowing, of course ''peace'' was never in my dictionary." Jayden clicked his tongue. "You are so boring to actually suggest we discuss this peacefully."


    On the other hand, Erick clenched his jaw tightly. He knew making an offer wouldn''t make Jayden back off, especially when he had the upper hand like now.


    "What do you want from me?" Erick asked in a voice that sounded very annoyed. His current position was simply unpleasant.


    And again Jayden snickered, as he pulled Erick to a slightly quieter ce so they wouldn''t be easy to find, while he had removed themunication device he had stolen earlier and turned it off.


    Jayden''s mind was indeed going wild right now, because his emotions were all over the ce, due to being in this ce, therefore, he was a little distracted when he made the mistake.


    On the other hand, Adrian was trying to read the situation around and guide their men to fall in the right ces, because the ambush was already underway at this moment.


    "Just say what you want from me?!" Erick growled in annoyance that he was in this position. He could already imagine the wrath of his father upon learning that he had failed this mission and he could also imagine what he would say.


    It was his idea to prove himself that he was capable of bing the sessor of the Gevano family, not to mention after his failure to maintain his marriage to Alina.


    Therefore, if this mission failed, not only would Erick get into trouble with his father, but it was well certain that his younger brother would take charge of thepany instead.


    However, things had already turned out like this and Erick wasn''t sure that he would have any other way to make it right.


    "Say what you want, Jayden and leave. Go back to your woman," Erick growled because he was really feeling so upset and desperate right now.


    Damn!


    Why did Jayden have toe to him at a time like this?! This was not within his expectation at all.


    However, instead of answering his question, Jayden actuallyughed when he heard this.


    "Don''t talk like you have more money than me. Your family can never beat the Tordoffs," Jayden said in a condescending voice. "You have nothing to offer me, so stop humiliating yourself by thinking that I will let you go or that you can offer me something to make me go."


    "You really haven''t changed since the old days, my brother-inw," said Erick, he knew that these words would only irritate Jayden and his prediction was correct, because Jayden pressed harder against his temples, so that Erick could feel the cold gun digging into the skin on his forehead.


    Only, he knew that Jayden wouldn''t actually shoot him, because after all he wouldn''t dare to do that. Besides, killing him now wouldn''t be in Jayden''s favour.


    This was why a calction was as important as a n.


    For now, the best option Erick had was to run away from Jayden, if he could get himself out of here, then thetter wouldn''t have strong enough evidence to ensnare him with thew.


    Because the people he had hired, of course, would be more than d to refuse his involvement now.


    "You''re not going to kill me, Jayden, so put your gun down," Erick said in a voice that had audible traces ofughter.


    Hearing that and seeing Erick''s stupid smile filled with victory, as if he had done something extraordinary, made Jayden smile slyly at the man.


    "Yeah, I guess you''re right about me not being able to kill you," said Jayden coldly.


    But, in the next second, he pushed Erick until his body was pressed into the cargo behind him, rendering him motionless, while he covered his mouth so he couldn''t scream, while his other hand was still holding the gun to Erick''s head.


    Seeing this, Erick didn''t understand what Jayden really wanted to do, but then he saw Jayden signaling Adrian toe closer.


    "Cuff his hands and feet," Jayden said, to which Adrian immediately followed.


    The bodyguard was prepared with two pairs of handcuffs, of which, one he used to lock Erick''s hands to the cargo door, making sure he could neither move anywhere nor escape.


    While the other pair of handcuffs ended up around his legs, so he couldn''t kick or hurt Jayden.


    More or less, Adrian had heard everything that Erick had said to Jayden and of course, he wouldn''t have a good end in the hands of the Tordoff heir.


    After that, Jayden sent Adrian to directly check on the ambush they were carrying out and gave hismunication device to Adrian, for him to use and find out the location of Erick''s other men who were still hiding.


    "Now it''s just the two of us," Jayden said with a smile on his face, as if he had gotten the present he had wanted for so long.


    "Why? Are you happy to be alone with me?" Erick asked with a scornful smile. "Turns out the brother and sister are the same. In the past, Alina was also happy to be alone with me."


    Erick wanted to make Jayden angry and waited for him to make a mistake.


    But instead of getting angry, Jayden just chuckled when he heard this, although the look in his eyes was now much more dangerous than before.


    "You''re really funny, constantly talking about Alina, even though our current situation has absolutely nothing to do with Alina. Do you miss my sister so much?" Jayden asked, tilting his head, as if he was trying to find an answer to his own question. "You really miss my sister, don''t you?"


    Hearing the joke, of course Erick couldn''t stay still.


    This man really pissed him off and loved getting on his nerves. Erick''s original intention was to tease and provoke Jayden, but seeing how calm he was talking and mocking Erick at the same time, made Erick the one who felt really annoyed with him now.


    Jayden knew very well how to piss people off. After all, he had been doing it his whole life and Misha would always be his target, even though he now had Apple to practice his ''antics'' on.


    "Why don''t you talk?" Jayden asked, smiling very sweetly when he saw Erick clenching his jaw so hard, showing the anger he had to endure.


    Luckily, Jayden had a pretty calm father and he had learned from him well.


    But, that didn''t mean Jayden couldn''t be cruel, because the next moment, he moved forward very quickly and again covered Erick''s mouth, but this time, the gun in his hand was not aimed at the man''s temple, because he knew that Jayden would not kill him.


    But, of course, not being able to kill waspletely different from the notion that he couldn''t torture him.


    Because that was exactly what Jayden did to Erick.


    He actually pointed the gun at Erick''s leg and shot one of his legs, causing the man to scream in pain, but Jayden mped his mouth even harder, literally, banging Erick''s head against the cargo so he could silence him and restrain his movements.


    Meanwhile, Erick felt the pain in his leg was so agonizing as if it was going to kill him.


    FUCK YOU JAYDEN!!!


    Erick kept shouting those words, but of course he couldn''t do anything when his legs and hands were bound like this, while Jayden pressed his head against the cargo, holding his mouth shut so he couldn''t scream out loud.


    Meanwhile, the corners of Jayden''s lips lifted, revealing a satisfied smile when he saw the pain he had caused Erick, the man looked as if he would die from the pain.


    "Why?" Jayden asked. He then stepped on Erick''s foot which he had shot earlier and the man looked like he was about to pass out from the unbearable pain.


    How could Jayden be so calm even after seeing his opponent like this? But then, this was the moment he had been waiting for years.


    "Too bad it''s you, I wish you were Theodore Gevano, so I could see the terrified look on his face." Jayden snickered when Erick gasped for breath. He was suffocated because he couldn''t breath through his mouth. "You must be very happy that I always wanted to be near you. How about now? Are you happy? Should we spend more time together from now on?"


    And just at that moment, the cell phone in Erick''s pocket vibrated and Jayden took it.


    "Oh, it''s your daddy. Do you want to say hi to your dear old daddy?" He asked in his childish voice as if Erick was a five year old child.


    If Apple had been here and heard the way Jayden spoke, she would have winced, because it sounded so cringey, or if Misha were here with him, his cousin would have hit him in the head because his voice was so annoying.

 Chapter 691: HOW ARE YOU?

    Chapter 691: HOW ARE YOU?Just at that moment, the cell phone in Erick''s pocket vibrated and Jayden took it.


    "Oh, it''s your daddy. Do you want to say hi to your dear old daddy?" He asked in his childish voice as if Erick was a five year old child.


    Jayden even let his eyes sparkle with joy, as if he was a kid who just got a box of cookies.


    If Apple had been here and heard Jayden''s way of speaking now, she''d have winced, because it sounded so cringey, or if Misha were here with him, his cousin would have hit him on the head because his voice was so annoying.


    But, of course Jayden didn''t care about all these things, he had other more important things to deal with now.


    He wanted the night to go well. Then he could go back into Apple''s arms, because only that woman and the child she was carrying could give him the feeling of happiness right now.


    "Come on, talk to daddy, tell daddy what I''m doing to you," Jayden said to Erick in a scornful and mocking tone.


    And a momentter, Jayden pressed the ''yes'' button to answer the call and put the phone to Erick''s ear, but not before clicking on the speaker button, so he too could join in listening to this father and son conversation.


    "Dad," Erick said, after Jayden lifted his hand from his mouth.


    On the other hand, Jayden grimaced when Erick started whimpering. This ''man kid'' actually rattled off everything to Theodore Gevano, from how he got beaten up to how he was doing now.


    Every word that came out of Erick''s lips made Jayden squint, because he couldn''t understand Alina''s way of thinking. How could she ept this spineless man as his lover?


    His older sister did go to extremes at times, but to make a creature like Erick her husband was, of course, a very crazy thing.


    "He ambushed us dad, now he tied my hands and feet," Erick reported to his father.


    There was silence for a moment, but then, Theodore again spoke in a voice that trembled slightly with anger.


    "What are you saying? You''re being held by Jayden? And your hands and feet are in handcuffs? Then how did you get hold of your phone?" asked Theodore in a growl at the end of his sentence. "Don''t tell me that..."


    However, before Theodore could finish his sentence, or Erick could answer that, Jayden had already cut in on the conversation between father and son and greeted Theodore as if he were his favorite uncle.


    "Hi, Mr. Gevano," said Jayden cheerfully. "Of course, I was the one who helped him to talk to you, I held this phone to Erick''s ear, am I not very kind to do that?"


    However, what Jayden got in return was a muffled grunt and cursing, the words barely clear before the call ended.


    Jayden then looked at the phone screen which was dark because the line had been disconnected and then looked at Erick with an innocent face.


    "It seems your father is mad that you didn''t tell him that you were with me and that I put you on speaker?" asked Jayden, who then got a barrage of profanities from Erick''s mouth.


    Hearing this made Jayden frown. "You should watch your words. That''s too crude. I don''t think you''ve ever been taught manners."


    "FUCK YOU JAYDEN!" Erick shouted with unbearable anger. He looked very angry and really couldn''t control his emotions. He tried to approach Jayden, but the man just stepped back from himughing scornfully.


    "I know, I know, you don''t have to tell me anymore," Jayden said as he stepped back to avoid Erick, even though he wouldn''t be able to do anything because his hands and feet were well cuffed. "At least I''m a jerk who wasn''t tied down and got scolded by his dad," Jaydenughed.


    Yes, it did sound childish, but saying that and seeing how Erick reacted really made him happy.


    Also, Erick wasn''t trained at all to break free from the handcuffs like Apple did, so it was certain that he had no hope of freeing himself.


    This man was too stupid to be able to do such a thing.


    "Come here! COME BACK HERE!" Erick roared angrily that Jayden was leaving him like this.


    "Why should I?" Jayden said with furrowed brows while he contacted someone through hismunication device, calling someone to secure Erick who was on a rampage right now. "I don''t want to be near you. I''m afraid you will say that I want to always be close to you again. You really were shameless when you said that earlier, but now you want me toe over to you."


    Erick had never felt anger like this. He felt his whole body shaking with rage at what Jayden said and did to him. He had never felt humiliation like this before.


    "COME HERE FUCKER!" Erick was still trying to free himself from the handcuffs that bound him, not caring that the sharp metal scraped his wrists and legs.


    Jayden just shook his head in response and continued talking into his earpiece.


    It was only after someone came to secure Erick that Jayden stepped away from there.


    "YOU COME BACK HERE, JAYDEN!" Erick shouted with all his might before his mouth was gagged and he was dragged elsewhere.


    While Jayden walked away waving his hand indifferently at Erick. Simply letting the others take care of it.


    "How is it here?" Jayden asked Adrian who was observing the inspection on board. Their men on the speedboats had burst into the ship and checked every cargo until they found what they were looking for.


    "Everything went smoothly, we just need to wait for the reports from our people that they have found the right cargo," Adrian reported the current situation, he then turned and looked at Jayden with a frown. "You''re all right, Mr. Tordoff?" asked Adrian worriedly because he could see that Jayden was very pale now.


    "Yeah, I''m fine," Jayden said, gritting his teeth.


    "You''d better¡­" Adrian was about to say that he could leave now, since things were under control, but he didn''t, because Jayden stared him down fiercely.


    "Don''t you try to send me home," Jayden grumbled.


    Well, maybe it was ego and after all, he really didn''t like the look of pity that Adrian regarded him with. It really offended his high self-esteem.


    "I won''t say it, Mr. Tordoff¡­" Adrian mumbled, quickly turning his attention back to something else, because he didn''t want to get those nasty looks from Jayden.


    Jayden stared at the ship being searched with a look on his face that was hard to read because he looked like he was holding back his emotions. He was very upset that he couldn''t get any closer and this made him uneasy.


    However, this was the closest he could go, because any closer than this he would have a panic attack and that was thest thing he wanted.


    "Oh, Mr. Tordoff, they found the cargo," said Adrian, reporting this to Jayden. He looked so excited.


    Jayden smiled a little, then made a call on his cell phone, which was picked up on the second ring by the person on the other end. "Uncle, we found it," Jayden said with a smile on his lips.


    ========================


    Ramon, who was in the car, listened to what Richard had to report about the situation at the harbor, where Jayden had managed to find the right cargo. Now, Jayden was trying to sort things out there.


    On the other hand, Ramon smiled while listening to the report and he nodded with a satisfied smile etched on the corners of his lips when he heard that.


    "Find out Theodore Gevano''s number, I would like to greet the man. We haven''t spoken in a long time," said Ramon, giving Richard orders.


    On the other hand, Richard would dly do so and without waiting long, the man had obtained Theodore Gevano''s private phone number, which was not a difficult thing for people like Richard to do.


    And after getting the phone number, he immediately told it to Ramon, who made a call to the number.


    "Theodore?" greeted Ramon very politely.


    For a moment, Theodore didn''t say anything, it seemed he was trying to remember this voice, but no matter how long ago they spoke, it wouldn''t be easy for people to forget Ramon''s voice.


    "Ramon," Theodore growled furiously.


    "How are you?" asked Ramon in a cheerful tone.


    How are you?!


    How could he ask how he was at a time like this when he knew very well what was really going on!


    This father and son really are the same! They both love to make fun of someone they''ve beaten down, making sure they face embarrassment that they''ll always remember.


    "What do you want!?" cried Theodore fiercely. He seemed to want to beat up Ramon if that man were in front of him, but even so, it was doubtful that he could even touch Ramon.

 Chapter 692: ANOTHER WAY TO SAY KIDNAPPING

    Chapter 692: ANOTHER WAY TO SAY KIDNAPPING"What do you want!?" cried Theodore fiercely. He seemed to want to beat up Ramon if he were in front of him right now, but even so, it was doubtful that he could even touch Ramon.


    "Nothing," replied Ramon lightly. "There''s nothing I want right now, I just wanted to say hello and ask how you''re doing, that''s all." Ramon smiled when he heard Theodore''s frustrated grumble.


    It was natural for this man to feel very frustrated dealing with the mess his son created while Ramon really wanted to enjoy this good moment, bothering Theodore and making him more upset.


    "So how are you?" asked Ramon again, for Theodore still had not answered his question.


    On the other hand, Richard could only shake his head¡­ he was sure that Jayden''s childish trait was passed down from Hailee, but apparently that trait had been rubbed on Mr. Tordoff too¡­


    He didn''t think that after a long time of not seeing him, Mr. Tordoff would actually be like this.


    "I heard that the scenery at the harbor today is very pleasant, what do you think?" asked Ramon. "Wouldn''t you like toe over here to have a look for a bit?" he asked again in a more enthusiastic tone and made Richard sigh in resignation.


    However, Ramon didn''t get any response from Theodore because he had turned off the call and refused to speak at all.


    "Why did he turn off his cell phone?" asked Ramon with a frown on his forehead. "Let''s get closer to the harbor," Ramon ordered Richard, because he wanted to take a closer look at how his son was handling this matter.


    And if he was lucky, maybe that phone call could provoke Theodore enough toe and see for himself how his son was now in his son''s hands.


    This was sure to be a very fun show. Ramon couldn''t wait to see how this all turned out.


    Apart from that, Ramon was quite curious about how Jayden was faring in the harbor, because he knew that the trauma was still following his son.


    "Hm, he''s pretty strong too¡­" Ramon muttered to himself while looking at the street lights that lit up the night and the big ships in the harbor.


    The area around the port would definitely be very crowded now. Tonight would definitely be very tense.


    Ramon smiled when he saw the darkness of the night where the sea in the distance looked very dark and ck.


    Indeed, some people couldn''t continue to avoid what had be their destiny.


    Just like Theodore, he was so cunning and only because Alina, Ramon and Jayden didn''t take firm action against them until now.


    However, this time the matter was very different. Alina had absolutely nothing to do with the grudge Jayden felt toward Theodore.


    His daughter knew how bad Jayden''s grudge against the group that had kidnapped him in the past was.


    Therefore, in this matter, it was impossible for her to interfere. She wouldn''t be able to have a say in the matter this time.


    Ramon then nced at his watch. It was still four hours before morning and usually Hailee would wake up by then.


    Ramon nned to return before Hailee realized he was gone because exining all this would onlyplicate matters a bit. His wife was easily worried when it came to their children, especially since Ramon was also out tonight.


    ===================


    "They found it," said Danny, one of the bodyguards who was in the car with Apple, while Gabriel smiled with satisfaction when he heard the report.


    "Mr. Tordoff did it," Gabril said, then turned to look at Apple.


    "Of course it''s a sess," said Apple with a smile. She smiled very widely and seemed unable to hold back herughter.


    "You don''t have to worry anymore now." Gabriel was very afraid that something would happen to Apple because she was so tense following the ambush.


    "Of course, I don''t need to worry, I know that Jayden will be fine, I didn''t doubt him one bit," Apple said proudly and eyes sparkling. "What?"


    Apple asked as she got piercing eyes from Gabriel and Danny at the same time.


    "It''s okay," they both replied at about the same time, turning their attention away from Apple''s face.


    How could she say so emphatically that she didn''t even doubt Jayden Tordoff when she was in the car herself, just for the sake of following developments on the scene firsthand?


    She really was shameless when she said that¡­


    "What?" asked Apple fiercely, because she seemed to know what they thought of her. "You must think badly of me, don''t you?" asked Apple in a loud voice. "You must be making fun of me, right?" Apple used them.


    "Of course not," both answered in unison, while Apple was still dissatisfied with the answer.


    "You two must be making fun of me in your minds," Apple grumbled. She then immediately returned to focus on the next report on what was happening and where Jayden was now.


    ========================


    On the other hand, Jayden was on the phone with someone he called uncle and had a serious conversation with him for a while, and he seemed so focused on the conversation.


    From a distance, they could see the ship Theodore had nned to dock, instead sailing back to the harbor before the big ship lowered its anchor.


    Not long after, several cars containing military personnel and speedboats from the same detachment also surrounded the ship, while a few minutester, about twelve men came out with their hands handcuffed and their faces down.


    They could not escape, they were caught along with evidence.


    Meanwhile, not long after, there were about twenty children between the ages of five, carried by either Jayden''s men, or military police, to the age of eighteen, walking out of the boat.


    They looked frightened, but some of them, who were much more mature and had understood the situation, looked relieved and wept.


    "It seems like a very busy night, doesn''t it?" asked a man approaching Jayden.


    Jayden was a little surprised, because the man''s voice could be heard from both the phone in his ear as well as from behind him.


    "Uncle Damian," said Jayden, then he hung up the phone, because the person he was talking on the phone to was in front of him. "I thought you wouldn''t be able toe."


    Damianughed, he then hung up the phone as well. He then greeted Jayden warmly, hugging him tightly.


    The man was about thirty years older than Jayden and looked very dignified in the uniform he was wearing.


    "Of course I''lle, there''s no way I''d miss a moment like this," Damian said, then he let out his trademarkugh.


    "I''m quite proud of you," Damian said as he patted Jayden on the shoulder. "You''re not only a stubborn young man, but you can really do something."


    Jayden grimaced when he heard that. In his uncle''s eyes, Jayden never grew from his teenage figure.


    "So?" Damian asked.


    "We will convict Theodore Gevano, the mastermind behind all thismotion soon. I''ve got Erick with me, we''ll just have to use him¡­" however, Jayden''s words were cut off as Damian shook his head, indicating that wasn''t what he was asking now.


    "So, how was your fianc¨¦e''s pregnancy? Apple, if I''m not mistaken, is her name, right?" Damian asked, elbowing Jayden meaningfully.


    Hearing this, Jayden really wanted to take a deep breath.


    How could uncle Damian have known about Apple''s pregnancy?! This must all be the work of his mother who had spread this.


    Well, even if it wasn''t Hailee, her mother could just say this to her aunt, Zia and then her aunt would pass it on to everyone she knew...


    Damn.


    It hadn''t even been three days since Jayden found out about Apple''s pregnancy and it hadn''t even been three days since the two of them found out that they were going to be parents, but it looked like both families had already found out about this!?


    On the other hand, Damian seemed to understand the dilemma that was in Jayden''s mind and he patted his nephew on the back.


    "You don''t have to worry, there''s no need to give such a facial expression," Damian said with a chuckle. "This secret is safe with me."


    It was just that Jayden looked at him even more fiercely, if uncle Damian too found out about this matter, then it went without saying that news of Apple''s pregnancy must have spread quite far.


    Damian was Zia''s husband, who was a cousin of Hailee''s mother.


    Damian was someone with a high rank in the military police. Zia''s grandfather introduced the two of them.


    Therefore, Jayden asked Damian for help.


    He only remembered recently to ask for help from his mother''s family, because he was not very close to them, although they would meet regrly two or three times a year.


    "If even you knew, then there wouldn''t be any more secrets here," Jayden grumbled.


    But then, their conversation was interrupted because there was amotion not far from them, whereupon Adrian immediately approached Jayden and told him quickly.


    "Mr. Gevano hase," Adrian told Jayden. He had been connected to the other bodyguards who were guarding around here through amunication device, thus, he immediately knew this. "He used you of kidnapping his son."


    "I kidnapped his son?" Jayden then nced at Damian.


    "Did you kidnap his son?" Damian asked, returning Jayden''s gaze, if it was this boy, it had a good chance of happening and his guess wasn''t too far off.


    "I just handcuffed him and told my men to take him to a more guarded ce."


    Wasn''t that another definition of kidnapping?

 Chapter 693: WE DONT SEE ANYTHING

    Chapter 693: WE DON''T SEE ANYTHING"Did you kidnap his son?" Damian asked, returning Jayden''s gaze, if it was this boy, it had a good chance of happening and his guess wasn''t too far off.


    Meanwhile, Jayden showed an innocent look on his face when he answered that.


    "I didn''t kidnap him," he objected. "I just handcuffed him and told my men to take him to a more guarded ce."


    Wasn''t that another definition of kidnapping?


    "Jayden¡­" Damian took a deep breath when he heard that because Jayden didn''t seem to understand this very well. "That''s tantamount to kidnapping, okay?"


    He knew that Jayden loved ying with words, but this time he really wanted to shake him up and force him to be more serious.


    "Oh, that means the definition of kidnapping is different for both of us," Jayden said lightly. He didn''t really care about that and Damian knew that arguing with Jayden wasn''t going to help either of them. Jayden wouldn''t change his opinion no matter what. He didn''t have a way through which he could make this kid think otherwise either.


    "Okay, but we have to face Theodore now." Damian then grabbed Jayden''s shoulder roughly and it looked more like he was trying to dislocate it instead.


    "It seems Mr. Tordoff is here," Adrian told them, after he received information from their people who were scattered in the port.


    "I''m Mr. Tordoff," Jayden said pointing to himself and Damin hit him on the back hard enough to make him wince. He and his silly words, of course this man knew what Adrian meant. "Why is my father here?" Jayden asked, wincing in pain.


    "Shouldn''t you be the one asking your father that directly?" Damian said, if Ramon''s arrival wasn''t in the n and he was suddenly here, of course that meant he came because he knew about this n, therefore, it was certain that he kept this from Jayden.


    It wasn''t clear if it was intentional or not, but he knew it.


    "Looks like I have to talk to my dad," Jayden muttered with a frown. "I told him to stay out of this."


    Maybe this was one of those things that Jayden didn''t often say to other people, or was known by many people, but he felt his father''s reputation was widespread, which made him want to do this to prove himself and this of course became one of the motivations why Jayden wanted to solve his kidnapping case alone without anyone''s help.


    Therefore, he asked his father not to interfere and indeed, Ramonplied with the request.


    And although this took years to bepleted, Jayden managed to get it done in the end, didn''t he? He was quite happy with the achievement, although perhaps if Ramon had stepped in, it would have been sooner.


    "I guess your dad just wanted to celebrate this victory with you and talk things over with his old friend," Damianughed and the two of them walked in the direction Adrian had pointed them, where Ramon and Theodore were now.


    But, the first thing they saw was; Ramon hitting Theodore in the face that knocked the man off of his feet in a single blow.


    Automatically, Damian and Jayden immediately stopped walking and blinked their eyes upon witnessing this.


    "Hm... I guess dad doesn''t just want to talk to his old friend," Jayden muttered. He grimaced when he saw his father''s figure. Even after growing up like this and having witnessed many horrible and cruel things, Jayden still grimaced when he saw his father''s cold expression.


    "Well¡­ I guess there''s a lot that can''t be put into words," Damian replied and Jayden nodded in agreement.


    "I can''t agree more with that," Jayden muttered.


    ======================


    Apple listened to thetest report onst night''s ambush with a much calmer face, albeit a little tired, since she hadn''t slept all night.


    "Hey, you''ve been up all night, shouldn''t you be sleeping now? You better get some sleep, because if anything happens to you, Mr. Tordoff will be mad at both of us," Gabriel said in a worried voice. He didn''t want anything to happen to Apple under their noses.


    And in the distance, they could see that the sun had started to rise, illuminating the streets and now it was only Gabriel and Danny who looked a little scared when they saw Apple did not rest at all.


    "Apple, go back to your house and sleep, what if something happens to you?" said Danny worriedly. "Now you already know that Mr. Tordoff is all right. So you don''t have to worry about this anymore."


    They had received news that the mission had beenpleted and this mission also involved Damian, Zia''s husband, who was Hailee''s cousin. Most of Jayden''s mother''s family were important members in the military, especially her grandfather.


    "I think it''ll be fine if you call Mr. Tordoff now, because he''s safe too," Gabriel suggested when he saw Apple was still reluctant and wanted to hear more about the aftermath of the ambush.


    But, on second thought, it didn''t seem good for Apple to push herself like this, and besides, now that she didn''t have just herself to think about. After all, she had to think about the baby in her womb too.


    "Yeah, I''ll be back¡­" Only, before Apple got out of the car, she turned her attention to Gabriel and Danny, grinning happily. "But, you guys have to take me to buy cmari first."


    Gabriel and Danny could only shake their heads. What else could they do exceptply with this pregnant woman''s requests?


    It was highly unlikely that they would refuse this request.


    "Okay," said Gabriel. "But I''ll go buy it, while Noah will watch over your house and you better go inside now."


    "You really like delegating, it reminds me of Jayden." Apple folded her arms across her chest, staring fiercely at Gabriel.


    But, after grumbling like that, Apple agreed and then got out of the car and went back into her house.


    She would call Jayden while she waited for her cmari.


    Now it was okay to call, right?


    =========================


    Ramon listened quietly to every dirty word that came out of Theodore''s lips because he didn''t want to cause unnecessary chaos. But, this man wouldn''t let him say even a single word.


    Theodore kept saying bad things about Jayden and as time went on, Ramon''s patience ran thin and hearing how this man had endless things to use people with really stupid things really tested his patience.


    "Your son is so ignorant! How could he meddle in other people''s business like this! You have to teach him to mind his own business!" roared Theodore angrily. "You should be ashamed how your son became so unruly and became a failed businessman!"


    Failed businessman?


    Ramon didn''t understand how Theodore came to that conclusion, because in fact, the Tordoff family business had made quite a bit of progress after matters fell in Jayden and Misha''s hands.


    However, Ramon let Theodore say whatever he wanted to say at this point, letting out all the annoyance he was feeling right now.


    "Are you done talking?" Ramon asked calmly, as he waited for Theodore to say everything he wanted to say.


    "What?!" Theodore was too irritated to hear Ramon''s words, so he didn''t catch what he said.


    "Are you done cursing my son?" Ramon still looked very calm when he said that.


    However, this time Ramon didn''t wait until Theodore uttered some more harsh words to talk ill about Jayden, because Ramon''s next move was to beat Theodore up.


    He had wanted to beat this man for so long, since the time his daughter was hurt by Erick, but Alina always forbade it. Therefore, this time Ramon used this excuse to vent all his anger and annoyance on the useless man in front of him.


    The two of them were indeed no longer young to get into physical fights, but even if they did get into physical fights, then it was certain who would walk away as the winner.


    And just at that moment, Jayden and Damian arrived, while the members of the military police were surrounding Ramon and Theodore. They were there from the moment Theodore started hurling harsh words at Ramon, but gave no response whatsoever.


    They didn''t move forward to separate the two because Ramon asked them to back off and do nothing.


    Therefore, when Ramon mmed Theodore to the ground, no one came forward to help him at all.


    There was only one bodyguard from Theodore''s side, who immediately approached his boss and helped him up.


    "Dad, what are you doing here?" Jayden asked as he stopped beside his father.


    "Just chatting with an old friend," replied Ramon lightly.


    Meanwhile, Damian couldn''t help but grimace, he couldn''t see the incident just now as Ramon met his old friend.


    "HOW DARE YOU HIT ME!?" cried Theodore very loudly. "I WILL SUE YOU FOR HARMING ME!"


    However, Ramon smiled very cynically and answered very coldly. "Don''t overdo it, Theodore, you just fell by yourself, everyone knows that."


    "WHAT!?" Theodore felt like his head was going to explode with anger. He then looked at the military police around them.


    However, they all dispersed as soon as they received direct orders from Damian.


    "We didn''t see anything," said one of them.

 Chapter 694: GET OUT OF MY CAR

    Chapter 694: GET OUT OF MY CAR"Don''t overdo it, Theodore, you just fell by yourself, everyone knows it," Ramon said lightly when he saw how angry Theodore was after taking a hit from him.


    Just fell, he said?!


    Theodore really couldn''t contain his anger anymore. How could Ramon lie so boldly in front of these people? Was he not at all ashamed of that? How could he say that what happened just now was him falling on his own?


    "WHAT!?" Theodore could feel his body shaking with anger. He then looked at the military police around them.


    However, the military police seemed to ignore him, they didn''t give any response, nor the reaction Theodore wanted.


    "Don''t you guys still have other things to take care of?" Damian said quietly, reminding them all to get out of there.


    And without a secondmand, they all swiftly dispersed as soon as they received direct orders from Damian.


    "How can you guys just walk away after seeing how Ramon Tordoff hit me?!" cried Theodore very angrily.


    "We didn''t see anything," one of them replied.


    Theodore waspletely at a loss for words when he heard this and it seemed that the entire military police force there agreed with it. They didn''t see anything.


    And it was only then that Theodore realized that the leader for this operation was Damian, who was the husband of Zia Tatum, and also one of Jayden''s grandfather''s confidants.


    Damn!


    There was no way he could win this debate. Thus, very annoyed and letting out the barrage of curses he could find, while shouting all of that in his heart, Theodore walked toward Jayden, ignoring Ramon.


    "Where is my son?" asked Theodore in a quivering voice, because he was trying to contain his anger he couldn''t act casually now. Jayden could have done something to Erick.


    "Oh, don''t worry, my guys have got him to safety," Jayden replied lightly. "You don''t have to worry, you will meet him soon."


    "WHERE IS HE?!" roared Theodore angrily. He then walked forward, trying to attack Jayden, but Adrian hade forward to protect Jayden.


    Meanwhile, upon seeing this happening, the bodyguards who were along with Theodore also came forward to defend their boss, but Damian had stepped in to calm the current situation.


    "There''s no need to act like that," Damian said calmly. "I can give you a charge if you attack first." He reminded them.


    "YOU WOULD INTERFERE BECAUSE I WAS JUST ATTACKING HIM, BUT YOU LET RAMON TORDOFF HIT ME LIKE THAT?!" Theodore couldn''t ept this. What kind of treatment was he getting now?!


    Only, Damian seemed to have had a tacit understanding with the two Tordoffs as he answered lightly.


    "But, as my men said, I didn''t see anything just now either." Then a smile full of malice etched on his lips. "You can sue me in courtter if you feel this is unfair."


    Theodore could only grit his teeth as he tried to remain calm, but the calm didn''te to him either, because right now the only thing he wanted was to beat up the two Tordoffs.


    "Where is my son?" asked Theodore through gritted teeth. His eyes stared at Jayden very fiercely, as if he wanted to kill him right then and there.


    "Didn''t I tell you he was in a safe ce?" Jayden asked with a furrowed brow, as if Theodore didn''t understand thenguage he was using because he was too stupid. "I''ve asked someone to put him in the van carrying the other criminals."


    In other words, Erick was now heading to the police station together with the other criminals, and this of course made Theodore widen his eyes in disbelief.


    And of course, in the next second all Theodore did was insult Jayden and let out all the curses he had been learning for almost half a century of his life.


    Meanwhile, Jayden just put on an innocent face and asked Damian, as if he hadn''t done anything wrong.


    "Why is he angry? Isn''t the police station a safe ce?" Jayden asked loudly enough that even Theodore could hear.


    And of course, that ''innocent''ment made Theodore even angrier with him.


    "FUCK YOU!"


    "Language please..." Jayden replied. "You shouldn''t speak harsh words. Now I understand where Erick''s impudent attitude came from." Jayden touched his chin, as if he had found a solution to a problem that was bothering him.


    ========================


    When the sun had risen and the sea was getting a little illuminated, reflecting the sun''s rays on the surface of the water, Jayden got into the car, where his father was waiting for him.


    "Dad?" Jayden called in a low voice. "What are you doing here?" he asked as he sat down in the car seat and leaned his back against the back of the seat. Oh, it feels good after standing around the harbor almost all night¡­


    "I just want to see how your n is progressing," said Ramon quietly. He nced at his watch. It looked like he was going to be homete and had to exin to Hailee where he had been all night.


    "I told you I''m fine," Jayden said as he closed his eyes, now that it was all over he was feeling very tired.


    "Hm, good move calling Damian," said Ramon, praising his son.


    He did not expect that Jayden would contact his mother''s family, knowing the background of the Tatum family.


    "Well, that''s been on my mind for thest few weeks," Jayden said with a proud smile. His father did have his own way of praising, but what he said just now could be said to be apliment as well.


    "You shouldn''t be here if the trauma is still bothering you."


    Hearing that, Jayden opened his eyes and smirked at his father. "Would you let trauma get in your way if you were me?"


    Of course, the answer was no and this made Ramon smile.


    "Now get out of my car," he said, still smiling.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 695: OF COURSE, I KNOW

    Chapter 695: OF COURSE, I KNOW"You shouldn''t be here if the trauma is still bothering you." It was very unusual for Ramon to say this, but this time, he was quite proud of his son and this was one way of showing it by not saying it outright.


    "Would you let trauma get in your way if you were me?" Jayden asked, grinning, since he knew that his father would do the same reckless thing like he had done.


    Of course, the answer was no and this made Ramon smile. "Now get out of my car."


    "Hmm?" The smile on Jayden''s lips instantly disappeared when he heard what his father said. "What?"


    "Get out of my car right now, I have to get home before your mom blows up my phone, asking where I have been all night," said Ramon, who was met with a look of disbelief from Jayden.


    "Did I just get kicked out of my own father''s car?" he asked dramatically and this made Ramon lean over and open the door beside Jayden, asking his son to get down even more directly.


    "How can you kick your own son out?" Jayden asked in disbelief, but knowing he couldn''t change his father''s decision, he asked his father as ast resort. "Can''t you drop me first at Apple''s house?"


    "No, you have your own car," said Ramon firmly and folded his arms, as if waiting for Jayden to get out of his car.


    "Oh, my gosh! You are so petty!" Jayden grumbled, then with a grunt, he stepped out of the car and walked away, but he turned around to throw his father a dagger look.


    His dad was really getting really petty now.


    But, before Ramon closed the car door, he gave Jayden a gentle look, while his son was still grumbling, and then said one thing Jayden thought he''d never heard before.


    "I am proud of you, son."


    And after saying that one thing, Ramon then closed the car door, leaving his son still standing where he was and then asked Richard to hurry back to the Tordoff residence.


    Meanwhile, Jayden was still in the same ce until Ramon''s car disappeared from his sight and he still didn''t move until Adrian approached him and reported the aftermath of their ambush.


    "What''s wrong Mr. Tordoff?" Adrian finally asked when he realized that Jayden wasn''t really listening. He tried to look past Jayden''s gaze, but he didn''t see anything interesting or anything that caught his eye.


    "It''s okay," said Jayden, who then shook his head with a sweet smile at Adrian, which only made the bodyguard feel wary and a little scared.


    What did he mean by that smile?


    "What did you report earlier?" Jayden asked with a cheerful face, which made Adrian feel even worse.


    =======================


    After what happenedst night, in the end Jayden was able toplete the mission on a good note. And although he had to face a legal battle after this, with the evidence he had gathered which was almost entirely indisputable, Theodore would not be able to free himself from the snares of thew as he did before.


    And it was certain that Erick would as well end up in prison by the time all this was over.


    And after a tiring night, Jayden was finally able to go back to rest, but of course he didn''t go back to one of his apartments, but instead went straight to Apple''s house.


    "You have dozens of apartments. Why don''t you just go back to one of those, and be here instead?" asked Pyro, shaking his head when he saw Jayden with a tired face and slightly tattered clothes, walking in from the front door. He was like a zombie now and the sun was already shining quite brightly out there.


    "Because Apple and my child won''t be there," said Jayden, his voice sounding tired, but his face beaming when he said ''my child''.


    The word sounded weird, but somehow it made his heart warmer. However, it seemed Jayden was the only one feeling that way, because Pyro could only growl in annoyance.


    He couldn''t say anything more now.


    Because after all, his daughter had chosen Jayden Tordoff and now he would see this brat more often even when he retired.


    After a brief ''conversation'' between himself and Pyro, Jayden cleaned himself up and changed into morefortable clothes before he headed to Apple''s room.


    Based on the report he received from Gabriel and Danny, Apple had been up all night. They both also told him about what Apple had done and that only this morning she went to sleep peacefully after eating her favorite cmari.


    "You''re such a naughty one," Jayden mumbled as he tapped her nose softly, before hey down next to Apple and hugged her gently.


    Subconsciously, the girl moved and snuggled into his arms, making Jayden smile and feel veryfortable.


    He would not trade anything for a moment like this with this woman he had chosen.


    And after that, Jayden closed his eyes. It didn''t take long for Jayden to finally sleep peacefully beside his woman.


    =============================


    Ramon knew he would be in trouble since he came home at this hour and Hailee knew where he had gonest night.


    He was ready to exin everything when he was greeted by Hailee at the door who immediately hugged and kissed him.


    "You must not have eaten, let''s have breakfast together, I have cooked for you," said Hailee with a sweet smile and this of course left Ramon surprised because it wasn''t the kind of wee he expected.


    After Ramon sat down at the dining table and Hailee had ted his breakfast, he couldn''t help but question this.


    "Don''t you want to know where I wentst night?"


    Hailee just chuckled as she answered. "Of course I know where you wentst night, Richard told me all about it," she said.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 696: OF COURSE I KNOW (2)

    Chapter 696: OF COURSE I KNOW (2)Seeing how calmly Hailee greeted him when he came home this morning and even served breakfast that she cooked straight for him, of course made Ramon a little confused by his wife''s unusual reaction.


    "Don''t you want to know where I wentst night?" Ramon finally couldn''t help but ask this.


    Hearing this, Hailee actually chuckled as she answered. "Of course I know where you wentst night, Richard reported everything to me," she said lightly as she shoved the food into his mouth.


    "Richard?" Ramon said the name in disbelief. He started to clench his fists because he felt betrayed. How dare he report this to Hailee?! Traitor!


    Ramon started thinking about what kind of punishment that he would give to that manter.


    "You think I didn''t know you left our room in the middle of the night and went to check on Jayden?" Hailee asked with a smile on the corner of her lips that showed victory. "You think I can sleep peacefully knowing our son is out there in danger?"


    Ah. Ramon hadpletely forgotten that part because he wasn''t focused on what he didst night.


    He should have thought about that part more before he was fooled, feeling so sure that Hailee had fallen into a deep slumber.


    He should have known that Hailee wouldn''t sleep at all that night, knowing that their only son might be in danger.


    Hailee saw Ramon''s defeated expression and started to chuckle. "You really should learn more about me." Hailee clicked her tongue. "It seems that even after so many years of marriage, you still have a lot more to learn about me."


    Ramon could only grimace when he heard this, but then he tried to smoothen the situation by kissing Hailee''s forehead and smiling very sweetly at his wife.


    "Of course, I will never get tired of learning anything about you, my wife," he said very sweetly, but Hailee of course already knew what kind of tactics Ramon was using now and it wouldn''t have much effect on her.


    "This doesn''t work on me, Mr. Tordoff," Hailee said as she stuffed the sausage into Ramon''s mouth and made him stop smiling at her.


    Haileeughed happily when Ramon pouted his lips and was forced to eat the sausage to the end and only then could he speak and ask Hailee, how did she know that Ramon would be out that night.


    "Of course I know," Hailee replied lightly. "I know that you decided to go straight to the harbor after I told you about my worries, am I wrong?"


    That was right.


    Ramon immediately decided to go to the ce where Jayden nned to carry out his mission against the Gevano family right then and there when he heard Hailee''s concerns, therefore, it wasn''t wrong for Hailee to say that was the exact time he made that decision.


    But, the problem here was¡­


    "Why did you lie to me?" asked Ramon while pinching Hailee''s cheek softly because he was excited to see his wife''s behavior. "You could have told me, couldn''t you?"


    Hailee grimaced as Ramon pinched her cheeks and then pouted as she exined. "If I didn''t pretend to be asleep, you wouldn''t have left, would you? Actually you are worried too, but you don''t want to admit it." Hailee brushed Ramon''s hand away from her cheek and pointed at the man''s chest with her index finger.


    And again, what Hailee said was true. Ramon was not used to showing his feelings, although Hailee was an exception, including their children.


    Therefore, it was hard for him to admit that he was actually worried about Jayden and wanted to make sure he was okay.


    "So how did you know I was with Richard?" asked Ramon Again, but before Hailee could answer the question, he had already guessed for sure. "You overheard my conversation with Richard, didn''t you?"


    Haileeughed when she saw Ramon''s expression. "I wasn''t eavesdropping, I just happened to hear it when you were talking behind the door. Therefore, next time you should check your surroundings before making a secret call," Hailee said in an admonishing tone and this made Ramon grumble.


    "Don''t keep grumbling, you are going to get old real fast, finish your food and get some rest," Hailee said in amanding tone, as if she was talking to Jayden when he was a kid and very difficult to manage.


    "Okay," replied Ramon, then he leaned in and kissed Hailee''s forehead. "I love you."


    And those words never failed to make Haileeugh with pleasure, even after all these years.


    "You know I love you more," Hailee said with augh.


    "How can it be?" Ramon frowned.


    "You think it''s easy to keep up with your attitude?" Hailee tapped her finger on the tip of his nose.


    "I think I can say the same thing." And they both smirked at each other.


    ========================


    Apple woke up because her body felt heavy, like there was something warm stuck to her body tightly, only after she opened her eyes did Apple realize why it was...


    Turns out it was because of Jayden. He was asleep right beside her with his face snuggled into the arch of her shoulders and his limbs wrapped around her like the tentacles of an octopus.


    No wonder Apple felt very congested, it turned out this man was the culprit.


    Apple then tried to get his body off her, because he felt heavy, this man was really crushing her now.


    "Hey, if you don''t wake up, I''m going to have a hard time moving," Apple muttered, then she looked at the clock on the wall, which indicated that it was almost lunch time. No wonder she felt so hungry.


    She didn''t know what time Jayden came back, but for sure, he came back after Apple had fallen asleep, so she did not know he was back.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 697: WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE?

    Chapter 697: WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE?"Hey, if you don''t wake up, I''m going to have a hard time moving," Apple muttered as she looked at the clock on the wall, which indicated that it was almost lunch time.


    All she ate this morning was a single serving of cmari after a long stressful night, no wonder she was feeling so hungry right now.


    She didn''t know what time Jayden came back, but for sure, he came back after Apple had fallen asleep, so she didn''t know he was already back.


    But, she couldn''t be faulted either, because Apple hadn''t slept all night and she felt sleepy even now.


    If it weren''t for her feeling so starved, it was certain that she would still continue sleeping now.


    "Jayden..." Apple called while shaking Jayden''s body again, trying to wake him up, because she couldn''t get himself off.


    In the end, Apple gave in and went back to sleep beside Jayden. She would wait up to an hour, if he didn''t wake up even then or let go of his arms, then she would kick Jayden down the bed.


    But, Jayden didn''t change his sleeping position in the next hour either.


    Therefore, in the next hour, all Apple could do was stare at Jayden''s sleeping face. His face looked tired, he was also snoring softly, it seemed like he slept very soundly so he felt sofortable now.


    Apple then reached out and touched the man''s face, traced her finger on the side of his face, followed his jawline and then smiled very sweetly when she imagined that there was a little version of Jayden in her womb.


    Well, a small version of her and Jayden to be exact.


    Apple then started imagining what their child would look like¡­ she wasn''t sure, but if this had happened in the past, maybe Apple wouldn''t even want to spend a second just imagining these kinds of things, but this time, for some reason, she felt very happy and delighted to imagine such a thing.


    Ugh.


    Apple felt very calm because her child would have a father like Jayden. She couldn''t possibly ask for more when she had this man. This man had more than enough of what Apple expected from a partner.


    "Hey, I love you," Apple whispered to him, which of course didn''t get any response from Jayden, except for his soft snoring and this made Apple giggle joyfully.


    This was the best ce she could be, in his arms¡­


    =========================


    Several weeks had passed since the ambush carried out by Jayden with the assistance of Damian, his uncle, at the harbor. All the media reported about it.


    The case that had previously been covered up hade into the limelight again and this of course had a huge effect on the Gevano family.


    Meanwhile, there was not a single report that mentioned Jayden Tordoff''s involvement in the night raid at the harbor.


    They made it seem as if the ambush was a mission from Damian''s team alone and there was no outside involvement in the mission.


    Apple knew it was because of Jayden''s request. He didn''t want to be exposed to the media in the light of the case and was only willing toe forward as a witness as was his role during the first reporting.


    ''I don''t want the media to highlight me, because I want to focus on you and our children and our wedding preparationster.''


    That was the reason Jayden gave when Apple asked about it.


    As for Apple, she didn''t want him to get too involved in that matter either. After all, this case would be finished in no time, seeing the evidence that Jayden had collected so far was absolutely undeniable. Therefore, Apple just wanted to focus on her pregnancy.


    In the future, Jayden wanted Apple to live in an apartment near the joint office with her. After all, they were about to start a new family, and therefore, sooner orter, they would be living together.


    Of course the one who wasn''t happy about that was Pyro, he didn''t say he didn''t agree, but he looked sulking thest few days before Apple''s move to Jayden''s apartment. He looked more mellow than usual.


    "Dad, if you keep making a face like that, I''ll always be thinking about it even if I eventually move out of this house," Apple grumbled when she saw her father''s sad face again.


    Pyro looked at Apple then sighed and looked at her again and sighed again. Such gestures that just kept on pissing her off.


    "What really happened?" Apple was irritable at her father. what did he really want?


    "I just didn''t expect you to grow so fast," said Pyro.


    She didn''t know what happened, but it looked like her father was having some sort of crisis. "Do you want me to be small all the time? Don''t you remember how it was when I was little?" asked Apple as she sat down next to her father.


    Pyro then looked at Apple and frowned as he recalled Apple''s childhood, his forehead furrowed deeply.


    "What kind of expression is that?!" Apple grumbled as she lightly pped her father''s arm.


    "Not really¡­ I don''t want to take care of you if you went back to being little anymore," he said with his nose scrunched up, as if it was an unpleasant memory.


    Only, while Apple was calming down her childish father, she heard voices rising outside, like the bodyguards discussing something rather loudly.


    Even when Apple was ready to leave this house and the problems with Gevano were almost over and Pyro was about to retire, Jayden insisted on keeping bodyguards around this house because Pyro was his father-inw now and of course his safety was a priority.


    Of course, Jayden said that only to annoy Pyro.


    "I''ll see what''s happening out there," said Apple, who then stood up and hurried out of the house to check what was going on.


    There, on her porch, she saw Gabriel and Noah talking to a boy around the age of eight.


    "What is this?" Apple asked them both.

 Chapter 698: JACK DANIELS

    Chapter 698: JACK DANIELSWhile Apple was talking and persuading her father to stop grumbling like this and looking so miserable because she was moving out, they both heard loud noisesing from their front porch.


    And so, Apple walked out to check what was really going on that they were making so much noise.


    There, on her porch, he saw Gabriel and Noah talking to a boy around the age of eight.


    The boy looked frightened when questioned by the two men, while Danny watched from afar. He seemed to be talking to someone on the phone, maybe he was looking for the person who had brought the boy to this house.


    "What is this?" Apple asked them both. She then turned her gaze to the boy who had been silent for a long time and looked at Gabriel with fear, because he was the most terrifying of the three bodyguards around this house.


    "This boy came out of nowhere, asking to meet you," replied Gabriel, still staring suspiciously at the boy in front of him.


    However, after a thorough search, he found nothing out of the ordinary or whether he brought anything dangerous with him.


    Therefore, the boy looked a little scared of Gabriel, who looked very careful and also terrifying when he searched out the boy.


    "Hmm? Me?" asked Apple, pointing to herself in confusion. She could confirm that this was her first time meeting this little boy, therefore, she didn''t understand where they had met before until this little boy came looking for her. "Have we met before?"


    The boy only reached Apple''s waist and looked very thin. From the clothes he was wearing, it seemed that he wasn''t from a well-to-do family.


    "Are you Apple?" asked the boy timidly.


    "Hmm?" Apple tilted her head and then nodded. "Yes, I am Apple, and who are you?" she asked directly. "Have we met before?"


    Hearing that it was the Apple in the flesh in front of him, the boy immediately came up to her and hugged her, sobbing suddenly.


    "Sis Apple¡­ huhuhu¡­" the boy sobbed pitifully and this of course took Apple by surprise because she didn''t understand what was going on right now or what was really the matter with this little boy.


    "Hey, you can''t do that," Gabriel shouted. He tried to pull the boy away from Apple, but she stopped him first, signaling him to let the boy cry on her, even though she didn''t really understand what was going on


    The only thing Apple could do now was pat him on the back to calm him down.


    However, this crying voice caused Pyro to alsoe out of the house, where he saw the scene before him and frowned in confusion.


    "What is this?" he asked Apple then turned his attention back to the boy. "Who is this kid?" he then turned to Gabriel and Noah, who were nearby, but they both shook their heads.


    Meanwhile, Apple tried to calm the boy down and asked Noah to get him some water.


    "What is it?" asked Apple when the boy''s crying had subsided a little.


    By now, the boy was sitting on a bench on the terrace, while Apple sat beside him and Pyro and the three bodyguards assigned to guard the house were standing around them, curious about the little boy''s identity.


    Was he abandoned by his mother?


    Based on the information Danny got, one of the people who were on guard around here said that they saw the boy together with a woman in her forties. The two of them even talked for a while before the boy was left alone.


    "What is your name?" asked Apple. She needed to know his name first so Gabriel or the others could find out about this boy''s background.


    "Jack..." he said.


    "Jack?" Apple waited until he said his full name.


    "Jack Daniels¡­" he answered in a low voice.


    "Jack Daniels as if in that¡­" Danny didn''t have time to finish his sentence when Gabriel had nudged him first to keep him quiet.


    "Okay, Jack, how do you know my name?" asked Apple again. This boy must have had his reasons for being here as he knew to look for her.


    "Mother told me," replied the boy named Jack.


    And then, Danny shared the information he got from his people around here so that, even though there was little information he could get, at least they had an idea that the woman was Jack''s mother.


    "Is it your mother he is talking about?" asked Apple after Danny finished reporting the matter and Jack nodded.


    Meanwhile, Gabriel tried to find out information rted to the name Jack Daniels.


    "Try to find Nadia Daniels," said Pyro suddenly, instructing Gabriel. He seemed to figure out something and was sure that his guts feeling was right about this.


    "Nadia Daniels?" Apple frowned and as if she had been enlightened, her eyes widened and looked at Jack in disbelief, then at her father, as if she was asking him to confirm it, if they had the same suspicion.


    "Yeah, I think it''s your mother." Pyro nodded, even before Gabriel had any definite information about Nadia Daniels.


    "You''re not kidding, are you, dad?" said Apple with a wryugh.


    "Jack Daniels," Pyro said in a tone that looked like he was trying to be patient with this madness. "It''s a name that only your mother can think of."


    "What does it mean?" asked Apple curiously and then got a look full of pity that made Apple frown. Why was that kind of look given to her?


    "Did you forget why you''re called Apple?" Pyro asked his daughter a rhetorical question and could see that Apple recalled the reason.


    Yes, Apple remembered well the reason why her name was Apple; her mother was very fond of apples when she was pregnant with her.


    Therefore, without any particr intention and just for the sake of simplicity, her mother named her Apple.


    =====================


    I am sorry for the wrong chapters, I apologize for the inconvenience.

 Chapter 699: HE CAN STAY HERE

    Chapter 699: HE CAN STAY HEREIt was understandable why this little boy was called Jack Daniels, given the fact that her mother gave her the name Apple, then anything could be possible if it was left in her mother''s hands.


    "So¡­" Apple frowned, all the information she had matched and it was time to draw a conclusion that wasn''t difficult at all. "You are my step brother?"


    Apple really wanted to facepalm herself.


    Because Apple did not respond, her mother became desperate and sent her younger brother straight home and left him alone.


    Her mother had indeede a few days ago to tell her that she had an eight-year-old brother and to ask Apple to nurture a rtionship with him.


    But, after that, her mother couldn''t get close to Apple and just sent her a message that Apple never opened and it seemed that this frustrated her mother enough and made her take this path to attract Apple''s attention.


    But, how could that woman leave her son alone? While she didn''t know where she was now.


    "What did your mother tell you before she left?" Pyro asked calmly, it seemed he was used to dealing with the strange nature of his daughter''s mother so he was no longer surprised to see events like this.


    "Mom said¡­. Mom said¡­" Jack looked hesitant when he was about to tell him what his mother had told him, asionally he would look at Apple, then Pyro and three others. "Mom said that she doesn''t have money anymore to take care of me and I was asked toe to Sis Apple''s ce."


    Jack didn''t want toe to a stranger''s house, especially since he didn''t know anyone there, but since his mother said the ce he was going was his sister''s house, Jack finally wanted toe too.


    And besides, his mom said that there would be lots of delicious food at his sister''s ce, and that he could eat to his heart''s content.


    "When was thest time you ate?" Pyro frowned when he heard Jack''s short chatter. He then looked at Apple sweetly, making her hate the little brother she had never met in her life.


    "Hm¡­ it was yesterday afternoon¡­" Jack replied shyly.


    Hearing this answer, Apple closed her eyes, trying to contain the irritation that was starting to eat away at her patience.


    She knew very well what that meant, because before she came to live with her father, Apple had been in Jack''s shoes too.


    "Then let''s stop the questioning for now." Apple then stood up and invited Jack to go along with her. "Let''s eat first before any questions are asked."


    Jack looked doubtful. He was almost like a malnourished child and Apple wondered, did she also look like that after she was let go by her cruel mother?


    She became curious, but then, she didn''t want to remember those times and preferred to remain silent.


    Meanwhile, Jack looked at Apple doubtfully, especially her outstretched hand, but it seemed that his older sister was not the patient type. She actually grabbed Jack''s hand as the boy didn''t respond and just stared at her silently.


    Was this his true nature? Quiet type? Or all this was a result of her mother and her lover''s treatment.


    Apple became clueless as to what her mother really meant by leaving Jack here like this. But, of course, the only thing that could possibly be an excuse was; money.


    Regardless, the main reason her mother did this was none other than money. Because everything revolved around money.


    In the end, Apple prepared food for Jack and also let him eat in peace, but before that, she realized one thing that made her so annoyed with her mother.


    When Apple was still living with her mother, she always made Apple wait before eating, because she couldn''t eat until her mother had eaten and the same was the case with Jack.


    "I''ve eaten, Dad has eaten too, so you don''t have to wait, you can eat now," Apple said as she handed Jack a bowl of rice. "If you feel it''s still not enough, you can serve yourself."


    In the past, Apple had been in Jack''s position where she was forbidden to eat before everyone else had eaten.


    Because her mother always said that she didn''t work, that was why, the food was only for those who brought money home and brought food home.


    Jack nodded with a small smile at Apple and started eating.


    "I''ll leave you here alone for a bit," Apple said, then she walked out of the kitchen and met her father who was still with the three bodyguards on the terrace.


    Gabriel then reported what information he had gathered, although not much and more or less Apple already knew about it.


    "So, what are you going to do with the kid?" Pyro asked when he saw Apple.


    "More important than what I''m about to do to the child is; what do you think she means by sending the child here," Apple said firmly. "You don''t think it''s just because mom wants me to take responsibility for him, do you?"


    They couldn''t have thought that Nadia would just put Jack in this house without any other purpose, could they?


    There was no way things could be that easy and Nadia wasn''t that kind of good at not making things even moreplicated, because that was one of her skills.


    "It''s not," Pyro muttered. He didn''t regret meeting Nadia, because he was able to get Apple and he was grateful that this girl was growing up well and not at all like her mother.


    But, still, Nadia continued to be a scourge in their lives and now she was forcing her son toe to this house after she failed to gain sympathy from Apple.


    "Soon Nadia will contact you, we''ll just have to wait for what she wants. And in the meantime, the child can stay here with me," said Pyro.


    =====================


    I am sorry for the wrong chapters, I apologize for the inconvenience.

 Chapter 700: WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

    Chapter 700: WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"Soon Nadia will contact you, we will just have to wait for what she wants. And in the meantime, the child can stay here with me," said Pyro.


    Right. If her mother wanted something, it was certain that she would contact Apple sooner orter, since she was unlikely to contact Pyro.


    "Do you mind if he stays here?" asked Apple, slightly worried about Pyro. Because after all he had to face her mother too, right?


    Wasn''t Pyro already nning to cut all the contact and ties with her mother? So, it could be said that Pyro no longer wanted to have anything to do with her mother, therefore, Apple was a little worried about her father.


    "After all, he is the son of my mother," Apple emphasized. "Are you okay with that?"


    But, on the other hand, Pyro seemed to imagine that and then shook his head.


    "I don''t think it''s a problem. I don''t see him as Nadia''s son, I just see him as a confused boy," Pyro answered briefly. "He can use your room, since you''re moving in with Jayden. Hmm, the timing is just right."


    Apple narrowed her eyes when she heard this, she was suspicious of her father.


    "Are you asking me to get out of this house now?" Apple frowned.


    "Of course not," said Pyro hastily. "At least with the child around, I will not be alone at home," he said again.


    Yes, it was true that Apple felt bad about having to leave her dad home alone, so maybe there was a point in letting Jack stay with Pyro for the time being.


    "Oh, I found your mother''s address," Gabriel said, after he called several people to find out where Nadia was.


    ========================


    Apple felt this was an issue that she needed to address immediately, before the problem got bigger and her mother became more and more problematic.


    Therefore, it was decided that it was Apple who would go to see her mother the next day to discuss Jack''s problem and what her purpose was in getting the child toe to her house.


    Luckily, even with such a father and mother, Jack grew up to be a good and obedient child.


    He was not a bother and he''d clean after himself.


    Pyro even seemed to be enjoying hispany and no longer looked gloomy because his only daughter was no longer living there.


    He even seemed to have forgotten about Apple when the two of them were watching football. Apparently, Pyro did want a son, not that Pyro treated Apple badly, on the contrary, he was the best father Apple could have.


    Therefore, it was very unfortunate that such a child had to be taken care of by her mother and stepfather whose thoughts were really hard to predict.


    "I''ll go in myself, you guys just wait here," Apple said to Gabriel and Danny. They both came together with her to visit her mother''s house.


    Because Jayden was very busy with court matters because of the Gevano family case, he couldn''te with her.


    Well, he keptining that he didn''t have time to be with Apple, which was pretty cute.


    Jayden became even more grumpy when he found out that he had to leave the pregnant Apple more often because of the problem and also apologized for not being able to be involved much in the process of their marriageter.


    Well, if you have Hailee Tordoff, you won''t need anything else. Apple just had to say what she wanted and Hailee would arrange a few options for her to choose from in no time, making things easy.


    "But, Mr. Tordoff said not to let you out of our sight," Gabriel said, reminding Apple of this.


    Considering how Jayden was, of course Apple believed he actually said that.


    "No need," Apple said emphatically, after all, what could her mother do.


    "But you''re pregnant," Danny added which made Apple re at him.


    "Yes, I''m pregnant, not sick, I can even beat you two now," she grumbled.


    Everyone was getting too cautious around Apple, knowing she was pregnant.


    It was nice to always be noticed, but when it came to the Tordoff family, they could go from ten to thousand real fast.


    After all, what would her mother do? Not even her stepfather could possibly do anything to her.


    "Okay, but if there''s anything, just scream," Gabriel said, still worried that Apple was entering the house alone.


    Hearing this, Apple couldn''t help but smile wryly, how could they expect her to scream in fear? If anything, it was her mother and stepfather who would scream like that, because right now she was very upset.


    "I''ll go first," Apple said, stepping out of the car and past the faded brown fence.


    It was not the same house that Apple used to live in, as it looked like her mother had moved here and changed herst name after legally marrying her stepfather.


    Apple then stepped into the house and knocked on the door. Outside the fence, she could see a car waiting for her, in which Gabriel and Danny were sitting, watching her movements.


    After the third knock, Apple heard a noise from inside the house followed by the sound of a door lock opening.


    At first, Apple thought she was going to face her mother or stepfather, but who would have thought that who she was meeting now was someone who hadn''t crossed Apple''s mind at all.


    "You?!" said Apple, frowning in confusion. She almost wanted to run back to the car and confirm with Gabriel that the house she hade to was the right one. "How did you get here?"


    Apple waspletely bbergasted, and so was the man in front of her. He was no less surprised by Apple''s sudden appearance.


    "This¡­ this is my uncle''s house," said the man with a frown. "What are you doing here?"


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 701: GUILTY FEELING

    Chapter 701: GUILTY FEELINGApple didn''t expect that she would see this man again, especially in this ce. In this house! Who was he really? How did he know her mother?!


    "How did you get here?"


    Apple waspletely bbergasted, and so was the man in front of her. He was no less surprised by Apple''s sudden appearance.


    "This¡­ this is my uncle''s house," said the man with a frown. "What are you doing here?" he asked.


    "Uncle?" Apple frowned and it seemed that understanding came to both of them at the same time, as the expressions on both of their faces instantly changed.


    "Don''t tell me that Nadia is your mother?!" he asked in disbelief. He blinked a few times, but didn''t know what kind of reaction he should give Apple.


    "Oh no¡­" Apple couldn''t help but wonder how the world was so small and let her path cross with this strange man''s again.


    She thought the matter would be solved and as long as dys didn''t see Derek again, then there was no reason for her to meet this man.


    But, what was this?! How could he be here of all ces?!


    "You''re James William''s nephew?" Now Apple just remembered that Derek''s surname was William too. But, who would remember his surname? Apple didn''t even care about the guy she thought she''d only meet for a fleeting moment of her life.


    "That''s my uncle''s name," replied Derek, which made Apple close her eyes. Well, it looked like it was in their genes to be a jerk, so Apple shouldn''t be surprised by this anymore.


    However, she was still shocked and didn''t expect that all of this would turn out the way it was now.


    "Is James or my mother in there?" asked Apple, trying to focus on her original purpose ining to this ce.


    Derek saw the car waiting outside the fence and realized that Apple had note alone. She must have brought Jayden''s bodyguards.


    "Come in first," said Derek, stepping aside, allowing Apple to enter the house.


    Without hesitation, Apple stepped into the house that was not too big. It was even smaller than her and her father''s house.


    "Where are they?" asked Apple as soon as she was in the house and Derek motioned for her to sit down.


    "They''re both out for a bit," Derek said curtly then mumbled, saying things like; I''ll get you a drink.


    "No need, I''ll only be here for a while." This might be an exaggeration, but Apple had no intention of eating or drinking anything in this house, especially when she knew Derek was the one who offered and he was going to prepare it.


    She didn''t really want to read too much into things. It was just that it was better to be safe than sorry. Especially now that she had not only herself to think about but also the baby she was carrying.


    "I won''t be here for long," Apple said quickly. If the two of them weren''t at home, she could at least ask Derek something, couldn''t she? "There''s something I want to ask you."


    Derek stared at Apple for a moment then decided to do what she wanted and sat in the chair opposite Apple.


    "What do you want to ask?" he asked.


    "Do you know the little boy named Jack?" asked Apple again. She looked at Derek intently to see if he was lying now that he was answering.


    "Yes, I know," replied Derek directly. Then his forehead wrinkled. "If Nadia is your mother, it means that child is your half-brother."


    Yes, that was the first thing her mother said to her when she first came to meet her and also ''apologized'' for everything she had done.


    "Yes," replied Apple. "Why does he have a different surname from your uncle? Even my mother took a differentst name from your uncle."


    When Apple received this report, she felt a little confused as to how her mother came to have such a different name.


    Hearing the question, Derek couldn''t help but sigh. "You should have asked your mother about that, and why they have a differentst name than my uncle, the reason is because Jack is not my uncle''s son."


    At this point, Apple was speechless, she was too shocked to be able to say anything and couldn''t understand how messed up her mother''s life was.


    "How could that be? They''ve been together for years," Apple remembered well that this man was a man whom her mother dated on and off for years. So, how could she have a child with another man?


    Apple felt that she didn''t want to know what her mother''s life was like anymore.


    "Well, you''ve heard the phrase; having an affair? That''s what your mother did," Derek said in a ming tone of voice, but he forgot about his own behavior.


    Therefore, here was Apple, reminding him of his own actions. "Of course, I know, the example is right in front of me."


    Derek wanted to rebuke Apple a bit for her mother''s behavior, but he forgot that he did such a disgraceful thing too.


    Hearing Apple''s words, Derek could only clench his jaw and say nothing else, because he had no words to reply to what Apple said.


    "Where is the child now?" asked Apple wanting to know what Derek''s answer was.


    "Why are you so interested in that child? You want to suddenly be his sister?" Derek was still upset about the fact that Apple had ruined his rtionship with dys, because it was her interference that incited dys not to take him back.


    Even now, Derek didn''t know how to meet dys and resolve the problems between them. He still couldn''t ept that their rtionship was over.


    And the more he thought about it, Derek realized that he really loved dys and wanted to be with her.


    The days he spent now felt very suffocating and made him choke with guilt and regret.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 702: CONFUSING DEAL WITH APPLE

    Chapter 702: CONFUSING DEAL WITH APPLE"Why are you so interested in that child? You want to suddenly be his sister?" Derek was still annoyed by the fact that Apple had ruined his rtionship with dys, he realized that he really loved dys and wanted to be with her.


    The days he spent now felt very suffocating and made him choke with guilt and regret.


    "That''s none of your business, you can also not answer it," said Apple, she then leaned her body against the back of the sofa.


    Of course, Apple wouldn''t force Derek to talk if he didn''t want to, especially if he wanted to be this annoying. Sometimes, Apple couldn''t understand what was really going through Derek''s head. He destroyed his own life like this by cheating on dys with Rachel.


    "I''ll answer your question," Derek said atst because he couldn''t stand the tense, wordless awkward situation between them, even though it was really just him feeling that way, because Apple looked so casual.


    She didn''t want to stress herself about what was going on, because she didn''t want anything to happen to her or her child.


    Right now, she was thinking that her pregnancy was likely to be easy whenpared to the first pregnancy experiences of every woman in some of the stories she read.


    She didn''t feel excessive nausea or strange cravings.


    "Huh? What? What did you say?" asked Apple, trying to get out of her own head. She had almost forgotten that Derek was in front of her because the atmosphere had indeed be very calm.


    Derek frowned, but he didn''t want to lose his temper. Actually, he didn''t want to ask Apple for help, considering that this girl had made dys so determined not to contact him again.


    However, Apple was the only one he could turn to for help at this time.


    "I''ll answer your questions, all your questions," Derek said in a calm voice. "But, I want you to help me with something."


    Apple blinked her eyes for a moment and then raised her hand as she said. "Pass."


    "What?" Derek didn''t expect to get such a reaction, what did she mean by that? "What do you mean?"


    "I know what you want and I don''t want to help you with it," Apple said. Oh, she knew very well what this asshole in front of her wanted.


    "What do you know? You don''t know anything," Derek grumbled, he didn''t want to admit it. But it really looked like that, didn''t it?


    Apple raised her eyebrows when she heard that and chuckled, while crossing her legs. "Okay, let''s hear what you want, but if you start talking about dys, then I''ll close my ears, okay?" asked Apple in a calm voice.


    She knew what he was doing and she didn''t want to spend her time discussing unimportant things with Derek, while she could make the most of this waiting time by looking up articles about pregnancy and reading them on her cell phone to increase her knowledge, because she had been so ignorant all along about that.


    On the other hand, Derek could only clench his jaw because he knew that what he was going to say after this would have everything to do with dys, regardless of whatever he was going to sayter.


    "So?" asked Apple provokingly, but Derek didn''t dare say a word, because what he was going to say next would of course have to do with dys, whatever it was, that girl would definitely be a topic of conversation for him. "I think I already know the answer," Apple muttered.


    "How is dys doing now?" asked Derek.


    But instead, Apple kept her ears shut, as she said she would do earlier and this made Derek a little annoyed at Apple''s slightly childish attitude.


    "You don''t have to be like that, do you?" he grumbled because he saw Apple doing things she didn''t need to do.


    "I didn''t hear you," Apple said curtly which irritated Derek even more, but he couldn''t do anything to force the girl to speak.


    Not to mention using violence, it wasn''t because she was Jayden Tordoff''s woman, but he knew that Apple wasn''t the type of woman you could push like that, moreover, he saw what Apple did when they were on the ind.


    The incident at the pool certainly made Derek understand that Apple wasn''t a girl you could afford to provoke.


    "Ask me anything and I''ll get it right, if you agree, you have to help me talk to dys. I just need to talk to her for five minutes," Derek was still trying to persuade Apple.


    In the end, Apple lowered her hands from her ears and looked at Derek with scornful eyes. "I just asked, where is he?"


    They both understood who the ''he'' Apple was referring to was, of course, none other than Jack.


    "He''s with his dad, they share equal rights of his custody," Derek replied with certainty, which made Appleugh.


    "Dang!" eximed Apple. "Your answer is wrong!"


    Derek frowned, how could he be wrong? Because that was what Apple''s stepfather and mother said. "How could I be wrong?" he grumbled disapprovingly.


    "Of course you are wrong, how can the child be at his biological father''s house and in my house at the same time?" asked Apple, a triumphant smile on the corner of her lips. It seemed like upsetting Derek was a more pleasant way of spending time here.


    "What do you mean?" This time it was Derek who asked Apple, prying to get a more detailed exnation.


    Apple scoffed when she heard this. "If I exin things to you, then that means you have to exin more about the dynamics in this family, how about it? Then I will tell you why that child is in my house."


    Wait, it looked like the initial agreement wasn''t like this, then why did their barter make Apple the most profited here?


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 703: SHIFTING THE BLAMES

    Chapter 703: SHIFTING THE BLAMES"If I exin things to you, then that means you have to exin more about the dynamics in this family, how about it? Then I will tell you why that child is in my house."


    As Apple had expected, Derek had absolutely no clue about Jack''s exact whereabouts. He didn''t even know that the little boy was in her house right now.


    Apple couldn''t understand that, even to their nephew, she could still lie like this. What kind of life did her mother and Jack actually live all this time?


    However, Apple was quite grateful that she didn''t have to be in this ce and Pyro took her away when she was only a little older than Jack now.


    But, on the other hand, hearing the offer that Apple made made Derek frown, because it shouldn''t be like that, it looked like the initial agreement wasn''t like this, then why did their barter make Apple the most profited here?


    "No, the agreement shouldn''t be like this, I don''t need to know what the child is in your ce for." It wasn''t important to Derek, although he was actually a little curious about it, but it didn''t reallypare to the information about dys.


    "If you don''t want to, that''s fine too," Apple said nonchntly and then returned to focus on her phone.


    "I don''t need to know about that kid''s whereabouts, all I need is to talk to dys, just five minutes, can''t you do that? I''ll do whatever you ask," Derek said earnestly.


    Briefly, Apple lifted her head from the screen of the phone she was holding and then looked at Derek with a frown.


    "I already have a man who will do anything for me, so I don''t need another man," Apple replied in a tone as if to say; what can someone like you really offer?


    Luckily, this conversation didn''tst long because two people entered the house right at that moment and their attention was drawn to each other.


    "Apple?" Nadia said in a surprised voice, then she rushed toward Apple and tried to hug her daughter. "Why didn''t you tell me you wereing today?" her mother asked in a more cheerful voice. She was still hugging Apple as if she missed her daughter so much.


    Forgetting that she had neglected her for years.


    "Of course, I came after you sent the little kid to my house," Apple replied in an even tone of voice. She didn''t even return the hug, which made things a little awkward, but Apple didn''t want to lighten the mood at all.


    Meanwhile, James, her mother''s husband, was staring at Apple with a frown. This man hadn''t changed at all even though they hadn''t seen each other in years.


    And oddly enough, even though they were married, James didn''t mind her mother using another man''sst name at all.


    She didn''t know, their rtionship was tooplicated to think about.


    While Nadia hugged her tightly and slowly let go of her embrace because of what Apple said, James didn''t take his eyes off Apple at all.


    The man continued to stare at her intently and made Apple ufortable.


    "I did that because you don''t want to meet mother," said Nadia, while wiping her face, as if drying the tears that fell from her eyes. "But, look¡­ even though my methods aren''t very good, here you are now with your mother, right? And mother is very grateful for that," Nadia said in a slightly hoarse voice.


    "Can we talk somewhere more private?" asked Apple. This was a problem between the two and since James was not Jack''s real father, there was no reason for him to know this.


    But, sadly, James didn''t think so, he thought he deserved to know why Apple came to this ce.


    "No need to talk anywhere else, you can talk here," James said as he sat down in the empty spot beside Derek. "Sooner orter I''ll find out about that too."


    And as usual, her mother would agree with the man''s opinion. "Yes, Apple, you can speak in front of them, they are family too, they will know about this."


    Great. Now Derek too was a family that would know how bad his mother''s behavior was.


    "Okay, then," replied Apple casually, if they really wanted to discuss it openly, then let them do as they wanted. "But Derek doesn''t seem to know that Jack is at my house."


    And Nadia came up with a thousand reasons why Derek didn''t know, but now it was fine for him to know.


    Fine, if that was what they wanted.


    "I''m only here to tell you that my father and I have called the child welfare service. They wille here and check on you, because you have abandoned a minor just like that."


    Apple came here to discuss with her mother what she meant by doing such a thing, thinking nothing about Jack''s wellbeing. He was her son after all.


    What Apple wanted to do was have a heart-to-heart talk with her mother, but since that wasn''t going to happen, Apple decided to do this instead.


    "What?!" James immediately stood up angrily. He already had several criminal records and if the authorities were involved, he had to deal with them and there was a good chance he''d get in trouble.


    "Why did you have to do that?" asked Nadia in shock. She covered her mouth in disbelief at what Apple had done. "You shouldn''t have done that."


    "You shouldn''t have done that in the first ce, how could you leave your child alone in a foreign ce?" Apple ignored James'' angry look.


    "I didn''t leave him in a foreign ce, I told him to meet his sister who he never met," Nadia tried to shift the me on Apple, because it was clear that she was afraid that the authorities would get involved in this.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 704: DONT GET IN MY WAY!

    Chapter 704: DON''T GET IN MY WAY!Nadia didn''t think that Apple would actually do something like this. How could she do that to herself? She was her mother, after all. There was no way she would let herself get into trouble with thew, right?


    But Apple didn''t seem to have that thought. She was serious about what she said.


    "How can you leave your child alone in a strange ce?" Apple pretended not to see James'' angry look.


    "I didn''t leave him in a strange ce, I told him to meet his sister who he never met," Nadia tried to shift the me on Apple, because it was clear that she was afraid that the authorities would get involved in this.


    It seemed that this was not the first time Nadia had had to deal with the authorities regarding matters concerning Jack.


    "I never agreed to keep him," Apple said. "I never agreed to even meet him. If you let that kide to me unsupervised, that''s abandonment, and I guess that''s what you did."


    "How could you do this to your mother?!" cried Nadia frantically, she stood up and held her chest while crying.


    On the other hand, Apple looked calm, she wasn''t panicking or trying to calm her mother down at all, because she had seen this happen many times in the past and present, it didn''t affect her at all.


    "How could you do something like that to your son?" replied Apple in a calm, firm voice. "You did it to me in the past and now you are doing it to your second child. If you really can''t care for and protect your child, you shouldn''t have one."


    For some reason, Apple felt a little sensitive about this, maybe because she was pregnant, therefore, she felt this was very personal to her.


    And now she realized that she didn''t know how to be a mother, but for sure, she had a mother figure she didn''t want to emte at all. Maybe, she could start from there.


    "Don''t you dare yell at your mother like that!" James eximed as he grabbed Nadia and hugged her like he was protecting her from some evil.


    Meanwhile, Derek could only watch all this with a confused face, as he didn''t know what to do now. Sigh¡­ this guy was really useless.


    They were all so cute.


    Apple then stood up, because now that everyone was standing, this way, if James suddenly nned to attack her, then she would be ready. No one knew what was really going on in this ignorant man''s mind.


    "I came here to ask for an exnation, but if the exnation you can give is only a sentence; so that Jack can get to know his sister, that didn''t seem like a usible exnation at all," Apple said quietly but clearly. "Then I will excuse myself first."


    "What!? You want to just leave!?" eximed James disapprovingly, he tried to stop Apple by pulling her hand, but quickly, Apple swatted the man''s hand away and looked at him with scornful eyes.


    "Don''t you dare touch me," Apple growled. She didn''t want to be touched by this bastard at all. "If you touch me again without permission, I won''t let you go."


    "What would you do?! You are going to run into Jayden Tordoff''s arms?! You are going toin to that guy?!" shouted James.


    "Why should Iin to him? If I everin to him then I can assure you that it will be yourst day." Apple was not exaggerating when she said this.


    James should have known not to mess with the Tordoffs, no matter how ignorant he was.


    "You have be so arrogant now!" cried James angrily. He couldn''t hold his anger anymore and tried to get to Apple, but Derek immediately acted and tried to stop his uncle.


    However, his strength waspletely iparable to this man''s, he was too strong and James easily pushed Derek''s body aside, sending him crashing to the floor.


    Meanwhile, Apple was already prepared to face this man. She looked so calm when the man approached her brutally and tried to hurt her, but she was ready for all of that.


    Apple narrowed her eyes when James raised his hand, about to hit Apple like he used to do when she was a kid.


    At that time Apple was too small to fight back and could do nothing about it, but now things were different.


    When James stretched out his hand, Apple slightly moved to the side and ducked to avoid his punch, but then she stood up straight and gave a kick to his face.


    This made James fall down right next to Derek, who was now looking at her with wide eyes of fear and it made Apple quite happy to have frightened him like that. He deserved to be scared like that.


    "Apple!" eximed Nadia who then tried to approach James. Her face looked worried. "What are you doing!? How could you beat him like this?!" Just like before, her mother started scolding Apple.


    Ugh, being here for too long really didn''t help Apple mentally at all, she needed to get out of here and let the happy family enjoy their time.


    "Child welfare services areing soon, maybe today or tomorrow, you can deal with them," Apple said.


    Nadia then panicked even more when she saw blood pouring from James'' nose and parted lips. "STOP!" cried Nadia angrily. "I SAID STOP!"


    Nadia was surprised when Apple didn''t respond to her words the way she always did. Of course, she was a decade toote to make Apple obey such an order.


    Therefore, Nadia then stood up and grabbed Apple''s hand, trying to p her.


    Only Nadia should have learned not to do the same trick when she saw what happened to James earlier.


    "Don''t get in my way," Apple said, pping her mother''s hand away.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 705: YOU ARE NOT INVITED

    Chapter 705: YOU ARE NOT INVITEDNadia, who tried to p Apple, should have thought about it a dozen times before she acted on it, because the current Apple was not the same child that she could just order around and treat unfairly.


    Apple had grown into a strong woman, capable of taking care of herself. Pyro had trained her very well.


    And before the pnded on Apple''s cheek, she caught Nadia''s hand and gripped it a little harder until her mother grimaced a little.


    "Don''t get in my way," Apple said, but then she pulled Nadia''s body toward her so she could whisper something in her ear. "I''m pregnant right now, but don''t expect to be in my life or in my child''s."


    Of course that made Nadia widen her eyes in disbelief, then Apple released her grip on Nadia and pushed her away from her.


    "Tell that useless husband of yours too not to mess with me." Apple nced at James who was still grimacing, covering his bleeding nose and mouth. She snorted and opened the door to the house to leave immediately.


    Hah! What else did she expect when she came here? Of course, things wouldn''t go smoothly and peacefully when it came to her mother, right?


    But then Nadia followed Apple out of the house and stopped her before she reached the gate. She stood right in front of her, not letting her go.


    Meanwhile, Gabriel and Danny stared intently at Nadia, but since Apple didn''t give any signal, they both stayed where they were, knowing that Apple could handle this sort of thing on her own.


    "Is it true that you are pregnant?" Nadia asked with sparkling eyes, as if the information she could get from Apple''s words was all that, while the others were simply forgotten. "That means you''re getting married to Jayden in the near future, doesn''t it?"


    "Yes," Apple answered honestly because indeed all preparations were about sixty percent done and Hailee was very happy to help prepare for the wedding which Apple didn''t have any clue about.


    Hailee would give Apple a few choices, ask for her opinion and then just do it as Apple wanted, so she didn''t have to stress about anything and just needed to focus on her pregnancy.


    Even Apple felt that Hailee was a very reliable wedding organizer.


    "In that case, I will be waiting for your invitation. And, how can I help you? I mean regarding the ns for your wedding. Actually, I''ve been nning how your wedding will be since you were little," Nadia said cheerfully.


    Well, surprise, surprise¡­


    How could she have nned what Apple''s wedding would be like when she kicked her own daughter out?


    "Then, I will starting to your house, how much budget do you have?" Nadia then hit herself. "Ah! Of course, what does a budget mean to Jayden Tordoff? You can even spend a lot of money just on a centerpiece and my son-inw won''t blink an eye at all."


    Apple listened with furrowed brows, letting her mother go on and on about the marriage and began to notice that Nadia had changed the way she used the word, from ''your wedding'' to ''our wedding''.


    And of course, her mother''s motives were very clear and unquestionable.


    "I never said you were invited," said Apple at the end of Nadia''s seemingly endless chatter.


    And instantly, Nadia fell silent and stared at Apple with her eyes blinking as if she couldn''t believe what she had just heard.


    "What? What did you just say? There''s no way you wouldn''t invite your mother," Nadia said, her voice sounding disbelieving, but then she got angry and this made her grip Apple''s arm. "Why do you hate me so much like that?" asked Nadia. "What have I done to you to make you hate me like this?"


    "What have you done?" asked Apple with an expressionless face and then swatted away her mother''s hand that kept shaking hers. "You didn''t do anything when that guy hit me, you didn''t do anything when that guy kicked me out of the house, you didn''t do anything to help me when I was little¡­"


    And so on and on, Apple reminded one by one what she had experienced while she lived with her mother and she would never forget those times.


    And the more Apple said, the more mortified Nadia''s face looked, as if she couldn''t believe that she hadmitted such a long list of crimes. This woman was really funny, wasn''t she? She really didn''t realize her mistakes at all and tried to deny everything.


    "So if you want to ask what you''ve done, then the answer is; nothing¡­ you didn''t do anything for me as a mother," Apple replied. "I don''t need you toe to my wedding and I don''t need you to help with the wedding preparations, so give up hope."


    After she said that, Apple walked away and then immediately left the house. She didn''t want to spend any more time there. With her now silent mother staring at her dumbly as no words came out of her mouth to refute this.


    Because she ''presented'' irrefutable evidence.


    Meanwhile, Gabriel then opened the car door for Apple and closed it, before he and Danny too got in the car and drove it away.


    Apple just wanted to see the disappointment in Nadia''s eyes when she realized that she wouldn''t be a part of her happy lifeter. That was the only purpose of Apple to notify of her pregnancy and wedding ns.


    But, what Apple didn''t know was; there was someone who had been following her from earlier. He was the guy from the magazine Jayden had sued for spreading rumors about Apple.


    The same magazine, with whom Ivan conspired to get information about Apple.


    "Good afternoon, do you know Apple Duncan?" someone asked Nadia, who was still standing where she was and trying to process everything Apple had just told her.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 706: AN INTERVIEW

    Chapter 706: AN INTERVIEW"Good afternoon, do you know Apple Duncan?" someone asked Nadia, who was still standing where she was and trying to process everything Apple had just told her.


    Nadia was still trying to remember all those things that Apple said and no matter how upset she was and how hard she tried to deny it, she couldn''t do that, because what Apple said was true. She had done all those deeds and now her only daughter would live a luxurious life full of wealth without her.


    All of these things made her head hurt. She felt guilty, but on top of that, she felt very sorry that this resulted in her being dumped by Apple.


    Who would have thought that in the end Apple would marry Jayden Tordoff? Who would have thought that her not-so-beautiful and smart daughter would marry into the Tordoff family?


    If only she knew about it¡­


    Nadia couldn''t think straight now.


    "Good afternoon, do you know Apple Duncan?" The man repeated his greeting because it seemed that Nadia did not pay attention to this at all.


    And then after being greeted for the second time, Nadia got startled and finally turned to find a young man smiling kindly at her.


    He was wearing sses and a backpack that was quiterge, his style also looked casual.


    "Yes? Who are you?" Nadia asked with furrowed brows. She didn''t notice his presence earlier because her mind was all over the ce, but she was surprised now that someone would ask about Apple in a house that wasn''t hers.


    "I''m Brandon, a reporter, can we talk for a minute?" asked Brandon with a very friendly smile. He looked so young and sweet and made no one wary of him.


    And what was more, he was a reporter from a mediapany which was pped with a legalwsuit against the news they spread a while ago and almost faced bankruptcy.


    If it wasn''t for Jayden Tordoff being busy with a legal battle against the Gevano family, then it was certain that thepany would have dered their bankruptcy by now, but since it looked like the Tordoff family''s legal team was very busy with the case with the Gevano family, then their attacks had softened a bit on them.


    Therefore, Brandon should have followed Apple to find an opportunity to talk to her, negotiate about the news they had published and ask Apple to withdraw thewsuit.


    But, it turned out that it actually brought Brandon to this ce and his instincts as a journalist told him that there was something interesting about this woman''s rtionship with Apple.


    Therefore, against his better judgment, Brandon approached this middle-aged woman.


    "Yes, I know Apple," replied Nadia with a low tone and a confused look on her face.


    "How do you know her?" Brandon was getting more and more curious, even though they were talking like this, blocked by the gate.


    "Of course I know her, she is my daughter," said Nadia, slightly annoyed by the question.


    Why was everyone asking her that question?


    "So..." Brandon looked surprised when he heard this. They had only known about Apple''s father because they assumed that her mother had died, since there was no information about her mother or who she was. "So¡­ you are her mother?"


    "Of course," replied Nadia curtly, she felt like she was belittled for saying that she was the mother of Apple. Why would they think that? Very annoying, right?


    On the other hand, as a journalist, of course Brandon was a sensitive person, so he immediately realized his mistake in responding like this and immediately issued his favorite sweet words to improve the atmosphere.


    "Please forgive me, of course you are the mother of Apple Duncan, I can see the resemnce between the two of you, you must have had Apple when you were very young, because even now you look very young." Brandon could see the change in Nadia''s facial expression and eagerly continued his lip service. "I was surprised because I thought you were her sister."


    And after that, Nadia looked very satisfied and even smiled a little at Brandon. "What do you want?" she asked in a low and slightly softer voice than before.


    "I''m a journalist," Brandon said. "I happened to be covering the news about Jayden Tordoff and his fianc¨¦e, Apple. You must be very happy to learn that your future son-inw is from the Tordoff family."


    Nadia snorted when she heard this and of course the change in expression did not go unnoticed by Brandon.


    "May Ie in and ask you a few things about your daughter?" asked Brandon kindly.


    "Inquiring about my daughter?" asked Nadia with narrowed eyes. She was suspicious of this man in front of her and Brandon immediately took out his business card and showed it to Nadia. "What do you want to know about my daughter?" Nadia asked after she read the business card and remembered the name of this mediapany.


    "There are a few questions I''d like to ask," Brandon said. "They are just a few simple questions."


    Nadia looked at Brandon with suspicious eyes, but then a question escaped her lips.


    "Are you going to pay me as a source?" Nadia heard that a source when interviewed would be paid, therefore, she thought of asking about it.


    On the other hand, Brandon of course immediately understood what Nadia wanted.


    However, he was a little surprised, if her future son-inw was Jayden Tordoff, how could she still think about the small money she would get from the interview?


    "Of course," Brandon replied cheerfully. "Can we talk inside?" he asked and Nadia opened the gate for the reporter.


    =============================


    Apple took her time before going back home to see her dad and Jack, because Jayden would be home a littlete tonight.


    And as soon as she reached the front porch, she could hear her father teaching Jack something and the boy''s cheerful voice.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 707: PLAYING GAME

    Chapter 707: PLAYING GAMEPyro was bored and then decided to buy a PS5 to y with Jack, coincidentally with the ess he had, he could get this video game quite easily, therefore, he could get this game as soon as possible.


    "Whoa!" Jack looked at the game with sparkling eyes, like a woman looking at a diamond. He looked so amazed at the game console that he couldn''t even speak with joy. "Is this the very, very expensive PS5?" he asked.


    Jack didn''t even dare to open the box because he didn''t want to damage the thing which Pyro thought was too much, but when he recalled Jack''s background and how he found Apple when she was still being cared for by Nadia, of course this boy''s reaction could be said to be the most sensible.


    He didn''t know what was in Nadia''s mind when she decided to have another child when she herself did not know how to take care of a child.


    "Come here and open the box," said Pyro, waving his hand for Jack to approach him.


    He didn''t know how Jack''s life at Nadia''s house was, but not once did this boy ask about his mother''s whereabouts or ask when he would be going back home.


    Actually Jack was not a troublesome child, you could even say he was an obedient and very helpful child because he would try not to make a mess around him, he also washed his own used dishes. He was much more mature than other children his age.


    But, seeing him like this, reminded Pyro of Apple back then, because his little daughter also behaved like that, she looked much more mature than her age at that time. Life experiences were indeed what would shape you.


    "Open it, I bought this for you," said Pyro calmly, waving his hand again at the boy, who still looked shy and didn''t dare toe closer. "Open it."


    But, Jack just shook his head. "It''ll be broken," he answered slowly. He was aware that this game was a very expensive one as he could only see his friends ying this when he was ying at one of his friends'' houses when his parents weren''t home because he was afraid to be alone.


    But, at that time, his friends said that he should only watch because if the game got broken, Jack would not be able to pay them back.


    Therefore, little Jack could only sit behind them while watching his friends y with excitement.


    "No, it won''t break, it won''t break if you open it slowly." Pyro''s point was that he wanted to give Jack a chance to open this toy with enthusiasm, and witness the childish enthusiasm that had long been lost since Apple had grown up as she wasn''t ''cute'' anymore and fought him more often.


    It was just that, despite being persuaded, Jack was still reluctant, he shook his head unwillingly.


    "Then how about we open it together?" Pyro finally asked as a solution and Jack seemed to think for a moment and nodded in agreement. "Come here, you are sitting too far away."


    Jack then came closer and they both opened the box carefully, Jack''s eyes lit up when he saw the little gadget and touched it.


    He had never once received a gift during this time because his parents were always busy and they always said they didn''t have money to buy him anything, therefore, he never asked for one again.


    "Now, how about we install the game?" said Pyro after they both took out all the parts of the game. Pyro also bought another console for Jack so they could y together.


    "Yes," replied Jack, nodding enthusiastically.


    Jack had never felt this happy before and felt very lucky that Apple and Uncle Pyro wanted to amodate him here, even though mom left him alone, so he didn''t know what to do if Apple and Uncle Pyro refused his presence.


    They looked annoyed, but it seemed they weren''t mad at him and instead were mad at his mother. Couldn''t be med either, because his mom could be pretty mean.


    And Jack felt veryfortable in this ce, because here he could get good food and not go hungry because he could eat everything that was in the refrigerator, except for uncle Pyro''s drinks. He couldn''t drink them.


    Besides, there were plenty of snacks here. Even when he fell asleep, no one would wake him up and say he waszy and also Uncle Pyro seemed to be very nice and never yelled at him once.


    Very different from James. His biological father wasn''t evil, but he also tended to ignore him.


    Bottom line, Jack liked living here.


    It didn''t take long for Pyro to tune in all the parts and the television screen started showing the games they could y.


    "WOW!" Jack was mesmerized at this sight and his eyes looked very happy, especially when Pyro gave him a control and he held it like something very precious and he should not drop it. "Can I y?" he asked innocently.


    Jack held the control in both hands and looked up at Pyro, asking him if he could y this.


    "Of course!" said Pyro excitedly,ughing. "I bought this for you, of course you have to y!"


    And with that, the two of them yed happily.


    At first, Jack pressed the buttons on his control carefully, because he was afraid to damage them, so he couldn''t y fast, but then, Pyro realized this and startedughing.


    "You don''t have to y it carefully like that, just rx," he said again and then pulled him closer to himself and taught him how to y it, as he listened attentively.


    "If I press too hard, it will break," said Jack.


    "Of course not, you are too small to damage it, you are not that big yet," said Pyro while ruffling his hair.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 708: YOU CAN EAT MORE

    Chapter 708: YOU CAN EAT MOREApple took her time to go back home to see his dad and Jack, because Jayden would be home a littlete tonight.


    And as soon as she reached their front porch, she could hear her father teaching Jack something and the boy''s cheerful voice.


    "If I press too hard, it will break," said Jack.


    "Of course not, you''re too small to damage it, you''re not that big yet," said Pyro while ruffling his hair.


    It was the first thing Apple heard as she walked into the house and found her father teaching Jack how to y.


    "Wow! You bought a PS5?" said Apple, looking at the game her father had bought for Jack. Even though it had only been a while, it seemed that her father was already very interested in this boy. Maybe it was because he was feeling lonely. "I brought some food for you, anyone up for a snack? I''ll te it."


    "Let me do it," said Jack quickly, he wanted to help with something, so that they would like him and allow him to stay there longer. If they were mad at him, then they could just kick him out of this house.


    "No need," said Apple with augh. She then ruffled his hair, like Pyro did earlier and Jack loved it, no one had ever done that to him. "You just y with dad."


    "Don''t tell me the snack you bought is cmari," said Pyro with a suspicious look at the package that Apple bought and he got a snort from his daughter.


    "Of course not," Apple said. She didn''t feel like eating cmari today, but wanted something sweet.


    After saying this, Apple left the living room and then headed to the kitchen to te the snack.


    The two of them had already had dinner and Apple had already eaten before she got here, because she stopped by a restaurant.


    Earlier, she didn''t buy cmari but chocte cake and also vani sponge cake which she tried when she went to the pastry shop next to the restaurant where she was eating and she loved the texture and taste of the cake.


    So she bought some to take home and also a few more boxes to take to the apartment for herself to eat with Jayden.


    Apple wouldn''t be home long, because she had to get back before Jayden got home. She was only here to check on her father and Jack, but they both seemed fine. In fact, they got along pretty well.


    "Well, here''s the cake," said Apple, bringing over two tes of chocte cake and vani cake. "This is for you and this is for dad."


    They both had to pause their game for a while for Jack to try the cake that Apple brought and his face looked very cheerful.


    "This cake is delicious, thank you, Sis Apple," said Jack happily, this was the first time he had eaten such delicious food.


    "Eat slowly, no one will take it from you, if you still want more, you can take it from the kitchen table," Apple said with a smallugh when she saw Jack so amazed at the taste of the cake.


    "I''ve been invited to a birthday party and it was the first time I''ve had a cake with whipped cream, but this cake is way better than that birthday cake," chirped Jack.


    He was not a quiet kid, it was just that because he didn''t have anyone to talk to, he tended to keep things to himself.


    "Eat slowly,ter Uncle will take you to buy a delicious cake," said Pyro and Jack nodded in agreement. "I''ll talk to Apple for a while, okay? So you wait here and y by yourself first."


    "Yes," answered Jack obediently and began to eat his cake carefully so as not to dirty the carpet.


    Then after that, Pyro went to talk to Apple in the kitchen, while watching Jack start to y by himself. He was a calm kid and didn''t need much to be managed because he knew what he had to do.


    "So? What happened while you were there?" Pyro asked once he and Apple had sat down at the dinner table.


    "Humph. You know what mom is like," Apple said annoyed and started to tell everything that happened in the house and said proudly that shended one absolute blow to James'' face and made him fall to the floor with blood flowing from the corner of his lips as well as his nose.


    "That''s my girl!" said Pyro proudly, but then he realized he shouldn''t be praising Apple at a time like this. "No, no, you shouldn''t do that when you''re pregnant."


    Apple pursed her lips and said in a calm tone. "I''m fine, I think my baby is happy because I beat people like that," she said lightly.


    "Hhh¡­" Pyro sighed heavily and made Appleugh.


    "Don''t worry dad, I''ll be more careful from now on, but I''m really fine," Apple tried to reassure him.


    This father of hers was overreacting¡­


    But while the two of them were chatting quietly, they could hear amotion from outside.


    "What''s that?" asked Apple with furrowed brows, she and Pyro then immediately stood up to go and check what was really going on.


    "Hopefully, this time it''s no longer people who just came to leave their children behind," said Pyro with a little sarcasm.


    Thest time the bodyguards outside made such a fuss was when they found Jack, therefore, Pyro hoped this wasn''t the same case.


    The two of them then exited the kitchen and walked through the living room and saw Jack staring at the door with a frightened look on his face, the game was long forgotten.


    "Rx," Apple said calmly.


    But what Jack was really afraid of was that his mother woulde and force him to go back home. He didn''t want to go home and wanted to be in this house with Uncle Pyro and sister Apple a little longer.

 Chapter 709: DO YOU LIKE IT HERE?

    Chapter 709: DO YOU LIKE IT HERE?When they heard amotion break out outside the house, Apple and Pyro immediately finished their conversation and rushed out of the house, in the hopes of finding out what had really happened.


    But, as she passed the living room, Apple found Jack staring at the door with frightened eyes.


    What did their mother actually do to make this child look like this? Apple didn''t understand at all.


    "Rx," Apple said nothing.


    Jack nodded, but he left the living room and went into Apple''s room. What the boy was afraid of was that his mother woulde and force him to go home, because he didn''t want to go home and wanted to be in this house with Uncle Pyro and sister Apple a little longer.


    Apple saw how Jack ran into the room and only then did she go out and find there were three cops facing off against a furious Pyro.


    "Go inside, Apple," Pyro said in a snarl, something he rarely did and this left Apple a little confused as to what was really going on here.


    "What is this?" asked Apple, about to walk over to Pyro''s side, but then her father looked at her very fiercely.


    It was very rare for Pyro to look at Apple like that, therefore, one fierce look from her father was enough to make her stop in her tracks. She was now standing in the doorway, staring at the three cops trying to make their way toward Apple.


    Only Pyro and Gabriel got in their way. Meanwhile Danny seemed to be on the phone with someone.


    What was really going on?


    "GET IN AND CLOSE THE DOOR!" Pyro eximed angrily and this made Apple immediately do what her father told her to do. Damn, her dad could be such a softie, but when he was angry, Apple wouldn''t dare mumble a word to refute him.


    Therefore, Apple immediately went inside and closed the door, but she could still hear what her father was saying.


    It seemed that someone had called the police and used Apple ofmitting a crime, but she couldn''t hear clearly what crime she hadmitted.


    And this made Apple press her ear against the closed door. Ugh. Wouldn''t it be easier if she just opened the door? Because at this rate, her father''s voice sounded rather muffled.


    So Apple opened the door a little and started listening more carefully to what the problem really was and why the police were here.


    And it didn''t take long for Apple to figure out what was really going on. Apparently, James has pressed charges against her after what she did to him. He said that he had been mistreated by Apple and even showed evidence of the ''beatings'' he received from Apple.


    Damn. The man was really shameless. How could her mother stand that kind of trash?


    But, of course, Pyro wouldn''t let his pregnant daughter be taken to the police station for an interrogation and soon Danny had returned after he called someone and gave the phone to one of the cops who seemed very aggressive and intended to break into the house.


    If it weren''t for Pyro and Gabriel, it was certain that the cops would have burst into the house and dragged Apple along with them.


    Apple then opened the door a little wider and saw how the policeman on the phone lowered his voice and nodded respectfully.


    It seemed that this matter was resolved without any fuss.


    And after receiving the phone call, the three policemen immediately became more polite and respectful toward Pyro and the other two bodyguards, before they resigned themselves and left this house.


    Needless to say, this was all just a matter of connections and the Tordoff family certainly had the best connections.


    Not long after, Pyro opened the door and saw Apple already standing a little away from the door. He didn''t have to guess that Apple had just overheard their entire conversation.


    "What really happened?" asked Apple, wanting to make sure it was James who had reported herself to the police saying she had beaten him up.


    "Yes, it was your mother''s husband who reported you for hitting him," said Pyro, then smirked at Apple. "What happened? Why did you hit him?" he was eager to know.


    And Apple was happy to tell Pyro what had happened and how she had delivered her best shot and made the man fall to the ground, unable to stand anymore with blood gushing from his nose and cracked lips.


    Pyro cracked up when he heard that.


    "I''ve taught you well," Pyro praised as he gently stroked Apple''s head. "Whoa? Where''s Jack?" Pyro asked when he finally realized that the boy was not in front of the television while the game was still running.


    "Ah, he''s in my room, it seems he thought it was mother who came to take him home. I''ll talk to him for a bit," Apple said, then she walked to her room to talk to Jack before she headed back to the apartment.


    Apple then knocked on her door first to announce her presence before entering the room.


    "What are you doing here?" asked Apple, when she saw Jack sitting on the floor by the bed and looking at her with sad eyes.


    "Is it time for me to go home?" asked Jack in a low voice, he looked like he was about to cry now.


    On the other hand, hearing what Jack said made Apple smile. She sat down next to her little brother.


    It was weird that she suddenly had a little brother who was already this big, but seeing how cute this kid was, Apple didn''t mind it at all.


    "Do you like being here?" asked Apple, to which Jack nodded emphatically.


    "Yeah, I like it here," Jack answered quite firmly.


    "You don''t want to go home?" Jack answered by shaking his head. "You don''t miss mommy?" and Jack fell silent.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 710: SURPRISE!

    Chapter 710: SURPRISE!"You don''t want to go home?" asked Apple gently. She sat down on the floor next to her little brother.


    Jack then answered by shaking his head.


    "You don''t miss mommy?" Apple felt a little weird about this, since all she knew was; most children of Jack''s age would think of and miss their mother when they were away from each other.


    However, Jack didn''t seem to want to go back to his mother at all.


    On the other hand, hearing Apple''s question, Jack fell silent.


    "I miss her," replied Jack in a very low voice and this allowed Apple to see that there was still that longing left in Jack, after all, he was a child who still needed his parents. "But I like being here, with sister Apple and uncle Pyro."


    Apple didn''t know how to respond to this, so she just let things flow.


    "You want to see mom again?" asked Apple and she saw Jack shaking his head. "Why? Don''t you miss mommy?"


    "She doesn''t miss me," said Jack after a moment of silence.


    For some reason, Apple felt sad when she heard what Jack said. Wasn''t a child his age very close to his mother and wanted to always be with his mother?


    Especially when he was in a unfamiliar ce he didn''t know about? So how could Jack be sofortable here and not even ask for his mother?


    But then, who was she kidding? She was also like the current Jack when she found out that her mother didn''t want her at all, so there was nothing strange about this, right? Especially when you had a mother like Nadia, she could be your worst nightmare even when you were wide awake.


    Meanwhile, Apple couldn''t answer Jack''sst words, because she didn''t know how to respond to them.


    "I want to live here, can I just stay here, sister?" asked Jack in a pitiful tone. He looked at Apple with pleading eyes, as if he would cry if Apple rejected him at that moment.


    However, such a decision was not an easy one to make, there were several things that should be considered before enduring a long procedure if they really wanted to take custody of Jack.


    After all, Pyro was not Jack''s biological father, therefore, the only possible thing to do was to adopt him.


    "I promise I''ll be a good boy," Jack said, persuading Apple, because he thought she would say no to his request. "I promise I will help and not make a mess of the house, I''m used to cleaning the house."


    Apple believed in him. Who else would clean the house if not this little boy? It was highly unlikely that Nadia or James would be the ones cleaning the house when they had someone they could turn to.


    "Hey, you don''t have to make promises as such," said Apple in a soft voice, she then reached out her hand and hugged her little brother. "We will try to make you stay here, okay?"


    Jack nodded and he cried in her arms, while Apple patted him on the back. "Everything will be alright."


    Allowing Jack to live in this house was not a difficult thing, because Pyro definitely wanted this child around here, he seemed to have epted Jack very much, considering he would live alone in the future.


    And it seemed with the connections Pyro had, it was not impossible for him to adopt Jack, but of course it was going to be a long and a bit tedious process.


    "We''ll try to get you here, okay?" said Apple gently.


    ========================


    "Where have you been?" Jayden asked as he grumbled to Apple and immediately hugged her tightly as she just got out of the car.


    This man was so impatient to meet his pregnant fianc¨¦e, he couldn''t even wait inside the apartment and insisted on waiting in the parking lot so he could meet Apple as soon as possible.


    "What happened at your house?" Jayden asked, taking Apple''s small handbag and carrying it, because he didn''t want her to carry anything.


    Based on the way Jayden asked this, it looked like he already got a report from Gabriel or Danny about the policeing to her house. He was just asking Apple to rify the matter now.


    At that thought, Apple then told what happened and also about her and Pyro''s decision to adopt Jack.


    "I''ll talk to mywyer about it," Jayden said, as the two of them got into the elevator.


    Only, Apple looked at him disapprovingly.


    "What is it?" Jayden asked as he sensed Apple''s sharp gaze. "I know I''m handsome, but there''s no need to look at me like that, you''re embarrassing me."


    Apple could onlyugh resignedly when she heard this. They hadn''t been alone for a week or two and it wasn''t the first time Jayden had behaved this way either, but still hearing what he said just left Apple in awe, as she shook her head.


    "You don''t have to do that, aren''t yourwyers busy with their cases?" said Apple.


    And it was only now that Apple had realized that Jayden was involved in many legal cases, such as legal issues with the Gevano family and also legal issues with her former modeling agency.


    Therefore, Apple didn''t think adding one more case to Jayden''s te was a good thing to do now.


    "No problem, I can recruit anotherwyer," Jayden said lightly.


    And then, they arrived at their apartment, and Apple found herself unable to move an inch when Jayden finally opened the door.


    "Surprise!" Jayden said in a cheerful voice, while Apple was speechless when she saw what Jayden had prepared for her.


    "When did you do all of this?" Apple stepped out of the elevator slowly and looked at what Jayden had prepared for her. "Oh, I can''t believe this at all," Apple muttered.


    "Why not? Don''t you know how romantic your future husband is?"


    "No, this is outright cheesy."

 Chapter 711: WHERE IS MY PHONE?

    Chapter 711: WHERE IS MY PHONE?Apple didn''t think that Jayden would prepare this kind of surprise for her. She seemed very surprised because Jayden should know by now that Apple was not very fond of such things, but he ignored it and did it anyway.


    However, Apple couldn''t help but see how happy Jayden looked with the preparations he worked hard for now. He puffed out his chest proudly and smiled so widely, she couldn''t help but shake her head.


    Before her, she could see a sprinkling of red rose petals that filled the room. Apple suspected that Jayden had done far more fantastic decorations to their bedroom, seeing what he had done in the main room.


    Not only roses, Jayden also lit candles on either side of the doorway, forming a path. Apple was worried that the candles might grab something and cause a fire while they were on the highest floor of the building.


    "So? You''re touched, aren''t you?" Jayden asked proudly.


    "Oh, I can''t believe this at all," Apple muttered.


    "Why not? Don''t you know how romantic your future husband is?" Jayden smirked and she couldn''t help butugh and give her honestments on Jayden''s efforts.


    "No, this is cheesy." Above them, there were many decorations, all of which were flower-themed and Apple felt she was in the wrong room, and entered something like a garden instead. "So, who gave you this crazy idea?" asked Apple, turning to face Jayden.


    Oh, this guy was really clueless about this kind of problem.


    "This¡­ this¡­" Jayden stuttered. "Don''t you like it?" He felt that Apple''s reaction was not at all what he expected.


    "Answer my question first, where did you get this idea? Who gave you this idea?" asked Apple again.


    By now, she knew Jayden enough to say that this was not something Jayden would do and therefore, she could say with certainty that Jayden was not the one behind this romantic idea.


    "Was it Misha?" asked Apple, squinting, but then she shook her head impatiently. "No, I don''t think he had any ideas like this either. Then¡­ was it Adrian?"


    "Yes," Jayden answered in a very low voice and this made Apple sigh. She had expected that this kind of idea woulde from that man. "Don''t you like it?"


    Apple wanted to say directly that she didn''t like these kinds of things, but seeing how hard Jayden was trying to please her, she then looked for better words to say to this clueless husband-to-be of hers.


    "Listen," Apple said softly, then she put her palms on either side of Jayden''s face and looked deeply at him. "I''m sure that you know me much better than Adrian, then you must know better what I like, right?"


    Right.


    At first, Jayden too felt that this idea was a little absurd. He knew that Apple didn''t really like this kind of stuff, but then Adrian said that these kinds of things were liked by many women and he had to step out of hisfort zone every now and then, therefore, Jayden prepared this.


    But, if he had trusted himself more from the start, then he wouldn''t be in this kind of awkward position, would he?


    "Should I fire Adrian?" Jayden said annoyed and this made Appleugh happily. She seemed more pleased to see Jayden upset than to see this romantic surprise.


    "There''s no need to fire him, you can suspend him if you want, looks like he''s working too hard so something is wrong with his brain," said Apple cheerfully. She didn''t seem to mind this at all and you could say she also seemed very happy that Jayden was paying more attention to herself. Although in a little weird way.


    "Yeah, I''m going to suspend him," Jayden muttered, still looking annoyed that he could be persuaded by Adrian to do something he doubted would please Apple.


    "It turns out that you are very gullible, Mr. Tordoff," said Apple as she wrapped her arms around Jayden''s neck, while the man grabbed Apple by waist protectively, because he didn''t want Apple to fall.


    "I''m not gullible, I just want to make you happy, because I read that a pregnant woman should not stress or think a lot, because it will affect our baby, I don''t want my baby to be born with a frown."


    A baby with a frown?


    Apple couldn''t hold back herughter anymore. This man¡­


    "Why are youughing?" Jayden asked in a lighter voice, he liked Apple''sugh, but he didn''t understand what made herugh now.


    "Are you seriously saying that?" Apple then looked at Jayden more closely and only then did she realize that Jayden was serious when he said that. "Oh my God¡­ you were serious about what you said."


    Realizing this, of course Apple could only shake her head...


    She didn''t know if Jayden misread some pregnancy article or if he misunderstood any signs.


    Who knows¡­


    ========================


    Apple got up a littleter, but when she looked at the table beside her bed, where she had put her phone, she couldn''t find it which made her frown.


    Where was her cell phone? She was sure that her cell phone was herest night.


    "Jayden?" Apple turned around and didn''t find the man either, but she heard something from the kitchen. Was Jayden cooking something? Oh, he was so sweet¡­


    So she got up from her bed and her feet just stepped on the rose petals that were still scattered on the floor.


    Apple thought to let the rose petals be because it was a shame to throw them away, and when she looked at them again, they were really cute.


    "Jayden, have you seen my phone?" asked Apple as she walked into the kitchen.


    "I kept it. Don''t look at your phone for a while." Jayden turned his body and stared at Apple for a while before he answered.


    "Why?" Jayden wasn''t usually like this.


    =======================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 712: WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

    Chapter 712: WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?Apple could smell the delicious aromaing from the kitchen, where she found the man cooking breakfast for the two of them.


    "Jayden, have you seen my phone?" asked Apple as she walked into the kitchen.


    Jayden smiled very cheerfully when he saw Apple''s sleepy face as she sat on the bar stool and rested her head on the counter top.


    "I kept it. Don''t look at your phone for a while." Jayden turned his body and stared at Apple for a while before he answered. He looked a little weird when he said that, like he was annoyed? But why?


    "Why?" Jayden wasn''t usually like this. Did he see something on her phone? But, it was not usual for Jayden to check Apple''s phone either, it was simply not like him.


    "I don''t want you to read the news that''s going around right now." Jayden continued to cook. He got the news this morning and it really pissed him off, and of course, the news was about Apple.


    If he was very upset just after taking a look at the article, what about her?


    "Hmm? What news? What is it about?" Apple tilted her head and Jayden was serving the fried rice he''d made on a te, because it was the only dish he could make well.


    "You better not take a look at it," Jayden said grumpily, he wasn''t mad at Apple, he was just annoyed at the news out there being spread by the nearly bankrupt newspany.


    "I can also watch television if you don''t want to return my phone," Apple said calmly.


    "I disconnected the inte in this ce," Jayden muttered, then sat down next to Apple, all under the disbelief gaze of the woman. He had already guessed that this would happen.


    "Jayden," Apple said in a deep voice as she called his name and looked at the man who was now sitting beside her.


    "Apple," Jayden replied in a matching tone. He was also looking at Apple more closely, but of course he couldn''t make this girl forgo her intention to find out more about what really happened and why Jayden''s reaction was like this.


    "Jayden, I''m really annoyed that you''re hiding something from me, you should have known from the second attack you did on the Gevano family," Apple said firmly. "I''m not that weak, so stop treating me like I''m made of ss."


    Jayden knew that this might have gone too far, but either way, he couldn''t help but feel anxious, because he really wanted nothing to happen to the child that Apple was carrying right now.


    But, of course it was a very unreasonable thing to iste Apple from the outside world.


    "Eat first, I''ll tell youter," Jayden said finally relenting, of course he would relent, who else would he sumb to like this?


    Since Jayden had already promised, Apple started eating and she didn''t expect that this dish to be so delicious.


    "So? What does it taste like on your tongue? Is this to your taste?" Jayden asked worriedly. "We can order whatever you want if you don''t like this."


    Jayden noticed that Apple''s appetite was inconsistent now, she didn''t really like cmari any more and started leaning toward sweet cakes in the vors of chocte and strawberry.


    Therefore, Jayden began to pay more attention to what she liked and what she consumed. It was nice to know there was a life growing inside Apple¡­


    "This is delicious," said Apple cheerfully and this made Jayden look so much happier, he started thinking about cooking some more dishes like thister. "I just found out that you''re good at cooking," she teased.


    "Oh, if you like, I''ll cook for you all the time, what do you want for lunchter?" Jayden asked enthusiastically. He was starting to think he should buy cookbooks to find a variety of other foods, so Apple wouldn''t get bored.


    "Are you not working?" asked Apple with a furrowed brow, Jayden should have gone to the office by now, shouldn''t he? Even though the apartment and office were closer, he would bete if he didn''t leave now.


    "Ah¡­ that¡­" Jayden tried to change the subject, but Apple had already seen through his intentions.


    "Are you nning to skip work again?" asked Apple in a deep voice.


    "Can''t I be by your side? I want to be by your side during your pregnancy," Jayden whined. "Anyway, Misha has returned to the office, he has started work again, therefore, it''s fine¡­"


    "What do you mean it''s okay?"


    Speak of the devil¡­


    Misha suddenly appeared and immediately sat on the bar stool in front of the couple who were looking at him in shock.


    "How did you get into this ce!?" Jayden eximed in surprise when he saw his cousin already in front of him. "I believe that I have changed the password of this apartment!"


    "You''re still using the same password, cousin, you just changed the order of the numbers," Misha said as he took Jayden''s te and started eating, but his forehead creased just as he tasted the fried rice. "Who made this dish? it feels very strange."


    "Is he still using my birthday as the password for this apartment?" asked Apple, she didn''t understand how Jayden could be so reckless.


    "Of course, how else would I have guessed?" Misha replied casually, but he continued to eat.


    "I made the fried rice, if you don''t like it, don''t eat it," Jayden said angrily, as he tried to take the te back from Misha, but his cousin had already pushed his hand away.


    "I didn''t know you could cook," Misha mumbled as he took a bite of the fried rice and ate quietly which left Jayden even more annoyed.


    "So, what are you doing here? Did you finally realize that you missed me?" Jayden asked nonchntly and this made Misha frown.


    "I came here to drag you back to work."


    =======================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 713: I WILL TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING

    Chapter 713: I WILL TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHINGJayden didn''t really know what to say anymore when he saw Misha in his apartment.


    He just wanted to take a day off and spend some time with Apple and the next day he would ask permission not to go in because he had to apany Apple for a pregnancy checkup. A very simple n.


    As for the next day¡­. Well, Jayden would think of what other excuses he could use for not showing up for work then.


    The point was he didn''t want to be away from Apple because Jayden didn''t want this girl to hear the rumors that were circting out there, until things were under control, he wanted Apple to just rx in this house and not think about unimportant things.


    But, it seemed like that wasn''t possible anymore.


    "So, what are you doing here? Did you finally realize that you missed me?" Jayden asked nonchntly and this made Misha frown, because he didn''t expect that his cousin couldn''t guess what his purpose was foring here.


    "I came here to drag you back to work," Misha replied matter-of-factly. He looked very rxed ording to his current appearance, he also seemed much better at responding to Jayden, though his words were still a little sarcastic. "I knew you were going to be truant."


    "Can''t I get a day off?" Jayden asked groggily.


    "Of course not, you said the same thing when you skipped work three days ago," Misha replied calmly. He then looked at Apple. "Especially with the problems that are out there, shouldn''t you get back to work soon, so you can clean up the mess?"


    "What''s the problem out there?" asked Apple quickly, because that was what Jayden and herself were talking about before this. She was getting more and more curious because it seemed like it was such a big deal until Misha was paying attention while Jayden was being so overprotective.


    "You did not know?" Misha asked, raising his eyebrows in surprise.


    "I''ll tell herter," Jayden interrupted quickly, only Misha ignored him and immediately told Apple about what was going on out there.


    "Your mother was interviewed and said that you behaved badly with your stepfather," Misha said casually. He also exined some things that left Apple confused, between wanting tough or having to cry when she heard it all because it all sounded so annoying.


    Her own mother even said that Apple had run away from home in childhood and went to live With her father because Pyro was much more settled than she was and Apple didn''t want to have a hard life.


    Therefore, with her now being married to Jayden, rumors spread about her being a gold digger very quickly.


    "What?" Apple really didn''t know how to respond to this, but it all sounded so ridiculous. Well, if she were dealing with her mother, of course, she couldn''t use logic, because the word was not in her mother''s dictionary at all.


    "So, what are you going to do? Oh, yeah¡­ your mom also said you were pregnant right now and the media assumed that you trapped Jayden with the baby." Misha nodded toward Apple''s still t stomach.


    Misha didn''t mean to use Apple of this, because he knew what their rtionship was like and Apple understood what he meant by that.


    But, still, listening to what he had to say made her so irritated.


    While on the other hand, Jayden could only facepalm himself. He''d been trying to keep the news under wraps and tell Apple slowly, but thanks to this cousin, Apple was literally smothered with the whole news.


    "Now there are many reporters waiting for you downstairs and your father''s house was also being haunted by reporters," Misha said this to her and then turned his attention back to Jayden. "Didn''t he tell you?"


    "I was nning to tell her slowly," Jayden said curtly and annoyed. "But, thanks for revealing it like this."


    "Oh, no need to mention it," Misha said as if he had done a big favor to Jayden.


    "I feel like throwing you off the roof of this building," Jayden grumbled in annoyance. If he could do that calmly, then Jayden would definitely do it, too bad he only had one cousin and it was a shame to lose him.


    "So, what are you going to do?" Misha asked Apple, who had been silent for a long time.


    Jayden also looked at Apple, waiting to see what would be her decision on this matter. Would she want to do something very significant?


    But then, Apple turned and looked at Jayden. "I''m not used to dealing with these kinds of things. What do you think we should do?"


    Apple had no idea that her mother would be holding interviews with reporters. Where did she get a reporter to cover this story? But then, that wasn''t the main problem now, because now she had to realize what she had to do.


    The best way to deal with this was to stop her mother from continuing to get on stage and throw all the unnecessary stuff at the media.


    In fact, Apple was very embarrassed about this. She didn''t know how she would face Mrs. and Mr. Tordoff now. They must have felt ashamed to have to deal with someone like her mother.


    "In my opinion, you should hold a press conference, before things get any moreplicated," Misha replied.


    "She asked for my opinion," Jayden grumbled, because Misha had spoken before he could speak his mind, but what Misha said was true.


    They had to hold a press conference soon, before things got any worse.


    "Press conference¡­" Apple mumbled. Wouldn''t that mean she had to go before the public? Ugh. Apple didn''t like stuff like that, but they had no choice but this, did they?


    "Do you want to do it?" Jayden asked carefully. "If you don''t want to do it, you don''t have to worry, you don''t even have to think about it. I''ll take care of everything."


    =======================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 714: DO YOU WANT SOMETHING?

    Chapter 714: DO YOU WANT SOMETHING?The solution that Misha offered to problems like this was to hold a press conference so that the news that was circting couldter be refuted and they could also provide the undeniable facts, so that there would be no more deviant news circting in themunity.


    What was more, by holding this press conference, they would be able to clearly exin the status of their rtionship, so there would be no more saying that Jayden was just ying with Apple.


    Since the stupid news of Jayden just toying with Apple still topped the list of women''s assumptions about their rtionship.


    Maybe it happened because they still really had hopes to be Jayden Tordoff''s woman, or whatever it was, of course that wouldn''t be the case for Jayden now.


    "Press conference¡­" Apple mumbled. Didn''t that mean she had to go before the public?


    Apple didn''t really like being in public, let alone being asked questions in front of a lot of people. This was of course very different from the ad shoots she did, therefore Apple felt a little hesitant to do this.


    "Do you want to do it?" Jayden asked carefully. "If you don''t want to do it, you don''t have to worry, you don''t even have to think about it, I''ll take care of everything."


    Jayden could see the doubt in Apple''s eyes when Misha proposed this solution, therefore, he didn''t want to stress Apple and pressure her to ept something she was reluctant to do.


    "Can I think about this for a second first?" asked Apple, eating the breakfast Jayden made. "I''ll give you the answer tonight after you get home from work."


    Misha lifted his head from the almost clean te, because he had eaten almost all of the fried rice that Jayden made, the same fried rice he said was bad.


    "Who said he''d be back tonight?" he asked, which made Apple look between Jayden and Misha with furrowed brows.


    "What do you mean by that? Where are you two going?" she asked confusedly. She then looked at Jayden questioningly.


