That night, a maid knocked on Stephen's door.Yvonne thought the maid had brought dinner, but when she opened the door, she saw that the maid was empty-handed."Ms. Miller, Mrs. Anderson wanted both of you to have dinner with her downstairs."After he'd become blind, Stephen had only had his dinner in his room, and Yvonne had done the same after moving in. This was the first time Elizabeth invited them downstairs. The sudden invitation gave Yvonne a bad feeling, and she grumbled inwardly. Even so, she replied obediently, "Sure. I'll go down with Stephen in a moment."After the maid left, Yvonne turned and looked at Stephen. "Is Grandma trying to torment us again?"Stephen, however, remained expressionless. "You can reject her."Yvonne shook her head. "No way. I need to continue playing my role as an obedient granddaughter-in-law," she murmured thoughtfully. "If we have dinner downstairs, we'll probably have more to eat, I guess?"The corner of Stephen's mouth twitched. He didn't
"Are you crazy?"Stunned by his question, Yvonne shoved Stephen's chest. "Don't be so full of yourself. I'm not interested in bearing your child."Stephen ignored her and warned through gritted teeth, "If you think you can do whatever you want just because you can help me recover my eyesight, you're terribly mistaken, Yvonne. I agreed to marry you and make you Mrs. Anderson, but don't expect anything else. And don't blame me for being ruthless if you plan to get pregnant just to get on my grandmother's good side." A thought suddenly occurred to Yvonne, and without thinking, she blurted out, "What if I get pregnant accidentally?""Get an abortion." His instant reply dismayed her, and she rolled her eyes. "I guess you are sick in the head."Then again, what did this have to do with her? She leaned back with a small smile. "Don't worry, I have no intention of causing trouble for myself."Stephen jeered at her casual tone. "Grandma made it clear that you'll have everything if you give he
Noah's hand froze in midair, his expression apologetic. "I'm sorry. Did I startle you again?"He glanced at the cup of milk in Yvonne's hand. "You shouldn't drink cold milk at night; it isn't good for you. Let me warm it up for you.""It's fine." Yvonne nodded politely. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm used to drinking cold milk."Noah smiled softly. "It's not a good habit to have.""If you don't mind, I'm going back to my room. I don't want to leave Stephen alone for too long." Before she could move, Noah called out to her again. "We're a family now. Feel free to ask me for help anytime." He pushed a business card into Yvonne's pocket. "You have my number."Since it would be rude to refuse, Yvonne just nodded. "Sure. Thanks, Noah.""You're welcome. Go ahead then."Noah's eyes gradually lost their warmth as they followed Yvonne up the stairs, leaving only a cold stare.…Yvonne was still puzzled when she reached the room. Why did she feel so uncomfortable even though Noah had been so ki
Within a week, news about the Millers' true heir taking over Miller Jewels spread like wildfire in the company and became the hottest workplace gossip."Didn't Ms. Miller go abroad for her studies? Considering her age, she hasn't graduated yet, right? Why is she in such a hurry to fight for the inheritance?""Haven't you heard that Ms. Miller is actually an ingrate?""Seeing how Miller Jewels is on the brink of collapse, I think she's a moron rather than an ingrate!"Just then, the subject of all the gossip, Yvonne, stepped out of a taxi in front of the company. She was wearing a mask and dressed in a plain tee and long pants, her fierceness on full display.As Yvonne confidently strode toward the entrance, a security guard stopped her. She tried to reason with him peacefully, but he refused to allow her inside. Just as she was considering forcing her way in, the guard moved aside respectfully, pulling Yvonne along with him.Yvonne turned to see a sharp-looking Thomas stepping out of a
Although there was still half an hour before the meeting, the conference room was already filled with people.The doors opened, and a poorly dressed woman who looked like a lost college student entered the room as everyone looked on inquisitively.However, she headed straight toward the head of the table without saying a word. Thomas trailed behind her and softly reminded her to sit on one of the seats at the side. Yvonne ignored him and stood at the head of the table proudly, instantly causing an uproar."Who the hell is she? How dare she take Mr. Jones' place!"A loud bang instantly silenced the chatter.With both hands on the table, Yvonne leaned forward and began. "Good day, everyone. My name's Yvonne Miller, and I'm the rightful heir of Miller Jewels." Everyone was dumbfounded. The woman wearing a mask was Ms. Miller? They couldn't fathom why someone who'd studied abroad was behaving so uncultured—the complete opposite of a refined lady. Still puzzled, they turned their attention
The room became pin-drop silent as everyone gawked at Yvonne's ruined flesh, shocked."Until now, Mr. Jones has yet to give me an explanation." Yvonne gave Thomas a calm yet chilling look. "Besides, I never went overseas to study. I've been living in the countryside for the past 12 years. In fact—""Enough!" Thomas roared, effectively cutting Yvonne off. He seethed through gritted teeth. "Do you really want to embarrass our family in front of everyone here?""Our family?" Yvonne shook her head, smiling. "The Joneses are your family. You and I stopped being family a long time ago." She turned to look at the rest of the people in the room. "As all of you can see, I'm a rude, uncultured person, and not the refined lady Mr. Jones told you about."With just a few words, the story Thomas had carefully fabricated for the past 12 years came crumbling down. "However, I am a Miller, so I'm the only one who sincerely hopes that Miller Jewels stays strong. Oh, right. Another thing you should know