    Meanwhile, Jayden raised his hands, saying that he had no idea what his cousin was talking about.


    "What do you mean by that?" Jayden asked confusedly. "Where am I going so that I won''t be home tonight?"


    Now, the two of them were looking at Misha with questioning expressions. What did he mean by that? However, the person in question was looking at the two of them with an innocent and very calm look on his face.


    "I was just kidding," Misha said. "Can''t you say it was a joke?"


    Apple and Jayden both closed their eyes and tried not to scream at the man before them. How could he say something like that jokingly?


    "No!" Jayden and Apple eximed at the same time.


    "You really need to get back to practicing your sense of humor!" Apple protested again, but Misha just finished his breakfast and calmly stood up.


    "I am done eating, why don''t you get ready? I came here to take you back to the office, stop cking off," Misha said very wisely.


    "Aren''t you just here to ruin my morning with Apple?" said Jayden grudgingly. He then stood up and kissed Apple''s forehead before he walked away leaving the two of them alone.


    "If I spoiled his morning, wasn''t he the one who ruined my morning first?" said Misha with a very innocent look on his face, because he didn''t think that he had spoiled anything about today. "So, how is your pregnancy?" Misha asked Apple as she started eating back, finishing off the breakfast that Jayden had made.


    "Tomorrow I will get my pregnancy checked at the Obgyn." Apple told him and Misha just nodded.


    "What do you feel? Has anything changed?" he asked again.


    This was quite surprising for Apple, considering that Misha rarely spoke, let alone asking questions like this.


    "Nothing, just my appetite has changed a bit," said Apple after thinking about her answer for a while.


    She told the truth. She didn''t feel that something had changed with her, because her pregnancy was still at the early stages. Her stomach wasn''t even visible.


    Therefore, Hailee was trying to prepare everything as soon as possible because Apple''s stomach was not yet round, in the hopes she could still wear her wedding dress.


    "Then what else do you feel?" Misha asked curiously. He sat on the barstool Jayden had just vacated, staring intently at Apple and making her stop breathing in her food.


    "Misha if you don''t stop being like this and Jayden hears you, then he will misunderstand," said Apple. She then put down her spoon and red at Misha, but this man actually answered very politely and didn''t seem to care.


    "Leave him to me," he said curtly, even the expression on his face didn''t change at all.


    "You really are looking for trouble huh¡­" Apple sighed impatiently. Of course, she understood what Misha meant by asking all these things.


    Apple of course knew about Misha''s problems with his child and also the woman who was the mother of his child and how this man got depressed before.


    He just felt like knowing how heavy a woman would fare when she was pregnant, because he couldn''t be with his child''s mother during her pregnancy.


    Jayden himself said that Misha was jealous of him because he could be by Apple''s side when his woman was pregnant with their first child.


    "I am not looking for trouble," Misha said casually, but the next second he started again. "Is there something you want? Any delicacies you crave?" he asked again and this made Apple shake her head. "I will get it for you."


    "No thanks," Apple said patiently. "You would better make up with thatdy soon, so you can pamper her instead."


    Hearing that, Misha sighed heavily which left Apple quite surprised to see such reaction.


    =======================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 715: HOW WOULD YOU FEEL?

    Chapter 715: HOW WOULD YOU FEEL?Apple knew what Misha meant by his oddly inclined questions and she also understood how he was feeling right now.


    However, her pregnant self was not a substitute for the woman who had been pregnant with his child¡­ She didn''t know what was going on in Misha''s mind right now to think that.


    "Is there something you want? Any delicacies you crave?" Misha asked.


    "No thanks," Apple said patiently. "You''d better make up with thatdy soon, so you can pamper her instead." At least, if he couldn''t spoil her when she was pregnant, he could do it now, right?


    However, when he heard that, Misha sighed heavily. And it left Apple quite surprised when she saw the lost look on his face.


    "She still won''t forgive me," Misha said in a low voice. He didn''t look like his usual self now. Maybe because he usually hung out with Jayden and rarely expressed how he felt, other people thought that he would always be okay despite his indifferent and cold attitude.


    "Have you tried persuading her?" asked Apple again. She genuinely felt sorry for this man.


    "Of course," Misha answered with certainty.


    "What have you done to persuade her?" asked Apple curiously to find out what methods Misha used to melt that woman''s hearts.


    Misha nced at Apple when she asked this and then answered in a voice that sounded uncertain.


    "I''ve purchased her a house, a car, an investment in stocks, opened a savings ount and..." Misha started to say one by one the things he had done for the woman, but she didn''t want to ept any of that and got even more annoyed with him.


    "You did what?" Apple really felt a headacheing when she heard it all. "You bought all of that?"


    Misha then nodded in response. "Yeah, but she just mmed the door right in my face. I even said I was going to pay her a fortune for every hour I could spend with my daughter, but she just got angrier."


    Apple was at a loss for words when she heard all this. "How can you be called a yboy by Jayden and more experienced with women than he is when you treat women like that?"


    Apple couldn''t understand how these women could stand Misha. And as if answering the question, Misha told her about this one thing.


    "Because that''s how I treat women, as long as I give them something, they will alwayse running to me, even if I don''t give them anything, they will be quite happy to surround me," he said in a t tone and this made Apple feel sorry for him.


    Apple knew, even though these women didn''t get any benefits from Misha, but by bing this man''s lover, of course they hoped to get closer and be part of the Tordoff family, because Misha''s status and face alone were enough to make these women kneel for him.


    "If you can get them to be by your side with all that stuff, then why don''t youmit to one woman and have a long rtionship?" To Apple''s knowledge, the longest rtionship Misha had ever been in was a month, based on what Jayden said.


    "They''re all the same," Misha replied. He nced at Apple then added one word that sounded very cold. "Boring."


    Apple took a deep breath when she heard that, because she had already guessed it.


    Of course, it would be boring if the same pattern was followed everytime and Apple thought Misha couldn''t even name the women he had been with for such a short time.


    "But she turned me down," Misha said with a frown. "Even though I''ve already given her everything she wants, she just needs to say it." He then turned to Apple again. "What game do you think she''s ying?"


    "What if it''s not a game?" Apple asked back. "What if she really doesn''t want you?"


    Because all this time Misha always got what he wanted, especially women, so it never crossed his mind that there were women who didn''t want him andpletely rejected him.


    Because all this time, Misha thought that she was just trying to y hard to get with him.


    "She¡­ doesn''t want me?" Misha asked with a look of shock on his face when he heard this, for it made no sense to him. "What do you mean?"


    Apple looked surprised too, because it was the first time she had seen such an expression on Misha''s face, therefore, when she said what was on her mind, she tried to find more and kinder words and was more careful.


    "I mean, if she doesn''t want to be with you, even though she has a child with you and doesn''t even want the child to know you, doesn''t that mean she doesn''t want anything from you at all?" asked Apple, trying to find words that didn''t sound too mean. "If she rejects you who can give her everything, isn''t it pretty easy to guess why she doesn''t want your money too?"


    "It makes no sense," Misha muttered. "No one doesn''t want money and theforts of life."


    Apple scratched her non-itchy nose. This man was very practical in thinking. "I think her hatred for you outweighs her love for money and theforts of life."


    Apple should have had her phone with her, because right now, Misha''s expression deserved to be preserved.


    "Is that how much she hates me?" Misha mumbled in an indistinct voice, because after that he seemed very annoyed for no apparent reason.


    Therefore, Apple tried to save this atmosphere and tried to make Misha understand why the woman seemed to hate him.


    "I did make mistakes in the past, but I already apologized."


    "I don''t know what wrong you have done to that woman, but since you also have a daughter, just imagine a man treating her like you treated her mother, how would you feel?"


    =======================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 716: HIT ME!

    Chapter 716: HIT ME!"I did make mistakes in the past, but I already apologized." Misha tried to defend himself, but somehow when he heard what Apple said, he turned defensive.


    On the other hand, Apple didn''t know how to make Misha understand this anymore, because it was very difficult to make someone understand their mistakes when they downyed the feelings of their interlocutor.


    "I don''t know what you''ve done to that woman." Misha did not want to borate further on this matter. Therefore, Apple could only assume. "But, since you also have a daughter, just imagine a man treating her the way you treated her mother, how would you feel?"


    And this time, it seemed like Apple had said the right words, as Misha''s next reaction made her immediately stand up and walk backward, seeing the aura of hatred and hostility emanating from within him.


    Wait, what was wrong?


    Apple was just trying to make assumptions, but why did he look like he was going to kill someone?


    Misha banged his fist on the kitchen table making tes and sses jump while cursing. "I will kill that man," he said out of pure hatred, clearly harboring a very strong killing intent.


    Huh¡­?


    You could easily say that you apologized and that woman should ept all your kindness and forget what happened, but now when an analogy was made with your daughter as an example, you were going to kill that man? Then Misha should know how messed up he was.


    But, instead of regretting his actions, why did he be so angry like this?


    Apple wanted to say all these things, but her lips glued together when she saw the expression Misha was showing at this time.


    There was no way she could get a word out of what was on her mind. She wasn''t in the mood to provoke someone and fight this early!


    From far away, Apple could hear the sound of hurried footsteps that she assumed was from Jayden. He must have rushed over when he heard a loud thud as Misha smacked his fist on the table.


    "What happened?" Jayden asked with a serious face. He looked very cold and alert as he walked into the kitchen with his clothes still a little messy because the first thing he thought of was of course bad things, ones that could threaten Apple''s safety.


    But, once he got there, he only found his cousin, clenching his fists very tightly as his eyes kept shing in anger.


    Meanwhile, Apple was standing on the other side of the kitchen, a few steps away from Misha, as if she was avoiding the man with a worried look in her eyes.


    Seeing this situation, Jayden didn''t really understand what was going on, but one thing he had to do was take Apple away from there.


    He didn''t know why Misha''s mood could turn this bad in such a short period of time, even though he just went to shower and change. However, he didn''t want anything bad to happen to Apple.


    If Misha lost control and endangered the woman who was carrying his child, Jayden would not hesitate to stop him at any cost.


    Cautiously, Jayden walked over to Apple and sat down on the seat where Apple had been sitting, positioning himself between the woman and his cousin.


    "Hey, my sweet cousin, what''s wrong?" Jayden asked, he then ced a hand on Misha''s back and then looked at Apple who was still standing rooted to her ce. "My love, will you go back to the room and find where my wallet is?"


    Apple nodded and walked away from there immediately, while Jayden was trying to get Misha to talk in an easy going manner, but the look in his eyes didn''t say that, he looked wary.


    "If you gave that kind of expression, I''d think you''d kill someone." Jayden sighed. "What is this? you can tell me anything. Did Apple say anything?"


    Jayden wanted to know what had happened while he wasn''t here earlier.


    "Jayden," Misha called.


    "Hmm?" Jayden supported his head with his hands while noticing the change in Misha''s expression.


    "Can you do something for me?" Misha asked.


    "What? I''m even ready to jump off the roof of this building for you," he said exaggeratingly. "No, I wasn''t serious when I said that. Now tell me what do you want me to do?"


    The look on Misha''s face really made Jayden anxious.


    "Hit me," Misha said in a cold voice.


    "Hit you?" Jayden frowned when he heard this, but he couldn''t help but ask this. "On what basis should I hit you? Did you do me wrong?"


    "Not you," Misha grumbled in a low, scary voice, his body shaking as he held back his own anger.


    Misha couldn''t stop the words Apple had said and kept imagining them.


    If what he did to that woman happened to his daughter¡­ then it was certain that the man would not survive to see the next day¡­


    But, what about him who had treated the woman like that? Wouldn''t it be practicing double standards if he didn''t want that to happen to his daughter?


    Misha knew he was an asshole, but only now did he realize how a jerk he was and the more he thought about it, the angrier Misha got with himself.


    "JUST HIT ME!" Misha eximed.


    And without waiting for a secondmand, in the next second, Jayden had thrown a fist hard enough to the side of Misha''s face that the man fell to the ground and made Jayden panic too.


    "Hey, are you alright? You told me to beat you, right?" Jayden rushed over to Misha and helped him sit up, while blood was running from his nose.


    Meanwhile, Apple returned to the kitchen and gasped at this sight.


    Only, Misha didn''t seem to care, he then said. "I can''t show up to the office looking like this, so you go to thepany yourself."


    =======================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 717: SHE NEEDS TO RECONSIDER IT

    Chapter 717: SHE NEEDS TO RECONSIDER ITApple was looking for the wallet Jayden had asked her to find, but then she realized that the man never used a wallet, he only needed two cards which would always be in his phone case.


    Therefore, Apple believed that Jayden just wanted to ask her to leave the kitchen because Misha didn''t seem well.


    Apple still didn''t understand why Misha reacted like that to the words she said. Had she been too harsh? Shouldn''t she have said such a thing?


    And while Apple was thinking about what she had said wrong, sitting on the edge of the bed, she heard amotion from the kitchen, which was certain to be from the two cousins.


    Of course, without a second thought, Apple immediately rushed to the kitchen, she was afraid that the two of them were fighting now.


    If they got into a fight over what she just said, Apple would feel guilty, even though she didn''t know where the faulty. Maybe she talked too harshly to Misha and now he was beating up Jayden? Because he didn''t want to hit a pregnant woman?


    Anything could be possible¡­


    Apple quickened her pace and when she got to the kitchen, she found Misha lying on the floor while a te had broken, the shards scattered not too far from the two of them, while Jayden was trying to help his cousin up.


    "Hey, are you alright? You told me to beat you, right?" Jayden rushed over to Misha frantically and helped him to sit up, while blood was dripping from his nose and split lips.


    Jayden grimaced when he saw his cousin''s face. It seemed like he hit him too hard. It was Misha who had asked him to hit him, but Jayden had gone too far it seemed¡­


    "What''s going on here?" Apple asked worriedly, but she didn''te any closer because Misha''s facial expression was really hard to read. She then took a tissue and gave it to Jayden to help him wipe the blood that was still dripping from Misha''s nose. "You guys fought?"


    "No," Jayden retorted immediately. "He asked me to hit him," Jayden became defensive and his response took Apple by surprise.


    "Why?" Apple couldn''t understand why Misha wanted to be hit by Jayden. "But, you don''t have to beat him like this, do you?" She lightly hit Jayden''s back for that.


    Well, Jayden couldn''t argue anymore, he was indeed in the wrong here.


    Only, Misha didn''t seem to care, he stood up and then said. "I can''t show up to the office looking like this." Misha pointed at his own face which was still bleeding. "So, you need to go alone."


    And after saying that, casually, Misha walked away from the kitchen, leaving the confused couple behind.


    For a moment, the atmosphere there fell silent because no one spoke a word. They were still trying to digest what Misha meant and why he was behaving like that. He looked weird to say the least.


    Neither of them knew for sure what the reason was except for the woman who had his child, but that didn''t answer the question as to why Misha asked Jayden to hit him, because it was so absurd and unreasonable.


    "What really happened?" Jayden asked confusedly. "Didn''t hee to take me to the office? And now I have to tackle problems in the office alone?" Jayden frowned.


    His dear cousin came and spoiled his morning with Apple, but then he asked him to hit him and now he couldn''t go to the office on the pretext of his battered face.


    "I guess so," Apple said casually, then she stood up. "You have to go to the office yourself it seems."


    Jayden sighed in exasperation when he realized this. "Ah! This sucks!" he eximed. "I still want to spend time with you!"


    Jayden then epted a helping hand from Apple to stand up, though he was still grumbling in displeasure.


    "You''re going to be a father and nurturing a child is expensive, so you have to be more proactive in making money," Apple said in a wise tone, smiling and smacking Jayden on the ass.


    Jayden smirked when he heard that and then picked up Apple''s body to carry her out of the kitchen. "Oh, you''re right. Nurturing a child is indeed expensive, especially when I want another twelve from you. I have to work even harder for our future."


    "You think I''m a cat!" cried Apple, wide-eyed.


    =========================


    Jayden finally left for the office, but not before grunting and getting dramatic hugs and kisses from Apple. She finally had time to check what was really going on out there until Jayden forbade her to see the news.


    Since Misha had already told Apple in detail what had actually happened, there was no reason for Jayden to hold her phone anymore.


    And after Apple saw the news, she realized all that was true. The news could disturb and make her ufortable. Just looking at this news already made Apple very upset, especially when she had to read how her mother twisted all the facts.


    Her mother constantly victimized herself, saying that Apple didn''t want to see her anymore and even kicked her out when she tried to see her.


    "Hha¡­ I should have expected it to turn out like this." Nadia loved attention, she always liked to be the center of attention and everything that was happening right now was what she loved the most.


    When else would she be a news headline and get sympathy from the public.


    "''It hurts because I was chased out?''" Apple narrowed her eyes. "Didn''t I already buy her breakfast the first time we met? I should have let her pay for her own food then," Apple grumbled.


    Yeah, she was feeling pretty petty at the moment.


    However, since the matter had alreadye to this, it seemed that there really was no other choice but to clear up all the misunderstandings.


    "Press conference¡­" Apple muttered. "Should I go with it?" She reconsidered this matter more deeply.

 Chapter 718: WAITING

    Chapter 718: WAITING"Misha just left," Apple said when she saw Jayden had just returned, his face haggard and he was sulking right now. "What? A tough day?" asked Apple as she approached him with a ss of cold water to relieve his tiredness a bit.


    Meanwhile, Jayden smiled and kissed her lips gently as he took the ss and downed it straight away.


    Misha really didn''te all day to the office and Jayden had to take care of all the problems in the office without anyone''s help and this was quite stressful for him.


    "Yeah, hard day, but seeing you makes me energized again," Jayden said as he hugged Apple tightly and buried his head in the crook of Apple''s neck, while the girl gently stroked his hair.


    "Come here," Apple said, freeing herself from Jayden''s arms, but then she took his hand to lead him to their room.


    "What? Why?" Jayden asked enthusiastically, when he realized why Apple invited him into the room. He looked like a child about to be given candy, but what Apple was about to give him was not what he had imagined. "Would you like to show me something?"


    Apple nced at Jayden over her shoulder and saw the man''s excited face, he had also untied his tie and threw it on the floor.


    "We are not going to do that," Apple said, shaking her head. She knew what was on Jayden''s mind now. Didn''t he say that today was tiring? How could he suddenly get extra energy now?


    "Not doing what?" Jayden asked, hugging Apple from behind as soon as they entered the room, he even kicked the bedroom door shut impatiently.


    "Lie down on the bed," Apple said, pointing at the bed, trying to free herself from Jayden who kept clinging to her like an octopus.


    "Lie in bed?" Jayden asked with an excited face, his eyes even gleamed with extra enthusiasm. "Okay."


    Without asking any more questions, Jayden immediately walked over to the bed andy there, just as Apple had instructed.


    "Now what?" Jayden stared at Apple, following her every move with his observant eyes, clutching the pillow, impatiently waiting for his woman toe to him.


    Jayden couldn''t help but smile as he watched Apple light two lemon- scented aromatherapy candles and turn off some of the lights in the room, making it a little dim.


    "Hm, I like this atmosphere¡­" Jayden hummed. "Where are you going?" he asked quickly when he saw Apple walking out of the room.


    "I''ll be back in a minute," Apple said and then she left, leaving Jayden giggling like a teenager.


    "Don''t be long," Jayden shouted before Apple closed the door. He didn''t know what Apple was nning or what she was going to do with himself, but Jayden certainly couldn''t wait to see her back.


    Apple didn''t take long to finallye back again, she was still wearing the same clothes, nothing like what Jayden thought. She was not wearing any sexy lingerie, but never mind, this didn''t dampen his enthusiasm at all.


    Whatever Apple wore wouldn''t matter because in the end she wouldn''t be wearing anything while all this was going on.


    "Lie down," Apple said, getting up on the bed, because right now, Jayden was hugging his pillow, grinning meaningfully at her.


    "Okay," Jayden answered very obediently, he theny down on the bed, releasing the pillow he was hugging earlier.


    "Close your eyes," said Apple, then positioned herself behind Jayden''s head in a sitting position while the man rested his head on the pillow.


    Very obediently, which reminded Apple of a small dog, Jayden then closed his eyes without much questioning.


    Jayden waited and waited, he wondered what Apple would do as this was the first time this girl had taken an initiative like this, it was certain how excited he was now.


    Be patient¡­. Patience¡­ Jayden said to himself.


    Hmm ... which part would Apple touch first? Should I undress? He should have taken off his clothes earlier while waiting for Apple, but since the girl didn''t say anything, it didn''t seem like a problem.


    Jayden then smelled the fresh scent ofvender flowers. So she just tookvender oil? Hmm¡­ hmm¡­


    He then felt Apple''s hands touch his head¡­ hmm¡­ hmm¡­


    Then her soft fingers started to massage his head¡­ hmm?


    Jayden then opened his eyes and looked at Apple in confusion. He blinked innocently while asking. "Is this part of forey?"


    Apple knew what Jayden was talking about, so she pinched the man''s cheeks in exasperation. "I told you it wasn''t what you thought it was, didn''t I?"


    "Ow!" Jayden cried in pain, but then Apple started massaging his head again.


    "I''m not having a headache, why don''t we just do something more fun?" Jayden asked, trying to get up, but Apple firmly held him by the shoulders.


    "This is also fun stuff, it will help you rx," Apple said, trying to keep Jayden still, even though the man today was like a child avoiding injections.


    "No, I don''t want to rx, I want to have fun with you," Jayden said, insisting it wasn''t fun.


    "Couldn''t you just be quiet for a while and enjoy this moment for a moment?" Apple held Jayden''s head, as the man kept struggling to get away from her, he wanted to tackle her down.


    "No, I don''t want to enjoy this, I want to enjoy you, you''re so much more fun," Jayden said, with no shame at all.


    Meanwhile, Apple could only close her eyes and sigh heavily. She didn''t know where Jayden''s embarrassment had gone, because even now Apple''s face was turning red, although this wasn''t the first time Jayden had said such things.


    This guy could be very open and upfront about what was on his mind, but maybe that was one of Jayden''s charms.


    "I want to do something else," Jayden whined, still trying to get out of bed, but couldn''t because Apple was so determined not to let him do that.


    "No, you should stay here." Apple pressed his head against the pillow, so he couldn''t get up.


    "Can we do other activities after this?" Jayden asked, this time trying topromise because he knew Apple wouldn''t change her mind. "Please," he added in a very adorable voice.


    In the end, Apple gave in and took a deep breath. "Okay, but you have to be quiet, calm and not say anything."


    "Okay." Jayden looked happy that Apple had finally granted his request.


    "Shut up."


    Jayden; "¡­"


    Apple was then able to go back to massaging this man''s head in peace now that he was no longer trying to fight it.


    Ten minutester¡­


    Apple could hear a soft snore from Jayden''s slightly open mouth. He had fallen asleep in just a few minutes.


    "Even though a few minutes ago he was so noisy, he now sleeps like a baby," muttered Apple, still continuing to gently massage the man''s head, she smiled at Jayden''s face that looked very innocent. "He turns out to be so innocent when he sleeps¡­"


    Apple continued to massage Jayden''s head for a few more minutes, to make sure he was sleeping soundly before she finally stopped.


    Apple understood that Jayden was very tired. There were a lot of things going on at the same timetely and that was stressing him out a bit. He went to bedte and had to get up very early, even skipping meals.


    Luckily Apple had already delivered dinner to the office, asking Adrian to make sure Jayden had eaten his meal, so he didn''t miss dinner when he came home thiste.


    "Sleep well," whispered Apple. She then bent down and kissed Jayden''s forehead gently and covered the man with a nket, then got out of bed.


    Apple then blew out the candle that she had lit and turned off the rest of the lights, so that the atmosphere in the room became dark and calming. After that, Apple went back to the bed and snuggled next to Jayden, pulled the man''s hand to hug him then smiled and fell asleepfortably.


    =======================


    "We are going to bete, Apple," Jayden said. He couldn''t wait to go to the obgyn, check on their child and know for sure that their child was okay.


    "Jayden, there is still an hour to go," argued Apple as she picked out clothes. She was only wearing undies and a bra while she browsed through clothes she wasfortable with.


    "But, I can''t wait," Jayden said, but then his whining stopped when he saw Apple''s body, he then approached her slowly.


    "If you touch me, I''ll beat you," growled Apple menacingly, knowing what the man had in mind when he saw her not dressed like this.


    "You''re so mean..." Jaydenined. "You didn''t even keep your promisest night."


    "You slept earlyst night," said Apple, then chose to wear a red sweater and afortable baggy. "Not my fault." Apple nced at Jayden who was sitting on the edge of the bed with a wink.


    "You could wake me up," Jayden argued.


    "You slept so soundly, how can I wake you up?"


    "But, we still have an hour now, right?" Jayden said excitedly. He then approached Apple, like a predator approaching its prey.


    "It won''t be enough." Apple then grabbed her shirt and pants to go into the bathroom, but Jayden followed her inside as well. He held the door.


    "Enough. More than enough," he said, humming happily like a little bird.


    =======================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 719: I LOVE YOU

    Chapter 719: I LOVE YOUJayden was so excited when they finally got to the obgyn and was even blown away when he saw the 4D view disyed on the monitor, where they could see their baby who was now only the size of a pea.


    Jayden asked so many questions, which even Apple didn''t think of at all and this amazed her. How could Jayden find time to read these pregnancy articles when he himself was very busy?


    And when they left the obgyn, Apple couldn''t help but ask it out of curiosity.


    "You have worked hard to conceive our child, it''ll be very unfair if I don''t even educate myself about what you will experience, what will happen in the future, and how our child will develop. You''re going to be in trouble in the months that follow and the only thing I can do is help ease it by finding out more about what I can do to help you."


    This was Jayden''s answer, he answered lightly, as if it was nothing to be proud of.


    Knowing Jayden, who would sometimes brag about even the little things, even if sometimes it was just his way of joking, this answer really took Apple by surprise.


    "You don''t even pride yourself on learning such things," Apple said, still amazed by Jayden''s unexpected response.


    Jaydenughed when he heard that. "What do I have to be proud of when you are the one who has to go through all of that?" he then kissed Apple''s forehead gently.


    "If there is an award for the best husband, then I will beat the jury if you don''t get the award." Apple ate the cake that she bought at the hospital cafeteria quietly.


    Hearing what Apple said, Jayden''sughter grew louder. "You know, you''ve gotten a little more violent that you''re pregnant now. You said you were going to beat someone up twice already today."


    Ah¡­ Jayden was right, she had said that twice today. Well, although Apple couldn''t be said to have a verydy-like nature, she was also not that cross, right?


    And on second thought¡­ Apple mumbled. "Am I pregnant with a boy?" she said while stroking her t stomach.


    "I don''t care if it''s a boy or a girl, as long as you and our child are safe and sound, that''s the most important thing." Jayden kissed Apple on both cheeks. "Thank you for giving me this happiness."


    The schedule for today was getting their wedding clothes fitted, and Hailee was already waiting for them at the boutique. She had sent three pictures of wedding dresses after browsing through several options and from the three, Apple would choose for herself which one would suit her the most.


    Hailee had also chosen several suits for Jayden and Misha who would be his best manter.


    And since Apple didn''t have many friends and the woman she thought was a close friend turned out to be a backstabber, she didn''t know who would be her maid of honor, but Hailee, knowing that she was getting close to dys, proposed asking Jayden''s cousin, to which Apple immediately agreed.


    But, for now, Apple still hadn''t told dys this decision, she would call herter.


    "What are the results? Are you doing well?" Hailee asked as soon as she saw Jayden and Apple walk into the boutique. She immediately kissed Apple on both cheeks and quickly invited her in.


    While Jayden only got a nce from his mother, as if to say; hm, two hands, two legs, okay, he was fine and immediately put all her attention on Apple.


    "Can I see the picture?" asked Hailee, to which Apple then handed her a photo of the results of her checkup. She had already prepared it since she knew Hailee would ask for it. "Wow! Very cute!"


    And it was a pretty long and a little tiring day because Apple had to change dresses three times and each time Hailee and Jayden would be anxious, asking if she was okay or if she wanted to rest for a bit.


    Their attention was excessive and sometimes, Apple was also overwhelmed by it all, but she was very happy nheless. She was enjoying her time with the people she cared about.


    However, her birth mother was out there in tears, saying that she had been treated unfairly by Apple and was disowned by her and other over-dramatized stories.


    Nadia forgot the part where she had neglected her daughter and that she also left her son to Pyro recently.


    However, this was not disclosed, Apple''s side did not want to say anything and did not provide anyments, while Pyro''s house was closely guarded. They could not approach Jayden''s apartment or the Tordoff family''s house because all those ces were very tightly guarded.


    Under security that they could not be prated.


    It was not that Apple didn''t want to straighten things out, but it still not the time for them to do that. Because right now, Apple was still busy preparing for her wedding with Jayden which would be a small party, attended only by the closest people, because Apple felt ufortable being in the middle of a festive party most of whom she didn''t know.


    Hailee didn''t have a problem with that, she wouldply with whatever Apple requested, giving the marriage she wanted. If Apple didn''t want there to be a lot of strangers she didn''t know, then Hailee would only invite her closest family. So, they would simply have around forty to fifty guests at this wedding.


    That was a small number, considering that both the Tordoffs and Tatums wererge families and their business colleagues alone exceeded a few hundreds.


    "You are so beautiful!" Hailee eximed with great enthusiasm when she saw Apple walk out wearing herst dress.


    Apple was wearing her white dress with flowing hair while Jayden could only stand staring at her, not saying anything.


    "So? Pretty, isn''t it?" Hailee asked as she nudged her son and then Jayden reacted by walking over to Apple and kissing her cheek.


    "May I marry you right here, right now?" he whispered, which made Apple''s cheeks turn red.


    Jayden couldn''t wait to call Apple his wife, he couldn''t wait for those moments, because they would be his happiest moments.


    "I never dreamed of getting a woman as beautiful as you as my wife," said Jayden again.


    =========================


    After finishing with the wedding dress selection, where Apple had chosen thest dress, Hailee invited them to eat at a nearby restaurant, where Ramon caught up with them and ate together.


    Hailee also used the time to ask about a few things that Apple might want to add to the wedding theme and choose the flowers to be used.


    Hailee had summed it all up and Apple just had to select from all the options that Hailee had provided, so it would make it easier for her and not confuse her.


    Hailee was very helpful in this regard, as Apple waspletely inexperienced and didn''t know what to do with it and moreover because Hailee really liked the rush.


    During the dinner, Apple thought Hailee or Ramon would bring up the gossip out there or ask about her mother doing interviews in the media saying bad things about her and her father.


    And when at the end of dinner neither Hailee nor Ramon said anything, Apple couldn''t help but ask Hailee, while Ramon and Jayden were out for a bit to talk about their own problems.


    "If you''re notfortable discussing it, then we don''t need to talk about it, it''s not important to me. I''ve known Pyro long before he met your mother and I know him well enough to say he''s not that kind of man and Jayden wouldn''t be marrying you if you were the woman your mother said you were."


    That was Hailee''s answer when Apple asked her about her opinion over the news out there.


    "Moreover, the Tordoff family is very strong, don''t think that news like that will shake our family name," Hailee chuckled. "I also made a fuss when I was with Ramon back then. You don''t need to react to it too much, just calm down and focus on your pregnancy, Jayden will handle this well, trust your future husband."


    Apple almost cried when she heard what Hailee said, but a momentter, she told a funny story about Jayden as a child, how her son cried because he was not invited to his and Ramon''s wedding.


    "He cried?" asked Apple betweenughs when she heard the story.


    "He was four or five years old when his sister showed him our wedding photo and he burst into tears. We allughed when he started to say the reason why he was crying."


    And it was one of the few stories Hailee told Apple about Jayden''s childhood, to cheer her up and not stress herself out.


    Apple was so grateful to have known Hailee and to enter a family like this.


    And after dinner, Apple and Jayden went straight to their apartment.


    The two arrived just before midnight and Jayden allowed Apple to clean herself up first, while he still had a few things he had to deal with.


    When Apple came out of the bathroom, Jayden was on the phone, discussing the case involving Theodore Gevano with Richard.


    At that time, Apple was very tired and her eyes immediately glued shut as soon as her head hit the pillow. She felt her whole body ache after being outside for an entire day.


    But, before Apple really fell asleep, she felt Jayden approaching her and kissing her forehead while whispering in her ear; I love you.

 Chapter 720: LETS GO BACK TO SLEEP

    Chapter 720: LET''S GO BACK TO SLEEPApple woke up in the middle of the night feeling hungry, even though she had eaten quite a lot at dinnerst night, but she was starving again, she wanted something sweet.


    She then remembered the cake she had bought on the way home, from a cake shop she chanced upon and looked very attractive.


    Apple then removed Jayden''s hand that was hugging her, luckily, this time the man didn''t hug her very tightly, like he usually did, maybe because he was afraid that something might happen to Apple''s pregnancy, so he didn''t dare to do that kind of thing.


    Also, tonight Jayden seemed to be sleeping very soundly, he looked so tiredtely, that when Apple removed his hand and ced it above a pillow to cuddle it instead, he was still asleep.


    Even when Apple got out of bed and out of the room, Jayden still didn''t wake up.


    Apple then walked into the kitchen and found the box of cake she had bought and sliced a piece for herself. She also took some milk and filled a ss to the brim.


    While enjoying herte night snack, Apple watched a funny video on her cellphone when a message from dys came in. The content of the message was only a short question.


    [Asleep?]


    Apple then remembered her idea to make dys her maid of honor, so instead of replying to the message, Apple directly called her, which she picked up on the first ring.


    "What is it?" asked Apple. She heard dys whispering, sounding a little worried. "I was snacking, are you okay?"


    "Derek is here." And then, in the ten minutes that followed, dys exined how Derek got there.


    Apparently, since dys thought all the issues regarding Derek had been resolved, that the man would no longer bother her, she lowered her guard, since Derek was no longer trying toe to the apartment or trying to contact her.


    However, it turned out to be far beyond dys'' expectations, because tonight, an hour ago, Derek came back to her apartment very drunk and dys couldn''t bear to send him home, especially since she didn''t know where the men lived either.


    "As for where he lives now, I can tell you the address," Apple said as she ate her cake and then when the piece she had cut had disappeared into her stomach, she took a new piece and started eating again. The taste of this cake suited her palette and this made her very happy.


    "How do you know where he lives?" asked dys in surprise.


    And then, Apple told how she met Derek at her stepfather''s house when her mother left her stepbrother at Pyro''s house just like that and how surprised she was when she found Derek there, that he was the one who opened the door for Apple.


    "This world is really small, isn''t it?" said dys in a tired tone. How could they meet each other by chance like that? "I heard news about you in the media, are you okay?" asked dys, a little worried.


    "Yeah, I''m fine," said Apple lightly as she finished her second slice of cake and a ss of milk. She felt very full now. "The news didn''t bother me."


    "In that case, thank God." dys then heaved a sigh of relief. "Then what should I do with this man?"


    Feeling pity, dys let Derek in. And now, he was in the living room of her apartment, fast asleep, his body full of a strong smell of alcohol and this left dys flinching.


    "I''ll send my mom''s home address now, you can pack him there by asking someone for help," Apple said in a light tone. She said it as if Derek was an item and not a person.


    "Oh, okay¡­ I''ll do that." dys then nced at the delirious Derek. "He kept spouting apologies to me, even in his sleep."


    "So?" asked Apple skeptically. "You''re going to take him back?"


    "Of course not," dys answered quickly. She wasn''t going to take Derek back. Especially after what he had done and after all she''d met other men and needless to say, her breakup with Derek wasn''t as painful as she had previously thought. "I just need a little idea what to do with this creature."


    "Ah, I have an idea¡­" said Apple with sparkling eyes.


    "What?" dys asked enthusiastically.


    But, then Apple hesitated a little, because this was very malicious, actually this idea had been in her head since she found out that Kyle cheated on her. She wanted to do it for revenge, only Apple didn''t get the chance to carry out the idea.


    "What? Just say it," urged dys, curious as to what idea Apple would give her, whether it was a very dangerous thing.


    "It''s not dangerous, it''s just¡­"


    And that was how Apple told her the idea she had in her head about her revenge n that never materialized.


    =======================


    Jayden woke up when he felt that what he was hugging was not his woman''s body and a pillow instead.


    "Apple?" Jayden called out to her in a still hoarse voice. He looked around and tried to find the girl, but it seemed she wasn''t in the room. From the direction of the bathroom, Jayden did not hear any sounds either.


    Therefore, he immediately got out of bed and headed straight for the kitchen, because he knew that Apple would usually snack at night at this hour.


    And sure enough, as he walked closer, he could hear Apple''s voice on the phone with someone, but when he walked in, the call was cut short while she said goodnight to dys.


    Hm, it turned out she called dys.


    "Why didn''t youe back soon..." Jayden said in a still sleepy voice, he thenid his head on Apple''s shoulder and muttered. "Did you call dys?" he asked, his eyes closed. He was still sleepy and his hair that was starting to get a little long looked messy.


    Apple rubbed the man''s cheek and he snuggled closer to her, yawning.


    "Yeah, I called her earlier," Apple said, but then she gasped.


    "What is it?" Jayden asked, he then raised his head to look at Apple''s face, because she made a sound like that suddenly.


    "I forgot to ask her to be the maid of honor for our wedding," said Apple, because earlier they were busy talking about how to get back at Derek, she had forgotten why she had called dys in the first ce.


    "You can see her tomorrow," Jayden muttered, then stood up and pulled Apple to her feet as well. "Let''s go back to the room, I don''t want to sleep alone," he said.


    Jayden then pulled Apple back into the room, so they could go back to sleep.


    Apple finallyplied after dumping her te and ss into the sink, while Jayden walked with Apple beside him, eyes half closed.


    He shouldn''t have to wake up, right? He could continue sleeping again if he was really sleepy like this, he didn''t need to wake up and look for her to sleep.


    And when they finally got to the room, Jayden fell straight into bed hugging Apple. It didn''t take long for the man to fall back asleep because a minuteter, Apple could hear his soft snoring.


    "You''re so cute..." Apple said with a smile and rubbed Jayden''s head, helping him fall asleep faster.


    Their wedding was only a few weeks away and Apple had no idea she woulde this far in her rtionship with Jayden or that she would be pregnant with their child already.


    If Apple had doubts at first, but she now firmly believed that if she could choose one person to spend the rest of her life with, then she would choose Jayden without any hesitation.


    ========================


    After getting a call from Apple and getting an idea how to repay her hurt feelings for being betrayed by Derek, dys began to think of the message she wanted to deliver.


    Meanwhile, beside her, with a flushed face and a body reeking of alcohol, Derek was sleeping on the sofa in her living room.


    This man made a fuss in the lobby earlier when he said he wanted to see dys and not only that, he even shouted apologies.


    Even now, he was still delirious though he was fast asleep with a face as innocent as a baby and this made dys a little angry to see him.


    And even though he kept calling out dys''s name, the girl was fed up with Derek and how he treated her.


    Maybe it was the sympathy and pity she had felt earlier when she saw him so messed up in the apartment lobby, but now, those feelings had fadedpletely and she felt very stupid for bringing this man here.


    However, Apple''s idea was worth trying, so dys called someone she knew and asked him toe over to her ce right away, even though it was already midnight. dys would pay him double if he came and got this job done by tonight too.


    "Yeah, don''t worry, I''ll pay you handsomely,e now," dys said with a sweet and cheerful smile.


    And after the person on the other end confirmed he''d be there in half an hour, dys hung up and looked at Derek with a mischievous smile.


    On the other hand, the man was still unconscious and kept calling her name.


    dys didn''t seem to have to wait long, for twenty minutester, the man she had called earlier was in the room, along with the tools she needed.


    "We shouldn''t be doing this when he''s drunk," he warned.


    "No problem, it''s not life threatening, is it?"


    "It isn''t..."

 Chapter 721: YOU MAKE ME SO HAPPY

    Chapter 721: YOU MAKE ME SO HAPPYDerek woke up with a splitting headache. He felt like his head had been hit really hard. However, it was not just his head that hurt, his back was also killing him.


    For some reason, he felt like the skin on his upper back had been scraped offpletely and this made him ufortable.


    He was still sleepy, but he couldn''t continue sleeping because of the excruciating pain from his back as well as his head.


    What the hell was wrong with him? Derek groaned in pain and then turned around, but when he moved his body, the pain in his back intensified.


    Until finally, Derek decided to open his eyes and found himself in his own room, at his uncle''s house.


    Hmm? How did he get here? Didn''t he go out drinkingst night after which he went to dys'' apartment, where he made a fuss and luckily, the girl just came back from outside and met him in the lobby.


    Derek was very sure that dys had brought him back into her apartment, because he well remembered how relieved he was then.


    But, why when he opened his eyes, he was in his own room at his uncle''s house? This was very illogical, wasn''t it?


    Wasst night just a dream? Because he missed dys so much, he had strange dreams? Was it really so? Because Derek was so sure that he met dys and the girl brought himself to her ce because Derek was so drunk.


    Not long after, mustering all his strength and ignoring the pain in his back and head, Derek got out of bed. He had to find his own answer aboutst night, whether he had just dreamed or it really happened.


    Therefore, he immediately staggered toward the door and then into the living room, where he found James and Nadia, both of them watching a program on television.


    Needless to say, the program they were watching was none other than the one regarding the interview that Nadia recently gave.


    He didn''t know what the two of them were talking about to each other, but they were bothughing and looking very happy.


    On the other hand, Derek didn''t care what they were talking about, because when he spoke, his voice was very hoarse, as if he had just eaten sand and his throat was very dry.


    "Last night¡­ what happenedst night?" asked Derek, he then walked to the single sofa and sat there. He looked at James and Nadia one by one, hoping they did not need unnecessary persuasion.


    "You don''t remember at all?" James asked, he then looked at Nadia, whose face looked very beaming. Of course she was happy, imagine how much money was in her ount now¡­


    "No, I don''t remember anything..." Derek said honestly. His head was still throbbing painfully.


    "How much did you actually drinkst night?" Nadia grumbled.


    Then the two of them started to tell what happenedst night and how Derek got home.


    There seemed to be a man who had escorted Derek back, though they couldn''t identify the man''s features, because the three friends he had gone out withst night did not match with this new one.


    So, Derek concluded that it was one of dys'' bodyguards that had brought him home.


    Though, Derek thought that this morning he would finally get a chance to talk to dys again and find himself home, what a disappointment.


    And after listening to their exnation, Derek then got up and walked to the bathroom, his back still hurt so bad and he wanted to check what really happened now.


    He felt like he had been beatenst night and if that was the case, it was certain it was dys'' bodyguards that had done this.


    But apparently, when Derek took off his shirt and saw his reflection in the mirror, he was beyond shocked, because he''d much rather be beaten and bruised than see what dys had done to him.


    Quickly and furiously, he got out of the bathroom and then took his cell phone to call dys, because it was certain that the culprit was the girl.


    Derek thought dys wasn''t going to pick up the phone, because he was already nning to go over to the girl''s apartment again and hold her ountable for what she had done to him.


    But, unexpectedly, dys picked up this phone call and it left Derek quite surprised, because he didn''t expect this at all.


    =======================


    dys woke up this morning with a much fresher mind and a much more radiant face. She felt happy and relieved, especially when the memory ofst night''s events came back to her and this made her chuckle.


    And then, just as dys had expected, Derek had called her as soon as he realized what she had done to himst night.


    At first, dys had no intention of picking up the phone call, but then she was curious about what this man would say.


    So she decided to pick up the call and the first thing she heard was Derek''s screams so loud that she had to keep the phone away from her ear.


    "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME, GLADYS!? ARE YOU CRAZY?!" he shouted angrily, maybe if Derek was here, dys could see himself spitting fire in anger.


    Too bad they were so far apart and there was no possibility for dys to witness it.


    "YOU THINK THIS IS A GAME!? DON''T JOKE, GLADYS! THIS IS NOT FUN AT ALL!" Derek roared angrily when he found out what was the reason his back hurt so much.


    "I''m not joking, why do you think I''m joking?" asked dys in an innocent voice, then she smiled and got out of bed to walk to the kitchen and make herself some tea. "You saw the inscription behind your back, didn''t you? Of course it''s real and not a joke."


    dys said very casually, as if what she had done was neither big nor significant.


    "Aren''t you the one who really wanted that?" asked dys, then reminded Derek of the vow he madest night. "You even gave me permission, you yourself said that you wanted to always remember me, and therefore, I fulfilled your wish. You should be thanking me, you know that tattoo artists are very expensive, right?"


    "DAMN YOU, GLADYS!" cried Derek furiously.


    Yes, that was what dys did at the suggestion of Apple. She called a tattoo artist she knewst night and tattooed her name in veryrge letters on Derek''s back.


    The name was horizontal and could be read very clearly, as if the name was capslocked and bolded.


    The tattoo artist she knew had said that Derek shouldn''t have been tattooed drunk, but since it wasn''t a dangerous situation, he agreed when dys persuaded him, especially when she promised a pretty high fee.


    Who would not ept money?


    After all that was done, dys ordered one of her bodyguards to take Derek home to the home address that had been provided by Apple.


    And this was what happened. dys was grateful she decided to pick up the phone, because she had neverughed so loudly as she did now when she heard how angry Derek was.


    She was so satisfied with what she had done, she should celebrate this with Apple too, because this was her idea.


    "Why?" asked dys innocently. "Why are you cursing me now? Don''t you love me? You told yourselfst night that you wouldn''t be able to forget me, and now I can confirm that you will never forget me."


    Of course, Derek wouldn''t be able to forget dys when her name was so clearly tattooed on his back like this.


    "You really are a bitch!" cried Derek furiously. He didn''t know what to say when she was being like this.


    He couldn''t possibly get rid of this tattoo and even if he could, he wouldn''t have enough money to get it removed, because it would be very expensive.


    "Yeah, yeah¡­ keep remembering this bitch," dys said casually and she hung up the phone with one sweet kiss. "Goodbye, Derek. Hope you like my farewell gift."


    And after saying that, she hung up the phone while Derek was cursing at her, and thenughed out loud because Derek tried to call her so many times and left so many messages, which only dys replied with aughing emoji, which made the guy even more angry that dys didn''t take him seriously.


    ========================


    "What is it? You seem really cheerful after you got a call from dys?" Jayden asked when he had just finished showering, his hair still wet, so Apple took the towel she used earlier to dry his hair.


    "dys recounted a funny incident this morning," replied Apple, who then recounted what happened.


    "I don''t mind having your name tattooed," Jayden said, but Apple pped him lightly on the shoulder.


    "Don''t mess around," she grumbled.


    Jayden then lowered his head while nudging her t belly slowly while Apple dried his hair.


    "Stop that, it''s ticklish," Apple said, trying to get away from Jayden''s fingers that were constantly nudging her belly. Jayden paused, but then he knelt down and kissed her stomach, making Appleugh. "What exactly are you doing?" asked Apple.


    "I was just saying hello to my child," Jayden replied in a soft voice. "Good morning, my baby." Jayden thennded a soft kiss on Apple''s stomach. "You make me so happy," he said in a sincere voice.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 722: PRESS CONFERENCE

    Chapter 722: PRESS CONFERENCEThis morning, no,tely, Jayden had been a little more spoiled than usual. He would cuddle Apple more and touch her t tummy more than necessary.


    He seemed to have calmed down a bit and it was actually a bit odd for Apple, since she was not used to seeing this side of Jayden, but it was not that she didn''t like it.


    "I was just saying hello to my child," Jayden replied in a soft voice. "Good morning, my baby." Jayden thennded a soft kiss on Apple''s stomach. "You make me so happy," he said in a sincere voice.


    Appleughed softly when she heard Jayden''s statement, she then gently stroked the man''s head and kissed the top of his head.


    "You are tickling me," said Apple. "Shouldn''t you go to work now? Or else Misha will be mad at you."


    "Let him be angry, it''s worth it, if I can spend more time with you," Jayden said sulkily. "Ah¡­ why do I have to keep working, even if I don''t work for a month or nine months, thepany won''t go bankrupt anyway," Jaydenined.


    This wasn''t the first time Jayden hadined like this. He would turn a little cranky when he had to be away from Apple at times like this, and it reminded her of a child who sulked when he didn''t want to go to school.


    "Thepany may still be fine, since Misha is more thanpetent to manage it, but what about the case with Theodore Gevano? News circting in the mass media about our rtionship? My mother''s misleading interview and also Jack''s adoption issue?" Apple reminded him all of that and made Jayden immediately p his ears shut and stare at Apple in horror.


    "Stop, stop!" Jayden eximed, because what Apple said really spoiled his mood, he didn''t want to remember those things.


    "Or... since you are dealing with too many problems, let me help you, after all half of your problems are purely my own problems because theye from my family," said Apple.


    Hearing this, Jayden immediately frowned. He had already told Apple she didn''t need to think about such unimportant things and should start thinking about herself instead.


    The only task she had to do right now was to ensure the health of herself and the child she was carrying, so Jayden would not allow Apple to touch the issues at hand.


    He was more than enough to handle them all. It was just, well¡­ he was just a littlezy to keep himself busy and it seemed that after learning about Apple''s pregnancy, he had be unmotivated, especially with the case involving Theodore, he just wanted the matter to be over quickly so he could have a lot of free time for himself with Apple.


    "Alright, alright¡­" Jayden sneered, he pursed his lips when he heard what Apple said. "It seems you really want to kick me out of here¡­ I''m a little offended to hear that."


    Appleughed when she heard that, especially when she saw the expression Jayden was making, how could he look so cute like this.


    Jayden then stood up and grumbled to take his coat, meanwhile, Apple also stood up and hugged Jayden from behind.


    "Hurry back home, I''ll be waiting for you here," said Apple, which made Jayden beam, the feeling of someone waiting for him toe home was nice.


    This was one of the reasons why he was so desperate to get Apple out of this apartment and make haste of his ns to have their own ce to live, because he wanted to have a little family like this, someone waiting for his return.


    "Of course I''ll be home soon," Jayden said as he turned around and hugged Apple tightly. "Where else am I going to go after finishing all those annoying things? Of course I will return home as soon as possible."


    Apple tiptoed and kissed his lips gently.


    =============================


    A few days passed quietly since the day of the wedding dress fitting together with Hailee. Usually Hailee would take Apple out for shopping or she would just drop by and cook for Apple, even though she had said not to bother doing all that, but nothing could change Mrs. Tordoff''s mind.


    Hailee would say that she only did the little things and wasn''t bothered at all.


    Actually, Apple had no problem with Hailee wanting to cook herself a meal because Hailee''s cooking was absolutely delicious and she couldn''t resist the mouthwatering aroma every time she finished cooking.


    It was also undeniable that Apple would eat more when Hailee cooked for her, especially when she started feeling symptoms of morning sickness as she was now two months pregnant.


    Every morning, Jayden would wake up and patiently apany her when the nausea became unbearable. Even if Apple asked him to leave, Jayden would insist on being with her. He would help Apple hold her hair or massage her head whenever she felt dizzy.


    He did all of this withoutining, even though he had only slept a few hours a night because he had so much to do, considering the many problems that came at them non-stop.


    And today, was the day that Apple would hold a press conference regarding the rumors that were circting out there, especially when her mother started to attract sympathy from the mass media while public opinion about Apple went down the drain.


    "Are you nervous?" Jayden asked as they got in the car, heading for the Tordoff Company building where they were going to have a press conference.


    "No, I''m hungry," answered Apple honestly. She would not eat much, but ate often. She couldn''t finish a single portion of food, but she wouldn''t stop eating something every ten minutes. This time around, that was Apple''s diet.


    Jayden chuckled when he heard what Apple said, but then he kissed the top of her head and smiled proudly.


    "I know that you will be hungry like this, therefore, I have prepared snacks for you," Jayden said. He then stretched his hand forward and Adrian immediately handed him a box containing strawberry cake that Apple recently came to like. "I''ve prepared this for you, where are mypliments?" demanded Jayden.


    On the other hand, when Apple saw the cake, she smiled happily and took the cake to eat it immediately.


    "Good boy," Apple said as she stroked Jayden''s head, but her focus was entirely on the cake in front of her.


    "Good boy?" Jayden narrowed his eyes. "Why do I feel like you are treating me like a puppy?" he grumbled.


    "Don''tin, I''m enjoying my cake." Apple then ate voraciously.


    Seeing Apple like this, Jayden was of course very happy, at least she didn''t have appetite problems, because based on what he had read, there were some pregnant women who couldn''t even keep anything in their systems for too long.


    But, seeing Apple eating quietly like this, it seemed like she was fine, so there was nothing to worry about.


    "Eat in peace," Jayden said as he cleaned the cream on the corner of Apple''s lips with his finger.


    The trip to Tordoff''spany wasn''t that long, because the apartment they lived in was very close to the building, so before Apple could finish her cake, they had arrived.


    They went through a special path so that security was guaranteed and there was no need to jostle with the reporters who were waiting for them in front of the building. Although the press conference was about to start and they could ask their questions there, it seemed some of them liked the noise.


    "Are you ready?" Jayden asked, holding out his hand to help Apple get out of the car and cing his hand around the girl''s waist protectively.


    "Yeah, looks like I have no other choice in this case, doesn''t it?" asked Apple, she then walked toward thepany building with Jayden beside him.


    ========================


    "This is the first time I have seen the future wife of Mr. Tordoff, you''re so beautiful," said Apple''s hairstylist, working on her hair while the others did Apple''s makeup.


    This time, Apple wore a white dress with t shoes. This outfit didn''t look luxurious, but it did look elegant and make her look like someone you couldn''t take for granted.


    Itplimented the self-image that Apple would build in the eyes of the public from now on. It was not that she would be appearing in the media more often, but at least, for now, it was very important.


    "Thank you," Apple said awkwardly. She nced back at the cake on the table and really wanted to eat it, but couldn''t.


    "Your hair is also very beautiful," said Ste, the hairdresser. "So smooth, soft and shiny."


    "Thanks," Apple said again, but her eyes were still trained on the cake on the table. Ugh. She really wanted to eat, but the makeup artist was applying lipstick for her.


    "Ah, you must be tense, how about something to drink first? I''ll bring you a drink," said the makeup artist, and then hurried off. Apparently, she misunderstood Apple''s desire to reach for the cake she wanted to eat into a tense attitude before the press conference.


    Therefore, she returned with a ss of wine and passed it to Apple''s hand.


    "Drink this first, I will fix your lipstickter," she said with a cheerful smile, but then she looked at Apple who did not immediately drink the wine she gave. "Why? Don''t you like this?"


    Apple chuckled and handed back the wine ss, saying; "I can''t drink, because I''m pregnant right now."


    They were silent for a moment, but then their eyes widened in surprise. "PREGNANT?!"

 Chapter 723: PRESS CONFERENCE (2)

    Chapter 723: PRESS CONFERENCE (2)They heard the news about Apple being pregnant, but they didn''t think it was true. There has been a lot of wild newstely in the mass media about the Tordoff family, especially Jayden Tordoff and his fianc¨¦e.


    Not to mention the interview given by Nadia, the mother of Apple, who was Jayden Tordoff''s current girlfriend, therefore, it was not wrong for them to be quite surprised when they found out that the news about Apple''s pregnancy was true.


    "I can''t drink, because I am pregnant right now." Apple handed back the ss of wine that was given to her and smiled as she said softly to the two of them.


    They were silent for a moment, but then their eyes widened in surprise. "PREGNANT?!" both of them unknowingly half shouted, but then immediately covered their mouths and lowered their voices.


    "Are you really pregnant?" Ste asked, wanting to make sure she hadn''t heard wrong. "Are you really pregnant? Are the various articles of news true?" she asked eagerly, but then she noticed her attitude and immediately lowered her head while muttering. "Sorry, I am too excited to hear this directly from you."


    Appleughed when she saw their reaction, but she wasn''t angry. Instead of drinking her wine, she then took the cake she had been craving and began to eat quietly.


    "Why are you guys so surprised?" asked Apple, smiling very sweetly at them. "The news about my pregnancy is true," she said while chewing the sweet cake with great pleasure.


    "Then what about the rest of the news?" Ste asked carefully, then she continued what she was doing earlier and started doing Apple''s hair back, because they only had less than half an hour before she had to go on air.


    "Truth be told, some are true and the rest are fabrications." Apple then took a ss of mineral water nearby and drank it. She also then added before getting a new question. "You can see the results of the press conferenceter, the reporters will definitely have questions that represent your questions."


    Apple didn''t want to answer the same questions twice because it was exhausting.


    Meanwhile, the two women couldn''t help but smile sheepishly, because Apple seemed to say that they were now like reporters.


    "Forgive our curiosity," said one of the women, then smiled sheepishly at Apple, while the others could only wince because they realized what they were saying was really too direct.


    Luckily, Apple didn''t really respond to that, because right now, she just wanted to focus on the cake.


    ============================


    "What if I can''t say anything?" asked Apple. They were about to start the press conference in five minutes. Apple suddenly felt a panic attacking on and began to realize the urgency of this asion.


    Even though only a few minutes ago she was still thinking about cakes, let alone what she wanted to eat after this event.


    "It''s okay," Jayden said, trying to calm Apple down. "You don''t need to feel so depressed. Think of this the same as the photo shoot you''ve done before. Aren''t you already feeling less awkward in front of the camera?"


    Of course, these were two very different things, how could they bepared? When she posed for a photo shoot, she didn''t have to get asked and answer or say anything, right?


    Therefore, of course this was very much different from what she had done previously.


    "Just hold my hand, if you feel you can''t continue your speechter, you just squeeze my hand and I will manage everything," Jayden said while kissing Apple''s cheeks gently. This woman could be so fierce, but when faced with situations like this, she could look like a scared kitten, really cute.


    "Okay, fine then," Apple said as she grabbed Jayden''s hand. There was nothing to be afraid of when Jayden said that, right?


    "Are you ready?" Jayden asked before he led Apple out of the room, where behind this door were reporters waiting for them. Unmitigated, Jayden brought four of hiswyers, and the four of them were well- knownwyers in this city A.


    Because it was not just a problem with Nadia, Apple''s mother, but also a problem with the media that had publicized Jayden''s rtionship with Apple. The mediapany had vited many rules and now Jayden would sue them publicly.


    After this point, there would be no hope for thepany to survive and sooner orter, they would have to dere their bankruptcy because this was something that was bound to happen as the problem was already like this.


    "No, I am not ready," muttered Apple. She gripped Jayden''s hand tightly, but even though she said that, when Jayden took her out of the room, Apple followed him without much question, facing the media crew who seemed to be showering her with various unexpected kinds of questions.


    The room was filled with shes of the cameras that hurt the eyes and the noises they made because they couldn''t wait to get this exclusive news and also how they tried to talk at almost the same time¡­


    This would indeed be exclusive news, because after a long time, the Tordoff family finally spoke up after Nadia conducted interviews here and there and the story was getting more dramatic day by day, making everyone frown, as if the story came from a novel.


    Meanwhile, Jayden and hiswyers answered all the rumors circting, they also informed Apple and Jayden''s wedding ns which would be held in the next few weeks, but because it was a very private event, no media partners would be allowed to enter the venue then.


    But, they would hold a press conference after all that was over.


    Of course, the news of this marriage answered the rumors circting in themunity, where the next question was; whether Apple was also pregnant as had been reported by the media or was it another lie perpetrated by Nadia.


    "Yes, my fianc¨¦e is pregnant, she is already two months along," Jayden replied with a beaming face. Those watching the press conference could see how proud and happy Jayden Tordoff was now when he announced this. He even gazed at Apple with such love, that any woman would be envious of having managed tond a husband-to-be like Jayden.


    And instantly, the press conference room was filled with congrattory voices for the couple and wishing their baby to stay healthy until the time of delivery.


    Meanwhile, throughout the press conference, Apple only answered simple questions and smiled, then asionally ate the snacks that were provided there and Jayden would answer almost all questions, except for questions directed at Apple.


    And of course, in the end came the question, after it was proven that the rumors about the marriage were true, then the next thing was about the pregnancy rumors that were spread by Nadia.


    "It seems Ms. Apple really enjoyed the snack," said one female reporter who smiled at Apple. She did a pretty good opening to start the questionnaire. "Are you craving?"


    It was a simple question that was usually casually asked to a friend you know and made the othersugh softly at the light joke, but of course their ears were wide open and they all had faces waiting for what answer Apple and Jayden woulde up with, in response to the joke.


    Apple and Jaydenughed too and she finally answered in a very rxed tone. "Yes you are right. Now I don''t just eat for myself." Apple smiled very sweetly when she said that. "Sorry if I keep eating, because this press conference is taking longer than expected and you guys are asking very creative questions, making me a little hungry."


    This was what Apple said because they kept asking questions and it was hard to cut this event, so they had extended the scheduledpletion of this press conference by ten minutes already.


    However, because the questions they asked were very important to answer, in order to straighten out the existing problems, it seemed that they would not be finished for the next ten minutes either.


    Of course, they felt that if what Apple said was true, they were trying to dy thepletion of this press conference and feel bad for doing so.


    While Jayden could only smile and chuckle at Apple''s antics and how the girl looked very rxed while asionally eating her snacks, like a hungry little squirrel.


    In the end, post Apple''s satire, fifteen minutester the press conference was finally over and the whole issue had been exined in great detail, condemning not only Nadia but also the mediapany that had been spreading private news without permission.


    "What do you want to eat now?" Jayden asked when they were back in his office again. Apple was lying on the couch, while Jayden was hovering over her, of course he wasn''t putting all his weight on Apple. "Would you like to try some cake at the cake shop that just opened nearby?"


    Apple raised her eyebrows when she heard that. "I didn''t know you were paying attention to the cake shops that just opened," Apple said. It was quite surprising for her to find out that Jayden knew of a pastry shop near his office.


    "Of course I know." Jayden bit Apple''s finger that was rubbing his lips. "My wife has been into cakestely, of course I should know that."


    Jayden winked at her with mischievous smile etched on his lips.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 724: SOMEONE CALLED HER

    Chapter 724: SOMEONE CALLED HERJayden looked at Adrian very sharply, making the man want to disappear from the face of this earth when he got a stare like that.


    Howe? This was the true definition that if gazes could kill, then he would have been dead by now, because there was no way he could escape such a cynical gaze.


    There was only one problem; Adrian only said that there was a new cake shop near his office, he said that because he was also paying attention to Apple''s diet, because Jayden was constantly fussing about it.


    However, the problem was; he didn''t tell Jayden that the new cake shop looked like this.


    There was nothing wrong with this new cake shop, however, it could be said in a nutshell that; Jayden was not at all suitable to be in this ce, starting from the feel, color, lighting, nothing matched Jayden.


    Especially when he was staring at Adrian so fiercely like this, as if he was going to devour the man.


    Ugh¡­ stop looking at me like that¡­ just reserve such things for your fianc¨¦e¡­ Adrian pleaded in his heart, hoping Jayden would turn his attention elsewhere.


    And apparently, Adrian''s request was finally granted, as Apple pulled Jayden''s arm to show the cute cakes that were on disy. "Look! What a cute cake¡­" she said very happily.


    She didn''t know since when, even Jayden didn''t understand, but it looked like Apple was starting to like cute things like that, even though she wouldn''t have looked at these things if it was in the past.


    "So cool, isn''t it?" Apple asked Jayden''s opinion.


    "Of course it''s very cute, if you want, buy it," said Jayden because he couldn''t wait to get out of this cake shop.


    Howe? This pastry shop waitress wore a miniskirt with a character from a famous cartoon and a headband in the shape of mouse''s ears. Wasn''t that an overkill? This cake shop was so childish, how could they run a business like this?


    "Which one do you think is the cutest?" asked Apple, pointing to two cakes that looked almost exactly the same.


    Wait, did it matter how they looked, the taste would be the same? Moreover¡­


    "Apple¡­ I can even buy this cake shop, why do you bother choosing between two cakes? If you like it, just buy both, you don''t have to choose," Jayden said. He thought logically and ording to his opinion, there was nothing wrong with that.


    And after all, what Jayden said was true, if Apple could have both cakes and why would she bother choosing one? She could pick all the cakes in this shop if she wanted to.


    It was just that Apple, who heard Jayden''s exnation, looked displeased, she frowned and red at the man.


    "I''m only going to buy one, and I have to choose which one to buy, because both are so cute." Apple insisted.


    "Therefore, just buy both," said Jayden.


    And their argument about the cake issue made Adrian want to run away from there and that was what he was trying to do until Jayden stopped him and red at him.


    "Where do you think you''re going?" Jayden asked coldly. "You have to be here and take responsibility for this."


    Adrian grimaced, what kind of ountability did Jayden want? He just rmended this ce, that was all.


    Luckily, the debate didn''tst long enough, as Apple was finally able to decide which cake she wanted.


    It was a cake with a white puppy-shaped cream decoration on it as well as a small cage. It looked cute and adorable.


    "Why don''t you eat the cake?" Jayden asked on their way home in the car.


    This was weird, because normally Apple would just open the cake and couldn''t wait to try it, but this time, she just stared at the cake.


    "I can''t bear to eat it..." Apple muttered as she stared at the cake on herp.


    "You''re not going to eat it?" Jayden stared at Apple in disbelief, his eyes wide as if Apple had just sprouted a new head on her shoulder.


    "After all that drama in the bakery, you''re not going to eat this cake?" Jayden said in disbelief.


    "This is too cute to eat¡­" Apple muttered as she stared at the little puppy on the cake, she looked happy just staring at it.


    =======================


    After a few days passed, finally the long awaited day hade, where Apple would officially be Mrs. Tordoff was two days away and during these three days, Jayden was not allowed into their apartment because the man had to now live at Tordoff''s house with Ramon, while Hailee apanied Apple in the apartment.


    "Oh, I can''t believe you''d be getting married in three days," dys said happily, starting tonight, she and Hailee would be staying here while the men gathered at the Tordoff residence.


    Including Misha, Ramon, Lexus, Pyro. Even little Jack was there.


    Jack seemed to be adapting well and Pyro was more than happy to make friends after Apple''s departure. He taught Jack many things and it must be said that the little boy was very easy to attract the attention of others around him. He was very innocent but also smart at the same time.


    "Yeah, I didn''t think so either," said Apple, while peeling the onions, they were going to cook for the night and were waiting for Candice, Misha''s mother.


    Meanwhile, Candice was stuck in traffic on the way here, so she would be a littlete, thus they started cooking now.


    "How''s Jayden? Is he sulking because he can''t see you for two days?" asked dys, teasingly, nudging Apple lightly.


    "Well¡­" Apple then recalled how Jayden acted so childishly when he had to move to the Tordoff residence. He was very reluctant to leave Apple, even after Hailee literally kicked him out of this apartment. "He''s as usual..." said Apple with a smile.


    And while they were talking like that, Apple''s cell phone rang, and disyed a number she didn''t recognize. But not many people knew her phone number either, as she didn''t interact with many people. Therefore, this phone must being from people Apple didn''t want to contact anymore.


    "Why wasn''t it picked up?" asked dys curiously. She nced at Apple''s phone t screen. "Just block the number." She had been getting calls from unknown numbers since she broke up with Derek, especially since the tattoo incident.


    After the incident, dys gave Apple a full report on what Derek had said to her and also showed her the messages and emails he was trying to send her. After that, they bothughed at Derek''s nonsensical words.


    "Hello?" Apple actually decided to pick up the phone call after whoever it was, tried to call her back to back three times.


    On the other hand, dys listened intently to what Apple had to say and noticed Apple''s rapidly changing expression. Of course, she was curious about who the caller was.


    "Ivan¡­ what do you want?" asked Apple in a deep voice. She put down her knife and then walked out of the kitchen.


    On the other hand, dys subconsciously wanted to follow her out until Hailee grabbed her cor to keep her in the kitchen.


    "Where are you going? You''re still not done peeling the onions," Hailee said, nodding at the onions that dys hadn''t peeled.


    "But, I just wanted to go over to Apple for a bit, Aunty¡­" dys whined, but Hailee simply shook her head.


    "Stop wanting to butt into other people''s business, that''s not good," Hailee advised, then she returned to pointing to the knife in dys''s hand. "Now, finish the job," she said firmly.


    "But, aunty, I want to know who called Apple in the middle of the night like this," dys said with a sulky voice, she looked at Hailee with pleading eyes.


    Her pleas just fell on deaf ears. dys was too young and inexperienced to think she could do that to Hailee. She would never get what she wanted that way.


    "Go back to your work now," Hailee said firmly, she nodded at the knife that was there and looked at dys with a smile, but of course it was a smile you didn''t want to see.


    Therefore, with a heavy heart, dys was back to peeling onions and couldn''t really know who Apple was talking with right now, even though her curiosity was getting the better of her, she couldn''t do anything as Hailee didn''t allow it.


    Therefore, there was only one thing she could do now, which was to send a message to Jayden.


    Yes, the man managed to persuade her to tell him if there was something unusual Apple was doing and she agreed to tell him about it.


    And this was what dys was doing now¡­ even though she knew this wasn''t right, what could she do? Her asshole cousin threatened her to tell her mother and father that months ago she had thrown a party on the ind¡­


    Huh. What an asshole Jayden was.


    The message that dys sent was short, and read; A guy named Ivan called Apple, but I don''t know what''s the context.


    After she hit the send button, dys then continued to peel the onions.


    ============================


    Apple didn''t really want to meet Ivan, but they had been friends for years and from his voice, she could tell he was going through the toughest time of his life.


    Of course, after Apple told him about the affair, she didn''t know what happened to Ivan after that.


    And only this time, Ivan contacted her again.

 Chapter 725: A GIFT

    Chapter 725: A GIFTAfter learning that Ivan was already near this apartment, Apple finally agreed to meet him at the cafe in front of this apartment.


    Somehow he knew that Apple lived here, but it seemed that knowing where Jayden Tordoff was currently living wasn''t a difficult thing to do. Especially after the press conference.


    Luckily, Apple didn''t have to leave the apartment except during routine check-ups and mostly her dad and Jack or Ramon and Hailee woulde over to visit her and see how she was. She was very grateful for the support they showed her.


    Meanwhile, her mother was constantly trying to find out her whereabouts, but of course Nadia didn''t have strong ess to even find out her personal number.


    And now that her lies had been exposed in the media and she was being condemned for her lies especially when the news about her leaving Jack was leaked to the public, she was increasingly facing the public discrimination and unable to do anything.


    Jack''s guardian rights were no longer a big problem, because of Jayden''s intervention, the adoption matter became much simpler and easier to handle. Pyro just took care of a few files and was waiting for approval.


    To be honest, Apple didn''t really want to meet Ivan, but after all they had been friends and from his voice, she could tell that the man was going through the toughest time of his life.


    Of course, after Apple told him about the affair, she didn''t pay attention to what happened to Ivan and didn''t really care about someone cheating her friend like that.


    And only this time, Ivan contacted her again.


    Apple came down from the apartment to meet Ivan apanied by Adrian and Danny, the two of them would not be left behind because the requirement for her to leave the apartment was that they both tagged along.


    Actually, it did matter, because now Apple understood the importance of security. She realized that it was not just herself that needed to be protected after all.


    "Ivan," called Apple, she found the man sitting in the corner of the cafe with his head down, he didn''t even look at herself who had just arrived.


    Apple then walked over to him while Adrian and Danny sat two tables away from them, giving them some privacy, but also not so far from Apple if they had to act quickly.


    Hearing his name being called, Ivan then raised his head and looked at Apple with his seemingly empty eyes.


    Messy was an understatement to describe Ivan''s current state. He, who usually looked neat and smelled good, was now like someone who hadn''t showered for a week. His hair was a mess and his clothes were rumpled, his beard and mustache had grown too long and it looked like he hadn''t shaved in days.


    But, in the midst of all this chaos, he tried to appear as neat as possible when meeting Apple, but still, this wasn''t what he used to look like.


    "I almost didn''t recognize you," said Apple. She then sat across from Ivan and called the waiter to order drinks, because she was going to have dinner with Hailee, Candice and dyster. "What is it?"


    Apple gave a menu book to Ivan and let him choose his food. Really, this man in front of him was like someone who was homeless. How bad was his life now?


    For some reason, Apple actually felt sorry for him and instantly the hatred and resentment she felt disappeared, but of course she would not forget what he had done to her.


    Apple could forgive him, but their rtionship would never be the way it used to be, in fact, there would never be a rtionship between them again, because Apple didn''t want that.


    "Yeah¡­ I forgot to cut my hair," Ivan muttered, touching his hair which was already quite long.


    "You better eat something, your face is so ugly to look at," said Apple, which made Ivan chuckle, then she ordered dessert and a drink.


    While waiting for their food to arrive, they chatted lightly, as if the previous incident had never happened, but it couldn''t be said that they were chatting away merrily either.


    It wasn''t until after the food arrived that they could chat about the essence of the matter and why Ivan had summoned Apple here to meet with him, because they wouldn''t be interrupted.


    "So, what''s your reason foring to see me?" Apple asked as she sipped on her lemon tea.


    Ivan''s face immediately changed, he looked sad and hurt. Again, there were many emotions shing past his eyes and this made Apple a little worried about her friend.


    Because after all, the two of them had been close.


    It seemed that what Rachel did left such a strong impression on Ivan and it messed up his life as well as his career. It seemed that by seeing him like this and regretting his actions, Apple felt very cruel that she had to torture him again.


    "Perhaps, it''s too clich¨¦ for me to say this, but this is the main reason I came to see you," Ivan said carefully. "I want to apologize to you for what I have done."


    Apple had expected this to be what he was going to say, but she thought he had something more important to say.


    "I have forgiven you, but of course our rtionship will not be like it used to be. I hope this is ourst meeting," Apple said calmly.


    Ivan nodded. They have been friends for a long time, therefore Ivan understood the nature of Apple more or less, if she didn''t want to be acquainted with him anymore, then he couldn''t do anything to force her will.


    "I understand," said Ivan.


    "Then, is there anything else you want to talk to me about?" asked Apple, taking another sip of her drink. She didn''t want to dwell on the past, because she didn''t want to waste time being here.


    "I want to tell you that I am leaving this city tomorrow and probably won''t be back for a long time," Ivan said in a low voice.


    "Was Rachel so good as to be able to kick you out of this town?" asked Apple in a light tone and this made Ivan smile a little.


    "Not really, I just need a new atmosphere and moving ces seems fun too," Ivan replied, then he added. "And besides, Rachel didn''t kick me out, I kicked her out of my life."


    Ivan tried to show his arrogant expression, but he couldn''t pull it off when his eyes shed with sadness and pain just at the mention of the woman''s name.


    Meanwhile, Apple appreciated his efforts to be tough. "Yeah, whatever makes you sleep better at night." Sheughed softly followed by Ivan.


    "You didn''t even ask which city I was moving to," Ivan clicked his tongue at that.


    "Let''s just say it''s because I don''t want to know." Apple shrugged in response. "This is ourst meeting after all, at least for a long time."


    Ivanughed, but hisughter sounded like a sob. "Yeah, if we meet again, I hope we can be friends again."


    "Still I have to be careful of you, I don''t want to be sold a second time."


    Ivan could only shake his head at Apple''s stubbornness and they ended up chatting for a while until Ivan finished his dessert and then took something out of the backpack he was carrying.


    "Maybe it''s too early and maybe it won''t fit, but at least I want to give this," Ivan said in a low voice, taking out a dark blue box and cing it on the table. "Congrattions on your pregnancy and marriage, I can only give this as a gift."


    Apple raised an eyebrow and stared at the box. "May I open it?"


    "Of course," Ivan answered quickly. "I brought it for you to open, it''s a gift."


    Apple then took the box and opened it and found inside was a pair of little shoes, cute baby blue shoes with a cute white bunny head on top of each one. The color and model of these shoes suited both baby girls and boys.


    Looking at the tiny shoes, Apple couldn''t help but smile, realizing how small a baby is.


    But then she lifted the shoes and red at Ivan. "You gifted me a pair of baby shoes after receiving huge money from selling information and also getting me almost kidnapped, you think this is worth it?" asked Apple in her usual sarcastic tone. "And what did you say? This is a present for my unborn child and a wedding present? You really are stingy, Ivan." Apple clicked her tongue and shook her head in disbelief.


    How could he give one gift for two big events, especially when he had already made such a huge profit for nearly harming Apple?


    This man was truly shameless¡­


    "I am going to live in a new city, so I need more money as well," Ivan answered and took a sip of his drink.


    "You stingy bastard," Apple said, but sheughed. She liked this kind of chat with Ivan and the two talked and chatted about unimportant things for a while before Apple finally said she had to go back.


    She didn''t help make dinner, so the least she could do was not to miss dinner or make them wait for her.


    "Then you pay for this," said Apple, pointing to her ss of lemon tea and this made Ivan shake his head.

 Chapter 726: THE WEDDING

    Chapter 726: THE WEDDING"Then you pay for this," said Apple, pointing to her ss of lemon tea and this made Ivan shake his head.


    His gift of baby shoes was indeed cute, but it was not at all ideal as a congrattory gift on the asion of her pregnancy or marriage, they were two big yet separate events and not to mention, Ivan earned quite a bit of money for causing trouble in Apple''s life.


    "Look? Who is being stingy here?" Ivan snorted, but then he paid for Apple''s drink.


    And after that, Ivan walked to Apple. He gave her a hug and once again apologized for his actions earnestly.


    "Hope you have a good marriage and then some beautiful children, it will be easier for me to follow your life," said Ivan. Through the media, he would know the news about Apple and Jayden.


    "Hopefully you will get better in your new ce," Apple said. She hugged him back tightly.


    Only then did he move away from there and Apple watched him leave until she couldn''t be seen anymore.


    "Okay, let''s go back." Apple turned to talk to Adrian and Danny, but there was another man sitting there. "How long have you been there?" asked Apple, not believing what she was seeing right now. This man really was here¡­


    "Since an hour ago," Jayden replied, leaning his back against the back of the sofa and folding his arms arrogantly. "I am right here when he gave you those baby shoes. What did he say? That it was a gift for your wedding and pregnancy? Your friend is really stingy."


    Ops. It seemed like Jayden''s ears were very sharp for him to be able to hear their conversation earlier and Apple had to admit that she also agreed with what Jayden just said about this gift.


    "So you can''t meet me, but can meet another man instead?" Jayden said. He looked annoyed at his future wife. "And you even hugged him earlier?"


    Jayden immediately drove his car and came straight here when he got a message from dys that Apple went out to meet a guy named Ivan.


    Of course, Jayden knew who Ivan was, but that didn''t mean he would like the closeness of the two of them, now he was getting a little annoyed by what the two of them had done earlier.


    At a time like this, Adrian and Danny knew that it was time for them to disappear from the scene and wait in a safe ce, because the two of them could argue for quite a while.


    And when Adrian and Danny had slipped away, Apple then approached Jayden and kissed him on the cheek, making him stop sulking, but of course that didn''t quite work.


    "This will be thest time I see him, if you had listened earlier, you would have known by the conversation I had with him, right?" Apple was still wondering how Jayden got here. But the main question was; how could she notice him only now?


    "Yeah, I heard, but still, he held you for a very long time," Jayden grumbled. "Two minutes and twenty-three seconds to be precise. He hugged you all that time."


    The corners of Apple''s lips twitched when she heard that. Seriously? "You timed it?" What a strange man...


    "Of course," Jayden said grumpily. "If they forbid me to meet you, then they should also forbid you to meet other men, that''s only fair and after all..."


    But, Jayden didn''t have time to finish his sentence as Apple had hugged him tightly.


    "Now start timing," she said. If Jayden took issue with her hugging back Ivan for those two minutes and twenty-three seconds, then she just needed to hug this cranky guy a little longer, right?


    ========================


    Finally, the long awaited day had arrived, on which Apple would walk down the aisle with her father while Jack would be the ring bearer for themter.


    And right now, Apple was in the dressing room, where four people helped with the preparations, while dys was also there in a light blue dress that looked so perfect on her. She looked beautiful and very charming.


    However, this girl was constantly praising Apple and staring at her in amazement until she blushed.


    "Oh, Apple, you should see for yourself, you''re so beautiful, Jayden is really lucky to have a wife like you!" she said excitedly and the other four women who were also there, they couldn''t stop praising her, especially when finally Apple''s hairdo was done and she put on her tiara. "Oh! Do you realize that you are so beautiful?!"


    Apple grimaced when she saw dys jumping up and down on her high heels.


    "Stop that," muttered Apple, feeling bad for receiving so much praise.


    "Why? Are you shy? I''m just telling the truth. Jayden would definitely agree with me." She smirked meaningfully and Apple couldn''t say anything.


    Misha should have been here and taken this fussy girl away, it seemed only the coldness of the man could make dys a littlecent.


    "You shouldn''t be here," Apple said.


    "So, if I am not supposed to be here, where should I be?" asked dys giggling, she was holding her phone and was recording Apple now.


    Apple knew where the footage would go, because this wasn''t the first time Jayden had behaved this way and oddly enough, dys was always willing to do what Jayden wanted, even though on the outside it seemed they never got along.


    "How much did Jayden actually pay you to do this?" asked Apple curiously.


    "Of course I''m not being paid to do this," dys grumbled. "He threatened me so I couldn''t refuse his request," she grumbled again.


    "Threaten?" Apple frowned.


    "Didn''t Jayden tell you this?" dys then told Apple and tried to win her sympathy because Jayden certainly wasn''t going to listen to her.


    "So when you really shouldn''t be on the ind, you brought your friends and booked a lot of rooms at the resort?" asked Apple just to make sure they were on the same page.


    "Something like that¡­" dys said shyly. She then looked at Apple with a meaningful smile on her lips. "And Jayden just had to use that to ckmail me¡­"


    Apple narrowed her eyes when she heard that. "You deserve it," she grumbled.


    "Apple, you are so mean¡­." whined dys.


    And in the end, Apple finally finished getting ready and by that time, Hailee had already made dys leave the fitting room while her future mother-inw apanied Apple there.


    "How do you feel?" asked Hailee with a smile on her lips, she looked very beautiful in her gold dress that fitted perfectly on her still beautiful body. "Are you nervous?"


    "A little," Apple said, trying to mask her nervousness.


    "Are you feeling dizzy or unwell?" she asked again, worried about Apple''s pregnancy.


    "I''m fine, mom," Apple reassured Hailee, who then helped her lead her to the door, where her father and Jack were waiting.


    "Wow! Big sister is so pretty!" said Jack in his still childish and innocent voice. After he started living with Pyro, he didn''t look for his mother at all, he even looked much happier with the man who was teaching him many things.


    "Thank you," replied Apple then lowered her head andnded a kiss on his soft cheek and then looked at her father who was standing beside the boy with a face that looked like he was about to cry. "Don''t cry now," Apple warned Pyro.


    "Of course not, there''s no way I''m going to cry," Pyro grumbled, while he was clearly trying to hold back his tears.


    "You''re really sweet, Pyro," said Hailee which made the man a little annoyed.


    "I''m not crying," he insisted again, he looked at Hailee a little fiercely, but this only made herugh even harder.


    "Okay, okay¡­" Hailee said patiently in the face of Pyro''s temperamental attitude.


    After that, Apple wrapped her arm around Pyro''s arm before whispering softly to her father. "Don''t let me fall," she said because she felt this dress was too long and with her carelessness there was always the possibility of her falling by stepping on her own dress.


    Because this wedding was semi-private, only the closest kin were invited and the total of all invited guests was only forty-two people.


    This number could be considered very small considering that the Tordoff family was veryrge, but of course because of that, the wedding ceremony this time became much more sacred.


    "Of course, I will never let you fall," said Pyro coupled with his trademark smile, he then took Apple''s hand and began to lead her down the aisle, where Jayden was waiting for his bride.


    He stood there in an attire that made him look much more handsome than usual, while Misha stood beside him.


    Meanwhile, Apple felt her heart beat faster when she saw Jayden. There were many things she was afraid and worried about, but this time, by looking at the man''s face, Apple felt that she could finally calm down.


    For some reason, her steps became lighter as she drew closer to Jayden, especially when she saw him smiling like that.


    It felt like all her worries, fears and doubts were slowly fading away.


    Apple felt very confident in this man, with the little family they would build together after this and even though the future was uncertain, Apple knew that she would be okay, because they would face it together. She would not be alone.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 727: UNEXPECTED

    Chapter 727: UNEXPECTEDNeedless to say Jayden was very anxious today, he couldn''t seem to sit still, even when Misha and his father were right with him, trying to calm him down.


    "Sit down first," Candice said as she patted Jayden''s back. She had just returned from the hospital cafeteria and gave him a cup of coffee to calm him down, while it was raining quite hard outside.


    Misha came together with his mother, Candice, while Ramon and Hailee were here for five hours already, waiting for Apple''s delivery to finish and now Hailee was with Apple in the delivery room, apanying her to give birth. They said only one person was allowed in, and Apple decided that it was Hailee.


    This had been decided since they found out that only one person was allowed to apany the soon to be mother. The reasons were; Apple didn''t want Jayden to see her in pain and she felt very close to Hailee during her pregnancy, seeing Hailee as her own mother and feelingfortable with her.


    Therefore, now Hailee was in the delivery room, apanying Apple to give birth.


    Jayden had suggested for a cesarean section in this birth, but Apple wanted to do it normally and the doctor said she could do it normally, therefore, there would be no major problemster.


    However, they had been inside for an hour and there was no news and this made Jayden even more anxious. He felt like he wanted to break inside and see what was really going on there.


    "You won''t be able to go inside," said Ramon, his father looked calm, while taking a sip of the coffee that Candice gave him.


    Meanwhile, Lexus, Pyro, and Jack were still on their way. They were stuck in traffic due to the heavy rain in the afternoon, and as it was now rush hour, the roads were filled with people going back home from work.


    "Of course I can," Jayden said, but he refused to sit down, still looking worried and scratching his head which wasn''t really itchy every now and then.


    "There will be a lot of blood in there," said Ramon again.


    Jayden looked at his father in disbelief when he heard the statement. "I''ve seen a lot of blood before."


    And it went without saying that he had seen worse things than blood, he had even done some himself, though he wasn''t proud of it.


    But, how could his father argue that seeing blood alone could make him not strong enough to be inside?


    It was just that, Ramon looked at him withzy eyes, he looked like he dismissed his son''s words altogether.


    "I saw a lot of blood too, son," he said. "But still when I saw your mother give birth to you and your sister, it''s apletely different thing."


    That was right, no matter how much blood he had seen or how cruel the deeds he had done, seeing the woman he loved in pain and bleeding, it was apletely different and unforgettable experience.


    Even now, Ramon could still clearly remember how Hailee screamed in pain and how hard she gripped his hand and also the smell of blood and medicine when he apanied her in the delivery room.


    Ramon had never seen Hailee in pain like that other than when she was giving birth.


    Meanwhile, Jayden began to digest what his father had just said and he had to admit that it was true. There was no way he wouldn''t have the same reaction as his father and now he wasn''t sure he was going to be okay seeing Apple in pain inbor, no matter how much blood he saw.


    "Calm down," Candice said, trying to calm Jayden down, though he didn''t seem able to sit still until he knew his wife and child were all right.


    Meanwhile, it seemed that not only Jayden was in a bad mood, but Misha seemed to be as well.


    It wasn''t clear what he was thinking, but his forehead was furrowed and his gaze was fixed on the delivery room in front of him and then on Jayden who couldn''t stay calm.


    Was this what it would feel like to wait for the birth of your own child? This tense? Had he known at that time the pregnancy and birth of his little daughter, would he have been this tense and unreasonable like Jayden?


    Who knows¡­


    There was nothing Misha could do because all that had happened and he couldn''t turn back time to know all these experiences.


    Candice finally managed to get Jayden to sit beside her while telling him thatbor sometimes did take a long time.


    ========================


    The childbirth process that Apple had to experience took approximately one hour and thirty-seven minutes, which was because she gave birth to not just one baby, but two babies.


    The second baby had a much smaller body size and was not detected during the examination. The doctor said it could happen if both babies had the same heartbeat rhythm and during the ultrasound process, coincidentally, the second baby hid behind his brother''s body.


    Jayden didn''t expect this. No one expected that Apple would give birth to twins and this was certainly good news, as there were very few births of twins in the Tordoff family.


    And the two baby boys were born in the evening at exactly nine minutes past eight on a rainy day and were greeted with joy and love from the family members that surrounded them.


    "Thank you¡­" Jayden said very quietly, when he saw the two babies in Apple''s arms, so small and so fragile. "Thank you," he said again with tears flowing from his eyes filled with happiness.


    He also then kissed his two sons, their hands were so small, but they could hold his entire heart.


    Jayden thought he couldn''t love anyone more than he loved Apple, but it turned out he could love the two babies as much as he loved his wife.


    This time, Jayden understood why it was said that love would only grow, because that was what happened to him.


    His love for his two sons did not tax his love for Apple, because his love was growing and from now on, it would only continue to grow.


    "I love you, Apple¡­" Jayden whispered. "I love our children."


    Jayden felt that he was the happiest man in the world, a happiness that couldn''t even be contested.


    He became curious, did his father feel the same when he and his sister were born?


    ============================


    Because they thought that only one baby would be born, they only decided upon one name, but it turned out that when twins were born, Apple and Jayden had to find another name.


    And both of them really enjoyed the process.


    The name that had been prepared was Logan, which was given to their first baby, and Landon to his twin who was born two minutester.


    Although there were someplications and Landon had to stay in the hospital a few more days because of his smaller body, in the end, after ten days of being there, the baby was allowed to go home.


    For now, Apple and Jayden upied the Tordoff residence and since they had an extra baby they had to prepare another crib for Landon.


    The nursery was right next to Apple and Jayden''s room, making it easy for both of them to go to their children when they woke up in the middle of the night.


    And what made Apple feel better was that Jayden always apanied her whenever she had to feed Logan and Landon in the middle of the night. He would wake up with her and apany her there, even making snacks and getting her whatever she needed, even though he had to go back to work the next day.


    Jayden had always said that apanying Apple to nursing at night was a routine he enjoyed, because he felt much calmer and more intimate with his little family, so he wouldn''t miss this.


    Apple was really grateful for that.


    Meanwhile, Hailee and Ramon oftene to visit Apple and Jayden, but of course, their main goal was not the couple, but their grandchildren.


    And that was the first time Jayden had seen his dad change Landon''s diaper when he pooped while he was in his arms, while Apple and Hailee weren''t in the nursery room.


    "You can change diapers?" Jayden asked in disbelief, his eyes wide as he held the sleeping Logan in his arms. "I can''t believe what I''m seeing."


    Meanwhile, when Ramon heard his son''sment, furrowed his brows and looked at Jayden as if he had just grown another head.


    "You think I never changed your diapers?" asked Ramon. "Surely you don''t think your mother was the only one who took care of your needs or a nanny, do you?"


    "Ah, that¡­" Jayden stammered. He didn''t really think so, it was just that imagining Ramon changing the diapers didn''t seem like it at all in his mind. "I just can''t imagine it..."


    And evidently, Ramon was quite nimble as he changed Landon''s diaper, while the seven-month-old giggled, shing his toothless smile at his grandfather.


    "Of course I''ve changed your diapers. You even peed on me a few times when I was just about to go to work." Ramon then finished putting on Landon''s diaper and picked him up. "Making mete."


    Ugh¡­ "Why do I feel like you''reining to me right now?" Jayden grunted.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 728: DINNER

    Chapter 728: DINNERToday was Logan and Landon''s first day at school and of course, they both looked very enthusiastic about experiencing this stage of their life, especially Logan who looked very extroverted.


    He looked very excited and sometimes, Landon had a hard time keeping up with his twin.


    Maybe it was because of his medical condition that made Landon look more tired, so he couldn''t follow Logan who was always moving to and fro, unable to stop himself.


    Jayden only realized how active his son was when he was one year old, by which time he could walk and could easily escape the scrutiny, because once you took your eyes off of him, the one year old baby would simply disappear from your sight.


    While Landon looked a lot calmer, you could leave him in one ce for hours and you''d find him in the same ce, sitting calmly or sleeping.


    "Daddy, you should buy me a bigger bag," Logan said in his childish voice, as he ran to Jayden, dragging his stuffed bag as well as Landon''s bag which was half empty, full of toys.


    "Logan, you can''t take all your toys with you," Jayden said, trying to get his son to stop putting toys in his twin''s bag, while Landon didn''t really care what Logan was doing, because he was watching his favorite cartoon while drinking milk.


    "Why not?" he asked as he looked at Jayden with those innocent and curious eyes.


    They were both five years old this year and they had both received huge gifts, where their birthday party was huge and that was also when Logan disappeared and created panic.


    They were all frantically looking for where Logan was, while Landon was busy feeding the geese together with Misha, when the incident happened.


    The birthday event was indeed outdoor, where there was a swan pond there and small children who came to the party could join in feeding the geese, of course under supervision.


    But, at that time, somehow, Logan managed to get past all scrutiny and disappeared.


    They searched for the boy for two hours and amotion ensued, until finally Landon asked what the fuss was about there.


    And when Jayden said that his twin had disappeared, he looked calm and quietly said to look for him under the table where they had put the gifts and sure enough, they found Logan sitting under the table opening his presents.


    Since there were so many gifts, no one would notice if some were missing.


    Over the course of those two hours, Logan had opened five gift boxes, managed to assemble an borate replica of a ne and tossed aside a belt with a diamond head from a well-known brand, because he wasn''t interested in that sort of thing.


    If it weren''t for Landon, they might still have to search for Logan for the next few hours.


    "But, I want to bring all my toys," said Logan in a stubborn tone of voice, indicating that he would have a tough characterter when he grew up.


    This kid really looked like Apple. He had to ask Pyro what Apple was like when she was a kid¡­


    "You''ll get a new toy when you get to school," Jayden said, trying to persuade his son.


    "But, it''s not my toy. What if Landon wants to y with this toy?" asked Logan, throwing the ball to Landon''s court.


    Jayden nced at Landon who looked very calm, he didn''t think his second son would care about toys like this.


    "As a good big brother I have to help my brother, right? That''s what daddy and mommy said right?" said Logan bluntly.


    Jayden wanted to facepalm himself when he heard that, that was something he and Apple had indeed said, but of course in a different context.


    Luckily, just at that moment, Apple came with two lunch boxes and when she saw the two bags full of toys, she red at Logan.


    "Logan, what is this?" asked Apple in a calm voice, but this was enough to make the little boy jump in surprise and run to his twin and sit quietly beside him.


    "Why are you filling these bags with toys?" asked Apple, frowning when she saw their new bags filled with toys.


    "I am bringing them for Landon," Logan said sheepishly because he knew their mother detected his lie.


    "Bringing for Landon?" Apple asked, her eyes fixed on Logan and without another word he immediately got off the couch and quickly grabbed the two bags and ran to their yroom. "I will put them back."


    "You''re really amazing," Jayden said in amazement. "I''ve persuaded him for so long, but one sentence and one sharp look from you is enough to send the boy scurrying away."


    "Is that apliment?" asked Apple, which made Jaydenugh. "Shouldn''t you be at the office already?"


    "You didn''t think I would miss my sons'' first day of school, did you?" Jayden said as he pulled Landon onto hisp, who didn''t seem at all bothered by the smallmotion just now. "Of course, I will go to the officeter this afternoon after dropping my cute sons off at their school. Are you excited, Landon?" Jayden asked his son who was still focused on the television program.


    "Hm," Landon replied curtly.


    Hearing such an answer, Jaydenughed softly while grimacing. "I kind of got a mini version of my dad as my son," Jayden muttered, which made Appleugh.


    Yes, it could be said that Landon''s indifference passed down from Ramon, but of course they were still growing and their personalities could change, right?


    On the other hand, Apple justughed when she heard thement, while Landon shifted his seat, from Jayden''sp to Apple''sp and then pulled his mother''s arms around himself while he leaned back into her chest and continued watching television.


    Not long after, Logan returned with two empty bags and climbed onto Jayden''sp and smiled very sweetly at his mother. "I''ve cleaned up the toys, don''t you want topliment me?" he asked.


    Wasn''t he the one who made the mess himself? How could he ask to be praised?


    Huft¡­ these kids¡­


    =========================


    "Land!" cried Logan, running to his twin room. "You have to help me!" he cried in a loud voice that made Landon frown, because he was a little sensitive to loud voices.


    "What is it?" Landon asked, but he didn''t get out of bed.


    "I want to cook for mommy and daddy because it''s their twelfth wedding anniversary and I want to make steak," said Logan excitedly. He then approached Landon and began to pull his brother''s hand. "Come here quickly, you have to help too."


    "Logan, you can''t cook," Landon reminded him. It could be said that Logan really sucked at cooking, therefore, he couldn''t understand why Logan wanted to gift their parents his homemade food.


    Jayden and Apple weren''t home, they had both been away on vacation for three days now and would be back this afternoon and at random, Logan came up with this idea to cook dinner for their parents, as their anniversary gift.


    "Don''t worry, I have watched the video tutorial many times and it looks easy." Logan didn''t stop pulling Landon''s hand until they reached the kitchen, which looked quite empty. It was not usually an empty ce.


    "Where are the servants?" If the butler was here, he would have told Lagon not to do what he wanted to do now.


    "They are resting, I said that I don''t want to eat anything and you also don''t want to eat dinner because daddy and mommy will bring foodter, so when I told them to leave the kitchen, they just seem to listen," said Logan casually.


    "You are lying," Landon said in a firm voice.


    "I am not lying¡­. Well, just a bit of a lie, I just want to surprise our parents and give them a present with my own efforts." Logan then grabbed something from the countertop and showed it to Landon.


    "What are you going to do with these potatoes?" asked Landon confusedly when he saw Logan thrust two potatoes at him.


    "I wanted to make mashed potatoes, but these potatoes are so hard." He looked at the two potatoes with a furrowed brow. "I have tried to pound it but it''s so hard, I can''t do it."


    Landon then took the two potatoes from his twin''s hands and he immediately knew where the problemy.


    "Have you boiled them?" he asked with a sharp look.


    Logan was born first, which made him the older brother, but sometimes he acted more like a little brother.


    "Do they have to be boiled first?" he asked with an innocent face.


    Hearing this answer, Landon closed his eyes, trying to be patient with Logan, he then took the pot that was there and filled it with water.


    "Of course you have to boil it first, so it''s soft and you can mash it," said Landon in his usual teaching tone. "Actually, what kind of tutorial did you watch?"


    Meanwhile, Logan followed Landon and watched him closely. "What else do we have to do after this?"


    In the end, it was Landon who cooked Logan''s nned dinner.


    "Okay! Everything is in order! We have worked hard!" eximed Logan happily as he hugged his twin.


    But, Landon just red at Logan. "I did all of this."


    "I made the n, you executed, isn''t that a good cooperation?"


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 729: ONE NIGHT

    Chapter 729: ONE NIGHTMisha looked at the woman who was standing in the doorway, staring at him with eyes full of disbelief. She was frozen there, not moving at all, but her piercing eyes were glued to him, while he was kissing another woman in the bed they slept inst night.


    Misha thought the woman would start crying, because that was usually what happened. They would cry and start screaming angrily at him.


    Sometimes the women would rush over and hit him or at least attack his new woman.


    It was just that, after waiting for some time, which Misha felt was a long time, the woman still stayed frozen, not at all moving. Standing in the doorway with an unreadable face, while the woman in his arms didn''t see her because she had her back to her.


    "Are you going to just stand there and watch?" Misha asked in a voice that sounded very calm. He was used to dealing withplicated situations and situations as such didn''t bother him at all.


    This may sound strange, but this was one of Misha''s ways to calm his mind, release his stress and tension due to the sheer work and also the pressure he put on himself, trying to prove that he deserved to be where he was now, not just because his father was a Tordoff.


    "If you want to watch, go ahead," Misha said again and tried to return his focus to the woman who was half naked in front of him.


    He didn''t know what this woman''s name was, but what was certain was that this woman was the daughter of one of the businessmen in this L city and she voluntarily surrendered herself to Misha.


    Oh, Misha understood very well the hints given by women like herself, therefore, without thinking, he epted this woman''s invitation.


    "Who''s she?" asked the red-haired woman, looking surprised when Misha greeted someone and immediately grabbed a nket to cover herself. "Who''s she? Why is she here?" asked the woman looking confused.


    But, Misha diverted her attention back, he pinched her chin and made her face turn toward himself.


    "Don''t mind her," Misha said softly, then continued kissing her, while he waited for when she would lose her temper and start throwing tantrums like the previous women.


    "But¡­" The woman in his arms didn''t have time to protest when Misha silenced her with a kiss, only her eyes were still watching her.


    Kiandra Lyrant.


    He was in a rtionship with the woman for one week and unlike usual, this woman was neither a business-woman nor a daughter of a famous businessman.


    She was just a trantor that hispany hired for a meeting with foreigners and she happened to be the only trantor of that foreignnguage avable.


    She was not a permanent employee, just a young intern who was about to finish her college.


    The rtionship thatsted for one week ended just like that. There were no words, only this kind of sight she got.


    The people around Misha would understand this habit of his without having to exin. Again, it was just that Kia was not from Misha''s circle of friends at all. Therefore, how could she understand these kinds of things?


    What she knew was; the man she thought she was in a rtionship with, was actually hugging another woman.


    And now, she was witnessing the whole scene.


    On the other hand, Misha was still confused, why did this woman named Kia not do anything and just stare at him like that? Would she cry? Would she be angry?


    If only she did one of those things, then maybe Misha could understand a little, but if she just kept quiet like this, how could he understand? She just stood there doing nothing or saying anything.


    The longer it went on, the more awkward Misha felt being stared at by Kia.


    But, before he could rebuke her again, the woman had lowered her gaze and walked into the room.


    Hmm? What was she nning to do?


    Misha was still holding the woman in his arms, kissing her half-heartedly, but his eyes were still on Kia, watching, waiting to see what she would do by walking into the room.


    Could she be thinking of pping the woman in his arms? Or would she scream angrily at him?


    However, what she did next waspletely unexpected.


    Instead of crying or getting angry, Kia walked into the room quite calmly, as she took off one by one the jewelry she was wearing.


    Misha recognized the jewels because he had given them to her when they had dinnerst night.


    Yes, he kind of gave her a little love bombing treatment and it really worked, because after that they spent the night together.


    But, what was she trying to do by removing the earrings, bracelet, ne and ring? What would she do next?


    While Misha was thinking about that, the woman in his arms broke free from him and looked at his face.


    "I feel ufortable with her in this room, can you throw her away?" she asked in a voice that sounded a little annoyed that there was another woman at this time of day. "You! Go away from here! You want to see us making out?"


    Only, before Misha did or said anything, Kia had finished removing her jewelry and walked out of the room, leaving the two of them alone.


    However, thest thing Misha realized was the way she looked at himself, even if it was just a nce, even if it onlysted for two seconds, but the look in her eyes was something Misha would never forget.


    For the first time, Misha felt ufortable being stared at by a woman like that and it was also the first time a woman dared to look at him so sharply, because usually the women who were with him always looked at him with lustful eyes and fake love.


    It wasn''t that Misha didn''t notice, but that he didn''t care, because didn''t they both benefit?


    Misha never left a woman without giving her something of value, jewelry, cars, luxury items and what not? These were the things Misha gave to the women, even though their rtionship was short-lived.


    However, this was the first time someone had returned all the jewelry that he had given and did not curse or show emotion when she caught Misha with another woman.


    No, she didn''t even say a word, but her piercing gaze seemed to represent the feelings she was feeling right now.


    Why was she like that? Why wasn''t she angry like the other women? And even more so why did she return all the jewels he gave her?


    She should have just taken the jewelry and kept it, after all, Misha wouldn''t have asked for it back and she could have used the jewelry for fun.


    But, why did she return it?


    In the morning, when Misha woke up, he found his partner still asleep. Last night, they didn''t do anything, because Misha was annoyed by the way Kia stared at him and this made him unable to enjoy his time with Monica or whatever this woman''s name was.


    In the end, thedy got annoyed and ordered the most expensive drink and made herself drunk and now she was still asleep.


    Misha didn''t drink a drop, but he felt his head nearly burst when finally he woke up, as if he''d just downed a bottle of strong liquor and had a hangover.


    Therefore, he immediately got out of bed and took the headache medicine in his coat pocket and ingested it.


    Outside, the sun had not yet fully risen, but its light had already slightly shone in the dark parts of the night.


    Misha then closed his eyes and every time he did that, Kia''s sharp gaze and her not saying anything came back to his mind.


    He didn''t know why this bothered him, because he wasn''t usually like this.


    And when Misha nced at the table beside him, he could see the jewels Kia had left behind, they were just lying there, worthless.


    It was also possible that these jewels had no value for Kia either, as she could easily take them off.


    However, as this kept bothering him, Misha then took out his cell phone and called Richard to find out about Kia''s whereabouts.


    However, the next thing he heard was; "Ms. Lyrant returned the car you gave herst night."


    "What?" Misha frowned. He had never encountered a situation where his gifts were returned, thus, he felt quite surprised by this fact. "What did she say?"


    "Ms. Lyrant didn''t say anything. She just gave the car keys and parked the car below this building."


    Again she didn''t say anything. Was she used to not expressing how she felt or was she just like that when she was angry?


    But, whatever it was, Misha shouldn''t have to care about that, right? Because dumping women was nothing new to him, right?


    That was how it should be¡­


    ========================


    "Who''s he?" Misha asked about the young man who approached him and introduced himself by the name Anthony.


    "He is the new trantor, who will rece Ms. Lyrant," replied Richard, who was standing beside him. Anthony would be with them for this final meeting.


    "How did he get reced at thest minute?" Misha stared at the young man in front of him very fiercely, as if he had done something very fatal.


    However, Richard''s answer made him unable to protest.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 730: SHE LEFT

    Chapter 730: SHE LEFT"Who is he?" Misha asked when a young man said he was here to rece Kia, his name was Anthony.


    "He is the new trantor, who will rece Ms. Lyrant," replied Richard.


    "How did she get reced at thest minute?" Misha looked displeased with this change. He thought he would see Kia again today and wanted to see how she would react, but she wasn''t even here.


    Kiandra Lyrant was just an intern who was hired because they were understaffed, but because the agency already had someone else with betterpetence and moreover because Kia had resigned, Anthony was automatically sent for thisst meeting.


    "She resigned?" Misha frowned. Why did she have to resign? This was thest meeting, so why did she have to do that? Was seeing him onest time after what happenedst night too much for her?


    Misha still couldn''t understand why she returned all the jewelry and the car he gave her and now, instead of asking him for an exnation, she just left, disappeared without saying anything.


    Evenst night she didn''t say anything when she saw such a sight, nor did she exin anything when returning the car.


    Misha''s brow furrowed. He didn''t like this situation, but he also had no other choice, because the meeting was in less than thirty minutes and he couldn''t ask the agency to send Kia back.


    "Do you want me to find out where Ms. Lyrant is?" Richard asked carefully, when he saw how disturbed Misha was at the moment.


    Only, Misha shook his head. He didn''t feel the need to do that. Wasn''t Kia just one of the many women who became his temporary partner?


    Therefore, why did he have to trouble himself over looking for that woman?


    "No need," Misha refused. He then walked toward their meeting room, with Anthony and Richard following behind him.


    He was still very disturbed by Kia''s unusual reaction.


    =========================


    "She left her apprenticeship?" Misha frowned when he heard the report given by Richard, he couldn''t believe what he heard but that was what happened.


    Even though two months had passed, Misha still couldn''t forget how Kia looked at him coldly and she didn''t say anything that night. Only now did he realize it was thest night he saw that girl.


    And even though Misha tried to forget her, somehow her figure always found a way toe back to his mind.


    "Yeah, she has been out of her apprenticeship for about two weeks now," replied Richard.


    Misha was silent for a while, long enough for Richard to think that their conversation was over, but Misha gave him another order.


    "Look for her at her college," said Misha.


    He gave orders that seemed half-assed like this, because actually he was torn between wanting to forget the woman but not being able to and wanting to know all the details about the woman.


    Therefore, it took him two months to give orders to Richard to look for Kia, because they were going to have a meeting and needed an interpreter, Misha instructed very clearly that he wanted Kiandra Lyrant and not Antonhy, Andy or whoever they had.


    Misha only wanted the youngdy specifically, but this was what he got.


    "Then, what about the trantor?" asked Richard. "Is there a specific person you want? Or do you want to use Anthony again?"


    The question received a sharp re from Misha and this made Richard immediately pause, even though he didn''t realize where he had gone wrong.


    "Cancel the meeting," Misha said sourly. He wanted to hold the meeting in hopes to see Kia again, even though he didn''t want to admit it.


    But, if that woman was no longer working, why did he have to spend time with those annoying people?


    And after getting the information about Kia, all day long, Misha was in a bad mood, which made Richard feel like he was walking on eggshells, where the slightest noise was enough to make him get a very sharp re from Misha and this almost made his heart fall to the floor every time he was looked at like that.


    =========================


    Two dayster, Richard returned to Misha to share the information he requested about Kia and at that very moment, he felt he had to prepare himself mentally.


    Considering how this kind of news put Misha in a bad mood for the whole day previously, he also had to prepare for it this time.


    Because of course the news he brought would not be what Misha wanted.


    "Ms. Lyrant has been on leave since the end of the semester, which was two weeks ago, at the same time she resigned from her apprenticeship," Richard said inly and clearly.


    There was no point in using sweet words on Misha at this point, because the fact he would not like this piece of information was undeniable.


    "What? Taking time off from college?" Misha frowned, he looked at Richard very sharply.


    And even though Richard had expected this to be the reaction he would receive, still, he felt depressed when he was looked at like that, as if he had just told them that three of theirpany buildings had caught fire.


    "Yeah, it looks like it was around the same time that Ms. Lyrant resigned from her job." Richard turned his gaze to Misha''s table, for it looked much friendlier than this man.


    Misha then fell silent for a moment. He was feeling very annoyed now. If only he had ordered to find out about Kia earlier, maybe he could have a clue about the woman, whatever it was.


    Maybe then he could have met her and maybe that time he could have seen her reaction when she saw him again.


    "Find out where she lives, find out where she is now, I want details about her as soon as possible," Misha growled in annoyance.


    Previously, he had only given orders bit by bit, not giving direct orders to find out all the details regarding the woman.


    Therefore, Richard just did what he was told.


    He knew very well that Misha didn''t like anyone carrying out orders beyond what he was told.


    "I want all the details about her and her family," Misha said angrily.


    He then took a deep breath and tried to remember what he should do after this, but all he could think of was the figure of Kia not giving any reaction.


    Why didn''t she react? Why didn''t she say anything? It was as if she didn''t think Misha was important.


    But then again, why should Misha be upset that she didn''t react?


    Misha rubbed his face roughly.


    =============================


    If Richard could do it, then he would have delegated the task to someone else, because the information he had been gathering for the past three weeks or so, was not pleasant at all.


    He could even imagine the fierce face Misha would showter when he read this report. This wouldn''t be good.


    Ahh¡­ he just wanted to get through the day and return home in peace¡­


    Richard knocked on the door and then entered Misha''s study, where he found Jayden there.


    Jayden was the opposite of Misha, he always looked cheerful and easy to get along with, so thebel ''womanizer'' should suit him better than Misha.


    Richard then analyzed the situation and was a little relieved that Misha seemed to be in a good mood right now, thanks to Jayden, who was now teasing him while talking about unimportant things.


    However, just when Richard thought he was safe and Misha wouldn''t be as angry as thest time he was here and told the news about Kia, Misha noticed him entering and his expression changed the moment he saw Richard.


    "Jayden, I have something to discuss with Richard, you should go back to your office," Misha said calmly and seemed very cold.


    Immediately Jayden''s facial expression changed, he frowned and looked at Misha with disbelieving eyes.


    "Why?" he asked in a slightly childish voice. "Did you just kick me out of your office?"


    "Yes," Misha replied with brutal honesty. "Now go."


    "I thought we were having a good time," Jayden protested, since he had already been kicked out of the ce. It was just that Misha didn''t care about all that.


    "Go now," Misha said so firmly, that Jayden knew this was no ident.


    Therefore, with a heavy heart, Jayden stood up and raised his hands, showing a gesture of surrender. "Alright, alright, I will be going now."


    Jayden then looked at Richard with a grin. "What is this about?" he asked with a mischievous smile. "Looks like you are going to be in trouble."


    Jayden was not wrong, he was right about that. He was going to get into trouble, but this was not a problem of his own making.


    "Good luck then," Jayden said as he patted his shoulder and walked out of the room, leaving Richard and Misha alone.


    "So, what have you got?" Misha asked after Jayden closed the door to his study.


    Terrified, Richard then came forward and handed over two stacks of documents, containing all the information he had gathered over the past three weeks.


    Misha looked at the two piles and then at Richard.


    "So, where is she?" Misha cut straight to the point. Before he read any information about Kia''s family and family background, he needed to know where the woman was.


    "She already left this country one month ago."


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 731 UNBELIEVEABLE

    Chapter 731 UNBELIEVEABLE


    "She already left this country one month ago."


    Those words kept ringing in Misha''s ears after he found out that Kia had left the country.


    It had been two months since he got the information. He didn''t ask Richard to find out more about Kia anymore, because he felt he was thinking too much. Misha felt he was acting out of line.


    If he ever asked Richard to find out where Kia was, it seemed very far from his own character, therefore, Misha stopped the search and preferred to get rid of the girl''s shadow from him.


    However, when he read about Kiandra''s family background, he didn''t find anything odd.


    There weren''t any reports of her being tortured or getting violence from her family, thus making her go away from her family and not only that, it seemed her family was a very harmonious family.


    She has an older brother and a younger sister who is ten years old, and very sick. She had to be in and out of the hospital several times already.


    Her older brother had just graduated, became the best graduate and was applying for a job.


    It was just a typical family of five living harmoniously, but why did Kia run away from home? Even her family was looking for her because they didn''t understand why Kia did this.


    Based on the information that Richard managed to get, her family was still looking for her, but Kiandra chose not to have any contact with her family.


    What really happened?


    Apart from conflicts with her parents who refused to pay for her education, Kia had no other major problems with them.


    Her parents only denied her because they had to pay for the hospitalization fees for her ailing sister.


    "Mr. Tordoff, the meeting will be held in fifteen minutes," said Dania, his secretary. She was a middle-aged woman who was working in thispany for a long time, so she knew that Misha was not in a good condition, his mood was not goodtely. "Is there anything I can do?"


    "No, you can go back to your ce," said Misha, he then closed the document in front of him, which exined in detail about the condition of Kia''s family.


    It had been six months and the image of the woman was still very clear in Misha''s memory, even though he was very busy with his work, there was always spare time that made him remember the look in her eyes.


    What was she really thinking at that time? Why didn''t she react at all?


    Misha closed his eyes and sighed tiredly. He really had to stop this madness.


    That was what Misha should have done, only two monthster he recruited Daniel Lyrant, Kia''s older brother, into hispany.


    Of course, the offer given by Tordoff''spany would be hard to refuse, even joining thispany was a very proud thing, especially since Daniel had just graduated and this was his first job¡­


    Unbeknownst to Misha and even though he kept denying and insisting that he didn''t care, in reality, he couldn''t deny that he was obsessed with her.


    He made a million excuses by saying that Daniel was a valedictorian and people like that were needed in hispany.


    The young man was an intelligent person, so there was nothing wrong with his choice.


    ======================


    "How wasst year''s reportpared to this year?" Misha asked, when he visited the branch office in L city.


    "Ah, the review is here," said Daniel, while providing the necessary documents and exining some of the highlights of thepany''s development.


    It was not wrong for Misha to recruit Daniel, because he was a bright and responsible young man, hepleted several projects with satisfactory results and this made Misha calmer in justifying himself in recruiting Daniel Lyrant.


    In the space of two years, he had shown that he could lead and deserved to be given an important position and even greater responsibilities.


    So when Misha expanded the Tordoff family''s gem business, he asked Daniel to take care of everything, which meant it was a raise and bonus, also a new title for the man.


    This could also help the man pay for the treatment of his younger sister, who was now a teenager. Even though his little sister was much better, she still had to make regr visits to the doctor, especially now that she was about to enter high school.


    If Kia had continued her education, she would have graduated two years ago and could have worked like Daniel too.


    Misha got Kia''s grades and from their meeting and how she easily attended meetings while being a trantor, he could see that Kia was just as smart as Daniel.


    But, why did she just leave?


    "How about your sister?" Misha asked Daniel, he didn''t seem too concerned about what answer Daniel would give.


    But, the question was quite surprising, considering they were discussing a new project and suddenly Misha asked about his family.


    This was not the first time Misha had asked about his family, but Daniel still couldn''t understand why Misha was interested in information about his family.


    However, all this time he only thought this was a form of attention given by Misha because he had shown a good performance and it was also a matter of pride because Misha, who was famous for being indifferent and cold, wanted to know about his family.


    "Oh, Alia is fine, two weeks ago she had a check up and the results were pretty good, she will start high school next week," Daniel replied.


    He then told a little about his family because Misha didn''t stop him and when he had nothing more to say, since the rest was just boring activities, he then impulsively said this without a second thought.


    "How about you join us for dinner tonight, if you like?" Daniel thought that Misha would decline the invitation because who would choose to spend the night with a simple foreign family when you could spend it at the top of the highest hotel with fantastic views and expensive wine?


    "Okay," Misha replied curtly.


    "Huh?"


    It was an answer that Daniel didn''t expect at all. He would understand much better if Misha refused his request, but how could he just ept it?


    Was he serious? He just offered it in a casual way and didn''t expect it toe true.


    After all, how could he ept the offer so lightly and easily? Didn''t he have any party to attend tonight?


    Daniel was really shocked when he heard Misha''s answer.


    ========================


    "Mr. Tordoff, do you want me to find out about Ms. Kiandra?" Richard asked as he drove to the Lyrants'' house.


    He couldn''t understand how Misha could refuse invitations to dinner with important people to establish rtionships, but instead he epted an invitation to dinner from Daniel?


    "No need," Misha said curtly, staring at the road through his car window. "Why would I do that? You think I can''t forget her?"


    Richard felt like crying when he heard those cold words. Wasn''t that pretty obvious? It was so clear that even a blind man could see that he had not forgotten the woman.


    Maybe this started from an unanswered curiosity, but because Misha''s prestige was so high, it was himself who made thingsplicated, until finally this became an obsession without him knowing it.


    Misha always tried to find out information about Kia from Daniel, even though it would confuse the young man, but Richard who understood the situation could clearly see what Misha really wanted.


    If only he could get off his high horse and admit his still curious feelings for Kia, maybe this situation wouldn''t have dragged on for years like now.


    But, who could tell Misha this when only Richard knew the exact chronology?


    Misha would give him nightmares if he told anyone else about this.


    "Why''s the house so far?" Misha asked when he saw a row of not-so-


    big looking houses to either side of the road. They had entered the housing street, but they still hadn''t found Daniel''s house.


    "We''ve arrived," said Richard then, as he parked his car in front of a simple two-storey house.


    There was no fence that separated the yard from the road, therefore, he could just drive in and park his car in the carport and then get out of the car and open the door for Misha.


    Maybe because they heard the sound of a caring or maybe they had been waiting impatiently, so they immediately knew when Misha had arrived and all the family members came out of the house.


    "Mr. Tordoff, you''vee¡­" Daniel said in a voice that sounded cheerful, but also hesitant.


    He didn''t expect Misha Tordoff to be in his house. Wasn''t this an honor?


    "Good evening," said Misha, he then took a bottle of wine that Richard gave him and handed the bottle of wine to Mrs. Lyrant, then shook hands with Mr. Lyrant.


    Maybe this was their first meeting, but to say the least, Misha knew eighty percent about this family, he even knew about their daily activities.


    With all the information Misha had, of course Richard couldn''t believe him saying he didn''t care about Kia and her family anymore.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 732: STRANGE

    Chapter 732: STRANGEFor some reason, the atmosphere at the dining table was a little tense and no one was even speaking now.


    The food served was not as luxurious and delicious as the food Misha usually ate, but at least it wasn''t so bad.


    And even so, Misha knew manners well and ate quietly, withoutmenting on anything.


    But it was precisely his calm demeanor that made the atmosphere at the dining table a little strange, because they weren''t used to eating in silence, but they didn''t know what to say either.


    Right at that moment, Alia, Daniel''s sister, broke the silence. "Next month I have a painting exhibition at my club, can youe to my exhibition?" asked Alia while eating heartily. "The exhibition willst for two days over the weekend."


    This teenage girl looked cheerful, although a little bit skinny than teenagers her age, her face looked a little thin and a little pale.

 Chapter ?733: FIND HER

    ?733 FIND HER


    "Shall we return to the Tordoff residence?" asked Richard, he looked at Misha through the rear view mirror of the car as they exited the housing estate.


    "Yes," Misha replied curtly. He then looked out the window, at the very bright night view, wondering what Alia really wanted to say.


    It wasn''t at all like his nature to know other people''s business, but this time it was different. His curiosity about what was in the girl''s mind kept bothering him. Even her unusual reaction made him unable to stop thinking about it.


    Especially her eyes...


    The look in her eyes still dominated his every thought, even now.


    "Richard," Misha called in a low voice.


    "Yes?" asked Richard, waiting for orders from Misha. He nced at his troubled expression from the rearview mirror.


    But he didn''t speak right away, then after a few minutes he said, "Find out where she is."


    Needless to say, who exactly did Misha refer to as ''she''. It was certain that it was Kia.


    Richard closed his eyes, he then heaved a sigh of relief. Damn. It took Misha four years to issue the order and ovee his excessive ego and prestige to arrive at giving this order.


    He should have done this four years ago when he realized he couldn''t get the image of the woman out of his mind.


    "Let''s go to Jayden''s house," Misha saidter, before he closed his eyes.


    There were three houses in the Tordoff residence and the house owned by Jayden and Misha was about ten minutes apart by car.


    With Misha ordering them to go to Jayden''s house, that meant he would be staying there for the night.


    It seemed like this was a tough one for Misha to deal with alone, so he needed his cousin as a distraction to clear his head.


    The same thing Jayden liked to do.


    =======================


    Amber stood in front of the long table where the photos of her family were there, she looked at the photos one by one and it was true what Mr. The Tordoff said that the Kia photo was hardly there.


    Where exactly was the child when they were taking these photos? Why wasn''t she in almost every family photo?


    How could this happen and how could she only realize it now?


    Amber then walked toward the living room and family room, she checked the photos posted in every room one by one and her heart became more and more restless because she didn''t find a photo of Kia.


    They had photos of Alia when she was a baby until she was a teenager and also photos of Daniel when he had a game and they went to watch the said game.


    Daniel was an active child, therefore there were many photos of him doing various activities, while they took Alia''s photos with the reason that they wanted to make as many memories as possible with their little daughter.


    They were afraid that one day their daughter would leave them and they would not have enough memories to remember her.


    But, where was Kia? Why wasn''t she in the pictures?


    Even after she had looked at every photo in this house, which was a lot because Amber liked to decorate the house with family photos, she could only find one hand full of Kia photos, that included the family photo that required them to take it together, which was now on disy in the living room.


    The photo was taken on one of Kia''s birthdays. At that time, Alia looked very healthy, so they decided to take the photo, because her surgery was scheduled for the next day, so they wanted to make their daughter happy.


    In the photo, Kia was already seventeen years old, which was supposed to be her sweet seventeen, but they didn''t celebrate because it felt so ufortable to celebrate something before Alia''s major surgery the next day.


    Alia was seven years old while Daniel was neen.


    Memories of that time still lingered in Amber''s mind when Kia cried because they didn''t celebrate her birthday or let her go to celebrate it with her friends.


    "What did I say then?" murmured Amber while looking at Kia''s smiling face with nk eyes in the family photo.


    ''Don''t be selfish, how can you have fun with other people when your sister has an important surgery tomorrow? We have to spend this day as a family.''


    That was more or less what she said to Kia.


    They didn''t celebrate Kia''s birthday that time, but they took this family photo. Kia should be happy too, right?


    She didn''t know¡­ Amber didn''t remember when the childughed, even her smiling face was hard to find in her memory.


    <sub>??r??????eb????vel.c????</sub>


    "What are you doing here alone?" Lyle asked when he found his wife looking at their family photo.


    "I''m just remembering why there''s almost no photo of Kia in this house. She is not in almost every photo." Amber rested her head on Lyle''s shoulder while her husband stood beside her, staring at their family photo too. "I only realized that when Mr. Tordoff said it."


    To be honest, Lyle felt the same way too. He barely had a photo of Kia, even on his cell phone. Why didn''t he take a photo of the kid?


    "Wouldn''t she rather be at home?" said Lyle. "She spends a lot of time at home."


    "Oh, you''re right. She spends a lot of time at home because I''m in the hospital taking care of Alia," Amber mumbled.


    "Yeah, she''s filling your task to cook dinner for me and Daniel."


    Amber frowned, she almost forgot about it¡­ She didn''t remember there was a time like that.


    But, since Lyle mentioned it, she remembered what happened at that time now.


    Being too busy with Alia, it could be said that Amber spent her days in the hospital and Kia not only made dinner for them, but also took care of the house.


    Kia not only cooked but also cleaned the house and even did grocery shopping to prepare meals for them, because Amber would be too tired to do that.

 Chapter 734: A DAUGHTER

    Chapter 734: A DAUGHTERRichard shook his head ufortably when he saw the results of the investigation he had carried out for almost a month to find out where Kia was now.


    He wasn''t sure if Misha would be happy when he saw the results of this investigation. Even he himself was displeased when he saw what he saw and actually felt an ufortable feeling bubble in the corner of his heart.


    In fact, he was annoyed at himself for not persuading Misha to investigate this further and allowing the matter to drag on until it became like this.


    "Richard, where are you going?" asked Dania, Misha''s secretary, who just came out of his room. She didn''t look in a good mood, which meant Misha wasn''t in a good mood either right now.


    "I want to see Mr. Tordoff." Wasn''t it obvious what his purpose ofing here was? He then saw Dania exhale unsteadily.


    Well, at this point, Richard knew that this was neither the right time nor the best time to pass on the information he had with him.


    However, if he held back this information any longer, it was certain that Misha would be even more furious than this.


    Richard was much older than Misha and already had two daughters, so he would be very upset if he found out about this even if it was only a littlete.


    "Then we''ll see what his real anger looks like." Richard stared at the closed door as if it was the door that would lead him to his worst nightmare or maybe that was what would happen when he stepped inside the door and found Misha there.


    At least, he had seen Misha angry several times, so this wouldn''t be a new experience to him, would it? He would only see how angry Misha would be...


    After all, if he had to be angry, he had to be angry with himself, because he was the one who had brought this problem into his life and made it drag on too long.


    "Good luck," Dania said resignedly, she patted Richard on the shoulder, encouraging him as it was all she could do to help.


    "Thanks," Richard grinned, but his grin disappeared as soon as he faced the door in front of him again and let out a long sigh. Okay. Here we go¡­


    Richard knocked on the door and announced his presence before he entered and could immediately feel the tension in the room, which made him want to step back and the document containing all the information about Kia felt extremely heavy in his hands.


    "What do you want?" Misha asked in a very unfriendly manner as he faced the man before him. He looked at Richard intently before his displeased eyes fell on the document in his hand. "Is that what I asked for?"


    As if Misha could tell from the look on Richard''s face, he guessed it right and immediately stood up to approach Richard and took the document from his hands.


    "So?" he asked briefly, usually at a time like this, when Misha was checking detailed information, Richard would tell him the important points and provide a brief exnation of what information he had gathered.


    However, this time the essence of the information was very heavy.


    "Ms. Kiandra has a daughter who we suspect is your daughter," he said in one breath and now he held his breath while watching Misha''s reaction.


    For a moment, Misha gave no reaction, except to stop flicking through the file in his hands, but because of his lowered face, staring intently at the information in his hands, Richard couldn''t say for sure what was on his mind right now.


    "What are you saying?" Misha looked up and Richard could see how reality hit him hard and now he realized what he had done, what mistakes he had made and what kind of unwise decisions he had made. "You said¡­ my daughter?"


    Misha gritted his teeth and Richard felt that this young man in front of him could crush his bones at any moment now.


    Misha always looked calm, in contrast to Jayden who looked very active and expressive, therefore, when he saw him like this, it really made Richard hard to find the words.


    "What made you say it was my daughter?" Misha asked through gritted teeth, it could be seen very clearly how he was trying to hold back a foreign emotion he had never felt before.


    "That girl''s face is very simr to yours and what''s more¡­ the date she was conceived was most likely thest time the two of you met." Richard then took a photograph that was at the very back of the document, which Misha had not had time to check and showed it to him.


    In one of the photos, you could see a little girl with a face so simr to Misha when he was a child and curly hair hanging over her shoulders. The little girl was ying with a kitten,ughing happily.


    There would be no denying that someone said this little girl was his child based on the resemnce that the two of them had.


    ========================


    Misha still hadn''t decided what to do when he found out that there was a possibility, which was very high, that the child who was with Kia was their child.


    The normal thing he should have done was to directly meet the child and confirm that she was his.


    But somehow Misha still didn''t do that and this made Richard really want to shake Misha''s body, as if that way he could make sure the man regained his senses.


    How could he let this matter go even more protracted after his indecisive debacle?


    Misha was indeed very quick at work, but in this kind of business, one might say, he had absolutely no idea what to do and his introverted personality only worsened things further.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 735: DID YOU JUST ATTACK ME?

    Chapter 735: DID YOU JUST ATTACK ME?It took Misha a whole month to finallye to a decision, although it couldn''t be called one at all. At least, there was finally something he could do about his current state.


    Today, Richard was quite surprised when he came to report what was on his boss'' schedule as usual but found Misha already talking to Dania, instructing to cancel all his appointments for the day because he had to go somewhere.


    "All of today''s appointments?" Dania looked like she was about to faint at what she just heard. "Every single one?"


    Hearing this, Richard looked wary because he didn''t know what was going on right now and why Misha wanted to cancel his schedule for an entire day. This was simply insane¡­


    "But, today there are at least two meetings with external parties," Dania looked like someone who was pleading, of course she begged Misha to reconsider his decision.


    It was a walk in the garden to cancel a meeting with an internal party, but when the meeting involved an external party, she had to give a credible reason, otherwise Misha''s reputation would be damagedter.


    Only, Misha was currently not in a mood whichpelled him to bother about keeping his good name. He didn''t care about that now when he finally made this decision.


    "We''re going now Richard," Misha said as he got up from his seat and took his coat. "You can tell them anything." Misha nced at Dania. The middle-aged woman looked like she would cry at any given moment because she was given such a task.


    The reason? It was too sudden for Misha to cancel on people and it wasn''t at all casual for him to do something mindless like now.


    If this was Jayden, she could understand it because he seemed more spontaneous and tended to do things on the spur of the moment.


    But, Misha was different, he was a person who already had a schedule nned for the next month. He was a very organized person, therefore, to see him like this was quite surprising for Dania. Was this man okay?


    He wasn''t acting like he normally would.


    "We''re leaving now, Richard," Misha repeated.


    "Oh, yes¡­" Richard looked confused and when he turned and looked at Dania, the middle aged woman asked what happened with her eyes, but all she received was a shake of the man''s head, because he himself didn''t understand what had happened to Misha until he acted like this.


    Richard didn''t even know where they were going.


    The only way to know where they were going was to follow his boss wordlessly. So that was what he did, hurriedly chasing Misha''s steps that looked very fast.


    "Where are we going?" Richard asked when they were finally in the car.


    "We''re going to the daycare," said Misha, who then looked at the street with a gloomy face.


    "The daycare?" Richard frowned, but it only took him a few seconds to understand which daycare Misha was referring to since there weren''t many small children around.


    It could be said that Misha had absolutely no association with children at all.


    Coming to this understanding, Richard then immediately drove his car away from there, so that they would arrive at the daycare before it was time for dismissal.


    ========================


    Misha arrived at the daycare just before dismissal and saw small children around the age of fiveing out of their ssrooms and approaching their mothers or fathers who came to pick them up with happy faces.


    Misha also saw how the interaction between each father and his child was disyed very clearly in front of him and this made his forehead furrow. It wasn''t clear what was going on in his mind right now, but he certainly looked like someone who was confused and didn''t know what to do.


    "That looks like Mika," said Richard, pointing to a child among four young children who had not yet been picked up by their parents.


    The little girl is very simr to the one in the photo, she has round eyes and face, and an expression that didn''t seem to care about her surroundings. It could be said that this little girl really looked like Misha when he was still a child, only this was the female version.


    Misha immediately looked at the little girl Richard was pointing at and his body suddenly stiffened, because he didn''t know what to do.


    It never urred to him that he would have a child, or he would be a father. It never even crossed his mind that he woulde face to face with a small and innocent version of himself.


    As if reality wanted to smack him right in the face, Misha could see how simr the two of them were, even at a nce, Misha could tell that his nature had descended on this little girl.


    She looked so calm beside her three friends, who couldn''t stay still, waiting to be picked up.


    While her three friends were running here and there, the little girl just squatted on the ground, concentrated on drawing something using a tree branch.


    There was a superintendent watching over the other three children who were starting to fuss because they wanted their parents. However, since Mika was very quiet, she could take her supervision off of her and calm the other three kids down.


    This daycare was not that big and it could be said that this was not a daycare that met the standards in his mind because the yground equipment such as slides, seesaw and swings looked very old and this made Misha frown.


    What if Mika got on one of those games and fell or the game got broken? Those old games looked unsafe to y again and it was time to get rid of them.


    Misha didn''t look happy at all. What did Kia think when leaving their child in such an ugly daycare?


    Mika didn''t seem to care about her surroundings though. She would only raise her head when a parent came to pick up their child, because she thought her mother hade, but when she saw that it was not her mother, she would go back to being busy with her own devices, making scribbles on the sand using dry branches.


    "Where''s Kia? Why wasn''t she here to pick her up yet?" said Misha. He didn''t want this question to sound like a grunt, even so, it sounded like a curse.


    "At this hour, Ms. Kiandra will be in her ss. She restarted her education a year ago, usually she would be here around this hour to pick up Mika and they have lunch together before they return home," Richard reported.


    When Misha said to find out about Kiandra, Richard didn''t do it half-heartedly, he put all his might to look up every detail of information about the woman, because he was already very impatient with Misha''sck of proactiveness in this matter.


    Therefore, he took note of everything in Kiandra''s daily itinerary as well as the ss schedule that she took for this semester.


    Richard knew that Misha''s personality was very unpredictable and this man wasn''t used to getting involved in situations where you had to show your feelings, but still what Misha did made him almost lose his temper.


    "After returning home, Mika will stay in the apartment together with Ms. Kiandra''s roommate, while Ms. Kiandra will leave for her night shift," said Richard, deliberately telling this down to thest of the details. He knew that Misha would react to this information.


    "What do you mean? Kia would leave the child with a stranger?" Misha turned his attention away from the little girl who looked very calm and red at Richard, as if he had just spit out obscenities at himself.


    "Roommate," Richard repeated, emphasizing the word.


    "They''re still strangers," Misha growled. He couldn''t believe that Kia was so reckless to do this.


    But Richard, who knew what was in Misha''s mind, said lightly. "It is very difficult for a single mother to take care of a child, juggling between attending school and working."


    Misha nced at Richard with a sharp gaze. "Then she doesn''t need to work, she just needs to take care of the child and go to school."


    Richard then said lightly. "From where will she get the money if she doesn''t work? They need money to pay rent and also to eat. Ms. Kiandra also has to think about the cost of Mika''s education."


    Hearing this, Misha realized that this was impossible. Money didn''t really mean much to him, but he didn''t think that Kia would have so much trouble with money.


    "Then she can postpone her school first. She can find a job that has a much better ie," Misha grumbled. He felt very ufortable discussing this with Richard because he felt himself starting to notice things one by one that he hadn''t thought of before.


    "Every job that is better, of course requires high qualifications." Of course, Misha knew this better than anyone, as he didn''t hesitate to pay a higher sry for someone with higher qualifications as well. "If she doesn''t go to school then she won''t get a better job."


    What Richard wanted to say was that these three things were things that Kia had to live with. She couldn''t choose, she didn''t even have a choice if she had to say.


    "Life as a single parent is very difficult, especially when you have to fight alone to support yourself and your children."


    Richard wanted Misha to understand this.


    "Did you just attack me, Richard?" Misha asked in a low voice.

 Chapter 736: CATS DONT EAT CARROT

    Chapter 736: CATS DON''T EAT CARROTRichard just wanted to tell Misha that what Kiandra went through was very difficult and not as easy as he thought, especially the matters involving money.


    It was very difficult to discuss money when Misha was so used to having a lot of money. Even their point of views were so different, because the definition of ''no money'' or ''difficulty making money'' was not in the vocabry of Misha at all.


    Therefore, Richard wanted to tell him this, trying to make Misha see more clearly that ''money'' was a privilege that not everyone had, a privilege that he had and not everyone could enjoy.


    However, it seemed that Richard was in too much of a hurry to show this view so Misha read it pretty quickly.


    "Life as a single parent is very difficult, especially when you have to fight alone to support yourself and your children."


    Richard wanted Misha to understand this.


    "Did you just attack me, Richard?" Misha asked in a low voice. He looked at Richard through the rear view mirror and saw the man trying to avert his eyes.


    "Of course not, I''m just saying what I think," said Richard, then turned his attention back to the daycare that lookedpletely silent. "Whoa? Where''s Mika? Has she been picked up?"


    Hearing this, Misha immediately turned his attention back to the daycare. He immediately forgot his n to cut this guy a bonuster when he didn''t see the little girl where she was before. There was no one there.


    Had she been picked up by Kia? But, they didn''t see anyoneing to pick her up. If Kia had really picked her up, then they would have seen it, right?


    Without thinking, Misha then got out of the car and walked in a hurry to the daycare, where he didn''t see anyone there.


    Had he not seen it? Had he paid so much attention to what Richard said earlier that he didn''t see Kiaing? But, that was impossible, they talked for less than three minutes and he didn''t take his eyes off any more than that.


    Therefore, even if Kia had picked her up, they should still be able to see her. She must not be far away. But, where was she?


    Now, the three children waiting together with Mika were gone as well, so the little girl should be alone, right?


    Misha cursed softly, he frowned. Where was the kid?


    Even the adults who were supposed to be here earlier, weren''t there now.


    However, when Misha was confused about where his little daughter was, he found Mika ying with a cat in the corner of the building, under a slide. No wonder she was not seen, because her position was quite hidden.


    Without Misha knowing, he took a deep breath. He didn''t think that Mika would be there, but his relief when he saw that the little girl was fine could be seen clearly on his face, which was quite panicked a few seconds ago.


    And then¡­ what should he do?


    Misha was standing about ten steps away from the little girl. The building wasn''t that big, so he could see the whole ce quite clearly.


    Mika seemed to be opening the lunch box and taking something out of it. It seemed like they were leftovers that she didn''t eat.


    "You can''t give the cat a carrot. Cats don''t eat carrots." Unbeknownst to Misha, he had already walked up to the little girl and reprimanded her when she gave the rest of the carrot pieces to the unkempt kitten.


    Hearing someone talking to her, Mika raised her head in surprise. Her brows furrowed together, as if she didn''t like Misha''s arrival.


    It was undeniable now. Seeing her wary attitude which clearly showed her displeasure, made Misha feel like looking at himself. Not only that, she seemed to have taken on another of Misha''s traits, which was not liking carrots.


    It was very strange to see someone who had almost the same traits as him.


    "Cats don''t¡­ eat carrots." Misha was stunned. He then looked at the dirty little cat who ate the carrots that Mika gave it, while the little girl looked at it with her innocent face and questioning eyes, but she didn''t say anything.


    "The cat is hungry, so it eats anything," Mika said, her speech already very clear for a three-year-old and she seemed very calm.


    "Cats shouldn''t eat carrots," said Misha, still defending his opinion. He then frowned at the cat. Weird cat.


    However, Mika seemed to want to emphasize that this little cat did eat carrots, so she took another piece of carrot and gave it to the cat which ate it immediately.


    Seeing this, Misha couldn''t say anything.


    "Where is your mom?" Misha asked. He was still standing, not trying to crouch down to match himself with the little girl, while Mika had to look up when she spoke to him.


    "Mom is at school," Mika replied.


    She was smart enough for a kid her age and seemed like she could talk to and understand what people were saying to her.


    "You should have eaten those carrots."


    "I don''t like it," she answered simply.


    "Why haven''t you been picked up yet?" Misha asked again.


    Mika looked at Misha then looked away and returned her attention to the cat beside her. "Mother will be here in a minute."


    Misha then looked at his watch and saw that Kia was already half an hourte while it was time for lunch. "Are you hungry? Have you had lunch?"


    "Not yet," Mika answered briefly while stroking the cat after putting her empty lunch box into her bag.


    "Want to have lunch with me? I''ll buy you some good food," Misha said. He didn''t know how to talk to a child so small or what to say, but he didn''t want this kid to starve while waiting for Kia.


    Then again, where was that woman? How could she leave her child like this? And not to mention, how could there not be a single person watching over this ce?


    If he was a kidnapper, it would already have been a few minutes since the child got kidnaped and no one would know about it.


    "No," replied Mika. "Mika can''t go out with strangers."


    "I''m not a stranger," Misha said, but then he corrected himself. "I''ll just buy you some food and after that, we can go back to your house. How about that?"


    Mika nced at Misha, a sharp nce from her beautiful eyes, implying her distrust of Misha.


    "No, I want to wait for Mommy," Mika said in a childlike voice, but also firm.


    "I''ll buy you a toy," Misha coaxed. "Tell me what toy you want, I''ll buy it."


    On the other hand, Richard who followed Misha and stood a little away from them to provide privacy, but could still hear their chatter, could only pat his head when he heard Misha''s way of coaxing his daughter.


    Didn''t what he was saying just now sound like he was trying to kidnap this kid? Misha sounded like he wanted to kidnap this kid and take her somewhere. How could this man act like that?


    Mika pursed her lips, the look in her eyes directed at Misha became more alert and this confused the man, because he didn''t know how to respond to this child.


    "No," Mika answered firmly. She then stood up and gripped her backpack tightly, and walked ahead of Misha. She was about to run toward the daycare building with the intention of asking for help.


    But, of course Misha didn''t let that happen, he grabbed the little girl''s hand.


    Misha didn''t want to hurt her. He wasn''t crazy enough to hurt his own daughter, he just wanted Mika to be around him a little longer, but he didn''t know how to express that.


    During this time, he always had a hard time showing his emotions, luckily, the work he did didn''t require that, but of course this affected his social life, where Misha had a hard time interacting, especially having a rtionship that was much deeper than just changing partners.


    It was just that, for the past year or so, Misha didn''t have a partner. He seemed to be much more focused on his work, than entertaining women who he wasn''t interested in. He simply resorted to taking advantage of them.


    The problem was; the women understood that they were being taken advantage of, but were not at all bothered by this fact.


    "I still want to talk," Misha said while holding Mika''s small hand. He just wanted to talk and find out more about this girl.


    However, it did not look like that in the eyes of the little girl.


    "AARGGH!" Mika screamed as loud as she could when she couldn''t get herself away from Misha. She screamed as loud as she could and it shocked both Richard and Misha.


    However, the most surprising thing was not that, because in the next second, Misha could feel someone pushing him really hard and making him take a few steps back before this person grabbed Mika and carried her protectively.


    Misha''s first thought was to fight back, but his resistance vanished when he saw the figure that had pushed him as time seemed to stop when he finally saw who it was.


    Meanwhile, from a distance, a young woman came out of the building with a panicked face from hearing Mika''s screams.


    "What happened?!" she asked as she ran to Mika who was now being hugged by her mother protectively.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 737: SHE HIT HIM

    Chapter 737: SHE HIT HIM"What happened?!" the woman asked as she ran to Mika who was being hugged by her mother protectively. Her eyes turned to the strange man who appeared in this daycare and also another man who was briskly approaching them.


    Meanwhile, Misha still couldn''t find the right words he could use to greet Kia. Four years had passed and this was the first time for them to meet. He didn''t know the right words to say.


    ''Hello'', didn''t seem like an appropriate greeting for a time like this. ''How are you?'' didn''t sound right as the impression was very stiff. ''Is that my daughter?'' No. That question should not be used as a greeting sentence.


    Therefore, Misha didn''t say anything and just looked at Kia, who seemed to remember him and was now looking at him with disbelieving eyes. She was wide-eyed, but her jaw was clenched tightly.


    Her expression was the same as all those years ago. Why didn''t she say anything? Was she going to leave again without saying anything now?


    Why was she always like this? At the very least, she had to show that she was very angry and Misha didn''t even mind if this woman wanted to curse him. An opportunity that would not be granted for others. But then again, who would be brave enough to curse at him when that person would be scared shitless even when he just looked at him.


    "Mommy," Mika called, wrapping her small arms around Kia''s neck and hiding her face in the crook of her neck and shoulders. She looked so cute with her long, curly hair touching Kia''s face.


    "What is this?" asked the young woman who had juste from the direction of the building, as she looked at the two of them. "Oh, Ms. Kiandra, you just came."


    Kiandra then turned her attention to the woman who had just approached her and gave her a very cold gaze.


    "Where have you been?" she asked very sharply. She looked at the woman with eyes that could make you lower your head in fear. Kiandra was very angry right now. "How could you leave my daughter with a stranger?"


    A stranger?


    Misha frowned at the ''offensive''bel she stered to his face, even Richard grimaced when he heard it. Even he felt very bad even though it was not him that Kiandra meant.


    This girl seemed fiercer than she looked. She could scold this woman while making Misha feel ufortable.


    "Oh, that¡­ I''m sorry, because you''rete and I have work inside that I need to do¡­" The woman didn''t have time to finish her sentence when Kiandra cut her off.


    "Is that a good reason to leave my daughter unattended outside?" Kia asked sharply. She looked much fiercer than usual.


    However, Misha couldn''t say that because he didn''t really know Kia on a personal level, because their rtionship onlysted for one week.


    "Mika is a very calm child, so I left her for a while," said the woman again apologetically.


    "Don''t you think this stranger could be a kidnapper and Mika would have disappeared by now? If Mika didn''t scream, then you wouldn''t know what''s going on here either, would you?" Kia was getting annoyed. She looked at the woman fiercely and made her look down in fear while muttering her apologies.


    She became negligent because she found Mika very quiet and not a fussy child. She would be left in one ce and wouldn''t go anywhere even if you came back a few minutester, therefore, she became a bitx with this little girl.


    But, of course she realized this mistake.


    While Kia, after a long time Misha had not seen her, she looked very fierce, her face showing how hard of a life she had to live thest few years. There was no shy smile or blush that she showed when Misha first saw her.


    Instead, she looked like a very tough woman, who had gone through all kinds of problems in life and was still able to stay strong and stand strong.


    "I don''t want something like this to happen again," Kia said firmly, she red at the woman onest time and walked away from her with Mika in her arms.


    On the other hand, Richard couldn''t help but steal nces to see Misha''s reaction being referred to as a stranger continuously and was quite surprised to see the man seemed to be okay with the tag, although at first he looked quite surprised, even he was quite fascinated by how fierce Kia was now.


    "Kia," Misha called as she was about to walk away. He grabbed Kia''s arm to make her stop walking.


    "Sorry sir, but looks like you have to leave," said the woman, when she saw how much Kia disliked this foreign man. She wanted to win Kia''s heart again after the mistake she made.


    After all, Kia was right, if this foreign man was a kidnapper, then things could be very serious.


    Only, before she tried to stop the two of them, Richard had approached her and mediated the matter.


    "It''s okay, they both know each other," Richard said to the woman, blocking her from approaching Kia and Misha who were arguing now.


    But, of course she didn''t believe him. "Do you know him, Ms. Kiandra?" she asked to be sure.


    On the other hand, Kiandra red at Misha. Coldly and without taking her eyes off the man, she replied, "No. Absolutely no idea."


    Misha frowned when he heard this. It seemed, the matter was far moreplicated and difficult than he had imagined.


    After that, Kia tried to release Misha''s grip on her arm, only, the more she tried, the tighter his grip became.


    Misha didn''t say anything either, he just held it in and looked at Kia, as if he was thinking what to do and say next.


    Meanwhile, Richard who saw the scene became more and more frustrated. Shouldn''t Misha have thought about the actions and words he would sayter, why was this boss of his like sitting around, doing nothing?


    "Let go of my arm," Kia said so firmly, it even made Richard wince when he heard her cold voice.


    "We need to talk," Misha said atst, but he didn''t let go of his grip on Kia. He didn''t even realize that his grip had started to hurt her.


    "I don''t know you," Kia said in the same tone. She stopped struggling because her arm hurt and Mika had grown bigger, not to mention, she was very tired. Therefore, she didn''t have the energy to just talk or serve Misha.


    At first, Kia was quite surprised to see Misha here, but now, the only thing she wanted to do was stay as far away from this asshole as possible.


    "You know me," Misha said forcefully. "We need to talk."


    "Get your hands off me," Kia demanded. But, Misha didn''t listen at all. "It hurts," Kia said again.


    However, still, Misha didn''t let her go, because in his mind, if he let go of Kia now, this woman would soon leave his sight, which was exactly what Kia had in mind.


    But then, Misha was quite surprised when a small hand gently patted his hand.


    "Let go," said the little girl in her childish but firm voice. Her cute face contorted as she red at Misha fiercely. "Let go of my mommy."


    Mika then hit Misha''s hand which was holding Kia''s arm again, she tried to hit it with all her might, but Misha didn''t feel anything at all.


    However, he was quite surprised that his daughter hit him like that and then let go of Kia''s arm and the woman moved away.


    "Don''t worry mommy, I will protect mommy from that bad guy," said Mika, before she buried her face in the crook of Kia''s neck again.


    On the other hand, Richard felt like he was about to have a heart attack hearing what Mika said. The little girl was only three years old, but her vocabry was already quite impressive.


    Even more so with how she called Misha a bad person. Slowly, Richard then looked at Misha who seemed to be still in shock after hearing what Mika said earlier and stared at Kia leaving, without saying anything.


    Misha just stood there silently, staring at Kia''s figure which was getting further and further away from them.


    Meanwhile, the woman Richard prevented from interfering in Misha and Kia''s matters, broke this silence.


    "Who are you really? What are you guys here for?" asked the woman suspiciously. She looked at the two men warily. "If you don''t leave now, I''ll call the authorities," she threatened.


    And of course that made Richard panic, because all he knew was; Misha didn''t really like to hear a threat against him.


    It was just that, for now it seemed Misha couldn''t afford to pay much attention to this because he was now looking at the hand that had been hit by his own child, it seemed he was really in shock right now.


    He didn''t say anything and just stood still.


    "Mr. Tordoff, looks like we have to get out of here soon," Richard said as he approached him and spoke in a low voice to him. "We can visit this ce some other time."


    For a moment, Misha didn''t respond, but then he turned his attention to the woman and said in a cold tone.


    "I want to meet the superintendent of this ce," said Misha and this was of course beyond Richard''s expectations. He didn''t know what was going through Misha''s mind right now.

 Chapter 738: OVERDID

    Chapter 738: OVERDID"I want to meet the manager of this ce," said Misha and this was of course beyond Richard''s expectations. He didn''t know what was going through Misha''s mind right now.


    Those words of course not only shocked the woman in front of them, but also Richard. What did Mr. Tordoff mean? Was he so offended that he wanted to sue this ce? But, that would be far-fetched, right?


    The charges that would be made would sound unreasonable.


    "What do you want to do?" asked Richard carefully, for he could sense that Misha was not in a good mood right now. "Mr. Tordoff, we better get back to the office, you have a lot of work to do."


    But, Misha pushed Richard aside and approached the woman, whose face was now red. Only now did she realize how handsome this man was. And, she didn''t even know who was in front of her.


    Of course the Tordoff surname was very well known, but seeing this man''s handsome face up close made her forget everything.


    "Yes, what is it about?" she stammered, no longer looking arrogant or even trying to threaten Misha, because she was in awe right now.


    "What''s your name?" Misha asked in a demanding tone, but this only made the woman feel even more unable to resist the charm of this handsome man in front of her.


    "My name is Grace," she said in a low voice and Richard could only shake his head. Howe Misha could always have this kind of effect on every woman?


    But, then he thought of Kia and Mika, well, except for those two girls¡­


    "I want to meet the manager of this daycare." Misha exined briefly, but he didn''t say what the purpose of asking to meet the manager was.


    "What for?" asked the woman named Grace. She had to know exactly what they were going to talk about first.


    ========================


    Kia walked very fast when she finally managed to free herself from Misha''s grip. She did not expect that the man woulde to the daycare where she left Mika.


    Why was he there?


    There was no way it was a coincidence. It was no coincidence since it concerned Misha, after all what business did he have in that cheap daycare?


    There was no way he just happened to be passing by nor was it impossible for him to not know anything about Mika. Especially now.


    Kia then looked at her daughter who was eating her lunch voraciously. Because of Misha, they werete for lunch and Mika was very hungry now.


    "Mommy, who was that man?" Mika asked, she then reached for her ss and Kia helped her to drink, because this ss was too big for her. "Mika doesn''t like him."


    Kia grimaced when she heard this, but then she smiled at her daughter. "If Mika doesn''t like him, there''s no need to see him again." She then wiped Mika''s lips with a tissue, while the little girl continued eating again.


    "Mika''s hair is already long, do you want to cut it?" Kia asked, touching Mika''s curls. Actually, she was a little bothered by this child''s long hair, because it required extra attention which was not something she could afford now. She herself chose to cut her hair short, because it was much more practical and less troublesome.


    Kia could save a few minutes of time doing other things.


    But, Mika looked at her mother with a frown. "Mika likes Mika''s hair," she said. "Don''t cut."


    "Okay, no need to cut it then." Kia sighed. She herself liked her daughter''s long and curly hair, but since Mika was against cutting it short, of course she wouldn''t force her. "When we''re done, let''s go home, okay? Mommy has to leave for work early."


    As their needs grew, she also had to earn more money, so she took extra shifts at work.


    But, with that, it became hard for her to spend longer breaks with Mika now. But, that was the consequence, wasn''t it? She must provide a decent life for her daughter.


    Mika was silent for a moment then nodded, answering in a small voice. "Okay."


    After Mika finished their dessert, they then went back to their apartment, where Mika would stay behind with Keira, Kia''s roommate, while Kia would leave for work.


    =============================


    "Mr. Tordoff, I don''t think this is the right step to take," said Richard after Misha finished speaking with the person in charge of the daycare where Mika was ced.


    Richard had been holding himself back from giving advice, but once it was only the two of them in the car and no one else was around, he couldn''t help but say what was on his mind.


    "This may seem out of line, but I think you need to hear this," Richard said carefully. He then nced at Misha through the rear view mirror, through which Misha was looking at him very intently now and this made the middle aged man feel the urge to swallow back the suggestion he wanted to give.


    "What do you want to say?" Misha asked coldly. The image of Mika pping his hand was still vivid in his memory. He didn''t expect his little daughter to do that.


    Of course the hits didn''t hurt, but it left an imprint on his heart.


    "I think you will surprise Ms. Kiandra with what you intend to do to the daycare," said Richard.


    ording to him, it would be better to approach Kiandra slowly, establish a rtionship with her and talk about Mika''s problems first.


    And also ording to him, Misha''s actions looked very forward and at one nce, Richard knew that Kia would not like what Misha did for their child.


    Of course, Richard understood that Misha''s intentions were good, but their rtionship was tooplicated and things should be discussed before he took such drastic actions.


    "I''ll see her again tomorrow," Misha said calmly. "Now start the car and we''ll be out of here soon."


    Richard had already guessed that Misha wouldn''t want to hear what he was suggesting, so therefore, there was no longer any reason for him to say anything else. And so, he started the car and drove off immediately.


    Misha would realize his mistaketer when Kia had shown her fangs for what he did.


    =======================


    "What''s with your face?" Keira asked. She was watching the evening television show she liked, while Kia had juste home from work. She felt like her body was going to crumble from being too tired.


    However, this was a good thing too, because she could stop thinking about Misha and the events of this afternoon. She hoped that her fears were unfounded and whatever strange reason he had for appearing in the daycare, it would be thest time for her to see Misha, because she really didn''t want to see him again.


    "What about my face?" Kia asked while sitting beside Keira and taking a bite of the cake in her hand.


    Keira was someone who worked in the IT field, where she had flexible working hours and was more often at the apartment. Kia was really grateful she met Keira three years ago when she had just given birth to Mika.


    It was Keira who had always helped her and now the two of them have be friends, but unfortunately, within the next six months, Kia had to find another ce, because Keira would move out of their apartment because she was getting married.


    Of course Kia was happy that her best friend was happy, but even until now, she didn''t know what the future held for her. Because there would be no one else to watch over Mika when she wasn''t around. She had to think about it from now on¡­


    "You look tired," said Keira and this made Kiaugh.


    Mika must have slept two hours ago after Keira read her favorite fairy tale book, even though the story had been repeated dozens of times.


    "Of course I look tired, I just got home from work," Kia said as she leaned back on the sofa and closed her eyes. She was really feeling very tired.


    "No, you look tired and upset," she said, then turned her attention from the television screen to Kia. "Are you alright? Nothing happened today, right?"


    Huh. Keira reminded her again of Misha with this question. Yes, indeed Keira was very sensitive, she would always realize when Kia''s mood was not good, but this time she didn''t want to talk about it.


    "Nothing," Kia replied in a low voice.


    For a moment, Keira stared at her, but then she turned her attention back to the television program she was watching. "Okay."


    And with just that, Kia spent ten minutes together with Keira and then cleaned herself up before shey down beside Mika and hugged her daughter''s small body.


    She kissed Mika''s cheek gently so as not to wake her up, only then did she sleep very soundly.


    The next morning, when Kia took Mika to the daycare, she had a bad feeling. She was afraid that Misha woulde to Mika again, but she had no other choice.


    Along the way, Kia thought about what she should say to the daycare when Misha reappeared, but it seemed that all the conversations she had imagined she would have had just been forgotten when she saw the state of the daycare.


    "What was this?" Kia eximed with wide eyes. She was sure that yesterday the daycare wasn''t like this. So, what really happened to it now?


    Kia even thought she hade to the wrong daycare and was about to walk back, but no, it was the same daycare.


    Meanwhile, Mika''s face lit up when she saw this ce. "Did wee to a new ce?" asked Mika enthusiastically.

 Chapter 739: SPLURGE

    Chapter 739: SPLURGEWhat Misha did yesterday was fix the daycare. It could not be called fixing, because the time would not be enough.


    Misha financed the recement of ythings in the yard with new ones and made them throw away the old ones. Not only that, he even bought other ything as well toplete the collection.


    It was just that, because the ce could be said to be small, there weren''t many toys that he could buy due to the unavability of space and this made Misha quite annoyed.


    He was not even half-hearted when he bought these expensive ythings and paid extra to have the work done in just a few hours.


    Therefore, when Kia and Mika came this morning, this ce lookedpletely different and this left both of them dumbfounded in disbelief.


    Meanwhile, Mika''s face lit up when she saw this ce. "Did wee to a new ce?" asked Mika enthusiastically.


    How could she not misunderstand when she had never seen this many games before and everything here looked brand new?


    "No," Kia mumbled. She frowned. She knew whose doing this was and she gripped Mika''s hand tighter.


    Impossible, right? Misha wouldn''t have guessed that Mika was his daughter. Or did he already?


    Kia then turned and looked at Mika who was in awe. She couldn''t wait to y all the new games.


    And at that moment, Kia realized that Mika was very simr to that man and this made her feel uneasy. She was afraid that Misha would do something since he found out that Mika was his daughter.


    He would take Mika away from her.


    And that was the first thought that crossed Kia''s mind at this time.


    Kia then gripped Mika''s hand tighter. No. She wouldn''t let Misha do that.


    "Mommy?" called Kia, because she could feel Kia''s grip getting tighter. She then looked at her worriedly with a frown on her face. "Mommy doesn''t like the new games here?" she asked innocently.


    Kia then smiled at the little girl and picked her up. "Of course I like them," she said softly to calm Mika. She was indeed a little more sensitive than the other children her age.


    Then, Kia walked into the daycare, where Grace walked up to her and was incredibly friendly to her and Mika. She was even very clear how she treated Mika very differently and gave much better treatment than the other kids.


    Kia was not surprised. She had expected this and she was only responding to Grace''s overly friendlyments toward her out of politeness.


    After Kia confirmed that Mika went to the ssroom with Grace, she walked away from there.


    For now, she couldn''t do anything and it was impossible for her to carry out the impromptu n of bringing Mika back home.


    What was more, there really wasn''t anyone who could look after her at this time of the morning, because Keira must still be sleeping as she stayed up all night.


    Therefore, she would monitor the turn of events and the situationter.


    Misha Tordoff.


    The name still stirred an ufortable feeling inside her and made her furious. It left a bitter taste in her mouth if she remembered the past.


    Why did he appear again in her life? Kia was not at all happy about this. She didn''t need him to add to the troubles in her alreadyplicated life.


    ========================


    "Where are you going again, Mr. Tordoff?" asked Dania when she entered Misha''s office and saw that the man was about to leave. Richard didn''t tell her that Misha had other appointments outside the office while she had already prepared documents for him to check.


    "I will be gone for a bit." Misha walked past Dania, while the secretary immediately followed him and showed the documents in her hands.


    "You should check these documents," she said hastily. Yesterday, Misha had gone all day and canceled some important meetings and now he was going out again?


    "Just put them on the table, I will check themter when I get back," Misha said as he walked out of this room.


    "But¡­" Dania''s protest was left unfinished because Misha was already looking at her very fiercely. He then said in a very deep voice, emphasizing every word.


    "Just put them on the table," Misha said firmly. He then walked away from his office and headed straight for the elevator that would take him straight to the basement.


    He didn''t even wait for Richard anymore and just drove the car to the daycare he visited yesterday.


    Not long after Misha left, Richard came and found Dania alone in the room. "Where is Mr. Tordoff?" he asked confusedly.


    "He left suddenly," said Dania, grumbling. "Do you know where he went?"


    Of course Richard didn''t know because Misha didn''t tell him anything, but he had a hunch and he was very sure that Misha was going to that ce right now.


    This man was really hard to understand. He should take things slow in approaching the mother and child, instead of making an intense approach, when he himself didn''t know what he would say when they meet.


    ========================


    Misha already knew when Kia would pick Mika up, which was still two hours from now. He could use this time to buy toys and snacks that Mika might like and maybe that would make their conversation run smoother.


    Ugh. Making a conversation run smoother? Misha seemed to be talking about a business partner instead of a three year old little girl.


    What kind of conversation did he want to have?


    While thinking about that, Misha entered a toy shop and immediately felt like he was in a strange ce and didn''t know what to do there, because there were so many toys and he didn''t know what toys Mika might like.


    Should he just buy all these toys?


    Misha should have taken Richard with him and asked the man for advice on what toys three year old girls liked the best.


    When Misha was thinking about buying all these toys, a young female employee immediately approached him because he looked confused.


    "Can I help you?" she asked kindly. She was quite fascinated by the handsome man in front of her and smiled very sweetly.


    For a moment, Misha considered his decision to summon Richard toe here, but since this youngdy offered to help, he chose to speak to her first.


    "I need a toy that three year old girls like," Misha said and the woman smiled wider and led him into the shop showing him some toys.


    ============================


    Richard almost fainted when he got a call from Misha asking him toe with two cars.


    On the phone, he didn''t exin why he had to take two cars to one of the biggest shopping malls in city A.


    Just hearing the location made Richard frown, because Misha didn''t usually go to a ce like that, especially for shopping.


    But, when he came and found out what this boss had done, he felt like he should have guessed it from the start.


    "Mr. Tordoff," said Richard sharply when he saw what Misha had just bought. "Why did you buy this many toys?" he hissed in disbelief. Did he want to open a store?


    Could this be called a robbery? Misha almost bought all the toys in the store.


    "She said these are toys that little kids like these days," Misha said lightly, nodding at the youngdy who had offered to help him earlier.


    Hearing this, Richard then looked fiercely at the young woman, who then turned her gaze elsewhere. He knew what she was doing.


    The youngdy knew that Misha was loaded and would buy whatever he was shown, so she showed almost all the toys and of course, Misha, without thinking long, bought them all.


    Of course, money was not a problem for Misha, but wasn''t this tantamount to robbery? She was fooling Misha and the man didn''t care at all about it.


    Because to him, the money he spent on toys didn''t mean anything at all.


    "Mr. Tordoff, you better pick one or two toys and return the rest," said Richard trying to persuade Misha.


    "I already paid for them," Misha replied curtly.


    "It doesn''t matter, you can return the toys and ask for money," said Richard, but his words increased Misha''s annoyance.


    Because how could they not? A Tordoff like Misha returning the things he had already bought? Wouldn''t that be a bad image for himself? How could Richard suggest such a thing?


    "That''s not what I mean." Richard was feeling very frustrated now in the face of Misha who seemed to be getting more and more unreasonable by the day.


    He acted ording to his logic, but of course, using his logic in a situation like this waspletely unsuitable.


    Misha would just dig his own grave...


    After leaving the toy shop, with two cars filled with all kinds of toys Mika might like, they went straight to the daycare.


    The timing was just right. They arrived ten minutes before Mika''s time of departure, so they could wait first.


    Only, when they arrived, among the few parents who were already waiting, they saw Kia too standing there.


    It seemed like she didn''t want the events of yesterday to repeat themselves, she didn''t want Misha to meet Mika.


    Because now, she came early so Mika wouldn''t wait. It seemed, Kia knew that Misha woulde and bother them again like what he had done yesterday.


    ====================


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    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 740: GROWN ASS MAN

    Chapter 740: GROWN ASS MANKia tried to get out of her campus early, she even asked permission to leave ss twenty minutes prior and she intended to do this for a week, until she made sure that Misha wouldn''te near Mika again.


    However, it seemed that she didn''t have to wait a week, because even now she could see that yesterday''s meeting was not a coincidence and Misha really did intend to meet Mika.


    It was just that Kia couldn''t understand why Misha was looking for her? And how did he know that Mika was his biological daughter? He shouldn''t have known about it. Nobody knew it.


    There were three luxury cars parked across from this daycare and it didn''t take a genius to figure out who was in the car.


    Kia narrowed her eyes sharply at the cars.


    This ce was not an elite ce, for its citizens to have a car like that and also this daycare was not a luxurious ce, because this daycare was intended for those who have a middle to lower ie.


    And when the adults there saw the three luxury cars, of course it caught their attention and made them whisper to each other.


    Especially when Misha got out of the car and started walking toward the daycare.


    Kia knew that this would happen eventually, she was just in denial that Misha woulde back into her life.


    She had settled down with her only daughter and she didn''t want this man toe back to her again.


    But, when Misha walked toward her, Kia didn''t take her eyes off the man at all, not because she was fascinated¡­ oh please, she was no longer the Neen year old intern who would be mesmerized when she saw Misha Tordoff staring at her.


    She had gone through that phase well and now she just wanted to tell this guy to fuck off.


    Misha walked slowly toward her, ignoring the questioning gazes of the people around him and in no time, he approached Kia, then stood right in front of her which made everyone''s eyes widen.


    Although he didn''t get as much media coverage as Jayden, of course they knew who he was and easily realized it was him after they took a close look.


    Only, they still couldn''t believe it, because after all, why would someone like Misha Tordoffe to this area? This was not an elite area that people like him used to frequent.


    "Kia," Misha called as soon as he stopped in front of Kia. However, the woman just stared at him coldly and didn''t say anything in return.


    Not long after, the bell rang and Kia turned around to wait for Mika toe out of the ssroom.


    And with themotion going on, there wasn''t any conversation between the two of them, where both of them waited for Mika toe out.


    The little girl packed up her books and stuffed them in her bag before she ran to Kia happily. Her face looked so cute and her eyes sparkled with joy when she found her mother there.


    "Mommy!" Mika eximed as she ran to her mother and hugged her tightly, whereupon Kia crouched down to be able to hug her daughter and carry her.


    But then, Mika''s smile changed and her round eyes stared intently at Misha.


    "Why is that uncle here again?" Mika asked with a wrinkled expression, pointing at Misha who was standing beside Kia.


    What?!


    Misha looked very surprised when he heard that title. He didn''t know which one was better, whether to be called uncle or to be called a stranger, but for him it seemed there was no better nametely.


    "Mika wants lunch, Mika is hungry," said Mika, she then turned her attention to Kia, ignoring Misha altogether, as if he wasn''t even there.


    Misha wondered if this little girl was really three years old. She seemed to understand that her mother didn''t like him so she acted the same way.


    "Okay, let''s go, what do you want to eat?" Kia asked, she also acted as if she didn''t see Misha there. Shepletely ignored the man.


    "I want to eat deep-fried prawns!" Mika eximed excitedly, her long, curly hair tied on top of her head, into two cute buns on the left and right sides of her head, making her look even cuter.


    "I know a good restaurant near by," said Misha interrupting their conversation.


    But, of course, the mother and daughter duo did not really respond to him, as Mika continued to talk about a restaurant at the end of this alley.


    "There''s a seafood restaurant not far from here, maybe about thirty minutes by car," Misha said again, but his words went unanswered. He really didn''t know how tomunicate with the two of them and what was more, he had never been in a situation like this where his words went unheard.


    "I want to eat a lot of shrimp, so I can grow up quickly," said Mika with a beaming face.


    "You can eat shrimp every day," Misha responded, even though he wasn''t part of this conversation.


    "I also want to drink hot chocte. Mommy has gotten paid, right? Mommy promised that we will get to enjoy hot chocte on Mommy''s payday," Mika chirped.


    "You don''t have to think about money, you can habey hot chocte anytime you want," said Misha.


    On the other hand, Richard who saw this scene, sighed as if he wanted to cry because Misha was constantly being ignored. However, he couldn''t me the mother and daughter pair either, because neither of them really involved Misha in their chat.


    "I''ve bought some toys for you, let''s see them before we eat, how about it?" Misha asked.


    And this time, Mika turned her eyes to him. He thought he had finally gotten this little girl''s attention, but then Mika buried her face in the crook of Kia''s shoulder again, not wanting to show her face.


    Even so, Kia knew that Mika was upset right now, while she could only gently rub her back to calm her down.


    "What is it?" Misha asked, not being able to understand. He then stood in front of Kia, blocking her way, but didn''t grip her hand anymore, because he didn''t want his daughter to hit him like yesterday.


    Her hits didn''t hurt, but Misha still thought about it to this day.


    At first, Kia didn''t want to answer the question, but then she exined briefly.


    "She''s upset," Kia said tly. She moved to the left, but Misha also followed her movement, and stepped to his right, so she couldn''t walk forward.


    "Why is she upset?" Misha asked again in a curious voice. He saw no reason why this little girl could be upset.


    "Because you keep interrupting her. She doesn''t like it when someone cuts her off." Kia red at Misha so hard that the man turned his attention elsewhere.


    And this made Richard widen his eyes in surprise, maybe not many people know about this, but Misha had never lost a face-to-face fight with anyone.


    Anyone would definitely avert their eyes if they were in that position, but this time, Misha was the one who lost in that regard. Very unbelievable.


    Even more¡­


    The little girl didn''t like it when someone cut her off? Well, Richard had to face a certain someone of the same nature almost every day¡­


    Richard didn''t know if he shouldugh or cry seeing the look on Misha''s face now.


    "Can you get out of my way? We have to go for lunch," Kia said sternly and this made Misha give way to her, but she had time to tell him about the toys he had bought.


    "Since you bought them, you can y with the toys," Kia replied.


    What? How could a grown ass man y with a three year old''s toys?


    "I''m not a child," Misha said with a frown and Kia stopped walking and nced at him over her back.


    "Then you should behave like a grown man, because your current attitude doesn''t reflect that." After saying that, she walked away from there.


    Kia thought by saying that she could avoid Misha, but in reality she couldn''t. Misha actually walked five steps behind her, following her.


    "Mr. Tordoff, I know the restaurant at the end of this street they mentioned earlier," said Richard as he walked beside Misha. "How about we just take the car?"


    Misha nced at Richard scornfully, as if to say; then what about Kia and Mika? There was no way he would let the two of them walk alone.


    "We''ll take them both for a ride," Richard said again and this earned him a much longer sneer.


    As if Misha said; can''t you see how Kia turned him down time and again? You think that woman would willingly get into the car?


    At this point, Richard could only sigh and be silent, as he followed Kia, who was carrying Mika, while the little girl was telling her daily activities at school.


    Misha also listened to what the little girl had to say. He too sometimes smiled when she said something funny, especially when she missed a word and Kia had to correct it.


    Or when Mika couldn''t exin because her vocabry was limited and had to use words she was still not familiar with and Kia told her the right vocabry.


    Misha felt that he could walk all day like this and for the first time, he felt much more rxed.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 741: A NEW BEDROOM

    Chapter 741: A NEW BEDROOMToday was really very unlucky for Misha as there was only one table avable and there was no other table that he could upy, while Kia firmly said that she did not know this man and did not want to eat at the same table as him, therefore, there were no other options for Misha, but to wait in front of the restaurant.


    "This is called a restaurant? Is cleanliness guaranteed?" Misha asked Richard who was standing beside him. "Check the building''s permit and certificate."


    Richard scratched his head that didn''t itch at all, and grimaced when he heard Misha''s orders, wasn''t that going too far?


    "Restaurants like this can be said to be quite good for the area around here and again this ce has been around for decades." Richard said, imparting understanding to Misha, who seemed worried about the cleanliness of the food in the restaurant.


    However, this answer didn''t seem to satisfy Misha because he still looked very skeptical about the restaurant in front of him.


    "Go inside and pay for the food they bought and also order a few servings of shrimp for them to take home," Misha said. He himself still hadn''t had lunch and didn''t intend to eat as long as he didn''t get to have a word with Kia.


    He wanted to talk to the woman, but she didn''t want to talk to him. She didn''t even want to see him.


    "Mr. Tordoff," said Richard in a tired voice, he winced when he was about to say this. "I don''t think it''s a good thing to do now," he said again in a voice that sounded pitiful.


    "What do you mean?" Misha rolled his eyes. Why had Richard always been refusing orders from himtely? "Mika likes shrimp, what''s wrong with me buying a few servings for her to eat at hometer?"


    "But, Ms. Kiandra will not like it," said Richard. He then looked at Misha, but immediately lowered his gaze because he looked very fierce now. "Mr. Tordoff, if you continue to behave like this, Ms. Kiandra will be more and more annoyed with you," he said.


    "Why should she be upset when all I want to do is help her?" Misha asked in a demanding voice.


    If he hadn''t been Misha Tordoff, Richard would have roared in frustration at what he had said. How could someone be so dense like Misha and have so much experience in dealing with so many women¡­


    "It''s about self- respect, Mr. Tordoff. If indeed Ms. Kiandra needs you, she will definitelye to you, but she looks very indifferent and doesn''t care about you, sir." Richard tried to exin.


    "You don''t know her," Misha replied curtly.


    It is you who don''t even know her! I know her better than you because I did an in- depth investigation on the two of them!


    Richard felt like hurling these words in his face, but of course, he couldn''t possibly do that. "I don''t really know them, but wouldn''t it be better to show your concern in other ways? Because it seems that by paying for their food, you will only offend Ms. Kiandra," he suggested.


    Richard had prepared himself to be reproved for this suggestion, so he was quite surprised when Misha agreed with him.


    "Okay," Misha said in a low voice. He then leaned his body against the side of the car, deciding to wait until Kia came out of the restaurant. "What do you think I can do to melt her heart?"


    Richard was quite surprised when he heard this, because it meant that Misha would listen to his advice, which was quite a rare moment.


    "Shall we think of a way for the two of you to talk quietly?" asked Richard. "Mr. Tordoff, you can''t just suddenly appear in front of her without giving any exnation and hoping she''ll open her heart to you right away."


    Richard was silent for a moment, studying Misha''s face, making sure that he had thought through his words well, that he understood the point of his suggestion.


    "Continue," Misha said in an even voice.


    Therefore, Richard then continued sharing the ideas that crossed his mind and convinced Misha that Ms. Kiandra was unapproachable in the way he wasted money and stressed how important it was for Misha to apologize to Kiandra instead.


    The longer Richard''s exnation, the deeper the wrinkles between Misha''s brows, where he didn''t seem to like anything Richard was saying now, but he didn''t protest at all and instead listened carefully.


    ========================


    "What happened?" asked one of the maids, whispering to her partner, but Garry, the butler in the house, gave the young girl a sharp look and the two fell silent, following Misha wherever he went to every room in the house.


    The Tordoff residence consists of three main houses, where this house was upied by Lexus and Candice, Misha''s parents. They left this house and had been living in a much quieter area, away from the hustle and bustle of the city and now only Misha lived here, ever since he took over the Tordoffpany along with Jayden.


    And it could be said that this house was too big for him to live alone, there were at least about twelve rooms in this house, including the main room and not including the maids'' rooms which were in another small building behind this house.


    But today, Misha suddenly started touring his own home while they followed behind him, visiting the rooms one by one and looking around carefully.


    They didn''t know what Misha wanted and neither did Garry understand why Misha wanted to check every room in the house, something he had never done before.


    Not to mention, Misha didn''t answer when Garry asked what he wanted, his initial guess was; Misha wanted to change his bedroom.


    However, Misha''s bedroom was the best in this house, after the bedroom of his parents which was still left untouched, because asionally they woulde to visit.


    "I want this room," Misha said to Garry after they returned to the eighth room they had seen earlier.


    "Pardon me, Mr. Tordoff," said Garry politely. He was an old man of about sixty years old and had served the Tordoff family for more than three decades. "You want to move into this room?" he asked confusedly.


    "No," said Misha curtly, then looked around the room and nodded approvingly. He liked this room more than any other room in the house.


    From this room, you could see the swimming pool and small garden and also therge windows could make it easier for sunlight to enter. The room was also quite big.


    "So¡­ what is this room for?" asked Garry in a confused voice. "What design do you want to use in this room?"


    "Call the interior designer tomorrow, I will meet him in person," Misha said again and Garry became even more confused. Usually, Misha didn''t take care of things like this and if there was something he wanted to change, it was usually Garry who saw over things. "Especially interior designers who specialized in designing little children''s rooms. A little girl." He made it more specific, so Garry wouldn''t mess this up.


    "What? Small children?" Garry did see two cars full of children''s toys when Misha came back earlier, but didn''t think anything of it. Now that he thought about it, wasn''t that a strange thing? "Mr. Tordoff, are any little children going to live here?"


    Was Mr. Tordoff going to adopt a child? Garry had never seen Misha get close to children or any signs that indicated he liked children. Absolutely nothing. So why would he want a child all of a sudden?


    This didn''t make any sense at all, did it?


    "Are¡­ are you going to adopt a little child?" asked Garry carefully, stuttering as he asked the question.


    "Adopt a child?" Misha turned around and red at Garry. "Of course this room is for my daughter."


    Garry and the other two maids were shocked and dumbfounded when they heard this. They did not know that Mrs. Tordoff (Misha''s wife) wasing to this house, especially since Misha was already talking about children.


    They had never even seen Misha bring a woman to this house.


    Indeed, of the many women who had been with Misha, he had never brought anyone back to the Tordoff residence, although they whined and asked Misha to bring them here, because they were very curious about the Tordoff residence.


    You could say this was a very closed ce from the public.


    "In that case, should we prepare baby gear too? Will the baby and mothere here soon?" Even Garry was at a loss as to what question he should ask, because he didn''t expect this at all.


    "Baby? My daughter is already three years old," Misha said and this left Garry and the other two servants were in uttered shock.


    =======================


    Misha was smoking a cigarette because he didn''t know what to do now, because if he had to admit it, he was actually really nervous to be able to meet Kia all of a sudden, alone on top of that.


    However, Richard repeatedly insisted that he had to talk about the past and sincerely apologize to Kia for his actions.


    Just thinking about it made Misha frown. He wasn''t sure if the night would go smoothly.


    Then, in the distance he saw Kiaing out of the building, walking toward him, still not realizing that Misha was waiting for her.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 742: ACT STUPID

    Chapter 742: ACT STUPIDTonight Kia deliberately took a rather long shift, where she should have returned home at twelve o''clock at night, she would be back home at three o''clock after finishing taking care of the final and closing shift of the night, because she really needed the money right now.


    She must immediately raise money to find a new ce because in six months Keira would get married and she couldn''t afford the apartment they were living in now alone.


    Kia felt very tired, she hoped that the journey from where she worked to home would not take too long, so she could sleep right next to Mika, Kia even nned to just change clothes and not wash her face first.


    She had to wake up just five hourster to attend her morning ss, therefore, it wouldn''t be a problem if she skipped this for now.


    Unfortunately, the journey from her work to her apartment would take at least an hour, so it was safe to say that her sleep time would be less than four hours.


    Kia was walking with her eyes down, she no longer paid attention to her surroundings and just waved casually at the people who greeted her and just smiled faintly, she was too tired to even speak. Her head was spinning because tonight there were so many customers and there was no time for her to rest.


    Even though she worked as a shift leader, she certainly couldn''t ditch the workload tonight and burden her colleagues, right? She couldn''t sit still doing nothing when everyone was so busy doing something.


    Kia walked through the parking lot and had to wait for the bus at the bus stop. She felt that her legs were too heavy to walk because the stop was about ten minutes from the restaurant where she worked.


    She was so tired that she didn''t notice her surroundings and didn''t realize that someone was following her.


    "Kia," Misha called when he saw the woman walking in front of him but didn''t see him, this time, he pulled Kia''s arm again like that afternoon.


    Kia looked surprised that someone suddenly grabbed her arm and squealed because she thought it was a stranger, or a thief roaming around at night like this.


    However, her surprised face turned cold when she found it was Misha who was standing in front of her.


    This man was so tall and handsome, exactly the same as thest time she had seen him. He also looked very neat, as if he had just returned from a date.


    "Let go," Kia growled, but she didn''t have the strength to free her own hand, so she took a deep breath. She just wanted to return home sooner and be with Mika, but why did she have to deal with this man again?


    And what was more, what was he doing here? How did he know where she worked?


    Kia narrowed her eyes, but it seemed she had answers to all those questions. This bastard¡­ if he could find out where Mika''s daycare was, of course Kia could assume he knew a lot of other things too, right?


    "We need to talk," Misha said, repeating the words he''d said the first time they met again. Did he not have anything else to say besides that?


    Kia really wanted to scream in frustration at Misha that she didn''t want to talk, she didn''t want to fight, she didn''t even want to say a word. She wanted to sleep. Her body was very tired and the thought of sleeping next to Mika was really tempting.


    "I don''t want to talk, so now let go of my hand," Kia said in a voice that sounded very sharp.


    But, as always, of course Misha would not listen to the request.


    "Your face is pale," Misha said in a worried voice. Under the streetlights in this parking lot, he could see how pale and tired Kia was. Was her life that hard? Misha frowned.


    If only she hade to him and told him that she was pregnant with his child, of course she wouldn''t be in this kind of trouble, would she? There was no way Misha would refuse to support his own child and abandon them both.


    But, why didn''t Kiae to him? Why didn''t she tell him she was pregnant with their child?


    "Don''t touch me," Kia said firmly while pping Misha''s hand that was about to touch her face away. She didn''t like being touched by this man.


    "I''ll take you home," Misha said, it wasn''t a request, but a statement, for which he wouldn''t ept a single word of refusal.


    "Stay away from me," Kia growled, she tried to release his grip but she should have known it was a futile effort. She would gain nothing from trying this.


    "I''ll take you home," Misha repeated the sentence earlier and Kia was not at all pleased to hear that.


    "I don''t want you to take me home." From behind Misha, Kia could see four of her co-workers, all of whom were men,ing over to her because she had screamed earlier, they must havee to make sure she was okay.


    Ugh. The problem would only get bigger if they got involved.


    Misha was now busy pulling Kia toward his car. It had already been proved that he didn''t ept any refusals at all.


    And just at that moment, the four men, who were Kia''s co-workers, came up to them.


    "What is this?" asked Dion, he frowned when he saw Misha gripping Kia''s arm tightly and the woman''s face which showed that she didn''t like being treated like this. "Are you all right, Kia?"


    However, Misha decided to ignore the man.


    In that instant, Kia knew things weren''t going to go well and she had to stop this before things got out of hand even further.


    "Let her go," said Dion, he then stepped forward and tried to stop Misha, because his body was bigger than his three friends. He wanted to push Misha''s shoulder.


    However, before he could touch him, Misha had pushed his hand away hard enough and this made Dion widen his eyes in disapproval of Misha''s treatment.


    "Let go of her, okay?" Adam, another colleague, then intervened and now the four of them had surrounded Misha and Kia, even Ariel had grabbed Kia''s other hand and this made Misha feel even more displeased.


    Misha then jerked Ariel''s hand which was holding Kia''s hand and pushed him away. He red fiercely at the four men in front of him and even though he was greatly outnumbered, Misha didn''t show the slightest bit of fear in his dangerous and cold eyes. He looked at them with eyes that shone with anger.


    "Okay, enough!" said Kia in the end. She just wanted to go home now, not watch this meaningless scuffle between these men. "It''s okay, I know him."


    Kia didn''t want to waste her time here, while her rest time was getting less and less now.


    "You know him?" Adam asked, he squinted at Misha. "Are you okay? We heard you scream earlier," he reminded Kia.


    "Yeah, I''m fine, I was just surprised because he suddenly appeared," said Kia. "No problem."


    The four men looked at Misha and Kia back and forth, but they couldn''t tell what was really going on.


    However, it seemed they could only believe that what Kia said was true, that she knew this man.


    "Call one of us if you need help," said Ariel.


    "Yes, of course," Kia agreed immediately. She then gave them a small smile to reassure them that she was okay.


    "Do you want us to wait or take you home?" asked Dion, offering to Kia.


    "It''s okay, I''ll go home with him," Kia said again, waving her hand so they could get out of there and she could go home in peace.


    "Are you really all right?" Dion wanted to make sure, he looked at Misha and felt that his face was somewhat familiar, but he couldn''t remember where he saw this man.


    "Yes, I am doing okay. I know him." Kia really wanted to get out of there.


    And after exining a few things to them and calming them down and making sure that she would tell them when she got home, they finally relented and let Misha take Kia.


    But, they still followed Kia and Misha to his car. And how the four men widened their eyes, dumbfounded in disbelief at the sports car that Misha was driving.


    Meanwhile, Misha opened the car door for Kia and was about to fasten her seatbelt for her when the woman pushed his hand away.


    "I can do it myself," Kia said quietly. She was too tired to maintain that cynical attitude.


    At that, Misha closed the car door and walked to the other side and immediately sat behind the wheel, ignoring the admiring gazes of the four men there.


    He then started the car and drove out of the parking lot, while Kia was silent, sitting quietly.


    Well, it wasn''t all that annoying, because that way, he could take Kia with him more easily, because he didn''t want a confrontation.


    "Where is your house?" Misha asked. He wanted to break the silence between them by having small talk with Kia.


    "No need to act stupid," Kia said as she closed her eyes and leaned back. "If you know where Mika''s daycare is and where I work, you surely know where I live too."


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 743: WE NEED TO TALK

    Chapter 743: WE NEED TO TALKThe intervention of the four men earlier turned out to be quite helpful for him as well. That was why, Misha too didn''t say anything, because after that, Kia willingly let him take her home in his car.


    On the other hand, the reason Kia was willing to be driven home by Misha was because she was already too tired and wanted to go home soon, she could also sleep in this man''s car on the way home and again this way, she didn''t have to waste any time bickering with him at all.


    "Where is your house?" Misha asked. He wanted to break the silence between them by having small talk with Kia.


    Actually, Misha had waited more than four hours because Kia should have left work three hours ago, but it turned out that she extended her shift which made Misha have to wait longer in the cold night air.


    Misha chose not to enter the restaurant because he didn''t want Kia to see him first which would have made the woman run away before she even saw himself. Therefore, he chose not to directly approach her.


    Meanwhile, when Kia heard what Misha asked, she snorted. "No need to act stupid," Kia said as she closed her eyes and leaned her body against the back of the car seat that felt veryfortable, her eyes felt very heavy now. "If you know where the daycare is, where I leave Mika and also where I work, you definitely know where I live too."


    Yes, logically, shouldn''t he have known it already? Kia would be very confused if Misha didn''t know about it.


    "You really are very observant," Misha said, then nced at Kia, who had closed her eyes. "Are you sleeping?" he frowned.


    "Yeah, I''m going to sleep, so don''t be loud," Kia said half-mumbling. She felt veryfortable now and since Misha knew where she lived, she could sleep peacefully, couldn''t she? "Wake me up when we reach our destination."


    "Isn''t it rude to leave me driving alone while you sleep?" Misha was still trying to have a conversation with Kia, but the words that came out of his lips were quite harsh.


    Luckily, Kia was too sleepy to feel offended. Therefore, she didn''t think much of her answer when she replied to Misha.


    "I only have four hours to sleep and now I''m conserving energy," said Kia. She still had her eyes closed when she spoke.


    "But, I want to talk to you." If Richard were here, he would have sighed in frustration that Misha couldn''t read the situation at all.


    All this time, Misha only let him be subjected to formal situations, where he had to constantly be professional. Most people would try to please him so that he did whatever he wanted.


    Therefore, Misha was not used to begging or asking others for help.


    "I want to sleep, if you want to talk to me then just drop me off here, I''ll take the bus home, so I can sleep." This time Kia opened her eyes and looked at Misha fiercely, she was ready to get out of this car and was even about to unbuckle her seatbelt.


    However, Misha held her hand and stopped her movements.


    "Go to sleep, I''ll wake you up when we get there," said Misha in a low voice. He then nced at Kia, who was staring at him intently, then removed his hand, while she closed her eyes again and fell asleep.


    It didn''t take long for Kia to fall asleep, because she couldn''t stay awake anymore.


    Even her hatred for Misha couldn''t beat this drowsiness of hers and in fact, she wasfortable enough to sleep in this man''s car.


    "Are you really sleeping?" Misha muttered as the car stopped at a red light. He then turned around to look at Kia, who was now hugging her own body. She even snored softly in her sleep.


    Four years seemed to havepletely changed Kia. She looked much fiercer and toughened.


    The woman he had known for just a week four years ago was a sweet and cheerful intern, sheughed a lot and always had a smile on her face.


    However, the woman sleeping beside him right now wasn''t that kind of woman at all¡­


    Kia became more cynical while her words had turned sharper. She seemed alert and much calmer than the intern girl who worked for hispany in the past.


    What exactly had she gone through for the past four years? And why did she run away from home?


    Wouldn''t it be much better for her to stay home with her family while she was pregnant? Why did she have to take the much more difficult way out?


    Was she not going to say anything? She wouldn''t say anything just like she did four years ago?


    Even now, Misha couldn''t understand what was going on in Kia''s mind and why she was doing what she was doing now.


    =========================


    Kia opened her eyes because of the sound of her cell phone that kept ringing incessantly. She looked groggy as she just woke up and when she felt around her she finally felt something strange.


    Her body felt stiff and she could not move freely. When she tried to open her eyes, she had to wait a while for her eyes to adapt to the light around her.


    Where was she now?


    Kia was trying to understand where she was now, as it seemed her mind was still not working properly, but then she realized there was someone right beside her.


    "Are you awake?" Misha greeted her.


    For a few seconds, Kia frowned, because she didn''t understand how Misha could be here, but then slowly, she rememberedst night''s events and when she looked around, it was clear to her what had happened.


    She was still in the car, with Misha''s jacket slung over her, covering her to keep herself from getting cold.


    But why?!


    "Didn''t I tell you to take me home?! Where did you bring me?!" Kia eximed angrily, she then threw the jacket in her arms at Misha angrily, which was immediately caught by him.


    "We are now in your apartment building, in the basement parking lot to be precise," Misha said in a slightly hoarse voice. From the dark bags of his eyes, it was clear that he had not slept all night.


    "What?" Kia then looked around and realized that what Misha said was true, she was in the basement parking space of her apartment building. "Why didn''t you wake me up?!" cried Kia.


    She then looked at her appearance in the rearview mirror of the car and cursed. Her appearance was very messy.


    This was a face she didn''t even want to show the person she hated. She shuddered because her face looked terrible, fromck of sleep and exhaustion.


    The make up on Kia''s face had been smudged and this made her look even more terrible, especially with the bags under her eyes that seemed to show how sleep deprived she was.


    "You slept so soundly, I couldn''t wake you up, but if I carried you, there''s a chance you''ll wake up and if your roommate sees me, she may misunderstand," said Misha.


    On any other asion, Kia might have realized how much Misha could be so considerate about a possible misunderstanding, but for now, she was very upset about having to sleep all night in the car.


    "You could have woken me up," Kia said demandingly. It was only now that she could feel her body aching so much from not sleeping on her mattress.


    It seemed, she didn''t feel any better after sleeping at all, even now, she felt much worse, from sleeping in one position for a long time.


    "I didn''t want to wake you," Misha said, repeating his exnation.


    However, Kia didn''t have time to argue with him, because she had to pick up the phone that had been ringing since earlier, it was certain that it was Keira. She and Mika must have been surprised that she didn''te home all night.


    And sure enough, when Kia picked up the call, the first sound she could hear was Mika''s cries.


    And because the basement was very quiet and the crying was quite loud, Misha could hear it too.


    This made him ufortable.


    "Yes, mommy is fine, sorry for making you so worried," Kia said to persuade Mika to stop crying. "Mommy has arrived at the apartment, in five minutes Mommy will be upstairs, okay?"


    Kia then said a few more things to calm Mika, while releasing herself from the seatbelt that was still wrapped around her body.


    Ugh, at least Misha could have taken this seatbelt off, right? No wonder she felt suffocated when she slept earlier.


    Then, Kia took her bag and opened the car door, when she was already outside she put away her cell phone so no one could hear what she said to Misha.


    "Thanks for the ride."


    That was all Kia said and that was all Misha got after waiting for four hours outside the restaurant where Kia worked and after staying up all night, waiting for Kia to wake up. He just got a ''thank you for the ride''. Just that.


    However, Misha couldn''t do anything, because he could only watch as Kia walked away, entering the building and Mika''s cries still ringing in his ears again.


    ========================


    "I think I have to take her to the doctor," Kia muttered. When she hugged Mika, she her body was hot. She got too emotional earlier and had cried for over two hours now, because she didn''t find Kia beside her when she woke up in the morning.


    Mika had been like this since she was a baby, she was very sensitive to her surroundings and got sick easily.

 Chapter 744: WHO IS THIS MAN?

    Chapter 744: WHO IS THIS MAN?Keira woke up because she heard the sound of Mika''s crying and this worried her a lot because it was unusual for the little girl to cry like that.


    Therefore, she was so surprised to find that Mika was sleeping alone until morning while Kia was nowhere to be seen. Kia hadn''te home even until this morning, that of course scared Mika who couldn''t be calmed down now.


    Luckily, Keira didn''t take long to contact Kia, and as it turned out, Kia was already near the house and not long after that she rushed back.


    It was just that Mika was sick now. Her little body was burning. She was too emotional and apparently had been crying for two hours, because she didn''t find her mother beside her, but Keira didn''t hear her.


    Mika had a weak body, and if she was too emotional like now, she would fall ill.


    Even though it was nothing to worry about and so far she would only get a fever, but still it made Kia uneasy.


    "Looks like I have to take her to the doctor," Kia mumbled, as she hugged Mika.


    She herself felt a little dizzy because after the long shiftst night andck of sleep, not to mention she had an exam in less than two hours from now.


    But, Mika was sick and she couldn''t just leave her like this. Moreover, if this little girl got sick, she would be very fussy and didn''t want to be with anyone but her mother. She wouldn''t even want to be with Keira.


    "But what about your exam?" Keira asked. She knew that this exam was very important for Kia, otherwise she would have to repeat a year.


    If she wanted to reschedule, she should have done it one week ago and it couldn''t be done suddenly like this. Therefore, Keira could feel the frustration that was felt by Kia now.


    "I have to take Mika to the doctor," Kia said in a slightly trembling voice. She was aware of the consequences, but she couldn''t leave Mika, especially since the exam would take almost half a day.


    Mika''s situation would only get worse if she wasn''t by her side. It could be said that this was the emotional dependence her daughter felt on her.


    "Okay, I will apany you to find a taxi," said Keira, she then immediately ran into her room to get a jacket, even though she was very sleepy earlier, but now her drowsiness hadpletely disappeared and she didn''t think that she could sleep anymore.


    But, before Keira came back, someone was knocking on their apartment door and this made Kia confused, because there were not usually guests this early.


    Holding Mika in her arms, she then opened the door and how surprised she was when she saw who hade.


    It was Misha. The man was standing right in front of her apartment door with a face that looked hard to read.


    "What did youe here for?" Kia asked sarcastically. She wasn''t surprised at all when she found Misha knowing exactly where her apartment was.


    One other thing that was on Kia''s mind was; what else might Misha know? She hated it when other people tried to find out about her, especially people she didn''t expect like Misha.


    "I heard Mika''s cries on the phone earlier," Misha said in a low voice, his eyes fixed on Mika who was still sobbing a little. "What''s wrong with her?" he asked.


    "Nothing, now leave." Kia was just about to close the door again when Misha held it back. It was hard to fight him when she had to carry Mika, therefore, Kia couldn''t close the door. "Get out of here, Misha. You''re not needed here."


    Misha was thest person she wanted to see now.


    But, before their conversation could continue any further, Keira hade out of her room wearing a jacket and carrying a purse and without looking at who hade, she then asked.


    "Who is that? We''re going to the doctor now, right?" she asked while tying her hair, but then her question stopped in her mouth when she saw Misha''s figure. "Who''s he?"


    Keira approached Kia because she could feel the tension in the air and how Kia''s body stiffened when facing this man.


    "What happened? Who''s this?" Keira asked in a low voice, she was just about to ask whether she should call the police or not. She found it strange because even though he was handsome and educated and looked very attractive, this man kept staring at Mika.


    But, before she got an answer from Kia or asked more about him, the man had already spoken.


    "To the hospital?" Misha repeated in a voice that sounded very cold, now his sharp eyes were directed at Keira which made the woman feel her heart beating very fast because of nervousness. "Who is sick?"


    Misha wasn''t sure if it was Kia''s roommate, because she looked very healthy and Kia was fine when they parted in the car, so that left him with his little daughter who was still crying now.


    "Mika is sick?" Misha asked again because no one answered him at all.


    "It''s none of your business," Kia said curtly, she then took her bag and immediately walked past Misha with Keira following behind her.


    Keira still hadn''t been told directly about the man''s identity, but it seemed she could guess that the man was Mika''s father, but why did she feel his face was familiar? She felt his face was very familiar like she had seen it somewhere. But where?


    Could it be because he was handsome that she felt that she had seen the man in an advertisement? Probably a model? Or at some ce¡­


    Keira shook her head and reminded herself to ask Kia after all this had settled down, because now Kia seemed to be really panicking seeing Mika was sick.


    But, before the elevator doors closed, Misha had stopped them and forced himself into the elevator as well, not giving Kia or Keira a chance to escape from this cramped ce.


    Then, Misha swiftly pressed the button for the parking lot above the lobby, which now became their first stop. That way, Misha could invite the two of them to get off on that floor.


    "My car is here," Misha said in a firm voice, he left the elevator open, while he didn''t get out, so the elevator couldn''t go down.


    "I don''t need your car," Kia said angrily, because Misha was slowing things down and she wanted Mika to be checked right away.


    "It will be faster than you guys looking for a taxi at this hour," Misha exined again, but Kia just red at him.


    Actually, Misha wanted to grab Kia''s hand and force her into his car, but he didn''t think it was a wise move for him to take if he wanted to get close to Kia again.


    Therefore, he used all his patience to get Kia into the car with him.


    "Stay away from the door, Misha!" Kia growled in a sharp voice. "Stop being so childish!" she cried in annoyance.


    Meanwhile, Keira could only stare at the interaction between the two of them because she didn''t know what to do at a time like this. This was a family matter if she could say to the least.


    "Stop being so stubborn," Misha said, his voice calm, even though Kia looked really stressed right now. "We have the same goal to help Mika not be in pain anymore. Come with me."


    Keira looked at Kia and then Misha alternately, before she spoke softly, she was afraid that she would cross a line.


    "We should go with him," said Keira, who immediately got a fierce re from Kia, because her friend didn''t support her at all. "I mean, our main focus is Mika, right? If we wait any longer, she''ll be in more pain, and it''s difficult to get a taxi after all."


    What Keira said was true, but Kia still felt reluctant, especially when she had to give into Misha.


    But, no matter what, what her best friend said was true, she had to prioritize Mika over anything else.


    Therefore, although Kia felt very annoyed and displeased, she finally agreed to Misha''s request and stepped out of the elevator.


    Kia still remembered where Misha parked his car earlier and immediately headed there.


    "Who exactly is he?" Keira asked in one sharp breath when she saw the car Misha was driving. She was not a car enthusiast, but at least she knew expensive cars and what was in front of her could be said to be a very expensive car.


    On the other hand, Kia didn''t answer the question and immediately got in the car. She sat in the back, while Keira sat beside her, leaving Misha sitting in the front alone, which made him look like a chauffeur to both of them.


    "Kia, don''t you want to sit in the front?" Keira whispered because she felt bad, especially since she couldn''t possibly sit in the front, it would be even more awkward.


    However, Kia ignored the request and it seemed Misha didn''t think much of it either and immediately started the car and drove away from there.


    Along the way, Misha called someone and from the conversation, it seemed that he was asking someone to prepare a room and a pediatrician for Mika.


    Who exactly was this man?!


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 745: WHAT KIND OF MAN IS HE?

    Chapter 745: WHAT KIND OF MAN IS HE?Keira didn''t know what to say anymore when she found out who Mika''s real father was. He was the son of a well-known businessman from the Tordoff family in City A.


    Therefore, it was only natural that she felt like she had seen this man somewhere, there was no way that she had never known this man before.


    Keira gasped, she couldn''t say anything, especially when she saw the hospital room Mika was being treated in now.


    "This hospital room is even better than our whole apartment, you know?" said Keira in a whispering voice filled with admiration.


    Keira saw the VVIP room that had been reserved by Misha and was amazed at how he was able to get a room like this on such a short notice and even snagged a thorough check up by a specialist doctor in person.


    But, if you look at the Tordoff family behind him, of course it was a very possible thing to happen and there was nothing strange about it actually.


    Keira couldn''t help but shudder at how powerful the Tordoffs were as she wondered how Kia could associate herself with this man.


    And howe only now did Misha Tordoff meet his daughter? Because as far as Keira knew, Kia didn''t like to discuss or talk about Mika''s father at all, so she had never brought up this topic either.


    On the other hand, Kia didn''t really care what Keira was thinking, because her main focus was on Mika. Her daughter was screaming in pain and she kept trying to calm her down, while the doctor was trying to examine her body.


    Mika''s cries grew louder when a doctor told her that the little girl needed an injection. She immediately wrapped her little arms around her mother''s neck and buried her face in her neck, terrified.


    Mika had a bad memory of hospitals and syringes, ever since her tender age, therefore, it was understandable that she wouldn''t stop crying now.


    "Is there no other way but to inject it?" Misha asked with a dark face. He was standing right next to Kia, looking at his crying child, while Keira was standing on the other side of the room.


    Even though there were more than ten people in this room, it still didn''t feel cramped and suffocating.


    "That''s the most efficient way," said the doctor, who then exined Mika''s condition, which Kia didn''t need to hear about, because she already knew it long before they exined a little about her daughter''s condition.


    "Mika..." Kia called while trying to calm down her daughter who kept crying. "it''s okay, mom will be here, okay? Mother will hug Mika like this, it won''t hurt, if it hurts, Mika can scream."


    Kia paid no heed to what the doctor said to Misha in exnation for Mika''s condition, while Kia more than knew to let them inject her, as this was not the first time this had happened to her.


    "You''re a smart kid right?" persuaded Kia. "It''s okay, it will only hurt a little, after that you won''t even feel it anymore. Okay? Mommy will be by Mika''s side all day."


    Mika then lifted her head from the crook of Kia''s shoulder, she looked at her with her eyes filled with tears while muttering softly.


    "Mommy will be beside Mika? Not going anywhere?" she asked in a low voice. She huped a few times while Kia wiped away the tears that were still running down her cheeks which were red from crying for too long. Mika''s body felt hot to the touch and this made her feel very worried.


    "Yeah, Mommy will be by Mika''s side, until you fall asleep and when you wake up, I''ll be here too, okay?" Kia said in a soft voice to persuade her.


    "After that, shall we go to the yground?" Mika asked randomly, because she remembered what Kia promised her not a long time ago.


    Kia had been wanting to go to the amusement park for a long time, but since she was too busy and money was critical to her, she could only promise her that.


    "Yes, of course,ter we will go to the yground," Misha said in a low voice, trying to follow Kia''s way of speaking to their daughter.


    Only, the little girl frowned when her chat with her mother was interrupted by Misha.


    "I just want to go with mommy," Mika said between her tears.


    In other words, Misha wasn''t included in her itinerary and she didn''t want Misha there.


    Mika''s words of course quietened the atmosphere in this room suddenly and everyone who heard it felt awkward and awry in responding to it.


    If Richard were here, he would be very impressed with the resemnce between the two of them. Where both of them could make the atmosphere that was calm be awkward with just a few words.


    "Okay, I''m not going," Misha said calmly, as if Mika''s words didn''t bother him at all, if only he was pretending now, then his acting was very convincing. "You''re going with mommy, but before that, let this doctor check on you, okay?"


    Mika stared at Misha for a moment, as if she was considering whether she could believe him or not, but then she reached out her hand and buried her face back into the crook in Kia''s shoulder.


    The little girl allowed the doctors to inject her.


    After confirming that Mika was in good hands and Kia was there to look after their daughter, Misha turned her attention to Keira and walked over to her, making the woman widen her eyes in surprise.


    "Can we talk for a minute?" Misha said quietly to Keira and made the woman gasp, surprised by his invitation.


    Frankly speaking, Keira had an inkling of what Misha would ask her. Therefore, she nced over and stole nces at Kia, she wanted to know what she thought.


    But, for the time being, Kia wasn''t paying attention at all to herself, all her attention was on her daughter and that was very, very understandable.


    But, the problem was, Keira didn''t want to say anything without Kia''s permission first.


    "Pleasee this way, Ms. Keira," said Misha, which surprised Keira again.


    How did this man know her name, for as long as she could remember, Kia didn''t even call her name, therefore, it was very unlikely that Misha knew her name.


    However, with such a gesture, Keira felt pressured and his sharp and urgent gaze made her unable to refuse.


    Defeated, Keira then walked out of this very grand hospital ward, looking back at Kia every step she took forward, hoping that her best friend would notice her and stop this man from further interrogating her.


    Once outside, Misha then exited through the emergency exit, which had a small balcony leading to the parking lot, which allowed you to smoke there.


    And without much to say, Misha then lit a cigarette, an old habit he had begun to return to since he found out where Kia and their child were.


    Misha was very sure that it was his child, other people who didn''t know would say that Mika was his child without the slightest doubt.


    And when Misha exhaled smoke from his mouth, he looked at Keira through the puff of smoke. While around them it was still very bright, because it could be said that it was still quite early, when they decided to get out of the apartment and go to the hospital.


    "Tell me what you know about Kia," Misha said in a calm voice.


    And this was enough to surprise Keira because Misha was very direct with his question. She was offended by the way he spoke and folded her arms across her chest. "What makes you think that I will answer your question?" Keira asked with a hard face. She looked back at Misha as if she wasn''t afraid of this man, even though she wanted to get out of there at the first chance she could find.


    "How much money do you want to answer all my questions? You''ve been friends with her for quite some time, you must know some things about her, right?" Misha didn''t hesitate to throw in the money to get the answers he wanted.


    And unfortunately, it actually made Keira snort. "I understand why Kia doesn''t want to be with you," she said in a voice filled with a disgusted tone.


    Hearing this, Misha was silent for a moment, before he resumed smoking his cigarette and exhaling the smoke into the air.


    Since Misha was standing against the wind, the smoke from the cigarette didn''t hit Keira, so it wasn''t a problem for him to smoke in front of her.


    "Enlighten me, why doesn''t she want to be with me," said Misha.


    To Keira, this would sound like Misha was very arrogant in response to her words. However, for Misha, he really wanted to know why Kia didn''t want to be with him, because he didn''t know what the reason was that she didn''t tell her whereabouts.


    "Are you kidding?" Keira asked, snorting in disgust at the behavior of this man in front of her. He was a Tordoff, but he really was a bastard.


    "No, I''m serious," Misha said and he was very serious about why Kia rejected him. He had everything she wanted and there was no other reason to turn him down. "Tell me why did she reject me?" Misha asked with an expression that showed how serious he was.


    Keira felt conflicted, because she felt Misha was not joking with her with the question.


    What kind of man was Misha Tordoff exactly?

 Chapter 746: WHAT NOW?!

    Chapter 746: WHAT NOW?!"What do you want? Aren''t you the one who has disappeared from Kia''s life? Why are you only looking for her now?" Keira asked, her eyes fixed on Misha Tordoff, showing her distaste for the man.


    Keira was indeed the type of person who said clearly what was on her mind and didn''t hold back at all. She was indeed surprised and bbergasted to find out who Mika''s father was, but that didn''t mean she would lose her mind just because of that.


    After all, she didn''t know Misha very well. Yes, this guy''s image out there was really good, but she didn''t know him personally, did he?


    If this man was really a good person, there was no way he would just leave Kia and their child. Especially when Kia would rather live a very miserable life together with her child than have to tell this man.


    "I am the one questioning you here, not the other way around," Misha confirmed, but unfortunately, Keira snorted and turned around while looking at Misha very fiercely.


    "It''s up to you what you want to say, but if you expect to get information from me, then you are wrong, I won''t give you any information," Keira said coldly, then she walked out of the balcony stairs on the emergency stairs and walked back to the stairs that would lead her to the room, where Kia had put Mika to sleep, leaving Misha alone there, spending his time smoking a cigarette.


    Misha squinted at the blue sky and the clouds that looked very soft and white, somehow he felt mncholic now and couldn''t think straight.


    The sound of Mika''s crying kept ringing in his ears and the way Kia calmed her down also didn''t seem like the first time they had to deal with a doctor.


    Mika seemed frightened when she saw several doctors and nurses who surrounded her earlier and her cries became even louder. What actually happened to his daughter? Was the illness more severe than Misha thought?


    Misha couldn''t think straight. He then threw away his cigarette butt on the floor and stepped on it to put out the fire before he walked into the hospital building again and headed straight for the specialist''s room he had arranged.


    He couldn''t face Mika, he didn''t want to see the little girl cry, because she felt ufortable. He couldn''t see her face twisting in pain again.


    ========================


    "Are you okay?" Keira asked as she walked into the inpatient room and only found Kia there, her head on the side of the bed, holding Mika''s little hand, while the girl was fast asleep.


    Slowly, Kia raised her head and looked at Keira who was dragging a chair to the side of Kia''s chair and then rubbed her shoulders.


    It was clear how tired Kia was now. The dark bags under her eyes were clearly visible and her tired eyes seemed to reflect that she could fall asleep at any given moment now.


    "I am fine," she said in a slightly hoarse voice and then nced at Mika who was sleeping soundly. "The doctor also added sleeping medicine in her injection earlier, so she can sleep soundly, so her body can rest and recover faster. Where have you been?"


    This time, Kia looked at Keira with more solemn eyes and then nced at the door, confirming that there were only the two of them in the room.


    "Is that man causing trouble to you?" Kia asked worriedly. She had guessed it right seeing how Keira reacted when she mentioned Misha.


    Keira first sighed heavily, and then lowered her head, looking at Kia with eyes that were still a little annoyed.


    "I don''t know, but I think that guycks sympathy." Keira tried to find the right words to describe Misha.


    Andck of sympathy ording to Kia was the right parable to describe Misha. "I can understand that."


    Keira nodded her head, agreeing with what Kia said, but then she smiled meaningfully. "But why didn''t you tell me that Mika''s father is Misha Tordoff?! Damn girl! You got yourself a loaded man!"


    Kia justughed softly when she heard ament like that, because Keira was used to having her own opinion, but that didn''t mean she would have her eyes on Misha, because she had fallen head over heels with her fianc¨¦.


    And even if Keira went after Misha, Kia thought it wouldn''t be a problem at all. She didn''t have any feelings for the man now.


    What she felt four years ago was really some mixed up shit, which could make you unable to feel anything anymore.


    "Well, I seem to have forgotten that part," Kia said lightly, she then gently stroked Mika''s face and kissed her both cheeks. There were tear marks there and now Kia was using a dampened tissue to wipe them off.


    She didn''t care about Misha, but if he could make Mika healthier, she had no problem paying for this hospital and getting their daughter the best care.


    Keira then apanied Kia for a while, but she couldn''t be there for the whole day because she had work to do and moreover, she had a date with her fianc¨¦ tonight.


    "It''s okay, go home first, I''ll catch up with youter," Kia said with a smile. "Maybe I''ll go home when Mika wakes up and her condition improves."


    And with that, Keira went out of the hospital ward and found Misha standing beside the door, as if waiting for her toe out of the room.


    At first, Keira wanted to reprimand him and apologize for the outburst earlier, but when she saw the man''s cold face, Keira immediately shoved her intention away and chose to leave instead, because she didn''t want to get involved any further with this man.


    And Keira''s instinct was right when she thought that Misha was waiting for her toe out of the room, because when she turned she saw Misha entering the room before closing it behind him slowly.


    What actually happened between the two of them?


    Meanwhile, in the room, Misha walked over to Kia and sat on the chair that was upied by Keira earlier.


    Misha was grateful that Mika was sleeping now, her sleeping face was so cute. Maybe this was a biased judgment because Mika was his daughter, but he found that this little girl was the most beautiful and adorable little girl he had ever met.


    Not only that, Misha could tell that this little girl was quite intelligent for her age.


    "What things does she like?" Misha asked in a low voice. He wanted to buy a present for his daughter.


    He had prepared a special room for Mika and put all the toys he had bought there, but he didn''t know what colors this girl would like and what kind of decorations she would like.


    Did she like minimalist decor? Monochrome? Or one that had a theme?


    Misha imagined this as if he was asking for a grown up girl''s taste in decoration¡­


    "You don''t need to know about that," Kia said in a tired voice, because she was sleep deprived and feeling very stressed and thest thing she needed was to talk and confront Misha.


    Kia just wanted to make sure Mika was okay.


    "Is it not a good time for us to talk?" Misha asked. He then looked at Kia who was now looking back at him fiercely, with dark bags adorning her eyes. He actually cowered when she let out a low grunt. "I don''t think this is the right time."


    Misha frowned and then there was a knock on the door which made him go and take a look, while Kia didn''t really care about what was going on around her, while she rested her head on the side of the bed holding Mika''s hand.


    The image of her little girl in pain kept shing in her eyes and she wouldn''t be able to forget Mika''s every cry every time she needed an injection.


    Then, just as Kia was about to fall asleep from exhaustion, she felt a tap on her shoulder which brought her back to her senses.


    She didn''t know that she almost fell asleep even though she only closed her eyes for a few seconds.


    "I bought you breakfast, I thought you hadn''t eaten this morning," Misha said while holding up an expensive-looking take out bag, which contained the food he ordered. "Come and eat."


    "No," Kia refused him outright. She then tried to turn her head back down, but Misha tapped her on the shoulder again. "You have to eat first, if you want to sleep, there is a room where you can sleep."


    Misha pointed to one of the doors. As it turned, there was one more room for apanion in this VVIP room.


    "But you have to eat first, otherwise you''ll get sick," said Misha in a very patient voice, even though Kia was currently staring at him very fiercely.


    "I don''t want to eat anything," said Kia. She was the type of person who would skip meals when she was sleepy. She would rather sleep than eat. "I''ll sleep here for a bit."


    However, when Kia was about to close her eyes again, Misha tapped her on the shoulder again and woke her up again.


    "What now?!" Kia snapped fiercely, because this man was bothering her again and she could see how surprised Misha was when he heard Kia raise her voice.


    This must be the first time for him to be yelled at by someone.

 Chapter 747: CAN WE TALK?

    Chapter 747: CAN WE TALK?Misha didn''t know how he should face Kia, because he had never been in a serious rtionship before and all he had ever been through were short, meaningless rtionships.


    If only persuading Kia was as easy as snagging a project or chairing an important meeting, then the problem would have been solved by now, but it wasn''t that easy.


    There were many things that Misha didn''t understand, starting from his difficulty reading Kia''s emotions, where he couldn''t use the same methods to make her do what he wanted.


    This was a new field that Misha had never ventured into before, therefore, he had a hard time dealing with a hellbent Kia like this.


    Richard said that he had to show concern for Kia to melt her heart, therefore, knowing that she hadn''t eaten because she left too early, he bought her a breakfast she might like.


    However, this woman was actually angry with him.


    "Want anything else?!" Kia snapped fiercely, because Misha was bothering her again and she could see how surprised Misha was when he heard Kia raise her voice. His forehead furrowed deeply.


    This was the first time for him to be yelled at by someone other than his parents. No one else would treat him like this.


    And this made Misha even more confused.


    "You haven''t had breakfast, I want you to have breakfast first." Misha put the breakfast he bought earlier on the table. "You have to take care of your health first if you want to take care of Mika."


    In a way, Misha''s words had some truth to them, but for now, Kia wasn''t in the mood to hear such words.


    Kia then closed her eyes, she felt her chest tighten as she held back her annoyance, but she didn''t want to create a scene in this room, while their child was still lying sick and might wake up when she heard the noises they made.


    Therefore, she took a deep breath and calmed herself because it seemed she was too carried away with her emotions. She then nced at the breakfast that was on the table.


    "You haven''t had breakfast either, have you?" Kia said. She then let go of Mika''s hand and took the food bag and brought it to the table in the middle of this room. "We can eat together."


    After saying this, Kia sat down on the sofa and opened the box of food on the table. There were four boxes. One of the boxes contained rice, the second one contained vegetables, the third contained meat and the fourth had side dishes in it.


    This food looked simple and not too overwhelming, but looking at the restaurant logo printed on the stic alone, she could confirm that the taste of this food would be exceptional.


    "It''s only enough for one person, you can eat it yourself." Misha didn''t feel like eating. He didn''t have an appetite when he saw his daughter lying sick, but it didn''t ur to him that Kia also felt the same way.


    But, Kia red at him. "You think I can finish all of this?" she asked sharply.


    Misha was about to say something, but when he saw the look on Kia''s face, he could tell that this woman was very angry and ording to the advice Richard gave him when a woman was angry, you should just shut up and do what they wanted.


    Therefore, Misha just let it go when Kia split the rice and meat in half, making two boxes for the two of them, because she had no desire to go to the cab and get an extra te.


    Kia only ate because she didn''t want to get sick too, since she had to take care of Mika. And after all, dividing by two like this would be a lot more practical.


    "Here," Kia said as she handed a box to Misha and handed him a spoon while she took the fork. She cursed why this famous restaurant had only provided one set of cutlery.


    But then, Misha took the fork in Kia''s hand and gave the spoon she had given him earlier instead.


    Kia wanted to protest, but then she restrained herself, because there was no point in doing so either. Therefore, instead of fussing over unnecessary things, she decided to just eat her breakfast.


    On the other hand, Misha didn''t say anything and started eating his food too.


    But, in the end, neither of the two of them ate more than five mouthfuls of their food. No matter how delicious the food was, their tongues felt numb. They simply couldn''t taste anything anymore.


    With that, Kia put down her food and walked to Mika''s side again. She then fell asleep beside her daughter, while Misha watched over the woman.


    =======================


    "I''ll pick you up for the next check-up schedule," Misha said after he took Kia back to her apartment.


    Mika''s condition improved after she was hospitalized all day and was allowed to go home the next day, but Misha forbade it and wanted Mika to continue taking treatment.


    It was just that Kia insisted otherwise while Mika didn''t seem to like being in the hospital for long periods of time, so with a very heavy heart, Misha agreed to take Mika home.


    "You don''t have to do that," Kia said in a tired voice. She then sat on the sofa and looked at the man in front of her.


    At this hour, Keira must be in her room, listening to the two of them chat, given the thin walls of the room.


    Actually, Kia didn''t want to bring Misha into their apartment, but earlier he was forced to hold Mika who had fallen asleep, while Kia, who felt her body was too tired to carry her daughter, intended to wake her up, but Misha forbade her to do so.


    And now, Mika was sleeping soundly in their room.


    From the expression Misha showed when he saw the room she was in, Kia could tell that he didn''t agree with the decor of the ce, but wisely he didn''t say anything and Kia appreciated it, as she didn''t want to hear any criticism from this man about how she raised her daughter.


    "Of course it''s necessary, Mika is my daughter," said Misha bluntly.


    Kia red at Misha, she then narrowed her eyes when she heard those words. "Do you have proof that she is your daughter?" she asked. "Your name isn''t even on the birth certificate."


    Misha stuttered when he heard this. Of course he knew that his name wasn''t on Mika''s birth certificate, but hearing Kia say it directly made him frown.


    There was an ufortable feeling he felt rising within him, one he couldn''t name or know how to express.


    "If that''s the case, we can do a DNA test now. I can call someone to do it right now," Misha provided a solution. Wasn''t that an easy thing?


    But, then, Kia became very angry. "I don''t want her to be examined any more."


    "It wasn''t a checkup, it was just a smack on the cheek," Misha said in an even tone, but he was getting more and more uneasy when he saw the expression on Kia, especially her eyes that shed with anger.


    Why was she this angry?


    "I refuse it," said Kia firmly. She then stood up and folded her arms in front of her chest while looking intently at Misha.


    It had been a long time since Misha had been stared at by someone like this, he felt like a child who had done something wrong.


    "I thank you for your help today, but go home now, I hope this is ourst meeting," Kia said firmly. She nodded toward the door and then continued in a tone softer than before, sounding tired. "Go home, Misha."


    "I don''t want this to be ourst meeting," Misha replied. He didn''t even get up from his seat. "How can you tell me to go home when you haven''t even served me a drink? Aren''t those basic manners?"


    At this point, Misha didn''t know what he was talking about, but he had toe up with an excuse that would let him stay here a little longer, because maybe by then, Kia would be calmer and be able to talk to him better.


    But, on the other hand, Kia stared at him in disbelief at what she had just heard. How could he ask for a drink and talk about manners in a situation like this?


    "It''s quite a journey from the hospital to here," Misha said again because he didn''t get the reaction he wanted from Kia.


    "You had your drivere over earlier." On their way back, Misha called his driver, which made the situation a bit awkward as they had to sit side by side with Mika between the two of them.


    "But, I need a drink." Misha coaxed, half-forcing, because at this point, he couldn''t back down anymore and change his excuses suddenly.


    Kia wanted to nag because it sounded absurd, but then she remembered that Misha had helped her and put Mika in the best care possible, so a ss of water and sparing ten minutes of her time didn''t seem like a hard thing to do, did it?


    At that, Kia walked toward the kitchen and poured a ss of cold water in a ss and gave it to Misha.


    "There are no other drinks here."


    "This is enough," said Misha, taking the ss from Kia''s hand. "Can we talk now?"


    Kia knew that she couldn''t avoid this anymore either, so it was better to just face it, right?

 Chapter 748: FLOWER

    Chapter 748: FLOWER"Can we talk now?" Misha asked her the same question yet again since the first time they met.


    Things were already like this and Kia knew that she couldn''t avoid this anymore either, so it was better to just face it, right?


    Therefore, with a heavy heart, she then looked at Misha and took a deep breath. "What do you want to talk about?" she asked.


    Yes. What exactly did Misha want to talk about? Richard advised him to talk to her, but he himself didn''t know where to start, and therefore, he was very confused as to what he should tell Kia.


    There were many things he wanted to ask and say, but how to say them?


    "I want us to make arrangements for our child," said Misha atst.


    "What do you mean arrangements for our child?" Kia asked with narrowed eyes.


    Later, Misha exined what he meant by arrangements, how he would meet herter and how the school fees and other things rted to Mika would be dealt with by him.


    He wanted to transfer Mika to the best school there was, take her on trips to ces she''d never been and buy her everything she wanted.


    Misha nned to throw a party for the little girl and buy her whatever she wanted.


    The longer Kia heard this, the darker her expression became. She pressed her lips into a thin line, whereupon she gritted her teeth to contain her emotions.


    What was really going on in Misha''s mind? How could he have such a way of thinking?


    "What makes you so sure that Mika is your daughter?" she asked. She didn''t say it out loud, but it was very clear that she wanted to say that Misha was not Mika''s father.


    "If you still refuse, we can do a test now."


    "I never allowed you to do any tests on her."


    "Then she is my daughter," Misha summed it up casually. Because what else was the reason for Kia to refuse it?


    Hearing this, Kia became very angry. Maybe it was because of the side effects of not getting enough sleep and not getting enough rest, or maybe it was because she didn''t have the patience for Misha anymore, but for sure, right now Kia wanted the man in front of her to leave this ce.


    "Go back to your house. You''re not needed here," Kia said in a calm voice, but that didn''t mean the situation wasn''t serious. In fact, the calmer she was, the angrier she was.


    "I want to discuss my daughter''s future," said Misha. He couldn''t possibly let his child be left in an unfit daycare like that. He didn''t want Mika not to get what she deserved.


    "You don''t need to discuss Mika''s future, because you won''t be in it," Kia said sarcastically. She then stood up and faced Misha coldly.


    This time, Kia took the initiative to walk to the door before opening it for him, asking Misha to go outside rather directly.


    Seeing this gesture, Misha knew that he couldn''t stay there for long and couldn''t persuade Kia to talk to him either.


    Thus, Misha walked outside and just as he had stepped outside, the door behind her closed and there was the sound of the door being locked.


    Misha turned his body and took a step back, staring at the closed door, his forehead furrowed in displeasure.


    It was the first time he had been kicked out of someone''s house and his presence was not expected.


    ========================


    "Oh," Richardined, he lightly pped himself on the forehead when he heard everything that Misha recounted. "Sir, you shouldn''t have said something like that right away¡­" heined again.


    "What should I say then?" Misha asked with furrowed brows. He sat behind the desk and leaned his back against the back of the chair, staring at Richard fiercely because he didn''t speak more clearly, so he could sort things out with Kia as soon as possible.


    Or at least that was what Misha had in mind, because this man''s way of thinking was so practical.


    "I''m talking about our child''s future, isn''t that something important? The two of them won''t live in hardship anymore."


    And then, Richard again reminded Misha of his previous advice, where he told himself if Kia wanted toe back to him, then she would havee back to him at the start. But the girl simply chose not to.


    Misha had to stop trying to attract Kia by giving gifts or relying on his money alone.


    Of course, Richard put the words together much better than this, because otherwise Misha would have kicked him out of the room by now.


    "You didn''t tell me what I was supposed to say," Misha protested, ring fiercely at Richard, as if frustrated by this man''s ipetence.


    If only Richard could answer that, then he would have shouted at Misha that he wasn''t a marriage consultant!


    Unfortunately, he had worked too long for the Tordoffs and he didn''t want to do things that would lead to his early retirement.


    "You have to start by asking how she is feeling first, sir, how she is and how is their life situation now," said Richard giving an example.


    "I just came from the hospital, of course I know the condition of the two of them and I also know their life situation from the report you gave, so why should I ask something I already know for sure?" Misha asked confusedly and this really made Richard want to boil all his reports and make Misha drink it like a cup of coffee.


    Because that was not what he meant...


    It was safe to say that his point had some truth to it, but the context was very different this time and Misha should be able to read the situation better.


    Richard knew that Misha wasn''t very smart in this aspect, but he just realized that his boss was very superficial.


    How could he talk about that the first time they spoke?


    "But you still have to ask," Richard said patiently, while Misha really didn''t have any idea at all about all of this. "Ms. Kia would not know if you knew that, right?


    Misha frowned disapprovingly. For him, why ask what he already knew just for the sake of prolonging a conversation? He was not there to make small talk.


    "Then, what should I do now?" Misha asked. He didn''t want to dwindle any longer with this topic that brought his ns down.


    Richard then thought for a moment.


    "How about you start in the most ssic way possible?" said Richard with a cheerful face, he looked at Misha with eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.


    "ssic way?" Misha asked in a voice that sounded disbelieving. He tilted his head to look at Richard questioningly. "What do you mean by ssic way?"


    Richard then walked a little closer to Misha, and said excitedly. "How about you start by sending flowers?" he said, trying to suggest a solution.


    "Flowers?" Misha wrinkled his nose.


    "Yes, usually women like flowers, most women like flowers." Richard became even more excited to exin this.


    "Have you ever given flowers to a woman?" Misha asked and then red at Richard, wanting to see if this man had done it himself or not.


    "Ah, that¡­" Richard scratched his head ufortably, he couldn''t say he''d ever done this, but he certainly heard this from a lot of people. Most of them would say that, right?


    However, because Richard didn''t exin further, Misha''s eyes grew sharper.


    And to save himself, Richard shifted Misha''s focus by adding another suggestion, which he felt would be much more effective. "And choctes too. Usually small children really like choctes, no child will refuse when given chocte."


    However, the theory quickly proved incorrect the next day because at that time, Misha got a direct call from Kia, which left him speechless.


    Misha was quite shocked when he heard how the womanshed out at her. In fact, four years ago, when they met for the first time, Misha always had the view that Kia was a gentle woman, who wouldn''t even raise her voice when she was angry.


    But, what was this¡­


    "Richard!" Misha eximed with a darkened face. He looked at her personal assistant with a look as if he was going to kill him and this left the man stunned, wondering what he had done to make this man this angry.


    "Yes?" Richard asked hesitantly.


    This time they were back in the same position as yesterday, where Misha sat in his chair staring at Richard fiercely, while the man looked scared, because Misha was not usually like this.


    "Your ssic ways just added to my problems!" said Misha with very real annoyance. He got up from his seat and walked toward Richard.


    Richard''s first instinct was to raise his hands, because he felt that if Misha got close, his boss would beat him to a pulp.


    "What is it? What really happened?" Richard asked confusedly. He took two steps back and Misha only stopped approaching him when his back hit the wall behind him.


    "Kia called me and she was furious because her apartment is now full of flowers!" Misha did contact Kia, sending a message to be more precise, to let her know that he sent her something. But she called to scold him immediately out of anger instead.


    "Full of flowers?" Richard frowned, he was trying to understand the situation. "How many flowers have you sent?" he asked suspiciously.


    "One shop!"


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 749: COME TO MY PLACE NOW

    Chapter 749: COME TO MY PLACE NOWRichard didn''t understand why Kia got so angry when Misha sent her flowers and this made him frown.


    It was clear that Kia was furious at Misha for his boss to look like this, because otherwise he wouldn''t have shown the aura of a murderous person like this.


    And then, Richard became suspicious, hoping that his suspicions weren''t true and kept telling himself that Misha couldn''t have done any ridiculous things again.


    But, there was nothing wrong in asking, right?


    "Full of flowers?" Richard frowned, he was trying to understand the situation. "How many flowers have you sent?" he asked suspiciously.


    "One shop!" Misha replied. He said that with a guiltless expression, as if it was amon thing to do.


    Richard felt that he would have a heart attack when he heard what Misha said. One shop?! Did he want to open a new shop in the cramped apartment Kia was in?


    Of course Richard knew howrge the apartment the two people were staying in, even the rooms they were in would not be asrge as this office space.


    Had Misha gone mad?!


    But Richard could only say hisst words in his heart, for there was no way he could curse openly at Misha now, when he was so upset himself, without realizing where his mistakey.


    After feeling shocked and then annoyed at being med for something he didn''t rmend, Richard now felt desperate for his boss.


    How could he be so oblivious to those around him when his own father was such a master at seduction?


    At least that was what Richard heard from the senior bodyguards when they got together and shared tales.


    "Mr. Tordoff¡­" Richard said in a tired voice. He was trying to be patient with Misha and this was a real challenge to his restraint. "I don''t think you need to buy her one shop worth of flowers. One bouquet is enough."


    Misha frowned. "What''s a bouquet for? You think I can only afford one bouquet?"


    Richard''s patience seemed to be running low and he hoped Misha wouldn''t say any more annoying things.


    "Mr. Tordoff, if you want, you can buy her a garden," Richard said in a matter of fact tone, because that was exactly what he could do."


    "Yes, right. I can buy her a garden if she''s willing to talk rationally with me," Misha said, confirming Richard''s words.


    You''re the one who''s not thinking rationally right now! Richard eximed in his heart, he was trying not to say what he was thinking right now to his face, but it turned out to be very difficult to do.


    "You''re the one who''s not thinking rationally right now!" cried Richard in a loud voice before he knew it. He suddenly raised his voice and this took Misha by surprise.


    Not only Misha, right after the outburst, even Richard was also surprised because it was the first time for him to yell at his boss like that. He was really frustrated with Misha now. This man knows nothing at all!


    How could he live in this world and have so many women when he didn''t even understand the basics of wooing someone?


    And when Misha''s shock had subsided after hearing Richard''s harsh words, his eyes widened in a very dangerous way.


    Previously Kia and now Richard? What was wrong with himtely? Did he be so soft that it was easy for people to yell at him?


    Misha growled. He gritted his teeth, while Richard held his breath as he raised both hands, which indicated that he was giving up.


    "That''s not what I meant, Mr. Tordoff. Don''t get me wrong first," said Richard hastily, because he knew he was in a predicament right now. If not stopped he could be in far more danger. "Calm down first¡­"


    "Calm down?!" Misha roared. He was yelled at by his own subordinates? And now he was asking him to calm down?!


    ========================


    "What are you going to do with these flowers?" Keira asked. She was stunned when she saw the flowers that covered the entire floor of their apartment. "The apartment manager said they''d have to get rid of these flowers if you don''t get them out of the corridor."


    The problem was; the flowers sent by Misha filled not only their apartment, but also the corridors and lobby of the apartment and made other residents feel disturbed, especially since some of them had allergies to flowers.


    "Throw them away," Kia growled. She stared fiercely at the flowers that filled her apartment, while Mika yed with them. She didn''t understand their situation and was just thinking that their small apartment was like a garden now.


    "Yeah, I thought you''d say that, so I told the apartment management to do what they wanted," Keira informed her and Kia nodded in agreement.


    "Mommy, mommy, look!" Mika eximed. She took two flower stalks from one of the bouquets and put them in her hair and hugged the bouquet to her chest. "Am I beautiful?"


    "Of course," Kia said in a cheerful voice. She didn''t want Mika to see her annoyance and then bent down to hold the child. She kissed her little daughter before ying with the flowers around her.


    After all, these flowers were already here, so it wouldn''t hurt if she used them a little before throwing them away.


    "Mommy can make a flower crown, Mika will you join me?" she asked.


    Mika nodded her head and looked at her mother with sparkling eyes. Kia also smiled when she saw her daughter like that. It was just that, it was undeniable that more and more Mika looked like Misha.


    There was no way that Misha didn''t notice this, or the people around him, especially the people who had seen him when he was a child.


    But, before Kia could do anything else, someone rang the doorbell of her apartment and Keira went to see who hade.


    Usually they didn''t have many guests, it was only Keira''s fianc¨¦ who often came here, but today it seemed like a lot of people were visiting them.


    "Who is that?" Kia asked curiously when Keira came back and her expression looked very bitter. "What is it?"


    "That man sent choctes," said Keira with a low tone and a heavy sigh.


    Hearing this, Kia''s eyes fell on Keira''s hands, but she didn''t bring anything from outside, her hands were empty. "Did you throw away the choctes?" Kia asked, surprised. Even if Keira had thrown the choctes away, Kia wouldn''t have a problem at all.


    "No," said Keira, but the look in her eyes showed that she was scared right now. She looked distracted and didn''t seem to know what to say and this irritated Kia.


    What actually happened?


    "So?" she asked, raising her eyebrows questioningly.


    Keira didn''t answer right away, her eyes were fixed on the parking lot and she felt that they could see her from this balcony.


    "Come here, I think you can see where the choctes are," Keira mumbled as she crossed the room and opened the curtains and then walked toward their small balcony, as Kia followed her.


    A bad feeling started to overtake Kia, because it seemed that she knew what Keira meant, but she hoped that her instincts weren''t right.


    Meanwhile, feeling the change in atmosphere with her mother and big sis Keira, Mika followed them, still carrying the flowers in her hands, then looked around her before pressing her face against the iron trellis there.


    "There!" said Keira when she saw the logo of the choctepany that Misha sent to their house.


    "No way¡­" Kia choked when she saw three trucks bearing the logo of the city''s famous choctepany and couldn''t help but shake her head, but she couldn''t find the right words to say in this situation. Her tongue went numb and the only thing she could think of was to call Misha.


    "What would you do?" asked Kira. Not three choctes, but they were talking about three chocte trucks that Misha Tordoff sent for Mika.


    Did he want her daughter to get diabetes by eating all that chocte? He''s crazy...


    For Keira, to buy just that one box of choctes, she had to reduce her expenses for two months and eat them carefully.


    It never urred to her that there woulde a day where she could eat choctes until her teeth hurt¡­


    Surely Kia would share them with her, right? That was if she did ept the choctes.


    But, for now, Kia was trying to call Misha. She looked furious like someone was about to scream in anger. If it wasn''t for Mika who was there and listening to their conversation, then she would have cursed and uttered inappropriate words.


    It was just that Misha seemed to be in the middle of an important meeting, or he didn''t check his cell phone, because after dozens of times Kia tried to call him, Misha didn''t pick up the call at all.


    Until finally, Kia decided to send him a short message.


    =======================


    Dania did not understand what Mr. Tordoff and Richard were thinking. The two of them sat across from each other watching Misha''s cell phone ring loudly dozens of times, but they had absolutely no intention of picking up the phone.


    Who actually called Mr. Tordoff, that his face looked so restless like that?


    In the end the phone calls stopped, there was a message that came in and Misha immediately opened the message which read; COME TO MY PLACE NOW.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 750: DONT COME TO SEE US AGAIN

    Chapter 750: DON''T COME TO SEE US AGAINDania could only scratch her head in confusion at the behavior shown by Richard and Mr. Tordoff. What were they actually up to?


    "Why don''t you pick up the phone?" Dania asked. Mr. Tordoff was still staring at his cell phone.


    Richard then put his finger to his lips and said in a hushed tone. "Shh! Don''t make noise," he said in a voice that resembled a whisper and made Dania frown.


    And in the end the phone call stopped, there was a message that came in and Misha immediately opened the message which read; COME TO MY PLACE NOW.


    Misha frowned and immediately showed the message to Richard and the man grimaced.


    Even if it was just a message, Richard could feel the anger Kia was feeling. Howe? Misha wasn''t thinking clearly when he sent three trucks of choctes for Mika.


    It was understandable that Misha wanted to unt his wealth, but this didn''t seem like the right time and moreover, this wasn''t his original intention.


    Misha was just a little bit slow witted in showing his emotions and in this kind of rtionship.


    "How should I reply?" Misha asked Richard, with a face that showed that he was clearly very confused about the situation.


    Meanwhile, Dania tried to see the contents of the message, but even so, she didn''t understand the context of their conversation.


    "If it''s like this, it seems that there is no other choice," said Richard as he took a deep breath and looked at Misha with a slightly desperate expression. "You must meet her."


    Hearing this answer, Misha didn''t look happy. He looked like he wanted to say something but then thought better of it and sighed, realizing that there really was no other way.


    It seemed that he had to go and meet Kia in person to exin the current situation.


    However, he found it very difficult to do so.


    =========================


    Luckily, the management of this apartment was able to handle the flowers that Misha sent and sell them to a flower shop nearby at a very low price, but the money from the sale would be used to rent the truck that would bring the flowers to that flower shop.


    On the other hand, Kia didn''t really care anymore where they took the flowers. As long as the flowers weren''t in front of her eyes, then she would be fine. She didn''t want to make the problem worse.


    "Where are you going?" Kia asked when she saw Keira was about to go out dressed quite neatly.


    The girl then smirked and said very happily. "I have a date with my fianc¨¦," she said cheerfully.


    Seeing her friend smiling happily, Kia also felt a little better.


    "Okay, have fun," Kia said while ying with Mika. Keira came out of the apartment, but when she opened the door, she gasped and screamed, making Kia curious who immediately rushed after her to the front door.


    "What is it?" Kia asked and when she looked toward the door, and immediately knew what had surprised Keira, because there, she found Misha standing with an expressionless face.


    It seemed that when Keira opened the door, Misha was about to knock on it.


    "What did youe here for?" Keira asked with furrowed forehead, she looked at Misha displeased. She looked very unfriendly now.


    "I came here to meet Kia."


    And before Keira could babble again, Kia had opened her mouth. "It''s fine, Keira, I invited him toe here."


    Kia didn''t think that Misha woulde so soon, she thought this man wouldn''te because he didn''t reply to her message, but he was already in front of her apartment door.


    Kia just hoped this man didn''t bring anything with him anymore or buy her something again.


    After hearing what Kia said, Keira finally let Misha into their apartment, while she waved her hand at Kia, letting her know if something happened to call her immediately.


    Hearing such a thing, Misha couldn''t help but frown. What was she trying to do? Keira made it look like she was about to do something bad.


    Meanwhile, if one could say, if there was anyone who waspletely unaffected by Misha, it was Keira, her loyalty toward her best friend was unquestionable, even Misha couldn''t shake it.


    Meanwhile, Kia looked at Misha with annoyed eyes and let him in.


    There, in the living room, Misha could see Mika ying with makeshift toys on the carpet. It wasn''t a set of expensive toys or something that looked good, very different from the toys he had bought for her.


    He had prepared one room as Mika''s yroom and another for her bedroom.


    Misha genuinely thought that Mika would like it.


    "What are you ying?" Misha asked as he approached Mika, who was ying with a jelly-shaped toy. He frowned because he didn''t like the texture when he touched it.


    "Slime," Mika replied in her childish voice, she didn''t lift her head and just kneaded the toy.


    "You like toys like that?" Misha asked again.


    "I like it," Mika answered quickly.


    "What if¡­" Misha was about to say what he wanted to say when Kia came over with a cup of coffee and immediately cut him off.


    "Don''t even think about buying her one," Kia said sharply. "You''re overdoing things."


    Hearing such usations, Misha frowned. "How can you say such a thing?"


    "Didn''t you see what happened to those flowers?" Kia asked, she red at Misha.


    Indeed, earlier when Misha came to this apartment, he did see so many people carrying out the flowers.


    At first he didn''t think anything of it, but when Kia put it this way, he realized that they were the flowers he had sent over.


    Misha didn''t even know what flowers had been sent to Kia, because he didn''t know what flowers she liked, so he sent all kinds of flowers he could find.


    However, he didn''t expect it to be that much.


    However, Misha couldn''t promise that he wouldn''t buy anything for Mika, because he didn''t n to do that at all.


    "Why did youe here?" Mika asked, she raised her head to look at Misha, looking at him with her round eyes.


    "Because your mother told me toe here," Misha replied in a matter of fact tone, because indeed he came because it was Kia who asked him toe to this ce.


    Because otherwise, hearing how she sounded on the phone earlier, Misha felt like he must not bother the two of them for a while.


    In Misha''s mind, there was an image of Kia who looked so gentle and very obedient, but now she looked much different from the girl in his memory.


    "Here, have a drink," Kia said as she ced a cup of coffee on the table and then let Mika y with her slime while she shifted her focus to Misha. "So, can we talk now?" she asked.


    Misha then sat more upright, as if he was going to have an important meeting that he couldn''t mess up and this made Kia sigh with exhaustion. This man actually thought this was one of his business meetings.


    "First, stop texting me too much, because it''s troublesome," Kia said in a voice that sounded quite loud. She looked at Misha sharply and could see the man shifting ufortably in his chair.


    "Yeah, I admit that it''s a little too much," said Misha admitting his mistake and smiling sweetly at Kia, hoping that this way, this woman would be more gentle with him, at least that was the advice given by Richard.


    Too bad, Kia didn''t seem persuaded by Misha''s sweet smile and instead continued her words. "And secondly, stop visiting this ce."


    "I''ll visit you at work or daycare then," Misha said in a rxed and casual tone.


    Hearing that answer, Kia was bbergasted, but then she realized the wrong word choice she used.


    "I mean, you don''t need to see me or Mika anymore. Stoping to the ces we go." This time Kia made it clear for him.


    And just as Kia had expected, Misha would not ept such an arrangement. He immediately tried to retaliate. "Then how about you guyse over to my ce? I''ve already prepared a room for Mika."


    Kia gritted her teeth. "Didn''t I tell you that you don''t need to see the two of us again?" she asked with disapproving eyes.


    "Of course I can''t do that, you can''t stop me from meeting my daughter," Misha said in a voice that sounded displeased.


    "I never said that Mika was your daughter."


    "You never said that Mika was not my daughter either," Misha replied, Kia neither denied nor agreed. Therefore, it was safe to say that Kia just wanted to avoid this question altogether.


    "Stop ying with words," Kia said grimly, she knew how good Misha was when it came to puns.


    Misha nodded, as if in agreement. "So, when are we going to my house to show the toys I bought for Mika?" Misha asked, as if the previous conversation had not happened at all.


    "I told you not that I didn''t want to see you," Kia said, this time her voice sounded much firmer and clearer.


    Misha looked at Kia with a straight face, but then he turned his attention to Mika. "But, we don''t know what Mika wants, do we?"


    Misha then spread his arms, as if to hug Mika, asking her to walk toward him, but the little girl walked toward her mother instead.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 751: YOU, NOT WE

    Chapter 751: ''YOU'', NOT ''WE''Misha indeed realized that what he did in the past was a mistake and now he wanted to make amends for it, only, he didn''t know how to do it and he still didn''t understand how fucked up what he had done to Kia was.


    Especially the life she had to live after that together with Mika.


    It was true that Misha was here trying to make amends, but he approached them without understanding how much pain he had caused Kia first and it resulted in him ending up with a wrong start.


    "We don''t know what Mika wants, do we? So, why don''t we just ask her?" Misha said. He looked at Kia calmly. "If she wants to look at her new room filled with toys or not."


    Misha shuddered slightly when he saw how cold Kia looked when she red at him in response, but then he turned his attention to Mika, because he knew the way he was doing this was wrong.


    Just because he had more money and could buy anything for Mika, he was using his money to win their daughter''s heart while it was always unfair to Kia that even to eat they had to calcte their expenses until now.


    Misha then spread his arms, as if to hug Mika, while coaxing her toe to himself. "I have a room full of toys for you, do you want to see it?"


    Misha made a gesture, asking the little girl to walk toward him. He was sure that this little girl would choose him, but instead of walking toward him, Mika walked toward her mother.


    This of course surprised Misha. He blinked a few times in disbelief, but he didn''t just give up and repeated his offer.


    "Do you like toys?" Misha asked. "I have a lot of toys in my house and there is a special room full of toys, you want to take a look?"


    However, Mika frowned and instead turned her face away from Misha and hid it in the crook of her mother''s neck. She hugged Kia tightly.