"I—I…" Monica stammered."None at all." Thomas cut in. "With your guidance, Yvonne will definitely bring more value to the company."Thanks to Duncan, Yvonna successfully managed to take over Miller Jewels without much trouble. Soon, the meeting ended, and everyone gradually left the room. Monica pulled Thomas aside and muttered, "When did Yvonne and Duncan get so close?""How would I know?" Thomas suppressed his anger. Today's meeting made it clear that he'd only caused trouble for himself by bringing Yvonne back from the countryside. He thought, "Today, she brought Duncan, but who knows what else she'll do tomorrow?" Yvonne had obviously made up her mind to go against him to the very end.Seeing right through Thomas, Monica sneered. "If I hadn't come at the right time, that bitch would've destroyed you. She won't go easy on you just because you're her father.""Enough! Can't you see that I'm worried enough as it is?" Thomas glared at Monica and stomped out of the conference room furi
Stephen withdrew his hand without batting an eyelid. "There's a mosquito in the room. I was trying to get rid of it."Yvonne looked at him silently. How could a blind man catch a mosquito? Nonetheless, she gave up and got up to open the door.Camille was standing outside, looking upset. "Yvonne, Mother's looking for you. She's furious, so play nice and don't make her angrier."Yvonne was confused. Why was Grandma angry again?Camille reminded her softly, "It's about Miller Jewels."Understanding immediately dawned on Yvonne. Elizabeth's intel was surprisingly fast; she must've ordered someone to keep an eye on Yvonne."Alright. I'll be out in a second." Yvonne asked Camille to go ahead and turned around to let Stephen know, but he was already standing behind her."I'm coming with you.""There's no—" Yvonne paused when she realized that she wouldn't get scolded too harshly if he were around.In the living room, Elizabeth was complaining to Hazel about Yvonne. "There have been so many is
A light breeze blew by in the courtyard. Agatha slowly recounted the past.Back then, Daniel and his wife, Katherine, had just had Mark. The entire Carrington family had been celebrating.They had doted on Mark and taken him wherever they went.That day, they had headed out. Before they'd known it, Mark had been taken away.Just when Daniel and Katherine had been on the brink of losing it, they had received a call from the kidnapper to bring the ransom to a specific spot.They had gotten the money and driven there without any hesitation. No one had thought that they would ever return after that. Even Mark had disappeared.When Agatha finished recounting this, her cup of tea had already cooled.She wiped her tears away. She said through a catch in her throat, "Katherine was hugging the bag of money tightly until the moment she passed away, as though she were hugging you."Mark furrowed his brows. Now that he'd heard the truth about Daniel and Katherine, he should have felt pain
As Yvonne left the room, she could tell that Stephen's mood was much better.She looked at him. "Are you thinking of something nice?""No." Stephen looked at Yvonne with a rare twinkle in his eyes."Let me take you to breakfast." Before Yvonne could respond, he took her hand and led her to the elevator.Thinking about how he'd stood outside her room the entire night, Yvonne decided to let him hold her hand.Then, her thoughts drifted to Otto. Somehow, she had a bad feeling.…At the same time, Mark was in the courtyard of Carrington Mansion. He sat next to Agatha and poured some tea for her.He handed her a cup of hot tea. "Great-Grandma, try this."When he noticed that Agatha had no reaction, he called out to her once more. "Great-Grandma?""Huh?" Agatha came to her senses. She looked at Mark in confusion. "What is it?""You've been distracted since yesterday. Are you thinking of something?" Mark asked.Agatha shook her head. "Nothing." Then, she picked up her teacup and
Yvonne stood by the door of the bedroom and looked at Otto, who was looking out of the window in a daze on the bed.The sun shone on his face. He looked quite hungover and had a sickly pale face.Yvonne hesitated for a while before saying gently, "Mrs. Jenner called me last night. She's worried about you."Otto didn't respond.Yvonne went in closer and added, "She said that you called her and asked about your father. She found it strange."Mr. Carrington, why did you suddenly think about your father? Did Mrs. Carrington Senior bring him up yesterday?"All Yvonne got was silence.Luckily, she was patient. She sat on the couch and followed Otto's line of sight. Tiny dust particles were floating among the sunbeams. Yvonne also fell into a daze as she watched them float about.Suddenly, Otto asked, "Have you ever felt like your world was falling apart?""Hmm?" Yvonne was confused. "For example?""I mean, like the person that you trust turns out to be different from what you'd t