    Meanwhile, Misha was dumbfounded. He couldn''t believe that Mika didn''t want to see a room full of toys.


    "Have you got the answer you wanted now?" Kia asked sarcastically, she hugged Mika tightly and looked at Misha fiercely. "Now that you have seen it for yourself and got the answer firsthand, there''s nothing more you need to do for us and you better get out of here and nevere back."


    Indeed what Kia said sounded very cruel and too harsh, but this she had to do, considering who she was dealing with was Misha Tordoff.


    Their meeting was brief, but that didn''t mean Kia hadn''t learned anything, even now this man in front of her hadn''t changed.


    On the other hand, Misha fell silent when he heard what Kia said, but then he replied with a grunt. "Isn''t she still a kid and doesn''t know anything? We can take her to my house and show her, then we will know if she likes it or not."


    Kia looked at Misha fiercely, her eyes widened and this made Misha lean his back against the back of the sofa and fold his arms in front of his chest. This was his defensive stance and he would do this whenever he felt cornered, like now.


    ===========================


    "Call Daniel to my room now," Misha said to Dania over the phone at his office desk.


    Misha then stood up, staring at therge window that reced one of the walls in this room, and allowed him to see the whole cityndscape. This was a beautiful sight, if only the sky wasn''t cloudy which indicated that it would soon rain heavily, even though it was still too early.


    This made the mood a little bad and the same was felt by Misha. He had been feeling a little mellow since this morning because of this very unpleasant weather.


    Not long after, someone knocked on his office door and as soon as he was ushered in, Daniel Lyrant faced Misha.


    The young man looked cheerful, even in the current unfavorable weather. He exuded a positive aura that made Misha frown slightly.


    "You called me?" asked Daniel in a cheerful voice.


    "Sit down," Misha said, pointing to the sofa as he sat across from him. At first, he didn''t know what to say, so he asked about the progress of the project Daniel was working on.


    For a moment, Daniel frowned in confusion, because he shouldn''t be the one exining this to Misha and Misha should have gotten a full report on what happened from someone else in a higher position.


    But, since Misha had asked, Daniel answered it with utmost sincerity. He exined some things and also added his opinion.


    On the other hand, Misha actually didn''t really listen to his exnation because what was on his mind was something else. There were other questions that bothered him, and nothing concerned this project that he was hearing about now.


    However, Misha didn''t know where to start, because there was no way he could ask such a sensitive question casually.


    "It''s like that¡­" Daniel said, ending the long and detailed report, while Misha only responded by muttering or nodding his head. Daniel became suspicious, did his boss really listen to him?


    Meanwhile, Misha was trying hard to think of something, until he finally came up with a slightly absurd reason.


    "You seem to have mastered this field well," Misha praised. "So how about I treat you to dinner, over which we can talk more about this matter?"


    "What?" Daniel was surprised because he didn''t expect this offer at all. "Dinner?"


    "Yes, you can choose the ce," said Misha. He then looked at the sky that was getting darker outside and felt very restless. He took a deep breath.


    On the other hand, Daniel who saw Misha''s behavior felt very strange, because his boss usually didn''t take him to dinner somewhere. If he invited himself to dinner, why did his face look like a depressed person? Shouldn''t he be the one feeling that way?


    ======================


    Kia really got into trouble for not showing up for the final exams and after pleading earnestly and also submitting proof that Mika was indeed sick, they gave her another chance.


    Indeed, this rarely happened, but not never, therefore, Kia was very grateful and very relieved that her efforts so far had not ended in vain.


    While her exams were finished without any hup, she couldn''t go home right away because the dark sky had been pouring cats and dogs since an hour ago. She also had to pick up Mika from the daycare. She couldn''t stay on campus for long to wait for the rain to stop like everyone else.


    Therefore, the only way was to break through the rain and pick up Mika, because seeing the rain falling so hard and the sky only turning dark by the minute, Kia wasn''t sure that in the next few hours this rain would stop.


    And after wrapping herself in a jacket, Kia ran to the nearest bus stop and waited for the bus.


    Cold air wafted over, brushing her cheeks and making her body shiver with cold.


    Usually it took about an hour to get to the daycare where she left Mika, but because of the rainy day and traffic jam, it took Kia longer to arrive.


    And once she arrived at the nearest bus stop, she had to run through the rain again, because the distance from the nearest bus stop and daycare was about two hundred meters.


    Of course, when Kia got to the daycare, she was soaking wet. She was shivering from the cold, but at least she was here and the two of them could take a taxi back to the apartment.


    Kia purposely didn''t take a taxi when she came to save money and she couldn''t find an umbre either, because no one expected that today would be stormy like this.


    "Mika, I am sorry, earlier¡­" Kia''s words were cut off when she saw Mika chatting with Misha in her ssroom, while the woman who was supposed to be looking after her was sitting on the other side of the room, clearly after allowing Misha to meet with Mika.


    "Mommy!" Mika eximed, running toward Kia with a happy face.


    The little girl was about to hug Kia, but she took a step back because her body was wet and she didn''t want her daughter to get sick from getting her clothes wet, especially since she had just recovered.


    However, what surprised Kia was why Misha was here. Her annoyance at the woman who was supposed to take care of Mika immediately disappeared.


    Kia was annoyed with the woman because she kept calling her every five minutes, even though she said she was on her way.


    "You are so wet, do you have a change of clothes?" Misha asked. He frowned when he saw Kia''s very wet clothes. If she stayed like this, she would get sick.


    "No," Kia said quietly, then asked. "What are you here for?" Her voice sounded a little displeased, but actually Kia was just surprised.


    "I want to see our child," Misha replied, which made Kia frown. She didn''t like Misha saying ''our child'', because Mika was her daughter, hers alone.


    "You can go now."


    "Shall we go then?"


    "I said ''you'', not ''we''." Kia corrected Misha''s words with a frown on her face.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 752: STAY OVER

    Chapter 752: STAY OVER"You can go now." Kia was really surprised when she found Misha in the daycare, together with Mika. She red fiercely at the young woman who was supposed to be looking after her daughter, but instead she tried to avoid her gaze and was busy with her own business.


    "Shall we go then?" Misha also stood up when he heard that Kia was leaving. Due to her wet body, Kia couldn''t carry Mika, so she took her hand instead.


    However, when she heard what Misha said, Kia gave him a stern look, as if Misha had said the most shameless thing she had ever heard. Maybe she was right too...


    "I said ''you'', not ''we''." Kia corrected Misha''s words with a frown on her face. She then took Mika''s bag and was about to sling it over her shoulder, but Misha beat her to it and carried it.


    "Wait a minute, I''ll ask Richard to bring the car here," Misha muttered. He then took Mika''s other hand.


    "I don''t need to take the car with you," Kia said firmly, she tried to take the backpack again, but Misha didn''t let her.


    Meanwhile, on the other hand, Mika did not allow herself to be held by him either. She clung to her mother, because she could sense that Kia didn''t like him, so she shared the same sentiment.


    "Don''t be silly, you will let her get wet after she got sick yesterday?"


    "I''ll call a taxi," said Kia.


    "Don''t be stubborn, if you don''t care about yourself, then you have to care about Mika. She refused to leave or eat because she was waiting for you. How much longer are you going to keep her from eating when she just recovered from illness?" asked Misha, which was Kia''s main concern as well and left her speechless.


    Misha had to give Dania a raise for this one suggestion, because Richard didn''t seem like a good adviser on this matter as he couldn''te up with an effective solution like Dania had given him.


    After Richard informed Misha of the problems faced by Misha, Dania joined the ''advisory board,'' which added to the job desk she already had.


    Meanwhile, after seeing that Kia couldn''t refuse, Misha was satisfied and immediately called Richard. He was sure that Kia decided to see how things would go for now, especially since she couldn''t have any argument against him.


    There was no way Kia would sacrifice Mika''s health just to satisfy her momentary ego.


    "Change your jacket with this," Misha said as he took off the ck coat he was wearing. "You can get sick, if you are sick, who will take care of Mika? I don''t mind if you give it to me." Misha added when he saw Kia was ring while staring fiercely at the suit he gave her.


    Hearing this, Kia immediately took off her jacket and put on the suit given by Misha. She was a little surprised, because something had changed in the way Misha spoke to her. She felt that this man was changing his strategy to approach her by always bringing Mika into the picture.


    Kia then dropped her wet jacket into Misha''s hands with the intention of pissing him off, because the jacket was really wet and it could ruin his shirt, but in fact, the man didn''t care at all, as he hugged the jacket.


    It didn''t take long for Richard toe with the car. The three of them got into the car.


    Mika looked around the interior of the car and her innocent face couldn''t hide her surprise and interest, but this made Misha frown.


    How could her daughter be so amazed by a car like this? While Misha didn''t think this car was luxurious at all, he didn''t collect as much of thetest cars as Jayden did, but he frowned as Mika''s amazed expression reminded her that he had failed to be in her life and provide the stability she needed.


    "You want some chocte?" Misha asked, he then took out a box of choctes, but then he pulled it back because he just remembered that all the chocte in this car contains alcohol. "Oh, no, we''ll just buy another vorter."


    However, Mika who had seen the chocte stared longingly at the golden brown box, especially when her hand had reached out to take the chocte, but Misha pulled it back. She felt like she was being toyed with.


    Feeling displeased, Mika turned her head and looked at Kia with teary eyes and then burst into tears.


    "This chocte contains alcohol, I can''t give it," Misha tried to exin after receiving Kia''s fierce re, because now she had to make Mika stop crying and persuade her that she could eat another chocte. "We''ll stop at the nearest supermarket," Misha said to Richard, trying to get some damage control done.


    Meanwhile, Mika sulked at Kia because she didn''t get the chocte that was offered to her. After all, Mika was just a three year old little girl and when Misha pulled back what he was about to give, she couldn''t help but sob to her mother.


    "We''ll buy itter, okay? The chocte that he was about to give you is not good," Kia coaxed Mika, who was sulking. She couldn''t hug Mika''s body, because after all, even though Misha had given her his coat for her to wear, the rest of her body was still soaking wet.


    If this wasn''t Misha''s car, Kia would''ve felt bad for getting someone else''s car dirty, making it wet like this, but since it was Misha''s, then the bad feeling had lessened a bit and that was a good thing for her.


    Meanwhile, Misha couldn''t hug her because the little girl didn''t want to be hugged by him.


    "Why would that uncle want to eat bad chocte?" Mika asked innocently.


    That uncle?


    Misha''s expression turned ashen, especially when Kia didn''t correct her. Indeed she didn''t introduce himself properly nor did they have a conversation about what exactly Mika should call him. Hell, Kia even now didn''t want to admit that Mika was their daughter, though she didn''t deny it either.


    =======================


    After Mika cried because Misha didn''t give her chocte and Kia tried to calm her down, Kia started to feel that her head was heavy and she slowly fell asleep.


    She didn''t know how long she had slept because the exhaustion she had felt for the past few days hade back to her so hard that she couldn''t resist the drowsiness she was feeling and fell asleep without her even realizing it.


    Thest thing she knew was that it was still raining and the sound of the droplets knocking against the windshield served as a luby that lulled her to sleep.


    Kia didn''t even notice when Misha asked Mika toe down and buy herself the chocte she wanted to eat.


    And now, she felt small kisses on her cheeks over and over again and Mika''s voice coaxing her to wake up.


    "Mommy, mommy..." Mika called in her childish voice. Dimly, Kia could also smell chocte.


    Groggily, Kia woke up and slowly opened her eyes. She found Mika whose mouth was covered with chocte, while Misha was wiping his dirty hands with a wet tissue.


    "Where is this?" Kia looked around as she remembered that she was in the car with Misha. "Where is this?" she asked again in a clearer voice after she realized that the ce around her waspletely foreign to her.


    This was not the apartment building. Wait, don''t tell me that...


    Kia turned her head toward Misha quickly, usingly, while the man calmly cleaned Mika''s mouth, which was smeared with chocte.


    "Where is this?" Kia demanded again, now her voice sounded much firmer.


    "We are at the Tordoff residence," Misha replied calmly. His facial expression didn''t change at all when he answered the question.


    "What?" Kia frowned. She wanted to scream or curse, but Mika was with them, so she took a deep breath and tried to tone down her voice. "Why did you bring me here?" There was still a hint of hostility in her voice and this made Mika turn and look at her mother.


    Mika was quite sensitive for her age. She would pick up on negative emotions around her quite quickly, especially when Kia was in the picture.


    "Because the Tordoff residence is closer," Misha replied curtly.


    For now, the rain had stopped, but the night sky was still cloudy.


    "No kidding, Misha," Kia grumbled. "It''s farther from the daycare here than it is to my apartment."


    It was true that she had nevere to the Tordoff residence, but it wasn''t like no one knew where this ce was at all.


    You could say the daycare to the apartment would only take about half an hour to an hour, but to the Tordoff residence, it would take you about two hours and a half to three hours.


    Who exactly did Misha want to lie to?


    "You needed a good night''s sleep and you also seemed to have a fever, so I stopped by the pharmacy to get you some medicine," Misha replied. "The pharmacy is close to here."


    Another lie. Who would believe that there wasn''t a pharmacy near the apartment where Kia lived?!


    Kia wanted to curse out loud, but Mika put her hands on both sides of Kia''s face and looked at her mother with worried eyes.


    "Mommy is sick?" she asked sadly and this made Kia re at Misha fiercely.


    "You''d better stay here for the night," he suggested.

 Chapter 753: THANK YOU, UNCLE

    Chapter 753: THANK YOU, UNCLE"Mommy is sick?" Mika asked sadly and this made Kia stare fiercely at Misha at thement he made earlier.


    This man was always talking nonsense. "No, Mommy''s not sick. Mommy''s fine," Kia said, trying to calm Mika down, but it didn''t seem to work because the little girl was looking at her with eyes filled with tears. Ugh.


    Meanwhile, Misha didn''t think that what he was doing now was a mistake, he saw this as an opportunity.


    And for a businessman like Misha, of course he wouldn''t miss any opportunity. Especially about the things that benefit him.


    "You''d better stay here for the night," Misha suggested. "It''s toote for you to go back to the apartment and Mika also has to sleep at this hour, right?"


    All the exnations and reasons that Misha said were very reasonable. It would be absurd if Kia insisted on going back to her apartment and also if she wanted to take a taxi home from here, it could be said that she could forget about eating for the next week. It''s too expensive!


    Damn it! Kia cursed, she had let her guard down¡­


    During the trip, Kia''s head was a little dizzy and because of thefort she felt, she only nned to close her eyes for a while, because of the unbearable fatigue, but who would have thought that she would fall asleep in the end. Ugh.


    If only she had realized sooner that Misha never changed and had be more vignt instead, she wouldn''t be in this kind of situation.


    "I don''t have a change of clothes here." Kia was still trying toe up with an excuse that sounded usible, so she wouldn''t have to spend the night here, but it didn''t seem like a problem for Misha.


    "You don''t have to worry about clothes, you can wear mine if you want," said Misha, who then got out of the car and opened the door for Kia and Mika.


    Meanwhile, hearing what Misha suggested, Kia threw a fierce re at the man, how could he suggest such an unreasonable thing?


    "Whoa! This house is huge. Uncle lives in this ce?" Mika asked and this made Misha wince when he heard how this little girl addressed himself.


    He wanted to ask her to stop calling him uncle, but didn''t know how. Therefore, for the time being, he just let it go, but only until he had a proper conversation with Kia.


    "Yes, this is where I live," Misha replied while holding Mika''s hand, but the little girl ran to Kia and took her mother''s hand instead when she got out of the car.


    Seeing this, Misha could only sigh softly, Dania told him that he had to be patient in dealing with Mika and Kia, because they were both hurt by his actions.


    Misha then walked first with Kia and Mika walking behind him. The little girl looked as if she was in awe and looked around her with curious eyes and this made Misha feel something caught in his throat.


    His own daughter was amazed to be in his home¡­


    It had never urred to Misha that a day like this woulde, but he had also never thought of getting married before, let alone having a child.


    "I''ll take you to your room," Misha said to Kia and Mika. He had called in advance to tell the maids at his house to prepare the children''s room that had been renovated and this was the perfect time to show it off.


    The room that Misha had prepared for Mika was located right in front of his room with a view of the pool and had good lighting in the morning, but at night you could hear the sound of water gurgling from the artificial waterfall beside the pool and that was a great thing. It was quite therapeutic to say the least.


    "This is your room," Misha said. He then pushed the pink door open with a worried face, impatient to see Mika''s first reaction.


    And it turned out that the wait didn''t disappoint, because just like a three year old would, Mika''s eyes widened yfully when she saw the piles of toys lining the walls and arge cartoon bed. She liked it.


    Thanks to Richard, after an in-depth investigation that took quite a lot of time, he finally managed to find out what cartoons Mika liked and also her favorite colors, which they got from the daycare where Mika usually went to.


    "Whoa! So many toys!" Mika eximed happily, she then immediately ran into the room.


    "Mika," Kia called her warningly, but Misha held her hand when she was about to stop Mika from approaching the new toys.


    "Leave her alone," said Misha. "I did buy them for her, so there''s no need to stop."


    Kia wanted to protest, but Mika seemed to be enjoying this and she didn''t have the heart to take this from her. She had to admit that she rarely bought her the toys she wanted due to financial constraints.


    But, that didn''t mean she would let Mika act as he pleased. There were still limits that Kia had to teach her child.


    "Mika," Kia called again, this time she pushed Misha''s hand away and walked over to her daughter.


    Mika who heard her name being called again then turned and looked at her mother, and as if realizing what she had done wrong, she then walked back to her mother shyly.


    This of course made Misha frown. He didn''t mind at all for Mika to y with all the toys in this room, because that was his goal and indeed all the toys were bought for her, so it was only natural for her to enjoy this.


    "Mommy," said Mika sheepishly. She then nced at the toys in the room again but then she returned her focus to Kia.


    "All the toys in this room are for you," Misha said, emphasizing his words, but Mika didn''t listen to him and moved even closer to her mother.


    On the other hand, Kia could see how frustrated Misha was and how much he wanted Mika to enjoy ying with these toys, so she tried to be wiser in dealing with this problem.


    "You can choose just one, but not all," said Kia.


    "Just one?" Mika repeated with a hopeful face and a smile tugged at her lips when she saw Kia nod in agreement.


    "She can have them all," Misha mumbled as Mika ran over to look at all the toys there, looking for the one she liked the best.


    Only, all of his protests were stuck in his lips when he saw Kia ring at him fiercely. Well, at least it was progress, with Kia allowing Mika to get gifts from him, right?


    As for Kia, it was not without reason that she limited Mika to just taking one toy. She didn''t want her daughter to be surprised by the changes that had urred and thought that she could get things easily when she was with Misha. It would turn her into a spoiled and entitled child.


    And one more thing that was more important was; Kia would never be able to afford toys like the ones Misha bought and she didn''t want Mika to be swayed by his wealth.


    It may sound selfish, but Kia had no intention of having a long rtionship with Misha. If she could, she would have gone far from here.


    Unfortunately, people like her who had limited money would end up living a life full of limited options as well.


    "Here, mommy, Mika wants this!" Mika then lifted a brown teddy bear almost as big as her. She grabbed the doll''s hand and dragged it to Kia as Misha stood up. "Mika wants this."


    "Ask him if you can have the doll," Kia said, she was teaching Mika to ask permission first.


    Mika then turned her gaze to Misha and with her big and hopeful eyes, she asked, "May I have this? Mika likes bears."


    With a gaze like that, who could resist it?


    "Hmm." Misha nodded and he was quite surprised when he saw a very wide smile full of innocence bloom on Mika''s lips. Her eyes even glowed and radiated happiness.


    So it was like this when someone''s eyes radiated happiness¡­ Misha only now understood that such words had a point as well.


    He wanted to see more, to see her sweet smile¡­


    "So? What do you have to say next?" Kia asked, as Mika hugged her teddy bear affectionately.


    "Thank you, uncle," said Mika in a very cute voice.


    On the other hand, Misha didn''t seem to pay much attention to how Mika addressed him this time, as the words he spoke next took them both by surprise.


    "Do you want a real bear too?" Misha asked. He thought, since Mika liked bears, maybe a real bear could make her even happier.


    Because Mika''sugh and smile were a beautiful thing to see for Misha, he wanted to see more.


    However, his question made Mika''s smile disappear and she frowned.


    "But bears are dangerous," said Mika in a low voice, hugging her teddy bear. "Mika is scared."


    Misha grimaced, because it seemed that he had the wrong strategy. "Oh, okay."


    Kia, who saw this, couldn''t help but sigh heavily. It seemed that Misha didn''t even realize what he was offering to a three year old.


    He waspletely clueless as to how to give a proper respond.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 754: THATS NONE OF YOUR BUSSINESS

    Chapter 754: THAT''S NONE OF YOUR BUSSINESSMisha couldn''t believe that he would finally see Mika and Kia in his house. If it wasn''t for his quick decision to bring the two of them here, then it was certain that he would never get an opportunity like this again.


    However, the fact that Kia looked unwell made him a little anxious. He wasn''t even able to fall asleep because of it.


    He wanted to check on her, but it was toote and it was certain that she was asleep by now. However, Misha couldn''t calm down until he confirmed that Kia was okay.


    Therefore, Misha got off his bed and walked out of his room, luckily the room he prepared for Mika was right in front of his, so he didn''t have to walk too far.


    For a moment, Misha hesitated to enter this room because he was afraid that Kia would misunderstand, but he needed to know that she was okay. Only then could he calm down a bit.


    Misha would only go in and make sure that Kia''s condition was fine after taking the medicine he bought earlier and if her fever had gone down, he would immediately leave the room and continue his sleep. It was a simple n and didn''t require a lot of nning, right? So he must not hesitate so much to do it.


    With that in mind, Misha opened the door to the room and slowly walked in. Faintly, he could hear Mika''s soft snoring, which sounded very cute and made Misha smile.


    He didn''t know that he liked children. He even believed that he had thought that little children were annoying and too noisy for his liking, but after he found his daughters, he thought that he did not like those children because they were not his and it was a different story if they were his own.


    Misha then walked slowly to enter the room and stood beside the bed, where Mika was sleeping with her arms outstretched, reminding him of a starfish.


    Seeing this, Misha smiled gently and adjusted his daughter''s sleeping position before covering her with a nket. Mika mumbled, but didn''t wake up, she then drew her teddy bear closer which she immediately hugged tightly.


    After that, Misha approached Kia who was sleeping beside their daughter and then checked her temperature.


    It was only then that he realized that her temperature still hadn''t gone down and she was sweating now. Her breathing was also slightly out of rhythm and this made the faint smile on Misha''s lips, after watching Mika, disappear. Now his forehead furrowed with worry.


    "Kia¡­" Misha called out to her, because he saw that Kia seemed to be in pain, but the woman didn''t wake up.


    Kia''s condition was already not good, but with the addition of her being drenched in the rain yesterday and eatingte, it seemed that it was only worsening her condition and this made Misha even more worried about her condition.


    And with that, without a second thought, Misha immediately called the Tordoff family doctor toe to their house, even though it was past midnight.


    =============================


    Kia felt short of breath and she heard people talking in a distance, but couldn''t hear what they were really saying. She couldn''t even think of where she was now.


    Kia wanted to open her eyes and know where she was, but the bright light was blinding her and this made her stop.


    She felt that she wanted to sleep a little longer and not wake up for a while, therefore, she closed her eyes again and gave up trying to find out where she was or what had really happened to her for the time being.


    And after she decided to give up, darkness surrounded her once again and she fell back asleep for who knew how long, because after she woke up for the second time, it was gettingte and the sun had almost set.


    "Why are you here?" Kia asked hoarsely. Her dry throat made her feel very tormented when she had to speak and this made her feel really ufortable.


    Her eyes felt so hot that tears came out of her eyes, as if she was crying.


    On the other hand, Misha was sitting by the bed working on something on hisptop, but when he heard Kia''s voice, he immediately put theptop away and walked over to her.


    "How do you feel?" he asked carefully, then he sat down on the edge of the bed and took a ss of mineral water that was on the table beside the bed and gave it to Kia, helping her to get up.


    "Bad," Kia replied in a voice that was still hoarse, but her throat felt much better after she chugged down almost a ss full of water.


    "I already called the doctor, but he said it will be okay if you stay at home, because it looks like you have a cold and you''re just tired." Misha''s brow furrowed, it was obvious that he didn''t agree with that opinion. "But, I think you should be taken to the hospital."


    Kia coughed and shook her head. She didn''t want to be taken to the hospital and she didn''t think it was necessary either. The doctor had said that she just had the flu and that was how Kia felt, aside from the pain in her head and fatigue.


    "I''ll be fine after resting for a while," she said, then immediatelyy down on the bed again, but then she realized that this wasn''t the room she shared with Mika and when she looked to her side she didn''t find her daughter. "Where is this? Where''s Mika?" she asked frantically and tried to sit up.


    But, Misha held her back and made her lie back down. "You don''t have to worry," he said. "I took you to my room and Mika is in her own room."


    Afterst night he found out that Kia was actually sick, he immediately carried her to his room and called the doctor, because he didn''t want Mika to wake up when the doctor came and examined her mother.


    But for sure, he was much morefortable with Kia in his bed.


    Luckily, Kia didn''t wake up at all, it seemed she was really in so much pain that she didn''t even notice that Misha had moved her.


    "You don''t have to do that," Kia grumbled, she tried to get out of bed and leave.


    But, this time Misha held her back with words. "Where are you going? Do you want to meet Mika in your sick condition? You do know that the flu is contagious, right?" And this became Misha''s favorite excuse now, after it had been proven how effective it was time and again. "You want to make Mika sick again?"


    Hearing that, Kia red at Misha fiercely, while the man wore an innocent expression, as if he didn''t understand why Kia was angry with him.


    "Lie down again, I called someone to bring food for you so you can take your medicine," Misha said as he picked up the phone and called someone.


    But, in the end Kia gave up andy back down on the bed and stared at the ceiling before she felt something strange.


    "Where''s Mika?" Kia asked after she saw that Misha had finished calling whoever it was to bring the food he asked for.


    "Mika is taking a nap in her room," Misha said in a cheerful voice. His eyes lit up when he turned around and told Kia this, though his expression still didn''t show his true feelings. "I put her to sleep while reading a storybook."


    Hearing this, Kia just nodded. She knew that Mika really enjoyed listening to fairy tales, therefore, it was certain that her daughter could sleep peacefully.


    "What did you tell her about me?" she asked again. There was no way Mika didn''t ask about her whereabouts.


    "I said you are sick and can''t be visited first because the pain will be contagious," Misha replied casually. He then checked hisptop again. "She also spoke to the doctor I called to ask how you were. She only calmed down a little after the doctor made sure you were okay, but she couldn''t get close to you for a while."


    Kia was quite surprised that Misha could be so patient in dealing with Mika and didn''t seem bothered at all.


    "My daughter is very smart," said Misha with an even face and tone. He lifted his head from theptop screen and looked at Kia impassively, before finally he focused his attention back on his work on theptop.


    Today he was working from home, but earlier Richard called him and scolded him a little because he had forgotten his promise to meet Daniel at the restaurant.


    Whereas yesterday Misha said that he invited the man to eat at the restaurant of his choice.


    However, the main purpose of the meeting was to find out about Kia, because he wanted to know more about this woman.


    However, because Kia and Mika were already at his house, Misha hadpletely forgotten the promise.


    And of course, it was Richard who had to take care of the aftermath. He had toe up with a lot of exnations and also apologize on behalf of Misha.


    "Why did you run away from home?" Misha asked without lifting his head from theptop screen. He asked that as if it wasn''t important for him to know, but actually, Misha wasn''t doing anything on theptop.


    On the other hand, Kia looked surprised, but then couldn''t help but sigh in annoyance, because Misha had found out about her.


    "That''s none of your business," Kia said curtly.


    "Daniel works for Tordoff''spany," Misha told her.

 Chapter 755: DONT BOTHER US AGAIN

    Chapter 755: DON''T BOTHER US AGAIN"Why did you run away from home?" Misha asked. He didn''t look at Kia at all when he inquired her.


    The question surprised Kia quite a bit, but on second thought, nothing was impossible for Misha.


    "That''s none of your business," Kia said curtly, her head still aching and her eyes heavy. She wanted to sleep, but wasn''t sure if she could sleep peacefully now, with Misha right in front of her like now.


    Misha was silent for a moment and then he said something that left Kia quite surprised. "Daniel works for Tordoff''spany."


    Kia gasped as she just stared at Misha''s face for a moment, trying to figure out if what he said was true, but she couldn''t see even the slightest hint of dishonesty in his eyes.


    And when she thought about it, why would Misha lie to her? It wasn''t something he normally did and he didn''t have any advantage by doing so.


    "It''s his right to work wherever he wants to," Kia said in a low voice. She looked ufortable, despite what she said a few seconds ago.


    It had been a long time since she thought about her family and moreover, she didn''t think that her family thought about her either.


    "Why did you run away from home?" Mika asked the same question again because Kia didn''t answer him earlier and this made Kia even more ufortable. She didn''t want to tell Misha about her past or talk about it when her head felt like it was going to explode.


    So she decided to just sleep. "I''m tired, I want to sleep," Kia muttered. She then closed her eyes and pulled the soft nket up to her chin.


    It had been a long time since she had slept on a bed as soft as this and with a soft andfortable nket covering her.


    Only, Misha was still not satisfied. He wanted to talk to Kia, but this woman was hellbent on avoiding him. "Did they kick you out of the house because you were pregnant? They know you''re pregnant and that''s why they haven''t been looking for you for the past four years?"


    ording to the information Misha got, the Kia family was indeed looking for her, but what they were doing could hardly be deemed as putting in serious efforts.


    "They kicked you out of the house because you were pregnant with Mika." It wasn''t a question, but a statement because from how Kia''s expression changed, Misha could tell that what he said was true.


    Her family threw her away when she was in need of them and acted as if nothing had happened, because they felt Kia had tarnished their reputation by getting pregnant out of wedlock.


    "Should we announce that Mika is my daughter and make her legal?" Misha asked again and this made Kia re at him. It was obvious that she wasn''t a fan of Misha''s suggestion. "You don''t have to say that she''s not my daughter, because I know that Mika is mine."


    Misha cut off Kia''s words before she could deny that Mika wasn''t his daughter. Even people who didn''t know them could tell how much they resembled each other.


    "You don''t have to do anything. I just want to go back to the way it was and for you to stay away from our lives," Kia hissed. She still remembered very well what happened to her four years ago.


    She felt the image of the incident bing clearer now when she looked at Misha, as if it had just happened yesterday. Maybe it was because of the drugs and the pain in her head, but the heartache came back again and she couldn''t stand it.


    "Of course you didn''t think I would do that, did you?" Misha asked calmly. He folded his legs and now looked at Kia seriously.


    "I made a mistake four years ago and I''m sorry, I want us to put it behind us and start all over again." Misha didn''t want to take this lightly, but he couldn''t change what had happened in the past.


    He would fix it in the future, but that could only be done with permission from Kia.


    But, it seemed that the girl had absolutely no interest at all in starting something new with Misha.


    She snorted very sarcastically. "Put it behind? You think I can just let a womanizer like you into Mika''s life? What kind of example can I give her showing you?"


    Kia pushed herself up from the bed and red at Misha. She didn''t want to be near this man, but moreover, she didn''t want this man near her child. He didn''t prove anything bying back into her life four yearster.


    He came and just wanted to take over Mika and offer everything that could providefort to the child just because he had enough money to do so.


    What would Mika be like when she grew up? Kia couldn''t imagine someone like Misha would be able to take care of a child, or educate her or nurture her into an adult with a good personality.


    "Kia, can we stop talking about that?" Misha asked. "I want us to be one family."


    Let alone Kia, even Misha himself was shocked when he heard what he just said out loud. Family? Since when did he think of having a family?


    On the other hand, Kia could only shake her head in disbelief at what she had just heard. What kind of nonsense was he spouting?


    "Am I not clear enough until this second?" Kia said through her gritted teeth, she gripped the nket around her so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She was trying really hard to contain her emotions. "I don''t want you to be Mika''s father, Misha. I don''t want her to learn that a man can treat a woman as he pleases, the same way you treated me."


    Misha wanted to refute those words, but he didn''t have a single word to say at this point and realized that what he did to Kia was really an asshole move.


    He couldn''t say he wasn''t like that, because he was fully aware of what an asshole he was.


    "What can I do to make you forgive me?" asked Misha earnestly. He would do whatever it took.


    Although for now, Misha still didn''t understand the concept of family that he mentioned earlier. He wanted it. After all, the thought of living together with Mika and Kia was not a bad image.


    No, he yearned for such a shadow. He wanted that.


    "Get away from us and I''ll consider forgiving you," Kia said irritably. She felt the pain in her head bing more and more intense because of this chat with Misha.


    If only she could, she wanted to kick this man out of this room, but it was a shame she couldn''t do that, because this was his room while Kia didn''t have the strength to do that.


    Physical contact with Misha was not an advantageous situation for Kia right now.


    "I can''t grant that request of yours." Misha shook his head, as if regretting that he couldn''t grant the condition. "You should try asking for something else."


    Kia gritted her teeth hard and tried to get out of bed, but Misha moved much faster than her and pushed her body back onto the bed with a gentle push.


    Kia struggled to try and get up again, but Misha grabbed her shoulders and made her lie on the bed, rendering her unable to put up any resistance.


    "Think of another request. Do you want a house, money, or an investment? I can give you everything," Misha said.


    Usually women would be very happy when they heard this and immediately smile while listing out a series of unreasonable requests about what they wanted, but that didn''t seem to be the case with Kia, because she looked at him very cynically and sharply.


    "Get out of my sight!" growled Kia angrily. She was very annoyed when she saw their position, with Misha hovering above her holding her hands by her sides. This position was very ufortable and would lead to wrong spections if someone suddenly entered the room, but it seemed that was Misha''sst concern.


    "I don''t want to," he said curtly. He frowned, as if what Kia said was a very unreasonable thing. "There''s going to be a party for the Tordoffs in two weeks from now, I''d like you toe with me."


    If at first Kia doubted that Misha was crazy, then now she no longer doubted it. She wanted this man out of her life and not bother her anymore, but the solution he offered was to introduce her to the people in the Tordoffs?


    He seemed out right crazy.


    "I would nevere to an event like that," Kia hissed, but the look in Misha''s eyes seemed to challenge her to do otherwise.


    =========================


    "I had urgent businessst night, so I couldn''te to the specified restaurant," said Misha to Daniel.


    The first thing Misha did when he got to his office was to call Daniel and exin why he couldn''test night to the restaurant at the promised time.


    Daniel smiled amiably and shook his head, not thinking it was worth bringing up.


    "No need to say that, your business must be very important," said Daniel.


    "Thanks for understanding, because it''s true, the business I have to deal with is very important." Saying this, Misha looked at Daniel with judgment.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 756: WE HAVE EACH OTHER

    Chapter 756: WE HAVE EACH OTHERIf it were not for Richard, even now, Misha would definitely not remember the promise he made with Daniel to have dinner with him.


    Therefore, this morning he asked Daniel toe to his office, as soon as he returned to work from the office, because for the past two days, Misha had to look after Kia who was sick. He spent time between working on hisptop and ying with Mika.


    "No need to say that, your business must be very important," Daniel said with his usual friendly smile.


    "Thanks for understanding, because it''s true, the business I have to deal with is very important." Saying this, Misha looked at Daniel with judgment.


    And after saying that, the atmosphere in this room became a little awkward because Misha didn''t say anything and Daniel didn''t know what to say now, because he was the one who was invited toe and see Misha.


    "About the new project¡­" Daniel tried to restart the conversation, as the silence became awkward after a while, but Misha cut him off and asked something unexpected.


    "I don''t want to talk about the project, but there''s something else I want to say," Misha told Daniel.


    "Yes?" asked Daniel warily, for he did not know what Misha would ask him.


    Misha then sighed softly, there was a deep crease between his eyebrows when he started to speak. "I want to know about the second child in your family," said Misha suddenly.


    "Yes?" Daniel was very sure that he had heard wrong when Misha asked such a question. What did he mean? Why did he suddenly ask such a question?


    "I want to know about the second child in your family." Misha repeated his question again and this time he looked directly at Daniel, indicating that he had heard correctly and that he did not want to repeat the same question a third time.


    "What do you mean, sir?" asked Daniel, stuttering. He looked at Misha with questioning and mortified eyes when he saw how calm this man was. Did he know Kiandra? But, how did he know her? How did he know about Kiandra?


    Misha looked at Daniel and saw the change in expression on his face even though he said nothing but asked what the words meant.


    "I wonder why she ran away from home." Misha was not used to small talk and after all he had wanted to ask this question for a long time. He used the same method when he tackled a business issue.


    However, the problem was; as a Tordoff, Misha did not need to approach potential investors, they were the ones who would approach him, so he was free to say anything without further ado.


    However, in this case, it was a family matter, which also happened to be a sensitive issue, therefore what Misha did couldn''t be justified.


    And whatplicated matters was; Misha was not good with pleasantries.


    "Do you know Kiandra?" asked Daniel carefully. He looked at Misha inquisitively, although he kept telling himself that the possibility waspletely unreasonable, but he couldn''t deny that it could happen either.


    "Yes, I know her," Misha replied. He frowned. "You have not answered my question."


    Daniel opened his mouth and closed it again. He did this several times, but he couldn''t find the right words to say to him, so he finally shook his head and said carefully.


    His voice trembled slightly as it was filled with emotion. "This is a problem within my family, I hope the boss can understand."


    Misha tilted his head and red at Daniel when he heard his unsatisfactory answer.


    "Did she run away from the house or did you throw her out?" Misha asked this because he really wanted to know why Kia wasn''t with her family when she had Mika.


    Wasn''t it much better being in the family than her having to fend off herself with their daughter alone?


    Hearing what Misha said, Daniel''s eyes widened in disbelief. If previously he couldn''t find the words to respond to what Misha said, then this time he really couldn''t hide his surprise, which told Misha that his guess was right.


    "Did you know that she was pregnant?" Misha didn''t let this go by. Since he had already opened this topic, he would finish it too. He wasn''t going to end this until he got a definite answer.


    "What do you mean?!" Daniel raised his voice and now he was standing. His hands were clenched at his sides and he seemed to be shaking slightly. His eyes stared nkly at Misha and his breath hitched. "What do you mean by all that?" He tried to swallow his saliva with difficulty.


    "You just have to answer my question. Is it all true? Is that what you guys did to Kiandra?" Misha asked, now leaning against the back of the chair with his arms folded in front of his chest. His sharp eyes focused on Daniel probingly. He wanted to know what efforts the Lyrant family had put in in order to push Kia away.


    "This is a family matter, you don''t need to know about this." Daniel''s voice was cold and barely audible. He didn''t want to be reminded by that event that tore his family apart.


    Family problem? Misha thought in a mocking tone. Mika is his daughter, therefore, he is already a part of their family, right?


    It was not like he wanted to be a part of their family, because Kia and Mika could be part of Tordoffs, only if she was not that stubborn¡­


    "If you don''t have anything else to ask, I will go," Daniel muttered. He needed time to digest this. What he learned just now was too shocking while Mr. Tordoff was beingpletely unreasonable.


    "Where are you going?" Misha asked when he saw Daniel rushing toward the door, trying to get out of this office as fast as he could. "I still haven''t told you to leave," he said in an even tone.


    Hearing this, Daniel stopped in his tracks and turned his body. "What is the rtionship between you and Kiandra?" he asked in a demanding voice.


    Misha tilted his head. "You kicked her out because she was pregnant?" he asked, but it sounded more like a statement and Daniel''s response acknowledged all of that. "So that''s what you guys did to her?"


    "You know her?" Daniel narrowed his eyes at Misha, while he was deep in thought. He didn''t want to believe the crazy possibility that was running through his head, but he couldn''t ignore the possibility after everything Misha had asked him and his current attitude. "Don''t tell me¡­"


    Misha smiled when he saw understanding begin toe to Daniel, but before he could confirm his guess, Misha had stood up and walked over to his seat.


    "You can go now." No answer was spoken explicitly or stated clearly by Daniel, but Misha could deduce the answer from the response he gave.


    For a moment, Daniel wanted to argue, but then he decided to walk away from there with the confusion still shrouding him.


    =========================


    Daniel got a call from his mother that Alia had been admitted to the hospital again and her condition was deteriorating. The strange incident with the Tordoff heir was a little forgotten by him.


    However, when he arrived at the hospital, he found that Alia was fine, she was just having a routine checkup that she had to go through in the past few years.


    "Don''t make jokes like that," Daniel grumbled to his mother and aughing Alia. They both seemed to have an inside joke to prank Daniel, to find out how much he cared for his family.


    "Don''t be angry, brother," Alia said in a sulky tone, she took Daniel''s arm as they came out of the hospital, while his mother walked on the other side. "We were just joking, because you look very busy with your work."


    Daniel could only sigh when he heard this and let it slide this time.


    "We have to be strong as a family, after all the four of us only have each other, right?" Amber said in a mncholic voice as they entered the car.


    Four?


    At that moment, Daniel began to feel ufortable. If there had been no chat about Kia this morning, would he have noticed this small detail?


    "Mom," Daniel called, as he started the car while Amber and Alia were still busy putting their things away. "Haven''t you thought about looking for Kia?" he asked carefully, but also in an attitude as if he didn''t really care about this.


    It was just that, as soon as the question was asked, immediately the atmosphere in the car became very quiet.


    "If the four of us have each other, then what about Kia?" asked Daniel. He nced at his mother and found the woman was silent, her face looked like it was full of pain.


    "If she realized her mistake, she woulde home someday," said Amber, even though she didn''t really believe what she said.


    But Daniel knew how unlikely that would be. He saw for himself what happened four years ago when Kia decided to leave the house.


    However, he couldn''t really say that.


    "Later, Kia will definitelye home," said Alia in an optimistic voice. "Mom and dad will take her back, won''t they?"


    Amber smiled awkwardly and nodded. "After she apologizes, we will consider taking her back," said Amber. She turned her head away and looked out the window.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 757: NIGHTMARE

    Chapter 757: NIGHTMAREMisha purposely went home early after his chat with Daniel. He wanted to take Kia and Mika to the seaworld, because he had promised his little daughter, but when he arrived home he couldn''t find the two of them anywhere.


    "Where are Kia and Mika?" Misha asked Garry, the butler of this house. His face was displeased, because he knew that Kia was still recovering, although she was much better than before. Her fever had also gone down.


    On the other hand, Garry looked guilty as he answered Misha''s question haltingly because he was afraid that Misha would be furious, since he had not seeded in preventing Kia and Mika from leaving.


    "Miss Kia brought Mika home this morning, not long after you left for the office, Sir," he said carefully. "We have tried to hold her back, but she is adamant about leaving." They truly had done everything that they could.


    Garry and some of the other servants did have suspicions about who Kia and Mika were, especially when they looked at the little girl and saw the changes in Misha, who had consciously remodeled one of the rooms here into a child''s room, but of course they couldn''t voice that out.


    "Why didn''t anyone tell me?" Misha had said that if something happened to the two of them, he should be notified immediately.


    "I have tried to call your cell phone several times, but you didn''t pick up. I even left several messages." Garry then added. "I''ve also left a message to Mr. Richard and also Ms. Dania."


    Misha couldn''t me Garry, because he didn''t have his cell phone on him all this morning and didn''t see Richard or Dania, because he just left the office without telling anyone.


    He was in a bad mood after talking to Daniel and deduced what had happened to Kia four years ago based on the reaction he gave.


    "Left? What did they leave on?" Misha asked again. He felt uneasy. Why did Kia have to leave when her condition was still not fully recovered?


    Misha, who had just taken off his work coat, immediately took his car keys again.


    "Ms. Kia left by taxi, I had offered to drive them home, but Ms. Kia refused the offer," Garry quickly exined this, while following Misha from behind. He was afraid that his master would be furious because of this.


    Misha tended to be uncaring and rarely got angry over trivial things, but he could see that anything that had to do with Kia and Mika was not trivial to him.


    "Okay," said Misha briefly, who then immediately went to the garage.


    He knew that Kia wouldn''t listen to what Garry had to say, if she wouldn''t even listen to him, let alone what anyone else had to say. Thus, he could understand Garry''s effort and frustration when persuading her.


    But now he had to make sure that Kia and Mika had arrived safely and that they were all right.


    Along the way, Misha tried to call her cellphone, but it seemed that his number had been blocked by Kia, so he couldn''t reach the woman and this made Misha frown and growl in annoyance. Why was it so hard to deal with that woman?!


    Misha hit the steering wheel and grumbled in low voice, venting his frustration while he sped up.


    It didn''t take long for Misha to arrive at the apartment where Kia and Mika lived and knocked on the apartment door.


    He knocked several times until someone opened the door. But much to his surprise, it was a man who opened the door.


    Misha''s whole body stiffened, his brain suddenly couldn''t work and his blood turned frozen. He couldn''t believe what he was seeing right now. This was impossible, right?


    As far as Misha knew, Kia''s roommate was a woman, Keira, but standing in front of her was a man who was half a head shorter than him, staring at himself in confusion.


    "Who are you looking for?" the man asked in a probing voice.


    How could there be a man in an apartment upied by a small child and two women? Why were they so reckless by letting this man into their ce just like that?


    Misha didn''t understand what was going on in Kia''s mind, but he couldn''t contain his annoyance and it was so obvious on his face that it made the man tense up.


    "Who are you?" the man asked defensively.


    "Where is Kia?" Misha asked in a cold, cruel voice. He clenched his fists so tightly that his muscles could be seen protruding from his rolled up sleeves. He was ready to fight anyone at this point.


    "Kia is sleeping in her room, you are her friend?" the man asked again. He still wouldn''t let Misha in.


    Sleeping in her room? How could this man know that Kia was sleeping in her room? Misha''s mind had drifted to the worst possibilities he could imagine and that was not all, if Keira hadn''te, maybe he would have taken an inappropriate action by now, following his impulsive urges.


    "Who is that?" Keira asked from inside because she heard the conversation at the door. "Oh, Mr. Tordoff?" Keira frowned when she saw Misha and approached her. "Did youe to see Kia? She''s sleeping in her room."


    "Yes, this man already told me that," said Misha sarcastically and red at the man who was still standing in the doorway.


    Sensing the possible misunderstanding, Keira immediately intervened and pulled him from the door, to let Misha into the apartment.


    "Let me introduce you both, he''s my fianc¨¦, Ben." Keira tried to smooth the situation and prevent the misunderstanding from getting worse. "Ben, this is¡­" Keira was confused about introducing Misha. "¡­Mr. Tordoff." In the end she just said that, without exining the rtionship between Kia and him.


    Hearing this, Misha was not very happy, but he was quite amused because it turned out that this man named Ben was just Keira''s fianc¨¦.


    Ben then reached out his hand to Misha, but was greeted coldly, as a sign of introduction and Misha walked into the apartment.


    "I am going to meet Kia," Misha mumbled.


    "But, she''s sleeping." Keira tried to stop him, but Misha didn''t listen.


    He had been to this house once and knew where Kia''s room was, therefore, it wasn''t difficult to find it.


    And when Misha opened the door, the room was not locked. One more thing that made him feel unhappy.


    In the room, there was only some furniture that only met the basic necessities and also some items that seemed to belong to Mika.


    Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the door, there was a bed that could barely fit two people, where Misha could see Kia sleeping while hugging Mika, both of them were seen sleeping soundly.


    Therefore, Misha entered the room carefully, as much as possible not to make a sound.


    But, Keira approached him in the room.


    "Mr. Tordoff," Keira called in a low voice. "Kia..."


    But, before she could continue her exnation, she had seen Misha sitting with his leg crossed over the other beside the bed. He looked like someone who was determined not to go anywhere.


    "I''ll wait here," Misha said quietly. He then looked fiercely at Keira which made the woman feel that she was being chased away. It couldn''t be said she felt wrong, because that was Misha''s intention. He didn''t want to be disturbed when he was with his wife and child.


    Seeing this determination, Keira couldn''t say anything more and chose to leave, because it was useless for her to say something, which would only wake Kia. When she came, it seemed that she was not in good health, so she persuaded her to rest.


    "Okay then," said Keira. "If you need anything take it yourself, I''ll go out," she told Misha who nodded in understanding.


    After that, Keira closed the door and let Misha be, while she went out with Ben, who looked still confused as to why the man named Mr. Tordoff looked at him with irritated eyes.


    "You don''t know Mr. Tordoff? The Tordoffs?" Keira asked her fianc¨¦.


    Ben frowned briefly and shook his head. "No, is he from a famous family?"


    The corners of Keira''s lips twitched when she heard the question, she knew that her fianc¨¦ wasn''t very up to date with thetest news, but she couldn''t believe that he really didn''t know the Tordoff family.


    It turned out that there were indeed people who didn''t know about the Tordoff family and now, Keira knew one more thing about her fianc¨¦.


    "Should I find out about that?" Ben asked innocently, but Keira shook her head earnestly.


    "You don''t need to know, just stick with your innocence," Keira said while holding Ben''s hand as they both left the apartment.


    =======================


    Kia didn''t know how long she had been asleep, but when she opened her eyes, it felt like she was dreaming because in front of her she could see Misha staring at her.


    With that in mind, Kia closed her eyes again, only to open them a few minutester and find Misha still there.


    Furrowing her brow, Kia grumbled. "What is this nightmare?" she grumbled in annoyance. Why did she have to be bothered by Misha even in her own dreams? This was totally unfair.


    "This is not a dream. It''s really me." Misha told her the bad news, which was much worse than a nightmare.


    "No way," Kia hissed disapprovingly.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 758: I CALLED YOU THAT NIGHT

    Chapter 758: I CALLED YOU THAT NIGHTKia''s intention to leave the Tordoffs'' house was so that she wouldn''t have to see Misha again, but who would have thought that when she just opened her eyes from sleep, she would find the person she was avoiding the most in her room.


    "What is this nightmare?" Kia grumbled in annoyance when the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was Misha, who was staring at her.


    She tried to close her eyes again, hoping this was just a dream and Misha would disappear as soon as she reopened her eyes.


    Unfortunately, this hope was not fulfilled.


    "This is not a dream. It''s really me." Misha frowned when he heard Kia''s firstment.


    "No way," Kia hissed disapprovingly. She opened his eyes again but Misha was still there. "What is this?"


    Misha folded his arms across his chest when he heard the offendingment. "You don''t hate me that much, do you, that you are not happy to see me here?"


    Kia didn''t answer that, which meant that she hated it so much that she wasn''t happy to have Misha in her room.


    On the other hand, when Misha realized that, he couldn''t help but sigh heavily and shake his head.


    "I don''t know how else I should deal with you," Misha said, more to himself. He didn''t understand why Kia would prefer to live in this small and stuffy apartment over his house.


    This room was even smaller than his bathroom, how could she live in a ce like this with their child?


    "Don''t be loud, Mika is sleeping," Kia grumbled. She red at Misha fiercely and made the man close his mouth, swallowing all theints he wanted to spout. He didn''t want to wake Mika up after all.


    The two of them could only look at each other, but it was ufortable for Kia, she also couldn''t sleep anymore. Things were getting a little awkward now, but that seemed to only apply to Kia, because Misha looked fine.


    The man rolled the sleeves of his white shirt up to his elbows and sat cross-legged in this very small room. He seemed to have to bend his long legs in a strange position, in order to adjust.


    But this actually made Kia feel sorry for him. Mr. Tordoff from such a respected family had to huddle in this cramped apartment.


    With a heavy sigh, Kia finally decided to get out of bed as she carefully climbed down the bed.


    "Follow me," Kia said to Misha after she wrapped Mika well and kissed her adorable daughter''s forehead.


    Mika was fast asleep in a ce she was familiar with.


    Although Tordoff''s residence was much more beautiful than this cramped apartment room, in fact, Mika was much morefortable here.


    Misha then followed Kia out of the room. He threw onest yet slightly worried look at Mika who was sleeping and then closed the door.


    "What are you doing here?" Kia asked, walking to the kitchen and making hot tea for them both. She no longer asked if Misha wanted to drink it or not. "Didn''t I tell you not to see me again?"


    "I never agreed to that," Misha replied in a matter of fact tone. Kia did forbid him, but he had already said that he didn''t agree with her.


    "What do you want then?" Kia asked with a tired face. She was tired of dealing with Misha time and again like this. She wanted to end this immediately and live her life with Mika peacefully. "So that you can get out of our lives?"


    Misha folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the back of the chair. He looked at Kia with his piercing eyes, as if he was considering a business offer. His face looked very serious.


    "Should it be like that?" Misha asked. "Can''t youe back to me?"


    Kia snorted when she heard this. Back then, four years ago, there were thousands of words she wanted to say, half of which were cusses and the other half being pleas, but now, when she was faced with this man now, she didn''t know what to say anymore.


    The entire sentences she hadposed four years ago had simply disappeared. Now she didn''t want to have any rtionship with this man anymore.


    "Back to you?" Kia scoffed. "What makes you think that I wille back to you?"


    Misha was silent for a moment and then answered ording to his character. "Stability."


    Kia didn''t know whether to cry orugh. Yes, that was right, the stability factor was tempting, especially when you were living the way Kia was living now.


    By weing Misha''s helping hand, she could get what she wanted. Mika''s future would be much brighter if Misha intervened in her expenses of both living and education.


    It was just that Kia couldn''t forget what happened four years ago. How could she be with this man when just looking at his face made her want to p him hard?


    "If you want to p me for the stupidity Imitted four years ago, just do it," Misha said as if he could read what was going through Kia''s mind when he saw her shaking hands. "Do whatever you want to vent your anger, but after that let''s think rationally about this matter."


    And unexpectedly, Kia actually did it, she pped Misha so hard that the loud sound of the p echoed in this small kitchen space and almost made Misha fall off the chair, because he didn''t see iting.


    For a moment, Kia didn''t realize what she had done, but then when she saw Misha wiping the blood from his lips, she seemed to snap out of her daydream.


    She had really pped Misha.


    Kia swallowed hard, she was stunned, because basically, she wasn''t someone who liked violence and what she did was out of character of her.


    And now, she didn''t know what to do. She wanted to help wipe the blood from Misha''s lips, but the man had grabbed a tissue to do so.


    His face grimaced slightly as he did so. Did Kia do it too much? But, wasn''t that the point?


    Misha then raised his head and looked at Kia and this made her take a step back but he held her hand to keep her from moving away.


    What would he do? Hit her back? The thought had crossed Kia''s mind. If Misha hit her back, it was certain that she would not survive this.


    But, it turned out that Misha just sped her hands and looked at her palms.


    "When you do that, you should clench your fists," said Misha, while rubbing Kia''s palm which was red from the one p she delivered to him earlier.


    "Huh?" Kia still didn''t understand what he was talking about.


    Misha then repeated the words again, folding Kia''s fingers inward, making a fist. "Do it like this."


    Kia was stunned, it took a few seconds longer for her to realize what Misha really meant.


    "That''s called punching, not pping," Kia replied in a low voice, like a mumble and Misha chuckled.


    Kia didn''t understand why he was stillughing like that, but then she pulled her hand back and walked over to the fridge to get a pack of frozen peas and give it to Misha.


    "Use this topress your cheeks," she said, handing the packet of peas to him.


    Misha took it from Kia''s hand and put it to his cheek which was starting to swell. "Are you much better now? Can we talk?"


    "I should have hit you harder so you can''t talk," Kia said harshly, but then she sat down across from Misha. Her arms were folded in front of her chest, showing a defensive attitude.


    "If you want to do it again, I don''t mind," Misha said calmly. He seemed much more rxed, even though he had just been hit by Kia.


    "Do you always act like this to the person who hit you?" asked Kia curiously.


    "Of course not, I won''t even let anyone hit me," Misha replied earnestly. He then put away the package of frozen peas and looked deeply at Kia. "Now have you forgiven me a little?"


    Kia looked at Misha with probing eyes, before she finally answered. "Five percent."


    Misha raised his eyebrows when he heard that. "How do I make up for the rest of the ny-five percent?"


    "Perhaps your lifetime will not be able to make up for it."


    "Then I''ll keep trying forever."


    Kia frowned at Misha''s stubbornness. "Didn''t it ever ur to you how I felt when I saw you that night?" she asked.


    Misha took a deep breath, his face bing more serious. "Of course," he admitted.


    Although he didn''t want to admit it, for the past four years, he had always been thinking of Kia, whether he realized it or not. With Daniel being at thepany and asionally finding out about her family, he felt it was something he wouldn''t normally do.


    "And you expect me to believe that?" Kia asked in a skeptical tone. It was really hard to believe that.


    "In this case, there is no concrete evidence to support my words," Misha stated the fact. "I wonder why you didn''t tell me directly when you found out that you got pregnant with Mika."


    Hearing this, the anger in Kia''s eyes seemed to re up again. "I tried telling you. I called you the night I ran away from home."


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 759: THE MESSAGE FROM THE PAST

    Chapter 759: THE MESSAGE FROM THE PASTThere was a slight feeling of regret that Kia had pped Misha. She had let her emotions overwhelm her. She wasn''t thinking clearly when she did that, but when they started talking about the past, Kia felt that not only did she want to p, but she also wanted to kick and hit him harder again, even after that, it was still not enough.


    "In this case, there is no concrete evidence to support my words," Misha stated the fact. "I wonder why you didn''t tell me directly when you found out that you got pregnant with Mika."


    This was a question that had always stuck in Misha''s heart, because if Kia had told him about this, even if she was kicked out of the house, she would not have experienced the misfortune and suffering she had for the past four years.


    However, when Kia heard this, the anger in her eyes seemed to re up again. "I tried telling you. I called you the night I ran away from home."


    Kia''s voice almost sounded like a hiss, she tried not to hold grudges at the memory, but she couldn''t fool herself. She still vividly remembered what happened that night like it was just yesterday.


    "What do you mean?" Misha frowned. He was sure that he didn''t know that at all. There was no way he would forget such an important thing. "I didn''t know anything about your pregnancy."


    Kia gritted her teeth tightly, she looked really annoyed when she faced Misha who refused to remember what happened four years ago.


    "I called you, but you didn''t pick up your phone because you were with one of yourdies." Kia still couldn''t forget when she found Misha alone with another woman.


    Their rtionship was indeed very short, but such a breakup really fucked her life and her confidence.


    However, no matter how painful it was for Kia when it happened, it couldn''t bepared to when Misha refused to acknowledge the baby. At that time, Kia really thought that her world had copsed.


    "Tell me what happened that night." Misha narrowed his eyes. He red at Kia. "I''m sure there''s been a misunderstanding here."


    Kia folded her arms, a defensive gesture to protect herself, but she didn''t refuse and said what she had done to him.


    "I called you, but it was your woman who picked up the phone and said you didn''t want to be disturbed."


    Misha was trying to remember which woman was with him during that time and he couldn''t remember who it was. His memory of those days was like a fog inside his head.


    "I''ve never received a call from you nor have I received any information that you called me." Misha admitted this, although the look in Kia''s eyes and how she reacted when she heard him, showed that she didn''t believe him at all.


    Well, Misha couldn''t me her. If he was in Kia''s position right now, he wouldn''t trust himself either.


    And now he could see very clearly what a jerk he had been and what stupid things he had done.


    Actually, getting hit by Kia and being at the receiving end of her anger, was still much better, because at least she was showing her emotions now, unlike four years ago when she didn''t show any expression and didn''t say anything, as if he just weren''t important.


    It was excruciating and Misha felt much more tormented than he wanted to admit.


    "You think I would believe all that?" Kia raised an eyebrow.


    "I can''t prove it to you, but can you prove to me that that woman received a message from you?" asked Misha. He was trying to be logical, while Kia was still too emotional to be at that stage. "You didn''t hear it directly from me, so you can''t say that I outright rejected you."


    Misha didn''t want to defend himself and corner Kia, but he tried to point out some of the possibilities and where the misunderstanding between themy.


    "You replied to the message I sent," growled Kia. She now leaned forward and made Misha back away so that his back was flushed against the back of the chair. He couldn''tprehend why this kind of Kia looked scary to him.


    "What message?" Misha asked carefully, now his tone softened, unlike when he had argued back a few seconds ago. "I haven''t received any messages from you exining that I have a child."


    Kia suddenly stood up, her not very tall body actually looked like she was towering above him and Misha felt like his frame shrunk by a few centimeters. She looked feral, like someone ready to pounce.


    And just when Misha thought he would be hit again for his rebuttal and he had prepared himself for it, Kia just walked away from the kitchen.


    What was this? Was he given the silent treatment again like before? She was refusing to talk to him and show her emotions again?


    Misha would much rather have her throw tantrums than do this to him and when he was about to catch up with Kia, wanting to go and look for her so they could have a better talk and clear up the misunderstanding, the woman had returned.


    "Sit down," she said firmly and fiercely and without a second thought, Misha sat back in his chair, but wondered, why did he reflexively follow her words without thinking first?


    Kia then handed her phone to Misha and asked him to read a message there.


    Luckily Kia didn''t change the phone and it was still the same as it was four years ago because she didn''t have the money to do that, so all data wasn''t lost at all.


    And somehow Kia didn''t just delete the painful message and thought better of it.


    But luckily she did keep it, because she was able to give Misha concrete evidence now.


    "That was the message I sent you and the reply you gave me." Kia looked very angry, because she had to dig through the message again and was not happy because she had to reopen an old memory that she wanted to hide.


    On the other hand, Misha still believed that he was innocent and had not received any messages or calls informing him of Kia''s pregnancy, but of course he read the message sent to his number and saw a long message that he had never read or knew about before.


    "What''s this¡­?" Misha muttered, the more he read the message, the more his brows furrowed and the more he didn''t understand how this message could not be read by his.


    The message was roughly sent by Kia about two or three months after they separated and she was kicked out of the house.


    At that time, Kia told him about her condition and how she was pregnant with his child. She also asked Misha for help because at that time she did not have enough money to have an abortion.


    "Abort your pregnancy?" Misha red at Kia as he read the message.


    For a moment, Kia felt guilty that the thought had crossed her mind, especially when she was raising Mika now, how that little girl was worth more than herself.


    But, at that time, her entire world was dark and she didn''t have many options she could choose from.


    It was just that Kia didn''t want to be scolded because of this by this man in front of her who didn''t contribute anything. "Put yourself in my shoes. I literally had nothing and you were not there to help me."


    Misha let out a long sigh, before he shifted his attention from Kia to the long text message.


    It could be said that Kia texted non-stop for three hours, exining her situation, begging for his help, even begging Misha to give her some money to abort their then unborn baby, because she wasn''t sure that she would be able to give birth and raise a child, when she didn''t even know what her future would be like then.


    Misha could feel the feeling of extreme despair and helplessness from Kia''s messages. He could feel how frightened the young woman was in the face of what was in front of her, an uncertain future with a child she would be responsible for.


    There was no way Misha would ignore a message like this.


    You could say he was cruel, heartless and all sorts of bad things, but he wouldn''t overlook this kind of thing. If he had known, he would have run straight to her.


    Begging for money to abort their child? Hell! He would give her everything she wanted and needed to raise Mika. If only he knew...


    "Why didn''t you abort it?" Misha asked coldly. He couldn''t look at Kia, not because he was mad at the woman, but was mad at himself.


    "I almost aborted it, but I backed off when I got to the hospital." Kia averted her gaze from Misha. "I just¡­ I couldn''t bring myself to do it¡­"


    He didn''t know what she was feeling at that time or whatever made her change her mind, Misha just wanted to thank her for not going ahead with her n.


    His hands were shaking because he couldn''t imagine if Kia went through with her n and didn''t have a change of heart, then the little girl who was fast asleep in the room wouldn''t be here.


    Misha would not be so happy when he prepared a room for her at the Tordoff residence.


    "Thank you," Misha said quietly and Kia didn''t respond, she looked the other way.


    However, Misha''s facial expression changed when he got to the message Kia got as a reply.

 Chapter 760: THATS NOT ME

    Chapter 760: THAT''S NOT MEMisha didn''t understand how these messages could not reach him. In fact, the texting continued over a period of three hours.


    During those three hours, Kia kept begging for his help. Such a long message¡­ how could he not notice this? There was no way he didn''t notice, right?


    It didn''t make any sense at all, therefore, it was certain that Kia didn''t believe that he didn''t receive the message.


    However, Misha''s expression suddenly changed, from a confused face to an unstoppable anger when he saw the reply message he sent, or he should say that someone sent a reply on his behalf.


    The message told Kia not to contact him again and that what she said was disgusting and not the only time a woman begged him.


    The reply was one long sentence in which they insulted Kia and mocked her pleas and said how shameless and unconscious she was.


    He didn''t know who had sent such a message, but if Kia had known him better, she would have realized something was off, because words like these weren''t the ones Misha would have chosen to say, even if he didn''t want the child.


    "It was not me who replied to your messages." Misha''s voice sounded very calm, but much like the calm before the storm.


    Misha finally returned Kia''s phone, his face didn''t show any emotion, but his eyes were so cold, that it made Kia shudder a little when she saw him like that.


    There was anxiety in her heart and she wanted to believe what Misha said, but this was a thing that had happened too long ago, therefore, Kia didn''t know what to feel anymore or how she really felt.


    "That''s not important now, is it?" Kia said in a calm voice, she then took her cellphone back and briefly went back to reading the message from Misha first. "Everything happened, whether it was you or not, it wouldn''t change anything."


    Misha was silent for a moment, but then he answered firmly. "Of course it''s important." He then stood up from his seat and looked intently at Kia. "I have some business to attend to, I''ll be backter."


    "You don''t have toe back anymore," Kia said hastily. She was tired of serving Misha and wanted to have a quiet life like when she had not met Misha, but this man seemed very determined to stay around herself and Mika.


    "I will be back again," Misha repeated and this time, he didn''t ask for permission, but made it clear what he was going to do and Kia was speechless when she saw the determination in his eyes.


    However, before Misha reached the door he turned around and looked at Kia with an expression filled with trouble.


    "I don''t like that stranger in this apartment." Misha showed an expression of displeasure at the fact that Keira''s fianc¨¦ was here. "You shouldn''t allow a foreign man into an apartment upied by just two women and a child."


    "Ben is Keira''s fianc¨¦." Kia frowned. "Even if there was a foreign man here, then it would be you."


    If there was a stranger in this ce, it would be Misha for sure, because Kia had known Ben for a long time and it could be said that she knew Keira''s fianc¨¦ better than she knew Misha.


    Hearing this, Misha didn''t respond and pretended not to hear while repeating what he said earlier before walking away from the kitchen.


    "I wille back here again."


    And after that, Kia heard the sound of the front door closing, indicating that Misha had left this apartment, at least for a while, because he had said that he woulde back many times earlier, so it was certain that he woulde back again.


    Faced with this, Kia could only sigh heavily, she frowned and stared at her cell phone. Was what Misha said true? That he didn''t send the message?


    But, whatever it was, it wouldn''t change anything, would it? What she had been through had already happened and confirming who had sent the reply to her messages would not change the past.


    Kia took a deep breath.


    ========================


    "Find out who I was with at that time." Misha looked annoyed that he had to repeat an order he just gave Richard. Why didn''t he listen well from the start, anyway?


    "How would I know?!" Richard looked very frustrated in dealing with Misha this time, because his request just now was so unreasonable. How could he ask him to investigate who had replied to the message?


    Richard didn''t get an exnation in detail about the message, but at least he got an outline of what happened at that time and indeed, if he were Kia, he wouldn''t believe it if it wasn''t a message sent by Misha either.


    It was just¡­


    "You can find out who I was with at that time," Misha said.


    "You mean, who was your bedmate at that time?" asked Richard very sarcastically, as if his irritation and frustration had made him a little bolder.


    Too bad it didn''tst long, because after he got a fierce re from Misha, he cleared his throat and spoke with muchposure.


    "It''s almost impossible. You change women like you change clothes," Richard said in a more gentle tone than before, although the meaning of the sentence remained the same.


    "Find out who I was with then," Misha growled, he said it in a final tone, as if there was no more discussion after this.


    But Richard couldn''t help but vent his frustration, he just couldn''t say it out loud.


    It was Misha himself who dated the Women, why was it Richard who had to find out, keep on track with whoever he was in touch with?


    Richard was even willing to bet his entire sry that even Misha himself didn''t remember the names of the women he had been with before. He really was the worst man.


    So if he was the only one who''s been dating the girls, how could Richard know who Misha Together was when he didn''t want to care about that side of his boss'' life?


    Richard really wanted to pull his hair out.


    "I want the answer by tomorrow morning at thetest," said Misha. He then held out his hand to Richard which made the man wonder again what he wanted now.


    Misha was being more and more confusing and working with him required immense patience, or else you would find yourself questioning your sanity.


    "What?" asked Richard in bewilderment, staring at Misha''s outstretched hand. "What do you want?"


    "Car keys," Misha answered lightly.


    They were currently in the basement parking lot at Kia''s apartment. Misha asked him to meet him here itself.


    From his voice that sounded angry and impatient, Richard thought that something bad had happened to Mika or to Kia, so he sounded very agitated.


    But, it turned out that he just wanted to know about one of the women who had also been a victim of his good looks in the past.


    "Where is your car?" asked Richard. He didn''t want to give up his car because he drove here.


    "It''s in the office. I took a taxi here." Misha was still holding out his hand, staring intently at Richard to hand over the car. "Tell someone to pick you up or just take a taxi."


    Richard could only shake his head and hand over his car keys with a heavy heart.


    "If there is a ce you want to go, I can take you," Richard offered. He felt abandoned like this.


    "No, you just go," Misha refused quickly and firmly.


    So? He had been dumped¡­


    =========================


    Amber was standing in front of the door, which was Alia''s painting room, which meant it was originally Kia''s room.


    She stood there for a long time and seemed to hope that when she opened the door, it wasn''t Alia''s paintings on disy, but the mattress and cupboards and all the knick-knacks Kia liked that were inside.


    Unfortunately, such a wish would not be granted, because when she opened this door, Kia''s room that was in her memory did not appear, as the room had be the room of her youngest daughter''s painting room.


    Amber started to wonder¡­ where did she put Kia''s stuff? Didn''t that kid really like to put together bits and pieces of some articles?


    So what other activities did she like?


    Amber frowned. She couldn''t answer. Did Kia like drawing like Alia? She didn''t think so¡­ did she like singing? Dancing?


    Why couldn''t Amber name the activities her second child liked? Yet she could easily name what Daniel and Alia liked to do in their free time, what they liked or didn''t like and their favorite foods.


    What was Kia''s favorite food?


    Amber was surprised because the answer was that she didn''t know. How could she not remember her own child''s favorite food?


    However, Kia neverined about food, it seemed she liked all kinds of foods. Amber couldn''t even remember thest time Kia asked her and her father anything.


    Why was that? She had no recollection of any important moment in Kia''s life, except four years ago.


    Four years ago Kia begged them to listen to her condition, but they were so angry at her and disappointed at what she had done that they just kicked her out of the house.


    They thought she would return after a few days, but four years had passed and they seemed to have silently agreed not to mention her name in this house again.

 Chapter 761: SMALLER THAN THIS!?

    Chapter 761: SMALLER THAN THIS!?Amber was not aware of this before, she thought she knew her children well. Maybe it was true for Daniel and Alia, but it didn''t seem like the case with Kia.


    How could she not even know her favorite food? Wasn''t that the most basic thing?


    But, if you think about it, Kia neverins or throws tantrums about whatever food she eats, she will eat whatever food is served to her.


    And the only memory that Amber remembers about the child was when she moved in silence to clean the house and meet all the needs of the whole family. She even prepared breakfast, lunch and dinner for all of them.


    Because at that time, Amber was so busy taking care of Alia who was sick, so indirectly, all things rted to this household were carried out and taken over by Kia.


    Since when did she do that? Amber didn''t remember. It just happened and it was as if it had been determined that way.


    If it were not for Kia who stepped in to help, it was certain that this family would be in chaos, because the work might seem light and meaningless, but of course it was a significant thing.


    Amber soon came out of the room and walked around her house. This was the house she had lived in for decades, but she saw it in a new light now, as if she had just realized something she had never thought of before.


    The photos in this house only contain Daniel and Alia, while Kia was very rarely in a photo. Even if she said she only had two children, people would believe it, because there was no trace of Kia in this house.


    Amber suddenly stopped walking, her chest ached from difort at the thought. How could there be no trace of Kia in the house she had lived in for neen years? It was as if she had never been here.


    "Mother? What are you doing?" asked Alia when she found her mother in the warehouse.


    She just got home, but didn''t find her mother anywhere and heard a noise from the direction of the store room, so she walked over here.


    "Alia," Amber called. She was opening some boxes that were now covered in dust there. "Can you help me look for Kia''s things?"


    "Kia''s things?" Alia asked as she approached her mother and knelt beside her. She frowned and covered her nose as the thick dust made it hard for her to breathe. "What items are you looking for?" she asked in surprise. She then moved a little away because she couldn''t stand the flying dust, but it didn''t seem to bother her mother at all.


    "Anything," Amber answered quickly, opening the boxes one by one, but she didn''t find any of Kia''s belongings. She even found Daniel''s toys, but nothing that of Kia''s. Had she never bought her a toy?


    Ah¡­


    Amber just remembered that she didn''t often buy Kia toys because Daniel had a lot of toys, therefore, Daniel''s toys were passed down to Kia.


    They were not that far apart in age and when Daniel was born, he and Lyle did spoil Daniel a bit and bought him something extra, because he was their first child and son in this family.


    However, when Kia was born, Daniel''s belongings were still there and could be used, therefore, they gave them to Kia.


    There was no other purpose at the time, they just thought that it didn''t matter at all and Kia was too young to protest or ask for anything. It was not that they were being negligent.


    "Why couldn''t I find any of Kia''s stuff at all?" Amber muttered as she rummaged through the boxes there, annoyed that she couldn''t find anything.


    "Mother..." Alia called carefully because her mother was not like her usual self. "Mom and dad have already thrown away Kia''s things." she reminded her mother because that was exactly what happened four years ago.


    When they were so angry with Kia, they threw away her things and said that the child was no longer a child of the lyrant family and no longer talked about Kia.


    Alia thought they''d only be like that for a while, but since they weren''t discussing Kia anymore, it was like a tacit understanding had been solidified between them that the name shouldn''t be discussed.


    "Discarded?" Amber stopped pulling out other cardboards. Yes, she remembered that she and Lyle had thrown away Kia''s things.


    Even though the child''s belongings were not much, and the toys when she was small were almost non-existent, they still threw them away¡­


    "Mom, are you okay?" Alia asked, leaning closer to her mother. "Mom''s clothes are dirty, let''s go inside," Alia coaxed, she couldn''t stand the dust flying around in this room, her breath became short.


    With a sad look and a broken heart, Amber followed Alia back into the house and cleaned herself up.


    "Alia," Amber called again. "Do you have any family photos on yourptop?" she asked hopefully. "Could you collect Kia''s photos?"


    Amber had collected the photos on herputer and cell phone, but the numbers were truly rming. Even if they were all printed, they wouldn''t make up one album.


    After all, they were photographs of years.


    "That¡­" Alia sounded doubtful, she wanted to tell the truth, but she couldn''t when she saw her mother''s pleading eyes. "I''ll try to find it."


    Alia didn''t think she had a lot of photos with Kia either. She didn''t remember that she had ever had a photo with Kia¡­


    But, she didn''t want to see her mother disappointed...


    =======================


    And just as Misha said that he would return to the apartment, he came back after she bought some food and some toys for Mika.


    Mika''s facial expression when she saw the new doll that Misha had bought made him want to give a toy shop to him daughter.


    But, if he did that, Kia would kick him out of this apartment without a second thought, so he gave up his intention.


    "I really don''t know how to deal with you anymore," Kia said tiredly. She who initially refused Misha''s arrival, now could only remain silent because she was tired of this man''s persistence. She just found out that Misha could be this persistent if he wanted to.


    "You don''t have to face me, you just have to ept me," Misha said in a low voice, as he yed with Mika and her new dolls, while Kia made food for Mika because the food Misha bought wasn''t suitable for her.


    Mika had some allergies and she had to pay attention to the food, so this time it would be much safer if Kia made the food herself.


    "That man won''te again, will he?" Misha asked in a cold voice, staring at the front door as if Ben would walk in at any moment.


    "Seeing you are here, Keira must be staying at her fianc¨¦''s ce, after all they are busy nning a wedding," replied Kia from the kitchen.


    Kia was surprised by this situation, why was Misha actually here? He was seen sitting casually in the living room while holding Mika on hisp who kept on chattering asking many things and even more strange because Misha took every word she said seriously.


    "Marriage?" Misha''s voice rose slightly, but then he controlled himself and spoke even more quietly. "After getting married, they don''t n on living here, do they?"


    Misha would flip out if Kia''s answer was ''yes''. There was no way he would let a foreign man be under the same roof with his daughter. He''d heard a lot about crimes against children, which he didn''t really care much about before.


    And it was undeniable that it had been bothering Mishately after he found out that he had a daughter himself.


    Luckily, Kia''s answer was exactly what he wanted to hear.


    "No, Keira will move in with Benter after they get married," Kia answered quietly. She had finished making meat stew for Mika and brought it to the living room, where the two of them were ying.


    It was strange to see Misha Tordoff in a cheap apartment like this, sitting on the shabby carpet ying with a teddy bear with a small three year old child.


    "Come here Mika," Kia said, sitting on the carpet too.


    Obediently, Mika walked to Kia and then sat on her mother''sp hugging her teddy bear.


    On the other hand, Misha slightly frowned. Just one word and Mika just walked away. The little girl didn''t even look at him at all, even though they had been ying for quite a while.


    "Does that mean you are going to stay here alone with Mika?" Misha asked in a low voice. He looked at Kia who was patiently feeding Mika.


    "No, I will move and find a smaller apartment for both of us," Kia replied without looking at Misha''s face.


    "A smaller ce than this?!" Misha eximed. He didn''t realize that his voice surprised Mika, but this time he didn''t pay attention to it, because he was too upset when he heard what Kia said. "Where would you find a smaller ce than this? In the rabbit hole?!"


    This was the smallest apartment he had ever been to and now Kia was saying that she would be looking for an even smaller apartment than this?!


    What kind of ce would she be living in the future?!


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 762: THE WORST BED

    Chapter 762: THE WORST BEDMisha really didn''t like what he heard about Kia''s ns after Keira''s wedding.


    "You want to find a ce smaller than this? You want to live in a rabbit hole?!" Misha couldn''t even imagine a ce much smaller than this apartment, could it still be called a ce to live? How could she move?


    Only, to Kia''s ears it sounded like an insult, she had lived in much worse ces than this before, so Misha''s reaction just now was too much.


    "You don''t have to react like that," Kia said critically. She stopped feeding Mika and red fiercely at Misha.


    Meanwhile, the little girl in herp looked at her mother and the man she was talking to. Apparently, her mother was very angry and upset because of the man''s actions and this annoyed her too.


    Mika pouted her lips and imitated the re Kia gave Misha, which Misha saw and made the man not move. He was at a loss for words.


    How could a three year old girl show such a cold expression and widen her big eyes?


    "That''s not what I meant," Misha said, lowering his voice and sighing tiredly. "In my house..."


    "I''m not going back to that house," Kia refused firmly, before Misha even finished his sentence and he could only sigh, trying to relent.


    "It''ste, why don''t you go home?" Kia then continued feeding Mika.


    "You are kicking me out?" Misha asked in an irritated tone.


    "Yes," replied Kia curtly. She didn''t even have the intention of hiding her displeasure and this left Misha at a loss for words.


    "I''ll go home after making sure you''re okay," Misha said. "After all, you two are alone in this apartment."


    "It''s not the first time we''re both here," Kia answered straight away. She threw a disapproving look at Misha, while she fed Mika, as if telling him to get out of here right away because she couldn''t stand him anymore.


    However, Misha pretended not to understand this and insisted on staying there, because after all, he didn''t want to leave Mika and Kia alone.


    "It''s gettingte, wouldn''t it be more polite if you offered me to stay?" said Mika. He stretched his legs and leaned his back against the sofa. He looked quite rxed.


    "You have dozens of cars and drivers that will even drive you up to the ends of the world, what are youining about?" Kia stated the truth.


    Seriously, if he wanted to make an excuse, couldn''t he have gone for a more usible excuse? Because what he said just now really made Kia scowl in annoyance.


    "Regarding that, wouldn''t it be bad to interrupt someone''s rest time?" Misha himself even realized that the excuse he was using was absurd.


    "So you think it''s okay if you bother me?" she asked curtly. Mika then devoured herst bite and drank her drink.


    On the other hand, Misha took the opportunity to divert her attention. "Is there anything else you want to eat? Are you still hungry? Want me to order some food?"


    Only, Mika just nced at Misha and crawled back into her mother''sp and hugged Kia tightly, burying her face into her chest.


    "She''s finished eating, you want her to get sick by making her eat too much?" Kia scolded sharply, then she stood up and took Mika toward the bathroom. "Come on, now brush your teeth."


    Mika followed her mother, she walked very cutely while jumping up and down and was about to bring her doll.


    "No, put down the doll, it will get wet," Kia said as she took the doll back and put it on the sofa.


    Kia deliberately lingered in the bathroom together with Mika and after that she yed with her in the room and read stories until the little girl fell asleep.


    It wasn''t until after midnight that Kia came out of her room and walked toward the living room. She thought, after being left alone and hearing her sharp words earlier, Misha would understand and go away on his own.


    But, Kia could only hope, because when she got to the living room, she found Misha fast asleep. He was sleeping on the sofa which seemed so small to him, that his legs were stretched out and he seemed ufortable.


    He made a pillow with the other hand and put the other hand on his head to block out the bright lights.


    Seeing this, Kia didn''t know anymore what she had to do to push him away. She didn''t want to get involved with Misha anymore, but the more she pushed him away, the more this man fought back.


    And seeing how he slept so ufortably, even though he should be able to return to the Tordoff residence and be able to sleep in a bed a million times morefortable than this dpidated sofa, made Kia falter a little.


    Why did he have to do something like this now? If he had done it four years ago, or he had looked for her three years ago, or even two years ago, it might not have been toote for Kia to forgive Misha.


    It would have been easier to forgive him then, because at that time, it was the worst time for her and it was something she could not express in words.


    But now that four years have passed and all of Kia''s hard work and hard times are almost over and her and Mika''s life was so much better. He had just appeared before her and wanted to be held ountable for his actions?


    Kia went back to the room and took the nket and pillow, then she went back into the living room again and turned off the lights there, so it wouldn''t be too blinding for Misha.


    Kia sighed as she looked at Misha''s sleeping face for a moment, making sure that he really fell asleep.


    If only Misha hade a few years ago, perhaps seeing him like this would have moved her heart and how he tried to always be there for Mika and see how the two of them interacted were things she had hoped for in her early years on the run.


    But now¡­


    Kia didn''t know what to feel or what to do with Misha when he insisted on being in Kia and Mika''s life.


    Kia then put a pillow under Misha''s head and put his hands on his sides. After that, she covered Misha''s body with a nket and looked at him for a while before she returned to the room and slept beside Mika.


    Her daughter''s scent made her feel morefortable and could sleep soundly now.


    However, what Kia didn''t know was; when she left and the sound of the bedroom door closing echoed softly in the living room, Misha opened his eyes and stared into the darkness. He didn''t sleep at all, he just pretended to be asleep so he wouldn''t be kicked out by Kia. His body ached from sleeping on this hard sofa.


    But knowing what Kia had done for him and these pillows and nkets that had her scent, it felt like sleeping on this hard couch wasn''t so bad.


    With that thought, Misha then closed his eyes.


    However, the feeling was only temporary because after half an hour had passed he started to grumble.


    "Damn it, what is this?!" he hissed quietly so as not to wake Kia and Mika, but he stared fiercely at the innocent sofa because he couldn''t sleep like this.


    ========================


    Misha woke up when he felt something poke his cheek. At first he ignored it and waved his hand to get rid of the disturbance.


    But, because it didn''t stop, he finally opened his eyes and grumbled, only his grumbling stopped when he saw the innocent face of his daughter standing beside the sofa, staring at him with round face and shining eyes.


    "Wake up," she whispered to wake Misha. If she wanted to wake someone up, she should be screaming instead of whispering, right? "Wake up. It''s already morning."


    Misha blinked his sleepy eyes and rubbed Mika''s head, this was the most pleasant morning sight he had ever experienced and he swore he would never forget this at all.


    Misha then yawned and stretched his aching body. Damn it, this sofa! He even had to sleep in the same position all night and it made his body feel like he had been beaten half to death.


    Kia really needed to renovate this whole apartment!


    "Mommy made breakfast, you have to wake up," said Mika, she then nudged her leg. "You have to wake up because it''s morning."


    Mika wondered why a child as small as Mika had woken up this early. Was it normal for her to wake up at this hour? Couldn''t a small child wake up muchter?


    But,ter, Misha remembered that Mika had to follow Kia''s schedule too, she had to work and Misha would be put in daycare.


    Now that Kia had finished her studies and was waiting for her graduation, she decided to work early in the morning as well to increase their savings.


    When Misha found out about this, it made him very upset, because he didn''t think that such a small amount of money could even be called an emergency fund.


    "Let''s y," Mika said in her childish voice. She brought out the two teddy bears Misha boughtst night and they both yed with them.


    Mika then dropped a teddy bear into Misha''sp, which made him not believe that a day woulde where he would y with dolls like this.

 Chapter 763: SHAMELESS MISHA

    Chapter 763: SHAMELESS MISHAIn the past, Misha never thought that he would have a child, especially a daughter. It had never even crossed his mind.


    But, now, he didn''t expect this to happen to him and after going through all this, he didn''t think he hated it.


    And if he was being honest, he could probably say he''s enjoying this.


    After Misha spent his time working in the office and being surrounded by sneaky people and also after he met the people Jayden worked with, where their smiles were to watch out for and he had to listen carefully to every word they say because he might catch a hint. Or lies in it.


    The point was that he couldn''t lower his guard because when that happened he and his family would be the losers.


    However, when he was with this little daughter, he found that he didn''t have to think that much. Because when Mika smiled, he had nothing to worry about.


    This little girl would smile when she was happy, cry when she was sad and it was very easy to read her facial expressions.


    It was nice not to be on guard all the time.


    He just found out that little children were as innocent and easy as this in showing their feelings, because there was no hidden meaning behind their every action.


    "Let''s y," Mika said in her childish voice. She brought two teddy bears that Misha boughtst night and now, they both were supposed to y with them.


    Mika then threw a teddy bear into Misha''sp, which made him not believe that a day woulde where he would y with dolls like this.


    Even the people around him always said that when he was little he never touched the dolls that were bought for him.


    "I want her hair in a braid," said Mika suddenly, she then grabbed her hair and indicated that she wanted it in two braids like the dolls in televisionmercials. "Like that." Mika pointed at the ad and this left Misha speechless.


    "I don''t know how to braid," Misha said honestly atst as Mika continued to whine.


    "Mommy knows how to braid."


    Well¡­ "Then how about waiting for Mommy?" Misha persuaded, while Mika had run into the room to get the small box where Kia put all the essories for her hair.


    "Braid my hair," Mika whined impatiently, she stuffed the box into Misha''sp and made him unable to move. "Mika wants a braid."


    Meanwhile, Kia passed by them and Misha called out to her in a tone asking for help, but she didn''t care and said nonchntly.


    "Didn''t she ask you to braid her hair?" Kia stated, while continuing to cook their breakfast. "She asked you, not me." Kia confirmed it.


    Meanwhile, Mika kept on whining at Misha and made him unable to resist anymore. "Okay... I will try."


    I can learn something just by looking, so it''s not that difficult, is it?


    Misha then looked up how the braid Mika wanted needed to be done and tried to follow it, only¡­ it wasn''t as easy as he thought.


    Five minutester, Mika couldn''t wait to sit still, while Misha got more and more frustrated and made the little girl''s hair tangle.


    "Ow! That hurts!" Mika pouted because Misha didn''t finish her braid and it hurt because he kept pulling her hair.


    "Oh, sorry¡­ sorry¡­" Misha frowned even more and tried to do it well, it seemed he had got a hold of it, but still looked very stiff in doing so. His fingers didn''t corporate well.


    But, Mika couldn''t wait, she didn''t like to sit for long and wait like this, therefore, her face showed that she was starting to dislike him and started to whine for her mother.


    "Mommy..." Mika called when she saw her mother who had finished making breakfast and came to the two of them.


    On the other hand, Kia had actually finished her cooking earlier. She was watching from the kitchen, waiting for Misha to give up, but it seemed he was still trying and despite that, the result wasn''t very satisfying. Misha struggled to put into practice what he saw.


    "Come here, you did it wrong," Kia said in a low voice and she then took Misha''s job and sat beside him, showing him how it got done. "You should do it like this."


    Mika looked pleased that her mother hade and sat quietly, while Misha watched how Kia did it so easily, her fingers dancing in Misha''s long hair.


    "Oh, I will remember," Misha mumbled earnestly and Kia looked at him with an expression that was hard to decipher. "What is it? Why?" Misha asked warily when he saw the look on Kia''s face. He thought he had done something wrong again.


    "Nothing, let''s eat, I already made breakfast," Kia said nonchntly. She then took Mika''s hand and brought her to the dining table, while Misha followed behind happily.


    Misha didn''t know that Kia had also cooked something for him. He thought she only cooked breakfast just for herself and Mika, therefore, when he saw one more te ced on the table, waiting for him, he was quite surprised.


    "What''s with that expression on your face?" Kia said ufortably when she saw the face Misha showed after seeing the sandwich on his te. "Is the food not to your taste?" she asked a little curtly.


    "No way, I am willing to sellpany shares to get breakfast like this every day."


    Hearing this, Kia rolled her eyes dramatically and didn''t respond to Misha anymore, she then watched Mika so she wouldn''t eat too much.


    After the breakfast, since Kia didn''t have a morning shift and she didn''t have much to do, she seemed much more rxed and nned to just y with Mika, maybe take her to the parkter.


    "Why don''t you leave?" Kia asked curtly when she saw that Misha had not left her apartment, even after their quiet breakfast had finished.


    "You sound so mean when you try to kick me away," Misha muttered. He didn''t have the slightest intention of moving from his spot.


    "I have let you stay here and even gave you breakfast and now, it''s well past the morning, don''t you have to go to the office?" she asked.


    "That''s the perk of being the boss, you don''t need to go to the office as often," Misha exined and this made Kia squint.


    "Good for you," Kia remarked. "But, you can leave from here and just work in your office."


    "No," Misha refused firmly. "I can do the work on myptop," he insisted.


    "What exactly do you want to stay here for?" Kia said annoyed. This time around, she really wanted to kick Misha out of the apartment because she felt ufortable having someone like Misha in a ce that was way below his standards. Unconsciously, Kia felt self- aware.


    "I want to be near my family," Misha replied shamelessly which made Kia''s eyes widen in disbelief and annoyance.


    "I am not your family!" cried Kia.


    "You gave birth to my daughter, of course you are my family," Misha replied in a confident voice. He then continued his work, but actually his focus was entirely on Kia.


    "How do you know she is your daughter? I never said that," Kia grumbled.


    "You never said she wasn''t my daughter either, did you?" No matter what, Kia couldn''t lie to that extent, her conscience wouldn''t allow her to say that. "If you are still in doubt, I am all up for a DNA test right now."


    Misha seemed to be able to hear Kia gritting her teeth in annoyance, but he just smiled without saying anything after that.


    He had absolutely no intention of letting the two of them go again.


    And before Kia became even more annoyed, Mika hade from the kitchen, her expression sad.


    "My pudding is finished¡­ Mommy, let''s go buy my pudding." Mika whined, she tugged Kia''s hand.


    "My pudding?" Misha asked with a frown. "Is that her favorite pudding?" Misha had seen Mika eat the pudding several times, even Kia forbade it because she consumed the pudding too often beyond the limit that Kia had set.


    "Yes, Mika likes pudding," Mika answered quickly and then her eyes shone brightly as she approached Misha. "Let''s buy pudding."


    Maybe it was because Misha had always bought something for her that she automatically sulked at this man now.


    "Let''s buy some pudding," she coaxed.


    And when Misha got attacked by his sweet daughter''s cuteness, how could he refuse, even Kia couldn''t resist, because indeed she seemed to have to buy some things too.


    "You don''t have toe," Kia said. "You go home."


    Misha looked unfazed when he heard what Kia said, instead he confidently answered it. "I actually wanted to do that, but what can I do? My daughter is whining and I can''t bear to say no, so I hope you understand."


    Kia couldn''t believe how shameless this man was...


    And in the end, the three of them went to the shopping center and started shopping together and Misha was very happy because it was his first time shopping like this. It was a strange experience and something he would unt in front of Richard.


    It turned out that without these strange suggestions from his subordinates, he could have progressed much faster on his own.


    He just needed to be more persistent and shameless when it came to Kia.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 764: UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER

    Chapter 764: UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTERThis was Misha''s first time shopping for monthly basic necessities and he was unfamiliar with this activity, but that didn''t mean he didn''t enjoy it. As long as it involved Kia and Mika, of course he would be able to enjoy it.


    "Don''t buy that much pudding," Kia protested, she red at Misha who was about to put three boxes of Mika''s favorite pudding in the cart.


    "So what?" Misha brought his own trolley and was about to put three boxes of pudding in it and a few boxes of chocte and some boxes of snacks that he thought Mika liked.


    Meanwhile, their cute daughter was sitting in the trolley quietly watching Misha and Kia who had different opinions every step of the way.


    "Where do you want to put the food boxes?" asked Kia in frustration, it seemed like the differences in their economic life was so far apart and the concept of shopping in Misha''s head really needed to be fixed.


    If Kia only bought a few items to taste, then Misha would buy them in the number of boxes of these items.


    "Of course in the refrigerator," said Misha in a matter of fact tone, he looked confused. Where else would he put these puddings?


    Kia closed his eyes and Mika tilted her head, usually when it was like this, her mother was holding back her annoyance.


    "How big do you think the fridge in my house is?" Kia grumbled. She was still trying to be patient, even though it felt like she was talking to an impudent five-year-old. "You''ve seen it yourself, haven''t you? The refrigerator in my house can only fit a few things, not to mention Keira''s stuff. Where am I going to put all that stuff? You think I have a freezer room?"


    Misha was silent for a moment, as if he had just remembered how small the refrigerator in Kia''s apartment was and what was more, she had to use it together with her roommate.


    Actually the refrigerator was not too small and was of a standard size, but whenpared to the Tordoff family''s¡­ of course it was very different.


    "We can buy a new refrigerator," Misha said lightly. "Besides, the refrigerator in your apartment looks old and unfit for use."


    Looks old and unusable? From what angle could Misha say that when the refrigerator was still functioning so well?


    "Where are you going to put a fridge bigger than that? The kitchen in my apartment is too small to fit a bigger fridge," Kia grumbled.


    "Then you can move to a bigger apartment," Misha suggested. "We can find a bigger apartment near where you work."


    The ce where Kia worked is downtown, which meant the apartments around it were elite apartments and some units, Kia was sure, were under the Tordoff family name.


    "No," said Kia immediately, without even thinking about it.


    "Or can you move to my ce? I will prepare a driver to chauffeur you around when you work," Misha suggested. He was following Kia from behind, pushing his trolley full of food boxes.


    "No," said Kia firmly. Howe someone who worked in a bar and restaurant had a driver to chauffeur them around?


    "What if¡­" Misha didn''t have time to finish his sentence but, Kia had stopped her steps and Misha almost hit her with his trolley because he was walking right behind her.


    "How about you put all the boxes where they belong?" said Kia. "I won''t ept the food, you can buy it and take it back to your house."


    Mika poked her head out of the trolley and looked at Misha who was speechless.


    But, as if he was still trying to persuade Kia to change his mind, he then ran his trolley to the side of Kia''s trolley and looked at Mika.


    "You want this?" Misha asked, showing Mika the boxes in his trolley, but the little girl shook her head. She knew the assignment. If Mommy said ''no'', it meant she couldn''t think about it either.


    "You can''t eat too much sweet, you''ll have a hole in your teeth," said Mika innocently, as if she was advising Misha while patting the man''s hand innocently.


    "Now put the boxes back where they belong," Kia said in a firmer voice.


    Unable to deny nor give reasonable advice, defeatedly, Misha finally relented. "Okay." He then pushed the trolley back in the opposite direction to return all the boxes he had taken.


    He was silent for a moment, he felt like a child being told to return the toy he wanted. He had seen a scene like this before.


    Meanwhile, Kia pushed the trolley toward the milk section, because Mika''s milk seemed to be running out.


    "Mika, what kind of milk do you want now?" Because Kia couldn''t buy several vors at once, so every time she bought milk, she would ask Mika what vored milk she wanted.


    "Strawberry," replied Mika excitedly. She was very fond of strawberries recently.


    "Okay," Kia said with a smile, she rubbed Mika''s head and let her guard down a bit, barely noticing that another trolley was about to turn toward her from the rows of milk shelves. "Oh, sorry..." Kia said automatically.


    "No, it''s fine¡­" answered someone on the other side, but their expressions immediately changed when they saw each other.


    Kia looked pale when she saw the teenage girl in front of her and so did the teenager. She blinked her eyes, as if she couldn''t believe what she was seeing.


    "Sister Kia?" called the girl, she couldn''t hide her surprise at all and went straight to Kia, while she couldn''t dodge. "This is sis Kia, right?"


    "You got the wrong person," Kia said quickly. She then took Mika from the trolley and held her by the hand, leaving the things she had chosen earlier, because the only thing she wanted to do now was get out of this ce as soon as possible.


    "There''s no way I''m wrong," Alia said loudly, she then grabbed Kia''s hand tightly, as if she wouldn''t let go at all. "Kia why don''t youe home? You should know how worried father and mother and brother Daniel were when you left."


    Kia didn''t expect that today she would meet Alia in this ce. Who did shee with? Was she here alone? Kia frantically looked behind Alia, but she didn''t see anyone. However, that didn''t mean it was only Alia she had to deal with. It could be that one of her family members might suddenlye looking for her.


    "You can''t be like that, we''re family, why did you just leave?" asked Alia while crying, which only irritated Kia.


    She couldn''t help feeling this way and even more so because she knew that she shouldn''t feel this way, she became even more irritated.


    It was not Alia''s fault that she was sick and the whole family was worried about her and it was unfair if Kia med her sister.


    But, the more she felt unfair with the treatment she received from his family because of Alia, the more she disliked this little sister and what was she saying now? They were worried? So, she was the bad guy for not contacting the family?


    "You don''t know what you''re saying, Alia, now let me go and pretend you never met me here," Kia said. Just meeting Alia was already overwhelming for her. She wouldn''t be able to handle it if she had to meet the rest of her family. "Now let me go."


    Kia tried to free herself from Alia''s strong grip, but she couldn''t do that, because it seemed she was determined not to let her go until her fingernails stuck to Kia''s skin, without Alia knowing she had hurt her.


    However, what they both didn''t realize was that the three-year-old child beside Kia had now left.


    Mika had seen where Misha went to return the boxes of food and intended to go to him and ask for help because a stranger was tugging at her mother''s hand and she didn''t like it.


    "Mommy!" Mika found Misha, who was putting thest box in its ce. He was surprised when his daughter came running to her.


    "How did you get here?" said Misha confusedly. He then lifted Mika''s body. His daughter frowned and she pointed in the direction she hade. "Where''s Mommy?"


    "There is a strange person pulling mommy''s hand," Mika grumbled, she then grabbed Misha''s hair so that he immediately moved in the direction she was pointing, because Misha didn''t walk and just stood there. "Mommy,e see mommy!"


    Misha was surprised when his hair was pulled, it didn''t hurt, but it showed how worried Mika was and the first person she turned to for help was himself.


    And without waiting any longer, Misha immediately rushed over to Kia. He thought at first that Kia was fighting with someone, but when he got closer, it turned out to be Alia and this made his brows furrow.


    Why did they meet Alia here?


    "What is this?" Misha asked in a deep voice. He held Mika with one hand and pulled Kia to his side with the other, cing her behind his body.


    On the other hand, because Alia was surprised to see Misha''s figure, she immediately removed her hand from Kia and widened her eyes.


    "Mr. Tordoff, what are you doing here?" asked Alia in confusion.


    But, it didn''t stop there, from behind Kia, her father came because he couldn''t find his youngest daughter where he had left her.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 765: UNGRATEFUL CHILD

    Chapter 765: UNGRATEFUL CHILDMisha didn''t understand what kind of trouble Kia might be going through at a time like this, especially in a ce with lots of people like this, but seeing from how Mika looked worried and asked himself toe to her mother, of course Misha immediately rushed over to where Kia was.


    Before he even got close to Kia, he could hear the ongoing scuffle, because Alia''s voice was quite loud and Misha realized immediately what was wrong with Kia.


    "What is this?" Misha asked in a deep voice. He carried Mika in one hand and pulled Kia to his side with the other, pulling her behind his body.


    "Mr. Tordoff, what are you doing here?" asked Alia in confusion. She looked at Kia and Misha alternately, a faint crease between her eyebrows could be seen.


    "Let''s get out of here," Kia said hastily. She didn''t want to be in this ce any longer. She didn''t want to be near Alia or the rest of her family.


    Just seeing Alia today was already something that overwhelmed her. Kia felt really bad for not liking her sister, even though it wasn''t her fault. She felt that she was the worst person in the world because she was angry with her sick sister.


    But, it seemed that luck was not on Kia''s side, because not long after, from behind Kia, her father came because he couldn''t find his youngest daughter where he had left her.


    Instantly, Kia could feel her blood run cold as her heart seemed to stop beating, when her father came up to Alia from behind.


    Of course Lyle didn''t realize it was Kia because she had her back to him.


    "What happened?" asked Lyle who went straight to Alia. The girl looked breathless, with her face red because she had shouted at Kia and tried to stop her older sister from leaving, even though her physical condition was not good.


    Since helping her mother to look for photos in the store room, her condition had not been good. She often felt short of breath, but because she didn''t want to worry about the people around her, she hid this fact, since she could still hold it in.


    "Sis Kia," said Alia with a red face, raising her hand, pointing at Kia.


    On the other hand, Kia felt like someone had sshed her with a bucket of cold water as soon as she saw her father and the first thing that came to mind was; immediately leave that ce.


    Instinctively, Kia immediately took Mika from Misha''s arms and was about to leave the ce, but her father had already seen her and it was not possible for her to leave in peace.


    "Kia," Lyle said with disbelief in his eyes when he saw his daughter whom he hadn''t seen in four years. "Is it really you?"


    At first, Lyle thought that Alia got into a ruckus with other customers because she was being bullied and was ready to defend his daughter, because there was no way his cute youngest daughter would make a fuss first.


    However, when he saw who had been arguing with Alia, he felt that he had just been struck by a bolt of lightning. How could a coincidence like this happen?


    "Kia?" The name just came out of Lyle''s lips. A name that had not been mentioned in their family for years and now his daughter was in front of him.


    On the other hand, Kia felt her body tremble when she heard her father''s voice. The anger she had been suppressing for so long burst out, but instead of yelling in anger or cursing, Kia became colder in response to the situation.


    "Kia, it is you, right?" said Lyle, without realizing it he took one step closer to Kia, but then he stopped when he realized the girl in Kia''s arms. In fact, until now he had not been aware of Mika''s existence. "That¡­ is that your daughter?" he asked, stuttering.


    Meanwhile, Kia felt that she couldn''t avoid this, so she pressed Mika''s face against her shoulder, so her father couldn''t see her daughter''s face. She didn''t want anyone else to see Mika''s face.


    "Wait a minute," Lyle said in a hurry when he saw Kia was about to leave again after he threw her a re. "Where are you going?"


    At this point, neither of them cared about the questioning gazes they were drawing from the customers around them and it seemed they didn''t even notice that they were in a public ce.


    "That''s none of your business," Kia said coldly. The anger she had been trying to contain burst out into something fierce and this surprised Lyle enough as it was unusual for Kia to speak this sharply.


    Since Lyle didn''t know how to digest this emotion, he was taken aback and didn''t know what to say, so he responded to Kia''s reaction with the authority of a father, something he always did to Kia.


    "How can you talk like that to your father!?" Lyle eximed, but even as he shouted at Kia, he felt that this was the wrong response, but he couldn''t stop.


    There were many ways for people to respond to something that took them by surprise, especially when it was mixed with guilt, but Lyle chose to be angry, because it was so much easier.


    "You should greet your father and sister!" cried Lyle. He gripped her hand tightly enough to make her wince.


    "Father and sister?" Kia asked fiercely. "Wasn''t it you yourself who said that I should forget I had a family four years ago?"


    The sentence sounded very cold and made Lyle flinch. Right. He had said that to Kia four years ago because he was so mad at her. How could she have a child out of wedlock and tarnish the family name?


    She shouldn''t have done that when her life was sofortable and secure.


    What did sheck? She got a decent room, a decent education and an allowance that didn''t require her to work part time like the others. She didn''tck anything, but she did the most indecent things out there.


    Especially considering that Kia was physically fit, unlike Alia who spent most of her time in and out of the hospital. Why couldn''t she be grateful for all of that and still cause trouble?


    Lyle couldn''t understand Kia''s way of thinking at all and he couldn''t understand why she was being so cold to himself after so many years of not seeing each other.


    Wasn''t this her chance to apologize and beg to be epted back into the family? Especially now that she had a child, who was the first grandchild in their family.


    Grandchild¡­


    The word sounded foreign to Lyle''s ears, but he didn''t hate it either. It just felt weird, since he never acknowledged the child...


    "How can you say such a thing?!" Lyle eximed in response to Kia''s reply. "Is that your daughter? Now that you have a kid, you''ll know what it''s like to be a parent! You should understand the attitude we took four years ago and you should introspect yourself."


    But, after saying that, Lyle was surprised by how Kia looked at him so cynically, as if she was insulting him by the way she looked at him.


    "Yeah, I''m a mother now," Kia said slowly, so Lyle could hear every word she said very well. "That''s why I know that I won''t leave my daughter or kick her out when she needs my support the most, because that''s not the kind of parent I am. I don''t want to be that kind of parent."


    Somehow Lyle felt his tongue go numb when he heard that. He had to retort her ims and say how lucky she was to have a healthy body and a decent ce to live.


    Kia didn''tck for anything as long as she lived in their family! But, why did she act like she was the most tormented child? Especially after the despicable deeds she had done.


    However, Lyle couldn''t find the right words to reply to those words. Deep in his heart, he realized that what Kia said was true and what he had done and said four years ago was too much, but his ego prevented him from admitting it.


    Lyle was the head of the family, so his words should be taken seriously, not the other way around.


    "You should be grateful for having a healthy body and a family that cares for you, but don''t you see what you''ve done now? You tarnished the good name of the family with your actions and gave birth to that illegitimate child!"


    Not. That wasn''t what Lyle wanted to say, he didn''t want to say it. The words left his mouth just like that because he was angry and wanted to cover up his guilt.


    "Watch your words," Misha said coldly. He hadn''t said anything since earlier because he thought Kia wanted to say what she had been holding back for so long.


    Kia was the kind of person who would suppress what she felt and act like she didn''t care and that was way more terrifying than her venting her rage. Therefore, Misha let the conflict y out earlier and only paid attention to the two of them.


    But, when he heard how Lyle insulted his daughter, of course that was his business now.


    "You¡­ Mr. Tordoff?" said Lyle in confusion when he saw Misha there.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 766: YOU SEDUCED HIM

    Chapter 766: YOU SEDUCED HIMLyle was too focused on his chat with Kia, he didn''t even notice his surroundings or Alia who had been crying behind his back because her older sister and father were fighting again. She didn''t want this to happen to her family.


    Therefore, when Misha spoke, Lyle was so surprised and stared at the young man with wide eyes.


    "Watch your words," Misha said coldly. He didn''t say anything when Lyle and Kia shed because he thought Kia needed to express her anger too, only, Lyle''s words about Mika were totally uneptable.


    So this was his business now.


    Lyle gasped and immediately turned his head toward the source of the voice and how surprised he was to find Misha there. "You¡­ Mr. Tordoff?" said Lyle in confusion.


    They had met once at dinner the other day, but he had certainly seen Misha on various business tforms and magazines, his name was also familiar. Who didn''t know the Tordoff family?


    Misha stared intently at Lyle, his eyes sharp as if they could make him tremble with fear.


    "What are you doing here?" he said confusedly.


    "Let''s get out of here," Kia said in a tired voice. She didn''t seem like she wanted to be there and wanted to leave as soon as possible, so before this dispute got any bigger, she wanted to pull Misha away.


    Misha need not get involved in her family matters, neither was this the right ce to discuss such matters.


    However, Lyle couldn''t hide his surprise, especially when he saw how Kia touched Misha casually before how his daughter grabbed Misha''s hand, and something clicked in his head.


    "Don''t tell me you''re seducing Mr. Tordoff?!" Lyle''s anger grew even more fueled because he thought Kia had been in a rtionship with Misha Tordoff after she had a child with an unidentified jerk.


    "What?" Kia was really shocked when she heard such baseless usations. She didn''t expect that her father would think of her so lowly.


    Hey! If anyone here was flirting, it was Misha! He was the one who continued to cling to her even after he was tantly kicked out.


    "Mr. Tordoff, I''m sorry for the behavior of my second daughter," said Lyle in a hurry and what was on his mind was Daniel. His son''s career could be affected because this was his son''s boss that Kia had teased.


    It was a pride for their family when Daniel was sessfully epted into the Tordoffpany, which was a dreampany for everyone, even people with good experience, it was difficult to be in Daniel''s position at that time, especially his son who just graduated, but he seeded and it was a matter of pride for them.


    Especially after Daniel did so well and got a promotion and became so close to Misha Tordoff that he agreed to have dinner at their home.


    Lyle certainly didn''t want things to get difficult for his son. He didn''t want to get his son into trouble, so the first thing that crossed his mind was to apologize.


    "She''s not a good kid, there shouldn''t be any need to be in a rtionship with her again," Lyle said embarrassedly because of Kia''s actions.


    He didn''t know what Kia had done to get close to Misha Tordoff, but it certainly wasn''t a good thing.


    On the other hand, Kia looked lost for words and then red at Misha. "Did you hear that? You better get out of my sight," Kia said sharply. It wasn''t her who wanted this man by her side anyway.


    "Kia!" Lyle snapped when he heard how rude Kia had been to Misha Tordoff. He was worried that Misha would be offended and give hard time to Daniel, knowing Kia was his sister. "You''re talking too much!"


    Unknowingly, he had raised his hand to p Kia, as this was what he used to do to discipline his children.


    "Father!" cried Alia in surprise because her father was about to p Kia.


    However, before the pnded on Kia''s cheek, Misha had held Lyle''s hand first and stood in front of her preventing him from hurting Kia. His gaze was so sharp that it made Lyle flinch.


    "Mr. Tordoff, you have no idea what my daughter has done, it''s a shameful act." Lyle hoped this would save Daniel''s reputation in Misha Tordoff''s eyes. "There''s a very strong reason why she was kicked out of the house."


    At the same time, Mika also turned and looked at the old man who was about to hit her mother and hugged Kia''s neck tightly. The little girl was crying.


    Hearing Mika''s sobs, Misha''s gaze grew sharper, as if she was going to kill this man in front of him.


    How dare he make his little girl cry¡­


    "Misha." Kia pulled the hem of Misha''s coat. She couldn''t stand being here anymore. "I want to get out of here." Kia tried to calm Mika down, but her daughter seemed too shocked because she had never seen anyone raise their voice at them or been involved in a direct confrontation like this.


    Hearing this, Misha took a deep breath and threw Lyle''s hand away, as if it disgusted him and then wrapped his arm around Kia''s shoulders, taking her away from that ce.


    But, Lyle didn''t give up. He was determined to get Kia to leave Misha Tordoff. Who knew what she would say to Misha after this?


    She could say bad things about his family, especially after what happened, she must want to get back at them, right? And get Daniel into trouble at work or even fired from his job.


    "Wait, I still have to talk to you!" Lyle cried, he then grabbed Kia''s hand and made her turn around.


    But right at that moment, he saw the little girl whom he had neglected from the start because he didn''t want to acknowledge the existence of the illegitimate child.


    And how surprised he was when the little girl hit his hand that was holding her mother''s arm.


    Mika''s punch wasn''t hard, how could a three year old kid''s punch hurt an adult, but from her angry expression, it was clear that she didn''t like anyone hurting her mother.


    The little girl did cry, but she wasn''t afraid to fight the person who had yelled at her mother and upset her.


    And not only that, but the little girl''s face¡­ the little girl''s face was very simr to Misha Tordoff. Or maybe it was just a coincidence?


    People who saw the two of them would immediately notice the resemnce between Mika and Misha. That was why Misha didn''t doubt Mika was his daughter even though Kia insisted she didn''t allow him to do a DNA test.


    Only, Lyle hadn''t had time to talk about it when something else happened.


    "Dad, calm down¡­ don''t¡­" Alia tried to stop her father from making any more noise and stop hurting Kia, but she felt her chest tighten and her legs go weak. Before she knew it, she had fallen to the floor. She was struggling to breathe, as if something was choking her.


    "ALIA!"


    Forgetting everything that happened, Lyle immediately approached Alia and supported her.


    On the other hand, Misha only nced at Alia''s body which fell on the floor and then turned his focuspletely on Kia.


    The woman''s face didn''t show any expression and this seemed to evoke memories from the past. He remembered exactly what this expression was.


    This was the expression when Kia found himself with another woman. An expression that waspletely devoid of any emotions. She didn''t show any emotion at all, as if she no longer had feelings.


    And rather than outbursts of anger, this kind of response was far more terrifying.


    "Do you want to help her?" Misha nudged her shoulder to turn Kia''s attention to himself before he waited for Kia''s response.


    =========================


    "I want to go home now," Kia said, looking at Mika''s sleeping face.


    Because Alia fainted in the convenience store and had to be rushed to the hospital, they all got into Misha''s car because his car was parked closer, while her father''s car was parked quite far away.


    Moreover, there was no way Lyle could carry Alia. She was no longer a child who could be carried easily and also Lyle was old and not strong enough to do that.


    Therefore, Misha was the one who carried Alia into the car and apanied them to the hospital. He also reserved a room for Alia and asked a specialist to examine her carefully.


    But, of course it all happened because Kia asked him, if it was up to Misha, he wouldn''t care if he had to walk away from there without feeling guilty, because after all it was not his problem.


    However, Kia couldn''t let Alia be like that. She knew how serious Alia''s condition was and although her dislike for her family was great considering how they hurt her, Alia was not at fault in this.


    Kia, in the past, had only been jealous of the attention Alia was getting from the people around her. She had even wished that it was she herself who was sick to get that kind of attention from her loved ones.


    And also because they always reminded her that she was very healthy, so there was nothing for her toin about.


    "Let''s go home," said Misha, as he then took Mika from Kia''s arms.


    Only this little girl didn''t want to let go of Kia at all. She didn''t even want Misha to carry her.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 767: I WILL TALK WITH HIM

    Chapter 767: I WILL TALK WITH HIM"I want to go home now," Kia said, as she nced at Mika''s sleeping face.


    Kia was sitting in the cafeteria waiting room at this hospital, because she didn''t want to meet her mother and Daniel who immediately rushed to the hospital after learning about Alia''s condition.


    Daniel even asked permission from the office toe back early because of Alia''s bad condition. He really loved his sister, didn''t he?


    Therefore, since Kia didn''t want to see them, she decided to just stay in the hospital cafeteria and go back as soon as possible after making sure Alia''s condition was okay.


    "Let''s go home," said Misha, as he took Mika from Kia''s arms.


    Only this little girl didn''t want to let go of Kia at all. She didn''t even want Misha to carry her. It was understandable because it was the first time for Mika to experience such a stressful event like earlier and also because she did look very upset with the treatment her mother received from Lyle.


    Mika didn''t want to be separated from her mother at all, but it also made it difficult for Kia because Mika was getting heavier and carrying her for too long made her tired.


    "You haven''t eaten yet, we will eat first," Misha said. He only saw Kia feeding Mika earlier, but she herself didn''t eat anything.


    But, Kia shook her head and refused the idea altogether. "I want to go home and rest." she then massaged her aching arm.


    Misha had tried to carry Mika in her stead, but the little girl hit Misha''s hand because she didn''t want anyone else to touch her, just like when she hit Lyle, which left Kia with no other choice.


    "Don''t you want to check Mika''s condition too, since we''re in the hospital right now," Misha suggested. It seemed Mika had inherited her condition from her aunt, Alia. Maybe this was a disease that ran in the family.


    Kia then checked Mika''s temperature and shook her head. "It doesn''t matter. She is fine. She just threw a tantrum earlier."


    Misha then did not discuss this anymore because it seemed that Kia could not stand being in this hospital for too long and wanted to go home as soon as she found out that Alia''s condition had gotten better.


    "Okay, let''s go home." Misha carried Mika with one hand and held Kia''s hand with the other.


    Maybe Kia was in deep thought to not notice this, but unlike usual, she didn''t pull her hand out of Misha''s grip and this made the man quite happy with this little progress.


    But, it seemed they couldn''t just leave, because when they were just about to exit the cafeteria and head to the parking lot, they found Daniel looking here and there, as if looking for something, or someone to be precise.


    And before the two of them could avoid him, Daniel had spotted Kia first and rushed over to her.


    He stood right in front of Kia and looked at Misha in disbelief. He blinked his eyes in disbelief when he saw the man, especially their entwined together hands.


    His father had told him that Misha Tordoff was with Kia, but he really didn''t expect to see this sight.


    Not to mention the fact that he had suspicions about the two of them based on thest chat he had with Misha, but wasn''t such a possibility insane?


    Daniel couldn''t even believe that he coulde up with such an idea.


    But, seeing what was in front of this¡­


    "Kia," Daniel called. He seemed awkward to talk to Kia after the long gap of four years, also because Misha Tordoff was there. The child he was holding¡­ Was that Kia''s child? His niece? Then why was she in Misha''s arms? Was his assumption correct? "We need to talk."


    "There is nothing more to talk about," Kia said firmly, and then walked past Daniel, who was still trying to hold her back.


    Only, Misha restrained the man and red at him. "Stop it," he said sternly and made Daniel grit his teeth.


    "I want to talk to my sister," Daniel said in a voice shaking with emotion. He looked like someone who would attack you if Misha kept holding him back.


    "Stop it Daniel," Kia said firmly. She didn''t want to create a scene in this ce. She had enough of what happened in the shopping center. There was no need for that to continue in this ce. However, Daniel didn''t seem to care what Kia said and continued to insist on talking to her.


    "I only need five minutes," said Daniel. "Just five minutes. Don''t you want to talk to me for a bit?"


    But, Misha grabbed Kia''s hand and was about to take her away. He cursed because he didn''t bring a bodyguard and couldn''t get Daniel away from Kia now, because right now he was also holding Mika who was sleeping after hours of throwing tantrums.


    "Take Mika to the car first, I''ll catch up with youter," Kia said tiredly. She would rather face Daniel for five minutes than watch her brother make a fuss and take up more of her time than that.


    "No, I will be here," Misha said firmly.


    "Mika is sleeping, she must be ufortable," Kia said with a frown. She didn''t want to use her daughter as an excuse, but there was no quickest way to persuade Misha except to use Mika.


    And as Kia had expected, Misha immediatelyplied after assessing the situation. "I''lle back to you if you don''te back in five minutes. Stay within my sight."


    Misha''s car was parked not far from them, therefore, he could still see Kia and Daniel from inside his car.


    So Misha said that she should still be under his care, because if Daniel tried to do anything, getting fired was thest thing he had to worry about.


    Misha would make sure that his career would end right then and there.


    "So, what do you want to talk about?" Kia asked in a displeased voice. She didn''t like being in this position nor did she enjoy talking to Daniel. "You said only five minutes, start talking."


    Hearing Kia''s cold words, Daniel really couldn''t believe what he had just heard. How could Kia be so nonchnt toward him?


    They hadn''t seen each other for four years, didn''t he miss her family?


    "So?" Kia asked impatiently. She hugged herself in a defensive gesture, because she didn''t want to be here with Daniel. "What do you want to say?"


    "Don''t you want to properly greet your brother after four years we haven''t seen each other?" asked Daniel, he felt awkward facing Kia now. Weren''t they familiar enough? "Don''t you know how worried I was when you left?"


    "I don''t think anyone is worried about where I''m going," Kia said in a matter of fact tone. Daniel seemed impatient to discuss the past story.


    "Of course, we were looking for you," said Daniel, frowning. "But, regardless, you should have returned. You should be more apologetic and have begged your father and mother for forgiveness so that they ept you back. They were just angry at the time."


    Kia had already guessed that the direction of this conversation would be that way, therefore, she didn''t have any expectations. She would only listen to what Daniel had to say, because no matter what she said, she was the one to me for this in their eyes.


    Kia didn''t say she was one hundred percent right, but for her to see her own family didn''t want to be med at all and kept throwing all the me on her made her sick and tired.


    "If you are more persistent in apologizing to them, they will surely have forgiven you in the end." Daniel tried to touch Kia, but she avoided his outstretched hand. "Now go back home and look after Alia, mom and dad will only scold you for a moment and after that they will definitely soften up to you."


    "I don''t expect anything from them anymore."


    Daniel frowned, he was still trying to digest what Kia really wanted to say.


    "Whether they forgive me or not, I don''t care anymore." Kia then nced at her watch. "They are free not to forgive me or berate me or think I''m just a disgrace to this family or whatever, because all I want is one thing; which is for you to stay out of my life."


    Those words sounded cruel and very rude, but that was what Kia wanted. She didn''t want the past toe after her anymore.


    She had to deal with Misha and that alone was exhausting, therefore if she had to deal with her family as well, she felt that she would not have enough energy for that.


    She wanted all of this to end peacefully.


    "You don''t have to care about me like you did four years ago, because I''m not going to apologize or look for you either. Let''s live our own lives without disturbing each other." Kia said calmly.


    Daniel had never heard Kia say things like this. His younger sister always looked calm and was a pacifist.


    "If you''re angry, be angry," said Daniel. "I couldn''t do anything at that time either, I was just twenty one years old. It was impossible for me to defend you back then."


    "So you mean it was fine for a neen year old to be dumped by her family?"


    =======================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 768: WHERE SHE LIVED

    Chapter 768: WHERE SHE LIVEDDaniel was so shocked when he heard how cold Kia was right now, she seemed to no longer care about anything and hadpletely abandoned her family.


    Hadn''t she ever thought about going back? If it wasn''t for this incident, they would never have seen each other again if Kia was so determined not to want to be with her family.


    There was one more thing that bothered Daniel, namely Kia''s nonchnt attitude that made her look like a person who no longer had a heart for her family.


    "If you''re angry, be angry," said Daniel. "I couldn''t do anything at that time either, I was only twenty one years old. It was impossible for me to defend you back then."


    "So you mean it was okay for a neen year old to be dumped by her family?" she fired back.


    It was a very sarcastic question and took Daniel by surprise.


    But¡­ why was Kia angry when she was the one who was wrong four years ago? She was the one who caused all these things to happen to herself.


    If only she had behaved better, then those four years wouldn''t have been this difficult for her, right? She was the one who went looking for trouble for herself.


    "If you have nothing else to say, I''ll go," Kia said in a firm voice. She was about to walk away when Daniel grabbed her arm again. "What more do you want? Your five minutes are up." Kia reminded him of it again, which made Daniel growl in annoyance.


    "Don''t you have any intention of returning home? I''ll talk to mom and dad so they can soften up and forgive you." Daniel still didn''t want to let Kia go.


    "Didn''t I tell you that I don''t need their forgiveness?" Kia asked curtly. "You guys have done everything without me for thest four years, keep doing the same."


    "You''re not seriously going to be my boss'' mistress, are you?" Daniel asked quickly because Kia seemed to be running away from that ce as fast as possible.


    Ah¡­ in the end, he only cared about his reputation. Was he now worried that Kia would say bad things about him and ruin the job and career he had built?


    After all, no one would want to get on Misha''s bad side.


    "Stay cool. You don''t have to worry about that. Let''s pretend this never happened." Kia yanked her hand from Daniel''s grip and walked away.


    Daniel wanted to hold her back, but he couldn''t do that, because Misha was now staring at them and his stern and sharp gaze seemed to be telling him not to bother Kia again.


    And that gaze was able to make Daniel unable to step closer to his sister again.


    He could only see Kia walk toward the car, where Misha and Mika were waiting for her. Soon the car pulled out of the parking lot, disappearing around the corner, but Daniel was still standing there, until his mother came up to him and woke him from his daydream.


    "What is it? What happened?" Amber asked when she found Daniel standing there alone. "Where''s Kia?"


    Amber heard about Kia''s whereabouts toote, as Lyle had just told her what really happened after Alia''s condition got better.


    How shocked Amber was when she heard that they had met Kia and her child. And without her knowing it, she had run out of the ward looking for Kia.


    "Where''s Kia?" asked Amber as she shook Daniel and looked around frantically.


    She wanted to meet her daughter whom she had not seen in years. For some reason, Amber recently thought of Kia and reminisced about all the events that happened in their house and it made her uneasy.


    It seemed that, for as long as she could remember, Kia had done everything for the family and they had only provided the bare minimum for her.


    Kia''s presence was not felt in the house at all, not only because of what happened four years ago, but long before that.


    "Daniel! Answer quickly!" cried Amber, annoyed that Daniel didn''t answer her question and just stared at her with aimless eyes.


    "She''s gone mom," Daniel answered atst. "She just left."


    Hearing that, Amber looked surprised. She then blinked her eyes, digesting the information, before she asked again. "When will she be back?"


    In fact, Amber could sense that the question was pointless, because she knew what Daniel''s answer would be. "She''s going to visit Alia, isn''t she? She''s her sister too." However, Amber clung to that slim hope.


    Daniel shook his head slowly. "No, she didn''t say anything."


    "But she must be back again, right?" Amber released her grip on Daniel and looked at him very seriously. "Did you upset her so she doesn''t want toe back again?"


    "I didn''t say or do anything." rejected Daniel. He could see how upset his mother was and his voice softened, persuading her to calm down. "Shall we go back inside and see how Alia is again?"


    Amber looked doubtful. She had run out in a hurry because she thought she could meet Kia, but there was no denying that she was very disappointed right now. "Okay."


    ========================


    On the way home, Misha kept ncing in the rear view mirror. Kia was sitting in the back seat together with Mika who was sleeping soundly.


    There was no chatter the entire way back home.


    The trip that should have ended hours ago because they only intended to do monthly shopping turned out to be an unpleasant day for Kia, not only that, from the conversation between Kia and Daniel, Misha could conclude that it made Kia feel even more ufortable.


    "Misha," Kia finally called after a long silence enveloped the car. "I hope you don''t interfere in this matter."


    At first nce, it was just a request that sounded arrogant, but actually there was another meaning behind the sentence.


    Of course, Kia already knew that Daniel worked for Tordoffs and given his attitude today, it wasn''t impossible that Misha would take this matter into his own hands and take it out on Daniel at work.


    After all, he was capable of doing such a thing and that was what Kia was worried about.


    "Of course," Misha replied firmly. "Is there anything else you want?" he asked. In other words, he agreed not to make things difficult for Daniel at their workce.


    "There isn''t any." Kia shook her head. "I want to be alone."


    Which meant that Misha was kicked out of the apartment again, because she didn''t have the energy to face him.


    And this time, Misha didn''t say anything and just agreed to it. He nodded.


    ============================


    After not being able to meet Kia, Amber returned to the ward to apany Alia and only then realized that this was a VVIP room that they wouldn''t be able to afford for a long time.


    This room was too good for their financial budget. If Alia was in this ce any longer, then it would drain their savings as well.


    "Shouldn''t we move Alia to a regr room?" Amber asked Lyle. She looked around the room, for this was the first time she had realized this. "We have to think about spending on this."


    But, Lyle shook his head. "Mr. Tordoff paid for Alia''s entire care. We can''t just move her."


    "What?" Amber was surprised because she did not expect that Misha Tordoff would be involved. "How did Mr. Tordoff can pay for all this?" she asked confusedly. "How did he know that Alia was sick?"


    Lyle looked confused in telling this, earlier when he told the whereabouts of Kia and her daughter and how they met at the shopping center, he purposely omitted the fact that Misha was there too.


    "What is it?" asked Amber quickly. Because she sensed that there was something odd about Lyle''s attitude when it came to Misha Tordoff.


    "I think Kia is getting close to Misha Tordoff right now." Lyle couldn''t hide this, while Amber tried to digest it.


    "Isn''t that a good thing? She could meet someone as great as Misha Tordoff?" Amber looked happy, her eyes glowed when she talked about it.


    However, Lyle had his own point of view. "No, of course not." He shook his head vigorously. "Don''t you know what that means?"


    Amber frowned, not understanding Lyle''s reaction. Why wouldn''t he be happy that their daughter had a rtionship with a gentleman like Misha Tordoff?


    He even paid for Alia''s treatment.


    However, Lyle said that what Kia did was outrageous. She shouldn''t be after someone like Misha Tordoff. It was not very good for herter, especially when she had given birth to a child out of wedlock.


    "Don''t you think that the Tordoffs will ept Kia? Especially when she has a child out of wedlock with another man?" L massaged his aching head. "That would only make her look bad and who knows what she''s going to do after this, what if she makes a fuss in the Tordoffs? It would have an effect on Daniel too. What if Kia was just being toyed with?"


    Amber thought about it for a moment. "But, I don''t think someone like Misha Tordoff would be toying with Kia¡­"


    Amber got that impression after their dinner together and just at that moment, Daniel came into the room.


    "Daniel, can you find out where Kia lives? Mother wants to visit her."


    "I don''t know where she lives."


    "You can ask Mr. Tordoff. I''m sure he''ll tell you."


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 769: POSITION IN TORDOFF COMPANY

    Chapter 769: POSITION IN TORDOFF COMPANY"Daniel, can you find out where Kia lives? Mother wants to visit her." Amber thought if she had a chance to talk to Kia then her daughter would change her mind and would definitelye back home.


    Unfortunately, Daniel did not know where his sister lived. "I don''t know where she lives." His voice was full of guilt.


    However, Amber did not give up on this and kept asking Daniel to think about this better. "You can ask Mr. Tordoff. I''m sure he''ll tell you," he suggested.


    "Why does he have to find out Kia''s address through Mr. Tordoff?" Lyle asked in a voice that sounded clear. He was against this idea. "How can he ask him for that? It will damage the professional rtionship between them. It''s not about Kia, it''s about Daniel''s career."


    Daniel did not agree with what his father said, but he was also reluctant to seek Mr. Tordoff just to talk about Kia, considering what he had said and done before, he felt he should first distance himself from Misha Tordoff until the matter subsided.


    "Why not? If indeed Kia has a special rtionship with Misha Tordoff, why should you stop them both? We can give our blessings and persuade Kia toe home." Amber looked furious.


    "Why do we have to persuade her toe home? She should be the one apologizing and begging toe home, she was the one who decided to get out of the house." Lyle didn''t want to give up on this, he also stood up.


    "You kicked her out of the house!" cried Amber loudly.


    "Mother!" Daniel called, reminding them that they were still in the hospital and Alia was now sleeping in front of them. "Calm down, we can talk about thister."


    Amber looked so shaken. Maybe because Alia was sick, or because she didn''t make it to Kia and her granddaughter earlier, but she wasn''t in a position to speak properly.


    And after realizing that, she walked out of Alia''s room and walked down the hospital corridor.


    Alia was in good health and Kia and her granddaughter were in good condition. She even met a man as good as Misha Tordoff, but why wouldn''t her tears stop flowing?


    "Amber," Lyle called, he chased after his wife. "Calm down. Let''s go home first, Daniel has requested a day off and he will apany Alia for the night."


    Amber just nodded, because she couldn''t stop crying, even though she herself didn''t know why she was crying like this and why her heart hurt so much.


    In the end, the couple walked into the parking lot and got into Daniel''s car, because Lyle''s car was still parked in the shopping center.


    "I wonder¡­ when was thest time you had a chat with Kia?" asked Amber suddenly as they were in the car, heading to their house.


    This was an unexpected question and left Lyle confused for a moment, before he answered directly. "Of course four years ago."


    Amber leaned her head against the car window, looking at the busy street even though it was night.


    Everything looked normal, even though Amber''s mood was very bad right now. This was a contrast that made her realize that whatever was happening in her life now, life would go on, no matter what it was.


    "Are you really sure that it was a chat?" asked Amber in a hoarse voice. She had stopped crying, but her heart was still not at ease.


    "Of course," answered Lyle quickly, so it could be said that he didn''t think about the answer before answering.


    In the end, the ride back home was very quiet because no one spoke to the other the whole way.


    And as soon as she alighted the car, Amber went straight into the house and cleaned herself up and after that, she justy down on the bed and closed her eyes.


    It was only in the silence that Lyle thought back to the strange question Amber had asked him. He frowned when he saw his wife sleeping with her back to him.


    But, Lyle couldn''t sleep, he couldn''t even keep his eyes closed for much longer, so he decided to get out of the room and get a ss of water from the kitchen.


    On the te rack, he picked up a ss, but then his hand stopped when he saw the row of ceramic cups behind the drinking sses.


    When Alia was about to have her major surgery, they decided to take her out so she wouldn''t be too tense when the day of her surgery came, but unfortunately, Kia couldn''te because she was having a debatepetition. So, because of her busy schedule and the various other things that happened, they couldn''te with her.


    Therefore, the four of them left without Kia, because at that time they thought Kia was old enough to take care of herself, they didn''t think too much into it, after all Kia decided to stay back to participate in the debatepetition instead of spending time with her family.


    It was her decision.


    They also didn''t worry about leaving Kia alone, as she was able to take care of the whole family and do a lot of things while Amber was busy with Alia, so it shouldn''t be difficult for Kia to take care of herself when they were gone, right?


    And when they left, they made ceramic cups with their own names, but due to insufficient time, they only made cups for themselves and no one made one for Kia.


    Here were the cups. There were four oddly shaped ceramic cups, lined up on the dish rack. The shape was indeed strange, because they were handmade by amateurs like them.


    On the four cups was written; father, mother, Alia and Daniel, but no Kia and Lyle remembered very well how they called them their family cups. These were their favorite cups.


    This had happened years ago, but for some reason Lyle only felt this ufortable feeling now, as if something snapped in him and he saw this in a different light.


    Actually, why didn''t they take the time to make a cup for Kia too? And why didn''t they dy their departure for a while and watch the debatepetition Kia was participating in, so then they could go together?


    It was true that their vacation time would be cut short, but they could have at least gone together, right?


    Lyle frowned at this ufortable feeling and this made him think of something else.


    =======================


    "Hey, how are you feeling?" Keira asked while she was making lunch for the two of them, before Kia left for work.


    "I''m fine," replied Kia, helping Keira and starting to get tes for the three of them, while Mika was already sitting quietly in her own chair.


    "If there''s something you want to talk about, you can say it to me, you know that, don''t you?" Keira looked at Kia, who looked gloomy.


    She had been like this for about three days now and refused Misha who wanted to see her, but what surprised Keira was the fact that the man didn''t push and left after giving them some items or food they needed.


    "Thank you," said Kia. She had already told Keira what had happened, but after that she didn''t want to talk about it anymore and Keira respected her decision.


    And after that, their lunch went a little awkwardly and very quietly, because apart from Mika who was telling her about the fairy tale book her mother readst night, no one was really having a conversation.


    The fairy tale book was the one Misha bought yesterday. He gave it along with the food he bought for the three of them.


    After the lunch, Kia kissed Mika''s forehead and left her little girl with Keira as usual and stepped out of her apartment.


    It was just that, when she just got out of her apartment building, a car stopped right beside her and it didn''t take a genius to guess who the driver of the car was.


    Of course it was Misha, who got out of his car and walked over to Kia.


    Well, at least he didn''t scream from inside the car or honk at her¡­


    "I''ll take you," Misha said in a calm voice as he walked over to Kia before walking beside her.


    "No need," replied Kia tiredly. She didn''t have the energy to argue with Misha anymore, but the man grabbed her hand and forced her to stop.


    "I''ll take you," he said more firmly this time.


    Seeing how Misha had parked his car on the side of the road and there were several people watching them, Kia didn''t want to be the center of attention and decided to get into the car without causing any fuss.


    "Have you had lunch?" Misha asked, ncing at Kia''s gloomy face.


    "Yes," she answered simply, looking down at the road. She wasn''t in the mood to think about anything right now.


    It turned out that her feelings did not improve even after three days had passed. She thought she would easily forget the incident when she saw her family again, but it wasn''t that easy.


    "Is there anything you need?" Misha asked again.


    "No."


    "Do you want to go somewhere?"


    "Yes, to where I work."


    "How about you take some time off and we go out for a walk?"


    "I could be fired if I don''t go back today."


    "You can work in my office."


    "What position will you offer?" Kia scowled. She knew that Misha could give her any position.


    "How about the position of being my wife?"

 Chapter 770: A LITTLE BIT PROGRESS

    Chapter 770: A LITTLE BIT PROGRESSToday Misha came and insisted on driving Kia to work, but as usual, he ended up trying to coax Kia into ying truant and messing with her instead. Of course, this sucked, considering that Kia must have been truant a lot recently and was very lucky that she wasn''t kicked out of her second part time job already.


    Since she had finished her education, she took a second part time job to make use of her time and also to raise money so that she could rent a more decent ce when she and Mika had to leave their current apartment because Keira would soon marry and leave to live with Ben.


    "I could be fired if I didn''t go even today." Kia felt tired, she couldn''t understand why she had to serve someone like Misha when she didn''t even want to talk to anyone.


    It seemed that, even though several days had passed, she still had not gotten over herself meeting with her family, except for her mother.


    If only Kia had stayed there a little longer, she was sure that she would also meet her mother. Because there was no way her mother did note straight to the hospital after she heard that Alia had suffered a rpse again.


    "You can work in my office," Misha replied lightly.


    "What position will you offer?" Kia scowled. She knew that Misha could give her any position, so she didn''t think too much into it.


    "How about the position of being my wife?" Misha replied smoothly. He learned this from his secretary, Dania.


    The middle-aged woman who had worked for the Tordoff family for decades taught him how not to be so stiff in front of Kia, but for some reason, Misha felt like cringing when he finally said that out loud.


    And out of curiosity, he nced at Kia who was sitting next to him after he said that and found the woman staring at him in disbelief, as if to say; who was this person really?


    Well, she was not to be med actually, because Misha himself didn''t think he recognized himself anymore after he said that.


    "Are you drunk? You don''t look drunk, but you speak like someone who has just downed a whole bottle of whiskey." Kia then looked away again after throwing those words at Misha.


    "I''m not drunk, Kia," said Misha. He himself felt embarrassed after saying such cringe-worthy words and didn''t want to talk about it.


    "Don''t you have other things to do besides apanying me?" Kia asked in an even tone of voice. She stared at the busy street and her mind went wandering somewhere. She herself didn''t know what to think at this point.


    "Of course there is," Misha answered quickly. "Take you home."


    Hearing that, again Kia turned her gaze and red fiercely at the man beside her. Such words? It didn''t suit him at all.


    "Who are you?" Kia narrowed her eyes at him.


    The journey to Kia''s work ce went smoothly, although there were moments where they would argue over some trivial matters, but none of that mattered.


    "What time will you return home?" Misha asked when Kia thanked him for dropping her off.


    "You don''t have to pick me up," Kia grumbled, opening the car door.


    "If you don''t want to tell me, I''ll station someone here and find out about it myself." Misha looked very stubborn when he said that.


    Kia frowned, she paused for a moment and then muttered under her breath. "Three o''clock."


    And after saying that, she immediately got out of the car and walked toward the restaurant where she worked. She didn''t know why she had even answered Misha, but she seemed to have started to soften up to the man.


    On the other hand, Misha was quite surprised that Kia actually answered him, but then he smiled slightly as he noticed the change in their rtionship.


    Even though this seemed like a small, insignificant thing, Misha was happy that Kia wasn''t pushing him away too hard like before.


    However, when Misha looked at his phone, his smile disappeared as his gaze became increasingly irritated.


    Richard had been trying to contact him for two hours now, if it wasn''t for him setting his cell phone on silent mode, it was certain that his cell phone would have kept ringing non-stop.


    "Yeah, I''m going to the office now," said Misha coldly. He felt that Richard was even more nagging than his mother.


    ========================


    Daniel thought his request to meet with Misha would not be granted after he said that he would discuss their new project which had been handed over to him.


    Others might see it that way, but they both knew it was just an excuse and Misha had every right to object to it.


    However, Misha granted the request which left Daniel quite surprised.


    There was no way Misha didn''t know of his original intentions, right? Especially when he was clearly very rigid in reporting information that Misha should have known from his previous report.


    In the middle of his exnation, Misha then closed the document in front of him that Daniel had handed over and leaned his back against the back of the chair.


    He looked at Daniel carefully and it was clear in his eyes that he could not wait for this ruse to end.


    "So, how about we get straight to the point? Why did youe to see me now?" Misha asked in a very t tone of voice, it was very difficult to read what was going through his mind at the moment.


    Seeing that Misha had broken the awkwardness between them and had dismantled his rush to talk to him, Daniel finally gave in and nodded.


    And after all, knowing how Misha didn''t like anythingplicated, Daniel had no reason to cover this up anymore.


    "If you don''t mind, may I know where my little sister lives?" asked Daniel. He tried to keep his voice as polite as possible, considering this was their first meeting after what happened at the hospital the other day.


    "No." Misha didn''t even have to think about the answer anymore. "If she wanted to tell you her home address, she would have told you from the start."


    As for the reason why Kia didn''t want to tell her family where she lived, it was certain that it was because she didn''t want anyone toe see her.


    "She is my little sister," said Daniel. He tried to keep his emotions at bay. The atmosphere at home was torturous and his parents seemed to be in a cold war with each other. Even though they didn''t scream at each other, there was obvious tension between the two of them. "I have the right to know where she lives."


    "Your little sister is a grown woman with a child and not a minor, running away from home." Misha saw the change in Daniel''s face.


    "It could be said that she ran away from home." Daniel''s voice sounded shaky and weak, as if he wasn''t quite sure what he was saying himself. Of course, he wasn''t sure about that, because that wasn''t actually the case.


    "Last time I heard from Kia, she said that you guys kicked her out instead of her running away from home." Misha reminded Daniel of the old wounds in his family.


    Hearing that, Daniel clenched his fists tightly, trying to keep his emotions from exploding.


    "You don''t know her very well, she''s not as innocent and naive as you think she is," Daniel said in a guilt-ridden voice because he didn''t mean to nder Kia in front of the man she was currently dating.


    "Yeah, I agree with you, she''s not as naive and innocent as you think." Misha wouldn''t even think that Kia was innocent after what she''d been through and how she fiercely kicked himself out of the apartment.


    "Mr. Tordoff, I hope you can understand this. this is a family matter," said Daniel. "Actually I''m embarrassed that you have to know this, but what can I do? I have to tell you this so that you can be more careful."


    "Watch out for who? Kia? What do you think she can do to me?" Misha asked with a smallugh. He didn''t look at all serious in responding to Daniel''s warning.


    "You don''t know what she did four years ago. I''m afraid she''ll only get into trouble with you." If that happened and Kia embarrassed Misha Tordoff, wouldn''t that affect him too?


    Misha Tordoff, for them, seemed calm and rarely spoke, but everyone knew that he was a very vengeful person. He would remember what people did to him and repay them in the way he deemed the most suitable.


    So instead of waiting for Kia to get into trouble with Misha Tordoff, wouldn''t it be better if he broke their rtionship off first by warning him?


    "Do you mean four years ago when she was kicked out of the house for having a child out of wedlock?" Misha asked in a calm voice, as if it was nothing to him.


    Daniel looked uneasy in his chair. "She has tarnished the family''s reputation by conceiving the child of a man of unknown origin."


    Misha raised an eyebrow. "A man of unknown origin?"


    "Kia even refused to reveal who the child''s father was. We''re sure she doesn''t remember herself." Daniel frowned, he found it difficult to say this.


    "How about I tell you that I am the child''s father?"


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 771: I AM THE FATHER

    Chapter 771: I AM THE FATHER"A man of unknown origin?" For some reason, Misha felt very annoyed hearing those very ignorant words. He felt like a thug who had impregnated his naughty little sister.


    "Kia even refused to reveal who the child''s father was. We''re sure she doesn''t remember herself." Daniel frowned, he found it difficult to say this, but he remained firm with his original intention to warn Misha about what Kia had done.


    "How about I tell you that I am the child''s father?" Misha said this calmly. He was ufortable with how Kia''s family viewed Mika as an unwanted child.


    In addition to being angry at their family for treating Kia unfairly and throwing her away when she needed support, he was even more angry when they looked down on his daughter like that.


    Misha held back his anger and thought clearly when they wronged Kia, but when it came to Mika, it seemed he no longer had any reason to hold back.


    On the other hand, for a moment, Daniel did not understand what Misha said. He could only repeat the sentence over and over in his head.


    "No..." he mumbled. "You must be joking about this, right? Maybe now you do love Kia''s daughter, but she is not your child."


    She''s not your child...


    Those words brought Misha''s anger to the surface all of a sudden. Didn''t he see that he was so simr to Mika? How could he say that the cute little girl wasn''t his child?! This is an insult!


    "She is my daughter," Misha said, emphasizing every word in his sentence.


    "I know you love the girl, but you shouldn''t think like that. The father of the child is a man of unknown origin that Kia met four years ago, I''m even sure that she herself doesn''t know who the man is so she didn''t tell her family," said Daniel with certainty in his voice.


    Hearing his words being twisted left and right, made Misha very upset. He wanted to scream in his face that he was the man of unknown origin that he was talking about!


    Misha didn''t really understand why Kia didn''t tell them about their rtionship, although it would have made things much better if they knew who the father of the baby was.


    "Go away," Misha said. He felt like he wanted to beat up Daniel and if he said one more word to insult his little daughter, he might really lose control and beat the guy up.


    How dare he say that about his sweet little daughter. He really wanted to get beaten up, didn''t he?


    "But, Mr. Tordoff¡­" said Daniel, he was trying to hang in there and get information about where Kia was and where she lived now.


    "Leave." It was just one word, but it sounded very cold and dangerous.


    Hearing that, Daniel could feel a sense of trepidation and when he saw the look in Misha''s eyes right then, he immediately stood up and couldn''t say anything more than to resign himself from there.


    He failed to know where Kia was and became annoyed with himself.


    =======================


    "What are you doing here?" Kia asked, her sharp eyes fixed on Misha, because she found the man was eating at the restaurant where she worked.


    "I am here to eat lunch," Misha replied with no guilt at all. He then epted the te of food that Kia served him.


    "As far as I know, the Tordoff Company is far from this ce, there''s no way there isn''t a restaurant you can go to." Kia pointed out, putting down his drink.


    "You''re wrong," said Misha, smiling slyly at Kia. "The Tordoff Company''s branches are everywhere in the city, so you shouldn''t be surprised about that. I have a branch office just two blocks from here."


    "Are you showing off your wealth?" Just this morning they got along a bit and Kia even told him when he could pick her up, but who would have thought that this guy would actually show up two hours earlier than the promised time?


    "Of course not," Misha smirked. "I''m just in a bad mood and seeing you makes me feel better."


    Kia was shocked when she heard those words. She blinked for a moment. "Who taught you such cheesy lines? It doesn''t fit your character at all." Kia shuddered and then quickly left before Misha answered the rhetorical question.


    Well, Misha couldn''t say that Dania had been teaching him how to act in front of her and had be less rigid in front of women.


    Seeing how Kia shuddered when she heard what he said, maybe the effect of the words Dania taught wasn''t quite what he expected, but he was quite happy that the girl seemed to be showing more of a side of herself and wasn''t always pushing him away now.


    And after that, Misha spent two hours finishing his work on hisptop while waiting for Kia''s shift to end. He didn''t bother Kia and just sat there quietly.


    "Who is that handsome man?" asked Nadia, whispering to Kia. She saw how the two of them interacted with each other earlier. "His face seems a bit familiar. Is he a celebrity?"


    Not many people followed business news around this ce, so even if they felt Misha''s face was familiar, their assumptions would be the same as Nadia''s.


    "You know him?" asked Nadia, she nced back at Misha with hopeful eyes. "He is very handsome. Do you know him? Is he your lover?"


    Kia waved her hand. She didn''t really like gossiping with Nadia and wished she would stay away from herself.


    "Yes, I know him, but I''m just getting to know him." Kia then got ready to end her shift after stocking up all the equipment for the next shift, while Nadia was still following her like a headless chicken.


    "You know him? Do you really know him? Can you introduce him to me?" asked Nadia excitedly. She didn''t even help Kia because she was so excited. Her shift would end at the same time as Kia''s, so she kept asking Kia to introduce the two of them. "Is he a rich man?"


    "Yes," replied Kiazily while checking the stock up and after everything was done, she stood up and walked to the employee room to change clothes, while Nadia didn''t let go at all.


    "Introduce me to him, okay?" Nadia whined like a child, even though she was two years older than Kia, her behavior now would even remind you of a five year old child.


    "I can''t," Kia said directly, she then took off her uniform and put it in the locker, Nadia did the same. She did it fast so she didn''t lose Kia.


    "Why can you not?" asked Nadia with a disappointed expression, she looked at Kia expectantly. "Please, I promise I will do anything for you."


    "I can''t," Kia repeated again, this time her voice was firmer than before.


    "But, why can''t you?" Nadia continued to hound Kia with the same question and looked at the girl with pleading eyes.


    Why can''t I?


    Kia was also asking herself the same question. Why couldn''t she? She and Misha didn''t have any rtionship, did they?


    So why didn''t she just let it go?


    "Because¡­" Kia furrowed her brows deeply. She was trying hard to think of a good reason, but suddenly her mind was stuck and she couldn''t make up anything. "Because he''s mine."


    The words came out of nowhere and Kia immediately closed her eyes, regretting what she had just said.


    "What do you mean ''he''s yours''?" asked Nadia in a voice that sounded doubtful and then she hit Kia''s back in a friendly manner. "You''re not serious about what you''re saying, are you? What do you mean by yours? Why don''t you say he''s your boyfriend or something, instead of saying he''s yours."


    On the other hand, Kia was still in shock from what she just said, so she didn''t respond to anything Nadia said after that. She just wanted to get out of there and tell Misha not toe to her work ce like this again.


    After Kia had finished changing, she then went out to where Misha was sitting, waiting for her shift to end at the same table. In front of him, was a meal and a ss of freshly squeezed orange juice, while he was on the phone.


    But, when he saw Kiaing, he waved his hand and asked Kia to sit across from him before pushing the te and ss in front of her.


    "Eat, I saw you worked too hard earlier, you must be hungry," said Misha attentively, while he put on hold whoever was on the line with him now.


    Because after saying this, Misha immediately continued speaking seriously to the person on the phone, so Kia couldn''t refuse it and ate the food that had been ordered by Misha while she was changing clothes.


    From behind her, Kia could feel that many pairs of eyes were looking at her questioningly, they must be just as curious as Nadia.


    "Hha¡­" Kia sighed tiredly. She was displeased with the situation, but Misha took this in a different way as he soon ended his conversation with whoever was on the phone and immediately gave his full attention to Kia.


    "What is it? Are you very tired? Don''t you like the food?" Misha then held Kia''s hand.


    Seeing that Kia didn''t say anything, Misha stood up from his seat and then pressed his knuckles to Kia''s forehead to check her temperature.


    "Are you sick?"

 Chapter 772: JUST LIKE FOUR YEARS AGO

    Chapter 772: JUST LIKE FOUR YEARS AGOMisha was surprised by Kia''s attitude. She didn''t touch her food. Was it because the food wasn''t good or because she was tired of the food here?


    Or¡­


    "Are you sick?" Misha changed seats and took the seat next to Kia, pressing his knuckles to her forehead.


    "I''m fine," Kia said fiercely, brushing Misha''s hand off her head.


    "You don''t look fine, is there a ce you want to visit? Or the food you want to eat?" Misha asked again in a concerned tone.


    "No thanks, I just want to go home." Kia felt a little embarrassed and avoided looking Misha in the eye. She didn''t want this man to know what was on her mind right now, especially what she said earlier.


    His ego would only get bigger and bigger and it would be difficult to get rid of him.


    "Then let''s go home, I want to see my daughter," Misha said lightly while holding Kia''s hand. He was in a bad mood after talking to Daniel and remembering how the man said that Mika was not his daughter.


    It seemed, at that very second, he wanted to fire the impudent man for even daring to say that Mika was not his daughter.


    The man really didn''t know what to say and what not to say¡­


    "You said it very easily," Kia said in a criticizing tone.


    "Don''t tell me that she''s not my daughter anymore, because I wouldn''t believe it," Misha growled, pulling Kia out of the restaurant.


    Luckily, this time Kia didn''t say anything and just stayed silent, following where Misha wanted to take her, as they walked to the car park.


    But, before getting there, Nadia waved her hand from a distance and called out Kia''s name.


    Realizing this, Kia pretended not to notice it, however, it was difficult to do so when Misha looked confused at Kia''s reaction to the person who called her so excitedly.


    "Someone calls you," Misha informed her, although he felt that Kia knew this too.


    "Ignore it." Kia didn''t want tomunicate with this person at all and preferred to stay away. She just wanted them to leave immediately. "Where did you park the car? Why did you park it somewhere far away?" Kia grumbled as she quickened her footsteps.


    Hearing the grumble, Misha could only stare at Kia who looked irritated. He wondered if the woman approaching them bothered Kia so much that she looked annoyed when approached.


    Meanwhile, Nadia continued to chase after them, until she was standing in front of them both, gasping for air at having to run so far and fast to catch them both.


    "Kia!" she cried, panting. "Didn''t you hear me screaming for you?" she asked in a slightly annoyed tone.


    But, Kia was not so affected. "Oh, sorry, I didn''t hear you. What is it?" She had an innocent expression, so it was hard to tell if she was lying or not right now.


    "Seriously¡­ you didn''t hear me calling you that loud¡­" Nadiained, she wiped the sweat off her forehead and straightened herself.


    "What is it? I''m in a hurry." Kia reminded Nadia''s intention and purpose for calling her.


    "I just wanted to ask if we''re having a shift tomorrow?" Nadia didn''t think about what question she would ask when she called out to her earlier, therefore, she just uttered the first thing that crossed her head.


    "You can go back to the restaurant and have a look. I''m on the morning shift." Kia then pulled Misha''s hand to leave immediately. "If you have nothing more to say, I''ll be leaving."


    "Wait!" Nadia held Kia''s hand and immediately rushed to speak before Kia could escape from here. "Tomorrow there will be a get-together, why don''t youe together with your lover?"


    Kia knew it would turn out like this. "I''m busy, I can''te." She did not directly admit that Misha was her lover but preferred to avoid the invitation.


    "Oh, but this is really your lover?" Nadia asked again. She looked like a busybody who couldn''t leave Kia alone. "You said he was ''yours'', so I wonder what kind of rtionship you two actually have¡­"


    Kia''s expression immediately turned into a very surprised one, she turned pale and moreover there was a feeling of unease after seeing Misha''s expression.


    At that moment, Misha felt irritated with what Daniel said today and when he heard what the woman in front of her said, he was stunned.


    "What did Kia say about me?" Misha asked in a voice so polite and gentle that it made Kia shudder when she heard it. Such an attitude didn''t suit Misha''s personality at all, she wanted to ask him to stop, because it was truly scary.


    "She said that you were ''hers''," said Nadia, repeating what Kia had said a while ago. "I don''t know what she meant by that¡­" Nadia then covered her mouth shyly after saying that, as if she found what Kia said was very unreasonable.


    However, Misha smiled even wider and Kia really wanted the ground to split and swallow her whole right now because she couldn''t stand seeing Misha smiling triumphantly like now.


    He was much more terrifying and dangerous when he smiled.


    "Yes, she is right, I am ''hers''," Misha said without a second thought. He gripped her hand very tightly.


    And instantly, when she saw Misha''s happy smile, the smile on Nadia''s lips was erased and she stared at the handsome man in front of her in disbelief.


    Meanwhile, Kia could only hold her breath and also her emotions. Her head started aching as this woman kept blurting out without thinking twice.


    "What? So, you two are in a rtionship?" Nadia looked displeased when she said that. "Did you know that she already has a child?"


    Nadia only had one goal when she mentioned Kia''s child, which was to bring her down, but of course that didn''t apply to Misha.


    The man just chuckled and said proudly. "Of course I know, I am the father of that sweet girl."


    After saying that Misha immediately grabbed Kia''s hand to leave, they didn''t need to spend their time there.


    On the other hand, Nadia was bbergasted, she was at a loss for words to reply to this, even when Misha left her behind, she still stood frozen in her ce.


    He is the father of Kia''s child? That''s impossible, right? Especially when Nadia saw the car Misha was driving out of the parking lot. It was not just an expensive car that you could get just because you have money¡­


    If that man was that rich, why did Kia have to work at this restaurant?


    =======================


    "''Yours'', huh?" Micah asked with a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He seemed to enjoy the fact and wasn''t shy about bringing it up when they were out of the parking lot of the restaurant where Kia worked.


    "You seem to be very good at dealing with women," Kia said in a sarcastic tone, she ignored what Misha said. "Oh, I sometimes forget that it''s really your thing."


    Hearing that, Misha frowned. "Are you jealous?"


    Kia turned her head quickly and showed a facial expression that looked as if she had just seen something disgusting when she heard that. "Should I? You can fuck her for all I care like what you did four years ago."


    Kia could see the look of surprise that crossed Misha''s face when he heard this and how he couldn''t find any words in return, not even to apologize, because he knew Kia didn''t care about his apologies.


    On the other hand, Kia was happy because she could see the change in Misha''s expression at that.


    "The Tordoff family party will be in one week, I think we have to find a dress that fits you," said Misha, breaking this silence. His tone didn''t change in the slightest and this made Kia a little disappointed.


    Did she have to say anything louder to make this man remember what happened? Why did Kia have to bother feeling like this when she had been able to suppress her feelings so well in the past and suppress her anger and annoyance?


    "I told you I wasn''t going with you, didn''t I?" Kia said in an even tone. She looked down at the street and realized that Misha wasn''t nning on taking her back to the apartment. "If you take me away other than back to my apartment, I''ll jump out of this car."


    Hearing the threat, Misha turned his head. He looked at Kia closely, trying to find out if she was really serious about her threat or not.


    And immediately Misha grimaced, he recognized that cold, emotionless expression. It was the same expression Kia showed him four years ago when she didn''t even care if he was with another woman.


    The same emotionless expression that made him remember this woman for four years and wonder how she really felt.


    And for the first time, Misha had to admit that he felt ufortable with Kia''s expression.


    Therefore, he turned the car toward the road back to her apartment. "Okay. Maybe next time we''ll go look for the dress."


    Kia did not respond to the suggestion at all and continued to pay attention to the road in front of her.


    For some reason after reuniting with her family, her emotions seemed to be all over the ce and this made Kia unable to think clearly.


    Somehow she felt very tired, even though she didn''t work for a long period of time.


    ====================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 773: I WISH YOU WERE MY DAD

    Chapter 773: I WISH YOU WERE MY DAD"Ah, howe he didn''te here today?" Keira asked when she saw Kiaing home alone.


    These few days, Misha never missed trying to talk to Kia. Now that she was out of the house and back to work, there was no way they wouldn''t meet out there, right?


    "No, I kicked him out," Kia said in a tired voice, but a sweet smile still bloomed on her lips when she saw Mika. The little girl in question ran toward her cheerfully.


    "Mommy!" Mika eximed while opening her arms wide, asking for a hug.


    "Hello, honey, what have you been doing all day?" Kia asked and Mika started to exin what she had done all day animatedly, while Keira was dyeing her hair in front of the television.


    "What color is that?" Kia asked, sitting next to Keira, while Mika sat on herp.


    "Red," answered Keira lightly. She then turned. "How about you dye your hair to improve your mood? Maybe you can feel better after that?" advised Keira.


    "Does it have anything to do with it?" Kia nced at the hair dye that Keira was using. This was not foreign to her because Keira really liked to change hairstyles, especially when her work stressed her out.


    "Of course, this is a stress buster for me, you want to try?" Keira offered it again.


    Kia looked at the mud-like lump and pondered for a while. "Can it really improve one''s mood?" she asked skeptically. She wrinkled her nose when Keira brought her stic gloved hand near her face and she could smell the pungent smell.


    "Of course, you should try it too," said Keira excitedly. She then looked at Mika. "What if Mommy''s hair color changes? You want to see?"


    Mika, who heard that, nodded. She wanted to ask Keira to dye her hair too, but Kia would never allow it.


    "Okay," Kia said atst, resigned. She needed a change of mood because feeling like this, she couldn''t function properly and couldn''t pay attention to Mika how she wanted to either.


    With that, Keira dedicated an hour to coloring Kia''s hair, while thetter remained silent, letting her friend do the work as she yed with Mika.


    The little girl had grown up healthy and was the sweetest child. She couldn''t believe it was only a few months till her birthday.


    "You only need to wait for two hours, after that, you can rinse it off," Keira said, giving instructions, while she cleaned up the mess she made.


    "Oh yeah, I forgot, what color is this?" Kia suddenly remembered this important matter.


    "Didn''t you ask earlier?" Keira asked with wide eyes.


    "Looks like I''m not focused earlier and didn''t really hear your answer." Kia didn''t even remember that she had asked the same thing earlier.


    "It''s red." Keira smirked.


    "Red?" Kia looked tense when she heard that. "Red as in what?" she asked timidly. "Red you say?! Keira!" Kia almost cried because of it. "Red as in what?" she became horrified when Keira looked around them to show how red it would be.


    "It''s that red," said Keira, pointing to the bright red cover of a book and Kia almost had a heart attack when she saw this.


    "How can you dye your hair that red?" Kia panicked, while Mika watched all of this in silence. "What if you have to leave the house?"


    Keira shrugged nonchntly. "I work remotely and even if I have to leave the house, it''s no problem for me."


    That was right, Keira wasn''t a person who cared about other people''s opinions and moreover, she spent most of her time in the apartment, so even if she wanted to dye her hair green, it wouldn''t be a problem for her.


    But, Kia was different.


    "I think if you wash your hair now, the color won''t be too dark," Keira suggested. Even if an hour had already passed, the color would not be as bright as the red color she disyed.


    "Oh, I''m going to take a shower now." Kia kissed Mika''s cheek briefly and left immediately.


    "Want me to help?" Keira offered, but Kia just waved her off.


    "No need, I think it will be fine." She couldn''t me Keirapletely, because she did ask first and it was her who didn''t notice this at all and made a mistake. "Ugh! I hope the color won''t be too dark."


    But, her hopes didn''te true, because the bright red color used by Keira had already permeated and because of the dark color of her hair, now her hair looked dark red.


    "Wow! Mommy looks so pretty!" Mika eximed when she saw Kia''s new hair, her eyes sparkled when she saw Kia''s shoulder length hair.


    "Is that true?" Kia asked skeptically, unexpectedly this red hair gave a different feel, but she didn''t feel confident with her new hair. "But, I feel weird."


    "Nothing unusual. That''s really good, you should feel more confident." Keira walked over to Kia andbed her hair. "How do you feel about your new look?"


    Kia looked at herself in the mirror and realized that what Keira said was also true. "Yeah, I think you''re right, I feel much better."


    "Thank God, the color is not as bright as mine," said Keira while chuckling, showing her bright red hair. "You will definitely choose not to leave the house at this rate."


    Kiaughed too as she agreed with her. "Yeah, I guess so too."


    =========================


    "I love your new hair color," said Misha when he saw Kia had juste home from her part time job. She saw Misha was in the living room together with Ben and Mika, it seemed they were working on a thousand piece puzzle that Misha bought for his daughter.


    Why he bought such aplex toy for a three year old was still a mystery...


    "What are you doing here?" Kia asked with a face that looked like she was going to scream, but she was too tired to do that.


    Misha had beening for the past few days and wanted to drive her to work, but Kia refused saying she didn''t want him around her workce.


    Indeed, he did what she wanted, but he often came to the apartment to y with Mika.


    And Kia no longer knew how to restrict him.


    "Mommy! Let me see! Uncle bought you a very pretty dress!" Mika eximed while tugging Kia''s hand.


    Instantly, Kia knew what dress Mika was talking about, because Misha was desperate to take her to the Tordoff family party she didn''t want to attend.


    "Can we change the way she addresses me? I''m not her ''uncle''." Misha approached Kia and said in a dissatisfied tone, but Kia didn''t respond and followed Mika to their room.


    This might sound very petty and she shouldn''t be like this, but she enjoyed every time Misha flinched when Mika called him ''uncle''.


    However, Kia was quite appreciative of Misha''s efforts not to correct the little girl without discussing this with her first, because this would confuse Mika.


    Maybeter Kia would correct her, but maybe she wouldn''t give Misha another chance to meet the two of them.


    She herself didn''t know it yet. Sometimes, Kia even felt that Misha wouldn''t continue to be with the two of them for long. She felt Misha''s figure would leave at any moment.


    Therefore, before that happened, it would be better if she left first, wouldn''t it?


    "Look! It''s a pretty dress, isn''t it?" Mika eximed cheerfully. She showed her a dark red dress that looked almost ck, which was on the bed. The dress looked very expensive and was neatly wrapped in stic. "Mommy! It''s beautiful isn''t it?!"


    Immediately, Kia turned and red fiercely at Misha who was standing behind her, but the man tried to avoid her re and chose to pay attention to Mika instead.


    "What do you think about that dress? Do you like it? Do you think Mommy will look beautiful if she wears that dress?" he asked his daughter curiously.


    "Of course!" Mika eximed excitedly. "Mommy is the prettiest!"


    "How about you ask Mommy to try it?" Misha asked while lifting Mika''s tiny body into his arms and bringing her closer to Kia.


    Great. Now, he knew how to y tricks. He had actually changed his tactics to take advantage of Mika.


    "Mommy, try on the clothes!" Mika eximed excitedly and she raised her hands to hug Misha''s neck, which made the man smile happily. "Uncle bought that dress for Mommy."


    When he heard the word ''uncle'', the smile on Misha''s face faded a little and his eyes became a little gloomy, which lifted Kia''s mood a little.


    "Okay, I''ll try." Kia sighed in defeat, because she didn''t want to disappoint Mika, but when the little girl didn''t look, she threw a fierce re at Misha. "What are you doing? I''ll change clothes."


    Kia frowned when she saw Misha sitting quietly in her room.


    "Should I go out?" he asked in a slightly disappointed voice.


    "Is that a question?" Kia said curtly and made Misha immediately leave the room, together with Mika in his arms.


    "What is it?" Misha asked when he noticed that Mika was looking at him with those round eyes when they were about to walk back to the living room.


    Mika then cupped Misha''s face with her little hands and muttered. "It would be nice if you were my dad¡­" she said in a childish voice. "No one ever buys a nice dress for mommy."


    ================


    THIS BOOK IS PUBLISHED ON WEBNOVEL.


    Meet me on Instagram @jikan_yo_tomare.

 Chapter 774: I AM HAPPY FOR THEM

    Chapter 774: I AM HAPPY FOR THEMAfter leaving the room, Misha noticed that Mika''s facial expression looked unpleasant because she kept her small lips pursed.


    But, the answer that Misha got was enough to surprise him when he asked her for one. He didn''t expect this little girl to think so.


    Mika cupped Misha''s face with her little hands and muttered. "It would be nice if you were my father¡­" she said in a childish voice. "No one ever buys a nice dress for mommy."


    For Mika, seeing her mother wearing a beautiful dress and having someone buy it for her was a wonderful thing and she couldn''t help but feel happy, because she was happy that someone was paying attention to her mother.


    "Oh, I''ll also be happy when you call me daddy," Misha said while clearing his throat. He felt something get caught in his throat, making it difficult for him to speak.


    "Really?" Mika''s eyes widened in surprise and a very sweet smile tugged at the corners of her lips, which was so cute and it made Mishaugh, he felt her heart warm. A strange warmth because he had never felt this way before.


    "Of course." Misha nodded vigorously, but then he remembered Kia. He didn''t know what the woman''s reaction would be. "But, you can only call me that when it''s just the two of us, okay?"


    Mika tilted her head and looked at Misha seriously. "So, it''s a secret, huh?"


    Misha nodded. "Yeah, it''s a secret. Can you hold a secret?" he asked, looking at his little girl who then giggled and then bobbed her head.


    "Okay," she said in a low voice, whispering to emphasize that it was a secret.


    "Good." Misha nodded in agreement. "Try calling me ''Daddy''."


    "Daddy!" Mika eximed in a loud voice, which made Misha widen his eyes. Didn''t they agree to keep this a secret? But, why was this little girl screaming so loudly?


    But, on the other hand, Misha felt proud when he heard his daughter calling him right. His chest swelled with pride and if things weren''t like this, he would definitely boast about this to others and not stop talking about it.


    "It''s a secret," Misha said quietly, putting his finger to her lips andughing at how cute Mika''s expression was when she realized her mistake.


    But then they were both startled when they heard the sound of Kia''s bedroom door opening and there, the woman was standing in the dark red dress that perfectly matched her new hair color.


    "Mommy! You look so beautiful!" Mika eximed while jumping down from Misha''s arms.


    From the face that Kia made and the sharp look in her eyes, Misha knew that she heard when Mika called him ''Daddy'' and instantly, he felt a little embarrassed because of being stared at like that.


    However, this did notst long, because Kia was immediately distracted by Mika, who was gushing over her new dress.


    "Mommy, you are beautiful like a princess from a kingdom," Mika praised with her big eyes shining brightly.


    "Thank you, honey," Kia said as she crouched down and kissed Mika''s cheek.


    "Come here, show this to aunt Keira and uncle Ben!" Mika eximed excitedly while tugging Kia''s hand.


    However, Misha quickly blocked her. "Shall we try to see which hairdo fits this dress?" Misha persuaded.


    There was no way in hell he would show Kia in this dress and look absolutely gorgeous on other men. He wouldn''t let that happen.


    And luckily, their little girl could be easily distracted. She immediately nodded in agreement with what Misha suggested.


    However, Kia could clearly see the maniption that was being carried out by Misha, therefore, the man refused to look directly into her eyes and just pushed her into the room and immediately closed the door so that the two people in the living room were watching television would not pay any attention to them and interfere with this family event.


    If only Kia could hear what was going through Misha''s mind right now, it was certain that she would flip out and re at him even more fiercely.


    But, for now, because Mika was very happy and Kia didn''t want to remove the smile on her little daughter''s lips, she kept quiet and didn''t chew out Misha, maybeter when she was alone with this man.


    "So, what hairstyle suits Mommy?" Misha asked as he sat Kia down in front of her small dressing table.


    ========================


    Alia was treated for several days before she was finally allowed to go home and Daniel was the one to take her home because she would be discharged at night.


    Daniel went straight to the hospital after his office hours, while his parents were preparing a weing party for Alia''s return home.


    It was just a small party inviting some close rtives living in the same town.


    However, something had been troubling Daniel for the past few days.


    To this day, he still hadn''t seen Misha Tordoff. Every day he felt that the letter of dismissal from him was inevitable after what he had done when he boldly took the initiative to talk to Misha and also there was the rtionship that the man had with Kia he had to think about.


    But, even after a week had passed, nothing major had happened. Nothing actually changed either. So, he began to doubt his own fears.


    Was it true that Kia wouldn''t exact revenge on her family by talking bad things about himself to Misha? She could have asked the man to fire him and she should have known that if he was fired from thepany, this would disrupt the family''s economy and cost Alia''s treatment.


    However, in fact what he feared did not happen and Daniel felt that everything was going very smoothly for him who had just argued with someone like Misha Tordoff.


    Had Kia forgiven them?


    It would have made more sense if Kia didn''t do those terrible things because she had forgiven them, but if she did forgive them, why didn''t she go home and reconnect with her family?


    She also made no attempt to contact any of them and didn''t even ask about Alia''s condition at all.


    Not once did Kiae to the hospital and visit Alia, even though she was her only sister and she knew very well how she was now.


    Wouldn''t it be an exaggeration to say she had forgiven them all?


    Why didn''t she take advantage of her position as Misha Tordoff''s woman? Or¡­ why didn''t she return to her family?


    "What are you thinking about Daniel?" asked Alia who came to him when Daniel was tidying his clothes and putting them in the suitcase. "You look like you''re thinking about something."


    Daniel turned his head and looked at his sister gently while shaking his head. "No, I''m not thinking about anything."


    But, of course Alia didn''t believe it. She frowned and pursed her lips as if to say that she would not buy that lie.


    Seeing the expression on his sister''s face, Daniel smiled cheerfully.


    "Why do you look so cute when you''re upset like this?" asked Daniel, pinching his sister''s cheek in exasperation.


    Alia pouted and rubbed her cheek, but then she helped Daniel to tidy up his things.


    "You don''t need to help, you should just lie down and rest." Daniel took the shirt from Alia''s hands, but she insisted on helping.


    "I''ve slept too long and too much, I don''t want to sleep anymore, my body aches from lying too much in the bed." Alia then looked at this room one more time and then looked at Daniel worriedly. "Is it okay for me to stay in a room as good as this?"


    Alia had been in and out of the hospital many times, therefore, she knew that this was not the type of room she usually stayed in and moreover she knew that they might not be able to afford this room for the few days she stayed here.


    Their service was so extraordinary that it felt like Alia would feel at home here, but of course she would prefer to get well.


    "It''s all right," Daniel replied.


    "Did you just get a raise so you can pay for a room like this? You don''t have to waste money on that," Alia mumbled.


    "I didn''t spend a dime, it is Mr. Tordoff who paid for everything," Daniel replied in a low voice.


    But, then he realized one more thing. That was right, this luxurious room was paid for by Mr. Tordoff. He bore all the costs.


    If he wanted to, he could cut off all his favors and not have to do this. But, why did he have to do all this?


    "Bro Daniel, what do you think is the rtionship between Sis Kia and Mr. Tordoff? Are they in a rtionship?" Alia asked as she stuffed her clothes into the suitcase, while Daniel was silent for a moment.


    "Do you see it like that?" asked Daniel in a low voice.


    "Of course, what would be the reason for Mr. Tordoff to help our family if it wasn''t for Kia?" said Alia innocently.


    On the other hand, Daniel became quieter after hearing what Alia said. He had never thought like that before because he was constantly thinking negatively about Kia.


    "What do you think if they were in a rtionship?" asked Daniel curiously.


    "I feel happy because someone is protecting Kia," said Alia honestly. "There was no one to protect her back then when she was bullied."


    "Bullied?"


    ================


    THIS BOOK IS PUBLISHED ON WEBNOVEL.


    Meet me on Instagram @jikan_yo_tomare.

 Chapter 775: WE FOUND HER

    Chapter 775: WE FOUND HER"What do you think if they were in a rtionship?" asked Daniel curiously, he wanted to know what Alia thought and what she felt about this.


    After the firstment given by Alia, Daniel realized that this younger sister could see the problem from a different angle and was quite reasonable too.


    "I feel happy because someone is protecting Kia," said Alia honestly. "There was no one to protect her back then when she was bullied." The words just came out in a sad tone because that was what had happened before.


    "Bullied?" Daniel frowned. He didn''t know that Kia had been bullied. "When was she bullied?" he asked in a slightly sharp voice and this took Alia by surprise, he then lowered his voice. "I never knew about it, how do you know?"


    If only Daniel knew about it, of course he would have found out who had treated his sister like that and beaten him up until he couldn''t walk properly again.


    "When did that ever happen?" Daniel asked again with more urgency, while Alia was thinking about it. She was trying to remember what happened.


    "I think it was when Kia was just entering high school. She''s a new student at the school." Alia then nodded, confident of her own memory.


    If Kia had just entered high school at the time, it meant that she was in grade ten while Daniel was in grade twelfth, which was also hisst year at school.


    "I don''t really remember because I was a kid at the time, but I saw Sis Kia oncee home with a face full of wounds and dirty clothes." Alia remembered it clearly because that moment was deeply etched in her memory, even though she was still a child.


    At that time, Kia came home wet and her clothes were dirty. In addition, there were several scars on her cheeks and arms.


    However, when Alia asked this, Kia simply brushed it off saying she had fallen, which she believed, but after three or four days of this happening in a row, only then did Alia realize that Kia was being bullied at her new school.


    "Maybe she did fall," said Daniel in an uncertain voice.


    "Do you really believe that Sis Kia would fall ande home like that for several days in a row?" asked Alia with raised eyebrows. She would say that Daniel was being unreasonable if he said that he believed it to be so.


    "Then howe no one else knows but you?" Daniel wasn''t sure about this, maybe because Alia was only six years old at the time, so her memory might be a little unreliable.


    "Because there''s only me at home together with Sister Kia." Alia then sat on the sofa and looked at the beautiful night view from the window behind her. If it wasn''t for her being ced in this room, she wouldn''t be able to admire this beautiful night view every night.


    "Then, where am I, mom and dad?" Daniel sat beside Alia too and looked out at the night view of the city. It was a beautiful sight, but his heart felt restless.


    "Mom and dad would usually be working, while you were busy with extracurricr activities at school." Alia remembered that she spent more time with Kia.


    Daniel also remembered those times. His father would work until the evening, while his mother would take the day shift to earn extra money for Alia''s medical expenses.


    Their mother took the day shift because she had to wait for Kia toe home from school to rece her and continue looking after Alia.


    Which meant Kia couldn''t participate in any activities after school. She had to go straight home because otherwise there would be no one to look after Alia and his mother couldn''t go to work.


    Wait¡­


    If that was the case, it also meant that Kia couldn''t go out to hang out with her friends after school or participate in extracurricr activities like Daniel.


    And it was only now that Daniel realized that Kia didn''t participate in any activities at school not because she didn''t have any hobbies, or when she didn''t have many friends, not because she was gloomy or anti-social, but because she didn''t have time for that.


    Kia was busy taking care of Alia and also taking care of the house in ce of their parents who worked, while Daniel was busy with school activities because he was already in his senior year and would soon graduate then.


    "If only Brother went to the same school as Sister Kia, Brother Daniel would definitely be able to beat up the people who bullied Sister Kia first." Alia took a deep breath.


    Right, that would have happened if they were in the same school, unfortunately they were in different schools.


    It was because when Kia was about to enter high school, Alia''s condition worsened and she couldn''t go to the same school as Daniel, because it was a good school, so of course the fees would be very expensive.


    They could keep Daniel there since he was already in his final school year, but Kia still had three more years to go until graduation and no one knew what would happen to Alia during those three years, so they had to save as much money as possible.


    Daniel didn''t realize it before, but now he realized how lucky he was to still be able to live a normal school life and hang out with his friends, even though things weren''t so good at home.


    But, in his defense, he also had to start working part time because their parents could not pay for his studies.


    "Yeah, I''d have definitely beaten them up." Daniel didn''t even know that Kia was bullied. If only he knew...


    "Sis Kia never came to see me, huh?" asked Alia, looking at Daniel with a sad face. "Is she still mad at us?"


    Mad?


    Daniel didn''t even know what Kia was feeling right now, because he wasn''t sure now after hearing what Alia had to say.


    Were they that inconsiderate of her back then? This new understanding really disturbed Daniel''s heart.


    "Of course not, she must be busy," said Daniel reassuringly, he knew that Alia didn''t believe him, but she didn''t say anything.


    "Yeah, I guess so too," Alia muttered. She remembered how caring Kia used to be when she was taking care of her, always being by her side.


    How Kia used to study and do her homework beside her bed so that Alia would not feel all alone.


    Alia missed her quiet older sister.


    =========================


    "I already found out who you were with at the time," said Richard, he really couldn''t understand how he had to find out who Misha was in touch with when Kia sent a message informing him of her pregnancy.


    "Who?" Misha forgot who he was with when the incident happened. He didn''t remember it at all.


    "Abigail Lutz, daughter of Andrew Lutz, your business partner in electronics." Richard then gave a report containing photos of evidence of their rtionship and also some evidence that they were indeed together when it happened.


    Seeing this, Misha took the report and began to go through it. He seemed to have a vague recollection of it after seeing this evidence.


    "Good job," Misha said quietly and after that Richard withdrew from the room, leaving him alone there.


    Misha looked at the woman''s profile with narrowed eyes and looked at the contacts on his phone.


    He then contacted thedy using his office phone to meet with her the next afternoon to confirm that it was she who had sent the message.


    Unexpectedly the woman epted Misha''s invitation and sounded very happy. She even sounded a little smug, because she thought Misha finally thought about her again.


    "Of course, I''lle," said Abigail in a slightly teasing voice.


    But, that was the only confirmation Misha needed, because after that he didn''t have to say anything as he immediately hung up, causing Abigail to blink her curly eyshes in disbelief.


    ==========================


    "Wee back Alia!" cried Lyle and Amber, as well as three other members of their family who could attend the weing party for Alia''s return.


    The three people were two younger sisters of Lyle and one older brother of Amber. They all brought gifts for Alia.


    "How are you?" asked Tania, Lyle''s eldest sister. She walked over to Alia and kissed her cheek gently.


    "I''m so good!" said Alia with a beaming face, she then received gifts from Tania and the others, while her father and mother said that their gift for her was in the room, she could see itter.


    And after opening presents from the three people there, they then went to the dining table for dinner, which was filled with a cheerful atmosphere while they chatted with each other, sharing how their lives had beentely.


    "I think you have another daughter, where is she?" asked Anthony, Amber''s older brother. He had only been back in the area for a few months due to work, so he didn''t really know what had happened in thest few years.


    Meanwhile, the atmosphere at the dining table became awkward when they heard the question.


    None of them had brought her up until now because Amber and Lyle never wanted to talk about what Kia had done. Of course, everyone else at the dinner table knew the reason for Kia''s ''exile'' four years ago, except for Anthony.


    "What''s the quiet girl''s name?" asked Anthony again.


    ================


    THIS BOOK IS PUBLISHED ON WEBNOVEL.


    Meet me on Instagram @jikan_yo_tomare.

 Chapter 776: SHE WAS DONE WITH HER JOB

    Chapter 776: SHE WAS DONE WITH HER JOBAnthony felt something was off. He seemed to have missed something and he believed it to be something important.


    "I am sure that you two have one more daughter, right? What''s her name? She''s a quiet girl." Anthony was pretty sure it wasn''t just Alia. "Yeah, you guys have two daughters," he mumbled. "Why didn''t shee to this party to wee her little sister?"


    Everyone at the dining table fell silent when they heard this, they looked at each other, not knowing what to say. Even Lyle''s younger sisters didn''t dare to bring up the topic until now, if it wasn''t Lyle or Amber who said it first.


    "She''s not at home." Lyle continued to eat awkwardly, as if nothing had happened, followed by the others, although Anthony was still staring at him suspiciously.


    "She''s out of town?" asked Anthony again curiously. He noticed the expression on Amber''s face, his little sister and immediately realized that something was seriously wrong with the current situation.


    "Yes, you can say that." Lyle mumbled the words again.


    Meanwhile, Alia wanted to refute this, but Amber immediately looked at her, with a hidden message in her eyes, telling her not to interfere in this matter which made Alia lower her head and re at her food instead.


    Other than that, the dinner went pretty smoothly.


    But as everyone proceeded to sit in the living room and watch some television broadcast while chatting about various things, Anthony realized something else was odd in the house and pulled Amber aside to ask her directly.


    "What really happened to that other niece of mine?" asked Anthony.


    "What do you mean?" Amber looked flustered when her brother confronted her about this. She tried to rejoin the others, but Anthony grabbed her arm so they could talk more quietly, away from the crowd.


    "You know what I mean. Where is Kia really? Something happened to her?" asked Anthony in a low voice.


    "Ah¡­ Kia is out of town, she can''te, you heard from Lyle yourself, didn''t you?" Amber repeated what Lyle said earlier, because she couldn''t think of any other reason than that.


    "You think I would believe that just like that?" asked Anthony with narrowed eyes. "You don''t think I''ll swallow that lie, do you?"


    Amber looked panicky, she tried to calm down, but couldn''t because Anthony knew when she was lying.


    "So? What happened to my niece?" asked Anthony in a low voice. He was not very close to Amber''s three children, but Kia was very quiet as a teenage girl. She always looked moody and seemed to have something in her heart, while Alia was always cheerful, even though she was sick and Daniel was like just any normal teenager.


    However, because Anthony''s time with them was short, he didn''t know what was going on further and between the three of them, the memory of Kia was the one that left the strongest impression on him.


    "I¡­ I don''t know¡­" said Amber. "She went out of town."


    Anthony sighed. He had to be out of town in a week, but he knew something was wrong here. "Don''t lie to me, Amber, you know I can tell when you''re lying." Then he reached over to the table beside him and handed his cell phone to his sister. "Then call Kia, I want to say hello to her, after all I''ve met her brother and sister, it''s not fair if I don''t talk to her as well."


    That was when Amber broke down crying, she covered her face with both hands and didn''t stop crying. She had suppressed this feeling for a long time and didn''t say anything to anyone because she didn''t know what to say.


    Lyle still insisted they weren''t wrong by kicking Kia out of the house for what she did four years ago.


    And because Amber didn''t want to fight with her husband, she didn''t dare to bring up this issue anymore, but as time went on, the regrets started eating her alive. She couldn''t think clearly and after she thought about this better slowly.


    Amber could see how they relied on Kia. They didn''t purposely neglect her, they only let her be because they thought Kia was very good at taking care of herself as well as other people, so they never thought they were doing anything wrong, because their assumptions were; Kia was like that and she would be better off left alone.


    On the other hand, Anthony then squatted in front of Amber and hugged his little sister. He tried to calm her down without saying anything. He had guessed that there was something odd about all of them when he mentioned Kia.


    Luckily they were in a different room and no one could hear Amber''s cries, so they could talk better.


    It was only after Amber''s crying had subsided that she was able to tell what happened four years ago in a stuttering voice.


    "Are you kidding me?" asked Anthony, his eyes turning cold after he heard that Kia was kicked out of the house because she was pregnant out of wedlock. "You didn''t really do that, did you?"


    Amber started crying again. "I didn''t think she would actually leave¡­" she sobbed.


    And that answer really surprised Anthony, he didn''t expect all of that to really happen. He couldn''t even find the right words to respond to what he had just heard.


    "You''re not serious about this, are you?" Anthony shook his head several times.


    He saw Amber crying and left her like that until she calmed down, then he said what he wanted to say.


    "You kicked her out of the house because she was pregnant? Then how about you?" asked Anthony coldly. "You married Lyle because you were pregnant even though mom and dad didn''t approve of your rtionship. But, did we kick you out of the house?"


    Amber did conceive Daniel before their marriage and her parents only agreed to Lyle''s proposal because of the reason she was pregnant. They got married when she was three months pregnant with Daniel. It was a small wedding ceremony attended by her family.


    But, the point was; her family didn''t kick her out like Amber and Lyle did to Kia.


    "I didn''t think you were someone like this, Amber," said Anthony, there was a hint of disgust in his voice and he looked at Amber with an ufortable look in his eyes.


    Hearing that, Amber cried even more loudly, her guilt seemed to have eaten her alive and she couldn''t lift her head anymore to look at her brother.


    "What is it? Mom? Why are you crying?" Daniel suddenly came into the room and saw his mother crying on the floor with his uncle staring angrily at his mother.


    Were they fighting? Without thinking, Daniel immediately went to his mother and hugged her.


    "What is this?" asked Daniel in a slightly loud voice, he looked at Anthony with a questioning look in his eyes, but also annoyance.


    Only, Anthony didn''t say anything to him and didn''t even respond. His eyes fell on Amber, as he said.


    "If you don''t want to find her, I will find her. She still has a family." And after saying that, he walked away from there, leaving Daniel trying to calm his mother down.


    =======================


    "What did he do to make you want to persuade me like this?" Kia asked, squinting her eyes suspiciously when Keira very persistently asked her to go to the Tordoff family event tonight.


    She was urging her to go to the salon, eager to help her with everything so she would be ready when Misha came to pick her up.


    "What did he offer?" Kia looked at Keira probingly while bathing Mika, while Keira was standing in the doorway.


    "Okay, okay, I''ll admit it," Keira said as she raised her hands, giving up. "Misha said that he would bear all my wedding expenses."


    Kia knew that Misha must have done something to get Keira to agree to persuade her like this, but she didn''t expect that the madman would go to such lengths.


    "All your wedding expenses?!" Kia shook her head as she didn''t know what to say.


    "A moment." Keira held out her hands. "If you think I''m selling you, you''re wrong. I only agreed to persuade you to go to the party, but I didn''t promise that you''ll go for sure in the end. So whether you agree or not is up to you. I don''t have the capacity to tell you what to do."


    "Then, why are you trying so hard to persuade me?" Kia was still suspicious of Keira''s original intentions.


    "I just thought that you needed a change of atmosphere. Don''t you want to try something new? Pamper yourself? I know that you''ve done everything for Mika, to the point where you don''t care about yourself, but once in a while, you have to put yourself first too," Keira exined her point of view.


    "So you think going to a party will make me feel a lot better? By experiencing a change of atmosphere?" Kia asked skeptically.


    On the other hand, Keira sighed and crouched in the doorway. "Getting to enjoy free, expensive food and drinks and then staying in the best vi in town for a few nights doesn''t sound so bad to me." Kira shrugged. "You don''t have to agree if you don''t want to, but I think you need a vacation every once in a while."


    Keira then smiled and walked away, saying that she was done with her task and could ept Misha''s help without feeling guilty.

 Chapter 777: YOU NEED TO PUT A DENT IN HIS FINANCE

    Chapter 777: YOU NEED TO PUT A DENT IN HIS FINANCEKeira didn''t mean to agree to Misha''s wish to persuade Kia to agree to attend the party.


    After all, she only agreed to persuade her, she didn''t actually promise that she would get Kia to agree to go.


    Therefore, she told the truth about the agreement to Kia, and at the end of the day, this decision was still in Kia''s hands and Keira would not force it.


    Keira did that just to give Kia some perspective she thought could help her.


    "You don''t have to agree if you don''t want to, but I think you need a vacation once in a while and I think the vi you''ll be staying in will be a great ce for you to find a new atmosphere."


    Keira then smiled and walked away, saying that she was done with her task and could ept Misha''s help without feeling guilty.


    Meanwhile, Kia was still finishing her work, which was bathing Mika, while Keira made lunch for the three of them.


    However, when Keira was in the kitchen preparing ingredients for their lunch, Kia came looking for her.


    "What is it?" Keira asked carefully. "If you have something to say, just say it, don''t look at me like that, it gives me goosebumps." She frowned at being stared at by Kia.


    "How are you going to take me to the salon to make up?" Kia asked with an emotionless face, as if she was asking a simple question.


    "You mean you''re going to the Tordoffs'' party?" asked Keira with shining eyes.


    "Well, if you promise to take care of Mika, maybe I can go," Kia said nonchntly. Maybe she thought what Keira said was true that she needed a change of atmosphere and got something to think about, in order to take her mind off her family problems that constantly bothered her.


    "Of course!" Keira eximed cheerfully, she then approached Kia before hugging and smooching her on the cheek. "You know that I just want you to be happy, right? You don''t need to care about Misha Tordoff, you just have to enjoy the party, get yourself drunk and eat all the good food there is."


    Kiaughed when she heard that, she couldn''t imagine herself doing all that, but maybe enjoying the atmosphere in an expensive vi would be fun. Because so far she very rarely went to tourist spots, even when she was still with her family.


    "Yeah, and you could be at home looking after Mika and nning your wedding too, right?" Kia raised her eyebrows meaningfully and Keira lowered her head shyly.


    "Well, when you think about it again¡­ it''s not a bad deal¡­ you can turn it down if you don''t want to, but I''ll get a sponsor for my wedding regardless." Keira smirked, but then she asked Kia carefully. "You''re not mad about this, are you?" She was worried that this would ruin their friendship.


    On the other hand, Kia didn''t answer right away, she let the question hang in the air, making Keira even more nervous.


    But then she smiled widely. "Make sure you get all the expensive stuff and everything that is in the best condition, so you can hurt him financially a bit. Putting a dent in his finances is all I am asking from you."


    Keiraughed when she heard this and hugged her best friend tightly again. She kissed Kia''s cheek and made Mika jealous when she walked into the kitchen who then asked to be kissed too.


    "I''m not sure that I can hurt him financially," said Keira skeptically. The wedding party would be small and with less than a hundred people in attendance, to which she would also invite Misha Tordoff. After all, he would be sponsoring the wedding. "He''s too rich to finance a small marriage and make him concerned about the price."


    Kia shrugged nonchntly and then lifted Mika to kiss on her soft cheek.


    "So, shall we go now?" she asked. "I think we should call a taxi for the three of us."


    "Oh, don''t worry, Misha Tordoff has left a driver in the basement just in case I managed to persuade you," said Keira, winking an eye at her, which made Kia shake her head.


    "Looks like you two are very prepared," Kia replied.


    "And you know what''s the best part?" Keira asked, she lowered her voice and whispered this, even though there were only three of them in the apartment now.


    "What?" Kia grew suspicious of her overreaction, but also found it amusing at the same time.


    "He has booked aplete package of care for the three of us," she said excitedly. "Even Mika cane with us."


    "Huh?" If Misha had prepared everything and he had booked a ce, Kia wasn''t sure if it was just going to a salon and getting hair and make-up done.


    ========================


    Abigail had been waiting for Misha for half an hour and saw no sign of the maning, but even so, she was still there.


    She asionally checked her watch and looked at the entrance of the restaurant where they had promised to meet.


    She found it a little strange that Misha had asked her to meet for lunch instead of dinner, because after that they could go somewhere else, couldn''t they?


    But, it didn''t matter, the fact that Misha contacted her certainly left her very excited, no matter what.


    And only fifteen minutester, she was able to see Misha walking into the restaurant and he looked as handsome as ever, even though four years had passed since they met in real life like this.


    Because once Misha broke up, he would cut off all contact with that person and it was safe to say that when they parted, it wasn''t an amicable breakup, because Abigail couldn''t ept the end of their very short rtionship.


    "Misha..." called Abigail. She smiled when she saw the man sitting in front of her and her eyes were full of lust. She wore a red shirt that fit her well and showed off a fair amount of her cleavage.


    This dress was not too revealing and looked formal, but she looked quite tempting wearing it because it entuated her beautiful curves.


    Abigail even went so far as to make sure that the men she passed would nce at her a few times and stare at her with longing desire.


    "You must not have eaten lunch, what do you want to eat?" asked Abigail attentively. She then called a waitress before cing her order, but when it was Misha''s turn he only ordered a drink for himself. "Why did you only order a drink?"


    "I don''t intend to stay here long," Misha said curtly. He didn''t even apologize when he arrived forty-five minuteste. He just treated this meeting like one of the business meetings he''d had so far, nothing more. "I want you to read this and exin it to me."


    Misha gave his old cellphone to Abigail with the screen facing up, where it was the content of the message sent by Kia several years ago and also the reply that ''Misha'' gave in response to information saying that Kia was pregnant.


    Abigail only had to look at the first sentence of the message. She instantly remembered what happened. She didn''t seem to know how to react and with the way Misha was looking at her, it was very difficult to read what was going through the man''s mind right now.


    "You know the message, don''t you?" Misha''s question sounded more like a statement than a question and this made Abigail feel a little defensive.


    She felt a little disappointed that they were here to discuss this instead of talking about the two of them.


    "Did youe here just to ask this?" asked Abigail, her sweet smile instantly disappearing from her lips, as she stared at Misha sullenly. She got dressed up very immactely for this lunch, but Misha didn''t care about that.


    "Why did you reply to a message on my phone?" Misha asked. He did put a code on his phone, but there must have been a chance that Abigail saw the code and figured out how to unlock it.


    "This must be a scam, there''s no way you have a child with that girl, I saw her once when she was an intern and was in your meeting at that time." Abigail huffed, she didn''t even read the chat to the end. "You should be thanking me that I took care of this girl for you."


    "So it''s true that you replied to that message?" Misha wanted to confirm this.


    "Yes, I helped you avoid a gold digger whose only goals were to seek money and a chance to be by your side," Abigail said as if she should get credit for having done what she did.


    "Abigail Marry Klutz¡­" Misha said her full name very calmly, but this made her fully on alert, she could feel the hostilitying from the man in front of her. "You''ve crossed some serious lines and I can''t forgive you for this."


    Misha thought this meeting was going to be a long one, but it turned out that Abigail was too proud to lie to him. She thought too highly of herself.


    "I did not cross any line, how can that woman have your child?" Abigail looked angry; she furrowed her face in disapproval, but she also lowered her voice, because she was afraid of the expression on Misha''s face now. He looked untouchable.


    "I hope this will be ourst meeting." Misha stood up and took out his cell phone, looking at her intensely. "Including in business."


    And after that, he walked away from there without saying goodbye or anything, while his parting words were a threat.

 Chapter 778: WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST

    Chapter 778: WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PASTMisha thought it was for the best when Abigail did not make things difficult and immediately admitted that she was the one who had sent that reply. She didn''t even have the slightest intention of covering it up because she didn''t think it was important.


    Therefore, Misha also did not need to spend a long time with the woman and could immediately catch up with Kia at the salon.


    He got a message from Keira that Kia finally agreed to go and they were at the salon Misha made an appointment at.


    "You look pleased, Mr. Tordoff," said Richard, as he looked at Misha''s facial expression from the rear view mirror. He smiled too because his boss was feeling happy. "Did anything good happen? Ah!" Richard just remembered. "You are happy because finally Ms. Kia agreed to go with you to the party? Would you introduce Ms. Kia to your parents?" asked Richard excitedly.


    Oh, what he said seemed like a good idea. Misha didn''t even think about it, because he was too focused on Kia, trying to figure out if she would agree to go with him or not.


    "I haven''t thought about it," Misha said quietly. He frowned, thought about it and then nced at Richard many times, considering whether it would be good to hear this man''s opinion. So far his suggestions had not been of much help and only made his situation moreplicated. "What do you think?"


    Richard smiled cheerfully when he heard that.


    "In my opinion, just introduce Ms. Kia, they will be very happy to find you have a girlfriend who you are really serious about and not just ying games, especially if they know you and Ms. Kia already have a child, they will definitely agree to your marriage with her too."


    Hmm... that''s also true...


    ==========================


    "No," Kia said firmly. "I''m not ready to meet your parents yet." Kia folded her arms across her chest and frowned.


    She got her make-up done already. As for her hair, she intended to let her hair, which had just been given a fresh cut, flow freely behind her back. She looked very beautiful and charming, even though she was still wearing her everyday clothes.


    "Misha, if you insist on introducing me and telling them about Mika, I won''te." Kia was very serious about what she just said.


    She would have been very reluctant to go to the party were it not for Keira presenting her with a different point of view and reassuring her that this was good for her, but when it came to being introduced seriously and having to exin theplicated rtionship between the two of them, Kia wasn''t sure if she could handle that.


    Kia''s original intention was to let go of the fatigue she felt because of the issue with her family, but if she went to the party, she was sure that she would get even more mentally exhausted.


    "I''m not ready and I don''t think I will be any time soon." It was still not clear what the rtionship between them was. Even Kia was still reluctant to admit that Misha was Mika''s father, let alone being introduced specifically to his parents.


    "Then how do I address you?" Misha asked.


    "You can think of me as one of the women you''ve hung out with so many times." Kia noticed Keira who was sitting together with Mika at a different table.


    Right now, they were at the restaurant. As they were leaving the salon having finished with their appointment, Misha came to pick them up unexpectedly.


    The restaurant was busy, but because they were sitting in a secluded corner, their conversation could go quite well. They had the needed privacy, while Keira and Mika were two tables away from the two of them.


    "You''re not one of them," said Misha. He looked offended, and it made Kia smile when she heard this.


    "I was back then." Otherwise, there was no way Kia could have had Mika.


    Hearing this Misha was silent for a moment. "No, you''re not," he said quite firmly.


    But Kia didn''t take his words seriously, because she knew it was better not to get her hopes up.


    "What? Because I''m Mika''s mother?" Kia asked in a joking voice, as if this wasn''t a big deal and the topic didn''t bother her at all, even though the truth was quite the opposite.


    They had never talked about this calmly like this, because thest time they talked about it, Kia was filled with emotion and couldn''t think straight.


    Meanwhile, Misha didn''t know how to respond to that. He fell silent and Kia didn''t continue this chat anymore and continued to eat quietly.


    ========================


    "What is it?" Amber asked when she saw Aliaing home with a twisted face. She looked annoyed when she threw herself on the dining table, where she was setting their dinner.


    "I''m upset," said Alia while drinking cold water to refresh her hot mind. "I met Jemmie," she said vehemently. "Do you remember who he is?"


    Amber tried to remember the name, but she couldn''t remember who it was.


    And just at that moment, Lyle came into the kitchen and sat across from Alia. He heard his daughter had juste back and sounded a little unhappy, usually she would tell Amber what was wrong. That was why he came here to hear her story too.


    Lyle knew very well about Alia''s habits.


    "No, I don''t remember," Amber replied. "Who''s he?"


    "Do you not remember?" Alia was surprised and sighed dramatically.


    "What is it? Who are you talking about?" Lyle joined in on the conversation.


    "Jemmie, dad. Do you remember who he is?" asked Alia, she looked at her father hoping he would remember the name of the bastard.


    However, after Lyle exchanged nces with Amber, he shook his head. "Don''t know, who is he?"


    "Father doesn''t know either?" Alia widened her eyes dramatically, she looked at her parents with questioning eyes, as if they both had just forgotten her birthday.


    And that reaction surprised Lyle and Amber, they stared at each other, trying to figure out if they had missed anything, but after a moment of thought, they were sure they didn''t know someone named Jemmie.


    "Who''s he? Is that person an important person?" Lyle asked, looking at his youngest daughter scratching his head. She gave a small smile because she remembered her father''s habit very well, even when Alia was little he was always like that when he was deep in thought.


    "Or is it a guy you like?" Amber teased which immediately got a sharp re from Lyle and Alia, while sheughed happily. "I was just joking, it''s okay after all right? Alia is already a teenager," she justified herself.


    "No, no, she''s still a child." Lyle wanted to add that he didn''t want Alia to take the wrong path like Kia, but then he restrained himself.


    Lately, the topic of discussion about Kia was really sensitive, it was like going back to the past, where they had a tacit understanding not to discuss Kia.


    But, who would have thought that it was only Lyle and Amber who thought that, because the proof was that Alia could calmly discuss her sister.


    "Jemmie is an ex of Kia who was caught having an affair," Alia told them. "Don''t you remember that Kia used to cry and didn''t eat for a few days. She even locked herself in her room all the time."


    With the mention of Kia''s name, Lyle and Amber automatically fell silent. The two of them looked tense and didn''t know how to respond, but Alia kept on telling the story, oblivious to theck of a response from both of them.


    "Did mom and dad forget about that incident?" Alia frowned in surprise.


    The problem here was; Lyle and Amber didn''t forget, but neither of them knew that something like this had ever happened.


    "Didn''t you ever see Kia locking herself in her room?" Alia looked at the two of them suspiciously.


    "Kia always preferred to be in her room," said Amber. As she recalled, Kia always spent time in the room, so they didn''t take it too seriously when Kia was in the room.


    However, this made Alia frown even more.


    "No, Kia doesn''t really like spending time in her room. One time, Kia was scolded very badly by Father for taking me out for a night walk because I was tired of being in the room all the time," Alia exined. "Dad was very angry with Kia. Even though it was me who asked her to take me out, it was Kia who got scolded. And since then, Kia and I have started spending more time in the room."


    Lyle remembered the incident vaguely, when he scolded Kia and forbade her from leaving the house for a few weeks for taking Alia out, at that time she was not well, so Lyle was very angry with her.


    Is that¡­ what Lyle said back then¡­


    He tried to remember the incident that happened a long time ago and only then did he realize what words he said.


    ''Do you want to kill your own sister? You are so irresponsible!''


    Those words rang in Lyle''s ears, but then, in his head it was clear how Kia took care of Alia while they were all busy with their own businesses.


    It could be said that Kia spent more time with Alia when she was at home. It could be said that taking care of Alia and this house were Kia''s responsibilities.


    "So what is the issue with that man?" Amber asked in a choked voice, she seemed to be holding back a deep sadness.


    ================


    *Read my new book: The Alpha: iming His Enemy''s Daughter*


    Alpha Cane''s revenge for his and his people''s very.

 Chapter 779: HOW THEY REMEMBERED HER

    Chapter 779: HOW THEY REMEMBERED HERAmber had heard that Kia was in a rtionship with her senior and at that time, she didn''t take it too seriously because at her age then, it was natural for her to date.


    But, for some reason, they broke up.


    Amber tried to recall why Kia ended the rtionship, but she couldn''t.


    No, Amber didn''t even remember she ever asked why Kia broke up with that man, because she didn''t think it was important, while she and their family had to survive in the midst of the economic crisis and Alia''s huge hospital costs.


    She also had to take care of Alia in the morning, while Kia went to school until she came home. Then, she had to go back to work and when she came home, it would always bete and everyone would be fast asleep.


    It could be said that the two of them could have gone for weeks not talking to each other, due to their conflicting timings.


    Oh ... it turned out there was a thing like that ...


    Amber bit her lip, couldn''t believe that she used to be so indifferent to Kia. In fact, it could be said that she did not know anything about her second child.


    "So what happened to that man?" Amber asked in a choked voice, she seemed to be holding back a deep sadness.


    Lately, she seemed to be digging deeper and looking back, to a ce where they had mistreated her more badly than they could have ever imagined.


    "He cheated on Kia with her best friend, Arin. That was why Arin never came to the house again," said Alia.


    Lyle frowned. "Arin, that little friend?" he asked. He knew Arin''s parents and he realized when Arin no longer came to their house and he said that Kia should be nicer to her little friend otherwise she would have no friends. He wanted her to be more cheerful.


    Lyle never knew that something like that happened¡­


    "Yes, that Arin." Alia confirmed this and it left them both quite surprised because as far as they knew, the rtionship between the two was very close. They had been friends since childhood and had never been involved in a big fight.


    "Why didn''t Kia ever say anything about it?" asked Amber in a bitter voice. She couldn''t believe what she heard.


    Alia looked difficult when she had to answer the question. "Because you''re busy," she answered in a low voice. "You guys are rarely home and I think Kia mentioned it in the passing that they weren''t friends anymore."


    Lyle and Amber had no recollection of having that kind of conversation and again, they had never actually spoken to Kia.


    The conversation between them was merely exchanging a few words because Kia was a quiet child and didn''t talk much, so it was difficult to find a topic of conversation with her, especially since they didn''t try tomunicate well with Kia either.


    It was like it had always been in their minds that Kia would be okay, because the kid neverined or made a big deal or expressed her likes or dislikes. They naturally thought everything was fine with Kia.


    It turned out that what happened was not that simple.


    But, why didn''t they know anything about this at all? Did they not care that much about Kia?


    Somehow Lyle and Amber felt very ufortable when they heard this, not only ufortable because they just found out that Arin treated Kia so badly, but also ufortable because Kia never said anything about this until they thought everything was fine.


    "Kia tells you a lot, doesn''t she?" Amber asked her youngest child, she approached Alia and sat beside her. "What else did Kia tell you?" This time she wanted to hear what Kia had to say and wanted to know how her daughter really felt at that moment.


    Alia tilted her head and then shook her head. "No. Kia never told me anything if I didn''t ask first, even then she only answered briefly."


    "Then how do you know what happened?" Lyle refrained from interfering in this, but it seemed he couldn''t do that because his curiosity was far greater than his pride.


    He still hadn''t confessed his guilt to Kia back then and was still thinking that ''she shouldn''t have done that'', but this time he couldn''t help but ask.


    "I saw Kia''s expression," said Alia lightly. "I spent a lot of time with Kia and she taught me a lot. It was also Kia who always put me to bed when I was little and told me stories."


    That was right, because of her work time, Amber woulde home when they were all asleep and she knew when she came home, she would find the house tidy with not a single dirty te, because Kia had taken care of everything, including their family dinner.


    Since what time did she do all that? Fifteen? Fourteen? Or maybe she started when she was younger than that age¡­


    Kia was about Alia''s age when she took on such a huge responsibility for this family, almost as much as Amber and Lyle.


    "Then what would you two usually talk about?" Lyle asked again, this time he was more active in asking.


    "Not much," said Alia, trying to remember and it was true. After all these years, she could just summarize all the things Kia told her to be half an hour worth. Most things she knew were also because she relied on her own opinion based on what she observed from Kia''s behavior, because she didn''t have much to do.


    "Oh, I just met Jemmie and he was so brave. He asked about Kia and wanted to ask for her number." Alia remembered her original intention to tell her parents why she was upset.


    "Then? You didn''t give Kia''s number, did you?" asked Lyle, looking annoyed. How dare that impudent boy try to reconnect with Kia?


    He should have run in the opposite direction when he saw Alia. Were the boys now all that shameless?


    "Of course not," said Alia irritably. "I won''t let him get in touch with Kia again or find out where she is."


    That was why Alia was annoyed with the shameless man, but what annoyed her even more was that she herself didn''t know the phone number or where Kia lived, so when she told Jemmie she didn''t know, she was telling the truth and not because she could teach him a lesson.


    "He ruined Kia''s prom and since then, she doesn''t want toe to any more parties." Alia pouted and leaned her back against the back of the chair. "Come to think of it, Kia never attended parties huh¡­" she mumbled, but it was loud enough for Lyle and Amber to hear it.


    What Alia said was true. It could be said that Kia never attended any parties when she was a teenager, not even her friends'' birthday parties because she had to look after Alia who was too sick to be taken away from home.


    That was right, if you think about it, apart from thest ninth birthday party they had, before Alia''s birth, Kia had never been to any more parties.


    =======================


    "You look very beautiful, Kia," Keira gushed when she saw Kia''s appearance in her party dress. It made her look very beautiful and elegant, very different from her previous appearance.


    Especially since she dyed her hair red. Although it was not really Keira''s thing, itplimented the dress well, or maybe this dressplimented her hair.


    Whatever it was, Kia looked very charming.


    "I''m sure there will be many men from the Tordoff family who will kneel before you and want you to be their girlfriend." Keira didn''t stop praising Kia and Mika followed while looking at her mother like a devotee, the little girl seemed to have been stunned by what she saw now.


    "Stop that," Kia said, she felt that Keira had gone too far in praising her and now she had to stop this woman before she started being more unreasonable.


    "Okay, okay¡­ I''ll stop." Keira raised her hands and grinned at Kia with a smile full of pride, like a mother taking her child to their first prom.


    "Mama you are so beautiful, like a moon goddess, but with red hair," said Mika as she raised her hand, asking to be carried.


    "Oh, not you also¡­" Kia mumbled when she received apliment from Mika, but her face brightened when she saw her daughter smiling so wide with her beautiful eyes sparkling with joy.


    But Keira stopped her and carried Mika instead. "You will wrinkle your clothes if you carry her," said Keira, she kissed Mika''s chubby cheek who looked disappointed because Kia couldn''t carry her. "Let''s go out," Keira said excitedly. "I''ll walk you to the car."


    For now, Misha was waiting in the car, because he had some business to finish. He was finishing it now with Richard''s assistance.


    Because after all, he would be away for a week and not be in the office during the event, and neither would Kia.


    She even asked forpensation from Misha because she couldn''t work as she had to go with him, which Misha dly gave, too generous to say the least.


    ''I just want to ask forpensation for one week I don''t work. I''m not asking for money to buy a house,'' Kia said when Misha mentioned the amount he would give after she insisted.


    ================


    *Read my new book: The Alpha: iming His Enemy''s Daughter*


    Alpha Cane''s revenge for his and his people''s very.

 Chapter 780: TONIGHT

    Chapter 780: TONIGHTKeira informed Mika that Kia would be away for about a week and this could be said to be the longest time for Kia to leave her daughter, therefore, this must be difficult for both of them.


    "How long is one week?" Mika asked with an innocent expression on her face while blinking her eyes in confusion, because she still didn''t understand the concept of time.


    Keira was ponytailing Mika''s thick and ck hair. Even though she was only three years old, her hair was very thick and beautiful, thus, Keira was more than very happy to do this.


    "One week¡­ means seven days." Keira tilted her head, slightly confused about exining this to her. "Hm, seven times you sleep at night, then mama wille home."


    "Seven times?" Mika repeated it with a cute expression. She raised one hand and spread her five fingers then raised the other one and pointed two fingers, then counted them. "It''s seven?" she asked earnestly.


    "Yeah, that''s seven," said Keira with sparkling eyes because she was proud of this little girl''s intelligence.


    But, after Keira confirmed this, Mika actually cried. She hugged Keira tightly and cried until she was hyperventted.


    "That''s too long..." she said between sobs. Keira then hugged the little girl while kissing her forehead. "I want my mom now¡­"


    "Ah¡­" Keira looked confused as she tried to persuade Mika to calm down, but this little girl was inconsble. "How about we call mama everyday, a video call before bed?" Keira persuaded.


    If Kia had known Mika was going to cry like this, she definitely wouldn''t have attended a party that didn''t allow her to bring small children.


    This must also be a consideration for Kia when she was so hesitant to ept Misha''s offer.


    ======================


    "Is there something on my face?" Kia asked with a furrowed brow. She felt a little ufortable with the way Misha was looking at her so intensely, as if there was something wrong with her makeup or her appearance.


    "There is beauty on your face," Misha said smoothly, but this made Kia make a displeased expression. She snorted and wrinkled her nose, as if she had just heard something unpleasant.


    "I''ll pretend you didn''t say anything," Kia said in a low voice, which only made Mishaugh because she wasn''t taking his words seriously.


    "But, I''m serious, can''t you see the people around you? They are all looking at you, they are fascinated by you," Misha said in a low voice and sounded very deep, as if he was trying to seduce Kia with his voice alone.


    However, this only made Kia even more suspicious, because Misha was not someone who would talk like this.


    "Where did you learn those utterly distasteful pick up lines?" Kia asked coldly.


    Right now, the two of them were dancing, along with the dozens of members of the Tordoff family who hade with their respective partners.


    The dancing floor was in the middle of a beautiful garden. With the moonlight above them and the stars scattered in the night sky, it was so bright tonight that the ball was even more extraordinary.


    Kia didn''t think that she would ever be in a ce like this. She had even forgotten thest time she could enjoy the atmosphere, eatfortably without thinking about the expenses she had to cover, or sleep peacefully without thinking about whether she had enough money to wee the following week.


    Kia could only keep worrying about everything, especially when Mika started drinking form because she couldn''t exclusively breastfeed, of course the money she had to spend made her cry every night, feeling guilty for bringing her child into this world and making her life difficult.


    Luckily, she met Keira and she was the only friend who stuck with her and continued to help her until now. Kia was really grateful to her for that.


    "Richard taught me," Misha said honestly. "Didn''t it work?" He had never had to try and pursue a woman before, because when he showed even the slightest bit of interest, it was the woman who came to him.


    Therefore, he never paid attention to what he had to say or do, because those women did not need to be forced to live with him.


    "You should stop listening to what he has to say," Kia said with a frown. The longer it went on, the weirder what Richard taught him got, to the point that it didn''t make any sense.


    "Okay," Misha said, casually, which left Kia even more surprised.


    Was this man in front of her really Misha Tordoff? He looked much different from the man in her memory.


    But, Kia didn''t mind this because tonight''s party and the garden were so beautiful and it was a shame to not enjoy it just to think about unnecessary things.


    During the party and before the dance was over, even though Kia couldn''t actually follow Misha''s movements, she stepped on his feet a few times, well¡­ There were some moments she identally stepped on while some she stepped on on purpose because Misha spoke the words he learned from Richard and pissed her off.


    "Try this," Misha said as he ced the meat on Kia''s te, which made the girl re at him. "You don''t like it? Shall I get another dish?"


    This was what Misha did during this dinner, he didn''t stop putting various kinds of food on her te and forcing her to eat them all, because Misha thought she was too pale from working too hard. She needed more energy ording to him.


    "I need more energy, but that doesn''t mean my stomach capacity is getting any bigger," Kia grumbled.


    And after that, the dinner and the dance went well, as Misha had promised her that no one would bug her and he proved it.


    He was always beside Kia and if anyone wanted to have a chat with her, he would answer it for her and end the conversation briefly. He seemed to have be very good at keeping conversations short.


    The problems actually arose after; when they were going to sleep and since the guests attended the event were all couples, they were arranged to sleep in the same room.


    Kia didn''t notice this until Misha put all her things in their assigned room.


    "The bed is big, you wouldn''t roll over to my side even if you wanted to," Misha said when he saw the look on Kia''s face.


    "I won''t roll over to your side of the bed," Kia grumbled with a sour face.


    This bed was indeed veryrge. It would not feel cramped even if three people were to sleep on it. It seemed that this mattress was specially ordered.


    "Okay, I won''t think about it," said Misha. He then walked toward the bathroom, taking off his clothes.


    "Can''t you just take off your clothes in the bathroom?" Kia looked fiercely at Misha. She looked at the shameless man who threw his shirt on the sofa and walked around shirtless. What was really going on in his sly mind?


    Misha who heard this only nced at Kia with an innocent look and then said quietly. "I''m used to doing it like this, if you don''t like looking at my body, you can take a look out there from the balcony," Misha replied lightly, which made Kia''s face turn red.


    "I didn''t look at your body," Kia growled. She was starting to regreting to this ce. She should have known that they weren''tpatible with each other.


    On the other hand, Misha smiled when he saw how Kia looked away and didn''t want to see himself. She walked toward the balcony he suggested and took in the view from there.


    Now, Kia had let down her hair and her ck hair that tumbled past her shoulders was blown away by the night breeze, revealing her beautiful shoulders. She was still wearing the dress she wore to the party earlier, so the silhouette of her from behind looked very stunning.


    Unconsciously, as if hypnotized, Misha walked closer to Kia and hugged her from behind, surprising the girl, especially when Misha kissed her on the shoulder.


    Kia wanted to scream and scold the man, but when she turned her body and was about to snap at him, she happened to look into Misha''s eyes which looked very intense and hot and in that instant, she forgot what she wanted to say.


    She felt like she fell under his spell...


    "Misha¡­" Kia called his name. She tried to push his body away, but when her palms touched Misha''s naked chest and felt how hot this man''s body was, Kia felt her tongue go numb and she couldn''t say anything else. She swallowed hard and tried to keep her brain working properly.


    "Hmm?" Misha muttered, staring at Kia''s trembling lips. He leaned in slowly.


    This set off the rms inside Kia''s head and she kept thinking of pushing him away, only, she couldn''t do that. She felt that she had returned to her neen year old self, the one who was so gullible and knew nothing about this world.


    Kia pursed her lips, but when she felt Misha''s hot breath brush against her face, she felt lulled and didn''t remember anything anymore. Was it because of the alcohol she drank earlier?


    Kia couldn''t think straight, her palms were burning from touching Misha''s skin and how he approached her ever so gently and carefully made her defenses copse.


    ================


    *Read my new book: The Alpha: iming His Enemy''s Daughter*


    Alpha Cane''s revenge for his and his people''s very.

 Chapter 781: IS SHE MY FUTURE DAUGHTER IN LAW?

    Chapter 781: IS SHE MY FUTURE DAUGHTER IN LAW?Kia felt what they were doing was wrong and they shouldn''t be like this. They shouldn''t be close or touch each other like this.


    Misha had also agreed not to have any physical contact with Kia. She came here just to find a new atmosphere, because she felt very depressed after the unexpected encounter with her family.


    She couldn''t think properly and felt very depressed, she was also worried that her being like that would have a negative effect on her daughter, which of course was one of the factors why she also weed a suggestion from Keira.


    And now, here they were, standing close together and touching each other.


    Misha leaned in while Kia put her hands on the man''s chest, she wanted to push him away from her, tell him this was wrong and they shouldn''t be doing it, but too bad she didn''t have the strength to do that.


    Kia felt her mind warring with her feelings.


    She didn''t want to take this any further, but neither could she avoid Misha''s advances, even though the man gave her a pause, which Kia took as an opportunity for her to avoid him.


    But somehow she didn''t.


    She feltfortable with Misha around, getting her attention or how he was trying to get her back.


    The attention that Misha gave to their daughter had unconsciously made Kia warm up a little bit on this man.


    Only, when she closed her eyes, just a second before their lips touched, Kia could see how Misha used to calmly hug another woman''s body, not even caring that she came and caught them both in the act.


    The man got tired of her and just dumped her, so what changed him now? Was it because of Mika that he changed?


    In that case, what Misha wanted was Mika and not her.


    With that, Kia pushed Misha''s body with all her might. No, she couldn''t be careless like she used to be, or forget how easily Misha changed women just as he would be changing clothes.


    Kia was indeed very thirsty for affection and attention, because she was never cared for in her own home and no one really took care of her, therefore, when she met Misha who gave the least bit of attention, Kia couldn''t resist and that taste of being cared for became a kind of addiction to her.


    It was something she couldn''t let go of, because Kia couldn''t get it from the people who were supposed to give her it.


    "I am sorry," Misha said softly when he saw Kia''s face was red and her hands were shaking a little, there must be a war going on in her mind right now.


    "Don''t do that again," Kia muttered in a slightly trembling voice. She then walked away, leaving Misha behind, without even looking him in the eye.


    Misha stayed where he was for a moment. He did get carried away and almost did what they both had agreed not to do.


    In whatever way he had to melt her heart, if there was only one way to get Kia to ept him, he would pay for it at any cost.


    He had even done all the crazy things Richard suggested and said those words that didn''t suit him at all, but they didn''t help at all.


    And even though their rtionship wasn''t exactly improving, at least Kia wasn''t as cold as she used to be, but after what had just happened, Misha just hoped they wouldn''t go back to square one again.


    And when Misha decided to leave the room to find another room because the situation between the two of them became a little awkward, he heard a low shriek from the door and without a second thought Misha immediately ran to Kia, who was now standing in the doorway, motionless. She was frozen in ce, staring at whoever in front of her with a frightened expression on her face.


    "Kia! What is it?!" Misha asked worriedly when he saw the look on the woman''s face. Kia seemed to bepletely speechless at whatever she saw the moment she opened the door.


    As Misha approached, he immediately knew where the problemy and this was really going to be a problem because behind the door, he could see his father standing with the same surprised expression as Kia.


    "Hello," said Lexus, because he didn''t know what to say at a time like this. He actually found a woman in his son''s room, while his heartless son was shirtless, standing right behind a strange woman he had met for the first time. "I am the father of the half-naked man behind you."


    Lexus introduced himself strangely, but of course Kia knew who he was, who didn''t know Lexus Tordoff? Even teenagers of the current generation were still quite familiar with the older generation of the Tordoff family.


    However, before Kia could say anything, Misha had grabbed her hand and made her stand behind him, as if protecting her from his own father.


    "What are you doing here?" Misha asked coldly. He stared intently at Lexus, as if he were his enemy instead of his own father.


    "I want to get acquainted with the woman you brought," said Lexus as he poked his head in to look behind his son''srge and towering body. Ugh! Since when did he be this tall and have such an ideal body, he was reminded of his own youth. "I saw you dancing with a woman earlier, so I came to say hello," said Lexus cheerfully.


    It was just that, Misha knew very well what was behind his father''s cunning brain. He couldn''t help but understand how much Lexus was curious about his personal life, especially where women were involved.


    "You don''t need to know, go back to your room," Misha said calmly, as if he was talking to a child who was too curious about something they didn''t need to know.


    And after saying that, without waiting for an answer from Lexus or seeing how he reacted after being treated like a child, Misha closed the door right in his father''s face, leaving Lexus stunned for a while before he could react again.


    The middle aged man could be heard knocking on the door very annoyed, calling for Misha toe out, but unfortunately, because the walls here were soundproof, Misha and Kia inside couldn''t hear how frustrated Lexus was.


    However, the man did not understand. He actually proceeded to press the doorbell so many times that Misha opened the door and looked at his father very fiercely.


    "Don''t be loud, you''re disturbing my rest," Misha grumbled in a cold voice.


    People would normally be frightened or even back away immediately, but his father was certainly not a normal person. He had known his son''s personality very well and had even faced more than just his growl. Therefore, Lexus seemed rxed and not too affected by the hostile attitude that was shown by his son.


    "I just want to ask you one thing, answer it and I won''t disturb you two''s rest okay?" said Lexus with sparkling eyes while asionally ncing into the room to see if he could get a glimpse of her.


    However, Misha''s body blocking him made it impossible for him to do so.


    "What?" Misha asked impatiently. He loved his father, it was just that sometimes this old man could be a pain in the arse¡­


    "Is she going to be my future daughter-inw?" asked Lexus with hopeful eyes.


    For a moment, Misha was silent, he didn''t answer that but then he said one short word before closing this room door again.


    "Yes."


    And before Lexus could react, before him was a solid door, which was as cold as his son.


    "Humph! He didn''t want to share this good news at all!" Lexus grumbled resentfully. "Actually, from whom did he inherit this annoying trait? Don''t his mom and I have amazing personalities?"


    And after that, Lexus left from there, wanting to immediately report this to his wife because they both had been waiting for the moment when Misha finally chose someone to make her the new mistress of the Tordoff residence.


    On the other hand, Kia was sitting on the sofa, she was waiting for Misha toe back and tell her what happened, she looked a little shocked because she just met Lexus.


    Of course Kia knew that Misha''s parents would definitely be at this event and they would definitely see her, but Kia didn''t expect Lexus toe up to her in the room and introduce himself.


    She thought, since Misha was often with women, they would not care about Kia, because she was just one of the many women Misha had.


    "Is it okay for you to do that?" Kia asked with a worried face when she saw Mishaing back into the room. The expression on his face didn''t show anything, he looked rxed and didn''t really care.


    "It''s okay," Misha replied lightly, he then sat down beside Kia.


    "Is it really okay?" asked Kia in surprise then mumbled. "If I did that, I would have been kicked out of the house."


    "You didn''t do that, but you got kicked out of the house anyway," Misha said, answering Kia''s mumbling, which made her stare at him with emotionless eyes. "How about we spend the night chatting?"


    "What do you want to talk about?" Kia looked suspiciously at Misha, she had a bad feeling.


    "I''ve been to your house," Misha told her. "I went into your former room which is now being used as a painting studio by your sister."


    ================


    *Read my new book: The Alpha: iming His Enemy''s Daughter*


    Alpha Cane''s revenge for his and his people''s very.

 Chapter 782: MIKA WANTS TO TALK WITH HIM

    Chapter 782: MIKA WANTS TO TALK WITH HIM"I''ve been to your house," Misha told her. "I went into your former room which is now being used as a painting studio by your sister."


    Misha and Kia were now on the balcony of their room, staring at the distance, where they could see mountains covered with mist as garden lights shone brightly and beautifully. It was a quiet night and for the first time, Kia didn''t feel like she had to worry about anything.


    Also, she didn''t expect to talk about her family with Misha, it wasn''t as annoying as she thought it would be.


    "Alia really likes to paint, she really wants a small studio of her own," Kia said in a calm voice, as if she wasn''t surprised anymore when she heard that. Why wasn''t she surprised?


    After all, why would they keep her room when they could use that space to give Alia what she had been dreaming of for a long time?


    "You are not annoyed?" Misha didn''t know what it would feel like when you learned your own room was being used by other people or your belongings were given to someone else or you had to share them with your siblings.


    Because Misha was an only child, he never felt how he had to hold back and share what he had with others, because for him he simply needed to buy the same thing instead of giving away what was already his.


    However, he could understand why Kia was cold toward her family, because it seemed they didn''t pay much attention to this girl, which was evident from every photo in the house, where he had a hard time finding Kia''s photos there.


    Meanwhile Misha¡­ he had to take down some photos because his mother and father almost filled the walls of the house with photos of him at various events which they took with enthusiasm, where they had never missed a single event in his life.


    "Annoyed?" Kia tilted her head, she didn''t expect to get such a question.


    Had anyone cared so far if she was upset or not because something was taken from her or because she was not involved in an activity? It seemed like no one ever cared about that, except for Keira, but before that, her family didn''t even really care how she felt.


    "I don''t think I''m annoyed at all, I don''t feel anything for them," said Kia honestly after thinking about the question. "I feel that no matter what they do now, I don''t care anymore." Just like how they had ignored her for the past four years.


    "Have you ever thought about returning home or introducing Mika to your family?" Misha leaned against the porch trellis, looking at Kia.


    Unknowingly, the two of them tried to keep their distance from each other so that something like from earlier would not happen again.


    "No," Kia answered immediately. "When they kicked me out, it meant they didn''t want to know my child either, so why should I introduce them?"


    Kia did feel that she was too petty when she had to make that decision, but she didn''t want to know them anymore, because all she could remember from them so far were only unpleasant memories and she wanted to bury them all.


    On the other hand, when hearing this, Misha smiled. He agreed with her, as it meant he didn''t have to share his time with the people from Kia''s family when he wanted to meet his little daughter.


    "I agree with you." Misha nodded his head, muttering. "There is no need to meet with them anymore. However, they could juste to your apartment, after all it wouldn''t be difficult to find where you live."


    Kia narrowed her eyes, for a person like Misha, of course it wasn''t difficult to find where she lived, but it didn''t mean that everyone had the same resources as him.


    "How about you stay at the Tordoff residence? There, no one will be able to disturb you." Of course, who could enter the Tordoff family residence without permission?


    "I already thought you would say that," Kia pursed her lips and looked at him sarcastically. "You''ve been so predictabletely Mr. Tordoff."


    "That''s my charm," Misha boasted with a straight face.


    "I don''t know what kind of reaction to give, but you really have to tone down your self-confidence," Kia said with a small smile.


    "That I can''t do, I was born with that talent. Confidence is part of the genes carried by people from the Tordoff family," answered Misha.


    Kia really couldn''t say anything else in response to that and chose to justugh because she also didn''t know what to say to this man.


    And when the two of them were chatting lightly, Kia''s cell phone rang. From the ringtone she knew that it was Keira, who was calling her, which meant it was rted to Mika.


    Therefore, without thinking twice, Kia immediately ran to grab her cell phone and received a video call from Keira. Mika''s face was the first thing she saw.


    "Mommy¡­" Mika looked almost crying, her small face all red with tears that filled her beautiful eyes. She had Misha''s eyes and Kia couldn''t protest, because this little girl of hers looked so pretty. "Mika misses mommy, when are youing home?"


    On the other hand, Misha followed into the room and stood in front of Kia, listening to his little daughter''s voice that sounded like she was crying.


    Misha couldn''t imagine how excited his father and mother would be if they found out about Mika''s existence.


    Misha didn''t even want to imagine that¡­.


    "Yes, Mommy will be home as soon as possible," said Kia to persuade Mika, who wouldn''t stop whining, sulking so that Kia woulde home right now.


    And in the end, Mika wanted to talk to Misha, which surprised them all.


    This was the first time Mika asked to speak to Misha, so the man looked shocked and a little nervous when Kia gave him her cell phone so he could talk.


    ================


    *Read my new book: The Alpha: iming His Enemy''s Daughter*


    Alpha Cane''s revenge for his and his people''s very.

 Chapter 783: ANTHONY

    Chapter 783: ANTHONYThis was the first time Mika asked to speak to Misha, so the man looked shocked and a little nervous when Kia gave him her cell phone so he could talk.


    "Yes, my dear," Misha said very softly, sounding more gentle than usual. "What do you want? Do you want a teddy bear as big as your mother to sleep with you?" asked Misha coaxing Mika so she could allow Kia to be here a little longer.


    Only, the little girl pursed her lips cutely, she frowned as she stared at Misha with distaste.


    "I want my mommy, I don''t want teddy bears! Give me back my mommy!" Mika started sobbing and this left Misha shocked and panicking a bit because he didn''t know what to do.


    Well, he had read so many books on parenting and whatnot, but still, theory and practice werepletely different and no matter how much he read, he was still confused about this kind of situation.


    Seeing Misha''s panicked face and wrinkled forehead, indicating that he was in deep trouble, Kia finally took pity on him and put the call on speaker, so she could also hear what their little daughter was saying.


    "I want my mommy, give my mommy back!" Mika was crying uncontrobly, while in the background, they could hear Keira''s voice trying to calm her down, but the little girl was having none of it. "You are evil! Why did you take my mommy away?"


    "But, I told you that Mommy was going to the party and you agreed, remember?" Misha tried to remind Mika.


    And coldly and directly, Mika answered that. "No! I do not remember!" Mika sounded very annoyed between her sobs and this made Kia want tough at Misha''s facial expression.


    It was certain that this was the first time for Misha to be scolded like this, especially by a three year old child.


    "Kia¡­" Misha whispered. He frowned so hard, the look in his eyes hinted that he was asking for her immediate assistance.


    Misha had heard of himself being abused and cursed at, but he didn''t take it to heart at all. He really didn''t care about all the bad names they put behind his name.


    It was just that, when Mika said that he was evil, he felt that someone had just stabbed him in the heart and this made him flinch.


    Ugh! This little girl sure knew how to torture someone, her tongue was really sharp¡­


    Seeing that Misha was having a hard time, Kia let the situation drag a little longer while the man really looked miserable, only when Mika''s crying didn''t stop for a long moment, she took over the phone andforted her little girl.


    It took a long time for Kia to calm Mika down, because she wanted her mother to apany her until she fell asleep and hum a song that Kia usually sang for Mika.


    However, when Kia finally managed to put Mika to sleep through the video call and thanked Keira before ending the call, it turned out that not only Mika was asleep, but Misha was also nodding his head drowsily.


    "Really... why are you falling asleep too?" Kia muttered, she watched Misha more closely, trying to see if he was just pretending or not, but it turned out that the man was actually sleeping soundly enough, that when Kia draped a nket on his body, he didn''t wake up at all.


    This of course made Kia shake her head in disbelief, but then she said goodnight to Misha and got into bed to sleep.


    Kia couldn''t bear to wake Misha to change rooms because this was not ording to the agreement, but then when she saw the man''s sleeping face, she couldn''t bear it and allowed it.


    It was just that, before she went to sleep, Kia was very sure that she upied the bed alone and no one would sleep there. But, it was a different story when she woke up in the morning, because at that time she found herself in the arms of Misha. The man had moved onto the mattress and was sleeping beside her, hugging her like a pillow.


    ========================


    This morning Mika was calmer, she did ask to call Kia, but she didn''t pick up. Maybe because it was too early and the two of them sleptte. She didn''t know what the two of them were doing sote at night...


    And when Keira was preparing snacks for Mika after breakfast, she heard the sound of the doorbell ringing.


    For a second, Keira thought it was her fianc¨¦, Ben, but they didn''t agree to meet this morning and anyway, Ben was out of town on business right now and when she looked through the peephole in the door, there was a strange man she had never seen before.


    Feeling unfamiliar with this man, Keira put on the safety chain before she opened the door.


    "Anything I can help with?" Keira asked the man through the slightly opened door.


    The man smiled kindly and started asking questions. "Is this Kiandra''s house?" he asked in a polite voice. "I am Anthony, Kiandra''s uncle from her mother''s side."


    Keira frowned in amazement, she didn''t expect that a member from Kia''s family would be looking for her after so many years. The more astonishing part was, it was not her parents or her siblings, but her uncle?


    "Can Ie in and meet my niece?" Anthony asked politely, he could understand Keira''s surprise and didn''t force it.


    "But, Kia isn''t home, she''s away," Keira answered carefully, she didn''t know how to face this person.


    However, before the conversation could continue, Mika was already running toward her because she had been at the door for too long and thought that it was her mother who hade home.


    "Mommy?" called Mika in her childish voice.


    Of course, Anthony could hear the sound and his eyes immediately lit up with joy. "Is that Kia''s child?"

 Chapter 784: IT WAS A SIN

    Chapter 784: IT WAS A SINAnthony saw the little girl behind Keira and immediately guessed that it was Kia''s child. The child she was carrying when her family told her to leave the house for embarrassing the family.


    How could Amber think like that when she herself married Lyle when she was pregnant with Daniel?


    Even then, their family had not abandoned her and given her the support she needed. And now when the same thing had happened to their daughter, why couldn''t they do the same?


    "Is that Kia''s child?" asked Anthony. He felt very enthusiastic when he saw his niece''s child.


    It was just that, Keira didn''t open the door for him and still had the safety chain on the door, so Anthony could only look at Mika through the small gap.


    The little girl blinked her beautiful eyes while looking at him in confusion and walked over to Keira, who was still standing in the doorway.


    "I''m closing the door, if you''re trying to find Kia, maybe you cane back in a few days," said Keira, blocking Anthony''s view of Mika.


    Keira didn''t know what to do and wasn''t sure if Kia wanted one of her family members to meet Mika, because Keira knew very well how strained her rtionship with them was.


    But Keira was also a little confused because Kia never discussed anything about a family member named Anthony.


    ==========================


    "Finally, you''re awake," Kia said in a relieved voice, while Misha rubbed his face and sleepy eyes, the sun shining so brightly hurt his eyes.


    "What time is it?" Misha asked in a hoarse voice.


    "It''s already half past eleven in the morning," answered Kia.


    Misha frowned, he then reached for his cell phone to look at the time on it, which read that it was indeed half past eleven in the morning.


    How could he sleep so soundly and only wake up now? He wasn''t awake until thiste and didn''t even realize Kia was already getting ready.


    She looked very pretty in the yellow dress and cardigan he had prepared for her. She looked very cute even without any makeup.


    "Why didn''t you wake me up?" asked Misha as he rubbed his face. He had slept for so long, but he was still sleepy. He felt like he wanted to pull Kia''s body and hug her, bury his face in the crook of her neck and fall back asleep again.


    "I''ve been trying to wake you up since half an hour ago, but you''re sleeping so soundly." Kia looked restless, as if she wanted to say something, but didn''t know how to start.


    "What is it?" asked Misha, he stretched out his hand and stroked Kia''s cheek gently. "Why do you look agitated?"


    There were actually two things that were making Kia uneasy right now, but one of them was more urgent than the other.


    "While you were sleeping, your father came," Kia exined, which made Misha''s gentle and sleepy expression instantly turn tense.


    "You didn''t meet him, did you?" Misha frowned and from the expression Kia was showing right now, he immediately knew the answer.


    "How can I ignore someone knocking on the door when I know it''s your father?" Kia said with a depressed expression.


    "Of course you can ignore him, you can pretend to be asleep," Misha said, resting his head on Kia''s shoulder naturally, as if he had done this many times, without noticing that Kia''s cheeks were blushing with his attitude.


    "I can''t pretend to be asleep," protested Kia. She scowled. Her guilt and bad feelings made her inevitably have to go and meet Lexus Tordoff.


    "We don''t need to go meet them," Misha said after a moment of silence.


    "I haven''t said anything," Kia said with a frown. "But yes, your father asked us to have breakfast together, but because you were still sleeping, I said I would wake you up and ask you to contact him."


    Of course Misha knew what was in Lexus'' mind. How could he not know about this?


    In the beginning, when he was slightly interested in business, Lexus happily handed over all the responsibilities to him slowly and once he saw that Misha was reliable, he immediately retired early to spend time with his mother.


    It really sucks to be that old man''s son¡­


    "Of course you can''t do that," Kia protested. She didn''t want to have any deeper ties with the Tordoffs as she wasn''t still sure how her rtionship with Misha would turn outter, but it would be impolite to just ignore them.


    "You want to meet them?" asked Misha. He raised his head and looked at Kia intently. "Looks like you''re getting ready to meet them."


    "I''m not getting ready to meet them, but I don''t want to walk around with a disheveled face while wearing a nightgown," said Kia, actually she was a little self-conscious when she saw how beautiful and elegant the Tordoff family was, even the aura that emanated from them was so rich.


    Because of that, Kia felt a little intimidated and didn''t want to look unrefined, even though this might look ridiculous in Misha''s eyes.


    "So you want to meet them?" Misha asked again because Kia didn''t really answer his question earlier and this made Kia twitch restlessly.


    "Not really¡­" she muttered under her breath. "But, I promised to have breakfast together, only now it seems toote for breakfast." It was toote to be called breakfast.


    "I would love it if you wanted to eat with my parents," said Misha, leaning his body and stealing a kiss on Kia''s cheek which made the girl''s eyes widen.


    "Don''t think anything weird, I am not meeting them because I wanted to get closer to them or something, I just feel bad because I already promised," Kia dodged while moving away from Misha because she didn''t want him to kiss her again and also to hide her blushing face.


    Kia was annoyed because this man could still give butterflies in her stomach and his charm was hard to resist. Wasn''t that a crime and a sin?

 Chapter 785: A FAMILY BRUNCH

    Chapter 785: A FAMILY BRUNCHAlthough Misha wasn''t too happy about Kia meeting his parents, he still felt this was the right time to let them know that he was in a rtionship and make them stop fussing over his marriage.


    And maybe this was a way to bring Kia and his family closer, which was a good idea, maybe Kia would open her heart more.


    If he couldn''t get close to Kia, maybe his overly cheerful and sometimes annoying father or his wise and affectionate mother could make Kia feel much morefortable.


    With that in mind, Misha finished his bath and quickly put on a casual t-shirt and a pair of denim pants, while Kia was on the phone with Keira. He couldn''t hear what they were talking about, because they were talking in low voices and when he got closer and Kia saw him, she immediately ended the phone call and approached Misha.


    From the look on her face Misha could tell she was frantic. There was a fine line between her eyebrows, indicating that she wasn''t in a good mood.


    "Let''s go," said Kia, before Misha could ask what was wrong with her. She avoided the question, thus, Misha didn''t ask and followed her out of the room.


    On the way to the restaurant where his parents were waiting, Kia didn''t say anything. She just kept quiet and seemed to be busy with her own thoughts.


    "Over here," Misha said while pulling Kia''s hand, because she almost missed the entrance of the restaurant, proving that she had been daydreaming since earlier, but Misha didn''t mention it.


    This restaurant''s roof was shaped like a dome and was made of ss. There were several nts and trees here and there, which seemed to be the concept of this restaurant with a garden theme.


    Because that was what this restaurant looked like.


    At a table for four, waiting for them were Mr. and Mrs. Tordoff. The two of them were chatting casually andughing quietly, but as soon as they saw Kia and Misha approaching they stopped talking and smiled very happily while raising their hands, indicating their position, even though Kia and Misha had seen the two of them already.


    Both of them seemed very excited to see their son with a woman.


    "Come here, sit here," said Candice, Misha''s mother. She looked very beautiful even though she was no longer young, her face looked radiant when she pulled Kia''s hand to sit beside her.


    And Kia felt weed by these two people, they seemed very happy when they saw her and it was an unusual thing for Kia to find someone so happy to see her, especially when the person barely knew her.


    So far, only Mika had been so happy when she saw herselfing home and greeted her enthusiastically.


    "Have you eaten?" asked Candice with concern.


    "You must be starving because he woke up sote, you should have just sshed some water on his face to wake him up quickly,"mented Lexus as he nced at his son and gave him a disapproving look.


    Kia just smiled, because she wasn''t used to being in such a warm environment and being treated as if she was an important figure.


    She wasn''t used to feeling this way and it made her a little ufortable. Not that they treated her badly, but quite the opposite.


    Because apparently, unconsciously, Kia expected that she would be ignored again when they were having a meal together like this, as she usually would be.


    Kia didn''t even remember thest time she was noticed when she was with her family.


    They would discuss the development of Alia''s disease and how great she was because she had bravely gone through the whole process of the treatment or how Daniel won a championship and what his achievements were.


    But when it came to Kia, they had nothing to say. They would only think that she existed, but were not really aware of her existence.


    If there was something wrong with their food or with the house, then they would look for her because it was as if it was Kia''s responsibility, a young girl who wasn''t even twenty years old.


    "Try this dish, I tried itst night and it''s really good," Candice said enthusiastically, but this only made Kia more nervous, because she wasn''t used to getting this kind of attention.


    "What is it? Did you guys fight?" asked Lexus when he saw Kia looking a little tense. "Did my son force you to do something?"


    "If someone likes to force people, it''s you father," said Misha while drinking his coffee casually. "You''re pushing your way through this brunch."


    Kia, who heard that, immediately red fiercely at Misha and kicked his leg, then looked at Candice and Lexus'' faces carefully, she didn''t want them to misunderstand Misha''sments.


    For a moment, Candice and Lexus were silent and this made Kia feel her heart stop beating for a beat, because she thought they would assume she waspletely clueless and start thinking negatively about her.


    Kia was indeed ufortable with the attention they were giving, but that didn''t mean she wanted to be rude to them or she didn''t like this meeting, even though she couldn''t be said to be happy.


    Ugh! Kia felt herself wanting to go back to her room and snuggle under the covers hugging Mika, hiding from the world.


    It was an exaggerated reaction and Kia realized it¡­


    But, a momentter, Lexus and Candice startedughing lightly and the middle-aged woman even patted her on the shoulder gently.


    "You don''t need to be too tense," she said softly, while sping Kia''s hand. "Think of it as just an ordinary shared meal, like a family meal, we won''t ask questions that make you feel ufortable and if you don''t want to answer any of them, that''s fine too."


    Candice used her motherly voice and this only made Kia feel even more bitter. Eating with family? They had no idea what kinds of ''meals with the family'' she had gone through.

 Chapter 786: AN AWKWARD FEELING

    Chapter 786: AN AWKWARD FEELINGEating Together with Candice and Lexus would have been quite enjoyable for Kia if only she wasn''t too nervous and looked like someone who was going to be attacked at any given moment. After all, she noticed the two of them wanted to ask questions she couldn''t answer or things she was reluctant to share, even though they didn''t bring up any topic that made her feel cornered until then.


    And after the second dessert, Kia rxed a little when she realized that the two of them had kept their words to heart and didn''t ask further about things she was reluctant to share.


    They only asked where she lived and after Kia said she was living with her friend and told them that she was estranged from her family they no longer touched on the topic because they realized that Kia was getting so tense because of it.


    Kia didn''t mention Mika at all, in which case Misha didn''t say anything about their daughter either, as if they both had agreed upon that beforehand. Anyway, Kia felt calm because Misha could read the situation without her asking him to.


    Kia was still not ready to discuss Mika with Misha''s parents.


    "I''m quite amazed you can get such a nice girl like Kia,"mented Lexus as they were about to separate after eating. Misha could see that Kia was feeling ufortable and cut the meeting short, telling his parents that they both wanted to explore this area. He told them that Kia wanted to try horseback riding because she had never tried it before.


    Which was true, because Kia had said that many years ago when they were together for that very short period.


    However, what surprised her was the fact that Misha still remembered those words. It also left Kia a little speechless realizing how good his memory was.


    "Of course, a great man will find a great woman," Misha said proudly of himself and also Kia in just one sentence, which left Lexus speechless.


    Misha had a hard time finding romantic words, but he certainly didn''t find it difficult to find the right words to brag about himself.