The next morning, Yvonne opened her door to see Stephen standing outside. She was caught off guard."What is wrong with you this morning? Why didn't you knock…"While talking, Yvonne noticed that Stephen was still wearing the same clothes as the night before. She furrowed her brows and asked, "Don't tell me you didn't leave last night? Have you been standing outside this door all this while?""Hmm." Stephen looked at Yvonne intently. "I thought you would've figured it out quickly."Yvonne was speechless, but she thought to herself that she'd slept like a baby the night before.She smiled at him. "Figure what out?" She noticed Stephen frowning as though he were on the brink of losing his temper.She quickly added, "I-I mean, you have to give me a hint, right? I've thought about it the entire night, but I still don't understand. My brain isn't functioning well."Stephen asked suspiciously, "You've been thinking about it the entire night?""Yes, which is why I didn't look for yo
"If I hadn't come to find you tonight, you probably wouldn't tell me anything about what happened tonight, would you?" Stephen asked in retort.It wasn't a big deal, as long as they returned safely. Yvonne wondered why she needed to report this to him.But she still smiled. "It's late. How could I disrupt your rest? It would've been the same if I told you about it tomorrow morning, right?"Stephen sniggered. "Yvonne, you still don't know where you've gone wrong."He suddenly went in closer to her. Yvonne instinctively retreated until her back was up against the wall. She glared at him."What on earth is wrong with you? I've already said that I would've told you tomorrow morning—"A punch went past Yvonne and landed brutally on the wall.Yvonne was a little stunned. She looked into Stephen's eyes and furrowed her brows. "Stephen, I don't want to quarrel with you for no reason. "Mrs. Carrington Senior went to look for Otto today. Calbert couldn't reach him the entire day, so he
Jane returned to the private room, distracted.She sat down next to Cory. She looked at him as he reached his hand out to her in confusion.Cory furrowed his brows and asked unhappily, "Where's the wine?""Wine… Yes! Wine!" Jane came to her senses. She was just about to get up when Cory pulled her back.He grabbed her by her chin and forced her to look at him. "What happened when you went out?""N-Nothing."Cory tightened his grip. Jane furrowed her brows in pain. "I-I… I saw Yvonne. She told me that she and Stephen got remarried.""What?" Cory relaxed his grip a little. "They got remarried?""Hmm.""So, what?" He had no intention of letting her go, and he looked at her sharply. "Does it bother you so much that Stephen got remarried?"Jane looked at Cory frantically. "Cory, what do you mean by that?""What do I mean? You know what I mean."Cory went in closer. His tone turned icy. "You used to pursue Stephen. Now that you know he's gotten married, you're in this shitty mood
Yvonne turned around to see Jane smiling at her ambiguously. She furrowed her brows. How were they always bumping into each other?Jane crossed her hands in front of her chest and leaned against the wall. She swept her gaze at Calbert and Otto. "Two guys and one woman. You sure know how to have fun!"Calbert instantly snapped, "What the hell are you talking about?""Why are you being so fierce? Did I hit the nail on the head?" Jane snickered. "Two guys and a woman came out of a private room in the middle of the night. Anyone would come to the same conclusion. We're all adults. There's no need to pretend to be innocent.""You—" Calbert was about to go up to Jane, but Yvonne stopped him."Since Ms. Ford is here, I'm guessing so is Cory?" Yvonne smiled, yet her smile didn't reach her eyes. "If you cause a scene here and this bar gets raided, guess who'll be the ones walking out here alive?"Jane's expression turned ugly. "Are you threatening me?""It's just a kind reminder." Yvon
Calbert and Yvonne managed to track Otto's car to a bar, thanks to the information they'd gotten from his staff. Otto's car was right outside the bar.Calbert looked at the neon sign and furrowed his brows. "Why is Otto here? Did what Mrs. Carrington Senior said really hit him so badly that he has to drown himself in alcohol?"Yvonne said nothing and headed directly inside the bar."Wait up for me!" Calbert went after her. He subconsciously protected her from all the drunk patrons.The lighting in the bar was dim. Many of the patrons were drunk and having fun.Yvonne and Calbert walked around the booth area, but Otto was nowhere to be found. They pulled a server over to ask if there was a patron by the name of Otto Carrington who had reserved a private room.Coincidentally, the server had just taken two bottles of wine to Otto's room. So, he led them to the private room.Calbert tipped the server before opening the door and entering. The entire room reeked of alcohol.He looked
After Agatha left, Otto stood in the same spot without moving.A long time later, Zac entered the office. He looked at Otto's back and asked quietly, "Mr. Carrington, will you still see the client?""No." Otto sounded heartbroken.Zac didn't dare ask further questions. He gently closed the door and reminded the secretary that no one was to disturb Otto.In the office, Otto was alone. He slowly walked over to the couch and slumped into it. His mind was in a mess."Alexander was the one who planned the kidnapping back then."Agatha's words rang in his mind for a long time.Alexander's young face appeared in Otto's mind, smiling at him affectionately."Otto! Amazing! Yes! Just like that!""You're amazing at badminton! You're going to make the country proud! I'm going to be so proud of you!""Otto, my son!"Memories of his interactions with Alexander flashed across his mind at that moment.Otto couldn't imagine that such a loving father would do such an absurd thing. Alexander