    "Okay then, be careful," Candice said, putting a stop to the two Tordoff boys'' banter. She then hugged her tightly and kissed her both cheeks gently. "I hope we will meet again, I really like to chat with you."


    Kia looked surprised when she got a kiss on the cheek, but then she nodded, agreeing to this, even though she didn''t know if she would ever want to meet them again or not.


    After that, Misha grabbed Kia''s hand and they both left before the Tordoff couple.


    "How do you feel?" Misha asked, checking on Kia''s condition as she seemed to be quiet. "Are you okay?"


    "Yes," she replied curtly, but then added. "They''re so much fun."


    Misha nced at Kia for a moment, he wanted to ask further, because he wanted to know what she was really thinking, but then he abandoned his intention and opened the car door for her.


    "Where are we going?" asked Kia who just realized that Misha took her to the parking lot instead of going to their room.


    "I told you we were going horse riding," said Misha lightly, holding the car door for Kia until she got inside. "You thought I was just making excuses?"


    Kia didn''t answer that, because that was what she thought earlier, and then got into the car. "Are we really going to see horses?" asked Kia again to make sure with a slightly hopeful voice. Well, she wasn''t lying when she said she wanted to try horseback riding before. It hadn''t changed, just been a bit forgotten because so much had happened to her in thest four years.


    "Of course," answered Misha as he started the car and he could see that Kia looked excited when she found out about it. She looked out of the window andmented on the beautiful view of the mountains. She even squealed with delight when they were almost at the ranch, where several horses were grazing there.


    "Oh!" Kia widened her eyes when she saw the horses running. "My parents once went on vacation to a ranch, but I had to take a follow-up exam because I failed in two subjects. I couldn''t go with them."


    Misha nced at Kia, he was quite surprised, but had also anticipated this. Only, he still couldn''t figure out how her parents could leave their child alone at home while they went on a holiday.


    "Why don''t they wait until you finish the exam and then go together?" Everyone who hadmon sense would think the same.


    "No way," said Kia in a weak voice. She looked a little sad as she answered, as if she was bing a teenage version of herself and was telling Misha how she had been left behind. "Because my brother was on vacation at the time and Alia was just out of the hospital, so they said it was the right time to take a vacation, too bad I had to repeat some subjects."


    Her parents regretted it, but in the end they said it was her fault that she didn''t do well in her exams and told her that next time she should do better.


    "They say, despite my brother''s busy activities, he still managed to do well in his exams." Kia''s voice sounded dreamy, as if she was talking to herself.


    Daniel did have various activities, but those were the things that he liked, while Kia had many responsibilities that she must fulfill, such as taking care of the house and taking care of all of their meals, helping Alia and literally, she became the person her parents could rely on.


    "I can''t study because I have to wait upon Alia at the hospital." They were not a very wealthy family and the room where Alia was being treated was not a VIP room where you would befortable spending the night, especially for a teenager who had to study for exams after fulfilling her responsibilities at home.

 Chapter 787: FIRST EXPERIENCE

    Chapter 787: FIRST EXPERIENCE"I can''t study because I have to wait for Alia at the hospital." They were not a very wealthy family and the room where Alia was being treated was not even a VIP room where you would befortable spending the night there, especially for a teenager who had to study for exams afterpleting her responsibilities at home.


    Hearing everything Kia said made Misha speechless. He didn''t know what he was thinking and moreover, he didn''t think long when he mentioned all of that, he just wanted to tell about his experience when he was little and didn''t really pay attention to the context of the story. Everything he said just flowed.


    "We''re here," Misha said as he parked his car and then got out of there. He had contacted someone to prepare two horses for them to ride. "Let''s go."


    Misha took Kia''s hand and led her into the stables, where a guard named Dave, a man in his fifties, was already waiting for them.


    "Good morning Mr. Tordoff," said the man and then smiled at Kia before introducing himself. He looked very fit and healthy for his age. "Come here, this way please."


    Dave led them on a walk through therge stables to the horses that had been prepared for them.


    "Has Ms. Kia ridden a horse before?" asked Dave politely and watched as Kia shook her head. "Oh, no problem, the horse you are going to ride is really docile and very kind, you don''t need to worry, because the horse is very sensitive and can feel the feelings of its rider."


    Kia winced. She didn''t feel that she would be able to leave her worries behindpletely.


    And as if he felt Kia''s distress, Misha squeezed her hand gently, even though he didn''t say anything, it was as if he was telling her that he was here by her side, so there was nothing to worry about.


    "This is Zee," Dave said, introducing Kia the brown horse, which she would be riding. "I have prepared everything and you just have to get on it after changing your clothes."


    Kia looked at the big horse in front of her with amazed eyes. She blinked her eyes many times and for some reason, she seemed to have returned to her childhood when she really wanted to go see horses but couldn''t because she had to repeat her failed exam.


    Oh,e on, she was a mother with a child, but right now she was behaving like an immature teenager.


    "Which horse are you going to ride?" asked Kia enthusiastically, tugging at Misha''s sleeve, as if forgetting that she shouldn''t act like this.


    Misha took Kia to a dark brown horse that looked so intimidating, as he waved Dave to leave them alone, which the old man obliged and smiled politely at Kia.


    "This is Fang." Misha extended his hand and touched the horse'' muzzle. The horse looked docile when he was with him, even though Kia still looked at him with fear, because unlike Zee, Fang looked more fierce.


    "It''s very funny you named him Fang,"mented Kia. "Considering he doesn''t have any fangs."


    Misha also chuckled a little when he heard what Kia said. "Actually, it wasn''t me who named it, my father gave it a name, so you can see how weird my father is, right?"


    Kiaughed along with Misha and soon he took her to a changing ce not too far from there.


    Inside the changing area, there was already a set of riding clothesplete with boots, gloves and also the helmet that Kia needed to wear.


    "I''ll wait outside and get changed after you." Kia said, because this changing area, although spacious enough for five people to use at a time, didn''t have any partitions, so if they were going to change at the same time, they would be able to see each other.


    "Why do you have to go out? We can change clothes together, can''t we?" Misha said lightly while holding Kia''s hand so she wouldn''t go, just now he had taken off his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt.


    "No," Kia said nervously.


    "Why? Will you be embarrassed if I see you naked?" Misha tilted his head and smiled sweetly. "I''ve seen it before, has anything changed now? So you don''t want to show it to me?"


    Misha! Kia widened her eyes in surprise, but her face turned red when she understood the meaning behind his question. This man was truly shameless. "No, I''ll go out and get changed after you."


    Kia then immediately ran away from this dangerous man, luckily, Misha this time no longer held her back and let her go because otherwise there was no way Kia could escape easily.


    Less than ten minutester, Misha hade out in his gear for riding and let Kia into the locker room.


    "Are you sure you won''t need my help?" asked Misha. "I can wait inside and close my eyes, just in case you need help."


    Kia red at him fiercely. "No way," she said firmly and then pushed him out and locked the door, just in case Misha went crazy enough to open the door, even though it didn''t look like that was going to happen.


    After that, Kia spent about fifteen more minutes and got a few knocks from Misha to make sure she was okay, only then she walked out.


    It wasn''t easy to get into this outfit, but Kia was excited to try her first horse ride. It would be nice if she could show this to Mika too¡­


    "Come here, let me check you out," Misha said, waving his hand. He stood beside Zee, inspected the horse a second time, made sure he was in the right shape and safe for Kia to ride.


    Kia walked closer to Misha and the man started to examine her briefly, before nodding in satisfaction.


    Misha also exined a few things she needed to know while riding before finally it was time for Kia to ride her horse. She was a little nervous.


    "Rx," said Misha while helping Kia to mount her horse.

 Chapter 788: CHEAP APARTMENT

    Chapter 788: CHEAP APARTMENTMisha lifted Kia''s body easily and sat her on top of Zee, while the horse stood straight to make this process easier.


    "So? Are you feeling ufortable anywhere?" Misha asked after Kia sat there and found a morefortable position. He held Zee''s reins in his right hand, while Fang''s reins in his left.


    "Yeah, I''m fine," said Kia, she still looked scared even though she was already on the horse. "I guess I''ll be fine."


    "Are you ready to start?" Misha asked again to make sure that Kia was ready. She nodded stiffly, she took a sharp breath as the horse started walking.


    "Hold on here," Misha said while showing Kia where she could hold on and after that, he brought the two horses out of the stables and walked slowly, to make sure that Kia got used to it first, so it would be easier for her to catch up.


    "Why don''t you ride your horse?" asked Kia confusedly, because Misha actually walked on foot with two horses in his hands, wasn''t that troublesome? "Aren''t you tired of walking?"


    Misha smiled at Kia and pushed the reins in his hand into hers, but Kia widened her eyes in surprise and immediately shook her head.


    "How can I control the horse?" asked Kia directly and immediately, Mishaughed and she finally understood what that meant and why Misha chose to walk.


    "Enjoy the view here, once you get used to Zee I will teach you how to control it" Misha said.


    Kia''s face lit up, she feltfortable and safe, and now she could enjoy the charming mountain scenery in this ce. This was the best ce and not just anyone coulde here.


    Kia bet that the ce her parents and siblings visited before wasn''t as good and she felt a little childish for being happy just because of that little thing.


    ========================


    Daniel felt a little curious because he didn''t see Mr. Tordoff thest two days while there was no project that required him to be out of station or leave the office.


    Only, he was nowhere to be seen, some less urgent documents had also piled up on his desk.


    This was unusual, because usually he finished everything quickly.


    "Oh, Mr. Tordoff is on vacation, there''s a big reunion for the whole Tordoff family, so he won''t be in the office until next week," Misha''s secretary informed Daniel when he asked.


    "Oh," Daniel muttered and shook his head when she asked if there was anything he needed more.


    It waste afternoon and he would soon be going home, but before that he got a message from his uncle, Anthony, who said that he was around the area and asked him to eat together.


    Daniel wasn''t very close to Anthony, as he rarely got around, but thest time he was home to wee Alia home, he made his mother cry and he wanted to have a little talk about it with him.


    Daniel was very unhappy because he had made his mother cry, so he agreed to meet his uncle at a nearby restaurant.


    And after office hours were over, he immediately left there and rushed to the restaurant where he and Anthony agreed to meet.


    When he got there, Anthony was already waiting. He sat by a window and because his stature was easily recognized and the restaurant was not too crowded, he could approach him immediately.


    The first greeting was very awkward as Daniel wasn''t used to interacting with him, but after that they struck up small talk, topics that would not cause friction at all.


    And in the end, after their food was served and they ate quietly and knew what each of them was doing, Anthony began to enter the main topic of his goal of inviting Daniel to eat at this restaurant.


    "Do you know where your sister is now?" asked Anthony while sipping his drink.


    "She is home," Daniel answered without thinking, but Anthony shook his head and he immediately knew who they were talking about or about to talk about.


    "It''s not Alia I mean, but your other sister, Kiandra," said Anthony, as Daniel had expected.


    "What''s wrong with her?" For some reason, Daniel became defensive when he heard Anthony discuss Kia. He felt that this was not the right ce for his uncle to interfere.


    "I already know where she lives," said Anthony in a calm voice, but his sharp eyes were fixed on Daniel with observation. "Don''t you want to meet her?"


    Daniel raised his head and ced the cutlery by the side of his te while looking back at Anthony with a look in his eyes that was hard to read.


    "Even though I want to meet her, I won''t be able to meet her, not just anyone can get in there," said Daniel sarcastically. For some reason, he took an offensive stance because Anthony discussed Kia. He didn''t like it, because deep down, even though he didn''t want to admit it, he knew he and his family had messed up big time.


    "What do you mean?" asked Anthony, frowning. "She''s not in her apartment right now, but her roommate said she''d be back next week."


    "Roommate?" Daniel was confused when he heard that. "What do you mean by roommate? Why does she need a roommate? Doesn''t she live at the Tordoffs'' residence?"


    Daniel assumed that Kia was already staying at the Tordoffs'' residence and wasn''t surprised that Kia wasn''t there, since Misha wasn''t in the office either. He was on vacation, needless to say, Kia would go with him too, right?


    However, Anthony also became confused by Daniel''s statement just now. "Why do you think Kiandra lives in the Tordoff family residence?"


    The crease between Daniel''s brows deepened. "Because they are both in a rtionship."


    Anthony shook his head. He of course knew who the Tordoffs were, who didn''t know that family in this town?


    But¡­


    "If she really is rted to that young businessman, howe she lives in a cheap apartment like that?"


    "What do you mean?"

 Chapter 789: CAN YOU MOVE AWAY FROM ME?

    Chapter 789: CAN YOU MOVE AWAY FROM ME?Daniel couldn''t understand what was going through his Uncle''s mind to invite him to dinner like this after what he had done to his mother.


    Yes, Anthony told the whole family about what happened and his mother was scolded by his grandparents severely.


    Daniel didn''t know what they talked about in detail, but his mother cried for a few days and he thought this was too much.


    "What do you mean?" asked Daniel when he heard that Kia lived in a cheap apartment. Because all this time Daniel simply thought that Kia lived at the Tordoff residence.


    Therefore, Daniel did not bother looking more into it. Why would he be worried about Kia''s condition when he thought she lived in the grandest and most extraordinary house in this city?


    Not only that, she must be living well and enjoying her life now, therefore Daniel was a little annoyed that Kia didn''t contact their parents at all. She should have contacted them and started rebuilding the bridge that had copsed between them.


    "You really know nothing," Anthony sneered, he had absolutely no idea what to say at this point seeing how clueless Daniel was. "Where do you think she lives?"


    "Of course, with Misha Tordoff," Daniel answered without a second thought. The answer came out of his mouth very naturally. "Where else would she live but there?"


    Anthony opened his mouth, about to say something, but then he closed it again and shook his head, like he didn''t know where to start anymore. "You saw it yourself?"


    "I saw her with Misha Tordoff," Daniel replied confidently and this made Anthony very upset.


    "Have you confirmed yourself that Kiandra lives with him? Did she run into that guy''s arms when you kicked her out four years ago? Didn''t you wonder where she lived all these years?" Anthony clenched his jaw so hard. He wanted to scream at his nephew and shake his body so he could think properly. "Aren''t you worried about your sister at all?"


    Daniel looked emotional too, but because they were in a crowded ce and many eyes were on them, as it was undeniable that the tension was too high, he tried to control his words.


    "She can take care of herself. She was used to taking care of herself. Nothing to worry about." Daniel told what he felt about his younger sister truthfully.


    And it was then that Anthony could only shake his head, feeling the irony of this conversation. He then took out the money to pay for their dinner and left, but before that he said this one sentence that disturbed Daniel.


    "Kia and her daughter don''t live at the Tordoff residence."


    And after saying those words, Anthony walked out. He couldn''t hold himself anymore facing Daniel and his younger sister''s family.


    He didn''t know what was going through their heads topletely ignore their daughter, but this was really going too far, they shouldn''t do something like this to their daughter.


    Have they gone mad?


    On the other hand, when Anthony stepped away angrily, Daniel froze in his seat. He had absolutely no appetite and just finished his drink before he too walked out.


    His mind was muddled.


    Daniel kept wondering in his heart, if indeed Kia didn''t live at the Tordoff residence, then where did she live now?


    Was it true that she lived in a cheap apartment?


    =====================


    Kia was feeling very tired and since this was her first time riding a horse, she couldn''t help but feel terrible pain in her thighs. She was even trembling slightly as she walked.


    As it turned out, horse riding wasn''t as much fun as she thought...


    Or maybe she lost track of time and pushed herself too hard? After all, the scenery around these mountains was so cool and pleasant, she lost track of time and wanted to see more.


    "Come here," Misha said, waving his hand at Kia who had just finished taking a shower. He himself had put on pants and a t-shirt to sleep.


    "What?" asked Kia with a sleepy face. She was tired and wanted to sleep early.


    Kia then walked toward Misha andy down there, face down hugging the pillow, but then she let out a low scream when she felt Misha touch her leg.


    "What are you doing?" she asked with horror in her eyes.


    "Shut up, I will help you to ease the pain." In Misha''s hand was a bottle of therapeutic aroma oil and it was clear what his intentions were.


    "No no no," Kia firmly refused, she immediately turned her body and rolled away from Misha, her eyes full of shock.


    Only, Misha didn''t feel like it, he frowned. "Don''t think too much about it, I''m only here to help you."


    Kia shook her head and crawled away from the bed, trying to avoid this man who was trying to grab her legs and bring her closer.


    "This is for your own benefit, you will be in pain tomorrow morning if your strained muscles aren''t taken care of." Misha grabbed Kia''s leg and pulled her closer again, but the girl wouldn''t stop struggling. "Cut it out, don''t think about it, I just want to help you."


    "I don''t think anything of it. Do you really think I''m going to give up so resignedly and let you touch me like that?" Kia stared at Misha fiercely, while the man pinned her down on the bed.


    "I''ve touched you before, you remember, otherwise how would Mika exist?" Misha said without thinking anymore, but after the words were out he felt how wrong those words sounded.


    And after Misha''s words rang out, there was quite a suffocating silence between them, because both of them didn''t know how to react to Misha''s words.


    "Can you move away from me?" Kia finally said quietly, but then, Misha leaned closer and kissed her gently on the lips.


    He didn''t know what prompted him to do this, but this time Kia did not refuse him.

 Chapter 790: SHE WANTED TO FACEPALM HERSELF

    Chapter 790: SHE WANTED TO FACEPALM HERSELFThis was their first kiss in four years and it was also the first time they had been this close to each other.


    Kia felt her head spinning a bit and couldn''t think straight. Logically, she should have pushed Misha away to make this man stop, because they both knew where this situation was going tond them, only, even though Kia had told Misha to stay away, she herself couldn''t deny her own desire to be close to Misha and ignore the little voice in her head telling her how dangerous the situation was now.


    She knew she wouldn''t be able to go back after this and pretend as if nothing had happened, only, Kia couldn''t think properly now, when she felt how Misha kissed her gently.


    He nibbled on her lips as his callous hands caressed her cheeks.


    Misha then moved back a little and looked at Kia''s face carefully. He rubbed Kia''s slightly swollen lips with his thumb and kissed her tiny nose. They stared at each other for a moment, but it felt like they had been doing this for quite a while.


    "We shouldn''t be doing this," Kia said in a breathless voice, she swallowed hard, because she felt like something was stuck in her throat.


    "Should I stay away from you?" asked Misha in a voice that sounded heavy and very reluctant.


    Faced with this question, Kia did not know how to respond. She didn''t want Misha to stay away from her, but on the other hand, she also knew that this would only make their situation moreplicated and Kia was still not sure that she could forget Misha''s betrayal four years ago.


    Right.


    Kia immediately pushed Misha away and rolled her body to the other side of the bed so that she could put some distance between them, so that she could think more rationally, rather than be clouded with momentary impulsive desires.


    Misha closed his eyes for a moment, so he could regte his emotions. It was really hard to control himself at times like this, especially when he was at the point where he really wanted Kia and there was nothing he wanted more than to get her back.


    But, on the other hand he also cursed himself for not being able to hold himself back, even though their rtionship was already going in a much better direction than when they first met.


    "It seems we can''t stay like this," Kia said in a low voice, she avoided Misha''s gaze and looked toward the bed. "Can we go home tomorrow morning?" she asked carefully, then added. "You don''t need to apany me, just ask one of your people to take me back to the city, I can go home myself from there."


    Hearing that, Misha wanted tough, even though their situation didn''t allow him to do so and it was an impolite thing to do.


    Thus, Kia raised her head slowly when she heard how Misha snorted softly. The man shook his head and looked bemused.


    "What is it?" asked Kia with a wrinkled forehead, she didn''t understand what was so funny about her words just now. She said it seriously and wasn''t sulking. "What is so funny?" she asked again, a little offended.


    "What exactly are you thinking?" asked Misha, he looked more rxed now and his eyes no longer radiated a re as if he wanted to devour Kiapletely. It seemed he had been able to control his carnal desire. "You couldn''t seriously think that I would leave you with a random guy and let him drive you to the nearest town so you could go home on your own, could you?"


    That was what Kia really thought, but when Misha borated again and she listened carefully, only then did Kia realize how absurd her n was and she had to admit that Misha couldn''t possibly do such a thing to her.


    Seeing Kia bowing her head again, Misha couldn''t help but smile. He still had a very long way to go to just get this woman''s trust back.


    Then, he slowly drew closer to her and this made her flinch and raise her head quickly, eyeing the man approaching her warily.


    Misha drew closer and this made Kia''s whole body stiffen. She held her breath as Misha''s face drew closer to hers, so close she could smell the cologne he was wearing.


    She then felt his soft lips kiss the top of her head. It was an innocent kiss andsted less than two seconds before Misha pulled away from Kia again and gave her the space she needed.


    "Of course I''ll take you home."


    And after saying that, Misha said a few more things before he stepped out of the room and wished her goodnight.


    In the morning, he came back to invite Kia to have breakfast together before they returned to the city and left this beautiful ce.


    However, from the faces of the two, it was clear that both of them didn''t sleep wellst night and breakfast too was a bit awkward because Misha was much quieter than before and Kia didn''t have anything to say.


    "I wish we could take Mika on vacation somewhere," Misha said while sipping his coffee. He lookedzy and calm at the moment when he was only wearing jogging pants and a in white t-shirt, as if he didn''t need to think about his appearance, but, even so, of course every woman would steal nces at him while blushing. "Is there any ce she wants to see?"


    Kia thought about this for a moment, she had no problem discussing this, because at least there was something they could talk about instead of just sitting in silence.


    "She wants to go on a ne," Kia said without thinking because Mika really wanted that, but then she immediately realized what she had said and the impact of those words, especially when she saw how Misha took it seriously.


    "Get on a ne¡­" Misha muttered and this made Kia want to face palm herself.

 Chapter 791: I WANT TO PEE

    Chapter 791: I WANT TO PEE"Can I give this to her in person?" Misha asked when they finally arrived at the apartment where Kia lived.


    Beforeing here, Misha deliberately bought a teddy bear in Mika''s life size to appease the child''s anger toward him for taking Kia away without her.


    However, hearing how Mika was crying and sounding so annoyed at him before made Misha unable to think straight. He didn''t want his daughter to hate him. It was thest thing he wanted after he hadn''t been active in three years of her life and missed a lot of things.


    "Okay," Kia said, she didn''t see anything wrong with it and allowed Misha to meet Mika.


    The two of them then headed toward her t, where the door was open as a man''s voice floated outside from there.


    Seeing that this was an unusual thing, Kia then quickened her footsteps, but Misha entered the room first, to make sure that the situation was all right and it was safe for Kia to be there.


    And unexpectedly, in the room, where Keira was speaking so cynically with Mika in her arms, they could see Daniel.


    Kia''s brother seemed to be arguing with Keira, while Mika was about to cry, her face was all red, but the little girl was trying to hold back her tears.


    "Don''t touch her!" Keira shouted fiercely, while swatting away Daniel''s hands. He was about to hold Mika. She took a step back to get away from him, but Daniel only stepped forward closer.


    "She is my niece, why can''t I meet her? You know who I am, you also know the family rtionship between me and Kia," said Daniel grumblingly, he looked very annoyed because Keira kept rejecting him and made Mika upset too.


    Meanwhile, Mika buried her face in Keira''s shoulder, she hugged her tightly, it was clear that the little girl didn''t want to meet Daniel.


    "Can''t you see you scared her?!" Keira eximed angrily. She stared at the man before her fiercely.


    "You scared her, if only you didn''t say that nonsense and forbade her to meet me, she wouldn''t be scared like this," Daniel replied to Keira''s words.


    On the other hand, Kia had no idea what had really happened, but she could, more or less, deduce it.


    "Stop this, Daniel!" cried Kia with a red face. She was very angry because her brother came to her ce of residence and even more so because he made Mika cry.


    They were both surprised when they heard Kia''s booming voice in this small room. They didn''t realize that Kia hade and heard some of their words, because they were too immersed in their own debate.


    "Kia," Daniel called, but then his eyes fell on Misha Tordoff who was standing right behind his sister. "I need to talk to you."


    He felt awkward talking to Kia in front of his boss and this was not the right ce to start this conversation.


    "You want to talk to me, but you actually made my child cry?" Kia asked sarcastically. She was very upset when something made Mika cry, because her little girl rarely cried and always behaved well.


    "Mama¡­" Mika stretched out her hand and was about to hug Kia, but Misha had stepped forward and picked her up and this made the little girl frown. "I want my mama" she protested when Misha took her into his arms.


    "Mama is scolding that bad guy, we have to wait, okay?" said Misha shamelessly.


    Meanwhile, Keira was looking at Misha with a frown. "Don''t you want to help her?" she asked while nodding at Kia who was ring fiercely at Daniel. She looked like a mother bear staring at its prey.


    "No problem, Kia can deal with that guy alone. She doesn''t need any help," Misha said lightly, hugging his little daughter contentedly.


    Keira could see that Misha was very confident that Kia could handle her own brother just fine and now, he was trying to calm Mika by showing a doll that was the same size as Mika''s tiny body.


    Seeing the doll, Mika wasn''t too interested, she still wanted her mother and Misha continued to try persuading her with various things and promised to buy her ice cream.


    "I''ll be back after buying ice cream for her, you just solve your problem with your brother," Misha told Kia.


    "I want to be with mom..." whined Mika.


    "Just go for a while, mom has to talk to the uncle over there, okay? Mika is a good girl, right?" Kia kissed Mika on both cheeks to calm her down a bit.


    Maybe because Kia was very angry with Daniel, she let Misha take Mika away, so that the girl would stop crying, and besides, there really were a lot of things that needed to be talked about between the two of them, which were better not heard by others.


    After getting permission, Misha left immediately before Kia changed her mind and when he arrived at the parking lot, Richard looked surprised seeing Mishae carrying Mika.


    "Sir, did you kidnap her?" he asked in disbelief. He knew that Misha wasn''t like his cousin, who was involved in such dangerous things, but he couldn''t imagine Kia allowing him to take Mika with him.


    "Start the car," Misha said grumpily, while Mika was still pouting, hugging her oversized teddy bear.


    "But¡­" Richard hesitated, he looked at Mika worriedly.


    "I didn''t kidnap her, Kia gave permission for me to take her away," said Misha very firmly. He was annoyed that Richard didn''t believe him and assumed the worst.


    "Oh, okay¡­" Richard quickly opened the door for the both of them and immediately drove the car to where Misha said.


    It was just that, while in the car, Mika suddenly tugged Misha''s arm with urgency. Her face looked like she was about to cry again.


    "What is it?" asked Misha in a voice that sounded much gentler than when he had spoken to Richard just now.


    "I want to pee..." Mika said shyly.

 Chapter 792: CAN YOU HELP ME?

    Chapter 792: CAN YOU HELP ME?Mika seemed to be sitting ufortably as they almost reached a cafe that Richard thought sold great ice cream, which this little girl would love.


    "What is it?" Misha noticed that Mika was twitching ufortably.


    "I need to pee¡­" Mika said, her voice sounded very small and shy. She never went out with anyone other than her mother and Keira, especially with two grown men she barely knew.


    But, the temptation to eat ice cream was stronger.


    "What? Pee?" Misha was shocked. He had not thought about this before. "Aren''t you wearing a diaper?" He looked down at Mika''sp and it was safe to say that she wasn''t wearing any diapers.


    "I don''t wear diapers anymore. I''ve grown up," Mika protested displeasedly, but she kept twitching impatiently. "I want to pee," she said again as if she wanted to cry.


    Misha looked like he didn''t know what to do, so he looked at Richard. "Richard."


    "It''s too far to turn back to the apartment and we''re closer to the cafe we''re going to, you can pee there, okay?" said Richard in a coaxing tone to Mika, while speeding up the car.


    "Hurry, hurry¡­" Mika rocked back and forth in her seat. "I can not hold it."


    Meanwhile, Misha looked uneasy and started to think about what he should do. He never apanied Mika to the restroom before, nor did he know how.


    "You know how to use the bathroom, right? I mean, you can go alone, can''t you?" Misha asked Mika.


    The little girl blinked her eyes, which reminded him of Kia when she was confused.


    "Of course I can do it myself," she answered confidently.


    It was only then that Misha could breathe a little easier, knowing that he didn''t have to apany Mika into the bathroom.


    It took Richard less than five minutes to get to their destination, where he parked the car right in front of the entrance and Mika immediately jumped out of the car.


    On the other hand, Misha swiftly followed his little daughter and opened the main door.


    "Could you tell me where the restroom is?" asked Misha, while he lifted Mika with one hand. This little girl was very light. She should eat more¡­


    The cashier was surprised when she heard Misha''s question, but then she quickly told him where to go, pointing to Misha''s left, where the restroom was.


    Misha muttered a thank you and immediately led Mika there with long steps.


    And the bathrooms were separated for men and women, therefore, Misha had to wait outside.


    "I''ll wait here, you can go inside yourself, right?" asked Misha, bending his body slightly so he could see Mika''s face.


    Misha didn''t want to take Mika to the men''s room, but it was absolutely impossible for him to enter the women''s room either.


    "Of course," answered Mika with a determined face, she then ran into the restroom, while Misha stayed back waiting right at the door.


    This cafe was not too big, but it looked cozy and a little bit crowded with some teenagers who came together in groups of three and four.


    There were also women in their mid-twenties or thirties, who would often nce at Misha and then chuckle at their friends.


    This was nothing new for Misha, but still he had never feltfortable getting treated like this, especially now that he was standing in front of the women''s restroom.


    "Mika? Are you done?" asked Misha after five minutes had passed and his little girl still hadn''t returned. "Mika?" he raised his voice again.


    There was no sound from inside the bathroom and this made Misha worried, based on what he saw, it seemed no one else had entered the bathroom except for Mika now.


    Thus, when he saw Richard walking toward him, he immediately waved his hand and called out to his personal assistant.


    "You wait here and don''t let anyone in," Misha said.


    "What?" Richard''s eyes widened greatly when he heard that. "This is a public restroom, how can you tell me to block other people from going inside?" For Richard this was an enormous task, far more than the annual evaluation that required him to work overtime. "Are you going to go inside?"


    Richard stopped Misha before he stepped inside and shook his head vigorously.


    "You want your reputation to be ruined if someone else finds out that you are Misha Tordoff? And have a photo of you going into the women''s restroom spread all over the inte?" Richard looked at Misha and there was horror in his eyes.


    "You can deploy our PR team if that happens," Misha said lightly, which meant another extra job for Richard.


    "No no no, you can''t go inside, mind your reputation."


    Right now, Misha wasn''t thinking about his reputation. All he could think about now was his daughter not answering his calls and Kia''s reaction if something happened to Mika.


    After all this was the first time for Kia to allow himself to take Mika with him, therefore, he had to take good care of the little girl.


    "Then you can just step inside in my stead if you''re so worried about my reputation" Misha said firmly.


    Instantly Richard''s face reddened and he immediately released his grip on Misha.


    "I''ll take care of it if there is news about this," he said politely. He didn''t want to do this embarrassing act, after all Mika had just gone inside, it wasn''t like they had been waiting for more than twenty minutes.


    After that, Misha went inside calling Mika''s name again and from one of the stalls, Misha heard her childish voice.


    "Can you help me, please?" Mika said, her voice sounding irritated.


    "What is it?" Misha asked as he got closer to the cubicle where he heard Mika''s voice, he knocked on it softly. "Are you okay?"


    Then the cubicle door opened and Mika emerged from there with a face that looked annoyed.


    Misha crouched before her and watched her face carefully. "What is it?"


    "It came off..." Mika said, grumbling.

 Chapter 793: THATS NO LONGER MY HOME

    Chapter 793: THAT''S NO LONGER MY HOME"What came off?" asked Misha, he then squatted down in front of his little daughter and observed Mika''s expression that looked annoyed.


    Mika held out her shirt button which had fallen off and looked very sad. The button on her shirt was in the shape of a bunny and this was her favorite dress.


    "This came off," Mika said with a grunt, showing her white rabbit button.


    Misha took the small button of the shirt and thought for a while. "How about we get it fixedter, after eating ice cream?" Misha coaxed. He thought of a nice boutique nearby, which surely would have ''experts'' who knew what to do to mend the buttons of this shirt.


    Mika blinked her eyes, on the verge of tears, but when she heard Misha''s solution, she nodded. "Okay," she answered slowly, then raised both hands, indicating that she wanted to be carried.


    It was just a small gesture that didn''t mean anything, but for some reason, it warmed his heart. Misha had never felt this relieved and happy, not even when he won a tender for a big project.


    He felt so happy that little Mika asked him to carry her and now she rested her head on his shoulder, as he carried her out of the bathroom.


    Once outside, Richard was still waiting for them and he seemed to be talking to two women who were about to go inside the bathroom. He held them back posing reasons Misha didn''t care to know.


    "Oh, finally you came out, Sir," said Richard with relief, he then invited the two women to enter the bathroom. They looked annoyed and were about to get angry at him, but when they saw Misha''s figure, they didn''t throw swear words and were even amazed.


    This wasn''t unusual for Richard and he was used to this unfair treatment, thus, he didn''t really care and it was obvious that Misha didn''t care either.


    "What happened?" Richard asked curiously, he looked at Mika, but it didn''t seem like this little girl was hurt or something.


    "Her shirt button came off," Misha answered in a calm voice, as he walked back into the cafe to order ice cream that Mika liked.


    "I want a strawberry vored one," said Mika happily. "The pink one." She showed him the strawberry ice cream she liked and looked at Misha expectantly.


    Being stared at like that, let alone a serving of ice cream, Misha was even willing to buy the entire store for this little girl.


    And after they bought Mika''s favorite ice cream in a big bowl which should be enough for four people, they went to the boutique to get the button fixed that had fallen off her favorite shirt.


    "She''ll get a stomach ache if she eats that much ice cream," said Richard, grimacing when he saw Mika happily enjoying her big ice cream.


    "But she''s happy," Misha said without thinking, he just loved it when he saw his daughter happy like this and the expression she showed with her toothy smile made him feel a feeling he could never understand before.


    "Yes¡­. But, you still can''t give all the ice cream to her, Sir," Richard reminded Misha again.


    Misha looked conflicted when he had to take back the big ice cream bowl from Mika''sp.


    "Ms. Kia will be mad if she finds out about this and if Mika gets sick it will get even worse," Richard said lightly, secretly enjoying watching Misha''s inner conflict now.


    ======================


    "What do you want to tell me?" asked Kia impatiently, she didn''t want to spend too long with Daniel. Moreover, she thought Misha would be back with Mika in about an hour. He couldn''t have left town just to buy an ice cream, right?


    On the other hand, Daniel wore an expression that was hard to read, there was so much emotion hidden behind his eyes and for a moment he didn''t say anything.


    Now they were at a cafe, near Kia''s apartment, because she didn''t want to go far with Daniel. She felt ufortable being in the car alone with him.


    "Come home, Kia. Father and mother miss you, not to mention Alia," Daniel said. In the end, he just repeated the same sentence he had said before, word to word. "How long are you going to be like this?" he asked.


    Somehow Kia wanted tough when she heard that, she felt so stupid to expect to hear a sincere apology from him.


    And now, that little bit of hope had sessfully been shattered. She didn''t know what to do with her brother anymore.


    "I''m really disappointed in you, Daniel," Kia said in a low voice, she leaned her back against the back of the chair while looking at Daniel cidly. "You keep telling me to go home, but you don''t know where the actual problem is."


    "The problem is, you are so stubborn to hold a grudge against our parents," Daniel said quickly, he voiced what was on his mind and what he felt.


    However, one thing he always did was; not considering other people''s feelings and very rarely putting himself in someone else''s shoes, thus, he only saw matters from one perspective.


    "You are very wrong if you think I hold a grudge against our parents, Alia or you," Kia said calmly, now that everything was clear and she finally got to the point where she realized that she could no longer expect anything from her family, she felt much calmer, although the pain was still raw at the edges of her heart.


    "If that''s not it, then why don''t you go home? I told you that you can go home now, they have forgiven you," said Daniel, he felt ufortable when he said this, especially when he saw how calm Kia was.


    "I don''t hold a grudge against them, nor do I need forgiveness from them, because I am not in the wrong and I don''t need to be forgiven. Moreover, it''s no longer my home to go back to."

 Chapter 794: I DONT NEED TO BE FORGIVEN

    Chapter 794: I DON''T NEED TO BE FORGIVEN"I am not holding a grudge against them, nor do I need any forgiveness from them, because I am not in the wrong and I don''t need to be forgiven. Moreover, it''s not my home anymore," Kia said this very slowly and made sure that Daniel correctly understood what she was saying.


    She no longer had a ce that she could call home and the house she used to live in was no longer a home to her.


    Kia leaned forward and stared at Daniel with eyes that didn''t show any emotion.


    "I don''t understand, you guys ignored me for the past four years, it would be much better for you guys to keep doing it," Kia said in a low voice. "There is no need to get yourself into trouble by coaxing me toe back home since I am not going to do it, therefore, live your lives as before."


    Daniel opened his mouth, but then he closed it again because he didn''t know what to say in response to Kia''s words.


    And in the end, Daniel could only remain silent, he bit his lips lightly and lowered his head. "Why are you so heartless like this, Kia? You weren''t that kind of person before."


    Once again, Kia felt the anger she was trying to hold back resurface and tried to calm herself down before she went into a rage and started cursing at Daniel. This man really didn''t know what he was talking about.


    "Leave Daniel, I am sick of having this kind of conversation with you. Just think that you don''t have another little sister at all. Alia is your only sister." Kia leaned her back against the back of the chair. After the emotional tide had passed, she felt very tired.


    Daniel raised his head and looked at Kia with a hurt look, which made Kia want tough.


    If anyone was hurt here, it should be her. So why was this man acting like he was the victim?


    "We are family, you can''t just throw family away."


    "But you have done it."


    "You can''t hurt mom and dad with your behavior like this."


    "Does that mean it''s okay for them to hurt me with what they do?"


    There was nothing else Kia wanted right now except for Daniel to stop babbling about family, because she didn''t care about the word ''family'' at all. She just wanted to live together with Mika, that was enough.


    "Alia needs you."


    "She is not a child anymore and isn''t so sick she needs my help."


    "She needs an older sister."


    "Aren''t you her sibling too? Why can''t she just look for you?"


    "Of course, because she is closer to you and you have been with her since childhood, taking care of her."


    Kia was very tired of this chat, because it was certain that if she didn''t end it now, this kind of chat would not be finished ever.


    Thus, Kia decided to say what was on her mind right away.


    "Yes, of course she misses me, because I have taken care of her. I took care of her at the hospital when she was sick and even when I had to sacrifice my own time, while you were busy with your school activities and your social life with your friends, while I didn''t have any of that.


    "I am the one who changed her diapers when she cried in the middle of the night, or warmed her milk when she was hungry in the middle of the night because mom and dad put Alia in my room as they didn''t want to be disturbed after a long day''s work, while they didn''t think that I also have school and chores, many of the other tasks I had to do. Oh, they also forgot the fact that I had to look after Alia after school because they had to work and you had activities at school.


    "I prepared Alia''s school supplies when she started school and taught her and helped her with her homework. And where were you? Oh yeah, you had extracurricr activities and had meetings with your friends, trying to build your social life while I have none of it.


    "And where were mom and dad? Of course, they had work and after they both came home, they were too tired to do anything, even to take care of Alia or do any chores at home, so I was the one who took care of Alia, took care of the house and also prepared food for all of you.


    "I did all that, but when you guys went on a trip and I couldn''te because I had to retake an exam that I failed, because I didn''t have time to study, what did you say? Do you still remember? Yes, you guys said that it was my fault for failing the exam. You were not able to postpone your vacation because time didn''t allow it.


    "The four of you just left me alone, left like a happy family and didn''t care about me at all, because you thought I could take care of myself. Yes, I can, but have you ever thought about what I feel even for a moment? Or reconsidering your options?


    "Of course not, because if you appreciated what I did and realized how painful it was and if you thought I was family, you wouldn''t do anything like that at all.


    "And for sure you wouldn''t have kicked me out of the house because I was pregnant, while they took you on vacation when you got caught in a drug case to entertain you and distract you and also to keep you away from your jerk friends.


    "Oh, don''t forget the fact that I was not on vacation, again, because I had a race I was participating in. Instead ofing to watch thepetition, they were far more concerned about entertaining you for the ridiculous actions that you did for yourself."

 Chapter 795: IN THE BOUTIQUE

    Chapter 795: IN THE BOUTIQUEKia said what she wanted to say with a cold voice and eyes ring at Daniel. She wasn''t angry. She just felt very disappointed and this made Daniel unable to meet his little sister''s eyes.


    He lowered his head. He felt his chest tighten as he couldn''t think of a single word to reply to all the things Kia said, because they were all true.


    Although he wanted to refute her so badly, he had nothing to say.


    His heart ached. Was it because he knew that their rtionship would never be the same as before? But, when he thought about it again, what kind of rtionship did they actually have? The two of them weren''t very close and Daniel was never there when Kia needed him, when she was being bullied and when their father and mother decided to leave for ces without bothering to bring her along.


    Daniel never said anything, nor did he think of going against his parents'' wishes, because he thought it was the right thing to do at that time.


    However, if he were to put himself in Kia''s shoes¡­


    The pain was really obvious now. Was this how Kia had always felt when she was treated unfairly? Why was Daniel only realizing it now when it was toote?


    "Now tell me, why would I want to return to a family like that? You said they had forgiven me? I don''t need to be forgiven, because I don''t need to apologize, nor do I have any intention of doing so."


    After saying all that in a very calm and clear voice, Kia stood up, she gave Daniel onest sharp look.


    "Stop Daniel, you are only making me sick by saying that I''m forgiven." Kia took out a few bills to pay for her drink. "I don''t need to be forgiven."


    And after saying that onest thing, Kia walked away from Daniel, but she felt nothing. She only felt her emotions were all over the ce for a bit, but more than that, she didn''t feel anything at all.


    ========================


    Misha took Mika to a famous boutique in town and sure enough, seeing who was there, the owner of the boutique came out to greet Misha Tordoff.


    She was a middle-aged woman, who was almost the same age as Candice and looked very beautiful. She seemed much younger than her real age.


    The woman''s name was Madam Raina. She was quite surprised when she saw the small child in Mika''s arms, because she didn''t remember any new born children in the Tordoff family.


    If indeed there was a child born into this family, it was certain that this matter would be published widely in the news.


    "Is there anything I can do to help you, Mr. Tordoff?" asked Madam Raina with a very polite and beaming face. She looked very beautiful in her purple dress, giving off an elegant vibe.


    "I want you to fix this button on her shirt." Misha then gave her the button that hade off Mika''s shirt, it was a white button in the shape of a rabbit.


    For a moment, Madam Raina stared at the in-looking button of Mika''s shirt and blinked her eyes in confusion. "Pardon me?"


    On the other hand, Richard wanted to face palm himself. He had told Misha that since it was just a button, he could fix it himself. But Misha insisted that he had to go to the best boutique, so he could get good sewing services too.


    For god''s sake! It was just an ordinary shirt button?! How could Misha think of seeking a reputable boutique to repair a button like that?


    No wonder Madam Raina was surprised when she heard this.


    "Just name the cost, as long as you do it well, I''ll pay you the right amount," Misha said, misinterpreting the expression on Madam Raina''s face.


    "This¡­" Madam Raina looked confused to respond to that.


    It didn''t matter if Misha wanted to buy clothes there and she received money for the proper reason, but to fix a button on a shirt? Wasn''t it too much to charge money just for such trivial work?


    On the other hand, Misha didn''t seem to understand how trivial this job of fixing buttons he had given. He wouldn''t even need to spend a dime if he gave this task to Richard, who was very confident that he could do it well.


    "So, what''s the problem?" Misha asked with a frown, because Madam Raina didn''t do what she was asked right away.


    Right at that moment, Richard deftly made a suggestion.


    "How about letting Mika choose some clothes here? Since her clothes are about to be repaired, there''s no way she could wait without wearing any clothes, right? So how about she chooses a dress to wear while the old clothes are repaired?" Richard suggested.


    Ah, that was right. Madam Raina beamed. She didn''t want to charge Misha Tordoff just for fixing a button, but if this little girl could pick out clothes at her boutique that would be even better.


    "How about that? This little girl can''t wait without wearing any proper clothes, can she?" said Madam Raina agreeing with Richard.


    Of course, Misha didn''t have any objections about this and immediately agreed.


    "Go and choose the clothes you like," Misha said gently to his daughter. He then kissed Mika''s hand and put her down, letting the other maids walk her around and help choose clothes for her.


    For a moment, Mika looked confused, as she wasn''t used to this, but then, when she saw all the clothes in this ce and how beautiful the dresses were, she became delighted.


    ==========================


    "Are you okay?" asked Keira while giving a ss of water to Kia, who looked very tired. She closed her eyes while leaning her head against the back of the sofa.


    "Yeah, I''m fine," muttered Kia.


    "I shouldn''t have let him in, but he was right behind me when I just got back from shopping with Mika."


    "It''s not your fault." Kia''s eyes then opened wide, as if she had just realized something and then looked around her. "Where''s Mika?" she asked frantically.


    "Didn''t you allow Misha to take her away?"


    "Yes, but I only let her go to buy ice cream, they should be back by now."

 Chapter 796: MAMA DONT CRY

    Chapter 796: MAMA DON''T CRYKia panicked as Misha and Mika didn''te back yet. Various bad thoughts overtook her because she was too hasty to give permission for Misha to take Mika.


    What if Misha took Mika away for good? What if he kept her daughter? What if he didn''t want to return her? What could Kia do if all that happened?


    Would she be able to get her daughter back if Misha did that? Misha had everything and he must be able toe up with a thousand and one ways to separate herself and Mika.


    "Kia, calm down," Keira said softly when she saw Kia''s face turning pale. "Sit down, you look pale."


    Keira then pulled Kia''s hand to sit down and gave her a ss of water. This must be because Kia had just talked to Daniel. Because of that too, she seemed more emotional and sensitive, so she couldn''t think straight.


    "Just call and ask where Misha is first, okay?" said Keira giving advice and Kia felt really stupid for not thinking about it first. How could she think of the worst thing possible?


    "You are right¡­" Kia sighed heavily, because she felt her head hurt a lot, but then she took out her cell phone and called Misha.


    ======================


    "See! I have clothes with pandas on them!" Mika showed Richard her clothes, while Misha sat on the couch, watching his little daughter.


    He had a bit of a frown on his face because she was so friendly and cheerful while showing Richard the shirt before himself.


    Didn''t she know that he paid for all the clothes? Misha thought bitterly.


    Meanwhile, Richard couldn''t help but sigh deeply, because he was stared at very fiercely by Misha.


    "If you put on an expression like that, how could your daughtere to you and show you the clothes she''s wearing? Even I don''t dare toe closer," Richard muttered. He shook his head helplessly. "Why don''t you show him your clothes?" Richard nodded toward Misha, encouraging the little girl to do the same to her father.


    The little girl tilted her head and shook her head before whispering to Richard.


    "I am scared," Mika said in a low voice, but not so quietly, that Misha could still hear it, which made his expression even more gloomy and Richard grimaced.


    "You don''t need to be afraid, he is very kind," said Richard encouraging little Mika. "He bought these clothes." Richard said all the good things about Misha, because his career was on the line here.


    Mika looked flustered and nced at Misha and right at that moment, Richard mouthed. ''Smile! You must smile!''


    Misha saw that and pulled his lips up into a smile, but it made him look even more unapproachable and Mika immediately shuddered.


    Then a woman came over to Misha with the shirt Mika was wearing earlier and had the buttons repaired.


    "Come here," Misha said in a gentle voice, waving his hand.


    Seeing that her favorite dress was in Misha''s hands, Mika couldn''t help but walk closer to him and crept at his feet to take her clothes, but Misha lifted her up and sat her on hisp.


    "Now your clothes have been repaired," Misha said while dropping the clothes into Mika''s hands. The little girl''s eyes immediately lit up with pleasure and without her noticing, she hugged Misha and kissed him, while thanking him very sweetly.


    "Thank you," Mika said happily, but her words then made Misha frown again. "Uncle turned out to be a really good person."


    "Uncle?" Misha furrowed his brows in distaste. "Can you call me a little differently?"


    Mika tilted her head.


    "Don''t we have a little secret that you''ll call me daddy when it''s just the two of us?" Misha reminded her of their promise. He felt very silly, could this little girl remember that promise?


    She was only three years old and there were a lot of things that interested her and a lot more that she would forget because she didn''t know what was more important.


    But, to his surprise, Mika remembered that.


    "But, it''s not just the two of us, there are a lot of people here," Mika replied, ncing at the people in the boutique.


    Misha smiled cheerfully. "But mom isn''t here right? When mom isn''t around, it''s okay. Try calling me that," Misha said in a coaxing tone.


    On the other hand, Richard could only shake his head because he didn''t think that Misha would go this far.


    "Daddy?" Mika finally called him and made Misha smile. This time his smile didn''t look terrible, but then he got a call. On the screen, it showed that it was from Kia.


    "Hello, we will be home soon, we didn''t do anything." Feeling guilty because he asked Mika to call him daddy without Kia''s knowledge, he bbered out an unnecessary thing, which made Richard want to facepalm himself.


    Misha looked guilty. He didn''t have to say all those things, did he?


    "¡­"


    Misha cleared his throat. "We were at the boutique, Mika''s shirt button fell off, so I asked them to fix it."


    "¡­"


    What Kia was thinking was the same as what Richard was thinking when she heard that.


    "Where is Mika?" asked Kia finally and Misha quickly pressed his phone to Mika''s ear.


    "Mama!" Mika called Kia cheerfully and told her that she now had a panda shirt. "The panda is very cute and so soft, you should see it."


    Mika then pointed the phone at herself, but since it wasn''t a video call, of course Kia couldn''t see anything.


    Misha then changed the call to a video call and Kia was relieved that Misha wasn''t lying and they were indeed in the boutique.


    "Okay, but can Mika go home now? I miss you."


    Mikaughed merrily. "I miss you too, mama."


    And after that, Misha told Kia that they would be home soon now.


    ==========================


    Kia couldn''t calm down, therefore, she waited for Misha and Mika in the apartment lobby and immediately approached Mika as soon as she saw her little girl walking in through the lobby holding Misha''s hand.


    Kia immediately hugged her tightly and this made Mikaugh.


    "You didn''t think I was going to take her away, did you?" asked Misha who walked over to the two of them.


    This question made Kia lower her head because Misha guessed correctly and this made the man speechless.


    And after that, Kia carried Mika back to their t, while the little girl continued to bber about her experience today.


    "And daddy bought me this shirt!" Mika eximed subconsciously using a title that should be a secret between their father and daughter duo.


    "Daddy?" Kia frowned when she caught the word identally spoken.


    "Daddy." Mika pointed at Misha, who was walking behind Kia.


    Meanwhile, Misha stood stiffly, for some reason he was afraid to face Kia''s reaction and could only stand there, especially when Kia stopped walking and turned her body around and red at Misha.


    "Daddy? I didn''t know you used that word," Kia said coldly.


    Immediately, Mika realized her mistake and covered her mouth dramatically. "Mama, don''t be angry¡­" she said while nuzzling Kia''s face, to appease her anger.


    Kia didn''t say anything and just walked straight to their t and asked Mika to go inside. Together with Keira, she stood right in front of Misha with her arms folded in front of her chest, not allowing Misha to enter.


    "Anything you want to exin about her im?" asked Kia in a calm tone of voice.


    Meanwhile, Richard who was walking behind Misha said that he would leave the two of them alone and quickly ran away from the ce.


    "Mika is my daughter," said Misha. He didn''t deny it. Since Kia already knew, there was no use in him lying anymore. "She is my daughter, I do not want her to call me uncle."


    "How do you know she is your daughter? I could have been pregnant by another man. You think I have only slept together with you?" Although in fact it was true, Kia did not want to admit it.


    Hearing those words annoyed Misha. He had never imagined the possibility, but now that Kia said it, he wanted to finish off the man she had spent a night with.


    "Then we can do a paternity test," said Misha in a firm voice. He looked Kia straight in the eyes, even though the girl didn''t back down from the confrontation.


    "I don''t allow you to do a paternity test," Kia said in a loud voice.


    "If you don''t want to, I can force you to do a paternity test through court," Misha said angrily and immediately realized his mistake.


    "Are you threatening me?" Kia gritted her teeth, while looking at Misha. Her emotions were still unstable since she just met Daniel. She tended to get emotional. "I''m not letting you meet Mika again!"


    After saying that, Kia then went into her t and locked the door. From behind the door, she could hear Misha knocking on the door several times and saying that that wasn''t what he meant.


    But, Kia wouldn''t listen to him and just sat behind the door, her head felt like it was going to explode and she didn''t know what she was feeling anymore, now she was in an emotional mess.


    Mika, who saw her mother crying, immediately approached her and was about to cry too.


    "Mama, don''t cry," Mika said, sobbing. She did not know what was going on, but because her mother was crying, she also started crying.

 Chapter 797: DEPRESSION

    Chapter 797: DEPRESSIONIt had been about a week since Kia had been holed up in her room and only came out when she needed something or wanted to eat. Even then she didn''t eat regrly, she only ate because Keira kept bothering her and Mika looked worried.


    Mika would lie beside Kia and look at her mother''s face worriedly while Kia would just stay silent in bed, not wanting to get up from there or do anything.


    No matter how long she slept, when she woke up, she would feel very tired and need more sleep.


    It had been a long time since Kia had been like this. The first time she felt this exhausted was when she had just given birth to Mika. During the first three months, Kia couldn''t do anything and felt extremely tired and just spent time crying.


    And maybe because of feeling that way, Mika who was still a baby at that time became even more cranky and it only made her condition worse.


    Luckily, Keira was there and helped her, because otherwise, Kia couldn''t imagine how she would get through those terrible days.


    "Mommy is still angry? Mika will not call uncle Daddy anymore," said Mika with a face that was about to cry when she saw her mother like this, while Kia didn''t have the energy to face Mika and say sweet words.


    Kia just hugged Mika''s body gently and closed her eyes. She didn''t have the energy for any of this. She felt like she was running even in her sleep.


    =========================


    "I should not be calling you like this," Keira said, she looked worried and her forehead was wrinkled, while staring at Kia''s closed door. "Kia will be very angry if she finds out I got associated with you."


    "You are doing this for her," Misha said coolly, although everyone around could see how serious his face was as they could not help wondering who he was on the phone with.


    Misha was in the middle of an important meeting when Keira called him and he abruptly stopped the meeting to pick up the phone from her.


    Of course, Misha picked up the phone, knowing that Keira would definitely talk about Kia because the woman did not pick up his phone and did not reply to his messages.


    Misha wanted to go to the apartment, but he thought he would give space for Kia to calm down, however, he didn''t know what had been discussed between Daniel and Kia to make her mood so bad.


    If it were up to him, he would have fired Daniel already and made him uneptable for work anywhere, but he was sure that Kia would not second such an act.


    "What is the situation?" Misha asked in a low voice, he didn''t realize that he was holding his breath as he awaited Keira''s answer.


    "She is still like yesterday, but it looks like her condition is getting worse. She doesn''t want to eat anything and just sleeps all day." Keira then exined that Kia had also been the same when she had just given birth to Mika. "Back then, I thought she was having the baby blues¡­ but, now she looks much more depressed¡­"


    Misha listened and didn''t interrupt at all, only after Keira finished saying everything she had to say, Misha suddenly stood up and told the five people there that the meeting would be postponed.


    "I will be right there," Misha said as he walked out of the meeting room, leaving them all with faces full of curiosity, because Misha wasn''t usually like this, more so because he looked worried.


    Who exactly could make him be anxious like that?


    Meanwhile, Richard immediately followed Misha in a hurry.


    "I don''t know if it''s a good idea or not," Keira said worriedly, she didn''t think that this would make Kia feel better, because there was a possibility that Kia wouldn''t like it. She might even explode with anger because she invited Misha without her knowledge.


    However, before she could hear the answer, Misha had already hung up the phone and was now headed toward the apartment.


    ==========================


    Keira opened the apartment door with aplicated face, she heard the sound of the doorbell and immediately suspected that it was Misha and it turned out to be true.


    "Kia was in the room and Mika was sleeping beside her." Keira told Misha to be careful. "I still think you shouldn''t be here."


    Misha then stepped inside and Keira closed the door.


    "What if I am not here, will it help Kia?" Misha asked in a cold voice and Keira didn''t answer.


    It had been more than a week that Kia was like this and her situation was bing very worrying and this also affected Mika. The little girl who was usually cheerful now looked gloomy and often cried over small things.


    "I will go inside," Misha said. He did not ask for permission, he just told her what he was going to do.


    "I hope you do not push your will and make things worse." Keira was only worried about her best friend and Misha understood that.


    "If Kia asks me to leave, I will immediately go," Misha said with certainty, as he stepped inside and headed to Kia''s room.


    The door to Kia''s room was slightly open and inside, Misha could see Mika sleeping beside her mother, curled up in her little nket, snuggled closer to her mother.


    She seemed to understand that her mother was sad, but didn''t know how tofort her and all she could do now was to be near Kia. She could feel what her mother felt.


    Misha then walked slowly into the room. Kia looked thin and pale, even in just over a week, Misha could tell she had lost a lot of weight.


    This room felt very stuffy and gloomy, as Kia didn''t turn on the lights and closed all the windows.


    ================


    *Read my new book: The Alpha: iming His Enemy''s Daughter*


    Alpha Cane''s revenge for his and his people''s very.

 Chapter 798: NO ONE WILL TAKE MIKA AWAY FROM YOU

    Chapter 798: NO ONE WILL TAKE MIKA AWAY FROM YOUThis room felt very stuffy and gloomy, as Kia didn''t turn on the lights and closed all the windows.


    And when Misha sat down on the carpeted floor, Kia opened her eyes. Her eyes looked dazed and she immediately found Misha''s figure in this room.


    Kia didn''t give any reaction, she just stared at Misha nkly, as if she didn''t see him there and this worried Misha even more.


    He got closer to the bed and saw Mika sleeping there with her face still showing traces of tears, she was crying for a long time.


    And because Kia didn''t say anything, Misha just kept quiet and sat there. The atmosphere of this room was very quiet while the air felt very heavy.


    Until finally, a few momentster, Kia finally spoke, she said in a low and hoarse voice.


    "Did youe here to take Mika from me?" asked Kia in a low voice, like a whisper, if it wasn''t for the very quiet room, Misha wouldn''t be able to hear her voice.


    "No. I came because I was worried about you."


    "Really?"


    "Of course."


    Then came the sound of a sadugh. "It''s nice when someone is worried about you, isn''t that so?" asked Kia.


    Now she was thinking about what happened in the past, the memories she had long forgotten and ignored. They all came back to her without her asking.


    She tried to bury the memories back, but she couldn''t, the more she tried to forget it, the more she remembered every detail of what happened.


    Plus Mika. If Misha tried to take Mika away from her, then she couldn''t do anything. She had nothing and felt so helpless.


    "You need help, Kia," said Misha in a low voice. "You''re not only hurting yourself, but also hurting Mika with these actions of yours."


    What Misha meant, of course, was not only physical assistance, but also psychological assistance.


    Kia had all her negative feelings bottled up for too long, so that when something that could trigger it happened, she couldn''t control herself. All these emotions came like a broken dam and Kia didn''t know how to handle it all.


    And then, her body and mind shut down, because she had too much to feel.


    "If you want to take Mika, there''s nothing I can do," said Kia, she didn''t seem to hear what Misha said and chose to talk to herself now.


    "I won''t take Mika, I will take care of her and you can meet her anytime," Misha said in a low voice. "You know that if you can''t continue like this, you will hurt yourself and in addition, Mika will also be hurt because of your actions."


    Kia was silent for a moment, she then looked at her little daughter who had apanied her for the past week and didn''t make a fuss, as if she knew that Kia was ''sick'' and needed to calm down.


    She would quietly climb onto the bed and lie down beside her hugging her tightly.


    She didn''t even whine and ask for anything, it was just that, when she saw Kia cry, she would cry too, because she didn''t know what else she should do.


    Kia took a deep breath and caressed Mika''s face lovingly.


    "I think Mika is very unlucky because she was born to me, if she was born to someone else, she would have a much better life."


    Misha frowned when he heard that. "I don''t think Mika would feel that way. She loves you so much."


    The two of them spoke very quietly, afraid that their voices would wake Mika up, but the little girl was fast asleep and didn''t seem like she would wake up for a while.


    "I will take care of her and visit you often," said Misha. "You don''t need to worry about it. She will be fine."


    Kia didn''t answer those words and just stared at Mika''s sleeping face for a long while, until she started talking again.


    "When I think about Mika''s future, I get scared." Kia then stroked Mika''s cheek gently. Her eyes looked dazed as she stared at her daughter''s face. "I have no money, I have no skills, I''m afraid that she won''t get what she needs."


    Kia was afraid that Mika wouldck and have difficulties in her life.


    She just wanted to be realistic. The affection and love she gave to Mika would not be enough for her, where she could not provide the best education and send her to a good school.


    Maybe now Mika didn''t ask about her father, but one day, Kia would have to exin why she didn''t have a father.


    And on the other hand, Misha had everything, he could give what she couldn''t to Mika and guarantee her future.


    "Mika''s future will be better if she is with you," said Kia in a trembling voice. "But that thought just makes me angry. I feel all of this is unfair, because everything would be taken from me and I feel like I can never be enough."


    Kia then looked at Misha, her eyes filled with tears.


    "Why am I not enough?"


    Misha felt his heart squeeze when he saw the tears falling from Kia''s eyes and heard her trembling voice.


    Kia couldn''t look fondly at her old family, or remember them in bright light, now she couldn''t build a small family with Mika either.


    The future that Kia saw now felt very bleak and she was afraid, the more she thought about it, the worse she felt. Kia felt like her heart was going to burst as her head kept buzzing painfully.


    There were voices inside her head that made her even sadder.


    Kia didn''t know when Misha moved, but when she opened her eyes, Misha was already beside her and embracing her, as if to keep her from being crushed any further than this.


    "No one will take Mika away from you, when you get better, then you can be with Mika again."


    ================


    *Read my new book: The Alpha: iming His Enemy''s Daughter*


    Alpha Cane''s revenge for his and his people''s very.

 Chapter 799: WE WILL VISIT MOM AGAIN

    Chapter 799: WE WILL VISIT MOM AGAIN"Mama! No!" Mika sobbed until her face turned red, she kept hugging Kia''s neck very tightly and wouldn''t agree to let go.


    Even though she didn''t understand exactly what was going on now, she knew that Kia would leave her for a while.


    Not long ago, Kia left her for four days to go together with Misha and now she was about to leave her again, therefore, she felt very sad about the current situation and cried miserably.


    "Mommy will be home soon, okay?" said Kia, even when she said that, her voice sounded very weak and tired. She hadn''t done anything strenuous, but she was like someone who had been working hard for quite some time and needed a long rest.


    It had been two weeks since the first conversation between Kia and Misha, and after that, Misha was looking for the best hospital and the best doctor in the required field to help Kia.


    There were a number of things that made Kia feel unsure at first and she kept trying to buy time, but after two meetings, she realized that she needed to be handled better and this was damaging not only herself, but Mika as well.


    "Mommy is sick?" Mika asked in a hoarse voice.


    They were currently in front of the hospital room where Kia would be treated in intensive care and receive full attention. Kia would be here for a month, which was the longest ever she hadn''t been around Mika.


    Of course this was not only hard for Kia, but also for this little girl.


    But, these things she had to do, she had to get better. All the resentment she felt and all the feelings she tried to bury didn''t disappear, but instead became like a ticking time bomb.


    "Yes, mom is sick,ter when mom is getting better, we will be together again, okay?" Kia tried to smile, but her eyes showed sadness. She was too tired, even to interact like this.


    However, one thing she couldn''t deny was Misha''s presence, which made her feel more at ease, because she knew that Misha would give his best to Mika and he wouldn''t make their daughterck anything.


    "Mika promises she won''t be naughty and won''t make a fuss, Mika will just stay quiet and apany mom, if that''s the case, can Mikae along?" asked the little girl with a face full of tears.


    Kia felt her heart being ripped apart when she heard the little girl''s voice. She looked at her daughter with eyes that were about to cry, she felt that she was overdoing it, she could face everything alone, even now she would face this alone.


    Kia was about to say that she wanted to cancel this and just needed time to feel better, but then Misha crouched down and rubbed Mika''s back who was crying.


    "Mika is a good child, if you want to see Mama recover, Mika must also help and encourage Mama. If you cry like this, then mama will be sad too." Misha wiped the tears from his little daughter''s cheeks and kissed her gently on the cheek. "Later, after Mama has recovered, Mika can be with Mama again. Mika doesn''t want to see Mama sick and sad, right?"


    Mika was crying, but this time she hugged Misha, she gripped his clothes tightly and made him feel like his heart was being grabbed.


    And right at that moment, a nurse came and told Kia that she would take her to her room.


    "I''ll take care of her and visit you every weekend, okay?" Misha said softly, then stood up, he held Mika in one hand and stroked Kia''s cheek with the other. "Don''t worry about anything else and think only of yourself."


    Just think about yourself.


    When was thest time Kia thought about herself? If before she had to think about Alia, then her family and then Mika, when was thest time she thought about herself? And no one had ever told her that she should put herself first.


    "I need your help," said Kia in a low voice.


    "Come on, kiss mom first," said Misha while stroking Mika''s back, which was trembling because she was still crying.


    It took a long time for Mika to finally be persuaded and raise her head again. She rubbed her face roughly. Her face was red from crying too much, but she gave Kia a kiss and waved her hand at her mother until she disappeared behind the door.


    And after that, Mika cried again and Misha had to rack his brains to find a way to stop her crying.


    "We''ll see mama again after seven days, okay? On the weekend, we will meet with mama again." Misha then walked out of the hospital to the car, where Richard was waiting for them with the car door open.


    "Seven days? After seven nights of sleep?" asked Mika with eyes that were already swollen from crying.


    "Yes, seven nights of sleep and Mika can meet Mama again, okay?"


    It was just that, after hearing those words, Mika cried even harder, she barelysted four days when Misha took Kia away, let alone seven days.


    "Richard," Misha called his personal assistant''s name in a firm voice. He no longer knew what to do now.


    Richard, who was sitting in the driver''s seat, then turned around and faced Mika who was sitting on Misha''sp in the backseat.


    "How about if Mika learns to paint,ter when you''re going to meet mom, you can show off your good work." Richard didn''t think long when he said that, he just said what was on his mind.


    But, luckily this method worked and Mika''s crying voice lessened a bit. "Painting."


    "Yes, I heard that Mika is good at painting."


    Mika then rubbed her face and nodded.


    But on the other hand, Misha looked at Richard with jealousy, which made the assistant scratch his head.


    Wasn''t he the one who had asked for help himself?


    ================


    *Read my new book: The Alpha: iming His Enemy''s Daughter*


    Alpha Cane''s revenge for his and his people''s very.

 Chapter 800: HOW CAN SHE DO THIS ALONE?

    Chapter 800: HOW CAN SHE DO THIS ALONE?"Later, Mika can show Mama the results of Mika''s paintings, how about that? Mama will be so happy."


    Mika then huped for a few moments, but it was clear that she wasn''t as sad as before.


    But on the other hand, Misha looked at Richard with jealousy, which made the assistant scratch his head.


    Wasn''t he the one who had asked for help himself? But, why was he now being stared at so fiercely by his boss?


    "Later, daddy will buy you all kinds of equipment for drawing," said Richard, quickly involving Misha in this conversation, because he didn''t want to be stared at coldly like this.


    Thest time this happened, Misha gave him too much work with impossible deadlines that made no sense for him.


    But, at the mention of Misha, Mika looked like she was about to cry again.


    "Mama got sick because I called uncle daddy¡­" Mika said sadly and then cried again.


    She must have remembered the incident at that time, when Kia was very angry and cried while hugging herself as she slipped and called Misha ''daddy'' in front of Kia.


    Thus, she didn''t want to call Misha ''daddy'' anymore.


    "It''s uncle, not daddy," she said firmly.


    Misha was speechless, he didn''t know how to react or persuade her¡­


    That night, whileing back home after sending Kia to the hospital, Mika fell asleep in the car because she was too tired from crying and not only that, her body became unusually hot. It panicked the whole house.


    No one in the Tordoff residence, in the unit where Misha lived in, slept a wink because Misha looked very gloomy to find his little daughter falling ill. The little girl''s fever didn''t go down all night.


    "Can''t you do something?" Misha said to the doctor who looked very tired, because he wasn''t allowed to go home, just in case something bad happened, he had to be on standby near Mika.


    "The temperature will go down. We just need to wait for the medicine to take effect," said the doctor. He had said the same thing thirty minutes ago. He told Misha to take Mika to the hospital, if he was really that worried, but Mika cried when she found out she was going to the hospital.


    Basically, Mika''s body condition was weak. Therefore, she had spent a lot of time in the hospitals and now she was afraid to go back there.


    "No, she doesn''t want to be taken to the hospital. Look for other alternatives," said Misha firmly and this made the doctor speechless.


    This was just a normal fever that kids of her age usually get, mainly because she was too emotional all day since she had to part with Kia, therefore, it was only natural that she would be a little sick like this.


    Luckily, by the time morning came, Mika''s fever had subsided and her body was starting to sweat.


    Even though she was a little dizzy and sleepy, she looked much better and no longer groaned in pain like the night before and her sleep was not restless.


    "Wake up for a bit, okay? After eating and taking medicine, Mika can sleep again," persuaded a babysitter who had been prepared for her. The look of concern on their faces.


    Misha had even prepared three babysitters to apany Mika so she wouldn''t feel lonely because her mother wasn''t around and Misha couldn''t stay by her side because of work matters that couldn''t be postponed.


    Therefore, he prepared about three people to take care of all of Mika''s needs, because he himself was not very familiar with the affairs of children Mika''s age now.


    But when Mika finally opened her eyes and found that there were many strangers around her, she started to cry again. They were faces she had never seen and this surprised the three women as they struggled to calm her down.


    Then Mika''s eyes filled with tears looked around the room and found Misha who was standing not too far from her.


    It wasn''t that Misha didn''t want to approach her, it was just that he thought the three women were much better at handling Mika than he was.


    It was just that, when their gazes met and Mika raised her hands to him, asking to be carried by him, his heart instantly melted and this made Misha walk over to her and pick her up.


    Mika immediately buried her face in the gap between Misha''s neck and shoulder and hugged his neck tightly.


    "Uncle..." she sobbed.


    Even though it wasn''t the call that Misha was expecting, he didn''t mind now. His little girl could call him anything, as long as she wanted to, then that was the only fact that mattered.


    "Don''t cry, what do you want, just say it," Misha said. He didn''t know how to persuade someone except to give them what they wanted.


    And even though Misha had read carefully that giving whatever your child wanted was bad parenting, in the current situation, he couldn''t help it.


    "I want mom," Mika said in a low voice. She rubbed her face and then cupped her hands on either side of Misha''s face. "I want to meet mom."


    "If that doesn''t work," Misha said with a painful expression. He couldn''t get the two of them together for the time being.


    And hearing the refusal, Mika cried again as she buried her head in Misha''s shoulder.


    "Don''t cry, you''ll get sick again," Misha persuaded. That was what Kia was afraid of.


    If Mika got sick¡­


    It was not even a question that Kia would immediately run away from the hospital if she heard that Mika was sick.


    Thus, Misha didn''t say anything, after all the doctor had already said that Mika would be fine and that it was just a normal fever.


    "Shall we have breakfast? Can''t you see there''s a cute bunny cake?" Misha then pointed at the tray containing Mika''s breakfast and there was indeed a bunny-shaped sponge cake.

 Chapter 801: SHE IS MY DAUGHTER

    Chapter 801: SHE IS MY DAUGHTER"Shall we have breakfast? Can''t you see there is a cute bunny cake here?" Misha then pointed at the tray containing Mika''s breakfast and there was indeed a bunny- shaped sponge cake on it.


    Misha had told the maids that Mika really liked rabbits, so they made this.


    Mika nced at the cake and stretched out her hand to reach for the cake.


    Misha took the cake and handed it to Mika''s small hands and watched her fondly as she ate the cake slowly.


    "If you like rabbits, how about we buy a rabbit for you to look after?" Misha saw this as an opportunity for him to interact with Mika.


    But then, Mika showed two fingers. "I want three," she said, munching on her sponge cake.


    "Here are three." Misha fixed the fingers pointed by Mika. "Okay, we will buy three rabbits."


    "Yes, three rabbits, father, mother and child," said Mika.


    Her words sounded so innocent and meaningless, but somehow they stabbed Misha''s heart.


    Ugh¡­ as it turned out, it was very difficult to take care of a child. It was very clear that Mika understood the concept of family, which you would have a father and mother. He wondered if Mika ever asked Kia about her father and what her answer would be? How could Kia do all this alone?


    And with that, Misha managed to persuade Mika to eat. She finished her bunny sponge cake and half a bowl of porridge. After she drank the medicine, she fell back asleep.


    She looked a little pale, but she looked much better.


    Meanwhile, Misha chose to work from home these days.


    It was just that, if Misha thought that he was free from trouble for a moment, he was very wrong, because that afternoon, his mother came to this residence that she had left for several years.


    Ever since his father passed this position to Misha six years ago, the two of them had moved into a vi and spent every day as if they were on their nth honeymoon.


    Which meant Candice''s arrival was very sudden and Misha didn''t expect it at all. Of course, if it was a normal day this wouldn''t be a problem, but now that Mika was here, of course, there would be a lot of questions and Misha still wasn''t ready to answer them all.


    "Mother? Why are you here all of a sudden?" Misha said in a low voice, while kissing her cheek. He then nced behind her and didn''t find his father who was impossibly nosy. This was unusual, as normally his father wouldn''t take his eyes off Candice for even a moment.


    "Mommy needs some time away from your dad, we''ve been together for almost thirty years and he''s still clinging to me," Candice said grumblingly, although if you looked deep into her eyes she liked it that way.


    "What is it? I just wanted to stop by as usual and see if you''re okay," Candice said as she sat casually in the living room. "It seems something has changed about this house. Have you changed the decor?" asked Candice as she surveyed the room.


    "A little," said Misha. Of course, he had to change up the decor a bit and get rid of things that could be dangerous for children since Mika would be living here. "How about we have lunch together? It''s been a long time since we''ve had lunch together, hasn''t it?" said Candice, suggesting this.


    However, Misha''s eyes widened slightly when he heard that and Candice caught it and frowned.


    "What is it? You don''t like to eat with your mother now?" asked Candice as she smacked Misha lightly on the back. "Don''t worry, mom will cook your favorite dishes. We haven''t eaten together like this in a long time. You must miss mom''s cooking, right?"


    "Mom must be tired, how about we eat outside? I know a good restaurant," Misha said, holding his mother''s arm carefully as he could feel that he didn''t want Candice there.


    Perhaps, this could be described as a mother''s instinct. Candice could sense the reluctance Misha was showing and this made her frown in displeasure. "Misha? What is this? Don''t you like the sight of your mother?"


    "Of course not." Misha could easily make a poker face, but nothing could beat a mother''s instinct and now Candice was on full alert.


    "So what?" And right at that moment, Candice saw one of Mika''s babysitters passing by the room. "Who''s she? A babysitter?"


    Of course, the babysitter''s uniform was very conspicuous and this caught Candice''s attention, she was not going to let this go.


    "Wait a minute," Candice walked quickly out of the room and in the long corridor, she found the babysitter. "Stop right there."


    Candice then approached the babysitter who looked confused, as she greeted herself very politely, but she didn''t really care about that.


    "What''s this? Who is this lunch for?" Candice saw that the set up meal was very childish, even when Misha was still small, the set up meal was not like this. "Rabbits? Are there any small children in this house?"


    "This is for Mika," the babysitter answered. She looked at Misha and his mother back and forth, afraid that she had said the wrong thing.


    "Who is Mika?" asked Candice probingly as Misha approached from behind her.


    "That¡­ that is the little girl¡­ Mr. Tordoff, yesterday¡­" the babysitter answered hesitantly, she then nced timidly at Misha.


    "Girl?" Candice repeated the word then turned around to face Misha who seemed indifferent. "Whose daughter have you brought home?" Candice frowned and narrowed her eyes, trying to study her son''s expression.


    At this point, Misha knew there was no other way but for him toe out with the truth, because after all, Candice wasn''t going to stop there and she was going to want to get all the answers she could find.


    If she was not satisfied, she would search for the answer herself.


    "She is my daughter."

 Chapter 802: MISHA WAS ASHAMED

    Chapter 802: MISHA WAS ASHAMEDCandice came to this house because she wanted to meet Misha and thought her son was lonely, but of course, this stubborn son of her wouldn''t admit it.


    However, what Candice got was an extraordinary surprise. She felt like her soul had left her body when she heard Misha''s confession.


    "She is my daughter," Misha said in a firm voice, he looked directly into his mother''s eyes, indicating that he meant what he said.


    For a moment, Candice wanted tough and say her son was joking, but she couldn''t even do that because of how serious Misha looked at the moment.


    "Are you being serious?" asked Candice in a choked voice. She felt her whole body tremble when she heard that.


    "I am serious, mother, Mika is my child." Misha knew that this was a shock to his mother and could see by the way the blood flowed down her mother''s face which still looked beautiful.


    "But¡­ she¡­ how old¡­ how old is she?" Judging from the food served, it was certain that this was an older child and not a baby.

 Chapter 803: THEY WILL MONOPOLIZE HER

    Chapter 803: THEY WILL MONOPOLIZE HER"Then mama will be sad too if Mika gets sick from not eating," Candice exined. She wondered if the words she used were too hard for a three year old to digest, because for a moment Mika didn''t answer. She just stared at Candice with her big teary eyes.


    After all, it had been years since Misha was a three year old kid and Candice couldn''t remember how Misha was when he was three years old. It seemed that even when he was little, he never acted spoiled at all.


    "Mika isn''t sick, Mika wants mom..." Mika said, but she stopped crying.


    "If Mika doesn''t eat, Mika will get sick, didn''t the doctor sayst night that you have to eat regrly?" Candice then reached out and touched Mika''s warm forehead. "Try to feel, your body feels warm."


    Candice then took Mika''s hand and let her touch her own forehead.


    "See? It''s warm, isn''t it?" Candice heard from Misha that Mika was sickst night because she missed her mother, but it didn''t ur to her to ask where Kia was. After this, she made sure to inquire further about the situation when it was just the two of them. "Now Mika has to eat, so she doesn''t get sick."


    Mika seemed to think for a moment, she was still clutching the front of Misha''s shirt and resting her head on his chest and this sight made Candice want to take out her cellphone and take a picture of the two of them and then show it off to Lexus, only this wasn''t the right time to do that.


    Then, unexpectedly, Mika stretched out her hands toward Candice, asking to be carried by her, of course this small gesture made her heart melt.


    A joyful smile tugged at the corners of Candice''s lips.


    "What are you doing?" Candice stared fiercely at Misha who distanced Mika from herself. He even turned his body away slightly so Candice couldn''t hold her.


    "She''s already big and you will feel tired if you carry her, you better not do that," said Misha with a straight face.


    "What?" Candice looked annoyed, but she had to control her facial expressions so as not to frighten Mika. This child! He really wanted to monopolize this little girl.


    But, of course, Candice easily snatched Mika from Misha''s arms and carried her back into the room, leaving Misha alone on the balcony and looking sullen.


    Why did everyone always want to interrupt the time together between himself and Mika?


    Inside the room, Candice sat Mika on herp and started feeding her. This girl wasn''t heavy, one could even say she was too light for a child her age and subconsciously, Candice started making a list of activities she would do with Mika.


    "Here, open your mouth," said Candice in a coaxing tone, when she fed Mika, who still seemed reluctant to eat, but this time she ate her food well. "Good! If you eat well, you''ll get well soon and you''ll be able to meet mama soon, okay?"


    Mika nodded and opened her mouth again, she was chewing her food well and even though she didn''t eat much, she was able to take her medicine and spend the whole afternoon sleeping.


    "So tell me what really happened to Kia? What illness is she suffering from?" asked Candice, when they finally had theirte lunch together.


    Now they were at the dinner table and Candice didn''t cook anything for Misha because she wanted to hear more about Kia and Mika.


    "Kia is currently in the hospital, she is being treated as she suffers from depression." Misha cut straight to the point.


    One of the things that Candice liked most about her son was that he always said things without beating around the bush when it came to serious problems and would shoot straight to the heart of the matter, so she didn''t have to second-guess in long exnations, when their conversation was taking ce, because if she was being honest, Candice didn''t have much patience for it.


    "Depression?" Candice leaned toward Misha, to listen properly. "What happened? Was it because of you?!" Candice eximed angrily.


    "Mom, if you keep getting angry, how can I tell you about it?" Misha said while leaning his body against the back of the chair and folding his arms in front of his chest.


    Sullenly, Candice took a deep breath to calm herself. "Tell me," she said after feeling a little calmer.


    Then, Misha started to tell everything he knew, starting from Kia''s family and how she got kicked out of the house for being pregnant with his child.


    "THAT''S INSANE!" Candice even got up to her feet, hitting the table and making Misha stop telling her the story, allowing his mother to let all her frustrations out.


    This continued for about five minutes and during that time, Misha became an obedient child and listened to all her mother''s frustrations.


    It wasn''t until five minutester that Candice sat back down, her face flushed and she folded her arms over her chest to contain her emotions.


    "Then? What happened after that?" Candice asked in a voice like she was grinding her teeth.


    Misha then told how Kia lived her life, he knew this information from the data that Richard managed to get and also from Keira''s side of story.


    And while he was telling this story, he had to stop several times because Candice was very angry with him for abandoning the woman he had been dating and their child and even though Misha had said that he didn''t know that at that time Kia was pregnant, Candice still didn''t ept that reason .


    She kept muttering; I raised you better than this, how can you grow into a man who doesn''t respect women? You embarrass me.


    Until Misha told about Kia''s family, Candice turned to berate them and kept saying; how could a family be like that? Have they lost their minds? How could they kick their pregnant daughter out?


    "I would never kick my child out if she got pregnant!"


    "Mom, there is no way I will get pregnant, right?" Misha reminded her. He was their only child and he was a man.


    "Huft!" Candice snorted in disgust and returned to scolding Kia''s family. "I want to go to their house and scold them one by one!" she eximed angrily.


    "Mom, you can''t do that," Misha reminded her again.


    "Yeah, I know, I was just saying," Candice grumbled.


    And after that, Misha told some more details and also told what happened before Kia had a breakdown.


    "I don''t know what she talked to her brother about, but I think that was one of the factors that caused her to have a mental breakdown after that."


    Candice was seeing things again at this point. "Why don''t you just fire him and then make him uneptable for anypany?" she asked.


    "Well, I did think about it, but I don''t think Kia would agree no matter what." Misha did think about it and was even about to do it out of anger, but then called it off.


    However, now that he heard his mother give the same idea, it seemed Misha''s cruel nature came from his mother, not his father.


    "Okay, I can''t hear this anymore, I can get high blood pressure if we continue like this, we will continue this conversationter," said Candice, who immediately stood up from the bench.


    "There''s really nothing more to tell." Because Misha had told Candice everything he knew, but his mother didn''t listen to him and just walked away from there.


    Mika slept through the day and only woke up at night, but after eating her dinner and taking her medicine, she fell asleep again.


    And at this time, Candice, who nned to onlye to have lunch together with Misha, actually stayed there indefinitely, which didn''t really matter to Misha. It was just that there were things that couldn''t be avoided, namely; his mother told this to his father.


    And that same night, Lexus came to the Tordoff residence and this made Misha, who was about to return to his room after finishing the pending work in his study room, have to facepalm himself.


    "How could you hide your daughter?!" Lexus eximed in annoyance at Misha.


    "I''m not hiding her," Misha answered helplessly, he started to feel a headache.


    He nned to live quietly with his child, but this was what he got¡­ ugh.


    Luckily, his mother was sensitive enough to calm her husband down. "Calm down, you will wake up the little girl, she is sick."


    "Sick!?" Lexus widened his eyes in disbelief. "And why didn''t you take her to the hospital? What if something bad happens?!"


    "Can you calm down first?" Candice said coldly and this was very effective in making Lexus calm down and he took a deep breath.


    For some reason, Misha felt a bit nostalgic seeing this scene, as his mother very calmly and firmly calmed down his father''s frantic temper.


    Scenes like this were often seen when the two of them were still living in this house.


    "If you want to see her, you can see her in the morning, but not now," said Candice, who then pulled Lexus into the living room. "Before that, I will briefly tell you about this."


    Lexus then didn''t say much anymore and followed his wife, meanwhile, Misha shook his head, living quietly with his daughter and getting quality time with Mika seemed like it would only be his wishful thinking, because his little girl would definitely be monopolized by the two of them.

 Chapter 804: THEY LEFT HER BEHIND

    Chapter 804: THEY LEFT HER BEHINDEarly in the morning, Misha found Lexus pacing in front of his bedroom door. Moreover, he looked uneasy.


    "What are you doing daddy?" asked Misha as he folded his arms across his chest, eying his father suspiciously. "Why are you in front of my room?"


    Lexus looked at him with a sullen face. "I didn''t get up early toe see you, you go and work properly, so that you can earn a lot of money. Raising a child is expensive."


    What kind of chatter was that? Misha frowned when he heard that.


    "Was I an expensive child as well?" Misha asked in a calm voice.


    "Yeah, you were so expensive," Lexus grumbled.


    "But didn''t I increase thepany''s profits by about eight percent when I took charge of it?" said Misha in a proud tone. "I think the profits I''m making now will be able to support a hundred children like me."


    Lexus hissed like a cat when he heard that and this made Misha smirk triumphantly. He then left there, leaving his father who was still hesitating whether to enter Mika''s room or not.


    Based on what he had heard from Candice, he had learned that the girl looked a lot like Misha, but of course this little girl would be much cuter than his cold and seldom smiling son.


    This made Lexus feel unable to wait to see his first grandchild any longer.


    Meanwhile, in the dining room, Misha found his mother who had juste from the bedroom.


    "Your father has not been in the room since morning, where is he?" Candice muttered, sounding like she was talking to herself.


    "He has been pacing in front of my room since morning," Misha replied casually, then started to enjoy his breakfast.


    He wasn''t wrong, because Misha''s room and Mika''s room were in front of each other''s.


    Candice clicked her tongue and then sat down on the chair and this made Misha raise an eyebrow. "I thought you''d go over to him and make him stop."


    "No need, he won''t go into the room, he won''t dare because I already told him that he will scare Mika if he goes inside and shocks the little girl by making her see someone she doesn''t know."


    "Hmm." Misha nodded. His mother handled this much better.


    Today, Misha should have gone to the office, but he didn''t, just in case his parents couldn''t handle Mika, because for the little girl it was the first time seeing them both and they were still strangers to her.


    After finishing eating, Misha came to Mika''s room carrying her breakfast, while Candice, together with Lexus, watched from afar.


    "Mika is well, let''s meet mom," she said. She couldn''t wait to meet her mother.


    "How about breakfast first?" Misha persuaded. "Mika still looks pale, mama will be worried if she sees Mika so pale like this."


    Mika pursed her lips when she heard that and Misha looked for other ways to distract Mika''s attention.


    "How about eating first? After that, we will ask the doctor if Mika can leave or not, okay?" Misha said as he put the tray on the bed and handed a bee shaped sponge cake and this helped Mika cheer up. She liked her food like this.


    "If the doctor says I can go, can I go see Mama?" asked Mika innocently while munching on her sponge cake. Her breakfast included a ss of warm milk along with some other soft cookies as well.


    "Yeah, of course you can go see mama after the doctor says you''re fine. So, drink your milk first, okay?" Candice said, she walked into the room with Lexus behind her.


    "Hello," Lexus greeted Mika, who gave him a confused look, now that she was surrounded by strangers.


    "Hello¡­" Mika greeted back shyly, but she then leaned closer to Misha when Lexus tried to get closer to her and this made Misha smile triumphantly to see her daughter''s reaction like this.


    =========================


    Anthony went back to Kia''s apartment and that was when he saw that they were moving.


    But this time, he didn''te alone, he came with Amber, his sister, who was none other than Kia''s mother.


    She begged Anthony to take her to the apartment where Kia lived because Daniel didn''t want to take her there.


    Daniel insisted that Kia had said things she shouldn''t have said, but he also didn''t say what Kia had said to make him look so annoyed like that.


    Not just annoyed, actually Daniel looked grumpy with a very bad mood these few days.


    "What are you doing?" asked Anthony unconsciously because he was too surprised when he saw people starting to move things from inside the small apartment.


    Actually, their lease had expired this month and because Keira was getting married soon and was going to live with her future husband, the lease here was not extended and because Misha said he would arrange everything for Kia and Mika, they decided that the two of them would move out of the apartment.


    Keira turned around and immediately recognized Anthony, but she didn''t recognize the woman standing beside him.


    "I am moving," Keira answered briefly, she didn''t feel that she had an obligation to exin further about this.


    "Where are you moving to? Why so suddenly?" asked Anthony in surprise. He tried to look into the room, hoping he could see either Kia or Mika, but other than three men constantly going in and out of the truck to move things, they saw no one.


    "No, it''s not sudden, it''s been nned for the past few weeks," replied Keira, which made Anthony feel a little embarrassed, because he was indeed an outsider who wouldn''t know about these kinds of things.


    "Kia¡­ where is Kia?" asked the woman who was beside Anthony, she stuck her head out, trying to see into the almost empty t.


    "Kia doesn''t live here anymore¡­" Keira replied, looking at the woman intently and this made Anthony realize something as he immediately introduced each other.


    "This is Kia''s mother," Anthony said, introducing Amber to Keira and telling her that Keira was the roommate he told about.


    "Where is Kia now?" asked Amber, she was twitching restlessly. Her husband and children had seen Kia and even seen the child she had at the time, but she hadn''t seen either of them.


    "She doesn''t live here anymore," said Keira, her face changed slightly when she found out that it was Kia''s mother.


    She knew that this wasn''t a family matter that she could meddle in casually, but that didn''t mean she wasn''t annoyed at Kia''s family or that she had disliked them since before she met.


    "Kia doesn''t live here anymore?" Amber asked, her eyes wide. "Where does she live now?"


    "I can''t tell you," Kiera said. Of course, she knew what happened and where Kia and Mika were now. She thought this was the right thing to do.


    Indeed, parting with Mika was very painful for Kia, but this had to be done for the good of both of them.


    And of course, the meddling of Kia''s family was not something that could provide good progress for Kia.


    "Why can''t you tell me? I am her mother," Amber said with sad eyes.


    "I''m sorry, Mrs. Lyrant, but I can''t tell you about Kia''s whereabouts for her own good," said Keira firmly.


    And a man approached Keira, told her that all the things had been moved and whether she would check the apartment.


    Keira said that she would check inside to make sure everything was taken away and nothing was left behind and at that time Anthony and Amber went inside with her. Keira let them, because this was no longer her ce to stop them.


    "Kia lived in this ce?" Amber muttered while looking at the small apartment that was only as big as the kitchen in her house.


    They weren''t very wealthy people, but with him and Lyle working, they could livefortably.


    "Where is her room?" asked Amber while looking around her. Her heart ached when she saw this small room and felt that the mistake she hadmitted was fatal.


    How could they not have thought about it all this time and were only now looking into it? Why didn''t she think of her pregnant daughter living alone out there and try hard to find her?


    She was kept under the assumption that Kia would apologize to them ande back to the house and they could scold her a few times and then let here back home.


    But, she didn''t do that, she didn''t apologize and she didn''te back home either.


    They thought it was the most selfish thing Kia had ever done, but they never thought otherwise and wondered what Kia had been through while in their house and what she had done for them.


    And after the assumption that Kia woulde back and apologize never materialized, a few years had passed and they couldn''t go back to that time anymore, because they had gone too far from their second child.


    "She has lived in this room?" Amber clutched her chest when she saw that pitifully small room and Anthony felt the same way, because this was the first time for him to enter this apartment.


    Meanwhile, Keira just looked at the two of them with cold eyes. She felt no sympathy for the two of them at all.


    "When you''re done looking around, I have to leave immediately, there are people from the moving service waiting for me," said Keira without any feelings at all.

 Chapter 805: DISSAPOINTMENT

    Chapter 805: DISSAPOINTMENTKeira had absolutely no sympathy for Kia''s family who came to see her, especially her mother, even though she looked like she was about to cry when she saw the ce Kia had been living all this time, Keira didn''t have the slightest sympathy for her.


    How could a mother behave like that to her own child? She didn''t even think twice when she kicked Kia out of the house while she was pregnant.


    "When you''re done looking around, I have to leave immediately, there are people from the moving service waiting for me," said Keira without any feelings at all.


    "Did¡­ did Kia and the child live in this small room all this time?" Amber asked in a hoarse voice. Her eyes were zed over with tears.


    "Yeah," Keira answered curtly, she looked Amber straight in the eyes and didn''t say anything else. She folded her arms across her chest, showing an expression of impatience for them to get out of this ce, so she could leave.


    "Can you tell us where Kia is now?" asked Anthony, he walked closer to Keira, while Amber still felt very sorry seeing the small ce upied by her daughter and granddaughter.


    "I told you earlier, that I can''t tell you where Kia is now."


    "But, we are her family, at least her family should know where she is now, right?" asked Amber, she then turned her attention to Keira. "Please, I''m her mother, you can''t separate a mother and her daughter, right?"


    Keira took a step back before Amber could touch her.


    "Mrs. Lyrant, precisely because you are her family, I can''t tell you this," Keira said firmly. "Kia herself said that she didn''t want to have anything to do with her family anymore, so I have to respect her decision."


    "No no, this is all just a misunderstanding, I havee to clear up this misunderstanding." Amber looked hurt when Keira didn''t want to tell her. She wouldn''t let her go until she told her where Kia was at the moment. "I''ll talk to Kia, she''ll understand."


    "How could this be a misunderstanding? If I were Kia, I too would think that my family abandoned me four years ago and none of them ever tried to find me," said Keira fiercely. It seemed she was starting to run out of patience.


    Therefore, before that happened, Keira decided to get out of this room, but Amber pulled her hand back and looked at her with pleading eyes.


    "Please, I am her mother, you don''t know her like I know my own daughter, she will definitely understand after we both talk, we will just clear up this misunderstanding." Amber looked at Keira with hope while holding her hand, preventing her from leaving the room.


    "Yes, you are her mother but I was the one who stayed beside her when she gave birth and I had also been the one by her side when she went through the baby blues and all kinds of hardships she had to go through." Keira then struggled out of Amber''s hand. "So, I want to ask. Where was her family back then? Hasn''t it ever urred to you that something bad might happen to her and now you should be grateful that she''s still alive and stop bothering her."


    Amber gasped when she heard Keira''s sharp words and started crying.


    "Go home and stop looking for Kia, because your presence will only add to her troubles." Keira then walked out of the t and waited for the two of them toe out too, so she could lock the room and get out of there as soon as possible.


    But, only Anthony came out of there, while Amber was still inside, wailing with deep anguish.


    "Keira, I know that you are very close to Kia and you have helped her through many things and have always been by her side," Anthony said softly, he couldn''t me Keira''s attitude. She must have felt the same anger when she was with Kia, knowing what she had to put up with all this time. "But, please, tell me where Kia is now. I think this is a good time for the two of them to talk. Ifter Kia does not want to meet her family again, that is entirely her choice."


    Keira stared at Anthony for a moment, she didn''t hear any stories about Anthony from Kia, it seemed like he was just a distant rtive, but how he responded to the current situation made Keira reconsider that.


    "If you want to know, you can ask Mr. Tordoff. That''s all I can say, now please get out of this apartment, because I have to leave immediately," said Keira impatiently.


    Anthony wanted to argue and persuade her again, but after a moment he nodded. He couldn''t force Keira any more than this.


    "Okay, I understand." Anthony nodded, then went inside to pick up Amber who was still crying bitterly.


    Keira didn''t even look at Amber when she locked her apartment door and walked away.


    ========================


    "Stop it, Dad," Misha said while taking the cellphone from his father''s hand and making Lexus growl in annoyance at his son.


    "What am I going to do?" said Lexus, directing fierce eyes at Misha, but his son didn''t pay attention to such fierce stares.


    If there was someone he was afraid of, then it was his mother, no matter how fierce Lexus was, he still wouldn''t do anything in front of Candice.


    "You want to hire someone to turn the back garden into a y area?" Misha narrowed his eyes at Lexus.


    "What''s wrong with that?" asked Lexus, but this time he avoided Misha''s gaze and tried to look anywhere but at his son.


    "With a mini roller coaster, arcade and some other games?" Misha narrowed his eyes even more and this made Lexus feel ufortable.


    "What''s wrong with that? Isn''t it okay to spoil my granddaughter? I have already lost three precious years of her life because of your foolishness," Lexus replied to Misha.


    "You can''t spoil her like that, Dad," Misha said with a sigh and gave Lexus''s phone back. He knew that Kia would not want their only daughter to live such a pampered life and that was not a good way of educating her.


    "What''s wrong with her being pampered? She is the granddaughter of the Tordoff family," said Lexus excitedly.


    "That''s not good for educating children." Misha then walked away from Lexus. "Tell me first if you want to buy something for her."


    After that Misha walked away, leaving his father in the living room, who was grumbling in displeasure, because his n to buy ''y things'' for Mika just got disrupted.


    "You, annoying kid," grumbled Lexus. "Why aren''t you sportive at all?"


    But then Lexus''s sullen face brightened up as he walked toward Mika''s room, even though he didn''t manage to build his first grandchild a yground, at least he had bought lots of toys for her.


    ========================


    Lyle was walking along the shopping area where he met Kia, Mika and the geeky Misha. Even he himself didn''t think of what he expected by walking around here.


    "Yes, Alia?" said Lyle as he picked up a call from Alia. "Dad is at the shopping area, is there anything you want to buy? Dad will buy it."


    From the other side of the phone, came Alia''s cheerful voice. "I want chocte. Can you buy me the strawberry vored one that I like?"


    Lyle smiled, his mood seemed much better when he heard his daughter''s voice. "Of course. The usual ones, right?"


    "Yes."


    After that, the call was disconnected and Lyle immediately headed to the aisle where they stocked up the chocte that Alia liked.


    "Could you help me?"


    Lyle felt someone tugging at his sleeve and a small voice beside him startled him as he grabbed the chocte Alia asked for.


    "Yes, sweet girl, what can I do for you?" asked Lyle kindly. Next to him was a little girl about nine or ten years old. She was trying to grab one of the choctes on the top shelf, but she couldn''t reach it.


    "I want the same chocte as the one you are holding," said the little girl, blinking her eyes.


    "Oh, how many do you want?" asked Lyle in a cheerful voice. He was getting ready to get her some more choctes.


    "I need three," said the little girl.


    "Oh, you shouldn''t eat this much chocte, sweet girl, you will get toothache if you eat too much of these," Lyle said in a fatherly tone.


    However, the little girl only frowned. "The choctes aren''t for me, they are for my brother and sister, I don''t like that chocte."


    "Then which chocte do you like?" asked Lyle again because the little girl only pointed at one type of chocte, so he could help her again if she couldn''t reach it.


    The girl fell silent. "I can''t buy the chocte I like, because mom doesn''t have the money."


    "But, your brother and sister get chocte, why don''t you get chocte too?" Lyle looked at the little girl in confusion.


    "Because my brother will be angry if she doesn''t get the chocte and I have to give into my younger siblings," she replied in a matter of fact tone.


    And then she left with three pieces of chocte she didn''t like, away from Lyle.


    For a moment, Lyle just stood there, watching the little girl''s back and for a moment, he seemed to see Kia''s back when she was ten years old, walking away from him.

 Chapter 806: MIKA DISSAPPEARED

    Chapter 806: MIKA DISSAPPEAREDFor a moment, Lyle just stood there, watching the little girl''s back and for a moment, he seemed to see Kia''s back when she was ten years old, walking away from him when he said that he couldn''t go to the speech contest she was participating in because at the same time there was a futsalpetition that Daniel was participating in.


    Or when he couldn''te to a race Kia waspeting in because they were busy at work.


    He watched Kia walk away with her shoulders drooping in disappointment.


    And it wasn''t just her childhood but several other incidents shed back into Lyle''s mind and this made him frown, as his chest ached with the feelings he was trying to suppress.


    All the memories he thought he had forgotten or the events where he thought he did right, felt so unfair.


    It was as if all those memories hade back to him and he could now see more clearly what kind of parent he was to Kia and how he had treated her so unfairly.


    Thest time Daniel told them that he met Kia, he said that his sister did not want to go home and would not agree to apologize to them.


    When he heard this, Lyle felt embarrassed. He knew he was the one who should apologize, but he was too embarrassed and selfish to admit this.


    Lyle didn''t make anyments while hearing Daniel''s side of the story, but then he said coldly; If she didn''t want toe back home, there was no need toe back at all.


    That was what Lyle said after hearing Daniel''s story, walking away.


    However, that wasn''t how he actually felt. If he could be honest and exercise more courage, then Lyle would admit that he missed Kia.


    When she was at home, her presence wasn''t really felt. And when she was gone, even though a lot had changed, they tried not to say anything. They could only harbor all those feelings.


    And also because they were constantly under the assumption that Kia woulde home one day, that she would apologize and she woulde home, because they were family.


    But, the question was; had they treated Kia like a family all along?


    Lyle wasn''t sure if the answer was; yes, considering how Kia was so adamant about noting back to them.


    "What exactly have I done?" Lyle muttered to himself and when he looked down, he was surprised to notice that there were tears flowing from his eyes.


    It was funny now that he thought he would even apologize to Kia as long as she came back, whereas a few months ago, he didn''t even think about this at all.


    Although actually there was always a feeling that was stuck in his heart and he couldn''t really feel happy.


    ========================


    "Ssh!" Lexus put his finger to his lips when Candice walked into Mika''s room. She knew that she would definitely be able to find her husband in this room if she couldn''t find him anywhere. "Don''t make any noise, she is sleeping," said Lexus in a very low voice, ring fiercely at Candice.


    On the other hand, Candice just frowned, Lexus had spent the whole day with Mika and he even took the time to read a storybook to the child.


    And because he knew that Mika liked picture stories, he didn''t hesitate to buy so many illustrated story books that now filled the big bookshelf attached to one of the walls of this room, not to mention the new toys he bought.


    Only Candice could stop Lexus''s madness, because she knew this man''s habit of spending money.


    If you were his favorite person, you''d be bathed in whatever you wanted, Candice knew because she''d experienced that, Lexus could get to the level of being annoying if she could say so.


    "I am going to put her to sleep on the bed, she will fall sick if she sleeps like that" Candice said as she took Mika from Lexus''s chest, while the man frowned disapprovingly, but he couldn''t do anything when Candice took Mika into her arms and cuddled up to her in bed.


    It waste at night and they had been in this house for several days and tomorrow was Mika''s first scheduled visit to meet with Kia.


    Of course, this little girl looked so excited and talked about it all day long, she even prepared a little gift of a painting of herself and Kia.


    Even though they were a bit disappointed that they weren''t in the frame, they understood. Not even Misha had a ce in it.


    "What will Misha do to the Lyrants?" Lexus asked Candice as they came out of Mika''s room.


    Because Misha had been spending a lot of time at home and he would be leaving tomorrow for the day with Mika to meet Kia, he was cleaning up pending work, so tomorrow he wouldn''t be disturbed.


    "Misha said he wouldn''t do anything to their family, because he doesn''t think Kia would be happy if that happened, after all, they are still her family," Candice said and this made Lexus sigh in annoyance, but they couldn''t do anything about it. Whatever. If that was Misha''s final decision, then they should respect it, he must have his own thoughts.


    "If it''s up to me, then I will destroy that family," said Lexus furiously.


    "Rx, this is not your problem, so you don''t need to get involved in this matter." Candice tapped her husband on the shoulder.


    =======================


    The next morning, Mika was up very early, even before any of her three babysitters came to wake her up.


    The little girl looked at her room''s window and saw that the sun had not yet risen, but she couldn''t wait to see her mother.


    Thus, she got off the bed and walked out of her room. She knew that Misha''s room was the room across from hers and opened the door.


    Dark.


    Mika was afraid to go in, but then she worked up the courage to walk into the darkness and left the door open, so that it would let in a bit of light and she wouldn''t trip.


    Inside the room there was arge bed, much bigger than hers and there, Kia found Misha still soundly asleep.


    Misha returned past midnight and had only slept for about three hours, therefore, he didn''t notice that his little daughter was creeping up on his bed and looking into his face, because he was too tired to notice.


    "Uncle¡­" Mika called out to Misha softly, which of course wouldn''t be able to wake Misha up. "Uncle wake up, I want to meet mama." Mika then nudged Misha''s cheek with her index finger while whispering, trying to wake him up. "Wake up..." she whispered. "I want to meet mom. Wake up, uncle."


    However, there was no reaction from Misha and this frustrated the little girl, but at the same time, the temperature in this room was much colder than hers and she quickly felt cold.


    "Mika is cold, get up, we are going to meet mama, right?" Mika then snuggled into Misha''s nket, but it was still cold and the little girl tried to get closer to Misha looking for warmth. "Uncle,e on, get up." Mika tried to shake Misha''s body, but her strength wasn''t even enough to make him budge.


    Instead, the little girl snuggled closer toward Misha because it was too cold for her.


    "Wake up," Mika said in a low voice, then she yawned, because of the cold and also because of the warm feeling she got from her father''s body.


    And slowly, her eyes closed and she fell back asleep, after all, it was still too early for her to wake up.


    Especially when Misha moved and hugged her back, she smiled because she felt warm and went back to sleep again. She even forgot her little mission to wake Misha up.


    ========================


    "What is it?" asked Candice to one of the babysitters who approached her early in the morning. She looked panicked and this made her think that something had happened to Mika. "Did something happen to Mika?" she asked frantically. "Is she sick again?"


    "No, it''s not that," said the baby sitter hesitantly.


    "So what is it? Say it fast?" Candice just didn''t have the patience to deal with people who spoke hesitantly and she got very annoyed with people who spoke half-heartedly like this.


    Couldn''t they get straight to the point?


    Impatient, Candice immediately headed to Mika''s room to see what had actually happened, the maid followed Candice from behind in a hurry.


    "Mika, Mika is missing." Finally she got the word out and she had to stop abruptly if she didn''t want to bump into Candice who stopped walking fast and turned to face her with anger in her eyes.


    "What did you say? Don''t joke around so early in the morning like this. How could a three year old child disappear from her room on her own?" Candice asked fiercely. "Exin to me quickly!"


    The babysitter nodded in fright and exined what had happened. One of them wanted to go to Mika''s room and check on her, but she wasn''t in the room, not in the bathroom or anywhere else.


    "Have you searched around the house?" Candice felt her heart almost stop. This was impossible, Mika couldn''t suddenly disappear from this house just like that.


    "Yes, even now all the servants were still trying to look for her around the house, but we can''t find her anywhere."

 Chapter 807: COMMOTION IN THE MORNING

    Chapter 807: COMMOTION IN THE MORNINGMisha woke up because there was something warm clinging to his body and it surprised him when he touched under the nket and felt a small body underneath, which made him immediately open the nket and find Mika who was fast asleep.


    The little girl even snored a little with her mouth slightly open.


    "How did she get here?" Misha rubbed his face roughly, thinking that he was still dreaming, but when he touched his daughter''s cheek, it was really Mika and the little girl was sleeping without a care about her surroundings. "How did you get here?" he said that to himself again and shook his head.


    Misha tried to rememberst night''s events.


    Before he went back to his room, he took the time to go to Mika''s room and made sure that she was okay and he was sure that the little girl was still asleep in her bed, but now she had moved to his bed.


    Misha took a deep breath and covered Mika''s body again. He kissed Mika''s cheek gently, so she wouldn''t wake up and then got out of bed.


    He went into the bathroom and washed his face and only then did he step out of the room.


    When he came out of the room, he found a crowd in the living room. His mother approached him with a panicked face and of course this made Misha''s forehead wrinkle.


    "What is it?" asked Misha.


    "This is bad! This is bad!" Candice looked on the verge of tears. Her face looked flushed and she was still in her nightwear, while behind her, his dad was on the phone with someone and seemed just as panicked as his mom.


    "What is it? What happened?" Misha had only slept for about four hours, but what important event had happened to create such a mess? "What is this? Why is it so noisy in the morning?"


    "Misha, this is really bad! Mika is missing! She''s not in her room!" Candice was almost hysterical when she said this, she even broke out in tears and clutched her son''s shirt.


    "Disappeared?" Misha frowned, he was still a little sleepy fromck of sleep, but he had to get up early because today he had promised Mika that they would meet Kia early in the morning.


    Therefore, he got out for coffee, he needed caffeine intake to start his day.


    "Why are you so calm?" This time Candice became angry because Misha''s reaction was nothing like what she expected. Her son just stared at her in silence. "Aren''t you worried? That daughter of yours disappeared, she disappeared from her room, but you''re not worried at all, what kind of a father are you?!"


    "She disappeared? She didn''t disappear, mother, she was in my room." Misha told her calmly, after he analyzed the situation and was sure that it was just a misunderstanding, where his mother was too worried and escted the situation until it became like this.


    "In your room?" Candice repeated with a frown. She took a deep look at Misha and from behind, Lexus joined in as well.


    "What is it? So? Have you found my granddaughter?" Lexus looked at Misha and then his wife with a questioning expression.


    "She is in my room, she didn''t disappear. It seems she moved into my room while I was sleeping," Misha exined and that was the only reason he thought made sense to exin how Mika got to be in his room.


    "But¡­ but I checked your room earlier, but Mika wasn''t there," said Candice, she was sure she had checked Misha''s room earlier to look for Mika. "I only found you in bed, fast asleep, so I didn''t wake you up, because I thought I''d look for it first."


    "Mika was there, she was sleeping next to me, mom must not have seen her because she was under the covers, I think she covered her whole body because it was too cold in my room" Misha exined this. "If you don''t open the covers, you won''t be able to see her."


    If it wasn''t for her warm body pressed against his hugging him, Misha definitely wouldn''t have noticed that either.


    "Are you serious?" asked Lexus.


    "You can see her, but don''t make any noise, she''s still sleeping."


    And without waiting for him to say that twice, Candice and Lexus immediately went to Misha''s room and sure enough, they both found their granddaughter asleep, hugging a pillow, her face almost buried in the nket.


    "You made Grandpa''s heart almost stop, sweet girl," said Lexus while stroking Mika''s head and Candice raised the temperature in the room so it wouldn''t be too cold for Mika.


    They didn''t even inquire further about Mika''s origins or ask for a DNA test, because the resemnce between Mika and Misha waspletely undeniable.


    Mika was the little girl version of Misha, they were both very simr.


    And so, this morning''smotion was resolved properly and when Mika woke up, she immediately asked to be escorted to meet her mother.


    Of course Lexus and Candice didn''t go with them both, because it wasn''t the right time for them to meet with Kia yet. They would look for a better timeter, when Kia''s condition got better.


    "Bye, grandma, bye grandpa¡­" Mika waved at Candice and Lexus, then took Misha''s hand and pulled him toward the car. "Let''s go, Uncle."


    Misha still felt bitter about the title, but he didn''t correct her and Candice and Lexus didn''t say anything when he told them what Mika would call him.


    They only said to give Mika and Kia time, because they were the ones who suffered the most from this incident.


    "Good morning, Uncle Richard," said Kia to Richard. She had seen him a few times and they both became close.


    "Hello, Mika. Good morning, you look excited today," said Richard while opening the car door for the both of them.


    "Yeah, because I am going to meet my mother!" Mika eximed cheerfully. She jumped in the car and pulled Misha''s hand to get into the car.


    She was holding her favorite stuffed bunny that Lexus bought her in one hand and in her bag, she had stuffed some of her favorite choctes to give to her mother, as well as a picture book in which she drew herself and also Kia.


    Along the way, Mika sang songs taught by her grandmother and looked very happy, which made Misha''s heart melt and he couldn''t stop smiling throughout the trip.


    "Mika is very happy to meet Mama?" asked Richard while ncing at the little girl from the rearview mirror.


    He couldn''t stop smiling either, as if the happiness Mika was feeling rubbed off on him too.


    "Of course, Mika is happy to meet Mama," Mika said cheerfully.


    The journey from Tordoff''s residence to the hospital where Kia was being treated took about one and a half hours by car and during this journey, Mika didn''t seem to lose her energy.


    And when they finally arrived at the hospital, a nurse immediately approached Misha, knowing their arrival and looking worried.


    "Sorry, Mr. Tordoff, before meeting Ms. Lyrant, it seems like I have something to say first," said the nurse with a worried face.


    "What happened?" Misha asked, his smile instantly vanishing. He gripped Mika''s small hand tightly, while she looked at Misha with a confused face.


    Misha didn''t receive any strange reports during this one week and Kia''s development could be said to be quite stable even though not much had changed during the one week she had been here.


    "Please follow me to see the doctor who is treating Ms. Lyrant." The nurse then directed them to the doctor''s office, instead of leading them to the meeting room where Kia was.


    "Uncle, what''s wrong? We''re going to meet Mama, right?" Mika asked with a worried face, she could feel a negative reaction from the short chat between the two of them.


    "Yes, we will meet with Mama, but before that, we will see the doctor first." He felt that something had happened to Kia.


    Meanwhile, Richard was following them from behind.


    =======================


    "Mom is still sick?" Alia asked her father, because for the past few days, her mother had locked herself in her room all day and said that she was sick.


    Alia didn''t know what happened and why her mother suddenly got sick like this, but it seemed like this wasn''t an ordinary illness, because every time she passed her mother''s room, her mother would be crying.


    "Yes, mother is still sick, it''s best to let her rest first, don''t disturb her, okay?" said Lyle while stroking Alia''s head and inviting her to the living room to watch the movie together, so she wouldn''t see Amber''s current condition.


    Silently, Alia followed her father into the living room and then sat beside him.


    "Is this because of sister Kia?" asked Alia with an expressionless face, but her gaze was fixed on her father and for a moment, Lyle didn''t know what to say. "This has something to do with Kia, right?" asked Alia again because Lyle didn''t say anything.


    "No, you don''t need to think about this," Lyle said as he pulled his daughter to sit on the couch.


    Alia was silent and when the movie that had been chosen earlier was about to start, Alia then said. "Sister Kia likes movies of the horror genre. She said life was scarier than the stories in the movies."


    Lyle didn''t know about this. He didn''t even know Kia''s favorite film genre at all. In the past, he had never asked nor did he ever sincerely want to know.


    ================


    *Read my new book: The Alpha: iming His Enemy''s Daughter*


    Alpha Cane''s revenge for his and his people''s very.

 Chapter 808: VISITING KIA

    Chapter 808: VISITING KIA"Can we talk alone inside for a minute?" The nurse suggested that Mika wait outside, as this conversation was not suitable for young children. "How about you stay with me for a while and your father will talk to the doctor?"


    Mika shook her head, she pressed herself close to Misha and held his hand tightly.


    "No," she answered straightforwardly and tried to avoid the hand the nurse stretched out to grab her. Mika shook off her hand and scrunched up her face in distaste. She then raised both hands toward Misha, asking to be picked up.


    Seeing the expectant gaze of his little princess, of course Misha couldn''t ignore her and picked up Mika, there after which she immediately wrapped her arms around Misha''s neck and didn''t let go at all.


    "It''s fine if I bring her inside, right?" asked Misha. It was advisable for him to see the doctor himself, but Mika still didn''t understand the situation well and she was too young to do so, therefore, the nurse allowed it.


    After all, in this situation, if Misha didn''t bring Mika along with him, this little girl would cry and it would be troublesometer to calm her down.


    With that, the three of them entered the doctor''s office.


    Misha didn''t know what he would face here, but he prepared himself that this was a bad thing.


    "So what happened to her?" asked Misha straight to the point after the introductions and pleasantries the two of them exchanged.


    The doctor was a female doctor who looked to be in herte fifties with hair that had turned all white. She smiled sweetly at Misha and greeted Mika kindly, but that alone couldn''t hide that she had serious matters to discuss.


    =========================


    "Mom?" Daniel called his mother. He could hear his mother''s sobs from outside her room and as soon as he spoke, the crying stopped immediately and Amber pretended to sleep again. "I''ll go inside," said Daniel, regardless of the absence of an answer from his mother.


    And when he stepped inside, the room was very dark, with no light at all. It even felt very suffocating.


    Not only that, the atmosphere was also very depressing.


    Luckily, right now Alia was watching a movie with their father, so Daniel could talk to his mother quite freely.


    "What happened, mom?" asked Daniel while sitting beside Amber''s bed and stroking his mother''s head. She was lying with her back to him, but from her shaking shoulders, Daniel knew that his mother was crying right now.


    She was trying to contain her sadness.


    "Tell me, what makes you this sad?" he asked again, more gently. He then took a deep breath and said the name. "Is it because of Kia?"


    And at the mention of that name, Amber''s cries became even clearer. She even choked a few times and this made Daniel feel sad as well, soon after which he hugged his mother''s body tightly.


    "Tell me what I can do to make you stop crying like this?" asked Daniel very gently. He could feel his chest being pierced with thousands of needles.


    "I want Kia, I want to see her, I want her toe home¡­" Amber sobbed. She could no longer contain the sadness she felt.


    The thought of the small room where Kia lived with her granddaughter and also how she lived alone to support herself and a baby, without anyone''s help, made her heart ache very much.


    How could she let this happen? How could she be so indifferent to the predicament her daughter had been in all this time? And turn a blind eye to that? What kind of mother had she been?


    "Daniel, bring Kia home, please... I want her toe home... why isn''t she home?" Amber started crying. She couldn''t think straight now.


    And on the other hand, Daniel didn''t know what to say to calm his mother down.


    "Mom, she will go home,ter after she has calmed down, she will definitelye home. After all, we are her family, where else would she go?" Daniel hugged his mother''s body, which felt very thin, tightly and tried to calm her down. He said whatever he had to say to make his mother stop crying.


    Only, Amber did not stop crying. She missed Kia and this was the first time she let her feelings known, because during these four years, she just kept everything inside, because no one talked about their second daughter, but that didn''t mean she forgot about Kia.


    "She doesn''t want toe back, she won''te back. It''s been four years and she hasn''te back, what should we do?" Amber cried bitterly when she said this.


    And indeed the fact was like that.


    "I will definitely make it happen, I will ask for her toe back. I will apologize to her. She will definitely forgive us," said Daniel. "Calm down mother..."


    "Kia doesn''t live in her apartment anymore, she doesn''t live there anymore," said Amber. She hadn''t told this to anyone except Lyle.


    "What?" Daniel frowned.


    "She doesn''t live there anymore¡­" and Amber then told Daniel that Kia had moved and no longer lived in the apartment and her roommate named Keira didn''t want to tell her where she had moved to. "How are we going to find her?"


    "I will find her mom, I will ask Mr. Tordoff, he must know where Kia lives now, after all, the two of them are in a rtionship, right? He must know about it."


    It was only after hearing the solution that Amber realized what she had forgotten. She forgot the fact that Daniel could ask his boss.


    "Right, you should ask Mr. Tordoff," Amber said, she then raised her head and looked at Daniel hopefully. "You should ask about Kia to Mr. Tordoff, he must know something. Ask him for help to coax her home."


    Thest thing was impossible for Daniel to do, considering theirst conversation, it seemed Mr. Tordoff wasn''t going to help anything by asking Kia toe home, but right now Daniel couldn''t say that. So, he just agreed with what his mother said.


    "Of course, I will ask Mr. Tordoff."


    "Right, Kia will definitely listen to what he has to say," said Amber, this time looking a little more cheerful at the possibility.


    =======================


    The doctor who was attending Kia said that she had gone to the roof of the building, but luckily a nurse found her and when asked, she said that she just wanted to enjoy the view.


    But, of course this rmed them and the dosage of drugs given to Kia was increased.


    The doctor couldn''t say more clearly because Mika was there and she asked Misha toe backter by himself, for now, he could see Kia together with Mika, because Kia really missed her daughter.


    After that, they talked about other things, while Dr. Diane led them to the room where Kia was staying.


    It was a beautiful room, but there was no balcony there, only a big ss window that led to a very beautiful view of the side garden, where the flowers were blooming and it looked very pretty.


    "Mama!" Mika couldn''t stay still and immediately ran toward Kia who was just about to leave her room. They should have met in the waiting room, but because Mika was impatient, with the doctor''s permission, they were allowed toe directly to Kia''s room.


    Of course, seeing her little daughter whom she had not seen for a week made Kia very happy. She immediately squatted down and hugged Mika tightly.


    Seeing this scene, Misha kept his distance, giving enough time and space for the mother and child to let each other go.


    "Mama, Mika misses mom..." Mika said while crying, hugging her mother very tightly and not letting go.


    "Of course, mom misses you too. I love you, my angel¡­" Kia kissed Mika''s cheek and then released herself. "Okay, let mama see your face," said Kia, looking at Mika''s face.


    Her little girl looked much better, she was noticeably chubby and happier.


    Kia shouldn''t have to worry about this, she should have known that Mika would be guaranteed, whatever needs she needed, as Misha would swiftly give it to her, therefore, she shouldn''t have to worry.


    But, of course, something was still amiss.


    No matter what Misha gave Mika, she would always look for Kia.


    "You''re not naughty, are you? Mika has be a good child, right, even though mom isn''t around?" asked Kia while wiping her tears and also Mika''s tears.


    "Mika is being a good child, Mika eats regrly and Mika also drinks milk... at uncle''s house, there is a veryrge swimming pool and also a veryrge back garden, uncle also said that he would buy Mika a rabbit. A family of three rabbits, mama, papa and also the baby¡­"


    And after that, Mika told everything that had happened during that one week and also announced the arrival of her grandparents.


    During the discussion, Misha was worried that Kia would feel ufortable, but she just listened carefully to Mika''s story.


    "I didn''t mean to tell this to my parents, but on Mika''s first day there, my mother came unannounced and found out about this," Misha said, exining this so Kia wouldn''t misunderstand.


    For a moment Kia stared at him and smiled gently. "You don''t need to exin this, I''m very happy, because Mika feels that she has grandparents who love her."


    She couldn''t expect that from her own parents, therefore, when she found out that Misha''s parents treated Mika really well, she felt relieved.


    ================


    *Read my new book: The Alpha: iming His Enemy''s Daughter*


    Alpha Cane''s revenge for his and his people''s very.

 Chapter 809: SHE IS GETTING BETTER

    Chapter 809: SHE IS GETTING BETTERKia stared at Mika''s sleeping face. Her Little daughter chattered all afternoon until she was tired and fell asleep in Kia''s room.


    The little girl brought her choctes as well as a picture she drew herself, where it showed her and Mika, just the two of them. Misha wasn''t there.


    And now, the childish picture was disyed on the wall of Kia''s room, while the artist was fast asleep.


    "I think it''s time for me to go home," Misha said while looking at Mika''s sleeping face, he then looked at Kia with soulful eyes. "How do you feel now? Are you feeling much better?" he asked as he approached Kia. He stroked the woman''s head gently.


    "I am fine," Kia said. She didn''t take her eyes off Mika, as if she wanted to engrave this incident in her mind.


    On the other hand, Misha wanted to ask why she went to the roof of the building at night, but he couldn''t bring himself to bring up the topic, thus, all he could do was remind her.


    "When you find it really difficult and you are about to give up, please remember that Mika needs you. Hold on to see her grow up and achieve her goals," Misha said while sitting in front of Kia, on the bed. "She said she wanted to be a doctor."


    "She told me she wanted to be a race car driver," Kia said with a smile, looking at her daughter with affection. "She has now changed her goal again?"


    "I think a doctor who is also a racer is pretty cool," replied Misha which made the smile on Kia''s lips grow even wider and this spread warmth to his heart as well. "Don''t be so hard on yourself. Remember that there are people, who love you, waiting for you."


    "Yeah, I think she will change her dream againter." Kia chuckled which made Misha feel a bit calmer. She was looking pretty good at the moment and he just hoped his woman would get better soon.


    "If you like high altitude ces, invite me too to go to that ce, because I also like heights. Don''t go and enjoy the beauty of that view alone," Misha said softly.


    Kia understood that Misha must have heard what had happened, but the two of them did not discuss it openly, there was only a tacit understanding between the two right now.


    "Take me and don''t go alone, okay?" Misha looked at Kia''s face deeply. He then reached out his hand to touch Kia''s face.


    Misha looked doubtful for a moment, but when Kia remained silent, he caressed her face gently and then pulled her body into his arms.


    "You understand? Don''t go alone and bring me along¡­" Misha whispered into Kia''s ear, to which she nodded gently. Her allowing Misha to hug her like this was a good sign already. "I''m sorry because I made you suffer like this and also thank you because you have survived and fought until now."


    Kia didn''t know what kind of emotion had ambushed her now, but she felt her chest feel very tight as she couldn''t hold back the urge to cry.


    She wrapped her arms around Misha''s body and then buried her face in the man''s chest, as tears started flowing from her eyes.


    Her chest was so tight while the tears were uncontroble, but Misha didn''t say anything and let her cry on his chest.


    Kia had never heard of anyone thanking her because she had fought and survived, so Misha didn''t have any idea at all how these simple words could touch the deepest parts of Kia''s heart.


    The words ''thank you'' were very simple, but for Kia, whose efforts were not recognized by her family and who didn''t even get the appreciation she deserved, those simple words were very important to her.


    "Thank you, Kia. Thank you for giving birth to Mika and fighting for our child." Misha hugged Kia''s body even tighter and let her cry to her heart''s content. Her thin and frail body trembled in his arms. "But, now let me fight for you two and you need to focus more on yourself. Everything will be fine."


    Kia nodded when she heard those words.


    Everything will be fine¡­


    She wished that was the end she would get, that everything would be fine and nothing would happen to her.


    Misha then kissed the top of Kia''s head gently.


    ==========================


    "Let me carry her to bed," said Lexus when he saw Misha walking into the house with Mika who had fallen asleep in his arms.


    Misha frowned as his father had snatched the girl from his arms before he even finished his first sentence.


    And carefully, Lexus carried Mika, while Misha didn''t resist because he didn''t want his little daughter to wake up and start looking for her mother again.


    "How was your meeting?" asked Candice worriedly when she saw Lexus take Mika to her room.


    Lexus had been very anxious because Misha couldn''t be contacted all day and Richard only said that the three of them were together.


    "Fine, things are going well," Misha replied calmly.


    "Then, what about Kia? Is she okay?" Candice asked cautiously.


    "Yeah, she is fine I think," Misha said, sounding uncertain. "If her condition improves during this month, then she will be allowed to go home, but of course she will still be under observation and required to get counseling once a week."


    Candice breathed a sigh of relief when she heard this and smiled happily.


    "I hope you can reunite soon and be aplete family. Mika will be so happy."


    Misha couldn''t answer those expectations, but he certainly hoped for the same. He hoped that everything would go well and that Kia would no longer be in pain.


    After the first visit, Mika seemed to get better and she started to settle in at the Tordoff residence. She quickly became a favorite of the residents of the residence because she was so friendly and smart.


    "Come here, Mika," Misha said one afternoon when Mika was ying with the three babysitters who looked after her.


    Mika stopped ying with her doll and then looked at Misha questioningly. But, in the end, she stood up and took the hand that was outstretched toward her.


    "Where are we going?" Mika asked while raising both her hands, asking Misha to carry her.


    She was not spoiled and always asked to be held, she only did this with people she wasfortable with.


    "Where are we going?" asked Mika while wrapping her arms around Misha''s neck, for some reason this little thing made him feel very happy, even though it wasn''t really a big deal.


    "I have a little surprise for you," Misha said as he walked her down the corridor and into the back garden. "I promised this to you, didn''t I?"


    Misha then put Mika down in a small yard that was fenced with not too high logs, which, in height, only reached Misha''s waist. Inside there were white houses that looked very tiny.


    Inside this fenced area the grass looked veryfortable. It seemed to be trimmed well.


    Mika tilted her head and looked at Misha questioningly, why was she in a fenced off area like this.


    And that was when from inside the little white house, three rabbits skipped out, one of which was much smaller than the other two, the color of the rabbits were white and brown, while the smallest one was mottled.


    "Wow!!!" Mika looked hysterical when she saw the bunnies and started running toward them, to which they tilted their heads and raised their long ears. They were not afraid when Mika came closer and started stroking the tiny creature''s backs. "They are so beautiful!" she eximed happily.


    "You like them?" Misha asked with a smile on his lips. Since Mika was here, Misha smiled a lot more. He also seemed more approachable and less scary.


    "I love them!" Mika answered excitedly. "Thank you, Uncle!"


    ugh.


    Misha would be very happy if only Mika would just say thank you, without calling him uncle.


    "What are you going to name the rabbits?" asked Richard who suddenly came to report to Misha. He looked happy to see the little girlughing while stroking her new rabbits.


    On the other hand, hearing Richard''s question, Mika''s ears perked up. She looked happy that he asked that, which earned the poor man a re from a certain boss beside him.


    "I''m going to name this one White, Brown and Kitty."


    "Kitty? But, it''s a rabbit, not a cat," said Richard confusedly, but Mika just shook her head while answering innocently.


    "But, I want to name her Kitty."


    And so the little bunny got the name Kitty, because that was what Mika wanted.


    The next weekend came and Kia looked a lot better. She looked a lot easier to interact with andughed a lot more. She even kissed Misha on the cheek when he was going home, ending the day''s visit, after she kissed Mika on the cheek.


    And of course that was a good sign, which meant that Kia had been going through the process of healing herself properly.


    After that day, everything went on as if nothing could interfere, until Misha got a request to meet from Daniel, for which he went to the main office to meet Misha in person, even though he had actually been assigned to be in charge of one of the subsidiarypanies.


    ================


    *Read my new book: The Alpha: iming His Enemy''s Daughter*


    Alpha Cane''s revenge for his and his people''s very.

 Chapter 810: SHOPPING WITH GRANDMA

    Chapter 810: SHOPPING WITH GRANDMADaniel got a hike both in position and sry, but with the condition that he had to move to another office, which was a little far from the head office.


    For other people who saw this, of course, it could be said as a very good thing because who didn''t want to get a promotion? But, for Daniel, this promotion had a hidden agenda.


    Misha wanted to distance him from Kia.


    This was a warning to him that Misha could control his life as well as career and that he should stay away from Kia.


    However, Daniel had promised his mother to get Kia back, he promised to bring his younger sister home and make her see their mother''s condition, of course, he would try all kinds of ways to be able to meet and talk to Kia again.


    "I don''t remember calling you to the head office," Misha said the moment Daniel stood in front of him. He folded his arms and stared coldly at the young man before him.


    "I have something important to talk to you about," Daniel said politely, he tried to keep his attitude and words down, because he didn''t want to give Misha a chance to criticize him.


    "What do you want?" Misha asked again impatiently. "Is this rted to thepany you oversee?"


    "No, this has nothing to do with thepany," Daniel replied. He then lifted his head and looked Misha in the eye, a difficult thing to aplish when you have to deal with someone like Misha Tordoff, where it took more than just courage to hold up under the pressure he exuded.


    "Then you can leave now," Misha said in a cold voice and then stood up. Today he promised to read a story book before his little daughter went to bed, but it seemed like having dinner with her was an even better idea. He decided to go home early today.


    "Mr. Tordoff," Daniel called hastily, standing up from his seat. He blocked Misha''s way, something that was very bold and a little brash if he could say, which made the man stare intently at Daniel. His boss was now emitting a dangerous aura.


    "Get out of my way," Misha said calmly, but that calmness was far more terrifying than if he had barked out those words.


    Daniel trembled slightly when he faced Misha who was like this, but then he steadied himself and took a deep breath.


    "I want to talk to Kia." Daniel clenched his fists so he wouldn''t back down. "I wanted to talk to her because I have something very important to say."


    "I don''t talk about personal matters in the office," Misha said curtly.


    "We can leave the office and talk elsewhere if you want," said Daniel. He didn''t want to walk out of this room empty-handed and achieve nothing either.


    "Or I can kick you out of thepany, because what you are doing is very unprofessional." Misha gave a small smile when he saw the reaction shown by Daniel. "Get out of my sight. Now!"


    Misha was walking toward the door when Daniel talked again. He looked desperate and didn''t know what else to do in this position.


    "Our mother is sick and she needs to meet Kia. She wants to apologize to her for what happened and hopes they can meet again and discuss this." Daniel had no other choice but to tell Misha about this. "If you can''t bring them both together, can you convey this to Kia? At least, she should know that our mother is not in a good condition."


    Misha was silent for a moment with his back facing Daniel, but then he walked away and left the room directly. He didn''t answer whether he would tell Kia about their mother''s condition or not and Daniel couldn''t confirm anything either.


    =======================


    "You''ll be going to school soon, so why don''t we go shopping and buy your school supplies?" said Candice when she invited Mika to go to the biggest shopping center in this city. They were only apanied by two bodyguards, while they left the babysitters behind.


    Mika looked at her grandma with her big eyes and asked, "I want a bag in the shape of a rabbit," she said.


    "You really like rabbits, don''t you?" Candice said, realizing that her granddaughter was so crazy about these small and fluffy animals.


    "Bunnies are very cute and soft, and also gentle," said Mika while looking at the street. She really liked to observe her surroundings.


    "Mika is very smart, isn''t she?" Candice said proudly and kissed the little girl''s cheek who was starting to look chubby because she started eating regrly and this made her very happy.


    The trip to the shopping center was very short, even though the road was a little jammed, because Mika sang songs taught by Kia and Candice was happy to sing along with her.


    And when they arrived, Candice immediately asked Mika to go look for the rabbit-shaped bag that she liked.


    But, of course, they couldn''t easily find a model with these specifications, so Candice finally invited Mika to her favorite boutique.


    "Oh, who is this small and cute girl?" asked the owner of the boutique, Monica, looking so happy when she saw Mika and Candice.


    Of course, since this was Mrs. Tordoff who came, she was the one who served her personally.


    "She''s my granddaughter," Candice answered in a soft voice as she looked at Mika who was pressing her body against hers, holding her hand tightly.


    It could be seen that this little girl couldn''t get along with strangers she had never met before. She would shrink herself and take cover behind the body of an adult who she thought would provide a sense of security for her.


    "Oh, is this the daughter of Mr. Misha Tordoff? But, I didn''t know that¡­" Monica immediately stopped her words and didn''t continue her sentence when she got a meaningful look from Candice.


    This wasn''t a topic she should be able to casually talk about and she had to be careful in saying things like this, especially in the presence of a prominent family like the Tordoff family.


    "Oh, sorry, I seem to have crossed the line," said Monica, quickly reading the situation. She couldn''t afford to anger someone like Candice.


    "I''ve been looking around, but can''t find a bag shaped like a rabbit, so I want you to make one," said Candice with a sweet smile on her lips. It could be seen clearly that she was in a very good mood at the moment and this made Monica follow in her footsteps.


    "Oh, of course it''s not a big deal,e here, tell me what kind of rabbit you want, sweet girl," Monica said gently to Mika.


    "I want a white rabbit."


    "You really like white, don''t you?"


    "My mom likes white," answered Mika. "Mika likes what mama likes."


    Hearing this, Candice understood how deep the bond between Mika and Kia was and how much this little girl depended on her mother and meanwhile, Kia had to take care of this little girl all alone.


    But, even so, she managed to raise Mika well, despite what happened to herself.


    "Okay then, I will make the design and you will help me, how about it? Do you like drawing?"


    "Mika likes to draw," Mika said cheerfully and now she didn''t feel too shy anymore around Monica as she took out her drawing book from the backpack she was carrying. "Mika drew rabbits," she said happily while showing off her drawings proudly.


    "Wow! You are very great," said Monica.


    And after that, Monica started designing the bunny bag that Mika wanted while Candice chose clothes for her granddaughter. However, she soon became confused in the face of endless options. So she bought everything that looked suitable for Mika.


    Meanwhile, the little girl wasughing while being chatted by Monica, letting Candice buy more clothes.


    "Just send them all straight to the Tordoff residence," Candice said when they were done.


    And after three hours of being there, it was time for lunch.


    "What do you want to eat, Mika?" asked Candice, holding her small hand. Mika was very docile and very easy to look after. She didn''t throw tantrums when she didn''t get what she wanted. Kia had done an excellent job as a single mother.


    "Mika wants to eat meat," Mika answered excitedly. She looked around and pointed at a restaurant that served steak with a tempting promotional image. "Can I eat that?" asked Mika with a look full of doubt, she seemed to have prepared to be rejected.


    "Of course you can eat it there," Candice replied with a smile.


    "Wow! I promise I won''t have too many choctes after this!" Mika eximed cheerfully.


    Apart from eating meat, which reminded Candice very much of Misha, this little girl also really liked eating chocte.


    "Of course you can eat chocte too," Candice said without thinking too much, but Mika just stared at her in confusion.


    "But, grandma''s money will run out after we eat this meat..."


    "Grandmother''s money will run out?" Candice looked at Mika with a confused look, while Mika did the same thing.


    "Mom always says that if Mika eats meat like that, Mika can''t eat chocte or buy toys for a month, because mom won''t have money," Mika said innocently.


    She really liked meat, so Kia''s words were recorded in her memory very well.


    Meanwhile, Candice felt her world copse when she heard that. She knew that Kia was living in economic hardship, but she didn''t know that they were living in such hardship.

 Chapter 811: I DONT NEED YOUR GRATITUDE

    Chapter 811: I DON''T NEED YOUR GRATITUDEAlia couldn''t bear to see her mother sad every day. Even when she tried to smile, Amber looked like she was about to cry.


    She knew what happened to her mother, but she didn''t dare to open a can of worms that Amber was trying to hold back, therefore, she didn''t say anything now, until her mother agreed to discuss this.


    Therefore, after returning from school, Alia took her mother to go shopping, because she just got money from her drawingmissions and now she wanted to please her mother so she wouldn''t look so down.


    "Mom, you have to eat a lot, you look very thin," Alia said while cutting the steak for her mother so she could eat easily. This time, she would be the one paying for this meal. Even if it was a bit pricey, Alia had already raised enough money to afford this.


    "You shouldn''t waste money like this, Alia," said Amber when she saw the food that Alia had ordered. She was very proud of her daughter because she was growing well and she looked healthy, but of course this couldn''t lessen her guilt and sadness for Kia.


    "It''s okay, mom, I don''t do this every day," Alia said cheerfully, she then gave the sliced meat to Amber and smiled, telling her mother to eat a lot, even offering to buy dessert after they were done with the main course.


    But, Amber had no appetite and didn''t want to eat anything now. She just didn''t want to make Alia more worried than this, so she tried to chew and swallow the meat in front of her, even though she couldn''t taste anything.


    "No need, no need to order dessert, I am not in the mood for anything sweet," Amber said and then smiled to reassure Alia, but that couldn''t calm her youngest daughter down, even though after that she didn''t say anything else.


    And while they were eating and having a small talk, Alia''s eyes widened when she saw who had entered the restaurant.


    She saw the little girl she couldn''t possibly forget at all. It was the little girl who was with her older sister, Kia, when theyst met.


    Alia remembered this little girl well because she was her niece, daughter of Kia.


    "What''s wrong Alia? What did you see?" asked Amber, she followed Alia''s line of sight, but she didn''t see anything out of the ordinary. Everything looked the same and nothing was out of the ce. "What did you see?" she asked again.


    "That¡­" Alia wasn''t sure if she could tell her mother this, but she also had no other choice. "That is Sis Kia''s child¡­" she said in a low and hesitant voice. She was sure that it was Kia''s child, but who was the grown woman with her? She looked very elegant and charismatic and of course everything she was wearing screamed luxury.


    "What?" Amber was afraid that she had heard wrong, so she asked Alia to repeat what she had just said. "What did you just say?" she asked in disbelief.


    "That is Sis Kia''s child," Alia said again with a very confident face now, because the little girl was sitting just two tables away from them and she could see her quite clearly now.


    "You are not kidding right?" Amber asked while watching the little girl with a woman, who looked older than herself, but the aura that radiated from her looked very powerful, like she wasn''t someone easy to approach.


    "Yeah, I am sure it''s Mika." They knew Kia''s child''s name because Daniel told them and Alia also heard Kia calling her daughter''s name before.


    "You are not kidding, are you?" asked Amber, she felt her breath stop before her heart started thumping very fast when she looked at the little girl who wasughing.


    Her tiny face bore no resemnce to her and Kia''s, but it was certain that she had a friendly smile that was very simr to when her daughter was still a child, especially when she shook her legs impatiently.


    Kia had the same habit when she was that child''s age, but she didn''t remember since when this habit disappeared.


    "Mom, where are you going?" asked Alia hastily. She was surprised when she saw her mother suddenly stand up and it was obvious that she was going to approach Mika and the strange woman. "Mom, don''t do that."


    "Don''t worry, I will have a good talk with her. If she''s with my granddaughter, then she knows where Kia is right now, right?" Amber pushed Alia''s hand away and walked toward Candice and Mika''s table.


    Meanwhile, Alia began to regret her decision to tell Amber about this problem, because it seemed like it would only cause more problems. So, without waiting any longer, Alia also followed her mother.


    But, before Amber could approach Candice''s table, a man restrained herself just as she was about to greet the woman.


    "What do you need?" the man asked politely and firmly, having already confirmed Amber''s intention was to talk to Candice.


    Meanwhile, Candice stopped chatting with Mika and looked at Amber with a look of disapproval on her face.


    She should have asked for a private room, but since Mika liked to look around and ask questions, while in a private room there wasn''t much for her to see, she chose to have lunch in a main hall like this.


    "I just want to talk for a moment," Amber said confusedly, looking at the man who suddenly stopped her and only then did she realize that this man was the woman''s bodyguard.


    Who exactly was that woman? Why did she need a bodyguard?


    "If you have nothing important to do, you better step back," said the bodyguard in a low and firm tone.


    "I just want to have a word with the Lady."


    "Do you know who that woman is?"


    Amber shook her head because she didn''t know who Candice really was.


    "Then you can return to your table now." The bodyguard was still standing in front of Amber, like a statue that had be a barrier between the two of them.


    "I don''t know who that woman is, but that little girl is my granddaughter," she said with certainty, because it was Alia who had convinced her that the little girl was Kia''s daughter.


    On the other hand, Alia tugged on her mother''s arm and begged her to stop. She wanted to drag her mother away because she could see that the woman who was with her niece was not a woman she could take lightly, especially with these two bodyguards guarding them.


    "Who are you?" asked Candice when she heard that Mika was her granddaughter. Actually, she could guess by looking at Amber''s face, because there was a close resemnce between her and Kia, but she just wanted to make sure.


    Amber held her breath for a moment and looked at Candice. "I am Kia''s mother and I am sure that the little child is Mika, Kia''s child."


    Candice stared back at Amber intently, before she waved at the bodyguard and told him to back off.


    "Please sit down," said Candice in a soft and authoritative voice. Meanwhile, Mika pressed her body against Candice and turned her face away because Amber was staring at her quite intensely, as if she was going to ''attack'' her, which made Mika feel scared. "I didn''t expect that I would meet Kia''s mother in a ce like this."


    Candice rubbed Mika''s arm and hugged her so she wouldn''t be scared and also to help calm her down. However, the girl averted her eyes from Amber and it made her look sad, but Candice actually felt very happy to see that expression full of regret and pain.


    "I also didn''t expect to meet my granddaughter in a ce like this," Amber then told how she knew it was her granddaughter and introduced Alia.


    Candice, of course, could guess who the young girl with Amber was from the stories she heard from Misha.


    And it was certain that Candice also conducted an investigation on this matter herself, where she found out what had happened to Kia and the results she got were not much different from what Misha had told her.


    "Hello, Mika, I am your grandmother and this is your mother''s younger sister, Alia," said Amber in a cheerful voice. She waved at Mika, but the little girl buried her face in Candice''s chest and refused to look at her.


    For Mika, Amber''s passionate gaze was frightening, because this was the first time she had met Amber.


    "It seems she doesn''t recognize you as her grandmother, even though it''s true that you are the mother of Kia," Candice said with a triumphant smile. For some reason, she liked this situation, especially after seeing the look in Amber''s eyes which was full of suffering.


    "There was a bit of a misunderstanding between myself and Kia, so we didn''t see each other for a while," said Amber, trying not to give more details about the actual situation.


    "What kind of misunderstanding?" asked Candice lightly.


    "That¡­" Amber looked ufortable in her seat. "I can''t say this, but if you could bring me and Kia together, I would be very grateful."


    Candice smiled very sweetly when she answered that. "I don''t need your gratitude, therefore, I also don''t need to tell you where Kia is."


    Candice didn''t need gratitude that didn''t mean anything to her and she made Amber understand that very well.


    =======================


    *Read my new book: KISSED BY THE DARK ALPHA*


    Alpha Micah Donovan''s second chance mate.

 Chapter 812: I DONT WANT WITH HER

    Chapter 812: I DON''T WANT WITH HERMika had never seen Amber before but she remembered Alia, they met recently and her mother got into a trouble because of her. She didn''t like them, so she hid her face in Candice''s chest and hugged her tightly.


    Instead of continuing to sit on her own chair, Mika shifted to Candice''sppletely.


    "I don''t need your gratitude, therefore, I don''t need to tell you where Kia is," Candice said calmly. She didn''t seem to show any emotion when she said that, therefore, it was difficult for Amber to know to what extent Candice had known about the issues between her and Kia.


    "I don''t know what kind of story you have heard, but actually what happened wasn''t that bad," Amber said in a low voice, she ignored Alia who was tugging at her sleeve, trying to stop her from speaking. She was not yet finished.


    "Not that bad?" Candice repeated. "I''m not surprised that Kia refuses to meet you, as it seems your family has a habit of trivializing the suffering of others."


    Amber gasped. "No, it''s not like that."


    "And instead of sincerely apologizing and truly admitting your mistakes, you lean toward prioritizing your ego, always looking for justification for what you have done."


    Amber opened her mouth but then she closed it again because she didn''t know what to say as Candice read the situation between her and Kia well.


    Maybe Candice would even doubt what Misha said, but since she had found out the truth behind this herself, she knew the outline of Amber''s treatment of Kia.


    "You better stop looking for her, because what you guys are doing will only make Kia suffer even more," said Candice coldly.


    If it wasn''t for Misha reminding her not to get involved in this matter and Kia didn''t want a scene or seek revenge against her family, then of course, Candice wouldn''t have spoken so calmly nor would she have tried to ignore these people.


    But, since this was Misha''s request, then like it or not, she had toply.


    Although actually Candice wanted to teach a lesson or two to Kia''s mother.


    "Ask if there is still a private room? Mika can''t seem to eat in peace here," said Candice when Amber didn''t know what to say anymore and now she was trying to look at Mika''s face and this made the little girl even more ufortable.


    This little girl didn''t seem to like crowded surroundings that much.


    "Okay, I will ask about that," said one of the bodyguards and immediately went to carry out her order.


    On the other hand, Amber knew that Candice did this because she wanted to kick her out of there and wanted to stop this conversation, but the problem was; she didn''t want to finish the conversation yet because she hadn''t gotten what she wanted.


    "Wait a minute," Amber said as she held Candice''s hand before she walked away. "I don''t know who you are, but you seem to have misunderstood. That little kid is Kia''s kid, which means she is my granddaughter."


    "Yes," Candice said in a calm tone. "She is your granddaughter as well as mine."


    "No, no," Amber said, shaking her head. "That is not true. She is my granddaughter alone, not yours."


    Candice frowned, she didn''t understand what Amber wanted to say. "What do you mean?"


    "I know that you are Candice Tordoff, Misha Tordoff''s mother," Amber said. She remembered that she had seen Candice on a news show when she apanied Lexus Tordoff, her husband, but because she didn''t appear on the screen very often, not many people could immediately recognize her. "I know that Kia is close to Misha Tordoff, your son, but she is not your biological granddaughter."


    Candice was stunned for a moment as she had no idea where this conversation was going while it was quite confusing.


    "What do you mean?" Candice stood up and looked annoyed when the middle- aged woman in front of her said that Mika was not her granddaughter.


    "She is the child of another man and not the child of Misha Tordoff," Amber said quietly. She was afraid that this would cause problems for Kia and Misha''s rtionship, but she still had to tell the truth.


    Candice squinted when she heard the exnation, while Mika still buried her face in her shoulder. Even though she asionally nced at Amber, she would immediately hide her face again as soon as she saw the woman ncing at her. It seemed she really didn''t like being stared at like that.


    "Kia and Misha have just been in touch recently and the child is the result of Kia''s rtionship with another man," Amber said hesitantly. She again ignored Alia who asked her to stop talking. "I don''t want to cause trouble for Kia and Mr. Tordoff, but I wish you could give my granddaughter to me."


    Amber didn''t know what Candice already knew or what she had learned, but one thing was for sure; Amber didn''t seem to know about Kia and Misha''s rtionship before this.


    Misha had indeed told her that the rtionship between him and Kia onlysted for a very short time, but Candice had no doubts at all that Mika was Misha''s child, because the resemnce between the two of them couldn''t be ignored at all.


    "So?" Candice then stood up holding Mika. "What do you want to say?"


    Amber was a bit taken aback because of Candice''s indifference to the information she just told her. "She''s not Misha Tordoff''s daughter, you don''t have to look after her. I will take her because I am her grandma." Amber also stood up, she looked at Mika hopefully.


    "You think this little kid is an item you can just ask for?" Candice asked fiercely. "I am a little confused how Kia can live among people like you, who don''t really care about anything else but yourselves."


    Alia lowered her head, she felt ashamed of what Candice had said, but Amber was too blinded by her desire to be able to hug her first grandchild.


    And most likely to be able to meet with Kia.


    If she could bring her granddaughter home, it was certain that Kia woulde by herself to pick up her child. And so, Amber was very adamant about being able to get Mika.


    Even though it sounded quite crazy, in her mind, it made perfect sense.


    "Therefore, please give my granddaughter to me," Amber said hopefully. She held out her hands, as if to hold Mika, but this only made Candice frown deeply.


    "Mika, do you want to go with her?" Candice asked the little girl who was clinging to her.


    Mika then lifted her head, stared at Amber for a moment and then buried her face back into Candice''s shoulder, shaking her head vigorously.


    "Don''t want to!" She said firmly.


    On the other hand, Amber had been hopeful. She smiled so sweetly when Mika looked at her, but her heart shattered when she heard that her own granddaughter didn''t want toe with her and didn''t even want to see her for long.


    "Well, you have heard the girl''s answer yourself, I hope you understand why I can''t give her to you," said Candice with a triumphant grin tugging at the corners of her lips. She waspletely satisfied with Mika''s answer.


    Indeed, her granddaughter is the best, she knows how to judge someone.


    Candice felt like she wanted to hum as she walked past Amber, but of course she didn''t, because that was too childish.


    Call her heartless, but as soon as she walked past Amber who looked really hit by Mika''s short answer, she wanted tough, so she immediately left there.


    "Smart girl," Candice said to Mika once they were in thefort of the private room she asked for, now nothing could disturb them both.


    Mika raised her head and looked at Candice with her big, round eyes. "Mika wants to be with grandma, Mika doesn''t want to go with them."


    "Of course," Candice said cheerfully. "No one will take Mika from grandma. Come on, now you have to eat a lot so you can grow up faster, okay?"


    Mika nodded and started to eat the steak in front of her which Candice had cut into small pieces. Once the juicy meat melted in her mouth, she seemed to forget about the unpleasant moment from earlier.


    =====================


    "Don''t be loud, Mika is sleeping now," Candice said when Misha called her and asked where she had taken Mika.


    Today, Misha was not in a good mood because he met Daniel. He wanted to go home early so he could meet Mika and have dinner together before he could read a story book to her before going to bed.


    But, who would have thought that his daughter had been taken away by his mother.


    "We will be there in ten minutes," Candice said impatiently. She stroked Mika''s soft cheek and smiled happily remembering today''s events. "Okay, I will disconnect the call."


    Candice didn''t wait for as much as a response from Misha and immediately hung up on him.


    And true to what she said, ten minutester, they arrived at home, where Misha was waiting in casual clothes. He seemed impatient, because the first thing he did was hold Mika in his arms instead of greeting his mother.


    "This child¡­ you are ignoring your own mother now?" Candice grumbled when she saw Misha carrying Mika into the house.


    Hearing this, Misha just nodded toward his mother in acknowledgment, but after that he just walked away.

 Chapter 813: KIA IS BEING DISCHARGED

    Chapter 813: KIA IS BEING DISCHARGEDThe day when Kia was allowed to go home was finally here and Mika, apart from Misha, was the one who was most happy to hear the news that she could now see her mother every day and not just once a week as before.


    And early in the morning, she woke up and got out of bed to go to Misha''s room, even though the sky was still dark.


    "Uncle, Uncle, wake up," Mika said in a low voice, she intended to wake Misha up, but she kept her voice very soft. "Uncle, we have to pick up mom,e on get up."


    Mika nudged Misha''s cheeks and then tucked herself into the covers because this room was much colder than her own.


    "It''s still too early Mika," Misha said as he pulled his daughter''s little body into his arms. He didn''t open his eyes at all because he had only slept for a few hours. "Mommy will still be sleeping at this hour."


    "Then let''s wake up mom," said Mika while hugging Misha''s body too because it felt warm. "We go, wake mom and then tell her to sleep in Mika''s room."


    "Good idea, but we can do itter, not now, okay?" Misha hugged his daughter tighter.


    After the incident of Mika ''disappearing'' in the morning, she would often be found in Misha''s room, because early in the morning, she would often change rooms and continue to sleep beside Misha and these things happened frequently, therefore, Misha was no longer surprised when he awoke to find his little daughter clinging to him, fast asleep. She would usually curl under the covers, holding him close.


    For Misha, those were the best mornings he could ever get and he loved whenever he got to wake up like that.


    "But, Mika wants to go now," Mika said in a low voice. "Let''s wake mom and bring her home."


    Misha then rubbed Mika''s head and didn''t say anything, which made the little girl yawn and this made Misha chuckle, because not long after that Mika would fall back asleep.


    And sure enough, it wasn''t long before Mika had fallen asleep, forgetting about her mission to pick up her mother, which meant that Misha could continue sleeping for the next two hours.


    His little girl even snore softly, the sound was so therapeutic in his ears.


    ========================


    "Mama!" Mika shouted while running fast. She shot toward Kia as soon as Misha let her down from his embrace and immediately hugged her mother tightly. "Mika missed mommy!"


    Kia chuckled and kissed Mika on the cheek. "Mommy missed you too, baby."


    Misha calmly followed behind and smiled at this sight. Kia looked much thinner and her face was a little pale, but she was much better than when she first came to this hospital.


    Her eyes radiated the serenity and joy that had been missing for so long.


    "Let someone else carry the suitcases into the car. Let''s go home," Misha said in a calm voice, he stretched out his hand and Kia took it. This made Misha feel relieved because it meant that Kia didn''t reject him anymore.


    "Mama, mama, I am going to show you my bunnies!" Mika shouted, jumping up and down, asking to be carried by Kia, but Misha was the one who grabbed her and carried her. "I want to be with mom."


    "Mommy is still sick, so I can carry you," said Misha which made Mika frown, but she didn''t whine.


    While being carried by Misha, Mika held Kia''s hand tightly, as if she was afraid that her mother would note with them to go home and would be in this ce much longer. She didn''t want that to happen.


    "How do you feel?" Misha asked while holding Kia''s hand which felt very thin and frail. He felt that if he held it any harder than this, he would be able to crush it.


    "I''m fine," replied Kia with a smile. The two of them walked toward the car and didn''t talk much to each other as Mika continued to dominate the conversation. She seemed very eager to tell her mother about anything she saw and tell her what she had done.


    "Grandma bought me a bunny bag! I didn''t bring it because I was going to wear it on the first day of school," said Mika excitedly. "And then¡­" and Mika kept telling stories on the way home.


    Mika only stopped talking when they got stuck in traffic and had to be there for about half an hour and the little girl got tired and fell asleep on Kia''sp.


    "I didn''t know that she could be this talkative, was she also like this when she was at your house?" asked Kia while stroking Mika''s head gently, while she fell asleep snoring softly.


    Misha winced slightly when he heard how Kia said ''your house'', he felt the distance between them felt so real, but this was not the time to be discussing that.


    "She is very cheerful and everyone likes her," said Misha while stroking Mika''s head gently and this had be a habit for him.


    Seeing this, Kia had mixed feelings.


    "I am bothering you," said Kia in a low voice.


    Misha was silent for a moment, but then he answered in a calm voice. "Keep bothering me, I like it."


    Kia looked up at him when she heard that kind of answer and chuckled, but Misha was very serious when he said that. He wanted Kia to keep bothering him. He wanted to take care of them both.


    And for the rest of the trip, they stayed silent and the atmosphere became more calm, but not awkward at all.


    Something that Misha rarely got and he really liked this. He felt much more rxed now.


    "I will carry her into her room," Misha said while carrying Mika carefully so she wouldn''t wake up, while Kia followed behind.


    This was the second time for her to be at the Tordoff residence and the room prepared for Mika was the same room she had previously seen, but this time the room had been beautifully renovated and would certainly make any child of Mika''s age feelfortable in being there.


    Misha had prepared everything very well.


    "As for your room¡­" Misha said, but Kia had cut him off.


    "I will sleep together with Mika, you don''t need to bother," Kia said quickly, which made Misha just nod, agreeing to that.


    Actually, Misha wanted to tell her that she could sleep in his room, because his room was right opposite Mika''s, but Kia much preferred to sleep together with their daughter.


    "Hm, Misha¡­" Kia said hesitantly before Misha left the room and let herself to rest.


    "Yes?"


    Kia looked awkward, but then she said "Where are your mom and dad? You said they were here to see Mika, but I didn''t see them when we came earlier."


    Kia didn''t know what she should do when she met them, but it would seem very impolite if she didn''t say hello to the two of them, especially after what happened and she also had to re-exin Mika''s position.


    It was just that Misha''s answer was beyond her expectations.


    "I told them to go home," he answered briefly. "They''ve been here too long and it''s time for them to go home, you need rest anyway and they''ll only bother you."


    Kia gasped, she didn''t expect Misha to do that.


    "How can you kick them out of their own home?" Kia winced, feeling scared. What would they think of herter?


    "The Tordoff Mansion is the ce for the sessors who are running thepany and now that my father has retired, this is automatically my home." After all, the house his father currently living in was no less grand than this house. "You don''t have to worry about them."


    On the one hand, Kia was relieved that she didn''t need to meet with Lexus and Candice for the time being, as she was still not ready, which Misha fully understood, and so he asked the two of them to leave and temporarily postponed the meeting.


    However, on the other hand, Kia felt bad because she felt like she had acted impolitely.


    Seeing Kia''s troubled face, Misha went up to her and hugged her, which surprised her, but she didn''t push him away and let him hug her like this.


    "Don''t worry about anything, I want you to focus on yourself and let me handle everything," Misha said softly and kissed Kia''s forehead. "Take a rest, I''ll ask someone to deliver lunch to your room."


    And after saying that, Misha came out of the room, but before that, Kia called out carefully.


    "Misha, thank you."


    "I will ept your thanks if you show it in another way," Misha said with a knowing smile.


    This left Kia confused, but Misha had left the room and left her alone with Mika who was sleeping, so they could both rest.


    Kia then decided to change her clothes and rest while waiting for lunch which would be delivered to her room, ording to what Misha said, but then, three middle-aged women wearing uniforms greeted her.


    "We are Miss Mika''s babysitters," said one of them named E.


    "Babysitters for Mika?" Kia frowned. She wouldn''t be this surprised if Misha had prepared a babysitter for Mika, considering that Misha had absolutely no experience taking care of a small child. But¡­ "You three are Mika''s babysitters?"


    Seriously, how could he hire three people at once to look after Mika?


    "Yes, that''s right," she replied.


    Kia didn''t know what to say anymore¡­

 Chapter 814: CUDDLING

    Chapter 814: CUDDLINGFor the next two days after that, Kia rarely saw Misha because he was very busy. Her days were spent ying with Mika, apanied by three babysitters that Kia didn''t really need, because she was sure she could take care of her own daughter, but Misha said that they would still stay employed and could help her anytime, just in case.


    And because the conversation was very short as Misha had to go to work, they didn''t discuss it any further and now the three babysitters were like chat buddies for Kia, instead of taking care of Mika.


    Kia had not seen Misha for the past two days, so she was determined not to sleep tonight and waited for him in the living room, just so she could meet with Misha.


    "Why aren''t you sleeping yet?" Misha asked when he entered the house and found Kia waiting for him. Due to a problem at work, he had toe home reallyte these past few days.


    "I''m waiting for you," said Kia while approaching Misha. "Have you eaten?"


    Misha fell silent and answered half heartedly. "Yes, I have, I have eaten."


    Kia narrowed her eyes. "You are lying."


    "I already ate this afternoon."


    "That means you haven''t had dinner yet, right?"


    "¡­"


    "I''ll prepare dinner for you, okay? Meanwhile, you can clean up first."


    "You don''t have to do that," Misha said quickly. "Just let someone else do it, you should rest. Don''t wait toote for me toe home like this again either."


    "I''m fine, Misha, at least this is all I can do to repay your kindness," said Kia.


    Misha frowned when he heard that, he pulled Kia''s hand so they were facing each other now.


    "Don''t say such things, I took care of Mika because she is my daughter, how could you owe me a favor because I took care of my own child? And I''m taking care of you because you are the mother of my child, there''s nothing wrong with that and you don''t owe me anything, therefore, you don''t have to think about how to repay it." Misha said it all in a firm voice, but he didn''t raise his voice at all.


    "I¡­" Kia tried to find the words she could say to Misha, but he had spoken first.


    "Please don''t think like that, if anyone here is indebted, then it''s me." Misha lowered his voice, he then stretched out his hand and stroked Kia''s cheek gently. "Caring for Mika and you for this one month cannot bepared to the struggles you have faced taking care of Mika alone for the past four years."


    Kia bit her lips, for some reason her heart felt tight. Even though Misha didn''t say extravagant things, hearing someone admit that her struggles had a big meaning and thank her for what she had done so far, really made Kia''s heart feel tight.


    Those were the simple words she wanted to hear.


    Maybe she was too sensitive, but Kia really wanted to hear those words from other people.


    "You''ve done an extraordinary job, Kia, don''t ever forget that. If anyone here should feel bad and feel indebted, it''s me. And I also have to apologize to you for what I''ve done."


    For some reason, Kia cried when she heard this. Maybe this was the effect of the medicine or indeed she was very sensitive, but somehow she just wanted to cry and she couldn''t hold back the tears.


    Seeing this, Misha pulled Kia into his arms and let her cry into his chest.


    "Cry, I''m here for you," Misha said softly while stroking Kia''s back.


    "I don''t know why I''m crying," Kia said between sobs. "I can''t stop crying."


    "Then just cry until your heart is satisfied." Misha kissed Kia''s head carefully because he didn''t want his actions to be interpreted differently. He just wanted to show that he cared for and loved her.


    And Kia cried in Misha''s arms for about half an hour before her crying subsided a little and the white shirt that Misha was wearing was wet on the front because of Kia''s tears and whatnot, which made her a little embarrassed.


    "I shouldn''t have cried like this," she said shyly while trying to dry the front of Misha''s shirt which was now all wet from her tears.


    But, Misha justughed when he heard that. "Why not?" Misha asked while tidying Kia''s slightly messy hair. "I don''t mind even if you wet my shirt every night, but I hope you won''t be sad for a long time and that feeling will pass soon."


    Misha then wiped Kia''s tears from her cheeks and looked at the girl gently. Her cheeks and nose were all red while her eyes were swollen, but she was still beautiful and very adorable.


    "Sorry," said Kia, even though she didn''t know what she was apologizing for. It was almost like a habit for her to do that now.


    "Why do you have to apologize, don''t say such things, there''s no need to apologize to show how you feel."


    The atmosphere that night was calm and there were only the two of them there, which made both of them feel morefortable, but then, when they looked at each other and seemed to be carried away, Mika''s voice startled them both, whereupon Kia reflexively pushed Misha away from her.


    "Mama?" Mika rubbed her sleepy eyes, she woke up and didn''t find Kia and when she went to Misha''s room, she didn''t find her uncle there either.


    "Mika? Are you awake?" Kia said in a hoarse voice because she had been crying earlier, which Mika quickly noticed.


    "Mommy is crying?" asked Mika who then ran toward Kia. "Mommy, why are you crying? What is it?" asked Mika with a sad expression because she realized her mother was crying.


    "Mommy didn''t cry."


    "Mama is crying," Mika insisted, then she fixed her gaze on Misha. "Is this uncle bothering mama again?" She remembered thest time her mother cried was because of this ''uncle''.


    "No, no, Mika, it''s not like that," Kia said quickly, because she could see her little daughter looking fiercely at Misha.


    Misha gasped when he saw that his sweet and shy little princess could look so fierce and scary. Did he look like this too when he was angry? Now Misha wondered how his face looked when he was angry.


    "But, that uncle has made mama cry before," Mika said angrily. She then hugged her mother and buried her face in her mother''s shoulder. "Mika doesn''t want to be with that uncle."


    "No, Mika, mama wasn''t crying because of him," said Kia trying to calm her little daughter who was now crying.


    Maybe this was the emotional bond between the mother and child duo, because Mika could feel the sadness that Kia was feeling, therefore, she too looked upset and started crying.


    "I''ll talk to her in the room and calm her down," Kia said softly to Misha and then walked back to the room with Mika crying on her shoulder.


    Seeing that, Misha couldn''t help but sigh. Looks like he still had a long way to go to gain the trust of his fierce little daughter.


    After that, Misha cleaned himself up and was too tired to stay awake. He fell asleep right after he went to Mika''s room and found Kia sleeping with their daughter.


    Misha kissed Mika and Kia before returning to his room and only woke up when he heard a muttering voice nearby.


    "Let''s just wake him up," said Mika in a low voice.


    "No, let''s just put the breakfast on the table."


    "It''s okay, I usually switch to sleep in this room. The nket feels warm, what if mom also sleeps beside him? It feels veryfortable," said Mika, inviting Kia to sleep with Misha on the bed.


    Misha heard this and smiled in his heart. He could imagine what Kia''s expression would be right now.


    "No, let''s put down the breakfast, and we will head out." Kia then put the breakfast she had made on the table, because she didn''t want to wake Misha up.


    ording to the people in this house, Misha should have woken up by this hour, but it seemed they were wrong and the man looked so sound asleep that Kia couldn''t bear to wake him up.


    "Come here, mama, it''s morefortable here," Mika said as she climbed onto Misha''s bed and started sneaking into his nket.


    "Mika! Don''t!" Kia hissed in a low tone, she widened her eyes when she saw Mika hugging Misha who still had his eyes closed. "Come back here."


    "No, it''sfortable here," said Mika who then snuggled closer to Misha.


    And just when Kia was about to scream, Misha opened his eyes and said suggestively. "Yes, why don''t youe join us and sleep together here? It feels veryfortable."


    "Misha!" cried Kia, her face now flushed.


    Misha and Kiaughed while the little girl waved her hand, asking her mother to join the cuddling party.


    But Kia didn''t want to, she frowned and was about to walk away, but what she didn''t expect was for Misha to immediately reach out for her from the bed and grab her hand.


    Misha''s grip was so solid that Kia couldn''t struggle out of it, and the next thing that she knew, Misha had already pulled her onto the bed, which made Mikaugh happily. She immediately started cuddling with her mother.


    And that morning, filled withughter and family cuddling, even Misha had to cancel his morning meeting because he felt he didn''t want to go. He kept cuddling with his little family.

 Chapter 815: A DANCE WITH ME

    Chapter 815: A DANCE WITH METoday is Keira and Ben''s wedding day. Kia and Mika had been preparing since the morning and they both looked so beautiful in matching light blue dresses, showing that the dresses were from a twinning set.


    Mika was the happiest because she had the same dress as her mother.


    "Yeah, we will be leaving soon," Kia said to Misha over the phone.


    This week Misha had business matters, which required him to go out of town, which meant he wouldn''t be able to apany Kia to attend Keira''s wedding.


    Actually, Kia didn''t really expect that, because the party was just a small party attended by less than a hundred people and didn''t seem to suit Misha.


    But, because Keira already knew Misha as well, she extended an invitation to him, only the timing wasn''t right and he was currently out of town.


    "Thank you for the dress, Mika really likes it," said Kia, smiling when she saw Mika dancing in front of the mirror, as if she were a princess from a fairy tale.


    "You know, you can thank me in another way," Misha said. He always said this every time Kia thanked him.


    "In what way?"


    "Think about it, it will be your homework," he said yfully, which made Kia smile.


    And then because they had to leave soon and Misha had a meeting to attend, they hung up after Misha spoke to Mika and the little girl told her how beautiful she and her mother looked now.


    Mika also described the details of the dress she was wearing.


    Mika''s childish voice made Misha want to keep listening to her, because he was sick of hearing the low voices of men trying to seek sympathy from him, not to mention those who spoke with ulterior motives.


    But, because they had their own things to attend to, the conversation didn''tst long.


    "Bye Uncle!" Mika eximed cheerfully. She even waved her hand at the phone, thinking that Misha could see her. "I will dance at the partyter, I hope you see it when I dance in this dress."


    And after that, they went to Keira''s wedding where a driver and a car with two bodyguards had been prepared to escort them.


    Kia had protested about this since she was just going to attend her best friend''s wedding, but Misha didn''t listen. He said that this would give him peace of mind, therefore, Kia had to ept it.


    And because Misha looked tired, she didn''t want to argue anymore and let it go, with the condition that the two bodyguards wouldn''t enter the party area, because it would look very awkward if there were two men around her.


    "We are here," said Tim, the middle-aged man who became the driver. He opened the door for the two of them.


    "Thank you, Tim!" Mika eximed while jumping down and Kia said the same thing.


    Holding her daughter''s hand, Kia walked into the building which had been decorated with various kinds of adornments in white nuances as soft strains of songs filled the air, which made the atmosphere of this wedding party feel very sacred.


    "Kia! Mika!" Keira eximed when she saw the two of them and this made all the visitors there turn and stare at Kia and Mika, but Keira didn''t seem to care. She was too enthusiastic to be able to meet this mother and daughter pair. "I thought you were noting."


    Only Keira and Ben know what really happened to Kia.


    "Of course, I will not miss it for the world," said Kia, kissing Keira''s cheek. "You look very beautiful."


    Keira looked very elegant in her white wedding dress and also a tiara on her head.


    "You know," Keira said in a low voice, so only Kia could hear it. "The price of this wedding dress is much higher than the cost of the wedding itself."


    The wedding dress was a gift from Misha. He did say that he would pay for the entire wedding just because Keira managed to get Kia toe to the Tordoff family reunion some time ago.


    However, Keira refused and said that he just needed to buy her a wedding dress. She was then taken to a famous boutique by Misha''s assistant and had the privilege to choose the dress she liked.


    Who would have thought that the dress she had chosen had such arge nominal value?


    Feeling bad, Keira intended to cancel the order, but they said that it couldn''t be cancelled.


    "I want to auction off this dress and use the money to pay down payment for the house," said Keira. She had to be very careful with that dress. "What do you think?"


    Kiaughed when she heard this. "I would do the same if I were you." They bothughed at the n.


    "Aunty, Aunty!" Mika tugged at Keira''s dress to get attention.


    "Oh, yes, honey?" Keira slightly lowered her body so she could be on the same level as the little girl.


    "Look at my dress! I have the same dress as mama!" Mika eximed while spinning, showing off her dress.


    "Oh, right! You look so beautiful!" Keira eximed excitedly while pping and Mika smiled proudly.


    "Mommy is beautiful too."


    "Yes, of course your mother is very beautiful."


    "Aunty is beautiful too."


    "Thank you," Keira said with a big smile.


    And after that, Keira then showed Kia and Mika seats, which were in the front row, close to the seats of the families from both sides.


    The wedding ceremony took ce very solemnly and very touchingly, especially when the wedding vows were read.


    Kia smiled while crying when she saw Keira cry. She was happy because her friend was getting the happiness she deserved.


    And nothing in this world could make her happier to see the people she loved happy.


    "Do you want a wedding like this?"


    Kia flinched and immediately turned her body around, only to find Misha sitting on the bench right behind her.


    "How did you get here?" said Kia in a low voice, because everyone was solemnly observing the course of this wedding ceremony.


    "I finished my meeting earlier and flew here immediately," Misha said casually. "You have not answered my question, do you want a wedding like this?"


    However, Kia didn''t want to answer that and still tried to change the subject. "Is there a sudden flight schedule like that?"


    Misha tilted his head and looked at Kia with mirth in his eyes. "Why do I have to follow the flight schedule? I have my own ne that I can fly whenever I want." He smiled arrogantly, seeing how Kia had forgotten how rich their daughter''s father was.


    "So arrogant," Kia scoffed, but when she turned her gaze forward, there was a small smile ying at the corner of her lips.


    And after the solemn event was over, came the reception part, where the event became lighter and filled withughter.


    "Uncle?!" Mika looked at Misha with her big eyes and raised her arms, asking to be picked up. She only noticed Misha there when he gave her a small te of pudding earlier. "Mama said you have an important meeting and can''te?"


    "I did have a meeting, but it''s over," Misha answered while pulling Mika into hisp. "But, because you said you wanted to dance, I came, as I wanted to see you dance."


    Mika''s eyes lit up when she heard that. She looked very enthusiastic.


    "What do you think of this marriage?" asked Misha. "Do you like this kind of concept?"


    "Are you trying to hit on me?" Kia narrowed her eyes at Misha.


    "I should at least try, right?"


    "Who actually taught you pick- up lines like that?"


    "Richard."


    Kiaughed softly, she didn''t know what to say anymore. "You should stop listening to him."


    Misha justughed along when he heard thement.


    And when it was time for Mika to dance to the music, Misha recorded it on his cellphone and this was something that rarely happened because he was not the type of person who captured the moments around him.


    "Do you want to dance with me?" Misha asked Kia after Mika finished dancing and satfortably drinking her fruit juice and was in the middle of the kids her age.


    "No, I can''t dance," Kia said, shaking her head.


    "Why not? I can''t either."


    "Are you nning to embarrass us both, Mr. Tordoff?"


    Mishaughed at that. Luckily, the invited guests didn''t recognize Misha and they only thought that he was a handsome man who was a friend of the bride and groom.


    Because all of them who were here were not from the upper ss like Misha, they were not very familiar with faces like Misha and would not expect a Tordoff to attend a simple wedding like this.


    "Not really," said Misha, standing up and holding out his hand to Kia. "But you will embarrass me if you don''t ept my offer."


    Misha stood before Kia and it would be very awkward if she didn''t ept his offer.


    Therefore, Kia then ced her hand in Misha''s hand begrudgingly.


    "Don''t be angry if I step on your feetter," Kia warned.


    "I think this is an agreement that we won''t get mad at each other if we step on each other''s toes," said Misha with a sweet smile as he pulled Kia onto the dance floor and hugged her tightly.


    "You are a bit pushy I guess."


    "That''s how I grab my deals."


    ================


    THIS BOOK IS PUBLISHED ON WEBNOVEL.


    Meet me on Instagram @jikan_yo_tomare.

 Chapter 816: I WANT YOU TO WEAR THIS

    Chapter 816: I WANT YOU TO WEAR THISAfter the wedding was over, the three of them went home together, but because it was toote and Kia and Mika were too tired, they ended up falling asleep on their way home. Even when they reached home, both of them were still sleeping.


    Not wanting to wake either of them up, Misha carried Kia while he asked Richard to carry Mika.


    "Where are you taking Ms. Kia?" Richard asked with a frown when he saw that Misha didn''t bring Kia into Mika''s room.


    As far as Richard knew, Kia and Mika slept in the same room together.


    "None of your business," Misha said curtly as he entered his own room. But from behind, Richard muttered, loud enough to be called a mumble, as if he hoped that Misha would hear this.


    "You must not take advantage of an unconscious woman, Mr. Tordoff."


    "She''s not unconscious, just asleep," Misha corrected him.


    And when Richard got a look, he immediately went into Mika''s room without saying anything else.


    In the room, Mishay Kia down on the bed and contemted for a moment, should he change her dress?


    But, then he would wake Kia up and it was inevitable that she would get up immediately and move into Mika''s room if he did so.


    Thus, Misha just let it go. After cleaning her face and changing his own clothes, Misha theny down beside Kia and looked at her sleeping face peacefully.


    Misha wanted to see her always calm like this, without having to think about burdensome things. He wanted Kia to depend on him, thinking that she could lean on himfortably.


    "I hope you don''t get hurt anymore," Misha muttered before he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.


    The night was calm and long and when the sun came up the first thing that woke them both up was the sound of Mika crying. She was sobbing, standing at the end of their bed.


    It woke Kia and Misha up.


    The little girl hugged her stuffed rabbit while looking at the both of them with a hurt look.


    "What is it?" asked Kia while rubbing her face, she was still sleepy, therefore she still didn''t realize what happened or where she was. "Come here, why are you standing there?"


    Mika then walked toward Kia while still crying. She hugged her mother tightly.


    "You are bad, why did you sleep together without Mika?" asked Mika in between her tears.


    "Slept together?" Kia was still confused, but then her gaze fell on Misha who was also awake. He was beside Kia and this surprised her. "What are you doing here? Why are you sleeping in this room?"


    It was obvious that Misha had been sleeping here, based on the fact he''d just woken up with his messy hair.


    "Of course I slept here, this is my room," said Misha in a slightly hoarse voice.


    "Your room?" Kia repeated confusedly, but then she looked around and found that the room she was currently in was indeed not Mika''s room and this made her face turn red.


    But, Kia didn''t have time to be embarrassed, because Mika was sulking as she felt abandoned, thinking she was not invited to sleep together.


    "Why can''t we sleep together?" asked Mika with a sad look at her mother.


    "That¡­" Kia didn''t know what to say, because she herself didn''t know why Misha took her to his room instead of Mika''s bedroom.


    "Becausest night I misced your sleeping mother," Misha exined. "I should have put mom in Mika''s room, but put her in mine instead."


    What kind of reason was that? Kia thought, but Mika bought it.


    "Then, why didn''t Uncle put Mama back in Mika''s room?"


    "Because I''m too tired, therefore, I let mom sleep in this room." Misha wiped Mika''s tears away. "You like cuddling with us?"


    Mika then nodded.


    "Thene here, let''s cuddle." Misha swiftlyy Mika in the middle and tucked her in before he stretched out his arms to hug Mika and Kia at the same time.


    Ok, nice try...


    Kia wanted to roll her eyes. Mika wouldn''t notice this, but of course, Kia could quickly read what Misha wanted from cuddling time like this. He really did it seamlessly.


    "Why? You don''t like cuddling time?" Misha asked when he noticed the gaze from Kia. He even pretended to be innocent as if he did not know anything.


    "No, I like it," Kia muttered as Mika was also staring at her, waiting for a response from her.


    "I''m d you like this, I wish we could do this more often," Misha said.


    But, before Kia could reject the idea, he asked Mika.


    "What do you think Mika? does Mika like to do this more often?" asked Misha mischievously.


    "Yes, Mika likes it, Mika wants to do this every day," said Mika happily. She giggled happily while hugging her mom and dad.


    On the other hand, Kia had nothing to say.


    But, after that, Misha didn''t dare to ask Kia to sleep in his room, lest the same thing happened again. He was afraid his daughter would cry again. He just decided to make both Kia and Mika sleep in his room whenever he got a chance.


    And that was how their days passed, they were like a happy little family, even though it couldn''t really be said what the rtionship between the two of them was.


    They were co- parenting indeed.


    It was just that, asionally Misha would kiss Kia''s forehead or cheek, as a gesture of affection, but nothing more than that.


    Especially when their daughter would show up at any moment and catch them both red- handed if they were doing anything else.


    And what was more, the timing didn''t seem right, because Misha was very busy recently and their time together was very limited.


    Until one night, Kia woke up because someone had entered their room, but after taking a nce, she knew that it was Misha.


    Instead of getting up and greeting him and asking if there was anything he needed, Kia actually pretended to be asleep and waited to see what Misha would do.


    As it turned out, Misha just stood there staring at the two of them before giving a kiss while whispering ''good night, sweet dreams'', and after that he went out of the room carefully so as not to make any noise.


    After Misha came out of the room, Kia woke up and sat on her bed. She felt that it was time for them to talk.


    Kia looked for Misha in his room, but found he wasn''t there.


    Therefore, she looked for him in his study, because Misha often visited those two rooms, apart from Mika''s room of course.


    Kia peeked inside and found Misha on a phone call with someone, but she didn''t know what they were talking about, because Misha was speaking in a foreignnguage.


    Thinking that Misha would spend the all night working, Kia decided to make him a cup of coffee and bring him some snacks.


    But, as soon as Kia came back she found Misha sitting in his chair with his eyes closed as he was leaning his backfortably. His breathing was even, but there was a furrow between his brows.


    He seemed to be thinking about something very deeply, even when he was sleeping.


    Kia then carefully ced the tray containing the coffee and snacks and approached Misha, making sure that he was asleep.


    Kia stared at Misha''s face for a while until the man opened his eyes and he looked clearly sleepy.


    "Did I wake you up?" she asked. She leaned her waist against the edge of Misha''s desk.


    "No," Misha said softly as he rubbed his face.


    "You shouldn''t sleep here," Kia said again. She then reached out her hand to touch the hair that fell past Misha''s forehead. She didn''t know why she was doing this, only, she was driven by an impulsive desire to do it.


    "I still have a lot of work to finish," said Misha, taking Kia''s hand and kissing her palm.


    Kia was stunned, but she didn''t withdraw her hand and let Misha do what he wanted. Kia also didn''t say anything as Misha smiled at her and looked at her withzy eyes.


    "You''ve been very busytely," Kia finally said after a long silence. "Is your workload heavy?"


    "I just want to finish my usual work quickly, so I can take you both on a vacation," said Misha and this was shocking news for Kia, because she had never heard of this before. "We''ve never gone on a holiday, just the three of us, before, have we? Mika said that she wanted to experience camping after watching a television show."


    Kia lowered her head while muttering. "Looks like I troubled you again."


    "Don''t say things like that, stop saying and thinking you''re a bother. I''m d you are bothering me."


    "Your way of being happy is very strange," said Kia halfughing. "Then thank you."


    "I''d prefer if you showed your gratitude in some other way," Misha again said the same thing.


    "How should I show it?" asked Kia, she tilted her head. "Do you want me to sleep with you to show you how thankful I am?"


    Misha frowned at thement, but then he took it casually. "It''s also fine if you want to show it like that, it''s been a long time since I''ve slept with a woman anyway." He winked at her, who stared back at him sullenly. "All I want is for you to wear this."

 Chapter 817: I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT YOURSELF

    Chapter 817: I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT YOURSELFKia didn''t understand what Misha really wanted from her. He did say it lightly, like a joke, but Kia felt that Misha wasn''t really joking with her.


    "If you really want to sleep with me, I have no problem fulfilling your wish." Misha stretched out his hand and pinched Kia''s cheek gently, who was pouting. "But that''s not what I want."


    Misha grabbed something from his desk drawer and took out a folder, which he then handed over to Kia.


    "What is this?" Kia received the pile of documents and frowned, looking at Misha suspiciously.


    Kia opened the document and her eyes narrowed sharply.


    "No, I can''t ept this," Kia said while quickly returning the document to Misha''s hand, as if it had burned her hand.


    "Why not?" asked Misha in a soft voice, he then grabbed Kia''s wrist to keep her in ce. "You should read what it states clearly. I am not giving this to you, but to Mika."


    Misha then showed Mika''s name on the first page.


    One nce and Kia knew what document it was. It stated the change of ownership of an apartment followed by Mika''s educational expenses, as well as a few other things that Kia didn''t need to read in detail to find out since they all stated the same thing.


    "I can''t give this to Mika right now, because she will just tear it up and ruin it." Misha then returned the document to Kia''s hands. "I didn''t give this to you because I knew you would refuse, but I gave all of this to our child."


    "Misha," Kia was about to protest again, but Misha had already stood up from his seat and lifted Kia onto the table, which made her very surprised. She couldn''t help but widen her eyes at what Misha was doing. He then actually caged her body by cing his hands on the table on both sides of her body.


    "Kia, I know that you don''t want any help from me and if you could, you would prefer to get out of this house right now if you had somewhere else to go and enough money."


    Kia lowered her head, because that was what she thought. Although living in this house was very beneficial for her and also Mika, because she didn''t need to think about anything else and she could focus on taking care of Mika while she herself could also have a stable life, somehow her heart still felt unsettled.


    "Let''s think about this logically," Misha said, he didn''t raise his voice, but he spoke as if he was discussing some business. "You want Mika to be able to go to a good school and have a decent ce to live, right?"


    Kia didn''t answer the question, but Misha knew that it was true.


    "You also want Mika to have a decent life like other children. She can have nice toys and clothes, you want to give her good and healthy food so she can grow well, especially given her weak body. Isn''t it?"


    Kia still didn''t answer back, but she lowered her eyes, not daring to look at Misha.


    "Then, logically speaking, without my money, would you be able to do it now? What kind of life can you give Mika if you refuse mine?"


    Kia gritted her teeth and she felt angry and annoyed that what Misha said was true. She couldn''t give anything to Mika now.


    She had nothing to offer.


    "I want to be honest with you. Part of me wants to force you to marry me and start a family like we should have."


    Kia raised her head when she heard this and stared at Misha in disbelief. If that was what he wanted, he could easily get it. After all, what kind of deal could be more profitable for Kia if not from Misha?


    However, he still couldn''t lie to his heart.


    "But, that''s not the kind of a start I want between the two of us," Misha said. He shook his head. "Doing so will only make you think that I am the same jerk I was four years ago. I don''t want to do it like that."


    Kia raised her head and looked at Misha, she tried to find the lies in his eyes, but she only saw the sincerity of the man.


    "I want to do it the right way." Misha stretched out his hand and caressed Kia''s cheek. "I want you to decide what''s best for our rtionship, but at least let me try. Let me try to do the right thing. Things I should have done first."


    Misha tucked strands of her hair behind her ear.


    "I want to date you properly and approach you. I don''t want to stress you out or force you to choose, but I also want you to give me a chance." Misha lowered his head and kissed Kia''s forehead gently. "Thousands of words of apology from me will not be able to make you feel much better nor can I atone for the sins I havemitted by letting you be out there with our child, fighting alone."


    Kia could feel the sincerity in Misha''s words and this scared her.


    "What we''re talking about is the rtionship between us, but don''t let this matter affect Mika. I''m giving all of this to Mika, so she won''t be implicated by our troubles. Let her out of this problem." Misha then pressed his forehead to Kia''s. "I know that you need space and by living in a different ce from me it will help you think more clearly, because I can see how stressed you are being here."


    Even though Kia smiled and looked fine, that was not what Misha saw. She looked like a person who dragged herself around all day.


    And based on what Misha knew, the dose of medicine Kia was taking had also increased.


    It was hard for Misha to just let Kia go, but if this was what was best for her, Misha didn''t mind giving in.


    "If you want to stay here, I don''t mind at all, I will be very happy. However, being away from me can help you think more clearly and see the problems between us better. Please ept this. Not for you, but for Mika." Misha then passed the documents to her again.


    Kia held the documents, which felt very heavy.


    "Tomorrow, someone will take you to the apartment and see the school that Mika will attend," said Misha. "You can decide if you want to move from here or not, or when you will."


    Misha then hugged Kia tightly.


    "I wish you will stay here and we could be a family but if you need time for it all, I will understand and if you don''t ept me¡­" Misha gritted his teeth, he had a hard time continuing his speech. "I will understand. Don''t think too hard about this and enjoy your time with Mika. Think about this slowly, not for me, not for Mika, but for yourself."


    Kiaid her head on Misha''s shoulder and took a deep breath. She let Misha hug her like this.


    "Give me some time," Kia said slowly. "Give me some time to think about all of this."


    "Of course, take all the time you want." Misha kissed Kia''s hair. "But, before that, I want to show you something."


    Misha then let go of his arms around Kia and took something from his desk drawer, this time, it was a small dark blue box, which he ced in Kia''s palm.


    The box felt soft and before she opened it, Kia already guessed that it was a ring.


    "I want you to hold this, keep it." Misha didn''t take the ring and put it on Kia''s finger, because he wasn''t actually proposing. "This is my mother''s wedding ring, passed down from her family. If you can ept me, I want you to wear it, but if you can''t¡­ I want you to pass this down to Mika."


    Kia blinked. The ring looked beautiful and antique.


    "I''m not giving this to put pressure on you, I just want to carry on my mother''s family tradition, because only you and Mika deserve this."


    Misha stroked Kia''s head gently.


    "Think about all this calmly. Choose what you think is good for you."


    ========================


    The next day, Kia and Mika went to the apartment that Misha had written under the name of their daughter.


    It was a penthouse with an amazing view and only ten minutes from the school Mika was going to attend.


    Mika looked happy because she could see tall buildings around this building and was so enthusiastic when she saw the swimming pool there.


    "The swimming pool here is wider, but the one at uncle''s house is prettier," said Mika innocently.


    Kia smiled when she heard what Mika said. She was happy because Mika looked enthusiastic.


    And after that, they went to the school that Mika was going to attend. It was an international school where nursery kids fees could match Daniel''s university fees.


    The school even had everything you needed there, from running tracks, basketball court, tennis court, swimming pool and everything you could imagine.


    "Mika will go to school here?" Mika said cheerfully. She liked this part of the yground.


    "Are you happy?"


    Mika nodded while ying on the swing.


    "But, mama¡­ are we going to move into that apartment?" asked Mika without looking at Kia.


    "You want to move there?"


    Mika shook her head.


    "Why? Aren''t you happy?"


    "Is uncle also going to move in with us?"


    ================


    *Read my new book: The Alpha: iming His Enemy''s Daughter*


    Alpha Cane''s revenge for his and his people''s very.

 Chapter 818: STORY TELLING

    Chapter 818: STORY TELLINGMika was ying on the swing at her new school after they saw the apartment Misha gave her.


    Mika looked happy, even now she looked very healthy, much healthier than Kia could ever have imagined.


    "Is uncle also going to move in with us?" asked Mika while swinging on the swing, while Kia stood beside her.


    Luckily the swing was under a big tree and therefore, they could avoid the scorching heat of the sun.


    "Do you want uncle to move in with us too?" asked Kia after thinking about it for a while.


    "Yes, Mika wants uncle to live with us." Mika then stopped swinging and looked at Kia with a ''serious'' look in her eyes. "Buttely uncle is very busy and doesn''t have time to read Mika a story."


    It was true thattely Misha had been very busy.


    Unless Mika suddenly woke up too early and went into Misha''s room, they wouldn''t meet each other. Misha came home toote and left too early for the past few days.


    But, almost every night, Kia would wake up to find Mishaing into the room to kiss them both good night before he left the room, not realizing that Kia would be awake every single time.


    Misha did that to make sure they both slept well and soundly.


    "But, doesn''t mama read stories to Mika every night?" asked Kia while stroking Mika''s head before helping her down from the swing and holding her small hand.


    "Mama don''t know how to read the story properly," Mika said, frowning.


    "Mama don''t know how to read the story properly?" Kia raised her eyebrows and looked at her little daughter. "How can mama not read the story properly?" she just found out about this.


    "Mama makes the sound of tigers and lions in the same voice as a cat," said Mika. "If uncle reads it, he will sound very fierce and scary, just like a tiger."


    Kia was speechless when she heard this.


    "What''s special about uncle making tiger sound?" she asked.


    "He voiced it like this." Mika then roared, making her voice sound fierce, but instead she looked like a kitten, which made Kiaugh. "Mommy can''tugh." Mika protested.


    "Sorry, sorry," Kia said quickly when she saw Mika frown. "Mama didn''t mean tough at you." Kia nudged Mika''s cheek, she looked very healthy and rarely got sick nowadays.


    "I want Uncle to read story books to me," said Mika in a low voice.


    =====================


    "How is today?" Misha called Tim, the person who drove Mika and Kia around to visit the school and apartment today.


    "Miss Mika is very happy to see the apartment and school." Tim then went into more details about the reactions the two of them had, because Misha asked him to observe even the smallest things. "And Miss Mika said that she would prefer it if you read her story books at night."


    At that time, Tim was there, he stood behind Kia and Mika, so he could hear the conversation between the two of them well and also heard how funny it was when Mika imitated Misha''s voice when he read her a story book.


    "Mika said that?" There was a small smile at the corners of Misha''s lips and the look in his eyes became gentler than usual. He seemed very rxed after he heard this story.


    "Yes, but the little miss is a bitining because you don''te home often and she wants you to read a story book to her."


    "Is it?" Misha muttered while tapping his finger on the table. He looked at the clock on the wall. Mika''s bedtime was four hours from now¡­


    =========================


    "Mika wants to listen to this story," said Mika while picking up a book that told about a girl in a red hood with a wolf. She loved the story and Kia got tired of reading it.


    "Mika, you have a lot of other books, how about we read another story book?" asked Kia, crouching beside her little daughter.


    "I want to read this book." Mika gave the book to Kia and then ran up to her bed. "Mika loves this bed. This bed is big and soft."


    Mika remembered their bed when they were in the small apartment, where she had to sleep quietly because their bed was narrow and a little hard.


    Kia then followed Mika to bed carrying a book she wanted to read.


    "Mama also likes to sleep in bed?" Mika asked innocently.


    "Yes, mom likes it."


    "Mom likes this house?"


    "Yes."


    "Mom likes uncle?"


    Kia sat on the bed and was surprised by the question, but before Kia could answer, Mika was chattering again.


    "Mika likes uncle because uncle can imitate tiger sounds well and also likes to buy Mika ice cream! Uncle also bought bunnies for Mika, so Mika likes uncle."


    Kiaughed when she heard that, it felt so easy being a child, because it was the little things like that they would remember and appreciate the most.


    "Mom likes uncle too?"


    Kia bit her lip. It was an innocent question, but it sounded different in Kia''s ears. "Of course, mama likes uncle. Hasn''t uncle been good to you and good to both of us all along?"


    "Yes, Mika likes uncle." Mika then turned to her mother. "Mama, can we just stay here? Mika doesn''t want to part with the bunnies."


    Kaiughed again. Mika hadplimented Misha and said she liked him, but the thing she didn''t want to leave behind were the rabbits?


    "Come here, mama will read you a story." Kia pulled Mika closer and hugged her, preparing to read the story of the girl in the red hood.


    It was just that before she started, someone knocked on the door before it was pushed open. It was Misha. He looked like he had juste home from work and this was the first time he hade home early in weeks.


    "Is Mika sleeping?" he asked.


    "Uncle!" Mika then jumped from her bed which startled both the adults because they were afraid something would happen to her, and after that she darted toward Misha with both hands raised.


    Seeing Mika''s happy expression when she saw himself, made all the tiredness disappear as Misha felt very happy.


    It was the happiness that he had never felt before. Even when he won a big and important project, he had never felt the same level of satisfaction like this.


    "Uncle read me a story book!" Mika eximed enthusiastically, she then turned to Kia. "Mama! Give the book to uncle."


    Kia could only sigh. "I feel like I''ve been dumped," Kia trailed off.


    She then gave the book to Misha after he ced Mika on the bed,ying her between them.


    "No way, she loves you way more than me."


    Mika then looked at her mother and immediately hugged her. "Mika prefers mama, but uncle can make scary wolf sounds."


    "I don''t know what to say about this." Kia shook her head and covered the three of them with a nket, while Misha started to read a story.


    And what Mika said was indeed true, Misha''s way of telling stories was much better than herself.


    Even though Misha didn''t seem very self-expressive, he was very expressive when he read stories to Mika.


    "... and in the end, the red hooded girl can meet her grandmother," said Misha ending the story, he then looked at Mika who was still awake.


    The strange thing was this little girl would be even more wide awake, when you read her stories.


    "Why aren''t you sleeping?" Misha nudged the tip of her nose with his finger. But, then he saw Kia sleeping soundly next to Mika. "Mommy is sleeping."


    "Yeah, that''s why we have to talk slowly," Mika said in a whisper, because her mother was sleeping very peacefully right beside her and this made Misha smile.


    "Okay," Misha spoke in a whisper. "Now it''s time for you to sleep."


    "Ok." Mika held Misha''s hand after grabbing Kia''s hand tightly before she closed her eyes which forced Misha to stay in his ce. "Uncle will sleep here, right?" Mika asked, opening her eyes again.


    "No, I can''t sleep here."


    "No, uncle, just sleep here, so tomorrow morning we can cuddle, Mika likes cuddling." Mika yawned.


    "Uncle will be here until you fall asleep, okay?" Misha then stroked Mika''s head which helped her to sleep faster.


    Misha also turned off the lights and made the atmosphere in the room dim and calm.


    But, when things got too quiet, Misha also felt sleepy and nned to just sleep for a little while.


    Who would have thought that he would sleep there until morning?


    As the sun shone through the open window, Kia opened her eyes and rubbed her face.


    She fell asleep while listening to Misha read the story book. It was the first time for someone to read a story book to her because her mother and father had never done such a thing for her.


    She looked around and found a soundly sleeping Mika as well as Misha, who snuggled up close to their little princess.


    The two of them faced each other and snuggled in the same position and for some reason Kia found it very funny to see the sleeping positions of the two of them and grabbed her cell phone to capture the moment.


    Kia chuckled at the two of them, even their facial expressions were the same. Their lips parted slightly as they snored softly.


    Kia then put her cellphone on the table and kissed Mika''s forehead, but she hesitated when she was going to kiss Misha''s forehead, so she just stroked his cheek and left the room because she wanted to prepare breakfast for the both of them.


    ================


    *Read my new book: The Alpha: iming His Enemy''s Daughter*


    Alpha Cane''s revenge for his and his people''s very.

 Chapter 819: THE FEELING THAT BOTHERED HIM

    Chapter 819: THE FEELING THAT BOTHERED HIMKia decided that today she would move into the apartment Misha had prepared. She needed time to calm herself down in order to make better decisions and know what she truly wanted and what she really needed.


    She felt that she needed time to distance herself from Misha first.


    "I beg you not to see me for one week," said Kia in a low voice. "I know that this is a very selfish decision and I¡­"


    Misha pulled her to him and hugged her tight. "You don''t need to exin if it''s hard for you," Misha said softly. He gritted his teeth, trying to control his emotions and then said back. "One week¡­ I will give you the one week you need. However, I am hoping that you wille for the vacation I have nned."


    The vacation that Misha had nned was one week from now and if Kia did not intend to see him for a week, that meant, the day they were going on a vacation together would be the next time they would meet again.


    Kia nodded. "I will give you an answer on that day, one week from now," Kia promised, which left Misha quite surprised. He didn''t expect that Kia would give him an answer that day.


    He thought, she would need more time, but it didn''t mean that was a good thing. The faster the better, just ripped the bandage off.


    "I will wait for that day." Misha kissed the top of Kia''s head and then hugged his little daughter. He already got used to having the two of them in the house, but now they were going away and it sure made him feel bad.


    "Bye uncle!" Mika eximed enthusiastically, waving her hand at Misha from the car window, as they drove away from the Tordoff residence and Misha stood there until the car they were in disappeared from sight.


    But, even after that, Misha still stood there and didn''t move anywhere until Richard came over to him.


    "Is this okay?" Richard asked Misha, looking at his boss with worried eyes. "Are you all right?" he nced at Misha carefully, but it was very difficult to read what was going through his mind right now. The expression on his face showed nothing but serenity.


    "This is her decision and I promise not to say anything about it and support her regardless of what she decides."


    After saying that, Misha walked into the house, and he immediately realized that the house felt different. The house seemed very spacious and empty all of a sudden. Even though there was nothing different from before, it all felt different without Kia and Mika.


    On the other hand, Richard could only sigh, he didn''t have any capacity to meddle in the affairs of the two of them, nor could he do anything to lighten Misha''s burden or give any meaningful advice.


    One week¡­


    Misha couldn''t contact Mika and Kia for a week, or see her.


    It was just that, every night, Misha would ask Richard to pass by the apartment building where Kia and Mika lived. Just one nce at the building seemed to make him feel a little better, even though he didn''t see either of them.


    And every night, Misha woulde to the room where Kia and Mika used to sleep, because he was used to saying goodnight to them both before kissing their foreheads.


    The new habit he had just developed, but he felt he was quickly outgrowing it and the emptiness in his heart only deepened.


    "Did you sleepst night?" Richard asked worriedly while looking closely at Misha''s face, the dark circles under his boss'' eyes were very worrisome.


    Misha frowned upon hearing the question. "You''ve been paying too much attention to metely, find a woman you can pay attention to."


    Richard widened his eyes.


    Was it because he didn''t have a girlfriend now? Richard had so many jobs he couldn''t have a social life and all that was thanks to Misha, but now what was he saying?


    It was just, it was a pity that he could only grumble like that in his heart, because he didn''t dare to say it out loud.


    "Isn''t tomorrow finally the two of you can meet?"


    Starting from tomorrow, Misha would take a week off and Richard would be buried with work. However, Richard felt that it was better for Misha to leave now, becausetely he had been only spreading a negative aura around the office.


    Granted, Misha wouldn''t scream or curse at someone, but still, even when he didn''t do anything, it was enough to make you feel ufortable just standing next to him.


    Misha Tordoff is such a person.


    "Yeah¡­ tomorrow I will meet them," Misha muttered in a tired voice. Only now did he show how tired he was.


    During this week,ing home was a torturous thing because he was so used to checking on Mika and Kia, going into their room and kissing them both good night, and also in the morning when he woke up because of Mika''s small body tucked on his side, hugging him close.


    Misha wanted tough at his current self. If a year ago someone had said that he would be happy only with such small things, he would have thought that person was crazy.


    But, now he didn''t think so. He missed his little family.


    "Don''t worry, you will definitely get exciting news," said Richard encouragingly. "But, what are you going to do if Miss Kia rejects you?" he asked again, which made Misha''s mood even more gloomy.


    "Have you worked on the project in city B and thetest mall project with ckpany?" Misha coldly reminded Richard of his tasks.


    Hearing the question, Richard immediately knew he had asked the wrong thing and quickly fled the scene before Misha buried him with more tasks.


    But, what Richard asked was not wrong, because if Kia really refused, then the one week vacation would be a very awkward vacation.


    "Ugh!" Misha had never felt the difficulties he was facing now, but now he seemed to want to hear the opinions of people who could really be trusted and who were experts in this field.


    And just like that, one day passed and the day that was expected finally came, where Kia and Mika came to the airport directly. A car brought them both to the private runway and there, Misha was already waiting for them.


    "Uncle!" Mika eximed happily, walking over to Misha. No, she ran and bumped her body into Misha''s legs, while Kia ran frantically behind her because Mika suddenly shot out the moment the car door opened and she didn''t have time to stop her.


    Luckily, Misha, who was chatting with their pilot, immediately turned his head when he heard Mika''s scream and caught her.


    "Don''t run around like that, you''re making your mother worry," Misha said softly, but when Mika hugged himself by wrapping her arms around Misha''s neck, very quickly his anger evaporated and this left the people there surprised to see how Misha smiled so sweetly.


    Did they see it wrong? This seemed highly unlikely...


    "How are you doing this week? Have you helped your mama and been a good girl?"


    "Mika is a good child, mama said Mika is a good child."


    "She won''t calm down and doesn''t want to eat vegetables," Kia said as soon as she approached the two of them and this made Mika frown.


    "Don''t tell him about that," Mika said with a frown and this made Mishaugh happily.


    "So what if mom says? That''s the truth, you threw away your vegetables."


    Mika quicklyid her head on Misha''s shoulder and hugged him tightly.


    "Mama is so mean," Mika grumbled, which made Mishaugh.


    "You already know such words?"


    "Mika heard mama say it."


    And after that, the pilot said that they could board because all the preparations had beenpleted.


    "How are you?" Misha asked. He studied Kia''s face, she looked much better than before and calmness could be felt from her.


    "I''m fine," Kia answered calmly. "How about you?"


    Misha nodded. "I''m good too."


    Richard rolled his eyes when he heard Misha''s answer, because he knew that his boss was very unwell during the week they didn''t see each other.


    "You look thin and tired, are you workingte again?" asked Kia after a quick observation.


    Meanwhile, Richard chuckled, as Kia noticed the change, but immediately returned the expression on his face to nkness when he received a very fierce look from Misha.


    "Yeah, I have some work to do," Misha said.


    "Is it okay to leave everything for one week? Looks like you worked really hard."


    "No problem, the urgent matters have been resolved, I''m only leaving the less important matters to Richard."


    Richard felt miserable when he heard that, because Kia definitely didn''t have any idea how much work he had left.


    "Come on, let''s go inside," Misha said while extending his other hand to Kia, while he was still holding Mika.


    But when he caught sight of Kia''s fingers, he became silent real quick.


    "What is it?" asked Kia who realized that Misha was standing in ce and not moving.


    "It''s okay," Misha said while shaking his head. He smiled then helped her into the Tordoff family''s private ne.


    But, Misha looked so out of sorts. He was really bothered by the fact that Kia wasn''t wearing the ring he gave her.


    Did that mean he had been rejected? Did that mean she had decided not to take their rtionship any further and be more serious?


    Misha couldn''t get rid of the thought.


    ================


    *Read my new book: The Alpha: iming His Enemy''s Daughter*


    Alpha Cane''s revenge for his and his people''s very.

 Chapter 820: THE WALLPAPER ON HER PHONE

    Chapter 820: THE WALLPAPER ON HER PHONEIt was a two hour journey. Misha took them to an ind where there was a tall mountain.


    Because Mika wanted to experience camping, then everything needed to be prepared and they would get the most effective camping experience there.


    Even the area where they would set up their tents had beenbed carefully, so as not to be discovered or encounter unwanted things.


    Along the way, Mika looked very cheerful, she even sang happily, asked many questions and looked like she would never get tired.


    Because the road to their tent location was impassable by car, they had to hike to their destination.


    "I''ll carry the bag," said Kia, because she saw that Misha was already holding Mika and also carrying arge rope on his other shoulder, which looked quite heavy.


    "No need." Misha then held Kia''s hand gently and led her to walk toward their tent spot. "You just hold my hand."


    Mika squalled when she saw the two of them like that and her mood seemed very cheerful now.


    "Uncle, will there be a bear?" asked Mika as they walked up the path and through the trees.


    "Of course not," Kia said. She had never camped like this before and actually she was a little scared to spend in the wilderness like this. She had no adventurous spirit at all. "There are no bears here, right?" Kia turned to Misha worriedly.


    "No, there are no bears here." Misha made sure of that. Moreover, this ce wasn''t even a bear habitat.


    While Kia was able to breathe a sigh of relief, Mika pouted.


    "What about snakes?" Mika didn''t give up, she started asking about wild animals and when she got a final answer that they wouldn''t find any wild animals, she looked sad. "Why are there no wild animals? Mika wants to be friends with elephants, tigers and lions."


    Kia widened her eyes when she heard her unreasonable wish. "Why does Mika want to meet those animals?"


    "Because they are good. Mika saw it on television. They are kind and helpful," Mika answered innocently.


    Kia felt that she wanted to facepalm herself when she heard that answer.


    "Looks like you should pay more attention to what she''s watching, because she has such a big imagination," Misha said with a smile.


    "Yeah, I know," said Kia, grumbling. She didn''t realize that the wildlife shows Mika watched would make her imagine things like this.


    "You want to see the animals?" asked Misha swiftly, before his little daughter grew even more disappointed that this camp was not what she had imagined it would be.


    "Yes!" Mika eximed happily.


    "So do you really want to see the animals or go camping?" Misha asked in more detail now.


    "Mika wants to see the animals," Mika said without hesitation.


    And at that moment, Misha and Kia realized that they both misinterpreted the wishes of their only daughter.


    Only, it was toote to turn back and they had already reached where their tents were pitched.


    "If you want to see the animals, we''ll go to the zooter, okay? But, for today we will be camping," Misha provided understanding to Mika.


    "So there are no animalster when camping? No bears either?" Mika asked disappointedly.


    "Later I''ll take you fishing, how about that?" Near where they set up their tents, there was ake and indeed this ce used to be used as a fishing area but now no one was there.


    "Fishing?" Mika looked happy again. "Mika wants to go fishing!"


    "You can?" asked Kia with an expression of disbelief. She had a hard time imagining how Misha could have the patience for such an activity.


    "My dad likes to take me to the forest and fishing and all sorts of things for our bonding time."


    "It looks like you two are quite close, huh."


    "I don''t like it, I''d rather be in afortable room and have air conditioning and sleep on a soft mattress than be in the middle of the forest."


    Kia grimaced when she heard this. It seemed like a ce to befortable and have everything needed was much more enjoyable and she couldn''t help but agree with him.


    "But, dad kept pushing until finally he himself saw that I wasn''t interested and eventually stopped doing that, especially since I was getting older and much more interested in business, but still, everything he taught me is still stuck in my brain. "


    From the way Misha said it, it was as if he was ming Lexus, but actually he was quite grateful to own up the skills he had been taught since it seemed their little daughter would rather be in this kind of realm.


    They then finally arrived at the ce where they were going to camp and Mika couldn''t wait to run around in this beautiful ce.


    Their camp was at the foot of the hill, where there was ake not far from there and around them were thick trees.


    This was a very surreal sight.


    As soon as Mika was set down, she immediately went around looking around her surroundings more carefully and came back to ask something she didn''t know.


    Even though the little girl was a bit disappointed because she couldn''t find any wild animals, she seemed to be really living the moment and it was really fun to see how she wasughing so freely.


    "Careful, Mika! don''t run around like that," Kia said while taking things out of the backpack Misha was carrying.


    Even though this was camping and Kia had never done it before, she knew that camping this time with Misha would be much easier than the usual camping, because they had everything they needed and they only needed to make a little effort.


    "Okay, mom!" Mika cried, but she still kept running around, looking at what made her curious around the camp.


    "Huft. She said she wasn''t going to run, but she''s still running." Kia shook her head. But, she wasn''t too worried because Misha was with her. He would make sure to catch her before she hurt herself.


    At that thought, Kia continued her work of taking all the things out of the bag before walking toward the tent. She went inside only to be stunned to see the tent''s interior.


    There were two single beds and a table, while the floor below the two beds was covered by a soft carpet.


    The whole tent was really neat and minimalistic.


    "I''m not sure if this is actually camping." Kia clicked her tongue. "I wonder if this kind of camping was also the one he and his father had¡­"


    And just then, she took out her cell phone to check if any emails had arrived and realized she had no signal here.


    "Hm, it doesn''t seem to matter since we''ll only be here for two days." Kia thought that even if there were emailsing in regarding the job applications she had submitted over the past week, she still wouldn''t bete if she checked them in two days.


    "When did you take that photo?" asked Misha.


    Kia screamed when she heard Misha''s voice so close to her and immediately turned her body. She found Misha with Mika in one arm standing right behind her.


    "Mama, Mika wants to see the photo!" Mika eximed while extending her hand to Kia.


    She immediately knew which photo they were talking about. It was the photo of the father and daughter pair when they slept together in Mika''s room. They had the same sleeping style and it looked cute, so she took a picture of it and set it as the wallpaper on her cellphone, ugh! And now they saw this.


    That was fine with Mika, but Misha¡­


    "I want to see it, mommy!" Mika shouted while trying to get off Misha''s arm and whining at Kia.


    "I didn''t know you took a photo of the two of us," Misha said with a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.


    Kia then resignedly gave her cellphone to Mika, allowing her to see the photo and the little girlughed happily, because she looked funny there.


    "I took the photo because Mika looks cute here," said Kia, trying to defend herself, even though she knew that this wouldn''t work because Misha could see that she was lying.


    "Do I look cute too? That''s why I''m in the photo?"


    "You just happened to be there, don''t get too cheeky," Kia grumbled.


    "Actually, you could have cropped me out of the photo, but I''m d you didn''t, because it was so interesting."


    Kia rolled her eyes then she approached Mika.


    On the other hand, Misha still looked a bit disappointed that he didn''t see Kia wearing the ring he gave her. Did that mean she didn''t ept him? Did that mean he had been rejected? Should he ask for rification on this matter? Should he ask her or let his assumptions do the talking?


    Misha could indeed get an answer for many things, but he couldn''t get an answer for this problem.


    It wasn''t for him not to be certain, but he was afraid to hear the answer, because once the cat was out of the bag, it would be like a nail in the coffin. A negative response would make him very disappointed, but he couldn''t do anything at the same time.


    "Uncle, uncle! Let''s go fishing, you said we came in here to get a fishing rod?" Mika tugged at Misha''s pants to get his attention.


    "Okay, let''s go fishing. You''ll being with us too, right?" Misha asked Kia, who thought about this for a moment and then agreed.


    Should Misha have asked about itter?

 Chapter 821: I NEED YOUR HELP

    Chapter 821: I NEED YOUR HELPThe family of three went to a fairly wide river on a speedboat with a capacity of five people and it was the first time for Mika to ride a vehicle like this and also go fishing.


    Meanwhile, the river water was so clear she could see the riverbed, which made her even more excited.


    "Mika can catch fish!" Mika eximed, so fascinated by the clear river and the fish swimming there.


    "Don''t get too close, Mika, you might fall," Kia reminded her, pulling Mika''s hand and sitting her on herp.


    "Fish! Fish! Mom, look! There is a yellow fish!" Mika was so happy to see this.


    She seemed to like being out in nature and having a bit of adventure which was evident by now, but it was certain that those traits did note from Kia, as she simply wasn''t strong enough to endure too much physical activity.


    If it came to fishing, she knew she could onlyst half an hour and after that, she would start thinking that buying fish at the supermarket was much easier. Why did they even bothering to the fishing area?


    Meanwhile, on the other hand, Misha was preparing his fishing rod and a smaller fishing rod for Mika.


    "The fishes seem to be plentiful here and the river doesn''t look that deep, why don''t you just catch it by hand?" Kia asked curiously, because ording to her this method was far more practical than waiting all day, only to find that she didn''t get anything.


    Mishaughed when he heard the suggestion. "You are very practical," Misha said softly and then taught how to use the fishing rod to Mika who listened carefully.


    Two more months and Mika would be four years old. He had a feeling this little girl would grow fast and only be more curious about everything around her.


    "Of course, this is the most fun part of fishing," said Misha as he called Kia closer to him and let her sit beside Mika, who was holding her mini fishing rod.


    "The most fun part? Which part? The waiting part?" asked Kia confusedly, she wasn''t sure what she should do with this rod, because the only thing she had to do was hold it.


    "Yeah," Misha said. "For now, you just have to wait until a fish takes your bait," Misha exined to her as well as their daughter. "When you pull the fish out, it is the most fun time."


    Kia was even more skeptical when she heard this.


    However, the river was calm and the shining sun was not too hot, making it bearable for the three of them to enjoy this afternoon. It was like a date and people wouldn''t believe they weren''t a happy little family.


    "There''s something tugging at my fishing rod!" Mika eximed in panic and also excitement. Misha immediately assisted Mika from behind, while he hugged his little daughter.


    And indeed there was a fish that was biting Mika''s rod, which made the little girl scream with pleasure.


    "I got a fish! I got a fish!" Mika eximed cheerfully. Her face lit up when she saw Misha pulling out the fishing rod and at the end of the hook there was a fish that was just two adult fingers wide.


    Fish of such a small size were certainly not worth bringing home and should be released back into water.


    However, Mika was so happy when she saw the first fish she ever caught.


    "Are we going to fry the fish over the bonfireter?" she asked enthusiastically, she even nudged the floundering fish with her finger and giggled.


    "No, we are not going to cook it in the bonfire, we have to release this fish into the river because it is too small to be eaten." Misha looked at his daughter''s disappointed face and kissed her forehead. "This fish is too small, you can say that it is still a baby."


    "Baby fish?" Mika followed what Misha said. She then tilted her head toward her father. "What should we do with this baby fish?"


    "We will release it back, so that it grows up," said Misha calmly, then released the fish from the hook and handed it to Mika. "Do you want to let it go?"


    Mika then grabbed the small fish which was very small and threw it back into the river.


    "Bye, baby fish." Mika waved her hand, watching the fish disappear from view after returning to the river water.


    "Good job, you''re a very smart kid, Mika." Misha stroked Mika''s head affectionately, a genuine smile tugged at the corners of his lips. And Kia felt her heart lighten a little seeing the interaction between the two of them.


    This was a moment she had never imagined before. She felt her heart warm upon seeing how Mikaughed and how Misha patiently taught her and told her about many things, things that Kia never knew about.


    Moreover, in the early years Mika was born, she didn''t even have much time for her, because all she could think about was how to find money so they could eat and how to provide a ce to live for the both of them.


    After that, they fished until the sun almost set. Misha then took them back to where they were camping while carrying Mika who was fast asleep.


    This child, even though she looked shy and often hid herself when she was in the midst of strangers, her courage was unquestionable while her curiosity was unparalleled.


    "I''m going to start the bonfire, can you take out the ingredients for the food, please?" Misha said as heid Mika down on the bed.


    This tent was really big to amodate two single beds. Kia didn''t even want to think about how they brought the mattresses in.


    "Okay," Kia said, she then went out to prepare their dinner, but before that, she saw Misha kiss Mika on the forehead and tuck her in.


    They would make dinner together and wake up Mikater after all the food was ready.


    And not long after that, Misha came out and prepared the bonfire and helped Kia to prepare the ingredients they were going to cook.


    "I didn''t expect that you would bring such a luxurious set up and tent, but you didn''t bring a stove," said Kia while cutting the fish they had gotten from the river earlier.


    "I''m trying to make it look more natural by using a bonfire," Misha replied casually.


    Kia frowned, not understanding why Misha was like that, but then she didn''t say anything else and just shook her head. He sounded preposterous.


    "Why?" asked Misha who could see Kia''s expression. She was clearly holding back the words she wanted to say.


    "It''s nothing," Kia answered quickly, but Misha didn''t let it go.


    "What is it? Why?" Misha even walked closer to Kia and stood before her which made her frown. "Tell me, what''s wrong?"


    "Nothing, I''m just saying that what you say is quite controversial," Kia said patiently. "Look at that tent, which isn''t like your average camper and also this dining table." Kia pointed at the table where she was cutting fish meat. This was a garden table made of wood and looked very stylish. "I''m notining, I just find it very funny."


    Kia chuckled when she saw Misha''s expression.


    "I can''t sleep in a sleeping bag," Misha admitted this and this actually made Kiaugh again. "One of the reasons I don''t like going camping with dad is because he always forces me to sleep on a portable mattress or in a sleeping bag."


    Misha then took a carrot and cut it.


    "You really lived not knowing what hardship is until now, huh?"


    Misha shrugged his shoulders. "It''s not my fault, is it?"


    Kia snorted seeing that attitude, but she felt happy because she could talkfortably with Misha without feeling awkward, even though it was just a simple conversation.


    "I''ll wash the fish," said Misha while taking the bowl containing the fish that had been cut by Kia.


    Not far from them, a big barrel had been prepared to hold water, so they didn''t have to go to the river at night like this.


    "Ah, yes, Kia," Misha said, suddenly stopping walking, but he didn''t turn his body, so he spoke with his back to Kia. "I have something to ask you," Misha said.


    After cutting the fish, Kia continued to cut the carrots that Misha had been working on.


    "What is it?"


    There was silence for a moment and when Kia thought she had missed Misha''s question and was about to ask again, Misha finally opened his mouth.


    "I noticed that you weren''t wearing the ring. Is that the answer?" said Misha.


    He didn''t raise his voice nor did it look like he was annoyed or angry, his tone was even and with his back to Kia, it was hard to tell what kind of expression Misha was showing.


    "It''s fine, if that''s the answer, at least you''ve decided on that." Misha gritted his jaw and walked toward the barrel where he would wash the cut fish.


    He was there for quite a while, washing the blood from the fish, but even when the fish had been thoroughly washed, he didn''t get up from there until Kia came with the vegetables she had cut up to wash.


    "The fish will get bruised if you don''t stop squeezing them," Kia said casually while crouching beside Misha.


    Meanwhile, Misha who was in deep thought was surprised to see Kia who was right beside him now and immediately stood up.


    "Ah, I want to ask you a favor," said Kia when she saw Misha running away from him.

 Chapter 822: WE NEED TO GO BACK

    Chapter 822: WE NEED TO GO BACK"Ah, I want to ask you a favor," said Kia when she saw Misha running away from her. After their brief conversation earlier, it seemed Misha didn''t want to be around for long.


    He was still trying to digest what had happened between the two of them and what he should do after knowing that he had been rejected by Kia openly like this.


    Only, Kia didn''t give him time to run away from her.


    "What?" Misha asked while ncing at Kia over his shoulder. "What do you need?"


    Even though he wanted to run away from there immediately, Misha couldn''t do that because he couldn''t turn down Kia''s request for help.


    "My hands are dirty and wet, can you unbutton my jacket a little?" asked Kia while standing up and facing Misha.


    Kia was currently wearing a jacket because the air on the mountain was slightly cooler than usual at night.


    "You better button it up. It''s going to be cold tonight, you might catch a cold if you''re exposed to the wind on the mountain," Misha suggested, even though he didn''t really want to do that only because he thought it was tantamount to torturing himself.


    How could Misha not think about things he shouldn''t? He was a normal guy and this request from Kia was very ambiguous.


    "I don''t need the buttons on my jacket done, it feels a little bit suffocating." Kia walked around his body and now she was in front of Misha. She stared at the man with a pleading expression.


    "You''re really strange," Misha grumbled, but then he did what Kia asked him to do.


    Misha reached out and unbuttoned the jacket Kia was wearing.


    For a moment, he didn''t realize it, but then he noticed a small object hanging from Kia''s neck.


    "This¡­" Misha reached out to touch the item, eyes wide with disbelief.


    It was the ring Misha had given Kia the night before she decided to leave the Tordoff residence.


    It was his mother''s wedding ring, which had been passed down from generation to generation on his mother''s side of the family.


    The diamond ring hung from a ne, making the ring a pendant.


    "What¡­ what does this mean?" Misha asked in a low voice when he saw the ring. He still couldn''t believe what he saw, therefore, he shook her head. "What do you mean, you are taking me back?"


    Misha asked her directly the crux of the problem while looking at Kia''s face carefully, seeing how she would react. Had he guessed wrong and this was just a hopeless wish?


    "I made it into a ne because I want you to put it on my finger for me," said Kia shyly.


    This whole thing was Keira''s idea, she watched too many dramas and it was a shame Kia couldn''te up with an idea better than this.


    And so she followed this idea that sounded very cheesy.


    "What are you doing?" asked Kia who was surprised when Misha suddenly pulled her close and unsped the ne before taking the ring.


    "You said you wanted me to put this on your finger, right?" asked Misha. He looked at Kia very gently. "I have to do it as soon as possible before you change your mind again."


    Misha then knelt in front of Kia and immediately asked the ssic question. He really didn''t waste even a minute, afraid that Kia would change her mind. Who would guarantee that she would not change her mind?


    "Will you marry me?" asked Misha with the ring in his hand.


    He was kneeling on the dirty ground, not caring about the pants he was wearing, in the middle of a forest with piles of vegetables and bits of fish meat not far from them.


    Well, this was romantic stuff and the night sky looked quite beautiful, it would be perfect if you just ignore the vegetables and fish meat.


    "Yes," Kia answered in a choked voice.


    She had a therapy session yesterday before she left for her vacation with Misha, to make sure that she made the right choice and she was indeed following her heart, not because of the stable life Misha offered her.


    Even if Kia didn''t ept Misha, he wouldn''t let her suffer like she had for the past four years.


    Kia would still be able to live well and only pay attention to Mika, while Misha would guarantee everything. Her life would be much easier. She didn''t even need to see Misha every day.


    However, during that week she felt something was missing and it was only after she distanced herself from Misha that she realized that she missed this man.


    It was that kind of feeling that Kia wanted to know, whether she would miss Misha or not when they were apart and the answer was; yes. She missed him.


    She missed having Mishae to their room every night to say good night and kiss her and Mika on the forehead.


    It was a small gesture but meant a lot to her and moreover, no man would treat the two of them better than how Misha was treating them.


    "You have made the right decision," Misha said as he put the ring on Kia''s finger and kissed it.


    Meanwhile, Misha''sments made Kiaugh. "You sound like someone who justnded a good deal."


    "This is the nicest and greatest deal I''ve ever clinched." Misha then stood up. "A deal for a lifetime."


    "Looks like it''s going to be a long time."


    "I did intend to make it a really long term deal." Misha then pulled Kia and hugged her. "So what kind of wedding theme do you want?"


    "Isn''t it too early to talk about that?" Kiaughed seeing how Misha was so eager to continue this with marriage.


    "We already have a child, so all that''s left to do is make it more official," Misha said lightly. "I don''t want to dy it anymore, lest you wake up and back off."


    Kiaughed at that ridiculous reason and Misha hugged her even tighter.


    Misha then kissed Kia''s forehead gently, down to her nose and just when he was about to kiss the woman''s lips, Mika''s sudden question surprised them both.


    "What are you doing?" she asked with her innocent voice and of course, her unexpected arrival made Misha and Kia jump in surprise as they immediately separated from each other. "What are you doing?"


    Mika then walked toward her mother and father while rubbing her sleepy eyes.


    "Come here honey," Kia said in a slightly hoarse voice, because she was a little emotional.


    Mika then immediately ran into Kia''s arms and hugged her mother.


    "See? Is it pretty?" asked Kia while showing the ring on her finger that was given by Misha earlier. She then smiled at the little girl. "What do you think?"


    "This is very beautiful!" Mika eximed with sparkling eyes. "Mommy bought this?"


    "No, he gave it to me."


    "Uncle gave it to mama?"


    Misha grimaced when he heard the call. "I think it''s time for us to fix the way she addressed me."


    "Yeah, I agree with you¡­" Kia muttered. It was indeed strange to hear Mika call Misha, uncle.


    "Why did you give it to mama?" asked Mika enthusiastically, while stroking the beautiful ring, which, fortunately, fit Kia''s finger perfectly.


    "Because I love your mother," Misha replied in a low voice, he rubbed Mika''s head affectionately and kissed her head.


    "But I don''t have a ring." Mika held up her ringless fingers. "Does that mean you don''t love me?"


    "Of course not, honey. I love you very much," Misha said as he took Mika from Kia''s arms. "I''ll buy you all the rings you want."


    And after that, they had the quietest dinner they could get as well as long overdue small talk. This dinner was very special because for the first time, Kia had the strength to wish that she would have her own family.


    She never thought that in the end she would have her own family, have people who love her and also have a very reliable husband and cute child.


    When she was a teenager and had to struggle with her own family, it never urred to her that she would end up living like this.


    Now, she finally had a small family that she loved.


    At least, there was one positive thing that Kia could take from this whole incident and from the decision of her parents to kick her out of the house.


    Atst she saw a light at the end of the dark tunnel she was walking down.


    Kia breathed a sigh of relief when night came and she and Mika got goodnight kisses from Misha as well as greetings; sweet dreams.


    Of course, she would have a sweet dream.


    "Don''t forget to think about what kind of wedding theme you want."


    Kia rolled her eyes when she heard this, but she chuckled when she got a kiss from Misha on the lips when Mika wasn''t looking, because the little girl would protest and not allow Misha to kiss her mother.


    That night, Kia had a beautiful dream, but when she woke up, she had to face a nightmare as she realized that Mika''s condition was not well.


    "Mika¡­?" Kia shook her little girl''s body slowly. Mika opened her eyes but then closed them again, as if she didn''t have the energy to do that.


    Mika''s body felt cold, but she kept sweating even though the weather was quite cold in this mountain.


    Without thinking long, Kia immediately got out of bed and ran outside the tent to look for Misha.


    "We must return immediately!" eximed Kia as soon as she found Misha.

 Chapter 823: I WILL DO EVERYTHING

    Chapter 823: I WILL DO EVERYTHINGKia didn''t know what to think at this point anymore because everything felt surreal. She didn''t even know if it was morning or afternoon, or night. She no longer cared about the time, all that was on her mind now was her little daughter who was lying in the intensive care unit.


    Kia could no longer hear Misha''s voice trying tofort her with empty words saying that the doctor was trying his best and exining things to her. She couldn''t even hear it clearly. She couldn''t think straight and the only thing on her mind right now was the fact that she could lose her little daughter at any moment.


    How unbearable was the reality in front of her now?


    She just thought that in the end, her life would be fine, everything would end happily. That in the end, she would also share a happy life with her little family.


    But, it turned out that reality didn''t y out like that, reality gave her the worst nightmare she had ever faced.


    That morning, Kia found that Mika''s illness had suddenly recurred, even though a few days earlier she was fine. She didn''t even look like a sick child and looked much more cheerful than usual.


    But, why was she now like this? This was Mika''s worst condition since being born.


    It had been three days since Mika fell unconscious and was put under the watchful eye of the doctors. Kia had not left her bedside at all. She would even fall asleep,ying her head on the side of Mika''s bed and Misha would then have to move her to a bed that was avable in the room for people waiting for patients.


    "Kia, you have to eat," Candice said quietly. She tried to persuade Kia to eat, but the girl just stared at her, as if she didn''t recognize Candice at all. "You have to eat, okay? Even if it''s just a little. If you fall sick, Mika will be sad too. You need energy to take care of her, right?"


    Candice and Lexus came to this hospital as soon as Mika was transferred to the central hospital and they apanied Kia, not leaving her alone, but the youngdy seemed not to recognize them and most of the time, her eyes were nk.


    Even Lexus was back to being active in the office, so Misha could have more time for Kia and Mika.


    It was Lexus who took the initiative and told his son to stay with his granddaughter, because the doctors didn''t seem optimistic about Mika''s condition and that made them not know what to feel, especially when they saw Kia.


    Kia even stopped taking her medication altogether and this had a very bad impact on her.


    "Kia, eat first, okay?" Candice again persuaded Kia. She could not bear to see this young girl like this. She wanted to hug her, but she didn''t give any response, she looked so empty.


    "Mom, let me try," Misha said. He then took the bowl from Candice''s hand, while his mother stood up and gave the seat to Misha, letting him sit there and coax Kia.


    This hospital room was huge, there was even a balcony there, so, to give them some privacy, Candice went to the balcony and cried there. She didn''t want to show her sad face to Kia.


    Meanwhile, in the room, Misha was still trying to persuade Kia to eat by all means, but she wouldn''t even let the spoon touch her mouth.


    "The doctor said something to me regarding Mika''s condition," Misha finally said.


    And it seemed the mention of Mika''s name finally managed to get Kia''s attention. She turned and looked at Misha, asking what the doctor had said with her sharp eyes.


    It was just that Misha didn''t immediately tell her about it.


    "If you eat properly, I will tell you. You should eat first." Misha couldn''t bear to see Kia suffer like this.


    Kia stared at him for a moment with her nk stare, then she nodded slowly and started to eat her food.


    It seemed like she hadn''tpletely been cut off from reality yet, but she clearly seemed like someone who was about to give up on life and it seemed that if something really were to happen to Mika, she wouldn''t be able to face reality and would do something to hurt herself.


    Misha had seen Kia when she was down, but this seemed to have had a much bigger impact on her.


    "What did the doctor say?" asked Kia after the third bite, Misha then gave her a ss of water to drink from. "Is there a way to save Mika? What did the doctor say?"


    Misha put down the food because Kia shook her head, she wouldn''t eat anymore if he didn''t say what happened.


    "The doctor said that this condition must be passed down in the family and after seeing Mika''s medical history, it might be better and would be very helpful if we get your sister, Alia''s medical history." They had discussed this in passing before.


    It was just that they didn''te to the conclusion that they needed the medical history of Alia too.


    "I''m going to have someone go over to your house and get the files, okay? If they don''t want to give it to me, I can go straight to the hospital where your sister is being treated."


    Upon hearing this, Kia could guess Misha had already given orders for someone to go to the Lyrants and ask them to work together to provide Alia''s medical history.


    Even though he had said that if they asked, there was no need to answer that clearly, but surely they would be able to tell if something was wrong until Misha ordered them to ask for the medical history.


    Kia frowned. "It''s illegal." Obtaining someone''s medical history without consent is illegal.


    Misha shook his head. "At this point, you think I care if this is legal or not?"


    After all, Misha hadmitted actions far more illegal than this, so there was nothing for him to worry about.


    Never mind this, Misha was even willing to do anything so that his little daughter could be saved. He would do anything to get his little girl back.


    "I''ll take care of everything, okay?" Misha hugged Kia and she cried on his shoulder. Her body was shaking with sorrow and she didn''t know what to think anymore, because everything seemed so wrong and unfair to her.


    Why was this happening? Why did this happen when she was just about to start anew with her little family? When she wanted to regain the happiness she never felt before.


    "Misha¡­ our daughter¡­ she is in pain, please help our daughter¡­"


    Hearing these words, Misha felt like his heart was being stabbed, he felt like someone had cut open his chest before strangling him. He found it difficult to breathe.


    He hugged Kia tighter, while he repeated the same words again and again.


    "I would do anything for our baby ... I would do anything." If this was a problem that could be solved with money, then he would have paid no matter how much.


    Only, he couldn''t do that. It was not something that could be solved in that way.


    =======================


    Two dayster, Mika''s condition was still the same and it was Candice who was always by Kia''s side,forting her whenever she suddenly started crying.


    However, this was much better than if Mika''s condition suddenly deteriorated, because after all, her current condition was still manageable and under control.


    "Thank you for being with me," said Kia, one afternoon. It seemed that her mindset was much better than the past few days.


    "Why do you have to thank me, honey?" Candice stroked Kia''s cheek. "You are the mother of my granddaughter, you don''t have to feel that way, isn''t that what family is for?"


    Family.


    That one word sounded very bitter in Kia''s ears, but she didn''t say anything and besides, when Candice said that, Kia didn''t hate it, it just felt a little strange, because all this time she considered only Mika as family.


    "Okay, you have to eat, okay? We will eat in the hospital cafeteria. You haven''t been out of this room for days, you need a breath of fresh air too."


    Kia looked doubtful. She nced at the bed where her little angel was sleeping.


    "You don''t need to worry, her grandfather will apany her, he misses his granddaughter very much," said Candice, rubbing Kia''s arm. "You can''t get sick, if you get sick, then you will be in trouble yourself."


    And Kai nodded. She would just walk out for a bit ande back in, maybe then her mind would clear up a bit.


    =========================


    "What are they doing here?" Misha raised his head from the document in front of him, he switched with his father to take care of thepany and now Lexus was at the hospital.


    But, who would have thought that he would get visitors, none other than Amber, Lyle, Alia and Daniel.


    What did this family want? They really were shameless foring together like this.


    Yet, Misha seemed to know what they wanted from him.


    "Let them in," said Misha coldly. He then stood up and walked toward the U-shaped couch in the middle of the room as the four of them stepped into the room. "Sit down and state what you want."


    Misha sent someone to ask for their willingness to hand over Alia''s medical history, but it looked like they took this as their chance, to leverage it to meet Kia.

 Chapter 824: ALIA IS WAITING FOR HIM

    Chapter 824: ALIA IS WAITING FOR HIMMisha didn''t expect that they woulde to his workce. Especially Daniel, shouldn''t he be working at this hour? And his office was an hour''s drive from headquarters, how could he be here now?


    "I think this is work time for you," Misha said, pinning Daniel with an impassive gaze and Amber flinched involuntarily hearing the cold tone Misha used.


    But, Daniel didn''t seem too affected by it. He looked directly into Misha''s eyes calmly, like he had prepared himself well for this moment. He didn''t look panicked at all.


    "I have asked permission not toe to work today, in order toe here with my parents and also my sister," said Daniel in a low and calm voice. "I hope you can understand this."


    Actually, Daniel didn''t want to bring Alia to this ce. It was just that she insisted after she heard what the people sent by Misha wanted from them. She wanted to just give them her medical history.


    It was just that Daniel and his parents saw this as an opportunity for them to talk directly to Kia, because after all, Kia needed the medical history to help her child. She definitely wouldn''t refuse.


    Kia would definitely understand after she talked to her parents, to her family directly, therefore, even though they knew that this was the wrong thing to do, they still went for it.


    Because they thought this was their only chance, even though Alia didn''t agree with the n and asked them to back off and leave Kia alone.


    Her older sister was having a hard time with her daughter. How could they make such a request?


    Only, being the youngest child in the house, of course her words meant little to them and here they were now, facing Misha Tordoff.


    On the other hand, Misha didn''t say anything when he heard that. He just wanted this meeting to end soon.


    "So? What do you want to say?" Misha asked, his eyes sweeping over Amber and Lyle and then Daniel and Alia, who looked down as they felt intimidated by the man.


    The man in front of them looked scary. Alia wondered how Kia could put up with a cold man like him.


    "We are here to submit Alia''s medical history as you have requested through your secretary," Lyle said. He took over the conversation since he was the head of the family, while his wife looked at Misha expectantly.


    "But?" Misha got straight to the point, as he didn''t want the conversation to circle around roundabouts and trivialities.


    There was no way they had juste to hand it over, when they could hand it over to the person Misha had sent.


    Lyle knew that he couldn''t buy time with Misha and thus, speaking directly to him was for the best.


    "We know that this is very inappropriate." Misha snorted when he heard that, but Lyle continued his words. "However, we are very desperate to be able to meet with Kia. We don''t know how we can meet her anymore."


    Amber then added. "It''s not the right time to be doing this, but we love Kia very much and what happened can still be straightened out, we just need to talk to her."


    For a moment, Misha didn''t say anything, which turned the atmosphere in the room awkward and also made them all fall silent. They were waiting to see how Misha would react to the request.


    "You know that you are very shameless and evil people, right?" said Misha at the end, after a long moment of silence.


    Amber started to sob when she heard this. Lyle could only lower his head while Daniel clenched his fists.


    He couldn''t answer that harshly, because he had to think about his career. He was indeed trying to apply to otherpanies, but none of them could offer the same benefits as that offered by the Tordoffpany and if he had to changepanies, it would be a setback in his career.


    "We know that we have been wrong in handling this matter, but Kia doesn''t give us a chance to talk and exin, she always avoids us when we want to talk about this matter," Lyle said in a low voice, he then raised his head and looked at Misha. "Let us talk and we''ll give you Alia''s medical history."


    Misha narrowed his eyes when he heard that. "Are you threatening me?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.


    Lyle immediately shook his head. "Of course not, it''s just a request."


    "What if I told you you couldn''t meet her?" Misha looked directly into Lyle''s eyes.


    "That¡­" Lyle never thought that Misha would ask such a question, because he imagined that Misha would immediately agree to this n.


    "Aren''t you guys going to give me that medical history?" asked Misha.


    However, even before they answered, it seemed Misha already knew what was going through their minds, considering how they lowered their heads and struggled toe up with an answer.


    It looked like their first n didn''t go well and it was time to move on to the second n without waiting any longer.


    "See? Now you can see for yourself why I called you bad people?" Misha smiled harmlessly.


    "We¡­ we just wanted to talk to Kia for a bit and clear up some misunderstandings." Lyle tried to find an excuse. "Kia always avoids us whenever we want to talk to her, so we have to properly straighten this out."


    "Avoids? Maybe she didn''t shy away, but really doesn''t want to see you guys anymore. Don''t you think so?"


    "At least, give us a chance to exin."


    "You have four years, you have four years to get the opportunity, but why only now?" Misha asked in a cold voice.


    "We know that you are in a rtionship with Kia and are very worried about the well-being of her child, but both of Kia''s parents have the right to meet their grandchild." This time it was Daniel who spoke up.


    "What rights do you have after you kicked her out four years ago? You are talking about rights now?" Misha then leaned in. "If you think you have the right to meet Kia and Mika, then you are very delusional."


    "Mr. Tordoff, this is our family matter, Kia is our daughter and Mika is our granddaughter," said Amber, "so please allow us to resolve this issue as a family."


    "I am Mika''s father, I have more right to decide this."


    They all fell silent, even Alia raised her head and looked at Misha in disbelief, because they thought that Misha had only been with Kia these past few months.


    "You mean you adopted Mika?" asked Daniel carefully, he frowned when he heard that answer, because he still couldn''t believe what he was hearing.


    "I am Mika''s biological father, we were together four years ago and Mika is my daughter," said Misha, which made their eyes widen.


    Lyle and Amber opened their mouths, wanting to say something, but they had no words left to say, because their shock was too great.


    "No way¡­" they said in a low voice.


    "Then why did you leave Kia when she was pregnant?" asked Daniel. His eyes looked much sharper. It seemed he found an opening to attack Misha and Misha had to admit that this young man was quite smart and could read the situation well and then strategies ordingly.


    The reason Misha recruited Daniel was because he wanted to know about Kia and also because he was a smart man and fit the criteria for the position he got.


    "I didn''t know she was pregnant. She had left your house and we broke up before finding out she was pregnant." And that was exactly what happened.


    Didn''t Misha''s betrayal automatically end their rtionship right then and there?


    "No way... you guys were together four years ago?"


    "Haven''t you heard that Kia had a few weeks of internship at Tordoff''spany?"


    Lyle, Amber and Daniel said that Kia never said anything about it.


    "Maybe she didn''t say it, because you wouldn''t care, or she did say it, but you didn''t care." Misha looked at them one by one. "Whatever it is, it looks like you guys are long used to ignoring Kia."


    Alia stared at Misha for a bit longer, before she lowered her head again and didn''t say anything, she fell silent again.


    "So, you guys can go now," Misha said, he then stood up and motioned for them to leave his room. "I still have a meeting I need to attend, so if you guys can''t help save my daughter, you can go and not waste my time."


    And after that, the four of them left without being able to say anything, it seemed the fact that Misha Tordoff was the father of the child Kia was carrying at that time was really surprising and now they were still trying to process it.


    But, before Alia walked out, she gave Misha a quick nce and their eyes met.


    Misha felt that there was something Alia wanted to say, but she couldn''t because her parents and brother were there.


    But, Misha didn''t think much about it, it was just that his hunch proved to be right, because when he was about to head home from work, he found that Alia was waiting for him in the lobby.


    Richard came into his office as he was about to rush home after finishing the day''s work. He was going straight to the hospital after he asked someone to prepare a change of clothes and bring them to the hospital, as well as Kia''s clothes.


    "Alia is in the lobby, she said she wants to talk to you."

 Chapter 825: TALKING WITH ALIA

    Chapter 825: TALKING WITH ALIARichard came into Misha''s office right before he left the room and told him that Alia was waiting for him in the lobby.


    "Alia is in the lobby, she said she wants to talk to you. She''s been waiting for you since an hour ago," Richard reported this.


    Misha frowned. He wanted to go to the hospital immediately and see his little daughter and Kia soon. What did theye here for again anyway?


    But, to his surprise, Richard then added.


    "She came alone, there''s no one else with her," Richard said again informing Misha, because he could see that his boss thought the Lyrants hade again to harass him.


    "Alone?" said Misha, frowning. He didn''t expect the fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl toe to see him in person, even during their discussion earlier today, she spent all her time either looking down or staring at her fingers.


    "Yes, I think you should meet her, I didn''t see her parents or Daniel here, it seems they don''t know that Alia is here," said Richard. "She seemed anxious and didn''t want to say much when I asked her what she needed."


    Misha thought about this for a while and then agreed to meet Alia.


    Kia rarely talked about her family, but from what Misha knew, Alia was the only person who hadn''t bothered Kia the most so far and never insisted on meeting her. Maybe it was also because she was still too small and didn''t have the resources like her older brother and her parents did.


    "Bring her to my office," said Misha, who then went back into his room and sat on the same sofa. He also asked his secretary to provide snacks and drinks for him and his guest.


    Not long after, Alia came into the room, she looked nervous as she didn''t know where to look. After a moment of hesitance, she walked over to the couch she had sat on earlier this afternoon, settling across from Misha before fiddling with the hem of her dress.


    "You really came alone?" Misha asked in a calm voice. He didn''t mean to intimidate Alia, he was just being his usual self, but then he tried to tone it down.


    "Yes."


    "Your father, mother and brother don''t know you''re here?"


    Alia shook her head. "They thought I went for private lessons, but I came here."


    "Then why did youe here?"


    And just at that moment, there was a knock on the door and someone came in with a tray filled with drinks and snacks for them.


    After that, she went outside again.


    "Have you eaten?"


    "Well, yes." Alia nodded. "This afternoon, after leaving here, we went for lunch."


    "Hmm." Misha muttered. "Drinks?"


    Aliaplied and immediately drank her tea, but her forehead wrinkled because the tea was too hot.


    "So, why are you here?" asked Misha. He nced at his watch, indicating that he didn''t have much time and Alia saw that, she was a little more nervous now.


    "I want to say that I know about you, sis Kia once told a little story, I also know that she had an internship at the Tordoffpany," said Alia. She was trying to organize the sentences she was going to say, but after being stared at by Misha, she felt that she had forgotten everything she wanted to say. "You broke up with sister Kia because you had an affair," she said.


    Alia didn''t say this when her parents were around because she didn''t want them to think badly of Mika and have more cards to put pressure on her older sister.


    "Sis Kia cried when she said that, but she didn''t say your name, she just said ''that guy''," Alia exined. She then nced at Misha, trying toprehend the expression on his face, but it was very difficult to know what he was thinking at this moment.


    "So Kia told you about our rtionship in the past?" Misha was quite surprised when he found out about this.


    "Sis Kia didn''t particrly tell me about your rtionship with her." Alia lowered her head again. "She just looked very happy at that time. I remember there was a period when Sis Kia looked very radiant and I asked what was up with her, and she just said that she became close to a man."


    Regardless of what happened in the family, you could say that Kia and Alia were very close, because Kia was the main caretaker for Alia during her illness. It was Kia who would read her a story or two before she fell asleep or wake up in the middle of the night to apany her if she needed to vomit and did everything for her.


    So, it could be said that since childhood, Alia was much closer to Kia than her mother. She even listened to Kia more than Amber and if she didn''t want to eat, then Kia was the only one who could persuade her.


    And that was also one of the factors why Amber was heavily dependent on Kia in taking care of Alia, because they were very close as the younger sister listened to her older sister.


    And what was more, Kia didn''t have many friends because of the time she spent with Alia.


    Maybe because of that too, Kia started to tell some things to Alia without her knowing it.


    "But then Sis Kia looked so sad and cried so much one night, I kept asking what was wrong with her, but she only said that you betrayed her with another woman. Is that true?" Alia raised her head again and looked closely at Misha.


    Misha couldn''t avoid it, because it was true. "Yes, that''s correct."


    Immediately, Alia''s gaze on him changed. She looked a little annoyed at him, but then she hid it by eating the snacks that had been prepared for her.


    "I''m making amends and if I had known Kia was pregnant, I wouldn''t have let her wander out there alone, especially when her family kicked her out of the house."


    Alia clenched her jaw when she heard that. "I know it''s so wrong, if I could, I want to do something for her."


    "You can''t do anything for her," Misha said, which made Alia raise her head and stare fiercely at him. It reminded him of Kia, when she was upset. "What I mean is, you were too young to get involved in such a big matter, and I don''t think Kia wants you to get in trouble with your parents."


    Alia turned down her eyes again, what Misha said was true, there was nothing she could do for her sister at that time.


    "So what do you want by being in my office thiste, at the expense of skipping your private lessons?"


    Alia nced at Misha. "Are you really Mika''s father?"


    "Yes, I am her father," Misha answered calmly.


    "Thank goodness," said Alia. "I guess if Mika has the same disease as me, she needs a lot of money for her medical expenses and since you are her father, you can cover it all." She only measured it from her own experience.


    However, Alia''sments made Mishaugh. "You really are very realistic."


    What Alia said was not wrong, although it sounded very materialistic.


    "I can''t get my medical history from my parents, but I think if we go to the hospital and ask for it I can give permission for it." After all, it was her own medical history.


    Actually, Misha didn''t really need that, as he could always use a backdoor to deal with problems like this, but if Alia was willing to cooperate, then it was much better to avoid mishap.


    "Then, what do you want? Are you going to threaten me to meet with Kia and Mika like your parents and brother did?" Misha asked bluntly.


    "Of course not." Alia frowned and looked at him with disbelieving eyes. "I''m not going to do that, I just want you to tell Sis Kia that I miss her and if I can meet her, I''ll be very happy, but if it''s not possible, then I''ll understand. Just please pass that on," said Alia.


    Alia didn''t push and she didn''t threaten Misha like her parents and older brother did.


    "Is Mika okay?" asked Alia in a worried voice, she experienced it firsthand so she knew how bad it felt to go through all those nightmares, even though she was much better now.


    "She''s still the same and not improving, but luckily, she''s not much sicker than this." He didn''t know anymore. Misha couldn''t say that it was luck either. "But, she''s been unconscious for the past week."


    Alicia frowned. She knew how it felt...


    "Okay, if you don''t have anything else to say, I''ll get someone to drive you home, because I have to go to the hospital now." Misha then stood up, followed by Alia.


    "No, no, there''s no need to ask someone to apany me, I can go home by myself," said Alia quickly rejecting Misha''s offer. She hade to this ce alone, of course, she knew how to return home alone.


    But, of course Misha wouldn''t let that happen, Alia may look healthy now, but who knew if her ailment would rpse or what would happen on the road. Anything could happen.


    "A driver will take you home and tomorrow, I will ask someone to pick you up from your school."


    "Do you know where I go to school?"


    "Of course."


    Alia was quite surprised when she heard this. How did he know?

 Chapter 826: IN THE END, THEY DIDNT CARE

    Chapter 826: IN THE END, THEY DIDN''T CARE"You also know where I live?" Alia asked while following Misha out of his office carrying her backpack. This man walked very fast.


    "Yes, I know." Misha stopped walking then looked at her. "I have been to your house."


    "Oh, yes, I forgot¡­" Aliapletely forgot about that fact. Too many things had happened these past few days, so she forgot some things that she didn''t think were too important to remember.


    "Or is it one of the side effects of the disease you are suffering from?" Misha frowned.


    The question sounded like Misha was trying to mock her, but in truth, he was really serious about this. He was concerned about it because there was a possibility that Mika would experience the same thing. Would Mika be forgetful like Alia too?


    "No, of course not, I justpletely forgot about it," said Alia hurriedly, waving her hands.


    "It''s good then," said Misha while nodding with satisfaction and then continued walking.


    On the other hand, Alia looked at Misha in disbelief. She didn''t expect that Mr. Tordoff could be this annoying. How could her sister like a man like this?


    The two of them walked toward the lobby, where two cars were already waiting for them there.


    "Will will drive you home and tomorrow, he will pick you up from school. You just say what time you want to be picked up," said Misha.


    "Okay," Alia said obediently, but then she reminded Misha again. "Don''t forget what I asked for."


    "I''ll pass it on to Kia, but I can''t guarantee if she''ll consider it or not, you better not let your hopes get too high."


    Alia nodded. "Yes, I know."


    And after that, Misha got into the car, but from the rearview mirror, he could still see Alia who was staring at his car while getting into the car that had been prepared for herself.


    Among the Lyrants, Misha felt that Alia was much better.


    But, for now, Misha was more concerned about Mika and Kia. He just wanted to be beside the two of them as soon as possible.


    It was just that, when he arrived at the hospital, Kia was fast asleep and only his mother was there.


    "Don''t be loud, Kia just went to bed, she hasn''t slept sincest night and looks tired all the time," said Candice in a sad voice. "I have asked the psychologist toe here, so she can talk, but she doesn''t want to say anything."


    With Kia, they didn''t only have to think about her physical health, but also her mental well being, because after all, she had just been discharged from the hospital and now she couldn''t take her medicine regrly.


    Even though the dose of medicine had been increased, it didn''t really have an effect on Kia, because she was facing a very bad time in her life, knowing that her only daughter was lying helplessly in the hospital.


    Of course, it would affect her mental health as well.


    "How about mom going home first with dad to rest? I''ll be on guard here." Misha suggested and Candice nodded in agreement because she also knew that Misha needed some alone time with his family.


    "Okay then, mom wille again tomorrow afternoon, okay?" Candice rubbed Misha''s arm and looked at her son with sad eyes. "You also have to take care of your health. You''ve been working so hard taking care of them both, it must have been really hard and difficult for you too."


    "Yes, I understand, mother. Don''t worry, I''ll take good care of myself," said Misha, assuring his mother.


    "Okay then, mother will go first." Candice then kissed Misha on both cheeks and walked away from there after strengthening her son.


    And after Candice left, Misha took a quick shower and got changed. The change of clothes that he had requested earlier had arrived and after that, a doctor and nurse came to check on Mika.


    There was still no change, but her condition was not getting any worse either, at least there was still hope.


    And after chatting for a while with the doctor outside the room, because he didn''t want to disturb Kia who was sleeping, Misha returned to the room and found Kia sitting hugging her legs.


    "What did they say?" asked Kia in a weak voice when Misha came into the room.


    "Still the same, but the doctor said there is still hope, don''t worry too much about this," Misha said, sitting beside Kia and hugging her body. "We will see progress after getting Alia''s medical history, because it seems they have the same illness."


    He was relieved when Kia rested her head on his chest and leaned against him. Misha felt that Kia had allowed herself to rely on him.


    "So?" asked Kia again after a few moments of silence. "Have you got the medical history?"


    Kia didn''t know what to expect. Would her family provide it? If what they said about them starting to realize their mistake was true, then they would definitely provide the medical history.


    Only, if they refused, Kia didn''t think that she would be surprised by the rejection.


    "Misha?" Kia raised her head as Misha didn''t give her an answer and looked at the man''s face. "Tell me honestly, what really happened?"


    Kia could see there was conflict in Misha''s eyes. He seemed to be contemting the best way to convey this to Kia, but she just wanted to hear the truth.


    "Tell me honestly, what really happened?"


    Misha nodded. He would feel uneasy if he kept this from Kia, especially since he had promised to pass on what Alia wanted to tell Kia. "This morning your family came to my office."


    "My family?" Kia sat up straight now.


    "Yes, all the four of them."


    "Including Alia?"


    Misha nodded.


    Kia didn''t expect that even her sister woulde. Both her parents and Daniel would not have allowed it, therefore, what might have happened was; it was Alia herself who insisted on going with them.


    "Then? What happened?" asked Kia impatiently. "What are you talking about? Did you get that medical history?"


    Kia felt that Misha didn''t speak quickly while she felt very ufortable waiting for Misha to tell the whole story.


    But, in the end, Misha told Kia what happened and also how they demanded to give the medical history to Kia as long as she agreed to meet them and discuss what had happened four years ago.


    Hearing all that, Kia felt likeughing out loud, she shook her head andughed.


    "Even until the end, they didn''t think about Mika, their granddaughter at all and just wanted to satisfy their desire to get some justification for what they did."


    Kia felt stupid, she shouldn''t have felt hurt anymore when she heard that, but she was still hurt. Moreover, the anger she felt was really unstoppable. Her heart ached.


    Even to the end, they didn''t care about the health of their granddaughter and also Kia.


    It was very selfish of them to ask such a thing.


    "Okay, if that''s what they want, I''ll meet them," said Kia. If indeed they wanted to meet her with the leverage of Mika''s health, then Kia would give them what they wanted. "Let''s hear what kind of bullshit that they will spit."


    "You don''t have to do that." Misha cupped her face and looked at her deeply. "After they left, a few hourster, Alia came back. She said that she was willing to give permission to take her medical history at the hospital where she was being treated."


    After that, Misha told what Alia asked her to say.


    "She doesn''t insist, if you don''t want to meet her, then it''s okay, she will understand and will still give permission to take her medical history." Misha stroked Kia''s head gently. "I asked Will to pick her up at school tomorrow. Would you like toe?"


    Kia lowered her head and bit her lips lightly. "I''ll think about it," she said in a whisper.


    "Okay then, now, sleep again," Misha said as hey her down on the bed. "You need rest."


    Kia then curled her body and adjusted her body to be able to look at her little daughter. Mika had been unconscious for over a week and she missed her brightugh so much.


    Day by day, Kia increasingly felt that she was very tired and powerless to do anything.


    And then she closed her eyes, feeling Misha''s hand gently stroking her head.


    She was grateful that she had Misha now and he was so reliable.


    "Sleep, Kia¡­" Misha then leaned over and kissed Kia''s head.


    ========================


    Alia came out of her school just as the bell rang and immediately dashed toward the parking lot. She had memorized the license te number of the car and saw Will leaning against the car.


    The man waved his hand at her and Alia immediately ran toward him.


    "Have you been waiting long?" she asked.


    "No, I just arrived fifteen minutes ago," Will said politely and then opened the car door for her.


    "Thank you," said Alia who then immediately went inside, but how shocked she was when she saw someone already sitting there. "Sis Kia?" she asked in disbelief.


    Kia was sitting inside the car, staring at her with a soft smile on her lips.


    Alia didn''t let her hopes get high at all, because there was a possibility that Kia wouldn''t want to meet her and she could understand that.


    But, now, when she saw Kia in person, she couldn''t believe what she was seeing.


    "Alia," said Kia.

 Chapter 827: MIKA WOKE UP

    Chapter 827: MIKA WOKE UPAlia never thought that she would meet Kia. It was true that she had asked to see her older sister, but she had never let her hopes get too high fearing she would only face disappointmentter.


    She knew very well what her family had done to her only sister and she also knew that Kia had refused to meet them many times.


    So there was a high chance that her sister didn''t want to meet her at all.


    Therefore, when she saw Kia sitting in the car, smiling gently at her, she remembered her older sister who used to always be by her side when she was sick and always helped her with homework, because she kept falling behind in ss because of her illness.


    It was Kia who was always by her side to help her and when she was gone, it was Alia who missed her the most.


    Because it could be said that it was Kia herself who had raised her.


    "Kia¡­ Kia¡­" Alia said, almost stuttering. She stood there, stunned in disbelief while blinking her eyes at Kia as she could feel a sudden tightness in her chest because she didn''t know what to say to her sister. "Is it really you? Or am I dreaming"


    Kia chuckled when she heard Alia bber. "You want to be in a dream, not with me?"


    Alia shook her head and immediately got into the car and hugged Kia tightly. She burst into tears as she sobbed into her sister''s chest. Something she hadn''t done in a long time.


    "I miss you sis..." she said in between sobs. "I really miss you¡­"


    Kia rubbed Alia''s back gently and kissed her cheek.


    This was the reaction she wanted from her family. They had to stop saying that they were wrong and trying to apologize without realizing what kind of injustice they had actually served to her.


    She wanted to hear how much they missed her, without hearing how they judged her and got too hung up on their idea of ??her being at fault.


    "I miss you too¡­" Kia said softly, but Alia''s cries grew louder. She was sobbing and her face was turning red, no matter what Kia said, but it was very hard to calm her down.


    In the end, Will drove them away from the school parking lot and then took them to the hospital, where Alia would give permission to give them her medical history. Awyer from the Tordoff family who would help them with the legal procedure was already waiting there.


    At least, in this way, they could avoid problems regarding legality and legal matters.


    It wasn''t until halfway to the hospital that Alia could stop crying, her eyes were swollen and red and she left a big stain on the red shirt that Kia was wearing.


    "Ugh¡­ sorry¡­" she said while wiping Kia''s wet clothes, but she justughed and took a tissue to wipe away her sister''s tears.


    "You don''t need to apologize, you didn''t do anything wrong..."


    "But, sis Kia''s life had been difficult since I was born."


    What Alia meant was the teenage time that Kia spent with Alia and didn''t have many friends because she didn''t leave the house and was busy with everything rted to Alia and helping her parents.


    "I''m not saying that it wasn''t difficult, but the moments I spent with you weren''t that bad," Kia said with a smile on her lips. "Don''t cry, it wasn''t your fault, you don''t have to me yourself for something you didn''t do, okay?"


    Alia nodded, she then wiped her tears andid her head on Kia''s shoulder. She didn''t ask when she would return home or if she would forgive her parents, because she knew that it was Kia''s own choice and bringing it up would only make her sister feel ufortable.


    "What about Mika? Will her condition improve?"


    "We hope she will improve."


    "She will be fine." Alia calmed down and then hugged Kia tightly. "I have survived to maturity like this, Mika can too."


    Kia just nodded and hoped that all these words would reallye trueter.


    "Can I meet Mika?" asked Alia carefully. She didn''t mean to make Kia ufortable. She just wanted to try, maybe she could get lucky and meet her niece.


    "Okay..." Kia answered softly after thinking about it for a while.


    At first, Misha wanted toe to pick up Alia because Kia wanted to meet her younger sister, but Kia refused the proposal and Misha understood the reason why she wanted to meet her younger sister alone.


    After arriving at the hospital, everything went smoothly and they got what they needed, meanwhile Alia''s medical history would be transferred to the hospital where Mika was being treated digitally and they were willing to send a doctor to provide more detailed exnation if needed when they found out that it was the Tordoffs who asked for it.


    The name Tordoffs really facilitated things like this and Kia was very grateful that this time she was not alone when she was facing this, because she didn''t know what she would do if she didn''t have Misha by her side now. She would be at a losspletely.


    And after all the problems were resolved, the two of them immediately went to the hospital where Mika was being treated.


    Today, Misha was the one sitting there alone, while his father took care of thepany and his mother would note untilter that night.


    Currently, Misha was sitting beside Mika''s bed while stroking his little girl''s cheek. She looked so thin and pale. It made his heart ache when he looked at his little daughter.


    Misha didn''t say much, he just sat there looking at her gently, but the worry in his eyes gave away what he was feeling right now.


    But then, Mika opened her eyes, one thing he didn''t expect at all.


    "Uncle¡­" Mika called with her voice that sounded tired and very small. She looked around her, but couldn''t find what she was looking for.


    "Mommy isn''t here, Mommy will be back in a bit, okay?" said Misha in a coaxing voice. He then pressed a button beside the bed to call the nurse and doctor.


    "Mika¡­ wants mommy."


    "Mommy will be here in a bit, okay?" Misha again coaxed her while holding her small hand that felt very fragile. "How''s Mika doing? Does Mika feel any pain?"


    "Cold..." Mika muttered. "Mika''s body is cold¡­"


    Misha felt like his heart was crushed, like someone had just broken his heart and he didn''t know what to do with the rest of his heart.


    "You are cold?"


    "Yes¡­"


    Misha then closed the nket again.


    "I want mommy¡­"


    "Okay... okay... I''ll call mommy, okay?" Misha then stood up to leave the room because he couldn''t make a phone call in Mika''s room, because it could interfere with the medical devices there.


    Therefore, he went to the balcony, while the doctor and nurse came to check on Mika.


    "Mika has woken up, where are you?" Misha asked after the phone line connected to Kia. He could hear Kia gasping loudly, after which she spoke quickly, announcing that she would be there in twenty minutes.


    However, Misha didn''t hear the rest of the conversation because from behind the transparent ss, he could see how the doctors and nurses in the room panicked as something happened to Mika and it was beyond their expectations.


    "OK." Misha didn''t know what Kia was talking about, but then he hung up and immediately ran into the room again.


    =======================


    "Why? What is it?" asked Alia when she saw Kia crying after receiving a call from Misha. They were now on their way to the hospital where Mika was being treated. "Sis Kia, why are you crying? What is it?"


    Kia shook her head, she wiped away her tears quickly and smiled.


    If it wasn''t for Kia''s smile and seeing how excited she was, Alia would have thought that something bad had happened to her niece, but that didn''t seem to be the case.


    "Mika... Mika is awake," Kia said very happily. She then hugged Alia very tightly. "Oh, my God... I feel my heart will stop beating, how happy I am."


    Alia who heard this immediately hugged Kia too and cried together with her. She sincerely looked happy for her sister.


    "Oh, sis Kia, I''m so happy to hear that. See? I already told you, right? She will recover, she is a strong child!" Alia eximed and they both hugged for a while.


    Kia was so happy she had her sister here to share the joy.


    "Please hurry up, Will¡­" Kia said. She couldn''t wait to be able to talk to Mika, especially when Misha said that she was looking for her, her heart melted.


    "Okay," Will said in a cheerful voice, he could also feel the happiness radiating from Kia and it made him happy too.


    They arrived at the hospital five minutes earlier than expected and Kia immediately ran to the room where Mika was being treated with Alia following close behind.


    They both half ran.


    It was just that, when Kia almost arrived, in the hallway she found that there were many nurses moving about quickly as they all entered the room where Mika was being treated.


    Kia felt her legs getting very weak and her heart was beating fast.


    Judging by the expressions on their faces, this was not a happy thing.


    =====================


    *Read my new book: The Alpha: iming His Enemy''s Daughter*


    Alpha Cane''s revenge for his and his people''s very.

 Chapter 828: KIA IS MISSING

    Chapter 828: KIA IS MISSINGSeeing the bustle in the hospital corridor leading to Mika''s ward, Kia immediately knew that something bad had happened and whatever it was, she had to prepare herself.


    She felt her steps were heavy and everything around her sounded like an endless white noise. She felt herself walking on needles that made every step painful.


    Kia had a strange thought that gave her the understanding that if she didn''t meet Mika and slowed down her steps, then she wouldn''t know what was going on, then her little princess would forever be in the same state she had left this morning.


    "Sis Kia¡­" Alia called her sister''s name, but Kia seemed to be in her own world. Alia didn''t even have time to think what to do when Kia''s body swayed and fell to the floor.


    They were still half way to Mika''s room, but seeing how panicked the doctors and nurses were going in and out of the room seemed to have made Kia know that Mika was not feeling well.


    Kia could feel a tightness in her chest and it made it hard for her to breathe.


    On the other hand, seeing her sister''s condition like this, Alia visibly panicked as she didn''t know what to do. She looked around her, hoping she''d spot Misha Tordoff''s face, but she couldn''t see him anywhere. Should she call her mom and dad? Tell them about Mika''s condition?


    Although Alia didn''t know for sure, she got a gist of ??what was going on, after all she had experienced this kind of situation dozens of times before.


    But, she immediately dismissed the thought of contacting her parents. After all, Kia might not like it if they came here.


    "Sis Kia...e on get up, don''t sit here." With great difficulty, Alia helped Kia stand up and sat her on a chair in the hallway and luckily at that moment, she saw someoneing out of Mika''s ward and Alia immediately widened her eyes. "Mr. Tordoff, Mr. Tordoff!" Alia cried, waving her hands. "Here."


    Misha looked a bit surprised when someone suddenly shouted his name, but when he saw Alia and Kia, he immediately rushed over to the two of them.


    "Kia, what''s wrong?" asked Misha feeling a bit of panic, while crouching in front of Kia. Her face waspletely pale now. "Don''t worry, the doctors have handled Mika, she is fine, you don''t need to worry."


    Kia then looked at Misha, searching in his eyes deeply, trying to find lies in them.


    "Mika has passed the critical condition, she has calmed down," said Misha assuring the woman in front of him.


    Kia felt the tightness she was feeling slowly disappear when Misha''s words slowly registered into her mind and she could no longer hold back her tears and immediately hugged Misha.


    "I want to see Mika¡­" Kia sobbed.


    "Of course, of course, let''s see her, okay?" Misha rubbed Kia''s back and kissed the top of her head. He then helped Kia stand up.


    It seemed that the shock she got was so great that her legs went limp and she had difficulty walking.


    And when they reached Mika''s room, both of them could see that what Misha said was true. Mika was in a stable condition and the faces of the doctors and nurses there no longer looked so tense.


    For Alia, it was the first time for her to see another child going through the same condition as her.


    And she couldn''t help but wonder. Did she look like this when she was sick too? Did she look so pale and helpless like this?


    After the atmosphere calmed down a bit, Misha patted Alia on the shoulder and nodded toward the door, asking her toe out, leaving Kia alone.


    In a situation like this, Kia definitely didn''t want to be disturbed and she wouldn''t listen to anything you say.


    Therefore, she would not discuss anything with Alia.


    Alia then followed Misha out of the room, with her school bag on her back.


    "I think that''s enough for today," Misha said as he closed the room behind him and faced Alia. He then walked into the lobby with the young girl following him. "I will ask Will to drive you home."


    "Alright..." even though she wanted to stay longer, there was nothing she could do and Kia was definitely not in a condition to talk to her. "Can Ie here again?"


    Misha stared at Alia for a moment, considering what she was asking. "You better contact Kia first, whether she wants you here or not."


    Misha had no problem with Aliaing here, but where Kia''s family was concerned, only she could decide what she wanted from them.


    "Oh, okay¡­" Alia said a little dispiritedly, because she wasn''t sure if Kia would pick up her phone or reply to her messages. She definitely wouldn''t want to hold the phone at all.


    Misha walked Alia all the way to the parking lot, making sure she got into the car safely.


    "Oh, Mr. Tordoff," Alia called before the car started. She rolled down the window on her side and started asking questions in a cheerful voice. "Can I call you brother- in-w now?"


    Misha''s face immediately changed. He frowned when he heard that because it sounded so absurd.


    "What?" Misha didn''t seem to hear the words.


    "Brother- in-w," Alia repeated her words and then smirked. "You and Sis Kia are now together and I''m very grateful that you are Mika''s father."


    Will could be seen pressing his back into the back of his driver''s seat to steal in their conversation more clearly. It was very funny for him to hear someone call Misha brother-inw. He would tell Richard about thister.


    "Because I have a lot of money?" Misha asked, there wasughter in his voice, he remembered how Alia was grateful that he had a lot of money for Mika''s medical expenses.


    And sure enough, it was something that made Alia feel grateful. "Isn''t that a good thing?" sheughed softly. "Alright then, can I call you brother- in-w now?" she asked.


    "No."


    "Why not?"


    Misha never thought of that answer. He just felt unustomed even when someone called him ''brother'', even Jayden had never called him that.


    "Just no."


    "Why not?" Alia didn''t seem to want to back down. "If you marry Kiater, you will be my brother-inw," she said cheerfully.


    Misha was an only child and never had any siblings, thus, it was very strange for him to realize that what Alia said was true, that he would be her brother-inw.


    But then¡­.


    Should Misha call Daniel brother-inw too? The creases between Misha''s foreheads deepened.


    "No." Misha then directed his attention to Will. "What are you waiting for? Take her away."


    And after that, Will closed the window and started driving the car, ignoring Alia''s protests.


    Misha went back inside the hospital room and walked toward Mika''s room, only he couldn''t find Kia there.


    "Kia?" Misha called her. He checked all the rooms, balcony, bathroom before asking the nurses on duty.


    They just said that Kia left the room and didn''t say where she was going.


    However, it was impossible for Kia to just walk away and leave Mika all alone, especially after what happened just a few minutes ago.


    Where did she go?


    Misha had a bad feeling.


    And right at that moment, Candice came and saw a confused Misha.


    "What is it? Are you looking for something?" Candice approached Misha, her son didn''t normally show such obvious panicked expressions like now, therefore, it was certain that this was a very disturbing thing for him. But what? "What is it?"


    "Kia wasn''t in Mika''s room, the nurse said that she went out of there half an hour ago," Misha said in a voice that held great emotion.


    But, Candice saw no problem with that. "Maybe she needs to get some fresh air and went to take a walk around the hospital. You don''t need to worry, she''ll be back in a bit."


    Misha wanted to believe that, but his heart felt uneasy.


    "No, mother, there''s no way Kia left Mika alone." Misha then started to tell her what happened to Mika earlier and Candice looked shocked, but calmed down when Misha told her there''s nothing to worry about because Mika had passed the critical period and was now recovering.


    Therefore, it was impossible for Kia to leave her alone.


    "Why don''t you check the hospital''s surveince cameras to find out where Kia is?" Candice suggested.


    Maybe because Misha was too panicked, that was why he didn''t think of that method at all, it didn''t cross his mind to check the hospital''s surveince cameras.


    "Thank you, mother." Misha looked down and gave his mother a quick kiss and ran back in the opposite direction, while Candice rushed to check on Mika.


    She wouldn''t feel at ease until she could see with her own eyes that Mika was fine.


    ========================


    After ten minutes of searching, they finally found where Kia was.


    She walked up to the rooftop of this hospital building and seemed to be oblivious to her surroundings, walking in a daze.


    "She''s headed for the roof of the hospital in the west building," the officer said and they quickly mobilized people to go there.


    Misha immediately ran there. He remembered very well what one of the nurses said when Kia was still being treated for her depression. One night, she went to the roof of that hospital as well and because the ce was locked she couldn''t enter.


    ======================


    *Read my new book: The Alpha: iming His Enemy''s Daughter*


    Alpha Cane''s revenge for his and his people''s very.

 Chapter 829: NONSENSE

    Chapter 829: NONSENSEMisha was running really fast, he didn''t notice anything else and just ran toward the west building the officer pointed at. His chest felt tight while his whole body stiffened at the unwanted thoughts that kept invading his mind.


    No. No.


    He didn''t want to think about anything bad, he didn''t even want to think at this moment. His chest ached and every step he took felt like it wasn''t fast enough.


    Misha continued to run up the west building and found that there were already about four people at the end of the staircase. The four of them were visibly panicking as they tried to call for help through themunication devices they were holding and Misha immediately realized why they were doing so.


    That was because they saw how Kia was standing at the edge of the building which was not secured with railings.


    The roof of the west building was indeed not closed and was open to the public, especially for those who wanted to sunbathe and just enjoy the scenery.


    Kia looked uneasy, she looked at the four officers and then at the view of the night city which looked very beautiful.


    Her face looked very peaceful and calm, but it only made Misha ufortable. He preferred the emotional Kia, even her angry or crying self, but not this very calm figure.


    "Kia," Misha called softly, he didn''t want to surprise her with his presence. "Could youe down for a second? I have something to talk about," he said softly, despite the rumbling in his chest, ignoring the fact that, with just one wrong move, Kia would fall off the seventh floor of this building.


    Kia blinked and looked at Misha, her eyes looked nk and she muttered something.


    "I didn''t hear what you said, may Ie closer? So I can hear more clearly?" Misha asked her for permission.


    Kia didn''t say anything, but Misha took tentative steps to get closer to Kia after taking a deep breath.


    He stopped when Kia frowned and nced back at the city lights that looked so beautiful from up there.


    "Kia,e down, let''s go see Mika," said Misha in a soft voice, coaxing her carefully, because he didn''t know what was going on in Kia''s mind right now. He had to make sure he did this properly. He couldn''t afford any mistakes.


    "The view is so beautiful from up here," Kia said in a mumbling voice and her voice was much louder than before, which made Misha hear it quite clearly.


    Meanwhile, the four guards behind Misha were trying tomunicate with the others and call for help. On the other hand, Misha was trying to focus on Kia, who was standing only five steps away from him, almost at the edge of the building.


    Misha looked up and found Kia looking really pretty under the moonlight and the night sky. The dress she was wearing fluttered in the night breeze, she looked beautiful, almost like a painting.


    But, if this was thest memory that Misha would have of her, of course, this would be the worst memory that would haunt him for the rest of his life.


    "Yes, may I alsoe up and see it?" Misha asked again. He wouldn''t have the time to run and catch Kia''s body at this distance, if Kia suddenly wanted to follow her impulsive desires. "I said that time, didn''t I? To take me up on the roof if you want to go to a ce like this?"


    Misha had said this before when he got the report, but he didn''t know that something like this would really happen and he didn''t know how to deal with it.


    "Kia,e here."


    "I''m sick. I feel pain," said Kia while looking at Misha. "It hurt so bad, but then the pain went away and now I don''t know what to think about."


    Misha gritted his teeth, even though he was trying to control his emotions, it was very difficult to do so. "Can you think about Mika? She''s waiting for you."


    Kia frowned. "Mika is also in pain. She was also in pain and it pained me to see her like that. I can not take it anymore."


    Misha took one step closer. Four more steps and he would be able to reach Kia.


    "Hold on a little longer."


    "I don''t want to¡­ I''ve endured this far and all I''ve received is pain."


    Misha took a deep breath before carefully saying. "Haven''t you survived this far? It would be a shame if you had to stop before seeing the end."


    "There is no end. This pain has no end."


    Kia felt very hopeless. Everything that hurt her kept happening. Even though she now had someone she could rely on, for some reason she felt very tired and wanted to just end all of this.


    "I don''t want to feel this pain anymore." Kia stared at Misha nkly. "I''m tired, very tired."


    "Come here, you can rest with me. The three of us will rest if you feel tired."


    "A lot of people hurt me."


    "I will make those who hurt you pay."


    Kia then looked at Misha with a sad look. "You hurt me too." Her memory must have taken her to the time four years ago.


    It seemed that the time sequence in Kia''s mind was irregr and all she could imagine were sad memories.


    This happened because of the extreme sense of shock she experienced at the realization that she would lose Mika. She could lose the little girl at any moment and there was nothing she could do to stop it.


    Therefore, even before the pain could start, Kia wanted to stop it. Her fear of the pain of losing her daughter made her mind very unstable.


    It was very difficult to understand the minds of people like Kia, because their way of thinking was reallyplex and unpredictable.


    "You can do anything to make me pay. You must live to make me pay for what I did to you. Even if you have to live to hate me, you should at least be here to watch Mika grow up."


    "I don''t hate you and I hate the fact that I don''t hate you even after what you did to me." Kia''s face scrunched up, she shook her head. "I do not hate you. I don''t hate my family. I don''t hate them, but I¡­" Kia tried to find the right words to say, which could represent her current feelings. "¡­ I am disappointed."


    She felt very disappointed at her family''s attitude where they tried to leverage Mika''s well being just to meet her. Even though she had already made it very clear that she didn''t want to meet, they couldn''t respect that.


    Even if Kia didn''t show any exaggerated reactions, it seemed like she had bottled up all those feelings and ignored them.


    She harbored all these negative feelings for a long time, even therapy didn''t really help her to dig deeper into all those feelings one by one, because they were all buried so deep and sometimes she didn''t even remember them.


    It was just that, the great shock at the thought of losing her only daughter had made all those dark feelings burst out and made her unable to hold back wave after wave of immense pain and disappointment. Everything came out, rearing its ugly head all at once and Kia couldn''t get over all the feelings.


    Especially when she hadn''t been taking her medication regrly recently, while Misha couldn''t possibly be with her twenty-four hours every day.


    "Kia¡­ Come here, Mika is waiting for you. What should I tell her if she''s looking for you?" Misha begged her. He felt that if he had to kneel before Kia, he would do that, if that was enough, then he would. "She''s looking for you, remember? I said it over the phone this afternoon. She''s looking for you, what should I tell her if she can''t find youter."


    Kia was silent; she looked like she was thinking about it. "Mika can''t be helped anymore," she said in a very desperate voice. "There''s nothing we can do to help her. I don''t want to go through the pain."


    "Then what about Mika? should she go through the pain?"


    "She won''t survive¡­" Kia said desperately. She felt so close to losing her daughter and that feeling made her feel so scared, she wanted to run away from everything that was hurting her.


    "Nonsense!" growled Misha. "She will be fine!" Misha knew that Kia was in low spirits, but to imagine them losing Mika made him unable to hold back his emotions. Especially when she was still breathing and still had hope. "We''ve got the medical history from your sister, there will definitely be something the doctors can do. Will you throw away that hope?"


    Kia gasped and fell silent, she didn''t say anything and lowered her head.


    "I don''t know how to make her eat well or talk to her, I don''t know what to prepare for the first day of school and how to calm her when she cries, I don''t know how to appease her when she is upset or what kind of food she likes or dislikes¡­ I don''t know what to say to make her feel good when she''s sad. I don''t even know what to do when she grows up and likes a guy. I would definitely go crazy if she started talking about the guy she likes.


    "I don''t know them and many more things. I need you to guide me and Mika needs you as her mother to help her through it all."


    ================


    *Read my new book: The Alpha: iming His Enemy''s Daughter*


    Alpha Cane''s revenge for his and his people''s very.

 Chapter 830: IS THIS A DREAM?

    Chapter 830: IS THIS A DREAM?Misha tried to reach out for Kia, while trying to make her understand how much she meant to them and how she had to be there to see Mika grow into a beautiful girl and how she shouldn''t miss every milestone in life that she would reach.


    "Mika is very strong, she can fight. Even though she was sick, she survived this far and she will continue to survive. Especially now that we have Alia''s medical history, there must be something the doctors can do for her."


    Misha took one more step to get closer to Kia.


    "Please, I really don''t know how to raise a child. I don''t even know how to be a good partner, how can you expect me to be a good father?" Misha felt a lump in his throat when he saw that there was no change in Kia''s expression. He felt that he would lose her sooner orter.


    He felt immeasurable pain, he realized he no longer knew what to do if he had to lose Kia at this point.


    "Please, Kia, I don''t know what to do. I''m not a good man, so you can''t expect me to be a good father to Mika, you have to be there to help our daughter."


    A tear rolled down Kia''s cheek, she looked at Misha with a look in her eyes that really indicated how hurt her heart was now. She didn''t know how she could feel this, but the pain continued to linger in her heart and she felt a tightness that she had never felt before.


    "Please, Kia. Come down. I need you."


    I need you¡­


    Kia covered her face with her hands as she cried into her hands. Misha took this opportunity to narrow the distance between them. He swiftly grabbed her hand and pulled her down.


    Her body fell into his embrace and this made everyone who saw this breathe a sigh of relief.


    Meanwhile, under the building, the fire department hade and a mattress had been prepared for her.


    Luckily, none of that was needed now, Kia was fine. She would be fine.


    "Kia¡­" Misha''s voice sounded shaky, as well as his body. He had never felt pain like this. He didn''t know that loss could make him so scared. He almost lost the woman he loved. He also almost lost his daughter.


    This all felt very hard for him, today had been a tiring day. He couldn''t help but be thankful that he still had this mother and daughter pair who meant a lot to him.


    "Mika will be fine? Will she really be fine?" Kia choked with tears as she hugged Misha even tighter. She buried her face in Misha''s chest and started sobbing. "She will live, right? She won''t leave us, will she?"


    Misha interrupted her. "Yes, she will not leave us. We''ll look after her as best we can. She will surely recover." Misha kissed Kia''s forehead while gently caressing her back to make her feel much calmer.


    Neither of them moved from their positions. They remained like that until Kia felt much calmer.


    "Sorry¡­ I''m sorry¡­" Now that Kia hade to her senses, she felt that her actions were really too shameful, how could she think like that?


    How could she think like that? She felt her chest feel very tight. She felt really guilty toward Misha as well for stressing herself out like this.


    "You don''t need to apologize. We''ll get through this together, okay? Don''t forget that you have me. When you feel tired and can''t take this anymore, lean on me. I will always be there for you," Misha whispered into Kia''s ear. "Promise me."


    Kia nodded. She burst into tears again as she remembered what action she had almost taken. She nodded again, agreeing to everything Misha said.


    She felt overwhelmed by all of this.


    "And I want you to promise me one more thing." Misha released her from his embrace and cupped his hands on either side of Kia''s face. He looked deep into her eyes. "If you have the urge to go to the roof of a building, you should take me."


    Kia started crying again.


    "You promised me before that you would take me, but you came here alone," Misha said in a low but firm voice. "I want you to promise me and take it seriously. Promise me to take me next time, okay?"


    Kia nodded again, she didn''t have any reason to refuse him.


    "Tell me, Kia, if you promise me, say it."


    "Yes, I promise." Kia continued to sob for some time until her heart felt lighter and her body became tired.


    ==========================


    Kia was fast asleep in the hospital bed. Right next to Mika''s bed, she curled up in a fetal position. It seemed like everything that happened, what she had experienced so far, and all the emotions she had been holding back for years came out together and hit her hard.


    So, in a moment of weakness, Kia thought about avoiding all the trouble by running away and ending all of this.


    Misha was thankful that he came on time.


    Candice then approached Misha and sat beside him, she rubbed her son''s arm affectionately, while Misha buried his face in his palms. He stayed like that for several hours until it started to worry Candice.


    But, after she watched Misha more closely, she knew that this boy of hers was strong enough to take on the trouble that was in front of him.


    "Are you okay?" asked Candice gently, patting his shoulder. She sat beside him and looked at Kia and Mika in front of them, who were asleep in their respective beds.


    "Yeah, just a little tired." Misha raised his head and then leaned his back against the back of the couch. "I''m afraid, mother¡­" Misha confided in a soft voice.


    Candice listened to him carefully. There weren''t many asions where Misha opened up and confessed what he was afraid of.


    It might be said that this was his second time confessing, while the first time he confessed his fears was when he took over apany where the expectations of the people around him weighed heavily on his young self.


    "It''s fine to be afraid, it''s only natural, right? Feeling afraid doesn''t make you weak, it makes you human," said Candice. She thenid her head on Misha''s shoulder while stroking his arm, providing silent support. She then looked at her granddaughter who looked calmer after going through a critical period this afternoon.


    "What if I can''t do my best? What if I can''t convince Kia to stay?"


    Candice understood what Misha meant by ''stay'', because she could tell what Kia was going to do when she ran up to the roof earlier.


    Candice listened to what Misha had to say. She listened intently, while Misha poured all of his fears into her.


    "There''s nothing wrong with that, Misha," Candice said when Misha stopped talking. "I was also scared, but Kia is a strong child, she is a girl who has gone through a lot in her life. Let''s hope that just now was only a moment of weakness, there was so much going on she was just reaching her breaking point. We''ve all been through that, thinking about ending it all because there''s no other way out."


    Candice lifted her head and looked at her son.


    "We''ve all been at that point, Misha, it''s just that we react differently in every situation. Now, all you can do is remind her that she is not alone. She is used to keeping things to herself and she is also used to not depending on anyone. When this happens repeatedly in life, again and again, then you will get used to it, it will be a habit and habits are something that are difficult to get rid of."


    Misha listened to Candice''s soothing voice.


    "You always have both of your parents to fall back on, but she doesn''t have anyone and it''s impossible for her to depend on a three year old toddler. Therefore, she has to show how strong she is, even when it eats away at her from within."


    Candice then raised her head and stood up.


    "Don''t hurt her anymore Misha, stay with her. I can see that she is a good child, despite the wounds she has and the not-so-good past she has to deal with."


    And after saying that, Candice leaned over and kissed Misha''s cheek gently, she smiled at her son and walked away, leaving the little family behind.


    Misha fell deep in thought.


    =========================


    The next morning, Kia woke up to something gently poking her cheek followed by the sound of someone speaking in a whispering voice.


    Kia then opened her eyes slowly.


    "See? I told you, you woke her up," she heard Misha say and the poking stopped.


    Kia rubbed her face and tried to block the sunlight that streamed down from the hospital window. A gentle breeze blew in from the open balcony and she saw Mika hugging Misha. The little girl looked at her face and reached out her hand to her.


    "I want mommy," Mika whined, but Misha held her tightly, not letting her go to Kia.


    "Mommy just woke up, shouldn''t you finish your breakfast first?" Misha asked in a cajoling voice.


    "No, I want mommy, only then I will eat breakfast." Mika showed an expression like she wanted to cry.


    And instinctively, Kia reached out to hug her little daughter.


    Is this a dream?


    ================


    *Read my new book: The Alpha: iming His Enemy''s Daughter*


    Alpha Cane''s revenge for his and his people''s very.

 Chapter 831 DO YOU REALLY REGRET IT?

    Chapter 831 DO YOU REALLY REGRET IT?


    Misha slept on the sofa after such a tiring day. He didn''t want to sleep too deeply. Therefore, he didn''t sleep on the bed, so the difort of sleeping on the sofa would keep him awake and indeed that was what happened, Misha stayed awake even though he had slept for quite a while.


    Therefore, when Mika woke up and started whining, he immediately got up from the sofa and approached his little daughter and quickly called the nurse and doctor to check on Mika''s condition.


    At that time, Kia was still asleep, it seemed her fatigue took a toll on her and she didn''t wake up, even though it was a little noisy in the room when the doctor and nurse came.


    However, Misha persuaded Mika not to wake her mother while he tried to fulfill all her wishes. He wanted Kia to sleep longer and rest well.


    He was also the one who coaxed Mika to eat and took her to the restroom, which was a first and he was a bit clumsy to help Mika sit on the toilet bowl and watch her pee and poop.


    He felt awkward, but he tried to be there and not call Mika''s babysitters toe over.


    It was just that, when it was time for lunch, Mika became cranky because Kia was still asleep and she missed her mother.


    "Don''t disturb mommy, Mika¡­" Misha warned her patiently, while he was holding a bowl of beef soup mixed with rice. He was feeding his little girl.


    It would be hard for anyone else to imagine how someone in Misha''s standing was holding a bowl of soup while chasing after a three year old child who was pacing around so impatiently.


    People would not believe it if they saw this.


    Even Richard couldn''t believe it when he came to deliver the documents that Lexus had sent him to look at and give his decision on some project.


    "You are very different, Mr. Tordoff."


    Misha nced at Richard fiercely and said in a cold tone. "Tell me that when you have a child."


    "You don''t even give me a chance to date and make me work timelessly, how can I have kids?" Richard grumbled.


    "You said something?" Misha narrowed his eyes and Richard smiled back at him.


    "No, I didn''t say anything." He grinned and then quickly left the hospital as he had other things to do.


    And when Richard was gone, Misha again tried to make his daughter leave Kia alone so she would continue to sleep.


    It seemed like the medicine Kia was taking had such a strong effect on her, especially since she was exhausted fromst night.


    But, because Misha was alone, he couldn''t get Mika to stop whining. She wanted to lie beside Kia. She was even telling something to her sleeping mother.


    Misha was happy to see how his little daughter was starting to look healthy. She could immediately roam around in this small room, even though yesterday her condition was critical.


    This was Mika''s condition, she could look very healthy, but a momentter, her condition could suddenly drop.


    Mika then started nudging Kia''s cheek and kissed her face, trying to wake her up.


    "You''ll wake her up." Misha reminded her, but he didn''t do anything to stop her. Kia had been asleep for quite a while and he also missed the woman.


    While Misha was checking the documents brought by Richard earlier, Mika tried to wake Kia up very gently. She whispered to her and kissed her face, until finally her mother stirred in her sleep and woke up.


    She rubbed her face groggily and looked at Misha with a scrunched up face. She must not be able to believe what she was seeing right now.


    "See? I told you, you woke her up," Kia heard Misha say and the poking on her face stopped.


    "Mommy!" Mika eximed while hugging Kia''s neck and this made her quite surprised.


    "Mika?" Kia''s voice sounded low and a little hoarse because she had just woken up, but that didn''t mean she wasn''t surprised when she saw her little daughter. Was she awake? Was she okay now?


    Is this a dream?


    Kia''s eyes then searched for Misha and the man smiled at her.


    "If you think this is a dream, then I will say that it is not," Misha said, as if he could read what was on Kia''s mind at the moment.


    Kia''s eyes widened when she heard that, a feeling of relief that she couldn''t express immediately washed over her and made her chest feel tight. This is not a dream? Mika is really healthy again?


    Kia immediately hugged her daughter''s small body as if she didn''t want to let go again. She didn''t want to let go of Mika''s body again.


    "You''re awake? Are you well?" Kia then kissed her cheek and Mika struggled to get away from her mother''s grip.


    "Mommy, it hurts¡­" Mika whined and she moved about in Kia''s arms. She immediately let go, but she stared at her face for a long time.


    "Mommy? Mommy, why are you crying? Mommy is sad?" asked Mika with a wrinkled face. "Don''t cry mommy."


    Seeing her mother cry, Mika also started crying. She sobbed seeing Kia shed tears.


    "Did someone hurt mommy?" Mika then turned her gaze to Misha, her gaze was fierce and sharp. The girl seemed to remember that Kia had cried like this before because of him.


    No, Mika had caught him ''making Kia cry'' twice and that memory continued to be embedded in her memory.


    "It''s not me this time," Misha said while raising both hands and showing an innocent expression.


    Meanwhile, Kiaughed and kissed Mika''s cheek very gently. "No, he didn''t make mommy cry. He didn''t make me cry, really," said Kia again after receiving a look of disbelief from Mika.


    "OK." Mika then wiped her mother''s tears and kissed her. "Don''t be sad, mommy."


    "As long as Mika is with mommy, I will always be happy." Kia then hugged Mika tighter again, while the little girl struggled and broke away from Kia, as she crawled into Misha''sp.


    Seeing this little girl of his asking for protection from her mother who was constantly hugging and kissing her, Misha couldn''t help butugh happily.


    This was the little family he wanted, this was everything to him and he would not trade this for anything.


    Misha was very happy to see this progress.


    =======================


    Two months after Mika was discharged from the hospital, she looked much healthier, but of course, they still had to monitor her health because after all, sometimes Mika''s condition could go up and down drastically.


    Therefore, every two weeks, a doctor woulde to examine the little girl.


    Not only Mika, but Kia had also progressed, where she looked much better and could control her emotions andmunicate what she felt.


    She was also learning slowly to be able to rely on Misha, not that she depended on him, but she realized that she was no longer alone, there would be people who would help her now.


    Candice and Lexus spoiled Mika a lot and they would do anything for her, but Kia was grateful that they refrained from buying something really expensive or absurd for Mika andmunicated with her first.


    The most expensive thing Mika currently owned was a pony that joined the ponies, which were already in the area around the Tordoff residence.


    "I didn''t know the Tordoff residence included a racetrack as well," Kia said in amazement. She knew that thend in this ce was vast, but this made no sense at all.


    "Not only the racetrack, but also the golf course," said Misha, feeling a little smug.


    "Are you bragging now?" Kia narrowed her eyes, while Misha justughed and pulled Mika to her side.


    Meanwhile, in front of them, Lexus was walking the pony he bought for Mika as a birthday present.


    Mika looked very happy, even though her birthday was still one week away, but Lexus couldn''t wait to give her the present and casually said that he would buy another present when her birthday arrived.


    And one weekter, Mika''s birthday arrived, Kia specifically said that Alia coulde and attend the party, but she didn''t expect the rest of her family.


    How could they end up holding Alia''s medical history as leverage, because until now they still didn''t know that Alia had given permission to get her medical history directly from the hospital.


    They still used it to emphasize that they needed to meet with Kia.


    Therefore, when Amber and Lyle found out that Alia had received an invitation to attend Mika''s birthday at the Tordoff residence, they were delighted, but the excitement did notst long.


    "You are not allowed to go. Only I was invited," said Alia, while looking at her appearance in the mirror. "Sis Kia said that she only invited me."


    "Alia, you can''t be like that," Amber said, she then followed Alia to her room, she had prepared a gift for her niece.


    And even though this was insignificant and wouldn''t mean muchpared to the precious gifts she got from the Tordoff family, she hoped that Mika would be happy.


    "Alia, you have to persuade Kia to talk to us, you have to tell her that we regret it very much, whatever it is, to listen to us or talk to us again."


    "Do you really regret it?"


    ================


    *Read my new book: The Alpha: iming His Enemy''s Daughter*


    Alpha Cane''s revenge for his and his people''s very.

 Chapter 832 WEDDING

    Chapter 832 WEDDING


    "Alia, you have to persuade Kia to talk to us, you have to tell her that we regret it very much, whatever it is, to listen to us or talk to us again."


    "Do you really regret it, though?" Alia didn''t want to sound like she was reprimanding her parents, but she was genuinely questioning their intentions. If they were truly sorry, maybe she could talk about it with Kia, now that the rtionship between the two of them had gotten a lot better than before.


    However, they must know that they couldn''t impose their will as all that couldn''t be solved in a day or two. This whole reconciling thing would take a lot of time and patience.


    "Mother, are you really sorry?" asked Alia hopefully and held her mother''s hand, looking at her intently. "Did you really mean what you said?"


    "Of course." Amber nodded. She then sat on the edge of the bed, together with Alia, while Lyle stood in the doorway, but he didn''t say anything.


    Her father had never been a man who could express what he was feeling or thinking, therefore, it was their mother who had alwaysmunicated with them.


    "If that''s true, give my medical history to Kia. She asked them to be able to save Mika."


    They both still did not know that the medical history was already in the hands of the Tordoff family.


    "But, Mika is healthy now," Amber said in a low voice. Because otherwise they wouldn''t have a party at home to celebrate her return, at least that was what Alia told her mother. She told her mother that Mika had returned home.


    "Mom, dad." Alia turned her eyes to her father. "You all know very well what my illness is like, it doesn''t mean that just because Mika hase home everything will be fine with her. She could get sick again and that is something you all know very well, this illness¡­ I can never really recover from this and you know that very well, don''t you?"


    Amber lowered her head and Lyle shifted his gaze elsewhere, as if he didn''t want to hear the continuation of what Alia was about to say.


    "Therefore, regardless of whether Mika has returned home and is getting better or not, I hope you will still provide the medical history because it will really help Mika, isn''t she also your granddaughter? She is your first grandchild and the people you are helping are your own children and grandchildren."


    Alia tried to see if there was any hope with her parents, if they would melt down. But all she got was silence in response. They both didn''t want to see it.


    "Father, mother, can you provide my medical history without forcing Sis Kia to return? Without forcing her to talk to you?"


    Amber kept her head down, but she turned to look at Lyle with pleading eyes. It was clear that the stubborn one here was their father, as their mother couldn''t go against her father''s wishes.


    "Lyle," Amber called Lyle in a sad voice. "What Alia said is true. Kia wille around eventually if she thinks it is the right time for her toe to us, we can''t force her."


    Only, Lyle didn''t have the same thought.


    "No. She didn''te even though it had been four years already. Not even once. What makes you think she wille after we give her what she wants?" asked Lyle in a voice filled with emotion.


    Alia looked at her mother, trying to see if she would support her or not, but her mother just lowered her head. She knew very well that even if she wanted to, she wouldn''t dare to talk back to her father.


    "You can''t be like this, daddy..." Alia said. She looked sad, because she loved them both, her parents had done everything to help her. It was just that they treated Kia with partiality and she couldn''t help but feel bad about it.


    Alia loved Kia very much and she looked up to her sister.


    "It''s very easy, Kia just needs to talk to us and we will provide the medical history. Is her ego bigger than her daughter''s recovery?" Lyle red fiercely at Alia, but there was hurt behind those resolute eyes.


    "In that case, I would like to ask you the same thing, father. Is your ego that big to continue to hold my health history as leverage to get what you want, even though it costs your own granddaughter''s life? We are talking about someone''s life here and you still stand by your stance, isn''t that very selfish?"


    Lyle bit his tongue so as not to say anything more. What his daughter said was true. She wasn''t wrong, but it still sounded very ufortable to his ears.


    Meanwhile, Amber took Alia''s hand and shook her head, trying to keep the two of them from getting into a cold war.


    "I will go now," said Alia. "Will is already here."


    And with that, she left her mother and father in her room. She really regretted that they were so stubborn. They didn''t want to back down at all.


    Even though this was their grandchild they were actually talking about.


    However, this matter waspletely beyond Alia''s capability now, she could no longer tell her father and mother when they had decided like this.


    ==========================


    "I want to meet mom and dad and also Daniel before my wedding day," said Kia.


    The birthday party for Mika was actually just a small family party, where only a few close family members attended, such as Misha''s cousin, Jayden, and his wife, Apple, and their children as well as Misha''s uncle, Ramon and Hailee, his wife.


    They were important people in the business world that you couldn''t see every day, therefore, it was a fortune for Alia to be able to see them as a family, even though she didn''t really understand how important they were, because for a child of Alia''s age, important figures in the business world were not the same as her idol figures.


    "Sis Kia is really going to meet them? Are you serious?" asked Alia in surprise, she stared at Kia deeply. Prior to this, Kia said that she would marry Misha in less than two months.


    The wedding would also take ce in a solemn atmosphere, with fewer than fifty guests. This was a closed event, because Kia didn''t want to be exposed too much, and neither did Misha.


    They didn''t want the media to catch wind of this wedding and start highlighting Mika who was already a big child and reporting nonsense about their little daughter.


    "Yes, I''m serious," said Kia.


    "Is¡­" Alia started, but before she could hope for more, Kia shook her head.


    "Do not expect too much. I have no intention of rekindling our rtionship."


    "Oh¡­" Alia looked a bit disappointed, but she respected her sister''s decision. She did not force or ask her any further.


    "Could you tell them about it? I will meet them before my wedding with Misha." Kia looked calm as she talked about this meeting. In the end, she wanted to have the closure that she hadn''t had so far.


    "Okay." Alia nodded and smiled at her sister, but then she remembered something. "Are you going to invite them to your wedding?"


    But with one look, Alia had gotten the answer she was looking for.


    No. Her sister would neither invite their parents nor Daniel to this wedding.


    But, in that case, what would Kia say to their parents?


    After the day''s events were over, Will drove Alia home safely, ording to Misha''s instructions.


    Even though the man looked cold, he was actually also kind, but still, Alia couldn''t stop thinking how Kia could fall in love with a man who looked so expressionless.


    "Alia," Lyle called as she walked into the house.


    "Yes?" Alia was quite surprised when she found her father still awake at this hour.


    "Could we talk for a minute?" asked Lyle in a low voice, as she walked into the living room.


    Alia was confused, but she followed her father.


    And when they arrived at the couch, Alia chose to sit across from her father and stared at him intently.


    "What''s the matter, dad?"


    "How was the party?" asked Lyle. Both of them knew this wasn''t the point of this conversation, but Alia ignored that and nodded at her father.


    "The party was fun, they hired magic clowns and some other attractions for children, but only the members of the nuclear family came," said Alia. "It was a small party, there weren''t even kids of Mika''s age there, just like a family gathering."


    Main family. A family gathering.


    Lyle felt that someone had stabbed his heart with those words, how could he ignore those words?


    Weren''t they part of that nuclear family as well? They were supposed to be there for that family gathering, but then Lyle shook his head.


    It wasn''t the heart of the matter that he wanted to talk to Alia about.


    "This. I want you to give this to Kia," Lyle said as he took something from a nearby drawer and gave it to Alia. "If Kia really doesn''t want to meet, then no problem, there''s no need to meet. She needed that to save her daughter, didn''t she?"


    Alia was shocked when she saw her medical history. "Actually, Sis Kia said she wanted to meet you a week before her wedding."


    "Wedding?" Lyle was taken aback.


    ================


    *Read my new book: The Alpha: iming His Enemy''s Daughter*


    Alpha Cane''s revenge for his and his people''s very.

 Chapter 833 HEARTBREAKING

    Chapter 833 HEARTBREAKING


    Alia never thought that her father would finally give up and could see that what he was doing was wrong. He put his ego above the safety of his own granddaughter until then and now, he gave the medical history without expecting anything, just like Alia asked.


    It was just that it was toote. Alia could see that it was toote as Kia seemed to have given up on them already. She couldn''t express this well. It was just, she knew that Kia no longer wanted to be tied down to them and just wanted to find closure with their meetingter. She could see the same in Kia''s eyes earlier.


    "Actually, sister Kia said she wanted to meet you before her wedding." Nervously, Alia started to talk about what Kia wanted to ry onto their parent and brother, it seemed, this was a great opportunity.


    "Wedding?" Lyle was shocked, he didn''t expect to hear something like this. Out of all his children, he thought Daniel would marry first, but it turned out to be Kia.


    It was also possible that because he didn''t think much of Kia, he didn''t think of that possibility.


    For a moment, Lyle''s face looked surprised, but then his face brightened even more than before and he smiled very broadly, looking closely at Alia.


    "I didn''t know that she was getting married. Why was there no news about it? When''s the wedding? Wouldn''t a family the size of the Tordoff family make this a grand event?"


    Alia shook her head. "It will be a private wedding attended by the next of kin only, less than fifty people. Sis Kia doesn''t want to have too big of a wedding."


    Lyle thought about this for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, I think it really doesn''t suit Kia to have a grand wedding attended by a lot of people. An intimate, closed marriage suits her better," Lyle muttered to himself.


    He didn''t expect that he would walk her down the aisle and after he thought about this more carefully, he became even more excited. He couldn''t wait for that day toe.


    Lyle never imagined that he would walk his daughter down the aisle, at least not in the near future, because Alia was still far from marriageable age, however, he didn''t expect for Kia to be married first.


    Oh¡­


    He had never felt this happy and excited, the more he thought about it, the more he couldn''t contain his joy from having such an honor.


    It was just that, his joy didn''tst long, because on the other hand, Alia could see what was going through her father''s mind and immediately stopped that thought before her father could think her hands nervously under her father''s gaze.


    "Tell me, what is the main purpose of her meeting me a week before the wedding? Does she want to anything wrong and cause even more troubles for Kia than this.


    "Dad, Sis Kia wants to meet you a week before her wedding, but I hope you don''t expect more," Alia tried to say this carefully.


    Immediately, the smile on Lyle''s lips disappeared, he frowned and asked Alia in a low voice.


    "What do you mean by that? I don''t understand what you''re trying to say." Lyle felt his joy suddenly fade away, reced with worry when he saw Alia''s facial expression, because she didn''t look her usual self.


    "I just want to say not to get your hopes too high, father, because it will only hurt you." Alia sped her hands nervously under her father''s gaze.


    "Tell me, what is the main purpose of her meeting me a week before the wedding? Does she want to boast that she''s marrying into the Tordoff family and doesn''t want to go back to her family?" Her father asked with a pounding heart because then he would really have no hope of ever seeing Kia or his granddaughter again.


    He had never even held his granddaughter before, did Mika even know that he was her grandfather?


    The thought made his heart ache and knowing that there was a possibility that Mika wouldn''t even know that he was her grandfather made his feelings even worse. He didn''t want to feel this kind of feeling.


    "Dad, in my opinion, I don''t think Kia will invite you to her wedding, she just wants to talk to you for closure." Alia didn''t know how to convey this, but she didn''t want to make it difficult and ufortable for Kia when they metter. Their parents and Daniel thought they would get an invite to her wedding, but it didn''t look like that was going to happen.


    "Why do you think like that?" asked Lyle in a very serious voice, he looked deeply into his daughter''s face and felt something was wrong.


    "Because Sis Kia herself said that she didn''t want to repair the rtionship between the two of you, I think she just wanted to find closure to what happened so far." Alia really wanted to kick herself for not being able to find better words than these, but she also couldn''t help but say it and make her father understand.


    However, what neither of them knew was; Amber was listening to their conversation from the start. She woke up when she heard the sound of a caring and knew that Alia had alreadye home, because from the start, her sleep wasn''t sound and she couldn''t help but sumb to the ufortable feeling that kept pressing on her heart.


    But, what she heard from Alia''s lips made her hysterical.


    "No, no, no!" Amber said repeatedly while shaking her head and her tears flowed profusely when she heard that Kia intended to cut ties with them and didn''t even invite them to her wedding. "You can''t let your sister act like that!" Amber eximed, as if it was Alia''s responsibility to persuade Kia.


    Meanwhile, Lyle and Alia, who didn''t expect that Amber was listening to their conversation, looked shocked and immediately stood up to face her, who looked hysterical. The sound of her crying even awoke Daniel, who immediately ran to the living room and found his mother crying, immediately, his sleepiness disappeared.


    "What is this? Why are you crying like this? What''s the matter?" he looked at the two of them, but neither of them gave an answer.


    On the other hand, Lyle hugged Amber''s body, trying to calm her down and Alia rubbed their mother''s arms without saying anything.


    "What is it? Did something happen?" Then Daniel remembered one thing and his eyes widened immediately, he couldn''t say that and hoped that it didn''t really happen. "Did something happen to Mika?" he swallowed hard. "Did¡­ Mika die?"


    Amber cried harder and Lyle looked at her firmly. They felt the same pain when imagining the possibility.


    "No no, Mika is fine, she just had her birthday party and now she is much better," Alia said quickly, before Daniel misunderstood further.


    Daniel immediately breathed a sigh of relief and then looked at his mother with confused eyes. "Then what happened? Why did you get hysterical like this?"


    "That¡­" Alia felt that she could no longer tell this story a second time, but she had no other choice and in the end, she sighed and retold what really happened.


    ==========================


    "Are you sure you''re going to be okay?" asked Misha when the two of them had put Mika to bed and now the two of them were in Misha''s room, enjoying tea and evening snacks.


    "About what?" asked Kia in a low voice, she looked at Misha with a small smile on her lips.


    "About meeting your family, take the time if you feel ufortable." Misha then sat beside Kia and the womanid her head on Misha''s shoulder, making the man smile.


    He stroked Kia''s head gently and ced his hand around her shoulders in a protective manner.


    "I''ll be fine, I think I''ll be able to handle it. Sooner orter I have to face them too and I think this is the right time," said Kia in a tired voice. Mika''s birthday party made her feel a little overwhelmed.


    "If you are sure about it, then I have no other choice but to trust you." Misha then kissed the top of Kia''s head. "I want you to sleep here tonight," he said in a longing voice, but this only made Kiaugh.


    "Are you ready to face the little girl''s wrath in the morning?" asked Kia in between herughter.


    In the past two months, they had tried to sleep together twice. The first time, Mika almost caught them in the act and that made the two of them even more careful. They even decided to lock the door when they were both inside the next time.


    It was just that when Mika woke up again in the middle of the night and found Misha''s bedroom door was locked, she started crying and woke up almost the whole house.


    What was even worse was that since Lexus and Candice were staying there, the two of them could easily read what the situation was.


    Even though Kia was thankful they didn''t say anything, it was still very embarrassing.


    "Oh right¡­ that little girl¡­" Misha rubbed his face roughly. "I love her, but she really frustrates me."


    Kiaughed when she saw Misha''s expression like that and kissed his cheek gently. "Give her some time, I will talk to her slowly."


    Their rtionship was much better now and both of them couldmunicate quite better than before, but Mika still didn''t want to call him ''father'' yet.


    ================


    *Read my new book: The Alpha: iming His Enemy''s Daughter*


    Alpha Cane''s revenge for his and his people''s very.

 Chapter 834 TRADITION

    Chapter 834 TRADITION


    And sure enough, when Misha and Kia were about to sleep together, Mika woke up because she didn''t find her mother by her side.


    Before this, they always slept together in one room, because Kia could not afford a two-room apartment. And Mika always slept with her mother beside her.


    "Mommy?" Mika''s voice was heard from behind the door before it was pushed open, revealing a small figure holding a stuffed rabbit in her arms.


    On the other hand, Misha immediately got away from Kia and rubbed his face roughly. Sometimes, his urges got the best of him and here he was, stuck between frustration and helplessness.


    Meanwhile, on the other hand, Kia chuckled at Misha''s facial expression.


    "Come here," Kia said, reaching out her hands to Mika, who then climbed onto the bed. Misha helped the little girl to sleep between the two of them.


    "You are sleeping together, but did not invite me, why?" said Mika, grumbling, she buried her head in Kia''s arms, getting her mother to all herself and not letting Misha get close.


    "Yes, Mommy fell asleep while talking to him, so he let me sleep here," said Kia, giving an excuse. Luckily, Mika was too sleepy to ask more critical questions and a few momentster, she had fallen asleep.


    "Looks like I have to take a cold shower," Misha muttered as he got off the bed and walked toward the bathroom, which made Kiaugh.


    ======================


    For thest few weeks, Kia had been very busy preparing for her wedding and although it was a small party attended by only fifty people and it was to be held in the back garden of the Tordoff residence, near an artificialke, the preparations took up a lot of time and manpower.


    The one who was most excited about this party was Mika, she looked so enthusiastic about her white dress and also the flowers that she would hold during the ceremony.


    Every morning, she would ask to be taken to the site where the wedding was to take ce, to see how far the decorations had been done.


    And of course, the most nervous of them all was Kia, because she had never imagined getting married like this.


    Luckily, Keira came to her aid. She would be the maid of honor while her little girl would be the ring barrier.


    And Candice, she made things much easier for her. She knew what to do and what to prepare, so that Kia wasn''t so confused about the decorations and the food menu, as it seemed Candice had quite a bit of experience organizing these kinds of things.


    "Kia," Candice called one day, she was looking for Kia who was apanying Mika to y in the park with her rabbits and three babysitters who surrounded them. "Can we talk for a minute?"


    "Oh, okay," said Kia, she then stood up and approached Candice, who put her hand on Kia''s arm.


    "What is it?" asked Kia confusedly because this was the first time she saw Candice being a bit nervous. Was there a problem with her n?


    "You still haven''t found a wedding dress that you like, have you?" asked Candice, starting the conversation.


    And it was true that Kia still hadn''t found a wedding dress that fit her taste. She wanted a simple dress, but most of the designs she saw didn''t really please her.


    It was not that she wanted to be picky or anything, but she wanted the wedding dress to be passed down to Mika someday and be a tradition. She wanted to have a family tradition like that, because she didn''t think she ever had a family tradition to look forward to when she was with her family back then.


    "Yeah, I haven''t found it yet." Kia and Candice walked into the house, where she was led to the room that Candice and Lexus used when they stayed at the Tordoff residence.


    It seemed Candice knew about Kia''s thoughts.


    "I don''t mean to pressure you or belittle the family tradition you want to build, but how about you carry on the family tradition in my family?" Candice asked gently. "Since you have received the ring tradition in my family, so why don''t you wear the wedding dress as well?"


    Kia was shocked when she heard this, she didn''t say anything and looked at Candice silently, as she waited for her to exin what she meant.


    "If you don''t mind and if you feel it would be suitable, then how about you use the wedding dress from my family? This wedding dress has been worn for three generations and if you wear it, then you will be the one to wear this dress in the fourth generation." Candice then opened the door to her room, where there was already a very beautiful and elegant pale white wedding dress.


    The dress didn''t look extravagant and exaggerated, instead it looked a little old-fashioned with an outdated style, but on the other hand, the dress seemed to have a long story and had a deep impression.


    "This dress is indeed an old dress, but because the material used is very good, even though it looks outdated, you can change it so that it is ording to what you want, if you really want to wear this dress at your wedding."


    "No," said Kia in a low voice, as she entered Candice''s room, walking toward the dress.


    "Oh." Candice looked a bit disappointed when she heard Kia''s answer, but then she smiled and seemed to understand. "In that case, we will find another designer to make your wedding dress because there is only a little time left."


    However, Kia then realized the answer she gave just now and realized that Candice had misunderstood the answer.


    "No, no, that''s not what I meant," said Kia quickly, waving her hands. "I mean, I don''t want to change anything about this dress, I want to wear this dress as it is. This dress is so pretty, Mrs. Tordoff."


    Candice seemed to heave a sigh of relief, but then she reprimanded Kia quietly. "Didn''t I tell you that you should call me Mom, like Misha did? You''re about to be a part of this family, so that means you''re already my daughter right?"


    Kia bit her lips and couldn''t hold back her tears as she spoke. "Thank you for including me in your family tradition," she said in a low voice.


    But then, Candice stepped forward and hugged Kia. "You''ve be part of this family, Kia, of course you''re part of the tradition too. This is your family, remember that. You can depend on us and there''s no need to feel shy." Candice hugged a crying Kia.


    Kia couldn''t find the words to reply to Candice''s words, but she felt very happy and at the same time felt very sad.


    She imagined her mother would do this to her and give her the wedding dress she would wear when she got married.


    However, there was one incident that had remained in her heart until now. It was when she overheard a conversation between her mother and Alia.


    Where Amber said that only Alia could wear her wedding dress and she would only pass it on to herst child.


    "What if Sis Kia gets married first? Shouldn''t she wear this wedding dress before me?" Alia asked that at the time and Kia couldn''t help but continue overhearing what her mother answered.


    "Sis Kia can wear another dress, she doesn''t really like this style, she won''t want to wear it and besides, mom kept this wedding dress just for Alia when she gets married."


    At that time, Alia was eleven years old and when Amber left Alia''s room, naively, Kia asked about the truth of these words.


    Because at that point, let alone the style of dress she liked, her mother didn''t even know what her favorite food was.


    And the answer Amber gave didn''t make her feel any better.


    "Mother said that just to get Alia excited about living her life and having dreams of getting married."


    "But, are you not going to give the dress to me if I get married first?"


    And until now, Kia still remembered the answer Amber gave her then.


    "Don''t be childish, Kia, your sister is sick, you won''t have a problem with me giving her this dress, right?"


    "But, are you going to let me wear it?"


    Amber looked at her for a moment and shook her head. "No, I promised Alia that I will give it to her already."


    "Oh¡­"


    ==========================


    And the day the Lyrants had been waiting for had finallye, but it was also the day they dreaded the most.


    Because they didn''t know what Kia was going to do.


    They hoped that Kia woulde with an intention to invite them and make peace. Couldn''t this be resolved properly as there was no need to prolong this issue?


    The misunderstanding between them would be cleared right then and there if Kia was willing to make peace and ept them back.


    And on the way to the restaurant where they promised to meet with Kia, the four people were silent, as if they were busy with their own thoughts.


    They looked so tense and ufortable.


    And when they arrived at the restaurant, a car came first and stopped right in front of their car in front of the lobby.


    The car door opened and there she was. Kia came together with Mika. Both of them were wearing clothes of the same design, but in two slightly different shades of yellow and both of them looked happy.


    "Mika¡­ Kia¡­" Amber was about to get out of the car and go straight to them, but Alia held her mother back.


    ================

 Chapter 835 WE ARE NO LONGER FAMILY

    Chapter 835 WE ARE NO LONGER FAMILY


    When she saw Kia and Mika getting out of the car and heading to the restaurant where they promised to meet, Amber wanted to get out of the car and meet them both then and there, but Alia held her back.


    "Don''t mom, we''ll meet them soon, don''t be like this," Alia said in a low voice. She held Amber''s arm so her mother wouldn''t get out of the car. She then turned her attention to Mika and Kia who were entering the restaurant.


    The little girl looked very happy to be able to go with her mother and was seenughing at what Kia said to her.


    However, Misha was nowhere to be seen. It seemed he wasn''t participating in the meeting this time, which was a great relief, because that guy was very intimidating and his presence alone would be depressing.


    After that, Alia, Amber and Lyle got out of the car, while Daniel parked his car before he too joined them.


    Lyle went to reception and said they had an appointment and let them know who they were meeting with.


    At that, a host led them to a private section of the rooms, which overlooked the city. If this were dinner and not lunch, the view from this room would certainly look very beautiful and breathtaking.


    But, they weren''t here to enjoy the view.


    Inside the room, they could see a little girl who was now four years old, hugging her stuffed rabbit,ughing at her mother.


    Even though this little girl didn''t really look like Kia, there was something about her that would remind others that this child was indeed Kia''s child.


    Could it be her smile?


    And it was the first time for Amber to see Kia so calm as she smiled so sweetly at her little daughter.


    "Kia..." Amber called. She couldn''t control her emotions and immediately went to Kia and hugged her daughter. She burst into tears when she saw Mika looking at her all confused.


    Meanwhile, Kia was silent, she didn''t say anything and just patted her mother''s back gently, as if to calm her down, but she didn''t proceed to hug her back.


    On the other hand, Lyle stood right behind his wife and waited for his turn to hug Kia after Amber had calmed down a bit and was able to control herself, so did Daniel.


    But, Kia just patted their backs and that was it. Only when Alia came over to her did she hug her sister back.


    Meanwhile, Mika stayed stuck to Kia''s side. She didn''t want to be hugged by any of them, except for Alia, because she already knew her.


    Even when Amber tried to approach her, she recoiled and turned her face away, not willing to see her. Her attitude was the same as thest time they met at the restaurant, when Amber and Alia saw Mika with Candice.


    She hugged Kia and buried her face in her mother''s shoulder, not wanting to let go. She hugged her stuffed rabbit tightly and theughter they had heard earlier hadpletely disappeared.


    "Mika¡­ do you remember? At that time we met at a restaurant," Amber said in a soft voice, trying to persuade Mika to look at her. She sat on Kia''s left side and Alia sat on her sister''s right side, while Daniel and Lyle sat across from them.


    trying to do at this moment.


    "Mika, we''ve met before, when you were with grandmother Candice," Amber said, not heeding Kia''s words at all.


    Maybe Amber''s intention was good to get along with her only grandchild, but by not heeding Kia''s words, of course, that wasn''t a good start to start either this conversation or the possibility of reconciliation.


    "Mom¡­" Alia finally spoke up, she reminded her mother. "Mom, you better give Mika some time, she''s not used to strangers."


    "But, I am her grandmother, I am no stranger," Amber retorted.


    "Amber," Lyle called her name reproachfully. Only then Amber stopped, but she couldn''t help but continue staring at the little girl.


    In Lyle''s mind, for Kia to be able to wee them and let them hug her, there was a chance that the misunderstandings could be resolved properly and the possibility of their family being invited to Kia''s wedding which would be held in less than a week was high.


    "Alright, let''s eat first, before we start talking." Lyle decided and they ended up having a quiet meal, which could be said to be their first meal together in years.


    Even when Kia was at home, they rarely had meals together like this, because they were too busy with their own activities and had their own meal times.


    "Mika doesn''t want to eat vegetables¡­" Mika muttered, she stared at her bowl with pouty lips. She sat on the small chair between Kia and Alia.


    "You''re just like your mother. I couldn''t persuade her to eat vegetables when she was little either," said Amber indulgently. She stretched out her hand to stroke Mika''s head, but the little girl had already pushed her hand away and looked at her with a fierce gaze, which reminded Kia of Misha.


    This little girl had her father''s temper¡­


    "Come on, you have to try to eat this," Kia said again, coaxing Mika while pushing vegetables into her mouth. This girl was a big meat eater and didn''t like vegetables at all.


    "No," said Mika stubbornly, she shook her head firmly refusing to eat, until finally Kia gave up and let her be.


    "Choose the dishes that you want to eat first," Kia said. She was trying to distract Amber from Mika, because she knew her little daughter was starting to feel ufortable with what her mother was This was nothing unusual for Kia and not something that hadn''t happened once or twice before.


    While on the other hand, Amber looked sad because she was rejected like this by Mika and this was not the first time the little girl had behaved like this. She didn''t want to be touched by her when she was with Candice first either.


    In the end, the lunch was over and two waiters came into the room to clear the used tes before they proceeded to serve dessert.


    "So, dad heard that you''re getting married in a week," said Lyle, opening the conversation. As the head of the family, he was used to leading the conversation.


    "Yes, in a week I will marry Misha," Kia answered calmly. Currently, Mika was enjoying her pudding and didn''t really care about her surroundings.


    "So, am I going to walk you down the aisle?" Lyle didn''t even mince his words when he asked that, because he didn''t want to talk in circles.


    "No, I''ve already asked Dad to do that," Kia answered in a calm tone, even when she got res from the people around her, she didn''t look faltered at all.


    "What do you mean by ''Dad''? He is your father," Daniel said impatiently.


    "No, he stopped acting like one to me long ago, thus, I never even imagined that he would walk me down the aisle at all." Kia looked at Lyle who looked like he was about to explode with anger because he felt disrespected, but she wasn''t scared at all. If anything, Kia looked very calm, as if they were discussing something normal. "At this point, he is just the one who brought me into this world and nothing more."


    "Are you talking about the incident four years ago where I kicked you out of the house?" asked Lyle. He clenched his fists to hold back his emotions, but his body was trembling with so much anger, knowing that Kia had asked someone else to have that honor.


    "No, you stopped acting like my father even before that," said Kia. She stared at Lyle firmly. "I called all of you here, only to say that I no longer wish to be involved with this family. I''m not part of this family anymore."


    "What?" Daniel looked shocked, while Lyle didn''t say anything. Amber started crying again. Only Alia looked calm and seemed to have expected something like this would happen, therefore, she didn''t say anything.


    "I''ve thought it over and I don''t think there''s anything good toe from being part of this family." Kia put down her spoon and looked alternately at Lyle and Amber. "You guys had four plus years to look for me, but you didn''t do that at all. knowing your daughter is pregnant and alone out there¡­" Kia began calmly, her voice devoid of any emotions.


    "You don''t even think that I''m also part of this family who needs your support¡­


    "Therefore, I think that is thest point I can stand and I have survived well these four years without any help from you guys, because you guys think and act like I don''t exist, therefore, I hope that you continue to act like that and won''t care to heed me."


    "You can''t be like that, Kia, we are family." Amber grabbed Kia''s arm and shook her body, she looked at her daughter intently while her eyes filled with tears.


    "Mom, haven''t we been through that. People can not be a family when they leave one of their children to go on a family vacation or leave their responsibilities to her and take a vacation as they pleased without considering her feelings." Kia looked at her mother who started to cry again. "I hope, at this point, I don''t want to hear that you guys consider me family anymore, because you guys never treated me like I''m one of you."


    ================

 Chapter 836 CLOSURE

    Chapter 836 CLOSURE


    "You guys never treated me like I''m one of you anyway. I can''t even remember thest time I felt that I was also a part of this family, until I felt the love from my new family. Candice treats me like her own daughter. She is always there for me when I apany Mika who is sick."


    "We don''t know where Mika is being treated, if we knew where she was being treated, we would have definitelye," Lyle said in a defensive voice. "If you had allowed us toe, we would have definitelye to provide support, but you didn''t allow us to meet, you don''t even want to see us."


    Kia looked at her father intently with a look of disbelief, she should have expected this, but it didn''t lessen her pain knowing how ignorant her family could be.


    "There was one thing you could do, giving me Alia''s medical history, but you didn''t." Kia reminded them of this.


    "But, you don''t want to see us, no matter what we say, you don''t want to see us." Daniel then added. "Would you have been willing to meet us if we provided you with her medical history?"


    "No." Kia shook her head. "But, at least I know you are not that selfish to prioritize your ego by withholding her medical history, knowing that it could endanger Mika''s health."


    "You could have lowered your ego by meeting us and getting the medical history but you''re being stubborn."


    At this point, Kia realized that nothing she could say would change these two people''s minds, they would always me her, no matter what, they would still me her for what they thought was right.


    "It''s obvious now, isn''t it? I''m not family to you." Kia looked at her father and mother carefully and at that moment Lyle knew that he had gone too far and was too excited and said something very selfish, he realized that.


    But, it was toote.


    "Kia, don''t be like this, we are family," Amber said through her tears. "Your father will also provide the medical history in the end."


    "Yeah, in the end¡­" Kia looked sadly at her father. "But, if Mika''s condition had gotten worse at that time and it was toote, what else was the medical history for?"


    Yes, that was right, if Mika hadn''t survived at that time¡­ No Kia didn''t even dare to imagine what would have happened to her.


    "Wouldn''t it be toote? No matter what you do, nothing will change." Kia then turned her attention to Mika and wiped her lips with a tissue because she ate a bit messy. "I just want to say that I have found a family that epts me for who I am and loves me, considers me part of their family, even gives the feeling of having a family far more than what I feel from you, if there are still those feelings." Kia then stood up and looked at them all carefully.


    "I just wanted to say that you don''t need to contact me for anything, not for a funeral, not for a wedding or anything, because I would do the same with you."


    "Can''t you think about this a bit more?" Lyle also stood up, he seemed to be holding off Kia''s departure. "We can start all over again. Doesn''t Mika need her family? She needs her grandparents, uncle and aunt."


    Kia smiled very sweetly when she heard that. "Father doesn''t need to worry too much about it, Mika has already got everything from the Tordoff family. She has grandparents who love her unconditionally as well as cousins. I already said no, that I have found a family that loves us."


    "They are not your real family." Daniel tried to interrupt this conversation.


    with me, she will be the only family for me if that happens, from the start, we are always together."


    Mika then raised her head and grinned at her mother, which made Kia smile.


    "Today, I just want to convey this to you: act like the past four years, pretend that I don''t exist and I will also continue to act like that."


    At that, Kia left from there carrying Mika who looked a little sleepy after eating her fill and enjoying her favorite pudding.


    She looked so cute when she yawned, especially when she buried her face in Kia''s shoulder.


    Even until the end, Mika didn''t want to be touched by them, because they were strangers to her, she didn''t even look at them for long and just buried her face in Kia''s neck.


    In the end, Kia left the room and left the four of them alone.


    Amber could be heard crying piteously as she watched her daughter and grandchild leave and immediately realized that this would be theirst meal together, while Lyle was speechless, he just stood there, petrified, not knowing what else to think.


    Daniel and Alia didn''t say anything and were busy with their own thoughts.


    No one spoke in the room and they did not leave for a long time.


    On the other hand, Kia stepped out of the restaurant with a much lighter heart after saying what she wanted to say, whether they regretted it or not was none of her business anymore.


    She was done with them and now, she wanted to open a new chapter with Misha.


    And unexpectedly, the man she was thinking about had been waiting for her with a bunch of flowers in his hand when she got into the car.


    "Uncle Misha!" Mika eximed happily when she saw Misha.


    "I still feel bitter about that call," Misha grimaced with the way Mika addressed him. He then gave a "Even if one day I find myself not part of that family, I don''t mind, because I will always have Mika bigger bouquet of flowers to Kia before handing another one that was slightly smaller to Mika.


    Mika looked very happy when she also got the same bouquet of flowers as her mother, only in a smaller size.


    Meanwhile, Kia could onlyugh when she heard Mishain about this.


    "How about you call me Daddy once?" Misha persuaded her, but Mika shook her head firmly.


    "No."


    "Why?"


    "Mommy will be sad againter."


    "I won''t be sad anymore," Kia said, she herself had said the same thing many times to Mika, but the little girl seemed to still be traumatized when she saw Kia cry so sadly at that time.


    However, it couldn''t be denied that at that time, Kia was not in her right mind and she did not think that she would be able to endure this pain.


    It was just that all that was past, yet what happened at that time left a very deep impression on Mika''s mind, so much so that she refused to call Misha father again.


    "No." Mika shook her head even harder and started to turn her full attention to the flowers in her hands. She was very happy to see a bouquet of flowers like this.


    In fact, it was also Mika who chose the flower bouquet for Kia at her weddingter.


    "We''re going to coax her slowly, okay?" Kia rubbed Misha''s arm, so he wouldn''t be too discouraged by this situation and Misha could only nod in defeat.


    "How was your meeting earlier?" asked Misha, he looked at Kia''s face carefully, trying to see if she felt upset, sad or angry, but there didn''t seem to be anything to worry about.


    "Everything is alright."


    "Are you feeling any better?"


    Kia thought about the question for a moment. "At first, I thought I would feel sad or angry, or disappointed, but after the meeting earlier, I didn''t feel anything. I felt like I was leaving strangers I had only known for a few moments. It''s as if there is no bond between us anymore," said Kia.


    "I''m d you''re not feeling down, because that''s all that matters right now."


    Kia looked at Misha gently, this man came to see her and left all his workload, because he wanted to make sure that she was okay. This was quite touching for Kia, because he was willing to go the extra mile for her.


    "Where are we going?" asked Kia when she saw that they weren''t weren''t taking the way to the house or back to thepany.


    "We will continue the vacation that was postponed at that time," said Misha.


    Kia''s eyes widened. "Are we going to the mountains to go camping again?" To be honest, Kia was not fond of such activities and didn''t want to do that anymore.


    "No, going to the mountains will take too long, the nearest mountain takes two hours from here and I don''t have that long."


    "Then where are we going?"


    Hearing the conversation between the two of them, Mika became interested and looked at her parents, waiting for an answer from Misha.


    "We''re going to the beach."


    "To the beach?" asked Mika enthusiastically. "Will we see sharks and whales?"


    Kia and Misha grimaced when they heard this. "It seems she tends to think about extreme things," Mishamented.


    Weren''t children of her age more interested in small animals like clown fish or ornamental fish, starfish and the like?


    "Mika saw on television that sharks and whales are friends with humans," Mika babbled.


    At this point, Misha wanted to know which television shows broadcasted such footage and ''brainwashed'' children that sharks and whales weren''t wild animals¡­

 Chapter 837: THE WEDDING

    Chapter 837: THE WEDDINGIn the end, the most awaited wedding day finally arrived and Kia was now in the dressing room apanied only by Candice. She looked like she was about to cry and even wiped her tears with the backs of her hands several times already, making Kia feel guilty thinking if her make-up had problems.


    "Don''t cry, mom," Kia said softly. "I also want to cry." Kia''s eyes were now filled with tears because she never thought that a day like this woulde in her life.


    She couldn''t put into words how happy she was.


    Even though her family didn''te, she invited Alia and her sister promised toe to apany her, while their parents and Daniel could only ept the decision graciously.


    "No, you can''t, you can''t cry, a bride can''t cry, it will ruin your makeup," Candice said firmly, she then dabbed Kia''s watery eyes carefully with a tissue, because she couldn''t hold back her emotions.


    Even though only Alia would attend as the representative of her family, Kia was neither unhappy nor sad. On the contrary, she felt much calmer than usual. Her heart no longer felt heavy and she could smile with relief now, knowing that her new family loved her so much.


    "Why are you two crying?" asked Mika, who had been staring at the two of them. When she saw Kia and Candice crying at each other, she too started crying with fervor, because she didn''t really understand what was happening and ording to her, tears were a symbol of sadness.


    "Don''t cry Mika, we aren''t crying because we are sad," Candice coaxed when she saw her granddaughter sobbing until she was hupping. Tears streamed down her face and her face turned red. She knelt in front of Mika and tried to stop her crying.


    "But, you guys are crying¡­" Mika was a sensitive child, therefore, when she saw the two people she loved cry, she couldn''t help joining them.


    And in the end, Kia and Candice managed to stop crying, because they had to focus on calming Mika down first.


    The little girl hugged her mother''s neck tightly, while listening to them say they were crying because of happiness and not because of being sad.


    "If you can cry when you are happy, does that mean you canugh when you are sad?" she asked while wiping her tears, she looked at her grandmother and mother who winced when they heard this.


    "Yeah, you could say that¡­" Candice said hesitantly.


    For those who had experienced ups and downs in life, shedding happy tears was a good thing, but when someoneughed because they were sad it was a feeling that was very difficult to describe and they hoped that Mika wouldn''t ever know that kind of feeling.


    "What are you doing here? Why didn''t you put on the dress yet?" Apple came into the room and she looked confused at the sight. "Why are you crying?"


    Mika rubbed her eyes and her lips pouted adorably. "Because we''re happy," she replied, which confused Apple.


    "Huh?" Apple blinked her eyes and looked at them one by one. She didn''t understand what was going on.


    ============================


    And with that, the wedding party started smoothly and everything looked under control. Not many people were invited, therefore, this wedding party seemed more solemn and more intimate.


    Mika, who became the ring barrier, brought their wedding rings. She looked beautiful in a white dress and also a matching hair bow. She was seen smiling all the way to her parents, but she also looked shy because all eyes were on her now.


    And when she had arrived and Kia and Misha had exchanged rings, she pouted.


    "Where''s my ring?" Mika asked in a slightly louder voice because she didn''t think the two of them would be able to hear her. "Why can''t I get a ring too? I already brought the rings for you¡­" she looked sad and sullen, which made the people presentugh.


    This wedding was held in the backyard of the Tordoff family''s residence near theke and in the evening, fireworks decorated the night sky, indicating that the party was over.


    Mika looked happy when she saw her motherugh and she also danced with Misha and her grandpa.


    "Did I mention that you look very beautiful?" asked Misha while they were dancing.


    "I think I''ve lost count of how much you''ve said that tonight, to the point I started thinking you''re just trying to please me by saying those things."


    "Nonsense." Misha lowered his head and stole a kiss from Kia, which made the womanugh.


    On the other hand, Alia took a photo of the two of them and sent it to her parents. She had gotten permission from Kia to do this, just this once though.


    Just for today, at least, with this, Kia was already being very lenient, but that didn''t mean it was a sign she was going to open her heart to them. No. She wouldn''t do that.


    "Aunty Alia, I want that cake," Mika called while tugging at Alia''s dress to get her attention. "I want that¡­" Mika pointed at the chocte fudge that was on the table as she couldn''t reach it.


    "Okay," said Alia, while giving her the chocte cake. "How much of this cake have you eaten already?" Alia just realized that there was a pile of tes near Mika. "Don''t you like strawberries?"


    "I like chocte now," she said casually.


    And when the fireworks were shot into the clear night sky, Mika looked excited, but since it was already past her bedtime, it was not long before she had fallen asleep in Alia''sp.


    "How about you stay for the night?" Candice offered while asking a babysitter to take Mika to the room, because she was afraid that the little girl would catch a cold.


    "Looks like I can''t stay for the night, because I have to go to school tomorrow." Alia politely declined and Candice couldn''t persuade her when it came to school.


    "Okay, I''ll ask Will to take you home."


    "Thank You."


    Candice smiled and left with the babysitter carrying Mika.


    Not long after, Kia came and hugged Alia. "I''m d you''re here. I hope you enjoyed the party too."


    "I''m happy to see you happy, sis." Alia hugged her even tighter. "Always be happy after today. I just want to see you happy now. I''m d you''re surrounded by people who care for you and love you."


    "Thank You."


    And after that, Kia went inside the house together with Misha. They would leave that night for their honeymoon to the ce that had been nned. It was an area around the beach, at a luxury resort.


    They would be on their honeymoon for a week there.


    "Be happy sis Kia, you really deserve it." Alia kissed Kia''s cheek.


    That night, when Alia came home, Amber was still waiting for her. She was sitting in front of a television that was on, but Alia was sure that her mother was not watching anything on the television.


    Her eyes stared at Alia who walked into the house, but she didn''t say anything but a brief greeting.


    Meanwhile, Lyle was in the kitchen. Amber didn''t know what he was doing, but he had been there for several hours.


    Amber didn''t go to him or ask why he was like that either. She just let him be because they were currently deep in their own thoughts.


    "You''re back," said Daniel, he poked his head out of the room when he heard Alia''s footsteps approaching. Their rooms were next to each other.


    "Yeah..." she said softly.


    "How was the party?" asked Daniel awkwardly. "Was it fun?"


    "Yeah, it was great, Kia looked so happy."


    "Oh¡­." Daniel bowed his head and went back into the room while Alia went into the bathroom and cleaned herself up.


    But, when she came out of the bathroom, Amber was waiting for her. She sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Alia with puffy eyes, as if she had been crying while she was waiting.


    "Come here Alia, please tell me how the wedding was? Tell me in detail. Whatever it was, from the decorations to the vows they exchanged. Whatever it is, please tell mother¡­"


    Amber did not attend the wedding, respecting Kia''s decision and when Alia said she had permission to send videos and photos of the wedding, Amber was very happy.


    Seeing Kia getting married and smiling so happily and also seeing her granddaughter bringing them the wedding rings and making funnyments, Amber was willing to trade anything just to be there.


    Lyle was not in a good mood either. When he saw Lexus walk her down the aisle, he immediately left and didn''t continue watching the wedding video. He had been in the kitchen since then, but he didn''t say anything. He didn''t me Kia or say how unfair this whole thing seemed to him either.


    Lyle just said nothing, and so did Daniel. He just kept silent and watched the whole video and saw all the photos that Alia sent and after that he locked himself in the room.


    "Mom don''t worry, sis Kia looks very happy, I''ve never seen her smile like that, but today, I can confirm that she is the happiest woman." Alia rubbed the arm of her mother who was sobbing.


    "Thank God... thank goodness she feels happy... mother also feels happy for her." Amber tried to wipe her tears roughly. "Then? Tell mom again what happened there¡­" Amber persuaded her.


    ================


    *Read my new book: The Alpha: iming His Enemy''s Daughter*


    Alpha Cane''s revenge for his and his people''s very.

 Chapter 838: I WANT A BABY

    Chapter 838: I WANT A BABYAmber really felt Happy when she heard how Kia looked very happy at her wedding. She didn''t want anything else right now.


    She smiled at Alia while holding her hand.


    "Thank God... thank goodness she feels happy... mother also feels happy for her." Amber tried to wipe her tears roughly. "Then? Tell mom again what happened there¡­" Amber persuaded her.


    Alia then told her mother that Mika changed her favorite pudding and now she preferred chocte pudding over strawberry pudding.


    "Is it true?" asked Amber with a beaming face. "Then?"


    Alia finally told all the details about the wedding and how beautiful it was.


    Meanwhile, Amberughed, smiled and cried, because she couldn''t witness the beautiful wedding and couldn''t be there for her daughter.


    "I think you just need to give Sis Kia time," said Alia. "And if that doesn''t change what she believes in¡­ I hope you guys can live with it."

 Chapter 839: UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER

    Chapter 839: UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTERKia was feeling very happy today because she saw how happy Mika was about her first day of school, even though the little girl was solely joyful that she could finally wear her bunny bag.


    It was just that, when she was about to leave from there together with Misha while discussing where they would have lunchter, Lyle unexpectedly approached Kia. He stopped the two of them before they could get into the car.


    "Can we talk for a minute?" asked Lyle. He pushed his way through two bodyguards who didn''t expect anyone to do this, but they managed to stop Lyle before he got too close to Kia. He didn''t put up much resistance either.


    Kia was shocked when she saw her father there, but then, she felt nothing but that.


    "No," Kia answered firmly. "I have nothing to discuss with you."


    "Please, Kia, just this once." Lyle begged her. He looked at his daughter with eyes full of expectation. "Just this once and after that, I won''t bother you anymore."


    Kia then looked at Misha, she didn''t want to talk to Lyle, but she also didn''t want to escte the situation because just now there were already several people who witnessed this incident.


    Lyle sure knew how to get his way.


    "I will meet you at the restaurant at the end of this street," said Kia, then got into the car.


    Misha stared at Lyle for a moment before he got in the car with Kia and immediately hugged her without saying anything. He was very upset because Kia seemed to have finally forgotten her family, but they kepting back like flies to bother her.


    Should he put Daniel even further? So that he couldn''t go home for a long time, and his family could focus on their first child?


    "If you don''t want to see him, you don''t have to, I''ll go see him instead and see what he has to say." Misha stroked Kia''s head gently, giving her thefort she needed.


    "No, I will meet him. I wonder what he wants," Kia answered quietly. She stared nkly at the street in front of her for a moment and then closed her eyes.


    The restaurant at the end of the street and Mika''s school were only five minutes apart and that was a very short time for Misha to calm Kia down.


    But, when he got out of the car and kissed her on the cheek, she seemed ready to face her father.


    "You don''t need to worry, go back to the office, we will have lunch together with Mika after I pick her up from school." Kia smiled gently at Misha.


    But, of course Misha couldn''t help but worry, this was his wife after all.


    After getting out of the car, Kia immediately asked for a private room for herself and her father to talk. Unfortunately, there was no private room in this restaurant. And so, Kia chose a table in the corner of the room, away from people so no one would hear them talking.


    About two minutester, Lyle came and immediately walked toward Kia with an awkward gait. He looked like someone who had lost even before the battle started and this was quite a shock for Kia, as her father was a very proud man. It was rare for her to see him like this now.


    When Kia looked closer, Lyle didn''t seem to be sleeping well, because the dark circles under his eyes were very obvious.


    "Kia," Lyle said in a tired tone. The wrinkles on his face became much more prominent now that Kia took a closer look at him. "How are you?"


    "I am fine," replied Kia politely. She could see how miserable her father was right now, but there was not the slightest bit of sympathy for him, as if she was facing a stranger, who was not so foreign to her; like a distant rtive. She didn''t know, this feeling was very difficult to describe.


    But, one thing for sure was; Kia did not feel that she was ufortable with her father''s presence in front of her.


    "Yes, I can see that you are very happy," said Lyle. "I am happy to see you now."


    Kia didn''t answer that, because she didn''t think there were any right words to respond.


    Not long after, their drinks came and Lyle immediately downed half of the orange juice he ordered, something he did when he was nervous.


    Meanwhile, Kia looked so calm, as if none of this bothered her at all. She didn''t look ufortable either, the exact opposite of how Lyle was feeling right now.


    "Kia," Lyle called out to her again, he didn''t know how to start this conversation. "Father is sorry for what happened."


    This time, Lyle didn''t demand an apology from Kia or me her for what happened or provide any justification for his own actions, he just apologized.


    Seeing how Kia smiled on her wedding day and seeing Lexus Tordoff substitute himself to walk her down the aisle, he felt an excruciating pain. He should have been the one there and got that honor, if only he had been a bit nicer and treated Kia the way she deserved.


    He thought back on everything that had happened and felt very ashamed of his past decisions and behavior.


    "Kia, father is sorry for everything that happened. I am sorry that I didn''t act like a good father." Lyle smiled at her, but there was pain and bitterness in his smile. "I know that what I did waspletely unfair to you. I thought that you could bear everything, just because you neverined, I thought you were fine."


    Kia took a sip of her orange juice and listened to what her father had to say.


    "I know that you must have felt very sad when we left you home alone while we went on vacation after what you did for your family and your irreceable sacrifices. Your sleeping time, your ying time with friends and also the time you should use to act and behave like a child your age.


    "I know it must hurt you to know that after all the sacrifices you made, we left you at a time when you needed family support the most and I''m sorry for that."


    Lyle took a deep breath, he looked at Kia with teary eyes and his heart hurt even more because he didn''t see any reaction from Kia. Had she gone so far with her pain that this matter no longer mattered to her?


    Lyle felt even more regretful because he was the one who had numbed his feelings to his little girl and now he had to pay for it.


    "Father apologizes for not realizing this sooner and causing you pain like this." Lyle looked serious with his apology.


    Meanwhile, Kia didn''t say anything, she just listened and let her father say what he wanted to say, expressing the feeling that was stuck in his chest.


    "I still remembers when you were born, you were so sweet and cheerful. You are sociable and have a shining personality. You are a cheerful child and alwaysughing. Every time wee home from work, you will greet us with your crispugh and that is enough to relieve our fatigue.


    "But, I didn''t realize since when you stoppedughing like that or since when you started feeling pain that you shouldn''t feel. We shouldn''t have left you to work so hard for the family, we should have taken care of you more. I''m sorry that I couldn''t take good care of you. I''m sorry for all of that."


    And after that, no one spoke anymore, while Kia sipped her orange juice until she finished and waited for what else her father would say, but he couldn''t seem to say anything now.


    Lyle was not a person who was good at expressing himself and he also didn''t really know how topose heartfelt sentences like before.


    Therefore, what he said to Kia just now was quite surprising, even for Kia herself.


    "If you don''t have anything else to say, I will leave." Kia then stood up. "I hope this is ourst meeting and you won''te to see me again."


    "Kia." Lyle raised his head and looked at his daughter. He knew that he had lost her, but didn''t regret alwayse toote? "Will you be able to find in you to forgive me one day?"


    Kia gave Lyle a meaningful look and smiled calmly.


    "I have already forgiven you thest time we met, I have forgiven all of you, that was how I can feel much better now. But, forgiving doesn''t mean I want you guys in my life again." Kia shook her head. "I don''t want that and I hope you can respect my decision and note see me again like today."


    Kia didn''t say that with bad intentions, nor did she feel like she was punishing her father for what happened.


    She didn''t feel that way at all. On the contrary, she didn''t feel anything. She felt like she was just talking to a distant rtive she hadn''t seen in a long time and that was all she felt.


    "I''m going now father, I hope you and all of you live your life well and I will also live mine as well as I can."


    And after saying that, Kia walked away, leaving Lyle who was crying silently. It was the first time Lyle had cried in years. His heart felt empty.

 Chapter 840: I TOLD THEM TO GO

    Chapter 840: I TOLD THEM TO GOAfter meeting her father, Kia was neither happy nor sad. She only felt relieved that the meeting had ended, but when she left the restaurant and got into the car that was waiting for her, her face scrunched up.


    "What are you doing here?" asked Kia confusedly when she found Misha in the car with an openedptop on hisp. It looked like he was doing his work now. "Are you waiting for me?"


    "No, it''s just that this spot is better for work." Misha put away hisptop to stare at Kia, while the car started moving. "You know, changing the mood once in a while is a good thing to do at work, so you won''t feel ustrophobic."


    Kia rolled her eyes when she heard the almost preposterous reasoning, but then she chuckled merrily.


    "I thought you were worried about me, I almost felt happy, but now I am disappointed," said Kia, pretending to look sad when she realized this.


    "Of course, I am here because I am worried about you and that reason to work doesn''t make sense at all," Misha quickly changed his tune and it really made Kiaugh when she heard that.


    "I didn''t know you could be so indecisive."


    "I am not being indecisive, it was my original intention to be here with you." Misha looked at Kia''s cheerful face, sheughed freely, sounding so carefree. "Seeing you like this, it seems like there is nothing for me to worry about anymore."


    Kia smiled very sweetly.


    "Of course, there is nothing for you to worry about. What else do you have to worry about?" asked Kia, she tilted her head.


    "Ah, looks like I can''t take you home now."


    "Why not?"


    "Because I want to be with you a little longer."


    "Then, what are you going to do? You have a meeting today and let''s not forget the fact that you have to work."


    And thirty minutester, as an answer to her question, Kia found herself sitting on afortable sofa with food and television shows in Misha''s office.


    Yes, Misha took her to the office because he had work and a meeting that he couldn''t possibly postpone, therefore, he did this to see Kia as soon as the meeting was over.


    And when it was an hour before lunch time, he hade over to Kia and hugged her from behind.


    "I missed you," said Misha.


    Kiaughed when she heard that. She had beenughing a lot moretely and was in a really good mood. "We just met less than two hours ago."


    "Yeah, but I can''t help but miss you."


    Kia then turned her body and faced Misha, she wrapped her arms around the man''s neck and stood on her tiptoes to kiss her husband on the lips.


    "Don''t do that" Misha said in a rough voice, he avoided Kia''s kiss.


    "Don''t do what?" Kia frowned when Misha avoided her.


    "You are teasing me."


    "I didn''t do that."


    "You did it and you are doing it again."


    "I just hugged you," Kia protested, as she felt wronged.


    "You tried to kiss me."


    Kia grimaced. "You make it sound like I forced myself on you."


    "Well, if that''s what you want I wouldn''t mind," Misha whispered into her ear. "I like it when you force yourself on me."


    Kia frowned and hissed when she heard that statement. "You wish."


    "Mm¡­" Misha didn''t seem to care about anything anymore because now he had buried his face into the crook of Kia''s neck and kissed her neck gently, trying to initiate something.


    Only, Kia justughed at his attempt and tapped him on the shoulder before he got too far. "We should go back and fetch Mika, right?"


    "We can ask the driver to pick her up," Misha said lightly, now he was trying to lift the dress Kia was wearing, but she pinched his arm to stop him. This guy was unbelievable.


    "No, we have to go get her," she said firmly, but her eyes clearly showed the happiness that had been shining so oftentely.


    And in the end, Misha couldn''t force her. So, while still grumbling, he pulled Kia toward the car to pick up their little daughter.


    Mika monopolized Kia all morning, noon and night. Even though Misha didn''t really mind, he needed time to be alone with his beloved wife.


    Therefore, just before the weekend, Misha asked Candice toe and take Mika for a vacation with her grandparents, to where he and Kia would follow two dayster.


    When she heard the word ''beach'' and Candice and Lexus were going to take her to see marine life, the little girl immediately agreed to go on the vacation.


    "I feel that something is wrong with this arrangement." Kia tilted her head, while looking at the car driving away, in which Mika had left with her grandparents.


    The little girl kept waving happily at her mother until it disappeared into the distance, while Kia and Misha stood side by side on the front porch.


    "You are thinking too much," said Misha curtly and nonchntly, as if he didn''t understand what she meant and then walked into the house.


    Kia was sure that she felt something was off, but she couldn''t say for sure what it was either.


    It was just that, when she entered the house, she finally began to notice what was odd. "Where are the servants?" she asked.


    At the very least, she would see two or three maids on their way to the swimming pool, where Misha had prepared a romantic dinner for the two of them.


    It had been a long time since their honeymoon or the two of them spent some quality time alone, while a romantic dinner was totally out of the picture.


    "Misha?" Kia dragged her voice when she called him and then pulled his arm until she made the man face her. "Where did you send the maids?" Kia narrowed her eyes.

 Chapter 841: SHE CUTS ALL TIES

    Chapter 841: SHE CUTS ALL TIES"Misha?" Kia dragged her voice as she called him and then pulled his arm until she made the man face herself. "Where did you send the maids?" Kia narrowed her eyes.


    "They need refreshing too and a little vacation will be good for their work performanceter."


    Misha must be crazy to think that Kia would believe such an unreasonable excuse. "Hubby," Kia called him softly which made Misha look at her with twinkling eyes. "Where did they go?" she asked, putting her hand on Misha''s chest.


    "I told them to leave because I wanted to be alone with you," Misha replied without thinking.


    Well, at least he was telling the truth now, right?


    But, then Kia smelt a conspiracy. She immediately narrowed her eyes on her husband. "Was it your idea to let Mika go with her grandparents?"


    Misha didn''t answer, but the smile on his lips was enough to answer Kia''s question.


    "I just wanted some alone time with you, I''ve been nning to ask you out on a date for a while now, because I didn''t get the chance before we got married." Misha caressed Kia''s blushing cheeks. She looked very beautiful tonight. No, every night she looked so beautiful. "Are you angry?"


    Kia pursed her lips for a moment and didn''t answer, but then she chuckled. "How can I be angry when someone wants to ask me out?"


    Kia understood that the time they had before this was very little and limited, especially when there were so many things going on and the two of them very rarely enjoyed alone time in peace.


    And now, Misha had everything nned out and Mika also loved going out with her grandparents, so why didn''t she just enjoy this moment?


    "Thank you," Kia said softly and tiptoed to kiss Misha on the lips. But when she was about to step back, he actually pulled her closer and deepened their kiss, which left Kia surprised. Sheughed, while wrapping her arms around Misha''s neck.


    She knew that from now on, her life would be fine and filled with happiness. Even though there would be ups and downster, she knew that she bagged a loving husband, not to mention her cute daughter and also her family who would never leave her.


    "Hm, so what did you prepare for our date tonight?" asked Kia in between their kisses.


    "I''ve prepared something, but it looks like it can wait," replied Misha, who then lifted Kia''s body without breaking their kiss.


    But then, Kia leaned back and realized that Misha wasn''t taking her to the swimming pool. She knew he had already prepared their dinner there. But now, he changed their course of direction. He was actually taking her to the greenhouse, where the fragrance of the flowers was all they could smell.


    "Why are we here?" asked Kia confusedly.


    "Because there''s no one here," Misha said calmly, but his eyes were deep.


    Near the pool, there were still two waiters who were waiting to serve them dinner, so he naturally didn''t take Kia there.


    "So what are we going to do here since there''s no one around?" Kia put on an innocent face, making Misha grin.


    "Come here, I will show you, I will exin step by step in great detail about what we will do when there is no one around."


    ==========================


    Anthony was sitting in a coffee shop where he was waiting to meet Amber, his sister. When Kia''s wedding was held a year ago, no one from their family was invited except Alia. The whole extended family was furious at Amber, especially when they found out what happened, also what she had done to Kia.


    One year ago, Amber was ostracized from her family as they kept their distance. No matter how Amber tried to improve their rtionship and establishmunication with them, they still put her at arm''s length.


    This was especially painful when there was a family gathering and she wasn''t even told about it. She only found out after seeing photos on their social media.


    One year had passed and their attitude toward her had not yet softened.


    "Brother, sorry for making you wait so long," said Amber, she looked out of breath when she approached Anthony. "I tried to get here as fast as I can, but the roads are really jammed."


    "It''s okay, I just came too," Anthony said calmly.


    This was the first time Anthony had agreed to meet Amber after a year and everything his sister had done.


    "I made your favorite strawberry shortcake," Amber said cheerfully, cing the box she was carrying on the table. "How are you?"


    "Okay," said Anthony briefly. "How are you?"


    "Okay," said Amber, who then shared the news about Alia, Daniel and her husband, but she didn''t even mention Kia''s name, because remembering it would only bring tears to her and a feeling of deep regret.


    "I''m d Daniel got a new job." Anthony nodded.


    Daniel decided to resign from the Tordoffpany. Even though the position and sry he got were more than enough, he couldn''t bear the guilt he felt toward Kia.


    And when they were discussing other matters, suddenly, therge television set in the middle of the coffee shop disyed a news report regarding the rumors circting about Kiandra Tordoff.


    The reporter reported that Kia and Misha Tordoff were spotted at the hospital after they both left there, it was discovered that Kia was now pregnant with their second child.


    It was said that she had reached the fourth month of her pregnancy and came for a routine monthly check up.


    This had be a rumor that had been circting since there had been several photos showing them together after leaving the hospital in the past few months.


    "You still can''t reach her?" asked Anthony, who then looked at Amber, but her sister was already crying bitterly. She lowered her head as if embarrassed and helpless.


    Amber shook her head. "She has severed all ties between us¡­"

 Chapter 842: MY BABY BROTHER IS HUNGRY

    Chapter 842: MY BABY BROTHER IS HUNGRYAmber looked very sad at the news she heard in this coffee shop, she didn''t even know that her daughter was pregnant. She didn''t even attend their wedding.


    And now that rumors about Kia''s pregnancy were being circted heavily in the mass media, which made him feel even worse, Lyle didn''t seem particrly excited these past few days and decided not to listen to any news.


    The atmosphere in the house became uneasy and even though Kia never came back after they chased her away years ago, seeing her now, they couldn''t pretend not to know her.


    Kia was really happy now. Shouldn''t they also be happy for her?


    "You still can''t reach her?" he asked


    Amber shook her head. "She has cut off all ties between us¡­" she took a deep breath and tried to smile, but hearing how the media was reporting about the Tordoff family didn''t help with it.


    Because Misha was very overprotective, this news only spread after Kia''s belly already started showing as it began to bulge and could no longer be covered.


    Even on the television screen, Amber could see how several bodyguards were assigned to look after Kia and how her daughter was treated very well.


    She could also see how Misha carried Mika and wrapped an arm around Kia''s waist when they walked out of the hospital. The man really protected his little family.


    If only time could be turned back...


    "Amber. Amber!" Anthony shook her hand which was on the table to get her attention, for his younger sister seemed too deep in her own thoughts.


    "Oh, sorry! What is it? I was a bit daydreaming¡­"


    Amber didn''t hear what Anthony said, even though they were right in front of each other. But, her brother understood what was bothering her.


    "I am just saying that the other families don''t want you to attend the New Year''s event, but I will try to persuade them." He had tried his best in these past few months, but they simply rejected the idea of it.


    When Amber found out about this news, of course the rest of the family also knew about Kia''s pregnancy.


    Some of them were angry because Amber had actually kicked Kia out and some were angry because Amber had wasted a very valuable opportunity. A very precious one to say.


    How could she cut ties with the girl who had Misha Tordoff''s child? Whatever the reason, it was in stupidity. Not only could they benefit from the rtionship, but who wouldn''t want to be rted to the Tordoff family?


    And now they could see Kia in the breaking news and this made them even more annoyed at Amber.


    "Okay, I understand," Amber said in a low voice, she looked down, trying to hide her sadness.


    Alia no longer went to the Tordoff residence, but she stillmunicated with Kia asionally. It was just that she couldn''t give Kia''s number to herself, because her older sister could break off rtions with her too and she didn''t want that to happen.


    In the end, she couldn''t force it. Lyle didn''t say anything either, but he looked much thinner and quieter than usual.


    ==========================


    "I don''t want to drink that anymore," Kia whined when she saw the ss of milk brought by Misha.


    For some reason, after she got pregnant, she didn''t like drinking milk, even though she was fine before.


    Beside Misha, Mika helped deliver the milk while bringing fruit for her mother. Meanwhile, Kia rolled herself up in the nket, avoiding the two creatures that constantly wanted to feed her without getting tired.


    Didn''t they realize that their actions had reached the stage of obsession?


    Kia shook her head under the nket, but Mika then approached her and slipped under the nket.


    Hugging Kia''s body, she then said with a cheerful voice. "My baby brother is hungry, so mommy has to eat," she said in her childish voice.


    "No, your baby brother isn''t hungry, so he doesn''t want to eat," said Kia firmly.


    "I know that my brother is hungry, because I''m her older sister, so mom has to eat," Mika said no less firmly. She really hoped to have a little brother, if possible she also wanted to have a little sister to y and run around with.


    Meanwhile, Misha smiled proudly, because he didn''t need to persuade Kia. Mika had already done it and his sweet wife very rarely refused their little daughter''s requests.


    Also, Mika knew very well how to persuade her mother.


    "Mama,e on, you have to eat, otherwise my brother will starve," Mika said in a coaxing voice.


    Now they were both under the covers, so all Misha could see were the mounds of two bodies under the nkets and he couldn''t hide his smile when he saw this.


    He had never thought of getting married, but looking at Kia and Mika, he felt his life wasplete now. Maybe, he would still be against getting married if he didn''t meet Kia again.


    And it didn''t take long for Mika to finally persuade her mother toe out of her hiding ce. She chuckled and then came up to Misha, as if asking to be praised for what she had done.


    "I''ve done a good job, haven''t I, papa?" asked Mika with beaming eyes.


    "Good job!" Misha patted Mika''s head lovingly.


    "You two can''t be trusted¡­" Kia grumbled, while Misha happily handed her a ss of milk.


    However, before Kia could take the ss of milk, she suddenly grabbed her stomach, which made Misha on alert.


    "What is it?" Misha asked quickly, he then approached Kia and this made Mika worried too.


    "Mommy what''s wrong?" Mika stared at Kia''s face with eyes filled with fear.


    But, then Kia smiled and took both of their hands and pressed them on her round belly.


    Only then did they both realize what had happened.


    "I said earlier, didn''t I? My baby brother is hungry! The proof is that mama''s stomach is moving!"

 Chapter 843: FATEFUL NIGHT

    Chapter 843: FATEFUL NIGHTKia woke up when she felt a sharp pain in her stomach and this kept her awake. She took the intervals the pain hit her into ount, and when the gap shortened considerably, she woke Misha up.


    This wasn''t her first pregnancy, therefore, she didn''t panic too much and looked quite calm.


    "Misha, Misha¡­" Kia called and it didn''t take long for Misha to wake up. He immediately looked at Kia with a sleepy face, but his eyes were sharp.


    "What is it? Do you want anything?" Misha asked while stroking her cheeks. He carefully removed the strands of hair from Kia''s face.


    All this time, when Kia wanted something and she had cravings, Misha would wake up right away and grant her every wish. No matter if it was the middle of the night or when he was at the office, he would make time for his wife.


    And never once did hein about it.


    "I think it''s time," said Kia slowly.


    "It is time?" For a moment, Misha looked confused by what Kia meant, he frowned. It might also be because he just woke up, therefore, his mind still wasn''t working properly.


    "I think I am having contractions," Kia finally said, because Misha looked confused.


    It was only when she said that, Misha looked surprised. He immediately got out of bed and looked at Kia, this time he must have really woken up.


    "Okay, wait, I will take the bag and you wear this jacket," Misha said while getting out of bed and grabbing a jacket. He gave the jacket to Kia, while he took a big bag that had been prepared for a moment like this.


    Kia raised her eyebrows when she saw Misha, who was usually very calm and organized, now looked very chaotic and disorganized. He seemed to be doing a lot of things in a very short amount of time, even though he made the room a mess actually.


    "No need to panic," Kia said calmly, but Misha only red at her fiercely.


    How could he not panic when this was the first time for him to face a situation like this. When Mika was in Kia''s stomach and born, he missed all the things entirely. "Why aren''t you wearing that jacket yet?"


    Misha, who couldn''t wait, immediately approached Kia and put the jacket on her. He then helped her out of bed carefully.


    "Don''t worry, we will have enough time," Kia said with a beautiful smile on her face, she looked at the man beside her with a warm smile.


    Only, Misha was too nervous to hear those words, the only thing that was on his mind was how to get them to the hospital quickly, because anything could happen.


    Therefore, seeing how serious Misha was right now, Kia didn''t say anything. She let her husband take care of things.


    Hm, actually Kia really liked it when Misha panicked and worried about her like this.


    "Take care of Mika and if she wakes up, immediately bring her to the hospital," Misha said to the maids there and also asked them to bring tworge bags that had been prepared to be put into the car, while his attention was focused on Kia alone. "Drive carefully," Misha said warningly as they got into the car.


    Even the driver looked a little nervous when he drove the car.


    "Don''t be too fast!" Misha suddenly said with an unhappy voice, when he felt the driver drove a little bit faster.


    "Don''t slow down either, when will we get to the hospital?"


    "Don''t rush, what if you crash?"


    "Be careful!"


    The driver really didn''t know how to drive this car anymore, he looked like he wanted to cry, but he didn''t have any tears to shed. Should he push the car instead of driving it?


    In the end, they arrived at the hospital in less than half an hour and Kia was taken care of immediately.


    However, Kia did not immediately enter the delivery room, as she had to wait for an hour before all things were in order and perfect.


    And so during that one hour, Misha sat beside his wife and held her hand.


    "Haven''t you told mom and dad yet?" asked Kia. She meant Candice and Lexus of course.


    "I will tell themter," said Misha lightly.


    "Tell them now, so they cane here and apany you," said Kia. She felt helpless because Misha didn''t want to let her go even for a moment.


    Even though she felt very happy for what he did, still, they had to tell them both, because both of them had also been waiting for a moment like this.


    It was only after a while of cajoling Misha that he stepped out for a while and told his parents the news, who promised toe soon.


    By this time, it was almost morning and Kia was starting to feel the intensity of herbor pain increase by the minute.


    And when she was about to enter the delivery room, Candice and Lexus finally arrived at the hospital.


    During the child birth, only one person was allowed to enter the delivery room together with Kia and of course Misha would not miss this opportunity.


    "Everything will be fine sweetheart," said Candice, giving support as the nurses brought her into the room together with Misha.


    The man had never felt more stressed and frustrated than he did right now. Seeing Kia in pain, he wanted to lessen the pain and started coaxing her.


    "Let''s just go for the C section," Misha said, because he couldn''t see Kia wincing in pain looking all pale.


    "No, it''s okay," said Kia. She still managed to smile at her worried husband. "I''ve given birth before, I know what I''m capable of."


    And it was only after a nurse told Misha that he shouldn''t panic because it would affect both mother and child, that he calmed down a bit and supported her from the side, observing every step of the process carefully.

 Chapter 844: OUR LITTLE BOY

    Chapter 844: OUR LITTLE BOYMisha had prepared himself for this moment, especially when he was the one who volunteered to be in the delivery room with Kia, but after he saw how much pain the woman was in and how she smelled of blood, he felt himself losing his control little by little.


    The only thing keeping his mind sane now was the fact that Kia was in a vulnerable state and needed him right now, so there was no way he could crumble right now.


    But, of course this was an experience he would never forget. Seeing his woman crying in pain and looking pale, made Misha feel the blood running down his face, but Kia looked strong as she tried her best to follow the instructions that were said.


    Misha felt a strong sense of pride when he saw his woman being so strong and at the same time he also thought about how Kia went through all this alone when she had Mika. She was not in a good condition and was also alone. She had to go through everything alone, that too for the very first time.


    If only he had looked for Kia first and if he hadn''t been a jerk, of course Kia wouldn''t have had to suffer all those misfortunes.


    In this moment, Misha was experiencing countless emotions at the same time, even more than he had lived through in his entire life.


    There was a feeling of disappointment in himself, anger and fear, but also pride because Kia was so strong in going through all of this alone and also a feeling of love that grew bigger in his heart.


    And when atst they heard the sound of a baby crying, Misha couldn''t help but tear up too.


    Damn! He never even thought that he could cry in front of so many people like this, but his tears wouldn''t stop falling, his heart was swollen with pride and joy.


    "You did it," Misha said, wiping his tears and Kia''s as well. "Thank you so much."


    Misha kissed Kia''s forehead while saying how lucky he was to have a woman like her and that he loved her, even the nurses who were there smiled shyly when they heard such deration of love from Misha Tordoff.


    They knew what the men in the Tordoff family were like, but this time they saw a different side of the family. They were indeed cold to the people around them, but they could be extremely gentle with someone that they cared for the most.


    And right at that moment, a nurse came and brought their baby boy who was still crying after he was cleaned up. His skin was wrinkled and he was crying until his face turned red. The baby was very small, well, normal for a newborn, but Misha thought he would be a little bigger than this.


    And seeing how vulnerable the baby was, he became a bit panicked when he had to hold him. He didn''t even dare to touch him, afraid that he would hurt him and handle him wrongly. He wondered how small Mika was when she was born...


    One of the nurses then ced the writhing baby on Kia''s chest so she could breastfeed him, which was important for the baby.


    The baby who was still crying then pouted his mouth, but with the help of Kia, he managed to drink some milk.


    It was a beautiful sight to Misha and felt¡­ magical too. He never thought that a sight like this would leave him stunned and speechless, but that was exactly what happened to him.


    Their baby then made a small sound as he drank milk and this moment was captured by one of the sisters with permission from Misha of course.


    He only regretted that he didn''t get to go through this phase early in Mika''s life and that of course would forever be etched in his mind.


    But, he would not make his regrets eclipse his happiness now.


    "Thank you," Misha whispered softly into Kia''s ear.


    ==========================


    Candice and Lexus couldn''t stop gushing over the baby. They didn''t even let the baby boy be carried by Misha. They even handed him over reluctantly when it was time for nursing.


    Lexus had taken Mika out for a walk when Kia got ready to nurse him, asking the little girl to y.


    Mika looked very happy because she got a younger brother, because this was what she hoped for.


    She smiled brilliantly and looked amazed as she looked at her little brother.


    Grandpa Ramon and Grandma Hailee also came as well as uncle Jayden and aunt Apple. They had bought all sorts of gifts to wee their new family member and of course they didn''t forget Mika, they bought something for the little girl too.


    "Then, what will you name our little son?" Misha asked in the afternoon when their family had returned home and it was a quiet time for them, while Mika was asleep in Misha''sp.


    "Hm¡­ I''m still thinking about that," Kia muttered. "I don''t feel like using one of the names we have chosen before," she said sheepishly.


    Misha smiled dotingly at her and then covered Mika''s body with a nket andid her down on the bed next to Kia''s bed. The girl was smiling in her sleep. She looked very happy andughed happily all day.


    Misha didn''t think that he would get happiness from very simple things like this. Having a wife like Kia, having two healthy and happy children, he had no other wishes, because what he received had exceeded all his expectations.


    "Why did you name Mika ''Mika''?" Misha asked offhandedly, as he knelt beside her bed and stroked Kia''s head.


    Surprisingly, Kia looked shy when she answered this and this made Misha interested to hear a direct answer from her.


    "Why?" He probed.


    "Hm¡­" She fiddled with his fingers, as she held his hand. "Mika; Misha and Kia¡­" she bit her lips and then shrunk into her pillow. "Well, I know it''s too cheesy¡­"


    Misha didn''t expect that answer, but his eyes softened. "No, that''s beautiful. Should we find an abbreviation simr to that for our little boy?"


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